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AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

Cardboard Jungle Deliveries of online purchases are taking a toll on city streets.

It turns out that the convenience of

buying anything—toilet paper, toilet brushes, toilets—with a single tap from the comfort of your porcelain throne isn’t without inconvenience in major cities.

Because of our online-shopping habits, delivery vehicles are stacking up in urban areas like cardboard boxes in a dumpster.

E-commerce has more than doubled in the past decade, growing from 4.6 percent to 10.7 percent of U.S. retail transactions. The corresponding rise in home deliveries—Amazon’s network alone transported more than 3.5 billion packages globally last year—is clogging city streets with trucks that stop frequently and often park illegally. While trucks ZNXR b] $ ]R_PR[a \S a_N¦P V[ ZNW\_ PVaies nationwide, they’re responsible for an outsize 11 percent of congestion, according to the 2019 Urban Mobility Report from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.

AUR RßRPa` UNcR ORR[ ]_\S\b[Q V[ dense cities like New York. According to a recent New York Times analysis, daily package volume to households in the Big Apple tripled from 2009 to 2017 while the amount of physical space for the ubiquitous white, blue, or brown delivery vehicles remained static. Drivers have

20

resorted to taking over street corners with their trucks, sorting packages on sidewalks as they conscript public space for private industry. They don’t always get away with it, though. New York City handed UPS a bill for $33.8 million for ]N_XV[T ¼[R` V[ % N[Q TNcR 3RQ2e \[R for $14.9 million. .[Q Vaµ` YVXRYf a\ TRa d\_`R 3RQ2e expects the number of packages delivered in the U.S. to double by 2026, to 100 million per day, with 90 percent deriving from e-commerce and the overwhelming majority of this volume going to residences. The `\YbaV\[` S\_ _RQbPV[T QRYVcR_f a_N¦P N_R as far-fetched as anything the autonomyand drone-loving tech industry has come up with [see “Thinking outside the Box”].

3\_ [\d aUR P\Z]N[VR` ZNXV[T N ObPX on the delivery boom are doubling down.

3RQ2e _RPR[aYf Re]N[QRQ Va` _R`VQR[aVNY service to seven days a week and added [RN_Yf cN[` a\ Va` ½RRa N[Q .ZNg\[ has ordered 100,000 electric vans from startup automaker Rivian. But like loosening a belt to cure obesity, having more delivery vehicles only worsens the problem. It guarantees that the cost of shipping remains low and the packages—and the trucks—just keep coming. —Brett Berk

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX — FedEx’s experimental lidar- and cameraequipped electric delivery bot, called Roxo, proposes a future where urban delivery traffic moves from the streets to the sidewalks. Roxo weighs 200 pounds, can carry 100 pounds, and is capable of climbing stairs, making it an outlier among delivery drivers. What’s more, in the suburban town of Christiansburg, Virginia, the company has tested a flying delivery drone, developed with Wing, that drops small packages mere steps from a recipient’s front door.

I L LUST RAT IO N BY RYA N O L BRYSH ~ MAY 2020 ~ CAR AND D RI V ER

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CHANGING TIDES

V-10, We Hardly Knew Ye We understand why automakers are abandoning the 10-cylinder engine, but that doesn’t mean we have to like it.

The VW Group’s 5.2-liter V-10 is the last of its kind for sale in U.S.-market passenger cars. It makes up to 631 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque.

In the early 1990s, when the electric

revolution was still a twinkle in Elon Musk’s eye, the 10-cylinder engine stood at the cutting edge of powertrain tech. Having motivated Formula 1 racers since 1989 (until 2006), a V-10 was a way for brands from Ford to Lamborghini to add mystique to their lineups. But now there’s just one on the market, and it’s \[Yf V[ `Ve ¼Tb_R Re\aVP` V-10s have plenty of charm. Most are naturally aspirated and make wonderful noises, and many of them return stellar performance numbers at the track. But tastes change through the years. In the past two decades, nearly every V-10 has been replaced by a smaller V-8, most of which produce more power than the 10-pots that came before.

Cases in point: The Dodge Viper’s C ±aUR ¼_`a a\ ZN_XRa V[ && dUR[ it was a 400-hp 8.0-liter—grew to a massive 8.4 liters and 645 horses before Dodge discontinued it in 2017. It was surpassed by the Hellcat V-8, a supercharged 6.2-liter that makes up to 797 horsepower and 707 pound-feet of

torque. Similarly, with 430 horses and 475 pound-feet, Ford’s new 7.3liter V-8 packs a bigger punch than the Triton V-10 that powered earlier Super Duty trucks, Excursions, and E-series vans. BMW replaced the V-10 in the M5 and M6 with a more potent twin-turbo V-8. And while the Lexus LFA had no direct successor, its V-10 will undoubtedly be overshadowed by the twinturbo eight that we expect to power Lexus’s next halo car, the LC F. The Volkswagen Group has been perhaps the greatest patron of the 10-cylinder. But in 2014, a plug-inhybrid V-8 powertrain made the Porsche 918 Spyder—the successor to the V-10-powered Carrera GT—the quickest car we’ve ever tested. And the V-10 has given way

to twin-turbocharged V-6 and V-8 engines in the Audi S6 and S8.

Advanced technologies have indeed provided a replacement for displacement. Today’s F1 innovations have more to do with electric motors and energy recovery than [\cRY PfYV[QR_ P\[¼Tb_NaV\[` Now that the Viper engine is out of production, the only V-10 on the market is the one in the Audi R8 and the Lamborghini Huracán.

Modern powertrains are interesting and innovative, maybe even revolutionary—a distinction the V-10 can’t quite claim. But there is something visceral and wonderfully unusual about the best V-10s that the whirring of an electric motor or the torque surge of a turbo engine simply can’t replace. —Noah Joseph

PASSENGER-VEHICLE 10-POTS THROUGH THE YEARS

22

2020

2015

2010

1995

1990

Viper, 8.0–8.4-L, 400–645 (Dodge/SRT Viper, Dodge Ram SRT-10) Magnum V-10, 8.0-L, 300–310 (Dodge Ram 2500/3500) S85, 5.0-L, 500 (BMW M5, M6) 1LR-GUE, 4.8-L, 553 (Lexus LFA) M80/01, 5.7-L, 604 (Porsche Carrera GT) 5.2 FSI, 5.2-L, 429–631 (Audi S6, S8, R8; Lamborghini Gallardo, Huracán) Lamborghini V-10, 5.0-L, 493–523 (Lamborghini Gallardo) 5.0 TDI, 5.0-L, 310 (Volkswagen Touareg) Triton, 6.8-L, 305–362 (Ford E-series, Excursion, F-series Super Duty)

2005

Production Years

2000

Engine, Displacement, Horsepower (Models)

M AY 201 9 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

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Da n i e l P u n d

Rug Doctor The carpet here at Car and Driver headquarters is ]_Raaf af]VPNY P\ZZR_PVNY T_NQR `abß aUR XV[Q f\b ZVTUa ¼[Q V[ N[ NV_]\_a Y\b[TR V[ 0RQN_ ?N]VQ` 6\dN \_ N QR[aV`aµ` \¦PR V[ 2bTR[R <_RT\[ 6a V` \S [\ ]N_aVPbYN_ P\Y\_ <_ _NaUR_ Va V` d\cR[ \S `\ ZN[f P\Y\_` N` a\ N]]RN_ YVXR [\[R V[ ]N_aVPbYN_ B[S\Pb` f\b_ RfR` N[Q Vaµ` N `\_a \S QN_X XUNXV O_\d[ UbR /ba Vaµ` ORR[ QR`VT[RQ aUNa dNf a\ P\\_QV[NaR dVaU N dVQR cN_VRaf \S `aN[QN_Q \ß aUR `URYS Z\QR_[ \¦PR Sb_[Vab_R .[Q Vaµ` Qb_NOYR UNcV[T `b_cVcRQ Z\_R aUN[ N QRPNQR \S NOb`R N[Q `Ub¤V[T a_N¦P dVaU\ba Y\\XV[T N[f ORaaR_ \_ d\_`R aUN[ dUR[ Va dN` V[`aNYYRQ @V[PR 6 N__VcRQ ONPX Na Car and Driver as deputy editor NO\ba [V[R fRN_` NT\ NSaR_ N `RcR[ fRN_ UVNab` aUR PN_]Ra UN` `R_cRQ N` N _RNQf ZRaN]U\_ S\_ aUV` ]YNPR DUR[ aUR[ RQVa\_ V[ PUVRS 2QQVR .YaR_ZN[ d\bYQ ORZ\N[ `\ZR R[a_R[PURQ cVRd \S aUR `aNß 6µQ `Nf ²:N[ aUNaµ` Wb`a V[ aUR PN_]Ra N_\b[Q UR_R ³ 5R `RRZRQ [\a a\ ZV[Q aUNa aUV` \O`R_cNaV\[ QVQ[µa NPabNYYf `\YcR N[f ]_\OYRZ @\ 6 b`RQ Va S_R^bR[aYf

An obviously despondent Eric Tingwall is seen here trying to get all of the Pund out of the carpet.

