William Maley

Honda is the latest automaker to announce their showings for next month's Detroit Auto Show. The company will be showing off the next Fit while Acura will be revealing a prototype of the new TLX, a model that will take the place of the TL and TSX. First up is the 2015 Honda Fit. Honda says the new model will retain the same innovative floorplan that allows for a huge cargo area while featuring a new set of technologies. Under the skin will be the brand's EarthDreams powertrain technologies and Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure. Honda also revealed that the 2015 Fit will be made at a brand-new factory in Celaya, Mexico for the North American market. Meanwhile at Acura, they'll show off a prototype of the upcoming TLX sedan. The TLX is the next step in the automaker's plan to create a three-level sedan lineup, with the ILX as the base and the RLX as the flagship. The TLX will take the place of two Acura sedans, the TSX and TL. "This all-new Acura TLX is the perfect blend of style and muscle with its elegant, well-proportioned exterior that cloaks the true sport sedan chassis and powertrain beneath. The sporty characteristics that customers found appealing in the TSX are even more pronounced in this aggressive new TLX," said Mike Accavitti, senior vice president of American Honda Motor, Co., Inc. The TLX will have two different engines and drivetrain choices. Production of the TLX will begin in the second half of the year. Source: Honda, Acura William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. Press Releases are on Page 2 Honda to Debut All-New 2015 Fit at North American International Auto Show Big news in the New Year for the subcompact-car segment with the introduction of a from-the ground-up more advanced, refined and fun-to-drive Honda Fit TORRANCE, Calif. – Dec. 19, 2013 – Honda will take the wraps off the all-new 2015 Fit at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 13. Honda will showcase significant advancements designed to further extend Fit's status as the benchmark vehicle in the subcompact-car class. The 2015 Fit builds on the current model's innovative packaging, flexible cargo capability and fun-to-drive character with spirited new styling, an even more spacious and refined interior packed with leading-edge connected car technologies. The third generation Fit is set to offer enhanced fuel-efficiency and performance courtesy of its all-new platform and Earth Dreams Technology powertrain. Equipped with the Honda-exclusive next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure, the new Fit is also anticipated to earn class-leading safety ratings. John Mendel, executive vice president of automobile sales for American Honda Motor Co., Inc., will introduce the 2015 Fit at the company's press conference, which also will be broadcast live via webcast at http://hondanews.com/live/2014naias-honda (link will be live Jan. 13). Named a Car and Driver '10-Best' vehicle every model year since its introduction to the U.S. market for 2007, the Fit remains one of the best-selling Honda vehicles globally, with cumulative worldwide sales of 4.87 million units1. The Fit is manufactured at ten locations around the world and sold in 123 countries. The new U.S.-market Fit will be produced for the first time in North America at an all-new plant in in Celaya, Mexico. 2015 Acura TLX Prototype to Debut at the 2014 North American International Auto Show - Newly-named TLX will feature more dynamic and sporty proportions, two new advanced powertrains and a host of signature Acura technologies - TSX to be discontinued as Acura creates clear hierarchy for luxury sedan lineup TORRANCE, CA., Dec. 19, 2013 – Acura today announced that the 2015 Acura TLX Prototype performance luxury sedan will debut at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. The TLX will mark the debut of a new name for Acura's mid-size modern luxury sedan entry, replacing the outgoing TL model. The all-new model will feature more emotional styling with tidier, sports sedan proportions wrapped around two all-new advanced powertrains that provide even more athletic performance, along with a host of signature Acura technologies. The 2015 TLX Prototype is designed to appeal to current and next-generation luxury sports sedan buyers including existing TL and TSX customers. In conjunction with the launch of the production TLX in the second half of next year, Acura will discontinue sales of the TSX model in 2014, as it moves to clarify its sedan lineup with a clear hierarchy of three distinct models – the entry luxury ILX, mid-size TLX sports sedan, and flagship RLX performance sedan. "This all-new Acura TLX is the perfect blend of style and muscle with its elegant, well-proportioned exterior that cloaks the true sport sedan chassis and powertrain beneath," said Mike Accavitti, senior vice president, American Honda Motor, Co., Inc. "The sporty characteristics that customers found appealing in the TSX are even more pronounced in this aggressive new TLX." The all-new Acura TLX will offer luxury buyers a wider range of choices with two all-new, high-performance and highly fuel-efficient direct-injected engines, each mated to an all-new advanced transmission, along with available two-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations. The TLX will also feature dynamic and emotional exterior styling wrapped around a mid-size luxury sports-sedan package that maintains the roomy cabin space of the current TL. The TLX Prototype was designed in Acura's Los Angeles Design Studio and the production model is being developed by Acura engineers at the company's Ohio R&D center. It will be produced at the Marysville, Ohio auto plant1, home to the current Acura TL. Speaking at the Acura press conference at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Jan. 14, 2014 will be Mike Accavitti, senior vice president, American Honda Motor, Co., Inc. View full article

