all-wheel drive
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The all-wheel drive version of the Toyota Prius introduced last week at the LA Auto Show earns an astoundingly good EPA fuel economy rating of 50 mpg combined—nearly as good as the 52 mpg earned by much of the Prius lineup (LE, XLE and Limited). But the system isn’t nearly as capable as the one you might encounter in Toyota’s utility vehicles, such as the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid or Highlander Hybrid, because its all-wheel drive system was conceived for getting out of snowy driveways, not necessarily for hauling the family up the mountain for a ski weekend. DON’T MISS: 2020...
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Toyota teases all-wheel-drive Prius for LA auto show debut
Toyota has teased what is probably an all-wheel-drive Prius, slated for introduction at the Los Angeles auto show late this month. In studying the picture the company teased, with a Prius churning through the snow, it’s hard to come to another conclusion. The automaker says in a...
Bengt Halvorson -
When will Tesla Model 3 all-wheel-drive, lower-range models be available?
Musk says the problem is that adding additional configurations with all-wheel drive would make production so much more complicated that it would jeopardize the company's ability to build up Model 3 production to levels that would bring in the revenue the company needs to stay afloat.
Eric C. Evarts -
Kona Electric, Bolt EV, Niro, C-HR aren't crossovers, despite what makers say
It happened again. At this week's New York auto show media days, a manufacturer rolled out yet another vehicle that it calls a "crossover" despite that vehicle having neither the ground clearance nor the all-wheel drive to qualify as a light truck. The car in question was the 2019 Hyundai Kona...
John Voelcker -
All-wheel drive now standard on all Tesla Model S, Model X cars
Tesla now offers roughly the same percentage of its model lineup with standard all-wheel-drive configuration as famed AWD proponent Subaru. The Silicon Valley electric-car maker has completely ditched rear-wheel drive in its Model S hatchback sedans and Model X crossover utility vehicles. Only its...
Mark Stevenson -
2019 Toyota Prius V to shift from wagon to SUV design, but will it have AWD?
With gas prices remaining cheap and all vehicles getting better fuel economy these days, utility vehicles are all the rage among U.S. buyers. Whether smaller crossovers or bigger SUVs, utilities have not only ended the market for traditional wagons but are eating significantly into sales of...
John Voelcker -
At the end of September, Toyota and Mazda announced they would form a joint venture with parts maker Denso to design, test, and build components for a shared electric-car platform. Earlier interviews with Mazda indicate that the small Japanese maker will create its first all-electric model for volume production by putting a unique body on top of those underpinnings, also used by Toyota. On reflection, though, that rather begged the question: what about Subaru? DON'T MISS: Toyota electric-car tech to come from venture with Mazda, Denso The Japanese maker formerly referred to as "quirky"...
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Bollinger B1 all-electric utility truck: 10,000 signups since launch
The Bollinger B1 electric utility truck, designed by a small startup company in upstate New York and unveiled in late July, appears to have hit something of a chord. The company said Monday it has now received more than 10,000 "pre-orders," or expressions of interest in the tough, all-electric...
John Voelcker -
Bollinger B1 all-electric utility truck revealed
It's square-edged, with flat body panels, large knobbly tires, and a simple interior that can easily be hosed out when dirty. The Bollinger B1 electric utility truck revealed tonight at the Classic Car Club on New York City's Hudson River was designed out in the country, where trucks have to be...
John Voelcker -
What AWD vehicle has the highest fuel economy?
"I want a fuel-efficient car, but I live in a snowy area, and won't buy one without all-wheel drive; what's the best?" It's a question we hear often. Whether or not you agree that AWD is a must-have in wintry climes, the selection of cars with high fuel economy and AWD is limited. DON'T MISS: 2014...
John Voelcker -
Life with Tesla Model S: out with the old, in with the new
Over the first three years of driving my 2013 Tesla Model S, there wasn't a single time when I looked at another car and said, “You know, I’d really rather be driving that car than this one.” Not once. The Tesla’s combination of performance, style, economy, technology, plus...
