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The 2023 Toyota Prius isn’t just prettier than its predecessor; its straight-line performance is also considerably better.The new front-wheel-drive Prius we tested hit 60 mph in 7.1 seconds, making it 3.4 seconds quicker than its older equivalent.The Prius’s improved acceleration comes with an enhanced hybrid powertrain that produces a lot more horsepower.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). A more comprehensive review of the 2023 Toyota Prius can be found here.In what world is a hybrid’s straight-line performance important? Welcome to Car and Driver! Thanks for stopping by. For those who haven’t heard, the new fifth-generation Toyota Prius is preparing to hit the streets, and we’ve already subjected it to our signature series of track tests. The results speak volumes: Toyota’s proverbial hybrid is not only a lot prettier, but it’s a lot quicker, too. The 2023 Prius hit 60 mph in 7.1 seconds—a noteworthy 3.4 ticks ahead of its predecessor, which took a pitifully slow 10.5 seconds to hit that mark.Prius Palate CleanserBefore we compare the rest of the new Prius’s test numbers with those of the old one, let’s reset the deck. The 2023 Toyota Prius kickstarts a new generation with a makeover that most people with two working eyes would call attractive at worst and drop-dead gorgeous at best. (The latter likely applies to owners of one or more of the previous generations). While the hybrid hatchback’s visual shift from dorky to sexy is a hot topic of conversation, here at Car and Driver, we like to offset subjective musing with objective testing.Previewing the New PriusUnderneath the Prius’s hot new bod is an enhanced hybrid powertrain. As with the outgoing versions, the incoming ones are still available with front- or all-wheel drive. Along with switching from a nickel-metal-hydride battery to a lithium-ion pack, the Prius’s gas-fed engine goes from a 1.8-liter four-cylinder to a larger 2.0-liter four-pot.The growth spurt in engine displacement brings a big bump in horsepower too, with output rising from 121 total horses to between 194 and 196 combined ponies for the front- and all-wheel-drive models, respectively. There’s also a new plug-in-hybrid Prius Prime that headlines with 220 horsepower (also up from 121 hp), but we haven’t yet had the chance to test one.Quickest Prius We’ve Ever Tested (So Far)The only 2023 Prius we’ve strapped our test gear to so far is a top-spec Limited trim with front-wheel drive. For comparison’s sake, that setup most closely corresponds with the 2017 Prius Three (same front-drive configuration) we tested several years back.Despite some increased dimensions and the addition of upgraded equipment, the new Prius isn’t much heavier than before. The 2023 example tipped our scales at 3199 pounds, a reasonable 86 pounds more than the 3113-pound 2017 version. The new Prius still carries about 60 percent of its curb weight up front.2017 Prius Three.As we revealed earlier, the new Prius hit 60 mph in 7.1 seconds. That’s an unremarkable time when taken out of context. However, compared with the 10.5 ticks the old Prius needed to reach the mile-per-minute mark, that 3.4-second improvement is cause for celebration—at least among folks who extol the joy of driving.The new Prius proved significantly quicker in our other acceleration tests, too. Its quarter-mile time dropped more than two seconds, from 17.8 seconds at 79 mph to 15.5 seconds at 92 mph. The 2023 model should also reduce any lingering anxiety when executing passes on the highway, as the hybrid now accelerates from 50 to 70 mph in 5 seconds flat (2.1 seconds quicker than before).Marc Urbano|Car and DriverOn the rare occasions a new Prius driver wants to seek speeds in triple-digit territory, it’s remarkable how much quicker they can do it. We hit 100 mph in 18.8 seconds. That’s an incredible 11.7 seconds quicker than its predecessor, which took 30.5 ticks. The old car also needed 43.2 seconds to reach 110 mph; the new one did the deed in 24.4 seconds.More Prius Tests to ComeThe last all-wheel-drive Prius we tested was three-tenths slower to 60 mph (10.8 seconds) than its front-drive counterpart, which suggests the new all-wheel-drive version might not be quicker either. Still, we’ll have to wait until we test one to find out. The same goes for the new Prius Prime; the outgoing example we tested took 10.3 seconds to hit 60 mph.For now, the new front-drive 2023 Prius is the quickest Prius we’ve ever tested. Only time will tell if the hybrid’s newfound speed will require sacrifices at the fuel pump. Toyota claims the new Prius is more efficient than the last, targeting an EPA-rated 57 mpg combined versus the previous high of 56 mpg combined. However, we’ll see if our real-world fuel-economy test says differently. Stay tuned.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.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

This content is imported from youTube. 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.IIHS crash propulsion system still pulling its weightWatch onIIHS has been crashing vehicles into barricades for decades. Until now, the heaviest vehicle the organization has tested was a 6000-pound Audi e-tron.With heavier electric vehicles on the way, like the 9640-pound Hummer EV, IIHS wanted to make sure it could handle bringing something that heavy up to speed in the crash chamber.To that end, an old Ford F-150 was loaded with concrete and steel and successfully smashed. IIHS, of course, provides the video receipts.After a crash, first responders need to approach electric vehicles differently than internal combustion engine vehicles. But even before a collision happens, people who work with crashed cars are changing their approach.That’s what the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has discovered as it gets ready to crash test some incredibly heavy EVs. In a video posted to YouTube, IIHS explains that it acquired a junked Ford F-150 that could still roll and loaded it up until the total weight hit 9500 pounds. The heavy tests aren’t meant to see what happens when an old F-150 loaded with concrete blocks and heavy steel plates hits a wall at 40 miles per hour (spoiler alert, it’s not pretty), but to make sure that IIHS’s test equipment can handle testing, for example, the GMC Hummer EV, which in our testing measured the scales at a whopping 9640 pounds. The heaviest vehicle IIHS has yet tested was an Audi e-tron that almost hit 6000 pounds.”With electric vehicles coming in and that battery weight pushing vehicle mass higher and higher, we want to be able to know that we can conduct the test here,” Raul Arbelaez, vice preside of vehicle research at IIHS, said in the video. “And if we can’t, we need to make some modifications to our crash machine.”More on the IIHSThe machines IIHS uses tow cables connected to the crash machine to bring the vehicles up to speed before they hit the barrier. IIHS has 600 feet of runway, but when you’re trying to get almost five tons of steel and batteries to 40 mph, you need a robust propulsion system. Based on the video IIHS released, the system works just fine. Stand by for slow-motion videos of a giant, zero-emission beast being torn apart.IIHS has studied the effect of vehicle size and weight on occupant safety for decades. In 2003, automakers entered into a “compatibility agreement” that they would work on improving the safety of smaller vehicles when in a crash with a larger one, especially when it came to front-to-front and front-to-side crashes. The agreement was finally adhered to in 2009, and a 2012 paper noted that the reduction in “car crash partner death rates” for SUVs and pickups had dropped, and that intentional safety efforts in specific areas like this one could lead to “a passenger vehicle fleet that is much more compatible in crashes.”This content is imported from youTube. 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.This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Mazda has revealed a bit more about the new 2024 CX-90 three-row SUV.We now know that it will be offered with a plug-in-hybrid powertrain, in addition to the previously announced inline-six.A teaser image showing the rear end provides a glimpse of the taillight design and the “e-Skyactiv PHEV” badge.The new 2024 CX-90 three-row SUV will be Mazda’s first plug-in-hybrid model in the U.S. when it debuts next month. The company confirmed that a PHEV option will be offered, in addition to the previously announced inline-six engine, and partially revealed the crossover’s rear end and its “e-Skyactiv PHEV” badge with blue accents.We expect the plug-in-hybrid model to use a similar setup as the Europe-market CX-60, which we drove earlier this year. That SUV, which rides on the same longitudinal platform as the CX-90, has a 2.5-liter inline-four gasoline engine and an electric motor that combine for 323 horsepower and 369 pound-feet. A 17.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack provides a claimed electric-only range of 35 miles, although Mazda does hint that the U.S. version of this powertrain could have slightly different specifications.More on Mazda SUVsFrom what we’ve seen so far, we think the CX-90’s styling will mostly fall in line with Mazda’s current SUV lineup, although the taillight shape looks a bit more angular and modern. Its interior is also likely to be luxurious, as the CX-90 is part of Mazda’s continued push upmarket. The longitudinal platform and inline-six engine will help this new model compete with premium-brand SUVs, as will this PHEV variant that could rival hybrid SUVs such as the BMW X5, Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, and Volvo XC90.We’ll find out lots more about the CX-90 when it debuts in January 2023, so stay tuned for more information about this new SUV model.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.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Subaru announced a recall for certain 2019–2022 Ascent SUVs over an issue relating to a bolt connected to the Postive Temperature Coefficient heater.Subaru warned owners to park affected vehicles away from garages, car ports and other structures until a repair has been completed. The recall has not yet appeared on the NHTSA website, but Subaru gave an official statement here, and plans to contact owners by mail within 60 days. Subaru is issuing a safety recall for certain 2019-2022 Ascent SUVs. In an email to Car and Driver, Subaru confirmed that the recall affects 271,694 vehicles, a figure which will be represented in a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) posting tomorrow. According to Subaru, the issue stems from a ground bolt that secures the ground terminal of the Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater being improperly fastened during production. In affected vehicles, the loose bolt increases the chance of the ground terminal melting while the PTC is in use, which could lead to a fire.At the time of issuing the recall, Subaru does not know of any crashes or injuries related to the potential defect. The manufacturer will replace the PTC Heater Ground Bolts at no cost to owners, and may replace the ground wire and connector holder if deemed necessary. According to the statement from Subaru, 0.6 percent of the recalled vehicles will require ground and connector replacement. Until repairs are completed, Subaru is warning owners to park away from garages, car ports and other structures due to the risk of a fire. If owners notice or smell smoke from the dash or the driver’s-side footwell, they are recommended to immediately stop driving and turn the ignition to the “off” position before contacting roadside assistance. This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More