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;\d N` 6 ]_R]N_R a\ YRNcR Car and Driver S\_ aUR `RP\[Q aVZR V[ Zf PN_RR_ 6µZ T\V[T a\ ZV`` b`V[T aUNa YV[R 6 d\[µa `\ ZbPU ZV`` aUR NPabNY PN_]Ra \S P\b_`R AUV` RcR[ aU\bTU aUR ¼OR_` N_R VZObRQ dVaU Zf \d[ T_VZR' `URQ `XV[ PRYY` `]VYYRQ P\ßRR N[Q dUNaRcR_ 6 a_NPXRQ V[ S_\Z \b_ TN_NTR AUR_Rµ` NY`\ ]_\ONOYf N OVa \S Zf O\QVYf ½bVQ` V[ aUR ZNV[ [\_aU `\baU UNYYdNf \S aUR ObVYQV[T AUNaµ` dUR_R Qb_V[T N a\] `]RRQ aR`a \S N <[RdURRY ON`VPNYYf N `XNaRO\N_Q dVaU \[R RYRPa_VPNYYf ]\dR_RQ T\ XN_a aV_R aU_\bTU aUR PR[aR_ 6 dV]RQ \ba `\ UN_Q 6 R[QRQ b] \[ aUR PN_]Ra SNPV[T aUR \]]\`VaR QV_RPaV\[ dVaU N ZN`URQ a_N¦P P\[R b[QR_ Zf N`` <[Yf `Ve Z\[aU` \S ]Uf`VPNY aUR_N]f YNaR_ 6 dN` [\a ZbPU d\_`R aUN[ 6 dN` ORS\_R aUR NPPVQR[a .a YRN`a aUR `XVQ ZN_X` dR YRSa Qb_V[T N[ VZ]_\Z]ab 3_VQNf NSaR_[\\[ _NPR \S N S\YQV[T RYRPa_VP `P\\aR_ UNcR ORR[ _RZ\cRQ AUR YN] aVZR` N_R `aVYY \[ aUR dUVaRO\N_Q Of aUR ¼[V`U YV[R aU_RR fRN_` NSaR_ aUNa ]N_aVPbYN_ O\ba \S `ab]VQVaf DUR[ 6 ¼_`a dNYXRQ aU_\bTU Car and Driverµ` Q\\_ Na aUR \YQ 5\TONPX ?\NQ Y\PNaV\[ _VTUa Na aUR ab_[ \S aUV` ZVYYR[[VbZ 6 dN` U\[\_RQ Wb`a a\ `Ra S\\a \[ aUNa \¦PRµ` R^bNYYf b[Naa_NPaVcR PN_]Ra 6 dN` V[ aUR P\Z]N[f \S TVN[a`' /_\PX FNaR` N[Q =Na_VPX /RQN_Q N[Q 7\U[ =UVYYV]` `aVYY _\NZRQ aUR UNYY` NY\[T dVaU ZN[f \aUR_` dVaU YR`` [NZR _RP\T[VaV\[ Oba a_RZR[Q\b` aNYR[a DRYY =UVYYV]` dN` `R^bR`aR_RQ V[ N P\YQ _\\Z NP_\`` aUR Na_VbZ Oba `aVYY AUR [Rea aVZR 6 Y\\XRQ N_\b[Q 6 dN` ]N_a \S aUR ]YNPR N ¼OR_ V[ aUR PN_]Ra 6µQ ORR[ V[`aVabaV\[NYVgRQ 6 dN` N Car and Driver Tbf RcR[ dUVYR 6 dN`[µa NPaVcRYf RZ]Y\fRQ Na aUR ]YNPR 6 NPabNYYf PN_RQ dUR[ ]R_SRPa `a_N[TR_` `bO`aVabaRQ N[ NZ]R_`N[Q S\_ aUR ²N[Q³ V[ \b_ [NZR :f QNbTUaR_` ZNQR 3NaUR_µ` 1Nf PN_Q` dVaU Car and Driver aURZR` DUR[ aURf ObVYa N ]NV[aRQ PN_QO\N_Q PVaf Na N `bZZR_ N_a PNZ] \[R \S aUR ObVYQV[T` dN` Zf \¦PR dVaU N SNVaUSbYYf _R[QR_RQ Car and Driver Y\T\ 6a dN` `VaRQ aU\bTUaSbYYf NP_\`` aUR `a_RRa S_\Z N ObVYQV[T dVaU N TVN[a PURR`ROb_TR_ \[ a\] 6 P\bYQ[µa OR ]_\bQR_ \S UNcV[T ORP\ZR `\ R[ZR`URQ V[ aUR \]R_NaV\[ 6 P\bYQ[µa OR ]_\bQR_ \S aUR `aNß \S ]_\SR``V\[NY` 6 d\_XRQ dVaU \cR_ aUR fRN_` dU\ a_RNaRQ Car and Driver dVaU NO`\YbaR _RcR_R[PR N[Q RcR_faUV[T RY`R V[ aUR d\_YQ dVaU N QV`aV[Pa N[Q QRYVTUaSbY YNPX aUR_R\S .[Q 6 P\bYQ[µa OR Z\_R aUN[XSbY a\ f\b aUR _RNQR_` \S aUV` YVaaYR ]_\WRPa dR ]ba \ba DRµcR [RcR_ ]bYYRQ ]b[PUR` N_\b[Q aUV` ]YNPR ;RVaUR_ UNcR f\b 5NcR N Y\\X Na aUR /NPX¼_R` `RPaV\[ \S aUV` cR_f V``bR S\_ S_R`U RcVQR[PR \S aUNa 6 d\bYQ[µa UNcR dN[aRQ Va N[f \aUR_ dNf Car and Driver V` V[ NOYR UN[Q`( `\ZR \YQ `\ZR [Rd .[Q aUR PN_]Ra dVYY `b_RYf ]R_`V`a 6 U\]R S\_RcR_ 6aµYY Wb`a TNaUR_ `YVTUaYf QVßR_R[a `aNV[` [\d MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

I LLU ST RAT IO N BY BR E T T A F F RU NT I

Everything in this crazy, mixed-up world changes, except for this hideous, beautiful, gross, pristine carpet of ours.

“We used to cut everything by hand and had a lot of trouble. Now our PlasmaCAM does it all, attaining levels of production not thought possible before. It’s run 40-50 hours a week for the past three years. It attains incredible GHWDLO LV YHU\ HDV\ DQG FRVW HI¿ FLHQW WR operate, and requires little maintenance. The bottom line is: this machine makes me money!”

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The Last Stands With traditional auto shows on the wane—Frank-

furt canceled, Paris and Tokyo shrinking, manufacturers shifting attention to CES and SEMA—it’s only a matter of time until the convention-center car show is extinct. But there will be one last show. And it’ll be a biggie, bringing all the pomp N[Q ½NZO\fN[PR dR b`RQ a\ aNXR S\_ T_N[aRQ 5R_Rµ` a sneak peek of how it’s gonna go down.

With its hallmark bravado, Dodge reveals that RcR_f [Rd Z\QRY dVYY OR ]\dR_RQ Of N 5RYYPNa C % V[PYbQV[T aUR 4_N[Q 5RYY0N_NcN[ DVQRO\Qf <[ N `aNTR `Ra N` N ]bOYVP YVO_N_f N 5RYY7\b_[Rf Re]Y\QR` through the wall as Mötley Crüe descends from the ceiling into the bed of the Rammunition monster truck. A deep voiceover says, “Time to quit readin’ and start writin’!” while a jumbo screen displays an overhead shot of three Demons scrawling the anarchy symbol in burnt rubber. Then Dodge says that Rammunition is going into production, too, powR_RQ Of ad\ 5RYYPNa` N[Q NcNVYNOYR V[ \[R P\Y\_ N YVZR green called What Are You Gonna Do About It? Plus, every new Durango now comes with karate lessons.

In front of the Chevrolet stage, journalists gather, expecting maybe the Corvette Z06 or the return of a hallowed nameplate. Rumor has it that Chevy is bringing back the Chevelle, this time as a compact crossover. Then a man with a beard walks out and asks, “What if I told you your entire concept of reality is nothing more than a computer simula-

26

aV\[ _b[ Of 7 1 =\dR_ N[Q .``\PVNaR`,³ AUR NbQVR[PR V` QbZO`a_bPX <[R Tbf _NV`R` UV` UN[Q N[Q N`X` ²@\ dVYY aUR 0URcRYYR slot in between the Trax and the Equinox?” /:D V[`]V_RQ Of aUR PYN``VP 4R_ZN[ `a\_f \S 5N[`RY N[Q Gretel, features a gingerbread house set in an ominous, dark forest. A sign outside is emblazoned with an arrow and the words “Exciting new BMW sports car this way!” But inside, there’s just a Supra and a witch who chases you shrieking: “We build this!

It’s a Z4! Why do you like it more than a Z4?”

AUR OVT [Rd` S_\Z :R_PRQR` .:4 V` aUR 4 0bORQ 4%" aUR newest outrageous G-wagen. Based on the Zetros 6x6 heavyQbaf a_bPX ]YNaS\_Z Va UN` N dV[PU N PR[a_NY aV_R V[½NaV\[ `f`aRZ N[Q N U] C # ²DUNaµ` aUR dURRYON`R,³ `\ZR\[R N`X` AMG chief Tobias Moers, who replies, “Which one?”

5\[QN N[[\b[PR` aUNa Vaµ` S\Pb`V[T Va` R[R_TVR` \[ N [N_rowed product lineup. Going forward, it will make only cars, a_bPX` P_\``\cR_` cN[` YNd[ Z\dR_` QV_a OVXR` .AC` TR[R_ators, jet planes, snowblowers, outboard motors, side-by-sides, motorcycles, garden tillers, string trimmers, small engines, brush cutters, scooters, and robots. “No more submersible ]bZ]` ³ 5\[QN `Nf` ²6aµ` aVZR a\ S\Pb` ³ In an event dubbed the TruckTacular Truck-ebration, emceed by Denis Leary and the Naked Cowboy, Ford announces it’s going even bigger on trucks. Get ready for the EcoSport Raptor, the Edge Tremor, and the Explorer Super Duty! Even the 3\_Q 4A TRa` N _RS_R`U aUNa V[PYbQR` " V[PU \ß _\NQ aV_R` N[Q a military-grade aluminum bed with the most tie-down points V[ Va` PYN`` 7\Rf 9\TN[\ `Nf` aUNa URµ` _RNYYf RePVaRQ a\ Q_VcR [Rea fRN_µ` 3 " ;.@0.? _NPR_ dUVPU dVYY \ßR_ N P\ZZN[QV[T cVRd \cR_ aUR _R`a \S aUR ¼RYQ N` dRYY N` b[ORNaNOYR " ZVYR P\ZS\_a S_\Z Va` 8V[T Ranch interior. And the new Mustang Power Stroke promises to outtow and outhaul any Camaro, especially when equipped with the ¼SaU dURRY UVaPU \[ aUR _\\S AR`YN V` aUR_R V_\[VPNYYf 9VXR ²5Rf here’s our full model lineup arranged on a nice platform and you can walk around and look at the cars and sit inside and maybe ask `\ZR\[R ^bR`aV\[` N[Q `abß DUNaRcR_ ³ To really troll the normies, Elon Musk holds a press conference to reveal a refreshed, longer-range Model X that’s ready to go into ]_\QbPaV\[ 5R Q\R`[µa RcR[ `U\\a Va dVaU N ½NZRaU_\dR_ \_ PYNVZ Va PN[ ab_[ V[cV`VOYR adVPR N dRRX <[YV[R aUV` V` `RR[ N` `PNaUing, righteous commentary on traditional automakers. Tesla’s stock price triples.

MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

I LLU ST RAT IO N BY BR E T T A F F RU NT I

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25 Cars Worth Waiting For Remember waiting? It’s what we used to do as packages crawled across the country to our homes.

We stood in grocery-store checkout lines with cashiers and waited as the troglodytes ahead of us scribbled their checks. We dialed up to an internet so slow that you could watch the pictures load.

Even in the age of next-day delivery, self-checkout, and gigabit internet, some things can’t be rushed. The 25 cars, trucks, and SUVs in this section won’t reach dealer lots for anywhere from a few months to a few years. Some of them are about to roll down the assembly line. Others haven’t emerged from the design studio yet. We’re telling you about them now, though, because these are the vehicles that will matter, regardless of how many boring crossovers automakers puke out. These are worth the wait. And just in case you’ve forgotten how to wait after all these years of right-now gratification, we’ve included a few distractions to help you bide your time.

Waiting Games

While You Wait ...

Read a Magazine

Turn the page.

CA R AND D RI VE R ~ MAY 2020 ~ IL LUST RATI ON S BY T. M. DET WI LE R

Read the page.

Repeat.

31

25 Cars Worth Waiting For

Format Changes 2022 GMC Hummer EV SUT

32

2023 Mazda 6

M

azda’s recent upmarket ambitions had us worried. The mid-luxury market stopped being friendly about 40 years ago. (How’s Oldsmobile doing these days?) But just when we thought Mazda had truly lost the plot, the company looks ready to redeem itself. Most automakers competing in the middle ground dress up mainstream ZRPUN[VPNY OVa` V[ O_\d[R_ YRNaUR_ N[Q \ßR_ `URRaZRaNY `UN]RQ Of a more pretentious designer. Bucking that trend, Mazda plans to adopt the blueprint of a full luxury model and hang a lower price on it. The next-generation 6, which should be on sale by the end of 2022, is set to get a full Bavarian, transitioning to a longitudinal-engine platform with rear-wheel drive and an inline-six.

