Category: Reviews

What kind of vehicle is the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio? What does it compare to?

A five-passenger crossover SUV with sporty tuning and luxury pricing, the 2024 Stelvio faces off against vehicles like the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes GLC.

Is the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio a good SUV?

It’s neither particularly frugal nor especially practical, but the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio is possibly the most interesting offering amongst its contemporaries. We score a 6.2 out of 10, thanks to the thrilling performance of Quadrifoglio models and its unabashed personality. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

What’s new for the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio?

The Stelvio gets LED adaptive matrix headlights, a new grille insert to update the traditional tri-lobe shape, and a new taillight design to freshen the exterior, while the cockpit gets a larger digital instrument display. Furthermore, two new limited editions, the Competizione and the 100th Anniversary Edition Stelvio Quadrifoglio, join the lineup. The former slots just below the Quadrifoglio, with a compelling combination of luxury and performance features. The latter adds gold interior and exterior accents and exclusive badging to the Quadrifoglio, but in a limited run of 100 SUVs globally.

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio is a curvy crossover version of the Giulia sedan, expanding the cargo area and offering a higher riding position. Unlike many of its competitors, there’s no pretense of all-terrain capability. 

The base 2.0-liter turbo-4 engine offers good grunt from its 280 hp, and pairs with an obedient 8-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is standard across the lineup, except for the entry-level Stelvio Sprint model. Upgraded versions include a limited-slip rear differential and adaptive dampers, and a price that could tip $90,000 for the Stelvio Quadrifoglio. That gets a Ferrari-derived, 505-hp 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6. Handling and ride are sharp across the lineup, even though steering tends toward the manic side.

Alfa Romeo’s interior appointments can’t match the luxury offered by German competitors, but the Stelvio delivers on the basics, with decent space, reasonable infotainment, and a generous list of standard driver-assistance technology.

We’re waiting on full crash test evaluations, but Alfa includes adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking as standard. A clever traffic-jam assist system is available, too.

How much does the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio cost?

Based on 2023 pricing, we estimate about $48,000 to start, or, with all-wheel drive, about $50,000. That includes leather upholstery, heated front seats, an 8.8-inch touchscreen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a decent list of crash-avoidance tech. That will be fine for most shoppers, though the new Competizione edition, with its unique styling, makes a compelling option at $57,420 (including a hefty $1,595 destination charge). 

Where is the 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio made?

In Italy. 

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.

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.

Fuel economy is just OK; look for mid-to-upper 20s, per estimates using the EPA’s test. Unlike many rivals, there’s no Terrain hybrid option. 

Better, the Terrain offers up good interior room for four or five passengers and a fairly large 30-cubic-foot cargo area that more than doubles in capacity with the rear seatbacks folded down. The standard 7.0-inch touchscreen can be upgraded to an 8.0-inch display, though all versions have smartphone mirroring and a decent interface. 

Basic automatic emergency braking comes standard. Adaptive cruise control and a surround-view camera system are among various driver-assistance features on the options list. Overall, crash-test results impress, though the IIHS is less-than-thrilled with the LED headlights. 

How much does the 2024 GMC Terrain cost?

The base Terrain nudges in around $33,000, which is on the high side especially since all-wheel drive adds another $1,600. Upgrading to the Terrain SLT bumps the price around $4,000, but it means trading cloth for leather and the 7.0-inch display for an 8.0-incher. 

Where is the 2024 GMC Terrain made?

In Mexico. 

The Sierra sticks with a conventional independent front and leaf-sprung rear suspension setup, which rides well enough—and even better with the adaptive dampers on the Denali. 

If you can find a trail wide enough, the Sierra can happily clamber down it even in its most basic form. The AT4X version features a 2-inch higher ride height and trick Multimatic dampers that soak up big bumps. 

The basic Pro version serves fleet buyers with decent comfort, while SLE and Elevation models are geared more toward non-commercial users. In crew cab form, all have great seats up front and a stretch-out back seat. Interior materials mostly impress—as they should for these prices, since a well-equipped mid-level model can easily top $60,000 with a few options. The widescreen fitted to all but the Pro version can be upgraded with trick Google Maps integration that works just like your home computer. 

Standard crash-avoidance tech includes the basics: automatic emergency braking, active lane control, and blind-spot monitors. Adaptive cruise control is optional, while higher-end trim levels can be outfitted with GMC’s impressive SuperCruise system for stints of true hands-off driving on thousands of miles of mapped highways. 

How much does the 2024 GMC Sierra cost?

Pull out your pocketbook. While a 2024 GMC Sierra Pro may cost less than $40,000 to start, adding options will hike the price substantially. Budget at least $55,000 for an SLE or Elevation, and even then you’ll want to save room for tempting extras. 

Where is the 2024 GMC Sierra made?

Depending on the configuration, it can be built in Michigan, Indiana, or Mexico. 

What kind of vehicle is the 2024 Honda Pilot? What does it compare to?

The 2024 Honda Pilot is a three-row crossover SUV with a big interior and decent V-6 power. Shop it against the Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander, and Kia Telluride. 

Is the 2024 Honda Pilot a good SUV?

Big and reasonably stylish for a three-row crossover SUV, the 2024 Pilot makes a solid case for itself. Middling fuel economy and some quirky tech hold it back against the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade, though the 2023 Pilot netted a solid 6.6 out of 10. We’ll update this score once official information becomes available. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

What’s new for the 2024 Honda Pilot?

We expect no major changes for 2024. The Pilot was revamped for 2023 with blockier styling, an off-road-ish trim level, and a muscular V-6 engine. 

Its blunt front end gives way to a side profile that looks like an updated version of some 1990s classics. The available TrailSport trim delivers a hint of off-road utility with its higher stance, real skid plates, and recovery points. 

Inside, most versions come with a 9.0-inch touchscreen that juts out of an otherwise simple, contemporary dashboard. 

The Pilot makes use of a smooth 3.5-liter V-6 rated at 285 hp, which clicks its way through 10 gears to either the front or, optionally, all four wheels. The gearbox works silently in the background to make the most of all that power, but the Pilot will beg for fuel-station stops. Look for just 21 mpg combined for most models with all-wheel drive. The TrailSport’s slightly lifted suspension nudges that down by another mpg. Honda doesn’t currently offer a Pilot hybrid. 

A calm, comfortable ride with standard 18-inch wheels changes only slightly with the bigger 20s fitted to higher-trim versions. The TrailSport can be a bit bouncy with its off-road tires. It’s definitely more capable in the rough than other versions, but we question how many owners will venture beyond a grass parking lot. 

More importantly, the cabin swallows up as many as eight passengers is solid comfort. It’s not quite as spacious as Honda’s own Odyssey van, but it comes close. Second-row captain’s chairs are widely available. 

Crash tests have yet to be performed on the latest Pilot. Look for the expected array of driver-assistance tech, including adaptive cruise control, active lane control, and a driver-attention monitor. Blind-spot monitors come on all but the lowest trims. 

How much does the 2024 Honda Pilot cost?

Figure around $37,500 to start in base LX trim, which is a bit spartan with its unheated cloth seats and dinky 7.0-inch touchscreen. The Sport tosses in rear-seat climate controls and butt warmers up front for a hefty $3,000 more, at which point you might as well drop another three grand for the EX-L with its leather trim, 9.0-inch display, and power tailgate. 

Where is the 2024 Honda Pilot made?

In Lincoln, Alabama.

Ford offers standard and extended-range versions that can lug up to 10,000 pounds when properly equipped. Standard models check in with around 240 miles of range. The extended-range battery has traditionally cost a lot more for its 80-mile bump; consider your real-world needs first.

Electric motors on the front and rear axles provide all that thrust, plus all-wheel-drive traction. 

The F-150 has big battery packs that take a long time to charge. A standard-range truck depleted to 15% of remaining battery power will need around 15 hours of juicing up at a Level 2 home charger to be back to 100%. Public Level 3 chargers are much faster, though. 

The big crew cab means plenty of interior space. Vinyl, cloth, and leather options reveal your truck’s place in Ford’s hierarchy. The F-150 Lightning’s front trunk, or frunk, serves up weathertight storage where the engine would normally go. 

Standard models have a 12.0-inch touchscreen that grows to a massive 15.5 inches as you work your way up the lineup, too. 

The automaker’s optional BlueCruise driver-assistance tech allows for stints of hands-free driving on mapped highways, though its value in a truck with limited range is somewhat dubious. 

How much does the 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning cost?

Last year, the 2023 F-150 Lightning ran about $62,000 in its cheapest, work-oriented Pro trim. That money buys the standard-range battery pack and a vinyl cabin with rubber floors. Another $5,000 buys the XLT with its swanky light bar and cloth seats, plus access to the $14,000—yes, really—extended-range battery pack.

Where is the 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning made?

In Michigan.

The overhauled interior varies by trim as well, but all Tacomas have a chunky center console with a mechanical gear selector, a drive mode dial, and a grab handle on the passenger side. Curiously, the passenger side has a hidden grab handle on the pillar, but the driver has to use the steering wheel to lend a hand while getting in. Big climate dials sit under thin vents, and the dash is crowned by either an 8.0-inch or 14.0-inch touchscreen sticking out like a digital thumb. A name plate on camo-type plastic dash trim reminds the passenger of the make of the truck.  

What are the 2024 Toyota Tacoma engine and suspension options?

The four powertrain options are new as well. The base engine in SR grades is a detuned 2.4-liter turbo-4 that makes 228 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque. An 8-speed automatic drives power to the rear wheels or available four-wheel drive with a 2-speed transfer case. It can be fitted with a 6-speed manual with the uprated turbo-4 but only in the extended cab (Toyota’s Double Cab) configuration.

The uprated turbo-4 adopted from the Toyota Highlander three-row SUV comes on every other grade except TRD Pro and Trailhunter models. It makes 278 hp and 317 lb-ft with the 8-speed automatic, but with the 6-speed manual it’s limited to 270 hp and 310 lb-ft to prevent axle windup. 

In that most common configuration, towing peaks at 6,500 pounds with RWD, which is a decline of 300 pounds from the previous model due to the turbo-4 and overall vehicle mass.

A double wishbone front suspension and leaf-spring rear suspension carries over on SR, SR5 XtraCab, and PreRunner grades, but every Double Cab model gets coil springs and a multilink rear suspension that promises to make the ride a bit calmer and passenger friendly.  

The hybrid powertrain with a 48-hp permanent magnet synchronous motor standard on TRD Pro and Trailhunter comes from the Toyota Tundra full-size pickup. Paired with an 8-speed automatic and 4WD with a center diff lock, it makes 326 hp and 465 lb-ft and can tow 6,000 pounds. 

Those off-road models also come with unique suspension tuning and off-road gear. The TRD Pro has Fox internal bypass shocks with piggyback remote reservoirs, front seats with shock absorber adjustments built into the seat backs, an electronic rear locking differential, an electronic front stabilizer bar disconnect, and 18-inch black TRD Pro wheels with 33-inch Goodyear Territory R/T tires. 

The new Trailhunter model aims to be the overlanding rock crawler of the Tacoma TRD family. Its wheels are colored bronze, and it has ARB Old Man Emu 2.5-inch monotube position sensitive shocks with piggyback remote reservoirs, rock rails, LED fog lamps, an air intake along the passenger A-pillar, a bed utility bar, an air compressor in the bed and other available accessories, such as a rooftop tent. 

2024 Tacoma extended cab, XtraCab, and bed sizes

The Tacoma still comes with two cab and bed sizes, but the former Access Cab has morphed into a two-door XtraCab with no rear seats. Available on SR, SR5, and TRD PreRunner trims and paired only with a 6-foot bed, the XtraCab optimizes utility while minimizing the seats to two. Toyota didn’t have cab-specific specs at press time, but the XtraCab has lockable storage cubbies in the rear floor and on the back panel, and the passenger seat can fold flat to double as a work space with an integrated cup holder. 

The extended cab comes with four doors and five seats, and can be paired with either the 5-foot or 6-foot bed. Toyota says there’s three times as much storage space under the rear seat than then in the third-generation truck, but that’s only in non-hybrids. The hybrid battery pack sits under the rear seat as in other Toyotas, but in any Double Cab, the rear seats fold flat. Up front, the dash integrates a storage shelf in front of the passenger seat for smartphones or Dentyne or what have you, and available Molle pockets on the console and doors hold more stuff. 

The beds have 7% more volume, Toyota says, and the aluminum tailgate can be optioned with power. A quick release tailgate button is integrated into either taillight. Plenty of power can be accessed in the bed as well, with a standard 400-watt AC inverter (and another in the center console), and hybrids have a 2,400-watt AC inverter. A 12-volt plug is also available in the bed and cabin. 

2024 Toyota Tacoma safety

The new design and a more rigid chassis bolstered by stronger crossmembers should improve its crash-test ratings with the NHTSA and the IIHS. 

Toyota equips every Tacoma with driver-assist tech designed to mitigate or avoid a crash. Standard safety features include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, active lane control, an enhanced adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, road sign recognition, and an emergency stop function that will stop the truck if the driver is unresponsive to alerts and warnings. Options include blind-spot monitors and a surround-view camera system.  

How much does the 2024 Toyota Tacoma cost?

Expect the new Tacoma to crest $30,000 in the base SR grade with a two-door cab and 6-foot bed. On the other end of the price spectrum, the fully-loaded factory-lifted Trailhunter model will likely exceed $60,000. The sweet spot for most Tacoma shoppers will likely fall in between, with SR5, Trd PreRunner, TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, Limited, or TRD Pro models.

Standard equipment includes the 2.4-liter turbo-4 with the 8-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive, 17-inch wheels, power windows and locks, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, keyless start, and USB-C ports.

TRD Sport and above grades include a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, while Limited, TRD Pro, and Trailhunter come with a 14-inch touchscreen, a head-up display, heated and cooled front seats, a portable JBL speaker, and 18-inch wheels with trim-specific designs. 

