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Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T AWD Advanced in Cardiff Green (A $500 option)

Consumer Guide Test Drive

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T AWD Advanced

ClassPremium Compact SUV

Miles driven: 447

Fuel used: 21.5 gallons

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort B
Power and Performance B
Fit and Finish A
Fuel Economy C+
Value A
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy A
Tall Guy A
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 300-hp 2.5L
Engine Type Turbo 4-cylinder
Transmission 8-speed automatic
Drive Wheels All-wheel drive

Real-world fuel economy: 20.8 mpg

Driving mix: 65% city, 35% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 22/28/24 (mpg city, highway, combined)

Fuel typePremium gas recommended

Base price: $41,000 (not including $1045 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Cardiff Green paint ($500), Select Package ($4000), Advanced Package ($4150)

Price as tested: $50,695

Quick Hits

The great: Posh, comfortable cabin; quietness; long list of available comfort and convenience features

The good: Respectable acceleration from 4-cylinder engine; confident, distinctive styling; competitive pricing

The not so good: Our mediocre observed fuel economy trailed EPA estimates; some control-interface quirks

More Genesis GV70 price and availability information

John Biel

Perhaps Genesis mislabeled its brand-new premium-compact SUV by calling it the GV70. It is derived from the platform of the G70 sedan and styled in the same vein. But the available engines, rotary-dial gear selector, and console dial for the infotainment system are straight out of the midsize G80 sedan and GV80 sport-utility. Maybe the newcomer ought to really be called the GV75.

Of course, there are numbers that truly are more important to shoppers and we’ll get to them by and by. What really counts is that with the GV70 Genesis has created an excellent, value-packed entry in this busy market segment.

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T AWD Advanced

The Genesis GV70 launches for 2022 as the second crossover SUV in the growing Genesis-brand product lineup; in size and price, it slots in below the midsize Genesis GV80, which debuted for 2021.

Riding a wheelbase of 113.2 inches and ranging 185.6 inches from bumper to bumper, the 5-passenger GV70 is, respectively, 3.1 and 9.1 inches shorter in those categories than the GV80 that’s set up to carry seven in some models. Where the G70 premium-compact sedan offers the choice of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four or a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6, the GV70 engines are a similarly aspirated 2.5-liter four and 3.5-liter V6.

All-wheel drive is standard in every GV70. Prices (with delivery) begin at $42,045 for the base 4-cylinder version and rise to $63,545 for the V6 Sport Prestige. Consumer Guide sampled a 2.5-equipped Advanced—it sits second from the top of four 4-cylinder models—with a starting price of $50,195. Only a spray of Cardiff Green paint nudged the final tab to $50,695.

Test Drive Gallery: 2021 Lincoln Corsair Reserve

Consumer Guide Test Drive

The GV70’s interior is dazzling in terms of both design and materials. The infotainment system can be controlled via a center-console dial (which is unfortunately easy to grab when you intend to use the rotary-dial gear selector mounted just aft of it) or the extra-wide, 14.5-inch high-definition touchscreen.

Typically for a Genesis, trim levels are treated as packages added to the core model. To get two steps up from the base vehicle, CG’s tester first had to absorb Select equipment (19-inch alloy wheels, panoramic sunroof, 16-speaker Lexicon premium audio, ventilated front seats, and brushed-aluminum interior accents). Then came the Advanced package with leather upholstery, heated steering wheel, interior trim with a “Waveline” pattern, surround-view monitor, blind-spot view monitor, front parking-distance warning, rear parking-collision avoidance, Remote Smart Parking Assist (to jockey the vehicle in and out of tight spaces while the driver stands outside), and advanced rear-occupant alert.

Test Drive: 2022 Genesis G70 3.3T Sport Advanced

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced

There’s ample space in the GV70’s front seats, but the rear-seat legroom and headroom can be tight for adults.

All that is the frosting on the cake. It builds on GV70 basics like LED headlights and taillights, heated exterior mirrors, heated front seats with power adjustment, dual-zone automatic climate control, front and rear 12-volt power outlets, and hands-free liftgate. Tech items include an infotainment system with 14.5-inch screen, navigation, satellite and HD radio, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility; dual front and rear USB ports; wireless device charging; and fingerprint recognition for one-touch starting. Safety and driving assists consist of adaptive cruise control, forward collision avoidance with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keeping and following assist, rear parking-distance warning, and blind-spot and rear cross-traffic monitoring.

First Spin: 2022 Lexus NX

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced

The GV70’s cargo volume is a bit better than most premium compact SUV rivals–there’s 28.9 cubic feet behind the second-row seats, which grows to 56.8 cubic feet when the second-row seat backs are folded.

The Advanced’s luxury additions fill out a cabin that’s pretty lush for the price, with lots of soft-touch material—even far down on the doors past the point at which lots of other manufacturers default to plastic. Knurled surfaces adorn the ends of the wiper and light-control stalks, steering-wheel thumb buttons, and the transmission selector dial. Metal accents brighten the doors, dash, console, and steering wheel. The big infotainment display atop the instrument panel is vibrant, easily legible, and can show two things at once (for instance radio settings and navigation map). Fortunately, it is a touchscreen, which means you don’t have to use the remote console controller—and this one reminds us a little of the Lexus Remote Touch get-up that we’ve never particularly liked. By the way, it’s uncanny how easy it is to reach this round controller when you really want the trans selector. Easy-working temperature dials mix with numerous buttons for climate control.

Quick Spin: 2021 Genesis GV80 3.5T Advanced

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced

A 300-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder is GV70’s base engine; a 375-hp turbo 3.5-liter V6 is also available. Choosing the Select package upgrades the standard 18-inch wheels to 19-inch alloys.

Comfortable seats welcome four adults. The front row is roomy; the second row slightly less so—but it would be wrong to call it cramped. Headroom is quite good, too, and driver sightlines are fairly unobstructed. Personal-item storage is accomplished in a large glove box, decent covered console bin, door pockets with bottle holders, and net pouches behind the front seats. Exposed cup holders are found in the console and the pull-down center armrest in the rear seat.

Overall cargo space is good, even if the rakish rear shape might stand in the way of certain loading options. The cargo bay holds at least 28.9 cubic feet of stuff. Drop the 60/40-split rear seats, which fold absolutely flush with the load floor, and a further 28 cubic feet open up.

Quick Spin: 2021 Volvo XC60 Recharge

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced

The GV70’s attractively athletic body shape is highlighted by nicely executed styling details, such as the Genesis brand’s signature shield-shaped grille and slim “Quad Lamp” LED headlights and taillights.

The 2.5 engine, rated at 300 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, is attached to an 8-speed automatic transmission. This powerteam is an eminently competent pairing for moderately lively performance that gets a little zestier (and a touch louder) in “Sport” mode, with its quicker throttle response and more patient upshifts. Still, you can happily cruise all day in subtler “Comfort” mode. “Eco” and “Custom” settings are available as well. We wish the GV70 was a little stingier with gas—premium, wouldn’t you know. EPA ratings are 22 mpg in city driving, 28 on the highway, and 24 combined. When this driver put 81.5 miles on the test vehicle—with 69 percent city-style operation—it returned just 20.3 mpg.

With a suspension that’s a retuned version of the G70’s front struts and multilink rear, ride quality is luxury-brand good, with fine bump absorption and isolation from road noise. Steering is nicely weighted and responsive in the Comfort setting. Maybe the more resistant Sport-mode steering is a help on twisty roads where you wouldn’t want to overdo inputs, but in lazier urban-expressway driving it just feels heavy. Brakes are easy to modulate and predictably reliable.

The inaugural GV70 finds its strength in numbers—the number of things it does right. That would be true no matter what number Genesis assigned to it.

First Spin: 2022 Infiniti QX55

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T AWD Advanced

The new-for-2022 Genesis GV70 might be the Genesis brand’s most impressive vehicle so far; it delivers an athletic driving character, attractive styling inside and out, and a high level of luxury and available technology features, all at prices that handily undercut its primary European luxury-brand rivals.

Listen to the Car Stuff Podcast

Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced Gallery

Click below for enlarged images.

Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced

Meet the 2022 Consumer Guide Best Buys

Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced

Car Stuff Podcast

For GREAT deals on a new or used Mercedes check out Mercedes of Flagstaff TODAY!

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2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland 4×4 in Silver Zynith (a $345 option)

Car Stuff Podcast 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland 4×4

Class: Midsize Crossover/SUV

Miles driven: 579

Fuel used: 35.4 gallons

Real-world fuel economy: 16.4 mpg

Driving mix: 35% city, 65% highway

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort A-
Power and Performance A
Fit and Finish B+
Fuel Economy C-
Value B-
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy A
Tall Guy A
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 357-hp 5.74-liter
Engine Type V8
Transmission 8-speed automatic
Drive Wheels 4WD

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 14/22/17 (mpg city/highway/combined)

Fuel type: Midgrade gas

Base price: $54,995 (not including $1695 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Silver Zynith paint ($345), Luxury Tech Group IV ($1995), Advance ProTech Group III ($1995), Off-Road Group ($1095), 5.7L Hemi V8 engine ($3295; includes electronic brake hold and upgraded rear axle), Uconnect 5 Navigation with 10.1-inch display ($1795; includes 19-speaker high-performance audio and 950-watt amplifier)

Price as tested: $67,210

Quick Hits

The great:  Spacious cabin for both people and cargo; satisfying acceleration; upscale interior materials

The good: Off-road capability, especially when properly equipped; long list of options and available features

The not so good: Thirsty for midgrade gasoline; luxury-brand pricing, particularly when the options are ladled on

More Grand Cherokee L price and availability information

John Biel

The lure of the 3-row midsize SUV proved too great for Jeep to continue to ignore, so make room for the Grand Cherokee L.

It’s not Jeep’s first 3-row rodeo in this size class, the 2006-10 Commander having previously covered that ground. But in the years since the unlamented Commander laid down its arms, the field for vehicles of its type expanded. Indeed, at its debut as a 2021 vehicle, the Grand Cherokee L joined a field of 12 other “mainstream” and 11 “premium” midsize sport-utes with 6- to 8-seat capacity.

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland

While the regular-length, two-row Jeep Grand Cherokee is a carryover for 2021, the new three-row Jeep Grand Cherokee L kicks off the Grand Cherokee’s fifth generation with an all-new design. A redesigned two-row Grand Cherokee is debuting for the 2022 model year on a shorter version of the L’s new architecture.

The name pretty much tells you all you need to know about the source material. It is a (L)onger Grand Cherokee—and will even be more so for 2022 when an updated 2-row model adopts the same core platform features—with an additional 6.9 inches of wheelbase and 15.1 inches of body length. (Fun fact: The Commander was derived from the Grand Cherokee of its day.) They share an 8-speed automatic transmission, a couple of engines, and four trim levels, but the ’21 Grand Cherokee L inaugurates a new unibody platform with a higher degree of aluminum components and greater use of high-strength steel. Where Grand Cherokee seating capacity is capped at five persons, the L seats six in standard form or seven with an optional second-row bench seat.

Quick Spin: 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Basecamp

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland

The Grand Cherokee L’s interior ambiance is more upscale than previous Grand Cherokees, particularly in Overland and top-line Summit trim. The Overland’s standard features include a heated steering wheel and heated/ventilated front seats. A $1795 option package adds a 10-1-inch infotainment screen and a 19-speaker McIntosh-brand stereo.

Consumer Guide tested a 4-wheel-drive L in Overland trim. The base price with delivery was $56,690, but a trio of option groups, the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine, an audio upgrade, and premium Silver Zynith paint pushed the full tab to $67,210. Had the test vehicle been a rear-wheel-drive model, that figure would have been $2000 less.

Regardless of price or trim, the Grand Cherokee L affords excellent passenger space in the first two rows, and tolerable room for two adults in the third row, especially if middle passengers can track their seats forward. Tilting second-row captain’s chairs clear access to the back row. Front seats provide the most comfort (though one of our testers thought the seat backs should have been a bit plusher); seats in the other rows are a little firmer. The standard heated and ventilated Nappa-leather front seats in the test truck were equipped with back massagers as part of the $1995 Luxury Tech Group IV option.

First Spin: 2022 Infiniti QX60

Grand Cherokee L

The center console houses dual cupholders, a wireless charging pad (included in the Luxury Tech Group IV option package), a rotary-dial shifter, and toggle switches for drive-mode selection and height adjustment for the standard Quadra-Lift air suspension. The Uconnect 5 touchscreen boasts high-resolution graphics and helpful displays, such as this 4WD-system readout that shows steering angle and locked/unlocked status of the transfer case and rear axle.

The personal items that users bring along can be stashed in the glove box; deep, two-tiered console box; covered bin at the front of the console that serves as the wireless-charging pad in models so equipped; and net pouches on the backs of the front seats. All four doors have pockets with bottle holders (smaller in back). Cup holders are found in the console, on the floor in the second row, and built into the sidewalls for third-row occupants.

Quick Spin: 2021 Toyota Highlander XSE

Jeep Grand Cherokee

There’s excellent space in the front and second-row seats. The Luxury Tech Group IV adds high-end features such as Nappa leather upholstery and 12-way power-adjustable seats with a back-massager function.

The roomy, elongated interior pays dividends in cargo space, too. With all seats up, there’s 17.2 cubic feet of room for stuff (plus some hidden space under the deck). Lower the power-retractable 50/50-split rear seats flat with the cargo floor and remotely release the middle seats and 84.6 cubic feet are at your disposal. However, it was suggested by one editor that the hatch opening seems small for the truck’s size and the roof’s slope restricts the height of the opening.

First Spin: 2022 Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer

2022 Grand Cherokee

Here’s one of the main benefits of the Grand Cherokee L’s extra length–third-row seats that are relatively easy to access and offer tolerable headroom and legroom for average-sized adults.

A 3.6-liter V6 of 293 horsepower is standard for all Grand Cherokee Ls. Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve 4x4s can be had with the Hemi V8 that generates 357 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. It costs $3295 to add to an L but it raises towing capacity to 7200 pounds—a full 1000 pounds more than the V6 can accomplish. Note that the Hemi is supposed to be fed mid-grade gasoline, and plenty of it. EPA fuel-economy estimates are 14 mpg in city driving, 22 mpg in highway use, and 17 combined, but this reviewer’s 96.4 miles in the truck—with 75 percent city-style operation—averaged just 11.6 mpg.

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2022 Grand Cherokee

In size and price, the Grand Cherokee L straddles the line between the midsize and large SUV classes. There’s a generous 17.1 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, which grows to 46.9 cu. ft. with the third row folded.

If you need it, Jeep—being Jeep—will make even the plushest Grand Cherokee L ready for the dusty, rocky, or wet trail. CG’s tester was outfitted with the optional Off-Road Group with all-terrain tires on 18×8-inch alloy wheels; skid plates to guard the front suspension, transfer case, and fuel tank; and an electronic limited-slip rear axle. Three different 4×4 systems are doled out to the various models. Overlands get Quadra-Trac II with a two-speed transfer case that can automatically shift as much as 100 percent of available torque to the axle with the most traction. This system also includes “Selec-Terrain” traction management with console-lever-activated “Auto,” “Sport”, “Snow,” “Sand/Mud,” and “Rock” modes that tailor power application to the surface.

In our on-road driving, the Grand Cherokee L displayed great day-in, day-out ride and handling, especially in Auto mode, and it wasn’t too bad in Sport either. The standard air suspension automatically lowers the car highway speeds are attained (confirmation will appear on the instrument display), then raises it again at lower speeds. Choosing Sport mode lowers the vehicle right away. In off-road work, though, the L can be lofted an additional 2.4 inches for added ground clearance.

Quick Spin: 2021 GMC Yukon AT4

2022 Grand Cherokee Wheels

The optional 5.7-liter Hemi V8 adds a significant $3295 premium onto an already pricey vehicle (and it’s quite thirsty for midgrade gasoline), but it supplies satisfying power. Eighteen-inch aluminum wheels on all-terrain tires are included in the $1095 Off-Road Group, as are underbody skid plates and an electronic limited-slip rear differential.

The Uconnect 5 infotainment system in the pre-production test vehicle was optioned up to a larger 10.1-inch touchscreen and 19-speaker McIntosh stereo. The audio unit impressed all our editors for sound quality. However, the Uconnect was prone to seemingly random interruptions, including an instance when the touchscreen went dark, followed by about 15 seconds of loud buzz through the speakers and then a minute or two of a “hard reboot.” Also, one of our editors felt the screen was a little resistant to his inputs.

The 2021 Grand Cherokee L blazes the trail to the next generation of midsize Jeep SUVs. It does so with expected off-road capability and family-sized room, and it affords buyers the chance to select the levels of power and luxury that they want. That should prove hard to resist, too.

Test Drive: 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland

In Hemi-powered Overland 4×4 form, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L is not cheap to buy or run, but it offers copious space for both passengers and cargo, upscale cabin trim, lots of desirable technology features, and Jeep off-road capability.

Check out the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland Gallery

(Click below for enlarged images)

First Spin: 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L

For GREAT deals on a new or used Land Rover check out Cole Land Rover TODAY!

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2021 Toyota Highlander XSE

2021 Toyota Highlander XSE in Celestial Silver Metallic

Quick Spin, Consumer Guide Automotive

2021 Toyota Highlander XSE AWD

Class: Midsize Crossover

Miles driven: 558

Fuel used: 26.4 gallons

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort A-
Power and Performance B+
Fit and Finish A-
Fuel Economy B
Value B+
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy A
Tall Guy A
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 295-hp 3.5-liter
Engine Type V6
Transmission 8-speed automatic
Drive Wheels AWD

Real-world fuel economy: 21.1 mpg

Driving mix: 60% city, 40% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 20/27/23 (mpg city/highway/combined)

Fuel type: Regular gas

Base price: $43,355 (not including $1175 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Premium Audio with JBL ($1680), all-weather floor mats/cargo mat ($318)

Price as tested: $46,528

Quick Hits

The great: Long list of comfort and convenience features; classy cabin trim

The good: Pleasant driving manners; good cargo volume and passenger space in first and second rows; distinctive styling touches inside and out

The not so good: No engine upgrade over other Highlander models; sport suspension makes for a slightly stiffer ride

More Highlander price and availability information

CG Says:

What could the Toyota Highlander have been lacking when the 3-row midsize crossover SUV was completely redone for 2020? Maybe a “sporty” model? If that was your wish, it’s no longer an unmet desire.

