Get the Quiet Interior You’d Expect in the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE

by Gabrielle DeSantis

What shopping for a vehicle, many of us don’t consider how much noise we’ll hear in the cabin. It’s not something we might even notice until we’ve had our new vehicle a few weeks. That’s when we realize all the wind and road noise is annoying. Though we might not stop to think about how quiet a vehicle’s cabin is until it’s too late, Mercedes has our back. The automaker designed the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE with the quietest interior possible.

The importance of a quiet interior

In the grand scheme of things, a quiet SUV might not seem like a big deal. But the longer you drive a noisy vehicle, the more you’ll wish you’d done things differently. It doesn’t matter if you hear the constant hum of the engine or the whirring tires on the road — you’ll quickly grow tired of the experience.

When you’re in a vehicle with a quiet cabin, you’ll be more relaxed. Plus, you’ll also find it easier to focus on your surroundings and better deal with any surprises along the way.

Why the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE is so quiet

It’s no surprise the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE appears on U.S. News‘ list “The 11 Quietest SUVs in 2021.” Mercedes spared no expense or effort in using top-quality materials to construct the GLE’s cabin.

These materials provide a touch of elegance that you’d expect from the luxury automaker. But they also dampen and significantly reduce the amount of wind and road noise you experience while driving the GLE.

Other aspects you’ll enjoy about the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE

Though the quiet interior is a compelling reason to purchase a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE, it’s not the only reason. This midsize SUV boasts potent acceleration. It packs a turbocharged and electric supercharged inline-six engine harnessing 429 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, Autotrader reports. But with that power comes so-so fuel economy, at 18 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.

As for infotainment features, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, wireless smartphone charging, and much more comes on all GLE trims. Other amenities you’ll enjoy include heated front seats, an automatic hands-free liftgate, an adaptive suspension that provides a smooth ride no matter the road conditions, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen.

Though you might not usually think of using a GLE as an off-roader, there’s no reason it can’t take you on a camping adventure. That’s because models except the base trim offer 4Matic all-wheel drive. Plus, there’s plenty of room for your camping equipment. According to U.S. News, the GLE “has 33.3 cubic feet of cargo space with its rear seats upright and 74.9 cubic feet with these seats folded, which is above average for a luxury midsize SUV.”

Also, the GLE offers a third row, upping this SUV to a seven-seater. Though the third row is cramped for adults, it’s a great option for transporting larger groups.

Overall, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE “holds its own in many ways with its quiet interior, impressive fit and finish, supportive seats, and strong engine,” Consumer Reports concludes.

RELATED: You Can Hear Whispers in the Quiet 2020 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Interior

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The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Has 1 Big Interior Upgrade

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning is an exciting electric pickup truck in many ways, including its looks. But although it resembles any other F-150 on the outside, the Lightning is a high-tech truck on the inside. Here’s a look at one big interior upgrade the Lightning boasts that its siblings cannot.

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning’s huge touchscreen

Glowing inside the Ford F-150 Lightning’s cabin, a massive central touchscreen ties the whole truck together. This 15.5-inch vertical display controls all the high-tech gear that lies inside the belly of the Lightning, MotorTrend reports. 

For comparison’s sake, the current conventional F-150 comes with an 8.0-inch touchscreen. Ford offers shoppers the option to upgrade to a 12.0-inch touchscreen — still smaller than the Lightning’s screen by a couple of inches.

And though size matters, the system’s capability also matters. Ford has that covered too: According to MotorTrend, the Lightning’s 15.5-inch touchscreen system, including software upgrades, makes it the “smartest and most connected truck in Ford’s lineup.”

What can the Ford F-150 Lightning’s touchscreen do?

Off the bat, the F-150 Lightning’s tech upgrades allow it to receive over-the-air updates more easily. This capability will allow Ford to quickly address issues with the Lightning’s software, provide upgrades to that software, and generally keep the truck up-to-date. Keeping an EV updated is vital because Ford owners, like Tesla owners, can view current maps of charging stations.

Ford calls the F-150 Lightning’s smart capability Intelligent Range. This feature tells drivers the best places to recharge while they’re on the road, MotorTrend reports. Furthermore, it can intelligently estimate how much battery juice is left by doing some complex math.

For example, Intelligent Range can look at how much payload the truck is carrying and adjust its range estimate accordingly. The Lightning can also determine exactly how much payload it’s carrying thanks to new onboard sensors. Intelligent Range also factors in other aspects such as weather and driving habits.

And that big touchscreen will also control BlueCruise — Ford’s answer to Tesla’s Autopilot.

How the Blue Oval’s electric truck stacks up

Many of those smart features are not only nice perks but also necessities. That’s because the Ford F-150 Lightning must compete with other electric trucks. And so far, they’re all high-tech and fancy. Tesla is already known for its large touchscreen that commands its vehicles’ smart systems, and Ford needed to do that, too, if it wanted to compete. The Hummer EV is in a similar boat, and it’s even more high-tech than the Lightning.

That said, the Lightning’s main draw probably won’t be its 15.5-inch touchscreen or smart features. Rather, the main attraction will likely be the numbers.

The standard F-150 Lightning has a regular-sized truck bed and can travel 230 miles on a full charge. Not only that, but it also starts at about $40,000 before tax credits. This price point makes it extremely competitive, but of course, the Lightning’s got options. Fully equipped, it can tow up to 10,000 pounds, carry a 2,000-pound payload, and boast a max range of 300 miles. Those numbers alone make the Ford F-150 Lightning a highly desirable truck.

RELATED: The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning’s Biggest Surprise Comes Inside the Cabin

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How Much Stuff Can You Fit Into a 2021 Toyota Supra?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The 2021 Toyota Supra is a fantastic sports car that’s quick in a straight line and agile around the corners. When buying one, you’ll have a choice between three different trim levels and two different turbocharged engines. It’s not all about performance, though, as the Supra also has a lot of tech-savvy features on hand, in addition to a good amount of storage space. But just how much stuff can you fit into a 2021 Supra?

The Supra has more cargo volume than a Toyota 86

2021 Toyota Supra | Joe Santos

RELATED: Why is the Toyota Supra Banned in the U.S.?

Sports cars, in general, have never been known for their practicality. In fact, if you buy a sports car, then you’re probably well aware that you would be lucky to fit a carry-on suitcase in it. However, the 2021 Supra is a little more forgiving in that department.

According to Toyota, the Supra has measures at 10.2 cubic-feet of cargo capacity, which doesn’t sound like much, but it’s actually larger than you would expect. Part of the reason is that the Supra has a hatchback shape that makes the rear storage a little more accommodating for larger, and even longer items. Since there is no backseat or formal trunk in the Supra, the stuff that you put in it can extend into the cabin area.

By contrast, the other sports car in Toyota’s lineup, the 86, only has 6.9 cubic feet of cargo volume in its trunk. But it does have a backseat to fit other stuff as well.

a shot of a 2021 Toyota Supra's cargo area
2021 Toyota Supra | Joe Santos

RELATED: The BMW M240i Is a More Luxurious Toyota Supra

What can you fit into a Supra?

a picture of the door pocket in the 2021 Toyota Supra
2021 Toyota Supra | Joe Santos

In some cases, more than you would expect. There are storage pockets in each door that are large enough to fit a cell phone or other small items and there’s a small cargo net in the passenger footwell for even more small items. As you would expect, you can store some stuff in the glove compartment as well and there’s even some room behind the seats for random items like jackets and whatever other pliable objects you can sneakily lay back there.

But can you fit an office chair in a Supra?

The bottom half of the office chair inside the 2021 Toyota Supra
The bottom half of the office chair inside the 2021 Toyota Supra | Joe Santos

Actually, you can! I recently purchased a swanky office chair from a private buyer and only had the Supra to transport it in. It seemed like an exercise in futility when trying to cram a semi-bulky office chair into its tiny cargo area, so I had to get a little creative. Fortunately, the chair came apart into two pieces.

I was able to narrowly fit the base of the office chair – wheels and all – into the cargo area with the rear glass barely touching when I closed the hatch. The top half of the chair rode shotgun with me and the rest of the equipment made its home on the floor. Admittedly, it wasn’t exactly the most amazing feat to pull off, but it was impressive nonetheless.

Just as an additional note, you can actually fit up to two carry-on suitcases in the back of Supra or a set of golf clubs, but not both. While the Supra isn’t exactly built to carry a lot of stuff, it can sure hold its own, in more ways than one.

The top half of an office chair in the front seat of the Supra
2021 Toyota Supra | Joe Santos

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How Safe Is the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

While the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata has been an enthusiast favorite for over three decades, finding out if it’s a safe car is much harder than you’d think. In fact, neither the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety nor the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offer official ratings for the model. As a result, if you’re looking to pull the trigger on this little Mazda, how can you know it’s actually safe?

To help you in this buying process, we’ll be looking at the Miata’s Euro NCAP safety rating. The test was conducted on the 2015 model. This roadster hasn’t received any major changes that would warrant re-testing. Additionally, we’ll compare the standard roadster to the RF with its metal folding roof.

Is the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata a safe car?

Mazda MX-5 Miata | Mazda

For the most part, the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata is a fairly safe car. However, when compared to most modern vehicles, it falls behind in a few key areas. Before diving into the specific rating, it is worth noting that if you’re looking at purchasing this roadster, you’re getting an extremely small vehicle.

We’re talking about a car that is 154 in long, 68 in wide, and 49 in wide. As a result, if you’re a person of average height, the Miata’s roofline might align with the bottom of your torso if you stand next to it. As a result of these dimensions, there isn’t a ton of available room, especially if you happen to crash.

Despite these dimensional shortcomings, the Mazda MX-5 Miata scored a respectable four-star Euro NCAP safety rating back in 2015. This means that there was adequate protection for both the driver and passenger. However, this roadster struggled in the frontal offset deformable barrier category, only scoring an adequate score for its driver. The same goes for the lateral impact rating involving another car and a pole.

Is the RF safer than the roadster?

An image of a Mazda MX-5 Miata outdoors.
Mazda MX-5 Miata | Mazda

RELATED: Buying a Used Mazda MX-5 Miata: What You Should Know

Let’s say your crash in a 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata doesn’t even involve another car. If you manage to roll this little roadster, are you better off with the soft top or the RF and its metal folding roof? The short answer is that you likely aren’t better off picking one model over the other.

However, this isn’t to say that the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata won’t protect you in case of a rollover. In fact, behind this little car’s front seats, you’ll find two structural roll-over bars. The goal here is to stop the car from squishing itself if it ends up upside down.

While finding recent crash tests for this roadster can be quite difficult, CarsDirect reports that the Miata has only a seven percent chance of rolling over when involved in a single-car crash. As a result, this shouldn’t be a major concern.

How much does the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata cost?

An image of a Mazda MX-5 Miata outdoors.
Mazda MX-5 Miata | Mazda

If you’ve read enough and decided to make the 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata your next car, here is how much you should expect to pay. Starting with the soft top models, the base trim is the Sport which should cost you around $26,830. From there you can opt for the Club for $30,290, or the Grand Touring for $31,770. Regardless of which trim level you pick, they all include the same 181-hp naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine.

The RF model has a similar breakdown, albeit for more money. The base RF is the club which starts at $33,045. However, the top Grand Touring model comes in at $34,525.

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