William Maley

Americans can’t seem to get enough crossovers. A study done by IHS Automotive showed that one out of every three vehicles sold in the U.S. is a crossover of some various size. Hence why it seems a week doesn’t go by without an announcement of a new crossover from ‘x’ automaker. One area that seems to have new or redesigned models coming fast and furious is the compact crossover class. New models are wanting to take a nice chunk of sales from the stalwarts such as the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, and Toyota RAV4. Whether it's with impressive handling characteristics (Mazda CX-5) or the availability to have three rows (Nissan Rogue), new models are beginning to take a stand on the sales chart. Hyundai is the latest automaker to ready an attack on the old guard with the third-generation Tucson. The Korean automaker hopes the formula it has seemingly perfected over the past few years of great looks, an impressive feature set, and a low price tag can make the Tucson a contender in the class. I recently spent some time in Minneapolis and parts of Wisconsin driving the new Tucson to see if the model has a chance. One of the key focuses for Hyundai on the 2016 Tucson was style. How do you make your model stand out in a crowded class? Hyundai decided to grace the 2016 Tucson with its Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language complete with sharp lines, hexagonal grille, and a set of slimmer head and taillights. One key design item Hyundai pointed out during the briefing was how the wheel arches were raked forward to promote the feeling of movement. I have to admit that Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 has been hit and miss on some of the Hyundai models. I think it works great on the Genesis as it gives it an identity, while it makes the Sonata quite boring. For the Tucson, it works very well. The model is very striking and at certain angles, reminds me of the Mazda CX-5. The interior doesn’t have quite the same flair as the exterior, which is kind of a shame. But that doesn’t mean Hyundai left the interior as an afterthought. The design is simple with a wraparound dashboard and the use of contrasting materials. There is an equal mix of hard and soft-touch materials throughout, common for the class. Higher trims get a bit more soft-touch materials to make it feel more premium. In terms of standard equipment, the Tucson comes loaded. The base model boasts spilt-folding rear seats, a five-inch touchscreen radio, backup camera, and Bluetooth. Climb up to higher trims and features such as an eight-inch touchscreen with navigation, blind-spot monitoring, dual-zone climate control, heated and cooled front seats, and leather seats become available. In terms of comfort, the Tucson scores well when it comes to passengers. The front seats have a fair amount of adjustment to get you into the right position, and also provide enough support for short and long trips. Back seat passengers will find a fair amount of head and legroom. The only disappointment in the Tucson’s interior is cargo space. Compared to the best-selling CR-V, the Tucson is 4.2 cubic feet smaller with the seats up (31 vs. 35.2) and 9 cubic feet smaller with the seats down (61.9 vs. 70.9). For power, the Tucson comes with two engines. The base SE model uses the 2.0L GDI four-cylinder from the Elantra with 164 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. This paired to a six-speed automatic. Front-wheel drive comes standard, though if you want all-wheel drive, you’ll need to order the SE Popular package. Eco and trims above it come with the turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder found in the Sonata Eco. The 1.6 makes 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. This comes paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and the choice of front or all-wheel drive. Fuel economy numbers for both engines are as followed: 2.0L FWD: 21 City/31 Highway/26 Combined 2.0L AWD: 21 City/26 Highway/ 23 Combined 1.6T FWD Eco: 26 City/33 Highway/29 Combined 1.6T AWD Eco: 25 City/31 Highway/27 Combined 1.6T FWD Sport/Limited: 25 City/30 Highway/27 Combined 1.6T AWD Sport/Limited: 24 City/28 Highway/26 Combined Now the slight difference in fuel economy numbers between the Eco and Sport/Limited models mostly comes down to wheel size. The Eco comes with 17-inch wheels, while the Sport and Limited use 19-inch wheels. Let’s move on to the drive. Now before we dive into my impressions of the 2016 Tucson, I need to make note of something important. I didn’t get the chance to get behind the wheel of the Tucson equipped with the 2.0L engine. Hopefully in the future, I’ll be able to provide some impressions on that model. Getting behind the wheel of the 1.6T, I found it to be a very potent engine. This is thanks in part to the 195 pound-feet of torque that arrives at 1,500 rpm and continues to 4,000 rpm. No matter when I needed to make a pass or merge onto the expressway, the engine was ready to get moving. Hyundai also deserves some credit for making the engine very quiet at idle. The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic did cause me some worry as I had an unpleasant experience in a Sonata Eco I drove a couple months back. The transmission in the Eco was very sloppy in its shift and seemed to be confused with the 1-2 shift. For the Tucson, Hyundai has made a number of improvements to the transmission to make the shifts much smoother. The difference is very apparent with the transmission delivering smooth and quick shifts. As for ride and handling, the Tucson strikes a balance between sport and comfort. Hyundai has put a bit work into the suspension with a multi-link rear setup coming to all models - the last-generation Tucson used a single-link rear setup on the front-wheel drive model. The Tucson’s structure has also seen some improvements, with the body seeing a 48 percent bump in rigidity thanks to increasing the use of high-strength steel. Driving on a wide range of roads, the Tucson impressed in how it managed all manner of bumps and imperfections. The suspension was able to keep the impacts from reaching the passengers inside. More impressive was how quiet the Tucson was. Even on rough, gravel roads, the Tucson was able to keep road noise at a minimum. The Tucson’s handling may be Hyundai’s best effort yet. The crossover feels planted and shows no sign of body roll when being pushed. The only downside is the steering has a dead-zone when you begin to turn the wheel. Some resistance does appear when you turn the wheel further. This will annoy some people, but many will not even notice it. Pricing for the new the 2016 Hyundai Tucson begins at $23,595 for the base SE front-wheel drive (includes an $895 destination charge) and climbs to $34,945 for the Limited all-wheel drive equipped with the Ultimate package. Considering the amount of standard equipment for each trim level, the Tucson is quite the value. The third-generation Hyundai Tucson looks be the model to take on the old-guard in the compact crossover class. The new Tucson does mostly everything a crossover should do, along with impressive exterior design, an extensive feature set, and a turbocharged engine that is punchy. It may be that the 2016 Hyundai Tucson can be considered one of the best in its class. Disclaimer: Hyundai Invited Cheers & Gears To A National Launch for the Tucson. Year: 2016 Make: Hyundai Model: Tucson Engine: 2.0L GDI DOHC Four-Cylinder, Turbocharged 1.6L GDI DOHC Four-Cylinder Driveline: Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive: Six-Speed Automatic, Seven-Speed Dual Clutch Horsepower @ RPM: 164 @ 6,200 (2.0L); 175 @ 5,500 (1.6T) Torque @ RPM: 151 @ 4,000 (2.0L); 195 @ 1,500-4,500 (1.6T) Curb Weight: 3,325 to 3,710 lbs Prices: $23,595 to $34,595 (Includes $895 destination charge) View full article

Today, Chevrolet and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have released the numbers for the 2016 Volt and they are noticeably better than the outgoing model. The EPA rates the Volt at 106 Miles Per Gallon Equivalent (MPGe) combined when operating solely on electricity, and 42 MPG combined when the gas engine is running. To put this into perspective, the current Volt gets 98 MPGe when running on electricity and 39 MPG combined when the gas engine is running. Overall electric range has seen a big jump as well with the 2016 Volt. The EPA says the model will deliver 53 Miles of range on electric power alone. That is a huge increase compared to the 39 Miles of total electric range on the current Volt. “We listened to our customers. They were very clear when they told us that they wanted more range, and a fun driving experience behind the wheel. We are confident that the 2016 Volt delivers both,” said Andrew Farah, vehicle chief engineer for the Volt. Source: Chevrolet Press Release is on Page 2 The Results Are In: More Range for the 2016 Volt EPA-estimated pure electric range is 53 miles DETROIT – The 2016 Volt is engineered to offer customers more of what they want: range, range and more range. The Volt’s all-new second-generation Voltec extended-range electric propulsion system delivers 53 miles of pure EV range, based on EPA testing. That is nearly a 40-percent improvement over the first-generation Volt. Chevrolet expects many next-generation Volt owners will use power solely from their batteries for more than 90 percent of trips. Today, Volt owners use battery power on 80 percent of their trips. This means the average Volt owner could expect to travel well over 1,000 miles between gas fill ups, if they charge regularly. For the first 53 miles, the Volt can drive gas and tailpipe-emissions free using a full charge of electricity stored in its new 18.4-kWh lithium-ion battery, rated at a combined 106 MPGe, or gasoline equivalent. When the Volt’s battery runs low, a gas-powered generator seamlessly operates to extend the driving range for a total of 420 miles on a full tank. “We listened to our customers,” said Andrew Farah, vehicle chief engineer, “They were very clear when they told us that they wanted more range, and a fun driving experience behind the wheel. We are confident that the 2016 Volt delivers both.” The next-generation Volt’s new 1.5L range-extender, designed to use regular unleaded fuel, offers a combined EPA-estimated fuel efficiency of 42 MPG. Data shows that drivers of the first-generation Volt achieved, and often exceeded, the published EPA-estimated mileage. Chevrolet expects the same label-exceeding result with the next-generation Volt. View full article

A consortium of German automakers which include Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz have agreed to buy Nokia's HERE mapping business for around $3.1 billion dollars. The deal is currently pending approval of antitrust authorities. If the deal is given the go-ahead, the three automakers will own a stake by early 2016. HERE is one of the most advanced and largest digital mapping and location systems. It was originally started back in 1986 with Navteq before being acquired by Nokia in 2007. The service maintains digital maps for nearly 200 countries, and updates continuously by gathering data from users. Now why are three automakers interested in a mapping service? The end goal is for the system to be used with autonomous vehicles. But the three automakers are also interested in integrating it with their connected car technology. An example is warning drivers of icy conditions via outside temperature and ABS activation. Now the three automakers insist that HERE will remain open "to all customers from the automotive industry and other sectors." Also, the new owners will stay out of the day to day business of HERE. "High-precision digital maps are a crucial component of the mobility of the future. With the joint acquisition of HERE, we want to secure the independence of this central service for all vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and customers in other industries," stated Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG. Source: Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz Press Release is on Page 2 AUDI AG, BMW Group and Daimler AG agree with Nokia Corporation on joint acquisition of HERE digital mapping business August 03, 2015 | INGOLSTADT, MUNICH, STUTTGART, Germany Acquisition will secure and strengthen HERE as an independent company serving customers from all industriesReal-time maps and location based services will be the basis for the mobility of tomorrow Transaction expected to close in first quarter 2016 AUDI AG, the BMW Group and Daimler AG have agreed with Nokia Corporation that they will acquire its mapping and location services business HERE. The acquisition is intended to secure the long term availability of HERE’s products and services as an open, independent and value creating platform for cloud-based maps and other mobility services accessible to all customers from the automotive industry and other sectors. The three partners will each hold an equal stake in HERE; none of them seeks to acquire a majority interest. Subject to the approval of the relevant antitrust authorities, the transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2016. HERE is laying the foundations for the next generation of mobility and location based services. For the automotive industry this is the basis for new assistance systems and ultimately fully autonomous driving. Extremely precise digital maps will be used in combination with real-time vehicle data in order to increase road safety and to facilitate innovative new products and services. On the basis of the shared raw data, all automobile manufacturers can offer their customers differentiated and brand-specific services. “Our environment is constantly changing. That’s why the information in digital maps has to be continually updated so that maximum utility can be offered,” stated Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. The high-precision cameras and sensors installed in modern cars are the digital eyes for updating mobility data and maps; in this way, information such as speed limits or critical driving situations are already recognized today. All data gained will be processed in compliance with strict data-protection rules. “HERE will play a key role in the digital revolution of mobility, combining high definition maps and data from vehicles to make travel safer and easier for everyone,” explained Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. This knowledge will be to the benefit of all carmakers and their customers. “High-precision digital maps are a crucial component of the mobility of the future. With the joint acquisition of HERE, we want to secure the independence of this central service for all vehicle manufacturers, suppliers and customers in other industries,” stated Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG. Swarm intelligence will create new information density for road maps "HERE will be able to offer users a continuously improving product, bringing highly automated driving and location based services a step further. As the volume of anonymized data from the vehicles increases, services will become more convenient, more connected and further tailored to the users’ individual requirements,” said Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Technical Development, Klaus Fröhlich, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG for Development, and Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG for Group Research. It is the explicit intention that all HERE customers are to benefit from this continuous optimization. The social benefits of swarm intelligence are enormous: They facilitate warnings of hazards in real time, of icy roads for example, based on calculations of individual data such as ABS activations and outside temperature. Upcoming traffic jams will be identified more precisely in the future, significantly reducing the risk of accidents. In this way, the vision of accident-free driving is gradually becoming reality. In a further stage, the data could be used to learn about critical bends on the road, in order to warn drivers in good time or to activate assistance systems. Anticipation of green phases of stoplights could navigate vehicles through an urban area on a “green wave” with the appropriate engine performance and minimized fuel consumption. High-precision maps are important for autonomous driving and many other forms of assistance systems, as these technologies require an up-to-date plan of a vehicle’s surroundings exact to the nearest centimeter, in order to react in real time. While HERE already produces extremely precise static maps, they can be verified more exactly and continually updated with a constant flow of data from vehicles’ surroundings. HERE will continue to offer its services and products across industries. HERE provides mapping and location intelligence for nearly 200 countries in more than 50 languages and is one of the main providers of mapping and location services. The company will continue to develop its position as a strong and independent provider of maps and location-based services, will expand its product offering and continue to make it available to all customers across industries. The management of HERE will continue to be independent – with the goal of moving the HERE business case forward as a platform, open to all customers. The consortium will not interfere into operational business. View full article

Porsche Reports July 2015 Sales U.S. Porsche dealers sell 4,730 vehicles in July ATLANTA, Aug. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), importer and distributor in the United States of Porsche 918 Spyder, 911, Boxster and Cayman sports cars, Macan and Cayenne SUVs, and the Panamera four-door sports sedan line-up, today announced July 2015 sales of 4,730 vehicles, up 10 percent over July 2014. The Macan had a successful month with 1,533 vehicles delivered. The Cayman model line is up seven percent, supported by deliveries of the new Cayman GT4, compared to the same month last year. Year-to-date, PCNA has delivered 29,868 Porsche vehicles, yielding a sales increase of 10 percent year-over-year. Porsche Approved Certified Pre-Owned vehicle sales in the United States were 1,256 for July 2015, up 26 percent compared to July 2014.

Mazda Reports July Sales IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported U.S. sales for July 2015 of 27,157 vehicles, representing a 7.1-percent decrease versus July 2014. Through July, Mazda has sold 186,153 vehicles year-to-date, representing a year-over-year increase. Key July 2015 sales notes: Mazda3 recorded its best July since 2010 at 9,504 (2010 July sales were 9,389). The all-new 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata went on sale in July, contributing to MX-5's best July since 2008 at 1,130 units (2008 sales were 1,181). Mazda CX-5 recorded its best July ever with 9,530 vehicles sold. Combined sales of Mazda's sixth-generation vehicles (Mazda3, Mazda6, MX-5 Miata and CX-5) were up 7.9 percent YOY and 4.5 percent YTD. As the company's sixth-generation of vehicle sales grow so does SKYACTIV® TECHNOLOGY – Mazda's no-compromise solution to driving performance and fuel efficiency has proven to be an affordable and beneficial solution for consumers. In July 2015, 90.3 percent of Mazdas sold were equipped with SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY.

KIA MOTORS AMERICA SETS THIRD CONSECUTIVE MONTHLY SALES RECORD WITH BEST-EVER JULY PERFORMANCE Year-To-Date Sales Up 7.7 Percent; Forte Compacts Up 41 Percent in July IRVINE, Calif., August 3, 2015 – After outpacing the industry with the best first-half sales performance in company history, Kia Motors America’s (KMA) momentum continued in July with a record 56,311 vehicles sold. Kia is up 5.0 percent year-to-date, and the best-ever July sales total came in a month that saw: The K900 earn the highest-ever overall score in AutoPacific’s® Vehicle Satisfaction Awards as well as Cadenza, Soul and Sportage topping their respective segments Soul EV availability expand to Oregon and Washington The Sedona win the J.D. Power Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEALsm) award in the Minivan segment. “SUVs continue to push the industry, and while Sportage and Sorento were part of that trend, the big news for Kia is that our car line continues to make gains as demonstrated by the Forte compacts’ sharp increase in July,” said Michael Sprague, Chief Operating Officer and EVP, KMA. “Consumer confidence remains high, and with Kia's standing as a proven quality leader we are seeing customers shopping the brand in increasing numbers as our summer sales event continues."

Jaguar Land Rover Reports U.S. Sales for July 2015 Jaguar Land Rover U.S. July sales increase 7 percent with 6,253 units sold for the company's best July retail month since 2005 Land Rover up 8 percent for the 2nd best Land Rover July sales month ever driven by Range Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport Range Rover Evoque sets new all-time U.S. sales high with 1,497 units sold, up 69 percent Jaguar up 5 percent on Jaguar XF sales growth. (MAHWAH, NJ) - Aug 1, 2015 - Jaguar Land Rover North America today reported July 2015 U.S. sales. Sales for both brands hit 6,253 units, a 7 percent increase from 5,830 units in July 2014. Land Rover sales reached 5,011 units up 8 percent from 4,643 units in July 2014; Jaguar sales were 1,242 units, up 5 percent from 1,187 units in July 2014. Year-to-date in 2015, Jaguar Land Rover U.S. sales hit 46,401 units, an increase of 15 percent over 2014. "We continued to see strong demand for both Jaguar and Land Rover brands this month, allowing us to hit our best July sales results since 2005 and our best Range Rover Evoque month ever," said Joe Eberhardt, President and CEO of Jaguar Land Rover North America. "We are pleased that through July of this year we have solid growth of 15 percent and are well set to launch multiple new products in the months ahead." U.S. BRAND HIGHLIGHTS Land Rover Land Rover had its second best July retail month ever (2005 was the best ever) with 5,011 total units sold this month. Range Rover Evoque had its best sales month ever, with 1,497 sales, up 69 percent from 888 sales in July 2014. Year to date 2015, Land Rover is at an all-time U.S. high of 37,323 sales, up 21 percent from 2014. Jaguar For Jaguar, sales increased 5 percent to 1,242 units. The volume and growth leader in July was the Jaguar XF, up 96 percent with 470 units sold vs. 240 in July 2014. For the first half of 2015, Jaguar brand is down 4 percent to 9,078 units from 9,504 in 2014. Jaguar F-TYPE sales for the year have increased 15 percent to 2,577 units from 2,238 YTD 2014.

Volvo Announces July Sales Strong demand for XC60, XC90 lead to 14.8 percent increase ROCKLEIGH, N.J. (August 3, 2015) - Volvo Cars of North America, LLC, (VCNA) reported U.S. sales of 5,619 units, a 14.8 percent increase versus July 2014. Year-to-date sales are up 2 percent over the first seven months of 2014. The top seller for the month was the XC60 crossover with 2,146 units sold, a 23.9 percent increase versus July 2014. The all-new XC90 luxury SUV finished the month in the second spot with 1,176 units sold, while strong demand continues. “The positive U.S. sales results for this month is very encouraging and part of the planned growth in the market,” said Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President, Americas. “The XC90 has been extremely well received, coupled with the strong increases for our other models, we are at the forefront of the transformation of our U.S. business.” Following an $11 billion investment, the positive momentum has materialized with the first all-new model off the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, the XC90, with world-first safety technologies, a new design language, new powertrain architecture and a range of class-leading connectivity services.