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Young whippersnappers might not remember that you didn’t always have to take out a loan to rent a car for the weekend. Thankfully, after the pandemic years, prices are coming down, and there are even deals to be had.Signs that the rental-car industry is turning around can be found in recent expansion announcements, both about new cars being added to fleets and more rental counters in more locations.We found some deals from Sixt, Hertz, and Avis in case you’re looking for temporary wheels soon.The rental-car world is shifting back to normal, sort of. These past few years introduced us to a slew of pandemic-influenced strangeness and incredibly high prices. Remember when it cost $200 a day to rent a car or that unusual U-Haul life hack? But now rental-car prices are coming back down to earth, and some companies are back to offering deals for your temporary wheels. The Bad Old (Recent) DaysEVs, Luxury Cars Entering the Fleet One way to see how things are on the upswing is recent news about growing capacity. Hertz, for example, announced this week that it will add 2100 electric vehicles to its Houston fleet, nearly tripling the number of EVs available in the area. Hertz is also building a new fast-charging hub at the Houston Hobby Airport. So far this year, Sixt has announced a number of new North American locations, including Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, and Toronto, and has said it will announce further expansion plans later this year. In February, peer-to-peer car-sharing service Turo said it was adjusting its maps of where it expects to see growing demand for vacation rentals for its vehicles, with the Carolina coast predicted to be one such hotspot in 2023.The revival is happening globally, too, with Dubai’s luxury-car rentals “skyrocketing,” for example. The Vietnamese conglomerate VinGroup, which owns the new EV brand VinFast, announced earlier this month that it had established a new joint stock company called GSM (which stands for Green Smart Mobility) that would focus on renting out VinFast EVs as well as renting VinFast’s scooters and operating a taxi service. As you might be able to guess, with all of this revitalized activity, there are now deals to be had if you need to rent a car soon. Here are a few options that might fit your plans.Jeff Greenberg|Getty ImagesSome DealsSixt is offering midweek and regional deals, as well as discounts on luxury vehicles at all of its locations through the end of June. The midweek deal—up to 30 percent off—is for anyone who starts their rental on a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday and ends by Thursday. Or you can choose to get up to 25 percent off the cost of a rental of a premium or luxury vehicle or one from the “extraordinary” category. Some regional Sixt offices are also offering deals up to 25 percent off. None of these Sixt deals are available between April 2 and 22, also known as the prime Spring Break travel weeks.Avis doesn’t have as many deals as Sixt right now, but if you spend $175 or more on a rental that lasts three days or more, you can get $15 off.If you need a car for a week or more, Hertz is offering a free day if you rent for five days. The company is also offering a discount of up to 30 percent on your rental if you choose to drive an EV. That’s worth plugging in for, probably. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Contributing EditorSebastian Blanco has been writing about electric vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen cars since 2006. His articles and car reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Automotive News, Reuters, SAE, Autoblog, InsideEVs, Trucks.com, Car Talk, and other outlets. His first green-car media event was the launch of the Tesla Roadster, and since then he has been tracking the shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles and discovering the new technology’s importance not just for the auto industry, but for the world as a whole. Throw in the recent shift to autonomous vehicles, and there are more interesting changes happening now than most people can wrap their heads around. You can find him on Twitter or, on good days, behind the wheel of a new EV.  More

