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Best Subcompact SUV for 2022

Best Subcompact SUV for 2022

Bigger doesn't always mean better. Despite being seen by many as affordable mass-market machinery, subcompact SUVs can provide everything a growing family needs at a great value. It's not the largest market at the moment, but the growing appeal means that more competitors are showing up every year.

Whether you're looking for something fancy, something efficient or something simply good, these are our choices for the best subcompact SUVs your money can buy. It's also worth noting that some of these subcompacts may be larger than others, but rest assured: Everything we mention here is quite small.

Hyundai

For years now, the Hyundai Kona has remained one of our absolute favorite small SUVs. And despite an influx of new competition, the Kona still stands out as one of the best subcompact vehicles available for purchase.

There isn't just one reason, either. The Kona drives superbly, whether with its tiniest engine or the honkin' turbo four-pot in the Kona N. There's also an electric variant available for those ready to embrace EVs. For its price, styling and build quality are surprisingly high. We could keep going, too. It's a great value.

Emme Hall/Roadshow

Step aside, Kona; you're not the only high-quality game in town anymore. Even though the Kona has long been one of our top choices for a subcompact SUV, Japanese automaker Mazda has a new offering that gives the Kona a serious run for its money.

The CX-30 packs an excellent powertrain by way of an optional turbocharged I4 producing 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque, which makes it pretty darn sprightly for something this small. And it does that engine justice by virtue of being a great car to drive. Sure, the infotainment system leaves a bit to be desired, but excellent styling and driving characteristics make the CX-30 a proper value. 

Jon Wong/Roadshow

There aren't many small luxury SUVs on sale, but of the few choices on offer, Audi's subcompact Q3 crossover leaves the best impression.

The Audi Q3 grew a bit in its second generation, but dimensions only tell part of the story. Build quality and style are top-notch, and the infotainment system standard on every Q3 is one of our favorites across the entire car industry. It may not win many races, but it'll definitely look the best when it arrives. And with a starting price well below the average new-car transaction price, the Q3 is a good way to break into a luxury marque without breaking your wallet in two.

Hyundai

The Hyundai Kona is traditionally a pretty sedate mass-market crossover, but not in this form. The Hyundai Kona N is a kick in the pants in a segment that doesn't generally offer this kind of experience.

The Kona N gets its power from a turbocharged 2.0-liter I4 making 276 hp and 289 lb-ft, which is sent to the front wheels by way of an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. It's loaded with all sorts of fun tricks, like overboost, racing-game-inspired cabin tech and a variable exhaust tone. It's a beast.

Kia

Electrified subcompacts aren't quite ubiquitous yet. But that's good for the Kia Niro, because its many variants have a lock on the market until enough competitors arise.

The Kia Niro Hybrid is a standard gas-electric hybrid sandwiched into a capacious hatchback body. It isn't exactly powerful, nor does it love to get tossed around, but that's not the point of the car; instead, it's going to keep you away from gas stations for longer and provide a ride that's comfortable with tech that's easy to use. What's not to like? 

Kia

Plug-in hybrids allow buyers to go electric with the comforting backup of a proper gas engine. There are even fewer PHEVs in this segment than there are hybrids, but again, that's a good thing for Kia.

The Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid takes the same formula as the standard hybrid and adds a 8.9-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. That might not sound like much, but it allows for about 26 miles of electric driving at a time, which could cover a commute. And, like every other Niro variant, the car wrapped around that powertrain is pretty darn good.

Volvo

The Volvo C40 Recharge is the automaker's first full battery-electric vehicle, although many, many more are on the way. Yet, despite being a first effort of sorts, our time with the Recharge proves this feels nothing like a first attempt.

Relying on a 78-kWh battery and a pair of electric motors, this tiny SUV offers up an impressive 408 hp and 487 lb-ft, with 60 mph arriving in 4.5 seconds. Volvo expects this little guy to get around 225 miles on a charge, which isn't as much as some competitors, but the whole experience is polished in a way that, say, a Hyundai Kona isn't.

Read our 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge Pure Electric review.

Hyundai

Some of these cars on this list are easier to pick than others. This category was simple, because we didn't have to pick a favorite, the US government did.

The EPA rates the Hyundai Kona as more efficient than any other non-electrified subcompact SUV, with an estimated fuel economy of 30 mpg city and 35 mpg highway. Then again, this little utility vehicle is all about thrift, making just 147 hp from its 2.0-liter inline-4. Its CVT is smooth, and the interior quality is higher than what you'd maybe expect from one of the least expensive vehicles on sale today.

Kia

With the average new-car transaction price shooting well past $40,000 this year, it's no surprise that so many people are clamoring for a new car that's not going to break your wallet in half. Well, friends, you're in luck, because the Kia Soul exists, and it's great.

The 2022 Kia Soul starts at $20,545 including $1,175 for destination, making it one of the most affordable new cars on the market. And it's a good one, too, offering about 33 mpg highway and a standard 8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Throw another $900 into the mix and you can fit the Soul with every active and passive safety system Kia offers. Not a bad deal!

Jon Wong/Roadshow

There are plenty of fine subcompact products from the usual players in the luxury game, like BMW and Mercedes-Benz. But none of them looks like a million bucks as much as a Range Rover Evoque does, especially now, when its latest refresh puts its looks closer to the big-boy Range Rover than ever before.

That counts both inside and out, too. The Evoque is full of clean lines and minimal visual clutter. Most of the center stack is a screen, and the seats can be outfitted with the same soft Windsor leather we enjoy on far more expensive Land Rover products. It's hard to find a plusher subcompact SUV than this one.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

You won't be tackling Moab in any subcompact, because the wild hardware required isn't really available in this segment. That said, if you do plan on tackling some trails and maybe finding a more remote place to camp, and you need something small for the task, the Subaru Crosstrek is a pretty good way to get there.

The Crosstrek isn't really a subcompact, but it's small and we're rounding down. All-wheel drive is standard, as is 8.7 inches of ground clearance, the latter of which should be pretty important in the event of a few stray rocks on the trail. In addition to being small and fordable, the Crosstrek has an attractive cabin and some impressive on-road efficiency, meaning it won't be totally annoying to pilot once you're back on solid ground.

Read our 2021 Subaru Crosstrek review.

Emme Hall/Roadshow

A few of these categories don't have a clear winner. Since automakers share so much of their tech between their vehicles these days, it only felt right to talk about our favorite tech-laden cars as a group.

In this category, Hyundai and Kia reign supreme. When their vehicles don't include the full suite of active and passive safety systems, those upgrades are often available for a low price. Nearly all their vehicles across the price spectrum come standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but if you do prefer the in-house interface, these automakers have one of the best infotainment systems on offer today. These are easy cars to recommend for tech aficionados.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Again, we have a tie. Automakers have offered long warranty periods as a way to offer buyers peace of mind for a longer stretch of time, which these days can often extend to a full decade.

Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Kia all offer impressive warranties. In terms of bumper-to-bumper coverage, all three offer a 5-year, 60,000-mile warranty. All three also give the buyer a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty for the powertrain. It's never fun calling the dealership, but knowing you're protected against unforeseen costs can help soften the blow.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

This category would have had a different winner a few months ago. Prior to the release of VW's latest SUV, the subcompact with the most cargo room was the Kia Seltos. But now, thanks to some clever packaging, the Volkswagen Taos has taken the crown.

