Nother CarGuy

After almost three years in the market and more than 60,000 units sold, the Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid and PHEV have been given a facelift. Redesigned bumpers, the brand’s cascading mesh grille and revised optional LED headlamps and taillights will set them apart from the outgoing models. Three more colors have been added to the palette, called Fluidic Metal, Electric Shadow and Liquid Sand. Inside, the 2020 Ioniq has a redesigned control panel for the heating and air conditioning, with a glossy look. Moreover, there’s now an optional 10.25-inch display available for the infotainment system, a first in the segment according to the automaker. It provides access to different functions of the car and features voice recognition as part of the Bluelink telematics services, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Hyundai Live Services. All versions of the facelifted Ioniq are equipped the SmartSense technology package, which brings Autonomous Emergency Braking and Lane Keep Assist, among other...

Toyota has used the Beijing Motor Show to announce plans to launch ten electrified vehicles in China by 2020. As part of the announcement, Toyota unveiled plug-in hybrid versions of the Corolla and Levin. The company was tight-lipped on details but confirmed the models will be built in China and launched next year. The vehicles will become the first Toyota plug-in hybrids built outside of Japan and they are slated to have an electric-only range of at least 50 km (31 miles). On the styling front, there isn’t much to report as the models only receive minor modifications. Changes include a new charging port, purple accents and plug-in hybrid badging on the front fenders. Besides introducing the Corolla and Levin plug-in hybrids, Toyota revealed plans to offer an electric version of the C-HR / IZOA. Little is known about the model but it is scheduled to be launched in 2020. In related news, Toyota said it is working with its Chinese partners to build a local production bas...

The iconic black cab returns in its latest and more modern interpretation in the form of the new TX eCity taxi. Following its public debut last summer, the new electrified TX Cab is now fully certified to carry fare-paying passengers in London. London EV Company has put the new TX Cab through the most rigorous testing regime in the company’s history, including testing sessions in the Arctic Circle and Arizona, along with thousands of miles at the hands of real taxi drivers on the streets of London. Powering the new TX is an advanced electrified powertrain that combines a Volvo-sourced 1.5-liter three-cylinder petrol engine and two rear-mounted electric motors for a total driving range of up to 400 miles and a purely electric range of 80 miles. The new London black cab can fit up to six passengers which will notice the dramatically improved NVH levels and features like USB ports and Wi-Fi. “After extensive testing, LEVC’s new taxi is ready to do the job it was made for: trans...

If you still think Renault's wacky Twizy is an interesting little EV, then you'll likely grow fund of PSA's latest concept. Unveiled by the EU-LIVE (Efficient Urban Light Vehicle) consortium and funded by the European Commission, it's part of the automaker's 'Push-to-Pass' plan to deliver new mobility solutions, slotting "between the two-wheel and four-wheel segments". It's 2.4m (7.87feet) long and 0.85m (2.79feet) wide, features scissor-like doors to maximize its efficiency in tight parking spaces, and has a heated cabin with an airbag and seatbelts, thus making rider gear unnecessary. Despite its scooter apperance, it can be used on motorways as well, but it does require a driving license. PSA claims that the concept is as easy to drive as a three-wheel scooter, thanks to its tilting mechanism that offers improved handling, and roll-control technology, which makes use of hydraulic components and a hydropneumatic suspension. ...

The veil has been lifted on the 2018 Wey P8 at the ongoing Guangzhou Auto Show. The latest in an increasing number of new energy vehicles in China, the Wey P8 is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine alongside an electric motor on both the front and rear axles. All up, it delivers 335 hp and 383 lb-ft (520 Nm) of torque, and will reportedly accelerate from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.5 seconds. Wey claims the P8 has a combined driving range of 660 km and can be charged to full capacity in four hours from a 220V home charger. Mated to the plug-in hybrid powertrain is a six-speed dual-clutch transmission driving all four wheels. In terms of safety, the SUV comes standard with a host of increasingly-common safety features. Included among them are adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, lane-change assist, blind-spot monitoring, autonomous emergency braking with forward collision warning, 360-degree camera system, and a video streaming rear-view mirror. ...

