You may have forgotten about this investigation…it’s only been six years.
On Monday, federal auto safety regulators formally closed an investigation into exhaust odors and carbon monoxide exposure with 1.47 million Ford Explorer models. The probe started back in July 2016 and address over 6,500 consumer complaints centered around 2011 – 2017 models, including the Police Interceptor SUV. After six long years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports no evidence of a safety issue warranting a recall.
According to the agency’s closing report, “the 2011-2017 Ford Explorer vehicles when accurately measured produce compartment (carbon monoxide) levels which fall below current accepted health standards.” Despite the complaints alleging nausea, headaches, lightheadedness and other psychological effects, it did not identify a problem in stock vehicles that represents “an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.”
However, the NHTSA did take issue with modified Police Interceptor vehicles. In cases where the Explorer was “upfitted” with added equipment, sealing issues could lead to higher carbon monoxide levels in the cars that were tested. Among consumer cars, it traced similar sealing issues only to vehicles with rear collision damage. The report says, “the upfitting was often a cause for the leaks found in the above areas since many of the sealed areas needed to be disturbed or disassembled during the upfitting process.”
Ford agreed to cover the costs to fix the issue in a “Field Service Action” (FSA) 17B25 in 2017, by repairing seal issues with upfitting installations and adding exhaust downturns to Police Interceptors. The automaker also included a heating and cooling reprogramming operation that substantially reduced carbon monoxide levels.
Even without Ford’s repairs, though, the NHTSA maintains that CO exposure levels never exceeded legal limits.
GM won’t sell the Chevy Montana pickup in the United States?
Disappointed with my new Honda HR-V.
Where is my Fiat 500 electric!?
The first question comes from a GM fan regarding the Chevy Montana pickup.
nova Chevrolet Montana
Q: (Via: AskNathan@TFLcar.com) Explain why the Chevy Montana pick up utility truck isn’t coming to the USA!
The Chevy Montana would be in a perfect position to take on the Maverick and Santa Cruz! Please explain it to me like I’m a 5 year old cause I can’t find a logical reason why not! I know it’s not as powerful and it doesn’t have a 4×4 system. But it would be super cheap and it can haul as much as the others.
My family has only owned GM cars and trucks. Lately it kind of feels like they are pushing us to look at other competitors and that super upsets me. Look it is super simple! Just build the Montana on the same line as the Chevy Trax. Make it cheaper than a Maverick and you will have a winner. I promise you it won’t hurt Colorado sales!
– Wendall
nova Chevrolet Montana
A: Hi Wendall. I’m afraid the Chevrolet Nova Montana was never meant to come to the United States.
For those of you who don’t know, the Chevy Montana he’s referring to just began production in Brazil. It’s front-wheel drive (FWD) only, and packs a 1.2-liter turbo three-cylinder that makes 133 horsepower, and lb-ft of torque. A six speed manual and automatic are offered, but there’s no mention of any all-wheel drive (AWD) system anytime soon.
The Chevy Montana is a much smaller, narrower pickup than the Maverick and Santa Cruz. It’s about 10 inches shorter than the Hyundai, and about 14 inches shorter than the Ford. Despite this, insiders place the payload at about 1,500 pounds, which is competitive. It also has a unique bed storage system that is modular.
Base prices hover around the equivalent of $26,000; however, that’s simply based on the Brazilian market’s totals. A locally built, mass-produced pickup like this could undercut the Maverick’s base price of $22,000, if it ever came here. And that’s the rub.
Despite production delays slowing the sales of both the Maverick and Santa Cruz, they are extremely popular. Sales are expected to increase over the next few years as larger pickup prices increase. Rumors of equivalent pickups built by Toyota and Stellantis are pickup up steam. Still, GM does not appear to be interested in producing the Montana here.
One other curious note: recently Chevrolet showed a select few a concept of a small electric pickup. This may be the direction GM will go regarding smaller-than midsize pickups in the future.
– N
The next question comes from a fan who is disappointed in their new Honda HR-V.
