Hop into the 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and the first thing you notice are a set of massive shift paddles mounted to the steering column. Huh? They look like they were taken straight out of the Lancer Evolution X from years ago, and they immediately convey a wildly specific message.
It’s a message the rest of the Eclipse Cross can’t quite live up to. Paddles this huge are usually reserved for the sportiest automobiles, like Ferraris, and Lamborghinis. Or Mitsubishi Lancer Evos. Seeing them poke out from behind a small crossover’s steering wheel gives you the impression this SUV is built for serious drivers. However, the 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is not made for people who love driving, but rather for a much wider range of buyers.
Nipped and Tucked For 2022
Mitsubishi is in the middle of renaissance, relatively speaking. Gone are the days of performance cars [...]
Ford’s current lineup of off-road vehicles is stacked. Besides the radical, revived Bronco and new Bronco Sport, the iconic F-150 Raptor has been redesigned, and a new Tremor package available on every Ford truck increases all-around capability. Both the Tremor and Raptor are designed with off-road use in mind, but for different performances and different preferences. Why would you pick one over the other? Read on to understand your choices between the Raptor and the Tremor package.
What Is the Ford Tremor Package?Forget the F-150 Tremor FX2 and FX4 street trucks. Today’s Tremor package adds capability to with equipment that improves off-road prowess while enabling strong towing and hauling. Available on the midsize Ranger, full-size F-150, and Super Duty trucks, it’s targeted at drivers who seek to venture off the beaten path with gear loaded up in the bed or on a trailer.
The Tremor package can be chosen on several grades of each [...]
When the now popular Tesla Model S electric car was first introduced in 2012, there were no Superchargers available. Today, there are 25,000 Tesla Superchargers around the world, and with the Model S Plaid adopting a new powertrain, Tesla was able to re-design the battery to take advantage of the third-gen 250-kW Supercharger. Despite Tesla still using the 18650 form-factor cylindrical battery cells, these now have improved chemistry to deliver higher performance and durability. (This is the fourth major chemistry improvement since the first Model S.) With it newest 100-kWh battery pack, Tesla claims the Plaid can recover 187 miles of driving range in 15 minutes of charging at a V3 Supercharger. But just how realistic is that claim in practice?
First, a little background on charging an EV in general. Many factors are in play to determine the charging performance, from ambient temperature to battery temperature [...]
Despite it appearing in images pulled from Tesla’s own website, as well as making cameos in a handful of the automaker’s test cars, a traditional round steering wheel is not in the cards for the refreshed Model S electric vehicle. Instead, the brand is committing to the funky yoke-style steering device that the updated luxury sedan debuted with, which looks much like a normal steering wheel sans the upper rim. For those with a knack for pop culture, think of the steering setup used by Knight Rider‘s K.I.T.T.
Admittedly, we rather like the design of Tesla’s new tiller (admit it, it looks cool), however, we were left underwhelmed by its execution after a week of living with a so-equipped Model S Plaid. This was especially true when driving at lower speeds where the car’s quick, but not quick enough, 14.0:1 steering ratio made it difficult to complete near-full-lock turns without awkwardly fumbling for the device’s [...]
If you dive into the Tesla Model S Plaid configurator, you’ll find lots of caveats—just like you would in our First Test. One of the biggest was regarding the Model S Plaid’s claimed 200 mph top speed. “The indicated Plaid top speed requires proper wheels and tires which will be available in Fall 2021.” According to Tesla, the wheels and tires necessary for 200 mph are available on the Plaid now, but what isn’t is a software update needed to hit said speeds.
Two sets of wheels are available on the Model S Plaid. Standard are 19-inch “Tempest” wheels, while optional are 21-inch “Arachnid” wheels, which come standard with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires (like seen on our recent test Model S Plaid). It’s the latter set of wheels and tires—the 21-inch ones—that are needed if you’d like your Plaid to eventually be able to hit 200 mph. Tesla says this wheel and tire package [...]
