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Ford Performance is set to enter the famed Dakar Rally for the first time ever, which takes place in Saudi Arabia in January 2024. Ford will join with partners M-Sport and Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) to field a T1+-class modified Ford Ranger for 2024. According to Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance, Ford will use 2024 as a learning experience before bringing a Ranger Raptor–based truck and going for a win in 2025. The Ford Motor Company is going racing, and no, this time it isn’t in response to a recent Ferrari victory at Le Mans. Instead, Ford Performance will be taking on the famous and physically demanding Dakar Rally. The Blue Oval will team up with longtime partners M-Sport and Neil Woolridge Motorsport (NWM) to field the required T1+-class truck for the competition. Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance, told Car and Driver some details about Ford’s entry into the famed rally. When it enters the race for the first time in 2024, Ford will run a modified version of the fourth-generation Ranger, built to the Dakar’s T1+ specifications. Current-generation NWM Ford Ranger T1+.FordAccording to Rushbrook, the 2024 race will be a “finish and learn effort” for Ford, because racing the Dakar Rally is grueling on the truck and team alike. He plans to use the race as an opportunity for the team to learn the necessary logistics to mount a strong competition at the race. The team also plans to compete at Spain’s Baja España Aragón and Morocco’s Rally du Maroc rallies in July and October, using both races as a testbed before the Dakar Rally in January. Currently, the NWM-built competition trucks use the same twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 EcoBoost engine as the F-150 Raptor. The harsh terrain of Saudi Arabia makes suspension a vital part of the truck. On the NWM Ranger, that means suspension making use of 3.0-inch-diameter single dampers on each corner, which provide up to 13.8 inches of wheel travel to cushion the landing when cresting desert dunes. Stopping power is handled through a set of 13.9-inch Brembo disc brakes, complete with water-cooled calipers to handle extreme heat. All-New Truck for the January 2025 RallyUsing what they learn in the 2024 event, Ford and Rushbrook plan to mount the offensive in the following year. “We will prepare and build and test and develop an all new truck through 2024. That we will take back to race in January of 2025, with the intent of competing for the win,” he told C/D.FordMore Ford PerformanceNot only will they be armed with the knowledge and experience of having actually competed in the event, but they also plan to bring a completely new truck. While the fourth-generation Ranger underpins the current NWM T1+ Ranger, the 2025 entry will be built on the newer Ranger Raptor platform. When we asked Rushbrook if that meant the new truck would utilize the Raptor’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 rather than the current 3.5-liter, he instead pointed out that the FIA regulations allow for use of any engine from within the Ford family, but wouldn’t give specifics yet. All this talk of M-Sport–developed vehicles and Ford Performance has us thinking of the 5.4-liter V-8 in the Mustang GT3 that was just revealed . . . perhaps that’s a conversation for next time.More Details and SpecsAssociate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

Stellantis has issued a recall on 2021 through 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokees over a faulty coil spring.According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the problem potentially affects about 331,000 2022—2023 Grand Cherokee and 2021–2023 Grand Cherokee L SUVs.Owners of these vehicles will be receiving a letter by July 28, and the issue will be fixed free of charge by the dealer.Owners of 2021 through 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokees may soon receive a recall notice over a problem with the SUVs’ coil springs. According to the automaker, Stellantis, a total of 331,401 Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L models may have incorrectly installed rear coil springs. Included in the recall are 217,099 Grand Cherokee L and 114,302 Grand Cherokee SUVs. Grand Cherokees with the optional air suspension are not involved.The report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) details a “potentially out-of-position rear coil spring” as an issue that occurred during manufacturing in May 2023, making it possible the spring could detach while the vehicle is in motion. The separation could cause loss of control and increase the risk of an accident. As of May 25, the automaker was made aware of two customer assistance records, 17 warranty claims, and two field reports potentially related to the issue. There have been no reports of accidents or injuries directly related to the malfunctioning springs. The recall report estimates that only about 13 percent of the 331,401 recalled vehicles are likely to have the problem, and Grand Cherokees