Refreshed 2021 Acura TLX Leads to Critical Improvement

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Since it debuted in 2015, the Acura TLX has always just kind of been meh. That is not the case with the new 2021 model, which got a complete redesign that is turning heads. Furthermore, when we say complete redesign, we mean complete. There have been so many things changed for the 2021 TLX that it almost seems like a brand-new car. In fact, the changes have been so impressive that the TLX was a finalist for a most improved award.

One of the most improved cars for 2021

2021 Acura TLX Type S | Acura Newsroom

Even though the 2021 TLX was not declared the topmost improved car, U.S. News did rank it as the third most improved car for 2021. They gave it a score of 8.1/10, which is an improvement of 1.2 points from 2020. A large part of the improved score was that Acura updated what had become a very outdated car. The MSRP has always been on the lower end of the luxury market, which partially compensated for the dated qualities of the TLX. Now, it has received significant updates while still keeping its price lower than competitors. 

What changes made the 2021 model better than the 2020 model?

Pretty much all of the changes made to the TLX are improvements. The exterior is wider, lower, and has a more aggressive appearance than it previously did. It comes standard with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that puts out 272 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque and is equipped with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The base model comes with front-wheel drive, and you can upgrade to all-wheel drive. If you decide to go with the TLX Type S, you get a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine that puts out 355 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque and comes with standard all-wheel drive. 

The interior also received a major overhaul, with higher quality materials, including leather upholstery and a more contemporary design. It has seating for five, and the front seats are a little lower, giving it a very sporty feel. The infotainment system was also upgraded to a 10.2-inch display, along with a 7.2-inch gauge cluster display. It does not have a touchscreen, but the touchpad controller is very responsive.  

The 2021 Acura TLX

In addition to the above updates, the TLX also has updated brakes and an adaptive suspension that delivers a very smooth ride. It also comes with an impressive number of safety features courtesy of AcuraWatch, Acura’s suite of smart safety features. Those features include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection, and a rearview camera. You can also add features like rear cross-traffic alert and a surround-view parking camera system. 

The standard TLX has eight trims available, four with front-wheel drive and four with all-wheel drive. In addition to the base trims, you can get the Technology Package, the A-Spec Package, or the Advance Package, which is the highest trim level. The starting price ranges from $37,500 for the base front-wheel drive trim to $48,300 for the all-wheel drive with Advance Package trim. The TLX Type S starts at $52,300, which currently only has one trim available, though you can add lighter tires for around $800.

If you are looking for luxury on a budget, the 2021 Acura TLX is a decent choice. The much-needed redesign has improved the model’s engine performance and interior luxury while keeping a fairly competitive price tag. Additionally, many standard safety features also make the TLX a good choice for a luxury sedan. All in all, it definitely qualifies as one of the most improved cars. Hopefully, Acura gets a certificate or a small trophy for its troubles.

RELATED: Which 2021 Acura TLX Trim Is the Best?

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5 Ways the Tesla Cybertruck Is Like Doctor Who’s Cybermen

by Gabrielle DeSantis

If you’re a Doctor Who fan and you’ve been paying attention to Tesla’s upcoming Cybertruck, you may have thought, that pickup truck looks an awful lot like the Cybermen. Just how similar are the Tesla Cybertruck and the Doctor Who Cybermen, and should we all be worried about the imminent downfall of humanity?

A Doctor Who Cyberman | Adam Gasson/Getty Images

Here are five ways that the Tesla Cybertruck are startlingly, eerily similar to the Doctor Who Cybermen.

They look strikingly similar 

The futuristic, silver and angular Tesla Cybertruck.
The upcoming Tesla Cybertruck | Tesla

Both the Tesla Cybertruck and the Doctor Who Cybermen have silver, metallic bodies. The older Doctor Who Cybermen have bodies that appear to be bolted together, but the newer Cybermen have smooth, silver bodies just like the Cybertruck. Are they cold-looking and slightly institutional? Yes. Are they both at the cutting-edge of technology? Also yes. 

Perhaps the biggest difference is that the Cybermen used to be humans, and therefore kind of look like terrifying Wizard of Oz tin men. The Tesla Cybertrucks don’t have heads, or hands – yet. They do have eyes (or at least they can “see” terrain). The Cybermen Cybertrucks are always watching.

They are both “total machine creatures”

The Doctor Who Cybermen lined up.
Doctor Who Cybermen | Adam Gasson via Getty Images

The new Tesla Cybertruck is going to be a revolutionary electric pickup truck. It’s going to be super fast and have an amazingly long range. There’s talk of it being able to power a house in a blackout. It’s a futuristic, fully electric vehicle with never-before-seen technology, like cameras and laser sensors. And, a massive supercomputer controls Tesla’s Autopilot system.

