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Auto News Recap – April 14-20, 2024
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Window Shopping at the Chicago Auto Show
The 116th edition of the nation’s largest auto show opened its doors to the public on Saturday, Feb. 10. Stradling two weekends, as well as Valentine’s Day and President’s Day, the show runs for 10 days giving shoppers plenty of time to “window shop” for a new car purchase this coming Spring. Preceded by news…
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2024 Chevrolet Equinox – drive review
The Chevrolet Equinox compact utility vehicle (UV) is one of many good choices in a segment that offers lots of suitable UVs for both young singles and couples as well as city-folk looking for versatility in compact package. Equinox rates high on value. The 2024 Equinox small crossover utility vehicle is offered in LS, LT,…
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2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe – drive report
Over 5 million Jeep Wranglers have been sold since 1987. Today, the Jeep Wrangler 4xe continues its run as the best-selling PHEV (plug-in hybrid) in America for two years in a row. For 2024 the Wrangler has some exterior updates, new interior features and tech, and enhanced safety. A wide portfolio of factory-backed, quality-tested parts…
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2024 MINI Cooper Countryman – drive review
The MINI Cooper Countryman premium subcompact utility vehicle seats five. It’s available with a choice of four different engines and with front-wheel drive or MINI’s ALL4 all-wheel drive. The 2024 Countryman is offered in Classic, Signature or Iconic trims. Prices start at $32,650. MINI’s Countryman with its 4-doors and rear hatch makes for a versatile…
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2024 Subaru Crosstrek – drive review
Crosstrek is entirely new for 2024 with new exterior styling and interior designs. Additionally, there’s a new Wilderness trim level. The third-generation Crosstrek is a highly capable compact SUV with a comprehensive list of standard and available features offering a good value at a competitive price. Have a look here for more details. @1ChicagoCarGuy
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2024 Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV – drive review
Last year, Mercedes launched the 5-passenger midsize EQE SUV, based on the ECE sedan platform. Three trim levels are available: EQE 350, EQE 350 4Matic and EQE 500 4Matic. Now for 2024, the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV performance model has been added the line. With up to 677-horsepower, the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV is a very fine…
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2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport – drive review
The refreshed 2024 Atlas Cross Sport features an elegant new interior and a refined turbocharged engine that improves both performance and driving experience. Powered by a new 269-hp turbo 2.0-L the interior has been updated with premium materials throughout, including a leatherette-trimmed soft-touch dash and center console. More details can be found here. @1ChicagoCarGuy
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2024 Hyundai Ionic 6 – drive review
The Hyundai Ioniq 6 5-passenger 4-door midsize sedan follows in the path of the Ioniq 5 small crossover utility vehicle. The all-electric Ioniq 6 is powered by Hyundai’s exclusive Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) that allows for dual motors, maximum interior space, and optimized performance. Ioniq 6 driving range rating is quite good and in real-life…
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2023 Lexus RZ 450e – First Drive
The Lexus RZ 450e is the brand’s first globally available, purpose-built battery-electric vehicle. RZ is a compact 5-passenger crossover utility vehicle that is built on a new e-TNGA vehicle architecture uniquely designed for battery-electric vehicles. The RZ is well suited for the urban landscape…not too big and not too small. Its somewhat limited 220 mile EPA-estimated…
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2023 Genesis Electrified G80 – drive review
The Genesis G80 is the best-selling model in the brand’s vehicle lineup since its introduction in 2016. In 2022, the brand introduced its Electrified G80, the first Genesis EV sedan. The 5-seat Electrified G80 comes standard with all-wheel drive and its dual 136kW motors will accelerate it from a stop to 60 mph in 4.9…
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2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge – Drive Review
Beginning with the 2023 models, Volvo’s U.S. vehicle lineup consists of mild hybrid, hybrid or electric vehicles. Period! Volvo is no longer offering a pure thermal-powered (internal combustion engine) model. I recently had a driving experience with the mid-size three-row seven-passenger 2024 XC90 utility vehicle (UV). It’s is offered in Core, Plus and Ultimate trims.…
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2024 Hyundai Santa Fe – a first look
Hyundai has unveiled its all-new radically redesigned 2024 Santa Fe midsize SUV. The new Santa Fe is planned for US introduction in the first half of 2024. Have a look at my complete Santa Fe report from Hyundai’s’ exclusive product preview that we attended in New Mexico. And here there’s some photo images with more interesting…
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Driving Maine’s Downeast Highway
Maine’s Route 1 “Downeast Highway” winds through Acadia National Park and the New England Coastline. Maine Route 1 is 3,478 miles of twisty road along a rocky coast with over 65 lighthouses and 23 islands full of fishing villages and lobster shacks. Along the route there are some car things of interest. Owls Head Transportation…
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Maserati – What’s To Come?
