• A Hyundai Dealer Has Already Made A Mess Of An Ioniq 5 N Deal

    Dealers go wild when they get their hands on a new model, especially if it’s a limited edition or a performance model. Unfortunately this comes at the expense of the customer who has to contend with things like crappy customer service — credit checks before a test drive for instance — and worst of all, markups. Hyundai dealerships are already up to no good with the new Ioniq 5 N. Some have started receiving Ioniq 5 N allocations and they’re already starting to to mark them up. One potential buyer has learned just how ugly things can get when you challenge a dealer on a markup.

    Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Markup

    Photo: David De Rego

    We first spotted the markup on the Hyundai Elantra N owners group on Facebook. A picture showed that Ontario Hyundai in Ontario, California has a 2025 Ioniq 5 N with MSRP of $67,685. But with the dealers $20,000 markup, they’re asking an eye watering $87,685 for this performance hatch. Wanting more information, I reached out to the person who posted the image and was informed that it was actually taken by a guy who had gone to the dealer to try and buy the car. He promptly put me in touch with this individual so I could get more information on the situation.

    David De Rego — also known as @Qball1754 — is a well known automotive social media influencer in Hyundai circles. He’s a member of the SoCal N Club and is popular enough that he has some contacts at Hyundai corporate. It’s how he found out about the allocation of the Ioniq 5 N at this specific dealer before anyone else — there isn’t even a build and price tool up for it yet on Hyundai’s website. He told me that after finding out about the allocation from Hyundai, he headed straight to the dealer to see if he could work something out. “After I had been told about the allocation, I wanted to show up at Ontario first thing in the morning and work out a deal,” he said.

    David told me he wanted to trade in his modified Veloster N for the Ioniq 5 N. But things didn’t go as planned from the moment he got to the dealer. David says the salespeople and managers were weirdly defensive about him showing up for a car that they had just received. “When I was first greeted by the salesman and I mentioned the Ioniq 5 N, they became very defensive and wanted to know who told me about the car and why I just showed up for it,” he said. He then says he explained to them his involvement with Hyundai and the N brand. Things went a bit smoother from there as they went to work on numbers for the Ioniq 5 N and his trade. But that didn’t last for long.

    David says that the Ioniq 5 N was then brought around for him to inspect but he couldn’t test drive it. He was informed they’d only allow him to drive it after his credit was run and numbers were agreed upon. He then gave them a ballpark figure on where he wanted to be on his trade and what he hoped to pay for the Ioniq and was met with what he describes as attitude. “They told me this is an exotic car so everyone wants it,” David says. David and the dealer did agree on $23,000 for the Veloster N. At this point he says they immediately attempted to run his credit but he declined since they were still trying to figure things out with the Ioniq 5 N; he was told the car wasn’t in their system yet. This is a strange thing to say considering that, according to the markup sticker, the car already had a stock number.

    At this point, roadblocks to the deal started to appear as David describes. They told him there’s no lease available for the Ioniq 5 N and that it won’t qualify for the $7,500 EV tax credit. Then came the numbers for the Ioniq 5 N: $20,000 down and $1,500 a month. For some reason, David says this was when they became more curious about his association with Hyundai, N and the SoCal N Club. He says things then got even worse.

    All of a sudden, the trade-in amount they had agreed upon dropped to $15,000. He also says his fiancée overheard the sales staff saying how they were going to try and force him into financing the car. After a bit more back and forth on numbers, David tried to get them to remove the markup.

    This really pissed them off. Speaking as if he was trying to leverage his relationship with Hyundai on the deal, he said he was told that they didn’t “care about my affiliation with Hyundai or the N brand or who runs it in the U.S., corporate decides the markup.” The rant continued with David being told that the markup couldn’t be removed, no one at Hyundai or N would have a say on it and that if they wanted to they could charge an even higher markup “like the rest of the dealerships.”

    At this point David says he was done and he said he was going to walk, but not before the manager came back with an offer for his trade in that was $3,000 higher than before. David wasn’t interested though. He told him he was done and that he was going to go to another local dealership Hyundai told him about that has two Ioniq 5 N allocations. But Ontario Hyundai persisted. He says as he and his fiancée got to their car the salesman was still trying to talk numbers on a trade in value for the Veloster N. He said they seemed more focused on him trading the car than anything else at this point.

    David says the experience sucked. “I’ve never felt that disrespected by a dealership before. And to hear them talk about screwing me over just to make a sale, I couldn’t believe it.” He’s now going to try his luck at the aforementioned dealer that’s getting two allocations. He won’t mention his Veloster N trade in this time around though. He said he’s going to leave the car at home and see how things play out if he doesn’t mention it at first. “I’m hoping I have a better experience,” he told me.

    As for Ontario Hyundai, I reached out to them for a comment about the situation three separate times to try and get their side of what happened and was never able to get in touch with anyone. David said they continue to blow up his phone, either trying to make a deal or because what they’ve done to him is starting to make the rounds online

  • اما با درصدی افزایش به مشتریان می دهند.قطعات این خودرو تنها به ماتیز شباهت دارد و نمی توان آنها را با خودرو دیگری جایگزین کرد. این خودرو که حجم ۱۰۸۳ سی سی و قدرت ۶۸ اسب بخار دارد در مقایسه با ۲۰۶ تیپ دو از شتاب بالاتری برخوردار است و می توان وزن سبک این خودرو را مزید بر علت دانست اما به واقع باید کیفیت این خودرو را بالا برد و تضمین کرد تا بتواند در بازار موفق باشد. بوق خودرو بر روی فرمان قرار دارد که البته به صورت دو دکمه است و عادت کردن به آن کمی زمان لازم دارد. برخلاف تصور خیلی از افراد که MVM را یک خودروی شهری می دانند این خودرو بیشتر از پراید قابلیت جاده ای و مسافرت های بین شهری را دارد.

