Automotive Reviews

2021 Aston Martin Vantage: stunning, fast, flawed

There’s no way around it. Something’s not right with the 2021 Aston Martin Vantage. And what would James Bond have to say about it? Sean Connery as Agent 007 was often portrayed escaping from criminals and saving the world while driving an Aston Martin. But how could anything but perfection be the vehicle of choice for the epitome of espionage elegance? Bond film aficionados know the secret agent often drove an Aston Martin DB5 in films, although the tuxedo-wearing purveyor of cool drove other models, including the Vantage. 2021 Aston Martin Vantage: Pricey Options As awkward as it may read, the Vantage is the British carmaker’s entry-level vehicle with a top-line price of about $200,000. The MSRP is $147,000 and

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The legacy of BMW includes 2 funky pickup trucks

BMW makes vehicles admired by many performance-car enthusiasts. The automaker’s reputation, like other German automakers’ pedigrees, is well-heeled and varied. The carmaker makes comfortable sedans that power along the open road like sports cars. What’s less known is BMW’s foray into pickup trucks. It made the E30 M3 and the E92 M3. The E30 M3 debut in 1986. It had a 2.3 liter engine with 200 horsepower and it was a soft top convertible. The pickup wasn’t a success but it lasted for 26 years — as a transport vehicle for the manufacturer. BMW pickup trucks didn’t sell well The carmaker also made a second M3 pickup, the E92. It included a 4.0-liter V8. It was short-lived and only was

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It’s not a canoe. It’s a Canoo, a new electric pickup truck

There’s another new electric truck on the horizon, the oddly named Canoo. formerly known as Evelozcity, Canoo is an American manufacturer headquartered in Torrance, California. While specs and pricing weren’t announced, the start-up announced it will debut its trucks in 2023. The trucks will be offered with single-motor and dual-motor all-wheel-drive options. The latter version is touted to produce 600 horsepower and 550 foot-pounds of torque. Canoo said its trucks will have 1,800-pound payload capacitors and a 200-mile range. The Canoo will be built on the same modular platform as Canoo’s other vehicles. The company announced last December a lineup of delivery vans. Its new dual-motor truck will deliver up to 600 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque. The Canoo

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2021 Mercedes-AMG, Maybach SUVs boast opulence

How far will manufacturers extend their obsessions with sport utility vehicles to possibly find an untapped market niche? Mercedes seems to know its plans. With its various higher luxury brand relationships, the German-American stalwart is all in. Who knew the combination of upscale, utility and performance was a thing? And who knew any manufacturer offering more than one $100,000-plus SUV was necessary? Mercedes-Benz offers eight 2021 models SUVs. The high-performance subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz, AMG, has a fleet of SUVs, including the GLE 63. And now Maybach, the ultra-luxurious subsidiary of Mercedes, is back. Its ostentatious new beast is the 2021 GLS 600. Except for the new Maybach, the AMG GLE 63 is about as far removed from the SUV stereotype

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2021 Rolls-Royce: behold the new Ghost of the present

The 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost was parked in front of Roxie Deli in Sacramento. It’s old-school, defined by robust sandwiches, barbecue, brisket, homemade sides and an intoxicating aroma permeating the immediate neighborhood. A teenage boy who witnessed a friend and me exit the opulent luxury sedan approached us in line at lunch. He looked at my colleague and said: “Excuse me, sir. What kind of job do I need to get to afford a car like that?” A few hours later while waiting in the Ghost at a stoplight two men in the battered vehicle to my right caught my attention. Before the light changed, they uncorked a jubilant dance of synchronized hand signs and body gestures. I didn’t know what

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2020 Hyundai Santa Fe offers versatility, good value

Like all of its siblings, the Hyundai Santa Fe does a lot right. Competitors have more upscale interior appearances and the sport utility vehicle isn’t geared for rugged adventures. The Santa Fe also doesn’t have the best performance in a super-competitive segment. What it does offer is versatility. It has impressive gas mileage, a healthy supply of safety features, the industry’s best warranty and attractive pricing. Which is why the 2020 edition, with a few tweaks from the 2019 offering, is a top choice in the mid-size market. Gone is the Ultimate trim, leaving the base SE, SEL and Limited. As the new top-level offering, the reviewed Limited trim was equipped with the discontinued Ultimate trim’s equipment, including blind-view monitoring,

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Mystery wreck of Tiger Woods? 2021 Genesis GV80

Genesis sedans have received many awards in their short tenure, including Car of the Year by well-respected automotive publications. But the luxury carmaker’s newest vehicle, the GV80 sport utility vehicle, is now in a spotlight it didn’t want. Early helicopter video of the solo-vehicle car crash involving Tigers Woods showed Genesis signage on the side door of a wrecked sport utility vehicle. The logo read: “Genesis Invitational,” but the vehicle was unknown to many observers. The wreck was a 2021 Genesis GV80. The midsize SUV debut last November as the fourth vehicle in the upscale manufacturer’s lineup. The SUV is unique among competitors because it has a 7,700-pound towing capacity, the highest in its class. Woods was loaned the Genesis

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2021 Hyundai Sonata: epic return of a sports sedan

Pity the poor sedan. Once the go-to vehicle style for well-built, dependable and comfortable transportation, sales of the former family favorite have been decimated by sales SUVs and pickup trucks. The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line presents a strong case for reconsidering a sedan. Key Takeaways N Line rescues the sedan from SUV dominance: With 290 hp and a 5.4-second 0-60 time, the Sonata N Line makes a compelling case for reconsidering sedans in an SUV-obsessed market. Dual-clutch eight-speed sharpens the driving experience: The 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder paired with a DCT delivers the sporty response that the N Line badge promises. Impressive value from $25,299: Even the base SE with 191 hp includes LED headlights, 16-inch alloys, 8-inch touchscreen, Apple

