Monday, February 3, 2020

Genesis GV80 Coming To The U.S. This Summer


The Genesis GV80 sport-utility vehicle, based on a rear-wheel-drive platform with allwheel drive optional, is powered by either a 2.5-liter or 3.5-liter engine in the North American market, each paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel-drive models will be equipped with electronically controlled Limited Slip Differential at the rear axle. The GV80 will have Road Active Noise Cancellation technology, which reduces road noise while driving. GV80 features Smart Cruise Control with Machine Learning that enables GV80 to independently learn the driving characteristics of its drivers and implement autonomous driving similar to that of human drivers. Other driver assist and saftey components include Highway Driving Assist II including lane change when the turn signal is used, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist to help automatically bring GV80 to a stop if there is a risk of collision with an approaching vehicle on the left or right side of the intersection. GV80 is also able to detect potential collision risks if a pedestrian is in close proximity to the vehicle while in motion. Also standard are Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance Assist, Rear Cross-traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist and Driver Attention Alert Warning that monitors the driver’s attention when driving, by analyzing driving patterns and behaviors, including intermittent steering and unnatural deceleration, through vehicle signals, such as steering angle and steering torque and vehicle position in traffic lane. GV80 will arrive at retailers this Summer.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

2020 Audi Q5 TFSI e Plug-In Hybrid Starts At $53,895


The 2020 Audi Q5 TFSI e plugin hybrid is equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder TFSI® engine coupled with an electric motor that sits between the engine and 7-speed S-tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission, producing a total combined system output of 362 horsepower and 369* lb-ft of torque. The plug-in hybrid SUV performs nearly a second faster than the Audi Q5 to sprint from 0-60 mph at 5.0 seconds. The SUV is standard equipped with quattro® all-wheel drive with ultra® technology. In electric-only mode, using a 14.1 kWh lithium-ion battery, the Audi Q5 TFSI e has a range of 20 miles delivering an EPA rated at 65 MPGe. The starting MSRP is $53,895 (including $995 destination charge). Audi anticipates that customers purchasing the 2020 Audi Q5 TFSI e will be eligible for a federal tax credit of up to $6,712. The Audi Q5 TFSI e will be joined by the A8 TFSI e and the Audi A7 TFSI e in the coming months.

Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 and 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 Arrive This Summer


The Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 and the 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 (pictured), powered by a 394 horsepower four-liter six-cylinder boxer engine equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, are new models being added to its mid-engine sports car range and come equipped with adaptive cylinder control that alternately switches off one of the two cylinder banks at low engine loads. The 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 and 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 will be available to order in the U.S. this Summer with detailed pricing and arrival timing at U.S. dealers will also be announced at that time.

2020 Audi A5 Lineup Starts At $43,895


The second generation 2020 Audi A5 model lineup, which includes the A5 Coupe, Sportback, and Cabriolet, with a 248 horsepower 2.0-liter TFSI® engine mated to a seven-speed S tronic® transmission, and the S5 Coupe, Sportback, and Cabriolet (pictured) powered by a 349 horsepower 3.0-liter TFSI® engine mated to an eight-speed Tiptronic® automatic transmission, has been updated with new design elements. The new MIB 3 third generation modular infotainment platform with a 10.1” touch screen operates up to ten times faster than the previous generation. The A5 has acoustic feedback allowing drivers to speak both commands and questions, to which the A5 will provide feedback through on-board stored data or available information from the cloud. The A5 Coupe, with comfort, auto, dynamic and individual drive modes, starts at $43,895 (including $995 destination charge) and goes up $69,995 for the top-of-the-line S5 Cabriolet.

GMC AT4 Models Available Across SUV Lineup


GMC premium off-road AT4 models will be available across its entire retail lineup in 2020 with the addition of the 2021 Terrain AT4, Canyon AT4 and 2021 Yukon AT4.

Sierra AT4 offers a 2-inch factory lift, skid plates, Rancho® monotube shocks, a standard MultiPro Tailgate, available Carbon Fiber Bed and available Mud-Terrain tires. Sierra HD AT4 features an off-road suspension, skid plates, Rancho shocks®, a standard MultiPro Tailgate and up to 15 camera views* that helps trailering, visibility over rough terrain and in tight corners.

Acadia AT4 features an Advanced Twin-Clutch AWD System, all-terrain tires and Traction Select with Off-Road Mode. Canyon AT4, available this Spring, comes standard with off-road tuned suspension, an automatic locking rear differential and 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac® tires. Yukon AT4, available this Summer, offers air suspension with 4 inches of adjustability, an electronic limited-slip differential and a 15-inch head-up display. Terrain AT4 will be available this Fall.

