2023

2023 Mercedes-Benz EV SUV: new but not iconic carmaker’s best

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB 250+ is the new and least expensive electric sport utility vehicle in the German manufacturer’s lineup. It joins the EQB 300 4Matic EQB and 350 4Matic as the brand expands its EV focus. All of the models have Premium, Exclusive and Pinnacle trim levels, opening the configurations to a wider audience, particularly with EQB 250 debut. It’s a financially attractive way to enter the EV market with the enduring carmaker. The EQB 250+ features 188 horsepower and is powered by a single, front-mounted electric motor. With its more powerful relatives, the EQB 250 uses a 70-kWh battery pack. The manufacturer promotes the battery charges from 10 to 80 percent in 32 minutes while using a DC

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Honda Pilot once ruled but no more

The Honda Pilot debuted 21 years ago as the Japanese carmaker’s largest sport utility vehicle. It succeeded quickly as an alternative to its seven-year older and smaller sibling, the Honda CR-V. The Honda HR-V, the smallest of an SUV foursome, arrived in North America in 2015. The Honda Passport, positioned between the HR-V and the Pilot debuted in 1993. Without exceptions, the vehicles provide customers Honda at its best: value, dependability and strong resale marks. But other manufacturers have infiltrated the marketplace which makes the 2023 Honda Pilot not quite the front-runner it once was. Kia, Hyundai and Mazda, among other manufacturers, offer formidable competition. Still, the Honda Pilot, newly designed for 2023, is far from a slacker. It’s a

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2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid: built, billed right

The 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is marketed as an inexpensive small sport utility vehicle with superior fuel economy. It’s an enticing description for a family needing solid transportation, reliability, efficiency and strong brand resale value. New with last year’s model, the hybrid joins the Corolla family. Its pedigree stands alone as the best-selling car in history. The Cross debuted in 2022, with the new hybrid, of course, substantially boosting gas mileage. In its debut model year, the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is available in S, SE and XSE trims. All versions are powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with a hybrid system for a combined 196 horsepower and a continuously variable transmission. All-wheel drive is standard. As

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#278, Lucid Air takes best of 2023 honors

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:31 — 72.1MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | More As co-hosts of The Weekly Driver Podcast, Bruce Aldrich and I have for the past several years picked the top cars of the year at the end of the calendar year. This year, as we do most often, Bruce and I interview a guest on the podcast and then drive the week’s review vehicle to lunch. We often extend the day to further drive the vehicle, take images and share our opinions. Bruce has certain interests and knows the mechanics of cars and trucks far better than I do. I write reviews of vehicles for several publications, including TheWeeklyDriver.com since 2004. I usually

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2023 Genesis G90: Large luxury sedan class

The automotive industry is fixated on gas mileage averages, emission efficiency and alternative fuels that may one day make internal combustion engines the outliers. It’s all fine. Until then, here’s to the open road and full-size luxury sedans represented well by the six-year-old Genesis G90. Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo are the aging stalwarts with loyalist buyers. Genesis is a confident newcomer, comfortable for its occupants and confident transporting them. It’s the young automotive endurance athlete, respectful of its European elders but perfectly capable of leading the pack if the opportunity arises. Offered as the 3.5T and 3.5T E-Supercharger, the 2023 Genesis in both trims is equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The base trim V6

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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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Strike A Pose at the 2023 LA Auto Show

There are many ways to explore the new cars, reveals and concepts at the 2023 LA Auto Show, running from November 17 to 26. One way yet to be evaluated was how auto manufacturers would show off their best car pose. As the reader, you are requested to determine your favorites and leave a comment. I visited different manufacturers’ displays and asked for their best representative to give me a car pose. Some took it seriously, some embraced the weird and knew exactly how to show off their poses and the car. Asking someone to pose with the cars resulted in a whole new experience for the show. These photos were challenging to achieve, with people opening doors, getting in

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2023 Lucid Air Pure: fledgling, worthy luxury sedan

It’s difficult to consider the 2023 Lucid Air Pure the entry-level vehicle of the young carmaker’s five trims. It’s the brand’s least expensive and least powerful sedan. But it would be many manufacturers’ flagship offering. The 2023 Lucid Air Pure is a continuation of the car’s debut in late 2021 as a 2022 model. Its starting price is $77,400, with Lucid‘s latest, the top-line Sapphire, priced at $249,000 (no options). Performance is the key for all trims, a “meager” 430 horsepower to the highest in the mainstream car industry, the Sapphire’s 1,234 horsepower. With its single-motor, rear-wheel drive layout, the Air Pure is exemplary for daily driving requirements. If it were the only trim, Lucid enthusiasts would be satisfied. But

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2023 BMW M2: Big little coupe respects drivers who enjoy the art of driving

Electric and continuously variable transmissions are increasingly refined. So much so, dismissing the once-dominant manual transmission makes sense for new car buyers. Why bother with all that three-pedal fuss? Still, while the industry is always in flux, one prominent publication recently reported 17 mainstream manufacturers offer 31 cars in 2023 models with manual transmissions. BMW also still understands drivers with a preference for shifting. The stalwart German manufacturer is among a few carmakers with several lineup choices offering manual transmissions. BMW’s selections are all performance-focused, the M2, M3 and M4. The newly redesigned 2023 BMW M2 is a high-performance version of the luxury automaker’s entry-level 2 Series coupe. The rear-wheel drive, two-door features a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine with 453 horsepower.

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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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New, sportier 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid shines in crowded segment

Introduced in 1976 as a three-door hatchback, the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid moves the iconic vehicle closer to its 50th birthday as among the automotive industry’s most reliable cars. It’s been the country’s top-selling signature family sedan for decades. The 2023 Honda Accord marks the debut of the car’s 11th generation. It’s also the start of the fourth generation for the Accord Hybrid, and it’s three inches longer than the previous model. The new length means more back-seat legroom and it’s part of the car’s substantial overhaul. Cargo space is also a strength for the sedan at 16.7 cubic feet. The sedan is classified as appropriate for five occupants. The Accord is no different than other vehicles in the segment.

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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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