Koenigsegg (Yes, the Swedish Hypercar Company) Is Making Parts for Teslas

There's a very human instinct that, when faced with a problem, one must do something. Take action, lest we possibly lose control over the outcome. Toyota isn't human, it's a car company. But humans work there, and those people seemed concerned enough about customers' wholesale abandonment of full-size sedans in favor of SUVs, they decided to do something about it. The 2023 Toyota Crown is that something.Programmatically, at least, it makes sense: Full-size cars like the Avalon—which Toyota recently discontinued—might as well be invisible to most buyers because, well, they're low to the ground and conspicuously not SUVs. So, why not make a sedan taller, creating a swoopy four-door that is neither SUV nor car—with a trunk, no less? It's a curious choice that'd be bold if not for the ample historical evidence that such a vehicle isn't the genius white-space opportunity Toyota thinks it is. Remember AMC's Eagle Sedan, or Subaru's Legacy SUS (that's Sport Utility Sedan), or more recently, Volvo's S60 Cross Country? We didn't think so.Toyota insists we haven't quite been here before. Those other lifted, SUV-ish sedans (sedan-UVs?) were smaller midsizers, and weren't offered in the same fevered, SUV-crazed market crucible we're living through today. Oh, and this one's sporty! And a hybrid! Okay, maybe?The Crown nameplate is not new. In fact, it adorned the first Toyotas sold here in America back in the 1950s, before fading from this market in the early '70s. All in all, it's been through 15 generations overseas, where it has long been attached to premium Toyota sedans. (More recently, Toyota added an SUV version based on what we know as the Highlander, and it's expected that the Crown family in Japan will grow to include more body styles soon.) Consider the Crown name appropriate, then, for this up-market four-door, which, yes, essentially fills in for the now-dead Avalon in Toyota's U.S. lineup.To further differentiate the Crown from mere cars—or similarly sized offerings such as Nissan's Maxima or Dodge's Charger—all-wheel drive is standard. So is hybrid power. On the entry-level Crown XLE and midlevel Crown Limited, that hybrid power is delivered by the latest version of Toyota's 2.5-liter-four-cylinder-based gas-electric combination, similar to what you'd find in the RAV4 Hybrid crossover. Final power figures are forthcoming, but look for something in the neighborhood of 236 hp between the dual front electric motors and gas engine and the separate (third) electric motor that independently powers the rear axle. Toyota expects this combination will deliver up to 38 mpg combined.Step up to the range-topping Crown Platinum, and Toyota swaps in a hybrid powertrain geared toward sportiness over efficiency. In goes a new 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder and six-speed automatic transmission combo with an electric motor standing in for the torque converter, plus a larger rear-axle motor. This layout mimics that on the new-generation Lexus RX's 500h F Sport trim, though instead of 367 hp it delivers 340, along with some 400-lb-ft of torque. The Platinum also has a Sport+ drive mode (XLE and Limited models top out at "Sport") and paddle shifters for its automatic transmission. (The XLE and Limited, like other Toyota hybrids, have a planetary-type continuously variable automatic transmission tuned for smoothness.) Fuel economy drops to a combined 28 mpg, perhaps a worthy tradeoff for the huge power.Toyota says the Crown generally and the Platinum specifically are tuned for sportiness, though both also prioritize quiet operation and comfort, with standard acoustic front glass and a thick noise-absorbing mat lining the firewall. If those sound like disparate and conflicting goals, well, consider them on-brand: You're talking about a vehicle that can't figure out if it's an SUV or a car. Internal strife seems to be its thing.The Crown itself is big. Think Avalon big. It is 194 inches long, 72.4 inches wide, 60.6 inches tall, and its wheelbase stretches 112.2 inches. Those dimensions are all just a hair smaller than those of the Avalon, save for the height, which is taller. (Toyota says the Crown sits 4 inches higher off the deck than a regular sedan, which we take to mean the Avalon.) The rear seat area is commodious, and even the Crown XLE rides on 19-inch wheels. In a Toyota first, the Platinum wears standard 21-inch rollers. Toyota also will offer a two-tone paint option on the Platinum only, which slathers the hood, roof, and decklid in black paint, in case the whole lifted-giant-sedan look weren't bold enough for you. Underneath, its platform isn't shared with other Toyotas; instead, its TNGA-K bones are closer to those of the new Lexus RX crossover.Without poking further fun at the Crown's oddball format, it has some presence in person. The shape is very sleek for a Toyota sedan—er, thing—and while the detailing is a bit strange, it's not an incohesive design. There is a full-width, thin taillight, along with slim headlights. A contrasting color panel on the lower door area breaks up the otherwise slab sides, and the mouthy grille is distinctive. Of course, nearly 100 percent of that mouth is not actually open; only a thin section below and nostrils on either side of a central front crash sensor are perforated to allow air into the nose.Every Crown is loaded with glamorous tech, including a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and 12.3-inch touchscreen running Toyota's latest Audio Multimedia software. This easier-to-use, snappier-looking interface first appeared on the 2022 Tundra pickup and is rapidly proliferating throughout Toyota's lineup. A thin row of climate control buttons live beneath this screen, as does a central volume knob. While XLE versions get a six-speaker audio system, Limited and Platinum models upgrade to an 11-speaker JBL setup.Other niceties include standard heated front seats (ventilated and heated up front and heated in back on Limited and up); Toyota's SofTex faux leather (Limited and up get real leather); and Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS) active safety features including blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keep assist. Limited and up also get full-LED headlights, parking sensors, and rain-sensing wipers. For the Platinum, Toyota also fits an electronically adaptive suspension, which can firm up or soften depending on which drive mode is selected.We poked around the interior of the new Crown and felt it was premium, but not quite Lexus level. There are some mainstream-feeling plastics on the door panels and center console, but the overall look is definitely more up-market than you'll find on any other Toyota. One glaring issue we found has nothing to do with quality, but practicality. For as large as the cabin is, the trunk—yes, there's a trunk, not a hatch like the fastback roof suggests—feels Corolla-sized at best, and with an odd opening and only a small pass-through to the cabin with the rear seats folded.Whether this combination of supposedly sporty (or at least powerful) hybrid-ness and tall sedan-ness is something buyers are looking for remains to be seen.  What we can say is that Toyota's will to do something for full-size sedans is as admirably human as it is abnormal. The logical thing for an automaker watching shoppers abandon one vehicle segment it no longer serves for another it has more than covered would be to step out of their way. Do nothing but hold up a big sign for the RAV4, Highlander, or Sequoia. Instead, this fall, the Crown will arrive in dealerships.

