Car Reviews

From the February 1980 issue of Car and Driver.After more than two years on the American scene, the Fairmont Squire wagon has be­come about as familiar as McDonald’s golden arches. These days, Fairmont wagons dot the landscape like wildflowers, dutifully fulfilling their family- and cargo-hauling responsibilities virtually unnoticed. And with everyone busy taking the Fairmont wagon for granted, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that it’s one of America’s most efficient movers of people and parcels.More Wagons From the ArchiveThough the Fairmont is cooked up from what is now strictly last-generation technolo­gy—a front engine and rear drive—it’s still the most economical gasoline-powered mid­sized station wagon, domestic or imported, that money can buy. In fact, according to the EPA’s interior-volume index, which mea­sures the cargo capacity behind the rear seat, the Fairmont wagon can haul up to 43 cubic feet of freight, along with a full complement of passengers. And the EPA also reports that a Fairmont wagon like our test car, equipped with the same 3.3-liter six and automatic transmission, will cover 20 miles on each gal­lon. Which means that there isn’t a gas-pow­ered wagon sold in the U.S. of A. that offers both more cargo room and better gas mile­age. (The Mercedes-Benz 300TD, the Peu­geot 504 Diesel, and the full-sized GM diesel wagon may surpass the Fairmont on both counts, but fuel-economy figures weren’t available for them as we went to press.) Not only will a Fairmont wagon economi­cally haul everything from bassinets to basset hounds, it will accommodate you and five of your favorite friends as well—provided the front-seat riders don’t mind rubbing ankles a bit. This mother lode of practicality makes the Fairmont Squire an appealing family car, an especially useful addition to those house­holds that revolve around small cars like Porsche 924s or BMW 320is. Of course, none of this is really news. In fact, there are few changes to report for 1980. The Fairmont’s only major revisions are under the hood: last year’s optional, 5.0-liter V-8 has been downsized to 4.2 liters in the interest of better fuel economy, and an automatic transmission is now mandatory with the V-8. Aside from these changes, though, the 1980 Fairmont is pretty much the same car it’s been since its inception—only a little more luxurious. In the course of its first two seasons, Ford doled the line a steady stream of convenience features. So now you can deck the Fairmont’s halls with the likes of power windows, power door locks, a power seat, a tilt wheel, a power-boosted, four­-speaker stereo system, and much more. Our Fairmont test wagon had just about everything you’d find on the average Middle America version, from air conditioning to fake-wood side paneling that wouldn’t fool a kindergartner at ten paces. In fact, it was a pretty comfortable piece—though not exact­ly a cornucopia of driving delights. The Squire’s road manners were nothing more or less than you’d expect of a compact wagon tuned in the American idiom. It han­dled most situations with a modicum of poise, rode softly, and cruised quietly. But it was obviously never intended for anything approaching serious driving. Nor was its per­formance more than adequate; the 94-horsepower six simply wasn’t hearty enough to move 3200 pounds of wagon with anything approaching urgency. Of course, the optional handling package would smooth away many of the rough edges in the Squire’s personality, and the 4.2-liter V-8 would add some gusto—at a 2-mpg fuel­economy penalty. But the utilitarian virtues of a Fairmont so equipped would still far outweigh its athletic abilities.Indeed, as a second car and family-support vehicle, the Squire shows undeniable merit. Its forte is hauling people, packages, refrig­erators, Cub Scout packs, small towns—just about anything. An endless stream of stuff can be passed through its five portals, and there’s still always room for one more of whatever it is you’re carrying. A wealth of cargo room, good gas mileage, and a reasonable price tag make the Fair­mont Squire a basic, honest vehicle, fit for all of the chores that are part and parcel of sub­urban living. If you need a big wagon taken to the efficient extreme, you’ll be hard pressed to do better than the one that’s as familiar as the golden arches.SpecificationsSpecifications
1980 Ford Fairmont SquireVehicle Type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $4721/$6778
ENGINE
inline-6, iron block and head, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 200 in3, 3270 cm3Power: 94 hp @ 3400 rpm 
TRANSMISSION3-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 105.5 inLength: 195.5 inCurb Weight: 3200 lb 
ESTIMATED EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined: 20 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDRich Ceppos has evaluated automobiles and automotive technology during a career that has encompassed 10 years at General Motors, two stints at Car and Driver totaling 20 years, and thousands of miles logged in racing cars. He was in music school when he realized what he really wanted to do in life and, somehow, it’s worked out. In between his two C/D postings he served as executive editor of Automobile Magazine; was an executive vice president at Campbell Marketing & Communications; worked in GM’s product-development area; and became publisher of Autoweek. He has raced continuously since college, held SCCA and IMSA pro racing licenses, and has competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona. He currently ministers to a 1999 Miata, and he appreciates that none of his younger colleagues have yet uttered “Okay, Boomer” when he tells one of his stories about the crazy old days at C/D. More

Go to YouTube and you’ll find videos of Land Rover test drivers hooning prototype Defenders around the Nürburgring. It’s wild to see a boxy SUV on knobby all-terrain tires squeal and slide around Germany’s famously challenging racetrack. Then again, the 2025 Land Rover Defender 110 Octa—with its 626-hp twin-turbo V-8 and sophisticated hydraulic suspension—is no mere mudder. Jamal Hameedi, Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations director, told us that it’s the first time a hardcore off-road tire was used on the ‘Ring, and he said the runs weren’t for fast lap times, but to ensure the Octa was durable and fun.After three years of development—including some 14,000 more tests than a standard Defender, covering everything from Château de Lastours rally stages to rock crawling in Moab and ice driving in Sweden—the Octa has locked down the durability half of the equation. But is it fun? After two days and roughly 400 miles of driving on the paved highways, gravel roads, rocky trails, and sand dunes of South Africa, it’s clear the Octa excels at everything.Octa Ups the AnteThe Octa is an unflappable über-ute that can hustle around sweeping corners or tiptoe over treacherous terrain. It’s not as ostentatious as alternatives like the 577-hp Mercedes-AMG G63, but this Landie is more powerful and handles way better than that hot-rod haycart. Unlike the G-wagen, the Defender has a fully independent suspension, and the Octa takes that up a notch with a trick setup called 6D Dynamics, which includes height-adjustable air springs and hydraulically cross-linked adaptive dampers. Shared with the Range Rover Sport SV, the 6D setup eschews anti-roll bars, instead relying on the air springs and linked dampers to combat pitch and roll. The result is a dirt-friendly SUV that didn’t feel loosey-goosey over the road. The Octa also promises better articulation and increased suspension travel versus a standard Defender, making it easier to clamber over boulders.Compared with the regular Defender 110—the only body style offered for this trim—the Octa has a quicker 13.7:1 steering ratio, and the front and rear tracks are both 2.7 inches wider. The additional girth required longer and stronger control arms, and Land Rover engineers dropped the outboard pickup points to lower the vehicle’s roll center. Hameedi’s team also worked with Goodyear to develop Octa-specific rubber that’s allegedly more capable than the BFGoodrich KO3. The resulting Wrangler DuraTrac all-terrain tires have a blocky tread pattern and, when mounted on the available 20-inch wheels (22s are standard), stand 33 inches tall. Hameedi told us they debated using 35s, but the fatter sidewalls couldn’t provide enough lateral stiffness. The Best Offense Is a Good DefenderThe Octa’s flared fenders—needed to cover the additional track width—help distinguish it from the regular Defender. Other visual elements include a black-painted roof, bronze recovery hooks, and the Octa’s diamond-like logo that replaces the Land Rover badge on the body-colored side panels. Since the SUV’s waistline spills over the 80-inch mark, U.S.-spec models give off a bit of a Ford Raptor vibe with a trio of federally mandated forward-facing amber lights. The Octa’s standard ride height is 1.1 inches higher than its Defender siblings, and it offers a solid 12.7 inches of ground clearance. Its trim-specific bumpers enable a big ole approach angle of 40.2 degrees, and its 42.8-degree departure angle bests the Ford Bronco Raptor. If you take the Octa for a swim, it can wade through 39.4 inches of standing water, about two inches deeper than the Bronco can handle.Gobs of Power, Off- and On-Road Despite V-8s seemingly going extinct, the Defender lineup now offers two different ones. While the Defender V8 has a 518-hp supercharged 5.0-liter, the Octa has a BMW-sourced twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 (another piece shared with the Range Rover Sport SV). Featuring a hot-V layout, which nestles the snails in the valley between the cylinder heads, this engine makes 626 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, though it’ll briefly hit 590 pound-feet in launch mode. For Octa duty, the V-8 also gets a 48-volt hybrid system, dry-sump lubrication, and new intake and exhaust systems, as well as extra heat shielding to manage the increased underhood temps. The Octa also has an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case, but Land Rover beefed up the driveline to handle all that extra hustle. Equipped with the available all-season tires and 22-inch wheels, we estimate the Octa should hit 60 mph in less than four seconds, with a top speed of 155 mph on all-season tires. All-terrain tires limit its top speed to 100 mph, so make sure you’ve got the right rubber equipped before performing any heroics.Speeding down South Africa’s divided highways, we marveled at the cabin’s quietness. Finding what faint wind and noise remains required muting the Meridian stereo, even when cruising on chunky tires at 80 mph. Despite a lower speed rating, the rubber didn’t negatively affect the Octa’s on-road behavior. Racing around sweeping high-speed corners while smacking the rev limiter was, somewhat surprisingly, a drama-free affair. The Octa felt incredibly stable despite being over 78 inches tall, a testament to its steadfast body control. Its steering was impressively communicative for an SUV that’s traditionally focused on off-roading. On straightaways, our heavy right foot triggered a near-immediate wave of thrust—a not-so-gentle reminder that the Octa has almost as many horses as a Lamborghini Urus. We only wish this V-8 Defender were more vocal. Holding the eight-sided button at the bottom of the steering wheel activates the high-performance Octa mode and opens the exhaust baffles. It added a refined growl, but we prefer a more raucous roar from something this powerful and pricey. While we drove a European-spec model, Land Rover said U.S. variants have the same exhaust system. Bummer. At least the paddle shifters add some engagement. Gearchanges aren’t Porsche-PDK quick, but manual mode will hold gears at redline, and we thought the paddles’ illuminated edges in Octa mode were a neat touch. To shed speed, the mightiest Defender features six-piston Brembo front calipers that pinch 15.7-inch rotors; single-pot units clamp the 14.4-inch rear discs. No matter the terrain beneath us, the pedal felt reliably firm. Even during hard braking on loose surfaces, the front end didn’t squirm nervously, nor did the nose try to bury itself in the sand. When partially or fully deactivated, the Octa’s stability-control tech offers a model-specific ABS calibration for better control. Of course, when the Defender does hit the dirt, we found it just as confident and easy to control. During our expedition, we conquered several rocky sections in the Octa, aided by its hardcore hardware and linear throttle control. Myriad drive modes provide virtual training wheels for off-road greenhorns, but pros can still activate the front- and rear-locking differentials at their leisure. A 360-degree camera system eased the anxiety of navigating obstacles of any kind (be they parking spots or sharp rocks), while a camera-fed rearview mirror/display helped counteract our obstructed aft end. Mounted to the tailgate, the Octa’s full-size spare wheel and tire adds a rugged aesthetic and proved easy to access, but its sheer mass makes moving the side-hinged tailgate quite the workout.What’s the Retail on One of Those?Inside, the Octa looks like most Defenders. The dashboard has a useful built-in shelf, the digital gauges are easy to read, and the 11.4-inch Pivi Pro curved touchscreen is responsive and includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The island below the center display includes a volume knob and user-friendly controls, thankfully avoiding the touch-heavy setups in other Jaguar Land Rover products. The Octa is the only Defender with what Land Rover calls its Body and Soul front seats. These two special chairs have adjustable bolsters and built-in transducers that can create vibrations to match the sound system’s bass. Cue up Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass” and get yourself a free massage.The Defender 110 Octa is now available to order, and Land Rover says the first batch of deliveries will occur shortly. All you need to pick one up is some house money. The regular Octa starts at $153,625—$38,500 more than a similarly sized Defender V8. However, the beefiest Defender is also $34K below the $187,250 AMG G63. The Octa Edition One has some extra baubles and starts at $169,425, but it’s only offered for the first year of production and is already sold out. But even if you missed the Edition One boat, the standard Octa is still one of the most impressive adventure vehicles out there.SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 Land Rover Defender 110 OctaVehicle Type: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: Octa, $153,625; Octa Edition One, $169,425
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 268 in3, 4395 cm3Power: 626 hp @ 7000 rpmTorque: 590 lb-ft @ 1800 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 119.0 inLength: 186.7–196.9 inWidth: 82.9 inHeight: 78.5 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 56/53 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 79/34 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5900 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.9 sec100 mph: 10.7 sec1/4-Mile: 12.6 secTop Speed: 100–155 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 17/15/19 mpgEric 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

1/16/25 UPDATE: This review has been updated with instrumented test results.It’s said that great things come to those who wait. Just like many of you, we’ve been patiently waiting for Subaru to roll out the fifth-generation WRX STI. Well, we might be twiddling our thumbs forever, as Subie has yet to reveal any plans for the big-power, tall-wing, variable-center-differential rally king (the recently announced WRX STI S210 prototype isn’t quite there, if it even comes to the U.S.). As a consolation, Subaru has thrown the GT and TR models into the blender and poured a 2025 Subaru WRX tS.The MixFor the first time, the tS (which stands for “tuned by STI”) badge is applied to the all-wheel-drive WRX. To arrive here, Subaru equips the tS with the WRX TR’s meaty Brembo brakes, which feature six-piston calipers in the front and two-piston binders in the back. The only difference is that the tS calipers are painted gold, whereas the TR’s are red. They squeeze cross-drilled rotors measuring 13.4 inches in the front and 12.8 inches in the rear. Also shared are the 19-inch Bridgestone Potenza S007 summer tires.From the WRX GT comes a choice of five drive profiles: Comfort, Normal, Sport, Sport+, and Individual. There are also three steering modes (Comfort, Normal, and Sport), as well as the ability to adjust the powertrain from Normal to Sport, where the most aggressive setting speeds up the interaction between the accelerator and the throttle plate. Most important, the tS receives the GT’s adaptive dampers, which STI has calibrated for the tS specifically for roads in the United States. They also have three positions of adjustment (Comfort, Normal, and Sport), are tuned to be slightly stiffer than the GT’s, and provide a claimed 30 percent reduction in roll and 55 percent reduction in pitch compared with the TR’s passive dampers. Thankfully, the GT’s mandatory continuously variable automatic transmission isn’t on the menu; the tS is offered only with a six-speed manual.HIGHS: Brakes stand up to track work, adjustable dampers lend poise, great Recaro seats.Inside, other fixings specifically for