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The 2022 McLaren Artura is full of firsts for the British supercar maker: first with a new 3.0-liter V-6, which makes 577 horsepower; first plug-in hybrid model; and first underpinned by the company’s new MCLA architecture.
The weight of electrical components is offset by a lighter engine, keeping the Artura’s weight relatively low at 3308 pounds.
The Artura will be priced starting at about $225,000 and goes on sale later in 2021, although orders are being taken now.
McLaren has produced hybrid models in the past, such as the 2014 P1 that incorporated a 177-hp electric motor, but the new Artura—seen here for the first time—is set to break new ground for the British supercar maker. This will be McLaren’s first plug-in hybrid, the first model to use a freshly developed 3.0-liter V-6 engine, and also the debutante for the company’s new MCLA architecture, which is designed to accommodate electrified powertrains.
But the Artura isn’t a direct replacement for the recently retired 570S Sports Series. As well as being substantially faster than the outgoing model, the plug-in is also going to carry a sizable premium, with the range starting at $225,000. Meaning that the McLaren GT, which sits on the old platform and keeps V-8 power, is now the company’s entry point.

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2022 McLaren Artura

Many of the Artura’s statistics are compelling, but the most interesting is the claimed 3303-pound curb weight. McLaren boss Mike Flewitt warned us that a plug-in would have to carry a weight penalty, but based on the company’s numbers, this is an impressively modest one. The mass of the electrical components has added a total of 287 pounds, but mass has been saved elsewhere through both a lighter structure and the smaller V-6, which weighs 110 pounds less than the 3.8-liter V-8 in the Sports Series.

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McLaren

The all-aluminum V-6 has a wide 120 degrees between its cylinder banks with twin turbochargers mounted inside its vee. The rev limit is 8500 rpm, the same as the V-8, with the engine making peaks of 577 horsepower and 431 pound-feet of torque. This works in conjunction with an electric motor located within the transmission housing, which can add up to 94 horsepower and 166 pound-feet. McLaren claims total system output peaks of 671 horsepower and 531 pound-feet; the combined torque peak is less than the sum of both sides as the output is limited to “optimize powertrain drivability characteristics.”
The e-motor itself is a state-of-the-art “axial flux” unit, similar to the one in the Ferrari SF90, and can add assistance or power the car by itself. The 7.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack weighs 194 pounds and is positioned under the rear of the passenger compartment. McLaren claims a 2.5-hour time for an 80 percent charge using an EVSE cable and a 19-mile electric range under European testing methodology.
Although final performance figures haven’t been released yet, McLaren predicts the Artura will be able to dispatch the zero-to-60-mph benchmark in 3.0 seconds and get from rest to 124 mph in 8.3 seconds and zero to 186 mph in 21.5 seconds. Top speed will be electronically limited to 205 mph. Top speed in electric-only mode is a more modest 81 mph. The Artura also gets a new eight-speed twin-clutch transmission—previous McLaren road cars have had seven-speeders—with drive reaching the rear axle through a new electronically controlled locking differential. This should improve traction under hard cornering, something that more powerful McLaren models often struggle to deliver. As with the SF90, there is no mechanical reverse gear; the Artura will always back up under electrical power.
The new car’s design riffs on several familiar McLaren themes, but pleasingly so. The Artura is almost exactly the same length as the more expensive 720S. At 179.0 inches, the new car is actually 0.2 inch longer, but its tightly wrapped proportions and lack of aggressive aerodynamics mean it looks shorter. McLaren’s design director, Rob Melville, refers to the smoothed contours as being “technical sculpture,” and, unusually for something so potent, there are no active aerodynamics or movable surfaces. Compared to the 570S, the Artura’s side vents have acquired a more organic shape, it has also gained the pleasing addition of fender top air vents similar in design to the ones used by Porsche’s RS 911s. The so-called “eye socket” headlights are smaller than those of the 570S and contain all-LED elements. At the back, ultra-narrow taillights are contained within a laser-cut mesh grille which also accommodates twin exhaust tailpipes. The engine cover also includes what is described as a chimney vent leading to the vee of the engine to improve cooling.