The follow-up 2021 Highlander adds the XSE as a sixth gas-engine trim level. (There are four hybrids as well.) Available as either a front- or all-wheel-drive vehicle, it boasts a modified suspension and a few appearance touches for a subtly racier attitude.

2021 Toyota Highlander XSE

The XSE trim level joins the Highlander lineup for 2021, offering an option for buyers who want a slightly sportier attitude. XSE features include more-aggressive body styling touches and a sport-tuned suspension.

Consumer Guide sampled an AWD Highlander XSE. Considering that it has the same powerteam—a 295-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 and 8-speed automatic transmission—as all other current gas-engine Highlanders, its performance matched our positive experience with a plush ’20 Platinum. Its most important departure from the rest of the line is a sport-tuned take on the general MacPherson-strut/trailing-wishbone suspension. Toyota has retuned the shock absorbers, raised spring rates, and added a rear stabilizer bar (to complement the standard front bar) for a ride that’s firmer but not substantially harder than the base set-up. The alterations also tweak body control for better-than-average composure—by crossover SUV standards—around bends and in snappy lane changes.

Test Drive: 2020 Toyota Highlander Platinum

2021 Toyota Highlander XSE

The XSE’s cabin gets a more dynamic look via lots of black trim, red contrast stitching, and available red upholstery accents. The steering is retuned for a sportier feel. Overall materials and assembly quality are excellent.

Toyota mentions a lower stance for the XSE, but its own published dimensions list the same overall height, road clearance, and ramp-breakover angle as any other Highlander. At 197.4 inches, the XSE is 2.5 inches longer than its kin, no doubt a factor in respective approach/departure angles of 16.9 and 21.1 degrees that are slightly tighter and less trail-friendly than on other Highlanders.

The XSE is priced just above the midpoint of the price range for gas-engine Highlanders. The test vehicle had a starting price, with delivery, of $44,530, which is $1950 costlier than the front-wheel-drive version.

Test Drive: 2021 Kia Sorento SX Prestige X-Line

2021 Toyota Highlander XSE

The Highlander’s Qi wireless charging pad is located in the center console, underneath a roll-top cover. This keeps it nestled out of the way when charging, but also makes it less convenient to access the storage bin and tray beneath it.

Aside from the distinct suspension touches, XSEs have their own frontal appearance via a uniquely shaped upper grille with a wavelike black mesh, wide horizontal-bar lower grille built into the bumper, and front spoiler. In back is a chrome-trimmed gray-metallic-finish lower bumper through which a twin-tip exhaust outlet peeks. Color-keyed side rocker panels with chrome lower trim, black roof rails, black accents for the LED projector headlights, and specific machined-face 20-inch alloy wheels round out the package. The standard “SofTex” leatherette upholstery on the front- and second-row seats can be swapped out for the optional red-leather facings and red accent stitching on the dash that made for a colorful cabin environment in the test vehicle. In addition to these model-specific features, XSE is the trim level at which ambient interior lighting becomes standard equipment.

First Spin: 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L

2021 Toyota Highlander XSE

There’s generous passenger room in the Highlander’s second-row seats. The XSE’s available red upholstery accents certainly add flash, but they don’t extend to the third-row seats–which are a bit cramped for adult passengers.

The XSE is strictly a 7-passenger vehicle with second-row captain’s chairs and reclining 60/40-split third-row seats. The seats in the front two rows are quite comfortable, and the front buckets are heated and power adjustable—10 ways for the driver (including power lumbar support) and 4 ways for the passenger. The third-row seat is sized and shaped to hold a couple of average-sized adults—at least for a while. Enlarged body dimensions that came with the 2020 redesign boosted Highlander’s maximum cargo capacity by a little more than 7 percent to 84.3 cubic feet.

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2021 Toyota Highlander XSE

There’s 16 cubic feet of cargo space behind the Highlander’s third-row seats, which grows to 48.4 cubic feet when the third-row seats are folded, and 84.3 cubic feet when both the second and third rows are folded.

On the tech front, standard safety features include forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert and lane-keep assist, lane-tracing assist, cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control, and road-sign assist, and automatic headlight high-beam assist. Wireless charging; tri-zone climate control; and an audio system with an 8-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality, and Amazon Alexa compatibility are included as well—though the test truck was kitted out with an 11-speaker JBL sound system with navigation. Even this enhanced system is easy to grasp and program.

Quick Spin: 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Basecamp

2021 Toyota Highlander XSE

The XSE doesn’t get any kind of powertrain upgrade–under the hood is the same 295-horsepower V6 used by other non-hybrid Highlanders. However, machined-face 20-inch alloy wheels are exclusive to the XSE.

CG has picked Highlander as one of its “Best Buys” on account of its fine passenger and cargo room, agreeable road manners, quiet cabin, abundant useful features and available hybrid power. The XSE just gives a few more people with slightly different tastes something to like about this Toyota SUV.

Test Drive: 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy

2021 Toyota Highlander XSE

The XSE model brings a sportier look–and a slightly sportier driving feel–to Toyota’s popular midsize SUV.

Check out the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

2021 Toyota Highlander XSE Gallery

(Click below for enlarged images)

2021 Toyota Highlander XSE

Test Drive: 2020 Toyota Highlander Platinum

2021 Toyota Highlander XSE

Car Stuff Podcast


 
For GREAT deals on a new or used Toyota check out Premier Toyota of Amherst TODAY!

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2021 Hyundai Elantra Limited, Phanton Black

2021 Hyundai Elantra Limited in Phantom Black

Quick Spin

2021 Hyundai Elantra Limited

ClassCompact Car

Miles driven: 180

Fuel used: 5.5 gallons

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort B
Power and Performance C+
Fit and Finish B-
Fuel Economy B
Value B
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy A-
Tall Guy B
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 147-hp 2.0L
Engine Type 4-cylinder
Transmission CVT
Drive Wheels Front-wheel drive

Real-world fuel economy: 32.7 mpg

Driving mix: 70% city, 30% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 31/41/35 (mpg city, highway, combined)

Fuel typeRegular gas

Base price: $25,450 (not including $995 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Carpeted floor mats ($155)

Price as tested: $26,600

Quick Hits

The great: Spacious interior for the class; comfortable, compliant ride

The good: Generous level of standard features, value pricing

The not so good: Middling acceleration; polarizing styling; so-so interior materials for a top-line model

More Elantra price and availability information

John Biel

Even if you climb to the top of the 2021 Hyundai Elantra model mountain, your bill for a gas-engine Limited will still fall comfortably short of $27,000. That’s essentially loaded, too—only a dozen individual accessories, with prices ranging from $30 to $295, exist to tease some extra cash out of a buyer’s wallet. But is the Elantra Limited truly a bargain?

2021 Hyundai Elantra Limited

The Elantra’s redesign for 2021 brings provocative new exterior styling and a host of new features.

At $26,445 with delivery, a Limited with the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine starts at a considerable $4550 more than an SEL like the one that Consumer Guide previously tested. But with option packages that filled in more than half of the Limited’s above-and-beyond standard equipment and a set of accessory carpeted floor mats, CG’s SEL came to a final price of $25,100, while its follow-up Limited test car hit $26,600 with only the $155 mats added to it.

Quick Spin: 2021 Nissan Sentra SR

2021 Hyundai Elantra Limited

Even in the topline Limited, the Elantra’s interior wears some noticeably budget-grade materials, but the dramatic design makes for an striking ambiance nonetheless. Highlights include a fully digital gauge cluster, HVAC vents integrated into a full-width trim strip, and a passenger grab handle that cascades down from the center of the dash.

Comparing apples to apples, then, what the extra $1500 bought for the Limited that could not be replicated on the SEL came down to:

  • leather upholstery
  • navigation
  • dynamic voice recognition
  • Hyundai Blue Link guidance package
  • customizable ambient interior lighting
  • chrome window trim
  • LED headlights
  • reverse parking-distance warning and collision-avoidance assist
  • Highway Drive Assist (a lane-centering and vehicle-distancing system for highway use)

Test Drive: 2021 Hyundai Elantra SEL

Elantra Cabin

There’s decent space for adults in both the front and rear seats. Limited models come standard with leather upholstery.

To be sure, there are plenty of other premium goodies built into the Limited. A partial list includes 17-inch alloy wheels, 8-speaker Bose audio system, power sunroof, forward collision-avoidance assist, 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, wireless charging, and Hyundai Digital Key smartphone app. However, aside from the leather seats, there is no great leap of plushness in the fairly utilitarian cabin, and the same 147-horsepower engine and continuously variable transaxle found in the SEL hammer away under the hood. With the Limited’s larger gauge cluster, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality requires a wired connection to a smartphone, whereas lesser models with the base 8-inch infotainment touchscreen actually have more “modern” wireless capability. (Of course, considering that the SEL we sampled was optioned with the 10.25-inch cluster, this was a wash between the two test cars.)

