Tag Archives: Luxury Vehicles

•
Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T AWD Advanced in Cardiff Green (A $500 option)

Consumer Guide Test Drive

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T AWD Advanced

Class: Premium Compact SUV

Miles driven: 447

Fuel used: 21.5 gallons

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort B
Power and Performance B
Fit and Finish A
Fuel Economy C+
Value A
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy A
Tall Guy A
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 300-hp 2.5L
Engine Type Turbo 4-cylinder
Transmission 8-speed automatic
Drive Wheels All-wheel drive

Real-world fuel economy: 20.8 mpg

Driving mix: 65% city, 35% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 22/28/24 (mpg city, highway, combined)

Fuel type: Premium gas recommended

Base price: $41,000 (not including $1045 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Cardiff Green paint ($500), Select Package ($4000), Advanced Package ($4150)

Price as tested: $50,695

Quick Hits

The great: Posh, comfortable cabin; quietness; long list of available comfort and convenience features

The good: Respectable acceleration from 4-cylinder engine; confident, distinctive styling; competitive pricing

The not so good: Our mediocre observed fuel economy trailed EPA estimates; some control-interface quirks

More Genesis GV70 price and availability information

John Biel

Perhaps Genesis mislabeled its brand-new premium-compact SUV by calling it the GV70. It is derived from the platform of the G70 sedan and styled in the same vein. But the available engines, rotary-dial gear selector, and console dial for the infotainment system are straight out of the midsize G80 sedan and GV80 sport-utility. Maybe the newcomer ought to really be called the GV75.

Of course, there are numbers that truly are more important to shoppers and we’ll get to them by and by. What really counts is that with the GV70 Genesis has created an excellent, value-packed entry in this busy market segment.

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T AWD Advanced

The Genesis GV70 launches for 2022 as the second crossover SUV in the growing Genesis-brand product lineup; in size and price, it slots in below the midsize Genesis GV80, which debuted for 2021.

Riding a wheelbase of 113.2 inches and ranging 185.6 inches from bumper to bumper, the 5-passenger GV70 is, respectively, 3.1 and 9.1 inches shorter in those categories than the GV80 that’s set up to carry seven in some models. Where the G70 premium-compact sedan offers the choice of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four or a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6, the GV70 engines are a similarly aspirated 2.5-liter four and 3.5-liter V6.

All-wheel drive is standard in every GV70. Prices (with delivery) begin at $42,045 for the base 4-cylinder version and rise to $63,545 for the V6 Sport Prestige. Consumer Guide sampled a 2.5-equipped Advanced—it sits second from the top of four 4-cylinder models—with a starting price of $50,195. Only a spray of Cardiff Green paint nudged the final tab to $50,695.

Test Drive Gallery: 2021 Lincoln Corsair Reserve

Consumer Guide Test Drive

The GV70’s interior is dazzling in terms of both design and materials. The infotainment system can be controlled via a center-console dial (which is unfortunately easy to grab when you intend to use the rotary-dial gear selector mounted just aft of it) or the extra-wide, 14.5-inch high-definition touchscreen.

Typically for a Genesis, trim levels are treated as packages added to the core model. To get two steps up from the base vehicle, CG’s tester first had to absorb Select equipment (19-inch alloy wheels, panoramic sunroof, 16-speaker Lexicon premium audio, ventilated front seats, and brushed-aluminum interior accents). Then came the Advanced package with leather upholstery, heated steering wheel, interior trim with a “Waveline” pattern, surround-view monitor, blind-spot view monitor, front parking-distance warning, rear parking-collision avoidance, Remote Smart Parking Assist (to jockey the vehicle in and out of tight spaces while the driver stands outside), and advanced rear-occupant alert.

Test Drive: 2022 Genesis G70 3.3T Sport Advanced

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced

There’s ample space in the GV70’s front seats, but the rear-seat legroom and headroom can be tight for adults.

All that is the frosting on the cake. It builds on GV70 basics like LED headlights and taillights, heated exterior mirrors, heated front seats with power adjustment, dual-zone automatic climate control, front and rear 12-volt power outlets, and hands-free liftgate. Tech items include an infotainment system with 14.5-inch screen, navigation, satellite and HD radio, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility; dual front and rear USB ports; wireless device charging; and fingerprint recognition for one-touch starting. Safety and driving assists consist of adaptive cruise control, forward collision avoidance with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keeping and following assist, rear parking-distance warning, and blind-spot and rear cross-traffic monitoring.

First Spin: 2022 Lexus NX

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced

The GV70’s cargo volume is a bit better than most premium compact SUV rivals–there’s 28.9 cubic feet behind the second-row seats, which grows to 56.8 cubic feet when the second-row seat backs are folded.

The Advanced’s luxury additions fill out a cabin that’s pretty lush for the price, with lots of soft-touch material—even far down on the doors past the point at which lots of other manufacturers default to plastic. Knurled surfaces adorn the ends of the wiper and light-control stalks, steering-wheel thumb buttons, and the transmission selector dial. Metal accents brighten the doors, dash, console, and steering wheel. The big infotainment display atop the instrument panel is vibrant, easily legible, and can show two things at once (for instance radio settings and navigation map). Fortunately, it is a touchscreen, which means you don’t have to use the remote console controller—and this one reminds us a little of the Lexus Remote Touch get-up that we’ve never particularly liked. By the way, it’s uncanny how easy it is to reach this round controller when you really want the trans selector. Easy-working temperature dials mix with numerous buttons for climate control.

Quick Spin: 2021 Genesis GV80 3.5T Advanced

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced

A 300-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter 4-cylinder is GV70’s base engine; a 375-hp turbo 3.5-liter V6 is also available. Choosing the Select package upgrades the standard 18-inch wheels to 19-inch alloys.

Comfortable seats welcome four adults. The front row is roomy; the second row slightly less so—but it would be wrong to call it cramped. Headroom is quite good, too, and driver sightlines are fairly unobstructed. Personal-item storage is accomplished in a large glove box, decent covered console bin, door pockets with bottle holders, and net pouches behind the front seats. Exposed cup holders are found in the console and the pull-down center armrest in the rear seat.

