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Category: Cars

  • 2026 BMW iX garners some rave reviews

    2026 BMW iX garners some rave reviews

    2026 BMW iX xDrive45 vs. 2026 Cadillac Vistiq: A lot for a lot?

    This week: BMW iX

    Price: $96,275 as tested. M Sport Package added $4,500 for a lot of M’s (on the steering wheel, among exterior and interior elements); Executive Package, $3,250 for soft-close doors and more; Driving assistant professional, $2,550. And there’s more, mentioned below.

    What others are saying: “Highs: Tranquil cruising, competitive driving range, deluxe cabin. Lows: Busy exterior styling is polarizing, low rear seating position,” says Car and Driver.

    Consumer Reports gushed: “We were thoroughly impressed with BMW’s all-electric iX, which is speedy, ultraquiet, and delivers a cushy ride. Even with its complicated controls, the iX earned one of the highest road test scores ever.”

    What BMW is saying: “The new age of iX.”

    Reality: And this $100,000 model is the low-budget iX.

    What’s new: The iX electric SUV is new and improved for model year 2026, BMW says, with a redesigned exterior, cutting-edge technology, and versatility.

    Competition: In addition to the Vistiq, there are the Genesis Electrified GV70, Lexus RZ, Mercedes-Benz EQE, Tesla Model X, and Volvo EX90.

    Up to speed: Car and Driver reports the iX xDrive45 gets to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. An M70 version takes just 3.6. It’s still quite fast, but there are other reasons to upgrade. Read on.

    Shiftless: A small toggle gets you into Reverse or Drive; there’s a button for Park.

    On the road: The iX handles nicely like a good all-wheel-drive EV should. It’s not stellar but it’s smooth and fun. It was actually a little rough on highways.

    Vehicle modes are accessed via a touch pad on the console, which gives you a touchscreen full of choices to take your mind and eyes off the road. When you press Sport then there’s an activation dialogue to capture your attention. Who cares about the car that stopped in front of you, the cyclist, the deer, the kid chasing the ball, when there’s all this touchscreen to look at.

    The interior of the 2026 BMW iX is striking in red leather. It’s comfortable and spacious but with some quirks.

    Driver’s Seat: Here’s another of the iX’s mysteries. The seat is nicely appointed and most comfortable (and on the roomy side), but I was stuck with a lumbar bump that I couldn’t get rid of. The controls are on the door a la old Hyundais but there’s there nothing for lumbar. The touchscreen wasn’t offering any clues either.

    The seats do offer massage, and that function helped take my mind off the lumbar issues — and convinced me there has to be a control for it … somewhere.

    All this for the bargain price of $3,500, for the leather seats.

    Steady speed: The steering wheel controls allow for changing from adaptive cruise to a more intrusive driving assist mode.

    All I wanted to do was simply figure out how to set the distance to the next car. It flashed on the screen when I set the system up and then disappeared forever. Because it was set to the farthest distance, cruise control became useless on Philly-region roads, because everyone here will just cut right in front of you. Mr. Driver’s Seat included.

    Friends and stuff: The rear seat is comfortable and luxurious, although the backrest is a little recline-y for me. There’s ample room for three people across and for everyone’s legs.

    Cargo space is 35.5 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 77.9 with the seat folded.

    In and out: The iX is at a nice height so anyone who doesn’t like climbing or bending will be pleased.

    Play some tunes: The Harman Kardon stereo system produces among the best sound I’ve heard in a long time. Notes and chords that are buried by normal speakers are allowed to sparkle as intended; this is an A+.

    The system is all in the touchscreen or through BMW’s dial and buttons on the console. A volume roller knob on the console just monkeys things up; it’s fairly smooth to the touch and hard to roll. The latter controls remain a favorite and bring this system a step above many other modern BMW offerings (I’m glaring at you, 228).

    Keeping warm and cool: Temperature settings are available on the main touchscreen. A small fan icon on the touchscreen opens the larger menu, and I confess for the first couple days I found that HVAC system annoying — it would blow too hard on auto, even on the lowest setting — and then occasionally boil us. In manual mode I had to run the fan at four out of five to get any coolness.

    Range: The iX xDrive45 has a range of 312 miles, according to BMW. That jumps to 340 miles in the mid-range xDrive60, and drops back to 302 in the high-performance M70.

    Where it’s built: Dingolfing, Germany

    How it’s built: Consumer Reports gives the iX a 3 out of 5 for reliability.

    Next week: Step into the Cadillac Vistiq.

  • 2026 Lexus NX 350: So supple, so fun — so what’s with these controls?

    2026 Lexus NX 350: So supple, so fun — so what’s with these controls?

    2026 Lexus NX 350 F Sport: So much potential.

    Price: $58,010 as tested.

    What others are saying: “Highs: Compliant ride, upscale furnishings, impressive list of standard tech and safety features. Lows: A bit pokey for the segment, F Sport deserves to be sportier,” says Car and Driver.

    What Lexus is saying: “The stylish Lexus luxury crossover.”

    Reality: Not just stylish, but quick, fun, and supple. But don’t change songs or set the cruise.

    What’s new: The midsize SUV from Lexus now features all-wheel-drive standard. It was last redesigned in 2022.

    Competition: Acura RDX, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Cadillac XT5, Genesis GV70, Infiniti QX50, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Volvo XC60.

    Up to speed: The F Sport adds a lot of oomph to the NX package. The 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is turbocharged and creates 275 horsepower.

    It roars to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, according to Car and Driver. That’s actually a little slower than competitors, but it still feels quick. When left to its own devices, the NX 350 F Sport just seems to aim for 70 to 75 mph.

    Shifty: The 8-speed automatic does its thing well, so you don’t have to. You can, though; the Prius shifter pattern (up-left for Reverse, down-left for Drive) adds a straight-down pull for Manual mode, and then the paddles take over. Toggle to your heart’s content.

