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One month after his release from prison, the 53-year-old super thief alias <keyword id="597446" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="bunty-chor" source="Orion">Bunty chor</keyword>, who inspired Bollywood movie 'Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!' and even participated in Big Boss season 4, was arrested by Delhi Police from Lucknow, an official said on Friday.<br /><br />With the arrest, luxury stolen items worth in lakhs were also recovered from his possession <br /><br />The official said that with the arrest of Devender Singh alias <keyword id="6412911" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="bunty" source="Orion">Bunty</keyword>, two criminal cases of house burglaries and motor vehicle theft registered in Delhi have been worked out.<br /><br />According to police, on April 13, an FIR was registered in which a woman, a resident of M block, GK-II reported the theft of three expensive mobile phones, a purse, two laptops, branded shoes, wrist watch and her Baleno car.<br /><br />Upon the same day, another case of house burglary was reported in which electrical items - a steam press, five Sony TVs with a set top box, and an LG Printer - were stolen from the CR Park area.<br /><br />Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Chandan Choudhary said that information about two house burglaries raised alarm in the area and a police team was tasked to work on the modus operandi and electronic surveillance on the both reported incidents.<br /><br />"The team started looking at the trail of CCTV footage of the suspect on route of the stolen car which revealed that it was going towards Noida through Alaknanda in CR Park," said the official.<br /><br />During investigation, the team checked the locations of stolen mobile phones and found one of the mobile phones switched on and its location was found near Agra, Uttar Pradesh on a highway.<br /><br />"The stolen mobile phone was kept on surveillance. The team spotted the stolen car on a highway near Ettawah moving towards <keyword id="6357478" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="kanpur" source="Orion">Kanpur</keyword>. It started chasing the car and waited for the moment to stop the high speeding car running at a speed of around 120 km/hour safely and chased the car for a run of about 100 kms," said the official.<br /><br />"The car was intercepted at a toll booth in the area of <keyword id="6386222" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="kanpur-dehat" source="Orion">Kanpur Dehat</keyword> where Bunty tried to escape but he was apprehended," said the official.<br /><br />As per police, Bunty Chor has more than 250 previous involvements in the criminal cases registered across the national capital.<br /><br />Bunty started the commission of burglary at the age of 14 in 1993. He gained fame when he went to the renowned reality show 'Big Boss' Season 4 in 2010 but was evicted from the show due to misbehaving with the maker and host Salman Khan.<br /><br />In 2013, he was arrested by the police of Thiruvantpuram, Kerala for committing night burglary in a house of a renowned businessman <keyword id="9856" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="nayyar" source="Orion">Nayyar</keyword> where he stole household articles and a high-end <keyword id="450362" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="mitsubishi-outlander" source="Orion">Mitsubishi Outlander</keyword> car.<br /><br />Bunty was also convicted for a term of 10 years in the case which was completed by him in March, 2023. "He returned to Delhi after completing his sentence," said the official.<br /><br />The DCP said that the accused is pretending to be mentally unsound to avoid confrontation with the facts and recovery as he is very professional and a hardened criminal with knowledge of all the police procedures.<br /><br /><b>SEE ALSO:<br /></b><strong><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/anurag-kashyaps-kennedy-is-the-only-indian-movie-to-be-screened-at-cannes-2023/articleshow/99492280.cms">Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Kennedy’ is the only Indian movie to be screened at Cannes 2023</a><br /></strong><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/hacktivist-indonesia-claims-to-attack-12000-indian-govt-websites-cybersecurity-alert/articleshow/99492430.cms"><strong>'Hacktivist Indonesia' claims to attack 12,000 Indian govt websites: Cybersecurity alert</strong></a><b><br /></b>

Super thief who inspired movie Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! held in Lucknow

Mitsubishi completely redesigned its flagship SUV to battle the Toyota RAV-4 - check out the $25,795 Outlander

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Benjamin Zhang/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">Our 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander LE test car.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>The Mitsubishi Outlander helped keep the brand alive during its darkest days.</strong></li><li><strong>It's also Mitsubishi's flagship model.</strong></li><li><strong>The current Outlander has been around since 2013 but was refreshed in 2016.</strong></li><li><strong>The Outlander compact crossover starts at $23,945 while our test car costs $29,260.</strong></li></ul><p><br />Throughout the 80s and 90s, Mitsubishi churned a string of hits including the Elicpse, the Montero, the 3000GT, Galant, and the legendary Lancer Evolution.</p><p>Sadly, Mitsubishi's fortunes took turn for the worse over the past 15 years. Saddled with an aging lineup of products, the devastating effects of a financial crisis, and a lack of resources to develop competitive new models, Mitsubishi looked to be on the verge of exiting the US market.</p><p>In fact, the brand's share of the US auto market was down to just 0.5%.</p><p>But now, things have started to look up for Mitsubishi. The company's decision to ride the wave of demand for crossover SUVs finally paid off with sales rebounding over the past few years. In 2017, Mitsubishi's US sales jumped 7.7% over the previous year to just under 104,000 cars. A 2016 takeover by the Renault-Nissan Alliance means Mitsubishi will finally have the money and resources to develop a new generation of cars.</p><p>However, we probably won't see the real fruits of that development work for a couple of years. In the meantime, Mitsubishi is dependent on the vehicles it already has in its stable.</p><p>In the US, it can be argued that no model has been more important to Mitsubishi's bottom line than its flagship offering, the Outlander crossover SUV. (The Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero/Shogun exited the US market more than a decade ago.)</p><p>Last week, Mitsubishi delivered a 2018 Outlander 2.4 LE S-AWE in Diamond White Pear to Business Insider's suburban New Jersey road test facility for evaluation. </p><p>The Mitsubishi Outlander starts at $23,945 while our mid-grade Limited Edition costs $29,260 as tested. </p><p>Here's a closer look at the Mitsubishi Outlander crossover SUV.</p>

We drove the SUV that kept Mitsubishi alive and it may be the best deal out there

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>© AFP/File Toshifumi Kitamura</span></p><p class="caption">Facing sluggish US car sales, Japanese automaker Mitsubishi said it would stop making vehicles in the United States</p></div><p></p></div></div>Facing sluggish US car sales, Japanese automaker Mitsubishi said Friday it would stop making vehicles in the United States and is looking to sell its Illinois plant.</p><p>"Following a review of Mitsubishi Motor Corporation's global supply chain, we have been informed it is necessary to end production and seek a strategic buyer for the Normal plant," Mitsubishi Motors North America said in a statement.</p><p>The move caps a long period of speculation about Mitsubishi's future in the US market - currently the most competitive auto market in the world, but also one that has been surging, with annual new-vehicle sales this year expected to top 17 million.</p><p>Suzuki left the US market in 2012, after years of poor sales and declining market share. Mitsubishi had 0.5% of the US market in June, an abysmal figure for a carmaker selling vehicles to the masses and trying to compete with the likes of Honda and Ford.</p><p>Mitsubishi hasn't yet announced plans to end US sales. The car maker has seen year-over-year monthly sales increase in 2015, largely due to deliveries of its Outlander compact SUV.</p>

