Tag Archives: crossovers

Ever since the EV1 of the late 1990s, General Motors has led the pack in forward-facing electric vehicle production. That first foray into electrification suffered an ignominious fate, sure, but soon enough, the Chevrolet Volt and then the Bolt carried on GM’s EV mantle—which most recently resulted in the absurdly gargantuan revival of the Hummer as a fully electric brute capable of crab-walking and four-wheeling alike. To an extent, the Volt, early Bolts, and especially the six-figure Hummer EV can be considered niche vehicles. Now, with the debut of a fully-electric 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV, Chevrolet purposefully designed and engineered a crossover built for the purpose of converting a wider swath of EV holdouts.

The newly electrified Blazer joins two gasoline engine options to create a full run of eight different powertrain variants, even before selecting various trim and options packages. Is that too much for consumers? Well, at a recent media drive program in the hills of San Diego, Chevy introduced the new EV in a perfect setting to show off attractive design and impressive driving dynamics, as well as solid proof for every EV’s most important stat: real-world range.

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• Specs
• Design
• Price
• Interior and tech
• Smooth operator
• AWD zap!
• Posh and quiet
• A fine crossover

Price and specs

Note that not every tidbit of information is currently available at the time of publishing. MPGe for front or rear-drive variants are yet to be revealed on the fuel economy.gov website, and exact performance measurements are yet to be tested. Thankfully, this first drive event still gave us more than a clear enough view of what to expect from the Bowtie’s forthcoming cyberpunk soccer practice shuttle.

Chevrolet Blazer EV: see prices at CarGurus

Base price:	$44,995 (minus rebates)
As-test price:	$60,215 (2RS AWD minus rebates)
Electric motor options:	dual motor, front bar-wound, rear induction without magnet
Transmission:	single-speed direct drive
Drivetrain options:	front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive
Power:	288 hp/212 kW combined (2RS AWD), 340 hp available for RWD, up to 557 hp (SS)
Torque:	333 lb-ft/451 Nm combined (2RS AWD), 325 lb-ft available for RWD, up to 648 lb-ft (SS)
Weight:	TBA
Zero-to-60 mph:	TBA; approx. <4 seconds (SS)
¼-mile:	TBA
MPGe:	TBA (FWD, RWD), 103 city, 88 highway, 96 combined (AWD)
Battery Capacity:	85 kWh (102 kWh available)
EPA Range:	279 miles (up to 324 miles available)
Charging:	150 kW DC fast charging (up to 190 kW available)
10-min fast charging capability:	69 miles (RS AWD), 79 miles (RS RWD)

Exterior design

From more than 50 feet away, the ICE and EV Blazer siblings look nearly indistinguishable. But up close, GM’s Ultium chassis beneath the skin clearly allowed Chevrolet to scoot the wheels further out towards the EV’s corners, which creates a sportier form highlighted by slightly swoopier aero lines. Large 21-inch wheels, Y-shaped taillights, and an optional front light bar on highly equipped versions help to add a stylized futurist aesthetic in contrast to the more restrained ICE design.

Overall, the almost Mazda-esque shape comes together best on white, black, and silver Blazers, though some of the details add up to make brighter metallic colors a bit showy. A host of piano black plastic cladding, so popular on EVs these days, detracts from otherwise clean lines and fades away best when camouflaged by simpler paint jobs.

What’s hot?

– Sporty and smooth driving dynamics for an electric crossover – Prioritizing NVH makes the EV experience much more palatable – Tech galore on a class-leading touchscreen – Easy to just get in and drive

Chevrolet Blazer EV pricing breakdown

Chevrolet promised earlier this year that a base 1LT model Blazer EV would start at $44,995 minus any rebates and incentives, but the RS AWD trim on hand in San Diego ratchets that price tag up to just above $60,000 quite quickly. Filling mid-level slots in the gradewalk, the 2LT and RS FWD will cost $47,595 and $51,995, respectively.

Production of the AWD Blazers began in the summer, but other trims will begin assembly soon. Meanwhile, the highest-performance SS package offering 557 horsepower and 648 lb-ft of torque will be priced at $65,995, with deliveries slated for later in 2024.

Chevrolet Blazer EV interior and tech

Pushing all four wheels towards the Blazer’s corners only accentuates this EV’s interior volume. Four full-sized adults will fit with plenty of head and legroom, all without impinging on a best-in-class 59.8 cubic feet of rear trunk capacity (with the back seats upright). Beneath the trunk floor, a small cargo hold adds to that figure, flanked by flat tire kits in place of a full-size spare.

The interior design features fun retro-themed climate vents plus a fair amount of piano key switchgear and physical knobs, but the entire experience centers around a massive 17.7-inch panoramic touchscreen atop the dash. Plenty of adjustable drive mode settings and EV-specific navigation tools work seamlessly with Google’s Built-In program and Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, of course. 

In fact, the Blazer EV dash can house up to four screens counting the main center display, the driver’s gauge cluster, a standard Head-Up Display, and an optional digital camera rearview mirror. Both the main touchscreen and gauge cluster allow for easy configuration and prioritization of common widgets, including an easy way to switch headlights on and off, plus even an off button for the whole vehicle (which so many EVs frustratingly lack).

Surprisingly, the higher RS package does not offer a panoramic roof, though the lower-spec LT trim does. The RS gets ventilated seats standard, however, which is an important detail on EVs given that less efficient air conditioning for the whole cabin can affect range so significantly. Whether most buyers select the undeniably excessive red upholstery seems dubious, though Chevrolet’s loaner fleet will highlight that package for eye-catching media photos.

Smooth (and sporty) operator

Chevrolet first set journalists loose to explore San Diego in a fleet of the rear-wheel-drive RS variants, which use a single 250-kilowatt motor putting down the equivalent of 340 horsepower. First impressions on a series of winding sweepers showed off the Blazer EV’s impressive chassis dynamics, which toe the line between smooth and sporty with minimal body roll thanks to the low-slung Ultium skateboard.

Punching the go pedal (can’t call it a throttle, after all) produces a quick moment of jerk (the scientific term for rate of change of acceleration, I’m serious) but never the same kind of rollercoaster stomach lurch as other high-performing electrics. “Peppy” describes the rear-wheel-drive RS best, but straight-line speed probably takes a second-row seat to its cornering and confidence. A thick steering wheel rim accentuates that athletic nature, with a surprising amount of weight and feedback for an adjustable electronically assisted rack.

Switching through various drive modes changes the level of steering assist, as well as acceleration tip-in, brake pedal response, and faux engine sounds. Acclimating to the maximum one-pedal drive mode takes some time before neck-snapping at liftoff smooths out, but luckily a lower level of regen is easily selectable, as well. A configurable “My Mode” allows for a better balance between the various settings, critically to entirely switch off the silly fake engine noises.

All-wheel zap!

The next morning included far more drive time behind the wheel of an all-wheel-drive RS, which to the general confusion of everyone involved, actually combines for significantly less output than the single-motor rear-drive version. So yes, you read the above spec table correctly. In this case, a front 180-kW motor pairs with a small 67-kW helper motor at the rear axles to create a combined rating of only 288 horsepower, although max torque does increase to 333 pound-feet. That helper motor gives a bit of punch while cornering or on low-traction surfaces, but for the most part, the larger front motor handles power delivery, likely a concession to improved efficiency and, therefore, range.

The AWD RS similarly rides smooth and quiet, with plenty of pickup available up to around 50 miles an hour where pushing air starts to impinge on outright shove. Even running through canyons near Julian, California, where the composed suspension served as the star of the show, that questionable powertrain layout produced minimal torque steer despite its front-biased setup. Most importantly, while climbing 6,000 feet of elevation and then cruising back to sea level with plenty of journalistic exuberance and the A/C blasting, the AWD RS only pulled about 150 miles out of the fully charged 85-kWh battery to drive the full route’s 143-mile distance.

As posh and quiet as an EV should be

Not bad, Blazer. Not bad at all, and a good sign for the larger Ultium 102-kWh Ultium battery pack that will offer the option for an EPA-rated 324 miles of range. But probably the most impressive aspect of the Blazer EV can easily go unnoticed: the very hard work that GM put into reducing Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH). 

A square set of low rolling resistance Bridgestone Alenza A/S “Enliten” tires measures a respectable 275 millimeters wide at all four corners yet produces very little road hum even up to nearly triple-digit speeds. Mounting tires that wide on 21-inch wheels helps to minimize drag and maximize range but also contributes to the unshakeable stability of the Blazer while cornering hard in an effort to explore the limits of Chevy’s traction control and ESC programming. Only the occasional squeal of protest pushed the limits of the eco-focused rubber, and yet intervention by robot overlords never approached the edge of intrusiveness that many other electric powertrains struggle to exercise effectively.

The pre-production RWD RS did rattle a bit from the back seats, as perhaps expected. But the production version of the AWD RS almost approached Lucid levels of silence, an important factor due to the lack of an internal combustion engine to drown out little creaks and clunks. Similarly, while either ripping through canyons or rolling down the highway with adaptive cruise control on, minimal wind noise entered the cabin. (Of note: the Blazer EV will include an option for GM’s impressive Super Cruise Level 2+ autonomous driving system that works on over 400,000 miles of American roadway.) Even with the respectable sound system playing country music on low volume, the entire drive bordered on serene, which clearly points to the benefits that legacy automakers bring to the table when building mass-scale electric vehicles. 

What’s not?

– Priced surprisingly high for a General Motors EV – Exterior design can look busy on certain colors – Electric range lagging behind industry leaders, including GM’s own Hummer and forthcoming Silverado

A fine electric crossover in a fiercely competitive battlefield

Will customers find the dizzying range of choices between three different drivetrain layouts—FWD, AWD, and RWD—plus the two battery sizes and unexpected output ratings, not to mention the duo of gasoline Blazers, simply too extensive to make an educated decision? Paralysis by analysis seems likely, and the RS nomenclature seems a bit odd for a low-spec front-biased all-wheel-drive layout. Navigating the configurator on Chevy’s website will almost require a spreadsheet.

And then the pricetag for the RS AWD, at $60,215 as tested, somehow ends up higher than a more luxurious, more eye-catching Cadillac Lyriq. Maybe GM is banking on the fact that most customers who wanted a bold EV will flock to the Caddy’s obviously futuristic styling, while the target base for Blazer will lean more towards conservative shapes and lines. Either way, reps on hand in San Diego believed the Blazer EV would also qualify for federal and local rebates, given GM’s massive investments into American manufacturing.

Still, after the Bolt and its EUV variant snatch up the lower end of the EV market, while the Hummer EV and forthcoming Silverado EV offer so much more range, the Blazer’s pricing and spec gradewalk might have been the biggest surprise of the entire San Diego experience. Anyone expecting performance on par with Teslas and Lucids—or even Hyundai and Kia’s higher-performance Ioniq 5 N or EV6 GT—will need to wait for the SS next year and prepare to shell out stacks of cash for the matching front and rear motors to truly max out the Blazer chassis. In the meantime, the lower spec Blazers will certainly serve as a wide range of perfectly respectable EV options that can cater to just about any potential buyer priorities and demographics.

Not to toot our own horn. But we at Acceleramota have developed a bit of a reputation during our ongoing infancy for our colorful (and disjointed) mix of eclectic personalities, which some could argue is for better or worse. Pfft, I say the former, all bias accounted for. It’s that diversity in our tastes and backgrounds that creates stories worth telling, experiences worth sharing, and opinions worth, uh, debating. Yeah, debating, for sure. And what better topic for the internet than to dive into the world of downright hideous cars? I mean straight-up heinous, horrendous abominations. Cars where you’d almost believe the lead designers were drunk, high, or asleep at the helm. Why not? After all, this would be no greater exercise in trying to prove to the internet that there’s more to a car’s soul than what lies in its sheet metal. So scroll on through and see what Acceleramota crew justifies the ugliest cars that we still love.

Jeric: BMW M3 (G80)

At launch, the BMW G80 M3 sedan – and, by extension, the G82 M4 coupe –  was panned for its styling. It still is. Good. Because it’s fucking heinous. Just look at the thing. You can snort all the booger sugar right out of Latin America from across the Canadian border in one inhale with a schnoz that big. It’s an Angry Birds pig with a broken nose. Even those who’ve grown accustomed to the face still speak ill of its design language for existing in the first place. But I can forgive when the car drives as well as it does. 

While the Bimmer critics are correct on a few things, such as numb steering and inflated size, the G80 M3 is still a damn fine driver’s car or as good of a driver’s car as a 3,800-pound luxury sedan can be. The silky S58 straight-six engine is a powerhouse that makes all the right noises without being obnoxious. Gone are the days of the F80’s farty chainsaw rasp. The handling and grip levels defy its weight. The still-numb steering is accurate, quick, and more natural feeling than the F80’s. And the availability of a manual gearbox is heartwarming, even if it’s that love-it-or-hate-it BMW rubberiness (I love it).

The G80 is also easier to push hard than the F80, a huge plus unless you enjoy that older car’s more manic and explosive demeanor. That said, the G80 M3 is still a hellaciously power-drunk savage when prodded and a riot to drive, nonetheless, ugly mug or not.  

Gabe: first-generation Scion xB

Remember your first car? My dad found mine from a private seller for six grand with 110,000 miles on it. I wanted a Nissan Cube. But no, fortunately for me, those were prohibitively expensive at the time. Instead, I ended up with its superior Toyota counterpart, a state-of-the-art 2006 Scion xB. We called it “The Fridge,” and there was no name more befitting. Facebook boomers love to refer to EVs as appliances. But The Fridge was a real petrol-fueled kitchen appliance on wheels. It was weird. It was boxy. In that respect, it was Adam Driver.

Like the wardrobe to Narnia, the interior of the Scion xB was disproportionately vast. Its cabin was unexpectedly spacious, with more headroom and a larger cargo area than our Alfa Romeo Tonale. But there’s more than one reason this body style went out of fashion. Compared to the turbocharged, coupé-like crossovers we see today, the xB’s quadratic frame doesn’t exactly lend itself to aerodynamics, nor does it pack much pep. Its tiny 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine made just 103 horsepower and 101 pound-feet of torque. It was a ten-second car, at least in its 0-60 time. Mine even came with a tow hook. One might call it an honorary truck.

Nearly 20 years after scooting itself onto dealership lots in 2004, you can find the Scion xB at your local neighborhood takeover, clapped out and modified by young enthusiasts with questionable taste. As for mine, it lives on as a memory. Of cruising to my high school on an empty road at 110 miles per hour as Modest Mouse floats on in the background. When life was simple and the stakes were low, I hadn’t the faintest idea what life-threatening adversities lay ahead. That is to say, I totaled The Fridge. Ugly as sin, that car. I miss it dearly.

Nathan: Nissan Juke 

Nissan. You may have heard of it. From its pinnacle in the ‘90s, the days when Skylines roamed the streets, to the cost-cutting measures that have defined the company until now, Nissan exudes different feelings for different folks. The car that personifies the latter period the most is the Nissan Juke.

The bulbous bullfrog exterior looks like Kermit after a few Red Bull Vodkas. The interior is laden with hard plastics and feels cramped for such a large-looking vehicle. Still, if you’re in the market for this car, you don’t care about any of those things. You want an A-to-B SUV for those days you need to grab Brayden and whisk him off to your ex-husbands so you can have some “me-time.”

But there’s a secret to the Juke. It’s a fun car to drive. Seriously! The people at Nissan gave it a six-speed manual, 180 hp, and more torque than your mansplaining male bestie. The handling is more like a ‘90s French hot hatch, which makes sense as a French man captained Nissan’s ship during production. Among all the drab and damned cars Nissan was putting out in the 2010s, it delivered a characterful, spirited SUV when no other company could.

Joe: Volkswagen Type 181

The West German Army used these boxes on wheels in the 1960s. Later, they were sold to the public as a courier car, and for some reason, people bought them. Their simple design and utilitarian nature allowed for easy repairs and durability, but the trade-off was that your car looked hella dumb.

The Volkswagen Type 181 goes by a number of names across the globe, including the Safari, the Trekker, the Kurierwagen, and the Thing. This thing was literally called the Volkswagen “Thing” in the United States. The Volkswagen localization team knew what they were doing. 

I’m pretty sure the German army just dismantled a bunch of metal sheds and built a car out of them. It’s just several sheets of metal leaning against each other like a house of cards. This is what a four-year-old would end up with when trying to draw a car. The Type 181 does share the same mechanical underpinnings as the Volkswagen Beetle of the time and evidently looks like how one would render if you were to boot up Forza Horizon 5 on a Commodore 64. It’s perfect in every way.

