by Gabrielle DeSantis

The beloved Taco has a legion of starry-eyed fans. In fact, there are even some who can afford virtually any car they want that still drive a trusty old Toyota truck. While it’s difficult determining exactly what goes on in the private lives of Hollywood stars, a few sources show photos of Kristen Stewart driving both a first-gen Toyota Tacoma and and even harder-core throwback: the Toyota T100. 

Kristen Stewart | BG015/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

What car does Kristen Stewart drive? 

Kristen Stewart in glass and a backwards cap stepping out of a red Toyota Tacoma
Kristen Stewart leaving a Toyota Tacoma | via The Things

According to The Things Kristen Stewart is one of a few Hollywood names that drives a Toyota. And in the photo there, she is seen beside a red first-gen Toyota Tacoma. It’s complete with the throwback “4WD” mud flaps and the post-redesign body style. 

While it’s no $100,000 Porsche Cayenne (which Vanity Fair reports Stewart also drives) it does appear in the photo to be in pristine condition. Considering the way a Taco holds its value, we can guess that this truck wasn’t cheap. It likely cost significantly less than others in her collection. 

Still, Kristen Stewart easily paid over $25 grand for a throwback Toyota truck like this one. In fact, if you check out the listings on Classic.com first-generation Tacos over 20 years old regularly sell at this price point. It pays to be a truck with such a fan following. 

Stewart also drives a Toyota T100

a blue single cab Toyota T100 with Kristen Stewart in the drivers seat
Kristen Stewart driving a T100 | via The Things

The Toyota T100 is what hipster truck dreams are made of. It’s the Tacoma before the Tacoma actually existed. The Toyota T100 is a Tacoma predecessor. Although in its day it was seen as a bit of a market failure, the T100 paved the way for the Toyota trucks in today’s lineup.

The Things shows another picture of the Twilight and Charlie’s Angles actor driving a light blue Toyota T100. The write-up calls it “perhaps the most incognito truck of any Hollywood star.” This truck tends to sell for about $10,000 and it’s probably one of the coolest beaters to have in your collection. 

The single cab blue Toyota truck is retro in so many good ways. From the paint job to the single cab, to the smell of the interior we can almost imagine. This truck somehow seems to suit Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart’s car collection

2019 BMW X5 | BMW

It’s difficult to know for sure what models are actually in a celebrity’s car collection. With that much money, it’s easy to change things up pretty often. So it’s hard to keep up with who owns what when. 

That said, we do know that Kristen Stewart has also been seen driving other cars like the Porsche 911 Turbo and the Mini Cooper S. In addition, there are others in her fleet that the paparazzi has caught her getting into after a flight. Of course, these are SUVs such as the BMW X5 and the Chevrolet Suburban. 

A (not so) secret Toyota Tacoma fan

2001 Toyota Tacoma | Toyota USA

Despite what other makes and models might have a place in Kristen Stewart’s fleet, if she actually owns two old school Toyota trucks she’s probably a Taco fan. Both the T100 and the first-gen Tacoma have some status when it comes to Toyota Tacoma DNA. In fact, if these trucks are in the fleet, it’s probably no secret that Kristen Stewart is a Toyota Tacoma fan.
RELATED: Consumer Reports Names a Total Shoo-In as the Best Pickup Truck of 2021

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by Gabrielle DeSantis

We’re so excited about the Kia Sportage. It’s time for this Kia model that’s been on the back burner to shine again. The 2022 Kia Sportage is finally getting a new face, and we can’t wait to see how it transforms. 

The 2022 Kia Sportage is getting brand-new looks 

2022 Kia Sportage teaser | Kia

If you thought things were settling down after the release of the 2022 Kia EV6, then think again. According to Motor 1, Kia just released a few teaser images for the new Kia Sportage that reveal some incredible changes. 

The last time the Sportage was redesigned was in 2015, and that feels like ages ago. That’s when it got less of a boxy shape, a wide grille, and large headlights that could give off a bug-like vibe. 

We aren’t saying that it looked bad. It was perfect for the time. Now it’s an excellent opportunity for a more modernized look and shape. Based on the 2022 Kia Sportage clues we’ve seen so far, it won’t disappoint. 

What to expect with the new Kia Sportage 

RELATED: The 2021 Toyota Rav4 Is Good but the 2021 Kia Sportage Is Better

Save the date. The 2022 Kia Sportage is coming out on June 8. That’s next Tuesday, so we don’t have to wait long to learn more. So far, from the photos, we can see that the Kia Sportage has a new, curvier shape. 

