Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2023 i MotorTrend

Meet the Envista, an affordable, entry-level crossover wearing a new nameplate that should clear up the confusion that arose when Buick sold both the Encore and Encore GX small SUVs that had little to no engineering kinship. The Envista is front-drive-only (like the related Chevy Trax), while the redesigned Encore GX has available all-wheel drive. That alone should attract different customers. The Envista is powered by a 1.2-liter turbocharged I-3 good for 136 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic. Fuel efficiency wasn’t certified as of this writing, but the Envista is expected to return 28/32/30 mpg city/highway/combined. Safety features are decent for a vehicle this size, with six active systems standard, including auto emergency braking and lane keep assist. Buyers can add more features such…

The Last Muscle Car Standing is the technically soon to be peerless 2024 Ford Mustang. We recently got a ride in the top-spec Dark Horse with the full $4,500 Handling package and the $1,650 Recaro racing buckets. Our one-hour spin around downtown Detroit never came close to maxing out the infotainment screen’s g-meter scale in any direction, but it gave us a taste of what this top-shelf non-Shelby steed will be like to live with: reasonably comfy for long cruises in Normal mode and, as expected, plenty firm for weekend track days in more aggressive settings. And owners will be able to personalize this ’Stang like never before. Normal, Sport, Track, and Slippery modes are nothing new—the Drag Strip setting is somewhat novel—but not every vehicle that offers those first…

The 2023 BMW M2 borrows the M3/M4’s S58 twin-turbo I-6, tuned to 453 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, or nine more horses and the same twist as the previous M2 CS. It also gets those cars’ optional eight-speed automatic in place of the previous version’s seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. As before, a six-speed manual is available. This M2 is 4.1 inches longer than its predecessor, 1.3 inches wider, and 0.3 inch lower. Its wheelbase is 2.1 inches longer, and track width increased by 1.5 inches at the front and 0.2 at the rear. There’s an increase of 321 MotorTrend-measured pounds over the M2 CS we last tested. Does longer, lower, wider, and heavier slow it down? Nope. In the 0–60 run, the new M2 was 0.4 second quicker than the…

Anti-American? I am going to buy a new compact SUV in the near future, so the first thing I turned to in the June issue was the comparison test. Don’t the domestic automakers make a vehicle that meets your criteria for inclusion in this test? Mike Preiss Orondo, Washington We would’ve loved to include the domestic players, but the updated Ford Escape and new Dodge Hornet weren’t available, the Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain are both nearing the ends of their life cycles, and the Jeep Cherokee went out of production.—Ed. Wait, MT named the Corvette its PVOTY over a Porsche or BMW?! Robert Pavlik Hudson, Ohio Haven’t you heard? We hate American vehicles, especially Chevrolets.—Ed. Towing the Line When you select the Truck of the Year while stating its…

Fast. Such a funny idea. I traveled to Florida to attempt to drive 400 kph in a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport. That’s about 250 miles per hour—precisely 248.548 for the always-a-tree, never-a-forest types. But the Airbus A321 I flew to Orlando on has a cruising speed of 544 mph. Earth rotates faster than 1,000 mph at the equator. Our planet travels through space while orbiting the sun at more than 67,000 mph. As Einstein might well have explained, fast is relative. What matters is that Bugatti lined up a space shuttle runway so I had a little more than 2 miles of acceleration space and then 4,000 feet to whoa down the car from what would be, should be, the fastest I’d ever driven. Before this outing, I’d topped 200…

The easiest mistake for an auto journalist to make is to treat every vehicle like a sports car and review it as such. Minivans aren’t sports cars, and few things irritate readers like a reviewer complaining about steering feel and 0–60 times for a car designed to haul children to soccer practice. A compact SUV isn’t a sports car, either, and shouldn’t be reviewed like one—unless it’s the new Dodge Hornet. As a rule, reviewers need to put themselves in the shoes of the person who’s going to buy the vehicle in question. If you ask Dodge, it’s the kind of person who cares about having the quickest, most powerful, toughest-looking car in the class—even if that’s the same class as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Dodge doesn’t talk…

