2020 Dodge Journey CrossroadJil McIntosh The Dodge Journey is that old guy in the back corner of the accounting department. Hes been around so long that nobody knows when he started, and you keep expecting him to retire or be replaced and yet he soldiers on.Weve been promised an all-new Journey a few times, but the 2020 model is still basically unchanged from when it first hit the pavement in 2009. Youre getting older technology, but youre also getting it at a starting price thats lower than most other three-row crossovers.Although five trim levels were offered for 2019, the Journey shrinks to just two for 2020. Thats usually indicative of impending retirement, and my money is on it being dropped in favour of the upcoming Chrysler Voyager, a bargain-basement version of the Pacifica thats likely to knuckle aside both the Journey and the aging Dodge Grand Caravan. The Journey will now come only as the Canada Value Package and Crossroad. Pricing hasnt been announced for 2020, but for 2019, those two trim levels start at $24,145 and $34,945 respectively. I took the Crossroad for a quick spin at an event earlier this year.Both models are powered by a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine that makes 172 horsepower and 165 lb.-ft. of torque, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. The Journeys previously-optional larger engine, the brilliant 3.6L Pentastar V6 making 283 horsepower, wont be offered. The V6 was required to order all-wheel-drive, so you guessed it the 2020 Journey powers only its front wheels. That keeps the price down, but with AWD so popular among Canadian buyers, its going to further limit the Journeys appeal.The smaller engine has lacklustre acceleration, although it works fine and is fairly quiet once youre up to speed. The steering is light and visibility is good key for a van thats likely to spend a lot of time running errands and fitting into tight parking spots. The Crossroad has a touring suspension, and the ride is smooth; the Canada Value Package, which I didnt drive, is listed as normal-duty and so I expect will let a few more road imperfections up into the cabin. Theres not as much interior space as in a full-size minivan, but the Journeys roomier inside than you might expect for its footprint. Its fine when youre putting small children in the back, although theyll likely outgrow it if you keep the vehicle long enough. Both rows are easy to fold down for a flat cargo floor.The Canada Value Package comes with a few niceties, including air conditioning, keyless entry with push-button start, heated mirrors, a backup camera and park assist, and oddly enough, an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The Crossroad adds 19-inch wheels, LED taillamps, three-zone automatic climate control, a sunroof, and FCAs Uconnect infotainment with an 8.4-inch touchscreen, plus leather upholstery and under-floor storage bins in the second row. There will also be option packages for both, with some of the Crossroads items available on the Canada Value Package, and for the upper trim, heated seats and steering wheel, garage door opener, premium speakers, navigation, and rear-seat DVD system. Connectivity is limited, though, with neither Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto available.The Journeys competitors are better vehicles, and anyone who buys it is shopping on price alone but there are a lot of families on a budget. This Dodge gets them from A to B with decent interior space for a relatively low price, at least at the entry level. How long itll stick around is anyones guess, but for 2020 at least, theres still some life in the Journeys aging
Origin: Quick Spin: 2020 Dodge Journey
2020
Aristotle, Gestalt and the 2020 Aston Martin Vantage AMR
The 2020 Aston Martin Vantage AMRAston Martin NURBURG, Germany As inspirational as the age-old axiom is, it turns out Aristotle did not say the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. What he actually said, according to a translation by W. D. Ross, was The totality is not, as it were, a mere heap, but the whole is something besides the parts.Doesnt have quite the same uplifting kumbaya spark, does it? Indeed, quite how we got from depressing mere heap to Gestaltian greater than the sum of its parts anthem is beyond me (and, if my cursory research is anything to go by, most historians). Nonetheless, we have come to take Aristotles axiom as gospel, and its inverse that individually we are weaker than the aggregate, the basis of nationhood.A perfect case in point, in the physical world, is Aston Martins latest supercar, the 2020 Vantage AMR. Listen to Matt Becker, Astons chief engineer, detail its upgrades compared with the regular Vantage which took but 15 minutes of PR blather rather than the customary hour-and-a-half and youd swear the trip to the Nurburgring to test the new AMR was a giant waste of time. The biggest news and, as Ive been intimating, it really is small potatoes is that it gets a manual transmission. Oh, and some ceramic brakes. Thats it. For this, they claim they made a special edition run of just 200! At US$179,995 apiece! Are you kidding me? Hell, the damned thing lost power it makes 502 foot-pounds of torque in the base Vantage, but this supposed Fancy Dan version only twists out 469 lb.