Ural: GMC Envoy XUV

Living in Louisiana for some time during my late teens and early twenties, I found myself making loads of friends as a transplant from California. One of my best friends around that time owned a GMC Envoy XUV. It was totally unattractive but had a character that’s been missing from more modern SUVs lately. Unlike the Chevrolet Avalanche, which was a crew cab truck with a folding midgate, the Envoy XUV was an SUV with an enclosed cargo area that included retractable windows in the midgate and tailgate.

GM implemented a quirky sliding roof mechanism inspired by the old 1960s Studebaker Lark Wagonaire. This allowed for an open truck bed when retracted. Interestingly enough, the entire cargo area was designed to be water-resistant, and GM went to extreme lengths with an overkill drainage system capable of expelling 1,505.76 gallons of water per hour.

The amount of stuff me and my friend were able to load into that truck despite it having less cargo space than the Envoy XL felt magical. Styling didn’t matter, not one bit, as this was purely form over function in every way. While the Envoy XUV received positive reviews for its versatility in frigid climates and unique features, such as the ability to hose out the cargo area, it failed to resonate with the general public. Despite its eccentricities, the Envoy XUV remains a one-of-a-kind creation in GM’s history, marking the end of an experimental era. 

Roger: Chrysler PT Cruiser

DaimlerChrysler was firing on all cylinders at the turn of the century. At a time when cars were starting to lose their personality (see: any sedan released by an American carmaker in this era), they took some big swings. The Prowler (originally a Plymouth model but later a Chrysler) stands out as the most extreme version of this experimentation. Basically, a concept model brought to life, this open-wheel “hot rod” turned a lot of heads when it first dropped in 1997. 

In this spirit of retro-futuristic exploration, the PT Cruiser was born. The automotive equivalent of hearing a new pop song that interpolates multiple hits of the past, the PT Cruiser is very much “not your momma’s station wagon.” The “PT” stands for “Personal Transport” and while I’ve always felt it was evocative of classic showbiz names like “PT Barnum” – the PT Cruiser is far from a clown car. 

It’s no surprise that this handsome hatchback has found a second life in the modding community despite the model being discontinued in 2010 – a Facebook group dedicated to the car has over 14,000 members and is still quite active. If you throw some flames on one of these bad boys, it is just automatically going to look cool – even in a junkyard. Back in 2008 or so, I happened upon a meet-up of PT Cruiser enthusiasts at Wildwood boardwalk in New Jersey, and 1.) all of the cars were outstandingly beautiful, and 2.) every single person who owned one kicked total ass. 

Although they may have been seen as a little goofy in their own time, I’m always a little excited when I see a PT Cruiser still on the road. It reminds me of a moment when carmakers still cared about making vehicles with different form factors (and colors!) 

Sheilah: Fiat Multipla

When Godzilla rallied the Kill Crew on Monster Island, the Fiat Multipla was there in attendance. I do find its unnecessary levels kind of endearing. But, like, why?  The opinions on the Multipla were always split. And I agree. It is, in fact, a beautiful Italian monster. Upon first glance, it looks like it was supposed to be two different things but fused in the womb of ideas. An automotive set of conjoined nonsense.

This six-seater short stack seems more like a child’s drawing than an actual car. It first hit the market in 1998, in all its mismatched glory. It was a Top Gear darling in 2000, named “Car of the Year,” and Jeremy Clarkson expressed a particular fondness. But it seems only he and Italian citizens fell in wacky love with it. Sales globally were not… bene. 

The Multipla was revamped in 2004 to make it more palatable to a wider audience. While the facelift looked lovely, the damage to the line was done. Drivers did rate the car quite well on the compactness and versatility for the narrow streets of a country like Italy. But overall, they just couldn’t handle being made fun of for driving something so ridiculous-looking. And thus, it was set off into the scrap yard in the sky in 2010.
However, I wish I could have raced the Multipla modded out with a C7 Corvette Z06 engine – insert sweating laughing emoji.

“Come on, kids. Time for school! Yes, I know you’re late, but that’s not my fault your brother wanted to sleep in like a deadbeat. Now come on! We can still make it on time since we got the 2024 Acura MDX Type S and all 355 of its shirt-tearing, rip-snorting horsepower! What’s that, son? Sport+ all the way to school? You bet,” said some parent somewhere, probably. Okay, probably not, but I would. Okay, maybe not, but you get what I’m trying to say.

It’s time for me to throw some sensibility in with my usual dose of sportiness, and the 2024 Acura MDX Type S can do just that. Or at least it should, being the hotted-up performance variant of the standard MDX three-row family SUV that Acura has been touting since the early 2000s, with this current iteration having started its generation for 2022. From a distance, you may not think much of it. You could mistake it for a mere A-Spec, with it being not all that aggressive as far as performance crossovers or other Type S Acuras go. But then you start to raise an eyebrow at the red-painted Brembos and quad-tip exhaust outlets and wonder what Acura was cooking when they plucked this fairly average family SUV off the line. Thankfully, I’m happy to report that the final dish is quite the morsel.

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• Specs
• Design
• Price
• Interior and tech
• Proper luxury
• Sorta sporty

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Price and specs

At $75,295, the MDX Type S ain’t cheap unless your idea of a posh family SUV has Alpina or AMG in the name. What you do get for that pretty penny is a fairly loaded, well-optioned vehicle that has just a bit of everything for everybody, as we’ll soon discuss. The Type S treatment also swaps out the normie MDX’s 3.5-liter V6 for a 3.0-liter, twin-scroll, single-turbo mill belching out a healthy 65 horsepower and 87 pound-feet atop the standard engine’s output. Acura’s acclaimed Super Handling All-Wheel Drive is standard, as is the 10-speed auto.

