Warmer in winter and always cooler than ubiquitous leather.

Why does everybody want a leather interior? These days even cars that aren't lined with cow mostly get swathed in petrochemicals longing to pass for cow, with euphemistic marketing handles ranging from the generic leatherette or vegan leather to trademarked monikers like BMW's SensaTec, Mercedes' MB-Tex, and VW's V-Tex. Some of our favorite car interiors ever have sported cloth seats, from the Porsche 928's psychedelic Pasha checkerboard to the 911's Pepita houndstooth and various tartan plaids. Sadly, they're all but gone today. So it seemed downright newsworthy when a 2021 Volvo XC90 T8 turned up in my driveway swathed in wool upholstery fabric. Volvo calls it Tailored Wool Blend, and I relished every cosseted moment in these thrones.

What Is Tailored Wool Blend And What Colors Are Available?

This tweedy weave is comprised of 30 percent wool and 70 percent recycled polyester, so it might be even earth-friendlier than "vegan leather." Tailored Wool Blend appeared as a no-cost option on the 2020 refresh of the XC90 Inscription model in a color called Midnight Zinc. The same option is also available on XC60 Inscription models.

At launch last year, a second color called Slate was offered, but it proved less popular and was dropped for 2021. Volvo does offer another textile, known as City Weave Textile fabric, as a no-cost option on the S60, V60, and XC60 Momentum trim grades. It's in a hue called Blonde and paired with Iron Ore Inlays, and it appears darker and more "plaid" than our Midnight Zinc material.

Inherent Climate Comfort

It should surprise nobody that cloth seats always feel warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer—even when contacting bare skin after direct sunlight exposure. The material also presents less resistance to heating, so you'll generally tend to feel the warmth from seat heaters faster. Despite their inherently breathable nature, Volvo at least does not offer a ventilation/seat-cooling option with either its Tailored Wool Blend or City Weave Textile upholstered seating.

What About Cleanup, Care, And Maintenance?
First, how big a slob are you? Inveterate drive-thru diners who regularly juggle sloppy Big Macs while driving will probably find that leather/pleather/vinyl products wipe clean easier. Long-haul car owners who read their owner's manuals and attempt to adhere to the recommendations therein will find that greater care and maintenance is recommended for leather. Case in point: The manual in our XC90 T8 devoted just 84 words to describing how to clean the wool blend but prattled on with 267 words of advice for maintaining the leather, including a recommendation to apply protective cream quarterly. I can tell you this much: Volvo deems Tailored Wool Blend kid-friendly enough to offer its $300 integrated center booster cushion. I'd cheerfully order up a textile interior and just apply some Scotchgard from time to time.

Might The Fad Be Returning?

Way back in the era of chauffeur-driven "town cars" featuring an enclosed passenger compartment and an exposed front seat, Jeeves sat on durable, weather-resistant leather, while His and Her Grace luxuriated in mohair, wool, or other sumptuous fabrics. Velvets and other fabrics remained popular in luxury cars well into the '60s, and wool remains the fabric of choice for "Toyota's Rolls-Royce"—the Century—because it's deemed more dignified; fidget as you will, a wool seat will never make the flatulent noises leather can. Bentley has just reintroduced a Mulliner Tweed interior, using fabric sourced from Scotland, though it's generally used to adorn the door panels. (Of course, companies like Bentley and Rolls-Royce will cheerfully swaddle any part of their cars in any material you desire if the price is right.) We must point out that one of our favorite cloth upholstery offerings of all time remains available on the 2021 Volkswagen GTI: Clark Plaid cloth inserts. Come on, Tesla, why not double down on your new Plaid powertrain by offering a nice tartan upholstery package?

motortrend.com

Honda has unveiled a new generation of its compact crossover HR-V. In addition to the new design, this model will be offered as a hybrid electric vehicle, and it will arrive in Europe at the end of 2021.

The introduced HR-V is the latest model in Honda's range that bears the emblem e: HEV (hybrid electric vehicle). In addition, now this compact crossover comes for the first time with a rather accentuated coupe line.

It also has a new integrated radiator grille, a long, lower hood and sharper, more vertical lines that have allowed this model to retain a spacious interior for four passengers, as offered by its predecessor.

The new HR-V also retains the familiar seats, which can provide a flat boot floor after folding down the backrest or folding up. Capacity data has not yet been disclosed.

The cabin is now modern and minimalist with a horizontal instrument setup.

