The new Camry’s styling is bold and daring, two adjectives not normally used when talking about Toyota’s volume leader. Looking a little bit like a Lexus, with some similarities to other good looking sedans like the Kia Optima and Nissan Maxima, the new Camry is longer and lower with a more athletic stance.
While the front end doesn’t look exactly like the Lexus trademark grille, the general outline is still there, and it definitely implies the same shape. The coupe-like roofline is black in the photos Toyota provided, with a little more black on the hybrid model.
Inside, the interior looks very much Toyota. Hints of the current car are there, but it really looks a lot like an updated Avalon interior, which is a good thing – the current-generation Avalon has one of the company’s best dashboards, Lexus included.
More big news is under the hood, as the new Camry gets three new powertrains – a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, a 3.5-liter V-6 with D-4S fuel injection, and a 2.5-liter hybrid. Toyota hasn’t released power or fuel economy numbers.
The best news for those who enjoy driving is the fact that, for all Camrys except the hybrid, there will be no CVT as in other competitors like the Honda Accord or Subaru Legacy. Instead, they get an all-new 8-speed automatic with a lockup torque converter on gears three through eight for quicker shifting.
The 2018 Camry rides on Toyota’s new TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform that’s also underneath the new Prius. It’s more structurally rigid than the current model, and should equate to better driving dynamics.
Technology-wise, the Camry gets all the safety gadgets in all current Toyotas, but unfortunately it doesn’t get Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Instead, it gets the next generation of Entune, with navigation and their own app suite.
Pricing hasn’t yet been announced, but the Kentucky-built 2018 Camry should be in Toyota showrooms by late summer.
Stay tuned to TFLcar for the latest updates from Detroit and check out the full video below.
Mercedes-Benz unveiled an updated GLA at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, bringing updated looks and more equipment for the car’s mid-cycle refresh.
Outside, the GLA was given improved aerodynamics to go along with its updated look, which includes new bumpers, wheel designs and a new color, Canyon Beige. There’s also a new off-road suspension package that raises the car 30 mm for a more rugged appearance and more off-road ability. LED headlights are also available.
The interior was also updated with some additional chrome accents, and the iPad-on-a-stick display is slimmer, and the gauge cluster has been updated for better legibility.
The AMG-badged GLA45 gets the same upgrades, with an even stronger front end befitting the AMG badge. The roof spoiler was also redesigned for more downforce.
Engines remain the same for the two GLAs, but the AMG’s seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gets shorter gear ratios from third to seventh gear.
Both cars get enhanced safety features like a 360-degree camera, autonomous braking and drowsiness warnings.
While Mercedes-Benz hasn’t announced pricing, the new GLA will go on sale in the summer.
Check out the full video above to find out all we know about the updated GLA, and stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates from Detroit.
The 2018 Kia Stinger GT is a rear-drive sport sedan that comes wit a 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder (Theta II) engine making an estimated 255 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque available at 1,400 all the way to 4,000 rpm.
A 3.3-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 (Lambda II) engine is expected to make 365 horsepower and produce 376 lb-ft of torque at 1,300 rpm. Kia expects the top-spec Kia Stinger GT to have a maximum speed of 167 mph and run 0 to 62 mph in 5.1-seconds.
Kia’s very own 8-speed automatic transmission will be the only transmission offered. It will have paddle-shifters and, according to Kia, it is sports-car oriented. Both vehicles are rear-drive.
“Unlike any Kia that has come before it, the Stinger really is a dream car for us, and here today in Detroit, that dream is now a reality after years of commitment and hard work from a passionate group of designers, engineers and executives around the world,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning, Kia Motors America. “From its GT concept-car origins to the years of tuning and refining on the legendary Nurburgring circuit, no detail was too small to be obsessed over, and the result is simply stunning.”
All-wheel drive will be an option on the 2018 Kia Stinger GT.
Check out the full video above to get the whole story.
With the all-new Rogue Sport – which debuted at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit – Nissan is looking to fill an ever-growing gap in the North American crossover market.
Compact crossovers are getting larger with each generation – with cars like Nissan’s own Rogue now available with three rows of seating – and subcompact crossovers are too new to fill the gap. Jeep already announced the new Compass, which slots between the compact Cherokee and the subcompact Renegade.
Fortunately for Nissan, they didn’t have to look far to fill the gap between the Juke and the Rogue. The Rogue Sport is nothing more than a Qashqai, a car that has one of the most unfortunate and unpronounceable names in automotive history. The Qashqai has been a big hit in Europe and around the world, so it was a no-brainer for Nissan to bring it to the States.
Although it shares a platform with the Rogue, the Rogue Sport is 12.1 inches shorter than the Rogue, and rides on a 2.3-inch shorter wheelbase. The big difference though is height – the Sport is 5.1 inches shorter than its big brother.
Under the hood is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 141 horsepower and 147 lb-ft of torque. One thing that didn’t make it from the transition from Qashqai to Rogue Sport is the six-speed manual transmission – the Sport will only have Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable transmission.
