Two 2021 Honda Civic Sedan Trims Get a Thumbs-Up From Edmunds

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Honda Civic has been a long-standing favorite among many different types of drivers. As a daily driver for those less enthusiastic about cars, the Civic offers reliability at an affordable price. For car enthusiasts, variations of the Honda Civic have become great options for customizations, and you can often find them on the used car market for quite a bargain without being concerned about repair and maintenance costs. For the 2021 Honda Civic, there are several variations and body styles, the most common of which is the four-door sedan option that provides drivers with plenty of space and practicality. Among the trim level options for the 2021 Honda Civic, two stand out from the crowd — and they might surprise you.

A Honda Civic Hatchback | Guillaume Payen, Anadolu Agency, Getty Images

The 2021 Honda Civic Sport

While it would be easy to say that the most expensive, highest trim level of the 2021 Honda Civic is the best option because it offers the most, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best bang for your buck. In fact, many of the trim levels have plenty to offer for the price, and the 2021 Honda Civic Sport is quite the bargain for a new car.

The 2021 Honda Civic Sport is only the second trim level option, making it one of the more affordable choices with an MSRP of $23,845. It comes with all of the standard safety features that you’ll find in the base model Civic, with a few additions that make it worth the small jump in price. For one, the Sport trim offers an updated and more aggressive styling that appeals to many buyers, but it also comes with plenty of creature comforts and features for those more focused on practical, usable options rather than cosmetics.

Along with keyless entry and ignition, the 2021 Honda Civic Sport offers remote engine start — a big bonus in insanely hot and miserably cold climates. The 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, making it an overall tech-savvy option.

A silver honda civic rear end on the track
A Honda Civic | ADRIAN DENNIS, AFP, Getty Images

The Honda Civic EX

Upgrading to the next highest trim level, the 2021 Honda Civic EX, definitely won’t leave you disappointed, either. The EX only comes with a slight bump in price to an MSRP of $25,195 and offers a few additional features that make it worth upgrading from the Sport.

The Civic EX comes with all of the same standard safety features but gives buyers a few more, like a blind-spot camera and heated mirrors. Besides that, it also adds a dash of luxury, giving buyers heated front seats, a sunroof, and a sportier turbocharged engine.

RELATED: Ultra-Rare Honda Civic Mugen RR Listed for Sale at $127,000

Other body styles and options

Of course, with these options, Edmunds is looking mostly towards the most common 2021 Honda Civic option, the sedan, but you can upgrade to the Type R variation if you’re looking for something that balances comfort and practicality with a sporty and exhilarating driving experience. The MSRP for the standard Type R ranges upwards of almost $40,000, but it is still a great hot hatch for the price, giving drivers the opportunity to own a responsible car that’s a good daily driver while still offering snappy handling and steering with enjoyable sports-car level acceleration.

RELATED: 2022 Honda Civic Si and Type R Will Only Offer a Manual Transmission

Overall, the 2021 Honda Civic is a rather versatile car, with several body styles ranging from the more standard sedan, to even offering a sports car variation and a hot hatch for hatchback enthusiasts. If you want to keep things basic and affordable, however, the sedan trim level options offer you a great bang for your buck, with standard safety features, a quality driving experience, and even a dash of luxury.

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The Refreshed 2022 Chevy Equinox Lost Crucial Features

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The new Chevrolet Equinox is hitting the streets with a refreshed face and updated tech. However, the 2022 Chevy Equinox also just dropped a few engine options, making your choices a bit more limited. 

What’s new for the 2022 Chevy Equinox? 

2022 Chevy Equinox | Chevrolet

We’ve been waiting for the new Chevy Equinox to arrive for a while, and it’s finally here after facing pandemic-related delays. According to The Car Connection, the 2022 Chevy Equinox has near front and rear ends with LED headlights and LED daytime running lights. It also has a more aggressive gloss black grille. 

You can opt for the available 19-inch dark android wheels, black side rails, black bow ties, and black badging for a sportier look. Additional upgrades include more premium interior materials such as black upholstery with red contrast stitching, French stitching, and a high black gloss finish on the center console. 

The interior sports a new, more practical layout. It feels less cluttered, and the 7.0-inch touchscreen looks great. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard. We can’t wait to see how the HD Surround Vision Camera System looks. 

New standard features include lane-keeping assistance, lane departure warning, a rear vision camera, following distance indicator, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, and IntelliBeam headlamps. 

Which Chevy Equinox features are going away? 

RELATED: Never Buy The Nissan Rogue Instead Of The Chevy Equinox

The 2022 Chevy Equinox is dropping the bare-bones base models such as the Chevy Equinox L. The base models lacked many convenience and safety features that rivals like the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester provide as standard options. 

You can also say goodbye to the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that provides 252 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. This comes after the 1.6-liter four-cylinder diesel engine was dropped on the 2020 models. 

