Tag Archives: Everyday Cars

2015 Subaru WRX CVT Automatic Reviewed (9.5/10)

June 27, 2014 ndubs77 20 Comments

This is the new Subaru WRX, and it is the one without a clutch pedal. As if that doesn’t seem bad enough, it doesn’t have a dual clutch gearbox or even a traditional automatic, no, this WRX has a continuously variable transmission (CVT), like the one you might find in a Toyota Prius or a Nissan Versa. And, you know what, it’s pretty damn good.

You might think I’ve lost my mind here, but let me set things straight with a little context. I am not going to say that the CVT WRX is better than the manual WRX, because it surely isn’t for hardcore driving enthusiasts. So let’s get that out of the way right from the start. Subaru still makes a manual WRX for their existing customers, and now it finally comes as a 6-speed (Hooray!). That, however is a fairly boring story to write — the manual WRX is a lot of fun, and the Pope is still Catholic.

I wanted to drive the CVT automatic because the 2015 WRX is the first WRX to be offered without a clutch pedal since 2008, and most of us know the 2008 WRX was a total embarassment. In fact, throughout the entire history of the Subaru WRX, there hasn’t been a decent automatic version… ever. So I had a fundamental question that needed to be answered: Is the new CVT automatic WRX any good at all?

Continue reading 2015 Subaru WRX CVT Automatic Reviewed (9.5/10) →

Cars We've Driven, Cheap Fun Cars, Everyday Normal Cars

2014 FIAT 500L Trekking Review (Grade: C+)

June 20, 2014 Albert S. Davis 4 Comments

Fiat has been doing a pretty good job of marketing whatever new product they have. They have come a long way from the cringe-inducing “Jenny From the Block” ads that were running a few years ago, to running ads with P.Diddy and a little kid to advertise their newest creation. The 500 was a hit for them worldwide and in America, they’re certainly selling pretty well. In fact, there’s been a new kid on the block for them in the past year or so now, the 500L, a four-door model designed with the small family in mind. Fiat needs all the sales it can get right about now, as the 500L is in a tough marketplace and has not been getting a good amount of positive press. I decided to take myself to the local Fiat showroom a few miles away and see what the fuss was all about. Continue reading 2014 FIAT 500L Trekking Review (Grade: C+) →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

1958 Chevrolet Impala at the 2014 Greenwich Concours

June 17, 2014 Albert S. Davis 3 Comments

The Tri-Five Chevrolets of the 1950s are legendary, but I feel like the model produced just one year later is better than its three older brothers. 1958 marked the appearance of the top of the line Impala for the first time, and the name would stand as Chevrolet’s standard-bearer in the full-size market until 1985. The name is still of course used today (despite being dragged through the mud since my pre-teen years) as Chevy’s full size car. In ’58, the lineup got a redesign which brought quad round headlights across the board and marked the appearance of the three taillights per side that would stick to Chevy’s top of the tree models until 1966. Six-cylinder and small-block V8 engines were available as they were for 1957, but the ’58 brought with it the debut of the big-block V8 option. Although it only displaced 348 cubic inches at the time, this top V8 option was available with a set of three two-barrel carburetors and mechanical lifters, which increased output to 315 horsepower–32 more than the fuel-injected 283 that topped the lineup a year earlier.

This one on display at the Greenwich Concours at the end of May was a very straight example, sporting a rear antenna with the correct rearward slant, flashy chrome, and a clean set of knock-off style hubcaps. The Tropic Turquoise paint finish shined brightly against the cloudy but still bright daylight sky, and the white roof set everything off nicely. The ’58 chassis was a one-hit wonder and for 1959, the lineup got revised again, making this car a bit more unique than it would be. It stands to reason that the 1958 Impala and its lesser models of the year are becoming more and more collectible as time goes on–prices are beginning to rival what the 1957 models have been going at lately. I’m a sucker for the ’58 Impala, as it was a classier and more filled-out car than the 55-57 series, but not as over-the-top as the 1959 and 1960 cars. The earliest Impala strikes a great balance between the outlandish style of the late Fifties and the reserved taste of the early part of the decade. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading 1958 Chevrolet Impala at the 2014 Greenwich Concours →

Cars We've Driven, Cheap Fun Cars

2014 Ford Fiesta ST Reviewed (9.5/10)

May 30, 2014 ndubs77 2 Comments

There is a reason why cereal companies put toys in their cereal boxes. They know that kids don’t care what they eat, but they also know that little Jimmy won’t be leaving Wegman’s quietly until he gets his Iron Man action figure, and if his mom knows what’s good for her, she will pony up the cash for the cereal while her basic human dignity is still intact.

