AUTONEWS

Biodiesel wastewater treatment: Capturing carbon and valuable chemicals

While biodiesel provides a cleaner-burning alternative to petroleum diesel, it produces CO2 and hazardous wastewater during manufacturing, requiring extra steps to achieve sustainability. A diagnostic study led by University of Michigan researchers works to improve a process that captures CO2 while treating biodiesel wastewater and produces valuable co-products like fuels and green chemicals.

During biodiesel production, fats—like vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled restaurant grease—are transformed into fuel through a process called transesterification. With the help of a catalyst, an alcohol (typically methanol) breaks the bonds in the fat molecules to create glycerol and long, chain-like molecules called fatty acid esters.

The fatty acid esters, which resemble petroleum diesel's molecular structure, become biodiesel while the glycerol goes into the wastewater as a byproduct. If left untreated, glycerol can pollute natural water resources by depleting oxygen levels, suffocating fish and other organisms.

Treatment first involved filtering out or breaking down glycerol and other contaminants, but more recent efforts aim to reclaim valuable materials from wastewater, helping offset biodiesel production costs. Biodiesel production is trending upwards, creating an opportunity to tap into the potential of waste streams, the researchers say.

"By developing more stable electrocatalysts, we can begin to harness renewable energy to more efficiently recover value from waste resources," said Joshua Jack, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at U-M and corresponding author of the study published in Environmental Science & Technology.

One tactic under development called electrochemical CO2 reduction, or eCO2R, uses electricity to convert CO2 from sources like biodiesel exhaust gas into value-added products. However, this process typically relies on high purity water and expensive precious metal catalysts to drive the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) needed for eCO2R.

Researchers have moved towards a cheaper, more energy-efficient alternative to the OER called electrochemical glycerol redox reaction or GOR. The technique instead leverages glycerol's ultra-low redox potential—or strong willingness to exchange electrons—lowering energy demand between 23% and 53% depending on the catalyst.

The catalyst type also determines which chemicals GOR can produce. Nickel has drawn interest recently because of its low cost, ease of manufacturing and ability to produce high-value co-products like formate—a chemical used in food production and storage worth $146 per liter.

Manufacturing biodiesel, a cleaner-burning alternative to petroleum diesel, produces CO2 and wastewater containing pollutants. A University of Michigan research team troubleshoots an energy-efficient electrochemical method to capture CO2 and valuable chemicals while treating wastewater. Credit: ACS Publications

"Coupling GOR with a CO2 electrolysis to capture CO2 from the air wraps sustainable wastewater management, CO2 utilization and green chemical synthesis into a single unit process," said Kyungho Kim, a postdoctoral research fellow of civil and environmental engineering at U-M and lead author of the study.

While recent research has aimed to maximize catalytic activity for GOR, there has been less focus on the stability of catalysts over longer periods of time. To improve the process, the researchers focused on the stability of a nickel catalyst over 24 hours of operation.

The research team first developed a synthetic biodiesel wastewater containing glycerol, methanol, soap and water. Experiments applied an electric potential to the wastewater mimic contained within a flow cell—a device with a nickel positive electrode (anode) and a platinum negative electrode (cathode).

Results detail several previously unknown ways the nickel catalyst lost effectiveness over time. The current declined by 99.7% within 24 hours of operation, mainly driven by particles blocking the nickel electrode.

Implementing a regular cleaning and maintenance schedule will be necessary for long-term usage of the energy-efficient nickel catalysts before adoption in a real-world setting.

"The analytical framework used in this study can offer a new roadmap for evaluating catalyst stability and the experimental results can be used to improve catalyst design and operation in diverse environmental processes," said Jack.

This study is one of the first steps towards building more robust electrocatalysts that can efficiently operate in wastewater.

Provided by University of Michigan College of Engineering

 

AUTONEWS

Abarth 600e Brings Affordable Fun To Electric Driving – With One Flaw

I was not expecting to like the Abarth 600e as much as I did. The Abarth 500e is lots of fun, but mostly because of the way it looks and the hilarious noise it makes. The Abarth 600e is different. Like the 500e, it’s based on a Fiat of the same numerical value. But unlike the 500e, Abarth has done more to bring the 600e in line with its brand values. The result is one of the most amusing electric hatchbacks currently on the market.

