2022 Mazda Cars: What’s New With the 3 and MX-5 Miata

volkswagen jetta Full OverviewIt might be hard to believe today, but the Volkswagen Jetta used to be the aspirational choice in the compact sedan segment. Travel back in time to the first decade of the 2000s, and amid the Civics, Corollas, Imprezas, Lancers, and Sentras of the world, the Jetta stood out for both its European styling and driving dynamics, as well as its premium, almost Audi-like cabin. Volkswagen of the era was focused on the "democratization of luxury," and the Jetta was at the forefront. Perhaps that's why the updated-for-2022 Volkswagen Jetta SEL is so disappointing.What's New With the 2022 Jetta?To be fair, maybe whatever the millennial equivalent of rose-colored glasses is (atomic purple Gameboys?) may have colored our expectations some. The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta is at its heart a midcycle update of a car one anonymous VW engineer called "boring" after we first drove the prototype back in 2017. When we tested the production model at the 2019 Car of the Year program, we thought the engineer undersold it some. "Cynical," and "forgettable," we called it.The changes to the 2022 Jetta are minor, but VW hopes they're enough to right the ship. The biggest change is under the hood. Gone is the 147-hp, 184-lb-ft 1.4-liter turbocharged I-4, and in its place is a new 1.5-liter turbocharged I-4 borrowed from the Volkswagen Taos crossover. The new four-pot makes 157 hp and the same 184 lb-ft of torque, albeit with that torque available at lower revs than in the outgoing engine. The Jetta's two transmissions, a six-speed manual and optional eight-speed automatic (tested here) carry over unchanged.You'll need to look closely for the 2022 Jetta's other changes. The sedan's nose and tail are subtly revised, and inside there is a digital instrument cluster, contrast stitching, and padded leatherette door armrests. Jetta prices start at $21,190, but our loaded Jetta SEL test car stickers for $29,185.How Quick Is the 2022 Jetta?With 10 new ponies under the hood, the 2022 Jetta is unsurprisingly quicker than pre-refresh models at the test track, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds and through the quarter mile in 15.9 seconds at 88.2 mph. That's about mid-pack among compact sedans, and it's two-tenths quicker to 60 mph and one-tenth quicker at the dragstrip than the last automatic Jetta we tested, a 2019 model.Although the new Jetta is quicker in a straight line than the pre-refresh model, the picture is murkier once we start looking at braking, handling, and fuel efficiency. The updated car needed 127 feet to complete our 60-0-mph panic stop test, 6 feet more than the 2019 Jetta; on the figure eight, it brought in a 27.7-second lap where it averaged 0.61 g, a tenth of a second slower and 0.01 g less than the previous model. The 2022 Jetta is less efficient, too. It's EPA-rated at 29/40/33 mpg city/highway/combined, whereas the old model scored 30/40/34 mpg.Is It Any Better on the Road?The new engine is the best thing about the Jetta on the road. It'll never be mistaken for muscular, but the small 1.5-liter engine has a broad torque curve, and the eight-speed auto never feels shy about keeping the four-pot in its powerband with your foot down. Its only demerit? Some editors complained of inconsistent power delivery, especially at city speeds where the Jetta is prone to both lag and surge—a trait this powertrain also exhibits in the Taos.The Jetta drives a bit like the Taos, too, which makes sense considering it shares its MQB A1 platform with the SUV (the Golf, which was traditionally the hatchback version of the Jetta, rides on the MQB Evo platform). The VW's steering is joyless and vague, which is just as well because the softly sprung ride quickly gets out of sorts when the Jetta is driven with any urgency. Those looking for a more engaging compact sedan could buy a Jetta GLI, but they'll likely be better served by a Golf GTI or one of the Jetta's Japanese or South Korean rivals.A Weak Inside GameWhereas the hot-selling fourth- and fifth-gen Jettas (1999-2005 and 2006-10, respectively) featured cabins that "were rich in materials and textures but also darned well conceived," the interior of today's Jetta SEL is fairly basic, especially compared to its rivals. Once the initial distraction of the Audi-esque digital instrument cluster and front and rear heated seats fades, disappointment is sure to follow. Poking around the interior reveals flimsy, sweaty plastics, "wood grain" trim designed by someone who might never have seen wood before, and button delete panels (on a loaded car, mind you) that hint at features the Jetta could have included but didn't. What are they? Who knows—this Jetta SEL allegedly packs all the goodies.The cost-cutting in the back seat is the biggest letdown. Hop into the spacious rear seat, and the materials go from bad to worse. The few touches of