Despite its diminutive frame, the VW Taos offers nearly 28 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats up. That number jumps even higher to 66 cubes once that second row is folded down. Simply put, that's a ton of capacity. The number shrinks a bit if you opt for all-wheel drive, given the extra hardware required to get those wheels to move, but the Taos is a hard act to beat either way.

Read our 2022 Volkswagen Taos review.

Tim Stevens/Roadshow

You're not going to be towing horse trailers or entire double-wides with a subcompact SUV, but some of these little utes are able to tow a couple thousand pounds, which should help you get more of your stuff around town.

The Jeep Renegade, Kia Seltos and Mazda CX-30 are all capable of towing 2,000 pounds, but that's not the highest figure among small SUVs. Volvo has them all beat, with the XC40 SUV offering an impressive 3,500-pound tow rating. Need to get a race car across town? Now you can, and you don't have to buy something the size of a small apartment building to make it happen.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Most vehicles these days carry the same kinds of active and passive safety systems -- forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, all that good stuff. Which is why, to settle this category, we went straight to the experts at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. According to their figures, the Mazda CX-30 reigns supreme in safety.

Safety is more than the sum of the aforementioned tech systems. In every crash test, the CX-30 achieved the IIHS' top rating of Good. It also received full marks for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian crash protection. Surprisingly, what puts the CX-30 ahead of its rivals, however barely, is its child-seat LATCH system, which the IIHS rated Good+ thanks to its ease of use.

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Comparison of the best subcompact SUVs for 2022

Category	Name	Base Engine	Output	Fuel Economy (mpg, city/hwy/combined)	Base Price
Best subcompact SUV	Hyundai Kona	2.0-liter I4	147 hp / 132 lb-ft	30 / 35 / 32	$22,545
Best subcompact SUV runner-up	Mazda CX-30	2.5-liter I4	186 hp / 186 lb-ft	25 / 33 / 28	$23,425
Best subcompact luxury SUV	Audi Q3	2.0-liter I4 turbo	228 hp / 258 lb-ft	22 / 30 / 25	$37,595
Best subcompact performance SUV	Hyundai Kona N	2.0-liter I4 turbo	276 hp / 289 lb-ft	20 / 27 / 23	$35,445
Best subcompact hybrid SUV	Kia Niro Hybrid	1.6-liter I4	104 hp / 109 lb-ft	51 / 46 / 49	$25,945
Best subcompact plug-in hybrid SUV	Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid	1.6-liter I4	139 hp / 195 lb-ft	105 MPGe	$30,845
Best subcompact electric SUV	Volvo C40 Recharge	Dual electric motor	408 hp / 487 lb-ft	TBD	$59,845
Best subcompact SUV for fuel economy	Hyundai Kona	2.0-liter I4	147 hp / 132 lb-ft	30 / 35 / 32	$22,545
Best affordable subcompact SUV	Kia Soul	2.0-liter I4	147 hp / 132 lb-ft	28 / 33 / 30	$20,545
Best subcompact SUV if money is no object	Land Rover Range Rover Evoque	2.0-liter I4 turbo	246 hp / 269 lb-ft	20 / 27 / 22	$46,050
Best subcompact SUV for off-roading	Subaru Crosstrek	2.0-liter H4	152 hp / 145 lb-ft	28 / 33 / 30	$23,820
Best subcompact SUV for cargo space	Volkswagen Taos	1.5-liter I4 turbo	158 hp / 184 lb-ft	28 / 36 / 31	$24,690
Best subcompact SUV for towing	Volvo XC40	2.0-liter I4 turbo	187 hp / 221 lb-ft	23 / 32 / 26	$36,195
Best subcompact SUV for safety	Mazda CX-30	2.5-liter I4	186 hp / 186 lb-ft	25 / 33 / 28	$23,425

How we made our list

We drove them, of course! Over the past year, and for many years prior, Roadshow's editors have evaluated the entire new-car spectrum, which gives us all the context we need to figure out which cars are best for you, dear consumer. We have decades of collective experience in determining what provides the best value, and those efforts have led to the list you're reading right now.

Of course, it bears mentioning that this list shouldn't be taken as canon. Your experience matters most, so take these recommendations to your local dealerships and get to test driving. Once you've actually had some time with a car, you'll be in a better place to make a decision that takes your interests and preferences into account. And don't forget to take the above prices with a grain of salt; haggling is, for better or worse, still part of the buying experience for most people.

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What States Can and Can't Do When Banning Abortion

What States Can and Can't Do When Banning Abortion

For more information about your reproductive health rights and related federal resources, you can visit the US government's

Reproductive Rights

site.

Whether someone can get an abortion or related medical procedure mostly hinges on which state they live in after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last month and ended the constitutional right to abortion. But the switch from federal protection to state law isn't straightforward and has led to confusion and misinformation on what pregnant patients and physicians can do.

In this still developing landscape, how confident can people be that their treatment is still legal?

"The answer to all your questions is 'Who the heck knows,'" said Dr. Louise Perkins King, a surgeon and bioethicist at Harvard Medical School. "And that's the problem."

The US Department of Health and Human Services issued guidance on July 11 reminding physicians of their responsibilities under the existing Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTLA, which supports the need to treat and stabilize patients in an emergency, including pregnant patients who may require an abortion. Days later, Texas sued the Biden administration over the law, which allows for medical assistance to save the life of the mother, because, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said, it "seeks to transform every emergency room in the country into a walk-in abortion clinic." 

On Tuesday, a judge in Texas blocked the EMTLA guidance, so physicians in that state may no longer be protected by federal law if they perform an abortion when they deem it medically necessary but it falls outside of Texas' interpretation of a life-endangering pregnancy. Physicians nationwide who are members of the American Association of Pro-Life Gynecologists and Obstetricians or the Christian Medical and Dental Association are also exempt -- a total of about 18,000 health care providers, according to the court document.

Texas' new trigger law -- which will be in effect on Aug. 25 -- bans all abortions except when the pregnancy puts the mother "at risk of death or poses a serious risk of substantial impairment of a major bodily function." Physicians who perform an illegal abortion will be committing a felony. It doesn't make exceptions for rape, incest or fetal abnormalities, and it also doesn't make an exception for when the pregnant person's risk of death would come from a "claim or diagnosis" that they'll be hurt or might die in the future. (This could be interpreted to mean a doctor can't provide an abortion if a woman threatens to die by suicide because she has depression.) All abortions are currently banned in Texas after the state's Supreme Court ruled that a law from the 1920s could stand.

Legal battles within some states will continue to shape post-Roe America, with the landscape changing by the day. And lawsuits like the one in Texas clarify the country's stance on whether state law preempts federal rule on abortion or reproductive health care. Basically, can federal regulations trump state law? 

"There's going to be cases that are going to have to determine this question," I. Glenn Cohen, a professor and bioethicist at Harvard Law School, said. 

The argument over medication abortion access -- which is banned or restricted in many states but still available to people if they order it (not without risk) online -- will likely also be one of the first big court cases post-Roe, Cohen said. Questions of whether federal regulations on medication abortion conflict directly enough with state restrictions will continue to be center stage.

Medication abortion, for use in early pregnancy, accounts for more than half of abortions in the US. Restricting the pills is the new frontier of abortion bans.