Quick Spin: 2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

2021 Elantra Wheels

The Elantra’s base powertrain is a 147-hp 2.0-liter 4-cylinder paired with a continuously variable transmission. Seventeen-inch alloy wheels are standard on Limited models.

As a reminder, the ’21 Elantra initiates the fully redesigned seventh generation of Hyundai’s compact sedan. It is 2.2 inches longer, one inch wider, and 0.8-inch lower on a 0.8-inch-longer wheelbase compared to the previous model. The suspension is composed of MacPherson struts and a stabilizer bar up front with a torsion-beam axle in the back. Styling is dramatically new if somewhat polarizing for its sharply drawn lines.

Test Drive: 2020 Kia Forte GT

2021 Elantra Design

The Elantra’s front and rear fasciae both wear dramatic design touches; there’s a bold “parametric-jewel-pattern” grille up front, and a full-width taillight at the rear. Crisp body lines and edgy shapes abound.

Powertrain performance, passenger room and comfort, cargo-carrying capability, and control operation in the Limited are effectively identical to what CG experienced in the new Elantra SEL, and we’ll direct readers to that review for the mostly favorable specifics. Overall, it’s car that we like for its interior room, ride comfort, and level of features for the price. To boot, there is the availability of a hybrid in two trim levels (at a $2655 premium). The decision as to whether or not the Limited is a good deal seemingly rests the shopper’s level of love for gadgets. Those who value hanging on to a little more of their money might lean SEL instead.

Test Drive: 2021 Toyota Corolla SE Apex Edition

2021 Hyundai Elantra Limited

Despite its head-turning styling, the Hyundai Elantra isn’t the most dynamically engaging compact car with its base engine, but even in upscale Limited trim, it’s a good dollar value. And, Hyundai also offers the sportier N-Line model with a 201-hp turbo engine, and, for 2022, an even sportier N model (with 276 hp) is slated to debut.

Check out the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

2021 Hyundai Elantra Limited Gallery

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Meet the 2021 Consumer Guide Best Buys

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2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid

2021 Ford F-150 XLT PowerBoost Hybrid in Velocity Blue

2015 Audi Q52021 Ford F-150 XLT 4×4 PowerBoost

Class: Large Pickup Truck

Miles Driven: 211.7

Fuel Used: 11.2 gallons

Real-world fuel economy: 18.9 mpg

Driving mix: 70% city, 20% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 24/24/24 (city/highway/combined)

Fuel type: Regular gas

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort A
Power and Performance B+
Fit and Finish B
Fuel Economy B+
Value A-
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy A
Tall Guy A
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 430-hp 3.5L
Engine Type V6 hybrid
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Drive Wheels 4WD

Base price: $43,805 (not including $1695 destination charge)

Options on test car: Equipment Group 302A ($5730), 3.5-liter PowerBoost full hybrid powertrain ($4495), 6-foot extended accent running boards ($225), Ford Co-Pilot360 2.0 ($655), twin-panel moonroof ($1495), power-sliding rear window ($350), all-weather rubber and carpet mats ($200), Pro Power OnBoard generator ($750), Interior Work Surface ($165), Trailer Tow Package ($1090), Boxlink ($80), Bang and Olufsen Sound System ($610), partitioned lockable storage ($215), tailgate step ($430), 20-inch 6-spoke dark-alloy wheels ($1395), 360-Degree Camera Package ($796), XLT Sport Appearance Package ($300), wheel-well liner ($180), spray-in bedliner ($595)

Price as tested: $65,256

Quick Hits

The great: Outstanding range of options and innovative new features; high-tech infotainment system; unmatched capability from onboard power generator

The good: Spacious interior; composed road manners

The not so good: Steep option prices drive up the bottom line; doesn’t ride quite as smoothly as Ram 1500 rivals; observed fuel economy fell short of EPA numbers during our cold-weather test

More F-150 price and availability information

John Biel

If you’ve seen the television advertising for the redesigned 2021 Ford F-150, you know it is capable of doing one thing no other vehicle ever mentioned on this blog site could do: help build its own garage.

This is the F-150 with the new hybrid PowerBoost V6 and Pro Power Onboard mobile-generator functionality that can operate power tools—even arc welders, Ford claims. The 2021 F-150 kicks off generation 14 of this solidly popular half-ton pickup. Though every body panel is new, styling is a close-to-the-vest evolution of the design that bowed for 2015 with much-discussed (and debated) aluminum body panels. While the new truck retains aluminum-alloy construction, it rides on an all-new high-strength-steel frame.

2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid

The Ford F-150 is redesigned for 2021. Overall dimensions and passenger/pickup-bed capacities stay about the same as the previous-gen model, but the body panels are all-new and a hybrid powertrain is available for the first time.

Consumer Guide’s XLT test truck was plucked from a lower branch of the F-150 family tree than media-fleet trucks usually occupy—of the six trim levels available, only the XL is more basic. Still, bestowed with a crew-cab body, it was eligible to be ordered with the PowerBoost engine. The powerplant is available in any F-150 with the full four-door cab, at prices that vary with trim level. In this case, it added $4495 to the $45,500 starting price (with delivery) of our 4-wheel-drive Velocity Blue test truck.

5 Cool Things About the Toyota Tundra

2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid

The new dashboard is logically arranged, and most controls are easy to use. The lengthy list of high-tech available features includes a full-digital gauge cluster, Active Drive Assist hands-free lane-centering adaptive cruise control system, Active Park Assist 2.0 self-parking system, and over-the-air updates for the infotainment system.

With a 33kW electric motor that’s tucked into the well-behaved 10-speed automatic transmission to aid the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharger gas V6, the PowerBoost Full Hybrid (no 48-volt “mild hybrid” for the blue-oval folks, thank you) makes 430 system horsepower and 570 lb-ft of torque, the most of either commodity available from any F-150 engine. Without a load, it hastens the truck along smartly almost all the time, though more than one driver noted an odd dead spot in acceleration right after getting away from full stops. If you have to put it to work, there’s enough oats to tow up to 12,700 pounds with the Max Trailer Tow Package option installed.

Test Drive: 2020 Nissan Titan PRO-4X Crew Cab

Zone Lighting

The new Sync 4 infotainment system boasts excellent graphics and is packed with features. Included are a power-delivery display for the hybrid powertrain and a slick graphic control panel for the F-150’s neat Zone Lighting feature.

While the hybrid is the series’ power leader, the next line on its resume is fuel saver. With straight 24s in EPA city/highway/combined estimates for 4-wheel-drive F-150s, the PowerBoost is the mileage leader in city and combined projections compared to the other Ford engines. Indeed, its city figure is 6 mpg better than the rating for the all-gas 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, and 4 mpg higher for combined operation. Drivers get lots of feedback to help them run efficiently, with things like a trip odometer to track miles driven under electric power and a “braking coach” that reports the percentage of regenerative power sent back into the system at each full stop. This driver posted 19.1 mpg after driving 83.7 miles (20.7 of them electrically) in 58 percent city-type conditions—a disappointing number relative to the EPA estimates, but the frigid weather during our test period likely played a role in bringing our fuel economy down.

First Look: 2021 Ford F-150

Folding Shifter

The clever Interior Work Surface feature is a $165 option. The shift lever powers down into the console, and the center-console armrest flips out to form a smooth work surface that can be used for signing papers, working on a laptop computer, or what have you. There’s still a traditional center-console bin as well (bottom-right photo).

PowerBoost-equipped trucks automatically come with a 2.4kW version of Pro Power Onboard, accessed through a panel in the left side of the cargo bed. A 2.0kW variant is available with any of the optional gas engines, and the hybrid can be outfitted with a $750 upgrade to 7.2kW that adds two 120-volt plugs and a 240-volt input to the two 120 plugs already provided with the lower-power types. With the benefit of a full tank of gas, the 7.2kW one can do its stuff for up to 32 hours. Pro Power energy levels can be monitored on the truck’s touchscreen or even remotely through the FordPass app.

Quick Spin: 2020 Ram 1500 Rebel EcoDiesel

F-150 PowerBoost

The XLT trim is one step up from the entry-level XL in the F-150’s model roster, so its cabin ambiance isn’t particularly ritzy. As expected, there’s generous room for big-and-tall adults in the front and rear seats.

That touchscreen is the face of a new standard Sync 4 infotainment system. It comes with a digital owner’s manual with how-to videos, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, and over-the-air software updates. An 8-inch display is standard in the XLT, but the test truck was equipped with a 12-inch screen that was part of the Equipment Group 302A option. The bigger unit has split-screen capability. Happily, Sync 4 remains as easy to understand and use as its predecessor. Regardless of size, the screen fits in a redesigned instrument panel, and there’s a new steering-wheel design.

The cabin is bestowed with big storage spaces throughout, including pockets cut into the sides of the console. CG’s test truck was gifted with the Interior Work Surface option with a panel that flips out from the console to make a level surface handy for mobile office functions. To make room for the platform when it’s in use, the shift lever folds into the center console at the press of a button.