    On the road: All-wheel drive and the adaptive suspension combine to make the curves even more fun; the test model rolled through turns and even around corners like a much smaller vehicle. Sport and Sport+ modes are ideal; it can feel a little sluggish in the other modes.

    The interior of the 2026 Lexus NX 350 F Sport definitely grabs your attention, and won’t let go.

    Driver’s Seat: The NuLuxe seats are delightful, agree Mr. Driver’s Seat and the lovely Mrs. Passenger Seat. They hug, they cuddle, they make you happy like a good Lexus should. (The seats, not the happy couple. Or at least we don’t cuddle you.)

    A favorites button on the infotainment screen should help get where you want to go.

    If only all the controls were this simple. Read on.

    Friends and stuff: People in the corners will be moderately happy, with comfortable seats and plenty of room to stretch out. The center seat is perched and the floor has a hump, so you need the person with the most balance sitting there. But only bring along forgiving friends because they’re going to get mad if they feel the front seats at some point.

    Cargo space is 22.7 cubic feet in the back and 46.9 with the seat folded.

    In and out: It’s not too big a leg lift to get into the NX.

    Play some tunes: Oh, for crying out loud, there has to be someone at Lexus who gets as annoyed at the steering wheel buttons as I do. Every time I want to skip a song or replay a song, I’m left to wonder, “Will it take two stabs? One stab? Several stabs?” It always a mystery, while the hover function waits to recognize my thumbs hovering as intended. Do you really want this? Do other drivers on the road want you to have this?

    And that’s not to mention when I want to move several songs forward or back. We’d been having such a good time up till now, but it’s ruined. Just when that dastardly touch pad is gone, too. (Yes, I know it’s been seven years, but it left a mark.)

    Sound from the Mark Levinson Premium Audio ($1,020) system is good, probably an A-. Not super clear but pretty close. A volume knob is too small and fussy to be helpful. The touchscreen is large at 14 inches (part of a $2,865 F Sport package) and easy to operate. But those darn steering wheel buttons.

    Steady speed: On the other side of the steering wheel, the cruise-control buttons add to the sadness. More confusion, and in this instance it would be impossible to pull over to set it.

    Keeping warm and cool: Weird tire-shaped Lexus dials control the temperature, and then the ebony touch pad allows you to heat and cool the seats and adjust the fan or source. But there are all sorts of automatic control adjustments that get way too intricate for someone driving it around for a week, or, more important, trying to adjust things while driving.

    Fuel economy: The test vehicle averaged 21.2 miles per gallon and didn’t budge at all while testing.

    Where it’s built: Cambridge, Ontario.

    How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the NX reliability to be a 4 out of 5.

    In the end: The NX is a nice vehicle, if you can live with the controls. I don’t think I could.

    Among competitors, if I wanted to throw caution to the wind, I’d go for the Stelvio — it’s just so much fun to drive. The GV70 is also nice, especially in full EV form.

  • A bigger, more electric Philly Auto Show follows a volatile year for the industry

    A bigger, more electric Philly Auto Show follows a volatile year for the industry

    Volatility. Tariffs. EV rebates. Affordability.

    These are the buzzwords surrounding the automobile industry as 2025 gives way to 2026. But you probably won’t hear too much about them at the 2026 Philly Auto Show, where beginning Saturday the Auto Dealers Association of Greater Philadelphia shines up the best and lets thousands of visitors check everything out, with only the pressure of other visitors waiting for their turn.

    Show enthusiasts who’ve been missing the big events from pre-pandemic days will have a reason to smile. The show will cover almost 700,000 square feet, five more brands are joining in at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and the electric vehicle ride program will have doubled.

    “It’s wonderful to be able to fill the building again,” said Mike Gempp, executive director of the dealers association, which puts on the show. “You gotta wear comfortable shoes, for sure.”

    The added nameplates you’ll see will be Genesis, Lincoln, Lucid, Polestar, and Volvo. This allows the footprint to grow quite a bit since all of last year’s makes are back, making the largest number (27) since 2020.

    The redesigned 2027 Kia Telluride three-row SUV is one of the main attractions among new vehicles at the 2026 Philly Auto Show.

    The latest vehicles are the main draw, of course. Some that are attracting interested buyers, Gempp says, are: the redesigned 2026 Subaru Outback SUV; the reborn 2026 Honda Prelude Hybrid sports coupe, last seen long before hybrids were a big thing, in 2001; the redesigned Ford Maverick hybrid small pickup; and the 2027 Kia Telluride.

    Other attention-getting vehicles expected at the show include the Chevrolet Corvette, Ineos Grenadier, Jeep Recon, Lotus Emira, McLaren 750S, and Subaru BRZ tS.

    Coming off a steady rise in sales — up 3.3% in the nation and 1.2% in the region, Gempp said — the industry has been fighting tariff and EV rebate uncertainty since the Trump administration took office. But just over 16.3 million vehicles were sold in 2025, according to Cox Automotive, the highest number since the pandemic arrived.

    The Subaru Outback has become an iconic SUV in the United States. The redesigned 2026 model will be on display at the Philly Auto Show Saturday, Jan. 31, through Sunday, Feb. 8.

    EVs: The future and the present

    Despite the end of rebates, electric vehicles may still be an attractive proposition in 2026. Manufacturers have new EV models coming to market, Cox Automotive executive analyst Erin Keating said, and without rebates to lower the prices, dealers will have to make them attractive to consumers.

    “I really wouldn’t count EVs out,” Keating said, especially as more are coming to the used market.

    EVs will figure into the show heavily. The indoor E-Track allowing visitors to ride in 20 different kinds of EVs is doubled in size and now features eight brands: Cadillac, GMC, Lucid, Kia, Polestar, Tesla, Toyota, and Volvo.

    But the E-Track is not all EVs, as there will be plug-in hybrids to ride in as well, like the Kia Sportage, Toyota RAV4 and Prius, and Volvo XC60.