Abarth has made its name since 1949 taking practical small cars and injecting performance. Many car brands have their “skunkworks” garages that tune and uprate their regular cars into something that could even be race-worthy but certainly adds appeal for discerning everyday drivers. In the case of the Abarth 600e, the basis is the Fiat 600e, a car I quite liked when I tested it last year. But the latter isn’t a fun driver’s car – it’s a practical small family hatchback.

The Abarth 500e had 36hp more than the Fiat 500e it was based on, dropping the 0-62mph sprint to 7 seconds from 9 seconds. However, the Abarth 600e has 345Nm of torque and either 240 or 280hp, depending on which version you go for (the more powerful one is the Scorpionissima, namechecking the arachnid Abarth uses as its logo). Either one is a big leap from the Fiat 600e’s 154hp, and the Scorpionissima is in fact the most powerful car Abarth has ever made.

There are many differences in setup between the Abarth 600e and the Fiat version, too. The car has been lowered and the track enlarged by 30mm at the front and 25mm at the back. This provides room for the 20in diamond cut alloys. The suspension has also been stiffened to reduce roll. One feature that gives the Abarth 600e very different handling to the Fiat version is the JTEKT Torsen mechanical limited slip differential (LSD), improving traction as you accelerate out of corners. EVs can get you to high speeds fast, so Abarth has fitted 380mm Alcon-derived disc brakes and calipers to ensure you can stop fast too.

Apart from the larger wheels, the Abarth 600e has plenty of changes in its appearance. You can still see the resemblance to the Fiat 600e, but with significant improvements. The body kit is more angular and less round than the Fiat 600e. The default paint color is the same Acid Green as the Abarth 500e, although you can also choose orange and more sober white and black. The Scorpionissima only offers Acid Green and an exclusive Hypnotic Purple, with no extra cost required for either. The latter also has a gloss black body kit. The result is a considerably more aggressive look, although it’s hard to obscure the friendliness of the 600e’s round headlights.

Abarth 600e: Go Kart Track Handling...On paper, the Abarth 600e is not that fast for an EV. The base 240hp takes 6.2 seconds to hit 62mph and the Scorpionissimo only drops that a little to 5.8 seconds. This seems pedestrian when compared to an electric supercar like the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore. But this is on par for a hot hatch powered by internal combustion, but straight-line speed is not really what this car is about. The chassis setup means that you can chuck this car into corners with great gusto. It feels entirely at home on windy British A-roads and is very forgiving if you hit a bend a little bit faster than you meant to. Simply turn in, hit the accelerator after the apex, and let that capable LSD pull you round.

To hammer home this point, Abarth took journalists at the launch to a go-karting track for a few laps each. The 600e is very much in its element here. In the hands of a demonstrator familiar with this track’s tight corners, the car is capable of nausea-inducing changes of direction thanks to its ability to pull 1G laterally. In my less familiar hands, the Abarth 600e was still able to provide huge amounts of cornering enjoyment and luckily those big brakes worked as advertised, slowing the car very capably. Despite being a small hatchback, the Abarth 600e weighs 1,700kg, whereas the 2025 Mk8 Golf GTI, for example, is just 1,454kg. Handling is not quite so nimble for this reason, but the Abarth 600e remains hugely enjoyable. If you loved the silliness of the Abarth 500e’s artificial noise box, never fear – the 600e has that available too.

You can choose how aggressively you harness the Abarth 600e’s capabilities via the three power modes – Turismo, Scorpion Street and Scorpion Track. Turismo only gives you 148hp for the basic Abarth 600e and 198hp for the Scorpionissima, with 300Nm of torque. It’s aimed more at range and efficiency. Scorpion Street increases these figures to 201hp and 228hp respectively, with the full 345Nm of torque. Scorpion Track then enables all the power. The modes also alter setup, including accelerator pedal setup, ESP and steering. The car was clearly twitchier in Scorpion Street, with ESP not kicking in much and more torque steer.

The grip is much more than you’d expect a small four-seater hatchback to have. Because that is the point with the Abarth 600e – it’s still a practical car. The rear seats are a bit cramped but still viable for adults (unlike the 500e) and there’s a decent amount of luggage space in the rear. You get 360 liters with the rear seats up and 1,231 liters with them down – enough for the daily shop, a short family trip, or a light DIY collection. However, one drawback with the stiffened suspension is that the ride is hard for some British roads. It’s swings and roundabouts – you gain in driver engagement but lose in comfort.

