New Car Review: 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport

The original idea behind the crossover SUV was to get people from huge trucks to carlike sport-utes...eliminate some of the bulk and achieve some efficiencies in both packaging and fuel economy. For the most part, it's worked. But there's one thing the Suburbans and Tahoes and Expeditions whetted an appetite for that's not going away...and that's the third row of seats.

Many manufacturers have simply crammed in a final row at the expense of cargo room. Others are making their crossovers bigger to accommodate the extra seating. Hyundai, on a roll lately, came up with what looks to be the intelligent solution...keep the Santa Fe at its current size as a five-seater and offer a new, slightly larger model with three rows of seats.

The only confusion is, to capitalize on the equity in the Santa Fe name, that's what they're calling the new three-row crossover. What was the Santa Fe last year is now the Santa Fe Sport. But it's been re-designed, refined and just plain made a lot better.

If you don't need three rows, the Santa Fe Sport is a great way to go. Sensibly sized, more than decently powered, with a 264 horsepower 2-liter turbo four and a six-speed automatic (or, for $3,000 less, a 190 horsepower 2.4 liter normally aspirated four) ...a combo that delivers an EPA estimated 19 MPG city and 24 MPG highway.

Our tester was the all-wheel drive 2.0T version and for a base price of $29.450, it comes loaded with stability control, anti-lock brakes, tire pressure monitoring, 19-inch alloy wheels, fog lamps, chrome twin exhausts, windshield wiper de-icers and heated side mirrors, pushbutton start, power driver seat, heated front seats, cruise control, an AM/FM/Sirius XM/CD/mp3 audio system with USB, iPod and Auxiliary jacks, a full tank of gas, and Hyundai's 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty.

You could stop right there and never feel deprived. But spend just a bit more, and the words "luxury" and "Hyundai" edge closer to each other. $2,450 gets you the Leather & Premium Equipment package (turn signals in the door mirrors, leather seating surfaces, a power passenger seat, sliding and reclining second-row seats, heated rear seats, dual automatic temperature control with CleanAir ionizer, a 4.3 inch color audio display, a rearview camera and an auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink and compass. Toss in $100 for carpeted floor mats, $50 for a cargo net and $150 for a cargo cover and you've got one equipped just like our tester, with an as-tested price (including $825 freight and handling) of $33,025.

I'm consistently surprised how many people don't know how far Hyundai has come...the stunned looks in their eyes when I tell them just how good these cars are now. If you're among those stuck in the 1990s, it's time for a test drive.

Read More

New Car Review: Lexus GX460

15 years as a professional TireKicker (automotive journalist) and there are still things to learn.

When I got the Lexus GX460 for a week, I thought it was a spectacularly dumb design for one thing...the tailgate. The window would open upward, but the whole assembly didn't swing up and the gate below the window wouldn't swing down. Drove me nuts. Why would Lexus build a $60,000 SUV and make you load the cargo compartment from the rear seat?

A few hours later, my teenage son walked up to the GX for the first time, and opened the door out to the side.

Duh.

I could cut myself some slack and say it's an unusual, if not unique design for a rear door on a big SUV, but for many years I owned a Suburban with barn doors, so I really have no excuse.

Why am I telling you this? Because it's the only thing I could find wrong with the GX460...and it wasn't.

Oh, on some level I could argue that it's too big, too heavy, too thirsty....but big and heavy are as big and heavy do and the GX460 doesn't drive big and heavy. It's nowhere near as ponderous as a Nissan Armada or Infiniti QX56. Thirsty I could probably make stick. The EPA says 15 city, 20 highway, and cracking 17 in a mix of the two was a chore.

But as with most vehicles with the big stylized "L" on the grille, it's about what you get for your money...and for the base price of $58,240, the GX is very well equipped.

It's certainly not wanting for power, with a 301 horsepower 4.6 liter V8, the 6-speed automatic makes the fuel economy as good (relatively) as it is (c'mon, 8-speed), it is more than capable off road and in bad weather, with full-time four-wheel drive and a Torsen limited-slip center differential, and it's civilized on pavement thanks to a kinetic dynamic suspension system.

