News

Tesla begins offering the yoke style steering as a $1000 option, after removing it as a standard feature from the Model S and Model X electric vehicles.The automaker is still expected to offer the yoke in the Cybertruck, the first deliveries of which are expected to begin in a matter of weeks.Tesla has not made the yoke part of a steer-by-wire system, unlike Toyota, though it is understood to have been working on such a system for the next generation of vehicles.Tesla’s yoke steering arrived without much prior warning, landing in the Model S sedan in 2021 just as the automaker was readying an update for the now decade-old model. It also arrived seemingly without any prior demand for such a feature from buyers.Initially offered as a standard feature in the Model S without the option of a regular steering wheel, the yoke quickly drew mixed reactions from Tesla fans and owners, with quite a few YouTube videos demonstrating some shortcomings as well as some advantages, like the ability to see the instrument cluster better.But a number of industry observers pointed out early on, the yoke worked in Formula 1 cars because the steering ratio was dramatically different, requiring far less than a 360-degree rotation lock to lock.It’s Going AroundIn Teslas, on the other hand, the yoke required a few spins of the wheel to go from lock to lock, making it notably less advantageous for in-town driving and maneuvers in tight quarters. Tesla also removed the column stalk that controlled driving modes in the process of adding the yoke, migrating that function to the touchscreen.The automaker responded by eventually making the yoke a $250 optional feature rather than a standard item, but not before quite a few Model S and Model X cars had been sold with the yoke steering. Tesla also started offering retrofits of the round steering wheel to yoke-equipped cars for $700, in effect charging owners who had wanted to get rid of a standard feature.Now, the price of the yoke option has ballooned to $1000, making it a curious and somewhat pricey option for those wanting a more sci-fi experience in the Model S or the Model X. Recent glimpses of Tesla Cybertruck interiors pictured the cabin equipped with a revised yoke.The yoke never made it into Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y, which have accounted for the overwhelming majority of Tesla sales for the past several years.But Tesla’s yoke steering saga did not unfold in a vacuum. Less than a year after the updated Model S arrived with a yoke in 2021, Toyota demonstrated its own yoke system headed for the bZ4X electric SUV. One of the main differences between the two systems was that Toyota’s was part of a steer-by-wire system, while Tesla simply offered different hardware. Tesla has indicated in the past that it would like to develop a steer-by-wire system for its vehicles, which has been a relatively niche technology for the past decade, offered sporadically and once even sparking a recall in the Infiniti Q50 a decade ago.It remains to be seen just where Tesla’s fluctuating interest in the yoke will go from here. The automaker’s most recent glimpses of Cybertruck interiors pictured the cabin equipped with a revised yoke, with the company so far not indicating whether a more traditional steering wheel will be an option at all. This question should be answered in the next few weeks as the first Cybertruck deliveries are slated to start, barring any changes in that schedule.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.Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum. Despite being followed around by French cars for the past decade, he has somehow been able to avoid Citroën ownership, judging them too commonplace, and is currently looking at cars from the former Czechoslovakia. Jay has been with Autoweek since 2013.  More

There was already a large gap between states in terms of electric vehicle adoption. While California is one of the most heavily electrified car markets in the world, many states have almost no charging infrastructure and tiny EV sales volumes. That gap is only growing, according to new data from J.D. Power. The analytics firm’s August E-Vision Intelligence Report noted that EV adoption has ticked up year over year, up one point on the company’s scale that measures adoption rate. The scale measures what percentage of buyers choose an EV when one is available in their preferred class, price range, and from a preferred brand. Nationwide, that number reached about 21 out of 100.Ready to Shop?Unsurprisingly, the adoption score went up in the states with the most EV adoption—California, Washington, Hawaii, Oregon, Nevada, Maryland, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and