SUV Archives

Ford’s Expedition FX4 is the most off-road capable one yet

Ford’s venerable Expedition now comes in a new trim level called the FX4, and its purpose is to be the most off-road capable Expedition ever. The reason for its inception is that the Blue Oval determined that 20 percent of Expedition owners use their vehicles for off-road adventures and as such, their Expedition should be able to keep up with them.

“The FX4 Off-Road package delivers off-road driving confidence,” said Mike Kipley, Expedition vehicle engineering manager. “The technology we’re using works to adapt to different driving conditions so customers can enjoy the adventure without worry.”

The following is what separates the Expedition with the FX4 Off-Road Package compared with other variants of its namesake:

Patented electronic limited-slip rear differential to help improve off-road performance in low-traction situations. It automatically shifts power output to the rear tyre that has the most traction.on which wheels need extra traction. Overall, its gearing improves towing performance and capability
Off-road-tuned shock absorbers to keep wheels in contact with the road
All-terrain tires with thicker sidewalls
Seven different skid plates that serve as underbody armor and protect critical areas. These plates consist of a sand shield to protect the turbocharger intercoolers from getting clogged by dirt or mud, steel plates to protect steering gear, engine, transmission and transfer case as well as the fuel tank.
18-inch Magnetic Metallic-painted cast-aluminum wheels
Chrome running boards
FX4 badging on the liftgate and front fender
New rubber floor liners featuring deep side sills that can be removed and cleaned of any mud, sand or water

Like the rest of the variants, the FX4 benefits from Ford’s Terrain Management System that offers seven different drive modes (Normal, Sport, Tow/Haul, Eco, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Sand, Mud/Rut) that help the Expedition cope with different road conditions. Drivers also have the option of toggling between 2WD and 4WD mode depending on their preference/needs at any given time.

Under the hood of the FX4 is the 3.5-litre EcoBoost engine that produces 375bhp and 637Nm of torque. It is mated to an all-new 10-speed automatic transmission that will help fuel economy and provide the vehicle with the capability of towing a load of up to 4,218kg.

The Cabin is very spacious as expected and is able to offer seating for eight occupants and still provide a decent cargo space volume. And unlike the old days, Ford’s current Expedition comes with a whole slew of entertainment and safety tech that should win over city dwellers as well as adventure seekers.

The Ford Expedition FX4 will only be available in the US and will go on sale sometime in the second half of this year.

Honda to introduce new CR-V to Malaysians soon

Honda will be launching the 5th generation CR-V very soon and that should have many Malaysians excited. It is a complete redesign, both inside and out with the vehicle featuring muscular styling and a plethora of driver aids that are more common place in expensive German luxury cars.

For the new CR-V, Honda’s designers incorporated more angular styling compared to that used by its predecessor. The LED projector headlights are elongated and blend with the contours of the front fascia. The grille is wider and more prominent at the front, giving the vehicle a more rugged look. The signature chrome bar that stretches across the grille features a two piece design with the thin upper section stretching across the entire front end.

The side profile is not that far off from the 4th gen vehicle but the lower roof line and wider side countours are more sporty attributes that will make it a more appealing SUV. At the rear, Honda chose a simple yet elegant design with the two piece rear lights arrangement that are integrated with the metal chrome trim panel, which stretches from one side of the boot to the other.

Despite not growing much in size, the new CR-V is still bigger compared to the vehicle it replaces. It’s 4,584mm long, 1,855mm wide and 1,679mm high but that increases 10mm for the 4WD model. It has a wheelbase of 2,660mm and offers decent ground clearance of 198mm for the 2WD one and 208mm for the 4WD variant. Honda says that cabin space is best in class and will be quite accommodating to taller passengers. Cargo space is good too, with about 1,084 litres with the rear seats fare folded flat to the floor.

This is all well and good but the features that deserve the most praise are the driver aids. Unlike previous generation CR-V vehicles, the new one, has cutting-edge tech that should boost any driver’s confidence while on the road. Called Sensing, the system makes use of a monocular camera on the top of the windshield and milimeter wave radar in the grille to detect obstacles, impending collisions and other safety related risks.

This Sensing safety suite consists of seven features, which are Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Low-Speed Follow (LSF), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), and Lane Departure Warning (LDW).

The ACC and LSF features allow the driver to set a desired cruising speed and take both feet of the pedals, which will then allow the vehicle to maintain said speed, apply brakes and when necessary accelerate to maintain a safe distance to the vehicle in front. It even works in stop and go traffic situations, which should be a major benefit to those who face traffic jams on a regular basis.

