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The Drive
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
Carmakers Can Just Disconnect Your 'Connected' Car Whenever They Feel Like It
The latest car news, reviews, and features. A few years ago, all major U.S. cell carriers began shutting down their 3G wireless networks, which subsequently took vehicles that relied upon it offline. This effectively ended remote start, location, and locking services for some of the earliest connected cars to hit the market. This week, an Acura owner shared a letter they'd received on Reddit, announcing that a range of 2014-2022 model year vehicles would also be dropping support for AcuraLink, the automaker's connected car platform. It's a disappointing reminder that no matter how long a car remains on the road, the tech inside it often carries a much shorter shelf life. The letter identifies the following vehicles as ending AcuraLink support on July 21: 2014-2020 Acura RLX 2014-2020 Acura MDX 2015-2020 Acura TLX 2016-2018 Acura RDX 2016-2022 Acura ILX 2017-2022 Acura NSX Yes, every Acura NSX ever built, including the one-last-bang Type S model from 2022, will lose its AcuraLink features, from roadside assistance to stolen vehicle tracking, remote locking, and concierge. Those who are currently subscribed to an AcuraLink term that runs beyond July 21 will receive a prorated refund. AcuraLink being discontinued on older cars byu/orange9035 inAcura It's unclear if this decision was prompted by a technical limitation, like the 3G shutdown, or some other reason. Nevertheless, the fact that vehicles up until 2022 are affected is a pretty tough pill to swallow for owners of new-ish Acuras. The Drive has reached out to the company for more insight, and to find out if any associated HondaLink vehicles are affected. We will update this story with whatever we learn. This is, unfortunately, the modern reality of car ownership. The capabilities that rely on systems automakers have no control over, like data networks, are never guaranteed to be up and running forever, and there's no replacement for them once they go dark. Yes, you could argue that these owners got the service they paid for, for an established length of time they agreed to. But many people base their vehicle purchasing decisions on technologies like these (because carmakers advertise them), completely unaware that they won't last forever. Or even just three years! The interior of a 2019 Acura NSX. Acura It's simply not a good situation for consumer confidence, and it's bound to frustrate people who purchased their vehicles intending to keep them for a good number of years. I mean, I probably have canned food products in my pantry that I bought in 2022 that still haven't expired yet. There had to be a better way Acura could've handled this situation, especially for the most recent models affected. It's frankly a surprising move from the same company that offered to retrofit late-model Accords with Wireless CarPlay for a very reasonable price. If you happen to own one of the impacted vehicles and use AcuraLink, let us know in the comments if you've received a similar notice, and how you're feeling about all this. Got tips? Send 'em to tips@
The Drive
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
The 2026 Jeep Cherokee Will Finally Be Boxy Again
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Jeep told us late last year that we'd see its midsize Cherokee SUV again in 2025. Well, it appears that then-Jeep-boss and newly named Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa was right on the money. This is the 2026 Cherokee in the metal, and Jeep officially announced Thursday that it will enter production before the year's end. To back that, Jeep shared two images of its intended replacement, and they've left me cautiously optimistic about the crossover's new design. Granted, I have limited viewing angles to work with here, but the boxy front end and the taper of the rear greenhouse give off 'baby Grand Cherokee' vibes. I dig it. The previous Cherokee's rounded-off nose and squatter proportions may have deftly blended the aesthetics of the old Jeep Compass and the last-gen Grand Cherokee, but if you ask me, it never really looked like a Jeep. This, on the other hand… 'The all-new Jeep Cherokee headlines our efforts to deliver more product, innovation, choice, and standard content to customers than ever before,' said Jeep CEO Bob Broderdorf. 'Jeep Cherokee will boast competitive pricing that strikes at the core of the largest vehicle segment and sits perfectly between Jeep Compass and Jeep Grand Cherokee to bolster our winning mainstream lineup.' While 'innovation' and 'choice' may seem like nebulous hype, we know from Filosa's previous tease that the Cherokee will experience yet another metamorphosis on its way back to showrooms this fall: it's going to be offered with an electrified powertrain. The Cherokee formula remained essentially unchanged for the better part of its nearly 50-year production run (including its brief stint under the Jeep Liberty and Dodge Nitro nameplates), but the outgoing model (2014-2023) abandoned the hybrid body-on-frame/unibody construction of previous Cherokees in favor of a conventional, front-wheel-based platform. Jeep has kept the Cherokee's former assembly facility (Belvidere Assembly in Illinois) idle since discontinuing it in 2023; whether production will return to that site remains to be seen.