Over the last couple years during a visit to a Maserati showroom one would typically see Ghibli and Quattroporte 4-door sedans and the Levante utility vehicle (UV). Today, things are a bit different. Recent additions to the Maserati lineup are the Grecale utility vehicle, the GranTourismo coupe and the iconic two-seat MC20 sports car. Here’s…
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2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale – First Drive
“The Alfa Romeo Tonale offers more than 30 miles of electric range, best-in-class 285 horsepower and a list of technology features,” said Larry Dominique, senior vice president and head of Alfa Romeo North America. The Tonale is a premium compact CUV with seating for five and with standard all-wheel drive. It has a plug-in hybrid…
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2023 Lexus IS 500 – drive report
The 2023 Lexus IS 500 F SPORT has a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 with 472-horsepower and 395 lb.-ft. of torque that allows it to play very well in the premium compact sport sedan market. It’s fun to drive, with plenty of performance to go along with its good looks. Have a look here for more…
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2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 -drive review
Following the introduction of the GV70 SUV for 2022, Genesis has now introduced the 2023 Electrified GV70. The Electrified GV70 features a spacious interior and refined performance. All-wheel drive is standard. The EPA-estimated driving range is 236 miles. Price for the 2023 Electrified GV70 Advanced AWD starts at $65,850. Read more here. @1ChicagoCarGuy
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2023 Volvo S60 Recharge Black Edition – drive review
For 2023 the S60 features refreshed styling with a new front grille design and updated rear bumper inserts. Volvo revised the carline packaging by eliminating trim lines across all models. The S60 Black Edition was developed specifically for the US market and designed at the Volvo US design studio in California. The S60 has two…
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2023 Toyota Prius – First Look
The 2023 Prius, now its fifth generation, with its sleek new exterior design, a new interior and an enhanced hybrid powertrain, provides style, performance and efficiency. The 2023 Prius HEV will be offered in three grades: LE, XLE and Limited. The 2023 Prius Prime PHEV will be available in SE, XSE and XSE Premium grades.…
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2023 Kia Niro – Drive Review
The Kia Niro is now in its second generation with the launch of the 2023 model. This compact utility vehicle (CUV) is available with a choice of hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and all-electric (EV) powertrains. All Niro models are front-wheel-drive. A 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is standard in HEV and PHEV. Have a look…
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2023 Toyota Crown – First Look
Toyota’s premium Avalon sedan has been discontinued. Crown, last sold in the US about 50 years ago, now fills that space Crown will be available in three grades: XLE, Limited and Platinum. All are hybrid-powered and all are equipped with all-wheel drive (AWD) as standard. The fresh and stylish 4-door sedan is coupe-like with its…
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2023 Wagoneer L – drive review
For 2023 the Wagoneer lineup has been expanded with the new long-wheelbase Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L. Along with these new models there are two all-new 3.0-liter Hurricane twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engines. The Wagoneer L with its spacious, premium and technologically advanced interior is a winner of Wards 10 Best Interiors & User Experience…
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2023 Cadillac Escalade-V – drive review
Cadillac’s latest, and perhaps last, new V8 model is the 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V with its supercharged 682-horsepower 6.2-L V8. Full-time active all-wheel drive provides enhanced traction to help scoot this Escalade from zero to 60 mph in under 4.4 seconds Cadillac’s Super Cruise hands-free driver-assistance technology can make highway cruising relaxing and less stressful. Have a…
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2023 Ford Maverick – drive review
The Ford Maverick compact pickup truck is Ford’s lowest priced model. Ford has shared that Maverick customers are younger, with more than a third of them under 44 years old, and more diverse. Interestingly, 60% of Maverick buyers are new to Ford and 80% of Maverick buyers are new to the truck segment. Ford says…
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2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport
The Range Rover Sport, now in its third generation, has been redesigned for 2023 with a freshened exterior design, a more modern interior, a choice of powertrains, and a new infotainment system. Available engines include two six-cylinder Ingenium MHEV gas engines, a PHEV Ingenium gasoline engine, plus a new V8 Twin Turbo 523HP V8. The…
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2023 Nissan Leaf – Drive Review
The compact 4-door hatchback LEAF, which has been around since 2010, has been refreshed for 2023. The 2023 LEAF S is priced at $28,040. LEAF SV Plus is $36,040. Plus, the destination and handling charge is $1,095. Electric vehicles now cost an average of more than $58,000, according to KBB. That’s a price beyond the…
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Take a Trip; Rent an All-electric Car! Yes.
