It's winter sports season in many parts of the world, and auto manufacturers are using that as an excuse to make some pretty fun specialty versions of their vehicles. Only hours apart, Bentley unveiled an adventure-ready Continental GT, while Alpine dropped a surprise design study called the A110 SportsX. Similar to the Buick Regal TourX, the X indicates the lifted vehicle's rugged personality.    Alpine has managed to squeeze a lot of fun variants out of the A110 since debuting the sleek sports car. After the Alpine Vision concept turned into the production A110, which debuted at Geneva in early 2017, Alpine announced an A110 Cup race car in late 2017. In 2018, Alpine announced another race car, the A110 GT4, and in 2019, an improved A110S with sharper suspension and 288 horsepower debuted. The coolest A110, however, is the A110 Rally, which debuted in late 2019. The just-announced A110 SportsX takes inspiration from the Rally but drops the oversized wing for some skis. Alpine's exhibit at the International Automobile Festival at Les Invalides in Paris, France, is called "Between Retrospective and Prospective." The stand features "present and fantasized models, whose storyline is a back and forth between two eras and the richness of Alpine's history as an inexhaustible source of inspiration." In attendance were the A210 prototype, the Alpine Vision Gran Turismo, the Alpine A110 1800 Gp4 driven by François Alessandri and Jean Pierre Manzagol in 1972, an A110 "berlinette" 1300 from 1971, the A110S, and the the A110 SportsX. Alpine says the SportsX, which is based on an A110 Pure, is inspired by the winning A110 rally car from the 1973 Monte Carlo Rally. The design concept is 3.1 inches wider and has 2.4 inches of extra ground clearance. Visually, it has a two-tone look, thanks to a dark hood and roof, and a ski rack has been mounted over the rear window. Black accents are found along the body, and the front fascia features a more aggressive aero piece. It also has dark wheels, X marks on the fog lights, and little French flag accents throughout. As a design exercise, the SportsX will not make production as it stands. This might be one of the only chances to see this car in a public place, so anybody in Paris should check it out if they can.

Grande première ce soir au @Festivalauto avec l'annonce de ce concept @alpine_cars spécial sports d'hiver !#alpinea110 #alpine #ski

https://t.co/g9O2B0yciZ — Festival Automobile (@Festivalauto) January 28, 2020

The 2020 Subaru Ascent is a full-size, three-row crossover that caters to the Subaru faithful, while welcoming new customers whose larger families might have precluded them from something with just two rows. It looks a lot like a bigger version of the Outback, and, like it, seeks to satisfy active, outdoorsy, dog-loving customers wanting something to take them to off-the-beaten-path places to play with standard all-wheel drive, ample ground clearance and sturdy, functional roof rails. Subaru even went so far as to introduce the Ascent with a pack of eight golden retrievers to prove the point to dog owners. So whether you're heading to the ski hill, campground or taking the kids to soccer practice, the 2020 Ascent offers a practical, capable, no-frills way to get people — and pets — where they need to be.

While it's not our favorite three-row crossover in this segment, it's near the top, and it could be the perfect vehicle for a wide variety of customers. It's roomy, capable and safe, but it's also a bit plain and there's only one powertrain option, a turbo-four paired to a CVT that's less powerful than those of competitors. If you're considering the Ascent, do yourself a favor and take a look at the practical but characterful Kia Telluride or Hyundai Palisade. You just may — or may not — find one of those meets your adventurous needs while making a stronger emotional impression.

What's new for 2020?

Pricing remains the same for 2020, but the Ascent has a couple new tricks up its sleeve. Across the range, it gets Rear Seat Reminder as standard, to help prevent you from leaving a child or pet behind in the vehicle. Premium, Limited and Touring trims will come equipped with "one-touch interior illumination on/off controls." The Touring trim also adds new power-folding side mirrors with integrated turn signals.

What are the Ascent's interior and in-car technology like?