Q: (Via: NathanAdlen@Twitter) Hi Nathan. Over the years, we have enjoyed your videos and blogs.
My husband and I love your guile and honesty. Thanks for making us laugh so much!
I recently bought a new Honda HR-V to replace my 2017 HR-V, and I am a little disappointed to be honest. Other than more comfort, it’s pretty bland. Like sugar free vanilla yogurt bland. I saw your video and agree that it handles well, especially in Seattle traffic. The frown on my face comes from it being less exciting than anything else I have driven.
Even my old HR-V seemed to have more personality than this new one. I’m fortunate to have leased it, so I will be done with it by 2025. I want to replace it with something more enjoyable and engaging to drive.
Can you help a girl out?
– Susan LLP
A: I’m sorry you’re disappointed.
Honda’s recent batch of new crossovers have been hot and cold, in my book. I love the new Passport and Tommy lauds the new Pilot, but the HR-V and CR-V are different. You’re right, the HR-V is kind of boring, and lacks power. I still like the way it handles, but it lacks personality.
2021 Kia Seltos and 2020 Mazda CX-30
There are a few crossovers that give you a lot more fun-per-dollar, and my favorite is the Mazda CX-30. Now, even if you don’t get the fire-breathing turbo, and settle for the regular 191 hp, four-cylinder engine, it’s still a hoot. If you drop some additional coin for the (up to) 250 hp turbo, you won’t be disappointed. It’s as fun as many sport wagons.
The Kia Seltos, Hyundai Kona and Toyota RAV4 are pretty good, but the Mazda handles better. If you’re looking for better comfort (the Mazda is pretty small inside) check out the RAV4. For fun, I would not recommend the Toyota Corolla Cross, as it’s similar to your HR-V.
– N
The last question comes from a reader who wants to know when we’re getting the next Fiat 500e.
Q: (ask@TFLcar.com): Where is the Fiat 500e, and what was that *&$! at the L.A. auto show?
Anger! Don’t show off a car, say we’re getting one, but not that one at a car show! I refer to the Fiat 500e that was on display at the LAAS! What the hell Fiat? When are we getting our own EV 500?
– Zigo JJ
A: Yup, it’s a head scratcher.
We are expecting the new Fiat 500e to hit U.S. showrooms sometime in 2024. There are no details about the specifications, pricing or performance. Hell, we don’t even know if it will look like the ones we saw at the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show. All we know is that Fiat seems to be serious about bringing them here.
I, for one, am excited to see what they are all about!
With 25.3 cubic feet of cargo space and comfy seats, the 2023 Nissan Kicks was an excellent choice for a Caliofornia vacation.
Considering the titanic money I spent to get my family to Disneyland, the 2023 Nissan Kicks helped ease the pain. With the average price regular running at about $4.40 in Anaheim, California the fuel economy was outstanding. Better still, it proved to be an excellent vehicle to haul us around California during some of the worst rains I’ve ever seen in the state. On top of that, it was a cinch to park and maneuver.
Performance… well, it’s faster than Disney’s Autopia cars.
Powerful it ain’t, but the 122 horsepower 1.6-liter engine is built for efficiency. Yes, 114 lb-ft of torque and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) won’t melt tires, but the powertrain can return 33 mpg combined. Fully loaded, with my family and gear and my lead foot, we still got a very receptacle 30 mpg over the course of a week. This meant I spent very little on overpriced gasoline. Yay!
Given that it was an SR trim, I had the black 17-inch wheels, but the rubber wasn’t wide or aggressive. Still, despite skinny tires with its high stance, the Kicks handles extremely well. It is remarkably maneuverable, and a snap to park. This is great when you have a grumpy family yelling as you try to park among thousands at a time.
Shortly after our arrival in California, the heavens opened up and we got drenched. Despite not having all-wheel drive (which makes it a tall hatch in my book, and not a crossover), the Kicks was confident. It ventured through some nearly flooded roadway with ease. Deep puddles and potholes were no biggie, for such a small car.
Sure, I’m no fan of the CVT, but the little guy had just enough thrust to not embarrass itself in traffic.
