Drew Dowdell

There are major retailers installing fast charging stations. Best Buy and Home Depot are two that I know of.

Not for much longer. Because as the price of EVs drops and the price of gasoline increases, the math will increasingly work in the EV's favor. I can rent a sedan from National for a long weekend for less than the cost of two CR-V fill-ups. I very nearly did this Thanksgiving because I hate driving that car so much and the cruise control is busted. I know that an EV would save me more than 2 CR-V fill ups in gasoline over the course of a year.

you're allowed to dissent all you want... just try to be accurate in the points your dissent. What mobility issue does the Volt have? Or the Pruis plug in? Or even the Tesla Model S? Albert rarely drives more than 15 miles a day, to and from work and two and from family visits. Two, maybe three times a year we take the CR-V on a long trip. An EV would suit his driving pattern just fine for daily use and then rent a car for the times longer range is needed or just buy a Volt to eliminate range anxiety. In our household, the Volt would likely go months between gas fill ups and we'd likely hit the mode where the generator runs just to burn off old gas fairly regularly. The main reason we haven't gone with a Volt yet is cost. GM is working on that issue already. There are a great many families like us on these points.

I stand by my prediction

It also solves the problem of assholes who won't get out of the way when the sirens are going.

Sell any what? He isn't denying that electric cars are coming though.

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? Contrary to its small stature, the Verano looks the part of a premium compact car. Out front is Buick’s trademark waterfall grille along with portholes on each side of the hood. Along the cleanly styled side, the Verano eschews the sweep spear design cue of its biggest brothers the LaCrosse and Enclave, opting instead for the hockey stick design cue used on the middle sibling, the Buick Regal and their Opel cousins back in the old country. Around back are a pair of angry chrome eyebrows over the tail lights that were hard to digest at first, but I learned to love them over time as they give a very distinctive look that few, if any, cars today have. Filling out the wheel wells are a fairly standard looking set of 18” alloy wheels. My only complaint on the exterior is the overly large license plate cut-out in the front fascia. It is much too large for those of us in front plate states, it is pointless for those of us in rear-plate-only states, and it detracts from the look of the otherwise handsome front end.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. If it isn’t quiet inside, it isn’t a Buick. The quiet-tuning in the Verano really does its job well, keeping road, wind, and engine noise out. We took the Verano from Pittsburgh, PA to Manassas, Virginia for the holiday. In our extensive testing, rear passengers, especially those under the age of 10, during long trips ended up falling asleep about 30 minutes into the ride and slept for most of our 300 mile journeys. I very much enjoyed the quiet serenity in the car during my morning commutes into the city.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 30th 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 [email protected] or on twitter as @CheersnGears View full article

If it wasn't 40 grand, I would own one.... I agree that I think GM needs to get this technology cut in half and will see sales explode with new buyers. They are working on it. In 2001, the first iPod came in two sizes... a 5gb and a 10gb. They were Mac only and couldn't be synced with PCs without some very annoying hacking. All they did was play music. They cost $400 and $500 respectively. Today, a full color touch screen iPod nano with 16gb, built in radio, video playback, and accelerometer is $149. The iPod classic, the closest relative to the original iPod, now has 16 times the capacity of the original for a mere $249. The Volt is the original iPod of cars in this regard.. the proof of concept and of market. True, except I think that the Prius/Insight were more like the iPod in your example... The Volt is more like the Zune. GM should have learned from Toyota and Honda how to make it more affordable. I'm glad the car is doing well, but in my eyes, it's a failure because of the price tag. Neither of those cars are purely electric propulsion and not in the same class.

Cars are a lot more expensive to own than a smart phone yet give only marginally more freedom to a youngster.

Fiat make stuff bigger than the Ducato too... all the way up to semi-tractor size. I wonder if they're thinking they'll do the full Fiat truck lineup in the US too. This opens the door to that possibility.

Very few people want stripped down versions of large cars these days. If there was a market for it, the Crown Vic would still be in production because that was about as stripped down as you could get and still meet federal regs. Otherwise, there is the Corolla.

November 28th, 2012 Drew Dowdell Managing Editor - CheersandGears.com At the 2013 LA Auto Show today, Toyota revealed their all new 2013 RAV-4 mid-size crossover. With a focus on fuel efficiency, the RAV-4 sports a host of power train changes. The first and largest difference is the the lack of an available V6. Power comes from a 2.5 liter 4-cylinder producing 176 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 172 ft. lbs. of torque at 4,100 rpm. The 4-speed auto of the previous car is now upgraded to a 6-speed automatic feeding power to the front or all wheels. A short first and second gear allow for enthusiastic around town driving while fifth and sixth gears are both overdrive for more fuel efficient highway cruising. Front wheel drive models are EPA estimated at 24mpg city and 31mpg highway while all-wheel drive models get a 22mpg city and 29mpg highway EPA rating. All-wheel drive models feature a lock mode at speeds below 25 mph allowing the rear wheels to get a full 50% of available torque when needed. Above 25mph, the system switches back to standard AWD mode. Aside from the all new styling, current RAV-4 owners will most likely notice the switch around back from a side hinged rear door to a more conventional left gate. As one of Toyota's best sellers, the 2013 Toyota RAV-4 is somewhat the standard bearer of the market, but Toyota has some stiff competition from the new Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, Kia Sorento, and Ford Escape. Can Toyota maintain their position as a leader in this segment? Drew Dowdell is Managing Editor of CheersandGears.com and can be reached at [email protected] or on twitter as @Cheersngears Toyota Press Release on Page 2 All-New 2013 Toyota RAV4 Makes World Debut at Los Angeles International Auto Show LOS ANGELES (Nov. 28, 2012) –The all-new 2013 RAV4 crossover SUV made its world debut today at the 2012 Los Angeles International Auto Show. Toyota’s fourth-generation RAV4, the world’s original crossover sport utility vehicle, arrives early next year. With a fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine, new six-speed transmission, two-row seating for five, and a host of available in-cabin technologies, RAV4 offers a nuanced balance of performance and all-around capability, including class-leading cargo capacity, striking design, class-leading eight standard airbags, and a compelling array of standard features. RAV4 will be available in three well-equipped grades: LE, XLE and Limited. Performance, Handling, and Efficiency For 2013, RAV4 will provide a number of powertrain technologies that help deliver an engaging driving experience. It will feature Toyota’s 2.5-liter four-cylinder, which will produce 176 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 172 ft. lbs. of torque at 4,100 rpm. The optional V6 of the previous-generation RAV4 will be discontinued. Replacing the previous four-speed automatic will be a six-speed transmission with Sequential Shift. First and second gear ratios will be optimized for around-town performance. To keep engine revs lower at highway speeds and enhance fuel mileage, fifth and sixth gears will be overdrives. RAV4 front-wheel-drive models have received EPA- estimated fuel efficiency ratings of 24 mpg city/31 highway, while all-wheel-drive models are EPA-estimated at 22 mpg city/29 mpg highway. A new Eco mode is designed to promote more efficient driving thus helping to enhance fuel efficiency. The new RAV4 will provide its active owners a more dynamic drive, with new technologies like a Sport Mode with Dynamic Torqu Control AWD, enhancements in suspension performance, and optimized electric power steering. The spring rates have been enhanced, and the shock absorbers have been optimally tuned to help the vehicles handling characteristics. RAV4 has a MacPherson strut front suspension, double-wishbone rear suspension and four-wheel disc brakes. The LE will ride on 17-inch steel wheels, XLE will feature 17-inch alloys, and Limited will be equipped with 18-inch alloys. In both front- and all-wheel drive RAV4’s Sport Mode sharpens shift timing, throttle response and steering response. When down shifting the RAV4 six-speed automatic transmission in “S” Mode, engine revs rise with a clearly audible “blip,” adding to the driving experience. In RAV4 with AWD, Dynamic Torque Control AWD has additional benefits. When turning into and through a corner, power is sent to the rear wheels to help enhance cornering performance, detecting steering angle and lack of yaw rate in Sport Mode (and detecting lack of yaw rate in Normal and Eco Mode).Dynamic Torque Control has three different drive modes: Auto, Lock and Sport. In Auto Mode, RAV4 delivers power primarily to the front wheels under most driving conditions, switching automatically to AWD only when needed. By only engaging the rear axle and delivering power to the rear wheels when needed, Auto Mode helps enhance fuel efficiency and reduce drivetrain wear. In Lock Mode at lower speeds, RAV4 essentially has a full-time AWD system with power delivered to all four wheels. At speeds below approximately 25 mph in Lock Mode, up to 50 percent of engine power is sent to the rear wheels, enhancing traction and helping RAV4 “dig” through sandy or muddy conditions. Lock Mode reverts to Auto Mode when vehicle speed passes approximately 25 mph. As on the front-drive RAV4’s, Sport Mode sharpens shift timing, throttle response, and steering response. In RAV4 with AWD, Sport Mode has additional benefits. It can provide smooth and nearly instantaneous torque transfers between the front and rear wheels to help enhance cornering performance. Under certain conditions, Sport Mode can automatically deliver up to 50 percent of engine power to the rear wheels. In Sport Mode, the AWD system also can apportion power based on input from the steering angle and yaw rate sensors of the Vehicle Stability Control system. When turning into and through a corner, power is sent to the rear wheels to maximize traction available at each of the four corners of the vehicle. Under braking in a straight line in Sport Mode, power delivery to the rear wheels can be momentarily suspended to best leverage the benefits of ABS and VSC. Exterior Design & Body Structure The new RAV4’s design achieves strong proportions while conveying the agile and fun character. Sophisticated and dynamic, the exterior features a progressive silhouette, with a sleek-sloping roofline and an aggressive character line. The new RAV4’s interior has a premium, sophisticated look with soft-touch accents and driver-centric controls. RAV4 pursues the design goals defined by Toyota President Akio Toyoda, with aggressively sculpted front and rear fenders and boldly proportioned taillights that define RAV4’s athletic presence. In a significant break with its heritage, RAV4 will switch from its side-hinged rear door to a convenient roof-hinged liftgate with a space-saver spare tire will be stored under the cargo floor. Standard on the Limited grade will be a one-touch power rear liftgate with driver-selectable memory height settings. As on other recently introduced Toyotas, RAV4 engineers paid special attention to aerodynamics, the most obvious detail being small vortex generators molded into the taillight cases and near the base of the A-pillars. Less obvious are the aerodynamic undertrays beneath the passenger cabin that help smooth and control airflow. Following body-engineering principles debuted in the 2012 Camry and 2013 Avalon, RAV4’s body structure will include high-strength steel to help achieve several significant goals, including a robust and stiff platform that enhances steering and handling precision, and a body structure that is both strong and light. RAV4 engineers used several grades of high-strength steel to form key structural components in the roof, rocker sills, floor, engine compartment and door frames. The weight savings were in part invested in sound deadening materials and an acoustic windshield, helping to create a quiet passenger cabin. Interior Design & Packaging The new RAV4’s dash panel is driver-centric and asymmetrical, with primary and secondary controls all within easy reach. On the passenger side, the sculpted dash panel creates a sense of airy spaciousness. RAV4’s dash panel and gauges all feature Clear Blue illumination, which provides crisp visibility in most ambient light conditions, and a unified, coherent appearance at night. RAV4 will come standard with a manual tilt/telescope steering column, with the LE and XLE featuring a urethane steering wheel. The Limited grade will have a leather-wrapped steering wheel. All RAV4 steering wheels will have controls for audio, Bluetoothâ hands-free phone and audio, and the Multi-Information Display (MID). All RAV4’s will have driver and front passenger seats with high seatbacks and a slim back, enhancing rear-passenger knee room. The RAV4 LE driver’s seat is six-way adjustable, including seat height. The RAV4 XLE driver and front passenger will ride in premium bucket seats with sport bolstering, providing ample support of the lower hips, lower torso and shoulders during cornering. The XLE will have premium fabric with French stitching on the seats and portions of the dash panels. The Limited will have the same premium driver and front-passenger bucket seats found in the XLE but will also come equipped with an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat with memory, plus heaters in the front seat bottoms and seatbacks with two temperature settings and driver power lumbar. All RAV4 Limited seats are trimmed in high-quality, breathable SofTex with French stitching. SofTex also covers the center armrest, and portions of the door and dash panels. All RAV4’s will feature 60/40 split/fold second-row seats that recline several degrees to enhance passenger comfort. In contrast to 2013 RAV4’s compact exterior dimensions, the cargo area is deeper, larger and easier to access than in the previous generation, with just over 38.4 cu. ft. of cargo capacity behind the rear seats. With rear seats folded, RAV4 class-leading maximum cargo capacity of 73.3 cu. ft. Privacy glass, Daytime Running Lights (DRL), cruise control, power side mirrors, power door locks and power windows are standard on all RAV4s. RAV4 XLE and Limited feature dual-zone automatic climate control, integrated fog lights, power moonroof with sliding sunshade and heated outside mirrors with turn signal indicators. In-Cabin Technology, Audio Standard on all RAV4 models is a Display Audio with a 6.1-inch LCD touchscreen. Significant for this market, RAV4’s Display Audio includes a standard backup camera and Bluetooth connectivity. When shifted into reverse, the audio display will show the image of what the backup camera captures. The image will include an overlay of positioning lines representing the parking space and approximate distance to obstacles. XLE and Limited will offer an available GPS Navigation and Entune™ multimedia system with satellite radio and advanced voice recognition. The Limited grade will also offer an available JBL® GreenEdgeÔ Premium Audio with 576-Watts of maximum power, 11 speakers, and GPS Navigation and Entune. The Limited grade will offer an available Blind Spot Monitor system (BSM). It can be turned off with a dashboard switch. When the system detects a vehicle in the adjacent lane, it alerts the driver with a blinking light indicator in the side mirrors. If the turn signal is on when there is a vehicle in the blind spot of the driver’s intended lane, the indicator on the corresponding mirror will warn the driver with a solid light. The available Blind Spot Monitor incorporates Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), which uses the Blind Spot Monitor radar sensors at the lower rear bodywork of the vehicle. When backing up, the RCTA senses vehicles approaching from either direction and provides an audible warning combined with a flashing indicator in the appropriate outside mirror. Safety All 2013 RAV4s will have a class-leading eight standard airbags. Like every Toyota, RAV4 will feature the Star Safety System, which includes Traction Control, Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control, Brake Assist, an Anti-lock Braking System and Smart Stop Technology. 2013 RAV4 PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS POWERTRAIN 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine Horsepower: 176 @ 6,000 RPM Torque: 172 lb.-ft. @ 4,100 RPM Transmission: Six-speed ECT-i Drive System: Front- and All-Wheel-Drive EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS (inches) Overall Length: 179.9 Overall Width: 72.6 Overall Height: 65.4 Wheelbase: 104.7 Ground clearance: 6.3 Wheels: 17-inch steel wheels (LE) 17-inch alloy wheels (XLE) 18-inch alloy wheels (Limited) Tire Size: 17-inch: 225/65R17 (LE and XLE) 18-inch: 235/55R18 (Limited) Towing Capacity: 1,500 lbs. INTERIOR DIMENSIONS (inches) Head Room: 39.8 (Front) 38.9 (Rear) Leg Room: 42.6 (Front) 37.2 (Rear) Shoulder Room: 57.3 (Front) 55.4 (Rear) Hip Room: 54.3 (Front) 48.9 (Rear) Cargo Volume: 73.3 (Behind first row) 38.4 (Behind second row) Seating Capacity: 5 View full article