At first glance, a startup working to battle climate change through its series of high-tech plant canopies would seem to have little in common with a 155-year-old old global automotive fastener supplier. But in the case of France’s Urban Canopee and supplier ARaymond, the pair was able to find common ground.

Urban Canopee’s innovative solutions fight against the effects of climate change by deploying plant canopies over cities to help combat heat, restore urban biodiversity, fight against air pollution, and improve the quality of life for citizens. They also offer the world’s first range of plant-based urban furniture.

With the wind and other elements at play, finding adequate fastening solutions to achieve these goals can prove difficult. After the two companies first connected 2017, a partnership was put into motion for ARaymond to adapt its automotive fasteners to fit the needs of Urban Canopee. 

“A long phase of testing must take place for Urban Canopee to develop a perfect fixing and assembly solution that resists wind, weight, and is flexible enough to be folded for delivery and to fit different structures,” said Hubert Michaudet of Urban Canopee. “Through our work with ARaymond, we were able to find the solution to these fastening issues, and are excited to find a partner committed to using their engineering expertise to support our efforts to battle climate change.”

Kia has earned a lot of headlines in the past couple years, but most of it has been surrounding their Telluride SUV, which came in with a bang and took the industry by storm.

But now it’s time for another vehicle to make news: The 2021 Kia Sorento, which is assembled at Kia’s plant in West Point, Georgia.

Debuting a brand new generation of the vehicle, which is lighter and smaller than the Telluride, Kia is presenting another alternative for families that is just as versatile as the Telluride, but also more fun to drive and off-road capable.

Read on for a full report on what it has to offer to people shopping for the best new 3-row SUVs.

When the conversation turns to plug-in hybrids and other eco-friendly cars, we often talk about how automakers have to trim back power to achieve their high fuel mileage and green credentials.

But that’s not the case with the vehicle I’ll be describing here. Volvo offers the best of both worlds with the 2021 XC60 Polestar Engineered, a plug-in hybrid which is an eco-friendly rocketship on wheels. 

I’m back with a full report on my experience, which shows that being green doesn’t have to be boring. 

Seemingly everyone wants an SUV these days, and on the domestic front in that battle, there are a few key players leading the charge.

One of those options is the Chevy Traverse, which receives minimal updates for 2021 and is still holding on to the latest full redesign that took place in 2018.

For families, it’s all about space, and that’s one thing the Traverse can claim in spades. With comfortable seating for up to 8 offered and plenty of cargo room, it’s vying for families who seek versatility and space over flash and extreme power.

As other OEMs drop out of the compact sedan segment to focus more on larger vehicles like SUVs, Hyundai is re-upping its efforts, completely redesigning its long-trusted Elantra sedan for 2021 in hopes to gain market share in an area of the auto market that is shrinking but still has a significant amount of fans, both domestic and worldwide.

Hyundai has jazzed up the styling on the Elantra, ramped up the technology and safety features, and even offers a performance-level version this year. I recently spent time in a 2021 Elantra and I’m back with a full report.

LOOKS

The redesigned look of the Elantra for 2021 features a bold and futuristic appearance that stands out in a segment where many options are pretty ho-hum. The sprawling, in-your-face front grille in particular gets your attention quickly.

My test vehicle’s exterior featured a sharp blue paint scheme, 17-inch alloy wheels, a sun roof, LED headlights and heated side mirrors with turn signal indicators

Going into the Elantra, you’ll find a roomy vehicle in both front and back seats, so you’re not cramped even with a full load of people. That’s another thing you can’t say about every vehicle in this segment, but Hyundai clearly recognizes that compact doesn’t have to mean dreading getting into the back seat.