A Nissan Dealer is Leasing Leaf EVs for 99¢

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Yes, a Nissan dealer in Springfield, Virginia, will lease you a new Leaf for 99 cents down for two years at 10,000 miles a year. But there’s a catch. You know what they say, “If it looks too good to be true it is a car dealership offering a deal.”

The deal is you have to buy a 2020 or 2021 Titan pickup

2021 Nissan Titan | Nissan

In this case, part of the deal is you have to buy a 2020 or 2021 Titan pickup. But there are no monthly fees involved. And you’re still eligible for the federal tax credit on electric vehicles. So in a way, it is like getting a tax credit on a gas guzzler like the Titan. Sweet!

There is even better news. According to Car and Driver, there are five Nissan Leaf models on Hart Nissan’s lot, and they’re all Leaf Plus with the larger battery. The 62.0 kWh battery gets you 215 miles. Standard equipment has a 40.0 kWh battery which is good for only 149 miles. 

Hart currently has 25 Titan pickups. This includes the XD heavy-duty models in case you were thinking this deal is only good for a stripped Titan. But regardless of which 2020 or 2021 Titan you pick, you can only have the 5.6-liter V8 with a nine-speed automatic transmission hooked to it. That’s because it is the only engine available. Nissan killed the diesel option a couple of years ago.

With a “deal” there are tradeoffs

Titan towing a Leaf
Titan towing a Leaf | Thom

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That means only 16 miles per gallon of gas in the city, but a whopping 21 miles per gallon on the highway. Compared to a V6 Toyota Tundra, which gets 25 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway, the Titan obviously likes the gas. But you do get 400 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque. Everything is a tradeoff. 

Don’t forget that the Titan got a friendly refresh for 2020, so there’s that. If you’re enticed, the deal from Hart is good through May. So if you are, you need to get down there. And no, we doubt other dealers will follow Hart’s lead, so if you live in Florida you’re out of luck. 

As a reminder, the Nissan Titan comes as a crew cab at $41,375 for the two-wheel-drive model and $47,125 for the XD four-wheel-drive version. You can just hook your new Leaf to your stout titan and drive home with not one but two brand new Nissans. Life is good!

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This Used Ford Ranger Is the Cheapest Small Pickup to Maintain, Consumer Reports Says

by Gabrielle DeSantis

With over 30 years of on the road, the Ford Ranger is one of the best-known pickup trucks. The Blue Oval has fined-tuned the F-Series’ little sibling over the years, and consumers still appreciate its capability and affordability. And when it comes to older Ranger models, many are still on the road today, performing every task thrown at them.

In fact, the Ford Ranger appears in Consumer Reports’ “Least and Most Expensive Cars to Keep on the Road” as the cheapest small pickup. If you own this Ranger model year, you’ll be happy to know your truck costs you the least in maintenance and repairs.

How to calculate maintenance costs

Consumer Reports weighs in with data collected from member surveys. Based on actual responses and specific model expenses, the consumer advocate group assembled a list of the least and most expensive vehicles to keep on the road.

And though there are general average maintenance costs by brand, these survey responses cover 2011 models. Asking owners about expenses over the past 12 months, including routine service and repairs, Consumer Reports concluded which used vehicles have the lowest ownership costs.

The 2011 Ford Ranger is the cheapest pickup to maintain

RELATED: Ford Had a Difficult Time Selling Most of Its SUVs in 2020

When it comes to costs ownership at the 10-year mark, the 2011 Ford Ranger is a champ. Surveyed member data shows the 2011 Ranger, costing less than $10,000 when purchased used, costs about $200 each year to maintain. That’s less than a year’s worth of Starbucks coffee.

Consumer Reports also gives this compact truck 4/5 stars in overall reliability. For major components, including transmission and engine reliability, the 2011 Ford Rangers earns 5 stars.

Why the 2011 Ford Ranger earns even more points with owners

Ridgeback Service Bodies suggests a few Ford Ranger model years that most owners consider the best. And the 2011 Ranger made this list, with its extended cab, two-door design. The bed size is impressive for pickups these days, as is the cabin. This Ranger can seat five passengers.

