Car Reviews

The 2023 Lordstown Endurance is likely the electric pickup you’ve never heard of. Unveiled in June 2020 by a startup Ohio automaker, it’s a full-size truck with 8000 pounds of towing capacity and a target of 200 miles of range. It’s aimed solely at fleet buyers whose trucks must earn their keep and work for a living. While 200 miles wouldn’t cut it for personal-use vehicles, hard-nosed fleet managers know how far each of their trucks travels daily—and whether 200 miles of range (minus allowances for highway use, winter temperatures, and towing) will suffice. The Endurance starts at $65,060. Still, Lordstown faces some very steep odds. For our first drive of the Endurance pickup, there were two questions: Is the truck fit for purpose? And does the company have a hope of success?Driving Early-Production TrucksOver two days, we spent about 90 minutes total with two separate Endurance pickups—VINs 005 and 006, it turned out. They differed slightly and were still receiving final tweaks, said Darren Post, Lordstown’s vice president of engineering. He rode shotgun on routes encompassing suburban traffic, country roads, and freeway driving outside Ann Arbor, Michigan.From the outside, the Endurance is an upright pickup with a body-color shield where the grille would be, with the charge port in its center behind the Lordstown logo. There’s a frunk that contains almost 10 cubic feet of storage. Design flourishes are few but include serrated black accent strips that break up the flat side panels and long, thin horizontal headlights and taillights that wrap around the body corners. The 20-inch wheels wear tires with tall sidewalls; no high-fashion 23-inch rims here.Inside, the truck is clearly a fleet vehicle, with an overall design theme of “basic.” Upholstery is black cloth, relieved by white stitching; door upholstery is gray vinyl. The seats slide manually, and this must be one of the last new vehicles without a telescoping steering column. The front seats are divided by a wide, deep console bin, and the flat-floored cabin easily accommodates four six-foot adults through wide-opening doors. The 66.8-inch-long bed has a carbon-fiber liner, with “Lordstown” stamped into the tailgate section.Related StoriesBehind the wheel, the rectangular digital instrument cluster and center touchscreen have big, clear, easy-to-read graphics. The trucks we drove lacked both navigation and smartphone mirroring via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Those are “on the list,” Post said.The four motors’ horsepower and torque outputs are not yet finalized, but the company is estimating 440 horses from those motors, one at each wheel. In its Normal mode, the truck accelerates swiftly but without the kidney punch of a GMC Hummer EV or a Tesla. Speed is capped at 75 mph—a challenge when you’re trying to navigate fast, aggressive Detroit-area freeway traffic. One-pedal driving is the default mode, though it can be switched off, and Lordstown has tuned its regenerative braking well. Drivers can select a Sport mode too, which gives more abrupt accelerator response and aggressive regen with transitions that felt much jerkier. We doubt Sport mode will be important to companies who want their drivers to get the most miles out of fleet trucks using the least electricity.Lordstown advertises a turning diameter of 47.0 feet—one foot better than the F-150 Lightning—and indeed, the truck turns sharply. That’s not tight enough for a U-turn in two lanes, but for a full-size pickup, it feels more maneuverable than competitors with gasoline engines. The steel structure has an aluminum hood, fenders, doors, and tailgate, with a claimed curb weight of 6450 pounds.Four Hub MotorsThis is a big, tall vehicle, but with a 109.0-kWh battery pack located under the cabin, the Endurance handles better than its engine-equipped counterparts—with one exception. Unlike the two other electric pickups now on sale—the Lightning and the Rivian R1T—it uses a solid rear axle on leaf springs. It’s simple, cheap to maintain, and should reassure set-in-their-ways fleet mechanics, but it produced a lot of side-to-side jiggle, or head toss, on certain road surfaces.That may be due to the all-wheel-drive truck’s unusual weight distribution. Most EVs are close to 50-50 front to rear, as this one is. But rather than two motors, one each between the front and the rear wheels, the Endurance uses four liquid-cooled hub motors. Each weighs 150 pounds, Post said. Added to the weight of the wheels and tires they propel, that’s likely more unsprung weight than any other light-duty vehicle on the road.Lordstown’s chassis engineers have done their job, so it’s not immediately evident how much mass is moving up and down under each corner. But without a differential, the solid rear axle is really just a tube on springs with all its weight at the very ends—hence, we suspect, the jiggle.Between them, the two early-production trucks had a variety of issues still to be addressed. Each had a different mix of wind noise, creaks behind the dash, and flimsy mirror mountings. The Endurance is also still in its Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) certification phase, and Lordstown says it’s shooting for 5-star safety ratings from the NHTSA.It clearly needs some final tweaks, but based on our limited driving, we’d say the Lordstown Endurance is approaching readiness for fleet-truck use. That presumes the assembly quality is high and the trucks hold up in the hands of early customers. Most important, it also assumes Lordstown can convince conservative, risk-averse fleet buyers they should not only buy EV pickup trucks but do so from a startup company.Better-Known Competitors Jump Out AheadBy this point, most Americans likely have some awareness of the Ford F-150 Lightning. Ford’s EV pickup gets up to 320 miles of range, can provide up to three days of backup power for your home (when properly equipped), and leaps to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds. Ford has both work-truck and high-end consumer versions—and has received reservations for more than 200,000 Lightnings altogether.The Rivian R1T electric pickup came from a startup that stayed stealthy for nine years and then stole the limelight at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. It’s a size smaller than the Lightning and Endurance, a mid-size pickup heavy on built-in technology and luxury. Amazon has invested more than $2 billion into Rivian, which will build 100,000 electric delivery vans for it over five years. Lordstown has a less salutary history. Founded in 2018, it has been through three CEOs, an expose by short-seller Hindenburg Research, and an SEC investigation. Lordstown’s tumultuous five years are summarized here. In May, it completed the sale of its Ohio factory (one-time home to the Chevy Vega) to Taiwanese contract assembler Foxconn, which will build the Endurance at the site alongside its own Foxtron-branded electric vehicles.The Foxconn deal gives Lordstown a bit more viability. Lordstown executives have been pitching their pickup to a variety of fleet operators, to learn which industries or niches may be best suited to the truck’s capabilities. We’ll watch over the next few months to see whether Lordstown announces major fleet purchase agreements for Endurance pickup trucks. Lordstown hopes to announce the first vehicle deliveries before the end of this year—more than a year later than planned. It’s been a tough road bringing the once-novel idea of a battery-powered pickup to market. Lordstown has now shown it can make a viable truck. We’ll see whether it can make a viable business.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Lordstown EnduranceVehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE 
