Photo courtesy of Volkswagen

Volkswagen is committing to growing the sport of soccer on and off the field. The company has partnered with 10 of the sport's top U.S. players to support charities as part of the company's "Drive Bigger" campaign.

All the partners are members of the U.S. Women's and Men's National Soccer Teams and join Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe as brand ambassadors for the sport as part of Team Volkswagen.

Meet Team VW's Newest @USSOCCER Members #PassTheBallwww.youtube.com

"Volkswagen welcomes our teammates from the U.S. Men's and Women's National Teams, and we're thrilled to donate to organizations that our athletes are passionate about," said Duncan Movassaghi, executive vice president, sales and marketing at Volkswagen of America. "Building the game at the grassroots level while giving back to our communities is the essence of what we mean by Drive Bigger."

The players and the charity they have chosen for Volkswagen to support include:

Tyler Adams (MNT), Crystal Dunn (WNT): America SCORES, which uses soccer as an outlet to inspire urban youth to lead healthy lives, be engaged students, and build confidence for a better future.

Abby Dahlkemper (WNT): Grassroot Soccer, which leverages the power of soccer to educate, inspire, and mobilize youth to overcome their greatest health challenges, and be agents for change in their communities.

Ali Krieger (WNT): Women and Girls in Soccer (WAGS), which has a mission of empowering women and girls from all over the world through soccer to realize their full potential, supports six unique programs that promote confidence, strength, character and leadership in a variety of ways.

Carli Lloyd (WNT): The Women's Sports Foundation, whose goal is to ensure that every girl and woman has the opportunity to unlock her potential through the benefit of sports and physical activity. It supports girls' and women's soccer dreams via community programs and travel and training funding and advocacy for gender equity at the professional level.

Samantha Mewis (WNT): Hidden Gems, which connects girls who play soccer in low-income areas of the U.S. with professional athletes. The goal is to use the power of teamwork and soccer as an equalizer to increase young girls' perceptions of their ability on and off the field.

Weston McKennie (MNT): The Steve Nash Foundation (SNF), which works to increase access to critical needs, health, and education resources for underserved children. McKennie made his first splash with SNF when he was named the Most Valuable Player of the Steve Nash Foundation Showdown charity soccer match in 2018—the youngest in the event's 12-year history. Showdown and the annual SNF Charity Shield soccer tournament both raise funds for SNF's community programs and services for kids.

Jordan Morris (MNT): The Jordan Morris Foundation, whose goal is to educate, inspire, and support the lives of children with Type 1 diabetes. Soccer is used as the main vessel to achieve these goals.

Kelley O'Hara (WNT): The Kelley O'Hara Scholarship Fund, created by Kelley's youth club, AFC Lightning in Peachtree City, GA, in honor of winning the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. The scholarship fund aims to support two female players at the club to ease the financial constraints of playing at the collegiate level.

Gyasi Zardes (MNT): The Columbus Crew SC Foundation, which focuses on changing young lives in the Columbus, OH area through their many programs focused in soccer.

Photo courtesy of Volkswagen AG

Volkswagen begins changing over 70,000 logos as new design arrives in the U.S.

New Logo

Earlier this year, Volkswagen announced that it was rebranding with a fresh logo that mixes together a touch of heritage with a dash of modernism. The successful formula was well-received, unlike BMW's rebranding efforts.

Volkswagen describes the new logo as, "a refreshed, minimalist take on the classic logo, allowing for more flexibility and versatility when it comes to the signature symbol. It's a modern and simpler version of the previous logo, which has identified the brand for over 70 years."

Volkswagen logo 2020Here, Volkswagen shows the major changes to the logo.Photo courtesy of Volkswagen AG

Like the BMW logo, the new VW design was meant to lead on digital first as the automaker works to move in tandem with the speed of innovation. For that reason, the new logo is flat and two-dimensional in appearance.

The redesign was led by Volkswagen Chief Designer Klaus Bischoff, who said, "My personal drive in this redesign was to make the W float, bringing a new lightness to the Volkswagen brand. Of course, this rebrand also brings Volkswagen into the digital era, transforming our classic logo into a trademark that is easily displayed digitally on devices and applications."

Along with the new logo, a new brand color scheme has been adopted. The bright blue colors of the past have been shifted to a more sophisticated deep blue done.