“Our 2022 Car of the Year needs to prove itself again during 12 months of hard living.”Eric Tingwall Base Price $180,650 As Tested $180,650 EPA City/HWY/Comb Fuel Econ 109/110/109 mpg-e The Lucid Air pulled off the improbable when it took home MotorTrend’s 2022 Car of the Year honor. A fledgling company shooting for the moon with its first production vehicle built a car that was more impressive than anything fielded by a dozen automakers with centuries of experience behind them. Imagine the odds. As monumental as that accomplishment is, though, designing and engineering a great vehicle is not the hardest part of making cars. The real challenge is building 1,000 and then 10,000 and then 100,000 examples of that car, with the quality and reliability modern buyers expect, all while…

“Fast charging and easy access make city living with Hyundai’s EV a cinch, but its road trip debut almost ended in calamity.”Alex Leanse Service Life 3 months/3,487 miles Average Fuel Econ 2.9 miles/kWh Unresolved problems None Maintenance cost $0 Normal wear $0 Base price $57,795 As tested $58,005 EPA City/Hwy/Comb fuel econ 113/90/101 mpg-e When the tank starts to run low in your combustion-powered vehicle, do you stop at the first gas station you see? I typically don’t. Rather, I drive on with an eye out for cheaper fuel at whatever pumps I pass. Sure, my cortisol levels rise as the gauge’s needle falls, but that proves valuable if it saves some bucks when the nozzle clicks off. This opportunistic approach is much like how I charge our Ioniq 5. Apartment living doesn’t allow me the…

We don’t typically have a Hollywood A-Lister like Robert Downey Jr. on the cover of MotorTrend. As you’ll read about beginning on page 36, the actor is focused on some cool automotive projects that will be featured on his new show, Downey’s Dream Cars, premiering June 22 on Max. And despite moving on from his star turn in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s perhaps no surprise Downey gravitates toward tech to help clean up the planet. This got me thinking: If the automotive industry were a certain type of movie, who would play its heroes and villains? Hero Rivian and Lucid, two promising EV startups that continue to battle supply chain shortages and manufacturing challenges. Every time they get knocked down, they get back up again. Rivian beat Ford, GM,…

Lincoln still flies a bit under the radar, but the luxury brand has been on a hot streak in recent years, with the Navigator, Corsair, and Aviator all offering winning driving dynamics and gorgeous interiors. And now it’s the midsize two-row Nautilus’ turn to up its game. The third-generation model rides on a modified version of the C2 platform and is a bit bigger than before: 3.2 inches longer, 1.1 inches wider, and 2.0 inches taller. All sheetmetal is new and a hybrid is available for the first time. All-wheel drive is standard. The outgoing model’s 2.0-liter 250-hp turbo I-4 and 2.7-liter 335-hp twin-turbo V-6 are gone. In their place are a pair of new 2.0-liter turbo-fours designed to offer similar performance with improved fuel efficiency. The standard version generates…

The RZ isn’t Lexus’ first all-electric vehicle; that distinction goes to the overseas-only UX 300e. But it is the company’s first dedicated EV, built on the e-TNGA platform that also underpins the Toyota bZ4X and many others yet to come from the Japanese giant. Sized between the compact Lexus NX and midsize Lexus RX, the RZ is built to take on luxury electric crossovers including the Cadillac Lyriq, Genesis GV60, and Tesla Model Y. Inside, you find a 14.0-inch touchscreen. Air vents and trim lining the dashboard take a fluid shape as they lead to door panels that look sparsely decorated—until night falls. That’s when so-called Shadow Lighting becomes visible, projecting a lovely ethereal pattern across the upper portion. Every RZ comes with a heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated…

From battleship-sized wagons to podlike minivans to three-row SUVs, Americans have always loved big family trucksters. Automakers constantly invest in their plus-size portfolios, but which one makes the best big three-row SUV? We asked seven manufacturers to send us non-hybrid, all-wheel-drive models in the $50,000–$55,000 price range, which we drove up to tony Thousand Oaks, California, for one of our famous big comparison tests. In continuous production since 1991, Ford’s Explorer is the oldest nameplate here. Our test SUV came in ST-Line trim, combining equipment from the volume-selling XLT and Limited models with appearance cues inspired by the hot-rod Explorer ST. Powered by a 300-hp 2.3-liter turbocharged I-4, it stickers for $50,395. The Honda Pilot boasts a ground-up redesign for 2023. Boxier and bolder, the fourth-generation Pilot features a 3.5-liter…

