Volkswagen is already the only place to get an affordable wagon in this country, and the 2017 Golf SportWagen Alltrack answers the prayers of many with all-wheel drive. Last month, Automotive News ran a story about a Connecticut VW dealer, one of the oldest in the U.S., that was shutting down. Slumping sales and a lack of cash were the cause, but definitely brought on by the fact VW was competing in an area demanding crossovers and all-wheel drive.
It's why Subarus do so well in the Northeast. Forget debating whether it's sensible to have AWD when you only really need it a few days out of the year. In the northeast states, it's what drives many car purchases.
The Alltrack won't sell in Outback (or probably even Impreza) numbers, but it stands to put VW back on the shopping list for a lot of people. The Golf wagon itself is such an immensely practical vehicle, too, and it feels like a truly quality product. It has a prestige image that Subaru lacks, which is likely going to make it really popular in certain towns. And yet it shouldn't be nearly as pricey as a Volvo XC70, V60 Cross Country or Audi Allroad.
And I kind of like the way it looks. I'm not usually a fan of jacked-up wagons, but the Alltrack wears its added height and car-version of hiking boots well.
So if you live in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine, prepare to get in line.
The all-new Lexus RX has been one of the industries best kept secrets and now we can see why. We're definitely looking at Lexus' best looking SUV ever made. With global sales of more than 2.1 million units, the RX is by far the most successful model Lexus has ever produced. In fact, it represents three out of ten vehicles ever sold by the Japanese manufacturer. Those are some impressive numbers.
Of course, despite its success, it's never been particularly handsome to look at, at least not after we realized how good a mid-size luxury SUV can look thanks to Mercedes, BMW, Porsche and other rivals which got in the game in the past 15 years.
All of this changes with the 2016 RX. It looks downright menacing and it makes a really strong visual statement, perhaps enough to give you goosebumps, as Lexus said during their official presentation in New York.
Styling-wise, it's easy to get distracted by the completely new front end, highlighted by their over-sized grille which we don't mind that much on this car. There's also an aggressive front bumper and triple L-shaped LED headlamps.
The overall shape of the car is sporty and muscular. Thankfully it doesn't look at all like a larger version of theNX - which really had us worried up until the very end. The flowing roofline is also a great touch, as are the blacked-out C-pillars and customizable 20" wheels (which you can get with body color-matching inserts).
Inside, we have a new cabin design and layout which is exciting to say the least. There's the available color heads-up display which projects vehicle info onto the driver's windshield, the 12.3" display with full-screen map and the shift lever which is now positioned away from the front of the instrument panel in order to make better use of spacing.
As Lexus RX chief designer would say "Even while ensuring a high level of luxury and space within the cabin, the RX’s silhouette remains sleek and dynamic, while the interior has been designed for easy operation with luxurious execution," which sounds pretty darn accurate from the looks of it.
Engine-wise, you're looking at two different versions, the RX 350 and the RX 450h, plus an RX F Sport trim level which offers visual enhancements regardless of which power unit you run, plus the AVS-enhanced Sport S+ mode as standard - which helps keep the vehicles body flat through corners.
The RX 350 features an upgraded and more powerful 3.5 liter V6, good for 300 HP and mated to a new 8-speed automatic transmission, while the RX 450h's hybrid power unit (3.5 liter V6 + electric motor) offers about the same total output as the petrol-powered model.
Lexus also went to work on the RX's body structure which has now been strengthened, helping enhance its handling response while reducing engine and road noise. There's also adaptive variable suspension which is available on the RX for the first time and "about time" if you ask us.
Of course there's also a bunch of safety systems you need to know about, such as the Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert and Automatic High Beam, which are all part of Lexus' Safety System+. Then there's the Lane Keep Assist and the Dynamic Radar Cruise Control which can help you come to a complete stop under certain circumstances.
The Adaptive High-beam System, Panoramic View Monitor and Blind Spot Monitor round up the rest of the features which help make the driver's life easier on the road.
The all-new 2016 Lexus RX is definitely the type of SUV you want to check out if you find yourself in the market for one. It looks genuinely striking both outside and in, and we're pretty sure its European rivals are paying close attention to it as we speak.
