Displaying items by tag: SUV

Friday, 05 November 2021 05:24

Range Rover first details, specs and prices

Fifth-generation Rangie showcases luxury and electrification 

 PROS

  • Interior quality far better than old model
  • Two body lengths, now available with seven seats
  • Long electric-only range for PHEV versions

 CONS

  • You'll have to wait until 2024 for EV version
  • Price has risen sharply over old model
  • Option it up, and the price will sky rocket
 

This is Land Rover's new 2022 Range Rover, and although it looks outwardly similar to the outgoing model, there's a lot going on under the skin as the company's luxury flagship moves towards electrification. It's been launched with a pair of long-range plug-in hybrid versions, with a full-electric model following in 2024.

The fifth-generation Range Rover continues the march upmarket with an accent on luxury, and the armoury to fight its arriviste rivals, such as the BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS and Audi Q8, as well as the more exclusive Bentley Bentayga and even the far more expensive Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Considering that once upon a time, the Range Rover had this market all to itself, things are looking a whole lot more competitive now – and yet, no rival has successfully displaced the British icon yet.

In a world dominated by climate change, even luxury SUVs need to bow to social pressure – and prove their green credentials. So, under the familiar yet smoother styling, there are several electrified versions with a lengthy battery-only range. The car looks less intimidating, more environmentally responsible, and loses the old model's fussy visual jewellery.

Range Rover review (2022) profile view
 

What's it like inside?

Although we're months off the launch of this car, Parkers has already sat inside a pre-production Range Rover and can confirm that it feels every inch the £100,000+ luxury limousine now. The choice of materials inside is first rate and the uncluttered cabin feels calm and upmarket – especially the new porcelain door inserts. Yes, really.

The Pivi Pro infotainment system has been upgraded. It's now available with Amazon Alexa voice control, Spotify and Land Rover says it's more reliable, stable and faster-acting than earlier Land Rover touchscreens. We'll reserve judgment until we get our hands on one, but considering how good Pivi Pro is in the Defender, we have high hopes.

Buyers get the choice of a standard or 20cm-stretched long-wheelbase (LWB) model. The 'normal' version has a number of rear seat configurations – as before – but for the first time for a Range Rover, the LWB model is available as a seven-seater with three rows of forward-facing seats. Given all of its aforementioned rivals can be configured as seven seaters, this is welcome move by Land Rover.

Range Rover review (2022) interior view
 What engines are available?

The Range Rover will be available as a pure electric, hybrid or combustion engine car, although the EV version isn't due until 2024. However, every other combination will be available from launch in May 2022. The line-up will look like this.

P400 petrol: The entry-level Range Rover uses a 3.0-litre six-cylinder, with mild-hybrid technology. It develops 400hp, averages 29.7mpg and puts out 215g/km of CO2.

P530 petrol: The V8 option remains, but is now a BMW-sourced 4.4 bi-turbo, tuned to deliver 530hp for a 0-60mph time of 4.4sec.

D300 and D350 diesels: Both of these models are powered by Land Rover's 3.0-litre straight-six diesel, but with two states of tune: the D300 makes 300hp while the more muscular D350 musters develops 350hp. CO2 emissions are 198g/km.

P440e and P510e PHEVs: These plug-in hybrids are the first step to electrification for the fifth-generation Range Rover. Its 3.0-litre petrol is mated to a 105kW motor for 450 or 510hp and are good for 26g/km of CO2 in WLTP testing.

All models are four-wheel drive and come with an eight-speed gearbox, with a low-range transfer ‘box for effective off-road ability. You get all of the Land Rover systems, too, such as dynamic air suspension, Terrain Response 2, and a 900mm wading depth. This ability might not be a priority for many Range Rover drivers, but it's still an important part of the car's DNA.

Plug-in hybrid range and charging

Both PHEV models are powered by a large 38kWh lithium-ion battery for a relatively long range for a plug-in hybrid. They are claimed to offer a 62-mile electric range and Land Rover says that three quarters of customers’ journeys could be driven on silent electric power during daily duties.

Range Rover review (2022) rear view
 
Unlike most contemporary plug-ins, the Range Rover P440e and P510e can be fast-charged at up to 50kW DC, meaning they can be topped up in less than an hour (or five on a 7kW wallbox at home).

What else should I know?

UK sales are expected to begin in May 2022 and UK prices have been confirmed to start at £94,400, which is quite a rise from the outgoing model which starts at £83,525.

(https://www.parkers.co.uk/land-rover/range-rover/review/)

Published in Range Rover
Tagged under

Subaru hopes to make “Wilderness” the “STI” of off-roading.

The "STI" name holds a special place in the hearts of Subaru performance enthusiasts. Usually affixed to the rump of a WRX in this country (but also found on Foresters, Legacys, BRZs and more in Subaru's home market), STIs are the ultimate road-going Subarus. With the launch of the new 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness, the second off-road focused Wilderness model in the brand's portfolio, Subaru hopes to make the Wilderness sub-brand just as meaningful for fans and buyers. After beating on the new Forester Wilderness for a day on Central Oregon's forest roads, we think the company may be on to something.

What Is The 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness?

The Forester Wilderness is a new addition to the revised-for-2022 Forester line. The most obvious change across the lineup are new ovoid-shaped headlights on the modified front fascia, some subtle nips and tucks to the Forester's rear end, and the newest iteration of Subaru's Eyesight advanced driver assist system. But the automaker spent some time under the skin, too. Though the 182-hp and 176-lb-ft 2.5-liter flat-4—the sole engine option the Forester offers—remains the same, new engine mount brackets were added in an effort to improve NVH levels, while elsewhere Subaru revised the Forester's suspension tuning to reduce the body roll and porpoising we complained about in our last Big Test.

The Forester Wilderness amps things up a bit further in an effort to improve off-road capability. Longer coil springs and shock absorbers increase ground clearance by a half inch to 9.2-inches, while Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tires coupled with revised X-Mode off-road settings ensure that the all-wheel drive system (standard on all Subarus, save the BRZ) has even better traction in low-friction surfaces. The Wilderness model also gets a bespoke version of the Forester's standard CVT. It features a lowered final drive, increased gear ratio spread, and a stronger variator pulley, all of which work together to improve low-end torque off-road. As an added bonus, Forester Wilderness models are rated to tow up to 3,000 pounds, versus just 1,500 for other models in the lineup.

2022 Subaru ForesterWilderness Bend 41
 Rounding the package out inside is a "Startex" cloth interior (designed to be easily cleaned), additional hooks in the cargo area, and a liftgate-mounted LED light that shines down on the ground when the hatch is opened. Outside, the Forester Wilderness gets a heavier-duty roof rack with a 220-pound dynamic load capability (or 800-pounds static; enough for a three-person rooftop tent), some extra black cladding, subtly reworked bumpers to improve the model's clearance off-road, and an aluminum skidplate under the engine (though Subaru offers additional skidplates, including a thicker engine skidplate, plus fuel tank, transmission, and rear-differential skidplates). Approach/breakover/departure angles improve from 20.0/19.6/24.6-degrees on the standard Forester, to 23.5/21.0/25.4-degrees on the Wilderness. Though that gives the Forester Wilderness the best all-around off-road angles of any Subaru, those are relatively middling numbers compared to a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk—trust us when we say that you'll want to budget a few hundred extra for those optional skidplates.

Is The Subaru Forester Wilderness Good Off-Road?

While Subaru's own research shows that only 16-percent of Forester owners go off-road ("off-road" is defined as however the survey takers perceive the term), it is nevertheless the reason why the Forester Wilderness exists. To Subaru's credit, it didn't hold back with a challenging test route, unleashing us on the surprisingly diverse forest roads surrounding Bend, Oregon.

The trails largely consisted of rutted dirt roads, high-speed washboard gravel, and low-speed skull-sized rocks, with some mud, snow, moguls, and water crossings thrown in for good measure. The 2022 Forester Wilderness acquitted itself well. Unlike the Outback Wilderness, where you're always fighting body roll and purpoising at higher speeds off-road, the Forester's suspension does a fantastic job of ironing out impacts and washboards, making sure they're one and done affairs. The revised CVT—which does its best to convince you it's an eight-speed auto—coupled with Subaru's already stellar all-wheel drive system, also lends to the overall capability of the Forester Wilderness. It keeps the engine in the meat of the powerband, turning easier washboard gravel sections of the road into impromptu rally stages, like the kind the STI brand cut its teeth on.

The Forester's improved approach angle versus other Subarus lends to that level of confidence as you worry less about bashing its nose into the ground…until you inevitably do. Multiple times. Offset pits were usually approachable at low speeds, but larger ditches were more of a gamble, introducing our Forester's optional engine skidplate to unassuming small rocks on multiple occasions. Though battered, the upgraded skidplate ultimately did its job.

The Forester Wilderness other weak point is one it shares with other Subarus. Much as we found with the Outback Wilderness in our budget overlander comparison, low speed, low-traction, uphill climbs—especially when a wheel is unloaded—can be tricky to traverse as the relatively modest output of the flat-4 and CVT conspire with a lack of off-the-line torque. One sandy uphill obstacle in particular, at an off-road park that Subaru says is about the absolute limit of what a Forester Wilderness is engineered to handle, bogged our vehicle down as X-Mode struggled to send power to the tires with the most available traction. While the Forester eventually built up enough torque and traction to get over the obstacle, for owners, momentum will often be your friend in climbing steep, slippery grades. Just mind that nose.

It's worth pointing out that we're not convinced our day of off-road driving was anything a stock Forester couldn't handle. That said, the Wilderness adds some extra peace of mind in the form of off-road upgrades to the Forester's already relatively high baseline capability.

How Is The Forester Wilderness On Road?

While off-road capability may have been the primary focus for the Forester's mid-cycle update, the 2022 model is unquestionably nicer to drive on road than pre-refresh versions. The biggest change is in how the Forester Wilderness rides and handles. The 2022 Forester no longer wallows down the road, instead it feels planted, poised, and confidence inspiring. Steering is quick, well-weighted, and natural-feeling, if a touch dead on center which we suspect is likely due to the all-terrain tires.

Powertrain tuning is better, too. Subaru attempted to make the pre-refresh version of the Forester feel quicker than it actually was with hair-trigger throttle response that snapped occupants' heads back when accelerating. That trait is thankfully long gone. No one will mistake the Forester Wilderness for being quick, but it accelerates off the line linearly, and feels quick enough for city duty. Highway passing will likely require a bit of planning, but that's the case with pretty much every non-turbocharged Subaru.

2022 Subaru ForesterWilderness Bend 73

Not having driven lesser versions of the 2022 Forester yet, it's tough to say how much the Wilderness hardware is responsible for the better on-road manners, but we're cautiously optimistic for the rest of the lineup.

The Forester's cabin remains a comfortable place to soak up hours on the road. Visibility is excellent, and the seats are comfortable and roomy. The cabin can be a bit noisy at highway speeds—the all-terrain tires certainly don't help matters much—but the off-road capability tradeoff makes it worth it.

Is The Subaru Forester Wilderness Worth It?

Based on the Forester Sport (which starts at $30,890), prices for the Forester Wilderness start at $33,945—or $34,394 if you factor in the skidplate upgrades. Although not as big of a value slam dunk as the Outback Wilderness versus lesser Outbacks, the Forester Wilderness still makes a compelling case for itself; a Forester Sport upgraded with all-terrain tires, 17-inch wheels (downsized from the stock 18-inch to match the Wilderness and allow for a more aggressive tire), and with the Wilderness' upgraded skidplates would set you back about $34,117. A couple hundred less, and that's still without the suspension lift, improved off-road angles, upgraded CVT, and features like that heavy duty roof rack.

The Verdict?

Ultimately, the 2022 Forester Wilderness is not just the best Forester we've driven in the past few years, but the most convincing Wilderness product yet. While there's likely a ways to go before "Subaru Wilderness" has the same cachet as "Subaru STI," the Forester Wilderness is a solid step in the right direction, bringing a sense of capability and durability to the line that Subaru owners will most certainly use.

(https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2022-subaru-forester-wilderness-first-drive-review/)

Published in Subaru
Thursday, 28 October 2021 05:33

New Honda HR-V 2021 review

The new Honda HR-V compact SUV has arrived in the UK and it ticks plenty of boxes 

Verdict

Ingeniously practical, well-built and impressively frugal, the HR-V ticks many of the compact SUV boxes. Our time driving in the UK has put to bed question marks over fuel efficiency - few cars in this class can offer the HR-V’s potential. It even drives smartly too, although it isn’t quite class-leading in any one area. Unfortunately, it doesn’t deliver enough to justify its relatively high retail price compared with some key rivals. Still, it’s the most convincing family car Honda has produced in years.

Back in the late nineties Honda dubbed its first-generation HR-V “The Joy Machine”, and now into its third iteration, this new compact family SUV will need to leave us grinning from ear to ear if it’s to topple rivals like the Toyota Yaris Cross, Renault Captur and Ford Puma from the top of a fiercely competitive crossover class.

Our first encounter on German roads in left-hand drive form showed that there’s plenty to like, but the HR-V didn’t live up to Honda’s promise of class-leading fuel efficiency from its hybrid powertrain.

Step inside and the driver is presented with a neat, uncluttered environment. Build quality is excellent and feels as plush as anything else in the class. It’s backed up by Honda’s latest infotainment system, which is lightyears ahead of what the previous HR-V was lumbered with.

It’s towards the back where the really smart stuff starts, though. Overall knee room is up by 35mm, and in this area the HR-V measures up very strongly against its rivals. It’s just a shame that the boot is relatively pokey - the 319 litres on offer is disappointing. It does make up for this slightly with Honda’s ‘Magic Seats’ though. These not only fold forward, but the seat bases can also flip upward, which is ideal for carrying taller items.

This is made possible by the way that Honda’s engineers have packaged the fuel tank; it’s slotted beneath the front seats, as opposed to beneath the rear bench as in most cars. It’s partly because the HR-V uses a full hybrid, too.

On paper, the HR-V’s petrol/electric set-up is clever. Under the bonnet sits a 1.5-litre petrol engine, but for the most part this only serves to act as a generator for the battery and motor. In fully electric this motor/generator can be decoupled altogether, while under hard acceleration its energy isn’t transferred through a gearbox, but as a direct drive - again, in the name of efficiency.

 
If this sounds familiar, then it is; this set-up is very similar to that used by the Jazz supermini. It offers more here, though; the petrol engine gets a power boost (up 9bhp to 106bhp) while the battery is more compact but also 25 per cent more energy dense; the the overall output stands at129bhp.

In some ways, it feels like a fully electric vehicle. Moving off from a standstill is silky smooth, but increase the speed further and we were left wishing for more pep from the electric motors. Accelerate onto a motorway slip road, for example, and that initial electric boost has little influence - instead, you’re left waiting for the engine to wake up, and the drive systems figure out how to most effectively deploy its power to the road. The delay here is similar to that of a standard automatic transmission kicking down - only it’s accompanied by a flare of droning revs from the 1.5-litre unit. This only happens under hard acceleration though; for the most part it’s fairly peaceful. 

 

The rest of the drive is impressive, if not game-changing. It’s stable and secure through the corners rather than fun like a Ford Puma. The steering is precise and well weighted, but the extra assistance some rivals offer around town make them easier to manoeuvre. Some low-speed fidget aside, the ride is comfortable, though there is slightly more road noise than we’d have liked.

 

But for all the engine's slightly unnatural noises and slightly dull throttle response, on our first encounter we were left somewhat baffled by a car which struggled to hit 45mpg. On this occasion, the HR-V managed to match its claims - and then some. We regularly saw in excess of the official 52.3mpg figure, reaching over 60mpg in mixed use, which is impressive and towards the top of the class.

Unfortunately, it’s also at the pricey end of that sector too, starting from £26,960. To counter this, the HR-V is well equipped across all three trim levels. The base model Elegance gets 18-inch alloy wheels as standard, plus LED headlights, digital dials, heated front seats, and a nine-inch touchscreen with a reversing camera.

Above that sits this Advance trim, which is predicted to make up 60 per cent of HR-V sales. Among its extras are a hands free tailgate and dual-zone air-conditioning, but the price climbs to £29,210. The range tops out with the Advance Style, which for £31,660 introduces a contrasting roof finish, wireless smartphone charging and a premium hi-fi.

Model: Honda HR-V e:HEV Advance
Price:  £29,210
Engine:  1.5 4cyl petrol hybrid
Power:  129bhp/253Nm
Transmission:  Single speed, front-wheel drive
0-62mph:  10.6 seconds
Top speed:  106 mph
Economy/CO2:  52.3mpg/122g/km
On sale:  Now
Published in Honda
Tagged under

With its tidier dimensions and lower price, the hiked-up Forester Wilderness proves that less is more—until you stab the throttle.

As applied to the Forester, the Wilderness formula is very familiar. Compared to its siblings, it sits a half-inch higher atop its four-wheel independent suspension thanks to longer dampers and taller springs, and that amounts to a healthy 9.2 inches of minimum ground clearance and an improved breakover angle of 21 degrees. Since the Forester isn't nearly as long as an Outback, the jacked-up stance conspires with stubbier front and rear overhangs to produce more favorable approach and departure angles of 23.5 and 25.4 degrees, respectively. It's also some 2.4 inches narrower, so it's more compatible with brush-lined trails even before Subaru slathers on the Wilderness-spec layer of protective body cladding. Conversely, the Forester Wilderness is 2.0 inches taller than its Outback counterpart, but we'll take that because it comes with a more upright driving position that makes it easier to see over the hood and pick your way along a trail. Blind crests are no problem because there's a front camera, but the button to activate it is nowhere near the display itself.

 
2022 subaru forester wilderness
 

A drive along forest roads near Bend, Oregon, proved that the Forester execution works equally well on both smooth gravel roads suitable for stage rallies and lonely meandering two-track forest trails that haven't seen the blade of a road grader in years. Subaru's Wilderness-specific shock and spring tuning readily soaked up washboard surfaces on high-speed tracks, but they also went about the quiet business of damping out head toss through rocky sections, snaking around fallen limbs, or easing down eroded ledges. None of this was black-diamond rock crawling, but vehicles built for that use case would have punished us with the heavy unsprung mass of solid axle overkill thumping up from below. Independent-suspended crossovers have their place out here if they can muster sufficient clearance and traction, and the Forester Wilderness proved to have enough of each.

A good deal of the necessary extra traction comes from a set of Yokohama Geolandar A/T tires, with outline white-letter sidewalls adding spice to an otherwise black background of alloy wheels and cladding. There's even a matching, full-use spare with its own TPMS sensor in the underfloor well.

2022 subaru forester wilderness
Whereas other Foresters have seven simulated gears in their continuously variable automatics (CVT), the Wilderness version has eight, like the Outback. But it differs from even the Outback Wilderness in that it has a wider overall ratio spread across its working range, with an ultra-low 4.07:1 "first gear" that gives the Forester Wilderness a better low-speed crawl ratio when the exclusive Dual-mode X-Mode detects conditions that call for hill-descent control. The 2022 Forester also debuts an improved X-Mode logic that no longer shuts completely off if the driver momentarily exceeds its maximum operational speed of 25 mph. It now goes into a standby mode and will automatically reengage when the car slows to 22 mph. That prevents constant dithering if your speed lingers near 25 mph. The hill-descent control features a related improvement that more quickly resumes the original crawl speed if the driver temporarily adds throttle and then backs out.
 
2022 subaru forester wilderness
The Wilderness will, of course, spend the bulk of its time on pavement, so it's good there's nothing overtly off-roady or off-putting about its on-road demeanor (probably not something that could be said if you bolted on random off-road mods you read about in forums). Subaru's engineering team has delivered a smooth and composed ride that is never harsh. The body doesn't pitch or bound, and there's a smidge more reassuring control and less squishiness than with the Outback Wilderness. Frost heaves don't upset it, and the all-terrain tires were remarkably quiet until we came to a particularly coarse stretch of asphalt that had been chewed by studded tires in previous winters. When pushed, the Wilderness does not feel like it's standing on tiptoes. It turns into corners smartly, with a modest amount of body lean that builds up gradually and takes a reassuring set. The thing that flummoxes the steering is cruising straight at highway speeds, where the feel is dull and indistinct.

That's small beer compared to the lackluster engine performance, but this won't surprise any current-generation Forester owners because the Wilderness has the same 2.5-liter flat-four with a middling 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. Why not the 2.4-liter turbo as in the Outback Wilderness? Outback product planners had two homologated engines to pick from, but the fifth-generation Forester has only one, since the turbo 2.0-liter was dropped with the previous model in 2018. For what it's worth, we didn't notice a serious lack of beans driving in the forest, and the car felt reasonable enough around town.

2022 subaru forester wilderness
That might be because its final drive ratio is a short 4.11:1 instead of the regular Forester's 3.70:1 gearing. Combined with the CVT's lower initial gearing, this might shave a couple of tenths off the 8.4-second zero-to-60-mph time we previously measured with a standard Forester, but the more significant benefit of this change is the new 3000-pound tow rating.

Our experience also makes us think the aerodynamic penalty of a rooftop tent will be easier to bear, which is relevant because the Forester Wilderness is specifically courting those buyers. It has beefier wide-set roof rails that can accommodate 220 pounds of mass while in motion and 800 pounds when parked—enough for a three-person tent with occupants. The penalty for the shorter gearing is lower fuel economy, particularly on the highway. A regular Forester is EPA rated at 29 mpg combined (26 city/33 highway), but the Wilderness manages just 26 mpg combined (25 city/28 highway). Nevertheless, this still bests the Outback Wilderness and its estimates of 24 mpg combined, 22 city, and 26 highway.

2022 subaru forester wilderness
All 2022 Forester models debut the fourth iteration of Subaru's EyeSight, which features dual cameras with nearly twice the field of view. On our back-road tour, it proved to be surprisingly good at detecting faint centerlines that have been so thoroughly bleached we weren't immediately conscious of them. You'd think that kind of sensitivity would lead to a raft of unwanted warnings elsewhere, but we didn't find ourselves hunting for an "off" button when clipping apexes. The system behaved as if it were able to project a forward path to distinguish a true inattentive lane departure from spirited driving, which isn't that far-fetched when you consider the kind of added logic that would've been necessary to support the new lane-centering feature that supplements the adaptive cruise control.

The 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness will arrive in December at a price of $33,945. That amounts to $4625 more than the Forester Premium we generally recommend, but it's also a full $4175 less than the larger and more powerful Outback Wilderness. From where we just sat, the Forester Wilderness is a more right-sized interpretation of the Wilderness concept that does a proper job off the pavement but still comes across as a pleasant daily driver if you're merely going for the off-road look. Either way, you can now gratuitously toss around the word "overlanding" in conversation. Come to think of it, please don't.

(https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a38047651/2022-subaru-forester-wilderness-drive/)

Published in Subaru
Friday, 22 October 2021 04:12

Volvo C40 Recharge review

 At a glance

New price £57,400 - £57,400
Lease from new From £717 p/mView lease deals
Fuel economy
Not tested to latest standards
View pre-2017 economy specs

 PROS

  • Excellent performance
  • Surprisingly practical
  • Comforable seats and ride

 CONS

  • Expensive to buy
  • Rivals eclipse it for range
  • Doesn't feel as special as it should
 

Is the Volvo C40 any good?

Volvo’s latest ‘small’ car (as small as a Volvo gets, anyway) is this – the C40 Recharge. It marks the first time Volvo’s offered a car that’s exclusively available with electric power, as the mechanically similar XC40 is also offered as a petrol or a plug-in hybrid.

It’s also the brand’s first coupe-SUV, letting Volvo dip its toe in the water of this growing market segment. But the company is confident that its combination of style, cool image and all-electric power will tempt buyers into subscribing to this smart new entrant into the market.

As a small-ish electric car, the C40 has a growing number of rivals. Premium-badged opposition includes the Audi Q4 E-Tron, the Mercedes-Benz EQA and soon the Tesla Model Y. It’ll also be vying for sales with its own siblings – the XC40 Recharge as well as the Polestar 2.

Volvo hopes that the C40’s unique looks, as well as its availability on the ‘Care by Volvo’ subscription plan will endear it to enough people – buyers who want the ownership process to be ‘effortless and joyful’, as the brand says. But there’s a high price to pay for that ease…

What’s it like inside?

The C40 shares most of its interior with the XC40 SUV, and that’s a good thing. Even though the XC40 is a relatively inexpensive car and it’s been largely unchanged since 2017, its interior doesn’t feel out of place on the £57,000+ C40 in 2021.

There are a few changes between the XC40 and the C40, though. The main one is obviously that coupe-like roofline, which you might think makes the back seats and boot very cramped indeed.

Volvo C40 - interior

That’s not entirely so, though. The boot is rather small at 413 litres with little loading height, but there’s plenty of legroom in the back and even headroom’s not too badly impacted unless you’re very tall. It’s nowhere near as spacious as an Audi Q4 E-Tron, though.

Another change is the materials used. The C40 is an almost entirely vegan car on the inside – it uses no leather, and aims to minimise the use of animal products wherever possible (though some are almost unavoidable, such as the use of tallow in plastics manufacturing). Upholstery is largely wool-based, or uses microfibre spun from recycled plastic bottles. Not as nasty to sit on as it sounds.

You also get 3D-printed and backlit dashboard panels in place of the faux-aluminium ones on the XC40. They look a bit rubbish in the daylight but really come alive when lit up at night, making for a very cool effect.

Infotainment and tech

The C40 runs Volvo’s latest infotainment software, which is based upon Android Automotive – a Google product. That means that the more you commit to Google’s own ecosystem, the better the infotainment gets – from the built-in Google Maps optimising routes more effectively, to the natural voice commands which are better than any OEM system we’ve used before.

It also opens the door to a whole host of Android apps being available to download from the Play Store in future, which will update over-the-air.

Android Automotive makes the C40 one of the few cars where iPhone users are somewhat left behind. With no Apple CarPlay yet available, you’ll have to commit to a certain amount of Google in your life – perhaps more than many Apple users will be accustomed to.

Volvo C40 - infotainment

What’s it like to drive?

Simplicity is the name of the game here. The Volvo C40 doesn’t even have a starter button or a parking brake – you simply get in, shift into D and get going.

That simplifying factor carries over into the driving experience, where you won’t find anything so complex as switchable drive modes. Instead there’s only two controls – one to firm the steering up, and one to switch to ‘One-Pedal Drive’, which ramps up the regenerative braking so you can coast to a full stop without touching the brake pedal.

Largely it’s a comfortable experience behind the wheel of the C40. The large wheels of our test car thumped a little around town but on the motorway it settled down to a comfortable ride.

As for performance, it’s impressive. The C40 uses an electric motor on each axle and produces a total of 408hp – that makes for hot hatchback-rivalling pace of 4.7 seconds from 0-62mph. It certainly feels very muscular right up to motorway speeds. We wonder if it wouldn’t feel almost as good with just a single motor, though – that’s an option you can get on the XC40 but it won’t hit the C40 range for a while yet.

Volvo C40 - front cornering

What models and trims are available?

The C40’s only available in one, very highly-specified trim level – the only options are paint colour and a retractable towbar. That means every model gets (deep breath):

  • Adaptive LED headlights
  • Fixed panoramic sunroof
  • 9.0-inch infotainment display
  • 12.3-inch digital instrument panel
  • Harman Kardon stereo
  • Wireless charging
  • 360-degree cameras plus all-round parking sensors
  • Heated front and rear seats
  • Dual-zone climate control
  • Pilot Assist (adaptive cruise control + automatic lane-keeping)

Metallic paint and posh upholstery are also a given.

Volvo C40 - rear three quarter 

What else should I know?

The C40 Recharge uses the same 78kWh battery pack as the XC40 Recharge. It provides a maximum range of 273 miles on a single charge.

That’s less than you’ll get from an Audi Q4 E-Tron, Tesla Model Y or Polestar 2, but it’s still a thoroughly decent range and should mean at least 200 motorway miles.

Find a 150kW rapid charger and the C40 can be topped up to 80% capacity in just 40 minutes. The onboard charger is of the faster, 11kW type, too, so if your home electricity supply supports a wallbox of this speed then you should be able to top up fully in just eight hours.

 Volvo C40 rear three quarter

Should you buy one?

The C40 Recharge is a good electric car, but it doesn’t really feel as though it moves the game on for Volvo or the industry in general. Performance is rapid and it returns an acceptable range on a single charge, but it’s beaten soundly in both aspects by the Tesla Model 3.

And its high price tag means the Volvo C40 is undercut – on cash price or monthly price – by a host of seriously talented cars including the Audi Q4 E-Tron and the Polestar 2.

The Volvo C40 might make a bit more sense later on when cheaper variants arrive in the range – for now, it’s difficult to wholeheartedly recommend unless you’re a serious fan of the way it looks.

(https://www.parkers.co.uk/volvo/c40/review/)

Published in Volvo
Thursday, 14 October 2021 04:24

Land Rover Defender Review: Tough Luxe

 
 

The verdict: The Defender delivers modern Land Rover SUV qualities, like impressive power and extensive off-road technology, in a distinctive shape that plays off the past.

Versus the competition: For a mid-size luxury SUV, the Defender’s claimed off-road capabilities — including a 35.4-inch wading depth — are considerable. It’s also surprisingly nimble and refined on the street, though its design emphasizes ruggedness over traditional luxury cues.

Last sold in the U.S. for the 1997 model year, “Defender” is a legendary Land Rover nameplate that has embodied capability much the same way as Jeep’s “Wrangler.” More expensive than Land Rover’s entry-luxury compact SUVs but not as pricey as the brand’s family of Range Rover models, the Defender sits alongside the Discovery in Land Rover’s lineup.

