2017 Fiat 124 Spider Roadster

On July 13, 2017 By stuwright47In *PASSENGER CARS, FiatLeave a comment

THEN

As a little boy, my brothers and I (yes, the Wright brothers) got tiny plastic cars for Christmas one year with the make of car embossed over the back window. They were about the size of a spool of thread, and we thought one of them was a “FLAT”. The word Fiat, stamped on the toy, was foreign to us little guys and besides, no such cars were to be seen near Fullerton, Nebraska. We learned much later that we had been playing with a Fiat 500 replica.

Italian automaker Fiat built automobiles in New York prior to World War II, and at the start of the conflict production in this country ceased. They re-appeared in the U.S. in the 1950’s and sourced the backronym “Fix It Again, Tony” as a reference to rust and reliability problems. In fact, I bought a 1968 Fiat roadster that was riddled with rust and after a trip to the bodyshop, drove it for several years during my Air Force assignment in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

I enjoyed the little red Fiat and had a dream of trading for the bigger 124 Spider, but marriage terminated my sports car ownership days and I replaced the Fiat with a Datsun sedan.

NOW

I was thrilled in 2014 when I heard that Fiat was going to resurrect the venerable 124 Spider, and as it turned out they built it on Mazda’s MX-5 Miata platform in a joint venture project. A 2017 model was loaned to me for a week recently and I was able to give it a rather thorough analysis.

It had an M.S.R.P. of $27,285.00, and that price included a technology package with a 7″ display, XM radio, backup camera, and proximity keyless entry. Drivetrain is a 1.4 liter, 160 horsepower turbo-4 and transmission is a pleasing 6-speed manual. The vehicle is rear-wheel drive, handles like a dream and the top is a snap to put up and down (manually). This 124 is a big step forward for Fiat Chrysler.

2017 Toyota Corolla 5-Door Hatchback iM

On February 26, 2017 By stuwright47In *PASSENGER CARS, ToyotaLeave a comment

The Toyota Corolla that I was recently able to test came in a pleasing Electric Blue Storm metallic color and featured gray fabric seating surfaces. I enjoyed the Corolla iM (Toyota’s version of the now-defunct Scion iM); it provided spirited acceleration, and gas mileage came in at nearly 33 mpg in all city driving. The way that Greeley has grown, it seems you are always poking around looking for parking space, so with a car that’s 170 inches long and 69″ wide, it is not too difficult with Toyota’s Corolla iM five-door hatchback.

The Toyota Corolla, the best-selling nameplate of all time, has moved over 40 million cars onto driveways around the world (well, mostly driveways). The car is in its eleventh generation configuration, and has been around since 1966. The 2017 iM sits on a 102.4″ wheelbase, is 69.3″ wide, 55.3″ high, and weighs 2,943 lbs., putting it on an even keel with Chevy’s new Cruze hatchback. I’ve always been a fan of Corolla styling, and this 2017 iM has not taken a step backwards in that department. LED lighting was front and rear, including front daytime running lights, and fog lights were installed. Silver and gray ten-spoke alloy wheels were fitted with P225/45R17 all-season radials on the car.

I mentioned acceleration – it was acceptable for a 36 mpg car, and other driving dynamics were good, as well. They use, among other things, electric power steering to effect that highway gas mileage rating, as well as Valvematic technology on the 1.8 liter, 4 cylinder engine. It puts out 137 horsepower at 6,100 rpm as well as 126 lb. ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. The front-wheel drive car gets 28 mpg in the city and 31 mpg, combined, and for me the reading was 30+, all week long (14 gallon tank). Toyota’s choice for a transmission is the continuously variable (CVT) automatic with shift mode.

The interior of the iM was comfortable for Ruth and I, and the seating was supportive and looked good. The car had Toyota iM Display audio, backup camera, 7″ touchscreen, cruise control, power windows/locks/mirrors, AM/FM radio, tilt/telescope, and keyless entry. The rear legroom is suitable for a car of this size, at 32.7″, and the hatchback has 20.8 cubic feet of luggage space behind the back seat.

M.S.R.P for my test Corolla came in at $22,498.00, including freight. Options included a floor/cargo mat set for $185.00, paint protection film for $395.00, rear wind deflector for $399.00, computer tablet holder for $99.00, and wheel locks for $65.00, all added to the base price of $19,490.00.