attention to detail from the front of the cabin—chiefly the contrast stitching on the door panels and "wood" trim—are gone. In its place are yet more hard, cut-rate, black plastics. To be fair, some competitors turn down the wick somewhat on their rear-seat materials at lower price points, but here the priciest Jetta's front seat represents a pretty bargain basement starting point.The VerdictIn a crowded field of compact sedans, the Jetta is no longer an aspirational choice. For an expertly balanced mix of a high-quality premium-feeling cabin with satisfying driving dynamics at an affordable price, visit a Honda, Mazda, or Hyundai store. In the shrinking yet ever improving compact sedan segment, the Jetta stands out for, well, not standing out. Sure, the Jetta is fairly big and spacious for its class, but whether you're shopping for a feature-rich commuting appliance or something to spark a little joy, your money goes further elsewhere.Looks good! More details?2022 Volkswagen Jetta SEL (Premium) Specifications BASE PRICE $28,790 PRICE AS TESTED $29,185 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 1.5L Turbo direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4 POWER (SAE NET) 158 hp @ 5,500 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 184 lb-ft @ 1,750 rpm TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3,121 lb (59/41%) WHEELBASE 105.7 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 186.5 x 70.8 x 57.7 in 0-60 MPH 7.6 sec QUARTER MILE 15.9 sec @ 88.2 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 127 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.82 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 27.7 sec @ 0.61 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 29/40/33 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 435 miles ON SALE Now Show All

If you've got your heart set on a Bollinger, maybe it's time to start that delivery business you've always dreamed of. Bollinger, the Michigan-based developer of the boxy B1 electric SUV and B2 electric pickup, has announced a change in plans: Production of its consumer trucks will be suspended indefinitely as the company pivots to its commercial business."Even though I love our trucks, we were getting so much interest on the commercial front, it just became a smart business decision," founder and CEO Robert Bollinger told MotorTrend. "We have a lot of fleets coming to us. We have agreements with them in place that we'll talk about later. All of our hard work and all of the patents, all of the expertise we've learned, battery development, thermal management, the battery management system [for] which we wrote our own code, all of our controls, all that we've done up to this point leads us perfectly into commercial."Bollinger's plan is to concentrate on Class 3 to 6 trucks (those with GVWRs ranging from 10,001 to 26,000 pounds—think heavy duty pickups up to two-axle box trucks and school buses), which makes sense given what Bollinger has shown us: Alongside its trucks, Bollinger has developed chassis-cab and dually versions of the B2 electric pickup, along with a bare Class 3 chassis for commercial use."We've been in Class 3 since day one," Bollinger said. "When we started having more and more of the team work on the commercial front, we saw that there was a lot of similarity between [Classes 3 to 6]. There are a lot of components we can use that are the same. The fundamental engineering and manufacturing of those frames for commercial are all very similar. We can expand our expertise in Class 3 into higher classes. We're doing this because, what else is out there?"Bollinger had announced a starting price of $125,000 for the B1 SUV and B2 pickup truck, well above the pricing of the Rivian R1T, Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and even the expensive Edition 1 version of the GMC Hummer HEV."Way back in 2015 when I started the company," Bollinger told us, "I knew there was going to be an electric [Ford] F-150 in the future. Things would go all-electric, so [we wanted to] make a truck that's really unique, very different, has all these capabilities that you won't find in any other truck. We succeeded in that and it became a vehicle we knew would be hand-assembled, low-volume and niche. I will go to my grave saying the B1 and B2 have no competition."We'd be lying if we said we weren't a little disappointed. There was a lot we were looking forward to seeing in the Bollinger trucks, not least of all that 12-foot cargo pass-through from the front to the rear of the truck, which is arguably even cooler than the Rivian R1T's Gear Tunnel.Bollinger plans to return deposits put down on B1 and B2 trucks, so does that mean the consumer vehicles are gone for good?"Never say never," Bollinger told us. "The B1 and B2 will always be in my heart. We're keeping all of that intellectual property, obviously. [But] commercial is definitely 100 percent of the focus right now."

