Aurelia Butler

Tesla surprised Europeans tonight with the reveal of the refreshed Model 3 electric sedan.Sleeker exterior styling, a luxed-up cabin, and more standard features are all coming to the popular electric car.While European buyers are said to be receiving the first deliveries in October, Tesla buyers in the U.S. are likely to see the revamped Model 3 appear on the company’s ordering website next.Consider this the summer the Tesla Model 3 turned pretty. The 2024 Model 3 has made its debut in Europe, and it’s sporting a sleeker front end, a quieter cabin with fancier materials, and desirable new features. Gone is the fish-like front end. In its place is a pair of squintier headlamps and a smoothed-out front bumper that’s free of foglamps. TeslaThe rear end receives updated taillamps with bright LED elements, and the Model 3’s wheel designs are all-new as well. While the changes aren’t drastic—this is a mid-cycle refresh, not an entirely new design—the improvement in the styling is noticeable. On the InsideInterior changes are more thorough and include a redesigned dashboard with integrated ambient lighting, a full-length vent tucked into the center, and a revised steering wheel that has dropped the blinker and transmission stalks. A minimalist mindset was again taken in the redesign of the cabin, but the interior material quality is said to be better than before. Tesla has also added more sound-deadening materials throughout the cabin and has introduced more acoustic glass, both of which should keep out more road noise.Check out the 2024 Tesla Model 3’s updated interior design.’ Two smartphone charging pads have been squeezed into the center console design and the 14-speaker stereo that came on last year’s model has been swapped for a 17-speaker one. The faux-leather upholstery has been upgraded throughout the cabin too, and now features perforations in the material; heated and ventilated front seats are now offered as standard.The Latest Tesla NewsThe central infotainment/gauge display screen remains the focal point of the cabin, but a smaller, 8.0-inch touchscreen has been added to the back of the center console for rear-seat passengers. That screen allows those in the back to make changes to the climate control and entertainment system and also can double as a screen for watching movies.TeslaWhere’s the Performance Model?Both a single-motor rear-wheel drive model and a dual-motor all-wheel drive variant are listed on Tesla’s European consumer website while the Performance model that’s currently offered stateside is suspiciously missing. Despite the changes to the Model 3’s styling and interior features, the Model 3’s driving range is expected to be the same as last year’s model. That would mean 272 miles for the single-motor rear-wheel-drive version and 333 miles for the dual-motor all-wheel-drive version. TeslaSince Tesla has not announced the vehicle for the U.S. market yet, we may have to wait to find out exactly when production will start and how much the refreshed Model 3 will cost. Tesla is known for being unpredictable with changes to its lineup, but we’re guessing we’ll see a U.S.-spec version debut before the end of 2023, with deliveries starting sometime in early 2024. What’s more, this could signal a coming redesign for the Model 3’s SUV sibling, the Model Y.Managing Editor, Buyer’s GuideDrew Dorian is a lifelong car enthusiast who has also held a wide variety of consumer-focused positions throughout his career, ranging from financial counselor to auto salesperson. He has dreamed of becoming a Car and Driver editor since he was 11 years old—a dream that was realized when he joined the staff in April 2016. He’s a born-and-raised Michigander and learned to drive on a 1988 Pontiac Grand Am. His automotive interests run the gamut from convertibles and camper vans to sports cars and luxury SUVs.       More

