Comparisons

The 2020 Tesla Model Y is here, promising all the tricks and tech that the California brand can muster, but in a small, yet practical package. But the question is this - how does it stack up against the Tesla Model X SUV? To find out, we compared the two in terms of their exterior design, interior design, and powertrain specs.

Tesla’s obsession with simplistic futuristic design is perhaps best captured in almost terrifyingly similar stature of its two most important cars - the Tesla Model 3 and the recently revealed Tesla Model Y. Unraveled secrets of the new mid-size electric crossover led the world almost unanimously settle on the fact that the new Model Y is essentially an ideal conjugation between the reasonable Model 3 and the lush Model X.

While the design cleverly infiltrates the new mid-size crossover into the world of more expensive coupe-looking propositions on the market, it also resoundingly accepts all the styling cleverness of Tesla’s cheapest model. The Tesla Model Y differs from the Model 3 in what seems to be a few minor details, but it is clear that all of them matter a lot. I explored all the design minutiae between the Tesla Model 3 and the Tesla Model X for you, and it becomes clear - the Tesla Model Y is the smartest thing Tesla ever did. And that because almost nothing is entirely new.

Ford has completely redesigned the Explorer for the 2020 model year in the quest to surpass its many talented and popular rivals. One of those rivals is the third-gen Honda Pilot that has been around in its current form since 2016 and recently facelifted for the 2019 model year. Both models are popular, but now that the new Ford is out, is a mere facelift enough to keep the Honda up to date and competitive?

The latest Explorer changes the previous model’s formula a bit through the fact that its platform is now rear-wheel-drive biased. It is also lighter than before, offers better performance, better fuel economy, and Ford is even going to make a hot ST version of it. Honda’s Pilot refresh brought with it more aggressive exterior styling, new tech (especially on the safety front, with the full Honda Sensing suite), but no new engines - only one non-turbo V-6 is offered.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA aims to hit above its weight on a regular basis, eyeing compact sedans that are usually the prey of the bigger C-Class. It only makes sense, then, to compare it with Jaguar’s own luxury compact sedan that wants a piece of the C-Class’ and 3-Series’ market, namely the XE. Can Jaguar hold its own against the latest coupe sedan with the three-pointed star on the nose?

Right off the bat, we have to point out that Jaguar will introduce a facelift to the XE at some point this year that will not only include a more aggressive look but also address some of the issues inside the cabin like the lesser materials used on the current version. However, as the revamped XE isn’t here yet, we’ll only talk about the one that’s on the market today that looks and feels about the same as it did back in 2016 when it was introduced. Let’s see if the four-year gap between these two cars is visible.

The Ford Explorer remains one of the most popular SUVs in America, but the previous-generation model had one thing going against it: age. It entered the market in 2011, and while a 2018 facelift injected some life back to the SUV, it was only a matter of time before Ford ultimately replaced it with a next-generation model. Well, that time has come. The sixth-generation Ford Explorer made its long-awaited debut at the 2019 North American International Auto Show, and it didn’t take long for the SUV to serve notice to its rivals. The Explorer is back, baby, and it’s back with a vengeance. That should serve as a warning to Dodge and its Durango SUV. Just like the Explorer is to Ford, the Durango is one of Dodge’s biggest moneymakers. Unlike the Explorer, the current version of the Durango is toiling on the back-end of its generational cycle. The next-generation Durango is coming, but there’s no specific timetable on when it’s poised to arrive. So as the all-new Ford Explorer flexes its muscles in the segment, the current Durango has to resist the Explorer rush, at least until the cavalry arrives. Is it up to the task against the all-new Ford SUV? Let’s find out.

Volkswagen has finally given its Jetta sedan for North America the power, exclusivity, and extra sporting edge that some enthusiasts felt were missing from the package. The new 2020 Jetta GLI has addressed all those concerns and is now a model with enough brawn and sophistication to go head to head with all the sporty sedans in its size and price brackets. If you’re into fast driving, then you will be happy to note the new Jetta GLI gets the exact same engine as the (Golf) GTI, a standard limited-slip differential, and a snappy six-speed stick shift.

One of the new Jetta GLI’s main rivals is the2019 Honda Civic Si sedan, a very hard contender indeed. The Civic Si has a smaller displacement engine than the Jetta GLI, and has less power, but it is also quite a light car, one renowned for its excellent handling and road manners. It also looks somewhat sportier than the Jetta too, especially if you see its trunk lid-mounted wing, the center exhaust, and the aggressive overall design and stance.

If this were purely a visual comparison to discover which car looked more aggressive, that distinction would automatically go to the Civic Si. But it’s not all about the visuals, especially since the Jetta is more powerful than the Civic and it also has a more sophisticated independent rear suspension that VW doesn’t offer on any other Jetta model.