For an inexpensive car, the 2023 Nissan Kicks is well-equipped.
The MSRP on our ’23 Kicks SR was $27,515m – that’s with destination. Base pricing start at just under $21,600 for the Kicks S. We had the $1,390 Premium Package (on top of others), on the premium-ish SR. This package give you the eight-speaker, upper-level stereo system, heated seats and steering wheel. You also get the nicer seats and a security system. Honestly, that’s the only package I would recommend.
The Kicks gives you Nissan Safety Shield 360 standard, and you get a lot of safety upgrades for the money. You get Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, and Rear Automatic Braking. They added Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning and High Beam Assist. A seven-inch touch screen and Apple CarPlay come standard too.
Verdict: Disneyland was a blast, and the Kicks save us cash!
I concluded that, for the money it cost us for three days (over the course of a week) that we visited Disneyland, we could have done Hawaii instead. Still, we had an amazing time, and all of our gear somehow fit in the tiny Kicks. On top of that, we saved hundreds on fuel costs driving this frugal runabout.
It’s a good car, but not ideal for performance freaks – obviously. It’s a very good option for a first car for college students, or even a small family. Actually, I think older consumers might like the mild-mannered Kicks. I just wish there was an option for a sunroof – which would help with its youthful image.
$7,500 off a Lucid is still a solid discount, but there is a catch.
Oh, what a fun and exciting year 2023 is already turning out to be. Not only are (some) used car prices finally crashing back down to Earth, but some automakers are having a rethink about pricing. Tesla, for its part, dropped a whopping $13,000 off some Model Ys, and chopped several thousand dollars off their other models for good measure. Now, Lucid is responding in kind — well, sort of.
As folks over on the Lucid Forum point out, you can indeed get a $7,500 discount on the Lucid Air sedan. “Save $7,500 immediately. Accelerate instantaneously”, it tells would-be buyers via e-mail.
However, there’s a caveat in the same vein as the upcoming Alfa Romeo Tonale: You only get that discount when you lease a Lucid Air through the automaker’s own financial services arm. The company fleshes it out further in their FAQ: “At this time, Lucid Motors is able to pass on a $7,500 savings for lease customers only through Lucid Financial Services.” (Emphasis added).
Lucid Financial Services operates under a strategic partnership with Bank of America.
Why is it only for leasing customers?
As of this year, the Lucid Air is not eligible for the consumer-focused $7,500 tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law last year. In fact, the company scrambled to find a solution for its customers, as the bill eliminated the credit for passenger cars with an MSRP over $55,000 (SUVs and trucks have a higher $80,000 MSRP cap).
The solution they’ve ostensibly found takes advantage of the Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit, which lets businesses claim a credit for EVs in their fleet. If the GVWR is under 14,000 pounds, then those businesses get to claim $7,500 on their tax return.
This is why you have to lease the vehicle, since the lender (Bank of America, in this case) claims the credit as the vehicle is still under their purview, according to the terms of the lease contract you’d sign with Lucid Financial Services. The lender then passes along the tax credit as a capitalized cost reduction to the lessee.
Lucid offers 24-month, 36-month and 48-month leases, and Lucid says you are able to purchase the vehicle at the end of your lease barring some excepted states (Kansas, Maine, New Hampshire or Ohio).
Again, $7,500 off a car that costs at least $107,400 before destination is certainly better than nothing. Lucid’s move could be a sign that Tesla’s pricing strategy is set to bring EV prices down further, improving accessibility, but we’ll still have to wait and see.
If you’re still waiting on your Ford Bronco order to make it to production and delivery, you’re definitely not alone.
For the past two years, Ford’s had quite a thorny problem on its hands. The company wants to sell as many Bronco SUVs as possible, but it just cannot get through all the reservations — and troubles along the way have led to extremely frustrated order holders.
Those awaiting their Broncos faced production delays as their orders slip from one model year to the next, and some still don’t have a clear shipping date in sight. Chris, one such order holder, reached out to TFL to describe how the Bronco ordering process has gone for him over the past year.
