Audi RS E-Tron GT Road Test Review | The EV deluge is coming
Audi RS E-Tron GT Road Test Review | The EV deluge is coming originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Mar 2022 06:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The term "coupe" has been usurped in recent years for some four-door sedans and even crossovers, but there are still genuine two-doors around. The Lexus RC is one, and it certainly looks the part with its low-slung proportions and racy, exuberant styling. The F Sport package for the RC350 model additionally brings dark gray trim, a unique grille design, 19-inch wheels, and in the case of our test car, an optional rear spoiler. It's an extroverted look, though one not quite as dramatic as that of the jaw-dropping Lexus LC. And in the case of the RC350 F Sport AWD tested here, it arguably overstates the performance contained within.
Tested: 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit V-6 4x4 Ups Its Game
The lavish Summit Reserve shows how far the Grand Cherokee has come, but it'll cost you dearly.The outgoing Grand Cherokee's interior had been steadily updated over its approximate decade-long run, but the new fifth generation's top-tier Summit Reserve exists on a different plane. All but the base Laredo now come with leather seats of some description, and they get progressively plusher until you arrive at our Summit Reserve's sumptuous Quilted Palermo Leather seats, which have matching leather armrests and door trim panels paired with open-pore wood accents.
The RC dates back to 2014, and the car's age is evident in several areas. A series of updates did arrive with the 2019 model year, and the RC rolls into 2022 unchanged from last year. Surprisingly, given this shrinking segment, Lexus still fields a broad spectrum of RC models. They range from the turbocharged four-cylinder, rear-wheel-drive RC300 to the V-8-powered RC F, which, in Fuji Speedway Edition form, can reach six figures. In the heart of the lineup, you'll find a 3.5-liter V-6 in 260- (RC300 AWD) and 311-hp (RC350) strengths. Lexus has never offered a manual in this car. Instead, there's an eight-speed automatic in the rear-wheel-drive models, while the all-wheel-drive versions of the RC300 and RC350 have just six forward gears.
2022 Kia K5 GT-Line Promises a Good Drive and a Lot of Value
$28,000 may not get you much these days, but it'll get you a Kia K5 GT-Line, and that's plenty.The GT-Line, as the name suggests, is not the full-fat GT that puts down front-tire-shredding amounts of horsepower. Instead, it's all about keeping up appearances, and in that vein, I'm a fan. This K5 wears the same aggressive bumpers, wheels, grille and spoiler as the GT, and combined with the $445 Wolf Grey paint job, it's a looker. The tapered rear silhouette is attractive and Kia's new logo blends in effortlessly.
© Michael Simari - Car and Driver 2022 Lexus RC350 F Sport AWD The naturally aspirated V-6 sets a slightly nostalgic tone from a time before turbocharging and electric assistance became pervasive. This bent-six sounds great, and there's definitely something to be said for the progressive throttle response of a naturally aspirated engine. Still, with 280 pound-feet of torque arriving at 4800 rpm, the beefy 3.5-liter doesn't have the easy shove of a turbo engine at low revs. At the track, that translates to a 60-mph time of 5.6 seconds, which trails far behind its turbocharged six-cylinder rivals from Germany: the Audi S5 at 4.2 seconds and the BMW M440i xDrive at a scorching 3.8 (despite the BMW exactly matching the RC's 3986-pound curb weight). The RC350's straight-line acceleration puts it behind even four-cylinder versions of the Audi and BMW, with the last 430i xDrive model we tested hitting 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and a 2018-model A5 taking 4.9 seconds. Similarly, the RC350's quarter-mile run of 14.1 seconds at 100 mph would have it staring at the taillights of the M440i (12.3 at 112 mph) or the S5 (12.8 at 107 mph).
