Motor News

Toyota is expanding its SUV lineup for 2024 with the new Grand Highlander, a roomier alternative to the three-row Highlander that has been on sale in its current form since 2020. While the two models may share a name, there are plenty of distinguishing features that set the new Grand Highlander apart from its smaller sibling.ToyotaExteriorThe most obvious difference is the design. Not only is the Grand Highlander larger—stretching 6.5 inches longer, 2.0 inches taller, and 2.3 inches wider—but the new crossover also benefits from unique styling. The slicked-back front end of the Highlander has been swapped for more upright, boxier looks dominated by straight lines and sharp angles. The rear end is also fresh, with a D-pillar and taillights more reminiscent of the compact RAV4 than the mid-size Highlander. While the regular Highlander has a trendy blacked-out A-pillar and a slight slope to the roofline, the Grand Highlander model sticks to a more traditional roofline. The Grand Highlander.ToyotaThe 2023 Highlander.ToyotaInteriorAn extra four inches in the wheelbase improves interior space, with the third row adding 5.5 inches of legroom, an inch of headroom, and more than 2 inches of shoulder space. Not only is the third row actually comfortable for adults now, but the rearmost passengers are also treated to a USB-C port, absent in the standard Highlander. Both crossovers feature dual cupholders in the third row.The Grand Highlander also distinguishes itself by offering ventilated captain’s chairs for the second row in the top Platinum trim. The Grand’s added length is a boon for cargo space as well, with five more cubic feet behind the third row or an extra 14 cubic feet with the the two rear rows folded away.The dashboard has been tweaked with a more streamlined design, but like the more expensive trims of the Highlander, the Grand has both a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 12.3-inch central touchscreen. Just as with the standard Highlander, you’ll have to upgrade to the top-of-the-line Platinum model if you want goodies like a head-up display and a digital rearview mirror.ToyotaPowertrainsThe Grand Highlander will be offered with three powertrain choices. The headlining act is the Hybrid Max setup, which first debuted in the Crown last summer. A turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four works in conjunction with two electric motors—one powering the rear axle and the other sandwiched between the engine and the six-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain has been beefed up for use in the Grand Highlander, producing a combined 362 horsepower—up from 340 ponies in the Crown—and 400 pound-feet of torque. Toyota also says it’s been adjusted to help the Grand Highlander achieved a 5000-pound max towing capacity, which equals the maximum for the standard Highlander.The Grand also comes with two lesser powertrains both found in the smaller Highlander. Toyota didn’t specify outputs but said that little has changed, besides tuning differences to account for the Grand’s, well, grander size. The base engine is a turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four paired with an eight-speed automatic, which makes 265 hp in the standard Highlander. A hybrid setup combining 2.5-liter four-cylinder with two electric motors and CVT gearbox for a total of 243 hp is also available in both SUVs. Just as in the original Highlander, these powertrains are offered in the Grand with front- or all-wheel drive, but the Hybrid Max is all-wheel-drive-only thanks to the electric motor on the rear axles. The 2023 Highlander.ToyotaChassis and SuspensionThe Grand Highlander, unsurprisingly, shares its TNGA-K platform with the standard Highlander, but Toyota didn’t leave the Grand’s structure untouched. The automaker says that the body is stronger and stiffer thanks to more spot welds and extra adhesives. These upgrades are also said to keep the cabin quieter and better isolate the occupants from vibrations or bumps in the road. Contributing to this smoother, more placid ride is a revised rear suspension that sees the multilink setup redesigned to increase the roominess of the third row and cargo area.More New ToyotasPriceAs is the case for most new car reveals, Toyota isn’t yet divulging the price of the 2024 Grand Highlander. We predict that the enlarged crossover will start at $43,000, with the top Platinum trim opening around $56,000. This will put it about $4000 to $6000 higher than the regular Highlander, and we expect the Hybrid Max to only be offered on the Limited and Platinum, with the XLE receiving just the base engine and less-powerful hybrid setup.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. More