Base: $65,060
POWERTRAIN
Front Motors: permanent-magnet synchronous ACRear Motors: permanent-magnet synchronous ACCombined Power: 440 hpBattery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 109.0 kWhOnboard Charger: 11.0 kWPeak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 150 kWTransmissions, F/R: direct-drive
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 146.2 inLength: 230.0 inWidth: 81.4 inHeight: 76.4 inPassenger Volume (C/D est): 115 ft3Cargo Volume: 10 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 6450 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 6.3 sec1/4-Mile: 14.8 secTop Speed: 118 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)
Combined/City/Highway: 65/70/60 MPGeRange: 200 miThis content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More

The Nissan Pathfinder name evokes a certain amount of off-road cred, but in truth, the Pathfinder is now in its second generation as a family-friendly three-row unibody crossover. Still, Nissan can’t exactly afford to ignore the obsession with overlanding and all-terrain capability (or at least the appearance of it) that has taken over the market—enter the 2023 Pathfinder Rock Creek.The previous-generation Pathfinder offered a Rock Creek edition, but that was simply an appearance package. The new version goes a little further than that with Toyo Open Country all-terrain tires, a revised suspension, and, of course, the expected appearance tweaks and Rock Creek badging all over the exterior and interior. The 18-inch beadlock-style wheels look pretty cool, and the chunkier roof rack and modified front fascia work well with the latest Pathfinder’s boxy, slab-sided shape.The larger tires affect the driving experience negatively, as is to be expected from this kind of rubber with chunkier tread and taller sidewalls. There’s more noise, with a persistent drone at highway speeds, and the handling feels noticeably more trucklike due to slower responses to steering inputs. The ride quality is considerably worse too; the Rock Creek makes an Explorer Timberline feel like a Bentley by comparison. Predictably, the tires were less grippy at the test track too, with a skidpad result of 0.78 g and a long 70-mph braking distance of 194 feet, both significantly worse than all-season-equipped Pathfinders. But these tires are meant for handling a bit of mud, dirt, or snow, rather than dry pavement.The Rock Creek’s other mechanical difference compared with other Pathfinders is a bit more juice from the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 engine, which makes 295 hp and 270 pound-feet of torque. That’s an extra 11 horsepower and 11 pound-feet of torque compared with the base Pathfinder and is the same output found in the related Infiniti QX60. As in the standard model, the V-6 provides plenty of power to motivate the Pathfinder, and the nine-speed automatic is an improvement over the old model’s CVT in terms of responsiveness.More on the PathfinderBut the Rock Creek’s extra grunt couldn’t overcome the negative effect of the tires, and it effectively mirrored the results for a front-wheel-drive Pathfinder SL and an all-wheel-drive Platinum model we previously tested. It got to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds and ran the quarter-mile in 15.2 seconds at 92 mph.The EPA rates the Rock Creek’s fuel economy lower than other Pathfinders, at 21 mpg combined, 20 city, and 23 highway. We averaged 20 mpg overall during our time with the Rock Creek, and in our real-world 75-mph highway fuel-economy test it returned 25 mpg, a figure that beats its highway rating but lags behind the 28-mpg result we measured with an all-wheel-drive Platinum model.The Rock Creek sits in the middle of the Pathfinder lineup in terms of price and equipment. That’s nice because it means that, at $45,250 as tested, it’s cheaper than competitors including the Kia Telluride X-Pro, but it’s not so nice if you want features such as a power tailgate or a heated steering wheel, neither of which can be had on the Rock Creek trim.There’s no denying that the Rock Creek’s upgrades hurt the Pathfinder’s handling performance, fuel economy, and refinement. The upside is a bit of extra all-terrain capability and rugged cred. We wouldn’t choose it over a nicely equipped Pathfinder SL. But if you like the Rock Creek’s look, then it could be just the vehicle for your overlanding adventures—or your image as someone who has such adventures anyway.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek EditionVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 7-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $44,115/$45,250 Options: Premium Solid Gray/Super Black two-tone paint, $790; Rock Creek floor liners and cargo area protector, $345
ENGINE
DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 213 in3, 3498 cm3Power: 295 hp @ 6400 rpmTorque: 270 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
TRANSMISSION
9-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 13.8-in vented disc/13.0-in vented disc Tires: Toyo Open Country A/T III265/60R-18 110T M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 114.2 inLength: 198.8 inWidth: 77.9 inHeight: 73.7 inPassenger Volume: 148 ft3Cargo Volume: 17 ft3Curb Weight: 4583 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.7 sec1/4-Mile: 15.2 sec @ 92 mph100 mph: 18.8 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 7.2 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.5 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.9 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 120 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 194 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.78 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 20 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 25 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 460 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 21/20/23 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDThis content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More

