Tag: Comparison

Toyota Highlander vs. Ford Explorer: The Newest Kids on the Block

Post author By axelrin
Post date May 16, 2020

By Mark Rechtin – Words; Wes Allison – Photos – MotorTrend

Brand loyalty makes purchasing a new vehicle an easy call for most folks; you belong to a Ford family or a Toyota household, and you never cross that line.

But there also are plenty of people who are looking for the best deal, or the latest thing, or the most popular vehicle in their particular class, brand be damned. In the case of the Ford Explorer and Toyota Highlander, both are the latest thing in the three-row sport-utility segment, and they’re perennial best-sellers, to boot. So, if you were new to either brand and looking to see what all the fuss is about, which would be the better choice?

Tags Comparison, ford, ford-explorer, Toyota, toyota-highlander

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What Are The Best-Handling SUVs?

Post author By axelrin
Post date May 16, 2020

By Kim Reynolds – MotorTrend

We want it all.

Now that SUVs and crossovers have conquered America’s roads and driveways (and mall parking lots, and Starbucks drive-thru lines, and everywhere else), we’re expecting them to handle as well as the cars they’ve vanquished, too.

Can they? No. And precisely for the reasons you’re liking them. That great bird’s-eye view that comes from an elevated driver’s perch—raising the center of gravity—is arsenic for handling. Nevertheless, car engineers are optimistic, never-give-up types. They’ve been beavering away to mitigate these negatives. Last year, we broached the question of whether an SUV can handle as well as a sedan in a deep-dive comparison of a representative classical sedan and its new crossover alternative, starring the outgoing Chevrolet Impala and the incoming Blazer.

Tags Comparison, SUV

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What Are the Safest SUVs For 2020?

Post author By axelrin
Post date May 10, 2020

By Alisa Priddle – MotorTrend.

When you think of the safest SUVs out there, you probably think of Subaru, Volvo, maybe the seemingly indestructible Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, a massive Suburban with miles of steel and space for protection, and a reliable Toyota or Honda for good measure.

In this feature about the safest SUVs for the 2020 model year, you might be surprised to learn that Mazda, a small-ish Japanese carmaker, tops the list with three of the safest offerings on the market for the 2020 model year, according to the main third parties that test these vehicles.

Tags 2020, Comparison, SUV

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What Are the Safest Sedans for 2020?

Post author By axelrin
Post date May 3, 2020

By Alisa Priddle – MotorTrend

Sedan sales keep giving way to more popular SUVs, but the former is still very much alive. For many, their first car is still a sedan. And enthusiasts still prefer the low seating position and driving dynamics of a car. Regardless of where sedan customers are coming from, a good set of safety scores can mean the difference between serious consideration and moving on to another car. So if you’re curious which are the safest sedans for 2020, you’ve come to the right place.

Simple physics suggests a larger, higher-riding SUV wins in a collision against a sedan, but today’s cars have the latest in safety technology to keep young drivers and families alike safe. We look at some of the safest sedans on the market today, based on their crash rating scores from the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHTSA), the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and the safety systems offered on these models. The least expensive models are featured first.

Tags Comparison, sedans

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Minivan or SUV—Which Is Best for Big Families?

Post author By axelrin
Post date May 3, 2020

By Miguel Cortina – MotorTrend

Car shopping can be stressful. Whether you’re looking into a couple of segments, or you’ve narrowed down your search and have two models to choose from, selecting the correct vehicle can take time and be tense—especially if you have a family.

The most popular family vehicle right now is the 3-row SUV, where there are over a dozen options to choose from. Yet minivans, which are gradually disappearing, are also tailormade for big families. Both SUVs and minivans offer unique features—from boxy looks to spacious interiors—and have become the undisputable family haulers of the last three decades. So if you have a big family, which is the best for you? Minivan or SUV?