Acura MDX Type S: learn more at CarGurus

Base price:	$68,150
As-tested price:	$75,295
Engine:	3.0-liter twin-scroll single-turbo V6
Transmission:	10-speed automatic
Drivetrain:	All-wheel drive
Power:	355 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
Torque:	354 pound-feet @ 1,400 rpm
Redline:	6,200 rpm
Weight:	4,741 pounds
Zero-to-60 mph:	5.4 seconds
¼-mile:	14.0 seconds @ 101 mph
MPG:	17 city, 21 highway, 19 combined
Observed MPG:	18.3
Fuel Capacity:	18.5 gallons

(Author’s Note: Performance numbers reflected in Car and Driver’s review from August 2022)

MDX Type S exterior design

“Mm, yes, this SUV is made of SUV. “

The MDX isn’t a particularly remarkable design, even with the mild dose of added aggression afforded by the Type S moniker. But I will say what’s remarkable is how unremarkable it is. It’s an appreciably tasteful and inoffensive design, devoid of the garish mugs that adorn other cars in its field, such as those from Lexus or BMW. But its creases and angles just keep it interesting enough to have it stand out from the overly-rounded blobs from Audi or Mercedes.

Frankly, I like it! But those seeking something more extroverted and shouty may wish for something with even more visual wow factor.

The decision years ago to ditch the Acura silver beak and adopt a traditional grille in the same shape has to be one of the strongest moves for the brand’s design language, and it gives the MDX a “just right” face that, while it may not attract the showy types, certainly won’t offend the more reserved buyers either. The quad-tip exhausts, red brake calipers, and machined wheels of the Type S are just sporty and modern enough, although the car could be more aggressive given its raucous-looking TLX and Integra stablemates. The lower-slung profile and somewhat elongated snout make the MDX slightly reminiscent of a bloated hatchback or a tubby station wagon, especially with the air suspension at its lowest height, and I mean that in the most respectful way possible.

What’s hot?

– Buttery smooth powerhouse of an engine – Drive modes for any occasion – Admirable handling and steering – Posh, airy interior earns its luxury car status – Logical interior layout with physical switchgear – Excellent second-row seating accommodations

MDX Type S pricing breakdown

The MDX Type S, even at its most affordable “base” trim, is no cheap bargain. At $68,150 before destination, you still get the adaptive air suspension (adaptive shocks plus air springs), LED headlights and taillights, auto rain-sensing wipers, Acura’s 12.3-inch display with the touchpad controller, and a glass panoramic roof. Step up to our tester’s $73,500 Advance trim, and Acura throws in quilted leather upholstery, a fancier set of machined 21-inch wheels, an upgraded 25-speaker ELS STUDIO 3D audio system, and 9-way massage seats for front occupants. Fancy! Acura’s suite of safety tech is standard across all models and includes traffic sign recognition, collision avoidance, lane keep assist, blind spot monitors, and adaptive cruise.

Add $1,195 destination charges and our tester’s $600 Liquid Carbon paint, $459 illuminated door sills, and $188 Acura logo puddle lamps, and we’re sitting at a lofty $75,295, a big step above similar rivals from a continent over. However, unlike those rivals, the MDX Type S comes fairly well-specced out of the box, even in its most spartan form, while its peers are more likely to nickel and dime you for every little option and package. Still, I wouldn’t necessarily call it a value deal, but it’s certainly of its class.

MDX Type S interior and tech

A luxury interior for those with Old World sentiments

Such opulence. Much wow. If this is the very best Honda can pull off, then I’d call it a resounding success. The MDX Type S is nice! I mean, it better be for the price. I expected it to be. But I’ve grown more smitten than I thought I would with the interior design and fit.

Everything just feels properly snapped together and screwed in without the slightest creak to be heard, even after the long life I’m sure this press car had. Interior panels were sturdy, what plastics existed throughout felt dense and robust, and the infotainment screen was appreciably complimented by a suite of hard buttons that all actuated with a premium, satisfying click. How simple. If hard buttons are the first to be dated and left behind, then I don’t want to get with the times. Hard buttons are cool, people! They’re cool, especially when they’re this tactile.

The leather seats were plush and supportive, although the second-row seats could be a tad bit softer. At least they’re adjustable and feature their own chargers, climate controls, and a fold-down center armrest and cupholders when the generous-ish center seat isn’t in use. Rear cargo space is expectedly meh with the surprisingly usable third-row seats up but more than accommodating with them folded down, giving plenty of room for week-long excursions, beach days, and maybe a couple of mountain bikes with the front wheels removed. Perhaps it’s just me, but it’s refreshing to see the cargo area as airy as the rest of the cabin, devoid of spare tire kits, tool sets, or ill-fitting folding seats that eat away at space.

Loads of tech, not all of it so cool

As previously mentioned, the MDX Type S comes standard with a whole starter pack of safety tech, all of which serve noble purposes to keep you from pancaking yourself against a wall or truck. As we’ll soon discuss in further detail, everything works decently well, from the adaptive cruise to the 360-degree parking cameras when in reverse. It’s great stuff, but nothing new under the sun.

What isn’t so great is the controversial touchpad, akin to what aroused ire in Lexus models before making their way to Acura’s side of the street. Similar to them, it’s a haptic-feedback method of navigating the infotainment screen via an auxiliary tracking pad to keep the glass free of your filthy, disgusting prints. Because “resale value,” I suppose. The fact is any infotainment system that needs a learning curve warrants a sigh and an eyebrow raise from me, but its ease of use soon made itself apparent over the course of my loan.