Honda’s history is deeply rooted in internal-combustion engines, and as we make the shift toward electrification, the company’s most exciting gasoline-only vehicle has just undergone what is likely to be its final redesign. The Honda Civic Type R has rejoined the lineup for 2023, following the 2022 model-year revamp of the supporting Civic sedan and hatchback. Based on the handful of laps we took around Harris Hill Raceway outside Austin, Texas—including as a passenger to two-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen—it seems Honda absolutely nailed it.For starters, we fist-bumped Max as we pulled the bright-red seatbelt across our chest. “Full send, right?” we asked. A shrug from Max and a “You sure?” served as acknowledgment as he revved the 315-hp turbo four, slipped the clutch, and spun the front Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s, launching us out of the pits. The deep baritone from the engine and exhaust sounded great from under a helmet, and he ran out the engine until it coughed at the redline.In Verstappen’s hands, the Type R rarely tracked in a straight line as he kept the engine on full boil, stringing the turns together in a sinuous uninterrupted dance of slip angles and oversteer. He braked as lightly and as seldom as possible, allowing the tires’ lateral loads to scrub off speed—along with a healthy amount of tread, we’re sure. Max was well past the Type R’s performance envelope as he one-handed the steering wheel with the kind of nonchalance we’d adopt rolling up to the drive-through window.We’re running the course in the counter-clockwise direction. Thanks to a significant bump in Turn 6, Max launches a few tires off the pavement—the Cup 2s will be optional, with Sport 4S rubber standard—but the Type R stays on target with only a slight steering adjustment from our somewhat-bored driver. He said it’s better to go full throttle, rather than lift off it, over that bump and the ensuing ruts leading toward Turn 5. When an F1 champion gives you driving advice, you’re wise to take it. After only two laps, the fun was over as Max coasted into the pits. It was a brief encounter, yet the afterglow remains days later.Related StoriesThen it was our turn behind the wheel. Sadly, we weren’t allowed on the track unsupervised. Instead, we were required to follow behind a pro driver, one who drove with significantly less aggression than Mad Max. We managed to strategically create an interval between the lead car and ours, allowing us to briefly approach the Type R’s performance limit. That gave us a taste of its potential but left us jonesing for more.As we venture out of the pits, the clutch has an appropriate amount of effort, and the engagement is as intuitive as it gets. The shift throws aren’t as toggle-switch short as a Miata’s, but the shifter is equally easy and pleasurable to row up and down through the gears. The ratios are well spaced to keep the power on tap, and in +R drive mode, the instrument cluster displays an F1-style rev indicator across the top to keep you from bouncing off the limiter.We didn’t feel a hint of torque steer under hard acceleration, but there is a quick shimmy under threshold braking before the ABS kicks in. It’s a strong enough wiggle to keep you on your toes, but not so much as to feel out of sorts or to get you to dial it back. The rev-matched downshifts eliminate the finesse of heel-toeing the pedals since you only need to slam the shifter into gear and dump the clutch. If you’re like us and prefer to truly do the work yourself, rev matching can be disabled in the settings menu, and the pedals are placed perfectly for precise footwork.In some of the higher-speed bends, there’s an initial whisper of understeer, but it’s easy to predict and manage with a minuscule lift of the throttle and a nudge of the steering wheel. In slower corners, trail-braking all the way to the apex gets the tail to subtly rotate and you can maintain some oversteer once you get back on the gas—no need for those silly artificial drift modes, and the tires surrender grip progressively rather than in an instant. Just as we were becoming one with the Type R, the radio crackled, instructing us to give it a cool-down lap before rolling back to the pits.This brief tease bodes well for the $43,990 Civic Type R’s capabilities, and we’ll have a more complete picture in the coming weeks. In the meantime, we’re left with the satisfaction that despite the latest Civic R’s tamer styling, performance is edgier, more reactive, and thoroughly enjoyable. With the disappearance of the Subaru WRX STI and the Mitsubishi Evo, we’re glad to see Honda bringing back its hottest of hatchbacks for a glorious victory lap.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Honda Civic Type RVehicle Type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 4-door hatchback
PRICE 
Base: $43,990 
ENGINEturbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 122 in3, 1996 cm3Power: 315 hp @ 6500 rpmTorque: 310 lb-ft @ 2600 rpm
TRANSMISSION
6-speed manual
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 107.7 inLength: 180.9 inWidth: 74.4 inHeight: 55.4 inPassenger Volume: 99 ft3Cargo Volume: 25 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3200 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 5.0 sec100 mph: 12.1 sec1/4-Mile: 13.6 secTop Speed: 170 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 24/22/28 mpgThis content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More

From the November 2022 issue of Car and Driver.Around here, we sit through a lot of presentations about automotive trends. Charts and speeches detail the long-term march to electrification and how the move toward small-displacement, turbocharged engines is bridging the gap until we get there.We hear boasts about platform sharing and production efficiencies realized. What no company ever says is, “You know what we decided to do? Draw up a big-ass V-8 that revs to a million and will only go in one version of one model. We’ll build it by hand, and pretty much not a single part will be compatible with anything else. It’ll have way less torque than its predecessor, and it’ll get worse fuel economy. But nobody will care because it’ll sound so righteous at 8500 rpm that you’ll forget your own name.” We might be paraphrasing a little, but that essentially is Chevy’s pitch for the 2023 Corvette Z06 and its singular LT6 V-8. We can’t believe General Motors actually built this thing, and maybe neither can GM.Chevrolet could have powered the new Z06 with an evolution of its supercharged 6.2-liter V-8, which made as much as 755 horsepower in the previous-generation Corvette. That would have been easy and effective, the obvious move. Instead, engineers started from scratch on a naturally aspirated 5.5-liter screamer with a flat-plane crankshaft and 32 valves. At a heady 8400 rpm, the LT6 generates 670 horsepower the all-natural way, and it makes its 460 pound-feet of torque at 6300 rpm, nearly the redline in a regular Stingray. HIGHS: Sounds like the Monaco Grand Prix all by itself, deliciously linear power delivery, flared fenders are always a winner.From the moment the engine barks to life, it sounds impatient, its ragged flat-plane idle suggesting a pit stall at the Rolex 24 at Daytona or perhaps a pair of Suzuki Hayabusas sitting at a stoplight. While the Stingray’s pushrod LT2 V-8 uses bimodal muffler valves—loud or quiet, a binary decision—the Z06’s muffler valves can continually adjust in two-degree increments, fine-tuning the sound. Wide open, it sounds like a Ferrari 458 Italia that hit puberty. An engineer told us that during testing at the Nürburgring, the