2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T AWD

On April 9, 2015 By stuwright47In *CROSSOVERS, HyundaiLeave a comment

Hyundai Motor Group is one of the five biggest automobile manufacturers in the world, and part of the firm is KIA, a popular line of automobiles. Hyundai is the main nameplate, and one which was on the Santa Fe Sport 2.0T crossover that I recently tested. It was loaned to me courtesy of STI-Drive in Denver. The Santa Fe is, as you might expect, named after the beautiful New Mexico city 450 miles south of my home of Greeley, Colorado.

The Santa Fe is based on the Hyundai Sonata sedan platform, and is classified as a mid-size crossover. It is currently in its third generation form, and has been produced since 2000. The one I tested was painted Canyon Copper metallic and inside it was upholstered in perforated beige leather seating for five. Its M.S.R.P. totaled $38,350.00, and that included $875.00 for freight and $4,350.00 for the properly-named “ultimate” package. Included in that last package were HID headlamps, LED taillights, panoramic moon roof, navigation system with 8″ touchscreen, 12-speaker Infinity stereo, heated seating front and rear, air conditioned front buckets, heated steering wheel and rear parking assist sensors. Standard features of the Sport 2.0T included rear window sunshades, XM radio/CD disc player, power locks/windows/mirrors, pushbutton starter, blind spot monitor and power rear lift gate.

Power for the Santa Fe comes from a 2 liter, 4 cylinder turbocharged engine with 264 horsepower coupled with a 6-speed Shiftronic automatic transmission. Acceleration was brisk, and is reportedly zero to 60 in 6.6 seconds. EPA fuel economy ratings for the Sport come in at 18-city, 24-highway, 21-combined miles per gallon. The tank holds 18.8 gallons, and that is a benefit.

A compliant ride provided comfort for my wife and I when we travelled to Cheyenne to conduct some business. The car handled wind (it had to up there) well, and wind noise inside is acceptable. For about town driving and a little off road usage, both hillstart assist control and downhill brake control are on hand to make things a little more manageable.

The attractive interior had two rows of seating (front buckets), and there is 35.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row. If that row is folded down, the numbers moves up to 71.5 cubic feet. The second row seat is a 40/20/40 folding affair. The heated and air conditioned front buckets were supportive and comfortable (and attractive). The all-wheel drive car is 193.1″ long, rests on a 110.2″ wheelbase, and has 146 cubic feet of passenger volume inside.

Styling, a hallmark of the Santa Fe, picked up some glances (and stares) during the week driving the Santa Fe, and I particularly liked the color. Chrome handles were on the doors, Ten-spoke 19″ alloys were mounted on the axles, and the tires were P225/55R19 Continental CrossContact LX sport all season radials. The Hyundai was a pleasure to test, and in my mind it represents a good value with its sub-$40,000.00 window sticker.

2015 Jeep Patriot Latitude 4WD

On April 6, 2015 By stuwright47In *SPORT UTILITIES, JeepLeave a comment

Jeep has produced its Patriot since the introduction of the compact crossover SUV nine years ago this spring at the New York Auto Show. It, along with the Jeep Compass, is manufactured on what is called the MK platform. The Compass is designed to appeal to female motorists with the Patriot as a designated favorite of males. The Patriot, in its Latitude model offering, is the subject of this week’s review, one which was loaned to me by Rocky Mountain Redline in Dacono, CO.

My Patriot test car (crossover?) was painted Granite Crystal metallic with Light Pebble beige leather interior. The Latitude is stationed at the middle of the Patriot lineup, with a Limited model available for additional cost. The Latitude carries a base price of $24,395.00, and freight adds $995.00 to that figure. My Patriot had as options a preferred package (moon roof, power leather seating, etc.) for $1,095.00, a security package (security system, tonneau cover, etc.) for 695.00, a navigation package for $1,385.00, and a U-Connect/XM radio/Bluetooth technology package for $495.00. Total M.S.R.P., therefore, was $29,060.00.

Styling of the Latitude has been around for nearly a decade, but has aged well and looks good. “Patriot” and “High Altitude” badging on the car as well as the functional luggage rack gave it a “Jeep” look, as did the giant round headlamps. Firestone P215/60R 17 Touring mud and snow tires were mounted on five-spoke gunmetal gray alloy wheels.