Aircraft fabricator Hawley Bowlus completed construction of the first Bowlus travel trailer in 1934 for the purpose of transporting flight crews to isolated takeoff locations. It's touted as the first aluminum riveted travel trailer in the world, even pre-dating Wally Byam's Airstream. Now the trailer is back with a tasteful modern update.Bowlus reports that "over half of the original Bowlus' built in the 1930s are still around today, often held in private collections." The lightweight 1,100-pound Bowlus was revolutionary for its time, attracting celebrity and media attention. In 2011, a 1935 Bowlus Road Chief sold at an auction in Scottsdale for $187,000. Fast-forward 90 years, and the Bowlus brand continues.The company currently sells three models: Terra Firma, Endless Highways Performance Edition, and Endless Highways Edition. They start—repeat, start—at $265,000, $240,000, and $215,000, respectively. Let's just say, if you're strapped for cash—or anything short of ridiculously, lavishly, richly well-off with a suitcase full of bands—the bespoke Bowlus may not be for you. But we can still dream, right?The trailers have avoided a fundamental technological overhaul for decades, but Bowlus has announced a few interior, exterior, and technology updates for its 2022-model-year luxury travel trailers. The kitchen has been redesigned with soft-close drawers, an improved air conditioning system, a "60-Second Hitch" towing connection assistance system, an integrated Bluetooth Smart Brake, and updated 13-diode LED taillights to clean up the look.In all of our travels around the United States, we've encountered a smorgasbord of travel trailers, massive toy haulers, million-dollar RVs, high-end off-grid teardrop trailers, and overland camper vans at campgrounds, on the road, and off-grid. But we've never, ever encountered a Bowlus. But when we do someday come upon one, at least now we know how to differentiate a 2022 model. Now that's a morsel of knowledge that'll surely impress new campfire friends.

With SUVs increasingly becoming the default choice for single-car families across the U.S., automakers are working hard to make them more fuel efficient. Last year's 20 most fuel-efficient SUVs averaged an impressive 55.5 mpg combined; this year, the 20 most fuel-efficient SUVs bump up their combined average to 60.9 mpg. And that figure doesn't include the increasing availability of electric SUVs. Last year there were about nine SUV EVs on sale. This year? Seventeen and counting. Provided you're not ready to make the leap to an electric SUV (all of which would make this list), what follows are the 20 SUVs that achieve the best gas mileage on the market in 2022.But before we dig in, some quick housekeeping. Our list of the most fuel-efficient SUVs for the 2022 model year was gleaned using EPA test data, and all vehicles are ranked in order from 20 to 1 using their combined mpg/mpg-e figure. When we had a tie, we then factored in electric-only range (if applicable) and highway fuel economy to break it.Plug-in hybrid, hybrid, gas, and diesel SUVs were all eligible to make this list, but as you'll soon see, plug-in hybrid and hybrid SUVs dominate. As previously mentioned, the 17 electric SUVs on sale in the U.S as of this writing weren't included. In case you're curious, they are:Tesla Model Y (up to 129 mpg-e)Hyundai Kona Electric (120 mpg-e)Kia EV6 (up to 117 mpg-e)Chevrolet Bolt EUV (115 mpg-e)Hyundai Ioniq 5 (up to 114 mpg-e)Kia Niro EV (112 mpg-e)Tesla Model X (up to 105 mpg-e)Ford Mustang Mach-E (up to 101 mpg-e)Volkswagen ID4 (up to 99 mpg-e)Audi Q4 E-Tron (up to 95 mpg-e)Mazda MX-30 (92 mpg-e)Volvo C40 Recharge (87 mpg-e)Volvo XC40 Recharge (85 mpg-e)Audi E-Tron (up to 78 mpg-e)Jaguar I-Pace (76 mpg-e)Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo (up to 76 mpg-e)Rivian R1S (69 mpg-e)Without further ado, here are the 20 most fuel-efficient SUVs you can buy today, in order from worst to first.