Autos

QOTD: Hybrid Versus Conventional Drivetrains

  Which drivetrain would you prefer: The hybrid two-motor setup that Toyota has paired with their 2.5-liter DOHC four-cylinder that puts out 245 horsepower or Kia’s conventional V6 that produces 294 HP? These are the drivetrains you’ll find in the new 2021 Toyota Sienna minivan, or the upcoming 2022 Kia Carnival, which won’t be out […] The post QOTD: Hybrid Versus Conventional Drivetrains appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Japan, Technology, Korea, Autos, Toyota, Kia, Emissions, New Cars, Fuel Economy, Hybrid, DOHC, Vans, News Blog, Minivans, V6, Question of the Day

100K+ Pre-Orders for Lordstown’s Pickup a Shocker

  Lordstown Motors announced on Monday that they had exceeded 100,000 pre-orders for their Endurance light-duty, all-electric pickup, slated to begin production in September. While we covered the Endurance previously, we didn’t pay homage to where it’s being assembled. Lordstown has a long history as the place where Chevrolet and Pontiac vehicles came together. The […] The post 100K+ Pre-Orders for Lordstown’s Pickup a Shocker appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Green, Industry, Electric Vehicles, Autos, Truck, Trucks, Chevrolet, Fuel Economy, Ev, Pontiac, Lordstown, Endurance, Pickup, News Blog, Commercial vehicle, All-electric

Millennials Really Do Intend to Buy Cars. Thank the Pandemic.

  Forget all you’ve heard about Millennials (24-39 years old) and their disdain for automobiles. COVID-19 has changed that, as 31 percent of those without a car intend to buy one in the next six months, and 45 percent of them are Millennials. EY, a global leader in assurance, tax, strategy, and consulting services, and […] The post Millennials Really Do Intend to Buy Cars. Thank the Pandemic. appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Travel, China, Global, Sales, Green, Industry, Electric Vehicles, Italy, Millennials, Autos, Hybrids, Diesel, New Cars, Fuel Economy, Public Transportation, Hybrid

2021 Honda Accord Hybrid First Drive – High Mileage Family Hauler

When Honda sent out the press release detailing the updates for the 2021 model-year Accord and Accord Hybrid, I shed a tear (figuratively) for the loss of the manual-transmission option in the gas models, and wondered why they were bothering with the hybrid. There didn’t seem to be much changed. That may be true, but […] The post 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid First Drive – High Mileage Family Hauler appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Autos, Honda, Car Reviews, Green Cars, Hybrids, New Cars, Fuel Economy, First Drives, Accord, Honda Accord Hybrid, Honda Accord, Accord Hybrid, 2021 Honda Accord, 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid

Donald Trump is Wrong About Fuel Economy and Safety

President Donald Trump has consistently defended his administration’s attempts to roll back Obama-era fuel-economy standards by complaining that building cars with better fuel economy in mind makes them less safe and more expensive. He brought it up again during the presidential debate last night. This is, to be quite frank, bullshit. Now, before we get […] The post Donald Trump is Wrong About Fuel Economy and Safety appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Obama, Industry, Editorials, Autos, Donald Trump, Cafe, Fuel Economy, Debates, Potus, News Blog, Fuel Economy Standards

At Least One Chevrolet Blazer Ekes Out Better Mileage for 2021

The mild content changes coming to Chevrolet’s midsize Blazer for 2021 were the talk of the town last month, though it’s entirely possible people were talking about Blazer for a very different reason… Regardless, one of the changes not talked about by either the public or General Motors is something first aired by the EPA. Noticed […] The post At Least One Chevrolet Blazer Ekes Out Better Mileage for 2021 appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: General Motors, Gm, Autos, Crossovers, Epa, Engines, Chevrolet, Fuel Economy, Blazer, Chevrolet Blazer, News Blog, MPG

Gas War: Inspector General to Investigate Fuel Rollback

Following requests from Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) for a formal investigation into whether the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicle Rules proposed by the Trump administration violates the Clean Air Act (or some currently undetermined regulatory requirement that might stop it from coming to fruition), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Inspector General said it will […] The post Gas War: Inspector General to Investigate Fuel Rollback appeared first on The Truth About Ca...
Tags: Government, Investigations, Autos, Epa, Environmental Protection Agency, Emissions, Cafe, Fuel Economy, Dot, Trump, Tom Carper, News Blog, Corporate Average Fuel Economy, Gas War, Fuel Rollback

Hybrid War: Ford Touts Escape Plug-in As Efficiency King, but Toyota Has Two Things It Wants to Tell You