On recent travel I rented an all-electric battery-powered Polestar 2 from Hertz. This was my first EV rental and it won’t be my last. Read about my experience here. @1ChicagoCarGuy
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2023 Volvo C40 Recharge – Drive Review
The Volvo C40 Recharge is the first Volvo model in the company’s history to be designed as pure electric only. The 5-passenger C40 Recharge comes with twin electric motors, one on the front axle and one on the rear axle, with a total output of 402-horsepower. New for 2023, the C40 Recharge is also available…
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2023 Polestar 2 Dual Motor – First Drive
Polestar 2 launched in 2019 as the electric performance fastback with avant-garde Scandinavian design. For 2023 the Polestar 2 electric fastback gains important new features and refinements, new exterior and interior colors and materials, premium Bridge of Weir leather, and an enhanced Performance Pack delivering 476hp. The 2023 Polestar 2 Single motor has a starting…
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Rolling Sculpture: Streamlined Art Deco Automobiles and Motorcycles
The Vero Beach Museum of Art is the principal cultural arts facility of its kind on Florida’s Treasure Coast. A special exhibition now in place that presents a select group of rare automobiles and motorcycles. Ken Gross, former Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, served as Guest Curator. This special exhibition…
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2022 Hyundai Santa Fe – Drive Review
Hyundai Santa Fe is a 5-passenger, two-row midsize utility vehicle. Santa Fe is offered in six trim levels with corresponding pairings with four different power trains. There is a choice between two different ICE-powertrains, an HEV or a PHEV. Base prices range from $28,450 to $47,370. More information can be found here. @1ChicagoCarGuy
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2023 Chicago Auto Show
The 2023 Chicago Auto Show welcomed national automotive media with pleasantly warm outside temperatures for a couple of mid-winter February days. First staged in 1901, the Chicago Auto Show is the largest auto show in North America and has been held more times than any other auto exposition on the continent. This year marks the…
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2023 Toyota bZ4X – First Drive
Toyota “bZ” is a new vehicle series; a sub-brand that will encompass a range of seven new vehicles. The first is bZ4X. A compact 5-passenger crossover utility vehicle that is built on a new e-TNGA vehicle architecture uniquely designed for battery-electric vehicles. The bZ4X is offered in two trim levels, both with either front-wheel or…
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2024 Mazda CX-90 – World Debut
The entirely new 2024 Mazda CX-90 made its world premier in Southern California. CX-90 is built on an all-new large platform that features a front-engine, rear-wheel-bias longitudinal layout designed to elevate Mazda’s signature driving performance. The new three-row SUV will seat up to eight. There’s a choice of a mild-hybrid 3.3-L 340-HP inline-six cylinder or…
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2023 Toyota Highlander – Drive Review
The Highlander is Toyota’s 3-row midsize crossover SUV and among the top-sellers in this class of utility vehicles. For 2023, Highlander has a new, higher-torque and more efficient 265-HP 2.4-L turbocharged four-cylinder that delivers 310 lb-ft of torque. It’s also offered with a Hybrid that combines a high-efficiency 2.5-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine with two electric motor-generators…
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2023 Audi A3 – Drive Report
The Audi A3 was redesigned for 2022. New architecture with a wider and bolder stance and a larger platform, new exterior styling, an all-new interior, a revised engine program, plus the addition of more technology make for nice improvements in an already good subcompact sedan. The 2023 A3 model gets changes to trim levels and standard…
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2023 Volvo XC90 Recharge – Drive Review
The entire 2023 lineup of Volvo cars in the U.S. consists of mild hybrid, hybrid or electric vehicles. Volvo is no longer offering a pure-ICE (internal combustion engine) powered model. The 2023 Volvo XC90 is a premium mid-size three-row seven-passenger SUV. It’s available in three different trim levels with three engine choices. The XC90 is equipped…
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Looking for a Christmas gift for the car person in your family. Auto America – Car Culture 1950-1970s
A glorious and nostalgic celebration of a defining period in American car culture–the 1950s to the 1970s, the golden age of Detroit’s icons of the road–when automobile design was at its peak and the car itself was synonymous with a vision of success in America. Auto America offers a compelling look at three decades (the 1950s,…
