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Autoblog's Editors' Picks: Our complete list of the best new vehicles

It's not easy to earn an “EditorsÂ’ Picks” at Autoblog as part of the rating and review process that every new vehicle goes through. Our editors have been at it a long time, which means weÂ’ve driven and reviewed virtually every new car you can go buy on the dealer lot. There are disagreements, of course, and all vehicles have their strengths and weaknesses, but this list features what we think are the best new vehicles chosen by Autoblog editors. We started this formal review process back in 2018, so there's quite of few of them now. So what does it mean to be an EditorsÂ’ Pick? In short, it means itÂ’s a car that we can highly recommend purchasing. There may be one, multiple, or even zero vehicles in any given segment that we give the green light to. What really matters is that itÂ’s a vehicle that weÂ’d tell a friend or family member to go buy if theyÂ’re considering it, because itÂ’s a very good car. The best way to use this list is is with the navigation links below. Click on a segment, and you'll quickly arrive at the top rated pickup truck or SUV, for example. Use the back button to return to these links and search in another segment, like sedans. If youÂ’ve been keeping up with our monthly series of the latest vehicles to earn EditorsÂ’ Pick status, youÂ’re likely going to be familiar with this list already. If not, welcome to the complete list that weÂ’ll be keeping updated as vehicles enter (and others perhaps exit) the good graces of our editorial team. We rate a new car — giving it a numerical score out of 10 — every time thereÂ’s a significant refresh or if it happens to be an all-new model. Any given vehicle may be impressive on a first drive, but we wait until itÂ’s in the hands of our editors to put it through the same type of testing as every other vehicle that rolls through our test fleet before giving it the EditorsÂ’ Pick badge. This ensures consistency and allows more voices to be heard on each individual model. And just so you donÂ’t think weÂ’ve skipped trims or variants of a model, we hand out the EditorsÂ’ Pick based on the overarching model to keep things consistent. So, when you read that the 3 Series is an EditorsÂ’ Pick, yes, that includes the 330i to the M3 and all the variants in between. If thereÂ’s a particular version of that car we vehemently disagree with, we make sure to call that out.

Cars with the most reckless drivers are full of surprises

Insurify is a site for comparing auto insurance quotes. Because insurance shoppers need to submit information like the vehicles they're driving and the infractions they've compiled while driving those vehicles, Insurify has quite the database of correlations tying certain models to a habit of breaking certain laws. When the site's data analysts decided to compile a list of the top ten models for reckless driving citations in the decade from 2010 to 2019, the ranking contained a few wild entries. The Dodge Challenger making the countdown will surprise precisely zero people. But the Saturn L200? First, a definition: USLegal.com defines reckless driving as "driving with a willful or wanton disregard for safety. It is the operation of an automobile under such circumstances and in such a manner as to show a willful or reckless disregard of consequences." So this list is a caution about particular drivers more than the cars. For a baseline, according to Insurify data, for any random model, 15 out of 10,000 people who drive that model have picked up one citation for reckless driving. Back to that Challenger, then. No shocker for being here, but it's actually number 10, with 44 out of 10,000 Challenger drivers nabbed for a willful disregard of consequences on the road. That's better than the first surprise entry, the Saturn L200, a sedan only on sale for six years, with the least horsepower on the list, and out of production since 2005. The data set put drivers of GM's extraterrestrial sedan at 45 reckless pilots per 10,000 drivers. There are two pickups on the list, the only modern one being the Ram 1500 at eighth, with a rate of 46 in 10,000. Somehow, drivers of the third-best-selling pickup in the U.S. outrun the overwhelming numerical superiority of the best-selling vehicle in the States, the Ford F-150. The other pickup is the Chevrolet K1500 at number five, with a rate of 56 in 10,000. This is not only the oldest vehicle on the list, it went out of production in 2002, before any other vehicle on the list. Between the trucks, the Volkswagen CC slotted in at seven with 47 in 10,000 reckless driving chits, the Cadillac ATS slipped into sixth with 48 in 10,000.  The top four is a bag of unexpected. The Nissan 370Z is the first hardcore sports car on the list at number four, with 61 in 10,000 Z drivers flaunting their Fairladys in the face of Johnny Law.