    • ایرادی که می‌توان به آن گرفت، پدال ترمز است که دارای حساسیت کافی نیست، ولی قدرت ترمزها با ترمزهای پژو ۲۰۶ برابری می‌کند.
    • عاق‌بندی این خودرو به درستی انجام نشده و هنگام رانندگی در اتوبان صدای باد ممکن است موجب آزار شما شود.
    • همچنین سیستم استعلام قیمت این وب سایت نیز امکان ثبت سفارش قطعات ناموجود را برای مشتریان فراهم می‌کند.
    • Chery Tiggo 3x ابتدا در سال ۲۰۱۶ در نمایشگاهی در کشور چین رونمایی شد.
    • این موتورهای کم قدرت، حرکت کردن را برای این اسباب‌بازی به جان کندن تبدیل می‌کرد.

    این خودرو وزنی معادل ۸۸۰ کیلوگرم دارد که به نظر می رسد سبک هم نیست و می توان تا حدی با آن مانور داد. از نظر کیفیت قطعات کابین در سطح مطلوبی قرار دارد و به رغم خشک بودن قطعات داشبورد و رودری ها باز هم دچار ریختگی رنگ و ترک خوردن نمی شود. بسیاری از کارشناسان اعتقاد دارند تعداد معایب ام وی ام 315 نسبت به مزایای آن بیشتر است، و پیشنهاد می‌کنند این خودرو را جهت خرید انتخاب نکنید.

    واکنش‏‏‌ خودروسازان به دستورالعمل شورای رقابت

    این خودرو از هندلینگ بهتری نسبت به پراید برخوردار است و انتظارات راننده را بیشتر از پراید در سر پیچ ها برآورده می سازد. اما یک ضعف بزرگ دارد که بلند شدن قسمت عقب این خودرو بر روی ناهمواری ها است. این مشکل فنی با نصب اسپویلر عقب نیز برطرف نشده و همچنان به قوت خود باقی است. اغلب خودروهای چینی که مونتاژ ایران هستند، در کنار ظاهر زیبا، امکانات و آپشن‌های خوب متاسفانه از کیفیت پایینی برخوردار هستند. از جمله این موارد می‌توان به متریال مورد استفاده و یا سروصدای زیاد کابین اشاره کرد. طراحی این خودرو هم مانند بیشتر خودروهای جدید چینی در ایتالیا انجام‌شده است و اگر نگوییم زیبا است نمی‌توانیم چیزی از زشت بودن آن‌هم بگوییم.

    مقایسه ام‌وی‌ام ۳۱۵ صندوقدار با برلیانس H230

    طرح چراغ‌ها از آن حالت فوق‌العاده ساده مدل پیشین به فرمی اسپرت و نسبتا اخم‌آلود با زوایای تیز و خطوط صاف درآمده که دو طرف یک جلوپنجره بزرگ با نوارهای کرومی را به تسخیر خود درآورده‌اند. در این مطلب قصد داریم به بررسی معایب و مزایای جدیدترین مجله خبری خودرو ام وی ام مدل این خودرو نسبت به رقبا بپردازیم و امیدواریم مطالعه آن شما را در تصمیم گیری یاری کند. در ام وی ام ۳۱۵ پلاس، با افزودن گیربکس چهارسرعته اتوماتیک، بهینه‌سازی‌های ظاهری، داشبورد جدید و سیستم کنترل پایداری بهبودهایی صورت گرفته است.

    لیست مقایسه های ام وی ام 315 پلاس در گوگل

    گفته می شود اتومبیلmvm ایکس ۲۲ سعادت زیادی در این مورد نداشته است، زیرا در ردیف صندلی‌های عقب، کوبش‌های بسیاری از سیستم تعلیق به سرنشینان منتقل می‌گردد. صندلی های این خودرو بسیار راحت تر از برخی دیگر خودروها مانند پراید است. حتی به رغم کوچک بودن ابعاد بدنه باز هم سرنشینان عقب، این خودرو را راحت تر از ۲۰۶ می دانند. صندلی های عقب این خودرو قابلیت تاشدن را دارد از فضای عقب می توان به عنوان فضای بار استفاده نمود. بدنه و درها تقویت شده هستند و به راحتی آسیب نمی بینند اما قطعات بدنه کمی گران قیمت هستند. سال ۱۳۸۰ تولید این خودرو به ۴۹۳۱ دستگاه و سال ۱۳۸۱ تولید این اعجوبه به ۶۶۹۰ دستگاه هم رسید.

    http://architecture-competitions.ir

  • 2025 Defender OCTA جاسوسی کرد: SUV هاردکور در راه است

    JLR (جگوار لندرور سابق) در سال 2022 یک دیفندر مجهز به V-8 را روانه بازار کرد، اما درجه سخت افزاری V-8 هنوز هم برای این شاسی بلند مقاوم در دست ساخت است.

    این هفته توسط JLR به عنوان Defender OCTA تایید شد و نمونه های اولیه آن در طبیعت مشاهده شدند. قرار است اواخر امسال رونمایی شود و در صورت رسیدن به ایالات متحده احتمالاً شاهد عرضه آن به عنوان مدل 2025 خواهیم بود.

