2021

GM’s electric pickup gets a fall 2021 on-sale date

2019 Chevrolet SilveradoDerek McNaughton / Driving GM CEO Mary Barra told investors at an event in New York on Thursday her companys first electric pickup will debut in showrooms in late 2021, and it will have a leg up on the competition. General Motors understands truck buyers, she said.Barra made the announcement hours before Tesla CEO Elon Musk was set to reveal that companys new Cybertruck.But other GM executives are confident Teslas pickup wont be in the same league as their electric truck.I suspect price-wise there might be some similarities, but I think in terms of size and capabilities, there might be a difference, Phil Brook, the vice president of marketing for GMs GMC brand, said in an interview. People who buy our trucks, they are very proud of the fact that theyll take their trucks anywhere, theyll get them dirty, then theyll wash them out and go to a five-star restaurant for dinner. So theyre not people who just drive them around and want to look good.Musk told a Tesla enthusiast podcast earlier this year he wants his truck, which is also aiming for a late 2021 market launch, to start at less than $50,000. During an October earnings call, he declared it will be the companys best product ever. But Tesla probably wont have the electric-truck market to itself for long, if at all. Amazon-backed Rivian Automotive plans to launch its R1T pickup late next year. Ford has vowed to start selling hybrid-electric and battery-electric versions of the F-150 starting in 2020, and GM has committed to producing plug-in pickups at a plant it had been planning to shutter in the Detroit area.Perhaps more importantly, Japanese automakers have spent two decades and billions of dollars trying to get in on the big pickup gravy train; 20 years after Toyota first started making the Tundra, they are still getting crushed by the Detroit Three, which control almost 92 per cent of the U.S. half-ton truck segment, according to IHS Markit.Customers who own Ram pickups are more loyal than owners of any other model line in the U.S., the researcher says, and brand loyalty to Ford or General Motors Chevrolet isnt far behind.Check Out Our Latest Auto Show CoverageTeslas Thursday night event bookends the press days for the Los Angeles Auto Show, where Ford generated buzz with the debut of the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV. But seeking attention of his own wasnt the only motivation for Musk to stage his truck reveal now and near the show.When announcing the date and locale, he joked on Twitter they were strangely familiar and shared a link to the opening credits and scene of the 1982 film Blade Runner, which was set in November 2019. He had referenced the movie before as inspiration for the pickups futuristic design.Musk is scheduled to begin making remarks around 8 p.m. local time at Teslas design center in Hawthorne,
Origin: GM’s electric pickup gets a fall 2021 on-sale date

First Look: 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer

2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer What is it?Slotting below the Blazer and Equinox but above the Trax, the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer is a new compact utility that comes with a slew of safety equipment and will cost less than $20,000 in the United States when it comes to market. It will come in two trims, a sporty RS and new ACTIV. AWD is optional. Pricing for Canada has not been released.Check out all of our latest auto show coverage hereWhy does it matter?The small utility market is on fire and the Trailblazers aggressive pricing and attractive styling makes it standout in a crowded field. It should be inexpensive to operate, too, since engine choices are either a 1.2L turbo or 1.3L turbo in-line three cylinder.These are the same engines offered in the Buick Encore GX. The 1.2L gets 137 horsepower and 166 lb.-ft. of torque while the 1.3 gets 155 and 174 respectively. Both engines are mated to a continuously variable transmission with selectable stop/start capability. A nine-speed automatic transmission is also available on Trailblazers equipped with the 1.3L engine and all-wheel drive. Chevys selectable AWD is an option. Its the same system in the Blazer and Traverse. Cargo space is ample, too 1540 litres (54.4 cubic feet) with the 40/60 split-folding second-row seats folded, able to carry objects up to 260 centimetres long (8.5 feet). When is it coming?Coming to the USA and Canada in the spring of 2020.Should you buy it?On paper, the Trailblazer seems to have everything going for it thrifty, stylish, roomy and loaded with safety. Whats not to like? But well need to drive it before making any
Origin: First Look: 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer

First Look: 2021 Kia Seltos

What is it?It resembles the Kia Soul and it addresses one of the iconic little-car-that-could’s key weaknesses — the new Seltos (horrible name, in our opinion) arrives with an available all-wheel-drive system with torque vectoring control and a lock mode to handle severe road conditions. In terms of size it slots neatly between the Soul and larger Sportage, although Kia describes it as having “Herculean interior” space. The hype is a bit over the top, but sitting in the back did prove it had ample space for a pair of six-footers in terms of both head- and legroom. The cabin is well conceived and comes with the latest mod-cons, including a seven-inch OLED screen for the instrumentation and a 10.25-inch high-resolution screen for the infotainment system in the top model.    Check out all of our latest auto show coverage hereWhy does it matter?People are crazy for crossovers right now, so another affordable one can’t hurt Kia’s push up the sales charts. It will have broad appeal with two engine choices. The base  2.0L four-cylinder produces 146 hp and 132 lb.-ft. of torque and works with Kia’s Intelligent Variable Transmission. That’s a CVT to most. The second choice is a 1.6L Turbo with a more rewarding 175 hp and 195 lb.-ft. of torque. It drives all four wheels paired through a seven-speed twin-clutch.When will Canada get it?The 2021 Kia Seltos is slated to hit Canadian roads in the latter half of 2020.Should you buy it?For far too long, the Soul has been left in the wilds because it was not offered with all-wheel-drive. The Seltos adds the missing ingredient, along with an attractive exterior look, lots of interior space and the latest in connectivity.
Origin: First Look: 2021 Kia Seltos

2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime PHEV boasts 302 HP — yes, you read that right

What is it?The first plug-in hybrid version of Toyota’s best-selling RAV4, the Prime looks to expand on the number of electrified compact sport-cutes Toyota Canada sells, which currently account for about a quarter of the 62,000 RAV4s the company hopes to sell this year.Why is it important?Toyota is changing the focus of all its hybrids, emphasizing the performance improvement of electrification as much as its environmental benefits. So, in marrying a 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle four with Toyotas Hybrid Synergy Drive, the new RAV4 Prime boasts 302 net horsepower, the most ever for the sport-cute. And, yes, it is more than the then-top-of-the-line 3.5-litre V6 Toyota offered in the RAV4 between 2006 and 2012.Those 302 horses also make the Prime quicker than any previous RAV4, its 5.8-second sprint to 96 kilometres an hour (60 mph) in true hot-rod territory. Hybrids are no longer just for fuel economy!Check Out All Our Auto Show CoverageNot that the Prime suffers in that arena. Thanks to the estimated 60 kilometres of electric-only range afforded by its huge-for-a-PHEV 17.8-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, the new RAV4 plug-in is rated for the electric equivalent of 2.6 litres per 100 kilometres. And, of course, thanks to the rear-mounted traction motor, the Prime offers Toyotas Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel-Drive system.On a more pedestrian front, even the SE version of the RAV4 Prime gets heated and power adjustable seats and an eight-inch Touchscreen while the top-of-the-line XSE gets the RAV4s first paddle shifters and 19-inch rims, the largest ever offered on a hybrid RAV4. When is it arriving?Summer of 2020.Should you buy it?Damn straight you should. Any time you can cut your fuel consumption as dramatically as this while increasing performance so substantially is a good day for any SUV owner. Factor in the convenience of plugging in at home and quick refuelling on the road, and the RAV4 would seem an optimal blend of traditional and electric technologies for what we hope will be a reasonable price.As the RAV4s press release boasts, welcome to a new chapter of Toyota SUV performance.LISTEN: What do car dealers think about electric vehicles? Are they keen to have them in their showrooms? We talk to Vancouver GM dealer Blair Upton about this and much more during this week’s episode of Plugged In. Plugged In is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.Is the player not working? Click
Origin: 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime PHEV boasts 302 HP — yes, you read that right

