7-Seat Crossovers

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2017 Subaru ASCENT Concept is Jumbo, 7-Seater Outback Headed to Showrooms Next Year

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Subaru has been hinting and teasing its 3-row intentions for years now.  Since the Tribeca bowed out gracefully, in fact, we’ve seen VIZIV concepts galore.  We lost track. Maybe six concepts on that Viziv badge.  Refining what a seven-seat Subaru might be. A new approach was needed, and we now have a 98-percent look at the finished, production product.  The high roofline adds nearly a half-foot of air inside the cabin versus the 5-seat Outback.   An all-new platform drops the floor dramatically in the second row too, giving what looks like amble wayback access and big captains chairs for …

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Animated Debut – 2017 Infiniti QX80 Monograph Concept

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The newest Infiniti is upon us!  It is dubbed the QX80 Monograph. That term is defined as a singular passion project – and shows the lux truck business is important to Infiniti. Very important. This design study upgrades the design of the QX80 immeasurably.  The glasshouse feels familiar, as does the nose. But they are slippery, sexy new expressions on this frame.  The bodysides take a similar space-future upgrade to their look, too, naturally.  The silhouette-racer description is apt.  Minus the giant mirrors of the current model. This beauty uses camera stalk embeds.  Stance is seriously low, with massive rubber …

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2017 Hyundai SANTA FE Ultimate – Road Test Review – By Tim Esterdahl

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  Overlooked by many consumers, the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe is the sleeper pick by many journalists as the best full-size CUV on the market. Why the disconnect between consumers and critics? No idea, it is really that good. The Hyundai Santa Fe has been around for years and in 2012 a longer-wheel base model called the Limited hit the sales rooms. As opposed to the smaller Sport model, the Limited offers a third-row – a key item for family shoppers. It also received a different grille design, optional 19 inch alloy wheels, dual exhaust tips and its overall shape …

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2017 Nissan ARMADA Platinum – Road Test Review – By Tim Esterdahl

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In a segment long dominated by the Chevy Tahoe and the GMC Yukon, the 2017 Nissan Armada arrives to take them both head on. With a huge interior and plenty of horsepower under the hood along with a very unique style, it is bold challenger, yet does it truly measure up? Yes and it might just surprise many large SUV buyers. Fresh off a one-year hiatus, the 2017 Armada is back with new looks, improved V8 and loads of safety and security tech. It continues Nissan’s push to be more than a low-budget volume seller and instead be a major …

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2017 GMC Acadia DENALI – Road Test Review – By Tim Esterdahl

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  GMC angling to be a “premium brand” these days — a long way from their trucks’ deserved reputation as rebadged Chevrolets.  GMC has definitely changed, but not everything makes sense. The 2017 GMC Acadia Denali is a perfect example of this. It is essentially a rebadged Chevrolet Traverse with upgraded features and luxury. Do these luxury features push it to another level above the Traverse? Absolutely, yet they may do more harm than good. The 2017 GMC Acadia is one of several SUV models offered by GMC these days as the brand works to find complements to its better-selling Yukon Denali and Sierra …

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2017 Ford Explorer Platinum 4×4 – HD Road Test Review

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As recently as ten years ago, all you had to ask for was a seven-seat SUV. The options were pretty limited and you found your way into various full-size Suburbans or Expeditions. These days, car shoppers have to get a lot more specific.  There are over 50 SUV and crossover models capable of seating seven.  But they are certainly not all equally capable. The Ford Explorer aims to be one of the largest mid-size SUVs out there – one with real seating in the third row and decent luggage room with all seats up.  The Explorer is very-much an SUV versus a …

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Launch Gallery – 2017 Land Rover DISCOVERY

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Ahhh-roooo-bahhh! Definitely lives up to its One Happy Island tagline. The hilly island is the perfect backdrop for the all-new Discovery. Just kidding!  Many of these pics were labelled Aruba… but that is the name of the color. =]   Photos from Utah.  Aruba does have awsome cliffs and red rock… but much more ocean and flora all around.  Our real clue was seeing snow in one of the photos. The 2017 Discovery arrives around April/May to US showrooms with pricing from $50k to $74k.  Two engines: the supercharged gas six or a turbodiesel that adds about $8k to the base price. …

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2018 Dodge Durango SRT

4.4s, 475HP 2018 Dodge Durango SRT Revealed + Video

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  There is something hypnotic about watching the new SRT Durango churn all four wheels in a hard burnout!  The video below is the perfect intro to such an awesome machine.  The best part of this burnout!!?  He never actually moves an inch! But the idea of the SRT392 engine with AWD and all the Hellcat-inspired suspension/grip upgrades seems insanely smart.  The numbers speak for themselves.  A 4.4-second launch matches the SRT392 itself thanks to the four-paw grip. The SRT Durango also has a giant tow rating and herculean bellow for all seven passengers to enjoy! 2018 Dodge Durango SRT …

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2017 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD – Road Test Review + New Photos!

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  The new Pathfinder is quite the looker in this flashy Sandstone paintwork! It is quite unusual for a family crossover to attract as much attention as this beauty received in our care for a week.  The facelift definitely works at reinvigorating the Pathfinder’s style, then. But the 2017 refresh for the Pathfinder is actually more than skin-deep. An all-new 3.5-liter V6 is the big news under the redesigned hood – upping the tow rating to 6000-pounds and juicing the 0-60 times as well. Is the refresh enough to make the Pathfinder top of the class with the Toyota Highlander, …

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2017 GMC Acadia SLT-1 FWD – HD Road Test Review

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You know the shorthand details on the all-new 2017 Acadia from GMC:  it is 700-pounds lighter and overall far more carlike than its predecessor. While still seating six or seven with its three-row seating. Another few changes slipped out of the big news, though: the Acadia is gorgeous now, and runs a gorgeous 26-mpg highway via its standard front-drive, four-cylinder power. This is pretty huge news versus the Acadia’s at the top of the range with their big V6 engine and ubiquiotus AWD and huge wheels.  A rarity in the car-reviews business, then. We have ourselves an entry-level model to …

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2016 INFINITI QX60 3.5 AWD – HD Road Test Review – By Tom Burkart

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  Is carlike handling and seating for seven too much to ask for in the luxury car market?  Mainstream brands seem to have this formula pretty well nailed with the Toyota Highlander or Honda Pilot. But name a three-row, car-based crossover from a luxury brand that really delivers easy access, kid-friendly tech and a price less than $75k! Sure, there is the Mercedes-Benz GLS or the Audi Q7.  But both of those big, heavy trucks drive like forklifts around town and in carpool lanes.  Yes, you have the Lexus GX460 or Range Rover Sport to consider.  But those third rows …

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2018 VW Atlas R-Line First Look – Arrives May 2017 to USA Showrooms!

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No big power bump on the Atlas yet, but this R-Line upgrade is the sportiest we’ve seen yet! Available as a style and grip tweak to the 235HP turbo four or 276-pony V6, the R-Line adds unique 20-inch alloys and a very chic new appearance front and rear.  Baby steps! The Atlas itself is en route to production and a showroom arrival by around April of 2017 in the USA.  Yes! It is true.  The truck is on the way! In fact, based on these pics… we’d say it is already in pre-production as we speak!  It cannot come soon …

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2017 Nissan Armada Platinum – Road Test Review – By Lyndon Johnson

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The big news with the second-generation Nissan Armada is this: We finally got a Nissan Patrol in America! Perhaps bigger news still is that the 2017 Nissan Armada, Nissan’s largest SUV, doesn’t drive nearly so large as it is. Nissan does the SUV — bigly Riding on a 121.1-inch wheelbase, the 6,000-lb. Armada measures 208.9 inches from bumper-to-bumper and straddles a piece of ground 79.9 inches wide. It stands 75.8 inches tall. It’s a large beast — not quite as large as the also new-for-2017 Nissan Titan, but close. Maneuvering in tight quarters may require your full, undivided attention. Thankfully, …

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2016 Mazda CX-9 Signature – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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  Is the Mazda CX-9 a Miata for 7? It’s an interesting thing. Used to be, you had needs, you bought a vehicle that fit those needs. Things changed when SUV’s got popular. Suddenly, if you needed a minivan, but didn’t want to be seen in a minivan, you could get something cooler. No more settling. Well, that opened the floodgates. Pickup truck that’s decked out like a luxury sedan? You can get them with more cow on the inside than you can tow on the outside. EV’s that will stomp all over supercars? Here’s your Tesla. Convertible Crossovers? How …

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2017 Volvo XC90 – Road Test Review – By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman

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  It has been a very long time since I’ve reviewed a Volvo. So I was anxious to get my hands on the 2017 XC90 T6 Inscription with AWD.  As I did a quick walk around of the vehicle, the styling showed a fairly generic shape, especially when viewed from the side.  It doesn’t have a long front overhand, nor a steeply raked windshield.  The front end shows the traditional Volvo grill, which in my youth looked outdated, as it was mostly seen on boxy shaped boring sedans. But on the XC90 it looks more stately, sitting between the headlights …

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2017 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum AWD – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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Nissan and the Pathfinder are working hard to give you the SUV you really want. Which is really pretty admirable. Along with Toyota’s 4Runner, the Pathfinder is one of the most storied names in SUV-dom. But unlike the Toy, which has soldiered on being rugged and truckish – with pros and cons attached – in 2013, Nissan took the Pathfinder into the meat of the SUV marketplace with a unibody, 3-row family vehicle. OK, this was tough for some to swallow; the rugged little Nissan that drove all the way to the Amazon (memorialized in a series of commercials in …

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2017 Nissan ARMADA – Road Test Review

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When Nissan announced the details of the 2017 Armada, we were confused but optimistic.  Optimistic because this is indeed a huge upgrade versus the outgoing model, but confused because it appeared virtually identical to the Infiniti QX80. Nissan has sold their version of the QX80 globally for a few years now under the Patrol badge.  But it is only very-slightly cheaper than the QX80 proper in most markets.  That is how close these two platform-mates are.  The last QX80 we tested, mind you, cost close to $100k with its Limited package.  And it is still supremely competitive with the latest Navigator, …

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Land Rover Unveils All-New 2018 Discovery

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Following a host of teaser videos and images, Land Rover has formally unveiled the 2017 Land Rover Discovery ahead of its official debut at the Paris Motor Show. Once known for its squarish lines, Land Rover designers decided to take a radical approach with this new Discovery pitching the four corners theme in lieu of a more streamlined look. The front end takes much of its inspiration from the current Range Rover, and even carrys over that model’s headlight design. Meanwhile the rear styling takes inspiration from the smaller Discovery Sport, and features slick LED taillights. The end result is …

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2016 Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD – Road Test Review – By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman

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  Mazda’s new 2016 CX-9 is the largest of their three SUV offerings, and in fact, the largest Mazda vehicle they have ever made.  The larger dimensions are put to good use, as there is ample room for driver and passenger in the front, very good leg and headroom for second row passengers, and even decent, if not spacious, room for average size adults in the third row. We had a chance to spend a week with the top of the line Signature AWD model.  Mazda threw everything it had into this one, and it came with a very un-Mazda …

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2016 Lexus LX570 – Road Test Review + Sport Plus DRIVE VIDEO / 100 Photos

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Welcome to the shockingly good 2016 Lexus LX570! This mid-cycle upgrade brings new styling all around, a fresh cabin and a healthy new dose of F Sport-infused performance.  This all moves the Lexus flagship dramatically upmarket versus its Land Cruiser sibling from Toyota. And you are looking at more than just a crisp jawline, industry-best LEDs all around and ultra-lux cabin upgrade versus its much-cheaper sibling.  The improvements are truly substantive, despite the two trucks sharing much of their glasshouse and door shapes. First thing to note in the LX?  This bluff new face up front is gorgeous and sets …

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2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited – Road Test Review – By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman

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Tell the truth: when you see one of the big SUV on the road, the first thing you think about is how much the gas costs to run it. And while we are currently enjoying relatively low gas prices right now, trust me, the oil companies are working night and day to reverse that trend.  And they will invent some reason to scare us into believing that gas prices are justified in going up.  But I digress . . . When the Toyota Highlander Hybrid Limited showed up in my driveway, I was amazed to look on the Monroney Label and …

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2016 Mitsubishi Outlander SEL S-AWC – Road Test Review – By Carl Malek

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2016 has brought a stormy spring to our beloved Mitsubishi. From the firm’s recent troubles with emissions, to the ensuing merger with Nissan, the company has forged through some pretty turbulent waters. But can models like the recently updated 2016 Outlander allow Mitsubishi to tap into the recent surge in SUV/CUV sales? Or does it get lost in the shuffle? The exterior styling of my Cosmic Blue tester is certainly an improvement over past iterations of the Outlander, but it ends up being disjointed and unbalanced. On the one hand, the front fascia embodies the sporty spirit that once defined some …

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Review – 2016 DODGE Journey CROSSROAD – By Tim Esterdahl

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For years now, larger vehicles have dominated car sales with families putting a premium on space and seating over handling and fuel economy. The 2016 Dodge Journey is a perfect example of this with its third-row seating offering room for seven while sacrificing great handling and power. Yet, after driving it around for a week, it is clear why it has perennially been one of Dodge’s best-selling models. The extra space in the smaller size (easy to park and easier to drive for most) with a seating position that fits many people is quite honestly precisely what the American buying …

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Road Test Review – 2016 Dodge DURANGO – By Tim Esterdahl

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Review: 2016 Dodge Durango Citadel Offers Luxury at Bargain Price One of the great things about the Dodge brand is how they can take one product and completely change it with features and styling upgrades. A great example of this is the 2016 Dodge Durango Citadel with its luxurious interior materials, plethora of features and great exterior styling touches. It almost feels like a completely different vehicle and not a Durango at all. Quite frankly, the 2016 Dodge Durango Citadel is so much different than a Durango, it really could be a wholly separate vehicle and it is so good …

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Road Test Review – 2016 Infiniti QX60 AWD – By Tim Esterdahl

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Review: 2016 Infiniti QX60 AWD Great Style, Small Misses Over the past several years, Infiniti has really turned up the heat on its competitors by adding great styling and really improving their interiors. Add in a host of new features and a competitive price point, the 2016 Infiniti QX60 is really good, yet small details and a lack of torque hold it back. With Infiniti products, I often refer to them as the “sleeper” luxury pick. Why? Where other manufactures have a strong brand presence to bring in customers – like BMW, Mercedes Benz or Audi – Infiniti, for whatever …

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BEIJING 2016 – Top 10 Chinese Production Models

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PART TWO One look at any of the top concepts from the Beijing Motor Show will tell you: China has come of age in the car business. These were some of the most well-executed, on-trend and exciting models in the entire, gigantic show. The Chery FV2030 earns our vote as the best in show for futuristic concepts.  The Hongqi S Concept wins best in show for production-intent machines. And a special nod to the custom Karlmann King!  This SUV may or may not be a superlux, stealth-skinned Ford Expedition.  For $1.9-million.  =] A variety of sexy EV concepts and supercars definitely …

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BEIJING 2016 – Top 10 Chinese CONCEPT Cars and SUVs!

