Auto Industry News: ’22 Compass Trailhawk Spied, Alfa Romeo Tribute Unveiled, NACTOY Finalists Announced, Big Honda Recall, and Fresh-Faced Mirai

We spy some exciting new rides, including the 2022 Jeep Compass Trailhawk and a special goodbye-edition Alfa Romeo 4C Spider. NACTOY announces its 2021 finalists. Honda battles a massive and messy recall, involving four different issues. And Toyota drops a beautiful new Mirai. Plus, we’ve got an off-roading Porsche Cayenne build and a helpful last-minute gift guide.

Spied: Sweet Rides

’22 Jeep Compass Trailhawk Spied Looking Showroom-Ready

Derided for its weak suspension and cheap plastic, the first-gen Compass continues to make Jeep purists shudder. There are entire forums dedicated to slinging hate and Jalopnik went so far as to wish it would burn in hell. (Ouch.) Thankfully, a tasteful redesign arrived with the 2017 model bringing a well-styled vehicle that actually looks like it belongs in the Jeep lineup. That year also brought customers the Trailhawk trim—an off-road-ready variant designed to bump up the Compass’s capability past the cul-de-sac.

The Compass is now due for a mid-cycle refresh come 2022, and the Trailhawk variant was recently spied looking noticeably production-ready.

Wondering what makes a Jeep Compass a Trailhawk? These little off-road champs are equipped with:

• Selec-Terrain Traction Management System
• Jeep Active Drive Low 4×4 System with a 20:1 crawl ratio
• Hill Descent Control
• Off-Road Suspension
• MultiAir 2 valve train system
• 9-Speed 948TE Automatic Transmission
• 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels with All-Terrain Falken tires
• Distinctive red tow hooks
• Four functional skid plates
• Optional rock rails
• Black roof

Mid-Cycle Changes

The ‘22 Trailhawk features new headlights with an upper LED strip, a totally reworked front grille with plastic mesh underneath it, and reworked fog lights. Around back, there seem to be minor changes to the taillights and the removal of the rear tow hook.

The biggest changes for the ‘22 Trailhawk, however, appear to be inside the cabin. Jeep used higher-quality materials on the dash, seats, and steering column, and added a 10.25-inch touchscreen. All in all, the 2022 Trailhawk seems to keep previous models’ off-road prowess, with some minor aesthetic tweaks and added interior bells and whistles. As a result, we’re not sure this mid-cycle refresh will do much to change the Compass’ lingering reputation among true Jeepers. With steep competition in the segment from the best-selling Toyota RAV4 and newly-arrived Ford Bronco Sport, we’d like to see Jeep step up its game a bit more and give this affordable, plucky crossover the attention it deserves.

Denver Shop Builds Porsche Cayenne Off-Road Rig

For the last few weeks here at The Engine Block, we’ve given you a taste of some of the weirdest, wackiest, and most unique sportscar-related custom builds. Well, this week is no different.

Berg Performance, an Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen performance shop located in Denver, Colorado, just featured a 2005 Porsche Cayenne, the official mascot of wealthy suburban soccer moms everywhere, reworked into an off-road powerhouse.

It turns out that while Americans see Porsche as a luxury-only brand, Europeans actually take these things off-road into the wilderness, climbing rock faces with ease, and splattering their side panels in mud. Shop owner, Aaron Marshall said the goal of this build—dubbed Project Warthog—was to show people what these vehicles are actually capable of.

We’d say he succeeded! Check out the video below for more details on the build process.

Alfa Romeo Unveils Special 2020 4C Spider 33 Stradale Tributo Edition to Mark End of Car’s Run

Following news that the 4C coupe was discontinued in the United States after the 2018 model year, many Italian sportscar fans rejoiced when Alfa Romeo kept the more expensive 4C Spider in our market. Unfortunately, we’re now losing that too, making this special edition 4C Spider 33 Stradale Tributo a sort of bittersweet goodbye model. 

According to Top Speed, a lack of sales seems to be the culprit, with both models struggling to gain a foothold in North America’s ultra-competitive market. The Italian legacy automaker plans to produce only 33 of these special tributes for all of the U.S., Canada and Mexico, making this model as ultra-collectible as it is gorgeous.

All good things must come to an end

Wearing an exclusive Rosso Villa d’Este tri-coat paint and gray-gold rotary-dial wheels, the 2020 4C Spider 33 Stradale Tributo Edition pays homage to the legendary 1967 33 Stradale. The ultra-valuable concept cars were Alfa’s attempt to make it’s racing tech available to the public, and were expensive and rare all the way back in the 1960s— let alone today. 

While alluring from the outside, the biggest highlight of the new limited-edition model is visible inside the cabin: a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis that nearly glows in the dark thanks to its translucent red finish. The interior also boasts a gorgeous combination of black suede and tobacco leather, and plenty of badging to highlight the vehicle’s significance for those lucky enough to ride shotgun.

Though the mechanicals remain unchanged from the standard 4C Spider, this vehicle is no joke in terms of power. Capable of getting from zero to 60 in 4.1 seconds, pumping out 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, and topping out at 160 mph, the 4C Spider 33 Stradale Tributo lives up to the famous Alfa Romeo name.

Nine Finalists for 2021 NACTOY Awards Announced

Award season is upon us! The jury results are in for the North American Car, Truck, and Utility Vehicle of the Year finalists for 2021, and the contenders are looking impressive.

Founded in 1994, the NACTOY awards are the longest-running new-vehicle awards not associated with a single publication, website, radio or television station. They are judged by professional automotive journalists from the United States and Canada, who work for and contribute to a wide variety of magazines, newspapers, websites, television and radio stations. Because of the jurors’ independence, these awards are among the most respected in the industry.

“In this very challenging year, these nine vehicles emerged as our Finalists out of an unusually strong field of 27 Semifinalists,” NACTOY President Gary Witzenburg said via press release. “Each one of them – especially the 15 in the ultra-competitive utility vehicle category – is excellent in nearly every way. Not to mention the automakers’ unusually difficult challenge of getting our 50 jurors from all over North America into their candidate vehicles for testing and evaluation prior to our later-than-usual voting deadline.”

Final voting will take place Jan. 2-4, 2021, and the 2021 NACTOY Car, Truck and Utility of the Year winners will be announced on January 11. Details about the new format of this event will be announced soon.

Big Honkin’ Honda Recall

It’s been a tough week for Honda, and that might be putting it very, very lightly. The Japanese automaker has been forced to recall 1.4 million vehicles in the U.S. alone, with the total inflating to 1.79 million worldwide.  

The worst part might be that the recalls are for what appears to be four different recall campaigns tied together into one long laundry list of issues. They include two recalls for drive shafts that can break thanks to road salt corrosion, one for a software flaw that can cause the dash to light up like a Christmas tree, and one for window switches that can overheat. According to Reuters, that last recall is in response to “moisture-related failures” of switches repaired in a previous recall for the same issue back in 2012.

The recalls affect: 2002-2006 model year CR-Vs, 2018-2020 Accords, Accord Hybrids and 2019-2020 Insights; 2012 Honda Civic Hybrids, 2007-2014 Honda Fits, 2013-2015 Acura ILXs, 2013 Acura ILX Hybrids, and 2013-2015 Honda Accords.

For Honda owners who want to check and see if their vehicle is amongst the millions impacted, click here.

2021 Toyota Mirai Makes Hydrogen Power Look Good

Toyota seems to be doubling down on its investment in hydrogen-fueled vehicles. The automaker revealed its complete overhaul of the clunky-yet-functional Mirai. Ditching the dorky aesthetic, this second generation model sports a clean and modern design with a more streamlined, sedan-like body. It also boasts a 30% longer driving range, three years/35,000 miles of complimentary maintenance, $15,000/three years of hydrogen fuel and a price tag that is $10k less than the previous model. Phew, got all that?

Perhaps most importantly, the new Mirai also has the backing of the Japanese government– translating to a whopping $10,000 rebate via subsidies. (Hence, the lower price tag.) Toyota seems pretty married to hydrogen fuel cell tech, as well. The automaker planned to use the postponed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo to showcase its advancements, with 100 hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses meant to shuttle visitors between venues. Even the games’ organizer planned to power the Olympic flame with hydrogen.

“The use of hydrogen is going to be an important factor in achieving carbon neutrality,” Yoshikazu Tanaka, Mirai’s chief engineer said. The car, he added, represented a “departure point” for broader use of hydrogen fuel cells beyond cars.

Hurdles Ahead

Unfortunately, despite both the government and Toyota’s commitment to making the hydrogen fuel cell tech work, it doesn’t seem popular with consumers. Toyota has only sold about 11,000 of its first-generation Mirai after about six years on the market. By comparison, it sold 2.1 million electric cars last year alone. That’s 40% more than the previous year, according to the International Energy Agency, showing that consumers are clearly more interested in battery-powered vehicles than hydrogen cell-powered ones. 

It’s anyone’s guess if this revamped 2nd generation Mirai will resonate better with consumers than its predecessor. Although, at least for American consumers, success will be limited to only one place: California. Perhaps unsurprisingly, California is the only state with a halfway decent hydrogen-fueling infrastructure already in place. So, if you have an extra 50 grand or so burning a hole in your pocket and want to drive through the Golden State in a hydrogen fueled car, you’re in luck! 

Last-Minute Gift Guide

Struggling to find something for the gearhead in your life? In addition to rounding up a solid list of ideas earlier this month, we wanted to drop these cool gifts that recently crossed our radar!

For the gamer and high-end sports car lover… Fanatec released a new-and-improved version of its CSL Elite Steering Wheel McLaren GT3. According to CNET‘s review, the rocker-style shifter on this model uses magnetic resistance to provide tighter, more realistic changes. $200 (Note: wheel base NOT included.)

For the budding Jeep enthusiast or child-at-heart off-roader… Check out LEGO’s new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Technic Model. In addition to recreating the 4×4’s iconic styling — including tiny fold-down rear sears and rugged tires — the 665-piece model also sports a button-operated front steering system and powerful axle-articulation suspension for real (albeit little) off-road adventures. $49.99, available January 1.

For the overlander, outdoorsman, or serious tailgater… The Mr. Steak 2-Burner Infrared Portable Grill serves up big taste in a small package. Features include: 28,000 BTUs of cooking power, two independently-controlled ceramic infrared burners, temperatures up to 1,000°, 294 sq. in. of cooking space, stainless steel V-grates, and non-skid legs. $329.99

For the camping enthusiast… Check out the Nebula Capsule Portable Projector. This pocket-size projector allows you to take the epic scale of the cinema with you wherever you go. Simply pop down Capsule and enjoy your favorite shows, movies, and games up to 100 inches big. Play content via HDMI, USB, or stream via Airplay, Miracast, or Bluetooth. $300

For the person who already has a million nice things… Keep that gear safe and secure with the Tapplock Lite. Using a fingerprint sensor to guard valuables, this nifty lightweight lock is even Bluetooth-enabled for shared access. Great for toolboxes, rooftop cargo, and more. $49