Consumers also love the 2011 model’s configuration selections. They include extended cab and regular cab styles. Also, choose between a six-foot or seven-foot bed length. And there are XL, XLT, and Sport trims, making it easy to package the perfect Ford Ranger.

It’s also an affordable pickup to purchase and fill up at the pump, thanks to its four-cylinder engine. And for anyone needing more muscle, the 4.0-liter V6 and four-wheel-drive options hit the mark.

But not every model is perfect

Edmunds‘ 2011 Ford Ranger review pointed out a few dislikes about the truck. A big issue is its interior design’s outdated feel. Some critics also said the riding dynamics were choppy. Despite its smaller, more maneuverable size, the Ranger was still less than stellar in handling, too. Others deducted points for lack of desirable equipment that many other models offered as standard. In fact, it’s one of the few Ford models without Sync technology or the contractor-coveted Work Solutions suite.

If you need a small pickup with a few miles on it, consider the 2011 Ford Ranger. Sure, it’s older and imperfect. You’ll have to forgo the most up-to-date tech and creature comforts. But for an affordable truck that gets the job done, it may be the best option.

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Does the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV Really Have a 300-Mile Range?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Not only is it electrifying its rally cars, but Hyundai is also adding to its EV lineup in the US. Joining the Kona Electric and the Ioniq hatchback is the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5, an electric SUV, er, crossover. And among its features is a claimed 300-mile range. But is that achievable IRL?

The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV comes to the US with power or range

2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 | Hyundai

While the standard Ioniq hatchback has a lot to offer, some potential buyers could get anxious from its 170-mile range. In that regard, the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a significant improvement. However, getting the most range means giving up some performance.

In its base trim, the 2022 Ioniq 5 has a single rear-mounted electric motor and a 77.4-kWh battery pack. But buyers can add a second front-mounted motor, giving the EV AWD and more horsepower and torque. The standard RWD Hyundai Ioniq 5 has 225 hp and 258 lb-ft, The Drive reports. With the extra motor, though, that increases to 320 hp and 446 lb-ft, Roadshow reports.

The rear 3/4 view of a gray-silver 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 by a gray building
2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 rear 3/4 | Hyundai

The extra power and traction also come with greater performance. Hyundai claims an AWD Ioniq 5 goes 0-60 mph in under five seconds. But the downside is a smaller range, which also changes based on trim level.

In range-topping Limited AWD form, Hyundai claims the Ioniq 5 goes 244 miles on a charge. AWD SE and SEL models have a claimed 269-mile range. But for the truly range anxious, there’s the base Ioniq 5 with a 300-mile claimed range.

Will the Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV’s EPA range match its WLTP estimate?

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There is a caveat to those range claims, though. For one, as of this writing, they haven’t been finalized by the EPA. Hyundai is “hoping” to see these range estimates, Car and Driver explains, but the final numbers aren’t in yet.

At least, they’re not available in the US yet. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is currently available overseas with multiple battery pack options. In Europe, it’s available with a 52-kWh and a 72-kWh pack, Top Gear reports. It’s worth noting, though, that this doesn’t mean the US-spec EV’s 77.4-kWh pack only has a 72-kWh usable capacity. The two packs are separate entities, Roadshow reports.

RELATED: The New Hyundai Pony Concept Is a Painfully Beautiful Restomod

Regardless, with the 72-kWh pack, the Euro-spec RWD Ioniq 5 has an estimated 290-mile range. This figure, though, is based on the European WLTP test cycle, which is often more generous than the EPA’s test. That’s likely because EPA procedures focus more on highway driving, whereas the WLTP cycle emphasizes urban driving, J.D. Power muses. With the latter, EVs make greater use of regenerative braking, thus decreasing overall power consumption.

It’s possible to ‘translate’ WLTP results to EPA estimates, but there’s no one established formula, InsideEVs explains. Plus, the US-spec Ioniq 5 has a larger battery than the Euro-market model, further complicating things.

However, let’s try anyway. According to the WLTP, the Ioniq hatchback goes 193 miles on a charge. Using the WLTP-estimated 290-mile range for the RWD Ioniq 5, and scaling linearly with battery size, that works out to an estimated 273 miles. But again, this is just a rough, back-of-the-envelope calculation.