Overall cargo space is good, even if the rakish rear shape might stand in the way of certain loading options. The cargo bay holds at least 28.9 cubic feet of stuff. Drop the 60/40-split rear seats, which fold absolutely flush with the load floor, and a further 28 cubic feet open up.

Quick Spin: 2021 Volvo XC60 Recharge

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced

The GV70’s attractively athletic body shape is highlighted by nicely executed styling details, such as the Genesis brand’s signature shield-shaped grille and slim “Quad Lamp” LED headlights and taillights.

The 2.5 engine, rated at 300 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, is attached to an 8-speed automatic transmission. This powerteam is an eminently competent pairing for moderately lively performance that gets a little zestier (and a touch louder) in “Sport” mode, with its quicker throttle response and more patient upshifts. Still, you can happily cruise all day in subtler “Comfort” mode. “Eco” and “Custom” settings are available as well. We wish the GV70 was a little stingier with gas—premium, wouldn’t you know. EPA ratings are 22 mpg in city driving, 28 on the highway, and 24 combined. When this driver put 81.5 miles on the test vehicle—with 69 percent city-style operation—it returned just 20.3 mpg.

With a suspension that’s a retuned version of the G70’s front struts and multilink rear, ride quality is luxury-brand good, with fine bump absorption and isolation from road noise. Steering is nicely weighted and responsive in the Comfort setting. Maybe the more resistant Sport-mode steering is a help on twisty roads where you wouldn’t want to overdo inputs, but in lazier urban-expressway driving it just feels heavy. Brakes are easy to modulate and predictably reliable.

The inaugural GV70 finds its strength in numbers—the number of things it does right. That would be true no matter what number Genesis assigned to it.

First Spin: 2022 Infiniti QX55

2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T AWD Advanced

The new-for-2022 Genesis GV70 might be the Genesis brand’s most impressive vehicle so far; it delivers an athletic driving character, attractive styling inside and out, and a high level of luxury and available technology features, all at prices that handily undercut its primary European luxury-brand rivals.

Listen to the Car Stuff Podcast

Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced Gallery

Click below for enlarged images.

Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced

Meet the 2022 Consumer Guide Best Buys

Genesis GV70 2.5T Advanced

Car Stuff Podcast

Written by: The Daily Drive staff on December 22, 2021.

•
2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland 4×4 in Silver Zynith (a $345 option)

Car Stuff Podcast 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland 4×4

Class: Midsize Crossover/SUV

Miles driven: 579

Fuel used: 35.4 gallons

Real-world fuel economy: 16.4 mpg

Driving mix: 35% city, 65% highway

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort A-
Power and Performance A
Fit and Finish B+
Fuel Economy C-
Value B-
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy A
Tall Guy A
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 357-hp 5.74-liter
Engine Type V8
Transmission 8-speed automatic
Drive Wheels 4WD

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 14/22/17 (mpg city/highway/combined)

Fuel type: Midgrade gas

Base price: $54,995 (not including $1695 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Silver Zynith paint ($345), Luxury Tech Group IV ($1995), Advance ProTech Group III ($1995), Off-Road Group ($1095), 5.7L Hemi V8 engine ($3295; includes electronic brake hold and upgraded rear axle), Uconnect 5 Navigation with 10.1-inch display ($1795; includes 19-speaker high-performance audio and 950-watt amplifier)

Price as tested: $67,210

Quick Hits

The great:  Spacious cabin for both people and cargo; satisfying acceleration; upscale interior materials

The good: Off-road capability, especially when properly equipped; long list of options and available features

The not so good: Thirsty for midgrade gasoline; luxury-brand pricing, particularly when the options are ladled on

More Grand Cherokee L price and availability information

John Biel

The lure of the 3-row midsize SUV proved too great for Jeep to continue to ignore, so make room for the Grand Cherokee L.

It’s not Jeep’s first 3-row rodeo in this size class, the 2006-10 Commander having previously covered that ground. But in the years since the unlamented Commander laid down its arms, the field for vehicles of its type expanded. Indeed, at its debut as a 2021 vehicle, the Grand Cherokee L joined a field of 12 other “mainstream” and 11 “premium” midsize sport-utes with 6- to 8-seat capacity.

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland

While the regular-length, two-row Jeep Grand Cherokee is a carryover for 2021, the new three-row Jeep Grand Cherokee L kicks off the Grand Cherokee’s fifth generation with an all-new design. A redesigned two-row Grand Cherokee is debuting for the 2022 model year on a shorter version of the L’s new architecture.

The name pretty much tells you all you need to know about the source material. It is a (L)onger Grand Cherokee—and will even be more so for 2022 when an updated 2-row model adopts the same core platform features—with an additional 6.9 inches of wheelbase and 15.1 inches of body length. (Fun fact: The Commander was derived from the Grand Cherokee of its day.) They share an 8-speed automatic transmission, a couple of engines, and four trim levels, but the ’21 Grand Cherokee L inaugurates a new unibody platform with a higher degree of aluminum components and greater use of high-strength steel. Where Grand Cherokee seating capacity is capped at five persons, the L seats six in standard form or seven with an optional second-row bench seat.

Quick Spin: 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Basecamp

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland

The Grand Cherokee L’s interior ambiance is more upscale than previous Grand Cherokees, particularly in Overland and top-line Summit trim. The Overland’s standard features include a heated steering wheel and heated/ventilated front seats. A $1795 option package adds a 10-1-inch infotainment screen and a 19-speaker McIntosh-brand stereo.

Consumer Guide tested a 4-wheel-drive L in Overland trim. The base price with delivery was $56,690, but a trio of option groups, the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine, an audio upgrade, and premium Silver Zynith paint pushed the full tab to $67,210. Had the test vehicle been a rear-wheel-drive model, that figure would have been $2000 less.

Regardless of price or trim, the Grand Cherokee L affords excellent passenger space in the first two rows, and tolerable room for two adults in the third row, especially if middle passengers can track their seats forward. Tilting second-row captain’s chairs clear access to the back row. Front seats provide the most comfort (though one of our testers thought the seat backs should have been a bit plusher); seats in the other rows are a little firmer. The standard heated and ventilated Nappa-leather front seats in the test truck were equipped with back massagers as part of the $1995 Luxury Tech Group IV option.

