May 2010 Archives

CNET have published a review of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG sedan. 'The handling from this car is exceptional. The traction control let the back end come out just enough to help us through the turns, flashing on before we got into a complete spinout. It took very little time to learn how much back-end slide the car allowed, and we approached each turn with it in mind. As good as this car proved in cornering, it apparently can be better. Mercedes-Benz did not include the limited slip differential, a $2,000 option, in our car. Nor did we get the P31 Development package, which brings in even better brakes and more power. The package might be a bit much for an everyday driver, but the limited slip differential would have been nice to try out.'

Car Advice have published their review of the 2010 BMW 330d sports. 'In the 7 Series, the sports mode didn't quite work due to its tendency to hold onto the gears for a bit too long, causing the engine to sit against its redline, slowing performance. However the 330d has the right idea. Drive shifts often, smooth and early, whereas Sports allows for snappy changes (perfect for a diesel) and they happen right at the top end as soon as redline is reached. It also downshifts exactly when you would and is never, ever caught out in the wrong gear. This helps to keep the turbo spooled and you've got instant throttle response with zero lag. In short, this is one brilliant drivetrain.'

Reg Hardware have published a review of the Honda CR-Z hybrid sports coupe. 'The CR-Z's looks are nothing if not striking, with what Honda calls the One-Motion Wedge style surviving almost intact from the initial concept car. Shorter, wider and lower than the Insight, the CR-Z is a very much a 2+2. I'm not sure about the Europe-only daytime running lights - I don't like the LED eye-lashes on the new Audis and their presence on the CR-Z hasn't changed my mind. In the back you can fit a child or child seat but not an adult - cramped would be a polite way of describing it. Luggage space is reasonable, though, with a golf bag-swallowing 233 litres available with the back seats up and 401 litres up for grabs with them down. And there's a 19L litre cubbyhole under the boot floor. Up front, it's snug but comfortable, with the driver environment clearly being a variation on the Insight theme.'

Car And Driver have published a review of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. 'The SLS, hardly a lightweight at almost 3800 pounds, demonstrates how Mercedes has stopped pretending that BMW does not exist. Setups for corners and exits from them are done with clipped palm and foot motions, the torso getting squeezed nicely by the heavy side forces. The 6.2-liter backfires with a nourishing whap-whap! when you lift and shift. The brakes are firm and natural, and there's even a hint of tug and sag in the steering as it digests the road. The rear-mounted seven-speed trans­axle is a dual-clutch type. Its cogs are aft of the differential, a layout that allows the cockpit to be shoved way back. A knob governs its shift patterns with settings for "manual," "controlled efficiency" (comfort), "sport," and "sport plus." There's a launch control, but in use, the car was actually slower off the line.'

A review of the Peugeot RCZ GT THP 156 has been posted over at the Sunday Mercury. 'The ride was solid but not uncomfortable and for the most part very quiet - although there was a little road noise on the diesel I drove, which was sporting 18-inch alloys from the Sport trim level as opposed to the 19-inch ones my petrol drive benefitted from in the higher spec GT trim. The cabin was spacious and comfortable with high quality materials throughout and an easily reached accessibly designed dash and console set off by a stylish centre-mounted analogue clock.'

PaulTan have published their "test driven" report of the Peugeot RCZ roadster. 'Just like the concept car, the road going RCZ's stylistic highlight is the race inspired double bubble roof. It's already relatively complicated and a hassle to produce compared to a standard tin top, but the roof curves extend into the rear glass, which is quite a feat for a mass produced car. The RCZ is contract manufactured by Magna Steyr in Austria, which is used to making complicated things work - they're the people responsible for the Mercedes SLS AMG's gullwing doors and also build the Aston Martin Rapide, so the RCZ is in good hands.'

A review of the Dodge Challenger R/T has been posted over at The Garage Blog. 'For starters, there is no getting around the fact that the Challenger is absolutely stunning. The Challenger is just a brutal looking car, yet manages a grace that I find lacking in the current Chevy Camaro. Every design element works, and there is not a single bad line to be found. I have always had a strong distaste for chromed alloy wheels, but the 20″ rims seen here looked just right on the car, and I did not mind them at all. The black R/T stripes gracing the side, the small 'HEMI' badge on the hood, and the scripted 'Challenger' nameplate all add up to make a car that is impossible to suppress a smile when you walk up to it.'

