William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

August 28, 2013

"Why is Volkswagen doing a hybrid version of the Jetta?!"

That was my response when the news first came that Volkswagen would be introducing the Jetta Hybrid. On one hand this doesn't make sense. Volkswagen is known as the diesel automaker with five vehicles that offer amazing fuel economy and performance. Plus, diesel vehicles in the U.S. are making huge inroads. According to R.L. Polk, registration of diesel vehicles have increased 24.3 percent from 2010 to 2012.

However there are still a fair number of the public who believe that diesel is EVIL! Instead they are turning to hybrids which also offers amazing fuel economy numbers. Volkswagen not wanting to miss out on this has created the Jetta Hybrid. But this being Volkswagen, they did it their way. In this case, you'll find a turbocharged engine, dual-clutch gearbox, and promises of fun to driveness. Does it fully work?

The Jetta Hybrid's design is very much a Jetta. That's to say the current incarnation is very conservative. You'll find crisp lines and a tailored rear end as its distinctive design cues. Some believe the design will age well in the coming years. I agree with that, but is that something you should be proud of in a design?

There are little giveaways that help differentiate the Jetta Hybrid from a normal Jetta, but you're going to have to get close to notice them. There is a new grille and small spoiler in a effort to improve aerodynamics. Other changes include LED taillights, new wheels, and a number of 'hybrid' badges on the vehicle.

Moving inside, it's hard to tell the difference between a normal Jetta and Jetta Hybrid. The only real giveaway that you're in the Hybrid is a new gauge cluster that replaces the tachometer with an Eco/Power/Charge gauge that makes no sense. Sure it will tell you how aggressive you are on the throttle, but it's not tied to something quantifiable. Stick with the trip computer in the gauge cluster that provides a screen that shows which powertrain is working if you want to maximize your MPGs.

Much like the exterior, the Jetta Hybrid's interior design is plain. Material quality is pretty poor as the door panels and lower trim pieces are hard plastics that look like they came from milk crates. This is a huge no-no on a vehicle with a $30k+ pricetag. The only real bright spots inside were a soft touch dash and aluminum-like trim pieces.

Another downside to the Jetta Hybrid is the infotainment system. Volkswagen uses a small five-inch touch screen that provides radio, navigation, and information about the hybrid system. While I liked the simple navigation interface and the screens showing the important hybrid information, the rest of the system is not great. The touch points on the screen are too small and I found myself repeatedly hitting them to get something to happen. You also can't pan from one part of the map to another which I found somewhat annoying. Finally, I don't like that Volkswagen uses this small screen in a number of their high-end compact vehicles (Jetta Hybrid, GLI, GTI, and Beetle Turbo). I would be willing to shell out a few more dollars just so I can have a larger screen.

Not all is bad with the Jetta Hybrid's interior. To start, the Jetta Hybrid has one of the largest interiors in the compact class. That means you and your passengers will be able to find a comfortable position in the vehicle. There is also the excellent Fender audio system which pumped out some great sound. I originally thought this would be just a stick-on name to a mediocre sound system, but I was wrong.

The heart of the Jetta Hybrid is 1.4L turbocharged four-cylinder, paired with a 20kW electric motor. Total output stands at 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. A 220-volt, 60-cell lithium-ion battery pack helps power the electric motor. Volkswagen uses their seven-speed DSG transmission to send the power to front wheels.

The hybrid powertrain provides a surprising punch of power. The 1.4L turbo engine shows little lag and paired with the electric motor, provides smooth acceleration no matter the occasion. The smooth shifting DSG is lightning quick with its gear changes. At low speeds or if you are gentle on the throttle, the Jetta Hybrid will run on the electric motor alone for a time up to 37 MPH. You can also engage E-Mode which turns the engine off and lets you use the electric motor only. I found myself turning on E-Mode when entering my neighborhood to save more gas.

The one complaint I'll level at the powertrain is when I'm leaving a stop. The powertrain goes through a shuddering stage as the computer works out which mode it should go into. Volkswagen still has some bugs to work out.

Fuel economy is rated at 42 City/48 Highway/45 Combined. During my week, I got an average 40.1 MPG in mixed driving. This is a vehicle where you have to learn how to drive it correctly if you want to attain high MPG numbers.

Fun to drive isn't something you would expect of a hybrid, but the Jetta Hybrid is that. Borrowing the suspension from the Jetta GLI, the Hybrid is engaging on a nice curvy road. It's a shame I can't say the same about the Hybrid's steering which is light and not very good at communicating the road to the driver. On the flip side, the suspension is very competent on providing a comfortable and smooth ride. The steering makes it a breeze of navigating tight parking spots and the city.

The big question when talking about hybrids is 'how are the brakes?' The Jetta Hybrid is much like any other hybrid; the brakes are very grabby. Weirdly, I found the pedal would offer some brake feel sometimes and there would be none other times. This is something I believe Volkswagen should go back to the drawing board on.

The Jetta Hybrid leaves me in a bit of a quandary. On one hand the Jetta Hybrid is packs a nice punch of power from the hybrid powertrain and is very competent when you want to have some fun. But the fuel economy, interior material quality, and as-tested pricetag give me hesitation. Factor in the similar fuel economy and lower pricetag of the Jetta TDI and the Jetta Hybrid becomes a bit tougher to argue.

In summary: If you want the best hybrid, go with the Prius. If you want the most fuel economy in the Volkswagen family and something fun, go with the Jetta TDI. The Jetta Hybrid just cannot make a very compelling argument.

Disclaimer: Volkswagen provided the Jetta Hybrid, insurance, and one tank of gas.

Year: 2013

Make: Volkswagen

Model: Jetta Hybrid

Trim: SEL Premium

Engine: 1.4L Turbocharged and Intercooled Inline Four-Cylinder, Electric Motor

Driveline: Front-Wheel Drive, Seven-Speed DSG Transmission

Horsepower @ RPM: (Gas) 150 @ 5,000; (Electric) 27 @ 0; (Combined) 170 @ 5,000

Torque @ RPM: (Gas) 184 @ 1,600; (Electric) 114 @ 0; (Combined) 184 @ 1,000

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 42/48/45

Curb Weight: 3,312 lbs

Location of Manufacture: Puebla, Mexico

Base Price: $31,180.00

As Tested Price: $32,010.00* (Includes $795.00 destination charge)

Options:

First Aid Kit - $35.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

August 21, 2013

Read any recent reviews of Hyundai vehicles? If you have, then I'm sure you have noticed a trend. A number of reviews (including mine) have included some variation of this line: 'Hyundai is a fast learner and the next or refreshed model will be great.'

Case in point, the Genesis Coupe. When the Genesis Coupe went on sale in 2009, eyebrows were raised. A year before, Hyundai unveiled the Genesis sedan and people were trying fathom the idea of a rear-drive Hyundai. Much like the sedan, the Genesis Coupe was mostly well-received aside from a few problems; the gearbox was a bit of a mess, the brakes needed some work, and the handling was a bit of a handful. Fast forward to 2012 and Hyundai gave the Genesis Coupe a massive refresh to address those problems.

I recently spent a week with a 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track to see if the mantra of 'the next model will be better' works or not, and find out if it deserves to be on the list of sports cars.

The Genesis Coupe is a pretty good looking coupe. Hyundai's 'fluidic design' makes a noticeable appearance with sharp creases and a distinctive character line along the doors to the rear. The rear end is short and comes with a rear spoiler to accentuate its sportiness. There is one part of the Genesis Coupe that you either love or hate and that is the front end. For the 2013 model, Hyundai changed up the front end with a new hexagonal grille, new HID headlights and fog lights, and new hood with faux hood scoops. The new look does give it more aggression, but it also makes it look somewhat ugly.

Inside, the Genesis Coupe is all business. You slip into nicely bolstered leather front seats with power adjustments that hold you in if you decide to have a bit of fun. You'll also take in sporty touches such as a brushed trim along the center stack and a trio of gauges that show ECO (fuel economy), torque, and oil temp. The gauges are a bit hard to look at a glance thanks to their low position on the center stack. Also, I'm trying figure out why Hyundai put an ECO gauge since there is a average fuel economy screen in the trip computer.

My tester came equipped with a seven-inch touchscreen that houses Hyundai's BlueLink infotainment system and navigation. I found the screen to be somewhat of a reach, but the system responded quickly and provided excellent graphics.

As for the back seat, that's best left for small children, items, and your imaginary friends.

You have the choice of two different engines for the Genesis Coupe. The base is a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder, while a 3.8L Direct-Injected V6 is the top engine. My tester came with the 3.8 and it packs quite the punch with 348 horsepower and 295 pound-feet. To say the engine is intoxicating to play with is a massive understatement. To start, the 3.8L loves to pull. Hit the accelerator pedal and the Genesis coupe snarls into life and moves you at a serious rate. 60 MPH is dealt within 5 seconds. Hyundai has also fitted a sound enhancer that brings the howl inside. It made me bury the throttle to the floor many times during the week.

Where the Genesis Coupe hits a wall is the optional eight-speed automatic. While it's smooth and knows what gear it should be in when driven sensibly or hard, it's the transition between the two that trips up the transmission. It seems the programming goes into schizophrenic phase and cannot decide what to do for a moment or so and then it figures it out and moves on. Not what I was expecting.

Fuel economy for the 2013 Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track is rated at 16 City/25 Highway/19 Combined. My average for the week was around 20.2 MPG in mixed conditions.

The Genesis 3.8 Track comes equipped with a track tuned suspension which makes it a love and hate relationship. You'll love how the Genesis Coupe is able to corner on your favorite road. You'll hate how stiff it is when your driving back and forth daily. The same applies to the steering. You'll enjoy the heftiness and feel it provides when you're attacking the road. However the heavy weight is verging on too much when your driving around on regular roads. It's a give and take with the Track model. Those looking for something not as harsh should look at the Genesis Coupe 3.8 Grand Touring.

As for the brakes, the Track model comes equipped with a Brembo brake package. This braking system is very well done and brings the Genesis Coupe to a stop in short time.

The mantra of Hyundai builds a great car the second time around rings very true with the 2013 Genesis Coupe. It wasn't that the original model was bad, there was just a lot of room for improvements. Hyundai made those improvements and created a car that fully belongs in the sports car class.

Disclaimer: Hyundai provided the Genesis Coupe, insurance, and one tank of gas.

Year: 2013

Make: Hyundai

Model: Genesis Coupe

Trim: 3.8 Track

Engine: 3.8L GDI Dual CVVT V6

Driveline: Rear-Wheel Drive, Eight-Speed Automatic Transmission

Horsepower @ RPM: 348 @ 6,400 rpm (Premium) / 344 @ 6,400 rpm (Regular)

Torque @ RPM: 295 lb-ft @ 5,100 rpm (Premium) / 292 lb-ft @ 5,100 rpm (Regular)

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 16/25/19

Curb Weight: 3,613 lbs

Location of Manufacture: Ulsan, Korea

Base Price: $34,250.00

As Tested Price: $35,290.00* (Includes $895.00 destination charge)

Options:

Carpeted Floor Mats - $110.00

iPod Cable - $35.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

August 15, 2013

Answer: This vehicle in 2012 sold 404,886 units, making it the best selling passenger car in the U.S. for the past eleven years

Question: What is the Toyota Camry?

Why has the Toyota Camry been the best selling car in the U.S. for eleven years? After spending a week with a 2013 Camry XLE four-cylinder, I might have the answer to this question.

The Camry's exterior design doesn't take any real risks. You won't find any distinctive sculpting, bold character lines, sloping roofline, or any other design cues that happen to be the hot thing at the moment. Toyota designers took the last-generation Camry, cleaned it up a bit by giving it some more tone and smoothing it out. I found it to be a nice looking vehicle.

Inside is somewhat a mess. The overall look feels somewhat dated with a mismatch design, hard materials in places where you think there should be soft-touch materials, and somewhat dated climate control interface. This isn't a good sign considering Toyota had just launched this generation of Camry for the 2012 model year.

There a few good points to the Camry's interior though. All of seats are very comfortable and there is a surprising amount of head and legroom for the front and back seat. Toyota's Entune infotainment system is one the easiest systems to use and provides a wide selection of audio choices and applications (such as Bing, OpenTable, and Pandora) you can access. I just wished the system was a little bit quicker when moving around the different functions and the screen did not wash out as easily in daylight.

The 2013 Camry sticks with the tried and true four-cylinder, V6, and hybrid powertrain lineup. My XLE tester came equipped with the 2.5L four-cylinder with 178 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. This is paired with a six-speed automatic that routes power to the front wheels. The engine and six-speed transmission might the bright spot in the Camry since its a very smooth and refined affair. Plus, I found the engine to provide enough power for daily driving. EPA rates the 2013 Camry XLE four-cylinder at 25 City/35 Highway/28 Combined. During my week with the Camry, I got 30.2 MPG.

Competent would the perfect word to describe the Camry's ride and handling. The suspension does a great impression of doing a big sedan ride as it smooths over bumps and road imperfections. The Camry does exhibit some lean and roll when cornering, but how many Camry drivers are going to push their car to the limit? Not many.

Why do many people buy the Camry? Well, partly its due to the Camry being a good car. Its not the most stylish, nor fun to drive. What the Camry does right is the basics; offer a vehicle that seat four comfortably, provides a comfortable ride and very good fuel economy, and a pricetag that doesn't hurt the bank. There is also the long standing reputation the Camry has built over the years. Looking for a vehicle that is reliable and worryfree? You want a Camry. Those two items have made the Camry a perennial breadwinner for Toyota.

However, the current Camry is just average. Back in the early to mid-nineties, if you wanted the best midsize sedan, you went to the Toyota dealer and pickup up a Camry. Now with the likes of the Ford Fusion, Nissan Altima, Mazda6, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, and Honda Accord, the 2013 Camry is riding on its reputation and name. I understand why many people get the Camry, but you doing yourself a great disservice by not looking at others. The midsize marketplace is as strong as it ever was.

To sum up, the 2013 Toyota Camry is a good car and many will buy it. However, there are a fair number of vehicles who are much better and deserve a look.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

Year - 2013

Make – Toyota

Model – Camry

Trim – XLE

Engine – 2.5L DOHC 16-Value w/Dual VTT-i Four-Cylinder

Driveline – Front-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic Transmission

Horsepower @ RPM – 178 @ 6,000 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 170 @ 4,100 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 25/35/28

Curb Weight – 3,245 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Georgetown, Kentucky

Base Price - $24,855.00

As Tested Price - $29,570.00* (Includes $795.00 destination charge)

Options:

Leather Package - $1,675.00

Convenience Package - $1,195.00

Display Audio with Navigation and Entune - $1,050.00

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

August 7, 2013

"And the winner of Miss Fleet Queen 2013 is.... the 2013 Chevrolet Impala! There she is, Miss Fleet Queen for 2013."

A bit harsh, but sadly it is true. The last generation Impala is known in the automotive world as being a fleet queen. Not many Impalas end up on driveways: Instead you can find them at your nearest rental lot, police station, or used car lot at very low prices. In fact, General Motors said that 70 percent of Impala sales in 2012 were to fleets. This isn't good news when you consider the resale value proposition and legendary status of the nameplate.

General Motors knew it was time to try and salvage the Impala nameplate, which brings us face to face with the 2014 Impala. GM hopes the new Impala can very much erase the past of fleet service and start a new chapter as Chevrolet's full-sedan. Can it though?

The first thing you can say about the new Impala is that it's a major improvement over the last one. The new model has presence and a style that is distinctly Chevrolet. The front end is very much influenced by the current Camaro. You have a long and very stout front end, with a small grille that is flanked by a set of narrow headlights. The sculpted hood and LED daytime running lights help give an aura of class.

Moving to the side, the Impala has two bold character lines; one stretching from the headlights to the rear door handles and the other running along the wheel arch. The back end features a chrome bar with the Impala name stamped and a set of chrome-tipped exhaust ports.

The big surprise of the new Impala lies inside. If you were expecting acres of hard plastic, awful wood trim, and just plain blahness, then you will find yourself with your mouth wide open at what Chevrolet has pulled off. The center focus of the interior is the dual brow dashboard that gets stitched leather accents along the top of gauge cluster and along the top edges of the dashboard and door panels. Chrome trim runs along the bottom to provide some contrast and has ambient blue backlighting which adds a nice touch of class. Materials and build quality are excellent.

Being a full-size sedan, you expect it to be very spacious for you and your passengers. The Impala delivers that in spades. The driver and front passenger will find power adjustments and heated and cooled seats. The driver also gets a power tilt and telescoping wheel. In the back, you'll find plenty of head and legroom.

As for technology, the Impala comes with a 4.2-inch color display in the instrument cluster that displays infotainment and vehicle information in a very clear and easy manner. The big news is the next-generation of Chevrolet's MyLink infotainment system. Housed in a eight-inch display, the second-generation system provides a new interface with large buttons to press, 3D maps, a much improved voice recognition system, and number of changes. Playing around with the system, I found it to be a little bit sluggish. Trying to move around the system or changing a system with touchscreen took longer than expected. Thankfully, Chevrolet provided a set of buttons and knobs below the screen to help control certain functions. Much like Cadillac CUE, I expect MyLink to get better after a update or two.

Powering the 2014 Impala is the well-known 3.6L direct-injected V6 engine with 305 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque. This is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission that routes power to the front wheels. If you have read past reviews of mine concerning GM vehicles equipped with the 3.6L, you know that my biggest compliant is that you have to work the engine to get to the power. The Impala is a little bit different. I found that Impala had a bit more power on the low end and was able to accelerate much quicker than its sister car, the Cadillac XTS. Much of this is attributed to Impala's lower curb weight of 3,800 pounds. The six-speed automatic provided smooth and crisp shifts.

Fuel economy wise, the EPA rates the 2014 Chevrolet Impala at 19 City/29 Highway/22 Combined. During the week, I averaged 22 MPG in mixed driving.

The 2014 Impala mostly follows the book on full-size sedan ride. The suspension does an excellent job of lessening the impact of road imperfections, even with the LTZ's twenty-inch wheels. Chevrolet also borrowed a couple engineers from Buick to help with quietness. There is a large amount of sound deadening, additional door seals, and acoustically treated front and side windows. The Impala is very quiet on most surfaces; the only place it falters is when you're driving concrete parts of freeways. This is mostly down to the tires as I figured out.

Where the Impala differs is in relation to how it drives. The steering is somewhat heavy and responsive, something I wasn't expecting in a full-size sedan. The Impala's body is very rigid as well. Pair these two items together and you have a very confident full-size sedan. Driving on a curvy road, the Impala allows you to have some fun. It's no Toyota Avalon in driving fun, but for many the Impala offers the right balance.

At the end of my time with the 2014 Chevrolet Impala, I was awestruck. Here was a nameplate that was dragged through the fleet mud for a number of years and General Motors realized it was time to save it. From the design to how it rode, you could see the hard work that was put it to make the new Impala stand out and leave its fleet past well behind. That work seems to be paying off as Consumer Reports named the Impala the best large sedan, and sits right behind the Tesla Model S and BMW 135i in their ratings. Meanwhile in the sales chart, the Impala record a 38 percent increase in July sales.

It's a vehicle that GM and Chevrolet should be very proud of.

Disclaimer: General Motors Provided the Impala, Insurance, and One Tank of Gas

Year - 2014

Make – Chevrolet

Model – Impala

Trim – LTZ

Engine – 3.6L VVT SIDI V6

Driveline – Front-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic Transmission

Horsepower @ RPM – 305 @ 6,800 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 264 @ 5,300 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 19/29/22

Curb Weight – 3,800 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Oshawa, Ontario

Base Price - $35,770.00

As Tested Price - $39,510.00* (Includes $810.00 destination charge)

Options:

LTZ Comfort & Convenience Package - $1,035.00

Chevrolet MyLink with Navigation - $795.00

LTZ Premium Audio Package - $700.00

20' Aluminum Wheels - $400.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

July 24, 2013

Stopgap. Standby. Stand-In. Makeshift. Temporary. Interim. Placeholder.

All of these words in one way or another have been used to describe Cadillac's current flagship, the XTS. When the XTS was introduced back in 2012, it filled the gap left by the DTS and STS. It also became a vehicle to serve as the flagship until the long-rumored rear-wheel drive flagship appears.

But do all these words hurt the XTS? Is it something more than a placeholder in the Cadillac lineup? I recently spent a week with a 2013 XTS Platinum AWD to answer this question.

The XTS might be my favorite Cadillac design to date. The overall shape makes a callback to current crop of Cadillac vehicles, most notably the ATS and SRX. Up front is massive front grille with the distinct satin-chrome grille insert for Platinum models. On either side is a set of sweptback HID headlights that move when you turn the steering wheel. The headlights also feature LED lighting along the outer edge and another set of LEDs underneath. The side profile shows off a set of twenty-inch aluminum wheels, chrome trim along the door sills and windows, and illuminated door handles. The back features vertical taillights with some fin action to give homage to the late-fifties' Cadillacs and a stoplamp that doubles as a spoiler.

Moving inside, the XTS is General Motors most ambitious effort on adding technologies to a vehicle. The driver faces a color display that offers four different gauge layouts and abundance of information screens that you can throw on to the screen. I found the display easy to read and very informative. Also new is a color heads-up display which displays your speed and other key information.

Cadillac's CUE infotainment system is standard on the XTS Platinum and much like the SRX I had back in March, the system has been getting better. CUE is much smoother and the responsiveness is quick when you press the screen or capacitive buttons. Still, the distraction problem is very evident and it does take some time to fully understand how to use the system.

Luxuries abound in the XTS Platinum's interior. You have leather lining the door panels, dashboard, and plush seats. Driver and front passenger get power adjustments, heat, and ventilated seats. In the back, you'll find an abundance of legroom, decent headroom, manual sunshades for the windows, rear climate control, and heated seats.

Powering this big Cadillac is the venerable 3.6L Direct Injected V6 with 304 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic routes the power to either the front wheels or all four wheels.

The 3.6L is not the right engine for the XTS. When you think back to the big Cadillacs of yesteryear, all of them used a big V8 engine with the torque arriving on the low end of the RPM spectrum. The XTS' 3.6L is the complete opposite. With torque arriving at 5,200 RPM, you really have to work the engine if you want to get moving. Add on a curb weight of 4,215 pounds for the XTS Platinum with AWD, and you're in for a world of hurt. Now General Motors has announced a new twin-turbo 3.6L Direct Injected V6 with 410 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque for the 2014 XTS. Lets hope this is the engine to give it some needed kick. As for the other parts of the drivetrain, the six-speed automatic works perfectly by delivering very smooth shifts. The Haldex all-wheel drive system was very unobtrusive whenever it worked its magic.

Fuel economy is another disappointment for the XTS. The EPA rates the 2013 XTS Platinum AWD at 17 City/26 Highway/20 Combined. During my week, I averaged 19 MPG in mixed conditions.

What does the XTS does uphold in big Cadillac tradition is excellent ride and comfort. General Motors went all out on the XTS' suspension by equipping Magnetic Ride Control and a rear air suspension system. These two systems paired together provided one of the smoothest rides I have ever experienced. Bumps and road imperfections seem to be ironed out. Steering also follows big Cadillac tradition; light and really no road feel. This is ok since it’s a big luxury sedan, not a small, sports sedan.

One other feature I should mention is Cadillac's Safety Seat Alert. This system is tied in with a number of safety systems in the vehicle such as the lane departure warning and rear cross traffic alert. If one the safety systems detect an obstacle or the car going over the lane, it will activate the safety seat alert and vibrate the bottom cushion to alert the driver. When I first experienced it, it made me jump. I wasn't sure what was happening until I looked at the window sticker and realized my tester was equipped with it. After that, I found the system to be a unique way to alert a driver what’s going on without using any buzzers or beeps. If you're wondering, you can turn the system off.

So does the XTS deserve the placeholder sticker? The answer isn't that simple. On one hand, the XTS appears to be a stand in for the long-rumored Cadillac flagship that is reportedly coming out in either 2016 or 2017. Plus, the XTS doesn't follow the current convention that Cadillacs are supposed to attack the roads like their German counter parts.

But the XTS is very much an old school Cadillac in many ways. The number of luxury appointments and tech will make you feel that you're in a very special car and the suspension setup provides one of the smoothest rides around. The only thing missing is an engine that can provide the smooth low-end power needed for it.

It might be a placeholder, but it is one that is very deserving of the wreath and crest badge.

Disclaimer: General Motors Provided the XTS, Insurance, and One Tank of Gas

Year - 2013

Make – Cadillac

Model – XTS4

Trim – Platinum

Engine – 3.6L VVT SIDI V6

Driveline – All-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic Transmission

Horsepower @ RPM – 304 @ 6,800 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 264 @ 5,200 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 17/26/20

Curb Weight – 4,215 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Oshawa, Ontario

Base Price - $60,385.00

As Tested Price - $64,695.00* (Includes $920.00 destination charge)

Options:

Driver Assist Package - $2,395.00

Crystal Red Tintcoat Paint - $995.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

July 18, 2013

Hyundai is building a competitor to the Lexus LS and Mercedes-Benz S-Class?

That was my first thought when the Korean automaker announced their luxury flagship, the Equus was coming to the U.S. a few years ago. I was wondering if Hyundai was bitting off a bit more than they could chew. Going after the stalwarts of the luxury flagship was not an easy task, just ask the Volkswagen Phaeton.

However the Equus has turned out to be more of a Lexus LS than Volkswagen Phaeton. Sales of the model last year are seven percent of the total luxury flagship market and is stealing customers away from the likes of Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. Why? Hyundai focused on its major strength on offering a whole lot car of for the money with the Equus, a formula employed by both Lexus and Volkswagen with different results. With a base price of $61,900, the Equus undercuts many of its competitors by an average of around $15,000.

Now entering its third year in the U.S. marketplace, Hyundai is doing a mid-cycle refresh to keep the Equus fresh in light of new and refreshed models on the marketplace. How does it fare? I recently found out this past week at Hyundai's Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan as Hyundai invited us to take a first drive in the 2014 Equus.

The 2014 Equus mostly looks the same as the model that was introduced back in 2011; a conservative, yet handsome luxury sedan. The most obvious change in the design is up front where Hyundai designers changed the grille and bumper, added a set of fog lamps, and dropped the chrome accents on the bumper. The other change of note is a set of nineteen-inch turbine wheels that add a touch of class.

The Equus' interior also saw a number of changes for 2014. Starting up front, the 2014 Equus gets a redesigned dashboard and center stack that gives off a more premium feel. There is a larger 9.2 inch screen for the infotainment system and new seven-inch screen in the instrument cluster. Equus Ultimate models get a 12.3 TFT screen in the instrument cluster, a heads-up display system, and a haptic feedback dial on the steering wheel.

Moving to the back seat, Hyundai dropped the reclining back seat with the footrest and is just offering reclining for both back seats. There is also a new rear console that folds down and provides controls for the rear climate control and audio system. Seated in the back, I found myself being very comfortable and having more than enough head and legroom, even with the seat reclined. Those looking for more backseat luxuries should look at the Equus Ultimate, since it adds dual 9.2 inch screens and power door closure.

Taking off from the technical center to begin the drive, I found the Equus to be very spritely. Leaving a stoplight, the Equus moves with authority like any luxury car should. Making a pass or merging onto a freeway was no sweat. This is thanks to the Equus' 5.0L Tau V8 with 429 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque.

An eight-speed transmission is paired with V8 and sends the power to the rear wheels. The eight-speed is very smooth and seamless, what you expect in a big sedan. The shift logic worked brilliantly. Whether I buried my foot into the throttle or lightly touched it, the transmission went about its way with no sweat.

The ride is up to par in the luxury flagship class. A revised air suspension system and bushings help make you and your passengers feel like you're driving on glass. Also, the Equus is eerily quiet at speed. Those who are hoping for a sporty drive with those revisions will be disappointed. The Equus leans when cornered and the steering really isn't set up for it. If handling is at the top of your priorities, you should be looking at the Germans.

As for safety, the Equus has the usual assortment of features; nine airbags, stability control, traction control, brake assist, lane departure warning, and pre-collision warning. The Equus also comes with blind-spot warning with rear-cross traffic alert as standard equipment. Hyundai says the Equus is the only car in its class with this feature standard.

Also standard in the Equus only is Smart Cruise Control with Stop/Start. The system uses radar to monitor what is in front and bring it to a full stop if it detects the vehicle in front is coming to a stop. Once the vehicle is moving, the system will accelerate the Equus back to its set speed. I can attest this system works very well as the Equus was able to stop to start back up with no problems at all.

The price? Much lower than you think. $61,920 will get you into the base Equus Signature and $68,920 for the upper level Equus Ultimate. Those prices include three years of no-cost maintenance with someone picking up the Equus and leaving you with a loaner till your vehicle is done, and three years of Hyundai's BlueLink Assurance Connected Care.

At first, you might have laughed at the notion of a Hyundai luxury vehicle. But after driving the 2014 Equus, I can say it's the real deal. While it might not be most distinctive nor the sportiest luxury sedan, Hyundai nailed the basics; smooth ride, powerful engine, number of luxury appointments and features, and value for money. The big question remains: Will the Equus take a place in history along side the Lexus LS by moving the barometer of what a flagship luxury sedan can be or will it suffer the same fate as the Volkswagen Phaeton; a capable entry into the marketplace but ignored due to it not having the brand equity needed to command the premium price?

Disclaimer: Cheers & Gears was invited to a first drive event by Hyundai Motor America and provided the vehicles, breakfast, and lunch for the event.

Year - 2014

Make – Hyundai

Model – Equus

Engine – 5.0L GDI DOHC D-CVVT Tau V8

Driveline – Rear-Wheel Drive, Eight-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 429 HP (Premium Fuel)/421 HP (Regular Fuel) (@ 6,400 RPM)

Torque @ RPM – 376 lb-ft (Premium Fuel)/365 lb-ft (Regular Fuel) (@ 5,000 RPM)

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 15/23/18

Curb Weight – N/A

2014 Equus Pricing:

• Equus Signature - $61,920
  
• Equus Ultimate - $68,920
  

Includes $920 Destination Charge

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

July 16, 2013

Can there be strength in numbers?

In the compact car class, no one can really agree on that. All agree that having a sedan is very important. From there it gets somewhat unclear. Some manufacturers stick with just a sedan; others go with either a hatchback or a coupe. Hyundai is one the few automakers who offers all three with their Elantra lineup. You have the Elantra sedan, coupe, and GT (hatchback). The GT is the company's latest attempt at compact hatchback and Hyundai says it provides versatility and 'European' driving dynamics. The question is the Elantra the added strength or the weak link in the Elantra family?

The Elantra GT is definitely the sportier and possibly sexier looking out of the Elantra lineup. Part of this comes from the GT being about nine inches shorter and riding on a shorter wheelbase than the Elantra sedan and coupe. The other part comes from European influences throughout the design. This is thanks to the kissing cousin of the Elantra GT, the i30. Both models share an upright front end with a hexagonal grille, sharp creases and sculpting along the side, and a sloping rear hatch.

Inside, the Elantra GT doesn't share the sexy looks as the exterior. Instead, Hyundai goes with a conservative look with black and silver dash pieces, curves, and blue backlighting. It’s a look that works, but I kept thinking it could use pizzazz. What doesn't need to change is build quality as my tester was top notch.

Space is a mixed bag for the Elantra GT. The back seat provides good legroom, but is a bit short on head room thanks the sloping roofline and a panoramic sunroof. The Elantra GT does claw back some points in terms of cargo space. With the back seats up, the Elantra GT gets 23 cubic feet of space. Fold the seats down and you get a massive 51 cubic feet of space, making it the best in class.

Hyundai still knows how to do the value argument very well and it shows on the Elantra GT. All models come equipped with air conditioning, Bluetooth, six-speaker audio system, heated front seats, keyless entry, and Hyundai's BlueLink telematics system. This Elantra GT also came equipped with the Style package (seventeen-inch alloy wheels, leather seats, and panoramic sunroof) and Tech Package (navigation, dual-zone climate control, and push-button start). As tested price? $25,365. For that price, the Elantra GT makes many of its competitors red in the face.

You'll only find one engine in the Elantra GT and that would be a 1.8L GDI four-cylinder with 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual or six-speed automatic are your choices for the transmission. The 1.8L is a very spritely engine. Thanks to a curb weight of around 2959 lbs, the Elantra GT moves like no other. The same cannot be said for the six-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai seemed put a big emphasis on fuel efficiency with this transmission and it shows with somewhat sluggish gear changes and a tall first gear. Those looking for a bit more excitement should look into the six-speed manual.

Fuel economy for the Elantra GT is rated at 27 City/37 Highway/30 Combined. During my week, I saw an average of around 28 MPG in mixed conditions.

Hyundai has been getting its share of complaints about how their sporty vehicles don't feel as sporty as they should. With the Elantra GT, Hyundai seems to be turning that around. If you order your Elantra GT with the Style Package, you get a sport-tuned suspension which makes it very enjoyable on your favorite road. However, Hyundai made sure the sport-tuned suspension didn't knock out fillings when its driven day to day. The suspension is able to cope with imperfections very well.

Steering is a bit of a mess. Standard on the Elantra GT is Hyundai's Flex Steer which varies the weight of the steering via three settings: Comfort, Normal, and Sport. In theory, the system should provide the right weighting for the occasion. In reality, it’s a much different story. The problem is that Comfort is way too light and Sport is verging on an exercise regime. I found myself leaving the system in Normal as it provided the best balance of the two. I think Hyundai is getting there, but taking a glance at that Mazda3's steering might help out.

The 2013 Elantra GT leaves a big mark on the compact car marketplace. Sleek styling, a nice ride balance between sport and comfort, loads of cargo, and list of features that embarrasses many rivals. The downsides are only a few; the Flex Steer steering system that presents more problems than solutions, a somewhat sluggish automatic, and tight headroom in the back.

Hyundai is a believer that strength does come in numbers in the compact class. The Elantra GT solidifies it.

Disclaimer: Hyundai Provided the Elantra GT, Insurance, and One Tank of Gas

Year - 2013

Make – Hyundai

Model – Elantra GT

Trim – N/A

Engine – 1.8L DOHC D-CVVT Inline-Four

Driveline – Front-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic Transmission

Horsepower @ RPM – 148 @ 6,500 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 131 @ 4,700 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 27/37/30

Curb Weight – 2,959 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Ulsan, Korea

Base Price - $19,395.00

As Tested Price - $25,365.00* (Includes $775.00 destination charge)

Options:

Style Package - $2,750.00

Tech Package - $2,350.00

Carpeted Floor Mats - $95.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

June 27, 2013

What if I hadn't driven the Mazda CX-5 and Kia Sportage?

That was a thought that kept popping into my head when I was driving around in the 2013 Nissan Rogue a couple weeks ago. The Rogue is the oldest model in the compact crossover class, introduced back in 2007 and getting a refresh in 2011. But having driven the CX-5 and Sportage recently, could the Rogue stand up?

The Nissan Rogue doesn't really shatter the status quo in design. In fact, the Rogue could be classified as the status quo. The profile of the Rogue mimics Nissan's larger Murano crossover in every which way. Up front is unique front grille treatment and a hood with creases running towards the middle. The side has a set of very stylish eighteen-inch, five-spoke alloy wheels and not so stylish chrome trim pieces and door handles. These pieces just look like an afterthought.

Stepping inside, the Rogue is a dreary place to be. Amy Winehouse's Back to Black was playing in my head as I looked around and saw the black leather seats, black dashboard, and black and silver trim pieces. This isn't helped by the materials used which range from ok to bad. This is an interior that could use some rehab.

What the Rogue doesn't need help is with passenger comfort. My SL tester came equipped with a power driver's seat which made finding a comfortable position very easy. Back seat passengers will find plenty of head and legroom. Cargo space measures out to 27.9 cu.ft. with the seats up and 57.9 cu.ft. with the seats down, making the Rogue one the smallest in the class.

Feature wise, the Rogue has pretty much got it covered. My SL tester came equipped with leather, heated front seats, automatic temperature control, sunroof, seven-speaker Bose Audio system, Bluetooth hands-free calling, and a five-inch color touchscreen with navigation. One note on the touchscreen: During the day, I found the screen washes out very easily, making it difficult to see the navigation or what's playing.

Powering all Rogues is a 2.5L DOHC Four-Cylinder engine with 170 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. This is paired with Nissan's XTronic CVT and is sent to the front wheels or my test vehicle's AWD system.

Despite the small numbers, the 2.5L is very much suited for the job. During my week, I never found myself wishing for more power in any situation. Whether I was leaving a stop, merging onto a freeway, or cruising down the road, the 2.5L just worked. A lot of credit goes to Nissan's excellent XTronic CVT. The CVT knows what RPM the engine needs to be whatever situation is at hand. Plus, the XTronic CVT that doesn't make that much cabin noise... Well aside from flooring it.

The EPA rates the 2013 Rogue AWD at 22 City/27 Highway/24 Combined. During my week, I averaged 25 MPG.

The Rogue's ride is what most people want in a compact crossover; a soft and comfortable ride. On rougher surfaces, the Rogue's suspension does transmit those imperfections. Wind and road noise are kept to a minimum.

One item Nissan should be given a lot of credit for adding as an option is their Around View Monitor system. Part of the SL option package, the Around View Monitor system adds four cameras (one up front, one in the back, and one on each side-view mirror) that give a full 360' view when backing up or trying to parallel park. This is one system I hope other automakers are taking notes on.

The 2013 Nissan Rogue is very much a competent compact crossover. It does everything well that you might throw at it in your daily life. But the problem for the Rogue is that it doesn't really stand out in the compact crossover class like before. Consider the two vehicles I mentioned at the top of this review, the Kia Sportage and Mazda CX-5. Both vehicles are examples on how far the compact crossover class has moved on and how far back the Rogue is in comparison.

A competent compact crossover can get you far, but not far enough when there is fresh meat in the marketplace. Here's to hoping the next Rogue brings it.

Disclaimer: Nissan provided the Rogue, Insurance, and one tank of gas.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

Year - 2013

Make – Nissan

Model – Rogue

Trim – SV AWD

Engine – 2.5L DOHC Inline-Four

Driveline – All-Wheel Drive, Continuously Variable Transmission

Horsepower @ RPM – 170 @ 6,000 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 175 @ 4,400 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 22/27/24

Curb Weight – N/A

Location of Manufacture – Kyūshū, Japan

Base Price - $26,050.00

As Tested Price - $30,965.00* (Includes $825.00 destination charge)

Options:

SL Package - $3,900.00

Floor Mats & Cargo Area Protection - $190.00

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

June 20, 2013

If you have been paying any attention for the past few weeks here at Cheers & Gears, you know I had the chance to drive two top selling compact luxury crossovers; the Lexus RX 350 and Cadillac SRX. Both of them left me wondering why they are so popular. The Cadillac had a great design and tech, but the engine was somewhat pokey and the fuel economy left a lot to be desired. The Lexus had an exciting exterior and very impressive fuel economy, but driving dynamics were a mixed bag and the feature set for the price left me scratching my head. There had to be a compact luxury crossover that didn't leave me with that feeling.

A few weeks ago, another compact luxury crossover arrived in my driveway for a week's evaluation. It was not one of the usual suspects from Germany, instead it hailed from Sweden. The Volvo XC60 is latest model to join Volvo's XC lineup and is the second best-selling model right behind the S60. Was this the crossover to make me feel different?

The XC60 follows Volvo's current design motif of minimalistic styling. Key items to take note are the strong shoulder line running along the side, scalloping on the doors, and tall taillights on the rear end. The overall look of the XC60 reminded me of the upcoming V60 wagon just with a taller ride height.

Inside, the XC60 has one of the best interiors in the class. Leather, soft touch materials, and metal trim pieces line the door panels and dashboard; making it feel more expensive than it really is. This is helped by the excellent build quality on my test vehicle.

What isn't so impressive is the XC60's infotainment system. Much like the S60 R-Design I had back in December, the XC60 uses a center stack full of buttons and knobs to move around and control the system. While the control layout is easy to use once you figure out which button does what, there were times where I was wishing Volvo had put in a touchscreen to perform certain tasks.

Comfort is a big plus in the XC60. Driver and passenger get heated and power adjustable seats. Backseat passengers will find a very good amount of head and legroom. Taking the XC60 for a nice long drive, I found the seats provide excellent support and comfort.

Powering this XC60 is Volvo's tried and true 3.0L turbocharged inline-six with 300 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is your sole choice with this powertrain, as is all-wheel drive. Those looking for more power should look at the XC60 T6 R-Design increases horsepower to 325 and torque to 350.

The T6 engine is a perfect choice for the XC60, considering the vehicle as a whole tips the scales at 4,225 pounds. No matter when you're leaving a stop, cruising along the interstate, or whatever, the T6 produces the right amount of motivation. The six-speed automatic doesn't exhibit any hunting of gears; it knew what gear it needed to be in at the time. EPA rates the 2013 XC60 T6 AWD at 17 City/23 Highway/20 Combined. During my week, I averaged around 21 MPG.

The XC60's ride is one the best if your priority is comfort. The suspension provides one of the smoothest rides in the class, no matter the road surface I was driving on. Steering was a bit of surprise as I was expecting light and indirect. This isn't so as the steering provides very good feel and feedback. Road and wind noise were kept to a minimum, making this a great road trip vehicle.

At the end of the week, I found myself liking the XC60 over the SRX and RX 350 by a wide margin. The minimalist styling, handsome interior, punchy powertain, and comfort ride make this almost a best-in-class. The only thing that hold it back is the controls for the infotainment system.

Throw in the fact that as equipped, this XC60 lists for $48,145, undercuts many of its competitors - making this a very compelling choice in the class.

Disclaimer: Volvo provided the XC60, Insurance, and one tank of gas.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

Year - 2013

Make – Volvo

Model – XC60

Trim – T6 AWD

Engine – Turbocharged 3.0L Inline-Six

Driveline – All-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 300 @ 5,600 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 325 @ 2,100-4,200 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 17/23/20

Curb Weight – 4,225 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Ghent, Belgum

Base Price - $40,450.00

As Tested Price - $48,145.00* (Includes $895.00 destination charge)

Options:

Platnum Trim Package - $4,600.00

Climate Package - $900.00

19' FENRIR Alloy Wheels - $750.00

Terra Bronze Metallic - $550.00

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

June 14, 2013

Monday: Chevrolet Malibu Turbo

Wednesday: GMC Acadia Denali

Friday: Chevrolet Avalanche LTZ Black Diamond

How do you write a review on a vehicle that will be going away after this year?

This thought had been rolling around in my mind since the 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche LTZ Black Diamond Edition arrived for a few days of evaluation. You can’t suggest any improvements since they will never be implemented, nor give a clear indication of whether you would recommend a vehicle or not. It seems like a futile exercise.

But after giving it some serious thought, I felt the best way to do this review is to figure out what went wrong and determine the Avalanche’s legacy. Let’s dive in shall we?

The current Avalanche, which was introduced back in 2006 as a 2007 model still looks as fresh as the day it was first shown. You have to give General Motors a round of applause for designing such a handsome group of machines that are a part of the GMT900 platform family. Draped in black paint, the Avalanche’s exterior shows that a simple design with minor touches such as a chrome grille, twenty-inch aluminum wheels, and chrome trim pieces works very well. The only real exterior design change to make note of is the Black Diamond emblem next to back doors, denoting that this is final year of the Avalanche.

Stepping inside the Avalanche, the simple design theme continues. While other truck manufacturers are going with many shapes, buttons, and screens, the Avalanche’s dash is very clean and logically laid out. Gauges and controls are within easy reach and can be read at a quick glance.

Passenger comfort in the Avalanche is excellent. Front passengers are treated to very supportive seats that are power adjustable and provide heat and cooling. Back seat passengers will find enormous amount of head and legroom.

One downside the to the Avalanche’s cabin is the materials. I’ve complained about this before in the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra Denali HD reviews, and will be doing it again with the Avalanche. For a vehicle with an as-tested pricetag of $51,295, using hard plastics and glossy, plastic wood is a massive no-no. Now, I have sat in the new GM trucks and it seems GM has learned its lesson. I just wished they learned it sooner.

The big selling point on the Avalanche was its unique midgate. Basically, there is a tailgate that sits between the bed and cab. Flip the tailgate down and you expand the standard 5’3” bed to a whopping 8’2” bed. You can expand the space even more by removing the bed lid and rear window. The process of expanding the bed is very easy; just flip the seats down, turn a couple of knobs to unlock the midgate, and turn a latch. Well done, GM.

The Avalanche is powered by GM’s familiar 5.3L Vortec V8 engine, which produces 320 horsepower and 335 pound-feet of torque. While on paper the engine sounds perfect for the vehicle, on the road it’s a bit of a different story. Step on the accelerator and the V8 makes a lovely noise that makes you think you’re really moving. It’s only when you look down at the speedometer that you realize you’re really not. This is thanks to the Avalanche’s 5,803 lb curb weight, which makes the 5.3L V8 somewhat overmatched. Thankfully, the six-speed automatic in the Avalanche is a high point. The transmission shifts very smoothly and is quick to go down a couple gears when passing power is needed.

Fuel economy on the Avalanche is rated at 15 City/21 Highway/17 Combined. During my six day evaluation of the Avalanche, I recorded an average around 15.2 MPG. On the highway, I saw my fuel economy rise to about 20 MPG.

One place that the Avalanche really surprised me is with its ride. I was expecting the ride to be bouncy and too firm. But taking the Avalanche out for the first time, I was shocked on how smooth the ride was. The suspension seemed to smooth out the imperfections and potholes that dot the roads of the Metro Detroit area. Much of this can be traced to Avalanche having the same suspension tuning as the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, and not the Silverado.

At the end of the six days that I had the Avalanche, I found it to be a very capable and impressive truck. The capability the midgate offers can’t be matched by any other truck, nor can any other truck match the comfort and space of the Avalanche. It seems to be a jack of all trades that works.

If you’re interested in an Avalanche, you should head over to your Chevrolet dealer...Right now.

Going back to beginning of the review, I left two questions unanswered. First, what went wrong with the Avalanche? Well, nothing went wrong with the Avalanche per se. Sales began to plummet at a steady rate after 2003, when the truck recorded its best sales of 93,482. Over time, truck manufacturers introduced four-door versions of their light-duty trucks that ultimately caused the downfall of the Avalanche.

Second, what will be the Avalanche’s legacy? That’s a tougher question to answer right now. It could just fall to the wayside in automotive history or it could have a spot in it. It seems GM is hoping the latter happens since all of Avalanche models for 2013 are Black Diamond Edition to mark the end.

GM should be proud with what they accomplished with the Avalanche. It might not have been a success in the sales chart, but it was a true success as trying to be something different in the class.

Disclaimer: General Motors provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gasoline.

Year - 2013

Make – Chevrolet

Model – Avalanche

Trim – Black Diamond LTZ

Engine – Vortec 5.3L SFI V8

Driveline – Four-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 320 @ 5,400 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 335 @ 4,000 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 15/21/17

Curb Weight – 5,803 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Silao, GJ Mexico

Base Price - $47,885.00

As Tested Price - $51,745.00 (Includes $995.00 destination charge)

Options:

Sun & Entertainment Package - $2,435.00

Heavy Duty Trailering Package - $230.00

Trailer Brake Controller - $200.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

June 12, 2013

Monday: Chevrolet Malibu Turbo

Wednesday: GMC Acadia Denali

Friday: Chevrolet Avalanche LTZ Black Diamond

If there is one vehicle or group of vehicles that show the success of General Motors after bankruptcy a few years ago, many would point towards their full-size crossover lineup. The Lambda full-size crossovers (Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and the dearly departed Saturn Outlook) came at time when buyers were looking for something with a lot of space and got much better fuel economy than than traditional body-on-frame full size SUVs. The Lambda crossover formula of one engine, two different drivetrains, and number of different models brought many buyers into the showroom and helped keep GM somewhat afloat.

For the 2013 model year, GM has given the Lambda trio a bit of a nip and tuck on the exterior and interior. Cheers & Gears' Managing Editor, Drew Dowdell was one of the first people to drive 2013 Buick Enclave and came away very impressed. Now it's my turn and I got my hands on the 2013 GMC Acadia Denali. Would I come away as impressed? Read on.

The 2013 Acadia Denali received a major transformation unlike the Enclave and Traverse, and it has become the best looking of the trio. GMC designers thought it was time to let the Acadia embrace the ‘Professional Grade' mantra. This is very evident in the front as the Acadia gains a similar front end as the new 2014 trucks. The Denali model adds a really cool looking chrome “three-dimensional” grill, body color-matched lower cladding, and a set of LED daytime running lamps. Other Denali cues include a set of twenty-inch machined alloy wheels and chrome exhaust exits on the rear bumper.

Moving inside, the Acadia Denali really increases the level of luxuries from the outgoing model. To start, the dashboard has soft-touch upper surface with French stitching that is paired with metal trim pieces. Seats for all three rows are wrapped in what GMC calls ‘Cocoa Dune’ leather, which is a darker shade of beige that looks really good. One part of the interior trim that needs to be dinged is the shiny, fake wood trim on the door panels and center console. It doesn’t look like it should belong here at all.

One item GMC kept from the old Acadia is the room and comfort for the new model. Front seat passengers are treated to power seats with heat and ventilation. Second row passengers get loads of headroom, while legroom is surprisingly somewhat tight for taller passengers. You can adjust the seat to give yourself more legroom if you feel somewhat tight. The third row has enough space that adults can fit back here somewhat comfortably, but it's best reserved for kids.

Techwise, the 2013 Acadia Denali comes with the newest version of GMC’s Intellink infotainment system that uses which uses touch-sensitive buttons and a high-resolution screen to provide audio, navigation, Pandora, Bluetooth, and a number of other functions. Using the system is easy with the capacitive touch buttons and voice commands, but I think the touchscreen could be bit larger since the information seems a bit crowded and it's not always easy to do certain things, like change a station. Also, I want to talk to the person who decided that the best place to put the trip computer buttons on the bottom of the unit. It took me ten minutes just to figure out that’s where the buttons were placed. Who thought this was a good idea? Who?!

An odd omission from the Acadia Denali is a proximity key and push button start. I would be ok with this if this was a Chevrolet Traverse or the base Acadia. But this is the Acadia Denali, a vehicle that as tested costs $52,075 and it doesn’t have this?! It's a little thing I will admit, but a good amount of the competition has this feature. Come on GM.

Under the hood is the venerable 3.6L DI V6 engine that has powered Lambda trio since their introduction back in 2007. Power output still stands at 288 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. That’s mated to a six-speed automatic transmission to either the front wheels or all four wheels via an AWD system.

Tipping the scales at 4,850 lbs, the 3.6 really isn’t suited for the job. It will get you moving, but you’re just wondering if there is an invisible boat and trailer hooked up to the vehicle. The Acadia Denali and for that matter the entire GM full-size crossover lineup need a new engine as soon as possible. The six-speed automatic is very quick when down and upshifting, and doesn’t exhibit any type of noise, vibration or harshness. The EPA rates the 2013 Acadia Denali AWD at 16 City/23 Highway/18 Combined. During my time, I averaged around 17 MPG. This is mostly due to me driving in the city for most of the time and keeping the pedal close to floor to get it moving.

The refreshed Acadia Denali also retains the excellent ride and handling qualities from the previous model. The fully independent suspension and dual-flow dampers give a very luxurious ride that a number of competitors can only dream of. Even on the roughest roads here in Southeast Michigan, the Acadia Denali didn’t flinch. Out on the highway, the smooth ride combined with a very quiet interior make the Acadia Denali one of the best road trip vehicles out there. Steering is surprisingly accurate and offers just right amount of weight, which means the Acadia does ok when going around a corner. Yes the Acadia Denali does weigh 4,850 lbs, but at least you and your passengers will not experience any type of motion sickness.

GM knew it couldn’t mess with the massive success of the Lambda crossovers when they were working on the refresh. So they kept what worked and improved the areas that needed it. After spending a few days with the 2013 GMC Acadia Denali, I say its almost the best in class in large crossover. For it to become the best, GM just needs to work on putting a more powerful engine into it.

Disclaimer: General Motors provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gasoline.

Year - 2013

Make – GMC

Model – Acadia

Trim – Denali AWD

Engine – 3.6L SIDI V6

Driveline – All-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 288 @ 6,300 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 270 @ 3,400 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 16/23/18

Curb Weight – 4,850 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Lansing, MI

Base Price - $47,945.00

As Tested Price - $52,075.00 (Includes $895.00 destination charge)

Options:

Navigation & Rear Seat Entertainment - $2,240.00

White Diamond Tricoat - $995.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

June 10, 2013

Monday: Chevrolet Malibu Turbo

Wednesday: GMC Acadia Denali

Friday: Chevrolet Avalanche LTZ Black Diamond

The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu hasn't gotten off to the best of starts. When it was introduced last year, the only model you could get for the first few months was mild-hybrid Eco model. This was Chevrolet's attempt to gain a slight edge over the mid-size competition. A decision that sadly backfired on the company as reviews of the Malibu Eco leaned towards the negative.

Since that time, Chevrolet has launched the other models in the Malibu lineup; the 2.5L and Turbo. Can these models help people forget the milquetoast reputation the Malibu currently has? I spent some time with a 2013 Malibu LTZ Turbo and here is what I found.

The Malibu LTZ Turbo gets off to a good start with its visual appearance. The LTZ’s exterior gets small details such as new grille insert with a chrome strip running around and optional nineteen-inch alloy wheels that set off the distinctive design even more. Inside, the Malibu LTZ is much the same as the Eco I drove last year. Design is very much a love it or hate it mantra with a mishmash of a Camaro-esque gauge cluster, organic curves, and the veins running along the dash. Build quality was very good in my low mileage example.

Installed in my vehicle was Chevrolet’s MyLink infotainment system with the optional Navigation system. Much like my experience in the Malibu Eco, MyLink was easy to use and quick to respond. The navigation system provided good information and the maps were easy to read at a quick glance.

Of course the real story lies under the hood: A 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine that is shared Cadillac ATS. In the Malibu LTZ, it produces 259 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The engine can quickly put a smile on your face thanks to broad range of power. Build-up of power is very smooth, feeling like a V6 and not a turbo-four. Turbo lag was kept a minimum. The EPA rates the Malibu LTZ Turbo at 21 City/30 Highway/24 Combined. My fuel economy during the week was somewhat disappointing during the six days I had Malibu LTZ Turbo, returning an average of 21 MPG. I’m mostly blaming my somewhat heavy right foot on this. The highway run saw fuel economy increase to 28.1 MPG.

My only concern in the Malibu Turbo’s powertrain was the six-speed automatic. Most of the time, the automatic was very competent with its shifts. But there were times when you would notice the transmission go into the ‘hunting for gears’ mode, especially when the transmission downshifts. I’m hoping this is a programming issue and not something else.

In the handling department, the Malibu LTZ Turbo trades some of the comfort from the Eco model for a bit of sport. It's very noticeable when heading down your favorite road as the Malibu Turbo shows a bit of athleticism with the steering tightened up and the suspension not feeling like its made out of marshmallow fluff. Even with this added sportiness, Chevrolet made sure to balance the Malibu Turbo with some comfort. Driving on the expressway or in the city, the Malibu Turbo was very stable and able to soak up the bumps with no problem.

However, not everything is perfect with Malibu LTZ Turbo. First is the claustrophobic-feeling back seat. Much like the Malibu Eco, the LTZ Turbo features the smallish back seat. This isn’t a good thing to have in a class where backseat space is one of the key criteria.

The other problem point with the Malibu LTZ Turbo is the pricetag. The base price for the LTZ Turbo starts at $29,700, very reasonable for the top model. Its only when you start adding options that the price and value equation gets thrown out of whack. My tester with most, if not all options ticked comes to as tested price of $34,595. Two problems with this: One; certain items on the options list should be standard equipment on the top trim. Those items include push-button start, HID headlights, and a backup camera (note: the Malibu Eco I had last year had the backup camera as standard.) Two; most of competition when comparably equipped to the Malibu LTZ Turbo cost one to two thousand dollars less.

The Malibu LTZ Turbo helps remove some of the milquetoast reputation of the Malibu by building upon the good stuff. However, the poor value for money and backseat space negates the improvements. There is a very good car here, but it is a hard sell.

GM has announced a revised Malibu will be coming later this year and will address exterior and interior designs. Let’s hope it’s the shot in the arm the Malibu desperately needs.

Cheers

Turbo-Four engine

Exterior Design

Chevrolet MyLink

Balance between comfort and sport

Jeers

Back seat space

Pricetag

Disclaimer: General Motors provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gasoline.

Year - 2013

Make – Chevrolet

Model – Malibu

Trim – 2LZ

Engine – Ecotec 2.0L DOHC Turbocharged Four-Cylinder

Driveline – Front-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 259 @ 5,500 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 260 @ 1,700 - 5,500 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 21/30/24

Curb Weight – 3,600 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Kansas City, KS

Base Price - $29,700.00

As Tested Price - $34,595.00 (Includes $810.00 destination charge)

Options:

Electronics & Entertainment Package - $1,350.00

LTZ Premium Package - $1,000.00

Audio System w/Navigation, AM/FM CD Player w/7" Color Touchscreen - $795.00

Crystal Red Tintcoat - $395.00

Advance Safety Package - $395.00

Cocoa Fashion Trim - $150.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

June 5, 2013

“The Power To Surprise”

This was Kia’s tagline back in early to mid 2000’s. It was supposed to reflect that the automaker had grown from its cheap car roots to being somewhere in the range of mediocre. It is sad Kia doesn’t use that tagline anymore since now, their lineup really does have “The Power To Surprise”.

Case in point, the 2013 Kia Sportage. The longest running nameplate in Kia’s lineup has changed from a rough and ready compact SUV to a compact crossover with some very distinctive looks. But is that all there is to the Sportage's "Power to Surprise"? I spent a week with a 2013 Kia Sportage SX to find out.

Let's start with the exterior; a dramatic departure from previous models. The Sportage looks be something you would expect to see from the Europeans, not Kia. Up front is Kia's family grille and headlights with a strip of LEDs running along the outside edge. The side profile shows the curvy lines and sloping roofline. Also the doors feature scalloping to add a bit more character. The back is very smooth and clean.

There are a couple of problems with Sportage’s design. The thick D-Pillars and sloping roofline make outward visibility somewhat null and void. Thankfully my test Sportage had a back-up camera to help me out somewhat. However, I was wishing for a blind-spot monitoring system whenever I was on the freeway. The other problem deals with the tailgate release. Any idea where it is? If you said the bottom edge, then give yourself a pat on the back. The problem with this location is that its a bit of stretch to get there. I’m hoping a power tailgate is in the cards for the Sportage.

Heading inside, you get the impression that Kia had locked their exterior and interior design teams into two separate rooms and weren't allowed to see each others work till the Sportage was put into production. It doesn’t seem the interior really belongs here at all. Also, I found most of the dash materials to be of the hard plastic variety. This is somewhat of a disappointment since Kia has made great strides in adding more soft touch materials. Build quality is very high with no apparent gaps or trim pieces loose.

Up front, driver and passengers get power adjustments and heated leather seats. The driver also gets a cooled seat, a surprising feature to find in the entry-level compact crossover class. The center stack is well laid out and controls are within easy reach. My test Sportage also came equipped with the optional navigation system which in my books is still one of the best out there for its ease of use and amount of features. In the backseat, headroom is somewhat tight due to the panoramic sunroof. Legroom though is very good.

Under the hood, you’ll find two different engines. LX and EX models use a 2.4L inline-four producing 176 horsepower and 168 pound-feet of torque. The SX model uses a turbocharged 2.0L inline-four with direct-injection making 260 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. That is mated to a six-speed automatic to either the front-wheels or my test vehicle’s AWD system.

With torque arriving between 1,850 and 3,000 rpm, the Sportage SX really scoots. This is very noticeable when you’re trying to make a pass or you stomp on the accelerator. Also noticeable is how much time it takes for the turbo to spool up. You’re wondering where the power is when you leave a stop and a few moments, the power arrives. It isn’t a deal breaker per say, but adjust your driving habits accordingly. The six-speed does a very impressive job of providing smooth shifts.

The EPA rates the 2013 Sportage SX at 20 City/25 Highway/22 Combined. During my time, I saw an average of around 21 MPG.

The Sportage SX’s ride attempts to be sporty with a firmer suspension. However the suspension doesn’t quite make it the Sportage SX feel sporty at all. It does reduce body rolls, but also makes for a very unpleasant ride - especially if you live in area where the roads are less than perfect. Steering is okay with the system providing a good amount of weight.

Kia has got half of the recipe right with the Sportage SX. The turbo engine adds quite the punch and the exterior design could be in an art museum for how beautiful it looks. However the interior looks to be a bit of an afterthought and the ride needs some finessing. If Kia can work on those problems, the Sportage could be one of the best in class.

Disclaimer: Kia provided the Sportage, Insurance, and one tank of gas.

Year - 2013

Make – Kia

Model – Sportage

Trim – SX AWD

Engine – 2.0L Turbocharged GDI Four-Cylinder

Driveline – All-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 260 @ 6,000 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 269 @ 1,850-3,000 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 20/25/22

Curb Weight – 3,355 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Gwangju, South Korea

Base Price - $28,400.00

Estimated As-Tested Price - $32,450.00* (Includes $850.00 destination charge)

Options:

SX Premium Package - $2,000

Navigation Package - $1,200

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

May 28, 2013

We all have that story of that one person we know that underwent a massive transformation. It starts off with the person who dumpy, bit nerdy, either really skinny or fat, or a number of items. Then maybe a few years on, you run into that same person and almost don’t recognize them. They’re dressed up in some nice clothing, loss some weight, built up some strength, and a few other things here and there.

The same is true for vehicles. When the first-generation Kia Rio was introduced back in 2000, it became the cheapest vehicle you could buy in the U.S. It also earned the dubious honor of the ‘cheap and cheerful’ label since everything else about the vehicle wasn’t that good. The second-generation Rio brought forth a more aggressive look, but it was a vehicle you would recommend only to your worst enemy. The third-generation Rio, introduced back in 2012, surprised everyone. Here was a vehicle that had sexy styling, a very impressive interior, and some clever tricks. But underneath of that skin, has Kia made a subcompact vehicle that can put its past life to rest? I had a 2013 Kia Rio SX sedan for a week to try and answer this question.

There is a golden rule concerning subcompact designs: Most of time, the hatchback is better looking than the sedan. In the case of the Rio sedan, it’s just as good or slightly better looking than the hatchback. Design elements of Kia’s design chief, Peter Schreyer are very evident in the Rio’s design. Starting up front, a smaller version of Kia’s tiger mouth grille makes an appearance and is flanked by a set of swept-up headlights. From the side, the doors feature two distinct character lines; one running along the bottom edge to the rear wheel well and the other running through the door handles to the trunk. There is also a set of seventeen-inch machine-finished alloy wheels that really help finish off the Rio.

The Rio’s interior is a nice place to sit. The design is very handsome and puts the controls within easy reach of the driver and passenger. Surprisingly, Kia put a good amount of soft touch materials on the dashboard and door sills which give it an aire of luxury. As for space, the Rio is surprisingly roomy. You can fit four passengers in comfort, if they are all under six-feet. Seats are very supportive for both front and rear passengers.

Also helping helping with the luxury aura is the amount of standard equipment. You get a trip computer, Kia’s UVO infotainment system, USB and aux jacks, Bluetooth, side curtain airbags, heated and folding sideview mirrors, and a backup camera. You can increase the luxuries in the Rio by adding the Premium package which includes navigation, leather seats with heat, a proximity key with push-button start, and a sunroof. With a pricetag of $2,350 for the package, I highly recommend it.

Powering the Rio is a 1.6L GDI four-cylinder engine with 138 horsepower and 123 pound-feet of torque. That is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Power in the Rio SX sedan is adequate. It does take a moment or so for the engine to build up some steam. Plus when you’re trying to make a pass, you’re wishing just for a little bit more power. But once the engine is up to speed, it displays a surprising amount of refinement. However, the 1.6L GDI excels at fuel economy. The EPA rates the 2013 Kia Rio SX Sedan 28 City/36 Highway/31 Combined. During my week, I averaged 31.0 MPG.

The Rio SX differs from other Rios by coming equipped with sport-tuned suspension and it's a mostly fun car to drive. The part that lets the Rio SX down is its steering. While it has a surprising amount of feel, those who are expected a bit of weight will be disappointed since it's pretty light.

Where the steering falls in one area, it exceeds in another area. In this case it's the urban environment and parking lots. The Rio’s steering shines here as its ability to dart around traffic is excellent and can fit into tight parking spots with no problem. As for the sport-tuned suspension, it's firm but not to the point where you’ll be crying uncle.

There is one area I wish Kia would address in the refresh or the next Rio; road noise. Driving on the highway, I would have the radio cranked up to try and drown out the excessive road noise in the cabin. I know that most Rio buyers will drive the vehicle in town or out in the burbs, but be prepared for the amount of road noise coming inside if you decide to venture out onto the highway.

Kia has a real winner on their hands with the 2013 Rio SX sedan. It raises the bar on what a subcompact vehicle could be in terms of design, features, and powertrain. Kia still needs to work on keeping road noise out and trying to find a balance with the steering weight. For many buyers though, the Rio offers the right combination.

From a vehicle that wore the ‘cheap and cheerful’ tag to something that is in contention for being best in class; that's quite the transformation.

Disclaimer: Kia provided the Rio SX Sedan, Insurance, and one tank of gas.

Year - 2013

Make – Kia

Model – Rio Sedan

Trim – SX

Engine – 1.6L GDI Four-Cylinder

Driveline – Front-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 138 @ 6,300 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 123 @ 4,850 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 28/36/31

Curb Weight – 2,483 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Gwangmyeong, South Korea

Base Price - $17,700.00

As Tested Price - $21,340.00* (Includes $750.00 destination charge)

Options:

Premium Package - $2,350

EC Mirror w/ Compass & Homelink - $350.00

Carpeted Floor Mats - $115.00

Rear Bumper Applique - $75.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

May 16, 2013

When is a sport compact car not a sport compact? Bit of an odd question I know, but that has been in my head since I got a 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo. It has the looks, powertrain, and seats with the word Turbo stitched into them. But there is one part of the vehicle that doesn’t quite make the cut. So where does the Veloster Turbo stack up in the sport compact hierarchy?

The Veloster Turbo is definitely a looker. Starting with a normal Veloster and its unique alienistic design and third door, Hyundai designers added more distinctiveness. Up front, the Veloster Turbo comes with larger grille that could give most Audi grilles a run for their money on size. The large grille also allows for more air to help provide cooling to the raditor and intercooler. Also up front are a set of LED Accent lighting in the front headlights and new body panels,. The back end gets a new diffuser with center mounted exhaust ports. Finishing off the looks is a set of eighteen-inch alloy wheels and black paint.

There is one slight problem with the Veloster Turbo’s design. The back end has a uniquely styled rear hatch with curved glass and a spoiler. While it adds street cred to the design, it also makes it very difficult to see everything out of the back. I was very thankful my tester had a backup camera which made it somewhat easier to see out of the back.

Inside the Veloster Turbo, it's mostly the same as the normal Veloster. The only real change is the standard black leather seats with colored accenting (blue in my case) and turbo scripting. Front seats are comfortable and provide good support when driving long distances or if you want to have a bit of fun. The back seat is another story. Anyone can fit back there if they’re under six feet, but they really won’t be comfortable thanks to tight head and legroom. Then there is the issue of getting into the back. Because of third door’s shape and small opening, you have to contort your body in such a way to fit in. Hyundai should have stuck a sticker on the back window that read “to be used in case of emergencies”.

The Veloster Turbo comes equipped with a surprising amount of standard equipment such as a leather-wrapped steering wheel, proximity key with push-button start, an eight-speaker Dimension audio system, seven-inch touch screen, and Hyundai’s BlueLink connectivity system. My car was equipped with the $2,500 Ultimate Package which adds a panoramic sunroof, navigation, backup camera with sensors, and automatic headlights. This is a option I highly recommend.

Using the infotainment system was a breeze thanks to Hyundai making the user interface easy to understand and a touchscreen that responds very quickly when touched. Also, the screen provided very clean and crisp graphics. The eight-speaker Dimension audio system filled the Veloster Turbo’s cabin with excellent sound, though I was wishing for a bit of sound deadening when on the highway so I didn’t have to have the system cranked when I was listening to certain things.

Under the Veloster Turbo’s hood is a 1.6L turbo, direct-injected four-cylinder engine making 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. That can be paired with a six-speed manual, or on my test Veloster Turbo, a six-speed automatic. With a curb weight of 3,005 pounds and torque arriving at 1,750 rpm, the Veloster Turbo really hustles. Every time I stepped on accelerator, a big grin would appear on my face as the power rush down to the wheels and moved the vehicle along at a pretty rapid rate.

Even with all of this performance, the Veloster Turbo does very well on fuel economy. The EPA rates the 2013 Veloster Turbo at 24 City/31 Highway/28 combined. During my week, I averaged 28 MPG in mixed driving.

Now onto the most argued point of the Veloster Turbo; the suspension. Now you might think that Hyundai decided to tweak the suspension to give it a more sporty feel. No. The Veloster Turbo uses the same suspension as the normal Veloster. The real change is an optional set of Michelin Pilot Super Sport Summer tires that my car was equipped with. Other than that, Hyundai made some tweaks to the steering and brakes to help differentiate the two models.

Out on the open road, the Veloster Turbo was a very capable partner. While it cannot fully hide its basic roots (the Veloster Turbo does exhibit some body roll), the improved steering, grippier tires, and new brakes really make the Veloster Turbo a joy to drive. In day to day driving, the Veloster Turbo is surprisingly comfortable and easy to live with.

Now to answer a question that I asked at the beginning: Where does the Veloster Turbo stack up in the sport compact hierarchy? Well it happens to be at the bottom mostly due to it having the same suspension as the base Veloster. Hyundai has got everything else to make the Veloster Turbo a real contender. But as we’ve seen before, Hyundai is a quick learner and I wouldn’t be surprised if they pull something magical right out of their hat with a refresh or new model.

But let's remove the sport compact comparisons for the time being and look at the Veloster Turbo as a whole. During my time, I realized Hyundai created something very special with this vehicle. The distinctive looks are only part of the story as the powertrain seems to pull off an amazing feat of excellent performance and fuel economy. Partner that with the amount of standard equipment it comes with and you have a package that very few vehicles can even match.

The Veloster Turbo is a ‘sport compact’ in most areas, but very good vehicle all around. It's one vehicle that I would gladly own.

Disclaimer: Hyundai provided the Veloster Turbo, Insurance, and one tank of gas

Year - 2013

Make – Hyundai

Model – Veloster

Trim – Turbo

Engine – 1.6L Turbocharged GDI Four-Cylinder

Driveline – Front-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 201 @ 6,000 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 195 @ 1,750 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 24/31/28

Curb Weight – 3,005 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Ulsan, South Korea

Base Price - $22,950.00

As Tested Price - $27,520.00* (Includes $775.00 destination charge)

Options:

Ultimate Package - $2,500.00

Michelin Pilot Super Sport Summer Tires - $1,200.00

Carpet Floor Mats - $95.00

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

May 9, 2013

(Author’s Note: I’ll be mostly covering powertrain changes and a few other changes from the last CX-5 I drove. Those looking for a more in-depth review can click here for my 2013 CX-5 review. -WM)

When I drove the 2013 Mazda CX-5 last summer, I had many praises for it. I loved the exterior styling, the way it drove, and impressive fuel economy to name a few. One part of the CX-5 I didn’t like was the 2.0L SKYACTIV-G engine. While the 2.0L was chock full of technologies and interesting ideas, it was simply not enough engine for this size crossover..

Mazda has heard those complaints and addressed a solution at the 2012 L.A. Auto Show by introducing a larger 2.5L SKYACTIV-G four-cylinder which brought forth more power. This new engine would appear in the 2014 Mazda6 and CX-5. A revisit it seem was in order and a few weeks ago, a 2014 CX-5 Grand Touring landed on my doorstep with the new 2.5L engine.

The new 2.5L SKYACTIV-G engine produces 184 horsepower and 185 pound-feet of torque, increases of 29 and 35 respectively when compared with the 2.0L SKYACTIV-G. A six-speed automatic is your only transmission. Also, you can only get the 2.5L on the Touring and Grand Touring models. Those opting for the base Sport model stick with the 2.0L. The 2.5L also takes a slight hit in fuel economy. The EPA rates the 2.5L at 25 City/32 Highway/27 Combined compared to the 2.0L’s 26 City/32 Highway/29 Combined.

The 2.5L really makes the CX-5 come alive. Whether you’re leaving from a stop or needing to make a pass, the engine doesn’t come under any strain. Plus, the 2.5L has the low end punch that was missing from the 2.0L. The six-speed automatic is the same as the last CX-5 I drove: very quick on upshifts, stumbling somewhat on the downshifts. Fuel economy was also very good on the 2.5L. My week’s average was 26.7 MPG.

Despite the 2.5L adding about 100 lbs to CX-5’s curb weight, the excellent ride and handling characteristics are still there. The suspension copes very well when push, providing excellent stability and keeping body roll in control. Steering has the right weight and provides surprising feel. Drive it day to day and the CX-5 is composed and comfortable on most road surfaces.

One other new feature that should be talked about is Mazda's Smart City Brake Support. Optional on the Touring and Grand Touring models, Smart City Brake Support uses a laser sensor mounted in windshield to detect an impending low speed collision. If the driver doesn’t react quickly, the system will intervene and brake the CX-5 to minimize or eliminate a crash. Sadly I didn’t get chance to try out the system.

I did have some problems with the CX-5 though. The first comes from the Bluetooth system. Pairing my phone with the headunit took upwards of thirty seconds. This is pretty poor considering the competition can do it in about ten seconds or less. The other problem comes with the Grand Touring trim level. Aside from adding leather seats, automatic climate control, and nineteen-inch alloy wheels; you option up a mid-level Touring model to be almost the same as a Grand Touring for less money. Unless Mazda has a killer feature that they are saving for Grand Touring down the road, I would go with the touring.

Otherwise, the new 2.5L SKYACTIV-G breaths new life into the Mazda CX-5 and makes it, at least in my opinion, one of the best crossovers on the market.

Disclaimer: Mazda provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gasoline.

Year - 2014

Make – Mazda

Model – CX-5

Trim – Grand Touring FWD

Engine – 2.5L SKYACTIV-G Four-Cylinder

Driveline – Front-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 184 @ 5,700 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 185 @ 3,250 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 25/32/27

Curb Weight – 3,375 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Hiroshima, Japan

Base Price - $27,620.00

As Tested Price - $30,340.00* (Includes $795.00 destination charge)

Options:

Grand Touring Tech Package - $1,625

Retractable Cargo Cover - $200

Rear Bumper Guard - $100

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

May 2, 2013

In 1999, Lexus introduced the first luxury car-based crossover named the RX. It became a huge success for the company and defined the compact luxury crossover class we know of today. But since that time, the competition has been improving. Vehicles such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz, and even the Cadillac SRX have been making inroads and slowly cutting away the RX’s sales lead. Lexus has been on the attack to stop the advance of competitors by introducing a refreshed 2013 RX, which includes a new F-Sport model that promises a more capable and sporty RX. Does the new F-Sport model help or hurt the RX?

Aggressive is the key word in describing the RX350 F-Sport exterior looks. Lexus did a excellent job of making the F-Sport really stand out. The front features Lexus’ spindle grille with a mesh insert, more aggressive front bumper, and a set of new headlights with LED daytime running lights running along the inner edge. Other F-Sport appointments include nineteen-inch alloy wheels with a graphite finish that help set off the very unique and optional Claret Mica (deep red) paint.

The interior of RX350 F-Sport is much like the standard RX with some touches to it give some sport. There are set of alloy pedals, leather seats with F-Sport logo embroidered into them, a sport steering wheel with paddle shifters, and metal trim pieces. I feel like Lexus is trying a bit too hard to convince everyone that is their sporty model with all of these touches. Just tone it down somewhat.

Comfort is a big plus in the RX. Front seat passengers get power adjustments, heat, and ventilated seats. In the back, passengers will find a good amount of head and legroom. Plus, passengers can recline and adjust their seats to make themselves more comfortable. Cargo space is very impressive, with RX having the best in class of 40 cubic feet. That grows to 80 cubic feet with the rear seats down.

The main point of contention in the RX’s interior is the center stack. Controls seem somewhat cramped thanks to the odd placement of the transmission selector. Also, the screen for the infotainment seems a bit too far in the center stack. I will give Lexus kudos though for putting the screen at just the right height.

The 2013 RX comes equipped with Lexus’ Remote Touch which is this joystick/mouse controller you use to move around the infotainment system. Previously, I have complained about the Remote Touch system being a bit slow to perform a function where I could have done it a bit faster with a touchscreen. Since spending a week with the remote touch system, I got the hang of it and found it to be just as quick if I was using a touchscreen thanks to the layout of the infotainment system. That said, Remote Touch can be sometimes a bit touchy. If you’re trying to make a selection and your hand moves ever so slightly on the remote touch joystick/mouse thing, the selection is cancelled and you’re left yelling at the system. Its not bad, but it isn’t good either.

Powering the RX 350 F-Sport is the same engine you’ll find under the standard RX; a 3.5L V6 making 270 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. F-Sport models get an eight-speed transmission with all-wheel drive, while base RX 350s stick with a six-speed automatic and the choice between front or all-wheel drive.

The 3.5L’s performance can be classified as adequate. It's not the most powerful engine in the class, but it's also not sluggish. The 3.5L can get you moving at a decent rate, but be prepared to push the pedal a bit more if you need to get moving quicker. The eight-speed automatic is very smooth and responsive. You won’t notice the transmission working its way through the gears unless one of your eyes is glued to the tachometer. The paddles do make the F-Sport a bit more engaging to drive and can be activated when the transmission is in either drive or the manual mode. However, I wished the paddles were on the steering column and not the the steering wheel.

In the fuel economy department, the RX 350 F-Sport sees a minor increase when compared to the normal RX 350 mostly thanks to the eight-speed transmission. EPA rates the RX 350 F-Sport at 18 City/26 Highway/21 Combined, compared to the RX 350’s 18 City/24 Highway/20 Combined. During my week, I saw an average of 21 MPG.

F-Sport models get firmer suspension and steering tuning, and new a lateral damping system that Lexus claims brings the a more engaging driving experience to the RX. The improvements are there... somewhat. The RX 350 F-Sport does roll less when in turns, but that’s really about it. The changes seem to bring more problems than improvements. An example is the steering. I found it to be heavy and wanting to fight me every time I turned the wheel. Lumbering was the word I would use to describe it. Oddly when I was driving around in the RX F-Sport, I kept thinking how much more I liked driving the Cadillac SRX I had a few weeks before.

The ride does suffer a bit as well as the firmer suspension does let more road imperfections into the cabin. It's not to the point of where your kidneys are getting repeatedly punched, but it's very un-Lexus like. The good news is the quietness that Lexus is known for remains very well and true in the F-Sport model.

Sadly there is one more problem with the RX 350 F-Sport, the value for money argument. For the $51,729 as-tested price, you get such items as navigation, twelve-speaker sound system, blind-spot monitoring, and parking assist. But, the Cadillac SRX I had couple weeks before comes with most of these items and a more powerful V6 for about $4,000 less. If you decide to equip an SRX for the same asking price as the F-Sport and you can get such features as a panoramic sunroof, lane departure warning, and number of other features.

The RX 350 F-Sport might look better and have a much better transmission than the standard RX 350, but I feel the normal RX is the much better vehicle all around. The F-Sport just adds more problems and hurts the RX more. If it was just an appearance package, I would be more ok with it. The F in the RX 350 F-Sport must be short for frustrated because that how I’ll felt at the end of my time with it.

Disclaimer: Lexus provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gasoline.

Year - 2013

Make – Lexus

Model – RX 350

Trim – F-Sport

Engine – 3.5L DOHC 24-valve with Dual VVT-i V6

Driveline – All-Wheel Drive, Eight-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 270 @ 6,200 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 248 @ 4,700 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 18/26/21

Curb Weight – 4,510 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Cambridge, Ontario; Canada

Base Price - $47,000.00

As Tested Price - $51,729.00* (Includes $895.00 destination charge)

Options:

Navigation with Voice Command, Lexus Enform - $2,775.00

Blind Spot Monitor - $500.00

Intuitive Parking Assist - $500.00

Cargo Net - $59.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

April 30, 2013

The last time we reviewed a Cadillac SRX, it came with the choice of two different engines, an interior lifted from the Cadillac CTS, and coming close to being second in sales in the small luxury crossover arena. Fast forward two years and the SRX has undergone a bit of a change; there is now one engine, a revised exterior and interior, and coming very close to the Lexus RX in sales... (RX: 95,381 units. SRX: 57,485 units)

A revisit it seemed was in order. That’s what happened a few weeks ago as a 2013 Cadillac SRX AWD Performance Collection was dropped off for a week’s evaluation.

The overall design of the 2013 Cadillac SRX hasn’t changed much since its introduction back in 2010. The model wears the ‘Art & Science’ design language very well with a number of sharp angles and creases throughout the shape. The only real changes for 2013 include a new front grille and side vents with new LED lighting.

Inside the 2013 SRX, Cadillac revised the interior greatly with a new dashboard layout and instrument cluster from the smaller ATS sedan. Materials are in tip-top shape with a mix of leather, wood trim, and black acrylic for the touch capactive touch buttons. Build quality was excellent on this low mileage tester.

I had two disappointments with the SRX’s interior. One was the uncomfortable seats. Getting onto them for the first time, I felt like I was sitting on piece of concrete wrapped in leather. Not what I would call luxurious. The other problem was back seat room. While legroom is decent, headroom comes at cost thanks to a sloping roofline and the standard panoramic sunroof on the Performance Collection.

Not disappointing is Cadillac’s CUE (Cadillac User Experience). Since we last tried CUE in a ATS back in December, Cadillac has issued an update to squash some of the bugs and improve the performance of the system. My test SRX came with the update and the system was noticeably smoother. Inputs on the screen and the capacitive touch buttons registered most of the time and moving around the system was snappy. Now Cadillac just needs to work on making the system somewhat less distracting.

Powering the SRX is a 3.6L V6 engine with 308 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. That is mated to six-speed automatic transmission to either the front-wheels or all four wheels. Compared to the outgoing 3.0L and 2.8L turbocharged V6 engines, the 3.6L sits in the middle. Low-end power isn’t the 3.6L’s strong suit, but get above 2,000 RPM and the power comes smoothly in. The six-speed automatic provided smooth shifts and didn’t need to downshift as much when I stepped on the accelerator, something that couldn’t be said of the 3.0L.

One place where I wished the 3.6L was better was fuel economy. The EPA rates the SRX 3.6L AWD at 16 City/24 Highway/18 Combined. During my week, I averaged 17.2 MPG in mostly suburban driving. Out on the highway, fuel economy rose to 24.2 MPG. Why the low MPG numbers? Part of the blame goes to AWD system in the SRX, but a good majority is to the 4,442 lb curb weight.

Driving around in the SRX, my impressions were that Cadillac had focused more on the comfort than the sport. The FE2 suspension absorbs bumps and road imperfections with ease. A bit surprising since the SRX I was rolling in had twenty-inch wheels as standard equipment. Steering is very precise, despite the heavily boosted feeling I was getting. My biggest gripe dealt with the brake pedal. Whenever I put my foot on it to stop the SRX, it feels like I’m pushing through quicksand. This means you’re either not going slow down as fast as you like or come to a panic stop. Not pleasant at all.

My test SRX AWD Performance Collection rings up at $49,085, which is a steal when you consider that includes CUE, a Bose surround sound system, keyless entry with push button start, twenty-inch wheels, blind spot monitoring, cross traffic alert, and a number other features as standard equipment.

Its very easy to see why the 2013 Cadillac SRX is one of the best sellers in the segment. It offers the right blend of luxury, features, and value in a handsome package. While the SRX will not be coming anywhere close to toppling the Lexus RX in sales (so far in 2013, the RX current holds a 8,548 unit lead over the SRX), Cadillac should be very pleased that they have a very credible alternative.

Disclaimer: General Motors provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gasoline.

Year - 2013

Make – Cadillac

Model – SRX

Trim – AWD Performance Collection

Engine – 3.6L SIDI V6

Driveline – All-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 308 @ 6,800 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 265 @ 2,400 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 16/23/18

Curb Weight – 4,442 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Ramos Arizpe, CZ Mexico

Base Price - $47,715.00

As Tested Price - $49,085.00* (Includes $875.00 destination charge)

Options:

Black Ice Metallic Paint - $495.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

April 25, 2013

The compact front-wheel drive coupe class has been on the decline in recent years. Once a bright light in the automotive world with a number of manufacturers competing, the class has shrunk down to just four models; the Honda Civic Coupe, Scion tC, Hyundai Elantra Coupe, and Kia Forte Koup. The oldest one of this group, the Forte Koup, has fallen to the wayside since the other three have either been refreshed or are a new model. But does being the oldest model in this group mean that you shouldn’t take a look at it? I recently found out as I spent a week with a 2013 Kia Forte Koup SX.

Doing my first walk around the Koup when it first arrived, my inner monologue chimed in with “wait, is this a Honda Civic Coupe doppelganger?” Looking at the front and side profile, the Forte Koup does seem to pull some liberties from the Civic coupe in the overall design. Thankfully, Kia did make some changes to make it not seem like a carbon copy of a Civic coupe. The front has the now familiar Kia grille all blacked-out and a unique bumper treatment. The side profile features a set of muscular lines and a set of sharp seventeen-inch wheels.

Inside, the Forte Koup doesn’t have the same styling exuberance as the exterior. It's pretty much the same interior you’ll find in the Forte sedan and five-door model. It's not the nicest interior, but most of the interior bits are screwed in very well (aside from one door panel that rattled slightly when I was playing certain types of music) and the layout is very utilitarian.

Space is very much at a premium thanks to short roof height. Up front, the limited headroom space is eaten up by the optional sunroof. I had to adjust the drivers seat in such a way that my head wasn’t touching the roof, which meant I wasn’t in the most comfortable position during my time. Combine that with a seat that I found to be very uncomfortable, and I would come out feeling very sore from a drive. The backseat should only be reserved for small kids thanks to the tight head and legroom.

However, the Forte Koup does fight back with an abundance of equipment. My tester came with such amenities such as heated leather seats, navigation, Bluetooth, automatic climate control, hands-free calling, alloy pedals, and a proximity key. Kia still knows how to do the value argument very well.

Under the hood for the Forte Koup SX is a 2.4L DOHC four-cylinder engine producing 173 horsepower and 168 pound-feet of torque. At low rpms, the 2.4L pulls surprisingly well, making it plenty quick for those who drive in the drive in the city or suburbs. Moving higher in the rpm range, the engine begins to run out of steam. This is very noticeable when entering a freeway or deciding to throw the Koup around.

Transmissions for the Forte Koup are a six-speed manual or an automatic with paddle shifters. My car came equipped with the automatic and found it to be a perfect companion. The paddle shifters are a great addition since they can operated when the transmission is in Drive or manual mode. My only complaint with the paddle shifter are the placement the paddles. Mounting them on the steering wheel is horrible place since the paddles are always moving around. Putting them on the steering column would be a better idea.

Fuel economy for the Forte Koup SX stands at 23 City/31 Highway/26 Combined when equipped with six-speed automatic. My average for the evaluation stood at 26 MPG. Highway driving saw the number climb to 30.2 MPG.

The Forte Koup’s ride is decidedly mixed. On one hand, the Forte’s suspension tuning and heavy-weighted steering make it a pleasure to drive around corners. On the other hand, the Forte Koup’s suspension needs to go to finishing school. I found the ride to be unbearable when driving on the rutted Michigan roads as the suspension has no give at all. The steering also needs some refinement as its too heavy in daily use.

At the end of my time with Forte Koup SX, I was left conflicted. The Koup has a lot going for and against it. It's a great value and has some snazzy looks, but the ride and steering are a mixed bag. The big problem is the current Forte Koup isn’t a standout anymore like it used to be. Honda and Scion have introduced new versions of their compact coupes, the Civic and tC respectively. There is also the Hyundai Elantra coupe in play which brings some very startling looks and impressive fuel economy to the class.

It's better to wait for the new Forte Koup, due out sometime later this year, than to get the current one.

Disclaimer: Kia provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gasoline.

Year - 2013

Make – Kia

Model – Forte Koup

Trim – SX

Engine – 2.4L Inline-Four

Driveline – Front-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 173 @ 6,000 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 168 @ 4,000 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 23/31/26

Curb Weight – 2,891 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Hwaseong, Gyeonggi; South Korea

Base Price - $19,800.00

As Tested Price - $24,520.00* (Includes $775.00 destination charge)

(Note: This Forte Koup didn't come with a window sticker, so I'm guessing the as tested price here)

Options:

SX Technology Package - $1,800

Leather Package - $1,000

Sunroof - $795

Rear Spoiler - $395

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

April 23, 2013

Well, that didn't go quite as planned…

By the time you are reading this review, Toyota has introduced the new 2014 Highlander. I should have realized this when I was scheduling vehicles about a month ago, since this current generation of Highlander has been with us for about six years. But alas, I didn’t. Here’s the thing though: the current Toyota Highlander doesn’t look or even feel like its six years old. It still feels pretty new.

Now it may seem a bit odd to do a review on a vehicle that’s destined to be replaced. But it’s the perfect time to spot the differences between the outgoing and new Highlander, and decided whether it’s a good idea to pick one up now or wait.

The current Highlander’s styling is pretty plain when compared to other crossovers in the marketplace. Up front, Toyota designers placed a hexagonal grill and an aggressive air dam underneath. Around the back, there is a set of reworked taillights and name of the model around the license plate. There is a hint of 4Runner and Sequoia in the overall design, but it really doesn’t help give the Highlander an identity of its own.

Moving inside, the Highlander shows its base model credentials very clearly. Hard plastics are used throughout the interior and the dashboard. Also the sea of grey plastics and cloth seats could make anyone feel like they are in a ‘50 Shades of Grey’ novel. Thankfully, fit and finish on this base Highlander is at the high standard Toyota is known for.

The Highlander delivers top marks in passenger comfort and space. The cloth seats provide the right balance of comfort and support for all passengers. Second row passengers will appreciate the generous amount of head and legroom. The second row also features a clever trick where the center part can be folded down and stowed under the front console. This gives you two captain chairs and a storage cubby in its place. There is a third-row, but I would recommend that either small kids sit there or fold it down since it’s a bit tight on legroom for adults.

My only real concerns with the interior were with the radio. For 2013, Toyota has installed a touchscreen unit on all trim levels for the Highlander. I found the screen to be very responsive when pressed and was easy to read at a glance, except when the sunlight hits the screen and makes it unreadable. Another problem for the radio deals with the control layout of the center stack. On either side of the radio are giant these ‘knobs’ and your first thought would be, “oh these are the volume and tune knobs”. Uh no, those ‘knobs’ are the hazard lights and the airbag lights. The volume and tune ‘knobs’ are microscopic in comparison as they sit on top of the radio.

Putting the Highlander to work are two engines: a 2.7L four-cylinder or, what my Highlander came equipped with, a 3.5L V6 engine. The 3.5L produces 270 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque, which is mated to a five-speed automatic. Power delivery is very smooth and effortless, moving this 4,266 lb vehicle without a sweat. The five-speed automatic is a bit of an oddity considering most of the competition. Even the four-cylinder Highlander comes equipped with a six-speed automatic. Toyota‘s engineers’ deserve some credit for making the five-speed work by providing seamless shifts. My Highlander was equipped with the optional 4WD system and it provided excellent traction when Mother Nature decided to drop a few inches of snow during the week. You could feel the 4WD system working when driving through the snow, making sure to keep you moving.

Fuel economy on the 2013 Highlander V6 4WD stands at 17 City/22 Highway/19 Combined. During my week, I averaged 19.2 MPG which is on par for the class. On the highway, I got 21.2 MPG.

On the road the Highlander coddles its passengers with a very a smooth ride. The suspension setup feels like it was made up of pillows and down comforters filled with feathers. This is perfect tuning for the Michigan roads the Highlander drove on since they are very decrepit. The tradeoff for the soft ride is poor handling and the Highlander exhibits this very well. The Highlander rolls and wobbles while braking or taking sharp turns. Some people may be turned off this, but most won’t care.

What most people will care about is the amount of road and wind noise the Highlander exhibits. Driving in the city and suburbia, the Highlander is decent at keeping the noise out. On the highway, there is abundance of wind and road noise in the cabin. I don’t know if the higher trim levels have this problem as well.

The 2013 Highlander proved to be a very solid offering in the crossover market. While it might not be the newest, quietest, or fun to drive, the Highlander provides the comfort, power, and value that most buyers are looking for.

Now comes the question of whether you should you should go out and buy one now or wait for the new one? On one hand, the new Highlander does bring forth [a] new exterior that stands out and an interior that, in pictures, looks to bring in some new style and materials. On the other hand, the powertrains are carried over from this model with the only real change is a six-speed automatic for the V6.

At the end of the day, I would say you would be happy going with either the old or new Highlander. The decision just rests on whether you want spend the money on the new shiny vehicle or save a few bucks on the old one.

Either way, you're getting a very solid crossover.

Disclaimer: Toyota provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gasoline.

Year - 2013

Make – Toyota

Model – Highlander

Trim – V6 4WD

Engine – 3.5L DOHC VVT-i V6

Driveline – Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive, Five-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 270 @ 6,200 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 248 @ 4,700 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 17/22/19

Curb Weight – 4,266 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Princeton, IN

Base Price - $31,845.00

As Tested Price - $33,757.00 (Includes $845.00 destination charge)

Options:

Running Boards - $649.00

Carpet and Cargo Mats - $280.00

Cold Weather Package - $60.00

Cargo Net - $49.00

First Aid Kit - $29.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

February 8, 2013

At one time in the U.S. auto market, you had a wide variety of compact pickups to choose from. You could get a Chevrolet S-10, Ford Ranger, Nissan Hardbody, or a number of other pickups. But now there isn’t such a thing as a compact pickup. The last compact pickup truck, the Ford Ranger, said farewell in 2011. Other compact pickups have grown into what we now call the midsize class.

That brings us to the current crop of midsize pickups; the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma. These two models make up the current selection of midsize pickups. But is that a good thing? Why are there only two models in the midsize pickups class? I recently had a 2013 Toyota Tacoma Access Cab to find out.

Variety is the Spice of Life

The 2013 Tacoma comes in a variety of configurations to suit your needs. Whether you need a single cab with a four-cylinder engine or a crew cab with a V6 and off-road package, Toyota probably has a Tacoma for you. Our test Tacoma was a SR5 Access Cab, Toyota’s name for extended cab.

Toyota has made some tweaks the Tacoma’s exterior in 2012, mostly in the front. There is a new grille, headlights, and bumper that help make the Tacoma’s 2005 design look somewhat newer. The Tacoma’s standard truck bed measures out at 73.5 inches long, which means the truck can handle a run to the hardware store to pick up supplies with no problem.

Stepping inside the Tacoma Access Cab, you do notice that it hasn’t aged very well. Despite Toyota’s best efforts to spruce it up by installing a new steering wheel, revising the graphics on the gauges, and changing the colors on the center stack, the interior feels like it has just rolled off the assembly line back in 2005. Materials are what you would usually find in most mid-size trucks, hard plastics in the usual places.

However, the Tacoma’s interior does have some positive points. For starters, the dash layout is simple and the controls are within easy reach. The front seats are very comfortable with a good amount of adjustments and bolstering. Then there is the Access Cab which increases interior space and provides additional space. You can fit two people in the back in the jump seats, but only if they are small kids.

Power? Yes. Fuel Economy and Ride? Umm..

The Tacoma can be equipped with either a 2.7L four-cylinder or what our test Tacoma was equipped with, a 4.0L V6. I should explain Toyota uses two variations of the 4.0L in their Trucks and SUVs. For the Tundra and 4Runner, Toyota employs a 4.0L producing 270 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque. In the Tacoma, Toyota uses the same 4.0L producing less power at 236 horsepower and 266 pound-feet torque. Transmission choices for the Tacoma include a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic.

The 4.0L V6 feels faster than what is indicated on the speedometer thanks to the bulk of torque being on the low-end and the automatic’s gearing spaced out to provide more performance. With an empty bed and dry payment, you can easily get a squeal from the rear tires. On the expressway, the V6 was able get up to speed very quickly and make passes with no sweat. I never thought that I needed the higher performing 4.0L in the week I had the Tacoma.

One item Toyota does need to address with the Tacoma’s 4.0L V6 is fuel economy. The EPA rates the 2013 Toyota Tacoma Access Cab SR5 V6 4WD at 16 City/21 Highway/18 Combined, which is similar to full-size pickups equipped V8 engines. During my time with the Tacoma, I averaged about 17.6 MPG.

The Tacoma’s suspension uses a double wishbone with gas-filled shocks in the front and leaf springs in the back. This setup provided a soft, yet very bouncy ride. I kept wondering if I was riding a mechanical bull and not a truck. I’m sure if the bed had a load, the bounciness would subside a bit.

One surprise of the Tacoma was its steering. Toyota uses a variable assist rack and pinion system and it provided an excellent amount of feel and weight. Combine it with smaller dimensions of the Tacoma and it is a breeze to maneuver around tight spaces.

There’s A Good Truck Here, But Needs Some Drastic Changes

The 2013 Tacoma Access Cab SR5 V6 has left me torn. On one hand, the Tacoma has a comfortable and straightforward interior layout, a punchy V6, and good maneuverability. On the other hand, the Tacoma gets about the same fuel economy as full-size trucks, an interior that feels very old, and the bouncy ride.

There’s another nail in the Tacoma’s coffin and that is the price. As tested, the Tacoma Access Cab SR5 V6 stickers at $30,580.00. At a glance, this seems somewhat reasonable. However with that same amount of cash, you could head down to your local Chevrolet, Ford, Ram dealer and get a full-size truck that is equipped similar to the Tacoma.

Toyota is now at a point with the Tacoma where it has two options; either leave the Tacoma as-is or begin making some changes to full unleash the potential of this truck. Those changes include swapping the five-speed automatic for a six-speed automatic and seeing if they can squeeze some more fuel economy out of the 4.0L V6. I hope Toyota goes with the latter option since the midsize truck market could use a kick in the pants.

Album: 2013 Toyota Tacoma Access Cab SR5 V6 4WD

18 images

0 comments

Disclaimer: Toyota provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gasoline.

Year - 2013

Make – Toyota

Model – Tacoma Access Cab

Trim – SR5 V6

Engine – 4.0L DOHC 24V VVT-i V6

Driveline – Part Time Four-Wheel Drive, Five-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 236 @ 5,200 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 266 @ 4,000 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 16/21/18

Curb Weight – 4,100 lbs

Location of Manufacture – San Antonio, TX

Base Price - $26,185.00

As Tested Price - $30,580.00 (Includes $895.00 destination charge)

Options:

SR5 Value Package - $2,335.00

V6 Tow Package - $650.00

Running Boards - $376.00

Six-Speaker, AM/FM/SirusXM/CD/MP3/WMA/Bluetooth/Aux/iPod Sound System - $300.00

Floor Mats and Door Sill Protector -$195.00

Exhaust Tip - $85.00

Daytime Running Lights - $40.00

First Aid Kit - $39.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

February 5, 2013

This is how I think a conversation would go with someone about the 2013 Kia Sorento SX V6 I had in for review.

“Hey William.”

“Hey.”

“So what are you reviewing this week?”

“The 2013 Kia Sorento SX V6.”

“Didn’t Kia introduce a refreshed Sorento?”

“Yes at the LA Auto Show. It will be a 2014 model coming out sometime in the first quarter of 2013.”

“Why are you reviewing the 2013 model if the 2014 model is coming soon?”

“Well for two reasons. One: I have a point of comparison when I get the chance to check out the 2014 model. Two: I want to see if a person should wait to get the 2014 model or go ahead with the 2013 model.”

“Ahh.”

Shall we dive in?

Since its introduction in 2009 as a 2011 model, the second-generation Kia Sorento’s design really hasn’t changed much. The front end features Kia’s signature grille and a set of unique headlights. The side profile has deeply chiseled door panels and windows that are pushed somewhat into the body. On the SX model you gain painted front and rear bumpers, a rear spoiler, and a set of eighteen-inch wheels to give it a very dramatic look.

Inside the Sorento feels older than it should. Blame the hard plastics and some of equipment used up front, most notably the climate control system. Aside from this, the interior features very good build quality. Front and second row passengers will feel very comfortable thanks to the very good amount of head and legroom, and adjustments provided. The third row is best left for small kids or folded flat since that expands cargo room from a meager 9.1 cubic feet to 37 cubic feet of space.

Equipment is very generous on the Sorento SX. Starting at $33,400, the SX model includes leather seats for all three rows, heated front seats, push-button start, rear ventilation, an Infinity sound system, USB and Aux jack, and Bluetooth as standard equipment. My test Sorento SX also came equipped with the Premium package which adds such items as navigation, heated steering wheel, a memory function for the driver’s seat and mirrors, and a panoramic sunroof. For the extra $3,200 the package adds onto the Sorento SX’s price tag, I find it to be a very good value since models from competitors would cost somewhat more to come close to matching the SX’s equipment level.

The 2013 Sorento comes with three different engine choices. The base LX model gets a 2.4L four-cylinder engine. There is also a 2.4L four-cylinder with direct injection that is available on the LX and standard on the EX. Lastly, there is a 3.5L V6 that’s standard on the SX and optional on the LX and EX. The 3.5L V6 produces 276 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. The power is fed through a six-speed automatic down to either the front wheels or optional all-wheel drive system.

The V6 packs quite the punch for any situation you encounter. Whether its to merge onto a freeway or leaving a stop, the V6’s power is immediate and smooth. More surprisingly was how quiet the V6 engine was. The only way you knew the engine was doing anything besides dropping the hammer was watching the rev counter. The six-speed automatic was very smooth and quick to downshift at a moments notice. My only real disappointment with V6 was fuel economy. The EPA rates the Sorento SX V6 with AWD at 18 City/24 Highway/20 combined. During my week, I got an average of 20.5 MPG. However when I was driving the Sorento in the city, I saw my average MPG drop to around 15.8 MPG. If you’re planning to drive a lot in the city, you should consider the four-cylinder.

The Sorento’s AWD system is a full-time unit that features a locking center differential. I found the system to be very capable when driving through the aftermath of a snowstorm. The system provided enough traction to get and keep the vehicle on the move, even in some unplowed roads. One oddity in the Sorento SX was a hill descent control system. Hill descent control uses the ABS to control each wheel's speed to get down a hill in rough terrain at a very slow speed. I’m not quite sure how many Sorento owners will utilize this feature, but it's there if you need it.

The Sorento SX’s ride and drive can be best explained in three (or four) words; quiet and mostly comfortable. The suspension is tuned for comfort which provides a very smooth and stable ride. Steering is perfectly weighted for the intended application and is surprisingly quick to respond. Driving on the highway, the Sorento exhibits barely any noise from the suspension or the road, making this a very relaxing highway cruiser.

The 2013 Kia Sorento SX with AWD starts $33,400.00. Add a few options and destination and you're looking at $37,575.00, the price of my tester. Now some people will argue that seems a bit much for a seven-seat crossover. However I would rebut that for price, the Sorento SX brings forth a number of features that the competition either doesn't have or you would need to tick a few more option boxes to come close.

If you were to ask me before the showing of the 2014 Sorento would I recommend the current Sorento, the answer is yes. The 2013 Kia Sorento SX is a very capable and value oriented crossover; providing a good mix of looks, equipment, power, and comfort in one package. But with the 2014 Sorento around the corner, I would say wait and see. The 2014 model brings forth a number of improvements, including a new 3.3L V6 and a more modern interior.

Disclaimer: Kia provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gasoline.

Album: 2013 Kia Sorento SX

21 images

0 comments

Year - 2013

Make – Kia

Model – Sorento

Trim – SX AWD

Engine – 3.5L DOHC CVVT V6

Driveline – All-Wheel Drive with Locking Center Differential, Six-Speed Automatic Transmission

Horsepower @ RPM – 276 (@ 6,300 RPM)

Torque @ RPM – 248 (@ 5,000 RPM)

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 18/24/20

Curb Weight – 3,935 lbs

Location of Manufacture – West Point, Georgia

Base Price - $33,400.00 (SX with AWD)

As Tested Price - $37,575.00 (Includes $800.00 Destination Charge)

Options:

Premium Package 3 - $3,200.00

Cargo Cover - $125.00

Cargo Net - $50.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

February 1, 2013

October 2009 was a monumental month for Toyota. It was at the Tokyo Motor Show where the company revealed a very interesting concept called the FT-86; a small, lightweight two-door coupe that was jointly worked on by Toyota and Subaru. This sent shockwaves across the automotive landscape. Had Toyota rediscovered its sporty side it once had during the eighties and nineties? Or was it fluke? When the company announced that a production model would be coming along with a Subaru version, it seemed the answer was yes, they have discovered their sporty side once more.

Speculation, rumors, and a number of concepts from Toyota, Scion, and Subaru would come out over the next couple years before the official introductions in late 2011 and early 2012. There would be the Toyota GT86 which was a callback to the mid-eighties RWD Corolla AE86. Next was the Subaru BRZ which differed from the rest of the Subaru lineup by being a RWD model, not AWD. Finally for North America was the Scion FR-S, providing a unique product for Toyota’s youth brand.

Its been a long wait for these coupes, but was it worth it? To answer this question, I got a 2013 Scion FR-S for the holidays.

The Look

The FR-S’ exterior design is what you expect out of a sporting car; a small, low slung body mounted on top of a short wheelbase. Key design cues to take note are the embellished front and rear fenders, a distinct character line running along the door, rear diffuser with reverse lights, and on the front fenders, a little 86 badge paying homage to the mid-eighties Corolla AE86.

Inside the FR-S, its a simple and clean layout. Materials are hard plastics of varying quality which will annoy some people. I had no problems with it since the money was wisely spent elsewhere in the vehicle. The controls are logically laid out and easy to reach. Scion fitted a set of sport seats for the driver and front passenger. The seats provide good bolstering and support when you’re driving aggressively. However I couldn’t fit into the seats comfortably due to my shoulders being a bit too wide for the seats. I know I happen to be an odd case on this, but its worth noting if you’re looking into this. The back seat area is only really usable for storing stuff or putting small kids.

All Part of a Balanced Diet

Underneath the Scion FR-S’ skin is a recipe for balance. Power comes from 2.0L Subaru Boxer-four that’s fitted with Toyota's D-4S direct injection system. Horsepower is rated at 200 (@ 7,000 RPM) and torque is at 151 lb-ft (@ 5,100 RPM). The reason for going with the boxer engine is due to how low the engine can be set in a vehicle. The lower the engine, the lower center of gravity a vehicle has. For transmissions, you have the choice of either a six-speed manual or my test FR-S’ six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. With the automatic, you choice of three different drive modes (Normal, Sport and Snow) that changes the behavior of the transmission. The FR-S also features a limited-slip differential as standard equipment. Suspension duties are taken care by a set up MacPherson struts up front and a double-wishbone in the rear. A set of 17-inch alloy wheels are wrapped in Michelin Primacy HP summer tires.

Driving the FR-S down a nice twisty backroad is a very rewarding experience. The engine does have to be worked to reach its sweet spot, but the reward is a nice growl from the exhaust and the knowledge that the engine doesn't mind being pushed. The six-speed automatic is surprisingly quick and smooth, especially when you put the vehicle into sport mode as the transmission holds onto the gears through the corners and blips the throttle. You can also do the shifting yourself via the paddle shifters whether the transmission is in Drive or in the manual mode. While its fun to play with paddles, I found leaving the vehicle in Drive with the Sport mode on did a better job than me. I also found myself wishing the paddles were on the steering column than the wheel, so I wouldn't be playing the game of ‘where are the paddles now?’

The suspension does an excellent job of keeping FR-S level and balanced when going from corner to corner. Steering is very quick and precise, and provides a very good amount of a road feel. A bit surprising when you find out the FR-S steering is a electric power system, not hydraulic. Also surprising was a VSC Sport button which dials back the stability control up to a point to allow you to explore the limits of the FR-S.

It’s A Double Edge Sword

Now all those things I have listed above really do make the FR-S a great back road car, but it doesn’t make it a great daily driver for a good amount of people. For starters, I wished the engine had a bit more power, especially in the mid-range. Trying to make a pass or merge with traffic meant I had essentially step on it to perform. Also the suspension which is great in the corners is horrid on Metro Detroit roads. The suspension doesn’t have enough give whenever you drive over potholes or road imperfections and you will feel it very clearly.

One thing I wasn't complaining about the FR-S was fuel economy. The EPA rates the FR-S at 25 City/34 Highway/28 Combined. During the week, I averaged 30.4 MPG. On the freeway I saw 34.2 MPG.

The Time Has Come

The Scion FR-S is a very special and impressive coupe. From the very unique looks to the way it drives, Scion has a alternative to the sport compacts and sports cars in the price bracket. The base price of $24,500 for a six-speed manual and $25,300 for a six-speed automatic makes it a steal.

Its not for everyone though. The rough ride brought on by firm suspension, spartan interior, and engine not having enough power will scare some people away. But for those who can put up with these faults will bask in knowledge of having one of best driving vehicles on sale today.

Disclaimer: Scion provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gasoline.

Album: 2013 Scion FR-S

16 images

0 comments

Year - 2013

Make – Scion

Model – FR-S

Trim – N/A

Engine – 2.0L Direct and Port-Injected Boxer-Four

Driveline – Rear-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 200 HP (@ 7,000 RPM)

Torque @ RPM – 151 lb-ft (@ 5,400 RPM)

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 25/34/28

Curb Weight – 2,806 lbs

Location of Manufacture - Ōta, Gunma, Japan

Base Price - $25,300.00

As Tested Price - $26,099.00* (Includes $730.00 Destination Charge)

Options:

Rear Bumper Applique - $69.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

By Chris Doane

January 29, 2013

I know I won’t get much, if any, sympathy when I say that, sometimes, there are letdowns when you review cars. Last week, the car I was evaluating was a $100,000, 400hp, German coupe. (Read my review of the 2012 BMW 650i xDrive coupe here) I’ve now stepped directly from that into a Kia Rio.

I’ll pause for your laughter.

For the price of the super coupe, you can buy 5.4 Kia Rios. You could keep that .4 for spare parts?

But don’t let price fool you. Oddly enough, there is something about the way the Kia drives that beats the German car hands down.

If you guessed power, speed or luxury, then you’re either not familiar with these cars, or you’re three martinis into “lunch” at the bar. What the much cheaper Kia does have over the German car is steering feel. The coupe from Deutschland has 262 more horse power, yards and yards of leather, but in the Kia, I actually have some sense of what the front wheels are doing via what I feel through the steering wheel. And I’ll take some feel over none any day.

If driving is something you enjoy, steering feel is pretty useful information to have when zipping through the corners. Even if driving is nothing more than a task for you, it’s pretty nice to know when the front wheels feel like they’re about to lose traction. While no one would ever mistake the Rio for a sporty, corner carving car, the Rio SX model has a sport-tuned suspension, 17-inch wheels, and light, responsive steering that, somehow, make this small, underpowered car a little bit fun to drive.

It’s a bit like a go-kart, only with airbags, a trunk and room for five passengers. Well, 4.5 anyway.

The main reason I say “a little bit fun to drive” is because of the 1.6L, 138hp four cylinder motor in the Rio. Those hot, 17-inch wheels on this Rio SX might make it look quick, but this hatchback ain’t going anywhere fast. While there is certainly power to be had from this little four-banger, you’ve got to rev the snot out of it to reach that power. Once the tachometer reads 4500-5000rpm, then you approach something that could be considered acceleration.

In regular, everyday driving, the lack of power isn’t really an issue. You’ll get through the city, and around the highways, just fine. But in some situations, like passing on even a modest incline, you might think twice. As I attempted to pass an older, slower Nissan on a slight uphill, the pass happened in such slow fashion that I would’ve had time to say hello to the driver, ask if he was hungry, make a sandwich, and pass it over. Wait, did he want Grey Poupon?

So we don’t have speed, but that should come as no surprise since this car is intended more for fuel efficiency. The Rio is rated for 28mpg city, 36mpg highway, and we observed a 31mpg average with sporty driving habits and more highway driving than city driving. There is also an “eco” button you can press that reigns in the engine, and transmission shift points, for increased fuel economy.

Even though the fuel economy is fairly good, the tank in the Rio is pretty tiny at 11.3 gallons. If you have a long commute, you’ll still be filling up a lot, but at least you’ll only be pumping in 11 gallons each time.

If you want to know when that tank is about to run dry, it’s not a good idea to rely on the digital, remaining range readout in the gauge cluster. One moment, the Rio SX told me I could drive another 31 miles before I was out of fuel. Less than 5 minutes of regular driving later, it told me I had no range remaining.

Inside the Rio, it’s about what you’d expect in a $18,545 car. A nicely designed, mostly hard plastic interior, but with soft touch material in the right spots and a backup camera. Wait, what? A backup camera in a $18,545 car? Touch-screen nav too? Don’t forget the power fold mirrors. Though, in a car this narrow, I’m not really sure why you’d ever need to fold in the mirrors.

Of those features, it’s the backup camera that is almost a necesity due to the massive blind spots the stylish C-pillars create. Without a rear-facing camera, backing out of a parking spot involves more prayer than driving skill.

Normally, in cars of this price range, the seats suffer when it comes to comfort. Somehow, the chairs in the Rio manage not to do that. They certainly aren’t heavily padded or bosltered seats, but after three hours of wheeling, I was perfectly comfortable, and ready for three more.

Frankly, the best part of the Rio is how fantastic it looks. If you venture back even a few years ago and look at the cars Kia was producing then, you’d never have guessed this company was capable of designing something this good looking.

Not only does the exterior design trump the Scion xB, Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Nissan Versa, but it certainly holds its’ own against the Chevy Sonic and Ford Fiesta as well.

2012 Kia Rio SX 5-door - $17,700

-Carpeted Floor Mats - $95

-Destination - $750

TOTAL - $18,545

Album: 2012 Kia Rio SX 5-Door

7 images

0 comments

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

January 24, 2013

The letter R in the automotive world means an automaker has added a bit of spice to one of their vehicles. Examples include Acura Integra Type R and Volkswagen Golf R32 and R. The best example of the letter R being used by an automaker is Volvo. A brand known for safety and button-down styling would surprise the world when it introduced the 850 T-5 R sedan and wagon in 1995. Draped in some very wild colors, the 850 T-5 R was for its time one of fastest vehicles on the planet thanks to some major tweaks to the powertrain and suspension. Volvo would follow up with the 1999 V70R and the 2003 - 2006 S60R and V70R models, all of them proving improved performance over the base models.

But since the S60R and V70R models left the Volvo lineup, there hasn’t quite been the craziness the R models brought forth. Instead Volvo fell back into its safety ritual, but with more distinctive designs. Two key things would happen to Volvo within the past couple of years to bring them back into the crazy fold. First would be Volvo strengthening and expanding its partnership with its racing and performance partner Polestar. Second would be the introduction of the R-Design trim for the S60 and XC60. R-Design brings some tweaks to exterior, engine, and chassis.

That brings us to the 2013 Volvo S60 T6 AWD R-Design. Does it show signs that craziness has entered Volvo once more?

Subtlety? Where?!

Volvo’s have been known to be very understated in their designs and the S60 R-Design is no exception to that rule, if you don’t decide to get your R-Design in what Volvo calls Rebel Blue. While I did like the bold color choice, some people weren’t so impressed with it. If you want to be fully understated with your S60 R-Design, go with another color.

Aside from the color, there’s a lot to appreciate about the S60’s design. The new S60 is an evolution of the first-generation model with some coupe cues in the form of a short rear overhang and sloping roof. Volvo has also fitted a unique set of headlights with LEDs sitting right beside it. The R-Design package layers on a lower front spoiler, eighteen-inch alloy wheels, rear spoiler, rear diffuser with dual-exhaust pipes, and a little R-Design badge on the front denoting its status.

A Lesson in Simplicity

The S60 R-Design’s interior is one of simplicity. The dashboard is very clean in its design with a mixture of a soft-touch materials, metal accents around the vents and door pulls, and a unique metal center stack. Its a very handsome and and well-built interior.

The front seats, draped in black leather, were some of the most comfortable seats I have sat in all year. Providing eight-way adjustments, heat, and the right amount of bolstering, the seats had the right of comfort and support for enthusiastic or long drives. Backseat passengers will appreciate the amount of headroom. Legroom can vary from good to none depending on how far the front seat is set.

Simplicity is a good word to describe the infotainment system. Instead of going with a controller like BMW, Mercedes and Audi, or a touchscreen with capacitive touch buttons like Cadillac and Lincoln, Volvo went with using a center stack full of buttons and knobs for to move around and control the system which appears on a seven-inch non-touch color screen. Some will complain that the center stack has way too many buttons and is a distraction to see which button you need to press. I would agree that when you're first using it, but after a while, it becomes second nature. While its very easy to use the system, I found that doing certain functions like moving around the map was a pain in the butt. I hope Volvo keeps the idea of simplicity when working on the next generation of their infotainment system, but maybe adds a joystiq or something that makes certain functions easier to do.

Those Crazy Swedes

Under the S60 T6 AWD R-Design is Volvo’s T6 engine; a turbocharged straight-six. In the normal S60 T6, you’re looking at 300 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque. In the R-Design model, you’re looking at 325 horsepower (@ 5,400 RPM) and 354 lb-ft of torque (@ 3,200 - 3,600 RPM). This is in part due to Polestar which increased the boost of the turbocharger and installed a new module which changes ignition, fuel mapping and throttle response. Power is sent to a six-speed Geartronic automatic transmission down to a Haldex-built AWD system.

The engine has a Jekyll and Hyde personality. If you go about and drive the S60 R-Design normally, the engine is able to keep up with traffic very well with nary a hint of its performance cred. However if you decide to slam the pedal to the floor or throw the transmission into either sport or manual mode, the engine will throw you back into your seat and climb in speed at a very alarming rate. Plus, you get this amazing growl from the exhaust. The six-speed automatic does an amazing job of proving smooth and unobtrusive shifts whether I had my foot to the floor or moving along at a normal pace. I did wish the R-Design came with some paddles to have more fun with the engine.

I did have an odd problem with this S60 R-Design’s gas pedal. If I put my foot on the pedal normally, about a quarter-way down, I found that I would going into hyperspace speed. But if maybe go an eighth of the way down on the pedal, the car accelerates normally. I’m not whether this is a programming issue or not, but reading through some other reviews of this car don’t mention this problem, so its just an issue with this particular vehicle.

The Haldex-built AWD system was non-intrusive and provided a feeling of sure-footedness no matter the conditions outside. Combined with Volvo’s Corner Traction Control system, the AWD system made the vehicle feel small and nimble when going through corners.

Fuel economy wise, S60 T6 R-Design is right in the middle of the pack in the compact luxury car class with the EPA rating it 18 City/25 Highway/21 Combined. For the week, I averaged 21.2 MPG with mostly suburban driving. A word of warning though; if you decide to stick your foot in the S60 T6 R-Design more often than not, be prepared to see your average MPG drop into the mid-teens.

The R-Design’s suspension is mostly the same as the normal S60. There are MacPherson struts up front and a independent rear suspension setup with stabilizer bars at either end. For the R-Design model, Volvo adds a 15 millimeter drop to the suspension, stiffer springs and bushings, strut tower brace, and Mono-tube shocks in the rear. These changes give the S60 R-Design almost the same handling characteristics as those from Germany. As for driving on a day to day basis, the R-Design suspension was able to cope with road imperfections very well.

The steering comes in the form of a rack and pinion setup with variable power assist. The steering hits the right balance of weight and feel whether you're attacking your favorite road or doing the daily drive. It gives the Germans and even the Cadillac ATS a run for their money.

It's A Volvo After All

Being a Volvo of course, the S60 R-Design is filled to the brim with safety technologies. Along with the AWD system and Corner Traction Control, the R-Design is fitted airbags all around the vehicle, Volvo’s Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) and Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), a rearview camera, and City Safety which uses a sensor mounted at the top of the windshield to monitor traffic ahead of you and put the brakes on if the vehicle senses an impending collision.

One feature I wished was standard on the S60 R-Design was Volvo’s BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) which can tell you if a vehicle is in your blind spot. This would be really helpful since rear visibility is terrible thanks to some thick C-Pillars. BLIS is a $700 option on the R-Design, but I do hope Volvo makes it standard sometime in the S60’s lifecycle.

Welcome To Crazy Town

The 2013 Volvo S60 T6 AWD R-Design shows signs of craziness returning to Volvo. The evidence for this includes the wild blue paint, body modifications that are subtle, the two-sidedness of the powertrain, and a very impressive chassis setup.

While Volvo might not have the same cachet as a BMW or an Audi, the S60 R-Design can match them in other areas. If you’re the person who doesn't like to follow the leader, the S60 R-Design is worth a look.

Disclaimer: Volvo Cars of North America provided the S60 R-Design, Insurance, and one tank of gas.

Album: 2013 Volvo S60 T6 AWD R-Design

Year - 2013

Make – Volvo

Model – S60

Trim – T6 AWD R-Design

Engine – 3.0L Turbocharged Inline-Six

Driveline – All-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 325 @ 5400 RPM

Torque @ RPM – 354 @ 3000 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 18/25/21

Curb Weight – 3,835 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Ghent, Belgum

Base Price - $43,900.00

As Tested Price - $48,195.00 (Includes $895.00 destination charge)

Options:

S60 Platinum Package - $2,700.00

Climate Package - $700.00

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

By Chris Doane

January 22, 2013

Five minutes after the photo session with the 650i came to an end, my phone rang. It’s Mark, the guy who was driving the Bimmer while I snapped photos.

“Chris, something is wrong with my car. It feels slow, I must be towing a big trailer.”

There was no trailer. Mark had just stepped from a 400hp, twin-turbo BMW into a 2005 Ford Expedition XLT. All 5352 pounds of it.

“I’ll never enjoy driving this again. I’m blaming you.”

Oh, um…alright, then.

Misbehavin’

Apart from permanently ruining a man’s truck, the 650i encourages you to behave in ways your fellow motorists might not fully appreciate.

You’ll creep up behind that Rav4, with only the “halo” LED lights on, stalk it like prey, then drop two gears and hammer past it in even the shortest passing lane. But when you have this much thrust on tap, short passing lanes suddenly turn into “Oh, I can make that!” lanes.

The main source for that urge to misbehave comes from BMW’s twin-turbo, 4.4L V8 engine, good for 400hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. While those 400 ponies are undoubtedly great, you also get all the available torque very early in the rev range (1750 rpm.) Simply put, the power delivery is immediate, fierce and will pin you against the seat when you mash the pedal on the right.

In addition to the speed, hammering the accerator summons a gurgling, satanic symphony of power, emanating from the huge tailpipes. It’s a sound that is as addictive as it is bad for your fuel economy. Living in proximity of a long tunnel should be a prerequiste to own this car as tunnel blasting will become your newest, loudest, most favorite hobby.

When it comes to handling, the 650i encourages you to bend the rules once again and take the corner posted 20mph at 45mph. It’s something this BMW is certainly capable of, as it offers large amounts of grip, very flat cornering and…almost no steering feel whatsoever. And that last bit can be a problem.

As is the case with many new cars, the 650i has electric power steering. A nasty side effect can be little to no steering feel. It made for a pretty numb steering wheel in the new 5-series, and it’s done exactly the same thing to the 6-series.

Wheeling the 6’er through the bends is a hard feeling to describe. “Strange” might be the most accurate word. With no steering feel, it’s difficult to tell when your cornering speed might get too fast, and your grip of the road will cease to be. You almost have to rely on listening to whether the tires are just “singing” through the corner, or screetching and about to let go.

With less sensory input to react to, it’s tough to know whether you’ll make it through the corner gracefully, and power out of it, or if you’ll be sucking on the airbag after skidding off the road and into that sugar maple tree.

But hey, either way, it’ll be exciting.

Technology, anyone?

Once you set butt inside the new 6-series, there’s an awful lot of technology waiting for you. Some of it is cool, some of it is mediocore, and some of it doesn’t really work.

Any tech talk about a BMW car almost certainly involves the often controversial iDrive interface system. It’s a setup that’s been through several revisions, and the net result of that is…it still sucks. It certainly sucks less than the earlier versions, but iDrive still has tons of endless menus that aren’t real intuitive to navigate.

The week before I drove the 650i, a friend of mine said I’d be totally wow’ed by the heads up display offered in this BMW. It projects your speed, along with several other bits of information, on the windshield near your normal line of sight. Since a BMW is not an F-22 Raptor stealth fighter, I was skeptical how useful this really was. After one day of using it, I was totally sold on the HUD. Sure, it will help you keep your eyes more on the road, but really, it’s just the cool factor that makes you want it. On the downside, the HUD can be very hard to see if you’re wearing polarized sunglasses.

One of the latest automated technologies making its way into luxury cars are the automatic high beam lights that turn themselves on and off as other cars approach you. Much like the earlier days of rain-sensing wipers that never seemed to get wiper speed right, these auto brights just aren’t there yet. Sometimes they worked, sometimes they would turn themselves off when I was the only one on the road.

Heaps of style

Once you’re past all the technology, you might notice you’re sitting in one of the nicest, most luxurious interiors out there at the moment. While I’ll let the photos do most of the talking, there is leather, and contrast stitching, everywhere. The dash flowing into the center console is incredibly elegant and the seats adjust 20 different ways to mold to your body. It is a really, really nice place to be. Unless of course you’re in the back seat. Then it’s best not to have legs since there’s nowhere to put them.

On the outside, the sleek elegant design continues with an incredibly attractive posterior, strong character lines highlighting the profile, and a front end that’s gone a bit wrong.

While this new 6-series is certainly much more attractive than the rounded-off, last-generation model, the front fascia on this latest model feels a bit over-styled. There’s just too much going on, especially when you opt for the M-sport package.

Sign here

Should you buy one? Yes, buy it for the sound that comes out of the exhaust pipes alone. Nevermind the exquiste interior, good, but numb, handling and rev-happy, twin-turbo V8. It’s certainly no sports car, but it’s grand tourer worthy of your checkbook.

The biggest reason not to buy one? The way this 650i xDrive was spec’ed, you could be in an M6 coupe for only five grand more.

And if you’re spending 100 grand on a 6-series, well, what’s another five?

2012 BMW 650i xDrive Coupe - $86,000

-Cold Weather Package - $750

-Driver Assistance Package - $3,330

-M-Sport Package - $4,440

-20” wheels with performance tires - $1300

-Premium Sound Package - $1800

-Instrument Panel with Leather - $1500

-Ceramic Controls - $650

-BMW Apps - $250

-Destination - $875

TOTAL Price – $100,825

Album: 2012 BMW 650i xDrive Coupe

8 images

0 comments

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

January 9, 2013

Ask someone to say the first thing that comes to their mind when you mention the word hybrid, and more often than not they will say the Toyota Prius. Despite not being the first hybrid on sale in the U.S. (that honor falls to the 1999 Honda Insight, which went on sale a full two years before the Prius in the U.S.), the Prius became a sales success and symbol for the hybrid vehicle. Why? The Prius offered the right mix of unheard fuel economy, features, and practicality in one package.

Now in its third-generation, the unassuming hybrid hatchback falls into two polar opposite camps of thought. Those who love its efficiency and reliability and those who think the Pruis is an anathema to everything held dear by car enthusiasts.

I'm an auto enthusiast, so when I recently spent a week in a 2012 Toyota Prius, I naturally approached the car with skepticism. Is it as good as the high fuel economy fans claim? Is it kryptonite to automotive enthusiasts? Read on to find out.

Encounters of the Hybrid Kind

The third-generation Prius is very much like the previous-generation model with its alien spaceship look. The third-generation model carries on the oval-esque shape with some aerodynamic tweaks including a smoother front end, squared-off corners on the rear end, and a new rear spoiler. These design changes help drop the drag coefficient from 0.26 cd to 0.25 cd.

Other items of note include a set of LED taillights and an optional solar panel (part of a $3,820.00 Deluxe Solar Roof package) that power fans to cool down the vehicle’s interior without turning on the vehicle. I didn't get chance to try it since the average temperature here in Detroit was in the mid-thirties during my time and I rather enter a warm, not cold Prius. What would make this optional solar panel even better is the ability to charge the battery when the Prius is parked and keep the Prius warm in winter.

Inside, the alien spaceship design theme continues with a floating center stack, a uniquely-styled shift knob, and a digital gauge cluster sitting on top and in the middle of the dashboard. The placement of gauge cluster does make it somewhat harder to make a quick glance while on the move. My test Prius did come with a heads-up display which had a speedometer and a power gauge letting you know how much power you’re drawing from the hybrid system. I do want to talk to the person who decided to hide the buttons for the heated seats underneath the center stack. The only way you know where they’re hiding is when you enter or exit the Prius. Did no one at Toyota bring this up during one of the design meetings? Seating was decent for both front and rear passengers with enough head and legroom.

Materials are what you would find in current Toyota models; hard plastics and very synthetic-feeling leather. This would be ok if the price tag of this Prius wasn’t $33,118.00. The only real positive to the interior is that build quality is very good throughout the interior.

As I mentioned earlier, this Prius was equipped with the $3,820.00 Deluxe Solar Roof package. Besides the solar roof, the package includes a seven-inch touch screen, navigation, Toyota’s Entune System, Bluetooth, an eight-speaker JBL system, and Toyota’s safety connect which provides emergency assistance services. The touchscreen was very responsive when pressed and provided the right amount brightness whether it was day or night. The eight-speaker JBL system provided ok sound, but I found that I had to turn it up when driving the Prius on the highway as there was too much road noise. As for Entune, I didn't get chance to try it since I didn't have the application on my iPhone to utilize the system. Yes, you need the Entune application on either your iPhone or Android phone to use it.

Under the Skin, It’s a Prius Alright

Pop the hood of the Prius and right before your eyes is one part of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive; a 1.8L Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine producing 98 horsepower (@ 5,200 rpm) and 105 lb-ft of torque (@ 4,000 rpm), and a electric motor producing 80 horsepower and 153 lb-ft of torque. Total power output is rated at 134 horsepower. The other part of Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive is a Nickel-Metal Hydride battery pack sitting in the back of the Prius. Your only transmission is a CVT.

The Prius’ powertrain gets the job done. It will take a few seconds longer to get up to the speed on the road. Not much noise from either the engine or CVT enters the cabin when you accelerate normally. If you need to get a move on because there is a larger vehicle bearing down onto you or need to merge onto the highway, the drone of the engine and CVT are very apparent. Thankfully, the hybrid system seamlessly transitions electric power.

The center stack has three buttons that can change the behavior of the hybrid system. The first is an EV mode which allows the Prius to travel a short distance on electric power alone below 25 MPH. The hybrid system will turn if you go above 25 or press further down on the pedal. With a light foot, I was able to go about a mile on electric power alone. Next is Eco mode which reduces throttle response in an emphasis to get better fuel economy numbers. This is ok if you don’t have a lot of traffic behind you or in a hurry to move along. If you don’t meet either or the criteria, leave Eco mode off. Finally there is Power mode which is the opposite of Eco mode. This mode noticeably increases throttle response to help you in certain situations like merging onto a highway.

Fuel economy is very impressive for this small car. The EPA rates the Prius at 51 City/48 Highway/50 Combined. During my week with the Prius, I averaged 47.9 MPG with mostly suburban driving and sticking my foot into it.

Ride and handling is taken care with a pair of MacPherson struts with a stabilizer bar up front and a torsion beam setup in the rear. While the setup isn’t technologically advanced like the rest of the Prius, it provides a somewhat comfortable ride. I did wish for some more damping when driving over craters that are called potholes in the Detroit area.

Steering for the Prius comes in the form of an electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion system. The steering has some heft and some feel, something the old Prius lacked. That doesn’t make it a driver’s car since the Prius’ suspension is more tuned for comfort and the standard low-rolling resistance tires don’t provide enough grip.

The Prius is a quiet vehicle when driven below 50 MPH. Go above that and you’ll notice an abundance of road and wind noise. I’m hoping with the next-generation Prius, Toyota puts in some more sound deadening material. Visibility is very good for the front and side. Rear visibility takes a hit due to the rear hatch shape and the large spoiler sitting in the middle of the hatch. Thankfully, the Prius did come equipped with a standard rear view camera.

The Prius truly delivers on its promise of greenness with some impressive fuel economy numbers, clever technologies to make every use up every last drop of gas, unique design, and comfortable ride. However, the Prius has some faults. The road and wind noise while going above 50 MPH tops my list followed by the interior materials.

That said the Toyota Prius is the perfect vehicle for someone who commutes in town and wants to tell everyone that they’re saving the planet. For me, I’ll pass on the Prius.

Cheers

Fuel Economy

Technology

Exterior Looks

Somewhat Comfortable Ride

Jeers

Wind and Road Noise at Speed

Engine and CVT During Hard Acceleration

Materials Used in the Cabin

Disclaimer: Toyota provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gasoline.

Album: 2012 Toyota Prius Four

18 images

0 comments

Year - 2012

Make – Toyota

Model – Prius

Trim – Four

Engine – 1.8L Atkinson cycle four-cylinder, Electric Motor

Driveline – Front-Wheel Drive, Electronically Controlled continuously Variable Transmission

Horsepower @ RPM – (Gas) 98 HP (@ 5,200 RPM), (Electric) 80 HP (N/A), (Combined) 134 HP

Torque @ RPM – (Gas) 105 lb-ft (@ 4,000 RPM), (Electric) 153 HP (N/A), (Combined) N/A

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 51/48/50

Curb Weight – 3,042 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Tsutsumi, Japan

Base Price - $28,235.00

As Tested Price - $33,118.00 (Includes $760.00 Destination Charge)

Options

• Deluxe Solar Roof Package: $3,820.00
  
• Carpet Floor Mats & Cargo Mat: $225.00
  
• Cargo Net: $49.00
  
• First Aid Kit: $29.00
  

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

By Chris Doane

January 7, 2013

It’s midweek and I’m cruising down the interstate when I come up behind one of the Passat TDI’s diesel brethren from a few decades prior: An early 1980’s Mercedes 300D.

The tortured Benz was loud, emitting a smoke screen, and judging from its’ lack of ability to pass a semi-truck, the non-turbocharged 300D. A quick look at the trunk lid badging confirmed that.

Back in the 1980’s, I’m not really sure what the appeal of the 300D would’ve been. Gasoline was around $1.20 a gallon and luxury buyers wouldn’t have thought twice about filling up at that price. The 300D had 83hp, 120 lb-ft of torque, and without the turbocharger, looked to have “John Deere” acceleration qualities. Fuel economy usually fell between the high 20’s and low 30’s.

As it turned out, the biggest redeeming quality, realized years later, was that the diesel motors in the 300 were built to be absolutely bombproof. The first 100,000 miles on these motors was simply the break-in period. These days, Mercedes 300D’s reaching half a million miles, or more, is not uncommon. The one I saw looked as though it might be past the half-million mark, but there it was, still going. Well, sort of.

Pulling my mind back into the cabin of the Passat TDI, the contrast is pretty stark. I’m driving at a casual 72mph, and the car isn’t even breaking a sweat, humming along at 2200rpm. No diesel racket, no smelly gray cloud, no lack of ability to pass at highway speeds.

Thirty years of diesel technology advancements had now turned a car that roared, coughed and smoked into a sedan that behaved like all the rest and sipped diesel at a minuscule rate.

Same, but different

Walk onto a Volkswagen dealer lot, and the only real visual cue to tell the diesel Passat apart from the gasoline model is “TDI” badge on the back.

Once you pop the hood, you’ll be face to face with the TDI’s biggest change: The 140hp, 2.0L four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. As with all diesels, it’s the 236 lb-ft of torque that really gives the Passat TDI its’ oomph.

Past the different power plant, the other significant change is waiting for you in the trunk where the urea filler spout is located. Urea, or AdBlue as VW dubs it, is a liquid that is injected into the exhaust, greatly reducing the terribleness of diesel exhaust and allowing the car to meet U.S. emissions regulations. That might sound like an added hassle, but one tank of urea in the Passat should last you 10,000 miles, and is timed to be part of your regular oil changes.

If the urea tank does happen run low, as it did during my week with the Passat, the car gives you somewhat of a stern warning, but it comes well in advance of the urea tank going dry. With 800 miles of urea range remaining, the warning light advised the engine would not be able to start once the tank was empty.

The good news is a gallon of urea cost me only $6.99 at a local auto parts store and took all of three minutes to buy and pour into the tank. If you can’t manage to do that within 800 miles, the problem might be sitting in the driver’s seat.

Both the diesel and gasoline-powered Passats feature a smooth shifting, 6-speed DSG transmission. You’ll barely feel the first two shifts, and you’d have to have your eyes glued to the tachometer to know the cogs are swapping once you’re into third gear.

MPGs

The Passat TDI is a pretty purpose driven vehicle. It’s meant to be a comfortable, mid-size cruiser that gets phenomenal fuel economy, and it reaches those goals with ease.

The interior feels quite large, front and back, and the materials have not been cheapened in the way that the Jetta’s have. While I’m still pretty sure the only people fingering the dashboards are automotive writers, if you feel the need, you will find it’s fairly soft. More importantly, the 8-way power seats are “drive all day” comfortable.

The most impressive part, and the reason you’ll buy this sedan, is the fuel economy. With the automatic transmission, the EPA says the Passat will get 30mpg in the city and 40mpg on the highway. However, that’s not really accurate.

One of the quirks with diesel engines is that it takes longer for them to break in than gasoline motors. 10,000 miles is usually the number most TDI aficionados use for a good break in period. During that break in period, the piston rings in the engine will become better seated and the compression in the engine will improve. The end result of that is even better fuel economy.

The Passat I drove had nearly 17,000 miles on it by the time I slid behind the wheel, so this diesel engine should’ve been operating much closer to its full potential than a brand new engine. Much of the driving I did was on hilly roads, and with a less-than-light foot. Despite that, the Passat still averaged 42-44mpg. That’s 2-4mpg above the EPA highway rating while driving like a teenager who’d just got his license and the keys to dad’s car.

Once I eased off the throttle and returned to a regular pace, the mpg started creeping towards 50mpg. Use the cruise control for all your highway driving, and a mileage number just past 50mpg wouldn’t be out of the question.

On the downside, the Passat’s fun factor rates somewhere around “mashed potatoes.” The suspension is tuned much more for comfort than it is for cornering. There is a decent helping of body roll in the corners, and over large bumps, or rough road, the Passat can feel downright floaty. That’s great if your mom is in the passenger seat, but not so good if you want to go hunting for the corner apex.

Additionally, the turbo lag is pretty noticeable. Floor the accelerator, and for the first two seconds, not much happens. That can make jumping out into traffic from a dead stop a pretty interesting gamble. Once the turbo is spooled up, power delivery is adequate.

The Highway Choice

In the end, I can forgive the Passat TDI for not being a sport sedan because that just isn’t what it’s supposed to be. In the same way that a hybrid or electric car makes sense for city drivers, this VW makes huge sense for people who spend most of their commute on the highway.

Unfortunately, a fun-to-drive diesel doesn’t really exist in the U.S. market yet, but a midsize sedan that can achieve 50+ mpg can’t be ignored. Going out to the car the next morning and thinking “didn’t the fuel gauge say that yesterday morning?” was certainly not a bad feeling.

2012 VW Passat TDI SEL

Base price - $32,915

Destination - $795

Total = $33,710

Album: 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI

6 images

0 comments

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

January 4, 2013

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the first Cheers & Gears Interactive Review of 2013: The 2013 Toyota Tacoma Access Cab 4x4.

This particular Tacoma stickers at $30,580 (originally $31,005, but Toyota takes off $425.00 due to value package) thanks to the SR5 Extra Value package, towing package, an optional radio with USB and AUX, running boards, and a few odds and ends.

Power comes from a 4.0L V6 producing 236 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque. That is sent through a five-speed automatic down to either the rear or all four wheels thanks to a part-time 4WD system.

Positives

• The 4.0L V6 has a surprising amount of low end grunt and gets up to speed at a surprising rate.
  
• 4WD system is quick to engage and disengage.
  
• Very comfortable and well-built interior
  

Negatives

• I forgot how bouncy a truck's ride can be. The Tacoma is a prime example of this.
  
• 16 City/21 Highway/18 Combined is the EPA rating for the Tacoma's V6. The full-size F-150 when equipped with the 3.5L EcoBoost is only one MPG off in the city and combined, and matches the highway.
  

I have the Tacoma until January 10th and will update as my time goes on. In the meantime, drop your questions and I'll do my best to answer them.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

December 21, 2012

This week in the Cheers & Gears Detroit garage, I have 2013 Scion FR-S coupe. Its the car that a lot of people have been talking about this year. A lightweight, rear-wheel drive coupe that costs under $30,000..? Where do I sign up?

Drew has briefly driven the FR-S back at the IMPA Test Days earlier this year and my test FR-S is pretty much the same vehicle aside from the color; a base model equipped with the six-speed automatic transmission for an as-tested price of $26,099.00 (includes $730.00 destination charge).

The good: The steering is amazing. Its precise, has a good amount of feel and weight, and is very direct. The engine has a nice sound and doesn’t mind being pushed. The handling is really good around corners as the light-weight and nimbleness makes a fun car throw around corners.

The bad: I can’t seem to fit into the front seats due to my shoulders being a just shy too wide for the bolsters. Also, I really don’t like the radio in this car because a good amount of the buttons are too small and trying to accomplish simple things like trying to setup the bluetooth system is a pain the butt.

I’ll will be giving some updates of the Christmas holiday about my time with the FR-S. In the meantime, if you have questions on this orange coupe, drop them in.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

December 15, 2012

I'm very excited with this week's vehicle at the Cheers & Gears' Detroit Garage since its a Volvo and very special one at that. This happens to be the 2013 Volvo S60 T6 AWD R-Design. Now, the R-Design adds some performance goodies to a normal S60 T6 AWD in the form of some changes to the body giving it a more aggressive look, a R-Design sport chassis, and some performance tweaks to the 3.0L turbocharged six-cylinder engine.

The pricetag on this S60 T6 AWD R-Design is $48,195.00 thanks in part to the S60 Platinum package which adds navigation, upgraded audio system, and a rear camera for $2,700, and the climate package which adds heated seats, an air quality system, and heated windshield nozzles for $700.00.

First impressions are very positive. I like the looks and the interior. The engine moves the S60 at a very rapid pace. The AWD makes sure that power is getting onto the road and keeping the vehicle on there as well.

Couple concerns I have so far with the S60. One: the back window is very small. This isn't helped with the back seat headrests that cause some big blind spots. Two: the gas has two positions. Lightly touch the pedal and you're moving at a normal pace. Touch the pedal like you normally would and you're entering hyperspace. There isn't a smooth increase of acceleration when you press on the pedal. Its either on or really on.

I will have more thoughts on the S60 during this week. In the meantime, if you have any questions about this, drop them below.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

December 12, 2012

The introduction of the new Cadillac XTS at last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show marked the beginning of a new era. The XTS would be one the first Cadillac models to use their new CUE (short for Cadillac User Experience) infotainment system. Since then, CUE has made its way into new ATS and refreshed SRX. I sampled CUE in the 2013 Cadillac ATS 3.6 AWD reviewed yesterday.

CUE is made up of four key components: a large eight-inch capacitive touch screen with haptic feedback. This means when you press the screen, you’ll feel a pulse as if you had pressed a button. The screen also features a proximity sensor which allows the system to bring up controls when a hand is waved or fades the controls, giving a less distracting screen. Next is the capacitive touch buttons which sit underneath the screen and feature haptic feedback as well. Third is the voice recognition system which can control certain functions of the system. Finally, there is a reconfigurable LCD instrument panel that a driver can customize to their liking. This is only available on the SRX and XTS. The ATS makes due with a regular analog instrument panel and 5.7-inch color display providing trip computer, navigation, and audio information.

Reviews of CUE have been pretty mixed. Most say they like the layout and design of the system, the voice recognition, and the haptic feedback when you press one of the buttons or the touchscreen. On the other side, most don’t like how the system is somewhat sluggish when you’re moving around, the buttons don’t always respond when pressed, and the system is distracting when on the move.

I had only briefly played with CUE at the press introduction of the new ATS back in January and found it to be very interesting and unique. I did wonder how it would work out in the real world as I was leaving the event. I would find out when a Cadillac ATS 3.6L AWD Luxury would arrive to my residence.

My first day with CUE wasn’t a particularly pleasant experience. The capacitive touch buttons didn’t always respond whenever I pressed them, the touch screen had lag in certain situations, and trying to move around the system while moving was a bit nightmarish. I almost reached a point of where I wanted to put my fist through the screen and yank its electronic guts out.

Thankfully, reason entered my head and I took some time out to read the manual and play around with the system. Before I knew, CUE wasn’t as frustrating as before. That’s the biggest takeaway with CUE; you have to spend time learning how to use the system and play around with it before it clicks into your head. If you don’t, you’ll be in a world of hurt.

Once I got my head wrapped around CUE, there are some bright spots to the system. For example, the large eight-inch touch screen is very bright during the day, provides the right amount of brightness during the night, and is very readable whenever given a quick glance. The haptic feedback provides acknowledgement that yes; you did touch the screen or button.

One of the big surprises of CUE was the voice command system. No matter what command I threw at whether it was to change a station, provide an address, or a dial a phone number, the system was able to process and perform it with no problems. Not many systems that I have tried can boast as a high of a success rate as CUE.

However for all of its good points, CUE has some huge downsides; the biggest one being how distracting the system is on the move. When you’re stationary, you can perform any function of CUE very easily since your attention focused on the screen and controls. However on the move, trying to find which button you need to press turn the temperature up or where you are on the map or a number of other things means your eyes are off the road. This isn’t helped by the capacitive touch buttons not always responding to your press, meaning you have to hit it again.

Cadillac does deserve some credit for at least trying to reduce distractions while using CUE. For starters, the eight-inch touchscreen features a proximity sensor that brings up the on-screen controls when a hand is waved across If the sensor doesn’t detect any motion, it will fade the on-screen controls. The system also locks out certain functions while the vehicle is in motion. The voice command system is able to perform many of the commands. Finally, there is the 5.7-inch color display that gives you a readout on certain items. Still it doesn’t fully cure all of CUE’s distraction ills. There are certain things that still to need to be performed on the screen or the buttons which takes your eyes off the road.

Aside from this, CUE is also in its first generation. That means the system has a lot of bugs. During my time, I found the system to be somewhat sluggish when moving around from screen to screen. Plus, the buttons don’t always respond when pressed. Hopefully this can be fixed with some software updates.

CUE is an interesting idea of what an infotainment system can be. In the real world though, the results are mixed. The system has some very good ideas and impressive features. Those are overshadowed by the problems of CUE being a first-gen product, distractions, and amount of time you have to spend with it. Over time, these problems will work themselves out. But it will hurt Cadillac in the short run.

So the question comes to this, should you buy into CUE now or wait? If you’re willing to learn how to use the system and put up with its shortcomings, then yes. Otherwise wait. There will be changes and updates coming.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

December 6, 2012

In for review this week at the Cheers & Gears Detroit garage is the vehicle that started the hybrid revolution. I'm of course referring to the Toyota Prius.

Our test Prius is the Prius Four, which is the almost top of the line model in the lineup. As tested price for this $33,118.00 (includes $760.00 destination charge) thanks mostly to a Deluxe Solar Roof Package which adds a solar powered ventilation system and a load of tech goodies including navigation and Toyota's Entune system.

Spending a few moments in the Prius, I found the interior is much like the current crop of Toyota's passenger vehicles (aside from the new Avalon); hard plastics are abundant through the dash and the standard leather seats feel like the vinyl covering your grandma would throw over the furniture to protect it.

Positive points include how much space is inside for front and most rear passengers, cargo space, how quiet the car is in electric mode, and of course the fuel economy. At the moment, I'm averaging around 52 MPG.

Now, I have the Prius till next Thursday and will be updating during my time with it. In the meantime, if you have questions, drop them below.

Update: November 9, 2012

Its been a few days since the Prius came into my care and I'm undecided on it so far. I wish there was more power so I can keep up with traffic a little bit better without switching to the power button or sticking my foot into it. I do like that I'm averaging so far around 50.1 MPG with mostly suburban driving.

Some things are causing me to scratch my head. For example, who at Toyota decided to put the heated seat controls in the storage cubby right underneath the center stack? Also, no instant MPG readout?

I'll be updating this once again after I take the Prius out on the highway and spend some more time with it. Get your questions in.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

December 5th, 2012

Drew Dowdell

Managing Editor - CheerandGears.com

I am running a bit late with today’s Buick Week entry because I spent the day running around the countryside surrounding Atlanta, Georgia putting a few 2013 Buick Encores through the paces. That review will be available for you to tomorrow. In case you missed it, yesterday we went on a First Drive of the 2013 Buick Enclave. On the first day of Buick week I took you on a full review of the 2013 Buick Verano. Today we are going on a first drive of the Buick Verano Turbo.

Buick Week:

Day 1 – 2013 Buick Verano Review

Day 2 – 2013 Buick Enclave First Drive

Day 3 – 2013 Buick Verano Turbo First Drive

This ain't Buick first time at the rodeo...

But those are all larger luxury cars and this is a story about a compact. Did you know that Buick offered a fire cracker version of their compact, J-Body based Buick Skyhawk in 1984? The Turbo was offered only in the T-Type trim, the 1984 Skyhawk T-Type came with a 1.8 liter DOHC turbo-charged 4-cylinder putting out 150 horsepower and 165 lb-ft of torque in a car that weighed in right around 2400lbs. These are excellent power to weight numbers today much less in 1984, when GM’s V8s could not even wheeze out similar horsepower numbers. In 1987, Buick increased the engine’s displacement to a full 2.0 liters, horsepower was up to 165, and torque wrenched in at 175 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm. Production of the Skyhawk ended in 1989. Though relatively unknown, these Skyhawk T-types were fun little compacts that could provide a swift kick in the pants when asked to.

But what's 1984 got to do with me?

Buick invited me to drive both the manual and automatic transmission versions of the Verano Turbo through the countryside surrounding Louisville, KY.

Visually, there is very little external difference between the Turbo and non-Turbo versions, you just get a rear spoiler, dual chrome-tip exhaust, and an extra badge on the trunk. Inside the story is much the same, save for a set of metallic sport pedals. My main complaint inside the Verano continues in the turbo editions: the lack of power seat recline for the driver and complete lack of power seat adjustment entirely for the passenger. For a car that can easily crest over the $30k mark, these are noticeable absences.

Buick compacts: Now available in "Faster"

The story of the Verano Turbo is entirely about how it drives. By starting with the already excellent handling of the base Verano and adding the thrust of the turbo charged engine, Buick has created a compact premium sedan that is deceptively quick.

In the manual version, the shifter throws are a bit long, but they are nice and smooth. Once you’re accustomed to the car, relaxed shifting can be a simple two-finger “snick-snick” between gears. Torque comes on strong at low RPM and is maintained up to 5,500 – 6,000 rpm. You never seem to feel out of breath in this car like I had with the non-Turbo version. Turbo lag is minimal and non-car-nerds could be excused for thinking this is a V6 powered car. The clutch is on the light side and won’t wear out your left foot on long drives.

The extra thrust wouldn't be worth much if the Verano couldn't handle it in the corners. Buick firmed up the Verano’s suspension and steering a bit resulting in a car that feels surprisingly well balanced for being front-wheel drive.

On the issue of noise control, Buick actually had to dial back the quiet tuning a little bit because they felt that Verano buyers who opted for the Turbo model would actually want to hear more of the engine while driving. Most of the change comes from exhaust tuning and gives the Verano Turbo a sound that can start the gears turning in a gear head.

Overall the Verano turbo is for the buyer who appreciates the comfort of a premium compact but still want to have the that extra trust to experience an exhilarating run down a country road. Buick is reporting over 50% conquest rate for all Verano models with over 50% of those coming from import brands. Additionally, Buick has seen their average buyer age drop by 7 years over the last 5 years. Buick did not share with me the take rate on Veranos equipped with the 2.0t. but the turbo-boosted 2013 Buick Verano should help Buick turbo-boost those numbers even more in their favor.

Drew Dowdell is Managing Editor of CheersandGears.com and can be reached at Drew.Dowdell@CheersandGears.com or on twitter as @cheersngears

Disclaimer: Buick provided transportation to and accommodations in Louisville, KY for this event.

December 4th, 2012

Drew Dowdell

Managing Editor - CheersandGears.com

Day two of Buick Week. Yesterday we gave you a review of the 2013 Buick Verano, up today is a First Drive of the 2013 Buick Enclave.

Buick first introduced their jumbo-sized Enclave crossover in 2007 for the 2008 model year. The Enclave quickly made a name for itself as a true luxury ride and also brought down Buick’s average buyer age dramatically. Though that body generation of Enclave just completed its fifth year on the market, sales remained very strong, reporting around 50k units sold as of the end of November 2012. Enclave’s conquest rate is just about 45% with most trades coming from Lexus, Ford, and Honda. Enclave is able to boast the highest sales in the 3-row Luxury Crossover market. With such good sale results, Buick is understandably reluctant to make huge changes to the Enclave’s formula for the 2013 model year.

Buick invited me to Louisville, KY to sample the 2013 Buick Enclave and report back to you on my thoughts.

Less cushion, more pushin…

The 3.6 liter V6 carries over, but the 6-speed transmission is heavily revised to address complaints of busy shifting. During my drive, I found the setup to be just about perfect, though I did wish for a little more torque at the low end.

Refined style, now with more refinement

The tail lights now use LED and light pipe technology. Difficult to capture with the camera, the tail lights give off an eye catching and haunting glow rather than the harsh LED light you are used to from other models with just LEDs out back. The rear accent lights mimic the eyebrow look we see on the 2013 Buick Verano tail lights. LED accent lighting has been installed up front as well.

Inside, designers moved away from wood-look trim and instead incorporated more stitched leather into the design. Layout of the controls is largely the same, but the controls themselves have been updated. The dials of the HVAC controls remind me of the high end NEST home thermostats that are becoming popular. One missed opportunity is the lack of update to the gauge cluster and the monochrome driver information center, the second, which will likely get the most noise in the reviews is the lack, even as an option, of keyless ignition.

Aft of the driver, the interior is largely carry over for the second two rows.

Pricing for the 2013 Enclave starts at $39,270 including destination charge.

The Long and Short

Buick realizes they have a market leader in the Enclave and for 2013 sought to simply take what was successful and make it better. From this first drive, they've largely succeeded in that regard.

Tomorrow, we take a first drive with both the manual and automatic versions of the Buick Verano Turbo.

Disclaimer: Buick provided transportation from Pittsburgh, PA to Louisville, KY and one night of accommodations for this review.

December 3, 2012

Drew Dowdell

Managing Editor - CheersandGears.com

It is Buick Week here at Cheers and Gears this week and each day we will be featuring an article about one of the new Buicks. We start off with Buick's re-entry to the compact segment, the 2013 Buick Verano.

Buick has dabbled in the compact sedan market off and on since the 1960’s. After an initially successful run with the Special/Skylark in 1961, Buick’s compacts quickly grew in size and out of that segment of being true compact cars. In the mid 1960’s, Buick began importing Opels from Germany to sell as a captive, compact Buick-Opel sub-brand. The exchange rate between the Dollar and the Mark conspired with some questionable engineering to keep Opel’s sales low in the US. With the Opel’s failure to catch on, by the end of the 1970s Buick returned to American built, badge-engineered compacts that were shared with nearly every division inside of GM. Buick has technically not sold a car in the compact sedan class since the J-body Skyhawk went out of production in 1989.

The 2013 Verano rides on GM’s Delta II compact car platform. There is an instinctual reaction in North America to call the Verano a Buick re-badged Chevrolet Cruze and while the Cruze is a fine compact in its own right, this would be inaccurate. For their new entry to the compact market, Buick went back to its history with Opel and as such, the Buick Verano is a much closer relation to the Opel Astra sedan developed and sold in Europe than it is to the Korean developed Chevy Cruze.

Is there really such a thing as a compact luxury car?

Inside, however, is where Buick makes its best case yet for a premium car in the compact class. Decked out in a handsome two tone design, the Verano looks the part of a high end luxury car. Plush yet supportive leather seats are an excellent place to spend some hours driving. Finding a comfortable seating position was easy, though I am disappointed that a “premium” car does not have a power seat recline. Front passengers are even more disappointed that they have no power seat at all. In front of the driver is a fairly standard GM steering wheel with all of the familiar controls located at your thumb tips. The gauges glow in indigo blue that has become a bit of a Buick trademark, though the font size of the numbers is a bit small. The engine start/stop button is not in the standard place on the dash, but rather at the top left of the center instrument panel. Even after a week of driving the Verano, I had to think about which button to push to start it up.

The HVAC controls are simple enough to operate, but the infotainment system can get a little confusing as sometimes your instinct is to use the hardware buttons and sometimes to use the touch screen. This Verano came with the upgraded Bose 9-speaker sound system and to be honest, considering the $595 up-charge I wasn’t very impressed as it doesn't seem to offer much depth or clarity over the standard GM systems I'm used to.

On our return trip, I was fairly well exhausted and asked my partner, who hates driving and simply doesn’t understand what us car guys are going on about, to drive at least the first half of the trip and then we could switch over. At the half-way point, he wouldn’t give the Verano back! By the time we made it to Pittsburgh, he decided he wanted one.

The trunk is deep, with a wide opening for easy access, though you must be mindful of the gooseneck trunk lid supports so they don’t crush your luggage. I did feel that having the backs of the speakers exposed and so visible in the trunk was a glaring omission in the level of finish on this car.

But does it have Buick power?

Well yes and no. Buick opted for the tried and true 2.4 liter direct injected 4-cylinder producing 180 horsepower at 6700 rpm and 171 lb-ft of torque at 4900 rpm. The gearing in the 6-speed automatic is set up to give you spritely starts and an adequate amount of passing power on the highway. Darting around town can be quite sporty feeling, but try passing on an uphill climb with a full load of passengers and luggage and the Verano gets a bit breathless. You’ll pay for that sporty low-end gearing at the pump with a mediocre 21mpg city EPA rating and an unimpressive 32mpg highway. There are larger vehicles with more power that can beat those figures. On the return of our 367 mile trip, we averaged 27.9mpg with 4 passengers and a full trunk. Calling on its Germanic roots, the Verano handles very well for a front wheel drive compact sedan. While it is tuned for a comfortable ride, it leaves plenty of firmness intact for cornering and overall responsiveness.

Has Buick hit the mark in the premium compact market?

As far as I’m concerned, the answer is a resounding yes. Buick has been absent from this segment since 1989 but has produced a car that has a premium feel to it and with a price tag starting at just $23,080. For your $23,000 and change, you leave the dealership with a car that acts and feels like a much more expensive model.

But no need to take my word for it, Buick went from selling zero compacts per month to selling 3,500 Veranos per month in less than a year. Total sales for 2012 as of November 30^th are 36,222. The Acura ILX (1,529/month - 7,658 Jan-Nov) and Audi A3 (400/month - 6,808 Jan-Nov), the Verano's closest competition, aren’t even close.

Be sure to stop back tomorrow for a First Drive of the 2013 Buick Enclave.

If you like this review, please share it with your friends using the share buttons below.

Cheers:

Vault quiet

Comfortable front seats

Good rear leg room for a compact

Jeers:

Fuel Economy

Front license plate space

No power front passenger set, not even an option

No power driver seat recline

Disclaimer: Buick provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gasoline.

Year - 2013

Make – Buick

Model – Verano

Trim – Leather Group with Nav

Engine – 2.4L DOHC 16-Valve Inline-Four

Driveline – Front Wheel Drive, 6-speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – 180 HP (@ 6,700 RPM)

Torque @ RPM – 171 lb-ft (@ 4,900 RPM)

Fuel Economy: City/Highway - 21/32

Curb Weight – 3,300 lbs

Base Price - $23,080

As Tested Price - $27,550* (not including $885 destination charge)

Drew Dowdell is Managing Editor of CheersandGears.com and can be reached at Drew.Dowdell@CheersandGears.com or on twitter as @CheersnGears

By William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

November 27, 2012

If there is one vehicle that has been talked about more than any other since I've been writing here at Cheers and Gears, that vehicle would be the new Cadillac ATS. There are a number of threads speculating, arguing, complaining, and talking about this compact luxury sedan.

Well the day has come. We finally have an ATS in for an interactive review. This ATS comes equipped with the 3.6 DI V6 producing 321 HP and 275 lb-ft of torque, a six-speed automatic, and the optional AWD system.

Anyone who was hoping this was the Performance Collection model will be somewhat disappointed as this is the base Luxury Collection model. But we do have CUE and a Cold Weather Package bringing the pricetag to $45,985 (includes $895.00 destination charge).

I have the ATS till Monday and will be updating with thoughts during that time. If you have questions for the ATS, get them in.

Update - Read the 2013 Cadillac ATS Full Review here and my Review of Cadillac's CUE system here.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.comor you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

November 6, 2012

Much like the competition, Kia offers a variety of powertrains in their midsize sedan competitor, the Optima, to meet the demands of consumers. There’s a base four-cylinder model, a turbocharged-four taking the place of a V6, and hybrid model. I’ve reviewed the base four-cylinder Optima back in July, and found it to be one of best midsize sedans on sale. Now it’s time to see where the Optima Hybrid can match the high bar set by the regular Optima or not.

The differences between a normal Optima and an Optima Hybrid are very noticeable on the exterior. The biggest giveaway that you’re driving an Optima Hybrid besides the hybrid badge on the back is a unique set of seventeen-inch alloy wheels. Other changes Kia has done to the Optima Hybrid include a revised rear fascia and a new rear spoiler.

On the interior, Kia has changed the instrument cluster to one that gives information on how much battery charge there is left, an eco gauge, and a small color screen providing trip computer info. The optional navigation unit (part of the $5,350.00 premium technology package) has a screen providing information about the system.

The Optima Hybrid’s powertrain is made up of a 2.4L gas engine producing 166 HP (@ 6,000 RPM) and 154 lb-ft of torque (@ 4,250 RPM), an electric motor producing 40 HP (@ 1,400-6,000 RPM) and 151 lb-ft of torque (0 - 1,400 RPM), and a 270V lithium-polymer battery. Total output of the hybrid system is 206 HP and 195 lb-ft of torque going through a six-speed automatic.

The best way to describe the Optima Hybrid’s powertrain is ‘almost fully realized’. When pulling away from a stop, the Hybrid pulls away quickly whether on electric or hybrid power. On open roads and in traffic, I never found myself wishing for more power since the powertrain is able to keep up. The downside to this system is the transition from electric to hybrid power is very noticeable. When the switch happens, you can hear the gas engine hesitate for a brief moment and feel some sort of vibration.

The Optima Hybrid got EPA ratings of 35 City/40 Highway/37 combined. However a few weeks after turning the Optima Hybrid back in, Hyundai and Kia announced they had overstated fuel economy on certain 2011-2013 vehicles. The Optima Hybrid was one of those vehicles affected and has revised EPA fuel economy numbers of 34 City/39 Highway/36 combined. During the week, I averaged 37.2 on mostly rural and suburban roads. On the freeway, I hit 40 MPG with the cruise control set on 70 MPH.

Kia didn’t change much with handling and ride of the Optima Hybrid, which means the sporty and composed ride from the standard Optima remains. Steering on the Optima Hybrid is the same as the normal Optima as well; not a lot of feel and a surprising amount of heaviness to it. Wind and road noise on the Optima Hybrid were kept to a minimum.

The Kia Optima Hybrid is very good first effort. Building upon a good base of the normal Optima, the hybrid model possesses very good performance and decent fuel economy for the class. Kia does need to work on smoothing out the transition from electric to hybrid power though.

There is one problem for the Kia Optima Hybrid, the competition. On paper, the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the new Ford Fusion Hybrid best the Optima Hybrid in fuel economy ratings. The only thing Kia can fight back with is the amount of equipment that you can get for the price. The Optima Hybrid I had in for review cost $32,500.00. But for that price, I got heated and cooled front seats, heated back seats, panoramic sunroof, navigation, a premium sound system, and much more. To try and match the equipment level of the Optima Hybrid, you’ll have to spend a few thousand more on the competitors. Is that enough though to convince someone to check it out?

If you’re looking for a midsize hybrid to stand out, check out the Optima Hybrid. If fuel economy is a concern, look at the Camry and Fusion.

Disclaimer: Kia provided the vehicle, insurance, and one tank of gasoline.

Year - 2012

Make – Kia

Model – Optima Hybrid

Trim – N/A

Engine – 2.4L Four-Cylinder, Electric Motor

Driveline – Front-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic

Horsepower @ RPM – (Gas) 166 HP (@ 6,000 RPM) , (Electric) 40.2 HP (@ 1,400 to 6,000 RPM), (Combined) 206 HP

Torque @ RPM – (Gas) 154 lb-ft (@ 4,250 RPM), (Electric) 166 HP (@ 0 - 1,400 RPM), (Combined) 195 lb-ft

Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 34/39/36

Curb Weight – 3,490 lbs

Location of Manufacture – Hwasung, South Korea

Base Price - $25,700.00

As Tested Price - $32,500.00 (Includes $750.00 Destination Charge)

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

October 12, 2012

Coming in this week at the Cheers & Gears Detroit garage is the 2012 Mazda3 i Grand Touring hatchback. This 3 is equipped with a 2.0L SKYACTIV-G four-cylinder producing 150 HP and 155 lb-ft of torque and goes through a six-speed automatic. If you're wondering, this is the same powertrain package in the Mazda CX-5 crossover I had back in August.

The 3 i Grand Touring starts at $23,150 and my test vehicle stickers at $25,345* (includes $795 destination charge) thanks to the optional Technology Package.

I had this car for about day and there are some items that impress me and others that drive me somewhat crazy.

• 2.0L SKYACTIV engine doesn't feel sluggish at all in the 3. I'm thinking the lighter weight of the 3 to the CX-5 plays a role.
  
• Handling is sublime and fun. The car is stable when turning and the steering is just right in feel and weight.
  
• Ride could use some improvement as the 3 will transmit every little bump into the interior.
  
• Average fuel economy so far is an impressive 35 MPG (EPA rating is 28 City/39 Highway/32 Combined)
  

I have the 3 till Wednesday and will be updating before it goes back. If you have any questions for the 3, drop them below and I will do my best to answer them.

Update: October 15, 2012

It has been an interesting weekend with the Mazda 3 as it had to deal with endless rain and being used to carry a good amount of stuff to the recycling bin as I was cleaning out my closet. The 3 dealt with both of these without a sweat.

Average fuel economy has dropped to about 33 MPG, which is still above the combined fuel economy figure. I also did a bit of highway driving which saw fuel economy climb to an impressive 40 MPG. The highway also revealed that the Mazda3 isn't so good at containing road noise.

I'll have one more update before the 3 leaves on Wednesday. If you have anymore questions, please don't hesitate. Drop them off.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

Suddenly it’s 1986. There is a lightweight and nimble sports car from a Japanese manufacturer on the market that completely eschews what the American three are doing in the sports car segment. Only, it’s not 1986; vehicle weights have pushed upwards and outwards for past 30 years to the point where Chevrolet is now marketing its top of the line Camaro with a curb weight that makes a 1986 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight look positively anorexic. Sure, Chevy compensates for the chub by equipping the Camaro ZL1 with a tire shredding 580 horsepower V8 and an advanced magnetic suspension that does all the right things keep the Camaro on the tarmac, but eventually it starts to feel like you are piloting the world’s best handling 747. It is raucous and fun, but requires concentration and skill to keep things from going wrong.

A full paragraph into a Scion FR-S quick drive and I’ve only talked about Chevys and Oldsmobiles. Back in the 1986, Toyota introduced a new Supra. It was not a muscle car in the tradition of the V8 powered pony cars from Detroit, but it had speed and agility from being blessed with a curb weight of about 3,000lbs and a 200 horsepower I-6. It was also intended to be a technological showcase for Toyota. As such, the price tag was relatively high.

During my drive of the FR-S, I found a light-weight, nimble, and carefree sports car with just enough kick to keep things fun. Low end torque is superb with more than a few instances of chirping the tires unintentionally at take off. Those of you hunting for raw V8 muscle will probably be disappointed, but the FR-S makes up for it with its willingness to be thrown around a corner and an engine note that will please almost any gearhead. Power is routed through a 6-speed manual or automatic to the rear wheels like its Supra predecessor. Steering is quick and precise with only a minor quibble with on-center feel; in either direction just off center, the FR-S doesn’t seem to want to pull back to center nicely. This leaves you making frequent minor adjustments on longer straight roads. Though quite sporty and nimble, the FR-S doesn’t punish you with a harsh ride.

Getting in is surprisingly easy for such a low car and I found a comfortable seating position right away. Toyota even equips the FR-S with an old school double-DIN head unit so the owner can swap in something more to his or her own liking if they wish. The head unit does include Bluetooth for hands-free calling, but that’s about the extent of the technology there. The version I drove was an automatic, but the look and gate of the shifter could fool your friends and neighbors into thinking you bought row-your-own. The rear seat is essentially unusable for adults unless the driver is very cramped or very short. Forward visibility is excellent, but I found visibility while backing up to be a bit more limited.

Checking in with a base price of $24,955 and without high end technology or interior room, the Scion is not a Supra replacement no matter how hard the buff mags wish it. But that price makes the Scion an interesting alternative to the Camaro ($24,245 with steel wheels) and Mustang ($22,995).

The Scion FR-S was one of my favorite drives during my time in Monticello, NY. It is just the car to hop in and go for a carefree ride on rolling country back roads with the windows down on a nice fall day. I hope to spend more time in one soon.

The full gallery of pictures from the IMPA Test days is located here and will continue to be built as quick drive reviews are added:

Year: 2013

Make: Scion

Model: FR-S

Engine: 2.0 Liter horizontally opposed 4-cylinder with Direct and Port Injection

Drive line: Rear wheel drive, 6-speed automatic transmission

Horsepower @ RPM: 200 @ 7000 RPM

Torque @ RPM: 151 @ 6400 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway: 25/34

Location of Manufacture: Japan

Base Price: $24,955

Est. As Tested Price: $25,300

Drew Dowdell is Managing Editor of CheersandGears.com and can be reached at Drew.Dowdell@CheersandGears.com or on twitter as @cheersngears

Is there a more hotly contested automotive segment than the mid-size family sedan market? Every year it seems there is a new darling in this slot and after this year’s media dominance by the Kia Optima and Hyundai Sonata, Nissan has released its answer to the duo from Korea. Nissan knows that gas prices are foremost on American’s minds these days and with weight being the biggest enemy of fuel economy, responded by dropping the weight on the already light-weight Altima by 80 lbs. while increasing interior space in nearly every dimension. This, combined with some aggressively frugal “gear” ratios in the Altima’s CVT transmission and the addition of direct injection to the 4-cylinder allows for an impressive 38mpg highway and 27 mpg city. They achieved this number without resorting to hybrid technology or turbo chargers. This leads me to believe there is more fuel economy to found in this platform is Nissan decides to start including any or all of those technologies in the Altima.

In normal city driving, the CVT keeps the 2.5 liter 4-cylinder low in the RPM band, ostensibly for fuel economy reasons, but the other hidden reason for this is that the 2.5 gets rather unrefined the higher it climbs in RPM. This isn’t my first run-in with Nissan 4-cylinders making quite a racket, and I suspect the reason Nissan has gotten away with a rather unrefined 4-cylinder for so long is due to their excellent CVT transmissions keeping the engine calm.

Over the road, you can feel the lightness of the platform in the corners. Cornering is sharp, but the car feels slightly nose heavy. Noise isolation was another sore spot for me with excess tire and engine noise intruding into the cabin.

Nissan’s 2013 Altima has all of the basics down to take on the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima as well as the Accord and Camry, but some work to refine the engine and additional power train choices would make it a stronger contender in this competitive market.

The full gallery of pictures from the IMPA Test days is located here and will continue to be built as quick drive reviews are added:

Year: 2013

Make: Nissan

Model: Altima

Trim: 2.5 SL

Engine: 2.5 Liter 4-cylinder with Direct Injection

Driveline: Front wheel drive, Constantly-Variable Transmission

Horsepower @ RPM: 182 @ 6000 RPM

Torque @ RPM: 180 @ 4000 RPM

Fuel Economy: City/Highway: 27/38

Location of Manufacture: Smyrna & Decherd, Tennessee and Canton, Mississippi

Base Price: $21,500

Est. As Tested Price: $29,920

Drew Dowdell is Managing Editor of CheersandGears.com and can be reached at Drew.Dowdell@CheersandGears.com or on twitter as @cheersngears

Chevy’s first entry into the micro car market is the 2013 Spark. During the IMPA test days, I got to take a spin in a cheeky Spark 2LT with the standard 5-speed manual transmission; a 4-speed automatic is optional. Ingress and egress of the tiny car is easy due to the upright seating position and tall doors. Headroom for such a small car is excellent. Despite being a very low price entry model, every Chevrolet Spark comes with air conditioning, power windows and a full 10 airbags. Rear seat access is just as easy as in the front with a surprising amount of legroom. I doubt I would want to spend 5 hours riding back there, but most spins around town would be fine. The 1LT and 2LT trim levels come with Chevy’s new MyLink infotainment system that includes a 7” color touch-screen. I didn’t play with it during this test drive, but expect it to operate the same as the MyLink in the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco we reviewed previously. The interior is mostly hard plastic as would be expected, but feels very well put together. In fact, my only quibble with the interior would be the rather clunky looking and feeling manual shifter that Chevy borrowed from your Grandpap’s 1987 Chevy S-10.

The mini-car market is very small in the U.S., and dominated mostly by the SMART Four-Two and more recently the Scion iQ. Seeing what Chevy has done with the Spark makes me think they are about to make a huge splash in the tiny tiny-car market.

The full gallery of pictures from the IMPA Test days is located here and will continue to be built as quick drive reviews are added:

Year: 2013

Make: Chevrolet

Model: Spark

Trim: 2LT

Engine: 1.25 Liter 4-cylinder

Driveline: Front wheel drive, 5-speed manual

Horsepower @ RPM: 84 @ 6400

Torque @ RPM: 83 lb-ft @ 4200

Fuel Economy: City/Highway: 32/38

Location of Manufacture: Bupyeong, South Korea

Base Price: $12,245

Est. As Tested Price: $15,795

Drew Dowdell is Managing Editor of CheersandGears.com and can be reached at Drew.Dowdell@CheersandGears.com or on twitter as @cheersngears

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

September 18, 2012

This week in the Cheers & Gears Detroit garage is the 2012 Nissan cube 1.8S Indigo Limited Edition.

The 1.8S is the mid-level model in the cube lineup and comes with a 1.8L inline-four producing 122 HP and 127 lb-ft of torque and can go through either a six-speed manual or Nissan's Xtronic CVT. Our model is equipped with the CVT.

Our cube is also equipped with Indigo Limited Edition package which adds keyless entry, push-button start, an upgraded six-speaker sound system with a subwoofer, a five-inch touchscreen, navigation, rear-view camera, unique black and indigo upholstery, and fifteen-inch alloy wheels. That package and few other options brings the as-tested price to $20,975 (Includes $780.00 destination charge).

First Impressions so far

• Really like the blue and the fifteen-inch alloys on the cube
  
• I think there is about a quarter-mile of headroom inside
  
• Like the way the cube drives, perfect for those who live in a city
  

I'll have more updates as the week goes on. In the meantime, drop your questions and I will do my best to answer them.

Update - September 24, 2012

My time with the Nissan cube is coming to close as it will go back tomorrow, and for what it is, its a very good package. The cube provides a surprising amount of space and equipment for the price tag. The cube is also one of those vehicles which actually provides excellent visibility and maneuverability, making it perfect for city or suburban driving.

However if you decide to do any driving on the freeway or long-distance with the cube, be prepared for a large amount of wind- and road-noise (mostly due to the shape) and the seats not being real comfortable for the long distance. The cube wasn't built for that in mind.

Fuel economy has been really impressing me with an average of 31.5 MPG.

If you have any last minute questions on the cube, get them in and I will do my best to answer them.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

August 24, 2012

This is a momentous occasion here in the Cheers & Gears Detroit Garage. For one, we welcome another new brand into fold. Also, its our first 2013 model year vehicle. Please welcome the 2013 Mazda CX-5 crossover.

(I had a brief drive in a CX-5 back in May at the MAMA Spring Rally. You can check out my thoughts on it by clicking here.)

This CX-5 is the mid-level Touring FWD model which starts at $23,895. That nets you a 2.0L SkyActiv-G four-cylinder producing 155 HP and 150 lb-ft of torque and a six-speed automatic. Other standard equipment includes seventeen-inch alloy wheels, push-button start, a 5.8-inch touchscreen for infotainment, six-way power seat for the driver, Bluetooth, and blind spot monitoring.

This car is fitted with two option packages. The Moonroof/Bose package adds a moonroof and a nine-speaker bose sound system. The technology package adds navigation, HID headlights, rain sensing wipers, and a few other items. That gives our CX-5 Touring a as-tested price of $27,005 (Includes a $795 destination charge).

First impressions are these

• CX-5's 2.0L needs more power on the low end. Really don't like that I have to go above 2500 to 3000 RPMs to really get moving.
  
• Fuel economy is really good so far. 27 to 28 MPG is the average.
  
• If there is someone who can make a CUV fun to drive, that someone is Mazda
  

I'll have more updates as the week with the CX-5 goes on, including how it fares when I take it on vacation. In the meantime, if you have questions, post them and I'll do my best to answer them.

Update 1: I just finished up a 200 mile trip to Northern Michigan for vacation and to see some relatives of mine. The trip also revealed some of the CX-5's high and low points.

• The CX-5's seats are great for enthusiastic driving and short trips. However for long trips, you will be wishing for more comfort.
  
• Noticed the driver's side view mirror was vibrating while on the freeway, passenger's side wasn't. Somewhat worry some on a 6,000 mile example.
  
• EPA rates the CX-5 on the Highway with 32 MPG for the front-wheel drive model. On my drive, I exceeded that by a good amount. When I arrived at my destination, my average was 37.8 MPG.
  
• Wind and Road noise isolation is good, whether on the highway or in the city
  

I'll have some more updates later on in the week. If you got questions, don't hesitate to ask them.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

August 17, 2012

This time at the Cheers & Gears Detroit Garage is a newcomer, the 2012 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS AWD (takes breath). For $26,404 (the pricetag on the car) 2.4L inline-four, CVT Transmission, AWD, sunroof, dual-zone climate control, an appearance package, and a banging 425 watt Rockford Fosgate sound system.

The Kizashi sits in a interesting position in the new car field. Its size and pricetag puts somewhere between a compact and a mid-size vehicle. Think the last generation Volkswagen Jetta.

First impressions are mostly good. The interior is put together well, steering and handling is quite good, and the powertrain combo works well when you get above about 2000 RPMs.

I'll have more thoughts as the week with Kizashi goes on. In the meantime, if you have any questions, post them and I will do my best to answer them.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

We are currently on our way to Ann Arbor in the 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI we are reviewing. My first four days with the Passat in swamped and gridlocked Pittsburgh driving netted me 26.9 mpg. While that is lower than the EPA city rating, all non-hybrids get 0 miles per gallon while idling in traffic. Over the next three days, we will be doing almost exclusively highway cruising across Northern Ohio and up into Michigan.

You have two chances to win one or two of two $10 fuel gift cards. Your first chance is by guessing my fuel economy on tonight's trip (Pittsburgh to Ann Arbor) without going over. You get a second guess for the fuel economy for my trip from Port Huron Michigan to Pittsburgh PA on Monday evening. Winners will be announced Tuesday, August 14th at 12pm Eastern time.

To enter, simply reply in the comments of this thread with your two guesses. For example "Friday= 48.9mpg, Monday = 43.2mpg".

Here are the rules:

1. You must be a registered user of CheersandGears.com to enter, guest posts are disqualified. You can sign up easily clicking this link and even use your Facebook or Twitter account to speed things along.
   
2. No purchase or paid subscription is necessary to win.
   
3. Entries are taken in the order the server time stamps them. If two people guess the same number, the number with the earliest date/time stamp wins.
   
4. Volkswagen of America is not in any way affiliated with this contest aside from providing the test vehicle.
   
5. Entries must be received by 9 am Eastern, August 14th, 2012
   

Good Luck!

August 7, 2012

Drew Dowdell

Managing Editor

CheersandGears.com

A couple of weeks ago William gave us his review of the 2012 Volkswagen Passat SE 2.5. While William loved the roominess and quality of the interior, he was less impressed with the 2.5 liter gasoline 5-cylinder motivation. I have driven the Volkswagen 5-cylinder in the Passat and a few other vehicles and I'm inclined to agree with him. In response to that, the Passat is taking another turn in the CheersandGears.com garage this week except this time with an oil burner under the hood and me at the helm. Diesel powered cars have been enjoying a rapid increase in sales lately and Volkswagen is one of the largest purveyors of diesel cars in the US. Diesels accounted for 19.4% of Volkswagen’s sales in July of 2012.

This 2012 Passat TDI has a sticker price of $28,665 and is equipped with sunroof, and automatic climate control. At first that may sound high for a conservative mid-size car, but given the amount of room, equipment, and of course fuel economy, the Passat TDI starts to look quite the bargain.

The Passat TDI is EPA rated at 30mpg city and 40mpg highway with a combined rating of 34mpg. The only other mid-size cars that can touch that are the hybrids from Toyota, Hyundai, and Kia. However, the Passat TDI regularly gets real world numbers that beat the EPA rating by a substantial margin.

As for power, the 2 liter turbo diesel is rated at just 140 horsepower but also sends 235 ft-lb of torque through the 6-speed DSG to the front wheels. All 236 ft-lb becomes available at just 1,500 rpm which I unwittingly found out when making a left hand turn during my initial drive and ended up slapped by the traction control nanny as the front wheels broke loose. The pull from the engine around town is a lot stronger than anyone expects from a 2 liter 4 cylinder.

For this week, I will be driving my normal commute till Friday to get a good read on the city fuel economy. Starting Friday evening until Monday afternoon, I will be taking the Passat on a long distance trip so I can get a good reading of the cruising fuel economy.

Even just the first 5 miles of driving the Passat reinforced my “smooth but different” opinion of the Volkswagen 6-speed DSG transmission that was established during the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo review.

So gear up your questions for this week’s interactive review of the 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI.

Drew Dowdell is Managing Editor of CheersandGears.com and can be reached at Drew.Dowdell@CheersandGears.com or on twitter as @Cheersngears

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

July 19, 2012

Updated: July 25, 2012

Well, the Mitsubishi Outlander GT S-AWC and Volkswagen Passat 2.5 SE have left the Garage and in their place is this; the 2012 Nissan Quest LE.

The Quest LE comes with a 3.5L V6 producing 260 HP and 240 lb-ft of torque, and is equipped with a CVT.

First Impressions:

• Woah, this is very distinctive. I feel that the Quest's design is a love it or hate it. I like it myself.
  
• I've been in houses that aren't as nice as the Quest's interior.
  
• V6 and CVT combination is a surprise. Really can get the Quest moving at a surprising rate.
  
• Don't like the Quest's transmission gate. Think I'm in Drive when I'm actually in Low. Very annoying.
  

I'll have some updates on the Quest as the week goes on. In the meantime, drop off your questions for the Quest.

Update: Sorry for the lack of updates on the Quest, I've been busy with some other work. But after spending a week and close to 550 miles on this van, I can say the Quest does make a good case for itself as a contender. Yes, you can't fold the seats into the floor or remove them to increase cargo room. But if you're main goal is to transport family members or people, the Quest fills that need perfectly.

Fuel economy wise, the Quest did ok. 21.2 MPG was the test average, and on the highway run I got 22.3 MPG. Not bad for a van that weighs closely to 4500 lbs.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

July 11, 2012

As I teased in the Mitsubishi Outlander GT S-AWC interactive review, there are two vehicles in the Cheers & Gears Detroit garage this week. The second vehicle is this, the 2012 Volkswagen Passat 2.5 SE. Its a midrange model and comes equipped with a 2.5L five-cylinder engine producing 170 HP and 177 lb-ft of torque. You have the choice between a six-speed manual or as in this Passat, an automatic.

First impressions so far:

• Exterior is a bit plain.
  
• 2.5L is a bit of odd engine with acceleration. Starting off, there seems to be no power. Get a little higher in the RPMs and boom, there's power and rapid acceleration.
  
• Like the touchscreen radio, now if they would do a large navigation and not a three inch deal.
  
• How is Volkswagen getting away calling this a midsize? The large back seat alone makes you think this.
  

I'll have more updates as the week goes on. Until then, drop your questions about the Passat off.

Update #1: Sorry for not updating this till today. Unfornately, I've been busy with a few other items that took up my time.

Anyways, the Passat is impressing me.. Mostly. The 2.5L is not the best engine for the Passat or any Volkswagen vehicle. Not the most powerful, nor the smoothest engine in its class. I wonder if it would rather be doing something else, like knitting. However, the 2.5L has been delivering some impressive fuel economy. My average so far is 28.2 MPG, which happens to be an MPG higher than the Kia Optima from last week. Also, I was able to match the Passat's highway fuel economy number of 31 MPG over the weekend. The Optima does beat it by 2 MPG though on that same loop.

The exterior and interior are growing on me. It's clean and simple. For most buyers in the midsize market, thats what they really want.

I'll have another update before the Passat heads back with some more thoughts. Drop off your questions in the meantime.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

July 11, 2012

As the Kia Optima drives off into the horizon, the Cheers & Gears Detroit garage welcomes not one, but two vehicles this week. The first vehicle is the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander GT S-AWC. A bit of mouthful, but let me break it down.

Outlander: Mitsubishi's largest crossover on sale, can seat up to seven people

GT: Top of the line model: comes with a 3.0L MIVEC V6 producing 230 HP and 215 lb-ft of torque and a six-speed automatic transmission

S-AWC: Mitsubishi's advance AWD system which uses an dynamic front differential and Mitsubishi's AWC to provide added safety and performance.

First impressions so far are mixed:

• Outlander's front end is directly related to Lancer Evolution; I like
  
• For $33,605 (as tested price), how come there isn't a USB or Aux jack? Only jacks for video.
  
• Not sure if the Outlander has Bluetooth or not. Has been prewired..
  
• Ride is a bit firm, but actually kind of fun
  

I'll be updating throughout the week with more thoughts and fuel economy numbers. In the meantime, post your questions and I'll do my best to answer them.

As for vehicle number #2, see the next post.

Update #1: I've been driving around in the Outlander GT for past couple of days, and I've found some things I like and some I don't.

I'll start with the the items I don't like: First, I figured out this Outlander hasn't been fully wired for Bluetooth. It does comes prewired with it, but considering its 2012, don't you think it would be fully wired? Also, I'm finding the ride to a bit too firm. While it does keep the Outlander steady while going through turns or off the beaten path, the Outlander will communicate every bump while in the city or on the highway.

The good items about the Outlander: Like the steering on the Outlander, very firm and gives you a very good feel of the road. The six-speed automatic does a very good job of smooth shifts and keeping you in the right gear.

Average fuel economy so far is about 24.1 MPG.

I'll have another update over the weekend with highway numbers and some more thoughts. Keep those questions coming in the meantime.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

William Maley

Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

July 5, 2012

This week in the Cheers and Gears Detroit garage is the 2012 Kia Optima EX. This Optima is equipped with the base 2.4L DI inline-four delivering 200 HP and 186 lb-ft torque, and is equipped with a six-speed automatic.

First Impressions so far:

• Love the exterior and interior design
  
• Headroom in the backseat is a bit tight
  
• The amount of equipment for the price is very impressive
  
• Average fuel economy so far: 27.2 MPG
  

I will be updating with more thoughts about the Optima throughout its stay. Send in your questions in the meantime.

Update #1: So far the Optima has been really impressing me. The 2.4L DI four is very smooth and has quite the punch. Average fuel economy has dropped to 25.3 MPG, but that's in line with the EPA rating for the city. I'm expecting that number rise over the weekend.

As for complaints, I have one dealing with the back window. you can barely see anything out the back window due to the rakish design and large C-Pillars. Thankfully, the Optima has a rear view camera thanks to the optional Premium package.

I'll another update coming either tomorrow or Monday with highway fuel economy numbers.

Update #2: My time with the Optima is coming to close, as it will be heading back tomorrow. And, I'm sad to see it go.

The Optima has really impressed my as a package. The powertrain, design, and features makes for a very formidable player in the midsize sedan market. It does have some problems, some I have talked about here and some that I will talk about in the review. But most are minor, maybe for the back window and not seeing out of it.

As for highway fuel economy, the EPA rates the Optima 2.4L at 35 MPG. I got close to it, getting 33.5 MPG on my run. If I had gone further, I'm willing to bet I would have matched or even surpassed 35.

William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at william.maley@cheersandgears.com or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

I picked up this 2012 Nissan Maxima with just 2,600 miles on the clock at Louisville airport for a trip to Evansville Indiana, a drive of about 100 miles. As you approach the car, you notice the sporty haunches, low slung grill and aggressive stance. From the back, there is almost a hint of Mercedes S-Class in that ass. I only had roll aboard luggage with me for this trip but I immediately noticed the smallness of the trunk opening and relative lack of trunk space for a car of this size. Large luggage could be a struggle here.

Getting in the driver seat, the view is ...well.. modern minimalist. You're greeted with a large sea of nearly black dashboard that looks like hard plastic but is mostly soft touch and padded. The seat fabric is made of an almost faux suede cloth that feels very nice on the hands. The driver and front passenger seats are nicely supportive, but could use a bit more side bolstering for a car being billed as a sports car. My only big complaint with the seat was with the head rest. There is no way to tilt it forward and it sits too far behind your head to be of use while driving.

Back seat passengers will be happy with the generous legroom and headroom offered. There is a rear center armrest, but when you open the cup holder the lid blocks you from putting your hand there.

During my trip I was scheduled to be on 3 conference calls. The Bluetooth setup in the Maxima is possibly one of the easiest I've experienced. The instructions are: Press the phone button, no phone found, would you like to add?, yes, searching for phone, enter code, done. Thanks to the well sound insulated cabin, my conference calls were easy to hear and participate in.

Push button start is standard on all Maximas, and pressing that button fires up a lively, 290 horsepower, 261 ft-lb torque, VQ V6 engine backed by Nissan's CVT transmission. Some people don't like CVT transmissions because of the lack of a traditional shifting feel, but it is really their own loss. The CVT gives the Maxima a smoothness that Buick would be jealous of. Pressing the pedal firmly to the floor and the Maxima will dart to 60 in just 6.1 seconds. During such acceleration, if you keep the wheel perfectly straight everything will be fine. If you need to turn while under heavy throttle, you can get a bit of torque steer to fight. Driven lightly, the CVT can actually accelerate the car without engine rpm changing. From a dead stop, bring the engine RPM up to about 1,400 and the car can accelerate up to about 50 miles per hour before the tach needle will start to move. Nissan has programmed the CVT to give you a down-shift feel when you give it a sudden amount of gas.

Once you're on your trip, the smoothness of the Maxima really shines. The suspension soaks up road imperfections with the skill of a soft luxury car. The cabin is well insulated, but there was a noticeable amount of tire slap over expansion joints. Even at highway cruising speeds, the VQ V6 is still able to be heard under the hood giving the 4-Door-Sports-Car a bit of a muscle soundtrack to ride along with.

In my fairly base model Maxima, the radio felt a bit weak, and with no USB input for my iPod (an auxiliary input is offered) I didn't listen to the radio much.

The Maxima and I spent 388 miles together, during which I averaged 24.5 mpg, nearly all of that being highway. EPA rated at 19 city, 26 highway and requesting premium gas for best performance, the Maxima's fuel costs would be a good bit higher than similar size and powered sedans from the competition.

Another issue is price; the 2012 Maxima bases a $32,240 plus destination charge. At that price you would have needed to already pass up the less expensive, but similarly powerful and sized Volkswagen Passat V6, Chrysler 300, and Honda Accord EX-L V6... all of which get better fuel economy than the Maxima.

Is the 2012 Nissan Maxima a master of the road? It does everything well that a good road trip car should as long as you don't have a lot of junk for the trunk, but there may be better options in this size class if you are watching costs.

Higher Res Gallery:

Nissan Motor America did not provide the vehicle and is in no way affiliated with this evaluation.

Our Road Masters series is a different kind of review focusing entirely on how well the car performs on a road trip. The vehicles may or may not be provided by manufacturers and won't always be new cars.

Drew Dowdell is managing editor of CheersandGears.com and can be reached at Drew.Dowdell@CheersandGears.com or on twitter @CheersnGears

William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

May 16, 2012

As the Chevrolet Malibu Eco leaves the Cheers and Gears Detroit garage, another vehicle arrives to take its place. The vehicle is the smallest Buick of them all, the new Verano.

The Verano is equipped with a 2.4L four-cylinder producing 180 HP and 171 lb-ft of torque, and a six-speed automatic.

First impressions so far: The Verano is very, very quiet. Something I appreciate very much. Also, I'm finding the 2.4L to be an ok powertrain in the short time I had it.

I will be updating with my thoughts about the Verano throughout this week. In the meantime, send your questions in.

William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

May 11, 2012

Spending the next few days here in the Cheers and Gears Detroit garage is the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco. This is Chevrolet's second hybrid sedan; the first being the last generation Malibu Hybrid sold from 2008-2009.

The Malibu Eco comes equipped with GM's eAssist mild hybrid system. The system provides a 15 HP and 79 ft-lb of torque boost to the 2.4L four-cylinder engine's 182 HP and 171 lb-ft of torque.

So how does it drive? It drives pretty nice. The eAssist setup provides enough low-end torque to get off the line. Once going, the 2.4L is more than adequate to get you around town.

I have some more updates throughout the weekend dealing with fuel economy, driving, and Chevrolet's new MyLink infotainment system. In the meantime, send your questions in.

William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

May 2, 2012

If you have been wondering why there has been a lack of news here on Cheers & Gears for the past couple of days, I can explain why.

Right now I'm in Austin and just finished up driving the new Dodge Dart. I will have a first drive report sometime next week, but I wanted to give some quick impressions about it.

Compared to the Caliber, the Dart is a drastic 180 turn. The Dart's overall look has a lot of Italian influence with smooth surfaces and sexy curves. But the Dart is still a Dodge and lets you know about it. The front carries Dodge's crosshair grill. Step around the back and the back light bar from the Challenger and Charger makes an appearance.

As for the Dart's interior, its a massive step forward with flowing lines, soft touch materials, and technologies like an optional 8-inch touchscreen. One downside is lack of legroom for back seat passengers.

Three powertrains are available for the Dart: a 2.0L Tigershark four-cylinder, a 1.4T four-cylinder, and a 2.4L Tigershark four. At the Dart event, only the 2.0L and 1.4T were available to drive. The 2.4L four will be out later this year with the R/T.

The 2.0L Tigershark produces 160 HP and 148 lb-ft of torque and can go through either a six-speed manual or automatic. During the drive, I found 2.0L and automatic to be a fine companion as power came smoothly, even though you had to climb above 3,000 RPMs to find it. Dodge says the Dart gets fuel economy of 25 MPG city and 36 MPG highway. During the time I had behind the wheel, I averaged about 29 MPG.

As the 1.4T, I didn't get the chance to drive it due to the models equipped came as six-speed manuals and I can't drive a manual. A dual-clutch transmission is due out later this year and hopefully I will get the chance to check it out.

As for the drive, the Dart is a sweetheart. The Dart's suspension tip toes the lines of sport and comfort. One moment, the Dart provides excellent handling around the twisty roads of Texas. The next, the Dart is providing a smooth and quiet ride. Steering is heavy and direct, something that is very appricated.

I will have more thoughts on the Dart later next week. If you guys have any questions, I will do my best to answer them.

William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

April 14, 2012

April is turning out to be truck month here at Cheers & Gears. So far black-knight did a review on the 2012 Ram 1500 Express, I did an interactive review on the 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Crew Cab (Review is incoming), and now I have a 2012 GMC Sierra Denali 2500HD Crew Cab for this week.

Originally, this was actually going to be another Denali model, the Acadia. However, a certain part for the vehicle wasn't able to make it time and the Sierra Denali took its place.

We did an interactive review and comparison test with Ford F-350 back in 2010 and some minor changes have happened since then. Those changes include a rise in how much the Sierra HD can tow and handle in payload, cooled leather seats, heated steering wheel, and an updated optional navigation system.

First impressions so far,

• Loving the Duramax so far, power comes very strong and fast
  
• Steering is heavier than the Silverado 1500 I had last week
  
• Complants about the interior I have about the Silverado carry over to the Sierra Denali
  

I'll be updating with more thoughts and observations throughout its stay. Send in your questions in the meantime.

When you go to buy a Volkswagen, their best cars almost always have three letters or numbers at the end of the model name: GTI, TDI, VR6.

The sixth generation, 2011 Jetta, on sale for a little over a year now, has been met with some pretty strong criticism. Reviewers took one look at 2011’s cheapened interior, and suspension, and had three letters of their own: “WTH??”

Now, the sportier, 2012 Jetta GLI has gone on sale and looks to undo some of the ills of the standard Jetta. But can those three letters make up for the heap of hate dished upon this car?

GTI with a trunk?

First, a confession. I was hoping that the Jetta GLI would amount to a Golf GTI in sedan guise. The Golf GTI hatchback is still the best, most entertaining front-wheel-drive car I’ve ever driven, so, naturally, I wanted more of the same.

To hope that the GLI was simply a GTI with a trunk didn’t seem unreasonable. The Jetta GLI has the exact same motor, transmissions and XDS cross differential as the GTI. The hotter Jetta also has a sportier, multi-link suspension and lower ride height, again, just like the Golf GTI. All good things to go apex-hunting with.

While those similarities seemed like enough on paper, out on the blacktop, chucking the GLI into a left-hand sweeper, the desire for a GTI sedan equivalent dies a quick death.

Like many cars with sporty aspirations, the “track-tuned” suspension on the GLI is trying to be two things at once: not firm enough to shatter your coccyx, but not soft enough to erase your ability corner like a hooligan.

The result of that middle of the road suspension is a fairly comfortable ride, increased body roll, and cornering that is only OK. Diving into this particular left-hander on my test route, the GLI doesn’t feel nearly as planted or confident as the GTI. The GTI, with its firmer tuned suspension, would egg me on to take this corner faster and faster, while I grinned like an idiot. The GLI had one go at the bend and I was gritting, not grinning. No more for me, please.

It’s a similar story with the brakes. The GLI calipers are painted red, so that HAS to mean they perform at a higher level, right? Hmmm, no. Braking late for a corner entry brings back that uneasy feeling I had in the middle of the corner. Don’t get me wrong, during normal, everyday driving, the brakes are more than fine. It’s only when you ratchet up the speed that the stoppers began to make ME clench.

Oddly enough, the GLI does not even sound like a GTI. This might be the hardest difference to understand since the powertrains in the two cars are identical.

Under hard throttle, the GTI has a racy engine noise and exhaust note. You’ll find yourself planting your right foot just to hear it.

The GLI’s soundtrack is…different. It’s a deeper sound that isn’t as pleasing. While the GTI has a small hint of racecar, the noise the GLI makes has a small hint of a rusty, 1986 Silverado with an exhaust leak.

The one to get

So, take a pass on the Jetta GLI? Actually, no.

In fact, if you’re buying VW’s entry-level sedan, it’s the only one you should buy.

Despite not being a GTI sedan, the GLI is the best Jetta you can buy.

Most detractors of the new Jetta cite the cheapened interior and less-than-modern, torsion beam suspension as the worst parts. And they’re right, both are pretty offensive.

What adds insult to injury on those two aspects is the fact that those cost-cutting measure are only in plac on the U.S.-spec models. The Jetta sold in Europe has a higher quality interior, with a soft-touch dash, and the better, multi-link rear suspension.

The GLI fixes those two major problems and gives U.S drivers the chance to buy the Euro-spec model with the upgraded parts. When compared to the base Jetta, the GLI also gives you a flat-bottom steering wheel to churn, a sportier front-end design and some upgraded trim and stitching.

When you buy your GLI, make sure you go for one that has at least the Autobahn package. You’ll get better wheels, a sunroof, heated seats covered in V-tex leatherette and the fantastic, Fender-branded audio system.

The tin-can sound quality of the base sound system and lack of heated seats in the base GLI I tested were all it took to be wishing for an upmarket GLI during my test.

Not a GTI, not bad

So the GLI isn’t a GTI with a trunk, but it’s not as if there aren’t good reasons for that. The GLI is simply a bigger car. The motor has to pull around a sedan that has three more inches of wheelbase, about 16.5 more inches of overall length, and about 100 pounds more than the GTI hatchback.

Fortunately, dropping two-gears and bombing down the highway in the GLI is still enough to make me grin. And if it’s fun you’re after, you certainly won’t find more of it in a Hyundai Accent, Honda Civic, Chevy Cruze, Mazda3 or any sedan with a Toyota badge on it.

2012 Jetta GLI, 6-speed manual transmission – $23,495

Destination – $770

Total – $24,265

One of the nice things about being a webmaster is with the right tools you can find out what your visitors are interested in without them telling you directly. With these tools, I can learn what the people who visit this website are interested in by the search term they used on Google to lead them here. Out of all models from any brand currently in production, none bring more visitors to Cheers and Gears than people searching for information on the GMC Terrain.

Armed with that knowledge, I requested one from the GM Press fleet and they delivered this 2012 Terrain SLT-2 with AWD and nearly every bell and whistle you can think of for your reviewing enjoyment.

One of the first things that struck me about the 2012 model is how much firmer the suspension feels. We've had both a 2010 GMC Terrain and its brother a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox in the past. Both of which were noted for their comfortable, car-like ride. I'm not implying that the 2012 Terrain has an uncomfortable ride, but let us just call it more "Professional Grade".

The Terrain is GMC's entry into the mid-size crossover segment. However there is no smaller CUV in GMC's stable. In fact, no brand from General Motors offers a CUV smaller than the Terrain/Equinox siblings at least until the sub-compact 2013 Buick Encore joins the lineup sometime early next year.

This Terrain came equipped with a 264 horsepower, direct injected, 3.0 liter V6. While that sounds okay on paper, things aren't so hot when you read the torque figure. You get just 222 ft-lb of torque at 5100 rpm. That relative lack of torque means the transmission is on a constant Easter Egg hunt for just the right gear. Equipped with all wheel drive, the Terrain V6 is rated an almost GMC Acadia like 16/22 city/highway.

So what are your other engine options? Well there is the 2.4 liter direct injected Ecotec 4-cylinder rated at 182 horsepower and 172 ft-lb of torque. That engine won't get you there faster than the V6, but you'll at least be getting 22/29 city/highway.

While the V6 is smooth enough, I've had a good enough experience with the 2.4 4-cylinder to tell you to skip the V6 in favor of the 4 and pocket the savings at the fuel pump.

So that's it for the drive for now. We'll cover the interior and other options in future updates. In the meantime, gear up your questions for this 2012 GMC Terrain SLT-2.

The North American International Auto Show starts tomorrow and for the trip up to Detroit, Buick has provided me with a 2012 Buick Lacrosse with e-Assist. For 2012, the Lacrosse has a standard a 4-cylinder engine with a light electrical assist and automatic stop.

The e-Assist system is somewhere between BMW's Efficient Dynamics auto-stop/brake regeneration system and Honda's Integrated Motor Assist in terms of the level of hybridization. E-Assist offers a 15 horsepower and 79 ft-lb of torque electrical boost to the gasoline engine where Efficient Dynamics offers none. The Honda IMA system adds 23 horsepower and 78 ft-lb of torque.

So how does it drive? Having driven a 2011 Lacrosse 4-cylinder without e-Assist the very first thing I noticed was the extra torque in the low RPM range. You won't be pulling stumps with your Lacrosse, but the electrical boost at low RPM gives the 4-cylinder a more V6 feel in terms of take off. The gear ratios are also tuned well to get you rolling up to speed swiftly. It is still a 4-cylinder, but in normal city and suburban driving, it will feel like a V6. Speaking of city and suburban driving, according to the computer, I'm averaging 26.6 mpg in that combination.

The transmission will keep the RPM higher when needed and Buick's QuietTuning does its job keeping engine noise out of the cabin. Full throttle acceleration isn't swift, but the tach will swing nearly all the way to 7,000 rpm without protest. Refinement of the 2.4 coupled with the electric motor is excellent, continuing with the nearly V6 feel displayed in city driving.

Those wishing for more power for drag racing would do best to check off the box for the 303 horsepower 3.6 liter V6 and be on their way, but the 2.4 with e-Assist will satisfy 90% of buyers out there who are more concerned with fuel economy than pink slips.

I have yet to test out the long distance highway fuel economy, but as soon as I click save on this post, I am getting in the car to start my 250 mile trip to Detroit where I'll pick up our friend Z-06. Send me your questions in the meantime.

The 2012 Jetta GLI went back and we were supposed to get a Passat in its place. However, the Passat encountered some unfortunate incident in the hands of another journalist so instead Volkswagen sent us this 2012 Beetle Turbo with DSG and Navigation.

So far I've done almost entirely city driving in the Beetle and while the DSG is very smooth above first, I'm finding it a little jerky in stop and go city traffic. After you get it out of crawling speed, the DSG opens the Beetle's wings and allows incredibly smooth and fast shifting in either direction. In regular drive mode and normal city speeds, the DSG does its best to keep the RPM below 2,000 at all time. Switching to sport mode raises the imaginary line to 3,000. You can rev the engine higher than that, but in normal driving, it is completely unnecessary. When prodded, the Beetle will break its front tires loose pretty easily in first and second gear.

I was seeing some pretty great highway economy numbers out of the Jetta GLI with this same engine but a 6-speed manual. During my time with the Beetle, I will be driving 90% of the route that I took the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze Eco on and again I will be loaded down with gear. Because the Beetle has a larger engine with 62 more horsepower and 52 more lb-ft of torque, I don't expect the Beetle Turbo to match the Cruze's 51mpg I saw on that trip. The Beetle Turbo is rated at 22/30 city/highway but my guess is that I'll be able to beat that number after seeing what the Jetta GLI was able to do.

The looks are far more masculine than the first generation Beetle, and I'm getting a lot of stop and stare as I drive by.

But now I have to get on the road. Leave your questions in the comments section for this 2012 Volkswagen Beetle Turbo.