The Great 8: 2022 Ridler Award finalists
By now you’ve probably seen the outrageous “Sho Bird”, the radical custom 1931 Chevrolet Independence that won the Ridler Award at the 2022 Detroit Autorama. Even just based on the story’s comments it’s clear this year’s Ridler winner was a polarizing choice. For those unacquainted with the custom hot rod universe, here’s some perspective. Winning […] The post The Great 8: 2022 Ridler Award finalists appeared first on Hagerty Media. Looking to purchase a car? Find your match on the MSN Autos Marketplace
© Michael Simari - Car and Driver 2022 Lexus RC350 F Sport AWD As you might expect with just six forward gears and 3.5 liters of displacement, the all-wheel-drive RC350 also doesn't win any prizes with its fuel economy. EPA estimates are a deeply mediocre 19/26 mpg city/highway, against 21/30 mpg for the Audi S5 and 22/31 mpg for the BMW M440i xDrive. We averaged 19 mpg.
Despite its underwhelming thrust, the RC350 doesn't feel lethargic on the street, in part because we spent so much time in Sport+ mode. It's common for the sportiest powertrain mode to lock out the transmission's uppermost gears, but the RC350 can be driven in Sport+ without droning along at elevated revs on the highway, the major effect on the powertrain being automatic downshifts under braking.
© Michael Simari - Car and Driver 2022 Lexus RC350 F Sport AWD The RC's drive modes, in fact, only nibble at the edges of the car's dynamic persona. The steering purports to have two different levels of assistance, but we were hard-pressed to feel the difference. Without wild variances in effort or quickness, there is instead a natural build-up of force as you bend into a curve and a solid sense of on-center when the road straightens out. The RC's natural steering feel is notably better than the artificiality of the M440i's variable-ratio steering or the S5's optional Dynamic Steering. On winding two-lanes, the RC is relaxed and fluid, but push it harder, as we did at the skidpad, and it exhibits a good bit of understeer. (The rear-drive F Sport gets a Torsen limited-slip rear differential, but not the AWD version.) It ultimately posted a middling 0.86 g of grip, and stops from 70 mph required a reasonable 162 feet.
2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Limited Is a Safe, Unremarkable Choice
With a refreshed Sierra coming soon, GMC's stopgap offering feels somewhat long in the tooth.Having gone through a redesign in 2019, the exterior is probably the freshest part of the 2022 GMC Sierra Limited. It's an attractive truck, with headlights and a grille that aren't cartoonishly large, in addition to just the right amount of body sculpting that gives it a burly look without being too over-the-top. My tester's AT4 Premium Package ($3,405) also throws in a set of Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires that enhance the looks even further, and the Cayenne Red paint ($645) is pretty flashy, too.
© Michael Simari - Car and Driver 2022 Lexus RC350 F Sport AWD The F Sport has an adaptive variable suspension, yet we found little difference between its standard and stiffer settings. An upside is that, whereas its German competitors' firmest settings often deliver a punishing ride on anything other than freshly laid blacktop, the RC is pleasantly nonplussed by lumps and bumps in the road. Despite the F Sport having firmer tuning than the base car, this is the rare sports coupe that still serves up a supple ride in its sporty setting, making it tolerable even on the broken pavement that a sudden February thaw brings to the Northeast.
Gallery: Best New Hatchbacks of 2021 (Car and Driver)
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We here at Car and Driver are huge fans of hatchbacks. Why? When you compare a hatchback versus a sedan, you’ll often find that you get a more useful interior layout and almost always more room for cargo. And when you compare a crossover versus a hatchback, hatchbacks can provide much of the utility of crossovers while often offering better fuel economy and zippier handling to boot. Hatchbacks run the spectrum, from small to fun and funky and everything in between. Here's our list of the best hatchbacks you can buy for 2021.
Review: 2022 McLaren 765LT Spider
Now it can be told, as it was told me to a while ago: if you go to a ColdStone ice-cream restaurant, you really only have two choices available for non-yogurt varieties. The first one is chocolate. The second one is… everything else. It’s a tasteless (in the basic sense of the word, not in […] The post Review: 2022 McLaren 765LT Spider appeared first on Hagerty Media. Looking to purchase a car? Find your match on the MSN Autos Marketplace
Those who are interested in the best hatchbacks from 2020 can refer to last year's list.
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Volkswagen Golf
Few compact hatchbacks are better than the 2021 Volkswagen Golf, but one that is happens to share the same showroom: the sporty GTI (reviewed separately). Apart from the standard Golf's lower asking price and higher fuel efficiency, it isn't as desirable as its more powerful, better-equipped sibling. While that's partly why VW will only offer the next-generation GTI and high-performance Golf R on our shores, it doesn't diminish that the regular version remains a terrific value in its final year. Despite a small and underpowered turbo-four engine, it boasts an excellent six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. It has a great chassis that provides athletic handling and a composed ride. And it offers a surprisingly roomy interior along with a large cargo hold. The boxy Golf isn't as eye-catching or feature-laden as many compact rivals, but overall it's much more gratifying than meets the eye.
Review, Pricing, and Specs
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Volkswagen Golf GTI
The 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI is affordable, practical, and—most important to folks like us—a brilliant driving machine. While the current generation is nearing the end of its life cycle, it still continues to impress: It has won our annual 10Best award multiple times, including making the most recent list. With a sprightly 228-hp four-cylinder engine and terrific manual and automatic transmissions, this front-driver is wonderfully speedy. Of course, quickness doesn't equal engagement. Thankfully, Volkswagen has ensured this hot hatch provides nimble handling and communicative feedback. Those characteristics also apply to its sedan sibling, the Jetta GLI. Although its staid styling and above-average price won't appeal to everyone, the GTI's holistic approach to performance and undeniable versatility make it the ultimate sport compact.
Review: 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Touring
I go down weird YouTube rabbit holes. One week in particular I exclusively watched videos of Lexus LS400s with modded exhausts. Another time, Japanese carpentry techniques. Of late, my obsession has been past-their-prime boxing greats in action: balding Joe Louis, flat-footed Muhammad Ali, panini-press-selling George Foreman. There’s something morbid behind the appeal of these, no […] The post Review: 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Touring is, in layman’s terms, a Civic Si stripped of a bit of its sporting capability and a lot of its sporting pretensions. The 1.
Review, Pricing, and Specs
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Honda Civic
Once mere basic transportation, the humble Honda Civic has blossomed into a desirable and fun-to-drive compact car. Available as either a sedan or a practical hatchback, the Civic is powered by your choice of a 158-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder or a turbocharged 1.5-liter that makes 174 or 180 horsepower, depending on the model. Honda loads up its smallest car with plenty of standard driver-assistance features, including automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping assist. Oddly, modern infotainment features aren't standard; the base LX model comes with a tiny touchscreen that offers radio tuning and not much else. The base model notwithstanding, the Civic is a compact car that should satisfy most buyers and one we're happy to recommend. If you're seeking something with a spicier flavor, we'd suggest the 205-hp Civic Si or the 306-hp Civic Type R (both reviewed separately).
Review, Pricing, and Specs
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Honda Civic Type R
Despite its gloriously juvenile bodywork, the 2021 Honda Civic Type R is a hugely entertaining and entirely practical four-door hatchback. With a 306-hp turbocharged four-cylinder and a standard six-speed manual transmission (the only gearbox available) feeding the front wheels, the Type R is not only the quickest Honda Civic, it's one of the quickest sport compacts. Honda has managed to virtually eliminate the dreaded torque steer that plagues powerful front-drive cars and provide talkative steering, tremendous cornering grip, and a ride that's surprisingly smooth. Its interior isn't the fanciest, and its red accents make the cabin look like a crime scene, but the reasonably-sized back seat and ample cargo area give it every-day practicality. Apart from a subdued exhaust note and noisy highway behavior, the 2021 Civic Type R ranks among the most entertaining cars to drive right now.
Editors' Picks March 2022 | Acura RDX, VW GLI and a Rolls-Royce
Editors' Picks March 2022 | Acura RDX, VW GLI and a Rolls-Royce originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 5 Apr 2022 13:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Review, Pricing, and Specs
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Hyundai Veloster N
The 2021 Hyundai Veloster N is a raucous sport compact that provides plenty of driving fun and impressive performance for the money. Its N badge represents Hyundai’s high-performance subbrand, meaning it is the most powerful and aggressive version of the quirky three-door Veloster hatchback. A turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four with 275 horsepower is standard equipment, and the suspension is stiffened for sharper handling. Previously available only with a manual transmission, the Veloster now offers a dual-clutch automatic transmission option to broaden its appeal. The N’s cheeky appearance is a cherry on top of an appealing overall package. It may not be as pedigreed as rivals such as the VW Golf GTI or Honda Civic Type R, but the Veloster is the kind of upstart we like.
Review, Pricing, and Specs
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Mazda 3
If a 2021 Mazda 3 shows up when you call your next Uber, we'd forgive you for confusing it with a far more expensive Audi or BMW as you settle into the passenger's seat. Mazda often straddles the line between mainstream and luxury, and it pays off in its bread-and-butter hatchback, particularly in the swanky Premium and Premium Plus trims. A trio of four-cylinder engines are on the menu, as is all-wheel drive. The 3 continues to be one of the most refined and athletic compact cars on sale today, with high-tech infotainment and driver-assistance features that provide a class-above experience. That said, adding those features may drive the 3's price beyond what buyers in this segment are willing to pay, giving mainstream stalwarts like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic an edge.
Review, Pricing, and Specs
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Kia Rio
The 2021 Kia Rio sedan and hatchback are classified as economical subcompact cars—we used to call such cars "econoboxes"—but they're surprisingly more sophisticated than that. The Kia couple share a cabin design that exudes an elegant simplicity thanks to a smart layout and pleasing materials. On the flip side, both of the Rios' back seats suffer from limited passenger space and neither body style has a particularly accommodating cargo area or trunk. Still, we appreciate that they're one of the few subcompact cars to offer standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. We're even willing to forgive their dearth of common driver assists because the Chevy Spark and Nissan Versa are the only rivals that offer more advanced safety features. The 2021 Rios shine with their refined ride quality and composed handling, which help squash any stereotypes about cheap transportation.
Review, Pricing, and Specs
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Chevy Bolt EV
The 2021 Chevy Bolt EV isn't as interesting as the Hyundai Kona Electric or as sexy as the Tesla Model 3, but its smooth ride, roomy cabin, and popular standard features make it an appealing option to mainstream-brand shoppers. The Chevy has an EPA driving range of 259 miles, which is nothing to sneeze at, and its fast-charging capability allows it to replenish up to 100 miles of range in 30 minutes. Sure, the Bolt's design borders on dorky, and its interior quality doesn't qualify as premium despite a starting price close to $40,000 (before federal tax credits), but its electric motor sends 266 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels, providing zippy acceleration. We also appreciate its one-pedal driving and satisfying-to-use hand-brake function.
Review, Pricing, and Specs
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Kia Stinger
Despite its mainstream brand name, the 2021 Kia Stinger offers the performance, features, and desirability to go up against the German sports-sedan status quo. This four-door cleverly disguises its hatchback and large trunk with a layout similar to that of the sleek Audi A5 Sportback and BMW 4-series Gran Coupe. Inside, the Stinger offers near-luxury accommodations and a host of connectivity features such as touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You can order a Stinger with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder but we'd recommend the more powerful twin-turbo V-6 engine that's offered in the GT models. On the road, the Stinger is an athletic sedan with communicative steering—and one we enjoyed for a 40,000 mile long term test—making it a great choice for driving enthusiasts.