The Corolla did a super job for me and during the test in Northern Colorado. The slick styling caught a lot of eyes, the car kept pace at the stoplights, and I spent a nominal amount of money on gas. I’d say it is a good value.

2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T AWD

On February 25, 2017 By stuwright47In *CROSSOVERS, HyundaiLeave a comment

Hyundai is a giant South Korean automobile manufacturer based in Seoul and it is the fourth largest such firm in the world. The company owns almost half of KIA Motor Company, as well, and has been in business for 45 years. In North America, Hyundai has designs on becoming the number three automaker by 2020.

This last week I had the pleasure of testing a new, 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T Ultimate model courtesy of DriveShop, the local press vehicle media concern. The Santa Fe is a midsize crossover that has been around since 2001, and was on the forefront of the crossover boom that started at that time. Styling of the 3^rd generation Santa Fe is a hallmark of this latest model, and chrome abounds on the car, including a big grill, door handles, and exhaust finisher. The vehicle was painted Nightfall blue metallic and featured premium exterior lower door trim. The all-wheel drive Santa Fe rides on attractive, 19”, ten-spoke dark gray alloy wheels.

Speaking of abundance, inside the Santa Fe was the Ultimate Technology package along with a panoramic sunroof. The package allow the occupants to enjoy dual-zone climate control, navigation/rearview camera, a 8” touch screen, satellite radio, proximity keyless entry, premium 12 speaker Infinity QuantumLogic surround sound, heated seats (everywhere) and heated steering wheel. The car is also equipped with power locks/windows, tilt/telescope, USB/Ipod connections, Bluetooth capability, HID Xenon bending headlights, auto-open hands-free power tailgate, lane departure warning, overhead multi-view camera system for parking, and radar cruise control. This is an extremely luxurious vehicle – list price with all options and freight totaled $40,820.00.

A nice feature also found inside the Santa Fe is a mammoth rear cargo area with 35.4 cubic feet. That expands to 71.5 with the 3-piece split rear seat folded down. That’s right; the rear, sliding bench seat is a 40/20/40 so that two skiers can ride along with their equipment in the middle.

Power for the Santa Fe is supplied by a turbocharged 2.0 liter, 240 horsepower, 4 cylinder engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission. The EPA mileage ratings are 19/city and 24/highway (17.4 gallon tank), and acceleration is reportedly zero to sixty in 6.5 seconds. The ride of the Hyundai is compliant and the handling is SUV-superb.

Interestingly, the Santa Fe Sport features both Hillstart Assist Control and Downhill Brake Control, items I would have loved to have on my rental car the last time I visited San Francisco. Such amenities are indicative of the value associated with this Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T Ultimate.

2017 Toyota Yaris iA FWD Sedan

On February 25, 2017 By stuwright47In *PASSENGER CARS, ToyotaLeave a comment

The most recent car brought to me for review earlier this month was the 2017 Toyota Yaris. The model was the 4-door iA sedan in Pulse red paint. The interior of the car included black and gray fabric with sport front buckets and a 60/40 split fold-down rear seat.

The odd name of this car is derived from the word Charis, the Greek goddess of elegance and beauty. And the German expression of affirmation, “ya” is tacked onto the front of the name. It could just as surely refer to the target market of this car, Young Adults. On balance, it is a suitable name, and the Toyota people probably don’t mind that the word looks like the cultural epicenter of Europe, that being Paris.

Ruth and I jumped into the Yaris and buzzed over through Loveland for a ride towards the Village Inn. Getting in the car wasn’t particularly difficult, and the highway manners were fine for a subcompact that had a wheelbase of 101.2″ and overall length of 171.7″ With the base price of $15,950.00, adding freight of $865.00 brought the M.S.R.P. to a reasonable $16,850.00, F.O.B. Denver. That last initialism stands for “freight on board,” or in street parlance, “where delivered to.” Standard equipment on the Yaris included 6-speed manual transmission, front-wheel drive, real hand brake, electric power steering/windows/locks, color-keyed power mirrors with turn signals, cruise control, anti-lock braking system, air conditioning, remote keyless entry, CD/stereo with USB and aux. jack, tire pressure monitor, and tilt/telescope wheel. Trunk capacity is ample at 13.49 cubic feet. I was pleased with, and I received compliments on, the styling of the Yaris.

