Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2015 i MotorTrend

Infiniti’s sedan range will expand both upward and downward over the next five years. The Q80 Inspiration concept car shown at the Paris Motor Show is very much an indication for a flagship due in four years. It will follow the Q30, a four-door front-drive hatchback to be built in the U.K. starting next year. The Q30 sits on Mercedes’ A-Class platform. Answering a question from Motor Trend on the eve of the show, Nissan-Infiniti CEO Carlos Ghosn said: “We will enlarge Infiniti’s product offer. It will move up and down [beyond the Q30]. Not for the next three years, but long-term.” Group design director Shiro Nakajima confirmed that they are already doing advanced work on a Q20. The Q80 Inspiration runs a brand-new 3.0-liter V-6 with twin turbos, plus…

Dr. Thomas Weber has been a member of the Board of Management of Daimler Auto Group since 2003 and responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development since 2004. MT Your driver aid technologies almost allow autonomous driving now, and you’ve said clearly that fully autonomous driving is the next step. How receptive have governments been to these plans? TW First of all, I am quite happy with the approach coming from Google. It gives us together a huge push to speed up some processes normally the regulators would never do in such a short period of time. Based on the latest discussions, I feel a lot of support from all of the regulators. Now, I think it’s necessary that we are aware that really autonomous driving will need some…

We Like Interior/exterior styling, creative cabin storage, low cabin noise. We Don’t Like Poor rear seat headroom, lazy nine-speed transmission. Nearly every judge’s first impression of the new Chrysler 200 midsize sedan was a positive one. The 200 immediately comes across as an inspired rebirth of a historically lackluster model. With its stylish, contemporary sheetmetal, four- and six-cylinder engine options, and a new segment-first nine-speed automatic transmission, expectations were high for a car that could help reinvent the brand. We had two 200s for COTY, each with upper trim levels. The 200C was a front-drive version with the Tigershark 2.4-liter I-4, while the 200S had all-wheel drive and the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6. The 200C is Chrysler’s luxe-oriented model, and it showed in the cabin, with real wood trim and leather…

We Like Value price and feature-rich cabin; killer electric version. We Don't Like Coarse engine and gone-hunting transmission. Love or hate its dancing hamster ads, there’s no arguing the fact that the Kia Soul has struck a chord with buyers. Now in its second generation, Kia is looking to take all that its buyers loved about the first Soul and put it in a bigger package. Wider and longer than before, the new Soul carries its new visual weight well. “Exterior design is a terrific rework of the original that gives the new Soul a more premium feel without losing that fun character of the original,” MacKenzie said. The Soul doesn’t just look more upmarket from the outside; it actually is on the inside. The funky-yet-functional interior includes Kia’s Uvo…

We Like Off-the-line speed. We Don't Like Its portly size and weight. As the list of electric nameplates grows, their design will continue to become more mainstream, which often means less interesting. They’ll be the electric version of the gas-engine car. The Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive proves this point with its completely satisfactory, if not downright normal-looking, entry. “Typical Mercedes-Benz interior gestalt,” Loh said. “All black, all very familiar and traditional.” Indeed, many pieces inside this Mercedes feel as if they came from a spare parts bin, but a high-quality one. There’s nothing dramatic, and few details reinforce the vehicle’s electric powertrain—those little jewels that play to current electric car buyers. The interior is well-crafted and includes some luxurious perks such as drop-down trays for second-row passengers. The tall body…

We Like Handsome looks, great seats, immensely practical. We Don’t Like Rear seat legroom, spongy brakes, Polestars are sold out. It’s no secret automotive journalists are fans of wagons, and this new Volvo V60 gives us every reason to continue rallying behind them. It’s handsome, practical, and reasonably fun to drive. Against its peers in the tragically small wagon segment, this car shines. Why isn’t it a finalist, or even Car of the Year, then? A few drawbacks hamstrung the otherwise strong contender. Among them was the lack of space in the rear seat, particularly with regard to legroom. Several judges noted it wasn’t as roomy as other cars in the class. Also taking heat were the brakes, which in both models displayed a spongy pedal feel that sapped driver…