Massachusetts. Yet in the states where EV adoption is already lowest, the number actually went down. Across Michigan, Iowa, Kansas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Wyoming, Louisiana, South Dakota, West Virginia, and North Dakota, fewer buyers adopted EVs in the first half of 2023 compared to 2022.This may be because a wider variety of EVs are on sale now, widening availability without a matching increase in demand in the least EV-friendly states, or it could be due to political or economy factors. Charging availability has long held things back too, with a disproportionate number of the nation’s public chargers clustering in just a few states. California Will Be Majority EVsRegardless of the cause, the growing divide may lead to a drastically fragmented auto market a decade from now, according to J.D. Power forecasts. The disparity between states is staggering on this timeline. By 2035, in California—the state with the most EV adoption—94 percent of all cars sold will be electric. In North Dakota, the state with the lowest EV adoption rate today, J.D. Power predicts that EVs will make up just 19 percent of sales.For perspective, that’s lower EV penetration than most analysts expect to see in California this year. Clearly it’s impossible to make accurate predictions about the auto market in 2035—it’ll depend on political, economic, consumer, and technology factors that are inherently impossible to know with certainty—but one thing is clear. The U.S. market is becoming less homogeneous, and automakers are going to have to prepare to sell cars in widely disparate state environments.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.Reviews EditorArguably the most fickle member of the Road & Track staff, Reviews Editor Mack Hogan is likely the only person to ever cross shop an ND Miata with an Isuzu Vehicross. He founded the automotive reviews section of CNBC during his sophomore year of college and has been writing about cars ever since. More

Nissan is working on a new generation of the Murano, as indicated by these spy photos.The new fourth-generation model appears to have an interesting design and a swoopy overall shape.We expect the new Murano to arrive early next year as a 2025 model.The current, third-generation Nissan Murano has been around for a while now, but it appears that a replacement is finally on the horizon. These spy photos show the new fourth generation of Nissan’s two-row mid-size SUV offering, which should debut within the next few months as a 2025 model.The Murano has always been a fashion-forward crossover, and the new model appears to continue that with distinctive-looking slim front headlights, an interesting window treatment with a kicked-up C-pillar, and a sharply angled rear hatch that make it look like the many SUV “coupe” models found in the luxury segment. Black five-spoke wheels indicate that Nissan will likely continue to offer the Murano with some sort of Midnight appearance package.Brian Williams|Car and DriverWe expect the new Murano to continue to share its underpinnings with the three-row Nissan Pathfinder, which means front-wheel drive will be standard with all-wheel-drive optional. This also means the trusty 3.5-liter V-6, which produces between 284 and 295 hp in the Pathfinder, will soldier on in the Murano. However, we’re hoping that Nissan will swap out the old Murano’s continuously variable automatic transmission for the smoother nine-speed automatic transmission found in the Pathfinder.Rumors previously suggested that the Murano could use Nissan’s e-Power hybrid system that employs an electric motor to power the car and a gasoline engine to serve as a generator. This system is already used in many Nissan models abroad, but we haven’t heard any updates on when or if it’s coming to the U.S. market so it remains to be seen whether or not it will ever make its way to our shores.Brian Williams|Car and DriverWe’re still waiting to see a glimpse of the 2025 Murano’s interior, but we expect it will share design elements with the Ariya electric crossover’s plush cabin. Two rows of seats providing five-passenger capacity will be standard, and the new model will surely offer a larger infotainment screen than the current car’s dated 8.0-inch display.Look for more information on the new 2025 Nissan Murano to come within the next few months as Nissan prepares to reveal the next-gen SUV. It’ll likely go on sale sometime in 2024, with prices starting in the mid-$30,000 range.More Nissan SUVsThis 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