Z06’s wail could be heard all the way around its lap. The Nürburgring, we should point out, is almost 13 miles long.More on the 2023 Corvette Z06The LT6 was code-named Gemini during development, but not as an homage to the Chevy Gemini sold in South America in the 1980s and known hereabouts as the Chevrolet/Geo Spectrum. No, it’s a reference to the moon-shot NASA program, because that’s what this engine represents for the Corvette. There’s a steep learning curve when your new V-8 is capable of 573 combustion events every second at the 8600-rpm fuel cut. If you’re compiling a list of GM V-8 firsts, a lot of them from the past 30 years or so belong to the LT6. Dual throttle bodies and intake plenums. Fuel injectors on the exhaust side of the cylinders to aid high-speed air-fuel mixing. An 8500-rpm redline. The LT6 revs so fast that Chevy built in a mode to tranquilize the throttle when you’re selecting the rpm for launch-control starts, lest you blow past your intended target by 1000 rpm. When we congratulated one GM engineer on the LT6, the response was, “Congratulate me if it still runs after 150,000 miles.” Nevertheless, this engine has seen plenty of durability testing while powering the C8.R race car for two seasons. We didn’t put 150,000 miles on it, but we ran this Z06 70th Anniversary convertible plenty hard with nary a hiccup, and boy, did it put up some numbers. Its 2.7-second 60-mph time is a snapshot of a party that’s just getting started, as evidenced by the Z06’s 10.7-second quarter-mile at 129 mph. The Z06’s short 5.56:1 final-drive ratio helps fire it off the line, but we’ll be interested to see whether a car with the standard Aero package gets to, say, 160 mph quicker—this car wore the $8495 Carbon Aero package that helps generate 734 pounds of downforce at 186 mph, and those spoilers and underbody strakes exact a toll in drag at higher speeds. One clue on that front: Standard Z06s get a $2600 gas-guzzler tax, while cars with the Aero package are hit with a $3000 penalty. We averaged 12 mpg (the EPA city figure), making the 19-mpg EPA highway rating seem mighty optimistic.LOWS: Gets 12 mpg, somehow induces nostalgia for the present, convertible hardware hides the gol-dang engine.Even though this particular car embodies a historically mellow Corvette spec—an automatic convertible—the Z06 structure is so stiff that the suspension calibrations match the coupe’s. And on its Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP tires (275/30ZR-20 up front and comically monstrous 345/25ZR-21 in back), the Z06 pulled 1.12 g’s on the skidpad and stopped from 70 mph in 144 feet. So go ahead and treat yourself to the droptop. You’re not exactly trading performance for style, although you do miss out on gawking at the LT6. As with the Stingray, Z06 coupes display their engine under glass. Convertibles have a cover for the top mechanism that hides the engine, even with the convertible tonneau raised. As recompense, you’re treated to an extra-loud serenade from the LT6 if you put the top up or down while the car is in motion (at up to 30 mph), since you’re essentially driving with the hood open. As with previous Z06s, this one is a holistic track-attack special, with plentiful chassis upgrades to take advantage of the newfound horsepower. The body is 3.6 inches wider than the Stingray’s, making room for those huge tires and a wider track. The cooling system is upgraded with two extra heat exchangers, one of which is front and center and includes a removable grille panel to maximize airflow during track sessions. Six-piston brake calipers squeeze Brembo 14.6-inch rotors up front, and the rear end gets 15.0-inch rotors. The optional carbon-ceramic brakes ($8495) on our test car are even bigger—15.7 inches in front and 15.4 out back—and thoroughly indefatigable on a track. Put the car in Tour mode with the top down, gently blast some Gordon Lightfoot with the seat heaters blazing on a fresh fall evening, and it’s easy to forget you’re at the wheel of a hardcore track maniac, a car that can turn unapologetically sociopathic with the change of a couple of settings. It recalibrates your expectations, the Z06. At first, 8500 rpm seems nutty, but soon enough you find yourself hitting the 8600-rpm rev limiter because it’s pulling hard all the way there (the LT6 feels like it would be happy to visit the far side of 10,000 rpm, were it not for warranty considerations). There’s so much lateral stick that you’re almost surprised when it turns out to have limits, and the front and rear ends begin a dance to see who’ll relinquish grip first. It’s like the Z06 channels the high-winding spirit of the sixth-gen Z06, but with so much more sophistication. This is the Ferrari that Ferrari doesn’t make anymore. It’s priced like it too, next to its Bowling Green brethren. This convertible carries a base price of $116,795, and options brought it to $162,510. The ceiling is higher if you care to explore the salutary effects of carbon-fiber wheels or treat yourself to the full Z07 Performance package. But what’s the competition? An Audi R8 Spyder is probably the closest thing, and that costs even more and is down nearly 100 horsepower.VERDICT: Best. Corvette. Ever.Corvette engineers could have built a forced-induction Z06 that was more powerful than this. That would have been easy. Instead, they chased a subjective experience, the howling mid-engine exotic fantasy we all carry in our heads. Against all odds, they made it real.CounterpointsDriving the new Z06 is a little like the scene in Talladega Nights when Will Ferrell shares the cockpit of his ’69 Chevelle with a mountain lion. “If you’re scared, that beautiful death machine will do what God made it to do—namely, eat you with a smile on its face.” Leave the Z06 in Tour mode and it’s almost as if there isn’t a mountain lion in the car with you. Until you mash the accelerator. Then there are a dozen cougars roaring in the cockpit. —Jack FitzgeraldIt should be the fastest thing on earth, but it’s only really, really fast. Then there’s the ride quality: Do you need to pee? It’s worse now. And, as in all eighth-gen Corvettes, the interior seems designed for divorcing couples—there’s a wall between us emotionally, and also in the car. These days, most sports cars are grand tourers, but not the Z06. Wrestle it into submission. Let ’em hear you with the roar that precedes tornadoes. Every shift is a whip crack, like you’re Indiana Jones. This is a bar fight on wheels. Your life has been too easy. Take on a challenge. —Elana Scherr SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06Vehicle Type: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door convertible
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $116,795/$162,510Options: 3LZ equipment group (leather-wrapped interior with microfiber headliner, heated and ventilated GT2 bucket seats, navigation, wireless phone charging), $13,350; carbon-ceramic rotors, $8495; carbon-fiber aero package (includes $400 gas-guzzler tax), $8895; 70th Anniversary package, $5995; Level 2 carbon-fiber interior trim, $4995; front-axle lift, $2595; black stripes, $995; black exhaust tips, $395.
