Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2019 i MotorTrend

@Lohdown On Black Friday of this year, the cable TV channel formerly known as Velocity officially changed its name to the MotorTrend Network, a move we had long telegraphed but finally made official. With this change, we add 73 million homes and 17 million passionate automotive television viewers to an audience that already spans print, web, social media, and video on demand. Our goal is to continue to “super serve” the car-lovin’ tribes across all of these distinct media platforms, so keep an eye out as we define and develop exciting new car stories and ways to tell them. Three days later came Golden Monday, our annual MotorTrend Of The Year Awards, in which we celebrate the winners of Car, Truck, SUV, and Person of the Year. This annual tradition…

With the introduction of the 2020 Aviator, Lincoln dive-bombs into a high-volume segment with a rear-biased all-wheel-drive crossover that’s also available as a plug-in hybrid. When the Aviator returns to the market next year, slotting between the Nautilus and Navigator, the Grand Touring trim will debut the company’s new hybrid powertrain: a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 coupled with an electric motor. The powertrain generates 450 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque and comes with Ford’s 10-speed automatic. Only the Grand Touring will offer the hybrid system. Other grades will come with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 making 400 hp and 400 lb-ft. The Aviator launches with halo power and family resemblance to its big brother Navigator, which should give it the gravitas to make a bigger splash than the last time this…

After revealing the redesigned Continental GT in early 2018, Bentley chose the L.A. Auto Show to show off the convertible version. Bentley claims the soft top can be raised or lowered in 19 seconds at speeds of up to 30 mph. With the top up, the 2019 Continental GT convertible is 3 decibels quieter than its predecessor and just as quiet as the previous coupe. Bentley kept the 6.0-liter W-12 found in the coupe, making the same 626 hp and 664 lb-ft flowing through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission to all four wheels. It will hit 60 mph in a claimed 3.7 seconds. Credit also goes to the chassis engineers who reduced weight by 20 percent and increased stiffness by 5 percent compared to the previous convertible. And to encourage top-down…

“The 3 Series will always be the heart of the brand. The sporty sedan is selling well across the globe.” Harald Krüger is tasked with overseeing a transition from diesels to electrified cars while establishing BMW as the most successful luxury vehicle brand. That includes getting back its Ultimate Driving Machine mojo. We talked to Krüger, BMW’s CEO and chairman of its board of management at the Paris auto show in October, where BMW unveiled the next-generation 3 Series—engineered to be the best driving car in the segment. Will the 3 Series still anchor the brand with the growth of SUVs? The 3 Series will always be the heart of the brand. The X3 is selling well, but there are still more 3 Series and 4 Series. The sporty sedan…

COMPARISON | Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon vs. Land Rover Discovery vs. Lexus LX 570 vs. Mercedes-Benz G 550 Born and raised among the skyscrapers of New York City and now living in sprawling Los Angeles, I’m used to city life. I’m inured to creeping rush-hour traffic, to stepping over sidewalk trash, to the ever-present light pollution; they’re sacrifices we make to live in the places we love. But city life wears on you, a realization that can hit in an instant. A knowing glance or diverted gaze during a chance encounter with one of the millions of others beaten down by the daily grind could be all it takes to make you want to get away. But I—perhaps like you—have life to deal with. I work during the week and…

Off-roading isn’t usually so hushed an experience, yet as I traverse a rocky trail in Wyoming, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan’s cabin makes a distinct impression. While the driver’s seat in this most opulent of SUVs gives me a massage, I peek out the windows to admire the Grand Tetons before regaining my focus, doing my part to maneuver a $330,350 SUV that’s half a foot longer than a standard Escalade. The imposing presence of the Ghost and Phantom extends naturally to an SUV. Rolls-Royce’s first all-wheel-drive vehicle is a 210.3-inch-long SUV that shouldn’t make sense at all yet somehow feels true to the brand. An enormous 12-cylinder SUV is unnecessary (and perhaps overkill) for off-roading, but the Cullinan’s basic trail-ready credentials help justify its place in Rolls-Royce’s lineup. Most American buyers…

As an immigrant of Mexican descent, I have become accustomed to hearing the phrase, “Ni de aquí, ni de allá.” It means, literally, “Neither here nor there.” My friends and cousins often jokingly say that to describe me: I may have lived in America for more than a decade, but when I mingle with Americans I’m always seen as the outsider. That phrase can also apply to our recently tested trio of luxury SUVs. They have a shorter wheelbase and a lower price than the traditional compact European SUVs (such as the BMW X3, Mercedes GLC, and Audi Q5), yet they are larger and pricier than their subcompact counterparts (such as the BMW X1, Mercedes GLA, and Audi Q3). Our batch of crossovers lives between two worlds. They are in-betweeners.…

Honda crossovers aren’t known for playing in the rough stuff off-road. But with a rugged design, seating for five, and more ground clearance than a CR-V or Pilot, the Passport brings more than a touch of adventure to those who seek it. This new model has nothing to do with its predecessor, the clunky but capable Isuzu Rodeo–shared Passport of the ’90s. Honda’s new SUV shares its chassis, engine, AWD system, and transmission with the three-row Pilot. The Passport will sit between the compact CR-V and the three-row Pilot in Honda’s growing SUV lineup. It’s propelled by the same 3.5-liter V-6 from the Pilot. The V-6 produces the same output as in the Pilot, as well—280 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque—and it’s mated to a standard nine-speed transaxle. (LX,…

