Tag Archives: Everyday Cars

Opinions

The Cadillac ELR Proves That GM Hasn’t Quite Lost It’s Stupid

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2014 Cadillac ELR
2014 Cadillac ELR

It’s like that quote from The Godfather, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me right back in!” GM has shown a lot of promise recently, Cadillac in particular with the new CTS and its turbocharged V6. Of course, in true GM fashion, such applaudable brilliance must be subsequently balanced out by some action of unfathomable idiocy. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the $76,000 Chevy Volt, which Cadillac refers to as the ELR.

Lets get this straight, the whole entire reason that the Chevy Volt hasn’t sold well is because it is too damn expensive. Like $40,000 in a world where its competition cost $25,000. So naturally GM’s brilliant marketing people had a meeting and said, “I know what will really sell well. Let’s make a Volt with a Cadillac body on it and make it double the price!”

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Cars We've Driven, Everyday Normal Cars, Luxury Cars

Test Driven: 2014 Infiniti Q50S Hybrid (10/10)

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2014 Infiniti Q50S Hybrid
2014 Infiniti Q50S Hybrid

Infiniti just seems to want to watch the world burn. For some reason they deemed it a good idea to rename their whole entire lineup, for no reason whatsoever. Every Infiniti is now named Q, with some meaningless number. The car you see here is the new Q50, the replacement for the current G37 sedan. As the replacement for the G, which is surely Infiniti’s best selling model of all time, the Q50 has big shoes to fill. This one isn’t an ordinary Q50, though, this is the much-anticipated Q50 Hybrid. So in addition to filling the G37’s shoes, the Hybrid must also make a case for itself in some new territory.

Briefly looking back, the G35 was the car that really launched Infiniti into what it is today. It was based on the same platform as the Nissan 350Z, making it a true 4-door sports car. What resulted was the car that gave the BMW 3 Series its most formidable challenge to date.

Boy has the world changed a lot since the G35 first came out. The emphasis in the luxury market is now on multitasking, both from the car and from the driver. A car needs to be comfortable, but also sporty enough for you to weave in and out of traffic at 90mph while you’re updating your Facebook status and texting your friends. The pure focus on driving is all but dead at this point, even BMW has made that obvious. While luxury cars must still be dynamically capable, and “fast”, the priority for most buyers is now on cool gadgets and hypothetical fuel economy numbers.

Looking at the Q50, especially the Hybrid, it is easy to see that it is a car built for our modern world. I must confess, that when I actually drove the car, I knew very little about it. Since my drive, I have been doing a lot of research to help with this article, and I am finding that the Q50 Hybrid may, in fact, be one of the most interesting cars on the market.

Continue reading Test Driven: 2014 Infiniti Q50S Hybrid (10/10) →

CARS 101

One of the best looks at speeding laws I’ve seen

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We all dread speeding tickets, yet most of us willingly speed everywhere we go. In truth speed limits, everywhere outside of towns and neighborhoods, are far too low. Cars have come a long way, and the government should, if they were concerned with actual public safety and social function, be doing studies to find the optimal speed limit for each road within their jurisdiction. In reality, though, governments, care very little about actual public safety or the practical functioning of society. They are far more concerned with preserving the massive revenue that is brought in by traffic fines. Because of this, the speed limits have remained too low, allowing the cops to literally pick any motorist out of the pack to get a citation.

While I doubt anything will be done about this issue soon, the above video, “Speed Kills Your Pocketbook”, makes a valid and intelligent point. Enjoy.

-Nick

Opinions

Thoughts on the 2014 BMW i3

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2014 BMW i3

Just yesterday I was telling a friend of mine how I thought the Tesla Model S was currently the only truly viable electric car on the market. Less than 24hrs after that conversation it would seem things have changed. BMW dropped the details on their production ready i3 city car today, and it looks mighty promising in many respects. That said, it also raises a few questions for me.

The basic details of the i3 are as follows:

  • Pricing starts around $41k — before any government discounts
  • Range is said to be 80-100 miles per charge
  • A full charge takes only 3 hours, or just 30 minutes with the optional SAE DC Combo Fast Charger
  • A 650cc range extending gas motor is available as an option
  • 170hp and 184ft/lbs of torque go to the rear wheels — from zero rpm
  • Performance: 0-30 in 3.5sec, 0-60 in 7sec, and a top speed of 93mph
  • The chassis is a carbon fiber reinforced plastic monocoque, a mass production first, which helps keep the weight down to around 2700lbs.

