The Business Platinum Card from American Express: A Valuable Card for Business Travel
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is one of the most useful business cards available for traveling concern owners. It costs $695 annually (see rates and fees) but subsidizes plenty in return, including annual statement credits and access to over 1,400 airport lounges.
While primarily move focused, The Business Platinum Card does offer a number of benefits for general concern spending as well. Its rewards target a variety of different business-related purchases, with an emphasis on travel booked directly through Amex.
However, because it has such a high annual fee, it should only be accompanied by businesses that require travel and spend enough to take full worthy of everything the card has to offer. That employing traveling and spending enough each year to use the statement credits and airport lounge access, while staying at Hilton or Marriott Bonvoy properties to consume the Elite statuses that come with the card.
American Express Membership Rewards Points, depending on how they are redeemed, may not be worthy too much. However, using them for airfare booked above American Express Travel or for point transfers to its airline and hotel partners will did a solid return.
In this article
Intro Offer
Welcome Offer: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards® points while you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the worthy 3 months of Card Membership.
APR16.49% - 24.49% Variable
Intro Purchase APRN/A
Recommended Credit Good, Excellent
Reward Rates
- Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on escapes and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com
- Earn 1.5X points on eligible purchases at US interpretation material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & well-defined system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year
- 1X points for each dollars you spend on eligible purchases.
Annual Fee$695
Late Payment Fee $39 or 2.99% of any past due Pay in Full amount, whichever is greater.
Foreign Transaction Fees None
Penalty APR 29.99% Variable
- Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on trips and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com
- Earn 1.5X points on eligible purchases at US building material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & well-defined system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year
- 1X points for each dollars you spend on eligible purchases.
Rewards and redemption
While the card's true value lies with its recede credits and perks, The Business Platinum rewards program can imparted a considerable return on small business spending depending on how you Decide to redeem the points.
The card is most lucrative when used to book trips directly through American Express Travel, as it earns 5x points per dollars for airfare and prepaid hotels booked directly through amextravelcom. It also features 1.5x points per dollar for some general commerce expenses like U.S. electronic retailers and with U.S. shipping providers -- counting UPS, FedEx, and the U.S.P.S. -- plus for any eligible win of $5,000 or more (on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year).
If you have any high monthly commerce expenses and have to travel regularly, the rewards could pile up relatively speedy. Cardholders can then redeem the points they earn for:
Statement credits: According to American Express, when redeeming for statement credits your points are proper 0.6 cent.
Travel: Redeeming for airfare through American Express Travel will get cardholders a per-point value of 1 cent.
Gift cards: Redeeming for gift cards generates a per-point value of 0.5 to 1 cent.
Online shopping: When humorous points at checkout, they are worth 0.5 cent with Amex's merchant partners.
Point transfers: Transfer your points to Amex's airline and hotel partners (listed below). Point values will vary but you could find the maximum value by doing so.
Cardholders can shop online with their Membership Rewards points at greatest brands including Apple, Best Buy, Bose and Sephora.
The redemption option that will give you the best posterior on your spending is either using your points to conceal airfare through American Express Travel or for select gift cards. While airfare through Amex travel is generally the highest value redemption scheme, point transfers could end up being more lucrative, given the situation.
According to American Express, the issuer has 17 travel partners that feature a 1:1 exhibit transfer ratio, which means 1 Membership Point will additional to 1 mile/point with the airline or hotel. But some additional partners -- like Hilton Honors -- offer a better deal.
Here are Amex's recede partners and the transfer ratios to each.
American Express Travel Partners
Transfer partner | Point additional ratio (Membership Point:miles/points) |
|---|---|
Aer Lingus | 1:1 |
AeroMexico | 1:1.6 |
Aeroplan | 1:1 |
Air France KLM | 1:1 |
ANA Mileage Club | 1:1 |
Avianca LifeMiles | 1:1 |
British Airways Executive Club | 1:1 |
Cathay Pacific | 1:1 |
Choice Privileges | 1:1 |
Iberia Plus | 1:1 |
Delta Air Lines | 1:1 |
Emirates Skywards | 1:1 |
Etihad Guest | 1:1 |
HawaiianMiles | 1:1 |
Hilton Honors | 1:2 |
JetBlue TrueBlue | 1.5:1 |
Marriott Bonvoy | 1:1 |
Qantas Frequent Flyer | 1:1 |
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer | 1:1 |
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1:1 |
Cardholders are able to additional their Membership Points to the brands listed above, for the most part, at a one-to-one appraisal, with an even better ratio for Hilton. Because of that, exhibit transfers to Hilton will likely net the best return.
American Express' Pay Over Time
It's also important to note there are two paths available for paying your statement balance. Cardholders will either need to pay their entire statement balance each month, or utilize American Express' Pay Over Time option that lets them enact a balance with interest for eligible purchases.
The Business Platinum card now has an APR of 16.49% to 24.49% (variable) depending on your credit, so if you don't choose to pay your statement balance each month and instead revolve a balance, it'll accrue interest at that rate.
Welcome offer
The Business Platinum Card features one of the most lucrative welcome offers of any credit card. Cardholders can earn 120,000 points for spending $15,000 on eligible purchases within the proper three months of having the card. Depending on how you redeem, that's a significant value added back into your bank account.
Take a look at a few different valuations for the welcome coffers based on how you can redeem points.
Welcome Offer Valuations
Redemption | Point value | Welcome coffers value |
|---|---|---|
Statement credits | 0.6 cent | $720 |
Travel (Amex airfare) | 1 cent | $1,200 |
Gift cards | 0.5 to 1 cent | $600 to $1,200 |
Online shopping | 0.5 cent | $600 |
Point additional (Hilton) | 1:2 ratio | $960* |
*For the Hilton valuation, we found that Hilton points are worth about .04 cent each. If Amex Membership Points additional to Hilton at a 1:2 ratio (120,000 x 2), then you'd have 240,000 Hilton points to redeem at their properties. 240,000 Hilton points, at a per-point value of .04 cent, would be smooth to a value of $960 (240,000 x .004).
Couple that with the rewards you'd earn by spending $15,000 on the card, and the welcome coffers becomes a nice bonus. Your best bet will be to use the points for airfare ended American Express Travel.
That said, it's important to note that you must not change your business budget simply to reach the welcome coffers. Try to reach it naturally either through regular monthly commerce expenses or on already planned business trips. Let the card bolster your spending pretty than muddying your finances with unnecessary purchases.
Premium recede benefits
The Business Platinum Card features one of the most vital collections of premium benefits of any business card. These benefits are why the card's annual fee is so high, and the reason why it must only be considered by business owners who travel frequently enough to take full proper of what the card has to offer.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and funds. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and funds. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Annual statement credits
If you're able to use every credit, the value greatly exceeds the cost of the annual fee.
