Automotive Reviews

NEW TRUCK PREVIEW: Fresh look for 2023 Nissan Frontier

Highlighted by a modernized exterior and interior and a more powerful engine, the 2023 Nissan Frontier will arrive next year as the debut of the midsized pickup truck’s third generation. Nissan reports the new Frontier will feature a 310-horsepower V6 and it will be propelled by a nine-speed automatic transmission and rear or four-wheel drive. The Frontier’s new exterior, according to several truck websites, will feature a new body inspired by the classic Nissan Hardbody Desert Runner, its predecessor. It will feature a massive grille. 2023 Nissan Frontier: New Inside, Outside A new instrument will be unveiled and will include a standard 8-inch touchscreen and a 9-inch screen on upper-level trims. Technology will include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration,

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Farewell to the Ford F-150 diesel; We hardly knew you

After only a four-year run, the Ford F-150 diesel pickup truck has been discontinued. The move continues the automaker’s recent lineup tweaks. Unveiled as a 2018 model and carrying the Power Stroke badge, Ford stopped the diesel option because the manufacturer debuted the F-150 Hybrid called the PowerBoost. Ford also recently added the fully electric 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning and a fleet-focused F-150 Lightning Pro. The Power Stroke can be ordered on the F-150 until July 16. Deliveries will continue through the end of the the year. Ford F-150 diesel ends short run The F-150 Hybrid can tow up to 12,700 pounds in 4×2 versions. The F-150 diesel is rated at 12,100 pounds. The Hybrid can also operate in generator

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2021 Toyota RAV4 Review: Expands SUV lead with EV boost

For several years, the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V have paced the keen competition at the front of the small, versatile sport utility vehicle pack. Toyota has further expanded its current lead with the 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE. A plug-in hybrid option of the standard five-passenger, the Toyota RAV4 Prime is a small SUV offered in SE and XSE trims. Its 4-cylinder engine combines with a more powerful lithium-ion battery pack and three motors to produce 302 horsepower. Key Takeaways 302-hp plug-in hybrid is the quickest RAV4 ever: The Prime pairs a 2.5-liter four with three motors and a larger lithium-ion battery to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds. 42-mile all-electric range is genuinely usable: Too many

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Rivian electric truck closer to debut via test drives

The much-anticipated, pending electric truck Rivian will begin its introduction to the public this summer when customers who have preordered the R1T model will be invited to test drive it. With its national tour, the carmaker seeks to educate its buyers about the pickup truck’s major features. Tour dates will be announced soon. Rivian has detailed its truck, rated with an 11,000-pound towing capacity, will be positioned between a mid-size and full-size truck and will comfortably seat five adults. A trailer hitch is located behind a cover and is accessible by removing two screws. According to the manufacturer, the R1T is 18 feet, 1 inch long and 7 feet, 3 inches long with side mirrors out. A standard cab Ford

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Toyota Tacoma legacy: No. 1 million set for Mecum Auctions

Well into its mid-20s, it’s time for a Toyota Tacoma celebration. One truck fan may get the biggest gift — the one-millionth unit of the iconic small pickup truck. It was assembled Oct. 4, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas, and has been driven only 158 miles. The truck, which may reach a value of $100,000, will be for sale during Mecum Auctions‘ three-day presence at Monterey Auto Week, Aug. 12-14. A 1995 Toyota Tacoma cost between $17,000 and $19,000 new. Carrying lot #R285, the Army Green TRD Pro model will come with a letter from Toyota verifying its production number. That should help to solidify its value, as will the fact that this thing is nearly factory fresh. Toyota Tacoma:

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Electric truck wars: 9 manufacturers ready to charge

Changing nearly as fast as gas prices, there’s seemingly constant news in the electric truck market. More manufacturers are debuting EV pickups while others have plans to do so in the not-too-distant future. At least nine manufacturers are in the electric truck business, led by Tesla and Rivian. Here’s a synopsis of arguably the top-two most anticipated EV trucks and a list of the manufacturers currently in the market. Telsa has plans to offer Cybertruck. Company founder and CEO Elon Musk changes his mind often. But the pending slate currently includes a tri-motor with all-wheel drive, a dual-motor AWD model and a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive. Electric trucks ready to charge Prices were announced starting at just under $40,000. The tri-motor option

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Future of U.S. mail delivery going postal again

Electric vehicle startup Workhorse, the only company among three finalists to submit an all-electric mail delivery proposal, has filed an official protest after losing the bid to make the U.S. Postal Service’s next-generation vehicle. The USPS instead gave the contract in February to defense contractor Oshkosh. It said its new postal truck is designed to run on gas and electric drivetrains. The contract could be worth $6 billion. The Ohio-based company filed a sealed bid protest in the US Court of Federal Claims. The result of the high-profile court fight could have an impact on how and when those vehicles switch over to electric power. President Joe Biden said he wants electric vehicles throughout the federal fleet. Mail delivery future

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Wiggy wheels, faulty cameras give Ram pickup trucks troubles

Welcome to the world of recalls Stellantis! A few months into its tenure, the new owner of Fiat-Chrysler has made two dubious announcements. First, the new owner of Ram announced the wheels of more than a half-million of its Ram pickup trucks can fall off. And now comes word, more than 140,000 Ram trucks have recalled because their backup cameras may stop working when the vehicle is in reverse. The problematic wheels prompted the manufacturer to recall 510,000 Ram 3500 heavy-duty pickups and Ram 4500 and 5500 cab-chassis vehicles from 2012 to 2021 and mostly from North American have been recalled. The trucks in question have dual rear wheels and flanged lug nuts. Stellantis said some service and owner’s manuals

