2023 Honda CR-V vs. Toyota RAV4: Comparing the Small SUVs On Paper

lincoln navigator Full OverviewThe Lincoln Navigator is well established among ginormous three-row luxury SUVs, having initiated the full-size segment some 25 years ago. The latest iteration of the Navigator made its debut for the 2018 model year and has been refreshed for 2022 with updated styling and some new technology. We usually welcome changes like these, but in the case of the 2022 Navigator at least one addition isn't, er, particularly great.ActiveGuide Is New but Has FlawsLet's dive right into the trouble: The headline technology for the updated Navigator is Lincoln's ActiveGlide semi-autonomous driving technology, effectively an adaptive cruise control and lane centering system that allows drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel on certain pre-mapped roads, the ever-expanding database of which will be beamed to Lincolns through over-the-air updates. (ActiveGlide is effectively a rebadged version of the BlueCruise system used in the parent company's Ford-branded vehicles. Lincoln offers it free for the first three years before owners need to subscribe.)Like all hands-free systems, in order to let you take your hands off the wheel, ActiveGlide needs to be able to detect that you are watching the road. To do this, the Navigator employs cameras atop the steering column that detect head and eye movements. If the system senses that the driver's eyes are off the road, it sounds repeated aural warnings before canceling lane guidance.We are intimately familiar with this sequence of events because we experienced it repeatedly—not because we weren't watching where we were going, but because we forgot to bring sunglasses to the press preview. Turns out that if you squint, ActiveGlide loses track of your eyes and thinks you aren't looking at the road. It also turns out that if a short driver doesn't position the steering column low enough, the steering wheel hub partially blocks the camera, generating more false alarms."Watch the Road"? We Are Watching the Road!We experienced ActiveGlide's full automation on Phoenix's 202 loop freeway and found it worked beautifully—right up until the road curved west into the afternoon sun, when it started shouting warnings to our squinting selves. (Interestingly enough, when the Navigator came to a section where it couldn't steer itself and needed the driver to put hands back on the wheel, the warnings were silent.)Now, we'd normally dismiss this as not such a big deal if it only affected hands-free driving, but there is a major caveat here: The face-recognition camera is also required for the normal lane centering function. So even when we weren't letting the Lincoln do the driving—so, when we were on non-ActiveGlide-mapped roads and turned on cruise control and lane guidance, with our hands firmly on the wheel—the Navigator continued to yell at us to watch the road, even though we were.This annoyance is piled on top of another one: Like most vehicles, when lane centering is engaged, the Navigator sounds a warning if it believes you've taken your hands off the wheel. Instead of a capacitive touch sensor, Lincoln uses the cheaper torque sensor, which detects inputs on the steering wheel. The problem—which we've experienced on other vehicles as well—is that on long straightaways, which require no steering, the Navigator yells at you to put your hands on the wheel even when they are already there. This is the reason why the Cadillac Escalade, equipped with GM's competing Super Cruise system, invested in the pricier touch sensors. Lincoln could do better for its top-of-the-line vehicle—after all, it's not like it's selling these full-sizers at razor-thin profit margins.Were these isolated incidents or due to a malfunctioning vehicle? We don't think so. We drove two different Navigators, and both exhibited the same behavior. Furthermore, other staffers have experienced these issues with the BlueCruise-branded version of the system in Ford vehicles. However, aside from the bedeviled lane-centering system, we found lots to like in the face-lifted Navigator.The Actual Improvements to the 2022 Lincoln NavigatorThere are other changes to the '22 Navigator, and some are genuine improvements, like the styling. The 2022 model has thinner headlights, a bolder grille, and better taillights, i.e., ones that no longer look like they've been installed upside down. There's a new Central Park Edition available with a dark green interior that looks in person better than it sounds on paper, as well as the blue-upholstered Yacht Club version. (Is this a return to the 1970s, when you could get your car's interior done up in colors other than black and beige? Gosh, we hope so.)The newly expanded 13.2-inch center screen, which runs Ford's Sync 4 system, is intuitive and easy to use, and the optional premium sound system is nothing short of spectacular. We also remain fascinated by Lincoln's 30-way power front seats, though we're not convinced they're a great idea. Automakers pay ergonomic experts to craft seats that are supportive and comfortable, with a few simple adjustments so we can tweak them to our needs. Lincoln's 30-way seats make, well, the occupants into the experts. Except most people aren't orthopedic spine physicians, and they will have the same trouble we do molding the seats into a perfect position. Perhaps there is such a thing as too many choices. Lincoln, how about a few ergonomically optimized presets that we can then fine-tune?The Best Seats Are the Rear SeatsWe had a much better time in the back seat (stop giggling, you children). Before our drive, we were chauffeured around in a Navigator equipped with Lincoln's new-for-'22 rear-seat entertainment system, which now incorporates Amazon Fire TV. Two of us streamed two separate programs from Amazon Prime (the system also does Netflix and Disney Plus), all while enjoying the class-exclusive massaging rear seats. (OK, so maybe there isn't such a thing as too many choices.) It was a far more enjoyable experience than being yelled at by the lane-centering system.The 2022 Lincoln Navigator also gets the latest version of Ford's Pro Trailer Assist system, which lets you steer a trailer in reverse via a knob on the dash. Programming is now easier than ever: No separate transponder is needed (as on the Ford F-150), just a checkerboard sticker on the trailer that Ford devotees will recognize from the system's first generation. In addition, no measuring is required to set up the system as with the original sticker-based system. Drive a calibration pattern, and the cameras do all the measuring for you. We're pleased to see this in the Navigator; its ability to tow up to 8,700 pounds—more than half a ton better than the Escalade—is a compelling reason to buy it.Likable, But Still Needs to Be BetterIn all other respects, the 2022 Navigator is basically the gentle giant we've come to know and love enough to make it our top-ranked full-size luxury SUV. It has authoritative power from the 440-hp 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6, a smooth-shifting 10-speed transmission, and a somewhat noisier, choppier ride than you might expect from Lincoln's flagship. And, of course, the Navigator is woefully inefficient—count on fuel economy numbers in the mid-teens. Lincoln tells us it has no plans to add a hybrid powertrain because gas mileage is not high on the priority list of the Navigator's target buyer.Hopefully said buyer is willing to deal with the driver-assistance foibles, too. Lincoln could dramatically mitigate the Navigator's problem by disabling the face cameras for hands-on lane centering, but it would be better still if the brand invested more in the engineering of the system. ActiveGlide's current functionality is enough to give us major pause, and that's really a shame—among big SUVs, the Lincoln has a lot to offer. Let's hope Lincoln sees the wisdom in investing in a rapid update to this update.Looks good! More details?2022 Lincoln Navigator Specifications BASE PRICE $78,405-$107,720 LAYOUT Front-engine, RWD/4WD, 7-8-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 3.5L/440-hp/510-lb-ft twin-turbo direct-injected DOHC 24-valve V-6 TRANSMISSION 10-speed auto CURB WEIGHT 5,700-6,050 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 122.5-131.6 in L x W x H 210.0-221.9 x 79.9 x 76.1-76.4 in 0-60 MPH 5.9 sec (MT est) EPA FUEL ECON, CITY/HWY/COMB 16-17/22-23/18-19 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 414-513 miles ON SALE Now Show All

mercedes-benz g-class Full OverviewMastery. It's exceedingly rare, though I've seen it with my own eyes a few times. Caught an Alfred Ladzekpo drum solo once. Front-row seats at a Johnny Cash concert a quarter of a century ago. Performances that transcended what feels possible and ascended to the realm of the magical. But what does any of this have to do with a China Blue 2021 Mercedes-AMG G63?I've driven more cars than I can count all over Los Angeles. None has received a more positive reaction. Human beings seemed to be universally smitten with this China Blue G. Some degree of mastery is needed to achieve so much positive feedback. But can this softly leathered, pastel blue G-wagen be a masterpiece when it's a universe away from its not-so-humble origins? Initially conceived by the Shah of Iran as a military vehicle, the G has transcended every definition and categorization car marketers can think of. Remember, Mercedes was done with the G-Class back around 2007, and the GL (now the GLS) was supposed to replace the icon. Didn't quite work out that way. A quickie Google just showed me a 2021 G63 with an MSRP of $190K and 1,100 miles on the clock on sale for $340,000. What other vehicle on earth does that?After spending 72 hours with this particular G and contemplating how the concept of mastery applies to it, what can I say? What can I add to the conversation about an SUV that's literally selling for $150K over sticker, used? A little bit, I hope.The G63 would be better as an EV. Here come the slings and the arrows, I know, but hear me out. Yes, the twin side pipes make an awesome noise. Only AMG could have figured out a way to make twin-turbocharged V-8s sound this deeply angry, and the short-piped G might be the loudest and most brutal of them all. However, the EPA estimations for this 5,784-pound solid steel wildebeest are 12/16/14 mpg—terrible, and that I barely cracked 10 mpg was even worse. I'd like to leave my son a world worth inheriting, and if this G were an EV, it would ever so slightly help move us toward that goal.Nearly three tons of China Blue fun is already heavy, and going electric would obviously make the thing even heavier. How heavy are we talking? The downright amazing Rivian R1T weighs about 7,150 pounds, and that's a bit more than the 6,750 pounds I bet an EV G would clock in at. The Rivian has four motors, while the the Mercedes-EQ EQS580 has but two. But even if the upcoming EQG580 (Mercedes' lousy nomenclature, not mine) weighs more than the Rivian, its efficiency will likely more than quadruple, as the R1T is EPA-rated at 74/66/70 mpg-e. That's, frankly, huge.An electric G would probably be quicker, too. Not that the current car is a slouch. Our test SUV hit 60 mph in a quick but not otherworldly 3.9 seconds. Does the 577-hp G63 have any real competition? Not really, and that's part of what makes it such an icon. The 5,122-pound Jeep Wrangler 392 with a 470-hp V-8 hits 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, whereas the 835-hp Rivian R1T does so in 3.1 seconds (or 3.2 with off-road tires).The G63's quarter-mile time is 12.5 seconds at 109.9 mph, which is respectable for a brick. Nearly as bricklike, the 