built after May 31 are not involved. Stellantis will send notifications to owners about the current recall by late July. In the meantime, Grand Cherokee owners can check whether their vehicle is affected on the NHTSA recalls website.Recent RecallsCar and driverCar and driver Lettermark logoSummer Editorial InternAlessandra Kaestner, a Chicago native, has always been interested in journalism. She remembers listening to NPR every day before school with her parents and trying to race her dad to get the New York Times from the front door. Alessandra continued her passion for journalism by working at her university’s newspaper during her first year and into her sophomore year: the Cornell Daily Sun. She is majoring in psychology and philosophy and wants to explore law and journalism. Although she does not have a lot of background in the world of cars, Alessandra is interested in expanding her knowledge and gaining experience. She could not be more excited to work with so many talented people at Car and Driver. More

The 2024 Nissan Sentra is here with new exterior styling, highlighted by redesigned headlights and a new front fascia. The interior is slightly redesigned for the Sentra, and unlike its Chinese twin the Sylphy, the Sentra sticks to its 7.0- and 8.0-inch infotainment screens.The Sentra now has an engine start-stop feature, which Nissan says will help improve fuel economy figures.Nissan is adding some more visual flair to the 2024 Nissan Sentra while keeping meaningful changes light. Now in its fifth generation, the affordable compact sedan was due for a facelift. We’ve had some idea of what the changes would look like after spotting updates to the Sentra’s China-market twin the Sylphy back in March, though it seems that the U.S.-spec version isn’t exactly the same. The extent of the changes for the Sentra depend on the chosen trim level. All trims have a restyled front fascia and new headlights, along with new 16- and 18-inch wheel designs. Stepping up to the top trim SR adds a restyled rear bumper as well and a new color for the contrasting interior accent stitching.Inside, the changes are less noticeable. Unlike the Sylphy, which gained much larger 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, the 2024 Sentra marches on with the same old 7.0- and 8.0-inch infotainment screens. The Sentra also has a revised CVT automatic that promises smoother faux “shift” patterns. When paired with the new engine start-stop feature, these powertrain improvements should improve on the standard 2.0-liter inline-four engine’s already competitive fuel economy figures. EPA fuel-economy figures aren’t yet available, but the Sentra previously achieved EPA combined ratings of 33 mpg and 32 mpg for the SR trim. The only other change for the 2024 model comes in the way of Nissan adding its Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of safety features as standard. More on the SentraDetails such as pricing won’t be released until closer to the late summer, when Nissan plans to put the refreshed Sentra on sale. With so few changes, we don’t expect the price will change all that much, and it will likely hover around $22,000 to start. Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

The 2024 Honda CR-V Sport-L toes the line between the Sport and Sport Touring trims.Honda increases the 2024 CR-V’s base price by $1090, with the entry-level LX stickering for $30,795.The Sport-L trim comes standard with front-wheel drive and starts at $37,645. Honda expands the CR-V lineup for 2024 with the addition of the Sport-L trim level. Offered exclusively with the CR-V’s hybrid powertrain, the Sport-L bridges the gap between the cloth-seated CR-V Sport and flagship Sport Touring trims, both of which are also hybrid-only affairs.A New Hybrid CR-V Trim Don’t think of the $37,645 Sport-L as just a CR-V Sport with leather seats, though, as Honda also fits the model with a number of convenience items it previously reserved for the gas-powered EX-L and gas-electric Sport Touring guises. This includes a power-operated tailgate (there’s no kick-to-open feature, though, as Honda reserves that for the Sport Touring), a four-way power passenger seat, front and rear parking sensors, a wireless charging pad, satellite radio, driver’s seat memory, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Additionally, the Sport-L comes standard with a 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system (2.0 inches larger than the Sport’s) and an eight-speaker audio system that betters the Sport’s six-speaker setup but falls short of the Sport Touring’s Bose-branded 12-speaker system. Andi Hedrick|Car and DriverFrom the outside, the Sport-L looks more like its lesser Sport sibling than the higher-end Sport Touring. Whereas the top-end CR-V Hybrid relies on a set of 19-inch wheels and tires, the Sport-L retains the Sport’s 18-inch units. Likewise, the Sport-L comes standard with front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive adding $1500 to the bill. As is the case with its gas-electric stablemates, the Sport-L comes standard with a 204-hp hybrid powertrain that consists of a four-cylinder gas engine and two electric motors. 2024 CR-V Costs MoreFor 2024, the nonhybrid CR-V LX, EX, and EX-L models continue to make do with a 190-hp 1.5-liter turbo four. In fact, the rest of the sixth-generation CR-V lineup largely carries over for its sophomore year. That said, the model’s cost of entry jumps $1090 for 2024, with the base LX model now stickering for $30,795.Related StoriesSenior EditorDespite their shared last name, Greg Fink is not related to Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s infamous Rat Fink. Both Finks, however, are known for their love of cars, car culture, and—strangely—monogrammed one-piece bathing suits. Greg’s career in the media industry goes back more than a decade. His previous experience includes stints as an editor at publications such as U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Motor1.com, and MotorTrend. More

The Toyota Land Cruiser will return to America, based on posts by the automaker’s U.S. social media accounts.Along with a clip showing photos of past Land Cruiser badges, Toyota of America wrote, “The legend returns.”With Lexus recently revealing a new GX, it’s plausible the next U.S.-bound Land Cruiser could share that SUV’s body-on-frame platform.Like a killer in a slasher flick, the Toyota Land Cruiser that’s sold in America didn’t stay dead. Toyota today posted a short clip showing past Land Cruiser badges on its U.S. social media accounts along with the words, “The legend returns.” While the company didn’t release any other details, it’s clear the Land Cruiser nameplate is officially returning to our shores.Following the 2021 model year, Toyota decided to discontinue the 200-series Land Cruiser in America. Meanwhile, the new 300-series debuted in other markets before making its way to the U.S. in the form of the more upscale Lexus LX. The next Land Cruiser we get isn’t expected to be based on the 300-series, though. Instead, it could possibly share a body-on-frame platform with the new 2024 Lexus GX.The new mid-size GX was conceived as a Lexus from the beginning, but we think it’s entirely possible that it could also provide the basis for the next-gen Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, which is sold globally as a smaller version of the full-size LC as well as the GX’s corporate counterpart. Toyota could then drop “Prado” from the name and sell it in America as just Land Cruiser. This speculation is further backed by a report by Automotive News, who made similar claims citing a person familiar with Toyota’s plan.That’s all we know for now, but stay tuned as more information on the Land Cruiser’s U.S. return is expected to trickle out over the next couple months.The Iconic Land CruiserThis 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

NHTSA data on crashes involving driver-assistance technology show that more people have been getting injured and killed since Tesla expanded the use of its Full Self-Driving technology.The Washington Post analyzed NHTSA’s numbers and found that Autopilot was involved in 736 crashes since 2019, including 17 fatalities.NHTSA is currently investigating how the Autopilot technology interacts with stopped emergency vehicles, something that has been a known problem for years.Tesla’s Autopilot software has been involved with more deaths and injuries than previously known: a total of 17 fatalities and 736 crashes since 2019, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) analyzed by the Washington Post.Officially, Telsa describes Autopilot as “an SAE Level 2 driving automation system designed to support and assist the driver in performing the driving task,” as cited by NHTSA. Autopilot is not an autonomous driving technology, but the new numbers suggest people are treating it that way, sometimes resulting in tragedy. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently stated in an interview with the Associated Press that he believes the name is misleading. “I don’t think that something should be called, for example, an Autopilot, when the fine print says you need to have your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road at all times,” he said.Details and VideoThe last time NHTSA released information on fatalities connected to Autopilot, in June 2022, it only tied three deaths to the technology. Less than a year later, the most recent numbers suggest 17 fatalities, with 11 of them happening since May 2022. The Post notes that the increase in the number of crashes happened alongside a rapid expansion of Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” software from around 12,000 vehicles to almost 400,000 in about a year. That increase was reported in Tesla’s 2022 fourth-quarter Quarterly Update, where it called the rollout “an important milestone for our company” and noted, “Every customer in the U.S. and Canada can now access FSD Beta functionality upon purchase/subscription and start experiencing the evolution of AI-powered autonomy.”Tesla Model Y Performance.Marc Urbano|Car and Driver830,000 Teslas under InvestigationNHTSA has been collecting detailed data on crashes involving driver-assistance technology since 2021. Almost all of the 807 automation-related crashes in this data set involved a Tesla vehicle. Subaru came in second with 23. The Post discovered that four of the 17 Tesla-linked fatalities involved a motorcycle, and one involved an emergency vehicle. In April 2021, NHTSA asked Tesla for information not just about Autopilot but also specific information “regarding recent crashes involving emergency services vehicles and incidents involving inattentive drivers.”Questions over Autopilot’s ability to see and react to stopped emergency vehicles continued to be a question of concern, and on August 18, 2022, NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) told Tesla it had upgraded its investigation from a Preliminary Evaluation to an Engineering Analysis. The investigation into the 2014–2022 Tesla Model Y, Model X, Model S, and Model 3 remains open and involves an estimated 830,000 vehicles.play iconThe triangle icon that indicates to play”NHTSA has an active investigation into Tesla Autopilot, including Full Self-Driving,” spokesperson Veronica Morales told the Post, declining to comment further on the ongoing investigation. “NHTSA reminds the public that all advanced driver-assistance systems require the human driver to be in control and fully engaged in the driving task at all times. Accordingly, all state laws hold the human driver responsible for the operation of their vehicles.”The Post also interviewed experts who said the recent increase in Autopilot-related crashes could be the result of changes Tesla CEO Elon Musk made, including eliminating radar sensors from new Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in 2021 and from the Model S and the Model X in 2022. Tesla and Elon Musk did not respond to the Post’s request for comment.Contributing EditorSebastian Blanco has been writing about electric vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen cars since 2006. His articles and car reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Automotive News, Reuters, SAE, Autoblog, InsideEVs, Trucks.com, Car Talk, and other outlets. His first green-car media event was the launch of the Tesla Roadster, and since then he has been tracking the shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles and discovering the new technology’s importance not just for the auto industry, but for the world as a whole. Throw in the recent shift to autonomous vehicles, and there are more interesting changes happening now than most people can wrap their heads around. You can find him on Twitter or, on good days, behind the wheel of a new EV.  More

Buick’s lineup is going through some changes. While waiting to welcome the Envista SUV to American showrooms, the company is busy refreshing its current offerings. After introducing its new look and logo on the refreshed Encore GX, Buick gives a similar makeover to the 2024 Envision.The Face of a WildcatInspired by the Buick Wildcat concept—an eccentric electric coupe that was purely a design exercise—the Envision’s facelift not only makes the compact SUV look fresh, but it also ensures that its exterior styling aligns with the Encore GX and the upcoming Envista. The look is highlighted by the pointy, high-mounted LED accent lights that sit above discreetly integrated headlights. The new trapezoidal grille also sits lower than the one it replaces, and the ’24 Envision sees the addition of Buick’s new tri-shield logo. BuickWhile Buick hasn’t released photos that show the entire dashboard, it’s clear from the image above that it’ll feature dash-mounted digital displays like those found on the 2024 Encore GX. The latter setup combines an 8.0-inch gauge cluster and an 11.0-inch touchscreen under a single piece of glass. It’s possible that could be the Envision’s base configuration, but it’ll likely at least offer larger displays, possibly reserved for the top-spec Avenir trim and potentially the 30-inch curved OLED screen from the Chinese Buick Electra E5.Buick Adds Super CruiseFor 2024, the Envision becomes available with GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving technology. This makes the Envision the first Buick to offer the feature, which allows the vehicle to cruise without the driver’s hands on the steering wheel. It can even change lanes on its own, but Super Cruise currently only works on limited-access freeways that have been mapped.Buick is being coy with other details about the updated Envision, so we’ll have to wait awhile longer until the list of available features, powertrain specs, and pricing are released. The outgoing 2023 Buick Envista had a base price of $34,745 and was offered with three trim levels: Preferred, Essence, and Avenir. All three were powered by a 228-hp turbo four with either front- or all-wheel drive. While we could see the Sport Touring (ST) package become a standalone trim on the 2024 Buick Envision, like what happened with the updated Encore, we don’t expect any powertrain changes.New Faces of BuickThis 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