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Editors' Picks February 2021 | Ford F-150, Genesis GV80, Mazda CX-30 and more

If we’ve driven and reviewed it, thereÂ’s an Autoblog Rating for it. ItÂ’s been over two years since we launched a new rating system to help you evaluate cars at a glance. We tweaked and improved it along the way and quickly arrived at a consistent process for giving each and every car on sale today a fair score. Cars that are exemplary or stand out in their respective segments get EditorsÂ’ Pick status. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. Every car we rate gets a score from 1 to 10, making it easy for you to tell if itÂ’s a car worth pursuing and possibly purchasing. YouÂ’ll find the scores of previously-rated cars attached toward the top of our written reviews. For example, the Bronco SportÂ’s rating can be found here. The Acura TLXÂ’s rating is in this post, and the Nissan RogueÂ’s rating is right here. There are hundreds of examples to be found. The above examples make up the most natural ways to find the Autoblog rating when researching for your next car, but starting today, weÂ’re going to begin calling out each new set of Editors' Picks per month in their own breakout stories. This will put the newest and most recently refreshed cars on sale on a pedestal for you to see which ones are worth your while. WeÂ’ll typically rate anywhere between 5-10 new cars per month, so you can count on just a select few from those to make this list. Expect to see this recurring ratings post each month going forward, and read on for FebruaryÂ’s EditorsÂ’ Picks.   2021 Genesis GV80 2021 Genesis GV80 View 18 Photos Quick take: The stylish GV80 offers useful safety features, compelling design and sporty dynamics to push it near the top of the segment. Genesis takes risks with this aggressive crossover, and the result is a luxurious vehicle that is rewarding to drive. Score: 8.5 What it competes with: Lincoln Aviator, Volvo XC90, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, Acura MDX, Lexus RX Pros: Beautiful design, good road manners, awesome value Cons: Small third row and cargo space, less comfortable standard suspension  From the editors: Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore — “The GV80 is a hugely important vehicle for Genesis. It makes a style statement, has an elegant interior and is a compelling all-round execution. It looks like a Bentley, and I give Genesis props for taking some risks with the GV80 and largely pulling it all off.

2022 Genesis G70 Launch Edition headlines redesigned sport sedan

Genesis will offer a limited-run Launch Edition model of its redesigned 2022 G70 sport sedan. Based on the rear- or all-wheel-drive variant of the G70 with the turbocharged 3.3-liter V6, the Launch Edition adds some unique exterior and interior treatments along with a small dose of exclusivity. Only 500 will be made.  Spotted by the eagled-eye folks over at Roadshow, the 2022 G70 Launch Edition appeared on the Genesis consumer web site without any official preamble. It offers a set of lightweight, 19-inch wheels in (if you ask us, an attractive) multi-spoke pattern with a dark finish that contrasts nicely with the Sport model's red brake calipers. It's available in one of two matte finishes (Verbier White or Melbourne Gray) and two interior upholstery treatments (Obsidian Black or Sevilla Red).  Genesis hasn't announced pricing or in-depth specs on the Launch Edition, but we can get a pretty clear picture of what it offers from the company's own reservation system. There don't appear to be any unique mechanical components to the package (unless you count the unique 19-inch wheels as such) and the underlying feature content is based on the Sport Prestige model, which comes with all of the performance goodies Genesis offers (Brembo brakes, a limited-slip differential and an electronically controlled adaptive suspension). The Sport Prestige is also loaded up with tech, Nappa leather seating surfaces, a microfiber suede headliner and a heated steering wheel. The Launch Edition's unveiling was tied to the launch of a reservation system for the updated sedan. We reached out to Genesis for more information and were told to sit tight, so we expect an official announcement with more details will come along soon.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Driving the 2021 Genesis G80 and Toyota Sienna | Autoblog Podcast #652