Inside, comfortable leather buckets and a bench back seat provide five passenger seating, and a tonneau cover can conceal guns or golf clubs in the 23 cubic foot luggage compartment (which expands to 53.5 when the second-row seating is folded flat). Features included Bluetooth, air conditioning, power windows, liftgate speakers, keyless entry, remote start, a touch-screen audio system, the navigation, Uconnect Web with a Wi-Fi hot spot, satellite radio and a USB port. A lever-type hand brake is on hand, and the shift tower is mounted neither on the console, nor on the dashboard; kind of in-between, like a Prius. It worked fine with its duties to shift the six-speed automatic transmission, and an additional benefit of the interior is the space for odds and ends above the glove box in front of the passenger seat. I liked it for my stuff while making rounds in the Patriot for a week. A Jeep is the one brand of vehicle that I can name when entering blindfolded – that being a result of the husky, bold steering wheel grip.

The Latitude engine was a 2.4 liter, four cylinder with 172 horsepower (@ 6,000 rpm) and 165 lb. ft. of torque (@ 4,400 rpm). EPA fuel economy is rated at 21 city-mpg, 27 highway-mpg, and 23 combined-mpg. My observance was of 23.8 mpg for the week of driving the Latitude. The fuel tank holds 13.5 gallons of regular unleaded gasoline.

Ruth, my wife, made mention of the visibility of the Patriot, which was good. Driving the Jeep is pleasurable, with ride, guidance, and interior noise within tolerances. It’s not a hot rod, but with 9.1″ of ground clearance and four-wheel drive, highway driving is not its forte. All around utility is, and in that department I think the Jeep gets the job done, and for under $30,000.00, no less.

2015 Toyota Highlander Limited AWD Crossover

On March 29, 2015 By stuwright47In *CROSSOVERS, ToyotaLeave a comment

Toyota, the first company in the world to build ten million vehicles, came out with the Camry-based Highlander in 2001, having announced its anticipated arrival at the New York Auto Show in April of 2000. It has been a sales success, racking up in excess of 1.5 million units sold to date.

For 2015, Toyota’s Highlander carries forward its renewed styling that was rolled out in 2014, and is currently in its third generation iteration. It is a car-based mid-sized SUV with seven-passenger, three row seating. Sales of the Highlander (146,127 in 2014 – a record) places its revenue right in the middle of the Toyota SUV lineup. The Toyota RAV-4 is the only model that produces more sales for the company than the Highlander.

This past week I was able to test a Highlander, a Limited top-of-the-line unit that carried an M.S.R.P. of $47,812.00, including freight. The Limited’s base price was $41,300.00, and had as options a BluRay rear entertainment system ($1,810.00), driver technology package ($1,400.00), tow hitch/wiring harness ($699.00), side running boards ($599.00), remote engine start ($499.00), floor/cargo mat package ($225.00), and paint protection film on the front end ($395.00). The Limited Highlander included a safety technology package, a moonroof, and perforated leather second-row captain’s chairs. The extra technology equipment included radar adaptive cruise control, automatic high beam headlamps, blind spot monitor, lane departure alert, and pre-collision warning.

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Additional Limited model items on my test car included power liftgate with glass hatch, 19” five-spoke alloy wheels, anodized roof rails, three zone climate control, JBL/Entune/navigation with 8” screen (the rear screen was 9″), perforated black leather seats, pushbutton starter, proximity keyless entry, tilt/telescope, heated and air conditioned front bucket seats, backup camera, and nice Optitron instrumentation.

Styling, with the 2014/2015 revision, was great. So was the opulent-looking Predawn Mica gray paint, “Limited” badging, and polished Chromtec finish on the wheels. The tires mounted on the alloys were 245/55R19 Bridgestone Dueler H/L 422 mud and snow radials. The running boards on my tester added in both the utility and the styling departments.

Power for the Highlander is supplied by a 3.5 liter V-6 with 270 horsepower and 248 lb. ft. of torque. The transmission is a six-speed automatic with snow mode and full-time four-wheel drive. A unitized body is employed and four-wheel independent suspension and disc brakes are, as well. EPA fuel economy ratings are 18-city and 24-highway, with a combined rating of 20. For the week that I drove the Toyota, my observation was of 24.1 mpg. Weight is 4,508 lbs., towing capacity is 6,000 lbs. and the fuel tank holds 19.2 gallons. Overall length is 191.1”, 3” longer than the second generation Highlander, and cargo volume behind the third-row seat is 13.8 cubic feet. With it folded down, that number increases to 42.3, and with the second- and third-row seats folded flat, total cargo capacity is 83.7 cubic feet.

