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Cars we're thankful we drove in 2019

We drove a lot of cars in 2019, and there's still a month to go. We drove them in our home office in Michigan, at our remote offices in Seattle, Portland, Ore., and Columbus, Ohio, and throughout the globe on myriad press launches. We could count them, but hey, that seems boastful.  Instead, we want to be thankful. Not only for the opportunity to do this wonderful task some might describe as a "job," but for the new, shiny cars that brighten our days (and most hopefully yours). We asked our fellow editors which car they were most thankful to drive in 2019 ... here are our answers. 2019 Hyundai Veloster N Performance Senior Editor Alex Kierstein Every once in a while a car comes along that changes the narrative on a company or its segment, and everyone scrambles to experience it for themselves. This year, for me, that car’s the Veloster N Performance, perhaps the most transformative car the companyÂ’s ever built. Everyone whoÂ’s driven it, here and elsewhere, says it captures all those intangibles that make great driving hatchbacks great. And IÂ’m thankful that I got a go in it before all of them left the fleet, because it does. It upends the segment long dominated by the GTI, a car that nails its brief. The N is rowdy and loud, sure, but it also has some of the most deftly tuned suspension IÂ’ve come across in a front driver. My advice: if youÂ’re in the market for something fun and unique, go test drive a Veloster N. I think youÂ’ll be thankful you did. 2019 Hyundai Veloster N View 47 Photos 2019 Audi E-Tron Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder IÂ’m pleased that I got to drive the Audi E-Tron. ThatÂ’s high praise for a year in which I also drove the stellar Jaguar I-Pace. The E-Tron, while not as sporty as the Jaguar, is excellently executed, and feels like a more refined, polished offering. ItÂ’s quick, whisper-quiet, comfortable, stylish inside and out, and incredibly sturdy. Some may lament that it doesnÂ’t do much to stand out from ICE vehicles, but I donÂ’t think it needs to. What it does need to do is win over the electro-skeptical, and I think Audi put its best foot forward with a crossover that can do just that, and more. So, yeah, not only am I thankful that I got to drive it, IÂ’m glad that itÂ’s compelling enough that itÂ’ll hopefully make potential customers feel the same. 2020 Audi E-Tron View 13 Photos 2013 Peugeot 508 West Coast Editor James Riswick My choice totally sucks.

Mazda hard at work on Skyactiv 2 engine technology

As Mazda continues the current rollout of its still-new Skyactiv technology, the automaker is already looking at improving its family of engines for even better fuel economy and emissions reductions. Automotive News reports that with stricter fuel economy and emissions regulations planned for 2020 and 2025 in Europe, Mazda will likely release engines with next-generation Skyactiv 2 technology by the end of this decade, and Skyactiv 3 units just five years later.
The latter is expected to focus on improved engine cooling and lessening energy losses, but the big news in AN's report is that the next-gen Skyactiv 2 engines will use Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition, or HCCI. This type of ignition is very similar to how a diesel engine operates (with high compression and using the compression stroke for fuel combustion rather than spark plugs), a method said to provide a cleaner and more efficient fuel burn - to the tune of a 30-percent improvement in fuel economy compared to current Skyactiv engines. Other automakers, including Hyundai, have already announced they are developing HCCI powerplants with similar technology and characteristics, so Mazda likely won't be a lone wolf here.
Equipped with HCCI technology, Mazda figures to be able to compete with larger automakers in terms of fuel economy and emissions without resorting to hybrid powertrains, continuously variable transmissions or automatics relying on more forward gears (eight or more) for optimal efficiency. Some of the challenges of HCCI, according to AN, include the need for better engine cooling, risk of misfire at high and low rpm and uneven engine performance based on fuel properties.

Race-inspired Mazda 3, CX-5, and Miata look great with white letter tires

At the 2020 Tokyo Auto Salon, a customization show that is kind of like SEMA but definitely not the same, manufacturers promote what is available and explore what's possible. Mazda brought a variety of vehicles to the show, but none more intriguing than the Mazda Motorsports Miata, Mazda3, and CX-5 concepts. The trio has race-inspired graphics, as well as a slew of visual and mechanical changes. The three vehicles have a core pack of changes, then each one has its own signature pieces to create some differentiation. The roadster, hatchback, and crossover have height-adjustable suspensions, upgraded brakes, MazdaSpeed tow hooks, circular number body decals, new wheel nuts, Alcantara steering wheels and shift knobs, special heel plates, MazdaSpeed six-point harnesses, and MazdaSpeed sport seats. The Miata and 3 have Fujitsubo stainless mufflers, while the CX-5 has a slightly different exhaust. The Roadster appropriately has the most involved individual upgrades. It has a body kit with front, side, and rear alterations, and it sits on RAYS ZE40 17x7.5J wheels wrapped in Potenza RE-71R 215 / 45R17 rubber with beautiful white lettering. It also has a Cusco roll bar, a MazdaSpeed rear spoiler, a MazdaSpeed strut bar, and a MazdaSpeed lower arm bar. Inside, the door trim, decoration panel, shift boot, center console lid, and parking brake boot are draped in Alcantara. An aluminum pedal set is adds a final touch of polish. On the Mazda 3 hatchback, the aero kit is specifically noted to be "Signature Style." Mazda also upgraded the strut bar and lower arm bar, and threw on Rays ZE40 18x7.5J wheels in Potenza RE-71R 215 / 45R18 tires, also with white lettering. Black mirror caps, a scuff plate, and a sports pedal set complete the concept. On the CX-5, Mazda made it sportier but also added some crossover-focused features, too.. It has Mazda-styled aero, an Auto Exe sports muffler Rays G25EDGE F1 20x8.5J wheels, Bridgestone ALENZA001 255 / 45R20 tires with white lettering, and a new wheel nut set. It also has a scuff plate, premium floor mats, a premium luggage mat, and sports pedals. For now, these are only concepts, with no word as to whether anything similar could hit Japanese markets, let alone U.S. shores. A Mazda engineer previously said a MazdaSpeed3 wouldn't happen, but the company is reportedly considering a 3 with a 250-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine.  Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party.