Holiday Season

Carol of the (Alert) Bells: 2020 Nissan Leaf's sound effects create their own Christmas music

Eileen Falkenberg-Hull
Dec 18, 2019, 4:44 pm

Nissan has added its own holiday-themed twist to typical pedestrian alert sounds.

Photo courtesy of Nissan North America

Jingle, jingle, jingle. It's not just Santa Claus that you hear. There's a new Christmas carol out this holiday season and it features the sounds of the 2020 Nissan Leaf.

For the 2020 model year, the Leaf received several updates that including warning sounds. The two pedestrian safety sounds received updates in tone and volume. For the U.S. market, the all-electric Nissan Leaf makes a constant tone (known as "Canto," derived from the Latin verb for "I sing") for forward movement under 18.6 mph and a pulsing chime when reversing.

The volume of these sounds was updated to meet the standards of the U.S. electric vehicle regulations that go into effect Sept. 1, 2020. An additional speaker has been added to the engine compartment to aid in the compliance.

The creative team at Urban Green Lab put those sounds to use, combining them with "Jingle Bells" and "Angels We Have Heard on High" to create a unique holiday melody. Take a listen.

Also new for the 2020 model year, the Nissan Leaf comes with Nissan's Safety Shield 360 technology, a suite of six advanced active safety and driver-assist technologies.

The 2020 Nissan Leaf will arrive at dealerships in the coming weeks.

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New SUV

2022 Infiniti QX60 is upscale and attractive

The QX60 is all-new for 2022.

Infiniti

Infiniti has released detailed specs and features for its all-new QX60 SUV. The upscale family hauler will land later this year with a reasonable starting price, updated tech, a nicely appointed cabin, and plenty more. The automaker offers its new SUV in four trims, each of which is available with all-wheel drive: Pure, Luxe, Sensory, and Autograph.

The QX60 is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 295 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, but all-wheel drive is available, and all models get a new nine-speed automatic transmission. Infiniti says that the gearbox has a low first gear that helps deliver better acceleration and power off the line, and taller upper gears for smoother cruising on the highway. The revised all-wheel drive system is more responsive and engages more quickly than the system in the previous model.


2022 Infiniti QX60 The QX60 gets leather and several luxury features as standard kit. Infiniti


An upgraded interior is in the cards for the new QX60, as all models now get leather, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel as standard equipment. Front passengers' backsides are treated to Infiniti's excellent zero-gravity seats and a stiffer second-row seat frame reduces vibration and noise in the cabin. Infiniti says that the cabin itself has more sound-deadening materials and thicker glass in the second row, which together yield a 7 percent improvement in noise on the highway.


2022 Infiniti QX60 A digital gauge cluster comes on all but the base model.Infiniti


A 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen is standard that runs wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Six USB ports, nine speakers, HD Radio Bluetooth, voice commands, and SiriusXM radio are also standard. All but the base Pure trim level come with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and the top Autograph model gets a 10.8-inch full-color head-up display and a smart rearview mirror.

The new QX60 goes on sale this fall in the U.S. and Canada. Pricing starts at $47,875 for the base Pure model and tops out at $64,275 for the top Autograph AWD trim.

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Initial quality study

Nissan Maxima earns top spot in J.D. Power study

The Maxima earned the best model score in J.D. Power's 2021 quality study.

Nissan

J.D. Power has released the results of its 2021 Initial Quality Study (IQS), and found that the Nissan Maxima achieved the highest score of any single model. The car earned a score of just 85 problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100) and Nissan performed well overall in the study. The Maxima entered its sixth generation in 2016 and has remained on sale relatively unchanged since, though Nissan has updated the car with new tech and safety equipment over the years.

Nissan's scores landed it at fourth among mass market brands. The Altima, Maxima, and Murano took the top spots in their respective segments as well. The automaker also took home a top score for its Smyrna Assembly facility in Tennessee, which houses production for the Murano SUV. The six-million square-foot plant earned a gold award for producing vehicles with the fewest defects in the Americas.


2021 Nissan Maxima Infotainment was cited a a major problem area for new car owners.Nissan


Nissan's results are impressive, but Ram has an even bigger reason to celebrate. With a score of 128 PP100, the automaker was the highest-ranking brand in overall quality for the first time ever. Sister company Dodge earned the number-two spot with 139 PP100. Lexus tied with Mitsubishi at number three with a score of 144 PP100, which also made Lexus the highest-ranking premium brand.

J.D. Power surveyed over 110,000 purchasers and lessees of new vehicles for the 2021 study. Owners were asked 223 questions across nine categories on vehicle features, infotainment, seats, and others. On average, scores for the industry as a whole improve by about 3 percent each year, but progress slowed in 2021 to 2 percent. J.D. Power says that infotainment issues were the primary cause of slowing quality improvement levels.


2021 Nissan Maxima Three other Nissan models scored well in the study.Nissan

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