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Mazda is dropping the CX-3 from its lineup after the 2021 model year.The CX-3 is smaller and older than the newer CX-30, which is similar in size and price.2021 CX-3s should remain in inventory for a little while longer.The sun will set on Mazda’s smallest crossover, the CX-3, after the 2021 model year. We’re not too surprised to hear this, as Mazda essentially replaced this older model with the newer CX-30 recently. The two compete alongside each other in the subcompact-crossover segment, and the CX-30 is more powerful, more spacious, and more upscale than the dated CX-3.

While the CX-30 is based on the compact Mazda 3, the CX-3 was based on the tiny subcompact Mazda 2, which meant it was considerably smaller inside than many of its competitors. It debuted for 2016 and has received only minimal updates over the years. Mazda reduced its lineup to a single trim level recently, marking the beginning of the end for this model.We wonder if Mazda may eventually rename the CX-30 to CX-3 as a result of this change. This would provide more consistency in the brand’s SUV lineup, as other models have single-digit monikers including CX-5 and CX-9.
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Mazda is discontinuing the 6 mid-size sedan for the U.S. market.The 2021 model year will be its last and it won’t return for 2022.A future Mazda 6 is rumored to be on its way with a new rear-wheel-drive platform and an inline-six engine.Mazda will no longer offer the 6 mid-size sedan in the U.S. after the 2021 model year. The current third-generation 6 has been around since 2014 and will not be available for 2022, meaning Mazda is the latest automaker—following Ford, Chrysler, and a few others—to exit the popular family-sedan segment.

While this is the end of the road for now, it doesn’t necessarily mean that Mazda is done with mid-size sedans forever. Rumors persist that Mazda will launch a new sedan model on the company’s new rear-wheel-drive platform that could utilize its new inline-six engines. When asked about the potential for a future rear-wheel-drive Mazda 6, a company spokesperson told C/D, “We cannot share details of future products at this time.”The cancellation announcement does call into question whether this new model will once again utilize the 6 nameplate, as Mazda could introduce a new moniker to reflect the sedan’s new mission. If it comes to fruition, we likely won’t hear more about this new Mazda sedan for a while longer, as it’s expected to arrive sometime in 2022 as a 2023 model.In the meantime, 2021 Mazda 6 sedans will remain on sale at dealerships until inventory runs out.
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Few inventions have changed society as much as the automobile. From the earliest days of horseless carriages to the 21st century’s promise of autonomous cars, the modern era has been shaped and defined by the rise of the car. A new two-part History Channel documentary takes a look at the history of some of the greatest and most enduring car companies in automotive history, and how the people behind them changed the world. Plus, you’ll get to see two Road & Track editors on the show.

The Cars That Built the World is a two-part documentary that features R&T deputy editor Bob Sorokanich and senior editor Chris Perkins. Accompanied by familiar faces from around the automotive world, Perkins and Sorokanich dive into the backstories behind the greatest minds and most influential innovations in automotive history. From the very first Benz Patent-Motorwagen to the glory years of the postwar American car industry, the humble roots and magnificent success of Porsche to the unexpected rise of Honda and Toyota, The Cars That Built the World gives you a deep look at the immensely talented, fiercely competitive innovators who brought the automobile to the masses. War intrigue, racing grudges, engineering breakthroughs, and pure unbridled drive—every tale is packed with excitement and drama.You’ll hear stories you never before knew, like how Soichiro Honda got his start working for Toyota, and how the very first automotive road trip was undertaken in secret by the free-spirited wife of Germany’s first carmaker. And you’ll get inside some of the biggest rivalries in automotive history: Bentley versus Rolls-Royce, Daimler versus Benz, Toyota versus Honda. The two-night documentary premiers on Sunday, May 23, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, with the second installment airing on Monday, May 24, at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Tune in and learn how the automobile became the indispensable device that it is today.

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The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup made its debut on Wednesday night in Dearborn, Michigan, but even before President Biden’s spin in it on Tuesday, Car and Driver got the opportunity to take a ride and check out the new truck. Here are some early impressions.The first thing we noticed, while cruising at 75 or 80 mph, was that there is just a whiff of wind noise penetrating the aluminum cabin. Impressive, considering this EV has the aerodynamics of a thick two-by-eight Lego brick. Tire noise, too, is absurdly low for rolling stock in size XL. I guess it makes sense that the Lightning isn’t loud. After all, it isn’t named “Thunder.”