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2021 Dodge Durango: No wonder it’s called a Hellcat

Production has started on the beast of all sport utility vehicles, the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat. The most powerful SUV ever made, the limited edition (2,000 units) features its share of high-performance. The Hellcat delivers 710 horsepower and 645 lb.-ft. of torque from a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI Hellcat V-8 engine. It’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. With its optional Tow N Go Package, the full-size, three-row SUV has a towing capability of 8,700 pounds. The 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine has a towing capability of 6,200 pounds. Perhaps the Hellcat’s most impressive statistics, it accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds, completes a quarter-mile in 11.5 seconds and has a top speed of 180 miles

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Wisconsin pickup truck driver plunges 70 feet, lives (video)

How scary is winter driving? A melting snowbank and freezing conditions on Wisconsin on a freeway ramp could have cost a pickup truck driver his life. A camera operated by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation captured the truck’s crash film, just after the driver, Richard Lee Oliver, lost control. The dramatic footage also documented a miracle. The red pickup truck plunged 70 feet after plowing into the snowbank and tumbling over the barrier. Pickup truck driver loses control Two drivers came to the man’s aid following the wreck on west I-94 just east of Interstate 41 in the Zoo Interchange. The single-car accident victim was transported to a Milwaukee hospital by firefighters with non-life-threatening injuries. A preliminary investigation reportedly revealed

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Can pickup trucks possibly get any more popular?

Despite business doldrums because of the coronavirus pandemic, manufacturers of pickup trucks continue to try to outdo each other, including Nissan. For the first time since 2005, the 2022 Nissan Frontier will be a new design for the mid-size pickup truck. Offered in S, SV, Pro-4X, and Pro-X, the 2022 Frontier will come with a 310 horsepower, 3.8-liter V6. It will be propelled by a nine-speed automatic transmission in rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel drive. With the start of the truck’s third generation, the 2022 Nissan Frontier will have a new exterior and interior and new suspension. The powertrain that debuted in 2020 will remain the same. The new Frontier will be 4.5 inches longer than the outgoing model because of its

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2021 Volvo top-line V90 wagon honors icons

Someday soon as an homage to the not-too-long-ago automotive history, a manufacturer will introduce a vehicle called a station wagon. A good choice would be next year’s Volvo V90 T6 AWD R-Design. The 2021 editions, like other carmakers’ choices in recent years, are called wagons. It’s as if the “station” designation is an insult. The original classification derived from families carrying their heavy trundle suitcases to train stations. The long wagons, precursors to sport utility vehicles, became station wagons. Beauties they were, with three rows of seating, lots of interior and exterior wood and comfort to spare. Road trips were joyful. The Volvo V90 T6 AWD R-Design is the modern-day equivalent to yesteryear’s classics. It’s a holdover generation, but the

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2021 Honda Odyssey makes minivans proud

The Honda Odyssey, the former standout and industry wonder, is now 27 years and stagnant. But it’s not the minivan’s fault. Sales of sport utility vehicles, crossovers and pickup trucks continue to increase, dominating the industry. Minivans’ success, like the fate of sedans, have floundered. In 1996, a year after it debuted in the United States, the Odyssey had its best sales year, just shy of 178,000. In 2109, the versatile family hauler, which has the same top reputation as the rest of the Honda lineup, fell to 99,000. It was the minivan’s first sales year under the six-figure plateau. Last year, in the business malaise of the coronavirus, Odyssey sales fell another 16 percent to 83,000, about 47 percent

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2021 Lexus UX 200: little SUV big on value

Unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, the Lexus UX 200 is the upscale Toyota brand’s newest sport utility vehicle. It’s a subcompact crossover smaller than its NX sibling. The 2021 edition receives a few minor upgrades and tweaks. Small even by sub-compact SUV standards, the Lexus UX 200 is available in Base, Luxury and F-Sport trims. It has a close relative in the UX 250 hybrid. Key Takeaways Smallest Lexus SUV punches above its size: The UX 200 feels bigger than its subcompact profile suggests, with athletic handling and precise steering through mountain roads and city traffic. Sluggish acceleration is the biggest weakness: At 8.9 seconds 0-60 mph with just 169 hp, the UX 200 struggles noticeably on steady

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NEW TRUCK PREVIEW: 2022 Ram 1500

Among the lightweight truck’s “Big Three”, the pending 2022 Ram 1500 will feature mid-generation upgrades and include a hybrid powertrain for the first time. The hybrid option will join current gasoline and diesel powertrain options. An all-electric powertrain is on the horizon but won’t be available for at least two years. While not confirmed, the 2022 Ram 1500 will feature the next-generation Uconnect5 infotainment system. Prices haven’t been released and a slight increase is likely for the new Ram. It will likely be released this summer. The 2022 Ram 1500 will have the grille and current slimmer headlamps halogen, LED and adaptive LED lighting setups. 2022 Ram 1500: Three Powertrain Options The current Ram’s 3.6-liter, 305 horsepower engine will again

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2021 Toyota Tacoma: enduring pickup gets edgy

By James Raia It’s been nearly 27 years since the Toyota Tacoma debuted in the United States, and it’s among the most enduring pickup trucks available. For 2021, the versatile daily driver and work truck has a new optional look. Joining six other Toyota cars, vans and trucks, the Tacoma is available in a Nightshade Edition. It’s an edgy look that features a lot of black — alloy wheels, front lower grille, rear spoiler, outside mirrors, door handles, side rocker panels and shark-fin antenna. There’s a single exhaust with dual black diffusers and black Toyota emblem and badges. Available in two-and four-wheel-drive variants with a spacious Double Cab body style, the new Tacoma features a 3.5-liter V6 with 278-horsepower. It

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