    تمام چیزی که JLR در مورد این خودرو گفته است این است که با یک توربوشارژر دوقلو V-8 و نسخه ای از سیستم تعلیق 6D Dynamics این خودروساز عرضه خواهد شد. هر دو ویژگی در رنجروور اسپرت SV مربوطه یافت می‌شوند که 626 اسب‌بخار از موتور 4.4 لیتری V-8 توربوشارژ دوقلو تولید می‌کند.

    سیستم تعلیق 6D Dynamics نامی فانتزی برای ترکیبی از دمپرهای هیدرولیکی بهم پیوسته، فنرهای هوای قابل تنظیم ارتفاع و کنترل ارتفاع است. به گفته JLR، این تنظیمات به گونه‌ای طراحی شده است که بدنه خودرو را در هنگام پیچ‌های سخت یا رانندگی در زمین‌های ناهموار در وضعیت تقریباً هموار نگه دارد.

    نمونه های اولیه تعدادی از جزئیات اضافی را نشان می دهد. اینها شامل یک اگزوز تیتانیومی با نوک چهارگانه، همراه با قوس چرخ‌های گشاد شده، سیستم تعلیق برجسته، فلپ‌های گلی و لاستیک‌های همه‌جانبه BFGoodrich است. لاستیک ها به دور چرخ های 20 اینچی پیچیده شده اند و ابعاد 275/60 ​​در جلو و عقب دارند.

    اگر در مورد نام آن تعجب می کنید، احتمالاً به اشکال خاصی از الماس در هندسه موسوم به هشت وجهی اشاره دارد. به احتمال زیاد JLR می‌خواهد بیان کند که Defender OCTA دارای انعطاف‌پذیری شبیه الماس است، سخت‌ترین ماده طبیعی روی زمین. عکس‌های تیزر منتشر شده در کنار تایید این هفته خودرو، نشان‌های کوچک الماسی را نشان می‌دهند.

    JLR's Special Vehicle Operations چند سال پیش به راه اندازی یک Discovery SVX مشابه هاردکور نزدیک شد. این خودرو قرار بود با یک V-8 مجهز شود و به ارتقاءهای خارج از جاده مجهز شود. این یک محدوده جدید آفرود برای SVO، شبیه به محدوده متمرکز در مسیر SVR و محدوده فوق‌العاده لوکس SVAutobiography ایجاد می‌کرد. در حالی که Discovery SVX در نهایت لغو شد، JLR هرگز وسایل نقلیه آینده مانند آن را رد نکرد.

  • 2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition

    Pros: Exceptional storage and cargo space; unique second-row functionality; refined ride; versatile and capable TrailSport; advanced AWD

    Cons: Subpar acceleration with lackadaisical transmission and engine response; so-so driver assistance tech

    Now in its third model year since a complete redesign, the Honda Pilot has settled into its usual position in the three-row SUV segment as a safe, solid choice that does almost everything well. It’s definitely not the most stylish pick, but unlike the preceding generation, it’s not painfully dull. Its design is chiseled, unfussy and should age well, just like the best Hondas of old. That said, the 2025 Honda Pilot spruces things up as a new/resurrected range-topping model with black-out trim and red-accented leather. There’s also our pick of the litter, the off-road-oriented TrailSport that boasts cooler looks and greater capability with minimal tradeoff.

    Really, if you were looking for one word to summarize the Pilot it would be “versatile.” That applies to its ample storage up front, copious cupholders throughout and a cargo area that swallows more stuff than you’d expect. Most of all, though, it boasts a unique, removable second-row middle seat that allows the Pilot to be both a seven- and eight-passenger vehicle. No need to choose between a bench or captain’s chairs at the dealership. The seat can even be stowed under the cargo floor, although not in the TrailSport (its spare tire is too big), which is why it’s seven-passenger only. True, the seat is a bit cumbersome to remove and you probably won’t routinely remove or add it, but we guarantee you there will be moments when you’ll be thankful for it – especially if you’re leaning toward captain’s chairs in a competitor.

    Choosing a Pilot should not be a slam dunk – there are a lot of great choices to consider. Some are more luxurious or less expensive, others more powerful or engaging to drive, but we think the Pilot’s well-rounded excellence makes it a great choice for a lot of people.

    Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy

    What it’s like to drive   |   Pricing & Trim Levels   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features

    2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition

    What’s new for 2025?

    The base LX trim level is no more, meaning the base price has gone up considerably since the $41,295 Sport becomes the de facto floor. On the other end of the trim level ladder, the Pilot Black Edition (pictured above) makes its return as the new range-topping model. It builds upon the loaded Elite trim level with gloss-black 20-inch wheels, a gloss-black grille bar and mirror housings, and additional non-gloss black trim in the bumpers, doors and windows. It also gets “Black Edition” badging because of course it does. Like the previous-generation Pilot Black Edition, the interior sees special red-accented black leather along with logo’d floor mats and seats.

    2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition 2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition

    What are the Pilot interior and in-car technology like?

    After sitting in a Hyundai Palisade, the Pilot may come across as a bit plain. There’s no showy trim or fanciful lighting. On the other hand, there is an elegance to its minimal adornment and crisp horizontal lines. It’s reminiscent of Land Rover interiors – clean, functional, timeless. It’s also much better than what was there in the last Pilot (and what survives in the Passport).

