#Lotus Launches All-Electric Hyper-SUV, The Eletre

[Auto Styling News]

The all-new and all-electric Lotus Eletre is a strikingly gorgeous SUV. It takes the core principles and Lotus DNA from more than 70 years of sports car design and engineering, evolving them into a desirable all-new lifestyle car from the British automaker. (* Now 51% owned by Chinese automaker Geely Holdings, 49% owned by a Malaysian holding company.)

Eletre has an elegant and highly exotic look, with active aerodynamics and a dramatic, porous design. The use of pioneering sustainable materials is just icing on this delicious looking cake.

With it's high stance and gaping maw up front, it instantly reminds one of the Lamborghini SUV, Urus, which will be direct competitor in this segment, along with the Aston Martin DBX 707 and the upcoming Ferrari Purosangue. The Tesla Plaid also has to be mentioned in the same breath as these supercars.

Of course, to compete in this realm means one has to look absolutely stunning, in this vehicle delivers.

An all-glass roof offers much light to the interior greenhouse. 

The car has more creases and indentations then the face of an octogenarian actor. Heavy creases on the doors is this car look right, though, and give it an exotic feel. The rear features taillamps hidden in deep crevices, and an elegant light bar. 

The rear of the car is dominated by a carbon fiber spoiler that has its center removed so that it resembles wings, a look inspired by racing vehicles, the company says.

Despite being electric, the company says it offers a true Lotus experience. Optimal structural rigidity and active dynamics, combined with a potent blend of high power and torque, provide the kind of performance that is expected from a Lotus.

The vehicle - which Lotus claims is a "hyper SUV" - might very well live up to that hype, since it will deliver a stunning 900 horsepower and have a 373-mile range on a charge. This more than makes it a strong competitor with the other, gas-powered luxury SUVs in this class.

The company crows, "With powerful electric motors and a low centre of gravity, this new icon makes ordinary driving, extraordinary."

Unlike earlier Lotus models, which could have sparse interiors, this one looks as lush and gorgeous as the exterior.

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Auto Styling News is a blog that covers car concepts, newly released models, and the auto industry.

#Maserati Set To Unveil Small SUV Grecale

[Auto Styling News]

The Maserati Grecale has been spotted with no camouflage for the first time ahead of a public debut tomorrow, March 22. 

New images posted on Instagram by Wilco Blok show the Porsche Macan rival in full production-spec bodywork. 

It was wearing some of the promotional stickers seen in some recent teaser images, but largely appears as it will at a full official unveiling tomorrow.

The Grecale, named for a Mediterranean wind system, is the second SUV from the Italian automaker, the first being the larger Levante.
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Auto Styling News is a blog that covers car concepts, newly released models, and the auto industry.

#Nissan Unveils Electric #Ariya SUV

[Auto Styling News]

The all-new 2023 Nissan Ariya electric crossover model is getting closer to its upcoming U.S. on-sale date with the opening of a special reservation portal, giving customers the opportunity to be one of the first to purchase the most advanced and connected Nissan vehicle ever.  

Four Nissan Ariya SUV models will initially be available for sale in late 2022.

The preliminary 2023 Ariya reservation model lineup, specifications and initial MSRP starts at $45,950 for the Venture+ front-wheel drive model. Pricing for additional Ariya models will be announced at a later date.

Additionally, the first 10,000 reservations made before Jan. 31, 2022 will qualify for a two year free EVgo membership plus $500 in charging credits upon purchase. That's worth up to an estimated 5,000 miles of EV driving for the Ariya Venture+.

The all-new Ariya is "the embodiment of the new Nissan," says Michael Colleran, senior vice president, Nissan U.S. and Marketing and Sales. "Ariya leverages our decade of expertise selling mass-market EVs, uniquely positioning Nissan and our dealers to deliver both a thrilling vehicle and outstanding ownership experience."

The company says the Ariya will be a cornerstone to the Nissan NEXT global transformation plan and is the first production model to represent the company’s new electrified brand identity.

Nissan has for years sold electric vehicles like the Leaf, but this SUV is taking this to the next level.

Visually, this crossover bears a scary similarity to several others hitting the market this year and next. The front end, at least, bears Nissan's signature styling, but the sides and rear could be mistaken for a Hyundai, or a KIA. Or the new electric Ford Mustang SUV.

Not that it's in any way unpleasant to look at, it's just that once a trend gets started, every car company copies it, endlessly.

Nissan has announced a target that more than 40 percent of its U.S. vehicle sales by 2030 will be fully electric, with even more to be electrified. 