-ft. at its peak. Doesnt sound so special certainly not super to me.And things do get off to a rough start; the AMR is still slower to 100 kilometres an hour than the automatic transmission-ed version. Oh, part of it is that we humans are relatively slow shifting of gear. Another is the lack of any kind of launch control.But whatever excuses you make, a 4.0-seconds-to-100-km/h time is barely super these days. Plenty are the sedans that are as fleet, and its pretty darn hard to find another coupe or roadster with a super even a GT appellation that cant.Now, the part I havent mentioned yet is thanks to the dumping of the automatic gearbox and jettisoning its e-diff for a real mechanical locking rear differential (not to mention those carbon brakes) the AMR weighs a full 100 kilograms less than the garden-variety Vantage. More importantly, says Becker, whats left over is evenly distributed 50/50 between front and rear axles.Thats why and now I am quoting actual Gestaltian philosophy rather than Aristotelian misrepresentation what is happening in the whole cannot be deduced from the characteristics of the separate pieces. In other words, specs that arent quite up to rich-guy bench-racing standards do not capture the total Aston Martin.That loss in torque, for instance necessitated because the manual transmission cant handle 500 pound-feet is hardly ever noticed. Indeed, the opposite. Every time you gun the big Mercedes-sourced twin-turbo V8, the AMR literally jumps, the throttle response so immediate. The Vantage may lose on paper, but out in the real world it is truly competitive. Up top, itll top out at a legitimately super 320 km/h, just in case youre Grand Touring Germanys autobahns. In other words, behind the wheel, there was nothing lesser about it. The 2020 Aston Martin Vantage AMR Aston Martin Then theres the transmission that is the supposed centerpiece that deserved limited edition status. Sporting seven no, not six forward gears, the Graziano-sourced unit uses the traditional manuals H6 pattern for 2nd thru 7th gears; with 1st down and left, reverse is up and left. Compared with the previous Vantage V12 where we first saw this tranny, 1st is a little deliberate to get into to prevent errant downshifts into what would otherwise be second gear. Reverse, meanwhile, is similarly delineated.All that newfound precision aside, while I like the gearbox thank to its AMShifts automatic blipping, it was slicker than the proverbial knife through a fairly solid emulsion of fat globules Im not sure I see the advantage over a more conventional six-speed. Oh, I get the attraction of a stick. And, like most things these days one, does have to promise more in this case, gears to attract attention. But I remain unconvinced that my drive is any better for having an extra cog in the gearbox.Automatics are almost always better with more ratios, but there may be a limit to the effectiveness with manuals. On the other hand, perhaps if Id spent more than 250 kilometres behind the wheel, Id have become more acclimatized.Specs that aren’t quite up to rich-guy bench-racing standards do not capture the total Aston MartinAs for the chassis, other than the jettisoning of 100 kilos and the subsequent weight redistribution, its really changed little. In fact, Astons engineers liked the comportment of the base Vantage so much they softened the AMRs rear springs so its wheel rate
Origin: Aristotle, Gestalt and the 2020 Aston Martin Vantage AMR
Long-Term Test Update: 2020 Hyundai Palisade
Is it wrong to confess how brilliant I am for picking my long-term test vehicle?Hockey season is in full swing, and between my sons experiment with the goalie position while coaching his team and my own beer league excursions, the Hyundai Palisade is the large crossover I never knew I wanted. The best thing about it, however, is that despite being large and accommodating in terms of passenger and cargo space, it doesnt feel large to drive the seating position is high and commanding, but the turning circle is nice and tight, the steering is linear and quick, and best of all, the excellent outward visibility, 360-degree cameras, and parking sensors make parking easy and stress-free. Even with the third row up, theres room for a couple of kids hockey bags and my coaching gear, so its carpool friendly even for hockey excursions. After enjoying the Palisade myself for a few weeks, I sent resident crank David Booth off with the Palisade for the weekend and the most criticism he could come up with was: The engine is not as smooth or as powerful as I expected. When hauling, theres more noise than expected and not as much fury as the cacophony promises. This criticism isnt even unanimous both my wife and I find the power level is entirely reasonable, and the throttle appropriately responsive in every mode. For example, even in Eco which I use frequently on my commute there is good jump off the line when you plant the throttle, while in ordinary situations it prioritizes smooth, tepid acceleration. Comfort and Smart both provide mildly different balances, and Sport is always ready with quicker throttle tip-in, holding gears longer and quicker downshifts when getting on the go-pedal at most speeds. Booth did agree on that point: I like the modes. There seems to be more differentiation between modes than in most vehicles.The transmission has also been nearly flawless, and only the most severe changes from cruising to braking and then acceleration have generated any hiccups. It doesnt hurt that the 3.8L V6 makes up to 291 horsepower and 262 lb.