Of course, the kid will rip open the cereal box and dig out the action figure right away, but in the days after, he or she will be exposed to the cereal itself, the real product, and that will leave an impression that lasts long after Iron Man gets chewed up by the dog, and left in scattered bits around the yard.

The same fundamental factor is of paramount importance in the world of hot hatchbacks. Let’s call it “tangible excitement,” something you can point to and say, “Wow that’s really cool! I want one of those!”

Look at this Ford Fiesta ST and you will see what I mean. The basic Fiesta is a very good, but very boring economy car. Ford couldn’t just put a better engine and suspension in it and expect the ST version to sell. No, they knew it was important to put on a show. Give it an aggressive body kit, bright-colored paint with sweet Recaro racing seats, and put it out in front of the dealership for all to see. People will be pulling U-turns to come find out what it is, and if they can afford one.

Continue reading 2014 Ford Fiesta ST Reviewed (9.5/10) →

Car Shows, SHOWCASE

Classic NYPD Patrol Vehicles at the New York International Auto Show

May 13, 2014 Albert S. Davis 2 Comments

Although this site tends to focus largely on performance cars, I feel that it’s time to give those who serve and protect a bit of time in the spotlight. At the New York Auto Show last month, the NYC Police Museum was grateful enough to provide a collection of cars, along with some privately-owned police cars, to put on display in the back of the basement room during the week. The quality of the cars gathered for the display was impressive, and all three of the Detroit Three were proudly represented, with examples of New York City’s finest chariots from the 1950s all the way up to 2014. Here are some of my favorites from the display. See the photos after the jump for a bit more information about each car featured. Enjoy the photos. Continue reading Classic NYPD Patrol Vehicles at the New York International Auto Show →

Opinions

VW, we beseech thee, give us the Golf TDI Sportwagen 4Motion!

May 2, 2014 ndubs77 4 Comments

This may well be the perfect daily driver. It’s got wagon practicality, all-wheel drive safety and control, the wonderful fuel economy of a diesel engine, and the driving enjoyment of a manual gearbox. This is the new Volkswagen Golf TDI Sportwagen 4Motion, but the one you see here is just a “concept.” That means the corporate big-wigs may water it down quite a bit before it reaches showrooms, which would be most unfortunate.

The biggest question mark is the 4Motion all-wheel drive, a feature that is worth its weight in gold for those of us living in places where it snows. The bean-counters at VW may not think that enough units will be sold to justify offering 4Motion as an option, so they put this “concept” together to gauge if us Americans would be interested.

Continue reading VW, we beseech thee, give us the Golf TDI Sportwagen 4Motion! →

Car Shows

Highlights from the 2014 New York International Auto Show

April 24, 2014 ndubs77 5 Comments

Lamborghini, Lotus, and Bugatti — Lamborghini Aventador, Lotus Evora S, and the obligatory Bugatti Veyron, of course.

We made it out to the New York International Auto Show to see some of the new cars that have come out recently. The industry has been very exciting in the last few years, as we move out of the global recession, with many great ideas taking shape, as well as a few that leave us scratching our heads.

Check out the gallery below, and let us know what you think of the new style we are trying out with some of our photos. Enjoy.

Continue reading Highlights from the 2014 New York International Auto Show →

Opinions

The case for the diesel sports car

April 4, 2014 ndubs77 7 Comments

Le Mans winning #1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro hybrid. Photo courtesy of www.emotorsportnews.com

For the last eight years in a row, a car with a diesel engine has won the 24 Hours of LeMans. Seven of those eight victories belong to Audi, and Audi is a part of the larger Volkswagen group that has brought us such supercar marvels as the Bugatti Veyron, Lamborghini Aventador, and most recently, the Porsche 918 Spyder. If supercars are supposed to be “race cars for the road” then it is high time for VW to set the precedent for true oil-burning supercars and sports cars.