The Independent have published a review of the Lotus Elise supercar. 'There is nothing quite like an Elise. Other cars have had the individual elements - light weight, simplicity, a mid-mounted engine, a British badge - but currently the Lotus is a unique mix of good things. Here's another bend: as ever, the Elise turns instantly, precisely, seemingly without any sensation of shifting a mass, only the front wheels' castor action forming a resistance against which my hands must work. Driving a new car without power steering is a rare occurrence nowadays, but it's not needed here. Instead you just enjoy total two-way telegraphy with the road surface.'

A reivew of the 2010 Toyota 4Runner SR5 V6 4×4 has been posted over at LeftLane. 'Looking like a high-tech version of a rolling fortress, the 4Runner features prominent flares and bulges that make one think of a guy spending too much time in the gym. Even the flares have flares. But we do like it. Equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels on our SR5 (the Limited rides on 20-inchers) for improved grip off-road, the 4Runner makes no bones about being a sissified crossover> A tasteful amount of sparkle is added to various points around the exterior. The better to set it off from its competitors, we think. The rear hatch "spoiler" is a bit trying though, especially when considering this ride won't be attempting any land speed records or trips down the dragstrip. A roof rack is standard.'

CNET have published a review of the Chevrolet Volt electric car. 'Settling behind the wheel of the Volt, we depressed the brake pedal and touched the glowing blue Start button partway down the glossy white center stack. The Volt's LCD displays sprung to life and we got our first look at the interface. At the top of the center stack is a color touch panel that gives you control over the infotainment systems and climate controls, and it displays detailed information about the Volt's electric power train, charge state, and historical fuel economy. Below the touch screen is a bank of capacitive touch sensors that bring up functions such as hard-drive media storage, XM Satellite Radio, or navigation. In the center of this bank is a pair of knobs for tuning and volume, and the Volt's CD slot.'

SearchChicago have published a review of the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi SLS sedan. 'Inside the cabin of the Kizashi, you will not find those cheap-feel surfaces of the past. My tester had premium leather for seating, steering wheel and shifter. Ten-way power seats with memory make sure the driver will have a perfect view of the road. Seating support was better than average and at times just a little too taut for my personal tastes, but for the price, you have to smile a bit. The driver has telescoping and tilting steering wheel adjustments as well as a heated seat; the front passenger is heated as well. Rear passengers have plenty of room to get comfortable.'

A review of the Toyota 4Runner Trail has been posted over at the Garage Blog. 'The first 4Runner debuted as a 1984 model, and was nothing more than a two-door pick-up truck with a fiberglass shell over its bed. Over the years, the 4Runner has offered two and four doors, 4, 6, and 8 cylinder engines, and even its share of available equipment to rival luxury SUV's. 2010 marks the intro of the fifth generation 4Runner. The V-8 engine is gone, and a 4-cylinder engine returns. Down on power, and nearly equal in fuel economy to the V-6, I doubt the base four will find many buyers.'

Inside Line have published their "First drive" review of the 2011 Jaguar XJ 5.0L SC. 'The new 2011 Jaguar XJ is now in large measure a new-generation all-aluminum unibody, much like the former XJ in its architecture yet now built more like an aluminum structure and less like a steel body simply executed in aluminum. To ensure a crisp steering feel, the front subframe is not isolated and the front shock towers are reinforced. Continuously variable damping as standard equipment keeps the ride supple, yet the combination of XF suspension, wider front and rear tracks, plus larger-diameter tires (20-inchers are optional) provides lots of cornering grip.'

The Truth About Cars have published a review of the 2010 Infiniti EX35. 'While other manufacturers seek a futuristic, high-tech ambiance, the EX's interior has a warmer, more traditional vibe that owes much to the British. The materials are soft to the touch, the curvy surfaces flow smoothly into one another, and both the instrument cluster hood and the door panels are nicely upholstered. Wood rather than some sort of faux metal covers much of the center stack and center console. Logically designed and arranged controls avoid the overwhelming sea of buttons found in too many competitors. Knobs for the primary HVAC and audio system functions are relatively small and have a smooth, quality feel. Everything is close at hand.'

A review of the 2010 Holda Civic VTi sedan has been posted over at Car Advice. 'The Honda Civic sedan is available in three models, the VTi, VTi-L and Sport. Both the VTi and VTi-L house Honda's 1.8-litre SOHC i-VTEC engine, while the Sport sedan moves up to a 2.0-litre DOHC i-VTEC engine. All models offer the choice of an automatic or manual transmission, mated to a five-speed gearbox. It's nice to have this choice across the range. It's only when you move up to the R-Type hatch that you score the six-speed gearbox, but in manual only.'