Genesis considering G70 wagon for Europe

Three years ago, a year before the Genesis G70 had come to the U.S., digital artist X-Tomi Designs had already dreamed up a G70 wagon (pictured). That fancy has come partly true: Genesis does have a wagon in mind, but for the European market. Car and Driver reports that recently promoted global brand CEO William Lee replied to the question of a G70 wagon with, "Yes, we have a study for that." If the study turns into a production model, the G70 shooting brake would be based on the upcoming, facelifted G70 due next year.  C/D says there's no evidence this will come to the U.S., a kind way of saying there's precisely zero logical rationale for it here. Genesis is still planning its European assault, a timeline that's been stretched from original planning when the automaker reportedly intended to have a boutique operation up and running early this year. An Automotive News report last summer suggested it could be a couple of years from now. Even so, despite of the increasing popularity of crossovers in Europe, wagons are still a viable — read: profitable — bodystyle for luxury makers over there, and will likely be so when a potential long-body G70 shows.   That's not the case in the U.S. Rehashing numbers from a CNBC report last October, the U.S. wagon market took up 1.4 percent of U.S. auto sales in 2018, the Subaru Outback accounting for 1.2 percent. Sure, Audi has the Allroad and has blessed us with the new RS6 Avant, but the Ingolstadt automaker sold 3,240 A4 Allroads last year out of 224,111 total sales. Across the luxury aisle, Jaguar's set a gutting example with the well-liked XF Sportbrake, dealers trying to shed inventory with discounts up to $30,000. As much as we'd like to make the obligatory references to a hot-driving, manual-transmission-equipped, brown wagon unicorn, which a G70 wagon could certainly be, it feels like goading an automaker to lose money. None of this is to say Genesis, known for conceptual and production surprises, won't ship a wagon across the Atlantic. But with a six-model lineup already planned, we think it more likely for Genesis let the coming GV70 crossover establish itself in the market first. Related Video:    

Hyundai and Kia introduce new predictive transmission tech

Hyundai and Kia have announced that the two have developed a new transmission control system that optimizes shift logic to both improve efficiency and reduce "gear hunting." The system utilizes real-time traffic data, built-in 3D navigation and the same sensors that feed the cars' advanced safety and driver assist tech to proactively choose the right gear — even neutral in some cases — to reduce both fuel consumption and wear-and-tear. The Korean sister brands call it the "Information Communication Technology Connected Shift System," or "ICT" for short, and Hyundai says it delivers not just improved frugality, but a better all-around driving experience. ICT programming allows the transmission control unit to collect and interpret traffic, camera, sensor, navigation route, elevation and topographical data.  "Using all of these inputs, the TCU predicts the optimal shift scenario for real-time driving situations through an artificial intelligence algorithm and shifts the gears accordingly," the announcement said. "For example, when a relatively long slow down is expected and radar detects no speed irregularities with the car ahead, the transmission clutch temporarily switches to neutral mode to improve fuel efficiency." While this sounds like a primarily green play, there are quality-of-life improvements too. For example, ICT can also optimize gear selection and shift points for safer highway merges, effectively implementing the equivalent of a "Sport Mode" driving profile when a little extra punch is called for.  Hyundai says the resulting decrease in shifts was significant; in some test scenarios, such as roads with lots of curves, the number of shifts executed by the transmission was reduced by almost half. As an added bonus, these vehicles also utilized their brakes less often (11%), which would reduce wear (and accompanying maintenance costs) over time.  ICT is somewhat future-proof, too, as it was developed to incorporate vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) data should such networks improve down the line.  The announcement did not say when the new tech would reach customers, committing only to introducing the technology "on future vehicles." If we're betting, the smart money says it will probably on a new Genesis model and trickle down from there. Related Video:

Genesis topples Lexus in its first J.D. Power dependability survey

J.D. Power is out with its annual U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study for 2020, which looks at problems experienced by owners of three-year-old vehicles. The big takeaways are continued improvement in overall vehicle dependability, with the brands Genesis, Lexus and Buick taking the top three spots, in order. But once again, the usual caveats apply. Autoblog years ago raised issues with the study, which gives the same weight to matters of subjective likability, such as complaints about pairing their device with the vehicle’s Bluetooth or ease of operating the audio system, to more substantive issues like a defective climate system or transmission trouble. J.D. Power continues to tally problems across eight categories, including audio/communication/entertainment/navigation, and despite that being the most improved category, the organization says it still accounts for more problems than any other. “Many owners complain about these systems early in the ownership experience and, three years later, theyÂ’re still frustrated with them,” Dave Sargent, vice president of global automotive at J.D. Power, said in a release. “WeÂ’re seeing improvement, but automakers still have a long way to go before they can declare victory in this area.” Further, the rapid introduction of technology in vehicles means overall dependability could plateau or even decrease in the coming years, he said. Now in its 31st year, the study measures the number of problems per 100 vehicles experienced over the past 12 months by owners of 2017 model-year vehicles. The overall average of 134 problems per 100 vehicles was the best level ever recorded in the study, J.D. Power said. In its first year being included in the study, Genesis dislodged Lexus as the top brand, notching just 89 problems per 100 vehicles. The luxury arm of Hyundai had just two models on sale in 2017 — the G80 and G90 sedans. The Lexus ES ranked as the most dependable model, with 52 problems, the best ever score in the studyÂ’s history. Rounding out the top five brands were Porsche (104 problems) and Toyota (113). The bottom five of 32 brands ranked were GMC (162), Volvo (185), Jaguar (186), Chrysler (214) and Land Rover (220). Tesla was not included in the study because it didnÂ’t give the organization permission to contact its customers in certain states, J.D. Power told Automotive News.