Forward Collision Warning and Collision Mitigation Braking work together to act as the driver’s third eye. When the FCW detects a risk of a collision with the vehicle in front, it triggers visual warning audible alerts to the driver. CMB on the other hand, scans traffic conditions in front of the vehicle and if it detects a potential collision, it will automatically apply the brakes to slow the vehicle down and reduce the severity of a collision.

Besides front collision, impacts from the sides are also a major concern especially when crossing intersections. Here too, Honda’s new CR-V has your back covered. Through the use of Lane Keeping Assist, the system uses the vehicle’s camera to monitor lane markings and adjust steering input to ensure that the vehicle stays in its lane.

Road Departure Mitigation is a warning system that alerts the driver (when speeds are within 72km/h to 180km/h) when he or she veers off into another driver’s lane or too close to the edge of the road. The steering wheel will vibrate to alert the driver, and when necessary, steering and braking input will be made automatically to keep the CR-V out of harm’s way.

Lastly, there’s Lane Departure Warning which is integrated with the Road Departure Mitigation system. It will remind drivers to use the appropriate signal lights if it detects that the vehicle crosses into another lane without the proper use of the turn signals.

Honda will be conducting five roadshows this month across the country to allow Malaysians to have a closer look at the new CR-V before it’s official launch for our market. If you are interested in the vehicle, the following are the respective locations where Honda will conduct the aforementioned roadshows.

4 June 2017 Gurney Paragon, Penang 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

7 – 11 June 2017 Mid Valley, Kuala Lumpur 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

11 June 2017 Imago Mall, Kota Kinabalu 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

16 – 18 June 2017 AEON Tebrau City, Johor Bahru 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

18 June 2017 Plaza Merdeka, Kuching 10:00 am – 10:00 pm

If you wish to buy the CR-V, you can pre-book the SUV at any of the 91 authorised Honda dealerships nationwide right now and be one of the first to drive it home when it is offically launched. For more information, visit the automaker’s local website at www.honda.com.my.

New Skoda Karoq is bigger and better equipped than before

Skoda will be introducing the new Karoq to the European market soon. The design has changed somewhat but its fairly larger than the vehicle it replaces. The compact SUV measures 4,382 mm in length, 1,841 mm wide, and 1,605 mm high.

The vehicle has a wheelbase of 2,638 mm or 2,630 mm for the all-wheel-drive (AWD) version. Thanks to the increase in size, passengers now have 68 mm more legroom than before. When the back seats are fully upright, the luggage compartment offers 521 litres of space but that increases to 1,630 mm when the rear seats are folded down. If the need arises, the rear seats can be completely removed to offer more cargo space, turning the SUV into an MPV with a maximum capacity of 1,810 litres.

Inside, the vehicle gets a state of the art kit that include interfaces with capacitive touch displays, WLAN hotspot capabilities, optional LTE module, infotainment and navigation system as well as the CareConnect services. You can even pair your smartphone with the infotainment system by using the SmartLink+ platform which is compatible with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink.

As far as safety is concerned, the Karoq comes equipped with a whole host of tech that include Parking Assistant, Lane Assist, Blind Spot Detect, Front Assist with predictive pedestrian protection and Emergency Assistant that help improve safety. When hitched to a trailer, the Karoq can tow a payload of up to 2 tonnes and with the new trailer assistant, the system helps guide drivers while maneuvering and when reversing slowly.

Though the exact contours of the vehicle have yet to be revealed, Skoda syas that it is fitted with full LED headlights with clear-lens optics (optional) , the interior features LED ambient lighting and decor strips on the doors. The dashboard lighting can be set to one of ten different colours depending on what your prefer.

As of now, Skoda is offering the vehicle with four engine choices, two petrol and two diesel ones. The capacities are 1.0, 1.5, 1.6 and 2.0-litres with power ranging from 115bhp to 190bhp. All engine variants are turbo-charged direct injection units that feature start-stop technology and brake energy recovery. All of them can be mated to either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed DSG gearbox with the exception of the 2.0-litre diesel, which only comes with the latter.

When equipped with the higher trim variants, the Karoq offers driver profiles that can be adjusted to alter driving dynamics. These modes are Normal, Sport, Eco, Individual and Snow and when the Off-road mode is selected while the AWD system is active, Skoda says that the setup will be better prepared to handle tough terrain.

Citroen unveil C5 Aircross at Shanghai

Citroen unveiled its Sporty SUV, the C5 Aircross at the Shanghai Motorshow. The French automaker is starting to focus quite a bit of its attention on the SUV market with the introduction of the futuristic C-Aircross Concept and C3 Aircross.