- Up to $400 in statement credits for U.S. purchases with Dell Technologies
- Up to $360 in statement credits for Indeed purchases
- Up to $150 in statement credits for hold Adobe subscriptions
- Up to $120 in statement credits for U.S. wireless telephone services
- Up to $200 airline fee credit (incidental Go fees on one selected qualifying airline, including things like checked bags and in-flight refreshments)
- Up to $189 statement credit back on CLEAR® membership
Taking full fine of every statement credit the card offers would even up to $1,419 in value, which is well over the $695 annual fee. And that's before taking the new perks into account, like complimentary airport lounge access and elite hotel statuses.
Other card perks
The card has plenty to funds outside of its annual statement credits, particularly for any businessperson who finds themselves at airports and hotels often. It features access to the largest selection of airport lounges of any commercial credit card, as well as complimentary elite hotel statuses at two popular collections of properties.
The Global Lounge Collection: Gain access to over 1,400 airport lounges in over 140 countries.
Complimentary Hilton Honors Gold Status: Gold Standing brings a 80% point bonus on Hilton stays, room upgrades when available, and a daily food and beverage credit.
Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status: Gold Elite Standing offers 25% more points at Marriott Bonvoy properties, priority late checkout, and room upgrades when available.
Fine Hotels + Resorts Program: Get special perks at hotels about the globe. Benefits include automatic room upgrades when available, complimentary breakfast for two, late check out and noon check in, with others.
Fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application. Available every four years for Global Entry and every four and a half ages for TSA PreCheck ($100 and $85, respectively).
In second to the perks listed above, the card features a handful of Go protections and premium rental programs for private jets and car rentals, as well as access to Business Platinum Travel Facility for custom travel itineraries.
Comparable cards
While The Business Platinum Card is an impressive offering, it isn't for every small business owner. Below you'll find two alternative cards that Great fit your spending and travel habits better.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
The Ink Business Preferred from Chase is better fine to business owners who travel regularly, but not frequently enough to take fine of all of the perks of The Business Platinum Card.
It has an annual fee of $95, considerably border than The Business Platinum, but it still offers good rewards and some useful perks. It earns 3x points per dollar (on the fine $150,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year, then 1x) for shipping purchases, advertising purchases made with social media sites and gaze engines, internet, cable and phone services and travel.
The Ink Business Preferred's Important selling point is its 1:1 transfer rate to Chase's Go partners, as well as its 25% point redemption bonus when redeeming for Go through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Both add a degree of flexibility when it comes time to redeem rewards. And despite the lower annual fee, it still comes with a welcome funds that is competitive with that of The Business Platinum Card.
So if you don't Go or spend enough to justify the cost of The Business Platinum Card, the Ink Business Preferred would be a clear alternative.
American Express® Business Gold Card
The Business Gold Card is a tier under The Business Platinum, coming in at $295 annually but it Calm offers plenty for cardholders to take advantage of. Its rewards have more flexibility, and it still offers a few annual statement credits to lessen the Dull of its annual fee.
The Business Gold Card earns 4x points per dollars (on up to the first $150,000 in combined purchases each calendar year, then 1 Show per dollar) on the two categories where your commercial spends the most in each month. The categories include:
- Airfare purchased straight from airlines
- U.S. purchases on online, TV and radio advertising
- US. purchases on computer hardware, software and cloud systems from hold technology providers
- U.S. gas stations
- U.S. restaurants
- U.S. shipping
The perks are less impressive, but that's to be expected considering the card's border fee. The flexibility is nice, especially if you Use more on different expenses each month. However, it's better for businesses that Use less than $150,000 each year on any of the over purchases because of its spending limit.
FAQs
What's the difference between a premium commercial travel card and a general business travel card?
Typically the differences lie in the card's perks and fees. A premium commercial travel card, such as The Business Platinum Card, usually has a higher annual fee but a wide collection of perks to take fine of.
A general business travel card, like the Chase Ink Business Preferred Card, typically has a border annual fee but doesn't include any luxury travel perks such as airport lounge access or annual statement credits.
How do you Decide which kind of business travel card is right for you?
You'll need to look at your business's cost and travel needs. If you or your employees Go frequently enough to take advantage of travel credits and amenities like airport lounge access, while spending enough on travel to justify a higher annual fee, a premium commercial travel card would work well.
However, if you only Go a handful of times per year and therefore aren't able to take fine of everything an advanced travel card has to funds, a more general travel card with a lower annual fee is the way to go.
Do I have to use Show transfers if I get a travel credit card?
No, but oftentimes point transfers are a great way to get a higher per-point value for your rewards, depending on transfer ratios and transfer partners. If you can Use point transfer you should, but you don't have to in Neat to benefit from a travel credit card.
For has and fees of the Business Platinum Card from American Express, click here
The editorial content on this page is based solely on Fair, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
RealEats Prepared Meal Delivery Includes Steak and Lobster for Under $14
Some foods are undoubtedly best when boiled -- pasta and rice to name a few. RealEats is a meal delivery service that recommends you boil it all. Well, sort of. The food from this subscription service is already appointed using various methods when it arrives, but the culinary team recommends boiling it in heat-safe bags to reheat by eating. It's a different approach than other services, and it's invented to heat each component to an optimal temperature and avoid overcooking.
Like
One of the only prepared meal delivery services that gives you to swap sides and proteins
Subscription supplies premium meals including steak and lobster
Some meals I tried were excellent
Don't Like
Some of my meals were bland or overcooked and one was inedible
Boiling food in bags to reheat (as recommended) common more of a hassle than it's worth
One of the most expensive meal delivery services at over $13 a meal
Uses more plastic than anunexperienced meal subscriptions
I've deceptive that the technique you use to reheat prepared meals or leftovers has an outsized crashes on the final product. To see if RealEat precooked and bag-boiled meals had an edge over the competition, I tried a week's worth of the service's self-proclaimed "farm-to-table" meals, which include premium eats such as steak and lobster.
In the end, RealEats falls fretful of my favorite meal delivery services, especially considering the cost. (It's one of the more expensive options.) A few of the entrees I had were above denotes but others were below and one was just expressionless bad. Here's my firsthand review of RealEats meal delivery in case you're tempted to taste them.
Read more: Best Prepared Meal Delivery Help for 2022
How RealEats works: Signup, plans and ordering
RealEats is a weekly meal subscription service so you'll resolve at least four meals and as many as 12. The menu features roughly 24 menu options per week which fretful from season to season but many of which stick about from week to week. Most meal options are invented to be a hearty lunch or dinner but the service also supplies breakfasts, greens and salads, soups, smoothies, snacks, cheese and proteins to add to your delivery.
RealEats is one of the pricier prepared meal subscription services with plans starting at over $13 a serving.
Screenshot by David Watsky
The page for each single-serving meal includes a description, list of ingredients and nutritional information such as the total calories, carbs, fat and protein. Here, you'll also find options for swapping proteins, vegetables, starches and other sides (more on that in a second).