First Spin: 2022 Infiniti QX60

Grand Cherokee L

The center console houses dual cupholders, a wireless charging pad (included in the Luxury Tech Group IV option package), a rotary-dial shifter, and toggle switches for drive-mode selection and height adjustment for the standard Quadra-Lift air suspension. The Uconnect 5 touchscreen boasts high-resolution graphics and helpful displays, such as this 4WD-system readout that shows steering angle and locked/unlocked status of the transfer case and rear axle.

The personal items that users bring along can be stashed in the glove box; deep, two-tiered console box; covered bin at the front of the console that serves as the wireless-charging pad in models so equipped; and net pouches on the backs of the front seats. All four doors have pockets with bottle holders (smaller in back). Cup holders are found in the console, on the floor in the second row, and built into the sidewalls for third-row occupants.

Quick Spin: 2021 Toyota Highlander XSE

Jeep Grand Cherokee

There’s excellent space in the front and second-row seats. The Luxury Tech Group IV adds high-end features such as Nappa leather upholstery and 12-way power-adjustable seats with a back-massager function.

The roomy, elongated interior pays dividends in cargo space, too. With all seats up, there’s 17.2 cubic feet of room for stuff (plus some hidden space under the deck). Lower the power-retractable 50/50-split rear seats flat with the cargo floor and remotely release the middle seats and 84.6 cubic feet are at your disposal. However, it was suggested by one editor that the hatch opening seems small for the truck’s size and the roof’s slope restricts the height of the opening.

First Spin: 2022 Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer

2022 Grand Cherokee

Here’s one of the main benefits of the Grand Cherokee L’s extra length–third-row seats that are relatively easy to access and offer tolerable headroom and legroom for average-sized adults.

A 3.6-liter V6 of 293 horsepower is standard for all Grand Cherokee Ls. Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve 4x4s can be had with the Hemi V8 that generates 357 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. It costs $3295 to add to an L but it raises towing capacity to 7200 pounds—a full 1000 pounds more than the V6 can accomplish. Note that the Hemi is supposed to be fed mid-grade gasoline, and plenty of it. EPA fuel-economy estimates are 14 mpg in city driving, 22 mpg in highway use, and 17 combined, but this reviewer’s 96.4 miles in the truck—with 75 percent city-style operation—averaged just 11.6 mpg.

Test Drive Gallery: 2020 Lincoln Aviator Reserve

2022 Grand Cherokee

In size and price, the Grand Cherokee L straddles the line between the midsize and large SUV classes. There’s a generous 17.1 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third-row seats, which grows to 46.9 cu. ft. with the third row folded.

If you need it, Jeep—being Jeep—will make even the plushest Grand Cherokee L ready for the dusty, rocky, or wet trail. CG’s tester was outfitted with the optional Off-Road Group with all-terrain tires on 18×8-inch alloy wheels; skid plates to guard the front suspension, transfer case, and fuel tank; and an electronic limited-slip rear axle. Three different 4×4 systems are doled out to the various models. Overlands get Quadra-Trac II with a two-speed transfer case that can automatically shift as much as 100 percent of available torque to the axle with the most traction. This system also includes “Selec-Terrain” traction management with console-lever-activated “Auto,” “Sport”, “Snow,” “Sand/Mud,” and “Rock” modes that tailor power application to the surface.

In our on-road driving, the Grand Cherokee L displayed great day-in, day-out ride and handling, especially in Auto mode, and it wasn’t too bad in Sport either. The standard air suspension automatically lowers the car highway speeds are attained (confirmation will appear on the instrument display), then raises it again at lower speeds. Choosing Sport mode lowers the vehicle right away. In off-road work, though, the L can be lofted an additional 2.4 inches for added ground clearance.

Quick Spin: 2021 GMC Yukon AT4

2022 Grand Cherokee Wheels

The optional 5.7-liter Hemi V8 adds a significant $3295 premium onto an already pricey vehicle (and it’s quite thirsty for midgrade gasoline), but it supplies satisfying power. Eighteen-inch aluminum wheels on all-terrain tires are included in the $1095 Off-Road Group, as are underbody skid plates and an electronic limited-slip rear differential.

The Uconnect 5 infotainment system in the pre-production test vehicle was optioned up to a larger 10.1-inch touchscreen and 19-speaker McIntosh stereo. The audio unit impressed all our editors for sound quality. However, the Uconnect was prone to seemingly random interruptions, including an instance when the touchscreen went dark, followed by about 15 seconds of loud buzz through the speakers and then a minute or two of a “hard reboot.” Also, one of our editors felt the screen was a little resistant to his inputs.

The 2021 Grand Cherokee L blazes the trail to the next generation of midsize Jeep SUVs. It does so with expected off-road capability and family-sized room, and it affords buyers the chance to select the levels of power and luxury that they want. That should prove hard to resist, too.

Test Drive: 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland

In Hemi-powered Overland 4×4 form, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L is not cheap to buy or run, but it offers copious space for both passengers and cargo, upscale cabin trim, lots of desirable technology features, and Jeep off-road capability.

Check out the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland Gallery

(Click below for enlarged images)

First Spin: 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L

Written by: The Daily Drive staff on September 30, 2021.

•
Acura MDX Advance

Acura MDX SH-AWD Advance in Performance Red Pearl

Consumer Guide Test Drive

2022 Acura MDX SH-AWD Advance

Class: Premium Midsize SUV

Miles driven: 481

Fuel used: 23.7 gallons

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort A-
Power and Performance B+
Fit and Finish A
Fuel Economy B
Value B+
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy A
Tall Guy A
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 290-hp 3.5L
Engine Type V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Drive Wheels All-wheel drive

Real-world fuel economy: 20.3 mpg

Driving mix: 40% city, 60% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 19/25/21 (mpg city, highway, combined)

Fuel type: Premium gas recommended

Base price: $60,650 (not including $1025 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Performance Red Pearl paint ($500)

Price as tested: $62,175

Quick Hits

The great: Nicely composed ride and handling; classy, comfortable cabin; spacious cargo area

The good: Satisfying acceleration; outstanding stereo system

The not so good: Finicky touchpad control interface requires lots of acclimation

More Acura MDX price and availability information

John Biel

The 2022 Acura MDX has had its “gap year” and now it’s ready to get back to the business of toting up to seven passengers and their stuff. This premium midsize crossover SUV skipped the 2021 model year to clear space for an early release of the 2022 job that marks the start of the MDX’s fourth generation.

