Author: Staff (Page 9 of 21)

Car Review: 2013 Honda Civic 4DR EX-L NAVI

June 25, 2013 / Staff

In the battle for the compact sedan crown, Honda has come in with a refreshed Civic that is clearly the best Civic ever. The top-selling and award-winning Honda Civic returns for 2013 with a host of design upgrades and a bevy of new standard features, while still maintaining the efficiency and value that has made the Civic an automotive icon for the past 40 years.

EXTERIOR

The crimson pearl 2013 Honda Civic 4DR EX-L NAVI has a distinctive look and a confidence that comes with years of excellence. For 2013, the Honda Civic has received a host of changes that far exceed the typical mid-model refresh. The front and rear styling of the 2013 Honda Civic Sedan has been completely altered for a more youthful and premium feel, including sheet metal changes with an all-new hood and trunk lid. Up front, a new open-mouth lower bumper with a horizontal chrome accent and a sportier, black honeycomb mesh grille is anchored by new integrated fog lights on EX-L and above trims. The grille is flanked by new clear-lens corner lights to provide a more premium look. The 2013 Civic’s more sculpted front end flows into a taller, more deeply faceted hood.

In back, a new rear bumper design and rear trunk lid are capped by a clean, horizontal chrome trim piece. The all-new design of the jewel-like taillights now carries into the trunk face, providing a more finished and upscale look. The rear bumper features integrated reflector treatments and a new lower diffuser panel finished with a honeycomb mesh vent. While the expressive exterior styling of the 2013 Honda Civic Coupe remains unchanged, restyled wheels on all models help sharpen the look of the 2013 Civic.

INTERIOR

With a brand new design for 2013, there are many changes in the cabin of the 2013 Civic, but there is also a familiarity that the Honda brand carries over from decades of advancements. Inside, extensive refinements in design and construction gives the entire 2013 Honda Civic lineup a more premium feel, with an all-new tricot headliner, new soft-touch materials on the instrument panel and upper door treatment, and revised textures and panel junctions throughout the instrument panel and center console. Subtle silver accents in the interior lend a higher-quality look, along with door panel and seat fabric upgrades. Providing a more upscale environment, black carpeting and a trunk lid finisher are now standard on all Civic models. For the first time, Civic is available in both cloth and leather with an all-black interior. Our test model boasted beige leather that was upscale and sporty.

Car Reviews, Cars

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Car Review: 2013 Kia Optima SX Premium

June 18, 2013 / Staff

For Kia, the Optima has been somewhat of a trailblazer, as many cars on the road today seem to incorporate something from the Optima in their design cues. Since being completely redesigned in 2010, Kia’s dramatic and eye-catching Optima midsize sedan has become a sales leader for the brand and garnered a long list of awards and accolades. Optima returns to the lineup in 2013 with the same unbeatable combination of head-turning design, fun-to-drive performance, modern amenities and long list of standard safety features, in addition to strong consumer appeal and record sales. We were looking forward to a week behind the wheel of the 2013 Kia Optima SX Premium to see first-hand if all the hype was warranted.

EXTERIOR

The 2013 Kia Optima SX Premium is such a striking looking vehicle and with the snow white pearl paint that our test model was sporting, I couldn’t help but admire this flashy set of wheels. The 2013 Optima projects a refined, performance-oriented aesthetic with a sleek silhouette, aggressive stance and sculpted elements that evoke passion and communicate Kia Motors’ dedication to creating stylish and dynamic vehicles. The Optima’s aggressive face proudly features the brand’s signature tabbed grille complemented by projector headlamps, while Optima’s coupe-like profile is accentuated by a sweeping chrome arc that flows seamlessly from the A through C pillars – a distinctive design element that visually lowers the car while enhancing its proportions. Optima’s roofline connects with its pronounced shoulder line, leading to its sculpted flanks and accentuating its extended wheelbase. Boldly flared wheel arches and a raked cabin create a sedan with a graceful muscular presence. Many have tried to replicate this look, but there is only one Optima from the front to the rear.

Every 2013 Optima comes well-equipped with a generous roster of standard features, with the LX trim offering dual exhaust with chrome tips, solar glass, exterior mirror turn signal indicators, front fog lights, exterior heated mirrors, chrome accented exterior door handles and 16-inch alloy wheels fitted with 205/65R16 tires and a six-speed automatic transmission. The volume-leading EX trim offers larger 17-inch alloy wheels fitted with 215/55R17 tires. Moving to the SX, consumers will find stylish 18-inch polished alloy wheels with 225/45R18 tires, unique front and rear lower bumpers and side sills, a rear lip spoiler, aero wiper blades and HID headlights with auto leveling. Elevating to the all-new top-of-the-line Limited trim that Bullz-Eye tested brings Optima to another level of sporty refinement, adding unique and luxurious 18-inch chrome wheels, daytime running lights, red brake calipers, chrome accented side sills, chromed side mirrors and rear spoiler.

INTERIOR

Ever since the new Kia Optima launched in 2010, the folks at Kia have continuously improved the interior cabin, and 2013 is no different. With sleek modern lines and a host of thoughtful features, the interior of the Optima exudes performance and was designed with drivers in mind. From the instrument panel that’s contoured toward the driver to create a cockpit-like feel, to the precise gauges and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, Optima’s interior provides the experience of a performance vehicle without sacrificing comfort or roominess. A sport-inspired Sportmatic shifter delivers crisp shifts, while an available panoramic sunroof provides an open-air feeling.

