2014 Kia Forte5 Review |
| Posted: 14 Jul 2014 05:00 PM PDT  Share this Article Hatchbacks try to meld everyone's favorite things. They're small and spacious, practical and nimble, value-packed and affordable. Kia's latest entry in the world of hatchbacks is all of that and maybe a bit more.
For 2014, the Forte5 aggressively attacks the market with tons of options and features. At the top of the list is the turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine equipped on SX models. Used for the first time in a Kia product, we're more accustomed to seeing the mill under the hood of the Hyundai Veloster Turbo. Making 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, the engine helps the Forte5 keep up (at least on paper) against sportier rivals in the segment. The base EX model uses 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that's shared with the Hyundai Elantra GT and makes an acceptable 173-hp. Either engine can be paired to a six-speed automatic transmission, but Kia also offers the turbocharged motor with a six-speed manual. Automatic SX models can come with paddle-shifters to help liven up the driving experience. Toned Looks
Similarly cheap plastic carbon fiber trims the top of the dashboard. Elsewhere you'll find slick, black plastic that doesn't feel cheap or rough. The optional leather seats have a patterned weave that spices up the interior. Soft and comfy, the seats are also quite adjustable, including lumbar support. Equipment List on Steroids
Overall, the cabin is a nice place to sit, but that's not due to the appointments. The Forte5 SX is brimming with features that are generally associated with more expensive vehicles. There are heated seats for every passenger, with a cooled seat and a heated steering wheel for the driver. The optional sunroof is pleasant in how it lets light into the cabin and dual-zone automatic climate control makes it easy to control the interior temperature.
The Forte5 is generously equipped to the point of encroaching on entry-level luxury territory. Take the new Mercedes CLA and Audi A3 compact luxury cars as examples. Both feature similar power, less passenger space and a less practical sedan style body. In their base models, they're more expensive than the Forte5 and come with significantly fewer features. Even the most clinical of car shoppers looks beyond an equipment list and the second that handling and material quality come into play, any illusions of Kia grandeur vanish. But more on that later. Price and Packaging
With an options list that rivals luxury cars and a power plant that is sneaking up on hot-hatch territory, it isn't surprising to learn that the Forte5 is starting to press against the upper end of expensive in its segment. Starting at $20,500, the base EX model uses the 2.0-liter engine and comes standard with fog lights, air-conditioning, power locks and windows with auto up/down for the front windows. The $21,700 SX model is available exclusively with the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine and comes with push button start, rear-view camera, paddle-shifters, dual chrome exhaust tips and 18-inch wheels.
Beefed Up Engine, Limp Handling
While the steering and suspension are lacking, the engine certainly isn't. On the highway, the 1.6-liter turbocharged motor can pass slower traffic easily. In the city, the engine is responsive enough to ensure you're the first through the intersection when the light goes green. If you equate "fun-to-drive" with being quick off the line, you'll probably enjoy the turbocharged Forte5.
But the relatively potent power plant comes at a price: fuel economy. With EPA estimates of 21 MPG City, 29 MPG highway and 24 MPG combined; fuel economy isn't this car's strong suit. Take the MINI Cooper S or Volkswagen GTI as examples. They both use bigger engines that produce similar power and are rated for better fuel economy than the Kia. Even the Kia's base 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine averages 28 MPG, while competitors like the Mazda3 can easily reach the 30 MPG mark. |
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2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante Review
Posted: 13 Jul 2014 05:00 PM PDT
The Vanquish Volante is Aston Martin's flagship model sitting at the peak of its very alluring lineup. With spectacular design, a rousing V12 engine and lightweight bodywork it's designed to run, fast. But is it merely a grand touring car or is it the grandest touring car?
FAST FACTS |
| Engine: 6.0L V12 makes 565 bhp and 457 lb-ft of torque. Transmission: Six-speed automatic. Fuel Economy: 13 MPG city, 19 highway or 15 combined. Pricing: The Vanquish Volante starts at $297,995 or $315,595 as tested including $2,825 in destination and delivery fees. |
Core Competitors
The Vanquish Volante tussles with some pretty rarified competition, models like the Mercedes-Benz SL, Ferrari California T and Maserati GranTurismo. These open-air machines are built for sustained high-speed driving; they're cars you could traverse a continent in without feeling like you lost a boxing match with Muhammad Ali when you arrived at your destination. In short, grand-touring automobiles are fast and sporty but not savage, a statement that succinctly describes this Aston Martin.
Paparazzi Swarm
Of course the Vanquish Volante is wrapped in a stunning body that garners more looks than a 100 mile-wide UFO descending over Manhattan. Wherever you go, folks follow; the car transforms ordinary people into paparazzi as they whip out their smartphones and snap a few pictures. You can almost hear them saying: "Was that Eminem?" "Could Kobe Bryant be in town?" And of course if I'm driving, "Is Orville Redenbacher still alive?"
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And all of this really shouldn't be surprising. The Vanquish Volante is simply beautiful. It's long and low, menacing and purposeful, but all the while tasteful and elegant. Taut surface details hint at the power inside while massive wheels reinforce its performance credentials. It's a magnificent-looking car.
Lightweight Body
But it took a lot of technology to develop all of that wonderful coachwork. In fact, here's a trick question for you: What does this Aston Martin have in common with a Saturn? Any guesses? Well, aside from rolling on four wheels and once being part of a much bigger corporation, believe it or not the Vanquish Volante's body is made entirely from plastic… sort of.
Every single panel is constructed of carbon fiber. This saves a ton of weight (figuratively) and undoubtedly adds mega bucks to the car's sticker price (literally).
Less mass equals better performance and efficiency, it's as simple as that, but there are other benefits to fibrous carbon as well. Thanks to its easy formability designers were given the freedom to create larger, more complex components, something that reduced the overall number of panels and joints, resulting in a cleaner look. In some areas of our test car, like the front splitter, side skirts and even backside of the hood the carbon weave is still visible.
Further cutting unwanted mass, the Vanquish Volante's architecture is made from lightweight aluminum – aluminium if you prefer. Engineers also worked some carbon fiber bits into the structure. Still, in spite of all this advanced technology the car is no Mazda Miata; it weighs 4,065 lbs.
A soft top also cuts the fat, at least compared to a multi-piece unit made from metal. Its power-folding cloth roof neatly tucks away in just 14 seconds.
Leather, Leather Everywhere
It's easy to love this machine's aggressive body, but its cabin is pretty nice as well. Everything is covered in rich cow hide and for the most part has a premium feel.
However, there are a few oddities that detract from the experience. The digital readouts in the instrument cluster look outdated and some of the secondary controls are difficult to navigate; accessing radio presets for instance is a chore. Also, there's no glove box – they must have been too busy with all of the other awesomeness they were working on.
Some of the leather is a bit wrinkly in places and the fit and finish isn't quite right in some areas. Also, the stitching should be straight and even but the lines are slightly off in a couple spots. None of these faults are deal-breakers but when you're paying multiple six-figures for a vehicle it better be perfect and the Vanquish Volante's interior isn't quite there.
Aston Martin bills this as a 2+2 but in truth the back seats are about as useful as a saw without a blade. No one will be comfortable there, unless perhaps they've been run through a trash compactor. On the bright side those rear perches are useful for storage to augment the 10 cubic-foot trunk.
One nifty feature inside this car is its ignition. Instead of a switch on the steering column or a dash-mounted button there's a small slot on the center stack. The key fob slides right in and you just press it in and hold it briefly to fire the engine. Putting it in gear is a button-pushing affair as well.
Performance Credentials
Aston Martin bills the Vanquish Volante as the "ultimate convertible." Marketing hubris aside, the thing that actually legitimizes statements like that is nestled neatly between the car's front fenders.
Its engine offers 6.0-liters of firepower spread across a dozen cylinders. Referred to as the AM11, which sounds like the designation of a main battle tank or something, this howling V12 provides 565 bhp with 457 lb-ft of peak torque. But best of all it's totally natural, non-GMO, free-range, sustainably harvested internal combustion. There's no turbo or supercharger in this equation, just lots of displacement and plenty of revs. Accordingly it sounds absolutely glorious.
This deep-breathing 12-cylinder wonder produces an automotive symphony, a musical masterpiece that's broadcast directly from the Vanquish Volante's exhaust tips. It trills and burbles, pops and rumbles unlike any other engine on the market today. Was this powertrain created by number-crunching engineers or Beethoven? The glorious noises produced by this engine, especially in sport mode, are unquestionably one of the car's most appealing attributes.
The other half of the Vanquish Volante's powertrain is a six-speed automatic transmission. It routes the entire stable of horses to the vehicle's rear wheels. The result of all this fine work is a zero-to-60 dash of around four seconds, which is PLENTY quick. Top speed is an arrest-worthy 183 miles an hour.
On the economy front this car stickers at a painful 13 miles per gallon around town and 19 on the highway, figures that result in a combined score of just 15 MPG. Oh well, nobody buys a V12-powered beast for efficiency.
The Drive
They get them for unadulterated fun and high-power hoonage. As you might expect the Vanquish Volante is ready, willing and able to dance.
The car's ride quality is firm but not jarring or harsh. It strikes a nice balance between bobbing like a buoy and crushing your spine. Additionally the overall structure feels extremely rigid with minimal cowl shake. Michigan's war-torn pavement can provide plenty of bumps and pot holes but acne-scarred roads don't seem to cause any upsets.
Likewise, overall control is outstanding. There's practically no body lean, even through tight corners. The steering is nice and heavy with a surprisingly quick ratio, an arrangement that gives you the confidence to hustle; giganticf brakes ensure things don't get out of hand.
This car is seriously fast, though it's not going to cause any sonic-booms like a Bugatti Veyron or something. The engine is brilliantly linear, delivering its power in one smooth wave; the faster it spins the faster you go. It's also smoother than silk underwear.
But better than all of that is the SOUND TRACK! With sport mode engaged you'll find yourself dropping gears just to hear the V12 sing! And what noises it makes, howling like a street-legal race car.
Pricing
Not surprisingly the Vanquish Volante is expensive, starting right around $300,000. Naturally the test car we evaluated had a few options, things like 20-inch, 20-spoke wheels ($3,975), a full-length carbon-fiber herringbone-weave fascia ($3,190) and the exterior carbon-fiber pack ($4,785). All told the car in question checked out at a gasp-inducing $315,595 including $2,825 in destination and delivery fees.
The Verdict
The Aston Martin Vanquish Volante is a super sexy yet surprisingly livable machine. It's a car you can commute to work in yet still enjoy on a racetrack if you really want to romp on a Saturday afternoon. With eye-catching design and a booming engine it really puts the grand in grand touring.
Despite all the driving fun and gawks from passersby this car isn't quite perfect. A steep sticker price and minor interior issues tarnish an otherwise enthralling automobile.
Posted: 10 Jul 2014 05:00 PM PDT
Station wagons are generally unpopular and they tend to lead rough lives. Meet the latest redheaded stepchild of the U.S. auto market: the 2015 Subaru Outback.
FAST FACTS |
| Engine: 2.5L boxer four makes 175 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque, 3.6L flat six makes 256 hp and 247 lb-ft. Transmission: CVT. Fuel economy: 2.5L: 25/33/28 MPG. 3.6L: 20/27/22 MPG (City/Highway/Combined). Price: $25,745 to start and $33,845 for the 3.6-liter flat six in "Limited" trim. |
Only a handful of manufacturers plan to continue pushing wagons here in the foreseeable future and the list of lifted, trail-capable options is even smaller. Audi offers the Allroad for somewhere between $41,000 and $50,000. There's also the Volvo XC70. It starts over $38,000 for an all-wheel drive model, but that isn't exactly inexpensive either.
If that tidy sum seems like too much, Subaru's Outback might be just right. It enters a fifth generation for the 2015 model year and retails for $25,745 for the four-cylinder base model and $33,845 for the 3.6-liter flat six in "Limited" trim. Since its introduction in 1994, Subaru slowly gathered a cult following of owners who swear by their cars in a manner tantamount to a scouts honor.
Subaru is a small, conservative company that rarely makes snap decisions and the Outback is one of its best sellers in its biggest market: the U.S. Consequently the company went about designing the latest version with care. After all, the previous generation was a smash-hit with double the sales of its predecessor.
The Long Road Since Dundee
You might remember Subaru's initial marketing campaign for the Outback. I do and at the time I was memorizing multiplication tables and stressing over spelling tests. In case you're one of the people who mutes commercials, the spots featured Paul Hogan (Crocodile Dundee) in an Outback fleeing from a couple of bumbling bad guys. The campaign achieved two things. First, it left everyone feeling confused about whether Subaru was Australian. Second, it cemented the Outback in my and ostensibly millions of other people's grey matter.
Quite a bit changed since the mid-'90s. Bill is out and Hillary is (trying to be) in, boy bands are stuck in the backchannels of karaoke booklets and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is back in the limelight.
The Outback is still being sold, but it's far from being the same as it was back then. Subaru expanded it in the previous generation to be larger than it was before. This time around, the exterior measurements are basically the same, but Subaru increased cabin volume 2.7 cubic feet by lowering the load floor. The most significant change this go 'round has to do with how power travels to the wheels.
Incoming Transmissions
Starting with the 2015 model year, Subaru is selling the Outback exclusively with a continuously variable transmission. Actually there are two CVTs: a smaller unit for the 2.5-liter four-cylinder models and separate unit with higher torque tolerance attached to the 3.6-liter flat six. That engine makes 256 hp and 247 lb-ft of torque while the four-banger puts out 175 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque. Neither engine comes with a noteworthy change in performance, but Subaru says it changed roughly 80 percent of the components in the 2.5-liter engine for improved thermal efficiency and friction reduction.
In plain English, the Outback is as much about efficiency these days as it is about being tackling risky roads regardless of weather conditions.
Official ratings peg the car at 25 MPG around town, 33 on highways or 28 on average with the four-cylinder engine or 20/27/22 for the 3.6R. During my day-long drive in Newfoundland, Canada, (where you can actually still get a stick-shift Outback) the cars lived up to those ratings.
That isn't the only place where the new Outback delivered as promised.
Go Anywhere Capability
Subaru makes some bold claims about what the Outback can do. The brand bills it as a "go anywhere, do anything" vehicle and that's a reputation that past models lived up to. But with a continuously-variable transmission, is the Outback going soft?
Nope. With 8.7-inches of ground clearance, there aren't many vehicles that can boast more space from earth to undercarriage. For example, the Audi Allroad has 7.1 inches to spare and the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe has 7.9. In fact, shy of Wrangling a Jeep, you're probably not going to beat the Outback.
The car also comes with something Subaru calls "X-Mode." While engaged, it idiot-proofs driving over rough ground by holding hill descent speeds for you and maintaining steady throttle application for sure-footed climbing. Or so the company says.
To prove it, Subaru set us up with a chance to drive the Outback over a series of off-road obstacles that people normally tackle with an ATV. While literally going "anywhere" is a lot of marketing hyperbole, you might be surprised by how sure-footed and capable this thing is. Not only did it climb up steep hills covered in loose rocks without hesitation, but one of the humps we crossed used every inch of available clearance.
Perhaps most remarkably, the four-cylinder model performed just as well over the same obstacles as the 3.6R. It works harder to do that, but you will have a hard time picking out the difference in performance over rough ground.
A Tale of Two Engines
It isn't until you get out on a highway that the differences between the four- and six-cylinder engines become obvious. They both offer plenty of forward thrust at low speeds, but the extra torque and horsepower make a noticeable difference for passing other cars. But for every bit of extra merit those ponies and pound-feet provide, it's hard not to wonder how worthwhile the bigger engine actually is.
The four-cylinder is adequate and more efficient than both the version used in last year's Outback and the flat six. Historically, most people pick the smaller mill and that makes more sense now than ever before. Skip the six; you don't need it.
Saddling Up
Even with the difference in power between the two engines, wide-open throttle acceleration doesn't really feel that much different between the four and six. The bigger engine feels more responsive at first stab, but both cars feel pokey if you floor your right foot.
Like other recent Subaru models, the side-view mirrors are attached to the door panels and that leaves more room for glass. The result is a thinner-looking A-pillar that makes it easier to see deep into a corner.
For a bulky, high-riding station wagon, the Outback handles corners reasonably well. The steering wheel feels light to turn and that makes the connection between road and car seem vague. Still, there is a noticeably progressive feeling to steering the car as you move off-center and it makes up for most of the ambiguity inherent to an underweighted steering wheel.
The company says it worked on improving sound deadening over the last model and while that's probably true, there is still room for improvement. Wind noise at highway speeds isn't loud enough to interfere with a conversation, but it's also hard to ignore.
Subaru is packaging a new touch screen user interface and an enhanced version of its EyeSight safety system with the Outback.
Two touch screens are available: a 6.2-inch version or a seven-inch version that adds voice-activated navigation with live traffic updates. Both offer Pandora and Aha Internet Radio compatibility and are easy to use if not a little bit buggy. If you launch either of those apps without connecting a phone via Bluetooth first, the computer will spend a full minute trying to boot up the app and locking out the ability to return to other audio functions.
Subaru used to be much more conservative about packaging its EyeSight safety system, but that isn't the case with the Outback. Both the mid-level "Touring" trim and range-topping "Limited" models are available with the system as a part of the technology package.
The revised version of EyeSight is able to apply braking to mitigate a crash without driver input at higher speeds than before. It can also warn you of a vehicle approaching quickly from behind when you're about to change lanes and, as before, includes adaptive cruise control. Subaru has increased the number of distance settings from three to four and designed EyeSight-equipped models to intensify either the left or right fog light during turns in those directions.
Interior Improvements
Cloth seat upholstery is part of the standard equipment list, but leather is available. Hard plastic surfaces aren't hard to find, but Subaru is being clever with how it disguises some of them to look like metal or even wood. More importantly, the interior feels well-constructed as if it will still look presentable after years of service.
The rear seats are available with heaters and can recline. Even with the optional sunroof, there's also plenty of space for long legs and big heads. For 2015, Subaru added levers to the left and right sidewalls of the rear cargo area that lower the second row. There's also an available power liftgate.
Rugged-Looking Exterior
The Outback looks like it could take one or two on the chin. More than ever before, its chunky body cladding and raised ride height give it a rugged look.
Base models come with 17-inch steel wheels while the Touring package adds aluminum alloys of the same size. There are also 18-inch versions as part of the Limited trim level.
The Verdict:
For 2015, the Outback improves in all the right areas without sacrificing a smidgen of what makes it such a hit with anyone who likes being outside. If you currently own an Outback, it's worth planning a visit to the Subie store to trade up. If you don't, there's never been a better time to try one on for size.
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