You might not know it, but almost every Bugatti review you’ve ever read happened with a pro driver sitting in the passenger seat. I’ve driven three Veyrons and four Chirons, and with one exception there’s been a man next to me in the right seat. The exception was due to my buddy owning the Vitesse. Exactly why Bugatti insists on the presence of another human being is a bit murky. The company claims it’s for insurance reasons, though of course I just hit 245 mph in a Chiron all by my lonesome. I think it has more to do with corporate policy, and that’s fine. But what a crazy job. Imagine meeting someone, shaking hands—and then moments later you’re in the passenger seat and they’re driving you in something that…

It seems ioniq—er, sorry, ironic—to us that Hyundai’s new Ioniq 6 electric sedan drives so much like the MotorTrend SUV of the Year–winning Ioniq 5 SUV. We know we shouldn’t be surprised; both cars share Hyundai/Kia’s E-GMP platform, a prime example of putting a different metal hat on a similar mechanical skateboard. Still, with the svelte Ioniq 6 playing an EV Stan Laurel to the Ioniq 5’s Oliver Hardy, it’s hard not to chuckle at the similarities. Hyundai promised the 2023 Ioniq 6 would deliver a “more driver-centric” experience than the 5, and we wondered if that meant it would share its character with its other E-GMP-mate, the Kia EV6, which has a decidedly tail-happy feel, particularly in GT form. Nope: Hyundai’s interpretation of driver-centric is heavier steering and a…

“Sometimes a well-packaged SUV is all you need for a great outdoor vehicle.”Billy Rehbock Service Life 2 months/2,347 miles Average Fuel Econ 27.6 mpg Unresolved problems None Maintenance cost $0 Normal wear $0 Base price $26,010 As tested $26,957 EPA City/Hwy/Comb fuel econ 33/31/32 mpg When the Corolla Cross first arrived in our fleet, we were taken by its handsome exterior design, purposeful interior layout, and spacious trunk. Because it’s the brand’s smallest SUV, we still had some reservations as to whether it would be large enough to support an active lifestyle. But in the first two months of its tenure, it’s held its own as an amiable people mover and cargo hauler. We’ve also discovered some shortcomings. Outdoors enthusiasts will love its spaciousness. The large trunk has more than enough space for hiking gear for…

“We might struggle to fill the Defender-sized empty space in our long-term test fleet.”Christian Seabaugh Service Life 14 mo/17,488 mi Average Fuel Econ 15.2 mpg Base Price $64,050 As Tested $74,960 OPTIONS Explorer package ($4,900: mud flaps, hood decal, spare wheel cover, wheel arch protection, snorkle air intake, roof rack, side-mounted gear carrier), Off Road package ($1,550: electronic differential, AC outlet, off-road tires), black roof ($1,000), front undershield ($1,000), front jump seat ($900), Advanced Off-Road Capability package ($750: configurable Terrain Response 2), premium paint ($710), California emissions ($100) Problem Areas Likely software glitches causing false air suspension and overheating warnings; center headrest ripped; rear wiper clog; occasionally buggy infotainment system; fading black exterior trim Total Fuel Cost $6,063 Maintenance Cost $0 Normal Wear $0 3-Year Residual Value* $80,200 (107%) RECALLS Repair crankcase ventilation system *IntelliChoice data; assumes…

The all-new Kia EV9 will fill a spot that desperately needs filling: the all-electric, three-row, mainstream SUV. Right now, the only games in town wear badges from Tesla, Mercedes, and Rivian, but one for regular buyers with regular checkbooks? This will be the first. And it looks fantastic. Range is likely to fall somewhere between 260 to 300 miles depending on equipment and battery pack size —76.1 or 99.8 kWh are the options—while power will run from 215 horses in the single-motor RWD model to 379 hp in the dual-motor AWD range topper. All that output will come wrapped in a look barely changed from the mega-cool concept that wowed audiences a couple of years ago. Riding on a stretched version of Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform, the EV9 is…

Barely a week goes by when our test team doesn’t record a sub-3.5-second run to 60 mph—yet the Lucid Air Sapphire bends brains as I look it over in the pits at the Big Willow racetrack. “North of 1,200 horsepower,” we’re told. OK. “Zero to 100 mph in under 4.0 seconds.” All right, then. You’ll need $249,000 to experience Lucid’s new tri-motor monster, but it’s still “very much a road car,” director of chassis and vehicle dynamics David Lickfold says. “But it’s much more focused. It shows the latent potential.” That means more tire, a lower ride height, more damping, a wider stance, and bigger carbon-ceramic rotors gripped by 10-piston calipers, plus aero revisions to reduce lift and create positive downforce. There are now two motors on the rear axle,…