From the driver's seat, the Ascent's packaging displays Subaru's pragmatic philosophy to car design. All the gauges are easy to see and read at a glance, knobs and buttons are easy to locate — both those of the software-based touchscreen infotainment system and the physical ones on the steering wheel and center stack. We were able to find a good seating position, thanks in part to the manually tilting/telescoping steering wheel, but we have a feeling that smaller drivers may find the driving position more awkward than larger drivers. All but the base trim level are available with second-row captain's chairs, and all but the highest Touring trim can be had with a second-row bench for a total of eight seats. Fun fact: There are a total of 19 cup holders in the Ascent.

The base infotainment system is a 6.5-inch touchscreen, but moving up to the Premium trim bumps that up to an 8.0-inch unit. The image quality is crisp, the colors bright, and simple tasks like selecting a radio preset are made easy with big virtual buttons. Accomplishing more in-depth tasks is more cumbersome, however, as settings can be in odd places within various menus. Generally, it's better than many competitors (Honda and Mazda, for instance), but not as streamlined as that of Hyundai and Kia. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as are Sirius XM satellite radio (subscription required), HD radio, and a number of integrated apps. GPS navigation is available in all but the base trim and standard on the Touring, but although we generally prefer to use our trusted smartphone navigation apps, there are times when out of cell coverage that an in-car nav is beneficial.

How big is the Ascent?

A 6-foot passenger will have plenty of room in the second row, which is adjustable for legroom and seatback angle. On upper trim levels, buyers can choose between a pair of captain's chairs or a three-passenger bench. We tested both setups and walked away thinking they were just about equal in terms of comfort. Third-row passengers are treated better in the Ascent than in many competitors (Toyota Highlander, Mazda CX-9 and Ford Explorer in particular). If the middle-seat occupants are willing to slide their seats forward a bit, there's adequate legroom for a 6-footer in the way back to sit comfortably for a fair bit of time. For kids, this means even more comfort and space.

As for cargo, the Ascent offers 17.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, which is mid-pack for this segment. It's more than the Mazda CX-9 (14.4 cubic feet), Toyota Highlander (16.0) and Honda Pilot (16.5), but less than the Hyundai Palisade (18.0), Ford Explorer (18.2) and Kia Telluride (21.0). Max cargo volume behind the first row of the Ascent is 86.5 cubic feet, putting it behind the Explorer (87.8) and Telluride (87.0), but way ahead of the CX-9 (71.2), and slightly ahead of the other aforementioned competitors. The Ascent is also pretty boxy, which is always a good thing when stuffing large items inside, and comes with big, functional roof rails to load whatever doesn't fit inside.

What's the Ascent's performance and fuel economy?

The Ascent's sole powertrain offering is a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, arranged in Subaru's signature boxer (horizontally opposed rather than a V or inline) configuration. Power is sent to all four wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT). It provides 260 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque – we've found it feels just as quick in regular driving as its competitors, but know that their greater outputs do result in quicker 0-60-mph times. That said, owners living at higher elevations (as many Subaru owners do) will appreciate the lasting power from the turbocharger, which keeps the Ascent from feeling breathless at heights where naturally aspirated engines start to lose power. In other words, four cylinders are not necessarily lesser than six, and it even manages the same 5,000-pound towing capacity of most rivals.

All Ascents use all-wheel drive, so the deciding factor in the difference of fuel economy comes down to wheel size. With 18-inch wheels, the Ascent gets 21 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 23 combined mpg. Step up to 20-inch wheels, and you sacrifice 1 mpg across the board. That's about on par with, and in some instances better than, the competition. For reference, the Honda Pilot and Hyundai Palisade get 21-23 mpg combined, while the Mazda CX-9, Ford Explorer and Toyota Highlander get 23-34 mpg combined.

What's the Ascent like to drive?