The USA Today have published their review of the 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK350. 'The seven-speed automatic transmission resets to its less-responsive mode each time you shut off the vehicle, forcing you to punch up "S" for Sport at each restart -- just to get the thing to start out in first gear instead of second and to hold each gear a little longer for better performance. Not only was the rear legroom scarce, the back door opening made it tricky to get in and out. And the sunken safety-belt buckles complicated securing and releasing a child. Driving with windows partway down set up a drumming noise until you found just-so openings of all the windows and perhaps the sunroof.'

CNET have published their review of the 2010 Acura ZDX. 'Maneuvering on city streets, the steering radius proved adequate for some fairly tight U-turns. But the dimensions of the vehicle, with its wide sides and long nose, make it difficult to judge the space around it. The ZDX has a backup camera, an essential feature on this car, with two different views and static distance lines. But sideview cameras would also be useful. The suspension's Comfort mode isn't all that comfortable. It gives the suspension longer travel and a soft feeling, but doesn't let the ZDX ride over potholes unruffled. That long suspension travel also leads to up and down oscillation on the freeway. We generally preferred leaving the suspension in Sport mode.'

Motor Trend have published their "First test drive" of the 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition. 'Exactly what's so Special about it, then? Well, for starters, it's an even $2000 cheaper than a garden-variety STI because Subaru set the standard feature wayback machine to the year 2000. Gone are the six-disc CD changer and associated 10-speaker stereo, automatic climate control, and HID headlamps. In their place are simple knob-based manual air-con, single-disc stereo with just four speakers, and halogen headlamps. Additionally, the rearview mirrors of the Special Edition do not come with integrated turn signals. Beyond that, all Special Editions get distinctive charcoal-colored 18-inch wheels and 125 buyers will be able to get theirs in a special shade of white called Aspen White.'

The Car Connection have published their "test driven" review of the 2010 Suzuki Kizashi SE AWD. 'The AWD model we drove is rated at 22 mpg city, 29 highway, and we saw about 23 mpg altogether, over a week and about 140 miles of mixed driving. It should be noted that if you want all-wheel drive, you have to get the CVT. The Kizashi's sound system also proved easy to use. Our test car didn't have satellite radio enabled, so we simply plugged in our iPhone and hit the USB button and we were in business to listen to This American Life episodes and Pandora streaming audio. One note: for media players the sound system attempts to display track information but the dot-matrix-like letters are so huge and limited that it's indecipherable. Sound quality was great, however.'

A review of the 2010 Maruti Suzuki WagonR has been posted over at IndianCarsBikes. 'Under one of the smallest hoods in the business rests the car's BS IV compliant, 1-litre 3-cylinder K-series engine spewing out 68 deadly horses at 6,200 rpm and some mean 90 torques at an awesome 3,500 rpm. Sorry, I was trying to keep my self awake. The power and torque are just too garrulous. The handling is alright and the high C of G does wonder to body roll, it adds some more. Ugh! the performance is so boring I'd rather read a Mills and Boon or better yet, rub Cayenne pepper on my eyes, before bedtime.'

The Independent have published a review of the Bentley Mulsanne. 'Under Volkswagen's ownership, Bentley continued to make the old models with their 6.75-litre V8 engines alongside the new, smaller Continental range, even updating them from time to time. The last time we reported on the Arnage, as the venerable saloon was latterly named, we found it a lovable dinosaur. Knowledge that Rolls-Royce was developing its "smaller" - Arnage-sized, in fact - Ghost model must have concentrated minds, because it meant that for the first time in history, Rolls-Royce and Bentley would be in direct competition.

CNET have published a review of the 2010 Infiniti FX35 RWD SUV. 'First up is the issue of visibility. The FX's high window sills, curvaceous hood, and tiny rear window potentially make simple low-speed actions, such as parallel parking, into nerve-racking ordeals. Infiniti's answer to this is the Around View Monitor (AVM). This system features an array of cameras located at the front and rear of the vehicle and in the undersides of the sideview mirrors. In addition to the standard rearview camera and the not-so-standard front view camera with trajectory lines, the system can also stitch together views from all four cameras to create a virtual bird's-eye view of the area surrounding the vehicle. Users can see painted ground markings, other vehicles, and other potential obstructions.'.

A review of the 2011 Toyota Camry Hybrid has been posted over at the National Post. 'The Camry Hybrid is powered by Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive system, which the automaker calls the most proven gasoline-electric full hybrid system on the planet, having been installed in more than one million hybrid vehicles since its introduction in 1997. Under the sedan's sheetmetal is a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine mated to a high-torque electric motor/generator and powerful storage battery that delivers the equivalent of up to 187 horsepower. Admittedly, that's not much more than the 169-hp, 2.5L gas-powered four that's found in the LE, SE and XLE models, but the beauty of the Synergy Drive system is its electric motor, which delivers maximum torque (199 pound-feet from zero to 1,500 rpm) instantly.'