Here’s part 1 of his experience so far:
“I’m a long time YouTube subscriber and new Patreon (as of today) supporter! I thought I’d share my tumultuous Bronco order experience thus far.
I placed an order for a Bronco Base model 2.3L engine w/ Sasquatch package and the upfitter switches as the only option way back on January 12, 2022. My salesperson was fully transparent with the fact that there was really no good timeline to give me and that I could receive my Bronco in as little as a few months or possibly next year, which I was okay with.
Fast forward a few months to October 6, 2022, still no Bronco.
But, I get a call from my salesperson. He calls to let me know that Ford was closing the books on 2022 Model year Broncos and that he would have to resubmit my Bronco order for the 2023 model year. That’s fine…I know what I was getting into and was prepared to continue waiting patiently.
What happens next is what really gets the rollercoaster started.
My salesperson sends me text message of a picture (which I have attached) from Ford Motor Company this past Friday (1/13/2023). Big bold letters: “BRONCO ORDER MODIFICATION CUSTOMER PRIVATE OFFER”. this can’t be good, right? Four options are given as alternatives to long awaited Bronco order.”
Ford’s four options for current Bronco order holders
According to a dealer bulletin currently making the rounds, Ford’s alternatives to those currently awaiting a new Bronco include:
$2,500 to modify the order and remove heavily supply-constrained items (including the molded-in-color hardtop, the Sasquatch Package, the Lux Package, etc.)
This option also includes picking a Bronco off the lot (you can get a Tremor/Rattler off the lot, if you can find one), though you may be fighting dealer markups if you go this route
Switch to a configuration that can be built sooner (for example, get a Big Bend/Outer Banks rather than a Wildtrak)
Cancel the order entirely and walk away
Part 2 of Chris’ story
Now, Chris is not one to be swayed. He continues:
So, a lot to think about, right? Likely, I need a little bit of time to figure things out? Well, here’s the other bump in the roller coaster.
Fast forward to this week, and I receive this attached email from Ford. YOUR VEHICLE HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR PRODUCTION! I’m ecstatic! I see that my vehicle is scheduled to be built the week of March 20, 2023, the PERFECT day before my birthday present! I even have an assigned VIN number, which makes it even more real!
Well, with every rollercoaster ride there comes a high and a very low low.
This morning I wake up to yet another email from Ford, the complete juxtaposition of my happy email. The subject line reads “Urgent information regarding your Ford Bronco order.”, this can’t be good. The email is very gloom and doom and goes on to explain how supply chain shortages have greatly affected my low budget Bronco. Of course, also citing unprecedented demand as another reason. The email goes on to state that in order to give my Bronco the best chance at being produced in the 2023 model year, to please contact my dealer to update my order to a “buildable” configuration as soon as possible (queue the “DUN DUN DUN” sound effect).
So now I’m left more confused than ever. I have a call scheduled with my salesperson later today however I doubt I’ll get any reassurances about my Bronco actually being built as is in March.
I do NOT wish to modify my order in any way and just want to receive my Bronco as I ordered it. I feel that I have been very flexible in waiting, over a year at this point, and am fine with waiting a bit longer. But how long is too long? The email ends by saying if I take no action and leave my order as is and my Bronco can not be delivered in 2023, my order will be cancelled. I’m sorry. but isn’t that ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS?
Please let me know any thoughts or suggestions you all might have, as I am now feeling that I am between a rock and a hard place!”
A recommendation is…genuinely tough here.
According to what we’ve seen, Ford is keeping that offer open through April 3, 2023.
As for my thoughts, I’m as vexed as you are and even Ford (likely) is. Obviously, it’s far from an ideal situation on both sides, and the automaker is working to crank out as many Broncos as it can. Unbuilt orders means profit left on the table, and any business worth its salt aims to avoid that scenario at all costs. Especially businesses accountable to shareholders, as Ford Motor Company is.
In a few different ways, you could argue the Bronco is both a victim of its own success and a case study in how to inadvertently mistime a massively important launch. And it’s a seriously good off-roader to boot — it’s just a question of whether the wait is still as worth it as it may have been a year or two ago.
