Automotive Trends

Loyal Chevrolet Volt owners have proven a valuable resource to GM Team members tasked with following up the ambitious plug-in hybrid with an all-new 2016 model. From faster acceleration to better charging cord storage, Volt owners led GM toward a more conventional looking sedan inside and out that now features much improved usability. Engineers redesigned every powertrain component for reduced weight and improved efficiency. A larger capacity  battery now supplies 50 miles of electric range before firing up the 1.5-liter I4 to keep the juice flowing. With a 200 pound weight loss, Chevy expects 41 mpg when the gas engine is running. Cheap gasoline won’t be around forever, and when it’s gone you might find yourself liking what the new Volt offers.

With the industry’s best sales year since 2006 in the books, we are expecting a party when the doors open on the 2015 NAIAS. And if there’s one thing that will bring the Automotive Trends team together, it’s a party with free food and drink. But this year’s Detroit Auto Show promises much more than just cheap champagne thanks to a heavy focus on performance. We have heard rumblings of a reborn Ford GT supercar, a even hotter Shelby GT350 Mustang, a Cadillac CTS-V with just 10 less horsepower than the new Z06 Corvette and, at long last, a production Acura NSX. Bold styling will also vie for the spotlight with concepts like the Buick Avenir and Infiniti Q60 gracing show stands. To bring it all to you we’ve packed up the office, bought out the Costco candy aisle and stocked the hotel mini fridge in an attempt to bring you all the video highlights from the Motor City in the days ahead. You can also follow us on Twitter @automotvtrnds for news as it’s happening.

You might be getting tired of reading about the Mazda3’s greatness on these pages, but we’ll never tire of proclaiming it so long as Mazda keeps pushing it to the head of the class. This week’s example is the fully loaded hatchback version with the gutsy 2.5-liter I4. With sweet steering feel, handling that chews up any corner and responsive brakes there really isn’t much left for us to ask Mazda for. That’s especially true now because for 2015 Mazda has listened to the vocal enthusiasts among us who want to do their own shifting with the more powerful 2.5-liter and made the stick the standard transmission with both engines. Better rest up because it sounds like you might be hearing some more about our favorite small car once we get our hands on one of those.

Toyota wants to move the latest Highlander onto more buyers’ radar and they’re doing that by toughening up the style to attract more men and refining the family friendly features to keep it’s female fan base from straying to the competition. We like what they’ve done inside with smart designs like the massive center console, useful full-width dash shelf and teen-friendly second row captain’s chairs. Toyota has given us less to get excited about under the skin with carryover engine and a 6-speed automatic that doesn’t push any envelopes. Do we recommend the total package or suggest a pass? Our latest video review has that answer.

We’re a weird bunch. For many reasons probably, but primarily because the AT staff is part of that slim subgroup of auto enthusiasts who believe the only way to improve on a BMW 3-Series is to extend the roofline and add a liftgate. In other words, we would spec our 3 as a Sport Wagon. So you can imagine how happy we were to have a week with the latest Sport Wagon after first fearing that BMW may stop importing the cargo-friendly version when the latest generation debuted. Yes, we would like the option of a 6-speed manual and rear wheel drive in place of the all-weather capable xDrive setup that BMW wrongly assumes everyone wants, but there’s still plenty to love here as you’ll see in our latest video review.

Back in the 1960’s, the Beetle was a car at the bottom of the automotive food chain.  If one wanted a cheap and reliable car the Beetle was an obvious choice.  Problem was, the Beetle offered very few comfort and convenience features.  VW replaced the Beetle with the highly successful Golf (known for a time as the Rabbit in the States).  When the New Beetle hit the roads in the late 1990’s it was fully modern in features and retro in style.  Problem was, it wasn’t the most manly of cars.  VW decided to replace the New Beetle with a more macho car, one that had finally grown up.  Indeed, this car is far more civilized and comfortable than any of its forbearers.  The question remains, has it improved enough in the last decade and a half to remain relevant? Read more…

It is hard to believe that it has been 30 model years since Hyundai introduced the lowly Excel to the United States.  Priced at $4995 it pretty much was undercut in price (and quality) by only the Yugo GV.  The Excel has long left the market and Hyundai has slowly and surely been moving the top end of its brand upmarket.  Rather than introduce a separate marque to sell premium cars Hyundai has simply added the range topping Equus.  The ‘base’ Equus we piloted starts at $61,250.  For that type of money one could purchase a whole fleet of Excels if one were skilled enough to find any unlikely survivors.  And yet at just over sixty grand the Equus undercuts similarly spec’ed flagships like the 7-Series and A8.  This pricing strategy mirrors that of Lexus in its inaugural 1989 model year.  Has Hyundai truly refined its skills to offer a legitimate luxury cruiser capable of threatening the established BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus offerings?  Will the well-to-do be willing to shop for their Equus in the same showroom as those who are negotiating for low monthly payments on an Elantra?  Watch as we ponder these questions in the video above. Read more…

Lexus Builds a 2.0T and Wraps it in a Dynamic Crossover

Small crossovers don’t get a lot of love around the Automotive Trends office. They just don’t get our enthusiast blood boiling. We aren’t fans of the compromises that go hand in hand with blending an otherwise rugged or useful SUV with a sedan (sporty or not). We desire something that is nimble, poised and has room for a few child car seats as needed. A compact / midsized station wagon or hatchback better fits our definition of a “sport utility”. But Lexus presented us with something intriguing in Nashville, Tennessee of all places. Read more…

Lexus Makes a Big Entry into a Small Segment

It’s been a long time since Lexus offered a sport coupe. Too long, we’d say, since we’re not counting the folding hardtop luxury cruiser that the SC became in the 2000’s. Lexus knows that for years it sent prospective buyers seeking a stylish two-door to the likes of Audi and BMW, and it knows their new offering will have to be special to bring them back. The confident tone of the brand’s executives convinced us they’re certain the RC will now have the looks and performance to win new buyers to the brand. Based on our spirited drive through New York’s Hudson Valley and subsequent flogging around Monticello Motor Club’s 3.6-mile road course, the wait has been worth it. Read more…

It took a few tries, but Kia now has a legitimate competitor to the excellent Buick LaCrosse and it’s called the Cadenza. Kia has equipped the Cadenza with a strong V6 that uses 293 hp to move it around just as well as the slightly stronger Buick and, although the looks might not quite match the Lacrosse’s luscious lines, it smartly uses a little chrome to pass off as a player that belongs. Inside is where Kia really did their homework, offering all the appropriate features like an excellent Infinity audio system, heated seats all around, a heated steering wheel, panoramic roof, rear sunshade, even a driver’s ventilated seat. Done up nicely with two-tone black and cream leather and stylish dark wood, the Cadenza has to make no apologies for its quiet and comfortable cabin. If we snap into our hyper critical mode the switchgear on the center console lags the best of the competition and the front grille still lacks personality in our opinion, but consider the pluses and add in the value of a ten year warranty and the $42k sticker price is spot on.