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
features
Tesla Autopilot users rate feature’s safety high, even after close calls, crashes
2018 Tesla Model 3 Peter Bleakney photo The vast majority of Tesla Model 3 owners consider the cars Autopilot feature a real safety benefit, despite the fact the systems sometimes put them in danger.The overwhelming consensus about Autopilot is that it made owners feel safer while driving, according to a survey of Model 3 owners conducted by Bloomberg. Of the 5,000 owners polled, over 90 per cent touted the safety benefits of the system.The survey also found 13 per cent of owners say the Autopilot mode has put them into a dangerous situation before.Perhaps most interestingly, the overlap between Model 3 owners who answered those two questions that way was pretty big most of the drivers who reported being put in a dangerous situation by the system also said it made them feel safer. Were not sure what is going through those peoples minds, exactly.One owner surveyed, for example, admitted their car didnt slow down enough to take a bend in the road and ended up hitting a truck; they rated Autopilots overall safety four stars out of five. To be fair to to the capability of Teslas software, some 28 per cent of owners also say Autopilot has saved them from a dangerous situation.It would be interesting to see what other drivers think of Teslas Autopilot when they are driving down the same stretch of road as a Model 3. Do they feel more nervous that the Tesla might be driving itself? Or do they feel safer knowing that there is a second set of eyes on the road?For more on electric vehicles, listen to Drivings EV podcast Plugged In. Plugged In is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google
Origin: Tesla Autopilot users rate feature’s safety high, even after close calls, crashes
2020 Subaru Impreza to still start at $20k despite added features
The 2020 Subaru Impreza will cost the same in Canada as last year, despite the fact it will arrive with much more value than previously offered.The base price remains $19,995 (or $20,995 for the hatchback) but theres a lot more standard features than on the 2019. Obviously you get all-wheel-drive standard, a long-standing feature of all Subaru models that make them the most affordable AWDs on the market.Subarus EyeSight driver-assist system is now standard on all Impreza models when equipped with the CVT gearbox; CVT models also gain a driver-selectable SI-Drive engine management system with either Sport or Intelligent mode. On top of that, theyll see standard adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking and lane departure and sway warning, as well as lane-keep assist.As for tech, a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto now comes included on all Imprezas, as does cruise control, air conditioning, automatic door lock/unlock, power windows, 60/40-split fold-down rear seats and power side mirrors. Standard on most models is Subaru Starlink Connected Services, which uses the nationwide 4G LTE cellular network to enable Advanced Automatic Collision Notification in the event of a collision, SOS Emergency Assistance, Enhanced Roadside Assistance and Concierge Service.The looks have also changed slightly, with a revised front fascia and 16-inch alloy wheels on Touring trims. A set of 17-inch alloy wheels are available on the Sport trim, and 18-inch wheels are available on the Sport-tech trim.Touring with EyeSight and a CVT rings in at $24,695 for the sedan and $25,595 for the hatch to start, while Sport wth EyeSight and CVT is $27,895 sedan, $28,795 hatch. The top-of-the-line Sport-tech trim with a CVT comes in at $30,795 sedan, $31,695
Origin: 2020 Subaru Impreza to still start at $20k despite added features
Limited-edition Bentley Bentayga features plaid interior and chessboard
Bentley has revealed a limited-edition Bentayga, a result of a collaboration between its Mulliner bespoke division and Savile Row tailor Huntsman. There are two versions available: the Businessman and the Sportsman. Both replace traditional wood veneer with Huntsman tweeds while the Businessman features a Mulliner chessboard in the rear seat rest, complete with a drawer trimmed in Huntsman fabric to hold the chess pieces. The Sportsman “take its cue from relaxed countryside pursuits,” said Bentley, with more obvious use of tweed on passenger and driver and includes blue leather and Liquid Amber veneer inserts, paired with a red exterior. The Businessman is described as having a “more urban spirit”, with a black Anthracite interior with two-tone black and grey exterior, carbon fibre fascias and waistrails and tweed on door cards. The limited-edition Bentayga is only available through Bentley showroom Jack Barclay, based in Mayfair, London close to Huntsman. The partnership is described as “uniting two icons of London’s Mayfair district and two special centenaries; that of Bentley Motors and that of Huntsman’s Savile Row boutique”. Huntsman and Jack Barclay logos are embroidered into each of the head rests. Stefan Sielaff, Bentley director of design said: “Bentley is delighted to bring together two brands which have such an impeccable heritage in the heart of London – Jack Barclay and Huntsman. “The personalisation work we do at Mulliner is about bringing a vision to life – like creating a perfect tailored suit – so adding an element of bespoke Huntsman material to the Bentayga’s lavish and beautiful interior is a perfect fit.” All buyers of the limited-edition Bentayga also receive a bespoke Huntsman jacket with a lining made exclusively for Bentley. Pricing has not been revealed, but is expected to be significantly more than the Bentayga’s starting price of £162,700. Bentley is ramping up its Mulliner division, as it recognises more and more demand for ultra-exclusive models. Later this year, a new model of which only 10 will be made will be revealed and is expected to cost in excess of £1m. The Crewe-based marque has already seen success with a limited-edition Mulliner model this year. The Continental GT Number 9 Edition by Mulliner was revealed at the Geneva motor show in March and all 100 examples promptly sold out. The special edition model celebrates the brand’s 100th anniversary and sports design that echoes the 4 ½ Litre ‘Blower’ raced at Le Mans in 1930. Bentley’s main centenary celebrations will happen next week, 10 July, at its headquarters and will include a new concept showcasing the future of grand
Origin: Limited-edition Bentley Bentayga features plaid interior and chessboard
Japan wants to limit seniors to driving cars with high-tech safety features
Statistics support driving tests for seniors over a certain age.Stock image Following a rise in fatal traffic accidents involving senior citizens in Japan, authorities are considering a change to licensing legislation that would require drivers over a certain age to only pilot safety-enhanced vehicles with features like automatic brakes. The changes, being developed by the National Police Agency in collaboration with various national ministries, will be proposed to Japan’s Cabinet along with the government’s growth strategy, sources recently told The Japan Times. According to Japan’s National Police Agency, the incidence of fatal accidents caused by drivers over the age of 75 in Japan has almost doubled in the last ten years. In 2008, fatal accidents caused by that age group accounted for 8.7 per cent of the total number in the country; in 2018, with 460 fatalities caused by drivers over 75, that figure was tallied at 14.8 per cent. The Agency commissioned three panels of experts to come up with some potential solutions to the growing issue. The new license would limit certain drivers to certain areas at certain times in certain vehicles, likely ones that include automatic braking and fail-safes for when the wrong pedal is pressed. This April, an 88-year-old driver and former government official struck and killed a mother and her daughter, and injured six others, in Tokyo. And even more recently in the city of Fukuoka, an 81-year-old driver collided with five other vehicles in an intersection, killing himself and his wife and injuring nine others. In both cases, it is believed the driver mistook the gas pedal for the brake pedal.
Origin: Japan wants to limit seniors to driving cars with high-tech safety features
Kohl’s ‘American Pie’ T-shirt features Ford, not Chevy, by the levee
American department store chain Kohl’s is selling a T-shirt with the potential to anger truck-lovers on both sides of the great Ford-Chevy divide. On the surface, the ‘Juniors’ American Pie Short Sleeve Crew Neck Americana Tee’ is an innocuous piece of fast fashion: A grey tee with a vintage truck and the words “Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry” printed on it. Seems like exactly what one might expect to find at a U.S. department store, right? A closer look at the truck reveals something off about the illustration. Something deeply troubling. It appears as though some monster has inked a ’70s Ford F-150 face onto what appears otherwise to be a mid-’60s Chevrolet. The hybrid truck with the potential to incite violence was brought to our attention by the editors at Jalopnik, who warn of an all-out riot. They managed to get a shot of the shirt on the website, but the image now appears to have been pulled. It’s odd, and kind of a dumb move on Kohl’s part, but is it really going to result in a bloodbath? We’d like to say no, but Ford and Chevy fans have been known to get physical, like the Virginia man who recently shot his wife and her son over an argument about which automaker makes superior vehicles. The tee is an allusion to the classic song “American Pie” by Don McLean. Everybody sing along now: Bye, bye Miss American Pie/ Drove my Chevy to the levee/ But the levee was dry/ Them good ol’ boys were drinking whisky and rye, singing/ This’ll be the day that I die Well, hopefully them good ol’ boys drinking whisky and rye aren’t driving that Chevy with the decal of Calvin peeing on a Ford in the Kohl’s parking lot, because a lifted Ford F-150 just pulled in. Nobody needs to die today, boys, despite what the song says.
Origin: Kohl’s ‘American Pie’ T-shirt features Ford, not Chevy, by the levee
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