Being an AMC guy, I get a fair amount of abuse but I remind those abusing me of the innovative vehicles the company came out with in response to the market. One example is this week’s car spot, the Mighty Mite.
Found this example at the Russell Military Museum just south of Kenosha where the Mighty Mite was built. They also have lots of Jeeps built for military purposes.
So back to the response to the market thing. In the early 50s, the Marine Corps was looking for a lightweight Jeep-like vehicle and it had to fit in five main requisites. 1: weight not to exceed 1500 lbs. 2: High mobility and maneuverability. 3: Small, yet sufficient cargo and towing capacity for usual military duties. 4: Ease of maintenance and reliability. 5: Versatility to enable it to the various needs of the infantry. But they couldn’t find a manufacturer until, you guessed it, tiny AMC raised its hand in 1959 to say they could swing it.
That’s AMC president George Romney in the passenger seat in this press image.
So the reason for the weight limit is that helicopters of that era didn’t have great lifting ability. they wanted to be able to load a bunch of these vehicles along with the other stuff they would need on maneuvers. This, as it turns out, was way ahead of its time. The body was made out of aluminum, as are the axle center sections, transmission, and engine.
There were two wheelbase versions, 65 and 71 inches. The overall length is 6 inches longer at 113. The suspension is all independent and apparently balanced well enough to allow the removal of a rear wheel and it will still drive on the remaining 3 left. The brakes were inboard front and rear. Power is from an AMC all-aluminum air-cooled V4, 108 cubic inches producing 55 horsepower at 3,600 rpm and 90 lb-ft of torque at 2-3000 rpm. I could run on 80-octane gas.
55 hp baby and it would run on just about anything.
Ok, keep in mind this is the government we’re dealing with here and by the time the Mighty Mite started rolling off the Kenosha Assembly line helicopters started getting more powerful and the need for the Mighty Mite was gone. Somewhere between 4 and 5,000 were made when production ended in 1962. But, as it turns out, AMC wasn’t out of the military contract business for long because, in 1970, they bought Jeep Corporation.
They came down the same assembly line as these Ramblers did.
What are they worth now? You can grab these, if you can find one, pretty cheap for well under 20 grand. Of course, there are exceptions. This 1963 sold at an RM Sotheby’s auction in October 2020 for just over $47 grand.
Photo: RM Sotheby
Thanks for stopping by and checking us out. Come back next week for another car spot along with some of its history. Have a great weekend.
All-electric crossover features a funky name, and interior …
Electric vehicles are growing in number, range, and pricing options.
That’s all well and good, but not all feel like a big step forward. When that feeling comes from a Toyota, it simply feels odd. It’s especially weird since Toyota and Subaru, two long-time winners in design and function, worked together on their kissin’ cousins, the bZ4X and Solterra, respectively.
I haven’t driven Subie’s Solterra, so judgment of that must wait, but the red and black bZ4X I tested during a chilly February spell left me, well, cold.
Where to start?
Well, the name is atrocious. No one in their right mind will even remember it as it’s so muddled, especially with a lowercase “b” while the rest is uppercase. Toyota says bZ4X stands for … hold on now … below Zero (get it?) as emissions are zero, but I’m pretty sure they can’t be below. The 4 indicates this is close in size to Toyota’s popular RAV4, and X means crossover. Got it? Stop giggling!
Assuming you’ll never tell anyone what your new vehicle’s name is, then consider its range. Electrics mostly have ranges of 280-310 miles now and often are AWD and those still manage 250 miles of range. The Toyota (I won’t pound that alphanumeric cluster into your gray matter) is rated at 252 miles, so right at the edge of that range bubble, but note that this is a front-drive model.
Note too that Ford’s Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen’s ID.4, Hyundai’s Ioniq5 and Kia’s EV6, all have greater range.
Not to pile on, but I never saw more than 201 miles of range when charging this in my garage with 120 power. But I charged for 30+ hours once when the batteries were at about 2/3 capacity and got just 40 miles of range. Frequently the digital screen would initially register 240 miles or so, but by the time I’d backed from my driveway, it dropped to 201 miles. My driveway is NOT 39 miles long.
Toyota says its compact crossover will fully charge from a low level in 9.5 hours on a Level 2 (240V) charger, or from a low level to 80% charge in 30 minutes on a fast charger (150kW, or more). It says going from near zero to full takes 50 hours on a common 120V outlet such as mine. My experience shows that to be optimistic in winter.
Add to that a few glitches, such as the regenerative braking boost pedal not working all the time. This is the button on the console that allows the driver to use one-pedal driving. That means you use the accelerator primarily and then there is boosted regenerative braking to slow the vehicle as you let off said accelerator. It recharges the battery more quickly than just driving like a gas-powered car and coasting to stoplights, etc.
It did work, just not all the time and would give a screen message saying it was disabled.
Then there was another message about the digital phone not connecting that continually popped up on the large infotainment screen. It offered two choices, retry for a hookup, or cancel. I hit cancel and the message would disappear, for about 2 minutes, then pop up again, and again, and again. First world problem, but annoying as all get-out and distracting.
There were some other issues, but we’ll get to those as I need to tell you, dear reader, how this Toyota drove. I wish I had better news.
Certainly acceleration is good, as in all electrics. If you tromp the accelerator the Toyota jumps to life and quickly exceeds highway speeds. The power is smooth and quiet via the automatic tranny and power is rated at 201 horsepower. Fine!
But ride is stiff and choppy, sort of what one might expect from a short-wheelbase car, not a crossover on a 112.2-inch wheelbase. Handling is just OK, but feels heavy in turns. Naturally there’s a low center of gravity here with batteries located in the chassis, but a RAV4 feels much more nimble by comparison.
Couple that with a somewhat hollow or unmuffled sound to the interior which could be noisy at times. Additional sound deadening material is called for to dampen the noise level.
The Supersonic Red ($425 extra) and black exterior was fine, the black trim over the wheel wells being a bit more extreme than on most crossovers, so helpful in differentiating this model from other Toyota crossovers.
The driver’s instrument pod is tough to see as the wheel blocks the view.
Inside though, well, the design is early Jetsons like it’s trying too hard to be futuristic and that’s without a steering yoke like Tesla offers. That yolk IS available here, but this gray and black interior featured a regular steering wheel and textured cloth seats. All seats are manual.
The driver’s instrument pod is mounted high and far back in front of the tilt/telescope wheel that extends only at a low angle, all the moveable steering column’s hard gray plastic exposed, but matching the instrument pod’s hood. With a yoke one could probably see all the pod’s digital screen, but with this wheel short drivers will have to lay the wheel basically in their lap to fully view the screen.
A lot of storage under the bridge console, but hard to retrieve items from below.
Then there’s the giant long console that acts like a bridge over a monster open bin. Great for storage, but hard to retrieve any item as the console is wide creating an awkward angle to reach in, at least for a driver less than 6-foot-1.
Next to that, and in front of the passenger is a carpet or seat cloth-covered dash with no glove box. One assumes Toyota designers figure a family will use that big storage area beneath the console. I put the three driver’s type manuals in the door pocket to avoid them sliding back and forth in that bin, which they did initially.
Overhead too is a fixed-panel panoramic sunroof, good to let in light, but it can’t be opened. The shade to cover it is powered though.
This twin sunroof is just that, it’s fixed so won’t open.
Seats are well contoured and comfy, but again, manually adjusted. Dash buttons and the touchscreen are easy enough to use and there’s a wireless charger atop the console, but has a flip up cover to enclose it. That cover’s edge sort of gets in the way when retrieving a phone.
The Toyota will certainly carry four adults comfortably, and five will fit if needed. Storage room behind the split rear seat is good too, but there’s no power hatch, and this has a heavy hatch. For power one must move up to the top Limited trim level. This was the XLE and there are only two trims.
The Limited adds a 9-speaker JBL sound system, heated rear seats, a digital key, 20-inch alloy wheels, heated and cooled front seats, fake leather seating, an 8-way powered driver’s seat, 360-degree camera and the powered hatch. Range drops to 222 miles on Limited, Toyota says.
Cost jumps from a very reasonable $43,215 for the XLE model to $49,995 for the Limited. AWD (the Subaru system) is available as a $2,080 option and electric power is increased to 214 horsepower. The test vehicle settled at $44,409 with just its three options.
For the record, the Subaru version of this vehicle, the Solterra, comes standard with AWD, but starts at $46,220 to account for that.
Toyota also includes its fine Safety Sense 3.0 suite, even on this entry-level trim. It includes pre-collision warning with pedestrian detection, smart cruise, lane departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams, and road sign assist. There’s also blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. That’s a benefit.
Note too that the weather package here adds $500 to the cost, but includes the all-important heated steering wheel and heated front seats.
It seems the bZ4X (sorry) was kept quite basic and given some odd design tweaks to keep it as low in cost as possible, plus allow this FWD model to slot in below its Subaru counterpart. I applaud the effort to keep costs down, but its interior styling and functionality is less than I’d expect from Toyota.
FAST STATS: 2023 Toyota bZ4X XLE FWD
Hits: Good acceleration, moderate cost for electric. Panoramic sunroof, big screen, heated and supportive front seats, heated wheel, solid safety systems, wireless phone charger.
Misses: Range limited to 201 miles in cold weather, stiff ride, heavy feel in turns, fairly noisy interior, sunroof doesn’t open, manual seats, no glove box, regenerative braking boost mode did not always work, no power hatch, odd dash, odd driver instrument pod, odd repeat digital messages on screen, and odd name.
At least the electrical outlet is easy to get at.
Made in: Japan
Power: Single electric motor (150 kW), 201 hp/196 torque
Transmission: Automatic
Weight: 4,266 lbs.
Wheelbase: 112.2 in.
Length: 184.6 in.
Cargo: 27.7-56.9 cu.ft.
MPGe: 131/107
Range: 252 mi/201 observed
Base Price: $43,215 (includes delivery)
Invoice: N.A.
Major Options:
XLW weather pkg. (heated steering wheel, heated front seats), $500
Introduced as a 2005 model, the Cobalt was GM’s most ambitious attempt to go fender-to-fender with compact Asian imports. It had a tough act to follow replacing the Cavalier. Motor Trend loved it saying it was solidly built, suitably refined, and attractively priced, it’s an American car that can compete with its foreign rivals. Let’s put a pin in that and come back to it later because it’s the SS model that is a real hoot and this week’s car spot. Sure they gave it a huge rear wing but more important is that the SS is supercharged putting out 205 horsepower, quite a lot for a 2,800-pound compact.
Cobalt SS in the Paddock area at Road America waiting to compete in the Winter Autocross Event I was also in which was a total blast.
In Motor Trend testing, the Cobalt SS was the fastest regular-production front-drive car through the slalom they’d tested in three years, faster through the cones than the new Corvette Z51. The SS out-cornered the VW R32 on the skidpad, outgunned the MINI Cooper S 0-to-60 mph, and out-stopped the Subaru Impreza WRX 60-to-0 mph. I had a chance to ride along with the dad and daughter of this Cobalt SS at Road America’s Winter Autocross Series when I ran my 22 Jeep Compass in. This car is a little rocket and it was really cool to hear the whine of the Roots-type Eaton blower pumping 12 psi of boost.
I kept up with it on the shorter circuits but on the long ones it was no match for my Jeep.
It was a father and daughter driving. This is her first car. Photo: Road America
Now let’s get back to the 800-pound gorilla in the room, GM quality. In typical form with the company cutting corners, there were lots of recalls. It began in November 2004 with a small recall on the new-for-2005 Cobalt due to a headlight shield that could loosen and cause additional glare for oncoming traffic affecting just 1,378 vehicles. The numbers kept getting worse with several more recalls for a variety of issues. In March 2010, GM conducted its largest Cobalt recall to date, 905,000 examples of the 2005-2010 Cobalt and 2007-2009 G5 (its Pontiac cousin), for a bad power-steering system that could make the car harder to turn at low speeds.
A guy that I used to work with has a SS and he told me that once you get past all the recalls, it was a pretty decent car and a blast to drive. America put up with all the headaches because GM sold over a million of them before production ended in 2001 and the Cobalt was replaced with the Chevy Cruze in 2010. Just 3,168 Cobalt SS Turbo coupes were ever made, and the sedan is much rarer with just 474 being produced. What are they worth now? You can pick up one of these pretty cheap, under $5,000. The daughter was telling me that they picked up this one with a salvage title and another one as a parts car.
Cobalt in action. Road America photo
Thanks for stopping by and checking us out. Be sure to check back next Friday for another car spot along with some of its history. Have a great weekend.
High-horse plug-in hybrid rekindles joy of driving a sedan …
Sedans are such a rarity now that it’s a special treat to drive one, especially when it’s a sophisticated looking, high-horse plug-in hybrid from Volvo.
You may recall a time when Volvos were boxy and boring, but safe as the vault at Fort Knox, assuming it still has one.
This week’s thriller was the Volvo S60 Recharge AWD Ultimate Black Edition, which is a long way of saying a sporty luxury sedan with AWD, and Recharge is Volvo’s shorthand for saying it has an electrical component. This one is a plug-in, which currently (pun intended) is the way to go for practical powertrains.
What that means is that not only do you get a sleek Swedish design, but massive power, a 36-mile electric range great for city drives without adding to air pollution, and AWD for the occasion when winter delivers road slop. Meanwhile, the interior of this black beauty is one of the most comfortable I’ve experienced in the past year. More on that in a bit.
First, let’s look at the S60 from the outside. Since it’s a sedan the ride-height is low enough to crawl in and out without a step ladder or threatening a groin pull. The profile is lean and low with a long hood and short rear end. Lights are thin T-shaped “Thor’s Hammer” numbers that wrap from nose to the front fenders.
The grille, while large is not garish and this being the Black Edition the grille and logo are blacked out, as are the trunk’s logos and the snazzy wheels tucked inside R19 rubber. Taillights are typical Volvo snazzy, sort of a laid down J shape. It’s all as sophisticated as a James Bond tuxedo.
But the power, handling and ride make this Recharge Ultimate a blast to drive.
Get this, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder is supercharged and turbocharged, something Volvo does in several models, plus is enhanced by a 143-horse electric motor powering the rear wheels. That’s the plug-in hybrid portion that helps pump up horsepower here to 455, with a torque rating of 523. Wild child!
And you can adjust via the 12-inch info screen, whether you want hybrid power, Pure electric, or Power modes, along with full-time AWD. Any way you go the power will push you back into the plush seats while planting a smile on your face. This car was the fastest on a highway entry ramp, clocking a triple-digit speedometer reading, of anything I’ve driven that costs less than $80 grand.
Wow, this power is awesome and just so darned incredibly smooth aided by an 8–speed automatic. You feel like you’re on a bullet train as torque is instant.
Handling is sporty too with quick steering and a firm, precise feel. A few other makes feel racier, but this is a perfect blend of responsiveness and luxury. Likewise the ride is well controlled yet firm without being punishing. I drove this to downtown Chicago and back and some of the streets I was on made the moon appear silky. Never hit a bump that jarred the interior.
More on that hybrid system, which charges either via a plug-in, or via regenerative braking and engine backup. So an overnight charge gave me 36 miles of all-electric range, or I could let the system choose to mix and match gas and electric power for best performance and efficiency. Around town a driver could just use electric mode to reduce emissions.
Yet a button on the info screen allows the driver to go hybrid and charge at the same time. Here the braking and engine recharge the batteries to use electric power as needed. I used 20 miles of charge getting from my house to a highway stent heading to Chicago, then switched on the charging and had regained about 15 miles of charge while cruising the freeway. Awesome!
The shifter also can either be put in Drive and feel like any gas-powered car would, or put in B, for Battery. This is one-pedal driving that more rapidly slows the vehicle and recharges the batteries. If you’ve ever driven a golf cart or snowmobile it sort of feels like that. I love this setting as you rarely need to touch the brake pedal, so less wear and tear on brake discs.
Fuel mileage depends, of course, on how much battery you use for electric power. I averaged 32 mpg on the Chicago roundtrip, but more like 50 around town when I was using mostly electric power. The EPA rates the S60 Recharge at 31 mpg on gas and 74 mpge on electric. Sadly this horsey engine prefers premium fuel, but then you won’t be filling up frequently, if you keep it charged.
Again, running errands around town you can boost your numbers by putting the Volvo purely in electric mode.
Now originally when I climbed in the S60 I thought I was gonna be miserable for the week as the seats were so tight and had a bevy of buttons and controls for adjustment. But the info screen lights up to show you the bottom cushion leg extender and lumber support adjustments, so within a few minutes I was set. Long-legged drivers will love that bottom cushion extension.
On the highway drive and around town these charcoal leather and Nappa leather trimmed Black Edition seats were absolutely perfectly shaped and soothingly supportive. The front and rear seats also are heated, the rear seat heat and steering wheel heat are part of a $750 winter package that also includes headlight washers. That’s a European thing, but one that US makers should consider. Nice to clean the lights of road grime in winter.
Everything looks great inside too, from the soft leather-like dash and door panels to those seats that include gray accent stitching. Design is Scandinavian minimalist, yet the dash features textured metal trim while air vents and door releases are chrome as are the stereo speakers in the doors. Volvo’s console is gloss black, and for the life of me, I couldn’t find a wireless phone charger. Odd! But there are plugs in the center armrest to accommodate a charger.
The screen is a touchscreen that slides for additional layers of adjustment. I’m getting used to these Volvo screens, but it does take a while to master them and sometimes can be awkward to use while driving. Note this is now a Google-based infotainment system.
I’d love to see a flat-bottom wheel here to reflect the sporty nature of this luxury sedan, plus it’s not a power tilt/telescope wheel, but at least it’s heated. Better yet, you can set the seat and steering wheel heat quickly on the screen and it remembers the setting, even when you turn the ignition off and return. Bravo, many vehicles require resetting everything, a first-world annoyance in winter when running errands and hopping in and out of the car.
Volvo also includes a head-up display, along with a full bevy of safety equipment, not surprising for a Volvo as it earned its safety reputation ages ago. Standard are lane departure (which can be switched off via the info screen), blind-spot warning, parking sensors, collision avoidance, smart cruise control, automatic braking and more.
Overhead is a dual sunroof with power shade. That and the roof are controlled via a sensor overhead that you can just slide your finger over to retract the shade, and then the roof.
The optional Bowers & Wilkins stereo deserves mention too as it’s a monster with amazing sound, but adds $3,200 to the cost. Maybe save that for a home stereo unit. A fine harman/kardon premium sound system is standard.
The sparkly black paint job is gorgeous and only adds $695 to the price, but is sharper than most black paint schemes. Your call.
Rear seat room is good, plus those seats fold down to increase cargo room while also including a center pass-through for long items, something most European makes include that others do not. Rear seat headrests also can be folded down with the push of a rear-seat button, making for better rear visibility for the driver if there are no passengers riding in row two.
Trunk space is sufficient, but smaller than in some sedans at 11.6 cubic feet. Certainly it will hold 4-5 suitcases.
Finally, there’s the price, and this may surprise you. The S60 starts at a modest $41,300 for its front-drive version with a still generous 247 horsepower engine, and is a standard hybrid. AWD is a $2,300 option on lower trim levels. It was standard on the Recharge Ultimate.