392 is on the G's heels with a 12.9-second run, though its trap speed is just 100.4 mph. That Rivian truck? It initially smokes the AMG with an 11.6-second blast down the quarter (or 11.7 on the off-road meats). But note the R1T's trap speed: just 110.8 mph. Looks like the Rivian's accelerative advantage is over after 1,320 feet.As for braking, it took AMG two years after the G63 launched in 2019 to come up with 20-inch wheels that would fit over its massive rotors. China Blue here rode around on 22s. Braking from 60 mph took 116 feet, which is neither great nor bad. Pretty average for a passenger vehicle, actually. The Wrangler 392 takes a spooky 133 feet (though, sadly, that's decent for a Jeep Wrangler), whereas the R1T stops from 60 mph in an even worse 135 feet. Let's hear it for those 14.8-inch front/13-inch rear rotors.Around our figure-eight test track, the G63 pogoed its way around in 26.8 seconds, exactly as quickly as a Mini Cooper S Convertible. Not quite sure what that means. The Jeep 392 turned in an embarrassing 29.3-second performance. For various reasons, we have yet to figure-eight a Rivian, but we will. That said, heavy pickup trucks tend to perform poorly in that particular test.Aside from the dreadful fuel economy numbers and a comically expensive barrier to entry—this example stickers at $180,150, before dealers add on their cruel market adjustments—is there anything not to love about the 2021 G63? No, I can't think of anything. It's perfectly sized (about the same as a Wrangler Unlimited and four-door Ford Bronco), and around town, it's just a joy to drive. Especially if your idea of joy is imperious, effortless cruising that makes you feel like a master of the universe. To use the parlance of our times, G-Wagens just hit different.I've heard some rumblings about Mercedes' impressive MBUX touchscreen system being unavailable (yet) on G-Wagens, including from a friend I partially strong-armed into buying a G550. But he's since recanted, telling me, "I like the scroll wheel better than a touchscreen, and there are no fingerprints all over the place."Like most owners, he'll never take his G off-road. However, I have no such scruples, and I took a different G63 equipped with the new AMG Trail package on some pretty treacherous trails, and the luxo-truck performed admirably. Scraped its chin a few times, but that's nothing a 1-inch lift wouldn't solve.Are we talking about an automotive masterpiece? I wager we are. The 2021 AMG G63 is as close to the mythical notion of perfection as a vehicle is likely to get. Others playing on this elevated field? The Porsche 911. That's kinda it.Here's what I mean: If the excellent Honda Accord went out of production tomorrow, I'd be miffed, but a dozen competitors would eagerly step in to take its place. Did anyone lose sleep over the death of the Ford Fusion?Like Mercedes with the G-Wagen, there was a time when Porsche actively tried to kill off the 911. But exactly like Mercedes and the Geländewagen, Porsche just couldn't do it. Irreplaceable? Essentially. What both Stuttgart-based manufacturers figured out is that the world would be worse off if their icons weren't in it. If that doesn't make a machine a masterpiece, I don't know what does.Looks good! More details?SPECIFICATIONS 2021 Mercedes-AMG G63 BASE PRICE $157,500 PRICE AS TESTED $180,150 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 4.0L/577-hp/627-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 32-valve V-8 TRANSMISSION 9-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 5,784 lb (54/46%) WHEELBASE 113.8 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 191.9 x 79.3 x 77.4 in 0-60 MPH 3.9 sec QUARTER MILE 12.5 sec @ 109.9 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 116 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.78 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 26.8 sec @ 0.68 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 13/16/14 mpg ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 259/211 kWh/100 miles CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 1.37 lb/mile Show All

You've got a Tesla orbiting the sun, you've got Rivian-investing Jeff Bezos blasting into the upper atmosphere in an incongruous cowboy hat, and now there are Space Bentleys? Thankfully, not quite. No one's strapping a Bentayga super luxury SUV to a Delta Heavy anytime soon, given our back-of-napkin orbital payload cost calculations (using the common rough estimate of $10,000 to get a pound of anything into low Earth orbit). Instead, you've got a very earthbound Bentayga worked over by Mulliner that is inspired by space. This one is destined for Florida's Space Coast, which puts its theme in a whole new light. The vehicle was commissioned by Bentley Orlando for a customer whose enthusiasm for space is equalled by pockets deep enough to have Mulliner work over a Bentayga Speed with their favorite frontier in mind. Cheap compared to spaceflight, surely, but not chump change by any standards.Mulliner started off with a coat of Cypress green accented with Blackline Specification blacked-out brightwork and Orange Flame accents. Inside, custom sill plates provide a slice of the Solar System, while the rest of the interior is done up in Beluga and Porpoise—colors, thankfully, not exotic leather made out of highly intelligent cetaceans. Orange accents brighten up what is otherwise a dusky cabin.This is just one of many commissions Mulliner has taken on lately. In 2022 alone, Mulliner has done 100 of these one-offs, and last year the division marked its 1,000th bespoke creation in its seven years of operation. With this sort of income, perhaps in a few years Mulliner will be able to do a custom New Glenn interior for some grossly wealthy Blue Origin customer willing to front $28 million just to experience microgravity for a few minutes.