Yaris power is provided by a 1.5 liter, 4-cylinder, 106 hp engine with variable valve timing. Torque is 103 lb. ft., and acceleration is OK (zero to 60 in perhaps a touch under ten seconds.) Gas mileage ratings are 30 in town, 39 on the highway, and 34 combined. I observed a reading of 32.5 overall. The styling of the Yaris is fine, with attractive paint and 16″ ten-spoke silver alloy wheels fitted with 185/60R16 all-season radials.

On this day the eggs at the restaurant were a little runny, but the ride back was a pleasure and I was proud to be seen in the Yaris. I guess I looked a little old, but Ruth didn’t. Would I let one of our three daughters drive, buy, ride in, lease, or borrow a Yaris? You bet.

2016 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro V6 SUV

On December 9, 2016December 9, 2016 By stuwright47In *SPORT UTILITIES, ToyotaLeave a comment

The Toyota 4Runner, brought out 32 years ago as basically a compact pickup/topper, is now in its fifth generation configuration and has morphed into a brawny mid-sized SUV. This last week I was assigned to a 2016 4×4 TRD Pro V6 4Runner that arrived at my place sporting Quicksand (tan) paint with a black leatherette interior.

Toyota, U.S.A. was formed in our country on October 31st, 1957, and globally the company ranks 10^th in the world in revenue. Total global sales of their vehicles has tripled to 10.15 million since the 4Runner introduction in 1984, and the vehicle maintains its body-on-frame construction and will for the foreseeable future. Such construction results in a quieter, heavier machine – traits that were evident to me during the week-long test.

The 4Runner M.S.R.P. totaled $42,800.00, including freight, and the only option was a sliding rear cargo deck ($350.00). The TRD Pro V6 4Runner was equipped with power windows/mirrors/windows/locks as well as keyless entry. SofTex-trimmed seats existed throughout the five-passenger car and the front buckets were heated. Of course the 40/20/40 back seat folds down, availing the two remaining occupants of the car almost 90 cubic feet of cargo space (47.2 cubic feet with the second row seating erect). The rear tailgate needs handling by human hands, but the rear glass opens by electric motor. Hence, the rear window wiper is concealed above the glass in the deflector. I liked the arrangements at the rear of the 4Runner.

The stereo in the Toyota was a 8-speaker system, USB and Ipod connections were on hand, and a backup camera was installed. The only gadgets that were missing were lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and blind spot monitor. Ruth and I found the buckets to be supportive on our trip to Denver and the ride (coil springs at every corner) and guidance were suitable.

Horsepower of the 4Runner is rated at 270, and is supplied by a 4 liter V-6 with 278 lb.-ft. of torque. The four-wheel drive vehicle has a five speed automatic transmission and performance was pleasing. My fuel mileage ended up just over 21 miles-per-gallon, and EPA ratings were 17 city and 21 highway – 18 overall. The fuel tank holds 23 gallons.

My family thought the 4Runner looked large, and as mentioned earlier the size has been increased over time. Styling involves a bold design, and it grew on me as the week went by, presenting somewhat of a military look. I also liked the way the lighting bulged from the corners. Wheels were black alloys fitted with P265/70R17 all-season radials.

Personally, the week with the 4Runner resulted in a pleasant surprise, and I see no reason why an SUV shopper would avoid the Toyota dealer and the 4Runners located on their lot.

2016 Volkswagen “Dune” 1.8T Turbo Beetle

On September 5, 2016 By stuwright47In *PASSENGER CARS, VolkswagenLeave a comment

Volkswagen Beetles were built from 1938 to 2003, and over 20 million have been manufactured and sold worldwide since the inception of the car in Germany. A man named Porsche designed the car, and along with the rear engine placement, the car was air cooled, without liquid coolant or a radiator.

What is commonly called a “New Beetle” with coolant, a front engine, and front-wheel drive, has been marketed on and off since 1997. Such a car is what I picked up at General Mitchell Airfield in Milwaukee to drive on a midwest vacation. It was a 2016 Turbocharged Sandstorm Yellow metallic unit with “Dune” equipment specified, including a rear spoiler, raised suspension, ten-spoke polished alloy wheels, exclusive bumpers and air intakes, black exterior cladding, aluminum pedal covers, and special badging and decals.