Acura MDX Advance

Acura’s three-row midsize SUV skipped the 2021 model year; it gets a full redesign that launched as an early 2022 model. The ’22 MDX rides an all-new, slightly larger platform and gets fresh styling inside and out.

Acura has fashioned the ’22 on a new platform—the most rigid SUV chassis the manufacturer says it has ever made—with the dash-to-axle proportion increased by more than four inches for a different look. There’s a new double-wishbone suspension in front for better handling, too. While the 3.5-liter V6 is a link to MDXs of yore, it is now hooked to a 10-speed automatic transmission that replaces the former 9-cog box.

Test Drive Gallery: 2021 Lexus RX 450h F Sport

Acura MDX Advance

The new MDX’s cabin is more luxurious than before, and it gains some welcome new tech features and a widescreen 12.3-inch infotainment display. Elements such as the large drive-mode selector knob and True Touchpad control interface are lifted from the redesigned-for-2021 Acura TLX sedan; the touchpad control interface requires lots of practice. A wireless charging pad is nestled on the center console to the left of the dual cupholders.

Consumer Guide’s experience with the new MDX began right at the top with an Advance that starts at $61,675 with delivery, but this one tacked on another $500 for Performance Red Pearl paint. Base and Technology models have a choice of front- or all-wheel drive, but every A-Spec and Advance comes equipped with the latter.

Quick Spin: 2021 Volvo XC60 Recharge

Acura MDX Advance

Acura’s push-button gear selector takes a bit of acclimation. USB and USB-C charging ports are housed in a pop-up panel to the right of the shifter.

In Acuraspeak, trim levels are considered packages. The Advance Package adds 13 specific features. On the surface there are a hands-free tailgate, auto-dimming side mirrors, and LED fog lights. Cabin enhancements include excellent 16-speaker ELS Studio 3D premium audio, comfortable sport seats with perforated leather—ventilated in front, 16-way power-adjusted front seats, heated second-row seats, heated steering wheel, and open-pore wood trim. Additional tech comes in the form of a surround-view camera, head-up display, and remote engine start.

A new feature for all MDXs is built-in Amazon Alexa compatibility, making it the first Acura so equipped. Other infotainment and connectivity items are wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, wireless charging, Wi-Fi hotspot, AcuraLink telematics communication system, Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity, HD and satellite radio, and navigation with voice activation. Unfortunately, some of these systems are managed by an utterly unappealing console touchpad. This driver found it maddening to do something as simple as input audio presets—the tiniest imprecision would move the “cursor” off the desired spot—this while parked. Manipulating this device with accuracy while on the move, even with a hand settled on the built-up rest just behind the square pad, seems like a pipe dream. AcuraWatch, the brand’s bundle of safety and driver-assistance technologies, brings in adaptive cruise control, traffic-jam assist, forward-collision warning and automatic braking, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, road-departure mitigation, and high-beam assist.

The V6 is carried over at the same 290 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque. It continues to deliver strong—but not overpowering—performance in concert with its silky new transmission partner. Twisting the mode-selector dial to “Sport” elicits delayed upshifts and, Acura claims, a sportier engine sound, though it didn’t register much different to these ears. The EPA expects the AWD Advance to average 19 mpg in the city, 25 mpg on the highway, and 21 in combined use. This reviewer logged 20.8 mpg from a 134-mile stint with 29 percent of it in city-type driving conditions.

Quick Spin: 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Basecamp

2022 Acura MDX Cabin

There’s excellent space in the MDX’s front seats and respectable-for-the-class room in the second row.

It seems that Sport mode makes more of an impact in driving dynamics. It firms up steering and suspension feedback and tweaks the torque vectoring provided by the rear-biased “Super Handling All-Wheel Drive” system. With appropriate equipment, towing capacity is listed at 5000 pounds. The new front suspension was picked out for its ability to keep the tire tread better aligned to the road surface more of the time than the previous strut suspension could. Ride—even on 20-inch wheels—is slightly softer but not flabby in “Normal” mode. Braking is predictable and responsive.

Test Drive: 2020 Audi SQ8

2022 Acura MDX Advance

The second-row seats slide and tilt forward to ease access to the third row. The third-row seats are best suited for pre-teens, but they’re tolerable for average-sized adults as well, at least for short trips. If you don’t need a seventh seat, the center section of the second-row seats is removable to create a center pass-through to the third row.

While front-row occupants revel in all the leg- and headroom that most will ever need, the longer-legged of them might not realize that they are crowding people sitting in the middle row. With the driver’s seat all the way back, this sub-6-foot tester had his knees up against the seat back. A minimal floor hump improves prospects for 3-abreast adult seating on the 40/20/40 second-row seats, which have reclining backs.

Third-row space and seat height have been improved to the point that they now are barely welcoming to average-sized adults. Access to third row is fairly constrained. You can get there by squeezing behind the middle seats when they are tracked forward or by fully removing the middle fifth of the second row to create a pass-through.

2022 Acura MDX

The MDX’s cargo space is improved over the previous generation. There’s 16.3 cubic feet of volume behind the third-row seats, 39.1 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 71.4 cu. ft. with both the second and third rows folded.

High-quality materials and an abundant use of soft-to-the-touch surfaces make the cabin a pleasant place in which to cover ground. The driving-control displays—in the dash or on the windshield—show up clearly. The Honda/Acura transmission selector of three push buttons and a lever for Reverse requires some acclimation. Climate controls utilized lots of function buttons and repetitive-push flippers for temperature settings.

Glove-box size isn’t bad but the owner’s manual takes up most of what room there is. (Still, we’d rather have a print manual to thumb through rather than a digital one on the infotainment screen where we would view one. Page. At. A. Time.) The console box is kind of deep but not terribly big on the sides. Door pockets with bottle holders are much smaller in back than in front. There are hard-sided pouches on the backs of the front seats. Exposed cup holders are found in the console. When the back of the “20” section of the second-row seat is retracted, it forms an armrest with cup holders and a small open tray. Third-row passengers will find a cup holder and USB charge port on each side.

Test Drive Gallery: 2021 Mazda CX-9 Signature

2022 Acura MDX

For now, the MDX’s sole powertrain is a 290-hp 3.5-liter V6 that’s paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission (a high-performance Type S model is coming soon). Twenty-inch alloy wheels are standard on all but base-model MDXs.

Cargo area has been increased, reaching 71 cubic feet with second- and third-row seats folded. They sit flush with the gently rising load floor—though there is a slight gap behind the middle-row seats. A lift-off rear cargo-floor panel can serve as the top of a bin to keep valuable (or unsightly!) items hidden, or it can be removed to open up some more cargo capacity.

Acura says MDX platform features will eventually reach other models. This likable luxury SUV lets you enjoy them now.

Test Drive Gallery: 2020 Lincoln Aviator Reserve

Acura MDX Advance

The redesigned-for-2022 Acura MDX brings crisp new styling, improved interior space, and a host of new tech features, all at very competitive prices for its class. It remains a must-see premium midsize three-row SUV.

Follow John on Twitter

2022 Acura MDX Advance Gallery

(Click below for enlarged images)

2022 Acura MDX

Test Drive Gallery: 2021 Lexus RX 450h F Sport

2022 Acura MDX

Written by: The Daily Drive staff on May 13, 2021.

For GREAT deals on a new or used INFINITI check out Circle INFINITI TODAY!

•
Audi SQ8

2020 Audi SQ8 Prestige in Daytona Gray (a $595 option)

Consumer Guide Automotive2020 Audi SQ8 Prestige

Class: Premium Large SUV

Miles driven: 778

Fuel used: 44.4 gallons

Real-world fuel economy: 17.5

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort B-
Power and Performance A
Fit and Finish A-
Fuel Economy C
Value B-
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy A
Tall Guy A
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 500-hp 4.0-liter
Engine Type Twin-turbo V8
Transmission 8-speed automatic
Drive Wheels AWD

Driving mix: 25% city, 75% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 15/21/17 (city, highway, combined)

Fuel type: Premium gas required

Base price: $89,000 (not including $995 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Daytona Gray pearl-effect paint ($595), Sport Package ($5900) Prestige Package ($5500), Bang & Olufsen Advanced 3D sound system ($5000), carbon vector inlays ($500)

Price as tested: $107,490

Quick Hits

The great: Authoritative acceleration; fine ride and handling balance; sophisticated, high-class interior

The good: Four-wheel steering aids handling and close-quarters maneuverability

The not so good: Thirsty for premium fuel; steep pricing; sluggish stop/start system; styling prioritizes style over maximum cargo space

More Q8 price and availability information

John Biel

During 2020 Audi cut loose a little bit by inserting hotted-up versions of its premium-large SUVs into the Q7 and Q8 product lines. At a minimum they boast 500 horsepower as the SQ7 and SQ8—and RS variants are cranked up to 591 ponies in pursuit of a seat at the table with other German super utes from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche.

Audi SQ8

The Audi Q8 debuted for 2019 as a sleeker two-row version of the three-row Audi Q7 SUV. The high-performance SQ8 joined the lineup as a mid-2020 addition; among other upgrades, it gets a twin-turbo V8 in place of the Q8’s turbo V6.

In all its forms, the Q8 is the smaller but costlier of the two Audis, a more dramatically styled, sleeker-roof, 2-row variant of the 3-row Q7. The Q8 shares the Q7’s basic platform and 117.9-inch wheelbase, but lops off 3.3 inches of overall length and sheds some cargo space beneath its “faster” roofline. While the V6 Q8 comes in three states of trim, the SQ is limited to Premium Plus and better-equipped Prestige models.

Test Drive: 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat

Audi SQ8

The SQ8’s sophisticated dashboard layout features Audi’s Virtual Cockpit configurable digital gauge cluster, a twin-screen infotainment interface, high-gloss piano-black trim, and nicely integrated HVAC vents.

With the SQ8’s midyear debut, it wasn’t until after the new year that a ’20 example worked its way through the media-fleet channel to Consumer Guide Automotive editors. However, that same timetable left Audi with little time—or need—to make substantive changes for 2021. (Standard blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts are added to all models. Prices of most Q8s are raised slightly, in part due to a $100 rise in the delivery charge, though the V6 Premium Plus is actually $50 cheaper.) Our tester was a $95,495 Prestige that was optioned up to a considerable $107,490.

Test Drive: 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE63 S

Audi SQ8

The SQ8’s twin-screen infotainment system layout provides plenty of space for a clear control layout. However, compared to other touchscreen systems we’ve tested, the Audi haptic-feedback touchscreens require a more-deliberate finger-push in order for the input to register.

Going by what you’ll see on the window sticker, the Prestige is effectively created from an option package tacked on to the Premium Plus. In 2020 that group included HD matrix-design headlights, Driver Assistance package (including adaptive cruise control), head-up display, heated rear seats, power soft-close doors, and sunshades for the windows in the rear doors and tailgate. Part of the $600 price increase for the ’21 SQ8 Prestige is invested in additional leather trim on the instrument panel, door armrests, and center console.

Naturally, there is plenty more standard equipment, and the test truck was filled out with $11,995 in optional extras for appearance, audio, and chassis. Some of the fun stuff that comes in the base price includes a hands-free tailgate; aluminum window trim, roof rails, and exhaust tips; heated power-folding memory mirrors; Valcona-leather upholstery (in vibrant Arras Red in the tester); heated and ventilated front S sport seats; panoramic sunroof; 4-zone automatic climate control; and HD and satellite radio playing on a Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system.

What the SQ8 owner is really paying for is the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 and a chassis bestowed with all-wheel steering and adaptive air suspension. The one CGers drove went a little further with a Sport Package that added active roll stabilization and a torque-vectoring rear differential. Q8s of every stripe come with an 8-speed automatic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive.