Ford Explorer vs. Chevrolet Traverse: Domestic SUV Duke-Out

Post author By axelrin
Post date April 20, 2020

By Nick Yekikian – Words, Wes Allison – Photos – MotorTrend

Which American automaker makes the better three-row SUV? Bad news first: Both the 2020 Ford Explorer and 2019 Chevrolet Traverse feature a number of off-putting compromises. Neither is revolutionary on the road, and both come with interiors that must be better in order to justify their price points. Luckily, if you’re a parent in need of an American three-row SUV—in both name and country of origin—with a lot of room for the kiddos, one of these three-row family haulers is still much better than the other.

Tags cherovlet, chevrolet-traverse, Comparison, ford, ford-explorer

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Cheap Wheels, SUV Edition: 2020 Kia Soul vs. 2020 Nissan Kicks vs. 2020 Hyundai Venue vs. 2020 Toyota C-HR

Post author By axelrin
Post date April 20, 2020

By Stefan Ogbac – Words, Brandon Lim – Photos – MotorTrend

Which affordable subcompact SUV should you get?

We interrupt your regularly scheduled program of dream machines with a break into the real world—where millennials wrangle underwhelming paychecks against a mountain of student debt, high rent, and the necessity of car ownership.

Enter our showdown of lovable, affordable SUVs. Sure, there will be compromises—what do you expect from a car that costs “just” a semester’s tuition at Skidmore but doesn’t have the power to leave skid marks? That said, the better entries won’t make you feel like you compromised.

Tags 2020, Comparison, hyundai-venue, kia-soul, nissan-kicks, toyota-c-hr

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These 12 Hybrid Sedans Have the Best MPG

Post author By axelrin
Post date April 20, 2020

By Miguel Cortina – MotorTrend

Fuel economy is something we all think about before making a new-car purchase. Whether you do it to save on gas or simply because you care about the environment, hybrid sedans that deliver good gas mileage have become quite popular. And having a hybrid powertrain doesn’t necessarily mean you’re driving something boring. These days, electrified sedans often have more power and usually more torque than their internal combustion counterparts, despite their using less fuel. These 12 hybrid sedans with the best mpg could be a good fit for you if you’re thinking about going green.

Tags Comparison, hybrid, sedans

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2020 Hyundai Venue vs 2020 Kia Soul: So Close, but Oh So Far

Post author By axelrin
Post date April 13, 2020

By Nick Yekikian – Words, Brandon Lim – Photos, MotorTrend

Let’s get one thing clear: Kia Motors is owned by the Hyundai Group. Although their product lines follow different formulas, much of what the two brands sell happens to be closely related. For example, the Kia Stinger and the Genesis G70 are based on the same platform but are tuned very differently. The subjects of this comparison, the similar-sized Kia Soul and Hyundai Venue, are also based on the same platform, but you’d never know it based on the way they drive.

Underneath, the Kia Soul and Hyundai Venue are both the same car. You might recall that the Soul was a MotorTrend Car of the Year finalist last year because it was good—very good—and think that’s great news for the Venue, too. But what two automakers do with a shared platform can yield very different results—especially if the use cases are different.

Tags 2020, Comparison, hyundai-venue, hyundai;, Kia, kia-soul

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20 Best Car Video Games Of All Time

Post author By axelrin
Post date April 8, 2020

By Motor1.Com Team

From Forza to Super Mario Kart, these are the driving-based games we love.

With car enthusiasts spending less time on the road these days, there is still one way to get your fix: car video games. One of the greatest inventions of the 20th century, the video game console, is there to keep our foot on the gas pedal, metaphorically speaking – even in these trying times. But one question lingers: what is the best car-based video game of all time?

With new installments of Forza, Gran Turismo, Dirt and others continuing to saturate the market, we thought it only necessary to weed through nearly four decades of digital driving and put together a list of what we believe to be the 20 best car-based video games of all time. Some games from as early as 1982, to others as recently as present day. It’s safe to say not everyone will agree with our choices …