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2023 Mazda CX-50 – Drive Review
The all-new 2023 Mazda CX-50 is an addition to the Mazda product lineup. The CX-50 is a two-row, five-seat compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) designed expressly for the U.S. and Canada. The CX-50 is not only designed for the U.S. but it’s built in the U.S. at the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing Plant in Huntsville, Alabama.…
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2023 Genesis G90 – Drive Review
Genesis’ flagship G90 4-door sedan has been fully redesigned for 2023. The G90 is extremely well equipped, very plush and comfortable, and is a viable consideration if you are in the market for a luxury sedan. More information on the new G90 is here. @1ChicagoCarGuy
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2022 Kia EV6 – First Drive
The entirely-new 2022 Kia EV6 is a purpose-built 5-passenger sports crossover with a driving range of up to 310 miles. EV6 is avaialble in three trims with either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive. Prices start at $41,400. Get more information right here. @1ChicagoCarGuy
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2022 Land Rover Defender 90 V8 – Drive Review
For 2022 a new 518-horsepower 5.0-L V8 is available in both the Defender 90 and 110. The V8 makes 461 lb-ft of torque that is routed through an 8-speed automatic to a standard all-wheel drive system with a twin-speed transfer box. The Defender V8 features unique suspension and transmission tuning, bespoke spring and damper rates,…
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2023 BMW iX M60 – First Drive
The BMW iX is the first model based on a new, modular, scalable architecture on which the future of the BMW Group will be built. The iX is an all-electric, battery-powered, four-door, five-passenger mid-size utility vehicle with a large opening rear hatch. For 2022 the xDrive50 model was introduced and for 2023 the iX M60…
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2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe – Drive Review
The fifth-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee has all-new architecture, all-new exterior design, all-new interior with world-class craftsmanship, added an L-model with 3 row seating and now has a new plug-in hybrid powertrain. The Grand Cherokee 4xe is basically an additional powertrain choice in the well know model range. Under the hood is the 270-HP 2.0-L turbocharged…
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2023 Genesis GV60 – First Drive
The all-new GV60 is Genesis’ first dedicated all-electric vehicle model. Initially the 2023 Genesis GV60 will only be sold at select Genesis retailers in California, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York with limited availability. Genesis hopes to expand GV60’s availability to more states soon, according to a Genesis spokesperson. Considered a performance vehicle, the GV60…
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Curb side, on-street EV charging comes to Chicago
Urban dwellers are good candidates to purchase or lease an all-electric vehicle, that is, a battery-electric vehicle or BEV. Why? They don’t typically drive many miles in their daily personal routine. The ability to charge the vehicle’s battery is all important. The situation is especially acute for dense communities where potential BEV owners may live…
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2022 Ford F150 Lightning – First Drive
Ford’s new all-electric battery powered F150 Lightning is a very capable full-size pickup. It can do what a full-size pickup should be able to do, and then some. I had a brief time behind the wheel. The Lightning in powerful, fast, comfortable and quiet. Read a bit more right here. @1ChicagoCarGuy
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2022 BMW M4 Competition – Drive Reviw
The new BMW M4 Competition coupé is a street legal race car. With 503-Horsepower it will scoot to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Top speed is up to 180 mph when equipped with the Performance Package. For the first time ever the M4 Competition is equipped with the new M xDrive…BMW’s all-wheel drive system. Check…
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2022 Infiniti QX60 – Drive Review
The new 2022 QX60 is Infiniti’s entry in the premium midsize 7-passenger utility vehicle (UV) segment. Infiniti says “the 2022 QX60 was reimagined from the ground up to help its owners “Conquer Life in Style” and delivers a powerful yet polished drive that matches its sleek exterior and serene interior.” Of note, the 2022 Infiniti…
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