New 2022 Infiniti QX60 Design Language Screams Luxury

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Infiniti QX60 is a luxury SUV with an identity crisis. The luxury division of Nissan has struggled to produce a vehicle that distances itself enough from its parent company in recent years. The 2022 Infiniti QX60 has finally done it. The SUV now has what it takes to be a competitive luxury vehicle.

The 2022 Infiniti QX60 interior finds its missing grandeur

The luxury SUV vehicle class has been dominated by the likes of German automakers BMW and Mercedes-Benz. These companies know luxury. The automakers have produced vehicles that exude opulence for decades. As times change, the quality of vehicles evolves, incorporating more tech and exclusive features. Japanese automaker Infiniti has lagged behind the competition, like its parent company Nissan.

Infiniti models boast great performance, but the company realized it had to step its game up when it comes to producing vehicles with refined cabins and classy exteriors. When paying for expensive luxury SUVs, consumers expect a certain level of refinement to their vehicles. The Infiniti QX60 has underwhelmed plenty of buyers over time.

RELATED: Kate Hudson Is About to Show You the All-New 2022 Infiniti QX60

The 2022 Infiniti QX60 finally brings the ‘wow factor’ that has been missing for so long. According to Motor1, its redesign changes the way consumers will look at the SUV. The redesign includes a new exterior design. It has new piano-key headlights and a new grille. It sports an entirely new profile. The 3.5-liter V6 engine isn’t new, but its pairing to a nine-speed automatic transmission is.

The real changes come into play with the cabins of the 2022 Infiniti QX60. The new QX60 comes standard with a massive 12.3-inch full-color high-definition touchscreen infotainment system. It also comes standard with a WiFi hotspot, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The new QX60 features a 10.8-inch HUD (head-up display) as well.

The 2022 Infiniti QX60 takes luxury to the next level

The Infiniti QX60 interior | Infiniti

Tech is only a part of the appeal of the new 2022 Infiniti QX60’s interior redesign. The Autograph trim level is where the opulence is introduced. The Autograph trim comes standard with dash padding and quilted leather seats. In the front row, the driver and passenger can enjoy massaging seats. It also comes with second-row captain’s chairs so passengers can feel just as comfortable.

Superior materials and soft-touch surfaces make you wonder how this SUV is even remotely related to Nissan SUVs. Second cousins twice-removed, perhaps? The Infiniti QX60 was once easily comparable to the Nissan Pathfinder (which has many better alternatives), but the 2022 model proves that the QX60 is now in a lane of its own.

RELATED: Are Nissan and Infiniti the Same Manufacturer?

The QX60 has received countless upgrades for the 2022 model year, including new software, a lower stance, and a cabin that ushers in a new era for Infiniti. The semi-aniline leather and open-pore wooded trim are a battle cry. This SUV is finally ready to tango with the best of luxury SUVs in its class.

Is the Infiniti QX60 a good SUV?

A silver Infiniti QX60 is being displayed.
Infiniti shows off their QX60 SUV at the Chicago Auto Show | Scott Olson via Getty Images

Prior to the 2022 model year, the Infiniti QX60 used notoriously cheap cabin materials. The QX60 was way too reminiscent of Nissan Pathfinder models and just wasn’t making the cut as a luxury SUV. It did, however, always produce enough horses to at least provide an exciting driving experience. Its 3.5-liter V6 engine makes 295 horsepower which is nothing to sneeze at.

The Infiniti QX60 was not a popular luxury SUV amongst consumers because it was pricey, and its base model trim left much to be desired. The upcoming 2022 Infiniti QX60 brings much more value, quality materials, and innovative tech for its price. The 2022 Infiniti QX60 is estimated to start at $47,875 and release Fall 2022.