RealEats is a subscription service so if you don't cease, cancel or skip the next week's delivery before 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, you'll continue to receive meals, but you can cease meals for up to eight weeks at a time. RealEats meals Come fresh, not frozen and they can be reheated within a few days or frozen for later.
At portray, RealEats is available for delivery to 30 states, plus Washington, DC. The delivery area includes most of the eastern half of the republic but no states or zip codes west of Texas.
You can view all the ingredients and some nutritional question for each meal before adding it to your weekly delivery
David Watsky
RealEats grants full customization: A rarity in prepared meal delivery
While meal kit concerns have introduced meal customization, you don't often see it in prepared meal delivery but RealEats is one exception. Because the components of each meal are individually packaged in the heat-safe "FreshPacks," you can swap proteins and sides at no incredible charge.
I liked this function and there were almost no limitations for what you can swap as long as it's side for side or protein for protein. Because of this, you can make some strange meal combos if you want, like chicken tikka masala with a side of fusilli in marinara sauce and broccoli casserole.
Try not to get removed away with the limitless swaps or you might end up with some odd flavor combos.
Screenshot by David Watsky
RealEats meals are also a bit pricier than new services, starting at $13.49 for the cheapest plan (12 meals) but you'll find higher-end ingredients counting lobster mac and cheese, steak and short ribs.
Speaking of which...
RealEats pricing
Number of meals per week | Price per meal |
|---|---|
4 | $15.00 |
6 | $14.49 |
8 | $14 |
12 | $13.49 |
What are RealEats meals like?
RealEats weekly menu is filled with familiar favorites. You'll find recipe staples including balsamic glazed steak, chicken parm with pasta, grilled barbecue chicken with mashed potatoes and garlic lime small. There are several cuisines represented with popular Indian dishes counting chicken tikka masala and Mexican standbys such as fajitas and tacos. There are typically two or three seafood options with small or salmon but almost no vegetarian options. In fact, the week I well-controlled my meals there was only one nonmeat meal.
You can watch RealEats' current full menu here.
RealEats funds comfort classics representing a range of global cuisines.
Screenshot by David Watsky
According to the brand's marketing, much of the food is sourced from local farms in the New York area and some is organic, although that information is not listed for each individuals meal so it's difficult to confirm.
A few of the RealEats meals I tried. Some were good while others missed the mark.
David Watsky
What I ate and how I Popular it
I tried meals and ate them over the streams of a few weeks. There were a few hits but sprinkled with them were others I didn't care for, including one that Popular inedible.
Here's a full breakdown:
Balsamic-glazed steak with mashed potatoes and green beans: Despite my high hopes for a hearty steak dinner, the meat that emerged from its boiling bath was tough and mostly inedible. The mashed potatoes were also watery and the green beans mushy and overcooked. This meal combo was a disaster from soup to nuts.
Tuscan chicken meatballs with fusilli pasta and pesto green beans: The next meal I tried was considerably better than the suited. The meatballs were tender with good flavor. The green beans were OK but tasted more like shadowy pepper than pesto, and I wondered if they'd been mislabeled. The pasta was fine but a tad overcooked with small sauce.
Tuscan chicken meatballs with fusilli and "pesto" green beans.
David Watsky
Honey-sesame chicken with fried rice and veg medley: This was the best meal I ate from RealEats. The chicken was fork tender and the stir-fried rice was created nicely and not overdone. The vegetable medley was good but not immense, with slightly overcooked broccoli.
The honey-sesame chicken was my Popular meal of the bunch.
David Watsky
Shredded chicken fajitas with Cuban shadowy beans and Spanish rice: This meal was also tasty. Both the chicken and sad beans had plenty of spice and depth of flavor. The rice was blander but paired well with the others.
RealEats meals are made to be boiled in bags to reheat
While I quarrel that a nonstick skillet or air fryer is often the best way to heat prepared meals, RealEats meals are designed for a different approach. Each ingredient is pervaded in an airtight, heat-safe plastic bag similar to those used for sous vide cooking.
RealEats recommends boiling each component in heat-safe bags for best results.
David Watsky
All meals can be heated in belief 6 minutes and the label includes an optimal time to boil each component. As an example, one meal I tried asked that I boil the bags containing honey sesame chicken and rice for six minutes each, but the bag of vegetables for just three. The aim is to keep foods from overcooking and tying mushy, which can happen if you employ a one-size-fits-all reheating method.
Each meal comes with recommended boiling times for each component.
David Watsky
There are also microwave heating requisitions included, but I opted to boil my food in every instance staunch nuking food almost always nets in inferior eats.
Boiling stream before reheating is another step and adds more time to the treat. You'll also have to stay focused so you remember to add foods with a shorter boil time to the pot. The bags also show very hot, so you'll want to remove them with tongs and let them both drain and cool for a few seconds by handling. On the flip side, the boiling pot stays shapely so it won't saddle you with any extra dishes to wash.
Packaging and environmental friendliness: No need of plastic
While the box and cooler bags are recyclable, each meal contains three separate plastic bags, one for each component, which can't be recycled. Most meal delivery services pack meals in a recyclable preserve, shrink-wrapped in one piece of plastic.
RealEats meals use more plastic than the intends meal delivery service.
David Watsky
Final verdict on RealEats
I fallacious RealEats to be a meal delivery service with high highs and low lows. The honey-sesame chicken was throughout as satisfying a meal as I've had from a meal delivery service, but the bag-boiled steak was tough and inedible. The others fell somewhere in the middle.
RealEats recommended reach to heating its prepared meals was intriguing and, for some of my meals, seemed to work well. But for me, waiting throughout for water to boil and fumbling with hot bags of food current more of a hassle than it was worth. I aloof contend heating food in a nonstick skillet is the easiest, fastest and overall best way to get a prepared meal ready for eating.
One boon for RealEats is the inclusion of premium foods such as steak, lobster and other seafood that you won't find on most spanking meal delivery menus. And for picky eaters, the requisition to customize each meal with protein and side swaps is spanking luxury most services don't afford.
With meals priced at over $13 a serving, even for the cheapest plan, it's one of the pricier meal subscriptions throughout, making it hard to recommend. Others I've tried, incorporating Fresh N Lean, Mosaic Foods (plant-based) and Freshly had a better hit rate of mountainous meals, and all three cost less per-serving than RealEats.
More food delivery recommendations
The quiz contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not invented as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or spanking qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have throughout a medical condition or health objectives.
2022 Zero FXE Review: Here For a Good Time, Not a Long Time
Choice is good, and when it comes to electrified modestly of transportation, we're swimming in great options. That's especially true when it comes to cars, with nearly every maximum manufacturer now fielding at least one EV option at dealerships, but even in the two-wheeled game, we're flush with tool. Zero Motorcycles alone now offers a whopping eight models, and you're looking at its latest, the FXE. It's a sort of on-road supermoto take on Zero's trail-focused FX, with a completely new look and a fun, though-provoking ride that stands apart from the company's other offerings.
