2019 Lincoln Aviator: Three Rows, Hybrid, and Inspired by Flight [Video]

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March 27, 2018

Three-row SUVs are red hot right now, and Lincoln has chosen to further capitalize on this corner of the automotive market. To do that, they’ve introduced the all-new 2019 Lincoln Aviator at this year’s New York Auto Show. Reviving a nameplate out of service since 2005, Lincoln passed on the Navigator’s qualities to the new, smaller model as well. But there’s a new story afoot – this time, the Aviator also goes for efficiency, in addition to luxury.

Hybrid Powertrain

In its return to the luxury SUV fold, the 2019 Lincoln Aviator will have an available plug-in hybrid powertrain. Lincoln has not given up a whole lot of information about this powertrain just yet. However, they have said it will make use of a twin-turbocharged gas motor to relieve range anxiety. We expect that gas motor to be an EcoBoost turbocharged V6.

Lincoln have noted that this vehicle will be rear-wheel drive, but have not commented whether an all-wheel drive version will be available.

Technology Galore

Being a premium luxury SUV, the Aviator needs to bristle with the latest technology available. A notable new feature here is Lincoln’s use of your smartphone as they key to your car. You will be able to lock, unlock, start, turn off, and open the trunk of your 2019 Lincoln Aviator from an app on your smartphone.

We also know the Aviator will host a more advanced suite of safety tech. Enter Lincoln Co-Pilot 360, a system that adds rear braking assist to the list of standard safety fare. Other features include blind spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking, and lane keep assist. The 2019 Lincoln Aviator also ships with the latest version of the SYNC infotainment system.

Performance, fuel economy and pricing are all still question marks at this point. However, stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates! Check out TFLcar and TFLnow for more information on the 2019 Lincoln Aviator and catch our coverage of the 2018 New York International Auto Show!

Also, if you enjoy watching our content, please come support us on Patreon. Motor Trend has left YouTube in favor of paid content. We want to keep our content free for our viewers. However, in order to keep doing that, we need some of you to give us a little extra help! Our goal is to reach $5,000 by the end of the month so that we can keep providing the awesome free content for you guys to enjoy.

All-New 2019 Toyota RAV4: Does It Really Have More Of Everything? [Video]

By

Andre Smirnov

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March 27, 2018

Toyota’s best-selling crossover gets a redesign after six years in its current generation

The all-new 2019 Toyota RAV4 is here. How do you improve a class leading crossover (sales leader in 2017 including fleet sales) in a fiercely competitive market? This is the task that Toyota took on when design the new RAV4. One answer is – improve everything. This is what Toyota is looking to do with the next generation of its compact crossover.

Toyota chose two versions of the newly updated “Dynamic Force” 2.5-liter four cylinder engine to power its regular and hybrid models. Horsepower and torque figures will be available closer to the car’s launch. The new engine uses many of latest internal combustion technologies to bring its thermal efficiency and responsiveness up. Toyota has not released the power specifications yet, but the company says the new power plants offer better performance, response, and efficiency. A new 8-speed automatic transmission does the gear shifting in the regular RAV4 model, while a CVT is on duty in the hybrid models.

The latest AWD system can send up to 50% of the power to rear wheel and also perform torque vectoring from side to side to better road performance and off-road capability.

More spacious than before

Toyota says that the sportiest RAV4 is the new XSE Hybrid, so gas/electric power is focused on more than just efficiency.

The 2019 RAV4 has a 1.2-inch longer wheelbase than before, and it is 0.4 inches wider. The overall length and height actually go down by about 0.2 inches. The interior has been redesigned to improve usability and improve storage.

The Adventure and Limited trim levels return for 2019 with further differentiation in style and amenities. All new RAV4s will come with Toyota’s second generation of driver assistance technologies (TSS 2.0). The dynamic cruise control and lane departure warning/assist systems have been improved, and the TSS 2.0 system adds ability for “lane tracing” (a feature that help the drive stay in the middle of the lane on the highways) and road sign recognition. The system is able to recognize certain Stop, Yield, Do Not Enter and Speed Limit signs and display a warning (visual and audible alerts) for the driver.

The new 2019 RAV4 goes on sale in winter of 2018. Hybrid models will soon follow, in early 2019.

Our team is in New York this week, and we will bring all the latest about the new 2019 RAV4. Stay tuned for many more details and information.

