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

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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!

2019 Lexus UX Photo Gallery [Photos: Lexus]

Caught! 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE Spied in California [Spy Photos]

By

Zach Butler

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March 26, 2018

2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE Spy Shot — [Photo: TFLcar]

An eagle-eyed TFLcar reader spotted what appears to be the 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE out testing in California

Sometimes, traversing the freeways in California can be a frustrating experience. Sometimes it’s worth the headache, however, because you get to see some prototypes out testing! Indeed, that was the case today, as TFLcar reader Jez spotted the next-generation Mercedes-Benz GLE. This particular prototype was spotted on Interstate 5 near Buttonwillow, California, just west of Bakersfield. Its appearance may be timely, as several outlets point to the next generation GLE emerging as a 2019 model. The “original” GLE came about as an effort by Mercedes-Benz to restructure its branding scheme. Rather than its designation as the M-Class (later badged “ML”), they called their mid-size SUV the “GLE” instead. These models sit between the smaller GLA and GLC models, as well as the larger GLS and G-Wagen, in the brand’s lineup.

So what do we know about the model so far? The GLE is a central player in Mercedes’ SUV lineup, but it hasn’t seen a major redesign since 2011, when it was still referred to as the ML. Now, eight years on, the company is poised to replace the current model and bring it up to snuff against its contemporary competitors, like the Audi Q7, BMW X5, and Lexus RX. The new model will ride atop the company’s MHA (Modular High Architecture) platform which should also underpin the new GLS, which is also due for an update in the near future.

Possible powertrains

As far as powertrains are concerned, we’d expect the new GLE to use similar powertrains to the ones that are in the current generation. That means anything from a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine all the way up to a 5.5-liter, twin-turbo V8. The current range topping model – the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S – chucks out 577 horsepower and 561 lb-ft of torque. It’s also possible the new range could cap out at the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. If you’re looking for a more eco-friendly powertrain, there will likely be a hybrid version, as there is in the current GLE.

The 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE should arrive in dealer showrooms sometime later this year. No official pricing information is available, but we don’t expect the needle to move too much from the current generation. Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates!

Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow for more Mercedes news, views, and real-world reviews. If you enjoy our content, consider donating to our Patreon page as well! With your support, we can make better videos than ever before.

Scion Gone: Toyota Slightly Updates the Yaris Sedan, Drops “iA” Badge [News]

By

Zach Butler

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March 26, 2018

Toyota updates the Mazda-based Yaris sedan, and drops the “iA” name in the process

This, ladies and gentlemen, is the 2019 Toyota Yaris sedan. It’s making an appearance at this year’s New York Auto Show, and it definitely wants you to know it’s a Toyota. How? While the car doesn’t look substantially different from the current model – and it isn’t, really – there are two distinct changes afoot here. One is the omission of the “iA” badge. Before the Scion brand’s demise in 2016, this car was known simply as the iA. When the brand went away, the iM hatchback, iA sedan, and FR-S sports coupe were folded into Toyota’s lineup.

Now, here we are, and the last remnants of the cars’ Scion past are being expelled from the new models. The 2019 Corolla hatchback drops the “iM” name, and the Yaris loses its “iA” nomenclature. This car’s always had a bit of an identity dilemma, as apart from the face, it’s essentially a rebadged Mazda2. Now, Mazda doesn’t sell the 2 in our market – we get the CX-3 instead – and this car was the alternative. The Yaris sedan uses a 1.5-liter, 106 horsepower Mazda engine, and the interior is nearly identical to the Mazda2, apart from the badge on the steering wheel. A manual six-speed manual transmission comes standard, while you can opt for a six-speed automatic. Fuel economy figures stand at 32 City/40 Highway/35 Combined MPG for the automatic.