Move up to the better-equipped Plus model and the price is $44,000, while the lowest cost Core plug-in hybrid lists at $51,250. The tested Ultimate was $59,045 to start, and $63,690 as tested. All prices include delivery fees.
That’s luxury sedan level pricing for sure, but if you consider its competitors, such as the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Genesis G70, Cadillac CT4, Lexus IS, or Mercedes C Class, they can approach that price too. Yet the Volvo melds luxury with power, styling and a plug-in hybrid system that is second to none.
FAST STATS: 2023 Volvo S60 Recharge AWD Ultimate
Hits: Sharp looking sedan, excellent power, ride and handling. Big sunroof, heated wheel, heated front and rear seats, supper supportive multi-adjust seats, big screen, awesome stereo, a stylish luxury interior, plus head-up display and a full bevy of safety equipment.
Misses: Infotainment screen can be distracting to use while driving and no power tilt/telescope steering wheel. Pricy stereo upgrade. Prefers premium fuel.
Every time I see one of these I expect that when it stops a bunch of clowns will jump out of it. Kelly Blue Book loved the Cube naming it one of the coolest cars under $18,000 in 2009 and the following year listed the Nissan Cube as one of its Top 10 Road Trip Cars. But not all the media loved it. Cars.com wrote that when the Cube gets above city speeds it’s a dog: It handles like a skateboard, surrenders to highway crosswinds, and has the passing power of a 1990s econobox. Ouch!
Mileage? Not so good, only combined 20 MPG. Launched first in Japan and then the US, it came from the Nissan-Renault hookup, and I think the French influence is obvious.
One thing is for sure, it does stand out in a parking lot.
According to Nissan designers, the interior was inspired by the “enveloping curves of a jacuzzi to promote a comfortable and social atmosphere.” Um, sure, I guess. Nissan even developed an extended line of accessories for Cube to help encourage personalization.
The Cube had seating for five.
These included multicolor appliqués that could be placed around air vents and window switches, utility hooks and elastic bands in different colors, variable color LED accent lighting for the footwell and cup holders, and a sculptured piece of color-coordinated shag carpet that sits in a shallow well on the top of the dash. Shag carpet, I remember that!
At its peak in 2010, the Cube remained firmly a niche vehicle, selling 22,968 units, but from there it started dropping like a rock, shaped like a cube, down to 2,965 through eight months of 2014 according to Nissan. The Cube was dropped for the 2015 model year. Duh!
Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend. Be sure to check back next Friday when I have another one of my car spots along with some of its history.
Perfect sized CX-5 Turbo continues to excel, remain a bargain …
Only a year separated me from my last review of Mazda’s top-seller the CX-5, a snazzy looking compact crossover, but only a week separated me from testing its new stablemate, the CX-50.
There’s going to be confusion in the marketplace with such similar names, er numbers, but maybe that’s Mazda’s plan. Confusing the newer CX-50 with the lineup’s hit may be marketing genius. Maybe!
Yet to me the CX-5, is simply a near perfect size for urban adventures on crumbling city streets and yet it’s a delight on the highway too. That’s because it’s fairly light, is agile and at its upper trim levels it’s speedy due to its turbocharged engine.
And … this is no small thing … the Mazda CX-5 simply looks better than most of the competition, a sporty aggressive snout, slick looking tail and the best color available on a mainstream car today, Soul Red Crystal Metallic. That’s a bright metallic red reminiscent of the Candy Apple Red of my youth. It lights up the car and makes it shine in any parking lot, even on the dreariest of days.
Soul Red costs $595 extra and I can think of no better value for an option these days, at least visually. No fancy wheels or blacked out grille even comes close.
But crossovers are a dime a dozen to be sure, so why, beyond looks, do I love this compact crossover like it’s my grandkid?
Add performance and value to looks, plus an interior that leans heavily toward luxury with a quiet and soft leathery feel from the steering wheel to the seats to the dash. CX-5 also packs plenty of comfort and safety equipment and drives like a sports sedan, nearly.
Value sometimes seems like a dirty word in today’s auto market that favors luxury makes and size over affordable monthly payments. But Mazda wins here with a base price (including delivery) of $27,975 for the 2.5 S model. Note too that all CX-5s come standard with AWD.
At that entry level you’ll get a standard non-turbo 2.5-liter I4 with 187 horsepower, but that’s better than much of the competition’s base models. Move up to the 2.5 Turbo though and the CX-5 will scamper up to highway speeds. All models use a fine 6-speed automatic with a Sport mode, and Off-Road setting too if you take the fishing boat or camper into a county or state park
That boosted engine creates 227 horses on regular fuel and if you can afford premium, well, it’ll pound out 256 horses. Torque is 310 lb.-ft. on regular gas and 320 with premium. Zero lag as that turbo kicks in quickly, such as entering a highway at 70+ mph. Top speed is rated at 130 in this top-level Signature model and Car and Driver magazine says this will do 0-60 mph in 6.1 seconds. That’s plenty quick for a family hauler!
Gas mileage is nothing special, rated at 22 mpg city and 27 mpg highway by the EPA. I got just 22 mpg in about 60% city driving and some aggressive highway ramp runs. That’s what I’d managed in the same basic vehicle a year earlier.
Handling is precise and sporty as this crossover is easy to push into tight turns and feels as stable as many sport sedans. AWD helps of course, but balance in the Mazda is excellent.
Engineers worked to further smooth the ride in last year’s model and that remains the same for 2023 delivering a composed ride that actually felt better than the longer wheelbase CX-30 that’s tuned more for off-roading. Braking is strong with vented front discs and solid rear discs.
Mazda delivers plenty of standard safety equipment too, including smart cruise control, blind-spot monitor, lane keeping assist and warning, along with the 360-degree camera and cross-traffic alert. And a major plus, the lane departure can be turned off via a button on the lower left dash, meaning you don’t need to fight the system when in construction zones or dodging pot holes that require you to straddle a lane marker.
Mazda also touts something it calls G-Vectoring Control Plus that helps put power to the appropriate wheel in cornering to aid control. You’ll never notice, but as stated earlier, the CX-5 corners particularly well.
Inside this Mazda continues the car maker’s ways of creating quiet and luxurious feeling materials that seem to hit beyond their weight. For instance the fake leather seats have a softer feel than some real leather, plus the dash and door armrests feel soft. They are not the typical textured plastic found in lesser crossovers.
There’s also chrome trim on the air vents and along the doors and dash. The console is trimmed in gloss black and the lower steering wheel hub is chrome.
The turbo model also comes with a sunroof, heated steering wheel along with heated and cooled front seats, heated outer rear seats, plus dual climate controls, and a Bose stereo with 10 speakers. A wireless phone charger under the center stack is also standard and a much better location than in the newer CX-50, which was awkwardly located partially beneath the center armrest/storage box lid.
Again there’s a 10.3-inch screen as in the CX-50. It’s wide so easy to see and not so tall as to block visibility out the windshield. Sadly, as in the CX-50, it’s not a touchscreen, but is controlled via a dial on the console. Not a fan as it’s clunky to adjust while driving. There is a volume knob on the console though, which is handy, plus volume buttons on the steering wheel hub. That wheel needs to be a flat-bottom design though!
I like the seats as they are supportive and the driver’s is powered. Nice lower back and hip support here. Rear seat room is fine for two, but tight for three and the CX-5 has a tad more headroom than the longer CX-50, although that model has more legroom. Know your rear seat passengers’ body styles for proper fit. Those rear seats also partially recline, which could help quiet rowdy family members on a long trip as they could easily nap.
The hatch is powered and there’s reasonable storage space behind the rear seat, just not quite as much as some others in this class offer. Still, it’ll hold suitcase for four and if there are just two or three on the trip those rear seats fold flat to create a larger cargo area.
While pricing starts at roughly $28 grand this top tier Turbo Signature model listed at $40,925, plus the cool red paint job to end at $41,520. That’s well below the average new car price of $45 grand.
For comparison’s sake, Subaru’s Forester starts at a bit lower price, as do the Kia Sportage (tested recently) and its cousin, the Hyundai Tucson. While the market leaders Toyota’s RAV-4 and Honda CR-V begin about the same price as this snazzy Mazda. Those later two offer hybrid models too, while the Mazda does not yet.
Crossover intenders really need to drive a CX-5 with the turbo to remind themselves what driving fun feels like.
FAST STATS: 2023 Mazda CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature AWD
Hits: Stylish inside and out, excellent turbo power, responsive handling, composed ride, plus AWD standard. Spectacular color, interior feels luxurious, wide screen, sunroof, heated steering wheel, heated/cooled front seats, dual climate controls, 360-camera, smart cruise and safety systems, Bose stereo, comfy supportive seats, power hatch, and wireless charger. High-value, fun drive.
Misses: Still not a fan of console-controlled info screen. Could use flat-bottom steering wheel.
This past Saturday I was up at Road America, just about my favorite place in the world next to AirVenture in Oshkosh, taking part in the third race in the Winter Autocross Series presented by David Hobbs Honda. 120 drivers came from as far away as South Carolina and had an experience they will never forget.
If I’d waited one more year, I could have had one with a turbo.
I was again driving my 22 Jeep Compass with its 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine putting out a whopping 177 hp. I actually put down some respectable times but a good ten seconds slower than the fastest drivers in Subarus, Audis, and BMWs. But hey, still had a great time as did the other drivers I talked to.
Photo Credit: Brant Didier
Thanks to Erick Heling, Programs Manager, at Road America for making this happen and to members of the Fox Valley Sports Car Club who did a great job with scoring and generally making sure things ran so well out on the courses. Click here to see the final results. Note: had better times than a Subaru WRX and Tesla:) Go check out the video and meet some of the other participants and see how I did.
During the late 1960s and early ’70s, American Motors was looking to shake the stodgy look. You know, great economy, but a car maybe my parents would drive. Among the cars introduced were the Javelin and Hornet. While both could come with AMC’s inline-6s, they also could be equipped with V8s providing a ton of fun. It was along those lines that AMC went off to the races with both cars. The Javelin in Trans-Am and the Hornet in drag racing.
This was from a printed piece my dad got me when he worked at AMC.
Remember this name, Wally Booth, because he was an NHRA Pro Stock racing legend, racing since the mid-’60s in mostly Camaros and Dodges. But in mid-November of 1971 Bob Swaim, the head of the AMC Racing Program, hit up Wally with the opportunity to join AMC’s racing efforts that would lead to his greatest accomplishments.
Photo: MotorTrend
Wally’s first NHRA national event win came just 27 months after joining forces with AMC. On March 17, 1974, his Hornet defeated Jack Roush’s Mustang II in the Pro Stock final at the NHRA Gatornationals, 8.97 to 9.01 seconds. Think about it. An AMC beating a Ford Mustang! He continued racing and winning until his retirement in 1979.
This week’s spot. The pride of Kenosha. Mom had a ’74 Hornet but not as fast as this one.
Props to the owners for keeping the interior mostly stock.
Except for the wheels, this looks like a stock ’74 Hornet nicely restored.
This week’s car spot might have a bit of Wally Booth in it. I found it recently at a World of Wheels event in Milwaukee. This ’74’s body and interior are pristine and look like almost any other that might have come off the line, but underneath, well that’s a different story. AMC peeps, you’re going to like this. Instead of going to the dark side and plopping an LS engine in it. The owners, John and Kathy Bots from Summit, Wis., got ahold of a 401 and juiced it up to 1,200 hp! Gotta love that!
It’s simply great to see cars like this that keep the AMC name alive.
1,200 hp from an AMC. Gotta love it!
In researching this article, I found other interesting tidbits about the Hornet’s racing career. Pop these out at the next Cars and Coffee event you attend.
In 1973, AMC cars very nearly placed 1-2-3, in a BF Goodrich Radial Challenge Series race, but Bob Hennig driving an AMC Hornet went out while in third place with only six laps to go. BMW driver Nick Craw and AMC Hornet driver Amos Johnson ended the IMSA series as co-champions in Class B. Wow, a Hornet as fast as a BMW! Johnson also campaigned Gremlins and later Spirits and won.
Chrysler wasn’t the only manufacturer of a turbine-powered car. In 1971 an AMC Hornet was converted to a WR-26 regenerative gas turbine power made by Williams International.
In 1970, Lou Haratz drove an AMC Hornet and went on to be the first to drive completely around the widest practical perimeter of the North, Central, and South American continents for a distance of 38,472 miles in 143 days. True fact!
Who says Hornets were cheap cars and not dependable?
Thanks for stopping by. Be sure to check back next week for another spot along with some of its history. Have a great weekend.
2023 Zoomies, the best vehicles of the past year …
Zoomie goes all social media trendy this year whittling the 50 or so vehicles I’ve tested in the past year down to a dynamic Top 10. Eat your heart out Letterman*!
What’s the Savage criteria for a Zoomie?
Art: Stuart Carlson
There’s no point system. These all come from the gut, and a wee bit of brain. They are the 10 vehicles I most enjoyed driving (for what they are), but offer value and do it with style. So talent with style, you know, like Beyonce or Lady Gaga. For variety’s sake, some fall into the category of “mostly affordable” while others are for the upper crust. Hey, they deserve nice things too.
I’ve been choosing Zoomies since 1990 (missed a few years), so some have been winners, like the first year’s Mazda Miata, while a few were, well … nobody’s perfect.
Why Zoomies in February? They always appear during the Milwaukee Auto Show, which kicked off yesterday and runs through March 5 at the Wisconsin Center downtown. The show is sponsored by area auto dealers.
So here goes, in no particular order, except the grand finale being my top Zoomie Vehicle of the year.
10.Ford Maverick Lariat hybrid: Let’s start with the meat of the market, pickups. One can argue that style is not a word often associated with any pickup, and I agree, generally. But the new Maverick is compact, handsome, and understated, which is saying something for a pickup as most are over-the-top macho big and bulky with grilles that look like angry alien Transformers.
Maverick also comes standard as a hybrid, and with an entry price just north of $21,000. That’s right, a compact pickup that is economical (remember the old Ford Ranger and Chevy S10?) and gets 42 mpg city and 33 highway, says the EPA. I got about 32 mpg, still awfully good. Power is decent too with a 2.5-liter I4 with hybrid system that nets 191 horsepower. The tested Lariat easily seats four and started at about $27 grand. Bravo!
9.Mazda CX-5 2.5Turbo AWD: I just can’t say enough about the CX-5’s styling, handling ability, and speed with its semi-new turbocharged engine. This is more fun to drive than most crossovers, heck, most sedans, plus AWD is now standard. There are 227 horses here, 256 ponies if you splurge for premium 93 octane fuel, and the interior is so luxurious looking and feeling you’ll likely feel you’re in an up-scale brand.
CX-5’s interior is spacious with good cargo room too, so no surprise it’s Mazda’s top-selling model, especially since it starts at a family-friendly price of about $28,000. Heck, my well-equipped tester was still less than $40,000. In fact, the top-level Turbo Signature model squeaks in at $40k and is loaded with all the equipment you’d get on an entry-level luxury crossover costing $50,000 or more. One option you’ll definitely want, the $595 Soul Red Crystal paint. It’s stunning!
8. VW Jetta GLI Autobahn: I said it in my review, the Jetta is a hoot that’ll scoot and that’s the truth. Sport sedans are among the most thrilling cars to drive and Jetta has firmly embodied that trait for years. This Autobahn trim is a value-oriented speedster that will haul the family and its gear with a flair. I’m no fan of the blah battleship gray color that it and so many other cars now wear, but hey, you can opt for another color, even if you have to pay a bit extra.
Starting at $32,900 this model packs a perky 2.0-liter turbo I4 that kicks out 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Think vintage BMW 2002. Rawrr! And I managed 26 mpg. Jetta is a pocket rocket with excellent handling, braking and a decent ride. Seats are super supportive and are also heated and cooled. Jetta includes solid safety equipment too, including smart cruise control. A practical racer!
7. Toyota Camry XLE Hybrid: This may be my biggest surprise of the year. A Camry hybrid, really? Oh yeah, this is a particularly sharp-looking sedan, especially the nose, but one that’ll carry a family of five in comfort and style. Plus the hybrid system means it’ll kick the gas-only powered sedan’s fannies for efficiency. I hit 48.2 mpg in a week’s drive, even better than the EPA’s 44/47 mpg estimates.
Power comes from a 2.5-liter I4 with hybrid system (remember Toyota has been doing hybrids longer than anyone, 20+ years) that generates 208 horsepower. Ride is as good, or better, than any other similar sized sedan, even some luxury brands. Handling is easy, cargo room spacious and a wonderful interior with logical and simple controls along with comfy seats that are heated and cooled. A base Camry hybrid starts at $28,000, but this high-value mid-level XLE lists at just $34,065. (Note: Average new car prices are approaching $45 grand.)
6. Honda HR-V AWD EX-L: Another surprise, the HR-V moved to the dynamic Civic platform and its looks were smoothed too, so now it handles great and looks better than its previous iteration with a less boxy appearance. Plus the small crossover is now longer, lower, and wider so it rides and handles better to. There’s even acoustic glass to quiet the interior.
No racer, the HR-V still gains ponies though, nudging up to 158 horsepower from its previous 141 from the 2.0-liter I4. Wish it had a turbo, but still the lightweight Honda is nimble and a fun drive, and AWD is only $1,500 extra. That’s not so much when you consider the starting price is basically $25,000 and a well-equipped Sport model is just $26,895. Top end you can still snag for a shade short of $31,000, including AWD.
5. BMW X3 xDrive 30i: If cost is less a concern, but you still want a nimble, downright racy small crossover look no further than this sporty BMW X3. Naturally a Bimmer falls into the compact premium luxury crossover market and the AWD system means road-holding is primo too.
If you think all the fuss about BMW handling better than other makes is bunk, well, jump in an X3 with the 2.0-liter twin-turbo I4 and hold on. It corners like a slot car and with 248 horsepower it’ll smoke a lot of sport sedans. The interior is clean and simple too, with enough leather and well-formed seats to make anyone comfy. Even ride is good, still sporty, but with enough comfort to justify the price. Which is? A base rear-driver starts near $47 grand and AWD is $2,000 extra. Oh, it can cost a lot more, especially if you opt for the I6 twin-turbo making 382 horsepower, think in the neighborhood of $60 grand. Still ….
Note: Any of these final four could be the vehicle of the year, but they each aim at totally different markets.
4. Nissan Z Performance: I’m a sucker for Nissan Z cars, to me the poor man’s Corvette starting with the Z’s intro in 1969. The Z though has been through various iterations and was off the market for several years until now, and instead of a number tacked onto the Z, as in 240Z, it’s now just Z. Simple is better, and that goes for design, powertrains and pricing.
First, its streamlined modern yet retro design, long hood and fastback tail makes it a standout in any parking lot or stoplight. People notice, but not for long. That’s because it cradles a 400-horsepower twin-turbo V6 that’ll zip the rear-drive speedster down a highway entry ramp like a racer exiting the pits. Plus it comes with a six-speed manual, now that’s racy. Interior is bright and sporty looking with round gauges above the dash and seats are race-car supportive. Even the price feels a bit retro, starting just north of $41,000, but the Performance model ups that to just beyond $51 grand. Z rocks!
3. Toyota GR86 Premium: I know, I know that Z could still be a bit beyond your budget, so how about a sexy sports coupe from Toyota that starts at (wait for it) a smidge over $30,000, including a six-speed manual tranny. A Premium model goes for just about a grand more and non-shifters can get an automatic for $1,500. Both trims are high-value fun.
