April 2010 Archives

Car And Driver have published a review of the 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid. The Prius PHV doesn't differ much from the regular Prius from a dynamic standpoint either. No surprise, really: The Prius PHV is essentially just a Prius whose nickel-metal hydride battery pack has been swapped for a far pricier, far heavier, and far more potent lithium-ion pack. (How potent is unclear, as Toyota won't tell us how much it improves on the regular car's 1.3-kWh capacity.) The new batteries can be fully charged in three hours from a simple household 110-volt outlet or an hour and a half from a 220-volt plug. The battery swap allows for more miles on electricity alone and a commensurate boost in real-world fuel economy.'

Inside Line have published their "test driven" review of the 2011 Infiniti M37 sedan. 'Once we went to the test track, the 2011 Infiniti M37 showed us that it had lost the high-performance edge of the M37S, yet it's still respectable by luxury car standards. Some of the variation is attributable to the lack of rear steer, and some is due to the less aggressive rubber that gradually lost bite as the test runs piled on. Where the M37S with its Bridgestone Potenza RE050A summer/performance tires clung to the pavement with 0.86g in lateral force, the M37 with its Michelin Primacy MXM4 all-season tires still posted 0.84g lateral acceleration. Not a huge decline in performance, wouldn't you agree?'

A review of the 2010 Nissan 370Z coupe has been posted over at CNET. ' The 2010 Nissan 370Z is a short, wide car with a wheel base at a little larger than 8 feet and width of 6 feet, giving it excellent cornering characteristics. Although weighing only 3,314 pounds, Nissan powers it with a 3.7-liter V-6 engine that makes 332 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. The 370Z has a unique style, too, and looks like nothing else on the road. The Nissan is a coupe with two doors and a hatchback, but no rear seat. It is also low to the ground, which requires a little leg bending to get behind the wheel, but we didn't find it tortuous. From the driver's seat, the hatchback's deeply slanted glass and the wide B-pillars compromise your rear visibility. But with this car's speed, you should only worry about what's ahead.

Paul Tan have published their "First impressions" review of the Honda Freed. 'The Honda Freed is the first time in a long time that a car manufacturer has attempted to sell a decidedly JDM styled vehicle here in Malaysia. You see, it is quite clear that our taste buds and those of the Japanese domestic market are quite different. There are plenty of little vehicles that look like the Mitsubishi TownBox all over their streets yet when the Proton Juara was introduced here, we couldn't get used to its styling.'

A review of the 2010 Mercedes GLK350 SUV has been posted over at UpDated News. 'The GLK is a thoroughly entertaining package. It should be, since it's really just a tall wagon version of the C350, a fave among sport sedans. Plus it looks like a tarted-up, edgier take on the previous-generation Subaru Forester (the one prior to it going mainstream SUV), which happens to be one of my favourite suburban crossovers. Best of all, it doesn't cost stupid money. At just $42,900 to start, it's wholly reasonable for a premium SUV with a thorough list of standard features and a Mercedes nameplate.'

SearchChicago have published their review of the 2010 Jaguar XFR. 'The 2010 Jaguar XFR is the highly touted extension to the popular XF series. The XFR is a sedan that reflects a coupe profile. That is just one of two remarkable characteristics of the XFR - the other is, of course, the power plant. At its core, the XFR is a sports car. Refined and luxurious, this five-passenger sedan performs like a sports coupe. The new performance-oriented XFR comes complete with new front-end styling featuring revised chrome air intakes, supercharged hood louvers, four polished exhaust outlets, an aerodynamically functional rear deck lid spoiler lip, extended side sills and subtle R badging.'

Car and SUV have published a review of the 2010 Volkswagen Golf Variant. 'The dimensions of the Golf Variant don't differ from the standard hatch as much as you'd initially assume. Obviously there is an increase in length of 44cm but all other measurements remain exactly the same, including the wheelbase. At the front very little distinguishes the Variant from the hatchback with both sharing a black plastic grille and gaping low air-intake in the bumper. In profile, there's no hiding the Variant's extra length that is concentrated in the rear overhang and highlighted by integrated roof rails. Rear styling is unique to the Variant and consists of slightly awkward taillights and a wide opening tailgate that when lifted creates a generous loading aperture.'

A review of the 2011 Volvo C30 T5 R-Design has been posted over at LeftLane. 'Slotted below the S40 sedan and V50 wagon, the C30 takes its general flair from Volvo's iconic P1800 ES three-door wagons that debuted back in 1972. Those shapely wagonbacks only lasted for two model years, but their legacy has made them cult collector's items. The C30 was first introduced to the United States as a 2008 model (small car-friendly Canada got it a few months earlier as a 2007). Quirky and unique from the tail end, the C30 was virtually identical to the much more sedate S40 up front. To rectify this stylistic confusion, Volvo gave the C30 a far more daring front fascia for 2011.'