We Like Turbo oomph, rally handling, capacious back seat. We Don’t Like Boy-racer bits, short gearing, down-market interior. The WRX and its hi-po STI sibling didn’t fail to advance in this year’s COTY competition because of a lack of performance, what with respective 0-60 times of 5.7 and 4.6 seconds, and quarter-mile runs of 14.3 at 96.1 and 13.1 at 104.4 mph. Quite the opposite, really. Subaru’s AWD pocket-rockets were lauded not only for their get-up-and-go, but also their hang-on-and-enjoy. As Seabaugh pointed out, “It’s one of the few performance cars out there where a driver can hop in, turn of all the nannies, and have a blast without any but-clenching moments.” Of the STI, Lieberman said, “This is a truly great-handling machine.” But we expected this from the WRX…

We Like Loads of fun to drive, great looks. We Don’t Like Gets very expensive very quickly. When it comes to the compact luxury sedan class, the Value criterion can be a tough one to pin down because it’s not always a matter of X features for Y money. To many people, the badge on the trunk carries a great deal of value by itself, but you can’t really measure that. Rather than measure, though, automakers bank on it. Value is the single biggest reason the A3 isn’t Car of the Year. At just under $31,000 to start, the opening bid makes a strong case. Add features, though, and the proposition quickly sours, especially when you realize what isn’t included in the base price. For example, the mid-range A3 2.0…

We Like Glamorous interior, strong performance. We Don’t Like Poor ride quality, cramped rear seat. The C-Class accounts for about a quarter of Mercedes-Benz’s U.S. sales. So the decision to push the new 2015 model upmarket, with more equipment and technology, a more lavishly finished interior, plus, of course, a higher price tag, represents a significant marketing shift. Interior and exterior styling leave no doubt that—now the entry-level CLA sedan can look after wide-eyed first-time Benz buyers—this new C-Class is for those who want a taste of S-Class luxury when they drive the three-pointed star. The beautifully executed interior, awash with softly polished metal, stitched leather, and your choice of richly polished or warm, open-pore wood, absolutely nails the baby S-Class meme. But the exterior misses. The extreme dash-to-axle gives…

We Like Its sharply done interior. We Don’t Like Its loose handling. The 2015 Ford Mustang arrived for Car of the Year testing with a new engine, a new body, and an all-new independent rear suspension. The 2.3-liter direct-injection, turbocharged I-4 is all-new for the Mustang and provides more balanced performance, though its 310 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque never seemed fully available on the handling track. “I wish the EcoBoost engine was a little more raw,” Evans said. “It’s laggy at low RPM, but when the turbo comes on, there’s no big payof. It’s just a little extra push.” The bigger (and heavier) V-8 Mustang’s carryover 5.0-liter engine adds power but makes the car more difficult to control. The chassis seems to have a difficult time handling it…

Location: Jackrabbit Ranch, Big Bear City, CA Pickup trucks are so ubiquitous, so common on our roadways that we tend to take them for granted, but the fact is America loves trucks. Combined, Chevrolet, Ford, and Ram sold 1.6 million of them last year, and sales are up. That’s mind-boggling to some, but it illustrates just how important these vehicles are to the market, their builders, and their buyers. It also illustrates why the three big players have each launched an all-new model within the past three years, each truck stuffed with significant updates based on volumes of customer research, and we’ve got their strongest all-around models assembled for this test. From Chevrolet, the Silverado 1500 LTZ with a 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V-8. From Ford, the F-150 Lariat with a 2.7-liter…

“Pushing the button for the heated/cooled front seats has become automatic upon entering the Soul. They come in handy no matter the weather.” EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 23/31/26 MPG BASE PRICE $21,295 PRICE AS TESTED $26,635 Alien II. That’s the color of our new long-term 2014 Kia Soul. Of all the seven colors available for our top-trim Exclaim (!) model, our car was delivered in a shimmery green color—perhaps the most eye-catching choice on the palette after bright Solar Yellow. But even without a loud and crazy paint color, it’s hard to overlook the funky Soul. When it comes to boxy cars, the Soul is the last of a dying breed. While other slab-sided cars are struggling to stay afloat, the Soul continues to be one of the Koreans’…

“The Passat’s power windows have Pinch Protection so fingers don’t get smushed.” @Emiliana505 Service life / 5 mo/ 6,048 mi Avg CO2 / 0.73 lb/mi Energy cons / 127 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 Base price / $28,495 As tested / $28,730 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 24/34/28 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 26.6 MPG Our Passat Sport doesn’t have on-screen nav (it’s available on the SE but not the Sport), and as I’m a relative newcomer to Los Angeles, I frequently need navigational assistance, and I want to see a map of where I’m going. Lucky for me my smartphone fills the void efficiently, albeit unattractively. I attach my iPhone to the left side of the center stack air conditioning…

“I really like driving the Model S. Hey, Ayn Rand said selfishness is a virtue.” Service life / 15 mo/33,700 mi Avg CO2 / N/A Energy cons / 39 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 Base price / $94,900 As tested / $112,350 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 88/90/89 MPG-E AVERAGE FUEL ECON 86.2 MPG-E Not a week goes by that somebody doesn’t ask me, “Still have the Model S long-termer? I thought it would have gone back already.” Yes, its one-year residency here ended a few months ago, but I made a plea that we keep it longer because its frequently updated software makes the experience an ever-changing proposition. Recently, a request appeared on the car’s nav screen to download the…

“Driving from Detroit to Ocala in the Cadillac ATS we’ve already passed Needmore Road and Big Bone Lick Park.” @Autocritic Service Life / 8 mo / 15,300 mi Base Price / $43,020 Options / CUE and Navigation ($945), 18-in aluminum wheels ($800), Cold Weather Package ($600: heated front seats, heated steering wheel), Majestic Plum Metallic paint ($495) Price As Tested / $45,860 Avg Econ/CO2 / 25.9 mpg / 0.75 lb/mi Energy Cons / 160/109 kW-hrs/100 mi Problem Areas / None Maintenance Cost / $0 (3-oil change, inspection; 1-tire rotation) Normal-Wear Cost / $0 3-Year Residual Value* / $18,344 Recalls / Automatic transmission shift cable, front seat bracket EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 21/31/24 AVERAGE FUEL ECON 25.9 MPG *Automotive Lease Guide This long-term loan was shorter than most at…

The ATS sedan and coupe have fared well against their counterparts at BMW—the 3 and 4 Series—and now Cadillac is readying its assault on the top-end M variants of Bavaria’s finest. As has been rumored forever, the ATS-V will be motivated by a variant of the CTS Vsport’s V-6 that is significantly upgraded from that car’s 420 hp/430 lb-ft to more than 450/450 in the ATS-V. This LF4 engine will be backed by a choice of a six-speed manual with active rev-matching for patient purists who don’t care about winning races, or an eight-speed auto that shifts quicker than a Porsche PDK twin-clutch box. With it, expect to hit 60 mph in less than 4 seconds en route to a 180-plus-mph top speed. To cool all that angry combustion, the…

At the recent Paris Motor Show, Audi introduced both the TT Roadster production car and four-door TT Sportback concept. Speaking to Motor Trend a few minutes later, Ulrich Hackenberg, the brand’s board member for R&D, confirmed that the TT line would increase, but a Sportback probably isn’t going to be the first. At the Beijing show in April, Audi showed another four-door TT concept, a crossover called the TT Offroad Concept, and it’s the likely first addition. If manufactured, these TT spinoffs would be extra models for Audi. “We have 50 models at Audi now; we will have 60 by 2020,” Hackenberg said. “So there will be new cars in between the regular market segments. We are on our way to checking which are the right ones to expand our…