I enjoyed the styling, interior comfort, visibility, road noise (lack of), and guidance of the Highlander. The ride was satisfactory, and I feel that this year’s Highlander makes a nice family hauler and/or travel vehicle. The U.S. public agrees with me, and great sales numbers are the result for Toyota.

2015 Toyota Avalon Hybrid Limited Sedan

On March 24, 2015 By stuwright47In *HYBRIDS/ELECTRICS, ToyotaLeave a comment

The 2015 Toyota Avalon, currently available in hybrid and non-hybrid configurations, is now in its fourth-generation iteration. I recently was loaned one of them by Rocky Mountain Redline, and the car delivered was painted Celestial Silver metallic and featured premium black leather seating. With all Avalon production taking place in Georgetown, Kentucky, the first unit rolled off of that assembly line eleven years ago as a 1995 model. They are full-size, front-wheel drive sedans and represent Toyota’s biggest such offering.

At my age (the Beatles hit U. S. shores while I was in high school), the Avalon represented a nice car to be seen in, and drive around in, for the period of my evaluation. The ride on its 111″ wheelbase is superb do to the MacPherson strut front suspension with offset coil springs and stabilizer bar and dual-link independent MacPherson strut rear suspension with offset coil springs and another stabilizer bar. The room inside is ample for big, American motorists with 0ver 42″ of legroom is up front and over 39″ in the back seat area. The same holds true for shoulder room in the car at nearly five feet of it, front and rear. Overall length is 195.3″, six inches shorter than a Chevrolet Impala and 4.8″ longer than a Mazda 6. The Avalon weighs 3,638 lbs., the same as the Chevy despite the fact it has a big hybrid battery on board.

The efficient power supply for the Avalon consisted of a 2.5 liter, 4 cylinder hybrid gas/electric engine with 200 hybrid system net horsepower (149 kW) and an electronically-controlled continuously variable (CVT) transmission. The EPA estimates for the Avalon is 40 mpg – combined and city. Highway mileage rating is 39 mpg – my experience for the week driving the car was 38.9 mpg. The fuel tank holds 17 gallons of regular unleaded gasoline. It’s impossible for the Avalon styling to offend anyone, young or old. There exists up front the Toyota-specific big chrome mustache grill with black background, high intensity discharge (HID) quadrabeam headlights with auto on/off feature, and LED daytime running lights (DRL) with on/off feature. The fifteen-spoke painted aluminum alloy wheels are fitted with P215/55R17 Bridgestone Turanza EL400 mud and snow radials. No tailpipes are visible at the rear of the car (hybrid-style), but ample chrome is and a spoiler is almost molded into the trunk lid where underneath there is 14 cubic feet of cargo space available to the five passengers.

As you might expect, the inside the Avalon Hybrid Limited is sumptuous with its premium perforated leather-trimmed multi-stage heated and ventilated front seats, 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support and power cushion extension, and 8-way power-adjustable front passenger seat. On hand are premium JBL stereo, navigation system, 7″ touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, power rear window sunshade, ten airbags, tilt/telescope, pushbutton starter, backup camera, smoked chrome accents, and power mirrors/windows/locks.

M.S.R.P. of the Avalon tester came in at $44,475.00, including $825.00 for freight and $1,950.00 for the technology package which included radar cruise control, automatic high beam, pre-collision safety system, and wireless charging platform for smartphones. It’s a considerable investment, but a sound one given the comfort, beauty, and economy that the buyer gets in the bargain.