In the compact crossover segment, at least, the sky’s the limit when it comes to choice. And making inroads into this enormously popular crowd is plug-in hybrid power — a feature added to two major players this year: the Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4. As efficiency numbers trickle out, Ford is claiming victory over its rival, […] The post Hybrid War: Ford Touts Escape Plug-in As Efficiency King, but Toyota Has Two Things It Wants to Tell You appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Green, Ford, Autos, Crossovers, Toyota, New Cars, Fuel Economy, Hybrid, Escape, Phev, Ford Escape, News Blog, Product Planning, Ford Escape PHEV

Gas War: Senator Asks EPA Watchdog to Investigate New Fuel Efficiency Rules

Every time we think the United States’ fueling fracas had concluded, something new emerges to remind us that we’re utter morons. Despite the Trump administration finally wrapping up the fuel rollback of Obama-era emission standards on March 31st, Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) has sent another letter asking Environmental Protection Agency Inspector General Sean O’Donnell to look into the new […] The post Gas War: Senator Asks EPA Watchdog to Investigate New Fuel Efficiency Rules appeared first on The...
Tags: Obama, Government, Green, United States, Editorials, Investigations, Autos, Epa, Donald Trump, Environmental Protection Agency, Fuel Economy, Trump, Nhtsa, Sean O Donnell, Tom Carper, News Blog

Thai-market Nissan Kicks e-Power Could be a Design Omen

Almost every day I go for a walk that takes me up the hill behind my apartment. And on that route, I pass by a black, base model Nissan Kicks parked in my neighbor’s driveway. A value special, for sure, and one with a decent amount of attributes — its starting price being topmost among them. […] The post Thai-market Nissan Kicks e-Power Could be a Design Omen appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Design, Technology, Autos, Nissan, Fuel Economy, Hybrid, Nissan Kicks, News Blog, Refresh, Styling, Product Planning, E-Power, 2021 Nissan Kicks, Nissan Kicks e-Power

The Cost of Comfort: GM’s Full-size SUVs Gain Thrift in City Driving, Lose It on the Open Road

The revamped, full-size Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban and their GMC Yukon/Yukon XL twins gain significant length, interior volume, and creature comforts for 2021, but extra MPGs seem to be in short supply. The vehicles are now even larger than their predecessors, are still heavy, and carry identical V8 engine displacements, so no one should have […] The post The Cost of Comfort: GM’s Full-size SUVs Gain Thrift in City Driving, Lose It on the Open Road appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Gm, Autos, Tahoe, Engines, SUVs, Fuel Economy, Yukon, Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Suburban, News Blog, GMC Yukon Yukon XL twins

Upcoming Nissan Rogue Due for a Power, Economy Bump

The Nissan Rogue compact crossover might not be everyone’s idea of a fun ride, to say the least, but it’s a crucial product for the automaker that builds it. By far Nissan’s best selling vehicle in North America, the Rogue is key to the automaker’s comeback hopes. Maybe comeback is too strong a word… Fiscal […] The post Upcoming Nissan Rogue Due for a Power, Economy Bump appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Autos, Crossovers, North America, Engines, Nissan, Fuel Economy, Nissan Rogue, Rogue, News Blog, Product Planning, Future Models, Rogue 2021 Nissan Rogue

Diesel’s Not Done Yet: Cummins Explores Cylinder Deactivation

Despite the switch to low-sulfur fuel and ever more stringent emissions regulations around the world, compression ignition technology still gets a bad rap, tarnishing the remaining crop of diesel engine offerings despite their fuel economy advantages. In the world of heavy duty pickups and large commercial vehicles, it’s a case of diesel or what else? […] The post Diesel’s Not Done Yet: Cummins Explores Cylinder Deactivation appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Technology, Autos, Engines, Diesel, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Cummins, News Blog, Heavy Duty, Cylinder Deactivation

Will Trump’s Fuel Economy Rollback Cost Jobs?

Center-left political/culture magazine The Atlantic dropped an interesting piece onto the Web Tuesday. In it, author Robinson Meyer lays out a case, based in part on the Trump administration’s own writings, that the fuel economy rollback approved in late March will actually cost jobs and reduce the amount Americans drive. Meyer piggybacks off his previous […] The post Will Trump’s Fuel Economy Rollback Cost Jobs? appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Industry, Atlantic, Autos, Automotive Industry, Meyer, Safe, Cafe, Fuel Economy, Trump, Will Trump, News Blog, Robinson Meyer, Fuel Economy Standards, Fuel Economy Regulations

Bentley Bentayga Hybrid Offers Less Highway MPG Than V8 Model

While some degree of valueless virtue signaling accompanied the launch of Toyota’s Prius, most hybrid customers are an exceptionally practical lot. Fixated on the long game, they’re willing to weigh the added cost of supplemental electrification against an uptick in efficiency — attempting to calculate the duration of ownership required before they can start raking in […] The post Bentley Bentayga Hybrid Offers Less Highway MPG Than V8 Model appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Fuel Efficiency, Autos, Toyota, Epa, Bentley, Fuel Economy, Bentley Bentayga, News Blog, Bentayga, V8, Luxury Vehicles, MPG, Bentley Bentayga Hybrid, 2020 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid

QOTD: A Mileage Miracle?