Bloomberg Businessweek have published their "test driven" review of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata. 'The front-wheel drive Sonata, Hyundai's best-selling U.S. model, is bigger, quicker, more sophisticated, and more fuel-efficient than the model it's replacing. The new Sonata, which went on sale early this year, matches or bests the competition by almost every measure. New hybrid and turbo-charged versions of the Sonata, due out late this year, will make Hyundai competitive in every niche of the midsize sedan market. The Sonata's strongest selling point remains its low price. The entry-level GLS starts at just $19,915, with a stick shift, and $20,915, with a six-speed automatic, yet includes such standard equipment as full-power accessories, heated outside mirrors, keyless entry, air conditioning, cruise control, a tilting and telescoping steering wheel, a six-speaker sound system with steering-wheel-mounted controls, satellite radio, and Bluetooth connectivity.'

LeftLane have published a review of the 2010 Chrysler 300C SRT8. 'Boasting groundbreaking-in-2005 style, the 300C's biggest appeal is its unique configuration: Rear wheel drive, a honkin' V8 and room for the whole gang. If this sounds familiar, it's because the big and powerful rear wheel drive sedan was a Detroit staple until the oil crisis of the 1970s, but only Chrysler has really succeeded in reconquering the lost segment. While we tap our feet in anticipation of the refreshed 300 sedan that's due this fall, we decided to sample the automaker's current halo sedan, the rorty and muscular 300C SRT8..'

A review of the 2010 Taurus SHO sedan has been posted over at SearchChicago. 'The SHO moniker has it roots in the 1989 Taurus, which was a hugely popular sedan in the states, but Ford was looking for a way to capitalize on an already-successful nameplate. Easiest answer: add some additional ponies to the power plant and watch the enthusiasts rise from the depths. That 1980s' SHO was a 3.0-liter V-6 delivering a hefty 220 horsepower; compared to the standard 90-horsepower offered by the Taurus, it opened a lot of eyes.'

CNET have published their review of the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS SUV. 'Compared with the aggressive looks of the Hyundai Sonata and Tucson, the Santa Fe appears a bit dull and anonymous. It's not an unattractive vehicle by any means, but it also doesn't challenge our sensibilities or push the design envelope. In a parking lot full of Volkswagen Touaregs and Toyota Highlanders, it's content to merely blend in. On the inside, the Santa Fe's interior appears equally dull at first, but thanks to a good assortment of standard cabin technologies behind its blue, backlit, monochrome displays and a pretty good level of fit and finish, we can't really complain.'

The Truth About Cars have published their review of the Dodge Challenger SE. 'From outside the Challenger's deceptively large cabin, it seems like nothing could break the spell cast by the car's sheer presence. At least until the driver sticks the Challenger's plastic key fob into the appropriate receptacle and turns it, kicking the old 3.5 liter SOHC V6 to life with all the drama of a Grand Caravan. At this point, the observer of this unremarkable process is likely to come down with a bad case of cognitive dissonance: the eyes tell you to expect the lumpy loping of big V8, but all the ears hear are, well, almost nothing. With a stab of the throttle, the muted tickover rises to a tremulous drone. With enough motivation, the engine eventually manages to sound blustery, but it's never in danger of making a sound that's in the least bit purposeful.'

Car Advice have published a review of the 2010 Mahindra Pik-Up. 'Measuring in at 1880mm (H) x 1770m (W) x 5098mm (L), the Pik-Up is a sizeable beast, feeling similar in proportion to that of an early series LandCruiser. The large alloy tray offers a generous cargo area and, according to the owner's manual, is good for 1060kg of payload. The trouble is that as big as the Pik-Up is, cabin space is a little tight in terms of legroom, with storage behind the seats and in the centre console also rather limited. When it comes to features, the Pik-Up is a little light-on compared to some full-fruit Japanese rivals, but it's not as skint as you might think considering the price.'

The USA Today have published their "test driven" review of the 2011 Ford Fiesta. 'Fiesta -- along with the Euro-based Focus compact due next year -- represents Ford's two-pronged assault on the small-car arena that's been owned by Honda and Toyota. In the case of the Fiesta, the car got significant refinements in its size- and price-class, resulting in a machine that's genteel on the road and, Ford claims, quieter even than cars a size class and a lot of dollars up the scale.'