That engine won’t just be a new layout for Mazda. It will incorporate the company’s Skyactiv-X sort-of-compression-ignition gasoline technology as well as a 48-volt hybrid system. We’ve seen numbers approaching 350 horsepower thrown around. If that sounds like an unrealistic R&D load for a company Mazda’s size, well, yeah, it is.

However, Mazda has lately been deepening its ties with Toyota, which may adopt the six-cylinder Skyactiv-X for the next-generation Lexus IS and RC. With Toyota’s budget, Mazda engineers could probably dRYP\ZR 2Y\[ :b`X a\ :N_` dVaU N Y\PNYYf `\b_PRQ `U_VZ] ObßRa You already have a pretty good idea of what this car will look like. ?R½RPa \[ :NgQNµ` CV`V\[ 0\b]R P\[PR]a dUVPU QRObaRQ Na aUR $ Tokyo auto show. That long-hood, short-deck showpiece was clearly projecting rear-drive intent, cloaked in an evolution of Mazda’s seductive styling language with softened lines and subtler forms.

There’s even a chance that Mazda will mimic Lexus and put the inline-six into both four- and two-door bodies. Rewind two years ]_V\_ a\ aUR CV`V\[ 0\b]R N[Q f\b TRa aUR ?E CV`V\[ N :NgQN `]\_a` car concept with a hood way longer than necessary for the Wankel rotary the company was imagining at the time. Few things cement an upmarket image better than a rear-drive sports coupe. But a rearQ_VcR `]\_a` `RQN[ V` N ¼[R `aN_a a\\ —Jared Gall MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

P HOTO I LLU ST RATI O N S : H U M M E R BY RA DOVAN VA R I CAK , MA ZDA A ND FO R D BY BE N S U MM E R E LL-YO U D E / FOX SY N DI CATI O N

WHAT IT IS A revival of the brand personified by Arnold Schwarzenegger at his beefiest, now an offshoot of GMC and ready to repent for its gas-guzzling past with an electric pickup.

WHY IT MATTERS Having learned a lesson from the Volt plug-in hybrid and Bolt EV, GM is finally recognizing what Tesla has long known: Electric vehicles should appeal to our hearts, not just our consciences. Consider this a turning point, with the era of dorky econobox electrics on its way out.

PLATFORM The Hummer will pack GM’s new low-cost Ultium lithium-ion battery between the frame rails of an EV-specific truck platform.

POWERTRAIN GMC says there will be one-, two-, and three-motor versions with up to 1000 horsepower and a 60-mph time as low as 3.0 seconds.

A 200.0-kWh battery should allow between 300 and 400 miles of range.

COMPETITION Ford F-150 EV, Rivian R1T, Tesla Cybertruck, creatine.

WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG The pickuptruck segment, where buyers shop based on capability beyond what they regularly use, seems the least ready for electrification. Today’s truck owners might not be willing to make the switch, especially at what certainly will be a higher price point and with a range that could be appalling when towing and hauling.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE Fall 2021, from $50,000 to nearly $100,000.

2024 Aston Martin Vanquish WHAT IT IS A mid-engine supercar targeting the defining dream machines of the moment.

WHY IT MATTERS

The company’s future is dependent on some serious diversification.

Aston barely survived a cash crunch at the start of this year and sees the Vanquish as a way to broaden the brand’s appeal as demand for its traditional front-engine models falters. The Vanquish takes inspiration from the Valkyrie and Valhalla, which are being coengineered with Red Bull Racing, but Aston is developing the Vanquish alone.

PLATFORM A bonded-aluminum spaceframe similar to what’s under the brand’s existing models but with the order of passengers and engine reversed.

POWERTRAIN Insiders say the Vanquish uses a version of the new hybrid engine that Aston is developing internally, combining a turbocharged V-6 with a generous level of electric assistance.

A hybrid six in this sector is risky, so don’t expect the company to take any chances with output, which will exceed 700 horsepower.

COMPETITION Ferrari F8 Tributo, Lamborghini’s Huracán replacement, McLaren 720S/765LT. WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG Plenty, given the precarious state of Aston Martin’s finances. The DBX SUV will have to be an immediate success for the Vanquish’s development to go much further, and the mid-engine triumvirate of Valhalla, Valkyrie, and Vanquish is sure to generate some confusion. Which of those costs less than a million again? This one.

While You Wait ...

Turn Your Phone into a Teleportation Device

Turn on teleporter.

Scan yourself.

2022 Ford Fusion Active Definitely not a wagon. Nope.

Uh-uh. This Subarized long-roof version of the Ford Fusion mid-sizer will come complete with all-wheel drive, a slightly raised suspension, and a name that says, “I’m outdoorsy.” WHY IT MATTERS After Ford kills the Fusion sedan this year, the Active will be as close as Americans will come to finding a new family car on Ford dealer lots. PLATFORM Adapting Europe’s Mondeo wagon with a slight lift makes for relatively straightforward engineering.

POWERTRAIN Ford’s turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four mated to an eight-speed automatic is likely; a plug-in-hybrid variant is all but inevitable. COMPETITION In this segment, you either beat the Subaru Outback or you’re in last place. WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG If buyers think of the Active as a station wagon rather than a crossover, they’ll avoid it like week-old sushi.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE Late next year, likely priced from about $30,000 to nearly $40,000.

WHAT IT IS

Go somewhere better.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE

The Vanquish should start just north of $300,000 when it arrives in 2023.

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25 Cars Worth Waiting For

Power Moves

M

id-engine cars are like assholes: Everyone has one. Having taken grip at blue-collar brands such as Chevrolet and Ford, mid-engine mania is now working its way into luxury marques known for putting the engine up front, such as Maserati [see page 46] and Aston Martin [see page 33]. Of all the newcomers, though, no vehicle highlights the current sports-car zeitgeist quite like a mid-engine Hyundai.

Fortunately, unlike assholes and opinions, mid-engine cars rarely stink.

When it arrives in two or three years, expect the Hyundai to bring mid-engine Qf[NZVP` a\ N [Rd YRcRY \S Nß\_QNOVYVaf That’s the hope, at least. As we understand it, the decision makers in South Korea are still weighing whether their car should be a $40,000 Hyundai or a $70,000 Genesis.

In our minds, there’s no question. It’s too soon for Genesis to challenge Corvettes and Porsches, but Hyundai’s N performance subbrand will be hamstrung as long as it’s limited to modifying economy cars, family sedans, and crossovers. A proper sports car will validate both N and Hyundai.

While You Wait ...

Stage a Cooking Show

Procure ingredients.

Unfurl fruit roll-up.

Place peanutbutter-filled pretzel on fruit roll-up.

Roll it back up.

Ta-da!

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MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

P HOTO I LLU ST RATI O N S : H Y U NDA I BY RA DOVA N VA RI CAK , TOYOTA A N D CA DI LL AC BY B E N S UM M E R E L L-YO UD E /FOX SY N DI CATI ON

2023 Hyundai RM20 N

As an indicator of its intent, Hyundai recently stuck journalists behind the wheel of its RM19 (“RM” for “racing midship”), a CRY\`aR_ Z\QV¼RQ a\ PN__f N a_N[`cR_`RYf mounted inline-four between its rear wheels. Wearing a massive turbocharger, its YVaR_ R[TV[R ]bß` \ba & U\_`R]\dR_ and routes torque through a six-speed sequential manual. This is a proof of concept, not a prototype. The RM19 is laggy and peaky, with hard-hitting shifts and a neutral chassis that will spin if you don’t respect it.

For the engineers, the RM19 is an opportunity to master the challenges that come with moving the engine to the back seat.

If Hyundai does get the nod, the production car should be positioned to hang with the Toyota Supra and the next Nissan Z [see page 48], although it may still resemble a Veloster. The car we’re tentatively calling RM20 N will probably trade a handful of the RM19’s horsepower for improved drivability. We expect the mule’s feathery weight to carry over, though. Our best guess is a two-seat hatchback using an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with specs in the ballpark of 325 horsepower and 3300 pounds. If Hyundai can inject a similar combination of poise and character into its mid-engine car as it did the Veloster N, we just might be looking at a poor man’s Porsche 718 Cayman. —Eric Tingwall

2022 Toyota GR Corolla WHAT IT IS A hot-hatch version of the

2021 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing A little confusing, that’s what.

The CTS is dead, replaced by the CT5.

Simple, right? Well, the performanceoriented CT5-V is not the new CTS-V; it’s the successor to the CTS Vsport. The next legit V will be known as the CT5-V Blackwing.

Confused? Well, add this log to the fire: The Blackwing won’t have the Blackwing V-8. But all that really matters is that this Caddy promises to be one of the hottest and most track-ready sports sedans on the market.

WHY IT MATTERS In addition to coming with enough power to light up Fargo, it will also be the only choice in the supersedan segment with a manual transmission.

PLATFORM GM’s Alpha 2 architecture.

POWERTRAIN As we mentioned, the Blackwing sedan won’t get the Blackwing engine, a 550-hp twin-turbocharged DOHC V-8.

Instead, it will have an updated version of the CTS-V’s supercharged 6.2-liter pushrod V-8 with the same 650 horsepower. A 10-speed automatic can be had, but you’re really gonna want the six-speed manual for this rear-driver.

COMPETITION Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, Audi RS7, BMW M5, Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, Mercedes-AMG E63 S, Porsche Panamera Turbo S. WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG It could lack the handling grace and tactile controls of its predecessor.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE The most powerful Cadillac will go on sale before the end of the year and open near $85,000.

WHAT IT IS

Corolla wearing a GR badge (for “Gazoo Racing”). It’ll be Toyota’s first sporty compact since the high-revving Corolla XRS from the mid-2000s. This car also will serve as an apology to Americans who are upset that we’re not getting the awesome rally-inspired GR Yaris. (That car is based on the global Yaris, while the U.S.-market Yaris is a rebadged Mazda 2.)

WHY IT MATTERS Toyota is working hard to shed its reputation for being boring—a perception that is closely tied to the Corolla name. We appreciate that Toyota still offers it with a manual, but the 169-hp pseudosporty XSE that currently occupies the sportiest spot in the line just isn’t enough. A true high-performance version with a strong engine and legitimate chassis upgrades could convince people that a Corolla can be as cool as a Volkswagen Golf GTI. PLATFORM The same TNGA underpinnings as the standard Corolla but upgraded with a stiffer suspension tune, bigger brakes, and larger wheels wrapped in grippy summer tires.

POWERTRAIN The mighty turbocharged hamster wheel from the GR Yaris pumps out 257 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque from just three cylinders displacing 1.6 liters. We wouldn’t count on the GR Yaris’s all-wheel-drive system making it stateside, but Toyota will have to offer a six-speed manual transmission in order for the GR Corolla to be considered a driver’s car.

COMPETITION Honda Civic Si, Hyundai Veloster N, Subaru WRX, Volkswagen Golf GTI. WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG Toyota could give up on certifying the turbocharged inline-three engine and swap in something lame. In this application, nothing would be worse than a hybrid.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE The GR Corolla should land in 2022, with a starting price around $30,000.

25 Cars Worth Waiting For

Luxury Redefined 2022 Lincoln Mark E

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Make a Voodoo

WHAT IT IS A powerful and posh electric SUV

sold by a 102-year-old brand but built by Rivian, an 11-year-old startup. The name is still to be determined, but clearly there’s heritage to be appropriated with Mark E. WHY IT MATTERS Think of this project as a sneak preview of automaker tie-ups and vehicle development in the future. As electric powertrains become a commodity, the temptation to share mechanical components across brands and companies will be even greater than it is today.