Author's Note: With 2013 coming to a close in a couple of weeks, we've decided to clear out the remaining 2013 vehicle reviews this week. Everyday a new review will appear on the front page. If you miss one day, don't worry, we'll have links to the previous reviews just below. -WM Monday: Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV Tuesday: Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD Wednesday: Hyundai Santa Fe Limited AWD Friday: Lexus LS 600h L In this age of crossovers, the Toyota Land Cruiser is a bit of dinosaur. It rides on a ladder-frame and not a uni-body platform. Power comes from a big V8 engine and not a downsized V6 with turbochargers. It features a full-time four-wheel drive system with a load of off-road technologies but not an all-wheel drive system. There has to be a reason why the Land Cruiser exists. After spending a week in one, I might have the reason. The Land Cruiser's exterior can trace its roots back to the 1998 model as the two models share an overall profile. The front end is slightly angled and features a large grille and headlights with LEDs. Along the side are embellished front and rear fenders that have a set of five-spoke eighteen-inch wheels wrapped in meaty off-road tires sitting underneath. There is also a large glass area and chrome trim along the door panels. The back end has a split opening tailgate and more chrome trim pieces. Compared to its contemporaries (Range Rover and Mercedes-Benz GL), the Land Cruiser is somewhat plain looking.Inside, the decision was made to have durability as the priority, followed by luxury. This is very clear when looking at the materials used as most can be classified as hard and plastic. The wood trim seen in the photos is described by Toyota as "wood-grain-style trim". Now for what the Land Cruiser costs ($79,728 as tested), I was expecting a bit more luxury. But after giving it some thought and taking into account what the Land Cruiser is built for (tackling the Amazon rainforest for example), I'm ok with the decisions since the materials will last a long time and are easy to clean up. The seating arrangement in the Land Cruiser is for eight people which is somewhat surprising since it is smaller than the largest Toyota SUV, the Sequoia. Compared to the Sequoia, the Land Cruiser rides on a wheelbase that 9.8 inches shorter and overall length is 10.2 inches shorter. The front features two bucket seats with power adjustments and heat. I found the seats mostly comfortable, though I was wishing for more thigh support. The second row features seating for three people via a bench seat. Head and legroom is excellent and there is heat for the seats. The third row is a different story. To begin, the seats are folded up like jump seats that you might find in a military airplane. Once the seats are folded down and put yourself back there, you find out that legroom is non-existent and the seating position isn't comfortable at all. One of the saving graces of the Land Cruiser has to be the amount of equipment that comes standard. There is four-zone climate control, six-inch touchscreen with Toyota's Entune infotainment system, navigation, 14-speaker JBL premium sound system, privacy glass, auto-dimming mirrors, and smart key access. How do I get the seats down? For impressions on the powertrain and ride, see the next page. Under the hood is a 5.7L V8 engine that is also used in the Lexus LX 570 (sister SUV), Toyota Sequoia, and Tundra pickup. This engine produces 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic gets the power to all four wheels via full-time four-wheel drive system. To say I was bit concerned about how the engine would fare is a understatement. The Land Cruiser tips the scales at 5,730 pounds and I was thinking that the V8 wouldn't have the oomph to move it. I shouldn't have thought that as the V8 is more than capable of moving it. Acceleration is very brisk and I never had the feeling that more power was needed at all. As an added bonus, the 5.7L is muted when at idle and utters a murmured growled when climbing the rev range. The six-speed automatic is smooth going through the gears and didn't show any signs of gear hunting. For the 2013 model year, Toyota decided to ante up the Land Cruiser's off-road credentials. First is the introduction of the Multi-Terrain Select system that modulates the amount of wheelspin to help get the vehicle though varying terrain conditions. The other addition is CRAWL Control with an Off-Road Turn Assist. This system allows the driver to choose from five different settings that regulates acceleration (going forward or backwards) and braking to let a driver focus on getting the vehicle through rough or steep grades. This system also utilizes the hill decent control and accent control. Sadly I didn't get the chance to try any of these systems out during my time with the Land Crusier.Now with a big V8 engine and a full-time four-wheel drive system, the Land Cruiser has no problem sucking down gas. The EPA rates the Land Cruiser at 13 City/18 Highway/15 Combined. My average for the week landed at 15 MPG. For the suspension, Toyota employs a double-wishbone setup with gas shocks and a hollow stabilizer bar for the front, and a four-link, coil-spring with lateral-rod setup in the rear. Toyota also employs a system called Kinetic Dynamic Suspension which uses hydraulic cylinders to put pressure on the swaybars to increase or decrease the stiffness. On-road, the system increases pressure to help reduce body roll when cornering. Off-road, the system reduces pressure to increase wheel travel. The Land Cruiser's on-road ride is better than I was expecting. On smooth and rough surfaces, the Land Cruise glides along effortlessly. Road noise is non-existent and wind noise is kept at a decent level. Show the Land Cruiser a corner and you'll have a feeling of motion sickness. There is noticeable body roll and lean when going around corners. All large SUVs exhibit this, but most competitors do a much better job of reducing roll. Look Mom, I'm off-roading! The 2013 Toyota Land Cruiser is very old school in many ways, but there is a reason for it. The Land Cruiser has a reputation of being a vehicle that can take you anywhere. In that regard, it makes sense why Toyota made certain decisions for this model. If you are looking for a vehicle to get you across the Sahara desert or the Rocky Mountains, there is no better choice than the Land Cruiser. But if you're looking for a SUV to just drive around and not go off-road, the Land Cruiser is just too much 'SUV' for that. Disclaimer: Toyota Provided the Land Cruiser, Insurance, and One Tank of Gas Year: 2013 Make: Toyota Model: Land Cruiser Trim: N/A Engine: 5.7L, 32-valve DOHC V8 with dual independent VVT-i Driveline: Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive, Six-Speed Automatic Horsepower @ RPM: 381 @ 5,600 Torque @ RPM: 401 @ 3,600 Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 13/18/15 Curb Weight: 5,730 lbs Location of Manufacture: Toyota City, Japan Base Price: $78,555.00 As Tested Price: $79,728.00 (Includes $845.00 Destination Charge) Options: All-Weather Floor & Cargo Mats - $250.00 Cargo Net - $49.00 First Aid Kit - $29.00 William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article

If you're looking a vehicle that has the best value in the marketplace, then according to Consumer Reports, you should be looking at the Toyota Prius. The publication announced the results of their annual Best New-Car Value analysis. The analysis looks at the five-year cost for a vehicle to an owner which includes such factors as maintenance, insurance, and depreciation. That cost is factored in with Consumer Reports’ road-test score and reliability rating for each vehicle. This is the second year the Prius has been named the best value in the marketplace. Consumer Reports says the Prius has a nice balance of performance, reliability, and low estimated five-year ownership costs of 47 cents per mile. “The Prius’ 44 mpg overall is the best fuel economy of any non-plug-in car that Consumer Reports has tested. Though it’s not particularly cheap to buy, the Prius’ depreciation is so low that it costs less to own over the first five years than its initial MSRP. We call that a bargain,” said Consumer Reports Automotive Editor Rik Paul. Now with there being a best, that usually means there is a worst. In this case, it happens to be the Nissan Armada. Consumer Reports says the Armada scored poorly in this year's reliability survey and gets 13 MPG combined, giving it the highest ownership cost of a $1.20 per mile. Here is a list of the best and worst for each class. Compact /Subcompact Cars: Best, Toyota Prius Four; Worst, Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L Midsized Cars: Best, Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium; Worst, Nissan Altima 3.5 SL Large Cars: Best, Toyota Avalon Hybrid Limited; Worst, Ford Taurus Limited Luxury Cars: Best, Lexus ES 300h; Worst, BMW 750Li Sports Cars/Convertibles: Best: Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring; Worst, Chevrolet Camaro convertible 2SS (V8) Wagons/Minivans: Best, Mazda5 Grand Touring; Worst, Chrysler Town & Country Touring-L Small SUVs: Best, Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium; Worst, Ford Escape SE (1.6T) Midsized SUVs: Best, Nissan Murano SL; Worst, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara Luxury/Large SUVs: Best, BMW X1 xDrive28i; Worst, Nissan Armada Platinum Pickups: Best, Honda Ridgeline RTS; Worst, Ford F-250 Lariat (6.7L V8) Source: Consumer Reports William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. Press