Innehållsförteckning för July 2019 från MotorTrend

I grew up driving a 1983 Toyota truck, a slow, four-cylinder 4x4 Hilux that was my parents’ answer to a question too many police officers asked me in my short 16 and a half years on this planet: “Son, do you know how fast you were driving?” Although it was a lot slower than the sports car that got me three speeding tickets in the first six months of my provisional license, I grew to love the rugged, go-anywhere quality of that Hilux. So it should come as no surprise which episodes of Top Gear I love the most. In episodes 5 and 6 of Season 3, Jeremy Clarkson and James May set about tormenting a well-used and rusted-out 1988 Toyota pickup. They run it into a tree, drive it…

It might take a few seconds to notice the design changes on the new Mercedes-Benz GLS, but if you look closely, you’ll notice the shape of the grille has changed slightly, and the lower vents are more angular. Mercedes also streamlined the design of the headlights and taillights. Exterior dimensions have also changed; it’s 3 inches longer than its predecessor with a wheelbase that’s more than 2 inches longer. On the GLS 450, you’ll find a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine making a familiar 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. But thanks to a new 48-volt onboard electrical system with an integrated starter generator, an additional 21 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque can be doled out for short periods of time. On the GLS 580, a 4.0-liter turbocharged V-8…

The McLaren GT is not simply a kinder, gentler 720S. OK, dig and you’ll find plenty of 720S DNA. But the GT is very much its own car, specifically designed and engineered by McLaren to carry two people and their luggage across continents, in comfort and at speed. In fact, say McLaren engineers, 65 percent of the GT’s parts (by value) are unique to the car. It starts with the carbon-fiber monocoque. Dubbed Monocell II-T, it features an entirely different upper structure to that of the 720S, with sweeping rear pillars framing an opening for a large, top-hinged hatch. It’s clothed in unique body panels with simpler, less obviously aero-influenced surfacing than seen on the 720S. Although the 105.1-inch wheelbase is unchanged, the GT is about 7.8 inches longer overall.…

Back in its 20s, the BMW 7 Series knew exactly what it was. Sleek, powerful, athletic, the 7 Series was confident. It was the Ultimate Driving Machine for the masters of the universe. Now in its mid-40s, the 7 Series has lost confidence in itself, in its purpose. It’s packed on the pounds despite the carbon-fiber work it had done a few years back. Sure, it’s still a better runner than the old man from Stuttgart, but it’s not its younger self, either. The S-Class, though, knows exactly what it is: the standard in the luxury sedan class. The 7 is not a sport sedan. That’s the mission of the upcoming 8 Series Gran Coupe. It’s not the ultimate luxury sedan, either, riding too stiffly and offering a 3 Series–evoking…

There’s a new sheriff in town. Ola Källenius, 49, took over as CEO of Daimler AG on May 22, replacing longtime boss Dieter Zetsche, who faced mandatory retirement but will return as chairman of the supervisory board in 2021. Zetsche, CEO for 13 years, helped groom the Swede who becomes Daimler’s first non-German CEO. We talked to Källenius at the Geneva Motor Show as he prepared to take over an automaker working to reinvent itself in an age of electrification, ride-sharing, autonomy, and connectivity. Can we expect a smooth transition and continuation of current strategies? Of course. I’ve been working hand in hand with Dieter Zetsche for many years now, getting prepared for the new assignment. Why partner with BMW to develop autonomous driving technology and mobility services? In terms…

Ford Bronco What’s New: Despite fears that the new Bronco would be a warmed-over overseas-market Ford Everest, that’s thankfully not the case. With a boxy shape, round headlights, and a rectangular grille, the new Bronco should be the retro off-roader fans have been craving. It will be offered in two- and four-door form, with removable doors and roof panels. What’s Not: Mechanically, the Bronco will have a lot in common with the Ford Ranger, including the body-on-frame platform. That probably means the Bronco’s base engine will be the same 2.3-liter turbo-four making 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque paired with a 10-speed automatic. It’s possible a manual will also be offered. When: Late 2020 How Much: $40,000 (est) Land Rover Defender What’s New: Almost everything. Gone is the body-on-frame…

Rivian R1S What’s New: Combining the luxury appointments and off-road capability of a Range Rover, the space of a Ford Expedition, and the electric performance of the Tesla Model X, the Rivian R1S aims to please well-heeled millennials when it launches. Built on a slightly shorter version of the R1T pickup’s platform, the R1S replaces the truck’s bed with a third row, giving this electric off-roader room for seven. Rivian claims 34-, 30-, and 29-degree approach, departure, and breakover angles and between 8.1 and 11.7 inches of ground clearance. Even more impressive is its claimed street performance: 0–60 mph in as little as 3.0 seconds. Clearly Rivian is promising the world with its R1S and R1T. We hope it can deliver. When: 2021 How Much: $70,000 (est) Alfa Romeo Large…

In a high-walled interior courtyard within Hyundai’s Namyang design studio, a team of Hyundai designers pulled back silk drapes on a pair of 2020 Sonatas—a red sedan equipped with a 1.6-liter turbo-four Smart Stream engine and a gray version powered by Hyundai’s new Atkinson-cycle 2.5-liter four-cylinder (also dubbed Smart Stream). Underneath resided a very smooth-looking vehicle—one that draws immediate comparisons to the latest Aston Martin styling, as well as specific models from Porsche (Panamera) and Mercedes (AMG GT four-door coupe). Yes, I’m serious. These were the first brands and models that popped in my head when I saw the car in the metal. If you disagree, it’s because the pictures don’t do the car justice. When viewed in person, the Sonata reveals itself as a monumental achievement of proportion and…

Sometime in the next few months, someone will buy a Volvo S60 sedan with a panoramic sunroof that I installed. Good news: The experienced operators on the assembly line at Volvo’s spanking new plant near Charleston, South Carolina, didn’t let me mess it up. The Swedish automaker is so proud of its first U.S. assembly plant and its rookie workforce that it invited a handful of journalists to an expedited assembly training session—followed by a chance to try our hand on the factory floor. I paid attention. I didn’t want to subject the car-shopping public to a Russian roulette of potentially buying a subpar vehicle that I helped build. Most of the 1,500 workers employed here had never built a car before joining the Volvo team. The upbeat training sessions…

The irony is not lost on us. The all-new, redesigned 2020 Ford Escape looks more carlike yet makes its debut as the automaker exits the sedan market. Still, we get the logic. Ford has a similar-sized crossover coming that’s designed for the urbanite who wants to veer off-road. The unnamed compact utility—possibly “Bronco Scout,” per trademark filings—will be more upright and square in shape, with skidplates and shorter overhangs. To better differentiate the two, Ford is steering the fourth-generation Escape directly at the urbanite who used to buy cars but now prefers the higher seating position and functionality of a crossover. In another nod to modern trends, the 2020 Escape will be offered with a variety of powertrain options, including a choice of gasoline engines, a hybrid, and a plug-in…

At first glance this is one of those don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-it redesigns, but it’s spanking new based on Subaru’s new Global Platform (Impreza, Forester, Ascent). We’ll save the Where’s Waldo exterior updates until after we open the hood and front doors to discuss bigger improvements. A turbo is back after an 11-model-year absence. Outback XTs get the Ascent’s 260-hp, 277-lb-ft 2.4-liter boxer engine teamed with a CVT. Relative to the outgoing 3.6-liter flat-six, the turbo-four adds 4 hp, 30 lb-ft of torque, and 3 EPA city and highway mpg (now up to 23/30 mpg). That’s also 3 mpg up on the Ascent, but the smaller Outback can only tow 3,500 pounds. Other Outbacks get a heavily revised 2.5-liter direct-injected flat-four good for 182 hp and 176 lb-ft of torque (up 7 hp…