Review, Pricing, and Specs
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Audi A5 Sportback
No one ever said sexy can't also be practical, and the 2021 Audi A5 Sportback blends the best of what we love about the A4 sedan and the A5 coupe and adds a voluminous hatchback cargo hold hidden under its stylish fastback roofline. This athletic four-door competes with other similarly-styled sedans such as the BMW 4-series Gran Coupe and the Kia Stinger, and brings Audi's tech-forward approach and simple-yet-chic interior design. Rear-seat headroom isn't as generous as in the more traditional A4 sedan, but the A5's cargo volume makes up for that deficiency and then some.
Review, Pricing, and Specs
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Audi A7
The 2021 Audi A7 blurs a beautiful line between sedan and hatchback with its sleek profile and refined nature. Its turbocharged V-6 powertrain and standard all-wheel drive provide quick acceleration and four-season traction. The Audi also treats passengers to a quiet cabin space that boasts cutting-edge technology and countless luxuries. While most of this content is found on the A6 sedan too, the A7's fastback profile and extra cargo space make it both more visually distinct and more practical. Like the A6, the fastback A7 offers sophisticated road manners and is capable of delighting drivers when the road ahead starts to spiral. The 2021 A7 has an unintuitive infotainment system and costs more than the A6, but otherwise, it’s a handsome machine that promotes Audi's high-class image.
Review, Pricing, and Specs
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Audi RS7
The 2021 Audi RS7 is a wide-bodied, heart-pounding four-door sports car that features a usable back seat and practical hatchback. This all-new RS7 represents the mightiest version of the comparably subdued Audi A7. The RS model wears more aggressive-looking bodywork and has exclusive high-performance equipment that helps it compete with raucous rivals such as the Mercedes-AMG GT63s and Porsche Panamera Turbos.
Review, Pricing, and Specs
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The F Sport–specific front seats enhance the RC's comfort quotient. Their deeply curved seatbacks provide both lots of lateral support and a layer of cushy softness. The driving position is fine, although a wide transmission tunnel bulges out under the driver's right calf, which some might find bothersome. The cabin's numerous padded surfaces provide a Lexus-appropriate level of plushness, even if the design is more pedestrian than some. While the front seats are plenty comfortable, the back seats are cramped even for anything more than a quick jaunt across town. Think of the RC's rear quarters more as a place to toss a backpack or a shopping bag.
© Michael Simari - Car and Driver 2022 Lexus RC350 F Sport AWD Whereas screen-based instrumentation is now the norm, the RC has a hybrid cluster design with a tachometer rendered on a round LCD screen that also contains a digital speed readout. That screen lives within a physical dial that's central in the display and bracketed by fuel and temperature gauges; alternately, the dial can move slightly to the right, making space for an info screen to the left. The dial-plus-screen arrangement is at once modern, easy to read, and more interesting than a simple flat screen. The tach display varies slightly based on drive mode; it also changes to orange when engine revs reach 5000 rpm, a neat flourish.
After much criticism, Lexus has begun to move away from its touchpad infotainment interface, but the RC still has it. The good news is that you don't have to use it all that much. There are physical knobs and buttons for most audio functions and for the climate controls, plus additional buttons on the steering wheel. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are also on hand. The Mark Levinson Audio package with navigation ($2725) upgrades the display from a rather puny 7.0 inches to a modern-size 10.3-inch unit.
© Michael Simari - Car and Driver 2022 Lexus RC350 F Sport AWD Typical of coupes, rear visibility is not great; good thing a comprehensive array of driver assists is standard, including blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Our test car was also optioned with triple-beam LED headlights ($1160), which do a fantastic job lighting up the night and peering around curves on dark two-lane roads.
The aforementioned options, plus a handful of others, put the total for our RC350 F Sport AWD test car at $59,995, up from a starting price of $52,555. You'd pay more for a six-cylinder, all-wheel-drive coupe from any of the German automakers: some $4000 more for an Audi S5, $7000 more for a BMW M440i xDrive, and $9000 more for a Mercedes C43. Only the Infiniti Q60 is cheaper.