the tS include a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster; bright blue accents scattered throughout the interior, including on the body-hugging Recaro seats; and STI logos on the start button and gauges, making it look like you’re in an actual STI. To preserve space for helmets—and possibly to counter the minor additional weight of the big brakes—there’s no sunroof option. On the exterior, the tS can be identified by the aforementioned wheels, black mirror caps, a shark-fin antenna, and a lip spoiler on the trunklid. There are also some pink badges on its rear end.Track TimeWe initially sampled the tS at California’s Sonoma Raceway. It took only a handful of laps to conclude that the 271-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four could stand another 50 or 70 ponies. All of this Subie’s competitors—the Honda Civic Type R, the Volkswagen Golf R, the Toyota GR Corolla, and the Hyundai Elantra N—make more horsepower. Across the start/finish line in fourth gear with the accelerator to the floor, the tS huffs and puffs its way up the hill into Turn 1. In fact, its straight-line speed slightly lags that of the WRX Limited, which in our testing hit 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and cleared the quarter-mile in 13.9 seconds at 101 mph. The tS required 5.6 seconds to reach 60 mph and dispatched the quarter-mile in 14.0 seconds at 99 mph. By 130 mph, the standard-issue WRX has a two-second lead on the tS, 26.4 to 28.4 seconds. Which doesn’t sound like much, but it represents more than a football field in distance at that speed. All else being equal in terms of power and weight, we’d blame the tS’s big wheels and chunkier rotors for dulling the acceleration.More on the WRXWith the dampers set to Sport, body roll stays in check, even off Sonoma’s massive candy-cane curbing at the top of the hill. There’s more audible feedback from the Bridgestones than through the steering wheel when the front-end grip gives away, but the steering effort in the heftiest mode is appreciated. The tS has a brake-based torque-vectoring system, and you can feel it helping the car rotate midcorner. The tS does edge the standard WRX in roadholding, managing 0.96 g to the Limited’s 0.95 g.The Brembo brakes are the star of the package, but our testing revealed a confounding result that was confirmed by a WRX TR that we sampled with the identical brake-and-tire package. Namely, the lesser WRX Limited stops shorter—at least, in a panic-braking situation. The tS stopped from 70 mph in 159 feet and needed 319 feet to stop from 100 mph, while the Limited required only 153 and 317 feet from those speeds. Clearly, the standard WRX’s brakes are really good. LOWS: Not as quick as the standard WRX, braking distances are actually worse, still not an STI.But track work is where the Brembos really shine. Lap after lap, we became more confident and drove deeper into the brake zones. The pedal feel never wavered, retaining its firm disposition during hard use. The Brembos’ real test will arrive once we get this car to Virginia International Raceway for Lightning Lap.Street Work Outside racetrack land and on the hillsides looking into Napa Valley, the Subie’s Comfort setting for the dampers is the sweet spot. The electronically controlled units gracefully absorb lumpy tarmac better than in the Sport setting, which suffers stiff and jarring impacts. The steering effort in the lightest setting is too effortless, so stick with Sport for the best experience. The short gearing means you might be all over the shifter like you’re gut-punching Mike Tyson, but we’ll gladly take a right-arm workout over any CVT encounter.When you’re not hustling the tS, you can better take in the new digital gauge cluster. Its normal mode, a standard tachometer and speedometer display, is ideal for track use. The navigation mode crisply renders a map, and when Apple CarPlay is active, Apple Maps are displayed. The EyeSight mode focuses on the plethora of driver-assist systems, which Subaru began offering on manual-gearbox cars for 2024.The WRX tS’s price checks in at $46,875, the same amount Subaru charges for the GT. While we’d rather have the tS’s performance hardware than the GT’s luxury accouterments, we’ve still got our fingers crossed for the greatness of a full STI model.VERDICT: Welcome upgrades, but we know there’s another 50 horsepower in here somewhere.SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 Subaru WRX tSVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $46,875/$47,270Options: Galaxy Purple Pearl paint, $395
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve flat-4, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 146 in3, 2387 cm3Power: 271 hp @ 5600 rpmTorque: 258 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented, cross-drilled disc/12.8-in vented, cross-drilled discTires: Bridgestone Potenza S007245/35R-19 93Y
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 105.2 inLength: 183.8 inWidth: 71.9 inHeight: 57.8 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 56/43 ft3Trunk Volume: 13 ft3Curb Weight: 3414 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.6 sec1/4-Mile: 14.0 sec @ 99 mph100 mph: 14.2 sec130 mph: 28.4 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.2 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.5 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 10.9 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 7.8 secTop Speed (C/D est): 145 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 159 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 319 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.96 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 21 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 27 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 440 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 22/19/26 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDDavid Beard studies and reviews automotive related things and pushes fossil-fuel and electric-powered stuff to their limits. His passion for the Ford Pinto began at his conception, which took place in a Pinto. More

Nissan’s mid-size SUV was getting old, almost old enough to need an annual tailpipe inspection. Among a crop of competitive fresh faces, the third-generation Murano had gone stale. Now, after nearly every other major player in Nissan’s lineup has been refreshed or redone, the 2025 Nissan Murano finally gets its day. The fourth-generation Murano is more of a major refresh than an all-new vehicle. Underneath its shapely new sheetmetal, distinct lighting elements, swooping roofline, and bulging fenders lie structure and chassis components from the outgoing model—and that’s fine. The Murano’s sleek and clean design conceals those historic elements. Though the wheelbase and overall length stay roughly the same, the new Murano is 2.6 inches wider than its predecessor, and rolling on 20- or 21-inch wheel options, its front and rear tracks are 2.1 inches wider than before.That little bit of extra stance pairs exceptionally well with new passive dampers and a suspension tuned for less body roll. During our initial drive, the Murano’s lateral motions were largely kept in check. On Tennessee’s buttery smooth roads, the wheel motions of the big 21-inch alloys felt adequately damped with no ugliness transmitted into the cabin. In even bigger news, the Murano’s steering is vastly improved too; gone is the dimwitted hydraulically assisted steering rack, and in its place is a better and more modern electronically assisted getup. Knock on the steering’s door midcorner, and unlike before, it actually answers. There’s some solid precision there as well. More on the MuranoUnder the hood, the variable-compression-ratio and variable-displacement 2.0-liter turbo four—branded VC-Turbo—nestles into the Murano’s engine bay, but the maligned continuously variable automatic transmission has been sent packing, and Nissan mated the VC-Turbo to a nine-speed automatic. We couldn’t be happier. No, you won’t find the nine-speed very sporting, but dip into the 2.0-liter’s 241 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque (down 19 ponies but up 20 pound-feet over the former V-6), and the automatic will shift through its ratios smoothly. The gearbox is quick to find the highest gear possible, but that’s expected when the ultimate end goal is fuel economy. Speaking of which, the EPA estimates 23 mpg combined, the same as the outgoing powertrain. No matter what, though, we bid good riddance to the old rubber-band CVT. We do not miss you. Inside, the Murano offers a more welcoming environment. Nissan said it went to great lengths to create comfortable seats, and we’d agree. The heated, ventilated, and massaging chairs provided on