First Look: 2021 Aston Martin DBX

What is it?This is the DBX, Aston Martins first SUV, one of the most-teased vehicles of all time (Gaydon has been rolling out “spy” photos of the DBX on an almost monthly basis for the past year) and, in the words the company itself, the sport utility with the soul of a sports car.Why does it matter?Well, for one thing, Aston Martin is 106 years old and this is the first time its built anything that even resembles an off-roader. For another, while other marques have built SUVs that are supposed to remind you of their sports cars Im looking at you, Ford, and your new Mustang Mach-E there is, for better or for worse, a lot of Aston Martin sports car DNA in the DBX.Most importantly, Aston Martin sales have been hurting as of late and, as much as many will scream Sacrilege!, if a sport brute can put Gaydon back on a firm financial footing, then so much the better.Thats why its important to Aston Martin. Why it might be important to you is that under the hood is a 542-horsepower version of the twin-turbo V8 sourced from Mercedes-Benz. An active exhaust system, in AMs own words, lets the DBX sound refined one moment and exhilarating the next. The sprint to 100 kilometres an hour takes but 4.5 seconds. Top speed is an impressive 291 km/h.Check Out All Our Auto Show CoverageEven more impressive at least when it comes to that soul of a sports car thing is the adaptive triple-chamber air springs, which allow a completely variable suspensions system. Even more technically impressive is the eARC adaptive roll bar system that, according to Aston, can generate as much as much as 1,033 foot-pounds of anti-roll force per axle. By combining the variable air spring, adjustable dampers and electronically controlled roll bars, Aston says the DBX can transport five in comfort and still handle like its soul is a sports car. When will it be available?In the second half of 2020.Should you buy it?Well, first off, do you have $218,400? You do? Okay, then here are the questions you need to ask yourself beyond is it fast? (yes, it is) and will it handle well? (yes, it should). First off, do you need to transport lots of passengers in the rear seats? Oh, dont worry, the front seats look marvelous the drivers seat, for instance, will accommodate anyone from the 99th percentile male to a 5th percentile female. But the rear seats look a little as is something of an Aston tradition cramped in the legroom. Not as bad as the Rapide (the companys four-door sedan) but tight(ish) nonetheless. Trunk space is, at 22.3 cubic feet, at least adequate.On the positive side, the interior is delectable, the leather and wood trim everything one expects from an English luxury marque. And there are truly bespoke touches such as the Pet Package yes, optional pet accessories in a luxury automobile that includes a portable washer to hose off muddy dogs, a bumper protector to ward off errant claws and even a pet partition just in case the portable washer misses a few bits.There are 10 other packages available ranging from a traditional Snow Package (ski bag and roof-mounted ski rack) all the way to and I am assuming this will be hugely popular in the United States a gun cabinet and shooting stick package that marries a lockable solid aluminum case for firearms with a stick made of leather and wood to help you, I assume, chase after pheasant. How very
Origin: First Look: 2021 Aston Martin DBX