It feels like it gained inspiration from the Hyundai Tucson, EV6, and K5, which is a good thing because those models look great. The black grille is framed by new, angular LED headlights and bold LED daytime running lights. 

The rear end looks a little more angular with a spoiler on top to promote a sense of sportiness. The new LED headlights in the rear look a little larger too, and we bet the new Kia logo is pretty eye-catching on the back. 

But the most significant change includes the updated interior. You can see that a large, single piece of curved glass extends from behind the steering wheel to the center console. It has a digital instrument cluster and infotainment display similar to what’s found in the Kia EV6. 

Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia’s Global Design Center, shared that by taking inspiration from an ethos created where nature meets modernization, the new Sportage challenges the norm with an adventurous yet contemporary exterior and beautifully detailed and pioneering interior. The new Sportage takes things to a completely different level. 

What are the Kia Sportage features like? 

A red 2021 Kia Sportage compact SUV traveling on a dusty mountain road
2021 Kia Sportage | Kia

Currently, we can only speculate about what to expect with the 2022 Kia Sportage. It may start around $24,090 or increase slightly in price with all of its upgrades. The Sportage serves as an option that sits between the Seltos and Sorento. 

The Sportage could get new powertrain options. The base engine is a 2.4-liter with 181 hp. This amount of power is adequate. You can upgrade to the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine for 237 hp. There hasn’t been any mention of a hybrid powertrain yet. 

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard. Optional convenience features include a wireless charging pad, built-in navigation, heads free liftgate, a panoramic sunroof, push-button start, and more. 

We will learn more about the new Kia Sportage next week. It’s possible that the redesign could be for 2023, but we will see significant upgrades either way.

The post The 2022 Kia Sportage Is Finally Getting a New Face appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Tesla just announced that it is ditching radar in favor of tesla vision. New Tesla Model 3 and Model Y cars are being shipped without radar. How does Tesla vision work and what does this mean for Tesla Owners?

Interior of a Tesla Model 3 | Tesla

What does Tesla Vision do?

Tesla Vision will replace the sensor technology in Tesla Model 3 and Model Ys. Currently sensor technology allows Tesla Autopilot to work, as well as other safety features. Autopilot is Tesla’s name for its semi-automatic driving system. Tesla Vision monitors surroundings so that functions such as adaptive cruise control, lane change assistance and lane keeping work. 

How does Tesla vision work?

A gray Tesla Model 3.
Tesla Model 3 | Tesla

Tesla vision is entirely camera based. Cameras monitor surroundings and allows the vehicle to respond appropriately. Tesla Vision also sends data back to the semi-automated driving system, as well as Tesla. In addition to cameras, Tesla Vision uses neural net processing. Neural net processing is an advanced type of computer learning similar to the way humans learn. This means that the Tesla will essentially learn by analyzing its own data, as well as data from the Tesla network. Neural net processing looks for patterns to inform its operation. 

Additionally, Tesla’s website states that, “Our per-camera networks analyze raw images to perform semantic segmentation, object detection and monocular depth estimation. Our birds-eye-view networks take video from all cameras to output the road layout, static infrastructure and 3D objects directly in the top-down view.”

Tesla Vision will be in the Autopilot feature as well as Full-Self driving. Although it is called Full Self Driving, there is only Tesla feature which does not require a driver; Smart Summon. With Smart Summon, a driver uses a remote control to call their cars to them, (provided they are within 200 feet of the vehicle). 

How does standard sensor technology work?

A white Tesla Model Y electric SUV on display at the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition in April 2021 in Shanghai, China
Tesla Model Y | Zhe Ji via Getty Images

If you have a car with advanced safety systems such as pedestrian detection and forward collision warning, you are probably already somewhat familiar with radar. Most cars with these types of advanced safety features use radar and sometimes lidar to determine where objects around them are. Radar works by sending out sound signals and measuring the time that it takes for the signal to bounce off of an object and come back. Similarly, lidar sends and receives light signals. Elon Musk called lidar a “crutch,” and believes that Tesla Vision is the future.

New cars come with Tesla Vision

A red Tesla Model 3 driving on the highway.
Tesla Model 3

Elon Musk, Tesla CEO, believes that camera-based technology is the future. In fact, Tesla has already started shipping new Model 3 and Model Y cars without radar. However, other Tesla safety functions are being adjusted or disabled for a period of time while Tesla makes technical adjustments. This will hopefully allow Tesla Vision operate as smoothly as the radar system did. Features like Autosteer are limited to a max speed of 75 MPH, and the following distance is lengthened. 

