The Mercedes EQT Van Looks Family-Friendly…and Cool?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Mercedes announced the new EQT electric vehicle van this week, and it looks like everything a van could be. The EQT is a concept currently. However, the T-Class is set for release in 2022. Will Mercedes be able to capture a new section of the market with this small van?

What is the new Mercedes EQT?

The Concept EQT | Mercedes-Benz

According to Mercedes, the new EQT is a fully electric van stemming from the brand’s T-Class. The new T-Class appeals to those with families that need extra space and comfort. This is done without compromising on style or luxury. By offering an electric vehicle option, Mercedes is reaching an extra group of potential buyers.

With room for seven and an electric platform, we can expect a lot from the EQT. The van is equipped with an electric longboard and offers more space for passengers and cargo.

“The near-series-production concept vehicle combines ample and versatile space for up to seven occupants and a generous luggage compartment with a Mercedes-typical design and approach to high-class appeal, comfort, functionality, connectivity, and safety.”

Mercedes

Similarly, the EQT will be offered in a commercial van option. In collaboration with Renault, this will be called the Citan. An electric version is rumored to be called the eCitan.

Family-friendly Mercedes luxury

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The Concept EQT is 4,945/1,863/1,826 millimetres for the length/width/height. It has spacious sliding doors on both sides for easy entry and exit, even for those in the third row. The second row has room for three child seats. If you need the extra room, Drivers can remove the third row altogether.

Mercedes-Benz is emphasizing versatility for those looking to commute to school or adventure on weekends. The brand included folding plastic tables for little passengers.

“Sensuous shapes, elegant trims, and sustainable materials show that this van clearly belongs to our Mercedes-EQ family,” Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer Daimler Group, said.

LED front headlights lead the way. LED rear lights accentuate the back of the van. You can see hidden 3D stars around the vehicle, and 21-inch alloy wheels set the design off. The van has a bottle shape, which makes for a unique body style.

MBUX integration in the Mercedes EQT

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The T-Class will not launch until 2022 but fits into the small van sector. The first version on the market won’t be electric, but the EQT will follow shortly after. The concept shows an all-white Nappa leather interior. More options are to follow.

The Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) offers drivers even more features. A central display offers touch buttons, while the steering wheel also offers control. A voice assistant helps place calls with the use of “Hey Mercedes” phrasing.

Artificial intelligence integration means the voice assistant can help learn your preferences. For instance, if you place a call to a certain number around the same time every day, the MBUX system might offer the number on the screen at that time.

The MBUX system also provides live-traffic updates and over-the-air updates, much like Tesla offers. In conclusion, the new T-Class and EQT have a lot to offer drivers.

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Porsche Confirms Electric Macan Destroys Taycan’s Range

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Porsche has confirmed the rumored 2023 Porsche Macan EV. The luxury compact SUV will arrive in 2023 on a brand new EV platform. It’s slated to have a significantly higher range than the Taycan, making it the longest-range EV in the Porsche lineup. Just how far will the new electric Macan go on a full battery?

Porsche badge | Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The rumors are true, the Macan EV rolls off the production line in 2023

Car and Driver reports that the Porsche Macan EV will be available in 2023. This model is designed to complement its ICE counterpart. Depending on sales, the maker will eventually discontinue the gas-powered option. Some details are yet to be revealed, but the automaker is excited to share its project with the world.

A name for the Macan EV was not announced. Two battery sizes are available in Europe. However, American buyers showed overwhelming interest in the larger battery. This could mean that Porsche will only offer one battery size on the US market. A larger battery coupled with the 2023 Porsche Macan EV’s long-range may help push U.S. buyers to take a chance on the electric version.

The Macan EV brings a lot to the table

Porsche Macan body | Jan Woitas/picture alliance via Getty Images

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The electric Porsche Macan is built on VW Group’s Premium Platform Electric. Its 800-volt architecture functions at twice the voltage of most EVs. This means a lot of positive things for the Macan. Higher voltage means it takes half as much current to reach the next battery level.