Alfa Romeo is having some trouble in the sense that women aren’t buying: Giulia and Stelvio buyers are 70 to 80 percent older men. The 2024 Tonale SUV is therefore aimed squarely at women and millennials, and we traveled to Alfa’s hometown of Milan to assess this latest little luxe-ute’s chances of luring the young as well as the fairer sex. The Tonale shares a platform and most bodywork with the Dodge Hornet but will only get its plug-in hybrid AWD powertrain tuned to produce 285 hp and 347 lb-ft of torque with no PowerShot gimmicks. Among the Alfa’s competitors (Audi Q3, BMW X1, Mercedes GLA, and Volvo XC40), only the priciest Mercedes-AMG variants and the fully electric Volvo offer higher output numbers. Our drive departed from Alfa’s historic Balocco…

Throughout the evolutionary arc of history, nature has solved many of the elemental problems modern engineers face. A technical session at SAE World Congress 2023 highlighted the best practices for leveraging biomimicry, a branch of science devoted to emulating such natural solutions, and presented several success stories of nature inspiring new ways to improve modern mobility. Engineers looking to nature for solutions begin by defining the scope of their project and cataloging its constituent functions. From this list, they can identify biological models and extract design principles in pursuit of a true biomimetic solution. Feisty Shrimp Clubs A search for an exceptionally light, tough material able to efficiently dissipate energy uncovered a type of mantis shrimp that has evolved “dactyl clubs” it uses to bludgeon the exoskeletons of its prey.…

To adventure is the human condition. If there’s been one constant over the last 300,000-some years of humanity, it’s our need to roam. Those who first ventured out of Africa or across the Atlantic might not recognize the astronauts who first went to space, but they’d likely all share the same need to explore. That’s perhaps why automakers lean so heavily into the theme to sell new cars—SUVs are shown with tents on their roofs and happy families surrounding the campfire, pickups with dirt bikes in the bed or off-road on a remote trailhead. Never mind the tires of most new vehicles are more likely to kiss only pavement. The new Colorado ZR2’s advertising will surely drip with the theme, but then again, this midsize pickup is uniquely well-suited to…

Charging your car at home is one of the great perks of electric vehicle ownership. A Level 2 (240-volt) home charger allows you to plug in a nearly depleted EV in the evening and wake up to a full battery the next day. Once you’ve lived with this luxury, you’ll never look at gas stations the same way. But getting to that easy electric living requires some hard and potentially very expensive work up front. Installing a home charging station can be fraught with unexpected costs, ambiguous information, and flaky contractors. It doesn’t have to be that way, though. With our expert guidance, you’ll have the knowledge you need to ensure you end up with the right charger for your home and a competent installer—all at a fair price. Installation…

“Yeah, the F-150 Lightning is a ‘real’ truck.”Christian Seabaugh Service Life 4 months/4,268 miles Average Fuel Econ 2.06 miles/kWh Unresolved problems None Maintenance cost $0 Normal wear $0 Base price $69,269 As tested $80,889 EPA City/Hwy/Comb fuel econ 78/63/70 mpg-e One of the most vivid memories from my childhood is the time my brother Patrick and I helped my grandfather build a new concrete swale in the backyard of his Virginia home. To be fair, I mostly remember being squeezed three across in the cab of his ’89 Dodge Ram 100 as we returned from a gravel yard with our supplies. I can still feel the humid Southern summer air coming in the vented windows, hear the slant-six straining at redline, and see the Ram’s nose aimed up at cloudless blue sky on the way home,…

Sideways through the icy third-gear sweeper. A gentle tap on the brakes had rotated the Hyundai on corner entry. Now it’s a matter of listening to the rise and fall of the throaty rumble filling the cabin to gauge the level of wheelspin and thus precisely modulate pressure on the accelerator to keep the car sliding in a gentle arc, nose tucked in toward the corner apex. It’s slippery on exit, and the noise rises as the Pirelli Sottozero 3 winter tires sweep through the light dusting of snow and spin up on the ice underneath. Short shift. A click on the right-hand paddle engages fourth gear, momentarily reducing the amount of torque sent to the wheels. The noise drops in intensity, the tail starts to swing back into line,…