For now, Tesla Vision will only be available in Model 3 and Model Ys sold in the U.S. Tesla hasn’t announced yet whether they’ll be introducing Tesla Vision in cars in China and Europe. 

RELATED: Tesla Autopilot Driver Snoozes While Car Hurtles at 80 MPH

The post The Surprising Way Tesla Vision Works appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

If you’re shopping for a new hybrid SUV, chances are you’ve got both the 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid and the 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid on your list of vehicles to check out. But of the two, which does Consumer Reports recommended buying? Let’s find out.

2021 Ford Escape Hybrid vs. 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid: Reliability

2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid | Honda

There’s no beating around the bush here. Hybrid or not, the Honda CR-V is known for reliability. Consumer Reports gave this year’s model a four out of five predicted reliability rating, which is a near-perfect score. Such a high score isn’t all that unusual for the CR-V, either. In fact, plenty of model years have earned either a four or five out of five reliability rating.

The 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid, on the other hand, didn’t fare so well. In fact, Consumer Reports gave this year’s model a lowly one out of five predicted reliability rating. According to the organization, the hybrid SUV’s most common trouble spots include minor transmission problems, body integrity issues, and problems with the SUV’s power equipment.

2021 Ford Escape Hybrid vs. 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid: Road tests

A blue 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid driving
2021 Ford Escape Hybrid | Ford

Chances are, you want to enjoy driving your next vehicle. And why not? After all, you’ll be spending a decent chunk of change on it. You should enjoy driving it then too. The good news is that while the 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid’s ride “skews firm,” it’s still pretty enjoyable to drive. It even offers up sporty handling and responsive steering. 

The 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid, on the other hand, is a hybrid SUV that might leave you wanting more. The engine revs high in some situations, making for a “droning whine” that Consumer Reports wasn’t exactly fond of. It also feels slow and isn’t particularly sporty to drive, unlike the 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid.

“The Escape has traditionally been one of the more sporty-handling SUVs. That continues with this generation and carries over to the Hybrid version. It’s much more enjoyable to drive than the CR-V, thanks to its well-contained body lean and quick steering response.”

Consumer Reports

2021 Ford Escape Hybrid vs. 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid: Safety features

Safety is key when it comes to shopping for a new SUV. Fortunately, both of these hybrid SUVs take safety pretty seriously. In fact, the 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid is standard with Honda Sensing, which includes driver-assist features like a lane-keeping assist system, a collision mitigation braking system, a road departure mitigation system, and adaptive cruise control. With so many safety features to its name, it’s no surprise the CR-V Hybrid is an IIHS Top Safety Pick.

The 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid doesn’t lack in the safety department either. All models are standard with Ford Co-Pilot360 Technology, which includes safety features like pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, a blind-spot warning system with cross-traffic alerts, adaptive cruise control, and a lane-keeping system. Much like the CR-V Hybrid, the Ford Escape is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick for the 2021 model year.

2021 Ford Escape Hybrid vs. 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid: Interior amenities

The interior of the 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid
2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid interior. | Honda

Now, let’s talk about interior amenities. According to Consumer Reports, it’s the 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid that has the edge here, especially if you opt for the EX trims and above. There are soft touches throughout the interior. “The power driver and passenger seats in the EX are very comfortable, with four-way adjustable lumbar support, which is unusual among compact SUVs. Visibility is also very good,” Consumer Reports added.

As for the 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid? Unfortunately, its interior is a disappointment. In fact, according to Consumer Reports, its interior feels pretty cheap. It’s loaded with plastic, Consumer Reports found visible gaps between interior trim panels, and its seats are pretty basic. That’s not exactly a winning recommendation.

Which hybrid SUV did Consumer Reports pick?

In the end, it’s the 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid that Consumer Reports picked. While the Ford Escape Hybrid offers a more enjoyable ride, the CR-V Hybrid has a better interior. It’s also significantly more reliable than its Ford competition. But does that mean the 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid is the best choice for you? Not necessarily. To find out, we recommend taking this year’s model out for a spin.

RELATED: 2021 Honda CR-V vs. 2021 Toyota RAV4: Which Compact SUV Does Consumer Reports Recommend?

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