Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2019 i MotorTrend

The team put together a fascinating story entitled “Ditch Your Car” in the April 2019 issue. In it, we profiled an L.A.-area businessman who traded car ownership for full-time ride-hailing via Uber and Lyft. We’re big fans of cars and car ownership, and we know that you are, too, so I was curious what the response would be. I was not disappointed (and yes, this was a real letter). Dear Mr. MotorTrend: I imagine you’re some young squirt, all full of himself. You say it’s “clear that Uber and Lyft offer a superior experience to taxis with the ability to hail a ride via an app, pay via credit card, and rate your driver.” I say balderdash! The app is on my phone, which I can use to hail a…

If your oligarching, hedge-funding, hostile-takeovering year has been particularly lucrative and you’re eager to make the point for your fellow filthy-rich pals by piloting something low, pointy, crazy-fast, and seven-figure “exclusive,” you point your Gulfstream G650, Boeing biz-jet, or Cessna Citation toward Switzerland for the annual motor show. Few places gather as many rare and fast cars in one convenient place like this. Here’s the essential 411 on each 2019 Geneva Motor Show hypercar. Arcfox GT What: China’s first hypercar from Beijing’s BAIC, displayed in street and track variants. Powertrain: four-motor (street) or six-motor (track; two on each rear wheel), one-speed automatic (est), AWD Power: 1,005 hp (street), 1,609 hp (track) Torque: 590 lb-ft (street), 973 lb-ft (track) 0-62 mph: 2.59 (probably both, traction limited) Top speed: 160-plus mph Price:…

@markrechtin The Geneva Motor Show is a feast for the eyes, not only in terms of the improbably expensive hypercars (many of which you can see on preceding pages) but also for the mass-market machinery that is inexplicably not for U.S. sale. Consider this your window-shopping excursion down dreamer’s lane for cars that you might see on the road on your next European vacation. Citroën C5 AirCross If Subaru got down with its funky side, it might create a clunky-cool compact crossover like this Citroën. Sure, its fascia is a bit Honda CR-V (steal from the best, right?), but it has good second-row space for your friends and plenty of room for cargo. Dacia Duster Whatever happened to the inexpensive, go-anywhere SUV? So what if the interior looks ripped from…

Readers Respond to April’s “The New Normal” Compact Crossover Big Test Congratulations on the thorough compact CUV comparison test. I am one of those readers who appreciates the articles about normal, affordable cars. Some of your comments are puzzling, though. For example, how can the Subaru Forester be “underpowered to a fault?” It ranks second in the figure eight, third in 0–60 acceleration, third in 45–65-mph passing, fourth in the quarter mile, and fourth in weight to power. Its EPA combined economy is best in class. I understand the gripes about ride and handling, but underpowered? Really? Robert Mager Quebec City, Quebec Add my comments to the hundreds of comments you will receive on “The New Normal,” and thanks for the extensive review, but of course, I have some issues…

Of all the Toyotas that have migrated to the new TNGA platform, the Corolla arguably makes the biggest leap while taking the opportunity to redefine the lineup. This 12th-generation econobox made its debut with the 2019 hatchback, followed by the 2020 sedan—and it reflects other Toyota models in adding sportier SE and XSE model lines. Sedans should account for 90 percent of Corolla sales, and about 10 percent of the powertrains are expected to be hybrid. Putting a manual in the hatch was an easy decision; we applaud Toyota for also offering it in the SE sedan even though the take rate in the U.S. is a mere 1 percent, compared to 3.5 percent globally. Corolla engineer Yasushi Ueda thinks manuals will increase to 5 percent with the new car.…

Remember the Mini E, the first electric Mini? We drove it way back in 2008—and liked it a lot. Astonishingly capable and sharply responsive, the Mini E had a 201-hp e-motor and a 35-kW-hr battery that boasted a 100-mile range. There was one not so small problem: the battery. The 5,088-cell lithium-ion arrangement cost about $30,000, added about 700 pounds, and filled the space where the back seats and hatch would be. THE MINI S E FEELS BALANCED AND PLANTED, ESPECIALLY DURING RAPID CHANGES OF DIRECTION. After a spin in a prototype of the electric-powered 2020 Mini S E, we can confirm that it, too, is an astonishingly capable little car. It’s smooth, silent, and instant-on quick with razor-sharp reactions that will leave you grinning from ear to ear as…

Let’s play a guessing game. Is this a new Subaru? Maybe a zippy Mazda? Ford Explorer? Wrong, wrong, and wrong. This fresh new face is the 2020 Toyota Highlander, which abandons its benign family-hauler look and gets a complete makeover. Moving the midsize SUV to Toyota’s TNGA global architecture, which underpins everything from the Prius, C-HR, and Corolla to the RAV4, Camry, and Avalon, was the perfect opportunity to redefine the Highlander. Working with such a clean sheet, Toyota’s designers created a refreshing change for a vehicle whose popularity was based less on looks and more on Toyota’s reputation for safe, reliable, durable, and functional family vehicles. Toyota wants to expand its base beyond families to include empty nesters and young, active buyers. That meant giving the Highlander a more…