Power for my front wheel drive test car was supplied by a 1.8 liter, 170 horsepower (184 lb. ft. of torque) four cylinder gas engine with an EPA mileage rating of 25/city, 34/highway, 28 combined MPG. The fuel tank capacity was 14.5 gallons. The transmission on hand was a six-speed automatic, and it seemed sturdy and somewhat enjoyable. For having a turbocharger, the engine had a definite grumble to it, belying the high RPM turbo operating in the power department. Turbochargers whir at about 150,000 revolutions per minute – roughly 30 times as fast as the engine. They are nice in Colorado, spinning faster at that altitude and mitigating power loss that can be associated with naturally-aspirated (i.e. fuel injected) engines. I can’t say I hated having turbocharged power in Illinois and Wisconsin – the technology is just great.

Inside the four passenger Volkswagen, a Fender premium stereo was on hand as well as heated cloth and leatherette buckets with yellow piping and stitching, Bluetooth connections, pushbutton starter, flat-bottomed steering wheel, rear view camera, and satellite radio. The theme inside was tasteful and coordinated well with the outside styling. Beetle “Dune” looks was great, featured a wider track, honeycomb grill, LED tail lights, and while on our trip several tourists stopped by to comment on our ride.

Acceleration of the 3,093 lb. VW was great fun, road manners were on target, and handling/guidance were fine, as well. It’s a pretty quiet sedan and visibility is fine. List price was $25,065.00 for the 2016 that I drove and that included freight. The only optional uncharge was for the Sandstorm paint, at $250.00. The Volkswagen Beetle has a niche market and doesn’t sell over 400,000 per year (in the U.S.!) like the old days, but still has a nice following and a fan in this reviewer.

2016 Buick Envision Premium II AWD Luxury SUV

On July 20, 2016April 30, 2018 By stuwright47In *CROSSOVERS, BuickLeave a comment

Buick’s newest SUV offering comes in the form of the Envision, a mid-size luxury crossover made in China but designed and engineered in the U.S. It is designed to take head-on the Audi Q5 and Acura RDX, et al.

I fell in love with my test Envision, right off the bat. It handles like a dream, seems to be just the right size, and offers good ride and visibility while generating little road noise. Buick has positioned the classy, analog clock angled towards the driver but to the right of the dashboard middle so that others can easily peek at it from elsewhere in the cabin. A little thing, no doubt, but when you add up a lot of little things a great motoring experience generally unfolds.

My test Buick carried an M.S.R.P. of $47,525.00, including a panoramic moon roof for $1475.00, Ebony Twilight metallic paint for $395.00, and freight for $925.00. Base price was $44,710.00. The Ebony (black) paint was offset by an interior with light neutral perforated leather seating (for five), front buckets (both heated and ventilated), and a 60/40 back seat with fore/aft and reclining feature.

Interior equipment included GPS navigation with 8″ touch screen, Bose 7-speaker stereo with satellite radio, OnStar 4G LTE and built-in WiFi hotspot, head-up display, remote/push button starter, and memory driver seating. I liked the support of the driver seat and thought visibility was good.

Wheels on the Envision are 19″, ten-spoke alloy with Manoogian silver finish and they have Hankook Ventus S1 Noble2, 235/50R19 mud and snow radials installed. The tires selected are biased toward traction first, ride quality second, and economy third. Styling of the Buick stacks up well with the competitors mentioned earlier and the grill is designed in the company “waterfall” design that is seen on Veranos, etc. Overall length of the Envision is 184″, wheelbase is 108″, and the car weighs 3,800 lbs. Of course it fits in between the Buick Enclave and the Encore in terms of size and pricing.

The lone power option for the all-wheel drive Envision is a 2.0 liter, 4 cylinder engine with a turbocharger and 252 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 260 lb. ft. of torque at 2,000 rpm. I found the car to be quite peppy – transmission is a six-speed 6T70 electronically controlled automatic with floor shift. Fuel economy ratings are 22 combined, 20 city, and 26 highway miles per gallon. Premium fuel is burned in the car and it is stored in a 17.3 gallon tank.