    The Pilot interior is ultimately all about clever packaging and thoughtful design. In terms of storage, the front center console features a large, grippy flat space for phones or whatever, the doors have bins as well as bottle holders, there’s a little shelf in the dash, and the front seatbacks have sleeves built into them to hold your phone. There’s also clever storage in the cargo area, including a double-sided floor with carpet on one side and washable plastic on the other, but we’ll address the rest of the cargo area in the next section.

    In terms of technology, the Pilot offers two touchscreen options. The Sport has a 7-inch unit that’s rather rudimentary in terms of its functionality and appearance. We like its physical buttons/knobs, though, and it runs both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Those get upgraded to wireless connectivity in all other trims, which also get a 9-inch touchscreen with enhanced graphics and functionality. It certainly isn’t as impressive as what you’d find in a Palisade, Kia Telluride and Jeep Grand Cherokee L, but it’s functional and generally vice free. Parents should also appreciate the CabinTalk in-car P.A. system that lets you broadcast your voice through the rear speakers. Complementing it is a convex rear seat spy mirror to keep an eye on their reactions.

    2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition 2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition

    How big is the Pilot?

    Outside, the Pilot pretty much defines the segment average. It’s almost 5 inches longer than the Toyota Highlander and 5 inches shorter than the Chevy Traverse, matching up almost identically with the Nissan Pathfinder.

    There’s nothing average about the rear seating rows, however. Pictured above, the Pilot’s novel second row is a bench seat, but as in the Honda Odyssey and the Pilot’s Acura MDX cousin, the middle seat folds to create a console-like armrest. It can also be removed completely from the car or, uniquely, stowed in a cubby built into the Pilot’s rear cargo floor. Unlike the Pilot’s competitors, there’s no need to choose between eight-passenger bench seat or seven-passenger captain’s chairs at the dealer. Bear in mind that this feature isn’t offered on the TrailSport. Its full-sized spare tire shrinks the requisite cubby enough to make stowage impossible. It effectively has captain’s chairs as a result.

    The big Honda has one of the roomer cabins in the segment. Its 40 inches of legroom in the second row tops virtually every one of its competitors. Third-row legroom can be a max of 32.5 inches, making it friendly for bigger teens and adults, even in the 6-foot-plus category. This puts it ahead of the Toyota Highlander and Nissan Pathfinder (both offer 28 inches) and just behind the Chevy Traverse (33.5 inches).

    On paper, the Pilot has 18.6 cubic feet of space behind the back seat, but remove the double-sided floor piece (shown below with its washable plastic surface facing up) and you’re left with either 22.4 cubic feet or, in the TrailSport, 21.8. Theoretically, only the Chevy Traverse/Buick Enclave have more room back there. In our testing, we’ve found that’s not really the case, but it’s still impressive. We found that the Toyota Grand Highlander and Kia Telluride can hold just a bit more stuff, but the Pilot is indeed better than everything else in the segment. We also like that the TrailSport comes standard with raised roof rails and a trailer hitch, which opens up cargo possibilities even further.

    2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition 2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition

    What are the Pilot fuel economy and performance specs?

    There is only one engine offered: a 3.5-liter V6 good for 285 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. A 10-speed automatic is standard.

    The Pilot can be had in standard front-wheel drive, or with an all-wheel-drive setup dubbed i-VTM4 (standard on TrailSport and Elite, optional all other trims). It’s arguably the most advanced AWD system in the segment as it provides so-called “torque vectoring”: As much as 70% of the engine’s power can be sent to the rear axle, with 100% of that transferred to one wheel. This is not only beneficial for poor-weather traction, but benefits dry-pavement handling as well. It’s augmented on TrailSport models with a special Trail Torque Logic system and corresponding “Trail” option in the Pilot’s drive mode selection system.

    Fuel economy stands at 19 miles per gallon city, 27 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined with front-wheel drive, and 19/25/21 with all-wheel drive. The TrailSport is lower still at 18/23/20.

    The Pilot can be outfitted for towing in both 2WD and AWD configurations. 2WD towing capacity is a reasonable 3,500 pounds; opting for AWD raises that cap to 5,000. That’s on par with the segment, but shy of the Kia Telluride (5,500), 2024 Ford Explorer (5,600), Nissan Pathfinder (6,000) and Jeep Grand Cherokee L (6,200).

    2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition

    Pilot Elite and Pilot TrailSport

    What’s the Pilot like to drive?

    Three-row crossovers aren’t known for being fun to drive, and the Pilot isn’t an exception. Still, it holds its own for a gussied-up minivan, especially if you opt for the torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. Steering precision is better than most, the ride is composed and comfortable and, in general, we enjoy driving it more than everything in the segment except for the sporty Mazda CX-90 and perhaps a fully-loaded Jeep Grand Cherokee L.

    Unfortunately, the Pilot’s powertrain could use some work. Its output seems competitive enough, but the resulting acceleration is on the slow side for the segment, and making matters worse are transmission and throttle programming that aren’t adaptable enough to different situations. For instance, we had to engage the Sport driving mode when driving up a series of highway grades because the transmission was otherwise hesitant to drop down and stay in a lower gear. Many drivers won’t even know they have a Sport mode, let alone think to engage it when wanting to go faster than 55 up a hill.