Seven-passenger crossover buyers aren't likely to make ultimate purchase decisions based on driving dynamics, but Subaru has still baked some fun into the Ascent package. Steering is predictably light — much lighter than the Mazda CX-9, which serves as the fun-to-drive gold standard in this class — but offers a quick ratio and a reasonable amount of road feel. Overall, the Ascent feels surefooted and secure, and rides comfortably over harsh pavement without being sprung so softly that it wallows through corners.

There are no sport modes to fiddle with in the Ascent, just a standard baseline setting, but the single setup feels well thought out and sorted. There's plenty of punch from Subie's turbo-four. There were a few times we caught the engine flat footed on our drive and had to wait a second for the turbos to spin up, but we ended our drive thinking its output is sufficient. We were able to tow an Airstream trailer just shy of the Ascent's maximum of 5,000 pounds, and we found that it had no problem getting the load up to speed and back down again. The CVT mimics the feel of a traditional automatic transmission, for the most part. It works well, and doesn't get in the way of a good driving experience.

What more can I read about the Subaru Ascent?

2019 Subaru Ascent First Drive Review | A three-row do-over

Our first impressions of the Ascent when it was new for 2019. Among more details about its design and engineering, we found it was immediately clear that Subaru had learned from its mistakes with the Tribeca.

 

2019 Subaru Ascent Drivers' Notes Review | Subaru redux

A roundtable discussion from several Autoblog editors assessing the Ascent's merits and shortcomings after a week of real-world driving impressions.

 

2019 Subaru Ascent vs. 2018 Mazda CX-9: Driving two class leaders side-by-side

We drove these two likable three-row competitors back to back to more specifically compare the driving experience between the two. From our conclusion:

"Count 'em up and you'll see that the Subaru Ascent won three out of our five categories. By that measure, it's the winner of this comparison. But, as is so often the case, the reality is more nuanced than that."

 

2020 Toyota Highlander vs other 3-row crossovers: There can only be one!

Here, we look at the specifications of some of the leading three-row crossovers to compare pricing, dimensions, fuel economy, capabilities and capacities.

What features are available and what's the Ascent's price?

The 2020 Subaru Ascent starts at a base MSRP of $33,005, including the $1,010 destination fee. The base Subaru includes as standard features all-wheel-drive, 18-inch wheels, projector beam halogen headlights, black side mirrors, body-color door handles, a 2,000-pound towing capacity, Subaru's EyeSight safety system (more on that in the safety section, below), adaptive cruise control.auto-on/off wiper-linked headlights, tri-zone climate control, six-way manually adjustable driver's seat, a second-row bench seat, second- and third-row 60/40-split flat-folding seatbacks, cloth upholstery, a 6.5-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple Carplay, Android Auto and satellite radio.

For a more in-depth look at the extra features included with the Premium ($35,405), Limited ($40,355) and Touring ($46,055) trim levels, check out this breakdown of features, pricing and specs here on Autoblog.

What's the Ascent's safety equipment and crash ratings?

In addition to the usual seatbelts, airbags and traction control, the Subaru Ascent includes a number of standard safety features as part of its EyeSight driver assist technology system. These include automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and Eyesight Assist Monitor, which is a basic head-up display that uses colored lights to visually alert you to system warnings. The 2020 Ascent also includes a rear seat reminder as standard. Blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, high-beam assist, reverse automatic braking and a 180-degree front-view camera are also available in higher trims.

The two major crash testing authorities have each given the 2020 Subaru Ascent their highest marks. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates is as a Top Safety Pick +, earning its highest "Good" rating in all crash tests, "Superior" front vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention, and "Good" LED headlights on the Limited and Touring trims — the halogen lights on the base and Premium trims got a score of "Poor," which is typical for base lights. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Ascent its highest five-star overall safety rating, with five-star ratings in its various crash test categories. Featured Video:

We know Nissan's on the cusp of introducing a new Rogue, having seen polished prototypes in October and December last year. Autocar says the Japanese automaker is preparing to launch the new crossover, which is Europe's X-Trail, this summer ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show. For Frankfurt, the magazine says Europe's Qashqai, our Rogue Sport, will debut. The Rogue Sport is especially important to Nissan Europe, seeing as it's Nissan's most popular vehicle across the Atlantic. The second generation is six years old this year, its age and Nissan's general malaise causing the Qashqai to lose ground to rivals. It sounds like the only thing that will carry over to the third-generation Qashqai is the platform, engineers updating the CMF-C/D architecture that debuted with the second-gen. Outside, design traits will draw from the recently introduced Juke as well as last year's IMQ electric concept, but those could be laid into a more emphatic design language that begins to restore a measure of Japanese-ness to the automaker's offerings. The interior should slot in as a junior-sized version of the interiors we've seen in those Rogue prototypes. That would mean rearranging the center console with a discrete screen atop the stack, and familiar buttons and knobs for climate control beneath. The coming Rogue picks up a two-piece shifter, the new Juke's shifter was designed to merely look like two pieces, depending on trim and engine. The Qashqai could go either way. The big deal in Europe is Nissan's rumored move away from diesels, potentially opting for two electric options alongside mild-hybrid ICE choices — the brand's in-house ePower serial hybrid system, and the plug-in hybrid powertrain used in Alliance partner Mitsubishi's Outlander PHEV. The ePower fits a gas engine to keep a battery charged, the battery providing energy to electric motors. Europe's powertrain mix is undoubtedly influenced by the new emissions scheme that took effect this year. The schedule of fines for not meeting targets is onerous enough to cause many automakers to rethink how much product they'll allow to be sold there this year. American buyers will be far more interested to know when the new Rogue Sport will make it here, seeing our model was just refreshed early last year, and whether we'll finally get access to the 1.3-liter turbo four-cylinder that comes in two outputs in Europe, and the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Autocar said new Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida is dedicated to "implementing a product plan with renewed vigor," and dedicated to "ensuring the manufacturer's global best-sellers are brought up to the class standard in good time." We'll be able to put proof to that — or not — come this summer at the Rogue debut.

Tough times ahead for Nissan as the Japanese automaker reportedly plans aggressive cost cuts which will bring about more than 4,300 layoffs and the closures of two plants.

The Nissan Ariya concept.   YOKOHAMA, Japan — Nissan is planning aggressive cost cuts to deal with an unexpected slump in sales as the expansionist strategy it inherited from fugitive former Chairman Carlos Ghosn flounders, four people familiar with the plans said. Japan's second biggest carmaker is set to eliminate at least 4,300 white-collar jobs and shut two manufacturing sites as part of broader plans to add at least 480 billion yen ($4.4 billion) to its bottom line by 2023, two of the people told Reuters. The moves come on top of a turnaround plan unveiled in July and are likely to include cutting Nissan's range of cars and the array of product options and trims in each line, slashing jobs mostly at head offices in the United States and Europe, and reducing advertising and marketing budgets, they said. "The situation is dire. It's do or die," a person close to Nissan's senior management and the company's board told Reuters. Most of the planned cuts and measures to enhance efficiency were presented to Nissan's board in November and received its general blessing, two sources said. A Nissan spokeswoman declined to comment on new restructuring measures or the view that weaker-than-expected sales were the catalyst for a global overhaul. Under Ghosn, Nissan embarked on a global expansion, boosting capacity to add new models, driving more decidedly into markets such as India, Russia, South Africa and southeast Asia and spending heavily on promotions and marketing to hit targets. Now, many of those models are missing sales goals, and executives at Nissan's Yokohama headquarters estimate up to 40% of its global manufacturing capacity is unused, or under-used. Some executives are worried Nissan, part of an alliance with Renault and Mitsubishi, could post another loss at its carmaking business in the last quarter of 2019 — and possibly for all its operations in the fiscal year ending in March. One source said that would most likely hinge on whether Nissan books big restructuring expenses in its current financial year, or waits until the year ending in March 2021. Reuters spoke to nine people familiar with Nissan's plans. All declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the subject.

