Friday 29 August 2014

Renault Twingo TCe 90 Dynamique first drive Review | Autocar

Renault Twingo TCe 90 Dynamique first drive Review | Autocar

Posted: 28 Aug 2014 12:55 AM PDT

What is it?

The all-new Renault Twingo, the product of a co-operative project between the French company and Daimler's Smart brand. It's the first five-door Twingo and the first new rear-engined Renault since production of the boxy 10 saloon ended in 1971.

The new Twingo is just 3.59m long, which is pretty compact for a full four-seater with a well-sized rear cabin. Indeed, the new Twingo is a full 10cm shorter than the outgoing three-door Twingo but has a 12cm longer wheelbase.

Renault says the rear-engined layout has allowed its engineers to push the dashboard further forward. This lengthy cabin, combined with a front passenger seat back that folds forward, allows loads as long as 2.31m long to be fitted inside the Twingo.

Although there's no luggage space under the bonnet (the space is filled with the radiator and various fluid reservoirs), Renault says that not having the engine mounted between the front wheels has greatly improved crash safety.

Renault expects a four-star result in the NCAP tests, but says it will regard that as a good result in the wake of more the stringent regulations introduced in January this year. The Twingo structure's main safety cage is made of very high strength steel than can absorb forces of "120kg per square millimeter".

Pedestrian protection is also claimed to be much improved thanks to the amount of free deformation space allowed by the empty nose. Renault engineers have not had to raise the bonnet line to meet the pedestrian protection regulations, which – along with the very short nose – they say gives the Twingo driver the best forward view of any car in the A segment.

Perhaps the biggest advantage with the rear-engined layout is the ability to allow the Twingo's front wheels to pivot by 45 degrees off the straight-ahead position (the previous Twingo managed only 30 degrees). This gives the Twingo a tiny turning circle of just 8.9m, only marginally larger than that of a London black cab.

At the rear is a re-engineered version of Renault's familiar three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. The unit has been rotated by 49 degrees, so it is 15cm lower than its usual upright position, sitting under the boot floor. Renault says that this re-positioning of the engine means half of the components have had to be re-designed. The rear suspension is an unusual De Dion torsion beam design.

This turbocharged engine, like the 69bhp normally aspirated unit, drives a conventional five-speed manual gearbox. There will be the option of a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, but it won't arrive for another 12 months. Interestingly, the engine block can be lowered by 150mm to aid with major servicing.

Inside, Renault's designers say they have managed to carve out 52 litres of storage space, including space under the rear seat bench (like the original Mini). The boot offers a limited 188 litres, however. The seat backs can be locked in a more upright position to stretch that to 219 litres. Pushing the rear seat backs forward creates a completely level load bay.

What is it like?

Hardly anything like a rear-drive car. The new Twingo, by Renault's own admission, has been tuned to be as similar to a typical front-drive city car as possible.

Even though the car's weight distribution is balanced 55 per cent rear and 45 per cent front, there's hardly any sense that the Twingo is moderately tail heavy. It's even hard to place the source of the engine's prominent warbling note when you're hard on the gas.

The Twingo's driving position is higher and more upright than normal and none the worse for it. The dash is flat and upright, as are the door panels and the overall effect makes the cockpit feel quite spacious and liveable for car this compact.

That effect is magnified when bowling along at 70mph on the motorway, where the Twingo is quite hushed and feels unusually capable of longer, high-speed, journeys than nearly any other A-segment car (save for the exemplary VW Up).

There was a reasonable amount of wind noise and whistle around the A-pillars and wing mirrors, but it is possible that this was more noticeable due to a lack of noise from under the bonnet. The Twingo also felt pretty well tied down at motorway speeds and straight running, perhaps another benefit of the rear-mounted engine.

On more winding roads, it was possible to get this car flowing quite nicely, once the engine was operating around its peak torque levels (frustratingly, the Twingo does not have a rev counter as standard). The shift action is little overlong, but then the linkage has to reach back into the rear of the car.

It is possible to pull a series of B-road curves in to a satisfying whole, once you've got the engine on the boil. Despite its resolutely ordinary set-up (although this model does get steering which is usefully half-a-turn quicker than on the normally-aspirated car) the Twingo has some country road potential.

Our test car had covered just 250 miles or so, and felt very tight and took some revving to get going. That will improve over time, but it has quite a decent pace. In general, the Twingo's ride was pretty good, though it was disturbed by short-wave undulations and broken surfaces. The tyres also kicked up something of a racket on coarse surfaces.

Naturally, the Twingo was at one with the city environment, especially thanks to its exceptionally tight turning circle.

Should I buy one?

