The Toyota RAV4 Stole the Ford F-150’s Spot as the Best-Selling Vehicle

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Ford F-150 has been the best-selling truck in the United States for decades. It’s also the best-selling vehicle in the country. But what if it isn’t anymore? Registration of new vehicles at the beginning of 2021 showed that the Ford F-150 has fallen behind the Toyota RAV4.

The Ford F-150 has been a dominant force for years

Ford and its F-150 truck have been a dominant force for many years. It’s been the best-selling truck in the U.S. since 1977 and the best-selling vehicle since 1981, according to Business Insider.

Pickup trucks in general have a lot to offer. They provide versatility along with luxury, technology, and practicality. The F-150 offers a number of options and trims for buyers to pick among, ranging from work trucks to luxury trucks. The F-150 also benefits from strong loyalty to the Ford brand.

Its popularity shows up in sales numbers for Ford and the F-150. Experian analyzed registrations of new vehicles in the first quarter of the past several years. Ford was solidly the most registered brand in 2017, 2018, and 2019, claiming 14.0 percent, 13.8 percent, and 13.6 percent of registrations respectively.

In 2020, Ford and Toyota were nearly tied. Ford had 12.8 percent and Toyota had 12.9 percent. Experian noticed a shift in registrations for 2021. Toyota claimed the top spot for the first quarter, with 13.7 percent of new registrations. Ford had 12.1 percent for the same period.

For each of these years, the F-150 continued to be Ford’s most registered vehicle during the first quarter; however, it has been slipping in the past two years. It held steady for 2017 (3.3 percent), 2018 (3.3 percent), and 2019 (3.4 percent). It started to drop in 2020 (3.1 percent) and 2021 (2.7 percent). The F-150 is still the top truck, though, beating both the Ram 1500 and the Chevrolet Silverado.

The Toyota RAV4 stole the top spot

The 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime | FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

Some of the growth for Toyota has come from the RAV4, which has seen great growth in the past few years. In 2017, it claimed 2.1 percent of first-quarter new-vehicle registrations, placing it sixth. That increased to 2.2 percent in 2018 and 2019 and 2.9 percent in 2020 and 2021. With this growth, the Toyota RAV4 stole the top spot from the F-150 for the first time.

The RAV4 isn’t Toyota’s only popular vehicle. The auto manufacturer was the top one in the first quarter of 2021. “Toyota is the [dominant] light-duty brand leader of new registrations in Q1 2021, taking over the spot held by Ford for many years. With 5 of the top 11 new model registrations, it may be hard to unseat Toyota for a while,” says Experian.

The Toyota Camry, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Tacoma, and Toyota Highlander join the RAV4 in the top 11 most-registered vehicles of 2021 quarter one.

What the 2021 Toyota RAV4 offers

While U.S. News ranks the 2021 Toyota RAV4 sixth on its list of compact SUVs, it points out the Toyota “RAV4’s refined interior, remarkable fuel economy, and well-balanced performance.” Also, the RAV4 received the 2021 Best Compact SUV for Families award from U.S. News.

Its 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine has plenty of power, with 203 hp, and is fuel-efficient, but it is a bit noisy. There are also hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. The RAV4 has plenty of room for passengers and cargo and has a nice list of standard tech and safety features. The interior of the RAV4 is finished with high-quality materials.

A 7.0-inch touchscreen is standard, but an 8.0-inch display is available. Also standard are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hotspot, a USB port, satellite radio, a six-speaker stereo, and Bluetooth. Navigation, four extra USB ports, wireless device charging, an 11-speaker sound system, and a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster are available.

Other available features include proximity keyless entry, a push-button start, and either a regular moonroof or a panoramic moonroof. The six trims available for the 2021 RAV4 include two off-road options.

Both the Ford F-150 and the Toyota RAV4 are great vehicles that remain popular with buyers. Everyone will have to stay tuned to see if the RAV4 remains in the top spot in the future.

RELATED: 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime vs. RAV4: The Gas-Powered Model Is the Smarter Buy

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The Tesla Steering Yoke Tried to Reinvent the Wheel And Failed – Surprising No One

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Tesla, Tesla, Tesla. Isn’t there a saying about trying to reinvent the wheel? Far be it from Elon Musk or the Tesla crew to use past knowledge to inform and stop them from wasting time and money on pointless gimmicks like a steering yoke. The newly updated Tesla Model S and Model X now feature a steering yoke instead of a steering wheel, and owners kind of hate it. 

Tesla Steering yoke | Tesla

The Tesla steering yoke is a flop

As noted by CarScoops, replacing the Tesla steering wheel with a race car/spaceship-esq steering yoke is one of the strangest choices the Tesla crew made with the Tesla Model X and Model S redesign. Although we have come to expect Tesla to do fun, wacky, and sometimes pointless things with its cars, the messing with the shape of the steering wheel seems like a standout example. 

The Tesla steering yoke is cool but so are dinosaurs…

A red Tesla Model S Plaid
The new Tesla Model S Plaid | Tesla

Just because something is cool doesn’t mean it should be used in cars. The Tesla steering yoke is very cool. There is absolutely no doubt there. However, this doesn’t make it good for – ya know – steering a car. 

F1 drivers use a similarly shaped steering wheel. This is a mere result of necessity, not because F1 engineers like Sci-fi. F1 cars use this shape because it gives drivers enough room in the tight cockpit and a better handle to make more precise movements when hitting insane G force. 

It all works because F1 drivers don’t have to do nearly as many varied maneuvers as the average driver does. Three-point turns, parallel parking, and more require the average driver to use much more surface area of the steering wheel than the yoke offers. 

Round steering wheels have been the agreed-upon best steering method for over 100 years. It turns out that steering wheels have been around for all this time because it’s the best way to control the average car. Even flat-bottom steering wheels tried to make the steering wheel cooler and have never taken over the old round standby. 

Just watching someone drive with the yoke is annoying

Tesla owners have begun to post videos to YouTube and Social Media platforms to show the realities of driving these updated Tesla models. The driver in this video regularly reaches for the top or bottom of the “wheel” and finds himself having nowhere to put his hand. 

Suddenly, a simple driving maneuver like making a 90 degrees left-hand turn is something the driver has to think about. Although the thinking doesn’t really interfere with driving, it presents questions about more stressful driving situations. WIll that extra second be too much in the wrong situation? 

CarScoops mentions that a Tesla Model S owner pointed out that the yoke has 2.25 turns from lock to lock, which is around 800 degrees. This is far from the maximum of 300-400 degrees in modern F1 cars and closer to the 900 degrees of a typical automobile.

Water (Tesla) gonna find its level

For the record, Elon Musk and Tesla do a lot of really interesting and sometimes even cool things. They are pushing the automotive industry in many really positive ways. However, Tesla tried to reinvent the wheel, which turned out to be a silly and unnecessary “improvement” that is irritating to some Tesla owners.

RELATED: Tesla Might Not Even Be Allowed to Have That Weird Model S Steering Wheel

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The 2021 Toyota Sequoia Is One of Consumer Reports’ Highest Rated Large SUVs

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia is a longtime favorite in large SUVs. Although it can be kind of pricey, starting at $50,400, you definitely get what you pay for with the Sequoia. Consumer Reports gave it a 68 out of 100 and put it on its recommended list of large SUVs, which is saying a lot. Let’s take a look at why. 

2021 Toyota Sequoia | Toyota

To be a Consumer Reports recommended vehicle, the Toyota Sequoia had to get a good overall score. The overall score combines their road test, predicted reliability, owner satisfaction, crash tests and safety equipment. The Sequoia’s 68 put it at number two on Consumer Reports’ list of large SUVs, behind the 2021 Ford Expedition. 

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia got a 60 on its road test. This includes a four out of five for its acceleration. The Sequoia went from 0-60 mph in 7.1 seconds. The routine handling score is a three out of five.

The emergency handling could be better. The Toyota Sequoia scored a two out of five. It had a max avoidance speed of 47 mph. This means that the fastest the driver could go in the Consumer Reports course while retaining control of the vehicle was only 47 mph. 

The 2021 Sequoia’s braking also wasn’t great, scoring just a two out of five. The Sequoia took 146 feet to stop from 60 mph on dry pavement, and 163 on wet pavement. 

The headlights scored just a three out of five. Good headlights are important to accident avoidance. 

What safety features does the Toyota Sequoia have?

A white 2021 Toyota Sequoia drives up a mountain.
2021 Toyota Sequoia | Toyota

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia comes standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking at city and highway speeds, and pedestrian detection. It also comes with lane departure warning, though lane keeping assist is not an option. Blind spot warning is standard in the 2021 Toyota Sequoia. 

Backup cameras are standard in all new cars, but the 2021 Sequoia also comes with rear cross traffic warning. New Toyota Sequoias have anti lock brakes, as well as traction and stability control. Daytime running lights in the Sequoia are optional. 

The 2021 Toyota Sequoia also comes with front side airbags and head protection standard with rollover. 