Toyota’s freshly minted Corolla hatchback, based on the hot new TNGA architecture, has been winning friends and influencing editors ever since we first clapped our eyes on it in March. We’ve since buckled in a few times and lauded the little hatch for its quantum-leapfrogging of its dreary Corolla iM predecessor. Sprightly dynamics and an upscale cockpit have drawn praise, though sparse rear-seat and cargo space drew raspberries. Those problems would seem to be easily solved by stretching the wheelbase (and rear leg environment) by 2.4 inches and grafting on a trunk. Our patience is rewarded, as Toyota is now revealing the redesign of its platform-sharing Corolla sedan. The 12th-generation Corolla sedan gets a broader stance, with its front and rear track widened by 0.5 and 0.9 inch, respectively, relative…

Riding on a new platform, the 2020 Kia Soul will be offered in a range of models, including the sporty GT-Line (shown), the rugged X-Line, and the style-oriented EX Designer Collection. Compared to its predecessor, the wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer, and the vehicle is 2.2 inches longer overall. Inside, cargo capacity with all seats in place has increased to 23.8 cubic feet, and the rear hatch opening is wider and lower to accommodate larger items. Power comes from the same 147-hp 2.0-liter I-4 found in the Forte sedan, mated to either a six-speed manual or a CVT. The 201-hp 1.6-liter turbo I-4 carries over with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. An all-electric model also returns and promises more (as yet unspecified) range than its predecessor. The 2020 Soul gets Kia’s…

@markrechtin It happens every year: The day after the final out is recorded in the World Series, the collective media looks ahead. The Champagne isn’t even flat yet, but the pundits are trotting out their best predictions for how things will shape up next season. To turn this sporting metaphor toward the automotive, this past year featured some rollicking competition. So while we salute the excellent winners in our tests—Lamborghini Huracán Performante, Jeep Wrangler, Ram 1500, and Genesis G70—this coming year will feature a cast of new vehicles so strong that winning our Best Driver’s Car and Of The Year competitions will require next-level stuff. Let’s take a look at the highlights of what we have coming: Best Driver’s Car: For 2018, we tested too early in the season to…

It’s an unspoken rule that you can’t have two vehicles from the same brand in a comparison test. But that doesn’t mean a second vehicle can’t tag along as a support vehicle. In the case of this test, the 2018 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro served as the photography vehicle for William Walker and assistant Darren Martin during our trip. How could they take pretty pictures if they couldn’t keep up? Although the new-for-2010 fifth-gen 4Runner is showing its age in terms of its exterior design and interior trim and fitments, its familiarity and capability with dirt, rocks, and river crossings was noticeable. Our 4Runner TRD Pro was equipped with a 4.0-liter V-6 engine that produces 270 hp and 278 lb-ft of torque mated to a five-speed automatic and a part-time…

Have you ever seen a bison run? It’s not a graceful gallop like a horse, more skipping like a goat. I imagine most readers won’t be familiar with such matters. I am, only because one charged my car once. I don’t know if it was personal or if bison just don’t care for Volkswagens, but he gave up after a short chase. The ZR2 Bison, however, doesn’t give up so easily. If you’re into trucks, you’re likely familiar with the standard Colorado ZR2. It transforms the already solid Colorado 4x4 into an incredibly capable off-road truck with locking front and rear differentials, beefy tires, underbody protection, hacked-off bumper ends, and Multimatic DSSV shock absorbers. American Expedition Vehicles, Chevrolet’s development partner, takes the ZR2 to the next level. It’s appropriate that…

How do you make MotorTrend’s 2019 SUV of the Year even better? Give it a matching pickup. Enter the Gladiator. Loyalists have clamored for a resurrection of the pickup since the 1986–92 Comanche’s demise. The team’s mission was to develop a competitive midsize pickup with the look and capability of a Wrangler. It took longer to bring to market, but the resulting crew cab truck is deserving of the name, said Tim Kuniskis, head of Jeep in North America. To be clear, this is not a Scrambler. Past Scramblers were Wranglers with an afterthought of a bed grafted on, whereas the original ’60s Gladiator was a proper pickup. Built in the same Toledo, Ohio, complex as the Wrangler, the Gladiator’s frame is 31 inches longer than a Wrangler Unlimited’s, and…

With more than 6 million examples sold since its introduction in 2003, the Mazda3 is a key vehicle for the Hiroshima-based automaker. Now in its fourth generation, the 2019 Mazda3 heralds the evolution of Mazda’s Kodo design language and the Skyactiv platform and powertrain architecture. Mazda set out to create a distinct character for each body style offered on the 2019 Mazda3. In its journey from concept to its on-sale date in early 2019, the hatchback barely changed from the Kai concept, giving it a sleek nose but a rather bulbous back end and a thick C-pillar. The sedan is more mature, like a Mazda6 mini-me but with a cleaner side profile—its fast roofline leading into a stub tail for its trunk. Inside, the new cabin has a clean, restrained…