The GR86 (GR stands for Gazoo Racing, a Toyota team) uses a Subaru 2.4-liter boxer 4, like Porsche prefers. That means smooth power, up 23 horses to 228 from the previous model. Sporty and spunky with a light feel (the car weighs less than 3,000 pounds) is a blast to power around twisty country roads and even around town. It’s easy to handle, park and with a limited-slip differential it corners well and powers out of turns like a pro racer. Good too that its disc brakes are vented and the ride better than several other small sport coupes. Since Subaru and Toyota developed this together, its cousin, the Subaru BRZ should be considered a winner too, I simply haven’t had a chance to test it yet.
2. Genesis G90 3.5T E-Supercharger AWD: This is a show-stopper in looks and performance, but this beautiful luxury sedan is not for the hourly worker. Still, I can’t stop thinking that it was the best car I had ever driven, no matter the price or brand. G90 is smooth, quiet, luxurious, and as handsome a sedan inside and out as has been produced. That’s saying something because smaller Genesis sedans are also quite beautiful.
The top-level 3.5T E-Supercharger packs a silky 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 with an electric supercharger. Output? 409 horses and 405 pound-feet of torque. Oh my! The base model lacks the supercharger so only creates 375 hp. Darn! Both are loaded with tech features, multi-drive modes, rear-wheel steering for better handling, a 26-speaker B&O stereo system, push-button power doors, sun shades and get this, massaging front and back seats.
Pricing is what keeps the G90 from earning my top-rated spot though. Its entry sticker is roughly $89,500 and the Supercharger model lists at $100,000. I give it a few value marks though because its German competitors cost $15,000-$20,000 more.
Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD: Electric car haters avert your eyes. As much as I like gas-powered vehicles, it’s increasingly clear electric power is the future, and it’s arriving sooner than I, or most of us, thought.
Yet the car of the year, no matter its power source, needs to be a looker, a value and fun to drive. The Kia, and its cousins, the Hyundai Ioniq5 Limited AWD and pricier Genesis GV60 AWD, all meet the looks and fun-to-drive quotient.
But there’s only room for one winner and the Kia EV6 simply looks fabulous with its futuristic styling, slim lights, sleek nose, sporty profile, and muscular haunches that invite frisky behavior.
As I said in November’s review, this was the best electric vehicle I’d driven all year with spirited performance and the longest range, a key concern for any owner of an electric. My test car’s range topped out at 278 miles and the EV6 was quick to charge. Power from its twin electric motors is incredible at 320 horses with 446 pound-feet of torque. That used to be exotic supercar power. With AWD there’s superb traction and the batteries give the car a low center of gravity for stability and fine handling.
Beyond performance it was the beautifully designed interior that pushed this just past the Ioniq5. Seats feel like suede but are a man-made material and comfy, while the dash features twin 12.3-inch digital screens that merge as one and are easy to see and use. There’s a flat-bottom steering wheel and big center console with space beneath for a purse or bag. Practical!
All the digital features are here, like a wireless charger and heated and cooled seats, including heated outer rear seats, plus there’s Smartwatch connectivity for the digitally savvy buyers so the car can be started remotely from a watch. Waste heat from the coolant system also works to keep the batteries warm, increasing range especially in cold climates such as ours.
A base level EV6 starts just beyond $42,000, and the GT-Line with AWD goes for about $57,000, while a Wind trim level is wedged in between.
Costs still need to come down for electrics, but functionally the EV6, Ioniq5 and luxurious Genesis GV60 with its mesmerizing rotating crystal shift ball, meet most consumer demands.
They mark the beginning of useful, more practical electric vehicles, and thanks to their designers, they do it with style. Zoomie winner!
Honorable mentions: Depending on your budget, a few other vehicles I had this year are worth a look. At the higher end consider the Cadillac XT6 and Volvo XC60, both luxury ute/crossovers. At the lower end check out the Toyota Corolla Cross and GMC Terrain.
*(Comedian David Letterman attended my Indianapolis high school, Broad Ripple, and his quirky Top 10 lists were a hit on his CBS Late Night show for years.)
New crossover bigger than CX-5, aimed more for off-road use …
What do you do when you’re a smaller auto manufacturer, but you have one big hit in the hot crossover market?
Make another slightly larger version of it, right?
Welcome to Mazda’s world. The Japanese car maker has constantly been putting stylish and superb handling vehicles on the road, but other than the MX-5 Miata sports cars, the others rarely garner many buyers. That is until the Mazda CX-5 hit the market and gave compact crossover buyers a sportier looking and handling option, yet below luxury pricing.
Bingo, CX-5 moves to the top of Mazda’s success list.
Well, it’s still making the CX-5, but Mazda imagined if could be even better, well, at least bigger. So now comes the CX-50 (don’t be confused), which is about six inches longer, rides on a four-inch longer wheelbase, weighs 50 pounds more, and will tow 3,500 pounds, up 1,500 from the slightly smaller CX-5.
Mazda also followed the lead of every other crossover/SUV maker and raised CX-50’s ride height to enable marketers to tout it as more off-road worthy. OK, I know some folks bang ditches, mash mud and straddle boulders, but really?
No, the CX-50, even with 8.6 inches of ground clearance is meant for towing a small camper or boat to a state park camping site, not going axle deep in mud. It’ll do that and even has an off-road setting on its M-Drive toggle on the console. That also includes Sport and Comfort modes, the latter of which you’ll be using 99% of the time.
Funny though, we had an 8-inch snow dump while I was testing the CX-50, and I found the standard AWD was only partially effective and not nearly as helpful as my wife’s Subaru Outback AWD. I could still spin the tires and slip-slide around corners. I even toggled into Off-Road mode to see if that might help. If it did, it was barely noticeable. That said Mazda says its AWD system is designed to keep the vehicle moving even if a front and back wheel are off the ground. I didn’t try that.
Don’t go all mental on me now. Driving the CX-50 is a blast on dry or simply wet pavement. This being the 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus model it was loaded with goodies, most importantly the 2.5-liter SkyActiv-G four-cylinder with a turbo that kicks in quickly and delivers punchy performance. Horsepower is 227 normally, but can jump to 256 if you opt for 93-octane premium fuel.
I like this powerplant even better in Mazda’s smaller CX-30 crossover as it gives it almost a tall sports car feel. But acceleration is quite good here as the CX-50 rushes up to highway speeds and the six-speed automatic handles all that power just fine.
Handling too is a Mazda hallmark and continues here. Steering feels heavy and precise so there’s no play in the wheel and the suspension lets you push it harder into a corner than you might most compact crossovers.
But anticipating that its customers will be bouncing around the off-trail rocks and mud a bit, Mazda has stiffened the CX-50’s suspension as compared with its popular predecessor, the CX-5. That may help off road, but in town where pot holes and chippy pavement are the main obstacles, the ride is overly firm. Some riders may opt for the CX-5 just for that reason, despite the longer wheelbase here.
Braking is fine and safety equipment is well represented too. For instance there’s a blind spot monitor, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree monitor, rear smart braking that come in the Premium Plus trim. Other standard safety equipment includes lane keeping and departure assist, rear cross-traffic alert and rain-sensing wipers.
A beautiful near luxury interior graces the CX-50.
Even if Mazda didn’t nail the exterior styling, as it always seems to with an aggressive beak-line nose, its interiors are top shelf, often feeling like they belong in at least entry-level luxury vehicles. It spoils riders in this pearl white (Wind Chill) tester with reddish-brown leather-trimmed seats and black accents. These are extremely well shaped and supportive, although a tad hard. That color is also used for accent stitching in the black door panels and across the black dash. Quite spiffy.
Other trim is chrome such as on air ducts and the steering wheel’s hub is loaded with satin chrome buttons so is a bit less reflective.
A wide screen atop dash, but too bad it’s not a touchscreen.
Everything is easy to see in the CX-50, especially the large 10.25-inch screen embedded neatly atop the dash, not looking like a bolt-on iPad as in many vehicles. But it’s not a touchscreen. Mazda insists, as other makes used to, that a knob on the console is the best way to get at info, nav, and radio functions while driving. It is not!
The system remains way too confusing to use unless the vehicle is parked and you have some time on your hands.
Otherwise the button array for the dual climate controls are easy to use as are the heated and cooled seat controls. Sadly the heated steering wheel button hides under the driver’s side temperature knob, so that requires a bit of care to engage. Likewise the wireless phone charger is tucked into a gap at the front of the split center armrest. Not so hard to put the phone in, but awkward to get out.
Good legroom in row two, plus a big sunroof creates a bright cockpit.
This interior has more legroom in the second row seats than the CX-5, a plus, but slightly less headroom. Long-legged, but short torsoed riders rejoice! Storage space remains fairly generous behind that split seat, which will lower to boost cargo room. Yes, there’s even a spare tire under the cargo floor. I know some vehicles have abandoned that practice, a tough lesson if you don’t know until you need it. The rear hatch also is powered and includes a wiper.
Overhead are Mazda’s first twin sunroofs and a powered shade. Bravo. While this trim level also includes heated rear outboard seats, a plus for Wisconsin buyers, and a fine Bose 12-speaker sound system with the volume knob on the console, or controlled via buttons on the steering wheel.
In addition to a touchscreen the Mazda also could use a flat-bottom steering wheel to reflect its sporty nature and allow for more knee room when the driver exits the crossover, mostly important for vertically challenged drivers.
Pricing remains a pleasant surprise, same with the CX-5. A base 2.5 model that uses the same engine, but sans turbo, goes for $28,825 with delivery. Horsepower is 187 and the digital info screen is smaller at 8.8 inches.
Move up to a turbo model and you’ll start negotiating at $38,425 and the tested Premium Plus lists at $43,575. It added only the pearl white paint for $395, but go with Soul Red, it’s way cooler. Total cost here was $43,970, a bit below average new vehicle pricing.
There are 10 trims, so one for each toe or finger, but a Meridian model aims even more strongly at the off-road market and comes standard with all-terrain tires and 18-inch alloy wheels. It lists at $41,620.
CX-50 offers a slim, handsome tail. Not all crossovers do!
I was a bit disappointed in the gas mileage around town, managing just 22.6 mpg although to be fair it was fairly cold and snowy during this drive. The EPA says to expect 23 mpg city and 29 highway, right in the wheelhouse of other AWD compact crossovers. Also, in a purely highway drive I managed 28 mpg.
Note to readers: Mark will be testing Mazda’s CX-5 again very shortly, so watch to see how that compares with this newer CX-50. Plus watch for his annual Zoomie top vehicle awards coming next Sunday.
FAST STATS: 2023 Mazda CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus
Hits: Stylish, excellent turbo power, responsive handling, plus AWD standard. Interior feels luxurious and roomy, wide screen, twin sunroofs, heated steering wheel, heated/cooled front seats, heated rear seats, dual climate controls, smart cruise and good safety equipment and cargo space, Bose stereo, comfy supportive seats, power hatch, wireless charger.
Misses: Not a fan of the console-controlled info screen, this needs touchscreen. Ride is over firm, but well-controlled. AWD still allowed squirrelly feel in snow and modest MPG. Could use a flat-bottom steering wheel and the wireless phone charger is awkwardly located.
Autoart launches a gorgeous 1/18 scale Heritage edition …
No doubt in my mind that the original Ford GT40 was the most beautiful enclosed race car ever and the street versions created by Ford since 2017 are likewise top-shelf designs, both retro and cutting edge.
The flying buttresses on each side, just behind the doors, that allow air to rush through to provide downforce are both beautiful and inspired. They also helped Ford race these successfully at Le Mans and in IMSA sports car endurance races the past several years, further enhancing Ford’s race cred.
Now Ford has announced the final run of these exquisite gas burners, and with it they revealed a variety of Heritage editions. Autoart is modeling three of the current Heritage trims. Our sample car is Wimbledon White (an off-white) with Antimatter Blue (nearly black) trim.
Officially this is known as the 2022 GT 1964 Prototype Heritage Edition, honoring the first GT/101 Prototype of the Ford GT. That got the GT40 ball rolling until the breakthrough year of 1966 when drivers Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby won the 24 Hours of Daytona in a Ford GT. In fact, the Fords took the top three spots before heading off to Le Mans in France where they would also sweep the podium, and then win three more years in a row.
The History
So now 57 years after those Daytona 24 and Le Mans wins comes these Heritage models of the Ford GT that debuted in 2017 and now wraps its production run. The modern version touts a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 that makes an incredible 660 horsepower while producing 550 pound-feet of torque.
That translates to a top speed of 216 and Car and Driver tells us it’ll do 0-60 mph in 3 seconds flat, or 0-100 mph in 6.2 seconds. Freaky fast, although McLaren and Bugatti can boast slightly better, but then they cost more, generally.
Although these current Ford GTs are not for you and me. They list at $500,000 and the Heritage models add another $100k on top of that. Once purchased their value will hit $1 million or more due to scarcity though, so if you’ve got the spare cash they could be a fine investment.
All have 7-speed automatic dual-clutch trannys and boast dual titanium exhausts that are said to give their engines a distinctive and racy roar. I’ve only heard them online, but I know how great the Mustang GTs sound, so it’s likely.
Another cool feature, hollow taillights to help dissipate heat, and double bi-spoke carbon fiber 20-inch wheels, plus carbon-ceramic brakes to keep the Ford GT light, and stop it quickly.
While the Ford GT rides on a 106.7 inch wheelbase it’s just 43.7 inches high, so it can’t be called a GT40, and GT43.7 is pretty awkward. The supercar weighs just 3,381 pounds.
The Model
As for the model, it offers all the detail you’d expect at this price, an opening rear engine cover, flip-out scissor style doors, a small opening frunk with white coolant containers inside, and a rear spoiler that can be raised with a release under the car’s tail. Front wheels are posable too.
The paint job is superb, although I gotta say the Antimatter Blue is so dark you’ll think it’s black unless in direct sunlight. That blue covers the nose and then is repeated in a wide racing stripe over the roof and tail, including the spoiler.
The GT has dark mesh grille work atop the nose beside the frunk and the headlights are highly detailed HD models with a clear lens covering the elements beneath. There’s more dark mesh grille work under the nose, which naturally features a Ford blue oval logo.
Carbon-fiber finished side rocker panel skirting run along the lower door edges and car’s body with a black multi-finned diffuser tucked under the tail. There’s a Ford license plate back there too. The twin center exhausts are matte silver to reflect the titanium pipes on the original, and the big round red taillights are hollowed at the center.
Under the windowed rear hatch it’s easy to see the top of the twin-turbo V6 with labeling that says Powered by Ford. There’s not a lot else to see as mock carbon fiber trims the engine and acts as a shroud around it. Note there is a tiny pentagonal trunk with flocked flooring in back too.
Flip up those doors for a decent view of the Lightspeed Blue interior with black dash and wheel, but it all looks very dark, although in proper light you can see the two bucket seats are dark blue. There’s a GT logo atop each floor panel beside the seats and atop where a rocker panel would be if those doors didn’t include the car’s bottom edge as part of the door. This is all as in the original car, naturally.
The Ford GT’s racing steering wheel features a flat top and bottom and the dash detail is good, including a hood over the gauges with more fake carbon fiber trim atop that and the dash’s leading edge. Again it’s dark inside, so you’ll need a flashlight to see much detail. Yet you are really not buying a 1/18 scale Ford GT to look at the interior, it’s the exterior that screams speed and generates excitement.
That extends all the way down to the wheels, which are black to reflect the original’s carbon fiber wheels. Plus there are drilled disc brake rotors behind those wheels with silver Brembo calipers. The black wheels also feature black and silver GT center caps.
Other details to note are large white mirrors on black stalks that extend quite a ways to allow a driver to see around the flying buttresses and the car’s muscular hips. More black mesh in the air ducts in front of the rear wheels too, and Ford is emblazoned just in front of those wheels and above the carbon fiber ground effects skirting.
Autoart also plans two other Heritage Editions, a red No. 16 with gold and white stripes to represent cars raced by the Alan Mann team, and a gold and red version representing Holman Moody, the famous Ford-backed race team. Both will be the same price as this first release, $240, and are available for pre-order at the Autoart website.
Please bring the rotary engine back, in a sports car.
MotorTrend loved the RX-7 when it was introduced in 1978 calling it “Sleek, Functional and Fast: An Affordable 2-Seater For the Enthusiast” It was the answer to sports car lovers’ dreams, being attractive, fun to drive, and at $7,195, a bargain competing against other cars in the American market like the Porsche 924, Datsun 280Z and, possibly even the Corvette. Add to that, it came with a lightweight Wankel rotary engine.
Early Rx-7 ad I found in my collection.
This wasn’t the first time Mazda had rolled the dice on a rotary. They spent more than 15 years working out the kinks as many owners of RX-2s, 3s, and 4s had been plagued with expensive seal replacements and some seized engines. Then there was the argument between the American distributor and EPA over gas mileage figures. Its estimated gas mileage was 19 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined. The 1.1 L 12A engine was rated at 100 hp at 6,000 rpm allowing the car to reach speeds of more than 120 mph. The RX=7 went from 0-60 in just over eight seconds. I call that pretty good for a small engine.
It didn’t take long to see Mazda set out making a racing version. Body panels, fender flares, front air dam, and a rear spoiler made the RX-7 look like a racer. And for the serious competitor, it was possible to get a full-race peripheral-port engine with modified combustion chamber, 2-throat 45 DCLE Weber carburetor, and deletion of those power-robbing emissions controls. All that could add up to a horsepower potential of 220 plus.
Looks like it just came from the factory.
Perhaps that “Wankel rotary” thing didn’t have Americans convinced because just less 20,000 cars were sold in the first year. However, the next year sales more than doubled to 54,000. Sales would bounce around that number until 1987 when they dropped to 38,000 and it was downhill from there until the RX-7’s final year of production, 1995 saw just 1,999 produced. There were more than 800,000 Mazda RX-7s made. I had a chance to drive two 1983s, my then soon-to-be wife’s blue one, and a friend’s red one. They were a blast!
These are certainly affordable vehicles to own and drive now. Hagerty values for the 1979 Mazda RX-7 GS ranges from $5,500 in Fair condition all the way up to $45,800 in Concours and they are trending up. I found a bunch of them on Bring a Trailer (BaT) for less than $10 grand.
Even though the rotary engine died because of its inherently poor thermal efficiency, Mazda is bringing it back. Unfortunately, not in a sports car, but it’s being turned into a range-extending generator for its forthcoming MX-30 electric SUV.
Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check back again next week for another one of my car spots along with some of its history. Have a great weekend and tell your friends.
Toyota, Subaru, VW launch new vehicles, but there’s much more …
Chicago’s Auto Show is always amazing and also a drain as Paul Daniel and I walk a good 5 miles a day to take photos and video.
This year it was worth it as there were four new production models introduced, plus some new Jeep trim packages and, well, a bevy of concept cars and new electrics on tap. Our trade group, Midwest Automobile Media Association (yes, MAMA) also handed out its annual awards.
Here’s a quick look recap.
AWARDS:
MAMA’s Family Vehicle of the Year (263 of us Midwest journalists vote) is the Hyundai Palisade, a large midsize SUV that wins on price, looks and features.