When the F-150 Lightning goes on sale, however, it has the potential to make a ton of noise. Even if the headline-grabbing $40K-plus price is just for a “commercial base” truck, there are still going to be a metric crap ton of takers for a $55K EP—that’s for “electric pickup”—that can get to 60 in about five seconds, or even quicker if you spend more and get the big battery. We felt it, and while the big pickup masks its speed with relative silence and pickup height, there is no denying what two electric motors with a combined 775 pound-feet of torque feels like off the line. The truck will go 105 mph, a governor set due to tire limitations, not driveline hardware. Those tires, size 275/50R-22, wrap around dorky-looking but aero-friendly wheels, which in addition to a blocked-off grille are the only exterior hints that this isn’t a normal F-150. Behind those wheels is a fully independent suspension, something no F-150 has ever had, no matter how sporty Ford’s SVT division could make the Lightnings that came before.

Ford

Among other dynamic advantages, the independent rear suspension (IRS) also reduces the unsprung mass, and for a stick-axle pickup, that’s usually a substantial amount of weight. The semi-trailing-arm IRS didn’t sag inappropriately with a 6000-pound trailer on the bumper. Granted, this was probably the trailer equivalent of a corner-weighted Le Mans prototype, because we didn’t so much as hear the ball-and-hitch interaction while climbing a moderate grade. Nevertheless, the motors didn’t seem stressed, either. At least, there is no audible increase in powertrain noise when load increases like you’d get with an engine. No one has ever said, “Jeez, look at that truck. I bet it handles like a car.” But the Lightning has potential to change that. In addition to the IRS, this EP will have the lowest center of gravity (CoG) ever measured for a half-ton pickup. The 1800-pound-plus battery and both motors live between the rails of a strengthened ladder frame, and above that is the aluminum body Ford spent so much money launching in 2015. And not only will the CoG be low, it will be further aft, too. Ford may have to pay Easy Spirit a royalty, but it could launch an ad campaign around “Looks like a boot, feels like a sneaker,” and it wouldn’t be lying. There was almost no body roll during moderately paced S-turns on a wide-open proving ground oval, a maneuver in a normal pickup that would make passengers feel like they were on the final voyage of the Golden Ray. Ford engineers point out that starting lighter with the aluminum body really helped with developing the Lightning and that it’s about 1000 pounds heavier than the gas equivalent, or about 6500 pounds at the curb. But even off-road, on a two-track, there is little sense that the Lightning is dragging around that much heft. The battery case is essentially one giant skidplate that can take fairly significant hits. How hard? Well, if we were going slower, the truck may have high-centered itself, but momentum kept us moving and unstuck. In off-road mode the accelerator mapping gets a bit longer at tip-in, affording the driver a little more control over the pace at low speed.

Ford

While it is clear the Lightning isn’t supposed to carry its namesake’s performance torch, it inadvertently might, because of the impressive performance numbers it can generate and the underpinning hardware. When the Lightning goes on sale in about a year, there will be a lot more electric-truck options, from Rivian, GMC, and maybe even Tesla. This truck felt finished. While we’re sure Ford isn’t waiting around for the competition to catch up, the buzz those others are currently making may very well be drowned out by some unobtrusive wind noise.

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Acura has released pricing for the new Type S version of the TLX sedan.It starts at $53,325 and offers a single option: summer tires.That starting price is higher than the Audi S4’s but lower than the BMW M34oi’s.Those who want the added power, performance, and prestige of the 2021 Acura TLX’s Type S version will have to pay a hefty premium for it. The V-6–powered Type S starts at $53,325, which is around $13,000 more than a four-cylinder TLX with all-wheel drive.

