Honda is continuing to branch out into more markets, including off-road campers.
From cars to trucks, generators to motorcycles to side-by-sides to light jets, Honda already manufactures virtually every kind of vehicle or powertrain under the sun (and I didn’t even mention marine or racing engines). Now, though, the team behind the awesome little Motocompacto scooter came together to design another kind of vehicle, with the Base Station prototype camping trailer.
The automaker debuted its new towable with the pitch that it will “democratize camping.” How, you ask? Well, the Base Station is relatively small and light, weighing in at right around 1,500 pounds dry. The light weight allows everyday SUVs and crossovers to tow it with relative ease. If an image of a Honda CR-V or Passport (or indeed a 0 Series SUV, as shown above) towing this camper just popped into your head, that’s exactly what Honda has in mind for this sort of unit.
The Base Station has a poppable top that extends the headroom up to seven feet, while it can sleep up to four people through a foldable futon and an optional bunk bed. It comes with a heater while buyers can also spec it with a shower, kitchen and air conditioner as well. Down the line, you’ll be able to get it with a battery bank for extra power and an awning. Solar panels integrated into the roof provide some off-grid power, though Honda being Honda, you can also pick up a generator to provide power or plug the Base Station into campsite electricity.
Honda didn’t announce pricing on a production Base Station just yet, though hopefully we will get some more concrete information (including exact dimensions, as well as price) in the coming months.
The current Acura RDX has been on sale since 2018, and its replacement is still a couple years away.
By and large, small crossovers are the bread and butter of any automaker’s lineup, and that’s no exception with Acura. The RDX has been a staple of the range since it first emerged in 2006, and the company has been fairly careful not to mess with it too much since the current model went on sale more than seven years ago. As part of its annual business update, however, Honda representatives confirmed the next-generation RDX is on the horizon, and it will use the increasingly common two-motor hybrid system.
While Honda introducing more hybrids into its brand portfolio isn’t surprising on its face, Acura’s decision to make the next RDX a hybrid is significant for a couple reasons. This will be the first hybrid the brand has offered since dropping the MDX Hybrid after the 2020 model year. It also marks a further step toward electrification as Honda, like many other companies, boosts its hybrid output while still moving forward on bringing some full EVs to the market.
We don’t know yet what sort of power output or efficiency an RDX Hybrid will have just yet. Honda just said that it’s coming, though gleaning other models suggests the same two-motor hybrid setup as the CR-V Hybrid, which puts out a combined 204 horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque.
From the single teaser image we’ve gotten so far (shown above), it looks like the RDX may be a slightly larger model than the one that Acura plans to discontinue this year. It definitely has a more squared-off rear end, with a prominent spoiler and wide rear fenders. Up front, the new RDX Hybrid looks like an evolution on the current generation, though with slim daytime running lights that look similar to the all-electric RSX.
Acura last updated the RDX for the 2025 model year, with some minor tweaks.
What’s happening when the RDX goes out of production, if the replacement is still years away?
Speaking of the RSX, you may reasonably wonder whether Acura is shooting itself in the foot by not having a small crossover in the lineup for a year or two. That’s what I thought, at least, but a Honda spokesperson said that suppliers are “no longer in a position to continue supplying key parts for the current RDX”.
In the interim, Acura’s plan is to effectively use the RSX crossover to (at least partially) fill the void. The company did not directly announce when the new RDX Hybrid is coming, but it sounded like we should expect a launch in calendar year 2027…not anytime soon, at least.
Acura’s RSX is still on track to launch this year, as the first model on Honda’s all-new EV platform that will also underpin the 0 Series SUV and Saloon. It will also bring in Honda’s latest ASIMO OS, so we could see that software suite and a bit of RSX styling influence the new RDX Hybrid. Even if you aren’t keen to buy a fully electric SUV, Acura clearly wants some brand synergy between the EV and the brand’s hybrid SUVs.
Outside these two models, Acura is also planning some more updates for the larger MDX SUV, as well as the Integra Type S. So, we’ll still have some more news to talk about as the brand keeps plugging along through 2026 and 2027.
There’s a new Ford Bronco RTR hitting this year’s Detroit Auto Show.