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McLaren

Less Carbon Fiber, More Hide
The Artura’s cabin is more spacious than those of the Sports Series and 720S, and it’s accessed over narrower sills. Materials have grown plusher—with an increase in hide and microfiber and a decrease in visible carbon fiber—and power-adjustable “comfort seats” will be standard, along with vehicle nose lift, power-folding mirrors, and soft-close doors. Ergonomics have been tidied up, too, with a new 8.0-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen display running a sleeker Android-based MIS II system, which offers smartphone mirroring support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Powertrain and Handling mode switches of all modern era McLarens are still present but have been moved from the center console to binnacles behind the steering wheel; the Powertrain function also adds a new pure electric E-mode to Comfort, Track, and Sport. There is 5.6 cubic feet of luggage space under the front hood.
McLaren is also boosting the Artura’s everyday credentials with the sort of convenience and active-safety systems the brand has previously eschewed. These will include optional adaptive cruise control, high-beam assist, and road sign recognition. The car’s electronic systems will support over-the-air updates, and it will also feature a low-energy Bluetooth key that is able to detect a driver’s approach and power up certain systems before the car is unlocked.
One thing that hasn’t changed is the Artura’s steering, which will continue to use electrohydraulic assistance in place of a pure electric system as the company reckons this gives better feel and feedback. Carbon-ceramic brakes will be standard, as will adaptive dampers with McLaren’s Proactive Damping Control system, which gathers data from a battery of sensors to optimize shock absorber response. Like the Sports Series and GT, the Artura will use conventional anti-roll bars rather than the linked hydraulic system of the company’s more expensive cars.
The Artura is available to order now, with the first customer deliveries to take place later in the year.
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The 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander is redesigned with a distinctive exterior design and a nicer-looking interior.
It now shares its platform and engine with the Nissan Rogue.
The Outlander will go on sale in April with a starting price of $26,990.
As Mitsubishi’s first new product in several years, the new 2022 Outlander compact SUV is significant in a few ways. Not only does it look far nicer than its predecessor inside and out, it also represents the first fruit of Mitsubishi and Nissan’s alliance that U.S. customers will see.
The Outlander now shares a platform and engine with the Nissan Rogue. Its exterior design is entirely distinct, however, with an in-your-face front end that features a prominent grille, lots of chrome trim, and an interesting lighting arrangement that includes daytime running lights, headlights, and fog lights.

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Mitsubishi

Larger than before in most dimensions, the Outlander continues to reside on the large end of the compact-crossover segment and retains its standard third row of seats. The Volkswagen Tiguan is the only other car in this class that offers space for seven passengers, although we must say that the Outlander’s third row it doesn’t look particularly hospitable in photos.

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The standard powertrain is a 2.5-liter inline-four with 181 hp and 181 pound-feet of torque. It uses a continuously variable automatic transmission. These engine specs are identical to the Rogue’s, although we expect the Outlander to be a bit heavier owing to its extra row of seats. This means it may be slower than the Rogue, which accelerated to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds in our testing. Front-wheel drive is standard and all-wheel drive is optional. Mitsubishi has also said that a plug-in-hybrid version of the Outlander is coming later but it has not yet released details on that model.

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Mitsubishi

The interior materials look to be an improvement over the outgoing Outlander, which had one of the most plasticky and low-rent cabins in the segment. There are also some interesting colors and textures available, such as the orange trim shown in these photos. An 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system is standard, with a 9.0-inch screen optional. The infotainment and optional digital gauge-cluster displays themselves use software lifted directly from the Nissan, with similar graphics.
Other desirable options for higher trim levels include a head-up display, a power liftgate, all manner of driver-assistance features, leather seats, and 20-inch wheels.
The 2022 Outlander starts at $26,990, or $900 more than the old Outlander and just a hair more expensive than the Rogue. We don’t yet have pricing for the Outlander’s higher trim levels or option packages. It will begin reaching U.S. dealerships in April.
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The Hyundai Kona and Kona Electric are getting new looks for the 2022 model year.
The standard powertrain is still a 147-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder, while a turbocharged 1.6-liter makes 195 horsepower and is available in a new N Line model.
The 2022 Kona and Kona Electric will arrive in the spring.
Hyundai is revamping the Kona subcompact crossover for the 2022 model year with bolder looks for both the gasoline-powered and electric models. A sporty N Line (pictured above) and even sportier N model will soon join the lineup as well to help make its performance models more mainstream. The new Konas will arrive in the spring, with the Kona N arriving by the end of the year.

