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porsche taycan Full OverviewLeave it to Porsche. Going into our 2022 SUV of the Year competition, no vehicle had more pre-shade thrown its way than the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo. We've enjoyed a mixed, ambiguous relationship with the Taycan sedan since we first drove it. On the one hand, kudos to Porsche for making a great-handling electric vehicle that emphasizes performance and feel over everything else. On the other, where's the range, bro?Yes, we like performance, but institutionally we just can't fully get behind the industry's least efficient EV. As for the "SUV" version, well, it's just a barely lifted station wagon, right? No different than the crass, "we're not that gullible" efforts from Audi (the A6 Allroad) and Mercedes-Benz (E450 All-Terrain) to pitch station wagons as some sort of off-roaders. But then we made the terrible mistake of actually taking the Cross Turismo in the dirt, and yeah, Porsche strikes again.Before we get to how it drives, let's talk about what the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo is. First off, it's a station wagon by all definitions of the term. Yes, the legal definition of an SUV has something to do with ride height, but as I'm so fond of saying, "Just look at it." Talk about obvious. The Cross Turismo is an incredibly handsome wagon, especially on the tough-looking five-spoke wheels Porsche bolted to our test subject. Tangentially speaking, Taycan wheel design is all over the map, ranging from goofy to horrible to "yeah, baby." These are the latter. Since we drove the Cross Turismo, Porsche went and confusingly launched an uncladded wagon version of the Taycan, the 2022 GTS Sport Turismo, which looks approximately 10 percent better. That's mostly due to the 0.8-inch drop in ride height, meaning the Sport Turismo is technically a car. More on that in a bit.Under the lovely, Chalk-colored metal you'll find two motors: one driving the wheels at the front axle, and the other driving those at the rear. Unlike all other EVs on the market save for its Audi twin, the E-Tron GT, the Taycan has a two-speed transmission that's only connected to the rear motor. As for power, this gets a bit confusing. Combined output from the two motors is 375 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque. However, activate launch control, and the two motors go into overboost and the output increases to 469 horsepower, a more than 20 percent increase. Hey, it's a brave, new EV world. The battery pack is large at 93.4 kWh, and the range is EPA-rated at 215 miles. That's down 10 from the mechanically identical Taycan sedan, due a little to the increased weight of the wagon body but more so the increased ride height that also decreases aerodynamic efficiency and forces the halfshafts to sprout from the motor at an angle. Did I mention it weighs 5,134 pounds?The odd part about driving the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo only occurs when you realize there are three more powerful versions available: the 4S, the Turbo, and the Turbo S. There is a non-4, RWD sedan that makes less power (321 hp, 402 in overboost), but this particular version—$92,250 base, $109, 980 as tested—is pretty far down the Taycan lineup, which also includes the GTS sedan and Sport Turismo. Let me also point out that as far as the Taycan—cough—SUVs go, this is the entry-level Cross Turismo. The entry version that can hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, of course.The Taycan 4 Cross Turismo can also run the quarter mile in 12.7 seconds at 115.9 mph. That quarter mile is pretty quick, especially for an off-road-capable station wagon. But it's not that quick for an EV, as the Porsche barely edges out the 470-hp Jeep Wrangler 392 that does the quarter in 12.9. Hey we're talking SUVs, right? And remember, that using launch control this Taycan makes precisely 1 fewer horsepower than the double live-axle, brick-shaped Jeep.The Porsche's braking performance is good. Not so much as to stand out, but not bad, and there's nothing wrong with how the pedal feels. It takes 109 feet for the Cross Turismo to stop from 60 mph, 5 feet longer than the much more powerful, capable, expensive Taycan Turbo S with its 17.3-inch front rotors and super-sticky tires. Likewise, the Taycan 4's figure-eight time is good, at 25 seconds flat. I always say any car in the 24-second range is a sports car, and this slightly jacked-up wagon is oh, so close. To give you an idea of how well the Porsche did, remember the Mercedes E450 All-Terrain we discussed earlier? Another gussied-up station wagon pretending to be an SUV? It took 26.2 seconds to get around our figure-eight course. The Audi A6 Allroad? 26.5. Oh, and the Jeep 392? A frankly pathetic 29.3 run, which our test team chalked up to "aggressive ESC."Based on time spent with other Taycans we knew going in that this Porsche would be more fun to drive than the competition on the street. We wrongly assumed that since it's obviously only pretending to be an SUV, it would be weak sauce in dirt. We were totally wrong. Did we attempt any rock crawling? No, and you'd be insane to try. But we did try dirt, sand, and gravel, and, man, was the Cross Turismo not only competent and capable, it was a blast, as well. Especially in sand, where the EV loved kicking up giant rooster tails while simultaneously not even kinda getting stuck. Whatever off-road advantage there is from a 0.8-inch lift, Porsche fully exploited it.Unlike the aforementioned Audi and Mercedes "SUVs," I'd actually recommend the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo as both a driver's car and a light-duty off-roader. It's a genuine double-threat. At this stage in the game do we have the right to be surprised that a Porsche is fun to drive? Naw, probably not. Now, if the fine folks at Zuffenhausen could just do something about the meager driving range.Looks good! More details?2021 Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo BASE PRICE $92,250 PRICE AS TESTED $109,980 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front and rear-motor, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door wagon MOTOR TYPE Permanent-magnet electric POWER (SAE NET) 469 hp TORQUE (SAE NET) 368 lb-ft TRANSMISSION 2-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 5,134 lb (49/51%) WHEELBASE 114.3 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 195.8 x 77.4 x 55.5 in 0-60 MPH 4.5 sec QUARTER MILE 12.7 sec @ 115.9 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 109 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.89 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.0 sec @ 0.76 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 75/81/77 mpg-e ON SALE Now Show All