This 1925 White Model 15-45 served as a tour bus in Yellowstone National Park, and needs to be hand-cranked to start.A 50-horsepower inline-four resides under the hood, and the bus can hold up to 11 passengers.There are six days before the Bring a Trailer auction ends, with bidding currently at $7500.Car and DriverThe vivid Kodachrome colors of the Grand Prismatic Spring. The tower of spray erupting from the Old Faithful Geyser. Herds of shaggy bison moseying across lush fields of green. Yellowstone National Park—comprising land in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho—features some of America’s most stunning natural scenes. These days you can tour the park from the climate-controlled comfort of your car, but in the early 20th century, visitors were shepherded around the park in busses like the one you see here. This 1925 White Model 15-45 is one of 214 11-passenger buses used by the Yellowstone Park Transportation Company, and it is now up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos.Bring a TrailerThe Yellowstone Park Transportation Company (YPTCo) was created in 1898, 26 years after President Ulysses S. Grant signed the congressional act protecting the land. The company initially used horse-drawn stagecoaches, but after securing the exclusive rights to transportation at the park in 1916, the YPTCo commissioned a fleet of sightseeing vehicles from the Cleveland, Ohio-based White Motor Company. (White’s early vehicles used steam power, and two sitting presidents, Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft, were owners.) The Model 15-45 joined the fleet in 1920, and White would go on to build busses for several national parks—including Yosemite and Grand Canyon—through the late 1930s, with Glacier still offering tours in its vintage people carriers. Bring a TrailerThis 1925 White 11-passenger bus is motivated by an inline-four that was rated at 50 horsepower back in the day—however many ponies are left are sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission. The 15-45 requires the use of a hand crank to start and rides on a front beam axle and a live rear axle with leaf springs. The driving controls appear similar to that of the Ford Model T, with three pedals, a floor-mounted shift lever, and stalks controlling the throttle and spark timing on the steering wheel.More Cool Auction CarsThe 11-passenger body, from an Ohio-based coachbuilder called the Bender Body Company, features four doors on the right side and fake doors on the left side, designed to stop passengers from disembarking into the middle of the road. A spare tire sits next to the driver’s seat and a body-colored trunk is strapped onto the rear of the bus. After its tour of duty in Yellowstone, this bus spent its years in Arizona and Montana, with the engine reportedly rebuilt in 2009 just before the seller purchased the vehicle. Under the current owner, the White Model 15-45 also received a repaint in the original YPTCo livery, a replacement canvas top, and a re-trim of the black vinyl seating. The gigantic Goodyear tires are showing signs of dry rot, and there are other signs of corrosion, but this amazing piece of history is in solid shape for a nearly 100-year-old vehicle. If you want to experience the great outdoors in style, there are six days left on the auction, with bidding currently at $7500. Just remember that there are no windows, so don’t get too close to the bison or the bears. More

Chevy is revising the TrailBlazer SUV for 2024 with styling and technology changes.The front- and rear-end designs are revised, and there are new colors and wheel designs.An 11.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system is new and standard across the board.The big news for Chevy’s 2024 small-SUV lineup is the arrival of a new Trax, but the similarly sized TrailBlazer is getting some revisions as well. With updated styling, new colors, and larger screens inside, the 2024 TrailBlazer gets a bit more appealing on the surface but remains the same mechanically. The base price is up by $1000, to $24,395, while the top RS and Activ models now start at $28,395.The new colors are Copper Harbor and Cacti Green, and the wheel designs are new, with the RS trim (pictured at top) getting a new 19-inch wheel to go along with its sportier design elements. The front- and rear-end designs are freshened, with different grilles, bumpers, headlights, and taillights. The Activ, as before, has its own grille design and bits of trim that are meant to make it look more rugged.ChevroletMore on Chevy SUVsInside, the driver is greeted with an 8.0-inch digital gauge cluster and a significantly larger 11.0-inch touchscreen in the center of the dash. This new screen is standard, and that’s a significant upgrade over the previous model, which had a 7.0-inch touchscreen standard and an 8.0-inch touchscreen optional on higher trims. The new screen offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.The 2024 TrailBlazer’s base engine is a turbocharged 1.2-liter inline-three with 137 horsepower, and this comes with a continuously variable automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. The upgrade choice is a turbocharged 1.3-liter inline-three with 155 horsepower that pairs with a nine-speed automatic transmission and offers all-wheel drive as an option. This differentiates it from the Trax, which is less expensive but comes only with the 1.2L engine, a six-speed automatic transmission, and front-wheel drive.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. More