PLATFORM Ford recently invested $500 million in Rivian, buying access to the startup’s skateboard architecture in the process. We know that the platform supports air springs and hydraulic roll control similar to the system in the McLaren 720S. The lithium-ion battery pack should be available in multiple capacities as well.

POWERTRAIN Like Rivian’s top-of-the-line SUV, the most expensive Mark E likely will have an electric motor dedicated to each wheel with combined output exceeding 700 horsepower.

We speculate that Lincoln will offer a dualmotor setup with longer range, too.

COMPETITION Audi e-tron, Cadillac Lyriq, Jaguar I-Pace, Rivian R1S, Tesla Model X. WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG The R1S might end up being the more compelling vehicle.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE It should arrive in 2022, starting around $70,000.

Remove your socks.

Stuff one inside the other.

Draw a face.

P HOTO I LLU ST RATI O N BY RA DOVA N VAR I CA K

Make ’em pay.

36

2021 Genesis GV80 WHAT IT IS The SUV that could

finally stick the Genesis brand name in the minds of well-heeled American drivers. Designers gave the mid-size ute an imposing presence and a posh cabin that are hard to ignore.

WHY IT MATTERS The GV80 is a harbinger of things to come for the fledgling Korean luxury brand. It introduces a pair of turbo engines that will proliferate throughout the lineup, and it paves the way for the smaller GV70 SUV that should follow about a year behind. Most important, it lays out a vision for Genesis vehicles that sell on emotion rather than value.

PLATFORM The GV80 is built on a new longitudinal-engine platform that will also underpin the nextgen G80 mid-size sedan.

POWERTRAIN A 290-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four serves as the standard engine. A 375-hp twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 powers higher-trim models. Each pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The four-cylinder comes with either rear- or all-wheel drive; the V-6, only with all-wheel drive, at least at launch.

COMPETITION Acura MDX, Audi Q7, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLEclass, Volvo XC90.

WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG Building a brand involves more than building well-made, thoughtfully designed vehicles. Genesis faces a tall task getting buyers to trade BMWs and Benzes for vehicles wearing a badge that few people revere.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE

The GV80 should be on U.S. roads by summer, with prices starting at $49,925 and climbing to $72,375 for a fully loaded example.

2022 Lexus LQ A sleek flagship crossover that will make the LX SUV look positively archaic. WHY IT MATTERS Lexus has cornered the market on highly rational luxury-car buyers. Drawing design cues from the LC coupe, the LQ could also inspire lust in the kind of driver who buys a vehicle without first making a spreadsheet.

PLATFORM The longitudinal-engine LQ should share key structural elements with the LS sedan. POWERTRAIN The 416-hp twin-turbo V-6 and the 354-hp hybrid powertrain from the current LS are certain. An F performance model could pack a 600-plus-hp twin-turbo V-8. COMPETITION Audi Q8, BMW X6, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, Mercedes-Benz GLE-class, Porsche Cayenne.

WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG Shy of a global recession or climate collapse, probably not much. ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE The LQ is still a couple years from dealer lots, where it could command prices from $80,000 to nearly $100,000 for top models.

WHAT IT IS

25 Cars Worth Waiting For

Mass Appeal While You Wait ...

Call Your Mom

2021 Ford F-150

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38

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N[Q `UN_R` Z\_R ]N_a` dVaU aUR :b`aN[Tµ` C % AUR S\b_ C #` V[PYbQR ad\ adV[ ab_O\ R[TV[R` QV`]YNPV[T $ N[Q " YVaR_` N YVaR_ ab_O\ QVR`RY N[Q N [Nab_NYYf N`]V_NaRQ YVaR_ .YY N_R ONPXRQ Of N `]RRQ Nba\ 3\_Q NY`\ dVYY \ßR_ aUR ¼_`a ]YbT V[ UfO_VQ V[ aUR UNYS a\[ a_bPX ZN_XRa dVaU N[ RYRPa_VP Z\a\_ `N[QdVPURQ ORadRR[ N ab_O\ C # N[Q N `]RRQ Nba\ 2YRPa_VP _N[TR dVYY ]_\ONOYf RePRRQ ZVYR` Oba \[Yf Tell her you love dUR[ P\ZZbaV[T b[YNQR[ 1\ 3 " ObfR_` her, you goon. _RNYYf dN[a N a_bPX dVaU N ]YbT, 3\_Q V` Q\b OYV[T Q\d[ aUNa aURf dVYY 0N`UV[T V[ \[ Va` " ZVYYV\[ V[cR`aZR[a V[ ?VcVN[ 3\_Q dVYY NY`\ V[a_\QbPR N[ RYRPa_VP a_bPX N SRd fRN_` NSaR_ aUV` 3 " YNb[PUR` DR N[aVPV]NaR Va dVYY _\YY \[ ?VcVN[µ` ZbYaVZ\a\_ ]YNaS\_Z SRNab_V[T N[ V[QR ]R[QR[a _RN_ `b`]R[`V\[ DVaU 4:0 NY_RNQf a\baV[T N S\b_ QVTVa ]\dR_ ¼Tb_R S\_ aUR 5bZZR_ 2C @BA H`RR ]NTR J dR `RR N [Rd ONaaYRS_\[a RZR_TV[T V[ 1Ra_\Vaµ` b[R[QV[T a_bPX dN_ .[Q VS 3\_Q Q\R`[µa PNYY aUV` \[R 9VTUa[V[T `\ZRaUV[T UN` T\[R cR_f d_\[T V[ 1RN_O\_[ 6[ aUR d\_YQ \S QV_a N[Q TN` aUR QR`R_a `ZN`UV[T ?N]a\_ dVYY `dVaPU S_\Z YRNS a\ P\VY `]_V[T` \[ Va` YVcR _RN_ NeYR ?bZ\_ UN` Va aUNa aUR $# U] `b]R_PUN_TRQ " YVaR_ C % S_\Z aUR :b`aN[T @URYOf 4A" P\bYQ ¼[Q Va` dNf b[QR_ aUR U\\Q a\\ DVaU aUR 5RYYPNa ]\dR_RQ ?NZ " ?RORY A?E \[ aUR U\_Vg\[ dR ORYVRcR Va AUR 3 " V` `PURQbYRQ a\ ZNXR Va` QROba V[ 7b[R dVaU aUR RYRPa_VP N[Q ?N]a\_ Z\QRY` S\YY\dV[T `\ZRaVZR NSaR_ DVaU Z\_R cN_VN[a` aUN[ RcR_ aUV` 3 " dVYY `a_RaPU S_\Z N` Y\d N` a\ [RN_Yf —David Beard MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

P HOTO I LLU ST RATI O N S : FO R D AN D J E E P BY RA DOVA N VAR I CA K

Dial her phone number.

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee

T

he Jeep Grand Cherokee doesn’t really need to be replaced. This luxury-SUV stalwart is as handsome and pleasant a vehicle to drive as anything in FCA’s lineup. But this generation came out in 2010; that’s an eternity in the modern SUV world. The current version is so old that its Mercedes-Benz-based underpinnings date back to the DaimlerChrysler days. Still, Jeep managed to sell more than 242,000 of them in the U.S. in 2019. That’s not just the best year of the WG2 generation’s nine-year run, it’s the best annual sales for the nameplate since 2000.

But change must come to all things, even the good ones.

And so, late this year, Jeep will launch an entirely new Grand Cherokee. It likely won’t make it into buyers’ hands until early next year. What those new owners will get is a Jeep based on a version of the Alfa Romeo Giorgio platform found under the Giulia sedan and Stelvio SUV. The Grand CheroXRR dVYY OR `VT[V¼PN[aYf Y\[TR_ aUN[ aUR a_VZ YVaaYR @aRYcV\ though. Not only will the Jeep’s wheelbase surpass the Alfa’s 110.9 inches, we expect it to be longer than the current Grand Cherokee’s 114.7 inches. So it’s a good bet that the new ute will be roomier than the outgoing model.

It will launch as a two-row SUV like all previous Grand 0UR_\XRR`( `\ZRaVZR Q\d[ aUR YV[R 7RR] dVYY \ßR_ Va dVaU N third row as well. A three-row Wagoneer is also planned, but that vehicle will be much larger and use body-on-frame construction, so there shouldn’t be much overlap between them.

We anticipate a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, likely with hybridization, to become the Jeep’s base engine. Surely we’ll also see a Pentastar 3.6-liter V-6 with eTorque assist in the engine bay. Later, the brand will introduce a plug-in

2021 Kia Sorento WHAT IT IS The fourth

generation of Kia’s midsize crossover. Like the current version, the new

Sorento will have three rows and exist below the Telluride in Kia’s lineup.

WHY IT MATTERS It’s another three-row SUV for folks who won’t go minivan. Plus, the

hybrid, too. Might the Grand Cherokee also TRa aUR QVR`RY \ßR_RQ V[ aUR D_N[TYR_ N[Q ?NZ 1500? Quite possibly. Could it also host a Hemi, maybe even a Hellcat like the Trackhawk does?

We don’t see FCA walking away from its Hellcat-everything strategy anytime soon.

Like the current model, the new Grand 0UR_\XRR dVYY OR \ßR_RQ N` _RN_ NYY N[Q S\b_ wheel-drive versions, and because this is Jeep dRµ_R aNYXV[T NO\ba N A_NVYUNdX \ß _\NQ PN]Nble edition is certain to be in the mix. Since the vehicle will still have “Grand” in its name, the interior details should be a step above those of your average Jeep. And because such things are considered progress, digital screens will replace the analog gauges and a rotary knob will take the place of a conventional shifter.

The outgoing Grand Cherokee owes its enduring appeal to the substantive engineering beneath the leather and behind the screens.

Here’s hoping that substance carries through in this wholesale redesign of a market favorite on a QVßR_R[a N_PUVaRPab_R —Daniel Pund

Sorento needed an injection of style.

PLATFORM Assembled in West Point, Georgia, the Sorento is going to be based on the unibody architecture of the similarly sized Hyundai Santa Fe. POWERTRAIN Kia will offer a hybrid version of its turbo 1.6-liter engine that will make 227 horsepower. Range toppers will get Hyundai-Kia’s 277-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter four-banger while base versions could see the Sonata’s 191-hp 2.5-liter inline-four.

COMPETITION Chevrolet Blazer, Ford Edge, Honda Passport, Hyundai Santa Fe, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nissan Murano, Toyota 4Runner.

WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG

It looks better inside and out, but buyers may still gravitate toward the styling and larger size of a basic Telluride instead of a high-spec Sorento.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE Prices are

expected to open at $29,000 and rise to $44,000 when the Sorento goes on sale late this year.

39

25 Cars Worth Waiting For

More of a Good Thing

40

MAY 2020 ~ CAR A ND DR IV ER

2022 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 The first of several upcoming ultra-high-performance variants of the C8 Corvette. It’s a return to the stripped-down-for-action, high-revving, track-worthy Vette embodied by the 505hp 7.0-liter V-8-powered C6 Z06 of 2006 through 2013.

WHY IT MATTERS The Z06’s new V-8 packs a power curve shaped like a bodybuilder’s bicep. The switch to a WHAT IT IS

mid-engine configuration maximizes traction, allowing Chevy to better utilize its mega-horsepower engines for battling everything on the exotic-car spectrum.