the $50,990 Platinum trim proved superb. Other Platinum equipment includes a head-up display, heated rear seats, and the aforementioned 21-inch wheels. With slimmer A-pillars and sail windows, we found greater forward visibility than before. In the Platinum model, your fingers land on plenty of soft touch points, including a leather-wrapped dashboard that seems a cut above what you’d find in a Honda Passport or Chevrolet Blazer. The lower H-point for the front seats increases headroom, and the wider body opens up the cabin a bit. Equipped with the moonroof, there’s a whopping eight cubic feet of additional passenger volume in the front row, but the accommodations in both rows are spacious.Stepping down to the $47,950 SL trim on 20-inch wheels is a rational move. There’s plenty of standard equipment on the SL, too, highlighted by a 360-degree camera system, a 10-speaker Bose stereo, a panoramic sunroof, a heated steering wheel, and 64 colors’ worth of ambient light (if you’re into that sort of thing). The base SV kicks off at $41,860 and is the only trim offered with front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive can be tacked on for $1000. And for that price, why not? On the infotainment front, all Muranos feature dual 12.3-inch displays for instrumentation and infotainment, with standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It may have taken Nissan a decade to get with the program, but the Murano’s across-the-board improvements help shape it into a much stronger contender in the very important mid-size SUV segment. The Murano may not fix all of Nissan’s sales woes, but it represents an important step forward.SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 Nissan MuranoVehicle Type: front-engine, front- or all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base: SV FWD, $41,860; SV AWD, $42,860; SL AWD, $47,950; Platinum AWD, $50,990
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port and direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 120–122 in3, 1971–1997 cm3Power: 241 hp @ 5600 rpmTorque: 260 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
TRANSMISSION
9-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 111.2 inLength: 192.9 inWidth: 78.0 inHeight: 67.9 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 61–64/45–47 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 64/33 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 4200–4450 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 7.5–7.8 sec1/4-Mile: 15.9–16.1 secTop Speed: 120 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 23/21/27 mpgDavid Beard studies and reviews automotive related things and pushes fossil-fuel and electric-powered stuff to their limits. His passion for the Ford Pinto began at his conception, which took place in a Pinto. More

Hot off the heels of Infiniti’s QX80 launch, Nissan’s all-new 2025 Armada has the potential to steal some buyers away from the luxury brand’s mechanically identical halo SUV. And rightfully so. Nissan has massaged every square inch of the new-from-the-tires-up Armada. The body-on-frame hauler sports attractive yet rugged sheetmetal. There’s more power under the hood. And dressed up with the top trim’s fripperies, the Nissan’s interior crosses into the luxury realm.Our time on the streets with the Armada was spent in the new top-of-the-line Platinum Reserve trim. Settle into the massaging, heated, and ventilated quilted-leather seats, and it’s difficult to ignore the luxuriousness of the accommodations. Soft touch points are abundant. Dual 14.3-inch screens—one for instrumentation and the other for infotainment—provide an IMAX-like experience. Thankfully, the QX80’s additional touchscreen that operates the heating and cooling functions didn’t make the cut—here in the Armada, physical buttons control the HVAC and stereo functions. Unfortunately, these buttons, including the ones to operate the nine-speed automatic, are all piano black and destined to be scratched immediately after delivery. You won’t find the QX80’s console drink chiller here, but equipped with four-wheel drive, the Platinum Reserve rings in at $82,000, which is $2445 less than the lowliest rear-drive variant of the QX80 and a whopping $30,590 less than the top-trim Infiniti. New Motive ForceHere, as in the QX80, the 5.6-liter V-8 didn’t survive the makeover. Motivation is now provided by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 that produces 425 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. That’s down 25 ponies to the QX due to the Armada being tuned to run on regular gas while the Infiniti needs premium swill. We miss the rumble of the V-8, but there’s plenty of mustard in the new turbo six, which has 25 more horses and 103 more lb-ft than the former V-8. A nine-speed automatic replaces the former seven-speed, and four-wheel drive is available on all trims. More on the ArmadaUnderway, the twin-turbo V-6 is plenty strong; we expect 60 mph to arrive in around 6.0 seconds. We commend Nissan for not pumping fake V-8 noise into the cabin, but if something could be done about all the clatter at idle, that would be great. The noisy direct injection makes it sound as if the engine’s got 24 bad lifters. When the SUV is left in the Standard drive setting, the nine-speed is eager to upshift into higher gears, presumably for fuel-economy purposes. Spin the drive selector to Sport mode (or shift it manually) to hold gears longer. The official EPA estimates have yet to be revealed, but we expect the combined ratings to fall in line with the QX80’s, with 17 mpg for all-wheel drive and 18 mpg for rear-drivers. Underneath is a new frame that Nissan claims provide 25 percent more torsional rigidity and a 57 percent increase in lateral stiffness over the outgoing model. This stronger base paired with suspension refinements provides better ride and handling than before. Lean the Armada into a corner, and this slab-sided behemoth is more reluctant to keel over; there’s also less wallowing over railroad crossings. Mix in the switch from a hydraulically assisted steering rack to electric assist, and the driving experience is hands-down a massive improvement. The steering is more direct with just enough heft to it. And though the effort feels a touch artificial as it ramps up, there’s more life in it than before. The electric rack also opens then the door to Nissan’s hands-free driver-assist system, ProPilot 2.1. The Platinum Reserve rides on height-adjustable adaptive air springs. Unfortunately, the body-on-frame jitters that plague the QX80 are present here too. We’d love to get our hands on a lower-trim unit with steel springs to see how it rides—that may be the way to go. More Inner SpaceThough the Armada’s passenger volume and cargo space aren’t tops among full-size SUVs, they’re still competitive with the Ford Expedition, the Chevrolet Tahoe, and the Toyota Sequoia. But there’s more space for people and stuff than in the previous-generation Armada. Nearly every measurable dimension is larger, creating a spacious cabin, and third-row riders are awarded the greatest amount of newfound real estate with 4.5 inches more legroom. Cargo volume is up everywhere too, with three more cubic feet behind the third row. The beauty of the Armada is its entry price, which undercuts the competition by thousands while offering one the most potent powertrains in the segment. The base SV starts at $58,530—unchanged from the 2024 model—and comes with a six-speaker stereo and 12.3-inch screens (as does the SL) in place of the bigger 14.3-inch displays. The tech starts to pile on with the $64,980 SL, which includes a rocking 12-speaker Klipsch audio system, Google Built-In, inductive device charging, and heated front seats. The $71,940 Platinum unlocks even more goodies, such as a multiple cameras and a biometric interior monitor to read occupants’ body temperature and adjust the HVAC zones to cool people off more quickly if needed. Pro-4X Is Ready to Get DirtyTo be a player in the full-size SUV game, you need a mudslinger to tackle the trails. For the first time, Nissan equips the Armada with its Pro-4X goodies to compete with Ford’s Timberline, Chevy’s Z71, and Toyota’s TRD Pro packages. The Pro-4X uses air springs that can raise the body 2.1 inches from its static ride height and features a bespoke front fascia and a chiseled chin to provide an approach angle of 33.0 degrees, a break-over angle of 25.5 degrees, and a departure angle of 24.5 degrees, all of which place it near or at the front of the class. It’s the only Armada with fender cladding, all-terrain tires, and an electronically locking rear differential, and if the goo gets too thick, it has Lava Red recovery hooks up front. Its rugged curb appeal makes it arguably