The Ford Bronco is already a solidly capable off-road rig out of the box, but how many owners are actually going to leave it at that? Hardly any, and that’s where Ford’s partnership with RTR Vehicles comes in. There’s a new Bronco RTR in town, and it’s packing some notable upgrades over your standard Bronco, and comes available with two levels of performance based on whether or not you want the Sasquatch Package.
Standard, this 2027 Bronco RTR comes packing a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine. That’s good for the same 300 horsepower as usual, but RTR Vehicles adds in a software-based anti-lag technology. That will maintain turbo boost while the driver is off the throttle, improving response and making it easier for drivers to manage changing terrain without having to spool the turbo back up, as you’d need in deep sand. The RTR also gets an upgraded 1,000-watt cooling fan, borrowed from the Bronco Raptor.
Other standard features on the Bronco RTR include 33-inch rugged-terrain tires, high-clearance suspension and a wider track over the standard Bronco. If you’re looking for even more capability, you’ll still be able to spec the RTR with the Sasquatch package. Doing so brings in larger 35-inch Goodyear tires, as well as Ford’s HOSS 3.0 suspension system with Fox internal bypass shocks — a feature that you could formerly only get with the Badlands trim.
The 2027 Bronco RTR, in particular, gets a new-style grille, signature lighting and Hyper Lime accents. The lime color stands out against the Avalanche Gray paint, which RTR shares with the Mustang RTR.
At the moment, it’s still unclear exactly how much the new Bronco RTR will cost. Based on the 2026 model, though, it’s likely we’re looking at a starting point just over $50,000. Pricing information should be available closer to October, when the order books actually open. From there, sales of the 2027 Ford Bronco RTR will actually kick off in January, though this rig will appear at the King of the Hammers next month in Johnson Valley, California, where RTR Vehicles developed, honed and tested this new model.
Jeep continues to roll out 12 months of special editions with this 85th Anniversary Wrangler.
Over the past eight decades, the Jeep Wrangler and its ancestors have become an institution, more than just a capable off-roader. Now, as part of its yearlong plan to celebrate its flagship, Jeep is rolling out another special model. This time, after the Wrangler 392-based Moab at the Whitecap, we have the 85th Anniversary edition, with the straightforward name giving away what it’s all about.
There’s one word that truly sums up the Wrangler 85th Anniversary’s pitch, and that’s plaid. We’ve seen plaid accents on a few concepts in the past, but now you’re actually able to get it on a production model. This special edition also includes Steel Oxide-painted 17-inch wheels, body-color fender flares, bronze tow hooks and blue 85th Anniversary badges and decals throughout. You also get the standard 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 (no surprises there), putting out 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque.
Based on the Sport S, the 2026 Jeep Wrangler 85th Anniversary helps keep the price point down, with this model running $710 more than a comparatively specced model with the Convenience Group and Alpine audio system (both of which come standard on the anniversary variant). The 85th Anniversary further gets standard tinted windows, a Gorilla Glass windshield, LED lights all around, heated mirrors, automatic headlights and adaptive cruise control.
The 2026 Jeep Wrangler 85th Anniversary edition will set you back $48,295 including Jeep’s $1,995 destination fee. You can also get it on the Gladiator pickup, where it will cost you $47,815 (or $1,005 more than the similarly equipped Sport S).
Jeep says it will introduce more 85th Anniversary models as the year goes on, while we still have nine more “drops” as part of the brand’s 2026 “Twelve 4 Twelve” campaign.
Mazda’s most popular SUV is getting a major update for 2026, and a higher price tag.
For nearly a decade, the current Mazda CX-5 has been the automaker’s cash cow, even as it introduced new SUVs to the lineup like the CX-30, CX-50 and CX-70/CX-90. In terms of sheer volume, the CX-5 accounts for more than 25% of all Mazda sales in the U.S., with last year’s figures picking up by a whopping 36% (in a year that was slightly down for the brand as a whole). Now, there’s a new CX-5 coming for the 2026 model year, and Mazda just announced formal pricing for its most popular SUV.