The Defender is offered in two-door (90) and four-door (110) form. Our primary test vehicle was a 2020 four-door SE trim level with the optional mild-hybrid drivetrain, which features an inline-six-cylinder engine that’s both turbocharged and supercharged. We also spent some time in a 2021 two-door First Edition. The as-tested price of our SE version was $72,180, while the First Edition’s as-tested price was $66,475 (prices include a $1,350 destination charge).

We weren’t able to test the Defender off-road, but judging by the number of Land Rovers we see cruising around Chicago and its suburbs, the urban jungle is as natural a Land Rover habitat as an actual jungle. We’re looking forward to testing the Defender off-road in the future, but for now this review covers what it’s like as a daily driver.

Surprisingly Quick

The four-door Defender is a big, heavy vehicle that’s as tall and wide as some full-size SUVs. The six-cylinder’s 395-horsepower rating is nothing to sneeze at, but it feels like there’s even more power under the Defender’s hood; the engine delivers effortless acceleration that belies this SUV’s considerable bulk. It incorporates an electrically driven supercharger that increases boost pressure at low engine rpm, resulting in 406 pounds-feet of torque from 2,000 rpm. While it doesn’t have the kind of forceful high-speed passing power the Range Rover’s available supercharged V-8 produces, it’s still swift.

The mild-hybrid drivetrain makes about 100 hp more than the base four-cylinder and gets slightly better estimated gas mileage: It’s EPA-rated 17/22/19 mpg city/highway/combined versus the base engine’s 17/20/18 mpg rating. Both engines have better estimated fuel economy than the Lexus GX 460, another off-road-capable luxury SUV, which is powered by a 301-hp V-8 and rated 15/19/16 mpg.

Nimble, Too

Despite its size, the Defender doesn’t drive like a big SUV; it’s easy to maneuver and place where you want. It steers with a light touch, and steering response is direct and precise. The tall driving position affords commanding forward views, and the SUV feels poised whether you’re on suburban streets or the highway.

Like the top-of-the-line Range Rover, the Defender 110 has a standard air suspension, but this model’s ride quality is firmer and less forgiving. It’s not harsh, but I did feel breaks and bumps in the pavement — and that was with the available 20-inch tires set to their light load pressures of 34 psi in front and 36 psi in back, rather than their normal load settings of 47 psi in front and 50 psi in back. (Higher tire pressures tend to deteriorate ride quality.)

Less Luxury, More Utility

The original Defender and the models that preceded it were rugged, military-derived, no-frills vehicles. The new Defender’s interior has its share of luxury cues, but it’s not as plush as other Land Rovers.

That doesn’t mean its unique design cues aren’t cool. They are, and some of them are even functional. Exposed Torx-style screws on the doors and center console lend a bit of an industrial feel, and the recessed dashboard face creates a nearly vehicle-wide shelf for odds and ends. It’s just one of many storage areas in the Defender, which also has large door pockets and an open storage area where the center console meets the dash.

Taller adults can ride comfortably in the four-door model’s second row, which has lots of headroom — even with the optional panoramic moonroof. The seat cushion and backrest aren’t adjustable in two-row models, but legroom is adequate. A two-seat third row is optional.

Smart Technology

Compared with the dual-screen control systems in some other Land Rovers, the Defender’s single 10-inch dashboard touchscreen and the physical air conditioning controls below it are refreshingly simple to use. The display runs Land Rover’s new Pivi Pro multimedia system, which has easy-to-navigate on-screen menus, crisp graphics and an intuitive navigation system.

The system also includes wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. CarPlay started immediately when I connected my phone to the USB port, and it makes the most of the widescreen display by using all the screen’s width.

 

Our Defender 110 had no shortage of ports for devices, with USB-A and USB-C ports in front and four USB ports in the second row. Two ports can be had in the backs of the front seats to charge tablets mounted on the optional Click and Go holders.

Practicality Shortcomings

Some of the Defender’s design elements create usability problems. While forward visibility is good and the front roof pillars are relatively thin, wide B-pillars restrict over-shoulder views, and rear visibility is partially obstructed by the full-size spare tire mounted on the swing gate. A rearview camera mirror that can display a feed of what’s behind the SUV — eliminating the blind spot created by the spare tire — is available.

That swing gate is a nod to the previous Defender, and even though it’s a good place to store a large, heavy wheel and tire that would otherwise rob interior space (or compromise off-roading if affixed to the undercarriage), there’s a reason you rarely see them anymore. Swing gates can be difficult to fully open when parallel-parked, and ones like the Defender’s, with passenger-side hinges, block curbside access to the cargo area when open.

What’s the 2-Door Defender 90 Like?

The Defender 90’s ride quality is impressive, and only the roughest roads unsettle it. The ride is comfortable, controlled and refined with the air suspension, and the SUV feels stable at highway speeds. Even with its shorter wheelbase, it rides about as well as the four-door 110 version. There’s noticeable squat under hard acceleration and nosedive when braking, but it’s more tolerable than what you can experience in a Toyota 4Runner, for instance.

The mild-hybrid six-cylinder drivetrain feels just as strong in the slightly lighter Defender 90 as it does in the 110. Mash the gas pedal on the highway and the automatic transmission readily kicks down, the hood lifts toward the sky and the SUV barrels forward. The supercharged V-8 engine that joins the Defender’s powertrain lineup for the 2022 model year is likely a blast to drive, but the six-cylinder drivetrain should satisfy most buyers for less money. The mild-hybrid drivetrain also gets better gas mileage: 19 mpg combined versus 16 mpg for the V-8, according to EPA estimates.

The Defender 90’s backseat accommodations were a pleasant surprise. The seating position is comfortable for taller people, and there’s plenty of legroom and headroom. The large side windows offer good views out, too. However, getting to the rear bench seat isn’t easy; the front seats motor forward slowly, and climbing back there isn’t a graceful experience. There’s minimal cargo space behind the backseat, and the seat doesn’t fold flat with the cargo floor.

Our Defender 90 had an available power-retractable fabric roof, a relatively uncommon feature. The fabric retracts over the rear seat, giving you a bit of an open-air driving experience, but it doesn’t feel like you’re in a convertible with its top down; there’s still a lot of SUV around you. The closed fabric roof also lets in more noise than a panoramic moonroof, which the Defender also offers.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The Defender hadn’t been crash-tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as of publication.

Standard active-safety features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, blind spot intervention, lane-keeping assist, a driver-attention monitor and a 360-degree camera system. Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability is optional.

Value in Its Class

The base four-door Defender comes with its share of premium features as standard equipment, including an adaptive air suspension, a 360-degree camera system and wireless device charging. There are some downmarket features, too, like painted steel wheels and fabric seating surfaces. You could make a case that those more basic features make sense for off-roading, but it doesn’t change the fact that the Defender starts at more than $50,000. There aren’t any other mid-size luxury SUVs like it, though, and that uniqueness is part of the Defender’s appeal — whether you need its off-road capability or not.

(https://www.cars.com/articles/2020-land-rover-defender-review-tough-luxe-430665/)

Published in Land Rover
Saturday, 02 October 2021 06:16

Volkswagen Taigo review

Stylish Coupe-SUV take on the T-Cross looks promising

 PROS

  • Excellent engines shared with T-Cross
  • Wide model range promised
  • Standard digital cockpit across the range

 CONS

  • Sloping roof means less practicality
  • It won't go on sale until 2022
 

What's a Volkswagen Taigo? It's the result of more platform gaming from the VW Group as its latest small family car bridges the gap between the Polo and T-Cross models with a Coupe-SUV bodystyle. It's a growing indicator of how seriously the German firm is treating the crossover market – with a total of six individual SUVs from the T-Cross to the Touareg.

