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Editors’ Picks March 2023 | Hot hatch galore and some great luxury SUVs

This month of Editors’ Picks sees us hand out a pair of nods to the best hot hatchbacks money can buy these days, the Honda Civic Type R and Toyota GR Corolla. You can read more about how they compare in our head-to-head comparison test, but both have their advantages, and we can highly recommend buying either of them. Then we head to Europe to recognize a couple of SUVs that just went through mid-cycle refreshes and came out on the other side just as lovable as they were before. In case you missed our previous Editors' Picks posts, hereÂ’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get an EditorsÂ’ Pick designation. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. The list that youÂ’ll find below consists of every car we rated in January that earned an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2023 Honda Civic Type R 2023 Honda Civic Type R front low View 34 Photos Quick take: The Honda Civic Type R embodies what at means to be a hot hatch. It's the best FWD car we've ever driven, and because it's a Civic, it excels with a spacious and pretty interior, too. This is the full package. Score: 8.5 What it competes with: Toyota GR Corolla, VW Golf R Pros: Sublime driving dynamics, magical shifter, gorgeous and utilitarian interior Cons: An expensive proposition, lacks basic luxuries like heated seats From the editors: Senior Editor James Riswick — "The Civic Type R is a resolutely composed performance machine that sufficiently builds upon the delightful man-machine interfaces found in the increasingly impressive trio of Civic Sport Touring, Civic Si and Acura Integra A-Spec. ItÂ’s even more fun and capable at higher speeds, yet remains just as forgiving and easy to drive. The 2023 Honda Civic Type R sure seems all grown up. Maybe itÂ’s because IÂ’m almost in my 40s, (ugh) but I see absolutely nothing wrong with this. The Type R magic is not lost." In-depth analysis: 2023 Honda Civic Type R First Drive Review: All grown up isn't so bad   2023 Toyota GR Corolla 2023 Toyota GR Corolla Circuit front three quarter low View 39 Photos Quick take: The GR Corolla is a serious performance machine that is sure to please any enthusiast with its brilliant driving dynamics. It's only let down by a cheap-feeling and small interior that doesn't lend well to daily driver duty.

Toyota launches new Passo hatchback in Japan [w/video]

With considerable manufacturing capacity here in the United States and even a NASCAR program, it'd be all too easy to categorize Toyota as an American automaker. Only it's not. It's Japanese, of course. And back in the Japanese Domestic Market, it offers a whole range of models we'll never see in North America. Models like the Crown sedan, Noah minivan and this, the new Passo hatchback.
Sold in various markets as the Daihatsu Boon, Daihatsu Sirion, Perodua Myvi and (for a time) the Subaru Justy, the Toyota Passo is a compact hatchback that slots in size-wise between the Yaris sold in America and the Aygo offered in Europe (except the Passo is taller than either).
Power comes from a 1.0-liter engine with 69 horsepower that can be had in front- or all-wheel drive, or a 1.3 driving 95 horses to the front wheels alone. A continuously variable transmission is on duty regardless of engine choice. Front-drive models get a stop/start system, but even all-wheel-drive versions are eligible for government tax credits. That's because, though the new Passo only appears to be mildly updated, the engines have been thoroughly reworked to deliver 30-percent better fuel economy than the previous model, coming in 20-percent better than the standards being enacted by the Japanese government for next year.

Recharge Wrap-up: First EV to attempt Dakar Rally, Mazda makes bioplastic parts

Zap and Jonway Auto brought their Urbee EV and their new Falcon A-380 SUV to the Peru Motor Show in Lima. Jonway sells its SUV and minivan in Lima through Dai-Ichi Motors, which displayed the cars at the show. According to the companies, their cars "received tremendous interest from the public," including private citizens as well as groups who would use the EVs for security guard service or campus use. Read more in the press release below. California is the US leader when it comes to EVs. In 2013, California had 70,000 battery electric and 104,000 plug-in hybrids. The state boasts almost half of the country's electric vehicles, thanks largely to state and local EV incentives that go beyond the federal tax rebate. California also leads the way in legislation, and nine other states have adopted California's ZEV mandate. Washington, Maryland, Georgia and DC also have their own EV incentives, while some utility companies also offer benefits for EV owners in other states. Still, EV sales have only made up about 0.7 percent of new vehicle sales in 2014. Read more at the US Energy Information Administration website. Toyota will be using landfill gas to help power its Kentucky manufacturing facility. Beginning in 2015, Toyota's Georgetown assembly plant will use electricity converted from landfill-sourced methane gas from Waste Services of the Bluegrass. It will provide enough energy to produce 10,000 vehicles each year. Plus it diverts methane - a greenhouse gas - from entering the atmosphere and helps improve the local air quality. Learn more in the video or Toyota's press release below. Mazda has developed a plant-derived bioplastic for making exterior and interior parts. The dyed plastic doesn't require painting, and it reduces petroleum consumption and carbon emissions in the manufacturing process. The bioplastic will be used for interior parts in the all-new MX-5 before being put into use on the exterior of future vehicles. Mazda will display prototype parts at the Eco-Products 2014 exhibit in Tokyo. Read more in the press release below. Acciona will enter the first-ever zero-emissions vehicle (pictured) to compete in the Dakar Rally. The vehicle uses an electric motor and lithium ion batteries, as well as solar panels to power telemetry and security systems. The Dakar Rally will take place from January 4 through 17 through Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. See Acciona's Dakar EV in the video and read more in the press release below.