Honda’s next hydrogen-powered vehicle will be a plug-in version of the CR-V, arriving in 2024.Honda co-developed the new fuel cell system with GM and said it would cost just a third as much as the fuel cell stack in the Clarity while also being more durable.Honda will build 2000 units of its next-gen fuel cell system a year by 2025, but some will likely be used by industry partners. Honda’s next hydrogen-powered vehicle will be a version of the new CR-V with plug-in capability. The automaker started talking last year about this follow-up to the company’s previous H2 vehicle, the Clarity Fuel Cell, which was discontinued in 2021, and now the picture surrounding the powertrain is becoming a bit clearer.Honda Clarity Fuel Cell. HondaHonda announced in 2022 that its next-generation fuel cell vehicle, based on the CR-V, will go on sale in 2024 in North America and Japan. The hydrogen-powered SUV will use a fuel cell system co-developed with GM and will have two H2 tanks in the rear of the vehicle, an intelligent power unit under the seats and a fuel cell system and drive unit mounted as one under the front hood. The battery in the plug-in part of the equation won’t power the CR-V for too many miles and is apparently small enough that it didn’t merit space on Honda’s vague diagram of the upcoming vehicle. Honda said the hydrogen CR-V will also have a power export function.Who’s Going to Get This CR-V?Honda isn’t saying if the new H2 CR-V will be sold outside California, the only place where the Clarity Fuel Cell could be leased, but did say production of the fuel cell CR-V will begin in 2024 at the Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio, including vehicles that will be exported to Japan.Honda remains coy about further details regarding the vehicle itself but did announce more information about the CR-V’s next-generation fuel system this week. Ryan Harty, senior manager and division lead of the energy solution business division at American Honda Motor Company, said that the new system is more than twice as durable and has “significantly faster” startup times at frigid temperatures (under -22 degrees F). Also, Harty said, compared to the fuel cell system found in the now-defunct Clarity, the next-gen system costs two-thirds less to build. That massive drop is thanks to changes in materials, like using “innovative materials” for electrodes and manufacturing specifications, as well as a plan to simply build more units.Honda never announced how many Clarity Fuel Cell vehicles it sold, although a spokesperson told Car and Driver that there had been 2116 total leases of that model in the U.S. Still, given that Honda sold only around 41,000 of all versions of Clarity vehicles during the five years it was available (most of them being the plug-in-hybrid version), the company will only have to increase production a little to improve the economies of scale. Honda said it plans to build around 2000 units of its next-gen fuel cell system a year by 2025 at the Fuel Cell System Manufacturing Center that Honda and GM run in Michigan. By 2030, Honda plans to build 60,000 units a year of either this unit or a further improved fuel cell system. Honda has not announced any development or manufacturing partners for the future-gen system (in other words, GM is not necessarily involved) but plans to make it even more powerful and cost-effective.Honda”Compared to the next-generation system, we set additional targets to reduce the cost by one-half and to double the durability,” Harty said. “We’re targeting to make the future-generation system to be comparable with diesel engines in terms of ease of use and total cost of ownership.” Looking to Spread This Technology AroundHonda said it sees fuel cell systems as vital players in a carbon-neutral society and doesn’t just want to put them in cars. The automaker is searching for partners to test them in commercial vehicles, stationary power stations and construction machinery. Harty said Honda is actively looking for partners in North America to work on fuel cell commercial trucks. Honda is currently testing hydrogen trucks in China with Dongfeng Motors and will start before April 2024 in Japan with Isuzu. In the mid-2020s, Honda will begin selling its fuel cell system to partners in the transportation and industry sectors.”Basically, our [message today] is really about announcing that the fuel cell power train is technically ready to step in and help not only Honda but other companies to achieve their carbon neutrality and sustainability goals,” Harty said. “To do that, together, we have to develop the business ecosystem and the hydrogen infrastructure around that in order for those customers to achieve their goals.”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. More

BMW has updated the X5 and X6 for the 2024 model year, with narrower headlights and redesigned front bumpers on both SUVs.A new turbocharged inline-six boosts the base 40i models to 375 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque, and, along with the M60i’s 4.4-liter V-8, BMW adds a 48-volt hybrid system.The plug-in hybrid X5 xDrive 50e’s output jumps nearly 100 horsepower and should increase its electric driving range by around 10 miles.The mid-size X5 SUV was the best-selling BMW in 2022, and it now receives a host of updates for the 2024 model year, with redesigned front and rear ends, a more modern interior with a curved digital display, and a more powerful inline-six engine. The sloped-roof X6—a niche, fashion-conscious alternative to the X5—benefits from the same upgrades as its more sensible sibling, including the 48-volt hybrid system that improves the efficiency of both the inline-six and V-8 motors.We were certain that the 2024 BMW X5 and X6 would be getting the X7’s controversial split-headlight design, but BMW appears to have reversed course, opting for a more conventional look. The slimmer one-piece headlights sit either side of a revised kidney grille that looks relatively small next to the M3’s flared nostrils or the i7’s huge shield. The X5’s wider, rectangular lower