So, do you take the incentive cash and go for another Ford? Do you stick to your guns, or do you walk away for something you can have right now (like, say, a Jeep Wrangler)?
I couldn’t make the decision even if I were in that situation, so it’d be remiss of me to make that judgement call for anyone else.
One parting thought I have is this: If you do stick to your guns and snub Ford’s current deal, you may outlast enough folks dropping out of the queue to land the Bronco you really want. But…are you more determined than everyone else out there holding on for the same reason?
If you’re looking for one opportunity to sidestep the line…
we are selling our 2021 Ford Bronco First Edition through TFLbids.com this upcoming Thursday (January 26, 2023). The auction will run through the following Thursday, February 3rd, with profits from the sale above and beyond what we originally paid for it going to the Ronald McDonald House Denver charity.
To answer the most pressing questions: We will only sell this vehicle through TFLbids, so you’ll have to bid against the crowd if you want to snag it yourself. The vehicle is sold as-is (like other vehicles on our site) with no additional warranty extended or implied beyond the manufacturer’s warranty. Our Bronco has under 9,000 miles on it at present, so there’s still plenty of life left in the original warranty period, and all recall work to-date has been completed.
Hertz announced a partnership with Denver on Thursday, aimed at expanding its vehicle fleet and public charging infrastructure to drive widespread EV adoption in the area.
It will add up to 5,200 vehicles to the local fleet and install public EV chargers, offer tools and training to support the initiative throughout the city.
City officials and Hertz stressed improving EV availability and use in underserved communities around Denver that do not typically have ready access to EVs or robust charging infrastructure.
Hertz says it is in talks to launch this program in other major cities as well, but Denver is the first step.
The rental car company announced a major EV push — and Denver is the springboard.
On Thursday, Hertz announced a public-private partnership with the City of Denver to accelerate EV adoption and accessibility through its “Hertz Electrifies” program. The upshot: We’ll soon see a surge of up to 5,200 electric vehicles into the company’s Denver rental fleet, for use by rideshare drivers and the public at-large as the city looks to curb transportation-sourced greenhouse gas emissions in the coming decades.
“Our goal is to reduce Denver’s carbon emissions by 80% by 2050,” said Denver Mayor Michael Hancock during the announcement, “and expanding the use and availability of electric vehicles will play a major role in helping us achieve that goal.”
It’s not just sourcing more electric vehicles, though. One major key to widespread EV adoption is adequate infrastructure, and the project looks to tackle that angle, as well as training local students to maintain and support that infrastructure in their neighborhoods moving forward. According to this week’s statement, the pillars of the Hertz Electrifies project will create clean jobs in the area, and the partnership will serve as a template for other major cities.
Speaking to CNBC, Hancock called the partnership a “game-changer” for Denver, which comprises 715,000 residents as well as a substantial 3 million-strong metro. “Electric vehicles can benefit every community in Denver, and we’re proud to work with Hertz to ensure that electrification opportunities reach across the city.”
In addition to installing chargers in lower-income areas, the Hertz Electrify project will provide EVs, tools and training to the Montbello Career and Technical High School, as part of the Denver school’s auto certificate program. It will also offer summer job opportunities through the city’s Youth Employment Program, in hopes of training up a workforce to support the partnership’s goals long-term.
Hertz is working with Tesla, Polestar and General Motors to secure as many as 340,000 additional electric vehicles by 2027.
Far more EV renting, charging options at Denver International Airport
Another prong of Hertz’s larger EV rollout naturally centers around Denver’s airport. The program, in conjunction with oil giant BP’s EV subsidiary BP Pulse, will increase capacity at the airport — which is a serious sore spot, as we’ve noted in earlier videos on the current state of affairs.
Throughout the program’s integration, Hertz will use telematics data from its rental cars in the hands of public customers and rideshare drivers to help the City of Denver determine where public charging stations are critically needed. Beyond that, though, beefing up available charging infrastructure will encourage more people to use the larger EV fleet, benefiting both the company and the city’s emissions targets.