There are few cars more revered (and feared) on the market today than the Dodge Challenger Hellcat. With a 707-hp, 650-lb-ft supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V-8 mounted up front, the two-door Challenger Hellcat has staked its claim among the most powerful production cars in the world. And now Dodge has taken that same powertrain mated to the same eight-speed automatic and stuffed it into its newly redesigned “practical” car, the full-size, four-door Charger sedan. The end result is sheer madness, of course: 0-60 mph in an estimated 3.7 seconds, the quarter-mile run in an NHRA-verified 11.0 seconds, and a top speed of 204 mph. On street tires. All this for just under $65,000. Of course, there are more responsible ways to dispose of less cash. Dodge is continuing to make Chargers…

Longest Subscribers The October 2014 issue featured an interview with Mr. Donald Barr, whom we said was Motor Trend’s longest continuous subscription holder. Since publication, we’ve had numerous individuals write in to tell us they’ve subscribed even longer. While our subscription desk (it is a separate business entity from editorial operations) is unable to verify the veracity of the following claims, we loved hearing from each and every one of you! My husband, Mendon Conley, will be 90 on [redacted]. He believes he has been a subscriber since about 1950. He has moved several times, but he doesn’t think he has ever stopped. It’s his favorite magazine, and he reads it from cover to cover. When he goes to a dealership, he usually knows more than the salesman does about…

We Like Huge rear seat room, classy interior, mature sheetmetal. We Don’t Like Unimpressive power, sloppy handling. On the face of things, Hyundai’s new Sonata looks more like a heavy face-lift than an all-new model. Sure, the styling is vastly revised—gone are the gimmicky character lines of the old model, replaced with more confident, mature sheetmetal—but the two carryover engines, the 2.4-liter and turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4s, are merely revised for more measured power delivery. The suspension and steering systems have been revised, and cabin noise was reduced. The new Eco variant even gets a 1.6-liter turbocharged I-4 with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox (Hyundai’s first). Remarkably, the Eco out-accelerated the Sport 2.0T despite a significant horsepower deficit. The Limited's high-quality leather seating surfaces look nice, but the faux-wood trim is unconvincing.…

We Like Architectural Digest design. We Don’t Like Slippy/tippy handling unbecoming of the Roundel. The Prius taught the world that if you want your alternative powertrain to sell, you’d best give it a unique wrapper. BMW took that lesson to heart when designing its i sub-brand’s mainstream offering, and the i3’s design inspired copious commentary. “In design terms, it’s trying pretty hard, but doesn’t look geeky, nor does it have the boiled-toad appearance of a Nissan Leaf,” MacKenzie said. Adds Loh, “Love, love, love the interior and exterior design. The materials are inviting/touchable, bold and concept car-y.” Kiino said the interior “feels like you’re driving a spaceship, with the floating screens, huge dash, and big windshield,” while Burgess found “a goofiness about the i3 that I enjoy” and Seabaugh called…

We Like Quiet interior, impressive driver aids. We Don't Like Terminal understeer, inoffensive styling at best. The all-new Acura TLX comes to us carrying quite a burden, replacing two cars at once and filling the most important sedan segment for the brand. If that weren’t enough, it also carries a number of new technologies to help further its luxury credentials. It’s a lot to ask of one car, and the TLX manages pretty well. Judges agreed the car is a step forward for the Acura brand and the best of its most recent sedan efforts. But we found it lacking in some categories. The most remarked upon was Advancement in Design, where the judges agreed that while the TLX is the best-looking Acura to carry this design language, that isn’t…

We Like Lotus-like mass, steering, handling. We Don't Like Caterham-like comfort, amenities. The COTY deck is inherently stacked against the 4C. This sweet-driving little gem was much better suited to our laser-focused Best Driver’s Car competition, where it ranked as this year’s runner-up with several staffers arguing vehemently in its favor. Here, with six diverse criteria chosen to help us assess each contender’s worth as transportation, the lovable Alfa struggled mightily. Mind you, it rocks the Performance of Intended Function category, presuming that function is merely to delight its driver on a great road. (The passenger will be miserable, with nowhere to hang on securely.) Said Loh after a lap of the Winding Track: “I need more time to recalibrate my inner ear. You feel so much more in this…

HOT Acura TLX’s high-tech interior includes a new push-button gear selector. BMW i3 clearly has a unique style, nowhere more apparent than in its cabin, which is finished with recycled materials. Honda Fit is not COTY but could be POTY—Packaging of the Year—with its second-gen magic seat and monster cargo capacity. Hyundai Genesis’ futuristic head-up display includes blind-spot indication. NOT Alfa 4C serves up a fantastic drive, but with kit-car interior execution. Kia K900’s chrome wheels mar an elegant, mature exterior design. Lexus has a problem when the nicest thing anyone could say about the RC F's sheetmetal was it’s polarizing from nose to tail. A chasm-like door gap in the Maserati Ghibli’s cabin scars an otherwise beautiful driver. If Mini’s design gets any plumper or weirder, we’ll start comparing…

We Like Stately exterior and smooth, quiet ride. We Don’t Like Its body roll and V-8 performance. The Hyundai Genesis was a welcome surprise for many judges. The large premium sedan combines luxury, performance, and style in a very elegant manner. “The Genesis is a real evolution,” MacKenzie said. “Hyundai has changed the things that were wrong with the last one. It’s a lot of car for the money. It’s the kind of car that very few carmakers have managed to do in that segment.” Indeed, Hyundai has found the sweet spot between sporty import sedans and traditional big, quiet rides. Many editors preferred the 3.8-liter V-6 mated to the eight-speed automatic transmission over the 5.0-liter V-8 for its overall performance. The 3.8-liter V-6 creates 311 horsepower and 293 lb-ft…

We Like Handsome design and First Class seats—finally, a minivan for grownups! We Don’t Like Fussy seat mechanisms, reduced third-row headroom. Here’s a surprising statistic for you to chew on: According to Kia, 45 percent of minivan buyers are empty nesters. That’s a pretty sizable market, and Kia is looking to cash in with the all-new Sedona, the last model in the automaker’s lineup to benefit from Kia’s new design language. And benefit it does. The Sedona certainly makes a case for itself as the most handsome minivan on the market. “The big truck-like grille gives the Sedona a tough, masculine demeanor while making an emphatic brand statement. There’s no mistaking this vehicle is a Kia,” MacKenzie said. The lone minivan at this year’s Car of the Year also made…

We Like Engine, transmission, brakes, handling. We Don’t Like Shake ’N Bake exterior styling. The Lexus RC is a mash-up of existing Lexus cars. The front third of the vehicle comes from the midsize GS sedan, the middle section is from the IS C convertible, and the rear third is from the IS sedan. The result is a wide track at the front, short rear overhang, and a very stiff structure. And weight. To wit, the RC F is more than 400 pounds heavier than the car it most directly competes against, the BMW M4. Sadly, Lexus couldn’t provide us with an RC 350 F Sport, so we can’t talk about the entire RC range. Still, we liked the RC F and its 467-horsepower, naturally aspirated V-8 well enough that…

“In the options selection, you’ll be able to choose [between] three settings: Normal. Sport. And Insane.” Elon Musk glanced around and grinned. “Yeah, it will actually say ‘In-sane.’” Musk chortled, along with the 2,000-strong crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. Although Wall Street analysts were soured by his Los Angeles presentation of the Dual Motor Tesla Model S P85D and the mysteriously tweeted “something else” (Musk’s personal wealth dropped $500 million by the next morning), all we can say is that the Wall Street suits haven’t ridden in the Model S P85D. And best they don’t if they want to keep their Brooks Brothers slacks dry, because we’ve just tested it, and as insane goes, it makes Charlie Manson look like Charlie Rose. How crazy? Musk: “Our…