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Auto Styling News is a blog that covers car concepts, newly released models, and the auto industry.

#Rivian Electric Trucks Set To Launch With $69k Starting Price [Auto Styling News]

You may know all about the Cybertruck and its developer, serial entrepreneur Elon Musk, but you might have to get to know Rivian and its founder and CEO, RJ Scaringe as well, if you want to keep up with the latest in electric trucks.

Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian unveiled its highly anticipated Electric Adventure Vehicles - the R1T, an all-electric pickup and the R1S, an all-electric SUV — launched at events surrounding the 2018 LA Auto Show. They're nearing their production schedule of late 2020.

The R1T, a 5-passenger pickup truck, debuted at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles on Nov. 26, and the R1S, a 7-passenger SUV, was revealed at the automaker’s press conference at Automobility on Nov. 27. 

With up to 400+ miles in electric range, a wading depth of 1 meter, lockable storage bins that can fit the bulkiest of gear, and the performance and precise control of quad-motor AWD, Rivian vehicles have been developed to help customers get out and explore the world. Both vehicles will be produced at Rivian’s manufacturing facility in Normal IL.

The company begins by producing, "two vehicles that reimagine the pickup and SUV segments,” says Scaringe. “I started Rivian to deliver products that the world didn’t already have - to redefine expectations through the application of technology and innovation. Starting with a clean sheet, we have spent years developing the technology to deliver the ideal vehicle for active customers.

The company launches with two trucks, the R1T and R1S. Both designs communicate strength and refinement while still inviting customers to get the vehicles dirty. Strong proportions and clean, continuous bodylines help achieve a modern, inviting stance while acknowledging the performance and level of technology integrated into the vehicles.

The main bodyline of the R1T, which wraps up and around the cab and gives the vehicle a distinctive silhouette, while highlighting the Gear Tunnel™ cutline and accentuating the rear fender flares. The R1S shares much of its appearance with the R1T but in the rear highlights a function-driven design expressing capability and utility with plenty of space for occupants and gear. 

Rivian R1T

Both vehicles feature short overhangs, high ground clearance and aggressive approach and departure angles for a confident and rugged stance, all enabled by Rivian’s unique skateboard platform. 

Perhaps most controversially, the Rivian trucks will be quickly recognized on the road with their iconic, signature “stadium” headlights and a daytime running light that extends the entire width of the vehicle. But then again, every part of the Cybertruck will look far LESS conventional than these trucks, which will bring to mind the Toyota FJ Cruiser or even the 2021 Ford Bronco.

The Rivian has a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting at $69,000. At this time, Rivian is taking $1,000 refundable deposits.

#Ford's All-Electric #Mustang Mach-E Stirs Controversy [Auto Styling News]

How do you stoke both controversy and excitement among auto enthusiasts at the same time? If you're Ford Motor Company, you launch your first all-electric SUV with an iconic CAR nameplate.

The Mustang Mach-E, slated for car lots in late 2020 as a 2021 model, did just that when it was released to the public last month. To put that venerable, nay, iconic, nameplate on an SUV of any kind of new vehicle (other than a traditional sedan) was going to be controversial. And it was. Internet reception was at times brutal, and scathing. 

A small sample from ONE ad Ford ran on Twitter: 

"I’ve owned 2 mustangs, you can call this a mustang, but it’s not." 

"This ain't a damn Mustang, Ford." 

"What’s next, a Mustang truck? Or scooter?" 

"I'm holding out for your Mustang minivan." 

"@Ford  hit me up for the $500 to reserve one of these, if the following conditions are met:

1. Remove all ‘Mustang’ from the name of this vehicle 2. Remove all pony’s from the vehicle. 3. Never refer to this as a ‘mustang’ again. Never."

"Mustang or Rav4? That thing is hideous."

And, damning with faint praise...

"It has the possibility of being a great vehicle but I agree should not have been called a Mustang."

Of course, the SUV-ing of the Mustang is par for the course for American automakers, who have all but declared a jihad on sedans with their traditional hood-and-trunk designs, which they've deemed "unsellable" to the American auto buyer. Tho, the American auto buyer apparently can't get enough of sedans produced by KIA, Hyundai, Honda, Toyota, BMW, Volvo, Volkswagen, Mazda, Mercedes, Audi, and others. Maybe they haven't got the memo.

