The Battle Of The SUV’s

Porsche Taycan Vs. Aston Martin DBX Vs. Genesis GV80

When people talk about SUV’s we think of a whole host of cars. We never really consider an SUV for speed or anything else but a family cruise or road trip. We took the time to dissect the newest SUVs on the market and see which ones pack a punch and which ones are well- Meh!

2022 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo(CT)

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Despite the new Taycan Cross Turismo’s extra ride height, tough body cladding, mudguards, and generally off-road-ready looks, this isn’t a Dakar rally-ready option. Porsche insists that the 2022 Taycan Cross Turismo is merely a more well-rounded version of the slinky Taycan sedan. The car is an electric wagon better suited, even if just on paper, or in appearance—for those who live in temperamental climates or see themselves as adventurous types.

Because the Cross Turismo is ostensibly a station wagon, there is considerably more cargo space. There is a maximum of 15 cubic feet of free air between the rear seats and the hatchback in the 4 and 4S models, with that number shrinking to 14.3 cubes in the Turbo and Turbo S cars. With the rear seats folded down, cargo space swells to 42.8 cubic feet. We think that’s a whole lotta space, especially for a road trip.

Porsche is only announcing pricing of the base Cross Turismo 4 model at this time. The baby of the new Taycan Cross Turismo range will start at $92,250. That might sound like a huge jump from the base Taycan sedan (which starts at $81,250), but that car doesn’t have the air suspension, all-wheel drive, extra cargo room, Performance Battery Plus option, or the off road chops of the Cross Turismo.

So not only is it the most practical Taycan on offer, but the new Cross Turismo might be the best value proposition, too. Porsche dealerships will start accepting deposits for the Taycan Cross Turismo immediately, with deliveries starting this summer.

2021 Aston Martin DBX First It’s Great. Period.

The British automaker developed its actual first-ever SUV, the 2021 Aston Martin DBX, on its own terms, without being indebted to any looming corporate overlords. The result: it actually breathes some truth into our ridiculous wish of the DBX being a crossover SUV that damned near handles, rides, looks, and sounds like the current Aston Martin Vantage.

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The guys at Motortrend spent a week driving the DBX on the road and at their test track, and it was obvious Aston dug deep in creating its SUV. Which is a good thing, considering this is one of the biggest leaps the boutique automaker has ever taken; Aston’s not particularly well known for its fat budgets, and the fact it developed an SUV on a proprietary platform with such attention to detail and a well-sorted chassis is nothing short of a leather-lined miracle.

Technical partners Mercedes-Benz would have been tickled pink to license or supply one of its many SUV platforms to the British automaker, but as in the cases of the current Vantage and DB11 V8, Aston handled the basic architecture while helping itself to the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, nine-speed automatic transmission, 4Matic all-wheel-drive system, electronic architecture, and infotainment from Mercedes’ and AMG’s stores.

Teamed with Mercedes snappy nine-speed automatic transmission and clever all-wheel drive, the 4.0-liter hustled the big Aston through the quarter-mile in 12.5 seconds, and through the 0-60-mph sprint in 4.0 seconds

“It takes a second for the engine to really wake up even when standing on the brake to spool the turbos,” associate road test editor Erick Ayapana said, “but it fires out of the hole like a rocket once that happens.”

Erick Ayannapa, Test Editor, Motortrend

That’s excellent performance for a five-door, five-person anything. We think Aston Martin scored big with this one.

Genesis GV80 SUV

The car accident involving golf legend Tiger Woods has brought unexpected attention to the car he was driving and its safety features. Authorities said the design of the SUV,… made by Genesis,… could have helped him survive the accident Kim Sung-min has the details.

An SUV made by Hyundai’s luxury car subsidiary Genesis is in the spotlight after golf legend Tiger Woods survived a serious car crash on Tuesday. The GV80 that Woods was driving went across a raised section in the middle of the road, crossed two lanes of oncoming traffic, and rolled down a steep hill. Images and videos of the crashed vehicle showed the “Genesis Invitations” sticker and the brand’s logo standing out clearly.

But what really thrust the SUV into the spotlight was how the car’s design could have greatly reduced the severity of the accident. The nature of his vehicle, the fact that he was wearing a seatbelt,

I would say that greatly increased the likelihood that it saved his life… I think this also kind of speaks to the marvel of modern automobiles and that they are much safer than they’ve ever been previously.”

The vehicle is equipped with safety features like 10 airbags, and the passenger compartment of Woods’ vehicle was intact after the accident as the airbags deployed successfully.

The police deputy added that he had seen similar accidents in which the vehicles and passengers didn’t end up so well,… saying that Woods was very fortunate to come out of it alive. Woods’ injuries were not life-threatening. A statement from his TGR Foundation on Tuesday night said the golf superstar is awake and recovering from surgery.

Kim Sung-min, Arirang News

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Performance has been an ever-growing priority for Genesis’ new line of vehicles, and their 2022 G70 aims to continue its campaign as a stout contender within the compact luxury sedan segment. The GV70 is a premium urban SUV sporting a design that maximizes the athletic elegance of Genesis, with a dynamic driving experience.