Robyn Beck/Getty Images

Other federal guidance issued by the Biden administration includes a reminder to pharmacists that they are required to fill medication and birth control prescriptions for patients. Failing to do so is discrimination based on pregnancy status. This was in response to the many reports of women having treatment delayed or prescriptions denied while health care workers try to  navigate around new state laws.

Here's what we know today.

Can states ban abortion pills? Not completely, but some are trying. 

Any state with a current total ban on abortion -- including Texas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri and Wisconsin -- also bans medication abortion. Heavy restrictions in other states, including Tennessee and South Carolina, which ban abortion after about six weeks, also extend to medication abortion. This means providers can't prescribe the medication in those states and patients can't fill prescriptions at pharmacies.  

"If a state law bans abortion broadly, that includes medication abortions," Elisabeth Smith, director of state policy and advocacy at the Center for Reproductive Rights, told MedPage Today.

But abortion bans and state laws seek to punish abortion providers or people who assist them, not the person seeking the abortion (there's reason to believe this might change in the future). For now, people living in the most restrictive states can still order pills from an overseas pharmacy, including Aid Access. However, the pills could take awhile to arrive and potentially put the person past the point of pregnancy for which the medication is safe and effective (about 10 weeks).

Peter Dazeley/Getty Images

The fate of medication abortion pills in Republican-leaning states centers on mifepristone, the first pill given in the two-dose regimen of medication abortion. Because the US Food and Drug Administration approved mifepristone as a safe and effective way to end a pregnancy over 20 years ago, states shouldn't be able to restrict it, the US attorney general's office argued the same day Roe was overturned. (Misoprostol, the second pill, is used off-label for abortion and miscarriage treatment. It's also used to treat health conditions such as stomach ulcers.) 

Whether this federal regulation (and the FDA's stamp of approval) supersedes state laws will need to be decided. Cohen said this is likely to be determined by the Supreme Court as "one of the first post-Dobbs cases."

"It's unclear whether that's going to be a winner of an argument, to be perfectly honest," Cohen said.

Last year, the FDA extended a pandemic-era rule that allowed patients to get medication abortion pills through the mail, instead of requiring them to be prescribed in person. This was seen as a victory for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other medical groups, which viewed the in-person requirement as unnecessary for a medication that's safe and effective in early pregnancy.   

But states have their own requirements for medication abortion, and providers licensed in Montana can't prescribe pills to patients who travel over from a restrictive state like South Dakota, NPR reported.

Read more: Worries About Post-Roe Data Privacy Put Spotlight on Period Apps  

Ectopic pregnancies can't result in a delivery and require medical treatment. Symptoms can start with typical pregnancy signs, including a missed period, but can progress to abdominal or pelvic pain, vaginal bleeding, weakness and more. 

Svetlana Gustova/Getty Images

Can states ban treatment for high risk pregnancies? The HHS says no, but doctors say state laws are restricting care.  

Even though the most restrictive states banning abortions leave room for some degree of medical emergency, practicing physicians need to decide where the medical emergency line is – and risk prosecution if a state sees it differently. 

This month, the story of a 10-year-old girl who was raped and pregnant and who traveled to Indiana from Ohio, where abortion is banned around six weeks without exception for rape or incest, made headlines. Not only was the physician publicly questioned by Indiana's attorney general on whether she followed state law, but Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in the aftermath that the girl should've been able to legally get an abortion under the state law's medical emergency exemption. Ohio's OB-GYNs disagreed. 

"It states specifically 'medically diagnosed condition,' and as far as I can tell, adolescent pregnancy is not a medically diagnosed condition that's listed," Dr. Jason Sayat, a Columbus OB-GYN, told the Ohio Capital Journal. 

The Department of Health and Human Services reminded physicians and hospitals that if they want to keep their Medicare agreement and avoid "civil penalties," they must treat pregnant patients and provide abortions if necessary as required under the 1986 Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act. The EMTLA, now blocked in Texas, outlines certain life-endangering pregnancies that doctors must treat regardless of state law, including ectopic pregnancies, preeclampsia and complications of pregnancy loss.

But that narrow line of abortion exceptions for medical emergencies given by states like Wisconsin is what's troubling Dr. Jennifer McIntosh, a maternal-fetal medicine physician practicing in the state. While Wisconsin's attorney general said he wouldn't enforce a ban, physicians there stopped performing abortions because the state has a pre-Roe criminal statute that prohibits most abortions. The "save the life of the mother" abortion exception language in that law can leave out health conditions which may not be an immediate emergency but can become one down the line. 

"Some of what we do is to prevent emergencies from happening," McIntosh said. "To have to wait for an emergency to actually appear puts your patient's life at risk."

The treatment for an ectopic pregnancy is termination, because terminating the pregnancy is the only safe outcome when an embryo grows outside of the uterus, typically in a fallopian tube. Without treatment, the fallopian tube is likely to rupture, which can lead to internal bleeding and death. But some laws, like one in Texas, specifically restrict medications including methotrexate, which has led to access problems for people who are pregnant as well as people who are taking methotrexate for another health reason. 

Complicating confusion and risk over how abortion bans will affect treatments for ectopic pregnancies is the fact that more rare types of ectopic pregnancies exist, including ones where the pregnancy is growing inside a C-section scar or other area outside the safety of the main cavity of the uterus -- but still technically in the uterus. These rarer kinds of ectopic pregnancies are also life-threatening, and may be more difficult to diagnose and treat as such in a state that bans abortions with an emphasis on the pregnancy being in the uterus.

Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

States are not prosecuting people who have abortions (yet)

Current state laws -- both those in effect and those in limbo in court -- prosecute other people involved in an abortion, not the person who's pregnant. 

But the health impact may be already felt when a doctor is hesitant to treat patients, or pharmacists are reluctant to fill a prescription for mifepristone before interviewing a woman to ascertain whether her pregnancy is already ended and her situation is in line with state law.

"Even in these straightforward cases of basic OB/GYN practice, the laws leave providers questioning and afraid," Dr. Carley Zeal, an OB-GYN in Wisconsin, told The New York Times. "These laws are already hurting my patients."

Aside from hesitancy among health care providers, physicians also fear that worries people have about being prosecuted for having an abortion or miscarriage will stop patients experiencing complications from any kind of pregnancy loss from seeking care. 

That's because it was already happening, before Roe was overturned. According to the National Advocates for Pregnant Women, there were over 1,700 arrests or prosecutions of women from 1973 (when Roe became law) to 2020 where their pregnancies were the focus of the case against them. 

So will doctors report you if they suspect you had an abortion? 

"The vast majority of health care professionals will not do that, because that's not caring for their patients," King said. But, she added, "I'm sure there's a very small, but unfortunately detrimental, minority who might." 

Your current access to birth control shouldn't be impacted by the overturn of Roe v. Wade. However, there's reason to believe that could change in the future.

Carol Yepes/Getty Images

Birth control is still protected under the Affordable Care Act

Right now, IUDs, birth control pills and other birth control methods are legal in all 50 states. And they should also be covered at no out-of-pocket cost for those covered under the Affordable Care Act. The right to birth control is protected under two Supreme Court rulings: Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) and Eisenstadt v. Baird. (Another Supreme Court Case, Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, chipped away a little of that protection, however, finding that some corporations are exempt for religious reasons.) 

Plan B or "morning after pill" brands are also not included in abortion bans, because they will not end an existing pregnancy. Most health plans should also cover them. 