It seems readers gravitated to Chris’ recent review of the Silverado 1500 Duramax. Indeed, I was curious to see just how well General Motors’ new 3.0-liter inline-six diesel handled day to day life and, more importantly, how well it performed at the pumps. Looks like the pickup’s fuel economy was worthy of note. With each […] The post QOTD: A Mileage Miracle? appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: General Motors, Autos, Diesel, Fuel Economy, Chris, News Blog, Question of the Day, QOTD Question of the Day

Expect MPG Boost When Re-engined Nissan Frontier Lands

That headline comes with an asterisk, as the fuel economy gains expected from the 2020 Nissan Frontier are only applicable if you planned on buying a V6 model. The four-cylinder Frontier is dead for ’20, as is the manual transmission. While the Environmental Protection Agency hasn’t yet bestowed MPG figures on the “new” truck (same […] The post Expect MPG Boost When Re-engined Nissan Frontier Lands appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Autos, Trucks, Nissan, Environmental Protection Agency, Fuel Economy, Frontier, Nissan Frontier, News Blog

Gas War: EPA and DOT Release Final Draft of Fuel Rollback

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released their final version of the Safer Affordable Fuel-Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rules on Tuesday. This will establish new targets for corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) and emissions standards for passenger vehicles from the 2021-2026 model years and just in the […] The post Gas War: EPA and DOT Release Final Draft of Fuel Rollback appeared first on ...
Tags: Government, Green, Autos, Epa, Environmental Protection Agency, Department Of Transportation, Fuel Economy, Dot, Nhtsa, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Environmental Protection Agency EPA, News Blog, Andrew Wheeler, Gas War, Fuel Rollback

Now You Know the Rest of the Chevrolet Trailblazer Fuel Economy Story

We can’t tell you how the Chevrolet Trailblazer, reborn as a vastly different vehicle for 2021, drives (thanks to a first drive program scuttled at the 11th hour by coronavirus), but at least we can tell you what to expect at the pump. As the model starts quietly trickling onto dealer lots at a time […] The post Now You Know the Rest of the Chevrolet Trailblazer Fuel Economy Story appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: General Motors, Gm, Autos, Crossovers, Engines, Fuel Economy, Chevrolet TrailBlazer, News Blog, Cuvs, Trailblazer, MPG, Chevrolet Trailblazer Fuel Economy Story

The Best Gas Mileage SUVs for 2020

These models have the highest miles per gallon among all gas-powered SUV, and most of them are affordable.
Tags: Cars, Trends, Lexus, Honda, Nissan, Kia, SUVs, Fuel Economy, Gas Mileage

Chevrolet Trailblazer Seeps Into EPA’s MPG Listings

The unexpected and potentially under-cylindered 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer is a vehicle you would have read about in these digital pages, had the pandemic not scrubbed a first drive event scheduled for late last week. For sure, yours truly was quite curious to see how well the model’s brace of boosted three-cylinders hauled around the tweener […] The post Chevrolet Trailblazer Seeps Into EPA’s MPG Listings appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: General Motors, Gm, Autos, Epa, Engines, Fuel Economy, Chevrolet TrailBlazer, News Blog, Trailblazer, Chevrolet Trailblazer Seeps Into EPA

Pricing, Fuel Economy Revealed for Toyota Camry AWD

An all-wheel-drive vehicle will reappear early this spring after a decades-long absence, tempting those who demand a sure-footed sedan with untold amounts of badge and nameplate loyalty. While the Toyota Camry AWD might arrive too late to tackle our current winter, the future is a blank slate, ready to be filled with instances of snow-flinging […] The post Pricing, Fuel Economy Revealed for Toyota Camry AWD appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Autos, Toyota, Awd, New Cars, Fuel Economy, Toyota Camry, News Blog, All Wheel Drive, Camry, Toyota Camry AWD

