The Most Popular 2021 Toyota Camry Trim Isn’t Necessarily the Best

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Buying a car can feel overwhelming since there are so many choices out there. Even once you’ve narrowed down your decision to a midsize family sedan and then to the popular Toyota Camry, there are still 17 configurations to pick from, with different trims, powertrains, and options. It turns out that the most popular trim isn’t necessarily the best version of the 2021 Toyota Camry.

How good is the 2021 Toyota Camry?

The 2021 Toyota Camry is larger than the Corolla but smaller than the Avalon. It offers plenty of space for passengers and cargo, good fuel efficiency, and standard advanced safety features. However, it does have extra noise from its four-cylinder engine and from the wind and road noise. It also offers a V6 engine and a hybrid powertrain.

Its standard advanced safety features include lane-keeping assist, forward collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, and road sign recognition. It has a 7-inch touchscreen for its infotainment system, but a 9-inch display is available. The Camry also offers the reliability that comes with the Toyota brand.

Overall, Edmunds calls the 2021 Camry the “safe choice” in its class. Car and Driver is more enthusiastic, saying the “Camry has returned to glory with its exciting lineup, improved build quality, and priority on safety.”

The Toyota Camry | John Sommers II/Getty Images

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The 2021 Toyota Camry has six available trim levels: LE, SE, SE Nightshade, XLE, XSE, and TRD. The old L trim has been dropped. Edmunds recommends the XSE trim, saying it likes that one “because of its wealth of standard features, attractive styling touches and its sport-tuned (yet still comfortable) suspension.”

The XSE comes with leather upholstery, a 9-inch touchscreen, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert that’s also standard in the XLE. It offers options like heated seats and a panoramic sunroof too.

The XSE has a sportier look and feel than the XLE. It has slightly more horsepower in the four-cylinder engine. The V6 engine is optional in either the XLE or the XSE as is the hybrid powertrain.

In addition to the sport-tuned suspension, it also has a gloss black grille, 19-inch wheels, dual exhaust, and metallic interior trim. Edmunds says that the XSE is the most popular trim level. It has a starting price of $30,495.

Car and Driver likes the 2021 Toyota Camry TRD better

While the XSE might be the most popular Camry trim level, Car and Driver recommends the TRD trim, calling it “the spiciest Camry of the bunch.” It doesn’t have engine options, coming standard with the 301-hp V6. Car and Driver found the four-cylinder engine and the hybrid powertrain to be unexciting but likes the V6 much better.

The TRD is even sportier than the XSE trim, with a special sport-tuned suspension that’s 0.6 inches lower than other trims and includes stiffer springs and sway bars.

With its more aggressive look, it also provides unique 19-inch wheels, aerodynamic body trim, black exterior mirrors and exterior trim, a rear spoiler, red seat belts, and sport dual exhaust. It does have synthetic leather upholstery, automatic climate control, and a 7-inch touchscreen like the lower trim levels do. The TRD trim starts at $32,260.

Why more people buy the XSE trim

If the 2021 Toyota Camry TRD is the best one to drive, then why is the Camry XSE the most popular trim level? Both trims provide sport-tuned suspensions, although the TRD is sportier.

However, the XSE offers buyers three powertrain options, while the TRD has just the V6. Some buyers may be willing to sacrifice performance for fuel-efficiency. The XSE also has a lower price than the TRD when it’s equipped with the four-cylinder engine. In addition, the XSE provides features like leather upholstery and the 9-inch touchscreen, which don’t come in the TRD trim.

What is best can be a relative decision. Buyers will have to weigh luxury features, engine options, suspension tuning, and price to determine the 2021 Toyota Camry that best fits their needs.

The post The Most Popular 2021 Toyota Camry Trim Isn’t Necessarily the Best appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

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Custom 1939 Ford Roadster ‘Mystery Car’ Finally Identified by Twitter Sleuth Squad

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Mystery Cars come around now and again. The long history of custom car building makes sourcing the history of some of the mysteries a bit tough at times. This custom 1939 Ford Roadster creation had the internet – and auction house where it’s being sold – baffled for a little while. Well, after a few days of asking, the car nerd Twitter army got this mystery licked. 

1939 Ford Roadster | Mecum

There’s nothing like a good mystery car

Custom Ford Roadster interior
Custom Roadster interior | Mecum

Earlier this week, Silodrome posted an article about a Mecum auction listing that had many people scratching their heads. The listing is for this mysterious custom 1939 Ford Roadster. It features a V8 Ford Flathead engine, a clearly custom-built body, and a Cobra replica chassis.