As city cars go, this Twingo is definitely one of the more entertaining options available. It is reasonably brisk and will get better with miles, the interior is genuinely accomodating for such a small car and the extraordinary turning circle should not be underestimated in everyday use.

This Twingo also has the legs for motorway running and is more spacious than the latest city cars such as the Toyota Aygo. It could use another round of refinement work to best the VW Up, but overall the Twingo is near the top of table.

In this Dynamique form, it's also remarkably well equipped. It gets 15-inch alloys, air conditioning, a DAB/Bluetooth sound system, stop-start, front fog lamps, lane departure warning, leather wheel and gear knob, remote locking and even hill-start assist.

We'll have to wait for the warm and hot versions of the Twingo to see its potential as a pocket sports car, but for now the Twingo TCe 90 is an intriguing and innovative model whose unique engineering package has allowed it to shake off most of the downsides of conventional city cars.

Renault Twingo TCe 90 Dynamique

Price £11,695; 0-62mph 10.8sec; Top speed 103mph; Economy 65.7mpg; CO2 99g/km; Kerb weight 943kg; Engine 3cyls in line, rear-mounted, 898cc, turbocharged petrol; Power 89bhp at 5500rpm; Torque 99lb ft at 2500rpm; Gearbox five-speed manual

Google's Self-Driving Cars Still Face Many Obstacles | MIT ...

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 09:00 PM PDT

Impressive progress hides major limitations of Google's quest for automated driving.

By Lee Gomes on August 28, 2014

Watch out: Google's self-driving car can "see" moving objects like other cars in real time. But only a pre-made map lets it know about the presence of certain stationary objects, like traffic lights.

Would you buy a self-driving car that couldn't drive itself in 99 percent of the country? Or that knew nearly nothing about parking, couldn't be taken out in snow or heavy rain, and would drive straight over a gaping pothole?

If your answer is yes, then check out the Google Self-Driving Car, model year 2014.

Of course, Google isn't yet selling its now-famous robotic vehicle and has said that its technology will be thoroughly tested before it ever does. But the car clearly isn't ready yet, as evidenced by the list of things it can't currently do—volunteered by Chris Urmson, director of the Google car team.

Google's cars have safely driven more than 700,000 miles. As a result, "the public seems to think that all of the technology issues are solved," says Steven Shladover, a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley's Institute of Transportation Studies. "But that is simply not the case."

No one knows that better than Urmson. But he says he is optimistic about tackling outstanding challenges and that it's "going to happen more quickly than many people think."

Google often leaves the impression that, as a Google executive once wrote, the cars can "drive anywhere a car can legally drive." However, that's true only if intricate preparations have been made beforehand, with the car's exact route, including driveways, extensively mapped. Data from multiple passes by a special sensor vehicle must later be pored over, meter by meter, by both computers and humans. It's vastly more effort than what's needed for Google Maps.

Mistakes on maps could be dangerous, because there are some objects, like traffic signals and intersection stop signs, that the car needs the maps to handle, even though it also has several on-board sensors. If it encountered an unmapped traffic light, and there were no cars or pedestrians around, the car could run a red light simply because it wouldn't know the light is there.

Alberto Broggi, a professor studying autonomous driving at Italy's Università di Parma, says he worries about how a map-dependent system like Google's will respond if a route has seen changes like the addition of a new stop sign at an intersection.

Urmson says the company had a strategy to handle the updating issue, but he declines to describe it in any detail.

Some experts are bothered by Google's refusal to provide that sort of safety-related information. Michael Wagner, a Carnegie Mellon robotics researcher studying the transition to autonomous driving, says the public "has a right to be concerned" about Google's reticence: "This is a very early-stage technology, which makes asking these kinds of questions all the more justified."

Certain aspects of the car's design do not seem to be widely appreciated. For example, Bernard Soriano, the California DMV official responsible for autonomous vehicles in the state, was unaware that the car couldn't handle unmapped intersection stop signs, despite numerous briefings from Google. When told about the limitation by MIT Technology Review, he said he would be seeking a "clarification" about the issue from Google.

Maps have so far been prepared for only a few thousand miles of roadway, but achieving Google's vision will require maintaining a constantly updating map of the nation's millions of miles of roads and driveways. Urmson says Google's researchers "don't see any particular roadblocks" to accomplishing that, but again he declined to provide any details.

In May, Google announced that all its future cars would be totally driver-free, without even a steering wheel. It cited the difficulties in assuring that a standby human driver would always be ready to take over. The company says it will initially test the new cars with the added controls now required by states that allow testing. But winning approval to test, much less market, a totally robotic car "would be a tremendous leap," says David Fierro, spokesman for the DMV in Nevada, where Google now runs tests.