In 2019, 6.2 million vehicles were built with the old "VW" on their grilles and sales of those vehicles are beginning to wrap up. The new logo is now making its way to U.S. shores, with the first vehicle slated to receive it, the Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, arriving at dealerships.

The Atlas Cross is also home to VW's new "R" badging.

By mid-2020, the brand plans to complete the rollout of the rebrand across the 10,000 dealers in 171 markets spanning 154 countries.

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Automotive Map is moving to Your Test Driver

New website

Big news! Automotive Map has moved to a new site and has changed its name to Your Test Driver. You'll notice the same format, writing style, and content on the new site. That's because Your Test Driver is run by Chris Teague, the former editor of Automotive Map. We hope to see you there for continued coverage of news, reviews, and features from around the automotive industry.

2023 Nissan Leaf pricing announced

Updated EV

Nissan is nearing the release of the Ariya, its first new EV in several years. Even so, the brand hasn't forgotten about its first mass-market EV, the Leaf. It was an early entrant in the space, and has been an efficient, affordable, commuter car for over a decade. The car got a mild facelift for 2023, with updated wheels and exterior styling accents. Today, Nissan announced pricing for the Leaf, which starts at just under $29,000.

2023 Nissan LeafThe Leaf feels lively, despite middling power numbers.Nissan

The base Leaf comes with a 40-kWh battery capable of delivering a 149-mile range. Its 110-kW electric motor produces 147 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The Leaf SV Plus features a 60-kWh battery for a range of 212 miles. It comes with a 160-kW motor that makes 214 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. Nissan backs all Leaf models with an eight-year/100,000-mile battery warranty.

ProPilot Assist comes standard for the Leaf SV Plus, and brings a full suite of advanced driver aids that include adaptive cruise control, driver alertness features, and a surround-view monitor. All Leaf models get Nissan Safety Shield 360, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warnings, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts, automatic high beams, and rear automatic braking.

2023 Nissan LeafThe Leaf SV Plus offers up to 212 miles of range.Nissan

The new Leaf starts at $28,895, which includes a $1,095 destination charge. The Leaf SV Plus starts at $36,895. The 2023 Nissan Leaf is on sale now, and may be eligible for federal tax credits of up to $7,500. Depending on where you live, you may also be able to receive a state tax credit or other incentives.

2022 Nissan Altima: Three things to know

Comfortable midsize sedan

The Nissan Altima may not get the attention or the praise that the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord get, but it's a solid entry in an ultra-competitive segment. It's also one of few options in its class with available all-wheel drive. We spent a week with the 2022 Nissan Altima SR Midnight Edition with AWD and came away from the experience impressed. Here are three things to know about the car.

The 2022 Nissan Altima is a Good Value

With a starting price in the mid-$20,000 range and available all-wheel drive, it's hard to complain about value here. The Altima is still reasonably priced at the top end, where it maxes out at around $35,000 before options and fees. That's a great value for a spacious, comfortable car like the Altima, and with all-wheel drive it's a great all-weather commuter.

2022 Nissan AltimaNissan offers the Altima in several configurations.Nissan

2022 Altima Interior Space and Comfort are Generous

It's easy to ignore Nissan's Zero Gravity seats as another marketing buzzword, but they are legitimately comfortable and supportive in a way that not many others are. Available leather upholstery and contrast stitching give the interior an upscale feel, but even lower trims' cloth upholstery feels nice and works well from a visual standpoint. Up front, there's room for both passengers to stretch out, and the driver won't feel cramped on leg or headroom. Back-seat passengers get a similar treatment, as there's plenty of space for adults and kids. Parents will find an easy time loading and unloading car seats as well.

2023 Nissan AltimaThe Altima gets an update for 2023 with fresh styling and more tech.Nissan

The 2023 Nissan Altima Gets an Update

Nissan is refreshing the Altima for 2023 with a facelift, new tech, and better safety features. The new car will go on sale in the fall of 2022 and will come in several trims, including one with Nissan's truck VC-Turbo engine. The Altima's most noticeable update will be its front fascia, which is all-new for 2023. Nissan gives the car a fresh grille design that varies depending on the trim, and LED headlights will be standard. Nissan Safety Shield 360 is standard, and the Altima is available with all-wheel drive, ProPilot Assist, and more.