Though its newer competitors outshine the RC350 F Sport in several objective measures, the Lexus is not without its charms. It's a grand tourer that, despite its looks, emphasizes comfort more than absolute performance. And as with a well-worn pair of jeans, sometimes there's appeal in the not-so-new.
© Hearst Owned A car-lover’s community for ultimate access & unrivaled experiences. JOIN NOW Looking to purchase a car? Find your match on the MSN Autos Marketplace
Editors' Picks March 2022 | Acura RDX, VW GLI and a Rolls-Royce .
Editors' Picks March 2022 | Acura RDX, VW GLI and a Rolls-Royce originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 5 Apr 2022 13:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Audi RS E-Tron GT Road Test Review | The EV deluge is coming originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Mar 2022 06:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. 
The lavish Summit Reserve shows how far the Grand Cherokee has come, but it'll cost you dearly.The outgoing Grand Cherokee's interior had been steadily updated over its approximate decade-long run, but the new fifth generation's top-tier Summit Reserve exists on a different plane. All but the base Laredo now come with leather seats of some description, and they get progressively plusher until you arrive at our Summit Reserve's sumptuous Quilted Palermo Leather seats, which have matching leather armrests and door trim panels paired with open-pore wood accents. 
$28,000 may not get you much these days, but it'll get you a Kia K5 GT-Line, and that's plenty.The GT-Line, as the name suggests, is not the full-fat GT that puts down front-tire-shredding amounts of horsepower. Instead, it's all about keeping up appearances, and in that vein, I'm a fan. This K5 wears the same aggressive bumpers, wheels, grille and spoiler as the GT, and combined with the $445 Wolf Grey paint job, it's a looker. The tapered rear silhouette is attractive and Kia's new logo blends in effortlessly. 
By now you’ve probably seen the outrageous “Sho Bird”, the radical custom 1931 Chevrolet Independence that won the Ridler Award at the 2022 Detroit Autorama. Even just based on the story’s comments it’s clear this year’s Ridler winner was a polarizing choice. For those unacquainted with the custom hot rod universe, here’s some perspective. Winning […] The post The Great 8: 2022 Ridler Award finalists appeared first on Hagerty Media. Looking to purchase a car? Find your match on the MSN Autos Marketplace 
With a refreshed Sierra coming soon, GMC's stopgap offering feels somewhat long in the tooth.Having gone through a redesign in 2019, the exterior is probably the freshest part of the 2022 GMC Sierra Limited. It's an attractive truck, with headlights and a grille that aren't cartoonishly large, in addition to just the right amount of body sculpting that gives it a burly look without being too over-the-top. My tester's AT4 Premium Package ($3,405) also throws in a set of Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires that enhance the looks even further, and the Cayenne Red paint ($645) is pretty flashy, too. 
Now it can be told, as it was told me to a while ago: if you go to a ColdStone ice-cream restaurant, you really only have two choices available for non-yogurt varieties. The first one is chocolate. The second one is… everything else. It’s a tasteless (in the basic sense of the word, not in […] The post Review: 2022 McLaren 765LT Spider appeared first on Hagerty Media. Looking to purchase a car? Find your match on the MSN Autos Marketplace 
I go down weird YouTube rabbit holes. One week in particular I exclusively watched videos of Lexus LS400s with modded exhausts. Another time, Japanese carpentry techniques. Of late, my obsession has been past-their-prime boxing greats in action: balding Joe Louis, flat-footed Muhammad Ali, panini-press-selling George Foreman. There’s something morbid behind the appeal of these, no […] The post Review: 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport Touring is, in layman’s terms, a Civic Si stripped of a bit of its sporting capability and a lot of its sporting pretensions. The 1. 
Editors' Picks March 2022 | Acura RDX, VW GLI and a Rolls-Royce originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 5 Apr 2022 13:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. 