First Look: 2021 Audi RS Q8

What is it?Audi is on a tear when it comes to its go-faster RS-badged rides. The RS 6 Avant is making a return and the RS 4 is on the horizon. To further bolster its attack on the AMG and M brands, Audi pulled the wraps off the RS Q8. Usually, when you are dealing with a low-slung wagon or hatchback, shoehorning a monster motor under the hood and beefing up the dynamics is a natural. Doing the same to a higher-riding SUV is another matter. Fear not, the RS Q8 is every bit an RS model its fast, furious and will stay glued to the tarmac. The outward styling is bolder with wider front fenders and a unique honeycomb grille. The cabin follows this lead, especially if one opts for the serious RS sport seats wrapped in Valcona leather with a honeycomb pattern that mirrors the grille and RS badge embossed on the backrest.Why does it matter?The big news is a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 that works with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. It pushes 591 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission and all four wheels. In this application the quattro system sends 60 per cent of the drive to the rear wheels and 40 per cent to the front, which will give it a rear-drive feel. However, the system can send up to 85% of the power rearward, or up to 70 per cent to the front wheels if the conditions demand. The lot can be tailored to the tone of the drive and includes a driver-configurable RS mode button. To keep things shiny-side-up it has an adaptive air suspension and four-wheel steering. The dynamic-plus package adds active anti-roll bars, real-time torque vectoring at the rear and a ceramic brake package.And so to the important number the RS Q8 runs from rest to 100 km/h of 3.8 seconds! When will Canada get it?Canadians will be able to buy the RS Q8 at the end of the second-quarter next year.Should you buy it?While my first choice would be the RS 6, the RS Q8 is an intriguing proposition that will find many happy, happy owners. It is blisteringly fast (read blatant understatement!), it promises to hug the road with tenacity when pushed, yet cosset the riders in first-class luxury when out for a night at the opera. How can you argue with the
Origin: First Look: 2021 Audi RS Q8

VW ID Vizzion Concept previews estate due in 2021

VW ID. Vizzion Concept previews estate due in 2021 The all electric estate has a range of more than 360 miles Volkswagen has presented its latest pure-electric model to join the ID. sub-brand – the ID. Vizzion Concept. The estate previews a model that will go into production in 2021, with a range of 367 miles on a single charge. Powered by an 82 kWh battery. the ID. Vizzion Concept features comes in either a 275hp rear-wheel drive configuration, or 335hp all-wheel drive set-up. The latter will complete the 0-62mph time in 5.4 seconds. Charging can be carried out at 150 kW on CCS DC charge points, for a charge to 80% in around half an hour. The aerodynamic estate has been designed to be as efficient as possible, improving range. Similar proportions to the Passat see VW pitching ID. models alongside core existing products. Where the ID.3 is similar in shape to the Golf, the production version of the ID. Vizzion Concept will sit in the class above. Smart Climate is introduced, with users able to use intuitive voice controls such as ‘cool quickly’, ‘warm feet’, or ‘defrost windscreen’, on top of more traditional controls through the large central touchscreen. Drivers also get an augmented reality head-up display. Materials used are sustainable, with AppleSkin featuring – an artificial leather containing an amount of residue material from apple juice production.
Origin: VW ID Vizzion Concept previews estate due in 2021