the best-looking model in the lineup.Excessive rain cut our off-road adventures short, but our brief drive over the greasy soil of Tennessee’s Franklin County provided a chance to try the Armada’s extensive camera system, whose images can be displayed across both 14.3-inch screens. The “Invisible Hood” view acts as the ultimate virtual spotter, providing a clear view ahead even when the nose is aimed toward the sky, and the side cameras allow for precise placement of the front tires to avoid sliding off an object. The Armada offers up 27.6 inches of water fording, but when the air springs are fully extended, there’s little give in the suspension.The Armada is rated to tow 8500 pounds, and hitched to a roughly 6000-pound Airstream, the Pro-4X never lacked for muscle. There was a little squirm when the wind pushed around the big stainless-steel parachute but not to a concerning level. The Pro-4X and Platinum Reserve may be the preferred haulers, as the air springs level out the tail end—and for some reason these two trims are also the only ones offered with an integrated trailer-brake controller. On lesser models, the wiring is installed under the dash to connect your own setup. With all the brawn, technology, looks, and capability of the stylish Infiniti QX80 for seriously less coin, plus a new trail-ready off-road option, the Armada is worth a serious look. And not just from QX80 intenders.SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 Nissan ArmadaVehicle Type: front-engine, rear- or 4-wheel-drive, 7- or 8-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICESV 4×2, $58,530; SV 4×4, $61,530; SL 4×2, $64,980; SL 4×4, $67,980; Platinum 4×2, $71,940; Platinum 4×4, $74,980; Pro-4X, $75,750; Platinum Reserve 4×2, $79,000; Platinum Reserve 4×4, $82,000
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 213 in3, 3492 cm3Power: 425 hp @ 5600 rpmTorque: 516 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm
TRANSMISSION
9-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 121.1 inLength: 209.6 inWidth: 79.9–80.0 inHeight: 75.2–80.1 inPassenger Volume, F/M/R: 66–68/55–58/41 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/M/R: 97/56/20 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 5900–6100 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 6.0–6.2 sec1/4-Mile: 14.4–14.6 secTop Speed: 120 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 17–18/16/19–20 mpgDavid Beard studies and reviews automotive related things and pushes fossil-fuel and electric-powered stuff to their limits. His passion for the Ford Pinto began at his conception, which took place in a Pinto. More

10/14/24 UPDATE: This review has been updated with instrumented test results.We can’t really blame Chevrolet for not focusing more of its attention on its gas-powered Equinox compact SUV, which was last redesigned for 2018. Despite the bow-tie brand updating every other SUV in its lineup in the interim, plus recently introducing a separate Equinox EV model, the ol’ fire-and-brimstone Equinox has remained Chevy’s bestselling vehicle that isn’t a pickup truck. But even money printers require fresh ink eventually, and the 2025 Equinox finally receives a meaningful makeover befitting its high-volume status.Dressing UpLooking like a Chevy Traverse that’s been shrunk in the wash, the redesigned two-row Equinox is a stocky, handsome thing with a Silverado-inspired snout that lends it some visual heft at the curb. The new Equinox’s wheel openings are more squared off, adding to its rugged flair, and you can now opt for a contrasting roof color. Different grille treatments distinguish the three trim levels—base LT in chrome, the RS in gloss black, and the Activ in dark chrome—with the Activ leaning into the off-road schtick with 17-inch wheels wrapped with all-terrain tires (19s and 20s are available, depending on the trim).Exterior dimensions are similar to before, save for a 2.5-inch increase in width, which adds some welcome elbow room inside. The back seat’s flat floor is adult friendly, and cargo room is essentially unchanged at 30 cubic feet in the way back and 64 cubes with the rear seats folded—more than you get in the Equinox EV but not class-leading. Interior material quality, however, has improved, with even the base model cutting back on the hard, grainy plastics in direct view. Or at least accenting them with nicer bits of finish, whether it be dollops of chrome, piano black, or the textured pieces dressing up the dash, vents, and door panels. The faux leather upholstery on higher trims is pleasing enough, with the RS adding red contrasting stitching and the Activ sporting microfiber seat inserts.HIGHS: Attractively styled inside and out, intuitive digital interface, smartly priced to start.The overall theme of the Equinox’s dashboard also mimics that of the larger Traverse as well as the EVs, which isn’t a bad thing. The centerpiece is the 11.0-inch configurable instrument display and adjacent 11.3-inch touchscreen running General Motors’s Google-based infotainment system with standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It’s a crisp, easy-to-use interface that elicits few complaints in practice, though we’re still not fans of locking headlight controls behind a screen. We could also do with less gloss-black trim that will quickly attract dust and fingerprints, but at least there are physical buttons and knobs for the climate controls. The center console benefits from the relocation of the Equinox’s gear selector to the steering column, which cleans up its design and frees up space for additional storage cubbies, including an available wireless charging dock.Modest MotivationDriving the new Equinox is less of a sea change, with the sole powerplant being a 175-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder. Gone is the previous generation’s six-speed automatic transmission, replaced by a decently responsive continuously variable automatic with seven stepped “gears.” Front-wheel drive is standard on all trims; all-wheel drive is a $2000 option that both swaps in an eight-speed torque-converter automatic and ups the four-banger’s torque output from 184 to 203 pound-feet. Both setups work well, with the front-driver exhibiting minimal droning from the engine and feeling easier to wield around town. AWD versions like our RS test car, on the other hand, are a smidge more planted on the move, but the eight-speed transmission races for top gear, which means it must hunt around for a lower ratio when you summon the wee four-cylinder’s grunt.LOWS: Ho-hum acceleration and driving dynamics, a bit noisy inside at speed, option packages weaken its value play.Acceleration is adequate if a bit pokey for our tastes, with our example moseying to 60 mph in 8.6 seconds and covering the quarter-mile in 16.6 seconds at 84 mph. Both metrics are several tenths of a second (and 1 mph) slower than the last Equinox we tested, a 2023 all-wheel-drive RS model. While the 1.5-liter engine generates only a modest ruckus, limited amounts of sound insulation seem to be where Chevy shaved some development costs: At full throttle, our sound meter picked up a noisy 80-decibel din inside, while a 70-mph cruise registered 70 decibels—increases of 6 and 1 decibels, respectively. Continuing this trend, our test car, rolling on 19-inch Continental CrossContact RX all-season tires, needed an additional 18 feet to stop from 70 mph (177 feet versus the outgoing version’s 159) and returned a smidge less grip (0.81 g to 0.82) around the skidpad. An additional downer is that EPA combined fuel economy drops compared to its predecessor, but only by 1 or 2 mpg. Unfortunately, we have yet to verify how these estimates translate to the real world. Cross-shoppers take note that even the slowest Equinox EV will beat the gas model in a drag race, though the latter’s 400-plus miles of EPA range dwarfs the EV, which tops out at 319 miles.More on Chevy EquinoxTurn the Equinox’s chunky steering wheel and it changes direction smoothly and predictably, albeit with more effort at low speeds than we remember. Overall chassis tuning has largely held course, and so has the over-the-road driving experience: Competent, stable, and comfortable is the way. We imagine most buyers will be more pleased with the new Equinox’s general refinement and solid-feeling structure than they will be saddened by its lack of sportiness. Shoppers also shouldn’t get too excited about the Activ’s implied off-road capability, as it’s not outfitted to tackle much more than a muddy dirt road. There’s no lifted suspension or underbody protection, though AWD models do feature an Off-Road drive mode that relaxes traction- and stability-control intervention.Priced to PlayAs before, value is one of the Equinox’s greatest strengths. Prices open at $31,080 for the LT and $35,480 for the RS and Activ, and all trims come standard with a heated steering wheel and front seats, plus most of the active safety tech in GM’s arsenal. Primary options include ventilated front seats, heated outboard rear seats, a digital rearview camera mirror, traffic-sign recognition, and a 360-degree camera system. Notably absent is Super Cruise (adaptive cruise control is standard), but that could be good fodder for a mid-cycle update. Yet, load up one of the higher trims with options, and its sticker number will climb north of $40K, which is more than we’d like to spend for the Equinox’s underwhelming driving behavior, even if that price is well below the initial ask of a comparable EV version. While a hybrid model with more power could make for a more compelling proposition in the compact-SUV segment, these latest updates should help keep the Equinox a solid fixture in Chevy’s lineup for the foreseeable future.VERDICT: An adequately modern makeover for mass consumption.SpecificationsSpecifications