Missed targets

In July, Nissan said it would cut 12,500 jobs from 14 sites around the world, from the United Kingdom to Spain, Mexico, Japan, India and Indonesia — and reduce its model range by 10%. At the time, Nissan officials told Reuters that meant shutting one production line at each plant. Now, Nissan is considering shutting two plants permanently, on top of the reductions at the 14 other sites, people close to Nissan's management and board with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. They didn't say which two new sites were at risk. People familiar with the plans said the axe was also likely to fall at Nissan's North American head office in Tennessee and its European headquarters in Geneva, as they were bloated with high-spending sales and marketing staff. One source with direct knowledge of the turnaround plan said Nissan's marketing teams globally gobble up nearly 1 trillion yen a year, or about 45% of Nissan's annual fixed costs of 2.1 trillion. Nissan had been saddled with the excess, "thanks to (Ghosn's) highly aggressive, expansionist volume goals, which we failed to achieve," the source said. A spokeswoman for Ghosn said he declined to comment for this story. Ghosn told a news conference in Beirut on Jan. 8 that Nissan's poor performance since 2017 was down to Hiroto Saikawa, who formally took over from him as Nissan CEO in April 2017. "He was CEO and he was responsible for it," Ghosn said. In addition to cuts in Nissan's fixed costs, managers are also considering plans to kill off unprofitable models, accelerate the pace of new product development and reduce the average age of its lineup to 2½ years, down from 5 now. The new plans aim to add 480 billion yen to Nissan's bottom line by the end of March 2023, with 300 billion from cuts in fixed costs and 180 billion from an array of cars to be launched in the next three years, people familiar with the matter said. Nissan is aiming to achieve an operating margin of 6% on revenue of 14.5 trillion yen by March 2023, compared with 3.0% from 13.0 trillion forecast for the year ending in March 2020, according to plans announced in July. But since July, Nissan's operating performance has worsened by more than expected, making it likely its new management team will have to find savings significantly above the 480 billion yen currently envisaged to hit its targets, three sources said.

'Phase Two'

To be sure, Nissan has plenty of cash in its coffers to cope with setbacks. According to quarterly results, it had 1.14 trillion yen in net cash at the end of September. Still, sources said Nissan was no longer adding freshly generated cash to its war chest, mainly because of its high fixed costs and the sales slide. Furthermore, it has expensive car launches in the next few years that could eat into reserves. "Even if we had one trillion yen in cash, that could be depleted in no time if we didn't pay attention," a person close to Nissan management told Reuters. Three of the people said the collapse in Nissan sales around the world was a major factor in forcing the company to consider restructuring above and beyond the measures outlined in July. They said Nissan's global sales would likely fall to 5 million vehicles, or slightly above, way short of its sales goal of 5.5 million for its current financial year. The worse-than-expected downturn, which has forced Nissan to spend more on promotions to cushion the fallout, has created additional urgency to take more drastic steps, sources said. Of particular concern is the U.S. market, where sales fell 10% in 2019, and the continued sluggishness of the Chinese market, which left Nissan's sales volumes down 1.1% from 2018. One especially troublesome issue for Nissan has been its sales efficiency. In 2018, it had 69 models and sold 5.2 million vehicles — or 75,000 on average per model line — and it was planning to expand its lineup to 73 by the end of 2022. Now, it is aiming to cut its range to 62 and boost average sales per line to 87,000, the equivalent of Toyota's average last year, according to calculations and forecasts by the team formulating Nissan's recovery plan. "We thought by now we would be selling 6 million cars a year. But the truth of the matter is our selling ability is about just north of 5 million," one source said.  

Open road?

People familiar with Nissan's internal discussions said there was even some concern the new measures being considered, known as "Phase Two" cuts, might not be enough to achieve its three-year turnaround goals if sales don't recover fast enough. "Those Phase Two measures will most likely fall short," said one person familiar with restructuring plans, making a point echoed by several people close to the management team and board. To make matters worse, the restructuring efforts have been disrupted by the political turmoil following Ghosn's departure in 2018, his flight from Japan in December and subsequent accusations against former colleagues at Nissan. According to five sources, the upheaval rattled Nissan's top management team so much that it paralyzed their ability to execute many of the planned restructuring moves smoothly. The latest turmoil lasted from December to mid-January, when the board curbed the influence of "anti-alliance" forces sabotaging the plans, two sources said, declining to elaborate. Nissan's new CEO Makoto Uchida took the reins at the start of December with Ashwani Gupta, who has worked at Mitsubishi, Nissan and Renault, as chief operating officer. "Whoever the action was aimed at, the upshot is that Gupta is now completely freed from pressures from those anti-alliance forces to carry out all the planned turnaround measures," one of the people said. "He should do so without hesitation as the board has cleared the way."

For years, people have been calling on Toyota to launch a more powerful version of the 86 complete with a turbocharged engine. A faster 86 isn't expected to arrive until the car's next generation so German enthusiast Philip Schuster has decided to build an amped-up (pun intended…) version of the 86 for himself. It's all-electric and unlike anything Toyota itself would ever dream of doing.

Despite being the brand's freshest model, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is already getting a styling update. The subcompact crossover prototype shown above has a mildly updated nose, and a significantly revised rear hatchback to give it a more conventional look. The rear of the car is the biggest change, so we'll start from there. The current Eclipse Cross has a controversial hatch with slanted main window and a smaller upright window lower down. Detractors liken it to the Pontiac Aztek. This updated model removes it altogether, in favor of one large slanted window. This also helps the back of the Eclipse Cross look a little less tall and blunt. The taillights are redesigned, too, to accommodate the new hatch. They don't span the full width of the hatch, and they might not extend up the rear pillars anymore either.. At the front, changes are more subtle. The headlights that extend off the grille look thinner, and may now simply be running lights, while the larger lights underneath may be the main headlights. The grille also looks more squared off in the lower section, similar to the grilles on the new L200 pickup and Mi-Tech concept. This prototype looks close to production-ready, and since it's just a mid-cycle refresh, we're expecting it to be revealed for the 2021 model year. It will likely continue to come with a turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-4 engine, a CVT and either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

Toyota has just released a teaser image for the Chicago Auto Show, and it should get the attention of off-roaders. It shows a tan Toyota Tacoma cruising through a dirt road, indicating that the company has off-road variants coming. While the image suggests a Tacoma, it won't just be the midsize pickup getting special or updated models. The company released a statement alongside the image: "The forecast for the Windy City looks sporty and outdoorsy,  with a touch of nocturnal mischief as Toyota debuts new variants to the portfolio." We're rather curious about the "nocturnal" part. There may be some new lighting features on some of the off-road models. Toyota introducing rugged or special-edition trucks and SUVs at the Chicago Auto Show is becoming something of a tradition. Last year it brought the RAV4 TRD Off-Road, Land Cruiser Heritage Edition, Sequoia TRD Pro and updated Tacoma. The year before that featured a bunch of TRD Pro updates.

The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is in for its first mid-cycle refresh and our spy photographers snapped a prototype with the front and rear ends all covered up.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has introduced their new Uconnect 5 infotainment system which is based on Android.

Renault is sending their engineering boss to meet with his counterpart at Nissan in Japan as the two partners are seeking to bring back to life joint projects that are crucial to the Alliance.