After a brief cancellation, the Toyota Yaris Hatchback is back as a rebadged Mazda2. The Yaris Hatchback shares the cab-rearward look of the Mazda, though it features a decidedly Toyota face. We’re a little skeptical, but Toyota promises “tenacious handling” that is “baked into the engineering, not just added on with fat tires and stiff suspension.” That’s a MacPherson strut suspension up front and a torsion-beam suspension in the rear. Under the hood, don’t expect any more power than before. The 1.5-liter I-4 delivers 106 hp. This engine pairs to a standard six-speed automatic, and no mention has been made of the previous standard six-speed manual. Sport mode is said to improve acceleration. Inside, you’ll notice the controls make the interior look just like a Mazda’s. You’ll find standard Apple…

Every few years, some consumer advocacy group trots out a report that alarmingly purports that Americans are slaughtering one another on the nation’s roads and that we’d be so much safer if everyone would just slow down. Fear sells, after all. And, well, duh, physics. This time around, it’s the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety waving the red flag—stating that the increase in speed limits by many states has resulted in a commensurate increase in roadway deaths. What’s more, IIHS has determined that a cumulative 37,000 Americans have died over the past 25 years due to those higher posted speed limits allowing drivers to go faster. To be clear, the IIHS is not a bunch of pencil-pushing nannies seeking inscrutable ways for insurance companies to jack your policy rates. IIHS…

Oldie but a Goodie The “King in the North” comparison from way back in the October 2017 issue was one of your best stories ever. But those three trucks are now old (with all three of them having been replaced), and there's an entire company of new trucks waiting to prove themselves. We have the new Jeep Gladiator, a new Ram 2500 Power Wagon, the Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison, a new Ford F-150 Raptor, new HD trucks from Chevy and GMC that have some (if only a little) off-roading capability, and hints of an all-new Ford Ranger Raptor. Might one reasonably infer that the time is coming for a second round with the Trans-Labrador Highway? Michael Montgomery Via email We’d love any excuse to head back to Winterfell (ahem, the…

Ram 1500 Rebel TRX What’s New: Ram won’t officially confirm it, but who wouldn’t want a 707-hp Hellcat-powered high-speed off-road SRT Ram TRX? The 2016 concept (pictured) made its debut on the previous platform/body with a 575-hp 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi and a none-too-subtle T. rex–inspired name meant to intimidate Ford’s lesser Raptor. Response was positive, so the truck is now on the FCA product rollout calendar for 2022. Mules have been spotted (and heard with the telltale supercharger whine), and rumors have circulated that there may be a base-model TRX with around 520 hp in addition to that Hellcat-powered range topper. What’s Not: The 2022 Ram Rebel TRX will be based on the all-new Ram 1500, our 2019 Truck of the Year. Official press photos of the concept’s interior clearly…

Rivian R1T What’s New: Many EV startups promise the world only to crumble before their first car gets out the door, but Michigan-based Rivian seems to be doing this right. The R1T pickup will be its first model. Powered by a motor at each wheel, the R1T will be available in 402-, 700-, and 754-hp versions. Multiple battery packs will be available, too: 105-, 135-, and 180-kW-hr packs with a claimed 240-, 310-, and 410-mile range. Rivian also promises exceptional off-road capability with a standard air suspension and semi-autonomous capability on-road. The R1T also sports unique touches, such as a front trunk and an innovative cargo area between the rear seat backs and the pickup’s bed. A $500 million investment from Ford portends a bright future for Rivian. When: 2020…

Americans are at our best when we look forward instead of at what others are doing. Cadillac and Lincoln used to epitomize this idea. When your slogan is “Standard of the World,” you have to live up to that promise. When the first tailfins sprouted from the back of a 1948 Cadillac, it symbolized the newfound jet age and the eternal optimism of postwar America. Meanwhile, Lincoln epitomized the American way of doing things, with big engines, even bigger sheetmetal, and imaginative midcentury modern designs. Even European automakers bought in on the concept of American exceptionalism with their imitative designs. But the moment Cadillac and Lincoln started looking over their shoulders at what the European luxury makers were doing, both lost the plot. While Cadillac has spent the past three…