Nissan also deserves credit for saying that the Rogue Sport is targeted at singles and couples. Not everyone in the market for a crossover has a family to haul around.
The Rogue Sport will come in Nissan’s typical trim levels of S, SV and SL. The company hasn’t announced pricing or availability yet, but since it’s a 2017 model, it should be in showrooms sooner than later.
Check out this TFLcar video of the debut of the all-new – at least to the U.S. – Rogue Sport:
Volkswagen unveils the all-new 2018 Tiguan on the eve of the 2017 Detroit Auto Show (NAIAS). The new compact crossover is based on Volkswagen’s modular MQB architecture, which also underpins its bigger brother the VW Atlas. The new Tiguan is 10.7 inches longer than the current US-sold crossover. This stretch offers 57% more cargo room and allows space for a three-row seating configuration.
The new crossover comes with one choice of powertrain, it’s the 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline four-cylinder that is rated at 182 horsepower and 221 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. You can have your 2018 VW Tiguan in either FWD or AWD (Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system) configurations.
The next Tiguan will offer all the latest in safety, driver assistance, and infotainment technologies. Can it get a bigger slice of the compact crossover market in the United States? Only time will tell.
Stay tuned for TFLcar’s wall-to-wall coverage of the 2017 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) and more debuts from Volkswagen.
Check out this video of the new Tiguan straight from the Detroit show:
The Terrain is completely new and offers a choice of three small turbocharged engines: a 1.5-liter turbo gas four-cylinder, 2.0-liter turbo gas, or a 1.6-liter turbocharged diesel inline-four. The 2018 Terrain will be GMC’s first vehicles that uses a 9-speed automatic transmission.
The crossover will be available in four trim packages: SL, SLE, SLT, and Denali. Customers will be able to choose between a FWD or an AWD models.
The 2018 GMC Terrain is related to the 2018 Chevy Equinox. We are working hard on the Terrain video from the Detroit right now. In the meantime, here is the Equinox debut.
Volkswagen is serious about the EV game, and the new I.D. BUZZ concept is further proof.
Making its global debut at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the I.D. BUZZ is a reboot of the classic Microbus, but for the next generation of electric vehicles.
Built on the company’s Modular Electric Drive Kit, also know as MEB, the BUZZ has two engines, front and rear, that produce a combined 369 horsepower in an all-wheel-drive configuration.
Range of the BUZZ, an important number to combat range anxiety, is a stout 270 miles, roughly the same as a gasoline-powered vehicle. Fueling the BUZZ – no pun intended – is a 111 kWh battery that can charge to 80 percent capacity in 30 minutes using what Volkswagen calls the Combined Charging System, or it can also be charged with household outlets or at charging stations.
VW claims a 5-second 0-60 time and a limited top speed of 99 mph.
Not that performance is going to be top priority for those buying the I.D. BUZZ. The new Bus’ game is connectivity, along with a fully autonomous mode called I.D. Pilot. In this mode, the steering wheel retracts into the dash and the front seats can be spun around, turning the inside of the BUZZ into a social gathering place.
Speaking of inside the BUZZ, since the platform is designed as an electric-first platform, interior space is abundant. The rear luggage compartment can hold from 23.3 to 162.5 cubic feet of cargo.
Some of the other party tricks of the BUZZ include the ability to communicate with its surroundings. The LED “eyes” in front actually mimic human eyes. For example, when the car is parked, the lights are arranged to make the car look like it’s sleeping.
While production of the BUZZ – whose name is actually a derivative of Bus – is unknown, Volkswagen does intend to bring a plethora of electron-powered vehicles to market by 2020, with a goal of a million sold by 2025.
TFLcar will be at the Detroit show covering as much as we can. Check back for more updates.
And check out this TFLcar video of the Volkswagen BUDD-e concept, the first Bus-like EV that debut at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show:
News about Kia’s baby SUV (like the Ford EcoSport and Honda HR-V)?
Is Dodge going away?
Will making cars autonomous ruin driving in the USA?
This first question comes from a viewer who is wondering if there will be a Kia baby SUV.
Trail’ster Concept
Q: What’s up Nathan my man! You guys do so much, it’s like you are like a mini Top Gear or something!
Here’s my question.
I am looking for a small SUV like the Honda HR-V or, maybe the new Ford EcoSport. I own a 2012 Kia Sportage and it’s been totally reliable. I like it but I like the idea of a smaller SUV more and my Sportage is not that small.
I asked my dealer about a smaller SUV and he tried to sell me a Kia Soul. I actually like the size and packaging, but I need all-wheel drive. I live in the Pacific Northwest and I have to deal with wet and icy conditions all the time.
Will there be a Kia baby SUV in the future?
Please let me know what you have heard.
Tell Roman and Andre and Tom and Mr Kent that they have a big fan out west!
Thanks!
Baby
A: Howdy, thanks for the email!