Mitsubishi to end US vehicle production

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Security researchers have discovered a vulnerability in the Mitsubishi Outlander that can be used to remotely access the vehicle and disable the car alarm, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36444586">BBC News reports</a>.<p>Researchers at Pen Test Partners found that the Mitsubishi Outlander communicates with the driver's phone using a Wi-Fi hotspot. That connection was vulnerable and researchers were able to break into it and remotely turn off the car's alarm.</p><p>Pen Test Partners weren't just able to disable the alarm, though. They could also change the car's charging settings and drain the battery.</p><p>Mitsubishi says it's working with Pen Test Partners to fix the bugs, and told BBC News that the vulnerability wouldn't allow anyone to unlock the car.</p><p><div></div></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cyber-dusts-mark-cuban-explains-calls-snapchat-a-huge-mistake-2016-6">Mark Cuban explains why downloading Snapchat is a huge mistake</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="FuMzJkdTpvQYH_d3c-8LMnnwzGDr7n8x" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Researchers figured out how to hack into a Mitsubishi car and turn off the alarm

<ul class="summary-list"><li>YouTuber Bjørn Nyland took his Polestar 2 to a <keyword id="12593852" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tesla-supercharger" source="Orion">Tesla Supercharger</keyword> in Norway for the first time.</li><li>He said charging speed and a cheap price make the Supercharger network attractive even for non-Tesla owners.</li></ul><p>An electric vehicle owner posted a video of his first time charging his Polestar 2 with a <keyword id="11900744" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tesla" source="Orion">Tesla</keyword> Supercharger after the company <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-expands-non-tesla-supercharging-to-france-and-norway-2022-1">opened some of its charging stations</a> to non-Tesla drivers in France and Norway on Monday.</p><p>The YouTuber, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG1QcV31eoSaX4rE8avQL4A">Bjørn Nyland</a>, pointed out several advantages to using Tesla's Supercharger network for non-Tesla vehicles, including the charging speed and relatively low price. Nyland said he bought a Tesla subscription for 150 NOK per month, equivalent to about $17. With the subscription, his charging experience cost about 2.7 NOK or 31 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and a small <a href="https://www.tesla.com/support/supercharger-idle-fee#:~:text=The%20Tesla%20app%20allows%20owners,will%20incur%20an%20idle%20fee.">idle fee</a> — a price that Nyland said beats most charging stations in Norway.</p><p>The YouTuber also indicated a few difficulties that non-Tesla drivers could face at the charging stations. He showed two Volkswagen and Audi drivers at the station who had to park in a bus lane because their <keyword id="20632" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cars" source="Orion">cars</keyword>' charging ports didn't align with the orientation of the Superchargers. Nyland said that EVs that did not have a charging port on the same side of the vehicle as Teslas could cause more <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-free-supercharging-christmas-holiday-weekend-2021-12">long lines</a> and confusion at the stations. </p><p>Similarly, Nyland said some EVs might still not be able to charge at the stations as the Supercharger network only works with Combined Charging System (CCS) cables, not the fast-charging <a href="https://chademo.com/">CHAdeMo connectors</a> used by the Nissan LEAF, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, and older Kia models.</p><p>Tesla is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-expands-non-tesla-supercharging-to-france-and-norway-2022-1">piloting the program</a> in Norway, France, and the Netherlands and includes about 40 Supercharger locations. Tesla initially <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-elon-musk-chargers-supercharger-network-2021-11">began offering</a> the program to non-Tesla drivers in the Netherlands in November. Only select stations are accessible for non-Tesla EVs. In Norway, the company is offering the new program at about 15 locations. </p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-expands-non-tesla-supercharging-to-france-and-norway-2022-1">Insider's Tim Levin reported</a> that the program could serve as an additional revenue stream for Tesla, as well as help eliminate range anxiety for electric car owners. Tesla's expansive Supercharger network makes up the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-owners-hold-advantage-electric-cars-charging-stations-2021-7">majority of charging stations in the US</a> and represents a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-road-trip-reveals-tesla-advantages-over-other-electric-cars-2021-8">key advantage</a> for the electric carmaker. </p><p>In its <a href="https://www.tesla.com/support/non-tesla-supercharging">initial announcement</a> for the expansion of the pilot program, Tesla said it plans to "review the experience, monitor congestion and assess feedback before expanding."</p>

Video shows what charging a non-Tesla on the Supercharger network is like

<ul class="summary-list"><li>In September, wholesale used-car prices surged and vehicles sold faster than they did in August. </li><li>A shortage of new cars is driving secondhand prices up.</li></ul><p>Looking to buy a secondhand set of wheels for a reasonable price? You may want to wait a couple of years. </p><p>Used-car values have surged during the pandemic as a <keyword id="10389950" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="chip-shortage" source="Orion">chip shortage</keyword> reduced the flow of new vehicles off of production lines to a trickle. It looked like prices were starting to come down after hitting a peak this spring, but now that relief appears short-lived.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.coxautoinc.com/news/wholesale-used-vehicle-prices-hit-record-high-amid-new-vehicle-inventory-shortages/">Manheim Auctions</a>, the largest wholesaler of used vehicles, wholesale used-vehicle prices hit a record high in September of 27.1% above the prices from the same month last year. Retail prices tend to lag slightly behind wholesale, so consumers will likely feel the price hikes soon, too. </p><p>Even amid the inflated prices, demand for vehicles is high. The sales-conversion rate jumped to 65% in September, according to <a href="https://www.coxautoinc.com/news/wholesale-used-vehicle-prices-hit-record-high-amid-new-vehicle-inventory-shortages/">Cox Automotive</a>, indicating that buyers are getting more aggressive. It was 52% in September 2019.</p><p>Used cars are selling extraordinarily quickly, and buyers will have to act fast if they want to get their hands on a particularly popular model, according to a new study from <a href="https://www.iseecars.com/fastest-selling-cars-study">iSeeCars</a> published Tuesday. </p><p>In September, the average used vehicle sold 32.8 days after being listed for sale online, according to iSeeCars. That's compared with 34.6 days on average in August. In the months preceding March 2020, the average was 68.9 days. </p><p>Some of the fastest-selling used vehicles were the Tesla Model 3 (on the market 16 days on average), the Mitsubishi Outlander (19.7 days), and the Toyota Prius (20.7 days). </p><p>For months, industry leaders and analysts, including <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fintel-intc-2q-earnings-report-2021-11626899296">Intel's CEO</a>, have said that the chip shortage could <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/global-chip-shortage-could-last-another-2-years-experts-say-2021-5">drag on until 2023</a>. </p><p>In light of the worsening chip crisis, forecaster IHS Markit <a href="https://ihsmarkit.com/research-analysis/major-revision-for-global-light-vehicle-production-forecast.html">projected</a> in September that global vehicle production will be severely diminished through the rest of 2021 and throughout 2022. Production will also take a hit in early 2023, the firm forecasts.</p><p>That means the shortage of new vehicles that's driving up prices will be with us for quite a while. </p><p>IHS Markit forecasted in October that the global supply of cars will start to stabilize in the second half of 2022 and begin to recover in the first half of 2023, <a href="https://www.autonews.com/manufacturing/chip-crisis-dashes-industrys-hopes-post-pandemic-sales-recovery">Automotive News</a> reported. </p>

The car market keeps getting worse for buyers. Things may not get better until 2023, analysts say.

