The seventh-generation Lexus ES is debuting for the 2019 model year, following styling cues set by the LS flagship sedan. The range will include the ES 300h hybrid, ES 200, ES 250 and ES 350 petrol engine models.
There was a time when “crossover” simply meant a vehicle that straddled two segments, like a lifted station-wagon or some such, for light-duty offroading such as gravel trails and beaches. It soon evolved into a massive segment filled with SUV-looking vehicles that were still light-duty offroaders at best. But Infiniti brings back the old formula with the Q30-based QX30. Ever seen those hatchbacks in dirt rallies? How cool would those be as a daily driver?
With April fool jokes, law settlements, and supercar recalls, March had been a month of peculiar news from the automotive industry.
Hyundai unveiled the heavily revamped 2019 Hyundai Tucson crossover at the 2018 New York Auto Show. The exterior more looks like the larger Santa Fe and the interior is completely revamped. There is more tech inside the cabin as well as under the hood, where Hyundai has done something most manufacturers don’t do nowadays, replacing a Turbo engine with a naturally-aspirated one.
Another motor show, another crossover makes its debut. But this time, it is not just any crossover. This is the all-new 2019 Toyota RAV that has made its debut at the 2018 New York Auto Show. The highest selling Toyota in the U.S. walks into its fifth generation and the changes are immense.
J.D. Power is well-known in the United States, offering up annual results for customer satisfaction and reliability surveys, although some say they should be taken with a pinch of salt. J.D. Power is now doing surveys in the UAE, and they’ve just released their 2018 UAE Customer Service Index (CSI) Study. And they have ranked non-luxury and luxury brands in terms of customer service.
Nissan uncovers the sixth generation Altima mid-size sedan at the on-going 2018 New York Auto Show and the new sedan comes, for the first time in history, with semi-autonomous capabilities and, surprisingly, all-wheel-drive.
Midsize sedans are increasingly being sidelined in the face of the crossover revolution. Many manufacturers are starting to give up on the segment, but there are two that have been consistently successful — the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord. Both have been launched in all-new forms for the 2018 model year, with launch events held at the same location in Dubai, and only a month apart, as if aligned by some cosmic intervention. These two stalwarts have undergone massive changes, with one bringing back the V6 and the other one going full turbo. Seeking to answer the “which is better”
MG Motor announced recently the appointment of Al Yousuf Motors as its UAE distributor. Earlier this year, they had launched the new MG RX5 and MG ZS SUVs in the Middle East.
Some vehicles are built for luxury, some for speed and some for practicality but only a few get built for cheap fun, and the new Mahindra Roxor is one of them. This minimalist Jeep-looking machine comes from the Indian company Mahindra and is built in Michigan (right alongside the Detroit Big Three) specifically and only for the North American market. Is Mahindra firing a shot across Jeep’s bow?