2015 Toyota Venza Limited AWD

On February 22, 2015July 21, 2015 By stuwright47In *CROSSOVERS, ToyotaLeave a comment

A test car that was delivered to me recently was a 2015 Barcelona Red metallic five-door Toyota Venza with all-wheel drive and a V-6 engine. Since the Venza was introduced into the Toyota line six years ago as a 2009 Camry derivative (one of many), the company has chosen to dress the car out with lots of equipment. And the one that I was loaned had enough in the line of options to bring M.S.R.P. to $42,193.00. Included was the Limited package of options were leather seats/shift knob/steering wheel, twin power heated front buckets, smart key system, pushbutton and remote starter, power liftgate, backup camera, navigation system, 13-speaker JBL stereo, XM radio, automatic high beam headlights, panoramic glass moon roof, IPod connector, Bluetooth, and rear bumper protector. The car also had chrome door handles, puddle lamps, fog lights, four-season floor mats, paint protection film, and mudguards. On balance, it was quite a number of upgrades.

First off, I departed for Denver out on I-25 on a winter morning. I wanted to meet my family for lunch at Zadie’s Restaurant near Cherry Creek. The Venza has a 268hp V-6 (@ 6,200 rpm) with 3.5 liters, dual overhead cams, 24 valves and dual variable valve timing. Torque is 246 lb. ft. (@ 4,700 rpm) and the the transmission attached to it is a 6-speed electronically controlled model with with sequential shift mode. All of this drivetrain spec provided ample passing power and I was satisfied with the Venza’s ride, guidance, and handling. Dual climate control kept both the wife and I comfortable and the tilt/telescope kept the wheel in a proper attitude for the driver. This upgraded Toyota had carbon fiber-looking trim in quite a few locations in the car and it was very attractive. So was the dashboard material and gauges. And the cargo space behind the second-row seating is 36.6 cubic feet. Fold the middle row of seats down and the total cargo space comes to 70.2 cubic feet. Weight/wheelbase/length of the Venza is 4,045 lbs., 109.3″, and 189″, respectively.

Fuel mileage for the Venza is 18 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. I observed an average of 22.4 during my week with the car. I mentioned the acceleration – reportedly the Venza V-6 goes 0-60 in 6.9 seconds, without a great deal of fuss. The car rides on big 20” five-spoke silver allow wheels that look great, shod with P245/50R20 Goodyear Eagle RS-A all-season steel belted radials. And the drive system is all-wheel with Active Torque Control and the suspension is 4-wheel independent MacPherson strut with stabilizer bars.

I left Zadies less satisfied with the lunch (breakfast, actually – I don’t care for the pancake syrup) than the car, and noticed a lot of looks from shoppers in the Cherry Creek district. The Toyota Camry has produced a lot of offspring, and the Venza is the best-looking one of the bunch.

2015 Honda CR-V 5-Door AWD Touring Crossover

On February 16, 2015 By stuwright47In *CROSSOVERS, HondaLeave a comment

Japan’s Honda Motor Company began as a motorbike manufacturer in 1949, and by 1962 they produced a motorcycle that caught the fancy of my big brother, a 150cc black bike with twin cylinders. By 1964 the company became the world’s biggest motorcycle producer and that year I joined my brother and purchased a 50cc Honda, later trading it for a 1965 305cc white “Dream”. Another brother bought a similar, blue Dream and the three of us terrorized the streets of Albion (and Grant) Nebraska for years thereafter.

Honda began producing automobiles shortly thereafter, and now is one of the ten largest such manufacturers in the world. Many are made in America and sent to Japan; more in fact than are exported to America from that country. One of Honda’s products is the CR-V, which perhaps stands for “compact recreational vehicle”. It has been produced since 1995, and originally was a knockoff of the Civic. Since the cancellation of the Honda Element, it has moved into the entry-level SUV slot for the company.

A recent test that I conducted was of a 2015 Honda CR-V Touring model in a Copper Sunset Pearl paint scheme with black leather interior. It had an M.S.R.P. of $33,775.00, including freight of $880.00. As a Touring CR-V, it came with a lot of equipment such as navigation (7″ screen), heated seats, power memory driver seat, lane watch system, radar cruise control, moon roof, power tailgate, high end alloy wheels, fancy roof rails, fog lights and 7-speaker XM stereo. The lane keeping assist arrangement allowed me to drive down I-25 without touching the steering wheel and the lane watch camera peeked at the blind spot on the passenger side (to the rear) for ease of lane changing. In town the system is particularly helpful as a right turn is anticipated. The leather seating inside the Honda was supportive and attractive with room for five adults.

