Compact Cars

Veloster fans out there, please do not despair. Despite what some rumors might have suggested a couple of days ago, Hyundai is not throwing the regular version of its sporty hatchback under the bus. However, some trim levels will have to go.

America loves pickups, but with an F-150 costing up to $80,000, it’s easy to see why maybe some people would want something cheaper. Much cheaper. So keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the upcoming Ford Baby-Bronco based Maverick - a pickup that will start at just $20,000.

There is no secret that the X1 is getting a bit long in the tooth just like there is no secret that BMW is already working on the crossover’s replacement. Test mules have been spotted recently doing pre-production runs and with a debut slated for 2022, it is time to reassess what we know about the incoming BMW X1.

After entering the world of electrification with the Mini Cooper SE a couple of years back, the automaker is now gearing up for its next adventure. The next-gen Mini Cooper EV was recently spied in Sweden during a winter test session. The upcoming Mini Copper EV is still at least a couple of years away, but it will play an important part in shaping the company’s future. The car was spied with heavy camouflage that barely gives anything away, but here’s what we’ve documented about it.

Peugeot is not coming to the U.S. anytime soon which means America will not be getting the new 308 hatchback. In Europe, the 308 will do battle against a select roster of compact cars, including the VW Golf, Opel/Vauxhall Astra, Renault Megane, Ford Focus, and Mazda 3.

It’s rare to see YouTube channels that embody all virtues of quality content. Mighty Car Mods has been around since 2007 and while it started slow, it has now grown into one of the most entertaining and educational channels for automotive content. The two friends do not discriminate, when it comes to the type of cars and basically anything goes. Now, they are answering a question to which everyone wants the answer, but few needed to ask. How to build the ultimate hyper-hatchback?

For the folks who like their SUVs with coupè-like sloping rooflines, here’s Audi’s latest product – the Q5 Sportback. Audi calls them Crossover Utility Vehicles, and the Q5 Sportback is the third product in this lineup, following the Q3 Sportback and the e-tron Sportback. The Q5 Sportback is Audi’s take on the BMW X4 and the Mercedes GLC Coupe. The Q5 Sportback commands a premium of $4,500 over the SUV style for mainly an exterior appearance package, sleeker looks, and some other minor aesthetic upgrades. Is it worth it? Well, you tell us.

BMW is a brand loved by many. However, times have changed and with them many of the car company’s values. The BMW F40 (yes, that’s the chassis code) has done away not only with the inline-six but also with the rear-wheel-drive layout. It has dropped its distinctive characteristics in favor of practicality. Motorsport Magazine took the BMW 128ti – the second most powerful version after the 135i – and tried to justify its purchase over the rest of the hatchbacks.

The world of hot hatches is far more interesting than what we in the U.S. can ever fathom. The Europeans are particularly fond of them (the Brits especially), which led to the development of some of the most amazing cars. Some of them have never even appeared on U.S. shores. Believe it or not, I have found 21 awesome hot hatches from the past five years that have never set their tires on this side of the pond.

While compiling this list, I have come to a conclusion that buyers and drivers in the U.S. are usually really predictable. Apart from some producers who do not sell in the U.S. at all, international safety (UNECE) standards for car production are the ones to blame for a shortage of some of these cars.

We’re not compliant with those standards as we have our own set of rules called the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. In short, a disparity like this makes it very expensive for car producers to create two different versions of a car. And, that is exactly what is needed if you want to sell the same car in the U.S. and in the rest of the world.

Nevertheless, walk through this 4,853 horsepower list and imagine what your life would be like if some of these hot hatches could actually come here.

If it is not broke, do not fix it. The world’s appetite for crossovers and SUVs is still going strong and as long as people will buy these high-riding people carriers, carmakers will do everything in their power to milk the trend.

Hyundai is one of those carmakers and the milking will now be done via its new Europe-headed crossover, the Bayon. This is everything you need to know about the car that is supposed to poach customers from the likes of Ford Puma and Nissan Juke.

With a barrage of mass-produced EVs hitting the scene lately, Chevy’s offering to the segment, the Bolt, was looking more and more expensive by the day. Paying over $40,000 for a small hatch didn’t make much sense when you could get a competent product like Tesla Model 3 for that money. So, for the 2022 model, the automaker introduced some new features and reduced the price by $5,000!

