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Test Drive Gallery: 2021 Nissan Kicks SR

2021 Nissan Kicks SR in two-tone Electric Blue Metallic with Super Black roof (a $250 option)

Miles Driven: 272

Fuel Used: 7.1 gallons

CG Report Card


Room and Comfort	B
Power and Performance	B-
Fit and Finish	B+
Fuel Economy	A
Value	A-

Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.

Big & Tall Comfort

Big Guy	B+
Tall Guy	B+

Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.

Drivetrain
Engine Specs	122-hp 1.6-liter
Engine Type	4-cyl
Transmission	CVT automatic
Drive Wheels	Front-wheel drive

Real-world fuel economy: 38.3 mpg

Driving mix: 15% city, 85% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 31/36/33 (city, highway, combined)

Fuel type: Regular Gasoline

Base price: $21,940 (not including $1150 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Exterior package with rear-roof spoiler ($435), 2-Tone Paint ($250), carpeted floor mats ($225), illuminated kick plates ($460), Interior Electronics Package ($575), Premium Package ($1200), 17-inch black alloy wheels ($495)

Price as tested: $26,730

Quick Hits

The great: Value pricing, standard safety features

The good: Great fuel economy with decent performance

The not so good: All-wheel drive is not offered, rear seats don’t fold flat with the cargo floor

More Kicks price and availability information

CG Says:

For an example of something that is more than the sum of its parts, look no further than the 2021 Nissan Kicks. Nissan’s subcompact crossover is among the smallest and least powerful vehicles in the growing small-SUV segment, but its overall appeal transcends its relatively humble elements.

Introduced for the 2018 model year, the Kicks enjoys a modest freshening for 2021. The most-obvious update is a revised front fascia that gives the Kicks a bolder look. Cabin appointments, too, are updated, though the effect is subtle. A larger touchscreen for SV and SR trim levels is the most meaningful revision, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity are now standard across the line.

The Kicks is motivated by a 122-horsepower 1.6-liter engine mated exclusively to Nissan’s Xtronic CVT automatic transmission. Power is delivered through the front wheels on all models; AWD is not available.

As before, three trim levels are available: S, SV, and SR. Nissan reports that the midline SV and topline SR model comprise the bulk of Kicks sales. This isn’t surprising to us, as even our loaded SR test vehicle equipped with the $1200 Premium Package listed for less than $27,000. For the record, a no-frills base S can be had for less than $21,000 including destination.

We make note of three Kicks attributes that contribute most to its overall appeal: cabin space, sportiness, and fuel economy.

Despite its extra-tidy exterior dimensions, the Kicks’s relatively tall, upright body endows it with better occupant space inside than you might expect. There’s enough space for four average-sized adults here, though tall front-seat occupants may need to slide their seats back far enough to make the legroom tight in back. Still, the Kicks is decently roomy for its class.

Even though it’s working with a relatively modest amount of horsepower, the Kicks is decently quick from a stop and easily able to keep up with city traffic. Sharp handling and quick, communicative steering add to the fun.

And, for the second time in Consumer Guide testing, a test Nissan Kicks has returned fuel economy in excess of the EPA highway mileage estimate. A 2019 Kicks SR returned 37.2 mpg in 80-percent highway driving in our real-world testing, while the test car shown here did even better, returning 38.3 mpg in a similar mix of city/highway driving.

The Kicks has its flaws. Even in topline SR trim, some of the cabin materials are on the basic side. In highway driving, the road noise is relatively high and the ride can turn choppy—the Kicks may not be the best choice for consumers who spend most of their in-car time on long road trips.

However, as a high-value commuter car that’s surprisingly fun to drive, the Kicks deserves a spot on your test-drive list. As we noted earlier, Kicks may not impress on paper, but this likable small crossover is somehow more than you might expect.

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Check out the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

2021 Nissan Kicks SR Gallery

(Click below for enlarged images)

Test Drive Gallery: 2020 Toyota C-HR Limited

Car Stuff Podcast

Written by: The Daily Drive staff on October 21, 2021.

Quick Spin: 2021 Hyundai Elantra Limited

2021 Hyundai Elantra Limited in Phantom Black

2021 Hyundai Elantra Limited

Class: Compact Car

Miles driven: 180

Fuel used: 5.5 gallons

CG Report Card


Room and Comfort	B
Power and Performance	C+
Fit and Finish	B-
Fuel Economy	B
Value	B

Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.