Looking at the details I see a few things that stand out…

Continue reading Thoughts on the 2014 BMW i3 →

Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Hacking your car, yes this is real

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This video from Forbes takes a look at what hackers can do with a car. If you are familiar with modern cars, you know that literally every part of a vehicle is run by computers. That makes all of those parts hackable. Now this isn’t meant to scare you — Not everyone on the sidewalk holding a cellphone is trying to shut off your brakes — but it is definitely an interesting thing to consider for the future.

-Nick

Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars

Test Driven: 2013 Lincoln MKZ 2.0 Ecoboost AWD (9.5/10)

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2013 Lincoln MKZ 2.0 Ecoboost AWD

The Lincoln Motor Company has been in rather sorry shape as of late. The 2008 economy crash hit them hard, but even before then their products were struggling to compete in the luxury market. I myself have criticized them, even going as far as to say that Ford should kill them off, completely restructure their lineup, and then bring them back as a new, reborn Lincoln. When I think Lincoln, I still think of the 1960s Continental, and we are quite far from the days now.

In recent decades, Lincolns have just been rebadged Fords with leather seats. During the majority of this period, Ford’s products were, quite frankly, pretty bad. The foundation for Lincoln’s products was a major weak point, and slow sales have reflected it. However, there is a bit of bright light now, with Ford’s new “One Ford” policy. America will finally get the great european Ford models that we have been so deprived of over the years.

In 2012 the new Ford Fusion came out, and this time it was simply an American version of the highly acclaimed Ford Mondeo from Europe. It is this well-proven platform on which this new 2013 Lincoln MKZ is based. It seems we now have a Lincoln model with some solid foundations, so the question now is, does it compete?

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Cars We've Driven, Luxury Cars

Test Driven: 2013 Acura TL SH-AWD (9/10)

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Acura TL SH-AWD

The whole idea of Acura in America is to market a higher end Honda product to people who have had a Civic or Accord in the past, but now have more cash to spend. Given Honda’s great reputation, Acura has enjoyed healthy sales over the years. The TL, which is based on the Accord, has been a strong contender in the middle of the Acura range since the late 1990s. However, up until recently, it was hard to consider the TL a real competitor in the true luxury car realm because it was only available in front wheel drive. Acura has wised up with the current generation TL, and has fitted their SH-AWD system to all but the base model. This means the TL is now going head to head with the rest of the luxury segment on their own, complete terms, and that raises the stakes a bit.

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Cars We've Driven, Cheap Fun Cars

Test Driven: 2013 Honda Civic Si Coupe (7/10)

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2013 Honda Civic Si Coupe

The Honda Civic has gotten a bit of a bad rap over the years, being the stereotype platform for “ricers”. In fact I actually just saw The Fast and The Furious, the film that single handedly started the ricer craze, shortly before writing this article. In popular culture Honda Civics are always modified in ridiculous ways, looking like something you’d find in a kid’s cereal box. However, those who really know about Honda’s history know that Honda has made some really fantastic cars over the years. There were of course the NSX and S2000, which were both rear wheel drive. But there have also been cars like the Integra Type R, which is one of the best handling cars of all time despite it being front wheel drive. The fact is that Honda really does have the proven knowhow to make a fantastic car. They have had a lot of racing experience over the years, and history has proven that when they make something good, it is usually really good. So with this in mind, I decided to try out the current Honda Civic Si to see how it fits in with Honda’s past lineage of affordable performance cars.

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Opinions

Why Suzuki is out of the car market in the USA, and why Mitsubishi is next.

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Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X - Front Angle, 2008, 800x600, 2 of 164

The recession had a serious effect on the American automobile market.  We all know what happened to the Big Three.  However, there are a few small Japanese companies that are definitely worth mentioning because they seem to hang on either by a thread, or by a sizable rope, in the US domestic market.  Subaru, Mazda, Suzuki, and Mitsubishi are the four non-major Japanese players in the US market.  Well, they were.  One of these four announced late on November 5, 2012 that they were pulling their automotive arm from the US market.  So, allow me to say…and then there were three.  But soon, I think there will be two. Continue reading Why Suzuki is out of the car market in the USA, and why Mitsubishi is next. →

Cars We've Driven, Everyday Normal Cars

Test Driven: 2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI manual (9/10)

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2013 Jetta Sportwagen TDI

Most American car buyers would reject this straight away. As a wagon, it still carries the “neutered” stigma developed in the era before minivans. As a diesel, it is different, and therefore is terrifying. And as a manual, most people could not operate it, and would not be bothered to learn. So the Jetta Sportwagen TDI cannot possibly appeal to the mass droves of uninterested laymen, and that means it must be pretty good. This is a thinking person’s car, and among high MPG wagons, it is by far the enthusiast’s choice.

You see, not all enthusiast cars need to be about high performance. They just need to be engaging for the driver in performing a given task. Practicality and fuel efficiency define the main purposes of the Jetta Sportwagen TDI. It is undoubtedly a car that will be daily driven, and used for all manner of tasks. As a wagon that can see over 40mpg, its only real competitors are the Toyota Prius V and the Ford C-MAX. Obviously those are both hybrids, so the VW’s approach is quite different from theirs.

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Cars We've Driven, Everyday Normal Cars

VW Jetta Hybrid observed MPG

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I have been getting many questions about the real world fuel economy of the VW Jetta Hybrid. I figured I would share this to give people an idea of what is possible with smart attentive driving.

On my trip to class today, roughly 40 miles on back roads with lots of hills and corners, I averaged 50.7 mpg. That is almost 3mpg more than the EPA says the maximum highway mileage is for this car. I did this not by “hyper mile-ing”, but by driving normally and paying attention to the car’s systems in conjunction with my surroundings. I stayed within 5mph of the posted speed limit as well, as to keep things realistic. Weather was around 60 degrees F, with a light breeze.

Our car has just under 5000 miles on it now, and is just getting fully mechanically broken in. When we first got the car we were seeing averages in the lower-mid 30s, and MPG has steadily increased as we have put miles on the car.

Now, keep in mind I was trying to drive as efficiently as reasonably possible, so I was paying special attention to how much throttle I was using, and planning when to use the gas motor to keep the battery charged. I have found that when I drive the car like i normally drive, typically 10-15mph over the speed limit, then the car seems to average more in the high 30mpg range. The Jetta Hybrid is turbocharged, so your mpg depends mostly on your right foot. It is pretty quick, especially for a car capable of 50mpg, but realize that there is a big tradeoff between using its performance abilities and getting “great” fuel economy.

That said, this is definitive proof that the VW Jetta Hybrid will deliver its claimed fuel economy in the real world, so long as it is driven properly.

Edit: I drove home using the same methods, this time on an all highway route, and saw 48.3mpg, exactly what VW claims. It is more difficult to “sail” on the electric motor at highway speeds, especially with the varied terrain in my area. I was able to coast on downgrades, but in general there were less opportunities for the electric motor to do its thing, and more traffic to deal with. My average for the day wound up being 49.5mpg, much higher than the EPA’s stated average of 45mpg. I think the Jetta Hybrid’s true fuel economy potential (with good driving) is more like 51 mpg in town and country driving, and 48mpg on the highway. Again, this is all staying within 5mph of the posted speed limit. It is both a realistic and acceptable driving style, but if you let your lead foot get the best of you then you will see you mpg drop off.

-Nick

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

Test Driven: 2010 VW CC 2.0T (10/10)

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Volkswagen CC front

Volkswagen had a bit of genius when they built the CC. Obviously they took the coupe-sedan idea from the Mercedes CLS, but unlike the Mercedes, the CC was generally affordable. It sold like hotcakes because, while underneath it was just a VW Passat, its exterior appearance was nothing short of magnificent. Now many of the early CCs are coming off lease, and are available on the secondhand market for what seems to be a great value. So now the question is, what lies under the CC’s pretty facade, and is it worth spending your money on?

I should disclose that I am considering getting myself a CC like this one, so this drive was as much for me personally, as it was for this article. I love having two sports cars, my Subaru STi and Mazda Miata, but lately I have wanted something a bit more comfortable for daily driving. It would be nice to have a car I could go places in, and not have a little devil on my shoulder, constantly telling me to break the law. That said, I don’t want some gutless econobox either, I want a proper luxury car.  Continue reading Test Driven: 2010 VW CC 2.0T (10/10) →