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Nissan’s redesigned 2022 Frontier will cause instant memory loss for the outgoing model

2022 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X — Never before has a mid-size truck needed an update more than today’s Frontier, but this new 2022 model should make up for lost time.

What’s the oldest production vehicle currently for sale in Canada? The only reason you might not have immediately thought of Nissan’s Frontier pickup truck, is because it’s been so long since the Japanese brand has advertised it. After all, the mid-size model has hardly changed since it was significantly made over 16 years ago, but even that mid-cycle refresh was based on a truck that dated back to 1997. Yah, today’s second-generation Frontier is from the last century, a shocking 24 years old under the skin.

Time for a redesign? Just a bit, but thankfully Nissan will make its all-new third-gen Frontier available for sale later this year, and by first impressions it should cause a splash in the market. To be fair to Nissan, at least it didn’t walk away from the compact/mid-size truck market altogether like Dodge (Ram) did a decade ago when it dropped its Dakota.

The domestic brand (having changed its truck division’s name to Ram well before finding itself under the ownership of Stellantis, a new entity that combines Fiat Chrysler with the PSA Groupe) is reportedly looking to return to this segment like Ford did with its upsized Ranger a few years back (the old compact Ranger was discontinued in 2011), while the Chevrolet/GMC Colorado/Canyon twins only suffered from a two-or-so year hiatus between first and second generations. A new Dakota should make sense, especially when considering how well the automaker has done with its Jeep Gladiator, a pickup truck version of the iconic brand’s Wrangler SUV.

Toyota’s Tacoma has long led this class for sales and ownership loyalty, despite what segment-upstart Honda has attempted with its unibody Ridgeline alternative, while Hyundai and Ford will soon try to show there’s still life left in the smaller compact pickup category with their respective Santa Cruz and Maverick models.

Yes, Nissan will have plenty of challengers to go up against when its new Frontier arrives for the 2022 model year, but from what we can see it looks like this truck will be a serious contender right out of the gate. It gets a more angular design that pays a bit of homage to the brand’s old Hardbody pickups of the 1980s and 1990s, but we think the new styling shows more respect to the full-size Titan, particularly its front door window cutouts, which, similar to the Ford F-150, are kinked to help with visibility.

The new Frontier also appears influenced by the aforementioned Canyon, at least before GMC said so long to its arguably more attractive rectangular grille. Any resemblance to the domestic truck shouldn’t be a problem for Nissan enthusiasts, mind you, because the new Frontier looks unique enough, comes across as tough and rugged, plus it shows off plenty of state-of-the-art LED lighting elements.

Modernity in mind, the old Frontier’s interior stays firmly in the past, with Nissan hardly even pulling forward any nods to yesteryear for posterity’s sake. We think is a smart move, because the brand needs to show that this truck has been totally reengineered. Now it looks so refined that Nissan should truly be drawing up a new Xterra to share its underpinnings, especially considering how hot the 4×4-capable SUV market is right now.

Nissan replaces the old model’s rounded dash with a chunkier, blockier design that should go over well with fans of industrial tools. This said everything flows together nicely, in a tastefully conservative way. Details include stitched and padded pliable synthetic bolstering ahead of the front passenger, plus a similar soft-touch application added to the grip-like sides of the lower centre console. We’re guessing the truck shown is a Pro-4X, due to its attractive orangey-red highlights and nicer than expected refinement, so we’ll wait to see how other trims are finished before making any judgements.

Despite this being near top-of-the-line, the primary gauge cluster is mostly analogue, but it incorporates a big colour multi-information display in the middle, de rigueur these days, which will no doubt come filled of useful functions, while a reasonably large standard 8.0-inch touchscreen is placed at the top of the centre stack. It includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration, plus all of the other expected functions in base form, including a reverse camera. According to Nissan, the Frontier is available with a 360-degree Around View parking camera in upper trims, viewable via an even bigger 9.0-inch touchscreen. Additionally, wireless device charging (albeit without wireless CarPlay) will be an option too, as will a nine-speaker Fender audio system when choosing the Pro-4X.

