Category: Car Reviews (Page 23 of 30)

Car Review: 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SV

September 17, 2013 / Staff

We’ve heard so much about the new 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SV from press reports and even from some of our staff who already had the chance to drive this sleek offering from Nissan. So naturally, the rest of us wanted to see what all the hype was about, because you normally don’t get to drive that many cars that get 38mpg and rave reviews on looks both inside and out. When it comes to the innovations and advanced technology behind the ground-up, totally new 2013 Nissan Altima design, some things might be considered evolutionary.

EXTERIOR

The design of the 2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SV is both clean and compelling, which from some angles can rival luxury sedans and stand tall. Proving that premium doesn’t have to be pricey, the new Altima body takes a big step forward in creating a quiet, comfortable foundation for a new benchmark mid-size sedan. While keeping the same basic dimensions as the previous generation with new attention to aerodynamic design, Nissan helps give the totally restyled body a more premium appearance. The front fascia is outright brilliant, conveying confidence and style that will grab the attention of customers.

INTERIOR

When it comes to the new 2013 Altima, revolution also lives in the details. The interior’s premium look and feel comes from a combination of fresh design and quality appointments. Nissan has taken comfort to the next level with seating technology that we could only just imagine a few years back. While the new Altima likes to keep its wheels and tires firmly planted on the road, the standard front bucket seats have a less earthly design. In the desire to help reduce the fatigue experienced during long commutes or extended road trips, Nissan turned to seating and posture research from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

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First Drive: 2014 Corvette Stingray

September 11, 2013 / Gerardo Orlando

The buzz around the 2014 Corvette Stingray has been intense since the all-new seventh generation (C7) was unveiled earlier this year in Detroit and I couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel. I got my chance recently when Chevrolet invited me out to California to test drive this incredible new version of the iconic sports car. I drove the new Vette on long stretches of remote roads near Monterey and Carmel that offered winding paths, tight turns and inviting straightaways, and then we had the opportunity to push it even further on an autocross coarse set up for us by the Corvette team. The experience blew me away.

Exterior

The executives at Chevrolet wanted to make a statement with the design of the new C7 and they obviously succeeded. The new design generated rave reviews from the moment is was unveiled as the designers created a completely new vehicle as opposed to the more incremental styling changes we saw with the C5 and C6. The Corvette team provided us with a Corvette from each of the previous six generations so we could see up close the design changes over the years.

The bold new design also moved the brand team to revive the iconic Stingray name with the new Corvette, and I certainly agree that this new model lives up to that legacy without relying on a retro design. The new design is stunning and the Corvette looks beautiful from all angles.

The most controversial design change involved the rear tail lights with a departure from the classic, rounded lights in favor of new angular lights. Some Corvette purists were disappointed, but the designers wanted a bold, new look and the result looks fantastic. The designers came up with a new look for the tail lights that work for this Corvette design, and that’s why the entire package looks so good.

The designers explained that function helped drive the design process and that the team was heavily inspired by the Corvette racing team. Every vent on the new Corvette has an important cooling function, and the beautiful curves of the new car serve important aerodynamic functions. The new Corvette Stingray shares only two parts with the previous-generation Corvette, incorporating an all-new frame structure and chassis and a new powertrain and supporting technologies.

Interior

The designers of the new Corvette made the interior a priority as well. The goal was to provide a more upscale interior to go with the bold exterior design and to enhance the driver’s connection to the Corvette. The result is a high-tech, cockpit feel coupled with a much more luxurious experience where every surface is covered with premium, soft-touch materials such as hand-wrapped leather with elegant stitching. Other highlights include carbon fiber and aluminum trim, two high-definition, configurable screens and a smaller steering wheel.

Buyers can also choose between two seating choices: a GT seat for all-around comfort and a Competition Sport seat with more aggressive side bolstering for more support on the track. By observing high-performance driving experiences, designers included a steel-reinforced grab bar on the center console for the passenger and soft-touch materials on the edge of the console where the driver naturally braces during high-load cornering.

I was in the Corvette practically all day and the level of comfort is impressive for a sports car, whether you’re cruising on the highway or powering through a tight corner. For the driver, everything is laid out nicely and the center console screen is angled towards the driver, and the driver displays vary depending on the driver mode selected.

Performance

For years the Corvette has set the standard for performance as it could stack up to exotic sports cars that cost much more. In its price range nothing has come close for years, and the new C7 continues that tradition by setting the bar even higher.

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First Drive: 2014 Toyota Tundra

September 7, 2013 / Gerardo Orlando

The styling of the Toyota Tundra has been completely updated both inside and out for the 2014 model year which you’ll notice right away with the more muscular and chiseled front grille. Sales in the full-sized pickup truck market are booming this year and Toyota expects to grab its share of that market with the redesigned half-ton, full-size pickup truck. The 2014 Tundra will be available in 5 grades – SR, SR5, Limited, Platinum and a special 1794 Edition, which reflects a western lifestyle theme as a tribute to the ranch, founded in 1794, on which the Tundra plant is located in San Antonio. I traveled out to Knoxville, Tennessee for an up-close look at the new truck and a chance to drive it on a variety of roads.

Exterior

The redesign and the new front grille definitely enhance the look of the Tundra. It’s a great-looking truck as you can see from the photos above with the bold and powerful look that buyers expect in this segment. The Platinum version has a little less chrome and I liked that one the best, but buyers will have plenty of choices with the multiple trim levels. I liked the feature of having “TUNDRA” stamped into the sheet metal on the rear, and along with the new tail lamps the vehicle looks great from this angle. Toyota listened to customers who explained how they used the truck in rugged settings, so both the front and rear bumpers have been changed from one piece to three for lower replacement costs. Three cab styles are offered with the two-door Regular Cab, four-door Double Cab, and the super-sized four-door CrewMax. The Regular Cab and Double Cab models are offered in standard bed (78.7-inch) or long bed (97.6-inch) configurations and the CrewMax comes with a 66.7-inch bed, with all beds being 22.2-inches deep.

Interior

Many upgrades were made to the interior to make it more refined. The interior is very spacious and comfortable, and in the Limited, Platinum and 1794 editions buyers will find the luxury items you expect in higher end vehicles. I liked the leather seats and leather accents on the dash, particularly in the Platinum edition which featured perforated, diamond pleated premium leather seats, door and instrument panel inserts. The center stack screen and controls were laid out nicely and easy to use. The upgraded Entune audio system and app suite is easy to use with some nice customization features.

The rear seats in the CrewMax edition offer plenty of space for passengers and can now be folded up for additional cargo carrying capability as well.

Performance

The engine options remain the same on the new Tundra, as Toyota executives explained that drivers would not see any real-world mileage gains with a turbo V6 offered by competitors. Toyota’s most popular engine is the 5.7-liter, DOHC i-Force V8 which generates 381 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 401 foot-pounds of peak torque at 3,600 rpm with a six-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission. Fuel efficiency on 4×2 models is 13 mpg city, 18 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined while the 4×4 achieves 13 mpg city/17 mpg highway/15 mpg combined. My test vehicles featured this engine and it performed nicely on roads that varied from winding hills at various speeds and inclines to highway driving. The Tundra was a pleasure to drive and it handled well.

Toyota also offers a 4.6-liter, DOHC i-Force V8 offers 310 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 327 foot-pounds of peak torque at 3,400rpm that gets slightly better fuel mileage.

Buyers can also choose a 4.0-liter Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) V6 which is standard on Tundra Regular and Double Cab models and produces 270 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 278 foot-pounds of peak torque at 4,400 rpm. It is paired with a five-speed automatic transmission with uphill/downhill shift logic. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 16 mpg city, 20 mpg highway and 17 mpg combined.

Drivers can control the driving experience to adapt to road surfaces or driving conditions. In “normal” mode, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC) and Automatic Limited-Slip Differential (Auto-LSD) all function to help enable traction and control capability. These modes can then be turned off to adjust to various conditions.

Overview

Toyota executives are stressing the “American-born” nature of the new Tundra which should play well with buyers in this segment. The redesigned Tundra was once again engineered by Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor and the design was created by Calty Design Research centers in Newport Beach and Ann Arbor. The Tundra is assembled in San Antonio and its V6 and V8 engines are built in Alabama while transmissions are built in North Carolina.

The large truck segment is very competitive with excellent products, but it’s also growing like crazy as the economy improves. The new Tundra will definitely catch the eye of buyers and we recommend test driving it if you’re looking for a big truck. Toyota has a well-deserved reputation for durability and reliability which is important if you’re looking for a workhorse.

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Car Review: 2013 MINI Cooper S Paceman ALL4

September 4, 2013 / Staff

You can’t help but notice the lower stance and more aggressive look when you first check out the 2013 MINI Cooper S Paceman ALL4. This car is the result of years of real world testing and customer feedback that enabled MINI to build the car that many people crave. That’s a good thing for MINI.

EXTERIOR

With a sporty new exterior design and styled as a coupé interpretation of the Countryman, the inspired look of the 2013 MINI Cooper S Paceman has that It factor! Packed with MINI character and obvious design cues which tie it to the rest of the range, the three-door Paceman’s unique exterior styling is what immediately catches the eye. Built on the Countryman platform, bumper to bumper the car is 4,109 mm (4,115mm for MINI Cooper S Paceman and Cooper SD Paceman), which makes it almost identical in size to its sibling.