Legislators in Missouri last year voted to block taxpayer funding for IUDs and emergency contraception, casting doubt that all birth control devices will be protected indefinitely, at least in some states. The claims of legislators like Paul Wieland, a Republican state senator in Missouri, are that anything that has the potential to disrupt a fertilized egg's implantation into the uterus is an abortifacient. 

The medical community has been clear that IUDs and emergency contraception do not cause abortions and will not end an existing pregnancy. Copper IUDs work mostly by causing a chemical change in the sperm and egg before they meet, according to the World Health Organization. Hormonal IUDs like Mirena work mostly by thickening cervical mucus so sperm can't reach the egg, and can also prevent ovulation. Plan B and similar pills likely won't work if a person has already ovulated, meaning the chances of it stopping implantation are currently understood to be slim.

Nevertheless, unlikely occurrences or instances where a fertilized egg may be prevented from implanting into a uterus could be called into question in future court cases.

Read more: Could a Post Roe v. Wade World Impact Your Access to Birth Control?   

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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2019 Honda Accord review: The driving enthusiast's family sedan

2019 Honda Accord review: The driving enthusiast's family sedan

It's a bit of a surprise to see a brand-new midsize sedan arrive with three pedals and a six-speed manual transmission, and even more so when those pieces are attached to a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with a not-insignificant 252 horsepower. But this unusual and unusually sporting version of the 2019 Honda Accord is an absolute delight to drive, one that'll satisfy your need for speed even if your life circumstances have moved you away from sport compacts and into midsize sedans.

Powertrain aside, the 2019 Honda Accord is a wonderful car in which to spend time. It nails the mission brief of a midsize sedan, delivering easy everyday livability that makes this car our top pick in its class.

About that engine

Of course, with "2.0T" right in the name, there's no way to avoid discussing the brisk acceleration enabled by that engine. A cousin to the 2.0-liter in the Civic Type R, the turbo mill endows the Accord with 252 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, the latter offered all the way from 1,500 through 4,000 rpm. That's quite a bit more verve than the 1.5-liter turbo engine in other Accords, which serves up a perfectly adequate 192 hp and 192 lb-ft and mates either to a manual or a continuously variable transmission.

On boost, the engine whips the Goodyear Eagle Touring tires into a frenzy and pulls swiftly through the manual transmission's lower gears. It's quite exciting for what is, ultimately, an ordinary family sedan.

Fortunately the engine is not all about big boost, and operates smoothly and quietly in more quotidian driving situations. There's ample torque right off idle for spurting through city traffic and enough midrange punch you don't even need to worry if you forget to downshift before merging.

The optional 2.0-liter turbo engine is a real powerhouse.

Jake Holmes/Roadshow

Big credit also must go to the car's six-speed manual, which has to be among the loveliest gearshifts you can find in a new car today. Light enough to use with two fingers, direct enough that you never mistake one gate for another and paired with a just-right clutch pedal, it's the sort of stick-shift arrangement that takes no effort at all to drive -- even in stop-and-go city traffic. But I wouldn't fault anyone for buying this car with the optional 10-speed automatic transmission instead.

Daily driver extraordinaire

There's quite a lot of joy in the way the 2019 Honda Accord handles all aspects of driving, actually. With a great, commanding driving position and panopticon visibility in every direction, busy city streets are no chore at all. The Accord's steering is light but not without some sense of what the front tires are doing, the brake pedal reassuringly firm but not overly so. It's a car that feels like it was engineered by people who enjoy driving, and as a result, it's a car that is enjoyable to drive.

On the freeway, the Accord keeps wind and road noise remarkably hushed, while displaying well-mannered damping that keeps head-bobbing over dips and bumps to a minimum. However, those 19-inch wheels and low-profile (235/40 aspect ratio) tires struggle with cracked and brittle pavement. Impacts are both felt and heard in the cabin; other Accords ride more softly on 17-inch wheels with more tire sidewall, and that would be my preferred setup for daily-driving duty.

The Accord's interior is functional and well laid out.

Jake Holmes/Roadshow

This Accord Sport model does benefit in terms of handling from a quicker steering ratio, upgraded anti-roll bars and wider tires than, say, the more common EX trim. But experience in other models suggests all Accords are equally as satisfying to drive as this sporty-ish model.

Business casual design

There's a lot to look about the stylish, modern design of the 2019 Honda Accord, which manages to be a whole lot less bland than the last-generation model. With a low nose and a curving roofline, the sedan has quite a sporty profile. I could do without the big chrome strip along the top of the windowline, but otherwise the Accord's jewelry, specifically the LED head- and taillights, nicely breaks up its big surfaces. Large 19-inch wheels, chromed dual exhausts and a trunklid spoiler are appreciated touches on this Sport model.

Functional interior

The cabin is equally pleasing to the eye, finished with high-quality materials that, despite the black-on-black color scheme, do not look in the least bit dour. Everything you touch, from plastics to switches to the teensy shift knob, feels nice, too. The two center cupholders are set deep into the console, so you can use taller coffee mugs or water bottles. The center console cubby itself is not enormous, though offers a USB and 12-volt power outlet to power gadgets. A cubby ahead of the shifter is home to another pair of outlets and can conceal a charging phone or iPod.

Honda's infotainment system works well and supports both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Jake Holmes/Roadshow

In true Honda fashion, the interior is extremely functional, with big knobs for the climate control, easy-to-find flaps covering the USB ports, big switches on the steering wheel and a superlegible, semidigital instrument cluster. While the right-hand side of the cluster is an old-school analog speedometer, the left-hand side can serve as a virtual tachometer or a trip computer, or can offer up any number of data pages for things like vehicle status, safety-system operation, music and phone calling info and even service schedules.

A big range of adjustment for the front seats and steering wheel makes finding a comfortable driving position a cinch, and there's head- and legroom to spare for average-size adults. The same is true of the second row, where you won't believe how much space passengers have. Even with the roof's sloping profile, back-seat headroom is generous.

Nor will you believe how much stuff you can fit in the trunk, which has a low liftover height, a wide opening and the ability to swallow a class-leading 16.7 cubic feet of your belongings. The back seats fold down easily, too, for transporting larger items if necessary.

The trunk is enormous, storage 16.7 cubic feet of luggage.

Jake Holmes/Roadshow

Plentiful technology

All Accords save the base LX and the Hybrid use an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment that supports Bluetooth, satellite radio, HD Radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Built-in navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot and wireless phone charging are available on some models. It would be nice to have some USB ports in the back to keep the kids' tablets charged, too, though.

The touchscreen crams a lot of information onto its display, but its menu structure is simple to navigate and responses to inputs are near-instant. Redundant physical buttons surround the screen, making it easier to jump between options or to adjust settings by feel while driving.

Safety technology is in abundance and, best of all, most of it comes standard across all trim levels -- something that can't be said of all rivals. Standard equipment includes forward-collision warning automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist, traffic-sign recognition, automatic headlights and adaptive cruise control. That ACC is offered even on a manual-transmission car is a rarity. Blind-spot monitoring is also offered on most trim levels.

These wheels look great but don't do ride quality any favors.

Jake Holmes/Roadshow

Economy and pricing

One downside to electing the 2.0-liter engine is that fuel economy falls to 22 miles per gallon city and 32 mpg highway in this Sport model. While that's comparable to other high-powered midsize sedans -- the Toyota Camry XSE V6 also scores 22/32 mpg, for instance -- it's not too impressive by the standards of the class. Most shoppers will be more compelled by Accords equipped with the car's 1.5-liter turbo engine, which return up to 30/38 mpg in EPA testing. The Accord Hybrid, meanwhile, is rated for 47/47 mpg.

