{also piping hot}
Honda’s Passport reboot:
The nameplate was retired back in the mid-1990s, but Honda apparently believes in second chances. The five-passenger 2020 Passport resembles the seven-seat Honda Pilot, but the new model is about 15 centimetres shorter. Surprisingly — at least to The Sleuth — the Passport gets the Pilot’s 280-horsepower V-6 and nine-speed automatic transmission and not the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder from the Acura RDX. The Passport will be available in front- and all-wheel-drive and in trim levels ranging from somewhat basic to full-on luxury. A Sport model with blacked-out wheels, grille and trim will also be offered. With identical tow ratings, it will be interesting if the Passport’s estimated $4,000$5,000 lower base price (it arrives next spring) will cannibalize Pilot sales, however the Passport is perhaps more likely to attract buyers in need of more room than the smaller Honda CR-V provides.
Genesis retools the G90:
The top model in Hyundai’s luxury division undergoes significant updating for the 2020 model year with mostly all-new body panels as well as a large V-shaped grille. The big rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan still rides on the same platform as before (when it was a Hyundai Equus). Engine choices continue with a twin-turbocharged 3.3-litre V-6 and an optional non-turbo 5.0-litre V-8. Allwheel-drive is also optional. A staring price in Canada of $85,000 seems likely.
Land Rover launches a more Evoque-ative Range Rover:
The second-generation 2020 Evoque is expected to reach our shores in the spring. Although its signature sloping roofline is retained, the rest of the body appears more substantial, not unlike the larger and pricier Range Rover Velar that arrived for 2018. Both look more like boulevard cruisers than allout off-roaders, but don’t that fool you. The Evoque comes with the latest Land Rover four-wheel-drive system that will allow it to go far afield, especially with 21 centimetres of ground clearance. Engine choices essentially carry over, but with a bit more power. Pricing is expected to start in low-$50,000 territory.
Kia renews its Soul for 2020:
The automaker’s updated wagon was recently revealed and The Sleuth is delighted to see that it retains its unique character. Although the nose is stubbier than before, the opposite end is quite stunning. The new Soul is about five centimetres longer than before and the distance between the front and rear wheels increases by close to three centimetres. There’s also a better-than-25-per-cent gain in cargo room behind the rear seat. Both non-turbo and turbocharged fourcylinder engines return, but there’s still no all-wheel-drive option. The Soul EV returns with an electric motor that makes 201 horsepower. The output is identical to the Kia Niro hatchback’s output. Range is also expected to mirror the Niro’s 239 miles.