Crossover

Mercedes launched the 2021 GLA in July last year and promoted it as a much safer, spacious, and off-road-oriented compact vehicle. While we don’t agree that offering a four-wheel-drive system makes it an off-roader, it certainly seems to have become a better package overall.

The GLA is a seasoned product that only gotten better this time around. It feels a lot more luxurious and modern than its predecessor. But, does spending close to $40,000 for an entry-level, compact Mercedes with a four-pot mill make a whole lot of sense?

The much-awaited Cupra Formentor VZ5 is here to celebrate the brand’s three-year anniversary with Audi 2.5-liter power. Those looking to snatch one will have to move quickly, as Cupra is limiting production to just 7,000 units.

This is the new and improved 2022 Chevrolet Bolt hatchback, and this is its slightly bigger, more crossover-looking brother, the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV. They’re both all-electric vehicles with a range of at least 250 miles on a single charge, and they cost from $32,000. In other words, less than the outgoing Bolt, but with more standard kit. So, let’s see what’s what with these electric cars that are meant to get the masses rolling on electrons.

The Mercedes GLE is everything you’d need in a vehicle. It looks handsome (if you’re into coupes, that is), feels premium on the inside, comes with tech features that will make nerds go weak in their knees, and powertrain options that will satisfy your adrenaline rush. On paper, every requirement is ticked well. But, it’s still not a complete package. The automaker left some rough edges that are glaringly evident, especially in the ride quality and ergonomics department. Will these prove to be deal-breakers, or can the overall package swerve your decision to choose it over the BMW X6 or the Audi SQ5? .

Firstly, this "official spyshots" game is lame. We don’t know where it started from, but it has spread like wildfire and for the sake of the hype, carmakers are dropping camouflaged teasers of their cars left, right, and center.

Secondly, Maserati is brewing a second SUV/crossover and by the looks of it, this new model going to slot under the Levante and keep some of its styling cues, albeit in a shrunken format.

BMW revealed an interesting concept called the iNEXT at the 2018 Paris Auto Show. This was the time when the automaker also introduced us to the huge kidney grille. Who knew it would spread like a virus within the portfolio with many of them boasting it on their faces in the years to come?

Anyway, the iNEXT was soon renamed to iX, and BMW said that it will be roughly the size of the X5. But unlike the iX3, which is essentially the electric version of the standard X3, the iX will be much more. For starters, it’s based on a completely new platform that will underpin the future electric models, too.

First was the EQC and now Mercedes-Benz is writing another file in its all-electric history with the GLAbased EQA. At some point in the future, the Germans will release an EV version of the S-Class, dubbed EQS. Until that happens, let’s take a closer look at the EQA.

The Chevrolet Traverse is a three-row SUV that can best be described as a better-looking and equally practical alternative to a minivan. It offers the best cargo space in the segment, and courtesy of its length and wheelbase, it doesn’t come with a cramped third row. A V-6 engine is the only option offered across the range, but will suffice the needs of most of the owners. There is no dearth of features, but most of them are either optional or offered only in the top trim, which means a complete, loaded SUV will be quite pricey. We got to test the Chevy Traverse in its top avatar, the High Country trim, with an all-wheel-drive configuration, and here are our impressions of this bowtie product.

Hyundai’s luxury brand Genesis has built up momentum. This coincides with the increasing demand for EVs, which is why the Korean luxury brand has recently announced the addition of a new EV crossover. The car wears the designation JW and has been spotted testing on the open roads. It is expected to hit the showrooms in the second half of 2021, following in the footsteps of Hyundai Ioniq and Kia CV. Here’s what we can expect from the latest addition to the brand’s EV lineup.

The Formentor, Cupra’s first proprietary vehicle since it has parted ways with SEAT, can be currently had with a wide range of powertrains, including diesel, gasoline, and plug-in hybrid tech. None of these, however, will have the appeal of the recently teased Formentor VZ5, which is rumored to receive Audi’s 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine.

Subaru introduced the Crosstrek last decade as a successor to the Outback Sport. It was essentially an Impreza with an off-road bias. This formula worked well for the company as it soon became the best-selling Subaru in the U.S.

For the 2021 model year, Subaru introduced a new ‘Sport’ trim along with a new engine option that further makes this a desirable product. Will these upgrades help Subaru sell more than Crosstreks than it has in the previous years?

Remember those rumors late last year that Hyundai was planning to release a 300-horsepower Tucson N Line? Well, you can put those rumors to bed. Hyundai has released the Tucson N Line, except that the 300-horsepower engine we expected to see in the Tucson N Line is nowhere to be found. Instead, eager beaver customers will get aesthetic upgrades and, well, that’s about it.

The Tucson N Line still looks like a saucy crossover with more sporty bits to show off, but if you were expecting those rumors to come to fruition, we regret to inform you that those seeds bore no fruit.

The deliveries for the Mustang Mach-E have begun and even aftermarket customizations are available. Motion R Design has announced a kit for the Mach-E under its new range of modified vehicles called ‘E Series’. The Mach-E will be the first vehicle in this range and will come with a host of exterior and interior customization options.

After launching the rather expensive EQC, Mercedes has now come up with a slightly more affordable EV that could be a game-changer for the brand. Called the EQA, it is essentially a GLA that comes with some cosmetic changes and of course, a heart transplant. Interestingly, Mercedes has used a different approach for this car.

The EQA isn’t a wild-looking electric vehicle with radical styling cues and neither is it a rocket off the line, which seems to be the norm in the segment. Not everyone likes to take off the moment you press the A-pedal, after all. So, if the quick, push-you-back-in-the-seat cars are not your thing, here’s a refreshing electric vehicle that will make you smile and let you drive it calmly.

It’s hard to believe that BMW’s iDrive infotainment system is 20 years old this year. But it is, and if you need a little reminder of that, this short film from Bimmer will give you all the reminding you need. The film stars a grumpy, foul-mouthed BMW E65 7 Series and a much younger BMW iX. The two talking Bimmers argue about which of them is the better car.

Curse words are uttered, feelings are hurt, and a resolution happens towards the end. It’s a weird short film that’ll make you wonder what Bimmer’s marketing folks are sipping these days, but there is a story that’s told perfectly here, too. This is a story of two generations of BMW that couldn’t be more different from each other, though the two do have ties that bind. Give it a watch and prepare to have feelings about it afterward.

The Honda-General Motors marriage will reportedly give birth to a pair of battery-powered SUVs for Honda and Acura. The partnership, which was announced by the two automakers in April 2020, will revolve around the General’s proprietary Ultium batteries.