Popular Mechanics - USA (2019-03)

FIVE-WORD

30 March 2019 _ PopularMechanics.com

SUBARU BRZ TS

Horsepower

deficient, sure.

Still thrills.

$33,495

BMW X4 M40I

Family cross-

over for the

well-heeled.

$60,450

VOLKSWAGEN

PASSAT GT

Holdout V-6

seeking manual

transmission.

$29,145

“NICEST VAN STEERING
wheel” is a weird accolade, but
that’s the first thing you notice when
you climb into the new Sprinter. The
optional leather-wrapped multifunc-
tion steering wheel looks like it
could’ve come out of an E-Class, and
maybe it did. Of course, not all Sprint-
ers will have that wheel. Some
Sprinters become luxury RVs while

Mercedes-

Benz Sprinter

Back on the job,

made in the U.S.A.

others are stripped-down rack

vans for tradesmen. Some are die-

sel V-6s and others will have a new

gas four-cylinder. But all of them

have a few things in common: First,

just ordered 20,000 vans.

Base price: $39,790

Official title for wiper

arm wash jets: Magic-

Vision Control (Benz

has the best names)

DEAR^ EZRA

Will airbags^ in^ an^ old^ car^

still^ work^ as^ well^ as^ new

ones? —John^ D.,^ North

Salem,^ New^ York^

Insurance Institute^ for^ High-

way Safety^ spokesman^ Russ

Rader^ says^ that^ old^ airbags

can be expected^ to^ work^ very^ well.^ In^ fact,^ back^ in^1992 ,

the IIHS^ crash-tested^ a^1972 Chevy^ Impala,^ one^ of^ the

first cars to^ offer^ airbags.^ That^ particular^ Impala^ had^ more

than 100 ,^000 miles^ on^ its^ odometer.^ The^ radio^ and^ clock

didn’t^ work.^ But^ when^ the^ car^ hit^ the^ barrier,^ the^ airbags

deployed.^ Then-president^ of^ IIHS^ Brian^ O’Neill^ explained

why:^ “There’s^ nothing^ about^ airbags^ to^ wear^ out.”