ENGINE
V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 333 in3, 5463 cm3Power: 670 hp @ 8400 rpmTorque: 460 lb-ft @ 6300 rpm 
TRANSMISSION
8-speed dual-clutch automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F: ind; unequal-length control arms, coil springs, 3-position electronically controlled dampers, anti-roll barR: ind; unequal-length control arms, coil springs, 3-position electronically controlled dampers, anti-roll barBrakes, F: 15.7 x 1.5-in vented, cross-drilled carbon-ceramic disc; 6-piston fixed caliper R: 15.4 x 1.3-in vented, cross-drilled carbon-ceramic disc; 4-piston fixed caliperTires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP F: 275/30ZR-20 (97Y) TPC R: 345/25ZR-21 (104Y) TPC
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 107.2 inLength: 185.9 inWidth: 79.7 inHeight: 48.6 inPassenger Volume: 51 ft3Cargo Volume: 13 ft3Curb Weight: 3799 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 2.7 sec100 mph: 6.1 sec1/4-Mile: 10.7 sec @ 129 mph150 mph: 16.3 sec170 mph: 27.7 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 3.1 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.0 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.2 secTop Speed (mfr’s claim): 189 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 144 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 282 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 1.12 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 12 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 14/12/19 mpg 
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDThis content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More

Buying a convertible version of a high-performance coupe once meant accepting significant compromises in return for the breezier thrills of life without a roof. Roadsters, spiders, and spyders were invariably heavier and less structurally rigid than the cars they were based on, making them slower and sacrificing some of the handling precision cars of this ilk are meant to exemplify. Yet many buyers chose them anyway. In the case of some fashionable supercars, a clear majority went topless.These days, the sacrifices in foregoing a fixed roof have been practically abolished but for the inevitable need to dig deeper to afford one. The new Maserati MC20 Cielo—named after the Italian word for sky—is a claimed 143 pounds heavier than the coupe thanks to the additional mass of its folding glass hardtop. But that’s pretty much it for the minus column. The Cielo uses the same carbon-fiber tub as the coupe, so structural stiffness is unchanged, and the increased weight has done almost nothing to blunt the efforts of the twin-turbocharged Nettuno V-6 that sits behind the passenger compartment. And, with the hardtop stowed, the Cielo looks even more stylish and desirable than its perma-roofed counterpart. What’s not to love?The hardtop’s glass panel features electrochromic dimming, which is a neat feature even though the difference between its light and dark settings is not especially noticeable. The electric mechanism that motors the top beneath the rear cover operates quickly and silently, taking just 12 seconds, and can be operated at speeds of up to 31 mph. With the roof raised, the Cielo feels impressively coupelike, with snug cruising refinement, and with it lowered, buffeting is minimized by a powered glass air deflector at the back of the cockpit.Our biggest gripe is the need to control the roof function through the cockpit’s central touchscreen; you must hold the activation tab throughout the entirety of the up or down cycle. Maserati’s engineering team insists that reprogramming the user interface to do this was actually more expensive than fitting a conventional switch, an admission that seems to deny any justification for not using a physical control—one which would have undoubtedly felt nicer and been possible to operate while keeping your eyes on the road. The folding roof gives the Cielo a distinct character relative to the coupe, but the Nettuno V-6 remains the starring feature. This is the engine that features a clever motorsport-inspired pre-ignition system and uses serious boost pressures to deliver 621 horsepower from just 3.0 liters of displacement. The Nettuno’s noises are more redolent of rallying than circuit racing and are even louder than in the coupe. There’s the rush of induction and wastegate flutter overlaying the rasp of the exhausts, with a high-pitched buzz audible under steady throttle. That odd sonic signature is almost diesel-like and seemingly a product of the six cylinders’ dual combustion chambers, each with its own spark plug.More on the Maserati MC20This definitely isn’t one of those snooty, high-bred supercar powerplants that tries to disguise its turbocharging—the Nettuno positively celebrates the 29 psi of boost required to produce its maximum output. So the V-6 is laggy and lethargic low in its rev range, and even with the crank spinning at 3000 rpm—at which the maximum 538 pound-feet of torque is available—there is still a discernible pause between throttle application and the arrival of boost. But there is a sizable iron fist inside the not-especially-velvety glove, and the Cielo feels every bit as fast as the MC20 coupe—at least once it’s rolling.Yes, there was an implied asterisk at the end of that sentence. The Cielo’s Bridgestone Potenza Sport tires produced copious cornering grip but were less able to find traction off the line. There is a launch-control system, but it seemed to struggle for grip and felt no quicker than the age-old expedient of simply flooring the gas pedal. Maserati claims both versions of the MC20 have an identical 2.9-second zero-to-62-mph time, although when we tested the coupe we recorded a (still impressive) 3.2-second 60-mph dash. MaseratiThe Cielo’s dynamic modes have been recalibrated compared to the coupe. The gentlest, GT, now has softer base suspension settings. It is also possible to toggle the firmness of the adaptive dampers separately in each mode—between soft and mid in GT and Sport and between mid and firm in Corsa. In GT, the Cielo felt calm and compliant, even over Sicily’s frequently poor-quality road surfaces, and the dampers’ mid position didn’t feel unduly harsh. The firmest setting definitely was too much for broken pavement, though.The dynamic modes also tweak numerous other settings, with each bringing a significantly different character to the car. In GT mode, throttle mapping is relaxed, and the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission swaps its ratios nearly as unobtrusively as a torque-converter automatic. Sport mode adds steering weight, sharpens the throttle response, and gives the gearbox a binary quickness. Beyond those, Corsa adds a neck-snapping torque bump to upshifts while also switching the active exhaust to its loudest setting all the time. MC20 owners’ neighbors will hate it.As in the coupe, steering is quick and delivers crisp front-end responses, but it resists kickback over bumps and undulations. The Cielo’s cornering attitude can be tweaked and tightened with the accelerator—it will even indulge in some carefully policed power oversteer with the stability control in its Sport setting—but the abiding dynamic impression is one of huge confidence at the very high speeds the MC20 can deliver in very short order.Comfort and refinement aside, the Cielo is not going to be mistaken for a true grand tourer. The cabin materials have been chosen for light weight and functionality over luxury, with microfiber and carbon-fiber on almost every non-glazed surface. Getting in and out with the roof in place means squeezing through the narrow aperture of the dihedral door and over a wide sill. Luggage accommodation is unchanged from that of the coupe and thus equally minimal. There’s a three-cubic-foot compartment behind the engine guaranteed to bake anything consigned to it, plus two cubic feet of storage up front, under the hood. For any potential MC20 buyer, choosing the Cielo feels like a very obvious thing to do. Beyond the fractional gain in weight and the loss of the coupe’s cool see-through engine cover, there don’t seem to be any obvious downsides, with an abundance of benefits, from the slinky roof-down looks to the enhanced ability to deliver a tanned forehead. We don’t have pricing yet but can safely predict a roughly $250,000 base price for what will be the most expensive model offered by any part of the Stellantis group when customer deliveries start in the U.S. in the second half of next year.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Maserati MC20 CieloVehicle Type: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door convertible
PRICE (C/D EST)
Base: $250,000
ENGINE
twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port and direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 183 in3, 2992 cm3Power: 621 hp @ 7500 rpmTorque: 538 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed dual-clutch automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 106.3 inLength: 183.8 inWidth: 77.4 inHeight: 48.0 inPassenger Volume (C/D est): 48 ft3Cargo Volume: 5 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 3900 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 3.4 sec100 mph: 6.7 sec1/4-Mile: 11.2 secTop Speed: 201 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 18/15/25 mpgThis content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More

Nobody ever argued about the Toyota Avalon, which was universally described as “perfectly nice.” But Toyota, in case you haven’t noticed, is no longer content with inoffensive competence. So it replaced the Avalon with the 2023 Crown, a jacked-up four-door coupe-roof sedan that looks like a 1999 Subaru Legacy SUS and a Local Motors Rally Fighter had a baby. The fact that this thing succeeds the Avalon reveals a lot about Toyota corporate culture right now, which we imagine as Rumspringa in Toyota City. What will it build next, and will it be the result of a dare?The Crown—a nameplate that dates to 1955 in Japan—is 3.7 inches taller than a Camry and twice as extroverted. The high-riding stance is mostly posturing, given that the Crown’s ground clearance is only 5.8 inches, just a tenth of an inch higher than the Camry’s. But its optional 21-inch wheels look concept-car enormous on a vehicle this size, and the Platinum model’s available two-tone paint brings some Maybach attitude to the near-luxury-sedan segment. The Crown’s two available hybrid powertrains differ in more than just power output. It’s really like there are two Crowns—the base XLE and Limited for people who might actually be replacing an Avalon, as well as the Platinum Hybrid Max models that step brazenly into Lexus territory in terms of pricing and performance. All-wheel drive is standard either way, with the XLE and Limited using a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder paired with three electric motors to deliver a total of 236 horsepower through a continuously variable transmission. The rear axle is electric-only—there’s no driveshaft—and its motor makes 54 horsepower and 89 pound-feet of torque. That’s enough, Toyota tells us, to ensure that all-wheel drive remains available at all speeds, although we can’t imagine the rear end is doing much if you boot it at 80 mph. This powertrain isn’t the enthusiast choice, with Toyota claiming a safe and sane 7.6-second 60-mph time, but it does have an impressive EPA combined fuel-economy rating of 41 mpg. Curiously, while the revised 2023 Corolla Hybrid gets a lithium-ion high-voltage battery, the upmarket Crown sticks with nickel-metal hydride.Related StoriesThe optional Hybrid Max powertrain, available only in the Platinum, more closely aligns the Crown’s performance with its bold sheetmetal. A turbocharged 2.4-liter four teams up with two electric motors to deliver 340 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque, while EPA combined fuel economy drops to 30 mpg. In the Max, the water-cooled rear motor makes 79 horsepower and 124 pound-feet and is always engaged (the base powertrain goes front-drive until the rear wheels need traction). Stacking the gains, Toyota bolts the turbo four to a six-speed automatic that uses a wet clutch instead of a torque converter. Hello, silky rev-matched downshifts. Intriguingly, the clutch will allow a high-rpm launch-control mode, which Toyota says is in the works and would likely drop the claimed 5.7-second 60-mph sprint even lower. The Platinum trim also gets adaptive dampers that make the Crown a surprisingly willing partner when the road gets twisty.Inside, the Crown’s cabin is reminiscent of the dearly departed Land Cruiser—not flashy but impeccably assembled with quality materials. It looks as if a scuffed driver’s seat bolster might be the only tell when the odometer hits 200,000 miles. The Platinum’s leather front seats are heated and ventilated, and the rear seats are also heated. The sleek climate control panel, immediately below the 12.3-inch touchscreen, would look perfectly at home in a $100,000 Lexus. The only letdown is the 11-speaker JBL audio system in the Limited and Premium (XLEs get a basic six-speaker system). The JBL sounds as if 10 of its 11 speakers might be tweeters, and yes, we checked the settings and tried different cars. Toyota says the system was “acoustically tuned for Toyota Crown to match unique vehicle characteristics,” so maybe that means it expects the Crown demographic to listen to crime podcasts and NPR. Like the old U.S.-market Land Cruiser, the Crown is built solely in Japan, at the Tsutsumi plant. And perhaps Toyota hopes that the Crown might capture a few orphan Land Cruiser owners in search of that signature anti-brand-snob Toyota luxury experience. Crown pricing starts at $41,045 for an XLE and ranges up to $53,445 for a Platinum. Is that too expensive for a Toyota sedan? ToyotaWe’d say not, but the Crown’s value proposition is up for debate as much as its style. Toyota hopes to sell about 20,000 Crowns a year in the U.S., which is a healthy goal but not one that demands mainstream conformity. Maybe you hate the way the Crown looks—that’s fine. Toyota is fully aware haters gonna hate, and it truly doesn’t care. If we’re bickering over the Crown, we’re talking about the Crown.To that point, you don’t offer two-tone paint if you’re looking for unanimous consensus. That option, only available on the Platinum, brings a gloss black hood, roof, and rear decklid, set against extroverted lower-body colors like “Bronze Age.” The two-tone paint costs $550 extra, and we’d say it’s mandatory. But we’d be happy to argue about it.SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Toyota CrownVehicle Type: front-engine, front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base: XLE, $41,045; Limited, $46,595; Platinum, $53,445