While Audi is planning many new electric models, gas cars will stick around for the time being.Cars such as the A4 and A6 will be renamed to fit with existing odd-numbered models to differentiate them from the even-numbered EV nameplates.The TT and R8 sports cars will cease to exist, but the Q5 and Q7 SUVs reach a next generation, and a Q9 could join the lineup.2023 is going to be another slow year for Audi—a couple of facelifts and the arrival of the new Q6 e-tron—but 2024 and 2025 will be bumper years for the four rings. A whopping 17 and 15 launches are penciled into two tight twelve-month time frames. While most rivals put all their money on EVs, CEO Markus Duesmann and his team will carry on introducing new ICE models through the mid- and late-2020s, and there is no end in sight until Europe’s announced registration ban for new petrol- and diesel-engined passenger cars takes effect in 2035.More on AudiLet’s go through the ICE ranks step by step to see how the lineup will be rearranged. (The EV lineup is a whole different story, but expect the “e-tron” designation to be dropped altogether and for names like E4 and E6 to arrive at some point.) The common platform used for all future ICE Audis is codenamed PPC, short for Premium Platform Combustion. The gasoline cars will be renamed to odd numbers to differentiate them from the even-numbered EV models.A4 Becomes A5, A6 Becomes A7Audi E4Illustration by Christian Schulte|Car and DriverAudi A5 AvantIllustration by Christian Schulte|Car and DriverAudi will next year launch the A5 sedan and Avant wagon, which used to carry the A4 moniker. Completing the trio is the new A5 Sportback. Also due in 2024 is the new A7, again as sedan and Avant, both of which are currently listed as A6. Confusing? You bet. The A7 Sportback follows in 2025 along with the second-generation A5 coupe and cabriolet. All of the above are good to go through 2031 and 2032. SUVs and Performance ModelsSimilar lifespans apply to the next Q3 and Q3 Sportback earmarked for 2024, the last-of-its-kind Q5 (2024) and Q5 Sportback (2025), as well as the final Q7 scheduled to bow in mid-2025. Instead of the rumored Q7 Sportback, we may see a plusher and more upmarket Q9 worthy of the Horch badge in China. In addition to the mainstream offerings, PPC will spawn a full range of performance hybrid S and RS models good for up to 550 hp in the top-of-the-line A5s and over 700 hp in the V-6–engined RS7 Performance which will again be available as sedan, wagon, and Sportback.Sports Cars Say Goodbye, A3 Sticks AroundMore on R8 and TTLiving on borrowed time are two of the marque’s ICE legends, the TT and the R8. The TT is due to be phased out later this year, and there is no confirmed successor in sight, but if the new regime in Wolfsburg is really serious about mold-breaking synergy effects, Audi may yet eventually be able to sell rebodied versions of the fully electric Porsche 718 replacement out next year. Since the charismatic V-10 engine is unfit to straddle European emissions hurdles, the R8 bites the dust next year. Its fully electric replacement, which may well find second homes with Bentley and Lamborghini, is expected to use the SSP61 architecture conceived in Weissach.Audi E3Illustration by Christian Schulte|Car and DriverThe A3, however, will soldier on—either until 2026 when its successor would adopt the advanced electric MEB+ platform, or until 2028 when the even more sophisticated SSP3 components set chaperoned by VW becomes available. More sophisticated? The Scalable Systems Platform ups the electric ante in all major departments from range to charging time to energy density. The next A3 should be badged E3, bucking the even-numbered trend.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Contributing EditorAlthough I was born the only son of an ornithologist and a postal clerk, it was clear from the beginning that birdwatching and stamp collecting were not my thing. Had I known that God wanted me to grow to 6’8″, I also would have ruled out anything to do with cars, which are to blame for a couple of slipped discs, a torn ligament, and that stupid stooped posture behind the wheel. While working as a keeper in the Aberdeen Zoo, smuggling cheap cigarettes from Yugoslavia to Germany, and an embarrassing interlude with an amateur drama group also failed to yield fulfillment, driving and writing about cars became a much better option. And it still is now, many years later, as I approach my 70th birthday. I love every aspect of my job except long-haul travel on lousy airlines, and I hope it shows. More

Audi has confirmed a new model called the Q6 e-tron, which will be an electric SUV between the Q4 e-tron and Q8 e-tron models.It will use the VW Group’s new PPE platform with an 800-volt electrical architecture.We expect the Q6 e-tron to debut later this year and come to the U.S. as a 2025 model.Audi is adding yet another electric model to its range, the Q6 e-tron. As its name suggests, it will slot in between the Q4 e-tron and the recently renamed Q8 e-tron EV SUVs. These first official photos of a Q6 prototype in camouflage undergoing winter testing show us a glimpse at what this new model looks like, and Audi has released preliminary details about its new PPE platform and 800-volt electrical architecture that should enable impressively fast charging speeds.More Audi ElectricsThe Q6 e-tron will be offered in conventional SUV and sloped-back Sportback versions, just