In the News – Page 9 – RPM News Weekly

2024 Kia Telluride SX-Prestige X-Line V6 AWD

4-19-24 Featured Vehicle

Perhaps you’ve noticed a lot more of the Kia Telluride on the roads these days. It’s not surprising. Having won a slew of Best Family Car awards this year has not only driven sales, but it also accounts for the many things Kia has done right with their full lineup of vehicles.

We here at RPM News Weekly had the opportunity to take the 2024 Telluride SX-Prestige X-Line edition for a weeklong test drive. Our colleagues in the automotive press have certainly gotten it right to award this vehicle. The Telluride clearly has a bounty to offer families seeking a three-row SUV – solid performance, ample roominess and plenty of amenities to please everyone onboard.

If there’s anything to hedge on in this love-fest with the model, it’s that we wish it had a bit more fuel economy and tad more softness to the ride. Nothing over the top, just a little more icing on the cake.

In any case, we’ve put together this slide show of the SX-Prestige X-Line that we drove. We hope it gives you some sense of how well-equipped this particular trim is. At $54,540, which includes $990 in options and a $1,365 freight and handling charge, one should consider it competitively priced for a vehicle at the high end of the lineup. In the coming week, check out our YouTube channel for a video version of this presentation, and subscribe for all the updates.

RPM News Weekly Photos by Rich Taber

STANDARD SX-PRESTIGE AWD FEATURES

MECHANICAL

3.8L Gas Direct Injection V6 Engine
8-Speed Automatic Transmission
Active On-Demand All Wheel Drive

ADVANCED DRIVER-ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS

Forward Collision Avoidance (Cyclist, Junction Turning)
Blind-Spot Collision Warning
Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist
Safe Exit Assist & Highway Driving Assist 2
Parking Distance Warning – Forward / Reverse
Smart Cruise Control w/Stop & Go
Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist – Reverse

SAFETY

Dual Front, Driver’s Knee, Full-Length Side Curtain Airbags
1st & 2nd Row Outboard Seat-Mounted Side Airbags

EXTERIOR

20″ Alloy Wheels
Dual Sunroofs (2nd Row Fixed)
LED Projection Headlights
Smart Power Liftgate
Pwr Folding Heated Outside Mirrors w/Turn Signals
Roof Rails and Rear Privacy Glass

INTERIOR, COMFORT & CONVENIENCE

Dual 12.3″ Screen Panoramic Display w/ Navigation
Surround View Monitor & Blind-Spot View Monitor
Head-Up Display
Kia Connect w/Free 12-Mo. Trial.* Where Available**
SIRIUSXM® w/Free 3-Mo. Subscription*
Harman/Kardon Premium Audio System
Smart Key w/ Push Button & Remote Start
Digital Rear View Mirror & 110V Inverter Outlet
Wireless Phone Charger
Nappa Leather Seat Trim
Memory Driver’s Seat
Heated & Ventilated Power Adjustable Front Seats
Heated & Ventilated 2nd Row Captain’s Chairs (2 Seats)
Smartphone Digital Key* (Requires Kia Connect**)
Rear Occupant Alert w/Ultrasonic Sensors
Heated Steering Wheel

WARRANTY

10 Year/100,000 Mile Limited Powertrain Warranty
5 Year/60,000 Mile Limited Basic Warranty
5 Year/60,000 Mile Roadside Assistance

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MANUFACTURER’S SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $52,185.00

COMPARE SX-P X-LINE AWD FEATURES
Added to/in place of standard SX-P AWD features

X-Line 20″ Black Alloy Wheels included
X-Line Exterior Styling included
Self-Leveling Rear Suspension included
Tow Mode included

ADDITIONAL INSTALLED EQUIPMENT:
In addition to or in place of standard features

Wolf Gray Paint $495.00
Carpeted Floor Mats $225.00
Cargo Cover $155.00
Carpet Cargo Mat $115.00
w/Seatback Protection

MSRP INCLUDING OPTIONS $53,175.00

INLAND FREIGHT AND HANDLING $1,365.00

TOTAL MANUFACTURER’S SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE $54,540.00

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2024 Toyota Grand Highlander Platinum 4WD

4-12-24 Featured Vehicle

Just about a month ago the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander was featured on our weekly Rick’sTech Talk podcast. At that time we had no in-house photos of the vehicle to present to our viewers. Now we do.