Wild horses: The internet reacts to Ford’s 2021 Mustang Mach-E

Unless youve been living under an especially virulent rock, it will not have escaped your notice that Ford introduced the all-electric Mustang Mach-E earlier this week in Los Angeles. Any serious entrant into the EV market is a big deal these days, especially one from the Detroit Three, a group frequently accused (sometimes unfairly) of being perpetually behind the eight-ball.This alone would have undoubtedly set tongues wagging. Once the build team confirmed they decided to call this all-electric crossover a Mustang, the conversation went into orbit.Public reaction was as swift as it was predictable. Online comments from the Twitterverse ranged from an SUV is not a Mustang, to this will not resonate. One user proclaimed the Mustang Mach E to be an Edsel-level failure in terms of marketing, a comment that will surely sting anyone at the Blue Oval whos read that particular case study.Now that its been revealed, how do you feel about Ford calling the Mach-E a Mustang? #MustangMachE driving.ca (@drivingdotca) November 18, 2019The EV Association of Alberta, not exactly a group given to wild and untamed pronouncements, said on Twitter Ford certainly took a risk naming it after the iconic sports car at a minimum, it has sparked much conversation. We hope the vehicle sells for Ford, but perhaps a different name would have avoided alienating a large number of Ford fansThat statement is one of the more measured and thoughtful weve seen; its also the most correct. Ford did take a plunge into the unknown by affixing the Mustang name to this car, a decision that has indeed sparked much conversation. There is a case to be made Ford knew it needed all the buzz they could get after all, the Glass House does not enjoy the same rabid fan base as a certain other EV company whose name begins with T and ends in esla.In a sidebar with Automotive News, it apparently took a great deal of convincing to get Bill Ford himself on board with calling the Mach-E a Mustang. I certainly wasnt sold at the beginning far from it, said Ford to AN. I said, No, Im sorry, I dont want to hurt the brand. This is not going to be a Mustang.So what changed? A lap in an early prototype, apparently. After absorbing the specs on paper, Bill Ford said he saw the performance characteristics and driving dynamics evolve as time went on to the point where he could concede Yeah, this is a Mustang.Not everyone was on board, apparently. Our own feet on the ground during the cars introduction told us that, during the product presentation, Ford copped to the fact a few Mustang boffins within the company were decidedly hands-off. When a reporter asked You selected a pretty wide and talented team of previous Mustang engineers to work on this Mach-E. Were there any that were asked to work on the project and refused? the answer from Ford was Oh, definitely, an admission that definitely falls in the category of Things That Make You Go Hmmm.Vintage behind-the-scenes photograph of Carroll Shelby and the Ford Mustang SHELB-E during the filming of Ford vs Tesla. (Non colorized) pic.twitter.com/SmT7nAm6xd McMike (@_McMike_) November 19, 2019Theres been a proliferation of nicknames for the SUV already, including the obvious papier mâché pun, plus suggestions for alternatives. If the petition to change the name from “Mustang Mach E” reaches the ears of higher-ups at FoMoCo, perhaps theyll consider instead calling it the Lincoln Mark-E, or, as writer Rory Carroll offered on Twitter, the Galax-E.Well leave the final word to jokester McMike on Twitter, who mashed up a photo of a young Carroll Shelby standing next to the Mach-E. A pair of EV crossovers, both with boatloads of chutzpah and similar all-electric range? Ford vs. Tesla,
Origin: Wild horses: The internet reacts to Ford’s 2021 Mustang Mach-E

5 things you need to know about the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E