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2022 Hyundai Kona.
Hyundai

The new look features even more black cladding up front that’s mainly on the bumper, a larger honeycomb grille, thin light signatures, and streamlined headlights, giving the subcompact SUV a more aggressive and desirable face. In the rear, the body cladding is also accentuated, and the taillights are much thinner than on the previous model. Hyundai says the new Kona is 1.6 inches longer than the 2021 model. The N Line looks moderately sportier, with three vents above the grille and body-colored cladding, and it also has more aggressive 18-inch wheels compared with the standard 16- or 17-inchers. The Kona Electric (pictured below) previously had sporadic indents in place of the grille, but the 2022 model now has a simpler, smooth front end with refreshed headlights and a similar rear to the gas-powered Kona sans body cladding.

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Hyundai Kona Electric
Hyundai

Kona SE and SEL models come equipped with the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder as before, making 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. A turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, available in the N Line and Limited models, makes 195 horsepower, 20 more than before, and it is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The even sportier Kona N will use a 275-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four found in the Veloster N. The Kona Electric is still estimated at 258 miles of range from a 64.0-kWh battery pack, although, in our test of a 2019 model, we achieved 160 miles.

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At the center of the Kona’s new interior is a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen with a simplified dashboard layout and an available digital gauge cluster. A 10.3-inch touchscreen is available on the N Line and standard on the Limited model, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability are standard. Second row legroom has increased slightly over the previous model, while cargo space behind the second row remains the same. Hyundai’s Blue Link application is still complimentary for three years, and on the Kona Electric, owners can schedule their desired charges.
The 2022 Hyundai Kona, including the N Line, and Kona Electric, will arrive in showrooms in the spring. Pricing is expected to start just over $21,000 and reach close to $30,000 for the N Line. The Kona Electric will be a bit more expensive, starting just under $40,000.
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The new 2022 Infiniti QX55 starts at $47,525 and will arrive in dealerships in April.
All-wheel drive is standard, and three trims are available: Luxe ($47,525), Essential ($52,625), and Sensory ($58,075).
The QX55 is a coupelike version of the squareback QX50 crossover, and it’s powered by a 268-hp variable-compression-turbo four-cylinder.
Infiniti’s new QX55 fastback compact crossover, which is based on the squareback QX50, will arrive at dealerships in April. The coupelike SUV will start at $47,525 and will compete with the likes of the BMW X4 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC-class coupe when it goes on sale in April, although both German SUVs start over $50,000.

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Infiniti

All QX55s come standard with a 268-hp variable-compression turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with all-wheel drive (the QX50 has the option of front- or all-wheel drive) as well as a set of 20-inch wheels and wireless Apple CarPlay capability. The base price is for the Luxe model, which comes equipped with a sunroof, heated front seats, aluminum interior trim, and a Wi-Fi hotspot, which was new on the 2021 QX50.

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The mid-level Essential model starts at $52,625 and adds a navigation system, heated and cooled front seats, a 360-degree camera, and a 16-speaker Bose sound system. A ProASSIST package is also available on the QX55 Essential for $800, which includes LED headlights as well as safety features such as adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring. The top-of-the-line Sensory model includes a semi-aniline leather interior with wood trim and ambient lighting, and it starts at $58,075.
The 2022 Infiniti QX55 will be at dealerships in April starting at $47,525 for the base Luxe model and topping out at $58,075 for the luxurious Sensory model. A new QX60 three-row SUV will arrive later in the year, Infiniti says, along with several other new products.
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Hyundai has released this interior shot of the all-new 2022 Ioniq 5, ahead of the new model’s February 23 unveiling.
The photo reveals that the Ioniq 5 gets design inspiration from the 45 concept in both the interior and the exterior.
The interior of the Ioniq 5 will be clean and without many buttons.
Hyundai is set to reveal its first vehicle in the Ioniq subbrand, the Ioniq 5, on February 23. Ahead of that debut, the automaker has released an interior shot of the forthcoming electric vehicle. The Ioniq 5 is a hatchback-like mid-size crossover, as we’ve seen from earlier teasers of the exterior. Its appearance draws from the design of the 45 concept—and that look extends to the interior.