2019 Toyota Yaris sedan. [Photo: Toyota]

Toyota’s Yaris sedan uses the MazdaConnect infotainment system. [Photo: Toyota]

There’s a bit more Toyota-ness going on, thanks to new trim levels

However, Toyota’s also added trim levels to the Yaris sedan, to bring the car in line with the rest of the brand’s lineup. While there was only one version of the old Yaris iA, now you get three trim levels. From the base L, there’s now the LE and XLE trims too. The XLE trim, in particular, adds leatherette interior trim for a bit of ambience. The Yaris sedan uses the MazdaConnect infotainment system, rather than Toyota’s own Entune setup, and that 7.0-inch touchscreen is standard across the range. Unfortunately, you don’t get Apple CarPlay or Android Auto support. On top of the standard infotainment offering, the Yaris sedan also offers a standard low-speed pre-collision system.

The 2019 Toyota Yaris sedan will go on sale in fall 2018. Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but we expect to find out more closer to the car’s launch. Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates!

Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow for more coverage of the 2018 New York Auto Show! If you enjoy our videos, please consider donating to our Patreon page.

Trackhawk vs. Wrangler JK – Which is Worse for Fuel Economy: Big Engine or Big Tires? [Video]

By

Zach Butler

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March 26, 2018

There are certain requirements to be fuel efficient…and these cars ignore them. But which one is the least efficient?

When you think “Jeep”, what immediately springs to mind? Odds are its a lifted Wrangler JK, like Tommy’s 2016 two-door Sport with a 3-inch Teraflex Alpine CT3 kit. What you wouldn’t imagine, more than likely, is a 707 horsepower Grand Cherokee Trackhawk with huge Brembo brakes and bright yellow calipers. However, they do both exist, and they are both Jeeps. While the approaches to these two cars could not be more different, they do converge in one area – fuel economy.

2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk — The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is massively powerful, but not that great for fuel economy. [Photo: FCA]

You’d assume a supercharged, 6.2-liter V8 with 707 horsepower would get terrible fuel mileage. And you’d be right – in fact, the EPA rates the Trackhawk at 11 City/17 Highway/13 Combined MPG. In this day and age, that puts it will within gas guzzler territory. Even in the cruise, most trucks can beat 17 MPG. Then again, that’s the price you pay for massive horsepower. And, as we’ve established in earlier reviews, the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is so quick, and sounds so good, you can’t help but keep your foot out of it. Just one stab at the accelerator, and you’re grinning like an idiot for the next half hour, or perhaps that was just me.

The Wrangler JK, on the other hand, is an entirely different animal. We don’t have huge horsepower here – just a 285 horsepower, 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine. However, this particular Wrangler Sport has a few modifications. There’s the aforementioned lift, and then there’s the 35-inch Firestone Destination M/T2 tires. Big and chunky, these tires are well-suited for off-roading. On the road…not so much. However, the Wrangler JK does have a six-speed manual transmission, so can Roman get higher MPGs in the Colorado mountains as a result? Check out the video above to find out!

Follow TFL on the Easter Jeep Safari – Subscribe and support TFL on Patreon!

Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for much more from this year’s Easter Jeep Safari! We’ll be covering the trail ride events as well as FCA’s seven new concepts making their appearance in Moab.

Thank you for watching, and be sure to subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow for more news, views, and real-world reviews! Also, if you enjoy this sort of content, consider supporting TFL on our Patreon page. We strive to create as much engaging content as we possibly can, and that’s only possible with your support!

A Rear-Wheel Drive Explorer? Yep, It’s Reportedly Coming Back in 2020 [News]

By

Zach Butler

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March 26, 2018

Ford Uncovered - Overview — A new Explorer (under the sheet) is coming, including a performance ST model. [Photo: Ford]

A Ford dealer from Alabama provides a close look at the new Ranger, plus some insight on the new Explorer

Our coverage from the “Ford Uncovered” event shows a lot of products are coming out of the Ford mill in the next two years. The company is planning to hybridize their entire lineup – yes, including the Mustang. They’re also leaning hard on driver assist systems to create cars of the future. Not only will Ford’s cars talk to other cars on the road, but they’ll also communicate with the environment around them. While the event covered Ford’s future as a major player in the automotive industry, they didn’t forget to stay in the moment. To that end, they’re also refreshing their lineup and coming out with products you’ll be able to buy very soon.