2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Starts At $31,565 This Quarter


The 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, available in eight trim levels and powered by either a 276 horsepower V6 or 235 horsepower four-cylinder TSI® engine mated to eight-speed automatic transmission, starts at $31,565 (including $1,020 destination fee). The 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport is expected to begin arriving at U.S. dealers in Q1 2020.

2020 Genesis G90 Starts At $73,195 This Month


The 2020 Genesis G90 flagship luxury sedan adds a 12.3-inch display navigation system with touchscreen controls, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with the 365 horsepower 3.3T Premium RWD flagship luxury sedan, which debuted in North America in November 2019, going on sale this month starting at $73,195 (including $995 destination charges) and 420 horsepower G90 5.0 Ultimate RWD at $76,695.

2020 Nissan LEAF Starts At $32,525


The 2020 Nissan LEAF, delivering an all-electric EPA range of up to 226 miles, adds standard Nissan Safety Shield® 360 technology, featuring Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Warning and Rear Automatic Braking with the S and SV trims adding a new 8 -inch color touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™. For the U.S. market, the otherwise silent all-electric LEAF makes a constant audible tone (known as "Canto," derived from the Latin verb for "I sing") for forward movement under 18.6 mph and a pulsing chime when reversing. The2020 Nissan LEAF starts at $32,525 (including $925 destination and handling) for the LEAF S (40kWh battery, up to 149-mile range, 147 horsepower). The 2020 Nissan LEAF PLUS S (62 kWh battery, up to 226-mile range, 214 horsepower) has an MSRP of $35,115.

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Genesis GV80 SUV Coming This Year


Genesis GV80 SUV, based on a new rear-wheel-drive platform with an available third row and optional all-wheel drive, joins the G70, G80 and G90 sedans in the Genesis line-up and is set to launch globally in 2020 with sales in the home market of South Korea starting this month.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

2019 LA Auto Show Video: 2020 Karma Revero GTS


Karma Automotive Vice President, Platform Engineering, Todd George, discusses the Southern California-manufactured Karma brand, technology and vehicles, including the $149,000 Revero GTS launching in the first quarter of 2020. The Karma Revero GT is on sale now for $134,000.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

2019 LA Auto Show Video: 2020 Hyundai IONIQ


Hyundai Senior Product PR Manager Miles Johnson discusses the redesigned eco-friendly IONIQ car lineup now on sale. The IONIQ Hybrid starts at $23,930 (including $930 freight charges) and gets an EPA estimated 58 combined MPG. The 2020 Hyundai IONIQ Plug-in Hybrid starts at $27,230 and can safely rely on 29 miles of pure electric driving range powered by the 8.9 kWh battery pack. The new 2020 IONIQ Electric, with an increase to 134 horsepower, now gets 170 miles of range (up from 124 miles) which translates to 133 combined MPGe thanks to an upgraded 38.3-kWh battery with 36% more energy capacity.

Click to watch interview. 


2019 LA Auto Show Video: Kia Motors America President Michael Cole


Newly appointed Kia Motors America President Michael Cole at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show discusses the all-new 2021 Kia Seltos, which slots between the Soul and Sportage models. The Seltos is available LX, EX, S 2.0L, S 1.6T and SX trims, and is powered by either a 146 horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder MPI engine managed by an Intelligent Variable Transmission in the LX, S and EX or a 175 horsepower 1.6-liter Turbo GDI engine paired with a 7-speed Dual Clutch Transmission in the S and SX. Pricing will be available closer to the Seltos’ first quarter of 2020 on-sale date. Kia says the LX AWD will have a starting price below $22,000 and the S FWD will have a similar starting price.

Click to watch interview.

Saturday, December 21, 2019

2019 LA Auto Show Video: 2021 Toyota Rav4 Prime


Lindsay Lee, Toyota Rav4 Marketing Manager, talks about the 2021 Rav4 Prime plug-in hybrid with an estimated 302-horsepower that delivers 0-60 mph in a projected 5.8 seconds. It can drive an estimated 39 miles on battery alone on a single charge and has a manufacturer-estimated 90 combined MPGe. The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime will arrive next summer.

Click to watch video.

Friday, December 20, 2019

2020 Toyota Highlander Starts At $35,720


The fourth-generation 2020 Toyota Highlander, 2.36 inches longer to add cargo area space, comes in a new L grade, along with LE, XLE, Limited and Platinum trim levels, and is powered by a 295-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine mated to a Direct Shift 8-speed automatic transmission delivering a manufacturer-estimated 24 MPG combined fuel economy and a new hybrid powertrain, in all but the L grade, offering up to a manufacturer-estimated 36 combined MPG. The second row slides an extra 1.2 inches further up to increase distance between the second and third rows. A new available Highlander feature is Dynamic Torque Vectoring All-Wheel Drive with Driveline Disconnect and Multi Terrain Select. Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 comes standard in all models and includes Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Automatic High Beam, (New) Lane Tracing Assist, (New) Road Sign Assist, Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection offers automatic braking capability under certain circumstances should the driver not react in time in a system-detected emergency situation. Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Parking Support Braking and Intelligent Clearance Sonar are available depending on the model grade. The 2020 Highlander starts at $35,720 (including $1,120 delivery, processing and handling fee).