The MAMA Luxury Family Vehicle of the Year is the Genesis (Hyundai’s luxury brand) GV60, a stylish and well-equipped all-electric model with AWD, a ton of power and decent range. PLUS it has a crystal ball shifter on the console that rotates. That’s not essential, but it’s cool and Paul and I love it.
Note: Watch for my annual Zoomie Top 10 Vehicle awards on WUWM.com and then here on Savageonwheels.com, very soon!
ALL-NEW:
Toyota launched its first Grand Highlander, a three-row SUV that’s an extended version of its popular Highlander. If the name sounds sort of familiar, thing Grand Wagoneer from Jeep. But this is more in competition with the Jeep Grand Cherokee L and the above mentioned Hyundai Palisade and its cousin, the Kia Telluride.
Good foot room in row 3, and ok legroom for adults.
Toyota touted the fact that adults can fit in the Grand Highlander’s third-row seat, and that seven suitcases would still fit behind that seat for family adventures. Well, several 6-5 folks climbed aboard during a preview and found indeed their foot and headroom were OK, but knee space still a bit tight. Yet if you’re not an NBA-dna gifted family, you’ll fit fine. At 5-5 I was more comfy than in most other utes with three rows.
Handsome nose, better than the Lexus grilles.
A big plus too is the option of three powerplants, the newest being a 362-horsepower (most ever for a Toyota SUV) hybrid system that improves mileage and delivers more oomph. This is the same powertrain as in Toyota’s new Crown sedan. Grand Highlander will be built at Toyota’s southern Indiana plant.
Huge digital screen images flow to the floor below and behind the new Crosstrek.
Subaru, in addition to having the coolest display, including puppies and National Park digital that spread wide and also covered a chunk of floor, launched its new Indiana-built CrossTrek. That compact AWD crossover has taken over as Subaru’s No. 1 seller, edging out Outback, so Subaru freshened its look outside and inside, adding a giant nearly 12-inch infoscreen as it offers in other models.
Pricing still starts at an attractive $26,290 and it should be at dealers this spring. Two engine choices remain, a 2.0-liter boxer 4 and a 2.5-liter boxer 4. Questions of a hybrid being offered nationwide were put on hold. One can hope!
Manual transmission fans, sorry, it’s gone.
Blue is the Cross Sport, red is the larger Atlas.
Volkswagen, which has gone from about 91% sedans in its lineup in 2013 to about 83% of crossovers and SUVs now, launched its 2024 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport models. Atlas is the mid-size 7-seater offering with Cross Sport being slightly smaller and seating five. Both have already been selling well, along with Tiguan, but moving them more upscale in appearance was one of the goals here.
The new Atlas has a thick lightbar across its tail.
Like others, it’s also all about adding a 12-inch screen inside, and fancier noses and tails, including a lightbar atop the vehicles’ grilles and a lighted VW logo on the nose. Get ready for a LOT more of those from all carmakers as hybrid and electric offerings expand. The VWs now will only offer a 2.0-liter I4 turbo making 269 horsepower. Its V6 engine has gone bye-bye.
JEEP, plus the REST
That’s it for the all-new models, but Jeep got into the act too, while its parent, Stellantis showed off the upcoming Dodge Hornet and some future electrics in concept form.
In case you didn’t realize it, this is the 20th anniversary of the Jeep Rubicon editions of the off-road favorite Wrangler. Rubicon was meant to answer all the off-roaders needs and go as extreme as technology and budgets would permit.
Here are the 4xe, AEV, and 392 versions of the Rubicon anniversary Wranglers.
The 20th Anniversary Wrangler Rubicons are only available in 4xe and 392 trim, so a plug-in hybrid and the horsiest V8, just 470 horses. Talk about extremes. They are lifted another half inch and get a restyled 7-bar grille, plus cost extra, of course. As a limited edition just 4,000 anniversary models will be made, but starting at $71 grand for the 4xe and about $93,000 for the V8 model, one wouldn’t expect 100,000 to be sold.
Oh, and there’s also a higher-end souped up American Expedition Vehicles version, limited to 150 vehicles. It’ll tout a tweaked suspension and ride on giant 37-inch tires. Like the 32s on the other models wasn’t enough.
This is the GT version of Dodge’s new crossover, the Hornet.
For the rest of us on lower budgets, there were a couple new Dodge Hornets on display. Using a vintage name from its Hudson roots and later AMC, the Hornet is a cute compact crossover that will jump into that huge market dominated by the likes of Honda’s CR-V and Toyota’s RAV-4.
Definitely cooler, the Hornet GLH is the performance model.
Pricing starts below $30 grand when it goes on sale this spring and Dodge, in keeping with its performance image, plans to offer a GLH model with more power and racier trim. I hear GLH means Goes Like Hell. Remember, these folks gave birth to the crazy horsepower Hellcat models.
Charger has a lighted logo!Sleek lines on this concept Charger.
Speaking of which, the last run of the gas-only powered Dodge Chargers and Challengers is going on now. But the new electric Dodge Daytona Charger was on hand and wow is it sleek, but with definite Charger styling.
Ram, the Stellantis truck brand, also showed its concept for the Ram 1500 Revolution, already being dubbed Rev. It’s electric and looks more futuristic than any other mainstream pickup on the market. Ram has moved past Chevy into the No.2 truck selling spot and Rev, to be available in 2024, will do nothing to hurt the brand’s progress. Sharp!
MORE YET …
Naturally there was more to see, and some may make it to the Milwaukee show coming up Feb. 25.
A smattering of thoughts on the other models we saw.
This Buick concept is as wild as its Wildcat name!
Coolest design we saw was the Buick concept Wildcat. It’s a silver bullet that features Audi R8 sleekness, but with snazzy Volvo-esque rear lights and removable roof panels.
The Wildcat’s rear lights look like they were borrowed from Volvo, but still, WOW!
Rumor has it a production model is in the works and if it comes close to this concept it’ll be a hot commodity, sort of a Vette-like halo car for Buick, which fashions itself as a luxury brand, although currently with a 3 ute lineup.
Now that’s a Corvette nose, expressive!
Impressive too was the new Chevy Corvette Z06 model. The mid-engine Vette has been out a couple years now and remains the most affordable stellar and racy design, but Z06 moves it way upscale, starting just below $120k and the show model was nearly $170,000. Not so affordable, but then it has a 5.5-liter V8 making 670 horsepower. So for supercar power I suppose $120 grand or so isn’t bad.
Corvette in all its iterations is just damned racy looking! This is the Z06.
Also on hand was the E-Ray, the new electric hybrid version of the Corvette. Looks a bit different, but adds the hybrid to that monster V8, plus all-wheel-drive for the first time. Same horsepower basically, 655 horses, but a 0-60 mph time of 2.5 seconds. That’s hard to beat, and this one starts just short of $105k!
Gorgeous paint job, but this picture doesn’t do the new Alfa Romeo Tonale justice.
Alfa Romeo, another branch of Stellantis, put its new Tonale SUV on display. This is a plug-in hybrid starting about $45,000. It has 180 hp and is slightly smaller than the current Stelvio model. Still, it has the Alfa look, logo and Italian styling accents.
I know we’ve been talking a bit more about Stellantis and GM brands this year, but there’s more new coming for them than many others. I’d note too a surprising number of manufacturers didn’t exhibit at the show, including Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Mazda, Mini, and Land Rover/Jaguar, to name a few.
The new electric E-Quinox is a looker. Nice color here too.
Chevy, for instance, has a new electrified Equinox, the emphasis on E, so maybe a hyphen is needed, E-quinox. It’ll start around $30,000 and is due out in the next year. But again it’s a looker that should add to the popular model’s sales.
Cadillac’s new electric SUV, the LYRIQ, is angular and muscular.
Finally, and maybe the biggest surprise to us, was the new Cadillac LYRIQ luxury SUV starting in the $60,000 range and being full electric. Paul and I had seen pictures, but it looks way better in person. Nice fastback profile and spiffy nose and taillights. It’s due in dealerships this spring.
One thing we’ll all have to adjust too is light bars front and rear on cars, glowing logos, and SUVs that offer similar profiles, but with interiors that speak to the brand’s potential customers. Since most electrics will feature awesome acceleration, and batteries will provide a lower center of gravity they’ll handle better in turns. So it will be range and interior looks, comfort, and features that will be their selling points.
Stand by for more hybrids and electrics from all brands. Watch out Tesla, the big boys are comin’ for ya!
This cool vehicle was only with us for three short years.
Subaru took an Outback station wagon and added a pickup bed. The thought was that it would appeal to a new generation of adventure seekers like those who climb mountains, backpack, camp, and kayak. But the Baja, introduced in 2003, wasn’t your bare-bones off-roader. Standard equipment, included a power sunroof, leather seating, an 80-watt CD stereo, a six-way power driver’s seat, and full-time all-wheel drive. You could get mountains of gear inside thanks to what Baja designers called the Switchback. Flip the seat cushions forward, fold the backrests down, and a pass-through door folds flat so you could slide in surfboards, skis, or even a canoe.
While it looked the part of being a serious off-roader, it really wasn’t because the longer pickup bed and aggressive front fascia reduced the Outback’s already marginal approach and departure angles. It had a ground clearance of 7.3 inches, a towing capacity of 2400 pounds, and a pickup bed that is only 41.5 inches long. It had a base price of around $25,000.
Baja waiting in line for another lap at the event. It competed in the all-wheel drive class with my 22 Jeep Compass.
As with other Subaru models, it featured great reliability receiving the 2003 and 2004 J.D. Powers’s APEAL (for Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study) Award which measured owner delight with the design, content, layout, and performance of their new vehicles for “Most Appealing Compact Pickup” and the Consumer Reports 2006 highest score for reliability in the pickup truck category. The automotive press was not always impressed. James Healey, writing for USAToday at the time of the Baja’s introduction called it a “controversial fashion statement with limited utility”.
This Baja wasn’t as hot as its namesake in Mexico.
It rolled out of Subaru’s plant in Lafayette, Indiana beginning in July of 2022 as a 2023 model. Subaru had projected selling 24,000 per year but over the model’s three-year run only sold 30,000 and in April 2006 ceased production.
Thanks for stopping by. Check back next week for another one of my car spots along with some of its history. Have a great weekend and tell your friends about out blog site.
I tried not to embarrass myself in my 22 Jeep Compass
Me in between sessions.
This past Saturday I traveled up to Road America for the second event in the Winter Autocross Series presented by David Hobbs Honda and had a total blast. I was grossly underpowered in my 22 Jeep Compass and ran against cars like Subaru WRXs, BMWs, Audis, and even a Chevy HHR. Check out my video and there is one more event in the series to be held next month. Wait, what are you still doing here? Click here to sign up!
I came of driving age in the early 1970s and while I drove a snazzy copper-colored Plymouth Duster, which I thought beautiful, the Japanese makes were just getting their footing in the U.S. market. Most models were boring, but to me, the “hot” car was Toyota’s Celica Liftback GT.
It was a mini Mustang, and I say that with all due respect for both.
But by the mid-1970s Ford’s Mustang had grown bulky and ugly and then came the Mustang II. Ugh!
Yet Toyota had nailed the long-hood, fastback design, was reliable, and fairly affordable. In short, a winner!
Now Autoart turns its considerable modeling talents to a right-hand drive 1973 model of the Celica Liftback 2000GT in 1:18 scale and it’s a beauty.
Believe me, this IS Moss Green, but is so dark it looks black unless in direct sun.
The History
Celica launched as a coupe and notchback version of the Toyota Corina at the 1970 Tokyo Auto Show. Its name was derived from the Latin word coeliac, meaning heavenly or celestial. Perfect!
Sales were good in Japan and by 1973 it had relabeled its hatchback as a Liftback GT that would ultimately be exported to the US for the 1976 model year. Its lines were Mustang-like and indeed the designers were intending Celica for a similar market in Japan, folks wanting a sporty fun coupe, which the fastback look and lightweight execution along with a performance-oriented engine assured.
The rear-drive Celica boasted a 1600cc I4 with twin Mikuni-Solex carbs that delivered about 96 horsepower via a four-speed manual or automatic. But the Liftback GT had 143 horsepower coming from a 2.0-liter I4, and weighed just 2,295 pounds. That 2.0-liter led to the Celica Liftback 2000GT nameplate and was known as the RA25 version within Toyota.
By the time it hit US shores, the GT developed 95 horses from a 2.2-liter I4, but with a top speed of 109 mph. It rode on a 98-inch wheelbase and was just 174 inches long and weighing 2,615 lbs. All Liftbacks here had flat noses vs. a slanting nose on earlier Japanese models and there was no B-pillar. Additionally the rear quarter windows were fixed, so would not roll down. C-pillar louvers and vertical bar taillights were featured, again looking much like a 1968 Mustang.
The Model
This 1973 model is as the car appeared in Japan as the RA25 version, but looks much like the US model, aside from being right-hand drive. This sample model is a dark Moss Green, so deep that it looks black in less than bright sunlight.
Autoart’s detailing is superb with chrome trim around all the windows, those C-pillar louvers, the door handles, an antenna stub, racy mirrors mounted far forward on the front fenders as was common in Japan, and naturally the front and rear bumpers. Even the leading edge of the hood includes a slim delicate chrome trim and there’s more along the rocker panel, just below the GT 2000 racing stripe on each side.
Celica’s hood opens from the rear and reveals an absolutely stunning engine bay, one of the best I can recall on a 1:18 scale model not costing $300+. This looks like an engine compartment at the dealer’s showroom, clean and tidy with the I4’s header proudly labeled Toyota in silver and a detailed oil filler cap there too. All the wiring and plumbing is in place and there’s a battery, shock tower caps, all fluid bottles including a clear plastic windshield cleaner container on the firewall. Also visible are the radiator, air cleaner, which lays off to the driver’s side by at the car’s nose, plus throttle body hookups, etc. Wow!
There are black vents (three stacks per side) atop the hood, tasteful but racy, while the black grille appears to be photo-etched with a snazzy GT logo. Headlights are clear, but displaying proper depth for a realistic look, and a front license plate proclaims Celica LB 2000GT, as does one on the tail.
Celica’s 5 vertical bar taillights are excellent too with the outer bar being amber with the others red. A fine GT 2000 logo sits mid-tail and a silver Liftback label appears just below that sleek slanting rear window. A chrome Toyota badge is on the hatch’s lower right edge and below the chrome bumper is a lone long tailpipe extending from the left side.
There’s a Celica label and emblem on each rear quarter panel, just beyond the door’s rear edge, and up front on the fenders are amber marker lights.
Tires are black sidewalls with black Dunlap GP Sport labeling that requires a magnifying glass to read. Wheels are chrome rimmed with black centers and a red and chrome cap.
Inside the Celica features black bucket seats and snazzy detailing all around, from the silver inset buttons on the seats to a control lever on the seatback’s side. Door panels are well shaped and accessorized too with chrome window cranks and door trim.
Celica’s dash is highly detailed with seven round gauges of various sizes, all trimmed in silver and with faces that are nearly readable but would require a magnifier to properly view. A fine looking console includes a clock, rectangular air vents, a black handled shifter, and there’s a parking brake handle between the seats too. Steering wheel is black with a fan-shaped four-spoke center, and Autoart completes the interior’s sporty look with a chrome kick plate on each side of the door frame.
Flip up that huge hatch and there are hydraulic tube struts to hold it aloft, a couple of belts to hold luggage in place and a flocked cargo floor and rear seatback.
Autoart delivers as near a perfect model of the Celica GT as one can imagine, and if you loved this Toyota hallmark of a car, or even still prefer the original Mustang, this is a keeper. The two would look great displayed side-by-side!
Vital Stats: 1973 Toyota Celica 2000 GT (Moss Green)
If you’ve read any of my posts, you know that I love cars with big V8 engines, especially the ones from the late 1960s and early 1970s. Of course, my dad having worked for American Motors, I’m partial to AMXs and Javelins, but I love them all like this week’s spot, a 1970 Barracuda.
I see all kinds of cool cars like this in the parking lot of Ironwood Golf Course where I work during the summer.
Like the AMC Gremlin, it debuted on April Fool’s Day, but in 1964. Plymouth took a page out of Ford’s book, speeding up development time and keeping costs low by using the Ford Falcon, but in this case, the Cuda was based on Chrysler’s A-body Valiant.
This was the beginning of the pony car era, started by the Mustang, but soon after joined by the Camero, Firebird, Cuda, and Challenger.
The new model used the Valiant’s 106-inch wheelbase along with the Valiant hood, headlamp bezels, windshield, vent windows, quarter panels, doors, A-pillar, and bumpers. Only the trunk and some of the glass were new. It wasn’t until the third generation, debuting in 1970, that anything left over from the Valiant was finally gone.
Consisting of coupe and convertible models, the all-new Cuda was built on a shorter, wider version of Chrysler’s existing B platform, the E-body. Dodge saw an opportunity and launched the Challenger and although it shared the same platform there were differences. They shared no exterior sheet metal and the Challenger, at 110 inches, had a wheelbase that was two inches longer, and a body five inches longer than the Barracuda’s.
This fish could fly with all those ponies.
Buyers had a choice of ten engines (image that) ranging from the base slant six all the way up to two 440s. Now you’d be lucky if you had two options.
340 Six Pack
340ci
3x2bbl
290 hp @ 5000 rpm
345 lb-ft @ 3400 rpm
340
340ci
1x4bbl
275 hp @ 5000 rpm
340 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
383
383ci
1x4bbl
330 hp @ 5000 rpm
425 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
383
383ci
1x2bbl
290 hp @ 4400 rpm
390 lb-ft @ 2800 rpm
426 Hemi
426ci
2x4bbl
425 hp @ 5000 rpm
490 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
440 Six Pack
440ci
3x2bbl
390 hp @ 4700 rpm
490 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
440
440ci
1x4bbl
375 hp @ 4600 rpm
480 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
According to TopSpeed.com, a Cuda mated to either a four-speed manual or a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic, with a 426 HEMI got from 0 to 60 mph in only 5.8 seconds, the 0-to-100-mph sprint stood at 13 seconds, while top speed was rated at 117 mph. On the quarter-mile strip, the HEMI Cuda was one of the fastest muscle cars available, needing only 14 seconds to complete the run.
This Cuda looks fast even parked.This Cuda had the total package with a 4-speed.
So what are they worth now?
1970 was the best year in sales with 55,499 Barracudas sold, 25,651 base Hardtops, 1,554 base Convertibles, 18,880 ’Cuda Hardtops, 635 ’Cuda Convertibles, and 2,724 AAR ’Cudas. Obviously, the droptops command the most.
In 2015 a 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda convertible, one of just 14 produced, sold at auction for $2.5 million bucks but ones like this week’s spot are much more affordable. According to Hagerty, one in Fair condition will fetch just over $45,000, Good condition, $54,000, Excellent, $74,500, and $92, 200 all very reasonable prices for a piece of American automotive history. Because of the energy crisis in 1973, the end of the line for Cuda came in 1974.
75 Cuda Concept. Photo Source: Hot Rod
But before that, this really cool concept had been produced featuring a Superbird-inspired aerodynamic body and it came close to being built. According to the website Chrome Fin Restorations, the prototype was taken to Cincinnati to be viewed by a consumer group for feedback and the results weren’t great, they weren’t even good.
