2009 Lexus GS 450h Sedan

Hot performance hybrid

By Nina Russin

2009 Lexus GS 450h

Some hybrids are green; others are candy apple. The Lexus GS 450h sedan is a candy apple red hybrid: utilizing electric motors to boost power rather than fuel economy.

The hybrid powertrain includes a gasoline engine and two electric motors: one that controls engine speed, and the other which drives the rear wheels. Together the electric motors give the 3.5-liter V-6 the power of a 4.5-liter V8. It’s hard to argue with a five-second, zero-to-sixty acceleration time.

Because electric motors develop peak torque at very low speeds, the GS 450h is the king of the entrance ramp. Very few cars will beat it off the line, or in the 30-to-50 mile-per-hour acceleration range. Read the rest of this entry »

2010 North American International Auto Show

Automakers charge up a new generation of electric cars

By Nina Russin

Volvo Electric C30

In its race to find renewable alternatives to gasoline, the auto industry is once again considering the electric car. Electric cars have been around almost as long as the internal combustion engine. Problems with battery technology and the lack of a recharging infrastructure prevented plug-in vehicles from migrating into the mainstream.

Advances in nickel-metal hydride and lithium-ion battery technology provide two viable alternatives to lead-acid. Lead-acid batteries are heavy and space consuming. Because the electrolyte is fluid, they also present a safety risk.

Manufacturers including Nissan and Mitsubishi are working with state and federal agencies to put recharging stations in public places. Nissan hopes to have a good start on its plug-in infrastructure when the Nissan Leaf rolls into dealerships the end of this year.

This week’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit saw a new flock of plug-in concepts from Volvo, Audi, GM, Honda and Nissan. Volvo is using its compact C30 as the basis for a fifty-unit electric car test fleet that hits the streets in 2011. Read the rest of this entry »

2009 Toyota RAV4 Sport 4X4

Compact sport-utility vehicle with an active focus

By Nina Russin

2009 Toyota RAV4

Twenty-five years ago, Toyota introduced a pint-sized sport-utility vehicle with a big mission: to meld the fuel economy of a passenger car with the cargo capability of a light-duty truck. RAV4 stands for Recreational Active Vehicle with four-wheel drive. As the name suggests, the RAV was one of the first cars designed specifically for urban athletes.

The original RAV debuted in Japan in 1994: it came to the US two years later. The first RAV4 was essentially an all-wheel drive Camry with two-box architecture. While the ’96 RAV got mixed reviews from automotive enthusiast magazines, it was a hit among its intended buyers. The four-cylinder RAV was thrifty at the fuel pump, small enough to parallel park, and had enough room in the cargo area for a road bike.

While the current RAV4 is slightly larger than the original, it remains one of the smallest sport-utility vehicles on the market. The Sport grade tested is positioned between the base and upscale Limited models. Read the rest of this entry »

2010 Ram 3500 Laramie Crew Cab

Heavy-duty pickup truck goes the distance

By Nina Russin

2010 Ram 3500

I’ll admit it: the thought of driving a truck that’s fourteen feet long and weighs three and a half tons makes me a little nervous. The Ram 3500 heavy-duty pickup is not a truck for everyone. But buyers needing its off-road and towing capabilities will be surprised at how easy and fun the new Ram is to drive.

The test truck is the Laramie crew cab: an upscale grade with seating for up to five passengers. Base price is $49,945, not including a $950 delivery charge. Options on the test truck include leather trim ($500), special paint ($225), automatic transmission ($1575), a power sunroof ($850), upgraded audio and navigation system with satellite radio ($800), a rearview camera ($200), and a back seat entertainment system ($1695).

Power comes from a 6.7-liter Cummins turbo-diesel engine and six-speed automatic transmission. In addition to having an abundance of low-end torque, the engine gets pretty good gas mileage, thanks to its exhaust-driven blower. I averaged 17.3 miles-per-gallon on my 150-mile drive, which included a significant elevation gain. Read the rest of this entry »

2010 Audi A4 Tiptronic Sedan

Mid-sized sport sedan sprints to the head of the pack

By Nina Russin

Audi A4 Tiptronic Sedan

Audis are to the automotive world what wide receivers are to football: solid as a rock, yet lightning fast. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the A4: a mid-sized sport sedan that competes against the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C Class.

Engineers imbued the two-liter, four-cylinder engine with exceptional throttle response, thanks to direct injection: a technology used throughout Audi’s model lineup. Unlike traditional port fuel systems, injectors deliver the gas directly into the cylinder, bypassing the valves. Doing so reduces the amount of unburned gas, enhancing fuel economy. Because the fuel vaporizes instantly, direct injection also improves throttle response.