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The overhead shot of the front seats and dash shows two screens, the instrument cluster and the infotainment screen, which sit on the same panel running from in front of the driver to the middle of the dash. Buttons are sparse; there is a cluster of physical controls below the infotainment screen, but not much beyond that.
The Ioniq 5 will get a physical drive stalk to the right of a two-spoke steering wheel. That steering wheel looks similar to those in cars from Genesis, the Hyundai/Kia group’s luxury brand. Between the drivers, there is nothing more than two cupholders, an armrest, and storage. There will also be a flat floor between the drivers, much like in the 45 concept.

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The Hyundai 45 Concept
Hyundai

The driver and front passenger seats come equipped with footrests so that the occupants can rest while the car is charging. Those seats, Hyundai says, are wrapped in sustainable fabrics sourced from products such as sugar cane, wool, and recycled PET plastic bottles. Hyundai says that the interior is both spacious and customizable, but we’ll have to wait until the reveal to learn how it can be customized.
The Ioniq 5 will be revealed on February 23 at 2 a.m. Eastern time.
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The news with this newest 911 GT3 is a new front suspension setup featuring unequal-length control arms, rather than struts.
Then there’s that wing. A more discreet Touring version will be offered without it, which will make considerably less downforce.
Pricing has not been released, but it’s safe to say it will be comfortably above the most recent price of $145,650 when the GT3 goes on sale this fall.
The Porsche 911 GT3 changes, but it mostly stays the same. Since the 996 generation launched the dynasty in 1999, the GT3 has remained true to its original form with a high-revving naturally aspirated flat-six, track-biased suspension, no back seat, and a commendable lack of fripperies and needless ornament. A new generation of Porsche’s most focused sports car doesn’t need to be different to earn enthusiasts’ attention and respect.

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Yet the GT3 has also made some major leaps as it has evolved over the years. With the arrival of the fourth main iteration, the GT3 jumps to an unequal-length control-arm front suspension. That makes it the first roadgoing 911 to eschew struts in front. The new setup is heavily influenced by the suspension that Porsche pioneered in the 911 RSR race car in 2013. The arrangement improves camber stability, better maintaining the wheels’ negative-camber orientation and thus the shape of the tires’ contact patch through turns and as the suspension compresses and rebounds. Spring rates are more than double, but ride quality hasn’t diminished, per Porsche, thanks to new adaptive dampers that adjust valving in as few as 10 milliseconds. Also contributing to chassis performance is an increased number of ball joints in the suspension at front and rear. So much is different with the GT3’s suspension that not a single part is shared with the 911 Carrera.

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Porsche

The new car also hangs its rear wing from swan-neck pylons as seen in sports-car racing and on the McLaren Senna. A wing generates downforce when the air flowing across the underside moves faster than the air going over the top of the wing (the same as an airplane wing, only the orientation is upside down). With a conventionally mounted wing, the column-like pylons disrupt the airflow below the wing, creating pockets of slow-moving, turbulent air that detract from the downforce potential. Swan-neck pylons not only increase the underside of a wing’s surface area, but they are designed with an aerodynamic profile that minimizes the airflow disruption across the wing’s lower surface, increasing downforce.
Porsche says that in its most aggressive aerodynamic setup, the new GT3 generates 150 percent more downforce than its predecessor. But to get in that setup, one must turn a wrench and manually set the rear wing and two front diffusers (located in front of each tire) to their raciest of four positions. A more discreet Touring version will also be offered without the wing, and it will make considerably less downforce. We don’t have a final weight figure, but Porsche says the new GT3 weighs almost exactly the same as its predecessor—which in svelte spec was 3262 pounds on our scales—but has a stiffer body shell.
The GT3 continues to use a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter version of Porsche’s 9A1 flat-six. That means six independent throttle bodies and a 9000-rpm rev limiter, plus—we’re making an assumption here—a soundtrack that encourages its driver to push it to redline as often as possible. Peak output is 502 horsepower at 8400 rpm and 346 pound-feet of torque at a lofty 6250 rpm. Porsche does not expect this to be the last 911 with a naturally aspirated engine, but ultimately this decision isn’t up to them as it is ultimately in the hands of the regulators.

