Auto Trade House

Month: May 2023

  • 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Review: Prices, Specs, and Photos

    2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Review: Prices, Specs, and Photos

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    The Corolla Cross SUV takes economy-car running gear and blends it with an upright crossover body. It’s offered with all-wheel drive, and has more room than the front-drive-only Toyota C-HR though it shares much of its shape with the bigger and more capable RAV4. Shop the Corolla Cross against the Hyundai Kona, Honda HR-V, and Subaru Crosstrek—although the Corolla Cross has an advantage now over any of them with its 42-mpg hybrid version.

    We’ve called it sluggish but safe, with a well-tuned ride. Last year’s version earned a TCC Rating of 6.0 out of 10—but consider the number a bit higher if you’re focusing in on the hybrid. (Read more about how we rate cars.) 

    Most of the rest carries over, including those RAV4-like styling cues. The Corolla Cross could have been dubbed a RAV3, with the angled wheel wells and roof pillars that taper at the rear into a softer, stubbier body than that of the top-selling RAV4. Inside, the Corolla Cross has a familiar layout, with a wide touchscreen that sits on a straightforward and cleanly organized dash, wrapped in a good grade of plastic.

    The standard-issue Corolla Cross still wrings out mediocre performance from the  Toyota parts-bin engine under its hood, a 169-hp 2.0-liter inline-4 that teams with a CVT to send its power to the front wheels. It’s noisy, and doesn’t snap off stoplight launches to justify that excess. It’s offered with all-wheel drive, but we like the front-driver better for its less complex setup and its better-damped ride—odd enough, since the more complex multi-link rear suspension on AWD and hybrid versions handles vertical ride motions with more assertive damping.

    Toyota grafts on a version of the familiar Prius AWD hybrid system in the Corolla Cross Hybrid. With two electric motors within its front hybrid transmission and one at the rear, it’s outfitted with all-wheel drive and nets 196 hp, bringing the 0-60 mph time down to 8.0 seconds and hitting an EPA 42 mpg combined. 

    At 175.6 inches long, about a half-foot shorter than a RAV4, the Corolla Cross rides on a wheelbase that’s only a couple of inches shorter. That translates into excellent space for front passengers. In back, it’s a half-foot less for rear-seat leg room. The ‘Cross needs better padding on its front seats, but ample headroom and a fine driving position get good marks; it’s able to carry four people comfortably, though a fifth passenger will be a tight fit.

    The Corolla Cross sports standard automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, active lane control, and automatic high beams. Blind-spot monitors come standard on the LE and XLE, and on all hybrids above the S trim. No crash-test results have been reported from the NHTSA, but the IIHS gives it a Top Safety Pick+ award.

    How much does the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross cost?

    The 2023 Corolla Cross L starts at $24,275, and includes cloth seats, a 7.0-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and power features. The $26,605 Corolla Cross LE upgrades to an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless smartphone charging. Toyota’s 3-year/36,000-mile warranty includes two years or 24,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance. It’s $28,380 for a 2023 Corolla Cross XLE.

    All 2023 Corolla Cross trims get a new infotainment interface with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, USB-C ports, and connected navigation with cloud-based routing and POI search, as well a wi-fi hotspot service through AT&T.

    Hybrids come in S, SE, and XSE spec, all with 17-inch wheels, the bigger touchscreen, a sport suspension, and LED lighting. SE Hybrids gain blind-spot monitors and roof rails, while the XSE gets better LED headlights and a power heated driver seat with synthetic leather. 

    Where is the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross made?

    In Huntsville, Alabama.



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  • UAW leaders: Detroit 3 can afford our demands

    UAW leaders: Detroit 3 can afford our demands

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    UAW leaders on Wednesday delivered a clear message to members: The union has high demands for this upcoming round of contract negotiations with the Detroit 3 and are prepared to strike if the companies don’t meet them.

    In a first-of-its-kind virtual town hall, UAW President Shawn Fain, Secretary-Treasurer Margaret Mock and the union’s three vice presidents laid out priorities that include ending the tiered wage system, reinstating cost-of-living increases and adding stronger job protections to prevent future plant closures. They said Ford Motor Co., General Motors and Stellantis have made enough profits in recent years to no longer need concessions from their work forces.

    “They can afford our demands, and we expect them to pony up,” Fain said. “This is our time to get our fair share of the pie.”

    The leaders struck a defiant tone at times, using charts and graphics to contrast corporate profits with union wages. Fain said the Detroit 3 have made so much money over the past decade that they could collectively use those profits to purchase every pro baseball, basketball and hockey team and still have billions left over.

