2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Review |
- 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Review
- 2014 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Review
- 2015 Porsche Macan S Review
| 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Review Posted: 28 Oct 2014 05:00 PM PDT  Share this Article I fell into a common trap with the last few Jeep Wranglers I've tested by focusing on their continued refinement and improved on-road manners instead of their go-anywhere capability.
Not this time. I'm not going to discuss the Wrangler's wobbly steering, excessive wind noise or dive bar mechanical-bull-riding suspension. It's time to take the Jeep where it's meant to be: the mud. When I told the folks at Jeep my plan, they asked me repeatedly to get it dirty. And instead of giving me an off-road special like the short-wheelbase Wrangler Rubicon, I got a long-wheelbase four-door 2015 Wrangler Unlimited Sahara to prove just how capable any Wrangler can be. More spacious than a regular Wrangler, the monstrous Unlimited measures 173.4 inches in length, an increase of over 20 inches compared to the two-door model. Starting at a base price of $27,390 after destination charges the price jumps to $33,785 in Sahara trim. But my tester goes further. SEE ALSO: 2014 Jeep Wrangler Sport S Review After adding items like the Connectivity Group, Max Tow Package, heated front seats, automatic climate control, colored hardtop, Alpine sound system with navigation and a remote starter, the price jumped to $41,665. What do all these options have to do with off-roading? Not much, but it does make the Wrangler more comfortable when tackling the trails and the tow package does include shorter ratio 3.73 front and rear gears. Starting Small
I had a seriously sketchy road in mind, but before I decide to start small and test the Wrangler's basics before jumping knee-deep into the muck. First I went bombing through a grassy field. That's almost an insult to the Jeep because any vehicle could probably make it across, but not like this thing can.
Most vehicles will make it across a big open field, but the ride is unpleasant as the car bump stops, bottoms out and crashes over uneven surfaces. The Wrangler just laughs it off. As I cruise at 30 MPH over a dry unmaintained field, the Jeep's suspension delivers a smooth, controlled ride. In fact, the drive here is more pleasant than some of the surrounding broken pavement roads. Time for a Workout
Next I took the Wrangler to a man-made moderate off-road course. Short in duration, the course is carved out of deep brush and is designed to test off-road prowess. First is a set of rollers set on a slight incline. Rollers are a series of metal tubes that freely roll within a frame. Think of them as industrialized versions of the bottle return rollers found at a local liquor stores or parcel rollers at shipping depots.
SEE ALSO: 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Review But thanks to modern traction control systems, by using the Jeep's brakes the Wrangler is able to send power to the wheels not on the rollers and advance forward. It's not the best off-road setup by any means, but it works in a pinch. Ground Clearance and Suspension Travel
Next on the trail is a series of logs and man-made dirt mounds set strategically to test ground clearance and suspension travel. With the largest mounds measuring just over eight inches high, the Wrangler Sahara's 10.2-inch ground clearance is never really put to the test, but the suspension did get a thorough workout. The mound placement from side to side are perfectly located to try and upset the Jeep's suspension. Although the Wrangler was bouncing around on the course, it never slipped a tire, hesitated or tried to bump steer off the course. Putting it all Together
There is a road that I've been meaning to test for years, but I've never had the right vehicle to do it. It's a dead-end with a posted warning that the surface is clay, the road is unmaintained and to use it at your own risk. Perfect.
I used all 10.2 inches of ground clearance at certain points because some of the ruts were roughly a foot deep. The Wrangler's differentials dragged through the sludge as the Bridgestone Dueler A/T tires clawed for traction. Mud flew everywhere and the road behind me looked like dual backhoes dug trenches, but the Wrangler soldiered on. Best of all, the Jeep is ready and willing to do it again and again. |
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2014 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Review
Posted: 26 Oct 2014 05:00 PM PDT
There's nothing quite like a Range Rover. These robust vehicles are purpose built to tackle some of the roughest terrain in the world, from fording monsoon-swelled rivers to trekking across the Ethiopian Highlands. About the only thing that can stop a driver in one of these rigs is an empty fuel tank.
FAST FACTS |
| Engine: 2.0-liter turbo, 240 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. Transmission: Nine-speed automatic. Fuel Economy: 21 MPG city, 30 highway and 24 MPG combined. Pricing: $63,715 as tested including $895 in destination fees. |
But Range Rovers aren't just for grueling expeditions. They're also luxurious, with leather-clad interiors and more creature comforts than Buckingham Palace.
A Different Kind of Range Rover
The Evoque is a friendlier, more efficient Range Rover and unlike its bulky brethren it's perfectly at home in suburbia if not the jungles of Myanmar.
Still, it's got a premium cabin and dynamic styling all in a much more manageably sized package. The family resemblance is obvious but compared to the brand's namesake model it's much smaller. The Evoque is more than two feet shorter and around 1,200 pounds lighter than the new Range Rover.
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City Chic
Initially I didn't find this vehicle's interior all that impressive. It was overwhelmingly dark with black leather seats, anthracite-colored door panels and a dashboard so non-reflective it rivaled a creosote-choked chimney flu. But during my week with the Evoke its cabin grew on me, my appreciation blossoming like an English rose in spring.
The overall layout is simple and honest with a pleasingly symmetrical design. You get the impression that this vehicle isn't trying too hard; there are no swoopy surfaces or frivolous design flourishes, just straightforward forms and mostly easy-to-use controls.
Additionally, pretty much all of the materials are top-notch; soft, low-sheen plastics abound as does creamy leather. Contrast stitching helps brighten things a little, as does brushed-aluminum trim that tumbles down the center stack, spilling onto the console. An optional glass roof also brightens things considerably when the shade is fully retracted.
Helping with runs to Costco or Ikea, the Evoque's cargo hold offers up to 51 cubic feet of storage space with the back bench folded. That's about 20 fewer cubes than in a Honda CR-V.
Checkin' the Tech
One noteworthy feature of the Evoque's cabin is a rotary gear selector. When the engine is started it rises up from the lower control panel allowing you to select the direction you want to go; kill the power and it motors down again. Some may find this gimmicky but I thought it was pretty neat.
The Range Rover Evoque's electronics are bit behind the curve. For example, its navigation system is a little obtuse and can be challenging to operate. Also, the display in the meter cluster looks a few years out of date. Sure, it's a nice touch and offers a full spectrum of color (unlike some Hondas today) but it's pretty grainy. Even the backup camera is strangely implemented. The sensor is mounted off-center at the rear of the vehicle and as a result it provides a strangely off-kilter image when reversing.
And that camera is not just a high-tech nicety, it's totally necessary. The Evoque's dramatic exterior styling with a rising belt line and tapering roof severely impinges on the driver's sightlines. Rearward visibility is particularly challenged, but this is the price you pay for vanity.
Minor quibbles aside there is one aspect of the Evoque's cabin that I despise with the furor of a Pepsi executive trapped in Atlanta's World of Coca-Cola. During my evaluation the vehicle's front foot-wells became the target of my ire. First of all they're restrictively narrow. Then there's the dead pedal, which is awkwardly shaped and leaves no room for your toes. On top of all that there's a super-annoying structural support that runs under the front seats and greatly intrudes on foot space. This arrangement is terrible and frankly inexcusable in a luxury vehicle. Perhaps it won't bother you but it gets my dander up.
Mechanical Mayhem
Those restrictive foot-wells betray the Evoque's blue-collar, Blue Oval origins. It's actually built on a Ford architecture and not surprisingly that Dearborn influence continues elsewhere.
This vehicle is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. Sound familiar? It should because it's essentially Ford's EcoBoost four-banger that powers mainstream vehicles like the Focus ST or Explorer. In this application it puts out 240 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. Aside from a little choppiness at idle when the transmission is in drive the engine is as silky smooth as any other powerplant on the market today. It's really slick and pulls strongly, with one major caveat.
The biggest news with the Evoque for 2014 is what's bolted to the engine's bellhousing. It's now matched to a cutting-edge nine-speed automatic transmission. This gearbox replaces a six-speed unit, and how can you argue with a 50 percent increase in ratios?
Those advanced mechanicals result in notable fuel-economy numbers. The Evoque stickers at 21 MPG city and 30 on the highway. Combined it should average 24 MPG. These figures are bolstered by auto start/stop, which works very well. In a week of testing I averaged around 20 MPG.
Off-Road Ready
Admittedly the Evoque is more at home on the road that it is playing in mud, but like other models in the company's lineup it's ready to get dirty, if it has to. Given its front-wheel-drive bias this vehicle is not as hardcore as a proper Range Rover, but ensuring the Evoque can handle adverse conditions its standard four-wheel drive and Terrain Response systems are at the ready.
Drivers have a variety of modes to choose from including dedicated settings for sand, snow and mud. These are easily accessible by a pair of buttons on the center console. But we wonder whether a suburbia mode might be an appropriate addition or perhaps a setting that allows you to park in handicapped spaces even if you're not disabled.
Options Boxes
Giving customers some welcome choice, Range Rover builds two versions of the Evoque. You can get a five-door model, which pretty much resembles a traditional crossover of if you're a sporty type you can acquire one with just three doors. These look particularly striking especially when riding on large wheels.
Base price for a five-door model is around $42,025, including $895 for delivery, but our tester was dressed with a passel of expensive options that ballooned its sticker to $63,715. Extras that padded the price tag included the Dynamic Premium Package, which cost a whopping $15,200. Of course it included a huge number of desirable features including heated front and rear seats, adaptive xenon headlamps, 20-inch rims, a Meridian sound system and much more. Beyond this our test-model also had adaptive cruise control ($1,295), a black roof ($650) and a custom paint color ($950), a striking coppery hue called Zanzibar.
On-Road Manners
Driving the Evoque in its natural habitat (read: on road) reveals that it's an altogether competent luxury crossover. Its steering ratio is surprisingly quick, which gives it an agile if somewhat edgy feel. Likewise its brake pedal is quite sensitive and requires a light touch.
Acceleration provided by its 240 hp engine is impressive, but now for that caveat I mentioned earlier. The Evoque is burdened with quite a bit of turbo lag. Punch the accelerator from a standstill and nothing happens for an uncomfortably long two or three seconds. This powerplant needs at least 3,000 RPM on the tachometer before it really starts pulling. Once underway there are no complaints about the way it performs but it's a little lethargic off the line.
The transmission works pretty much seamlessly. This ZF-supplied nine-speed is the same one used in the Jeep Cherokee, which I evaluated earlier this year. Range Rover's tuning seems much better though; shifts are unspoiled and prompt
The Verdict
The Range Rover Evoque is stylish, efficient and pleasant to drive. Undoubtedly it appeals to urban-types that want an all-weather crossover vehicle with a luxurious interior, rugged styling and fuel consumption that won't lead to bankruptcy. Unfortunately it doesn't come cheap. At $64,000 our fancied-up test model was not a terribly good value proposition. More troubling after a week with this vehicle I didn't find it all that compelling. You can probably spend a lot less and get a bit more by going with something more mainstream.
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Posted: 21 Oct 2014 05:00 PM PDT
This isn't going to be another diatribe about how Porsche has lost its way. For a while now Porsche has proven that it can make highly profitable and excellent sports cars side-by-side. Don't like the new Porsche? Tough, this is what the company is now and personally if Porsche continues to build vehicles like the Cayman GTS, 918 Spyder and 911 Turbo S, it can build all the Panameras, Cayennes and Macans it wants.