POWERTRAINS
DOHC 16-valve 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle inline-4, 184 hp, 163 lb-ft + 3 AC motors, 118 hp and 54 hp, 149 lb-ft and 89 lb-ft (combined output: 236 hp; nickel-metal hydride battery pack); turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.4-liter inline-4, 264 hp, 331 lb-ft + 2 AC motors, 82 and 79 hp, 215 and 124 lb-ft (combined output: 340 hp, 400 lb-ft; nickel-metal hydride battery pack)Transmissions: 6-speed automatic/direct-drive or continuously variable automatic/direct-drive

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 112.2 inLength: 196.1 inWidth: 72.4 inHeight: 60.6 inPassenger Volume: 100 ft3Cargo Volume: 15 ft3Curb Weight (C/D est): 4250–4350 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 5.4–7.2 sec1/4-Mile: 14.0–15.4 secTop Speed: 120 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 30–41/29–42/32–41 mpgThis content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More

For over a decade, Ram’s Power Wagon has served as the brand’s burly off-road king. Boasting 26 inches of front wheel articulation, an electronically disconnecting front sway bar, and locking differentials at each axle, this three-quarter-ton bruiser is capable of traversing some seriously gnarly terrain. But according to Ram, potential customers wanted even more from a heavy-duty off-road pickup. Specifically, buyers clamored for a diesel option and a towing capacity greater than the Power Wagon’s 10,520-pound limit. But instead of just shoving the diesel into the existing Power Wagon and calling it a day, Ram instead carved out an additional off-road niche. Enter the 2023 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Rebel. Ram used the Power Wagon’s template as a starting point in creating the Rebel. Skid plates are on hand to protect the fuel tank and transfer case. The 33-inch Goodyear tires wrap eight-lug 20-inch wheels. But key differences between the two will determine which line you’ll take off-road. The Rebel makes do without the Power Wagon’s disconnecting sway bar, sacrificing a measure of front wheel travel in exchange for a more rigid setup. And whereas the Power Wagon has locking differentials at each end, only the rear axle is lockable on the Rebel. That tradeoff sees a massive gain in what the Rebel can transport. The Hemi-equipped Rebel has a payload rating of 3140 pounds and is capable of towing a granite-crushing 16,870 pounds—giving it nearly double the payload of the softer-sprung Power Wagon and over three tons of additional tow capacity. The Rebel also can be equipped with rear air springs to keep these extreme loads on the level. That’s stout enough to bring along eight Polaris RZRs—seven riding on a trailer, and another stuffed into the bed. Or throw a RZR into the back of a toy hauler trailer and have all the conveniences of home. Admittedly, the camper might not fare well on the trails—we’d advise leaving the fine china at home.Brute strength is only part of the equation, however. The Tow Tech Group ($1995) adds trailer reverse guidance, a cargo-view camera, and a surround-view camera setup. Telescoping side mirrors electrically extend out several inches for a better view of what’s behind you. One of the more interesting options is an auxiliary camera that plugs into a port on the rear bumper. The camera is attached to a 55-foot-long cord, so you can finally solve the mystery of what your horses are up to during the journey. All of the camera feeds can be viewed on the digital rearview mirror, where up to three images can be displayed simultaneously. An optional 12-inch digital instrument cluster provides a tile view that can display five key stats at a glance. Tile layouts can be saved to driver profiles, making it easy to switch between things like towing, off-road details, and powertrain temps. Ram claims that over 200 tile configurations are possible.Underneath the hood, the familiar 6.4-liter Hemi V-8 is standard, producing 410 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque. It’s connected to an eight-speed transmission that transfers power to either the rear or all four wheels through a two-speed transfer case. The Rebel is also Ram’s first heavy-duty off-road truck to feature an optional diesel engine. Prodigious torque is to be expected, and the 370-hp 6.7-liter turbodiesel inline-six doesn’t disappoint, twisting out 850 pound-feet at only 1700 rpm, routed through a six-speed automatic.We spent the majority of our time in the diesel, which is a welcome if somewhat contradictory option. Since the engine is heavier than the Hemi V-8, the diesel-powered Rebel can’t tow as much as its gas-powered sibling. Additionally, the Rebel’s optional 12,000-pound Warn winch ($2500) isn’t available on diesel models, as it would prevent air from flowing to the engine’s auxiliary cooling equipment. Our advice: Don’t get stuck.But unless you’re intent on loading your Rebel to the hilt, the diesel is well matched to the Rebel’s character across every terrain. Nail the throttle on the highway, and it ambles to its 3200-rpm redline with all the urgency of an early-morning mall walker. Noise-canceling software keeps clatter in the cabin to a minimum, although at a steady 70 mph there’s still the prominent hum of the chunky Goodyears singing along the tarmac. It’s obvious the tires would be a lot happier off-road. RamOur destination is just outside the town of Big Bear Lake, located two hours east of Los Angeles in the San Bernardino National Forest. Numerous off-road trails spiderweb out in all directions, featuring a variety of terrains and extreme elevation changes. As we crest 8000 feet, we peel off the highway and into the forest.When it comes to tackling the tough stuff, the Rebel adopts a refreshingly old-school approach. There’s no bewildering array of drive modes, just a choice of high- or low-range four-wheel drive and locking the rear differential. Even so, activating the differential was a hit-or-miss affair, sometimes requiring up to 30 seconds of patience before it would engage, other times simply refusing to grant our request. Once all systems were finally online, the Rebel was practically unstoppable. We also noticed a distinct behavioral difference between the two powertrains when using the 2.64:1 low