lincoln corsair Full OverviewThe 2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring sounds like a losing proposition. Why pay Nautilus midsize SUV money for a compact SUV? Well, the Corsair's design for starters. The 2021 Lincoln Corsair's attractive curves gracefully slice through the luxury SUV noise—look elsewhere for angular or sporty styling. Now consider the Grand Touring model's plug-in hybrid powertrain, and the Corsair begins to make sense. This intriguing Lincoln is one refresh away from true excellence, but the Corsair Grand Touring already offers enough to steer open-minded shoppers away from Audi, Volvo, and Lexus dealerships.A Shrinking SegmentWith plug-in hybrid versions of the Mercedes-Benz GLC and BMW X3 discontinued for the U.S. market, only four players remain. Lexus burst onto the scene with the new NX450h+, Volvo has the long-running XC60 T8, Audi offers the Q5 TFSI e, and Lincoln sells the Corsair Grand Touring. All four deliver on the promise of plug-in hybrids—great efficiency like a hybrid, but with miles of electric-only range. Recharge them by plugging in at night, then set out the next day on EV-only propulsion once again. When it's time for a road trip, the SUV turns into a conventional hybrid; the gas-fueled engine takes you wherever you want to go. That's what makes plug-in hybrids so appealing. Despite their greater powertrain complexity, they can serve as an introduction to electric cars.If you aren't ready to try fully electric models, the Lexus NX350h also exists in this space. A standard non-PHEV hybrid, the NX350h undercuts the Lincoln and its direct competitors in price but can't match the flexibility a plug-in provides.Grand Touring = Best Performing Lincoln Corsair?Comfort and smoothness are higher priorities for Lincoln than sportiness, but who says you can't enjoy those qualities swiftly? The 2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring (and essentially the unchanged 2022 model, which starts at $51,525 and would cost $62,125 similarly equipped) enter the plug-in compact luxury SUV segment with 266 hp from an Atkinson-cycle 2.5-liter I-4 and its electric motors. Acceleration to 60 mph takes 6.3 seconds, quicker than the base 250-hp Corsair 2.0 (7.3 seconds) and two tenths of a second ahead of the 295-hp Corsair 2.3. The Corsair Grand Touring's 6.3-second performance comes in hybrid mode; travel in EV-only mode, and responses are more leisurely unless you press the throttle all the way down—the Lincoln will then get the message and turn on the gas engine again.The 2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring faces quicker competition outside of the Lincoln dealership. The last Volvo XC60 T8 Recharge we tested hit 60 in just 5.0 seconds. An updated model offered alongside the standard T8 Recharge version is said to shave a half second from that time, which would match a 2021 Audi Q5 plug-in hybrid we tested. The Audi hybrid reached 60 in only 4.5 seconds. As for the new NX450h+, a 5.5-second time means Lexus is still certifiably quick unless your other car is a Corvette or Tesla.What the Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring numbers don't tell you is how the engine sounds. For a luxury SUV, it's simply too loud. If you never drove the competition, you might never know to expect better, but of course we have—and we do. The Audi, for one, is quieter for around-town driving when the engine is on.Otherwise, the Corsair Grand Touring delivers on the unofficial Lincoln promise of quiet and comfortable cruising. An adaptive suspension is standard on the plug-in, and the ride quality is good, even on our test SUV's gorgeous 20-inch wheels. You'll experience slightly more body motions from the Lincoln than you might from the Audi, and the steering lacks feel. The Lincoln's planetary continuously variable transmission is smoother in everyday driving, however, and the brakes feel fine until the very end of their travel, when they pull back more than you'd expect. Drivers can get used to this Grand Touring quirk without much trouble, and no SUV in this four-vehicle segment has perfect brake feel. There's room for improvement, but Lincoln did a good job here.In 60-0-mph panic braking, the 2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring comes to a stop in 115 feet, which compares to 131 feet for the 2022 Lexus NX450h+, 116 feet for the 2021 Audi Q5 plug-in, and 114 feet for the Volvo XC60 T8 Recharge. One note from our test team about the Lincoln: The brakes began to smell during this part of its time at the track, which involves four consecutive stops from 60 mph. In figure-eight testing, which evaluates braking, acceleration, handling, and the transitions in between, the Corsair fared surprisingly well for a luxury-first SUV. The Lincoln completed the MotorTrend course in 26.9 seconds at 0.64 g (average), far better than the 2022 Lexus NX450h (28.4 seconds at 0.57 g) and not much different from a 2020 Lincoln Corsair 2.3 (27.3 seconds at 0.67 g)On the road, the Corsair lacks the light and entertaining feel that defines the Ford Escape, one SUV the Lincoln shares its platform with. With Lincoln's focus on luxury, however, that's not a huge loss. Drive the Corsair Grand Touring sensibly, and the Lincoln remains in its element.Lincoln Range and Efficiency vs. Lexus, Audi, and VolvoRange is hugely important in a plug-in hybrid; models with greater range allow you more time to luxuriously glide along under electric power. The Lincoln has a 14.4-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and manages the second-best EPA-rated PHEV efficiency rating, behind only the Lexus. Electric-only range comes in at 28 miles, again second best to the class-leading Lexus. Volvo trails the pack in efficiency and EV range but is preparing another T8 Recharge model with a claimed 32 miles of EV range.Vehicle EV Range PHEV Efficiency, EPA Combined Efficiency as a Hybrid, EPA Comb. 