Automotive Reviews

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2022 Lexus NX 350h: Improved SUV drives well, looks ugly

The 2022 Lexus NX 350h is an automotive dichotomy. Now in its second generation and eight years removed from its debut, the futuristic-looking sport utility vehicle is categorized as a subcompact luxury crossover. The description is contradictory and inaccurate. Luxury in vehicles was once determined by spaciousness, top-end construction, top-line materials and a handsome, confident and powerful presence powering along the highway. The NX 350 is none of that. Lexus remains the luxury brand of Toyota. Its upscale offerings were vaulted to the top of the J.D Power & Associates in 1991, the car maker’s third model year. More than 30 years later, the brand’s SUV lineup gets similar industry ratings. But as represented to an extreme by the NX

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2022 Toyota Highlander: maturing SUV remains worthy

The Toyota Highlander turned age 22 in 2022 and it retains its status as a respected midsize sport utility vehicle. Its consistency and versatility have provided long-haul clout. Last year, the Highlander had its best sales year since the three-row family hauler’s debut. Key Takeaways Highlander posts record sales year in a crowded segment: Now in its fourth generation, Toyota’s three-row SUV delivered its best annual total since its 2000 debut despite strong rivals in the Telluride, Pilot, Pathfinder, Ascent, Atlas, and Traverse. 295-hp V6 with eight-speed automatic powers all six trims: Every Highlander gets the 3.5-liter V6, plus Eco, Normal, Sport, and Snow drive modes standard. Price range stretches from $35,205 to over $50,000: The front-drive L trim opens

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2022 Genesis G80 defines the best of luxury sedans

The guy standing next to his parked Mercedes-Benz sedan was three spots away from my ride in the far reaches of a Home Depot parking lot. He stared at the 2022 Genesis G80 and said, “Nice lines. What kind of car is it?” The entire Genesis lineup gets plenty of similar reactions. Praised by critics and inundated with awards, the South Korean carmaker debuted as a stand-alone luxury brand from Hyundai in 2016. But it remains unheralded. Further confusing, Hyundai offered a Genesis as its top-line sedan beginning in 2009. Now Genesis manufacturers the G70 sports sedan, G80 mid-size sedan, G90 full-size sedan, GV80 mid-size SUV, and for 2023, the GV60 electric SUV. 2022 Genesis G80: Only One Dealership The

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2022 Ford Maverick reigns in pickup gas mileage rivalry

The 2022 Ford Maverick has proven a success, although many buyers who placed orders for the new offering in the manufacturer’s extensive of lightweight trucks haven’t received their vehicle and likely won’t soon. The Maverick combines affordability and fuel efficiency, and it’s also backlogged with many other cars and trucks and many other products within the supply chain fiasco. With a starting price of $21,490 and a combined fuel economy of 37 miles per gallon, the Ford Maverick tops the list of the country’s most fuel efficient trucks. Ford Maverick: Best MPG Among Trucks Here’s a “baker’s dozen” list of the lightweight trucks in the United States with the best combined gas mileage averages. Each 2022 model truck listed with

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2022 Hyundai Tucson: new, bold, worthy

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson, the debut of the small sport utility’s fourth generation, is the South Korean manufacturer’s finest effort to compete against the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. It’s a worthy challenger. Unheralded and 13th in small SUV sales in 2021, this year’s Tucson has been redesigned with a sculptor’s bold ideas. It has squared wheel arches, sharp bodywork creases, a radical headlight design and a snarky-looking front grille. More important, the Tucson for the first time is available in three powertrains, a gasoline engine, a standard hybrid and a plug-in hybrid. The latter has a maximum 28-mile electric-only range; the standard hybrid is rated at 37 miles per gallon in city driving, 36 mpg on the highway. Seven

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Volkswagen hints toward new electric pickup truck