And then there are the niceties. Every safety technology known to man. 10-way power heated/ventilated front seats, wood interior trim, memory for the seats, steering wheel and mirrors, a reclining, sliding 60/40 second-row seat and a power fold-flat 50/50 third row seat. There's a moonroof, a nine-speaker audio system, with 6-disc CD changer, USB, Bluetooth and satellite radio, privacy glass and as David Bowie once said, "leather, leather, everywhere."

But wait...there's more, if you're willing to pay for it. The options on our tester included a nav system with upgraded Mark Levinson audio system including 17-speaker 7.1 surround with audio and video ($3,930), Intuitive Parking Assist ($500) and wide-view front and side monitor, pre-collision system with driver attention monitor, dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert, intelligent high beam headlamps and crawl control ($3,170). Oh, and $64 for a cargo net.

With $895 destination, it came to $66,799.

Cheap? Hardly.

Overpriced? Um....no. Not when you look at the competition and the level of equipment and capability. And the back door opens!

Read More

Spock vs. Spock for Audi

Will this sell Audis? Will it cause Mercedes-Benz intenders to have second thoughts?

Don't know. Don't care. This spot is priceless. Use the little buttons at the bottom of the post to share via Twitter, Facebook and/or e-mail.

Read More

New Car Review: 2013 BMW X1

Comes a point when a crossover becomes so carlike that the term "crossover", much less "small SUV", no longer really fits.

The BMW X1 is at that point. With low ground clearance, this really is more a station wagon than anything else, though BMW likely won't be happy I said that.



The good news is, it's a very good station wagon...and rather attractively priced, too.

All this comes as a surprise because BMW's Sport Activity vehicles thus far, the X5 and X3, have started out big and heavy and simply gotten bigger and heavier. The tidy dimensions of the X1 are a pleasant change of direction.



Base price is a reasonable $30,650. For that, you get a 2-liter 16-valve four cylinder turbo, an 8-speed automatic transmission and automatic stop and start (shutting the engine off at red lights and re-starting when your foot comes off the brake). Those three things combine to deliver some remarkably good fuel economy...an EPA estimated 24 city, 34 highway.

That entry price also delivers halogen fog lamps, dynamic stability control, brake energy regeneration, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and dynamic brake control, rain-sensing wipers, a 3-spoke leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel, standard Bluetooth, and AM/FM/CD audio system with HD Radio, iPod and USB adapters, and a full complement of passive safety features.

Take one with zero options and you've got a capable, well-equipped machine.

However, the BMW press fleet folks checked a few option boxes on the one we drove for a week, adding $3,000 for the M Sport Line package (sport suspension, special aerodynamic front and rear bumpers and side skirts, sport seats with cloth/Alcantara upholstery and variable ambient lighting), $1,200 for the lighting package (more ambient lighting inside, Xenon headlamps and automatic high beams), $3,950 for the Premium Package (universal garage door opener, keyless entry, panoramic moonroof, auto-dimming mirrors, power front seats, lumbar support, and an interior mirror with a compass), $250 for Servotronic power steering, $350 for satellite radio with a one-year subscription and $895 destination charge. Total as-tested price: $40,295.

In BMWland, that's still not big money. But getting one for nearly $10,000 less sounds way more compelling. You're still getting the impeccable BMW road manners and high-quality materials and workmanship.

There's only one feature I'd like to have veto power over...and that's the standard auto stop-start. Yes, it helps deliver strong gas mileage...but a quick peek in the owner's manual reveals a warning that it can cause premature wear of the parts involved (presumably the starter)...and that could be an expensive fix when it happens.

Read More

New Car Review: 2013 Volvo S60 T6 R-Design

The phrase “Mid-size Volvo sedan” no doubt causes some eyes to glaze over, especially for those who think they know what Volvo’s all about. But the key is to ask “Which mid-size Volvo sedan?”

