Tag Archives: 2019
2019 GMC Sierra Denali Is Heading To Dealerships
GMC is entering the future with its updated lineup of pickup trucks that carry new features and technologies. The 2019 GMC Sierra Denali is now arriving in dealerships, ushering in a new era for the Sierra 1500 trucks.
The Sierra 1500 has grown in every dimension for the 2019 model year. According to reports, the truck now has a longer wheelbase and a longer body in crew cab form. To differentiate itself from the Silverado, which are also arriving in showrooms this week, the Sierra 1500 features a different grille, a new tailgate that can be configured into six different positions, and a new carbon fiber pickup box.
The Denali models will include exclusive upgrades such as a bolder front fascia with massive amounts of chrome, adaptive ride control for better body control, and genuine open-pore ash wood trim and dark-finish aluminum inside the cabin. Other significant changes are the heated and ventilated seats, the heads-up display, the 8-inch touchscreen, the rear camera mirror display, and the standard 20-inch aluminum wheels or available 22-inch wheels.
The Denali will be available in crew cab configuration and options for either a rear-wheel or a four-wheel drive. The standard model would come with a 5.3-liter V8 engine paired to an eight-speed automatic. The four-wheel-drive models will come with an option of a 6.2-liter V8 engine that can deliver 420 horsepower and pair with a 10-speed automatic. There are also plans to have a 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine paired with a 10-speed automatic in the Sierra lineup.
The Denali will be the top premium pickup in the Sierra lineup. The two-wheel-drive Denali starts at $54,700 plus a $1,495 destination charge.
The Sierra happens to be a big seller for the GMC. At the end of the second quarter, GMC sold about 100,874 Sierra pickups, up by 1.7 percent from the same period last year.
2019 Hyundai Elantra Gets New Angular Face
The 2019 Hyundai Elantra is getting a radical facelift that gives the compact sedan a more angular look than before. Gone is the rounded front fascia of the current model and in its place is a fascia with lots of sharp corners. Even the headlights and the fog lights change to triangle-shaped units and the grille is also sharper.
The headlights intersect with the grille so this makes for an interesting new design. The base of the headlights match up with the top-most slat in the grille and the lights intersect with some of the grille’s top corners. The two new creases on the hood are also leveled up with the vertical slats in the grille.
The car’s rear is also updated. The taillights, like the headlights, have sharpened corners. The housing of the license plate is moved to the bumper from the trunk lid. The large Elantra lettering stretches across the lid of the bumper. This design is similar to the Sonata midsize sedan.
The changes are attractive but the angular lines don’t specifically fit the sides. Meanwhile, the overall silhouette of the car retains the soft and organic lines of the current model.
The safety features of the car are improved. The 2019 Hyundai Elantra gets a camera-based forward collision prevention, lane-keeping assist, and driver attention alert as standard equipment on the second-lowest SEL trim and above.
On the other hand, all trim levels come with a five-inch touchscreen as standard along with a rear-view camera and dynamic guidelines on the screen.
The base SE model is paired with a manual transmission but equipped with Bluetooth and steering wheel controls. The Limited trim, the top end of the model, has an additional eight-speaker sound system with subwoofer, Qi wireless phone charging, and Safe Exit Assist, which warns drivers of approaching cars when the door is open.
Under the hood, we find the same naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder that produces 147 horsepower. There’s also the 1.4-liter engine that makes 128 horsepower. The Elantra Sport churns out 201 horsepower, but Hyundai said they will have a restyled version later this year.
Extra Power For 2019 Mazda Miata RF Means Price Increase
For months, we have waited anxiously for information about the newest Mazda MX-5 Miata for the 2019 model year. Little by little, we got details about the car’s 2.0-liter I4 that makes 181 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque.
This increase in power (the current generation is 26 horses weaker) means an increase in price, too. The base model for the Miata RF will have a price tag of $33,240, including an $895 destination charge. That’s for the Club trim level with a six-speed manual transmission.