PLATFORM A muscled-up version of the base C8’s architecture, with wider rubber, stronger brakes, a recalibrated suspension tune, and upgraded powertrain cooling. Flared fenders cover the mechanical bits, and new-for-the-Vette active aerodynamics pin it to the track. POWERTRAIN A naturally aspirated DOHC 32-valve 5.5-liter V-8. Plus, it has a flat-plane crank, just like a Ferrari V-8. It should rev to between 8500 and 9000

P H OTO I L LUSTRATIO N BY B EN SU M ME RE LL-YO UD E/FOX SY N DI CATI ON

rpm, spit out 600-plus horsepower, and shriek like something from Ferrari. It feeds an eight-speed dualclutch automatic transaxle driving the rear wheels. This is no mere speculation; a detuned version of this engine is already powering the C8.R race car. COMPETITION Anything that looks and sounds like a mid-engine supercar.

WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG There’s a chance small-block loyalists won’t want a Corvette that sounds like a Ferrari. But if you’ve ever heard the bellicose shout of a 488 Pista, you know that’s a low risk.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICING

Early 2021 as a 2022 model, starting at about $85,000.

41

2021 McLaren 765LT

2022 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS WHAT IT IS A lighter, more

powerful, and even more track-capable version of one of the great sports cars of the moment.

WHY IT MATTERS We’re not answering that.

PLATFORM A lower version of the GT4’s underpinnings. That car already includes the entire front axle and many back-axle components from the 911 GT3, so we don’t expect to see much change, just a stiffening here and a lightening there.

POWERTRAIN The GT4 reintroduced Porsche’s flat-six to the Cayman line after the latest redesign replaced it with a turbocharged flat-four.

That 4.0-liter makes 414 horsepower. The RS’s six will also displace 4.0 liters, but in the vein of the 690-hp 911 GT2 RS,

figure on output approaching 500.

COMPETITION A regular GT4 plus a few sets of tires? There’s little direct competition for a twoseater at this price point, output, and focus, save maybe the forthcoming Corvette Z06 [see page 41]. Other Porsches are close, but the company so successfully delineates its products that even those don’t overlap.

While You Wait ...

Meditate

Close your eyes and breathe deeply.

WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG

If Porsche is too conservative with the powertrain and suspension calibrations, the RS could feel too similar to the GT4 to justify its pricing premium. But we’re not worried. Porsche has plenty of experience thinly slicing its pies—and plenty of customers willing to pay for a taste.

Push all thoughts out of your mind until you can only hear the shriek of existential despair.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE Late 2021

or early 2022, starting around $130,000.

Focus on that.

derivative of the already exceptionally talented 720S. In McLaren’s nomenclature, “LT” is short for “Longtail.”

Not that any modern LT is meaningfully extended; rather, it’s an homage to the extreme and literally lengthened 1997 F1 GTR Longtail.

WHY IT MATTERS McLaren’s other LTs of late, the 675LT and 600LT, have been highlights of the lineup.

We expect the same of this variant. To create the 765LT, the company claims to have shaved 175 pounds from the 720S and given the car sharper dynamics to make it even more talented on a racetrack than its forebear.

PLATFORM Like every McLaren road car since the MP4-12C, the LT is based around a carbon-fiber tub.

POWERTRAIN The 720S’s twinturbo 4.0-liter V-8 breathes through a spiffy new titanium exhaust and delivers 755 horsepower.

COMPETITION The tweaked Pista/Speciale-style Ferrari F8 Tributo and the Performante equivalent of the next-gen Lamborghini Huracán.

WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG There’s evidence of buyers tiring of McLaren’s incessant model cycle and myriad overlapping products. But you’d have to be made from stone—or dressed head to toe in Ferrari-branded merchandise—not to feel your

PORSCHE PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTIAN SCHULTE

WHAT IT IS A track-focused

25 Cars Worth Waiting For

Brand Expanders We Shall See

While You Wait ...

Draw the Cybertruck

2021 Hyundai Santa Cruz WHAT IT IS Hyundai’s foray into the

pickup market. It follows Honda’s approach rather than the formula that American manufacturers perfected. The unibody truck will be offered with a single bed length, a four-door crew cab, and a choice of four-cylinder engines.

WHY IT MATTERS Hyundai is building the Santa Cruz as an affordable and efficient choice for drivers who haul bulky but not necessarily heavy items.

Think mountain bikes, kayaks, and camping gear rather than gravel, boats, and cinder blocks.

PLATFORM The Santa Cruz will ride on the same basic bones and be built in the same Montgomery, Alabama, plant as the Santa Fe mid-size crossover.

POWERTRAIN Expect to see the Santa Fe’s 2.4-liter and turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-fours paired with an eightspeed automatic and all-wheel drive.

COMPETITION Mostly the Honda Ridgeline, but also the Chevrolet Colorado, Ford Ranger, GMC Canyon, Nissan Frontier, Toyota Tacoma, and to a lesser extent, the Jeep Gladiator.

WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG Hyundai has confirmed production, but with towing and payload capabilities below those of its competitors, there’s no guarantee that sales will materialize.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE It should reach dealers in 2021 with a starting price around $25,000.

44

Start with an acute trapezoid.

Add a scalene triangle on top of it.

Draw two circles for wheels.

Finish the drawing.

Bollinger: Thus far, founder Robert Bollinger has financed development of the rugged $125,000 B1 electric truck on his own, but he’s now looking for $100 million in funding to kick off production. Not securing that money could disrupt things.

Byton: Production of the electric M-Byte SUV should begin in China soon.

Unfortunately, that country is in the process of reining in EV subsidies, which could hurt Byton’s plans.

Fisker: Henrik Fisker’s second or third go as a carmaker starts with the Ocean SUV. You can reserve one with a $250 deposit to the company, which claims production will begin in 2021 but, as of press time, hasn’t announced where that will happen.

Karma: After parting ways with Fisker, Karma Automotive began tweaking the nearly decade-old Fisker Karma into the Karma Revero. Deliveries have begun, but so have the layoffs. The company has shed 260 employees since the start of the new year.

Lordstown: GM’s old Lordstown, Ohio, plant will be ready to build electric pickups as soon as new owner Lordstown Motors can secure a government loan to help with the retooling. The problem: The Trump administration wants to eliminate the program that would provide such a loan.

Lucid: It wants its electric Air sedan to take on the German luxury brands, but Lucid needs to finish its Arizona factory first. Construction is underway, but the projected start of production later this year might be on the optimistic side.

Nio: This Chinese automaker’s U.S. plans are fuzzy at best. With China’s market slowdown affecting its bottom line, it’s unlikely Nio will sell vehicles for the foreseeable future.

MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

P HOTO I LLU ST RATI O N S : H Y U NDA I BY RA DOVA N VA RI CAK , M AS E RATI BY AN DR EI AVARVA R I I

The automotive world is littered with the wreckage of big ideas that fizzled out.

The following EV startups have made grand promises, but we wouldn’t recommend holding your breath.

convertible forms.

2022 Tesla Cybertruck for that Alfa’s carbon-fiber tub.

POWERTRAIN The first MC20s will use a new twin-turbo V-6 rumored to make more than 600 horsepower, with torque routed through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic. We expect a hybrid eventually, and Maserati says a battery-electric version will come in time.

COMPETITION Aston Martin Vantage, Audi R8, Ferrari Portofino and Roma, McLaren 570S and GT, Mercedes-AMG GT, Porsche 911 Turbo.

WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG To build hype for the MC20, Maserati has taken to publishing its own spy photos, which says a lot about how much anticipation there is for any new Maser these days.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE The coupe should arrive this year with the cabrio following in 2021. We estimate prices will begin around $160,000.

A take on the pickup that looks like nothing else on the road and may or may not be bulletproof.

WHY IT MATTERS The electric-truck segment is exploding, even though none has hit the market yet. At least in terms of styling, Tesla’s is the most intriguing of the bunch. PLATFORM Pickups typically use rugged and simple body-on-frame construction, but not the Cybertruck. Like other Teslas, this brute will be built on a unibody platform incorporating the battery pack beneath the floorpan. But don’t worry about the Cybertruck’s capability: Tesla claims it’ll have a maximum towing capacity of more than 14,000 pounds. The company also says its cold-rolled stainlesssteel panels can’t be stamped into complex shapes, only bent, which explains the truck’s polygonal design.

POWERTRAIN The Cybertruck will come with one, two, or three motors. The latter two setups will be all-wheel drive. Tesla isn’t sharing horsepower or torque figures, but it does estimate a range of more than 500 miles for the tri-motor version. COMPETITION Ford F-150 EV, GMC Hummer EV SUT, Rivian R1T. WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG Tesla has a habit of missing delivery dates. Unlike the upcoming Model Y, which is based on the Model 3, the Cybertruck is an entirely new beast in need of an assembly plant, which will almost certainly lead to production delays. ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE The company claims that the dual- and trimotor configurations should go into production in late 2021, with the single-motor variant hitting the factory in 2022. Add at least 12 months to each projection.

The cheapest rear-drive singlemotor version will start just over $40,000; the triple-motor truck, somewhere north of $70,000.

WHAT IT IS

45

25 Cars Worth Waiting For

Evolution of the Species While You Wait ...

Barter

2021 Audi Q4 e-tron A smaller and cheaper electric Audi, aimed at the core of the crossover market.

WHY IT MATTERS The Q4 e-tron is one small piece of the Volkswagen Group’s ambitious EV rollout, which should hasten the pace of EV development, offering drivers more choice, quicker charging, and longer range. PLATFORM The Q4 e-tron will be the fourth electric Audi to come stateside but the first to use VW’s MEB architecture designed exclusively for WHAT IT IS

electric vehicles. VW claims that the platform will host 27 different models sold by four brands by 2022.

POWERTRAIN An electric motor on each axle backed by an 82.0-kWh lithium-ion battery.

COMPETITION BMW iNext, Jaguar I-Pace, Mercedes-Benz EQC, Tesla Model Y. WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG While the current e-tron delivers competitive real-world range, Audi needs to figure out how to boost its EPA figures or buyers may ignore the vehicles no matter how good they are to drive.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE The Q4 e-tron arrives in 2021 with a base price near $45,000.

Trade for something better.

Do it again.

Keep going.

You’re a natural!

46

2023 Land Rover Defender 80

P HOTO I LLU ST RATI O N S : L AN D ROV E R BY B EN SU MM E R E LL-YO U DE / FOX SY N D ICATI O N , B M W BY RA D OVA N VAR I CAK

WHAT IT IS A baby Land Rover set to be positioned below the new Defender in the brand hierarchy and, if it reaches the U.S., provide a more affordable entry point to the range.

U.K. media reports have named it the 80—given that Land Rover calls the

2024 BMW i8 M WHAT IT IS BMW’s followup to the plug-in-hybrid i8 halo car, which in and of itself never really lived up to expectations. Previewed by the 2019 BMW Vision M Next, this yet-tobe-named replacement (we’ve taken to calling it the i8 M) should place greater emphasis on performance than its predecessor did.

WHY IT MATTERS The i8’s successor could set the Bimmer world on fire with its retro M1-inspired style—it could have rear louvers, people!

PLATFORM After BMW sold most of its interest in a Washington carbon-fiber plant, reports suggested

CA R AND D RI VE R ~ MAY 2020

two- and four-door Defenders the 90 and the 110, respectively—although there is no confirmation of that.