Direct rivals aren't that numerous. Popular Coupe-SUVs such as the Toyota C-HR, Renault Arkana and (arguably) the Citroen C4 are generally in the class above. But the sleek Ford Puma is definitely going to appear on many of the same shopping lists, as is the larger Kia XCeed and Mazda CX-30.

What’s new about the Volkswagen Taigo?

The concept of the coupe-shaped SUV has largely been the preserve of more expensive models in manufacturer model ranges, but the new Taigo is Volkswagen’s first foray into this increasingly popular market segment.

It’s flatter and longer than the T-Cross it so closely based on, but has the same ground clearance. This means it’s obviously higher and roomier than a Polo, yet despite the swooping rear roofline, this five-seater is said to be able to swallow even the tallest rear-seat passengers.

The front-wheel-drive Taigo also includes IQ.DRIVE Travel Assist, which is VW's less-than-snappily name for its partially automated driving system or adaptive cruise control. There’s predictive distance control and lane merging assistance.

Volkswagen Taigo review (2022) interior view
 
What’s it like inside?

Volkswagen have made a big play about how emotional the Taigo’s design is. It describes the Taigo as ‘fully digital and always on’, which means you can access online streaming services in the car, in addition to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s also wireless charging for smartphones and a multitude of online apps to manage your Taigo online.

There’s a choice of four different infotainment systems: Composition with a 6.5-inch display, Ready2Discover with an 8.0-inch display (comes as standard in Style and R-Line), Discover Media with an 8.0-inch display, and Discover Pro, offered in 9.2-inch format.

In addition, VW also makes a big play of the Taigo’s Digital Cockpit. The Digital Cockpit Pro allows you to fine-tune this to your heart’s content. Keeping things digital, climate control is performed via a touchscreen too. Once you’ve stopped playing with all the screens, the fundamentals are good. Though the coupe-style roof means that the Taigo can’t quite match the T-Cross for storage space (455 litres), it’ll still swallow 438 litres. 

Volkswagen Taigo review (2022) boot space
 
What engines are available?

There are three petrol engines, two three cylinders (95 and 110hp) and one four cylinder (150hp), which marshalled via either five- or six-speed manual gearboxes or a seven-speed dual clutch automatic gearbox. We’ve yet to see fuel economy and CO2 figures for the Taigo’s engines.

What models and trims are available?

Volkswagen has rationalised its trim lines across the range for clarity, and describes the Taigo’s lineage as having a Y shape.

The aforementioned Digital Cockpit is standard to all Taigos, and the next rung up the trim level ladder, the Life, adds a front armrest with a USB-C interface, multifunction steering wheel in leather and electric foldable exterior mirrors. From here the trims diverge, with the R-Line offering a more sporty look inside and out than the more luxury-focused Style. The XDS electronic differential lock is an option on the R-Line and Style, and a towing bracket is an option on all Taigos.

For those looking to get busy with the options list, you can choose from a panoramic sliding/tilting sunroof, Digital Cockpit Pro with 10.25-inch display, ArtVelour seat covers, voice control, Black Style design package for the R-Line and the ‘beats’ sound system with 300 watts and six speakers.

When does it go on sale?

The car was scheduled for late 2021 when it was unveiled in late July, but we’ve not heard a firm date for its arrival.

(https://www.parkers.co.uk/volkswagen/taigo/review/)

Published in Volkswagen

BMW’s newest SUV previews our and its electric future.

BMW is serious about going green. Forget about concept cars; starting in 2025 all BMWs will ride on what's for now called the Neue Klasse platform, a single electric vehicle architecture to rule them all. Board member and development CTO Frank Weber called the Neue Klasse "new new" and went on to describe it as "the most radical departure BMW has ever done." Until that time, the Bavarian automotive giant is launching all sorts of EVs on various other platforms, including the i4, an electric 5 Series presumably named i5, an i7, as well as a small SUV that will most likely be called the iX1. BMW already sells an electric X3 named—you guessed it—iX3, but not here in the U.S. However, the brand's most ambitious EV to date is the new iX. I just spent a day in the X5-sized electric SUV, specifically the U.S.-bound AWD 2022 iX xDrive50. How is it? Keep reading. 

From a platform point of view, the iX rides on a highly modified version of BMW's CLAR platform. CLAR underpins the majority of BMW's lineup, including the 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 Series, as well as the X3, X4, X5, X6, and X7 SUVs. The Z4 and Toyota Supra, too. Perhaps a better way of explaining the iX's architecture is to say that it rides on a new high-strength steel, carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic, and aluminum spaceframe platform, but one that relies heavily on CLAR componentry. Like suspension pieces, for instance. This allows the iX to be built alongside its gasoline-powered siblings at BMW's massive Dingolfing factory. As for the competition, there hardly is any. Both archrivals Audi and Mercedes-Benz have yet to build electric midsize SUVs. Jaguar does have the slow selling I-Pace, though its short range knocks it from most people's short lists. The Cadillac Lyriq will be a worthy opponent once it shows up in a year or so. That leaves the nearly $100K Tesla Model X, which makes the $84,195 iX seem like a solid deal.

What Makes The IX?

Powering the xDrive50 are two motors, one per axle, that combined spin out 516 horsepower and 564 lb-ft of torque. Stout numbers, no doubt, though come January, the even more powerful iX M60 bows with over 600 horsepower. Those 516 ponies puts the iX just below the output the current X5 M50i gets from its twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8, though the gas-powered X5 makes slightly less torque (553 lb-ft). BMW wants to show consumers there's no performance hit for choosing an EV, at least on paper. We haven't tested or weighed the iX yet, though the EV is much heavier. BMW is quoting an EU-specified curb weight of nearly 5,700 pounds.

2022 BMW ix xDrive50 07
 Why so heavy? Batteries. Until something better comes along, electric cars, trucks, and SUVs will be using lithium-ion batteries, and, like bricks, they're heavy. At 105 kWh of usable capacity, the bmw ix has a fairly large battery, too. To give you some perspective, the Tesla Model S and X both have 100-kWh packs, whereas the Lucid Air uses a 113-kWh battery pack. In terms of range, before I set off with a 96 percent state of charge, the iX was telling me I had 351 miles (565 km) to go. That's a predictive range, based on several factors, such as driver (or, in my case, previous driver) behavior. BMW claims 380 miles of range on the EU cycle, and that will probably drop to around 300 miles on the EPA cycle. One thing that will upset existing EV fans more than new converts: There is no frunk. None at all. Seems like a mistake.

That Face

How about that grille? That's the new face of BMW. Hate it? Well, every human on Instagram seems to agree with you. That said—and yes, I'm obviously old, soft, blind, and on BMW's payroll—in person I thought the iX's face looked, dare I say it, good? There was something about the massive kidney grilles and the narrow, robot-like eyes that just worked. Almost like a second-generation Cylon from the Battlestar Galactica reboot. It's miles better than the grille on the new M3/M4, at any rate. Back to Instagram, the big question seemed to be, if there's no engine, why is there a grille at all? Aside from branding, the twin grilles (which are covered in self-healing skin) are cleverly stuffed with sensors, including two types of radar. As for the rest of the exterior, the hard side is nearly generic save for the floating roof. From the rear, the taillights look too skinny, and the body-colored bumper makes the iX's butt look fat.

Inside The IX

The iX's interior is an exercise in minimalism, at least for BMW. A massive, curved touchscreen dominates the cabin. In days past, BMW has angled the controls toward the driver. In an homage to days of yore, the screen (that contains the controls) bends toward the driver. The number of buttons has been reduced by 50 percent, what BMW considers the bare minimum. That said, if you look down at the lovely piece of wood that surrounds the iDrive knob, you'll see 12 buttons, not counting the controller itself (which does click down and in the X and Y axis) but including the volume wheel. The buttons that remain are logical, and there's a calmness and spaciousness to the interior that's new for the brand. However, there's also a sparseness that just doesn't scream premium luxury to me. And at nearly $85K to start, it ought to.