A new crossover, in line with Honda's goals of electrifying all major models by 2022, is expected on the European market later this year.

A pricey special-edition M2 with a 444-hp heart reminds us of the BMWs of the past.

Taglines work. Take, for example, the incredible motivational power of a "Hang in There" cat poster or the decades that BMW marketed itself as The Ultimate Driving Machine. In those days, BMW's cars regularly delivered class-leading handling and fun. In 2006, the German brand dropped the tagline and began a slow move away from cars that sing and dance. But the company still has a few, such as the M2 CS, that are hanging in there, clinging to the branches of the old family tree.

The M2 CS is a limited-edition, high-powered version of the M2, which is itself the hot version of the 2-series coupe. We're talking the rear-wheel-drive 2-series, not the front-drive-based, four-door 2-series Gran Coupe abomination that placed last in a recent comparison test and is best thought of as an ultimate disappointment. Thankfully, the M2 CS has nothing in common with that car.

It does, however, share some parts with the outgoing Competition-spec M3 and M4, including the 444-hp version of the M division's twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six. Despite being a healthy 39 horses up on the M2 Competition, the CS isn't any quicker than its sibling to relatively low-speed thresholds. Basically, it is limited in the run to 60 mph by the traction of its rear tires. But the CS pushes ahead after hitting 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, and it passes through the quarter in 12.1 seconds at 120 mph, two-tenths of a second quicker and 4 mph faster than the stick-shift M2 Comp.

With its six-speed manual transmission, the CS pulls us in close. If you're lazy, it'll rev match on downshifts, and the shifter has the positive, if slightly rubbery, motion of BMWs past. Optional matte-gold wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 track rubber are part of the CS makeover. A test-equipment snafu cost us our skidpad measurement, but by the seat-of-pants measurement this car has more grip than the 1.00 g we measured in an M2 Competition riding on Michelin Pilot Super Sports. We promise.

Highs: An angry car designed to make us smile, manual-transmission joy, BMW's best stuff.
Those grippy Cup 2 tires probably deserve some credit for removing a lot of numbness from the M2's steering. While you can't quite read the Braille of the pavement through the Alcantara-wrapped wheel, the steering feedback is livelier than we've seen in recent BMWs. Adaptive dampers, similar to those found on the previous-generation M3 and M4, are available for the first time on the M2 and offer three modes. The Comfort setting works brilliantly on canyon roads (and probably even on racetracks), stiffening the damping as needed. Notching up to the harsher settings fails to improve handling and makes the ride punishingly firm.

Carbon-ceramic brake rotors are an $8500 option and proved to be up to the abuse leveled at them during testing and on the road. In addition to fade resistance, an added benefit of the ceramic rotors is that they won't leave brake dust on the lovely gold wheels. Fearless prediction: When it comes to wheels, gold is the new black. The brake pedal is a little softer than we like when used casually, but work the brakes hard and there's nothing to complain about. Stopping from 70 mph took a short 145 feet, and hauling down from 100 mph required 301 feet.

An M2 CS on a mountain road is a happy place. There's a slight lag when you hit the accelerator on corner exit, as the turbochargers need a moment to spin up. To ensure sharp engine responses, old M cars were naturally aspirated and fitted with individual throttle bodies, but none of them made torque like modern turbocharged engines do. The CS produces 406 pound-feet of torque at a low 2350 rpm.

Lows: Some turbo lag, pushing six figures is pushing it.
Other parts shared with the old M3/M4 include the deeply bolstered front seats and the Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel. Rear-seat space is tight, and there are only two seatbelts back there, making this a four-seater. Carbon-fiber and more Alcantara trim dress up this aging interior, and much of the switchgear appears to be from BMWs of the past, but we're totally okay with that. The infotainment system features BMW's latest software, and Apple CarPlay is included.

A carbon-fiber hood and roof help the CS weigh 83 pounds less than the M2 Competition. Pushed to its lofty cornering limits, the CS acts even lighter and smaller than its 3489 pounds. Our main problem with this astonishingly good car is its $84,595 starting price. The letters CS cost more than SS 1LE, ZL1, ZL1 1LE, GT PPL2, and GT500. Those exotic Camaros and Mustangs offer more power and the same connected driving experience, but the M2 is smaller, lighter, and undeniably special in its own right. It's one of the last true BMWs. We just hope the engineers responsible have a particular cat poster in their offices.

caranddriver.com

The third generation no longer has diesel engines, which as an alternative come with hybrid versions of the existing turbo gasoline

Three million copies sold in Europe and a total of five million worldwide. A nice number for both previous generations of Nissan Qashqai, a mega-popular SUV of the compact class, well accepted among Croatian buyers of this class. Great numbers and history, but which set a high bar of expectations from the newly introduced new model.

Nissan Qashqai, photo: Nissan

There is not much to say about design, the first step in appearing in front of customers. Qashqai retains the recognizable idea and lines of the previous model, but with cleaner lines, some details performed as a variation on the theme of Juke and Nissan's signature with a mask in the characteristic V-shape. A dose of modernism is given to it by details such as self-regulating, smart LED Matrix lights, 11 body colors, five two-tone combinations and rims that reach up to 20 inches as standard. The first photos create the impression of growing size and - that's right.

Nissan Qashqai, photo: Nissan

It is 3.5 centimeters larger (4,425 m), 3.2 centimeters wide (1,838 m), one centimeter high (1,635 m), and the larger corporate Renault-Nissan CMF-C platform, two centimeters larger axle, gives the impression of size. spacing (2666 mm). The result?

Nissan Qashqai, photo: Nissan

Round three centimeters more space for the passenger's knees in the rear seat (maximum 61 centimeters), a centimeter and a half more headroom and significantly more space in the front seats, where two-meter-tall people will also have a comfortable position. The rear pair of doors opens up to 85 degrees, which greatly facilitates access to the rear seat, and especially the placement of children in the seat.

Nissan Qashqai, photo: Nissan

On top of all that, the trunk grows, by 50 liters, in this class more suitable 480 liters. It will be easier to access because the entry threshold is lowered by two inches. Aluminum alloys are also used more in the construction of the body, so let's say four side doors, fenders and a roof bring total savings of 21 kilograms. The fifth door is now made of composite materials and is 2.6 kilograms lighter, and the platform itself on the scales shows 60 kilograms less than the previous one. Niisan engineers swear that it is almost half as strong, or 41 percent.

The interior also boasts noticeably better materials, including nappa leather, a generally more expensive visual and sensory atmosphere, but also hedonistic elements of equipment such as massage seats or a concert Bose Premium hifi system with 10 speakers.

Nissan Qashqai, photo: Nissan

Digitization has also knocked hard on Qashqai’s doors. Large digitized 12.3-inch instruments, advanced multimedia with a 9-inch 3D screen, innovative and largest-in-class head-up 10.8-inch screen, interesting animations and wireless mobile charging are part of the new ambience accompanied by a smartphone app which will be able to control the secondary functions. Furthermore, the ProPilot safety system gets a connection to the navigation and detects real and potentially dangerous events in front of and around the car faster and more accurately. The system comes in versions with automatic transmission.

Nissan Qashqai, photo: Nissan

One of the significant innovations will be the electrification of the drive, in terms of a 12-volt mild hybrid version of the famous 1.3 turbo gasoline known designation DIG-T (Direct Injection Gasoline-Turbo), upgraded to 50 components. Mild hybridization does not affect the change in rated power, which is maintained at 140 and 158 hp with torques of 240 and 260 Nm, but will have positive effects on reducing consumption and have the function of giving additional momentum of power and torque when accelerating. The base engine has front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission, more powerful as well, but it comes with four-wheel drive 4x4 and a new-generation X-tronic automatic transmission (CVT) as options. With automatic torque increases to 270 Nm.

Nissan Qashqai, photo: Nissan

The hybrid system carries 22 pounds of weight. An interesting hybrid version of the e-Power unusual operating principle has also been announced, in which the 1.5 turbo petrol engine has a secondary function in relation to the electric motor. The total power output is 190 hp, but the story is somewhat reversed compared to classic hybrids. The petrol is basically not used for propulsion, but primarily for charging a powerful battery and transmitting power to an electric motor that drives the wheels itself, so the ride is very reminiscent of driving an electric car.

The Qashqai also gets a single-pedal e-Pedal braking and acceleration system, known from the electric Leaf. With the new platform, the basis of a more complete driving experience will be thorough refinements on more precise and flexible steering wheel operation, but also filigree polished suspension, which remains semi-rigid in the standard versions, while 4x4 and top models with standard 20-inch wheels go multilink.

The acceleration has begun and from now on we will hear almost daily news about which car brand is becoming fully electric in the period ahead. After Mercedes, Jaguar Land Rover, Bentley and many others, Ford has now stated that from 2030 it will offer exclusively electric models in Europe, as well as that the first European Ford on electricity will be made on the VW platform.

According to the promise from Ford, by the middle of 2026, every model on the European market will be available as a plug-in hybrid or electric, and by 2030, this company will switch exclusively to electricity.

Full electrification refers to passenger models, while commercial vehicles will have zero emissions by 2024.

All this fits in with the announcements from numerous European countries that they will ban the sale of gasoline and diesel engines by 2030, among which the United Kingdom is in the lead.

That is why Honda, Volvo, Nissan and others have announced that they will not even offer models with conventional drive in Europe. Honda will start implementing this plan as early as next year.

As for Ford, they are investing a billion dollars in the renovation of the factory in Cologne, where the production of the first European fully electric model will begin in 2023.

It will use Volkswagen's MEB platform on which the ID.3 and ID.4 models are created, and the first EV model from Ford made in Europe will be produced in parallel with the Fiesta. More information will be revealed in the coming period.

These five basic mistakes are often repeated by less experienced drivers, and each of them significantly increases the wear of all parts of the manual transmission…

It is well known that students in driving schools gain too little knowledge about car mechanics, as well as about the wrong driving style that harms the car. Driving according to the regulations is not all that is needed to keep the car in good condition. That is why older and more experienced drivers often point out to young people errors that do not affect driving safety, but greatly reduce the durability of the car's mechanical components.

The vast majority of them come down to improper handling of the manual transmission. Unlike an automatic, a manual transmission offers better control of the vehicle, but at the same time requires more attention when using it. Every experienced mechanic knows very well that clutch wear can be increased several times by careless driving.

1. Rest your right hand on the shift lever

2. Hold the clutch pedal depressed while waiting

3. Keeping the car uphill using the clutch, instead of the parking brake

4. Abrupt acceleration in high gear

5. Rest the left foot on the clutch pedal, instead of on the foot rest

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The verdict: Audi strikes a beautiful balance of sporty, luxurious and high-tech in the revised A4, delivering a satisfying compact sedan experience.

Verus the competition: It’s not as athletic as competitors like the Alfa Romeo Giulia or BMW 3 Series, but the new A4 makes up in comfort what it lacks in edginess. It’s easily as quick as most of its competitors, offers similar technology and provides a luxury experience that outshines rivals from Acura, Infiniti and Lexus.

There’s been a seemingly never-ending parade of new SUVs showing up in our testing queue lately. Everyone has a new ute to sell to an increasingly ravenous customer base that loves high-riding, family-friendly, cargo-hauling boxes — so when something comes along that’s the antithesis of that mindset, it’s deliciously refreshing. That’s what we have here with Audi’s latest A4. It got a decent refresh of its styling and content for the 2020 model year, and the 2021 model got even more tweaks and refinements. German luxury specialist Audi has delivered a beautifully balanced and fun-to-drive — but not overly sporty — compact sports sedan that reminds you just how much more satisfying a low-slung sports sedan is than even the most hairy-chested, overpowered SUV out there.

More, Greener Power
The news for the 2021 A4 primarily centers on a power upgrade. The car still offers two turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines, but both now make more power and feature a standard 12-volt mild-hybrid system to boost efficiency. Both engines gain 13 horsepower, leaving the base A4 40 trim with 201 hp and the upgraded 45 trim with a healthier 261 hp. Torque remains unchanged at 236 pounds-feet in the base 40 model and 273 pounds-feet in the 45. Both engines mate only to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive is newly standard for 2021. The manual transmission was discontinued a while ago, and now there are no more front-wheel-drive models, either.

But you know what? I’m not even mad about it, because the A4 drives beautifully. The focus on balance is clearly apparent: The higher-spec engine I drove delivers ample, immediate thrust when called upon, and the automatic transmission is snappy and responsive. The car overall delivers a refined, poised driving experience that’s highly enjoyable. Its low seating position, tight handling and smooth yet communicative ride are all excellent reminders that, despite the usefulness of SUVs, they really aren’t made for enjoying the experience of driving.

This A4 is a bit too soft to be truly sporty; steering feel is direct but notably muted, and the suspension allows a bit more lean and bump-soaking cushiness than you’ll find in a comparable BMW or Alfa Romeo. Still, it’s no marshmallow, with the kind of higher-speed highway stability you expect from a German luxury brand. Overall, there’s just enough communication from the car’s mechanical components to be entertaining, and just enough isolation to keep things luxurious and refined.

Fuel economy for the 45 S Line version of the A4 is basically unchanged from 2020 despite the addition of the mild-hybrid system. It’s rated by the EPA at 24/31/27 mpg city/highway/combined — 1 mpg less on the highway than the 2020 AWD A4. If you opt for the base 2021 A4 with the less powerful engine, that’s estimated to net you a slightly better 25/34/28 mpg, but either way, the addition of standard AWD means there’ll be no getting the fuel economy of the FWD 2020 model, which rang in at 27/35/30 mpg.

In a week of mixed-use driving, I averaged 26.5 mpg — pretty good given the spirited manner in which I often found myself driving the A4. By comparison, the higher-powered A4’s rating is mid-pack among AWD compact luxury sedans: The new 2021 Acura TLX A-Spec is rated an inferior 21/29/24 mpg, the 2021 BMW 330i xDrive a superior 25/34/28 mpg and the new 2021 Genesis G70 2.0T AWD a considerably worse 20/27/23 mpg.

Still a Benchmark Interior — for Now
We’re worried about Audi’s trend toward replacing every switch in the cabin with touch-sensitive panels — something American automakers tried a few years ago that didn’t go over well. The panels take away tactile feel for buttons, making for a more distracting experience — especially given that, in many cases, the touch panels don’t operate perfectly, requiring you to focus extra attention on them to make sure the function you tried to select has actually been selected. I’m happy to say the latest update to the A4 hasn’t created a completely “glass cockpit” just yet; there are still dedicated climate-control buttons and knobs, for instance, unlike on some larger Audis, such as the A6 and A8.

The front and center touchscreen was updated for the 2020 model year, and as in many cars these days, it’s been artlessly pasted onto the dashboard like an afterthought — or a tablet in a dock. Thankfully, unlike the latest Mercedes-Benz products, the steering wheel does not employ touch-sensitive areas — something I never thought I’d need to say.

The overall interior experience in the A4 is as it ever was: chock full of top-quality materials, excellent design, comfortable seats and great visibility. It does feature a very low driving position, which takes some getting used to in an era when what’s left of the sedans out there feature ever more upright, high-sitting driving positions. Front-seat comfort is good, but backseat space is rather tight in terms of leg and headroom, as is common in the compact sedan class.

As in other high-end luxury cars, you can adjust the interior ambient lighting from a calm, subtle glow all the way up to full-blast, “Tron”-style Lightcycle, depending on your taste and tolerance for such things. The digital gauge cluster is one of Audi’s better electronic features; the brand was one of the first to employ such technology across its range, and while it’s become a lot more common in competitors, Audi still makes sure it’s is one of the best out there with easy-to-read displays, an easy switch between display modes and an acceptable level of customization without information overload.

Cargo room isn’t the most important thing in a compact luxury sedan, but the A4 does all right here, too, with a 12-cubic-foot trunk, according to Audi. That’s more than the Genesis G70’s 10.5 cubic feet but less than the Acura TLX’s 13.5 cubic feet — and a lot less than the BMW 330i xDrive’s 17.0 cubic feet, though I suspect that figure may be a product of some sketchy measuring on BMW’s part. (This is why Cars.com has launched its own cargo-measuring effort, though we have yet to flesh out the A4’s class).

Premium Digs at a Premium Price
The latest Audi A4 is the typical premium Audi experience. My test vehicle was an S Line version, which brings a lot of the exterior styling elements of the S4 performance sedan into the A4 line, with a few spiffs on the inside, as well. As is typical with a German luxury sedan, though, you can always have more upgrades if you’d like to spend a little more money.

My test car also featured the S Line interior package, which brought leather and Alcantara seats, aluminum inlay trim and stainless-steel pedals. It also had a Black Optic Package for the exterior, which adds 18-inch black wheels, black exterior trim and all-season tires (or, as in the case of my test car, 19-inch wheels running summer tires thanks to a further Black Optic wheel upgrade). The grand total for my highly optioned A4 came to $53,840 (including destination). That’s a hefty sum for a compact luxury sedan, but it’s by no means out of line with what competitors charge for their offerings.

In the end, Audi’s mild updates for 2021 continue the A4’s long-standing tradition of style, technology and comfort, offered up at a competitive price. We can only hope the next generation doesn’t go to a complete “glass cockpit” look that eliminates hard buttons in favor of touch panels — but I’m not really all that hopeful. If anything, that impending possibility makes this model look more appealing than ever.

cars.com