-ft. of torque, which doesnt sound like a lot these days, but between the eight-speed automatic and the throttle tuning, I dont feel that it struggles at all with the 2,022 kilogram-plus the weight of the family and gear were carrying around.Booth actually had many more positives to list from his short time, and speaking of transmissions, he noted, I find this the best push button control for an automatic transmission yet. Intuitive and easily deciphered even without looking, the separate park function works well. Here were in agreement, and even when making seven-point parking maneuvers (yes, Im a bit parking-challenged), the Reverse button on top and Drive button on the bottom have become second nature and I barely need to look.As mentioned, we wanted to answer any questions you had, and we had a few on our Driving Youtube channel that Ill share here. Our first question was about refinement: How is the comfort and the cabin noise compared to (the) MDX or GLE? I know these cars expensive to convert to. Just curious. Another viewer also was interested in the noise: Have read comments about some wind noise at front pillar and window, any thoughts? I can confirm the comments about noise: There is some wind noise from the front A-pillars, and as Booth points out, the sound of the engine is unrefined, but the comfort is just right, absorbing rough bumps erasing them without being soft and wallowing in turns. However, it is interesting to see that people are more than willing to compare the Hyundai to well-established luxury brands like Acura and Mercedes-Benz. The Mercedes GLE only starts at $64,000, while the Palisade tops out at $53,999 for this fully loaded Ultimate.The base Acura MDX, which starts at $54,390, is a fairer comparison, but youre trading brand reputation (and likely some refinement) for features like the 360-degree camera system, perforated leather seats that are cooled in addition to being heated (if you have the second row captains chairs, those are also ventilated), various driving aids like blind-spot warning and rear-cross-traffic alert, and the MDX is showing its age as it does not even offer head-up display in any trim, though it does counter with a built-in widescreen in top trim to keep the kids zoned out on long trips.The next question we had was about the technology: How customizable is the digital display? How does the ACC and lane centre work compared to others?” At this point, I have used adaptive cruise quite a bit, and it’s been very good at maintaining the pace of traffic and smoothing changes of speed, without leaving huge gaps or lurching forward when a car moves out of the way. Lane keep assist has also been good, but it does sometimes react a bit late and give a bit of a jerky tug rather than smoothly getting the Palisade back to centred. The digital instrument cluster’s customization is a little disappointing, as I was hoping
Origin: Long-Term Test Update: 2020 Hyundai Palisade
5 things I learned driving Ford’s new 2020 Explorer Hybrid
2020 Ford Explorer HybridFord The 2020 Ford Explorer is an attractive beast, big on North American muscularity and pronounced haunches. Effete is not a word that comes to mind when you climb and, considering its step-up height, you really do have to climb into its vastness. After the initial size-shock, we took a closer look and these were the five observations that stood out the most.These big SUVs are becoming more minivan-likeThough Ford claims the 2020 Explorer is quite off-road worthy and I have no reason to doubt them it does look and feel like a butched-up family hauler. No, theres no sliding door or hideaway seats, but this latest Explorer feels more like an old Chevy Suburban the ultimate, well, soccer-mom SUV than the traipsing-over-hill-and-dale Explorers of old. Thats not so much a criticism as an observation, made all the more obvious to someone who spent virtually no time in the last generation Ford and can only judge the new version against Explorers long past. Ford tuned the Hybrid for torqueThe very first thing I noticed apparent before I had driven even a kilometre is that the Explorer Hybrid has excellent low-end punch. It might even have a little too much, other journalists complaining of overly aggressive throttle tip-in right off idle.I had no such plaints, just praise for the way the electrified V6 jumps off the line. Oh, all that promise peters off once youre past 60 km/h or so the gas portion of the Explorer Hybrid is but a 3.3-litre V6 and a non-turbocharged one, at that but one cant help be impressed with the its initial verve, especially considering that it boasts 318 horsepower. 