2012 Toyota Prius v Five

Family-sized Prius takes on Cincinnati’s seven hills

By Nina Russin

Toyota Prius v Five

Last year, Toyota expanded its Prius model line-up from a single lift-back to a family of four, including the larger Prius v, compact Prius c and plug-in Prius. The Prius v’s versatile interior can meet the needs of active families, with seating for five and plenty of cargo space.

Although fuel economy lags behind the smaller Prius models, the v’s 42 mile-per-gallon EPA estimate puts it at the top of the midsized segment. As with all gasoline-electric hybrids, the Prius v gets better gas mileage around town than on the highway: the gasoline engine shuts off when the car is idling to save fuel.

The Five is the most upscale grade, with a base sticker price of $29,990 excluding the $765 destination charge. Standard features include keyless entry and start, leather trim, a seven-inch center stack display with rear back-up camera, six-speaker audio system with MP3 compatibility, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, power seats with adjustable lumbar, automatic climate control, tilt and telescoping steering wheel and cruise control.

A premium package on the test car adds navigation, Entune concierge and emergency notification services, a premium audio system with high definition and satellite radio, real-time weather and traffic updates, panoramic sunroof, radar cruise control, and ultrasonic park assist ($5580). Price as tested is $36,330. Read the rest of this entry »

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

eAssist gives midsized sedan up to 37 mpg

By Nina Russin

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

The Malibu has been a staple of Chevrolet’s model line-up for almost 50 years, having first rolled out in 1964. Each of the sedan’s eight iterations has mirrored its generation’s passions and needs, from the early muscle cars to the 2013 Eco model, which combines exceptional gas mileage with a spacious five-passenger interior.

Engineers used the same eAssist system available on the Buick Regal to stretch fuel economy from the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. A lithium-ion battery pack located between the second-row seats and trunk enables reduces the amount of time the gasoline engine has to run during low load conditions such as idling, steady-state cruising and deceleration.

The battery pack recharges on the go using regenerative braking. The sedan’s only down side is its reduced cargo area. In addition to having a smaller trunk, the battery’s location prevented designers from extending the cargo floor with a pass-through.

A shutter system in the front grille closes when the engine doesn’t need additional cooling to enhance aerodynamics under the car. Direct injection reduces parasitic fuel loss by delivering gasoline directly into the engine cylinders rather than through the valves. A power electric steering pump saves space and weight under the hood when compared with a traditional hydraulic system.

Base price for the Malibu Eco is $26,845 excluding the $760 destination charge. Leather upholstery with a power front passenger seat and front seat heaters adds $1300. The test car has two other options, special exterior paint and interior trim, which add $325 and $150 respectively. The price as tested is $29,380. Read the rest of this entry »

2013 Acura ILX

Compact luxury sedan with hybrid and performance options

By Nina Russin

2013 Acura ILX 2.0L

When Acura launched in the mid-1980s, the luxury brand’s first point of conquest was existing Honda customers. As Acura’s lineup diversified in the early nineties, the Integra appealed to Civic owners looking to move up the economic ladder but who didn’t want to give up Honda’s sporty performance. When that model was replaced by the TSX, Acura continued to reach driving enthusiasts with its crisp manual gearbox, peppy high-revving engine and nimble handling.

This year, Acura introduces a new model, the ILX, which becomes the brand’s entry level sedan. As with the more expensive TSX, the new compact car appeals to brand enthusiasts as well as conquest customers.

By offering three models, Acura gives drivers the option of prioritizing value, performance or sustainability. The two-liter automatic model, which product planners expect to command 75 percent of sales, is priced from $25,900, excluding destination charges. The 2.4-liter premium model with a six-speed manual gearbox starts at $29,200 and gasoline-electric hybrid is priced from $28,900.

By basing the new model on the Civic chassis, the automaker contained development costs, enabling Acura to offer a high level of standard convenience features including keyless entry, power moonroof, Bluetooth connectivity, Pandora radio, SMS text messaging and 16-inch alloy rims.

There are two option upgrades for the two-liter and hybrid models: a premium package which adds heated leather seats, a 360-watt audio system, rearview camera, 17-inch rims, high-intensity discharge headlamps and fog lamps; and a technology package which adds naviagation with real-time traffic and weather, a 365-watt audio system with 15 Gb music storage, and Homelink.

Buyers who choose the 2.4-liter model can purchase the premium package but not navigation. Because Acura expects the model to have the lowest sales volume, there was no business case for adding the expensive option. Read the rest of this entry »

2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE Sedan

Hybrid Synergy Drive gives mid-sized sedan a fuel economy boost

By Nina Russin

2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid

Engineers shaved weight off the chassis, to make the make the new Camry hybrid more fuel efficient than the outgoing model. EPA estimated average fuel economy is 40 miles-per-gallon for combined city and highway driving. During my 100-mile drive test, my average was 38.5 miles-per-gallon.

That said, the new Camry hybrid can’t hold a candle to the Prius, at least as far as fuel economy is concerned. EPA estimated fuel economy for the current Prius is 48 miles-per-gallon on average. In my test drives, I typically exceed the EPA estimate by at least a couple miles-per-gallon.

One reason is that the Prius is significantly lighter. Curb weight is about 400 pounds less than the upscale Camry hybrid XLE sedan tested. The Prius also comes with a smaller engine. As a result zero-to-sixty acceleration is about two seconds slower.
 
Base price for the test car is $27,400, excluding the $760 destination charge. Options include a rear backup camera with HomeLink transceiver ($500), Safety Connect stolen vehicle locator ($695), leather upholstery ($1160), navigation with Entune and audio upgrade ($2600), power sunroof ($915) and wheel locks ($67), bringing the price as tested to $34,547. Read the rest of this entry »

2012 Buick Regal eAssist

Hybrid five-passenger sport sedan

By Nina Russin

2012 Buick Regal with eAssist

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Buick’s transformation is General Motors’ most significant accomplishment following the restructure. Ten years ago, who could have imagined that the brand which once pinned its hopes on a tepid remake of the Roadmaster would re-enter the market with a sport sedan designed on two continents and validated in Europe?

But that’s exactly what happened. The new Buick Regal, with an available turbocharged engine is poised for combat against European and Asian luxury brands which members of its upscale target market might cross-shop. In short, Buick product planners are taking names and leaving no prisoners.

For 2012, Buick ups the ante by adding a mild hybrid to the Regal line-up. An electric motor, lithium-ion battery and regenerative braking technology stretch gas mileage for the base 2.4-liter engine by up to 25 percent. Average fuel economy is 29 miles-per-gallon according to EPA estimates. In my 100-mile test drive, I averaged slightly better: 30.1 miles-per-gallon

Base price is $34,470, excluding the $860 delivery charge. The eAssist package, which includes 17-inch alloy wheels with low rolling resistance tires, adds $2000. Buyers save $50 on the model by eliminating redundant turn signal indicators on the outside mirrors.

New infotainment technology developed by Chevrolet enables drivers to access Pandora and Stitcher using their smart phones. Chevrolet MyLink comes with a unique color touchscreen display, streaming Bluetooth audio, satellite radio, and available navigation with real-time weather and traffic updates. The navigation-enabled version costs $1145.

A power sunroof adds $1000 to the MSRP, bringing the price as tested to $34,470. Read the rest of this entry »

2012 Toyota Prius c

Compact hybrid for active urbanites

By Nina Russin

2012 Toyota Prius c

The Prius may become Toyota’s best- selling vehicle, thanks to a new four-model strategy which adds midsized, compact and plug-in cars to expand upon the appeal of the original liftback. The compact Prius c is the final model to enter the Prius line-up.

The new entry-level Prius is geared towards young urbanites whose budgets kept them out of the other models. There are four grades, beginning with the Prius c 1 priced from $18,950 not including the $760 delivery fee. The upscale Prius 4 starts at $23,230. Toyota expects the Prius c 2 and Prius c 3 to be the volume leaders, priced from $19,900 and $21,635 respectively.

The compact Prius shares chassis components with the current Toyota Yaris. It is not only smaller than the Prius liftback but significantly lighter. Curb weight is about 2500 pounds.

 Weight-saving reductions in the battery pack and under the hood combined with aerodynamic enhancements give the Prius c 53 mile-per-gallon fuel economy around town and 46 mpg on the highway. Read the rest of this entry »

Extended drive: 2012 Toyota Prius V Five

Versatile hybrid for active families

By Nina Russin

2012 Toyota Prius V Five

The fact that Toyota is expanding its hybrid offerings from a single model to a family of vehicles is therefore no surprise. The new Prius family includes a plug-in version which can run on pure electric power for short distances and a compact hatchback aimed towards urbanites living in areas where parking space is at a premium.

Of the new models, the Prius V is the largest, and the best suited for active families. Readers who expect the Prius V to be a new version of the minivan are mistaken: it isn’t that large, nor does it have three rows of seating. The extra interior space adds room in the second row, which can comfortably seat three passengers, and the cargo area. While the original Prius can only hold one bicycle, the Prius V can hold two and the people riding them.

As with the current Prius, the Prius V comes in four grades, beginning with the Two priced from $26,400. The upscale Prius V Five starts at $29,990. In both cases pricing does not include a $760 delivery charge.