LOS ANGELES, California — As if calling an SUV a battery-powered one, at that a Mustang doesnt already foist an uphill challenge on this new model, Fords 2021 Mach-E also has to strip sales away from Tesla, prove to Ford shareholders that there really is a mass market for mid-priced electric vehicles and, at the same time, prepare the ultimate of Ford loyalists F-150 owners for the inevitable electrification of their pickup trucks.Thats a pretty steep ask. Heres how Ford plans to do it, plus some background info you just need to know.Ford was first going to just call it “Mach-E”Rumour round the L.A. Auto Show has it Ford originally tried to build the Mach-E on an existing that should be read gas-powered platform, but the engineers couldnt hit their range and performance targets.CHECK OUT ALL OUR LATEST AUTO SHOW COVERAGESo they made a deal with the devil, asking Fords accountants for more money so they could build a bespoke battery-powered chassis. The tithe exacted by the bean-counters? That they name it Mustang so they could build on the name recognition of probably the most famous Ford of all time. Which explains whyFord wants to move a boatload of its electrified sport bruteThis is no halo vehicle or vanity project. Ford is looking to move some (battery-powered) iron, here. I count, for instance, no less than nine distinct trim levels across the Mach-Es five models Select (available early 2021), Premium (late 2020), First Edition (also late 2020), California Route 1 (early 2021) and GT Performance (spring 2021). Thats a huge number of trims from a company that prides itself on efficient manufacturing. The only way to amortize the cost of that proliferation is to sell boatloads of product, which also explains whyFord is sticking it with impressively aggressive pricingBase (Select trim) Mach-Es will start at $50,495 and, unlike Elons $35,000 Model 3, youll actually be able to buy them at that price from launch. Even the all-singing, all-dancing GT Performance Edition will slip in under $83,000 (yes, these prices are all Canadian).Again, Ford plans to move a bunch of Mach-Es in preparation for what will surely be its real heavy-hitter in the EV world, an electrified F-150. The first two models available the Premium and California Route 1 will start at $59,495 (for the standard-range version of the Premium) and $64,495 (for the Route 1 and its extended-range battery). In between Ford’s offering a vast array of powertrain and battery optionsRunning through the Mach-Es order guide is like feasting at the ultimate of electric vehicle buffets. Want a rear-wheel-drive BEV with a big battery that maximizes range? Mach-Es got the California Route 1. Want an all-wheel-drive with a cheaper battery but better performance? Well, Ford has a Premium SR AWD with your name on it that can scoot to 100 clicks in about five-and-a-half-seconds.Wading through the vast array of options and combinations will make your head spin, so Ill attempt to simplify it all for you. There are basically two battery options: a standard-range (SR) 75.7-kilowatt-hour affair; and an extended-range (ER) 98.8-kWh monster.Combine the extended-range unit with a modestly-powered (282-hp) rear-wheel drivetrain and you have the 475-kilometre California Route 1. Package the same 98.8-kilowatt-hour ER hardware with 459 all-wheel-driving horses and you have the GT Performance with its three-and-a-half-second blitz to 100 kilometres an hour (though range is reduced to 375 km).The Premium, which looks to be the backbone of Fords sales effort, can be had with any combination of long- and short-range battery and rear-wheel- or all-wheel-drive powertrains you want, in 255-, 282- and yet another iteration 332-horsepower guises.Dizzy yet? Like the California, the First Edition (which will exact something of a premium $71,995 for its limited quantities) is only available with the extended-range battery, but drives all four wheels with less urge (332 hp) than the GT Performance, resulting in yet another range rating, this time 425 kilometres.Theres a Mach-E for every purse and purpose, and the only way Ford can do this at these (comparatively) aggressive prices is to sell dealerships full of them. 2021 is going to be very interesting for Fords bottom line.The big question, then, is where Ford will find all the zero-emissions enthusiasts to fill Mach-E seats. Its first course of action duh, look at the name, Dave is obviously loyalists. Now whether this means past patrons of Ford in general or of Mustang in particular is anybodys guess.Certainly branding a sport utility vehicle Mustang when it shares nothing but a grille shape and some taillights with your iconic sports car is a brave that should be read risky move. I do think, however, that while Mustang cognoscenti may prove outraged, current Ford owners looking for their first EV will appreciate the tie-up. Theres no doubt Ford also has Tesla firmly in its sights.
Origin: 5 things you need to know about the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E

Production of Hyundai’s Santa Cruz truck confirmed for 2021

Hyundai Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept Hyundai has dropped another bread crumb leading to the upcoming Santa Cruz compact pickup with the announcement it will come together at the brand’s production plant in Alabama. The South Korean automaker has been teasing its truck(ish) product with detail after detail, ever since it introduced the concept to the world way back in 2015 at the Detroit Auto Show. Honestly, with all this teasing, we’re starting to feel like the younger sibling at our older brother’s birthday party: teetering somewhere between exasperation and excitement, tears of joy or pain ready to fall at any moment. There’s still no sign of the production version of the Santa Cruz, which Hyundai says will be quite different in design than the concept, but we know it’ll be bodied like a ute and have a ladder frame. Now, Hyundai Motor Co. has confirmed it will drop a casual US$410 million to bring its Montgomery, Alabama plant up to spec for Santa Cruz production.Open since 2005, Montgomery is Hyundai’s first U.S. location. The expansion builds on a total investment of US$1.1 billion in the plant in the last 18 months. The Santa Cruz will bring in another 200 positions to the facility, with an additional 1,000 jobs for regional suppliers and logistics companies. When it finally arrives, the Santa Cruz will likely be the smallest pickup truck on the U.S. market, but that could change. Production is scheduled to begin in Alabama in
Origin: Production of Hyundai’s Santa Cruz truck confirmed for 2021