    Gempp sees the E-Track as a chance to teach visitors about the different kinds of powertrains available in modern vehicles.

    Now that EVs are not as big a focus for manufacturers, Gempp sees technological innovations as a major area of industry attention. He points to the Lincoln Nautilus, with a 48-inch screen running pretty much the width of the entire dashboard.

    The Lincoln Nautilus shows how far screens have come in modern vehicles, with a 48-inch touchscreen spanning the dashboard. It will be on display at the 2026 Philly Auto Show, now that Lincoln is back at the show.

    Switch to hybrids

    Gempp sees hybrids drawing renewed attention from manufacturers. There’s no plugging in these models, just electric motors and batteries that supplement the engine, taking advantage of braking energy and adding that back into the power supply, saving fuel in the process.

    “The manufacturers are refocusing on hybrids, and pulling away from concentration on EVs that we saw in the last few years because the incentives have gone away, because the penalties for carbon credits have gone away, there’s very little incentive for manufacturers to introduce or sell EVs” said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting for AutoForecast Solutions in Chester Springs.

    All that refocusing is needed as the industry outlook grows cloudy. With tariffs and subsequent price adjustments, along with general economic uncertainty, Keating expects sales to fall to 15.8 million, while Fiorani is a little more optimistic that they’ll be just under 16.2 million.

    Affordability remains as the final question mark.

    “The biggest thing weighing down the economy going forward is how tariffs of ’25 will affect pricing in ’26,” Fiorani said. “We’ve already seen the manufacturers of all products absorb these costs as much as they can so we’re going to start seeing some of these costs being pushed onto the consumer.”

    Show events

    But we can take our minds off all that at the auto show, enjoying some of the exhibits that take the event beyond sitting inside stationary vehicles.

    Here are some of the other attractions planned:

    Camp Jeep will be back

    The lines are generally long at the 30,000-square-foot space, where visitors can ride in a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, Grand Cherokee L, Compass, or Gladiator over a track that adds a breakover log crawl and a 25-degree wedge to an 18-foot mobile hill and stair climber. Nearby, Kiddie Camp Jeep will give future customers a chance to maneuver mini Jeep ride-on toys.

    Stellantis will host outdoor drive events

    Unlike the indoor tracks, here licensed drivers 18 and up are able to choose from 10 Stellantis vehicles to test drive around Philly: Alfa Romeo Giulia and Tonale PHEV, Dodge Durango SRT, Ram 1500 and 2500, Chrysler Pacifica, FIAT 500e, and Jeep Wrangler, Gladiator, and Grand Cherokee.

    The Antique Automobile Club of America display at the 2023 Auto Show at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

    Unusual autos and antique cars draw fans

    Exotics Row will feature the kinds of cars most of us only dream about, and classics displays from Antique Automobile Club of America and Delaware Valley Triumphs bring back memories of what neighborhood streets once looked like.

    Buick will showcase the first-ever concept vehicle, the Y Job, built in 1938. It premiered plenty of groundbreaking features, like a power convertible top, power door locks, automatic transmission, and retractable headlights.

    Heroes Highway is added this year

    In this new area, meant to celebrate first responders, kids of all ages can enjoy an interactive display of police, fire, and rescue vehicles. Qualified first responders will be able to enter the show for free on Feb. 6.

    A big year for Philly history

    Route ’26 showcases the events surrounding Philadelphia and American history, marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Events on display include Wawa Welcome America, the 2026 MLB All-Star Game and All-Star Week festivities, and TED Democracy: Founding Futures at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.

  • This company says it has produced the holy grail of batteries

    This company says it has produced the holy grail of batteries

    If you can believe the ambitious claims in a slickly produced video released Jan. 4 ahead of the CES technology show in Las Vegas, a battery revolution is coming this year that could upend the EV market and eventually usher in a new era of fast-charging, long-range cars and trucks.

    The high-end electric motorcycle maker Verge Motorcycles and its spin-off motor company Donut Lab say they’re selling the world’s first EV powered by a “solid-state” battery — a much-hyped, long-promised type of battery that packs more power than standard cells, if companies could figure out how to design and mass-produce it.

    But Verge and Donut Lab have offered no evidence and few details about their battery claims. The proof, they say, will come when customers start to receive the $30,000 electric motorcycles they are selling now and plan to deliver by the end of March. Scientists are skeptical, and the controversy illustrates the long and troubled history of companies that have tried — and so far failed — to develop a technology sometimes lauded as the holy grail of batteries.

    Solid-state batteries are similar to the standard lithium-ion batteries found in phones, laptops, and electric cars, but they replace liquid electrolytes with solid materials that, theoretically, could allow them to store more energy, charge faster, and last longer, while lowering their fire risk. Researchers have struggled to develop solid-state batteries that combine all these benefits and work consistently in the real world. Even if they succeeded, companies would have to spend years and billions of dollars overhauling battery factories to mass-produce solid cells instead of batteries that use liquid electrolytes.

    Global car companies including Toyota, Nissan, and Hyundai have promised to release long-range EVs with solid-state batteries for years — but they’ve pushed back their release dates so many times that it has become a joke in the auto industry. Battery giants including Samsung, Panasonic, and CATL, and well-funded solid-state start-ups such as QuantumScape and Solid Power, are also working on the technology, targeting mass production in the next few years and churning out a steady stream of patents and peer-reviewed papers.

    Donut Lab, a Finnish start-up with fewer than 100 employees that announced its existence 14 months ago, says it has beaten its rivals with an “all-solid-state battery” that CEO Marko Lehtimäki says makes no trade-offs whatsoever: It stores about twice as much energy per pound as a typical EV battery, charges from zero to 100% in five minutes, can last 100,000 charge cycles, loses almost no capacity in the bitter cold of minus 22 degrees or the boiling heat of 212 degrees, uses no rare or “geopolitically constrained” materials, and is cheaper than standard lithium-ion cells.