An 800-volt system offers improved acceleration and cooler running. A lower current draw during high-power driving means that the wiring and motors stay cooler. The increase in voltage also means lighter gauge wire. Porsche says they’ve trimmed 66 pounds from the Macan in wire alone. Along with the transition to an electric platform, the Macan is getting several aesthetic updates. The Macan is lower, sportier, and more coupe-like than the ICE version.

Porsche delivers EVs that charge in a fraction of the time it takes to charge a Tesla. The upcoming Macan and the existing Taycan require 350-kW high-output charging stations to meet these fast-charging standards. Porsche has been producing these high-speed chargers since 2020. Proximity to sharing facilities is one of the primary deciding factors when buyers make the switch to EVs. As the network of high-speed charging facilities expands, range anxiety will subside.

2023 Porsche Macan EV Vs. Taycan in more than just range

Porsche Taycan EV | Wolfram Schroll/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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A specific 2023 Porsche Macan EV range has not been named for the upcoming Macan EV, but it has been confirmed that it will drastically outperform the Taycan. The Porsche Taycan travels 227 miles on a single charge. To be competitive with similar EVs, the Macan will have to meet or beat 300 miles. The EPA estimates that the Tesla Model Y and the Ford Mustang Mach-E can both top 300 miles in range. The Macan EV will likely push at least a 250-mile range, but the number could be much higher.

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The Kia Telluride Is a “Range Rover for the Middle Class,” According to Car and Driver

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The three-row SUV segment continues to grow, and now it’s become more competitive. The Kia Telluride is not only impressive, but it also appears it may be quite hard to beat in more ways than one. It not only has great performance features, but it’s also affordable even at the top trim level. 

Car and Driver took one for a long-term test drive and shared what they thought about it after putting on 40,000 miles on the tester vehicle. What did they think about it? 

How does the Kia Telluride perform long-term?

Car and Driver has always liked Kia models. They’ve been reviewing the brand for quite some time, but they always seem to fall into the same pattern when reporting on its vehicles. They loved Kia’s stylish designs, its long list of standard features that its models get, and the brand’s affordability. 

But, they always had the negatives to share, which would include things like power steering calibration being off and the suspension wasn’t quite where it could be. However, their view of the Kia brand seems to have changed with the Telluride. 

This time, they had noted almost all positive points concerning their tester vehicle. The only negatives that they came up with weren’t all that bad in the light of things. One editor had noted that they didn’t care for the way the windshield wiper in the rear sprayed the solvent.

They reported that they were hard-pressed to come up with anything wrong with the vehicle, which means Kia has come a long way with them. The Kia Telluride itself comes across as being more luxurious than the price tag of Car and Driver’s tester vehicle would lead you to believe. In fact, the director of vehicle testing, Dave Vanderwerp, said, “Kia has built a Range Rover for the middle class”

Is the Kia Telluride like a Range Rover?

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The Land Rover Range Rover and the Kia Telluride are from two different sides of the track. The Range Rover offers rugged capability and luxuriousness with a hefty price tag of up to and over $100,000. Kia’s Telluride offers much of the same as far as luxuriousness goes, and it has some ruggedness to it as well, even though it’s not meant for off-roading. 

However, the Telluride comes at a more affordable price. Car and Driver’s tester cost just $47,540. That’s the top-tiered SX model with the SX Prestige package, carpeted floor mats, all-wheel drive, and a towing kit. So, it is, in a sense, a Range Rover for the middle class. 

The Kia Telluride’s interior had leather-trimmed seating, faux-wood accents, and a fit and finish that was exquisite. The editors loaded lumber into it, had their kids snack inside it, and hauled their dirty dogs around, which didn’t harm the interior a bit. It was still as refreshing as it was brand new when their 40,000-mile test was over. 

How well does it compare with its competitors?

