Innehållsförteckning för January 2014 från MotorTrend

Although the Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD pickups’ last big update in 2011 was largely focused beneath the sheetmetal, styling updates have finally arrived for 2015 models. New headlights, chrome bumpers, and a revised hood make up the front end. Careful attention was given to the frontal sealing, aiding the trucks’ aerodynamics and helping keep the engines’ intake-air charge cool for more consistent hot-weather performance. There are more space and storage options inside the redesigned cabs, with safety features including a Driver Alert Package (Forward-Collision Alert, Lane-Departure Warning, Active Safety Seat), rearview camera, and front and rear park assist. Triple door seals and hydraulic body mounts add comfort. The new 6.5- and 8-foot beds feature the Silverado 1500’s CornerStep rear bumper, as well as hand grips molded into…

According to a source close to Toyota, the GT86 family, sold in America as the Scion FR-S and its twin, the Subaru BRZ, is about to grow in a big way. Our insider tells us a GT86-based sedan—seen here in an artist's impression—has been given a green light. Employing a wheelbase that’s 0.4 inch longer than that of the current FR-S, the new sedan will feature what Toyota calls a “keen-look” grille design that appears to resemble a Japanese katana Samurai sword. In addition to the base model’s Subaru-sourced 200-hp, 2.0-liter boxer powertrain, the sedan will also offer a next-generation hybrid system. Strategically differentiated from the current HSD system, the new Hybrid R sport system will incorporate a one-motor setup that generates 250-270 hp while achieving 10-15-percent-better fuel economy. Rumor…

Three years ago, I got my first taste of a V12 Vantage. It was the first time Aston Martin had shoehorned its biggest engine into its smallest car, but mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. Fast-forward to today, when we get our first taste of Aston Martin’s latest incarnation of the same vehicle, dubbed the V12 Vantage S. After three years, you expect some change to a vehicle, and Aston Martin has definitely changed the Vantage. The new Vantage S retains its striking good looks inside and out and is motivated by an even more powerful (by 55 hp and 37 lb-ft) V-12. The biggest change is the new transmission. When the V12 Vantage was introduced, you could only get it with a manual gearbox. Now you can only get…

Reader Range Frank Markus confuses me. I myself have only graduated from Simpleton High School’s 12th grade and barely passed English class as it was. Meanwhile, Markus sounds as though he graduated from both a technical and business college simultaneously, like some Doogie-frickin’-Howser with his “engine optimizations, crash load-path structures, anthropometric trends, and economies-of-scale paradigms”! (“Technologue,” “Lone Zoomer,” October 2013) Ugh! Give me a break; my small monkey brain hurts. Please use a Neanderthal-esque 12th-grade level of English…please…thank you. PAUL LORENCPiscataway, New Jersey Frank is far from being Doogie Howser, as he’s way too old to remember 12th grade.—Ed. First, I want to say that I love your magazine. Every morning I look forward to my regular trip to the office bathroom [nice—Ed.] so I can indulge in 10 minutes…

“The ST has no right to be this fun.” “Great handling and riotously revvy powertrain.” “One of the best front-drive chassis in history.” “Super big hairy fun on the track!” Those are just a few of the slobbering, stream-of-consciousness histrionics in virtually every judge’s notebook about the 2014 Ford Fiesta ST that came out to play at this year’s COTY. The juiced up, subcompact four-door hatch that brought out the kid in all of us. Well, just about all of us. “Yes, yes, fun—but extremely juvenile, too. I’m surprised to hear so many of my similar-age coworkers saying they’d get one. Really?” Yes, Kim Reynolds, really. Featuring an EcoBoosted 1.6-liter turbo-four with as much as 197 hp on overboost bolted to a six-speed manual (one editor found the box slightly…

Acura’s flagship took a beating in two of our award’s key criteria: Advancement in Design and Engineering Excellence. Regarding the former: “Not much adventure here with design elements or functional attributes. The grille graphics continue with a theme that is remarkably unsuccessful after several attempts,” noted Gale. Others were not so kind: “If you’re the head of Acura, and this is your current flagship, how do you sleep at night? The car is ugly,” quipped Lieberman. Yeah, ouch. Markus called the RLX a “nice, quiet cruiser” around the highway oval, and Burgess also used the word “quiet” to describe its behavior on the special surfaces section, but “on the winding road, the back end seemed to randomly kick out.” The Precision All Wheel Steer (P-AWS) system seems to create more…

Lexus’ credo of creating cars that are luxurious, practical, and quiet was important for the 2014 IS, but fun was the automaker’s main priority. In that respect, the new IS is mostly successful, with the IS 250 AWD and especially the IS 350 F Sport shining on the winding track. “F Sport is reasonably quick, responsive, smooth, and predictable,” said Loh. But we don’t think Lexus went far enough in the fun department. Loh continued: “Driving dynamics are everything the Q50 is not. Predictable, not boring, but not super-thrilling, either.” MacKenzie was more frank: “If luxury is out, and sportiness is in, then the IS isn’t top of the class.” In focusing on fun, Lexus seems to have dropped the ball when it comes to the rest of our Car…

We were quite excited to get our hands on the updated 528i and the new 535d. We’d had a not-very-loved long-term 528i, and hoped the refresh would fix some of what we didn’t like (i.e., stop/start). And we’re cuckoo for diesels. Sad to say, BMW couldn’t get us either car in time for Car of the Year. It did, however, happen to have the new M5 Competition lying around. For $7300 over the $95,125 base price, you get an additional 15 hp; a new, sportier-sounding exhaust system; 10mm-lower ride height from a revised suspension; and 20-inch lightweight alloy wheels. If that seems a little for a lot, it is. Especially considering that you still have to pay an additional $9250 for the carbon-ceramic brakes. However, said Evans, “It’s definitely better…

The Viper still looks poster-ready for the wall of a teenager’s bedroom. Our black GTS tester carried with it an awe-inducing swagger, urging you to hop in, dump the clutch, and leave two long stripes of 355 rubber. “This new model does an amazing job of celebrating Viper roots from the first GTS coupe, but transforms them in a way that looks sensational. It is low, wide, connected to the ground, and avoids schoolboy surface gimmicks,” said Gale. Still, “…you can tell where the design staff was handcuffed by the old vehicle’s hardpoints,” said Theodore. This trend continues inside with the lovely $7500 Laguna Leather package. “The interior on the GTS is the best ever seen on a Viper, but the old architecture means ergonomics remain compromised,” noted MacKenzie. Specifically,…

Of the two Mazdas in this year’s competition, the newer ’3 seemed to have the greater chance to win. After all, it offered both sedan and hatchback body styles; a base 155-hp, 2.0-liter that nets 41 mpg highway; an uplevel 184-hp, 2.5-liter (the same engine as in the bigger ’6) in a lighter package (around 250 pounds less than a comparable ’6); and a spanking-new, beautiful infotainment display. But the ’6 garnered more praise and a podium vote. Much of the ’6’s superior showing stemmed from its enhanced design execution. Both the ’3 and ’6 don Mazda’s Kodo-infused sheetmetal, but as Gale said, “The signature theme elements for the Mazda3 seem to work better on the ’6, due to having the real estate to draw out and finesse the balance…

America’s own sports car has always had an easygoing, barrel-chested swagger that turned a little clumsy when the roads turned a little twisty. No more. The C7 Corvette is a real sports car. Fast, fun to drive, and laden with technology, it’s the best Corvette in history. At least until the Z06 and ZR1 versions arrive. In pure engineering terms, the C7 is an evolution of familiar hardware and a familiar formula. But there’s excellence everywhere, from the lightweight aluminum frame that’s now used on all models, to the direct-injection V-8 that can switch between eight and four cylinders, to the clever driver aids that include an electronically controlled differential that considers rear tire temperatures and pressures when calculating the precise percentage of lockup required in various stability and traction…

Oh, the irony. It seems every time the EPA appears to have its act together in offering mileage numbers that you and I just might be able to achieve, a new calamity erupts with the car companies' self-reported results to cloud the public’s faith in them all over again. The most recent incident was the Ford C-Max’s original 47-mpg city and highway claim, which came under fire almost instantly. The EPA’s astonishingly loosey-goosey rules had allowed the Fusion Hybrid’s results to be used for the C-Max. (A loophole permitted Ford to recycle data from its biggest-selling offering in the same weight class using the same drivetrain.) No wonder, then, that so many new-car buyers remain wary of those big, bold numbers on window stickers. Are you among them? Great timing,…

“Long-term comparison: I drove the BMW 328 for 12 months. Now I try its Japanese rival for a year.”@MT_Evans EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 21/30/24 MPG BASE PRICE $36,845 PRICE AS TESTED $39,494 Something interesting happened in 2012. Lexus, which had long shown inklings of developing sporty cars, started building them. Competent, luxurious, but otherwise ho-hum sedans suddenly had a little spice, and you didn’t have to buy an IS F or an LFA to get it. Cars that sold in greater than triple-digit numbers were now fun to drive. One of the first places we saw the change was in the final years of the old IS. The test bed for the emerging F Sport trim line, the old IS was treated to a number of handling and steering…

“The Rio’s fuel economy is holding steady at the pre-revision 34 combined mpg mark. Do I have to send Kia the difference in unspent gas?” Service life / 11 mo/26,621 mi Avg CO2 / 0.56 lb/mi Energy cons / 98 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $125.74 (3-oil change, inspection; 2-tire rotation; 1-cabin-air filter) Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 29/37/32 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 34.4 MPG My colleague’s opinions are in: The ride, handling, and steering buffs are disappointed by the Rio’s lack of steering feedback and its poor-surface ride quality, because the suspension bangs around. The “bigger picture” bunch are smitten by the $18,794 as-equipped price, high feature content, and being able to drive it energetically without attracting a whole lot of attention.…

“Especially in Cayenne Red and with that big front grille, our long-term Altima is no midsize sedan wallflower.”@zachgale Service life / 11 mo/19,793 mi Avg CO2 / 0.72 lb/mi Energy cons / 125 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $204.92 (2-oil change, inspection, rotate tires; 1-cabin-air filter, engine-air filter) Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 27/38/31 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 27.0 MPG “Visually stunning” is how Motor Trend described the 2003 Nissan Altima in a comparison test in which it beat a 2003 Accord and Camry, and that design has held up exceptionally well over the years. But 10 years after the new-for-2002 Altima debuted, the midsize sedan segment is crowded with more serious players than ever before. After several months of daily driving…

Entering its fourth generation, the Escalade will feature GM’s new 6.2-liter V-8 offering 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. The direct-injection engine features GM’s active fuel management, which can switch off four cylinders when additional power is not needed. Cadillac will incorporate a fully boxed frame to stiffen its chassis and add a number of suspension improvements including Magnetic Ride Control, which can adjust damping in milliseconds. The tracks have been widened, a new 9.5-inch rear axle and standard automatic locking rear differential have been added, and the new electric power steering has been adjusted to improve handling and fuel economy. Cadillac has also quieted the Escalade’s ride and added luxury features inside and out. The exterior is cleaner and less jumbled than the outgoing model and features additional…

Never one to rest on its laurels, Ford is updating its Super Duty line. The 2015 Ford Super Duty pickup line includes a heavily reworked F-450, an updated F-Series Super Duty King Ranch model, and, most important, extensive revisions to Ford’s 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbo-diesel V-8 to make it more powerful and reliable. Ford’s Super Duty engineers were able to accomplish both tasks with one relatively simple change: slapping on a bigger turbocharger. The new turbine is 8.5 mm larger in diameter than before, allowing Ford to tune the Power Stroke to make more usable power while using less peak boost than previously. That, in turn, means Ford was able to eliminate the wastegate and its associated controls, simplifying the engine and making it more reliable. Ford has yet to…

General Motors’ new full-size trucks have launched to critical acclaim for their economy and refinement, and the new 4.3-liter V-6 and 5.3-liter Ecotec3 V-8 engines strike an excellent balance between power and fuel economy. But there are some buyers who want just a little bit more. For those buyers, whom Chevrolet expects will represent about 10 percent of Silverado 1500 shoppers, it now offers the 420-hp, 460-lb-ft Ecotec3 L86 6.2-liter V-8, which happens to be a close relative of the 2014 Corvette’s LT1 engine. This makes it the most powerful engine currently available in a half-ton truck. We got a chance to drive the 6.2 in the new Silverado High Country, the line’s rough equivalent to the GMC Sierra Denali, although Chevrolet was careful to differentiate the two models, acknowledging…

From the Motor Trend Archive… REARVIEW 50 JANUARY 1964 PRICE: $0.50 We got our hands on a Plymouth Sport Fury coupe for our January 1964 cover, featuring the street-performance 426-S package with a 475-lb-ft V-8, a heavy-duty suspension, and a four-speed manual. With the economy 2.93 rear axle, we ran 15-second quarter miles and hit 60 mph in 6.8 seconds. We also previewed the 1964 USAC Motor Trend Riverside 500 stock car race. 30 JANUARY 1984 PRICE: $1.75 Our cover boasted our scoop on Chevy’s new Sprint, a three-cylinder, 52-hp subcompact that effectively replaced the Chevette. Our ’84 Porsche 911 Carrera tester hit 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. 10 JANUARY 2004 PRICE: $3.99 Not only did MT’s January 2004 issue shed light on the upcoming C6-series Chevrolet Corvette, it also…

Welcome to the 65th running of Motor Trend’s Car of the Year award. Our blue sapphire anniversary marks a significant moment in the timeline of automotive history because cars, it seems, are back. This is not our biggest field of competitors, but it’s most certainly our strongest. As you’ll see from our finalists, there were at least seven other cars we took long, hard glances at before awarding the coveted Golden Calipers. Why is this year significant? Please turn your mind back to the dark and stormy early days of the Great Recession, mid-2008 or so, right when this year’s crop of contenders was being planned and sketched out. The notion that so very many excellent motor vehicles could exist in 10 years’ time would have seemed like pure fantasy.…

“The automotive equivalent of the Big Mac—ubiquitous, affordable, and does the job” is how MacKenzie coolly summed up the all-new Corolla. To that we’d add that Toyota’s revamped mega-seller is now uncomfortably sharing the lunch counter with a couple of alluring In-N-Out and Five Guys burgers. Few would disagree that the new, angular Corolla is gutsier-shaped than its wallflower predecessor. The boldness has seeped inside as well, but it’s more polarizing. “Its interior is functionally OK, but looks dated and a bit cheap. They over-tried for modern,” said design expert Kiino. Added Markus, “Interesting dash. I’m picking up a vaguely retro vibe—like the main form echoes a shape from the ’60s Corolla. But there’s too much piano black in a car that can’t pull it off.” Loh noted the Corolla’s…

Infiniti should’ve paid attention to the old adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” No, we’re not talking about the decision to rename the G37 the Q50. We’re talking about what’s connected to the front wheels—or rather, what isn’t. The Q50 marks the debut of Direct Adaptive Steering, or, more simply, steer-by-wire. Though Infiniti touts this system as capable of giving the driver the ultimate smooth ride, we found it detrimental to performance driving. “Weirdest steering ever,” said Markus. “It almost feels like I’m in a classroom simulator, and the instructor is constantly modifying my steering inputs.” They got harsher from there, with Lieberman summing up, “Steer-by-wire needs a serious rethink to be viable.” The brakes also were an issue. “Their crazy initial bite renders the car unacceptable,” said…

Lincoln’s been promising a rebirth for some time, and with the new MKZ, we finally have the start of one. This Lincoln doesn’t look like a Ford or an exercise in cost savings. It offers a range of models, a few class-exclusive tricks, and a nice aesthetic, but for all the surface work, it’s still a Ford Fusion underneath. The Hybrid model in particular didn’t seem to do anything differently from the Ford version. The presence of base-model Ford switchgear in the cabin further tarnished its luxury credibility. The judges also found functional issues. The massive sunroof looked neat until we realized it doesn’t quite open all the way, and when it is open, it obscures the top half of the already small rear window. Rear headroom is compromised as…

Do two things and do them well. That could be Mercedes’ motto. According to MacKenzie, the Mercedes E-Class “defines the midsize luxury sedan segment.” The same is true for the S-Class and the full-size luxury segment. Sure, Mercedes builds a big stable of great vehicles. But if you get back to fundamentals, Mercedes is defined by two cars: the E and the S. While the S is all-new, the 2014 E-Class is a refresh of a vehicle that’s just three years old. Pity? Keep reading. We had three E-Classes present, and according to Burgess, the trio represented “one of the more complete lineups presented this year.” In ascending price order, they were the E250 Bluetec, the E350 4Matic Wagon, and the snarling 577-hp E63 S AMG. Just to underline it,…

These sharp little Kia Fortes muscled their way into the finals by rivaling our perennial compact favorite Mazda3 for segment supremacy. In terms of design, Gale declared, “These cars stand out from their peers as terrific exercises in surface development and restraint.” The Forte’s proportions enhance the interior packaging and sense of spaciousness, where Mazda’s fetching long-hood/cab-rear look detracts slightly, giving Kia an edge in performance of intended function. “Love the big back seat—way roomier than Mazda3’s,” noted Kiino. Value has long been a Korean car strong suit, and our loaded EX sedan boasted a heated steering wheel, heated front and rear seats, a cooled driver seat, auto-folding side mirrors, and Kia’s UVO telematics/infotainment system, about which Loh gushed, “I would die to have that system in the BMW.” (Our…

“It’s a two-door 3 Series, a variant with a very light refresh,” declared Evans during Saturday morning’s welcome walk-around by way of questioning the 4 Series’ legitimacy as a contender. But by Sunday night, the 428i and 435i had proven themselves to be much more. Theodore proclaimed the 4 “the first BMW I’d consider buying in a long time,” citing its smoother, better-balanced handling and greatly improved interior relative to the 3 Series. Lieberman lauded upgrades to the 3’s “bouncy suspension and paint-shaker start/stop system.” And of the widened, lowered bodywork, design guru Gale said, “If I had to pick the top two or three cars, this car would be one of them. It’s that good.” On the winding track, the downshift paddle often provided just enough retardation to instigate…

At first glance, the Jaguar F-Type seemed a bit of a one-trick pony. After all, how much range could a drop-top sports car really have? Indeed, many would have trouble arguing it’s anything but a niche vehicle. When it came time to narrow down the finalists, and then time to vote on a winner, the Jaguar revealed the depth of its charm. The judges had barely a harsh word for it, whether viewed against their own preferences or the criteria. Let there be no doubt: This is a well-loved car. “The Jag is like a Shelby Cobra that’s been to finishing school,” MacKenzie would tell anyone who’d listen. It’s an appropriate analogy. The F-Type V8 S (neither V-6 model was available for this competition) was, as Loh put it, “stonking…

“The main challenge is below 10 feet—that’s why they call it the Dragon Lady” It’s not unusual in my line of work to be traveling at wide-open throttle in a car with more than 400 horsepower. It is rare, though, to find myself doing that all the way around a corner. It’s extremely rare to do it while chasing down a jet, and yet here I am tearing down a runway at full tilt behind a landing spy plane. I’m in the passenger seat of a Chevrolet Camaro, and, thankfully, the guy driving has done this a few times. “OK, and that’s 10, eight, eight, eight, six, four, two, two, two,” Lt. Col. Jon Huggins calls out over the radio. He’s in the other “Mobile,” an otherwise stock Chevrolet Camaro…

“A stylish coupe-about-town, with extra doors that make carrying four adults on short trips a breeze.”@Angus_MacK Service life / 7 mo/6669 mi Avg CO2 / 1.24 lb/mi Energy cons / 216 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 17/25/19 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 15.6 MPG The first time it happened was annoying. The second time it happened was surprising. Now it’s happened a third time, and I’m a little alarmed. We’ve done a bit under 7000 miles together, the 2013 BMW 650i Gran Coupe and I, and my Bavarian beauty is now demanding a third quart of oil. Clearly, she loves a drink. At first, I wondered if I was to blame. Unusually for someone living in L.A,…

“While I like the Arctic Blue paint, I’d like a more masculine black paint scheme on the Pathfinder’s relatively effeminate lines.”@MT_Shaffer Service life / 7 mo/17,607 mi Avg CO2 / 0.95 lb/mi Energy cons / 165 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $306.73 (oil change, inspection) Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON:19/25/21 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 20.4 MPG Nissan’s Easy Fill Tire Alert System temporarily became my favorite bit of kit when an extremely slow leak plagued my long-term SUV. Losing about 5 psi every other week called for frequent visits to gas station air pumps to refill. The Easy Fill System chirps the horn when the under-inflated tire has reached its proper inflation. Inflating a tire isn’t nearly as common a routine as…

“With a rev-happy powertrain, lively character, and 23K trouble-free miles, the 2013 Acura ILX proved a habit-forming compact while in the MT garage.”@MT_Floyd Service Life 15 mo/23,475 mi Base Price $30,095 Options None Price as Tested $30,095 Avg Econ/CO2 27.2 mpg / 0.71 lb/mi Unresolved Problems None Maintenance Cost $401.92 (3-oil change, inspection; 1-tire rotation) Normal-Wear Cost $0 3-Year Residual Value* $15,649 Recalls Front door latch *Automotive Lease Guide EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 22/31/25 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 27.2 MPG The 2013 Acura ILX is like one of those scary gateway drugs you always hear about. Acura hopes with just one taste you’ll be hooked forever. We recently came down from more than a year’s worth of hits off the most entertaining version of the ILX, a car…

The Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL are getting completely revamped for 2015 and share less with the Silverado and Sierra than ever. Though immediately recognizable as related to their pickup brethren, each SUV has its own look. The Tahoe and Suburban get edgy stacked headlights, while the Yukon gets a new take on the outgoing model's headlights. The jelly-bean profile of the old models is gone, with the twins getting slab-sided and chiseled sheetmetal. The SUVs have been fitted with an aluminum hood and tailgate and a rear spoiler in an effort to improve fuel economy. The GM SUVs come standard with the new 5.3-liter V-8 making 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque, while the Yukon Denali gets the 6.2-liter V-8 making 420 hp and…

We don’t think we’d be off base to say someone who’s contemplating a Honda Accord Hybrid cares about fuel economy. And if this hypothetical customer cares about a standard backup camera, LaneWatch blind-spot display, or an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ score, the Accord Hybrid has those, too. A 1850-mile drive from San Antonio, Texas, to MT Central near LAX by way of south Colorado yielded 41.5 mpg with lots of 75-mph cruising and frequent elevation changes. The Accord Hybrid is quieter than its I-4 and V-6 counterparts, with a deftly controlled ride that makes long drives easy on the driver. When not blasting along on the highway, it loves pulsing into EV Drive at lower speeds and long downhill stretches. Honda’s new two-motor hybrid system also operates in Hybrid or…

Dr. Dieter Zetsche has been head of Daimler-Benz since 2005 and has seen a lot of changes at the company. We questioned him at the Frankfurt Auto Show about big changes at the top and the bottom ends of the Mercedes-Benz range. First off, will his company invest in Aston Martin? This has been speculated following its recently announced letter of intent to let Aston use AMG engines, electronics, and safety systems. He said no. “Aston Martin needs a technical partner. Its investor asked us. That’s our plan. There’s no takeover plan. We are not a collector of brands.” OK, then, how else to fill the hole at the top of the Mercedes brand, specifically since Maybach's demise has left Stuttgart with no Rolls-Royce or Bentley competitor? Zetsche began his…

No vehicle left editors scratching their heads or using the word “bizarre” more often than the Fiat 500L. It performed better than most expected, but that might be because expectations were exceedingly low for this European microvan with a quirky interior. Quirky can mean special in a good way, and sometimes it’s a nice way to say something doesn’t make sense. In the case of the 500L, quirky means both. “What an odd meatball Fiat has made from the 500,” said Loh. “Bigger, some interesting flavor, but mostly odd cuts and gristle.” The 500L weebled and wobbled but didn’t fall down as editors pushed it through the ride and handling course. “Drives like it looks—top-heavy, wallowing at times, but also surprisingly stable at higher speeds,” said Floyd. The three-piece windshield…

Big cars might be losing favor with consumers who are searching for leaner and greener machines, but a big sedan can still provide a great ride for five adults. The made-over Chevrolet Impala impressed many COTY judges with its supple ride and ability to smooth out even the roughest surfaces. “What a sweet ride, literally,” said Lieberman. “[It] ate up every single thing the special surfaces could throw at it.” Chevy engineers changed many of the suspension parts, including adding a front strut towerbrace, a new isolated engine and transmission cradle, and a hydraulic ride bushing to help quiet the ride. The wheelbase was stretched another inch to provide more interior space. But the judges were mixed on the Impala’s interior. “I don’t get this car,” said Reynolds. “Its styling…

The judges absolutely loved the exterior of the Cadenza, which won our big-car Big Test last July. The wheels and sheetmetal were widely praised. But were the Cadenza’s looks overshadowed by evidence of the brand’s less-than-luxe past? MacKenzie said the Cadenza “looks expensive, but sounds cheap—from the hollow door-opening noise to the V-6 engine drone.” Though the color of the interior—white—was a bit polarizing, most judges lauded the cabin’s fit and finish and materials. They loved the seemingly enormous proportions. A huge rear seat actually fit for adults and a huge trunk were highlights. We all joined Burgess in saying Kia’s infotainment system “is intuitive and elegant in its simplicity,” a notch above many competitors’. But Floyd didn’t like the center stack and wished the Cadenza had the Forte’s updated…

Every year, as we’re going into the COTY competition, there are perceived favorites and long shots. For 2014, the CLA was most definitely a favorite, what with an un-Benz-esque starting price of $30,825, mini-CLS coupe styling, a fuel-efficient (26/38 mpg city/hwy) 208-hp 2.0-liter base turbo, and a hot-rod 355-hp all-wheel-drive AMG variant that boasts 177.5 horsepower/liter. What’s not to like? Well, after our 11 judges drove and scrutinized the baby Benz, we disliked just enough to keep it from round two. I say “just” because it was a contentious discussion on whether to advance the CLA to the finals. Many judges, mostly younger, advocated in favor of the CLA. Said Lieberman: “The base car is a solid alternative to the VW GTI. Rides extremely well, loads of torque, strong brakes,…

Er, haven’t we been here before? If belting into the Cayman and reaching left past its fat, leather-wrapped steering wheel to fire up either of its two flat-six engines seems familiar, it’s because it emphatically is. For all intents and purposes, this more masculine-looking (and measurably faster) Cayman is basically last year’s more masculine-looking (and measurably faster) Boxster and Boxster S—with a well-groomed lid on top. This lack of significant newness continually weighed again the pint-size Porsche: If the Boxster couldn’t grab the prize last year, how could the Cayman manage it this go ’round? Well, its fabulous performance made a good argument. The Cayman is simply a sublime driving machine. The S model’s PDK transmission is as good as gear-swapping gets, and both are crazy-great handlers. In fact, a…

If the Mazda3 is the future of green machines, count MT’s editors as eco-enthusiasts. The redesigned ’3 features many of the Skyactiv attributes Mazda has created to lighten its top-selling car and make it more efficient. Whether the ’3 is in hatchback or sedan guise, the more powerful engine makes it an absolute hoot to toss around and accelerate through turns. The steering is tight, the chassis is stiff, and the car’s performance remains excellent. “It dynamically reminds me of the Focus ST,” said Seabaugh. Indeed, judge after judge praised Mazda’s 184-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic that includes paddle shifters on the hatch and the 2.0-liter, 155-horsepower four-banger with a six-speed manual. In both cases, the shifts were crisp, quick, and exhilarating. The Mazda3 will reward…

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a technophile’s delight. Some of the technology—the rainbow of interior lighting hues, the heated armrests on the doors, the aromatherapy in the air conditioning—is pure driveway theater, but with adaptive cruise control that works brilliantly in stop-start traffic and a steering assist system that can be fooled into actually keeping the car on line through a turn without the driver working the wheel, this new S-Class is smart enough to almost drive itself. Magic Body Control is a cheesy name for a semi-active suspension that really works. You’re aware of the stiff-sidewall run-flat tires niggling over road acne at low speeds, and larger lumps and bumps are still felt. There still is body movement, but the motions are caught like a baseball flung into a…

Tires are the Rodney Dangerfield of the motoring world. Most folks never give tires a second thought—if they're not flat, they're fine. But as the only equipment that actually touches the road, tires are vitally important and deserve much respect. In fact, changing the type and performance level of a tire can alter a vehicle's driving dynamics. For example, a fuel-efficient, low-rolling-resistance tire will act and feel completely different from a high-performance, track-oriented summer tire. To demonstrate how tires can change a car's performance, we called our friends at Tire Rack, rented the Streets of Willow racetrack for a day, and brought in pro race driver Randy Pobst, the man who could best discern the differences and nuances among the tires. We chose three performance vehicles that would not only…

“Not exactly sure of the wisdom of calling your vehicle an Outlander. Kinda like calling it Stranger.”@MT_Royer EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 24/29/26 MPG BASE PRICE $26,620 PRICE AS TESTED $32,720 Fresh from its entry in our annual SUV of the Year competition, Mitsubishi sent us a 2014 Silver Metallic Outlander to join our long-term fleet. Mitsubishi promises the Outlander has been redone inside and out, including some significant safety and design work. On the outside, a more traditional front replaces the large snub-nosed rectangular grille with a less severe horizontal intake and a cool futuristic logo reminiscent of the Atari logo. Overall, the designers have gone with a more rounded aesthetic, eliminating the Outlander’s formerly angular look. An editor at our SUV of the Year competition called its design…

“Nice! The suspension adjusts when you fill the Ram’s bed with gear.”@TruckTrendAH Service life / 5 mo/10,322 mi Avg CO2 / 1.26 lb/mi Energy cons / 219 kW-hr/100 mi Unresolved problems / None Maintenance cost / $61.56 (oil change, tire rotation, inspection) Normal-wear cost / $0 EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 15/21/17 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 15.4 MPG Now that the Ram has taken over as the hardest-working member of the Motor Trend long-term fleet, staffers have enjoyed the dual nature of the pickup. On the one hand, ride quality is excellent, and the team has raved about the pairing of the TorqueFlite 8 with the 5.7-liter V-8. These features make the Ram a comfortable daily driver as well as easy to live with on the weekend. Yet that doesn’t…

“I had to take one last drive in the BRZ before it went away, even if just to lunch. It’s a car that raises the bar in its segment.”@roryjurnecka Service Life 14 mo/23,779 mi Base Price $28,265 Options None Price as Tested $28,265 Avg Econ/CO2 26.8 mpg/0.72 lb/mi Problem Areas Fuel Pump, gearshift mechanism Maintenance Cost $0 (3-oil change, inspection) Normal-Wear Cost $0 3-Year Residual Value* $14,698 Recalls None *Automotive Lease Guide EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON: 22/30/25 MPG AVERAGE FUEL ECON 26.8 MPG They say all good things must come to an end, but that doesn’t make it any easier to watch Burrzz, my long-term Subaru BRZ, go home. During the past 23,779 miles, the BRZ’s combination of affordability, driver involvement, and even day-to-day practicality have proven that…

Sorting through my calendar late last year, I realized the press days for the L.A. Auto Show and Tokyo Motor Show clashed. I was committed to staying in L.A., and the shocking thing was, it didn’t bother me. Shocking, because Tokyo was once the world’s most important auto show, where journalists and analysts and industry execs came to kick the tires on the future. Not making the biennial trip to Tokyo would have once been unthinkable; I missed just two shows from 1985 through 2007. But now I figure missing Tokyo means I won’t be missing much. How the world has changed. For me, Tokyo ’89 is still the greatest auto show of all time. In terms of the sheer number of globally significant new production cars and fascinating concepts…