Tag Archives: hatchback
3 Major Expectations With The High Performance Toyota Yaris
When it comes to the Toyota Yaris, not many people give it attention these days. It is, after all, merely a car, something that gets you from Point A to Point B. Nothing more, nothing less. But that’s about to change as Toyota previewed a high performance (unnamed) Yaris that will soon be available for the European market.
There is not much information available for this new Yaris. It doesn’t even have a name at this point. What we do know is that it’s going to produce more than the 106 horsepower the current generation can.
Powertrain
At 2,400 pounds for the hatchback, the redesigned Yaris can apparently produce 207 horsepower based on a report. That’s a pretty good pull for such a heavy hatchback, but we’ll see more of that once the car got tested on the road.
Based on these specifications, we’re guessing that the power will come from a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. That would only be the only possible reason that the subcompact can pull off a 207 horsepower.
According to Toyota, the car also has an upgraded chassis that will improve the handling. We are not sure yet what it means this time, though.
Exterior
The new Yaris fits the European market nicely. It looks sportier than the current model and it has that edge that almost makes it look like a (lesser) Mini Cooper, in a way.
The redesigned Yaris is based on the two-door version of the hatch. It will now come with sharp-looking wheels, a rear spoiler, and graphics in red and black. There are also revisions at the front and rear styling.
Competition
It’s not yet clear of this Yaris will be brought to the United States. If it does, it will compete directly with the Ford Fiesta ST, the Mini Cooper S, and the Fiat 500 Abarth.
Spy Shots Of 2019 Audi S7 Emerge
The second generation Audi S7 was spotted being tested on the road, and it reminds us of the large, four-door hatchback or “Sportback” body found in the Mercedes CLS Coupe, the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe and the Audi A7 Sportback in 2010.
This is the first time the second-generation Audi S7 was spotted in the wild, so we are sure there will be plenty of surprises in future spy shots. The prototype has a strong resemblance to the Prologue Avant Concept since it has the same stretched-out hexagonal grille and small but dominating corner air intakes.
For now, the fascia is still incomplete, so we’re yet to see if it will sport the proper grille or intake inserts. Up front, you’ll also notice the thin headlights, and this is a big thing because the lower, outer corner of the headlamps on the current S7 dips down. But on this model, the bottom edge of the light is flat while the top edge follows the hood. It is a much cleaner look, and would look great once the camouflage comes off the prototype.
On the sides, the Audi S7 has the same distinct body line on the bottom of the door between the two wheel arches. The mirrors are a little shorter and the rear quarter panels are extended outward, which along with the low body height, gives the vehicle rather a “sitting pretty” look. The roof is very much a true “Sportback” while the sharp body line on the rear quarters fade as it gets closer to the headlights.
There’s a new pair of taillights at the rear end. These are thinner than the current model, and have a more rounded contour on the top and the outside edges. As for the rear fascia, it’s not too different from the current model.
There’s no report yet on the powertrain of the new S7, though it may have the same 4.0-liter V-8, except that a little tweak can power it up to 470 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque.
Pricing for the S7 might be $80,500 for the entry model and $85,000 for the prestige.
Renault Introduces Clio RS16
Last month, Renault gave a sneak peek of its new Clio RS16 concept car, and we were mightily impressed by the performance engine it came with. We expected Renault to soon introduce the production version, and this week was apparently the right time for us to see the latest in Renault’s series of Clio RS hatchbacks.
The RS in the RS16 stands for Renault Sport, the French automaker’s official performance arm. It includes both the road car division Renault Sports Cars and the motorsport division Renault Sport Racing, which makes up Renault’s Formula One team.
The Clio RS16 is born out of a collaboration between these two divisions. Based on the fourth generation of the compact Clio, the new RS16 is available in two options—a standard model with 200 horsepower and the sportier Clio RS Trophy with 220 horsepower.
Both of these versions come packed with a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine with front wheel drive and six-speed dual-clutch transmission.
But what’s unique to this particular segment is the choice of three chassis setups—Sport, Cup and Trophy settings. The Trophy setup is the most powerful one with the ride height getting lowered by 20 millimeters at the front and 10 millimeters at the rear. It gets finished with 18-inch wheels, which would come as standard.
According to Renault, the new Clio RS16 can go 0-62mph in 6.6 seconds. Top speed is believed to be 146 mph, though the automaker also claims that there is a 14.5-second elapsed time for the quarter mile.
All of these Clio RS16 models will get a body kit with front splitter, side sills, roof-mounted spoiler and rear diffuser. The models also have the R.S. Vision, a checkered flag pattern for the LED fog lights.
Once you go inside, you’ll find the shift paddles for transmission, launch control function, RS infotainment system, and drive modes selector—Normal, Sport and Race settings.
Kia Plans To Introduce Turbocharged Kia Soul Hatchback
Kia Soul has been highly popular the past years. Although I am personally not a fan of the bodystyle and there are extreme reactions to it among the auto industry experts, it was certainly one of Kia’s most popular models.
In fact, the only thing more popular than the Soul is the commercials Kia has produced for the incoming hatchback. Aside from the catchy hit songs that they used, the commercials also featured hamsters (which Kia tagged as Hamstars). Can anything be cuter than that?
The latest commercial is now out and it’s full of the same things—catchy song and Hamstars. But what specifically is being talked about right now is the “wink” at the end of the commercial, hinting of the possibility of a turbocharged Soul hatchback.
An overview of the current Soul lineup was also shown at the end of the video. The lineup included the regular gasoline-powered model, the electric model and a “turbo” version. Kia teased that all of these will be arriving just in time for Winter 2016.
We’ve heard rumors that Kia has been planning a turbocharged Soul hatchback for years. So far, this is the first evidence of those plans, and it’s just in time for a change in the Soul’s performance and power.
As for the bodystyle, many experts have always raved about the Soul’s standout styling, roomy interior and useful in-car technology. That’s not to mention that the Soul is nicely priced.
But what it does lack is more power and better performance on the road. The current Soul has either a gas-powered 130-hp 1.6-liter or a 164-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the latter offered only with automatic transmission.
What are we expecting? Kia currently has a 201-hp 1.6-liter turbo four on the Forte5. If that would be used to turbocharge the hatchback, we’re sure it will add a bit of pep, complete with either a manual or dual-clutch auto transmission.
2017 Honda Civic Hatchback Offers Turbo Engine, 6-Speed Manual
Honda has finally confirmed some specifications for the 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback, which was previewed as a prototype during the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.
According to the source, the new Civic Hatchback will be on sale later this year as a 2017 model. It will also be initially offered with one engine option, though a different option has now been unveiled by Honda.
Jeff Conrad, Honda’s senior vice president and general manager, promised that the Civic Hatchback will be the sportiest and most sophisticated in Honda’s current lineup. He also announced that this would be the first US-model Civic the company will offer with a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine.
That engine can be found in the latest versions of the Civic Sedan and Civic Coupe. It currently delivers 174 horsepower. But for the Civic Hatchback, Honda decided to pair this up with a standard 6-speed manual transmission. For other models, Honda will offer this as an option.
Conrad said the new powertrain will ensure fun-to-drive performance and fuel economy with an EPA highway rating of 42 mpg and a 0-to-60 time that would only match the previous Civic Si.
Inside, the Civic Hatchback would be made of high quality materials, and would also have added legroom and new technologies including a Display Audio touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility.
The New York Auto Show will feature the Civic Hatchback in prototype as Honda is not yet ready to reveal this in production guise. Auto experts have pegged that the Hatchback, like the Civic Type R, will have aggressive front bumper, center-mounted exhaust tips and oversized wheels.
The Civic Type R has already been spotted out and about. This model comes with turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that matches the 305 hp that the outgoing Civic Type R produces. The Type R and Civic Si will be available on the market next year, Honda has confirmed.
2017 Honda Civic Hatchback To Debut In Geneva Motor Show
Honda is expected to tease with previews of its 10th generation Civic hatchback during the 2016 Geneva Motor Show next month. Those curious to see what the hatchback would look like should seek no further since we got some photos when Honda tested it on the road.
Although it was covered in camouflage, there was no padding so the design cues were reflected. It basically retains 80 percent of the DNA from the 10th generation Honda Civic sedan, so you know what to expect from the fenders down to the rear doors.
The hatchback will be launched in the first quarter of 2017 in Europe, but since this is a “global car,” expect it to arrive soon enough in the United States and other parts of the world.
By looking at the Civic sedan, you’ll immediately have an idea of how the hatchback would look in front. It would have the same radiator grille, huge chrome louver, the Honda “H” in the middle, the updated headlights, fog lights, and less dramatic corner vents. As for the hood, it looks like the hatchback would have the same one as the Civic coupe and sedan.
If you’re a fan of the mild body line from the front wheels to the rear taillights, then you would love that too about the hatchback. The difference between the sedan and the hatchback can be seen after the rear doors since the hatchback sports a dual exhaust outlet near the fascia in the middle.
Inside, it would probably be similar to the sedan and the coupe. There would be a light-colored floating center console, touchscreen display, and digital instrument cluster. The front and the rear seats would mostly be the same, but the rear deck would be gone for more cargo space.
No prices have been announced for the hatchback, although the current one sells for $20,067in the UK. Pricing may increase a bit because of the new design and extra length.
Below are some spy shots of the upcoming Honda Civic hatchback, which were provided by AutoBlog:
