2022 Genesis GV70 Luxury SUV's First MPG Figures Revealed

 These are for the V-6—expect the EPA ratings for the four-cylinder to be better.

Looking as hot as any compact luxury SUV on the market right now, the first-ever Genesis GV70 will make its grand arrival on showroom floors this year as a 2022 model. While Genesis has kept the on-sale date and pricing for its second SUV after the larger GV80 under wraps, we do know that two engine choices will be available. But the newest member of the luxury Korean brand has some fierce competition that includes the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Volvo X60. We here at MotorTrend cannot wait to see how the GV70 stacks up to those rivals in a broad sense, but we now have some hint of how it'll do on the fuel economy battlefield.

That is because official EPA ratings for the V-6-powered GV70 were just announced. The all-wheel-drive Genesis GV70 equipped with a 3.5-liter engine comes rated at 19 mpg in the city, 25 mpg on the highway, and 21 mpg combined. Figures are not out yet for the 2.5-liter GV70, but we suspect that model will be offered with rear-wheel drive as well as all-wheel drive, both which we expect will be more efficient than the GV70 with the six-cylinder option.

The 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (300-hp, 311-lb-ft of torque) will be limited to base GV70s, however; higher trims get the more powerful 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 pumping out 375 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are hitched to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Gorgeous inside and out, the GV70 is a game-changer from an evolving automaker that seems to get better with time. Just like the GV80, this luxury crossover will be going head-to-head with other well-established models. Stay tuned for updates on pricing and driving impressions, which will further help situate the 2022 GV70 amongst its competitive set.

Tesla Is Building a Giant Battery at a Secretive Facility in Texas

 Could Tesla help put the "R" back in ERCOT?

Texans have good reason to be concerned with their energy grid after it failed spectacularly this winter. Happily, Ford owners and dealers came to the rescue with their F-150 PowerBoost hybrids, and now Tesla is building what appears to be a more permanent solution. According to a report by Bloomberg Green, a company called Gambit Energy Storage, which is a subsidiary of Tesla, is building a 100-megawatt energy storage facility about 40 miles south of Houston. Such a system could produce enough power to run roughly 20,000 homes on a hot summer day.

Tesla already has other mega-batteries in operation, including a 20-megawatt facility east of Los Angeles and a 100-megawatt unit in Australia. Such battery systems serve as buffers for renewable energy sources—for example, storing energy from wind farms when winds are high but demand is low, allowing the power to be sold back to the grid operators at a profit when demand is high—or things go haywire.

Consider the situation in Texas in particular. Last month, Tesla founder Elon Musk tweeted that the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) "is not earning that R."

We've known for a while that Tesla struggles to make money from its car business, but the vehicles do provide excellent publicity for (potentially) more lucrative endeavors, such as the mega-battery business. Tesla also sells the Powerwall, a smaller storage system for residential use, as well as its own residential solar energy systems using both traditional panels and stealthy solar shingles.

Oddly enough, despite Musk's apparent love for publicity, the Texas project seems to be somewhat secret. Bloomberg reports that workers have been keeping equipment covered, and it was only a Tesla logo on a staffer's hardhat that tipped them off to Gambit's corporate parent. Gambit Energy Storage has the same address as another Tesla entity, and the news service found a SEC filing listing the company as a Tesla subsidiary. Bloomberg tried to reach Tesla for comment, but received no answer. (No surprise there—Tesla tends to ignore the press, and with no PR department to reach out to we didn't even try.)

Musk has been making a beachhead in Texas. Musk has moved house to the Lone Star State, and is building SpaceX facilities there as well as Gigafactory Texas, which reportedly will build the Cybertruck.

With the 2022 Hyundai Tucson, Extra Stuff and Style Won't Cost (Much) Extra

 Hyundai’s compact SUV’s head-turning look brings a slight price increase.

Your 101-level business professor was right: There really is no such thing as a free lunch. Take the 2022 Hyundai Tucson, for instance. It's bigger, more stylish, and comes with more features than the model it replaces. And guess what? It's also more expensive than its forebear.