Styling from Honda on this crossover is improved and slightly updated for 2015. I’ve always admired the CR-V styling, and the new one was perfectly suitable to my eyes. I particularly like the paint color, and although the wheels were not anything that I was wild about, others that saw the Honda made positive comments about them on a couple of occasions. They were 2-tone 18″ x 7″ alloys fitted with P225/60R18 Dunlop AT20’s, and with that aspect, the ride was great.

Wheelbase of the CR-V is 103.1″, overall length is 179.4″, weight is 3,624 lbs., and towing capacity is 1,500 lbs. Power is supplied by a four-cylinder, 2.4 liter engine with 185 horsepower at 6,400 rpm. Torque is 181 lb. ft. at 3,900 rpm, and a CVT (continuously variable) transmission is standard without a manual-mode arrangement. Ground clearance is 6.8″ on the all-wheel drive CR-V, and the EPA ratings are 26 mpg-city, 33 mpg-highway, and 28 mpg-combined. I obtained 26 mpg during my week with the Honda.

As my test of the Honda CR-V unfolded, I found myself becoming pretty familiar with, and fond of, the car. Honda sells almost 30,000 of these each month in the U.S., and it is evident why Americans find it so appealing.

2015 Nissan Versa Note SR Sedan

On February 8, 2015 By stuwright47In *PASSENGER CARS, NissanLeave a comment

A Versa Note SR was delivered to me last week for reviewing, and the first thing I noticed was that it was a model I had never tested (nor seen) before. It was more attractive than prior Notes in that it had interesting ten-spoke black-accented wheels and lower-body sporty fascia on both ends of and the sides of the car. This Note is 11.7” shorter (at 163.7”) than the Versa sedan that Nissan sells while resting on the same wheelbase of 102.4”. Thus, maneuverability is enhanced in this car without a reduction in interior space. My test Note was painted Metallic Peacock (blue-green) and inside it was equipped with charcoal sport synthetic suede seating for five. Not only does it seat five, it does it quite comfortably and has a large 18.8 cubic foot cargo compartment behind the back seats. Two buckets are up front and in the rear is a 60/40 split fold down bench seat with plenty of legroom for back seat passengers.

The cloth front buckets have a console in between, a single armrest attached to the driver’s seat, and also a hand brake that I always prefer. Four cup holders are included as are power windows and locks, cruise control, steering wheel audio controls, intermittent wipers, Bluetooth phone setup, Ipod interface, remote keyless entry, power mirrors, and MP3 playback stereo. As an SR, the car is also equipped with a rear vision camera and satellite radio. The car has five doors counting the hatchback, 16” alloy wheels with P195/55R16 Bridgestone Ecopia Grand Touring EP422 low rolling resistance, all-season radials, chrome-trimmed fog lights, and chrome accented mesh grill. Under the hood rests a 1.6 liter, four cylinder, DOHC, 16 valve engine that puts out 109 hp with 107 lb. ft. of torque. Redline is 6000 rpm, and reportedly 0 to 60 time is 9.8 seconds. Fuel economy ratings are 31 city and 40 highway, 35 combined (10.8 gallon tank), and I observed 35.9 mpg during my week at the wheel. That is pretty darn good for running around, mostly in town. As usual, I took a trip to Denver on the Interstate, and found that the ride and handling were compliant, and wind noise was minimal.

Base M.S.R.P. for the Note SR is $17,530.00, as my test car was equipped with the CVT automatic transmission, SR convenience equipment package ($660.00), carpeted cargo and floor mats ($180.00), and freight ($825.00). The total came to $19,195.00. CVT stands for continuous variable transmission, part of the PureDrive system on this 2015 Nissan Versa Note, enabling the car to exceed next year’s Cafe fuel economy and CO2 emission standards. In addition to the transmission, this PureDrive Versa Note has aerodynamic body styling, friction-reducing micro-finished engine components and variable valve timing. I earlier bragged about the fuel economy, and these features are the reason why.

My week in possession of the Versa Note was pleasing, both to the senses and the pocketbook. I would like a different color, but seven alternates are available, as are 3 other models that are less expensive. The Versa Note SR is a little car I could see myself owning.