Is The Abarth 600e The Perfect Electric Hot Hatch?...Pricing is not outrageous either. The basic Abarth 600e costs £36,975 ($48,000), while the Scorpionissima is £39,875 ($51,500). Both these figures fall below the UK Expensive Vehicle tax threshold, so you won’t be paying the higher amount for this. The price compares well with internal combustion hot hatches, such as the 2025 Mk8 Golf GTI. So you’re not paying anything extra by going electric for your hot hatch thrills. The pricing is also similar to the MG4 XPOWER, which is much faster in a straight line but lacks the handling enhancements of the Abarth.

Unfortunately, however, the Abarth 600e does have one drawback – that 54kWh battery combined with so much motor power doesn’t make for a lot of range. The WLTP rating is 207 miles, quite a lot lower than the Fiat 600e’s 250 miles, and you’ll get far less than that if you dial up the more aggressive setup modes and drive accordingly. DC charging maxes out at 100kW, too, so replenishing from 10 to 80% takes 27 minutes. Not terrible, but that will be less than 160 miles. So you can really only go around 2 hours on a motorway between stops with the Abarth 600e, making long distances possible but not ideal.

The Abarth 600e is therefore not perfect. The hot hatch is meant to be the universal transportation tool – potentially fun on a track at the weekend, but otherwise great for everyday activities like commuting, shopping, trips with friends and family, and visiting people in other cities. The 600e lacks a little for the latter but covers every other area well, making it one of the best electric hot hatches yet, if not the ultimate small all-round EV driving machine just yet.

James Morris(https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesmorris2/)

 

AUTONEWS

He bought 6 Porsches for a childhood dream and now sells them in a package with a truck included

The case of the auction that RM Sotheby's is holding this coming April 28th is one of the most peculiar we've ever seen. Because there are many Porsche fans with money. Some of them, those who buy more for collecting than for driving, hoard very limited-edition units in their garages that they give up driving, and which they sell years later because the car has appreciated in value, because they've now become infatuated with other models, or both.

But the case of the collector who acquired these six 991-generation Porsche 911s, of whom we only know that he's German, is much more special because it fulfilled a childhood dream: he wanted to have a small collection of sports cars to play with, as well as a truck to load and transport them. And since he couldn't have all of that, when he grew up, he made up for it by buying these six Porsches and a truck to transport them around.

The models are among the most desirable of the 991 generation. The two simplest are two 911 GT3s, both with 510 hp. The first is red with a black interior, features the coveted Clubsport package, and features ceramic brakes, bucket seats, harnesses, a roll cage, and a 90-liter fuel tank, among other options that would increase the official price, which, at least in Spain, was €222,712. He bought this "beast," which reaches 320 km/h and goes from 0 to 100 in 3.9 s, in 2018. Although it has less than 50 kilometers on the clock, he took it in for an oil change in 2020, and in 2023 he had it changed again, along with the brake fluid and the installation of new spark plugs and a new battery. The most 'civilized'... The other GT3, this one with less than 20 kilometers, is a Touring version also purchased in 2018 for a similar price. This time it was black with ceramic brakes, an extended leather interior package, a large fuel tank...And at the same time as the previous model, it underwent the same maintenance operations.

A year later, in 2019, a GT3 RS was brought from the dealership in Racing Yellow with a black leather interior, a multitude of optional carbon fiber parts, and optional magnesium wheels. Its engine produced 525 hp and allowed it to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds, in addition to reaching 296 km/h. The car, which cost €286,400 without options, was ordered with a large fuel tank, as well as a ClubSport package that includes a roll cage, fire extinguisher, and harnesses. Although he didn't use it (it currently has 27 kilometers on the clock), he requested a change of oil, brake fluid, spark plugs, and battery in March 2023, after which he took it home again, never to be touched again.

An exclusive 911 R...Even more exclusive than these, in 2016 he managed to get his hands on one of the 991 Porsche 911 Rs ever produced, a car with 500 hp (0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 s and 323 km/h) that cost 217,468 euros and which Porsche sold only to its best customers. The maintenance he has performed is the same as the other 911s, and this sports car currently has less than 50 kilometers on its dial. It was ordered in white with red stripes and features such interesting options as the single-mass flywheel, ceramic brakes, and carbon fiber seats.