“That wild body went to Cincinnati of all places, and it was a disaster,” remembers designer Milt Antonick. “I came back from Cincinnati and realized it was all over; management didn’t want muscle cars anymore. It was the saddest day of my career at Chrysler.” This would have easily rocked anything else in the market!
It’s really sad that the pony car era, which came back in 2008, is riding off into the sunset again with the emphasis on cars going green. Certainly electric cars with their fake ICE sounds will never replace the excitement and rumble of these cars.
Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check back next Friday for another one of my car spots along with some history behind it. Have a great weekend.
Auto World’s Ponty celebrates NASCAR’s legendary Fireball ….
There are perfect names and nicknames for race drivers, no doubt adding to their mystique and popularity.
As a kid I had two early favorites, Jim “Herk” (as in Hercules) Hurtubise and Edward Glenn “Fireball” Roberts. Herk was famous at the Indy 500 and Fireball was a legend in stock cars. Sadly, both were badly burned in racing accidents in 1964. Herk survived, Fireball did not.
I was in the stands at the 1963 Yankee 300 at Indianapolis Raceway Park cheering on Fireball, No. 22 in a Holman-Moody Ford, but unfortunately he didn’t finish. A.J. Foyt won in a Plymouth.
So I was stunned the following May when Fireball died a few days after an accident in Charlotte’s World 600 where he spun to miss two other wrecking cars, hit an inside wall and the car erupted into flames. Fire did a lot of damage, but Roberts also was asthmatic and that apparently had weakened his lungs. Still, he seemed such a tough character, it was hard to understand the loss.
The History
Here though Auto World celebrates 1962 when Fireball won the Daytona 500 in a black and gold Pontiac prepared by Smokey Yunick. This is a 1/18 scale version of a ’62 Grand Prix reflecting the same color scheme as Roberts’ car and was one of only about 30 created by Jim Stephens Pontiac of Daytona Beach, one of Fireball’s sponsors.
1962 was Fireball’s year, although he had started racing stock cars in the late 1940s. He always was a winner. How great was he? In a 15-year career he raced in 206 stock car races, and won 33. He finished top 5 in more than half and top 10 in roughly 60%. He won the Daytona pole three times, 1961-63 and was NASCAR’s most popular driver in 1957. Later he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1990.
If you read my DC reviews you may recall Auto World released a snazzy 1961 Pontiac Catalina not long ago, and this 1962 Grand Prix is a looker too, just a bit less sleek than the Catalina. The Grand Prix has a thick, solid C pillar vs. the thin sloping one for the Catalina. Also, the chrome fender trim protrudes out to the edges of the fender over the lights here, whereas on the Catalina they are smaller and less pointed.
There are other differences too.
The Model
For instance, the side trim on the Grand Prix consists of a gold streak indented in the body’s side, whereas on the Catalina this was a raised chrome strip.
The nose is more interesting here with the dual chrome-trimmed headlights extending out into the body side panels that feature a more rounded, some might say sexier, look up. Plus the center of the hood’s nose is more pointed with chrome trim and the extended portions below the hood feature the gold trim used on the rest of the car, reflecting the look of the Roberts Daytona winner.
Taillights are totally different on the ’62, being sort of crescent moon shaped and tucked inside wide chrome trim with extensions that frame the horizontal tail trim, again accented with gold lines.
Engine detail is sharp as one expects on any Auto World car, with twin chrome carbs and headers, plus proper plumbing and hoses and a big battery too. Nifty too that the underside of the car is well detailed so you can see the bottom of the engine and all suspension and exhaust systems, consisting of twin matte silver pipes and mufflers here. Naturally the wheels are steerable.
Inside the interior is less flashy than the Catalina, with black seats and chrome trim and side hinges, and yes, the front seats will fold forward and the steering wheel turns the front wheels. That wheel has a matte silver hub and horn ring with black grips on the sides, but gold trim top and bottom.
While the dash is black with matte chrome trim everywhere, including all buttons, there also is Grand Prix spelled out in gold trim on the passenger’s side dash glove box. There’s a white cue ball shifter on the center console with chrome button on top and a giant gauge (looks like a spotlight) at the console’s front, which could be a tach or race speedometer.
Windows are chrome trimmed, including the vent windows, as are the wiper arms and blade holders. Headlights are clear but etched and taillights are red, naturally. Door handles, bumpers, rocker panel trim and a large driver’s side fender mirror also are chrome.
Hubcaps are the same design as on the Catalina, but with gold trim around the chrome hubs that have Pontiac Motor Division printed in a ring around the hubs.
There’s a fun orange and blue license up front that says GR-RRR!, with Royal printed below, while in back the green on white Michigan plate says simply, Fireball.
One note of warning if you handle your models much before displaying them. Wear a glove here because this black paint scheme is prone to showing finger smudges.
Pontiac enthusiasts should note too that AW has made both a 1961 and 1962 Pontiac Catalina and they are available through the AW online store, autoworldstore.com. Note too that this was an early release model for review and it’s not available on the AW site just yet, but will be shortly.
One final note on Fireball. His nickname didn’t come from his racing feats, but from his days as a minor league baseball pitcher. You guessed it, he had a mighty fastball, so was dubbed Fireball.
Vital Stats: 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix (Fireball Roberts edition)
Maker: Auto World Scale: 1/18 Stock No.: AM1291/06
Jeeps come in all sizes these days and with multiple powerplant choices, the latest of which provided the grunt for the tested 4-door Wrangler Rubicon.
Here the power comes from a 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 with plug-in hybrid system using a couple electric motors to help boost gas mileage and smooth out acceleration. Jeep calls the hybrid a 4-by-E, emphasizing its legendary 4-wheeling system. I’ve tested 4xe (Jeep’s alphanumeric abbreviation) previously and found it quite effective and efficient.
It extends gas mileage and it’s easy to plug in, even to an old-school 110/120 garage outlet. A charge overnight nets 20 to 25 miles of electric range. If you have a 240-outlet it takes less than 3 hours for a full charge.
The white (only color that doesn’t cost $495 extra) Rubicon arrived just prior to our Christmas meat locker chill down and a full charge was closer to 20 miles, but still, that helps make around-town driving more efficient. Sadly I was limited by the cold on how much charging I could do with another car in the garage. So I mostly ran on gas, leaving me with disappointing mpg, but then again it was below zero for several days, always a hamper on mpg.
What I like about the 4xe is that it runs on hybrid power, a blend of gas and electric, by default. Or press a button on the left dash for all electric, or to Save Electric. One imagines that when playing off-road one might use electric power to smooth acceleration AND avoid emissions in the wilderness, keeping it cleaner for other outdoors lovers.
In addition, running on Save-E allows the engine and brakes to help regenerate some electric power to the batteries. So, for instance, driving around town I went from 10% power to 25%, giving me a couple more miles of electric range that I could kick in when wanted.
Aside from the 4xe system this Wrangler is all Jeep, meaning it’s mostly utilitarian inside, yet not Spartan. There’s a 4WD shift lever to engage for better traction in snow, which was needed and proved helpful, or into low-range settings for mudding and splashing about. One can argue how many folks sinking nearly $70 grand into a Jeep will do that, but by golly one certainly can. In fact, it’ll ford 30 inches of water, if asked.
The little turbo I4 here sounds like it’s working pretty hard and can get rather groany, but power seems fine and definitely smoother when the battery power is helping give it an electric assist from a stop. There’s a lot of road noise too thank to its big off-road tires and the canvass roof overhead.
I’d certainly prefer a solid top in winter, but this tester featured Jeep’s amazing Sky One-Touch power top that folds the canvas middle section of the roof back to let in the great outdoors when temps and monsoons allow. This unique feature doesn’t come cheap, a $4,145 option, but includes a rear window defroster and wiper, plus removable rear quarter windows.
Note that the doors are still removable on the Wrangler, but with this special roof the windshield will no longer fold down, a minor point to most of us.
Cool too that Jeep adds four auxiliary buttons below its center stack-mounted info screen and power window controls. That way one can add light bars and other accessories that can easily be programmed to work with a switch.
When off-roading one also can increase suspension travel by disconnecting the sway bar with a button on the stack.
For those of us keeping our SUVs between the highway’s white lines, the Rubicon 4xe is simple to control. The steering is extremely light (good for off-roading), but sufficiently vague to require some extra care when navigating quick turns and corners. The first inch of steering wheel input doesn’t really affect steering direction much.
Ride is generally pretty good, better and quieter than the Bronco I tested last year. But it’s Jeepy due to its two solid axles, so there is some bounce. Yet that is what many of its buyers claim to want as it provides a more exhilarating daily driving experience. Older drivers may prefer to add a cushion to the seats.
Yes, the seats and steering wheel are heated!
Speaking of which, the provided seats are plenty comfy and supportive, at least in front, for daily driving. There’s room for three adults in the rear seat too, although it helps if they are all on speaking terms. Headroom is generous, and limitless if the roof is retracted. Also, cargo room behind the second row seat is ample and the tested Jeep included all-weather floor and cargo mats for $170.
The Rubicon was not without its comfort perks either as heated front seats and a heated steering wheel were part of a $1,195 winter package that also added remote start, a Wisconsin and northern tier favorite. Seats were leather too and the dash was trimmed in a soft material, all black but trimmed in bright blue, the color most car makers use to signify electric battery-aided models. The leather adds $1,995 to the price tag.
That center stack may look intimidating, but it’s pretty simple to use.
While the info screen is modest at 8.4 inches it’s easy to read and use thanks to the UConnect system and large volume and tuning knobs. I had no problem adjusting the screen and its functions, plus it’s not overwhelming like the mega-screens in some SUVs.
Happy news too for off-roaders, there are grab handles all over the place, on A-pillars, dash, etc. Of course for us vertically challenged folks you’ll need one or more of those to enter the high-riding Wrangler as it has no running boards. Yet regular Jeep entry will help build upper body strength.
There are speakers in the solid bar overhead.
I couldn’t find a wireless charger here, but there are plenty of power plugs available. Note too that sun visors are a cheap hard plastic.
Pricing seems to put this in the luxury category when I always envision Wranglers, whether two- or four-door, primarily for serious off-roaders who will cake their wheels in mud.
A base Willys 4xe Sahara model starts at $57,500 including delivery and the upscale High Altitude lists at $63,235. Naturally off-roading is possible with any Wrangler, but the base for the Rubicon 4xe is $60,190 with delivery. The many options on the test SUV pushed this to $69,385, which might stir inhibitions about bouncing it off trees, bushes and rocks.
If not, well, more power to ya! But remember to plug-in every chance you get.
FAST STATS: 2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe
Hits: Off-road capability, plug-in hybrid, Jeepy looks. Room for five, good storage, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, sway bar disconnect for off-roading and good ground clearance. Light handling, plentiful grab handles, 4 auxiliary buttons, power folding top.
Misses: Pricey, vague steering, bumpy ride, tire noise, noisy engine, no running boards, no wireless charger, low mpg when only using gas.
Nobody does it better than Auto World for a submarine/car …
Rare, or should I say never, that I have seen a die-cast car that was also a submarine. But now I have.
If you’re hearing a James Bond soundtrack playing in your head right now then you’re ahead of me. The car/sub in question is the Lotus Esprit S1 as seen in the 1977 Bond thriller, The Spy Who Loved Me, with Roger Moore as Bond and Barbara Bach portraying Soviet agent Anya Amasova as they attempted to stop a megalomaniac trying to destroy the world and start a new civilization under the sea. Naturally!
If you saw it, you’ll remember both Bach (Ringo Starr’s wife) and the Lotus, the later shooting into the ocean while being chased by a helicopter (which the car’s rockets shot down). Then the Lotus’s wheels fold up and four props on the back are deployed to instantly turn the Esprit into a sub, not an easy task.
Nor was creating the Bond car in 1/18 scale, but credit Auto World for doing just that and cradling it in a beautifully crafted and designed display box complete with blue plastic packaging to make the Lotus look like it’s diving into the sea.
The History
Let’s start with the movie. This was the tenth Bond thriller and third with Roger Moore portraying secret agent 007. It was a winner at the box office ($185 million in sales) and later Moore called it his favorite. Some consider The Spy Who Loved Me among the best Bond films after Sean Connery departed, and before the current batch.
In any case, the car played a small role, but was memorable because of its high-tech transformation. Beyond Bond’s classic Aston Martin DB5 of earlier movies, this is the car most Bond aficionados recall most often. Its nickname on set was Wet Willie and the car used in the movie’s underwater scenes ultimately was purchased by Elon Musk in 2014.
Lotus is known for creating cars of speed, style, and athletic performance and this one reminds of a Lamborghini Countach, which debuted a year earlier in 1974. And indeed, its designer was Italian, Giorgetto Giugiaro who penned the design after meeting Lotus chief Colin Chapman at a European car show.
The fiberglass-bodied Esprit debuted at the fall 1975 Paris Auto Show and featured a new 160-horsepower I4, which sounds pretty mild now. But the car was famously Lotus light, just about 2,000 pounds, so would do 0-60 mph in 6.8 seconds, no rocket, but lithe and lively. Plus it looks undeniably fast. Top speed was 138 mph.
Just 718 Lotus Esprit S1 models were made from 1976 to 1978, but other versions were produced up until 2004. Esprit replaced the Lotus Europa model.
The Model
This is a fun one, but is best displayed in its original box in submarine form, as that’s what makes this one special. Besides, it requires patience and nimble fingers to fully convert it into the car, although Auto World provides all the parts. Here’s how that’s accomplished.
Here the fins and engine cover are off.Here the wheels have been folded down.
First, you must take off the fins, rear prop structure, and roof hardware, a relatively easy task. However, to dislodge and fold down the four wheels and tires is awkward. It’s ingenious how they are installed, but they are quite stiff to unfold, especially the front wheels. I could only get two to deploy and appear straight upright. The other two folded down, but canted slightly inward making it hard to install the two white plastic pieces meant to complete the car’s bottom for display.
These are parts to finish either sub or car.The rear wheels are easiest to fold down.
Three round white stickers are included to cover the holes in the roof that accommodate the chrome roof accessories to replicate the sub’s features. More stickers are available to use for either the sub, or car’s dash gauges and others for front and rear windshield louvers to replicate the sub’s appearance.
The Lotus engine is nicely detailed and easy to see.
A gray cap snaps on over the matte silver-gray engine under the rear hatch, again to mimic the submarine’s look. Like the real Lotus engine this one is canted to the left, maybe not exactly 45 degrees as in the original car, but there’s a visible lean to it. Detailing is sharp too and I’m leaving off the cover to display the sub as it’s more interesting that way.
I particularly like the black plastic tail fins and prop covers that hide the chrome props and their black rudders. All props spin too.
Those side fins look great and are easy to pop out from underneath, if you want to go the car display route. The front and rear twin fins each pop out as a unit with just a little pressure.
Machine guns pop from the nose. There was a slight defect on the left corner.Stickers for the windows and dash.
While the headlights don’t rotate up in front the hood can be lifted from the rear to expose a spare tire and the steering housing. Also, a tiny switch under the car/sub can be pressed to release the row of gun barrels on the nose. However, they tend to close quickly once the car/sub is on level ground.
Everything else looks realistic outside, from amber lower nose lights to red taillights along with proper licensing front and rear. The nose and tail include Lotus badging and Esprit logos are on each of the rear roof pillars beneath the gas caps.
Doors open to reveal gray bucket seats with red plaid butt pockets and red flocking for carpet. The dash is gray too with black steering wheel and shifter on the console. Naturally this is right-hand drive.
I like that the chrome door releases are replicated at the bottom of each door and the side windows are open so it’s easy to see inside. Under water you’d want these closed though, right? Windows are all trimmed in black.
It was fun taking the car/sub apart and configuring it both ways, but I’m sticking with the sub look, as that’s what sets this apart.
So, with apologies to Marvin Hamlisch the theme song’s composer, Carole Bayer Sager its lyricist, and wonderful Carly Simon, its singer, Nobody Does it Better, not in 1/18 scale.
Vital Stats:Lotus Esprit S1, James Bond 007, The Spy Who Loved Me
Maker: Auto World Scale: 1/18 Stock No.: AWSS132 MSRP: $149.99
Known for its massive, and expensive cars, the Smart Car was something really different from Mercedes Benz. It all started in 1972 when they decided to explore what cars of the new millennium would look like. The 1973 oil crisis convinced them that they should move forward with a small city-bound car, thinking that transportation trends were going to change dramatically in the coming decades. The production version of the smart was officially introduced at the 97 Frankfurt Motor Show and in October, the first unit rolled off the assembly line.
Found this one sitting on a car lot. Might be sitting for a long time.
Originally developed with the maker of the Swatch, (remember them?) Then CEO, Nicolas Hayek, believed that the automotive industry had ignored the customers that wanted a small, stylish car. It measured just over eight feet long, just under five feet wide, and about the same height. Essentially the size of a golf cart. A three-cylinder gas engine powered it. Later a direct-injection diesel engine version was added bumping horsepower, wait for it, up to 89 from the previous 70. Want to know 0-6 times? Anywhere from 11 up to just under 20 seconds. Yup, a gutless wonder.
There’s nothing “Smart” about this car.
Smart first arrived in the U.S. in 2008 and sold nearly 25,000 copies of the Fortwo in its first year and it was downhill after that. The bottom fell out when the gasoline models were dropped from the lineup and just 1,276 Smart vehicles were sold in the US. It wasn’t long after that Mercedes Benz pulled the plug.
A tiny area for maybe a couple of bags of groceries.
I remember when Daimler bought Chrysler (the merger of equals?) in 1998. It was the first time senior-level managers met from both companies, of course in Germany, and one of the Daimler guys took a shot at Chrysler’s minivan. The Chrysler guy had a great comeback. Well, how about all the Swatch cars that are getting destroyed when they hit a moose on the German roads? Apparently, there are a lot of moose in Germany. Good shot! “I liked driving the Smart so much, I didn’t even care when a little girl pointed and laughed at me”, said Alex Davies in a review for Business Insider.
MSRP for a 2014 was $14,840 all the way up to the convertible at $29,050. It gets a combined 36 mpg. On the other hand, a guy could purchase a much larger car such as the Honda Insight: MSRP, $18,725, 42 combined mpg. There are also several hybrids that are priced a bit closer to the high end of the Smart MSRP that get the same or better gas mileage. What are they worth now? You can pick one up, although I’m not sure why for well under ten grand.
Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend. Tell your friends and be sure to check back next week for another one of my spots along with a little bit of history.
What do a Subaru WRX, BMW M340 X-Drive, Audi S4, and Jeep Compass all have in common? I know, not much, but they all competed this past Saturday in the Road America Winter Autocross Series presented by David Hobbs Honda.
My Jeep (left) waiting for my turn. On the right is a Dodge Charger Pursuit (a cop car).
I was crazy enough to enter our 22 Jeep Compass. Underpowered compared to almost all of the vehicles entered but as I found out, it’s not all about horsepower and speed as much as it is about having fun.
Restyled RX 350 still fills luxury SUV prescription, but …
Luxury and utility are ubiquitous with the Lexus RX 350, otherwise known as the unofficial soccer mom car of suburbia.
This SUV that started out more as a tall wagon when introduced in the U.S. market in 1998 has been the best-selling luxury vehicle here for the past 10 years. Here’s why.
It is Toyota reliable, offers AWD for safety in sloppy weather, has a taller stance for better outward visibility, isn’t too tall to make access a problem, is quiet inside with a leathery interior, holds five comfortably, plus kid cargo under the power hatch, and has good power and ride. Oh, and for a luxury crossover it was reasonably priced.
One can now argue that last point, as the base front-drive RX 350 now tips the financial scales at $48,550 and the AWD model at $50,150. But those other points remain the same. Lexus, the luxury arm of Toyota, has not futzed with success much these past 25 years, other than the RX like an overwhelming majority of vehicles continues to grow larger. For 2023 the wheelbase stretches another 2.4 inches while for styling its tail overhang seems to have shrunk.
If anything, the styling might have stagnated a bit although the chrome roofline trim’s wave down toward the tail continues to add a bit of flair. The hood’s nose though now bulges more (Ram pickup inspiration?) as if its giant grille isn’t noticeable enough. Still, for practical purposes, the RX is just what the doctor ordered.
Handling is moderately easy and simple to control, the multi-link rear suspension provides a well-controlled ride and the new powerplant, a 2.4-liter I4 gives the crossover plenty of acceleration with 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. The only downside to this new engine, which replaces the old reliable V6 that had powered the RX for ages, is its growly nature. Accelerate hard and the RX’s air of luxury dissipates in a grumble that sounds more mid-priced than $50+k. The V6 sounded smoother.
Of course the point is to cut vehicle weight with a 4-cylinder vs. the V6 and with an 8-speed automatic to help gas mileage. To that point, the EPA rates the RX 350 at 21 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. Sadly in 30-degree weather I managed just 20.0 mpg in about 60% city driving.
But I did have the AWD available for when things got a little slick. Soccer moms and dads appreciate that too.
Naturally Lexus loads the RX with all the relevant safety equipment one expects today, known here as Lexus Safety System+ 3.0. That includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, intersection support (arrows flash on the screen to show vehicles approaching from either side), motorcycle detection, smart cruise control with curve speed management, and lane departure alert and steering assist.
That raised bulge in the nose and hood seems a bit much to me.
Other techy items include a digital key, intuitive parking assist, rear cross-traffic alert with auto braking, a head-up display, advanced parking which is an automatic parallel parking system, and Traffic Jam Assist, sort of an autonomous driving mode to help a driver in slow stop-and-go situations where the car can creep along and stay in the lane by itself. Nice for commuters or folks who regularly drive on congested highways.
In theory it frees a little time for a parent to scold a child or work an app or two on a cell phone.
Inside, the driver and occupants will feel sufficiently coddled as the gorgeous dark metallic blue test SUV scored dark gray and brown leather and suede seats with black upper door and dash surfaces. There’s even some suede trim in the door panels. Trim is a satin chrome and the info screen and air vent trim is a gloss black, while the console top is flat black. Overall there’s a hushed tone to the interior.
The test SUV also included handsome Mark Levinson stereo speakers in the doors. That stereo happens to add $1,160 to the price tag, but then you do get 21 speakers and excellent sound quality.
Wisely too Lexus has abandoned that touchy and inconvenient touchpad on the console that was used for tuning the radio and other info screen functions. Now there’s a ginormous 14-inch touchscreen mid-dash to find nearly all driver-selected functions, plus the radio tuning. It works much better than that pad.
A big info screen has been added and the touchy console touchpad eliminated.
The screen seems overly large, yet for us oldsters, it may be just the ticket.
Seats are typical finely contoured Lexus models with power up front and heated/cooled front and rear seats too, plus a heated wheel, a must here among the frozen tundra. There’s also a wireless phone charger and oodles of USB plugs front and rear.
Rear seats get heating and cooling controls.
Those rear seats also will power down to boost cargo space, already a generous 29.6 cubic feet behind row two. The second row seats also can be powered to a slightly reclined angle. Head and legroom are spacious in row two, another reason this is a primo family hauler.
I like that the RX steering wheel is powered too, so it’s simple to tilt or telescope for driver comfort and there are three seat memory buttons on the dash’s left. The driver’s seat and steering wheel also power back and up for easier entry and access once the ignition is off.
A panoramic sunroof is standard and manual sun shades grace the rear side windows, all completing the inner bling for RX 350.
One glitch on this tested pre-production RX 350, an annoying false driver attention warning beep. This happened a LOT, often when I was turning the steering wheel and my arm would cross in front of the driver’s instrument pod, I suppose breaking the electronic beam that was watching my eyes. One hopes that will be less touchy on production models.
Rear seats are roomy and panoramic sunroofs let in oodles of light.
I also am not a fan of the heated and cooled seat controls being located on the digital touchscreen. I feel they belong on the console for easy access whereas the RX used that spot for the auto stop/start button, a hill descent feature, a parking brake, and another off-roading button. Those will rarely be used. In the screen’s defense, the heated/cooled seats and heated wheel controls have an automatic feature so one could set them and forget them, although I found that leading to an over-warm derriere and palm on occasion.
One other design concern as more vehicles move to push-button door releases, copying Tesla. That push button confuses a fair amount of passengers who are looking for a lever. Even after they push the button they’re not sure if the door is to open by itself (it does on the Genesis G90), or if they should push it, pull up on the button area or what. This style change is a solution in search of a problem.
Lots of room for kid gear under the power hatch!
All of which returns us to pricing. I mentioned the basics earlier, but the tested RX 350 Luxury AWD model starts at an even more robust $58,150, including delivery. Adding just the stereo brings it to $59,310 and there are certainly more options that could push it to $65k.
There are a variety of trims for the RX 350 including hybrid models for most, including the Luxury edition. All those hybrids get better gas mileage as regenerative braking and the hybrid system provides modest electric power for early acceleration. I’d opt for a hybrid even though their power is slightly less at 246 horses. Its mpg ratings are 37/34, so quite the bump over gas-only.
A top-line RX 450h F Sport also is available starting at $62,750 and touts 366 horses and a 406 torque rating. Ironically the more powerful 450h gets better fuel economy at 27/28 compared with the tested gas-only Luxury edition, again thanks to hybrid help.
No doubt the RX 350 is still a sound choice for a family luxury SUV that even Goldilocks would consider Just Right!
FAST STATS: 2023 Lexus RX 350 Limited
Hits: Quiet and attractive luxury interior, AWD, controlled ride, fine safety equipment. Huge touchscreen replaces awkward console touchpad, comfy seats are heated/cooled front and rear, heated wheel, panoramic sunroof, power tilt/telescope wheel, wireless charger, power down rear seats, good cargo space.
Misses: Annoying false driver attention warning beeps, growly engine on heavy acceleration, heated seats/wheel controlled on screen, too many functions on screen, less used functions are buttons on console, push-button door release confuses riders. Modest MPG.
I like the chrome trim’s swoosh style to the hatch.
Made in: Cambridge, Ontario
Engine: 2.4-liter turbo I4, 275 hp/317 torque
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Weight: 4,155+ lbs.
Wheelbase: 112.2 in.
Length: 192.5 in.
Cargo: 29.6 – 46.2 cu.ft.
Tow: 3,500 lbs.
MPG: 21/28
MPG: 20.0 (tested)
Base Price: $58,150 (includes delivery)
Invoice: $54,445
Major Options:
Mark Levinson PurePlay Surround Sound w/21 speakers, $1,160
Remember when buying a large SUV didn’t cost as much as your first or second house?
Then again, your house didn’t have smart cruise control, a panoramic sunroof, a 360-degree camera, or even a fancy Bang & Olufsen stereo with 22 speakers. Heck, most of us used to be happy with a couple big boxy speakers and a receiver with bass and treble controls.
Well, times are changing fast and big is definitely viewed as both better and necessary by many vehicle buyers today, despite the increased cost of gasoline. To meet that demand Ford has refurbished its large Expedition SUV and like every other maker has slathered on so much luxury that it rides like a living room atop velvet wheels.
The tested Expedition Limited 4×4 added a whopping $13,960 worth of options to the full-size off-roader already gussied up in its mid-level trim that starts at $69,040, including delivery. So this handsome blue-gray, Blue Tinted Clearcoat ($395 extra), hit $83,000 on the nose. My second home was only slightly more and did come with a ½-acre lot. Hey, it was a few decades ago!
Beyond the size and cost, and note there are three trims costing more, plus an Expedition Max that’s nearly a foot longer, the Expedition is a pleasant highway cruiser. That’s because it’s loaded with luxury and seven drive modes allowing a driver to take it off road or at least splash through mud and slush with the ultimate authority.
I enjoyed the body-on-frame truck, and you would too on a long highway jaunt as the interior is quiet, the leather seats well cushioned and shaped, plus the handling easy, if vague. In fact, there’s barely any road feedback yet still the big brawler is easy to corral in a lane.
Oh, there’s body lean in a tight turn, but there’s no Sport in this Sport-Utility truck, outside of the Sport drive mode you can dial in to firm the wheel, but still it only feels heavier, not sportier or more responsive. Other modes include Normal, Eco, Mud/Rut, Sand, Slippery, and Tow/Haul. There’s also a Pro Trailer setting for easier backing up with a trailer, presumably hauling a high-powered cigarette boat.
Power is not a concern, despite the disappearance of Ford V8s. No, the twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost engine normally creates 325 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. But the test unit added the $9,880 option package that includes both a huge panoramic power sunroof and to the power point, an upgraded 440-horse version of the same engine. It also included a sport-tuned suspension, black painted aluminum wheels and a bunch more (see the stat box).
Towing? Yes, it’ll pull 9,300 pounds.
Shifting comes from a silky smooth 10-speed automatic and despite the sport suspension the Expedition’s ride is boulevard premium. Think old Caddy, Lincoln, or Buick sedan in their hay day.
Inside the Expedition is lined with black leather featuring red stitching, part of the Stealth package, and includes a flat black textured trim on the dash and console that is particularly snazzy and avoids nasty glare that gloss black trim often reflects. Trim around the trim is a chrome look.
No way to avoid the gargantuan 15.5-inch info screen mid-dash. It’s a $795 option here, replacing a 12-inch screen, which likely would be sufficient. No problem seeing this as it’ll overwhelm your eyeballs. Several friends told me it would be way too much for them to constantly look at, and I agreed in that it’s so big you struggle to find some of the touchscreen icons, such as those for heated and cooled seats and the heated steering wheel. Those need to be buttons that are easy to find on the console.
Most of the info screen’s functioning was good, and there’s a large volume knob embedded in the screen, a nice touch. But you must wait a minute for the screen to reboot every time you start the truck. Bigger isn’t always better!
Expedition is a three-row vehicle and roomy for up to eight passengers if you go with the standard second row bench seat. This one had captain’s chairs in row two (both heated), so would only accommodate seven. Cargo room is modest behind that third row, but large once it’s lowered and huge with both rear rows down. Remember there’s a Max version with another foot of cargo room in back.
This is a big beast with a roomy cabin and third-row seat, powered of course!
Ford puts power buttons inside the power hatch for lowering both the second and third row split seats, which makes it flexible for hauling long items, but still packing four or five passengers aboard.
Speaking of power, there are power-adjustable pedals and a power tilt/telescope steering wheel too, and a wireless charger in the console. Power running boards also deploy whenever the vehicle is unlocked or a door opened, and then re-fold after all doors have been shut for several seconds, or the ignition is turned on. I still worry about how these will survive Wisconsin winters, but I’m assured they will.
Not a huge fan of the rotary shifter, but one gets used to it.
Ford makes sure all the usual safety equipment is here, from smart cruise to lane control devices. All work fine.
A few odds and ends. Ford continues with its rotary gear shift knob on the console, which I still find a bit awkward, but I’m sure it’s here to stay.
That Stealth package also adds black accents in addition to the wheels, the badging is black as are the mirror caps and the tires are giant 22-inchers, meaning they’ll cost a fortune to replace, but then this is an $83k vehicle, so one assumes cost is a minor concern to the buyer.
Running boards are powered to aid in climbing aboard, and the sunroof is huge!
Likewise, gas mileage is nothing special. I got 17.8 mpg and the EPA rates this at 16 mpg city and 22 highway. Currently no hybrid Expedition is offered.
A base Expedition XL with rear-wheel-drive lists at $51,080 with delivery and one can add 4WD for about $2,000. That’s not inexpensive, but IS roughly $30 grand less than the tested Limited.
If you want or need more fancy features there’s the King Ranch and Platinum versions, the Platinum listing at $77 grand and easily exceeding $87,000 with options. A new more off-road worthy Timberline edition with additional ground clearance, bigger tires and underbody protection also was new for 2022.
One could imagine Expedition feeling overpriced, but consider the Chevrolet and GMC competitors, the Tahoe/Yukon and Suburban are equally pricy and the new Jeep Grand Wagoneer can hit $100,000 or more. Less pricey models are the Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia, depending on trims.
FAST STATS: 2022 Ford Expedition Limited 4×4
Hits: Handsome truck with oodles of power and room. Good ride, big towing capacity, off-road capable, seats 7 or 8, comfy seats, heated and cooled front seats, heated second row, heated wheel, good safety equipment, panoramic sunroof, power running boards, 7 drive modes, wireless charger, power pedals, power tilt/telescope wheel, pro trailer feature.
Misses: Vague steering, feels huge, monster info screen feels overwhelming, heated seats and wheel handled via screen, rotary shift knob takes getting used to.
Stylish headlights here!
Made in: Louisville, Ky.
Engine: 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6, 375 hp/470 torque
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Weight: 5,837 lbs.
Wheelbase: 122.5 in.
Length: 210 in.
Cargo: 20.9-104.6 cu.ft.
Tow: 9,300 lbs.
MPG: 16/22
MPG: 17.8 (tested)
Base Price: $69,040 (includes delivery)
Invoice: $67,356
Major Options: Blue-tinted clearcoat, $395
Group 304A (panoramic roof, 3.73 Axle Ratio, black exterior badging, reverse brake assist, red brake calipers, 360-degree split view camera w/F&R washer, dual exhaust, floor mats w/logo, Ford Co-Pilot360 assist 2.0, black mirror caps, P285/45R22 tires, active 2.0 park assist, 22 speakers, engine sound enhancement radio equipment, enhanced active noise control radio equipment, Bang & Olufsen audio, black roof rails, power running boards, Stealth Performance Edition pkg. including red stitching, sport-tuned suspension & black painted aluminum wheels and 440-hp engine upgrade), $9,880
Electric hybrid adds cost, but boosts fuel efficiency, smooths power …
When Jeep launched the Grand Cherokee 30 years ago it was among the first luxury sport-utility vehicles on the market that still was affordable (not a Rover) and capable of off-roading.
Jeep continues to make its Grand Cherokee as off-road worthy as anything, including its more rugged looking Wrangler, but the price now peaks at Range Rover levels.
Yet kudos to Jeep for adding hybrid power to its latest Grand Cherokee even though that’s what nudges the price up. This plug-in hybrid, the 4xe, is exactly what makes sense as the go-between from gas to electric power.
Here’s the deal.
On this mid-size SUV Jeep couples a hybrid system with a small 2.0-liter turbo I4 so that an overnight charge on a normal home 120V power line nets 25 to 27 miles of electrical juice. That means that an average user who drives to and from work, or to run necessary daily errands, can run on electricity most of the time. By the way, the power is awesome smooth in the Jeep and when was the last time someone called a Jeep smooth?
In a 230-mile week of driving I evenly split my electric vs. gas powered driving, recharging with the driver’s side front quarter panel plug-in, each evening.
That meant each morning I had a 100% charge and most days I didn’t need more than that. Two trips to the other side of town during the week meant half of each trip was on the juice, while the other half was gas-powered. The results? My combined average was 37.1 mpg, while gas alone (sadly Premium is recommended) averaged just 18.2 mpg, showing the difference hybrid electric power can make. The vehicle also senses when 4WD is not needed and turns it off when not needed.
Cool too that Jeep allows the driver to select (via dash buttons) hybrid power, electric only, or save-E, which mostly runs the Grand Cherokee on gas, saving the electric charge for when you most need it, say in town, or when slopping around field or forest.
Yes, there are still plenty of off-roading choices here, five to be exact. A console toggle allows the driver to select Rock, Sand/Mud, Snow, Auto, or Sport drive modes. Sport seems silly to me on an SUV and here it firms up the steering something fierce, not pleasant at all.
The others will engage the proper 4-wheeling system for the circumstances and if you’re rock-crawling becomes a habit there’s a button to unhook the front sway bar to create more wheel articulation. Note too, the Grand Cherokee has a maximum ground clearance of 10.9 inches, which is a lot. Plus, another toggle on the console allows the driver to hike up the haunches and lift the Jeep to its maximum height, or lower it for easy exits. This Jeep also will ford two feet of water safely.
There’s ample power here as the turbo I4 and hybrid electric motor provide a combined 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque so there’s a tow rating of 6,000 pounds. All is smooth and silky when electric is the power source, but when the Jeep switches to the gas engine, which is seamless, well, the little turbo groans considerably as it seems to be trying to bench press the vehicle’s full 5,500 lbs. Acceleration can be noisy with the tiny turbo.
Folks wanting constant smooth power application probably should opt for one of the gas-only powered Grand Cherokees that feature a V6 or V8. You’ll also save money up front, but more on that in a sec.
A blue tow hook, 4xe logo and jeep logo add color to the tail.
Handling is typical of a mid-size SUV, easy steering with modest feedback and a little body lean in tight turns. It’s all quite controllable and easy to maintain within a lane. Of course there’s all the usual safety equipment such as lane departure, blind-spot warning and parking sensors.
Ride is mostly good too, especially on the highway, but as with most trucks/utes gets jiggly on bumpy city streets as pot holes and expansion joints create some rock and roll, but then it’s a Jeep, right?
That’s not to say it isn’t luxurious. The Diamond Black Crystal Pearl ($395 extra) test SUV looked upscale, the ride is mostly well controlled, and the interior leathery.
Check out the blue tow hooks, hood stripe and blue-outlined Jeep logo here.
I like the little blue styling cues on the exterior, to subtly insinuate this is a hybrid. Apparently bright green and blue do that these days on hybrids and electrics. This one slapped blue trim on all the Jeep logos, the front and rear tow hooks, the rear hatch’s Trailhawk logo and a blue Trailhawk adhesive stripe on the hood, which also featured a flat black hood sticker.
Inside, the Grand Cherokee looks fresh and modern, a big step up from its predecessor.
More blue trim inside with the seat piping and stitching on the console.
Enough black leather here to frighten any herd of cattle, but with a tasteful blue (again) stitching to spruce it up. Seat edges were leather but the main seat surfaces a suede material. Classy.
Shiny black fake wood trim accents the dash and doors and is trimmed in satin chrome. The look is keen, but the reflection off that and the gloss black console surface can be blinding on sunny days now that we’ve passed the equinox and the sun rides at lower angles.
Seats are powered plus heated and cooled in front, with the outer rear seats also heated. I found the butt pockets rather snug in the front seats, but the rears (seats that is) were better. The steering wheel also is heated. One odd problem I found when trying to buckle up each trip, and that’s the seatbelt is hard to pull between the seat and door, a bit of a tight squeeze.
No problem with the digital equipment here though, a big center info screen and digital driver instrument panel. Some numbers on the driver display were a bit small, but the info screen was great and easy to use, plus includes adjacent volume and tuning knobs for the radio, a fine Alpine sound system in the Trailhawk. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard too.
