2014 - Ford Mustang on 2040-cars

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Petrolicious pays visit to tuning sensation the Ringbrothers

We caught up with a few projects from Ringbrothers at SEMA this year: a classic Ford Mustang body rendered in carbon fiber, and a De Tomaso Pantera-based concept that made us swoon.
It's with good timing then, that our friends at Petrolicious have uploaded their newest, well-crafted mini-documentary to the expansive airwaves of the Internet. Here, we meet the brothers Ring in person - Mike and Jim - and see how they've lent they're passion for craftsmanship to their business, along with their surname. A 1964 Ford Fairlane dubbed "Afterburner" and a 1965 Mustang called "Producer" star in this show.

2020 Ford Escape, Lincoln Corsair ace crash tests, earn Top Safety Pick from IIHS

The redesigned 2020 Ford Escape and its platform-mate, the 2020 Lincoln Corsair, have both just completed their bout of crash tests at the hands of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and while they did not emerge unscathed, they did come away with the agency's Top Safety Pick Award. One caveat: The rating only applies to the Escape equipped with the available LED headlights, which were deemed Acceptable. Similarly, the Corsair needs the available curve-adaptive LED headlights, also rated Acceptable, in order to achieve Top Safety Pick. The Escape's standard halogen headlights scored only a Marginal rating, while the Corsair's base LED headlights were deemed Poor due to glare. Those low headlight ratings knock the vehicles out of contention for Top Safety Pick. Had either vehicle offered headlights able to achieve a Good rating, that would have been enough to get them the agency's Top Safety Pick+ rating. Outside of their headlights, the 2020 Escape and Corsair acquitted themselves well. The Escape saw a big improvement in the difficult small-overlap front crash test, going from a Poor result in the previous generation to Good with the new one. The Corsair performed identically, and both achieved Good ratings in all six crash tests. The IIHS also tests automatic emergency-braking systems, and the standard and optional systems in the Escape and the Corsair both earned Superior ratings.

12 best hybrid SUVs for 2022

If you're searching for the best hybrid SUV, the truth is there actually aren't that many choices. While there's an endless sea of those powered solely by gasoline, those that add batteries and superior fuel economy to the mix are few and far between. The very good news, however, is that the choices you have are actually excellent. The top-selling and top-rated Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are not only available as hybrids, for instance, but are actually at their most appealing as hybrids.  Luxury hybrid SUVs are a different story. While Lexus offers each of its crossover SUVs as a conventional hybrid, those of other brands are by and large plug-in hybrids that provide a relatively brief amount of all-electric propulsion, superior fuel economy and higher prices that are somewhat countered by EV tax rebates. We include both conventional hybrids and plug-in hybrids in the below list of best hybrid SUVs. All are listed alphabetically within each category. Best small hybrid SUVs   |   Best midsize hybrid SUVs Best luxury hybrid SUVs   |   Best luxury plug-in hybrid SUVs Best small hybrid SUVs Honda CR-V Hybrid Why it stands out: Best-in-class back seat space; hybrid's distinctive EV-like power delivery; middle lower LATCH anchorCould be better: Antiquated and glitchy tech interface; a bit dull Hybrid fuel economy: 38 mpg combined (AWD only) Read our 2022 Honda CR-V Review Consider the CR-V the baseline for any compact SUV search. Objectively speaking, it's tough to beat due to its massive cargo capacity, voluminous back seat, well-balanced driving dynamics, competitive pricing and features, strong safety ratings and well-regarded reliability. In terms of its hybridness, we like that Honda's distinctive hybrid system sees most of its propulsion handled by the electric motor (the engine rarely powers the wheels directly), resulting in a more EV-like, torque-rich power delivery and a less obtrusive gas engine. For the vast majority of compact SUV buyers, and especially families, the CR-V Hybrid checks every box.    Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Why it stands out: Beautiful interior; excellent infotainment and safety technology; traditional automatic transmissionCould be better: No spare tire; styling a tad outrageous Hybrid fuel economy: 37-38 mpg combined (AWD only) Plug-in hybrid electric range: 33 miles Plug-in hybrid fuel economy: 80 MPGe Read our 2022 Hyundai Tucson Review The Tucson is the new kid in town and it's made quite an entrance.