As it turns out, they’ve already come damn close a couple of times. The first one came in 2008 in form of an Audi R8 with a 5.9L Turbo-Diesel V12 under the hood. The second was a promisingly realistic diesel Boxster with a VW badge called the “Concept BlueSport.” In both cases demand was deemed to be too low, and the timing also happened to coincide with the global economic downturn. I agree that the climate was probably wrong for both models at their respective debuts, but having said that, the world has changed a lot in the last few years.

Continue reading The case for the diesel sports car →

Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars

2014 Infiniti Q50S Hybrid, Al’s Take (Grade: A)

April 3, 2014 Albert S. Davis 2 Comments

Infiniti has been good at keeping itself in the news lately. Last year, when they announced they would reshuffle their naming convention in their model lineup to use the word “Q” across the board, I decried the news as a poor decision which would confuse buyers and damage sales. I’m still not sure if I said the right thing, or the wrong thing. However, at the New York Auto Show last year, I did catch a glimpse of the new Q50, Infiniti’s replacement for the respectable G37 sedan, and took some time with it to see what it was like to sit in. By the time Pebble Beach rolled around, Infiniti was offering this brown 2014 Q50S Hybrid for drives. I eagerly took the keys to see what Infiniti had done with a new platform to fight the BMW 3-Series.

Continue reading 2014 Infiniti Q50S Hybrid, Al’s Take (Grade: A) →

Cars We've Driven, Road Review, Used Car Gems

2008 Subaru Legacy GT – Al’s Daily Driver (GRADE: B+)

February 27, 2014 Albert S. Davis Leave a comment

Considering the time frame I had to buy a car back in May 2012, I lucked out rather well. After narrowing down my choices of chariot to just two cars via figuring out that a Pontiac G8 GT would bankrupt me in fuel costs and a Dodge Charger was too much to insure, I was stuck between two cars after driving plenty, including a Volkswagen R32 (which turned out to be a dud with repairs needed immediately) and this black Subaru. I almost didn’t even look at it. It took a win by the New York Mets (yup, those 2012 Mets, not the 1986 squad) and some poking and prodding by my brother Matt, who knew I was still looking into this very car, to even dial up the dealership. In the end though, the rest was history, and now, more than 18 months later, I’m making payments on this black bundle of joy and driving it constantly. These are my thoughts.

Continue reading 2008 Subaru Legacy GT – Al’s Daily Driver (GRADE: B+) →

Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars, Road Review, Used Car Gems

Nick’s new daily driver, a 2012 Volkswagen CC Sport

February 21, 2014 ndubs77 13 Comments

Those of you who routinely follow us, here at Mind Over Motor, may have noticed that my posts last week were a bit light. It wasn’t because I was nodding off, it was because I was going through the process of purchasing my new (but used) daily driver, this beautiful 2012 Volkswagen CC Sport.

I, like many car enthusiasts, am seen as a sort of car guru by my friends and family, who often turn to me for advice on all things relating to automobiles. I’m not trying to pat myself on the back too much here, but they all know that I am quite well informed on many aspects of automobillia, especially when it comes to buying the right car. So when I actually wind up signing papers on a car for myself, I always get a lot of questions as to why I chose the car I bought.

My purchase of this Volkswagen CC is the result of over a year of serious consideration, as well as many years of playing “what if” games on Auto Trader. Given that this blog is largely about documenting our lives as they relate to our passion for automobiles, I wanted to do a post that shows you, the reader, my thought process for the purchase of my CC.

Continue reading Nick’s new daily driver, a 2012 Volkswagen CC Sport →

Opinions

A quick take on the 2014 North American International Auto Show

January 17, 2014 ndubs77 5 Comments

The 2014 North American International Auto Show has been going on this week in Detroit, and there have been a number of interesting car debuts. The internet is full of all the minute details, and plenty of long-winded coverage about cars that nobody has driven yet. I have seen the details, and sat through much of the coverage, and now I want to bring you my concise, informed take on the cars that have debuted at NAIAS 2014. So here it goes.

2015 Acura TLX:
Pretty much unsurprising, but it’s good Acura consolidated the TL and TSX into one model. They should throw the 370hp hybrid drivetrain from the RLX into this car and have a legitimate Audi S4 competitor.

2015 Audi A8:
What exactly is different again?

Audi Allroad Shooting Brake Concept:
The Allroad Shooting Brake could be an incredibly badass modern rally car for the road. 402hp and 479ft/lbs of torque are some serious figures, and the hybrid drivetrain could prove interesting in a car such as this. My guess, though, is that this will remain a concept.