The powerplant backs up its 500 horsepower with 568 lb-ft of torque, easily enough for quick getaways (with an affirming exhaust burble) or easy cruising in “Comfort” mode, one of six selectable driving modes. The peak setting for on-road performance is “Dynamic.” It delays upshifts from the Tiptronic gearbox and makes them crisper when they do happen, but the trans is smooth and cooperative just about all the time, and paddle shifters give drivers the opportunity to work things out for themselves if they prefer. One complaint that we could lodge is a sluggish refiring of the engine’s stop-start function. Fuel economy isn’t the top line of the SQ8’s resume. The EPA estimates it will get 15 mpg from city driving, 21 mpg in highway operation, and 17 combined. This driver’s 103.7-mile test stint—45 percent of it under city-style conditions—worked out to 16.4 mpg.

Test Drive: 2020 Cadillac CT5-V

Audi SQ8

There’s ample room for adults in the front and rear seats, and the front sport seats offer a fine mix of comfort and support. The Arras Red leather upholstery looks and feels great.

During our test, the SQ8 handled very well and rode smoothly in Comfort. Steering and damping both get firmer in Dynamic for a heightened sense of control, but ride avoids crossing over into hard territory. The speed-dependent all-wheel steering heightens maneuverability and precision by counter steering at the rear wheels at speeds under 31 mph but turning in concert with the front wheels above 50 mph. The SQ starts out about 0.6 inch lower than Q8, and the sport air suspension will lower it another 0.6 inch at highway speeds to reduce aerodynamic drag. (The system can also raise the vehicle on demand for better off-road ground clearance.) The action of the roll stabilizers and sport differential come into play to support cornering performance.

Quick Spin: 2020 Ford Edge ST

Audi SQ8

The swoopy Q8 roofline cuts into maximum cargo space, but there’s still respectable room in the SQ8’s nicely finished cargo area: 30.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats, and 60.7 cubic feet with the rear seat backs folded.

While all this is going on beneath them, passengers will enjoy fine room in both rows, with second-row headroom better than in some 2-row SUVs that are going for the same high-style look. You won’t get three adults across the back seat comfortably, however. Doors open wide for easy passage. The nicely finished sport seats are comfortable, and there’s a sophisticated “technical” look to the design and detailing of the cabin surfaces. A new-generation MMI control system drops the rotary/push-button console dial for two touchscreens with haptic feedback, one for climate and one for everything else. It is modestly better for making audio presets and selections. There’s lots of space for information displays on the “virtual cockpit” screen that includes driving gauges. Stalks off the steering column control lights and wipers but can’t be seen easily through the steering wheel. Drivers will have to learn them practically by feel to properly activate a desired function.

Test Drive: 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Lusso

Audi SQ8

The SQ8 is powered by a brawny twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that puts out 500 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque. Twenty-one-inch “5-V-Spoke” wheels on all-season tires are standard equipment.

Cabin storage choices are a big but low-set glove box, a console box pretty much filled by the wireless charger, a small flip-down cubby to the left of the steering column, pockets in all four doors, net pouches behind the front seats, and cup holders in the center console and pull-down rear armrest. Rear 40/20/40 seats fold at a slight upward angle, but match a slope in the cargo floor, so loads will go straight through despite a narrow gap between folded seats and load floor. Two small net pouches for incidentals are on the left side of the carpeted cargo bay. Even with rear seats up there’s enough load space for a bit of luggage or lots of groceries.

The Audi SQ8 adeptly mixes comfort and performance. If you really want a slice of style on the side, it’s got that too.

Test Drive: 2020 BMW X3 M Competition

Audi SQ8

If your tastes in a luxury SUV favor muscular acceleration, crisp handling, and sleek styling over more-practical concerns–and you’re comfortable with a buy-in that can top six figures–then the Audi SQ8 should be on your list.

Follow John on Twitter

Listen to the very entertaining Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

2020 Audi SQ8 Gallery

(Click below for enlarged images)

Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast, Episode 57; 2021 Consumer Guide Best Buys

Written by: The Daily Drive staff on March 30, 2021.

For GREAT deals on a new or used Nissan check out Mossy Nissan Kearny Mesa TODAY!

•
Cadillac Voyage Concept

Cadillac Voyage Concept

Forgotten Concepts, Forgotten Concepts

This is an installment in a series of posts looking back on show cars that we feel deserved a little more attention than they got. If you have a suggestion for a Forgotten Concept topic, please shoot us a line or leave a comment below.

Cadillac Voyage Concept

First Seen: 1988 General Motors Teamwork & Technology Show

Description: Full-size sedan

Sales Pitch: “Rolling technology laboratory.”

More Forgotten Concepts

Cadillac Voyage Concept

Cadillac Voyage Concept

Details:

First seen in 1988 at the General Motors Teamwork & Technology Show held at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City, the Cadillac Voyage Concept served as showcase for several burgeoning technologies, including adaptive all-wheel drive, high-tech V8 engines, and voice-recognition phone operation.

The large sedan stretched 212.6 inches long overall–roughly 8 inches less than the contemporaneous Cadillac Brougham. Designed by a team led by GM VP of Design Chuck Jordan, the Voyage boasted a claimed drag coefficient of just .28 Cd–well below that of a 1988 Chevrolet Corvette.

[embedded content]

The Voyage’s power came from a fuel-injected 4.5-liter overhead-cam V8, good for a reported 275 horsepower. A 4-speed automatic transmission and adaptive AWD rounded out the powertrain.

Inside, the Voyage made use of a pair of dash-mounted monitors, one of which supported the car’s navigation system. Mounted to the dash was a hands-free mobile-phone, designed to be operated entirely by voice prompt. The Voyage Concept was followed in 1989 by a coupe variant dubbed Solitaire. The Solitaire Concept followed the same overall design theme as the Voyage, but featured unique styling elements and a Lotus-supplied 6.6-liter V12 engine rated at 430 horsepower.

Forgotten Concept: Oldsmobile Profile

Cadillac Voyage Concept

Cadillac Voyage Concept

CG Says:

Why not? In retrospect it’s easy to suggest that by this time Cadillac ought to have been thinking about SUVs, but in the late Eighties there was still plenty of interest in big, powerful, luxurious sedans.