    The start-up has raised nearly $60 million from investors like Risto Siilasmaa, the former chairman of Finnish cell phone giant Nokia, who now sits on Donut Lab’s board of directors.

    “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence,” said Paul Braun, a professor and director of the Materials Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “While no laws of physics appear to be broken, I need to see a lot more data before I am convinced the battery technology is real.”

    Kelsey Hatzell, an associate professor at Princeton University who heads a materials science lab that works on solid-state batteries, said the no-downside combination of properties Donut Lab has promised “sounds impossible.” She added that if the cells could be mass-produced in Finland, where Lehtimäki said they’re starting to be built, “that would be shocking to me.”

    Lehtimäki declined to reveal any data or details about the battery, arguing that Donut Lab needs to protect its trade secrets. But, he said, manufacturers have been testing his batteries under nondisclosure agreements, and outside groups he declined to name would validate his claims in the coming weeks.

    In the meantime, Verge is taking orders in the United States and Europe for an electric motorcycle that starts at $29,900 and promises to charge from zero to 80% in under 10 minutes and travel over 200 miles on a single charge thanks to its new solid-state battery. It’s an overhauled version of the company’s TS Pro motorcycle, whose previous battery had the same range and price but weighed more and charged in 35 minutes. A new long-range version starts at $34,900 and promises to travel 370 miles on a single charge.

    The standard TS Pro has been on the market since 2022. It holds a Guinness World Record for the longest electric motorcycle trip on a single charge, reaching 193 miles on a loop around London last year. The promised improvements in the overhauled TS Pro are plausible, according to Braun, but don’t require solid-state batteries.

    “It might be hard, however, everything stated (except cost) could be done with high-end conventional cells,” he said in an email.

    Whether or not Verge and Donut Lab deliver, scientists and companies will continue to study solid-state batteries.

    “There’s a real need for energy-dense solid-state batteries,” Hatzell said. “I do think they’re going to exist one day, and there’s been significant progress in the last decade.”

    She envisions solid-state batteries being used in flying drones, autonomous robots, and other products for which consumers might be willing to pay more to pack as much energy into as little battery weight as possible.

    Niche, high-performance electric motorcycles also make sense as an early use for solid-state batteries, according to Braun. Eventually, they could take over the luxury EV market, or even the mass market for electric cars and trucks — but they may never get cheap enough or good enough to knock out standard lithium-ion batteries, Braun said.

    “Regular batteries are getting better,” he said. “Maybe solid-state costs never quite get down there, and so they’re only [used] at the highest performance regime.”

    But Lehtimäki, like many battery entrepreneurs before him, insists the solid-state revolution is nigh.

    “We would be just stupid to go and say some lies in front of the whole world where, in a matter of weeks, people will be opening these battery packs and scanning these cells,” he said in a phone interview with The Post. “We don’t need to go and scam people. … Every single thing I said in the video is not an exaggeration of any kind. It’s fact, and people will be shocked.”

  • 2026 Volkswagen Atlas: Nice drive, but then things got hot

    2026 Volkswagen Atlas: Nice drive, but then things got hot

    2026 Nissan Murano Platinum AWD vs. 2026 Volkswagen Atlas SEL Premium R-Line: Midsize SUV comparison

    This week: Volkswagen Atlas

    Price: $56,800 as tested

    What others are saying: “Highs: Roomy interior with seating for seven, compliant ride, capable mid-size SUV tow rig. Lows: Leans too heavily on touch controls, interior quality falls short of rivals, lacks overall pizzazz,” says Car and Driver.

    What Volkswagen is saying: “With three rows of seats, there’s room for all kinds of adventure.”

    Reality: Kinda nice, but one overarching problem.

    What’s new: The Atlas last received a major refresh in 2024, with a turbo and a new interior, and this version is all new to Mr. Driver’s Seat.

    Competition: In addition to the Murano, there are the Chevrolet Blazer, Honda Passport, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Mazda CX-70, Subaru Outback, and Toyota Crown Signia.

    Up to speed: The 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine — whose description sounds suspiciously identical to the Murano’s — creates 269 horsepower, 29 more than the Nissan SUV. Still, despite those extra steeds, it moves the vehicle to 60 mph in about the same time as the Murano, 7.3 seconds, according to Car and Driver. No winner in this department.

    Shifty: The shifter is an ugly stepbrother of the Audi toggle, with a flip forward for Reverse, a pull for Drive, and a button for Park. Having the emergency brake button just behind the shifter and the start button just in front of it makes exiting a breeze — press P, pull the brake, and press the button to turn off, all in a neat row, definitely an improvement over the Murano’s console confusion.

    On the road: We had a chance to travel hundreds of miles in the Atlas, thanks to a belated holiday visit to Best Friend 1.0’s mom up north.

    The Atlas made the trip through Pennsylvania’s Schuylkill valley a pleasant one. It handles highways smoothly and secondary roads with great ease.

    On old winding country roads it’s good for a three-row SUV, and you can feel it going where you point it. Six choices among drive modes should satisfy everyone, but sport mode did the job for Mr. Driver’s Seat. Strong advantage Atlas.

    The interior of the 2026 Volkswagen Atlas starts out comfortably in the front, but then descends as one moves farther back. But that’s not the most frustrating part about the inside.

    Driver’s Seat: The seat is comfortable, with a real sporty feel, not as wide as the Murano’s but grippy and supportive, and the material doesn’t feel cheap at all.

    Volkswagen hangs on to its traditional steering wheel buttons, which makes setting the gauge menu info easy.

    Friends and stuff: The middle-row captain’s chairs ($695, the only option) in the model tested provided excellent legroom, headroom, and foot room. The seats themselves were not as comfortable as the front and felt a little on the small side. When reclining, both the back and bottom move, and I couldn’t get them set up comfortably. Definitely the Murano wins on comfort and style.

