November 2022 Car News Round-up
With the LA Autoshow wrapping up this week, there's a lot of car news to talk about. Here are some of the most intriguing and shocking car news we learnt in November.
1. 2024 Toyota Prius - Are you sure that's a Prius?
Source: Toyota
The Toyota Prius is one of the best hybrid to get in 2022, and it just got even better. Toyota stunned the world earlier this week when they unveiled the next generation Toyota Prius and Prius Prime. The brand new prius is sleek and shiny and there's one thing everyone agrees on, the Prius actually looks sexy now. Toyota lowered and widedned the new Prius and has made it even more aerodynamic than the outgoing version, it now gets about 57mpg, making it the most fuel-efficient Prius yet. That's not the end of the good new though. Toyota, maybe having been influenced by their recent barrage of GR sports cars, has decided to give the Prius Prime 220hp, that's almost double the output of the outgoing generation. This also means that the Prius Prime now has a 0-60 time the same as the 1st Generation Toyota GT86, at 6.7 seconds, which might actually make the new Prius qualify as a hot hatch. No information on pricing as of yet but expect it to be more expensive than the outgoing version.
2. Genesis X Convertible Concept - Genesis teases us once again with something we wish we had
Source: Genesis
Genesis revealed their Genesis X concept back in 2021 as well as the X Speedium concept this year, which was a low slung, two door EV coupe that was drop-dead gorgeous. Continuing the trend of creating beautiful cars that we can't currently get but will no doubt salivate over, they have decided to make their gorgeous concept car even prettier by chopping the top off. Hyundai says that the X convertible concept innovates their 'Athletic Elegance' design language, featuring short overhands all round and a long bonnet to emphasize its exotic looks. Its unique looking wheels don't only look amazing, they also serve a functional purpose as they help cool its brakes. Like the previous concept cars, this probably won't make it into production but it's exciting to see how Genesis will utilize this design language in the future.
3. Fiat 500e & Abarth 500e - Hurrah for hot hatch enthusiasts in North America
Source: Fiat
Source: Roadandtrack
At the Los Angeles Auto Show, Fiat announced that the 500e would finally be coming to North America in Q1 2024, as well as the discontinuation of their 500X SUV. Fiat's newest generation of 500 is electric only and produces up to 117 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. However, Fiat has gone on to say that they don't expect the car to be a huge seller at 10,000 units only a year. They also say that the car will be expensive and come in exclusive trims such as the Bvlgari, Gucci and Abarth. The reason for doing this is because 40% of the sales were those of the higher and more expensive trims, so Fiat has decided to position the 500e a fashion item akin to a trendy handbag rather than an affordable vehicle. At least the Abarth name will live on as has been spotted un camouflaged in Europe. No details on the Abarth yet but expect it to produce at least if not more than the outgoing 500 abarth, which has 160hp and 170 lb-ft.
Edit: Fiat has since formally announced the Fiat 500E Abarth, it sends 155hp and 173 lb-ft to the front wheels and has a battery pack capacity of 42kWh.
4. 9th Generation Golf - The Golf lives on
Source: AutoCar
Back in April there were rumours floating about that because of how strict Euro 7 regulations are, the Golf might be discontinued after the current generation in favour of the ID.3, Volkswagen's similarly sized EV. However, at the Los Angeles Motor Show, Volkswagen's boss told us something that gave us a sigh of relief. Thomas Schäfer, Volkswagen's CEO, said that it would be crazy to let a brand name as iconic as the Golf and GTI die. He suggested that the next-generation golf would be smaller than the next generation ID.3. However, one thing's for sure, the MK8 Golf is going to be the final generation of Golf with a combustion engine. So run out and get one while you can, which might a hard task considering the waiting list for a Golf R stretches into 2024.
5. Porsche 911 Dakar - When you're late for a house viewing in the Sahara
Source: Porsche
The 911 Dakar continues the 911 tradition where it's a great all-rounder. The new 911 Dakar is a sports car that is just as suitable for off-road driving as it is for on-road performance and also cutting a fine figure in the city. The car takes the very best parts from all the 911 trims, stiffer unit mounts from the 911 GT3 as well as the perfectly balanced naturally aspirated Flat 6 from the GT3. With 80mm more ground clearance, and a further 30mm more with their lift system, the car is suited for going full on rallying rather than the occasional off-road trek. However, all of this performance does come at a price, It starts from $223,450 and that's before options too. But if there's ever an option that you need to spec, it's the rallye design package, which allows you to get the iconic Porsche rally livery.
6. Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato - The Porsche's crazy twin
Source: Lamborghini
The Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato goes one step further, allowing you to enjoy the sonorous sounds of a V10 while going way too quickly off-road. The Lamborghini has over 140 more horsepower than the Porsche at 640, and takes the titles of the first super sports car designed for maximum driving pleasure even away from the asphalt on loose or dirt surfaces. However, the Lamborghini is capable of going up to 200mph instead of the Porsche's 147mph limit. Pricing hasn't been revealed for the Lamborghini yet as the full reveal occurs on November 30th at the Art Basel show in Miami. Those looking for a capable off-roader now no longer need to only look at SUVs, as these twins aim to dominate the off-roading scene, and perhaps your Instagram feed too.
7. 2024 Subaru Impreza - A sensible car for sensible people
Source: Subaru
If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The new Impreza looks largely similar to the outgoing version, but now it's only going to be available in hatchback form. Subaru has decided to drop the Premium and Limited trims in favour of a more powerful RS trim. The new RS trims gets a 182-hp 2.5L four-cylinder engine, a healthy 30 horsepower and 33 lb-ft bump over the base Impreza. The reason why Subaru decided to go with only a hatchback was because it made up 73% of hatchback sales. Even though the new RS trim may add some styling changes to make it appear more sporty, it's still no where near a hot hatch. With pricing expected to start at a bit north of $22,000, The Impreza is still a good option for those who want something economical and live in inclement weather.
8. 2023 Honda Accord - That's definitely what a car looks like
Source: Honda
After being bashed for over-designing the previous generation of Honda Civic, Honda has decided to go for a more mature look for their entire vehicle range when it came time to update their models. It worked out well for the Civic as it now punches above its price class in terms of looks, but not so for the new Honda Accord. The new Honda Accord looks more mature but it now lacks any sense of character, which isn't helped by the fact that Honda decided to take away the one thing that made the Accord stand out among its competition, their surprisingly quick 2.0T engine. In its place now is a 2.0L four-cylinder hybrid which is probably bring in higher fuel economy numbers, but the erasure of all character traits from the Honda Accord will be sorely missed.
9. Electric Toyota Compact Cruiser reportedly cancelled - RIP
Source: Reuters
Toyota didn't expect the EV transition to happen this quickly, which has forced it to scramble to pivot the brand further towards electrification. After the lackluster performance of their first electric car, the BZ4X, Toyota is now trying to look for ways to improve its existing EV platform or create a brand new architecture instead. In the meantime, Toyota has suspended work on the 30 EV projects that were announced back in December, which includes the unique looking Toyota Compact Cruiser. Created as an homage to the Toyota FJ Cruiser, which in itself was an homage to the original Toyota Land Cruiser, The Toyota FJ Cruiser is one of the least depreciated cars in Japan and still retains 90% of its original value. Toyota was keen to further capture this market when they decided to unveil this concept. It'd be a shame to see this car go but I hope Toyota revisits plans to develop this car when their EV architecture matures.
10. 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe - Land Rover Defender for a fraction of the cost
Source: Carscoops
Source: Kolesa
Ever wanted a Defender but was afraid it'd be unreliable or too expensive? Look no further as Hyundai aims to replicate parts of the design of the Land Rover Defender with its next generation Santa Fe. The current generation Santa Fe was criticized for its polarizing looks, with people not liking how its front fascia looked. Hyundai aims to rectify this with the 2024 Santa Fe, giving it squared off looks as well as incorporating their pixel theme seen across their entire model range. Reports also say that the new Santa Fe is going to debut the brand's revamped logo, with backlighting to replicate the front of their newest EVs. Moreover, the new Santa Fe is reported to grow in size to something akin to the Palisade, which is Hyundai's large 3-row SUV. A reveal is expected soon as the design looks to be finalized.
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