Friday, April 30, 2010

2011 Ford Fiesta

2011 Ford Fiesta




What is it?

 
The Fiesta is Ford's much-hyped world-car entry into the small B-class segment in the United States, a slice of the market currently populated by the Honda Fit, the Toyota Yaris and the Nissan Versa. B-class means it's smaller than the Ford Focus. But the class itself has grown by more than 30 percent in the last decade independent of the price of gasoline, Ford says, and the Fiesta represents a chance for Ford to party down at the bottom of the size chart. The Fiesta also represents something of a gamble that downsizers looking to save either money, gasoline or the planet--or have their college-age kids do so--will embrace Fiesta's 30 mpg city/40 mpg highway mileage and $13,995 starting sticker. Prices top out close to $20,000.





How's it drive?

With the front wheels powered by a 1.6-liter four putting out an underwhelming 120 hp and 112 lb-ft of torque to move the 2,500- to 2,600-or-so-pound car, it's not something you'd use to make quick freeway passes. But the chassis and suspension are tops in the class and take corners with the solidity of a more serious sporty hatch. With the somewhat long-throw five-speed manual, the Fiesta is fun, but coupled to the Getrag six-speed dual-clutch automatic, the car just flops and plods along. You can't really select gears with the Getrag; it does almost all the thinking for you, so whatever sporty elements are surely possible with this transmission remain undiscovered.



The electric power steering is tops in the class, and the Hankook 195/50R-16 Optimos gripped well. The interior is even quieter than Ford engineers said it would be, and the trim pieces inside are distinctly textured to give it an artsy feel. The available exterior colors will really catch the eye of buyers. And the addition of features such as Sync AppLink to link your BlackBerry or Android phone to the car adds another segment of buyers.





Do I want it?



For the price of a more fully optioned Fiesta, you could get into a Mazda 3 or a Volkswagen Golf and have more fun driving them. But you could also save a few thousand and have this perfectly fun front-runner and save money on gasoline, too. Your choice.













Saturday, March 13, 2010

Kubica happy with life at renault F1 team




Robert Kubica thinks the Renault Formula One team is "heading in the right direction" after its below-the-radar performance in winter testing.






Kubica said he already feels at home in his new team, which he joined for 2010 after leaving BMW Sauber at the end of last season.






While there are four obvious front-running teams, many observers say that Renault could be a strong package as the season progresses. The team spent a lot of time running race fuel loads and did not set any headline-grabbing lap times.






"I feel as ready as I can be considering that winter testing has been so limited," said Kubica. "I've spent a lot of time with the team and we already have a strong working relationship, which means we can make the most of the time at the track. There has been a lot for me to learn and there are still questions to answer, but we got some good information from the tests and I tried to extract the maximum from every lap.






"It's difficult to judge performance, but we're heading in the right direction. We also haven't run with all our new updates yet and there is another aero upgrade for [the first race in] Bahrain [next weekend], which we hope will match the wind-tunnel predictions and improve performance.






"Overall, it seems that all the top teams are quite close, but some have definitely hidden their full potential during testing and will also have more updates for Bahrain. So far, I think Ferrari and Mercedes look very strong."






Kubica said that Renault has to develop quickly, something it's been able to do often in the past.






"It will be a long season and our goal must be to develop faster than our competitors," he noted. "There was a big gap to make up at the end of 2009, so we will have to take two steps forward if we want to catch the top teams. Performance is what we need; it's always the best medicine."