Tesla Model Y Earns Enviable EPA Rating

Tesla’s Model Y has already started production, scheduled to reach consumers by the end of March, but until today there was no official range rating. That’s all changed now, and those standing in line for the automaker’s new compact crossover have reason to smile. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Model Y Performance — […] The post Tesla Model Y Earns Enviable EPA Rating appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Tesla, Electric Vehicles, Autos, Crossovers, Epa, EVs, Environmental Protection Agency, Fuel Economy, Model Y, Range, News Blog, Tesla Model Y

Best Gas Mileage SUVs for 2020: Nissan takes the top spot

These models have the highest miles per gallon among all gas-powered SUV, and most of them are affordable.
Tags: Cars, Trends, Lexus, Honda, Nissan, Kia, SUVs, Fuel Economy, Gas Mileage

Gas War: Justice Department Drops Antitrust Probe Against Automakers Siding With California

The United States Department of Justice has ended its investigation into Ford, Honda, Volkswagen, and BMW over a presumed antitrust violation stemming from a deal they made with California to adhere to regional emission rules. Their agreement technically circumvents the current administration’s plan to freeze national emissions and fuel economy standards — established while President Obama was […] The post Gas War: Justice Department Drops Antitrust Probe Against Automakers Siding With Californi...
Tags: Obama, California, Fuel, Regulation, Vw, Ford, Autos, Epa, Bmw, Volkswagen, Honda, Donald Trump, Justice Department, Fuel Economy, Gavin Newsom, Ford Motor Co

Any Takers? Docs Herald Mazda 6 Diesel Introduction

The road to America is often a long one, and the 2.2-liter diesel four-cylinder that finally set up shop in the Mazda CX-5 last year took a Donner Party-like detour after leaving Japan. The Skyactiv-D engine was over half a decade late in arriving on these shores, and when it finally did — cleared by […] The post Any Takers? Docs Herald Mazda 6 Diesel Introduction appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Japan, America, Green, Autos, Engines, Diesel, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Mazda, Sedans, News Blog, Donner Party, Product Planning, Mazda 6, Herald Mazda

Overseas Mazda MX-5 Gains the Mildest Bit of Electrification

Mazda bigwigs and engineers are still on the fence when it comes to the next-generation MX-5 Miata’s powertrain, but the current generation is still capable of learning new tricks. The automaker’s European-market MX-5s, at the very least, will take on a standard energy recovery system for the 2020 model year that carries some of the […] The post Overseas Mazda MX-5 Gains the Mildest Bit of Electrification appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Europe, Technology, Autos, Emissions, Fuel Economy, Mazda, Miata, Mazda MX-5, News Blog, Product Planning, i-ELOOP

2020 Nissan Titan Fuel Economy Figures Emerge

What can a nine-speed automatic do for a full-size pickup that once carried a seven-speed unit and a reputation for guzzling fuel at a prodigious rate? That’s a question answered not by the EPA, which hasn’t gotten around to posting updated MPG figures for the refreshed 2020 pickup, but by its counterparts north of the border. […] The post 2020 Nissan Titan Fuel Economy Figures Emerge appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Environment, Green, Autos, Epa, Trucks, Nissan, Titan, Fuel Economy, Nissan Titan, News Blog, 2020 Nissan Titan

U.S. Fuel Rollback Earns Pushback from Scientific Advisory Board

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) is once again applying pressure on the Trump administration’s proposed fuel economy rollback. Similar to the complaints issued by a coalition of scientists back in March of 2018, the board expressed concerns that significant weaknesses exist in the analysis underpinning the plan that should be addressed before any […] The post U.S. Fuel Rollback Earns Pushback from Scientific Advisory Board appeared first on The Truth Ab...
Tags: Government, Regulation, Autos, Epa, Donald Trump, Environmental Protection Agency, Cafe, Fuel Economy, Trump, SAB, Scientific Advisory Board, News Blog, Science Advisory Board, Corporate Average Fuel Economy, Fuel Rollback, EPA Scientific Advisory Board SAB

EPA Gets Around to Rating the Jeep Wrangler EcoDiesel

As everyone in your Twitter feed screams for revolution, evolutionary advancements in technology (and other things) are still proving capable of generating big gains for society. For new vehicle buyers, too. Jeep’s Wrangler Unlimited EcoDiesel is a case in point. Launched for the 2020 model year, the oil-burning off-roader nets buyers 260 horsepower and a […] The post EPA Gets Around to Rating the Jeep Wrangler EcoDiesel appeared first on The Truth About Cars.
Tags: Fca, Autos, Epa, Engines, Diesel, Fuel Economy, Jeep, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Jeep Wrangler, News Blog, Wrangler, EcoDiesel, Jeep Wrangler EcoDiesel