Yes, they’re all called the S60, but that car comes in three different turbocharged flavors these days: The T5, a 2.5-liter 5-cylinder with 250 horsepower; the T6 AWD, which adds half a liter, one cylinder, two more driving wheels and 50 additional ponies; and the T6 AWD R-Design, which pulls 325 horsepower out of the same 3-liter six. And that’s the one we’re talking about here.

First, the color: While you have a choice of three, including Ice White and Passion Red, the majority of the R-Designs in Volvo press materials and press fleets this year seem to be Rebel Blue. Frankly, we harbor a strong suspicion that on the way out the door after purchasing Volvo from former owner Ford, Volvo’s new masters found the Dearborn paint vault and snagged as many leftover gallons of 1970 Boss 429 Grabber Blue as they could carry. Whether it’s the right color for a four-door sedan, even a performance-oriented one, is an open question.

As for the working bits, they do. The potential of the extra power is maximized by a higher redline in the R-Design (6500 RPM instead of 5600 for the standard T6). There’s another 20 pounds per foot of torque, which peaks in a narrow sweet spot between 3000 and 3600 RPM. That cuts 0-60 runs down to 5.5 seconds (according to Volvo), with an electronically limited top speed of 134. And specifying the R-Design means a special sport chassis that adds a front strut brace, rear monotube dampers, stiffer springs and bushings.

Despite being 55 pounds heavier than the T6 AWD and having another 25 horsepower, EPA fuel economy estimates are identical: 18 city/25 highway. They may also be optimistic. In a 60/40 mix of highway and city driving, we couldn’t break 20 MPG. You’re also going to pay more at the pump, anyway. The R-Design specifies premium fuel, instead of the regular 87 octane the standard T6 AWD can use.

For $43,900, Volvo focuses the standard equipment list on performance and safety, leaving a lot of gee-whiz electronics (adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, collision warning) as extra-cost options.  Still, you get a 7-inch color monitor for the audio and systems monitoring, a power glass moonroof, dual climate control, Bluetooth, an upgraded audio system and a lot of other creature comforts.

Downsides? We found three. Despite what feels like impressive power off the line, there’s considerable turbo lag. Floor it at 45 and you’ll finish “twomississippi” before the engine room gets the message. Steering feedback is a bit vague, which doesn’t inspire confidence despite the fact that the car actually handles very well. And Volvo has reverted to old-fashioned indirect lighting for the gauge cluster. The numerals and needles on the speedo and tach don’t light up, but are bathed in light from above. Dial down the brightness on a dark road and watch your information disappear.  If Volvo can fix those three issues (or if you can overlook them), the S60 T6 AWD R-Design has a lot to offer.

Read More

New Car Review: 2013 Lexus RX 450h

You have to give Lexus credit. They were early to the party (first, in fact) when it came to putting hybrid power in luxury vehicles, opening up a market among buyers who had extra money to spend.

They started 8 years ago with a hybrid version of the RX crossover (it was the 400h then). There have been changes along the way, but this year, there are several significant revisions:

The basic RX design has remained constant for 15 years, but 2013 brings a freshening that gives all RX models the signature Lexus spindle grille, a new bumper and headlamp design, LED daytime running lights, updated tail lamps and four new colors (Silver Lining Metallic, Claret Mica, Deep Sea Mica and Fire Agate Pearl).

The standard equipment list is too long to list here, but highlights for your $47,310 base price include 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels, a nine-speaker premium audio system, dual-zone climate control, a full complement of airbags, power everything and real wood trim.

Lexus wisely left goodies in the extra-cost column. $16,000 worth of them (the Comfort Package, the Luxury Package, rear-seat entertainment and a further upgrade of the audio system, a heads-up display, intuitive parking assist and a Pre-Collision System with Radar Adaptive Cruise Control) found their way onto our test vehicle, leaving a bottom line after delivery charges that fell just $720 shy of 65 large.