Fisker promises small and large battery options, estimating 180-mile and 320-mile ranges.The production-intent Pear will be on display at the IAA show in Munich this September.The Pear will start at $29,900 before incentives.Fisker’s upcoming Pear electric subcompact SUV won’t enter production until the middle of 2025, but it’s clear the automaker is intent on getting the hype train to full speed ahead well before that point. Fisker announced a whole bunch of new facts and figures about the 2026 Pear, which is slated to begin U.S. manufacturing in July. As it promised before, the company believes it will offer the Pear with a starting price of $29,900 before incentives. Before that, we’ll see a production-intent Pear next month, when it will put one on display at its Fisker Lounge store in Munich.Official specs are still a ways away, but Fisker promises the Pear will be offered with both short- and long-range battery options. These batteries are aiming for WLTP range estimates of 180 and 320 miles, respectively. Since Europe’s WLTP range calculations are often higher than what the EPA does here in the U.S., those numbers could be a little lower for stateside Pears. It should be available in both rear- and all-wheel drive configurations, too, with the base model reaching 60 mph in a manufacturer-estimated 6.3 seconds. If that’s not enough vim for you, Fisker is also promising a Pear Extreme, which will focus exclusively on outright performance.Full Details and SpecsLounge ModeAs we learned before, the Pear will be offered in both five- and six-passenger layouts, the latter coming by way of a front bench seat that replaces individual buckets. There’ll be a Lounge mode, which will fold all the seats flat for resting and relaxing, and an optional 17.1-inch rotating display will provide the entertainment.One of the wilder parts of the Pear is the EV’s unique storage options. The front trunk can be insulated for temperature-sensitive storage, but the real theater is around back, where a traditional liftgate makes way for a retractable trunk panel. We’ve already seen it in action, but Fisker promises its operation will be even faster when the car reaches production. The Pear’s exterior camera mirrors are “still under review,” according to Fisker.FiskerFiskerThe Pear made its in-person debut in early August as part of a larger Fisker event detailing the automaker’s future product lineup. The Pear will be built on a lightweight, low-cost platform that the automaker promises will feature a 35-percent parts reduction versus traditional manufacturing. But there’s a lot that can happen between now and 2025.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior EditorCars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about that half-finished engineering degree. More

When the electric Ford F-150 Lightning debuted a couple years ago, we opined that it was a missed opportunity for the Blue Oval to create a high-performance sport truck à la the original F-150 SVT Lightning. Now it looks like Ford will correct that perceived misstep with a street-performance version of the soon-to-be-refreshed 2024 F-150. Of course, that’s if a report published last Saturday by Ford Authority turns out to be true.Introducing the F-150 LoboFor those who don’t know, the Ford F-150 is known as the Lobo in Mexico, where the half-ton pickup truck has used that moniker since the 1990s. With the Lightning name now attached to the F-150 EV, Ford can’t simply slap that onto a hi-po version of its gas- and hybrid-powered trucks without creating a marketing nightmare and confusing the heck out of people. Instead, the company will reportedly bring the Lobo name to the U.S. market. Ford Performance recently released a rowdy supercharger package for the F-150 that pairs the truck’s available 5.0-liter V-8 with a 3.0-liter Whipple supercharger to generate a combined 700 horsepower. While we don’t expect the F-150 Lobo to have that much power out of the box—although it’d be sweet if it’s compatible with that package—Ford Authority’s sources claim the sport truck will have a lowered ride height and a unique appearance.Ford PerformanceWhile powertrain details weren’t mentioned in the report, it sounds like the Lobo variant will be similar to the off-road-oriented Tremor treatment, which is a standalone model that’s currently offered on most Ford pickup trucks, from the compact Maverick to the full-size F-150 to the HD Super Duty.With the refreshed F-150 set to debut at the Detroit auto show in the coming weeks, we should find out soon if Ford is reviving a hi-po pickup truck like the OG SVT Lightning or if we just got all excited for nothing. Stay tuned.SVT Lightning ReadingThis content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More