In the Mach-E, which is advertised as going 300 miles on a charge and cost between $45,000 and $60,500, the hood, like a 1963 VW Beetle,  houses trunk space, due to the electric motor not needing an up-front location, and its air-cooling capabilities. This leads to the somewhat odd-looking grille, which isn't a grille at all, but a flat space, at the front end. 

The white colored Mach-Es will show more prominently the "fang" feature on this part of the car, a cut-out that adds at least some character to an otherwise blank space. That space on the darker (dark blue, dark silver, black offerings) looks like what a kid forgot to punch out of a plastic car model. To be fair, this mimics front ends on various Tesla models,  which also look like they don't know what to do with that space. The space does include a Mustang "leaping pony," and the front end has  headlamps that resemble the Mustang car's.

The rear features a by-the-numbers Mustang-like look, with three, evenly spaced lights and another leaping pony. The side view resembles the Jaguar I-Pace electric car and the weirdly named non-electric E-Pace. From the side, the rear also has a quick-drop-off featured on the Tesla X SUV. And one could also be forgiven for squinting and seeing the Ford Edge in the side view, and possibly also in the rear. The side also features the "almond shape" rear window design featured in DOZENS of bland SUVs on the market. Is there a Federal regulation that requires this?

Which is all to say: this design rips off a lot of other SUVs, and lacks originality.

The company will offer a variety of identical-looking versions of the Mach-E, including a "Select" at nearly $44,000, at "Premium" nearing $51k, a "California Route 1" at nearly $52k, at "First Edition" at $59,900 and for just a bit more, $60,500, a top-of-the-line "GT" model. It's unclear what features will be offered to warrant such a premium, and how these near-identical cars will justify the cost differential. 

But some of these terms (Premium, Select) have appeared on Ford Tauruses in the past, and usually amount to hipper rims, leather interiors, or more powerful engines. With a base electric range already advertised (the aforementioned 300 miles) it's hard to see how the more expensive versions will justify the higher cost.  

(Photos: Ford Mustang Mach-E website)

#KIA Introduces #Futuron Electric SUV #Concept

Kia Motors has revealed its new Futuron Concept, an illuminating all-wheel drive SUV coupe which signals design cues for future electric vehicles.

The Futuron Concept represents the modern and confident image of a progressive electric SUV coupe envisioned by Kia. The Futuron name itself is a portmanteau of ‘future’ and ‘on’, hinting at the switched-on, electric nature of future SUV designs from the brand.

With a design based around the notion of dynamic purity, the Futuron Concept merges elegant proportions with pure shapes and surfaces. Its lightweight SUV coupe body incorporates a fully-electric all-wheel drive powertrain, wrapped in bold yet modern exterior surfaces, and with a flexible, high-tech interior.

The Futuron made its public debut this month at the 2019 China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

The Kia Futuron Concept is built around a ‘360-degree’ design notable for its pure, smooth form devoid of ornament. The delicate diffusion of the body’s surfaces creates a series of taut, flowing shapes which twist, expand and contract around the body. The result is a sleek and streamlined shape, creating an aero-efficient profile.

The novel proportions of the car are immediately striking. Its low-profile SUV coupe body makes a strong statement of intent for Kia’s future cars, which will be confident, sporty and modern, yet also elegant.

The Futuron’s elevated ground clearance is matched with a low, lean body to create a dynamic, confident posture, that's at once aggressive and beautiful.

The Futuron’s fully-electric powertrain makes this shape possible. A high-capacity battery is mounted low in the vehicle’s body, beneath the cabin floor, providing electrical energy to four in-wheel electric motors. The elevated stance of the car is therefore matched with a low center of gravity and a cutting-edge e-AWD system which delivers lightning-fast responses to driver inputs.

The front fender flows backwards from the front of the hood before plunging into the cabin itself, establishing a connection between the driving seat and the road ahead. The concept’s roof is a diamond-shaped panoramic glasshouse which sits atop the 360-degree core, in the best traditions of UFO and flying saucer design. While flooding the cabin with natural light, it also extends down the bonnet to give drivers an unparalleled view ahead.

The glasshouse also incorporates a network of LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors capable of providing Level 4 autonomous driving features, enabling hands-off and eyes-off driving in most conditions.

Furthermore, the 360-degree theme is evident in the lighting that illuminates a sharp character line encircling the Futuron’s body. A playful and interactive new feature, this lighting responds to physical gestures and movements made outside the car, eliciting a close connection between vehicle and driver before they even set foot in the cabin.

The front of the Futuron features a new reinterpretation of Kia’s ‘tiger nose’ grille, a signature for Kia design now for over a decade. While maintaining the basic principle of the design – a clear outline with tabs in the middle – Kia’s designers have expanded the boundaries, widening the shape across the front of the car to create a restrained, yet elegant ‘tiger face.'

The newly-designed front of the car, like that of the Imagine by Kia Concept first revealed earlier in 2019, expresses a new design interpretation for Kia’s future electric vehicles.

With a wider ‘tiger face’ shape, the grille incorporates the Futuron’s headlamps, an innovative ‘Star Cloud’ design which gives the car a dazzling new night-time identity. The concept’s Star Cloud lighting not only highlights a new design form for the front of the car, but also embodies a new lighting concept for Kia, taking inspiration from nebulae in the night sky to create a geometric patchwork of matrix LED lighting. The Star Cloud is also incorporated into the rear of the car, displaying a distinct light signature to anyone following the Futuron.

Revealed for the first time in Shanghai, the Futuron also incorporates Chinese legend in the design and form of its new Star Cloud lighting. The Dragon Skin surface which covers the lighting area emulates the scaled armor that adorns Chinese dragons, both in mythology and modern-day cultural celebrations. The Star Cloud lighting incorporates a kinetic surface, enabling the car to alternate between daytime running lights and full-beam headlamps as the scales open and close.

#Nissan Xmotion Concept Signals Future Design Direction [Auto Styling News]

Nissan revealed the Xmotion concept at the 2018 Detroit International Auto Show this past week, and it signals the company's potential design for the early 2020s.

The six-passenger, three-row Nissan Xmotion (pronounced "cross motion") concept is a worthy successor to the company's long history of cutting-edge SUVs. The company says it is meant to fuse Japanese culture and traditional craftsmanship with American-style utility and new-generation Nissan Intelligent Mobility technology.

The Xmotion concept's stunning (or polarizing) exterior features a powerful dynamic presence, including unique U-shaped highlights and a bold evolution of Nissan's signature V-motion grille.

The concept's exterior features rugged, metal-crafted wheels and all-terrain tire design. Like the rest of vehicle, the mechanical tool-inspired wheels and all-terrain tires coexist as one piece, with the tire tread physically laminated over the 21-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. Additional exterior features include a retractable "rooftop box" and a unique tail light design inspired by Japanese woodwork.

With its long wheelbase, with wheels and tires pushed out to the extremes of the corners, the Xmotion concept allows for the creation of a fresh, "4+2" passenger layout. Featuring three rows of side-by-side individual seats, it's designed to provide a perfect space for a young couple, another couple and two children or pets in the third row.

The concept's "suicide" rear doors won't make it to production, of course, and a b-pillar will obviously be added to the car to accommodate proper rear doors that open to the front, rather than the back. Still, the concept is visually stunning, and will likely come to production, adding to the stunning design style we've come to expect from Nissan.

Why #Bentley Passed On Building A Real Winner [Auto Styling News]

The latest and most stunning design concept from Bentley is the EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept, revealed way back in 2015's Geneva motor show. The question must be asked: why hasn't it been built? (There's actually an answer. Read on.)

The Speed Six name recalls the gorgeous sporting Bentley of the late 1920s. And its design also evokes earlier eras.

As one would expect, it's a top of the line luxury sports car. The two-seater may indeed give a strong indication that the company is thinking about a lighter, sportier Bentley to sit alongside the Continental GT grand tourer family. "A bold vision for a brand with a bold future" said CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer, as the car was revealed.

The massive grille, the teardrop headlamps, the wide hood, aggressive rear haunches, heightened by the large tires, are all heart-pounding, pupil dilating features that guarantee the ride will be life-changing. Clearly, this is lightning in a bottle. And anything other than "conventional" or boring, two words easily, and traditionally, given to British luxury cars.

So, where is it? What could delay such a sure thing? Fear. And timidity. And convention.

Instead of pursuing this monster, the company went for a safer track - an SUV. A vehicle no one wanted, no one asked for, but seemed safer. And at easily north of $230,000 a pop, that's a hefty premium for what some might call "just another SUV." While it certainly will have its fans, it honestly looks like just another family mobile, like so many others, and like every other brand has succumbed to over the past decade.

The good news is that the all-new 2016 Continental has incorporated SOME of the looks and flair of the 6, especially those amazing rear shoulders.

But frankly, Bentley should have taken the risk with the 6 - a risk that would have paid off in far more prestige for the brand, and one that could have helped it attract more fans for doing more than "playing it safe."