But he also wanted to acquire (and did acquire) racing models. One of them is a 2018 911 GT3 Cup, which has never been serviced but has also never been driven, either on the track or on the road. In this case, the car includes the protective film on the body and the interior protectors that it comes with upon pre-delivery, and its price was probably close to €400,000.

A racing beast... And the last, the wildest of all, is a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup R with FIA homologation and specifications for racing in international GT3 championships. It probably cost him more than €600,000, and all just to sit inside it, because it's completely unused.

But if all these cars (we have no doubt he'll have many more) are a childhood dream, and he wants to say goodbye to that now-fulfilled dream, it's only natural that he's also put up for sale the MAN TGX truck and the Rolfo Auriga trailer, which he also bought new in 2019 for the sole purpose of transporting these cars. This behemoth was specified with a 4x2 wheel configuration, air suspension, and an XXL-sized cab, and its six-cylinder diesel engine delivers 640 hp. It's not that he's used it much, but the fact that it has 500 kilometers on the clock (nothing for a car, much less a truck) means he's at least paraded his collection of 'big toys' around somewhere.

But we insist: the condition of the sale is that the cars and truck be sold together and inseparably. All for a price that hasn't been disclosed but could exceed €1.5 million. This greatly limits the number of potential buyers, but perhaps the seller doesn't mind this detail at all.

 

AUTONEWS

Volkswagen must pay $1.4 billion in taxes to India

According to Indian authorities, canceling the collection of $1.4 billion in taxes for Volkswagen would be a real shot in the foot for the country's economy.

According to those responsible for tax policy, this measure is not just a simple administrative decision, but an action with profound impacts on the tax system and on the trust that investors and citizens place in the government.

For New Delhi, if the government gives in to tax disputes of this magnitude, other companies may feel emboldened to question or even challenge the logical rules, which in turn could lead to an erosion of the review and stability of the tax collection system.

This instability affects not only the automotive sector, but the entire economy, since tax collection is essential to finance public policies and infrastructure investments. Volkswagen was sending “critically needed information and documents to complete the remittance reviews” only in instalments, according to the Economic Times website. CKD units are taxed at rates of 30% to 35%, compared with about 5% to 15% for auto parts. 

In an environment where tax fairness is needed to foster growth and encourage investment, any excessive easing could undermine investor confidence and jeopardize the economic equilibrium, they say. In short, the message from Indian authorities is clear: taking such a drastic action as canceling the $1.4 billion levy would not only harm the country’s financial health but also pave the way for a series of future instabilities. 

Maintaining fiscal rigour is therefore, in the government’s view, essential to preserve the integrity of the tax system and ensure a sustainable investment and growth environment in the automotive sector and the economy at large.

Volkswagen has sued Indian authorities to quash an “impossibly enormous” tax demand of $1.4 billion, arguing the ask is contradictory to New Delhi’s import taxation rules for car parts and will hamper the company’s business plans, court papers show.

Volkswagen’s unit, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, also told the High Court in Mumbai the tax dispute puts at risk its investments of $1.5 billion in India, and is detrimental to the foreign investment climate, according to the 105-page filing which is not public but was reviewed by Reuters.

In the biggest ever import tax demand, India in September slapped a $1.4 billion tax notice on Volkswagen for using a strategy to break down imports of some VW, Skoda and Audi cars into many individual parts to pay a lower duty.

Indian authorities alleged Volkswagen imported “almost the entire” car in unassembled condition - which attract a 30-35% tax applicable on CKDs, or completely knocked down units, but evaded the levies by misclassifying them as “individual parts” coming in separate shipments, paying just a 5-15% levy.

Volkswagen India had kept the Indian government informed of its “part-by-part import” model and received clarifications in its support in 2011, the company says in the court challenge.

The tax notice is “in complete contradiction of the position held by the government ... (and) places at peril the very foundation of faith and trust that foreign investors would desire to have in the actions and assurances” of the administration, the Jan. 29 court filing states.

The Indian finance ministry and the customs official who issued the demand order did not respond to requests for comment outside regular business hours.

Volkswagen’s India unit said in a statement it is using all legal remedies as it cooperates with authorities and remains committed to ensuring “full compliance” with all global and local laws.

A Volkswagen spokesperson in Germany did not respond to a request for a comment.

The German carmaker is a tiny player in India’s 4 million units a year car market, the world’s third biggest, where its Audi brand also lags competitors in the luxury segment like Mercedes and BMW.

