Automotive Reviews

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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 Review: 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 Review: 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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2021 Toyota Supra Review: Looks great, rough road ahead

Two decades after its original production ceased, a new old sports car re-emerged 18 months ago. Few consumers noticed the Toyota Supra. Less than 3,000 of the 2020 fifth-generation offering, a collaboration between the Japanese automaker and BMW, sold. The revised 2021 edition offers promise for a new wave of buyers interested in the luxury sports car first unveiled in 1978. A full year of sales will more than double the estimated 3,000 purchases from the vehicle’s initial six months back on the market in 2019. It’s encouraging considering the final year of the Supra’s initial tenure in the United States in 1999 resulted in only 24 sales. Toyota Supra gets second chance The Supra was all the rage in

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Toyota Tacoma, Tundra claim top honors among used trucks

Toyota claimed top honors for best midsize and best full-sized used trucks, according to the latest analysis of iseecars.com. The online automotive search engine and research website based in Massachusetts helps users find and compare cars for sale. Whether they are driven for business or pleasure, pickup truck drivers want a rugged and capable hauler, the site explains in its latest survey. Beyond performance, the best used trucks are proven to last long and retain their value so drivers can save money for their next pickup truck purchase. Toyota used trucks claim honors The Toyota Tacoma scored an overall rating of 8.2 out of 10 among mid-sized trucks It was ranked #1 in value retention, #2 in longevity and received

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2021 Nissan Rogue Platinum Review: Much ado about the new

A new vehicle edition is sometimes difficult to differentiate from the previous model. Likewise, a current offering’s upgrade may be so extensive, a new generation designation seems warranted. The 2021 Nissan Rogue is a new edition of the sport utility vehicle and much is new. Nissan calls the new Rogue “completely reimagined” and all about “the modern family.” They’re marketing phrases. Translated, the debuting third generation has a healthy list of new stuff in varied areas: technology, connectivity, powertrain, rear multi-link suspension, steering, exterior and interior designs and a Platinum trim level. The manufacturer also reports the Rogue has a new attitude, a quality hopefully cited figuratively and not a reference to the vehicle being able to verbalize its feelings

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2020 Corvette Stingray chosen Car of the Year

The 2020 Corvette Stingray is rare in the automotive universe. Envisioned for decades and initiated eight years ago, the mid-engined sports car revitalized the faltering brand. It’s TheWeeklyDriver.com’s Car of the Year. Every new car is promoted with a mess of adjectives best-suited for romance paperbacks. The Corvette deserves the rabid praise. After years of diminishing sales, the new eighth-generation is unlike any previous Corvette, influenced by Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren masters. Specs are impressive: a 6.2-liter V8, top-speed of 194 mph and 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds. It’s an exotic, equally well-suited on the track and as a daily driver. Top-line cost is $78,000, less than half of top competitors. Car of the Year Here are the remaining top-10

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2021 Nissan Rogue SUV

PRESS RELEASE When the carmaker began designing the 2021 Nissan Rogue, the company focused on delivering functionality, flexibility, technology and safety. It’s an ideal combination of attributes for the carmaker’s best-selling segment. The recently released Rogue crossover is the first of five new or redesigned Nissan models that will enter production in the next year. It follows Altima, Versa, Sentra and TITAN, all recently redesigned. Every 2021 Nissan Rogue features a standard 2.5-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder engine with Nissan’s Direct Injection Gasoline system. Horsepower is rated at 181, an increase of 11 hp. Torque is increased by 6 lb.-ft. to 181 lb.-ft. The new engine includes mirror bore coating, a variable displacement oil pump, and an integrated exhaust manifold and

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2022 Genesis GV70

The 2022 Genesis GV70 represents an athletic, versatile option in Genesis’ emerging lineup of sport utility vehicles. It’s the fifth vehicle in the Genesis lineup, joining the G70, G80, and G90 sedans and recently announced GV80 flagship SUV. Like all other Genesis models, the GV70 will be based on a rear-wheel-drive platform. “Genesis continues to build on our solid foundation with the addition of new and exciting products to our lineup,” said Mark Del Rosso, President and Chief Executive Officer of Genesis Motor North America. “We recently launched our first-ever SUV, the flagship GV80, with U.S. deliveries beginning in the next thirty days. Genesis GV70: SUV Versatility “Now, with the upcoming release of the dynamic GV70 and a further diversified

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New Rivian EV a success before its pending debut

The much-touted Rivian electric pickup truck has reached a milestone before one of its new trucks is sold. The start-up announced reservation slots for the futuristic-looking truck have sold. Rivian recently unveiled its final pricing and configurations for the first version of the R1T and R1S. The startup then opened up its configurator for pending owners who have placed reservations with a $1,000 deposit on its vehicles during the past two years. The pickup truck will be available to consumers in the summer of 2021 and with a starting price of $75,000. Rivian Pickup Still Pending Only Launch Edition versions of the trucks will debut. The R1T Launch Edition will start at $75,000; the R1S Launch Edition will start at

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Rezvani Hercules rules the kingdom of 6×6 trucks

It’s called Hercules and for good reason. The recently unveiled 6×6 has been designated as the world’s most powerful 6×6 pickup truck. As the bigger brother of the Rezvani Tank, the new offering from the Irvine, California-based Rezvani Motors is built from Jeep Wrangler underpinnings. It’s 20-feet long and has an extra axle, a super long bed and six 37-inch wheels. Power statistics for the new beast area impressive: It has a Dodge Demon supercharged V8 that can produce 1,300 horsepower and 989 ft. lbs. of torque. The beast is propelled by an eight-speed auto transmission from the Dodge Ram TRX. The truck is capable of two-wheel, four-wheel and full six-wheel-drive on demand. Further impressive, the Hercules’ customization possibilities include

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2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R Coupe Review: Defines beauty with pricey flaws

The 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R roadster and coupe are among the rarest mainstream cars on the road. The former was limited to 750 units, the latter 2,000. Combine scarcity, exterior design and the matted paint choice of Selenite Gray Magno and the supercar attracts constant attention. The GT R, which debuted in 2018, defines a sports car. With craftsmanship channeling of Porsche, Ferrari and the Dodge Viper, there’s nothing quite like the performance-oriented Mercedes-Benz relative. It’s a glistening work of art on wheels. Yet the exterior is a contradiction with much of the rest of the car. How can you go wrong with a four-liter, 577-horsepower V8 biturbo with a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission and 0-60 mph acceleration in 3.5 seconds?

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Ford F-150 among pickup trucks slammed by Consumer Reports

Pickup trucks may be increasingly popular, but the reliability of the segment just received a jolt by Consumer Reports. The Ford F-150, the perennially top-selling vehicle in the United States, was graded as below average in the magazine’s annual reliability study. The GMC Sierra 1500, Chevrolet Silverado, Nissan Titan and Ram 1500 also scored below average. The magazine’s statisticians annually calculate reliability ratings for every major mainstream car, minivan, SUV and pickup truck using Consumer Reports’ member survey data. It factors in models that use some of the same components. Pickup Trucks Receive Surprising Grades Consumer Reports said the Ram 1500 is “plagued with electronics issues—screen replacements, headlights, body control modules, gauges, and engine computers.” The Ford Ranger, Nissan Frontier,

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Jay Leno honors Sam Walton, Walmart with new old F-150

Sam Walton needed one vehicle; Jay Leno has hundreds. But the comedian and founder of Walmart both knew about business, marketing and a good truck when they saw one. Which is why Walmart and Leno, the renowned collector, have collaborated to reimagine the late Walton’s 1979 Ford F-150. Using a 2021 Ford F-150, the project will celebrate the debut of Leno’s line of car care and detailing products at Walmart beginning in early 2021. Jay Leno Has Honored Sam Walton Walton cherished his battered truck. Among the entrepreneur’s legacy is a tale about why Walton continued to drive the truck despite being able to afford any vehicle he wanted. “What am I supposed to haul my dogs around in a

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New Corvette mid-engine beauty rocks auto world

The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray for decades has been labeled “America’s Sports Car.” It’s served as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 a record 16 times since 1978. And for 40 years, the Corvette has been made in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The General Motors plant is as nationalistic as any manufacturing city. It shares geographic headquarters with other iconic American companies — Holley to Russell, Camping World to Fruit of the Loom. But Chevy has expanded its motoring preferences outside of Kentucky and its seven bordering states. The debuts of the 2020 C8 Corvette and its 2021 sibling, both delayed in production by the coronavirus pandemic, feature what Chevy considered for decades — a mid-engine. With diminishing sales for several

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2020 Ford Mustang Bullitt Review: Ideal for the Steve McQueen in all of us

A 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback and a 2004 Pontiac Aztek are as far apart on the automotive spectrum as possible — with one exception. With a few dozen other vehicles — an Aston Martin DB5 to AMC Pacer and a Plymouth Fury to Pontiac Trans AM — the Mustang and Aztek are cultural icons. Younger automotive and movie enthusiasts may only know the Aztek from the “Breaking Bad” series on Netflix or a Toyota MK IV Supra from the movie “The Fast and the Furious.” But the Bullitt Mustang, released in three time frames in the past 20 years, dates to the 1968 movie “Bullitt.” Bullitt Mustang: Relevant Then, Now Actor Steve McQueen epitomized coolness as Police detective Frank

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