Anthony Fongaro

Definitely forgot they made a hybrid. A little disappointing since Ford is getting rid of the Fusion and FCA doesn't have a competitor to the Malibu hybrid.

I was waiting for the Arteon for years and went to the press unveiling. It's such a handsome car but doesn't feel special enough. I also think VW needs to make a more powerful version that can be a cheaper S5 Sportback.

This is actually based off of me test-driving these three to replace my GTI in a few years. I have a front-runner but didn't want to say it. I do like all three in their different ways.

Germany. Known for impeccable engineering, German vehicles usually have cutting-edge technology and are status symbols. Sweden. The Swedish are known for safety, and even though the only brand from Sweden is Volvo, they want to have a sleek design while making vehicles easy to drive. South Korea. In my opinion, South Korea is doing a great job with their vehicles. Creating Genesis as a stand-alone brand was genius because they can have vehicles close to or competing with the Germans while costing thousands of dollars less. What vehicles did I choose from these three countries? First, we have the Genesis G70. The particular G70 I am talking about is the G70 3.3T. It can compete directly with the Germans in terms of performance and safety features. Next, we have the Volvo S60 T6. It ties the Audi S5 Sportback in terms of exterior and interior looks and follows the tradition of being a Swedish car that focuses on safety which a hint of performance. The powertrain may be a little odd, but I’ll discuss engines and performance later. The black sheep here is a used Audi S5 Sportback? Why this car and not an S4? Simple, the S4 is too plain. The S5 Sportback is a good-looking car with performance similar to the Genesis, but a new one’s cost puts it in a different bracket. There is a reason why I’m using these vehicles. Price and performance. First, price. Options I look for such as blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, digital displays, all-wheel-drive, and heated/ventilated seats push up the prices for these three from $50,000-$53,000. Although the G70 and Volvo can be bought for around $40,000, a few options bump their prices up. Let’s dive into what I recommend for each car. Not a surprise, the Genesis G70 comes in at $50,000. You can get a Sport Package, but I would go with the Prestige Package because it has a heads-up display, surround-view monitoring that makes parking easy, and advanced safety features with a feature to not his pedestrians. That last feature is very helpful in a city like Chicago with Chicagoans crossing the street anywhere. Volvo’s S60 T6 has three trim levels, and I would go with the Inscription. You can pick an interior that isn’t just black as well as a Harman Kardon sound system. Two packages I recommend are the Luxury Package which gives you massaging seats, ventilated seats, and upgraded Nappa leather. The Advanced Package grants you the ability to use Pilot Assist, an almost semi-autonomous system which houses every safety system a car can have. A brand spanking new Audi S5 Sportback starts at $52,000 and it being German, the options are expensive and expansive. Although I would recommend the Premium Plus, if you want a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, and parking assist, you must go for the $59,000 Prestige. You can get a Black optic package that changes some of the exterior trim to black, hence the name. Ventilated seats cost $550 with the Warm weather package and a heated steering wheel is $750 in the Cold weather package. Final cost: $63,000, over $10,000 more than the Genesis and Volvo. Now for the nerd talk of performance and driving dynamics so if you really don’t care, just go to the last sentence in this paragraph. We have the most powerful car, the Genesis G70, with a turbocharged 3.3-liter V6. Stats: 365 HP and 376-pound feet of torque. 0-60: 4.5 seconds. Next, the Volvo T6. The T6 uses a turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter inline 4. Stats: 316 HP and 295-pound feet of torque. 0-60: 5.9 seconds. Finally, the Audi S5 Sportback. Under the hood is a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. 349 HP and 369-pound feet of torque. 0-60: 4.5 seconds. What does this mean? Two cars are fast, and one car isn’t. There we go. All vehicles have a sports feature that can change the noise of the engine inside, change how the steering feels, and how much more the engine will rev. If you’re into engine and exhaust noise, the Genesis is king. It is also the most powerful and feels the sportiest when going around a bend or going onto an on-ramp or wolfram. The Volvo has the worst sounding engine and there is a lot of lag because of the unusual engine. Volvo only uses 2.0-liter engines and it really hurts in terms of performance and it is more about cruising than going on twisty curves. Audi’s S5 Sportback is like the G70 in terms of engine noise and performance. Both are quick with V6 engines. In the Audi, the engine sounds good, but the steering feels disconnected. It handles alright but doesn’t feel special. Interior and infotainment systems are where the Genesis fall behind. The interior does feel luxurious, but the Volvo crushes it. A small infotainment system does it no justice. Volvo’s interior is gorgeous, but the infotainment system does something I hate: it controls almost everything. Why can’t there be regular controls for the climate control? Audi uses digital dials which are simply amazing and it has the best infotainment system. Now we get to what the title implies: Who should get which car? Genesis G70 3.3T: This is the car you get if you are all about those stats and performance. The interior may be lacking a bit, but the standard features make up for that downfall. Its exterior styling is a bit bland so style gurus will want to look elsewhere. Otherwise, this is a wonderful job and I think Genesis should be proud. 8/10 Volvo S60 T6: Simply put, this isn’t a sports sedan. Instead, it is a great long-distance cruiser with so many safety features it can almost drive itself. It has the best looking exterior and interior, but the infotainment system and droning engine let it down. Volvo is doing an amazing job creating beautiful looking vehicles, but I wish they didn’t only use 2.0-liter engines. 7/10 Audi S5 Sportback: New, it’s the most expensive but as a used car, you can get one for a little over $50,000 with around 30,000 miles. Why get this? Because it’s all about that badge, baby! It does have a great interior and the best infotainment system. It ties the Volvo for a beautiful exterior as well. If you can find one as a certified pre-owned vehicle or CPO, you can save about $10,000. 8/10 My personal favorite part: It’s performance facts time! Genesis G70 3.3T: Turbocharged 3.3-liter V6. Stats: 365 HP and 376-pound feet of torque. 0-60: 4.5 seconds. Volvo T6: Turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter incline 4. Stats: 316 HP and 295-pound feet of torque. 0-60: 5.9 seconds. Audi S5 Sportback: Turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. 349 HP and 369-pound feet of torque. 0-60: 4.5 seconds. What is your opinion? Which car do you think would suit you, and do you own the Audi, Genesis, or Volvo? Leave a comment below. View full article

Actually, I’m really curious about this. I remember when Tesla’s could only go 125 MPH even with rapid acceleration. I would like to know what going 200 MPH+ would do to the battery?

I did and it wasn't bad, but my problem with it is the entire package. I do love off-the-line acceleration of EVs but it didn't make me smile. Granted, I'm not saying it's a bad car, just that it isn't something I would buy/lease.

EV-curious. That’s what I would call myself. Someone that is interested in EVs but just hasn’t found the right one. There are many aspects of an EV that is appealing to me. Instant torque, quick acceleration, the ability to charge at your house or apartment, and the continuation of creating semi-autonomous driving. It’s all so exciting! I’m ready to go out and trade in my 2016 Volkswagen GTI for one now! Or am I? Let’s take a quick look at a small field of electric vehicles, starting with the brand new 2020 Porsche Taycan. The release of the 2020 Porsche Taycan is a feat in and of itself. The car itself is downright sexy, is has a handsome interior, and performance that is pure Porsche. Over 700 HP for the Turbo S model is impressive. It also costs what you would expect an electric super-Porsche would be since the range topping Taycans are coming out first. These are the Turbo and Turbo S which cost over $150,000. After these come onto the market, less expensive and less powerful versions will come. Would this be the car that I will buy? Sure, once I get that CMO position at a major company. This is a dream electric car, but not one that I would consider just yet. What about an attainable electric car? There are a few on the market that cover the bases. Vehicles like the Hyundai Kona Electric, Chevy Bolt, Nissan Leaf, and others have good to respectable range, decent features, and are not the most expensive vehicles. Average prices of $40,000-$45,000 is a bit steep, but electric cars usually command a premium over gasoline vehicles. They also have good driving aids such as blind spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control, something that my current car has and is top priority for me. They’re all very good cars but with flaws such as build quality and designs that keep me from considering one. My problem is simple: performance. Electric cars have instant torque at 0 RPM and can be extremely fast. These EVs just don’t cut the mustard for me since they are more about range than blistering speed. For around $45,000, I can get a gas-powered car such as a Genesis G70 3.3T that is faster, has better range, and the safety features I want. Let’s continue from good electric vehicles to “the best”. Right now, you are probably thinking: “Anthony, you are forgetting the king of electric vehicles. They are synonymous with electric cars and have a huge cult following.” Guess who that is? Yes, that is of course Tesla. You can’t write about electric cars without talking about Tesla. They are a very S 3 X Y R brand indeed. The Model S introduced expensive but seriously quick electric vehicles. The X brought us an odd but much-needed crossover. The 3 is the bread-and-butter maker with a starting price around $40,000, and acceleration that beats almost all vehicles in its class. The Y hasn’t come out yet but is a crossover version of the 3, and the Roadster is a $250,000 supercar. Even though there are three models currently available, I will focus on the Model 3 Performance since that is the one I am most interested in. There is a lot to like about the Model 3 Performance. It has “performance” in its name and with 450 HP, it is one of the quickest sedans I’ve ever driven. The instant torque from the motors is intoxicating and it handles well for a heavy vehicle. Does it tick all the boxes to convert to a Tesla-fanatic? No. Why? The interior. I am not a fan of controlling absolutely everything with a touchscreen and not having my speedometer in front of me. The Model 3 Performance can have semi-autonomous driving, but it is a $7,000 option. Tesla’s Autopilot driver-assist system is standard and is regarded to be one of the best, if not the best driver-assist system. Tesla has sold over 250,000 Model 3 vehicles and it is a genuinely amazing feat for a young company. The range is good at over 310 miles. Pricing starts at $55,000 and is fully-loaded around $64,000. If you are okay with the minimal interior and styling, get yourself a Model 3. I personally am not a fan of either of those, so onward we go. This brings me to a car I am waiting for: The Polestar 2 fastback. Polestar used to be a sub-division of Volvo, like AMG is to Mercedes-Benz. You can still get Polestar-tune Volvos, but Polestar has branched out into their own brand. The Polestar 2 is their first all-electric car. It has over 250 miles of range, 400 HP, and most import to me, gauges that are straight in front of the driver. The design is bold yet looks like an even more modern version of a Volvo. Since Polestar is a sporty company, the performance upgrades include upgraded shocks, brakes, and bigger wheels with Swedish gold seat belts. You get this package mainly for the gold seat belts. Is it pricey at over $60,000? Yes, but it feels justified for the 408 hp and range of 275 miles. 0-60 is said to be around 4.7 seconds but I suspect it will be lower. Will they sell Tesla Model 3 numbers of them? I highly doubt it since they area new brand, but it should be a great competitor to the Tesla Model 3. I like the concept of electric vehicles. I know that one day, there will be one charging at my house. Am I ready for an electric car? Yes. Is there any on the market that jumps out at me and gives me the satisfaction I have for my current car at a reasonable price of around $40,000 new? No. Do not get me wrong; there are electric cars that make sense for a multitude of situations. Range and charging are getting better, more features are getting added, and manufacturers are creating electric-only ranges of vehicles that will bring down the costs of more performance-oriented vehicles. I can go in-depth about certain electric cars in a future article. For now, I think I will keep my car and wait until something really catches my eye. That, or wait a few years and hope the Porsche Taycan depreciates enough that I can buy one. View full article