Where is the 2024 Toyota Tacoma made?

In Guanajuato and Baja, Mexico.

The Mustang sticks with familiar engines, but both have more power. The base 2.3-liter turbo-4 improves from 310 to 315 hp thanks to the addition of port injection to direct injection, a higher compression ratio, higher thermal efficiency, and reduced internal friction. Ford said the turbo-4 offers up to 25 mpg combined.

The 5.0-liter V-8 in GT models increases from 455 to 480 hp with the adoption of dual electronic throttle bodies fed by a new dual airbox, and a longer duration exhaust camshaft. It also has port and direct injection like the last model. 

A version of the 5.0-liter V-8 in the Dark Horse makes 500 hp. All models offer the choice of a 10-speed automatic transmission or a 6-speed manual with rev matching.

Ford keeps the Mustang on the DC2 platform from the last model, but company engineers have tweaked the shocks, springs, rear suspension links, aluminum lower control arms, and stabilizer bars to improve dynamics. They also quickened the steering ratio from 16.0:1 to 15.5:1.

The brakes are upgraded for 2024, with Brembo calipers on all models. The top of three brake packages, offered for Performance Pack cars, uses 15.4-inch front rotors with 6-piston calipers and 14.0-inch rear rotors with 4-piston rear calipers. Performance Packs are offered for all models. The versions for the EcoBoost and GT models add a Torsen limited-slip differential and a front strut tower brace. For Performance Pack cars, Ford also offers wider rear wheels and tires, magnetic dampers, an active exhaust, Recaro bucket seats, and an active exhaust. 

A couple of new performance gadgets provide a little flair for 2024, Remote Rev, which lets owners rev the engine from outside the car with the key fob, and an Electronic Drift Brake. The latter is an L-shaped electronic parking brake that is enabled on the center screen and also puts the car in Track mode. The other driving modes are Normal, Sport, Slippery, Drag, and a customizable setting with up to six profiles. The Mustang’s line lock and launch control features carry over. 

How much does the 2024 Ford Mustang cost?

The 2024 Ford Mustang is offered in EcoBoost, Ecoboost Premium, GT, GT Premium, Dark Horse, and Dark Horse Premium trim levels. So far, Ford has pricing available only for the coupe.

The base EcoBoost model starts at $32,515. Those who want a V-8 will have to spend $44,090 for a GT, and move all the way up to $60,865 for a Dark Horse. The Dark Horse Premium tops the lineup at $64,860, but Ford will also offer Dark Horse S and Dark Horse R models, though the latter may only be for racing customers. 

Ford hasn’t released a complete list of standard and available features, but the company has shared which safety features come standard. They include automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, speed limit recognition, active lane control, evasive steering assist, and rear automatic emergency braking.

Where is the 2024 Ford Mustang made?

In Flat Rock, Michigan.

The interior dimensions remain the same, and the Seltos has one of the roomier cabins in the class, highlighted by good rear legroom, reclining rear seats, and expansive cargo room. There are five seatbelts, but only four adults will fit. The 26.6 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats can expand to 62.8 cubes with the seats folded down, which is as much as many compact crossovers. 

The bones of the Seltos haven’t changed, so we expect mixed crash-test results to carry over. A disappointing four-star rating from the NHTSA countered an IIHS Top Safety Pick award in top trims on the 2023 Seltos. Standard tech includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, active lane control, and automatic high-beam headlights. Blind-spot monitors come on all but the base trim, and options range from adaptive cruise control down to a stop to limited hands-free driving. 

How much does the 2024 Kia Seltos cost?

The base 2024 Kia Seltos LX carries a sticker price of $25,715 before any options, including a mandatory $1,325 delivery fee. That model comes standard with all-wheel drive, however. Standard features include four USB ports, cloth seats, air conditioning, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. 

The next trim level up, the Seltos S, is $1,100 more with AWD, but only $600 more if you’re happy with front-wheel drive. The EX adds $800 more for FWD, but a substantial $1,500 more for the AWD trim. 

The base Seltos LX is one of the cheaper all-wheel drive small SUVs on the market, if that’s what you’re seeking. Otherwise, the EX in FWD form is a good balance of features and price, at just above $27,000. 

The new $30,015 X-Line trim adds an edgier look but not any more functionality than the LX, S, EX, and $31,315 SX grades. A fully optioned Seltos tops out in the low to mid-$30,000s.

Options range from a new panoramic screen setup with a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster beside a 10.3-inch touchscreen to a power tailgate and cooled front seats. 

Where is the 2024 Kia Seltos made?

All Seltos versions are built in Gwangju, South Korea.