like its siblings. The squareback is pictured here, and its overall proportions are about what we’d expect from an Audi crossover. The front end looks to adopt a split-headlight design akin to the BMW X7’s, but we’re not sure how much the prototype’s lighting elements will change for production.AudiThis model will introduce the VW group’s PPE electric platform, which stands for Premium Platform Electric. These underpinnings boast a more powerful 800-volt electrical system and will also be found in future models including the Audi A6 e-tron. We expect the Q6 e-tron to have a standard dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup that will undoubtedly wear the Quattro name Audi uses for all of its AWD models. Competitors will include vehicles such as the Cadillac Lyriq, the Genesis Electrified GV70, and the Lexus RZ.Audi hasn’t yet set a debut date for the production Q6 e-tron but we expect to see the real thing within the next few months.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior EditorDespite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.   More

Ferrari has removed the roof from the beautiful Roma coupe to create the 2024 Roma Spider, a successor to the Portofino M.The design remains mostly the same, but Ferrari redesigned the rear spoiler, added a wind deflector, and strengthened the chassis and bodywork.The Roma Spider still produces 612 horsepower from its turbocharged 3.9-liter V-8.For the first time since the 1969 365GTS/4, a front-engined Ferrari will feature a fabric top. Today Ferrari revealed the Roma Spider, chopping the roof off its elegant V-8-powered coupe and replacing it with a retractable soft top. The Roma Spider replaces the Portofino M in Ferrari’s lineup, as reported by our friends over at Road and Track.Luckily, Ferrari left the exterior mostly unchanged, with the Roma Spider retaining the long hood and smooth curves of its coupe sibling. The soft top can be erected in just 13.5 seconds at speeds up to 37 mph, and is constructed using special multi-layer fabric weaves. The active rear spoiler was redesigned and recalibrated for roofless driving, with three positions that increase downforce the faster you drive. Ferrari also reinforced the rear of the chassis, and claims that the Roma Spider is only 185 pounds heavier than the coupe.The cabin features the same sophisticated look as the original Roma, with an 8.4-inch vertical screen and a metal gear selector plate surrounded by luscious leather and faux-suede. Ferrari says the steering wheel buttons have been revised for easier use and the start button now glows red. Ferrari paid attention to reducing wind noise and turbulence with the top down, with a 5-mm aerodynamic element added to the top of the windshield and a wind deflector that pops up by rotating the backrest of the rear seats at the push of a button. This cannot be opened with rear passengers in place, but given the tight quarters in the back of the Roma, we imagine this will rarely be an issue.The Roma Spider’s heart is unchanged, with the turbocharged 3.9-liter V-8 still pumping out a massive 612 horsepower and 561 pound-feet of torque, sending it through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic to the rear wheels. Ferrari touts minor changes to the gearbox which improve fuel efficiency, and the Roma Spider comes with the latest version of the Slide Slip Control system which manages traction and stability control and allows for predictable drifts.More Cool FerrarisDespite the prodigious power, the Roma Spider is more of a cruiser than a track weapon, and comes with plenty of amenities like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and 18-way power-adjustable heated seats, with the option to add a neck warmer if you want to keep the top down in cooler climates.No pricing for the Roma Spider was provided, but we estimate that it will start around $280,000, compared to the $247,310 base price for the coupe. Ferrari also didn’t specify when the Roma Spider will go on sale, but we expect the Roma Spider to start providing top-down thrills near the end of the year.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has posted notice that 448,613 Honda and Acura vehicles are under recall for front seatbelts that may fail to latch properly.The problem affects the Acura RDX, Honda Accord and Accord Hybrid, CR-V, Insight, and Odyssey, with all recalled vehicles in model years from 2018 through 2020.Because of a manufacturing defect, the front seatbelt buckle channel can “interfere with the release button,” which will mean the seatbelt won’t latch properly. No accidents or injuries have been reported as a result.Honda will recall nearly 450,000 vehicles from 2018 through 2020 model years because the front seatbelt may not latch properly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. The recall notice, filed