For the C5 Aircross, Citroen is positioning it as a global vehicle that will take on the German and Japanese heavyweights that have dominated markets around the world. Unlike most contemporary designs, the C5 Aircross features sleek and elegant contours. The front fascia sports a thin and understated louvered grille design that extends from one side of the fender to the other. The Citroen badge has been integrated with the upper grille that also houses the thin two piece LED headlights.

From the sides, the car features a contemporary look, wide wheel arches and wide but sleek A and C-pillars that feature glass paneling, giving the vehicle a more airy look. At the rear, the look is reminiscent of the older VW Toureg. The elongated four panel LED tail lights’s lines flow with the contours of the rear bodywork. The entire design blends luxury and rugged outdoors ability into a simplified yet elegant package. The C5 Aircross features a 2,730 mm wheelbase and short overhangs that will help it tackle off road obstacles with better maneuverability and precision.

But inside is where things get interesting. Due to the vehicle’s construction and choice of materials, the cabin looks spacious and like the exterior, has an airy effect to it, thanks in part to the large panoramic roof. The dashboard features a horizontal layout to provide for a greater width, the seats are wide and feature comfortable materials which is also true for the wide centre console which has soft and elegant materials that provide a better sense of protection and comfort.

In the centre stack, there’s a 12.3-inch TFT digital cluster and a capacitive 8-inch HD touchscreen infotainment system that should feature an array of connectivity. The heated front seats have a massaging feature that will help occupants relax as they breath in the clean purified air expelled from the vehicle’s air quality treatment system.

Built on the EMP2 platform, this particular Citroen comes equipped with the Progressive Hydraulic Cushions suspension, which is said to provide exceptional levels of damping and ride comfort. Apart from that, it also comes with a slew of driving aids which include Active Safety Brake, Active Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control with a Stop function, Grip Control and Hill Assist Descent Control.

Citroen’s C5 Aircross will the first vehicle in its line-up to also feature a PHEV plug-in hybrid variant, which will definitely be to the liking of the environmentally conscious folks. According to the automaker, the vehicle will be launched in China in October of this year followed by Europe at the end of 2018.

Infiniti QX50 to debut at Shanghai Motorshow

Infiniti’s QX50 Concept will make its debut at the on going Shanghai Motorshow. The next-generation premium crossover is said to offer futuristic design elements that complement the modern drivetrain very well.

The company stated that the QX50 will be the first vehicle in the world to have an engine that can adjust its variable compression ratio while on the move. This Variable Compression Turbo (VC-Turbo) engine will have the ability to adjust to the needs of drivers as and when power or fuel efficiency is favoured.

Infiniti also says that the QX50 will feature autonomous drive support technologies that will allow the vehicle to operate unaided. Besides the tech, the company has designed it in such a way that the interior and exterior designs complement each other very well and lend to a muscular silhouette. It’s space-centric cabin will have decent levels of comfort while offering modern and elegant levels of craftsmanship.

“INFINITI is pleased to debut an SUV concept in the world’s fastest growing segment, here in the world’s largest market,” said Roland Krueger, president of INFINITI Motor Company. “The QX50 production vehicles will feature advanced autonomous drive capability and will be the first vehicle in the world to be powered by an engine that can adjust variable compression ratio on the fly.”

Infiniti says that its goal is to produce a vehicle that looks muscular yet elegant, has futuristic autonomous technologies but ultimately, offer high levels of driver engagement – a must for those looking for something more than just a mode of transportation.

Jaguar I-Pace graces the streets of London

The trend to go electric signals a shift in the mindset of most automotive manufacturers. Though building smaller more efficient engines seemed to be the rational choice a few years ago, today, manufacturers have realized the benefits of electric power and the effect it has on environmentally conscious buyers. One such automaker is Jaguar, a company that prides itself on building performance driven luxury vehicles.

It has officially begun testing its all electric performance SUV, the I-Pace, on the streets of London before the production ready I-PACE is launched in late 2017. Still considered in the concept phase, the I-PACE is powered by compact electric motors at the front and rear axles that produce close to 400bhp and an astounding 700Nm of torque.

These impressive power figures should allow this Jag to sprint to 100km/h from a standstill in just 4 seconds. Jaguar says that on a full charge, the I-Pace should be able to cover a distance of 500km based on the NEDC cycle thanks to a 90kWh lithium-ion battery. They also claim that by utilizing a 50kW DC charger, the battery pack can be charged to about 80 per cent in 90 minutes.

When it eventually hits the streets, the I-Pace is said to be a nimble yet powerful performance SUV that will offer an unrivaled blend of agility, ride comfort and refinement that will set it apart from other electrified offerings. Pitched as a true Jaguar and a drivers’ car, the I-Pace should go on sale in the second half of 2018, until then, here are the pictures of the I-Pace in concept form.