Consumer hunger for crossovers of all shapes and sizes has led automakers to respond to the demand by filling every niche imaginable with vehicles aimed to serve specific purposes. The Nissan Kicks is one such vehicle that does battle in the subcompact crossover segment, which contains nearly 20 vehicles.
We spent two weeks testing a 2021 Nissan Kicks SR on the heels of a recent refresh that added more standard content across the various trim levels, including disc brakes and an 8.0-inch touch screen in addition to other touches. We then put it through our testing regimen to see if these improvements were enough to keep the spunky CUV fresh for a new model year.
Slow Is the New Fun?
Our test car arrived in a two-tone paint job with the main bodywork covered in Electric-Blue Metallic and the accent pieces wearing Super Black. Black wheels came as [...]
Rest in thunder, 2016 to 2020 Shelby GT350. Your ethereal 5.2-liter Voodoo V-8 was too good for this low-redline world; not even the recently introduced, supercar-baiting GT500’s 7,500-rpm cutoff can match your 8,250-rpm supernova scream. Your loss is so profoundly felt we’ve been casting about for some car—any car—to fill the hole in our heart. But that car won’t be the new 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1. Not because it’s not great, but because it’s not supposed to be.
Conceptually, Ford asks you to consider the Mach 1 as an heir to the 2012 to 2013 Boss 302, as they’re both hopped-up, handling-focused evolutions of the contemporary Mustang GT. We partially agree, but that’s because the old, hardcore Boss is best lined up with a specific version of the new Mach 1, that being one fitted with the optional handling package.
As a whole, the new Mach 1 is a GT burger with a slice [...]
Ever since the new Subaru BRZ broke cover late last year we’ve been waiting for its Toyota-badged twin, the 86, to do the same. After months of waiting, it’s finally here, though it officially bears the name GR 86. In Toyota speak, GR stands for Gazoo Racing, the Japanese company’s factory racing arm. It’s also the same two-letter identifier ascribed on the rump of the new Supra sports car and the rally homologation special GR Yaris that sadly isn’t sold here.
New name aside, the GR 86 copies the recipe for Toyota’s former 86, a rear-wheel-drive 2+2 coupe—meaning it is once again mechanically identical to the Subaru BRZ. That both affordable sports cars lived to see a second generation and keep doing battle with the likes of Mazda’s MX-5 Miata and, somewhat tangentially, the soon-to-be-replaced Nissan 370Z marks a pleasant surprise. It shows the value in two automakers (in this case, Toyota and Subaru) collaborating [...]
GMC’s Hummer sub-brand—yes, a revival of that GM brand, shuttered back in 2010—adds a new member to the family in the form of the 2024 Hummer EV SUV. Sharing its key design details with the previously unveiled GMC Hummer EV pickup, the Hummer EV SUV alters the truck’s formula slightly by way of its enclosed rear end and smaller wheelbase.
Hummer EV SUV vs. EV PickupWhereas the pickup rests on a 135.6-inch wheelbase, the SUV is slightly smaller and leaves just 126.7 inches of space between its wheel centers. This ought to make the Hummer EV SUV the better trail tool, given its shorter wheelbase likely results in a superior breakover angle relative to that of its pickup counterpart, as well as more wieldy overall.
Of course, you’ll need to add the Extreme Off-Road package to truly make the most of the Hummer EV SUV’s off-road prowess. The optional kit includes additional [...]
There is a peace of mind knowing that a vehicle is covered by a good warranty. It’s not like owners expect anything to go wrong, but modern vehicles and their thousands of associated bits ‘n pieces are bound to be too dang expensive to cover out-of-pocket. Plus, vehicle fixes are increasingly electrical and decreasingly mechanical. As more and more long-range electric vehicles see real-world use and abuse—including those from Tesla, Rivian, and Lordstown—the substance of those warranties may become increasingly important. And so far, Rivian is just barely winning the warranty wars.