    Vice President Rich Boyer, head of the Stellantis department, blasted CEOs Mary Barra of GM, Jim Farley of Ford and Carlos Tavares of Stellantis for their high compensation relative to the average worker’s wages.

    “Remember that when they say we’re family,” Boyer said. “We’re not family.”

    The upcoming round of negotiations are expected to be difficult and contentious as the union fights for better wages and benefits while the automakers attempt to keep costs under control. Union leaders, most of whom are newly elected and have not shied away from divisive rhetoric, said Wednesday they weren’t afraid of going on strike. The automakers’ contracts with the UAW expire in September.

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  • Fed Proposal Would Require Automatic Emergency Braking On New Vehicles

    Fed Proposal Would Require Automatic Emergency Braking On New Vehicles

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    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing standard-issue automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems for most new vehicles sold in the United States. If approved, the measure would take effect within three years of being finalized. It would require automakers to include the system on new light trucks and passenger cars weighing less than 10,000 pounds.

    The proposal was announced on May 31 as part of NHTSA’s National Roadway Safety Strategy, launched in early 2022 to examine the increase in traffic deaths. The agency estimates that a minimum of 340 lives could be saved each year if the proposal is approved, with injury accidents reduced by 24,000. NHTSA also states there would be a marked decrease in property damage as a result of mandatory AEB systems.

    “We’ve seen the benefits of the AEB system in some passenger vehicles already even at lower speeds, and we want to expand the use of the technology to save even more lives,” said NHTSA Chief Counsel Ann Carlson. “That’s why our proposed rule would require all cars to be able to stop and avoid contact with a vehicle in front of them up to 62 miles per hour. And the proposal would require pedestrian AEB, including requiring that AEB recognize and avoid pedestrians at night.”

    There is data to support the NHTSA’s position. A recent study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that rear-end collisions dropped 43 percent on pickup trucks equipped with AEB. Injuries were 42 percent lower, and serious injuries in rear-end collisions were 77 percent lower. However, it’s important to note the study focused only on pickup trucks.

    A potential downside to the added tech – also revealed in a study by the IIHS – could be increased repair costs and difficulty getting the systems to work properly following a collision. Cameras and sensors used by modern driver assist systems can be finicky to calibrate, with the IIHS study mentioning some owners of repaired vehicles having recurring issues with the functionality of safety systems.

    At this time, there’s no mention of when a final ruling on the proposal could take place.

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  • Honda’s Ohio Engine Plant Produces 30 Millionth Powertrain – It’s A Hybrid

    Honda’s Ohio Engine Plant Produces 30 Millionth Powertrain – It’s A Hybrid

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    Honda’s Anna Engine Plant in Ohio has produced its 30 millionth powertrain. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder hybrid unit, destined for an Accord or CR-V, signifies the shift happening throughout the industry that will be pivotal to the plant’s future.

    In the US, nearly 60 percent of Accord and CR-V sales are of the brand’s two-motor hybrid-electric system. The powertrain bridges the era of pure combustion engines the facility started producing in 1985 and the battery-electric components it will build in a few short years.

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    Honda is investing $700 million to retool its Anna Engine Plant, East Liberty Auto Plant, and Marysville Auto Plant so it can produce battery-electric vehicles. Anna will make the cases for Honda’s Intelligent Power Unit that will house the battery module and its controlling hardware.

    The Anna facility is Honda’s largest engine plant in the world and has produced more than just engines. Over the years, employees have made transmissions, suspension components, and wheels. It employs 2,900 people today who build Honda’s V6 and inline-four engines, including hybrids, and the company expects to sustain employment levels at its facilities during the transition to EVs.

    Honda’s EV hub will also include a new joint venture battery facility with LG Energy Solutions, which recently broke ground. The combined investment is projected to reach $4.4 billion, and the facility will produce lithium-ion batteries for the EVs that will be produced at Honda’s East Liberty and Marysville factories. Honda had initially planned to begin EV production in Ohio in 2026, but it changed course and moved the start forward to 2025.

    Honda will transfer engine production out of Anna by August as it preps the facility to produce the cases. Other changes include moving Accord production from Marysville to Indiana to consolidate production lines so the automaker can begin producing EVs.

    While the automaker is investing considerably in electric vehicles, the company believes combustion engines could linger beyond 2040. However, it’s also pushing for EVs and hybrids to account for 40 percent of its sales by 2030, as that’s the direction the industry is heading.

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  • Isle of Man TT 2023: Harrison ups the pace at midway point of practice week

    Isle of Man TT 2023: Harrison ups the pace at midway point of practice week

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    After Peter Hickman notched up a 132mph lap on his FHO Racing BMW Superbike on Tuesday evening, Harrison raised the game for practice week in 2023 on Wednesday.