2025 Chevrolet Equinox RS AWDVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $36,395/$40,420Options: panoramic sunroof, $1495; Safety and Technology package (surround-view camera system, rear pedestrian alert, traffic sign recognition, fog lamps, rear camera mirror, rear camera washer), $1085; Convenience package III (eight-way power front passenger’s seat with lumbar adjustment, ventilated front seats with memory, heated rear outboard seats), $950; Radiant Red Tintcoat paint, $495
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 91 in3, 1490 cm3Power: 175 hp @ 5600 rpmTorque: 203 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 12.6-in vented disc/12.4-in vented discTires: Continental CrossContact RX235/55R-19 101H M+S TPC Spec 3198MS
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 107.5 inLength: 183.2 inWidth: 74.9 inHeight: 65.6 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 52/49 ft3Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 64/30 ft3Curb Weight: 3705 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 8.6 sec1/4-Mile: 16.6 sec @ 84 mph100 mph: 26.5 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 9.3 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 4.5 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 5.7 secTop Speed (C/D est): 125 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 177 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.81 g
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 26/24/29 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDMike Sutton is an editor, writer, test driver, and general car nerd who has contributed to Car and Driver’s reverent and irreverent passion for the automobile since 2008. A native Michigander from suburban Detroit, he enjoys the outdoors and complaining about the weather, has an affection for off-road vehicles, and believes in federal protection for naturally aspirated engines. More

10,000-Mile UpdateYou may think everyone on staff is angling to nab the keys to a sports car for the weekend, but more often than not it’s the most practical vehicles that are the most sought after. When it came time to choose a vehicle for long-weekend summer trips to lakeside towns in northern Michigan, the best answer was usually the Toyota Grand Highlander. We’ve also done plenty of back-and-forths to Chicago and one long jaunt to the middle of Iowa. Partially because of these longer trips, our average fuel economy has held steady at 24 mpg. While that’s considerably better than the 21 mpg we averaged in our long-term (and nonhybrid) Kia Telluride, it falls short of the GH’s 27-mpg EPA highway label. As with many hybrids, the Grand Highlander’s fuel economy gets less and less impressive as speeds rise.Editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga put the Grand Highlander to work in both household and office moves and remarked that the cargo hold is “deceptively large.” However, the cargo space behind the third row is still tiny compared with a minivan’s, so when the author loaded up his family of five for a beachy summer vacation, we also employed a hitch-mounted cargo carrier and, for maximum lifestyle points, strapped a paddleboard and a kayak to a suction-cup-mounted roof rack (fuel economy dropped to 21 mpg on that leg). Quiroga and pretty much everyone else has praised the GH’s “quiet and comfortable” cruising demeanor. There’s been plenty of praise for the comfortable front seats, too, with Buyer’s Guide managing editor Drew Dorian saying the seats staved off backaches for seven hours straight. We also appreciate that the passive entry works on all four doors—many family SUVs don’t, and it’s annoying when you’re trying to first load little ones in back before opening the driver’s door.A topic we’ve spent significant brainpower on is towing. We want to take advantage of the Grand Highlander’s 5000-pound tow capacity, but ours didn’t come with the $930 factory setup. We figured we’d just order the hardware from a dealer’s parts counter, but it was on backorder nationwide. So, we bought a Curt hitch from Etrailer.com for $316 that we easily installed ourselves, no drilling or bumper removal required. Dare we say that it’s an even better design than the factory unit, which requires a new bumper close-out panel. The next hurdle was wiring. The factory harness is a four-pin unit, but we didn’t want to rule out hauling trailers with electronic brake control, so we bought a seven-pin adapter kit ($108) that requires running a power line from the battery to the connector. We’ll also use Curt’s Bluetooth trailer brake controller, which saves the hassle of hardwiring in a fixed unit. We haven’t done much towing yet but will provide an update on how the GH fares in the next update.Toyota calls for a service visit every 5000 miles, which is a relatively short interval these days, but oil changes only happen every other stop. Our first service stop was merely a tire rotation and a series of inspections, while the second one included an oil-and-filter change. Both are no charge, part of ToyotaCare included service for the first two years or 25,000 miles. The USB-C data port in our vehicle has never worked, but the dealership said we needed to schedule a separate appointment to get that looked at after we mentioned it during our routine service.Michael Simari|Car and DriverAlthough we haven’t had any major self-inflicted wounds—just a $60 repair due to a windshield chip—vehicle ownership is never perfectly peachy. Full disclosure: I was the one who dented the rear liftgate when trying to force it to close on an overfilled cargo area. Not sure why the sheetmetal oil-canned so easily, but we should be able to pull it out with a cheap dent-puller kit. Our GH is affected by a recall due to the curtain airbags possibly not deploying properly if the front windows are open. There’s still no remedy, but we’ve instructed everyone to drive with the windows up. Other regular complaints call out the nearly all-black interior of our Limited trim for not being nearly as upscale as some competitors’, such as the Telluride, and, even worse, the low-gloss plastic on the center console is showing all manner of scuffs and scrapes in a relatively short amount of time.Although we love the effortless power of the Hybrid Max powertrain, it has surprised us with some clunky shifts, especially when driving aggressively. As Quiroga says, “The solution is to chill out. Do so and the Grand Highlander is remarkably luxurious and refined.” This is perhaps why his initials are very likely to appear next to the GH’s name on the sign-out board on any given weekend.Months in Fleet: 5 months Current Mileage: 12,100 milesAverage Fuel Economy: 24 mpgFuel Tank Size: 17.2 gal Observed Fuel Range: 410 milesService: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0Damage and Destruction: $60SpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max LimitedVehicle Type: front-engine, front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $55,435/$58,178Options: panoramic roof, $1350; panoramic view monitor, $600; all-weather floor and cargo liners, $358; logo puddle lamps, $175; door edge guards, $155; wheel locks, $105
POWERTRAIN
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.4-liter inline-4, 265 hp, 332 lb-ft + 2 AC motors (combined output: 362 hp, 400 lb-ft; 0.7-kWh [C/D est] nickel-metal hydride battery pack)Transmissions: 6-speed automatic/direct-drive
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented disc/13.3-in vented discTires: Yokohama Geolandar X-CV255/55R-20 107V M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 116.1 inLength: 201.4 inWidth: 78.3 inHeight: 70.1 inPassenger Volume, F/M/R: 58/52/39 ft3Cargo Volume, behind F/M/R: 98/58/21 ft3Curb Weight: 4957 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS: NEW