In terms of pricing, however, this Sport 2.0T falls right in the middle of the 2019 Accord range, at $31,630 as tested. The sedan's pricing structure largely mirrors its competition, with models powered by the base 1.5-liter engine running from $24,640 for an LX up to $31,040 for an EX-L. Opt for the 2.0-liter mill and you'll pay between $31,630 and $36,870.

This Accord Sport 2.0T is definitely the driving enthusiast's choice, what with its power and six-speed manual transmission. Yet spending a week behind the wheel of the Accord really just underlines how well-sorted the entire car is for whatever type of driving you like: City, suburb, or highway, the Accord handles it well. Plus, it's affordable, efficient, incredibly spacious and filled with technology that just plain works. With all that in mind, there's no midsize car we'd recommend more readily than the Honda Accord.

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Source

https://nichols.my.id/how-to-fix-valorant-error-code-57.html

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Labor Day Weekend Travel: What to Do if Your Flight Is Delayed or Canceled

Labor Day Weekend Travel: What to Do if Your Flight Is Delayed or Canceled

What's happening

An estimated 12.8 million Americans will fly over Labor Day weekend.

Why it matters

While air travel has returned to pre-pandemic levels, many airlines are still plagued by significant delays and cancellations.

Labor Day is here and, despite ongoing flight disruptions and high ticket prices, an estimated 12.6 million Americans will be flying over the three-day holiday weekend, according to data from travel site Hopper.

American Airlines alone estimates 2.5 million customers will board 26,400 scheduled flights through Monday. 

Many of those fliers will face delays and cancellations. On average, 23% of flights in August were delayed from departing US airports, an increase of nearly 30% compared to 2019. And cancellation rates last month were more than double their 2019 rates, as airlines mobilize to address staff shortages, pickets, weather disruptions and other issues.

By 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, American Airlines had already reported 100 delayed flights, according to the website FlightAware, and 23 cancellations. Industrywide, more than 800 flights within, into, or out of the United States have been delayed Thursday morning and 102 canceled.

Analysts don't expect schedules will get back to normal until at least the fall, when demand settles down and new hires have had time to be trained up. 

If you're flying over Labor Day, here's what you need to know about avoiding a travel nightmare, what the airlines owe you if there's a cancellation or delay, and more. 

For more travel tips, here are some great travel gadgets, guidance on renewing your passport online and 19 things to add to your travel checklist. before leaving home.

Why have there been so many delays and cancellations?

Layoffs and contract buyouts during the pandemic have left many airlines short-staffed, fueling ongoing delays and cancellations.

Getty Images

Since Memorial Day, US-based airlines canceled more than 50,000 flights and delayed over a half-million, according to NPR. Delta said it canceled 100 scheduled daily flights in the US and Latin America between July 1 and Aug. 7. Southwest Airlines nixed almost 20,000 summer flights.   
The biggest factor has been that airlines are incredibly short-staffed. When the pandemic slowed air travel to a trickle, many carriers bought out employees' contracts and encouraged older pilots to take early retirement.

As a result, from December 2019 to December 2020, the number of airline workers shrank by at least 114,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Now carriers are clamoring to staff back up, but they're finding it hard to fill positions. 

The shortages extend to ground staff, baggage handlers, gate personnel and other workers, FlightAware spokesperson Kathleen Bangs told CNET. "They did a lot of buyouts during the pandemic. It's a remarkable growth period and they're just back-footed." 

It's particularly acute with pilots because it can take up to five years and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to train someone to fly a commercial airplane.

"Most airlines are simply not going to be able to realize their capacity plans because there simply aren't enough pilots, at least not for the next five-plus years," United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said in a quarterly earnings call back in April, NBC News reported.

Extreme weather has also added to the problem: Severe thunderstorms have caused multiple delays and flight cancellations, and that's aside from hurricane and wildfire season. Aircraft can fly at lower altitudes to try to avoid storm systems, but that burns more fuel -- a dicey proposition given the high cost of jet fuel. 

How to avoid having your flight delayed or canceled

There isn't much you can do to prevent a delay or cancellation. But there are some common-sense steps that will give you a better shot at making it to your destination -- or at least relaxing at home or in a hotel room, rather than stewing in the airport.

Download your airline's mobile app to keep on top of changes to your flight schedule.

Pavlo Gonchar/Getty Images

Leave extra time for layovers. You might think an hour is plenty of time to get from one gate to another, especially in the same terminal. But if the first leg of your journey is delayed that hour can turn into 30 minutes. And with most airlines closing the plane doors about 15 minutes prior to departure, you could easily miss your connection.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Denver International Airport (DEN) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) top the list of busiest hubs over the Labor Day holiday, according to Hopper.

Don't book a late-night flight. If you miss a connection, most airlines will work diligently to get you on the next available flight. But if you booked the last flight of the day to your destination, that may mean having to wait until morning -- and either pacing through the airport for hours or booking a night in a nearby hotel. 

Download the airline's app on your phone. Opt into flight notifications and start manually checking the status of your flight regularly, at least 24 hours in advance. As soon as you hear your flight has been cut, find out if you've been transferred to another flight.

Monitor the weather at both your departure and arrival airports. Start checking the weather in both places a few days before your flight. Some airlines will actually reschedule your flight in advance of a major weather front at no extra charge. If a storm is on its way, you might consider leaving a few days earlier or later or finding a different route.

Buy travel insurance. Depending on why your flight is canceled or delayed, the airline might not comp any meals, accommodations or transport you're forced to purchase. The payout for travel insurance may not cover all of your expenses, but it will definitely be more than the cost of a policy, typically 5% to 10% of your trip cost.

What to do if your flight is delayed or canceled

Time is of the essence, so be proactive about rescheduling your flight. 

"A lot of the time you can reschedule yourself on the flight of your choice" using the airline's app, said David Slotnick, senior aviation reporter for The Points Guy. "It'll save you a lot of time and aggravation." (Like CNET, The Points Guy is owned by Red Ventures.)

If that's not possible, call the airline. Even if you get sent to an automated system, it may have a call-back function. You can still call if you're already at the airport. Do it while you're in line to talk to an agent and take whichever option is available first.

What does the airline owe you if your flight is canceled?

While some airlines are able to get you booked on a different carrier if your flight is canceled, not all can.

Dmitry Marchenko/Getty Images

In the US, if a flight is canceled because of something that is the airline's fault -- a mechanical issue or a staffing shortage -- the carrier is required to refund your ticket.

"If you get canceled for any reason -- you don't take your flight -- they have to offer you a cash refund," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told NPR. "If you'd rather take miles or a different flight, fine. But that's up to you, not them. They've got to give you a refund. That's a basic rule,"  

The Department of Transportation website mandates airlines must also refund the cost of your ticket after a schedule change or significant delay, but the agency hasn't defined what constitutes a "significant delay."

"Whether you are entitled to a refund depends on many factors -- including the length of the delay, the length of the flight and your particular circumstances," according to the DOT website. Whether a refund following a significant delay is warranted is determined "on a case-by-case basis." 

If you don't request a refund, the airline is still responsible for getting you to your destination. But it could be much later than your original flight. Under most circumstances, carriers should provide vouchers for meals and hotels.