Among other unsolved problems, Google has yet to drive in snow, and Urmson says safety concerns preclude testing during heavy rains. Nor has it tackled big, open parking lots or multilevel garages. The car's video cameras detect the color of a traffic light; Urmson said his team is still working to prevent them from being blinded when the sun is directly behind a light. Despite progress handling road crews, "I could construct a construction zone that could befuddle the car," Urmson says.

Pedestrians are detected simply as moving, column-shaped blurs of pixels—meaning, Urmson agrees, that the car wouldn't be able to spot a police officer at the side of the road frantically waving for traffic to stop.

The car's sensors can't tell if a road obstacle is a rock or a crumpled piece of paper, so the car will try to drive around either. Urmson also says the car can't detect potholes or spot an uncovered manhole if it isn't coned off.

Urmson says these sorts of question might be unresolved simply because engineers haven't yet gotten to them.

But researchers say the unsolved problems will become increasingly difficult. For example, John Leonard, an MIT expert on autonomous driving, says he wonders about scenarios that may be beyond the capabilities of current sensors, such making a left turn into a high-speed stream of oncoming traffic.

Challenges notwithstanding, Urmson wants his cars be ready by the time his 11-year-old son is 16, the legal driving age in California. "It's my personal deadline," he says.

Hear more from Google at EmTech 2014.

Thursday 28 August 2014

2014 Audi S4 Review

2014 Audi S4 Review
2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon LWB Review
2015 Hyundai Genesis V6 AWD Review
2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Review

2014 Audi S4 Review

Posted: 27 Aug 2014 05:00 PM PDT

Craig Cole Aug. 28, 2014 Photos by Craig Cole

Are you in the market for a luxurious four-door family car with a usable trunk and decent fuel mileage but are unwilling to sacrifice sporty driving dynamics at the altar of practicality? Audi may have the ideal vehicle for you with its entertaining yet functional S4.

FAST FACTS

Engine: 3.0L supercharged V6 with 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque.

Transmission: Standard six-speed manual or optional seven-speed S tronic automatic.

Fuel Economy: 17/26/20 City/Highway/Combined with the manual.

Pricing: $48,995 including $895 for shipping. $54,945 as tested.

S4 101

As you might imagine this sedan is a performance-enhanced version of the brand's A4 model, an impressive car on its own that I was surprisingly effusive about in a review that posted not long ago. It wowed me with its refined interior, beautiful body work and precision construction. The car's downsides were few and centered on steering feel and tepid acceleration. With a list of virtues like this it's easy to understand why the A4 is the best-selling nameplate in Audi's lineup.

But the S4 builds on this solid foundation and offers drivers more of everything, more power, more grip and lots more smiles. Accordingly it's designed to compete with other fun-focused sedans like the BMW 335i, Infiniti Q50 and Cadillac ATS.

The S4's list of standard features is long and appealing. It includes things like xenon headlamps, keyless entry with push-button start, three-zone automatic climate control a flotilla of airbags and much more.

The car rides on stylish 18-inch wheels wrapped in summer rubber, not all-season, all-suck tires, though if you opt for the $1,300 Black Optic package, a feature our test car was equipped with, you get 19s as well as various gloss black exterior trimmings.

Interior Magic

The S4 features essentially the same great cabin found in the more mass-market A4. This means you're treated to the same high-quality materials, the same faultless fit and finish and the same MMI infotainment system, which is pretty easy to get the hang of.

The S4's meaty, flat-bottom steering wheel is easier to grab than a fistful of cashews. The front seats are adjustable in a dozen different directions and trimmed is supple Nappa leather. They're also nicely bolstered to keep you from flopping around during aggressive maneuvers.

Unfortunately the back seats are less hospitable. They're a little tight on legroom and the middle spot is essentially useless because of a gigantic hump in the floor, likely a design trade off because of the all-wheel-drive system.

One interesting feature is the S4's push-button start. You can keep the key in your pocket and use the console-mounted switch to ignite and kill the engine. But if you prefer you can also stick the fob directly into a slot on the dashboard to start and stop the vehicle. Different strokes for different folks and it's kind of cool that Audi gives you that option.

Whine >>> Whoosh

At a time when most automakers are running to downsized, turbocharged engines as a solution to delivering adequate driving performance with improved fuel economy Audi has taken a slightly different approach with the S4.

Instead of using an exhaust gas-powered torque-multiplier the car's 3.0-liter V6 features a belt-driven supercharger. This configuration may not be quite as efficient but it has its own benefits. Mechanical blowers kick in at low engine speed giving you lots of torque just off idle.

