Compact Cars

We thought that Jeep couldn’t go smaller than the Renegade, we were wrong. Back in March 2022, Jeep dropped the first teaser images of its future baby SUV, and now, two months later, our spy photographers finally caught the first prototypes out for some testing sessions. The model was initially announced during Stellantis’ Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan presentation, when Carlos Tavares, the CEO of Stellantis, announced this will be the first-ever 100% battery-electric Jeep SUV.

Being a toned-down version of the Maxima, the Altima has been one of the most value-for-money compact sedans with a starting price lower than $25,000. And while it is Nissan’s go-to budget car, it receives a few updates for 2023 to keep it fresh and modern. For example, the exterior has a sportier appearance with an updated grille, front bumper, new wheel designs, and two new exterior colors. However, the cabin design remains mostly unchanged. But a new 12.3-inch infotainment display is standard on the SL and SR, while available as an option for the SV. A set of new driver assistance features are added to the list, too, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and blindspot monitoring.

For those of you who are more into fashion than cars, Sir Paul Smith needs no presentation. For the rest, Paul Smith is a British fashion designer mainly specialized in men’s clothing. His relationship with Mini started back in 1999 and the relationship has continued very successfully ever since. Last year, he designed the Mini Strip - a simplified version of the famous hatch that has its debut at the 2021 IAA Motor Show.

This year, Sir Paul Smith is back with another cool creation. His new project is based on a 1998 Mini and was presented at the Salone Del Mobile 2022 in Milan. The model also pays tribute to the past and it is a reminder of the 1998 MINI Paul Smith Edition that is limited to 1,800 units.

Seat’s standalone brand, Cupra, has big plans for the future: it aims to sell 500,000 units yearly and will launch three new electrified models by 2025. This will represent a huge jump for Cupra, when you consider that since its launch in 2018 it has only delivered 200,000 units. The three new models coming are the Terramar, Tavascan, and UrbanRebel. If the last name sounds familiar is because a concept with the same name was launched last year. Now, Cupra is back with a new version of the UrbanRebel with a closer to production body compared to the previous version.

As of early June, you can order the 2023 Acura Integra. There are three different specs to choose from: Integra, Integra A-Spec and Integra A-Spec® with Technology Package, plus two transmissions: your choice of a CVT or a six-speed manual. Prices start from $30,000, which isn’t that bad for an over-glorified Honda Civic, but it can very easily go higher once you start adding a few things you might like. The recently launched online configurator gives you the chance to design the Integra you like, and we did just that out of curiosity.

There are not many new cars in the world today that can give a truly raw and authentic driving experience similar to that of a proper race car while also being drivable on the street on a daily basis. However, that was the intent of GMA-Gordon Murray Automotive. The T.50 comes with only a 6-speed manual gearbox, a naturally aspirated V-12 with a rev limiter over 10,000 RPM, and a driver’s seat set right in the middle of the car.

The T.33, while it still carries the same attitude and has an extremely similar V-12 and gearbox, it is a bit cheaper and more conventional. Now though, this bastion of V-12s and stick shifts is looking to develop something a bit different - a pair of electric SUVs.

Being the second generation of the 3 Series, the E30 is known for its stylish looks and true entry-level luxury. It replaced the E21 3 Series with a couple of new changes for BMW. It was previously offered in two-door coupe and convertible body styles. But after the new generation came to light, BMW started producing a four-door sedan and estate-style variants of the 3 Series. By the time the E30 generation had passed, BMW sold more than 19,000 units of the, according to Road & Track. Now someone is auctioning a 1988 BMW 325i Convertible on Bring A Trailer, and the bidding is going on for $5,500 as of the time of this writing.

The BMW 3 Series has always been the go-to car to experience the world of German automotive engineering. With millions of units sold worldwide, the 3 Series remains one of the top dogs from the Bavarian automaker, which is not only stylish but also powerful, comfortable, and economical. So if you own a used F30 and want to give it a touch-up, then maybe this widebody rending of a bonkers-looking widebody 3 Series from Dominykas Liberis will give you some inspiration.

It seems like the internal combustion engine is breathing its last dying breath. The rise of electric cars and the massive question mark on top of hydrogen fuel cells leave gasoline down on one knee. V-10s are all but gone, as are V-12s, and the beloved but quirky straight-5 is only placed in one new car on the market: the Audi RS3. However, the loony Germans at MANHART are giving the classic Audi five-cylinder a new brain so it can create some more oomph.

The good folks from AutoTopNL->https://www.youtube.com/c/AutoTopnl] have presented us with a crazy testing video of a third-gen BMW X3 M Competition that has been tuned to crank out 750 horsepower! It is hard to believe that a 4,600-pound SUV can do 0-62 in 2.9 seconds, but this one does it, and the pure sound from that aftermarket exhaust will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Toyota made waves in September 2020 when the GR Yaris went into production. It was the first true homologation hot hatch we had seen in decades, but Americans thought there was just one problem with it-we weren’t getting it. So, to appease us and make even more money, Toyota crammed the four-wheel-drive, the gearbox, engine, brakes, and everything else they could take from a GR Yaris into a Corolla Hatchback.

As a result, the GR Corolla now exists, and while it only matters to those in the U.S., it is doubtlessly a good car nonetheless. Now though, Toyota is making the GR Corolla even more extreme with the MORIZO edition. Only 200 examples will be produced, and all of them have real performance-enhancing modifications installed and are for the 2023 model year.

Rear-wheel drive in compact hatchbacks has never been a thing and for a good reason. An RWD architecture needs a lot of space, which is in short supply for hatchbacks. The transmission eats into the rear legroom and while the rear axle can eat into boot space. In addition, the longitudinal engine layout required in most cases also means longer hoods, which makes them bigger and, obviously, totally against the ethos of a compact and practical hatchback. But that didn’t stop certain manufacturers from trying their hand at this layout for their hatchbacks, so here’s a list of the top 5 most memorable RWD hatchbacks of all time.