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One look at any of the top concepts from the Beijing Motor Show will tell you: China has come of age in the car business. These were some of the most well-executed, on-trend and exciting models in the entire, gigantic show. The Chery FV2030 earns our vote as the best in show for futuristic concepts.  The Hongqi S Concept wins best in show for production-intent machines. And a special nod to the custom Karlmann King!  This SUV may or may not be a superlux, stealth-skinned Ford Expedition.  For $1.9-million.  =] A variety of sexy EV concepts and supercars definitely warrant a …

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2016 Volkswagen BEIJING CONCEPT – CrossBlue GTE Preview?

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The only way out of this VW TDI mess is product.  That much is clear.  Product, asap! So this latest reveal from VW is very promising. Even as just teaser images. The specs outlined below from VW are enticing: 516-pound-feet of torque via its PHEV drivetrain.  Along with 6.0-seconds to 60-mph and a top end of 139-mph. No word on what the production intentions are for this new truck, nor the number of seats.  But this Beijing Concept is a good look at a five and seven-seat medium crossover coming from all VW regions in the mid-term future. Sliding under …

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Road Test Review – 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum with Tim Esterdahl

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Review: 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum – Fully Loaded SUV Goodness As the leader of the SUV market, the all-new 2016 Ford Explorer has big shoes to fill. Fortunately, Ford filled the Explorer Platinum with an almost absurd of luxury features making sure it not only hits all the marks, but it blows customers away. Simply put, it feels like a luxury SUV and that is precisely the point. The new Explorer is an evolution of where the SUV has been heading in the past few years and for this recent iteration, Ford really went after the design. There is new …

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HD Road Test Review – 2016 GMC Yukon DENALI 4WD

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GMC unknowingly timed their full Yukon redesign perfectly:  as the new full-size trucks arrived in 2015, gas prices dropped to historic lows.  Rave reviews on the new trucks’ style, tech and performance propelled massive sales gains: nearly double the sales of the overall vehicle, and almost tripling the previous year’s Yukon XL sales. These are still down from their heady highs in the 70k-units-plus annual tallies that evaporated after 2008’s gas-price spike.   There is much more to the success of the Yukon Denali than external factors like gas prices., however.  This lux truck is a perfect sweet-spot between yummy …

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Road Test Review – 2016 INFINITI QX80 Limited with Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman

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2016 INFINITI QX80 Limited AWD Review By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman   The first thing I noticed when the Infiniti QX80 arrived in my driveway was how big it is.  It’s HUGE.  How huge is it?  I think the front bumper resides in a different zip code than the rear bumper. (Rim-shot)  You don’t look for a parking space as much as a mooring. (Another rim-shot).  If you are not Shaquille O’Neal, you better get a ladder if you want to wash the roof. The QX80 is a full five-inches longer than a Cadillac Escalade, and has a five-inch longer wheelbase.  That’s …

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Future VW USA SUV Roadmap Projects 15 Variants by 2021

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The new Tiguan is a great shining hope for VW lately, and they could use a win.  Here is the loaded Euro-spec model in its first photoset.  Around Berlin and a fun off-road park, the next-generation model is defined by much greater scale all around.  Wider and much longer, with the roof looking quite chic and low.  The new Tiguan’s style is also a close preview of its larger, US-made CrossBlue.  The CrossBlue is set for launch as a seven-seater, with a fastback 5-seat model likely for 2019. The Tiguan as we see here will spawn a few variants itself: …

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2017 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Hybrid 4

NY Debuts – 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Hybrid – Li-ion eAWD 7-Seater

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The brand-new Outlander PHEV from Mitsubishi just brought state-of-the-art to the masses.  And their kids! Lithium-ion batteries in potent 12-kWh form let the car drive as an EV for real distances, seat seven people and even have AWD via twin rear-axle motors. Seriously impressive — and the same template as the Cayenne S E-Hybrid costing nearly $200k. The new Outlander PHEV will have a premium over the $22k base of the gasoline trucks, but should still come in at an estimated $35k base when it arrives in USA showrooms in September 2016 as a 2017 model-year.  Full release below for …

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2017 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid Leads Updated Range (+50 Images)

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Very cool to see Acura’s well-liked SH-AWD Hybrid tech join the firm’s best-seller: the MDX! Since its debut on the RLX and now the NSX, the Sport Hybrid has been the saving grace for at least one of those cars.  We’ve yet to sample it but the sheer pace alone is impressive: it drops the RLX’s sprint times almost two seconds.  The tech is tuned more for comfort and efficiency in the MDX Sport Hybrid, adding seven MPG at all times and 35-horsepower too. Will it work the same magic on the MDX? Acura certainly hopes so! The less we …

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2016 Lincoln NAVIGATOR Concept (+Video and Live Photos)

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  First look this morning at a *stunning* vision for the future Lincoln Navigator. Innovative and super-posh throughout, as you would expect, but also extremely elegant outside and in.  The most striking element at first sight is the clean and all-new styling for the nose, tail, glasshouse and panel surfaces.  Most elements of the truck-based model are banished in favor of a million-mile first class airline experience.  This extends to the giant showcar gullwing doors, of course, but also to the lower panels and the design in total.  As though a Range Rover and Bentayga met in a bar and …

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Hawkeye Drives – 2016 Acura MDX Review

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Hawkeye Drives – 2016 Acura MDX Review By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman The 2016 Acura MDX is a luxury crossover with seating options for up to seven people, and can be had in front wheel drive, or all-wheel-drive, like the test car. The MDX is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 that puts out a hefty 290 horsepower, and 267 ft. lb. of torque.  Power gets to the pavement via a 9-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.  That 9-speed is designed to increase gas mileage, which comes in at 19 City and 26 highway (which includes the engine start/stop features).  Our real …

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2017 Toyota HIGHLANDER 7

2017 Toyota HIGHLANDER Preview – Revised Styling, New V6 and 8-Speed Automatic

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Toyota just pulled the wraps of its revised 2017 Highlander ahead of its public debut in New York. The updates are fairly extensive for such a new truck, starting from the streamlined exterior with new lights, grille and tail for the new model year.  Under the skin, the base Highlanders stick to their trusty 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic. But the sporty new SE trimline, all four varieties of Hybrid and most others get big improvements in the drivetrain.  The 3.5-liter V6 is said to be all-new, but we do not have power or efficiency figures yet.  They are …

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2017 Audi SQ7 TDI – Triple-Turbo Diesel V8 is Ultimate Tax on Society

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  Could there be a worse time for the SQ7 TDI to make its world debut? Ultra-high-performance.  Diesel.  SUV. These top models like the previous V10 turbodiesel appeal to a tiny slice of the population, mostly in crowded European city centers, who are incentivized by the tax programs of their countries to choose a high-powered diesel over a similar gasoline model. The differences in tax, insurance and running costs for any diesel — no matter how hot — are dramatically lower than a similar Cayenne Turbo of GLE63 AMG.  Ballpark?  About a third cheaper for the diesel models like this 90k …

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Hawkeye Drives – 2016 Dodge Journey Crossroad Plus AWD Review

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The Dodge Journey is mostly unchanged from the previous year’s model. In fact, it’s little changed since its introduction back in 2009. There was a refresh in 2011, but that was mostly cosmetic. Beneath the skin, it shows its age a bit as the other competitors in its class, like the Nissan Rogue, Honda CRV, Toyota Rav 4, or the Kia Sorento, have out classed it over the years. The Journey just isn’t as sophisticated as the others, and feels a bit dated. That’s not to say that the Journey doesn’t have some positive attributes. Unlike the Honda, Toyota, and …