Please enjoy our slide show of this surprisingly agile new entry in the brawny SUV class. Our chosen location for the exterior shoot was the city of New Bedford, Massachusetts. This old New England whaling city once provided the world with the cleanest burning lamp oil money could buy. Fortunes change but the evidence of the wealth that once flowed through the city remain particularly in its architecture. The Grand Highlander fits right in.

RPM News Weekly Photos by Rich Taber

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2023 Volvo S60 T8 Recharge AWD Ultimate Black Edition

4-05-24 Featured Vehicle

Luxury can be a peculiar commodity – partly perception, bordering on extravagance, but with a whole lot of expensive necessities. The 2023 Volvo S60 T8 Recharge AWD Ultimate Black Edition just might qualify as a perfect example of this. If anything, our week-long test drive of the PHEV convinced us that this five-passenger sedan’s Scandinavian upbringing remains intact in its restrained elegance, explosive performance and impeccable niceties.

We’re not sure that anyone shops for Volvo looking for the ultimate luxury sport sedan. Nevertheless, the S60 T8 Recharge certainly has the power and speed to fit the requirements with its combined gas/electric 455 horsepower launching 4,450+ pounds from zero to 60 in around 4.3 seconds. It falls off the mark a bit when it comes to sport handling, but it more than makes up for this on the luxury side of its curriculum vitae especially if one remembers to kick in the extra $3,200 for the Bowers and Wilkins Premium Sound System to overrule any lapses in serenity. Why have illuminated door handles, a tailored dashboard, air purification and some of the best seats in the business if you’re not going to have superior audio throughout the cabin?

We’ve put together this photo gallery for you to enjoy. It’s a beautiful vehicle. Take a look.

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge T8 AWD Ultimate Black Edition steering wheel

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge T8 AWD Ultimate Black Edition cockpit

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge T8 AWD Ultimate Black Edition center console & shifter

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge T8 AWD Ultimate Black Edition shifter & cup holders

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge T8 AWD Ultimate Black Edition cockpit side view

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge T8 AWD Ultimate Black Edition driver's seat

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge T8 AWD Ultimate Black Edition rear seat console controls

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge T8 AWD Ultimate Black Edition dashboard

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge T8 AWD Ultimate Black Edition speaker

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge T8 AWD Ultimate Black Edition rear seat legroom

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge T8 AWD Ultimate Black Edition taillight

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge T8 AWD Ultimate Black Edition trunk

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge T8 AWD Ultimate Black Edition engine

2023 Volvo S60 Recharge T8 AWD Ultimate Black Edition front 3/4 view

RPM News Weekly Photos by Rich Taber

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2024 New York International Auto Show Highlights: Polestar Lineup

The Polestar brand shows off its latest EV at the 2024 New York International Auto Show.

It seems like tough times for EVs right now, at least that’s what many in mainstream media appear to want you to think at the moment. The reality is that the EV market share is still growing, maybe not as fast as predicted, but the number of EVs on the road is steadily increasing.

Like the EV market as a whole, the premium-focused Polestar EV lineup is also expanding, and this week the brand shows off its latest EV at the 2024 New York International Auto Show – the Polestar 4, a model that has clearly set itself to rival the Tesla Model Y.

The Polestar brand has a peculiar history, starting in 1996 as an independent racing team that modified Volvos, and only becoming an official brand partner in 2009. Volvo eventually purchased Polestar in 2015 and began selling special Polestar-enhanced models until 2017. Volvo then announced that Polestar, which started out modifying gas-powered Volvos, would become an all-electric sub-brand of Volvo, a move that seemed to make no sense since Volvo was already a premium automaker with a goal toward producing all-electric vehicles.

More recently, however, Volvo announced that they no longer would be supporting the EV brand, which seemed to do wonders for their stock price but makes little difference to Polestar since Volvo’s parent company Geely immediately announced that they would be stepping in to fund the company.

To clarify things, Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath stated, “We look forward to continued cooperation with Volvo Cars as well as benefiting from even greater synergies with Geely on future-oriented technologies.”