Make your plans quickly, though: Airport hotels fill up quickly amid widespread delays and cancellations.

Some airlines will work to get you on another flight with a different airline, Slotnick said, but not every airline has relationships with other carriers. 

What are airlines doing to address delays and cancellations?

Hiring more employees. "All the airlines are doing major hiring initiatives," Slotnick said. "They're rushing to hire pilots and deploy them." They're also trying to improve work conditions for existing workers: In April, Delta announced it would start paying flight attendants during boarding, rather than just once the plane door closes.

The move, a first for a major US airline, is seen as a countermeasure to a unionization push among workers.

Scheduling more flights. Someairlines are boosting service in popular corridors when they can. "They're trying to strike the right balance between adding flights and creating some slack in the system," Slotnick said.

For example, United Airlines recently launched or resumed 30 flights between the US and Europe, its largest expansion ever. Regular flights from Denver to Munich, Chicago to Zurich and New York to Bergen, Norway, are underway, as well as daily service between Boston and London.

When fully operational, United's transatlantic route network will be more than 25% larger than it was in 2019, before COVID-19 cratered air travel.

Some airlines have ramped up their roster of scheduled flights, while others have pared down to avoid having to cancel them later.

James Martin/CNET

Scheduling fewer flights. Otherairlines are going in the opposite direction, reducing their capacity rather than risk being forced to cancel a scheduled flight. JetBlue has already reduced its May routes by almost 10%, Conde Nast Traveler reported, and will likely make similar cuts throughout the summer.

"By reducing our flight schedule for the summer and continuing to hire new crewmembers, we hope to have more breathing room in the system to help ease some of the recent delays and cancellations that we've seen in the industry," a JetBlue spokesperson told the outlet. 

Southwest Airlines, the world's largest low-cost carrier, cut more than 8,000 domestic flights in June "to adjust to capacity," the company told The Business Journals. 

Delta  "temporarily cut" some Labor Day weekend flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and New York's LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports to deal with a large number of airline crew members and air traffic controllers who have already called in sick, The Washington Times reported.

Giving passengers more notice. All the airlines are making a concerted effort to give passengers as much information as possible, Slotnick said, through text updates and other notifications.

"Even a year before the pandemic, airlines were trying to be proactive about informing passengers, even 24 or 48 hours in advance of a possible cancellation," he said.

Offering waivers
United, Delta and other carriers are offering travel waivers to passengers to encourage them to move their flights out of busy time periods. All waiving the usual flight-change fees and some are even foregoing the usual fare difference.

The Department of Transportation has stepped in to hold airlines accountable

On Sept. 1, the U.S. Department of Transportation launched a new website that lets fliers know what they're entitled to when their flight is significantly delayed or canceled. The Aviation Consumer Protection site has a dashboard that compares what policies are regarding rebooking, meal and hotel vouchers and complimentary ground transportation for carriers including Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit and United.

The Transportation Department's Air Consumer Dashboard compares offerings from major carriers.

Department of Transportation

"Passengers deserve transparency and clarity on what to expect from an airline when there is a cancelation or disruption," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. "This dashboard collects that information in one place so travelers can easily understand their rights, compare airline practices, and make informed decisions."

Buttigieg said the goal was to get the airlines to "raise the bar."

"Look, Americans have had experiences with cancellations, delays and poor customer service that just aren't at an acceptable level," he told NPR. "A lot of the airlines are not quite transparent about how and when they'll take care of passengers. "So we're going to put that information out ourselves."

Just knowing that information is out there for air travelers to see has spurred carriers to improve their offerings, Buttigieg added. 

The Department is also collecting comments on a proposed rule requiring airlines to proactively inform passengers about their right to a refund. It would also provide a clearer definition of a "significant change" to a scheduled flight and require airlines to provide non-expiring vouchers to passengers unable to fly because they contracted COVID-19 or other communicable diseases.

The proposal would also mandate carriers that receive pandemic assistance issue those passengers refunds instead of vouchers.

Are any airlines better or worse in terms of cancellations?

In 2021, Delta had the fewest cancellations of any major US airline.

Boarding1Now

Without naming names, Slotnick says that, broadly speaking, low-cost airlines have tighter margins with less slack, so theoretically you're more likely to face a cancellation.

But booking with a big carrier doesn't mean you're immune.

"The regionals have parked a lot of planes because they don't have enough staff," Bangs said. "And a lot of people who book on a major airline don't realize they're actually flying with a smaller carrier."

SkyWest, a smaller airline out of St. George, Utah, subcontracts for Delta, United, American and Alaska Airlines. So does Indiana-based Republic Airways.

Sometimes, bigger is indeed better: Last year, Delta had the best record in cancellation rates, according to The Wall Street Journal's annual airline rankings. The Atlanta-based airline scrubbed 0.6% of its scheduled departures in 2021, a third of the industry average of 1.8%.

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Source

https://nichols.my.id/how-to-repair-excel-on-windows-10.html

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Pixel 6 Pro Review: Google's Flagship Is Still a Top iPhone Rival in 2022

Pixel 6 Pro Review: Google's Flagship Is Still a Top iPhone Rival in 2022

Editors' note: The Google Pixel 6 Pro's solid all-round performance and excellent camera make it a superb high-end Android phone that's well worth your money, which is why we've given it a CNET Editors' Choice award. The original review follows. 

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When it launched late in 2021, I said the Pixel 6 Pro isn't just the best phone Google has ever made, it's also one of the best phones you can buy. Half a year later, I stand by those words and strongly recommend you consider this phone if you're looking for a great all-round experience at a more reasonable price. Its strong performance, great software additions, unique design and excellent camera system make it the biggest rival to Apple's iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra.

Sure, the Galaxy S22 Ultra has a few more bells and whistles. The S Pen stylus, for example, not to mention that incredible 10x optical zoom that blows both the Pixel 6 Pro's 4x zoom and the iPhone 13 Pro's 3.5x zoom out the water. The S22 Ultra is faster on benchmark tests, too. But at $1,200 it also costs a lot more than the Pixel, meaning you've really got to be dedicated to having only the most cutting-edge tech in your pocket to want to splash that extra cash.

The Pixel 6 Pro manages to offer its winning combo of specs and design at a price that undercuts its main rivals. The 6.7-inch base 128GB model costs $899 (£849, AU$1,299), a sizable chunk less than the 6.1-inch iPhone 13 Pro's $999 price and even more off the $1,099 Apple wants for the larger 6.7-inch iPhone 13 Pro Max. Sure, $899 might not be "cheap" but it represents good value when compared against the prices of other flagship phones.

Google's earlier Pixel 5 was best seen as a midrange phone with some higher-end touches, while the Pixel 6 Pro is premium all the way. From its glass and metal design to its high-resolution display and its superb triple camera, there's a lot to like here. Then there's the Tensor processor, a chip custom-made by Google for the phone, which provides ample power for all of your daily needs, better security features, 5G connectivity and a slick Android 12 interface. Battery life is good -- certainly above average -- but not great, with the iPhone 13 Pro putting in a stronger performance.

Its biggest Android rival right now is the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, which does have some neat camera additions (that 10x zoom, for one thing), but it costs more and the Pixel 6 Pro offers a more user-friendly experience. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max offer superb all-round use, but come at a higher price and if you're already entrenched in the Android ecosystem, it's likely not worth switching and buying all those apps again. 