The Type S comes standard with a 355-horsepower turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, a 10-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive. There’s only a single option available: $800 for a set of Pirelli P Zero summer tires and lightweight five-spoke 21-inch wheels to replace the standard all-season rubber. The Type S also comes standard with many features that are optional on the base TLX, such as navigation, a premium audio system, cooled front seats, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.Acura says that the Audi S4 and BMW M340i are the TLX Type S’s closest competitors, and the pricing bears that out. It fits in neatly between the cheaper S4, which starts at $50,945, and the more expensive M340i, which starts at $55,695 with rear-wheel drive or $57,695 with all-wheel drive. It’s also between the two in terms of power output, as the Audi’s turbo V-6 provides 349 hp and the BMW’s turbo inline-six provides 382 hp.Type S models will reach dealerships June 23, and Acura says it will only produce 2000 units of the 2021 model year TLX Type S. We assume the Type S will be available more widely for the 2022 model year, which should arrive later this year.
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This is the Year of the Electric Pickup Truck. By the time the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning goes into production later this year, it’ll already have competition from Ford’s frenemy, Rivian (Ford invested $500 million in Rivian in 2019 and has an undisclosed stake in the company). The GMC Hummer is also slated for production this year, with the coming years bringing some certain competitors (the electric Chevy Silverado) and others that are, shall we say, a little more subject to change—from Tesla, Lordstown Motors, and Canoo, among others. Bollinger also says it’ll start production on the B2 pickup this year, but we’re betting that not too many truck buyers will be cross-shopping the F-150 and the $125,000 Bollinger. So let’s look at the two imminent competitors: the Rivian and Hummer.Power

Ford—and President Biden—made much of the Lightning’s acceleration, but even in 563-hp guise, its claimed zero-to-60-mph time in the mid-four-second range lags behind the Hummer and R1T, both of which claim zero to 60 in 3.0 seconds. The Ford offers 563 horsepower and 775 pound-feet of torque with its extended-range battery, with the standard battery bringing 426 horsepower and the same torque. GM is claiming 1000 horsepower and about 1000 pound-feet of torque for the Hummer—and good thing, since it also weighs more than 9000 pounds. Rivian’s truck will offer 754 horsepower from quad motors, while the Hummer uses three motors and the Ford two.

Rivian R1T.
Rivian

The Lightning can tow up to 10,000 pounds and haul 1800 pounds of payload with the long-range battery (7700 pounds and 2000 pounds, respectively, with the standard battery), while the R1T is rated to tow 11000 pounds. GM hasn’t put a number on the Hummer’s tow rating, but it ought to be more than either of these.All three are all-wheel-drive, with the Hummer also adding four-wheel-steering that enables “Crab mode.” The R1T has a “Tank mode” that’s enabled by spinning its quad motors in opposite directions across the axles. The Lightning? It can probably kick a nice powerslide in the snow. We can hardly believe that we’re describing the truck that does zero to 60 in the mid-fours as the slowest of any given trio, but that’s where we’re at.

GMC Hummer EV SUT.
GMC

Range and ChargingFord offered lots of range and charging stats for the Lightning without actually disclosing battery capacity. But Ford targets a 230-mile EPA-rated range with the standard battery and 300 miles for the extended-range battery. GM says the Hummer’s battery will offer “350-plus” miles of range, and Rivian’s initial trucks will deliver “300-plus” miles, with the extended-range models shooting for more than 400 miles of range.

Ford

Ford will offer 150-kilowatt DC fast charging that can bring the extended-range battery from 15 percent to 80 percent charge in 41 minutes. More intriguing, a Ford home charger dubbed Ford Charge Station Pro essentially runs two Level 2 chargers through one plug (the truck has dual onboard chargers), thus vastly improving typical Level 2 charge speed. Ford says that the bigger battery requires 19 hours on a 32-amp Level 2 charger to go from 15 percent to 100 percent capacity, while the 80-amp charger drops that time to eight hours. The Charge Station Pro (coupled with some other equipment on the home side) also allows the Lightning to be used as a backup generator, with the house drawing power from the truck. Ford figures that a Lightning could run a typical house, drawing 30.0 kWh per day, for three days. Or 10 days, if power were rationed.GM hasn’t announced a similar plan for the Hummer but says it will be able to take advantage of 350-kilowatt DC fast charging by switching its battery pack from 400 volts to 800 volts for charging. At its quickest, that should allow it to add 100 miles of range in 10 minutes. It can also use lesser chargers, of course.