A spotter's guide to Super Bowl LIV car commercials

Set to kick off on Fox at 6:30 ET on Sunday, February 2, from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, the big game will feature the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. Throughout Super Bowl LIV, viewers will see about 50 commercials, each of which costs as much as $5.6 million per 30 seconds, according to AdWeek. Originally, there were more than 77 ad slots, so several companies could be paying well more than $10 million for a single, longer commercial. Numerous car companies have already announced their commercials, or their intentions to show commercials, during the game. Here's a roundup of the ones we know about so far. During the game on Sunday, we'll be livestreaming and adding links to the new commercials as they become available, so check back with us for that post.  Audi: E-Tron Sportback Maisie Williams has experience wearing many faces, and in Audi's Super Bowl commercial, she does her best Elsa impression. In the spot, titled "Let It Go," Williams faces the rigorous task of getting through L.A. traffic, but she's alleviated by the comfort of the Audi E-Tron Sportback electric crossover. The commercial is meant to signal the company leaving its gas past behind and moving forward to a sustainable future.  Genesis: GV80 Genesis makes its Super Bowl debut with a commercial that will show its all-new SUV, the GV80, to viewers around the world (many of which will be seeing the vehicle for the first time). The ad features Chrissy Teigen and John Legend as the purveyors of "new luxury," while "old luxury" is left for the birds. GMC: Hummer General Motors is bringing back the Hummer nameplate as a premium electric GMC truck. GM says it will have 1,000 horsepower and will be capable of going zero to 60 mph in three seconds. GM brought in NBA legend and Hummer fanboy LeBron James for the debut commercial. Hyundai: Sonata Hyundai is known for bringing in the big-time celebrities for its commercials, and 2020 is no different. A new advertisement called "Smaht Pahk" features John Krasinski, Chris Evans, and Rachel Dratch, all three of whom are from the Boston area. The trio gets into full character as they discuss the new high-tech parking feature on the redesigned 2020 Hyundai Sonata, and David Ortiz makes a cameo at the end. Even when New England isn't in the Super Bowl, New England is in the Super Bowl.

Genesis GV80: more details on the brand’s new SUV

MIAMI — Genesis unveiled the GV80, its first SUV, in its home market of South Korea earlier this month. Now the GV80 has made its first appearance in the United States, with a splashy party in Miami and a new TV commercial that will air during Super Bowl LIV. Along the way, weÂ’ve learned more about the new GV80, with specifics to the U.S. version. While the Korean market will get the GV80 with a 3.0-liter diesel engine, the U.S. model will be offered with a choice of two gasoline engines: a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four and a 3.5-liter turbo V6. Horsepower figures have not been announced, but figure the turbo four will be good for 300 horsepower (it will make 295 ponies in the Sonata N), while the V6 should come in at better than 370 horses. Both are paired with an eight-speed automatic, and both engines available with either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Upper trim levels of the GV80 will get adaptive dampers that can adjust their firmness in response to information from a camera trained on the road ahead. Standard active-safety features will include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control. The adaptive cruise control incorporates a second-generation version of HyundaiÂ’s Highway Driving Assist (HDA) semi-automated steering feature. HDA II adds automatic lane changing, as seen on some Mercedes-Benz models and the new version of Cadillac's Super Cruise. The GV80 rides on a new platform that also will underpin the next-generation G80 sedan (which follows the SUV to market by just a few weeks). Riding on a 116.3-inch wheelbase, the GV80 is 194.7 inches long, 77.8 inches wide, and 67.5 inches tall. That makes the GV80 slightly larger than a Lexus RX and smaller than a Lincoln Aviator. The GV80Â’s close dimensional doppelganger is the BMW X5, which is nearly the same length but a little over an inch wider and taller. The Genesis in person looks low for a crossover, particularly at the rear, less so at the front thanks to the oversized shield grille. The twin-bar headlights and taillights (echoed in the trim on the front fenders) will become a Genesis design feature. “Two lines will come to define Genesis,” says Luc Donkerwolke, EVP chief design officer Hyundai Motor Group. The minimalist interior reflects the Korean concept of “the beauty of white space,” according to Sung Yup Lee, SVP and head of Genesis Design.

Genesis GV80 stars in the brand's first Super Bowl commercial

Genesis has debuted its first Super Bowl commercial, which introduces the new GV80 SUV. The spot, titled “Going Away Party,” stars singer/philanthropist John Legend and his wife, model/actor Chrissy Teigen. The 60-second commercial — and two teaser spots — draw a contrast between stuffy, exclusive, snobby “Old Luxury” and accessible, inclusive, less self-serious “Young Luxury,” which happens to be the brandÂ’s new tagline. Legend and Teigen attend a going-away party for Old Luxury, which takes place at a fancy mansion. The snobbish crowd is full of tiresome, old-style rich folk, but the arrival of the GV80 ushers in the era of Young Luxury. Or at least, itÂ’s supposed to. The commercial made its first TV appearance on the Tuesday before the Super Bowl, on "Entertainment Tonight." WeÂ’re told we can expect more TV spots starring Legend and Teigen. At a preview of the new GV80 in Miami, Genesis North America CEO, Mark Del Rosso introduced the spot. “As the faces of a new generation, they embody Young Luxury,” he said, adding that the celebrity couple “will be the faces of Genesis.”  Genesis joins a crowded field of automotive advertisers in Super Bowl LIV, including Hyundai, Kia, Porsche, Toyota, Volvo, and Audi. The big game airs Sunday, February 2. Related Video:

Genesis teases new coupe, subcompact as part of future lineup

Genesis teased the future of its product portfolio with some prominently placed silhouettes during the debut of its new GV80 crossover. The teasers, which appeared in the background of the design portion of the presentation, appeared to depict both a family of new Genesis vehicles and a few individual future models, one of which appears to be a coupe.  Motor1.com spotted the tease during the debut of the new Genesis GV80 SUV (embedded below). If you'd like to see it for yourself, the good stuff starts at around the 29:30 mark, during designer Luc Donckerwolke's walkthrough.  Several of the vehicles included in the wide shot are existing models. The two depicted sedans are straight out of the current Genesis stable; it's hard to tell exactly what we're looking at, but Genesis only has three current offerings: the compact G70, midsize G80 (formerly the Hyundai Genesis) and the G90 (formerly the Hyundai Equus). This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. All three of Hyundai's sedans are either new, about to be new, or recently updated, so we expect they'll all be sticking around. Throw in the brand-new GV80 crossover on the far left and what appears to be the forthcoming compact GV70 next to it, and that gets us to four. That leaves just two mystery models, and both of them appear somewhat familiar.  Let's start with the coupe, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the all-electric Genesis Essentia concept we saw at the New York International Auto Show back in 2018. The concept boasted a "high-density battery pack" packaged into the car's center tunnel and juicing a multi-motor powertrain. Genesis claimed the grand tourer would crack off a 0-60 mile-per-hour sprint in just 3 seconds, but as with all concept cars, that's to be taken with a grain of salt.  The other unknown quantity is the small hatchback or baby crossover depicted on the far right. From the proportions and headlight signature alone, we assume it's supposed to be the Genesis Mint, which was another of the company's recent concepts.  Borrowing a bit from the Essentia, the Mint was yet another electric "coupe," but designed for more practical use as a stylish urban runabout.

2021 Genesis GV80 engines and features revealed

The 2021 Genesis GV80 luxury crossover was given a modest reveal of sorts earlier this month. Now we get a much clearer look at the crossover thanks to its South Korean reveal. It looks pretty much as we expected, with lines based on the original concept. It looks flashy outside and sumptuous inside. Genesis also went to lengths to keep weight down by making the hood, doors and hatch from aluminum. Besides getting our clearest look at the crossover yet, the company released details about the engines and features. Three engines will be offered globally, and only two are bound for the U.S. The first engine available will be a turbocharged 3.0-liter diesel engine making 274 horsepower and 434 pound-feet of torque. You probably guessed that's not the engine coming here. The other two engines are a 2.5-liter four-cylinder and a 3.5-liter six-cylinder. We're expecting the 2.5-liter to be similar to the turbo one available in the upcoming Hyundai Sonata N-Line, and will probably be shared with the base Genesis G70, too. Output for it should be at least 290 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. The 3.5-liter engine is more mysterious, as Genesis does not have an engine with that displacement available currently. It could be a higher-displacement version of the twin-turbo 3.3-liter V6 offered on the G70, G80 and G90, as well as the Kia Stinger. The 3.3-liter engine makes 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. All engines will be paired with either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and probably the same 8-speed automatic used in other Genesis models. All-wheel-drive GV80s in the U.S. will get a rear limited-slip differential. The GV80 also boasts several luxurious bits of technology. The electronically adjustable suspension will have a camera to read the road and automatically change settings for optimal comfort. Navigation will have an augmented reality mode similar to that used by Mercedes in which information will be overlaid on a camera feed to help make clear where to go. The feed is displayed on a massive 14.5-inch infotainment display that also features handwriting recognition for text input. The GV80 has an advanced adaptive cruise control system with steering assist and automated lane change assist. The cruise control also has artificial intelligence that can adjust its driving style to match that of the owner. Active road noise cancellation comes standard, while rear power-adjustable heated and ventilated seats are an option.