FAST FACTS |
| Engine: 3.0-liter Turbocharged V6, 340 HP and 339 lb-ft of torque. Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Fuel economy: 17 MPG city, 23 highway. We averaged 21.6 MPG Price: Macan S begins at $50,980. As tested came in at $57,740. |
The Maca-what? The Macan, it's the newest member to join the Porsche family. Smaller than the Cayenne, the Macan is built on the MLB platform that underpins a number of Audi sedans as well as the Q5 crossover. Measuring 184.3 inches long, the Macan is designed to compete head-to-head against luxury compact crossovers like the BMW X3 and its cousin, the Audi SQ 5.
An Affordable Porsche?
It's no secret Porsches can be quite pricey. Despite a starting price of $50,980 (after destination charges), a Macan Turbo can easily eclipse the six-figure mark once options are packed on. But it's the lower end Macan S that will sell in greater volume and compete head-to-head against other small German crossovers.
SEE ALSO: 2015 Porsche Macan Review
For example, my Macan arrived with an as-tested price of $57,740. The only options added to the otherwise base Macan S are the infotainment package, the panoramic sunroof, upgraded paint, park assist and heated seats. That price does not include HID or LED headlights and despite having LED running lights and turn signals built into the front bumper, old-school halogen lights are used for the daytime running lights. That might seem like a minor point, but I expect a little more exterior flash in a $57,000 luxury crossover.
Two Turbocharged Engines, One "Turbo" Model
The Macan is available with a choice of turbocharged V6 engines displacing eitherz 3.0 liters or 3.6-liters. Confusingly, Macans equipped with the larger turbo V6 are referred to as the 'Turbo" while the smaller turbocharged 3.0-liter Macans are simply called the "S".
With 340 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque, the 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 isn't exactly weak and can propel the Macan from 0-60 MPH in 5.2 seconds. Opt for the Sport Chrono package and that time shrinks to five seconds flat.
PDK in a Crossover?
That quick acceleration time has as much to do with the Macan's transmission as it does the engine. Unlike the larger Cayenne and most other crossovers, the new Macan uses a true PDK dual-clutch transmission. That means using the ubiquitous paddle shifters found in virtually all luxury crossovers actually makes sense for once. Upshifts and downshifts occur quickly, especially in sport mode. This is the first crossover I've driven where I wanted to use the paddle shifters more than just letting the transmission run its own program.
The Macan S straddles the line between sport and luxury. In regular drive mode, it focuses on economy first and performance second, well, as economically focused as a 4,112-lb. crossover with a turbocharged V6 can be. Officially rated at 17 MPG city and 23 MPG highway, the Macan isn't exactly a Prius, but after 700 miles of mostly highways driving with four adults and a hatch full of luggage, I was able to average 21.6 MPG.
Comfort and Confidence
The general ride and handling of the Macan S with the base steel spring suspension is geared more toward comfort than sport. Don't let the six-piston front brakes and staggered tires fool you, the Macan is tuned for a soft, supple ride and it delivers. In S trim, the new Porsche is one of the most comfortable compact crossovers when it comes to highway cruising. In fact, it's so smooth and comfortable on the highway that I actually had to set the speed limit warning because the Macan would constantly creep into "arrest me" territory.
SEE ALSO: Porsche Macan Diesel Coming to US
Some of the creamy ride can be attributed to the high profile tires. But even with non-performance tires and the base S suspension, the Macan does corner with confidence. Even a Porsche more geared toward comfort has to handle well enough to justify its badge.
Surprisingly Spacious Interior
The Macan may have a small footprint, but it's surprisingly spacious inside. Four adults were able to travel in comfort during a five-hour road trip with rear seat passengers appreciating the cushion height and panoramic sunroof. All of our luggage for a weekend getaway easily fit into the 17.7 cubic foot hatch and that's important because Porsche is doing away with the base Cayenne, effectively replacing it with the Macan. Yes, the space is smaller, but no it isn't too small to be useful.
The Verdict
The Macan S is not a sporty vehicle, but a very good luxury crossover. This makes sense since Porsche has long abandoned being a pure sports car maker. Like it or leave it, the new Porsche continues to thrive as it gets closer and closer to a full-line luxury automobile manufacturer, with a sporty edge.
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