Jaguar has embraced the crossover craze with models such as the E-Pace and F-Pace but the company hasn't given up on sports cars. Speaking with Autonews, Jaguar design director Ian Callum confirmed the automaker doesn't have plans to exit the segment and noted "We are going to do another range of sports cars eventually." The news is welcome as the company phased out the XK in 2014 and the F-Type has been a relatively slow seller despite sparking renewed interest in the brand. According to the publication, Jaguar has only sold around 45,000 F-Types globally since the model was introduced in 2013. Carsalesbase's figures also show Jaguar sold 4,069 F-Types in the United States last year compared to the 6,260 combined sales Porsche made from the Boxster and Cayman. Callum also rejected the idea that sports cars will fall victim to crossovers as he says "There is something very emotional about a sports car that conveys the ultimate in the sense of perform...

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. That might as well be Honda's motto when it comes to its line of dedicated electrified vehicles. And here's its latest attempt. Following two generations of Insight (not to mention the CR-Z), Honda has adapted its Clarity fuel-cell vehicle to run on electricity instead of hydrogen. In a move similar to Hyundai's Ioniq, the Clarity will now be offered with a choice of three electric powertrains: the hydrogen fuel-cell version launched this past December, plus the new plug-in hybrid and pure EV variants revealed today at the 2017 New York Auto Show. The 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid is driven by an electric motor rated at 181 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque, juiced by a 17-kWh battery pack. There's a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine on board as well, but that (as you might have guessed from its orientation) is there mostly to generate electricity and extend its range. “Under certain conditions,” thoug...

Two all-new electrified Honda Clarity models are set to arrive in New York this April, offering customers a choice between fuel cell, battery electric and plug-in hybrid technology. The Clarity is set to become the first vehicle to be available with two choices of electrification, plus a fuel cell option, which in turn creates some separation from its Hyundai Ioniq rival. While the Ioniq is also available with three different powertrains, neither the hybrid, plug-in hybrid or the EV version runs on hydrogen. Speaking of diversity, Honda has announced that by the year 2030, two-thirds of its global auto sales will come from electrified vehicles. As for this teaser image just released by Honda, it shows the Clarity series including the never-before-seen Plug-in Hybrid and the Clarity Electric flanking the Fuel Cell model. Honda says that all Clarity versions will provide a smooth, quiet and premium experience, with "great dynamic handling plus seamless electric drive torq...

Kia have applied the plug-in hybrid treatment to the Niro, which celebrates its debut at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. The PHEV model will go on sale across Europe during Q3, at a yet undisclosed price, and will join the Niro Hybrid within the lineup, as well as a possible EV version that could launch later on, it. It pairs a 1.6-liter GDI direct-injected petrol engine with an 8.9 kWh lithium-polymer battery pack, which has a higher capacity compared to the 1.56 kWh battery pack found on the Niro Hybrid. It provides juice to a more powerful 44.5 kW (61 PS/60 HP) electric motor, contributing to a total output of 141 PS (139 HP) and 265 Nm (195 lb-ft) of torque. Power is sent to the wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and in this flavor, the vehicle needs 10.8 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph), a 0.7sec improvement over the standard Niro, while emitting below 30 g/km of CO2, in the NEDC. Moreover, its pure-electric driving range is said t...

Meet the second generation of  MINI’s soft crossover , the bigger and more masculine 2017 Countryman, revealed a few weeks prior to its world debut at the LA Auto Show in mid-November.  When MINI presented the first generation of the Countryman back in 2010, it was the brand’s biggest model, a title it lost last year with the transformation of the  new Clubman into a proper  five, or rather, six-door station wagon, only to regain that distinction now in its second iteration.  The 2017 Countryman has grown by 200mm (7.9 in.) in overall length and 30mm (1.2 in.) in width, while its wheelbase has been extended by 75mm (nearly 3 inches), thus positioning it closer to regular compact SUVs  like Audi’s Q3 .  MINI says that the growth spurt has resulted in “significantly increased space on five fully-fledged seats” as well as in storage, with luggage compartment volume up by 220 liters over its predecessor to 450 liters or 1,309 liters when the seats are f...