Nearly 40 years after Volkswagen stopped selling pickup trucks in the United States, it will do so again. At least that’s what VW of America CEO Scott Keogh suggested recently during an interview with Business Insider. “I think it’s the chance of a lifetime in this segment because electrification gives you a reset moment,” Keogh said. “It gives you a chance to bring some, let’s say, alternatives and some new ideas into this great segment.” VW leaning toward pickup truck return Keogh said an electric pickup is something VW is “actively investigating.” Volkswagen has twice suggested it would re-enter the U.S. market. Its previous pickup was last offered in 1983. In 2018, the automaker unveiled at Atlas Tanoak concept which

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2022 Toyota Supra matches sports car rivals, costs less

More than two dozen cars debuted in 1979. They varied from long-gone oddities like the Datsun Bluebird and Ford Durango to icons with legions of followers, the Volkswagen Jetta and Toyota Supra. As a compact two-seater, four-seater and wagon, the Jetta is an all-time top seller as a durable, reliable and affordable family car. The Supra was a near-instant hit as a high-performing, handsome sports car eventually gaining starring movie roles. It had nearly a 20-year hiatus beginning in 1998, but it’s been back for a few years. And it’s much to the joy of long-time enthusiasts who thrive on the coupe’s adept turning, quick acceleration and overall fun. Toyota Supra: Fast & Furious For 2022, not much is different

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2022 Honda Civic: Still reigns as top compact sedan at age 50

Technology overload and extraneous warning lights and sounds. Mood lighting and champagne flutes in mini back-seat refrigerators. Paddle shifters standard in family sedans with continuously variable transmissions? Where will it all end? How about with a 2022 Honda Civic? It’s not a return to automotive simplicity with roll-up windows and cigarette lighters. Rather, it’s an iconic car, now in its 11th generation. It’s 50 years old, with 12 million sold. It cost less than $31,000 for the top-line model, about two-thirds of the average price of a new car in the United States. With its new mature appearance inside and outside, the 2022 Honda Civic moves higher on the list, maybe to the top of the list, of the industry’s

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2022 BMW 240i drives big as small luxury coupe

Just when every niche in the automotive industry appears filled, another arises. The 2022 BMW 2 Series coupe 240i is a leader in the small luxury car fraternity. It’s a small group, which includes country rivals from Audi and Mercedes-Benz. Following the discontinuation of the convertible offering, the redesigned 2022 BMW 2 Series coupe is available in two trims, 230i and the reviewed M240i xDrive. The base 230i features a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 255 horsepower. The M240i xDrive more defines many BMW drivers’ common enjoyment — performance rules. It includes a 3-liter, 24-valve, 6-cylinder, 382 horsepower engine matched with an eight-speed transmission. A manual transmission is not available. The all-wheel-drive engine also has a stability control system. It provides

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Vintage cars are great fun, need care, quickly empty wallets

Vintage cars are often neither fuel-effective nor budget-friendly. But they look, feel great and drive beautifully. Sit or drive a classic vehicle and the experience can be a coolness and freeing feeling, not too dissimilar to what Sean Connery must have felt like when he driving an Aston Martin in a James Bond film. If you attend a classic event in your area, such as the Monterey Auto Week, it’s the perfect opportunity to get to know more about your favorite cars and how owners preserve them. Classic vehicles require a lot of care and repair to remain on the road — even if the vehicle is only sporadically driven. Vintage Cars Greatly Vary If driving a classic vehicle on

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2022 BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe: purists’ joy

For some BMW purists, the 8 Series sedan isn’t enough. Fine. How about the 2022 BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe? It’s quick, stunningly attractive and rare with about 2,000 manufactured for those with discriminating tastes, the need for more performance and possessing deep pockets. Founded in 1965, Alpina, the German customization specialty company, and BMW have maintained a long business relationship. The former works independently but it’s also permanently partnered with BMW. The collaboration morphs into vehicles greater than the sum of the two companies. Key Takeaways 612-hp twin-turbo V8 splits the M8 lineup: Positioned between the 600-hp M8 and 617-hp M8 Competition, the Alpina B8 uses a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 backed by an Alpina-tuned eight-speed. 590 lb-ft of torque