SEe What You Get?

With a base price of $26,135, the entry-level 2022 Hyundai Tucson SE stickers for $1,250 more than its 2021 counterpart. Those extra bucks, however, buy you an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display (one inch bigger than before), LED headlights with automatic high beams, a 187-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (up 26 horses from the old 2.0-liter), and those aforementioned hard-edged wares. 

Step up to the $27,685 Tucson SEL and the compact SUV brings additional kit such as heated front seats, a blind-spot monitoring system, a proximity key, and adaptive cruise control.

Need a little extra bling? Then check out the $31,785 Tucson N Line, which wears more aggressive exterior decor, special 19-inch wheels, and comes standard with a massive 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Opt for the $35,885 Limited and your Tucson sports a standard 10.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display, an in-dash navigation system, a panoramic sunroof, surround-view monitor, front and rear parking sensors, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear seats.

Like the SE, the SEL, N Line, and Limited all come standard with the same 187-hp 2.5-liter engine that sends power to the front wheels by way of an eight-speed automatic. All-wheel-drive is a $1,400 option across the line. 

Hello, Hybrid

Hyundai also offers the 2022 Tucson in gasoline-electric hybrid and plug-in gasoline-electric hybrid forms. While the brand's keeping mum on the latter setup's pricing, it's not holding back on the former. As its name implies, the Tucson Hybrid relies on a combination of gasoline and electric power sources, in this case, a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder and an electric motor, which produce a combined peak output of 227 hp. All-wheel-drive is standard.

Choose the entry-level Tucson Hybrid Blue, and you're looking at a bill for $30,235. Like the gas-powered Tucson SEL, the Tucson Hybrid Blue comes standard with heated front seats, a blind-spot monitoring system, a proximity key, and adaptive cruise control. The $32,835 Hybrid SEL, meanwhile, seemingly adds the standard SEL's $2,600 Convenience package that nets the likes of a hands-free power liftgate, a sunroof, a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and dual-automatic climate control. Finally, the $38,535 Tucson Hybrid Limited brings the high-end features of the gas-powered Tucson Limited to the gasoline-electric hybrid model. 

2022 Hyundai Tucson Pricing

• SE: $26,135
• SEL: $27,685
• N Line: $31,785
• Limited: $35,885

2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Pricing

• Blue: $30,235
• SEL: $32,835
• Limited: $38,535

2022 Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid Pricing

• Blue: TBD
• Limited: TBD

Volkswagen Takes Fresh Swing at Tesla With "Project Trinity"

 The thing is, the ominously named vehicle is five years away.

Everyone wants a crack at Tesla. Elon Musk's all-electric brand has set the automotive world on fire for better part of the last decade, and it still delivers pace-setting EV performance, range, and speedy charge times that most longstanding automakers have trouble matching. But that isn't going to stop Volkswagen from taking the fight to Tesla head-on, this time with "Project Trinity."

Volkswagen just teased the new venture with some promising claims. Project Trinity will result in a sedan with "high range, extremely short charging times, and revolutionary production." What this all means, of course, is still quite unclear. But it does leave room for a heck of a lot of speculation.

Let us peer once more into the (often flawed) automotive industry crystal ball. Right now, the only EV Americans can buy from VW is the ID4. At full tilt, with a 125-kW charger handy, that electrified SUV's battery will charge from 5 percent full to 80 percent in roughly 40 minutes. In isolation that sounds pretty good, but compare that to what you can get out of a Tesla Supercharger, and the VW loses out.

The current Tesla Model S, when hooked up to a V3 Supercharger station, can charge at up to 250 kW. That means a Tesla can guzzle up much more juice more quickly than an ID4 can at the moment. That will likely change in the near future, not the far-off 2026 mark that VW has set out for Project Trinity. However, it's safe to assume that the new sedan, whatever Volkswagen ends up calling it, will support something north of the 250-kW mark.

When it comes to range, 250 miles is the most you can eke out of an ID4. The recently announced Tesla Model S Plaid boasts more than 500 miles of range. A more equivalent Model Y crossover can go up to 326 miles between charging stops. That is way (way) more than is necessary for the average commuter, and will only be fully utilized on longer trips. The Model S, for example, holds enough energy to get from Los Angeles to Vegas and back on one charge.

If Project Trinity nets something truly "high range" we expect a range number that starts with a "4." Speaking of which, Volkswagen also said its forthcoming sedan will support Level 2+ autonomous driving at launch, but will be ready (from a hardware and software standpoint) for Level 4. Though Tesla's Autopilot is industry leading stuff, even it doesn't support level 4 (yet)—topping out at Level 2, where drivers still need to remain alert while the car handles acceleration, braking, and some lane changes in "closed" scenarios such as freeway travel.

As for the promise of "revolutionary production," we are still in the dark. Could 3D printing make its way into production cars? Is Volkswagen talking about battery tech? It's hard to be sure, but as time goes on we will only learn more on what Project Trinity will bring.

2005-2008 Dodge Magnum History: Mopar's Wonderful Muscle Wagon

 Can you imagine how awesome the Magnum would have been with a Hellcat V-8?

Applied to neither a gun nor private investigator, Dodge's most recent use of the Magnum name was slapped instead on a station wagon. Not just any wagon, the Magnum was based on the then-new Charger sedan and sold for the 2005 through 2008 model years. So, where did this Charger station wagon go?

Dodge dropped the Magnum after 2008 for reasons that should become clear if you think about what happened to the economy that year. Before that, the Magnum sold decently—for a station wagon—in America, with sales topping the 50,000 mark at least one year. Weirder still, Dodge refreshed the Magnum for 2008, meaning the updated model lived for a single year before it was culled.

If you were to ask us, the Dodge Magnum wagon suffered a premature death—can you imagine if one of these things came with a 707-hp-plus supercharged Hellcat V-8 like the one introduced to the surviving Charger sedan for 2015? So, while we imagine what could have been, let's take a look at how the Dodge Magnum came to be—and why it's no longer with us.

Dodge Magnum: History, Engines, Specs

When the Magnum arrived for 2005, it wore chunky, low-slung bodywork with a plunging roof and huge flared fenders. It clearly shared its angry, chonky vibe with the also-then-new Dodge Charger sedan, but the headlights, grille, taillights, and other key skin markers were slightly different. This wasn't simply a Charger wagon, at least not outwardly.

It is worth noting that the Magnum's aggression depended heavily on which trim level one selected. Entry-level SE and SXT models sat up high on tall-sidewall tires, looking somewhat dorky and like, well, traditional American station wagons. A 190-hp 2.7-liter V-6 was standard (along with an old-school four-speed automatic), while SXT trims brought a slightly larger-caliber 250-hp 3.5-liter six with the same four-speed. These could sit even higher if equipped with all-wheel drive—available on SXT—which brought a slightly lifted suspension and a Mercedes-sourced five-speed.

The R/T version brought larger, bolder wheels and a lower stance (except, of course, those with the available all-wheel drive option, which like on the lower trim also came with a slightly raised suspension for better clearance). Also included? A 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 engine putting out 340 hp. All Magnum R/T models also upgraded to the aforementioned five-speed automatic transmission and handsome 18-inch wheels. The R/T was capable of ripping from zero to 60 mph in around six seconds flat, not bad for something that weighed nearly two tons.

Finally, introduced for 2006 was the high-performance Magnum SRT8 powered by a 425-hp 6.1-liter Hemi V-8. Crouching low on its suspension and riding on huge (for the time) 20-inch wheels with rubber-band-thin tires, the SRT8 was the meanest, baddest Magnum. This top-dog wagon proved it could hit 60 mph in as little as 5.1 seconds in our testing—putting it on par with the period Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG wagon.

Oh yeah, there were cop Magnums, too, outfitted with beefier running gear just like their more common Charger counterparts. Surely the five-oh enjoyed the Magnum's extra cargo space and even angrier look.