    The rear row is nice for a three-row SUV, with plenty of space all around, even for knees, but the seat was smallish and lacked the quality feel so endearing just two rows away.

    Cargo space is a cavernous 96.6 cubic feet with everything folded; 20.6 in the back; and 55.5 with the rear row folded.

    In and out: Getting in and out for the rear row was less tricky than in most three-row SUVs, allowing passengers to easily maneuver between the seats to the back. The door also opened wide but not so wide that cars next door are in grave danger.

    The vehicle height also is good for bad knees and hips.

    Play some tunes: The 12-inch infotainment screen handles all the functions, except for a slider control along the frame that “handles” volume, the same way AI “handles” searches, with some hits but many misses.

    Sound from the Harman Kardon premium system is good, about an A-, but nothing earth shaking. Still, better than the Murano.

    Keeping warm and cool: The Atlas HVAC controls featured ebony sliders with red for warmer and blue for colder worked into the infotainment’s frame. Unfortunately there is no illumination there, so when you hop in at night for an initial journey, you have no idea what to do. And it doesn’t really get better with time.

    Fortunately, a couple of temperature numbers on the infotainment display open the full HVAC option screen, as does a button in front of the console. But the icons are so fussy and small I actually considered several times whether it was worth the bother to try switching off the seat heater or change some other setting. This is distressing.

    Fuel economy: The Atlas averaged 19 mpg in the long-term average, so it wasn’t just me stomping around.

    Where it’s built: Chattanooga, Tenn. The Atlas is made up of 61% parts from the U.S. and Canada, and 28% from Mexico.

    How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the Atlas reliability to be a 3 out of 5, tying the Murano.

    In the end: The Atlas was definitely a nice drive, zooming competently around Pennsylvania and sounding kinda cool doing it. But that HVAC system really killed the experience.

    The Outback was going to be my slam-dunk choice, but its controls have gone too far into the touchscreen as well; watch here for a review of the redesigned 2026 model.

  • Dodge Charger, Ford Maverick Lobo, and Hyundai Palisade win the 2026 North American vehicle awards

    Dodge Charger, Ford Maverick Lobo, and Hyundai Palisade win the 2026 North American vehicle awards

    DETROIT — The Dodge Charger won the 2026 North American Car of the Year award, while the Ford Maverick Lobo took the crown for trucks, and the Hyundai Palisade won the utility award.

    The awards were announced Wednesday morning during an Automotive Press Association event at the start of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

    Automakers prize the awards, which are decided by a group of journalists from the U.S. and Canada who evaluate factors such as vehicle innovation, design, performance, driver satisfaction, and more in their decisions.

    Pamela Wylie, Ford Motor Co. vehicle programs director, holds the North American Truck of the Year award in front of the Ford Maverick Lobo.

    The honors are considered a key gauge for how media perceive automakers’ new and redesigned vehicles, and buyers often use them in selecting vehicles for purchase.

    In addition to the winning Dodge Charger midsize car, car finalists included the Honda Prelude hybrid sports coupe and the Nissan Sentra compact car.

    The truck finalists this year included the Ram 1500 Hemi alongside the Ram 2500.

    Olabisi Boyle, Hyundai Motor North America senior vice president for product planning and mobility strategy, with the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year award in front of the Hyundai Palisade.

    The remaining utility finalists were the Lucid Gravity luxury electric vehicle and Nissan Leaf small electric crossover SUV.

    This year’s finalists represented a mix of internal combustion engine, hybrid, and electric vehicles.

  • 2026 Nissan Murano: I’ll probably forget I drove it this time, too

    2026 Nissan Murano: I’ll probably forget I drove it this time, too

    2026 Nissan Murano Platinum AWD vs. Volkswagen Atlas SEL Premium R-Line: Midsize SUV comparison.

    This week: Nissan Murano

    Price: $53,950 as tested

    What others are saying: “Highs: Comfortable front seats; short stopping distances. Lows: Rough-shifting transmission, uneven power delivery, stiff ride, unintuitive controls,” says Consumer Reports.

    What Nissan is saying: “Energetic elegance.”

    Reality: I promise I checked Consumer Reports after I wrote the column.

    What’s new: I was excited to have a Murano in my lineup because after all these years of columnizing, I would finally get to review one.

    (Googles “Scott Sturgis” “Inquirer” “Murano.”) Well, huh. I drove 2015 and 2018 models.

    Memorable, evidently.

    This is not the same Murano, naturally. A redesign for 2025 gives the awkward old two-row, midsize SUV an awkward new look, along with a new engine and transmission.

    Competition: In addition to the Volkswagen Atlas, there are the Chevrolet Blazer, Honda Passport, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Mazda CX-70, Subaru Outback, and Toyota Crown Signia.

    Shifty: Hooray! A Nissan without a CVT! The Murano came with a 9-speed automatic, so I should be this delighted. But read on.

    Up to speed: Gone is the V-6 that powered the old model. The 2.0-liter turbocharged engine creates 241 horses, which is not a ton for this size of vehicle. It gets the vehicle to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds, according to Car and Driver.

    But the acceleration story has many more chapters. When I first pulled out of my neighborhood, the Murano seemed to alternate between lag and lurch. “OK, it’s cold,” I thought, offering the benefit of the doubt even while it was probably 85 degrees outside. “I’ll give it some time.”

    But the unsteadiness continued. Sometimes SUVs and minivans can have an awkward accelerator-foot interface, so I looked into that. But, no, it felt comfortable.

    “Aha! Here’s a drive mode selector,” I cried. “I’ll try that.” When I shifted to sport mode, it got sporty all right — in the way that your eighth-grade gym teacher forced you to run laps around the gym at 8 a.m. until you felt like throwing up. It was even rougher than before, although the roughness came at you faster.