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LSTN UP on Bullz-Eye!

June 15, 2013 / Staff

At a time when headphones are all the rage, one has to cut through the clutter to find the best products on the market. You may not have heard of LSTN Headphones, and neither did we, but after testing their Bowerys earphones, you’ll realize what you have been missing with your current devices.

Oh, and their products are made of wood! Why are guitars, violins, drums and pianos made out of wood, but headphones aren’t? LSTN’s unique wooden chambers are a huge contributor to the warm and natural sound of LSTN headphones. LSTN is also environmentally friendly, so they aren’t out chopping down trees to create products. The reclaimed wood they use is sourced from furniture and flooring companies. Specifically, it’s the small, otherwise discarded scraps that are left over from their manufacturing process. The sound coming out of the earphones we tested is incredible, and we are guessing it has something to do with their wood casing. LSTN products also look great and scream quality. You can check out these fresh products at www.lstnheadphones.com and they start at $50.

Gadgets, Stuff to Buy

LSTN LSTN headphones wood headphones

Car Review: 2013 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club

June 12, 2013 / Staff

The pure enjoyment of driving a straight-up sports car is something every driver should experience. We spent a week behind the wheel of a 2013 MX-5 Miata and enjoyed every minute of it! Since the two-seater entered the marketplace more than 20 years ago, the MX-5 has defied the convention that sports cars, particularly convertibles, were pricey, unattainable flights of fancy reserved for those with deep pockets.

EXTERIOR

Affordable, exceptional, tuned to produce driver happiness and the new for the 2013 model year is the Club trim level. Replacing the Touring trim of previous model years, the Club offers consumers the no-nonsense aggressive appeal seen in previous special edition versions but within a more affordable price realm. The 2013 MX-5 features an updated style from outside in. All trims receive a fresh new front fascia. Fog lights are now standard on Sport models, and Grand Touring vehicles receive a new 17-inch alloy wheel design. The most significant modification, however, involves the all-new Club trim that we tested, which subsequently replaces the Touring trim and is situated between the entry-level Sport and luxury-loaded Grand Touring.

With the Power Retractable Hard Top-equipped (PRHT) Club models, distinctive exterior characteristics abound. Dark gunmetal 17-inch alloy wheels – previously featured on 2012 MX-5 Special Edition models – are now standard, as are black-colored details such as outside mirrors, head lamp bezels and rooftop. This blacked-out look really set off our true red exterior and stood out on the road. A front air dam and rear diffuser are now included, as well as the seat back bar garnish now displayed in a glossy dark gray motif. For Club models like ours that are equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, the Suspension Package also is included, with specialized exterior “Club” graphics and badges rounding out the finishing touch to fashion an attractively bold MX-5 look.

INTERIOR

The carefully crafted interior of the 2013 MX-5 Miata Club might be as sharp as the sculpted exterior. Available on Club and Grand Touring trims only, the PRHT is stored in the same manner as the soft top, again not affecting storage space. Designed to perform in any climate, PRHT models outsell soft-top models by a 4:1 ratio worldwide. Using a single-button operation, the PRHT offers one of the fastest power-operated opening-and-closing cycles for a hard top in North America at a highly efficient 12 seconds – faster than the never-convenient red-light-green-light pause. Our test model was equipped with tilt leather steering wheel, rear center console with storage, remote keyless entry system, leather shift knob, trip computer and smartly centered dashboard.

Car Reviews, Cars

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Car Review: 2013 Lexus RX 350 F SPORT

June 5, 2013 / Staff

There aren’t a whole lot of luxury SUVs that can compare in looks to the 2013 Lexus RX 350 F Sport, and after driving one for a week, the rest of the vehicle is also enviable to competitors. The RX 350 F SPORT features an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, F SPORT-tuned suspension, unique sport front bumper and mesh grille, 19-inch split five-spoke wheels in a Dark Graphite finish, and exclusive interior enhancements in a way that only Lexus could deliver!

EXTERIOR

The new distinctive and contemporary front of the RX F SPORT is highlighted with Lexus’ signature spindle grille and a bolder sport bumper, featuring an F SPORT exclusive mesh design. The upper edge of the grille is set lower than the upper edge of the headlamp assembly to establish a more aggressive look. The standard LED daytime running lights and combination rear lamps reflect the “L” design motif. Fog lamps are integrated into the sculpted lower front bumper fascia.

Pronounced front fenders flow into the doors, and integrated rear fender flares neatly sweep around to pull together the taut rear corners of the vehicle. The lower body emphasizes the standard 19-inch wheels. Distinctive F SPORT exterior badging adorns the sporty exterior. Together, these improvements mark a serious improvement from past models, as the RX 350 becomes the vehicle it was intended to be from the start. The new emphasis on design from the folks at Lexus is really paying dividends with the RX 350 F Sport.

INTERIOR

The cabin of the 2013 Lexus RX 350 F SPORT is nothing short of amazing in the quality of the materials, overall luxury feel and high-end technology features. The buttons and knobs are elevated from other luxury SUVs and the leather surfaces are extraordinary comfortable. The RX F SPORT features a unique interior design treatment with perforated black leather-trimmed seats with white perforation holes. White contrast stitching accentuates the seats, center console and door armrests. A new Ebony Bird’s Eye Maple trim adds a touch of sporty elegance. A black headliner, a perforated leather-wrapped steering wheel showcasing the “F” logo, and aluminum pedals complete the interior enhancements.

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