WHY IT MATTERS Aggressive cost cutting has blackened JLR’s balance sheets, but the company needs a megahit. A rugged, simple understudy to the Defender could prove hugely popular, especially as European buyers move away from bigger and less efficient models.

there would be no more carbon-bodied Bimmers.

We’re guessing those reports are wrong. An evolution of the i8’s carbon-fiber tub seems inevitable, as the concept shows off unpainted composite sills and trim. BMW may mix in some structural metal, though.

POWERTRAIN Following the i8’s lead, this supercar will have an electrified front axle and combine a turbocharged gas engine with an electric motor on the rear axle. But here you’ll find an inline-four instead of the i8’s inline-three.

The battery will enable at least 60 miles of EV driving between charges.

Combined output will flirt with 600 ponies, so that should address anyone’s

PLATFORM Land Rover will likely build the 80 in Asia on a platform shared with parent company Tata and related to the one that underpins the existing Indiamarket Tata Harrier.

POWERTRAIN JLR’s smaller Ingenium engines, possibly including a threecylinder, with hybrid and plug-in options.

COMPETITION Ford Bronco, Jeep Wrangler.

WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG Tata is showing signs of wanting to offload JLR to somebody else. That’d disrupt plans.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE Should be on roads sometime in 2022, with prices starting just above $30,000.

concerns about the i8 M having the motor(s) to back up its M1 looks.

COMPETITION Acura NSX, Lexus LC500h, MercedesAMG GT, Polestar 1, Porsche 911 Turbo, any startup EV supercar that makes it to market.

WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG

BMW could mount low-rolling-resistance

rubber on this one, too, as it did with the i8, but we’re pretty confident the company has learned that lesson.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE We won’t see a

production version until 2023, but you’ll want to start saving now. The i8 M should cost at least $160,000.

47

25 Cars Worth Waiting For

We’re All Counting on You While You Wait ...

Get Fit

2021 Nissan 400Z

2021 Alfa Romeo Tonale WHAT IT IS A rare beauty in a sea of luxury-subcompact crossovers. Plus it’s Alfa Romeo’s first hybrid model.

WHY IT MATTERS Alfa desperately needs more sales if its American comeback is going to last, and considering how good the Giulia and Stelvio are to drive, we’re hoping this ute thrives.

PLATFORM The Tonale will ride on FCA’s Small Wide platform that also underpins the Jeep Compass and Renegade, so the chassis engineers have their work cut out to make this Alfa feel as lively as the ones we already love.

POWERTRAIN While the concept features a plug-in-hybrid powertrain, the production model may use a conventional hybrid setup. Or Alfa may offer it both ways. In any case, the hybrid system will pair with a turbo inline-four, which should also power the base model sans electric assist.

COMPETITION Audi Q3, BMW X1 and X2, Cadillac XT4, Jaguar E-Pace, Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Mercedes-Benz GLA-class, Volvo XC40.

WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG The Tonale needs to be bulletproof or Alfa risks sealing its fate in the U.S. Also, people might pronounce the name “toenail.”

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE Later this year, starting around $35,000.

48

Dip until it hurts.

Press yourself up. Repeat until you can’t.

Do seated jumping jacks until someone complains about your body odor.

Tangle your limbs so it looks like you know yoga. Screech like your favorite bird.

MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

NISSAN PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY CHRISTIAN SCHULTE

T

he sports car that everyone forgot—including Nissan, apparently—is still alive, though hardly doing well.

Judged against today’s sports cars, the 11-year-old Nissan 370Z is about as competitive as a bicycle. Later this year, though, ;V``N[ dVYY ¼[NYYf TVcR aUR G PN_ aUR attention it deserves by introducing a successor.

The new Z, code-named Z35, won’t be a ground-up rethink. It will continue on the latest version of Nissan’s FM platform and share P\Z]\[R[a` dVaU aUR 6[¼[VaV ># coupe. The twin-turbo 3.0-liter C # aUNa ZNXR` b] a\ ! U\_`R]\dR_ V[ aUR 6[¼[VaV >" N[Q ># seems like a shoo-in. A seven-speed automatic is the only transmission NcNVYNOYR V[ aU\`R 6[¼[VaV` Oba we’re hopeful that a stick shift will OR \ßR_RQ N` dRYY ;V``N[ NY_RNQf hinted that such a thing is possible when it bolted a six-speed manual to the twin-turbo engine for a modV¼RQ $ G @2:. P\[PR]a V[ & The engine and architecture can accommodate all-wheel drive, but we doubt Nissan will go that route.

The Z is a front-engine rear-wheeldrive sports car, and this one should stay true to that heritage.

The 300Z name (or 300ZX for nostalgia’s sake) would make the most sense given the engine’s displacement, but we predict that ;V``N[ dVYY V[`aRNQ PU\\`R ! G to assert the new car’s superiority

Still Worth Waiting For No, we didn’t forget about the Ford Bronco or the Tesla Roadster. If you’re excited about something but you don’t see it in this issue, chances are we wrote about the vehicle you’re thinking of in a previous “25 Cars Worth Waiting For.” In an attempt to stave off the hostile letters, here’s a partial list of highly anticipated models we’ve already covered and when we expect they will go on sale in the U.S. Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Mercedes-Benz SL-class

BMW M3/M4, Ford Bronco, Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Jaguar XJ (electric), Rivian R1S/R1T

Q1

Q2

Q3

Ferrari Purosangue

BMW i4, Tesla Roadster

Q4

Q1

Q2

2020

over its predecessors. The original Datsun 240Z is said to serve as a styling inspiration. We hope that means the 400Z will present simple, clean lines rather than the busy, borderline-tortured look seen on some recent Nissan concepts and production cars. Roundish headlights and 300ZX-style taillights will reportedly serve as key retro touches.

The old-school theme won’t extend inside; that’s a good thing because the Z’s interior is in need of a modern makeover. The cabin should retain its cozy two-seat NaZ\`]UR_R Oba VaµYY OR[R¼a S_\Z the latest Nissan infotainment system and a fresh dashboard design.

Today’s 370Z starts at $31,015, making it a decent performance bargain despite its age. When it goes on sale next year, the new model will see a price uptick but start somewhere in the $40,000s to undercut the Toyota Supra. —Joey Capparella

Ram Dakota, Volkswagen Microbus

Lexus LC F

Q3

Q4

2021

Q1

Q2

Subaru WRX

Q3

Q4

2022

2021 Acura TLX Type S A full redesign of Acura’s best-selling sedan.

WHY IT MATTERS Amid the crossover takeover, Acura still does solid business with the TLX, selling twice as many of those as it does the ILX and RLX combined. And Americans buy more Ferraris, Lamborghinis, or McLarens than they do NSXs—far more. A performance-oriented Type S model bridges the gap between Acura’s invisible $160,000 supercar and everything else the brand offers. PLATFORM An all-new unibody designed exclusively for the TLX that ditches struts for a control-arm front suspension to improve handling and feel. POWERTRAIN The standard TLX powertrain will borrow the 10-speed automatic transmission and turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four from the current-generation Honda Accord but adds optional all-wheel drive. The Type S will bring some potency to the mix with a new turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that will provide a massive bump in power over the outgoing 3.5-liter V-6’s 290 horses.

COMPETITION Alfa Romeo Giulia, Audi S4, BMW M340i, Genesis G70 3.3T, Mercedes-AMG C43, Infiniti Q50 3.0t, Volvo S60 T6.

WHAT MIGHT GO WRONG The entryluxury-sedan class is a tough segment, and the appetite for sedans may continue to decline, leaving the handsome TLX unloved. But priced right, its odds of success are high.

ESTIMATED ARRIVAL AND PRICE The standard model will go on sale this summer with a base price in the mid-$30,000 range, followed by the Type S early next year.

WHAT IT IS

49

Family 50

MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

FA MIL IE S L OVE COMPAC T CROSSOVERS. BUT WHICH COMPAC T CROSSOVER DESERVES THE MOST LOVE?

BY RICH CEPPOS PHOTOGRAPHY

BY MARC URBANO

Jewels 51

F

ifty years ago, nothing screamed “family car” like a long, low station wagon plastered with fake-wood siding. But then the look fell out of style and carmakers largely stopped building them for the U.S. Well, the station wagon is back, only now it’s standing on tiptoe and we call it a crossover.

Tall is the new normal. Americans bought roughly 8.5 million SUVs in 2019, making it by far the biggest single vehicle category. Some 2.9 million of those were compact crossovers from mainstream manufacturers, and no wonder: They’re reasonably priced and good for just about every domestic task, from the dreaded family road trip to a weekend Home Depot run. There’s a reason why there are now 16 vehicles in the segment, and that’s reason enough to sort out the best from the rest.

DR N``RZOYRQ \b_ ¼cR a\] _N[XRQ P\Z]NPa P_\``\cR_` which we had not previously reviewed en masse. Then we added the all-new Ford Escape to see if it might shake up the established order. We structured the test to experience aUV` ½RRa N` N[f SNZVYf ZVTUa .[Q dR _R`V`aRQ N[f dUV[V[T from Car and Driver family members who’d hoped to use this P\Z]N_\ N` N[ RePb`R a\ R`PN]R aUR \¦PR S\_ N ^bN`V Re\aVP locale. We stayed local, driving on familiar roads where we live and work. We drove stretches of nearby Interstate 94 to get a sense of how these modern station wagons would behave on trips. Then we hit our favorite two-lane loop searching for glimmers of inspiration behind the wheel.

We ran laps through the big little city of Ann Arbor, too, bumping across its chunky downtown pavement and `^bRRgV[T aU_\bTU Va` [N__\d `VQR `a_RRa` dUVYR Q\QTV[T buses, garbage trucks, and University of Michigan students more engaged with their phones than their surroundings.

