Posts from ‘First Spin’
First Spin: 2021 GMC Yukon
2021 GMC Yukon Denali
Over the past 20 years or so, most SUVs have morphed from a body-on-frame, truck-based construction to become “crossover” SUVs that utilize car-like unibody construction. The upside of this shift in design is better on-road driving dynamics and better driver ergonomics. The downside is reduced towing capacity and diminished capabilities in serious off-roading.
First Spin: 2020 Toyota Highlander
2020 Toyota Highlander
Toyota’s Highlander has long been a top-seller in the hot midsize-crossover class, at least in part due to the host of accolades it has received (though wearing a Toyota badge doesn’t hurt, either.) It gets a redesign for 2020 that brings an additional 2.4 inches of wheelbase and overall length, a host of new tech features, and a decidedly more miserly Hybrid variant.
First Spin: 2020 Nissan Sentra
2020 Nissan Sentra
When the redesigned – and decidedly upmarket – Nissan Versa was introduced earlier this year, one of the biggest questions surrounding it was, “Will this spell the end of the Sentra?”
It didn’t take Nissan long to answer.
First Spin: 2020 Mazda CX-30
2020 Mazda CX-30
This is a vehicle Goldilocks may have influenced.
While the burgeoning popularity of crossovers has caused some hair-splitting additions to model lineups of late, the new Mazda CX-30 fills a surprisingly large gap between the company’s CX-3 subcompact and CX-5 compact. And it fills that gap nearly dead-center, as its 173-inch length falls almost midway between the 168- and 179-inch spans, respectively, of its stablemates.
It also fills a gap in price.
First Spin: 2020 Lexus RX
2020 Lexus RX 450hL
Freshened for 2020, the Lexus RX premium midsize crossover is quietly one of the most successful, and most important, vehicles to have been introduced into the American marketplace in decades. In fact, I would argue, the RX enjoys a position of retail significance so compelling, its success is rivaled only by ketchup. Heinz Ketchup, to be exact. Allow me to explain…
First Spin: 2020 Nissan Titan
2020 Nissan Titan
In a class that divides roughly 2.4 million annual sales between just six entries with average transaction prices reaching $48,000, Nissan’s Titan has long run a distant last. While it’s unlikely this recent update will change that, it may well result in a bigger slice of this very lucrative pie.
2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon EcoDiesel
Jeep’s iconic Wrangler has been selling like the proverbial hotcakes of late, its 2018 redesign making it all the more popular. So some might question what the company expects to gain by adding a turbodiesel engine to the Wrangler’s option list.
The answer? Torque …
… lots and lots of torque.
First Spin: 2020 Honda Civic Si
2020 Honda Civic Si sedan
Ever since the tenth-generation Civic’s debut as a 2016 model, Honda has stayed busy rolling out new versions and fine tuning the Civic lineup’s styling and ergonomic details. Coupe and hatchback body styles followed shortly after the ’16 Civic sedan’s launch, sporty Si models (and the racetrack-ready Type R hatchback) followed for 2017, and a freshening for 2019 included an improved infotainment system and other welcome updates.
2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
Just how many ponies does a pony car need? Well, certainly not 760 ….
That will undoubtedly raise the eyebrows of my fellow enthusiasts, to whom “too much power” is a phrase bordering on blasphemy. But honestly, it’s really hard to make use of that much power on the street … at least, for very long.
First Spin: 2020 Lincoln Corsair
2020 Lincoln Corsair Reserve in Burgundy Velvet (a $695 option)
The past three model years have been especially momentous ones for Lincoln’s SUV lineup. For 2018, the full-size Navigator underwent a dramatic (and successful) redesign. For 2019, the two-row midsize MKX got a thorough revamp and a name change to become the Nautilus. For 2020, Lincoln has just issued a one-two punch in the form of an all-new Aviator three-row midsize SUV and Corsair compact SUV, which take the place of the MKT and MKC in Lincoln’s model roster. That’s essentially a complete product-line changeover, and it also represents a marketing-strategy shift, as Lincoln has dropped its alphabetic (and not particularly well-received) “MK” naming convention. The Corsair is the last piece of this puzzle, and it’s arriving at Lincoln dealers now.
