Indholdsfortegnelse for October 2014 i MotorTrend

Arguably the most important model in Hyundai’s lineup, the midsize Sonata sedan is all-new for 2015 and replaces the aging last-gen version that still represents 27 percent of Hyundai’s year-to-date sales as of this writing. Visually, the car is much more mature than its predecessor—a change I support. The 2015 Sonata transitions away from the eye-catching but superfluous styling that admittedly served the outgoing model well. Thanks to the new styling, the car’s drag coefficient has dropped from 0.28 to 0.27, and slightly larger exterior dimensions allow for more interior space, including an extra inch of rear seat legroom. The cabin is completely restyled to reflect the BMW-esque layout of the Genesis sedan, and it’s a change for the better with quality materials and an available display that is compatible…

Apidura Saddle Pack $136 • www.apidura.com Stash clothes and other soft gear securely on your bike. The pack has a three-point seat attachment system for a tight hold, and at 350 grams, you’ll hardly notice it’s there. It’s also waterproof. Twelve South PlugBug World $45 www.twelvesouth.com Carrying power adapters can be a pain. By adding a 2.1-amp PlugBug World USB port to your MacBook’s power supply you can eliminate the need for a separate iPhone/iPad charger. Plug adapters for major countries are included. Lapizta Oryx $595 • www.lapizta.com This 48mm chronograph is undeniably inspired by motorpsort. Worn by three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, its steel case has a brake rotor-inspired bezel, while its dial dons a checkered flag motif. It’s water-resistant to 100M and comes in a number of…

Big Test Inquisition In reference to your stated Real MPG for the Kia Optima on page 93 (“All in the Family,” July 2014), I find it impossible to believe that the Optima, which has had the same powertrain (along with the Hyundai Sonata) since 2011, achieved these figures. I have seen multiple tests of both those vehicles in the last few years and they have never averaged more than 27 mpg in mixed driving. I think one of your testers forgot to record a fill-up, moved a decimal point, didn’t carry the one, whatever. Seriously, 5 mpg more than the Accord, a newer design with a CVT? Four more than the Mazda6? No way. Other than that, a great article and issue. DENNIS HESSVia the Internet Repeat Real MPG tests—both…

Seven-oh-seven. Not since the famed Boeing jetliner of the same name has the public been so tantalized with the number 707. With Mopar claiming the new 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat makes 707 hp, we thought it was time to put it and the 580-hp 2014 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 on the chassis dyno at K&N Engineering’s Riverside, California, shop. Our eight-speed automatic-equipped Challenger Hellcat was the first to hit the rollers. Dodge says the Hellcat’s 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 produces an SAE-certified 707 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque at the crank. That’s a lie. It produces more—much more, even, depending on what sort of drivetrain loss you’re assuming. According to K&N’s dyno results, the Challenger SRT Hellcat puts down 635 hpand 591 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels. Assuming…

KEY 5M 5-speed manual 6A 6-speed automatic 6-sp auto-cl man 6-speed auto-clutch manual 7-sp twin-cl auto 7-speed twin-clutch automatic BMS blind-spot monitoring system rear cam rearview camera FWD front-wheel drive AWD all-wheel drive RWD rear-wheel drive S standard O optional N/A not available IntelliChoice five-year retained value data may apply to common vehicle variants, not an average of all model variants. ALL-NEW New inside and out, with possible powertrain changes MAJOR Mid-cycle updates, minor powertrain changes MINOR Special editions, significant new features UNCHANGED Minor trim/package changes, new colors Acura MDX Base Price $43,460-$45,460 Body Type SUV UNCHANGED The MDX was new for 2014, and the three-row crossover added a FWD variant to bring down the base price and allow for up to 28 mpg highway. All MDXs are powered by…

“Kia did a great job with the K900’s styling, but why not use the Quoris name? K900 is the only alphanumeric name in the U.S. lineup.”@zachgale EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 15/23/18 MPG BASE PRICE $60,400 PRICE AS TESTED $66,400 “You bought WHAT for $66,000?” That’s the question some 2015 Kia K900 V-8 drivers will get regularly—and they’ll enjoy every minute of answering it. The K900 full-size luxury sedan does what we’ve come to expect from Kia and Hyundai for years: It offers a package similar to those of more established brands at a better price. Only this time, Kia is attacking the top of the automotive food chain, from the BMW 7 Series to the Lexus LS. The K900 is an ambitious brand-building car from the automaker, which has…

“OK, the 110V plug in the Cadillac ATS ROCKS! #staycharged.”@autocritic Service life / 9 mo/13,973 mi Avg CO2 / 0.75 lb/mi Energy cons / 131 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 (2-oil change, tire rotation, inspections) Normal-wear cost / $0 Base price / $46,020 As tested / $46,620 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 21/31/24 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 25.8 MPG What really makes a car is what’s left after the new car smell fades and the interior begins to exude a hint of drive-thru grease, stale sweat, and spilled Red Bull. Sure, long hauls take their toll on any vehicle, but fortunately, the Cadillac ATS continues to hold up and provide a solid ride that showcases many of its practical but luxurious features. Its most recent…

“The RamBox’s engineers had their priorities in order, making it big enough to fit a case of beer.”@C_Seabaugh Service Life / 14 mo / 32,170 mi Base Price / $44,920 Options / Air suspension ($1595), RamBox ($1295), chrome side steps ($600), Torqueflite 8-speed auto ($500), leather seats ($500), navigation ($500), convenience group ($495: keyless entry, rain-sensing wipers), spray-in bedliner ($475), Class IV receiver hitch ($335), rear park assist system ($250), trailer brake controller ($230), remote start ($200), all-season tires ($175), protection group ($150: tow hooks, front skidplates), chrome trailer side mirrors ($100) Price As Tested / $52,320 Avg Econ/CO2 / 15.6 mpg / 1.24 lb/mi Problem Areas / None Maintenance Cost / $120.94 (2-oil change, tire rotation, inspection) Normal-Wear Cost / $0 3-Year Residual Value* / $26,683 Recalls /…

It’s been 12 years since the first XC90 rolled off a Swedish assembly line and several years since Volvo launched an all-new product (even longer for the U.S. market). After a complete stall in R&D while the brand was being sold, Volvo is back in action and ready to show the world what it’s been working on the past few years. Based on the brand’s all-new Scalable Product Architecture, which will underpin all new Volvos, the XC90 will be slightly larger than the outgoing car but also lighter. U.S. models will get two Drive-E engine options, both of which are supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinders. The base engine, called T6, is good for 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque and is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard…

Ferrari F12 TRS Based on the hardtop Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, the F12 TRS was custom-built at the request of a client as a throwback to the no-frills barchetta or open-top racers of the 1940-’60s, like the 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa. A clear panel in the hood of the F12 TRS shows off the roadster’s 731-hp, 509-lb-ft, 6.3-liter V-12’s red valve covers. Ferrari claims the F12 TRS will match the F12 Berlinetta’s 0-62 mph time of 3.1 seconds. In our testing, the F12 Berlinetta reached 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and finished the quarter mile in 11.3 seconds at 131.7 mph. Inside, the interior has been stripped of nonessential equipment including the glove box, central air vents, floormats, audio system, window controls, and storage pockets. The paint is a modern…

The auto infotainment game just got a new major player in Google. Called Android Auto, the new system is designed to incorporate a driver’s Android smartphone seamlessly into the dash of a car. Android Auto is the first product from the Open Automotive Alliance, a partnership among Google, tech giants such as Nvidia, and a wide array of automakers including Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Audi, Honda, Volvo, and others. Like CarPlay, Android Auto is designed to make it easier and safer to stay connected while on the go. By connecting their Android smartphone to Android Auto-equipped vehicles via USB port, drivers can essentially mirror their phone screens onto the vehicle’s infotainment display. With their phone synced up to Android Auto, drivers will be able to access apps such as Google Search,…

Aston Martin calls it the “most potent, fastest, and fastest-accelerating” open-top car it’s ever built. The 2015 Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster packs 565 hp, can sprint to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, and reach a top speed of 201 mph. Like the V12 Vantage S coupe and Vanquish, the V12 Vantage S roadster is powered by the automaker’s 5.9-liter V-12 engine. The engine is said to produce peak horsepower at 6750 rpm and as much as 376 lb-ft of torque at just 1000 rpm, while the peak 457 lb-ft happens at 5750 rpm. Aston Martin claims the engine provides a “flatter, yet fatter, torque curve.” The engine is backed by the automaker’s Sportshift III ASM (auto-shift manual) seven-speed transmission that can be controlled with paddle shifters. The V12…

There’s another option in the electrified luxury coupe segment, and it’s half the price of the Bimmer. Yes, yes, Cadillac’s ELR is at heart a luxurious, two-door version of the Chevrolet Volt. I ask you, so what? Obviously, the market agrees with you, as the fine-driving ELR is simply not selling. As of mid-June, Cadillac had moved 578 units. To which I say, pity. The svelte Caddy is a very nice alternative to the BMW i8 and a loaded Tesla Model S, at just over half the price. Price. Right. Cadillac is asking $75,995 for the ELR. For that not insignificant amount of scratch you get 37 miles of electric range, and a gasoline-powered range extender good for another 300 miles, give or take. (Though of course above 70 mph…