Big & Tall Comfort

Big Guy	A-
Tall Guy	B

Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.

Drivetrain
Engine Specs	147-hp 2.0L
Engine Type	4-cylinder
Transmission	CVT
Drive Wheels	Front-wheel drive

Real-world fuel economy: 32.7 mpg

Driving mix: 70% city, 30% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 31/41/35 (mpg city, highway, combined)

Fuel type: Regular gas

Base price: $25,450 (not including $995 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Carpeted floor mats ($155)

Price as tested: $26,600

Quick Hits

The great: Spacious interior for the class; comfortable, compliant ride

The good: Generous level of standard features, value pricing

The not so good: Middling acceleration; polarizing styling; so-so interior materials for a top-line model

More Elantra price and availability information

John Biel

Even if you climb to the top of the 2021 Hyundai Elantra model mountain, your bill for a gas-engine Limited will still fall comfortably short of $27,000. That’s essentially loaded, too—only a dozen individual accessories, with prices ranging from $30 to $295, exist to tease some extra cash out of a buyer’s wallet. But is the Elantra Limited truly a bargain?

The Elantra’s redesign for 2021 brings provocative new exterior styling and a host of new features.

At $26,445 with delivery, a Limited with the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine starts at a considerable $4550 more than an SEL like the one that Consumer Guide previously tested. But with option packages that filled in more than half of the Limited’s above-and-beyond standard equipment and a set of accessory carpeted floor mats, CG’s SEL came to a final price of $25,100, while its follow-up Limited test car hit $26,600 with only the $155 mats added to it.

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Even in the topline Limited, the Elantra’s interior wears some noticeably budget-grade materials, but the dramatic design makes for an striking ambiance nonetheless. Highlights include a fully digital gauge cluster, HVAC vents integrated into a full-width trim strip, and a passenger grab handle that cascades down from the center of the dash.

Comparing apples to apples, then, what the extra $1500 bought for the Limited that could not be replicated on the SEL came down to:

leather upholstery
navigation
dynamic voice recognition
Hyundai Blue Link guidance package
customizable ambient interior lighting
chrome window trim
LED headlights
reverse parking-distance warning and collision-avoidance assist
Highway Drive Assist (a lane-centering and vehicle-distancing system for highway use)

Test Drive: 2021 Hyundai Elantra SEL

There’s decent space for adults in both the front and rear seats. Limited models come standard with leather upholstery.

To be sure, there are plenty of other premium goodies built into the Limited. A partial list includes 17-inch alloy wheels, 8-speaker Bose audio system, power sunroof, forward collision-avoidance assist, 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster, wireless charging, and Hyundai Digital Key smartphone app. However, aside from the leather seats, there is no great leap of plushness in the fairly utilitarian cabin, and the same 147-horsepower engine and continuously variable transaxle found in the SEL hammer away under the hood. With the Limited’s larger gauge cluster, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality requires a wired connection to a smartphone, whereas lesser models with the base 8-inch infotainment touchscreen actually have more “modern” wireless capability. (Of course, considering that the SEL we sampled was optioned with the 10.25-inch cluster, this was a wash between the two test cars.)

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The Elantra’s base powertrain is a 147-hp 2.0-liter 4-cylinder paired with a continuously variable transmission. Seventeen-inch alloy wheels are standard on Limited models.

As a reminder, the ’21 Elantra initiates the fully redesigned seventh generation of Hyundai’s compact sedan. It is 2.2 inches longer, one inch wider, and 0.8-inch lower on a 0.8-inch-longer wheelbase compared to the previous model. The suspension is composed of MacPherson struts and a stabilizer bar up front with a torsion-beam axle in the back. Styling is dramatically new if somewhat polarizing for its sharply drawn lines.

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The Elantra’s front and rear fasciae both wear dramatic design touches; there’s a bold “parametric-jewel-pattern” grille up front, and a full-width taillight at the rear. Crisp body lines and edgy shapes abound.

Powertrain performance, passenger room and comfort, cargo-carrying capability, and control operation in the Limited are effectively identical to what CG experienced in the new Elantra SEL, and we’ll direct readers to that review for the mostly favorable specifics. Overall, it’s car that we like for its interior room, ride comfort, and level of features for the price. To boot, there is the availability of a hybrid in two trim levels (at a $2655 premium). The decision as to whether or not the Limited is a good deal seemingly rests the shopper’s level of love for gadgets. Those who value hanging on to a little more of their money might lean SEL instead.