A government source earlier told Reuters that with penalties, Volkswagen India may have to pay about $2.8 billion if it loses the dispute. In 2023-24, VW India reported sales of $2.19 billion, and a net profit of $11 million.

The tax dispute comes at a time when Volkswagen is battling to cut costs to better compete with Chinese rivals and cope with weak demand in Europe. In December it announced 35,000 future job cuts in Germany. In its biggest market, China, the carmaker has said it will sell some of its operations.

‘Body blow’ for investor sentiment...Volkswagen argues it is not liable to pay higher taxes as it did not import car parts together as a single “kit”, but instead shipped them separately, combining them with some local components to make a car.

To explain what a “kit” is, it refers to a “practical analogy” of buying a chair online from Amazon, which is then delivered in one shipment with all parts and fixtures needed to assemble the piece of furniture.

In the case, authorities alleged Volkswagen’s local unit regularly placed bulk orders for cars through internal software which connected it to suppliers in Czech Republic, Germany, Mexico and other nations.

And after the order was placed, the software broke it down into “main components/parts”, roughly 700-1,500 for each vehicle depending on the model, which were shipped separately over time.

This, the Indian authorities said, was “a ploy to clear the goods without the payment of the applicable duty.”

The company says in the court filing “there is no exclusive utilization of the parts towards manufacture of one specific car.”

Volkswagen India also contests the alleged clandestine software use by arguing it only helps dealers convey car orders so that it can track “consumer demand at a macro level”.

High taxes and prolonged legal disputes have often been a sore point for foreign companies in India, with Tesla

 also publicly complaining about high taxes on imported EVs.

The tax notice “deals a body blow” to the much-advertised “policy of ease of doing business in India for foreign investors,” the company said.

Mundoquatrorodas

 

FERRARI

Ferrari faces wave of lawsuits in the US over faulty braking systems in its supercars

Ferrari is facing a legal storm in the United States that threatens to further tarnish its already controversial reputation.

The North American subsidiary of the Italian supercar brand is at the center of a class action lawsuit filed by owners who allege serious faults in the braking systems of several of the automaker's models, with a real risk of accidents due to total or partial loss of braking capacity.

The lawsuit made an important breakthrough on March 14, when federal judge Jamel K. Semper, in New Jersey, decided to allow several of the claims against Ferrari North America and supplier Bosch to move forward in the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs accuse the companies of deliberately hiding a defect related to brake fluid leaks, even after reports of serious failures, accidents and customer complaints.

According to court documents, Ferrari even initiated a recall in 2021, which was extended in 2022 to almost all models manufactured since 2005. The solution offered? Replacing the brake fluid reservoir cap and updating the car's software to issue alerts in case of low pressure.

For the owners, this was a workaround. The indictment says that Ferrari preferred a cheap and temporary measure instead of replacing the defective components, putting profit above customer safety.

The owners' accounts are worthy of a movie script — and not a good one. Jeffrey Rose, for example, said that less than a month after buying his used 488 GTB, the brakes failed completely, causing the car to literally roll until it fell into a lake.

Howard Hardwick, on the other hand, experienced moments of terror on the race track, when the brakes on his Ferrari failed at Sebring International Raceway, causing it to crash into a tire barrier. His loss? More than 150 thousand dollars. The class action lawsuit brings together customers from several US states, including California, Georgia, Florida, Massachusetts and New Jersey, and is based on local consumer protection laws.

It is alleged that Ferrari not only concealed the risks, but also misled consumers through marketing materials and official statements, omitting safety test data, complaints and warranty records that would have shown the defect.

Although Ferrari tried to block the lawsuit by arguing that the allegations were unfounded or out of time, the judge disagreed, noting that there is sufficient evidence that the company concealed crucial information.

For now, the lawsuit is not yet national, but the progress of the case could set a precedent for other similar lawsuits throughout the country.

The lawsuit is now expected to move into the evidence-gathering phase, unless the automaker opts for a settlement. The plaintiffs are seeking compensation for the loss of value of the vehicles, repair costs and even punitive damages.

To date, Ferrari has not publicly commented on the status of the case.

Ferrari had recalled its vehicles in several countries, including the U.S., in 2021 and 2022 to address other braking issues, but had offered an interim “remedy” to owners involving replacing a part that caps brake fluid to prevent leaking.