We maneuvered into and out of parking spots at the local Whole Foods lot. And then we spent an afternoon in the C/D

52

2020 Ford Escape SE AWD Base/As Tested $29,800/$30,495 Dimensions Wheelbase L/W/H Track, F/R Interior Volume, F/R Cargo Volume, F/R Max Towing

106.7 in 180.5/74.1/66.1 in 62.4/61.8 in 54/49 ft 3 65/34 ft 3 2000 lb

Powertrain Engine turbocharged DOHC

Power, hp @ rpm Torque, lb-ft @ rpm Redline lb per hp

12-valve inline-3 91 in3 (1496 cm3) 181 @ 6000 190 @ 3000 7000 rpm 19.3

Driveline Transmission 8-speed automatic Driven Wheels all Final-Drive Ratio:1 3.81 Chassis Suspension F: struts, coil springs,

anti-roll bar R: multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar Brakes F: 13.0-in vented disc R: 11.9-in disc Stability Control traction off Tires Continental ProContact TX 225/65R-17 102H M+S TEST RESULTS Acceleration Rollout, 1 ft 30 mph 60 mph 100 mph 110 mph 1/4-Mile @ mph Rolling Start, 5–60 mph Top Gear, 30–50 mph Top Gear, 50–70 mph Top Speed

0.3 sec 2.5 sec 8.0 sec 24.8 sec 35.0 sec 16.1 sec @ 86 8.5 sec 4.1 sec 5.3 sec 122 mph (gov ltd)

Chassis Braking, 70–0 mph 161 ft Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad 0.87 g Weight Curb 3493 lb Distribution, F/R 58.0/42.0% Practical Stowage No. of 9 x 14 x 22-in Boxes, Seats Up/Folded 8/21 Length of Pipe 124.5 in Largest Flat Panel, L/W 67.5/41.5 in Sound Level Idle/Full Throttle 39/74 dBA 70–mph Cruise 69 dBA Fuel Capacity/Octane 15.7 gal/91

EPA Comb, mpg EPA City, mpg EPA Hwy, mpg C/D 250-mi Trip, mpg

28

31 26

26

MAY 2020 ~ CAR AN D DRIV ER

2020 Honda CR-V Touring AWD

2020 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD

2020 Subaru Forester Limited

2020 Toyota RAV4 Limited AWD

2020 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL 4Motion

$35,870/$35,870

$32,810/$35,655

$32,105/$33,800

$37,000/$40,785

$34,565/$34,800

104.7 in 182.1/73.0/66.5 in 62.9/63.5 in 53/50 ft3 76/38 ft3 1500 lb

106.2 in 179.1/72.5/65.3 in 62.8/62.8 in 53/49 ft 3 60/31 ft 3 2000 lb

105.1 in 182.1/71.5/68.1 in 61.6/61.8 in 59/49 ft 3 71/33 ft 3 1500 lb

105.9 in 180.9/73.0/67.2 in 62.6/63.3 in 52/45 ft 3 70/37 ft 3 1500 lb

109.8 in 185.1/72.4/66.3 in 62.2/61.8 in 53/49 ft 3 74/38 ft3 1500 lb

turbocharged DOHC 16-valve inline-4 91 in3 (1498 cm3) 190 @ 5600 179 @ 2000 6500 rpm 18.7

DOHC 16-valve inline-4 152 in3 (2488 cm3)

DOHC 16-valve flat-4 152 in3 (2498 cm3)

DOHC 16-valve inline-4 152 in3 (2487 cm3)

187 @ 6000 186 @ 4000 6500 rpm 19.9

182 @ 5800 176 @ 4400 6000 rpm 19.7

203 @ 6600 184 @ 5000 6700 rpm 18.4

turbocharged DOHC 16-valve inline-4 121 in3 (1984 cm3) 184 @ 4400 221 @ 1600 6500 rpm 21.6

CVT all 5.64

6-speed automatic all 4.62

CVT all 3.70

8-speed automatic all 3.18

8-speed automatic all 3.33

F: struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar R: multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar F: 11.1-in vented disc R: 10.2-in disc partially defeatable

F: struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar R: multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar F: 11.7-in vented disc R: 11.9-in disc partially defeatable

F: struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar R: multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar F: 12.4-in vented disc R: 11.2-in vented disc partially defeatable

Continental CrossContact LX Sport 235/55R-19 101H M+S

Toyo A36 P225/55R-19 99V M+S

Falken Ziex ZE001 A/S 225/55R-18 98H M+S

F: struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar R: multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar F: 12.0-in vented disc R: 11.1-in disc partially defeatable, traction off Yokohama Avid GT 235/55R-19 101V M+S

F: struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar R: multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar F: 13.4-in vented disc R: 11.8-in disc partially defeatable, traction off Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season 235/50R-19 99H M+S

0.3 sec 2.9 sec 7.6 sec 21.2 sec 28.5 sec 15.9 sec @ 89 8.1 sec 4.3 sec 5.6 sec 124 mph (gov ltd)

0.3 sec 2.6 sec 7.9 sec 23.6 sec 31.9 sec 16.2 sec @ 85 8.4 sec 3.8 sec 5.5 sec 124 mph (drag ltd)

0.3 sec 3.3 sec 8.3 sec 23.4 sec 31.9 sec 16.5 sec @ 87 9.0 sec 4.3 sec 6.0 sec 127 mph (drag ltd)

0.3 sec 2.8 sec 8.2 sec 22.9 sec 29.6 sec 16.4 sec @ 87 8.7 sec 4.0 sec 6.1 sec 122 mph (gov ltd)

0.3 sec 2.7 sec 8.3 sec 24.8 sec 34.5 sec 16.4 sec @ 84 8.9 sec 4.5 sec 6.0 sec 126 mph (drag ltd)

165 ft 0.85 g

169 ft 0.82 g

167 ft 0.78 g

168 ft 0.81 g

174 ft 0.82 g

3560 lb 57.6/42.4%

3712 lb 57.2/42.8%

3583 lb 57.3/42.7%

3742 lb 56.5/43.5%

3966 lb 55.9/44.1%

10/25 130.0 in 70.4/41.2 in

9/23 126.8 in 66.6/41.4 in

11/23 129.0 in 69.9/43.3 in

10/22 131.0 in 70.9/39.5 in

11/24 131.0 in 73.9/39.6 in

37/78 dBA 69 dBA

38/76 dBA 66 dBA

41/74 dBA 69 dBA

38/77 dBA 66 dBA

42/73 dBA 68 dBA

14.0 gal/87

15.3 gal/87

16.6 gal/87

14.5 gal/87

15.9 gal/87

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30 24

29

33

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TESTED BY K .C. COLWE L L A ND DAVE VA ND E RW E RP I N CH E LSE A , MI

25

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25

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The Escape’s cabin is a study in contrast. The shift knob feels expensive, but the embossed flourishes can’t hide that the door panels are hard and cheap.

TN_NTR ½V]]V[T _RN_ `RNa` b] N[Q Q\d[ N[Q `ab¦[T aUR cRUVPYR` dVaU RQVa\_` N[Q `a_\YYR_` T\YS PYbO` N[Q PUVYQ `RNa` N[Q YN_TR O\eR` ORPNb`R dRYY aUNaµ` dUNa f\b Q\ dVaU aUR`R d\_XU\_`R` @V[PR dR dN[aRQ aUR \baP\ZR a\ OR N` SNZVYf S_VR[QYf _RNQ' ¼[N[PVNYYf _R`]\[`VOYR N` ]\``VOYR dR N`XRQ aUR ZN[bSNPab_R_` \[ aUR V[cVaR YV`a a\ `b]]Yf ON`R R[TV[R` N[Q NYY dURRY Q_VcR DUVYR aUR_R dN` `\ZR cN_VN[PR ORadRR[ a_VZ` aUR cRUVPYR` aUNa N__VcRQ dR_R R^bV]]RQ `VZVYN_Yf R[\bTU S\_ b` a\ Q_Nd `\YVQ P\Z]N_V`\[` A\ TNbTR aUV` PYN`` dR `aN_aRQ dVaU aUR Pb__R[a YRNQR_ aUR /R`a dV[[V[T :NgQN 0E "±aUV` \[R V[ 4_N[Q A\b_V[T a_VZ .TNV[`a Va dR ]VaPURQ N 5\[QN 0? C V[ A\b_V[T `]RP N @bON_b Ford Escape Plus Best in braking, cornering, and observed fuel economy. Minus Cheap-looking interior materials; an engine so 3\_R`aR_ 9VZVaRQ N A\f\aN ?.C! 9VZVaRQ N C\YX`dNTR[ AVTbN[ @29 N[Q aUR boomy, it makes you wish for earplugs. Equals Feels as if it were 2`PN]R @2 . `PN[ \S aUR `]RPV¼PNaV\[` built to a price, rather than to impress.

PUN_a _RcRNY` U\d PY\`R aUV` T_\b] V` V[ RcR_f Naa_VObaR S_\Z U\_`R]\dR_ a\ V[aR_V\_ _\\Z 6[ aUV` aNYR[aRQ T_\b] RcR_faUV[T P\b[a` N[Q aUR 0\[QbPaV[T aUV` P\Z]N_V`\[ S\_PRQ b` a\ \cR_P\ZR 2`PN]Rµ` V[aR_V\_ QR`VT[ N[Q ZNaR_VNY` N_R b[V[`]V_RQ N[Q `\ZR Qf`Sb[PaV\[ ;\a dVaUV[ aUR C/D SNZVYf DR NURZ V[P\[`V`aR[a @\ZR N_RN` `bPU N` aUR V[`a_bZR[a ]N[RY [RcR_ N_TbR ;\ Va dN` N `R_VR` \S RcR[a` \ba \S \b_ P\[a_\Y' N[Q aNOYRa `afYR V[S\aNV[ZR[a `P_RR[ Y\\X YVXR UVTU ^bNY.[ b[QR_O\Qf ]N[RY aRN_V[T Y\\`R \[ aUR 0E " S\_PRQ N ZVQ Vaf ]VRPR` Oba \aUR_` P\ZR \ß N` PUV[agf' AUR Q\\_ a_VZ aR`a _R]NV_ N TN` `aNaV\[ _N[ \ba \S SbRY Wb`a N` dR `U\dRQ b] ]N[RY` N_R `]N_R UN_Q ]YN`aVP `b_SNPR` NO\b[Q N[Q RcR[ N[Q aUR ?.C!µ` Y\TO\\X Zf`aR_V\b`Yf QV`N]]RN_RQ S\_ NO\ba aUR TNbTR` Y\\X PURN] N dRRX .[Q ZNfOR dR UNQ a\ ZN``NTR N O_bV`RQ RT\ \_ ad\ AUNa V[VaVNY VZ]_R``V\[ V` ZNaPURQ Of aUR dNf aUR dUR[ PR_aNV[ RQVa\_` QVQ[µa `RR aUR ¼[V`UV[T \_QR_ aURf 2`PN]R Q_VcR` 6a` `aRR_V[T V` `UN_] Oba Va` UN[QYV[T dN[aRQ /ba dR d\_XRQ aU_\bTU aUR a\bTU `abß ORPNb`R V` Y\\`R YVZORQ _NaUR_ aUN[ ]_RPV`R .[Q Va` _VQR TRa` aUNaµ` dUNa SNZVYVR` Q\ O\b[Pf \[ `V[R dNcR _\NQ` /ba aUR 2`PN]Rµ` R[TV[R aUR \[Yf aU_RR PfYV[QR_ V[ aUR T_\b] V` aUR OVT \ßR[QR_ UR_R 6[ a\d[ aUR 2`PN]Rµ` 6th Place: The Ford AUR 2`PN]R @2 dN`[µa N` aU\_\bTUYf R^bV]]RQ N` aUR \aUR_ a_N[`ZV``V\[ V[`V`a` \[ b]`UVSaV[T RN_Yf Q_\]]V[T aUR cRUVPYR` V[ aUV` aR`a±aUR [Rea `aR] b] @29 a_VZ d\bYQ UNcR _Rc` a\ NO\ba " _]Z AUR_R aUR R[TV[R O\\Z` `\ ORR[ Z\_R N]]_\]_VNaR±Oba aUNaµ` [\a dUNa YN[QRQ Va V[ aUR \O[\eV\b`Yf aUNa f\bµQ `dRN_ f\b dR_R ORV[T aNVYRQ Of N ON`RZR[a ;\_ QVQ Va` ]_R]_\QbPaV\[ `aNab` UNcR N[f RßRPa Y\d ½fV[T PU\]]R_ @aR]]V[T \ß S_\Z `a\]YVTUa` aUR_Rµ` \[ Va` `P\_R AUR 3\_Q Wb`a Q\R`[µa ]\``R`` aUR NYY N_\b[Q N[ \QQ `b_TR ²=_Raaf `NTTf N[Q YNTTf Na Y\d `]RRQ` ³ _R]\_aRQ `aNß RQVa\_ .[[VR DUVaR DR QVQ ¼[Q N d\_XT\\Q[R`` _R^bV_RQ a\ `U\bYQR_ Va` dNf V[a\ aUR a\] ¼cR

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around, though: Toggling the drivemode selector to Sport keeps the engine above 2000 rpm or so, where it changes PUN_NPaR_ P\Z]YRaRYf±T\ ¼Tb_R±N[Q emits a rich V-6-like snort.