Have you ever flipped through an airline magazine and come across one of those “travel essentials” picture stories where some fashionista reveals the contents of his carry-on bag? “I never leave the country without my reversible Tahitian palm frond hat. It’s quite the conversation-starter!” The whole thing is fake, and a slick way to sneak in some product placements, but it succeeds in making you feel like an inadequate, ill-prepared, out-of-touch traveler. Lexus would like you to feel that you’re making an even worse sartorial decision by not owning its new entry-level luxury crossover, the NX. Doesn’t Lexus already make a small, luxury crossover SUV, the RX? Yes, in fact, in the U.S. the RX outsells the BMW 3 Series. That makes the Camry-based high-rider the best-selling luxury vehicle in…

“My LT Cherokee Trailhawk is hitting the dirt at the earliest opportunity, rest assured.”@roryjurnecka EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 18/25/20 MPG BASE PRICE $30,490 PRICE AS TESTED $37,265 Not two days after I’d taken the helm of the Deep Cherry Red Crystal Pearl Coat (whew!) Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk that arrived in our parking garage, I couldn’t take it anymore. The urge to run over objects large enough to cause at least minor damage to lesser vehicles had become too much to restrain. I turned towards the nearest empty parking lot and began climbing parking curbs and concrete medians to get my fix. I’m fairly sure any onlookers assumed I was blind. Is urban off-roading a thing? It might be soon, depending on how many Cherokee Trailhawks fall into consumer hands. The…

“Clicked over the 10,000-mile mark rolling down the 405 Freeway in Sunday traffic alongside a 427 Cobra and a rat-rodded ’50s pickup. How L.A.” Service life / 8 mo/12,604 mi Avg CO2 / 1.18 lb/mi Energy cons / 205 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 Base price / $83,850 As tested / $89,850 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 17/23/19 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 16.4 MPG The guys at our sister publication Stereophile would be horrified, but my home audio setup currently comprises an iPod hooked up to a set of $70 JBL Creature II speakers. That perhaps explains why I reach for the top shelf when choosing audio systems for my long-term test cars. So I was mildly disappointed to find the best…

“Oh you turned up the bass and treble on the Mazda6 did you? How about putting it back to where you found it? CC: @motortrend #LeaveNoTrace”@edloh Service life / 12 mo/20,500 mi Avg CO2 / 0.69 lb/mi Energy cons / 120 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $178.96 (2-oil change, tire rotation, inspection) Normal-wear cost / $0 Base price / $24,240 As tested / $24,540 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 25/37/29 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 28.1 MPG The Mazda6 mileage continues to pile up under my hands and those of the staff. These are apparently oily hands, as the ’6’s leather-wrapped steering wheel has taken on a smooth and oddly glossy sheen. To be fair, it is about the only surface in the car showing any signs…

Word on the Tokyo street is that there’s a Lexus LF-LC Coupe mule running around Japan packing a 600-hp twin-turbo version of the upcoming RC F’s 5.0-liter V-8. That power rating may be on the conservative side. We heard back in March 2013 that Lexus was overwhelmed by the positive response to the swoopy coupe and decided to green-light it. Until now there has been little to no information on the striking concept, other than the fact that the production version will most likely be called SC. There still isn’t much, but our sources confirm the monstrous twin-turbo V-8 will power the SC F. There’s a potent hybrid LF-LC/SC H whose powertrain will probably be the fruits of the BMW joint project and make around 500 hp. A third engine,…

Formerly a feature concept in Intake, the Jaguar F-Type Project 7 will be limited to just 250 units, and is claimed by Jaguar to be its fastest, most powerful production model yet at 567 hp and 502 lb-ft from a 5.0-liter supercharged V-8. Though it was a single-seater in concept form, a passenger seat has been added on the production version, complete with its own roll hoop. A Bimini roof stored in the trunk can be clipped onto the header rail of the shortened wind-shield if cover is needed. Jaguar’s carbon-ceramic matrix brakes are standard, as are an eight-speed automatic, brake-based torque vectoring and a unique suspension setup.…

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said the automaker will launch early forms of autonomous driving technology by 2016 on new Nissan vehicles toward the ultimate goal of commercially viable autonomous tech by 2020. Part of its Autonomous Drive group of technology, the 2016 timetable for integration includes the release of automated lane controls that allow the vehicle to regulate its direction and speed on the highway, and traffic jam systems that allow the vehicle to safely drive without input from the driver in low-speed situations. “We are bringing to market a traffic-jam pilot, a technology enabling cars to drive autonomously—and safely—on congested highways. In the same time frame, we will make fully automated parking systems available across a wide range of vehicles,” Ghosn said to members of the media in Japan.…

1. STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES: Motor Trend has been testing cars since 1949 and as Frank Markus noted in his Technologue column (bit.ly/MTTesting) of Motor Trend, “…a big weakness of ours: measuring fuel economy.” With Emission Analytics expertise, Motor Trend has invested where no other automotive media evaluation has gone. 2. BE COMFORTABLE. Before and after each city/highway test, Sam Boyle conducts a calibration that zeroes out the gas analyzer with nitrogen (pictured here) The test includes multiple drive sessions as well as installing and removing the equipment for as many as 25 tests per week. To stay comfortable yet meet their job demands, the Dickies Regular Straight Fit 5-Pocket Jean (bit.ly/Dickies5Pocket) provide casual, Built To Work comfort. 3. SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. To determine economy, the special calibrated Chevron test fuel remains…

Taking a look at some of America’s most iconic manmade machines over the past century or so reveals much about our national psyche. The World War II Iowa class battleship was among the most powerful ever built, with 212,000 shaft horsepower, nine 16-inch guns, and a displacement of 58,000 tons by the time it went out of service. The big Grumman F6F Hellcat was one of the deadliest naval fighters of all time. The Saturn V rocket is the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever made, producing more than 1 million pounds of thrust. Big power isn’t just limited to our war and space machines. Our cars are powerful too, as evidenced by the two iconic musclecars gracing this page. The recently refreshed 2014 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is the…

2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i owners will pay attention to track-tested performance data as much as BRZ sports car owners worry about rear-seat headroom—it just doesn’t happen. Owners of the new 2015 Outback will appreciate what they think the new wagon-like crossover, with its nifty retractable crossbars and integrated tie-downs, says about them. While the Outback boasts a reputation for actually being used for outdoorsy pursuits, nearly every off-road adventure ends on pavement, so we headed to the track to explore how the 2015 model compares to our long-gone 2010 Outback long-termer. Does the new Outback 2.5i reward drivers with sports-car acceleration? Not even close, but it is markedly improved over its predecessor, a versatile crossover that won our hearts to become the 2010 SUV of the Year. Matched against the…

“LOVE OnStar RemoteLink. I now always program the nav from my phone, even when I’m sitting in the car.”@MT_Markus Service life / 7 mo/10,563 mi Avg CO2 / 1.55 lb/mi Energy cons / 217 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / Intermittent infotainment fault Maintenance cost / $0 (1-oil change, inspection) Normal-wear cost / $0 Base price / $51,355 As tested / $54,585 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 16/22/18 (GAS) 12/16/13 (E85) MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 15.5 MPG I’ve made peace with the fact that this is primarily a city and highway truck. Its bed has been used way more often for moving households (three and counting), shooting photos out of, and toting road-trip luggage (Northern Michigan, Memphis, the Hot Rod Power Tour, etc.) than hauling dirt, mulch, or anything grimy (only…

“You’d think it’d grow tiresome, but I’m more in love with the supercharged V-6’s evil wail than I was the day our F-Type showed up.” Service life / 5 mo/9138 mi Avg CO2 / 1.01 lb/mi Energy cons / 176 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 Base price / $81,895 As tested / $92,590 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 19/27/22 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 19.2 MPG A tiny, minor thing has gone wrong with the F-Type V6 S. When the top is down, the stereo pumps out more bass than when the top is up. Makes sense, as the cabin is no longer sealed. Somehow our car got confused, and when the top was up it kept pumping out the same bass level…

“I’m a 26-year-old single dude with no kids or family. I wouldn’t buy a new Pathfinder, but if my sister or neighbor wanted one I’d give them the thumbs-up.”@MT_Shaffer Service Life / 12 mo / 30,817 mi Base Price / $41,595 Options / Platinum premium package ($2300: tri-zone DVD entertainment system, panoramic moonroof), roof rail crossbars ($300), carpeted floormats ($200) Price As Tested / $44,395 Avg Econ/CO2 / 20.6 mpg / 0.94 lb/mi Problem Areas / Fading paint on roof, fuel cap tether Maintenance Cost / $397.89 (4-oil change, inspection; 1-engine-air filter, rotate tires, brake system flush) Normal-Wear Cost / $652.19 (Replace front/rear brake pads, resurface front/rear discs) 3-Year residual value* / $20,866 Recalls / None *Automotive Lease Guide REAL MPG CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 19/25/21 AVERAGE FUEL ECON 20.6…