Thank god my Mexican-made Golf GTI made it out before this. Even so, he isn’t aware or care that he is hurting automakers. #sad

I really hope the V60 is available with some sort of hybrid power.

This is a great idea. I've only been to the Detroit Auto Show once and getting there and back from Illinois was a nightmare.

I feel like the front is overstyled. As someone that owned a Trailblazer with the i6, the interior is a massive improvement, the engine and transmission are way more advanced, and we pretty much knew it was going to be “another CUV”. Let the comparisons to the future Bronco commence! 

It makes the CUV sound a lot more distinguished and upscale. Very exciting times for Lincoln.

Overall, this looks fantastic. Very interested on how the Polestar T8 will be considering for now you can only get it by Care by Volvo.

A go-anywhere JGC is always cool. I like the color combination as well.

The new Navigator looks to be much better than the Escalade. I'm not sure if I would even go for something like the GLS either.

Well, this brings up an interesting point: what makes a "luxury" vehicle? If you look at extremely exotic and luxurious vehicles such as the new Rolls Royce Phantom, you will see the use of cutting-edge technology combined with craftsmanship. While I agree that gesture controls are a gimmick, the trend is going towards technology packages within luxury vehicles. That said...I totally agree that with all this new tech means it is a matter of time before something goes wrong.

It was around the time I had my car getting an oil change. I needed a rental car and was given a Toyota Corolla. As a man who likes using cruise control, I set the cruise control and was on my way. It was only when I noticed later a car in front of me started to reduce the speed that my car was also slowing down. Surprisingly, this $20,000 car had adaptive cruise control. I am a big fan of adaptive cruise control. Thanks to Mercedes-Benz back in 1998 with Distronic; their cars could monitor the cars in front of them and speed up or slow down depending on the cars in front. Throughout the years, adaptive cruise control has become a pivotal role in making semi-autonomous vehicles. Although this technological invention has trickled down from $100,000 Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans to $20,000 sub compact cars, not all adaptive cruise control systems are the same. Let’s go back to that Toyota Corolla. That cruise control system would shut down under 25 mph and could not be started back up again until you hit the same speed. Some adaptive cruise control systems such as Tesla with their Autopilot and Mercedes-Benz with Distronic + can fully brake the vehicle as well as start it up again. Going from one vehicle such as a Mercedes to a Toyota with their different adaptive cruise control systems does take some getting used to. Even though adaptive cruise control systems seem the same, there can be differences in how they work. Take for example how the systems work. While Mercedes-Benz uses radar sensors to scan the road, Subaru uses dual color cameras in their EyeSight system. Some other systems include laser based systems and cameras. Sometimes, adaptive cruise control is bundled in technology or safety packages with features such as lane departure warning and blind spot monitoring. Oddly enough, the Corolla comes standard with these key features while premium brands may cost upwards of $11,000 just to get adaptive cruise control. So it’s like what people in the automotive industry say: “if you want to see what technology will be in common cars in 10-15 years, take a look at the Mercedes S-Class”. Even if not all adaptive cruise control systems are equal, they are an excellent addition to any car. Not only does it help to make a car safer but easier to drive. View full article

If they did bring this over here, I really don't think it would sell well. While the front end looks nice, I wish they could have changed the rear-end. In terms of luxury, it looks to be as "luxurious" as the CLA or GLA.

Power wise it is disappointing. Pricing is very competitive but on paper, it just doesn't seem like it will be competitive against the Golf GTI and Focus ST. We shall see.

It would be nice if they gave it a twin-turbo V6, especially for their flagship.

So they want Tesla Sales Associates to sway customers away from the Model 3 and to the Model S? I wonder if that will work with such a big price difference.

I do think it's funny how the Demon Crate is a whopping $1.00. I also wonder what options Demon owners will order, especially with that Demon Crate option.