The hybrid RX 450h uses the same 3.5-liter V6 engine as the gasoline-powered RX 350, but the addition of Lexus Hybrid Drive takes an estimated 18 city miles per gallon and turns it into 32 (the highway figure increases from 25 to 28), while boosting total output by 25 horsepower (to 295). The 25 additional horsepower is offset by the extra weight of the batteries and other hybrid hardware. That’s 342 pounds, which is why 0-60 in the RX 450h is 7.8 seconds as opposed to 7.7 in the RX 350 (both figures are Lexus estimates).

On the steering wheel you’ll find a new Sport mode button. Press it and you’ll get more aggressive behavior from the Continuously Variable Transmission, less interference from the Vehicle Stability and Traction control systems and a (slightly) higher level of steering effort.  Oh, and the background lighting on the instrument panel switches from blue to red. That may be more noticeable than any actual change in performance.

Bottom line: Lexus is letting a bit more emotion, a hint more sport, filter into its best-selling line (there’s even an F Sport package for the RX 350 this year). But let’s not kid each other. This isn’t an LF-A wagon…it’s a Lexus people mover. The focus is still on luxury, smoothness and isolation from the world outside. At the wheel, it’s still mostly whispers and whipped cream, which is just how the RX’s loyal following likes it.

Read More

New Car Review: 2014 Mazda CX-5 Skyactiv

Big changes rarely happen in year two of a new vehicle. But Mazda’s not known for coloring within the lines and, frankly, it can’t afford to hold good stuff back for the mid-cycle refresh three or four years down the road. It needs your attention now. And if the 2014 Mazda CX-5 doesn’t get that attention, it’ll be your loss as well as Mazda’s.

The big news is a second engine option:  A 2.5-liter SKYACTIV-G mill brings 29 more horsepower and 35 more pounds per foot of torque to the party than the standard 2.0-liter SKYACTIV-G, but gives up only one mile per gallon, dipping from 26 city to 25 and 32 highway to 31 (EPA estimates for automatic transmission front-wheel drive models).

Even with the 2.0-liter, the CX-5 we drove last year was no slouch in terms of driving dynamics. Mazda’s fun-to-drive “Zoom-Zoom” philosophy was baked into the bones of this small SUV. It’s easily one of the most driver-oriented machines of its type, with constant feedback and instant response to your inputs of brake and steering.

In the 2014 2.5-liter, the throttle joins the party. 0-60 times fall to 7.2 seconds from about 9 seconds for the smaller engine (both are Mazda’s figures). It’s a difference you don’t need a stopwatch for. You can feel it in the seat of your pants. Peak torque comes earlier, emphasizing the extra oomph. And the engine sounds much more like an eager participant than a stressed underachiever.

To get the fun stuff, though, you have to skip the base model Sport ($21,995). That’s still strictly 2-liter land. Pony up for the $24,615 Touring model or the $27,620 Grand Touring (our tester) and the 2.5-liter powerplant comes as standard equipment. 

 

In fact, on the Grand Touring, there’s very little that doesn’t come standard. 19-inch alloy wheels, variable rain-sensing wipers, rear privacy glass, a power moonroof, automatic halogen headlights, fog lamps, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with controls for audio, cruise and Bluetooth, leather-trimmed heated (in front) sport seats (the driver’s is an 8-way power chair with power lumbar) a Bose 9-speaker audio system with HD Radio, and a rearview camera with 5.8-inch color touchscreen are all included.

You can get options. Ours added a rear bumper guard ($100), a retractable cargo cover ($200) and the Grand Touring Tech Package ($1,625), which bundles in-dash TomTom navigation, adaptive auto-leveling HID headlamps and Smart City Brake Support, which reduces brake rotor travel to quicken braking if there’s risk of a low-speed (19 MPH or under) collision, and will automatically brake if the driver doesn’t.

All that put the bottom line on our test vehicle to $30,340 with delivery fee. Not cheap, but not out of line with the competition, and Mazda has a distinct edge with the combination of performance and fuel economy the 2.5-liter SKYACTIV-G offers.

Read More