    “All right, I never do this,” I sighed and shifted into eco. Surprisingly, the power didn’t completely die out. The Murano felt smooth. Sure, it took a lot of foot stomping to get the Murano on highways and such, but the SUV delivered power much better.

    On the road: Mode, schmode, driving the Murano was never more than OK. Country roads are blah; highways are a faster blah. There are just so many more enjoyable competitors to get around in.

    The lane-keeping system drove me nuts for a few days, and the menus to adjust it are inscrutable. Press one of two little dotted lines on the steering wheel to change them. The screen says “OK Menu,” and there’s a tiny OK button next to a microphone/button, and that seemed to function at somewhat regular intervals. I’d need practice to do it again.

    The interior of the 2026 Nissan Murano is elegant, as are many of Nissan’s offerings. Unfortunately its user-friendliness is lacking.

    Driver’s Seat: The seat itself is on the plush side, roomy and wide. Nissan has long offered classy interiors even down to the Sentra (sorry, Versa, not you). Silver buttons and trim with nice colored material add to the upscale feel.

    But here’s a better place to complain about the transmission controls. Why did some designer think a row of buttons at the front of the console would be a great idea? My phone and other items forever covered them. Also, they’re just not intuitive, so when you’re in a tight spot and have to maneuver forward and back to get out, it requires far more concentration than it should.

    Friends and stuff: The rear seat is roomy, comfortable, nicely appointed, and well positioned. Heads, legs, and feet have no shortage of space, even in the middle seat.

    Cargo space is 32.9 cubic feet in the back, and 63.5 with the rear seat folded.

    In and out: The Murano rides at a height perfect for entry and exit without leg stretches.

    Play some tunes: A single large volume knob is available outside the touchscreen. The 12.3-inch screen sounds like a good size, but it’s very short and wide, and a row of icons along the side and HVAC display along the bottom eat into the space.

    Sound from the Bose Premium system is OK, about a B+ or so, and leaves me wondering what the not-premium system sounds like.

    Keeping warm and cool: Going one better (or worse) than the popular ebony touch pads, which Mr. Driver’s Seat doesn’t love, the Murano offers a cheap-looking black plastic controller pad with temperature, fan speed, and source, and it requires a forceful push to engage your choices.

    While you’re fighting with that, a teeny tiny display at the bottom of the touchscreen shows the changes. Let’s all say it in unison: “Eyes on the road!”

    Fuel economy: I couldn’t get the trip display to do more than show me how each individual trip went, and the car said the best fuel economy was 22.8 mpg. So, the rest were worse. Let’s call it 20.

    Where it’s built: Smyrna, Tenn. Half the parts come from the U.S. and Canada, including the transmission. The engine hails from Japan.

    How it’s built: The Murano gets a predicted reliability of 3 out of 5 from Consumer Reports.

    In the end: Nissan has a comfortable, roomy, attractive (on the inside) SUV here. If they can tweak the engine and suspension and start over with infotainment and HVAC controls, this could be a winner.

    Next week: 2026 Volkswagen Atlas

  • 2026 Mercedes GLE 450 SUV: Showing the others how it’s done

    2026 Mercedes GLE 450 SUV: Showing the others how it’s done

    2026 Genesis GV80 Coupe 3.5T E-supercharger vs. 2026 Land Rover Defender 130 V-8 vs. 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 4Matic SUV: Off-roading in high style.

    This week: Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 SUV

    Price: $79,100 as tested.

    What others are saying: “Highs: A powertrain for every need, well-appointed and spacious interior, legitimately capable; Lows: Rivals offer smoother rides and better handling, Benz charges extra for ubiquitous features.” — Car and Driver

    What Mercedes is saying: “It’s innovative. Intelligent. And just a bit indulgent.”

    Reality: Cushy, yet satisfying.

    What’s new: The GLE 450 SUV carries on fairly unchanged since the 2024 model year, when it received tech updates and available hybrid power.

    Competition: In addition to the GV80 Sport and the Defender, there are the BMW X5, Lexus RX, Lincoln Nautilus, and Toyota Land Cruiser.

    Up to speed: The GLE 450 is powered by a 3-liter inline six-cylinder engine with a mild hybrid system. It creates 375 horsepower. It gets to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds, according to Car and Driver.

    I never found the GLE lacked power, but it definitely seemed sedate. I used it in Sport mode, and nobody ever felt planted in their seats during test maneuvers. Strange how it was almost an exact match with the GV80’s 5.2-second time, but somehow the Genesis felt much more exuberant.

    Shifty: Mercedes originated the latest incarnation of the column shifter, with a bump up for Reverse and down for Drive. Shifting of the 9-speed automatic transmission happens through steering wheel paddles.

    On the road: The GLE handled about as I expected from a Mercedes — very smooth, almost to a fault. Pennsylvania’s ruttiest roads, including Route 202 around King of Prussia, could send the GLE into jumping fits, but the rest of the time the SUV felt serene, quiet, cushy.

    Speaking of cushy, that’s where the GLE handling lives — don’t expect this SUV to perform feats of derring-do on country roads. But stay within its limits and life is pleasant.

    At least when you’re in Sport mode. The vehicle defaults to Comfort mode, and that has a sway and bounce that takes cushy into nauseating.

    The interior of the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450, on the other hand, could very well win several beauty contests.

    Driver’s Seat: Ooo, aaah. Great leather coverings, not too firm, not too soft. The front seats are wide as well, perfect for large dinners at fancy restaurants.

    Visibility up front could be a bit challenging. I raised the seat up quite high and still was unsatisfied with what I could see in the corners. But I did ace a couple head-first parking lot episodes, which normally I find can be rather difficult in SUVs, so maybe it’s better than I think.

    The interior is fancy like a Mercedes should be, but the trim around the HVAC vents leaves something to be desired. They come in a contrasting color and look like I could pop them out with a small screwdriver, if I were so inclined. Why offer this?