At the time of the original posting by Silodrome, very little was known about the Ford Roadster. It was obviously not a factory car, but what it was, was still a mystery. The following text was all that was known about it before the Twitter squad got involved. 

“This unusual roadster is coming up for sale with Mecum in Indianapolis this month; it’s a custom-bodied mid-century roadster based on the chassis and running gear of a 1939 Ford, equipped with a flathead V8 and a 3-speed manual transmission.” 

So who built this Custom 1939 Ford Roadster? 

1939 Flathead V8
Flathead V8 | Mecum

RELATED: 10 Forgotten Fords That You May Not Have Heard Of

The updated info reveals the creation story behind this killer custom Ford. The Roadster was built by a fella named Paul Normand from Rochester, New Hampshire. The idea behind the car is inarguably cool. 

Normand wondered what it would be like if a Carroll Shelby-like character built a Cobra equivalent but in the 1930s. That is easily one of the best reasons to build a car of all time. The result proves the genius behind Normand’s thought process. 

Normand started with an MGA body which had to be very heavily modified. Using the Cobra chassis required that the MGA body be heavily modified to fit in the wider chassis. Basically, the MGA had to be significantly widened. Although the front end doesn’t really show it, the profile and backend really scream MGA once you know. 

The chassis is a massive part of the mystery Ford Roadster build

Custom 1939 Ford Roadster in green
1939 Ford Roadster | Mecum

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Silodrome further uncovered that the Cobra replica chassis sports Corvette independent front suspension and a coil-over rear axle from a Chevy S10. As is common for some updated vintage race cars, the Ford Roadster has disc brakes upfront and drums in the rear. 

Normand also had the good taste to use Authentic 1939 Ford wheels, but he had to use adapters to fit them properly to pull that off. To keep the era-correct feel as complete as possible, Normand used period headlights and tail lights. 

The last and coolest step in the build is the Flathead V8 that powers this little mongoose of a sports car. As the pictures show, the Ford Roadster has a very prominent Dr. Suess-looking gear shifter that is impossible to take your eyes off of. Normand paired the Flathead V8 with a three-speed manual transmission to really bring the cool factor home. 

Allegedly it only took Normand two months to build the custom Ford Roadster from start to finish. His years of experience building cars is the only thing that makes a build like this possible in that tiny bit of time. 

Sometimes a retroactive history is the coolest one 

The world is lucky to have had one Carroll Shelby. If he didn’t do his thing in the time that he did, obviously, everything would be different in regards to the American automotive industry.

However, taking this look at the fan-fiction version of a reimagined history of this 1930s Shelby is one of the most beautiful cars to grace the planet. It’s probably safe to assume that it is a blast and a half to drive, too. 

The post Custom 1939 Ford Roadster ‘Mystery Car’ Finally Identified by Twitter Sleuth Squad appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

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Your Teen Can Drive Safer With MyKey in Ford and Lincoln Vehicles

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Safety is a concern for all drivers, but parents of teen drivers may be particularly focused on learning about the array of available safety features. Both Lincoln and Ford vehicles offer a feature called MyKey, which has the potential to help parents encourage safe driving behaviors from their teen. Here’s what you need to know about this useful tool.

What is Ford MyKey?

According to Ford, MyKey is a feature that enables a parent to configure their teen’s car key, creating “restricted vehicle modes that promote good driving habits.” An identical feature is available on many Lincoln vehicles.

As a parent using MyKey, you will be able to program a restricted vehicle mode onto all but one of your keys. Any key that you do not program remains an admin key, meaning that you will be able to use it to create and configure other MyKeys. 

When you create a MyKey, it will always feature several default settings that cannot be changed. First, the audio system will automatically mute if it detects that passengers in the front seats do not have their seat belts buckled. For vehicles that feature satellite radio, MyKey will also automatically restrict adult content.

Additionally, MyKey will automatically enable any driver assist features that your car is equipped with. And in order to ensure the driver has plenty of time to recharge or refuel the vehicle, MyKey forces the low charge or low fuel warning to activate earlier than usual.

How to customize this feature

The Ford EcoSport | Manfred Schmid/Getty Images

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In addition to the pre-set MyKey configurations for Ford and Lincoln vehicles, there are several settings that you can customize to suit your family’s needs.

Several of these configurations center around speed: You can set speed minders that will alert the driver if they exceed your chosen speed, as well as vehicle speed limits that will fully prevent the driver from exceeding your chosen speed.

Ford does warn parents not to set a speed limit that will prevent the driver from maintaining a safe speed, as this limit cannot be overridden by the driver.

You also have the option of setting volume limits on the audio system. The MyKey driver will receive an alert if they try to exceed this limit.