Sure, the previous-generation S4 was powered by a lusty 4.2-liter V8 engine that made wonderful noises and ample power but this force-fed six is pretty wonderful in its own right and it's kind or retro. If you remember back about a decade and a half the car featured a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6.

Anyway, today's S4 has tons of torque and pulls strongly throughout the rev-range. Maxed out it delivers 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. But perhaps best of all Audi's 3.0-liter V6 is silky smooth; scarcely any vibration can be felt, even through the shifter.

If anything the engine is too quiet. You really can't hear the supercharger as it goes about its business. A little whine would be greatly appreciated, because the nasty noises a mechanical blower makes trump the whooshing and hissing of a turbo any day.

Two transmissions are available; there's a standard six-speed manual and an available seven-gear S tronic automatic. But truth be told, the former option is the one you want. Audi's stick is simply a work of genius. The shifter is light through the gears and slicker than a bucket of greased marbles; its precision is unmatched ensuring you never miss a shift.

Overall the S4 weighs less than 3,900 pounds with the stick shift, slightly more with the automatic. Manual-equipped S4s may have a mass advantage but cars equipped with a self-shifting transmission are more fuel efficient. With a six-speed the S4 stickers at 17 miles per gallon city and 26 on the interstate. Combined it should average 20 MPG. The automatic ought to hit 18 in urban conditions and 28 on the highway; these scores result in an average of 21 MPG.

The Drive

The S4's brilliant engine imbues the car with brisk acceleration. In fact when all 333 ponies are pounding the pavement it can accelerate from zero to 60 miles an hour in just 4.9 seconds, a figure that's identical with either transmission.

The engine responds with vigor in practically every situation. Bury the accelerator in the carpet's pile at 25 miles an hour in sixth gear and the supercharged-six will pull you right along. It's even more vigorous at highway speed. Downshifting is not often required for passing slower-moving vehicles, just roll on the throttle and the S4 responds.

But there's more to the way this vehicle behaves than just rapid straight-line speed; the S4 is perfectly balanced like a senior citizen's checking account. It's a true driver's car; it's the whole package, the quintessential sports sedan. The S4's steering is beautifully weighted, the brake pedal wonderfully responsive and its body control so refined. The whole car is just a masterpiece of automotive engineering. Believe it or not, I enjoyed this sedan more – far more in fact – than the massively fast RS 7 I evaluated a week prior, that's how good it is.

Audi's Drive Select system allows you to adjust various vehicle attributes to suit your taste. You can tweak the S4's steering feel, throttle input and other variables.

Also, with a slick gearbox, forgiving clutch and ample low-RPM torque the S4 is a piece of cake to drive smoothly. Perfectly executed shifts are a snap. This would be a great car to learn the three-pedal dance in.

Can You Afford It?

An option-less S4 dressed in premium plus trim, the most affordable version of this car, can be had for $48,995 including $895 for shipping and handling. Our fairly basic test model stickered for a totally reasonable out-the-door price of $54,945. Extras included Misano Red pearl effect paint ($500), Audi's MMI Navigation plus package ($3,050), the Black Optic package ($1,300) and the available sports differential ($1,100).

The Audi's base price is within spitting distance of a bare-bones BMW 335i xDrive. The Bimmer is about $645 cheaper than its rival from Ingolstadt, though we happen to think the S4 is considerably more attractive and quite possible a better driver's car.

The Verdict

The 2014 Audi S4 is a wonderfully balanced sports sedan. It's luxurious, speedy and more fun to drive than should be legally allowed. In fact, with a slick six-speed manual, smooth-running supercharged engine and quattro all-wheel drive it just may be the perfect all-around car.

LOVE IT

Slick six-speed manual transmission
Smooth-running supercharged V6
Ample horsepower
Low-RPM torque
Quality

LEAVE IT

Not enough engine/exhaust noise
Somewhat tight back seat

2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon LWB Review

Posted: 21 Aug 2014 05:00 PM PDT

Craig Cole Aug. 22, 2014 Photos by Craig Cole

Call me a nutcase, an automotive freak-show or flat-out insane, but I was actually more excited to evaluate the Ford Transit Connect Wagon than I was the Audi RS7 I drove recently. How's that possible? Did this versatile van's map pockets come pre-stuffed with $100 bills? Bribery seems like the only explanation for this incongruity, but that's far from the reason why. I told you I was crazy!

FAST FACTS

Engine: 2.5L four-cylinder engine makes 169 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque. 1.6L EcoBoost four-cylinder makes 178 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque.

Transmission: A six-speed automatic transmission only.

