Family Car guides

GMC introduced the Hummer EV supertruck last year and has now followed it up with the Hummer EV SUV. At the onset, it seems like a pickup truck that comes with a roof welded on the bed to make it an SUV. However, there is a lot more than meets the eye. Unlike the Rivian truck and SUV twins, the Hummer EV SUV has been placed as an inferior offering. There is a difference in specs, power outputs, and other things that makes it look like the second fiddle to the EV truck. The pricing, however, is on par for the standard models and there is a difference only in the Launch Edition model.

The automotive industry is a dynamic one and collaborations between different car manufacturers are not that uncommon. Porsche is a name associated with great craftsmanship, great engineering, and tradition - all traits the 911 encompasses better than any other car. However, Porsche was not always doing well financially and, in the 1990s, they were willing to lend their expertise to other companies. Here are some of the brand’s most known and some less-known joint ventures, some of which may surprise you.

The world is moving towards electrification faster than we can digest. While many of us are looking forward to clean mobility, some enthusiasts and purists are dreading it and want to enjoy internal combustion engines while they last. Automakers have been reducing the number of cylinders under the hood in the name of “efficiency” for a long time now, but that didn’t mean V-8s weren’t in demand. But, with major strides being done in electrification technology lately, the demise of V-8s will be sooner than expected.

However, many vehicles are being offered now with V-8 engine options. This is pretty much against the tide, but very welcoming, to say the least. So, the question here is, are automakers trying to use V-8s as an emotional bait to lure in customers and build a loyal base heading into the future, or is this the last hurrah before V-8s finally slip into oblivion?

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.

With less than impressive sales in one of the most profitable segments of the American vehicle market, and an ageing, 14-year old generation still on dealer lots, the Toyota Tundra is arguably due for a complete overhaul. And I’m here to tell you that the all-new and improved 2022 Tundra is closer than ever, with an estimated launch date sometime towards the end of 2021 as a 2022 model year.

Keep reading to find out all the latest information regarding the third generation Toyota Tundra, a truck that will be „dominating” soon.

Electrification is happening whether you like it or not, but the government is trying to make the deal sweeter for you. In the States, there is a federal tax credit of $7,500 capped for 200,000 EVs for every automaker. Until now, Tesla and GM have surpassed that cap and you can’t get the credit if you purchase EVs from this brand. However, a new Bill from the Biden Administration could change that.

Basically, a beefed up version of the regular Taycan, this is the all-new Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo - a concept car turned series production EV. This is how Porsche is keeping the wagon flame alive - at least until it makes its first electric SUV.

Even if the much-anticipated Tesla Roadster has been delayed to 2022, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any electric vehicles worth waiting for this year. In fact, there are a number of 300+ miles of range cars out there that are worth checking out. So keep reading to find out what are the longest range EVs you can buy in 2021 - presuming every party involved keeps their word and actually starts production and deliveries until December.

Cars, buses, trucks, planes, tractors, boats, and more! This is the story of Mahindra, the Indian company that started with knock-down Jeep kits after World War II and became a money powerhouse that owns SsangYong and Pininfarina - yes, THAT Pininfarina.

So keep reading to find out how a small family-owned business from India became an integral part of today’s international automotive industry - Jeep scandal and all.

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.

Made by trolls in Trollhattan, this is the story of one of the greatest car companies in the world - from birth to success and then to its death and troubled resurrection. Today, we’re going to talk about how SAAB went from a safety and Turbo icon to just another General Motors casualty, like Pontiac, Saturn, and Oldsmobile.

2021 started with a bang for us truck lovers when Ford announced the arrival of the third-gen F-150 Raptor. What made the deal even sweet what the little disclaimer at the end of the video which said, “more to come in 2022”. Decoding this cryptic text revealed that it’s the Raptor R, which will feature a V-8 engine under the hood, as confirmed by Ford officials on Twitter soon after. Beyond this, however, there is no information available. But, using the new standard Raptor as a benchmark and a truck that will take on the Ram TRX once it arrives, we have a lot to speculate.