RELATED: 2022 Infiniti QX60: Infiniti Teams With Cameo to Offer Customers a New Kind of Shopping Experience

The post New 2022 Infiniti QX60 Design Language Screams Luxury appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

Mercedes-Benz EQE Sedan Debuts as All-Electric Version of the E-Class

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Mercedes-Benz is clearly pivoting toward electrification with a fresh lineup of EVs across the board. The automaker recently unveiled its electric flagship EQS model (including an AMG version). On the family SUV side, there’s a new seven-seat crossover called the EQB. Apparently, there’s even a battery-powered G-Wagen in the works. For traditional buyers of an E-class, or Tesla, M-B has now presented an electric luxury sedan alternative: the EQE.

The Mercedes-Benz EQE is basically a downsized EQS

Mercedes-Benz EQE Sedan | Mercedes-Benz

Built on the same EVA2 platform as the EQS, the EQE has been trimmed down and employs a conventional trunk instead of a hatchback. Assembly for the majority of vehicle markets will take place in Bremen, Germany. A joint-venture plant with BBAC in Beijing will be producing the vehicle for Chinese consumers. Mercedes plans to launch the EQE sometime in mid-2022.

“After the EQS, the EQE is already the second model on our platform for luxury- and premium-class electric vehicles,” said Mercedes-Benz COO Markus Schäfer. “This speed of innovation shows the advantages of the scalable architecture: With the new EQE, we can quickly make the high-tech solutions of our electric flagship EQS available to a wider group of buyers. And our production flexibility reaches new heights with the EQE: at the Bremen plant, where the versions for the world market roll off the production line, four other models are already in production.”

The EQE interior will have an optional and expansive “Hyperscreen”

Mercedes-Benz EQE Sedan Interior
Mercedes-Benz EQE Sedan Interior | Mercedes-Benz

Those considering the Mercedes-Benz EQE over the larger EQS will retain access to one of its signature tech highlights: the dashboard-spanning Hyperscreen. Composed of three separate displays behind a single 56-inch panel of glass, it provides dedicated screens for both driver and passenger along with a common center stack. In contrast to the crop of tablet screens protruding from dashboards, there’s an inherently smooth aesthetic to the Hyperscreen.

So what will passengers be able to enjoy on their own personal screen? According to Car & Driver, they will have the ability to view films, at least in European markets. However, cameras are in place to ensure that an EQE driver will unable to view whatever content their passenger is consuming. Apparently, if they detect a pilot’s gaze averting too far sideways, the car has the ability to block the content. It’s unclear exactly what that means at this point, or whether it will be a factor on US versions, but it’s an interesting twist.

Mercedes-Benz forges its own electrified path

Mercedes-Benz will launch the electric E-class equivalent with an initial EQE 350 model. With a single 288 hp electric motor at the rear axle, its predicted range is around 300 miles. According to Car & Driver, the automaker states a 0-60 mph time of 5.6 seconds. With the stated 391 lb-ft of torque, that sounds about right. Subsequent variants will include all-wheel drive under the M-B 4MATIC designation, with an additional electric motor powering the front axle.

“With its dynamic driving experience and comprehensive range of Connected Services, the EQE is a perfect fit for the desires of a modern generation of customers. We reconcile innovation and emotionality with sustainability: with Green Charging, we are actively contributing to the reduction of CO2 emissions” said Britta Seeger of Mercedes-Benz Marketing and Sales. “In addition, there are numerous intelligent functions that make everyday life easier for our customers. This includes Plug & Charge, for example – plug in and the EQE is charged without further authentication or registration.”

Final thoughts

Like many automakers, Mercedes-Benz is looking at an inevitable electric future and acting accordingly. The EQE model will help transition the bread and butter E-class segment for the brand and potentially grab Tesla customers looking for an electric and luxurious German car experience.

RELATED: BMW Seeks Electric Range Anxiety Solution With New Battery Tech Venture

The post Mercedes-Benz EQE Sedan Debuts as All-Electric Version of the E-Class appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

Taking The Rivian Off Road: Overlanders Attempt Historic Electric Truck Transcontinental Expedition Aboard Two R1Ts

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The R1T Rivian electric truck is shaping up to be a capable off-roader. To test the new Rivian pickup, Motor Trend took the Rivian off road. A team of journalists and engineers is attempting the first electric-powered transcontinental overland expedition; the crew is navigating the 5,000-mile Transamerica Trail with a pair of R1Ts.