Release is on Page 2 Consumer Reports Names Toyota Prius Best New-Car Value for Second Year in A Row Nissan Armada ranked lowest overall in CR’s annual Best- & Worst-Value Ranking YONKERS, NY— Consumer Reports finds the Toyota Prius to be the best overall value for the automotive dollar and the Nissan Armada the worst in its annual Best New-Car Value analysis. This is the second straight year that the Prius has topped CR’s best-value list, which highlights the cars that give you the most bang for your buck. The popular hybrid has the right combination of performance, reliability and low estimated five-year ownership costs of 47 cents per mile. Last year, the Prius unseated the perennial best-value leader, the Honda Fit. The Fit had held the best new-car value title for the previous four years. The Armada, a large SUV that gets only 13 mpg overall and scored poorly in Consumer Reports’ annual reliability survey, costs a hefty $1.20 per mile, according to CR’s analysis. Toyota and Lexus models placed at the top in three of the 10 categories that Consumer Reports analyzed—with the Prius taking top overall ranking and emerging in first place in the Compact/Subcompact Cars category. The Toyota Avalon Hybrid Limited is the top-scoring vehicle in the Large Cars group and the Lexus ES 300h is the top model in the Luxury Cars category. Vehicles from Subaru and Mazda were also standouts in the analysis; each automaker had vehicles that topped the rankings in two categories. The Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium was the top-scoring vehicle in the Midsized Cars category and the Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium scored best among Small SUVs. The Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand ranked first overall in the Sports Cars/Convertibles category while the Mazda5 Grand Touring was best in the Wagons/Minivans group. In creating its annual Best and Worst New-Car Values list, Consumer Reports mines its performance, reliability, and owner-cost data to calculate a value score for more than 200 different vehicles ranging from small cars like the Hyundai Accent and Honda Fit to luxury sedans such as the Cadillac XTS and BMW 750Li. “The Prius’ 44 mpg overall is the best fuel economy of any non-plug-in car that Consumer Reports has tested,” said Consumer Reports Automotive Editor Rik Paul. “Though it’s not particularly cheap to buy, the Prius’ depreciation is so low that it costs less to own over the first five years than its initial MSRP. We call that a bargain.” The scores were calculated based on the five-year owner cost for each vehicle, along with Consumer Reports’ road-test score and the organization’s own predicted-reliability score from the latest Annual Auto Survey. In short, the better a car performs in Consumer Reports’ road tests and reliability ratings, and the less it costs to own over time, the better its value. The five-year owner cost estimates factor in depreciation, fuel, insurance premiums, interest on financing, maintenance and repairs, and sales tax. Depreciation is by far the largest owner-cost factor. The 10 vehicle categories Consumer Reports included in this analysis: Compact/Subcompact Cars, Midsized Cars, Large Cars, Luxury Cars, Sports Cars/Convertibles, Wagons/Minivans, Small SUVs, Midsized SUVs, Luxury/Large SUVs, and Pickups. “Just because a car is cheap to buy doesn’t mean it’s a good value. The Nissan Versa Sedan, for example, is one of the least expensive cars that Consumer Reports has tested,” Paul said. “For about $1,500 more, we’d go with a Honda Fit, which is fun to drive, cheaper to own, more reliable, and provides almost twice the value.” Here’s a look at the winners and losers in each of the categories: Compact /Subcompact Cars: Best, Toyota Prius Four; Worst, Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L Midsized Cars: Best, Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium; Worst, Nissan Altima 3.5 SL Large Cars: Best, Toyota Avalon Hybrid Limited; Worst, Ford Taurus Limited Luxury Cars: Best, Lexus ES 300h; Worst, BMW 750Li Sports Cars/Convertibles: Best: Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring; Worst, Chevrolet Camaro convertible 2SS (V8) Wagons/Minivans: Best, Mazda5 Grand Touring; Worst, Chrysler Town & Country Touring-L Small SUVs: Best, Subaru Forester 2.5i Premium; Worst, Ford Escape SE (1.6T) Midsized SUVs: Best, Nissan Murano SL; Worst, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara Luxury/Large SUVs: Best, BMW X1 xDrive28i; Worst, Nissan Armada Platinum Pickups: Best, Honda Ridgeline RTS; Worst, Ford F-250 Lariat (6.7L V8) View full article

Micro: Skoda Citgo Sub-Compact: Citroen DS3 Compact: Vauxhall Astra 3-Door Midsize: Skoda Octavia Full Size: Skoda Superb Small SUV/CUV: Fiat Panda 4x4 Midsize SUV/CUV: Skoda Yeti Large SUV/CUV: Range Rover TDV6 Truck: Mitsubishi L200 *wildcard (sports car): Peugeot RCZ and RCZ R *wildcard (hot hatch): Peugeot 208 GTI *wildcard (compact minivan): Citroen C4 Picasso *wildcard (minivan): Seat Alhambra *wildcard (compact luxury sedan): Alpina D3 *wildcard (midsize luxury): Audi RS6 *wildcard (compact van): Volkswagen Caddy *wildcard (van): Volkswagen Transporter