Quick Spin: 2020 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 Diesel

F-150 PowerBoost

Since contractors and construction workers often make use of their pickups’ open tailgates as work surfaces, the F-150’s Tailgate Work Surface feature includes handy aids such as integrated ruler markings, pencil holders, and clamp pockets. Check out our photo gallery below for a close-up picture of the Pro Power OnBoard generator’s power-socket panel, which is located in the driver’s side rear of the pickup bed.

In addition to previously mentioned items, XLT standards include fog lamps, a power tailgate lock, 60/40-split fold-up rear bench seat, illuminated entry, tilt-telescoping steering column, trailer sway control, dynamic hitch assist, 4G Wi-Fi hotspot, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts, lane-keeping assist, and front automatic emergency braking. Group 302A added things like automatic dual-zone climate control (in place of manual single-zone air conditioning), satellite radio, and remote starting. The XLT Sport Appearance Package presented body-color bumpers and door handles, chrome exhaust tips, dark-accent grille, and sport-cloth upholstery. With a host of individual options that included such things as 20-inch alloy wheels, a twin-panel moonroof, 360-degree camera, and spray-in bedliner the test truck came to $65,256.

Quick Spin: 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 4-Cylinder

F-150 PowerBoost

The 3.5-liter PowerBoost full-hybrid V6 powertrain tacks on a hefty $4495 to the bottom line, but it also delivers a muscular 430 hp in addition to its 24-mpg EPA rating. Twenty-inch dark-alloy wheels are a $1395 option.

The redesign has done nothing to adversely affect F-150’s exceptional leg- and headroom in either row. A wide rear seat and flat floor welcome 3-across seating for adults, and doors open wide to make entries and exits easy. Seating position and comfort are very good. We found that finely rippled highway pavement set up a steady vibration through the steering wheel. Otherwise, it rode and drove quite well on expressways and snowy city streets—even with a leaf-spring rear suspension that will make old-timers nostalgic.

Ford appears to have successfully reinvented its perpetual money machine. It can use this one to build its own bank.

Future Car: 2025 Ram Dakota

2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid

The Ford F-150 has long held the title of America’s best-selling vehicle, and the redesigned-for-2021 model brings an impressive roster of headline-grabbing new features that should help this popular truck retain its sales crown.

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2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid Gallery

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Meet the 2021 Consumer Guide Best Buys

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2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat

2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat in Destroyer Gray

Consumer Guide Automotive2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat

Class: Large SUV

Miles driven: 151

Fuel used: 14.5 gallons

Real-world fuel economy: 10.4

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort B+
Power and Performance A+
Fit and Finish B+
Fuel Economy D-
Value C-
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy A
Tall Guy A
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 710-hp 6.2-liter
Engine Type Supercharged V8
Transmission 8-speed automatic
Drive Wheels AWD

Driving mix: 65% city, 35% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 12/17/13 (city, highway, combined)

Fuel type: Premium gas required

Base price: $80,995 (not including $1495 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Technology Group ($2395), Premium Interior Group ($2495) low-gloss Gunmetal dual stripes by Mopar ($1195), Pirelli P-Zero 3-season tires ($595), Blind-Spot and Cross-Path Detection ($495)

Price as tested: $89,665

Quick Hits

The great: World-beating acceleration for a large 3-row SUV; impressive stopping power and crisp handling for the size

The good: Comfortable, spacious interior; muscle-machine looks and attitude

The not so good: Terrible fuel economy; performance suspension makes for a choppy ride; macho exhaust note can grow tiresome on long drives; despite smart updates for 2021, basic Durango design is showing its age

More Durango price and availability information

John Biel

The Dodge Division of the last decade has demonstrated time and again that it lives by this simple rule: When in doubt, throw more horsepower at it. Anything with an engine bay large enough to accommodate a Hemi V8—and by process of elimination that is now everything in the brand’s lineup—is a candidate to get the supercharged Hellcat version of that engine. That’s why the world of 2021 has a 710-horsepower sport-utility vehicle.

2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat

The uber-performance SRT Hellcat model debuts for 2021 as the new top dog of the Durango lineup.

The new Durango SRT Hellcat builds on other muscled-up models Dodge has devised for its large crossover SUV, then blows the top off of them with its outrageous specs. Not the least of these details is its price. The starting tab, with delivery, is $82,490 but the one that Consumer Guide editors tested reached $89,665 with a couple of option packages and a trio of stand-alone extras. In the realm of 3-row SUVs, that’s the kind of money that conjures up thoughts of premium-brand German vehicles.

Test Drive: 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupe

2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat

A redesigned, Dodge-Challenger-inspired dashboard is a focal point of the ’21 Durango’s revamped interior. Dodge’s new Uconnect 5 infotainment system (with a 10.2-inch touchscreen) is a welcome upgrade over the 2020 model.

Judging by a few cursory figures—again, one of them being price—the Durango Hellcat is a relative budget bomb. High-performance V8 SUVs like the Mercedes AMG GLE 63 S and BMW X5 M start at more than $100,000, but their respective horsepower peaks are 603 and—with optional Competition package—617. Compare manufacturer-provided times and the Dodge is quickest to 60 mph from a standstill. It has a longer 119.8-inch wheelbase and a 200.8-inch overall length that’s 5.8 inches greater than either the GLE or X5. With all seats up, Durango’s 17.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity greatly lags the two German models, but that’s deceptive because while their basic designs have room for a third row, the extra seats aren’t available in the performance jobs. With second- and third-row seats down, the 85.1 cubic feet of space in the Durango is the most by far.

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Durango Hellcat

The Durango SRT models’ instrument panel has appropriately racy-looking graphics, including a configurable center gauge that can be toggled through several different readouts–including (gulp) average and instantaneous fuel economy. The center console is redesigned for ’21, and includes a charging ports, a wireless charging pad, and a small storage tray. Unique forged carbon-fiber trim (visible here next to the cupholders) adds to the high-performance vibe.

Possessed of 710 horsepower at 6100 rpm and 640 lb-ft of torque at 4300 rpm, Dodge says the Durango Hellcat will charge from zero to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and run the quarter mile in 11.5 seconds in spite of a listed curb weight of 5710 pounds. The 6.2-liter powerplant fires up with a roar through the performance exhaust system, then settles into a menacing rumble that provides a bass line to the supercharger’s song. There’s no waiting for response—the Hellcat accelerates enthusiastically with every little bit of pedal travel, and your right foot doesn’t even have to be all the way to the floor before you realize you’ve got a tiger by the tail. The 8-speed automatic transmission (with steering-wheel paddle shifters) provides quick, positive downshifts for never-a-question-about-it passing.

Test Drive: 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE63 S

Durango Hellcat

The front bucket seats are nicely bolstered–enough to be supportive in aggressive cornering, but not so confining as to be uncomfortable on long trips. There’s good space for adult passengers in the Durango’s second row.

Like the 475-horsepower Durango SRT 392 that formerly topped the performance pecking order (but remains available), the Hellcat comes only with all-wheel drive. Traction is maximized by an electronic limited-slip rear axle and launch control. Steering and a suspension with adaptive dampers are tuned to the Hellcat’s particular capabilities. Ride is undeniably firm but not punishing, with an eye toward delivering better handling than a large-ish SUV probably ought to be able to have. There’s nice weight and precision to the steering, and Brembo 4-wheel disc brakes provide the kind of stopping power something this big and fast requires.

Test Drive: 2020 Aston Martin Vantage Coupe

Durango Hellcat

The third-row seats are best suited for small passengers. There’s enough space behind the third-row seats–17.2 cubic feet–for a good-sized grocery run or a pile of the kids’ sports equipment.

If you’re wondering what you might do with all that power at your disposal, the answer is you could tow something. The Durango Hellcat is rated to pull 8700 pounds. Is that the weight of a small gasoline tanker? It wouldn’t hurt, because the EPA projects that the Hellcat will make just 12 mpg in city driving, 17 mpg on the highway, and 13 combined. This reviewer recorded 12.2 mpg after driving 65 miles with 40 percent city-type operation.

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Durango Hellcat

Like its Dodge Challenger and Charger Hellcat counterparts, the Durango Hellcat packs a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8. Here, it’s rated a 710 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque. Massive 20 x 10-inch wheels are standard.

Hellcat appearances aren’t far removed from those of the SRT 392 that sells for $18,000 less. They share a hood with a functional scoop, body-color wheel-lip moldings and rocker-panel aero extensions, and bright dual-exhaust tips. Alloy wheels are 20 inches in diameter and 10 inches wide. However, the Hellcat has its own wheel design, front splitter, and rear valance panel—and Hellcat head logos appear on the grille, power liftgate, and front fenders.

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Durango Hellcat

The Durango Hellcat looks similar Durango SRT 392 (which has “only” 475 horsepower), but these snarling-cat front-fender badges are a tip-off.

The same degree of similarity carries over into the interior. In both, upholstery is black suede with Nappa-leather trim and silver accent stitching; front sport seats have expanded side bolstering; captain’s chairs populate the second row; and drivers grip a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel. The Hellcat does have its own logo embroidered in the seat backs.