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Porsche

The standard seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission carries over from the prior GT3, saving 40 pounds compared to the eight-speed unit in other 992-generation 911s. It also replaces the 911’s nubby gear selector with a more conventional-looking lever that allows for manual gear selection (there are shift paddles as well). But if you plan to pick the gears yourself, it’ll be the optional six-speed manual that you really want. Performance is barely changed over the 2017 GT3: Porsche is claiming a 3.2-second zero-to-60-mph time for the PDK and a 3.7-second time with the stick. (We ran the old car through that benchmark 0.2 second quicker, manual or auto.) Top speed is 197 mph with the PDK and 198 mph with the manual. Reining in all that speed are brake rotors built for a feast. Rotors measuring 16.1 inches in diameter are fitted to the front axle whether you opt for the standard cast-iron set or the pricey carbon-ceramic set—a.k.a. PCCB—of stoppers.

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Bigger differences should emerge on racetracks, where the new suspension and aero improvements will pay lap-time dividends. Porsche confirms the new GT3 lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in less than seven minutes. In fact, with a 6:59.927, it is less than a handful of hundredths below the hallowed mark. And if you’re well versed in ‘Ring lore, you’ll balk when we say this is faster than the 6:57 and 6:56 laps set by the 991.2 911 GT3 RS and 918 Spyder. Those lap times were set using the old benchmark that wasn’t an actual complete lap. Using the old standard, the new 992 GT3 turned a 6:55.2.
To lap that quick, though, you’ll need the optional Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2Rs, as Pilot Sport Cup 2s come standard on 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels.
We can safely predict the GT3 will cost more than the $145,650 Porsche asked for the last version, and that there will be no shortage of willing buyers—and envious fans—when deliveries begin in the fall.
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Mercedes-Benz said today, as reported by Autoblog, that the 2021 EQC will not be offered in the United States “for now.”
The EQC had previously been announced as the first Mercedes EV coming to the U.S., but it was delayed last year.
The first U.S.-market Mercedes EV instead will be the 2022 EQS, an electric version of the S-class, coming this summer.
The Mercedes-Benz 2021 EQC electric SUV was originally slated to land in U.S. showrooms in early 2020. The German automaker then delayed the delivery of the vehicle to the U.S. market by a year, with an updated launch expected for early 2021. Now, according to a report by Autoblog, Mercedes has decided the EQC will “not be offered in the United States for now” due to “market developments.”

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The Mercedes-Benz EQC400 4Matic mid-size electric SUV is intended to compete with the Audi e-tron, Jaguar I-Pace, and Tesla Model X. The vehicle’s specs and price, starting at $68,895, had been announced for the U.S. market as early as 2019, providing the luxury experience buyers expect from the brand in an EV package.

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Due to the original delay of the 2021 EQC, the upcoming 2022 EQS electric sedan had already become the first electric Mercedes slated to arrive in the U.S. market. It will be unveiled this spring and arrive in U.S. dealerships this summer.
As for the future of the EQC, the “for now” portion of Mercedes’s statement did leave the automaker some wiggle room in potentially bringing it here eventually. Car and Driver has reached out to the automaker for comment.
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Kia has confirmed that the next generation of its Sedona minivan will be called Carnival in the U.S.
The Carnival name has previously been used for the global version of this van.
The 2022 Kia Carnival will make its U.S. debut February 23.
The Sedona is dead, long live the Carnival. Kia has confirmed that its new minivan will get a name change, adopting the global Carnival moniker and dropping the Sedona nameplate that’s been in use in the U.S. for the previous three generations of this van.
We’ve already seen the global version of the new 2022 Kia Carnival, and we’ll get full U.S. details on February 23, when the 2022 Carnival makes its official debut on our shores via livestream. A teaser image shows that it looks very similar to the version we’ve already seen, and the darkened grille suggests that this could be the first Kia model in the U.S. with the company’s new logo.
A filing on the EPA site shows that the 2022 Carnival will come with a single powertrain in the U.S., a 3.5-liter V-6 and an eight-speed automatic. That means it will likely offer more power than the outgoing Sedona, which has a 3.3-liter V-6. Its fuel economy also improves from 21 mpg combined to 22 mpg combined.

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The 2022 Kia Carnival also looks to have a far more modern interior with a larger touchscreen infotainment system and nicer materials. It’s likely that the available second-row lounge seats will make their way to the U.S. version, although we don’t think we’ll see anything like the ultra-luxury Korea-market model with curtains and an air purifier on our shores.
Look for more details to come next week as we learn more about the U.S. specs and information about the 2022 Carnival. It should go on sale here later this year.
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