I hope you’re sitting down, because a freshly styled CX-5 with some major tech updates is, shocker, more expensive. Depending on the trim, pricing is going up between $940 and $3,310, with the top-end Premium Plus trim finally eclipsing the $40K mark, with destination bringing the price up to at least $40,485. At the base end, the CX-5 2.5 S S kicks things off at $31,485.
Overall, the 2026 Mazda CX-5 is four inches longer than the outgoing model, with a longer wheelbase for better second-row legrom, to start. Beyond that, the third-generation model evolves the exterior styling, and Mazda is finally ditching the old rotary dial-based MazdaConnect system for a modern touchscreen-based approach, with Google Built-in and the Gemini AI assistant.
Here’s a more direct pricing breakdown:
Trim (2.5 S models)
2026 MSRP (incl. destination)*
Key features
S (base)
$31,485
12.9″ infotainment, wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, 8-speaker audio, Google Built-in
15.6″ infotainment, hands-free power liftgate, more ADAS features, 360-degree camera
*Mazda’s destination fee is $1,495 ($1,540 in Alaska).
Mazda usually includes a couple no-cost color options, though most of the range brings an added premium. Staples of Mazda’s lineup like Soul Red Crystal Metallic, Machine Gray and Polymetal Gray are staying, while Rhodium White and Aero Gray are also available. All these colors will cost you an extra $595.
One thing that isn’t changing with the 2026 Mazda CX-5, for the time being, is the engine. All launch models are the “2.5 S” version, which brings the familiar 2.5-liter SkyActiv-G engine to the table. That powertrain puts out 187 horsepower , mating up to a 6-speed automatic transmission. Weirdly, Mazda decided to drop the turbocharged version of this engine with a much heftier 256 horsepower, with no direct mention of whether we’ll see it again.
Mazda did say, however, that a CX-5 Hybrid model is on the way. We don’t know much about it yet, except that it will be an in-house hybrid system (rather than the RAV4-based setup we get with the CX-50 Hybrid). That will probably serve as the more powerful (not to mention fuel efficient) option, though it’s unclear whether you’ll still get turbo-like performance. It’s unclear how much Mazda will charge for the CX-5 Hybrid, though at least we have a better idea with the gas model’s price range.
When it does arrive later on, I would expect the CX-5 Hybrid model to pack a price tag somewhere in the mid-$30K to mid-$40K range, though we will have to wait and see.
Meet America’s quickest production car, by the numbers.
Even at the base end of the range, the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is already a quick car. It hardly scratches the surface as you move up the stack, though, to the point you arrive at the 1,250-horsepower Corvette ZR1X and its claimed sub-2-second 0-60 time. GM hasn’t been screwing around with actually building the ZR1X’s performance cred, though, taking it to the Nürburgring and now, taking it to the drag strip to prove its 0-60 and quarter-mile times. Long story short: They are seriously impressive.
On a stock tune with pump gas, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires and a typical aero setup, the 2026 Chevy Corvette ZR1X managed a 0-60 time of 1.68 seconds. That is a quick figure, but folks who kept up with the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 will know that figure doesn’t make the ZR1X America’s quickest production car (although the Challenger is out of production these days). It comes close, but the Demon is a tiny bit quicker (at 1.66 seconds) on a prepped surface in your 0-60 sprint.
But then we get to the quarter-mile time, and that’s where Chevy and Corvette development engineer and driver Stefan Frick turn things on its head. In the quarter-mile run, driver and car clocked an 8.675-second run, at a trap speed of 159 mph. During the testing, Chevy noted, the ZR1X generated 1.75G of acceleration force. Naturally, the team doing the testing made multiple back-to-back quarter-mile runs, all of which came in under 8.8 seconds.
To achieve that sort of speed, Frick used the Corvette’s standard Custom Launch Control setting, which allows the driver to adjust the car’s launch RPM and wheel slip targets. Beyond that, the car will optimize wheelspin, transmission clutch application rate for the 8-speed dual clutch and several other factors to optimize the driver-set factors for the best possible launch conditions.
The Corvette ZR1X can play with cars ten times its price.