Finally, MyKey allows you to enable the “always on” setting for emergency assist, traction control, and do not disturb. If you set this up, your teen will be unable to turn any of these features off while driving.

It is worth noting that while you can set up multiple MyKeys at a time, you cannot customize each of them individually. The settings you choose will apply to each active MyKey.

Which Ford and Lincoln vehicles offer MyKey?

Before you can take advantage of a safety feature like MyKey, you have to know which vehicles offer it. Unfortunately, a 2020 study showed that Ford is one of the worst automakers when it comes to telling parents about important safety features. This is surprising, given how many great features it has — many 2021 models will even offer Ford Co-Pilot360, a comprehensive safety suite that will enable hands-free driving.

Despite the fact that Ford may not always tell parents enough about potential safety features, you can at least be on the lookout for the MyKey option when shopping. Fortunately, it shouldn’t be too hard to find, as it now comes with the majority of Ford and Lincoln vehicles, including the Ford Explorer, Ford EcoSport, and Lincoln Navigator.

The MyKey feature is an excellent tool that parents can use to help encourage safe driving habits in their teen driver. If you’re shopping for a Ford or Lincoln, be sure not to overlook this valuable feature.

The post Your Teen Can Drive Safer With MyKey in Ford and Lincoln Vehicles appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

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The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness Edition Is Built for the . . . Wilderness

by Gabrielle DeSantis

It’s all too common for automakers to mislead consumers. One example is hinting that an SUV can go off-road when it actually struggles to handle dirt lanes. The new 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness definitely doesn’t fit in that category.

It manages to do all that Subaru promised and more. Even better, the Wilderness Edition may be making its way to other beloved Subaru models. Just how much off-road can this new Outback handle, though?

Welcome to the wilderness

It’s a rough road for automakers to follow when trying to design an SUV that can perform as well off-road as it does on the paved highway. Jeep has struggled with this for years with the Wrangler, but the coolness factor makes many consumers forgive the rugged SUV for a less than pleasing city experience. Other automakers can’t get away with that.

Subaru seems to have found the sweet spot with the all-new Outback Wilderness. MotorTrend doesn’t think the Outback Wilderness can keep up with the Jeep Wrangler, however. It’s more along the lines of the Toyota RAV4 Adventure and the TRD Pro. 

This means that the Outback Wilderness may not be suitable for serious rock-climbing trails, but it’s fine for some rougher trails that a typical vehicle can’t handle. So how did Subaru manage this?

According to MotorTrend, “Perhaps the most important addition to the Outback Wilderness is a 0.8-inch suspension lift, which raises the SUV/wagon’s ground clearance to 9.5 inches.”

The review site went on to explain, “The suspension lift allows the rugged Outback to go places where its siblings can’t. The approach angle has increased from 18.6 to 20.0 degrees, breakover angle (what kind of hump the two axles can straddle) rises from 19.4 to 21.2 degrees, and departure angle increments from 21.7 to 23.6 degrees. Subaru engineers also widened the front and rear tracks by 0.2 inches, helping both the Outback’s handling and its stance.”

The Outback has never looked so tough

RELATED: The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness Costs More Than a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Badlands

Raising the height was not the only new feature added to the Outback. It already has some macho looks for a station wagon, but Subaru is taking it to the next level. 

The grille, front and rear bumpers, and the LED fog lamps are all new. The inside is better than ever, with waterproof leatherette that means you don’t have to panic if water gets inside. It’s also great for bringing your dog along. 

To top it off, the Wilderness Edition gets the special treatment with its own badge. It’s simple enough, with a gray background, and a road leading into the mountains. It’s proudly displayed on the exterior, and on several places inside.

MotorTrend hinted that there will be plenty of accessories offered with the Outback Wilderness, but didn’t state what. It will probably include tents that can fit on top of the roof rack, as well as some other gadgets that will make car camping go just a little more smoothly.

Which other models will get the Subaru Wilderness treatment?

RELATED: Is the 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness Better Than the Subaru Crosstrek?

It’s too soon to tell if the Wilderness edition will be a hit or a miss, but given the reviews from MotorTrend, it’s probably going to knock one out of the park. With that in mind, Subaru will most likely spread the Wilderness to other models.

MotorTrend thinks that the Subaru Crosstrek and Forester will be the next SUVs to join the Wilderness edition. It’s important to note that no official word has come from Subaru yet, but it seems likely. Especially if Subaru fans take well to the Wilderness Edition. One of the major complaints Subaru owners have had is that the brand doesn’t handle off-road as well as they’d like, and now that is being fixed.

The post The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness Edition Is Built for the . . . Wilderness appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

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