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Mitsubishi</span></p><p class="caption">Mitsubishi Motors North America CEO Fred Diaz with a new Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul><li><strong>Fred Diaz took over as president and CEO of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/mitsubishi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mitsubishi</a> Motor North America in April.</strong></li><li><strong>Diaz, a former executive with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/nissan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nissan</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/ram" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RAM</a> Trucks, will be tasked with returning Mitsubishi to prominence in the US.</strong></li><li><strong>Mitsubishi has experienced sales growth over the past five years but is still trying to recover a disastrous period at the end of the last decade.</strong></li><li><strong>Diaz believes the Mitsubishi's membership in the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/renault-nissan-alliance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi Alliance</a> will do wonders for the brand. </strong></li></ul><p><span>On his first day as Mitsubishi Motors North America's CEO in April, Fred Diaz held a town hall with is employees. The message was simple. </span></p><p><span>"I needed them to know that I'm not a Nissan employee who is on loan," Diaz told us in an interview. "I'm 100% Mitsubishi."</span></p><p><span>"We're family now," he added.</span></p><p><span>In October of 2016, Nissan acquired 34% controlling interest in MMNA's parent company, Mitsubishi Motors, valued at $2.3 billion. This move created the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.</span></p><p><span>As part of the Nissan's takeover, opportunities were created that allowed executives to crossover to Mitsubishi. </span></p><p><span>One of the people to make the shift over was Fred Diaz, who is now tasked with leading Mitsubishi back to prominence in the US.</span></p><p>Diaz has a long track record of success in his 30-year career in the car business. Prior to becoming the president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America, the straight-talking executive helped Fiat Chrysler launch its massively profitable RAM truck division and more recently as the head of Nissan's revamped truck division.</p><p>Even though his background is in the sales and marketing of all facets of the auto industry, "people still know me as the truck guy," Diaz said.</p><h2>How the once great Mitsubishi fell from grace</h2><p>Mitsubishi is a car company with a storied past. The Japanese automaker has famously given the world such iconic vehicles as the rugged Pajero/Montero/Shogun SUV, the high-tech 3000GT sports car, and the all-conquering Lancer Evolution rally car. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Mitsubishi</span></p><p class="caption">Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.</p></div><p></p></div></div>During the late 1990s, the company turned out a series of vehicles including the Eclipse sports car, the Montero Sport/Challenger SUV, and the Galant Sedan. </p><p>In 2002, the company offered eight different models to US consumers with annual sales peaking at more than 345,000 cars that year.</p><p>But by 2009, Mitsubishi's lineup had contracted to just five models with sales dwindling down to less than 54,000 cars. </p><p>The financial crisis pushed the brand to the brink of exiting the US market like Suzuki and Isuzu a decade earlier. </p><p>Globally, the company stagnated, stopped growing, and ran short on resources to develop new products, Nissan, Renault, and Mitsubishi Motors chairman Carlos Ghosn told us in a 2017 interview. </p><p>The company was forced to hit the reset button and decided to hitch its future fortunes to crossover SUVs - more specifically, the Outlander and its many derivatives. It's a decision that has proven to be absolutely brilliant. </p><p>Since 2009, the company's sales have nearly doubled. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Andrew Burton/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">The current Mitsubishi Outlander.</p></div><p></p></div></div>In 2016, Mitsubishi Motors reported a $1.4 billion loss across all of its international markets in spite of growing sales in the US. Nissan saw this as the perfect opportunity for a takeover.</p><p><span>"When the opportunity came, due to some unfortunate circumstances concerning Mitsubishi Motors, to have them inside the alliance, we were convinced it could be a good fit. This was not something that came out of the blue." Ghosn said.</span></p><p>But even after half a decade of consistent sales growth, the 103,686 cars Mitsubishi sold in 2017 is but a mere fraction of its peak in 2002 and represents a minuscule 0.6% share of total US auto sales. </p><p>"We're still a tiny, tiny brand compared to the gorillas in the automotive industry, but we have to start somewhere and we have to grow to return to our heyday," Diaz said. </p><p>Which means, in spite of healthy sales growth, Mitsubishi in the US remains a major reclamation project. </p><h2>'We're just an unaware brand'</h2><p>Externally, the biggest challenge for Diaz will be brand awareness.</p><p>"We have a huge awareness problem in the United States," he said. "Some people didn't even realize Mitsubishi still sold cars here."</p><p>Fortunately, this is a fixable problem.</p><p>"We're not a damaged brand. We haven't done anything that caused us a black eye or do something that made everyone in America want to hate us," Diaz explained. "We're just an unaware brand."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmIvhCoWcwM">YouTube/Mitsubishi Motors North America</a></span></p><p class="caption">Mitsubishi commercial.</p></div><p></p></div></div>So Mitsubishi, with financial backing from The Alliance, is once again investing in branding. </p><p><span>Afterall, The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance is currently the largest car company in the world with 10.61 million cars sold worldwide in 2017. </span></p><p>For the first time in 11 years, there are Mitsubishi car commercials running on US network TV. The company is also making huge investments in social media, regional advertising, and the generation of electronic sales leads. </p><h2>Diaz is making big changes internally</h2><p>Mitsubishi had an unfortunate history of "saving their way into a profit," Diaz told us. As a result, necessary investments in planning and operations weren't made. There were holes on the management team that had to be filled. </p><p>The new CEO traveled across the country to all of the company's offices and met individually with employees not only to introduce himself but also to assess the talent on his bench. And when he could, he promoted from within. </p><p>There were also issues with the brand's dealership network. There weren't enough of them and the ones they did have, have not received sufficient support from Mitsubishi to truly succeed. </p><p>According to Diaz, Mitsubishi had only two regional offices to support its entire network. In fact, one of the regions was tasked with assisting dealers in a whopping 38 states. To improve the situation, Diaz has expanded the number of regions to four with a possible further expansion to five. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Mitsubishi Motors</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>And there's the reality that Mitsubishi didn't have enough dealers. </p><p>"We have 360 dealers across the nation and we have open points across the country that we need to fill," he said. "We just need to put dealers in places where consumers can feel confident that they won't have to drive 100 miles to get their vehicles maintained."</p><p>Unfortunately, adding new dealerships was much easier said than done. </p><p>"Two years ago, trying to get a dealer to invest in a Mitsubishi franchise was really difficult," Diaz added. "The pickings were slim."</p><p>Fast forwards 18 months and things have greatly improved with the backing of The Alliance. </p><p>"We're now turning people away," he added. </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chase-cards-ceo-on-her-success-and-working-with-jamie-dimon-2018-7">The Chase Cards CEO on working with Jamie Dimon and her own success</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

One of the most famous car companies in the world was on the brink of death in the US a few years ago. But now its CEO is fighting to bring it back to its former glory.

