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2019 BMW X7 vs luxury SUV rivals: Comparing specs and photos

Today we get our first-ever look at the first-ever 2019 BMW X7 crossover. We've actually already had our first-ever drive in an X7 Prototype. And so, we thought it appropriate to follow that up today with the first-ever X7 comparison of specs between BMW's first-ever three-row crossover with legitimate room for seven and its many high-dollar competitors. On paper, the 2019 X7 definitely seems to most closely align with the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class. Their similar dimensions, interior space, engine choices and price would certainly imply where BMW placed the target when developing X7. We used those same elements to determine three-row vehicles likely to be cross-shopped or that should be cross-shopped. These include the Audi Q7, Land Rover Discovery, Volvo XC90 and Lincoln Navigator. Yes, the latter is a truck-based SUV as opposed to a crossover, but tell that to all the people lining out the door at the local Lincoln emporium. They do not care, and neither shall we. We also included the 2019 BMW X5, which was completely redesigned for this year and therefore not the first-ever. That makes it less appealing? Either way, lining the new X5 up with the SUV that leapfrogs it atop BMW's SUV hierarchy should provide a good idea of just how much more you get by going up a model number. Engines and model lineup Again, the X7 aligns closest with the GLS, offering a base six-cylinder in its xDrive40i model and an upgrade turbo V8 in the xDrive50i. The Mercedes engines have greater output, but the GLS still accelerates slower than the BMW. As the 2019 X5 offers the exact same engines, we would also expect the X7's fuel economy to be superior to the GLS once its estimates are announced. It should be noted, though, that the GLS offers a high-powered AMG model whereas we anticipate the X7 to offer a plug-in hybrid model comparable to the X5 upcoming xDrive45e model. The other luxury SUVs diverge in their engine choices and model lineup. The Audi Q7 offers a base turbocharged four-cylinder, as does the Volvo XC90 in its T5 model, which we left out of the above chart entirely for space reasons. That the Q7 3.0 TFSI supercharged V6 gets the same fuel economy estimates as the four-cylinder is proof positive that engine is purely around for its lower base price.

2025 Volvo EX30 revealed: quick, cute EV at $36K

MILAN — The Volvo EX30 seems like a relatively straightforward EV. But dig a little deeper and you'll find this electric crossover is kind of a big deal. Making its debut in Milan, Italy, on Wednesday, the 2025 EX30 is Volvo's smallest SUV, yet it's also the company's quickest production car ever — by a long shot. Priced from $36,145 including an $1,195 destination charge, the EX30 will be the least expensive model in Volvo's U.S. lineup when it arrives next year. It'll even spawn Volvo's first fully electric Cross Country offering, which we can't wait to see. The EX30's styling cues are pulled straight from the larger EX90 electric SUV, giving it a tough-li'l-guy vibe that's both cute and purposeful. I love the pronounced wheel arches and the two-tone look. You can totally see how, with more ground clearance and some cladding, this EV will easily morph into the EX30 Cross Country that's coming next year. At 166.7 inches long, 72.3 inches wide and 61.1 inches tall, the EX30 is seriously small — about the same size as a Hyundai Kona — giving it a healthy amount of daylight from Volvo's larger, more expensive XC40 Recharge. The upright dimensions will no doubt help with headroom for front and rear passengers, and Volvo says there's 31.9 cubic feet of cargo space, which is good but not great for this class. Step inside the EX30 and the first thing you'll notice is that the SUV's digital real estate is limited to a single central screen, powered by Google software. Absolutely everything looks to be buried in the screen — except for things like the wiper controls, thank goodness — but I'm hopeful that Volvo learned from Tesla's mistakes and keeps the control layout relatively simple. There seems to be a fixed row of climate control icons along the bottom of the vertical display, at least. Five different ambient lighting themes will be offered, which shift in color, "adding a sense of calm," according to Volvo. In typical Scandinavian fashion, the EX30's cabin is super handsome, crafted with sustainable materials that look and feel premium. When it arrives in the U.S., the EX30 will be offered with two powertrain options, both of which rely on a 69-kilowatt-hour cobalt-lithium-manganese-nickel composite battery, 64 kWh of which is usable. The base model, called Single Motor Extended Range, will have a rear-wheel-drive layout and produce 268 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque. Volvo expects this version to have a range of 275 miles on the U.S.

Apple CarPlay drawing early safety concerns [w/video]

Apple's CarPlay infotainment system hasn't made it into a single vehicle yet, and it's already drawing criticism for distracting drivers among safety advocates. The new tech unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show pairs users' iPhones with the car's dashboard display to make calls, dictate messages and listen to music. Some automakers, like Volvo, also let users interact with the HVAC system from the screen.
"The idea that people want to be on their phones, and therefore let's give them a way to do that -- that's not putting safety first, that's putting convenience and the desire to be in touch first," said Bruce Hamilton, manager of research and communications at the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, to CNN Money.
Distracted driving is a huge concern on modern roads with more vehicles allowing drivers to use their smartphones through Bluetooth and infotainment systems. A Texas A&M study found that drivers' reaction time doubled while dictating text messages, according to CNN Money. The new tech is certainly not making drivers pay more attention.