So, in essence, Polestar, a company that was owned in part by Volvo, a Geely-owned company is now being handed off to Geely, who will assume full ownership, demonstrating how the ownership of automotive brands in this day and age can be bizarrely convoluted.

Polestar Display at the 2024 New York Auto Show.

But putting that aside, with this year’s event being Polestar’s first showcase at the New York Auto Show it’s particularly poignant that it comes at a time when some of the very brands they aim to take business from – namely BMW and Mercedes-Benz – don’t seem to see the value in doing auto shows.

Polestar CEO Ingenlath commented, “We are proud to present the extension of our model range at the NYIAS. 2024 will be an outstanding year for our young brand as we show the full strength and potential of Polestar. Both our SUVs target one of the fastest growing segments in the industry, positioning the brand for strong volume growth and margin progression from the second half of the year.”

For Polestar this is the beginning of a product offensive that starts with the ramp-up of the Polestar 4 and will eventually lead to the introduction of the 4-door, all-electric Polestar 5 GT car and the Polestar 6 Roadster.

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Polestar 3 & 4 on Display at the 2024 New York International Autoshow

2024 New York Auto Show Highlights: Genesis GV60 Magma & Neolun Concepts

Besides building attractive and attainable luxury vehicles, Genesis also excels at delivering stunning, show-stealing concept cars.

Genesis continues to gain momentum as a premier premium auto brand, challenging old-guard luxury-performance manufacturers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz. At the 2024 New York International Auto Show Genesis revealed its GV60 Magma Concept, a precursor to the future of Genesis performance under the performance-focused Magma brand. In addition, the Genesis Neolun Concept took a bow, giving showgoers a preview of what will likely become the brand’s new flagship all-electric GV90 SUV.

The brand has come a long way since officially spinning off from Hyundai in 2015, gradually expanding its luxury-performance lineup from the flagship G90 sedan to include the enthusiast-favorite G70, the midsize G80 sedan, the all-electric GV60, and an extensive SUV lineup comprising the GV70, GV70 Electrified, GV80, and the upcoming GV80 Coupe.

Genesis Neolund Rear
Genesis Concepts at the 2024 New York Auto Show.
Genesis Concepts at the 2024 New York Auto Show.
Genesis Neolun Concept
Genesis Neolun Concept Exterior Mirror
Genesis Neolun Concept
Genesis Neolun Concept Interior
Genesis Neolun Concept

Besides building attractive, tech-savvy luxury vehicles, Genesis also excels at delivering stunning, show-stealing concept cars, including the G70 precursor, the Genesis New York concept, the X Speedium coupe, the X Convertible, the 2018 Essentia supercar, and its successor, the X Gran Berlinetta.

X Gran Berlinetta Vision Gran Turismo Concept unveiled at the 2023 Gran Turismo World Series Finals in Barcelona.

GV60 Magma Concept

Genesis continues to attract new buyers, introduce models, and make waves in the luxury market, but there’s one thing that has been missing until now, a performance sub-brand. You can’t have Mercedes without AMG, BMW without BMW M, or Audi without their RS lineup, can you?

Enter the not so subtly-colored GV60 Magma Concept.

We’ve always been fans of the all-electric Genesis GV60. RPM’s Rich Taber had several nice things to say about the model in his recent review of the 2024 GV60 Performance here on RPM News Weekly.

Wait, Genesis already has a GV60 Performance variant, you ask? Can they make it even better? Yes, while the GV60 Performance includes a short list of features to make the GV60 faster and more agile, the GV60 Magma Concept, according to Genesis takes it to a new level.

The current GV60 Performance AWD already makes a good car even better; checking the Performance AWD box not only gets you a net 429 horsepower and 516 lb.-ft of torque, but the 10-second Boost-Mode temporarily bumps power to 483 horsepower. It’s not all about power, the GV60 Performance AWD also adds larger brakes with 4-piston front brake calipers, an electronically-controlled suspension with road preview, and an electronically controlled mechanical limited-slip differential.

Genesis GV60 Concept — *Genesis GV60 Magma Concept*

The GV60 Magma elevates the performance of the GV60 by incorporating improved battery and motor technology along with a lowered, widened stance and enhanced aerodynamics. Inside, the GV60 Magma features bucket seats with body-colored seatbacks and upholstery crafted from Nappa leather and suede.