A few things you won’t find on the Trailhawk were surprising though. There’s no sunroof, no wireless phone charger and no running boards. At this top-end pricing I’d expect all three. In the Jeep’s defense, there are oodles of plug-ins available for charging.
There was no passenger-side info screen in the test vehicle, but that’s ok, it’s an option as on Jeep’s Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer.
The digital instrument panel gives you a lot of info, but numbers are small.
Tire noise is considerable with the beefy R18 All-Terrain tires, which would be good for off-roading, but hum like an annoying tone-deaf 5-year-old who loves Disney tunes, even at low speeds.
In back is a power hatch hiding a load of cargo space, so a family of five can vacation, camp, haul, etc. while taking along all the sundries needed for comfort. Second-row seats split and fold flat and the SUV’s plug-in charger can be stowed neatly in a bag under the cargo floor.
Did I mention this is pricey?
Yes, and that was a bit of a shock (sorry) for this hybrid electric model. A base 2023 model (now at dealers) lists at $60,260, while a Trailhawk version starts at $65,455. Move up to an Overland and it’s $69,225, a Summit goes for $72,990, and the premium of premiums, the Summit Reserve starts at $77,470. All prices including delivery. For the record, a $7,500 tax credit may apply to the hybrid models, but check it before you buy.
There’s a lot of space under that power hatch, but only two rows of seats.
The tested 2022 model listed at $64,280 and only added the special color to hit $64,675. By the way, white is the only paint color that doesn’t cost extra on the Grand Cherokee, although other colors are mostly $395, so not a huge add-on.
While I’m all in on plug-in hybrids until our electric infrastructure grows considerably, I should point out that Jeep really charges for the privilege. For instance, a base V6 powered Grand Cherokee, the Laredo, lists at $40,120, but of course has fewer standard features and no 4WD.
Move up to the equivalent Trailhawk gas-only model and the sticker is $56,030. Between are Altitude and Limited models in the mid-$40,000 range.
So choose wisely, especially if your budget already is being stretched. The good news for all 4xe plug-in hybrids, you’ll pay less to power them weekly, and they run as smooth as a luxury sedan, just taller and with way bigger tires!
FAST STATS: 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 4xe
Hits: Off-road capability, five drive modes, plug-in hybrid boosted gas mileage, and good looks. Roomy luxury interior, power hatch, heated/cooled front seats, heated outer rear seats, heated steering wheel, Alpine stereo, good safety equipment. Sway bar disconnect for off-roading and good ground clearance with toggle to raise truck.
Misses: Pricey, tire noise, groany underpowered gas engine, no sunroof, no running boards, no wireless charger, reflective trim, ride can get jiggly, tight seat butt pockets and front seat belts hard to pull through between door and seat.
Superlatives sometimes ring hollow, and years of writing car reviews has proven to me it’s a lot harder to go gaga over a new vehicle and not sound like I’m on the car company payroll than it is to whine and moan about a vehicle that falls flat.
But here goes anyway.
Kia’s EV6 GT-Line AWD gets nearly everything right to entice buyers who may be leaning toward an EV, as in electric vehicle. The EV6 looks fabulous with its slim lights and sleek nose, handsome sporty profile and muscular haunches that could, at a younger age, stir frisky thoughts.
While many electrics look like overstuffed perogi, the EV6 looks trim and sporty, even more so than its cousin, the nearly as fantabulous Hyundai Ioniq 5 tested last week, or the lovely Genesis GV60 tested earlier this summer, all electrics
Thankfully Kia starts with bold futuristic styling, but on the more practical side, the interior is well thought out and beautifully executed, fast charging is possible, the drive is spirited and range is the best of the electrics I’ve tested this fall.
Kia’s EV6 GT-Line AWD could be the best electric car I’ve driven yet as it scores on the main points, looks, power, drivability, range and charging efficiency. I’ve already drooled over the looks, but power?
Yes, like all EVs the acceleration from its torquey twin electric motors (one front, one rear) is impressive. The AWD model boasts 320 horsepower and a torque rating of 446 delivered via three drive modes that allow a driver to go with Eco to save juice, Normal for peppy takeoffs, and Sport for kicking the booty of most non-Porsches. Remember too, it’s AWD, so traction is good in the wet and winter slop.
EV6 drops its battery packs between the front and rear wheels just below the vehicle’s floor so the center of gravity is low and well spread out. Cornering is sporty although steering feedback could be more precise. Sport mode helps that some yet there is some push in high-speed turns due to that battery weight. After a few days behind the wheel that becomes less noticeable.
Ride is firmer than in the longer-wheelbase Ioniq 5, so can become a bit thumpy on really rough roads. But control is good so in normal or highway drives it’s pleasant enough, certainly better than any SUV or large crossover.
Inside, this brilliant Runway Red (bright metallic red) Kia delivers a clean yet stylish dash and seating. A highlight is the twin 12.3-inch screens that are linked as one, so visually pristine. Functionality is good too, swipe the screen for a full menu of options.
Seats are a black suede-like material trimmed in white vegan leather. In fact, the seat material is made of recycled plastic, but one would never know it to see it as the material feels like suede. The black door panels include white armrests and satin chrome door releases, again fresh and modern. That satin chrome is used elsewhere for trim too, including the flat-bottomed steering wheel’s hub and lower section.
The dash is enlivened by a gray textured trim that insinuates modernity and then there’s the huge flat console that sticks up from between the seats like an aircraft carrier deck, yet not connecting to the dash. Under it is a large cubby perfect for a purse and there are plastic side hooks there to snag small plastic grocery bags. Smart interior design.
Atop the black gloss console is a rotating satin chrome gear shift dial (I’d prefer a lever, but I’m getting old), plus at the front edge buttons for the standard heated and cooled seats and a heated steering wheel. Excellent, no screen tapping and sliding to search for these basic functions!
A wireless charger is embedded atop the console too, along with dual cup holders and a small covered storage box. Extra plugs are on the floor up near the firewall and each seat back includes a plug for rear-seat gamery.
Rear outer seats are heated and all seats are comfy with good hip and lower back support. The driver’s seat is powered, naturally.
Overhead EV6 features a small sunroof that powers open and includes a shade, plus the GT-Line adds a Meridian surround sound system with 14 speakers. Nice.
A minor interior complaint, the steering wheel (for me) partially blocks the speedometer located on the far left of the digital instrument screen. However, the GT-Line comes with a heads-up display, which cures that. It may remain a problem in the lower Light and Wind trims.
In back is a power hatch and oodles of cargo space, although a touch less than the Ioniq 5 had when the rear seats are lowered.
What about the electrics, the charging and battery range?
Oh that!
It’s excellent too in that the 77.4 kWh lithium ion battery pack accepts fast charging at 800 volts, so a 10% to 80% charge can happen in about 18 minutes. That’s great when traveling, plus the range is rated at 274 miles, but my full charge registered 278. Kia seems to underestimate ranges so you’re pleasantly surprised by the real deal.
This IS the real deal because I just have a 120Vt outlet in my garage and still got about a 20% charge overnight. For practical purposes that meant I could run errands around town, about 30 miles, then plug in before dinner and was back to a full charge in the morning. The Ioniq 5 would not do that, despite being able, like the Kia, to do a quick charge from a high-volt charger. Not clear on why the Ioniq was so resistant to a 120V charge.
Currently (get it?), Kia also supplies buyers with a card for 1000 kWh of free charging over three years at Electrify America outlets across the country. That’s said to be worth about $3,000, so free juice for a road trip, if you can find an Electrify America charging station en route. There’s but one in our area, in West Allis.
Naturally EV6 is chock full of safety equipment such as smart cruise control, forward collision avoidance, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic, lane-keeping, parking sensors and such. Most of these not only warn you, but help maneuver the car to avoid accidents. Oh, and there’s a 360-degree camera.
Cost remains a concern, at least for the top-shelf GT-Line. List price is $57,115 with delivery. Just the suede seats were added here for $295 to bring the total to $57,410. Note that 2023 models run about $1,000 more.
If economy is more your style, for 2023 the entry-level EV6 is the Wind trim, starting at $49,795 for front-wheel-drive and $53,695 for AWD. The lower cost Light trim was dropped for 2023. The rear-drive Wind trim features a single electric motor creating 225 horsepower, but with a range is 310 miles, so roughly that of a Tesla Model Y.
Wind also adds gloss-black lower front fascia, the power hatch, vegan leather seat trim, cooled front seats and the Meridian sound system. Another plus, for campers, there is a vehicle-to-load (V2L) external power port so a person can charge another electric device, or run a lamp or computer at a remote camping site, etc.
GT-Line basically loads everything aboard. Its second motor delivers that extra 362 hp, plus there are automatic pop-out door handles, body colored wheel arches, the sunroof, flat-bottomed wheel, suede and vegan leather seat trim, rear parking sensors, Highway Driving Assist 2 (a partially autonomous driving system with automatic lane changing), HUD, 360-degree camera, an enhanced version of the forward-collision avoidance system, and deluxe scuff plates.
Other stuff you might care to know:
EV6 offers Smartwatch connectivity so you can start it and more from your watch.
A heat pump uses waste heat from the coolant system to keep the battery warm in cold weather, like in Wisconsin. That avoids the cold sucking down your battery power in winter. Kia claims at 20 degrees the battery is at 80% of what it would be in mid-70 degree summer weather. Bingo!
Paddle shifters on the steering wheel provide four levels of regenerative braking to let you drive with one pedal, the accelerator. I liked the most severe level in that it slows the vehicle quickly and regenerates battery power best. After a day of driving, you find you’re rarely using your brake pedal, except in an emergency.
The AWD model weighs about 250 pounds more than the RWD models.
Yes, there’s a tiny frunk in front, so you can hide valuables, etc.
The digital screens are glare resistant, a major positive.
Last amazing fact, the 114.2-inch wheelbase is the same as for Kia’s Telluride mid-size SUV, which explains why there’s so much room and why ride quality is as good as it is.
This is the top performing electric of the year, and there’s not much year left. Plus, while some electrics aren’t sold in Wisconsin, the EV6 is.
Note too that some electrics are eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit, and some states also offer incentives. Wisconsin does not. However, Wisconsin adds a surcharge of $75 for hybrids and $100 for EVs to make up for lost gas tax revenue from electrics.
FAST STATS: 2022 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD
Hits: Refined futuristic styling inside and out, excellent acceleration + 3 drive modes, easy handling, and AWD. Clean stylish dash, big dual screens, heated/cooled supportive front seats, heated outside rear seats, flat-bottom wheel, HUD, opening sunroof, solid safety systems, Meridian stereo w/14 speakers, wireless phone charger, power hatch. Fast charging and sufficient overnight charge on 120 outlet, nearly 280-mile range.
Misses: Heavy feel in turns, firm ride, rotating shift dial, steering wheel partially blocks speedometer portion of screen, GT-Line is costly.
Made in: Hwasung, So. Korea (builds starting in 2025 in new Georgia plant)
First Hyundai electric is charged with looks, performance ….
Rarely does someone follow me into a parking lot to ask about the vehicle I’m test driving, but electric cars are different.
Still new in the public’s consciousness, some are simply so visually striking that they raise even more questions than range, charge time, and cost.
“What IS that car?” asked the smiling woman leaning out of her mid-size SUV’s window.
The high-tech looker in question was Hyundai’s new Ioniq5, what looks to be the love child of a Back To The Future DeLorean and a Volkswagen Golf. This techy two-tone metallic matte gray and silver car is both sleek and boxy with a smooth angular nose and boxy fancy taillights, something Hyundai calls parametric pixel LED lighting. Say that five times fast!
One nationally noted auto writer called this Minecraft design. It’s apt.
This is Hyundai’s first mainstream electric model and it’s a winner in looks, form and function. For the record, its kissin’ cousin, the Kia EV6, will be tested next week and its high-class cousin, the Genesis GV60 was tested this summer.
The Ioniq5 in this color scheme, called Shooting Star, costs $1,000 extra and is a mix of family hatchback, crossover and sports sedan. How so?
It features a power hatch, AWD, plus it’ll kick bootie when accelerating from a stoplight.
Power comes from two 165 kW electric motors, one each to drive the front and rear axles so there’s plenty of AWD grip, plus a heaping helping of power, a hefty 320 horsepower and 446 prodigious pound-feet of torque to be exact. It’ll rock, although not quite so much as the 429- to 483-horse Genesis GV60. But then it costs considerably more.
Sleek nose, not the blunt looks of the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Volvo C40, or VW iD.4.
Highway entry ramps are Ionic 5’s playground, although truth be told, most EVs are neck stretchers. Car and Driver magazine says this Hyundai will do 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Some sources claim even less. Power is a devil in tails.
Three drive modes help too and are engaged smartly via a button on the steering wheel hub. Convenient! Eco will help extend battery range, as will turning off the climate controls. Normal is plenty quick and Sport turns the Iconiq 5 into a hushed racer.
Drivability beyond neck flexing?
This tail with its sort of pixel-like taillights seems to get a lot of attention.
The Hyundai feels pretty heavy, but at 4,663 pounds actually weighs less than a new gas-powered Ford Mustang. Still, that heavy after-a-meal feeling is due to Ioniq 5’s low center of gravity that makes the car feel electromagnetically stuck to the road. It’s not, but that’s probably coming.
There is push in turns due to that weight, but the Ioniq5 is stable and easy to control and tame a lane. Ride is fabulous because the mid-size car actually has a stretched 118.1-inch wheelbase, a full 4 inches longer than its big SUV cousin, the Palisade. Longer is better as it smooths the ride to luxury levels.
If you’re just beginning to wrap your head around electron-pumping power plants you likely have two or three current (sorry) questions, like range, charging time, and price?
First know this, it all depends.
I had the Ioniq 5 just before chilly fall weather set it. Cold or heat can adversely affect lithium-ion battery range.
The EPA says to expect 258 miles of range, but when I used the sole Electrify America chargers in Milwaukee (West Allis really) a 100% charge left me with 278 miles, better than expected.
I needed a 48% charge at that point to hit a full 100% and it took me 48 minutes, so a minute a percent. However, only a 150kW charger (350kW is best) was available and functioning. If I had been able to use the 350kW charger it likely would have taken 10-12 minutes to top off my charge. For my 48 minutes of battery charge I paid $15, so probably about half what I would have spent for most of a week’s worth of gas as I hadn’t driven my usual 200+ miles yet.
Consider this too, the Hyundai system is designed to optimize ultra-fast charging. So a 350kW/800V charge is preferred and Hyundai says moving the needle from 10% to 80% on such a charger will take just 18 minutes. That’s competitive with the fastest charging competitors.
However, I have just a standard 120V outlet in my garage and the Ioniq 5 barely added 3-4% on that in an overnight charge. Spending upward of $1,000 on installing a 240V line and charging station would enhance that, as one evening I plugged in the car at 60% and its screen said it would be 40 hours to a full charge. Not cool!
Some electrics take to the 120V and 240V charges better. For instance, I charged a Volvo C40 overnight just a few weeks earlier in my garage and got about 20% charge. So, if an electric gets say 2.5 miles per kWh, then that would get net about 50 miles, plenty for a day’s city driving and it allows a driver to mostly top-off the charge each night.
Folks were wild about the Ioniq 5’s wheel design!
That said, the Ioniq 5 got about 3 miles per kWh on average and as high as 4.5 at times.
Enough on range and charging, what’s an Ioniq 5 cost?
It depends, ranging from $41,245 to about $57,000. The base SE Standard Range with two-wheel-drive, one 225-horse electric motor and boasting an even more generous 303-mile range is at the low end, while the tested top-flight Limited with AWD starts at $55,725, including delivery. The test car cost $56,920.
Remember, some electrics will be eligible for federal tax credits up to $7,500, but that gets tricky and needs clarification from the government and dealer before you commit to a purchase. More on that in future stories as the credit fog lifts.
Some government rebates/credits depend on where the vehicle is made. This early-build Ioniq 5 was assembled in South Korea, but Hyundai may begin building them in the States sooner than later.
Yes, there’s a flat-bottom wheel and cool dark red piping on the seats.
Just a bit more as you may be curious about the Ioniq 5’s interior.
It’s clean, modern and techy without being Tesla-ish. There’s a real steering wheel, for instance, and dual 12.3-inch screens surrounded in an iPad-like white trim, very clean. Most functions go through the info screen, including heated and cooled seats and a heated steering wheel along with all radio activity.
Wide, modern, clean, and low is the dash and gauge design.
The interior is two-tone gray, dark over light, with perforated plant-based leather-like seats with dark red piping as an accent. Seating is powered and nicely contoured with a power footrest for the driver so he/she can recline and relax while the car charges. Just sayin’!
Rear seats also partially recline in this roomy interior. That’s aided by the front seat backs being 30% thinner than most, creating more rear seat knee room. Truck space is generous.
Matte silver trim enlivens the dash and door handles and window controls and optically the door pull/armrests blend into the door panel. Clever!
The dual-screen is cleanly trimmed in white, much like an iPad.
Below the big digital screen are buttons for the radio, map, navigation, and such, yet no Home button. That’s found by pressing one of the other buttons and then tapping the Home icon on the screen. One screen tells you your estimated charge and mileage that remains.
Hyundai delivers a panoramic sunroof and power shade, but the roof is solid so won’t open, same as a Tesla. There’s a fine Bose sound system and wireless phone charger too and SmartSense, the Hyundai safety system with forward collision avoidance, lane keeping assist, blind-spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic alert, etc. It covers the whole gamut including smart cruise control.
The panoramic sunroof really brightens the light-colored interior.
There’s push-button start and the shifting is controlled via a stalk to the wheel’s right. You rotate its end for Drive or Reverse, sort of like Volkswagen’s ID.4 system, but this is in a more intuitive location.
This Limited model also comes with a fancy HUD but I couldn’t figure out how to adjust its height, so as a short driver had to stretch a bit to see it at times. There is a white line atop the HUD display and occasionally when I turned a corner it looked like something was darting across the street, but it was just that line.
The Limited also includes a sliding console (universal island) that can move 5.5 inches for or aft, nice feature to make a driver comfy as to where the cup holders or tall armrest is located. Between those two is a big opening where a woman (or man) could lay a purse. That panoramic roof, a 360-degree camera, the Bose sound system and Remote Smart Parking also come standard on Limited.
The power hatch makes loading the cargo area easy.
There’s so much to mention with Ioniq 5 that I’m sure to have left a bit out. But one thing Hyundai likes to tout is the ability to plug accessories, such as a light/radio/TV/laptop, when camping. If the car has at least 15% charge you can run these extras to make an outdoor experience more indoorsy. Hmmm!
Bottom line, Ioniq 5 was Car and Driver’s electric vehicle of the year for 2022 and I agree, from styling to functionality it is tops, so far. Now we’re all just waiting for the nation’s infrastructure to catch up.
FAST STATS: 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD
Hits: Techy styling inside and out, excellent acceleration + 3 drive modes, easy handling, comfy ride, and AWD. Clean stylish dash, big dual screens, heated/cooled and supportive front seats w/reclining feature, HUD, panoramic sunroof w/shade, solid safety systems, Bose stereo, wireless phone charger.
Misses: Range limited to 256 miles, heavy feel in turns, sunroof doesn’t open, charger plug-in is next to passenger’s side taillight, still costly.
