We aren’t thrilled with the V-6 engine in the Cadillac XT5. In the past, we’ve called it coarse and said it lacks gusto, which is disappointing considering the vehicle is otherwise fun to drive with sharp steering and handling. Now, the XT5 is adding a turbocharged four-cylinder engine option that we hope is better matched to the luxury crossover.
A 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four is one of the many updates coming to the 2020 Cadillac XT5, which goes on sale late this summer. The new engine makes 237 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It gets a three-step sliding camshaft that Cadillac says will provide a “feeling of on-demand power at all speeds.” The 3.6-liter V-6 making 310 hp and 271 lb-ft is still available. Cadillac got rid of the sleepy eight-speed, and now all models receive a new nine-speed automatic.
The automaker also switched up the trim levels. Luxury is the base model, and Premium [...]
After debuting the insane 1,972-hp Evija, Lotus is now showing off a sports car customers in the U.S. actually have the chance to own. The 2020 Lotus Evora GT is headed to North America with 416 hp and a claimed 0–60 time of 3.8 seconds.
The model replaces the Evora 400 and Evora Sport 410, packing a more potent version of the familiar 3.5-liter supercharged V-6. It boasts 16 more hp than the Evora 400 and 6 more than the Evora Sport 410, plus additional downforce. With the help of a front lip beneath the grille and exit ducts above the wheel arches, the model offers 141 pounds of downforce, double that of the Evora 400.
Let’s clear this up right away: If you’re looking for the ultimate performance Honda or Hyundai, the 2019 Civic Si and 2019 Elantra Sport aren’t your bag. Save your pennies for a Civic Type R or Veloster N, two of the best-driving sport compacts to hit the streets, since, well, ever.
They’re the A-team, if you will: lots of horsepower, lots of performance, not much coin. For those who can’t make the price leap, don’t like hatchbacks, or hate higher insurance premiums, both Honda and Hyundai offer slightly less thrilling but more efficient options. They’re less expensive, too. The Civic Si and Elantra Sport are the B-team in the two automakers’ sport compact lineups.
On some level, I feel for the engineers responsible for the Civic Si and Elantra Sport. With the 306-hp Type R and 275-hp Veloster N sitting at the top of the ladder, starting at around $30,000 and the 175-hp Civic and [...]
Senior copy editor Jesse Bishop’s commute is mercifully petite, which means his long-term Kona test car is below its mileage target. Meanwhile, I needed to make a Los Angeles–San Francisco–Los Angeles road trip to snag some things from storage—so the Kona became mine for a weekend. What would a journey between California’s disparate metropolises uncover about Hyundai’s funky compact crossover?
My journey began as all SoCal Friday-afternoon drives do: inching, no, millimetering through traffic. The Kona’s seven-speed dual-clutch transmission takes some getting used to. I learned to drive it more like a two-pedal manual than a torque converter automatic; it doesn’t like to be feathered from a standstill. Still, clutch engagement is solid and rarely jerky. Past first gear, shifts are fast and smooth—and manual mode is fun.
Once cruising on the open highway, I checked the steering wheel to make sure it wore an “H” logo, not [...]
Following rumors almost as old as the Corvette nameplate itself, it’s official: The 2020 Corvette Stingray has its engine mounted in the middle. There’s an ocean of news from the reveal (read and watch all of our coverage here), but there’s one bit of information that really raised our eyebrows. Despite the massive leap forward in design and driving dynamics, the mid-engine C8 Corvette will still start at less than $60,000.
We hear you—$60,000 is not a small amount of money. But for a mid-engine supercar with 495 naturally aspirated V-8 horses and a 0–60 time under 3.0 seconds? It’s an absolute bargain. We still don’t have exact pricing for the 2020 Corvette, but to put its sub-$60K starting price into perspective, here’s a list of 10 cars that will run you more than a base C8.
Alfa Romeo 4C Spider: $68,745
There’s something to be said for [...]