Those looking for the best all-round Android experience should absolutely look toward the Pixel 6 Pro. 

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Pixel 6 Pro or Pixel 6?

The stepdown $599 (£599, AU$999) Pixel 6 packs the same Tensor processor and lovely Android 12 software for $300 less than the Pro, but there are a few compromises it makes in order to come to that cheaper price.

It has a smaller and lower resolution 6.4-inch display that lacks the curving finesse of the Pro. Its battery is smaller, it has 8GB rather than 12GB of RAM and it lacks the 4x telephoto zoom lens found on the Pro. 

The Pixel 6 Pro has a 6.7-inch display while the Pixel 6's measures 6.4 inches.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

But it's still a great phone that's well worth considering. It provides many of the same perks of the Pixel 6 Pro at a much lower price, especially if you don't care about the top-end performance offered by the flagship. As my colleague Patrick Holland put it in his review of the phone, "For the price, I can't think of a better phone to recommend right now."

A fresh design that stands out 

I didn't love the look of last year's Pixel 5. The matte, rubberized back gave the phone a more budget feel than its $699 price tag suggested. The Pixel 6 Pro is worlds apart. The rear is all glass -- toughened Gorilla Glass Victus, in fact -- that curves at the edges to meet the 100% recycled aluminum frame. 

The glass curves at the edges on the front, too, as does the display beneath it, making it not only look more premium, but feel like a truly flagship device when you hold it in your hand. It's big though, packing in a 6.7-inch display, which will make it more cumbersome for some than the 6-inch Pixel 5 or 6.4-inch Pixel 6. That glass makes it slippery, too, so consider one of Google's protective cases if you're nervous about dropping it. 

The Pixel 6 Pro, flanked by the iPhone 13 Pro (left) and Pixel 5.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

It is IP68-rated for water resistance, meaning it can withstand being in 1 meter (about 3 feet) of water for up to 30 minutes. No, that doesn't mean you can take it swimming, but it does mean it should be able to shake off having the odd beer spilled over it by your clumsy mates. 

An interesting design choice is the large camera bar that stretches across the back. It protrudes from the phone by about 3mm, so it doesn't lie totally flat when you put it on a table, but nor does it rock from corner to corner like phones with camera bumps just on one side. I like the look of the phone and it certainly stands out. One tip though: Get the Sorta Sunny orangey-peachy color, if you can find it in stock. The black-and-gray option, Stormy Black, looks rather dull by comparison. 

The camera strip protrudes from the phone by about 3mm. As a result, it won't lie flat on a table.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

The rear-mounted fingerprint scanner seen on the Pixel 5 has been removed, replaced instead with an in-screen scanner, which I found worked accurately and quickly most of the time, although Patrick found the Pixel 6's scanner to be much more hit and miss in his review. There's no face unlock ability, which is a bit of a shame.

Three excellent cameras

That big bar on the back hides three cameras: a 12-megapixel ultrawide; a 48-megapixel telephoto that offers 4x optical zoom; and a main camera that uses a larger 1/1.3-inch sensor, which Google says captures 2.5x more light than the Pixel 5. The cameras on the Pixel phones have always been excellent, and this new generation is no different. 

Images from the main camera lens are stunning. They're vibrant, they're packed with detail and there's an amazing balance of exposure, with bright skies kept under control and shadowy areas being easily visible. 

Pixel 6 Pro, main camera.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

The golden colors of the leaves have been captured beautifully here, with a rich blue sky visible behind. 

iPhone 13 Pro, main camera.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

And here's the same image taken on the iPhone 13 Pro. There's little to choose between them, but if I was being hypercritical, I'd say that the white balance on the Pixel 6 Pro has resulted in a warmer, more orange tone on the tree trunk, which I think looks better. You can see how the Pixel 6 Pro's camera really stacks up against the iPhone 13 Pro's in my photography shootout.

Pixel 6 Pro, main camera.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

This scene looking towards the beautiful Edinburgh castle is a challenging shot, with dark shadows and an extremely bright sky beyond the trees. The Pixel 6 Pro has handled it well though, maintaining a lovely exposure overall.

Pixel 6 Pro, main camera.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

And it's much the same here, with vivid blue skies, superb exposure and plenty of detail. 

Pixel 6 Pro, ultrawide camera.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Switching to the ultrawide lens, the scene maintains the rich colors and exposure. Zoom closer in and it's clear it has less overall detail, but it's still a lovely shot. 

Pixel 6 Pro, ultrawide camera.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Another from the Pixel 6 Pro's ultrawide lens. But check out the iPhone 13 Pro's:

iPhone 13 Pro, ultrawide lens.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

The iPhone's offers a much wider view that lets you capture more in the scene. They're both excellent wide lenses and both do a great job in packing in those beautiful colors, but I'd like to have seen the Pixel offering a slightly wider scene.

The 4x zoom lens is amazing too, providing tons of detail thanks to its high resolution sensor. I think 4x is a great zoom level for a phone as well; it allows you to find compositions that would be beyond the reach of lesser zoom levels, but it's not quite as restrictive as the 10x zoom you'll find on the Galaxy S22 Ultra. It's a zoom level I feel I'd use a lot on my travels and have already taken a few 4x shots with the phone that I'm really pleased with as artistic images.

Pixel 6 Pro, 4x zoom.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

This zoomed-in image is so pin-sharp I can actually read the headline on the newspaper. It's a really impressive lens that doesn't force you to make any kind of compromise on quality in order to achieve those zoom levels. By comparison, the iPhone 13 Pro's optical zoom maxes out at 3x, so the Pixel 6 Pro is able to achieve a closer-up image. Which, frankly, I'd take any day over a wider-angle view.

Pixel 6 Pro, 4x zoom.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

It's handy as well for focusing your view on a smaller scene like this, capturing intimate little still-life scenes, rather than grand, sweeping vistas. The fine textures on the leaves here are extremely sharp. 

Google has thrown some extra features in too, including a tool that automatically removes people from the background in an image, which sometimes works well, and sometimes leaves a big splotch where a person once stood. Then there's the long exposure mode, which allows you to create ethereal blurred waterscapes and the Nightscape mode, which does an excellent job of taking shots in the dark. 

Pixel 6 pro, Nightscape photo.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

I'm seriously impressed with the photography abilities of the Pixel 6 Pro and there's no question that it's among the best cameras you can get on a phone right now. Video quality is excellent as well, with superb dynamic range, excellent image stabilization and plenty of detail thanks to the 4K resolution. 

Does Google's Tensor processor make a difference?

At the heart of the phone is Google's first home-baked processor, named Tensor. It's a significant move for Google to produce its own silicon and it shows a strong commitment to remain in the hardware game -- after all, you don't go to the effort of developing your own processors as a one-off experiment.  

But it's essentially irrelevant once you get the Pixel in your hand, as it functions just like any other phone. It's nippy to navigate around the Android 12 interface, games like Asphalt 9: Legends and Call of Duty play perfectly, while photo editing and video streaming are handled exactly as well as you'd get from any other top-end phone right now. 