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Despite its head-turning styling, the Hyundai Elantra isn’t the most dynamically engaging compact car with its base engine, but even in upscale Limited trim, it’s a good dollar value. And, Hyundai also offers the sportier N-Line model with a 201-hp turbo engine, and, for 2022, an even sportier N model (with 276 hp) is slated to debut.

Check out the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

2021 Hyundai Elantra Limited Gallery

(Click below for enlarged images)

Meet the 2021 Consumer Guide Best Buys

Written by: The Daily Drive staff on May 20, 2021.

Test Drive: 2021 Hyundai Elantra SEL

2021 Hyundai Elantra SEL in Shimmering Silver Pearl

2021 Hyundai Elantra SEL

Class: Compact Car

Miles driven: 757

Fuel used: 21.6 gallons

CG Report Card


Room and Comfort	B
Power and Performance	C+
Fit and Finish	B-
Fuel Economy	B
Value	B

Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.

Big & Tall Comfort

Big Guy	A-
Tall Guy	B

Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.

Drivetrain
Engine Specs	147-hp 2.0L
Engine Type	4-cylinder
Transmission	CVT
Drive Wheels	Front-wheel drive

Real-world fuel economy: 35.0 mpg

Driving mix: 35% city, 65% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 31/41/35 (mpg city, highway, combined)

Fuel type: Regular gas

Base price: $20,900 (not including $995 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Convenience Package ($950), Premium Package ($2100), carpeted floor mats ($155)

Price as tested: $25,100

Quick Hits

The great: Spacious interior for the class; comfortable, compliant ride

The good: Generous level of standard features, value pricing

The not so good: Middling acceleration; polarizing styling; so-so interior materials

More Elantra price and availability information

John Biel

You may or may not like the new Hyundai Elantra’s looks, especially the creased and beveled bodysides. You may or may not appreciate the powerteam used in most gas-engine models, a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and continuously variable transmission (CVT). However, we’ll wager that starting prices—with delivery—ranging from $20,645 to $26,445 will meet with broad approval.

Hyundai uses the term Parametric Dynamics to describe the provocative styling theme for its redesigned-for-2021 Elantra. The body panels wear sharp character lines that create “gem-like” shapes.

Obviously, anyone truly put off by the seventh-generation Hyundai compact sedan’s appearance or performance won’t be able to justify even a dime of those figures. For everyone else, though, there’s good value to be found in the 2021 Elantra.

Gas models come in four trim levels running up from SE to SEL, N Line, and Limited. (Blue and Limited gas/electric hybrids are newcomers to the Elantra family that cost $2655 more than gas-only SEL and Limited, respectively.) Consumer Guide editors sampled an SEL that started at $21,895 but barely exceeded $25,000 with a pair of option packages and a set of carpeted floor mats.

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The Elantra’s interior features a fairly dramatic design, but rather pedestrian materials. The Convenience Package ($900) adds a host of upgrades, including a 10.25-inch LCD digital instrument panel, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, heated front seats and outside mirror, wireless charging pad, and an electronic parking brake.

Any ’21 Elantra is going to present its owner with a car that is a little longer, wider, and lower than the previous-generation model. All feature standard blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts, forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane-keep and lane-follow assists, headlight high-beam assist, and safe-exit warning. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone compatibility are standard as well, and those with the base 8-inch infotainment touchscreen that’s standard for all but Limiteds boast wireless versions of both systems. Save for the SE, keyless entry and push-button starting are part of the deal, too.

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There’s respectable space for adults in both the front and back seats. The front seats are comfortable and supportive.

That’s hardly all. The test car also had a hands-free trunk release, dual-zone automatic climate control, a 12-volt outlet and twin USB ports, satellite radio, and Hyundai Blue Link telematics services. Option packages replaced the standard 16-inch alloy wheels with 17-inchers, the 6-speaker audio system with a Bose 8-speaker unit, conventional driving gauges and 4.2-inch vehicle info display with a 10.25-inch virtual display, conventional cruise control with adaptive stop-and-go cruise, and the full-bench folding seat back with a 60/40-split-folding seat. Some further extra-cost add-ons were a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob; wireless charging; heated front seats and external mirrors; sunroof; power driver’s seat; and the Hyundai Digital Key smartphone app that permits users to lock, unlock, and drive the car without the physical key fob.

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There’s 14.2 cubic feet of cargo room in the Elantra’s trunk–that’s on par with most compact-sedan class rivals.

Except for the sport-attuned N Line, all gas-engine Elantras come with the 2.0-liter four, CVT, and a suspension with MacPherson struts and stabilizer bar in front and torsion-beam axle in back. Engine output is modest—147 horsepower at 6200 rpm and 132 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm—but the “Smartstream” CVT doesn’t instill the sense of ennui (in driver and car) that often comes with this kind of transmission. If not soul-stirring, this powerteam is at least fairly smooth and quiet in “Normal” drive mode. Punch in “Sport” mode and response is a touch quicker and power ranges stick around a little longer before “upshifting.” For example, steady-state 60-mph highway cruising takes place at around 1500 rpm in Normal but jumps to 2500 revs in Sport. (A mixed “Smart” mode is a third choice.) Normal’s light but fundamentally featureless steering behavior turns a little more positive in Sport. Ride is quiet and generally smooth.

SEL and Limited fuel-economy estimates from the EPA are 31 mpg in the city, 41 mpg in highway operation, and 35 combined. (SE projections are 2 mpg higher across the board.) That’s why this driver was surprised—shocked, really—to see just 27.7 mpg from a test stint of 92.8 miles that included 51 percent city-type miles. Other CG editors who drove the car fared much better, however.

The SEL interior comes in a choice of Black or Gray with fabric upholstery that’s dressed up with white seam stitching and a matching vertical pattern in the center of the seat backs. It’s a nice look that helps spare the cabin from appearing bland. Front seats have good side bolstering. Front leg- and headroom seem abundant, and folks up to about 6 feet tall who will find good comfort in back as well. Two adults or three youngsters will fit across the rear seat.

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Elantra SELs are powered by a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that makes 147 horsepower and is paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission. Sixteen-inch alloy wheels are standard.

Cabin materials don’t get too plush in the SEL, but neither are they stark. There are the hints of leather, don’t forget, and a few padded surfaces. The optional thin-film-transistor driving-control display is vivid and legible, and changes with the driving mode. The audio system with the 8-inch screen has external tuning, volume, and function knobs and buttons, and is blessedly easy to use. The dual-zone climate controls are on a separate panel with individual dials for direct setting of desired temperatures; two rows of well-marked buttons summon the system’s other functions. Driver vision is best out front and to the sides, where a low dash and fairly narrow roof pillars don’t block much view. Over-the-shoulder and direct-rear views aren’t as good.

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The Elantra’s front fascia is dominated by a bold “parametric-jewel-pattern” grille; the rear styling is highlighted by a full-width taillight panel and the trunk’s crisp, convex shape at the rear.

Interior storage is just so-so. The glove box is sizeable, but the covered console cubby is compact. Door pockets are big in front but only large enough to serve as bottle holders in back. There’s a single net pouch in back, behind the front-passenger seat, and it is not standard but comes as part of the Premium Package option. Paired cup holders are located in the center console and in the central armrest that comes with the 60/40 rear seat. A low liftover gives access to 14.2 cubic feet of flat-floored trunk space. The rear seats fold flat but rest a couple of inches above the level of the cargo floor.

You may or may not like everything about the 2021 Hyundai Elantra but there’s enough to impress here to earn a place on any serious small-car shopper’s must

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Its radical styling isn’t for everyone, and there is some cost-cutting evident in the interior materials, but Hyundai’s redesigned Elantra is a practical, comfortable everyday commuter that offers a lot of features for the money.

Check out the Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

2021 Hyundai Elantra SEL Gallery

(Click below for enlarged images)

Meet the 2021 Consumer Guide Best Buys

Written by: The Daily Drive staff on April 7, 2021.

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Quick Spin: 2021 Lexus UX 250h F Sport

2021 Lexus UX 250h F Sport in Nebula Gray Pearl

Class: Premium Subcompact Crossover

Miles driven: 304

Fuel used: 9.9 gallons

Real-world fuel economy: 30.7 mpg

Driving mix: 60% city, 40% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 41/38/39 (city/highway/combined)

Fuel type: Regular gas

CG Report Card


Room and Comfort	B
Power and Performance	C
Fit and Finish	B+
Fuel Economy	B
Value	B

Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.