via NHTSA, says there have been 301 warranty claims for the problem dating back to early 2019, but no reports of injuries or deaths related to it.Included vehicles are the 2019 and 2020 Acura RDX, plus the 2018–2019 Honda Accord and Accord Hybrid, the 2017–2020 CR-V, the 2019 Insight, and the 2018–2020 Odyssey. Exact numbers of affected vehicles were not given for each model, although the total number being recalled is 448,613. According to the recall report, Honda began investigating the issue in 2019 and initially believed it could be caused by contraction in the seatbelt buckle channel because of low temperatures. Later, Honda decided the issue was likely of “larger scope” and related to the seatbelt buckle button. The fix will be to install a wider buckle release button, the NHTSA documents say. Owners who may have had the seatbelt fix done already at their own expense will be eligible to be reimbursed. Dealers have already started to be notified, and Honda will begin notifying vehicle owners on April 17. In the meantime, Acura and Honda owners can check the NHTSA recalls website to see if their vehicle is included in the recall. Digital DirectorLaura Sky Brown has been involved in automotive media for a very long time, and she sees it as her calling to guard the legacy and help ensure the continued high quality of Car and Driver. She was one of the first staffers at Automobile Magazine in the ’80s and has worked for many other car magazines and websites as a writer, editor, and copy editor ever since. It has been her privilege to edit many of the greats of automotive journalism over the years, including the ones who currently write for C/D. More

To enter rally competition in a rear-wheel-drive car at age 16 is an impressive undertaking. For Lia Block, a return to the race course isn’t just about competition. It’s also about memorializing her father, Ken Block, who was killed earlier this year in a snowmobile accident that sent shock waves through the automotive world and briefly left a question as to the continuation of the Block name in rally racing.Tony HarmerThe pause was truly brief, as both daughter Lia and her mother, Lucy, were just as invested in racing and automotive culture as Ken. “This year is going to be a tough one,” Lia Block said on her Instagram page as she revealed the new car. “But I’m happy to be back doing what my dad loved and what I still love.”Remembering Ken BlockFor the 2023 season, Block will be partnered with Rhianon Gelsomino, a championship-winning co-driver who most recently right-seated for Travis Pastrana. Gelsomino’s husband, Alex, is also a co-driver and raced for years with Ken. He’ll be racing with Lucy Block, also in the American Rally Association events. Tony HarmerBlock started racing at age 15 and made seven race starts in her Ford Fiesta, finishing as high as third in her class. For 2023 she moves for the first time to competition in a RWD car, a Subaru BRZ. Recent social media posts showed Block and Gelsomino at the Dirt Fish rally school in Washington State, getting some rear-drive practice in. “It’s going to be fascinating to see how Lia’s obvious and natural pace translates to the new car,” Block’s team manager, Derek Dauncey, told Dirt Fish. Lars Gange For the first race of the season—the 100 Acre Wood Rally in Salem, Missouri, an event Ken won seven times—Lia pays tribute to her famous dad by re-creating the snow-camouflage and gold accent livery he first used in 2005 on a Subaru WRX STI. Ken is missed by his family and his community, but the Block name is still going racing. Tony HarmerSenior Editor, Features
Like a sleeper agent activated late in the game, Elana Scherr didn’t know her calling at a young age. Like many girls, she planned to be a vet-astronaut-artist, and came closest to that last one by attending UCLA art school. She painted images of cars, but did not own one. Elana reluctantly got a driver’s license at age 21 and discovered that she not only loved cars and wanted to drive them, but that other people loved cars and wanted to read about them, which meant somebody had to write about them. Since receiving activation codes, Elana has written for numerous car magazines and websites, covering classics, car culture, technology, motorsports, and new-car reviews.    More