New to the standard-equipment list is the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, conspicuous by its 10.1-inch touchscreen. The Hellcat has the version with navigation. Audio inputs are easy to make on the screen but benefit from external tuning and volume knobs. Dual-zone climate control has a convenient dial for setting fan speed, but numerous buttons for other tasks, including repetitive-push “arrows” for temperature selection.

With a platform and dimensions fundamentally the same since 2011, there isn’t much to say about Durango room and comfort that we haven’t already said in recent years. The BMW and Mercedes-Benz SUVs we mentioned before have comparable interior measurements despite their smaller footprints, and even best the Durango in shoulder room. But passengers in the Dodge won’t find themselves lacking for headroom in the front two rows. The third row has enough legroom and seat height for adults, but not as much headroom as in other seating rows. There are multiple handy storage units for personal items, and cup holders throughout. The cargo bay has a good-sized bin under the floor. Tech updates through the years have brought things like Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone capability, wireless charging, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and front and rear parking assistance to the Durango, and they’re standard on the Hellcat. However, other now-common driving aids like blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts come at extra cost.

It’s hard to say that the Durango absolutely needed 700-plus horsepower. But being a modern-day Dodge, it’s just as hard to say that it could have avoided it.

Test Drive: 2020 BMW M8 Competition Convertible

2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat

If the 475-hp Durango SRT 392 wasn’t rad enough for you, how about the 710-hp Durango SRT Hellcat? You’ll pay significantly more at the dealership and at the gas station, of course, but the Hellcat delivers boffo acceleration, all-American muscle-car attitude, 8700-pound towing capacity, and room for the whole family and their stuff.

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2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Gallery

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2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat

First Spin: 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat and Charger Scat Pack Widebody

For GREAT deals on a new or used Hyundai check out Winn Hyundai of Santa Maria TODAY!

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2020 Toyota C-HR Limited

2020 Toyota C-HR Limited in Silver Knockout Metallic with Black roof (two-tone paint is a $500 option)

2020 Toyota C-HR Limited

Class: Subcompact Crossover

Miles driven: 232

Fuel used: 8.2 gallons

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort C+
Power and Performance C
Fit and Finish B
Fuel Economy B+
Value B
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy B-
Tall Guy C+
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 144-hp 2.0L
Engine Type 4-cylinder
Transmission CVT automatic
Drive Wheels Front-wheel drive

Real-world fuel economy: 28.3 mpg

Driving mix: 75% city, 25% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 27/31/29 (city/highway/combined)

Fuel type: Regular gas

Base price: $26,350 (not including $1120 destination charge)

Options on test car: Audio Plus with HD Radio ($465), two-tone paint ($500), carpeted floor mats/cargo mat ($269), door sill protectors ($199), mudguards ($129)

Price as tested: $29,032

Quick Hits

The great: Pleasant ride and handling balance, build quality, solid-feeling body structure

The good: One-of-a-kind styling inside and out

The not so good: Rakish rear roofline compromises cargo versatility and rear visibility; all-wheel drive isn’t available

More C-HR price and availability information

CG Says:

The Toyota C-HR is a subcompact crossover SUV that “crosses over” more than most. With its extra-swoopy styling (both inside and out) and lack of available all-wheel drive, it’s one of the most car-like vehicles in its class. Now that Toyota has essentially exited the subcompact-car category in the U.S. (the Mazda-built Toyota Yaris and Yaris Hatchback were both dropped for 2021), the C-HR and the Corolla compact car are now the entry-level vehicles in Toyota’s model lineup. The Corolla has a starting price of $20,025, and the C-HR isn’t far up the ladder—it starts at $21,545.

The C-HR debuted for 2018 as Toyota’s entry in the growing subcompact SUV segment, and has seen minor updates since then. For 2019, an entry-level LE trim level was added, and a Limited model took the place of the XLE Premium as the topline trim level.  For 2020, the front-end styling was refreshed, Android Auto connectivity was made standard, and the Limited added standard adaptive headlights and an 8-way power driver’s seat. For 2021, the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 suite of safety equipment is now standard across the board, and a Nightshade Edition joins the lineup. The Nightshade is based on the midline XLE model and, as its name suggests, adds blacked-out exterior trim elements and black 18-inch alloy wheels.

You can check out our original First Spin report, plus our reviews of a 2018 XLE and a 2019 Limited model, for more details on the C-HR’s accommodations and driving manners. Our test vehicle here is a 2020 Limited that’s been optioned up about as much as a C-HR can be, and it checks in under the $30K mark.

Toyota C-HR Limited Gallery

2020 Toyota C-HR Limited

2020 Toyota C-HR Limited

Quick Spin: 2020 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE

2020 Toyota C-HR Limited

2020 Toyota C-HR Limited

Test Drive: 2019 Toyota C-HR Limited

2020 C-HR Cabin

2020 Toyota C-HR Limited

Should I Buy a Car or Crossover?

2020 C-HR

2020 Toyota C-HR Limited

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2020 C-HR

2020 Toyota C-HR Limited

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2020 C-HR

2020 Toyota C-HR Limited

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2020 Toyota C-HR Limited

2020 Toyota C-HR Limited

Listen to the very entertaining Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

2020 Toyota C-HR Gallery

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Meet the 2021 Consumer Guide Best Buys

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2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 4Matic Coupe

2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 4Matic Coupe in Graphite Grey Metallic (a $720 option)

2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 Coupe2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 Coupe

Class: Premium Midsize Car

Miles driven: 216

Fuel used: 9.2 gallons

Real-world fuel economy: 23.5 mpg

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort C+
Power and Performance B+
Fit and Finish A
Fuel Economy C+
Value C+
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy A
Tall Guy B
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 362-hp 3.0L
Engine Type Turbo 6-cylinder
Transmission 9-speed automatic
Drive Wheels All-wheel drive

Driving mix: 50% city, 50% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 23/30/25 (mpg city, highway, combined)

Fuel type: Premium gas required

Base price: $67,450 (not including $1050 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Graphite Gray Metallic ($720) 19-inch AMG twin 5-spoke wheels with black accents ($500), augmented video for navigation ($350), ventilated front seats ($450), AIRSCARF ($460), AIR BODY CONTROL air suspension ($1900), MBUX Interior Assistant ($200), Driver Assistance Package ($1700), Exterior Lighting Package ($900), Night Package ($400), AMG Line package ($2500)

Price as tested: $78,580

More Mercedes-Benz price and availability information

Quick Hits

The great: Smooth, strong powertrain; excellent ride/handling balance; classy cabin

The good: Cutting-edge infotainment system; distinctive coupe styling; respectable passenger space for a coupe

The not so good: Steep pricing; some tedious controls

John Biel

Mercedes-Benz can alter the styling, change the engines, and dream up new tech gadgets for its acclaimed E-Class cars—all of which it has done for 2021—but there’s something curiously nostalgic about its modern family of premium-midsized cars. That something is that the E-Class is a family of cars.

2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 4Matic Coupe

The rakish coupe roofline adds drama to the basic E-Class styling. The optional Night Package adds high-gloss black exterior trim elements, including the sideview mirrors, window trim, and rear diffuser.

Before the term “passenger car” became synonymous with “four-door sedan,” it was extremely common for an individual platform to appear in multiple body styles but with their shared DNA obvious to all. It has become exceptionally rare now, and we can think of nobody who still does it to the extent that M-B does with the E450, which comes as a four-door sedan, a station wagon (newly dubbed All-Terrain), a convertible, and a coupe.

Test Drive: 2020 BMW 840i Coupe

2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 Coupe

Regardless of body style, the E-Class’s interior is first class. Both the fully digital gauge panel and infotainment screen measure 12.3 inches, and are packed with high-tech features. Trim highlights include impeccable stitching, MB-Tex upholstery on the upper dash and door panels, and in the case of our test vehicle, natural-grain Black Ash wood trim.

As if that’s not enough of a reminder of “how things used to be,” the coupe is an echo of another era. It is a hardtop, a 4-windows-down, no-B-pillar, 2-door automobile, something once ubiquitous but now as rare as platform shoes. Consumer Guide tested one of these up-to-the-minute throwbacks, a Graphite Grey Metallic example with 4MATIC all-wheel drive priced at $68,500 (including delivery) but optioned up to $78,580.

Quick Spin: Lexus LC 500

2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 Coupe

Our test vehicle was outfitted with striking Classic Red/Black leather upholstery. There’s good room in front for big and tall adults, and adequate space in back for average-sized adults, despite the sloping roofline.

All ’21 E-Class models are the recipients of a midcycle freshening of the generation ushered in during 2017 (sedan and wagon) and 2018 (coupe and convertible). They are subject to revised looks, with changes to grille, headlights, and taillights; they’ve taken on the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system; and the E450s receive a new inline 6-cylinder engine with “EQ Boost” 48-volt mild hybridization technology.

Just by numbers alone, the shift to the turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six seems like a wash. It replaces a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 that made the exact same 362 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 369 lb-ft of torque at 1600 revs. However, the new engine feels smoother and utilizes EQ Boost to tap into as much as 21 additional horsepower and 184 more lb-ft for brief periods. (The 48-volt integrated electric motor system also assists acceleration even before the gas engine switches on, permits coasting for fuel savings, and recaptures energy during deceleration.)