CNET have published their review of the 2010 Nissan GT-R coupe. 'The 2010 Nissan GT-R thrives on speed; at anything less than 60 mph, it feels like a Soviet-era Russian tractor. Reviewers, including Car and Driver and Edmunds.com, tested the 2009 version of the GT-R at 3.3 seconds to 60 mph. For 2010, Nissan squeezed an extra 5 horsepower out of the engine. Exemplifying the use of tech to enhance road performance, the GT-R tops its 3.8-liter engine with twin turbochargers. A dynamic suspension actively counteracts body roll, and power is selectively fed forward and rear by an all-wheel-drive system. A six-speed dual-clutch transmission makes lightning-fast gear changes at the flick of a paddle.'

The Garage Blog have published a review of the Jaguar XK. 'For 2010, the XK's styling received a massage-not there was anything wrong with its looks before. The XK, in its present form looks current, but there is a certain timeless quality seen here. You just know that fifty years down the road, the XK will still look as handsome as it does today. Long and low, the Jaguar cuts a profile rarely seen in cars today, which makes the car stand out in a crowd. Understated and elegant, the XK looks great from any angle, top up or down. I found the standard 19″ wheels attractive, but not sporty. Fortunately, Jaguar offers optional 19″ and 20″ wheels that look more sporty and aggressive.'

The Truth About Cars have published a review of the Renault Mégane R26.R hatchback. 'The Mégane R26.R is simply unmistakable, even if it's a Renault hatchback. Clock the 18-inch alloys and Piet Mondrian-worthy geometric decals in red ink. And there's the Lunar Grey paint contrasting against the carbon fiber hood: a not so subtle reminder this three-door is far more than the tall roofline and dorky C-pillar implies. Rear spoiler aside, there's simply no way to get around the Mégane R26.R's hatchback roots. But this isn't a rice boy poseur: resting against the near weightless polycarbonate rear/quarter windows gives the kinds of goose bumps that only come from a real race car.'

A review of the Ford Territory Ghia Turbo SUV has been posted over at Car Advice. 'The Territory has remained largely unchanged since 2004, likewise with the Turbo model. With the latest SYII upgrade, Ford announced that it would only offer the Turbo model in Ghia guise, leaving us with the car pictured above. The concept of the turbocharged Territory is great - in theory. The inherent issue lies with the car's weight, some 2.1-tonnes. We will talk about the impact of this more later.'

The Car Connection have published a review of the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV. 'Throughout the GX, designers have blended the gentle, organic, and aerodynamic styling of the Lexus L-Finesse designs of recent years with a "machined steel bar" theme, giving it a more sculpted, solid look that separates it from the cars and crossovers. From the front, the likeness with Lexus cars is obvious, with a similar chromed grille flanked by rather large headlamps (which bow slightly to meet U.S. regs). In back, the GX has a clean, uncluttered look, mainly thanks to the narrow vertical taillamps and a new wiper design that's hidden under the roof spoiler.'

Popular Mechanics have published a review of the 2010 Mazda CX-7 Diesel SUV. 'The engine features a new diesel particulate filter (DPF) made from a ceramic material with high thermal resistance, and it includes a unique catalyst developed by Mazda, which incorporates oxygen that's stored in the base material. Supplemented by the oxygen present in the exhaust gases, the catalyst improves the combustion of soot emissions. The increased level of oxygen speeds the regeneration of the filter, making it more efficient. Filter regeneration is only needed half as often as conventional systems, and each regeneration process takes only a third as long.'

The USA Today have published a review of the 2011 Kia Sorento compact crossover SUV. 'Two well-furnished versions were tested. A V-6, all-wheel-drive, seven-passenger, EX Limited with most options ($34,925) was driven from the New York auto show to Northern Virginia and around the 'burbs. A four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive, five-passenger EX Limited ($29,340) was employed in suburban cut-and-thrust. You could spend much less. Even the $21,000 base model has power accessories and enough features to prevent the "it's all I could afford" blues. Testers had leather, navi, rearview camera -- the premium goods that make the difference.'

Inside Line have published a review of the 2011 Infiniti M37S. 'Infiniti has priced the M37 for the value-conscious, not the hood-ornament-conscious. The $57,115 MSRP of our test car is thousands less than a comparably equipped BMW 535i or Mercedes E350, which dominate this premium sedan segment. We should also point out that our test car was extremely well equipped. In fact, it was loaded with nearly $10 grand in option packages that increased its luxury and performance, but might not be necessary for everyone.'

