2021 Honda Odyssey Breaks Cover With Minor Redesign, More Tech

2021 Honda Odyssey breaks cover with minor redesign, more tech

The 2021 Honda Odyssey is getting its midlife refresh and biggest update since it was totally redesigned for the 2018 model year. Honda says we'll receive more information and photos at the New York Auto Show, but the preview today is pretty comprehensive.

From a design perspective, the Odyssey gets a new blacked-out grille, eschewing the chrome, blocky design on the current car. Now, there's a small chrome strip atop the grille, making for a much cleaner look. The lower front bumper was redesigned, in conjunction with the fog light housings. New LED headlights are said to be more powerful and efficient than the last ones, too. We only have the one photo for now, but it already looks more handsome than the previous design. Honda upped the black trim even further by using it around the rear window, too. The photo doesn't show the back, but Honda says there's a chrome strip just above the black trim, mimicking the front grille style.

2021 Subaru Crosstrek Sport, Limited Announced With Bigger Flat-four

2021 Subaru Crosstrek Sport, Limited announced with bigger flat-four

Subaru will address one of the Crosstrek's biggest shortcomings by making a 2.5-liter flat-four engine available in time for the 2021 model year. It will power the range-topping Limited trim and a new Sport-badged model.

You asked, and the Japanese company is listening. Tom Doll, the CEO of Subaru's American division, told industry trade journal Automotive News that many customers have complained about the 152-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that has powered the current-generation Crosstrek since its launch. Put bluntly: It's slow. 

2021 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition: More Speed, Less Weight

2021 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition: more speed, less weight

The Type R is the ultimate Civic from a performance standpoint, and now Honda has created an ultimate version of the ultimate Civic: the 2021 Honda Civic Type R Limited Edition. It's an uninspired name for an eye-popping limited-edition car, only 600 of which will come to America.

The immediately obvious change to the car is the Phoenix Yellow paint scheme that's exclusive to the Limited Edition. It's matched with a black roof, mirror caps and hood scoop, plus some dark chrome badging. Also noticeable are a set of forged 20-inch BBS wheels, the brand having been selected since it has produced wheels for the NSX and S2000.

2021 Toyota Avalon Awd First Drive Review | What's New, All-wheel Drive, Sedan

2021 Toyota Avalon AWD First Drive Review | What's new, all-wheel drive, sedan

PARK CITY, Utah – Adding all-wheel drive to the 2021 Toyota Avalon is pretty much an instance of "Hey, why not?" The latest-generation Avalon, like its Camry platform-mate, was never meant to have four driven wheels when it launched, but here I am less than two years after driving that supposedly front-drive-only full-size luxury sedan for the first time. What's changed? Well, the easiest answer is that the Camry got all-wheel drive, so hey, why not add it to the Avalon as well? All the engineering done to send power to the Camry's back wheels could just as easily be done to the Avalon, as they share the same TNGA-K platform.

Now, the answer as to why the Camry got all-wheel drive is a bit more in-depth, as we describe in its own first drive. In short, customers and dealers were demanding an all-wheel-drive Camry from nearly the second the new generation launched, and people were continuing to leave sedans for crossovers in part due to all-wheel drive. As a result, Toyota of North America tasked its own Michigan-based engineers to create an all-wheel-drive Camry using components from the TNGA-K SUV models, the RAV4 and Highlander. Oh, and while you're at it, they were told, do an Avalon, too.

2021 Toyota Supra Gets A Four-cylinder And More Power For The Inline-six

2021 Toyota Supra gets a four-cylinder and more power for the inline-six

The 2020 Toyota Supra finally went on sale last year as one of the most controversial new sports cars in a long time. For 2021, Toyota is adding a couple wrinkles to the Supra equation.

The biggest news for the 2021 Toyota Supra is the arrival of a turbocharged four-cylinder model called Supra 2.0. Instead of the 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, this Supra is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (sourced from BMW, just like the six). The four-cylinder makes 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, and Toyota claims a 0-60 mph time of 5.0 seconds. This is the same 2.0-liter turbo that's in the BMW Z4 30i.

2021 Nissan Pathfinder Three-row Crossover Spied For The First Time

2021 Nissan Pathfinder three-row crossover spied for the first time

With an introduction for the 2013 model year and only mild updates since, the Nissan Pathfinder is overdue for a new generation. Fortunately, it seems that new generation is coming based on these spy photos. They show what looks to be the 2021 Pathfinder wearing thoroughly updated sheet metal that follows in the footsteps of other recent Nissans. The new Pathfinder's exterior still fits the mold of the old one, with a more aerodynamic, car-like shape as opposed to a traditionally boxy SUV design. The nose looks like it will have a giant chrome "V" grille like the latest Altima, and the headlights are tall and swept back. The sides feature large, crisp shoulder lines over the wheel arches, seemingly inspired by the new Juke. The roofline is still similar to the old one, but it looks a little lower. The window treatment looks different with the rear windows seemingly wrapping around the D-pillar, rather than being interrupted by it. The C-pillar may now divide the side windows from the rear portion. At the back, the taillights are thinner and wider. They blend right into the rear shoulder lines. The hatch glass lacks the bevels of the current one, further suggesting the wrap-around look. Not much is known about the new Pathfinder. It will likely continue to be a unibody crossover with a transverse-mounted engine and front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. We'll be curious if the aging 3.5-liter V6 continues to be offered, or if it will be supplanted by a version of the turbocharged 2.0-liter variable-compression four-cylinder available as an option on the Nissan Altima. Since this prototype looks close to production ready, we expect to see the Pathfinder revealed sometime in the next year as a 2021 model.

