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Editors' Picks April 2021 | Honda Accord, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and more

The month of April saw us award Editors' Picks status to a couple mega-luxury vehicles and a couple long-time standbys that recently went through mid-cycle refreshes. We drove plenty of other cars that didn't quite reach the bar for Editors' Picks status — BMW 4 Series, Infiniti QX55 and the Mitsubishi Outlander among others — but the four you'll see below stood out as the best this month. In case you missed our previous couple Editors' Picks posts, hereÂ’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get EditorsÂ’ Pick status. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. The list that youÂ’ll find below consists of every car we rated in April that earned the honor of being an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2021 Aston Martin DBX 2021 Aston Martin DBX View 16 Photos Quick take: With attractive styling and a gorgeous yet functional interior, the V8-powered DBX is a legitimate crossover worthy of the Aston badge. Score: 8 What it competes with: Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, Rolls-Royce Cullinan, Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 Pros: Mega style, fantastic driving dynamics, a true and faithful Aston Martin Cons: Very expensive, only average infotainment From the editors: Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore — “The DBX captures the spirit of Aston Martin in a modern crossover. That's not an easy thing to do. I expected the DBX might look the part, but lack functionality. Or it would be a decent crossover, but fall short of my idea of an Aston. The DBX did neither. It exceeded my expectations and is an entertaining vehicle to drive. The styling is interesting and evocative, and the AMG-sourced powertrain delivers proper performance. I also loaded it up with groceries and a carseat fits pretty well. Mission accomplished for Aston." In-depth analysis: 2021 Aston Martin DBX First Drive Review | A crossover that makes you forget itÂ’s a crossover   2021 Bentley Flying Spur 2021 Bentley Flying Spur V8 View 20 Photos Quick take: There are technically competitors to the Flying Spur, but nothing matches it stride-for-stride in every category. ItÂ’s the Bentley flagship product now, and it flies the brandÂ’s flag with both gusto and excellence. You can't go wrong whether you spec the W12 or V8 either.

2019 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid arrives at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show

It's been more than three years since the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid was announced. The British automaker's ultra-lux SUV was released with a 600 horsepower W12, though a diesel variant is available in Europe and a gasoline V8-powered model will soon go on sale. At the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, Bentley finally unveiled the new Bentayga plug-in hybrid with 31 miles of range and a full charge in just 2.5 hours. The Bentayga Hybrid uses a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 paired with an electric motor. Details on the battery capacity, power output and fuel economy haven't been announced, but expect huge improvements over the current model's abysmal 12 mpg city and 19 mpg highway EPA rating. Like other hybrids, the Bentayga's E Motor acts as both an electric motor and a generator. Bentley says the hybrid will get 50 kilometers or about 31 miles of range on the European cycle. View 12 Photos Power is still sent to all four wheels. Four on-road driving modes — Sport, Bentley, Comfort and Custom — will be joined by three new modes. Using what used to be the start/stop switch, drivers can change between EV Drive, Hybrid and Hold modes, the latter holding battery power for later use. The instrument cluster and infotainment screens have been revised, with an EV Drive meter joining the traditional tachometer. A battery charge meter replaces the coolant temperature gauge. In order to maximize fuel economy and electric range, Bentley uses the satellite navigation to calculate the best use of the powertrain. When a destination is set, the nav system will talk to the computer to determine the best times to use the electric motor, holding the battery's charge until it's most efficient. Ideally, Bentley says the system will deplete the battery's charge completely just as you arrive at your destination. A smartphone app allows owners to remotely check the charge status or search for charging stations along a route or in an area. Other features include remote heating and cooling that will have the car at a set temperature when you're ready to go. A full charge should take 7.5 hours on a standard outlet or 2.5 with a in-home charger. Bentley has you covered here and has partnered with designer Philippe Starck on a custom charger. While it doesn't charge any faster than other chargers, it is quite a stylish piece of equipment. Visually, the Bentayga Hybrid doesn't differ much from the standard gasoline model. The charging port mirrors the fuel filler door on the opposite side of the car.

Xcar asks why the W in the Bentley Continental GT

There aren't a lot of automakers producing V12 engines these days: There's BMW and Mercedes, of course, and the Rolls-Royces and Paganis they power. There's Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin. But the largest producer of twelve-cylinder engines doesn't make them in a V. That'd be Bentley, and it produces more dozen-piston engines than anyone else, but arranges them in a W configuration. It's a compelling story of innovation, one as interesting as the history of the marque itself. And Xcar tells the tale in its latest video installment, tracing it back to the development of the compact VR6 engine and the autocratic mastermind at the helm of the Volkswagen Group who made the W12 a reality. By this point it would be all too easy to consign the W12 to the dustbin of history as the smaller, more efficient and nearly as powerful V8 has slotted in below to push the W12 to the margins of relevance. But it's still the more refined option, and the more innovative one. Little wonder it's the only type of twelve-cylinder engine (the Aventador's notwithstanding) that the Volkswagen Group still makes.