Hot hatches have a major problem on their hands. Perhaps one they will not be able to overcome. Ever. This is the plot:

You are in your late twenties or early thirties, and you want something mad, rowdy, and catchy for yourself, but, as usual, the budget is a bit tight. A hot hatch seems to be the perfect fit for your dream Sunday morning stint in the mountains (or the occasional illegal drag race in the middle of the night down in Mexico.) A lot of “hothatchness” now resides in the 300 horsepower range, can hit 60 mph in low 5 sec (some even quicker) and have features with strange names like torque vectoring, damper control, dual-axis struts, and titanium exhausts.

Perfect!

You’ll buy one and be happy for a short while. However, after you actually find out that you simply do not have the time to visit twisties in the mountains (or will ever go down to Mexico, for that matter,) a strange thing will happen. The Audi SQ5 diesel SUV with a mildly reprogrammed ECU will line up next to you. Behind its wheel sits a middle-aged man with a smirk on his face, eager to impress whoever sits next to him. Your hatch and your heart are ready to rumble.

Launch control on, sweaty palms on the steering wheel, and eyes on the traffic light.

Let’s go!

Plot twist:

The black diesel SQ5 TDI SUV will smoke you, literally and figuratively. You’ll try to reason with the situation driving in your hot hatch with massive exhausts, shouty spoilers, and red paint job, but deep down you will have one thought, and one thought only - “WTF am I doing with my life?”

Do you not think this is a problem? Just take a look at how many overpowered SUVs are sold every year!

Now, this may not be the only reason why hot hatches are going overboard with power, technology, and, ultimately, price, but it is a part of it. Apart from being fast, they need to be cool or incredible in some [expensive] way and offer something more than just being fast.

These are all hot hatches with engines developing 300 horsepower or more. They were all made to liven up your life before someone with an SQ5, or its likeness takes it away from you in 5 seconds. Or less.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say what the EV market is what it is today because of Tesla. The Musk-led company has revolutionized this segment in the last decade or so. The company has got four mass-market, mainstream cars at the moment – the Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and the Model X – and others like the Cybertruck and the Roadster that are yet to arrive or are niche products.

While the S3XY range is doing very well in the market, neither of them can be called ‘affordable’ cars. In the past, Musk had made it clear that Tesla won’t be making any cheap cars, but at the Tesla Battery Day last year, he set a cat amongst the pigeons when he said that the company will build a $25,000 car. It became the talk of the town even though not much is known about it. But, here’s everything you need to know about this affordable Tesla EV.

Before we get going, do note that there is no concrete information about the $25,000 EV and most of the things are mere speculations based on the few details we already know. So, take it with a pinch of salt.

BMW is one of the most popular manufacturers out there, with a long history of producing exciting performance cars despite being a luxury brand above all else. That said, because of the ever-increasing demand for more eco-friendly vehicles even manufacturers who praise themselves for making some of the most engaging automobiles in the business, have to deviate from their main principles, for the sake of staying relevant. Some of the more recent developments experienced by the Bavarian company are perfect examples that the winds of change are upon us, and these are some of the results, we will see in 2021.

The EV landscape is looking way richer than it did a couple of years ago and it’s only bound to expand in the coming years. We’ve had our fair share of EV driving in 2020, so we had a look back and picked what we believe are the best electric cars to buy in 2021.

Ford was preparing for the 2021 F-150’s launch for quite some time. The hype surrounding the world’s best-selling truck was immense, but the pandemic threw a spanner in the works and Ford had to settle for a rather subdued launch.

Still, people had their eyes glued to the screens to watch the live steam of the truck’s debut and to see what’s new this time around. The 14th generation needed to be a step up in all the aspects given how Ram and Chevy have upped the ante in the last few years. There are improvements in most of the departments, however, there are also a few things that we would’ve liked better. So, here’s a guide that compares the 2021 F-150 to its predecessor in terms of exterior, interior, tech features, engine options, towing capabilities, and price.