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Taking the place of the Toyota 86 this week at the Cheers & Gears' Detroit bureau is the 2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited. A car which I have been wanting to drive since it made its North American debut last spring at the New York Auto Show. The new model solves one of the biggest criticisms I had with the last-generation model, a very boring and plain design. Taking it out last night, I was noticing people glancing at this midsize sedan. Power comes from a turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder producing 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. This is paired with an eight-speed automatic. The as-tested price is a surprising $34,465 considering what you get on this including Smart Park, 10.25-inch touchscreen, heads-up display, heated/cooled seats, and more. Some first impressions, Hyundai has provided an Android smartphone (Samsung Galaxy Note 8) so various writers can try the digital key, which allows a smartphone to take the place of the actual key. I haven't tried it in place of the key yet, but I'm having some confidence issues with it. Whenever I try to connect the phone with car from inside the house, it cannot find the vehicle. I know I'm within range - 10 meters or 32 feet. So far, I have been able to connect with the vehicle once. The interior in my Limited tester is very impressive. Handsome design, quality materials, and roomy. Fuel economy is one area I wasn't expecting to be this good - currently seeing around 33 mpg. I'll have more updates throughout the Sonata's stay, including Smart Park and Digital Key. In the meantime, drop your questions below. View full article

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. View full article