Unfortunately, the Escape does [\a ZNXR b] S\_ Va` QR¼PVR[PVR` dVaU superior utility. Seating three across in any of these vehicles is a squeeze, if not downright uncomfortable. While the Ford’s rear-seat kneeroom is decent for a pair of six-footers, it holds the least cargo of the group. Only eight of our test boxes, which are the size of airline PN__f \[ ONT` ¼a dVaU aUR _RN_ `RNa` b]( 21 with them folded. A higher trim level wouldn’t have changed this.

The Escape is home to one worldclass feature, though: its consolemounted rotary shift knob. Its beautiful appearance and expensively damped action would be appropriate in a Mercedes-Benz S-class. If only the rest of the vehicle were that impressive.

Subaru Forester Plus Enough room for a family reunion, cushy ride, well-appointed cabin. Minus Edgy power delivery in town, driver engagement not on the menu. Equals A tasty dish for those who don’t like their food or their cars spicy.

5th Place: The Subaru The Forester is nice. It is capable, comfortable, handsomely appointed, easy to drive, well built, and very practical. That ZVTUa `\b[Q YVXR UVTU ]_NV`R S\_ aUR PN_ aUNa PNZR V[ ¼SaU but it illustrates the strength at the bottom of the test.

This SUV is one to consider if roominess is a priority. It leads the pack with 59 cubic feet of space for front passenTR_` .[Q V[ aUR _RN_ `aNß RQVa\_ 0\[[\_ 5\ßZN[±dU\ `aN[Q` `Ve SRRa `RcR[ N[Q aU_RR ^bN_aR_ V[PUR` aNYY±¼a` comfortably behind a six-foot driver. Plus, the Forester has the most glass area in this group, which contributes to the sense of roominess and makes maneuvering into and out of N aVTUa ]N_XV[T `]\a N PV[PU AUR YN_TR dV[Q`UVRYQ Nß\_Q` a panoramic view, and the low cowl and instrument panel make it feel more like you’re driving a car than a tallish SUV. The hatch opening is wide, too, and the cargo area holds plenty of boxes: 11 with the rear seat up and 23 with it down.

This is a very practical family hauler, but the Subaru is not the go-to if you’re hoping for a little driving spice with your utility. Throttle response is jumpy in town N[Q `YRR]f RY`RdUR_R( aUR R[TV[R PN[ `\b[Q YNO\_RQ AUR steering is slow-witted, the handling relaxed, and the ride cushy. “It’s very isolated,” assistant videographer Brad Fick said. “Many people would be happy with that.”

“The Forester is almost completely devoid of character,” said Annie White, who likened driving it “to eating a Saltine cracker.” A lot of people actually like Saltine crackers, though. Which is why we think plenty of shoppers in this segment would be happy to park this compact crossover in their driveway.

4th Place: The Toyota The RAV4’s $40,785 as-tested price, the highest here by far, worked against it. So did its engine. Drop down to the XLE Premium model and you’d save several thousand

The Forester sells on simplicity. It offers plenty of space and comfort but little in the way of dynamic verve or personality.

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The Toyota handles better than you probably expect.

No amount of tan leatherette can cover for the gruff noises emitted by the RAV4’s engine, though.

Q\YYN_` N[Q TVcR b] [NcVTNaV\[ N[Q N SRd [VPRaVR` YVXR cR[aV YVXR TRaaV[T V[a\ N[f 5\[QN ³ 5\ßZN[ `NVQ 6[ \aUR_ YNaRQ S_\[a `RNa` URNaRQ _RN_ `RNa` N[Q N ]N[\_NZVP `b[_\\S d\_Q` Va UN` aUR ON`VP` _VTUa Oba Q\R`[µa O_NT /ba aUR_Rµ` [\aUV[T f\b PN[ Q\ NO\ba aUR R[TV[R±b[YR`` f\b AU\`R R``R[aVNY` ORTV[ dVaU P\ZS\_aNOYR `RNa` N[Q \]a S\_ aUR ^bVRaR_ UfO_VQ ]\dR_a_NV[ 2cR_f\[R dU\ Q_\cR TR[R_\b` `RP\[Q _\d X[RR_\\Z . PUVYQ `RNa V` N[ RN`f aUV` NYZ\`a Ybeb_f cR_`V\[ \S aUR ?.C! P\Z]YNV[RQ NO\ba ¼a AUR 0? C NY`\ NPP\ZZ\QNaR` aUR Z\`a O\eR` dVaU Va` ]\dR_]YN[aµ` P\N_`R[R``' 2cR[ dUR[ NPPRYR_NaV[T Z\QR_ aUR _RN_ `RNa` S\YQRQ AUR PN_T\ ½\\_ UN` ad\ ]\`VaV\[` NaRYf aUR S\b_ PfYV[QR_ `^bNdX` YVXR N Zb_QR_ \S P_\d` .[Q aUR UVTUR_ \S dUVPU R[NOYR` N ½Na Y\NQ ½\\_ S_\Z aUR YVSa S\_ NYY aUR b[QR_U\\Q P\ZZ\aV\[ aUR A\f\aNµ` % `RP\[Q TNaR \]R[V[T a\ aUR S_\[a `RNaONPX` \[PR f\bµcR S\YQRQ # Z]U aVZR V` ZR_RYf NcR_NTR S\_ aUR T_\b] aUR `RP\[Q _\d \S P\b_`R AUR PR[aR_ P\[`\YR UN` N Y\a <aUR_dV`R aUR ?.C! V` NßNOYR N[Q NPP\ZZ\QNaV[T 6a \S `a\_NTR `]NPR N[Q PN[ OR P\[¼Tb_RQ `RcR_NY QVßR_R[a \ßR_` N dRYY `\_aRQ PUN``V` aUNa QRYVcR_` aNba _VQR Z\aV\[` dNf` a\ OR`a UN[QYR f\b_ `abß AUR V[aR_V\_µ` NZOVR[PR Q\R`[µa ^bVaR ZNaPU Va` NY\[T dVaU T\\Q R[\bTU UN[QYV[T PU\]` aUNa R[P\b_NTR Ub`aYV[T Va \[ ad\ YN[R` 6[`VQR aUR `RNa` N_R P\ZSf N[Q ]_NPaVPNYVaf aU\bTU AUR ZNaR_VNY` N_R UN[Q`\ZR Oba SN_ S_\Z b]`PNYR N[Q aUR QR`VT[ V` [\a OYRRQV[T RQTR OVT Tbf 5\ßZN[ P\bYQ `Va V[ aUR ONPX dVaU\ba ZbPU a_\b OYR <QQYf N _RN_ SNPV[T PUVYQ `RNa V` N aVTUa ¼a' DR UNQ a\ Z\QR_[ AUR aNOYRa YVXR PR[aR_ `aNPX `P_RR[ P\[aNV[` Z\cR aUR S_\[a ]N``R[TR_µ` PUNV_ S\_dN_Q N OVa a\ PYV] Va V[a\ 5\[QNµ` YN`a TR[R_NaV\[ V[S\aNV[ZR[a `f`aRZ 6aµ` Sb``f ]YNPR DUNaµ` Z\_R PN_T\ _\\Z V` `\Y VQYf ZVQ]NPX AUR 9VZVaRQ a_VZ a_VR` UN_Q a\ SRRY Toyota RAV4 Plus Refined road manners, chunky off-roady Ybeb_V\b` @RRZV[TYf RcR_f `b_SNPR \S looks. Minus Grating engine note, what’s with the faux\b_ aR`a cRUVPYR V` P\cR_RQ V[ aUR `NZR leather seats at this price? Equals Tries hard to be all things to all buyers and largely succeeds. `U\d aUR QV_a `\SaYf ]NQQRQ 3_R[PU `RNZRQ YRNaUR_RaaR ²6µQ OR N[[\fRQ VS Zf XVQ `]VYYRQ `\ZRaUV[T V[ UR_R ³ ReRP baVcR RQVa\_ ?fN[ DUVaR `NVQ ²6a Y\\X` N YVaaYR QNaRQ ³ `NVQ _\NQ aR`a RQVa\_ /RPPN 5NPXRaa AUNaµ` ]N_aVPbYN_Yf a_bR \S aUR V[S\aNV[ZR[a `f`aRZ N[Q Va` Y\d _R`\YbaV\[ T_N]UVP` .a YRN`a aUR NbQV\ `f`aRZ \ßR_` T\\Q `\b[Q N[Q UN` O\aU N c\YbZR N[Q N ab[V[T X[\O 6[ aUR R[Q aU\bTU Va dN` aUR A\f\ aNµ` Z\_R R[TNTV[T Q_VcV[T PUN_NPaR_ aUNa R[NOYRQ Va a\ [\`R NURNQ \S aUR @bON_b V[ N ]U\a\ ¼[V`U 3rd Place: The Honda 5\[QN V` [\a V[a\ PUN[TR S\_ PUN[TRµ` `NXR AUR Pb__R[a 0? C Rc\YcRQ \[Yf Z\QR`aYf S_\Z aUR YN`a TR[R_NaV\[ `\ Vaµ` P\[`R_cNaVcR V[ O\aU Va` QR`VT[ N[Q ReRPbaV\[ ²0YVZOV[T V[a\ aUR 0? C V`

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and lacks a tuning knob, and the navigation display is small. Plus, the mechanical shifter protruding from the dashboard clacks inexpensively.

But the CR-V is a solid driver. Its 60-mph time of 7.6 seconds is the quickest of the group, but it doesn’t feel it, due at least in part to the slushy response of its CVT. “I was surprised to see it had 190 horsepower,” said Annie White. “It feels sluggish getting up to speed.” Bursts of throttle also result in some moaning under the hood before the engine settles down to a quiet cruise. <aUR_dV`R aUR 0? C V` N P\[¼QR[a capable over-the-road machine with direct steering and well-damped body motions.

It’s rife with good qualities, which makes it feel like a trusted friend. It’s just that the ad\ P_\``\cR_` aUNa ¼[V`URQ NURNQ \S Va have those qualities, too, plus a big dollop of driver engagement, something the CR-V simply doesn’t have.

2nd Place: The Volkswagen The Tiguan feels like a GTI for responsible adults. That’s how it managed to claw its way into second place. Of course, it isn’t a GTI—it’s not nearly as quick or as agile as its road-hugging, hot-hatch stablemate. Physical laws haven’t been suspended here. But aUR AVT Q\R` N P\ZZR[QNOYR W\O \S \ßR_V[T both utility and playfulness.

Immediately noticeable are its light, ^bVPX `aRR_V[T N[Q [VZOYR ¼_ZYf P\[a_\YYRQ

If you’re looking for the best box, it’s hard to beat the expertly packaged Honda. If you want that box to be spirited or luxurious, look elsewhere.

Honda CR-V Plus Clever storage, roomy cabin, solid driving dynamics. Minus Quickest but doesn’t feel it, interior lacks deluxe materials, dated infotainment. Equals A highly adaptable tool with solid engineering and thoughtful solutions.

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