Genesis hasn’t released any specs for the GV60 Magma, but if it offers more performance than the current model — not that the current model is a slouch — then we can only assume it’s going to be good.

Genesis Neolun Concept

Similar to how the Genesis New York concept that was previewed back in 2016 would become the production G70, the Genesis Neolun Concept serves as a precursor to the brand’s upcoming flagship SUV, the all-electric GV90.

In typical concept car flair, the Genesis Neolun features fantasticly wide coach doors with no B-pillar, opening up the whole side of the vehicle for easy access. While we’ve seen this design before, most recently on the Lincoln Navigator Concept in 2016, it often remains a feature that looks impressive on stage but rarely comes to fruition in production.

However, perhaps that will change, as a line in the Neolun press release seems to suggest that the doors could make it to production. According to Genesis, “Development of the B-pillarless coach doors has reached a level where their application to production vehicles is now feasible.”

Sounds like a definite maybe.

The exterior design of the Neolun Concept showcases what Genesis calls the principle of “reductive design — characterized by clean, refined lines that deliberately eliminate any unnecessary details.”

Genesis concepts at the 2024 New York Auto Show. — Genesis Neolund Rear

With no unnecessary lines and rounded edges, the body of the Neolun Concept is refreshingly minimalist, especially when compared to some of the models from Genesis brand mates Hyundai and Kia. Exterior lighting is flush all around and evolves the Genesis current two-line styling theme.

The interior of the Neolun Concept is spacious, featuring luxurious seating for four with Royal Indigo-colored cashmere upholstery and vintage-look purple leather. The floor is adorned with dark-colored real wood, creating a comfortable lounge space to hang out. However, any production model will likely offer a more practical three-row configuration.

Genesis Concepts throughout the years:

2024 New York Auto Show Highlights: Downey’s Dream Cars.

Robert Downey, Jr. spends his time rebuilding antique and classic cars on TV and promoting the Footprint Coalition a non-profit he co-founded to help “create a world of sustainable abundance.”

Unless you live under a rock, you likely have heard of Robert Downey, Jr. He’s a billionaire, philanthropist, playboy… no wait… that’s his alter ego Tony Stark aka Iron Man, a role from which Downey retired after 2019’s Avengers: Endgame.

Now that he’s done with Marvel blockbusters, RDJ spends his time rebuilding antique and classic cars on TV and promoting the Footprint Coalition, a non-profit he co-founded to help “create a world of sustainable abundance.”

You may be thinking that old cars and sustainable abundance are on opposite sides of the spectrum, and they are, unless, of course, you’re building those old cars to be more environmentally friendly through the use of modern technology. That’s the premise of the MAX TV show ‘Downey’s Dream Cars‘.

If you didn’t guess from the title, ‘Downey’s Dream Cars‘ is hosted by Robert Downey, Jr. and follows builders from around the United States as they rebuild and resto-mod cars from Downey’s collection with improvements to make them more efficient while, at the same time, working to keep them as original as possible.

What’s great about the show is that it’s not just a lecture on converting all old cars into EVs, but rather a thought-provoking exploration of how even classics can be enhanced with more powerful and efficient modern drivetrains. Some of the modifications showcased on the show include an El Camino powered by a 2.7-liter turbocharged inline 4-cylinder Chevy Silverado engine, a biodiesel-swapped Mercedes-Benz 280SE, and a Chevy LS-powered 1966 Buick Riviera with a roof-mounted Aclima sensor to help monitor and map air pollution. Of course, there are a few EV conversions in the group including a 1972 Volkswagen Bus, a 1972 Chevy K10, and a 1965 Corvette Stingray Convertible.

If you plan to attend the 2024 New York Auto Show, you’ll have a chance to check out the cars in person that were featured on the show. FYI, it may be the last time to do so, since the entire collection is being raffled off to benefit the Footprint Coalition. Be sure to stop by and enter to win. Alternatively, if you can’t attend, you can enter to win online, by visiting the RDJ Dream Cars website.

Here’s a look at the collection on display at the 2024 NYIAS