Technically speaking, the iX is stacked. The latest and eighth iteration of iDrive is more powerful than ever. I know this because I sat through at least three iDrive workshops while I was in Munich. Three! Just know that if you say, "Hey BMW, take a selfie," the iX takes a picture of you. No, really. However, the selfie camera is there as a security feature. Did you leave your wallet or purse on the front seat? Just open your phone and have a look. Speaking of wild tech, meet Maneuver Assistant. Long story short, Maneuver Assistant records how you park the iX—say, in a tricky spot in your garage—like a macro. The iX will then repeat the maneuver whenever you tell it to. Said maneuver can be up to 200 meters long. The iX can store up to 10 such maneuvers. Here's the coolest part: The maneuvers can then be transferred from profile to profile. Meaning you could record the move and then transfer it to your spouse/your kid's profile. That's dang nifty, no?

2022 BMW ix xDrive50 27

But How's It Drive?

First impression: Driving around Bavaria's gorgeous Berchtesgaden region that puts the verdant in verde, one is reminded why going green is so monumentally important. I want your kids to see what I just saw. Ahem. Pointed down the mountain with the iX xDrive50 in efficient mode, simply lifting off the throttle allows the iX to coast. The sensation is wonderful, as if the machine is suddenly free. I guess there's enough brake regen to hold the speed, but it feels like you're sailing. I know some EV enthusiasts (they exist, trust me) love huge levels of regen and one-pedal driving and all that, but I prefer to freefall. The iX is remarkably quiet, bordering on perhaps a bit too quiet. The BMW Group's other spaceframe products, Rolls-Royces, are in fact too quiet. What does too quiet mean? You can hear your own heart beating. The iX comes close.

One area where the bmw ix struggles is that it doesn't sound or feel particularly premium. I know I'm sitting on leather, but the interior has been simplified so much that I feel like I'm in a device, as opposed to a luxury vehicle. I would love to see the (eventual, I hope) Alpina version of the iX, one that's generously slathered in leather. The xDrive50 is slick and high-tech, but there's a Tesla-like sparseness that doesn't connect with me. Plus, the spot that's normally a drivetrain tunnel is simply empty space. Like in a cargo van. Now, maybe that was the design team's intention? Maybe they said, "Look, Tesla is dominating the EV space, and we need to be more like it." If that's the case, then BMW really has succeeded in going minimum. Some customers might even dig it. Call it the Tesla Syndrome. But for my large hunk of cash, I'd like some more wood, metal, and leather. To me, the Tesla aesthetic doesn't work here.

As for driving on curvy, fun Bavarian roads, it's fine. The iX drives at least as well as the Tesla Model X, and now that I'm thinking about it, quite similarly. That impression makes sense as both weigh about the same, have said weight located in the same spots, and make about the same power. To be clear, I'm talking about the last Model X I drove back in 2016 when the 90D version of the electric three-row SUV produced 518 horsepower from its two motors. For 2022 you now choose between 670 Long Range or 1,020 ponies in the Plaid. Like the equally heavy Tesla, the iX is betrayed by physics. This might be part of why this EV SUV doesn't necessarily feel premium. There's a minivan quality that's hard to get past. I'm not feeling the ultimate driving machine. I'm not feeling BMW as a brand in the way it tackles a road. It's quite like how I felt about the i3. Interesting car, interesting concept, but doesn't feel the way a BMW should feel when I close my eyes. The iX just feels like… an electric thing. That said, the noise the motors make (or is that coming from the speakers?) is quite cool.

Let's Talk Range

As far as range goes, I left the hotel at 96 percent charge, and 20 kilometers later the battery was still at 96 percent. I had been in Eco Pro mode most of the time and was pointing downhill. But still, that's impressive. Six km later, the battery was still reading 96 percent. Wanting to burn a little juice, I switched out of the efficient mode and into Comfort. In 4 km, it was still showing 96 percent. I was starting to think the computer was broken. Also, the range was telling me I didn't have to charge for 565 km (351 miles) and that I would arrive at my first destination in 28 km with 89 percent of the battery left. When I started, the computer said I'd make it with 88 percent remaining. The computer therefore doesn't account for downhill driving or elevation changes in the range estimates, so keep that in mind as I'm sure the opposite would be true going uphill. I made it to the first stop having consumed just 1 percent of the battery's juice. Not bad. As mentioned, the iX will probably be rated right around 300 miles of range in the U.S. Based on my driving experience, I predict BMW is going to have a Porsche Taycan situation on its hands, where the EPA rated the Turbo S version at 192 miles of range, but it's actually capable of over 250.

2022 BMW ix xDrive50 16

After my first stop, it was time for some freeway. Let me be the first to say that the bmw ix whips ass on the autobahn. This is a seriously quick EV, especially accelerating from about 75 mph to 105 mph. Let me be the billionth person to say, God bless unrestricted sections of autobahn. I took the iX up to its top speed of 124 mph (200 kph) just to check things out, and you can feel the computer shutting down the fun right when you nudge past 120 mph. However, I set the cruise at 170 kph (about 106 mph) and had a couple of realizations. The first is that moving this quickly in absolute silence (I had it in Eco Pro mode) is quite cool. There's hardly any wind noise—it's like being in a private jet. Second, the iX is aerodynamic enough (0.25 claimed Cd) that even well into the triple digits the range isn't affected too negatively. I travelled 30 km (about 19 miles) at 170 kph and used only 4 percent of the battery. Moreover, the adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist work as well as anything, save for Cadillac's impossibly good Supercruise. Once you're moving in a high-speed, straight line, the iX drives great.

Conclusion

The 2022 bmw ix previews many things coming down the automotive pike. Not only is it a glimpse into BMW's sustainable, electric, carbon-neutral future, but this type of machine—an electric carlike SUV-sized people mover—will become the dominant mode of first-world personal transportation within the decade. As a signpost pointing toward the future, I feel confident concluding that we're in good shape vis-à-vis the driving world to come. But as a BMW? I'm struggling here. For whatever reason, I want and expect all BMWs to drive better than other machines, or at least most other machines. This is probably an unreasonable expectation, but dammit, all BMWs used to have an X factor. I can still remember driving an ex's E39 540i two decades ago. The relationship went nowhere, but I got a memory that will last a lifetime. As for the all-new bmw ix when it arrives in Q1 of 2022, we Americans will have a fast, powerful, efficient, tech-laden yet minimalist SUV in a segment with few serious competitors. I just wish the iX were a bit more memorable.

(https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2022-bmw-ix-xdrive50-first-drive-review/)

Published in BMW

Versus the competition: There are more exciting competitors, better performing ones, some with nicer interiors, those with better ergonomics and ones with better multimedia systems — but the Corolla Cross’ combination of basic safety, value pricing and reputation for reliability will immediately make it a strong contender.

Until now, if you wanted a small SUV and you went to your local Toyota showroom, your choices were twofold: the RAV4 compact, which has grown to nearly mid-size proportions over the years, or the cramped and quirky C-HR, which features neither significant room inside nor optional all-wheel drive. Nothing hit that “sweet spot” between the two, nothing sized “just right” for people on a budget who still wanted the high seating, additional cargo space and all-weather capability of an SUV.