Only weeks after the official debut of the new 2020 Toyota Supra, the Japanese brand has released what could be considered a spiced up version of the same car - the Toyota Supra TRD Concept. Revealed at the Osaka Automesse, the GR Supra Performance Line TRD Concept is a looker, but I wonder do you find it as dashing as the Supra mk4 TRD 3000GT. Yup, that was a thing, and that particular Supra had the TRD developed body kit along with a number of other attachments. I will leave the comparison between the awesome Supra TRD 3000GT with the new Toyota Supra TRD concept for another day, but now, I’d like to explore and propose to you what the modern Toyota Racing Development team prepped for the latest Supra. I told you numerous times that I like the way the new car looks, but can the TRD Concept further sharpen my desire for it?

It’s the dawn of a new age for pickup trucks these days as the RAM 1500 and the GMC Sierra square of in a battle of wits involving their respective…tailgates. Unlike in the past where pickups are usually compared by the amount of power they produce or the amount of weight they can carry or tow, we’re entering a new frontier where the term “trick tailgate” is about to become one of the most important elements of a pickup, if it isn’t there already. GMC was the first to showcase its six-function MultiPro tailgate in 2018 on the Sierra truck. It took some time, but RAM has responded with its own trick tailgate, known as the MultiFunction tailgate, at the 2019 Chicago Auto Show. So, now that we’ve seen both tailgates and tinkered with them on separate occasions, which of these two is better? For that, we look at the Tale of the Trick Tailgates.

Subaru has revealed an all-new seventh-generation 2020 Legacy sedan at the2019 Chicago auto show, but right off the bat it was criticized for playing it too safe with its design and styling. Some even say it looks nearly identical to the vehicle it’s meant to replace and while that is an overstatement, you really have to look at the fine details to be able to tell them apart.

And that’s what we’re going to do here, put the two models side by side and dissect their differences so that you don’t have to. Besides, Subaru has been doing this whole conservative, evolutionary design approach for most of the last decade now, but if you remember crazy cars like the SVX coupe from the company’s past (as well as the current BRZ), you know it wasn’t always so restrained.

In the press release that accompanied the reveal of the new model, Subaru mentioned it rides on the company’s new Subaru Global Platform it introduced in 2017, its new 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer with 260 horsepower, improved interior with extra tech and last but not least the car’s “bold design” that follows a “Dynamic x Solid” philosophy. But let’s see the two cars side by side first, then start judging them.

The more utility you can add to a pickup, the better it becomes. That’s a given, but how do you improve on the formula? It seems as though GMC found a way with its Multipro Tailgate and 2019 Sierra, which offers multiple configurations for improved access to the box, extended holding capacity, and a second-tier loading height. Now Ram is getting in on the action with its own take on the configurable tailgate concept, offering up something it’s calling the Multifunction Tailgate on all seven trim levels of the 2019 Ram 1500. Granted, GMC was the first in this space, but we think Ram might have the better tailgate this time around.

The Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 returned after five years with more power than ever, a menacing body kit and, for the very first time, a race-spec rear wing. With more than 700 horsepower coming from a supercharged V-8, the Shelby GT500 is notably more powerful than its traditional rival, the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. So which modern muscle car is good enough to compete with the 2020 Shelby GT500? I think it’s the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye, a car that FCA created to bridge the gap between the regular Hellcat and the drag-prepped Demon. Here’s how they compare.

The sleek 2019 Mazda CX-9 SUV is one of the least-obvious rivals of the 2020 sixth-generation Explorer. The two models share nothing in terms of exterior design, and this affects the cabin as well. The Mazda is also only available with only one engine and one transmission, and you can only get it with either FWD or AWD. There’re a lot of options if you’re in the market for a three-row SUV and Ford should take into consideration all of its rivals if it wants to keep topping the sales charts with the latest Explorer. Sure, the Mazda CX-9 isn’t for the same kind of person as the Ford but, size wise, they play ball in the same league so here’s how the two stack up against one another.

Highly popular in its first years on the U.S. market, the Mercedes-Benz CLA returns in 2019 with a brand-new design. Drawing inspiration from both the sleek CLS and the latest A-Class, the CLA remains the sporty four-door coupe that made waves when it first arrived in 2013. But it now features a fresh interior, also taken from the A-Class, segment-leading technology, and an upgraded engine. How does it compare to its rivals? Well, the CLA doesn’t have that many rivals, as no other automaker produces a four-door coupe in this niche. But, we’re comparing it to the BMW 3 Series, one of the sportier compact sedans, and one of the best-selling models in this class. Find out more below.