Fuel Economy: Long wheelbase Transit Connect Wagons stickers at 20 MPG city, 28 MPG highway, or 23 MPG overall.

Pricing: Starts at $25,520. $33,315 as tested including $995 in delivery fees.

Like the top of a baby's head I have a big soft spot. Quirky, practical, affordable vehicles push all the right buttons for me, though hopefully not too hard. These three adjectives succinctly describe the Transit Connect commercial van. Of course in enthusiast terms this preference is tantamount to burning your driver's license and vowing to rely exclusively on horse and buggy, but bear with me for a moment.

Practically any car company can build an awe-inspiring vehicle if the budget's big enough. The Rennsport Audi was breathtaking in every way, but of course it was six-figure expensive. It's much harder to produce a vehicle that's excellent AND affordable.

#UNMINIVAN

Ford is celebrating the new Transit Connect by giving the vehicle its own Twitter hashtag, #Unminivan, which was plastered in large block letters on the sides and rear of the test model I drove. In spite of their rebranding efforts a vehicle with two sliding doors and seating for seven is still pretty much a minivan, no matter how you spin it. Perhaps Windstar would have been a better name.

But calling a spade a spade is not necessarily a bad thing, because the tall and boxy Transit Connect offers huge interior space and clever seating.

Customers have two different wheelbases to choose from. The truncated offering spans 104.8 inches between hubs while the larger option stretches a whopping 120.6 inches. Interior space with either variant is impressive. Maximum cargo volume behind the front seats measures 77.1 and 104.2 cubic feet, respectively. The long-wheelbase model actually has a good bit more interior storage volume than a Chevy Tahoe, likely thanks to its cathedral ceiling.

The Transit Connect is offered in two flavors. There's a cargo variant with steel instead of side glass as well as seating for two and then there's the passenger-friendly wagon that can accommodate either five or seven people, depending on wheelbase. Additionally there are two rear-door configurations. You can opt for either symmetrical openings or a single roof-hinged hatch

With ample choice, this vehicle can serve trade workers like plumbers and electricians just as easily as it can work as an airport shuttle or church bus.

Powertrain Prowess

North American customers have two engine choices in the Transit Connect. There's a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder unit I sampled and a 1.6-liter EcoBoost option. The former puts out 169 hp with 171 lb-ft of torque, the latter slightly more in each category. The turbo's numbers total 178 ponies and 184 units of twist.

Curiously long-wheelbase versions are exclusively offered with the 2.5-liter engine. Where applicable the EcoBoost unit is a $795 option.

When it's time to pick a transmission you can have it your way as long as it's Ford's way. Just one gearbox is offered in North America: a six-speed automatic.

Not surprisingly, European customers have vastly more choice in how their Transit Connects are powered. The company offers an array of small diesel engines, the abovementioned 1.6-liter four banger and even a thrifty three-cylinder EcoBoost option is available. Drivers can also get a manual transmission if they want to row their own gears.

Personally I'd love to see the Focus ST's drivetrain available as an option. With TONS of midrange torque and a smooth-shifting, six-speed stick this would be an extremely entertaining and functional setup.

But for whatever the reason, that isn't available. The Transit Connect's engine bay is surprisingly cramped, with little more than a mail slot-sized opening when the hood is lifted. Servicing anything under there could be a major hassle.

INTERIOR

This vehicle's interior borrows heavily from Ford's other C-architecture models, chiefly the Focus and Escape. The dashboard has the same unusual layout with unexpected swoops and angles, which give it a busy look. Unlike its siblings everything is rendered in shiny, hard plastic instead of softer materials.

One standout aspect of the Transit Connect's cabin is the amount of headroom it offers; it's absolutely gargantuan! Seated up front there's nearly enough space for a Grenadier Guard to perch on your shoulders, bearskin hat and all.

The second-row seats are surprisingly spacious as well, with good support and decent legroom. Even the aft-most perches aren't too bad. The bottom cushion is pretty low but there's still a serviceable amount of space for six-foot-tall passengers if the trip isn't terribly long.

Both rows fold down for maximum cargo capacity. Further enhancing utility, they go completely flat and feature special foldout covers that block any gaps between the rows. This part features embedded magnets so it locks into place when deployed or retracted.

Regrettably, this vehicle isn't spacious in all dimensions. Like many other Ford models the front foot-wells are intrusively narrow. Wide doorsills, restrictive sides and a damnable under-seat beam all gobble up space and seriously impact comfort; there's nowhere to put your feet! This is inexcusable, especially since other manufacturers do not have these issues.