hyundai palisade Full OverviewHyundai's push into the SUV market is strong today—it's easy to forget the Korean automaker had a lousy SUV lineup just five years ago. Now it has six models covering virtually every segment of the SUV market. And when the Hyundai Palisade hit the streets three years ago, it quickly became a sales hit popular with families who wanted style, value, and room for eight. With the new 2023 Hyundai Palisade, a midcycle update brings some fresh styling elements and more technology, plus additional comfort features. We traveled to the beautiful roads outside Asheville, North Carolina, to sample the updated Palisade and try the refreshed SUV firsthand.So, What's New?Along with a new grille and some exterior details, the 2023 Hyundai Palisade is now 0.6 inch longer than before thanks to an upsized front overhang. The rear overhang is shorter, and the wheelbase remains the same, but overall length is now 196.7 inches. Although the interior dimensions didn't change, designers made these moves to give the Palisade a better stance in profile view—and it paid off.Inside, Hyundai added comfort features across all three rows to please a wide variety of passengers. Taking a page from sister brand Genesis' Ergo motion seats, the Palisade adds a massaging feature to the driver's seat, and the second row now boasts headrests that bend to provide lateral head support. Heated seats are now offered in all three rows, and the first and second row continue to offer ventilated seats.Hyundai's remote smart parking assist is available for the first time in the Palisade, which means drivers may get out of their vehicle and move the SUV forward and backward using the key. A new rear passenger-side airbag and parking collision avoidance assist are also present.Tech SavvyFamilies who missed having a Wi-Fi hotspot in the Hyundai Palisade will be happy, as Hyundai partnered with Verizon to allow drivers to now connect up to five devices at once. A three-month trial is included, but owners thereafter will need to pay $20 per month to use this feature. In-vehicle Wi-Fi hotspots are nothing new, but the 2023 Hyundai Palisade is the first of the company's models to offer the technology.A new digital key allows Apple and Samsung users to lock, unlock, and start the Palisade with their phones. Working with NFC technology, simply place your phone on the door handle to unlock the Palisade. To start the car, you must place the phone on the wireless charger (where there's another NFC sensor).The task is easy, and there are five digital keys in total that can be shared with friends via text message. Owners can change the settings of each of those keys to only lock and unlock the Palisade, and owners can remove key access easily. Best of all, the NFC sensors work even when your phone is dead, and the tech works with the Apple Watch, as well.People familiar with the old Bluelink app know there were a few limitations of what you could do in the Palisade. The 2023 model expands the list of features; it now turns the heated and ventilated seats on and off and sets the temperature when the owner starts the Palisade remotely. Owners will also be able to see and receive notifications about doors and windows left open, as well as fuel levels.The hardware updates also allow two driver profiles in the Bluelink app and the digital key, so if you share a car with your significant other, the radio presets, seat and mirror positions, and temperature will automatically change depending on who opens and starts the car.On the RoadNew for 2023 is the XRT trim, which adds rugged styling and darker treatments outside, but there are no hardware enhancements such as all-terrain tires or better approach and departure angles. We spent half a day driving the XRT on city roads near Asheville and on trails around the Biltmore Estate, and we were generally pleased with the way the SUV handled.There are no mechanical changes to the 2023 model; every Palisade continues to be powered by Hyundai's 291-hp, 262-lb-ft 3.8-liter V-6 engine mated to an eight-speed automatic. The XRT we drove was equipped with all-wheel drive, which was useful during the off-road section. On muddy parts of the trail, the Palisade demonstrated good traction and linear power delivery, making it easy to conquer obstacles. Although the trail was mostly a dirt road with a few ruts and puddles, it was a good representation of what families will encounter when heading on a camping trip.On the road, the ride was generally comfortable and quiet, with the steering tuned on the lighter side and the engine delivering enough punch to go over Asheville's hilly downtown streets without protest. In the past, we've complained about the Palisade's stiffer ride compared to the Kia Telluride, but because of our limited time behind the wheel for now, we'll wait to render our full judgment once we can get a 2023 model in our hands for testing.Should I Buy a Palisade?The 2023 Hyundai Palisade is available in five different trim levels—SE, SEL, XRT, Limited, and Calligraphy. Prices start at $36,245 for the SE and rise to $50,195 for the Calligraphy. The all-wheel-drive option adds $1,900.The midcycle update for the 2023 Hyundai Palisade might look mild on the outside, but it's significant when you look at all the new technology that's come aboard. With remote parking, a digital key for Apple and Samsung, and more features for the Bluelink app, the Palisade feels updated and modern. And Hyundai managed to add all those features while keeping prices competitive.Looks good! More details?2023 Hyundai Palisade Specifications BASE PRICE $36,245-$52,695 LAYOUT Front-engine, FWD/AWD, 8-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 3.8L/291-hp/262-lb-ft DOHC 24-valve V-6 TRANSMISSION 8-speed auto CURB WEIGHT 4,500 lb (MT est) WHEELBASE 114.2 in L x W x H 196.7 x 77.8 x 68.9 in 0-60 MPH 7.0 sec (MT est) EPA FUEL ECON 19/25-27/21-22 mpg EPA RANGE (COMB) 395-414 miles ON SALE Currently Show All

Russian Oil BanRising Gas PricesU.S. Demand Also HigherAdjusted For InflationHow Long Will Gas Prices Be Higher?