Lotus has revealed a new electric four-door hatchback called the Emeya.It shares its platform and powertrain with the Eletre SUV and promises up to 905 horsepower in the top version.The Emeya is slated to arrive in the U.S. next year as a 2025 model.Lotus, a British automaker best known for lightweight sports cars, already went way out of its comfort zone in releasing the 5500-plus-pound Eletre electric SUV. So the arrival of the new 2025 Lotus Emeya EV, while still quite a different vehicle than an Elise or an Emira, isn’t quite as shocking in that context. As a sibling to the Eletre, the new four-door Emeya hatchback features a similar powertrain and design but promises even better performance thanks to its lower, more aerodynamic shape.We’re not sure exactly what Lotus means when it calls the Emeya a “Hyper-GT,” but it’s clearly meant to compete with the likes of the Porsche Taycan, Lucid Air, and Tesla Model S. As such, it’s fitted with a big battery pack—102.0-kWh, to be specific—and powerful front and rear electric motors. The standard setup is expected to offer the same 603 horsepower and 523 pound-feet of torque as the lower-spec Eletre models, while the top version of the Emeya promises a whopping 905 horsepower and 727 pound-feet of torque. This version will also have a two-speed transmission like the Taycan.Although the Emeya will likely be heavy like the Eletre, Lotus is still claiming that the 905-hp version will get to 62 mph in less than 2.8 seconds and go on to a 159 mph top speed. It’s fitted with a standard air suspension and features all sorts of active aerodynamic elements such as front-grille shutters, a rear diffuser, and a rear spoiler that deploys to create more downforce at speed.Official range estimates for the Emeya are not available yet, but Lotus says they’ll be similar to the Eletre’s numbers—meaning a range of between 260 miles and 315 miles depending on configuration. The Emeya is also capable of DC fast-charging at up to 350 kilowatts.The interior looks highly modern and is trimmed in materials including Alcantara, Nappa leather, and aluminum. There’s a large infotainment touchscreen sprouting for the dashboard, and a 55.0-inch augmented-reality head-up display will also be available. A four-seat arrangement is pictured with rear bucket seats, but there will also be a rear bench available to bring passenger capacity to five. The rear hatch opens to reveal a somewhat spacious-looking cargo area.Lotus says that production of the Emeya will start in 2024 and that it will arrive in the U.S. as a 2025 model. Pricing won’t be released until later, but we figure it will start north of $100,000, with the top 905-hp version pushing well beyond $150,000.More on Lotus EVsThis 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

Nissan has teased a new Frontier model that’s inspired by the original Hardbody truck from the 1980s and ’90s.The Hardbody edition will be revealed on September 14, and we may have already seen some of its features.The Project Hardbody concept that debuted at the 2022 Chicago auto show sported a lifted ride height, knobby tires wrapping retro-looking wheels, and a sport bar.Retro trucks are rad. Among the raddest is the original Nissan Hardbody pickup from the ’80s and ’90s, and it looks like the modern-day Nissan Frontier will be getting a special edition based on its forebearer. The details of that truck will be revealed next week on September 14, and while Nissan today whet our appetite with the teaser photos shown above, we might already have a good idea of what the real deal will look like.A Concept Comes to LifeDuring the 2022 Chicago auto show, Nissan unveiled the Project Hardbody concept, which was an homage to the original pickup’s Desert Runner model. Along with a red paint job reminiscent of the one worn by the old Hardbody, the concept featured a lifted ride height along with BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires mounted on cool wheels that look identical to the old-school set.Among the concept’s other notable equipment are black overfenders, a front skid plate, and a sport bar with a pair of lights. A spare tire is mounted in the bed, and black “4×4” decals are plastered on the side of the front doors. While Nissan didn’t show any of those details in the teaser image it released today, judging by that truck’s glossy black front fascia, chunky tread pattern, and black hood decal, we’re betting the 2024 Frontier Hardbody edition will look a lot like the concept.The features that will come on the yet-to-be-revealed Frontier remain to be seen, but it’s a good bet that truck will have the same 310-hp naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V-6 and the nine-speed automatic transmission that’s standard on every other Frontier. We also wouldn’t be surprised if the Hardbody-inspired edition is based on the off-road-oriented Pro-4X model, which means it’ll likely start north of $37K. We’ll find out more next week.Explore the FrontierThis 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 EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More