“These are good days for five-door fans—Kia, Hyundai, Ford, and VW all offer compelling alternatives to this ’3.” Service life / 7 mo/15,616 mi Avg CO2 / 0.63 lb/mi Energy cons / 110 kW-hrs/100mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $78.88 (oil change, tire rotation, inspection) Normal-wear cost / $0 Base price / $27,290 As tested / $30,285 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 28/38/32 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 30.7 MPG Suddenly we’ve a new king in the halls of MT. Well … at least a new hatchback king. You see, my esteemed colleague Benson “Gary” Kong produced an eye-opening hatchback Big Test in our November 2014 issue. An almost identical version of this car battled it out with a field of five, but lost its usual comparo crown to our…

“A long overall driving range isn’t the K900 V-8’s forte, but it does get attention at gas stations and car washes around town.” @zachgale Service life / 5 mo/8,170 mi Avg CO2 / 1.14 lb/mi Energy cons / 198 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 (oil change, rotate tires, inspection) Normal-wear cost / $0 Base price / $60,400 As tested / $66,400 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 15/23/18 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 17.0 MPG Daily driving a 2015 Kia K900 V-8 has its perks, but if there were one or two elements of ownership I would magically change, they’d be the fuel economy, the size of the fuel tank, or both. My gripe has nothing to do with the price of gas but rather how…

“The V60 is a great mutt-mover! It is easy for Leica to jump in, and the windows are low enough that he doesn’t have to jump on the sill.” Service life / 4 mo/9,788 mi Avg CO2 / 0.78 lb/mi Energy cons / 135 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 Base price / $36,225 As tested / $45,625 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 25/37/29 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 25.0 MPG The first couple of months with the Swede wagon have come and gone, and I am still really enjoying it. Recently the V60 competed in our annual Car of the Year program, and I got a chance to drive it around the Hyundai proving grounds high-speed oval near Mojave, California. We had…

It’s been two and a half years since Audi, through its Lamborghini subsidiary, bought Italian motorcycle maker Ducati for a reported $1.1 billion. We still have no idea why, but the union is now bearing some very tempting, if unexpected, fruit. If only it had been named something more tempting than XL Sport. Based loosely on the hyper-efficient Volkswagen XL1 hybrid, the XL Sport puts the XL1’s lessons in aerodynamics and weight savings to a performance application. Even more interesting, it’s powered by Ducati’s Superquadro V-Twin engine. Featuring desmodromic valve control, titanium connecting rods, and an 11,000-rpm redline, the 1.2-liter twin is Ducati’s most powerful engine, with 197 hp and 99 lb-ft of torque. Borrowed from the limited-edition 1199 Superleggera motorcycle, the engine resides in the middle of the XL…

After months of relative silence, Lotus announced it will cut 325 jobs worldwide as it restructures. “We have worked very hard to avoid the need to make the proposal, but do believe that it is now essential,” Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales said in a statement. The cut represents roughly a quarter of the company’s global workforce. Lotus plans to shuffle employees among its facilities to maintain operations and minimize job losses. Gales denied rumors the company will leave the North American market. “The North American market is vitally important for us and we intend to expand our dealer network and grow our sales volumes in the future,” he said. Gales also said there would be no 2015-model Evora, the company’s only street car available in North America, though an improved…

WHAT A YEAR-OUR 66TH CONTEST AND COUNTING Of the year. It’s easy to overlook that part. Car of the Year is not Car We Like the Most, regardless of context. Otherwise we’d still be talking about the Acura NSX. Rather, Car of the Year is a critical examination of where the automotive industry is at a given point in time. The big question, of course, is what new or significantly refreshed car is the winner? To answer it, we must consider the year. Remember, new cars showing up in 2015 were initially planned in 2010, at the tail end of the Great Recession. One might think this would portend boring cars. Fortunately, despite all of the sober, left-brain reasons people give when buying a car, the truth is that an…