The six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission includes a sport mode for more aggressive performance. The driver can manually select gears if he prefers.

Quattro all-wheel drive makes the wheels stick to the road like glue, whether driving through rain, snow, or on dry pavement.

Use of aluminum throughout the body and suspension gives the A4 the ‘light on its feet’ feel that I alluded to in the opening paragraph. Read the rest of this entry »

Nissan Leaf Comes Stateside

Nissan promotes electric car with a 22-city tour

By Nina Russin

Nissan Leaf

Electric cars have been around almost as long as the internal combustion engine. But they’ve never gained widespread popularity for two reasons: limited driving range, and the lack of a recharging infrastructure.

Nissan hopes to bring electric cars into the mainstream with the Leaf: a pure electric production car that arrives in dealerships at the end of this year. The four-door hatchback holds up to five passengers, and has a driving range of about 100 miles on a full charge. Top speed is 90 miles-per-hour.

Lithium-ion batteries similar to those used in personal computers provide the energy for the Leaf. They are significantly less bulky than the lead-acid batteries used in most automotive starting and charging systems. Recharging the Leaf takes about eight hours on a 220-volt household line. Read the rest of this entry »

ALV Award at San Diego Auto Show

Ed Witt and Jim Woodman

The sixth annual Active Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year program concluded this week with an awards presentation at the San Diego Auto Show. ALV co-founder and juror, Jim Woodman, presented the award for best luxury on-road vehicle to Ed Witt, owner of Witt Lincoln Mercury. Witt was accepting the award for the 2010 Lincoln MKT.

Athletes who drove the MKT were impressed by the performance of Ford’s new EcoBoost engine, innovative safety features such as blind spot warning and cross traffic alert, as well as the vehicle’s versatile interior.

The Active Network Inc., one of two program sponsors, has hosted the athlete’s ride-and-drive event at its San Diego campus for the past five years.

“We were honored to host the 2010 Active Lifestyle Vehicle Awards,” said Jon Belmonte, chief operating officer of The Active Network. “This event has had great success in connecting auto manufacturers with active consumers.”

The San Diego Auto Show runs through January 3 at the San Diego Convention Center.

My Three Thousand Mile Year

Running shoes

Actually, it was 2970 miles. A slight calf pull at the beginning of December kept me from running the sixty-plus mile weeks that I needed to reach 3000 by January 1.

If one were to string the past 52 weeks worth of runs end to end, it would be the equivalent of running across America. It makes me wonder what it would be like to run or bicycle across this country: to watch the terrain change from hardwood forests to the grasslands, the desert, and eventually the Mediterranean climate of southern California.

While I have contemplated such a journey, it has never been a goal of mine, any more than running the equivalent mileage was. Looking back at my diary, my goals for 2009 were to stay healthy, enjoy running, and jump into a half marathon or two. Read the rest of this entry »

2010 Mazdaspeed3 Sport

Form meets function in Mazda’s five-door hatchback

By Nina Russin

2010 Mazdaspeed3

Of the hundred or so cars I test drive each year, a handful are models I can envision myself owning. The Mazdaspeed3 is one of those few.

Simply put, Mazda’s performance-driven hatchback fills all of my squares. It’s affordable, stylish, versatile enough for my modest cargo needs, and a lot of fun to drive. The turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine is thrifty at the fuel pump, while providing an abundance of power.

The six-speed manual transmission has a light enough clutch pedal to function in traffic, with plenty of range in each gear. Steering response is positive, yet fluid.

Stabilizer bars on the front and rear axles keep the car flat in the corners. Yet the suspension has enough compliance to provide a comfortable ride on uneven road surfaces. Read the rest of this entry »

2010 Buick LaCrosse CXL

Global design team reinvents Buick’s full-sized sedan

By Nina Russin

2010 Buick LaCrosse

My love affair with cars began with a ‘64 Buick Wildcat convertible that lived down the street from me. Its 401-cubic inch V8 engine seemed to stretch from one side of the county to the other. The exhaust note was epic. A standard three-speed manual transmission made it easy to melt the tires: something my parents never shared my appreciation for.

Over subsequent decades, Buick lost its way, acquiring a reputation for lackluster performance, with styling to match. It was heartbreaking to see the brand that revolutionized car design with Harley Earl’s Y-Job concept car relegated to the far reaches of nursing home parking lots.

Recently, Buick reversed the tide with the Enclave crossover vehicle, geared towards active lifestyles. Last summer, Buick introduced an all-new LaCrosse, using a global design team to recreate the full-sized sedan for younger buyers.

Read the rest of this entry »