Here is the first official look at the all-new 2019 Toyota RAV4.

Jaguar F-Pace SVR Gets 30% More Horsepower, Starts at $79,990 [News]

By

Zach Butler

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March 27, 2018

Jaguar announced the F-Pace SVR with a 550 horsepower V8

At this year’s New York Auto Show, it’s almost all about the luxury SUVs. The segment is glowing red hot, and its sales are expected to continue booming for the foreseeable future. Jaguar’s had the F-Pace – its first crossover offering – for a few years now. For that time, the most powerful engine you could get was a 3.0-liter supercharged V6…until now. Meet the F-Pace SVR.

Not content to lose in a horsepower race, the company’s doubling down on horsepower with this F-Pace SVR model. With a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 making 550 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque, it’s taking aim right at the heart of performance SUV territory. That means this F-Pace squares off against the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio and the BMW X5 M, for a kickoff. Not only that, but a 4.1-second 0-60 time and two-piece constructed brake discs (15.5 inches in the front, 15.6 in the rear) show this prowling cat means business. It’s top speed? 176 miles per hour.

The SVR isn’t just wearing go-faster clothing

Apart from Jaguar weaponizing a supercharged V8 in its fight against the performance SUV elite, it also has some aerodynamic features. There are unique front and rear bumpers, lower body sides, and a rear spoiler. Larger air intakes on the sides help reduce lift. Engineers have also been at work stiffening the F-Pace SVR’s suspension, as the front spring rates have increased 30 percent. The rear spring rates have increased by 10 percent. The F-Pace SVR has an electronic rear differential to manage power delivery.

If you’re looking for a rotary transmission dial in this F-Pace, you won’t find it. In the same vein as the F-Type, the SVR ditches the rotary dial, moving back to a standard gear lever. Although, the F-Pace SVR does sport paddle shifters for its 8-speed automatic transmission. The power steering, Torque Vectoring, stability control and all-wheel drive system have all been recalibrated.

The F-Pace SVR is also poised to sound more aggressive than before. Jaguar fitted this model with a 14-pound lighter, variable-valve active exhaust system for a more comprehensive vocal tone.

Pricing and availability

The Jaguar F-Pace SVR will hit the U.S. market this summer, with a price starting at $79,990. That’s $20,215 more than the F-Pace S with the supercharged V6. However, that does put it even with the Stelvio Quadrifoglio, while it’s over $20,000 cheaper than an X5 M.

Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates. Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow for more video coverage from this year’s New York Auto Show! If you enjoy our content, please consider donating to our Patreon page. We have the greatest jobs in the world, but that’s only possible thanks to your support!

2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR — [Photo: Jaguar]

The Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport Concept Trims Down on Size and Seats [News]

By

Zach Butler

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March 27, 2018

Volkswagen Introduces Atlas Cross Sport Concept

Last year, Volkswagen decided to drop the Touareg and introduce the three-row Atlas specifically to fill the U.S. market. However, in doing that, they created a new problem: there wasn’t something to fill the void between the compact Tiguan and the much larger Atlas SUV. Instead of introducing an all-new model, they just made the second-generation Tiguan larger to compensate. Job done! Well, not quite. Now Volkswagen has created a new substitute in the form of the recently revealed Atlas Cross Sport Concept.

The Touareg is still on sale in other global markets, but not in the U.S. While they also made the Tiguan larger, VW means this five-seat Atlas variant to fill the void the Touareg left behind. At 190.8 inches long, 68.3 inches tall and 79.9 inches wide, the Cross Sport is shorter and wider than the Atlas.

Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport — [Photo: Volkswagen]

A notable difference between the Atlas Cross Sport and the normal, seven-seater Atlas comes down to the former’s plug-in hybrid powertrain. The Cross Sport Concept features a hybrid system, with a 3.6-liter V6 backed up by two electric motors. The V6 is the same as the normal Atlas – 276 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque. However, the electric motors bump total horsepower output up to 355. That’s enough punch, Volkswagen claims, to shift .the Atlas Cross Sport Concept to 60 in 5.4 seconds. A smaller, mild hybrid version with a 2.0 kWh may be available as well, with 310 horsepower. Unlike the Atlas and Tiguan, the Atlas Cross Sport Concept comes with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Apart from the the powertrain, the Atlas Cross Sport Concept features a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with gesture controls. As is the way with new Volkswagens these days, it also has a 12.3-inch digital cockpit. The Cross Sport has Volkswagen’s 4MOTION all-wheel drive system. Volkswagen will start producing this five-seater Atlas variant at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant starting next year.

Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates! Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow on YouTube for more videos from the New York Auto Show. If you enjoy our content, consider donating to our Patreon page!

Sporty and Electrified: Mini Announces Their 2018 New York Auto Show Lineup [News]

By

Michael Curtis

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March 27, 2018

Before the 2018 New York Auto Show kicks off, MINI has announced their vehicle lineup for this year’s show. This lineup highlights what seem to be the brand’s two major areas of focus: electrification and sportiness. However, MINI is also bringing some new concepts and recent model updates to the show as well.

Mini John Cooper Works GP Concept

This concept is setup to make you feel like you are driving a racecar. It features a roll cage, bucket seats, a racing inspired cockpit and a missing back seat – for weight savings.

Electrification

In an effort to be sporty and efficient, MINI is showing off the electrification in their lineup. In this case, that will come in the form of the 2018 MINI Cooper S E Countryman. The 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder paired with MINI’s hybrid system allows for 13 miles of range on electric power alone.

Model Updates

MINI will also come to New York with some recent model updates. Specifically, the new MINI Hardtop, the MINI Hardtop 4-door, and the MINI Convertible. These vehicles were all revealed this year at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show. They feature a number of unique stylistic changes that further emphasize the bespoke nature of MINI’s brand. Union Jack tail lights, new paint colors, new wheel options and new LED headlights are just a few of the aesthetic changes made to these refreshed Minis.

Classic Mini EV Teaser

MINI also teased an intriguing vehicle for the show. In the video below, you can see what looks like a classic MINI, with rally lights and white stripes. However, look even closer and you can see a green badge on the hood. Andre had the opportunity to drive this electric throwback around Manhattan. That could well be a teaser of the all-electric variant that’s supposed to hit our market next year. We’ll have more coverage coming to TFLcar.com soon!

Please be sure to tune into TFLcar and TFLnow for all of our coverage of the 2018 New York International Auto Show!

Also, if you enjoy watching our content, please come support us on Patreon. Motor Trend has left YouTube in favor of paid content. We want to keep our content free for our viewers. However, in order to keep doing that, we need some of you to give us a little extra help! Our goal is to reach $5,000 by the end of the month so that we can keep providing the awesome free content for you guys to enjoy.

Is the Extra Room Worth $1,000 an Inch in the new Lexus RX L? [Video]

By

Zach Butler

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March 26, 2018

The new Lexus RX L is 4.4 inches longer than the two-row RX model, but can that third row fit two adults in the back?

Sometimes, it just helps to have more room. Larger families need three-row crossovers, and that’s why Lexus added 4.4 inches of extra length onto the RX to create the RX “L” model. At 196.9 inches, Lexus stretched the car out just enough to accommodate two more passengers. But there’s a potential problem: in a crossover originally designed for two rows of seats, how well do two people actually fit in the back? In today’s short video, we show you just how well two tall guys fit in the back of the Lexus RX L.

The 2018 Lexus RX L comes in two forms: the RX 350L or the RX 450hL hybrid. At $49,070, the RX 350 L AWD is $4,400 more expensive than the shorter-wheelbase RX 350, which works out to $1,000 per inch of additional length. The front-wheel drive version is a bit cheaper, starting at $47,670. The RX450hL is all-wheel drive only, and starts from $50,620. That’s $4,925 more than the RX 450h.

But how well do two adults fit in the back? While headroom and legroom are a bit of a squeeze, you can actually fit two tall guys (at 6’4″ and 6’2″) in the back! Check out the video above to see how that turns out. Would you pay $1,000 an inch for those two extra seats? Let us know what you think! Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more videos on the new Lexus RX L.

Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow for more videos on your favorite new models. If you enjoy our content, please consider donating to our Patreon page!

The MPG Battle Heats Up: 2019 Honda Insight Promises 55+ MPG [News]

By

Zach Butler

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March 26, 2018

Honda is unveiling the production version of the 2019 Insight at the New York Auto Show

Back in December, Honda revealed it was bringing back the Insight nameplate after a four-year absence from the market. Then, at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, we got our first look at the prototype model in the flesh. With the New York Auto Show just around the corner, the company’s ready to reveal the production version of the 2019 Honda Insight.