As it enters the fourth year of its current generation, the Mercedes-Benz GLA-class gets a small facelift. Dual 10.3-inch screens running the newest generation MBUX now come standard.The more powerful 2024 GLA35 also receives new styling along with additional standard equipment. Spring has sprung, and Mercedes-Benz is celebrating by offering incremental improvements to the 2024 GLA-class SUV. The luxurious little subcompact is getting enhanced powertrains, a tech update, and a minor facelift. The revised styling start at the corners, with new headlights and taillights. The front bumper and grille have also been tweaked. A new Spectral Blue Metallic paint and three optional wheel designs have been added, capping the exterior styling changes. Inside, a set of dual 10.3-inch screens, previously part of the Premium Package, now come standard, with the infotainment system running the newest generation of MBUX software. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now available, and Mercedes has added an additional USB-C port with more charging power. The GLA-class comes with two interior color choices: black and Macchiato Beige, though the more upscale AMG GLA35 offers four interior colors to choose from.More Mercedes NewsHighbeam Assist, the Parking package, the Mirror package, and the Keyless Go package are now all standard. Pricing for the new GLA-class with its additional content has not been released. New Hybrid PowerThe 2024 GLA-class is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that drives the front or all four wheels and makes 221 horsepower; it’s paired up with an eight-speed automatic transmission. A new 48-volt hybrid system and belt-driven starter-generator augments the powertrain and should bring a little more athleticism to the new GLA. (We previously managed a 60-mph time of 6.3 seconds in an all-wheel drive 2021 GLA250 4Matic.)Updates for the brawnier Mercedes-AMG GLA35 largely follow those of the standard model. The AMG adds the same 48-volt hybrid system. The headlights and taillights have been similarly redesigned, and the dual screens have the newest MBUX software. On the GLA35, the Mercedes-Benz badge on the hood is replaced by a Mercedes-AMG badge to help distinguish the models. The GLA35 also gets an AMG Performance Steering wheel. The GLA35 comes with a slew of standard performance features, including all-wheel drive and a tuned-and-tweaked suspension that pump up the driving excitement compared to the regular Mercedes-Benz GLA250. However, Mercedes appears to have dropped the 382-hp GLA45 from the lineup, leaving only the 302-hp AMG GLA35. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLB-class receives a minor facelift with subtle exterior tweaks and new interior features.The biggest change to the cabin is the standard 10.3-inch screens, which were previously part of the optional Premium package.The GLB250 and AMG-tuned GLB35 gain 48-volt hybrid systems that can inject an extra 13 hp under certain driving conditions.When the Mercedes-Benz GLB-class arrived for 2020, it filled a niche between the subcompact GLA and the compact GLC and became the smallest SUV on the market to offer a third row of seats, albeit one best suited to children. For 2024, the GLB is receiving a light refresh, bringing minor styling changes, upgraded infotainment, and an electrified engine lineup.Visually, not much has changed. The front bumper and grille are slightly tweaked while the headlights and taillights feature sharper LED graphics. The GLB also adds a Spectral Blue metallic paint option and new 18- and 20-inch wheels.Interior UpdatesInside, the two 10.3-inch screens that used to be part of the Premium package now come standard, a sizable upgrade over the 7.0-inch screens on the 2023 base model. The GLB now runs the latest version of Mercedes’ MBUX infotainment system, supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and gains an extra USB-C port and improved USB charging power. Mercedes throws in more standard equipment too, including automatic high-beams, a parking package that adds a 360-degree camera view, and a nappa leather steering wheel. For the first time, the GLB offers a heated steering wheel with the AMG Line package.More on MercedesUnder the hoodThe GLB’s turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four gains a 48-volt hybrid system, with the belt-driven starter-generator providing an extra 13 horsepower in certain situations to aid acceleration or allow the vehicle to coast with the engine off. The setup also makes the start/stop system smoother and recuperates energy during braking to recharge both the 48-volt and 12-volt batteries. Peak power stays the same at 221 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.The sporty Mercedes-AMG GLB35 receives similar revisions for 2024, with new exterior lights, an updated AMG Performance steering wheel, and the same benefits to infotainment and phone connectivity. The turbo 2.0-liter four-pot still churns out 302 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque but also adds the 48-volt hybrid system with the same 13-hp boost. The AMG GLB35 can also be had with new 19- and 20-inch wheel designs. The 2024 GLB-class will reach showrooms later this year, and we expect a slight increase over the 2023 GLB250’s base price of $40,950 and the GLB35’s price tag of $52,650.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More