We Like Improved styling, AWD functionality, the car’s honesty. We Don't Like Back-of-the-pack performance and handling, lack of innovation. With the exception of pickup trucks, no segment in the auto biz is as closely contested as midsize family sedans. Not only are the perennial bestsellers—Accord and Camry, take your pick—really good vehicles, but so are the pretenders to the CamCord throne: Mazda6, Passat, Optima, Sonata, and Fusion. If you’re going to try to compete with this gaggle of smartly engineered, aggressively focus-grouped mensches, you need to stand out. This doesn’t leave the Subaru Legacy much room to maneuver. The Legacy actually does pretty decently against many of our key criteria. Value, Safety, Efficiency, and even Performance of Intended Function all jump to mind. However, in terms of Advancement in Design…

We Like Great-looking. Side mirrors glow green while charging. We Don’t Like Louder gas engine than the Volt’s, and performance doesn’t feel greater. “The wrong car at the wrong time at the wrong price.” That was MacKenzie’s bottom line on the Cadillac ELR. He’s right. Why is the ELR the wrong car? It’s just not big enough. Look at electric vehicles people love (basically, the Tesla Model S), and you’ll notice they're big. Full-size, in fact. Next, unless we’re talking sports cars, Americans still think that a big price should equal a big car. The ELR’s base price is higher than every other Cadillac, save the top-trim Escalades. Yet the ELR is the second-smallest car Caddy sells—it’s slightly bigger outside than the ATS. Cadillac’s most expensive car is also the…

We Like Quiet ride, posh interior, smooth powertrain. We Don’t Like Sloppy handling, chrome wheels, dated platform. Despite not earning a spot on our short list of finalists, the Kia K900 was just about universally loved by our judges. Why? Well, picture an immaculate example of the defunct Lincoln Town Car. Now imagine it with clean, modern, understated sheetmetal; a 420-hp, 5.0-liter V-8 paired to a smooth eight-speed auto; a stunning interior with white Nappa leather and dark walnut trim; and a cabin so quiet you could hear a mouse break wind. Gale gave the K900’s style high marks, noting, “The exterior is proof positive that you do not need strange lines or shapes to differentiate in a positive way. All in all, a very successful and competent design with…

We Like Spunky three-cylinder, fuel economy, door-mounted window switches. We Don't Like Awkward styling, choppy ride, notchy gearshift. If there ever were a recipe for a strong COTY player, the Mini would seem to have it in spades: classic style, a hoot to scoot, and small, cute proportions that belied a big, infectious personality. Problem is, that pretty much describes the first two generations of the modern Mini, not this latest one. This all-new third generation, now based on a platform shared with BMW’s front-drive 1 Series, has lost much of that Mini magic. For starters, the exemplary Frank Stephenson design has morphed into an odd-looking fraternal twin of the past gens. Per Theodore, “Aesthetically, each Mini keeps getting bigger and more and more a caricature of itself.” Guest judge…

We Like Four-door Ferrari moves. We Don’t Like Boutique build quality, Chrysler-bin bits. The first Maserati to shimmy under our COTY price ceiling ($125,000 this year) aims to crash the German exec-sedan party. The design beguiled most judges, with Gale praising the overall proportions, front and rear graphics, and “squat feel to the overall package,” and MacKenzie admiring the way “the low-slung grille pouts provocatively.” Of course, it was the dynamics of il tridente that got us raving. “Every sedan here, especially any RWD one, wishes it drove like this car. Huge power, huge grip, very neutral handling with a little rotation at entry and mild understeer at the limit—what a fun car!” Evans said. “An absolute blast—the rocket ship in our test group,” Burgess said. Theodore enthused, “It sticks…