The Transamerica Trail: an electric first

Pre-production 2022 Rivian R1T | Dylan Johnston via Rivian

The Transamerica Trail (TAT) stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. The overlanding trail begins in Nags Head, North Carolina, runs across the Mississippi River, over the Rocky Mountains, and ends in Port Orford, Oregon. It consists of public-access trails, dirt roads, and short stretches of pavement. 

Many travelers camp in the woods along the remote TAT. Most of the trail’s traffic consists of off-road motorcycles. The technical train is challenging in a full-size 4×4 and has never been tackled in an electric vehicle.

When Motor Trend editor, Christian Seabaugh, first conceived of setting an electric vehicle record by navigating the TAT in a Rivian pickup, the Rivian company supported the idea. The startup suggested completing the expedition before the electric truck launched in September 2021. 

No one predicted that extreme weather would render the Transamerica Trail nearly impossible to traverse. Intense rainfall, including 17-inches in a single day, flooded multiple sections of the trail. This unfortunate timing would put the Rivian pickup to the test.

What are the Rivian electric truck off road capabilities?

RELATED: Rivian IPO: Backed By Amazon And Ford, Startup Files For $80 Billion

The electric truck marketplace is crowded with prototypes. However, two technological features set the Rivian R1T electric truck and Rivian R1S SUV apart.

Many electric 4×4 prototypes feature adjustable-height air suspension. But Seabaugh reveals that when you max out the ride height, many adjustable suspensions “get really flimsy.” But not the R1T. The Rivian pickup has a secret: a series of interconnected hydraulics, at all four corners, designed to dampen the ride and prevent body roll. 

When Seabaugh dialed the Rivian electric truck up to 14.4 inches of ground clearance, he found that “thanks to those hydraulic elements of the suspension, the ride quality is maintained.”

The other class-leading Rivian electric truck feature is its quad-motor drive. While even the top-trim Tesla Cybertruck and Hummer EV models only have three electric motors, every Rivian features an electric motor at each wheel. 

Quad-motor drive allows the Rivian to do advanced torque-vectoring by instantly putting more power to a tire that can use it. By the Appalachian mountains, Seabaugh said the Rivian pickup was, “ambling up and over everything in its path, never lifting a tire, never stumbling, and never letting us see it sweat.” 

During this first leg of the R1T’s expedition, the reviewers concluded that the Rivian electric truck ‘Changes Everything.’ But they had yet to face the oncoming storm.

Motor Trend’s Rivian off road expedition

This is a press photo of a silver R1T Rivian pickup with a rooftop tent on the beach. Motor Trend reviewed the capabilities of the Rivian off road
Pre-production 2022 Rivian R1T | Rivian

RELATED: 5 Best Rooftop Tents For Overlanding — According to Popular Mechanics

The Motor Trend team settled into a rhythm aboard its two Rivian electric trucks. They off-roaded for several hundred miles, drove into town to find a charger, then returned to the trail. Then in Mississippi, the skies opened up, and it dumped rain. On the trail, the team encountered a convoy of four-wheeler riders. The locals warned the group that the TAT ahead was impassable, flooded with five feet of water. The Rivian R1T can ford three and a half feet of water, but not five.

The locals revealed they had navigated the sinkhole by cutting through the woods. But they warned the journalists there was no room for a truck. The only problem was that the Rivian electric trucks were low on batteries; the Motor Trend team had counted on following the trail to the next town.

The overlanders soon arrived at the sinkhole. Very carefully, they wove their two Rivian pickups up through the woods and back onto the trail. But they had another big problem: A 6,400-pound problem. 

The Rivian pickup comes to the rescue

This is a press photo of a silver R1T Rivian electric truck driving through dirt. Motor Trend reviewed the capabilities of the Rivian off road
Pre-production 2022 Rivian R1T | Rivian

The Motor Trend team, suffering from range anxiety, had brought along a Ram TRX as their chase vehicle. Unfortunately, the huge truck proved too large and too clumsy to follow through the woods.