There are a ton of rumors about the Kia baby SUV. Photos have been taken of test mules and Kia even played with the idea of building an all-wheel drive Kia Soul. While all signs point to a (near) future small SUV from Kia, there has been no official announcement from the automaker.
It’s a pretty good bet that it will be about the size of the Kia Rio/Kia Soul and have a small displacement 4-cylinder engine. Kia is pretty competitive, so I expect them to have either best in class interior space or best in class power. This is me guessing – my opinions are merely based on my gut instinct.
Small SUVs like the Honda HR-V, Jeep Renegade, Nissan Juke, Chevrolet Trax and the upcoming Ford EcoSport represent one of the hottest segments out there. Soon, every major automaker will have a small/baby SUV in the segment. Heck, I’m off to drive the Toyota CH-R soon and it’s just one of a few new models that is slated for this year or next.
I suspect we will hear about the Kia baby SUV soon. The TFLcar team will be at the 2017 NAIAS, 2017 Chicago Auto Show and the 2017 New York Auto show too. It’s a pretty good bet that we’ll catch a glimpse of something at one of these shows.
Thanks for the email!
N
This next question comes from a viewer that’s worried about Dodge’s continued existence.
2017 Dodge Challenger GT AWD
Q: I know that Jeep is doing real good and the Chrysler Pacifica is saving Chrysler.
Fiat is doing bad and Dodge looks like they are doing real bad. Do you think Dodge will be removed from the FCA family?
Jose
A: Hi Jose.
Nope, I think Dodge is doing alright. Remember: the Challenger is selling well, the Hellcats are popular and the Dodge Durango is selling briskly (68,474 in 2016). In the USA, Dodge sold 506,453 units in 2016, that’s nearly doubling 2014 numbers.
Yes, the Dart is a disappointment and will vanish soon. Still, in the United States, the ancient Dodge Journey sold a whopping 106,759 units in 2016! Go figure!
The brand to watch is Fiat. Believe it or not, the wee-little Fiat 500 sold 15,437 units in the United States. That’s their strongest seller with the Fiat 500L sales adding up to one-fifth it’s little brother’s numbers. Fortunately, the Fiat 500X sold 11,712 units in the U.S.A. That’s a noticeable increase over last year.
My opinion: they need to kill the 500L – it was a mistake. They need more product offered and they NEED a huge warranty like Hyundai/Kia’s 10-year/100,000 mile plan.
So, while Dodge is doing pretty good, Fiat needs a boost.
Thanks for the question!
N
—
Ford’s autonomous robotic test driver.
The last question comes from a viewer who is worried about losing his right to drive his car.
Q: Quick question for you. So do you think the government will make all of us drive in autonomous cars soon?
My dad’s car already has radar cruise control and lane keep assist. Its like you said in an Acura video. That’s almost autonomous driving right there. I don’t want my car to be driverless. I want and I love to drive!
What do you think?
Josh
A: Greetings Josh
When it comes to autonomous vehicles, I’m fairly optimistic about maintaining the joy of driving too. All of these safety nannies are irritating to some, but I see a way we can have our cake and eat it too. It all comes down to two things: fun vs. appliance.
There is a growing segment of our population that would rather not drive. I hate to say it, but it’s true. These people would rather let a machine drive them places. This is the reality and this is where many dollars in research are going. Still, there is a flip-side. Automakers know that many people love the act of driving from one place to another, otherwise they wouldn’t build hot hatches, sports cars and other “fun” vehicles.
Could you imagine a pickup truck (currently, the largest new vehicle market in the United States) that took the driving away from its owner? Nope, me neither. As long as there are off-road, hard-driving, technology-adverse, racing, adventurous and fun drivers out there – you can look at autonomous driving aids the same way we currently look at radar-based cruise control.
I am not opposed to a system that can be switched on and used at the driver’s discretion. I would love to flip a switch and have my car drive me home during rush-hour, allowing me a smooth ride to take a siesta. At the same time, as long as I like driving vehicles with manual transmissions, that can never happen.
As for our government forcing us to drive autonomous cars? I think more and more safety devices will be required (just like airbags, ABS and crumple-zones were), but I don’t think they will – or can – wrestle the control completely away from dedicated drivers.
Man, I hope not.
Cheers!
N
The next “Ask Nathan” video will be coming right from the floor of the 2017 NAIAS in Detroit – stay tuned!
Here’s last week’s video episode of “Ask Nathan!”
Nathan and The Fast Lane Car team are here to answer your (reasonable) questions. Interesting and/or entertaining emails will be posted to this column. If it’s relevant in the automotive universe, there’s a chance we may know something about it. The author’s email address and name will be omitted – leaving your initials or nickname, your preference.
From day one, The Fast Lane Car has made it our policy to answer as many questions and comments as we can. We get thousands of emails and comments and feel that, as part of a tight-knit automotive community, having an open dialogue with you keeps things fresh and exciting.
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In this week’s Ask Nathan:
Comparing the 2025 Mazda CX-70 vs Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport
What happened to my 1997 Ford Expedition?
This week's first...
