Built on Toyota’s New Global Architecture it shares with the Prius, we chose to stick with standard 4-cylinder power, prioritizing fuel economy over the V6’s grunt. 

The I4 rates 28-City, 39-Highway, and 32-Combined; yet so far we’re averaging just 28.6. But we do expect that to climb, as we’ve only burned through a few tanks of Regular at this point, at just 920-miles. 

So we’ll see over the next year, if its 206-horsepower is enough to satisfy our power-hungry staff. 

206 is actually three more than the base Camry, thanks to our XSE’s dual exhaust system. The XSE is the sportiest Camry yet; with very aggressive bodywork, smoke tinted lenses, and gloss trim. And, it’s quickly becoming a very popular item at Toyota dealerships. Hmmmmm… maybe Camry buyers aren’t just appliance shopping after all. 

Toyota has been trying to change the Camry’s narrative for a while now; infusing more and more luxury and excitement into their family staple with each new generation.

Two months with our long term 2018 Camry and we have to say they’ve made significant progress.

GREG CARLOSS: “Our XSE uses the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and we think most Camry prospects will be pleased with the power. The new 8-speed automatic transmission can be slow to downshift for passing. But, the smooth upshifts, and light steering make it a breeze to drive around town.”

GREG CARLOSS: We’re already closing in on 5,000 mostly highway miles, and our mileage has jumped way up to 35.3 miles-per-gallon. Every one of them has been pleasurable and increasingly entertaining. 

The Toyota Camry is not immune to the well-documented decline in sedan sales in the U.S. Yet, it remains the #1 selling car in America, as it has for about 16-years now. 

And we’re finding out why, having accrued almost 7,500-miles in just 3-months’ with our 2018 XSE. With its 206-horsepower 2.5-liter I4 and 8-speed automatic transmission; we’re enjoying those miles more than we have in any Camry before.

In fact, the fun only stops when we stop for fuel, at which time we’ve been dealing with a sticky fuel door that doesn’t like to open right away. But after a bit of metal massaging, it seems to be working much better. 

Fortunately for us, those stops are few and far between; with a 35.4 miles-per-gallon average so far.

As for another one of our family transporters, the 2018 Toyota Camry may not have the space of a minivan; but long distance comfort for four, and five in a pinch, is in ample supply.

We test so many crossovers these days, it’s easy to forget how useful sedans can be. This Camry has really reminded us why Toyota has sold so many of these over the years. It has space, it has comfort, it has great fuel economy. Now, some on our staff have admitted to missing the more commanding ride height of a crossover, but that’s just a matter of preference.

Yes, despite what you may have heard, there are still plenty of families that make do with a 4-door sedan; at least for one of the cars in their driveway.

We’re just over 9,000-miles, from these last four months of driving this 2.5-liter 4-cylinder XSE; and the 34.7 miles-per-gallon fuel mileage continues to impress, as does the overall driving experience. 

Saying goodbye to one of our long-terms is never easy, but that’s what we must do this week with our 2018 Toyota Camry mid-size family sedan.

“It’s been a relatively short run in this Camry XSE, but a good one for us. We love the styling and the  sporty-er suspension really backs up the look. Quicker transmission shifts would be a nice upgrade, but as far as a daily driver, the Camry is as solid as it gets, and it’s pretty entertaining too.”

Just routine maintenance was all that was required during the Camry’s 7-month stay with us. And, over 12,500-miles, the 206-horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder delivered a very good 33.4 miles-per-gallon. 

Best part of all, the improved ride-and-handling came without losing any of the comfort and practicality we’ve come to expect in Camry. We’ll miss it for sure…

The Mitsubishi Outlander is a recurring name in our Long Term fleet, having tested a previous-generation plug-in hybrid in 2019, and a next-gen non-PHEV just last year. With the new-gen PHEV now available, we couldn’t wait to give it a go.

This is our 2023 Outlander PHEV, decked out in the SEL Premium trim.

Under the hood is a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, assisted by front and rear electric traction motors for standard all-wheel drive. The combined output is 248 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, with an EV-only range of about 38 miles; 14 more than the last gen PHEV.

The Outlander PHEV is the most powerful Outlander available, which means it would definitely be our choice. Although to be honest, it’s not just about the extra power. Being able to hit a button and quietly cruise on battery power alone is another nice perk of this powertrain. As is the ability to hit the same button and add significant charge back to the battery just by driving on gas-power.

The SEL Premium Package adds semi-aniline leather upholstery with heated front and rear seats, a panoramic sunroof, and a Bose sound system. Most importantly, all SELs come with DC Fast Charging. An unusual feature for a PHEV, it can get the 20-kWh battery to 80-percent in under 40 minutes.

We kicked off the summer with a new addition to our Long Term fleet, this 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid. And after 3000 miles of fun in the sun, we have our first official update.

In the two months since it arrived, we’ve observed an overall 33.9 miles-per-gallon. That’s significantly better than the final tally of 31.4 miles-per-gallon for our 2019 Outlander PHEV long termer.

We attribute some of our newfound success to plenty of due diligence keeping the 20-kilowatt-hour battery juiced up. That’s pretty easy, since our SEL Premium packs DC Fast Charging capabilities.

It’s also easy to slip into EV-only driving. The Outlander PHEV is rated at 38 miles of electric-only range, meaning we can use the battery for most of our local driving and fall back on the 2.4-liter inline-four cylinder for longer and more intensive hauls.

With a decent driving experience and a luxuriously wrapped interior, this Outlander is exactly what we need to fill a minivan-shaped hole in our hearts.

It’s been a busy summer for our 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. We’ve already logged another 4,000, mostly long-distance highway miles on the odometer. With a comfortable, quiet ride and a suite of amenities, we’ve all wanted it as our Road Trip companion.

But those high speed runs up and down I-95 have taken a toll on PHEV gas use. With highway trips quickly depleting the 38 electric-only miles, overall fuel economy has dropped about 10% to 30.2 mpg. Still, that’s just fine, thanks to this 2.4-liter inline-4’s efficient hybrid powertrain.

But, there is more to our Outlander PHEV experience than just saving at the pump.

We’ve raved about the Outlander’s looks both inside and out, but we all know looks only go so far. There needs to be substance behind the appearance. Well now that we’ve put in the road trip miles, we’re happy to report the Outlander holds up as a long-haul vehicle. On vacation my favorite feature was the massaging seats and, granted, they’re not as advanced as we’ve seen in of the high-end luxury vehicles, but they get the job done when back fatigue sets in.

With daily recharging, and shorter fall drives, we expect to see this Mitsubishi’s fuel economy tick up in the weeks ahead.

Cooler weather and shorter days are upon us. So, it’s a good time to recap our summer spent with this 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. We’ve tallied another 3,000 miles, bringing our long term test total to just over 10,000 miles.

You may recall a recent dip in fuel economy, attributed to the high-speed, long-distance miles from seasonal road trips, which are not always kind to hybrids. With the change in seasons, our Outlander is spending more time on the plug followed by shorter, mostly commuting trips. And that means better fuel economy, climbing back up to 31.3 miles-per-gallon overall.

As we’ve mentioned before, juicing the 20-kWh battery back up to full is easy thanks to the SEL-trim’s DC fast charging capabilities. Rare for a plug-in hybrid. And now having spent some time trying it, not only does it sound good on paper… it’s a really great feature to have.

And out on the road, things are equally satisfying.

“Ten thousand miles into our test, we are officially over the “get to know you” phase with this Outlander PHEV. And personally, I’ve grown fond of two things: One: the ability to precisely dial in the right amount of regenerative braking on the fly with these steering wheel paddles. And two, the quick burst of electric torque when you stab the throttle.”

Everyone around the office is still impressed with the Outlander overall. It’s versatile, it’s comfortable, and it’s very well appointed. If we could lobby one complaint, the wireless device charger seems to not always jive with our devices. Still, in-vehicle wireless chargers aren’t yet a perfect science.

If we’ve learned anything over the last 42-years here at MotorWeek, it’s that numbers on spec sheets don’t make great cars.

Vehicles like this 2023 Acura Integra A-Spec, which we’ve had the pleasure of driving for the last 2-months, may not boast big numbers of any kind, but the high revving 200-horsepower turbo-4 and the short-shifting 6-speed manual transmission help make this car much greater than the sum of its parts.