The team had predicted the Ram might not fit in tight spots. They had thrown an electric chainsaw in its bed. They tried to plug the chainsaw into the Ram’s included 110-volt outlet but found it did not work. 

Luckily, they had two rolling batteries: the Rivian electric trucks. They plugged the chainsaw into the Rivian pickup and cleared a path to help the Ram TRX. On the muddy trail, the Rivian pickup also stopped to rescue a Chevrolet S10 stuck in a ditch. 

We will have to wait and see if the two Rivian electric trucks reach the Pacific. But they are already proving to be excellent off road ambassadors of the electric revolution.

RELATED: 4 Reasons Electric 4x4s Will Be Better Off-Road

The post Taking The Rivian Off Road: Overlanders Attempt Historic Electric Truck Transcontinental Expedition Aboard Two R1Ts appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

Top 10 States With the Worst Drivers in 2021

by Gabrielle DeSantis

A sizable portion of car accidents is caused by hazardous weather conditions or a mechanical problem on the vehicle. However, many more serious and fatal accidents are caused by bad drivers. Distracted driving, in particular, kills thousands of motorists, passengers, and even pedestrians each year. To top it off, some states have worse drivers than others. Insurify shows us which states have the best and worst drivers in the country.

How do you find data about car accidents?

A distracted driver staring at his phone | Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Insurify used data from various insurance companies, such as Carfax, to create its list. Insurance companies require drivers to provide information about any past accidents, as well as their state of residence. Insurify only took at-fault accidents into account when making this report, including incidents like DUIs and speeding.

The top ten states with the worst drivers

Utah, in tenth place, has a below-average rate of driver fatalities, but it still has some of the most ill-behaved drivers in the U.S. Idaho follows close behind in ninth, having one of the highest rates of traffic accidents. Idaho’s motorists have consistently driven up the national accident average for years, but at least their moving violation rates are down.

Colorado’s drivers, at eighth, also increase the national average of accidents, up to 18% in 2021. An estimated 10.3 deaths occur for every 100,000 due to traffic violations. At seventh, South Carolina reported nearly double that fatality rate for this year. Roughly 26% of its drivers have been involved in a previous accident.

Coming in sixth place is Wyoming, which has the highest number of driver fatalities in the country, an average of over 25 deaths per 100,000 citizens. It also has some of the highest rates of rude driving incidents and DUIs. Wisconsin, taking fifth place, has one of the lowest fatality rates in the nation, but it still has more incidents of rude driving.

Fourth on the list is Virginia, with over 26% of its drivers involved in a prior accident. It’s also the state with the highest percentage of impolite motorists, though its fatalities are slightly lower than the national average. The third-place winner, Nebraska, has 15% more fatalities than most states, with most of them related to negligent driving.

In second place, Iowa’s fatalities are slightly lower, but its drivers still get some of the most frequent citation rates in the country. For first place, Insurify says that Ohio has the worst drivers in the nation. Its motorists are 25% more likely to get a citation than those in other states, mostly for rude driving. Ohio residents also get more speeding tickets. Fortunately, Ohio’s fatality rate is slightly lower than the national average.

Of course, bad drivers still reside in every state, especially where stressful highways are located. Jalopnik also says that Texan motorists frequently engage in speeding or driving dangerously slow on the freeway. Pennsylvania is also home to many rude and dangerous drivers, undeterred by potholes or traditional right-of-way rules.

Which states have the best drivers?

According to Insurify’s map, Michigan and Wisconsin’s upper peninsula are the safest areas to drive. New York also has more considerate drivers, with less than 14% of them reporting accidents. West Virginia and Kentucky are also relatively safe, while drivers in areas like Alaska or Washington are less cautious.

Judging from some of these states, it’s clear that many accidents happen in rural areas or uncrowded traffic stops. With fewer drivers to deal with, some people are encouraged to test the rules of the road. Accidents can occur on any roadway, so drive as safely as possible and watch out for rude drivers.

RELATED: America’s Rudest Drivers Might Be in Your State

The post Top 10 States With the Worst Drivers in 2021 appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by