How does the competition compare?

RELATED: The 2020 Porsche Taycan 4S Just Outperformed Its Range Estimates

As of this writing, Hyundai hasn’t announced pricing details for the Ioniq 5. But the Korean automaker will start selling the EV “sometime this summer,” MotorTrend reports. However, Autoblog reports initial sales will be limited to the following states:

  • Arizona
  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Illinois
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • New York
  • New Jersey
  • North Carolina
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • Texas
  • Vermont
An image of a yellow 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT parked outside.
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT | Ford

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If the 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 meets its EPA targets, that puts it directly against the Ford Mustang Mach-E. Depending on the battery pack, Ford’s electric crossover manages 211-305 miles in EPA tests. However, the Mach-E has more power than the equivalent Ioniq 5.

There’s also the Volkswagen ID.4. In 201-hp RWD form, the VW electric crossover has an EPA-estimate range of 250 miles. And there’s an upcoming 295-hp AWD version based on the European ID.4 GTX. That model hasn’t been EPA tested yet, but it gets 298 miles on the WLTP cycle, MT reports.

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Is the 2021 Lincoln Navigator or 2021 Cadillac Escalade Safer According to the NHTSA?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

SUV shoppers looking for a large luxury SUV may find themselves trying to decide between the 2021 Lincoln Navigator and the 2021 Cadillac Escalade. Both full size SUVs have lots to offer, but which is the safer luxury SUV? Let’s look at whether the NHTSA found the 2021 Lincoln Navigator or 2021 Cadillac Escalade safer. 

2021 Lincoln Navigator | Lincoln

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator comes with more standard safety features

Both the 2021 Lincoln Navigator and the 2021 Cadillac Escalade have standard city emergency braking, and pedestrian detection. Rear view cameras, anti lock brakes, traction and stability control, and daytime running lights are standard in both as well. 

However, the Lincoln Navigator also comes standard with highway emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, blind spot warning, and rear cross traffic warning. These safety features are all optional in the Cadillac Escalade.  

The 2021 Lincoln Navigator comes with standard front and rear side airbags, while the 2021 Cadillac Escalade only comes with standard front side airbags. They both have head protection standard with rollover. 

The Lincoln Navigator’s NHTSA crash test ratings are better

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Both the 2021 Lincoln Navigator and the 2021 Cadillac Escalade were tested by the NHTSA. Crash test ratings are slightly better for the Lincoln Navigator. 

Overall frontal-crash testing measures how well a vehicle does in a head-on collision with another, similar vehicle at 35 MPH. The overall crash and overall frontal-crash, and overall frontal-crash passenger test ratings for the Cadillac Escalade are four stars, while the Lincoln Navigator has five stars. Both the Escalade and the Navigator have five stars for the overall frontal-crash, driver. 

A 2021 Cadillac Escalade drives through a tunnel.
2021 Cadillac Escalade | Cadillac

Side-crash test ratings for both the Lincoln Navigator and the Cadillac Escalade are equal, at five stars for overall side-crash, side-crash driver, and side-crash rear passenger. The overall side-crash test rating combines results from the driver, left rear-seat passenger, and pole test. 

The rollover risk is less for the 2021 Lincoln Navigator

Both of these behemoth’s come with a rollover risk which is pretty equal. The exception is the Lincoln Navigator 4WD option, which is four stars compared to the 2WD option and both the Cadillac Escalade’s 2WD and 4WD. 

The Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade both had a no tip result in the dynamic tip result. This test measures the risk of a vehicle rolling over in a single-vehicle, loss of control accident. However, the Navigator’s rollover risk was lower than the Escalade’s, at 19.30% to 21.20%. 

Winner: 2021 Lincoln Navigator

The Lincoln Navigator has excellent safety ratings across the board. It’s those four star overall frontal-crash test ratings that hurt the 2021 Cadillac Escalade when compared to the Navigator. The Lincoln Navigator also comes with more standard safety equipment than the Cadillac Escalade, meaning accident avoidance is more likely. When safety is your number one priority, the 2021 Lincoln Navigator is the way to go.

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