2020 Ford Explorer Hybrid Ford Electric-only range is minisculeThe Hybrid features a 1.5 kWh lithium-ion battery (mounted unobtrusively under the second row of seats) large compared with small subcompact runabouts, but not a huge reserve considering its weight (2,254 kilograms). Feeding the smallish 44-horsepower electric motor sandwiched in between the engines crankshaft and the 10-speed automatic’s torque convertor it doesnt allow for much electric-only range. Oh, I managed about five kilometres of gas-free driving at one point, but I was treating the throttle like a first-time dad changing his first diaper; any sudden movement might end up in an unwanted squirting of, well, you know what I mean. Driven more typically, I never really got any EV-ish motoring, though as mentioned previously, that silent mode was replaced with a certain bullishness off the line. Ford engineers have confirmed that they tuned the Hybrid more for performance and towing capacity 2,268 kilos and the price is a reliance on internal combustion. 2020 Ford Explorer Limited Hybrid Jil McIntosh Fuel economy is no great shakes, eitherAnother price for the emphasis on performance is fuel economy only marginally superior to that of its more pedestrian siblings. Officially, Transport Canada rates the Explorer Hybrid at 9.6 L/100 kilometres. That is only, say the critics, slightly better than the base Limited version, whose 2.3-litre turbo-four ekes out 10.3 overall. That may be true, but the Hybrid is also more energetic than the little blown four and any time you can get more urge and better economy, no matter how minimal, is a good day.That said, Fords primary competition for its new Hybrid will be Toyota’s electrified Highlander, which until this year, was similarly V6-powered. However, for 2020, Toyota decided to mate is Hybrid Synergy Drive to a 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle four and it now boasts 240 horsepower. That said, its overall fuel economy is vastly superior to the Explorers with a rating of 6.9 L/100 km overall. Even with hybrids, it seems, there is no free lunch. 2020 Ford Explorer Hybrid Ford The drive, on the other hand, is exemplaryThe one thing the new Explorer Hybrid does have down pat, however, is comportment. The gas/electric engine combo, as I mentioned, is exemplary. Noise, vibration and harshness are well contained, power more than adequate, and I suspect, with a little more tweaking in future models, the fuel economy will improve. Combined with a smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic, its a sweet-driving powertrain.The only thing that could make it better is if Ford combined that 44-horsepower electric motor with its 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6, rather than this 3.3L naturally aspirated version, for more torque and (probably) better fuel economy. Im sure Ford has all manner of reasons be they price-based or specific technical issues but, wow, would that be a
Origin: 5 things I learned driving Ford’s new 2020 Explorer Hybrid
The 2020 Toyota Camry and 2021 Avalon are getting AWD
When it comes to navigating winter in North America, many drivers prefer vehicles with AWD. Because safety. That’s part of the reason why SUVs, crossovers and pickups have been experiencing such an uptick in popularity over the last decade or so. But now Toyota is giving Canadian and U.S. drivers a couple of other, uh, less-large options. The 2020 Camry and 2021 Avalon sedans will now be offered with the option for AWD.Toyota announced it’s making its Dynamic Torque Control AWD system (pulled from the 2019 RAV4) available as a standalone option on the Camry LE, XLE, SE and XSE, as well as on the brand’s flagship sedan, the Avalon Limited, both of which are built at the Toyota plant in Kentucky. The AWD system is able to interpret front-wheel slippage and actively send up to 50 per cent of engine torque to the back wheels to counter it. It can also sense when it’s not needed and disengage from the front drive to save on fuel. Both cars will pair said system with Toyota’s 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and eight-speed automatic transmission.This is the first time in its lifetime the Avalon has been granted the ability to move with four wheels at once. The Camry did come in AWD guise back in 1988 to 1991, when it bore the AllTrac badge. Toyota says it “appreciates the loyalty, patience and perseverance of all those customers and dealers who sent letters, emails, Facebook comments and texts asking for a modern AWD version of the Camry.”The AWD 2020 Camry and 2021 Avalon are expected to make appearances at the upcoming L.A. auto show at the end of November. The sedans should arrive in dealerships in spring and fall 2020,
Origin: The 2020 Toyota Camry and 2021 Avalon are getting AWD
Car Review: 2020 BMW 750Li xDrive