2015 Volkswagen Jetta SE FWD Sedan

On January 19, 2015January 19, 2015 By stuwright47In *PASSENGER CARS, Volkswagen1 Comment

The number one selling Volkswagen is the Jetta, produced since 1979. It is currently in it’s sixth generation form, this new design having been introduced in June of 2010 as a 2011 model. For 2015 the Jetta received a mid-cycle update in the front/rear styling and in standard equipment offerings. A Platinum Gray metallic Jetta SE four-door sedan was brought to my home on a recent Monday morning, and I immediately got inside to check out the optional equipment. Heated leatherette seats, heated mirrors, and Sirius satellite radio: check. Power lumbar “V-tech” Titan black leatherette bolstered buckets and leather wheel: check. Touchscreen radio/CD changer and Bluetooth and IPod connection: check. Pushbutton start (on the console along with the emergency brake) and five-speed manual transmission: check. Although most of the buzz with Volkswagen has recently been about the new masculine (supposedly) Beetle introduction, this Jetta is almost the newest VW in the lineup and, as mentioned earlier, the most popular. It’s easy to see and feel why, because this is a real nice car.

I jumped in and took off for Interstate 25 for a test drive and a chance to do some mall shopping somewhere along the way. A real firm ride is in store for the operator; a feeling of quality (and quietness). The steering wheel is rather thick with many controls, and the five-speed transmission quite manageable. The turbocharged four cylinder (EA888), 1.8 liter, 170 hp (6,200 rpm) engine provides an ample amount of power. More, in fact, than would seem available with that horsepower rating. Torque is 184 lb. ft. (1,500 – 4,750 rpm), and the highway fuel economy rating is 37 mpg on the highway, 25 mpg in the city, and a combined mpg figure is 29. The fuel tank holds 14.5 gallons.

Guiding the Jetta up the Interstate is pleasurable. Once again, the ride is firm, but handles the aging Interstate quite well. I had plenty of punch for changing lanes and running by service trucks and seniors. At the mall parking lot I stepped outside to view the styling of the VW. It’s good, if not spectacular, and looks particularly nice from the front with the new 2015 grill treatment. The mirrors have lighting stripes on them and up front are good-looking fog lights. The Jetta has a wheelbase of 104.4″, overall length of 183.3″, and the car weighs 3,047 lbs. Backseat legroom is suitable for a big human being, and the trunk is the biggest in its class, at 15.5 cubic feet. In the center of the back seat is a flop-down armrest/cup holder, and this VW had no power moonroof

This is the best-looking Jetta to date, and has 16”, Sedona ten-spoke alloy wheels to dress it up. Tires mounted on them are 205/55R 16” mud and snow radials. Base price for the SE was $18,995.00 and a lighting package ($995.00) and freight ($820.00) were added, bringing the M.S.R.P. to $20,810.00. Bottom line; I could see myself owning a car like this. The styling, roominess, drivability, and value puts the car high on the list of its segment competition.

2015 Toyota Sienna FWD SE Premium Minivan

On January 12, 2015January 14, 2015 By stuwright47In *MINIVANS, ToyotaLeave a comment

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BRRRRR! It’s cold and wintery as I conduct this mid-January test of the Toyota Sienna minivan from the Rocky Mountain Redline press fleet. The front-wheel drive system works well getting my wife and I around Northern Colorado, and thankfully, no blizzards took place this month; just a couple of nice snowfalls. Front and rear heat is on hand in the Sienna so that I can warm up the vehicle pretty fast with zero degree temperatures to contend with. That system includes air conditioning and is a three-zone setup with separate temperature controls for driver and passengers, both front and rear. A digital control panel is ceiling-mounted in the rear of the Sienna.

My test Sienna was the SE Premium model with several upgrades such as backup camera, audio/navigation with 7″ screen, SiriusXM radio, Bluetooth connectivity, Toyota’s Entune app suite, Blu-ray 16.4″ rear entertainment center with headphones, perforated black leather seating for eight, 40/20/40 middle row seating with stowable center seat, stowable third row seat, cruise control, tilt/telescope, Smart Key system with remote/pushbutton starter, triple 12v power outlets, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, and ten cup holders.

Toyota’s Sienna SE Premium comes in five different colors and the one I drove was painted Salsa red pearl metallic. Of course the vehicle was equipped with power sliding side doors (they have roll-down windows) and a power rear lift gate. The length of the Sienna was 200.2″ set on a 119.3″ wheelbase; weight was 4,560 lbs. Getting in and out of the minivan is easier than a sedan and not quite at a crossover SUV level of convenience. Visibility is great, as is ride and guidance on the road. Handling is, well, as you would expect for such a vehicle, that being OK.

