Automotive Reviews

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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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2020 Genesis G70: finally a rival for German sport sedans

Now is the time. Brand anxiety? Brand sensitivity? Let the terms vanish from any discussion including vehicles made by Genesis. The luxury division of Hyundai was founded in 2015. Its first vehicle debuted in 2017 and late last year J.D. Power named Genesis the most dependable automotive brand in North America. Launched with the large sedan G90, the brand now has three sedans and a sport utility vehicle, all moving into 2021 editions. Last year’s models are still available including the Genesis G70. In its debut two years ago the smallest of the company’s three sedans was named North American Car of the Year by the national automotive media industry. The 2020 Genesis G70 offers the same combination — a

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Pickup trucks again sweep top-3 auto sales in 2020

It’s no surprise. Pickup trucks remained the country’s most popular vehicles in 2020. The Ford-150, Chevrolet Silverado and Ram Pickup 1500 ranked first through third overall among the top-10 best-selling vehicles last year, according to the car engine iSeeCars.com. The study looked at over 12.9 million vehicle sales in 2020 to determine the most popular vehicles throughout the United States. The data was tabulated nationally, state and metro area. “The Ford F-150 has been America’s undisputed best-selling new vehicle for over 40 years, and the popularity of pickup trucks help contribute to its high volume of sales,” said Karl Brauer, iSeeCars Executive Analyst. Three compact SUVs made the list: the fourth-ranked Ford Escape, fifth-ranked Nissan Rogue and eighth-ranked Chevrolet Equinox.

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2021 Maserati MC20: Super car debuts, needs new name

Italian carmakers’ lyrical names define what automotive art on four wheels should be called. Is there a better-named vehicle in the supercar stratosphere than the Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo? So isn’t it ironic? The first supercar in 16 years presented by the manufacturer that began in Bologna, Italy, more than a century ago has a ho-hum name. Meet the 2021 Maserati MC20. The MC20 designation stands for Maserati Corse 2020 and celebrates the brand’s return to racing. A mid-engine supercar, the new Maserati succeeds the MC12. But the two relatives share little beyond the carmaker’s name and a mid-engine design. Maserati hasn’t debuted a new supercar since 2005, with the MC20 the fourth mid-engine production vehicle in the carmaker’s 107-year history.

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2021 Mazda CX-5: new, gains on small SUV leaders

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 is the 10th year of the small sport utility vehicle. Except for the business-curtailed 2020 pandemic year, the versatile family hauler’s popularity has increased annually. With seven trim levels and the brand’s top-rated reliability designation from Consumer Reports, the CX-5 and several of its stablemates have catapulted Mazda far way from its doldrum years. It joined Alfa Romeo and Volvo as the only manufacturers with increased sales in 2020 from 2019. The CX-5 was the country’s 21st best-selling vehicle in 2020 with 146,420 units sold. The Signature trim covers all modernized areas of the Japanese carmaker once maligned for its rotary engines. There’s nothing fancy or unique about the unassuming SUV, unless value, comfort and consistency

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2022 Honda Civic boldly new

With a redesigned exterior, the 2022 Honda Civic will mark the debut of the vehicle’s 11th generation. The new model will continue the legacy of the car unveiled in 1972 and perennially among the country’s top-selling vehicles. The new generation Civic was revealed as a prototype in mid-November 2020. It’s scheduled for release in North America in the spring of 2021. While many details haven’t been released, the versatile little machine is expected to include a hatchback, Si and Type R trim levels. 2022 Honda Civic Gets Makeover From early reports, the Civic will be one-inch longer than 2021 offering also appears wider and touting a lower riding profile. A manual transmission will be available on the hatchback, according to

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2021 Ram 1500 TRX: Massive power, performance, prestige

The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX, the latest of the brand’s four straight years of Truck of the Year honors by MotorTrend, is in production at the manufacturer’s facility in Sterling Heights, Michigan. It’s now also available to consumers. Powered by a 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8 engine, the top speed for the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX, the industry’s most performance-oriented, half-ton pickup truck, is 118 mph. It has 702 horsepower, 650 lb.-ft. of torque and 0-60 miles per hour performance in 4.5 seconds. The Ram 1500 won the prestigious truck title in 2018 and 2019. The Ram Heavy Duty took top honors in 2020. Adorned in exclusive Anvil exterior paint, the new Ram 1500 TRX is VIN No. 001, a launch

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GM recall woes: 624,000 trucks, SUVs

Faulty seat belt brackets have prompted a recall of 624,000 pickup trucks and SUVs from the current and past two years General Motors’ brands. The issue affects model-year 2019-21 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 pickup trucks as well as model-year 2020-21 Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500 and GMC Sierra 2500/3500 pickups. GM recall woes: faulty belt bracket The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe and GMC Yukon XL SUVs are also being recalled. Vehicles affected have 40/20/40 split-folding front bench seats. Vehicles with front bucket seats are not being recalled. The issue: The seat belt bracket may not be secured to the center-seat frame. If the bracket is not secured, the seat belt may not restrain the occupant in the front-center

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2020 Toyota Highlander improved, rivals abound

The 2020 Toyota Highlander celebrates the mid-sized crossover sport utility vehicle’s 20th birthday. The occasion also marks the family hauler’s continuing spree of prime sales years. Beginning in 2017, the Highlander has had three straight years surpassing 200,000 units sold globally. A fourth consecutive year of 200K sales will likely occur when yearly tallies are calculated in January. It won’t be surprising since the 2020 model was redesigned with worthy updates. The Highlander is now a further family favorite. A three-row crossover with seating up to eight, the 2020 Highlander is available in five trim levels: L, LE, XLE, Limited and Platinum. All models feature a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 295 horsepower and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is

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2020 Lexus RC F: Strong luxury sedan, rivals stronger

Introduced in 2015, the Lexus RC F is the third vehicle in the Toyota luxury brand’s performance-oriented lineup. Like its sedan, SUV and speed-geared siblings, it has plenty to offer. The Lexus RC F has aggressive styling, 19-inch wheels, quad exhaust tips and a carbon-fiber roof panel. The engine is a naturally aspirated 472-horsepower 5.0-liter V8. It has Brembo brakes, improved and more aggressive suspension tuning and is rear-wheel drive. Key Takeaways 472-hp naturally aspirated V8 resists the turbo trend: The 5.0-liter V8 pairs with Brembo brakes, 19-inch wheels, a carbon-fiber roof, and quad exhaust tips for a 4.3-second 0-60 run. $64,900 base escalates past $80,000 as-tested: Optional Navigation ($2,725) and Premium ($5,350) packages drive the total beyond $80,000, bringing

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