    As for the TrailSport, it gets a unique suspension with a 1-inch lift (for a total ground clearance of 8.3 inches) and improved approach and departure angles. The stabilizer bars, spring rates and damper valve tuning are exclusive to the TrailSport, as are a full-size spare and the 18-inch wheels (stamped with TrailSport) wrapped in Continental TerrainContact all-terrain tires. Skid plates protect the oil pan, transmission and gas tank, and Honda says they can each support the entire weight of the Pilot crashing down on a rock. The result is a vehicle that’s remarkably capable for what is fundamentally little more than a minivan, though like the Pathfinder Rock Creek or Explorer Timberline, it’s not a particularly robust off-roader. It’s the sort of SUV that can bring you all the way to the trailhead, but it won’t let you blaze your own. 

    On the road, the TrailSport’s off-road tires do reduce steering precision, resulting in more steering corrections being needed on the highway (by you and the lane-centering steering assist system). Road-holding also degrades, but that’s less likely to be noticed in a family hauler. Pleasantly, the ride quality remains perfectly comfortable (unlike the Kia Telluride X-Pro that has the exact same tires) as does road noise. As a result, there’s minimal downside with going with the fun off-road model.

    What other Honda Pilot reviews can I read?

    Honda Pilot TrailSport Road Test: Outdoor adventure road trip to Oregon

    The TrailSport is the Pilot specifically intended for outdoor adventures with its rugged tires and suspension, standard hitch and more functional roof racks. We put it all to the test on an outdoor adventure road trip from Southern California to central Oregon. 

    2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition

     

    2023 Honda Pilot First Drive: Broad strokes and broader shoulders

    Our first drive of the Pilot, including an off-road drive in the TrailSport and broader details about its design and engineering. 

    2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition

     

    Honda Pilot TrailSport Luggage Test: How much fits behind the third row?

    In our real-world testing, we find out how much fits behind the raised third row of the Pilot TrailSport. Despite having just a little less space than other trim levels, it manages to swallow more bags than most vehicles in the segment. 

    2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition

    What is the 2025 Pilot price?

    The Pilot’s base price went up by nearly $4,000 for 2025, but that’s almost entirely the result of the LX trim level being discontinued. It wasn’t popular. The new base trim level becomes the Sport, meaning equipment like a heated power front seats, a leather-wrapped wheel, blind-spot warning and roof rails are now standard. It also has 20-inch wheels and blacked out trim, which disappears for the next rung up the trim ladder. So that’s odd.  

    The EX-L, Touring and Elite basically follow the typical progression of more equipment with each level, while the Black Edition is basically just an Elite with black-out trim, unique wheels and red-accented leather. The TrailSport is the real outlier. W think it’s the pick of the litter for its functional and aesthetic upgrades that don’t come with significant downsides. You can read more about its extras in the above driving section.

    All prices below include the $1,395 destination charge.

    Sport 2WD: $41,295
    Sport AWD: $43,395

    EX-L 2WD: $44,595
    EX-L AWD: $46,695

    Touring 2WD: $48,595
    Touring AWD: $50,695

    TrailSport (AWD only): $50,495

    Elite (AWD only): $54,175

    Black Edition (AWD only): $55,675

    2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition2025 Honda Pilot Review: Well-rounded three-row SUV adds Black Edition

    Pilot Black Edition and Pilot TrailSport

    What are the Pilot safety ratings and driver assistance features?

    Standard safety equipment includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, a road departure mitigation system, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control with speed-adaptive following distance, traffic sign recognition, a driver inattention monitor and automatic high beams. Collectively, these features comprise the basic “Honda Sensing” safety suite. Low speed braking control, cross-traffic monitoring and a parking sensor system are all available on higher trims. Importantly, these are greatly improved over the same systems found in the previous-generation Pilot (especially adaptive cruise control), and although not the strongest in the segment (look to Kia and Hyundai for that) they are now at least average.

    The NHTSA gave the Pilot five out of five stars for overall and side crash protection, plus four stars for frontal and rollover protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named it a Top Safety Pick for sufficiently high marks in all pertinent categories (it got a “Marginal” score in the updated IIHS “moderate overlap: front” test that few other vehicles have been subjected to).

  • A Better-Than-New Ford Escort RS Cosworth

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    A Better-Than-New Ford Escort RS Cosworth

    Salad Days

    Ford produced some incredible cars wearing the Cosworth badge in the mid-1980s and early 1990s, with Sierra and Escort variants dominating in racing and rallying – and on the street.

    ‘Cossies’, as they quickly became known, acquired a cult following almost as soon as the first Sierra RS Cosworth arrived in 1985. It wasn’t long before a massive tuning industry built itself up around the sub-brand, principally to extract maximum horsepower from the 2.0-litre turbo Cosworth YB engine. So much so that it soon became rare to come across an unmodified example.

    The cars and the aftermarket industry around them shone brightly for many years. But as the saying goes, ‘you can have too much of a good thing’, and that applies to Steve Richardson.

    DSC02626

    These days, as SR Autobodies, Steve has built up an enviable reputation as a fine restorer of Nissan S and R-body cars. Many incredible examples have rolled out of his Lincolnshire, UK-based workshop – including Mark’s Project Thirty Four – but he began this journey messing around with Cossies.

    DSC02663

    “My dad was big on the scene back in the day, and I grew up helping out in his workshop at weekends surrounded by Cosworths and RS500s. I joined the army when I left school, but when I came out I decided to treat myself to a Sierra Cosworth,” Steve explained.