The MDX is a proper luxury crossover

A lavish chariot for a thousand-mile commute

As you’d expect, the Acura MDX Type S is an easy choice for a daily driver. Enthusiasts will appreciate its blend of sportiness and power in every commute, and the average suburbanite will love, well, pretty much almost everything, from its supple ride quality to the spacious cabin.

The glass roof earns chef’s kisses for shining much-appreciated light into the already-airy cabin, helping shine the sun on the red leather upholstery and open-pore black wood trim and reinforcing nightclub vibes when the sun goes down and the ambient lighting turns up! The abundance of glass greatly helps with visibility, bolstered by bind spot monitors that help make the MDX just as usable as a downtown LA runabout as it is rocketing down the 405. 

Just know that the unremarkable fuel economy off of the 405 will remind you of olden times just as much as the interior’s collection of hard buttons will. I saw about 18-ish combined in my mostly city driving, but at least I beat the EPA highway estimate, scoring between 23 and 25 mpg when traveling between 70 and 80 mph on most stretches of freeway.

The high-mounted screen, digital gauge cluster, and heads-up display keep all necessary information within a glance, if not in your peripheral. And the safety aids work wonders in nearly all driving scenarios. As discovered in the spunky little pocket rocket that is the Integra Type S, adaptive cruise with lane keep works fairly well at kinda-sorta-not-really self-driving. 

How all that tech works on the road

However, unlike the Integra, which tracked commendably straight and centered in its lane, the MDX would occasionally ping-pong between lanes. At the very least, it’d track straight but heavily favor one side of the lane or the other. It didn’t do this all the time, but it did so more than enough during my six-day stint, and I’m sure Acura can easily iron it out with some minor software updates.

The touchpad turned out to be fairly simple to get the hang of within a day or so, but there are some functions you may wish to use, such as adjusting screen settings or the massage seats, that may require more than a quick peek for you to get right. Again, it wasn’t a big pain, and it wound up being more functional than any similar system I had used before, but the fact there’s a learning curve in the first place still incited annoyance, especially when the Civic-based Integra gets to keep its touchscreen. There’s the easy fix! Just move the screen closer by a couple inches and make it touchscreen! Bam.

Now it’s time to top off this compliment sandwich because there’s one bit of tech in the MDX I find quite infallible: that adaptive air suspension is God’s gift to the world. It can be sporty and firm when needed and perfectly supple otherwise. But even in Sport+, the ride is still compliant enough to take potholes and expansion joints with little fuss. It’s height adjustable, too, with up to 50 millimeters of lift available up to 37 mph for thick snow or water crossing. Clever! Every luxury crossover, no matter the brand, should dabble in air suspension at this price point, and the fact we can have it on what’s technically a Honda product is nothing short of spectacular. Speedbumps and road debris, be damned.

The Type S badge carries weight but could be better

Just sporty enough

The MDX Type S has some real pep in its step with the dance moves to match, more than I thought it would, and enough to put weight on that Type S badge. This soccer practice shuttle should have no problem catapulting the kids from the living room to the local game in no time at all.

The aforementioned 3.0-liter V6 is a soldier and a sweetheart in one, belching out just enough power to shove you back in your seat without inducing unwanted browning of the trousers. Plucked from the TLX Type S, it sports a reinforced block, squared bore and stroke, and forged internals to create the perfect tuner-ready canvas. Not that it’s lacking in grunt or anything. Of course, the stock 355 horsepower pushing a 4,700-pound SUV doesn’t sound like much in today’s world, but it’s more than enough, partly thanks to the snappiness of the heavily-revised 10-speed auto.

Four-piston, 14.3-inch front Brembos be brembing (new verb for the dictionary, someone get on that), doing a great job of reigning the MDX down from the lofty speeds it’s capable of without overheating, at least at canyon pace. In Sport and Sport+, the air springs sag 15 millimeters while the adaptive dampers stiffen slightly. Bunched with double-wishbone front suspension and Acura’s acclaimed Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive, the result is an eager, nimble, and competent canyon toy for when the kids’ soccer match is atop Angeles Crest.

The SH-AWD system can send 70% of its power to the rear wheels and 100% of that power allotment to either the left or right wheel, which did wonders to quell understeer and help rotate around hairpins. In other words, this thing handles! Even the steering is precise and has an impressive degree of communication, going so far as to lighten up when the front wheels unload to inform you of road surface changes or a loss in front traction. The only real limiting factor was the Continental performance all-seasons, which let out faint howls in some of Angeles Crest’s tighter bends, but that’s nothing Michelin Pilot Sport SUVs can’t fix.

The MDX rips! It tears! Dare I say it even shreds? This three-row, seven-seater luxury crossover is genuinely fun. Ah, life is good. But it could be better.

Needs more bite to match its bark!

Yes, the MDX Type S is appreciably quick and plenty sharp. But it could be quicker. It could be sharper. It could turn in with even more ferocity and have the thrust needed to topple Civic Type Rs and Hyundai Elantra Ns. It could have a 10-speed that’s fully manual when hopping on the paddles and doesn’t auto-upshift at redline. But it doesn’t.

I’m unsure if that’s simply what the Type S badge means and if the ankle-biting Integra is the outlier, or if the Integra set the new benchmark and all other Type S Acuras should follow. But the MDX Type S is just a smidge too gentle for the message it wants to convey. It seems to occupy the same realm as the BMW X3 M40i and Audi SQ5, which are admittedly smaller but ring in at a lower base price and are much quicker. I’d liken it more to other big three-rows like the Audi SQ7 or BMW X5 M50i, but those monsters sticker for tens of thousands of dollars more and rock twin-turbo V8s pushing way more oomph.