During my early days at MotorTrend, there was a running joke that Kia had abandoned the long-term Borrego it had lent us. Long-term test vehicles typically stay for a year, but our burnt-orange Borrego was a fixture for almost twice as long before it finally went back to Kia. Coincidentally, just as we were saying bye to the Borrego, so was the rest of America. Kia discontinued the SUV after just one model year. The big Borrego wasn’t a bad SUV. In fact, the notes in our logbook were generally positive. But with high gas prices and a recent recession on buyers’ minds, there had been better times to launch a full-size, body-on-frame SUV. Almost a decade after the Borrego’s demise, the new 2020 Kia Telluride debuts on a more…

The Corsair makes a clean break from the MKC it replaces, so much so that it adopted a new name that drops alphanumeric monikers. Like the new Escape, the Corsair was engineered on Ford’s new front-drive unibody car platform. However, the Lincoln team took great pains to give the Corsair not just its own look but also technology and features that are specific to Lincoln. The Corsair has the same wheelbase as the Escape, but the Lincoln is longer and wider with a lower floating roof. Under the hood is a choice of turbocharged four-cylinder engines. The base engine is a 2.0-liter I-4 that generates 250 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. An optional 2.3-liter produces 280 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Lincoln has pledged to electrify its lineup,…

Hyundai’s crossover chess board is nearly complete. The recently introduced Palisade fulfills the role of profits-raking king, and now, five nameplates down the roster in the subcompact segment comes the brand’s pawn: the all-new 2020 Venue. Before we get to what it is, let’s clear up what it is not. The Venue is not a pared-down Kona, and it is not some hand-me-up from a distant developing market. And despite similar appearances to the Nissan Kicks, the Venue is 10 inches shorter. Rather, the Venue is a mini-ute tailor-made to suit American tastes, and it’s gunning for good ratings from government and third-party safety agencies. It’s also a pretty savvy piece of packaging, measuring ever so slightly smaller outside than the current class-runt Ford EcoSport on an identical 99.2-inch wheelbase…

For the third-generation Versa, Nissan aims to change the way we see A-to-B transport—which explains the new model’s substantial makeover and generous equipment list—but only as a sedan. The Versa Note hatchback goes out of production after the 2019 model year; the Kicks serves as an indirect replacement. Sporting Nissan’s latest design language, it gains the automaker’s Vmotion grille, floating roof motif, and thin headlights and taillights, giving it a mini-Altima look. Unlike its larger siblings, it has a rounded shape, and the swept-back A-pillar makes the roofline appear lower. Moving inside, the interior is essentially a carbon copy of the one found in the Kicks. Higher trims like the SR should feature a partial digital cluster featuring a 7.0-inch display alongside an analog speedometer. Under the hood is an…

My expectations were the size of the Great Smoky Mountains. The assignment: drive the new 2019 Volkswagen Jetta GLI on the famous Tail of the Dragon stretch of Route 129 outside Knoxville, Tennessee. The expectations were warranted. This latest GLI has the same powertrain as the Golf GTI—the 2.0-liter turbo-four that produces 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. That’s 18 more horses than the outgoing model, and torque is up by 51 lb-ft. The manual is back—the same six-speed stick from the regular Jetta but with the gear ratios of the Golf GTI. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is an $800 option and comes with a stop/start system. The GLI shares brakes with the Golf R (13.4-inch front vented disc brakes with red calipers). It has a multilink independent rear…

Have you been paying attention to the international moon race going on right now? I’d somehow missed that countries ranging from India and Israel to China and Japan all have moon missions underway or imminent. China’s Yutu-2 rover is currently prospecting on the back side of the moon in search of a helium-3 isotope that could power fusion reactors and/or rockets required to reach Mars and beyond. The mission that caught my attention was Japan’s, because the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has enlisted Toyota’s help to build a manned rover big enough to make roadkill of those Indian and Chinese Moon-bas (note: this is not its stated mission). Unlike the dune buggies GM helped engineer for NASA’s Apollo 15, 16, and 17 missions in 1971–72, Toyota’s rover will be…