The Voyage’s 4.5-liter V8 was predictive of the production Northstar 4.6-liter V8, which arrived under the hoods of select Cadillacs only a few years later. As for that drag coefficient, Cadillac claimed the Voyage could reach 200 mph, but that seems unlikely. A roadable version of this vehicle would probably have weighed nearly 5000 pounds, and with only 275 horsepower under the hood… well, 140 mph feels more realistic.

Big question: Why would customers want to see a hands-free phone? I guess a concept car needs visual elements that demonstrate specific features, but shouldn’t a voice-controlled phone be largely hidden from sight?

Forgotten Concept: Lincoln Sentinel

Cadillac Voyage Concept

Cadillac Voyage Concept

Listen to the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

Follow Tom on Twitter

Cadillac Voyage Concept Gallery

Forgotten Concept: Mercedes-Benz Auto 2000

Written by: Tom Appel on January 14, 2021.

•
Town Sedan

1929 Cadillac Series 341B

by Leigh Dorrington

Note: The following story was excerpted from the April 2012 issue of Collectible Automobile magazine

Cadillac was due for a “quiet” year in 1929, considering the previous season had seen the arrival of all-new Series 341 cars. They came with attractive styling by Harley Earl, fresh off his success with the 1927 LaSalle; a new 90-bhp 341-cubic-inch version of Caddy’s established L-head V-8 engine; and a chassis with wheelbase stretched to 140 inches, a switch to torque-tube drive, and the adoption of 32-inch-diameter tires.

More from Collectible Automobile Magazine

Those core features were indeed carried into 1929, but Cadillac was still able to make some noise in the automotive field—ironically by quieting things down. The marque introduced the “Synchro-Mesh” transmission, which made it easier to shift into second or third gear without a gratingly audible clash of metal. Other improvements for ’29 included internal-expanding brakes at all four wheels (external-contracting bands had been used previously at the rear), double-acting Delco shock absorbers, safety glass, and an adjustable front seat on most models. Fender-top parking lights replaced cowl lamps.

1929 Cadillac Series 341B

1929 Cadillac Series 341B

The 1929 Series 341B came in 11 “standard” models with Fisher bodies, plus another dozen “Fleetwood Custom” styles. Among the former was the “Town Sedan” featured here, a close-coupled five-passenger four-door model with a shortened body that made room at the back for a large detachable trunk.

Written by: Guest Author on December 1, 2020.

•
2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge in Jubilee Silver

2020 G902020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge

Class: Premium Large Car

Miles driven: 213

Fuel used: 14.5 gallons

Real-world fuel economy: 14.7 mpg

Driving mix: 45% city, 55% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 12/18/14 (city, highway, combined)

CG Report Card
Room and Comfort A
Power and Performance A-
Fit and Finish A
Fuel Economy D
Value C-
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide's impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy A+
Tall Guy A
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. "Big" rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, "Tall" rating based on 6'6"-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs 593-hp 6.6L
Engine Type V12
Transmission 8-speed automatic
Drive Wheels Rear-wheel drive

Fuel type: Premium gas required

Base price: $356,500 (not including $2750 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Black Badge Package ($50,000), Bespoke Interior ($5600), Rolls-Royce Signature Package ($11,275) Mandarin-color top ($5425), Mandarin-color pinstripe applied to wheel centre ($2400), single Mandarin-color coachline pinstripe ($1775), Aero Cowling rear-seat tonneau cover ($25,750), RR embossing to interior door panels ($1975), Selby Grey seat-piping accents ($3175), Driver Assistance 3 Package ($8325), Gas Guzzler tax ($2600)

Price as tested: $477,550

Quick Hits

The great: Top-of-the-heap luxury; built-to-order customizability; serene ride quality

The good: Generous front-seat space; smooth, abundant power from V12 engine

The not so good: Prices fit for royalty; voracious thirst for premium fuel; cramped trunk space for a vehicle this large

Check out our Premium Large Car Best Buys

John Biel

There are, we imagine, strange elements to just about any occupation, tasks that people need to perform that seemingly defy reason, and only on reflection do they get to ask, “Did I really just do that? For money?”

For a Consumer Guide Automotive editor, this “what just happened here?” sense hits whenever something like a 2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn convertible shows up outside the building. Admittedly, there are few cars like it, and that’s the point. We’ll get 100 or more review vehicles a year through Consumer Guide Supreme World Headquarters, so we’re certainly comfortable discussing the features and performance of cars and trucks that Americans purchase by the tens of thousands. Throw a Roller in the mix, however, and it makes you question what you’re doing.

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn

Our Dawn test vehicle was equipped with the $50,000 Black Badge package (which includes blacked-out body trim) and the $25,750 Aero Cowling rear-seat tonneau cover, which includes built-in lockable storage compartments.

Whenever this happens—and it does now and then—we’re out of our comfort zone. Off the bat, the sums involved are staggering relative to the many vehicles we review—even some of the true luxury products. With jaws hanging open, we can’t help staring and pointing at . . . that price: $361,850 (with delivery and $2600 Gas Guzzler Tax), and that’s just for starters. We can’t resist remarking that a single option, a removable “aero” tonneau cover over the rear seats that creates a two-seater look, costs more than an entire Volkswagen Golf TSI, or that the fee for the Black Badge décor-and-performance package that gives the test car its identity would cover a fantastic wedding present for your favorite young couple—two Golf TSIs. We look at the fuel-economy portion of the window sticker and are amazed to the point of amusement at the note that says a Dawn owner is projected to spend $10,000 more in fuel over five years than the owner of “the average new vehicle,” this after having parted with $477,550 to get the car in the first place.

More Rolls-Royce news and reviews

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge

Modern-day Rolls-Royce interiors do a nice job of balancing technology and tradition by offering current convenience features with classic-style switchgear and detailing. “Technical Fibre” carbon-fiber trim inserts take the place of the expected exotic-wood trim, and that Mandarin color is used liberally–even on the convertible top (see gallery below).

All of our unseemly talk of money certainly marks us as being from the “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” side of the tracks. Wouldn’t someone more—shall we say—familiar with this type of car be better suited to critique it? Perhaps. The thing is, people who fit that description sure as heck don’t work as Internet auto writers (if they have to work at all). It falls to us then.