A Station Wagon Bred For Comfort And Performance

Dodge lucked out when designing the LX platform that underpinned the Charger and Magnum—as well as the Challenger coupe and Chrysler's 300 sedan. The vehicles were developed at the tail end of the DaimlerChrysler partnership, so there was a healthy crossover between the rear-wheel-drive LX architecture and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Direct parts sharing included the five-speed automatic transmission in certain Magnum models, as well as the optional all-wheel drive system.

Engineers for Chrysler will say the "E-Class with a Dodge badge" comparison is overblown, and note that even though the LX bones live on today beneath the current Charger, Challenger, and 300, what Benz lineage there was has faded somewhat after continuous updates over the past 16 years. But there is no denying the Mercedes lurking beneath the Magnum and its ilk. When it debuted for 2005, the Magnum was huge—the wheelbase is an incredible 120 inches!—and startlingly refined for something from the Pentastar. These just ate up highway miles with a certain Germanic solidity.

Also, despite their slammed rooflines, Magnums were quite spacious inside. Credit that huge wheelbase and generous exterior dimensions, which opened up stretch out space front and rear even for taller passengers. And the Magnum's cargo space was nothing to sniff at, either: 27 cubic feet behind the rear seats, and up to 72 cubic feet with the rear bench folded. The Charger sedan's trunk was comparatively tiny, with only 16 cubes of space—good for a sedan, but no comparison to the Magnum's open cargo area.

If the relatively affordable, huge, rear-drive, V-8-optional Magnum had a shortcoming, it was its interior. While the wagon's hardware, styling, and driving experience clearly transcended early-2000s expectations for a Chrysler product, the cabin was anything but transcendental. Truck-like expanses of unadorned, mediocre plastics meet at more or less right angles to define the shapes of the door panels and dashboard. To call it uninspired would be an understatement, particularly in contrast with the extroverted exterior styling.

A Quick Refresh, Then A Hurry-Up To Die

The Magnum's formula proved compelling enough to notch up about 40,000 sales annually between 2004 and 2007, an anomalous performance for a station wagon in America. Despite this, and a refresh Dodge had prepared for the 2008 Magnum, the wagon was canceled for 2009. This introduced the strange, one-model-year-only '08 Magnum as a dead wagon rolling.

Most of the 2008 Magnum's updates centered on its front end, where the original's blocky, wide-eyed headlights were swapped for slimmer rectangular units framing a similarly slimmed-down Dodge "crosshair" grille. SRT8 models gained a hood scoop, and new wheel designs adorned the entire lineup. Dodge fiddled slightly with the interior, but it remained basically the same.

So, what happened to the Magnum? Sales seemed okay, and there weren't any other large American station wagons with available V-8 power lurking around. Well, Chrysler's restructuring in the midst of the 2008 financial crisis happened. Chrysler wanted to slim down its operations and focus on core (read: profitable) models—to whit, other oddballs such as the Pacifica (the tallish crossover thing that preceded today's minivan by the same name), PT Cruiser convertible, and Crossfire sports car joined the Magnum in the dustbin. The Magnum would live on in slightly different form as the Chrysler 300 Touring wagon overseas, but only for a few more years.

It's difficult to push thoughts of what could have been from one's mind. The Charger and its two-door Challenger sibling lived on, seeing major updates a few years later, receiving ever-more-powerful V-6 and V-8 engine options until, in 2014, some unhinged genius within Chrysler decided to shove the 707-hp supercharged 6.2-liter "Hellcat" V-8 into the big sedan and coupe. Thus began an escalation in the horsepower wars, and today the Charger and Challenger are available with up to 707 to 797 horsepower. Dodge also sells both in "Widebody" form with pumped-out fenders. Had the Magnum survived to today, it, too, could have more than 707 horsepower and possibly an available Widebody treatment. With the Charger sedan capable of more than 200 mph, the Magnum could have been among the fastest station wagons in the world—if not the fastest.