THE DRIVE

Despite its focus on utility the Transit Connect drives surprisingly well. Acceleration provided by the 2.5-liter engine is adequate, though it's very smooth and well isolated. The transmission is equally adequate. It changes gears quickly and seamlessly, plus you can manually control it via a rocker on the side of the shifter if you feel so inclined.

This van's steering feel was remarkably good, and not just by work-vehicle standards. The tiller has tremendous on-center feel and near-perfect weighting with just the right amount of heft. It's nice that Ford's chassis magic has transferred over from the Focus and Escape.

Likewise, the brake pedal has a reassuring, brawny feel without being too sensitive. Ride quality is on the firm side, probably because it has a maximum payload of 1,270 pounds. In many ways the Transit Connect drives like a really competent small car and not a hard-working commercial vehicle.

Given its protruding front end, the Transit Connect can be a little challenging to park because its dashboard stretches out for miles and it's nearly impossible to see where the bumper begins. Fortunately a front and rear sensing system is available (a $495 option) and it's immensely useful. When you get close to parking curbs it beeps, alerting you to their fascia-damaging proximity.

PRICING AND EFFICIENCY

Base price for a short-wheelbase Transit Connect Van, the cheapest version, is a skosh less than $23,000 including $995 in delivery fees. A comparable passenger-carrying wagon model is about $2,500 more.

The top-of-the-line Titanium Transit Connect I sampled costs $33,315 including shipping and handling. It was gussied up with options including a panoramic glass roof ($1,295), an electrically defrosting windshield ($300), MyFord Touch ($840) and remote start ($345), which added a clunky supplemental fob. Couldn't they integrate remote start right into the standard key like they've done with other models?

As for fuel consumption, long-wheelbase Wagons sticker at 20 MPG in the city and 28 on the highway. Combined they should average 23 MPG, a figure I beat by about one mile per gallon.

THE VERDICT

As I mentioned at the beginning of this review I was super excited to sample the new Ford Transit Connect. It's functional, efficient and pretty affordable, plus it drives nicely. In a lot of ways it's the competent minivan Ford never really figured out in the past. Aborted models like the Aerostar, Windstar and Mercury Villager never competed favorably with rivals from Chrysler, Honda and Toyota.

This versatile hauler is nowhere near as luxurious as an Odyssey or even a Town & Country but in its most basic form it's several grand cheaper than those models. I found the Transit Connect Wagon pleasantly surprising in many ways and I suspect young families might as well.

LOVE IT

Tons of headroom
Smooth powertrain
Versatile seating
Cargo space

LEAVE IT

Merely adequate acceleration
Challenged forward visibility
Cramped foot wells

2015 Hyundai Genesis V6 AWD Review

Posted: 20 Aug 2014 05:00 PM PDT

Mike Schlee Aug. 21, 2014 Photos by Mike Schlee and Hyundai

When preparations began for the Rally North America (RNA) 2014 US 50 Rally, I began thinking about which vehicle my father and I would co-pilot this year. You can think of the rally as a giant scavenger hunt and this year's event was especially long. Instead of the usual Rally North America three-day adventure, teams would be driving for five days this year across historic Route 50.

FAST FACTS

Engine: 3.8-liter V6 with 311 HP, 293 lb-ft of torque.

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic.

Fuel economy: 16 MPG city, 25 MPG highway, 25.6 MPG observed.

Price: $41,450 after destination charges for Genesis 3.8 AWD. $52,450 as tested.

We traditionally drove a sports car to RNA events, but not this year. We wanted to change things up. Daunted by the thought of traversing Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri in something with stiff suspension, we adjusted our focus for comfort, space and luxury.

That brought us to the 2015 Hyundai Genesis Sedan. While comparing it to the Cadillac CTS Vsport, I fell in love with the 5.0-liter V8-powered model for its on-road comfort and admirable interior build quality not to mention the generous equipment list. The new Genesis is a serious contender in the mid-size luxury market, even though it costs a lot less than its competition.

V6 Might Surprise You

Since our upcoming drive would require a lot of miles on the open, unpredictable road, we picked the Genesis V6 AWD as our driving steed. Outfitted with a 3.8-liter V6, the car develops 311 hp and 293 lb-ft of torque sent to the HTRAC all-wheel drive system through an eight-speed automatic. That might not sound like much for a car that tips the scales at 4,295 lbs., but we were quite impressed with the cars straight-line performance.

Thanks to the quick acting transmission, the Genesis is never out of its power band. Roll onto a freeway onramp from a stop and the car picks up speed with respectable haste. During the road adventure we stopped at a quarter mile drag strip. With the car fully loaded and facing a strong headwind, we knocked off a 15.4 second quarter mile time at over 91 MPH. In better conditions we're confident this car would crack the 14-second range. Not bad for a big car with only 311 HP.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Hyundai Genesis Review

More impressive than the engine response from the Genesis was the fuel economy. Rated at a less-than-stellar 16 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on the highway, after 4,000 miles our average was an EPA beating 25.6 MPG and I wasn't exactly hypermiling the car either. There were a few laps around Pueblo Motor Sports Park in Colorado, some quarter mile runs, spirited drives through the mountains of West Virginia and a climb up Pikes Peak. The fact the Genesis sedan has a slippery drag coefficient of just 0.26 certainly didn't hurt.

Technologically Packed

Wanting all the toys and technology on our trip, our Genesis came with Signature, Tech and Ultimate packages that raises the base price of the Genesis 3.8 AWD from $41,450 after destination charges to $52,450. Although that's is a steep increase, it adds a long list of road trip friendly features including ventilated front seats, a power driver seat cushion extender and side bolster, adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, a color head-up display, a 9.2-inch navigation display screen and a Lexicon 17-speaker audio system. Better still, the car can record radio broadcasts and play them back later if you want to listen to something again.

During the jaunts across corn country, we had ample opportunity to test the adaptive cruise control and active lane keeping systems. The adaptive cruise control works as advertised and will bring the car all the way to a stop if need be. We found it's a bit too touchy at times though, as the brakes are applied too early and too often. A lot of this has to do with the system not allowing us to cruise as close to the car in front as we would like. If stuck in traffic, the system would keep braking the car whenever the speed of the car in front of us changed in the slightest, producing a less-than-smooth driving experience.

Almost Drives Itself

The active lane keep system works well once you get used to the steering wheel tugging from side to side to make adjustments. It's also important to point out that if the car is heading off the road at too great of angle, won't be able to keep you in the lane; a features most likely built in so the car won't snap too aggressively on the driver. Fun fact: if the car senses the driver is allowing the system to keep it in a straight line on the freeway for too long, it will flash a warning to put their hands back on the wheel.

The V6 Genesis sedan is equipped with 245 mm width tires mounted on 18-inch wheels. Even with a relatively quick 11.8:1 steering ratio, it's not meant to be a sport sedan. Lugging the big car through the mountains of West Virginia and around Pueblo International Raceway drove this point home, but it's not a complete land yacht either. It can negotiate corner without rolling over on its side, but would prefer to be driven at a more relaxed pace.

Space and Comfort Inside

The Genesis looks longer than it really is. At 196.5 inches in length, it's shorter than a Chevrolet Impala, Ford Taurus or Dodge Challenger. The Hyundai is said to only offer 35.0-inches of rear legroom, but like we've stated previously when reviewing this car, there seems to be a lot more real world space back there.

Add a 15.3 cubic foot trunk and the Genesis is capable of taking four adults and their luggage on a long road trip. Comfort in the Genesis is top notch. Every day we applauded the front seats for offering ample support in all the right places. After nine-hour driving days neither of us felt particularly fatigued or stiff.

The Verdict

The Genesis is almost the total package when it comes to a great road trip car. For the money, it's hard find a vehicle that is as comfortable, luxurious, efficient and technology laden. After 4,000 miles, the car felt ready for another 4,000 and so did we.

LOVE IT

Comfort
Luxurious appointments
Efficiency
Surprising power

LEAVE IT

Could handle better
Adaptive cruise too touchy

2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Review

Posted: 19 Aug 2014 05:00 PM PDT

Mike Schlee Aug. 20, 2014 Photos by Mike Schlee and Chevrolet

A favorite of the vehicles I drove last year, the Chevy Corvette Stingray is easily one of the best performance bargains on the market. And I'm not alone in thinking so.

FAST FACTS

Engine: 6.2-liter V8 with 460 HP and 460 lb-ft of torque.

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic.

Fuel economy: 16 MPG City, 29 MPG Highway.

Price: Starts at $54,995 after destination charges.

Even after winning the 2014 North American Car of the Year, the folks at Chevrolet weren't about to pat themselves on the back and spend a few years resting on their laurels. No, for 2015, significant improvements are being made to the Stingray in only its second year on the market. New are enhancements to the rev matching precision of the seven-speed manual transmission, the addition of an optional performance data recorder and an all-new eight-speed automatic.

Dubbed the Hydra-Matic 8L90, the eight-speed is an in-house GM design that replaces the old six-speed in the Stingray and will even find its way into the upcoming Corvette Z06, which means the 8L90 needs to be able to handle upwards of 650 lb-ft of torque. More than that, the new eight-speed also needs to be flexible enough for use in pick-up trucks and SUVs as well as sports cars and must be able to fit into the same physical space as the old six-gear transmission.

More Gears, Lighter Weight

By using clever packaging, Chevrolet claims to have succeeded with all these demands. Add in abundant use of aluminum and magnesium and the new eight-speed transmission actually weighs in at eight pounds less than the outgoing six. Equipped with four gearsets and five clutches, the overall ratio for the new-eight speed automatic expands to 7.0, featuring a shorter first gear (for better acceleration) and taller final gear (for improved fuel economy).

This adds up to a 0 to 60 MPH time of 3.7 seconds according to Chevrolet which is 0.1 seconds faster than the old six-speed automatic and the current seven-speed manual. Quarter-mile times have also been shaved by 0.1 seconds, now listed at 11.9 seconds. Furthermore, wide-open throttle upshifts are said to be executed up to 0.08 seconds quicker than those done by the dual-clutch transmission in the Porsche 911.

All of these facts and figures are impressive, but how does the new eight-speed automatic perform in the real world? To find out, Chevrolet brought us to the company's proving grounds in Milford, MI to test the 2015 Stingray on the track and the street.

Real World Testing

With the threat of a Michigan monsoon looming overhead, we rushed out to the Milford Road Course (MRC) to put the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette through its paces. For those unfamiliar, the MRC is 2.9-mile racetrack built inside a 2.0-mile oval. Designed to mimic many of the best aspects of tracks around the world, MRC features hills, dips, chicanes, blind corners and even a near vertical "toilet bowl" 180-degree corner.

To begin my first lap, I did what any red-blooded car lover would do when given the keys to a brand new Corvette; I mashed the accelerator pedal. Instantly the car leapt forward in a V8 snarling furry. There is no hesitation or torque converter delay with the new eight-speed automatic – just instant response. As I accelerated toward the first corner at well over 100 MPH, upshifts were firing off lightning quick, just as advertised.

As I approached the first corner, standing on the brakes, the engine begins to do near redline, rev-matching downshifts. True I'm running in "Track" mode, but there is no other input from me. The car just acts like it's supposed to on a track, firing through the gears as needed. I run another five shaky laps trying to figure out the undulating, challenging course. During this time I'm anything but smooth, but the transmission is only caught out in the wrong gear twice and both times for less than a second.

Let the Transmission Handle the Shifting

Needless to say the new eight-speed automatic works at the track, but this should come with a caveat – don't touch the paddles. The software engineering has been so well sorted out that the computer is calling for gears in advance to the driver actually needing them, so when the change occurs it's at the exact right moment. Since this is a "regular" automatic, using the paddle shifters to "manually" select a gear is followed by a lengthy delay.

It's the one thing a conventional automatic cannot match compared to a dual clutch transmission (DCT), the response time from a driver's input to the physical gear change. Sure the new eight-speed can change gears lightning quick, but a DCT has already pre-loaded the next gear and can react to a new input much faster. I will say that response time does feel quicker from the Corvette's eight-speed automatic than the eight-speed autos I've recently sampled, including in the Jaguar F-Type.

Efficient on the Street

Almost as if Chevrolet had paid off Mother Nature, the rain held off until the exact moment we finished our track drive. With a very wet street drive looming ahead of me, I decide it's time to see just how efficient the 3,298 lbs. Corvette can be if driven softly during a mix of country back-roads and the freeway. After a short 19 mile drive, the Corvette reports an observed fuel economy average of 28.6 MPG. That is nearly as high as the 2015 Corvette automatics official highway rating of 29 MPG (the city rating is much lower at 16 MPG).

The reason behind this is two parts. First, the Corvette defaults into "Touring" mode upon start-up and all official fuel economy testing has been done in this setting. During my drive, the Corvette remained in the more efficient Eco mode the whole time, padding my numbers slightly. As well, Chevrolet engineers feel with a bit more tuning, the Corvette Stingray eight-speed could easily achieve 30+ MPG highway during testing. I'd expect to see the official ratings to increase in the next year or two.

The Verdict

Chevrolet has not reinvented the automatic transmission, but what the company has done is taken a great car with a good transmission and made it better. With more performance and better real world fuel economy, there isn't much to complain about with the new Hydra-Matic 8L90 automatic. If it were my money though, I'd still equip my 2015 Stingray with the more engaging seven-speed manual. But if an automatic is a must, thankfully the Corvette now has a really good one.

LOVE IT

Instant response from a stop
Quick acting on the track
More efficient

LEAVE IT

Paddle shifting still slow
Still not as engaging as the manual

Car Reviews

Friday 29 August 2014