SearchChicago have published their review of the 2010 Ford Mustang. 'This 2010 Ford Mustang has a fresher approach with much more refinement and a touch of new-age pony that bodes well given the Camaro and Challenger are out there trying to gain all the pony fans they can.This Mustang, which features new, sporty headlamps, lower fascias and a power-dome hood, is a wonderful combo of new and old. The oft-criticized hoodmounted windshield washer nozzles are there no more - instead they're in the cowl area. This attention to small detail is why this new Mustang is so good. That my tester was also a convertible just made the experience that much more fun.'

Car Advice have published a review of the Lexus IS 250C convertible. 'For a starting price of under $80,000 the Lexus IS 250C is competing directly against the likes of the Volvo C70, BMW 3 Series convertible and equivalent Audi and Mercedes-Benz vehicles. So how does the IS 250c rate against the onslaught of European contenders? Rather well actually. From the outside it exudes a sense of class that Lexus has become popular for. The overall shape is unmistakably a Lexus but makes do with sweeping lines generally found in coupes with the added visual appeal of a convertible.'

Car And Driver have published their "Quick Test"review of the 2010 GMC Terrain SLT V6 AWD. 'The Terrain is GMC's new compact SUV. Built on a unibody platform shared with the Chevrolet Equinox, it's GMC's smallest current offering, but also one of its quietest and most comfortable. Base versions--starting at $24,995--are powered by a 2.4-liter inline-four, but that engine is pretty wheezy when tasked with moving the Terrain's two-plus tons. We recommend the V-6. Both engines are available with either front- or all-wheel drive.'

The Independent have published a review of the Audi R8 V10 Spyder.. 'A closed R8 has striking, contrasting "blades" on its flanks aft of the doors and forming the rear cabin pillars, which clearly wouldn't work on a Spyder. Instead, the Spyder has extended side-scoops flowing into where the blade would be, which completely alters the R8 look. Thus the R8 Spyder looks like its own car and not a chopped-down version of another one. It helps, too, that the result has strong overtones of real sports-racing cars, such as - conveniently - the eponymous R8 (or later R10) that raced at Le Mans.'

A review of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata SE has been posted over at CNET. 'Swoopy was the word we most often used to describe Hyundai's newest sedan during our testing. Starting with its huge chrome grill, the sculpted sheet metal of the Sonata flows backward towards its tail, giving the sedan the appearance of motion even when stopped. This aesthetic is reinforced by the elongated, rear-swept headlamps and a chrome bar that visually connects them to the top of the door sills. Onlookers stated that it was unlike anything they'd seen before. Look closer, however, and it's easy to see where Hyundai's designers drew their inspiration. The front end is reminiscent of an extreme version of the current Toyota Camry's. The Sonata's steeply raked front and rear glass give the sedan a slightly coupe-like silhouette, much like that of the Volkswagen CC.'

PickupTrucks have published a review of the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Z71. 'We recently got into a 2010 Silverado 1500 4x4 Extended Cab Z71 pickup as a quick refresher of what the GM trucks have to offer. Our test unit came equipped with the all-aluminum Vortec 5300 V-8 with mpg-mindful active fuel management to allow the small-block to run in four-cylinder mode during low-load situations or V-8 mode when it needs to work. We've always liked how well this system operates, making the transitions between four and eight cylinders almost invisible. (You can train yourself with the help of the information center to search for the ever-so-slight shutter between the two modes.)'

The Truth About Cars have published a review of the 2010 Lincoln MKZ . 'The MKZ spent one year as the Zephyr, and received a more thorough revision for 2010. Both the grille--Lincoln's current twin waterfall--and the tail lamps have gotten larger, in the current fashion. Unlike with the Fusion's tri-bar, the supersizing doesn't hurt. But the grille does nothing for the side view, from which the MKZ, though handsome, appears much less distinctive. Even with bespoke sheetmetal fore and aft of the doors, the midsize Lincoln sedan doesn't look even as different from the Fusion as the ES does from the Camry. The money for dedicated fenders was not well spent--this is the way GM used to do it. If you're going to spring for unique metal, spend a little more to alter the basic shape.'

Auto Express have published their "First drive" review of the BMW 530d diesel. 'The new 5 uses a shortened version of the latest 7-Series platform, as well as its all-aluminium suspension. This gives the car a longer wheelbase than before, aiding high-speed stability and liberating extra cabin space, particularly in the rear. The ride has benefited, too, with well judged damping providing excellent comfort when cruising and suppleness if you drive enthusiastically. Also, the power-steering is electric for the first time, yet remains direct and relatively full of feel.'