However, to not create a vacuum and let the competition capitalize on it, the Bowtie also introduced a bigger “SUV-like” product called the Bolt EUV. It is priced on par with the outgoing Bolt and happens to be the first Chevy product to be offered with Super Cruise. Is this going to be the next-big-thing for the automaker in the EV market?

Toyota is in the midst of reorganizing its lineup and the Yaris Cross will be the next one to step in, as the brand’s newest compact crossover. With the Yaris Cross being positioned under the C-HR, Toyota will now have a complete portfolio of crossover vehicles. The model is aimed specifically for Europe, where compact dimensions, combined with a high seating position and rugged design are valued. The model will be assembled in France, where more than 150,000 units per year will be made. Here’s why Toyota is betting so much on it.

The Tiguan is almost 15 years old and it won’t be wrong to say that Volkswagen has been a little slow to update it as per the segment standards. The second generation came out in 2016 and the German automaker milked the design for almost four years before bringing out the facelift. The 2021 Tiguan is the typical mid-cycle refresh one would expect. It comes with slightly revised aesthetics, new tech features, and also some announcements about newer offerings with the product lineup.

With growing competition in the so-called affordable EV segment, Chevy had to make sure its offering, the Bolt, didn’t fade away into oblivion. For the 2022 model year, Chevy has refreshed the Bolt EV and simultaneously introduced an SUV-esque version of it called the Bolt EUV. The Chevy Bolt has been around for quite some time and can be credited with being one of the first mainstream automakers to have a solid EV offering. However, with a growing number of rivals, Chevy had to somehow make the Bolt look like a bang-for-the-buck product and not lose plot to the likes of Tesla.

While the range and the power outputs remain the same, the 2022 Bolt comes with refreshed interior and exterior, more standard kit, and a lower starting price. It definitely looks like a much better package overall.

As car enthusiasts, we are sometimes suckers for a good deal. Luckily, in most cases, common sense prevails, especially when a deal looks too good to be true. That said, sometimes, common sense does not prevail and what initially seemed like a great purchase ends up being an endless money pit.

Hoovie’s Garage is one of those YouTube channels where you, sometimes, see stuff like that. And although most of the cars redeem themselves this one in particular might prove to be too much of a hooptie, even for Hoovie.

Volkswagen, the company that is selling an open-top crossover – namely the T-Roc convertible – is thinking about shaving the roof off the ID.3. How do we know? Well, the carmaker prepared a very short press release about it worded “What if?” and to add fuel to the rumor fire, chairman Herbert Diess took to Twitter asking for his followers’ opinion about a potential ID.3 cabriolet.

Hyundai has had the Ioniq moniker in its arsenal for quite some time. In fact, it has jumped shipped within the portfolio many times. It was first launched as a hybrid car, then as an electric one, and finally as a plug-in hybrid. Last year, however, it received a promotion and became the South Korean automaker’s electric sub-brand. Hyundai plans to have 23 EVs by 2025 and the journey commences with the Ioniq 5.

The Ioniq 5 comes with futuristic looks, a couple of battery pack options, and an insanely spacious cabin that makes it one of the best crossover utility EVs in the market today. Will it set the tone for Ioniq’s bright electric future?

With millions of units sold worldwide and some love from a future Pope, this is everything you need to know about the VW Golf mark 4, one of the best AND most boring cars ever made.

I should know, I own one.

So stick around and read until the end to find out how Volkswagen managed to transform a cheap-ish hatchback into basically a premium compact car, paving the way for the luxuryfication of the whole brand. And if that isn’t a word, it is now. Also, it’s one of the best, cheap and most reliable second-hand cars you can buy today, with tons of parts available and easy servicing at home, so it’s got that going for it, I guess…

When you think about compact cars with great tuning potential, 8 out of 10 people would probably think of the Honda Civic. However, in Europe, there’s another popular alternative – the Volkswagen Golf. A while back, a video was circulating around the internet where someone in a Nissan 350Z was chasing a Porsche 997 GT3. At the same time, a stock-looking Golf Mk1 came out of nowhere and embarrassed both the Z-car and the 911, without even a sweat. The Golf on the video is an Mk2 and it’s said to be the fastest on the Nurburgring.