That is the Hummer, in case you were wondering.
GMC

Rivian is borrowing an idea from Tesla and building a fast charger network exclusively for its owners. The Rivian Adventure Network, as they call it, will initially offer 200-plus-kilowatt charge rates, eventually moving beyond 300 kilowatts. The company plans to have more than 600 sites, with 3500 total chargers, by the end of 2023. It says that charging for 20 minutes will add 140 miles of range to an R1T. Oh, and the network will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy and offer locations near cities and highways, and in more remote locations where off-road adventures might be in store.

There is the Rivian, without its clothes.
Rivian

Clever FeaturesAs it turns out, the sameness of electric propulsion—everyone has a quiet motor that makes max torque at zero rpm—is being more than offset by the blank canvas of packaging possibilities afforded by an EV powertrain. The R1T has a full-width pass-through under the bed called the Gear Tunnel that can be used for storage or to house accessories, like a slide-out camp kitchen. The first Rivians will have a panoramic roof, with next year bringing a removable open-air roof option. There’s an available power tonneau cover, onboard air compressor and a locking cable that connect to the vehicle security system for stowing gear. A gooseneck hinge on the tailgate expands the bed to 83.6 inches long when the tailgate is down. And there’s lockable storage under the bed, too.

Rivian with camp kitchen.
Rivian

The Hummer has a front trunk that can be used to store the transparent panels of its “Sky Roof.” The front panel runs the width of the vehicle, but the rear is divided into left and right sides supported by a central support beam—that’s right, GM brought back T-tops. The Hummer also has a power tonneau cover and power rear drop glass, for the full open-air experience.

GMC Hummer SUT.
GMC

The Lightning skews more pragmatic, although its power-operated frunklid will surely be a crowd pleaser at tailgate parties (where you now might want to back into your spot). The Lightning’s frunk is also a drainable cooler and has 2.4 kilowatts’ worth of power outlets. Party central up there—or, run some tools. Total power output for Lariat and Platinum models is 9.6 kilowatts, with 7.6 kilowatts available from the bed.Both the Ford (BlueCruise) and the Hummer (Super Cruise) will offer hands-free highway driving assistance. Rivian hasn’t said anything about that particular capability. PricingThe Lightning will start at $42,000 for a base truck and climb to $55,000 for an XLT, $59,000 for a Lariat, and $70,000 for the Platinum. The only Hummer you’ll be able to buy this year will be the Edition 1, for $112,595. Later (much later: 2024) there will be models priced as low as $79,995, but we also wouldn’t be surprised if that number got adjusted upward over the next two or three years. The R1T Launch Edition starts at $75,000 and is also the only one that will be available this year. Next year will bring the Explore, for $67,500. The Max Pack battery adds $10,000; the camp kitchen is $5000. It seems like it’ll be easy to price a Rivian into Hummer territory, but the Lightning hews fairly close to the pricing of its gas counterparts. You can price a 5.0-liter gas F-150 4×4 Platinum beyond $70,000 without clicking all the options, so the electric version (and the $7500 federal tax credit it’ll enjoy, at least initially) is very aggressively priced. The F-150 is perpetually the bestselling vehicle in the U.S., and it certainly seems like Ford intends to claim the title in the EV sphere, too.
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Ford estimates that range for the 2022 F-150 Lightning electric pickup will be 230 miles for trucks with the standard battery and 300 miles on trucks with the extended-range pack.The truck uses height sensors at each corner to estimate payload and adjust range predictions accordingly.However, we estimate that towing anywhere near the Lightning’s stated 10,000-pound maximum tow rating will lead to highway range in the double digits.Range typically occupies an outsized chunk of the conversation on any new EV. But, in the case of the F-150 Lightning, which has the bestselling pickup’s usual healthy scoop of towing and hauling capabilities, things get even more complicated than normal.Ford is claiming that the range figures for its electric pickup will come in at 230 miles and 300 miles, depending on whether the standard-range (which we estimate can hold 115.0 kWh) or extended-range battery pack (150.0 kWh, same caveat) is beneath the bed. Those are EPA predictions, specifically EPA combined figures, in lightly loaded conditions.