Standard comfort and convenience features on the test car include keyless entry and start, navigation, rear backup camera, Bluetooth interface, heated front seats, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, automatic climate control and split/folding second-row seats.

A premium package on the test car adds a two-pane panoramic moonroof, upgraded audio system, real-time weather and traffic updates, safety connect with automatic emergency assistance, stolen vehicle locator, and roadside assistance as well as Entune: Toyota’s proprietary infotainment system ($5580). Carpeted floor mats cost $225 and wheel locks add $67, bringing the price as tested to $36,622. Read the rest of this entry »

2011 Kia Optima Hybrid

Mid-sized sedan gets a green connection

By Nina Russin

Kia Optima Hybrid

It was exactly one year ago that Kia unveiled its first gasoline/electric hybrid at the Los Angeles Auto Show. I’m thinking back to the model reveal as I drive the Optima Hybrid sedan across the Sonoran desert between Phoenix and Los Angeles for the 2011 show.

While other automakers struggle to tread water after the industry-wide implosion of 2008, Kia seems to be on a roll. Looking at the interior of the Optima Hybrid, it’s easy to understand why. Value has been core to Kia’s mission since arriving stateside in 1994 and remains so today. MSRP on the Optima Hybrid is $26,500, not including the $750 delivery charge.

For the price of a mid-level sedan, Kia offers its premium grade, with Bluetooth interface, a rearview camera display and dual-zone climate control. Kia’s UVO infotainment system, developed in conjunction with Microsoft, is also standard.

Power comes from a 2.4-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine, which works in concert with an electric motor. Kia partnered with LG Chem of South Korea to develop a lithium polymer battery, which is lighter and more compact than nickel metal-hydride units.

A technology package on the test car adds navigation with Sirius traffic updates, an Infinity premium audio system, dual-pane panoramic sunroof, 17-inch alloy wheels, high-intensity discharge headlamps, leather seating, heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror with Homelink and a compass ($5000). Price as tested is $32,250. Read the rest of this entry »

Chevrolet Volt Roll-Out Expands to Arizona

Extended range electric car now available in Phoenix dealerships

2012 Chevrolet Volt

Chevrolet is extending availability of the new Volt to include dealerships in Arizona, beginning with Phoenix. About 2500 of the brand’s 3000 US dealerships are signed up to participate in the Volt program. Cars are currently rolling into Phoenix stores. Tucson and other parts of the state will follow.

The Volt combines an electric engine and gasoline motor, but in a different manner than hybrids currently on the market. The sedan will operate in pure electric mode at all speeds for up to 35 miles. When the charge from the lithium-ion battery pack gets low, the vehicle automatically switches over to gasoline power, extending the vehicle’s range by another 344 miles according to the manufacturer.

Recharging time for the battery ranges from four hours utilizes 220-volt current to 10 hours if the vehicle is plugged into a 115 volt outlet. The cost of a recharge is about $1.50 regardless of the type of current used. The battery pack carries an eight-year/100,000 mile warranty.

Chevrolet rates the car’s net horsepower at 149, with 273 foot-pounds of peak torque. Because electric motors develop peak torque at very low engine speeds, the sedan has excellent low-end acceleration: zero-to-sixty takes less than nine seconds.

MSRP starts at $41,000. Buyers are eligible for a $7500 tax credit, and may be eligible for state tax incentives as well. Standard features include keyless ignition with push button start, a remote vehicle starter, Sirius XM radio, OnStar and eight airbags. Options include leather seating, a Bose audio upgrade, a rearview camera with park assist and two aluminum wheel options. Read the rest of this entry »

2011 Lexus CT 200h Premium

Compact hybrid sedan is eco-friendly

By Nina Russin

2011 Lexus CT 200h

Like the HS, there is a focus on sustainability which extends beyond the car’s fuel-thrifty powertrain. Eighty percent of the vehicle is recyclable. Recycle marks on the front, rear and tailgate trim make it easier to dismantle and recycle the car. A new interior fabric called NuLuxe resembles leather, but is actually made from recyclable materials.

Power comes from a four-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine which operates in concert with two electric motors: an 80 horsepower drive motor and a second motor which triggers the engine starter and functions as a generator to recharge the battery pack. Together the gasoline engine and electric motors yield 134 horsepower. The CT 200h accelerates from zero-to-sixty miles-per-hour in 9.8 seconds.

Buyers can choose between a standard and premium grade. Pricing for the premium grade (tested) begins at $30,900 excluding an $875 delivery fee. Options on the test car include a premium audio upgrade  which also adds an electro-chromic rearview mirror ($1125), LED headlamps ($1215), leather seating ($1330), a cargo net ($75) and illuminated door sills ($299), bringing the price as tested to $35,819. Read the rest of this entry »