range. The diesel’s abundant low-end torque and relatively tall 3.23 first gear provided a more elastic and consistent ascent, while the Hemi’s shorter 4.71 gearing required much more throttle finesse. Manual shifting would have helped here, but it’s not offered on the Rebel.Gearshift placement is also specific to each engine. The diesel features a traditional column shifter, while the Hemi sports the PRNDL dial found elsewhere in the Ram lineup. Beyond that, the interiors are identical. Bench seating provides room for six and is available in cloth or leather, with a higher-grade leather reserved for front buckets. Soft-touch materials abound throughout the cabin and pair nicely with the textured black accents on the dash and doors. When it arrives at dealers in December, the 2023 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty Rebel will start at $68,940 with the Hemi engine, with the diesel fetching a $9595 premium. Historically, the Power Wagon has accounted for roughly 3 to 5 percent of Ram 2500 sales, so it will be interesting to see if the Rebel will add to or cannibalize those numbers. Given that the Rebel offers nearly as much off-road capability, along with compelling performance upgrades, we’d say it all comes down to how much stuff you want to take with you off-road—and how far you want to go. SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty RebelVehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5- or 6-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base: gasoline, $68,940; diesel, $78,535
ENGINES
turbocharged and intercooled pushrod 24-valve 6.7-liter diesel inline-6, 370 hp, 850 lb-ft; pushrod 16-valve 6.4-liter V-8, 410 hp, 429 lb-ft
TRANSMISSIONS
diesel: 6-speed automatic; gasoline: 8-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 149.3 inLength: 238.8 inWidth: 83.4 inHeight: 80.6 inPassenger Volume: 125 ft3Bed Length: 76.3 inCurb Weight (C/D est): 7000 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)
60 mph: 7.5-8.2 sec1/4-Mile: 15.8-16.3Top Speed: 100-105 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
NA – HD trucks are exempt from EPA ratingsThis content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More

From the November 2022 issue of Car and Driver. “For just a little more per month . . .” the showroom slickster begins, pressuring the unsure car shopper trying to stick to a budget. For the buyer wavering between an Audi A3 and an S3, we say give in to the upsell. The latest A3 is far less satisfying than its S-badged sibling.Freshly redesigned, Audi’s compact sedan maintains a sensible size and is rendered in crisp sheetmetal. Inside, there’s a fantastic driving position and narrow pillars for unhindered sightlines. There’s also, however, hard plastic everywhere: the door grab handles, the upper door panels, the center console. And our test car’s Agate Gray wood inlays look like they popped out of an injection mold.Audi apparently believes buyers can be hoodwinked by a screen-intensive interior design, one that banishes all physical knobs. But the round four-way audio-control button whose outer rim adjusts the volume is an unsatisfying substitute. So, too, is the little flipper shifter.Highs: Well packaged, economical, snazzy virtual cockpit.The screens, at least, are well rendered. All A3s have a digital instrument cluster—ours had the larger, enhanced version (part of the Technology package). Screen-based gauges are fast becoming commonplace, and Audi maximizes their potential more than most, with multiple display choices.Michael Simari|Car and DriverMore on the Audi A3You probably guessed that motivation is provided by a turbo 2.0-liter inline-four driving all four wheels (front-wheel drive is standard). Now running a modified Miller cycle and boasting a 48-volt hybrid system, it’s more economical. The EPA combined figure increases to 31 mpg, a 6-mpg improvement over its predecessor. Our A3 Quattro returned 40 mpg in our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test. The snappy and responsive dual-clutch automatic makes the most of the modest 201 horses, but the 6.0-second 60-mph time trails the Mercedes and BMW entries. With 105 more horsepower, the S3 shames its weaker sibling, hitting 60 in 4.3 seconds. Lows: Disappointing interior plastics, lifeless steering, unsporting chassis.Nor is the A3 as willing when the road starts throwing curves. The suspension is firm but feels underdamped on challenging pavement. The S3, particularly with its optional adaptive dampers, is much more sporting. On the skidpad, the A3 managed 0.89 g, against 0.96 g for the S3. More disappointing is the overboosted steering, which feels disconnected, and switching to Dynamic mode provides no amelioration.No, the remedy for the A3’s mediocrity is to spend up for the S3, which not only drives better but has welcome interior upgrades. With standard all-wheel drive, the S3 is $9K dearer than the A3 Quattro. But hey, just skip eating out once a month.SpecificationsSpecifications
2022 Audi A3 QuattroVehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $37,895/$45,390Options: Premium Plus package (adaptive cruise control, vehicle alarm with motion sensor, active lane assist, side- and cross-traffic assist, full LED headlights, driver’s seat memory, park assist, wireless phone charger), $3300; Technology package (Audi Connect Plus, Audi MMI Navigation Plus, virtual cockpit with 12.3-inch display, Bang & Olufsen stereo, side-traffic alert), $2250; 18-inch wheel package with all-season tires, $800; Manhattan Gray metallic paint, $595; interior style package (Agate Gray grain birch wood inlays, LED interior lighting), $550
ENGINE
turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injectionDisplacement: 121 in3, 1984 cm3Power: 201 hp @ 6200 rpmTorque: 221 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm 
TRANSMISSION7-speed dual-clutch automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: struts/multilinkBrakes, F/R: 12.0-in vented disc/10.7-in discTires: Pirelli P Zero All SeasonTire Size: 225/40R-18 92H M+S AO
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 103.5 inLength: 176.9 inWidth: 71.5 inHeight: 56.2 inPassenger Volume: 88 ft3Trunk Volume: 8–11 ft3Curb Weight: 3509 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 6.0 sec1/4-Mile: 14.6 sec @ 95 mph100 mph: 16.1 secResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.8 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.5 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.6 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 127 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 181 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.89 g 
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 26 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 40 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 560 mi 
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 31/28/36 mpg  
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDThis content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More