The 2020 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro is crawling into the new year with some worthwhile upgrades, but it's still the same truck we've known for a long time. Now, you can enjoy Apple CarPlay, Android Auto or Amazon Alexa on the 8-inch infotainment screen as you blast through muddy trails while taking advantage of those Fox Racing shocks, TRD springs and all-terrain tires. All the added tech is great, but the addition of Army Green to the color palette in 2020 is hands-down the best part of this year's Tundra TRD Pro. It makes the already imposing truck look even more aggressive. We love it, and we're sure truck buyers will, too. There's nothing distinctive under the hood of the TRD Pro, as it's blessed with the same 5.7-liter V8 found in any other Tundra. It makes 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque and channels that through a six-speed automatic transmission. Four-wheel drive is standard for the TRD Pro, and it accomplishes an impressively terrible 14(!) mpg combined. Unfortunately, that's about all we could manage with our week in the Tundra — using the right pedal is dangerously addictive with the TRD dual exhaust bellowing out its battle cry behind us.  Toyota loads the TRD Pro up with most of the features you might want as standard equipment, so it has a steep starting price at $54,275. With that high price, you get the 18-inch BBS forged wheels, LED headlights, TRD Pro leather-trimmed interior, JBL premium audio system and Toyota's full suite of driver assistance systems that includes niceties like adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert and auto high beams among other features. Our truck only had a few accessories on it that brought the final price up to $55,020. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: The Tundra TRD Pro sounds great. The 5.7-liter V8's note funneled through the dual exhaust has character. It's low and there's a bit of rumble and growl in there. An angry thrumming was produced when I jabbed the throttle. It's forceful. Sometimes, I'd put the pedal about a quarter of the way down, let the revs build and then accelerate harder while jockeying for lane position. It sounds menacing throughout the band. The black chrome treatment is slick, too. TRD trim does a lot of material and cosmetic things for Toyotas of all shapes and sizes, and the sound the Tundra makes is one of my favorite results.  While I'm focusing primarily on the sound TRD gave the Tundra, I was impressed with the effect Toyota's performance arm has on the entire truck. The suspension is sprung nicely for both on and off-road dynamics, and the TRD Pro Army Green color makes this thing look the part of an enforcer. It's subtle and tasteful, yet in command.

The @Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in Army Green. I like it. TRD trim does some cool things for the Tundra. And the exhaust tuning sounds really good. @therealautoblog pic.twitter.com/Djb5j2bAqs — Greg Migliore (@GregMigliore) December 17, 2019 Assistant Editor, Zac Pamer: Toyota is finally getting around to adding Apple CarPlay and Android Auto into its infotainment systems, and this deserves some recognition. The 2020 Tundra is one of those models and it's about time as Toyota has been one of the last holdouts for implementation of the technology. It worked great on our Tundra TRD Pro tester, connecting instantly and working flawlessly the whole time. However, that's where the good stuff ends on this infotainment system. Toyota's software is still slow and behind most of the others out there. The graphics look dated, and there aren't any standout features to speak of. The interior design is similarly behind the times. The red and black TRD Pro flourishes are nice and plenty noticeable, but it doesn't fix the generally boring overall look and hard plastics. Stepping out of a new Ram 1500 and into this truck's interior will make you wonder why the Tundra costs so damn much. In a TRD Pro, some of it is forgivable because of its intended purpose as an off-road truck. Other Tundras, not so much. We've seen plenty of evidence to show a redesigned Tundra is coming, so wait it out if a competitive interior is top of mind. The current TRD Pro excels at being fun to drive, but these other sore points are where the American competitors have it nailed.

The BEST color for the Tundra TRD Pro: Army Green. pic.twitter.com/vk6EGSxWfD — Zac Palmer (@zacpalmerr) December 20, 2019 Associate Editor, Joel Stocksdale: The Tundra is an old truck, and that shows through in its stale interior and less refined driving experience compared with the latest crop of full-size pickups. That being said, there are some perks to it, some of which might be a by-product of its age. For instance, the visibility is so good, it makes this truck feel smaller than it is. The hood is lower relative to your seating position, and the pillars are nice and thin. It's a welcome change from the competition that can be nerve-wracking in tight spaces if it weren't for loads of cameras. Also surprising was the fact that the Tundra feels nimble for a big truck. Body roll is limited and the steering is quick and accurate. There's even some feedback. This is countered by a stiff, truck-like ride, but it was worth it to me. With that throaty exhaust growl, it almost felt sporty. Sure it's not the segment leader, but the Tundra still has its strong points.