2022 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring 28 miles 78 mpg-e 33 mpg 2022 Lexus NX450h+ 37 miles 84 mpg-e 36 mpg 2022 Audi Q5 TFSI e 23 miles 61 mpg-e 26 mpg 2022 Volvo XC60 T8 Recharge 19 miles 57 mpg-e 25 mpg Show AllAfter your electric miles are up, the Lincoln's four-cylinder engine takes over seamlessly, and the luxury SUV operates as a hybrid. As with the competition, drive modes allow you to save your EV juice for later if you want. Put it all together, and the Lincoln can travel farther in EV or normal hybrid modes than the Audi and Volvo models presently rated by the EPA, but not as far as the Lexus.We just wish the Lincoln Corsair didn't have a worst-in-class 11.1-gallon gas tank. The tiny tank means you'll stop sooner on long highway road trips. But for day-to-day driving, the average luxury SUV customer will likely want the Lincoln's extra EPA-rated range over the electrifying speed of the Audi and Volvo. Once the updated XC60 T8 Recharge arrives in the U.S., the extra EV range may make it more of a player. The Corsair Grand Touring, however, undercuts that Volvo and others by thousands with its low-$50,000 base price. Our optioned-up test SUV carried an MSRP in the low-$60,000 range, like the Lexus and Audi but still below the Volvo.With the Lincoln, expect charging to take around 3.5 hours on a Level-2 240-volt charger, or 11 hours with a standard 110-volt outlet. As this is written, the Lincoln qualifies for a $6,843 tax credit. That's less than the $7,500 you can get for the Lexus and the 2022-model-year Audi but more than the Volvo's $5,419. (The new longer-range XC60 qualifies for the full $7,500.)Lincoln Luxury Inside Is a Mixed BagInside, the 2021 Lincoln Corsair's interior mostly justifies its $61,035 price, depending on what you seek from a luxury SUV. We still appreciate the Detroit Symphony Orchestra-sourced entry chimes and the soft material on the inside of the door pulls—the latter is a detail Lincoln and Lexus regularly get right. The center stack of controls might look intimidating at first, but over the course of our time with the SUV, we found them easy to use without even looking down. The Audi has a higher standard of interior quality, but more of the Lincoln's interior controls can be operated quickly, from volume and tuning to temperature and fan speed. That's thanks to the angle of the center stack—it's not completely vertical like so many other cars—and because of its mix of tabs and physical knobs.The biggest drawback inside isn't materials or the large Ford-sourced key fob. Rather, it's the tech. The Corsair's 8.0-inch screen isn't angled toward the driver the way the screens in the Audi and Lexus are, nor is it big enough to meet today's standards. No, bigger isn't always better, but in this case the size is a downer, whether you're using the split-screen display within Apple CarPlay or using the 360-degree camera system.Lincoln's 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster has style but could also use some updating. The configurable system's pared-back aesthetic looks premium, and there are even a couple plug-in hybrid-specific displays. Even so, we hope future Corsairs will display more characters in the audio display; with so much available screen space, the song title shouldn't cut off as often as it does. Elsewhere in this segment, we're not fans of the XC60's narrow, vertical infotainment touchscreen, but the 10.1-inch touchscreen in the Q5 and 14.0-inch touchscreen in the NX work well.In the Lincoln, you can sooth any tech frustrations with the available massaging seats. Thanks to the Corsair's lower base price, adding options still allows you—in terms of bang for your buck—to add even more options. That means it's easy to check the box for the massaging front seats and the superb 14-speaker Revel sound system. Also, despite the Corsair's smaller overall length compared to the others, it offers a good-sized 26.9 cubic feet of cargo space.The VerdictTry the Lincoln Corsair if you're comfortable driving a luxury vehicle that's no Lexus or Audi in terms of brand cachet. Where the Lincoln charts its own course in this segment is its clear focus on luxury, not sportiness—that's going to be a good thing for the right buyer. Although the Corsair Grand Touring lacks standout appeal in this foursome of SUVs, the Lincoln compensates for it with generally good scores almost everywhere else.Say it with us: There's no such thing as a perfect car. But if you can handle a small touchscreen and above-average engine noise, the Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring is worth considering, even against rivals from Audi, Volvo, and Lexus. We just can't wait for the refresh.Looks good! More details? 2021 Lincoln Corsair (Grand Touring AWD) SPECIFICATIONS BASE PRICE $51,485 PRICE AS TESTED $61,035 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, front/rear motor, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 2.5L port-injected Atkinson-cycle DOHC 16-valve I-4 plus permanent-magnet elec motors POWER (SAE NET) 163 hp @ 6,250 rpm (gas), 67+48 hp (elec); 266 hp (comb) TORQUE (SAE NET) 155 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm (gas), 173+111 hp (elec) TRANSMISSION Cont variable auto CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 4,573 lb (54/46%) WHEELBASE 106.7 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 180.6 x 74.3 x 63.8 in 0-60 MPH 6.3 sec QUARTER MILE 14.8 sec @ 95.1 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 115 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.83 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 26.9 sec @ 0.64 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 34/32/33 mpg (gas), 83/72/78* mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 430* mi ON SALE Now *EPA blended-PHEV (charge-depleting) mode testing, with vehicles set to their default drive and brake-regeneration modes. Show All