The Cybermen were first referred to as “total machine creatures” in the 1975 Doctor Who episode Revenge of the Cybermen. The Cybermen used to be humans from Earth’s twin planet, Mondas. Once they realized that human extinction was near, they converted themselves to the cyborgs known as Cybermen. 

Although initially human, there’s nothing human about the Cybermen. They don’t have feelings, they can’t process others’ emotions. Much the way the Cybertruck is controlled by computers, the Cybermen are controlled by Cyber Controllers and Cyber Leaders. In the famous Doomsday episode, a Cyber Leader is killed (can you kill something that isn’t alive?), and its data files are downloaded to another Cyberman. 

Neither are totally bulletproof

The Cybermen are pretty much immune to bullets, but that doesn’t mean that a well-placed rocket launcher couldn’t take one out. Explosives, electricity, and bazooka shells are also surefire Cybermen-killers. Doctor Who: The Visual Dictionary says that the Cybermen were bullet resistant, but not necessarily bulletproof. 

The Cybertruck is going to be made of the same stainless steel as Space X’s spaceships. As you can imagine, that can withstand some pretty heavy-duty stuff. Yet is it bulletproof? Tesla says the exterior is bulletproof to 9mm. The windshield is also supposed to be bulletproof. Yet when Elon Musk dropped a steel ball onto the windshield, it broke. He later said it happened because he first struck it with a sledge hammer, but who’s to say a sledge hammer-wielding, armed Cyberman isn’t going to attack your Cybertruck?

Cybermen ditched feelings the way the Cybertruck ditched radar

Think about it. The Cybermen have no way of interpreting the fear their victims experience as they’re facing death. In fact, once the Cybermen were able to process feelings, the impact of the realization of all they had done while cyborg was too much for them to handle, and they died. 

In order for Cybermen to understand the fear, anger, and kindness of humans (and the Doctor), they would have to be able to send out and receive signals about the behaviors and reactions of those around them. Since the Cybermen got rid of their emotions, they are unable to do this. 

Recently, Tesla got rid of its radar sensors. Now, instead of a Model 3 or Model Y being able to send radio signals to determine what’s around them, cameras do the job. No signals are sent or received.

The Cybermen got rid of feelings because they saw them as a weakness, and Tesla got rid of radar because it’s a “crutch.” It’s only a matter of time before a fleet of Cybertrucks tries to take over the world.

They both convert humans

The Tesla Cybertruck drives around a curve in a desert.
Tesla Cybertruck | Tesla

The Cybermen are on a mission to convert more humans into Cybermen because they fear extinction. They round people up and put their brains into the metal bodies (even if their brains don’t exactly keep operating as usual). 

Likewise, Tesla is converting people to the Tesla brand, but even more importantly, to the realization that electric cars don’t have to be small, boring vehicles. Yeah, it might be because Elon Musk realizes that the world is likely to become a fiery ball of desolation. Hey, it’s better than all of deciding our only hope of survival is to become Cybermen. 

RELATED: Did a Lack of Flux Capacitors Cancel the Tesla Model S Plaid Plus?

The post 5 Ways the Tesla Cybertruck Is Like Doctor Who’s Cybermen appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

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Why the 2022 Hyundai Tucson is an Underrated SUV

by Gabrielle DeSantis

SUVs are an extremely competitive vehicle class. There are sporty crossovers, great all-around compact SUVs, and luxurious large family SUVs on the market. Vehicles like the Honda CR-V have dominated the SUV class for years, but the CR-V may have some competition. The 2022 Hyundai Tucson is an extremely underrated SUV.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson is Hyundai’s future

The Hyundai Tuscon | Ramesh Pathania/Mint via Getty Images

Everything about the 2022 Hyundai Tuscon screams “SUV of the future”. Hyundai began producing the Tuscon in 2004 as the company’s compact crossover SUV. Sedans once dominated vehicle sales, but trucks and SUVs are the most commonly purchased new vehicles on the market in modern times.

Some of the most commonly purchased vehicles include the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 compact SUVs. Korean automaker Hyundai faces stiff competition. The Hyundai Elantra has been its most popular vehicle for years because of its affordability, gas mileage, and safety features. Still, other compact sedans like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla experience almost double the U.S. monthly sales of the Elantra.

The Hyundai Tuscon’s youth may be working against it, debuting over six years after top competitors Honda and Toyota released compact SUVs. However, being newer to the industry isn’t always a bad thing. The Hyundai Tuscon has less history than competing SUVs which means it can deviate from previous designs and experience fewer complaints and expectations. That’s exactly what the 2022 Hyundai Tuscon does. The compact SUV is ushering in a new era for Hyundai as a competitive quality automaker that uses cutting-edge technology.