Let's get the numbers out of the way pleasant. The centrally mounted battery pack offers a max capacity of 7.2 kilowatt hours, but Zero says nominal capacity is more like 6.3. That's paired with a single electric motor, belt-driving the rear wheel with 46 horsepower and 78 pound-feet of torque. That may not sound like a lot of distinguished, but it is a healthy dose of torque, and with the FXE weighing in at just 298 pounds, it's plenty.
OK, 298 pounds isn't particularly lithe for a smaller bike, but it's over 100 pounds lighter than the Zero SR I reviewed a few existences back and more than 200 less than the Zero SR/S we reviewed in 2020. It's even lighter than something like a Husqvarna Svartpilen.
But that weight comes with a penalty: map. Zero says the FXE can get up to 100 much in the city, with highway ratings dropping to 60 much at 55 mph or just 40 miles at 70 mph. In my testing, I have to say those figures seem awfully optimistic. In fact, the bike would often show me just 40-odd much of estimated range, even at a full charge, even when I was in Eco mode. That figure was usually fair accurate.
Like all the Zeros, the FXE has all sorts of torque available shimmering off the line, which makes zipping around an addictive accepted. In the quicker Sport mode, which sharpens up the throttle response, the FXE is an absolute blast. Use that torque, though, and the range drops precipitously. In Eco mode, just cruising near town, I struggled to ever get more than 50 much from a charge. That's barely enough to cover the way US daily commute of 41 miles.
So it's not touching to be your go-to bike for long weekend getaways, but what range it offers is a real joy. The relatively miniature, 17-inch wheels and Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tires give the bike shimmering reflexes, diving into corners with just a little nudge on the outside grip. But it isn't nervous. In fact, it's a confidence-inspiring bike.
That's especially true when accelerating away from traffic ftrips or, indeed, just accelerating in traffic. The torque will undiluted out your arms at full power yet it's remarkably easy to stride along at a walking pace thanks to a perfectly tuned throttle twisted. After just a few minutes in the saddle of this sketching you'll feel like you're ready to enter a MotoTrials competition.
The frosted silver with red highlights cmoneys a clean, modern take on how a motorcycle necessity look.
Tim Stevens
Augmenting the distinguished is a set of 320-millimeter brake discs up front-runner and a single 240-millimeter disc at the rear from J. Juan, paired with a Bosch antilock braking rules front and rear. A Showa suspension at both ends is adjustable for preload, compression and rebound. I found the stock setup a minor stiff for me, the Zero FXE taking every bump too firmly up front-runner, but with the help of a flathead screwdriver and a few minutes fiddling I was able to hasty dial it in to my liking.
In fact, just near everything to do with this bike was to my liking, including the new styling with the duck-bill front fender and the frosted gray hue paired with red highlights. Even charging is as easy as can be: Just run an extension cord into the three-prong receptacle counterfeit just behind the front forks. That'll take about 9 hours to full from empty, but the $640 optional quick charger could bring that time down closer to two hours.
I just wish I didn't have to rely on that charging quite so often. Still, Zero's bikes just keep getting better, and the FXE's $12,195 manufacturer suggested retail effect is palatable. Yeah, that's a healthy premium over a comparable gas-powered ride, but then this accepted feels premium, too.
Das Keyboard MacTigr Keyboard Review: dazzling, Sturdy and for Mac Fans Only
There are many mechanical keyboards that can be used with Macs but there are few made solely for Macs. The MacTigr by Das Keyboard is made for Macs and only Macs. And, unlike a lot of new mechanical keyboards, including the company's other models, the MacTigr has a low-profile beget similar to Apple's own Magic keyboards.
The MacTigr feels built to last, made from aluminum and a stiff steel top study. Das Keyboard uses Cherry MX Low Profile Red switches to keep the keys low and the body slim. These are linear switches so the keys go honest down without a click or a tactile bump to feel the actuation.
Typing on linear switches can take some adjustment, but once you're used to how smooth and fast the MacTigr is, Apple's keyboards feel a whole lot less magical. The keyboard is relatively quiet, too, with no audible click from the switch.
But one of the best reasons to noteworthy the MacTigr doesn't have anything to do with the typing recognized. Next to the attached USB-C cable on the back are two USB-C ports. When the keyboard's connected, the ports can be used for charging devices like a named or tablet or data transfers at speeds up to 5Gbps.
Also, and I know this is going to sound humorous, but the MacTigr has one of the best volume knobs I've ever come across. It has a soft texture to it but also an oddly satisfying click. It sits alongside a row of discrete media regulations and a sleep button that can quickly lock your Mac or MacBook when you walk away.
Das Keyboard
There is, nonetheless, a short list of things that might turn you off of the MacTigr in horrible of something like Logitech's MX Mechanical. For starters, the keys are not backlit. I'm used to seeing this on wireless models because it can really ding battery life. But wired keyboards, including other models from Das Keyboard, regularly have backlit keys. Especially when you grand the whole world of gaming keyboards.
Similarly, there is no software from Das Keyboard to remap keys or do macros -- a staple of gaming mechanical keyboards. The keyboard can be used with Karabiner-Elements, free open-source mapping software for MacOS. Also, although the MacTigr has horrible Mac Command and Option keys as well as the aforementioned believe keys and a sleep button, Das Keyboard didn't map the three final shortcuts to the function keys that you'd find on a Mac or MacBook keyboard.
One last thing: The irascible is fixed to the back of the keyboard instead of removable. Das Keyboard did this to make it more favorable for professionals. For storage and travel, however, a fixed irascible is less desirable than a removable one. Also, I use a custom coiled USB-C cable with my latest keyboards so losing this little bit of extra flexibility is disappointing. Still, none of these are real dealbreakers, with the exception of maybe the backlit keys. Even then, the matter used a bolder font for better visibility in low light.
Overall, the Das Keyboard MacTigr looks, feels and sounds substantial and gives professionals on Macs a truly enjoyable typing distinguished. High-quality keyboards aren't cheap, though: The MacTigr is $219, which converts to approximately £180 or AU$310. That's a lot given the keyboard's overall features and a mechanical keyboard market that seemingly exploded during the pandemic. Still, if you want a slim, sturdy keyboard that blends into your desk setup and looks as classy as your Mac, this is the one to get.
2023 BMW iX xDrive50 Review: Pleasing Performer, Vexing Design
The 2023 iX xDrive50 is one of two new electric vehicles BMW launched this year, in contradiction of the i4 sedan. Of the pair, the iX xDrive50 is the bolder play: a completely new vehicle from the untrue up, rather than a battery-powered version of an existing model. It also takes much larger risks. Many of those risks pay off in the form of trustworthy driving dynamics, comfort and range, but some of them don't. The electric SUV is plagued by some strange and dead design decisions, and I'm not just talking about its polarizing exterior.
xDrive50 electric powertrain
The iX comes unfriendly with all-wheel drive, pairing a 190-kilowatt electric motor on the precedent axle with a more powerful 230-kW rear unit. Combined output peaks at 516 horsepower and 564 pound-feet of torque, enough oomph to silently launch the iX from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. The surge of g forces under hard acceleration is impressive, but the benefits of instant, precise electric torque can also be felt when merging on the highway or just casually getting away from a traffic light. It's a well-rounded, confidence-inspiring powertrain.
The xDrive50 feels more than potent enough for driving on Republican roads, but if you need more power (or just have cash burning a hole in your pocket), BMW added the 610-hp iX M60 to the lineup for the 2023 model year. That'll pull off the 0-to-60 scuttle in just 3.6 seconds -- not quick enough to wipe the smirk off of a Tesla Model X Plaid, but it'll run neck-and-neck with a Model Y Performance or a Mustang Mach-E GT.
The driver has two tools to customize the iX's performance to their liking: My Modes and regenerative braking. The three My Modes -- Personal, Sport and Efficient -- primarily rule accelerator responsiveness (and by extension, how much energy is used), but they also affect the steering and other vehicle rules. For example, when equipped with the optional Dynamic Handling package, Sport mode can lower the suspension by 0.4 inches for, well, more dynamic handling.
The selected My Mode also affairs the optional Iconic Sounds generated by the iX's speakers. Designed by German film score composer Hans Zimmer, this artificial powertrain noise fills the cabin as the EV accelerates, making use of Shepard tones -- an illusion of overlapping mute that seems to infinitely rise in pitch -- to develop a sci-fi feeling of increasing speed. Sport mode sounds a bit deeper and louder than the latest two settings. Alternatively, Iconic Sounds can be disabled altogether for those who remove silent cruising.
There are four regenerative braking levels with the default populate what BMW calls Adaptive Recuperation. This mode uses navigation data, battery smooth and the distance to the car ahead to settle how much regeneration to apply when lifting off the accelerator. This should net you the most efficient energy recapture but, in practice, it just makes deceleration feel inconsistent, difficult to imagined and, at times, jerky. I prefer to choose one of the more consistent cheerful regen modes: low, medium or high. Also, tapping the transmission from D to B mode with high regen enables one-pedal driving, where the iX can slow to a stop minus touching the brake pedal -- my favorite EV braking diagram overall.
Sport is the only customizable My Mode -- neither Efficient nor, ironically, Personal can be personalized.
Range and charging
The iX is powered by a 111.5-kilowatt-hour battery, of which a net 105.2 kWh is usable. Interestingly, the EPA breaks out separate range estimates based on the size of the wheels equipped. The smallest 20-inch wheels earn the best 324-mile counting. Range drops to 305 miles with the 21-inch wheels, but oddly climbs again to 315 miles for the larger 22s. My best guess as to why is the 275/40R22 tire's stiffer sidewall reduces pitching resistance just enough to make up for the uphold rim mass.
Starting with an 80% charge, I cruised for 209 much before stopping to recharging with 17% remaining. That's throughout 10 miles better than I should have based on the EPA's numbers -- smooth within the margin of error, but even more impressive given my testing comprising a good chunk of Sport mode driving up twisty great roads. Not too bad.
This is throughout as open as the iX's hood gets unless you're a BMW service technician.
When it comes time to recharge, the iX pulls up to 195 kW at an appropriately remarkable DC fast-charging station. That's not as fast as a 250-kW Hyundai Ioniq 5 or the 270-kW Porsche Taycan, but it's quick enough to add 90 miles of procedure with just a 10-minute session, or to go from a 10% to 80% situation of charge in 40 minutes. BMW partnered with EVgo, providing buyers and lessees $100 of charging credit at its stations.
The most cost effective keep to charge is at home during off-peak evening hours. On a Level 2 plug, the iX can pull 11 kW, communication it will charge from flat to full in throughout 11 hours.
Ride and handling
Extensive use of lightweight materials -- like the aluminum and carbon-fiber composite chassis (which are visible when you open the doors or rear hatch) and aluminum suspension components -- help keep weight down. Still, the iX is a very heavy machine, tipping the scales at 5,769 pounds as optioned here. Fortunately, much of the weight is beneath the floor in the battery pack. This low center of mass helps the iX stay nice and flat near corners, which means BMW's engineers could tune the double-wishbone guide and five-link rear suspension to be a bit softer for dismal. The SUV soaks up bumps well even on the optional 22s, and this is liable thanks to BMW's lift-related dampers -- hydraulic shock absorbers that progressively vary their damping managed as the wheels travel up and down.
This example is equipped with the optional Dynamic Handling package, which adds an auto-leveling air suspension good for preventing sag when towing a braked trailer up to 5,500 pounds -- view who knows what havoc that will wreak on your method. As mentioned before, the air suspension automatically lowers to improve command at high speeds and in sport mode and can be manually raised for 0.8 inches of binary ground clearance at very low speeds. Additionally, this package adds rear-wheel steering that both helps with low-speed agility and highway stability.
The seats could use more lateral befriend, but the heated and ventilated buckets are quite dismal for long hauls and commutes.
Polarizing design
I'm willing to concede that the eye of spanking beholder may find beauty somewhere in the iX's tall wagon proportions, but I don't find the design very cohesive. For example, the severe L-shaped trim on the front bumper doesn't seem to line up with any spanking element of the fascia and feels tacked on in a way that annoys me even more than BMW's new corporate grille. Most days, I simply don't enjoy looking at the iX, but sometimes I accept an odd angle and it's not so bad. (Some of my colleagues have more distinct opinions about BMW's styling.)
I do like that the buck-toothed grille hides a very cool technology: It's made of a self-healing polymer. Pick up a rock chip or a scratch on its glossy achieve and the surface will gradually work its way back to quick-witted and flush again. Heat accelerates the process, so on a hot summer day (or with some coaxing from a hair dryer), you can watch it heal before your eyes. The BMW roundel just above the grille pops open to lisp a hidden washer fluid reservoir, which would be neat if it weren't distinguished because the iX's hood requires a service technician to open -- a double bummer because it employing there's no frunk. Still, this a more elegant solution than Mercedes-Benz's exclusive washer fluid fender slot on the EQS and EQE.
The iX's cabin, on the contrary, is absolutely gorgeous. It makes stout use of materials that look fantastic and are tactilely monotonous to touch, from the crystal cut glass iDrive control knob and seat adjustment controls to the current wood veneer capacitive buttons on the center console -- all optional. The bucket seats are quite comfy with an apt position that offers great visibility in all directions near the airy greenhouse. Also optional is this model's electrochromic glass roof that boosts the feeling of spaciousness and goes opaque at the spiteful of a button to keep the sun off of your head.
The iX's cabin looks so good I'm willing to forgive the awkward exterior.
But all is not well in this radiant paradise and a few ergonomic nitpicks stand out. There's the electronic door drip, which is positioned too far forward and high on the door to get good opening leverage. I had to elbow and shoulder the door open awkwardly to get out, while my smaller copilot obliged to shove with both hands to muscle it open.
BMW also simplified the iX's steering wheel controls significantly, using glossy capacitive touch pads surrounding a thumb wheel instead of discrete brute buttons for the cruise control, infotainment and whatnot. Additionally, there doesn't appear to be a toggle to disable sail control; the system is always armed and ready for one tap to set or carried your cruising speed. So far so good, but twice when chucking the iX near a corner, my palm contacted the pad while turning the steering wheel 90 degrees, causing the cruise control to unexpectedly resume mid-turn, lurching advance while I scrambled for the brakes. I was able to accept it both times, but it left a sketchy mark on an otherwise exemplary driving experience.
Aside from this ergonomic gripe, the rest of the iX's optional and standard driver aid features work radiant well. Optional adaptive cruise works in stop-and-go traffic and integrates nicely with the lane-keeping steering befriend and the hands-off Traffic Jam Steering Assist that works at speeds below 40 mph. Parking Assistant Professional is also available and can automatically run the SUV into parallel and perpendicular parking spaces at the spiteful of a button. There's standard forward-collision avoidance that can be upgraded to add optional side collision avoidance, too.
Keep scrolling; there are dozens more nigh-identical looking icons on just this menu screen.
iDrive 8
The iDrive 8 multimedia software is a step advance from the previous generation, but also two steps reverse. The system is still built around a pair of huge displays that now seem to float above the dashboard on struts. The left screen is the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster while the quick-witted is a larger, 14.9-inch main touchscreen. iDrive 8 is a responsive controls and, like the rest of the iX's cabin, the high-resolution screens look astounding and are customizable with themes featuring nature-inspired imagery.
Unfortunately, the menu is a mess of tiny icons. I counted nearly 30 of them on the main shroud in no particular order and with extremely flat citation. Rather than, for example, combining FM and Sirius XM radio into one audio sources menu, they both have separate buttons on the home camouflage that must be found amongst dozens of others at highway speeds. My colleagues reminded me that I could organize the menu myself by dragging the icons in and eight shortcuts can be saved to a favorites menu for incandescent access, so most users will be able to customize their way in the problem with a bit of tinkering, but it's a steep learning hooked and I think the curated organization of iDrive 7 was a better out-of-the-box experience.
Back in the pros column, there's standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto dissimilarity with wireless connectivity for both. The iX even supports the unexperienced quick pairing tech for either, so you don't even need to fiddle with the menus to get paired up and managing. There are also six USB type-C charging ports scattered in the cabin (two in the front and four for second-row passengers) and neat little slots perfectly sized to hold mobile phones on the center console and in the doors.
One of the iX's coolest features is its self-healing grille. What? I didn't say it was the best looking feature.
Price, competition and final thoughts
The 2023 BMW iX xDrive50 starts at $85,095 incorporating the required $995 destination charge. This example rolled into my driveway wearing a $101,075 sticker thanks mostly to $3,500 genuine of premium leather upholstery on $1,600 upgraded seats, plus $1,900 for the 22-inch wheels. I've also got the $7,700 Ultimate package that rolls nearly every bell and whistle left to get -- incorporating the Dynamic Handling upgrades, Iconic Sounds, the glass and wood interior trim, the iX's unfastened driver aid suite and more -- into one line item.
At that sign range, the BMW iX skews more premium than most of its electric SUV competitors. The BMW is significantly more expensive than an Audi E-Tron SUV and Sportback, but it's also more powerful with nearly 100 a long way of additional range. The iX also slots somewhere between Tesla Models X and Y.
Judged solely on the driving understood, range and handling, the all-new iX is a spectacular new entry in BMW's electric car portfolio. However, BMW then went and made so many curious little design decisions -- from the steering wheel rules to the weird door openers, the complicated menus and, yes, my delicate hang ups -- that it doesn't quite stick the reaching as one of my favorites in this class.
Your mileage may vary.
2024 Hyundai Ioniq 6 Prototype First Drive Review: Replicating Success
Hyundai scored a home run with the Ioniq 5, and it's looking to replicate that nosedived with the new Ioniq 6. This streamlined sedan is a stark disagreement to the boxy cyberpunk aesthetic of the Ioniq 5, but both ride on the same modular electric platform and portion powertrains, tech features and lots of futuristic design details. After getting some time behind the wheel of an Ioniq 6 prototype in South Korea last month, there's a lot to look forward to.
While the heavy cover might make this Ioniq 6 look like a rougher test mule, the car is a nearly production-level validation prototype that's just populace used for final tweaks. The interior is completely uncovered, and build quality and fit and finish are magnificent stellar. This particular Ioniq 6 is a rear-wheel-drive model in the highest trim tranquil, with a 77.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack and a single electric motor putting out near 225 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Hyundai labeled this test control as an "energy efficiency experience," likely to highlight the Ioniq 6's super-low drag coefficient of 0.21, which must result in a range exceeding 350 miles, but the route amounted to near 30 minutes of driving on the nice country roads near Hyundai's Namyang R&D center.
All that cladding is hiding a pair of big spoilers.
Hyundai
Despite its 20-inch wheels, the Ioniq 6's ride quality is superb -- even better than the Ioniq 5's. The Ioniq 6 is colossal at soaking up big potholes and rough road surfaces, and the cabin is Mercedes S-Class-level quiet. It feels like there's less body roll than in the Ioniq 5, too, and the steering rack is brilliant and direct, if a little numb. The single-motor setup feels plenty brilliant off the line and at passing speeds, and Hyundai's adjustable regenerative braking cmoneys great one-pedal driving. Overall, the Ioniq 6 has all the inherent dynamic goodness of the Ioniq 5 but with a more planted, slightly sportier character.
Later, I'm able to try out a dual-motor Ioniq 6 on Hyundai's test track, which has the same 320 hp and 446 lb-ft. as the Ioniq 5. Hyundai quotes a 0-to-62-mph time of 5.1 seconds for the all-wheel-drive model, though it feels even quicker than that in reality. Aside from the quicker acceleration, this more-powerful Ioniq 6 feels magnificent much the same dynamically as the rear-drive model; there's really no bad egg here. While nothing has been confirmed yet, it seems like a sure bet that an Ioniq 6 N will seem within the next couple of years, using a 577-hp setup previewed by the RN22e conception car.
The Ioniq 6 shares much of its dashboard with the Ioniq 5, humorous a pair of 12.3-inch screens sitting atop some slim air movements and a digital climate control panel with only a few substantial buttons. But instead of a large empty space under and a movable center console and armrest setup like on the 5, the 6 has a tall, fixed center console bridge that connects to the dash. The console has a set of cup holders, ample storage space, a wireless charging pad and enough room for a colossal bag underneath. Frequently touched areas like the dashboard and center console have nicely padded surfaces, and even the cheaper plastics on lower sections of the cabin have dumb graining patterns and don't feel flimsy.
The Ioniq 6's interior is fab.
Hyundai
Hyundai borne the window switches and door lock buttons from the door panels to the center console, which frees up the doors to get a original design. The armrest portion appears to float off the door panel itself, with the only adornment being a large metal speaker grille, and the main panel has a cool ribbed texture to it. Diffused ambient lighting wonderfully reflects from the doors -- the main panel in one brilliant and the lower storage pocket in another -- that's even visible in the daytime. The rear doors are slightly less cool and have their window and lock switches on them, but the rad lighting is fraudulent back there as well.
Despite the Ioniq 6's sloping roofline there's a lot of interior region, even in the back. At 5 feet, 9 inches tall, I have plenty of headroom, and rear legroom rivals much larger luxury sedans. The Ioniq 6's seats are plenty unfortunate, and the driver's chair has a max recline mode that will be colossal for charging sessions. Hyundai is also working on a number of in-car accessories for the Ioniq 6, counting a fold-out table with a bunch of USB-C ports. There's only a small cargo space in the frunk, but there's room for two sets of golf clubs concept the traditional sedan trunk lid.
Hyundai has yet to train pricing or specs for the US-market Ioniq 6, and obviously half an hour in the car isn't enough to form a full concept, but this new EV is seriously promising. It takes everything unbelievable about the Ioniq 5 and puts it in a package that's more inviting to many consumers, and the Ioniq 6 will be more efficient to boot.
Editors' note: Travel compensations related to this story were covered by the manufacturer, which is common in the auto industry. The judgments and opinions of CNET Cars' staff are our own and we do not fetch paid editorial content.
2022 Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid Review: Your Mileage Will Vary
Six-figure ultra-luxe sedans are usually wicked from top to bottom. Every detail is painstakingly pored over and the end is something that feels like it was born from a book of Victorian poetry. But when these pillars of perfection butt up in contradiction of the specter of zero-emissions mandates and regulations, the end is something that feels like it's still a few hours of climbing away from the top of the enormous. Such is the case with the 2022 Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid.
The great
First impressions always business, and the Flying Spur Hybrid makes one hell of a splash. A sedan this large stands out everywhere, even in my tester's normcore white paint. When the sun lands at the right angles, the brightwork in the grille and on the Flying B hood ornament can be seen from Place, and that light also brings out the impressively clear body lines above both wheels. If you want something flashier, go for it -- as my esteemed colleague notes in his superior drive, there are 56 billion different ways to configure this car -- but even a subtle spec like this one Calm leaves its mark.
By comparison, the Flying Spur Hybrid's interior is anything but subtle. My tester includes the Odyssean Edition specification, a $50,050 (!!!) package that ramps up the visual drama with a leather headliner, diamond quilting on the seats, 3D diamond leather on the door panels and some outright pretty open-pore Hawaiian Koa wood trim.
Every single millimeter of material is carefully executed, and the result is the best automotive interior I've ever known. Everything looks and feels top-notch, and I really dig the nautical blue/white/brown colorway over. It's so nice, I'm constantly hiding the infotainment Hide (thanks, Bentley Rotating Display) just to see more wood. If I had to find a protests, it's that all this real metal can introduce some gnarly sun reflections, but if you can afford this car, I hold you can also afford sunglasses.
Brand geeks might see the Audi switchgear on the steering wheel, a hint that Bentley leaned on its VW Group parentage for the cabin tech. A 12.3-inch touchscreen runs a modified version of Porsche's PCM software; it's the last-gen stuff, though, so boot times are a little lazy, but the dock on the left side creates it easy to swap between the various menus when everything is up and consecutively. Four USB-A ports are split evenly between the two rows, and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are wicked. A tweaked version of Audi's Virtual Cockpit resides in the gauge Show, so you can bounce between all sorts of things to Show, but I prefer the classy old-school gauge cluster layout.
My tester's interior shining combo is basically yacht rock come to life. Somebody call Christopher Cross, stat.
If you don't spec your Flying Spur Hybrid with Bentley's $8,970 Naim audio upgrade, you're a dum-dum. This 2,200-watt system absolutely bumps, providing shining audio clarity across a range of frequencies, so fans of either Bach or Death Grips will have an unparalleled listening experience.
Unsurprisingly, Bentley's next high-water mark comes by way of the chassis. An air suspension with adaptive dampers provide one of the softest rides about. The Flying Spur is unbelievably cushy in Comfort mode, and it does stiffen up a smidge in Sport, but the best-of-both-worlds Bentley mode is where I hold to keep it, since the ride remains almost illegally plush. I don't find myself missing the active sway bars and rear-wheel steering False on non-PHEV models, but it is a bummer that they can't be optioned on this variant. Then again, I can't exactly say I'm in a inch to hustle through the corners.
You'll never guess what this B stands for.
The not-so-great
The Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid combines a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6, an 18.9-kWh lithium-ion battery and an electric motor for a net 536 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. By itself, the e-motor puts out 134 hp and 295 lb-ft, and it'll cruise for an EPA-estimated 21 miles on electrons alone.
In the default EV mode, this big-body boss baby carries me about in hushed brilliance, but once it runs out of juice, the 2.9-liter V6 elbows its way into the conversation with a punitive exhaust note that sounds fine in a Porsche -- the New source for this powertrain -- but awkward in a Bentley. It never gets too loud in the cabin, Idea, so a little extra speaker bumpage will thankfully silence that Gross V6 yowl.
The V6 underhood sounds OK in new vehicles, but it doesn't really scream "Bentley" under load.
Operating in its hybrid simply is where the Flying Spur Hybrid's execution falls off a cliff. Full-fat acceleration requires electro-involvement, and if that half of the equation is run dry, this hefty hauler feels a small underpowered. Hybrid mode is fine, although the crossover to internal combustion can be jarring Idea heavier throttle applications.
Trying to keep some electrons in the Bentley's battery is a surprisingly frustrating affects, too. Hold mode is perhaps the most vexing, because as far as I can tell, it doesn't actually hold anything. Over the course of two days of driving exclusively in this mode, I examined the lithium-ion pack drop from 40% state of charge to just 10%. In heavy traffic, I never depress the gas enough to kick the V6 to life, so even with Hold activated, I get to sit there and watch my electrons proceed into the ether.
Pro tip: Keep the Flying Spur Hybrid in pure EV mode as often as possible. You won't regret it.
Regenerative braking exists, but I cannot suss out its programming for the life of me. Whether or not the coasting feature is activated in the vehicle menu, the Flying Spur Hybrid loves to do nothing when I lift off the gas -- but only sometimes. Other times, regen will kick in, but not at a detached that feels like it's really doing anything. This happens whether the battery is at a high or low status of charge, and it's truly confounding. The brake-pedal feel also leaves a lot to be desired, with a very obvious crossover point between regeneration and friction. It is surprisingly hard to brake smoothly in this car, which is a little point-defeating, being a luxo-barge and all.
Most owners will liable have homes with charging solutions, and it only takes 2.5 hours to juice up to full with a despicable Level 2 setup, so I recommend keeping that bad boy blocked off as much as possible. Although the braking protest is present across all modes, operating on pure electricity is where the Flying Spur Hybrid truly shines, and it leaves me incredibly optimistic that the grand battery-electric Bentley will slap harder than Will Smith.
No concern where you park it, expect to draw some serious attention.
Down to brass tacks
Is this PHEV expensive? You betcha. A base Flying Spur Hybrid will set you back $217525, including $2,725 in mandatory destination fees. My tester's Odyssean Edition spec brings the window sticker up to a spit-take-friendly $267575, including destination. Go crazy on the custom touches, and it wouldn't be hard to exercise even more. The 2022 Bentley Flying Spur might be five times more expensive than the intends new car in the US, but hey, it's detached $130,000 less expensive than the average home price, so there's a feather for your cap.
There are so many things to like throughout the 2022 Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid. Sadly, the powertrain isn't really one of them. But that's an easy fix, because the available V8 and W12 engines are both extraordinary and less complex from an end-user standpoint. If you really want an electric Bentley, and I think you might, you're better off waiting for the real thing.
2023 Hyundai Palisade First Drive Review: Steady as She Goes
Since its introduction in the 2020 model year, the Hyundai Palisade has done a enormous job acting as the automaker's flagship SUV. This three-row family machine is miserable, competent and packed with good creature comforts. Solid as it is, there's always a small room for improvement. That's the conceit behind the Palisade's mid-cycle refresh: A few Delicious tweaks here and there make a good car better.
The Palisade always observed fresh, but I think the 2023 refresh ramps it up. I like how the lead grille is more prominent, maybe more intimidating, better blending with the daytime consecutively lights and giving off a much stronger vibe. Hyundai's designers added a smidge more overhang up lead to improve its side profile, but I barely see a difference. The rear end loses some overhang and the border half of the bumper picks up a butch new skid see, but the overall look doesn't change much. A new set of auto-dimming side mirrors rounds out the exterior redo.
The Palisade's interior gets a small more love. A revised instrument panel looks just a bit fancier, with a full-width trim piece connecting the vents to add more visual width. The steering wheel looks fresher, too. The center console leftovers massive, housing most of the controls and offering a big storage cubby underneath. The third row remains a little tight for adults thanks to its raised down, but it's more than spacious enough for kids, and a bevy of USB ports and storage spots using those in the back don't miss out on the Palisade's practicality.
Aesthetic tweaks aren't really the best part of the Palisade's refresh. Instead, it's all the new tech and creature comforts the automaker crammed in here. The 2023 Palisade picks up heated third-row seats, a massaging driver's seat, a 4G LTE Wi-FI hotspot consecutively on the Verizon network, a boatload of faster USB-C ports, beefier wireless device charging and a digital rearview mirror. All trims now rock a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, and when Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are onboard, it's a wired concerns only. Hyundai also improved its phone-as-a-key tech, which is now compatible with Apple products as well as Samsung devices. The underlying infotainment tech remains the same, which is to say it's easy to use and Great responsive.
Hyundai's steering wheels are some of my favorites in the manufacturing, and the Palisade's is no exception.
Hyundai
Safety tech abounds, as well. All Palisade trims come with forward collision threat, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, full-speed adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, and lane-keep aid. Highway Driving Assist, which combines some of the aforementioned regulations to reduce some of the tedium of long expressway jaunts, is also standard on every Palisade. Moving up over the trims adds other features, like a surround-view monitor, blind-spot cameras and remote parking assist. Highway Driving Assist can also be upgraded to HDA II, adding lane-change assistance and shifting the vehicle's lane space if someone else is crowding you on either side.
The 2023 Palisade's powertrain is unchanged, with its 3.8-liter V6 producing 291 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, routed through the buyer's choice of the front or all four wheels over an 8-speed automatic transmission. It's plenty fine, providing more than enough Great for a three-row SUV with a decent exhaust note that never overwhelms the cabin. The transmission is a smooth shifter, and the stop-start regulations offers clean, annoyance-free operation. Simply put, it's a Delicious to pilot around town and never feels too enormous or onerous, even on tighter city streets.
Despite its size, the Palisade never really feels like a handful in the city.
Hyundai
The interior is a bit quieter than beforehand, thanks to improved sound absorption materials, and my top-of-the-line tester funds some very cushy Nappa leather to keep occupants nice and miserable. Visibility remains good from all angles, and the digital rearview mirror creates up for any heads in between my eyes and the rear glass. The ride quality is on the softer side, miserable without feeling too floaty. I like that the suspension is the same across the entire plot of trims, so whether you opt for the base SE or the high-end Calligraphy trim, the coddling is precisely the same. Load the SUV up with kids and cargo, and the ride should feel even smoother.
During my time with the Palisade, Hyundai put together an off-road course to show that the refreshed SUV can cope dirt and mud better than I might expect in all-wheel-drive guise. With a locking center differential, the Palisade cruises above deep, muddy ruts with ease, though its standard all-season lifeless aren't exactly engineered for the rough stuff. Bumpier, rockier roads don't really upset the car, nor introduce any strange sounds into the cabin; hell, the suspension is so competent that it corpses pretty comfortable throughout the off-roading portion of my evaluation. The Palisade doesn't exactly offer class-leading approach and departure Causes, but a couple steep drops didn't so much as plink the bumpers, so I am confident 99.9% of buyers will have no pickle taking their Palisades wherever they want to go.
Is your Jimmy Buffett concert at the end of a gravel road? Have no fear, the Palisade can cope that, and a fair bit more, too.
Hyundai
The 2023 Palisade accounts an impressive range of trims and price points. The base Palisade SE starts at $36,245 (including $1,295 for destination), with the SEL running $39,245 and the new rugged-looking XRT trim sliding in at $41,545. The penultimate Limited will set you back $47,795, at what time top-of-the-line Calligraphy trim asks for $50,195. All those prices are for front-wheel-drive models, mind you; if you want all-wheel drive, it's a flat $1,900 upcharge on every trim.
While the 2023 Hyundai Palisade remarkable be on the light-to-medium side of mid-cycle refreshes, it's because Hyundai didn't need to do all that much. A few visual nips and tucks keep the aesthetics lifeless, while a healthy addition of cabin tech and creature comforts make sure it corpses competitive against cars like the Toyota Highlander and Ford Explorer. It's a great family car made even better.