BMW iX3 All-Electric SAV


The BMW iX3, the fifth generation of BMW eDrive technology which will be joined by the BMW i4 and the BMW iNEXT in 2021, delivers a maximum power output of 286 horsepower achieves a range of more than 273 miles. The BMW iX3 is produced for the world market by the joint venture BMW Brilliance Automotive in Shenyang, China.

2020 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell - Best Kept Secret - For Lease In Early 2020


The 2020 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell five seat zero-emissions vehicle, with an EPA range rating of 360 miles on a full tank of hydrogen, gets new heated outside mirrors, an improved Audible Vehicle Alert System for better pedestrian awareness of vehicles at low speeds and improved cold-weather startup performance. The 2020 Clarity Fuel Cell is available at a lease price of $379 per month which includes vehicle maintenance and insurance, and up to $15,000 of hydrogen fuel. The Clarity Fuel Cell offers California customers quick refueling at more than 40 stations, a $5,000 California state rebate and single-occupant HOV lane access eligibility. The 2020 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell available for lease early next year. This is an unbelievable, unbeatable deal. The nation needs to build out a hydrogen refueling infrastructure.

2020 Audi Q7 Starts At $61,795


The 2020 Audi Q7, in Premium, Premium Plus, Prestige trim levels, features an all-new 335 horsepower twin-scroll turbocharged 3.0-liter TFSI® V6 engine paired with an eight-speed Tiptronic® transmission. Available all-wheel steering increases the agility of the large SUV. Also new is a standard MMI touch response® with 10.1-inch upper display used for controlling infotainment and navigation functions and 8.6-inch lower display used for climate control, comfort and convenience functions and for natural handwriting input with whole-word recognitionWhen equipped with the optional tow package, the 2020 Audi Q7 has a 7,700-lb maximum towing capacity. The 2020 Audi Q7 starts at $61,795 (including $995 destination charge).

2020 Nissan Sentra Starts At $20,015 End of January


The all-new 2020 Nissan Sentra, in its eighth generation and available in S, SV and SR trim levels, has a more powerful 149-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. Nissan Safety Shield 360, a suite of six advanced driver-assist systems, is standard on all 2020 Sentra grade levels and includes Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning, High Beam Assist and Rear Automatic Braking. Sentra also features standard Rear Door Alert, 10 supplemental air bags and Intelligent Driver Alertness. The Sentra S starts at$20,015 (including $925 destination and handling) when it goes on sale January 28, 2020 at Nissan dealers nationwide. 

2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban Coming Mid-2020


The all-new 2021 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe full-size SUVs, with a new architecture featuring an independent rear suspension and longer wheelbase, offer an all-new 277 horsepower 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel engine along with a 355 horsepower 5.3L V-8 engine standard on LS, LT, Z71, RST and Premier models and a 420 horsepower 6.2L V-8 engine standard on High Country, all mated to a standard 10-speed automatic transmission for all engines with push-button electronic shift. Both feature Dynamic Fuel Management technology, with more than 12 modes of cylinder deactivation that are designed to optimize engine efficiency across a broad range of driving conditions, including when towing a trailer. The engines also feature automatic stop/start technology, direct injection and variable valve timing. The new Tahoe has a 4.9-inch longer wheelbase and a 6.7-inch increase in overall length compared to the current model and offers 40 percent more third-row legroom and 66 percent greater cargo volume behind the third row while Tahoe’s overall length increased less than 4 percent. The new Suburban has a 4.1-inch longer wheelbase and a lower cargo floor, giving legroom increases for both the second- and third-row passengers, and maximum cargo volume expands 19 percent while Suburban’s overall length increases less than 1 percent. The 2021 Tahoe and Suburban go on sale in mid-2020 in North America.

New Mercedes-Benz GLA Arrives Next Summer


The new Mercedes-Benz GLA 250, powered by a 221 horsepower inline-4 cylinder engine mated to an 8-speed dual- clutch transmission, is more than 3.9 inches higher and 0.6 inches shorter with the seating position for both the driver and the front passenger higher and more upright than in the predecessor model, offers a more spacious interior. The Driver Assistance Package includes the exit warning function alerting the driver to approaching cyclists or vehicles, and a warning when pedestrians are detected near crosswalks and the Active Brake Assist applies autonomous braking to avoid a collision or to reduce its severity.


The new GLA 35 has the AMG-enhanced 302 horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine mated to an 8-speed dual- clutch transmission and all-wheel drive. The new GLA launches in the U.S. in summer 2020.