2009 Toyota Tacom Double Cab 4x4 Auto Trd Sport on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Renault Scenic EV takes first place as (European) Car of the Year

The automobile awards season may not be over, but two of the more prestigious annual races came closer to a climax this week. One might need a scorecard to keep track. We’re focused here on two events: the World Car of 2024, now reduced to three finalists in six categories. Then thereÂ’s the Car of the Year, known in some quarters as the European Car of the Year. Except that the car doesnÂ’t have to be European to win, only sold there. Got that? Winners out of the way first: At the Geneva Motor Show on Monday, the Renault Scenic E-Tech all-electric has been voted Car of the Year 2024. The Scenic is a fairly compact, somewhat stylish SUV for Europe only, and is the seventh vehicle from the French brand to win the award. It sells in the United Kingdom for about $47,500. The other six finalists that had made the first cut of voting in November were the BMW 5 Series, BYD Seal, Kia EV9, Peugeot E-3008/3008, Toyota C-HR, and Volvo EX30. The trophy winner was chosen by a jury of 59 motoring journalists from 22 countries. Scenic came in first place with 329 points. The Seal was the first Chinese-made car to make this awardÂ’s shortlist; it finished sixth out of seven, just up from the Toyota. One judge explained his decision to grant the Seal zero votes. Writing in Top Gear, Paul Horrell wrote this entertaining critique: “It looks good and is well specified, so makes a strong market entry. The advanced electric system and cobalt-free battery are commendable too, and it's enjoyable enough to drive quickly. That's undermined by an agitated ride over bumps, and the logic of screens and switches is pretty eccentric.” Recapping the World Car of the Year 2024 update, the sponsors shared the stage at Geneva on Monday with the Europeans as well, although they revealed only the top three finalists in six categories. For the ultimate prize, they are the Kia EV9, the Volvo EX30 and the BYD Seal. The winners will be announced March 27 at the New York International Auto Show. Here's more on the World Car finalists. By the Numbers Geneva Motor Show New York Auto Show BMW Kia Toyota Volvo Peugeot Renault Green Automakers Best Cars

Editors' Picks November 2023: Toyota Grand Highlander, Buick Envista and some lovely luxury vehicles

It's been a month since we served you with the full lot of Autoblog Editors' Picks, and that master list is going to continue to grow as more new cars enter the market. For November 2023, we have a trio of SUVs coming in at various sizes and price points including the Buick Envista, Toyota Grand Highlander and Mercedes-Benz GLS. And if you're looking for a convertible sports car, the BMW Z4 is one that should make your shortlist, as it finds its way into this month's of Editors' Picks, as well. In case you missed previous Editors' Picks posts, here’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 an EditorsÂ’ Pick designation. 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 November that earned an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Limited Hybrid Max View 25 Photos Quick take: The Hybrid Max is the one to get, but the Grand Highlander comes highly recommended for its added space, nicer interior and fuel efficient powertrains. Score: 7 What it competes with: Kia Telluride, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Chevy Traverse, Honda Pilot, Subaru Ascent, Ford Explorer, Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX-9, Kia Sorento, Buick Enclave, Nissan Pathfinder, VW Atlas, Mazda CX-90 Pros: Two hybrid powertrain options; exceptional cargo space; usable third row; refined and quiet ride. Cons: Expensive for the segment; the lesser hybrid powertrain is noisy and slow. From the editors: Senior Editor, Electric, John Beltz Snyder — "The Grand Highlander is a nice alternative to the standard Highlander for the Toyota faithful for its usable third row. The choice of powertrains is a huge boon, too, whether you want a fuel-sipping hybrid, or solid gas engine or a more robust hybrid with extra performance. YouÂ’re just going to have to pay a little more for it all." In-depth analysis: 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Review: A strong, new three-row contender   2024 Buick Envista 2024 Buick Envista Sport Touring front three quarter View 19 Photos Quick take: The Envista is one of our top subcompact SUV picks. It packs tremendous value into a compelling design that looks far more expensive than it is. A homerun for Buick.

Suzuki will road-test EVs in India, start production with Toyota in 2020

NEW DELHI — Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp will start testing prototypes of electric vehicles in India by October, its chairman said on Friday. "We will start road-running tests using a fleet of 50 EV prototype vehicles in India from next month in order to develop safe and easy-to-use EVs for Indian customers," Osamu Suzuki said at the Global Mobility Summit at New Delhi. The company would then launch EVs in India around 2020 in cooperation with Toyota, he added. However, Suzuki said that for EVs to become popular in India, there had to be well-developed charging infrastructure. "In this regard, we look forward to proactive leadership from the Indian government," he said. The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a plan to electrify all new vehicles by 2030, a target many experts call ambitious. EVs are expensive due to the high cost of batteries which are still not manufactured in India, and carmakers say a lack of charging stations could make the proposition unviable. Suzuki, parent of India's top-selling automaker, Maruti Suzuki, would start production of lithium-ion batteries for automobiles at its plant in western India from 2020, Suzuki said. India is one of the world's fastest-growing car markets, but EV sales are negligible compared with millions of petrol and diesel cars sold every year. Suzuki said to meet India's environmental challenges, the government would have to look at hybrid and CNG (compressed natural gas) vehicles also.Related Video: