The Book of HOV: Exhibit Celebrated the Life and Accomplishments of Jay-Z

As the world celebrates 50 years of hip hop, AAE was fortunate to visit The Book of Hov, an exhibition displaying the remarkable journey and impact of Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, the hip-hop legend who has been a successful rapper, producer, entrepreneur and activist. The Book of Hov has been on display at the Brooklyn Library since July, and it ended its run in early December, on Jay-Z's birthday. 

One of Jay-Z's first cars, a Lexus sedan, sits outside the library for visitors to see. The Book of Hov exhibit is presented in chapters and celebrates the amazing journey of how he overcame much from his humble beginnings in Brooklyn's Marcy Projects.

Jay-Z has used his voice to portray vivid images of urban life and how he rose from a street-smart hustler to universally known music mogul. And his influence spread beyond music into the business world.

The exhibit makes note of the claim that Jay-Z created his lyrical art without writing down a word - an oral tradition dating back to ancient civilizations that passed along memories by keeping precious cultural aspects alive. 

The exhibit featured a replica of Baseline Studios, the Manhattan studio in which Jay-Z created some of his masterpieces. The studio gave birth to classic albums such as The Blueprint and The Black Album. Baseline allowed Jay-Z to become inspired to create music that was a cultural backdrop - truly capturing artistic greatness. 

2023 Toyota Venza: Crossover Checks All the Boxes

 

The 2023 Toyota Venza checks pretty much all the boxes that make a vehicle popular in today's market. It is a crossover SUV? Yes. Is it a hybrid? Yep. Is it stylish? Very much so. Does it have cool technology? Definitely.

The Venza, with seating for five passengers, has sleek design lines on its exterior and a low-key but classy interior styling. 

The interior is comfortable and cleanly arranged. It offers a maximum cargo space of 55.1 cubic feet when the rear seat is folded down. 

And there are plenty of tech treats in the Venza, such as a Qi wireless phone charger, four USB charging ports and a standard eight-inch multimedia touchscreen with Bluetooth connectivity and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto/Amazon Alexa compatibility. 

The Venza comes in four trim levels: LE, XLE, Nightshade and Limited.

Under the hood, the Venza features a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 219 horsepower and an electric motor linked to an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission and all-wheel drive. 

Fuel efficiency for the Venza is rated at 40 mpg city, 37 highway, according to EPA.

Pricing for the Venza starts at around $35,000 and ranges to around $43,000. 

For a crossover that has so much of what today's buyers are seeking, the Venza makes a compelling case for itself.

2023 Nissan LEAF: Get It Before It's Gone

Even as gasoline prices have dropped in recent weeks, interest in electric vehicles continues to be strong, as more vehicle buyers show concerns about the environment and how to reduce carbon footprints. With that in mind, we take a look at the 2023 Nissan LEAF. 

The LEAF is an all-electric, compact hatchback that has been on the market since 2010. However, Nissan recently announced that it is phasing out the LEAF, despite it being one of the most popular and affordable electric vehicles on the market. Nissan instead intends to focus its efforts on a newer, pricier EV model, the Ariya, as well as other electric vehicles.

Pricing for the LEAF has consistently hovered around the $30,000 mark, but the Ariya starts at $43,190, with higher-end versions running more like $60,000. Since the LEAF is made in Japan, it does not qualify for the electric vehicle tax credit.

The Ariya provides 216 to 289 miles of range, an upgrade from the LEAF's 123 - 212. 

And the Ariya will have a little more of a luxury feel, including leather seats and dark-grain wood paneling on the dashboard.

But, Nissan is reportedly planning some sort of successor to the LEAF slated for production in 2026, although the car will also be larger and more expensive.

But back to the current LEAF. It has seating for four and a maximum cargo capacity of 30 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

The LEAF comes in two trim levels: S and SV PLUS.

The LEAF gets its power from a standard AC synchronous electric motor and a 40kWh lithium-ion battery linked to a single-speed automatic transmission, combining to make 147 horsepower. Also available is another AC synchronous electric motor and a 62-kWh battery that make 214 horsepower. The LEAF featuring the 40kWh battery has an EPA-estimated, pure electric range of 123 miles, while the 60-kWh battery model has a 212-mile range. 

The LEAF has solid driving dynamics, with smooth, steady acceleration, responsive handling and firm braking. No need to worry about feeling like you're taking a golf cart out onto the highway. 

The interior design is nothing fancy, but is neatly styled with driver controls being fairly intuitively placed. Comfort level is serviceable. 

The main thing to keep in mind with this and most all-electric vehicles is that you must be mindful of the range it can handle on a full charge. While 212 miles (the max range of a LEAF) is certainly nothing to sneeze at, you have to keep in mind that near the end of the range, you're going to need a power source to plug in to. For now, those are still fairly limited on U.S. highways. So if long road trips are your thing, an all EV might not be your best choice. 

Pricing for the LEAF starts at around $29,000 and ranges to around $37,000.

 

2023 Toyota 4Runner: Still a Champion in the SUV World

One of the best and most popular SUVs of all time continues to show why it is deserving of high praise. The 2023 Toyota 4Runner, with seating for five, is spacious enough to haul people and cargo, but not too large to fit in average parking spaces and garages. Add to that the fact that it has long enjoyed outstanding reliability ratings, and you see why the 4Runner could be considered king of SUVs. 

The 4Runner has a maximum cargo capacity of 89.7 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down, great for hauling a bike, golf clubs or small or medium-sized pieces of furniture. 

It comes in eight trim levels: SR5, TRD Sport, SR5 Premium, TRD Off Road, TRD Off Road Premium, 40th Anniversary, Limited and TRD Pro.

Under the hood, the 4Runner features a standard 4.0-liter V-6 engine that makes 270 horsepower and is linked to a five-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, with four-wheel drive optional. 

Fuel efficiency for the 4Runner is rated by EPA as 16 mpg city/19 highway. 

The 4Runner offers a smooth ride and plenty of head room and leg room for passengers. 

Pricing for the 4Runner starts at around $41,000 and ranges to around $56,000. 

Among traditional SUVs, it's hard to beat the Toyota 4Runner. 

2023 Nissan Frontier: For Work or for Play, It Can Get the Job Done

 

Midsize pickup trucks have always been popular because of their versatility and the idea that they're a little easier to drive (and fuel up) than full-size trucks. With that in mind, we took a look at the 2023 Nissan Frontier. 

The Frontier got a redesign last year, which featured more athletic styling and less chrome. The Frontier comes in two cab sizes: King (which seats four) and Crew (seats five). Crew models also come with a choice of short or long bed sizes as well.

Three trim levels are available: S, SV and PRO-4X.

Under the hood is a standard 3.8-liter V-6 engine that makes 310 horsepower and is linked to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, with four-wheel drive optional. Fuel economy for the RWD Frontier is estimated by EPA to be 18 mpg city, 24 highway. It drops a bit to 17 and 22 for the 4WD Frontier.

You'll enjoy a pretty comfortable interior in the Frontier, even in the Crew cab with seating for five. The cargo space of the bed also comes in handy when you're trying to tackle projects around the house, or even if you're just headed out on a road trip and want to pack a bike or some golf gear. 

Pricing for the Frontier starts at around $30,000 and ranges to around $40,000.

For a light-duty truck that can handle a good workload and still provide a little comfort and style, the Nissan Frontier is a strong choice. 

What's the Deal with Electric Vehicle Tires? We've Got Some Answers

 

As electric vehicles continue to grow in popularity, consumers face a deluge of perspectives about the EV ownership experience and requirements. In a vehicle category rife with early-adopter excitement, there’s also a fair share of confusion and misinformation, especially about EV tires. To address these questions, we've put together some information from a variety of sources that you may find helpful.    Question No. 1 – Do EVs really need special tires?  Yes and no, depending on the owner’s performance and safety priorities and expected usage. Here are four basic categories.   Original Equipment EV Tires –EVs are factory-fitted with original equipment (OE) EV tires designed to meet the vehicle manufacturer’s requirements, with a specific focus on EV range and efficiency. While EV range among vehicle brands and models continues to increase, range anxiety remains a focal point mainly due to a still-growing EV charging infrastructure.   “These tires often use efficiency-focused compounds and lower molded tread depths to maximize efficiency and range,” said TJ Campbell, tire information and testing manager for Tire Rack. “EV OE tires also may have a sound-absorbing foam layer to keep certain frequencies at bay. And the tire’s internal structure may have more robust materials or increased lateral support to handle the force of an EV’s increased weight.”   EV-Focused Tires – There are tires that aren’t designed for a specific auto manufacturer application but are designed from the start to meet EV applications. These EV-focused tires may target some specific OE applications, but since they’re not original equipment the tire manufacturers can focus on their performance goals rather than the vehicle manufacturer’s requirements.   Hybrid Design EV Tires – Tire manufacturers may take an existing tire and make changes for EV use (add foam, modify the tread pattern, focus on noise reduction, modify internal structure or use lower rolling resistance compounds).   Conventional Tires – There is no rule stating that an EV owner has to use tires designed for EV applications. Any tire that meets the vehicle’s load, speed, pressure and size requirements can be installed on an EV.

“EV OE tires also may have a sound-absorbing foam layer to keep certain frequencies at bay," said TJ Campbell, Tire Rack tire information & testing manager. "And the tire’s internal structure may have more robust materials or increased lateral support to handle the force of an EV’s increased weight.”   Below: Tire Rack added Tesla Model 3 EVs to its test fleet earlier this year to collect important data through both real-world driving and testing on the its track at its South Bend, Ind., headquarters. The attributes that make a tire a good tire don’t change based on the vehicle’s propulsion. Whether EV or a traditional internal cumbustion engine (ICE) vehicle, drivers need confident dry, wet, and winter traction and want comfort, ride quality, efficiency, and good tread wear. But tires designed for EVs may be better suited to deliver what many EV owners come to expect, such as optimized range and efficiency and minimal noise and vibration. Question No. 2 – So EV range and efficiency is No. 1. How do tires affect these qualities? Three things can affect your EV’s range and efficiency: tire rolling resistance, tire wear and weather.   Rolling Resistance – This is the force needed to keep tires rolling, and rolling resistance varies among tire models. Generally, the OE-spec tire delivers the optimum range and is the safe bet if range is the priority. In private testing of OE EV tires vs. popular replacement market tires, the replacement tire showed an 11 percent drop or 34-mile reduction in calculated range, yet the replacement tire also showed significant increases in performance in dry, wet, and winter conditions.    Wear affects range – As tires wear, mass decreases and compounds harden, and the force needed to keep them rolling decreases. Simply put, range increases as tires wear and rolling resistance decreases. Great, right? Not exactly. The tire’s performance and grip also decrease, so there is a safety tradeoff. It’s common to see EV range drop with new tires, even the exact same brand and model. Private testing showed a 27-mile increase in range with a worn tire compared with a new tire. Replacing a worn set of high-efficiency OE tires with new tires could decrease range by 15 to 20 percent, but again it’s a range vs. increased performance and driving safety tradeoff.   Weather also affects range – EV owners know that running the heat when it’s cold and the AC when it’s hot robs battery power and affects range. However, outside and road surface temperatures, as well as rain, can affect range, too. Rain often comes with wind, requiring more energy to move the vehicle, and calm rain also decreases range because it takes more power to move the tires through the street surface water. Private testing showed a 27-mile drop in calculated range in dry vs. wet testing. Even if dry, cold temps can impact range. Experts tested the exact same tire in 36 and 61 degree outside temperatures and recorded 235 and 292 miles in calculated range, respectively, further indicating that weather and conditions do impact a tire’s range efficiency.   And there’s more – Another factor to consider is driver behavior. Whether an EV or an ICE vehicle, aggressive acceleration, cornering, and braking will increase tire wear and structural stress, along with reducing range or miles per gallon (MPG). The attributes that make a tire a good tire don’t change based on the vehicle’s propulsion. Whether EV or ICE, drivers need confident dry, wet, and winter traction and want comfort, ride quality, efficiency, and good tread wear. But tires designed for EVs may be better suited to deliver what many EV owners come to expect, such as optimized range and efficiency and minimal noise and vibration. Question No. 3 – Do EV tires wear out faster than non-EV tires? Yes and no. Tires on EVs tend to wear out more quickly than when installed on a comparable ICE vehicle. So it’s not that EV tires wear faster but rather that tires wear faster when installed on an EV. The commonly quoted figure in the tire industry is 20 percent less wear life with an EV vs. an ICE vehicle.    And different factors contribute to this wear, such as an EV’s increased weight vs. a comparable ICE vehicle, and also changing driving habits related to an EV’s instant torque and acceleration. Again, according to Campbell, there are tradeoffs. “If you have a tire that’s hyper focused on efficiency and therefore range, it might sacrifice wear, among other desirable characteristics.”

Blue Stone Arts and Music Festival: Sandy Springs Shows its Fun Side

 

Sandy Springs, Ga., recently hosted the Blue Stone Arts and Music Festival. It brought together a variety of artists, musical acts and of course, food trucks. The event was an ideal family outing or great for a date night.