The Pro-4X is the Frontier’s most capable off-road trim, by the way, and therefore also gets special Bilstein shock absorbers and underfloor skid plates that cover the transmission and fuel tank, while sharp looking red tow hooks are added to the front bumper, and an orangey-red version of Nissan’s new badge gets added to the front, rear and interior.

The 2020 model Frontier (there wasn’t a 2021 model) came in S, SV and Pro-4X trims (and can be had with zero-percent financing right now), plus a Midnight Edition that has yet to be offered for the 2022 model year. A sporty Nismo edition is reported on the way, but for the time being three main trims get the nod. What’s more, Canada gets a simplified lineup that discontinues two-wheel drive variants, other than a fleet-only base King Cab S work truck.

Yes, both King Cab and Crew Cab variants will make a return for 2022, with the former available across the whole model range, and the latter only found in base S trim. Still, a Canadian-spec Frontier can be had in Pro-4X trim with the smaller King Cab, which isn’t available south of the border (or north if you live in Windsor).

The King Cab features a six-foot bed as it always has, leaving the shorter five-foot bed for the Crew Cab, other than with the long-wheelbase SV model, which increases the truck’s wheelbase from 3,200 mm (126 in) to 3,550 mm (140 in).

The US-specification Frontier received a new 3.8-litre V6 and nine-speed automatic a couple of years ago, but our version soldiered on as is. Now our 2022 Frontier gets the upgraded engine, which makes 310 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. It should be powerful enough off the line, plenty potent for highway passing, and particularly good when off-road, making our team excited to get behind the wheel for a full road and trail test.

Hitting the trail in mind, every Frontier sold to retail customers includes Nissan’s part-time shift-on-the-fly 4WD, which provides 2WD, 4HI and 4LO modes, connecting through to an electronically-controlled transfer case. Other features include hill start assist and hill descent control, while Pro-4X models get an electronic locking differential.

Canadian-market Frontiers receive a maximum tow rating of 2,944 kilos (6,500 lbs), which isn’t quite as good as the best possible 3,408-kilogram (7,500-lb) US-spec rating, due to their two-wheel drive model that’s once again not offered here. Just the same, the Frontier’s four-wheel drive tow rating is competitive at 2,268 kg (5,000 lbs).

Also competitive, Nissan will provide all Frontier trims with its suite of Safety Shield 360 advanced driving assistive technologies in Canada, which include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert with automatic-braking, high beam assistance, and adaptive cruise control.

Look for the new 2022 Frontier to show up this summer, with pricing and trim details to land just ahead of arrival.

Story credits: Trevor Hofmann

Photo credits: Nissan

CarCostCanada

Mini chooses radical mid-cycle makeover for 2022

2022 Mini Cooper 3-Door — Mini is giving its 2022 3-Door, 5-Door and Convertible models a big update for 2022, and not without controversy.

New Mini Hatch and Convertible models are on the way, and while change is good, not everyone will like what they see.

We’ve had the current Mini design with us for nearly eight years now, so a redesign is long overdue. Still, we’ll only get a mid-cycle refresh for the 2022 model year, with a thorough ground-up redesign expected at some point in the next few years. Then again, Mini might have you questioning your beliefs if you’re currently thinking major updates only happen when a car gets completely revamped.

2022 Mini Cooper S 3-Door — The new Cooper S’ front end certainly looks more aggressive.

Like so many other model updates in recent years, the new 2022 Mini Hatch and Convertible have grown their grille size, the result easier to see on more basic Cooper and Cooper S trims than with the brand’s much sportier John Cooper Works (JCW) iteration, because the more affordable models feature a big body-colour bumper section within their grilles, and the top-tier version gets a completely blacked-out mesh grille insert, plus a much more intimidating lower front fascia, which is also finished in matte black.

Another visual departure replaces the cars’ classic round fog lights with narrow vertical creases, modernizing the Mini look yet not paying homage to its storied past, an unusual move for a retrospective brand. These appear like brake ducts instead of anything to house lighting elements, while the headlamp clusters now integrate the fog lights. The aforementioned JCW now grows out these corner vent/brake ducts, and could be said to look all the better for it.

2022 Mini Cooper S 5-Door — The roomy 5-Door model gets all the updates too.

It’s nevertheless unlikely Mini’s risky new forward-thinking design language will be all that acceptable to long-time fans of the brand, despite a press release attesting to the new design’s “purist look”. Those two words are referring to a grille surround that’s a bit closer to the original car’s shape than anything offered since the brand’s 2001 remake, but other than this loosely hexagonal borderline, the ovoid headlamp clusters to each side, and the car’s curvy shape overall, very little pulls from Mini’s storied past.

2022 Mini Cooper S Convertible — Changes to the sides and rear are much less noticeable.

It’s difficult to say now, but it’s possible Mini’s new front fascia may become just as controversial as the tall, vertical “twin kidney” grille found on the front of BMW’s new 3 and 4 Series models. BMW, which owns and produces Mini, has created just a hubbub of discontent amongst its diehard ownership base, that aftermarket producers are already creating replacement front fascias with arguably better looking (smaller and more discreet) grille openings, which means the German automaker could inadvertently be creating a secondary market for its Mini line as well.

No doubt it has been difficult for Mini’s various design teams to update its lineup over the decades, being that it’s such an iconic brand. Volkswagen had similar challenges with its Beetle, no doubt, but they chose subtle changes that worked well, at least until they recently canceled the nameplate. Up until now, Mini has risen to the challenge admirably, but it’s possible, in a quest to expand the brand to a larger group of potentially new buyers, they’ve gone too far with the latest update.

Where the new Mini’s frontal design shows most of the changes, the car’s side profile and rear styling look more akin to the outgoing model, with updates to the former including “side scuttle” fender garnishes now featuring thin LED light strips for turn signal repeaters, and the latter portion only getting a revised bumper cap that no longer includes rear fog lamps or reflectors. Mini is also offering an optional Multitone Roof, which features a stylish gradient effect mixing Soul Blue, Pearly Aqua and Jet Black.

A new standard digital instrument cluster is the only noticeable update inside. It was first seen on the Mini Cooper SE plug-in hybrid and sportiest John Cooper Works GP model. The steering wheel is new as well, and warmer thanks to a heated rim. Additionally, the car’s centre air vents have now been better integrated within the dash panel.

An 8.8-inch infotainment touchscreen now comes standard in every new Mini Hatch and Convertible too. It provides modernized graphics and enhanced features, such as standard satellite radio and Apple CarPlay, although the more popular Google Android smartphone platform has yet to get full device integration through its Android Auto system. Fortunately, lane-departure warning will be standard for 2022, while the car’s adaptive cruise control system will include stop-and-go capability. Finally, Mini has reworked the interior’s ambient lighting system.

As for under-the-hood mechanicals, Mini Canada continues forward with a standard six-speed manual gearbox for 2022, while its fast-shifting 7-speed dual-clutch automated gearbox remains optional, with steering wheel paddles of course.

Likewise, engine output is once again rated at 134 horsepower and 164 lb-ft of torque for Mini Canada’s base Cooper model, this strong for an efficient 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder. The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder in the Cooper S moves into 2022 unchanged too, continuing to make 189 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque, while the same engine in the JCW puts out 228 horsepower and 236 lb-ft. Lastly, the plug-in SE once again boasts 181 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque.

2022 Mini John Cooper Works Convertible — We think the new Mini John Cooper Works looks best.

2022 model year pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but production started last month so we should receive details soon. If we were to venture a guess, all of the just-noted improvements to standard trims will likely increase base prices modestly.

Alternatively, those that take a look at the new 2022 Mini and instead want a 2021 version, or perhaps even a new 2020 model if you can still find the colour and features you want, should take note that the British carmaker is currently offering up to $1,500 in additional incentives for the former and $3,000 from the latter, as per our 2021 Mini 3 Door Canada Prices page and 2020 Mini 3 Door Canada Prices page, while average CarCostCanada member savings equals a sizeable $10,000. Similarly, Mini is offering up to $1,500 in additional incentives from 2021 and 2020 Convertibles, and up to $2,500 in incentives on 2021 and 2020 5-Door models.

CarCostCanada members can access key information about all the latest factory rebates, manufacturer financing and leasing rates, plus best of all, dealer invoice pricing that can save you thousands during negotiations. Be sure to learn how a CarCostCanada membership can save you money, and remember to download the free CarCostCanada app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store.

Story credits: Trevor Hofmann

Photo credits: Mini

CarCostCanada

Refreshed 2021 Honda Ridgeline looks ruggedly handsome

Most auto industry pundits lauded the second-generation Ridgeline’s driveability, refinement and creature comforts when it arrived on the scene in 2017, but not many praised its outward styling. It wasn’t offensive, unless you’re negatively triggered by soft, conservative, blandness, but it wasn’t about to sway Toyota Tacoma owners away from their trusted steeds, or for that matter buyers of Chevy’s Colorado, GMC’s Canyon, Ford’s Ranger or even Nissan’s Frontier (which will soon be updated). Now for 2021, fortunately, Honda has seen the light and made this otherwise impressive mid-size pickup truck a serious looker.

Replacing the outgoing Ridgeline’s aerodynamically effective albeit aesthetically displeasing grille and hood, is a bolder, brasher, more upright grille ahead of a broader, flatter hood featuring a domed centre section for added visual muscle. This is joined by a tougher, more rugged looking lower front fascia and a fresh set of front fenders, all resulting in a much more attractive Ridgeline.

Updates to the 2021 Ridgeline’s side and rear styling are less noticeable, with the former painting the cab’s rearmost extension in black instead of body-colour, and the rear bumper forgoing any metal brightwork trim.

The refreshed 2021 Ridgeline is now available at Honda retailers across Canada from $44,355 plus freight and fees. That base Ridgeline Sport trim features standard all-wheel drive, while a fancier Ridgeline EX-L can be had for $47,355, a Ridgeline Touring for $51,555, and a Ridgeline Black Edition for $53,055.

Pricing in mind, our 2021 Honda Ridgeline Canada Prices page is showing factory leasing and financing rates from 2.49 percent, while CarCostCanada members are averaging savings of $2,050. Those wanting most of the Ridgeline’s goodness without the new styling upgrades can also opt for a 2020 version, which benefited from up to $2,000 in additional incentives at the time of writing. Make sure to download the free CarCostCanada mobile app from the Google Play Store or Apple Store to have access to all the most critical information you’ll need when negotiating your next new vehicle purchase, including otherwise hard to get dealer invoice pricing that could save you thousands. Learn more about how CarCostCanada works here.

Before opting for a 2020 model to save money, keep in mind that Honda made yet more updates to the new 2021 Ridgeline, including new standard LED low beam headlamps with reflector beam halogen high beams, plus arguably more attractive 18-inch alloy wheels encircled by more capable looking rubber. These should provide better high-speed stability thanks to 20 mm of extra track width, improving the truck’s visual stance as well.

Despite the second-gen Ridgeline’s cabin being impressive already, Honda updated the instrument panel’s centre stack with a new infotainment touchscreen that adds back a rotating volume knob for quickly adjusting the sound. All 2021 Ridgeline trims receive contrast stitching for the seats as well, while Sport trim gets updated cloth seat inserts, and Sport, EX-L and Touring models feature new dash, steering wheel and centre console accents. The rest of the interior remains unchanged, including its accommodating rear passenger area that boasts a completely flat floor and foldaway 60/40-split rear lower seat cushions.

The 2021 Ridgeline’s 3.5-litre V6 is carryover too. It continues to output 280 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, while connecting through to a standard nine-speed automatic transmission. This allows for an impressive claimed fuel economy rating of 12.8 L/100km city, 9.9 highway and 11.5 combined.

As noted earlier in this story, Honda’s i-VTM4 torque-vectoring AWD comes standard. The sophisticated design can send up to 70 percent of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels when required, while continuously apportioning up to 100 percent of that twist between left and right rear tires when slippage occurs. A standard Intelligent Traction Dynamics System aids power delivery further by attributing engine torque to the wheel with the most grip, whether dealing with wet, snowy, muddy, or sandy conditions.

Optimizing traction benefits safety, of course, as does the new Ridgeline’s standard Honda Sensing suite of driver-assistive features such as Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW), and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC).

The Ridgeline does well in U.S. collision safety ratings too, with strong National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) ratings. The truck gets “GOOD” marks for all IIHS collision tests, plus a “SUPERIOR” IIHS rating for frontal crash prevention, while its 5-star Overall Vehicle Score in the European NCAP system is impressive as well.

When Honda initially launched the Ridgeline, it made a big deal out of its 5,000 lb (2,267 kg) rating, but most auto journalists in attendance were more surprised at how nimble it handled while towing a fully loaded trailer. Likewise, the unibody truck hauls a heavy load, capable of up to 1,571 lbs (713 kg) on its bed, which still houses a lockable trunk below the load floor. What’s more, the trunk and bed can be accessed via a regular folding tailgate or hinges on the side of the same panel that allow the door to swing sideways.

Now, with its bolder, more appealing styling and other improvements, the 2021 Ridgeline might give some of its rivals a serious run for their money.

Story credits: Trevor Hofmann

Photo credits: Honda

CarCostCanada

Hyundai gives 2021 Santa Fe dramatic new updates

2021 Hyundai Santa Fe — The refreshed 2021 Santa Fe delivers big on bold, with a wide new grille design that’s bound to stir up conversation.

Hyundai Canada has been a bit confusing with respect to its seven-passenger SUVs over the years, first offering the 2007–2013 Veracruz, then dubbing their 2014–2019 three-row entry as the Santa Fe XL, and finally giving the best of the lot the Palisade nameplate for 2020.

Hyundai’s largest SUV now offers up a distinctive premium-level look for the brand and near luxury levels of refinement, and has therefore received plenty of positive reviews and achieved good traction on Canada’s mid-size SUV sales chart. It ticks all the right boxes when it comes to design, execution and pricing, something the smaller two-row mid-size Santa Fe has been doing for a very long time. Still, after two model years of availability, the fourth-generation Santa Fe will receive dramatic a mid-cycle makeover.

It’s difficult to say what might have prompted Hyundai to update its top-selling Santa Fe so thoroughly after just two model years, but a sizeable 21-percent pre-pandemic drop in Canadian sales from 24,040 units during calendar year 2018 to 18,929 deliveries through 2019 wouldn’t have helped the situation, despite an almost 9-percent gain in the U.S. during the same 12 months (the Santa Fe was trending downward toward the end of the year). Some of that negativity could’ve been the Palisade’s introduction, which would have naturally eliminated most three-row Santa Fe XL sales, not to mention a gradual phase-out of the XL as the 2019 calendar year ended, but either way the popular model’s sales have slipped in recent years (it suffered a 15-percent drop the year before).

Of course, Canada’s sales wouldn’t have caused a giant multination like Hyundai to completely rethink the design of a model that’s not only manufactured in the U.S., but also Korea and China, and serves myriad markets around the world. Nevertheless, the changes are significant, with a unique new extended grille that reaches right out to each corner of the frontal fascia, the change meant to accentuate the SUV’s width and provide a “well-balanced stance,” said Hyundai in its press release.

“We modernized the New Santa Fe with premium features and appealing aesthetics that are sure to add value,” commented SangYup Lee, Senior Vice President and head of Global Design Centre. “The bold lines that extend from one side to the other and from front to back give Santa Fe a rugged yet refined look that SUV customers want. Besides, we’ve added numerous features and functions to create a truly family-focused SUV that is a pleasure to drive.”

Interestingly, the new grille’s “signature geometric patterned inlay” is different depending on the photo shown, but Hyundai’s release didn’t explain why. The version with body-colour painted lower trim included a grille insert with seven rows of isosceles trapezoid shapes, whereas the SUV with darker grey-coloured lower bumpers and rocker panels appeared to provide better aeration to its engine through bigger octagonal vent openings similar to those used on today’s Santa Fe. Is one a sport grille and the other for a top-line luxury model like today’s Ultimate? Or possibly active grille shutters have something to do with the design. We should learn more as updated info becomes available closer to model’s launch.

Unfortunately Hyundai has only provided nine exterior photos to tease our collective imagination, 2021 Santa Fe release, although it’s clear that both receive the brand’s new T-shaped signature LED Daytime Running Lights, found in both the lower grille extensions and headlamp clusters above. Each T’s outer tip visually continues rearward along the new Santa Fe’s beltline before transitioning into a set of redesigned wraparound LED tail lamps, while thicker flat-planed wheel arches add a stronger look. These frame sizeable 20-inch alloy wheels boasting a seven-spoke geometric design on the two Santa Fe trims revealed.

From its backside, the new Santa Fe gets yet more horizontal styling details to highlight its wide stance, such as a narrow light bar that connects the just-noted tail lamps, while down below on the bumper a thin reflector strip does likewise. A larger, wider rear vent cutout can be found under that, plus a new metallic skid plate, all of which is dubbed “a unique three-layer look” by the South Korean brand.

While Hyundai hasn’t provided any photos of the renewed 2021 Santa Fe cabin, it’s shared some details in its press release that helps us understand what we might expect. Let’s keep in mind that today’s 2019-2020 fourth-gen Santa Fe is already one of the most luxurious two-row crossover SUVs on the Canadian market, at least in its mainstream volume-branded sector, but Hyundai says the new version gets even “more space, comfort, and convenience,” while adding “a new level of luxury with every component finished in premium soft-touch materials.”

In its press release, Hyundai goes into more detail by saying that the Santa Fe’s updated centre console “sits high, giving the driver and front passenger the feeling of sitting in an armchair,” while all its buttons, knobs and switches are “centered for intuitive and ergonomic use.” Additionally, like with the aforementioned Palisade, the new Santa Fe’s redesigned lower centre console receives a quad of buttons for shift-by-wire gear selection, replacing the traditional shifter. Although Hyundai didn’t provide a photo, we saw one on the new model’s press page, and figure that it’s probably what we’ll soon see. It looks the same as the Palisade’s instrument panel and console, so we’ve included that image here for you to see.

The new gear interface includes an extension on the right featuring a new Terrain Mode dial selector with premium-like knurled metal sides. This enhances the performance of the Santa Fe’s HTRAC All-Wheel-Drive system with modes for overcoming slippery conditions such as Sand, Snow and Mud, plus it also includes Eco, Sport, Comfort and Smart modes, the latter for intuitively recognizing and automatically responding to one’s personal driving style. Five additional buttons allow for quick adjustment to various driving and parking camera controls.

These new drive controls are positioned just underneath two rows of nicely organized switches, the silver one on top for modulating the bigger, wider 10.25-inch AVN (audio, video, navigation) high-def centre touchscreen, and the lower one for the dual-zone HVAC system. Both rows feature more knurled metallic knobs for an upscale look that most likely continues throughout the cabin almost everywhere else, or at least this is true for the current Santa Fe.

2019 Hyundai Santa Fe — 2019 and 2020 Santa Fe models are still available, with tempting discounts or zero-percent finance and leasing plans.

Of note, the Santa Fe holds Hyundai Canada’s most enduring SUV nameplate, having originally gone on sale for the 2001 model year. Now, 20 years later it’s one of the most popular models in its class, and regularly searched here at CarCostCanada. While we have no information on the 2021 Santa Fe yet, we do have a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Canada Prices page that is currently showing up to $3,000 in additional incentives for those wanting to purchase now, while those that find a 2019 model can access zero-percent leasing and financing rates.

Additionally, take note that Hyundai Canada is offering zero-percent leasing and financing rates on their 2020 Venue, the 2020 and 2019 Kona Electric, and the conventionally powered 2019 Kona, 2019 Tucson, 2019 Nexo (a non-plug-in hydrogen-powered electric), while up to $1,000 in additional incentives is available with the 2020 Kona and Palisade SUVs, and just like with the 2020 Santa Fe there’s up to $3,000 in incentives when opting for the 2020 Tucson.

Learn more about getting a CarCostCanada membership by checking out our “How Does It Work” article. Here you’ll find how you can access all of the above and more, including manufacturer rebates when available, plus dealer invoice pricing that could put thousands back into your wallet, plus make sure to download the new CarCostCanada mobile app in iTunes or Google Play stores.

Story credit: Trevor Hofmann

Photo credits: Hyundai

CarCostCanada

New 2020 Porsche Macan Turbo almost 10 percent more powerful

The 2020 Macan has received such a thorough upgrade that many consider it more like newly designed generation, instead of a mid-cycle refresh. Porsche even revised its suspension, while also restyling its front and rear fascias, adding new standard LED headlamps and taillights, with those in the rear helping to give it a completely new look when viewed from behind. Now, instead of two distinct rear lighting clusters, the lenses to each side are bound together by a thin strip in between, similar to other vehicles in Porsche’s updated lineup like the entry-level 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster sports coupe and convertible, the mid-size Panamera four-door coupe, mid-size Cayenne SUV, the iconic 911, and entirely new Taycan all-electric four-door coupe. The 2020 Macan’s interior has been updated too, with a much larger standard 10.9-inch high-definition Porsche Communication Management (PCM) touchscreen display atop the centre stack.

The renewed Macan Turbo will arrive later this year as a 2020 model, but can be ordered from your local Porsche retailer now for $94,200. If that’s a bit rich for your budget, you may be just as happy with the more fuel-efficient 2020 Macan or the seriously sporty Macan S, both base and mid-range models having arrived earlier this year, the most affordable trim starting at $56,100, with the S bridging the gap at $63,600.

The base Macan comes equipped with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 248 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, capable of shooting it from zero to 100km/h in a mere 6.7 seconds, or 6.5 with its optional Sport Chrono Package, while its top speed is 227 km/h.

Of note, all Macans feature a fully automated seven-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission with steering wheel paddle shifters, plus Porsche Traction Management (PTM) active all-wheel drive with an electronic map-controlled multi-plate clutch is also standard, as is an automatic brake differential (ABD) and anti-slip regulation (ASR).

The second-rung Macan S sports a massive jump in straight-line performance due to a 3.0-litre V6 turbo behind its reshaped front grille, pushing 348 horsepower and 352 lb-ft of torque down to all wheels for a lickety-split acceleration time of just 5.3 seconds to 100km/h, or 5.1 with the Sport Chrono Package, while its new terminal velocity is 254 km/h.

Yes, those Macan S performance numbers have been improved for 2020, so Porsche couldn’t arrive with a new Macan Turbo held back by the same engine specs. Instead, the new Turbo gets nearly 10 percent more thrust, its 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 good for 34 more horsepower at 434, while torque remains the same at 406 lb-ft. This shaves 0.3 seconds from its zero to 100km/h sprint time, the result being 4.5 seconds or 4.3 with its Sport Chrono Package, while its terminal velocity rises by 5 km/h to 270 km/h.

A few standard Macan Turbo performance features now include one-inch bigger 20-inch Macan Turbo alloys, Porsche Surface Coated Brakes (PSCB) that manage stops faster than the SUV’s outgoing standard braking setup, Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) dampers, a sport exhaust system, and more, while a bevy of performance options include (but aren’t limited to) a height-adjustable air suspension system with rolling pistons and new shock absorber hydraulics, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV +), and Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB).

The new 2020 Macan Turbo adds some special touches inside as well, such as standard Alcantara-wrapped roof pillars and roofliner, 18-way front Adaptive Sport Seats with memory, a 665-watt Bose Surround Sound audio system boasting 14 speakers, and the list goes on.

Its list of convenience and luxury options is long too, and includes a GT Sport steering wheel, wireless charging that comes in a package with a special Smartphone Compartment, semi-autonomous self-parking and traffic assistance systems, and more.

The new 2020 Macan Turbo can be ordered now at your local Porsche dealer, and will arrive here in Canada toward the end of this year, while you can drive away in a new 2020 Macan and Macan S now.

Story credits: Trevor Hofmann

Photo credits: Porsche