Displaying Items By Tag: 2020

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The 2020 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid are being recalled due to a fault affecting the side airbags, according to documents the automaker filed with NHTSA.

The issue reportedly affects a total of 3,121 vehicles. In the affected SUVs, an incorrect piece of seat trim was installed on the front passenger's seat. That incorrect part can prevent the seat-mounted side airbag from deploying, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. Toyota says it knows of no accidents or injuries related to the issue.

Sony has released new firmware for a number of devices which adds the October 2020 Android security patches. The 2020 handsets that have been updated include the Xperia 1 II through build number 58.0.A.3.194 and the Xperia 10 II with build number 59.0.A.8.33. There does not appear to be any other big changes to these handsets, outside of the update in security patch.

There is only one vehicle on the market with a roof rack system like the 2020 Subaru Outback. Literally everything else has either flush-mounted or raised rails where some form of crossbars are connected with "towers" (OK, so there's whatever you'd call this on the 4Runner TRD Pro). While car manufacturers will sometimes include crossbars, quite often it's left to the accessory catalog or third-party companies such as Yakima and Thule. In any event, keeping crossbars on your car regardless of how they are affixed increases wind noise and can harm fuel economy. They can also sully the view out your sunroof, but that's obviously a lesser concern.

The Outback doesn't have to worry about any of that, including buying aftermarket pieces. Its roof rails are the crossbars.

Lexus transformed the LX, its biggest SUV, into a supercharged off-roader that sends chills down the Ford F-150 Raptor's spine. Although it's only a concept, it will attempt to tame the desert during the 2020 Rebelle Rally.

Based on the venerable Toyota Land Cruiser, the LX is a formidable off-roader even without any modifications. Many examples nonetheless end up decked out with aftermarket parts, and it's these go-anywhere rigs that inspired Lexus to create the J201. Its name comes from URJ201, which is the current LX's internal designation.

Nissan put a Leaf on stilts to show how electric cars can help emergency response workers in the field. Cleverly called Re-Leaf, its latest concept was developed to deliver electricity where and when it's most needed.

Made by British race car builder RJN Motorsport, the design study is based on the Leaf Plus, which benefits from a bigger and more usable battery than the standard model. Normally, the 62-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack simply zaps the front wheels into motion. In the Re-Leaf, it can also dispense electricity via three sockets. Two are on the outside of the hatchback, under weatherproof covers, and the third is integrated into the trunk.

Most of the international auto shows scheduled in 2020 have been canceled, so carmakers are finding creative and unexpected ways to preview new and upcoming models. Subaru's hotly-anticipated next-generation BRZ eschewed the bright lights and made its debut as a fully camouflaged prototype during a charity event.

Enthusiasts who attended the 2020 Subiefest World Record Attempt and Charity Drive in Costa Mesa, California, were treated to an early preview of the coupe, which is reportedly new from the ground up. While official images have yet to be released, photos of the car are beginning to appear on various social media platforms. Instagram user SubaruDwayne posted an image of a thinly-veiled test mule that confirms the BRZ's basic proportions haven't significantly changed. It still wears a long, low hood and a fast-sloping roof line. It looks like the rear side windows are bigger than the outgoing model's, and we can tell the rear lights are much sharper than before.

Sony is rolling out a new firmware update for the Xperia 1 II flagship with build number 58.0.A.3.170. This moves the Android security patches from August 2020 to September 2020 – given that we're now in October, this September patch has arrived a bit later than expected.

Honda traveled to the 2020 edition of the Beijing Auto Show to introduce a design study named SUV E:Concept. Electric and connected, it's a preview of an upcoming production model that's being developed for China.

Details about the concept are spectacularly scarce, but the photos released by the company show a sporty two-door model that blurs the line between a shooting brake and a crossover. Its front end is slanted at an angle we normally associate with 1980s BMWs, and it's dominated by thin, swept-back LED headlights and unusually large air dams. Black trim over the wheel arches and the rocker panels adds a rugged touch to the overall look.

Toyota’s fourth-generation Yaris became the first car to ace Euro NCAP’s revamped 2020 test program, featuring an all-new frontal offset test that replaces the one previously used since 1997.

Sony is rolling out September 2020 Android security patches for a number of devices including the Xperia 1, Xperia 5 and Xperia 10 II (Mark 2). The Xperia 1 and 5 have received an update that moves the build number to version 55.1.A.9.101, and patches from August to September 2020.

The 2020 Nissan 370Z 50th Anniversary Edition is a last-gasp effort at making the old 370Z as relevant as it can be today. Mechanically, the special edition is the same as a 370Z in Sport trim. That means it has the limited-slip differential, upgraded brakes and Rays 19-inch forged wheels. A 3.7-liter V6 with 332 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque is under the hood, and our tester is equipped with the six-speed manual transmission. Nissan is channeling its historic Z car past with this special edition car, specifically, it's celebrating the 1969 Nissan 240Z and the #46 BRE 240Z of the SCCA National Championship years.

Two choices are available for the 50th Anniversary Edition car: White/Red, or Silver/Black. One of the Silver/Black 370Zs showed up to our offices, and while we may prefer the White/Red look in photos, this 370Z still managed to stop us in our tracks. The package for the special edition itself is $2,600 on top of the base car and includes the following exterior appearance treatments: an anniversary side marker decal, exterior graphics, 50th Anniversary badging and red wheel accents. The interior adds things like a 50th Anniversary tachometer, special kick plates, leather seats with suede inserts, unique stitching, suede door panel inserts, a suede/leather combination steering wheel and a leather-wrapped shift knob. Equipment additions include a power driver's seat and heated seats. Our tester had unique 50th Anniversary floor mats added in for an additional $290, bringing the grand total to $37,605. 

The 2020 Acura NSX is the kind of car you're pumped to drive. You think about it the night before. You read up on it. You tell your friends and family. You notice passers-by admiring it in the driveway. They try to be sly. Some gawk. There's anticipation.

But is there satisfaction? The NSX immediately raises two questions. Where does it fit among its contemporaries and does it measure up to its legendary predecessor?

The head of the International Olympic Committee has stressed that the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics can only be held in a safe environment for all participants.

IOC President Thomas Bach held a news conference on Wednesday after an online executive board meeting.