Tiger Woods reportedly told cops after crash he didn’t remember driving

Tiger Woods told deputies responding to his single-vehicle crash last week that he did not know how the accident happened and didn't remember driving, USA Today reported Thursday. USA Today cited a copy of the search warrant affidavit that was used by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to obtain the black box in the SUV Woods was driving. "The deputies asked him how the collision occurred," according to the affidavit. "Driver said he did not know and did not even remember driving ... Driver was treated for his injuries at the hospital and was asked there again how the collision occurred. He repeated that he did not know and did not remember driving." The black box houses data related to speed and acceleration, braking sequence, steering angle changes and other instrument activity. A sheriff's deputy said Wednesday the warrant is a matter of course in L.A. County and considered part of the department's due diligence. "We're trying to determine if a crime was committed," Sheriff's Deputy John Schloegl said. "If somebody is involved in a traffic collision, we've got to reconstruct the traffic collision, if there was any reckless driving, if somebody was on their cellphone or something like that. We determine if there was a crime. If there was no crime, we close out the case, and it was a regular traffic collision." Woods, 45, was hurt last week in an early-morning, single-car crash near the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. Emergency personnel extracted him from his car and transported him to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. He underwent surgery Tuesday to treat multiple injuries to his right lower leg, including the insertion of a rod into the tibia. Additional screws and pins were needed in the leg, and he was treated for muscle and soft-tissue injuries. He underwent another procedure last Friday. Woods subsequently was moved to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

'Black box' in Tiger Woods' SUV could yield clues about cause of wreck

DETROIT — Investigators who are looking into the rollover crash that injured golf legend Tiger Woods will rely heavily on data stored in the Genesis SUV he was driving to figure out what happened. The 2021 Genesis GV80, made by the Hyundai luxury brand, is likely to have a newer version of event data recorders nicknamed “black boxes” after more sophisticated recorders in airplanes. They store a treasure trove of data for authorities to review. There aren't any U.S. regulations requiring the boxes, but the government does require the recorders to store 15 data points including speed before impact and whether brake and gas pedals were pressed. The regulations don't cover new partially automated systems that can control speed, brake, and steer cars on freeways, and they don't address cameras and radar used in those systems. But some vehicles store some of the new systems' data. Woods suffered a serious leg injury when the SUV he was driving went off a Los Angeles County road and rolled over on a downhill stretch known for crashes. The county sheriff said Woods was not drunk and was driving alone in good weather when the SUV hit a raised median, went across oncoming lanes and rolled several times. The crash injured his right leg, requiring surgery. Harbor-UCLA Medical Center said Woods was transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Thursday for “continuing orthopedic care and recovery." The hospital didn't provide any other details, saying it was respecting patient confidentiality.  It's not clear how much of the crash Woods recalls, but the black box data should be able to fill in gaps. WHAT IS AN EVENT DATA RECORDER? It's a computer that stores data from a vehicle's sensors that can be downloaded by police officers investigating a crash. The boxes usually are below the center of the dashboard or beneath seats to be protected from damage. IS THERE ONE IN MY CAR? Most likely yes. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says nearly all vehicles have them now. Even during the 2005 model year, 64% of vehicles had the boxes. General Motors put the first recorder in a vehicle in 1994 that stored limited data, said Richard Ruth, who runs a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm that does crash investigations and trains police officers in crash reconstruction. WHAT DATA DOES IT STORE?

Tiger Woods crashed a Genesis GV80. What exactly is that? We explain

The SUV Tiger Woods was driving when he crashed was a Genesis GV80 loaned to him by Genesis USA as part of its sponsorship of the golf tournament Woods was involved with, but not participating in. It is apparently common for Woods to drive himself in such tournament courtesy cars. We've seen an uptick in traffic regarding the GV80 since the crash and specifically regarding its safety ratings. Although frequent visitors to Autoblog may be well aware of what it is, the Genesis brand and the GV80 especially haven't exactly entered the public consciousness. In that spirit, Genesis is the relatively new luxury brand offshoot from Hyundai. Their relationship is comparable to Lexus and Toyota. The GV80 is the brand's first SUV, a midsize crossover available with three-rows. Should you want to dig further into it, you can find our full GV80 review here.  Many people have been trying to search what crash ratings the GV80 has received, but unfortunately, neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (aka the federal government) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have tested the GV80. However, both the Genesis G70 and G90 sedans received the IIHS best-possible Top Safety Pick+ award, while most other vehicles in the Hyundai-Kia-Genesis group received at least Top Safety Pick awards. These are determined by a given vehicle's crash worthiness, the performance of its accident avoidance tech (see below) and headlight quality.  What safety features does it include? Standard on every GV80 are the usual complement of airbags: front, front side and full-length side curtain. However, it stands out by offering several airbags that are not typical: driver knee airbag, a front center airbag and second-row side airbags. Also included are the usual stability control and antilock brake systems with brake assist (the L.A. County sheriff reported there were no skid marks, indicating that Woods made no attempt to brake). Advanced driver assistance and accident avoidance technologies are also standard: lane-departure and lane-keeping assist, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, evasive steering assist and driver inattention warning. A full report on the crash won't be available for some time, but given what we know, including the road, the lack of skid marks and lack of other vehicles involved, it seems unlikely that any of the above driver assistance systems would've been much help in this instance.