Even figuring out what to say about the Rolls-Royce Dawn seems to defy sense and meaning. If we roll up our sleeves and dive in to the normal type of CG review, we’ll inevitably mention the smooth but strong 6.6-liter V12 engine, the serene ride quality, and the exceptional materials and fit and finish. But saying so almost seems unnecessary, because 478 grand. We often make judgements on performance and value between the vehicles we review for the benefit of readers who may be weighing a buying decision, but what’s the competitive set for the Rolls, a brand that Automotive News reports sold 1320 cars in the U.S. in 2019? Plus, the world being what it is, we can’t imagine that even the most awed review we could give the Dawn is going to turn the head of the shopper looking for “the one” among the 19 compact SUVs on the market.

Test Drive: 2020 BMW M8 Competition Convertible

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge

All Dawns have rear-hinged doors that power open or closed–which is good, because the open doors’ handles are a bit hard to grab when seated. Eye-grabbing Mandarin orange leather upholstery is available as part of the $5600 Bespoke Interior package. Both doorjambs have a built-in umbrella that pops out at the press of a button.

All things considered, then, about all we can do is enjoy the ride in something from outside the routine. The 2020 Black Badge is even further “outside” than the last Dawn we briefly drove in 2017.

The Black Badge package renders the car’s body moldings and classic grille in gloss black, with the hideaway “Spirit of Ecstasy” hood ornament in a dark-chrome finish. Wheels are a carbon/alloy composite, 21 inches in diameter. The interior sports light-gray contrast stitching and “RR” monograms in the headrests of the sumptuous natural-grain leather seats (ventilated in front), with technical-fiber trim in place of wood on the dashboard, doors, and console. Meanwhile, a sport exhaust and engine output raised by 30 horsepower make this a slightly less-sedate Rolls-Royce.

Test Drive: 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge

The Dawn’s powerplant is suitably regal and powerful–a BMW-built 6.6-liter V12 that puts out 593 horsepower in Black Badge form. The “RR” badges in the center of the 21-inch carbon/alloy composite wheels are always upright; they’re fixed to the hubs, so they don’t turn with the rest of the wheel. The hand-painted Mandarin orange pinstripe applied to the wheel centers is a $2400 option, and the matching coachline (beltline) pinstripes are another $1775.

Pumped up to 593 horsepower—but with the same 605 lb-ft of torque as in the standard-tune engine—the twin-turbocharged BMW V12 makes the big convertible a little speedier but no noisier, and no less smooth. The utterly unobtrusive 8-speed automatic transmission helps there. The Black Badge engine loses one mpg in EPA highway-mileage ratings, slipping to an estimated 18, but city and combined projections stay the same at 12 and 14 mpg, respectively. CG’s 213-mile test with approximately 45 percent city-style operation worked out to 14.7 mpg.

As expected for a car of this size and purpose, ride is better than handling. It veritably swallows surface irregularities such as railroad tracks with electronic variable damping and rear self-leveling air springs. However, steering is on the slow side, so cornering response is somewhat laggard.

Test Drive: 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge

A power-retractable Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament is standard, and it too gets the Black Badge dark-finish treatment.

None of that will bother a driver and up to three additional passengers on an open-road cruise, however. All occupants enjoy ample legroom, and good headroom under the raised top. With the top down, front passengers experience little wind buffeting. Our Black Badge test car was considerably more vibrant than our ’17 Dawn, with orange Mandarin upholstery, body striping, and even convertible top (over a Jubilee Silver body). The cabin glistens with many chrome highlights. Switchgear is tight yet effortless to operate. BMW’s iDrive with central control from the console serves as the infotainment system—with the attendant complication. Four-zone climate control is managed by rotating dials for fan speed, waferlike dials for temperature settings, and tiny buttons for things like seat heaters and defrosters.

With the kind of power and luxury built into a Rolls-Royce Dawn, there’s certainly nothing hard about driving one. That’s cushy duty. It’s just a little tough to comprehend, though.

Forgotten Concept: Chrysler Imperial

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn

If the 2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn were a gourmet meal, it would be a decadent feast where highly skilled chefs used all the sugar, butter, salt, and red meat they wanted. It’s pure automotive luxury and indulgence–with a price tag to match.

Click below for enlarged images

Follow John on Twitter

Listen to the very entertaining Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge Gallery

Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge

Written by: The Daily Drive staff on October 29, 2020.

For GREAT deals on a new or used Land Rover check out Land Rover Cincinnati TODAY!

•
1975 Mercury Grand Marquis

1975 Mercury Grand Marquis

If you were a computer nerd, 1975 was a big year for you. Featured on the cover of Popular Electronics magazine, the Altair 8800 made its commercial debut, heralded as the first “micro computer.”

Priced at $439, the 8800 was a relative bargain for home computing fans prepared to assemble their own unit.

But as the nation welcomed the Altair and the promise of increasingly accessible technology, we said goodbye to Chrysler’s Imperial brand–at least as a stand-alone make. The Imperial LeBarons were the heaviest and most expensive vehicles in the 1975 Chrysler Corporation lineup. Priced at $8844, the Imperial LeBaron 4-door sedan was also something of a bargain, at least among premium American sedans. For 1976, the most expensive sedan in the Chrysler portfolio would be the Chrysler New Yorker Brougham, which started at just $6737.

Here, we celebrate the priciest sedans of 1975, the last time an Imperial would make the list. Though the Imperial name would reappear twice in the future, it would return first only as a coupe (1981-1983, again as a stand-alone make) and later as a much less prestigious K-Car-derived topline Chrysler sedan (1990-1993).

Note that we only include the priciest model from each brand seen below–this to expand the list to cars other than Cadillac and Lincoln models.

10 Most-Expensive American Coupes of 1976

5 Most-Expensive American Sedans of 1975

Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Sedan: $14,231

1975 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Sedan

1975 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Sedan

Engine: 190-horsepower 500-cubic-inch V8

EPA Est. MPG (city/highway): 11/14

Curb weight (lbs.): 5720

Written by: Tom Appel on August 10, 2020.

For GREAT deals on a new or used Chevrolet check out Martin Chevrolet TODAY!