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    “The car I went to look at turned out to be a dog, but a mate of the seller, who happened to be there, mentioned he had an R33 Skyline GTS25t for sale and asked if I wanted to take a look. I had a test drive and was sold — it was a lot more car for half the money of the Cossie. To be honest, I thought I’d never drive a Ford again.”

    DSC02965

    Time heals all wounds, though, and 12 years on, when HJA Group – one of SR Autobodies’ regular customers – called to say they had just imported a T25 (aka small-turbo) Escort RS Cosworth from Japan and wondered if Steve would be able to carry out an underside and engine bay restoration, he jumped at the chance.

    “We work on Skylines all day long, so it’s nice to do something different from time to time. The Escort Cosworth is a rare car in Japan and this one had only covered 19,000 miles. Even better, it appeared to be completely standard. It’s never been modified and, as far as we can tell, has had no bodywork or welding (repairs).”

    DSC02841

    HJA didn’t just want Steve to give this unmolested Escort the works though. They had already found the car a new home, and the UK owner was very specific with his requirements. It needed to be just as it would have come from the factory – overspray on the underside, liberally applied seam sealer and all.

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    “It’s important to point out that this car hasn’t been finished to a concours level,” says Steve. “Instead, it’s exactly — as far as we can get it — as it would have come out of the Karmann factory in Germany in 1995. Basically, we’ve made it messier.”

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    “I spent hours talking to my dad, as he knew these cars inside out when they were new, as well as staying up until 2:00am most nights researching specific items. I’ve been down some deep internet rabbit holes, let me tell you.”

    A Clean One

    DSC02922

    Like many of Ford of Europe’s output in the 1990s, the Mk5 Escort platform that the RS Cosworth is based on is prone to rust, but once Steve and his team had stripped all of the running gear from the underside, it showed to be in remarkably good shape.

    “Once we’d cleaned the anti-rust coating off, we found it needed no welding. The owner was adamant that it wasn’t to have any, so where one of the jacking points was damaged, rather than replace it, we had to pull it back into shape,” Steve explained.

    DSC02885

    That small matter out of the way, Steve could then concentrate on cleaning and stripping off the paint from the underside — before reapplying seam sealer in a slightly haphazard fashion — then preparing it for fresh paint before adding the distinctly ‘factory’ touches.

    “I spent four days airbrushing in the various colours used by Ford on the underside — cream, baby sick green primer, black for the wheel arches and even beiges. We got a local paint company to come in and scan the original colours, then once they were mixed, tweaked them until they were exactly right.”

    sr auto bodies escos resto pics 2

    To give you another idea of the crazy lengths that SR Autobodies went to with this restoration, where the sills meet the floorpan they airbrushed a thin black line on top of the seam sealer to make it look like there was a gap. And where bolt holes were masked off on the production line to stop them getting clogged up with paint, again Steve was careful to approach this in a slightly slap-dash way – much like a slightly disgruntled worker keen to nip off for a tea break might have done.

    “It sounds odd, but it took longer to do all this in a less-than-neat fashion rather than trying to make everything look perfect,” Steve says.

    Bay Watch

    DSC02784

    With the underside well underway, Steve turned his attention to the engine bay.

    “The car had been parked up for many years and YB engines don’t like that — there were oil leaks everywhere. We had no choice but to pull the engine out, strip it down to the block and go right through it.”

    sr autobodies escos resto pics 1

    SR Autobodies’ vapour blaster was put to good use, with both engine and chassis components stripped right back, cleaned up and zinc-plated or powdercoated where necessary. The YBP-spec engine was then built up with fresh gaskets, seals, nuts and bolts – parts sourced from all over Europe by local Ford main dealer TC Harrison, where Mark photographed the car.

    DSC02657

    Engine and running gear fitted back up, Steve then reapplied the numerous production line touches the Escort would have come with, including decals — faithfully produced and applied in a slightly wonky fashion – and various paint blobs and markings that line workers used to denote a particular job was complete.

    DSC02792

    Was Steve tempted to add a few mods along the way?

    “No way, this one had to remain standard. In fact, when it arrived, it came with a pair of strut braces that I thought were aftermarket. But my dad pointed out they’re genuine, dealer-fitted Ford Motorsport ones, so we put them back on.”

    DSC02850

    So good is the result, that when Steve took the car to TC Harrison for an MoT (vehicle roadworthy) test, they decided to PDI (pre-delivery inspection) it too, just like any new car arriving at the dealership. It scored 97%, meaning this Escort could, in theory, be sold with a new-car warranty.

    Built To Be Used

    DSC02640

    Is this Escort destined to end up in yet another car collection? Not quite.

    “The owner is determined to use it, so we’ve satin clear-coated the underside bodywork, so all they need to do is pressure wash it after a run. Yes, it won’t last forever, but it’s better protected than most modern cars,” says Steve.

