CROWN Either willfully blind to the whole lifted sedan schtick not working out for AMC, Subaru, and Volvo or convinced the Crown is larger than those and thus totally different, Toyota is giving this odd format its latest attempt. The 2023 Crown essentially replaces the discontinued Avalon, borrowing its name from a line of upmarket Toyota sedans stretching back to the first Toyota ever sold in America in the ’50s but absent here for decades. It sits 4.0 inches higher than a Camry, wears beefy, crossoverlike-body cladding, and only comes with all-wheel drive.
Every Crown is hybridized. Crown XLE and Limited models use the newest version of Toyota’s familiar 2.5-liter hybrid I-4 engine with dual electric motors and a planetary-type CVT driving the front wheels; a third, larger EV motor independently spins the rear axle. Expect about 236 hp and 38 mpg combined from this combo. Range-topping Platinums upgrade to a 2.4-liter turbocharged I-4 with a single electric motor and a six-speed automatic. With its bigger rear motor, this setup is good for 340 hp and about 400 lb-ft of torque, though combined fuel economy slides to 28 mpg. Whether Toyota can stanch full-size sedan buyers’ flight to SUVs by SUVifying the full-size sedan is an intriguing question. But we’ve seen companies try this tall-sedan thing before, and history gives reason for pessimism.
GR86 The little sports car that could add a special edition called, uh, the Special Edition. Available only in Solar Shift orange, the car is fitted with a GR cat-back exhaust, special black wheels, and special graphics inside and out. Toyota plans to build 860 of them.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 2022-Ausgabe von Motor Trend.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 2022-Ausgabe von Motor Trend.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
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MOTORTREND SUV OF THE YEAR 2024 - CERTIFIED FRESH
THERE’S NO REST FOR SUV MAKERS IN THE INTENSE QUEST TO BE THE BEST
THE CHEVROLET BLAZER EV IS THE 2024 SUV OF THE YEAR
Once again, the bow-tie brand shows leadership in the electric vehicle space
AGENTS OF ZERO
WE DID IT AGAIN: RUNNING OUR VW ID4 EV OUT OF ELECTRICITY, JUST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS
THEY LISTENED
THE NEW TESLA MODEL 3 HIGHLAND FIXES NEARLY EVERYTHING WE HATED ABOUT THE OLD CAR
2023 Lexus RZ
Lexus says it will make only battery-powered vehicles by 2035, and the new RZ 450e is the brand’s first dedicated EV. This midsize crossover indicates Lexus’ future lineup will have luxurious appeal, but we find this first effort lacking in crucial areas.
2024 Land Rover Defender
The Defender 130 is a tricky one to judge. On one hand, it potentially improves upon a design and package we previously lauded enough to crown as our 2021 SUV of the Year in the form of the standard Defender 110. The 130 is more than a foot longer than the 110 and has more room for people and stuff, stretching the existing design into a new body style. (The 130’s wheelbase remains unchanged.)
2024 Kia Seltos
If you’ve been a fan of Kia’s recent styling direction but don’t want to pay top dollar for it, the 2024 Kia Seltos is a great way to get a rolling piece of that design aesthetic at a reasonable price.
2023 Jeep Compass
When asked to identify an off-road vehicle, the average person will point to just about any Jeep.
2024 Hyundai Kona
The Kona enters its second generation for 2024 with a new design language. It’s larger than the outgoing Kona, too, and its uncommonly ornate (for this class) and unmistakable design is something we’re already seeing in other upcoming Hyundai products. Having really liked the previous Kona, would our judges warm to this one?
2023 Ford Escape
The Escape is one of those SUVs that hasn’t ranked at the top of its class for a long time, but every time we drive one, we’re pleasantly surprised. Although it perpetually feels a little outdated, there’s some inherent goodness baked into the Escape.