Friday, February 19, 2010

2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet

2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet

SENIOR EDITOR FOR NEWS BOB GRITZINGER: 
                                                                                            Pretty and potent, this A5 convertible. The car looks great inside and out--I'm really liking Audi's rear-end treatment these days--and pulls stronger and smoother from its four-cylinder turbo than I expected. Everything's here, except the manual transmission that seems as if it should go with a convertible to take the fun quotient over the top. At the very least, toss in some paddle-shifters to push the sporty factor--or is Audi saving that for the S5 Cabrio?
This convertible is rock solid over rough roads, which is a real tribute to Audi's ability to whack the roof off a car and still keep its structural integrity intact. I drive some bumpy, sharp freeway exit ramps that can usually toss just about any car off course or induce chassis shake, but not this Audi. Steady as she goes. Given the inherent visibility problems with coupe-convertible roofs, the reverse camera and the lane-warning system are excellent, though the system is a little unsettling with its bright yellow warning flashes from the mirror housings. It's enough to make you think you drove into a construction zone.
I didn't get any top-down time, but with the roof in place, road and wind noise were negligible. It's nicely insulated. Everything's here to allow for cooler-weather top-down cruising too--mega-seat heaters, three-zone climate control and a killer audio system.

COPY EDITOR CYNTHIA L. OROSCO:
I had a great weekend in the A5. And while it seems odd to point this out in a convertible, we were grateful for the good HVAC system, because both days were pretty chilly. Some other convertibles I've driven seem to do a better job of insulating the cabin from the noise. But the A5 was fun to drive nonetheless, the power coming on easy the harder you pressed the pedal and the brakes being spot-on solid to bring the fun to a stop.

The driver and passenger seats offered good legroom, and the seats had good bolster, even though it was a bit of a chore climbing in and out, the car being so low to the ground. The back seat didn't seem like it would be very comfy, with next to no legroom and being a tight fit even for a purse or bag. But the trunk was roomy and offered plenty of space for our purchases. Other plusses: the rearview camera, the blind-spot warning lights on the side mirror housings, the back glass that actually allows you to see out.
With each model I drive, I love Audis more and more. The lines, the user-friendly radio and navigation controls, the good materials and all the power on tap. Now if only I had a reason--and the resources--to buy one.

SENIOR WEB REPORTER GREG MIGLIORE: This is a truly enjoyable cruiser to lap around town in. Nice, smooth steering with a little bit of feedback. The brakes are nice and responsive too, with satisfying pedal travel. For just a 2.0-liter I4, there is plenty of power in this motor, and it's perfect for a car this size and weight.
The chassis is solid and handles the pavement well; it's good for this convertible, which could easily be a total package for either a fun weekend car or a daily commuter. Or both.
Also worth noting is that the body looks elegant with nice lines and a presence set off by Audi's signature headlights. As Bob notes, the structural integrity is still there, which isn't always the case for droptops. The roof works well and easily. All in all, this is a thoroughly enjoyable car.

2010 Audi A5 Cabriolet

Base Price: $44,925

As-Tested Price: $56,525

Drivetrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged I4; AWD, six-speed automatic

Output: 211 hp @ 4,300-6,000 rpm, 258 lb-ft @ 1,500-4,200 rpm

Curb Weight: 3,682 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 22/23.3 mpg

Options: Prestige model including 18-inch wheels, advanced keyless startup, premium sound, Audi navigation, xenon headlights, LED tail lamps, Bluetooth, three-zone climate control, heated front seats, Homelink garage-door opener, auto-dimming mirrors with compass, Audi music interface, memory seat for driver, rain/light sensor ($8,300); comfort package including ventilated and heated front sport seats with lumbar, perforated genuine Milano leather, headroom heating system ($2,400); Audi side assist, backup camera, rear sensors ($900)

Monday, January 4, 2010

The 2009 Nissan Cube Krom

The 2009 Nissan Cube Krom, an AW Drivers Log

2009 NIssan Cube Krom

EXECUTIVE EDITOR ROGER HART: I must say, this is one of the ugliest things on the road, but like an ugly mutt, I kind of like it. I guess I've liked all the rectangular boxes on wheels that have come along, from the Honda Element to the Scion xB to this. The reason comes down to seating position, I like sitting upright with tons of headroom and functionality. The big rear-access door and the ability to fold the seats down makes hauling stuff easy.

Toss in the cool little things--like the bungee cords on the door handles, the colorful accent lights, the unique design touches, numerous cupholders and the straightforward connection for iPods and other music devices--and the result is a fun, functional ride. Yes, it gets looks for its strangeness, but for $20,000, you're getting quite a versatile package.