Can’t get enough of this snazzy taillight design.
Made in: Ulsan, So. Korea (builds starting in 2025 in a new plant in Georgia)
Tip-top Tundra a giant luxury pickup with a touch of hybrid help …
By definition Toyota can’t top its latest Tundra, dubbed the Capstone CrewMax, and it certainly would be difficult.
First, Tundra Capstone simply can’t get any bigger like all full-size pickups. If it does it’ll likely require a commercial license and its own song about being part of a convoy.
This is basically a match for Ford’s market-leading F-150 hybrid as the Capstone also is a hybrid and touts nearly the same dimensions, meaning a 145.7-inch wheelbase and 233.6 inches in length. The Ford is just a smidgen shorter.
By comparison the Ford is lighter and more efficient, but the Tundra packs more power from its new iForce Max powertrain that adds a hybrid electric system featuring nickel-metal hydride batteries (most now use lithium-ion) to both boost power and improve gas mileage.
The hybrid system links seamlessly with a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 to create an impressive 437 horsepower and a massive 583 pound-feet of torque. It’ll chirp the rear drive wheels if you so desire and hitting highway speeds is no problemo. That makes towing easy too as the four-wheel-drive Capstone is rated to pull 11,450 pounds.
As impressive as the Tundra figure sounds the hybrid F-150 will tow 12,700 pounds with its 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6 that makes 325 horsepower. Numbers can be deceiving.
Odd too that it took Toyota this long to add a hybrid system to Tundra as it pioneered hybrids in its Prius more than 20 years ago. But maybe no one saw the need until now. Ford also just added the hybrid model for 2021.
Both trucks feature a 10-speed automatic transmission and shifts are smooth as is acceleration here. While gas-only Tundras are rated at 18 and 24 mpg, this hybrid has an EPA rating of 19 mpg city and 22 highway, so slightly better around town. I made a roundtrip to Chicago area and the Tundra’s trip computer touted 21 mpg. After that and some city driving it dropped to 20.4 and my $80+ fill-up figures indicated 19.8 mpg. Note too that this has a 32.2-gallon tank, so $125 might fill it if nearly empty.
Still, you’d be hard-pressed to not be comfy in the Capstone or enjoy the drive.
Handling is easy and you’d rarely need the lane-keeping electronics to keep the big beast betwixt the highway’s lines. Cruising a highway is relatively quiet and a pleasure, plus you feel like you’re tall enough to challenge even the dump trucks that barrel past you on the right at 20 over the speed limit. Don’t!
Ride though becomes choppy and bouncy as in most pickups once you head onto side streets and country roads with crumbling asphalt edges and tar strip seams. While Toyota upgraded the rear suspension here to coil springs from a live rear axle there were still abrupt jolts that jostled passengers and surprised my derriere.
There’s even an adaptive variable air suspension with load-leveling here, costing $1,045 extra. That might help with the trailering, but not normal drives on bumpy Midwest roads. Oh, and I set the drive mode to Comfort for most of the drive to help soften things up, to little avail.
Normal, Eco, Sport, Sport+ and Custom are the other modes and basically tighten up the steering and change shift points in the sportier settings. Sport modes in a pickup? Seems a bit much in a luxury liner like this, but one needs to justify the pricing I suppose.
Tundra’s interior certainly helps on that front, looking and feeling as upscale as anything you’d find in a Lexus. It’s quiet too, except when you’re mashing the gas pedal.
A lot of leather and luxury inside the Capstone edition.
The test truck featured a black over white leather dash and black and white leather seats, giving the Capstone an ambiance worthy of its name. Plus Toyota trims the doors, dash and wide console with dark stained walnut and trims the door armrests with brushed aluminum. Air vents are a near matching silver plastic and the door pulls also are brushed aluminum. The console shifter is surrounded by gloss black plastic.
All the interior comfort and electronics you’d expect from a top trim level are here, an expansive 14-inch info screen, attractive color digital instrument screen, a 360-degree camera that’s absolutely needed for proper parking within a parking lot’s lines.
That’s a big info screen, but there are bigger ones yet. Nice wood trim look here too!
Seats are not only semi-aniline leather but powered with a lower driver’s cushion featuring a power extension to help make tall drivers’ legs happy. Front and rear seats also are both heated and cooled and the leather-wrapped steering wheel is heated. Seating is roomy enough for five adults with oodles of head and legroom.
The big info screen is simple to use and there are a ton of toggles and buttons (a bit overwhelming) below it for climate controls and those heated/cooled seats, Trailering aids are there too, including one that allows a driver to program in his or her trailer so the truck remembers its height for easier hook-ups.
Airy cockpit with a panoramic sunroof, roomy rear seat!
Overhead is a panoramic sunroof and sun shade. The rear side windows feature their own manual sunshades and there’s an SOS button overhead along with a button to power down the truck’s center rear window panel, nice if hauling something long that needs to extend into the cab.
That bed, if you care to dirty it, features a black liner, along with over-cab and side bed-mounted lights. Adjustable tie-downs are available too and when you fold down the easy-lower tailgate a step magically extends from beneath the driver’s side rear fender to aid in bed mounting. Even more magical, it retracts automatically once the tailgate has been raised again.
Cleverly a step folds out as the tailgate is lowered, making it easy to climb aboard.
Speaking of magical whiz-bangs, the running boards are powered to fold down once a door is opened and power back up once all doors are closed. Jeep’s Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer and Lincoln’s Navigator have similar systems. My concern is that if per chance this power system fails there’s a huge step-up into the vehicle in which a step-ladder might be called for.
Less whiz-bangy is the 4-wheel-drive system, engaged via a sliding lever on the console. Just 2WD, and 4WD high and low here. There’s no automatic 4WD mode that will engage whenever the truck could benefit from it. This is manually engaged while most 4WD trucks now have an automatic AWD mode.
On the brighter side, Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.5 is standard on Tundra meaning all the usual safety equipment is here including smart cruise control, blind-spot warning, parking and lane warnings, along with automatic braking, and a lot more.
Manual rear window sunshades are standard on Capstone.
One final functional aside. Toyota continues to use a gas cap on the fuel filler. While not unusual, Ford and others now offer capless fillers and it’s surprising that Toyota hasn’t simplified their system for consumers yet.
This test Tundra’s exterior was a beautiful sparkling pearl white, called Wind Chill Pearl, certainly fitting for Wisconsin, and a color similar to one popular on Lexus sedans. The pearl color costs $425 extra and oozes luxury.
That was just one of three options here, the main one being the air suspension, so the Tundra’s price didn’t climb much from its $75,225 start, including delivery. That’s right the Capstone is a high-end luxury truck so settled at $76,760. A lease or a 6-year purchase might be called for at that price, but it’s not out of line with the F-150 hybrid. My Ford test truck last year hit nearly $71,000 and while nice, the Capstone’s interior is superior.
No mistaking what this truck’s name is.
The Tundra hybrid comes in five trims, the base Limited (remember when this was the top level?) with 2-wheel drive lists at $54,695 and features a 5.5-foot bed, like the Capstone edition. Moving up to the 4WD Limited with a 6.5-foot bed boosts entry to $58,025. You can also find Platinum and 1794 editions and the TRD Pro, which caters to the off-roading crowd with thick wallets.
Your call Mr. Gates. If you can afford a luxury pickup, the Capstone is, well, atop the Toyota offerings and competitive with the market leader.
FAST STATS: 2022 Toyota Tundra Capstone CrewMax (Hybrid)
Snazzy headlight styling on Tundra.
Hits: Massive truck with big interior, slightly better gas mileage with hybrid, excellent power with quiet luxury interior. Huge info screen and fine digital instrument panel, heated wheel and heat/cool front and rear seats, 360-degree camera, power running boards and automatic fold down tailgate step. Excellent towing power and acceleration, decent handling and good safety systems.
Misses: Bouncy truck ride, a lot of buttons in the cockpit, still has gas cap and if the power running boards ever fail you’ll need a stepladder to climb in.
Auto World’s latest Warlock not as spooky as its name …
Today it is hard to imagine any vehicle being named Warlock without an entire marketing department being fired and the automaker’s PR staff committed to a mental institution in the aftermath.
But Dodge played loosey-goosey with names and color descriptions throughout the 1970s. Remember Dodge’s purple being labeled Plum Crazy? So when Dodge decided to make factory-custom pickups beginning in late 1976 the Warlock name was chosen.
Auto World bravely jumped into the die-cast pickup market itself a couple years back and the 1977 Warlock was a hit, so now comes a 1:18 scale Warlock II, a 1979 model of the fancified D100 Utiline.
The History
Styling was tweaked for ’79 with a new nose and hood. And inside it was loaded with goodies not standard at the time, like air conditioning, cruise control, a radio and a clock. The Utiline bed with real oak sideboards was an option, as were the wide tires and custom wheels. This model has all of the above.
Originally Warlock was a limited release, sort of a test by Dodge to see if the factory-custom truck idea would fly. That original had gold wheels, gold pin-striping, bucket seats, wide Goodyear tires and oak sideboards and bed flooring.
By 1977 Dodge had moved the Warlock into full production and began offering it in more than just black. As in the earlier AW model, there was dark green now. Other colors were blue, red, and of course, black. All Warlock interiors were black, to keep costs down and builds as simple as possible.
For 1979 the standard engine was a 145-horsepower, two-barrel 318 cu.in. V8. Also available was a four-barrel 360 cu.in. V8 that that made 160 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque. Warlock II was available in 2- or 4-wheel drive and sold through the end of the 1979 model year.
One could argue Dodge started fueling America’s love with fancy pickups, which the Ram continues today.
The Model
What’s new and different on the 1979 model vs. the earlier 1977? All the changes are up front.
Here’s that new grille and single headlight look for 1979, plus a detailed V8.
By 1979 Dodge had moved to large single headlights and a more streamlined hood with its two panels slightly raised, and of course outlined on the Warlock II with gold pin striping and filigree, which also decorates the front fenders and cab, plus the cab’s roof and the big bulging rear fenders. Even the tailgate features the gold trim along with a gold and black Warlock II nameplate in the tailgate’s center.
Face it, Dodge had figured out how to customize its pickups at the factory and this model reflects that with the sparkling Canyon Red paint scheme that looks deep with a touch of cinnamon tossed it for a bronze tint to this metallic finish.
Yes, the tailgate lowers on the snazzy Auto World Warlock II.
Warlock’s grille is a massive chrome number, beautifully recreated, plus chrome front and rear bumpers, large side mirrors, wipers, door handles and side steps on this Stepside model. The racy custom Mag wheels also are chromed and there’s a silver gas cap by the step on the driver’s side. A short chrome antenna protrudes from the top of the passenger’s side front fender.
Just like the earlier 1977 model, this ’79 touts a blue block Mopar V8 under the huge hood that is supported by solid hinges so is easily posed open. There’s a black air filter cover along with big black hose running to the radiator. A white coolant container also is visible along with a white top just over the radiator and a power steering unit protrudes from the firewall.
As with the previous model the bed features textured wood-look plastic panels with red metal seams in the floor and the same wood-look railing on each side of the bed to mimic that of the original truck. This is a little lighter shade (a tinge of yellow) than I’d like, but still features a wood-grained texture. In back that tailgate also can be lowered.
Sharp looking cab here with reflective face gauges for added realism.
Inside, the cab is mostly black, but the door panels include more of that gold pin striping at the top to add some glam while also boxing out the lower portions of the doors to add color in what otherwise would be a dark interior. Just a bench seat as there was no Crew Cab at the time, and the dash looks great with a detailed instrument panel that includes reflective gauge faces to add realism. In addition, the steering wheel features three silver spokes while there are no seatbelts on those black seats.
Rubber tires are treaded and branded as Goodyears and freely roll, plus the front wheels are steerable for posing purposes. As with other AW models, the undercarriage is nicely detailed too, including a spare tire under the bed, a full exhaust system, differential, and detailed front suspension.
I really liked the 1977 Warlock, but this color is so striking and the single headlight grille seems a bit more handsome too. Hey, plus it’s a Warlock!
Vital Stats: 1979 Dodge Warlock II
Maker: Auto World Scale: 1/18 Stock No.: AW298 MSRP: $119.99
Camry Hybrid may just be the perfect family sedan …
This may surprise you, but it’s exceedingly rare that I long for a test car that has been returned, but this week even I was surprised at my disappointment when of all things a 2023 Toyota Camry XLE Hybrid left the Savage abode.
You might suspect I’d have saved my tears for a Nissan Z, a Genesis GV60, or a new Corvette. Those too can tug at the tear ducts.
Several people even poo-pooed my fortunes for having to test the “dullest” car in America, but I quickly corrected them. Maybe they were thinking of the Prius.
There are reasons why Toyota’s Camry has been the top-selling sedan in the US market for roughly 20 years. It’s becoming the Ford F-150 of sedans via its longevity atop the market.
Camry is a champ and rocks on so many fronts I’ll try to be brief in my summary, but there’s a lot to unpack.
Start with looks, something I bet you’d never suspect I’d say. But a couple years back Toyota chose wisely and drank from the better styling cup. Ever since the once blah Camry has turned edgier with a sleek, beautiful nose that makes its Lexus luxury brand look downright gaudy. The headlights are slim and wonderfully blended with the grille and hood. The profile is slim and elegant, and the tail, well, just fine.
Bathe the handsome, sophisticated Camry in Supersonic Red (just $425 extra) and the sedan becomes Lady Gaga in a sequined gown.
Love engine choices? For internal combustion (gas) engine lovers there are two choices, including a powerful V6, but for families on a budget and with even a smidgen of social consciousness the Camry Hybrid is a rock star.
Camry’s 2.5-liter I4 combined with Toyota’s proven (20+ years) hybrid system nets a 44 mpg rating city and 47 mpg highway from the EPA, yet still delivers 208 horsepower. And get this, in about 80% highway driving I got a stellar 48.2 mpg. For more than 450 miles of driving I spent $25. Your weekly commute gas budget just giggled.
“Parental unit, can we stop for frozen custard on the way home from soccer practice?”
But if this were an econobox that was cramped and had no digital doodads or safety gear … Well, it’s not.
Camry is a mid-size sedan but rides on a 111.2-inch wheelbase to give it an excellent ride, coupled with good, easy, well-controlled handling. Comfort reigns, but is never grandma’s plastic-covered living room dowdy.
The power from the hybrid system that gets its electric charge from regenerative braking is quickly delivered, but acceleration is smooth, mild, but steady. An electronically adjusted CVT (continuously variable transmission) is partially responsible for that and for the excellent MPG.
There’s a Sport mode on the console to kick up the acceleration some, and is handy for highway entry. Still, this will not resemble a sport sedan’s quickness. Normal and Eco mode also are available. Normal is what you’ll stick with 90% of the time.
Finally, a good-sized touchscreen with buttons all around and is easy to use.
Interior comfort is guaranteed too with the XLE being Camry’s luxury-leaning trim level that provides 8-way power leather seats with the front ones being heated. Seats are mildly contoured so pleasant on a long drive and there is plenty of room in back for three adults. XLE also upgrades the standard 8-inch info screen to 9 inches.
But it’s the design of the touchscreen that impresses beyond its size. Instead of a silly knob on the console or a mix of onscreen and dash buttons, there are 8 key buttons around the screen (4 to a side) clearly labeled Home, Menu, Audio, Map, Seek, Track, Phone and Apps. Smartly there also are volume and tuning knobs.
All this makes the info screen and JBL sound system (standard on XLE) a breeze to engage while driving. Take that you tech-for-tech’s-sake luxury brands.
Camry delivers a good-looking interior with everything logically located.
Another plus, Camry’s interior is sharp looking in addition to being functional.
This bright red car’s leather was a cream color and the seats perforated for better airflow from its heated and cooled seats. Heat is standard while the cooling is part of a $1,430 package that includes a 10-inch color HUD, panoramic view monitor, front/rear parking assist with automatic braking.
Elegant streamlined designed, even in the door panels.
The dash and door tops are black to create a two-tone interior, pretty common these days among the sharper vehicles. Trim is a graphite gray around the air vents and other dash trim, plus the armrest trim by the power window controls and the console’s top. There is a bit of gloss black trim on the stack, but not enough to create reflection woes.
Overhead is a sunroof ($860 extra) and for a modest $150 the leather-wrapped steering wheel is heated, a Wisconsin necessity.
Standard features include a wireless phone charger under the center stack, smart cruise control and a bevy of other safety equipment, all part of Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.5. That includes a pre-collision system with pedestrian and cyclist recognition, a lane departure system with steering assist, automatic high beams, lane tracing assist and road sign assist.
Toyota also allows a driver to override the lane departure system, so if you’re in a congested and construction-heavy city or highway driving situation you can punch a button and not have the system beeping or trying to keep you centered in your lane. Bravo. Having this choice often is a safety concern these days.
Assuming you have five adults on board, which again IS possible here without amputations or forcing anyone into a socially embarrassing position, there’s oodles of trunk space for luggage. At 15.1 cubic feet the deep trunk will hold luggage for the entire crew, even several sets of golf clubs.
The only thing I missed, the only negative here, is large map pockets in the doors. These were tiny and tight to get at, so of limited use.
Pricing is amazing, a bargain throughout the lineup and should push more dollar-conscious buyers toward a sedan and away from mid-size crossovers and gas gulping SUVs.
The base Camry Hybrid, the LE, starts at $29,105 including delivery. There are five trim levels with the XLE being mid-level luxury at $34,065 including delivery. The sportier XSE is just about $500 more. The SE and SE Nightshade (featuring blacks and dark blues) also are available in the hybrid model.
Adding 11 options pushed the test car to $40,232, still an average new car price, so certainly one could be had mid-$30k range. No AWD feature is available, same as its main competitor, Honda’s Accord.
Gas-powered Camrys are available in that same price range, topping out with the TRD model featuring the 308-horse V6.
Stylish lights and nose help keep Camry atop the sedan market.
But for families on a budget, yet not wanting to look like it, the Camry Hybrid in any form is a bargain to buy, and operate, but with a luxury look, feel and all the digital goodies one actually needs.
Camry remains king of the sedans.
FAST STATS: 2023 Toyota Camry XLE Hybrid
Hits: Sharp styling, great mpg, excellent ride, good handling, decent power in comfy family sedan. Good rear seat and trunk room, sunroof, heated steering wheel, heated/cooled front seats, super info screen and buttons, wireless charger, smart cruise control and on/off lane departure, plus 3 drive modes, JBL sound system, comfy power seats. Bargain pricing!
Misses: Small door map pockets
Made in: Georgetown, Ky.
Engine: 2.5-liter I4 hybrid, 208 hp/163 torque
Transmission: ECVT automatic
Weight: 3,565 lbs.
Wheelbase: 111.2 in.
Length: 192.1 in.
Cargo: 15.1 cu.ft.
MPG: 44/47
MPG: 48.2 (tested)
Base Price: $34,065 (includes delivery)
Invoice: $31,358
Major Options:
Driver assist pkg. (10-inch color HUD, panoramic view monitor, front/rear parking assist w/auto braking, multi-stage cooled front seats), $1,430
Heated steering wheel, $150
Adaptive headlights, $615
Nav pkg. (premium audio, 9-inch touchscreen w/nav, 9 JBL speaker w/subwoofer & amplifier, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay compatible, satellite radio for 3 months), $1,760