The Drive
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
How Indy 500 Winner Alex Palou and Honda Are Dominating IndyCar's Hybrid Era
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Sunday's 109th running of the Indy 500 saw Alex Palou win his fifth race of the season, a feat made even more impressive by the fact that the iconic Memorial Day weekend race was just the sixth race of the 2025 calendar. It was also the Spaniard's first-ever oval win, further emphasizing the dreamy season Chip Ganassi's new star is having so far. But amid all the Palou headlines, there's an element that's often less talked about: the Honda hybrid engine that made it possible. When the bright-yellow, DHL-sponsored Honda crossed the yard of bricks ahead of its competitors Sunday, it wasn't a coincidence. It was months, if not a full year of preparation by the No. 10 crew, but primarily, lots of practice during the month of May. Besides the usual challenges of running in a pack, drafting, turbulence, dealing with slower traffic, pit stops, and everything else that makes racing at 230 mph for nearly three hours a monumental challenge, there was a new layer to be concerned about this year. See, this year's sold-out race was the first time the entire 33-car grid, Chevy or Honda, ran a spec hybrid system. And like everything else in racing, teams and drivers alike have had to learn how to use it to their advantage. Travis Hinkle It took IndyCar a long time to fulfill its promise to go hybrid—nearly five years, actually. Developmental delays, followed by manufacturing and shipping delays, resulted in a series of postponements that left everyone wondering if it would ever arrive. And when the pandemic of 2020 brought global chaos and the world came to a standstill, many wondered if it would even happen at all. But alas, nearly halfway through the 2024 season, IndyCar went racing with all-new hybrid systems at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. While this may be the first hybrid 500, it doesn't mean teams went into the race completely blind. As Kelvin Fu, HRC US Vice President (and a real engineering wizard), explained to me the morning of the race, there's been lots of model simulation and racing simulator work to optimize the system's performance. While HRC US—Honda's racing branch in North America—provides plenty of support to its IndyCar teams, the ultimate application of the car's drivetrain and other systems completely depends on the team. Furthermore, with both Honda and Chevy engines running the same hybrid and energy storage systems, the biggest challenge for the drivers is learning how to tame them and maximize their benefits, which is something they haven't had much time to figure out at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Joe Skibinski, Matt Favrer 'In terms of preparation of the hybrid system, it all really works together as it's integrated into the engine and chassis, etc,' Fu explained. 'So it's more simulation and situational preparation ahead of the 500. It's a lot more trying to understand how the drivers can deploy the energy, as they're already doing many things with the tools on their steering wheels, so that's a challenge for them. Traditionally, drivers don't want to be the first guy [at the front of the pack], but that may change. Drivers have to figure out moving around the pack and multiple strategies… [the new system brings] something different, and it forces teams and drivers to handle change. 'It's going to be interesting [during the race], and we won't know until it runs. Our assumption is that as you're racing, the drivers who are better at harvesting and regenerating at the right time are going to slowly have an advantage as they go around. The ability to regen is going to be affected by where they are in the pack. If you are in the front, there's less lifting [off the throttle], but as you fall back there's [more lifting], and when you are lifting that's when you are regenerating,' added Fu. 'Those guys might be able to build more energy, so they'll have a better chance of passing. We'll see how it goes, a lot of things can affect how the cars run—the cooler weather, downforce, etc. We think the hybrid system will have an effect on how effectively they can pass—the drivers and teams who can figure out the system better will move through the field easier.' Overall race-pace speeds weren't dramatically affected by the higher power of the hybrid—a combined 900 hp—as the car is about 100 pounds heavier than before. The system itself is housed alongside the engine and is about the size of a milk crate, making the packaging under the engine cover a bigger challenge than in previous years. And contrary to popular belief, it hasn't made the engines more fuel efficient either. It's 100% about power and performance. Joe Skibinski, Chris Owens Fu's comments about the system favoring savvy drivers who do their homework resonated as the laps racked up during Sunday's race. Palou, who started sixth, was never quite in the mix at the front for most of the race. In fact, it wasn't until about lap 180 of 200 that he made his intentions extremely clear with a couple of aggressive passes on Chevy drivers Santino Ferrucci and Pato O'Ward. Prior to that, Palou was running steady within the top 10 or 12, managing his fuel strategy, making clean pit stops, and more importantly, avoiding chaos. Over the course of 480-plus miles, Palou (along with everyone else) managed their energy harvesting and power output to up the pace when necessary, and go for crucial passes when needed. And little by little, the Spaniard positioned himself just right at the end of the race. He methodically did what he had to do to be within striking distance when it mattered most. Honda would not comment on Palou's specific management of the hybrid system during the race, but it curiously highlighted that during qualifying, data revealed that many drivers' speeds during the fourth and final lap of Indy's four-lap-average qualifying format were often the fastest. It's usually the other way around as the tires begin to scrub, the engines begin to overheat from being turned to 11, and drivers begin to overthink and overcorrect. This year, however, drivers