There is a little turbo lag from this tiny 1.5-liter, but that just seems to make it even more fun. It really is just a blast to drive; and don’t say we didn’t warn you; this car does make you want to drive fast.

That’s mostly due to this 6-speed manual transmission, which raises the question, why would anyone settle for an Integra A-Spec Tech with CVT? Rhetorical questions aside, I’m liking this car more and more. Now that I’ve got the high engagement point of the clutch figured out, I’m really starting to appreciate how dialed in the suspension is. At this rate, on the next update I might upgrade my “likes” to “loves.”

All this and great fuel economy too, with our current average sitting at 33.6 miles-per-gallon over 5,500-miles. Plus, the Integra’s hatchback practicality delivers storage space that rivals many small crossovers.

While it may not boast quite the refinement as most of the Acura lineup, everything inside looks and feels sporty too, and hey, that’s why they call it entry level.

Summer is speeding by quickly, but we’re getting our money’s worth of summertime driving fun in this 2023 Acura Integra.

We’ve racked up over 6,000-miles in just 3-months’ time, averaging a great 33.8 miles-per-gallon from the tiny but mighty 200-horsepower 1.5-liter turbo-4.

We were thrilled that Acura brought the Integra name back and have been even more excited to discover it delivers a driving experience worthy of the name; easily winning a MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Award earlier this year.

“200 horsepower coming from the Integra’s 1.5-liter four-cylinder doesn’t sound like much, but trust us…it is. We’ve mentioned the turbo before and how there’s a bit of lag at low rpm. Yeah, you wouldn’t get that in a naturally aspirated engine, but you also wouldn’t get as much low-end torque, and torque is what brings a smile to your face.”

We mostly love the functionality and looks of its sporty interior, but do wish they would have poured just a tad more Acura into it, as in certain places, its Civic roots are a little too obvious.

We are 4-months into our extended drive time with this 2023 Acura Integra sport luxury sedan. But after a host of early road trips it mostly seems to have settled into commuter duty, adding only about 700-miles since we last checked in.

On that score, the 200-horsepower turbo-4 and 6-speed manual makes for one highly entertaining commute, and most logbook comments agree the Integra feels more fun than luxury. And that’s just fine by us.

Since our last update, we have driven the high-performance Integra Type S, and while we really like that car, it doesn’t feel like we’re giving up all that much in this Integra. Sure, it doesn’t have as much power as the Type S, but it still feels quick and the suspension is more than capable of keeping momentum in tight corners.

We probably haven’t talked enough about how aggressively sporty it appears outside; our tester’s Liquid Carbon paint job looks fantastic, without being too flashy.

Despite a heavy foot or two, economy is very consistent, with our average hovering at 33.9 miles-per-gallon. And while the summer sun may be setting in the rear view, we’ve still got many miles to cover in this Acura Integra.

The leaves are beginning to change here in the Mid-Atlantic and temperatures cooling down, but our fondness for this 2023 Acura Integra is still heating up, and some last-minute summer getaways helped tack another 5,000-miles on our tally since the last report.

We’ve reached the 5-month mark, having driven 12,000-miles, and this 200-horsepower turbo-4 really is a dream to operate even if the revs hang a little high on the freeway. Monitoring those revs is easy with the clear and precise digital gauge display, which ironically enough, is actually called Acura’s Precision Cockpit. And it’s worth noting the 6-speed manual transmission, not just for its novelty, but for the fact that it works so well.

“A lot of the charm and even credibility for the Integra being a sporty compact comes from the manual transmission option. Shifter throws are short and precise while the brake pedal and gas pedal are spaced perfectly for heel-toe downshift action… that is assuming you turn off the automatic rev matching feature. And, uh… don’t tell any purists… I’m starting to leave that function on.”

Some additional highway miles have helped the fuel economy average climb slightly to 34.5 miles-per-gallon; and so far, the only downtime for the Integra has been for regularly scheduled maintenance.

Everything inside is holding up quite well, including the Sport Seats with Microsuede Inserts that come with the Tech Package, which also gets you a nice head-up display and nicer 16-speaker ELS Studio Premium Audio which brings the noise with clarity. And there’s even plenty of room in the back seat for bringing some friends along.