Looks like it's official — the U.S. will finally get the upgraded Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV that's been on sale in Europe and Japan since late 2018. AutoGuide perused documents Mitsubishi filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for 2021 product lineup. The paperwork shows a 2.4-liter engine with 126 horsepower replacing the 2.0-liter with 117 hp in the current U.S.-market Outlander plug-in hybrid. We've expected the engine change for a while, but we didn't have a horsepower rating before. The version on sale in Europe gets 133 hp from the 2.4-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder, while promising "higher torque, smoother operation, and overall higher efficiency." We'll get the 13.8-kWh battery, up from the 12-kWh unit currently installed, and the rear electric motor gets bumped up to 93 hp, same as overseas. The e-motor on the front axle holds steady at 80 hp. Unless Mitsubishi has model-year shenanigans in mind, the documents describe the next-gen Outlander that's been promised for debut later this year. It will ride on a Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance platform, expected to be the same architecture shared with the next-gen 2021 Nissan Rogue. The current Outlander and Rogue are just 0.3 inches apart, and both are expected to grow in size. The new Outlander's exterior will glean cues from the Engelberg Tourer concept (shown below) like vertically-oriented headlights, a reshaped greenhouse, and a larger rear roof spoiler. If Mitsubishi carries over the rest of the upgrades afforded the international Outlander PHEV versions, we're in for a more powerful generator, and new Sport and Snow modes. The suspension and 4WD Lock were also bolstered on the current crossover, but with an all-new generation, we'd expect thorough overhauls in hardware and software. The real prize will be finding out how much EV range the next plug-in hybrid Outlander promises beyond the 22 miles available on the current model. On Japan's testing cycle, the new powertrain extended all-electric driving from 37.8 miles to 40.4 miles.

If you're a regular reader of Autoblog, you know that for a long time we've liked Fiat Chrysler's Uconnect infotainment system for its bright, clear, responsive touchscreen interface. Now, according to the company, it will be better than ever with Uconnect 5, the latest iteration of the system. It has upgraded hardware and a revamped graphic user interface (the stuff on the screen). Looking at sample screens shown above, there are characteristics shared with the old system, such as the time, status and shortcuts at the top and the menu icons at the bottom. In the middle, the major change is the addition of home screens that can be customized with favorite menus and readouts that are always available. Each of these home screens can have up to four functions and you can have five pages to flip through. The graphics themselves feature more legible fonts and updated icons. Each car brand will get its own set of icons, colors and textures to help create unique experiences. And while each Fiat Chrysler product will be able to have Uconnect, including Alfa Romeo that has until now lacked Uconnect, each brand has the ability to make small tweaks including the screen orientation. The system will support displays in landscape, portrait or square, so different brands may choose different shapes. Powering Uconnect 5 is a processor Fiat Chrysler says is six times more powerful than what's in current systems. It features 6 gigabytes of RAM and 64 gigabytes of internal storage. The processor also supports screens as large as 12.3 inches with as many as 15 million pixels, or nearly twice that of a 4K resolution TV. The system can display information on up to four screens, too. Uconnect 5's firmware is built on Google's Android operating system, joining a few other automakers in using Android as a base for their infotainment systems. Uconnect 5 brings with it a number of new features. It brings full Alexa integration, so you can use it just like you do at home, provided you have a data plan for the car. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto continue to be standard, but now they can be used wirelessly. You can also now connect two phones via Bluetooth wirelessly so you can access content from both. Navigation gets real time information and updates from TomTom. Users can create five profiles with unique climate, radio and instrument settings, plus one for a valet. Also, the voice control system has been updated and will respond similarly to how you speak to Alexa, Siri and other voice assistants. Uconnect 5 will be available later this year. Fiat Chrysler hasn't officially said which cars will get the system first, but expect it to become equipment on virtually every product from the company.