Minivan styling is not an attraction to such a vehicle, although I personally like the looks of all of them. This Sienna had bold-looking six-spoke gunmetal-finished gray 19″ alloy wheels with P235/50R19 steel all-season radials. Luggage rail cross bars were up top and round fog- and backup-lights dressed up the fascia, front and rear. The color was particularly attractive on the Sienna, a selection I would make if purchasing one.

Power for the Toyota minivan is produced by a 3.5 liter V-6 with 266 horsepower and 245 lb. ft. of torque. A six-speed automatic is coupled to it with the shift tower mounted on the dashboard to the right of the steering wheel. Thus, the driver (or front passenger) can slide over to the other armrest-equipped bucket seat, if desired. Fuel economy for the Sienna is 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. The combined rating is 21 mpg. I found the performance of my test Toyota to be suitable, and the company also offers an all-wheel drive setup on the Sienna.

M.S.R.P. for the van totaled $41,293.00 – base price was $39,680.00 and freight plus odds and ends made up the difference. I enjoyed testing the Sienna and it seems to me to represent a pretty good value in its segment.

2015 Toyota Camry SE Hybrid Sedan

On January 8, 2015 By stuwright47In *HYBRIDS/ELECTRICS, ToyotaLeave a comment

Toyota has been building Camrys since 1982, and the car was originally a compact sedan. Now it has evolved into a midsize automobile, and year after year the company sells over 400,000 of them. I drove a new 2015 Toyota Camry Hybrid during the past few days, all over Northern Colorado as well as to Denver, and I found out that I like this new 2015 more than the 2014.5 that I had in the fall. It was the styling that won me over, as this new sedan has virtually all new body parts (everything but the roof), and is quieter, roomier, and even a little sportier. I was more of a fan of the 2007 (through 2011) Camry styling than I was of last year’s, and now this 2015 gets me back as a big booster.

The Camry Hybrid has a power train consisting of a CVT delivering power to the front wheels from its hybrid system. I have grown pretty accustomed to the CVT transmission setup in the Camrys; that includes both this one and the 2014.5 that I tested in the fall. CVT stands for continuously variable transmission (no shifts), and it is coupled to a gasoline 4 cylinder, 2.5 liter motor with 156 horsepower (@ 5,700 rpm) and 156 lb. ft. of torque (@4,500 rpm). Two electric motor/generators are on board to add in 141 more horsepower and 199 lb. ft. of torque. Combined power rating is 200 horsepower, and as I mentioned, it was pretty suitable for driving the midsize sedan. I liked the ride and handling better than last Camry I had, and styling (as I have mentioned) is great from all angles.

The Toyota Camry Hybrid mid-size FWD sedan has been available for eight years, and over the winter has been available in showrooms in its third generation configuration. My test Camry was equipped to the tune of $32,233.00, M.S.R.P. The base price of $27,995.00 for the SE model had as additions the blue illuminated door sills ($299.00) remote start ($499.00) four season floor mat package ($325.00), premium navigation/audio package ($1,300.00), moon roof ($915), and wireless charging system ($75.00). Freight charges came to $825.00. The car came in “blue crush metallic” paint and the cloth seating was a light gray in color. It’s a five passenger sedan with a decent sized rear passenger compartment and a 15.4 cubic foot trunk. It comfortably seats five adults. Miles-per-gallon fuel economy ratings for the car I drove were 40 City, 38 Highway, and 40 Combined. The fuel tank holds 17 gallons of at least 87-octane regular unleaded gasoline.

My test automobile was equipped as an above-average midsize sedan. On hand were such items as a good JBL stereo, 6.1″ touchscreen for nav and backup, fancier dash materials for 2015, sport cloth SofTex seating, satellite radio, 17″ alloys, and Bluetooth. Wheelbase of the Camry is 109.3″, length is 190.9″, and weight of the SE is 3,565 lbs.

There is a reason the Camry is America’s best selling car (almost 30,000 sold in November of 2014), and I experienced it firsthand this week with the SE Hybrid.