David Noland -
2018 Subaru Crosstrek preview
Five years after the first Subaru Crosstrek hit the streets, the small Japanese automaker with a cult-like following has significantly updated its unexpectedly successful small crossover utility vehicle. The 2018 Subaru Crosstrek will hit the streets later this year wearing a new exterior and an...
Aaron Cole -
Crossovers are so popular right now that several automakers are even trying to pass off conventional hatchbacks as high-riding utility vehicles. The latest example of this trend is the Honda WR-V, a new pseudo-crossover for the Indian market. Despite the extra plastic body cladding and slightly-different front and rear fascias, the WR-V looks very similar to the Honda Jazz subcompact hatchback it's based on. DON'T MISS: 2017 Chevy Spark Activ: fake crossover jacks up minicar into SUV wannabe (Nov 2016) The Jazz is sold in the U.S. as the Honda Fit and lends its platform to the HR-V crossover...
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2017 Subaru Impreza: first drive of AWD compact sedan, hatch
The 2017 Subaru Impreza is one of the most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive vehicles in the U.S. market, and has been for many years. The entirely redesigned 2017 Impreza rides on new underpinnings, but it's easily recognizable as an evolution of the company's popular compact sedan and hatchback. One...
John Voelcker -
2017 Nissan Rogue Hybrid: better prospects than Pathfinder, Murano for small hybrid SUV?
As predicted several years ago by a now-departed member of the Nissan product team, the third of three hybrid SUVs has rolled out. The 2017 Nissan Rogue Hybrid is the smallest of the three, and the company seems to be somewhat more optimistic about its prospects. Last year's 2016 Murano Hybrid...
John Voelcker -
Is Toyota RAV4 Hybrid SUV hurting Prius V wagon sales?
The 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is the sole mass-market crossover SUV that offers a hybrid powertrain and all-wheel drive. That was a market pioneered by the Ford Escape Hybrid, in 2004, and one that Ford walked away from for 2013. It turns out that there seems to be a market for compact crossovers...
John Voelcker -
2016 BMW X1 quick drive review
It looks like a BMW, offers relatively sporty roadholding for an SUV, and delivers a quiet, solid ride. The 2016 BMW X1 is so cleverly proportioned, in fact, that many buyers will never noticed that it's actually a transverse-engined car with a front-wheel-drive base—the company's first. And...
John Voelcker -
All-wheel-drive hybrid cars, SUVs: why are there so few?
Fifty years ago, a now-forgotten British luxury coupe called the Jensen FF went into production, offering the first modern all-wheel drive system on any passenger car in the world. Four-wheel drive had been offered only on a few specialized truck models to that point, but the traction and braking...
John Voelcker -
The 2017 Subaru Forester gets slightly better gas mileage than before.
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All-wheel-drive Tesla electric cars rated more efficient, but how?
One of the myriad advantages of electric propulsion, we’re told, is the efficiency of all-wheel drive. The AWD versions of the Tesla Model S, for example, are rated as more efficient than the rear-wheel-drive versions of the car. This flies in the face of 100 years of automotive history...
David Noland -
Subaru Viziv Future Concept Previews Next-Generation Hybrid System
At this week's Tokyo Motor Show, Subaru displayed two separate concepts. One was a thinly disguised version of the upcoming 2017 Subaru Impreza hatchback, labeled a concept, but the other was a genuine concept car displaying innovations that may (or may not) make it into future production vehicles...
John Voelcker -
2016 Toyota Prius: Power Outputs, Dimensions, AWD Revealed As Info Trickles Out
Toyota releases more information on the 2016 Prius.
Stephen Edelstein -
2016 Toyota Prius: Leaked Technical Details Confirm e-AWD Option On Higher Models
A leaked staff manual indicates the 2016 Toyota Prius will be offered with all-wheel drive.
Stephen Edelstein -
New Chrysler Minivan Might Get Electric All-Wheel Drive: CEO
Chrysler may add electric all-wheel drive to the next-generation Town & Country minivan.
Stephen Edelstein