After nearly a decade in stealth mode, freshman automaker Rivian has burst onto the scene with a pure-electric pickup and three-row SUV it plans to sell in two years. Putting a modern twist on the old body-on-frame architecture, both the R1T pickup and R1S SUV have their bodies bolted to a common “skateboard” platform. It contains the four motors and transmissions (one per wheel), battery pack, cooling system, and suspension. The battery pack comes in three sizes: 105 kW-hr, 135 kW-hr, and 180 kW-hr, good for a claimed “230-plus,” “300-plus,” and “400-plus” miles of range for the truck, Rivian CEO and founder RJ Scaringe says. Add 10 miles to each figure for the SUV. Battery cells are grouped in modules that can be replaced individually if they wear out or…

Television’s No. 1 destination for automotive programming has undergone some major modifications. On November 23, Velocity became MotorTrend Network, the new cable home of shows like Wheeler Dealers, Bitchin’ Rides, Iron Resurrection, and MotorTrend original shows. Launching as a full HD channel, MotorTrend Network will continue to provide all the high-quality gearhead content you loved on Velocity plus MotorTrend originals including Roadkill, Dirt Every Day, and Head 2 Head. In addition to the revamped TV channel, you can of course still catch your favorite shows on demand at MotorTrend.com or the MotorTrend app. With three ways to watch, car junkies will find it easier than ever to get their high-horsepower fix. “Seven years ago, I had the privilege of working with an amazing team at Discovery to create Velocity—the only…

It’s been nearly a quarter century since I first rode in a car with my feet off the pedals and my hands in my lap, watching it negotiate turns while remaining centered in its lane and maintaining a safe following distance from a car in front. It even managed the auto stop-and-go trick. The test car was a Nissan Cima/Cedric/Gloria sedan, and it was chauffeuring me around a proving ground in Japan. Back then the prospect of semi-autonomy was new and exciting. These days I feel like I’ve seen and heard everything there is to know about the various stages of autonomous transport. But recent supplier tech-day events introduced tangential aspects of the topic that awakened my long-dormant interest enough to warrant sharing them here. Comfort maneuvering ZF has built…

Another year, another Toyota versus Honda faceoff. Last year, Honda’s redesigned Accord midsized sedan took on the sportiest Camry ever and won. In fact, it wasn’t much of a contest. The Toyota was much improved over its predecessor, but the Honda was clearly the superior car. A year later, Toyota is back with a new contender in a different category. Evolving consumer tastes mean compact crossovers are now more important than family sedans. In 2017, the Camry’s 15-year reign as America’s best-selling vehicle (that isn’t a pickup) was ended by Toyota’s own outgoing RAV4. Across the industry, you can see the same trend. Sedan sales are shrinking while crossovers are booming. Honda, too, sold more CR-Vs in 2017 than it sold Accords or Civics for the first time. Considering how…

In 2002’s dark cult classic One Hour Photo, Robin Williams plays a creepy loser who drives a Toyota Echo. Connie Nielsen’s rich, smart, and desirable suburban mom rocks a Mercedes-Benz ML 320. It was a perfect bit of symbolism. A few years prior, Daimler had invented the midsize luxury SUV segment with that very vehicle, tapping into an undiscovered automotive zeitgeist. Luxury brands are now dependent on premium SUVs for profits. Car sales are down while crossover and SUV numbers are up and growing. And don’t feel too bad for the movie’s cheap shot about Toyota—its Lexus RX is the best-selling midsize luxury SUV in the U.S., outselling both the BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE (née ML) combined. Still, Mercedes sold nearly 55,000 GLEs to Americans last year, with more…

Even when you’re prepared, things can go wrong off-road. A lot of times, it’s your fault, not that of your rig. It doesn’t know what’s coming. You got it there, stupid. When things do go wrong, there’s no choice but to find a solution—even if you’re making it up as you go. In showbiz, they call that “doing it live.” The 2019 Ford F-150 Raptor is all about finding little ways to make it easier to do it live. It starts with Fox Live Valve electronically controlled shock absorbers, the first for a production off-roader. Fox places a solenoid on the shock body connected to a valve, which can adjust in as little as 40 milliseconds to alter the rate at which oil passes through it. Wide open, the shocks…

You’re rolling down the freeway in heavy, fast-moving traffic, following a truck. On your right is a new Volvo XC90 with a “Baby On Board” sticker in the window. On your left, a suburban outlaw in a $500 leather jacket blat-blat-blatting along on his Harley-Davidson. Suddenly, a large, heavy object falls off the back of the truck, right in your path. There’s no chance of stopping. What do you do? Stay in your lane and brace for the head-on hit? Swerve left and take out the motorcyclist? Or dive to the right and ram the Volvo? Chances are you’ll simply react, stomping the brake pedal and swinging the wheel one way or the other. You’ll only think of the consequences—the dead motorcyclist or the badly injured baby—when the shock wears…