I'd like to dump the CVT, as it gives the car a cheap overall feeling, but other than that, I came away actually liking the thing. I surprised myself.

COPY EDITOR CYNTHIA L. OROSCO: The funky styling either made people love or hate the Cube. I went to lunch with a large group of friends over the weekend, and everyone had to check it out. Several thought the curviness was sharp and loved the way the “hatch” (back door) opens to the side--including me, which allowed for very easy loading. During a monthly grocery run, we filled the back, and even though it doesn't look like there's much room from the back seat to the door, there is.

The extra height was great and allowed for plenty of headroom and good views when checking blind spots. And ditto for the wraparound part of the back windshield on the right side of the car.

The changing lights in the footwells and cupholders were a cool touch that everyone seemed to like. Bonus: The cupholder to the left of the steering wheel made it very convenient to keep a drink, the cell phone, etc. at easy reach.

The engine was quite buzzy and could definitely use more power. Granted, it wasn't bad getting up to speed and cruising along down the expressway, it did feel at times like there was some lag. But the brakes were great and stopping was solid.

As for the shag-carpet dash topper option, eh, I would have passed. It fits the Cube's whole retro vibe, but it doesn't serve a purpose. I guess you could put glasses/an iPod/whatever there, but it still might slide across the dash in a turn or otherwise fall off.

The car alarm was a failure. Well, it certainly would have driven off a would-be thief. Except that what kept setting it off were loud motorcycles, an old clunker and even the neighborhood dogs. The system is overly sensitive, and it was a big pain and annoyance to have to run for the key fob to turn off the blaring.

Overall, I fell in love with the Cube. I like the funky shape and that it doesn't look like every other car out there. Way to go, Nissan.

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JONATHAN WONG: I liked this Cube a whole lot more than the first one I drove. I think it comes down to the better wheel and tire combination. There are alloys on here wrapped with Toyo tires, while the first one I had was a true stripper model with steel wheels and hub caps and God only knows what kind of tire.

With looks like this, it's expected to have motorists stare at you with weird expressions or just smile at the Cube's odd appearance. One guy in a Mustang sliced through traffic to catch up, only to slow down and ride along right next to me for a mile or so. Either he, was very taken with the car or wanted to see what the idiot behind the wheel looked like.

While this car is not for me, and I don't think I would ever be delusional enough to actually buy a Cube (or any small boxy car for that matter), I did enjoy driving this particular one. I would take a Cube over the Scion xB in a heartbeat.

There's enough pull from the 1.8-liter four-cylinder, and the CVT does a respectable job of channeling the power to the front wheels. As with most CVTs, it makes the car sound like it's surging at times. Even so, it didn't make me want to punch a hole through the dashboard like in past CVT-equipped vehicles.

Steering is light and fairly quick to response to inputs. The suspension also isn't half bad and offers sufficient damping, while at the same time keeping the car from flopping all over the place. It's rather composed when rounding corners, but the skinny-ish tires are still a limiting factor.

This Krom package is cool with the slick bumper treatments and the front chrome grilles. I'm not thrilled with the warning label on the rear window that warns you not to take the car through an automatic car wash for fear of having the rear spoiler ripped off, though.

As I said after my first drive of a Cube, it seems like a car that your Nintendo Wii character would look at home in with its asymmetrical styling and water-drop design elements around the interior on the headliner and bottom of the cub holders. In the end, this car has a fun personality; I respect that and wouldn't mind driving one from time to time. I just still wouldn't want to own one.

2009 Nissan Cube Krom

In Fleet: July 30-Aug. 13

Base Price: $20,090

As-Tested Price: $20,420

Drivetrain: 1.8-liter I4; FWD, continuously variable transmission

Output: 122 hp @ 5,200 rpm, 127 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm

Curb Weight: 2,864 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 29/28.0 mpg

Options: Interior design package including carpeted floor mats, carpeted cargo area mat, shag dash topper, front-door bungees ($230); vehicle alarm impact sensor ($100)