Last year, automakers like Ford abandoning the manufacturing of sedans for more popular (and profitable) SUVs was shocking news. But even though some of those cars haven’t gone out of production yet, it already feels like reality. The feeling only gets stronger as you look into the future. This list used to be dominated by sleek coupes and sedans; now it’s the domain of boxy SUVs and crossovers. From cheap and cheerful city runabouts to six-figure, four-wheel-drive limousines, there’s an SUV or crossover for every purse and purpose. We haven’t forgotten about cars and trucks, though. The best of what’s on sale soon and what’s coming down the road is all represented on these pages. As for performance, regardless of what it looks like or how high it rides, there’s…

Cadillac CT5 What’s New: The CT5 is a new nameplate for Cadillac. This compact sedan replaces the ATS and CTS and is an evolution of Cadillac’s design language. The standard engine is the new 237-hp, 258-lb-ft 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbocharged I-4 that made its first appearance in the CT6 refresh. A modified 335-hp, 400 lb-ft 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 (smaller turbos) is available and makes its debut in the CT5. Both are paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. New rear badging will denote a rounded-off torque figure in Newton-meters. Super Cruise will be added in the second model year. A CT5-V is expected in the future. What’s Not: It rides on GM’s rear-wheel-drive Alpha platform with some enhancements to the carryover front strut and rear five-link suspension. All-wheel drive will be available…

Aston Martin Vanquish What’s New: It’s Aston’s take on a Ferrari mid-engine supercar, aimed squarely at the new F8 Tributo revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March. If it looks anything like the concept and revives the Vanquish name, we’ll be extremely happy. The Vanquish could pack the new V-6 hybrid turbo behind the seats, possibly making north of 700 hp to compete directly with the Tributo. We’ve heard the new model is being developed with the help of Red Bull Racing engineers, so expect the car to have a lot of F1 bits and pieces. What’s Not: The name Vanquish has come and gone a couple of times—it was first used from 2001 to 2007 and then again from 2012 to 2018. Aston built a few special editions,…

I’ve hardly driven 100 feet out of our parking lot before I’m already talking to myself: “Wow, this thing’s steering and brakes feel worlds better than the Prius.” I’ve just belted into the Toyota’s archnemesis—Honda’s latest Insight Touring—having dashed over here from the Prius Limited I’d just parked. It’s 9:30 p.m., and the night is just beginning. I prefer doing nighttime comparison testing. As folks settle into bed, roads become a distraction-free test loop of rapid-fire stop signs and traffic lights, surface changes and lumpy railroad tracks, freeway acceleration and lane changes. All your key everyday questions answered in a compact, nonstop 15 minutes. But the key—importantly—is to repeat it. Again and again until neither car has anything left to tell you. By midnight, the cars are finally starting to…

In science class we learned “entropy is always increasing.” We may not remember what this fundamental tenet of the second law of thermodynamics really means, but it comes to mind as we face a daily fire hose of new products, services, clutter, information, news, and noise. New products entering overcrowded markets clamor for attention with busy designs and brazen messaging. Against this cacophonous backdrop, Land Rover introduces a quieter, simplified, reductive redesign of the Range Rover Evoque—the crossover that helped launch the small-luxury SUV market eight years ago and earned our 2012 SUV of the Year award. The Evoque has always been reductive by nature, targeted at youthful, style-conscious urbanites who value tidy parking dimensions over V-8 power or a go-everywhere low-range drivetrain and height-adjustable suspension. To further boil down…

It’s become an article of faith among some enthusiasts that a real driver would always choose a stick shift over flappy paddles. OK, quick quiz. Money no object, which would you choose: Porsche’s 911 GT2 RS or the 911 GT3 Touring? Turbo and PDK with flappy paddles, or naturally aspirated with an old-school six-speed stick shift and a third pedal in the footwell? Two solutions to the same challenge, each quintessentially 911, and there’s really no wrong answer. But after a bunch of miles in each, I know which transmission I’d choose. Every time. The feeding frenzy over the 911 R made the business case for the manual GT3. Installing the six-speed was no simple task, says Porsche’s GT car boss, Andreas Preuninger. “It’s not just developing a gearbox,” he…