Hyundai has given the Sonata a facelift for 2024, with a distinctive, expressive new front end and a revised powertrain lineup.The turbocharged 1.6-liter engine is no longer available, and the base 2.5-liter four-cylinder can now be paired with all-wheel drive, a first for the Sonata.The cabin is upgraded with a pair of standard 12.3-inch screens and a clean new design with lots of straight lines.We first saw the refreshed Hyundai Sonata back in March when the South Korean automaker revealed the updated sedan for its home market. Now Hyundai is launching the 2024 Sonata in the United States with a sharp new look, bigger screens inside, and optional all-wheel drive for the first time.New-Look SonataThe U.S.-spec Sonata appears basically identical to the Korean model, sporting a piercing new front end dominated by a full-width LED strip mounted above a chiseled bumper. The rear light bar has also been redesigned with the LEDs forming an “H,” visually linking the sedan with the new 2024 Santa Fe. The N Line also gains a rear lip spoiler and oval exhaust tips, and there are new wheel designs across the lineup.While the striking visual revisions are the most obvious updates, there have also been major changes under the skin. While the base 191-hp naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four sticks around, the 180-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder that came with the pricier SEL and Limited trims has been dropped. The biggest news, however, is that the the 2.5-liter engine can now be paired with all-whee drive, a first for the Sonata. The front-biased system will allow Hyundai to compete for sales with the likes of the all-wheel-drive Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, and Subaru Legacy. The sporty N Line model carries over for 2024, still pumping out 290 hp from a 2.5-liter turbo four and sending that oomph to the front wheels only. The hybrid model is also unchanged for 2024, with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder pairing with an electric motor for a total of 192 hp. Hyundai says that the hybrid now comes with paddle shifters and a regenerative-braking mode. The horsepower figures for all three powertrains haven’t been confirmed yet, but we don’t expect any changes compared to the outgoing model.Revised InteriorThere are also significant updates inside, with the standard 8.0-inch touchscreen replaced by a 12.3-inch unit, which is mounted in a curved display next to the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, formerly an optional extra in the Convenience package. The new screens are part of a larger overhaul, with a long rectangular air vent stretching across most of the dashboard, a new three-spoke steering wheel, and the gearshift now protruding from the steering column instead of living in the center console.Hyundai claims the optional 12-speaker Bose sound system has been retuned, and wireless Apply CarPlay and Android Auto—previously only available on SE models that were not equipped with navigation—is now available on every 2024 model. Hyundai also claims that the refreshed Sonata is the first vehicle in its class to offer a power-operated trunk.The 2024 Sonata will hit the dealerships this winter. We expect a slight price increase, which should see the base SE start around $27,000 and the N Line model opening around $36,000. Official pricing should be released sometime this fall.More Hyundai NewsThis content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

The 2024 Ram 1500 TRX is the last of the 702-hp off-road pickup truck as we know it, as production concludes at the end of this year.Fittingly, Ram will offer a Final Edition with exclusive styling options and a hefty $119,620 starting price.Ram plans to sell 4000 Final Editions worldwide alongside the regular TRX models.Just like the prehistoric monster it was named after, the half-ton Ram TRX is going extinct. Production of the 702-hp off-road pickup truck is slated to stop at the end of 2023, and Ram is sending it into the sunset with a literal Final Edition.2024 Ram 1500 TRX Final EditionFor its final model year, the 2024 Ram 1500 TRX lineup will include a Final Edition, which offers a selection of unique styling options. Among its eight available paint colors are the exclusive Delmonico Red, Night Edge Blue, and Harvest Sunrise. The Final Edition also offers Satin Titanium beadlock-capable wheels that come with a color-matched hood badge and bedside graphic.StellantisInside, several surfaces are dressed up with Patina contrast stitching and a “TRX” embroidery on the seat cushions, none of which will be found on any other TRX models. Likewise, “Final Edition” appears in the gauge cluster and a badge with the specific truck’s build number is hosted on the center console. Other interior touches include a dashboard badge with a Satin Titanium finish, special faux-suede on the door panels, and an interesting matte carbon-fiber weave throughout the cabin. StellantisPricing and Fond MemoriesRam plans to sell 4000 examples around the globe of the ’24 TRX Final Edition. The company says it will still sell the regular TRX too, which started at just over $87K for the previous model year. Those looking to buy a Final Edition when they become available sometime in the last quarter of this year will have to shell out at least $119,620. That hefty price does include a boatload of standard features, from the 19-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system to a head-up display to myriad driver-assistance features.While we’re sad to see a high-performance V-8 pickup truck like the TRX leave this world, we’ll never forget the first time we tested (and jumped) one. We’re also lucky to have spent so much quality time with a TRX during our 40,000-mile long-term test. We’ll also think back fondly on the time we pitted it against its archival, the Ford F-150 Raptor. Despite its looming death, we can only hope Ram will consider a high-flying, widebody version of the upcoming REV electric truck, or perhaps the TRX will return with a mightier version of the Hurricane engine, a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six that’s already capable of making more than 500 horsepower. Only time will tell. Until then, we bid the TRX farewell.Other Special TRXsThis content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More