As quirky as it may seem, ElectraMeccanica’s Solo single-seat electric vehicle actually makes a ton of sense in the real world. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, almost 90-percent of Americans drive alone, whether it’s in a car, pickup truck, or SUV. That's a whole lot of metal for just one person.
It's unfair to say that Volvo took the easy route in developing the 2021 XC40 Recharge, the all-electric version of its popular subcompact SUV. Sure, it may be built atop the same Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform of its gasoline brethren - and, indeed, the same architecture resting underneath its Polestar 2 cousin - but the XC40 Recharge's biggest triumph is how it seamlessly blends with urban traffic without eliciting curious "is that electric?" stares from passersby and other drivers.
The 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 is America’s first taste of a new-age VW electric vehicle. Riding atop the German carmaker’s EV-specific MEB platform, the ID.4 is all-new from the ground up, and it certainly feels like it both inside and out. After my brief stint driving the ID.4. I can see why it makes a lot of sense for the US market from a starting price perspective, especially with the longer range battery option.
You could make a solid argument that the 2021 Nissan Armada is the poster-child for successful mid-cycle refreshes. The three-row SUV has a reputation for setting aside anything remotely sporting in favor of snooze-inducing comfort - in the best possible way - but blobby styling and a dated cabin were clear giveaways of its age.
The 2021 Cadillac Escalade diesel is no less vast than its gas sibling, no less lavish, and actually no more expensive, and that presents buyers of big, luxury SUVs with a conundrum. An Escalade with the Duramax turbo-diesel under the hood costs the same, from $77,490 plus destination, and aside from the 600D badge on the rear there's no visible sign that you opted not to get the V8.
The Audi Q5 may be a compact crossover, but in sales terms it's a juggernaut. Gaining in popularity every year since it first launched in 2009, it's not only Audi's best-seller but the centerpiece of the automaker's balance of technology, prestige, performance, and value. For the 2021 Q5 45 TFSI, then, there's a lot riding on its teutonic shoulders.
Brand your new electric crossover a Mustang, and you set it up for some big expectations. Ford wasn't making life easy for the 2021 Mustang Mach-E, risking the reputation of its muscle car brand on a category it had yet to prove itself in. "Should it drive like it looks?" That's the question I couldn't help but ask, as I faced the Mach-E across an empty pop-up autocross track.
The 2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 is the first-ever SUV from Maybach and, you could say, a playful jab - and somewhat less costly alternative - to other super-luxe contenders like the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Bentley's Bentayga. The Maybach name returned in 2015 as a sub-brand of the three-pointed star, and since then the automaker has sold more than 45,000 of its Mercedes-Maybach S-Class flagship sedans globally. In 2018, one in seven S-Class models sold was a Maybach.
It's lucky that the 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid has "HYBRID" badges on its trunk and fenders, else you'd be forgiven for not knowing it was electrified at all. Then again, hybrid subtlety is part of the new Accord's charm, positioning the technology not so much as the green option, but the more premium, sophisticated pick of the sedan range.
The second-generation 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost marks the beginning of a new era at Goodwood. Here is a modern Rolls, one that sets aside pompousness for what the marque refers to as ‘Post Opulence’ design. The first-generation Ghost, released in 2009, became the most successful product in Rolls-Royce’s 116-year history. And, unlike with the stately Phantom, it turns out Ghost buyers prefer driving the car themselves rather than being driven.
You can’t accuse Mercedes-Benz of not having tried to woo US drivers with its wagons. That the old E-Series wagon is being replaced in North America by this, the 2021 Mercedes E450 4MATIC All-Terrain, isn’t an admission of failure there, as much as recognition that the auto industry is far from the days of one-size-fits-all. There’s more than one way to package a wagon, and the All-Terrain promises to be a distinctly American-flavored interpretation.
Emulate or innovate. When, as with the 2021 Genesis G80, you're taking on Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz in the segment that has for decades been their bread and butter, it would be easy to go conservative and simply borrow from their playbook. That's just what the first G80 did, indeed, a join-the-German-dots which ended up all proficiency and no passion. Nobody, though, would describe the new G80 as conservative.