Well, Toyota has rectified that gap in its lineup with this, the new 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross. It uses the Corolla name because it uses a lot of Corolla parts: It sits on the same platform as the compact sedan, uses the same engine and transmission, and shares a lot of common interior bits. And while it’s easy to take shots at the Corolla sedan (its reputation is not one of excitement), that car is known instead as a safe, steady, reliable choice. Owning one won’t light your heart on fire, but it may set your mind at ease knowing that your car is very unlikely to ever let you down, drain your wallet or leave you stranded. Toyota is hoping that this same sentiment will transfer over to this new subcompact SUV — and there’s every reason to think that they’re right.

It’s Certainly Toyota-Shaped

From the outside, it’s not difficult to imagine the new Corolla Cross fitting into the Toyota lineup. The family resemblance is strong, with a front and rear end that look like a three-quarter-scale Highlander right down to the horseshoe grille and separated horizontal taillights. The only distinctive feature might be the more sculpted fenders along the sides, but Toyota’s efforts to make the Corolla Cross more mainstream-appealing than the quirky C-HR are clearly the styling priority. A high point: LED headlights are standard across the range of trim levels, something that’s starting to become more common. Overall, however, the styling previews the experience you’re going to have with a Corolla Cross: It’s safe and anonymous, none too exciting but pleasant enough.

Stepping into the Corolla Cross’ cabin puts you in an immediately familiar environment — the Corolla compact is the bestselling vehicle in the world, with Toyota announcing recently that 50 million of them have been sold over the decades. So the look of the dash, gauges, controls, electronics — all of the bits and pieces of the Corolla Cross — look similar to the successful design of the Corolla. Again, Toyota’s not breaking any new ground with this interior, but it’s not trying to, either — it’s trying to build on the successful formula that’s made the Corolla a global hit. It’s easy to look at, relatively simple to use and uncomplicated in what it provides.

The seats are comfortable front and rear, and there’s sufficient legroom in any position for four people, though five might be tight with three across in the backseat. There’s plenty of headroom for all occupants even with an optional moonroof, and outward visibility is top-notch, with no significant blind spots. It feels like sitting in a new Corolla sedan, only taller, with a more upright seating position and a better view over surrounding traffic. That boost in interior volume is notable, creating something more than simply a Corolla wagon — the cargo space is significantly more usable than a C-HR’s, and every Corolla Cross comes with a standard 60/40-split, folding backseat to boost capacity even more when necessary. Given the popularity of SUVs versus their mainstream sedan counterparts these days, it’s not hard to imagine the Corolla Cross becoming a more popular variant than the sedan or hatchback with the boost to user-friendly passenger and cargo flexibility.

The standard gauges are analog dials with a small digital display, or you can spec a larger digital display in the XLE trim that looks snazzy if a bit busy. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, but you’ll have to plug your phone in — despite the top XLE getting Qi wireless charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not available on any trim.

 

Definitely Not Built to Thrill

Toyota’s marketing strategy for the Corolla Cross portrays it as “just right,” with just the right amount of space, comfort, tech and efficiency. It’s hard to argue that point; it does have plenty of all the above. What it doesn’t offer the right amount of is grunt: Using the powertrain from the Corolla sedan, the Corolla Cross comes saddled with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder non-turbocharged engine making a tepid 169 horsepower and 150 pounds-feet of torque. It’s mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission that features an actual 1st gear before the pulleys take over, but it doesn’t help much. The transmission does an admirable job of keeping the engine in its power band, it’s just that there isn’t much power there to be had.

Simply put, acceleration is dog slow. Foot to the floor at a stoplight with just one person in the car elicits more noise than movement, and the Corolla Cross’ performance on the highway on-ramps and steeper hills around Austin, Texas, proved that it truly could use either a turbocharger to wring some more useful low-end torque out of the engine or a larger engine entirely. The Corolla Cross comes with a 1,500-pound tow rating, but I can’t imagine towing anything with this — even the idea of putting five people and luggage in the thing would make me question the safety of its underpowered engine.

toyota-corolla-cross-xle-2022-08-angle-exterior-gray-rear2022 Toyota 

Thankfully, the rest of the Corolla Cross’ dynamic behavior makes up somewhat for that lack of guts. Handling is neutral, the ride is well damped for a vehicle with such a short wheelbase, and body motions are controlled and taut. The brakes are strong, firm and confidence-inspiring, and while there is a bit of road noise depending on pavement conditions, the overall experience is one of a calm and quiet cruiser. How well the Corolla Cross works with a full load of occupants and gear onboard, however, remains to be seen.

Add Price to the List of “Pros”

So the latest crossover from Toyota is nicely sized, handles well, is comfortable and features a good deal of standard safety equipment. It might not be able to get out of its own way if you give it some gas, and we’ve yet to see how a full load of people affects its drivability. It can be accused of being underpowered, but it won’t be accused of being overpriced. The new 2022 Corolla Cross FWD starts at $23,410 (all prices include destination) for an entry-level L trim, climbs to $25,760 for an LE and $27,540 for a top XLE trim. Adding AWD will tack on another $1,300 regardless of trim level. A fully loaded XLE AWD won’t top $30,000, making it quite a nice package given its considerable equipment.

It stacks up well against a number of competitors, too, being larger than a Honda HR-V, Ford EcoSport and Hyundai Kona. A Chevrolet Trailblazer would be an excellent choice to stack up against the Corolla Cross, featuring a choice of turbocharged engines, more engaging handling and a very similar pricing structure. There’s no shortage of small SUVs in the $20,000 range for the Toyota Corolla Cross to go up against, but it would seem that Toyota has done its homework in crafting something that’s likely to steal some sales from all of them.

(cars.com)

Published in Toyota

Today, the Romanian brand unveiled its brand new model called the Jogger. It is a family car of the C-segment, which is a mix of SUV and station wagon. It is also the longest Dacia, and can accommodate seven passengers. It has been announced that it will cost less than 15,000 euros.


After the electric electric model Spring, then the popular hatchback Sandero, the Logan sedan and the Duster SUV, Dacia has now decided to offer a seven-seater to the market. Jogger is practically the successor of the MPV model Lodgy, and is created on Renault's CMF-B platform (Renault Clio, Captur, Nissan Juke…)
According to the company, the Jogger has the length of a caravan, the spaciousness of an MPV and the robust look of an SUV.


Upon appearance, it will be offered with a TCe 110 petrol engine (3 cylinders, 1.0 l, 190 Nm) paired with a 6-speed manual transmission, as well as an ECO-G 100 engine that has factory-installed auto-gas.

And, in two years, the first hybrid of the Romanian brand will arrive, which they say will be the cheapest seven-seater with a hybrid drive on the market. It will use a 1.6-liter gasoline engine in combination with two electric motors.


The Jogger is 4.5 meters long and is currently the longest Dacia on offer, and has as much as 2.9 meters of wheelbase, which clearly shows how much space there is in the cabin.


The front received LED lights in Y shape known from other new models from Romania, while from the side it is clear that it is a robust model, so it has protective plastics on the edges around the wheels, while the distance from the ground is as much as 200 mm.


At the rear are upright lights, which visually add to the width of the vehicle. The luggage space can vary depending on the configuration, so when 5 seats are used, the capacity is 708 liters, and with 7 it is 160 liters. The largest trunk volume is 1,819 liters.

The cabin is modern and practical, already known from other new Dacia models, so there are soft materials on the dashboard and doors, at the top of the console is a multimedia system, and below are the air conditioning controls. The cabin has a total volume of 24 liters in storage for small items.


The jogger also comes with an automatic braking system, offers blind spot warning, parking assistant, uphill assistance, etc.

Published in Blog/News
Tagged under

The latest news from the world of the auto industry

"It's time for Europe to respond to the threats posed by Chinese car brands," said Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo, urging European Union countries to collaborate in addressing the i...