    Friends and stuff: The other couple you bring along to show off your Mercedes (practice saying it like Cary Grant in North by Northwest — “Laura’s Meh-seddies”) will definitely be impressed. The seat is awesome, and there’s so much room to spread out, you’ll feel like you’re being chauffeured.

    A third row is optional.

    Cargo space is 33.3 cubic feet in the back and 74.9 with the seat folded.

    Towing capacity maxes out at 7,700 pounds, just 500 less than the Defender and more than 1,500 over the GV80.

    In and out: The GLE 450 sits up a little high so entry and exit are not the easiest in the world, but it sure beats the Defender.

    Play some tunes: Sound from the system is delightful, an A veering close to A+ territory.

    My ratty old iPhone plugged in and just worked, a nice touch. I’m forever getting defaulted to Bluetooth in various vehicles and then I have to fight and do dances to get it to link. But this one worked every time.

    The screen offers a simple CarPlay tab and another main tab. Console controls are also available, for those who are used to them.

    Keeping warm and cool: A row of silver toggles underneath the infotainment system looks sharp and operates with ease. I could change the temperature and the fan speed without looking after a couple tries, as it should be.

    Large vents provide plenty of airflow but never seemed to blast us.

    Fuel economy: That mild hybrid is definitely mild, as the GLE averaged 18.5 mpg for me. Gulp, but still the winner among the three tested.

    Where it’s built: Vance, Ala. Germany supplies 34% of the parts; Mexico 17%.

    How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the GLE SUV reliability to be a 3 out of 5.

    In the end: I felt a little bad about setting up this trio, as they do aim in different directions. But the Genesis fell short in so many areas that had nothing to do with its size — comfort and handling among them. The Land Rover really was quite nice, but their reliability reputation makes that a gamble.

    Fortunately, the Mercedes was hands down the nicest among the three, slightly sippier, more comfortable, and nice to drive. And there’s enough money left over among the three to consider a hybrid model.

  • 2026 Land Rover Defender 130: The price of invincibility

    2026 Land Rover Defender 130: The price of invincibility

    2026 Genesis GV80 Coupe 3.5T E-supercharger vs. 2026 Land Rover Defender 130 V-8 vs. 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 4Matic SUV: Off-roading in high style.

    This week: Land Rover Defender 130

    Price: $118,900 as tested.

    Conventional wisdom: Car and Driver liked the “unmistakable Land Rover styling, unquestionable off-road capability with on-road civility,” and that the “interior deftly blends utility and comfort.” They were less thrilled about the “disappointing fuel economy,” and that “this sure isn’t priced like the original.”

    Marketer’s pitch: “Freedom for all. Eight seats for shared exploration.”

    Reality: Feels pretty cool, but is it worth the $30,000 upcharge from the Genesis?

    What’s new: The Defender gets a revised look, a bigger 13.1-inch touchscreen, and optional off-road cruise control.

    Competition: In addition to the GV80 Sport and the GLE 450, there are the BMW X5, Lexus RX, Lincoln Nautilus, and Toyota Land Cruiser.

    Up to speed: The 5.0 V-8 engine creates a whopping 493 horsepower, but as it tries to move the buffalo that is the Defender, it has its work cut out for it. I found getting the accelerator to move the vehicle briskly could be a challenge, but over time this became easier.

    A plethora of engine options and horsepower ratings make nailing down the 0-60 time cumbersome. Motor Trend estimates it gets to 60 mph in 5 seconds, a number I thought was optimistic. Land Rover claims 5.4 seconds.

    The Defender really was a little lackluster in passing, a more useful measure of performance than pole position moves at the stoplights. It was about a draw with the GV80 Coupe for acceleration until here.

    Shifty: The joystick takes a push ahead for Reverse and a pull for Drive with a button for Park. Shift from the lever or the paddles if you want to move your own gears.

    On the road: The Defender does a fantastic job smoothing out rough Pennsylvania roads.

    The handling is not bad for its size; the Defender has a fairly narrow profile for a behemoth SUV, and I found snaking through country roads pretty enjoyable, especially considering its 11.5-inch ground clearance. Still, neither Land Rover nor Genesis stands out yet.

    The interior of the 2026 Land Rover Defender 130 allows driver and many passengers to ride up high and comfortably.

    Driver’s Seat: The seats provide plenty of comfort and enjoyment; it is quite nice riding above all the other cars on the road. Adjustments were plentiful and everything seemed easy to operate.

    The Lovely Mrs. Passenger Seat remarked on the comfort and captain feeling of her seat frequently. Big advantage Defender.

    Of course it’s a bit of a stretch into the Defender but it never seemed too awful. But unlike a lot of other parts, my knees still work fairly well.

    Passing can be a challenge because the mirrors are narrow, the spare tire makes rearward visibility a challenge, and the door post behind the driver’s door is huuuuge.

    Friends and stuff: It’s big, so of course there’s lots of space in the seats, and to get around, right? Well …

    The seats all sit up high, all three rows, so everyone should be happy with the view from their location.

    The middle-row captain’s chairs are nicely supportive, although they’re a little narrow. They do run back and forth to accommodate the third row, and there’s plenty of room to get around inside.

    The rear-row seats are much smaller and sit low to the floor. And, surprise, the mechanism for the seat belts for the middle row impedes legroom in the corners.

    Headroom is a little tight in the middle row and very tight in the back.

    Cargo space is 15.3 cubic feet in back, 43.7 with the third row folded, and 89.9 with the second row also folded. Of course, all are far larger than the GV80 Coupe.

    The barn door in back could be awkward. I couldn’t get the second-row captains chairs to lie flat. Still, three rows and some comfort, advantage Defender.

    The Defender 130 tows up to 8,200 pounds, so here’s where the extra $30K is well spent. That’s like $10/pound over the GV80, basically the price of ground beef.

    Play some tunes: Sound from the Meridian surround sound system is pretty good, about an A- or so. I expected better.