There’s a fun old Simca commercial for the Aronde Elysee that includes the phrase “a triumph of French engineering!” These days, Americans hearing that tagline may find themselves stifling a giggle. French fashion? Oui. French culinary artistry? Mais certainement. But engineering—of cars? The last Peugeots and Renaults marketed in the U.S. didn’t exactly give Honda and Toyota a run for their JD Power rankings. But Peugeot says it’s coming back to the U.S., so we did some tire-kicking around the Geneva show floor. Peugeot 208 The small 208 generated the biggest buzz, making its global debut in gas, diesel, and full-electric guises. This one is almost certainly not coming to the U.S., as it’s a car, it’s a hatchback, and it’s too small—but as compacts go, it’s super stylish. The…

Cadillac’s pledge to launch a new vehicle every six months continues with the introduction of the 2020 CT5, a sedan that essentially replaces the ATS and CTS in the lineup. Visitors to the 2019 New York auto show will see the 2019 Cadillac CT5, which will go on sale near the end of the year. The CT5 will have a standard 2.0-liter turbo-four engine and an optional 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6. Both are paired with a 10-speed automatic. The 2.0-liter engine is expected to deliver about 268 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque; the 3.0-liter generates about 404 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. The new Cadillac is a rear-drive car on the Alpha architecture; all-wheel drive will be available on all trim levels. The CT5 will eventually have Cadillac’s Super…

Global regulations are driving the vehicle fleet toward econobox efficiency and/or increased electrification. But to succeed in a cheap-gas economy, these fuel/electron sippers will need to be as fun and comfortable to drive as our current favorite carbon spewers. GKN Driveline recently showed off several “life hack” technologies for preserving driving fun as the carbon screws tighten—including riffs on the company’s Twinster all-wheel-drive system, which gave Ford’s Focus RS its drifting mojo and saves fuel by disconnecting the AWD hardware in myriad vehicles from GM, FCA, Jaguar Land Rover, and others. Because these technologies are easiest to experience in low-traction conditions, I ventured to a frozen lake near Arjeplog, Sweden, to try them. First, a quickie refresher on Twinster: This AWD system eschews differential gears in favor of clutches on…

One of my first memories of a pickup truck was the Ford F-150 at my uncle’s ranch about an hour away from Mexico City. The white work truck from the late ’80s, with its funky red interior and single cab, was employed for many tasks at El Rincón—“The Corner” in English, aptly describing the ranch’s location in Tepeji del Rio. Driven only by Salvador—“Chava,” as we called the caretaker—the F-150 served as a patrol car for the 27-acre property, hauling lawnmowers from one side to the other and bringing stacks of hay to the stables, among many other tasks. The truck rarely got any rest. It was a real work truck—crank windows and manual side mirrors—and the F-150 served its purpose every day. My uncle eventually sold the ranch in…

As one of Kia’s consistently best-selling models, the Soul has always been difficult to categorize. Tall wagon? Crossover? Maybe a little of both? Since its U.S. debut in 2010, the Soul has proudly marched to the beat of its own drum: boxy and dorky—and it’s ultimately cooler because of it. Now in its third generation, the Kia Soul adds a healthy dose of refinement while keeping its weird streak intact. Soul competitors have come and gone through the years. Nissan lost faith in its dorm-fridge Cube and oddball Juke, replaced by the more conventionally styled Kicks for 2018. And the original subcompact box on wheels, the Scion xB, went from quirky and cool to flabby and boring in its second generation before Toyota pulled the plug on the brand altogether.…

“SHE SAID, ‘HEY, BABE, TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE …’” - LOU REED, 1972 What does Ol’ Lou singing tales of gender-bending ’70s Manhattan have to do with me telling you about a genre-bending racetrack performance car? To get straight to the point: Compared to the KTM X-Bow (say “crossbow”), your prized supercar languishing in the garage is morbidly obese. That’s right. Porsche GT Whatever, Ferrari Speciale Blah Blah, McLaren Anything, you name it. Fatsos. Porkers. The KTM is the 1,400-pound not-elephant in the room. No offense—KTM most definitely has entered automobilia’s wild side. Sure, your porcine supercar has 500, 600, even 700 horsepower. And that’s just thrilling when you’re rocketing straight ahead; the power can overcome that extra load, for the most part. But when you turn…

America’s current infatuation with SUVs was either a perfect storm of circumstance or a return to a familiar form. To some, it was a savvy marketing construct to embrace our disused frontier spirit, play off our post-9/11 survivalist crisis, and excuse our migration from unhip minivans and dowdy sedans into something cooler to haul our children to Montessori. Or, in a longer view of history of transportation, the postwar love affair with sedans and coupes was the exception. As a transportation device, the SUV was what we were supposed to drive all along. Crossover mania has been a demographic acid trip. What other vehicle could make both boomers and Gen Xers feel young again—with the bonus of a taller seating height for their aging hips and aching backs? Sure, we…