No matter which way you slice it, the 2026 Chevy Corvette ZR1X can lay down some seriously impressive performance figures. They’re more impressive still when you note the $209,700 starting price. Yes, that’s expensive for a Corvette, but it’s still miles away from any European supercars that are significantly more expensive. The electric Rimac Nevera R is quicker (7.9s quarter-mile and a 1.66s 0-60, as well as a 186 trap speed), but it also costs $2.5 million. Right down the line, most cars GM is targeting here cost at least ten times more, further buttressing its positioning of the Corvette as a proper supercar for earthly prices mere mortals can actually (sort of) consider.
Shelby American is bringing the Mustang-based Super Snake back for 2026, but you’ll have to act fast if you want one.
It’s been nearly sixty years since the first example of the iconic Shelby Super Snake, and it’s back once more for the S650 generation. Shelby American recently announced more details for this brand-new version, rocking a comprehensive list of upgrades over your standard 5.0-liter Mustang GT, including a Whipple supercharger taking things up to 830 horsepower. It won’t come cheaply, of course, but it is far more approachable than, say, Ford’s own $325,000 Mustang GTD.
Like the more expensive Super Snake R, this version still gets a host of lightening across the board, from the carbon fiber fenders and rear wing to the aluminum hood and the magnesium wheels. Based on the Mustang GT’s 401A equipment package, the Super Snake also packs MagneRide suspension, active exhaust, a B&O sound system and some of the nicer refinements from the higher specs of Ford’s latest generation pony car.
Now, you can order the Shelby Super Snake with the standard, naturally-aspirated, 480-horsepower 5.0-liter Coyote V8 and leave it at that. That’s no fun, though, so most folks will likely add the supercharger into the mix. While buyers will have to go that route, as Shelby only sells it as a post-title item rather than shipping it with the Whipple unit installed, the resulting 830 horsepower is too tempting to turn down. Especially when that sort of power level puts this car ahead of the Mustang GTD on power, for half the price. Best of all, owners can get that sort of power output on 93-octane pump gas.
If you want a 2026 Shelby Super Snake, there are (of course) a couple things you need to know. First, it will cost you at least $175,885. That includes the cost of the Mustang GT, though that does not include taxes or title fees. Each Super Snake Shelby sells will still come with Ford’s 3-year/36,000-mile new vehicle warranty, however.
The other caveat is that the Super Snake is a limited-run model. Shelby American only plans to sell 300 units in the U.S. The company builds these cars at its shop in Las Vegas, though it says there will be “a small number built by official Mod Shops worldwide”, if you don’t live in the United States.
The Nissan Z is still fairly fresh in the grand scheme, but it’s getting some small tweaks.
After more than a decade of the 370Z, Nissan finally brought us a new Z car for the 2023 model year. It’s still decently fresh off that update, so we weren’t expecting too many changes beyond the special models the automaker already announced, like the Heritage Edition. Nissan is indeed making some tweaks for 2027, though, and brought those updates to the weekend’s Tokyo Auto Salon show.
Fundamentally, we’re still looking at a similar Nissan Z to what we’ve had these past few years. This time around, though, the fairly large and open grille has been dialed back for a smaller, sleeker and somewhat classic 240-esque look. There’s a slim upper grille, with Nissan’s designers separating the lower intake by a body-colored section across the middle. There’s also a new 19-inch wheel design, as least on this Japanese-spec Fairlady Z model, as well as a new Unryu Green paint color. Much like the subtle front-end changes, this color isn’t as loud as some of the Z’s earlier hues like Ikazuchi (Thunder) Yellow and New Sight Orange.
On the mechanical front, the 2027 Nissan Z is getting some slightly beefier shocks, while upgraded brakes are on the menu for the Z Nismo, courtesy of a pair of two-piece Akebono brake rotors up front (they’re still steel discs, but now have an aluminum hat that helps shed about 20 pounds of unsprung weight from the front end versus a single-piece brake rotor setup).
Both the 2027 Nissan Z and Z Nismo appear to have the same amount of power as before (400 and 420 horsepower, respectively), with the Nismo finally offering a manual transmission option. The automaker plans to launch the updated Z in Japan first, though we’ll see it over here in the U.S. later this year.