    Operation was not too difficult. The USB-C was very plug and play and CarPlay popped right up. Getting to sound adjustment in the screen was not hard. Still, advantage GV80 Coupe for playback.

    Keeping warm and cool: A pair of dials focus on temperature at first glance. Changing the fan speed requires hitting the toggle button in between to change the one dial to fan speed, which is about as confusing as it reads. Buttons all around set the blower. Still, it’s easier than the Genesis HVAC.

    The vents are set at the top corner of the dashboard. They do clear out the stodgy air up front, as expected, but they also blow nicely across the occupants and keep everyone feeling nice without being too forceful.

    Fuel economy: 15 mpg on premium fuel. Urp. I don’t care if you just forked out six large for this SUV; that still has to sting a little.

    Where it’s built: Nitra, Slovakia. The United Kingdom provides 31% of parts, Germany 19%, and the U.S. and Canada just 1%.

    How it’s built: Consumer Reports predicts the Land Rover Defender reliability to be a 2 out of 5.

    Next week: It’s all up to you, Mercedes.

  • How to design a new car in 2026

    How to design a new car in 2026

    Automotive design studios are magical places.

    Often found hidden behind two or three levels of locked doors, accessible only to a chosen few with the right credentials, they’re expansive, well-lit, and full of wonder. Mood boards filled with fashion photos, pictures of landscapes and architectural iconography inspire the team. Models of cars sculpted from clay — in various shapes and sizes — fixate the designers.

    Then you smell the sulfur.

    Traditional modeling clays contain sulfur, a reliable binding agent for the waxes and oils used during the sculpting process, and exudes a pungent smell of rotting eggs. For decades, designers just dealt with the smell until their computers started failing.

    “Over 15 years ago, all computer circuit boards switched to a silver compound from lead solder,” said Mark Malewitz, president at Clay Warehouse. “They found out pretty quickly, as any modeler that wore silver jewelry already knew, that sulfur corrodes silver.”

    Over the years, some companies such as Chavant and Staedtler have created different formulations without sulfur to try to eliminate the concomitant odor, but new technology such as augmented and virtual reality is significantly reshaping the auto development process. Virtual reality headsets, when combined with digital modeling software, allow designers and engineers to collaborate more quickly and easily. Besides saving money, the technology also reduces the need to sculpt full-size models of cars with clay.

    “Before we had virtual reality we were building, for a major project, let’s say a new architecture, around about 80 to 100 vehicles,” said Karsten Garbe, plant director at GM’s Artisan Innovation Center in Warren, Mich. Today, that number is closer to 30 or 40 vehicles, and virtual reality is used in the development of every new car.

    From gaming headsets to 3D printing

    Like many other auto manufacturers, General Motors first started experimenting with the computer-gaming-focused HTC Vive headsets in the late 2010s. Today, manufacturers use everything from consumer-grade headsets, like Meta’s $499 Quest 3, to more professional units like the Varjo XR-4, which can cost more than $10,000.

    Garbe’s team is responsible for piecing GM’s prototype cars together for brands such as Chevrolet and GMC, making sure not only that everything fits but that it can be assembled and serviced in a safe, repeatable way. It’s a little like assembling the world’s most complicated model kit, long before the instructions get written.

    Before GM invested in virtual reality, engineers had to wait for prototype components to be manufactured and delivered. Now, they can work from early digital 3D models, checking fit and feasibility months before the first part is cast. Garbe said that this identifies problems early, flagging components that can’t physically be maneuvered into place or that don’t fit properly, dramatically reducing the number of prototype vehicles needed. This process was used to develop GM’s latest electric vehicles, including the Chevrolet Blazer EV and Cadillac Escalade IQ.

    When it comes to visual design — the outright style and appearance of the car — there are considerable advantages, too.

    Jim Conner, director of 3D process delivery at Ford Design, cited the important task of finding the right wheels. He said designers might go through as many as 35 potential wheel designs for a major model like the Mustang. In the old days, all 35 would have to be crafted by hand from plastic, foam, and paint for evaluation.

    Using augmented and virtual reality, designers can narrow it down much more quickly, changing colors, finishes, and shapes instantly. “We’re really getting down to five or six critical ones that really resonated. And then we’ll actually make very nice prototypes of those,” Conner said

    Other technologies, like 3D printing, are changing the game, too, speeding up prototyping and the creation of parts out of plastic, resin, or even metal that previously would be meticulously hand-sculpted. “We used to hand model, in clay, seats, including stitches,” Conner said. “You can imagine the technique and the expertise it takes to model a stitch on a seat in clay.”

    Larger digital designs can also be brought into reality via milling machines that hone giant slabs of clay into a rough shape. The artisan modelers then come in to finesse the final shapes and details.

    “The ability to rapidly mill full-size physical models provides significant advantages in the product development process, primarily by enabling a more dynamic approach to design iteration and validation,” said John Krsteski, senior chief designer for Genesis North America.

    “We still do hand modeling, but we’ve taken our clay modelers and put a lot of technology in their hands now, and basically given them different tools,” Ford’s Conner said. “We’re trying to not say that people are clay modelers. They’re actually a model maker where clay is one thing they’re using.”

    “A lot of the studios were saying, ‘Let’s just go digital,’” Malewitz said. But the results, he continued, weren’t good, with plenty of “angular lines that don’t have the human touch.”

    While the engineers can create near-photo-realistic renderings of objects in augmented and virtual reality, a key part of the process was missing: “The one thing you cannot replace with virtual reality is sunlight,” Malewitz said, echoing a common sentiment among designers that, while they may be investing in fewer models than before, nothing beats a real, full-size clay sculpture for final approvals.

    “Virtual and augmented reality are really fantastic developmental tools, but I do believe there will always be a point where you’re going to see a physical thing,” Conner said. “I don’t think virtual reality will replace that.”