Genesis is reportedly turning the GV80 into a BMW X6-fighting fastback

Genesis will follow the path blazed by BMW and turn the GV80, its first SUV, into a high-riding fastback, according to a recent report. The model will land in the same arena as the X6, among other coupe-like SUVs. South Korea's members-only GV80 Club obtained this morsel of information from anonymous Genesis insiders. Its informants sketched the outline of an SUV that looks a lot like the GV80 from the rocker panels to the belt line. Above that, it stands apart from its more utilitarian sibling with a steeper windshield and a sharper-sloping roof line. The transformation brings bigger wheels, too, but we don't know if the front end has been tweaked. Much like the X6 is an evolution of the X5, the Genesis model will be closely related to the GV80 (pictured) under the sheetmetal. It'll be sportier and more expensive than the family hauler it's based on, so it might eschew the entry-level 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and hop straight to the turbocharged, 3.5-liter V6. If that's the case, all-wheel drive will come standard. If it gets a turbo four, rear-wheel drive might be the default configuration. Genesis hasn't commented on the rumor, and it hasn't signaled its intention to jump into a segment dominated by the X6. Assuming the report is accurate, we'll start seeing the first test mules racking up miles by the end of 2021. If it's indeed in the pipeline, the GV80 fastback — a name that certainly won't be retained for production — will compete against the aforementioned X6, the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, the Audi Q8, and, at the top end of the range, the Porsche Cayenne Coupe. Sales could start during the 2022 model year. Related video:

Genesis GV70e electric crossover spied testing for the first time

It’s only been a couple of days since a report broke previewing a legion of Genesis EVs to come, but one of our spy shooters has already captured one of those vehicles: the GV70e. Basically, this vehicle is an all-electric version of the GV70 crossover thatÂ’s already been revealed. A number of visual elements give this tester away as the electric GV70. For starters, thereÂ’s the solid grille. The heavy camouflage blocks off a grille that is shaped similarly to the normal GV70, but itÂ’s just a big shield in this case. You can see that a tiny slit was cut in the center for what looks like a camera. A criss-cross design is visible in the area immediately surrounding this camera, which is keeping with GenesisÂ’ latest design language. The only difference here is that the crosses are molded into a solid piece, and are not open for air to move through as they would be on the gasoline-engined version. The only spot in the front end with cooling capabilities appears to be a tiny opening at the bottom of the bumper, which is conveniently placed to be at the same level as a battery pack. Last on the EV checklist is the complete lack of exhaust outlets — the standard GV70 has two exhaust exits in the far corners of the rear bumper. There isnÂ’t even the hint of an exhaust tip anywhere on this tester. Instead, the rear bumper is all one piece, and itÂ’s covered completely by camouflage. Beyond these electric elements, this GV70e tester looks just like the standard GV70 — the signature Genesis dual-element lights are visible in front and back. ThereÂ’s a great deal of camouflage still all over the car, though, so Genesis could be cooking up a number of styling details to separate it from the gas engine model. This EV seems a good fit for the recently-announced E-GMP electric vehicle platform that will underpin a number of electric Hyundai products. The even-smaller electric Genesis crossover we spied the other day (and many others) will also take advantage of the platform. ItÂ’s still unclear when the GV70e will debut, but Hyundai has promised to launch 23 electric vehicles by 2025. Considering that Genesis is already on the road testing, this could be one of the earlier ones among the group. Related video:

Genesis files for trademarks on several EV model names, including GV90e

We've known for a while that Genesis, like many other carmakers, is moving towards an electrified lineup. Recently unearthed trademark filings, however, reveal just how big of a push the luxury marque is planning. A user at GVForums.com dug into the South Korean patent bureau's database and discovered Genesis filings for G70e, G80e, G90e, GV70e, GV80e and GV90e. Given Genesis's (thankfully still logical) naming conventions, the names points to three sedans and three crossovers all getting the electric treatment. The applications were all filed in late January. We've spotted a camouflaged electric G80 sedan undergoing testing at the Nurburgring and heard chatter about and even spied an electric crossover as well, but we didn't expect six EVs. Late last year, parent company Hyundai did confirm a global modular EV platform, the E-GMP. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 will be the first car to utilize it, but it'll provide the basis for Genesis and Kia models as well. Notably, the platform will be rear-wheel-drive biased, making it a good base for Genesis's luxury models. Another interesting revelation from the filings is the fact that Genesis may have plans to release a flagship crossover in the GV90e. Presumably, it will slot above what is currently its largest SUV, the GV80. What's not clear is whether a gasoline- or diesel-powered GV90 will also be sold alongside it. While it's possible Genesis will offer the GV90 in electric form only, the G90 sedan's 420-horsepower, 383 pound-feet, 5.0-liter V8 might be a good candidate for a gasoline variant. Genesis's corporate siblings have already detailed plans to move aggressively into the EV segment, with Kia leading the charge. It only makes sense that Genesis would follow suit. With a common modular platform underpinning all the cars, the company stands to benefit economically as well. Related Video:

Upcoming Genesis electric crossover caught in spy photos

When the Hyundai Motor Group revealed its E-GMP electric platform, the company made it clear that it would underpin vehicles from every brand. The Ioniq 5 will be the first, and we'll see it fully unveiled soon. We've also seen spy shots of the Kia crossover that will come soon after. Now we have spy photos of a Genesis testing that we believe also uses the platform. We suspect it's an E-GMP car based on its proportions. It's a bit tall with a relatively short length. It mirrors that of both the Ioniq 5 and upcoming Kia EV that we've seen. It's definitely a Genesis, though, and not one of the other brands. We can see the signature split headlights at the front, as well as the wide taillights at the rear. The detailed, flowing, spindly wheel spokes are very Genesis, too. We can just make out the tip of the pentagonal grille shared on all Genesis cars. That grille is positioned much lower in the front fascia than most of the brand's cars, though. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Genesis EV appears to have the crossover "coupe" shape that luxury automakers love. It's highlighted by the dramatically upswept window sills on the rear doors. We have no doubt that the vehicle will also have a hatchback rear opening, too. Also interesting are the mirrors, which are extremely thin. They may actually be camera supports like those used on the Audi E-Tron. We doubt they'll be offered as a standalone feature in the U.S., though, due to regulations here. With the Ioniq 5 being revealed very soon, and the first E-GMP Kia EV debut coming in a few months, we would expect the Genesis to be shown a little after the Kia. We could see its reveal coming in the fall as the 2021-2022 auto show season starts up. Because this Genesis will be using the E-GMP platform, it will likely have a pair of electric motors providing a rear-drive-biased experience. Hyundai has claimed that E-GMP cars could make enough power to provide 0-60 mph times of 3.5 seconds. The platform also supports 800-volt fast charging at a rate of 350-kW. Related Video:

CES 2021, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, and driving the Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 PHEV | Autoblog Podcast #660

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by West Coast Editor James Riswick. They talk about driving Ford's Mustang Mach-E and F-150 plug-in hybrid, as well as the Ram TRX and Genesis GV80. They recap CES 2021, as well as the enormous display screens featured in new cars at the show. They also discuss the reveal of the new three-row Jeep Grand Cherokee L. Lastly, they reach into the mailbag to talk about vehicle comfort. Autoblog Podcast #660 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown What we're driving2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium AWD 2021 Ford F-150 Platinum PHEV 2021 Ram 1500 TRX 2021 Genesis GV80 Other news CES 2021 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Mailbag Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: