motivepanjatan: November 2012

Friday, November 30, 2012

Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid 2013 Priced from $25,790

Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid 2013 Priced from $25,790. Volkswagen slightly confused us last year when it announced that it was putting a hybrid variant of its Jetta sedan on sale here in the U.S., not least because the brand already offers us Yanks the hugely efficient diesel Jetta TDI. We already reported on the Jetta hybrid’s particulars after it debuted at this year’s Detroit auto show, but here’s the short summary: The newest Jetta variant utilizes an all-new hybrid powertrain to serve up TDI-beating fuel economy. The hybrid’s on-sale date is drawing near, and even though we’re still not convinced it’s necessary, at least VW has cleared up the question of the fuel-sipper’s price: The 2013 Jetta hybrid will start at $25,790, $2005 more than the least-expensive TDI.

Honda Accord Plug-In and Standard Accord Hybrid 2014 Review. With all the attention and favorable press generated by the recently revamped 2013 Accord, it’s easy to forget that Honda’s been teasing a hybrid version ever since they displayed their two-motor hybrid platform at the L.A. auto show two years ago. And although the drivetrain model on display was just a concept, Honda had us behind the wheel of an engineering mule within a matter of months, evidently working overtime to make sure the Accord Hybrid would be ready in time to compete with the Chevy Volt, Ford Fusion, and Toyota Camryhybrids in the marketplace. To get in the game without further delay, Honda is releasing the 2014 Accord Hybrid in two stages: the Plug-In Hybrid will go on sale in the trendy tastemaker states of New York and California on January 15 of 2013; interested buyers in fly-over country will have to wait until midyear when the so-called “standard” Accord Hybrid (non plug-in) becomes available.

Honda Civic 2013 Review. Honda is getting close to being on a roll, following the introduction of the redesigned 2013 Accord sedan and coupe, which we like very much indeed. The mid-size duo are massively improved over their immediate forebears, mostly thanks to a rash of small, incremental changes that managed to bring back the Accord’s trademark fun-to-drive dynamics that were lost in the model’s previous overhaul. But to be on a roll, Honda needs to follow the Accord with a second act, and the updated 2013 Civic sedan and coupe might just be the company’s next momentum-booster.

Porsche Cayman / Cayman S 2013 Review. We can only guess how Porsche purists dealt with the recent launch of theCayenne diesel, but we imagine that the addition of the updated Cayman to the brand’s lineup will more than make up for it. Appropriately launched in Los Angeles, where a sizeable portion of Porsche 's customer base is located, this is the second generation of the Cayman, based on the third-generation Boxster. For reasons unknown, Porsche refers to this car as the "third-generation Cayman."

Mazda CX-5 2014 Review. The Mazda CX-5 may have debuted just a year ago in Frankfurt, but the Japanese automaker already has an update in store for the 2014 model. No, this isn’t an emergency mid-cycle refresh as we’ve seen with the 2013 Honda Civic—in fact, the CX-5 recently won a six-crossover comparison shootout—but rather an opportunity for Mazda to broaden the powertrain lineup and introduce a couple of new technologies for the brand’s second-best-selling vehicle.

Jaguar XK 2012 Review

Jaguar XK 2012 Review. Jaguar's sleek grand tourer gets a new range-topping model, the 2012 Jaguar XKR-S. Elsewhere, styling on the regular XK and XKR has been slightly altered with new front and rear fascias, new headlamps and LED running lights. Inside, the XK receives upgraded interior materials and a rearview camera that's now standard on all models.

Jaguar XF 2011 Review. The Jaguar XF receives a few minor changes. Most notably, the base model's 4.2-liter V8 has been replaced by the larger and more powerful 5.0-liter V8 from the more expensive XF Premium. To deal with the additional performance, the base XF gets larger front brakes and Jaguar Drive Control Dynamic mode, a system that provides sportier settings for the suspension, throttle and transmission shift points. Chief among the other changes is the availability of a heated windshield for all XFs.

Hyundai Veloster 2012 Review. An old adage says, "Fortune favors the bold." We wouldn't be too surprised if we saw that quote hanging above the designers who developed the 2012 Hyundai Veloster. The new Veloster is a brave interpretation of the modern hatchback, with sleek lines, aggressive details and an asymmetrical three-door layout. Yes, there are three real doors here, not two doors and a hatch or rear-hinged mini door. Hyundai achieved this by using a longer coupe-like door on the driver side and two smaller sedan-like doors on the passenger side. The idea here is that you get sporty coupe styling without sacrificing convenience.

Hyundai Genesis 2012 Review. Hyundai adds a 5.0-liter V8-powered model to the lineup, increases horsepower for the base V6 and makes an eight-speed automatic transmission standard across the board. The 3.8 and 4.6 models also gain new low-rolling-resistance tires.

Hyundai Azera 2012 Review. For the past few years, Hyundai has been redesigning vehicles and rolling out new product like it's been on a Red Bull bender. Lost in the mix, however, has been the large Azera sedan that time -- and seemingly Hyundai -- forgot. But for 2012, Hyundai has finally gotten around to sprinkling the Azera with its fairy dust, and the results are quite impressive.

Buick Verano 2012 Review

Buick Verano 2012 Review. Approaching from behind in the parking garage, the 2012 Buick Verano looks askance from its scowling chrome taillight eyebrows. "You were expecting, what, a Skyhawk?"

Buick LaCrosse 2012 Review. This four-cylinder LaCrosse is a risk for Buick, in that if you sell an underpowered car to people who don't prize performance, you might end up with your car becoming associated with plodding pace and holding up traffic.

Buick Regal eAssist 2012 Review. I pulled up to an intersection near my house in the 2012 Buick Regal eAssist and noted that I was surrounded by three Buick LaCrosses. Four Buicks at one stoplight isn't surprising--I live in a General Motors-centric area, near the massive GM-Orion plant, halfway between GM HQ in downtown Detroit and the former home of Buick in Flint. What was surprising was that the four cars were the most stylish lookers at the corner, at least to my eye.

Nissan NV Passenger SL 2012 Review. It's not unusual to answer questions from a neighbor or passer-by when driving a luxury car or sports car for this job—but this is the first time a full-size van has earned me impromptu chat. A guy driving a huge panel van stopped in the street as I was putting seats back into the NV Passenger. “Is that new?” he asked. So I gave him the lowdown—the NV is a new entry for Nissan in the full-size van segment; it uses the same truck platform and powertrains as the Titan pickup and Armada SUV; and Nissan is taking aim at the traditional segment powers: the Ford Econoline and Chevrolet Express.

Kia Sorento EX 2012 Review. There are a whole lot of SUVs on the market I'd plunk down my $32K for before this Kia Sorento EX, especially considering this is a four-cylinder powered one. How many of those might be seven-seaters could be another matter. In that light this is a bargain. Overall, as a midsize SUV goes, not so much.

Dodge Dart Limited 2013 Review

Dodge Dart Limited 2013 Review. I'd been looking forward to driving the Dart since the car was revealed—this marks my first impression, if you don't count drives of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta that helped form my positive underlying opinion of the car. I'll admit that despite my good vibes going in, and the car's apparent high level of equipment for this money, I was somewhat underwhelmed—at least at first. The car seemed softened too much, with oversized upholstery, and I found it hard to find the “just right” driving position. Within a block of the office, the suspension crashed so hard over a bump in the pavement on a corner that I was really concerned that I'd set way too high an expectation. The drive home was generally uneventful, but allowed me time to start getting accustomed to the Dart and learn to appreciate its Italian nuances.

Honda Ridgeline Sport 2012 Review. This Honda Ridgeline Sport 2012 is a comfortable, nice-looking vehicle that drives more like a crossover with a bed, rather than a true truck. That's to be expected, but the Ridgeline actually has a decent amount of grunt and can tow 5,000 pounds. It's not fast by any means, but the 250 ponies are up to the task for merging onto expressways and launches from a stop if you aggressively use the throttle. The five-speed is fine, and four-wheel drive is a nice feature, though I had no reason to use it in my brief stint.

Lincoln MKZ 2013 Review. No one at Lincoln minimizes the importance of the 2013 MKZ. The sedan is the first of four new Lincolns debuting over the next three years, and the starting point for an overhaul intended to remake the brand and return it to prosperity, or at least relevance. Lincoln’s management team understands that the clock is ticking.

It was raining, one of the world's toughest road courses was pretty wet and all the cars had 640 hp at the rear wheels. What could possibly go wrong?

Buick Regal GS 2012 Review . The Buick Regal GS 2012 is a strong, sporty execution for Buick that's sharply styled and fun to drive. The chassis is excellent. I like the styling cues that blend bling and subtlety, and the cabin is purposeful and well-laid out.

BMW M6 Convertible 2012 Review

After two years without one (how did we survive?), the BMW M6 convertible will be back in showrooms in late June. “It's the fastest convertible we've ever made,” said M brand manager Matt Russell. If you measure “fastest” by top speed, BMWs have been electronically limited to 155 mph for some time, which is pretty fast. But if you look at 0-to-60-mph times, it should take just 4.2 seconds, a few tenths quicker than the old model. The M6 also does it more efficiently, with a 30 percent mileage improvement.

Cynics would say that the 640i Gran Coupe is a BMW CLS, a Bavarian copy of the Mercedes-Benz CLS four-door coupe introduced way back in 2005 (not to be confused with the two-door 1973 BMW CSL coupe). The 2012 BMW 6-series Gran Coupe certainly shares its basic proportions with the Mercedes CLS, a car now well into its second generation. But BMW designed its Gran Coupe with its own distinct take on the genre, with a relatively small greenhouse canted inward around the edges and dolloped on top of a wide, powerful base. There is less of the distinct roofline arch that you see flowing from nose to tail on the Mercedes.

I won't say that the 2012 BMW 528i xDrive is slow, because when you wind it out it gets up and going. But the acceleration isn't something you'd comment on, unless, of course, it was the lack of acceleration.

When Volvo introduced the redesigned S60 for 2011, it relegated the availability of the Haldex AWD system to the higher-spec T6 model, leaving the five-cylinder T5 to make do with front-wheel drive. In an attempt to sell more cars in climes where premium customers won't bite unless all-wheel drive is available, Volvo added four-wheel motivation to the T5 as a $2,000 option.

At the end of 1989, Toyota put the world's schmantziest carmakers on notice. Detroit was stumbling aimlessly through its quality nadir. The Europeans were selling finicky machines that were as expensive to buy and maintain as they were enjoyable to drive.

Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG 2012 Review

The Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG is an effortless assassin, offering an abundance of power delivered in smooth, athletic fashion. The naturally aspirated V8 is the critical element in this machine. It sounds great, delivers a lot of grunt from launch and when thrusting to higher speeds on the expressway, and it really feels like a hot rod at times. A well-dressed one? Yes. But the engine offers up so much juice it's hard to not want to drive this thing fast.

The ActiveHybrid 3 is BMW's fourth series-production hybrid. After the short-lived X6 ActiveHybrid and the more recently introduced ActiveHybrid 7 and ActiveHybrid 5, there is now another gasoline-electric-powered BMW to tempt U.S. car buyers.

BMW has offered the X1 in Europe since 2009, but the company waited for this mid-cycle refresh to bring its small SUV to the U.S. market. While BMW offers a plethora of X1 gasoline and diesel variants outside of North America, we'll get two engines: the 28i featuring a twin-scroll turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and the U.S.-exclusive 35i employing BMW's potent twin-scroll turbo 3.0-liter six mated to a six-speed automatic. All- or rear-wheel drive is offered with the smaller engine (SDrive28i or XDrive28i), while all-wheel drive is standard with the bigger powerplant in the XDrive35i.

This BMW 335i sedan is a pricey little bugger. It's a very nice, small-to-midsize sedan seriously let down by its tires. On all but the smoothest pavement, the ride is harsh and slams over road imperfections, even in comfort mode. BMW's run-flat program is not good--witness our troubles with the long-term 550i xDrive.

Wow, this BMW Z4 sDrive 28i is really yellow and expensive. And a whole lot of fun. I really like this 2.0-liter engine with its decent torque relatively low in the rev range for such a small engine, and the turbo picks up midrange and really packs a punch. The gearbox action and clutch engagement are spot-on, just what we've come to expect from BMW. The steering is direct, and the suspension settings can be set for sport or comfort. While there's not really enough horsepower to kick the rear end out in twisty corners, there's certainly more than enough oomph to keep the driver engaged.

Audi A8 L 4.2 FSI 2012 Review

I'm left a bit flat by this big German bruiser, which surprises me. The seats are fantastic, the infotainment system is easy to use and the whole car smells of fine leather and wood. But as a package, particularly a $90,000 package, the 2012 Audi A8 L 4.2 FSI is not my favorite mode of transport in the segment.

This is what the Audi TT should be--a high-revving, precise-handling, rock-solid all-wheel-drive sports coupe. I’ve always felt that the front-drive TT roadster was a bit of a poseur, with not enough chassis stiffness and too much front-drive understeer to support its high-charging aspirations. This car, with the fixed roof and well-balanced all-wheel drive, does a great job of exorcising all of the demons and bringing out the car’s devilish character.

This is certainly a handsome execution of the 2012 Audi A4, and the manual gearbox makes it come alive for enthusiast pursuits. I love this bright red color, which was absolutely gleaming when I grabbed the keys and headed out after work. I like the simple elegance of the A4’s design. It’s balanced, sleek and done in a smart fashion. I love these headlights, too. Seeing the reflection of the outlines in vehicles in front of you is arresting.

The RS5 is the top performance model in Audi's A5 range, picking up the corporate 4.2-liter V8 that was deleted from the S4 at last year's facelift. This V8, however, is an upgraded version with 450 hp, rather than the 420 hp it produces in the Audi R8.

Call it a midsize crossover all you like, but the 2012 Audi Q5 3.2 FSI Prestige is a heavy vehicle, and one feels every pound. The unboosted V6 is a delight at higher rpm, but when lugging around town I wished for Audi’s supercharged six and its extra torque down low. Or a diesel, for that matter.

Chevrolet Spark EV 2014 First Drive

Take a Chevy Spark. Remove about 150 pounds from the front end. Add 400 in the rear. Garnish with 320 extra lb ft of torque. It can run silent, and according the ads, Chevy runs deep. So it has a couple of things in common with a submarine. You can call it Alvin. Given that every electrified GM model undergoes a full saltwater-immersion test before entering production, the comparison is marginally apt. Marginally.

The second-generation RDX is so different from Acura's first foray into the small-crossover segment, it could almost justify a new name. But Acura doesn't want to further confuse potential buyers, so instead Honda's high-end brand is retaining the RDX badge but rolling out a significantly different vehicle.

It's the third evolution of Aston Martin's current two-door GT. The 2012 Virage slots between the more understated DB9 and the testosterone-heavy DBS.

The Aston Martin Vanquish, coming next spring as a 2014 model, replaces the DBS in Aston's lineup. It wears an all-carbon body and a new V12 boasting 565 hp and 457 lb ft of torque. The powerplant is an all-new block and head with variable-valve timing, new fuel pump, bigger throttle bodies and a bigger intake manifold.

I have been a growing fan of Audi for years and I really liked the A5 coupe when it was released. The four rings have kept the hype going, releasing one great car after another for the past few years. This could be the best-looking car in the stable besides the R8.

Acura ILX 2013 offers performance and refinement

Acura's engineers will tell you that the vowel in ILX stands for inomama, a Japanese word for intuitive handling that roughly translates to “it does what we expect it to do” as a premium sports sedan.

What an outstanding engine and gearbox combo—there could be a decade-old chassis on top of it (and come to think of it, there might be), and the powertrain alone would make the Acura TSX 2012 Special Edition a strong contender in the near-luxury sports-sedan market. I'm not prone to gushing, but the six-speed manual in this Acura is hands-down the best stick shift I've driven in years. Combined with the smooth, zingy four-cylinder engine, the TSX is an example of the mechanical mastery of which Honda is capable when it tries.

The Acura MDX 2012 is a classy SUV with respectable power and a bit of space inside. Using it for a commuter lap, I unfortunately didn’t make full use of its potential, but I’ll leave that to members of the staff with offspring of the two- and four-legged variety.

The Acura TL continues to surprise as it evolves in its current fourth generation.

What a difference a day makes. Last night I was in the Mini Cooper S Coupe and then I get in this Volkswagen GTI Two-Door 2012. I was thinking about trade-offs yesterday with the Coupe, but after the GTI I realized there's no need. The Mini was bone-breaking on 90 percent of the roads around here. But on the 10 percent that was smooth, that thing was razor sharp.

Kia Rio EX 2012 Review

The Kia Rio EX 2012 sedan looks miles better than its predecessor but still has a little ways to go before it looks as good as the hatchback. The tiger-nose grille, as funny as it sounds, does make the front end look a bit cute. The rear sits up a bit too high for my taste; it makes the car look narrow. The styling on the rear is OK, but it's nothing like the hatch, which I say looks almost cool.

Still in house-moving mode for the second week with many more likely to come. So another pickup truck request and the Chevrolet Avalanche LTZ 2012 assigned. Didn’t know Chevrolet still made the Avalanche—thought it’d been killed a while back.

This Ford F-150 XLT SuperCrew 2012 seems like a whole lot of truck for the money, considering a loaded-like-this F-150 or Chevrolet Silverado usually comes in closer to $50K if memory serves. I like the big pickups from Ford, Chevy and Dodge. With this particular sample, it's all about the EcoBoost engine. Why should one consider an EcoBoost instead of a V8? With this stout twin-turbo V6 you have the ability to tow up to 11,300-pound if that is what you need. When you're not towing and the turbos aren't always spooled up, you should get more than 20 mpg on the highway. Show me another light-duty truck that will give you that kind of mileage and towing capability.

The Mercedes Energ-G-Force, which will debut at the Los Angeles auto show, could be the shape of Mercedes SUVs to come--if you like it.

The Honda Crosstour 2013 gets a base price of $27,230, which is $525 lower than 2012 model. The sheetmetal is reworked for the new year, and some equipment has changed.

Friday, November 30, 2012

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Friday, November 23, 2012

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Friday, November 16, 2012

Thursday, November 15, 2012