Big & Tall Comfort

Big Guy	B
Tall Guy	B

Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.

Drivetrain
Engine Specs	181-hp 2.0-liter
Engine Type	4-cyl hybrid
Transmission	CVT automatic
Drive Wheels	AWD

Base price: $37,100 (not including $1025 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: Wireless charger ($75); windshield de-icer ($100); auto-dimming inner mirror w/ compass and Homelink ($325); head-up display ($500); Intuitive Parking Assist ($565); power liftgate with kick sensor ($600); F Sport Premium Package ($975); F Sport heated steering wheel w/ paddle shifters ($150); illuminated door sills ($425); carpet cargo mat ($110); roof-rack cross bars ($400); mudguards ($165); door-edge guards ($150)

Price as tested: $42,665

Quick Hits

The great: Build quality; good dollar value compared to most class competitors

The good: Distinctive styling inside and out; quiet cabin

The not so good: Cramped rear seat; so-so cargo space; finicky infotainment controls; roof design compromises rear visibility; F Sport trim more for looks than actual performance; disappointing-for-a-hybrid observed fuel economy in cold weather

More UX price and availability information

CG Says:

Roughly a year ago, when Consumer Guide tested a 2020 Lexus UX 250h Luxury, we posed this question: What really is “luxury” in an automobile? Now, having spent time with a 2021 UX 250h F Sport, we have the same query about the concept of “sport.”

The UX’s radically sculpted looks aren’t for everyone, but its tidy exterior dimensions make it a good urban runabout.

Our takeaway from testing the high-line version of the premium-subcompact crossover SUV from Lexus was that luxury is more or less how a manufacturer defines it. That seems to be true about sportiness as well. Where the UX Luxury staked its claim based more on accumulated standard features than on a plush ambience, the F Sport invests more in an athletic image than in any clear performance advantage.

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The UX’s cabin has a swoopy dashboard layout and excellent fit and finish. UX 250h models include a graphic readout that displays real-time power delivery from the gasoline engine and electric motor.

The 250h F Sport has the same hybrid powerplant (2.0-liter 4-cylinder gas engine, two electric motors to drive the rear wheels at speeds below 44 mph, 181 total system horsepower), continuously variable transmission, selectable drive modes, and all-wheel drive as the UX’s base and Luxury versions. Thus, pleasant road manners and the seat-of-the-pants sense of performance—CG testing of a 2019 250h F Sport with the same powerteam clocked 0-to-60 mph in 8.4 seconds—don’t vary much between them.

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The UX’s Remote Touch touchpad infotainment interface is tricky to use while driving. We’re not big fans of the thumbwheel audio controls located on the leading edge of the center-console armrest either.

How Lexus defines sport in the F Sport is mostly through a specific split-five-spoke design for the 18-inch alloy wheels that are standard throughout the UX lineup, modified front and rear bumpers, diamond-mesh grille surface, LED fog and cornering lamps, stouter-bolstered sport seats, perforated-leather-wrapped F Sport steering wheel and shift knob, “performance-inspired” instrument display, 8-inch vehicle-information display, active sound control, and aluminum front-door scuff plates and pedal faces. Only the inclusion of paddle shifters and a tuned suspension give the “physical plant” a little stronger sense of purpose.

It’s a smaller complement of standard convenience features that mostly separates the 250h F Sport, which sells for $38,125 with delivery, from the hybrid Luxury that starts at $2700 more. Both have “NuLuxe” leatherette upholstery. Door panels lack sculpting or detailing, and the tops of those in back are hard, unyielding plastic. There’s but one rear-seat storage pouch, attached to the back of the front passenger seat. Rear doors lack storage pockets and bottle holders. At least there is well-executed fit and finish to those things that Lexus has chosen to include. Passenger accommodations are identical: comfortable space and seating up front, but a more restrictive rear seat. Similarly, all UX hybrids suffer from a cargo floor that’s raised to clear the hybrid battery, cutting load capacity and causing the 60/40-split second-row seats to rest below the level of the deck when they are folded. Note that a new standard feature for all ’21 hybrids is an adjustable deck board for the cargo bay.

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The available Circuit Red upholstery makes for an especially sporty interior ambiance. There’s good space for even big-and-tall occupants in the front seats, but the back seat is stingy in terms of both legroom and headroom.