Big claims are being made at the New York auto show about the new Honda Civic, previewed by the design study you see here. It’s going to be the most dynamic Civic the US has ever seen, as well as the most technologically advanced; it will ride on an all-new platform and feature turbocharging too. The Civic Concept is as close to the production model as any of Honda’s recent efforts (the Civic Type-R, for instance), which means it will pretty much look like this but will be toned down; these rear lights probably won’t make it into production either.
We’re promised a fun car, which will be a little larger in size than its predecessor, and it was generally announced as a spiritual return to older and more fun Honda models than what we’ve been getting in recent years.
We’ll let you know more once the official information hits the web; until then check out the photos from the reveal event posted after the virtual jump!
Update: With press release information
Honda doesn’t go overboard with technical facts about the Civic, although their accompanying press release is more accurate than trying to remember what John Mendel said during the live reveal.
What the executive vice president of the American arm of Honda actually said was "the new Civic will be, flat out, the most dynamic, the most technologically advanced and the most refined and stylish Civic we've ever made. In every way, this will be an epic Civic."
His words are added to by Guy Melville-Brown, Chief Exterior designer of the Civic concept, who called the concept "charismatic, connected and athletic,” and explains their “goal was to create a design that is emotional and sporty yet with a sense of timelessness and simplicity.”
He concludes they “set out to create a vehicle that goes beyond the superficial and embraces the very philosophy of what a true Civic should be; it's a real game changer.”
It’s the 10th generation model, and this particular one was penned and engineered in the US. Design work was carried out by Honda’s Los Angeles design studio and actual development took place at their development center in Raymond, Ohio.
The production model previewed by this concept will feature a new compact platform and it will be offered with a short-shifting manual six-speed gearbox, or a CVT.
It will be packed full of the latest connected apps, gadgets and safety features. The debut is set for the fall of 2015.
Startup carmakers promising stellar performance from cars that don’t exist yet are nothing new. Meet Lyons Motor Car, a US-based company that says it plans to build a 1,700hp car called LM2 Streamliner which will be able to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in a “guaranteed” 2.2 seconds “or better” and to do the quarter mile in 8 seconds. It also claims an estimated top speed of 290 mph (467 km/h). Although all photos of the car released so far are renderings, the folks from Lyons Motor Car say they will unveil a prototype at the New York Auto Show.
Power should come from a twin-turbocharged V8 engine with twin intercoolers mated to a 7-speed sequential gearbox and an electric all-wheel drive system. The engine is said to deliver 1,700hp.
The hypercar is also said to feature Brembo sourced carbon ceramic brake rotors, Bosch ESP and ABS systems as well as titanium and billet aluminum suspension with two damping settings (Luxury and Sport).
The LM2 Streamliner is designed to have a carbon fiber body and full length carbon fiber chassis, with carbon fiber and billet stainless steel subframes. Lyons Motor Car claims it will also get “the most advanced and technologically convenient full microprocessor controlled electrical system ever.”
What this means is the car won’t have any chassis wiring harnesses, breakers relays or fuses or buttons toggle switches of levers and will be fully programmable from an iPhone or other mobile device – whatever that means.
Lyons Motor Car was founded in 2011 and “is the first car manufacturer to be based in New York City in the last 70 years.”
Since we're edging closer to the New York Auto Show, Mitsubishi released a pair of (better) teasers for its facelifted 2016 Outlander. With a little help from Photoshop, we lightened up the pictures to reveal the cosmetic changes on the Japanese SUV, which to some extent, are inspired by those previewed on the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Concept-S at the2014 Paris Motor Show.
These include a redesigned fascia with new headlamps, grille, bumper and plenty of decorative chrome-like trim, along with a fresh set of elongated tail lamps and a new bumper styling with similar trimming at the back, plus new alloy wheel designs.
Apparently, the facelift for the North American model is identical to the Japanese-spec version, examples of which were recently discovered without any camo at a port (see them here).
According to Mitsubishi, the 2016 version of the Outlander features "over 100 engineering and design improvements including a new, powerful and dynamic appearance, enhanced road performance as the result of improvements to noise levels, ride, handling and throttle response, and a more eloquent yet functional interior space."
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