Take the 2019 Ford Ranger, for instance. We’ve covered the Ranger to some extent on TFLtruck, and now an Alabama dealer takes us around the truck. This comes from YouTube channel Town and Country TV and covers the NADA Show which took place this weekend. In it, we get a look at the top-of-the-line Ranger Lariat with a sport package. While that’s an interesting piece of news, that’s not the only thing he mentions here.

Spy photo of the new Ford Explorer. [Photo: Brian Rabenhorst]

There will be a rear-wheel drive Explorer, according to reports

Around the 9:00 mark, he gives some insight as to the other Ford products coming up. Per our post on the Ford Uncovered event, the company’s coming out with a new Escape and a new Explorer. Not only that, but they’re coming out with a hot Explorer ST, adding some meat to their performance lineup. That could be welcome news to anyone seeking a bit more spice in their family hauler. However, what’s even more significant is the new Explorer will return to rear-wheel drive. Perhaps that means the we’ll see a rear-wheel drive Explorer ST (or at least rear-biased all-wheel drive)?

For the Explorer’s fifth and current generation, Ford changed the game and made the Explorer front-wheel drive with an all-wheel drive option. That comes in addition to the car’s unibody construction. Until that point, all Explorers – dating back to the model’s debut for 1991 – had been body-on-frame, and rear-wheel drive. While Ford hasn’t confirmed any information about the new Explorer just yet, multiple media outlets strongly suggest the new platform will be based on a rear-wheel drive layout. All-wheel drive will still be available, of course.

Check back to TFLcar.com for more updates! Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow for more videos on your favorite new models, including coverage of the 2018 New York Auto Show.

Which Luxury Limo Will Spill Your Champagne the Fastest? Mercedes-Benz S450 vs. BMW 740e [Video]

By

Zach Butler

-

March 25, 2018

What’s the best luxury limousine if you need to commute in a hurry? We have the answer for you!

Today, we have a tale of two German limousines for you in a quarter-million dollar drag race! On one hand, we have the 2018 BMW 740e xDrive iPerformance – a big name, with a big price tag to suit. Ringing in at $99,845, this is no luxury lightweight. On the other, there’s the 2018 Mercedes-Benz S450 4MATIC. It starts around the same price as the BMW – the S450 starts at $92,900, while the BMW starts at $90,700. However, this one’s fitted with nearly $50,000 in options! The final price: $141,845. That creates quite a price gulf, but what all do you get for your money? And will all those options make a difference in a drag race? Watch the video above to find out!

Ah, but this particular showdown is a drag race with a difference. Instead of our hosts driving the Mercedes and the BMW, they enlist the service of their chauffeurs! In today’s TFLcar video, “Jeeves” and “James” face off on the IMI Motorsports track to see which is the fastest. The Mercedes-Benz S450 has a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 engine making 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. But the BMW 740e has an ace up its sleeve – it’s a plug-in hybrid. Together, the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and electric motor make 322 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. Despite a 40 horsepower disadvantage, the BMW does have a lot more low end grunt thanks to the shove of its electric motor.

Mercedes-Benz S450 4MATIC [Photo: Mercedes-Benz]

Current generation BMW 740e xDrive iPerformance [Photo: BMW]

Come back to TFLcar.com for more videos every week!

Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more great video content published every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday! Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow for more news, views, and luxury limo drag race reviews. Also, if you enjoy our videos, please consider supporting us on Patreon. We’re working hard to produce more great content than ever before, but that’s only possible with your support!

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?

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

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

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

Don’t want to buy? You can subscribe

2019 Lexus UX Photo Gallery [Photos: Lexus]

An eagle-eyed TFLcar reader spotted what appears to be the 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE out testing in California

Possible powertrains

Toyota updates the Mazda-based Yaris sedan, and drops the “iA” name in the process

There’s a bit more Toyota-ness going on, thanks to new trim levels

There are certain requirements to be fuel efficient…and these cars ignore them. But which one is the least efficient?

Follow TFL on the Easter Jeep Safari – Subscribe and support TFL on Patreon!

A Ford dealer from Alabama provides a close look at the new Ranger, plus some insight on the new Explorer

There will be a rear-wheel drive Explorer, according to reports

What’s the best luxury limousine if you need to commute in a hurry? We have the answer for you!

Come back to TFLcar.com for more videos every week!

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