A review of the 2010 Ford Fusion Sport sedan has veen posted over at LeftLane. 'The 2010 Fusion builds on its predecessor's edgy shape with a number of refinements, although there is still no denying the basic simplicity of this sedan's three-box shape. Viewed from the side, the Fusion's upright greenhouse stands in contrast to the swoopy, aerodynamic shape you'll find in, say, the Accord or Sonata. Traditionalists also won't find fault with the crisp lines and detailing Ford gave the Fusion for 2010. The three-bar chrome grille is larger but more tastefully integrated into the front fascia, while the flat tail features more premium-looking tail lamps than the chrome jobs offered before.'

The Car Connection have published a review of the 2011 Ford Mustang, 'While the 2011 Mustang has changed little on the outside, this year marks the return of the '5.0' badge, which alone is likely to bring back waves of nostalgia for anyone aged 30 to 60. By the mid-to-late '80s, the Mustang GT, with its stout 225-horse 5.0, was arguably the king of the pony cars and faster than many sports cars costing much more. In addition to those prominent fender badges declaring it's a '5.0,' the new GT gets a higher 160-mph speedometer and three new colors: Yellow Blaze Tri-Coat, Race Red, and Ingot Silver. Inside, the changes include some additional soundproofing and new door seals, plus an upgraded instrument cluster, including a 160-mph speedometer and 8,000-rpm tach. Ford's MyKey system will be offered on the Mustang for the first time for 2011, along with a garage-door opener, message center, and new blind-spot aids for the mirrors.

A review of the Hyundai Tucson SUV has been posted over at Paul Tan. 'The new Hyundai Tucson is a very strong package, offering stand out design, a stylish, well made cabin and technical competence, not to mention a lengthy equipment list, long warranty and attractive pricing (price isn't finalised as of now; we'll keep you updated). In Malaysia, the only prominent rival for this car is the recently refreshed Honda CR-V, and if you're in the market for one of those, we reckon you should at least test drive the Tucson for a feel of what's available outside the "safe zone". Be warned, you might be surprised!

The National Post have published their review of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 Coupe. 'The latest coupe has a lot more swagger than one generally expects from Mercedes (as an automaker, its styling tends to sit on the conservative side of the drawing board). This increased style is particularly true of the model wearing the AMG Sport package. The deeper chin, bolder side sills, a more purposeful rear apron and 18-inch AMG rims wearing fat rubber bands (in this case, P235/40 snow tires) accentuate the Coupe's bolder lines. Throw in the under-bumper LEDs and it has real curb.'

The Huffington Post have published a review of the 2010 Buick LaCrosse sedan. 'Buick's 2010 LaCrosse is a perfect competitor for the Lexus ES 350 and Chrysler 300 (which is pretty long in the tooth), thanks to its looks, a choice of three direct-injected engines, optional Haldex all-wheel drive (on CXL) and a healthy mix of standard and optional interior gadgets, including in-dash nav, rear entertainment system and a rearview camera. Another thing LaCrosse has over the Lexus is its styling. Buick says the car's styling, a continuation of what started with their Enclave cross-over, is "seductive and uninterrupted". That may be so to some eyes, but I find LaCrosse's appearance to be aggressive and powerful, not quite intimidating but certainly muscular for a pretty big four-door sedan.'

The Garage have published a review of the 2011 Volvo C30 R-Design. 'The C30 occupies a small market niche known as the "small premium car", shared with the VW GTI and Mini Cooper S, but the C30 stands out in this class. While the GTI and Cooper S start out as sub-$20,000 cars as the Golf and base Cooper, the C30 starts around $25,000. One look at the C30, and it is evident that unlike the competition, this car was conceived as a premium sport coupe first, not basic transportation with added flair. While style is subjective, I will argue that of the three cars, the C30 is best dressed for the role it was designed for. The full body kit, fat exhaust tips and 18″ alloys that come standard on the R-Design is icing on the cake.'

CNET have published their review of the 2010 Nissan Cube. 'At our one attempt to set a land speed record with the Cube, we mashed the gas pedal and the Cube moved smartly forward with no hesitation, but no dramatics, either. The acceleration fell short of pinning us to the seats, but it was steady, and didn't wheeze out at 60 mph. On the freeway, we never felt the Cube had trouble holding 65 to 70 mph speeds, although it doesn't have much left for fast passing maneuvers at that speed. The Cube can also be had with a six-speed manual, but the CVT gets better fuel economy, at 27 mpg city and 31 mpg highway, according to EPA tests. We saw 28.9 mpg in our mixed freeway and city driving.'