Did the NHTSA or IIHS crash test the Sequoia?

A blue 2021 Toyota Sequoia with a trailer driving up a mountain.
2021 Toyota Sequoia | Toyota

Neither the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or National Highway Traffic Association (NHTSA) crash tested the 2021 Toyota Sequoia. The NHTSA did give a rollover rating for the Sequoia though. This was four stars for both the 2WD and the 4WD. 

The predicted reliability for the 2021 Toyota Sequoia was four out of five. Similarly, the overall owner satisfaction rating was a four out of five. This score is determined by a survey which asks previous Sequoia owners how happy they are with the vehicle they bought. 

Although there are a couple of red flags in the 2021 Toyota Sequoia (the emergency handling and braking), overall it received good ratings from Consumer Reports. Perhaps the IIHS and NHTSA will crash test it at some point, and we’ll get a full picture of just how safe the Sequoia is. 

RELATED: Consumer Reports Reveals the Truth About Destination Fees

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The 2022 Acura MDX Took Home a Top Safety Award: the 2021 BMW X5 Got Zip

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The 2021 BMW X5 is beloved by Consumer Reports, but didn’t receive an Insurance Institute of Highway Safety Top Pick award. The 2022 Acura MDX received a Top Safety Pick+ award. Their crash test ratings are similar, so what gives? Which is really safer, the BMW X5 or the Acura MDX?

2022 Acura MDX | Acura

How does an SUV get a Top Safety Pick award?

To be awarded an IIHS Top Safety Pick award, a vehicle must score a good rating in all IIHS crash test ratings. These tests include the driver-side small overlap front, the passenger-side small overlap front, and the moderate overlap front. Additionally, the vehicle must get a good score in all of the side crash tests, roof strength, and head restraint tests. To get a Top Safety Pick+ award, the vehicle must excel in all of these tests.

The vehicle also has to get an advanced or superior in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian tests. Available headlights must be good or acceptable. Oftentimes one trim level has good headlight ratings while another trim level does not, so you should check the test results of the trim level you’re considering purchasing. To receive a Top Safety Pick+ award, the headlights on all trim levels must be good or acceptable, not just some trim levels.

How are the X5 and MDX crash tests?

All of the 2021 BMW X5’s and the 2022 Acura MDX’s small overlap front: driver side crash test ratings were good. Ratings vary based on trim levels with any vehicle, so double check any vehicle you purchase. 

All of the small overlap front: passenger side tests in both luxury SUVs were also good. These include the overall evaluation, structure and safety cage, passenger injury measures, passenger restraints and dummy kinematics, driver injury measures, and driver restraints and dummy kinematics. 

The 2021 moderate overlap front test ratings were also all good in both the 2021 BMW X5 and 2022 Acura MDX. The side crash test ratings in both SUVs are also all good. 

If you like to compare numbers, you’ll be interested in knowing that the roof curb weight of the 2021 BMW X5 is 4,825 and the peak force is 25,368. The strength-to-weight ratio is 5.26. The IIHS determines the strength-to-weight ratio by crushing the vehicle five inches. This is important in the event of a rollover; you don’t want the roof to give in easily. The X5’s rating is better than the minimum required for a good rating, which is 4. 

The 2022 Acura MDX also got good ratings, with a curb weight of 4,453 and a peak force of 22,519. The strength-to-weight ratio in the MDX is 5.06.

Head restraints and seat ratings are all good in the 2021 BMW X5 and the 2022 Acura MDX. This includes the overall evaluation as well as the dynamic rating and seat/head restraint geometry. These are important because neck injuries and whiplash are common car accident injuries. 

So what’s the difference between the 2021 BMW X5 and 2022 Acura MDX then?

The ratings between both the X5 and MDX are so similar, how could one be a Top Safety Pick+, while the other doesn’t even get an award? It comes down to the headlights. 

Unfortunately, the headlight ratings for some X5 trim levels were poor. On the other hand, all of the MDX headlights were rated good. This  means that the 2022 Acura MDX took home an IIHS Top Safety Pick+, while the 2021 BMW X5 got nothing. 

If there’s one thing to be learned from this, it’s that headlights are incredibly important. They make the 2022 Acura MDX safer than the 2021 BMW X5. You need them to see the road at night, and they have to be functional around turns and curves. Even though both the 2021 BMW X5 and 2022 Acura MDX both got great crash test results, only the MDX is a Top Safety Pick+. 

RELATED: Why Isn’t the 2021 BMW X5 a Top Safety Pick?

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