Test Drive: 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA250

2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 4Matic Coupe

There’s 10.0 cubic feet of space in the E450 Coupe’s nicely finished trunk.

“Sport” and “Sport+” modes alter several driving characteristics, including transmission behavior, delaying upshifts to extract more power from each gear range. (For example, at around 40 mph, the engine is turning at 1500 rpm in “Comfort” mode, 2000 rpm in Sport, and 2500 in Sport+.) The exhaust note ratchets up a little in Sport+. Getting away from a stop in Sport+ this driver sensed a hitch—really quick initial response, then a bog, as if there’s an almost-immediate upshift—before the car resumed eager acceleration. With 4MATIC, M-B claims a 0-to-60-mph time of 4.9 seconds, which is 0.3 second quicker than the rear-wheel-drive E450 goes. (The rear-driver is $2500 cheaper.) It is a rapid highway cruiser with quick kickdown from the 9-speed automatic transmission.

Another purported benefit of the new powerplant is slightly improved highway fuel mileage. The EPA estimates 30 mpg on the open road, a gain of two over the V6 rating. (Projected city mileage of 23 per gallon is the same as before.) Still, this reviewer saw only 21.49 mpg from a test run of 69.3 miles with 44 percent city-type driving.

Set in Comfort mode, ride is comfortable and the car handles and corners very well. Damping and steering firm up by degrees in the two Sport modes, and if equipped with the optional Air Body Control air suspension—as the test car was—ride height is lowered. Damping in Sport+ heightens feel of smaller surface irregularities.

The MBUX infotainment system seems to deliver a little better “cooperation” than the previous COMAND arrangement, but it was easier to find controls to adjust central touchpad sensitivity (talk about a thing you’ll do once) than it was to find a trip-odometer reset (which I couldn’t). The new-design steering wheel has two rows of thumb controls—on each arm!—but none of them seemed to be the trip reset. Tuning and saving of radio presets requires multiple steps. MBUX functions show up on a 12.3-inch display screen that blends with a similarly sized screen that colorfully projects driving controls. Navigation, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone compatibility, wireless charging, satellite radio playing from a Burmester surround-sound audio system, blind-spot alert, and Parktronic parking assist are standard. Additional safety-attuned driving aids are available in the Driver Assistance Package option.

Test Drive: 2020 Cadillac CT5-V

2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 Coupe

The E450’s turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six engine puts out 362 horsepower with the help of Mercedes’s EQ Boost mild-hybrid system. Our tester was equipped with 19-inch AMG twin 5-spoke wheels, a $500 option.

Passenger accommodations in the sumptuous and attractive cabin are as they have been since this generation of the E-Class coupe went into effect. Seats—heated and optionally ventilated in front—were done in a dramatic mix of Classic Red and Black leather, and black ash wood fanned out over the MB-Tex-topped dash and doors. Though shorter and lower than the sedan, there’s still enough head- and legroom to hold four 5’-11” adults. Rear-seat access is eased by front seats that power forward. With fairly slender C-pillars and no fixed B-pillars, drivers will find the outward view pretty much uncluttered.

For personal-item storage there is a sizable glove box, a split-top console box with side-hinged doors, roomy door pockets, a net pouch on the transmission hump by the front passenger, and covered cup holders in the console. In back are hard-sided pouches affixed to the front seats and exposed cup holders between the seats.

The E450 has good cargo space for a luxury coupe, even if the area isn’t particularly tall. There is a large open space under the floor. Split rear seats fold but don’t rest completely flat, there’s a small gap between the trunk floor and seats, and a bulkhead narrows the passage. The trunk has a high lip and the opening narrows above the bumper.

In an automotive world of changing vehicle tastes and needs (the spread of SUVs; a move toward electrification), a “nuclear family” like the E-Class may prove hard to sustain, and only the models with the most practicality—and, thus, sales potential—may persist. For now, though, variety is the spice of family life.

First Spin: 2021 Lexus IS

2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 4Matic Coupe

Two-door coupes in any form are increasingly rare in today’s automotive market, which makes the E450 Coupe stand out even more. It’s a stylish luxury machine that delivers excellent performance and lots of high-tech features.

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2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 Coupe Gallery

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2021 Mercedes-Benz E450 Coupe

Test Drive: 2020 BMW 840i Coupe

For GREAT deals on a new or used Land Rover check out Land Rover Fairfield TODAY!

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2021 Toyota Venza Limited

2021 Toyota Venza Limited in Titanium Glow

Quick Spin, Consumer Guide Automotive

2021 Toyota Venza Limited

Class: Midsize Crossover SUV

Miles driven: 768

Fuel used: 20.8 gallons

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort B+
Power and Performance B
Fit and Finish A-
Fuel Economy A
Value A
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy A-
Tall Guy A
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 219-hp 2.5L
Engine Type 4-cylinder hybrid
Transmission CVT automatic
Drive Wheels AWD

Real-world fuel economy: 36.9 mpg

Driving mix: 35% city, 65% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 40/37/39 (city, highway, combined)

Base price: $39,800 (not including $1175 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Advanced Technology Package ($725); Star Gaze fixed panoramic roof ($1400)

Price as tested: $43,100

Quick Hits

The great: Smooth hybrid powertrain delivers excellent fuel economy; generous list of standard equipment, including safety features

The good: High-class interior trimmings; sleek styling inside and out

The not so good: Cargo volume isn’t as good as most class rivals; not all testers like capacitive-touch controls

More Venza price and availability information

CG Says:

If the new-for-2021 Venza is supposed to be the stylish sophisticate of Toyota’s range of crossover SUVs, then what could it hurt to drive the one with the most stylish and sophisticated stuff on it? That would be the Limited, the heap-topper of the trio of 5-passenger “small-midsize” hybrid crossovers.

2021 Toyota Venza Limited

All 2021 Venzas are hybrids, and all are all-wheel drive. Even in topline Limited trim with options, the Venza undercuts the prices of most similarly equipped two-row midsize crossover rivals.

Consumer Guide has already sampled the mid-pack Venza XLE, and we’ll direct you to that review for the particulars on performance, room, and convenience. All Venzas have the same 219-horsepower gas/electric hybrid powerplant and all-wheel drive, and the tested XLE was optioned with the premium audio system that is Limited standard equipment. The Limited has a base price—with delivery—of $40,975, which is $3800 more than the XLE’s starting tab. However, the Limited that CG drove was essentially “loaded” with the only two factory options available to it—the Advanced Technology Package and the “Star Gaze” moonroof—that resulted in a bottom-line figure of $43,100.

Test Drive: 2021 Toyota Venza XLE

2021 Toyota Venza Limited AWD

The Venza’s cabin has an impressively upscale ambiance for its price point, particularly in Limited trim. Standard features include a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, 360-degree surround-view monitor, heated steering wheel, and heated and ventilated front seats. A wireless charging pad resides at the leading edge of the center console.

The Limited’s extra cost pays for a mix of genuine “different from the rest” items and mere embellishments of what’s already there. Perforated SofTex leatherette seats, 4-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, digital rearview mirror with HomeLink universal transceiver, a 360-degree overhead-view camera, and illuminated front doorsills and footwells are all steps beyond what’s standard on the LE and XLE. So, too, the premium audio system with navigation, nine JBL speakers, a 12.3-in. touchscreen, capacitive-touch controls, and Destination Assist that accesses en route directions from an actual human.

Quick Spin: 2020 Mazda CX-5 Signature

2021 Toyota Venza Limited

Limiteds come standard with Toyota’s “SofTex” faux-leather upholstery, which looks and feels quite nice. Front seat space is excellent; the back seat offers good legroom, but headroom can be a bit tight for passengers above 6 feet tall.

From the tweaks category come a heated version of the existing leather-trimmed power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, ventilated front seats, touch-capacitive controls for the dual-zone automatic climate control, a washer for the back-up camera, and a Venza logo projected from the puddle lights in the exterior mirrors.

Test Drive: 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport

2021 Toyota Venza Limited

The optional “Star Gaze” fixed panoramic sunroof uses electrochromic technology to switch from transparent to a frosted translucent state at the press of a button… an interesting novelty, but we’re not sure it’s worth $1400.

The $725 Advanced Tech option imbues the Venza Limited with a head-up display and rain-sensing windshield wipers. That is a wiser choice than the fancy moonroof, which is not $1400 worth of “gee whiz!” Star Gaze is a fixed panoramic roof that uses electrochromic technology to switch from transparent to frosted. At full strength it allows a soft, white, almost wintry light into the cabin. Press an overhead button and this effect clears to act like a normal moonroof, but there is a residual milkiness in the glass. An option only for the Limited, it comes with a power sunshade, but it requires surrendering the low-profile silver roof rails, and it reduces overall interior volume by 3.3 cubic feet in a vehicle that doesn’t have the biggest cargo area in its class to begin with.

2021 Toyota Venza Limited

Nineteen-inch “Super Chrome” multi-spoke alloy wheels are standard.

As a reminder, the new Venza draws on a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and three electric motors, one of which is mounted in the rear and is electronically activated to drive the rear wheels when needed to help reduce front wheel slip or improve cornering. EPA fuel-economy projections for this driveline, which includes a continuously variable transmission, are 40 mpg in city driving, 37 mpg on the highway, and 39 combined. CG’s first go in a Venza tallied an impressive 41.6 mpg with 60 percent city driving. With the Limited we logged 36.9 mpg with a 35/65 city/highway mix.

All Venzas have the full connectivity complement of Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa compatibility, and they come with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0: a pre-collision system with low-light pedestrian and bicycle detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, automatic high-beam headlamps, and road-sign assist. The Limited’s reliance on capacitive-touch controls—even for climate—requires a lot of repetitive tapping; the standard LE and XLE climate system has easier-to-use dials and push-buttons.

With easy handling, a pleasant ride, good passenger room for four adults, and a nicely done cabin, the Venza speaks to the crossover buyer who values a sleeker look and feel above absolute utility. The Limited just speaks a little louder.

Check out Consumer Guide’s Midsize Crossover Best Buys

2021 Toyota Venza Limited

The reborn Toyota Venza is sleekly styled, fuel efficient, and pleasant to drive. It’s not as space efficient as some class rivals–the swoopy roofline takes a toll on cargo space–but it is one of the best dollar values in its class.

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2021 Toyota Venza Limited Gallery

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2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge in Jubilee Silver

2020 G902020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge

Class: Premium Large Car

Miles driven: 213

Fuel used: 14.5 gallons

Real-world fuel economy: 14.7 mpg

Driving mix: 45% city, 55% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 12/18/14 (city, highway, combined)

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort A
Power and Performance A-
Fit and Finish A
Fuel Economy D
Value C-
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy A+
Tall Guy A
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 593-hp 6.6L
Engine Type V12
Transmission 8-speed automatic
Drive Wheels Rear-wheel drive

Fuel type: Premium gas required

Base price: $356,500 (not including $2750 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Black Badge Package ($50,000), Bespoke Interior ($5600), Rolls-Royce Signature Package ($11,275) Mandarin-color top ($5425), Mandarin-color pinstripe applied to wheel centre ($2400), single Mandarin-color coachline pinstripe ($1775), Aero Cowling rear-seat tonneau cover ($25,750), RR embossing to interior door panels ($1975), Selby Grey seat-piping accents ($3175), Driver Assistance 3 Package ($8325), Gas Guzzler tax ($2600)

Price as tested: $477,550

Quick Hits

The great: Top-of-the-heap luxury; built-to-order customizability; serene ride quality

The good: Generous front-seat space; smooth, abundant power from V12 engine

The not so good: Prices fit for royalty; voracious thirst for premium fuel; cramped trunk space for a vehicle this large

Check out our Premium Large Car Best Buys

John Biel

There are, we imagine, strange elements to just about any occupation, tasks that people need to perform that seemingly defy reason, and only on reflection do they get to ask, “Did I really just do that? For money?”

For a Consumer Guide Automotive editor, this “what just happened here?” sense hits whenever something like a 2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn convertible shows up outside the building. Admittedly, there are few cars like it, and that’s the point. We’ll get 100 or more review vehicles a year through Consumer Guide Supreme World Headquarters, so we’re certainly comfortable discussing the features and performance of cars and trucks that Americans purchase by the tens of thousands. Throw a Roller in the mix, however, and it makes you question what you’re doing.

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn

Our Dawn test vehicle was equipped with the $50,000 Black Badge package (which includes blacked-out body trim) and the $25,750 Aero Cowling rear-seat tonneau cover, which includes built-in lockable storage compartments.

Whenever this happens—and it does now and then—we’re out of our comfort zone. Off the bat, the sums involved are staggering relative to the many vehicles we review—even some of the true luxury products. With jaws hanging open, we can’t help staring and pointing at . . . that price: $361,850 (with delivery and $2600 Gas Guzzler Tax), and that’s just for starters. We can’t resist remarking that a single option, a removable “aero” tonneau cover over the rear seats that creates a two-seater look, costs more than an entire Volkswagen Golf TSI, or that the fee for the Black Badge décor-and-performance package that gives the test car its identity would cover a fantastic wedding present for your favorite young couple—two Golf TSIs. We look at the fuel-economy portion of the window sticker and are amazed to the point of amusement at the note that says a Dawn owner is projected to spend $10,000 more in fuel over five years than the owner of “the average new vehicle,” this after having parted with $477,550 to get the car in the first place.

More Rolls-Royce news and reviews

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge

Modern-day Rolls-Royce interiors do a nice job of balancing technology and tradition by offering current convenience features with classic-style switchgear and detailing. “Technical Fibre” carbon-fiber trim inserts take the place of the expected exotic-wood trim, and that Mandarin color is used liberally–even on the convertible top (see gallery below).

All of our unseemly talk of money certainly marks us as being from the “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” side of the tracks. Wouldn’t someone more—shall we say—familiar with this type of car be better suited to critique it? Perhaps. The thing is, people who fit that description sure as heck don’t work as Internet auto writers (if they have to work at all). It falls to us then.

Even figuring out what to say about the Rolls-Royce Dawn seems to defy sense and meaning. If we roll up our sleeves and dive in to the normal type of CG review, we’ll inevitably mention the smooth but strong 6.6-liter V12 engine, the serene ride quality, and the exceptional materials and fit and finish. But saying so almost seems unnecessary, because 478 grand. We often make judgements on performance and value between the vehicles we review for the benefit of readers who may be weighing a buying decision, but what’s the competitive set for the Rolls, a brand that Automotive News reports sold 1320 cars in the U.S. in 2019? Plus, the world being what it is, we can’t imagine that even the most awed review we could give the Dawn is going to turn the head of the shopper looking for “the one” among the 19 compact SUVs on the market.

Test Drive: 2020 BMW M8 Competition Convertible

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge

All Dawns have rear-hinged doors that power open or closed–which is good, because the open doors’ handles are a bit hard to grab when seated. Eye-grabbing Mandarin orange leather upholstery is available as part of the $5600 Bespoke Interior package. Both doorjambs have a built-in umbrella that pops out at the press of a button.

All things considered, then, about all we can do is enjoy the ride in something from outside the routine. The 2020 Black Badge is even further “outside” than the last Dawn we briefly drove in 2017.

The Black Badge package renders the car’s body moldings and classic grille in gloss black, with the hideaway “Spirit of Ecstasy” hood ornament in a dark-chrome finish. Wheels are a carbon/alloy composite, 21 inches in diameter. The interior sports light-gray contrast stitching and “RR” monograms in the headrests of the sumptuous natural-grain leather seats (ventilated in front), with technical-fiber trim in place of wood on the dashboard, doors, and console. Meanwhile, a sport exhaust and engine output raised by 30 horsepower make this a slightly less-sedate Rolls-Royce.

Test Drive: 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge

The Dawn’s powerplant is suitably regal and powerful–a BMW-built 6.6-liter V12 that puts out 593 horsepower in Black Badge form. The “RR” badges in the center of the 21-inch carbon/alloy composite wheels are always upright; they’re fixed to the hubs, so they don’t turn with the rest of the wheel. The hand-painted Mandarin orange pinstripe applied to the wheel centers is a $2400 option, and the matching coachline (beltline) pinstripes are another $1775.

Pumped up to 593 horsepower—but with the same 605 lb-ft of torque as in the standard-tune engine—the twin-turbocharged BMW V12 makes the big convertible a little speedier but no noisier, and no less smooth. The utterly unobtrusive 8-speed automatic transmission helps there. The Black Badge engine loses one mpg in EPA highway-mileage ratings, slipping to an estimated 18, but city and combined projections stay the same at 12 and 14 mpg, respectively. CG’s 213-mile test with approximately 45 percent city-style operation worked out to 14.7 mpg.

As expected for a car of this size and purpose, ride is better than handling. It veritably swallows surface irregularities such as railroad tracks with electronic variable damping and rear self-leveling air springs. However, steering is on the slow side, so cornering response is somewhat laggard.

Test Drive: 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge

A power-retractable Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament is standard, and it too gets the Black Badge dark-finish treatment.

None of that will bother a driver and up to three additional passengers on an open-road cruise, however. All occupants enjoy ample legroom, and good headroom under the raised top. With the top down, front passengers experience little wind buffeting. Our Black Badge test car was considerably more vibrant than our ’17 Dawn, with orange Mandarin upholstery, body striping, and even convertible top (over a Jubilee Silver body). The cabin glistens with many chrome highlights. Switchgear is tight yet effortless to operate. BMW’s iDrive with central control from the console serves as the infotainment system—with the attendant complication. Four-zone climate control is managed by rotating dials for fan speed, waferlike dials for temperature settings, and tiny buttons for things like seat heaters and defrosters.

With the kind of power and luxury built into a Rolls-Royce Dawn, there’s certainly nothing hard about driving one. That’s cushy duty. It’s just a little tough to comprehend, though.

Forgotten Concept: Chrysler Imperial

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn

If the 2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn were a gourmet meal, it would be a decadent feast where highly skilled chefs used all the sugar, butter, salt, and red meat they wanted. It’s pure automotive luxury and indulgence–with a price tag to match.

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2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge Gallery

Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge

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