Maybe it is I who fails to fully grasp the true identity of the Type S brand, having only experienced the Integra before this. Or perhaps I’m right. Maybe the Type S cars are just a quick ECU tune and a set of sticker summer rubber away from absolute perfection. 

What’s not?

– Could be faster – Could be sharper – Trackpad is a learning curve – Unremarkable fuel economy – Reserved styling may not be sporty enough – Steep price tag encroaches on fierce rivals

New Acuras: see prices at CarGurus

An admirable product with plenty of posh and a splash of sizzle

The Acura MDX Type S has proven to be quite the underrated gem that I wish more people spoke about. But I get that its performance and price put it in an awkward position.

It seemingly has many direct rivals and none at all, leaving the Type S to be a purchase choice solely on you. Is it faster or slower than the next car? Is it bigger or roomier than the next car? If you’re really looking at the Type S above all trim levels, then who cares? This is a car you buy because it’s different, not necessarily a standout. And that’s to be taken in the most respectful way possible. It’s the ability to feel so distinct that makes it an all-star in its own right.

If you want it, then clearly, you want it. Clearly, you’re keen on snagging a vehicle that seeks to make a statement against its peers while also living in its own little world of luxury and athleticism, free of the stigma of most German contenders and the gaudy mug of other Japanese options. If that’s your vibe, status without the stigma, then the Acura MDX is an easy go-to, granted you can get along with the touchpad controller. And if inoffensive high performance is a big plus for you, then the MDX Type S might just seal the deal.

BMW and their X series vehicles are nothing new. The original X5 debuted in 1999, not long after we had the X3 in 2003, then the X6, and so on with the various other X models. But the newest one is the latest generation of the BMW X2 lineup, based on the same architecture as the BMW X1 and the Mini Countryman. The first generation F39 BMW X2 was produced from 2018 to 2023, with an LCI (BMW for facelift) in 2021. It sold over 380,000 thousand worldwide. And it looks like that was enough for BMW to continue making a whole new version for 2024. It’s something we all hoped for, as the prior model was pretty good!

The second generation BMW X2 has dropped, and it’s immediately apparent that BMW wants the sports activity coupe to stand out from its competition. Didn’t matter how. The lines are more pronounced and acute. It produces an almost boxlike look that impresses BMW’s new design language onto whoever sees it, with the aggressive front end and large grilles that seem like if it wanted to, it could swallow up all the world’s oxygen without hesitation. While the previous generation X2 lacked the aggressive slanted rear hatch most of these crossover coupes have, the new model has no shame in showing off its coupe styling.

If this is the sort of look you like in your crossover, um, sorry, “sports activity vehicle,” then the 2024 BMW X2 might be the right buy for you. So come on through as we break down all the little specs and tidbits we know about BMW’s upcoming not-an-SUV.

BMW X2 price and trim levels

So far, the new X2 is available with two trim levels, the xDrive28i and the M35i. The xDrive28i starts at $42,000, and the M35i will base at $51,400. It is set to go on sale in March of 2024.

Standard equipment all models	Standard equipment xDrive28i ($42,000)	Standard equipment M35i ($51,400)
– 7 Speed StepTronic dual-clutch transmission – BMW Curved Display with iDrive 9 Active blind spot detection – Frontal collision warning with city collision mitigation – Lane departure warning – Active park distance control – BMW navigation – Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility – Sirius XM with 360l and 1-year platinum subscription – LED headlights – Dual-zone automatic climate control – Power Tailgate – Privacy glass – Automatic high beams	7 Speed StepTronic dual-clutch transmission BMW Curved Display with iDrive 9 Active blind spot detection Frontal collision warning with city collision mitigation Lane departure warning Active park distance control BMW navigation Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility Sirius XM with 360l and 1-year platinum subscription LED headlights Dual-zone automatic climate control Power Tailgate Privacy glass Automatic high beams	– 20-inch M V-spoke bi-color wheels style – 873M with all-season non-runflat tires – Aluminum hexcube trim with ambient lighting – Shadowline exterior trim Illuminated kidney grill

BMW X2 interior and technology

The X2 comes with all the tech BMW can offer the compact SAV. The dash gets the newest BMW treatment with their Curved Display, made up of two screens. One 10.5-inch screen functions as an information display for the driver, and another 10.7-inch screen handles controls, both behind a single piece of glass. The latest version of iDrive is available with in-car gaming, video streaming capabilities, and BMW’s cloud-based navigation system.

Most safety features like blind spot monitoring, collision warning, and lane departure are standard equipment across both models. Of course, there are plenty of options to add on, too. Various packages provide hands-free driving up to 40 mph and a live view inside the vehicle. You also won’t need a dash cam anymore, as the X2 can record collision events for you. The X2 also has its own version of Sentry Mode and will use the cameras for surround view to record when the alarm system detects movement around the vehicle, à la Tesla.

Standard interior colors	M Sport seat color
– Black – Mocha – Oyster – Red and black bi-color – Atlas grey and smoke white bi-color	– Black with blue contrast stitching

Technology Package	Premium Package	Driving Assistance Professional Package
– Convenience Package – Parking Assistant Plus – Head-Up Display – Live Cockpit Professional – Surround View w/3D View	– Technology Package – Universal garage door opener – Interior camera – Harman/Kardon Premium Sound System	– Extended Traffic Jam Assistant for limited access highways – Active Cruise Control with Stop&Go – Active Lane Keeping Assistant with side collision avoidance – Evasion Aid – Front Cross Traffic Alert

BMW X2 exterior dimensions and luggage capacity

Measurement	2024 BMW X2
Length:	179.3 inches
Width:	72.6 inches
Height:	62.6 inches
Wheelbase:	106.0 inches
Track width:	62.3 inches

BMW X2 engine, transmission, and performance

And while the 2024 X2 has grown slightly compared to the old model, it also gained some power. Both trims are equipped with BMW TwinPower Turbo engines. If it’s the xDrive28i you’re after, you’ll get a 2.0 four-cylinder Miller cycle engine making  241 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. And if you want to keep up with your buddy’s E36 M3, you should opt for the M35i, which has the highest output available from BMW’s four-cylinder engine family. It puts out 312 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque and even carries over the main caps from the six-cylinder variant. It’ll reach 60 in 5.2 seconds. However, we know this is utter crap as the Germans love to underrate their stats, so expect these hunchbacks to rocket themselves even quicker than advertised.