We Like The pure driving experience and potent powertrains. We Don’t Like Being nickel-and-dimed for Bluetooth audio, iPod connectivity, and navigation. It’s really easy to be cynical about the BMW 2 Series. It’s small, priced in a way that allows BMW to move the 3 Series upmarket, and it’s completely devoid of standard amenities. Shut down that left brain, though, and the 2 Series starts to make a bit of sense. If there’s one Car of the Year criterion the new BMW 2 Series excels at, it’s Performance of Intended Function. With the 2 Series, BMW engineers set out to return the Ultimate Driving Machine to its roots, evoking the legendary BMW 2002 in the process. To that effect, BMW largely succeeds. The BMW 228i and M235i are up there…

It might be hard to believe, but in a four-decade lifespan, Volkswagen’s Golf has only run away with our Golden Calipers once before, in 1985. Also interesting is the fact that the GTI that won our Car of the Year award 30 years ago was deemed our “domestic” COTY at a time when we still categorized imported cars into their own award. The domestic tag was because the 1985 GTI was constructed at Volkswagen’s now-defunct Pennsylvania plant, which was shuttered three years later. A lot has changed in the intervening years. Volkswagen is once again producing cars in the U.S., and the Volkswagen Golf, including the GTI, is once again our Car of the Year. For 2015, the Golf was a near-unanimous choice among our judges by virtue of its…

Why do people drive midsize pickup trucks? Per a recent Maritz market research study polling new vehicle customers, it’s certainly not to go bombing down rutted trails (only 7 percent of respondents off-road once a month or more frequently) or for their towing ability (67 percent don’t tow anything). So we casually asked friends and acquaintances with midsize pickups: Why? For many people, trucks are day-to-day transportation that just so happens to have a bed astern. The answers came down to: “I like sitting up high,” “I like the size,” “I want to carry something big once a year,” or most simply, “I like it.” For many, trucks are day-to-day transportation that just so happens to have a bed astern. With this in mind, we compared the 2015 Chevy Colorado…

“The SR’s standard driver-side armrest is a gift from above when I’m stuck in traffic on my daily commute.” @MT_NishiMOTOR EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 31/40/35 BASE PRICE $18,340 PRICE AS TESTED $19,180 Until the Note hatchback model arrived on the scene last year, the Nissan Versa was never big on style. Visually, the Note is markedly improved over the frumpy Versa sedan, but if you’re looking for similarities between the two cars, you won’t find many. The car was snatched directly from the Japanese market to replace the old Versa hatch and shares little with its three-box cousin besides its platform, engine, and name badge. We took delivery of a 2015 Nissan Versa Note SR to find out what the newcomer brings to the B-segment table. The SR…

“In L.A. traffic, I would rather dance with three pedals than cope with a stumbling dual-clutch gearbox.” @nate_martinez Service life / 4 mo/8,558 mi Avg CO2 / 0.93 lb/mi Energy cons / 161 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 (oil change, inspection) Normal-wear cost / $0 Base price / $38,190 As tested / $38,190 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 17/23/19 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 21.9 MPG MT boss Edward Loh and I recently swapped rides for the weekend. There are glaring differences between the STI and his long-term BMW M3, the most significant of which is the $40,000 price discrepancy. There are similarities, however. The two are some of the most powerful, pricey, and sporty loaners in our fleet. They look mean. They wear fancy…

“There’s something in the 328d’s aggregate that I find compelling. I smile every morning I get to drive it.” @carloslago Service life / 8 mo/15,040 mi Avg CO2 / 0.68 lb/mi Energy cons / 115 kW-hrs/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 Base price / $43,875 As tested / $59,200 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 31/43/35 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 32.8 MPG We can talk performance numbers, fuel economy, cargo space, and so on, but there isn’t a data point for simply enjoying a car. After around 14,000 miles, I love this diesel wagon, but I can’t find standout empirical reasons why. Yes, it’s slower than the equivalent gas-powered wagon, but I find the 2.0-liter diesel more interesting. It may only supply…