With a contemporary and expressive body shape, the Paceman has been created to appeal to a new type of design-conscious customer. The prominent horizontal lines and dynamic curved surfaces give the promise of sporting performance, yet there is an elegant simplicity to the overall form of the car. The upright front grille, complete with hexagonal radiator grille and broad chrome surround, gives the Paceman genuine presence. Its coupé-style stretched side profile features long doors, while the blacked-out pillars create a “floating roof” concept, as already seen on the MINI Coupe. Available in either black, white or body colour, the roof gently slopes towards the rear of the car, ending at the integrated spoiler. The horizontal arrangement of the rear lights, which accentuates the car’s width, is a first for MINI. The Paceman is the only member of the brand’s line-up to be identified by a rear nameplate.

Some of the upscale features included power folding mirrors, heated mirrors with washing jets, a huge dual pane panoramic sunroof and 19-inch alloy wheels.

INTERIOR

As with all MINIs, the cabin space is much more than anticipated, and the Paceman comes through with an inspired interior that is both smart and sporty. The car’s interior has been designed specifically for this model. It’s highlight is the innovative rear seat, which has been styled around a lounge concept. Two individual chairs provide generous levels of head, shoulder and knee room with outstanding comfort and support. Armrests have been integrated into the rear trim. A two-section version of the MINI Centre Rail storage and attachment system – first seen in the Countryman – comes as standard. A full-length variant is available as an option.

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Car Review: 2013 Cadillac ATS 3.6L Premium

August 28, 2013 / Staff

As the world at Cadillac continues to evolve, the expectations from buyers will also come to expect dynamic new products, which have to be the goal for any luxury car nameplate. The all-new Cadillac ATS 3.6L Premium was delivered to us at Bullz-Eye for a week of testing and admiration for what should be the new direction of Caddy and a shot across the bow at her competitors. Developed on an all-new, lightweight rear-drive architecture, the ATS reflects a new expression of Cadillac’s Art & Science execution philosophy, centered on a foundation of driving dynamics and mass efficiency. Germany ’s famed Nürburgring served as one of the key testing grounds, along with additional roads, race tracks and laboratories around the globe, where ATS engineers balanced performance with Cadillac’s trademark refinement.

EXTERIOR

The 2013 Cadillac ATS interprets Cadillac’s Art & Science design language in a new proportion, tailoring the signature styling and refinement cues for the most compact Cadillac while upholding and advancing the exemplary attention to detail and technological elements for which the brand is known. Although the 2013 Cadillac ATS 3.6L Premium skin doesn’t stand out all that much from the CTS, it’s clear that this new Cadillac was designed for performance over everything else. A long, 109.3-inch (2,775 mm) wheelbase and wide front/rear tracks are the cornerstones of the ATS’ firmly planted stance, which is enhanced by short overhangs and taut sheet metal that appears to wrap tightly around the tires. 17-inch wheels are standard and 18-inch wheels are available.

Bold, vertical lighting elements, including new LED front signature lighting detail and illuminating door handles and active grille shutters, lend technologically advanced style and function to the ATS. The luxury feel of the exterior is clearly enhanced with the lighting from all angles of the ATS, including the sleek door handles. The grille shutters close at certain highway speeds to reduce aerodynamic drag and enhance fuel economy. High-intensity discharge headlamps with Adaptive Forward Lighting made our driving experience that much better. Exterior colors include: Radiant Silver Metallic, Black Raven, Black Diamond Tricoat, Crystal Red Tintcoat, White Diamond Tricoat, Thunder Gray ChromaFlair, Opulent Blue Metallic, Glacier Blue Metallic, Silver Coast Metallic and Summer Gold Metallic. Our test model looked incredible in Black Diamond Tricoat that somehow looked as clean after a week as it did on day one.

INTERIOR

After taking in the striking good looks of the 2013 Cadillac ATS 3.6L Premium’s body, Cadillac really needed a top-notch cabin to keep the first impression strong, and they delivered with a morello red combined with a jet black hand-crafted cut and sewn interior seating that was off-the-charts good. A driver focused interior with integrated technology and crafted materials complements the exterior elements and supports the ATS’ driving experience. Everything from the placement of the pedals to the position of the shifter is designed for effortless and intuitive performance driving. Available performance seats have power-adjustable bolsters to optimize lateral support during high-load cornering. Contributing to the interior’s intuitive feel is an instrument panel that wraps into the doors and a center stack in the mid-instrument panel that flows into the center console.

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