2021 Infiniti Qx55 Crossover Delayed Until November 2020

2021 Infiniti QX55 crossover delayed until November 2020

Infiniti confirmed it has delayed QX55 production by about five months. The as-yet-unveiled crossover is a swoopier, more stylish evolution of the QX50 with a fastback-like roof line inspired by some of the company's past models. The Nissan-owned company informed its suppliers production will start in November 2020, not in June as previously announced. It explained it needs to "ensure production capability" at the Aguascalientes, Mexico, facility that will manufacture the model. It didn't provide additional details, though a spokesperson confirmed the new timeline to Automotive News. The factory — a joint-venture between Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler and Nissan — also makes the QX50, the A-Class, the Kicks, and the Sentra, among other models. "Production schedules are internal and due to various operation priorities can move — sometimes forward, sometimes backward — as a normal course of business," a spokesperson told Autoblog.  The QX55 is based on the aforementioned QX50, and spy shots confirm the two models share several design cues when viewed from the front. Minor nameplate-specific details will set the 55 apart from the 50. It's a different story out back, where the 55 ditches the 50's family-friendly silhouette for a fast-sloping roofline penned with an eye on the first-generation FX released for the 2003 model year, five years before the original BMW X6.  Infiniti is not yet revealing technical specifications, but we expect the variable-compression VC-Turbo engine will be one of the available powertrains. The turbocharged, 2.0-liter unit makes 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque in the QX50. It also returns 26 mpg in combined driving, according to the EPA. What remains to be seen is whether the delay also affects the car's unveiling date, which hasn't been publicly announced yet. An Infiniti spokesperson told Autoblog the QX55 is scheduled to make its debut "in the next few months," and pointed out it's one of five new models due out in the next three years. When it does arrive, the Infiniti QX55 will compete in the same segment as the BMW X4 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe.

2021 Nissan Frontier Will Be All-new: Here's What To Expect

2021 Nissan Frontier will be all-new: Here's what to expect

The next-generation Nissan Frontier is poised to arrive in 2021, and through interviews with multiple sources we've been able to piece together a picture of what's in store. Yes, Nissan has neglected its midsize pickup, and today, the company markets the Frontier as a value proposition. It's cheaper than the Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma and Chevy Colorado. Those trucks have a whole lot more to offer in nearly every way, but they can also come in at prices encroaching on fullsize pickups. Nissan wants and should strive for more, says Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst at IHS Markit. "It needs to adapt to some of the creature comforts and some of the technology, not because the other guys have them, but because consumers are indicating that they want them," Brinley says. Our dealer sources (with knowledge of the product via Nissan) tell us the design is completely new, retaining next to nothing of the current Frontier. We're told to expect an interpretation of the Warrior design seen on the new Titan. It'll be squared-off, much more masculine and Titan-esque — the folks who described the truck to us say they've seen it at various closed-door Nissan events. This macho design language matches what other manufacturers (and Nissan) have aimed for with new pickups. We've previously heard that Nissan will use an updated version of the current Frontier's platform for the new truck. However, other sources have said that it's riding on a shortened and modified Titan chassis. We can't definitively say which one it will be at this point, but the Titan is the new kid on the block. A new powertrain is also along for the ride. Nissan still sells the Frontier with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder and 4.0-liter V6 options. The four-cylinder can even be had with a five-speed manual transmission. A five-speed automatic is optional. None of this will make it into the 2021 Frontier. Instead, we're told to expect a new 3.8-liter naturally aspirated V6 and nine-speed automatic transmission. The 3.8-liter displacement is the same as the GT-R's displacement, but the two won't be anything alike if Nissan ultimately uses the purported engine in the Frontier. We'd wager a guess that the nine-speed heading toward the Frontier is a version of the transmission that was recently adopted by the Titan. One source gave us a 300-horsepower estimate. Expect superior fuel economy and more towing/hauling capability thanks to the updated chassis and powertrain. We're told that the new V6 is even more efficient than the outgoing four-cylinder truck. This move upscale is also rumored to be the end of the line for the King Cab, as our sources tell us the Crew Cab might be the only truck available. There are also rumors of a possible off-road high-performance Frontier from a couple sources. If the Frontier is on the Titan's platform, Nissan could theoretically shoehorn the 5.6-liter V8 under the hood for some extra go. It's only speculation for now, but we'd love to see such a creation outside the SEMA fantasy land. "It's a natural fit for the Frontier to have an off-road performance package," Brinley told us. From a timing perspective, the fully redesigned next-gen Frontier is said to be a 2021 model with a launch happening sometime within a year. A source tells us that we'll have to wait until February 2021 to see the truck actually hit dealer lots, leaving a lot of auto shows open for reveals between now and then. This timing was reportedly just revised backwards for unspecified reasons. Nissan will be gearing up for production of the new truck soon at the plant in Canton, MS. Nissan public relations declined to comment for this report, but a spokesperson said Nissan plans to launch 12 new products in the next 20 months. This will be one of the most important.