were harvesting during the first three and deploying that additional energy on the fourth lap. Surely, those same strategies were put into place on race day. Joe Skibinski Between 2004 and 2014, Chevy only managed to steal one Indy 500 win away from Honda. Since then, however, it's been just about an even split between IndyCar's two engine manufacturers. And after back-to-back Penske-Chevy wins at the hands of Josef Newgarden in 2023 and 2024 (one of those with a car of questionable legality), Honda's sweep of the 2025 season so far highlights its engineering prowess—even when it comes to non-proprietary systems. And almost equally as important as winning is the fact that the hybrid components worked exactly as expected, and there were no hybrid failures or issues during the race in Honda-powered cars. To place first, you first have to finish the race. When asked about any tweaks or further developments Honda would like to make to the hybrid system for next year, Fu highlighted that there have been some improvements since its debut, but so far, they're pretty happy where things are at. 'Honda makes the super capacitor, and Chevy Ilmore makes the MGU, but it's really IndyCar's system,' said Fu. 'It's a combined effort between manufacturers that's been good so far. We'll propose improvements and other things, but there's always a trade-off to making changes… as those things require costs, time, things need to be tested and validated, etc. Of course, Honda is always looking to make improvements, and this year we've already been able to increase the energy allowance. 'Overall, it's a good system right now, and we don't want to change it too much in the near future.' Chris Owens CHRIS OWENS Got a tip? Email us at tips@
The Drive
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
Another Smalltown Short Track Shuts Down in the Heart of Stock Car Racing Country
The latest car news, reviews, and features. The racing scene just lost another small-town track. North Carolina's New River All American Speedway announced it has closed its doors. 'Over the last several weeks and months, we've had many discussions about the future of New River. Yesterday, we made the tough decision to close the doors,' the track said on its Facebook page. It stopped short of detailing the challenges it faced and why it decided to close. The track was inaugurated in 1999 as the Coastal Plains Speedway. It hosted its first major race, which was part of NASCAR's Goody's Dash series, later that year. Several well-known drivers have raced on the 4/10-mile-long track since, including Dale Earnhardt, Jr. However, the track's popularity gradually declined, and it closed for the first time in 2015. It re-opened briefly in 2018, closed again, and re-opened for the second time in 2021. It initially looked like the third time would be the charm: The track was sanctioned by NASCAR in 2023 and 2024. New River All American Speedway via Facebook Like many small-town tracks, the New River All American Speedway hosted a wide selection of races and other car-themed events. Its 2025 calendar included 33 races; The SMART Modified Tour was notably scheduled to race there on August 29. Car shows were planned as well. As of writing, it's too early to tell what the future holds for the track. It has closed and reopened several times over the past couple of decades, so it could make another comeback. Alternatively, the owner may decide to throw in the towel for good and sell the property. In the meantime, it seems that the Coastal Plains Dragway adjacent to the New River All American Speedway will remain open, per Short Track Scene. Got tips? Send 'em to tips@
The Drive
18 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
The Last 5-Speed Manual in the US Is Gone as Nissan Discontinues Base Versa
The latest car news, reviews, and features. The $17,190 base-model Nissan Versa S, the last U.S.-market production car with a five-speed manual, is ending production. According to Automotive News , the manual Versa is the latest automotive tariff victim, as all Versas are built at Nissan's Aguascalientes, Mexico, plant and the base car is least popular. Looks like Nissan is trying to create as much savings as possible to handle the 25% tariff on cars imported from Mexico. A Nissan spokesperson told Auto News that it's trimming the fat down to the models with the 'strongest business performance.' The Drive reached out to Nissan for a comment, and we'll update this story if we get more details. When you go to Nissan's site and check out the Versa, the first thing you see under its name is 'Get the Nissan you want free from new tariffs.' So if Nissan is going to eat the additional tariff cost for customers, it can't be manufacturing cars that won't sell well. And manuals reportedly only accounted for 5% of Versa sales in 2024. Nissan As the manual Versa dies, it brings the five-speed manual transmission down with it. What was once a common drivetrain configuration is now a memory—when the last stick-shift Versa leaves a Nissan lot, there won't be any new five-speed manual vehicles for sale in the United States. Only six-speed and a few seven-speed manuals will remain. That isn't much of a surprise, given that six-speeds have been the norm for years. Nissan killed the five-speed manual in the last-generation Frontier pickup in 2020, Volkswagen killed off the entry-level five-speed manual Golf after the Mk7 ended in 2021, and Mitsubishi dropped the Mirage's five-speed in 2023. Still, this feels like a minor moment in car culture. Killing the manual Versa won't be a big sales hit, since barely any customers wanted it, but it will end Nissan's ability to market a sub-$18,000 car. It's always a bummer to see a manual transmission die, since they're are so few of them left. But I'm not sure how many people will care about the ancient five-speed Versa's. It's like when Lexus ended SC430 production, which was the last car with a cassette player. When a technology is so far past its sell-by date, does it really matter that it's gone? If you happen to buy one of the last stick-shift Versas, or if you've got one already, drop us a line because we're curious to hear what they're like to drive. Got tips? Send 'em to tips@
