2020 Honda Civic Si coupe and sedan get artificially enhanced engine sounds

By Stephen Edelstein August 21, 2019

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2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

2020 honda civic si sedan and coupe pricing specs

The Honda Civic lineup is getting a series of small updates to keep it fresh. With the base Civic coupe and sedan, as well as the hatchback, already taken care of, it’s time for the 2020 Honda Civic Si sedan and coupe to get some updates. These sporty Civic models get minor styling tweaks, as well as a handful of mechanical and tech changes.

As before, the Si models get more aggressive styling than the base Civic coupe and sedan. Changes for 2020 include a reworked grille, and new LED headlights that have a wider and longer beam, according to Honda. Si models now get matte black 18-inch wheels with standard all-season tires. Summer tires are available as a paid option. The Si models continue to be distinguishable from the base Civic coupe and sedan by large rear spoilers and center-exit exhausts.

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On the inside, the Civic Si coupe and sedan get reworked front seats and some extra red trim on the dashboard. No changes were made to the 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, as that got a major update for the 2019 model year, including the addition of more analog controls to make it easier to use. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.

Civic Si models continue to use a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, making 205 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission (Honda doesn’t offer an automatic) and a helical limited-slip differential. If that doesn’t sound good enough to you, Honda also offers the 306-hp Civic Type R, although it’s only available as a hatchback.

For 2020, Si models get a 6-percent-shorter final-drive ratio. Honda said this should improve “acceleration feel” but didn’t provide any hard numbers. Honda also added Active Sound Control for 2020, which uses the audio system to artificially enhance the sound of the engine.

Both the Si coupe and sedan get the Honda Sensing suite of driver aids as standard equipment for 2020. This includes adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, road departure mitigation, and automatic high beams.

Pricing for the 2020 Honda Civic Si starts at $25,930 for both the coupe and sedan, including a mandatory $930 destination charge. You can add summer tires to either model for an extra $200.

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2023 Kia Niro EV first drive review: Practical doesn’t have to bore you to tears

Front three quarter view of the 2023 Kia Niro EV.

If you want to see just how quickly the electric car landscape has changed over the past few years, take a look at the redesigned 2023 Kia Niro EV.
When the first-generation Niro EV launched for the 2019 model year (following hybrid and plug-in hybrid Niro variants), it was a pretty big deal. The Niro was Kia’s first EV not based on a conventional gasoline model, and the first intended for high sales volumes.
The second-generation 2023 Niro EV boasts more tech, more space, and more extroverted styling than its predecessor, but it’s still very much in the shadow of the Kia EV6. Once Kia’s main EV attraction, the Niro is being refocused as a more affordable option to take on the likes of the Chevrolet Bolt EV/Bolt EUV, Volkswagen ID.4, and Nissan Leaf.
Kia plans to offer the Niro EV in trim levels named Wind and Wave, but hasn’t released pricing for either. Note that the previous-generation 2022 Niro EV started at $41,245; the new model could see a price increase because of its updates. And because it’s assembled in South Korea, the 2023 Niro EV won’t qualify for the revamped federal EV tax credit, Kia has confirmed.

Design and interior
Like the previous generation, the Niro is part of a three-pronged lineup that also includes the Niro Hybrid and Niro PHEV (plug-in hybrid models). All three maintain the tall-wagon shape of the first-generation Niro, but with much bolder styling.
Where the previous Niro was a wishy-washy mix of car and SUV styling elements, the 2023 Niro is the result of the same fearless design department that produced the EV6 and the 2023 Kia Sportage. The traditional automotive “face” was rearranged with a visor-like element, protruding grille, and hexagonal lighting elements. Contrasting trim panels break up the profile view, and conceal “Air Blade” elements around the taillights that, Kia claims, reduce aerodynamic drag.
Kia used sustainable materials to further decrease the Niro EV’s environmental impact.

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Nissan wants the 2023 Ariya to be its comeback EV, but the bar has been raised

Front view of the 2023 Nissan Ariya.

Nissan played an understated role in the modern era of electric cars. While Tesla gets most of the attention, the Nissan Leaf became the first modern mass-market EV when it launched in December 2010. But Nissan has squandered that early lead. The Leaf remains a decent car, but Nissan needed to follow it up with another model, specifically an SUV, that would appeal to more car shoppers. That’s where the 2023 Nissan Ariya comes in.
The Ariya is the long-awaited sequel to the Leaf, boosting updated tech, better performance, and an SUV body style to match current trends. But during the Ariya’s long gestation (it was originally supposed to launch in 2021), other automakers have come up with electric SUVs of their own. So while it was once a leader, Nissan must now follow the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Kia EV6, among others.
Pricing starts at $44,485 (with destination) for the base Ariya Engage trim level with front-wheel drive and the smaller 65-kilowatt-hour (63-kWh usable capacity) battery pack. Pricing rises to $61,485 for the top Platinum+ model with all-wheel drive and a 91-kWh (87-kWh usable capacity) pack, but all-wheel drive models won’t arrive until after the front-wheel drive models. Nissan hasn’t discussed plans to assemble the Ariya in the U.S., so it likely won’t qualify for the revised federal EV tax credit.

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If it had launched even two years ago, the Ariya would have looked cutting-edge. Its rounded exterior surfaces make a nod to aerodynamics while still preserving the SUV look buyers love. It’s a nice-looking vehicle too, but so are the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Kia EV6, all of which have gone on sale since the Ariya was announced in 2020. Nissan is no longer a trendsetter, but the Ariya can at least claim a more SUV-like feel than those other EVs, in both its tall profile and high-and-mighty driving position.
More significant than the styling, though, is that the Ariya rides on a new EV-specific platform. In contrast to the Leaf, which shares some of its structure with gasoline cars, engineers could take full advantage of the efficiencies of an electric powertrain and maximize interior space. Like certain other automakers, Nissan also opted out of a frunk in order to maximize passenger space, moving components like the air conditioner under the hood to make more room in the cabin.
Rounded surfaces nod to aerodynamics while still preserving the SUV look buyers love.

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Front three quarter view of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.

Mercedes-Benz is continuing to expand its EV lineup, this time with a model aimed at (wealthy) families.
As the name states, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is an SUV derivative of the EQS sedan. With the EQS sedan positioned as the electric analog to the Mercedes S-Class, the EQS SUV is the electric version of the GLS-Class. And like that vehicle, the EQS SUV is available with up to seven seats across three rows.
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Design and interior
A defining feature of Mercedes’ EQ lineup is aerodynamic bodywork aimed at maximizing range. The typical SUV is not aerodynamically ideal, but Mercedes managed to achieve an impressively low drag coefficient for an SUV — at 0.26, it’s close to the Toyota Prius. But function clearly took precedence over form. Mercedes deserves credit for not going in the polarizing direction BMW did with its two-row iX SUV, but the EQS SUV looks like a melting scoop of ice cream.
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The EQS SUV looks like a melting scoop of ice cream.