Overhauled ’23 Kia Sportage Gets Cheaper Trims and New Off-Road Packages

The myth of the Cadillac coffin is one that has haunted pop culture for decades, even popularized in the song Willie the Wimp by blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughn in the mid-1980s. The idea of being buried in a luxury car might seem like a one-off tribute to the ancient Egyptian pharaohs (who were routinely interred with all of their worldly possessions), but the twist in Willie's tale is that it's based on a true story.Willie "Wimp" Stokes Jr., Chicago gangster and over-the-top gambler, was indeed laid six feet under in a bizarre coffin-sized replica of his pimp-mobile (pictured above), which combined the wheels, grille, and trunk from his personal ride with a windshield, dash, and license plate. Willie's corpse was propped up inside this creation to look as though he was driving himself through the gates of Hades.Dig a little deeper and even more exhumed urban legends acquire an unexpected factuality. It seems like car lovers have been bending the rules to be buried in their favorite rides for decades. One of the earliest recorded instances speaks of heiress Sandra Ilene West, a Texan who departed for the afterlife inside her 1964 Ferrari California. Aurora Schuck, another Cadillac fan (although without Willie's links to organized crime) and her 1976 Eldorado convertible were craned into a 24-by-12-foot plot dug specifically to accommodate the Caddy in 1989, followed by George Swanson taking his '84 Corvette to the afterlife six years later, and Lonnie Holloway in his 1976 Pontiac Catalina in 2009.Whither the extreme automotive enthusiast who desires to make a mausoleum of their favorite hunk of metal in the year 2022? As a Boomer-led tide of death pushes cemeteries to the brink of real estate availability, environmental legislation tightens regarding what you can legally put into ground, and social media lies in wait to pounce on anyone who elects to extend their flamboyance into the afterlife, we wanted to know if it was still possible to be buried in your car?Make Room!The answer to that question, it seems, varies significantly depending on where you plan to rest eternally. There's actually no single overarching framework that governs how cemeteries are managed, or how human remains must be disposed of, which means each jurisdiction is on its own to create (or not) a set of regulations regarding burials.The first daunting step in the quest for a car coffin is to secure a cemetery plot of adequate size. Ms. Schuck had the luxury of scooping up roughly 16 plots to combine into one Caddy-sized pit (taking into account the need to build a full concrete foundation and then surround the vehicle with even more cement). Even Swansons' more modestly-sized Corvette required four plots in total (with a layer of concrete poured on top to prevent settling). It can be a struggle in some urban areas to find standard-size side-by-side plots so that spouses can dream together forever, let alone carve out a car-sized slice of terrain, so it definitely helps if you plan on being eternally linked to a Miata rather than an Escalade.Then there's the question of access. The kind of heavy equipment required to dig a sizable hole in the ground needs a fair amount of space to operate, not to mention a pathway to the plot(s) in question, and that's before you take into account the logistics of fitting a car-capable crane onto ground that may or may not be hard enough to accommodate its weight.Of course, you could always opt for home burial, which alleviates many of the above problems (in all but Indiana, Washington D.C., Washington State, and California, where it's not legal). There are roughly 10 states that require you to get a funeral director to move the body to its intended burial spot, but almost everywhere else it's the Wild West when it comes to its transportation and burial/cremation (as long as you take care of it within the 24-48-hour window that precludes the need for embalming, and don't try to cross state lines).Don't Confuse Your Backyard For A DumpEven if burying someone on your own land is nearly 50-state legal, you still have to consider the environmental implications of stuffing a vehicle filled with toxic fluids and forever-plastics under the ground. It turns out the federal government is a bit touchy about what you can dump a shovel of dirt on, regardless of who owns the land.The flip-side of this is that cemeteries themselves aren't exempt from environmental concerns associated with even a traditional burial. Chemicals like formaldehyde (used in embalming), and arsenic (formerly used in embalming) have been leaking into groundwater from graveyards for decades, not to mention the myriad coffin paints, finishes, and metals that are part of a traditional funeral. Even cremation takes its toll on the environment at large.The bottom line? Each state has its own regulations that either modify or complement federal guidelines about waste management, and you'll have to take those into account when deciding how best to manage your auto-tomb's afterlife emissions, regardless of whether you're twisting the arm of a local cemetery manager or simply burying your loved one's motorcade in the backyard. In Pennsylvania, George Swanson's family had the entire drivetrain drained prior to interment, but in more permissive Indiana, Aurora Schuck's Cadillac was actually driven into the grave just before the burial began.Maybe Don't Do It?A final word of advice, should you choose to pilot your precious muscle machine or low-rider on the ferry across the river Styx: try to keep it on the down-low and avoid turning the burial into a show.What are we saying—there's absolutely no way to avoid word getting out about an automotive-adjacent event like this one. Be prepared for the onslaught of social media stars trying to score points as they alternately laud and lament your choice to go all-in on an automotive afterlife, not to mention the endless parade of purists who will roast your decision to deprive the world of one more example of whatever make and model coffin you select.A vehicular funeral isn't for the attention-averse, and while you might be slumbering peacefully on the rich, Corinthian leather of your casket, your loved ones will have to deal with the digital looky-loos and snide commenters haunting their Insta profiles and email inboxes.

Time and again, the number one complaint we hear about EVs (besides non-existent mandates) is driving range. To some, even a Tesla Model S doesn't have enough range, even though versions of it now top 400 miles on a charge. Even the affordable Chevrolet Bolt gets 259 miles. What mileage would be enough for these naysayers? 500 miles? 600? How about 752 miles without needing a charge?Our Next Energy—stylized as ONE and based out of Novi, Michigan—has achieved just that using a battery the same size as the Tesla Model S P100's battery pack. Dubbed "Gemini," the battery pack employs ONE's own battery management and controls, and it was installed in an otherwise unmodified the Model S.The TripAccording to ONE, its upgraded Tesla Model S tester went on a road trip from its headquarters north up the "Mitten" of Michigan and back, traveling on highways and averaging about a speed of 55 mph. The semi-scientific trip hooked east over through Detroit using I-96 and then followed I-94 west to Ann Arbor before joining with State Route 52 to get back to I-95 and Lansing. Then the team took I-69 to stay on the west side before heading north on State Route 127 and merging with I-75 around Pere Cheney.https://youtu.be/fWj2YCdoc9AThey continued north until they crossed over the Mackinac Bridge to get on State Route 2 for a bit before turning around somewhere close to Brevort. This time, they merged back with I-75 and stayed with it, going through Gaylord, close to Bay City, through Saginaw and Flint before arriving back at their Novi headquarters. The entire trip was 752 miles without needing to stop to recharge the Gemini battery and a total discharge rate of C/10, or about a 20 kW rate. (The drivers, of course, needed and took breaks.) According to ONE, the battery hovered at around 32 degrees and required no active cooling for the entire (apparently cold-weather) drive.Dyno EvaluationThe eye-popping driving distance wasn't enough, however. After arriving back at ONE headquarters, the team put the Gemini-equipped Model S on a charger at a rate of 1C, or about a 200 kW charge rate. For now, that's all that has been tested and ONE has not tried a higher rate than that. Once at full capacity, the Model S was driven to a third party dyno facility, where it was put through a simulated 20 percent Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS) and Highway Fuel Economy Test (HWFET) drive cycles and 80 percent driving at a constant 55 mph. While observing roughly the same Wh per mile consumption, the dyno test was able to achieve 882 miles of range—only a 17 percent difference over what they saw during their real world drive.No Exotic MaterialsThe Gemini isn't some wild idea battery using unobtainum minerals, nor is it some unusual chemistry. We asked Mujeeb Ijaz, president and CEO of ONE, what the battery was made of. "The production intent Gemini battery will be LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate, also known as LiFePo4) for the traction battery portion," he said, "and a new cell ONE is designing for the range extender without cobalt, nickel, and graphite." We also asked about the weight of the cells and how many they were able to fit in the Model S, however, Ijaz stated that the cells were still experimental, but, "We had a total of 203.7 kWh at a system level."The standard P100 pack is roughly 103.9 kWh, so they were able to double the capacity without needing a larger space and without much of a weight penalty, either, and that is the goal. "The ONE Gemini battery aims to eliminate range as a barrier to electric vehicle adoption by doubling the available energy on board in the same package space," said Ijaz. He and ONE feel that the current solution of adding more chargers just isn't entirely feasible, especially if you need to stop every 150 miles with smaller battery packs.Market ExpectancyWhile the ONE Gemini battery isn't quite ready for market now, it's not far off. Ijaz said that ONE will have a production sample ready by 2023 with production of their Gemini battery pack by 2026. An exact cost of the Gemini hasn't been released yet, either, but ONE expects it to initially cost the same as current nickel-cobalt based lithium batteries. If all of this can be accomplished and put into production, the Gemini solves another portion of the "EV problem" detractors scream about, as well: the mining of cobalt.We'll still need lithium, but new recycling techniques have proven to be able to extract that from current batteries with a reduction of wastewater and the energy needed for its extraction, eliminating or, at the very least, reducing the need to mine for new lithium deposits. ONE also said that it is "currently developing a proprietary range-extender cell, which deletes the graphite materials used in conventional anodes and contributing to a significant reduction in cost." It's also working on a new cathode material that "can be sourced at less than $0.46/lbs versus conventional batteries at around $10/lbs." Just more proof that owning an EV won't be as expensive or even as "environmentally unfriendly" as EV haters like to portray it.

Measured against a Scat Pack, Hellcat, or Demon muscle car, the 2023 Dodge Hornet's 265 horsepower won't register as anything to get excited about. But compare this new compact crossover with its exceedingly sedate competition, and it's clear that Dodge is doing things differently as it launches a long-overdue entry in the most popular segment in the U.S.The class favorites—the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Nissan Rogue—all subscribe to a common formula: standard front-wheel-drive and just enough power to keep from getting run over while merging onto a freeway. When it goes on sale in December 2022, Dodge's base model, the Hornet GT, will buck convention with standard all-wheel-drive and enough grunt for a claimed 6.5-second 0-60 time. For speed junkies, there's also a catalog of performance parts that won't void the warranty and a quicker plug-in-hybrid model.A Base Model That's Hardly BasicWe should note that Dodge is saying the Hornet GT's Hurricane4 turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 which pairs with a nine-speed automatic, will make 295 lb-ft of torque and at least 265 horsepower. Don't be surprised if a few more horses show up for production. That level of performance and all-wheel-drive traction won't come free, though. While the RAV4 and CR-V start around $28,000, the cheapest Hornet will cost around $31,500. Dodge justifies that number by also loading its offering with premium standard equipment, including a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance, rear parking sensors, and dual-zone climate control.We'll have to drive a Hornet GT before declaring it a value compared to similarly powerful competitors, but the base price comes in about $4,000 below that of the smaller, racier Hyundai Kona N and more than $8,000 under the price of the Mazda CX-50 with the optional 256-hp turbo engine.Plug In to Power UpFor an extra $10,000, Hornet buyers can step up to the R/T model with a plug-in hybrid powertrain promising at least 285 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque. The R/T, which goes on sale in the spring of 2023, drives its front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission using a turbocharged 1.3-liter I-4 with a 44-horsepower starter/generator. A 121-horsepower electric motor turns the rear wheels. The 15.5-kilowatt-hour battery pack allows for more than 30 miles of pure electric driving, while Dodge's PowerShot feature attempts to lure gearheads with gas in their veins into opening their minds to electrification.With the tap of a steering-wheel paddle, PowerShot unleashes an additional 25 horsepower for 15 seconds at a time, trimming the R/T's 0-60 time by a full second, down to a claimed 5.1-second sprint. Dodge is also crowing that the R/T is capable of 0.90 g of lateral grip and is driving home the plug-in's performance positioning with 18-inch wheels, Brembo four-piston front brake calipers, and dual exhaust. A Track Pack, available on both the GT and the R/T, adds 20-inch wheels, two-mode electronically adjustable dampers, and Alcantara seats.The Compact Crossover That Goes Like HellWhile a Hellcat V-8 isn't in the cards, Dodge's fascination with the underworld lives on in the Dodge Hornet GT GLH concept. Those three additional letters stand for "Goes Like Hell" and invoke the 1980s Dodge Omni GLH—a hot hatch modified by none other than Carroll Shelby himself for Dodge. The modern incarnation of the GLH sports a lowering kit that drops the Hornet one inch, an unspecified power increase, a sport dual exhaust, 20-inch wheels, a unique rear valence, and GLH graphics.These parts will be offered as Direct Connection aftermarket parts, and—when installed by an authorized dealer—won't void the car's warranty. It also seems likely that Dodge will eventually offer a similar package direct from the factory.The Italian JobIf photos of this new small SUV trigger déjà vu or the specs sound familiar, that's because the Hornet is a 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale wearing a Dodge mask. These compact crossovers offer the same powertrains, use the same bodies, and come out of the same Italian factory. More of this badge engineering seems inevitable if Stellantis is going to keep Dodge, Alfa, and the dozen other automotive brands under its care well fed with new products.At the price point and performance being advertised, it looks like Dodge is on the winning side of this particular parts-sharing arrangement, but we're left wondering: Is the Hornet a discount luxury crossover, or is the Alfa Romeo Tonale a Dodge in a tailored suit? We'll need more time with both vehicles to answer that.If there's one thing to kvetch about, it's that the blunt front-end styling of the Charger and Durango look out of place transplanted on the softer lines of the Hornet compact crossover. Oh, and we feel cheated that this new SUV looks nothing like the excellent 2006 Dodge Hornet concept.Can the Hornet Make Compact Crossovers Cool?Compact crossovers aren't wildly popular because they elevate your street cred. These small utility vehicles end up in millions of American garages every year because they're relatively affordable, efficient, and readily swallow a couple of car seats and a stroller. For Dodge, that reality is both an opportunity and an obstacle. There are relatively few options for buyers who need an affordable, practical vehicle and want something that's fun to drive. Maybe there's a reason that's the case. Is there a market for a more expensive, less efficient utility vehicle that's designed around performance and aimed at the masses? Only time will tell.