Pixel 6 Pro benchmark tests

Google Pixel 6 Pro

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

Legend:

Geekbench 5 (single core)

Geekbench 5 (multi core)

3DMark Wild Life Extreme

Note:

Longer bars equal better performance

On benchmark tests like the Geekbench 5 processor test and 3DMark's Wild Life Extreme graphics test, the Pixel 6 Pro doesn't score quite as highly as the iPhone 13 Pro, but it's up there with the Galaxy S21 Ultra (and it edged out the powerful OnePlus 9 Pro on the graphics test too). Benchmarks are by no means a direct indicator of real-life performance, but it's good to at least see that Google's new silicon is operating in the same ballpark as its rivals. 

No, the Tensor chip is not setting a new standard for lightning-fast performance. But it doesn't need to; today's phones already pack way more power than any of us are likely to need on a daily basis. Google's push into chip production goes beyond simply creating a "benchmark beater" and a lot of the real benefits will come over time as the company develops more ways to take advantage of its own hardware.

The Tensor processor is particularly designed with machine learning, AI and speech-recognition applications in mind. There are already speech-recognition functions built into the keyboard (for dictating messages or emails) as well as real-time translation tools and improved visual language translations when using Google Lens via the camera. 

Both the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro run the latest Android 12 software.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Android 12 is lovely to use

The Android 12 interface is extremely neat and easy to use. It's my favorite version of Android so far, offering an uncomplicated experience that even Android novices won't take long to get to grips with. One of the bigger features that's (for now) exclusive to the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro is the ability to create custom themes for the phone based on whatever image you have as your background. 

When you choose a new wallpaper (either one of the many built-in ones, or any of your own images saved to your phone), the phone will automatically pick out the dominant color and will use that, and its complementary colors, to change the look of parts of the interface, including some of the default Google app icons on the home screen, such as the Play Store, Gmail and Photos. It's a nice idea, although it probably shouldn't be the main reason you decide to part with your cash.

Security has been given a particular push both on the software and hardware side. The Tensor processor has a dedicated Titan coprocessor that apparently allows for much better on-device security, while Android 12 offers more granular control of your security and privacy settings. That includes a dashboard that shows what apps have used what information recently and handy buttons in the pull-down notification tray that turn off system-wide access to your camera and microphone. 

Those quick-access privacy buttons might come in handy.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

Google has also promised that the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro will receive security updates for five years, which will mean these phones will be safer to use for longer. Many older phones are still perfectly usable from a hardware standpoint, but if they don't have the latest security patches on board then they're susceptible to all kinds of hacking nastiness. From both a cost and environmental perspective, being able to use our phones safely for longer is only a good thing.

Vibrant display, solid battery life and fast charging

The Pixel 6 Pro's 6.7-inch display is pin-sharp thanks to its 3,120x1,440-pixel resolution. It's bright, too, with vibrant colors that do justice to colorful games like Candy Crush Soda Saga or video like Netflix's world-dominating show Squid Game. It has an adaptive refresh rate that can go up to 120Hz when you're playing fast-paced games, but also slows down to only 10Hz when the phone is basically sitting idle. Performance when you need it; power-saving when you don't. 

The Pixel 6 Pro and perhaps its biggest rival, the iPhone 13 Pro.

Andrew Hoyle/CNET

The phone runs on a 5,003-mAh battery, which should be good for a full day of mixed use. After one hour of streaming a YouTube video at max brightness it had dropped from full to 98%. By contrast, the OnePlus 9 Pro had dropped to 90%, while the iPhone 13 Pro dropped to only 99%. After a further hour the 6 Pro had dropped to 89%, while the iPhone 13 Pro was at 93%. You certainly shouldn't struggle to get through the day with it, but as with all phones, you can help it by keeping screen brightness down, avoiding demanding tasks like gaming or video streaming until you're near a plug, and turning off GPS. 

It has Qi wireless charging and it supports fast charging with a 30-watt charger (not supplied), which will take the phone to 50% full in 30 minutes. That's decent, but not really a match for OnePlus's 65-watt fast charging, which will fully charge the device in the same time. Still, it's fast enough to be able to give your phone a quick boost before you head out and about, and the Extreme Battery Saver mode pauses all but your essential apps to preserve the remaining juice.

Google Pixel 6 specs vs. Google Pixel 6 Pro, Google Pixel 5, Apple iPhone 13

	Google Pixel 6	Google Pixel 6 Pro	Google Pixel 5	Apple iPhone 13
Display size, resolution	6.4-inch OLED; 2,400x1,080 pixels; 60Hz or 90Hz	6.7-inch LTPO OLED; 3,120x1,440 pixels; 10-120Hz	6-inch FHD+ OLED; 2,340x1,080 pixels	6.1-inch OLED; 2,532x1,170 pixels
Pixel density	411 ppi	512 ppi	432 ppi	460 ppi
Dimensions (inches)	6.2x2.9x0.4 in	6.5x3.0x0.4 in	5.7x2.8x0.3 in	5.78x2.82x0.3 in
Dimensions (millimeters)	158.6x74.8x8.9mm	163.9x75.9x8.9mm	144.7x70.4x8mm	147x72x7.65mm
Weight (ounces, grams)	7.3 oz; 207g	7.41 oz; 210g	5.33 oz; 151g	6.14 oz; 174g
Mobile software	Android 12	Android 12	Android 11	iOS 15
Camera	50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel ultrawide	50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 48-megapixel (telephoto)	12.2-megapixel (standard), 16-megapixel (ultrawide)	12-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide)
Front-facing camera	8-megapixel	11-megapixel	8-megapixel	12-megapixel
Video capture	4K 30, 60fps (rear), 1,080p 30fps (front)	4K 30, 60fps (rear), 4K 30fps (front)	4K	HDR video recording with Dolby Vision up to 4K at 60fps
Processor	Google Tensor	Google Tensor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G	Apple A15 Bionic
Storage	128GB, 256GB	128GB, 256GB, 512GB	128GB	128GB, 256GB, 512GB
RAM	8GB	12GB	8GB	Undisclosed
Expandable storage	No	No	No	No
Battery	4,614 mAh	5,003 mAh	4,000 mAh	Undisclosed; Apple lists 19 hours of video playback
Fingerprint sensor	Under display	Under display	Rear	No (Face ID)
Connector	USB-C	USB-C	USB-C	Lightning
Headphone jack	No	No	No	No
Special features	5G sub 6 (some carrier models also have 5G mmWave) support, Wi-Fi 6E, 30W fast-charging, wireless charging, Magic Eraser, Motion mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Cinematic Pan, 5 years OS security updates, IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus (front), Gorilla Glass 6 (back), dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM)	5G sub 6 and mmWave support, Wi-Fi 6E, ultra-wideband, 30W fast-charging, wireless charging, Magic Eraser, Motion mode, Real Tone, Face Unblur, Cinematic Pan, 5 years OS security updates, IP68 rating for dust- and water-resistance, Gorilla Glass Victus (front and back), dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM)	5G enabled; water-resistant (IP68); 90Hz-refresh-rate display; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM); reverse wireless charging; fast charging	5G enabled; MagSafe; water-resistant (IP68); wireless charging; dual-SIM capabilities (nano-SIM and e-SIM)
Price off-contract (USD)	$599 (128GB)	$899 (128GB)	$699	$799 (128GB), $899 (256GB), $1,099 (512GB)
Price (GBP)	£599 (128GB)	£849 (128GB)	£599	£779 (128GB), £879 (256GB), £1,079 (512GB)
Price (AUD)	AU$999 (128GB)	AU$1,299 (128GB)	AU$999	AU$1,349 (128GB), AU$1,519 (256GB), AU$1,869 (512GB)

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