AD #2926 – Nissan Sentra Punches Above Its Weight; Beijing Auto Show Reveals; How to Spot the New Yukon

This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.

HONDA UNVEILS ELECTRIC SUV CONCEPT
And we begin today in China with some new unveils from the Beijing auto show. Honda revealed a brand-new EV concept, a sharp-looking SUV, called the e:concept whose styling previews a future mass-production model. Honda didn’t release any specs, but says it will have the automaker’s next-generation ADAS package, an AI assistant and OTA update capabilities. 

HYUNDAI PREVIEWS NEXT-GEN N PERFORMANCE VEHICLES
Hyundai is previewing its next-gen N performance vehicles with an all-electric prototype racecar called the RM20e. The rear drive concept is based on the Veloster. It’s powered by a 596-kW electric motor, which cranks out 810 horsepower and 708 lb.-ft. of torque. That helps the racecar achieve a top speed of over 155 MPH and sprint from 0 to 62 MPH in under three seconds. The RM20e features a 60-kWh battery pack, but its range wasn’t revealed.

XPENG SHOWS OFF PASSENGER DRONE
Chinese EV startup Xpeng revealed an electric passenger drone concept called the Kiwigogo. It features eight propellers, can seat two passengers and is designed for low altitude flight, between 16 and 82 feet from the ground. Xpeng says electric cars are its core business but it’s also developing passenger drones because it believes air travel will be an integral part of future mobility. But vehicles like the Kiwigogo are part of its long-term research and development, so don’t expect to see it anytime soon.

POLESTAR PLANS TO BUILD PRECEPT CONCEPT
Back in August we featured a story about how Polestar will launch its lineup. It started with the Polestar 1, then came the Polestar 2, which is to be followed by the Polestar 3, an electric SUV based on a dedicated EV platform. We now have an update to this lineup. Polestar announced it will put the Precept into production and will open a new manufacturing site in China to build it. But no word if it will come before or after the Polestar 3. The Precept is an electric sedan that debuted in concept form back in February. As you can see it features pretty radical styling, so it will be interesting to find out if it keeps much of that flare. The concept’s infotainment system is powered by Google’s Android OS and we’re also interested to see if that sticks around too. 

HOW TO SPOT THE NEW YUKON
I don’t know about you, but whenever a new or updated model comes out I look for little cues that will help me recognize that it is the new model. It’s usually something that can be seen at a quick glance. Then when I see the vehicle out on the road I can easily look for those little cues. Typically, the front end has the best cues to look for, while the rear can be a little harder. But here’s a subtle design element that you can look for on the new GMC Yukon. I noticed that name badges on the back of the big SUV have moved inward toward the license plate and tailgate handle. They were previously set out further at the edges. The Tahoe and Suburban also saw their name badges get moved. They used to be like the Yukon with badges out toward the edge of the tailgate, but the model name now sits right below the Chevy bowtie in the middle with the badge for the trim level down below. So, that’s my quick and easy way to know if I’m driving behind one of GM’s new big SUVs. 

NISSAN SENTRA PUNCHES ABOVE ITS WEIGHT
We had the all-new Nissan Sentra in the Autoline Garage last week and it follows the trend that we’ve been reporting on lately, which is to say that entry level cars are getting to be a lot more sophisticated. It starts, of course with the styling. The Sentra borrows design elements from the Altima and Maxima, most notably the shape of what Nissan calls the V-Motion grille, which on our test car was flanked by optional LED headlamps. And then there’s that sail panel treatment at the rear that separates the roof line from the rear quarter panel, to create a so-called floating roof. Not only does that help to visually break up the mass of the rear quarter, it makes it easier, from a manufacturing standpoint, for Nissan to offer a black roof as an optional contrasting color. And because the Sentra sits on a new platform that is slightly lower and wider, it has a better-looking stance. But it was the interior that really impressed us. Our SV model was appointed with soft-touch, cut-and-sew accents on the IP, door trim panels, the seats and even the top edge of the console surround. Their tan color contrasted nicely with the black interior and they really brightened up the interior. The seats also featured the optional quilted leather with diamond stitching which used to be a feature you’d only get on the most expensive luxury cars. Not bad for a car with a price tag of $24,800. Nissan says it expects the Sentra to have the quietest cabin in its class and we believe it. Out on the road you don’t notice tire or wind noise and there is very good isolation over rough pavement, thanks to the addition of an independent rear suspension. There’s 20% more power available because of an increase in engine size, which is now 2-liters, up from 1.8 before. It delivers 149 horsepower and 147 pound feet of torque which is right in line with other cars in its class. Thanks to its CVT it’s rated at 33 miles per gallon. The Sentra also offers all the latest safety technology as standard equipment, as well as a lot of the newest connectivity such as Siri and Google assistant. Last year the Sentra was the third best-selling model in Nissan’s lineup in the U.S. market, behind the Rogue and Altima, which goes to show that if you do passenger sedans right, people will buy them.

  

But that wraps up today’s show, thanks for watching.