Now each of the four Chevy Equinox trim levels will be powered by the 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 170 hp and 203 lb-ft of torque. It’s paired with an automatic six-speed transmission, and you can add all-wheel drive for about $1,600. 

You can get started in the Equinox LS for about $26,995. This price includes the $1,195 destination fee and costs $600 less than the 2020 LS model, and serves as the new base model. But it is $2,000 more than the 2020 base model. 

What are the Chevy Equinox’s features like? 

A blue 2022 Chevy Equinox SUV parked on a hill
2022 Chevrolet Equinox | Chevrolet

According to Car and Driver, the 1.5-liter base engine may feel a little sluggish, but it has responsive handling with direct steering. The ride can be a little harsh, but the Equinox is easy to drive overall. The 2022 Chevy Equinox could have the same EPA-estimated fuel economy with the ability to get up to 26 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. 

The cabin provides spacious and comfortable seats. Some rivals offer more cargo space in the rear, but you can still fit an impressive amount of cargo. The center console and other storage areas could be improved. 

Optional safety features include camera-based adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane change alert with side blind zone alert. The new models will arrive this summer. 

The post The Refreshed 2022 Chevy Equinox Lost Crucial Features appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

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It’s Hard to Justify Buying a 2021 Buick Encore GX Over Competitors

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Buick Encore GX, which debuted last year, is back for 2021 and has some new features, like smartphone integration. With the 2020 model, many critics weren’t inspired by it. Will the new year bring about change for this SUV?

MotorTrend gave it a once-over and came out of the review recommending not the Encore GX itself, but other competitors instead. What happened?

What’s the difference between the Buick Encore and the Buick Encore GX?

The Buick Encore is its subcompact SUV offering. It’s considered the entry-level luxury SUV in the lineup. It doesn’t offer too much, but it gives you a smooth ride, a nice amount of luxury amenities, and good fuel economy. So, for around $23,000, you can get a pretty decent small SUV for an affordable price. 

The Buick Encore GX is the larger version of the two, but not quite as big as the Buick Envision. While it’s easy to think it’s just another trim level of the Encore, it’s important to note that it’s not. It’s built off a different structure and goes in a whole new direction with its powertrain. 

Buick’s GX version has the new General Motors platform structure along with a three-cylinder turbo engine. The Encore runs off a turbo four-cylinder motor that generates 155 hp. With the GX engine, you get 137 hp. But, you can get a 155 hp Inline-three if you upgrade, which would cost approximately $395 if you purchase the Select or Essence trims. 

The pros and cons of the GX model

MotorTrend liked a few things about the vehicle. They were impressed with the unique front seat feature that made it fold down flat, in case you need extra storage room to haul a longer item. Also, the infotainment system pleased them since it was easy to use. Beyond those items, though, they weren’t too keen on the Buick Encore GX. 

The first area that displeased them was the motor. Buick offers a standard 1.3-liter turbo Inline three engine, which they felt was unrefined and underpowered. When it comes to fuel economy wasn’t exactly head-turning either. With front-wheel drive and the 1.2-liter motor, you can get 26 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. While it isn’t terribly bad, there are rivals offering better. 

Its ride quality suffered a bit as well. The editors at MotorTrend thought the GX drove more like a sports car instead of a luxury SUV. The suspension didn’t seem to do its job because you felt just about every bump and dip in the road surface. 

Also, another major point they brought up was the features to value the Encore GX offers. You can expect to pay around $27,000 to $30,000 MSRP. When you factor long-term costs with depreciation, insurance, maintenance, financing, and fuel costs, you could expect to pay a possible $35,000 for five-year ownership, which is poor. 

Is the Buick Encore GX a good SUV?

MotorTrend was hard-pressed to find things they liked about the Buick Encore GX. When it comes down to it, the value of what you get versus what you pay just didn’t make sense to them. In the end, the reviewers felt you would simply be better off with some of its rivals instead. 

One SUV they recommended over it is the Chevy Trailblazer. This SUV closely matches the GX version with the same engine options, which was just as underpowered as the new Encore GX model. The main difference is the value. Chevy’s Trailblazer costs around $19,000 to start, so what you pay matches what you get. 

Another vehicle they thought would be a better buy was the Kia Seltos, which critics deem a “mini Telluride”. When it comes to interior space the Kia offers a bit more legroom and headroom to accommodate full-size adults.

Also, if you want AWD on the 175-hp Seltos, you’re barely going over the $30,000 mark. With the Encore GX, you would pay significantly more if you added the features to its model to match what Kia offers. 

The Buick Encore GX sounds like it could be a worthy buy, but if you take into consideration long-term costs and what you get for your money, you’re better off passing on it and going for a Trailblazer or Seltos instead. 

RELATED: The Buick Encore GX Is a Mishmash Of An SUV

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This Military Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer Is a Bob Lutz Favorite

by Gabrielle DeSantis

For some, the Unimog is the pinnacle of overlanding utility. But even with online auctions, Unimogs aren’t always easy to find or inexpensive to buy. Luckily, several alternatives offer the same kind of capability but at more reasonable prices. And one of them, the Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer, has the seal of approval of famed auto executive Bob Lutz.

The Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer: when a Humvee is too ho-hum

1975 Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer 710M | Bonhams

Not everyone is familiar with the Steyr-Puch name, but the Austrian firm (now called Magna-Steyr) is responsible for several iconic off-roaders.

Steyr-Puch developed the original Mercedes G-Wagon, for example, and still assembles the modern version. It also helped create the Fiat Panda 4×4, the Volkswagen T3 Syncro, and the AWD system for the Pontiac Aztek, Hagerty reports. And Steyr-Puch is responsible for several military vehicles, too, including the Pinzgauer.

Steyr-Puch created the Pinzgauer as a replacement for the smaller Halflinger, Road & Track explains. Both vehicles are named after breeds of Austrian horses. The Pinzgauer’s namesake is known for its terrain-crossing and farm-working abilities, Silodrome and Car and Driver report. And when it comes to its hauling and off-roading capabilities, the mechanical Pinzgauer delivers.

Available in both 4×4 and 6×6, the first-gen Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer used a 2.5-liter air-cooled flat-four engine. With 87 hp and 133 lb-ft of torque, a first-gen model tops out at 68 mph, with a cruising speed closer to 60 mph, the Lane Motor Museum reports. And while the second-gen Pinzgauers use Volkswagen turbodiesel engines, they’re not exactly highway vehicles.

Instead, the Pinzgauer shines brightest when the pavement ends. A 4×4 710 model can carry up to 2200 pounds, the New York Times reports, and tow 3300 pounds while off-roading. Going back onto pavement raises the towing capacity to over 11,000 pounds, as much as the Rivian R1T.

Plus, the Pinzgauer can stand up to a modern G-Class when it comes to off-road specs. The military truck has portal axles, fully-independent suspension, and a two-speed transfer case. Fully-loaded, a 4×4 Pinzgauer has over a foot of ground clearance, Silodrome notes, a 27.6” fording depth, as well as approach and departure angles of 38° and 45°, respectively. And, just like the G-Wagen, it has three locking differentials, Bring a Trailer reports.

You can own Bob Lutz’s Pinzgauer

Bob Lutz's olive-green 1973 Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer 710M in front of a brown house
Bob Lutz’s 1973 Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer 710M | Bring a Trailer

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Over the years, the Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer has found its way into both military and civilian hands. Natalie Portman’s character Jane drove one in the first Thor movie, Mecum notes. And several celebrities own them in real life, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, Top Gear reports.

Automotive and motorcycle executive Bob Lutz also owns a Pinzgauer, a 1973 710M—or rather, owned. Because as of this writing, it’s up for sale on Bring a Trailer.

The front passenger compartment of Bob Lutz's 1973 Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer 710M
Bob Lutz’s 1973 Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer 710M front interior | Bring a Trailer

RELATED: Cars and Bids Bargain of the Week: 1995 Mercedes-Benz G320

As the BaT listing explains, Bob Lutz bought this 1973 Pinzgauer 710M in 1991 and subsequently imported it to the US. He refurbished it in 2005 with a new coat of paint and a new canvas roof. And in 2015 he replaced the batteries and overhauled the electrical system, including the alternator.

Being an ex-Swiss-military 4×4 710M, Bob Lutz’s Pinzgauer can seat up to 10 people. And in addition to the previously-mentioned off-road features, it has under-bed storage lockers, wooden side rails, and a steel cage for the front occupants. Amenities are admittedly fairly slim. However, this 710M does have sun visors, a blower fan, sliding side windows, a spare wheel, and a European-style tow hook.

The rear 3/4 view of Bob Lutz's olive-green 1973 Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer 710M next to a brown house
Bob Lutz’s 1973 Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer 710M rear 3/4 | Bring a Trailer

RELATED: Forget A Hummer: Buy This Bowler Military Truck Instead

On a recent episode of the Bring a Trailer podcast, Bob Lutz explained that while many military vehicles “looked impressive, they weren’t really very effective in rugged terrain. Especially the Hummer—it was much too wide and much too low and it didn’t have hub reduction.” So he got a European off-road vehicle instead. And he’s used it for a variety of off-road escapades over the years.

Looking for an off-roading or overlanding truck on a budget? Take Jane’s van from Thor

As of this writing, Bob Lutz’s 1973 Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer 710M is listed on BaT at $20,250 with less than a day left in the auction. So, if you want his specific truck, you’ll have to act quickly.

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Luckily, Pinzgauers and their spare parts have become easier to obtain thanks to importers like Swiss Army Vehicles. And compared to Unimogs, they’re relatively affordable. Although 6×6 versions carry a premium, most 4×4 models sell for $15,000-$25,000 on BaT. And with a few modifications, such as a heater and a kitchen, they should make for good overlanding vehicles.

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