2020 BMW 750Li xDrivePeter Bleakney OVERVIEW Big grill marks big upgrades for BMW’s flagship sedan PROSmagic cloud ride and isolation, effortless urge, tech-for-days CONSnot much cabin storage, “Hey BMW” not quite ready for prime time VALUE FOR MONEYaverage WHAT TO CHANGE?More steering feel, cushier front seats HOW TO SPEC IT?avoid the Cooling Box The world may be crazy about SUVs, but premium German automakers still place the flagship crown upon their full-size luxury sedans. Up here in this rarefied air, its all about power, prestige, pampering and cutting edge technologies. A lot has filtered down from these lofty four-doors over the decades. Mercedes-Benz introduced the world to ABS (anti-lock braking) in the 1978 W116, and then ESC (electronic stability control) in the 1995 S600. The Audi A8 was the first mass market sedan with an all-aluminum structure, and BMW pioneered the modern car/driver interface with its iDrive in the 2001 7 Series.Jump ahead nineteen years and we have the refreshed 6th-generation 2020 BMW 7 Series, here in $126,400 750Li xDrive guise and optioned to the tune of $155,800. It still has a version of iDrive, but unlike its ancestor, this 7s quilted Merino leather chairs (both front and back) will cool and massage your backside six ways from Sunday. It will tickle your ears with spectacular Bowers and Wilkins audio, drive hands-and-feet free for brief stretches, park itself, slice through the rural darkness with laser headlights, and, oh yes, pick up its skirts and scoot like a kerosened cat thanks to the updated 4.4L twin-turbo V8 that now makes 523 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, up 80 and 74 points respectively from last year. Isolation ChamberPerhaps most importantly, the 750Li xDrive wafts along in eerie silence not unlike a Rolls-Royce, which is no great surprise, as BMW owns Rolls and (shhh) this chassis underpins the current Ghost and Wraith. Helping in this regard with this tester is the optional Active Comfort Drive with Road Preview that uses GPS info and a stereo camera to predict upcoming road surfaces, and instructs the adaptive dampers, rear air springs and active roll stabilization to act accordingly. You dont so much drive on the road as over it, such is the sense of isolation. However, even in Sport mode, there is nary a hint of sport here, as the steering is Novocain numb and the chassis really has no appetite for anything other than gradual sweepers. Yes, it handles well and corners flat for such a big beast, but you wont be inspired to go there.You sure cant miss the 2020 7 Series cartoonishly engorged kidney grill (40 percent bigger, says BMW), and you cant argue it doesnt give the sedan some serious presence that it previously lacked. Other mid-cycle tweaks include recontoured hood, body panels, more upright (read: formal) chrome Air Breather vents aft of the front wheels and a light bar connecting the rear taillights.Modern yet familiar controlsWhile the other German flagship sedans sport acres of digital touch-screenage within, BMW seems to understand the importance (and safety) of maintaining tactile controls with its latest generation iDrive 7.0. There is still the familiar rotary control knob on the centre console that, with its push and nudge functions, allows the driver to easily navigate most duties without having to prod away at a touchscreen although the 10.2-inch screen does have touch function. Additionally, a row of preset buttons can be assigned to various tasks, be they calling up a desired radio station, phoning the reservation desk at your favourite steak house, or having the navigation guide you home.There are hard buttons for most HVAC functions, as well as for heating and cooling the seats, and firing up the massage. Yes, the dash design is a busy and not particularly cohesive, but build quality and material choice are unassailable.All Canadian 2020 7 Series get standard M Sport Package that really has nothing to do with sport in the go-faster sense it adds Anthracite headliner, M leather steering wheel, M pedals, illuminated sill plate, comfort seats and special black wood trim. Technological tour de forceHalf the game in these full-size execu-barges is one-upmanship in the gizmo department.Blurt Hey BMW at any time, and the car will do its best to cater to your every whim, be it adjust an onboard system, find a destination or tap the interweb for both useful and useless information. It is early days for these mobile voice assistants, so functionality can be hit and miss.One year of Apple CarPlay is included, but after that owners will have to pay a subscription fee to use it (wha???).The 7s new digital gauge cluster comes across all modern, showing the speedo and tach displayed as arcs on the sides of the screen, with the centre portion reserved for navigation info and the like. Its not as crisp as Audis Virtual Cockpit, nor as configurable.BMW’s signature Gesture Controls coolest
Origin: Car Review: 2020 BMW 750Li xDrive
First Drive: 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE
Mercedes-Benz proudly says it invented the premium SUV segment, way back in 1997 with the ML. Now, four generations in, we have the fresh-from-the-ground-up 2020 GLE with an 80-millimetre wheelbase stretch over its predecessor, the GLE offers Raptors-grade rear leg room, and for the first time, an available third row of seats.Pricing starts at $64,000 for the GLE 350 that runs with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylinder, good for 255 horsepower and 273 lb.-ft. of torque. Move up to the $72,000 GLE 450, and that goes down the road courtesy of Benzs new 3.0L turbocharged straight-six engine, kicking out a healthy 362 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft. of torque. Yes, you read that right straight-six. It seems BMW was right all along. All GLEs get a nine-speed automatic gearbox and 4Matic all-wheel-drive.Benz has given its new mid-size SUV some sharp duds. The GLE looks squat, muscular, elegant, and nicely resolved. Twenty-inch wheels are standard, but all GLEs we evaluated wore optional 21s. The sport package ramps up the attitude with a diamond grille and racier body bits. Its a class act from any angle.Inside, the cabin is an absolute showpiece a huge step up from the previous model. Its rich, beautifully rendered, and dominated by a huge swath of digital real estate housing two 12.3-inch screens. The screen on the left is a configurable gauge cluster, while the right is your window into the automakers new Mercedes Benz User Experience infotainment system, or MBUX for short. Yes, its daunting at first, but take some time and MBUX starts to makes sense.There are many ways to interact with MBUX the touchscreen (a first for Mercedes), thumb pads on the steering wheel, a track pad on the centre console, programmable gesture controls, or the voice command which follows the mould of Siri, Google Alexa, etc. Say Hey Mercedes at any time and the pleasant voice in the dash replies, What can I help you with? Beware, though, you cant say Mercedes inside the cabin without MBUX jumping to attention.If you say Im freezing, Ms. Mercedes will turn up the heat. Ask for the nearest steak house with a five-star rating, and shell show you the way and read you the menu if such info is floating about the cloud. Ordering up a destination was simply a matter of saying Navigate to There was the occasional vocal hiccup, and the console track pad is an ergonomic travesty. The old rotary controller was easier to use, and so much more precise for such things as the zoom function for navigation.On the plus side, MBUX is great for whiling away the time.Me: Tell me a joke.MBUX: Sorry. My engineers are German.Me: What do you think of BMW?MBUX: Theyre nice. I like seeing them through my rear-view mirrorMe: What do you think of Audi?MBUX: The same as you. Otherwise, you wouldnt be sitting here.Also available on the 2020 GLE is Benzs nifty augmented reality navigation display that layers street names, guiding arrows and house numbers onto a real-time video stream (courtesy of the front-facing camera) of upcoming intersections, etc. Mercedes offered three GLE builds to evaluate a GLE 350 optioned to $70,800, a GLE 450 checking in at $86,850 and another fully loaded 450 at $107,040. Jumping in the GLE 350s cabin, theres nary a hint youre in the base model. Its a sumptuous experience, resplendent here in standard Espresso Brown and Magna Grey Artico faux leather, and open-pore walnut wood trim.Its bumped up with the $2,900 Premium Package (adding active park assist, an integrated garage door opener, a Burmester Surround Sound system, a panoramic sunroof, a foot-activated hatch rear hatch, and a proximity key), along with the $1,200 Premium Plus (including rapid heating for the front seats and heated second-row seats, plus heated front armrests). The $2,400 third-row is tight at best, but fine for occasional usage. With that, you also get a power-adjustable second row and two additional USB ports back there for the kiddies.The turbo-four generally provides enough poke to move this heavy SUV, but at times feels strained and gravelly. Otherwise, its a pure premium experience ride quality on the standard steel-sprung suspension is good, and while youd never accuse the GLE 350 of being sporty, it handles well and proves to be a stable highway cruiser.Moving into the GLE 450 ramps up the urge, and while it doesnt feel worlds quicker, its considerably more relaxed in the way it goes down the road. The 362 horsepower turbocharged straight-six features a 48-volt mild hybrid system that can add 21 horsepower to the proceedings. Its a sweetheart of an engine not as eager or creamy-smooth as BMWs straight-six, but still a step up from the outgoing V6. Unlike the 4Matic system in the GLE 350 that runs with a default 50/50 torque split, the GLE 450s all-wheel-drive system operates primarily in the more sporty rear-drive mode, only bringing the front wheels into play when conditions dictate. With the $100,000+ GLE 450, Mercedes
Origin: First Drive: 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE
Honda CR-V gets more trims, standard features for 2020