The 2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost’s 4.5-second sprint to 60 mph makes it the quickest four-pot ‘Stang we’ve tested thus far.That said, we never tested the last generation’s 330-hp hi-po with an automatic, but we’re pretty confident the 2024 would put up a serious fight.The EcoBoost we tested came equipped with the $3475 High Performance package with summer tires and upgraded brakes.Welcome to Car and Driver’s Testing Hub, where we zoom in on the test numbers. We’ve been pushing vehicles to their limits since 1956 to provide objective data to bolster our subjective impressions (you can see how we test here).When a flashy new Ford Mustang shows up at C/D headquarters, loaded with performance-specific upgrades, you know we must subject it to some lively acceleration testing. Now that we have, it appears we have a new king of the hill. With a recorded 60-mph time of 4.5 seconds, the 2024 Mustang EcoBoost is officially the quickest four-cylinder Mustang we’ve had the privilege of testing.Drag Strip Mode Is GoldWe noticed a few interesting things during our examination. Over multiple attempts, the Drag Strip drive mode proved worth its weight in gold, saving a tenth or two on the way to 60 mph. As testing director Dave VanderWerp puts it, “Drag Strip mode really bangs home the shifts.” The EcoBoost also chirps its tires on the one-two upshift, which is a fun little flourish. Now, it’s worth pointing out that there’s a small asterisk involved—Barry Bonds style. While this EcoBoost absolutely trounced the manual 2020 model we evaluated as part of a comparison test, beating the stick to 60 by half a second, there is a missing variant that could give this 2024 a run for its money. We weren’t able to test the outgoing generation’s Performance Pack-equipped, 330-horsepower, automatic-transmission variant, which is as closely matched to the 2024 model as any before it. The last EcoBoost automatic we tested, a 2018 model with 310 hp, was just a tenth quicker than the Performance-Pack manual at 4.9 seconds to 60.Stacking Up StangsOther points of comparison favor the Mustang too. The new Stang continued its motive-force routing, besting the 2020 in the quarter mile with a 13.2-second run at 103 mph, with the previous manual at 13.6 seconds at 102 mph and the automatic coming in at 13.4 seconds at 100 mph. In the opposite direction, our EcoBoost Performance Pack’s brakes clamped down from 70 mph in 149 feet, barely edging past the 2020 model’s 153-foot stop. The gulf widens slightly at 100 mph, where it takes the 2024 EcoBoost 293 feet to stop, versus the 2020 EcoBoost’s 308 feet. When it’s time to turn, the tide changes; the 2024 EcoBoost fared worse on our 300-foot skidpad (0.95 g versus 2020’s 1.02 g). But that’s because the previous car had far more serious tires; Pirelli P Zero Corsa PCZ4s versus P Zero PZ4s on the 2024 model, and the new model’s 255/40R-19s are slightly narrower than the 265-width Corsas, too. Marc Urbano|Car and DriverWhile the latest EcoBoost may not pack the same 330 horsepower as the outgoing Performance Pack model, the four-cylinder Mustang did receive some powertrain bumps for 2024. The turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four under the hood makes 315 horsepower (up from 310) and 350 pound-feet of torque. This is good, because its curb weight is also up slightly; at 3812 pounds, it’s 62 more than our 2018 automatic test car. Sadly, the manual transmission is no longer offered on EcoBoost models this year, but as we’ve seen above, the 10-speed automatic is plenty good on its own. Performance Pack ExplainedSo, what’s in this mysterious Performance Pack? Throw Ford $3475 and it’ll boost your Mustang’s street cred with wider wheels and Pirelli P Zero PZ4 tires, MagneRide adaptive dampers, beefier Brembo brakes, extra bracing in the engine bay, and a 3.55:1 Torsen limited-slip differential. Oh yeah, it also adds the “drift stick,” which is a proper lever for the electronic parking brake that lets you get up to even dumber stuff than you otherwise would.A final fun fact: This spec of 2024 EcoBoost is only one second quicker to 60 mph than a 2023 F-250 SuperCrew 4×4. Be careful who you try to race for pinks, folks.New Mustangs Reviewed!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 EditorCars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about that half-finished engineering degree. More