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2017 Nissan ARMADA Swaps From Truck Basis To Bomb-Proof Global PATROL Models

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  This 2017 Nissan Armada is a go!  You’re forgiven for recognizing this exact vehicle as the international Patrol model, or the US Infiniti QX80.  That makes sense — they are all on the same next-gen platform that is stiffer, more refined and just as gigantic as the current truck-based Armada. The new Armada majors on active safety along with its extreme, go-anywhere capability.  The drivetrain of the new Armada loses only 10 horsepower versus its very-potent QX80 sibling: 390HP. All through a seven-speed automatic with available 4WD.     2017 Nissan ARMADA ALL-NEW 2017 NISSAN ARMADA DESIGNED FOR FULL-SIZE …

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2017 Ford Explorer XLT Sport Appearance Package

2017 Ford Explorer XLT Sport Pack Is High-Impact Styling Upgrade with Blacked-Out Trims, New LED Fogs!

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  Everyone wants their new Explorer to look cool and mean, like some kind of crosso between a Raptor and a Range Rover Sport. But not everyone is willing to pay for the Explorer Sport and its V6TT engine. Solution? XLT Sport Appearance Package! Despite the awful name, the results of this very-sexy upgrade to 20-inch dark grey wheels, dark grey or black trims all around, and semi-suede sport seats are clear to see.  Still stuck with this ghastly halogen foglights, but that is a quick DIY bulb swap to LEDs if you want. I stand corrected — the XLT …

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2016 Nissan WINTER WARRIORS! Murano, Pathfinder and Rogue Get DOMINATOR Tracks

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Nissan just revealed three deeply cool concepts for the Chicago Auto Show! These three comfy family crossovers might be slightly unlikely candidates for tank tracks, and that is what makes them so cool. The Winter Warriors are crossovers upgraded with black wraps, Nissan accessories and Dominator brand truck tracks.  Sleek red foil wraps look shimmery over dechromed V-motion grilles.  On a white backdrop with dark tints all around makes these quite captivating to see.   Our favorite part of the new look — besides the tracks! — might be the extended V shape in black up the hoods of the machines.  It is …

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2017 Audi Q7 Visualizer – Colors, Cabins, Pricing and Options Guide

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The new Q7 is already burning up the sales charts in the Audi USA lineup! Beset as the brand is with many woes at the moment, the SUV lineup is still a shining beacon of hope.   And cash. Lots of cash! The Q7 in its all-new 2017 generation appears completely immune to the dieselgate saga.  After all, the TDI variants were only ever a 9-percent slice of the model’s sales. The new Q7 really leapfrogs its Touareg and Cayenne cousins for this generation.  Where those two are the lightest of light facelifts for 2015’s refresh, the new Q7 is …

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2016 Mercedes-Benz ZETROS – Next-Gen Heavy Hauler Combines 6×6 Grip, 110-Ton Max GVWR

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We love the Special Trucks section of the Mercedes Commercial Vehicle website. Just the name is a bit exciting!  It speaks to their obscene engineering and armageddon-proof construction strength, as well as their purposes for buyers. Few two are exactly alike thanks to MB’s Custom Tailored Truck group — that is able to upfit the three truck bases into virtually anything. Luxury motorhome, fire-fighter, crane/loader, locomotive…. pick your purpose! Unimog, Zetros and Econic are the Special Trucks crew, and each is exceptionally special indeed. We all love the new Unimog — or any ‘mog, actually — with its sleek new …

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2017 GMC ACADIA Shows Radical Redesign: 700Lb Weight Loss, New All Terrain Spec

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My my, what have we here! A very sexy makeover for the well-liked GMC Acadia? This three-row crossover has been winning friends for years with its Yukon-like cabin room, but easier parking manners and comfier ride quality. The 2017 model builds on these strengths… but does it drop some capability along the way? Surely, something MUST have fallen by the wayside for the 2017 Acadia to be a massive 700 pounds lighter than the current model.  No swap to aluminum a la the Range Rover or new Q7.  High-strength steel can only do so much, right? It turns out what …

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2016 Kia TELLURIDE Concept – LWB SUV Brings 7-Seat Chalet Cachet

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The face of this all-new KIA Telluride concept hit me like a sucker punch in thumbnail form.  What is that, a Lada Bentley? But after a closer look, we have nothing but praise the this Telluride’s bluff yet rounded design themes. The core basics are all there: short front overhang, awesome long and level hood, plus a steep windshield rake like a future G-wagen. It all really works for the Telluride, especially in profile. Here the elegant, techy and innovative glasshouse wears a signature brightwork wrap-around.  In the tail, we have more clean lines and vertical forms. Yet all smooth …

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2016 Volkswagen Tiguan GTE Active Concept – 7-Seat Option + 20 EV Miles for 2017 USA Arrival

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We’ve been exceptionally hard on VW USA over the years, even before the ongoing trainwreck that is their emissions scandal. If there is one glaring hole in the lineup, it is the SUV range. Tiguan and Touareg have been eagerly anticipating a CrossBlue SUV to slide between them. With a Passat basis and seven seats, the CrossBlue (name TBD) is actually firmly on the way. Hiring and Chatanooga production-floor mods are readied for this summer, with production penciled in to start September 2016.  The showroom arrival, as we all know, cannot come soon enough. December of 2016 as a 2017 …

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2017 Lexus RX-L Renderings 2

Exclusive Animated Renderings – 2017 Lexus RX-L Is LWB 7-Seat Variant

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The new Lexus RX is already flying off showroom floors — with its devoted owner-base loving its all-new cabin inside, design outside and eight model variants.  With F Sports and Hybrids all available with or without AWD, the RX350 and RX450h are looking at a huge sales year in 2016. One thing Lexus mentioned at the launch of the new RX is that owners did not want the next-gen model to grow.  To that end, the new RX and its chopped roofline adds second row legroom over the 2015 models (plus powerfold and recline controls).  But the new RX is …

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HD Road Test Review – 2016 Land Rover LR4 HSE Black Pack

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  Wheel time in the 2016 LR4 with its sexy new Black Package has turned my frown upside down.  We really thought the car was outflanked in 2016 by the exploding market for seven seat crossovers, let alone the new three-row varieties of Range Rover Sport and Discovery Sport also in the American lineup. The LR4’s familiar silhouette hides an all-new — and SUPERB — standard powertrain, all-new LEDs all around and even the dripping-wet hotness of dark 20s and a full blackout of every exterior detail.  All this is either new since 2015 or fresh for the new model …

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2016 Infiniti QX60

2016 INFINITI QX60 Shows Fresh Style, Retuned Chassis Updates

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Here’s a welcome update on one of the smoothest seven-seaters around: the 2016 QX60! With a new dark mesh grille, defined jawline and sleek new LEDs front and rear, the 2016 QX60 is almost a bit of a looker now!  The larger wheels with dark inner spokes set the tone for upgraded handling, and the new QX60 is said to deliver. A smoother ride but also much more body control around corners. As before, front or AWD is available for both the V6 engine and the Hybrid model. 2016 INFINITI QX60   Infiniti QX60 premium crossover offers enhanced design, dynamics, …

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Spec Renderings – 500HP 2018 Volvo XC80 Polestar

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It has been quite a while since a new Volvo stirred as much excitement as the 2016 XC90. The truck is absolutely miraculous, and an exciting new corporate re-alignment will see most of the XC90’s style and PHEV tech filter down throughout the range. The new S90 limo kicks things off, followed by (we predict) a lightly facelifted XC60 mid-size crossover. Beyond that, we have new S60/S70 models on the mid-term horizon — with the first Charleston, SC-built sedans set for a summer 2017 arrival as 2018 model-years. But if we were Volvo… what is the first possible thing to …

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The Evolution of BMW xDrive – 325iX to 2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e – PHEV M Sport from $70k

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THe BMW eDrive X5 is officially in the USA! This huge advance in AWD tech for BMW is being celebrating with a look back at the first 30 years of BMW four-paw models. We still remember the special body-color aero kit and special wheels from the US-market 325iX. Was just a tiny bit cooler than even the very-chic 325i sedan and coupe of the era. The honor that original look, we spec’ed out a 2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e in M Sport guise.  The truck looks very, very nice on its available 20-inch alloys. Particularly so with the $1,100 adaptive LED …

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South African RED BULL Concept Truck is Defender 130 APC

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  Stealthy? Not to our eyes!  This futuristic armored personnel carrier is a really sleek bit of design, even if its radar signature is huge. The truck is a bit mysterious at the moment. It appeared online about a week ago in a few obscure spots, but has since been removed from at least one official Red Bull channel… RedBull.co.za in South Africa.  Nada from LR or RB press people about it, nor even a name beyond “Armored Event Vehicle.” The only thing we know is the chassis underneath: a Land Rover Defender 130 donated its LWB rails to this …

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2016 Volvo XC90 T8 R-Design Flagships Arriving Now – 472 Torques, Priced from $69k

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The new Volvo XC90 is set to become the brand’s biggest-ever launch. Buried in preorders and scrambling to get the HOT new truck into buyer hands, Volvo started production of the new seven-seater with exclusively T6 engines and the luxury trimlines. These are fab, of course, but not technically the coolest or fastest new XC90. Nope, that honor definitely goes to the 400HP T8 R-Design!  Running a turbo PHEV drivetrain, the XC90 T8 will become the world’s first plug-in hybrid SUV with seven seats. It will also be the quickest XC90 ever — V8 included. How?  This incredible twin-engine drivetrain …

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HD Road Test Review – 2016 Range Rover Sport SVR – Porsche-Beating YESSS Machine?

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It is hard to drive any 550HP car and come away unimpressed.  We worried this Range Rover might be the first. Nope.  In fact, it is so awesome, we’d pick it over the Cayenne Turbo.  How?  Why? Read on: 100 new photos and two HD videos to get you onboard.   HD Drive Video – 2016 Range Rover Sport SVR The Range Rover Sport SVR is proudly the fastest, quickest and sportiest Landie ever to wear the green badge. And after the first few hard corners, you almost wonder what took them so long. The SVR is absolutely heaven to …

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LARTE DESIGN 2016 Infiniti QX80 Missuro is Whitehot in New Image Set + Animated LED Demo

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The QX80 has been a favorite of Larte Design (and ours!) for years. LARTE has been designing aero kits for the 400HP supertruck in many forms since 2011 or so. This is their baby. So of course, when the 2015 model debuted in Pebble Beach with a plush QX80 Limited pack and new LED lighting, the LARTE folks were quick to take note. Since those first QX80s started turning heads in Monaco with wild styling mods, Larte has expanded globally — with Cali and German offices doing great tunes on the Lexus LX570, Merc GL, Tesla Model S, QX60, QX70 …

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2017 Mazda CX-9 Exterior 2

2017 Mazda CX-9 Revealed: Gorgeous Redesign, Lux Cabin and New Turbo Power

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  Official debut of the quite sexy CX-9 crossover from Mazda. This three-row truck goes seriously upmarket outside and in, yet also high-tech with a new turbo powertrain. This new 2.5-liter engine makes 250-horsepower and a stout 310-pound-feet of torque, well adept at chasing the Volvo XC90 T6 or Toyota Highlander.   2017 Mazda CX-9   ALL-NEW MAZDA CX-9 THREE-ROW CROSSOVER DEBUTS AT 2015 LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW 18/11/15   CX-9 offers elevated experience with innovative technologies, new SKYACTIV-G 2.5T engine and premium, authentic materials When the Mazda CX-9 made its world debut back in 2006, it was an epiphany: …

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Ford SEMA 2015 Custom TRUCKS 11

Ford SEMA 2015 Custom TRUCKS – Galpin F-150 in Gulf Racing Livery Is Best of Group

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Some really cool custom Edges and Explorers join the F-150 wolfpack from Ford for SEMA 2015. Initial favorite is off-roader Explorer or the Galpin Auto Sports F-150. Wearing a widebody and custom PPG paints in Gulf Racing colors… the truck is just a few logos and Raptor badges from being the ultimate in HOT new metal headed out to Vegas. No word on if the custom trucks will include a Pepto and Z-pack for your well-being after a few days in Vegas… =]   Ford SEMA 2015 Custom TRUCKS Edge Two Popular Ford SUVs Storm SEMA with Wild Versions for …

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2016 Land Rover LR4 Discovery Scores New Graphite and Landmark Editions

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The Land Rover LR4 might look older than Madonna’s b00bs, but actually drives really nicely. Worth recalling is the air suspension and overall shared platform with the Range Rover Sport’s first-generation truck. The legacy looks do the LR4 Disco no favors moving into 2016, so these two new special editions for the UK are a great stopgap before the next-gen model arrives for the ~2018 modelyear. The Graphite package seems like the sexier, meaner look thanks to its evolved Black Pack detailing, special wheels, and unique trims all around. Landmark is also classy and fresh from the nose thanks to …

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Road Test Review – 2015 Toyota Sienna XLE Premium AWD

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2015 Toyota Sienna XLE Premium AWD Review By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman Let’s just get this out of the way right at the beginning . . . nobody wants to drive a minivan. There, I said it. No matter what manufacturers do, they are all pretty ugly and ungainly to look at. And they have a stigma attached to it. Either it’s a “Soccer Mom” image, or an old fart image of Grandma and Grampa snowbirds driving it back and forth each winter from cold climates to Florida or Arizona with a cargo full of luggage. Either way, there’s not a …

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2016 Mitsubishi Outlander 3

HD First Drive Video + Photoshoot – 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander 3.0 GT S-AWC

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  The new Outlander is arriving and looks outstanding!  The Mitsubishi seven-seater wears all-new and very premium styling for its loaded 3.0 GT trimline, including some very flashy nose chrome, LED DRLs and even quad-LED low-beam projectors. The contrast versus the fairly humdrum 2015 Outlander is striking in the flesh— particularly from the nose and tail. In profile and from a few quarter angles, the Outlander still shows some massive overhangs and slightly underwhelming design elements. But overall — a massive improvement and one that will help the Outlander to deliver its three-row space to buyers who’d only get two …

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LARTE DESIGN 2016 Infiniti QX80 Missuro Debuts New Dual-Mode Exhaust + Rotora 8-Piston Brakes

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The QX80 has been a favorite of Larte Design (and ours!) for years. LARTE has been designing aero kits for the 400HP supertruck in many forms since 2011 or so. This is their baby. So of course, when the 2015 model debuted in Pebble Beach with a plush QX80 Limited pack and new LED lighting, the LARTE folks were quick to take note. Since those first QX80s started turning heads in Monaco with wild styling mods, Larte has expanded globally — with Cali and German offices doing great tunes on the Lexus LX570, Merc GL, Tesla Model S, QX60, QX70 …

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2017 Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 vs Cookie Monster: Battle of the NomNomNoms

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The new Mercedes-Benz GL is out — and is packing a powerful suffix for the 2017 model year: S~! The power and lure of the S-Class is certainly notable in its current sexy-Benz styling generation, so the name change does not seem as capricious as Infiniti or Cadillac’s recent and current botching of the name schemes. So atop the GLE and GLC lives this new GLS. The facelift is deeper than some of its recent LED upgrades for 2014 or so, but not exactly radical on the design front. It will take a real socialite to know the new trucks …

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Ford SEMA 2015 Custom TRUCKS Preview – Baja F-150 in Gulf Racing Colors Leads Pack

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Some really cool custom Edges and Explorers join the F-150 wolfpack from Ford for SEMA 2015. Initial favorite is off-roader Explorer or the Galpin Auto Sports F-150. Wearing a widebody and custom PPG paints in Gulf Racing colors… the truck is just a few logos and Raptor badges from being the ultimate in HOT new metal headed out to Vegas. No word on if the custom trucks will include a Pepto and Z-pack for your well-being after a few days in Vegas… =]   Ford SEMA 2015 Custom TRUCKS Preview Edge Two Popular Ford SUVs Storm SEMA with Wild Versions …

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2016 Nissan Patrol NISMO Storms Dubai with 30HP Bump + Bilsteins, Rays 22s and Custom Exterior

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  Here is an exciting truck that is certainly not headed stateside in its current form: the 2016 Nissan Patrol NISMO for the Middle Eastern market. The upgrades are actually pretty awesome, despite just a jump to 428-ponies from the stock 400 even. The 5.6-liter V8 is absolutely a gem in 400HP form, so with freer intakes and exhaust, the engine is eager to deliver even more smiles-per-gallon via this new NISMO tune. Chassis changes are fairly extensive, with a custom handling setup, Bilstein gas shocks and new Rays 22-inch forged alloys on the options list. Custom exterior with all-new …

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2016 Honda Pilot Elite AWD – Photo Flyaround Shows Classy LEDs, All-New Look

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  Updated 10.18.15 with 37 New Photos The 2016 Pilot is nearly unrecognizable. It is completely new from all sides, with the next-gen Honda face and LEDs brightly glowing front and rear. While the silhouette of the new Pilot’s nose, windshield and glasshouse is extremely rakish now, the dimensions also appear to have grown quite a bit. The second row and rear overhang are particularly jumbo in this new design from the exterior. Inside, of course, you get the benefits of that large and in-charge profile.   The new 2016 Honda Pilot is here! With a striking new design that …

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2016 Volvo XC90 T6 AWD Inscription STUNS in Person: Worlds-Best Cabin and Q7-Smacking Exterior Beauty

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  As you may know, we’ve followed the development of the all-new Volvo XC90 with a magnifying glass — loving the design vision, tech solutions and family-first attitude of this first in a new series of Volvo models. Meeting the truck in person this week was a seriously competitive affair. Journalists were literally running to reserve it for a quick spin every time it became available. Just an exceptionally short test drive as a result — without the chance to take a video or really get on-road impressions. Even so, we do have a gorgeous set of photos of the …

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HD Road Test Review - 2015 Lincoln NAVIGATOR 4x4 Reserve 25

HD Road Test Review – 2015 Lincoln NAVIGATOR 4×4 Reserve – Best Full-Size SUV?

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We’ve loved the new Navigator since a brief drive back-to-back with an Escalade. The design might not be as flashy as the new GM trucks, but initial comparisons leaned heavily in favor of the Lincoln for ride, handling and performance. After many miles in Yukons, Suburbans and Escalades since that first drive, there is clearly much to love about their utility and V8 power. The new eight-speed automatics for the 6.2-liter V8s in Escalade and Denali are particularly impressive. But do they beat the anytime surge of turbo torque in the Navigator? Or the easy cabin tech controls? Same scenario …

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2016 Tesla Model X – Mouth-Watering Tech and Speed; Sleeker Nose for $140k 7-Seater

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Watch this on The Scene. WIRED drive video embed alpha Tesla unveiled the Model X last night with some seriously impressive tech specs, cabin features and range estimates. But first: the nose. This is the biggest and most dramatic change versus the near-production models previewed at SEMA and elsewhere over the last three years. Replacing the gloss-black grille shell is a smooth one-piece painted bumper. Just a sliver of black grille remains up at the hood edge. This black grille houses the sharp Tesla T badge, making a point into the bodycolored bumper below. EXTERIOR The look is quite unique …

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Brabus STARTECH Land Rover Discovery Sport 1

Brabus STARTECH Land Rover DISCO SPORT Meets Glam Squad

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Brabus’s English-focused StarTech division is having a very busy month! At least a dozen reveals at the Frankfurt IAA include this sexy and chic new Discovery Sport. One might question the motives for balling-out the entry-level Landie, but that is not really the point. For those wanting some SVR panache with their mid-size seven-seater…. these mods certainly do the trick! Brabus STARTECH Land Rover Discovery Sport Land Rover Discovery Sport   from 2015   exterior Aerodynamics STARTECH Front skirt attachment element STARTECH Front skirt attachment element, PUR R-RIM 980.00 € Prices ex works (DE-Bottrop) Article no.: LC-200-00 Aerodynamics STARTECH LED …

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Jaguar Land Rover – James Bond Launch Party 2015 – 120-Photo Mega Gallery

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Updated 9.18.15 with 120 Photos from Frankfurt and James Bond events Balls-to-the-wall action in this new SPECTRE trailer! JLR is clearly featured throughout the film, coming this October, but these three cars are particularly integral to the plot. Which we can now see includes a madcap car chase through Rome: DB10 evading CX-75.     But also waist-deep powder in the mountain scenes! A perfect showcase for craftily Q-ed special Jags and Landies. A particularly proud moment, this film, in the Bond franchise already. For the first time in ages, the film is really ‘coming home’ in terms of UK car …

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2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport DYNAMIC Makes Sexy Debut in Frankfurt

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The Land Rover Discover Sport is not on US roads yet, but there is already a very sexy special edition for European shoppers: the new Dynamic package. An exterior sportification via body-color bumpers, body kit and special details… the makeover is very convincing — and helps the new Disco Sport share some of the curb appeal of its sexier RRS and Evoque siblings. The Disco Sport already wears a great deal of gloss black for its trims and grilles, but this Dynamic upgrade takes the lower bodywork to the same standard. Everywhere there was previously grey plastic, now there is …

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007 SPECTRE Bond Cars – Jaguar CX-75, Defender and RRS in Mouthwatering 99-Photo Closeups

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Balls-to-wall action in this new SPECTRE trailer! JLR is clearly featured throughout the film, coming this October, but these three cars are particularly integral to the plot. Which we can now see includes a madcap car chase through Rome: DB10 evading CX-75. But also waist-deep powder in the mountain scenes! A perfect showcase for craftily Q-ed special Jags and Landies. A particularly proud moment, this film, in the Bond franchise already. For the first time in ages, the film is really ‘coming home’ in terms of UK car stars. Which all three of these certainly are. Enjoy a few custom …

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2015 Mazda KOERU Concept 4

2015 Mazda KOERU Concept Previews Upcoming CX-7 with Slinky Style, 7 Seats

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Mazda just released the first official images of a swanky new crossover concept: a sporty yet long-wheelbase SUV dubbed the KOERU. Just a single sketch so far, but we have a finger on the pulse of Mazda’s next crossover move. We predict this concept outlines a replacement for the seven-seat CX-9 SUV for the ~2018 model year. The CX-9 has been refreshed a few times over its lifetime, but the vehicle is near the end of a long platform and engine-sharing deal with former owners Ford Motor Company. In additon to hefty licensing fees paid to Ford to use the …

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DIY How-To: 20-Minute, $20 Nose Makeover Via Carbon-Fiber Wrap

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Here is a fun and very easy DIY project that requires just a few tools, no complex disassembly, and minimal time or money to achieve. What is it? A DIY de-chrome of an OEM nose brightwork in favor of a carbon-fiber pattern wrap. “Carbon Fiber” and “Wrap” are both ambitious descriptions. It is neither real CF nor a full wrap. Just a bit of adhesive-backed tape in a woven pattern. We picked up ours from Autozone for about $15, but much better deals are available at Amazon etc. Almost all car parts stores carry this trim tape in their nasty …

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2017 Bentley BENTAYGA Colors and Options Configurator + Sexy Black Brightware Specification

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The Bentayga just launched last night, so its full configurator going live at the same time is a big deal! All is there… minus one detail at the end: the price. Even so, among the hundreds of custom options lie some very tempting choices to really make it roar in your style. We’ve spent wayyy too long in there today so will pop out and show you a smattering of the fabulousness via 50 or so color samples, a wheels guide/visualizer, and even a look at the accessories and options. But first: a nugget of smile-inducing info about the Bentayga? …

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4.0s, 187MPH 2017 Bentley BENTAYGA Is Official! Full Launch Details, Video and Tech Specs

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Welcome to the most luxurious SUV ever made. The new Bentley BENTAYGA has been many years in the making, but the results look worth every minute of effort. This Q7 and Cayenne-derived vehicle will join the Lamborghini LM002 from the 1980s in the hall of fame books. Why? 12 giant cylinders in front. Stonking power, balanced foot-down handling and cloud-like air suspension all join forces to make the BENTAYGA a fascinating look into the future of super-trucks. The huge engine and worlds-fastest top speed for an SUV will help set the Bentaya apart from its siblings, and also the most …

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2016 BMW i8 FIA Formula E Pacecar – Wireless Charging + M8 Mods Roadmap?

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BMW has re-signed as the official safety and medical car provider for the second-ever Formula E race series! The 2015/2016 series will feature a number of electric BMW’s on track for assistance and support duties, including bikes and an X5 eDrive. The i3 will be a medical support vehicle as well. But the really fast laps demand a fast safety and pacecar, of course! And here is the perfect machine, the PHEV BMW i8. And not just any i8, either. A few interesting tidbits about this pacecar are extremely promising. Wireless charging and a huge chassis upgrade that may point …

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Road Test Review – 2015 Toyota Highlander AWD Limited – Fave Family Truckster Is Tahoe-Tough but Lexus-Smooth

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2015 Toyota Highlander AWD Limited Review There is a huge rationality shake-out in the large SUV segment. Buyers are no longer willing to shoulder enormous fuel bills and big-rig parking manners in order to seat seven. Nor are they up for joining the minivan clan — typically using the AWD or all-weather argument to avoid that blatant admission of parenthood. The 2015 Highlander is right at the center of a new SUV ideal for millions of post-van, post-SUV buyers. Why can’t there be a car-based crossover with jumbo cabin space, but AWD and enough ground clearance to glide over gravel …

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2016 TESLA Model X 11

2016 TESLA Model X – Fug EV SUV May Carry $150k Sticker As Gas Falls Below 2 Bucks

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  The Model X SUV is big news for Tesla — a reminder that the company actually makes cars versus headlines. Amid the inventions and novel solutions for the first seven-seat, AWD EV SUV lurks a pair of big concerns for Tesla and car lovers alike: the Model X’s awkward design and expected obese pricetag. Morbidly obese pricetag? Perhaps…. INTRO The Tesla hype machine can be seriously exhausting. The company relies on fairly gratuitous financial PR outreach — juicing NASDAQ:TSLA with every snippet of info rehashed by analysts ad nauseam. The entire operation starts to feel like a boilerroom pump …

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HD Road Test Review – 2015 Nissan JUKE Nismo RS Manual

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Imagine a core group of Nissan GT-R engineers, drivers and designers set loose on the Nissan Juke NISMO. Task? Take the quickest and most performance-focused crossover, and make it truly track-tight in every way. That is how the Juke Nismo RS came into this world — with astounding results. The speed, style and drive experience of the Nismo RS is absolutely incredible versus its $28k competitors — and even versus pricier cars like the AMG GLA45, WRX or Mustang EcoBoost. The Juke Nismo RS is incredibly focused from first sitting in its racing Recaro hard-back bucket seats. A pair of …

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2016 Toyota LAND CRUISER Sports Fresh Design and Big Tech Upgrades

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  Toyota’s loveable Land Cruiser is fresh for 2016 with a variety of cool updates to the style, performance and luxury inside! The Land Cruiser is all new from the A-pillars forward, with a much larger and truckier grille than the current model. The two-piece intake element now includes thick chrome bars extending into the headlamps. It is clearly a much more butch appearance all around, thanks to that grille and the new domed hood. The upper hood now wears a deep rounded edge between the engine cover and the fenders. A dip in the middle of the hood flows …

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2016 Lexus LX570 2

2016 Lexus LX570 Debuts Stunning New Cabin and Escalade-Proof Exterior Flash!

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The 2016 Lexus is now as stunning inside as a Range Rover!  This is big news for the unstoppable seven-seat SUV in the face of big competition from the new Escalade, Navigator and even the fresh QX80 Limited. Cabin tech and giant flatscreens look ready for South Beach and beyond inside the new LX570, which packs a host of new safety tech as well. The compact new steering wheel and fabulous finishes are perhaps the best ever seen from Lexus — befitting its place at the top of the Lexus lineup with the LS600h. The LX570 pricing is likely to …

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2016 Toyota FORTUNER Global SUV Previews US-Market 2018 Lexus GX460 Replacement

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  Here is an interesting global reveal that is being de-emphasized by Toyota USA and Toyota’s EU divisions. This makes sense when you think of where the new Fortuner SUV will be sold: in Southeast Asia, Australia and Middle Eastern markets. The Fortuner occupies a curious place in the Toyota global range: bigger than the 4Runner but also based on a ladder pickup frame. It is smaller than the big Land Cruiser and Sequoia, but will supplement the Land Cruiser Prado versus replace it. That Prado is the closest relative to the US-market Lexus GX460. So what is this truck? …

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2018 mazda cx7 rendering - Copy-vert

2018 Mazda CX-7 Rendering Shows Longer, 7-Seater CX-5 Sibling

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  After writing up a prediction about what Mazda’s new Frankfurt concept will lead to, we decided to head into photoshop to envision a long-wheelbase CX-5. This fairly simple stretch will solve many buyer wants in a fairly affordable way: more luggage space and a third row, yet still easy on fuel and tight city streets. The rendering here is fairly basic, but gives us a good idea of how the CX-5 package will translate into a seven-seater from its current five. What is more likely than this simple stretch might be a fully new next-gen CX-5, engineered and designed …

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2015 GMC Yukon DENALI XL 40

HD Road Test Review – 2015 GMC Yukon Denali XL 4×4 with New 8-Speed Automatic

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Denali lovers have never had it so good: this swanky trimline now extends beyond the Yukon and into the full range from GMC. But for many shoppers, the sweet spot of the General Motors truck range is the Denali XL. Nearly all the tech and luxury of the Escalade, with a less shouty overall presence on the roads. This paradox of the Denali being more humble, yet costing similar to the Caddy is plain for all to see. The idea is that everyone knows the Denali is Caddy-plush, and costs about as much, too. For a big swath of buyers, …

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ARES Modena Renders 4-Pack of 2019 Megabuck SUVS: RR Ghost II, Mulsanne and Spur SUV + G63 Vision

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ARES Modena just opened a flagship showroom in London to showcase their fabulous custom supercar upgrades. Nearly a dozen vehicles are in the current atelier customs catalog — fully revamped inside and out. A deeper look at the firm uncovers some serious design talent that goes above and beyond the typical wheels and bodykits of many premium tuners. Flawless and intriguing Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Mercedes-AMG SUV concepts show the depth of skill in the ARES toolbox. They are some of the best looks into the future of these sure-thing SUVs based on the Ghost II and Bentley Flying Spur. The …