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Favorite car? Old or new? It’s in the eye of the buyer

Who can pick their favorite car? Not too far into the future, 300 million cars will be registered in the United States. More than 30 current manufacturers have lineups currently available; plenty of other carmakers are defunct and either revered or best forgotten and still driven. The staggering number of vehicles on the road and hoarded in garages further dilutes an often-asked question, “If money were no object, what car would you buy?” There’s no right answer, but vintage simplicity is far more appealing than impress-the-neighbors bling. A 1954 Kaiser-Darrin, 1967 Mercedes Benz 250 SL Convertible or a 1991 Nissan Figaro? Yes. Any new Tesla, Hummer or tanked-sized family SUV? No. Favorite Car?  Old or New? A $15,000 Chevy Spark

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Best Compact SUV? CarsForSale.com lists top-10

A compact SUV is about as ubiquitous as it gets on American roads. As tastes have shifted away from minivans and sedans, those seeking a blend of practicality and drivability have flocked to the smaller, more car-like version of the hulking SUV. Choices in the segment are diverse, from decent off-roaders to stylish canyon cravers to people-moving champions, there’s something here for every buyer. Compact SUVs excel at being the ultimate all-rounders, capable of serving as your weekend adventure vehicle and daily commuter, shipping kids to soccer or taking on the trails with equal aplomb. CarsForSale.com rates the 2022 Mazda CX-5 as its top compact SUV. “It should come as no surprise that the company that brought you the Miata

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Ford Lightning pickup truck will strike soon with 320-mile range

The enduring Ford F-150 pickup family will soon expand with the long-anticipated Lightning debut this summer with its just announced Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certification and manufacturer revealed charge range. Depending upon engine configuration, the 2022 F-150 Lightning will have a range of 230 to 320 miles. Towing capacity is 7,700 pounds. The Lightning will come with two electric powertrain choices. The larger, extended range system will produce an estimated 563 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque. That will make the F-150 Lightning Ford’s fastest pickup. It will have an estimated 0-60 mph time in the mid-4-second range when equipped with an extended-range battery. The smaller standard range version will have 426 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque. Ford Lightning:

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2022 Mercedes-Maybach S 580: Value-priced, Ultra Luxury

Like sports cars and economy vehicles, what defines a luxury car is blurred in marketing materials and manufacturers’ whims. An ultra-luxury car easier may be easier to pinpoint since fewer are made. The 2022 Mercedes-Maybach qualifies without any squabble. After its long tumultuous tenure, Maybach ceased as a standalone manufacturer in 2013. Two years later it became a sub-brand of Mercedes-Benz. Beginning in 2021, Daimler began to make ultra-luxury editions of the Mercedes-Benz S-Classic and GLS-Class using the name Mercedes-Maybach. The 2022 edition is available in S 580 and S 680 trims. The reviewed S 580 features a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 496 horsepower. Both trims have all-wheel drive and a nine-speed automatic transmission. The S 680 has a 12-cylinder

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2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance: New, upscale, worthy

The automotive industry is always expanding with new niche markets unveiled within broader style segments. Welcome the 2022 Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance. It’s a V8-powered, rear-wheel-drive small luxury sedan. The new Lexus is a few cars in one. It’s ideal for buyers seeking an upscale comfortable and capable sport sedan. The top-performing model in the IS lineup, the 500 F Sport features the same non-turbo V8 engine as its siblings, the LC 500 and the RC F coupes. It also has 472 horsepower, a power surge further bolstered in key areas. A sport-tuned adaptive suspension, Torsen limited-slip differential, larger brakes and 19-inch Enkei wheels fitted with performance tires are also part of the touted performance push. The result:

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