The Cartrast Blog

June 23, 2022 — Torrance, California The flagship of the Acura lineup, the fourth-generation MDX picks up new standard premium services for 2023, including three years of AcuraLink™ and the new Acura Maintenance Package to augment its position as the most premium, performance-focused and technologically sophisticated SUV in Acura history. For the 2023 model year, the 7-passenger MDX and MDX Type S come standard with three years of AcuraLink™ services, including Security and Remote packages, at no extra cost.

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June 21, 2022 – Nashville, Tennessee The all-electric Nissan LEAF continues to play a key role in Nissan's accelerating shift to electrification with a refreshed exterior treatment and new aluminum-alloy wheels for the 2023 model year. On sale now, the 2023 LEAF will be available in two grade levels, the LEAF S and the LEAF SV PLUS. The streamlined model lineup reflects a consolidation of the most requested features and technologies. All of these enhancements enhance LEAF's distinctive appearance, with a sleek, streamlined, sporty silhouette.

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Irvine, California, June 15, 2022 – The 2023 Carnival MPV is a carryover model with minor interior enhancements to the seat functionality and technology features. The Carnival competes in the Midsize MPV segment, but its combination of SUV styling, exceptional passenger/cargo volume, and practical convenience features also make it uniquely positioned to compete against three-row SUV/crossover models. The new SX will include a standard integrated panoramic 12.3-inch digital cluster and 12.3-inch center display, along with a Blind-Spot View Monitor.

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June 14, 2022, Camden, New Jersey - Subaru of America Inc. today announced the 2023 Ascent 3-row family SUV with updated styling as well as new safety and in-vehicle technologies. The 2023 Ascent is available in Base, Premium, Onyx Edition, Limited, and Touring trim levels and arrives in Subaru retailers this Fall. For 2023 , Ascent receives a bolder look thanks to a new front fascia incorporating a more prominent grille; redesigned LED headlights; and a more aggressive front bumper cover.

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Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 electric vehicle has been long-awaited by the Cartrast team as it helps reimagine what an EV can be. With its footprint resembling that of a 5-passenger compact SUV, the Ioniq 5 is likely a vehicle that can get more consumers to convert to something all-electric without making the sacrifices that have typically been associated with that change. In addition, because the Ioniq 5 is not designed around accommodating an internal combustion engine, Hyundai has made the design look like something from the future, and we dig it. We also managed to get a short experience behind the wheel and had a very fun time.

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With a complete redesign for 2022, the 7-passenger QX60 is an important vehicle for Infiniti as the previous generation QX60 was very popular for families that wanted to travel comfortably. As the premium midsize SUV market is very competitive, the QX60 stands out with an expressive design on the outside and plenty of room to move about on the inside. During the Motor Press Guild Drive Day event last week, the Cartrast team spent some time with the updated QX60, and we could only be awed by the amount of conveniences that a family-oriented vehicle can have.

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Car shoppers spend plenty of time contemplating the one vehicle that is perfect for their needs. In many cases, the vehicle needs to be fuel-efficient, have plenty of space for the family, deliver a high level of performance, and possess the ability to venture off the beaten path with ease. The all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe can do all of that and more, having a plug-in hybrid powertrain, a roomy midsize SUV bodystyle, plenty of torque, and in the case of the Trailhawk version we drove, dedicated off-road equipment. Following our short time with the Trailhawk 4xe version of the Grand Cherokee, we think it may become more ubiquitous than ever.

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Small trucks are becoming in vogue at the moment, offering a high degree of versatility, efficiency, and maneuverability in an urban environment as well as on tight trails during excursions off the beaten path. Responding to consumers’ desires, Hyundai has created the Santa Cruz small pickup truck, based on a crossover, rather than a truck platform. The Cartrast team managed to spend some time with a Santa Cruz on the hilly paths of Malibu during the Motor Press Guild’s Drive Day program and we discovered why small trucks may end up selling in larger numbers than previously believed.

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As the premium compact SUV market becomes ever more competitive every year, each update takes on additional importance. With the NX receiving a major update for 2022, Lexus has enhanced the experience behind the wheel while not tampering with the characteristics of what made it a popular choice in the segment, especially the comfort it was known for providing. As the NX has been a perennial favorite among premium compact SUV shoppers, we sampled the NX for ourselves on the roads of Malibu, where we got to find out how it fares on twisting, sometimes rough roads and in hot weather.

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Midsize trucks are very popular throughout the United States right now, offering a welcome blend of maneuverability and efficiency compared to their full-size counterparts. Nissan’s Frontier has been a mainstay of the midsize pickup market since the late 1990s and is renowned across the world (where it’s called the Navara in some markets) for its dependability. For the 2022 model year Nissan has redesigned the Frontier and added some new features to appeal to even more shoppers. We managed to get behind the wheel for a short time during the Motor Press Guild’s Drive Day event and came away with some positive impressions.

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Small premium sport sedans with a manual transmission have become a rarity these days. Acura wishes to change that with the 2023 Integra, available with a 6-speed transmission with the sport-oriented A-Spec trim. The first manual transmission-equipped Acura in a long time, the new Integra is designed to appeal to car enthusiasts looking for something both fun and practical while delivering plenty of value. We managed to sample the Integra A-Spec for ourselves (yes, it was equipped with the manual) and savored our time behind the wheel.

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In this day and age, SUV shoppers have a greater variety of vehicles to choose from than ever before. Mazda has a new flavor in the segment for the 2023 model year with the new CX-50, a five-place SUV that is larger than the CX-5 (Mazda’s best-selling vehicle in the lineup) and smaller than the seven-passenger CX-9 family SUV. The CX-50 is intended for customers who plan to go off the beaten path more often than a regular SUV owner but who might also want a docile experience on the highway. We got to spend a short while with the CX-50 at the Motor Press Guild Drive Day event and came away with admiration for its adaptability.

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One of America’s best-selling and dependable trucks, the Chevrolet Silverado received major updates for the 2022 model year, most notable of which is the addition of the ZR2 version that’s intended for off-road trails. Other updates include a standard 13.4-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system and a redesigned interior on higher-end trim levels. We managed to spend some time with the 2022 Silverado ZR2 earlier this week and after some time on the curvy roads of Malibu, we stepped out of the truck delighted at how much more refined the Silverado had become, despite having driven an off-road optimized model.

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With the advent of electric vehicles becoming more considered than ever due to high gasoline prices, Genesis has released an EV for shoppers looking for an upscale experience but who do not want a large vehicle in the form of the GV60. Similar in size to a compact crossover with a seat height to match, the GV60 is suited for urbanites and suburbanites looking for their next premium vehicle who prefer a smaller size without sacrificing any luxury features. We managed to get some seat time with the GV60 during the Motor Press Guild Drive Day event and after some time with the GV60, we think Genesis has designed the ultimate city car.

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With electric vehicles becoming more and more popular due to rising prices of gasoline, Volvo has expanded into the fray with the all-electric C40 Recharge. Based on the popular XC40 subcompact SUV, the C40 has a sloping rear roofline for a sportier look while providing a higher-than-normal ride height for extra comfort. The Cartrast team had the chance to try out the C40 during the MPG Drive Day event in Malibu, California and we came away amazed at the amount of poise and fun we experienced.

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