The Problem With the Cute Chevy Trax

To be perfectly honest, I've always liked the Chevy Trax and its cousins (the Groove and the Beat) right from the start, when they were debuted as Korean-designed concepts at the 2007 New York Auto Show.

It has evolved nicely since then (it's been sold worldwide since 2012, coming to America only this year) and though the originally concept's round headlights gave it an adorable face, they've been replaced with respectable, mid-2010s-era lamps that are well proportioned, if a bit anonymous-looking. The front grille and other treatments are well within the Chevy family's current look. Which is either a good thing, or not, depending on your view of that look.

Original Trax concept, upper right.

Reminiscent of the well-put-together looking Sportage, the Trax sports some neatly designed roof rails (functionally, not sure how well put-together they are, but they'd probably hold skis.) The entire vehicle looks like it was a larger GM SUV that was shrunk in the lab, which is both good and bad. Good, because it's stylin'. Bad because it's not a huge SUV, and sometimes pretending to be big and tough isn't the same as achieving it.

The beefy hood bulges, but not too far, since it's micro-tiny, and doesn't need to contain a huge engine. The slow, downward slant of the side creases are attractive, though common to almost all mini-Utes like the Rav-4. In fact, This car is a great competitor, or at least imitator, of that popular Toyota's style.

The narrow rear window is likely to be an issue with visibility, along with the huge C-pillars. The large rear lamps are attractive, and how they merge into a crease that flows to the rear door handle is unique and adds great visual interest.

It must be noted that the Trax shares a platform with the rather popular Buick Encore, which looks nearly identical except for the hood and grille. (Way to badge-engineer, GM!)

A key problem, unrelated to the styling of the thing, is the Trax's price. 

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but charging $19,500 for the Chevy Trax is a travesty. It's a $16,000 car, at best, closer in price to the Honda Fit, which in truth (and I'm not going out on a limb in saying so) is probably far higher in quality and dependability. One could also mention GM's audacity to charge north of $25,000 for the Buick version of this micro-car, but one need not get one's blood pressure up.

Micro cars need to stop trying to demand macro prices. Other than that quibble, the Trax continues to evolve nicely and COULD be a good seller, if dealers are generous in their discounts.

Mercedes and BMW May Be Planning a Love Child (Let's hope not!)

Mercedes Benz is shopping a concept/design study called the "Concept Coupe SUV." See if it reminds you of another car or two on the road today.

Let's first be positive here: The front end is devastatingly gorgeous, as is the rest of the current line-up from Mercedes.

The head lamps are incredibly detailed and again, match the current line-up and cannot be mistaken for lights on any other vehicle.

The grille is equally beautiful and features wonderful details that are making Mercedes a prime choice in the luxury market (as if they have ever given up that title!)

But... okay, the gloves must come off now: The rear quarter of this concept are horrendous, and extremely derivative. It  looks like the slow-selling and "uniquely" styled BMW X6, a so-called "four-door coupe SUV" (a style that has already run its course, frankly) with the added "bonus" of Lincoln MKZ-style tail lights, which look too small for this vehicle.

Mercedes raided the Lincoln parts bin for the tail lights!

This concept - actually just a "design study" to determine what a full-sized, SUV/Coupe would look like if one is ever made - is actually a bit larger than the BMW X6, a full-sized behemoth. It is being shopped around at the Beijing International Auto Show (April, 2014) but it would certainly make an impact in supermarket parking lots all over America if it was ever built and sold here.

While it's a good start, and a wonderful concept, generally, I have to urge Mercedes-Benz to go back to the drawing board on this one.

Other than having proper tail lights, this X6 too much resembles the Mercedes concept!

10 Great Mini-UTEs Reviewed

The world of small SUVs are proliferating throughout every brand.

We've selected a few Mini-Utes and arbitrarily selected those that are 160-180" in length, meaning micro-minis and land barges don't count in this match-up.

Remember this is Auto STYLING News, not auto performance news, so regardless of how powerful it is under the hood (and most of these ARE quite powerful) looks, at least here, matter more.

Prices are listed here are for 2013 list prices, but bear in mind, as later model year SUVs are rolling out, you may be able to snap these up for far less coin!

We'll rate each from between one and four stars, with four being the best "lookers" of the bunch. The list is alphabetical.