    Wednesday’s running began with the Superbike and Superstock class session, with Hickman leading the pack away on his Superstock machine for two laps.

    Harrison set off behind him on his DAO Racing Kawasaki Superbike, and set the initial pace from a standing start of 133.284mph for the first sub-17-minute lap of TT 2023 at 16m59.089s.

    Hickman let Harrison through as they thundered along the start/finish straight on the Glencrutchery Road, with the Kawasaki rider released to put in a stunning final flying lap on his Superbike.

    Harrison completed the lap at 133.514mph, which would keep him top overall as the evening’s running continued.

    Michael Dunlop was second-quickest on his Hawk Racing Honda with a 133.367mph, set on his second lap on his Superbike having started on his Superstock Honda.

    Hickman completed the top three having only gotten one lap in on his Superbike at 131.862mph, with Jamie Coward (KTS Racing) fourth and John McGuinness fifth – the TT legend setting his first 130mph lap since 2016 on his Honda at 130.035mph.

    Michael Dunlop

    Photo by: Isle of Man TT

    In the Superstock class, Hickman led the way with a 133.284mph (which was the third-fastest time overall of the evening) from Dunlop at 132.694mph.

    Both Padgetts Honda riders, Davey Todd and Conor Cummins, stopped briefly on their Superbike laps, and thus didn’t register representative times.

    But in the Superstock class, Todd was third with a 131.711mph lap ahead of Cummins at 129.825mph, while Harrison was fifth at 129.148mph.

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    Hickman led the way in the Supersport class on his Trooper Beer Triumph at 127.206mph ahead of the Russell Racing Yamaha of Harrison with a 125.145mph lap.

    Dunlop completed the top three on his MD Racing Yamaha at 124.973mph, with Todd and Coward rounding out the top five.

    Coward topped the Supertwins times at 120.912mph, while Hickman was forced to stop his Yamaha early into his very first lap on the bike at TT 2023 after it wasn’t ready for night one and night two’s session was cancelled.

    The Birchall brothers continued to lead the Sidecar class, topping the session with a 118.523mph lap.

    The outfit, piloted by Ben Birchall with brother Tom as passenger, set this on their only lap of the evening after they were forced to pull off at Ballacraine of their second effort.

    They headed Peter Founds and Jevan Walmsley at 118.159mph, while Ryan and Callum Crowe were back in action in third after missing Tuesday’s practice following an incident on Monday.

    The Crowe brothers were third at 114.128mph.

    Alan Founds was able to take part in Wednesday’s running after his passenger Jake Lowther was banned from TT 2023 on Tuesday for failing a drugs test.

    Founds rode with Colin Smyth – who was meant to be Maria Costello’s passenger this year, though the FHO rider was absent from Wednesday’s running – and cracked the top 20.

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  • Hyundai Donates Four Santa Cruz Trucks To City With The Same Name

    Hyundai Donates Four Santa Cruz Trucks To City With The Same Name

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    Hyundai has donated four Santa Cruz pickups to the City of Santa Cruz, California. The vehicles, the largest donation to a city by Hyundai Motor America to date and valued at approximately $164,000, will serve in the city’s Marine Safety Division and help keep local beachgoers safe.

    “These vehicles are going to be game-changing in terms of bolstering our current fleet of vehicles that are available not only for patrol, but for the emergency response for the water rescues we have all year round,” said Rob Oatey, Santa Cruz’s fire chief.

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    The Santa Cruz feature a unique safety livery with “Lifeguard” and “Santa Cruz Fire Dept.” on the doors. It also features load extenders for the roof rack, which should allow the truck to carry longer items like a boat or other safety equipment.

    The Santa Cruz debuted two years ago, giving Hyundai a new compact truck offering that competes with the new Ford Maverick. The truck has a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder or a 2.5-liter turbocharged unit. The naturally aspirated mill makes 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, while the turbo one pumps out 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of twist. The only gearbox available is the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic.

    “We are honored to help keep beachgoers safe in the City of Santa Cruz by supporting the City of Santa Cruz Marine Safety Division,” said Trevor Lai, senior manager of product planning at Hyundai Motor North America. He was at the ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside Fred Keeley and Nathan Nguyen, Santa Cruz’s mayor and public works director.

    The compact truck segment isn’t that crowded at the moment, with Ford offering the only direct competitor. The Maverick also debuted for the 2022 model year, giving the Blue Oval a new offering to slot below the bigger Ranger. Toyota has toyed with offering a Maverick and Santa Cruz rival, but that remains speculative.

