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8 excellent minivans you can't buy in the United States

Americans have fallen out of love with minivans. For some reason, a super-practical, multi-seat vehicle that can haul almost anyone and anything is less popular than giant SUVs that make it difficult to access the third row. The rest of the world hasn’t forgotten the minivanÂ’s virtues, and many well-known automakers offer a whole rainbow of family carriers, some of which offer clever camping and luxury features. Here are some forbidden-fruit vans we canÂ’t buy in the United States. Toyota Noah/Voxy The Toyota Noah and Voxy have been around since the early 2000s and sit below the Alphard (more on that below) in the automakerÂ’s van line. ToyotaÂ’s sales model in Japan seems complicated from the outside, as the company sells different vehicles at different types of dealerships. The Noah was originally sold at ToyotaÂ’s Corolla Stores before the automaker shifted its model to the van in all locations in 2020. Now in their fourth generation, the van twins offer unique family-friendly features like a step system and use ToyotaÂ’s latest hybrid system. Toyota Alphard The Toyota Alphard is a stately minivan sold in several countries and regions, including Bangladesh, China and the Middle East. ItÂ’s now in its third generation and features Lexus-like styling with a massive cabin. The Alphard is available with several powertrain options, including some it shares with Lexus and other Toyota models, including the ES 350 and Highlander. Toyota equips the Alphard with several advanced safety features, and the van can comfortably carry up to eight people. That said, the Alphard is more expensive than many of its rivals in the markets where itÂ’s sold, so people may consider other options. Mitsubishi Delica If youÂ’ve spent any time in the automotive corners of social media, youÂ’ve seen a Delica. TheyÂ’re everywhere now, as Americans figure out that a small, light van with real ground clearance and four-wheel drive is a great thing. Mitsubishi has made different vehicles under the Delica name, including a truck and a kei car, but the minivan is the one most of us recognize. The Delica entered its fifth generation way back in 2007 and got a facelift in 2019. ItÂ’s still available with four-wheel drive, though Mitsubishi also sells a front-drive version. TodayÂ’s van is light years away from the classic models we can import here and features a massive grille with unique front lighting fixtures.

Nissan and NASA team up on autonomous zero-emissions test fleet

Nissan and NASA have announced a collaboration on autonomous vehicles that, if we're honest, makes more sense to us than Infiniti partnering with Red Bull. The two are commencing a five-year R&D program to explore autonomous drive systems, human-machine interfaces, network-enabled applications, and software analysis and verification. What's more: the test fleet will be zero emissions and rolling around NASA's Ames Research Center by the end of this year. We will assume that means autonomous Leafs, but Nissan could be working on a new vehicle for the purpose. Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said the company will begin offering autonomous features "beginning in 2016," and wants to have commercially available self-piloting vehicles that can "navigate in nearly all situations," including urban environments, by 2020. Who better to assist than the people who put a self-driving rover on a planet that never gets closer than 34 million miles away? What does NASA get out of it? Access to Nissan's materials and component developments, prototyping systems, and robotic software test beds. Sounds like everybody wins. The press release below has more information. Nissan and NASA partner to jointly develop and deploy autonomous drive vehicles by end of year SUNNYVALE, Calif. Jan. 8, 2015 - Nissan Motor Co., through its North American-based organization, and NASA today announced the formation of a five-year research and development partnership to advance autonomous vehicle systems and prepare for commercial application of the technology. Researchers from Nissan's U.S. Silicon Valley Research Center and NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., will focus on autonomous drive systems, human-machine interface solutions, network-enabled applications, and software analysis and verification, all involving sophisticated hardware and software used in road and space applications. Researchers from the two organizations will test a fleet of zero-emission autonomous vehicles at Ames to demonstrate proof-of-concept remote operation of autonomous vehicles for the transport of materials, goods, payloads and people. For NASA, these tests parallel the way it operates planetary rovers from a mission control center. The first vehicle of that fleet should be testing at the facility by the end of 2015. "The work of NASA and Nissan – with one directed to space and the other directed to earth, is connected by similar challenges," said Carlos Ghosn, president and CEO of Nissan Motor Co.

Watch these Super Bowl car commercials [UPDATE]

On Sunday, February 3, the New England Patriots take on the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Some will watch because of the storyline of the old-school dynasty facing off against the new-school wunderkinds, but a large chunk of people will solely be watching for the commercials. Lucky for those who slot into the latter category, many of the manufacturers release their super bowl ads ahead of time, or have simply opted to release the commercials only online. Scroll down to see what car companies have already shown their cards. Audi Audi goes the comedic route in its clip for the Big Game. It starts with a grandpa showing his grandson a gorgeous Audi e-tron GT tucked away in a garage before he's shaken awake. Turns out he was just choking on a cashew in his cubicle at his boring job. Dodge Dodge does what it knows: create enough smoke to punch more holes in the ozone layer. Set to "The Devil Went Down to Georgia (the Super Bowl is in Atlanta, get it!?), a Challenger SRT Hellcat widebody, Charger SRT Hellcat, and Durango SRT are seen ripping through a city, leaving a trail of rubber crumbs in their wakes. Genesis Genesis has not yet released a commercial prior to the Super Bowl, but it is the official luxury vehicle of the NFL. Because of this, Genesis is hosting a fan experience for 10 days before the game. It will showcase the brand's cars, offer games, and have photos opportunities and autograph days. Hyundai Jason Bateman alert! Hyundai is one of the few companies to hook a major celebrity for its advertisement, and the casting is perfect. Bateman plays a doorman who takes people to various terrible events in life, including root canals, the middle seat, and shopping for a car. The ad centers around Hyundai's Shopper Assurance, which is Hyundai's new method for car shopping. Jeep An old 1963 Jeep Gladiator finds its strength in the crusher and transforms into a a new 2020 Gladiator, with a firm declaration that the nameplate is officially back. Kia Through Kia's commercial, a young boy wonders out loud what it'd be like if the millions spent on Super Bowl commercials were used to help others.