*** BMW X1 175" $30,650

The branding here is excellent. One recognizes it instantly as a BMW with its kidney-shaped grille, BMW badging, and Hoffmeister kink (which BMW created) in the third window, which nonetheless doesn't obscure the driver's view - a common problem in this category, as we'll see in the other reviews. Overall a very well-wrought vehicle, though one could quibble with such a long hood length.


*** Buick Encore 168" $24,200

This is GM's Cute-Ute for the Buick brand. Some fans of this brand may not want to buy a tiny version of the venerable Buick name, but others may want to pare down and get away from the Dinosaurs that GM's rivals are portrayed as in the car's ads. The proportions are a bit Mini Cooper-like and that will scare some away, and rear visibility seems obscured a bit by a very large C-pillar, but overall a very nice design.

**** Ford Escape 178" $22,470

This is a home-run for Ford, with beautifully proportioned front-end that isn't overpowered by the upper or lower grille nor the size of the headlamps - a common error on cars these days. The lines flow nicely over the roof with "Sportage-style" rails and a nice Reverse-Hoffmeister kink that shows up on many other Sport Utes but seems to really complement the lines here.

*** Hyundai Tuscon 173" $19,245

The Tuscon has gone from a bland vehicle to a stand-out in just a few years, and this is a beautifully designed Sport Ute. The front grille, bisected with a curved bar and a small Hyundai badge, is well integrated with the short hood, which radically sweeps upward to the windscreen, giving the car a feeling of swift movement. Head lights are complimented by appropriately-sized fog lamps here. The only issue may be with visibility in the rear, with the tiny third window framed with a perhaps too-large rear panel. Still, the overall look is fantastic and is clearly identified as a Hyundai.


*** Kia Sportage 175" $19,000

The Sportage has always looked nice and so does this version. One might say this one is a bit chunky though, with a high hood, large grille and high door sills that create a "Concept Car" style greenhouse. The head and rear lights are well proportions. Though the extremely large C-Pillars must create visibility issues. Among the cheapest of the bunch reviewed here, the KIA is well worth a look.

*** Mazda CX-5 179" 21,195

The longer, shark-like hood and grille treatment that Mazda recently adopted for its entire line-up is incredibly attractive and suits its image as an innovative brand. The way the head lamps merge into the grille, with an apparent downward force, is also well done. The Reverse-Hoffmeister is present here, creating a bit of an odd shape behind it. The tail lamps are large and mimic the head lamps' style and size.

**** Mercedes-Benz GLK 178" $37,090

Riding high and with a huge greenhouse, this Mercedes is clearly a luxury brand and is unmistakably a Mercedes Benz. It's also got a Benz price tag, so it had better be worth it! The large but well proportioned grille sports the company tri-star, and the aggressive lines moving across the doors give it a sense of style and speed even while standing still. The functional roof rack adds character and an outdoorsy feel to the car, and small C-pillars in the rear give it heft but not sight-line problems for the driver.


*** Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 169" $19,170

The "Shark-like" appearance of the Outlander has offended and shocked some auto reviewers but its just that aggressiveness that gives it character and oomph. The slightly sloping side lines (shown well in this almost matte black photo) are nicely done, and it's clear that visibility isn't an issue with this Mini-SUV, either. The grille is better than the rather prissy one on the ghastly, clunky 2014 Outlander.





**** Toyota RAV4 180" $23,300

The RAV4 underwent a redesign in 2013, and it remains a very attractive vehicle - among the pioneers of the Sport-Ute style. The front end is clean and crisp, as expected from a Toyota. The greenhouse looks large and the Reverse-Hoffmeister side window is nicely done and causes less alarm than in other cars by the delicate curvature of the roofline, which, along with the rising door sills, means that visibility remains acceptable. The tail lights floating away from the rear of the car are as interesting as they are innovative.

** VW Tiguan 174" $22,995

The Tiguan, like all VWs, is an acquired taste. The snout is rather aggressive and unpleasant, while the rest of the body is oddly malformed and seems to be the creation of a committee within VW. There does appear to be great visibility from the greenhouse, however, and the lines are clean and it's certainly consistent with the brand.

And Five others...

** Fiat 500L 167" $18,000 - Larger than the other Fiat.
** Ford C-MAX 174" $25,200 - A cute Ute that looks like a Fiesta on steroids.
** Mini Cooper Countryman 162" $22,000 - Larger than the other Mini.
* Nissan Juke 162" $20,280 - If you can stand the crazy lights, buy this one. Otherwise, wait until they're gone on the 2014 version.
** Subaru XV Crosstrek 175" $21,995 - A car on stilts. Interesting tail lights. Otherwise, not interesting.