Stats	X2 xDrive28i	X2 M35i
Horsepower:	241 hp @ 4,500 – 6,500 rpm	312 hp @ 5,750 – 6,500 rpm
Torque:	295 lb-ft @ 1,500 – 4,000rpm	295 lb-ft @ 2,000 – 4,500 rpm
Weight:	3,803 lbs	3,840 lbs
zero-to-60:	approx. 6.2 seconds	approx. 5.2 seconds

Both are standard all-wheel drive, and the 8-speed automatic has been replaced with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The transmission has a built-in mechanical limited slip differential that gives the X2 the ability to send power where it’s needed. This works well with the all-wheel drive to make a vehicle of its size handle much better than one would expect, much like a fattened hot hatchback in a way.

The M35i is sold with adaptive suspension with adjustable frequency select dampers as standard, and so can the xDrive28i if equipped with the M Sport package. The M Sport will also add Sport Steering, with a quicker steering ratio and BMW’s Servotronic speed-sensitive steering.

The brakes are standard floating calipers on the xDrive28i, while the M35i has M Sport brakes with a fixed four-pot caliper in the front. If you want better brakes on the front of your funny little “sports activity coupe,” you can opt for the M Sport package. The X2 will get an upgrade to M Sport brakes for the lower-end model, and if you check the right box, the M35i will get the spicier M Compound Brakes. They’ll come equipped with a grey caliper instead of red and a massive 15.2-inch rotor.

M Sport Package (xDrive28i)	M Sport Professional Package
– 19-inch M double-spoke bi-color wheels style 871M with all-season non-runflat tires – Shift paddles – Adaptive M suspension – M Sport Brakes with blue calipers – Aluminum Hexacube trim with Ambient Light – M Steering wheel – Aerodynamic kit – Shadowline exterior trim	– Mirror caps in black (xDrive28i) – M Sport Brakes with red calipers – M Shadowline lights – Rear spoiler (xDrive28i) – Extended Shadowline trim – Optional M Compound Brakes with grey calipers (M35i)

Overall, I’d have to say that the 2024 BMW X2 is a solid, albeit odd-looking, offering. It has numerous options to transform into a somewhat unique entry in a rather bland segment. BMW didn’t specify every color available outside their faux car configurator, but you will have access to the frozen (matte) paint lineup and maybe even individual color options. So go nuts! Order one that isn’t white or dark grey! Perhaps a bright green, and you can pretend you’re driving a miniature Lamborghini Urus.

As for additional specs, dimensions, options pricing, and figuring out how it drives, we’ll have to wait for its Spring 2024 release date to draw nearer. Until then, let’s sit and gawk at the X2 and all its frumpiness.

Blue-collar suburbanites and highway NPCs, rejoice! The new 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan has been revealed, and VW confirmed a version will be coming to the United States. Several years since its last big revamp, one of the best-selling vehicles in the United States is finally getting an all-new version, complete with hot new styling in line with the rest of the family along with fresh, high-tech powertrains.

Performance and exterior improvements

With engine choices of gas, turbodiesel, and mild-hybrid engines, the real star is the plug-in hybrid which is having a bit of a resurgence in the industry and making waves in cars like the Toyota RAV4 Prime, the Dodge Hornet, and the staff-favorite Alfa Romeo Tonale. Volkswagen has stated it will get up to 62 miles on battery alone before dipping into the gas reserve. With California requiring plug-in hybrids to be capable of at least 50 miles of all-electric range by 2035, it’s nice to see some manufacturers ahead of schedule.

You’ll find the safety tech you’d expect on a new vehicle including blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, and automatic emergency braking. An extensive range of option systems will also be available including a park assist with remote parking capability while the driver is outside of the vehicle using a smartphone app.

The design has been updated which is especially noticeable at the front with its super flat LED headlights and a new horizontal LED strip on the rear.

Interior improvements

Sitting in the driver’s seat, you’ll be greeted with a slew of new features. Physical buttons (praise the car gods!) have been added to the steering wheel, with a rotary dial to the center console for command over stereo volume and more. The dial has its own mini-screen as a modern and upscale touch. The dashboard appears to be using the same 15″ touchscreen found on other current VWs, including the Mk8 Golf R, ID.7, and ID.4, which offers a great deal of information near the driver’s sightline but has been criticized for binding many controls to the touchscreen and touchpad. Seats are equipped with heating and, get this, a massage function, which will be a welcome addition for long hours in traffic.

Overall interior design can be perceived as somewhat derivative and unoriginal, but there’s no denying that ruthless German efficiency. The rear seats appear flat but spacious, while the front seats are greeted by an appreciable level of color and brightwork in the dash panels, which compliment the lighter-colored upholstery option nicely. How much of this will transfer over to the North American variant is yet to be confirmed.

Volkswagen confirmed the U.S. version of the upgraded Tiguan will be longer than what’s been unveiled here, likely to satisfy our desires for more cavernous interiors. This was expected as it was the case for the previous generation. We’ll be on the lookout for an official North American announcement sometime next year.