There is the same Lexus Remote Touch Interface for the infotainment system, with its central touchpad operation, of which we’re hardly fans. (It’s hard to work precisely in a moving car.) Operation of the automatic dual-zone climate system is handled by clearly marked buttons, though we’d prefer direct-setting dials to input desired temperatures and fan speed. For ’21, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts are standard across the board, augmenting the existing Lexus Safety System+ 2.0 that includes forward-collision warning and mitigation with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, road-sign assist, and automatic high-beam headlights.

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The UX 250h is powered by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine paired with a CVT automatic transmission and two electric motors for a total output of 181 hp.

One unfortunate departure from past experience displayed by our F Sport tester was in fuel economy. In a stretch of harsh winter weather, we averaged 30.7 mpg with 59 percent of our driving in city-type operation. That’s way off the EPA combined estimate of 39 mpg, and far from the 38-plus our editors recorded in their tests of UX hybrids in 2019 and ’20.

UX has the only hybrids found in the premium subcompact SUV class. Any 2021 UX 250h costs $2200 more than a front-drive, gas-engine UX 200 of comparable trim level, but on the whole starting prices are attractive for the segment, and with the chance to add desirable options—even for the base model that makes no claims of being luxurious or sporty.

Test Drive: 2020 Lexus UX 250h Luxury

The Lexus UX is more about style than rear-seat-passenger and cargo space, but it’s more affordable when similarly equipped than most of its rivals, and it offers the only “full-hybrid” model in the premium subcompact SUV class.

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Listen to the very entertaining Consumer Guide Car Stuff Podcast

2021 Lexus UX 250h F Sport Gallery

(Click below for enlarged images)

Test Drive: 2020 Buick Encore GX Essence

Written by: The Daily Drive staff on March 9, 2021.

Test Drive: 2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off Road

2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off Road in Lunar Rock/Ice Edge two-tone (a 500 option)

2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off Road

Class: Compact Crossover

Miles driven: 809

Fuel used: 24.9 gallons

Real-world fuel economy: 32.4 mpg

CG Report Card


Room and Comfort	B+
Power and Performance	B-
Fit and Finish	B-
Fuel Economy	A-
Value	B

Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.

Big & Tall Comfort

Big Guy	B-
Tall Guy	B-

Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.

Drivetrain
Engine Specs	203-hp 2.5L
Engine Type	4-cylinder
Transmission	8-speed automatic
Drive Wheels	AWD

Driving mix: 10% city, 90% highway

EPA-estimated fuel economy: 25/32/27 (city, highway, combined)

Fuel type: Regular gas

Base price: $35,280 (not including $1120 destination charge)

Options on test vehicle: TRD Off-Road Weather Package ($1185), Premium Audio/Dynamic Navigation ($1620), TRD Off-Road Technology Package ($1950), two-tone paint ($500), door-sill protector ($199), running boards ($549), door-edge guard ($140), mudguard ($129), blackout emblem overlays ($65)

Price as tested: $42,567

More RAV4 price and availability information

Quick Hits

The great: Cargo capacity, available high-tech features, towing capacity (for a compact crossover)

The good: Fuel economy, pleasant road manners despite off-road-focused gear

The not so good: Front-seat space isn’t great for big and tall folks, engine gets a bit noisy during fast acceleration, non-linear transmission feel

John Biel:

Automakers spent a good 25 years softening the sport-utility vehicle into something more “carlike.” The result was the crossover, a vehicle type that has succeeded perhaps beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, even seriously threatening the survival of the sedans and station wagons from which they richly borrowed.

The TRD Off Road is a new addition to the RAV4 lineup for 2020. It’s an all-wheel-drive-only trim level that slots in at $600 less than the top-line AWD Limited in the RAV4 model roster.

All pendulums swing, however. Lately, there have been moves by some manufacturers to toughen up the crossover. One of the newest comes from one of the oldest—the Toyota RAV4 that essentially pioneered the crossover field in the mid 1990s. For 2020, it adds a TRD Off-Road model designed to make the compact crossover more capable in the terra incognita that lies beyond the shopping-mall parking lot.

Toyota actually began moving in this direction in 2018, when the RAV4 added an Adventure model with a few terrain-taming technologies and a huge boost in towing capacity, wrapped up in a look that was more rugged than other RAV4s. It was continued when a redesigned fifth generation of Toyota’s top-selling vehicle came out for ’19. The TRD Off-Road, which starts at $36,400 with delivery—$2225 more than the Adventure—takes that concept to another level.