General Motors says it wasn’t even sure about bringing the Envision to the United States when it made plans to build it in China years ago. The vehicle was designed for the Chinese market, where Buick is a sales leader and is General Motors’ top brand. The company has sold nearly 150,000 units there since the Envision went on sale about 12 months ago, even though the target was 100,000 so it was natural to take a shot at our market, where I think the car will be well-received.

2016 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL FWD Sedan

On June 7, 2016June 7, 2016 By stuwright47In *PASSENGER CARS, NissanLeave a comment

For a recent test my wife and I went to Kearney, NE, for Memorial Day and a stop at Fort McPherson National Cemetery, where relatives’ remains are located. The cemetery was created on a 20-acre plot over 140 years ago on the grounds of Fort McPherson, near North Platte. The Fort was finished in October of 1863, and served as an outpost to protect travelers between Fort Kearny (now Kearney, NE) and Colorado.

The Cemetery has over 10,000 interments located there, and we visited the site in a 2016 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL sedan. It was painted Pearl white and had beige leather seating for five inside. I photographed it at the Julesberg, CO rest stop, and got over 31 miles per gallon on the round trip to Kearney.

Power for the front-wheel-drive Altima SL is supplied by a 2.5 liter, four cylinder engine with 182 horsepower (6,000 rpm) and 180 lb. ft. of torque (4,000 rpm). Nissan gave in to the 4-cylinder trend with this car, and my trip was pleasurable, even thoughin the past I drove the V-6 Altimas. A continuously variable automatic transmission is mated to the four cylinder engine, and acceleration was fine. EPA mileage figures are 27/39 mpg for city and highway (18 gallon tank), and the combined rating is 31 miles per gallon.

The white Altima SL I tested had as options a moonroof package ($800.00), carpeting floor and trunk mats ($210.00), premium pearl paint ($395.00), and technology package ($1,700.00). Total M.S.R.P., counting the $835.00 for freight, came to $32,510.00. With rear backup camera, moon roof, navigation system, keeping this sedan under thirty-three grand is an accomplishment. Of course it had key-in-your-pocket ignition, tilt/telescope, power locks and windows, cruise control, satellite radio/CD, Bluetooth, and UBS connection. Seating, as I mentioned, was for five, and the trunk held 15.4 cubic feet of cargo.

Styling for the new Altima, introduced in July of 2012, is an improvement over prior Altimas. It looks bigger than it actually is, which is 191.5 “ in length and 3,177 lbs. in weight. Chrome door handles are attached to the Nissan, and dual fog lights are up front along with a bold grill. Ride is great, and it’s quiet in the cabin (71 decibels). Ten-spoke, two-toned 17” alloy wheels are surrounded by P215/55R17 Michelin Primacy MXV4 all season radials.

Nissan’s best seller, this Altima, should hold up well in the sales wars with Honda’s Accord and Toyota’s Camry, as it doesn’t offer a person many opportunities to complain. I spent a long couple of days on the Interstate with it, and the driving didn’t get tiresome, the audio was great, and time flew on our trip to Nebraska.

2016 Volkswagen Beetle R-Line SEL

On May 25, 2016 By stuwright47In *PASSENGER CARS, VolkswagenLeave a comment

I remember the first time I laid eyes on a Volkswagen Beetle, in Grant, Nebraska in about 1963. A young man in town named Charlie Brixius had purchased a used one (perhaps a 1959), and made quite a splash driving it up and down Main Street over and over. We all did that back then – gas was cheap, the pace was leisurely, and that was the place to be seen. The U-turns were made at the same intersections on the north and south end of this town of 1,000 population, and some of the guys out cruising were lucky enough to have a girl sitting in the middle of the front seat for the ride.

Charlie never had a girl sitting in the middle of his front seat, because the “bug” had two bucket seats in the front of the four-passenger, rear-engined, rear-wheel drive VW. Neither did I, as I rode a Honda 50 scooter/cycle.

What is commonly called a “New Beetle” with coolant, a front engine, and front-wheel drive, has been marketed on and off since 1997. Such a car is what was brought to me a week ago for testing, a 2016 Turbocharged Tornado red unit with “R-Line” equipment specified, including a spoiler, “twister” alloy wheels, extra gauges, aluminum pedal covers, and special badging.

Power for my test car was supplied by a 2.0 liter, 210 horsepower (207 lb. ft. of torque) four cylinder gas engine with an EPA mileage rating of 23/city, 31/highway, 26 combined MPG. The transmission on hand was a six-speed manual, and it seemed sturdy and somewhat enjoyable. For having a turbocharger, the engine had a definite grumble to it, belying the high RPM turbo operating in the power department. Turbochargers whir at about 150,000 revolutions per minute – roughly 30 times as fast as the engine. They are nice in Colorado, spinning faster at our altitude and mitigating power loss that can be associated with naturally-aspirated (i.e. fuel injected) engines.

Inside the Volkswagen, a Fender premium stereo was on hand as well as sunroof, heated leather buckets, Bluetooth connections, navigation, pushbutton starter and satellite radio. The theme inside was two-toned black and gray and somewhat kicky. Styling was great with ten spoke polished alloys and attractive black trim work low on the outside.

Acceleration of the VW was great fun, road manners were on target, and handling/guidance were similar. It’s a pretty quiet sedan and visibility is fine. List price was $32,270.00 for the 2016 that I drove and that included freight. It has a niche market and doesn’t sell over 400,000 per year (in the U.S.!) like the old days, but still has a nice following and a fan in this reviewer.

2016 Lexus GX460 Luxury SUV

On May 25, 2016 By stuwright47In *SPORT UTILITIES, LexusLeave a comment

An elegant 2016 Lexus GX-460 Luxury edition was dropped off at my house last week, and I quickly jumped in to take it to the airport to pick up my family. Lexus is the luxury division of Toyota, and has been producing the GX series of SUV’s since 2002. This one was painted Silver Lining metallic, a gorgeous finish. Inside, it featured gray leather deluxe upholstery with comfortable buckets and seating for seven. The family, consisting of the three girls just back from Disney World, oohed and ahhhd at the Lexus interior.

This GX is a big SUV, weighing 5,179 lbs. and extending out to 189.2 inches in overall length. It’s 73.8” tall and 74.2” in width. I mentioned the seven passenger capability, which requires a small double leather seat that folds down into the floor in the far back. When these seats are up, there is a modest amount of luggage space, but when collapsed along with the middle row of seating, you can obtain 64.7 cubic feet of cargo space. The back door swings out towards the curb and a hinged rear glass is incorporated into it. All packaged up and out on the road, this vehicle rides great, and wind noise, guidance, and handling are all commensurate with a Lexus of this caliber.

My GX test car had a base M.S.R.P. of $61,515.00. The entertainment system added $1,970.00, driver support package added $4,340.00, and the freight added $940.00, bringing total list price to $68,765.00. Stereo equipment was Mark Levinson (including navigation system) with 7.1 Dolby surround sound and 17 speakers. The GX had the blind spot monitor that I’ve grown so fond of, allowing Ruth and I to get on Highway 85 at Brighton and sale into Greeley from the south.

The 4.6 liter V-8 provided 301 horsepower (329 lb. ft. of torque) and was mated to a six speed automatic transmission with sport shift mode. Acceleration is on target, with a zero to sixty timing that is reportedly a respectable 7.8 seconds. Fuel economy ratings are 15/20 city-highway (17 combined), and I observed a little over 18 for the week spent with the GX. It has full-time four-wheel drive with crawl control for four wheeling. This car is a body-on-frame SUV with 8.1” of ground clearance, so can do more than just drive through snow.

Styling of the GX-460 has been changed since the second generation model was introduced in 2009, and personally I think they kept the styling pretty much in line with the prior series, with perhaps a little more aggressive attitude. My GX had the roof rails, nice lighted steps on the side, ample chrome, and 18”, six-spoke Liquid Graphite alloy wheels. The tires were Bridgestone Dueler H/T 840’s, P265/60R18 in size, with mud and snow capabilities.

Sleek, unibody “crossover” SUVs are currently the rage, and the GX460 is somewhat of a throwback. But if the shopper wants to luxuriate with off-road and towing capabilities, the GX-460 Lexus provides an excellent option to consider.