However, the complaint alleges Ferrari continued to sell thousands of cars with systems susceptible to leaking — the only fix being to replace its master cylinders when it happened.

” … class members would not have purchased the (Ferrari vehicles) had they known braking capability could be partially or totally impaired due to a component failure — a component that Ferrari has been unwilling to repair or replace,” the complaint read.

The lead plaintiff in the proposed class-action is Iliya Nechev, a San Marcos, Calif. resident who bought his 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia in 2020.

Nechev said in the complaint that he experienced brake issues “from the day (he) received” his Ferrari, coming close to an accident several times. When he brought these issues to the Ferrari dealership, he says staff told him it was “normal” and that he should “just get used to them.”

Nechev then attempted to repair the problems on his own in April 2021. After reaching the master cylinder in the engine, he discovered a small pool of brake fluid that was leaked by the master cylinder seal. Fixing it, the complaint says, solved the issues he experienced while driving.

Later that year, Ferrari began recalling some of its vehicles, such as the 458 and 488, produced over the last two decades for brake issues.

In a statement, Ferrari told Nexstar that the “safety and well-being” of their customers is their highest priority.

“We operate according to stringent safety and security guidelines to ensure that our vehicles always respect homologation specifications,” the statement continued.

Ferrari also added that all “relevant international authorities” were made aware of the recall due to the possible defect in the braking system affecting some vehicles made between 2010 and 2019. A subsequent voluntary extension was added for cars made between 2003 and 2019 in line with what Ferrari described as its “uncompromising engineering practices.”

Bosch, the German manufacturer of the allegedly defective parts who is also listed as a defendant in the suit, declined to comment in a statement that read, “As a matter of policy, Bosch does not comment concerning topics in litigation.”

According to the complaint, the proposed class in the lawsuit is seeking a refund to all of their vehicles and repairs resulting from the brake issues, on top of any compensatory and punitive damages.

For a brand that has always prided itself on selling high-performance machines, this brake scandal could seriously damage its credibility. After all, what good is a supercar that can't stop?

Mundoquatrorodas

 

LEXUS

Lexus Morizo LBX RR: the 300 hp three-cylinder Japanese compact that is a lot of fun 

The romanticism in the automobile industry is not over. There are still dreams — or whims, as you prefer… — capable of bypassing Excel spreadsheets and the most conservative marketing departments.

The story is told in a few lines. In 2017, Akio Toyoda, current president of Toyota, asked his engineers at Gazoo Racing to develop a homologation special derived from the Toyota Yaris. Many millions of investment later, the acclaimed GR Yaris was born.

A fantastic car when driven with the “knife between its teeth”, but it is not exactly the most practical and comfortable option for everyday use. And Akio Toyoda is on his way to 70 years old… it was necessary to do the same again, but more comfortably.

The Lexus LBX is powered by the same mechanical components found in the GR Yaris. Brakes, drive system, transmission, engine, etc.

But there is one element that stands out: the G16E-GTS, the 1.6 l, three-cylinder, turbo engine. Interestingly, in this LBX Morizo ​​​​RR version it offers more power than in Toyota's pocket-rocket.

Without European emissions standards in its wake, this engine is capable of developing 305 hp of power — roughly 40 hp more than the European GR Yaris.

Dynamically, the LBX isn't as sharp as the GR Yaris — the laws of physics are unforgiving. But it's still a memorable experience.

Torque has also increased, from 360 Nm to a more impressive 400 Nm. Now add a traction system that doesn't let anything slip through the cracks and wrap it all in the body of a Lexus LBX. Japanese people don't joke around...Europeans don't know how to joke around...Unfortunately, we will never see a Lexus LBX Morizo ​​RR on our roads. Due to emissions regulations, this model cannot come to Europe. It's a toy, right. For few, without a doubt.

But even work vehicles are starting to struggle to meet the standards — as Mitsubishi can tell, as it can no longer sell the L200 pickup truck in Europe.

Even Toyota will partially electrify the Hilux — keeping the Diesel engine —, so as not to have problems in the continent of the old… or is it the old continent that they say?

It is not accessible. Prices start at 35,000 euros, but there is no model in this segment capable of replicating the premium qualities of the higher segments in such a compact format.