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The TRD Off Road Pro’s red accents and contrast stitching add sporty panache to the basic RAV4 cabin. A wireless smartphone charging pad (locating just in front of the shift lever) is included in the $1950 Technology Package, as are a 360-degree around-view monitor, front and rear park assist with automated braking, and digital-camera rearview mirror.

Toyota Racing Development supposedly tapped some things learned from its RAV4 rally program to give the Off-Road a suspension with specially tuned red coil springs, twin-tube shock absorbers configured for better rebound control, and new bump stops for improving body control over large bumps and dips. The TRD Off-Road rides on black flow-formed 18×7-inch wheels (one inch shorter in diameter than the Adventure’s wheels) wrapped in rugged Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail all-terrain tires. Appearance details include LED fog lights, dark-gray front and rear lower fasciae, red interior stitching and trim elements (including TRD logos sewn into the headrests), and TRD all-weather floormats and cargo-area liner.

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Back-seat passengers get HVAC vents and dual USB charging ports, and enough headroom and legroom for average-sized adults to ride in comfort. Likewise, the rear door apertures are large enough for unencumbered entry and exit.

The Adventure and TRD Off-Road are all-wheel-drive-only models—no surprise there—with dynamic torque vectoring that can send as much as 50 percent of torque to the rear wheels, and also disconnect the rear driveline when front-wheel drive is enough to move the vehicle. Ride is firm and the tires can be a little noisy on the highway, but they didn’t produce the wandering tramlining effect we’ve experienced on some other off-pavement specials where constant small steering corrections were required.

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RAV4s boast generous cargo volume for their size, and a helpfully low load floor. There’s 37.5 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the rear seats, and 69.8 cu. ft. with the rear seats folded. Rubber floor mats are standard in the TRD Off Road.

All gas-only RAV4s have a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine of 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque, and an 8-speed automatic transmission. Power output is acceptable for most driving situations, but transmission shifts are not the timeliest. “Sport” driving mode seems to have more effect—and slight at that—on steering than it does on acceleration. The TRD and Adventure both have a 3500-pound towing capacity that is tops among RAV4s—by at least 2 to 1—and about as good as it gets in the entire compact-crossover class. EPA fuel-economy estimates for the TRD Off-Road are 25 mpg in city driving, 32 on the highway, and 27 combined, which Consumer Guide’s experience backed up. In fact, in a test that consisted primarily of a long highway road trip, we averaged 32.4 mpg–a bit better than the EPA highway number.

Android Auto smartphone compatibility is added for all 2020 RAV4s. (Apple CarPlay connectivity already was included.) Otherwise, the TRD Off-Road’s standard-equipment complement was much like that of the ’19 RAV4 Limited that CG tested: LED headlights; power moonroof; power liftgate; SofTex leatherette upholstery; dual-zone climate control; satellite radio; and Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 suite with pre-collision warning and pedestrian detection, dynamic cruise control, lane-departure alert with steering assist, lane-tracing assist, automatic headlight high-beam control, and road-sign recognition. It shares the Adventure’s raised roof rails and a 120-volt power outlet in the right side of the cargo compartment. An extensive load of options that raised the final price to $42,567 added things like navigation, heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, Qi wireless smartphone charging, and an overhead-view camera.

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TRD Off Road models are powered by the same 203-hp 2.5-liter 4-cylinder as other gas-engine RAV4s. Flow-formed TRD 18×7-inch wheels on Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail all-terrain tires are standard equipment. Thankfully, despite their aggressive-looking tread pattern, those tires don’t significantly upset the vehicle’s highway road manners.

Like some previously tested fifth-gen RAV4’s, the TRD Off-Road has a nicely done cabin with generous use of soft-touch surfaces, easy-to-use controls and infotainment system, but middling cabin-storage capacity. There’s good passenger space for four adults (a fifth might squeeze into the middle of the back row). There’s good cargo space in back, and 60/40-split rear seats fold almost flat for plenty more capacity.

The TRD Off-Road is docile enough for the middle-school drop-off lane but ready for the trails beyond.

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The new-for-2020 TRD Off Road model imbues Toyota’s likable compact SUV with better off-road capabilities and rugged looks. We suspect it will win over at least a few Jeep Compass and Subaru Forester shoppers.

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Toyota RAV4 TRD Off Road Gallery

Written by: The Daily Drive staff on September 23, 2020.

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