Automotive Reviews

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Hello, Goodbye: Next-generation Porsche Panamera Unveiled

Porsche’s unveiling of the new, third-generation Panamera says hello to a new appearance and engineering and goodbye to the Sport Turismo wagon models. The new sedan’s online debut saw the release of a redesigned Panamera and Panamera 4, as well as the current flagship Turbo E-Hybrid. No Sport Turismo models were present as poor sales and a only marginal increase in practicality over its sedan counterpart forced the automaker to cease production. Upon first glance, the Panamera’s most significant change is its appearance. A new front end utilizes enlarged intakes and a sharpened profile but otherwise maintains the original slick styling of the previous generation. Center-lock wheels, a first for four-door Porsches, and a full-length lightbar punctuate the rear end.

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2024 Kia Telluride moving through the SUV pack

The Kia Telluride, a three-row sport utility vehicle, was introduced in early 2019 as a 2020 model. It quickly found success in the midsize segment and has maintained its popularity while infiltrating the sales of long-tenured competitors. The Telluride followed the Ford Explorer (1990 debut), Toyota Highlander (2000), Subaru Outback (1994), Hyundai Santa Fe (2000) and Ford Bronco (1965–1996, 2021–present) in sales in 2022. Selected as 2020 World Car of the Year by more than 100 automotive journalists in 30 countries, the Telluride continues the South Korean manufacturer’s new status. Its reputation for making shoddy vehicles is long gone. With its extensive changes in 2023, the 2024 Kia Telluride only has a few updates but remains part of the vehicle’s

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2024 Subaru Impreza does value right

The redesigned 2024 Subaru Impreza, a five-door hatchback, confirms the manufacturer’s long-standing reputation for versatility and reasonable pricing. It’s a little car that can and has a lot new, including a debuting top-line RS trim. Now 30 years old, the Subaru Impreza is available in Base, Sport and RS trim levels. The first two offerings are equipped with 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engines with 152 horsepower. The RS features a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower. All models are powered by a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and the carmaker’s signature all-wheel-drive system. Subaru’s knack for value is evident with the Impreza’s long automotive grocery list of standard equipment. The RS builds on the Base model. It includes 16-inch steel wheels, adaptive LED

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2023 Mercedes-AMG C 43: beautiful to behold, perplexing to drive

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class debuted in 1993 as the manufacturer’s entry-level sedan. Now 30 years old, the C class is no longer the cheapest in the lineup. It’s a go-to level for many brand loyalists and it’s an expanded lineup in 2023. The newbie is the Mercedes-AMG C 43. It’s a turbocharged four-cylinder (the V6 is gone) and the German automaker’s entry-level performance sedan. The electric turbocharger is a first for a production car. Competition includes the Audi S4, BMW M3 and Genesis G70. While maintaining a traditionally attractive exterior like its stablemates, the AMG collaboration means the vehicle has sports car leanings. The exterior features a new front grille and a front bumper with air intakes. The rear bumper looks

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What a concept! LA Auto Show continues future car prototype spotlight — barely

The 1938 Buick Y-Job has a unique and dubious place in automotive history. It arguably had the worst name of any vehicle ever made. More important, it was the first concept car. It’s the practice of showcasing a vehicle to the public it may never be able to purchase. Harley J. Earl, the automotive designer and industry executive icon whose “Project Opel” became the Chevrolet Corvette, drove the concept for years. It had electric windows, flush door handles, a “gunsight” hood ornament, power-operated hidden headlamps and wraparound bumpers. The Y-Job, a 2-door convertible coupe with a 5.2-liter engine, also featured the waterfall grille design still used by Buick. Its name, in part, was Earl’s penchant for being different. While other

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2024 Chevrolet Silverado: maintains its (off-road) presence among top pickup trucks

Unveiled in 1998 as a 1999 model, the Chevrolet Silverado has reached its mid-20s in fine standing as among the country’s top-selling vehicles. For 2024, the versatile pickup truck continues its fourth generation. Several changes throughout the lineup keep the competition keen among top-selling Ford, Chevy and Ram. Technology is now consistent across all trim levels. The entry-level base Work Truck gets OnStar and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as does the reviewed top-line High Country. Lakeshore Blue and Slate Gray, both metallic are new exterior color options. The Midnight Edition (all-black interior and black wheels) is now also available in the High Country trim. It’s nearly an all-black option, interior to wheels to black chrome accents in the

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2023 BMW i7 xDrive60 defines EV performance sedan luxury

The 2023 BMW i7 xDrive60 is among a small group of luxury electric sedans with good intentions and still trying to appeal to a not-yet-convinced consumer majority. Matched primarily against the Lucid Air, Mercedes-Benz EQS and Tesla Model S, the i7, like its competitors, is a compelling choice for many reasons. It’s electric, fast off the line and further impressive accelerating at highway speeds. It’s plush and spacious and built with top-line material and innovative features. The 7-Series has long been BMW‘s full-sized flagship. The i7 was introduced in April 2022 as a 2023 model to coincide with the nameplate’s 45th anniversary. The i7 xDrive60 and M70 have dual electronic motors and all-wheel drive. The i7 has a single-speed transmission,

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2023 Cadillac Escalade V fueled by power, money

There was a time when the epitome of success for many automobile consumers was ownership of a Cadillac Eldorado or a Cadillac DeVille. The former was a personal luxury coupe and lasted 50 years and 12 generations from its 1952 debut. The DeVille, a full-size luxury sedan, lasted 46 years and eight generations until its 2005 demise. The brand has evolved with smaller, non-land-yacht offerings except for the 2023 Cadillac Escalade V. The 2024 model marks the monstrous sport utility vehicle’s 25th year. The auto industry is steadily addressing environmental concerns. Projected sales of electric vehicles in the United States this year may reach one million for the first time. It’s still a small percentage of total sales, with one

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2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R too much pickup truck

Owners of pickup trucks, station wagons and electric vehicles sometimes get stereotyped as having specific political beliefs and varying lifestyles. It’s a ridiculous notion. What’s intriguing is to consider why a neighbor, co-worker or passerby would purchase a 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor for $118,000 or a 2023 Mitsubishi Mirage for $18,000. A potential buyer of one of the most expensive pickup trucks on the market would likely never consider purchasing the cheapest available new vehicle in the United States. The reverse buying scenario is also likely true. Both vehicles are on the bookends of the auto industry and both have worthy consumer interest. Neither option is a vehicle for the masses. But the Ford F-150 Raptor R is far more

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2023 Volvo V60 Cross Country ideally modernizes station wagons of yesteryear

Nearly 55 years after the original popularity of station wagons began to wane, modern styles — the 2023 Volvo V60 Cross Country to the new Porsche Taycan — are still respected. They’re automotive sentinels to yesteryear when families traveled in three-row chariots with folding bench seats and visited train stations with packed trundle suitcases About 10 manufacturers still make wagons (they’re rarely called station wagons), and like Audi and Mercedes-Benz, Volvo believes in the versatility of the segment. But a lot has changed. The 2023 Volvo V6 Cross Country isn’t a new generation, but it’s been updated. A mild-hybrid is now standard and there’s a new powertrain, the B5. It has 247 horsepower, slightly less than last year’s model. It

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2023 Toyota Crown debuts as a bold family hybrid sedan with SUV persona

Nine of the top 10 best-selling vehicles in the United States in 2022 were pickup trucks or sport utility vehicles. Once the top seller for American families, sedans continue to find fewer buyers. Toyota decided not to embrace automotive conformity with its new 2023 Crown. It’s a large family sedan with SUV tendencies. It replaces the Toyota Avalon, which debuted as a 1995 model. It had a 27-year run until four straight years of diminished sales prompted its demise. The 2023 Toyota Crown, loosely defined as a combination of a Toyota Camry and Toyota 4Runner, is available in XLE, Limited and Premium trims. All models feature a hybrid powertrain, with the XLE and Limited models including 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engines with

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2024 Aston Martin DB12 Volante honors owner icon

Englishman David Brown was a machinist’s apprentice and he was knighted. He raced motorcycles, built tractors, played polo and bred racehorses. He also bought Aston Martin in 1947 and thus began the British automaker’s use of the initials “DB” on its vehicles. Brown died 30 years ago, around the same time of year this year the periodically struggling niche manufacturer unveiled the 2024 Aston Martin DB12 Volante. The industrialist orchestrated models through the James Bond movie heydays when the sports car‘s image was at its apex. It’s also had its share of automotive doldrums when the company’s debts ballooned and a buyer couldn’t be found. Still, brand purists likely wonder how Brown might have assessed more recent models, including the

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#268 Newport Car Museum Adds Prized Collection of Vintage Porsches

Gunther Buerman and his wife Maggie Buerman opened the Newport Car Museum in 2017 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. They’ve constantly updated the combined automobile and history museum including its latest presentation — an homage to Porsche. Gunther Buerman, whose interest in automobiles began as a young boy when practiced wax paper transfer etchings of car advertisements from National Geographic Magazine, is our guest on this week’s episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. A repeat guest who was willed a 1966 Ford Mustang nearly 40 years ago, Buerman owns dozens of vehicles, none any more important than his collection of the German sports cars of his early youth. He moved to New York as a young boy with his family where

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2023 LEXUS IS 500 F SPORT DEFINES SPORT SEDAN’S VERSATILITY

Now in its second year, the Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance is a manufacturer outlier. The luxury brand extension of Toyota is geared toward upscale interiors and comfort on the open road. The 2023 edition of the V8 sedan is more focused on performance while maintaining the Lexus reputation. Without much change from its debut offering, the 2023 Lexus IS 500 F Sport is available in Base and Premium trims. The Launch Edition is gone. Powered by a 5.0-liter V8 with 472 horsepower engine, the small luxury sedan’s engine ia paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It has Sport S, Sport S+ and Custom drive modes for customizing the driving feel. Gas mileage averages are underwhelming, with 17 miles

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GM’s Vision for a Bidirectional Electric Future: Powering Homes, Vehicles, and Beyond

In a groundbreaking announcement, General Motors (GM) has declared that by the model year 2026, all its electric vehicles (EVs) will be equipped with bidirectional vehicle-to-home (V2H) charging capabilities. This transformative move is set to redefine the relationship between vehicles and homes, turning cars into potential power sources during grid outages and peak demand periods. The Dawn of Bidirectional Charging Bidirectional charging, as the name suggests, allows for a two-way flow of electricity. Traditional unidirectional EV chargers draw power from the grid to charge the vehicle. In contrast, bidirectional chargers enable not just the charging of the EV but also the potential to feed electricity back into the home or even the grid. This essentially transforms high-capacity lithium-ion batteries in

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Porsche 911 S/T commemorates 60 years of 911

The Porsche 911 is among only a handful of vehicles on the product line for 60 years. Porsche commemorated the legendary sports car recently by unveiling the limited-edition 911 S/T. The S/T is best described as two cars in one. It combines fan-favorite elements from the 911 GT3 RS and 911 GT3 Touring models. For the first time, it marries a 992-generation 911 with a manual transmission to a GT3 RS engine as well. Only 1,963 of the S/T will be manufactured, paying respect to the first production year of the original 911 just as Porsche did with the 911 50th Anniversary edition. Designers and engineers at Porsche are able to make purists’ dreams realities by combining the practical usability

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