Why you should look out for the 2022 Hyundai Tuscon

A 2022 Hyundai Tuscon.
The 2022 Hyundai Tuscon | Hyundai

First is the obvious exterior design improvements. The 2022 Hyundai Tuscon features a futuristic front end. Its grille incorporates unique shapes and seamlessly blends in with daytime running lights fit for an alien spacecraft. The body features mesmerizing triangular body lines. The back end’s taillights are easily some of the coolest taillights this year.

According to Car and Driver, the Hyundai Tuscon uses the same 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine as the Hyundai Sonata but is available in hybrid and plug-in hybrid options. The gas powertrain makes 187 horsepower and comes with an eight-speed transmission. It is available in either all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive.

The hybrid models come standard with all-wheel drive and six-speed automatic transmissions. The hybrid is estimated to make 227 hp, and the plug-in hybrid is estimated to make 261 hp. The 2022 Hyundai Tuscon doesn’t offer great acceleration but makes up for it with good handling and a quiet, comfortable ride.

The Tuscon came to compete

Interior of the 2022 Hyundai Tuscon.
The Hyundai Tuscon | Hyundai

The newest Hyundai Tuscon is a competitor for the best SUV because it was completely reimagined for the latest model year. It’s practical, comfortable, modern, and slightly more affordable than its competitors. The new Tuscon delivers both more cargo space and rear-seat space than previous models. It also comes with standard safety features like automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection and lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist.

The 2022 Hyundai Tuscon doesn’t offer amazing performance. It’s a compact SUV with a flashy exterior design and a comfortable, spacious interior that uses great materials. The new Tuscon does enough to compete and comes with hybrid powertrain options. It may not be SUV of the year, but it keeps the Tuscon nameplate in the running and gives it a much-needed style update that makes some of the competition feel dated.

The post Why the 2022 Hyundai Tucson is an Underrated SUV appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

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The Jeep J6 Two Door Truck Is the Gladiator We Need

by Gabrielle DeSantis

If you wish there was a two-door Jeep Gladiator model, then you aren’t alone. Jeep fans have wanted a two-door Jeep to happen for years, but so far, we only have the midsize four-door option. However, with the Jeep J6 two-door concept, our hope remains alive. 

Is the two-door Jeep Gladiator happening? 

Jeep J6 Concept | Jeep

Maybe. According to Quadra-Tec, it’s too early to lose hope for a two-door Jeep Gladiator. The Jeep J6 two-door truck concept keeps the dream alive. It’s a concept truck that drove around the 2019 Easter Jeep Safari. 

Having a concept vehicle out and about is better than nothing. Plus, the J6 is pretty neat. It mixes classic Jeep truck style with new Jeep Performance parts from Mopar. It’s a Rubicon that was customized into a two-door configuration. 

This maximizes cargo space with a large, six-foot functional bed that’s 12 inches longer than the Jeep Gladiator’s bed. The J6 is 201 inches long and has a 118.4-inch wheelbase that matches the current wheelbase of the Jeep Wrangler. 

How does the Jeep J6 perform? 

The Jeep J6 has custom Metallic Brilliant Blue paint, which is a nod to the exterior look of the 1978 Honcho. Like its predecessors, this Jeep truck can get it. It has 17-inch bead-lock wheels, a Mopar two-inch lift kit, and 37-inch tires. A 37-inch spare tire is included. 

The bed area is protected by a spray-in bed liner that matches the body color. Plus, a two-and-a-quarter-inch steel sports bar carries a set of four five-inch Jeep Performance Part LED lights that each push out 4,800 lumens. 

On the front, you’ll see a Mopar two-inch steel stinger bar that bolts into the front bumper. The rock rails have customized two-inch steel tubes that are welded to Jeep Gladiator rails. It already has Gladiator parts, making it the perfect baby Jeep truck. 

Under the hood, you’ll find the Pentastar 3.6-liter engine with 285 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. This is already more than enough power, but it’s paired with a cold-air intake to improve its performance. 

How likely is a two-door Jeep truck? 

The Jeep J6 Concept two-door truck from the rear
Jeep J6 Concept | Jeep

We know that the Jeep J6 is just a two-door concept and that the Jeep Gladiator is doing very well. But fans want a single cab option, and sometimes auto manufacturers listen. There was a rumor about a 2021 Jeep Gladiator with a single cab, but things have been quiet since then. 

It’s possible that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak delayed their plans. Also, the semiconductor chip shortage has been frustrating for most auto brands as production has been delayed. 

But here is a little information that could get the ball rolling. The 2022 Ford Ranger was spotted in spy shots with a single cab configuration. The Ford Ranger returned as a midsize truck, but Ford fans insisted that they wanted a two-door model. 

If Jeep wants to continue competing with Ford, then they will need to offer a compact truck too. The Bronco goes against the Wrangler. The Bronco Sport challenged the Rengage, and the Jeep Cherokee L faces the Explorer and more. We hope we can give you an update about Jeep’s plans soon.

RELATED: The Next Jeep Gladiator Model Is a No Brainer

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