Kia offers a 3.8-liter V6 motor inside the Telluride, which produces 291 hp. Paired with it is an eight-speed automatic transmission. This combination enabled the three-row SUV to get an average of 21 mpg combined during Car and Driver’s tests. 

That’s more than what the Subaru Ascent and the Volkswagen Atlas got, which were around 20 mpg. The VW Atlas could get 24 mpg on the highway, while the Telluride can get up to 28 mpg. But, it didn’t quite meet the Mazda CX-9 and the Honda Pilot, which both get 22 mpg. 

Previously, Car and Driver always recommended the Mazda CX-9 for this class, but its cramped third-row and small cargo room would keep it from getting perfect scores. That changed when they started testing the Telluride. Not only did it check the boxes for chassis structure, and handsome styling, it also had comfortable seating for the third-row adult occupants as well as a large amount of cargo room, which is not something you see very often in this segment. 

The Kia Telluride does offer a lot of what you’d see with a Range Rover, and it comes in a refined package. Plus, it’s more affordable too.

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The 2021 Honda Accord is Sporty and Competent According to Edmunds

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Honda Accord seems to be one of the more easily forgotten choices in the brand’s lineup. With options like the Honda Civic coming with such variety at such a reasonable price point, it is easy to see how other great options like the Accord might be overlooked. But, the 2021 Honda Accord has so much to offer for the price that it’s worth taking it for a test drive — and who knows, it might even surprise you.

How much does the 2021 Honda Accord cost?

The 2021 Honda Accord ranges in price depending on drivetrain and trim level, but it starts out at a rather affordable entry-level price. If you’re checking out the base model LX, you can expect sticker prices around $25,765, and it only goes up from there. While all of the options offer their own reasons to purchase them, according to Edmunds, the best choice for the money is the Sport SE trim, which replaces the EX trim from previous model years.

The Sport SE trim is far from the most expensive option, being only one step above the base model LX trim and costing around $29,715. It is recommended because of everything it offers at the price. This includes leather upholstery, keyless entry, and heated seats.

Honda Accord | Vachira Vachira, NurPhoto, Getty Images

The sporty sedan overall

While Edmunds recommends certain trim levels, they give each vehicle an overall rating and a breakdown of that rating by category. The 2021 Honda Accord received an overall score of 8.3 out of 10 making it one of the best-rated sedans of its class on the site. The rating that might surprise you the most about the vehicle is how well it performed in driving tests for being such a sporty sedan.

White Honda Accord Hybrid on display at the Chicago Auto Show
Honda Accord Hybrid | Raymond Boyd, Getty Images

What we expect from the Honda Accord

The driving experience for the 2021 Honda Accord received an overall rating of an 8.5 for the drive quality. It reports that the reported statistics for the car are nothing special — and they truly aren’t. If you’re looking at times for 0 – 60 mph or 1/4 mile time you want be impressed, but chances are you weren’t expecting much from a responsible consumer sedan.

After all, our expectations for the 2021 Honda Accord are probably pretty basic. We expect it to get reasonable fuel economy, which it does, though the numbers vary depending on what drivetrain you’re looking at. You also expect a decently comfortable interior with enough space for passengers and cargo. If that’s all you were expecting, you won’t be disappointed. But, there is still so much it has to offer.

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The Honda Accord offers a surprisingly peppy driving experience

Driving the 2021 Honda Accord won’t ever feel like you’re driving a high horsepower sports car, but it won’t feel like you’re driving a horse and buggy, either. According to Edmunds, actually, it offers spunky acceleration and peppy handling that makes it a car that’s enjoyable to drive and navigate through traffic.

“…it responds quickly and smoothly to provide more power when you need it…The car corners well, sticking to the road with no drama, and the brakes are easy to control for smooth stops.”

Edmunds

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You might not have expected much of an enjoyable driving experience for the 2021 Honda Accord, but a quick test drive might just be what you need to change your mind.

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