    DSC02680

    “I’ve got good memories of working on this car. It was a real family affair getting it done, and even my four-year-old daughter helped out by paint-dipping the brake calliper bolts. We all really enjoyed it. So much so that we’ve got another Escort Cosworth lined up to do soon. Though, we’re not expecting much to come back from the blasters with that one…”

    Simon Woolley
    Instagram: fireproof_simon

    Photography by Mark Riccioni
    Instagram: mark_scenemedia
    Twitter/X: markriccioni
    [email protected]

  • Volvo builds its final diesel-powered car, a blue XC90

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    Volvo builds its final diesel-powered car, a blue XC90

    Volvo builds its final diesel-powered car, a blue XC90

    It’s over between Volvo and diesel engines. Last September, at Climate Week NYC, the Swedish carmaker said it was breaking up with Otto Diesel’s popular, globetrotting invention. Earlier this month, the Volvo plant in Torslanda, Sweden, sent the penultimate diesel-powered XC90 into the world. Then came the ender, the last of its kind: A blue XC90 produced at Volvo’s Ghent, Belgium, plant utilizing a twin-turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder mild hybrid making 235 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. Just as with the last-of-its-kind Audi R8 that recently emerged from Audi’s Bollinger Hofe facility, the XC90 is headed to a special assignment, the World of Volvo museum, event and conference space slated to open April 14 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

    Considering auto development timelines, Volvo practically quit diesel cold-turkey. In 2008, more than 90% of XC90s sold in Europe left dealer lots with diesel engines. In 2012, the carmaker put the world’s first diesel hybrid on the market, the V60 D6 wagon. Five years ago, diesels still accounted for more than half of Volvo’s European sales, the bread-and-butter powertrain across the model lineups. According to Autocar, diesels still power 40% of the premium cars sold in Europe today, meaning Volvo’s walking away from money on the table. It’s doing so without regret, though, saying, “The all-electric direction we’re now heading towards is the right one to take, and we do so with our flag held high.”

    After delaying the launch of the XC90’s electric replacement, the EX90, over software issues, the timeline for U.S. buyers still appears to be production in the first half of this year in Ridgeville, South Carolina, deliveries beginning in Q3. The standard dual-motor drivetrain making 402 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque starts at $77,990 after destination; the performance version of the same drivetrain making 496 horsepower and 671 pound-feet of torque starts at $82,990.

    Automotive News‘ Future Product Pipeline says we’ll see refreshes for the EX40 and EC40 this year, and in 2025, a new all-electric S90 sedan that might be called the ES90, and an electric midsizer to replace the volume-selling XC60. 

     

  • Kia EV9 wins 2024 World Car of the Year and World Electric Car at New York Auto Show

    Kia EV9 wins 2024 World Car of the Year and World Electric Car at New York Auto Show

    The Hyundai Group refuses to release its kung-fu grip on winning prestigious vehicle awards, especially those for electric vehicles. In 2020, Kia took the overall World Car of the Year (WCOTY) title with the Telluride, won World Performance Car with the EV6 GT, and won the World Urban Car category with the Kia Soul EV. In 2021, after the Hyundai Group walked away with nothing but a free lunch, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 won the 2022 World Car of the Year laurels, plus World Electric Vehicle and World Car Design of the Year, followed in 2023 by the Hyundai Ioniq 6 winning the same three awards. Kia returns to the top step today, the new EV9 announced at the New York Auto Show as the 2024 World Car of the Year and World Electric Vehicle. Because the South Koreans like to do this in threes, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N won World Performance Car. 

    One hundred automotive scribes from 29 countries tested 38 vehicles for the main prize. The qualifications for entry are that a car must exceed 10,000 units in production annually, be on sale in at least two major global markets, and be priced below the luxury options in their respective regions. The EV9 beat the BYD Seal and the Volvo EX30 to the WCOTY title.

    Thirty-two cars vied for honors in the electric category, the EV9 outdoing the BMW i5 and the Volvo EX30. The German and the Swede aren’t leaving New York with nothing, however, as the BMW 5 Series and i5 won the World Luxury Car title, and the EX30 won the World Urban Car trophy. 

    The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N outdid 16 other performance cars. We’re sure there are engineers in Germany looking hard into their beer right now, the Ioniq 5 N pipping the M2 and XM to the victory circle. 

    The surprise of the bunch is the inclusion of the Toyota Prius, the global hybrid icon thrashing 70 other entries to win the 2024 World Car Design of the Year award. The other two finalists? The Ford Bronco and the Ferrari Purosangue. Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the Prius. 

  • GM's Cruise is off the streets of San Francisco, and off the Giants' uniforms

    GM's Cruise is off the streets of San Francisco, and off the Giants' uniforms

    General Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle division has had a rocky past few months, with high-profile accidents and a suspension of its business activities while it sorted through its issues. The embattled subsidiary is now dropping its sponsorship of its home baseball team, the San Francisco Giants, though the relationship is just transferring to Chevrolet — with a visual emphasis on the “EV” in the name.

    “As the 2024 baseball season approaches, Cruise is transitioning our Giants marketing partnership, including rights as the official uniform patch partner, to Chevrolet – keeping it in the GM family,” a GM spokesperson told TechCrunch. “In keeping with our mission to provide safe, reliable, accessible transportation, Cruise remains invested in its shared commitment with the Giants to develop hundreds of electric vehicle chargers in ballpark facilities for event-goers and the public.”

    Though that sounds like a solid rebound act for Cruise, it had already planned to install 100 chargers as part of its original deal. A Giants spokesperson noted that the transition was a natural one, saying that they did not know when or if Cruise would return as a sponsor. Chevrolet has had a longstanding relationship with the MLB as the official auto sponsor and has sponsored 14 teams over the past two decades.

    Cruise lost its right to conduct operations in California, but recent reports note that it’s gearing up for testing in Texas. Houston and Dallas are part of the conversation, and the company had a small fleet in Austin before the drama began. Cruise said it had not set a firm timeline for the Texas rollout but noted that it planned to start in a single city with supervised testing.