We’ll have more information on this partnership soon, and you can check out our latest electric car coverage over on TFLEV:
Mazda is seriously hyping up its CX-90 SUV, including this latest “Unboxed” video.
We’re still a couple weeks away from the reveal, but the automaker is seriously cranking out the teasers for its upcoming flagship SUV. There’s a ton of new going on with this car, and the CX-90’s striking at the heart of a ferociously competitive family hauler market. Today’s video (shown below) doesn’t quite give us a full look at the new model — they’re keen to keep that on the wraps until January 31 — but let’s take a moment to pore over what details we do have here.
Up until this point, I’ve used the European CX-60 as a reference point for the North American CX-90. Now that we’ve seen some front-end shots, particularly, that’s been pretty on point. This looks remarkably similar to what’s out in Europe now, just right-sized for our market’s demands. The front fascia is immediately recognizable as a Mazda (thanks in no small part to the oversized badge making it obvious), but there are a few key styling features like the headlights and chrome brightwork that make this model stand out from past-generation efforts like the CX-9.
Throughout the video, Mazda’s Senior Director of Design Yasutake Tsuchida, who also designed the current-generation Mazda3, speaks of the company’s ethos in creating its latest model.
More importantly for some, though, we get to see the CX-90’s beating heart. This isn’t just an under-the-hood shot, either — we actually see the 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-6 outside the car, as well as some of the front suspension. While we don’t necessarily see any unexpected bits, powertrain performance manager Jay Chen did mention they “took out the torque converter” for the CX-90’s transmission as a space-saving move. The 2024 Mazda CX-90 incorporates an electric motor into the setup, using a mild hybrid system.
That decision allowed more room to work on ideally placing the six-cylinder engine into a front-rear longitudinal layout. Unlike current conventional Mazdas, this car is riding on a rear-wheel drive-based platform. As we’ve seen on the Miata, the new CX-90 will also have “KPC”, or Kinematic Posture Control, to further improve handling.
Hopefully, that will ensure the CX-90 delivers even better handling dynamics than we’re used to. Beyond Ant Anstead’s take on the noise and handling, the video ends with a solid shot of the car’s front fascia (above).
Check out more below, and stay tuned for our coverage on the CX-90 at 12 PM Eastern on January 31!
Is it weird we’re calling these early-noughties Porsches “classic” now?
Really, it wasn’t that long ago that you could walk into a dealership and order a 997 911 or a first-generation Cayenne, at least in my mind. But let’s face it: Technology has moved on by leaps and bounds in the past couple decades. That’s especially true with infotainment systems, and Porsche is offering a solution to make your 2003 to 2008 car not feel quite so…vintage.
The automaker is expanding its touchscreen support beyond the even older-school models to include these newer models. Specifically, the 7.0-inch “Porsche Classic Communication Management (PCCM) Plus” system is also available for these cars:
997-generation 911 (2005 – 2008)
987-generation Boxster and Cayman (2005 – 2008)
First-generation Cayenne SUV (2003 – 2008)
This expanded compatibility brings in modern features we seriously take for granted in thoroughly modern cars. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and SiriusXM satellite radio functionality enter the equation. Beyond that, you can also store personal settings for the lights, wipers, climate controls, and door locking behavior on the 911, Boxster and Cayman.
Here’s the rub, though: It’s not exactly what you’d call cheap. We are talking about Porsche here, sure, but the PCCM Plus comes exclusively as a double-DIN unit with the 7-inch screen for $1,475. Depending on your standards, you may be able to find similar aftermarket solutions for less, but at least this factory-backed system is guaranteed to work in these cars.
What do you think — is the functionality worth the price?
Roman just bought one of the most hated modern Land Rovers to prove a point: Even this SUV doesn't suck! Or maybe it does...that's what we're going to find out in our latest project series.
In this week’s Ask Nathan:
Adaptive features might be the next step for future pickup trucks?
Will EVs get even faster?
Building trucks with adaptive features...