Mundoquatrorodas

 

CITROEN

The increasingly rare virtue that you'll now almost exclusively find in the Citroën C5 Aircross

There are so many C-segment SUV models (i.e., models measuring around 4.5 meters in length) that we sometimes overlook some that have been around for a while, but which offer a rather notable and increasingly rare virtue. This is the case with the Citroën C5 Aircross and the advantage we're about to tell you about.

The model actually has little new about it; it hit the market in 2019 as an alternative to the C4 Picasso (which was a minivan, not an SUV), and in 2022 it underwent an update that was most noticeable from the outside thanks to the new headlights with dual daytime running lights, although the grille, bumpers, and taillights were also modified. This was also used to replace the 8-inch infotainment system screen with a 10-inch one, redesign the climate control buttons, and replace the gear selector with a smaller one. This, in a nutshell, is what we remembered from the last time we drove it. But we've gotten back behind the wheel to see how it compares to the rivals it has seen over the past two seasons. In our case, looking at it, it's inevitable to conclude that its appearance has aged.

It's true that the front end gives this C5 the look of a modern Citroën, but the side and rear lines, like the dash lines, feature a rounded shape that's no longer seen in the French brand's latest models, such as the new C3. Or as the prototype of the next C5 Aircross has already shown. And that's something that reminds us of its age compared to more "fresh" rivals.

The perceived quality of the materials is appropriate for a car that has always aimed to be in the lower mid-range of this segment's price range. This isn't a flaw, but rather a positioning that seems reasonable to us. That is to say, there are very rigid plastics on the inside of the doors and even on the dashboard, although the front of the dashboard has padding that improves its appearance and feel.

But this feeling is compounded by its practicality, as the controls are located within easy reach, there are specific spaces to leave a credit card or items like keys on the left side of the dashboard, the glove compartment and door bins are spacious, it has an induction charger, and the information on the gauge cluster is very clear. Of course, if you want to dim the illumination of the gauge cluster and the central screen because you're traveling at night, you have to navigate through menus and submenus in a procedure that seems slow and unintuitive.

But it is in this interior that we once again recall what is perhaps its greatest asset: its three rear seats. This is not a car in which the center seat is a burden compared to the side seats. In fact, it may even be the favorite, as this French model takes advantage of its generous interior width to offer three independent seats that offer similar comfort, and which can also be moved independently forward or backward using rails.

A comfortable space... If we add to this the fact that the floor in the back is very flat, that there are separate air conditioning vents, that the knee room is considerable, and that having a separate center seat doesn't detract from the comfort of the side seats, we think we're looking at the true heir to the forgotten minivans in terms of comfort. And to this we must add that the trunk also deserves the epithet "family-friendly," boasting 580 liters of capacity measured up to the canvas with the rear seats in the rearmost position.

As for the engine, we tested the non-plug-in hybrid variant, which is actually a micro-hybrid (its 48V system) and features a 1.2-liter, 3-cylinder gasoline engine delivering 136 hp, and an electric motor with 29 hp, in this case powered by a 0.89 kWh battery.

Micro-hybrid... Citroën claims a combined power output of 145 hp, which translates to a top speed of 200 km/h and a 0-100 km/h time of 10.2 s. But the best part is that its hybrid system allows the car to move in 100% electric mode, even if only for the first few meters. Official fuel consumption is 5.4 l/100 km on the approved cycle, which, after extensive city use, increased to 6.6 l/100 km for us.

As for the driving experience, they're somewhat contradictory. On the one hand, we love the comfort of the seats, something Citroën has tended to put a lot of effort into in recent years. But on the other, the suspension makes the car pitch a little more than usual at very low speeds, even when you start off smoothly in the garage. And this catches our attention because it then holds up quite well on the road.

Paddle shifters, but not very sporty... And another notable detail, beyond the steering and brakes that inspire confidence, is the six-speed transmission. It aims to offer a sporty feel by incorporating paddle shifters, but since these are made of plastic, they don't offer a solid feel or translate into quick gear changes, so we naturally choose to let the car shift gears as it pleases.

The Max version, the highest in the range, already comes with tinted rear windows, a navigation system connected to the 10-inch screen, front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, hands-free entry and start, dual-zone climate control, and more. In terms of safety, it adds lane departure warning and assist, active cruise control, low-beam assist, the Citroën Connect box system (which calls emergency services in the event of an accident), a blind spot detection system, and more.

The price of this model with the Eco label, and we repeat that this is the most equipped version, is 38,700 euros.

Mundoquatrorodas