Displaying Items By Tag: 2020

The Kia Telluride has received a lot of deserved attention for its luxurious cabin that looks great and is put together using higher-end materials than is expected for the non-luxury three-row crossover segment. However, after spending time in the range-topping 2020 Toyota Highlander Platinum, I think that its materials and construction are just as good, possibly better. 

The earthy two-tone color scheme is distinctive, warm and generally inviting. The silver trim that wraps around the control binnacle like a fork is textured to make it look richer and more like actual metal. The wood trim on the dash and center console, be it real or not, is subtle and tasteful. The padded SofTex vinyl that covers much of the dash, doors and center console is pleasant to touch, while the real leather on the seats is buttery soft. All the switchgear is top notch, and I've already extolled the virtues of the widescreen infotainment system. 

The 2020 Lexus UX is the smallest and cheapest Lexus out there, and with the UX 250h hybrid model, it's mighty efficient, too. The UX was completely new last year, as Lexus finally entered the fast-expanding subcompact car segment. We're impressed with the original design and quality of this least expensive Lexus, although there are some necessary compromises that were made along the way to achieve its low price.

Voluminous interior space is obviously not a priority in this smallest luxury SUV segment, but the UX is nevertheless one of the least spacious. It's also far from the most fun to drive and is hampered by frustratingly slow acceleration regardless of powertrain choice. All-wheel drive can also only be had with the hybrid. In those ways, its European competition are handily superior. Still, Lexus has implemented some unique and new tech features in this crossover, not seen in other Lexus vehicles. The distinctive design and the hybrid system's excellent efficiency are two other major selling points, and even if we wouldn't call the UX fun, its composed handling and comfortable ride yield a perfectly pleasant driving experience.

The 2020 Subaru Outback is a completely redesigned car. It has a lot to offer in terms of new convenience features, and the driving experience is much improved. A good deal of that comes from chassis improvements, and indeed a lot of work went into making the body shell and suspension subframes more rigid so the suspension attachment points could be more robust and stable.

Don't let all of that rigidity talk make you think the ride itself is stiff. It isn't. Any suspension tuning engineer will tell you that a stable platform is necessary even if a smooth ride is the goal. Rigid attachment points make it easier to control ride motions and road imperfections within those components designed for that very job – the springs, dampers and suspension bushings.

The best thing about the 2020 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 is its engine. That 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 makes one of the better noises in the automotive landscape on its way to the 6,800 rpm redline. It makes 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, and the engine feels every bit that strong. Peak power is made at a high 6,400 rpm, so it feels linear all the way up to that point. There's no mistaking this for a naturally aspirated engine with the lag off the line, but once it's up and running, there's no obvious fading of power in the higher rpms.

As for the sound … it's also pretty spectacular. We took the Q60 out to some of our favorite deserted backroads and let it rip with a GoPro attached to the bumper. This particular Q60 Red Sport 400 is fitted with a more aggressive exhaust from Infiniti. It's an axle-back exhaust, aptly named the "Axle-Back Sport Exhaust Kit." Infiniti sells the exhaust on its official online parts store — there's one available for the Q60 and another for the Q50. It's currently listed for $707 and is backed by the original factory warranty. Buy it from the store, and then have the dealer fit it to your new (or old) car.

Say hello to the 2020 Nissan Navara N-Trek Warrior. It looks pretty serious, doesn’t it? That’s because it is.

Toyota has announced a recall for select 2020 Toyota Highlanders. On models with a 3.5.-liter V6 engine, the Engine Control Unit (ECU) might have an error that could cut off the fuel supply during start-stop. The recall, which affects up to 38,810 vehicles, is expected to start April 24, 2020. 

Toyota filed an official Defect Information Report with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on March 19, 2020, declaring an issue with the ECU on certain 2020 Highlanders. These Highlanders have a start-stop feature that shuts the engine down and restarts it while a vehicle is temporarily stopped. Due to a programming error in the ECU, the fuel system might malfunction during start-stop, and the gas might not make it to engine. 

The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee has announced the new dates for the Tokyo Olympic Games. The Games were postponed until next year due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

At a news conference on Monday, the committee said the Tokyo Olympics will run for 17 days, from July 23, 2021. It said the Paralympics will run for 13 days, from August 24 of the same year.

Several Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials say new dates for the 2020 Tokyo Games have been decided.

The Tokyo Olympics will open on July 23, 2021 and the Paralympic Games will open on August 24 of the same year.

As with many other places around the world, the island of Puerto Rico is under a strict curfew these days over the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, but that didn't deter this 2020 Toyota Supra driver from barking up the wrong tree, or rather, rock.

The 2020 Toyota Highlander is the first vehicle to receive the newest and biggest touchscreen available in the company's expansive lineup. Measuring 12.3 inches diagonally, it is a widescreen unit, which matches the size offered in the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. It is also the same size as that found in many Lexus vehicles, but that isn't a touchscreen — it's exclusively controlled by the perpetual punching bag that is the Remote Touch touchpad. Advantage Highlander.  

The above video goes into detail about how the extra size is put to good use, and specifically, the widescreen design. 

"You meet the nicest people on a Honda," according to a decades-old ad, but you might not run into anyone if you use the new Hunter Cub CT125 on the type of terrain it was designed to tackle. Unveiled online, it's an evolution of the perennially popular Super Cub C125 upgraded with components that allow it to venture off the beaten path.

Honda brought back the Hunter Cub, also often referred to as the Trail Cub, after a long hiatus to meet the growing demand for a leisure-oriented bike. It's based on the Super Cub but it gains more suspension travel, a stronger frame, bigger tires, and a skid plate that protects the engine. The exhaust is mounted higher to ensure it doesn't lose its first fight with a rock.

Toyota's redesigned 2020 Highlander midsize SUV has earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, with the familiar caveat that the rating applies only to certain headlight packages available in certain trim levels.

The fourth-generation Highlander comes with three headlight options. IIHS rates the static LED reflectors, the base version that comes on the L, LE and XLE models, as poor, which is why the crossover missed out on being named a Top Safety Pick+. The static LED projector headlights on the Limited and Hybrid Limited trims rated acceptable, while the curve-adapted LED projectors on the Platinum versions earned good ratings.

Though trucks, crossovers and SUVs rule the earth, there are still a lot of good, honest sedans around. And many people actually like them. Though sales in the segment have slipped, automakers still moved more than 1.5 million sedans in the U.S. last year, and sales of the perennially third-place Nissan Altima remained stable at more than 209,000 cars, a bright spot in what has been an otherwise difficult period for Nissan following the Carlos Ghosn saga.

Keeping the fire stoked, so to speak, is the 2020 Nissan Altima, which returns with minimal updates after a complete redesign last year. This latest Altima has a sharp, sophisticated look, with a floating roof, a creased character line down its flanks, and the corporate V-Motion grille. Aside from being a vast improvement inside and out over the generation it replaced (not to mention being better to drive), the 2020 Nissan Altima also has the distinction of offering all-wheel drive, an option that might give it an edge on shoppers' pro/con lists. Only the Subaru Legacy and the recently introduced AWD version of the Toyota Camry offer this feature. Those would also be two of the Altima's top competitors, and in general, we think they are stronger than the Altima. So too are the well-rounded Honda Accord, sporty and luxurious Mazda6 and stylish, value-oriented Hyundai Sonata. With the midsize sedan pie shrinking, it takes a lot to get noticed, and although the Altima can certainly do that, its competitors do a better job of getting people to take them home.