“I was born in Bosnia, the poorest country in Europe. The roads were dirt. Cars were very rare. Nobody in my family had anything to do with cars, but my parents tell me that before I could walk or talk, I was already then crazy about them. I was just born with it.” I’m chatting with Mate Rimac (pronounced “mah-TAY re-MATS”) at the Geneva show. Nearby is the Rimac Automobili C_Two, a production-ready, all-electric hypercar boasting 1,888 hp, 1,696 lb-ft of torque, and performance to scare a Bugatti Chiron. Rimac claims the C_Two will hit 60 mph in 1.85 seconds, 100 mph in 4.3 seconds, and 186 mph in 11.8 seconds. The quarter mile takes just 9.1 seconds, en route to a top speed of 256 mph. Just over the…

We recently got a look at Tesla’s Model Y at an event at the company’s design center. Despite looking like a compact crossover, it’s second row is roomy. At 6 feet tall, I have about an inch and a half between the top of my head and the all-glass roof, and legroom is decent; with two other adults in the back seat, however, shoulder room gets tight. Tesla claims the Model Y can seat seven. Two folded seats are located behind the second row in the hatch, but this third row is clearly for children only, as headroom and legroom are compromised. In front is a clean, centrally mounted, horizontally oriented 15-inch touchscreen, similar to the one found in the Model 3. In fact, the Model Y’s interior appears to…

Mazda unveiled its CX-30 compact crossover, which will slide into the space between the CX-3 and CX-5 when it goes on sale in Europe this summer. It will feature the Skyactiv-X spark-controlled compression-ignition engine. The CX-30—it will use that name in our market while the CX-3, CX-5, and CX-9 remain the same—will be imported to the U.S. by the 2020 or the 2021 model year, which means it likely won’t come Stateside until early next year. “The aim of introducing this new model was to expand our portfolio in crossover segment,” Mazda CX-30 program manager Naohito Saga said. The new crossover’s Skyactiv-X engine will make about 180 hp, which indicates it’s essentially the same 2.0-liter inline-four as in the global Mazda3. Mazda Motor Europe president and CEO Jeff Guyton touted…

A mid the supercars at the Geneva show, there was big buzz at the VW stand around a bright green electric dune buggy that we have since learned will go into production in limited volumes in about two years. We snagged some one-on-one time with Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess to talk about the buggy, pickups, and ongoing partnership talks with Ford. How production-ready is the ID Buggy? This buggy is not yet production-ready, but it is a possibility. We already have our important volume models in the pipeline, and a few months ago we decided on the electric bus, which adds an emotional but mono-volume-style car. The ID Buzz microbus is officially greenlit for production? That’s all under construction, under design, all decided. All through the pipeline, everything is…

There’s a certain nobility in accepting your place in the food chain and making sure you’re the best you can be at that strata. Such is the position of the 2020 Toyota Corolla. This is the 12th generation of the frumpy but economical entry-level sedan from a brand that traffics in reliability. Enough folks prefer such predictable A-to-B transport that the Corolla is the best-selling car in the world. But change has been due. The Corolla’s last major redesign hit the streets in fall 2013. Pretty much every other compact car has turned over in the interim, each with impressive qualifications to be a young driver’s first new car. Reputation allowed the Corolla to get away with bland styling and limp dynamics. It was shinier than buying used and had…

Remember the horsepower wars of the 1960s? In yet another twist on Mark Twain’s alleged saying, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes,” the car industry is humming its 50-year-old horsepower one-upmanship tune once again. But now there’s a new verse, with the lyrics “miles of battery range” instead of “plain ol’ horsepower.” A snapshot of the current BEV-range leader board of affordable EV offerings looks like this: Hyundai Kona (258 miles), Kia Soul (243 miles), Kia Niro (239 miles), and Chevrolet Bolt (238 miles). Where, pray tell, is the biggest-selling affordable EV of them all, the Nissan Leaf? When its second generation was introduced two years ago in Japan, the Bolt’s then-staggering 238 number had already been announced. Needless to say, that cast a pall over the Tokyo…

Longer! Lower! Wider!” For decades, those three words triggered fever dreams of speed, style, and, with a wink, an extra sprinkle of sexiness. In 1965, they helped talk 1 million Americans into the Chevrolet Impala, which remains the single biggest-selling passenger car this country has ever known. But walk into a Ford showroom next year, and you might have trouble spotting its last remaining “car”—the iconic Mustang—amid a Stonehenge of towering crossovers, SUVs, and trucks. There will be no sedans at all down the street at the Chrysler showroom, and by late next year, the history book will also snap shut on that onetime king of American sedans—the iconic Impala. What the heck has happened? Everybody who was blindsided by this apparent rogue wave of change now seems to be…

Do you think it’s safe to test?” Stoic testing director Kim Reynolds looked even more serious than normal as he loomed over my desk. “Kim,” I responded, “I think they drifted it, for what I imagine was at least an hour of filming. It didn’t break—or tip over. We can do our routine tests.” But he persisted, pondering, as Kim does, about the physics involved with stopping from 60 mph a 4,300-pound car with 26-inch wheels (that’s a lot of rotational mass) or sending it down a dragstrip for the first time in its existence (concerned it could break U-joints or the driveshaft trying to get those giant wheels rotating and the car moving from a standstill). Then there’s the part where Kim’s noggin really starts buzzing, about the eventuality…