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Mercedes-Benz</span></p><p class="caption">The Mercedes-Benz GLB.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/mercedes-benz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mercedes-Benz</a> introduced the GLB compact SUV concept at the 2019 Shanghai auto show.</strong></li><li><strong>The GLB is a seven-seat compact crossover SUV. According to Mercedes, the Chinese market demands sevens seats in a crossover, even if it's of the compact variety.</strong></li><li><strong>Mercedes-Benz sales boss Britta Seeger told reporters at the 2019 New York auto show that its demand is driven by the fact that several generations of a single family will often live together. Which means they'll often need to travel together in one car. </strong></li><li><strong>The production version of the GLB is expected to go on sale in 2020.</strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></strong></li></ul><p>This month, Mercedes-Benz introduced the GLB compact SUV concept at the 2019 Shanghai auto show. The GLB is a thinly veiled concept version of the eponymous production SUV that will reach showrooms in 2020. </p><p>At 182 inches long, the GLB is roughly the same size as a Honda CR-V and slightly smaller than its big brother, the Mercedes GLC crossover SUV.</p><p><em><strong>Read more</strong>: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vws-us-ceo-explains-why-america-wants-small-pickup-truck-2019-4" data-analytics-position="6">Volkswagen's US CEO explains why he thinks America is ready for a small pickup truck again</a></em>.</p><p>In spite of its somewhat diminutive size, Mercedes will offer the GLB seating for seven passengers spread over three rows. One of the driving factors for this decision was demand from the Chinese market. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Mercedes-Benz</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>According to Britta Seeger, the member of the board of management at parent company Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz car sales, Chinese demand for three-row seating is a product of its societal structure.</p><p>"It is essential in China where that we offer the GLB as a seven-seater," Seeger told reporters at the 2019 New York Auto Show. "You know why the Chinese are demanding the seven seaters in the different aspects? That's really interesting because they have different life situation because they are living together with the one-child policy."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Mercedes-Benz</span></p><p class="caption">Here's the GLB's third row.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Seeger added, "If you calculate, they bring all people into one car; this is why they are just asking for the seven-seaters - you have four grandparents, two parents, and one child."</p><p>It's unclear if the GLB will keep its three-row layout when it comes stateside. It's not completely unheard for compact crossovers to boast three rows. The Mitsubishi Outlander and the Volkswagen Tiguan both offer seating for seven. However, the third rows on these crossovers are only fit for short trips or for children.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Mercedes-Benz</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>As for the GLB, the compact crossover concept delivers a brawny square-jawed look that's both athletic and stylish. It's powered by a 224 horsepower, 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine sending power to all four wheels through an eight-speed dual clutch transmission. The interior is decked out in nappa and nubuk leather as well as chestnut and walnut wood trim. </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/singapore-airport-complex-changi-airport-indoor-waterfall-mall-2019-4">Look inside the new $1.3 billion complex at Singapore's Changi Airport, with a 130-foot indoor waterfall</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div>

Mercedes-Benz exec reveals why Chinese society demands 7 seats in a car

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, File</span></p><p class="caption">Nissan-Renault Alliance CEO Carlos Ghosn.</p></div><p></p></div></div>The Renault-Nissan Alliance announced on Wednesday that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nissan-ceo-carlos-ghosn-step-down-2017-2">Carlos Ghosn would step down as CEO of Nissan</a>, but remain as Chairman of the automaker and CEO and alliance itself. Co-CEO Hiroto Saikawa, a Nissan veteran, will take over.</p><p>The bottom line is that Ghosn, one of the most successful and globally well-known leaders in the auto industry, will still be running the show, but just not the <em>entire </em>show on a day-to-day basis. </p><p>On its face, the current Renault-Nissan Alliance, which now also includes Mitsubishi, is an impractical mashup of automakers residing below the biggest players in the auto industry: Toyota, Volkswagen, and General Motors. However, the combination has been successful and has made Ghosn into a celebrity, although his star has faded somewhat, after burning very brightly after the financial crisis.</p><p>Ghosn is backing away from Nissan for the simple reason that the Mitsubishi challenge is considerable. In 2016, the alliance bought about a third of Mitsubishi, a venerable Japanese carmaker that's lately been roiled by a fuel-economy scandal and that lives in the shadows on Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. </p><p>Mitsubishi's position in the US market is downright pathetic: it's keeping off life support by selling effectively one vehicle in meaningful numbers, the Outlander crossover. Market share is negligible, and Mitsubishi is routinely nominated as a hopeless player that should follow Suzuki and leave the hyper-competitive US market.</p><h2>A model of the globalized, Pre-Trump CEO</h2><p>With the Renault-Nissan buy-in, however, Mitsubishi has been extended a lifeline, in the form of access to the Alliance's engineering platforms and marketing muscle. Ghosn will have to work miracles to revive the brand in North America, and that's a key reason why he's dialing back his commitment to Nissan. Bear in mind that it might not work, but managing an Mitsubishi exit could also be if the offing - which would also demand a lot of Ghosn attention.</p><p>Ghosn remains the model of a business leader from the pre-Trump era of ascending globalism. Born in Lebanon, raised in Brazil, educated in France, he transformed the Renault-Nissan Alliance into the fourth biggest carmaker in the world by share. His specialty is in managing far-flung, diverse enterprises, and his lifestyle is far more peripatetic. His only competition is Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne, an Italo-Canadian who oversees Fiat, Chrysler, and Ferrari, with operations in the US and Italy and headquarters in London. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP</span></p><p class="caption">President Donald Trump points to Ford Motors CEO Mark Fields, center, at the start of a meeting with automobile leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017. Also at the meeting are Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne, right, and White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner, second from the right.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Ghosn has been placed in an awkward position since Donald Trump's win in the 2016 presidential election. At the Detroit auto show in January, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/carlos-ghosn-trump-america-first-2017-2">Ghosn visibly grappled with Trump's America First doctrine</a> while continuing to affirm his commitment to the free trade that makes the Renault-Nissan Alliance work. </p><p>Nissan builds cars in the US and has for decades, but the factories are located in the South, in states that Trump doesn't need to win in 2020. The President's focus has been much more on GM, Ford, and FCA, leaving Ghosn out in the cold.</p><h2>The advantages of an alliance</h2><p>The alliance's structure in this respect is a help, as Renault-Nissan isn't overly dependent on the US. But the US is a huge market for the carmaker, and even though Mitsubishi isn't a big player, the market got larger in 2016 with the tie-up.</p><p>In any event, we're unlikely to see more Ghosns in the future. The idea of a global super-CEO is in retreat, and running a global automaking alliance has meant that Renault-Nissan is lagging the likes of GM, Ford, and even Tesla on the transformation of the business from one that sells cars to one that provides mobility.</p><p>Renault-Nissan has been out in front before - the debut half a decade ago of the all-electric Leaf is a good example - but the focus now is on swift innovation with unfamiliar new technologies, whereas Renault-Nissan has been all about the complexities of management.</p><p>In fact, you could argue that of all the automaking CEOs around, Ghosn has the toughest job at the moment. The alliance embodies the principles of internationalism, globalism, and free trade - everything the Trump administration wants to do away with. </p><p>He's probably up to the challenge. But to make it work, he's wisely trimming back his commitments.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nissan-2017-gtr-auto-sportscar-2016-12">Nissan's redesigned GT-R is a beast worthy of its 'Godzilla' nickname</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="4zOHMzODE6JCRzS2UwzvYHEfVaRY2_4b" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Carlos Ghosn is stepping down as Nissan's CEO - but that doesn't mean he still won't be running the show

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">The mastermind behind Lady Gaga could be heading to Spotify.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Good morning! Here's the tech news you need to know today.</p><p><strong>1. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/report-says-verily-smart-contact-lens-is-slideware-2016-6">A former employee says Google's smart contact lens is "slideware" that exists only in PowerPoint presentations.</a></strong> The product was first announced in 2014.</p><p><strong>2. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/jacob-appelbaum-denies-allegations-sexual-misconduct-tor-project-2016-6">Tor Project activist Jacob Appelbaum says "the accusations of criminal sexual misconduct against me are entirely false."</a></strong> He has been accused of sexually assaulting several people.</p><p><strong>3. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/facebook-is-taking-on-amazons-wildly-successful-live-video-streaming-service-2016-6">Facebook is taking on Amazon's wildly successful live video-game streaming service Twitch.</a></strong> People playing video games like "Overwatch" will be able to stream their games live on Facebook.</p><p><strong>4. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/blue-apron-considering-ipo-2016-6">Recipe and meal-kit delivery service Blue Apron could be looking to go public.</a></strong> The company has held talks with advisers about various options for raising capital.</p><p><strong>5. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/deliveroos-revenues-set-to-hit-130-million-in-2016-2016-6">Deliveroo's revenues are set to hit £130 million in 2016.</a></strong> That figure represents growth of more than 1,000% in the last year.</p><p><strong>6. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/spotify-reportedly-in-talks-to-hire-lady-gagas-former-manager-to-take-on-apple-music-2016-6">Spotify is reportedly in talks to hire Lady Gaga's former manager to take on Apple Music.</a></strong> Troy Carter will be in charge of getting exclusives for the platform.</p><p><strong>7. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/pen-test-partners-hack-into-mitsubishi-outlander-turn-off-the-alarm-drain-battery-2016-6">Researchers figured out how to hack into a Mitsubishi car and turn off the alarm.</a></strong> The Mitsubishi Outlander communicates with the driver's phone using a Wi-Fi hotspot.</p><p><strong>8. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/google-deepminds-alphago-to-play-ke-jie-2016-6">A teenage genius is reportedly going to take on Google's AI at Go.</a> </strong>The world's best Go player is an 18-year-old called Ke Jie who turned pro in 2008 when he was just 10-years-old.</p><p><strong>9. <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/google-job-hires-raise-concerns-about-political-influence-in-europe-2016-6">Google hired at least 65 European government officials in 10 years.</a></strong> At least 80 people have transferred between a Google role and a European government role in the last decade.</p><p><strong>10. <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-07/samsung-said-to-consider-phones-with-bendable-screens-for-2017-ip4tgwz9">Samsung may release phones with bendable screens in 2017.</a></strong> Bloomberg says one of the phones folds like a cosmetic compact.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/cyber-dusts-mark-cuban-explains-calls-snapchat-a-huge-mistake-2016-6">Mark Cuban explains why downloading Snapchat is a huge mistake</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="FuMzJkdTpvQYH_d3c-8LMnnwzGDr7n8x" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

10 things in tech you need to know today

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="1055033" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Toyota-Rav4">Toyota RAV4</keyword> is the automaker's most popular vehicle, selling nearly half a million last year alone.</li><li>The 2021 RAV4 Prime is the plug-in hybrid version, which boasts an impressive 42 estimated miles of EV-only range.</li><li>The RAV4 Prime has a starting price of $38,100, but my loaner in the top-tier XSE AWD trim started at $41,425 MSRP. After options, it came out to $49,831.</li></ul><p>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/toyota-rav4-prime">2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime</a> is what you get when you take the best-selling passenger car in the US, make it a plug-in hybrid, and give it great all-electric range. To those still waiting on the so-called EV revolution, I say it's already here — here in the form of highly capable <keyword id="2158849" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="plug-in-hybrids">plug-in hybrids</keyword> like the RAV4 Prime. </p><p>I already know the regular RAV4 <a href="https://jalopnik.com/the-2019-toyota-rav4-can-almost-do-it-all-1834282110">is a champion at almost everything it does</a>, so it was unsurprising that when I made a list of cars I was most excited to drive this year, the RAV4 Prime was near the top. It was time to see if the 302-horsepower, plug-in hybrid version of an already great car would be any better.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_16" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78590824" hostid="261"></div><p>Spoiler alert: It is.</p><h2><strong>The 2021 <keyword id="6374528" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="toyota">Toyota</keyword> RAV4 Optimus Prime: Plug-in <keyword id="6557668" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hybrids">hybrids</keyword>, roll out</strong></h2><p>The RAV4 is Toyota's most popular vehicle in the US, with <a href="https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-motor-north-america-reports-december-2019-year-end-sales/">448,071</a> sold last year alone. It was the <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/news/g27041933/best-selling-cars-2019/">fourth best-selling vehicle in the US overall</a> behind the Ford F-Series, Ram Pickup, and the Chevrolet Silverado — all pickup trucks.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_56" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590827" hostid="261"></div><p>The RAV4 is not a pickup truck, but it's not a small car, either. It's a two-row, five-seater SUV that's now in its boxy-faced fifth generation. Length comes to 15 feet, width comes to nearly 6.1 feet, and height comes to 5.6 feet. There are 8.3 inches of ground clearance.</p><p>Partway through the current RAV4's life cycle, Toyota unveiled the RAV4 Prime — the plug-in hybrid version of the SUV — at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_26" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590832" hostid="261"></div><p>To be clear, Toyota already had a hybrid RAV4, just not a plug-in one. The RAV4 Prime became the second plug-in hybrid offering from Toyota, following the Prius Prime.</p><h2><strong>Details and safety ratings: The most powerful RAV4 ever </strong></h2><p>A plug-in hybrid is different from a conventional hybrid because, as its name suggests, you can plug it in and charge the battery that way. Conventional hybrids have much shorter EV-only ranges, if they offer any at all. A plug-in hybrid's batteries tend to be bigger and EV-only range is greater, but this also makes them more expensive. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_OEM_2" height="1668" width="2500" msid="78590834" hostid="261"></div><p>The RAV4 Prime uses a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine that produces a claimed 177 horsepower. When combined with the electric motors, total system output comes to a claimed 302 horsepower. </p><p>That means the RAV4 Prime is part of a growing camp of Toyota cars and crossovers with more than 300 horsepower, with Toyota proclaiming it the "<a href="https://pressroom.toyota.com/vehicle/2021-toyota-rav4-prime/">most powerful RAV4 ever</a>." Others include the <a href="https://www.automobilemag.com/news/top-10-cheapest-cars-with-300-horsepower-193181/">Toyota Camry TRD, Toyota Avalon XLE</a>, and the <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/toyota-cms-media/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2021-Toyota-Supra-Product-Info.pdf">six-cylinder Supra</a>. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_35" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590837" hostid="261"></div><p>The RAV4 Prime has something <a href="https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-revs-up-lineup-with-new-302-horsepower-rav4-prime/">Toyota calls</a> "Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive," which involves a separate, rear-mounted electric motor powering the back wheels when necessary, such as during acceleration and in low-traction situations. </p><p>Toyota <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/toyota-rav4-prime-plug-in-hybrid-specs-pricing-release-date-2020-6">quotes</a> the RAV4 Prime's EV-only driving range to be 42 miles, which is <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g15377500/plug-in-hybrid-car-suv-vehicles/">impressively high</a>. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates it to return 94 mpge (<a href="https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/what-is-mpge">miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent</a>) and 38 mpg in hybrid mode on city and highway combined driving.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_24" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590841" hostid="261"></div><p>Comparatively, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-fuel-efficient-cars-vehicles-best-gas-mileage-2019-11#:~:text=The%20average%20car%20sold%20in,miles%20per%20gallon%20(MPG).">the average car sold in the US gets about 25 mpg</a>.</p><p>At the time of this writing, the <keyword id="10085628" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="2021-toyota-rav4-prime">2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime</keyword> has not yet been rated for crash safety by <a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2021/TOYOTA/RAV4%252520PRIME">the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration</a> or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.</p><h2><strong>What stands out: An estimated 42 miles of EV-only driving </strong></h2><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_OEM_4" height="1668" width="2500" msid="78590843" hostid="261"></div><p>Compared to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2020-lotus-evora-gt-review-price-specs-horsepower-sports-car-2020-9">the last car I drove</a>, the RAV4 Prime was a breeze to climb in and out of. And there was so much room for everything. The back seats were roomy and the trunk offered 33.4 cubic feet of storage space, or <a href="https://jalopnik.com/the-2019-toyota-rav4-can-almost-do-it-all-1834282110">slightly less</a> than the non-plug-in RAV4. </p><p>There was plenty of headroom and, owing to the square design of the rear, visibility was great all around. For front passengers, there were even little rubber-lined cubbies for your loose items. So thoughtful! </p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_OEM_1" height="1668" width="2500" msid="78590844" hostid="261"></div><p>I awarded additional interior points to the RAV4's extensive button, dial, and switch offerings. True, there was no escaping the slapped-on-screen look, but crucial functions such as the climate and radio volume were still controlled via hard switches. </p><p>The infotainment's user interface looked and felt a little older than some of the other new cars I've reviewed, but it didn't bother me much. I was too busy appreciating the buttons.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_OEM_10" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590847" hostid="261"></div><p>The RAV4 Prime starts up by default in EV mode, but the gas engine will kick in under hard acceleration. In my own testing, which involved city driving and a stint on the highway, the car returned about 35 miles of EV-only driving before the battery depleted. </p><p>Two buttons on the center console let a driver: keep the car in pure EV-only mode; keep the car in pure gasoline-only mode; utilize charge mode to replenish the battery; or put it in either Auto EV/HV mode, where the car switches between EV-only driving and using the gasoline engine depending on driving conditions.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_OEM_6" height="1668" width="2500" msid="78590849" hostid="261"></div><p>When in the appropriate mode, the car switches seamlessly between battery power and gas power. You can get sucked into figuring out your route and toggling around the modes to maximize efficiency, but if you can't be bothered and just want to drive the RAV4 normally, you can easily do that, too. </p><p>On an empty battery, plugging the car into a wall socket (voltage unknown) took about 11 hours to fully charge. Putting it into charge mode and driving on the highway fully charged the battery in about an hour. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_61" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590852" hostid="261"></div><h2><strong>What falls short: The driver information cluster has a lot going on</strong></h2><p>My one big gripe with the RAV4 was that it was a little slow. The RAV4 in Prime guise fixed that. It felt much quicker and more urgent off the line thanks to the electric motors, but the four-cylinder drone was still loud in the cabin during hard acceleration.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_OEM_7" height="1668" width="2500" msid="78590856" hostid="261"></div><p>In fact, I wasn't terribly impressed with the car's overall noise, vibration, and harshness quality — also known as NVH, a measurement of the amount of unwanted noise and tactile input that enters the car during driving. The engine was loud and additional noise coming in from the tires against the road did not make for a quiet ride. </p><p>After being so impressed by the casual athleticism of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/toyota-venza-2021-review-price-new-crossover-hybrid-specs-photos-2020-7">new Toyota Venza</a> recently, I also expected better handling. The Venza felt agile and darty. The RAV4 Prime did not. </p><p>Mostly, it felt top heavy. If I took a corner too quickly and didn't brake adequately beforehand, the car tended to lean pretty heavily, which was unpleasant for my passengers. I learned to take corners conservatively.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_65" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590859" hostid="261"></div><p>The driver gauge cluster also included far more information than necessary. There are a lot of gauges for <em>a lot</em> of different things. </p><p>The left-hand gauge displays a sort of efficiency meter, showing how much power you're using and what effect it has on your battery. The right-hand gauge shows fuel and battery amount. </p><p>The center display includes a speedometer, odometer, a check-rear-seat indicator, and projected ranges of both EV and HV (hybrid vehicle?) driving. It also tells you what driving mode you're in, as well as a few other numbers and figures I couldn't quite figure out.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_OEM_5" height="1668" width="2500" msid="78590868" hostid="261"></div><p>During the first few hours of my loan, I had to remind myself not to get distracted by reading the gauge cluster. </p><p>Eventually, I made the executive decision to ignore them all, except for the speedo and fuel/battery gauges — the only ones that really matter. </p><h2><strong>How the RAV4 Prime compares to its competitors: That EV-only range, though </strong></h2><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_7" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590872" hostid="261"></div><p>There certainly aren't as many plug-in hybrid SUVs as there should be. </p><p>A few <a href="https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g15377500/plug-in-hybrid-car-suv-vehicles/">comparable competitors</a> to the RAV4 Prime that come to mind are the Kia Niro PHEV, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeep-wrangler-plug-in-hybrid-coming-in-2020-8">Jeep Wrangler 4xe</a>, Audi Q5 TFSI e, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Ford Escape PHEV, and the plug-in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2020-lincoln-aviator-review-hybrid-specs-three-row-suv-luxury-2020-7">Lincoln Aviator</a>. The RAV4 Prime beats out all of these with either a better EV-only range, cheaper price, or both. </p><p>The RAV4's closest competitor, the Honda CR-V, does not offer a plug-in version. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_43" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78590877" hostid="261"></div><p>Within the Toyota family, the Prius Prime admittedly does offer <a href="https://www.toyota.com/priusprime/">a starting price that's $10,000 cheaper</a>, but its estimated EV-only mode is lower and it's a smaller car overall. The regular hybrid RAV4 doesn't offer an EV-only mode whatsoever, but it does have <a href="https://www.toyota.com/rav4hybrid/">a starting price of $28,500</a>.</p><p>The 2021 <keyword id="8366344" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Toyota-RAV4-Prime">Toyota RAV4 Prime</keyword> <a href="https://www.toyota.com/rav4prime/features/mpg/4544/4550">starts at $38,100</a>. My loaner came in the top-tier XSE AWD trim, so starting MSRP was $41,425. With the XSE trim, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/toyota-rav4-prime-plug-in-hybrid-specs-pricing-release-date-2020-6">you get</a> bigger wheels, a moon roof, ambient interior lighting, two-tone exterior paint, and a bigger center touchscreen.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_44" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590880" hostid="261"></div><p>After options such as a premium audio system ($1,620), special Supersonic Red exterior paint ($425), the Premium Package ($3,765), and some roof-rack crossbars, the new total came out to $49,831.</p><p>For a RAV4, that's a lot. </p><h2><strong>Our impressions: The solution to range anxiety</strong></h2><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_60" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78590881" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_59" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590884" hostid="261"></div>The RAV4 is Toyota's volume seller, so it's an important one to get right. And for the majority of US buyers, it's exactly what they need. <p>It's comfortable, utilitarian, highly practical, well thought out, and incredibly easy to drive and use. When it came down to building a mass-market car, Toyota nailed it. No wonder the automaker sold nearly half a million of them last year.</p><p>Then, Toyota took that package and made it a plug-in hybrid — a good one, at that.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_49" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78590886" hostid="261"></div><p>In my own testing, I saw a return of about 42 mpg. Our EV-only stint returned about 35 miles, as mentioned above, and that was mostly on a highway. For someone looking for a fuel-efficient car that can also haul around just about everything, the RAV4 Prime is the perfect solution.</p><p>I don't know what your daily commute looks like, but I could ostensibly see most RAV4 Prime owners relying primarily on the battery to get around town for errands and day-to-day life. Potentially, you could whittle your reliance on gasoline down to zero during daily usage.</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_36" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590890" hostid="261"></div><p>There's the gas engine to fall back on for longer commutes, of course. But if your roundtrip commute is less than about 42 miles, you could just charge your RAV4 Prime at home overnight so it's fresh and ready to go the next morning. Treat it like an EV. </p><p>And if there's anything the RAV4 Prime proves, it's that plug-in hybrids like it are a solution for range anxiety. </p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_41" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590891" hostid="261"></div><p>For those who want an EV but fret about being able to complete long trips, PHEVs are the answer. You don't need to worry about finding a charging station because any old gas station will do, and you can rely on the gasoline engine while your battery is charging. </p><p>You won't get stuck. I can't really see a downside, and buyers probably won't either.</p><p>If the future of the RAV4 Prime is anything like the success of the regular RAV4, then strap in. Toyota just might wind up <a href="https://jalopnik.com/the-2021-toyota-rav4-plug-in-hybrid-might-become-the-mo-1838968972">selling thousands and thousands of these things</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;">♦♦♦</p><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_52" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590894" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_10" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78590895" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_28" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590896" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_39" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590899" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_42" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590903" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_19" height="3750" width="2500" msid="78590909" hostid="261"></div><div type="image" title="2021 Toyota RAV4 XSE AWD_KL_23" height="1667" width="2500" msid="78590912" hostid="261"></div>

REVIEW: The Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in hybrid is perfect for those who want an EV but can't quite commit yet

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Getty Images</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>A cybersecurity expert who works with three major automakers says car hacking will continue to be a problem, and he says that only after something "catastrophic" happens will it be tackled head on.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I think it's going to take something catastrophic, unfortunately, for the car manufacturers to really change their mindsets," David Kennedy, the CEO of <a href="https://www.trustedsec.com/">TrustedSec</a>, told Tech Insider. "We may be working with some of them, but believe me, they are far from [where they need to be] at this stage."</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tech Insider spoke with Kennedy - a former Marine who consults for companies and teaches offensive hacking to intelligence agencies - soon after a security researcher <a href="http://readwrite.com/2016/06/07/mitsubishi-outlander-hacked-tt4/">connected wirelessly to a Mitsubishi Outlander,</a> allowing him to turn off its alarm and perform other functions.</span></p><p>That exploit followed similar findings from a pair of researchers who, <a href="https://www.wired.com/2015/07/hackers-remotely-kill-jeep-highway/">over the past few years,</a> have demonstrated hacks on a Ford Escape, Toyota Prius, and Jeep Grand Cherokee, ranging from being able to remotely kill the vehicle's engine or disable acceleration to taking over the power steering.</p><p>"It's essentially full control to do whatever you want to the car," said Kennedy, a hacker who works with three major automakers but could not specify which due to nondisclosure agreements. "Run it off the road, kill it in the middle of the freeway. Whatever you want to do is very much possible now."</p><h2>Your high-tech car is still very much low-tech</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Volvo</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Newer cars on the road are being outfitted with turn-by-turn navigation, phone integrations with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, and other high-tech gadgetry. But the overall technology in the car is still very low tech, and it was never designed with security in mind, Kennedy explained.</p><p>The underlying technology for most cars is called Controller Area Network bus, or CAN bus, a standard developed in the 1980s that allows all the different devices in the car to communicate with each other. It's the protocol that allows the cruise control system to talk to the engine, for example.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Taking over cars is trivial. People think that the technology in cars is highly sophisticated," Kennedy said. "But CAN has been around since, the 1980's or 70's. And so, it's a very basic protocol and understanding it doesn't take a lot of effort."</span></p><p>"Underneath your car is an entire network that communicates with one another," Kennedy said. "What hackers are attempting to do is get access to that network."</p><p>Getting access to that network isn't all that difficult, especially when the most basic security practices aren't even implemented. Kennedy laughed when asked whether something as simple as a username and password was usually present.</p><p>And interestingly, it seems to be getting worse. As cars become more "connected" with onboard WiFi, cellular connections, or smartphone apps, that opens them up to many more vectors for attack. A great example of the threat - and the lack of basic security - came with a <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/nissan-leaf-hack-app-flaw-2016-2">hack of the Nissan Leaf in February.</a></p><p>Security researcher Troy Hunt figured out that the Leaf's smartphone app interface (API) used only the VIN to control car features remotely without passwords. These features included seeing the car's current battery life, viewing times and distances the car had traveled, and being able to remotely manipulate the climate control.</p><p>The Leaf's app didn't have features like remote unlock of its doors, but a hacker could have easily run API commands to turn on a car's heated seats or air conditioning from the other side of the world that could leave a victim stranded. Nissan <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/article/3037996/car-tech/nissan-apologizes-shutters-mobile-app-that-left-leaf-ev-hackable.html">shut down the app</a> soon after the vulnerability was disclosed.</p><p>"All of these things are new technology that are being introduced to these manufacturers. And the problem is, they're not designing it themselves," Kennedy said. "<span style="font-weight: 400;">They have no idea whether or not any of these are introducing security exposures or whether or not there's problems with it."</span></p><h2>'There is no security being done at all when a car is being built. Zero.'</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>AP</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Kennedy says car companies recognize the possibility of hacking as a legitimate problem, but they simply don't have the institutional knowledge they need to test security. In an industry focused on manufacturing and sales processes, he explained, it's hard for them to look at the problem like a hacker would.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I definitely think in the future it will become a major front of attack," Kennedy said of criminals or other bad actors hacking cars. One theory he floated was that cybercriminals <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/stay-safe-ransomware-2016-6">might one day adapt ransomware</a> - software that holds computers hostage for money - to work on cars.</span></p><p>But, manufacturers are apparently slow to proactively respond to the issue, despite recent legislation. Last year, two senators introduced a bill requiring the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue new regulations that would require automakers to protect against unauthorized access to cars, or face fines.</p><p>"There is no security being done at all when a car is being built. Zero," Kennedy said. "It's usually being done after the fact, after a security researcher publishes information and then they try to figure out a way to get it fixed."</p><p>The Security and Privacy in Your Car Act of 2015 was introduced in 2015, but it has since languished in committee. The sponsor of the bill, Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), did not respond to questions directed at his press office.</p><p>"When it comes down to it, it's a safety issue," Kennedy said. "When you lose control of a device that can end your life, that's a big deal."</p><h2>Are car manufacturers doing anything about it?</h2><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/respres/2544979655/in/photolist-4STFMz-9noDZk-9ggr5k-9fVBHu-9cJeA3-9midWr-Q66yn-58tqd-JeR3H-9kPAbP-rfVPvi-9dKEgb-9dGBRM-9kKHgw-9mmiXj-9mmhSW-9dKEv3-9iRedm-8yUwRY-9jyCF7-KYqCC-ezh1Tv-vVT441-ap7N2A-5Y76e6-yjY4TU-4qLzmP-xGkAvk-AMik2H-5Wfv4K-7ZB1ji-rssoHs-8Cu6jL-5quhmo-9fSuWa-38Hai1-o34trY-o34ugy-8yRr1v-8yRqdB-8FA7AG-4mnEj5-4mnEnE-4miAXi-kY7KkH-bj7AAa-4wvhNr-4JLx5K-8yRqJp-hnUS3n">Jeff Turner/Flickr</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Kennedy saying that "zero" security being done during the car manufacturing process is certainly a scary prospect. But is that really the case?</p><p>For starters, <a href="http://www.ic3.gov/media/2016/160317.aspx">a recent FBI alert</a> about car hacking vulnerabilities seemed to support that assertion, in a bullet point explaining what automakers were doing to mitigate the threat.</p><p>The alert didn't get into specific steps individual automakers are doing to address the issue, but it said many were sharing and collaborating on cyber best practices. It did not mention security testing being done during manufacturing, like crash testing that is required by law.</p><p>"What's interesting is you have safety rating tests that test the crash impact and the safety of the car," he said. "I absolutely think that security testing should be as well incorporated into the safety testing."</p><p>Tech Insider reached out to a number of major automakers to ask whether they had processes in place to test for security flaws. We also asked whether new cars were going through "cyber safety" tests similar to tests they would run to ensure seatbelts and airbags were functioning as designed.</p><p>Those two questions were posed to Toyota, General Motors, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, and Honda. Only three of the seven companies replied with emailed statements, though neither Toyota nor Fiat-Chrysler addressed the specific questions that were posed.</p><p>Toyota, for example, told TI it had "taken steps to make [its vehicles] more secure and to help reduce the risk of cyberattack" but offered no specifics. </p><p>Fiat-Chrysler said it is "committed to improving from past experiences and working with the industry and with suppliers to develop best practices to address these risks." </p><p>Still, General Motors did respond specifically to the big question at hand: Whether it was actually testing to see if its cars could be hacked.</p><p>"General Motors has incorporated a Secure Development Lifecycle process into its Vehicle Development Process where, utilizing risk-based methodology, vehicle components and systems are put through a series of security design reviews, static and dynamic analysis, fuzz testing, and ultimately penetration testing ahead of production launch," it said.</p><p>"Customer safety and security is our highest priority and these requirements, tools, and processes are incorporated to ensure the safety and security of the products we deliver."</p><p>There is at least one automaker that received high praise from Kennedy: Tesla. That is somewhat surprising since its cars are perhaps the most connected of any car on the road, with large screens, onboard computers, and the use of over-the-air software updates.</p><p>"I would say that Tesla is on the path to be the most secure car," he said. "I don't think that they are there yet, but I think they're definitely striving for it."</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/redteam-hackers-power-grid-company-2016-4">Hackers showed us how to break into the grid - and it was shockingly easy</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="EwbnQxMzE6OEmcB6C0dEUlLfGdPuwVKn" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

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