60 mph: 5.7 sec1/4-Mile: 14.3 sec @ 99 mph100 mph: 14.7 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.4 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.0 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.7 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.2 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 118 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 186 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.77 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 24 mpgUnscheduled Oil Additions: 0 qt
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 27/26/27 mpg
WARRANTY
3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper5 years/60,000 miles powertrain10 years/150,000 miles hybrid battery5 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection2 years/25,000 miles roadside assistance2 years/25,000 miles scheduled maintenance
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDIntroductionAs with McDonald’s Super Size or 7-Eleven’s Double Gulp, the new Toyota Grand Highlander is a grander Highlander in that most American way: It’s significantly bigger than the smaller three-row Highlander. A lot of the Grandness lands in the 26 percent more voluminous third row, which is now acceptable for adults. There’s also 31 percent more cargo space behind that third row, making it spacious enough for five carry-on-sized suitcases. This elevates the GH to the larger end of the ranks of three-row mid-size SUVs, while the junior Highlander is on the smaller end of the class. At $44,465, the least expensive Grand costs $3800 more than an entry Highlander because the Grand’s trim levels don’t dip as low, but on comparable trim levels, the up-charge is as little as $550.The Grand Highlander forms the basis for the Lexus TX and also introduces a new Hybrid Max powertrain. The Max combines the base 265-hp turbo four with a motor between the engine and six-speed transmission, plus another motor at the rear axle that provides all-wheel drive. The powertrain totals 362 horsepower, and the GH’s combination of swiftness (60 mph in 5.7 seconds) and fuel economy (27 mpg combined) is unmatched in the segment. This setup also eliminates the droning CVT effect from Toyota’s traditional hybrid approach, which lives on in the mid-grade GH hybrid.Hybrid Max was a key contributor to our naming the refined, quiet, and spacious GH to our most recent 10Best Trucks and SUVs list, so naturally, we opted for it in our long-term test car. It’s available only in the top two trims—ours is the more modest $55,435 Limited, which is a $4580 upcharge over a base Limited, and $2980 more than the lesser hybrid; there’s also the top $59,520 Platinum. Unlike many of our long-termers, this one wasn’t built to order, so we won’t be able to take advantage of our GH’s 5000-pound towing capability until we get a hitch installed, which we plan to do posthaste. Our Coastal Cream off-white example has just two options: the large sunroof ($1350) and a 360-degree camera system ($600). It also features a few accessory knickknacks—door protectors, wheel locks, all-weather floor mats, and logo puddle lamps—that brought the total to $58,178.As with most hybrids, the fuel economy we’re getting at real-world highway speeds is below window-sticker value (we logged 24 mpg on a swift run to Chicago and back, for example), but we’ve notched as high as 29 mpg on a more city-intensive tank. So far, everyone on staff loves the effortless and responsive thrust of the Max powertrain—its rolling-start and passing times comfortably beat all comers in our most recent comparison test. Another regular accolade is its quietness at highway speeds, which tied the Kia Telluride, another regular favorite of ours, for tops in that same test. The GH’s braking and cornering figures, however, aren’t nearly as impressive.Making plans for the all-American summer road trip has the Grand Highlander’s sign-out line growing. This one is going to get to 40,000 miles quickly. Months in Fleet: 3 months Current Mileage: 6928 milesAverage Fuel Economy: 24 mpgFuel Tank Size: 17.2 gal Observed Fuel Range: 410 milesService: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0Damage and Destruction: $0SpecificationsSpecifications
2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max LimitedVehicle Type: front-engine, front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $55,435/$58,178Options: panoramic roof, $1350; panoramic view monitor, $600; all-weather floor and cargo liners, $358; logo puddle lamps, $175; door edge guards, $155; wheel locks, $105
POWERTRAIN
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.4-liter inline-4, 265 hp, 332 lb-ft + 2 AC motors (combined output: 362 hp, 400 lb-ft; 0.7-kWh [C/D est] nickel-metal hydride battery pack)Transmissions: 6-speed automatic/direct-drive
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented disc/13.3-in vented discTires: Yokohama Geolandar X-CV255/55R-20 107V M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 116.1 inLength: 201.4 inWidth: 78.3 inHeight: 70.1 inPassenger Volume, F/M/R: 58/52/39 ft3Cargo Volume, behind F/M/R: 98/58/21 ft3Curb Weight: 4957 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS: NEW
60 mph: 5.7 sec1/4-Mile: 14.3 sec @ 99 mph100 mph: 14.7 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.4 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.0 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.7 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.2 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 118 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 186 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.77 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 24 mpgUnscheduled Oil Additions: 0 qt
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 27/26/27 mpg
WARRANTY
3 years/36,000 miles bumper to bumper5 years/60,000 miles powertrain10 years/150,000 miles hybrid battery5 years/unlimited miles corrosion protection2 years/25,000 miles roadside assistance2 years/25,000 miles scheduled maintenance
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDDave VanderWerp has spent more than 20 years in the automotive industry, in varied roles from engineering to product consulting, and now leading Car and Driver’s vehicle-testing efforts. Dave got his very lucky start at C/D by happening to submit an unsolicited resume at just the right time to land a part-time road warrior job when he was a student at the University of Michigan, where he immediately became enthralled with the world of automotive journalism. More

From the November 1981 issue of Car and Driver.It must be hell trying to design new Ferraris. Over the years the legend has thickened, becoming a Jell-O inhibiting every stroke of the pen, every flight of the imagination. How can a new model live up to expectations? Too many twelve-cylinders have shrieked down the autostrada pumping too much adrenaline along the way. Too many road testers have fired too many salvos of hyperbole. For years we car critics have re­viewed the world’s finest sporting cars, pronounced them nice, even exciting, but not Ferraris. Ferrari was always atop the pedestal, and that pedestal was al­way being jacked up a bit each year.Now the altitude is such that even new Ferraris can’t measure up. A Ferrari owner of our acquaintance drove the Mondial 8 a few miles and judged it nice, but definitely not a Ferrari.So how are we to decide the truth of this latest product of Maranello—by measuring its stifled snorts and screams against the legend (in which case it will inevitably fall short) or by holding it up to the sporting requirements of the Eighties? Were it of any other brand, we would unhesitatingly do the latter. But with a Ferrari, the legend always lurks. Perhaps, by starting with the basics, some appropriate yardstick may evolve. The Mondial 8 is a transverse V-8 mid-engined coupe with an upholstered section in back that appears to be a rear seat. So you would expect this to be a two-plus-two. And you would be wrong. Ferrari has built models in the past offi­cially designated two-plus-twos, and they always had sufficient leg and head room back there to accommodate the occasional occupant of adult dimen­sions, but only Venus de Milos need ap­ply for the rear compartment of this car. Such a configuration has precedent in the 308GT4 that was discontinued two years ago, so the Mondial 8 must be ac­cepted as consistent with past Ferrari practice. Still, it is a dumb way to build a car—okay in a hatchback where the trunk space can be extended forward by folding the seats, but essentially useless in a mid-engined design. The Mondial 8 is also a rather