    The company slashed 25 percent of its workforce, its CEO resigned, and it hired a new chief safety officer, so the operations could look significantly different than before. Whatever the organizational structure, the company acknowledges that it has a long road ahead of it to regain trust from regulators and the public.

  • Here's A Timeline Of The Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse

    Cargo ship Dali sits in the water after running into and collapsing Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 27, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. Two survivors were pulled from the Patapsco River and six missing people are presumed dead after the Coast Guard called off search and rescue efforts. A work crew was fixing potholes on the bridge, which is used by roughly 30,000 people each day, when the ship struck at around 1:30am on Tuesday morning. The accident has temporarily closed the Port of Baltimore, one of the largest and busiest on the East Coast of the U.S.

    Cargo ship Dali sits in the water after running into and collapsing Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 27, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. Two survivors were pulled from the Patapsco River and six missing people are presumed dead after the Coast Guard called off search and rescue efforts. A work crew was fixing potholes on the bridge, which is used by roughly 30,000 people each day, when the ship struck at around 1:30am on Tuesday morning. The accident has temporarily closed the Port of Baltimore, one of the largest and busiest on the East Coast of the U.S.
    Photo: Tasos Katopodis (Getty Images)

    The Governor told assembled reporters that the preliminary investigation was treating the crash as an accident. He also said that the bridge was “up to code” at the time of the incident. The National Bridge Inventory rated the Francis Scott Key Bridge as in “fair” condition as of May 2023, according to the Baltimore Banner:

    A “fair condition” rating indicates “that all primary structural elements are sound but may have minor section loss, cracking, spalling or scour,” according to a manual used to interpret scores by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration. On a scale of 0 to 9, with 9 being “excellent” and 0 being “failed condition,” the bridge earned a 5, one step above being deemed in “poor condition” and one below “satisfactory condition.”

    At this time, rescuers are still searching for the six missing road crew workers in the wreckage.

  • اخراج های جدید Stellantis به معنای از بین رفتن بیش از 3000 شغل در ایتالیا است

    اخراج های جدید Stellantis به معنای از بین رفتن بیش از 3000 شغل در ایتالیا است

    دروازه های کارخانه Stellantis در Mirafiori، تورین، ایتالیا. (گتی ایماژ)

    میلان – Stellantis، سازنده خودروهای فیات، روز چهارشنبه قراردادهای بیشتری را با اتحادیه های کارگری در ایتالیا برای اخراج داوطلبانه امضا کرد، به این معنی که این خودروساز می تواند در مجموع بیش از 3000 نفر نیروی کار خود را در این کشور کاهش دهد.

    اتحادیه FIOM در بیانیه ای اعلام کرد که روز چهارشنبه برای بیش از 1000 اخراج در تاسیسات ایتالیا، از جمله Melfi، Pomigliano d'Arco و Termoli، هم برای کارگران خط و هم سایر کارکردها، قراردادهای جدیدی منعقد شد، اگرچه خود این توافقنامه را امضا نکرده است.

    این کاهش تا حدی ناشی از انتقال به انرژی پاک در صنعت است.

    آنها به معاملات مشابه اعلام شده در روز سه شنبه برای عملیات Stellantis در شهر تورین، با بیش از 1500 اخراج داوطلبانه، و برای تاسیسات ساخت موتور در Pratola Serra، با 100 شغل اضافی اضافه می کنند.

    هنوز قراردادی برای کارخانه Cassino، یکی دیگر از تاسیسات مونتاژ بزرگ Stellantis در ایتالیا امضا نشده است.

    FIOM روز سه‌شنبه اعلام کرد که این شرکت 850 اخراج داوطلبانه برای آن سایت پیشنهاد کرده است، اما انتظار می‌رود توافق نهایی با اتحادیه‌ها با رقم پایین‌تری انجام شود. انتظار می‌رود که قرارداد دیگری به کارخانه وانت‌سازی آتسا در مرکز ایتالیا پوشش دهد.

    سخنگوی Stellantis قراردادهای جدید امضا شده در روز چهارشنبه، تحت چارچوب توافق شده با اتحادیه ها در هفته گذشته را تایید کرد.

    سخنگو گفت: “آنها بخشی از ابتکارات اجرا شده توسط Stellantis برای رسیدگی به اثرات فرآیند انتقال انرژی و فناوری در حال انجام … از جمله بر اشتغال هستند.”

    این سخنگو تکرار کرد که آنها کاملاً داوطلبانه هستند و عمدتاً برای کارمندان نزدیک به سن بازنشستگی یا مایل به استفاده از فرصت های حرفه ای جدید هستند.

    Stellantis حدود 43000 نفر را در ایتالیا استخدام می کند، از جمله حدود 15000 نفر در منطقه تورین، در شمال غربی ایتالیا، خانه تاریخی فیات، که با شرکت پژو PSA برای ایجاد Stellantis ادغام شد.

    بسته‌های اخراج داوطلبانه ابزار اصلی مورد استفاده Stellantis برای کاهش نیروی کار خود در ایتالیا بوده است که در اوایل سال 2021 این گروه به حدود 55000 نفر می‌رسید.

    این خودروساز که روز چهارشنبه تاکید کرد ایتالیا نقش محوری در عملیات جهانی خود دارد، در حال مذاکره با دولت ایتالیا در مورد شرایطی است که به آن اجازه می‌دهد تولید سالانه خود در این کشور را از حدود 750 هزار دستگاه در سال گذشته به 1 میلیون دستگاه برساند.