Although the Lightning is aided by the aerodynamic effects of its flat underbody, when running at real highway speeds there’s no tricking the air molecules, and a bluff truck is going to suffer. In our highway range testing, which we conduct at a steady 75 mph, we typically see a range number that’s about 20 percent below the EPA figure. Using that same bogey, which is probably generous in the case of a full-size pickup, would put the Lightning in the 180-to-240-mile zone for what you might achieve on a road trip.In a recent towing test with another EV, lugging a 3859-pound boat at 70 mph chopped its range in half compared to a run at the same speed sans trailer. Applying these results to the F-150 means that towing a modest trailer would put the highway range at roughly 100 to 125 miles, depending on the pack. Towing anywhere near the 10,000-pound maximum rating on XLT and Lariat models (with the maximum trailer tow package and extended-range battery) at highway speeds, we believe you’d be hard pressed to exceed double-digit miles. We’d take that bet, in fact.

Utilizing the Lightning’s payload capabilities, which are 1800 pounds for the extended-range battery and 2000 pounds for the smaller pack will put you somewhere between these two extremes. And those figures both include the up-to-400 pounds that can be stowed in the large and handy front trunk.At least there’s some smart technology to help adjust the range prediction shown to the driver in day-to-day use. As launched on the 2021 F-150, the Lightning uses a height sensor at each corner to estimate the load in the bed or on the trailer hitch and preemptively adjusts down the range predictions accordingly. The old adage “your mileage may vary” is very apropos when discussing EVs. And the F-150 Lightning’s, because of its tough-truck capabilities, will vary more than most.

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The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning will be able to power a home for up three days when connected to Ford’s available Charge Station Pro, Ford says.The wall unit will require a 100-amp circuit, which could prove costly. The F-150 Lightning will arrive at dealers next spring and will start around $42,000.When the electric Ford F-150 Lightning isn’t blasting to 60 mph in a claimed 4.5 seconds or doing truck things with up to 10,000 pounds in tow, it will be able to act as a knight in painted aluminum in the event of a natural disaster or power outage by feeding its stored energy back into owners’ homes.

In previous experiments, we’ve powered a house and also fed some juice to a Ford Mustang Mach-E using the 7.6 kW available from the bed-mounted plugs of the F-150 Hybrid. Similarly, GMC recently announced the 2024 Hummer will be capable of bleeding 6.6 kW from its Ultium battery pack. The Lightning will take it to the next level. Ford’s 80-amp Charge Station Pro with Intelligent Backup Power features a CCS charging plug, which is the type found at Level 3 fast chargers. When connected to the Charge Station Pro, optional with the Standard Range battery but standard with the Extended Range pack, the F-150 Lightning can feed 9.6 kilowatts of power through the CCS plug’s larger bottom ports, through the Charge Station Pro, and back into a home’s power panel. When power is restored to the grid, the Charge Station Pro reverts to replenishing the Lightning’s battery. Ford claims that based on the national average of a home using 30.0 kWh per day, the Extended Range battery can supply a home for up to three days. Ford has yet to release the official capacity of the batteries, but we predict Ford will have some baked-in fail-safes to prevent the Lightning from being fully depleted while powering your hot tub. At a later date, Ford will reveal Ford Intelligent Power, which will use the Lightning’s stored energy during high-cost and peak energy hours. When there’s less strain on the grid during overnight hours and costs are lower, the Charge Station Pro will then recharge the Lightning.
With the 80-amp Charge Station Pro comes a yet-to-be-determined cost of installing the trick charging unit. For one, Ford has not announced how much the option will be for trucks equipped with the smaller battery pack. There’s also the complexity of actually feeding the station enough power. Most modern homes are constructed around a 240-volt and 200-amp feed from the power companies. When factoring in 30-amp draws from an air conditioner, drying machine, water heater, and anything else pulling power, there’s not enough juice left to feed the 100-amp circuit required to supply the Charge Station Pro. Older homes may only have 100 amps supplied to the entire service panel. A solution for this is costly: upgrade, or add an additional service line supplied by the power company, which can vary wildly depending on location. Also, a transfer switch will be required to backfill the home’s power supply. Ford has announced a partnership with solar supplier Sunrun to help with installation and home integration, but details have yet to be released.
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