The price increase of $435 also gets a telescoping steering wheel, new door stops, updated cupholders and seat levers, standard rear-view camera, and 17-inch wheels. Reportedly, all of these are now coming as standard to all variants of the car.
The Club 6MT will have options such as Brembo brakes and BBS wheels for an extra $3,770, or the Brembo, BBS, and Recaro package for a cool $4,670.
On the other hand, the MX-5 Club with a six-speed automatic transmission will come with paddle shifters and sport mode for $33,840. This trim is not going to be available with the Brembo/BBS packages. The Club 6AT will, however, get the i-ActiveSense package option for $450. The package will include the Smart City Brake Support and lane-departure warning.
The Grand Touring trim will start at $34,230 with a six-speed manual transmission. This is $585 more than the outgoing model. For an extra $750, the Grand Touring 6MT can get the GT-S package that includes a front shock tower brace, limited-slip rear differential, Bilstein dampers, and a hand-painted black roof.
The Grand Touring with six-speed automatic gets a price tag of $35,305. If you want it with Auburn Nappa leather, that’s another $300.
The new MX-5 Miata RF is available in three premium colors—the Soul Red for an extra $595, the Machine Gray Metallic for $300, and the Snowflake White Pearl Mica for $200.
More Standard Equipment Added To The 2019 Dodge Durango
Dodge wants the elderly Durango to continue being relevant in this age of crossover SUVs and luxury pickup trucks. For the 2019 model year, the company decided to fit the Durango with a slew of new standard features. It didn’t have to be much because the Durango has a strong and loyal following.
For the exterior, the Dodge Durango can be equipped with new wheels and there are a total of 11 colors you can choose from, including three all-new finishes—Destroyer Gray, F8 Green, and Reactor Blue.
Entry-Level Durango SXT
The entry-level Durango SXT now has an option for leather upholstery, and coming standard for the cabin is the Uconnect 4 infotainment system with a 7-inch touchscreen. It comes also with Keyless Enter ‘n Go, push-button start and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Durango GT
The Durango GT got an all-new front end similar to the likes of the R/T and the SRT. The GT model is also getting LED running lights, the looks of the performance models, and the optional hood with air intake and hot air extractors. It is equipped with the same V6 engine found in the SXT. It can produce 295 horses.
Durango Citadel
There’s more standard equipment for the Durango Citadel such as the second-row captain chairs and the option for the 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system and a V8 engine that can produce 360 horses and 390 pound-feet of torque. Standard to the Citadel, though, is the V6 engine.
Durango Sporty R/T And SRT
Durango’s top-of-the-line R/T and SRT got their new equipment, too. The SRT has optional red seat belts, high-performance Brembo brakes with two-piece rotors, and 825-watt, 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. More personalization options include 20-inch wheels in Matte Vapor or Brass Monkey finish.
The SRT is the quickest three-row SUV out there. It has a 6.4-liter V8 engine that produces 475 horsepower and can go 0 to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds.
Is The Grandmaster Hyundai’s New Three-Row Crossover?
Hyundai is finally ready to make its mark in the crossover segment. It is now filling its lineup with the new Kona, as well as updated versions of the Tucson and the Santa Fe. But aside from these models, Hyundai also introduced a possible new three-row crossover at the Busan Auto Show.
Dubbed as the “HDC-2 Grandmaster”, the concept might be a preview to Hyundai’s plan of designing a new three-row crossover. The model should slot right above the Santa Fe and will have seats available for a total for eight passengers.
The design cues of the Grandmaster are based on the Santa Fe, which was previously called the Santa Fe Sport. But don’t think that this new model would be very similar to the smaller Santa Fe. The Grandmaster will have newly designed wheels, taillights, and side windows never before seen in another Hyundai model.
The name of this new model, if the Grandmaster name will stick, is quite cool and it comes the game of chess, wherein the winner is called the grandmaster. In a statement, the South Korean automaker said that the name is indicative of the company’s plan to create a uniform vehicle line-up that would demonstrate the Hyundai look without necessarily being too similar with each other. Each model, though following a specific design cue, should still have a distinctive character and role.
From what we understand, Hyundai is planning to overhaul the design direction of the company’s fleet. The new design will affect more than just one Hyundai model. Along with the Le Fil Rouge concept car, the new Grandmaster will feature the “Sensuous Sportiness” that Hyundai wants to highlight as its new design theme. This will apply on the automaker’s future sedans and SUVs.
The Grandmaster should be available in the market by 2019.
Jeep Wrangler To Arrive In Showrooms In April 2019
The new Jeep Wrangler will hit dealers’ showrooms in April 2019, that’s the only piece of information we got from the four-hour-long conference that Fiat-Chrysler dealers had last week. The production for the pickup will begin in the fourth quarter of this year, so it makes sense that availability in showrooms will only start April next year.
What we are waiting for, though, is a look at the bedded Jeep minus the camouflage that we have seen it is wrapped in less than eight weeks ago. There are rumors, and we’re pretty sure there’s a bit of truth to this, that the official introduction will happen at the LA Auto Show this November to December. If previous timelines are to be the basis, this makes sense since the standard Wrangler only broke cover a year ago (by November).
Though we’re anticipating for the November introduction, we don’t know exactly what to expect. We don’t even know under what name this new pickup will be released. Jeep has kept everything under wraps. But based on all the spy shots and leaks we have heard and seen, the Jeep will be a four-door Unlimited with a short bed. Though there are rumors that it will be a two-door Wrangler pickup, these remain mere speculations up to now.
The powertrain options might be the same as the others in the lineup: a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder that can deliver 268 horses, a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 that produces 285 horsepower, and a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 with 442 pound-feet of torque.
Sergio Marchionne, Fiat-Chrysler’s CEO, expects 100,000 Wrangler pickups to be sold each year starting April 2019. If reached, that would mean a 56-percent increase in Wrangler’s current US and European volume.
The last Wrangler pickup was the 1986 CJ-8 Scrambler but in April 2019, the Wrangler will join the likes of Chevrolet Colorado, Toyota Tacoma, Honda Ridgeline, Nissan Frontier, and the new Ford Ranger. The Wrangler, however, will still be the only one to offer a convertible top.
Here are the latest spy shots of the upcoming Jeep Wrangler from Autoblog:
3 Things We Need To Know About The 2019 Volvo S60
Volvo already presented the V60 before critics and car enthusiasts at this week’s 2018 Geneva Motor Show. This means that the Swedish automaker is gearing for a reveal of both the S60 and the V60 sometime soon. We’re particularly hoping that it will happen during the New York International Auto Show at the end of this month after all, both cars are tagged as 2019 models due to the showrooms later this year.
Now, Swedish website Teknikens Varld posted a photo of the new S60 from the rear, contrary to the front-facing photo that Volvo released a week ago. This means we have more info on how the 2019 Volvo S60 will look like.
1. Scaled-down S90
Just like before, the new S60 will look like a scaled-down version of the S90. This makes sense since the V60 also happens to be a miniscule V90 in design and style. The interior of the S60 should be very near what we saw in the V60’s cabin.
2. Longer model
Much like the V60, which is five inches longer than the model it replaced, the S60 will also be lengthier over the current generation S60. There’s no word yet on the size difference, but we’re expecting somewhere along the same lines of the difference between the current V60 and the new V60—yes, a whooping five inches. The extra length, at least 3.75 inches, will be distributed to the wheelbase that will increase the legroom for rear-seat passengers.
3. T5 and T6 engines
The S60 will arrive with T5 and T6 engines that will be able to produce 250 and 316 horsepower, respectively. Plug-in hybrid models are to be expected and these will use twin engines to power them up. The T8, in particular, is already in the schedule, but it won’t be available for US customers.
The new 2019 Volvo S60 will be the first model produced at Volvo’s plant in Charleston, South Carolina.