unat­tractive lump. Pininfarina is known for soft shapes that approach the zaftig, but this one just came out vague: Except in the side view, that is, where air-intake grilles the size of storm sewers ruin even the fundamental blandness. Apart from the Lusso Berlinetta, the 1964 GTO, and the current 308s, Ferraris have always looked sort of ehhhh—and the Mondial 8 continues the tradition. We therefore cannot deny its Ferrari­-hood on this count either.But what about the way it drives? Ob­jectively, Ferraris have always been a pain in the butt in this regard, a quality appreciated only by those who thought the very definition of a man’s car was that nobody else could even get it out of the driveway. Ferraris have been uni­formly balky of shift, stiff of clutch, and hard of steering for as long as anybody can remember. Here the Mondial 8 may not be a true-red Ferrari. The steering is not bad, the brakes no sweat, the clutch so grad­ual in action that nobody would ever kill the engine and so moderate in effort that there should be no complaints. The five-speed shifter is still genuine Fer­rari, however—maybe not quite as hard to stir as some past models, but a purebred for notchiness. No other brand has so many traps in the pattern waiting to catch the lever.But maybe it’s time to stop beating around the bush. People buy Ferraris neither for the mazelike qualities of the shifter nor for the hospitality of the back seat. Instead, they seek the essential prancing-horse rip and snort, and if the Mondial 8 can deliver that, no question, it’s a Ferrari. Here we may be in trouble. The rip is subdued—a velvet purr, more song than shriek, that sweetly changes pitch as the engine climbs through its broad rev range. It’s a splendid sound, but it soothes rather than incites to riot. That’s not very Ferrari.And, sadly, there is no snort whatso­ever. The Mondial 8 will barely get out of its own way, or, more correctly, out of the way of other Ferraris. It’s the lowest one in memory. Weight is large­ly the cause. The Mondial 8 shares the same Bosch K-jetronic-injected three-­liter V-8 with the GTBi and GTSi, but the car weighs in at 3560 pounds, 280 more than the GTBi that we tested in October 1980. This extra mass burdens it down to the point of being dog meat for the turbocharged Porsche 924 and Datsun 280-ZX. A Ferrari that slows is certainly an enigma and maybe even a contradiction in terms. It’s not much fun to drive either. The Mondial 8 doesn’t make you giggle, doesn’t goad you into trying some fool­ish feats of antigravity. Instead, it sug­gests serious grand-touring transporta­tion. It whispers, “C’mon, let’s head for the coast.” And it’s not kidding. You could go anywhere in this car; it wouldn’t fry your nerves in the manner of past Ferraris. No zingy noises, no jouncy ride, no hang-onto-the-wheel­-with-both-hands-lest-it-get-away-from­-you feeling. Just get in and go. How much more un-Ferrari could it be? You may think, since the Mondial’s back seat is worthless, that it ends up merely a slower and uglier GTBi. Actu­ally, the two are much different. The GTBi is a full-time sportster. It’ll never let you forget. Its roof presses down against your forehead, the door against your elbow, the console against your thigh—it’s tight. And noisy. And de­manding. The Mondial, in contrast, is relatively roomy. The front wheel arch takes a bite out of the spot the driver would like to have for his left leg, but that’s the only encroachment. The Mondial is also more relaxing. It doesn’t have the low cowl of the GTBi (or the old GT4), so you can’t see the road streaming directly under the nose. You are forced to take a longer view, and that’s less dynamic, less stimulating. The suspension doesn’t batter you ei­ther. The Michelin TRX tires are nota­bly resilient, and the shocks have been calibrated to merely damp ride motions rather than prevent them. Except for some expansion-joint kawop, the ride is very pleasant. Nor does the Mondial make you keep your guard up. It doesn’t kick back through the steering like the 308s. You may have noticed that the Mondial’s wheels have an uncom­mon amount of “inset” to reduce the scrub radius. This is a new idea at Ferrari, and it takes much of the twitch out of the steering. You add all of this up—the twitchless steering, the elbowroom, the friendly (if not quiet) acoustics, the low-effort con­trols, the civilized ride—and you find a pretty nice sports car, not a Ferrari in the traditional sense, but not bad either. The real question at this point is, Are there enough drivers in the Eighties who would buy a real Ferrari if it were available? It’s easy for all of us sitting around wondering how we’re going to cover the next Visa-card bill to say yes. But those who make their livings in the car business have noticed that by far the majority of those with resources to buy a Ferrari go for a Mercedes 450SL or SLC instead. Fiat, which now pulls the strings at Ferrari, is in the business of making money (or at least of trying to), and it’s very tempting to dilute the Fer­rari rip and snort in favor of some prov­en-in-the-market M-B civilization. We even hear oblique references in that direction from Fiat of North America, which imports Ferrari. More Ferrari Reviews From the ArchiveIt sounds sacrilegious. Be assured that the Mondial is still a whole lot more Ferrari than it is Mercedes, but at the same time there is a conspicuous drift away from the joyfully mechanical per­sona that made up the traditional Fer­rari. It shows up particularly in the use of electronics and electrics—maybe we should call it electricks—in the interior. Somebody decided that remote trunk releases are nifty, so the Mondial has an array of solenoid buttons on the dash to open the front hood, the engine cover, the trunk, and even the gas-filler door. This is harmless fun, but it gets a bit silly when applied to the glove box, the door of which is neatly devoid of any latch—the effect is spoiled by a big black button poking out below the dash that remotely releases the door from a full six inches away. The “computer” early-warning system, which tells of trouble with liquido raffredd or lavacristallo or any of eight other possible men­aces, is similarly misguided, because the signal lights are on the tunnel down by your hip, where you’d never see them until the problem became apparent any­way. These gimmicks are certainly typi­cal of cars of the Eighties. Maybe we should even be reassured that Ferrari is less adept at them than other automak­ers; maybe this is proof that Ferrari has not wholeheartedly embraced electricks. In any case, Ferrari spokesmen antici­pate some redesign of the interior be­fore full-scale production begins for American models. The console will be less conspicuously plastic, the air-condi­tioning controls below the dash will be relocated, and the brow over the instrument cluster will be reangled. This lat­ter will be a mixed blessing. Right now it is both flat and level, the perfect place to clamp your radar detector. But the semigloss vinyl surface also reflects a shiny spot onto the windshield right where you’re supposed to be looking at the road, so some alteration would be appreciated. But enough of this minutia. Return­ing to the original question, is the Mon­dial 8 truly a Ferrari? We say yes, albeit the most democratic one ever built. Anyone with the price of admission can drive it. Maybe that’s not the way Fer­rari cars were built in the past, but this is the Eighties and things are different. For one thing, people aren’t buying anachronisms. SpecificationsSpecifications
1981 Ferrari Mondial 8Vehicle Type: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door coupe
PRICEAs Tested: $68,000 (est)Options: metallic silver paint, $780
ENGINEDOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 179 in3, 2927 cm3Power: 205 hp @ 6600 rpmTorque: 181 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm 
TRANSMISSION5-speed manual
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/control armsBrakes, F/R: 11.4-in vented disc/11.7-in vented discTires: Michelin TRX240/55VR-390
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 104.3 inLength: 180.3 inWidth: 70.5 inHeight: 49.2 inPassenger Volume, F/R: 48/27 ft3Trunk Volume: 3 ft3Curb Weight: 3560 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 9.3 sec1/4-Mile: 16.9 sec @ 83 mph100 mph: 27.8 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 13.1 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 11.8 secTop Speed: 138 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 195 ftRoadholding, 282-ft Skidpad: 0.79 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 14 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 13/10/18 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED More