Justin Banner

Los Angeles

Owner, Videographer, and Writer at carbageonline.com

Associate Editor at Motor Trend

I do stuff around cars when I'm not on Twitter. https://t.co/vmGV2S6cXi

Articles

Toyota's Hot Prius Hybrid (We're Still Not Used to Saying That) Gains Nightshade Special Edition

1 week ago | motortrend.com | Justin Banner

The Nightshade Edition trim is Toyota’s way of bringing more sinister style to its customers by offering unique color schemes the obligatory set of black-painted wheels and body trim common to these, well, common night-themed special editions.
Honda's Playing with Robots and Reusable Rockets-Look Out, Tesla and SpaceX?

1 week ago | motortrend.com | Justin Banner

Not content with going fast on Earth's surface with its turbocharged Civic Type R—not to mention its Formula 1 and IndyCar racing engines—Honda is continuing to work on its aeronautical dreams, following up its Honda Jet with... space travel. This isn't a joke. The automaker (or, at least, an arm of the automaker, Honda R&D Co. Limited) is working on rockets, and just successfully launched its first experimental reusable rocket from the Hokkaido Prefecture in Japan.
Evasive Motorsports Trades Its Tesla for a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N at Pikes Peak Hillclimb

1 week ago | motortrend.com | Justin Banner

There’s a lot to love when it comes to Hyundai and its motorsports programs. They practice what they preach in their N Division vehicles—like the 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N—by taking them racing and applying that knowledge to their road cars. This year, the Ioniq 5 N is headed to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, in an effort headed by a well-known tuning shop from Southern California, Evasive Motorsports.
What Will the 2026 Nissan Leaf Come With? See Each Trim Level's Equipment Here

1 week ago | flipboard.com | Justin Banner

1 day agoNissan Drops Killer Rogue Lease for JuneThe Nissan Rogue claimed a spot on the best-sellers list last year, and now the manufacturer is sweetening the deal with a killer lease offer this June. Nissan’s lone best-seller Crossovers are an inescapable sight on the road these days, and the Nissan Rogue is one of the more popular picks.
What Will the 2026 Nissan Leaf Come With? See Each Trim Level's Equipment Here

1 week ago | motortrend.com | Justin Banner

We’re sure everyone was taken aback by the drastic turnaround, at least stylistically, for Nissan's third-generation Leaf EV. A somewhat dorky looking hatchback for two generations dating back to 2010, it has grown into sort of stylish SUV. Sure, it might only be an SUV in appearance—even with more ground clearance than before and a taller roof, it's still only available with front-wheel drive—but the point is, the Leaf is much, much different now.
Watch: Why Jump a Chevy Corvette Over 100 Feet? Why Not?

2 weeks ago | motortrend.com | Justin Banner

There is no denying that the Chevrolet Corvette is a very quick automobile, even in base form. Spend more on a C8 Corvette, and it gets faster still. With that in mind, Travis Pastrana decided to see if these ‘vettes can fly—more literally. As in, through the air. With Pastrana’s stunt background and Jim York’s tendency to drive vehicles for purposes which they are not intended, the team set about finding out just what the C8's flight characteristics are.
2025 Ford Explorer Active RWD First Test Review: Kinda Fun?

2 weeks ago | motortrend.com | Justin Banner

Powerful turbo I-4,Strong brakesPredictable driving feel. 300 hp contends with 4,000 poundsSquirmy feeling when stoppingHeavy and slow steeringThere is logic in buying a bare-bones SUV. You get into a family hauler for cheap, and so long as you understand that, you’ll most likely have a positive if uninspiring experience. After all, if the kiddos just make messes and your life hard, why not just stick with something that gets them from point A to point B as affordably as possible?
The 2025 Ford Bronco Sport Should Cost Less to Run, but Costs More to Buy

2 weeks ago | motortrend.com | Justin Banner

With the cost of everything going up, any way your vehicle can save you money in the long run is welcome. So the revised-for-2025 Ford Bronco Sport's slightly improved fuel economy is therefore a win for consumers, even though it has its work cut out offsetting the compact SUV's higher price this year. AI Quick SummaryThe 2025 Ford Bronco Sport offers improved fuel economy but costs more upfront. Engine updates increase efficiency by 1 mpg.
2026 BMW XM Label First Look: Not to Label Things, But It's Now the Only XM

2 weeks ago | motortrend.com | Justin Banner

When BMW revealed the 2024 XM Label Red, it kicked off what was supposed to be a regular, annual release of “Labels” as special editions of the XM plug-in hybrid sport SUV. Then, just before it was set to launch, the “Red” part of its name was dropped, but BMW maintained that Labels would continue appearing each year alongside regular XMs. Now at the midpoint of 2025, the XM Label returns, but as a special edition no longer—per BMW, it's now the lone trim level available on the 2026 XM.
The Newest Electric Sedan Nürburgring Lap Record Belongs to China's Xiaomi SU7

2 weeks ago | motortrend.com | Justin Banner

While the U.S. has pretty much banned Chinese-made cars by tariffing the value out of them, Chinese brands continue to prove they are a force to reckon with, now and if they ever come to our shores. The latest proof of that has just been set by the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, an all-electric sedan that just reset the lap record for electric sedans at the Nürburgring. It's a record that was once set by Germany’s own Porsche in 2004.