What’s more, Honda promises at least 55 MPG in the city – one more than Toyota’s star hybrid child, the Prius.

The final model still looks like the version we saw in Detroit, and it has the same 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle engine and electric motor. That combination produces 151 horsepower and 197 lb-ft of torque. That’s reasonably punchy, but performance isn’t the name of the game here, is it? Honda’s promising around 55 MPG in the city, which is a marked improvement on the old model’s 41 city MPG. Mind you, the previous Insight also used nickel-metal hydride batteries, while this new one packs a 60-cell lithium-ion unit instead.

As far as size, it’s between the Civic and the Accord

The 2019 Honda Insight shares its platform with the Civic, so its 37.4 inches of rear legroom and its 15.1 cubic feet of cargo space resemble its non-hybrid stablemate. It also includes the Honda Sensing suite, which includes Collision Mitigation Braking, Lane Departure Mitigation and Adaptive Cruise Control, among other active safety features.

Three trim levels are available in the 2019 Honda Insight: LX, EX and Touring. LX models get LED lights, a 7-inch display in the instrument cluster, heated side mirrors and 16-inch alloys. Move up to the EX, and you get all that plus an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. You also get keyless entry and satellite radio. Finally, the top-spec Touring gets heated seats and mirrors, rain-sensing wipers and a 4G LTE hotspot.

The 2019 Honda Insight will go on sale this summer, joining the Clarity and Accord hybrid models nationwide. Pricing isn’t available just yet, but we’ll let you know closer to the release date, when Honda reveals more information.

Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates! Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow for more news, views, and real-world reviews. Please consider donating to our Patreon if you enjoy TFL’s content.

Lexus Joins the Small Crossover Fray with Their “Urban Explorer”: The 2019 UX [Video]

By

Zach Butler

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March 26, 2018

Lexus jumps into the world of subcompact luxury crossovers with the 2019 UX

If you’re looking for a small piece of luxury, your horizons have broadened significantly in the past couple years. Now, Lexus enters the fray with the 2019 UX crossover, they’re smallest offering below the compact NX. It will join its larger siblings at the New York Auto Show this week in its U.S.-spec form.

So what’s new about the Lexus UX? The 2019 UX is a new model for the brand, but it shares a lot of its styling characteristics with its NX and RX stablemates. Naturally, being a Lexus, there will be a hybrid variant, as there are with the company’s larger crossovers. The UX 200 gasoline variant will be front-wheel drive only, while the UX 250h version will have “eAWD”. In other words, the electric motor powers the rear wheels while the gas engine powers those at the front.

You’re limited to just those two powertrain options on the 2019 UX. The UX 200 houses a 2.0-liter, naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine pushing out 168 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. Despite the electric motor, the UX 250h hybrid isn’t that much more powerful. The 250h uses a 2.0-liter Atkinson cycle engine making 141 horsepower and 133 lb-ft of torque. The electric motor helps bump total system output up to 176 horsepower – eight more than the UX 200 – and should help for low-end torque. All models are driven by a CVT transmission.

The 2019 UX is good for 33 MPG combined in its gas only model, while the hybrid powertrain bumps the combined figure up to 38 MPG.

Lexus announces 2019 UX crossover — [Photo: Lexus]

Don’t want to buy? You can subscribe

Lexus did mention they’d offer the 2019 UX through a subscription service, in addition to normal purchase and lease options. That follows in the spirit of other manufacturers establishing similar systems, like Volvo. However, we don’t have any more information at the moment. Details on that should come closer to the car’s actual release. Whichever model you choose, you’ll get a suite of active safety systems in the new UX, as well as Apple CarPlay support.

So too should this baby Lexus’ pricing scheme. Exact pricing isn’t available at the moment, but we’d expect it to ring in at least a couple thousand below the larger NX – around $33,000. That would put it in contention with its competition, including the Volvo XC40, Infiniti QX30, BMW X1, Audi Q3, and the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class.

Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates from the 2018 New York Auto Show! Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow on YouTube for more on your favorite new models. Consider donating to our Patreon page as well, so we can continue creating more great content for you to enjoy!