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2024 Honda Prologue SUV

The 2024 Honda Prologue, the first in a pending lineup of battery electric vehicles, will debut in less than three years as the carmaker continues to target its goal of a fully electric fleet by 2040. Few details of the sport utility vehicle were revealed in the recent announcement, but Honda said the Prologue will operate on GM’s Ultium batteries. It will be available in the United States and Canada. An all-electric Acura SUV will also debut in 2024. Honda previously announced its plans for its vehicles in the second of this decade to operate on a new “e:Architecture.” Honda Prologue Begins BEV surge Besides its 100 percent fully electric goal by 2040, Honda says its shorter-term goal is 40

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2021 Honda Accord Hybrid: The best gets better

In its sixth decade, the Honda Accord is part of a small fraternity of vehicles that changed the automotive industry. Unveiled in 1976, the Accord was joined by the Toyota Camry six years later. The vehicles’ rivalry has continued since, with the carmakers’ healthy competition a constant in the always-in-flux family sedan segment. Key Takeaways Six decades of evolution pay off: The 2021 Accord Hybrid continues Honda’s rivalry with Toyota Camry, now in its 10th generation with refreshed styling and a sport sedan personality. 212-hp hybrid system erases stodgy reputation: The combined four-cylinder gas engine and electric motor deliver adequate power while achieving an estimated 43 mpg combined. Manual transmission is gone: Honda joined the growing manufacturer trend of eliminating

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New pickup trucks pricey? Sure. But bargains abound

In case anyone hasn’t noticed, pickup trucks have become increasingly expensive. With extensive option packages, several new pickup trucks more than $100,000. But considering the new Ford Maverick, soon debuting as a 2022 model, many pickup trucks are still reasonably priced. The Maverick is already upsetting the industry since it will undercut the current cheapest pickup truck, the Toyota Tacoma, by more than $4,000. Of course, payload, towing capacity, model year and many other factors make the list of the current cheapest pickup trucks skewed. But via dollars alone, Ford has put the other manufacturers on notice: the pickup truck battle is on. Pickup Trucks: Bargains Abound As for the Maverick, here’s what $21,490 as starting price will buy: The

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Ford Lightning electric pickup truck pricing revealed

The Ford F-150 Lightning, the manufacturer’s recently announced electric truck, with be priced at just under $50,000 with its optional extended-range battery. Ford previously released a base price of $39,974 for the 2022 pickup truck. The newly announced detail has exactly a $10,000 premium for the trim with an estimated 300-mile range. The prices don’t include a yet-to-be-released destination fee and details of a potential $7,500 EV tax credit and other incentives. The Lightning is built with the same military-grade aluminum-alloy body as the gasoline versions of the F-150. However, a different frame helps accommodate the battery packs. Ford Lightning Trim Prices Revealed The base version of the F-150 Lightning Pro has 426 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque and

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Ram pickup trucks’ dilemma: wheels can fall off

Stellantis, the new owner of Fiat-Chrysler, has made a dubious announcement — the wheels of more than a half-million of its Ram pickup trucks can fall off. As such, the manufacturer announced 510,000 Ram 3500 heavy-duty pickups and Ram 4500 and 5500 cab-chassis vehicles from 2012 to 2021 and mostly from North American have been recalled. More than 500,000 Ram pickup trucks have been recalled because the wheels can fall off. Ram Pickup Trucks Have Loose Nuts The trucks in question have dual rear wheels and flanged lug nuts. Stellantis said some service and owner’s manuals had the wrong torque specifications for tightening the lug nuts that hold the wheels to the hubs. If the nuts were tightened too much,

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Buying bland beige works best for pickup truck resale value

If you want the best resale value after owning your pickup truck for three years, buy beige. And don’t buy brown. According to the analysis of iseecars.com the online automotive search engine and research website, beige pickup trucks have the lowest average depreciation of any color. A beige truck with a new price of $45,272, has an average resale price after three years of $37,097, or an 18.1 percent depreciation. After comparing the prices of more than six million new and used cars between 2017 to 2020, iSeeCars.com has determined which colors help, hurt, or have minimal impact on a vehicle’s resale value. “A vehicle’s color is among the primary considerations after shoppers have decided on a make and model,”

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PREVIEW: 2022 Kia Telluride gets upgrades, new pricing

Prices and upgrades have been announced for the 2022 Kia Telluride, the increasingly popular sport utility vehicle. Introduced as a concept car in 2016, the vehicle debuted in the spring of 2019 as a 2020 model. Named after the town of Telluride, Colorado, the SUV is the largest vehicle Kia has manufactured in the United States. Kia Telluride: Top Sales, Awards Among other accolades, the Telluride was named the 2020 World Car of the Year as well as SUV of the Year. The large SUV had a 28 percent increase in sales from 2019 to 2020. It was the 11th best-selling SUV in the United States in 2020 among the nearly 50 large SUVs offered.   For 2022, the Telluride

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2021 Hyundai Venue Review: Seeks home in crowded SUV family

Now in its second model year, the Hyundai Venue is the smallest sport utility vehicle and seventh sport or adventure offering in the company’s stable. It fills a niche the South Korean manufacturer has deemed important. But it’s hard to fathom. Since the carmaker already offers the Ioniq, Kona, Palisade, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe and Tucson, does it need the Venue? It’s marketed as a mini or sub-compact, entry-level SUV with a healthy chunk of features and superior gas mileage for its segment. It’s matched against more than dozen competitors, notably the Kia Soul, Mazda CX-30, MINI Cooper Countryman, Nissan Kick, Subaru Crosstrek and its Kona sibling. Hyundai‘s pedigree is constantly improving, but competition between two family members? Is it

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