    Santa Cruz sales were up in the year’s first quarter by 11 percent to just over 9,300 sales. The Maverick saw a similar sales increase during the same period, but it’s outselling the Santa Cruz, with Ford moving nearly 21,500 trucks by comparison. The additional publicity might help bump up Santa Cruz sales.

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  • Jaguar E-Type Morphs Into 160-HP EV, Retains Classic Looks

    Jaguar E-Type Morphs Into 160-HP EV, Retains Classic Looks

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    There are certain things about electric cars we don’t like – their price and weight, for example. But there are also other aspects of the electric mobility we find quite attractive – and conversions of classic cars into vintage-looking zero-emissions machines are certainly among them. We’ve already seen plenty of beautifully restored and modified Jaguar E-Types and there’s a new player on the market. Because, you know, the more, the better.

    The lovely opalescent silver blue E-Type you can see in the gallery below is the first customer car from the UK-based Electrogenic. The classic Jag retains its original exterior design but underneath the sleek skin, there’s a fully electric powertrain developed by Electrogenic. It’s a drop-in kit – one of several different available – that has been fitted inside the 1962 Series 1 Roadster future-proofing it and giving the driver a completely new driving experience.

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    The aftermarket company has installed what it calls the E43 package, which comes with a 43-kilowatt-hour battery pack for a real-world range of more than 150 miles between two charges. The peak output of the electric motor is 160 horsepower (120 kilowatts) and 460 pound-feet (620 Newton-meters) of instant torque, making it less powerful but more torquey than the original inline-six combustion engines. The 0-60 miles per hour acceleration takes less than six seconds.

    Electrogenic seems to be especially proud of the fact that it has managed to install almost all components of the electric drive system into the existing engine compartment and transmission tunnel. The company says it has also managed to keep the weight balance of the vehicle and even optimize it for better handling. There are also larger 48- and 64-kWh battery packages available, in which the batteries are tucked away in the space behind the rear seat. Impressively, even when equipped with the largest battery option, the restomoded E-Type weighs no more than a conventionally powered example.

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  • Tesla Model Y was the world’s best-selling car in Q1

    Tesla Model Y was the world’s best-selling car in Q1

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    With more than 40,000 units sold in March, the Model Y was Europe’s best-seller in the first quarter, marking the first time a Tesla model achieved that milestone, according to market researcher Dataforce.

    Elon Musk on Tuesday visited China for the first time in three years, highlighting the importance of the world’s biggest electric car market.

    Model Y ranked first in global sales, followed by the Toyota Corolla, Toyota Hilux, Toyota RAV4 and Toyota Camry, according to the data. The Model Y is the only full-electric car on the list.

    Musk recently told CNBC that growing tensions between China and the U.S. “should be a concern for everyone.” Tesla also recently held talks with Indian officials about building a new factory in India.

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  • Rimac Nevera Caught At The Nürburgring, Preparing For EV Lap Record Attempt?

    Rimac Nevera Caught At The Nürburgring, Preparing For EV Lap Record Attempt?

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    The Rimac Nevera wearing a livery inspired by Mate Rimac’s BMW 3 Series E30 EV conversion is back. After setting 23 records at the Automotive Testing Papenburg (ATP), the electric hypercar visited the Nürburgring. But why? Deliveries to customers have started, so development should be over by now. Maybe the Croatian brand is testing a new version. However, our money is on test laps to get acquainted with the immensely challenging Green Hell.

    Perhaps Rimac is doing the legwork to prepare for a future lap record attempt. To be crowned the Lord of the ‘Ring among EVs, the Nevera needs to be faster than the Porsche Taycan Turbo S. The speedy sedan from Zuffenhausen completed the course in 7 minutes and 33 seconds. Given the incredible performance of the silent hypercar, the Nevera shouldn’t have any issues dethroning the Tesla Model S Plaid rival.

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    Technically, the Taycan Turbo S isn’t the fastest road-legal EV to go around the Nordschleife as the Nio EP9 did it in 6 minutes and 45 seconds back in May 2017. However, that one was only built in 16 units, so it doesn’t count as a true production car. The Rimac Nevera isn’t as exclusive as 150 vehicles are being made, at an eye-watering $2.4 million a pop.

    Mind you, there’s an even faster electric car that has lapped the ‘Ring, with the Volkswagen ID.R taking just 6 minutes and 5 seconds to do the job in June 2019. The overall record belongs to Porsche and its 919 Hybrid Evo that lapped the Nürburgring in an incredible 5 minutes and 19 seconds in June 2018.

    It will be interesting to see how the Nevera fares since heavy cars and lots of corners are not an ideal combination. It weighs 2,300 kilograms (5,070 pounds), but then again, it has quad motors making a combined 1,914 horsepower and 1,741 pound-feet (2,360 Newton-meters) of torque.

    23 records have demonstrated nothing can beat it in a straight line, so now it needs to prove it can go fast around a corner, too. About 170 if we’re talking strictly about the Nürburgring.

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  • 2024 Toyota Highlander Review: Prices, Specs, and Photos

    2024 Toyota Highlander Review: Prices, Specs, and Photos

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    This review includes impressions of both the new 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander and the smaller carryover 2024 Toyota Highlander. 

    The 2024 Grand Highlander rights the wrongs of the three-row Highlander with more passenger room in all three rows, giving it the utility of the Toyota Sienna minivan but in a more popular SUV body. The three available powertrains offer a choice between greater efficiency and greater power, and give the Highlander an edge over three-row rivals such as the Grand Cherokee L, Kia Telluride, Honda Pilot, Ford Explorer, and so many others.  

    It’s hard to top the efficiency of either the 36-mpg Highlander Hybrid and the 34-mpg Grand Highlander Hybrid in the three-row crossover SUV class. Only the Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid and Toyota Sienna minivans outrun it in terms of efficiency. Bolstered by the Grand Highlander, the 2024 Toyota Highlander earns a TCC Rating of 7.2 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

    The big news is the arrival of the bigger 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander. It reaches 6.5 inches longer and has a 3.9-inch longer wheelbase than the standard Highlander. It’s also wider and taller, and lacks the packaging compromises of the cramped third row in the redesigned Toyota Sequoia. The Grand Highlander splits the difference between the Sequoia and the Highlander as the most functional three-row SUV sold by Toyota. 

    It looks more elegant than the other SUVs as well. The Grand Highlander smooths out the styling bulge of the Highlander and Sienna for clean, smooth body sides and a more vertical face. 

    Inside, the upscale intentions implied by the Grand name continue, with a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen dominating the dash, but underscored by real climate knobs. Accent stitching pops on available leather trims, but the dash and console are optimized for storage space and other practicalities. 

    Eight seats come standard in both Highlanders with a third-row bench, but second-row captain’s chairs are a popular choice to seat seven. Third-row rides get about six inches more legroom in the Grand Highlander, and suitcases can fit behind the third row. 

    2024 Toyota Highlander engine options

    The 2024 Toyota Highlander can be had with one of three powertrains in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Two powertrains carry over from the standard Highlander, including the 2.4-liter turbo-4 introduced as standard in the Highlander last year in place of a V-6 option. It makes 265 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque and pairs with a decisive 8-speed automatic transmission that lets the engine deliver gobs of low-end torque. The engine is louder and rougher than the 2.5-liter inline-4 hybrid ubiquitous in Toyota’s lineup, but it makes the vehicle quicker and more responsive. 

    The third powertrain option is exclusive to the Grand Highlander. Co-opted from the Toyota Crown, the Hybrid Max powertrain teams the 2.4-liter turbo-4 with a motor on either axle for standard all-wheel drive and a 0-60 mph time of 6.3 seconds. The acceleration is remarkable and unusual for a Highlander, and it handles better than many rivals, but fuel economy of 27 mpg combined can’t match the 36 mpg on the Highlander hybrid. 

    Standard safety features include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, active lane control, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and all but the base L come with blind-spot monitors. A perennial Top Safety Pick+ winner from the IIHS with five-star ratings from the NHTSA, the Highlander and Grand Highlander should once again ace crash tests once they are completed for the new year and new model. 

    How much does the 2024 Toyota Highlander cost?

    It really depends on the body style and engine choice. The base Highlander L costs about $38,000, including the $1,335 destination fee. It has the basics covered such as a 8.0-inch touchscreen with smartphone compatibility, 

    But all-wheel drive costs $1,600 and the base hybrid powertrain adds another $1,600. Apples to apples, the Grand Highlander XLE costs $44,405 whereas the Highlander XLE costs $43,355. The Grand is easily worth the extra, ahem, grand. 

    The Grand Highlander XLE leans into the premium territory occupied by Lexus, with standard features such as a 12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless phone charger, synthetic leather upholstery, power front seats that are heated, seven USB ports, a power tailgate, and it rolls on 18-inch alloy wheels. 

    The Grand Highlander Platinum Hybrid Max with standard AWD hits the luxury space at a cost of $59,460. That’s a lot for a Highlander, Grand or not. 

    Where is the 2024 Toyota Highlander made?

    Both Highlanders are made In Princeton, Indiana, alongside the larger Sequoia full-size SUV and the Sienna minivan.



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