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LARTE Design Lexus LX570 Alligator Bodykit Brings Exotic, Designer Feel to VIP Fave

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  Considering that the Lexus LX570 is the ride of choice for VIPs worldwide, the exterior of the truck is remarkably demure. Yes, the updated 2014 factory LEDs and grille design help distinguish the LX570 a bit from its Land Cruiser cousin — but where is the visual punch, the sex appeal and pure aggression of the hottest Cayennes, QX80s and Mercedes SUVs? For an LX570 that will take you (*and your family!) safely into and out of hot zones around the world — while looking exotic, exclusive and even more expensive than ever — the Larte Design ‘Alligator’ pack …

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BRABUS STARTECH SIXTY8 Defender 110 7

BRABUS STARTECH SIXTY8 Is Land Rover Defender 110 Sendoff Special

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  StarTech Refinement just revealed its honorary salute to the Land Rover Defender in its last year on the market: the SIXTY8 Defender 110. Offered as a five-seater or seven, the Sixty8 is a gorgeous upgrade of the 100 Station Wagon body style. A small turbodiesel is the only letdown in an otherwise very thorough upgrade package. The interior is absolutely stellar – a massive improvement. But the exterior is more subjective. This Sixty8 is based on the StarTech Series 3.1 styling, which runs a vertical grille in a retro flowing shape. It’s certainly distinctive, especially in contrast Santorini Black …

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HD Road Test Review – 2015 INFINITI QX80 Limited AWD

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In the global Renault-Nissan portfolio, the QX80 Limited lives among greats like the R35 GT-R or RenaultSport Megane Trophy. Being such an event car and flagship has always been a core part of the massive truck’s appeal among owners. With all the class of a Range Rover, but all the guts of a Denali — the QX80 is famous worldwide for its bomb-proof chassis toughness married to a standard 400HP V8. The QX80 is fresh for 2015 with new nose detailing, LEDs and an extra-swanky new Limited option pack. Fabulous opulence inside this cabin rivals any superlux mark worldwide, and …

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2015 Chevrolet Suburban LTZ 4WD White Diamond Tricoat 73

2015 Chevrolet Suburban LTZ 1/2 Ton 4WD Review

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    American brand icons do not come much more glorious than Chevy. In the automotive realm, Chevrolet has been a constant throughout the last 100 years. A powerhouse in the General Motors stable, Chevrolet has seen off dozens of business lines and market segments. Divested in favor of keeping Chevy healthy, GM left the heavy trucks business altogether and dropped half its brand portfolio in the last ten years. Thus, the recent history of the firm has been shaken up more this century than the ten preceding decades. But the results speak for themselves. Never in my lifetime has …

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2015 Discovery Sport KAHN Design Exterior 14

KAHN Design Works Magic on New 2015 Land Rover DISCOVERY SPORT

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Before the all-new Disco Sport even arrives in the USA, the style gurus at KAHN Design have already worked their magic on the seven-seater inside and out! The cabin is possibly more impressive than the metal outside on this first tuner upgrade of the hotly-anticipated new Land Rover — with a full wrap in natty red alcantara for the touch points of steering wheel, door cards and dash console. A matching tomato-red leather refitting brings quality and panache to this cabin that the family-oriented factory truck can’t dream of matching. Outside, the tweaks for the KAHN Design Disco Sport are …

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2015 Range Rover Sport SVR – Track Video at Monticello + 140 New Photos

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UPDATED 6.15.15 Fresh video and a huge photo set of the new RRS SVR around Monticello Country Club! The truck sounds fantastic and displays very little body roll in this five-tenths track drive — which bodes very well for the sportiest Range Rover of all time. Will it be able to cut it with the deeply impressive Grand Cherokee SRT, X5M and Porsche Cayenne? What about the new GLE63 AMG — which will come in both standard SUV shape and a new X6-like GLE Coupe? That remains an open question. The 162-mph Vmax and 4.5-second official 60-mph sprint times are …

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2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited AWD 1

Road Test Review – 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited AWD With Ken Glassman

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    2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited AWD Review By Ken Glassman These days, it seems like everyone loves the sport utility vehicle, and it’s the most hotly contested segment in the car market. Whether it’s the compact, midsize, or large version, the family hauler is now usually some form of SUV. And Hyundai’s Santa Fe models are serious players in that segment. For those looking for a smaller midsize SUV, the Santa Fe Sport is Hyundai’s entry ticket. It seats five adults and their cargo comfortably and offers a choice of two different 4-cyclindar gas engines — a 2.4 …

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2015 Hyundai Santa Fe LWB Ultimate 7

Road Test Review – 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe LWB Ultimate

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The seven-seat crossover market is a cut-throat place for carmakers. These fairly wealthy families are the bulls-eye for more than three dozen unique SUV models in 2015 — and earning big sales and market share is extremely difficult for even the best new machines. With so many choices, three-row SUVs have become the new wild west of the car biz. Explorer vs Highlander becomes the modern equivalent of a pistol duel at high noon. As such, Hyundai threw a huge amount of resources at its redesigned 2015 Santa Fe — thinking through every step of the consideration and ownership process …

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Road Test Review – 2015 Nissan Rogue SV FWD 7-Seater

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Some cars take a steep learning curve to learn their tech and driving merits. Modes and settings and menus can unlock driving modes and goodies that make the vehicle feel more in-tune with expectations and performance needs. The Nissan Rogue excels by being just perfect right out of the box. The Rogue is simply a solid, stylish and useful crossover that is well-priced and well-done from the first time you slip it into Drive. But if it is right from moment one, how does it feel after a week at the wheel? Let’s dive in to the full review of …

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LARTE Design Range Rover Sport WINNER Takes Monaco in 73 New Pics

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Updated 5.5.15 The Larte Design WINNER kit for the Range Rover Sport is now available to order!  Who would have thought… seven items to make any RRS so cool and stylish!? There are no shortage of custom upgrades for the new Range Rover Sport, but this latest kit from Larte Design is instantly one of the most distinctive. A gloss black dip for all the trim elements and the new alloys sets the tone, while new bumpers front and rear are fresh and angular like the best supercars.A new pair of white LED DRL’s live in the lower intakes, and …

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2015 Mercedes-Benz Concept PHEV Van – Hybrid Tech May Join USA-Bound Metris in 2019

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It is Mercedes Van day here at Car-Revs-Daily! We’ve spent a few hours this morning learning about the MB van ranges — and came away fairly perplexed but very impressed overall. Confusing? Slightly. The Metris mid-size commercial and tourer (with seats) vans that are coming to America in September are part of a 40-strong lineup of vehicles from this platform. There is the Euro work-van Vito, the family hauler Viano, luxury V-Class and the campers called Marco Polo. Not just lots of names — we counted at least 10 engines available, and options for front-drive, rear-drive or AWD. That is …

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2015 Dodge Journey Crossroad AWD

Road Test Review – 2015 Dodge Journey Crossroad AWD By Ken Glassman

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  2015 Dodge Journey Crossroad AWD Review By Ken Glassman The Dodge Journey is a bit of a sleeper in the conversation about compact SUV’s. Some of that may be due to the fact that it’s larger than the likes of the Nissan Rogue, Honda CRV, or Toyota Rav 4, yet still not up to the size of full sized SUV’s, like the Highlander, Pathfinder, or Pilot.  But this Dodge “tweener” has some good features, and for those looking for a larger family vehicle, which can be had with a third row seat, there’s a lot to look at. There …

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