intake is sandwiched by vertical vents that coax air around the fenders, boosting efficiency and giving the SUV a planted look. The X5’s taillights feature a more intricate design and the X5 now offers an illuminated grille on the 40i and 50e models.An optional M Sport package on the X5 adds a racier look with more black trim and an octagonal black lower bumper. This package is standard on the X6, and upgrading to the M60i models on both SUVs bring unique details like quad exhaust pipes, black trim, and a small rear spoiler on the X6. Inside, the dashboard looks more chiseled, with thin air vents and a simplified center console that ditches the traditional gear lever for a small toggle switch. Atop the dash is BMW’s new curved display that includes a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 14.9-inch touchscreen on one long piece of glass, running the latest version of BMW’s iDrive operating system. A new ambient light bar glows in front of the passenger seat, and BMW also added a puddle light and pulsating welcome lights in the door opening for a little pizzazz as you enter the vehicles. The seats are now wrapped in a vegan leather-like material called Sensafin.The biggest news is more power for all of the X5 and X6’s powertrain choices. The base 40i has a new turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with increased horsepower and torque for new totals of 375 hp and 398 pound-feet of torque. The twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 in the M60i models is a new unit but makes the same 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque as the previous V-8-powered M50i. Both of these engines have 48-volt hybrid systems with an electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmissions. xDrive all-wheel drive remains standard on all but the X5’s base sDrive40i model, which has rear-wheel drive.BMW also updated the X5’s plug-in-hybrid model to produce more power and offer greater electric range. It’s now called xDrive50e, compared with last year’s xDrive45e, and has a total output of 483 hp—nearly 100 hp more than before. This is thanks to a revised turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six gasoline engine that now uses the Miller cycle and a significantly more powerful electric motor. The battery now offers 25.7 kWh of usable capacity and BMW estimates the hybrid X5 will have an EPA range figure of around 40 miles, compared with 31 miles previously.The adaptive M suspension with adjustable dampers comes standard on both X6 models and the X5 M60i, and is optional on the X5 40i variants. The xDrive50e, meanwhile, comes standard with air suspension that is optional on other models. The M60i models come with standard rear-wheel steering, and all X5s and X6s come with 20-inch wheels, with the choice of upgrading to 21- or 22-inch wheels with performance tires. There is also an optional new Highway Assistant feature that allows for hands-free driving on highways, as long as the driver stays focused on the road and cars around them.The 2024 X5 sDrive40i’s $66,195 base price increases over the 2023 model by $3600, with all-wheel drive costing an additional $2300. The plug-in-hybrid xDrive50e will open at $73,495, about $7000 more expensive than the outgoing PHEV, while the M60i’s $90,295 starting price represents a nearly $4000 hike. The simpler X6 range sees similar increases, with the xDrive40i starting at $74,895 and the M60i going for $94,595. We don’t yet have details on the performance-oriented X5 M and X6 M versions, but they are likely to receive similar visual updates and possible powertrain enhancements. Production of the standard 2024 X5 and X6 models will begin in April of this year, and we expect to learn more about the full-fledged M models in the coming 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. More

Since we started Lightning Lap back in 2006, the LL3 pricing class has always been the sweet spot of performance, the best bang for the buck. LL2 often has more contestants, but it doesn’t quite have the firepower of LL3: German, Japanese, and American cars that seat two, four, or five. Coupes. SUVs. Sedans. LL3 has it all. And LL3 now has a new high mark in the form of the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and its 2:38.6 lap.Lots More DetailWe say the best bang for the buck because European and Japanese cars have to compete with the American metal that almost always undercuts the overseas competition. Corvettes compete with Camaros, Ford Mustang GT500s, Cadillac Vs, some AMG 63s, BMW Ms, and more. We adjusted the class breakdowns this year, so LL3 now covers cars with a base price between $75,000 and $139,999. And no, we didn’t set that upper limit based on the Z06’s pricing. (Reminder, when we discuss base price in Lightning Lap stories, that price includes performance-enhancing options.)An American has always held the crown of LL3 champ. A C6 Z06 was the first (2006 model) and second (2007 model) LL3 champ, with times at Lightning Lap 1 and 2 of 3:01.1 and 2:58.6, respectively. Next to hold the belt was a Dodge Viper SRT10 in a one-off test where it dropped the LL3 time by 1.2 seconds. But then came the third Lightning Lap installment. If you aren’t familiar, check it out. There were some heavy hitters at that one, including the Nissan GT-R (LL3), Ferrari 430 Scuderia (LL5), Mosler MT900S (LL5), and the second-generation Cadillac CTS-V (LL2). Also in the group was the Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR (LL3) that turned a 2:48.6, a 10.0-second improvement in LL3 cars. A sub 2:50 at that time was pretty nuts and the only thing faster was the Mosler (2:45.9). In part because that was such a big jump, the ACR remained the LL3 target until the ninth Lightning Lap, where the 650-hp Corvette Z06 (a C7) turned a 2:44.6. At Lightning Lap 14, a Mustang Shelby GT500 would exactly match it. Which brings us back to the incredible lap laid down by the new Corvette Z06. The Corvette went to a mid-engine layout so it could perform better on racetracks. Its 2:38.6 isn’t only a new LL3 record, it is the fastest lap by a car with a naturally aspirated engine and the fifth fastest in Lightning Lap history. Everything else faster is in the LL5 class and costs at least twice as much. That alone is enough for celebration. More

Lightning Lap 2023 is here, and we know you have questions. Why did certain cars not make the cut? How many tires do we consume over the course of three days? Who makes the best pour-over coffee, and why is it Carlos Lago? We’re here to tackle all your most pressing queries—and ones about the minivan—on Reddit this Wednesday, February 8.At noon ET on Wednesday, our latest Ask Me Anything (AMA) will kick off in Reddit’s r/cars community. There’s already been a healthy bit of Lightning Lap 16 discussion over there, and we want to provide you with all the insight we couldn’t fit into the feature. Expect some healthy discussions about the RS3’s Pirelli Trofeo R tires, the emotional toll of pursuing the perfect lap time, and why you think you can beat Jack Fitzgerald’s on-foot time despite not running since high-school cross country.Lightning Laps New and OldDuring the AMA, you’ll get the chance to ask questions to editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga, executive editor K.C. Colwell, testing director Dave VanderWerp, senior technical editor David Beard, technical editor Dan Edmunds, and deputy editor for video Carlos Lago. If this is your first Lightning Lap, welcome! This is our 16th time running the event, which takes place at Virginia International Raceway on its 4.1-mile Grand Course configuration. It is a true measure of a car’s limits, testing everything from cornering to braking to whether or not the shift knob will break free from its moorings mid-lap. Don’t forget to take a look at this year’s results to get those inquisitive juices flowing ahead of tomorrow’s AMA. More

Mazda has announced pricing for the 2024 CX-90, with the base trim for the least powerful 3.3 Turbo model starting at $40,970.The plug-in-hybrid model starts at $48,820 for the Preferred trim, with the $54,275 Premium model bringing a 3500-pound towing capacity.The most powerful 3.3 Turbo S model opens at $53,125, with the highest Premium Plus model going for $61,325 before options.Last week Mazda revealed the 2024 CX-90, a stylish new three-row SUV set to go on sale this spring. Now the Japanese automaker has announced pricing estimates for the CX-90, which is the first Mazda to offer a plug-in-hybrid powertrain. The base 3.3 Turbo Select model starts at $40,970, with the top-of-the-line 3.3 Turbo S Premium Plus going for $61,325 before options.Engine SpecsThe CX-90 offers a wide variety of trims and engine options. The standard Turbo model, which uses a detuned 280-hp version of the 3.3-liter inline-six, is available in five trim levels. Above the Select sits the Preferred ($44,820) and the Preferred Plus ($47,275), which have second-row captain’s chairs as a no-cost option and a 5000-pound towing capacity for the Plus. The Premium ($50,275) and the Premium Plus ($54,325) add those thrones as standard, along with other goodies like a power panoramic sunroof, Bose 12-speaker sound system, and, in the Plus, a 12.3-inch touchscreen. The base CX-90 3.3 Turbo Select.MazdaThe headlining act is the new plug-in setup, which starts at $48,820 for the Preferred model. Stepping up to the Premium will cost you $54,275, adding a 3500-pound towing capacity, while the Premium Plus boosts the price to $58,325. Equipment changes between the trims largely mirror those on the 3.3 Turbo.At the top of the range is the more powerful 340-hp Turbo S motor, which commands a $53,125 starting price. That rises to $57,825 for the Premium and $61,325 for the Premium Plus, which have a six-seat layout as standard, optional on the base Turbo S. All Turbo S models have the maximum towing capacity, and the Premium adds customizable driver settings that can be automatically applied through facial recognition. The Plus brings richer materials throughout the cabin, with ventilated seats in the first two rows and heated second-row captain’s chairs.More Mazda NewsThe base pricing for the CX-90 is slightly higher than the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade twins—at $37,255 and $36,885, respectively—but is on par with the Honda Pilot ($40,495) and undercuts the Jeep Grand Cherokee L ($44,830). The upper echelon of the CX-90 lineup is far more expensive than the Korean three-rows and the Pilot, which all top out in the low $50,000 range, putting the pricier Mazdas more in line with the opulent Grand Cherokee Summit at $65,505. The CX-90 starts only $945 higher than the CX-9 that it effectively replaces, but goes significantly beyond the CX-9’s $49,735 Signature when it comes to luxury.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. More