Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2017 i MotorTrend

When I took over the editor’s chair in 2011, our YouTube channel was just starting to take off, and I remember marking down 143,000 total subscribers at the time. I then watched as that number quadrupled in just over a year and kept growing. A few months ago, we passed 5 million subscribers. It is currently the No. 1 U.S. automotive channel on YouTube in terms of monthly video views, according to Tubular Labs. For that, we thank you, loyal viewers. But YouTube is no longer the only video priority at Motor Trend. We’re expanding—both in our offerings across our social media and on Motor Trend OnDemand. Two of our newest debuts speak directly to my heart. The first is Put Up or Shut Up. We’ve returned to our roots…

FIRST LOOK SPECS Base Price $24,000-$37,500 (est) Drivetrain Front-engine, FWD Engines 1.5L/192-hp/192-lb-ft turbocharged DOHC 16-valve I-4; 2.0L/252-hp/273-lb-ft turbocharged DOHC 16-valve I-4; 2.0L DOHC 16-valve Atkinson-cycle I-4 plus 2 electric motors, not yet rated Transmission 6-speed manual, cont variable auto Curb Weight 3,050-3,450 lb (est) Wheelbase 111.4 in L x W x H 192.1 x 73.2 x 57.1 in EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ Not yet rated On Sale In U.S. Fall 2017 At a time when SUV sales are eclipsing those of family sedans, the 2018 Honda Accord makes its case with a defined move upscale, featuring a new powertrain lineup with turbocharged four-cylinder engines, a hybrid system, and a 10-speed transmission. In dropping the optional V-6, the Accord lineup adopts two direct-injection turbocharged engines. The 1.5-liter base engine generates 192…

TECHNOLOGUE Why not use this same pathway to charge the battery (potentially way more quickly) and ditch the mass and cost of the extra charger? In 1978 Honda ran commercials crowing that its uncatalyzed CVCC engines weren’t “choosy” about their fuel—they could run on regular leaded, premium leaded, or unleaded gasoline, so “you can be the one who’s choosy.” Fast forward to today’s version of emerging technology, in which electric vehicle owners hope their current vehicles’ existing plug design, hardware, and software will be flexible enough to take full advantage of quicker charging options as they come online. Continental’s new AllCharge concept aims to assuage these anxious EV owners by emulating the CVCC’s omnivorous refueling appetite for electric charging as voltage and power levels evolve. Before we tackle the new…

Get your search on Discover what’s new for all your favorites 5M five-speed manual 6A six-speed automatic 6-sp auto-cl man six-speed auto-clutch manual 7-sp twin-cl auto seven-speed twin-clutch automatic FWD front-wheel drive AWD all-wheel drive RWD rear-wheel drive NHTSA and IIHS safety data is derived from recent model years. IntelliChoice five-year retained value data might apply to common vehicle variants, not an average of all model variants. Acura MDX Base Price $45,500-$52,500* Body Type SUV UNCHANGEDThe Acura MDX received a significant refresh for 2017. Changes included a new front fascia bearing the brand’s new grille and a hybrid variant with more power than the base engine, improved gas mileage, and standard allwheel drive. For 2018, the Acura MDX might get an updated infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto…

ARRIVAL 2017 Hyundai Tucson Limited AWD Chris Clonts “Our new long-term Tucson is one of the best-looking compact SUVs. Hyundai has stepped up its wheel game considerably.” EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 24/28/25 MPG BASE PRICE 32,070 PRICE AS TESTED $ It could have been the Sedona Sunset color, but I was transfixed by this compact SUV parked in front of Motor Trend headquarters. Whether you call it Longhorn Orange or Texas Tan, this hue has become part of many OEMs’ paint palettes. And on the 2017 Hyundai Tucson Limited AWD, the color is as spectacular as a painted desert dusk Looking beyond the glossy finish, our long-term vehicles are usually just-launched models, have been newly redesigned, or have had a major powertrain or equipment refresh. The current Tucson generation…

The Tesla Model 3 is here, and it is the most important vehicle of the century. Yes, the hyperbole is necessary. The original Tesla Model S was a proof of concept—it was possible to make a long-range electric vehicle. The Model X showed that you could make an electric SUV. But neither was affordable to the masses. And although the Chevrolet Bolt has shown that 238 miles of electric range is possible for less than $40,000, GM’s volume aspirations are modest. Not so for Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who wants to blow out the walls of his Fremont, California, factory to build a half-million Model 3s every year. That’s the future of electric transportation right there, and its success or failure all hinges on the ability of Tesla to convince…

Audi is under siege. A sweeping reorganization plan said to be in the works at VW Group is set to diminish the power and influence of the brand that propelled Ferdinand Piëch to power and has long been the engine room of design and technology innovation. The big winner? Porsche. Whispers out of Wolfsburg say control of Lamborghini is to be moved from Ingolstadt to Weissach, which has also been given responsibility for developing VW Group’s new modular sports car architecture. Bentley and Bugatti are also expected to come under Porsche’s control in due course. That’s no surprise given current Bentley and Bugatti chairman Wolfgang Dürheimer was formerly head of Porsche R & D. The Mercedes-AMG lineup now includes 50 models, with more on the way. That’s largely because every…

FIRST DRIVE SPECS Base Price $86,091* Drivetrain Front-engine, RWD Engine 6.2L/840-hp*/770-lb-ft* supercharged OHV 16-valve V-8 Transmission 8-speed automatic Curb Weight 4,300 lb (mfr) Wheelbase 116.2 in L x W x H 197.5 x 78.8 x 57.4 in EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ 13/22/16 mpg (est) Energy Consumption, City/Hwy 259/153 kW-hrs/100 miles (est) On Sale In U.S. Currently *Dragstrip config, including $1 high-octane controller. On-highway output: 808 hp/717 lb-ft Just when you thought Dodge couldn’t possibly one-up itself, the 2018 Challenger SRT Demon nudges the Hellcat’s previous 707-hp red-key rating by 101 more horses—on pump gas, at that. A caveat: For the timed performances claimed in its press releases, Dodge fitted pizza-cutter front tires and drag racing slicks, ran it at 147 feet above sea level at 8:34 p.m. with a 40-degree…

REFERENCE MARK Enthusiasts know sedans run circles around SUVs. In an issue dedicated to SUVs, crossovers, and trucks, this column is a concession to those who live and breathe sedans. A few months ago, Motor Trend stunned pretty much every premium automaker— and the folks who shop them—by proclaiming the Alfa Romeo Giulia the winner of our Big Test of 2.0-liter compact luxury sport sedans available with a $399/ month, 36-month lease. Brackish coffee was sputtered in Bavaria, a host of Nagoya salarymen were volun-told to work even later into the night, and folks in Detroit just shook their heads at how a brand with a heritage of erratic quality could win such a contest. But there was no arguing with the numbers. When added up, the Giulia lapped the…

PHOBIA OF THE MONTH: A 3,500-pound spider is just too scary. More shooting brakes? Maybe. What a gorgeous car (“Shooting Brake,” July). Too bad it costs twice as much as my house! This is the only shooting brake currently available from any automaker. Why can’t anyone else sell one? I’ve seen fan art of shooting brake versions of the Miata, 86/BRZ, Challenger, Mustang, and Camaro. I would buy any one of them in a heartbeat if they were offered as a two-door wagon. How hard could it be? Extend the roof, add a stubby hatch, modify the rear quarters: 75 percent of the coupe body could carry over. It’s got to be harder to make a convertible. They could gain a fair number of sales with minimal investment. Even Callaway…