2020 Honda CR-V TouringHonda Honda has refreshed its CR-V for the 2020 model year so the SUV now comes in more trims and gets more standard features.Exterior looks have changed slightly to keep the CR-V moving with the times, adding a bit of Civic-style flair to the family-hauler.The front fascia now has broad openings for the available fog lights, giving the CR-V an aggressive look. Because thats what people want, an aggressive CR-V.Around the back, the taillights are dark-tinted on all trims, and the exhaust tips are chrome on CR-V Sport, Touring and Black Edition trims. There are two new colour options: Sonic Gray and Radiant Red; new 19-inch rims round out the changes.Honda Sensing safety and driver-assistive technology are now available on all trims, after previously being only available on LX AWD and above trims. On top of that, two new trims are available exclusively to Canadians: a Sport trim, which replaces the EX; and a new top-of-the-line Black Edition.In the cabin of the CR-V, the centre console has been redesigned with a few more cubbies for your things. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility are both available, and Qi-compatible wireless cell phone charging now comes with Touring and Black Edition trims.All 2020 CR-V models are powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 190 horsepower, sending power to either all the wheels; or just the front ones. A CVT gearbox is the only available option.For us Canadians, Remote Engine Start, heated front seats and front wiper de-icer are standard on all trims, with heated steering wheel available on Sport trims and above. Prices start at $28,690, up from $27,690 for last years
Origin: Honda CR-V gets more trims, standard features for 2020
2020 Porsche 718 Boxster T and Cayman T make North American debut
Are the standard Porsche 718 Boxster and its sister, the 718 Cayman, just too milquetoast for you? Do you simply not have enough consonants in your life?Then the boffins at Porsche have an answer for you, the 718 Boxster T and Cayman T.Filled to the gunwales with performance-enhancing features to sharpen its handling when compared to a non-T Boxster or Cayman, these new models will include the PASM Sport Suspension as standard equipment, along with a mechanical limited-slip diff and Porsche Torque Vectoring.The inclusion of those natty suspenders mean shorter springs are on-board, plus re-tuned adaptive dampers and a ride height thats about an inch closer to terra firma. The Sport Chrono Package is also standard.Just dont go looking for more power. The 718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T are powered by the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine as the standard Boxster and Cayman models, developing 300 ponies and 280 lb.-ft. of twist.In conjunction with the optional PDK transmission and using the Launch Control feature, both variants can reach 96 km/h from a standstill in just 4.5 seconds. Mercifully, the standard transmission for the 718 T variants is a six-speed manual gearbox. Top speed is 272km/h.Various trimmings and trappings distinguish the T from other 718s as well. Eagle-eyed spotters will spy the Agate Grey mirror caps and rollover protection bars. Joining the festival, Mr. Ts model designation badges are also this colour.Inside, Sport Seats Plus with pronounced bolsters and Sport Tex fabric are standard, while Full Bucket Seats, normally reserved for GTS and GT4 models, can be optionally ordered. In the grand Porsche tradition of taking things away and then charging more, black fabric door opening loops replace the traditional door handles.Given the extra handling chops of the T, count on it to get ham-fisted drivers out of trouble more easily than the now-admittedly-workaday standard non-T car, a vehicle now completely worthless and one whose owners are busy running it through the nearest wood chipper.The 2020 Porsche 718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T are available to order now and are expected to reach dealers in summer 2020. South of the border, MSRP for the 718 Cayman T is US$66,400, while the 718 Boxster T retails for US$68,500. Expect a modest increase in those numbers for Canadian
Origin: 2020 Porsche 718 Boxster T and Cayman T make North American debut
Mid-engined Corvette’s launch pushed back to February 2020
The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8Chevrolet The first deliveries of the new C8-generation Chevrolet Corvette will be pushed back to February 2020 instead of showing up in customers driveways before the end of 2019 as previously anticipated, the automakers confirmed.As you mightve expected, the recent six-week UAW strike played a big role in that, reports Road Track.But so did the cars Bowling Green, Kentucky assembly facility needing more time to retool its production line for the Vettes new mid-engined architecture.After a temporary shutdown to make all that happen and, of course, after Chevrolet finishes rolling out the final C7 Corvettes it needs to still build the line should be back up and running by
Origin: Mid-engined Corvette’s launch pushed back to February 2020
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