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Drew Dowdell

Editor-in-Chief
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Everything posted by Drew Dowdell

  1. Drew Dowdell
    That center stack looks positively VW-like.
  2. Drew Dowdell
    Yeah, could all be in the setup. 23 horsepower at 6,100 rpm is not a huge increase, so the turbo size increase could be quite minimal, thus any lag change could probably dialed out by adjusting the throttle input mapping.
  3. Drew Dowdell
    It's probably a case of the peak torque output being the same, but the area under that curve being deeper. Bigger turbos will give more boost at lower RPM, but that potentially also means more lag.
  4. Drew Dowdell
    Wonder what the approach and departure angles are on that!? I like that the Escala look is being put into production. I wish it had debuted on an updated CT6 first. I had the same objection with the Continental nose actually being released for sale on the MKZ before the Continental was out.
  5. Drew Dowdell
    That's easy... the ATS handles better, has more precise steering, and more standard equipment. Plus, when you option the C43 up to matching the standard equipment of a regular ATS V6, you're within $2k of an ATS-V which moves to a whole different level of performance over the C43. If you're capped out at $58k and not a penny more... yes the C43 will accelerate better than an ATS V6. Spend $2k more and the ATS-V wins. Spend $2k less and you're stuck with a 4-cylinder Benz verse a V6 Cadillac.
  6. Drew Dowdell
    Reasonable hypothesis.
  7. Drew Dowdell
    Great write up. I like the idea of a hybrid AWD SUV, but there aren't any that 1. Are affordable, 2. Deliver the promised fuel savings. This was kinda on my radar, but if the fuel savings aren't there, then there is no point.
  8. Drew Dowdell
    Different strokes. My enthusiasm for cars has never been about raw speed.
  9. Drew Dowdell
    More power, more gears, but no improvement in performance? Does not compute.
  10. Drew Dowdell
    The 5-cylinder Volvos have interesting maintenance schedules. They have flame traps and oil traps that need to be cleaned out and replaced at like 70k miles or you burn up the engine. 50 cent part, $400 labor to complete the job because once you open the hood you have to dig all the way to Sweden to get to it.
  11. Drew Dowdell
    I've cleared the theme cache. Let me know if the problem continues.
  12. Drew Dowdell
    I'm very trim-level specific in my preferences. 1. '19 Ram 1500 (Limited or Rebel), Hemi 2. '18 Ford F-150 King Ranch or Limited, 5.0 3. '19 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali or SLT, any V8 4. '18 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali or All-Terrain 5. '18 Chevy Silverado 1500 - Z71 of any trim... whatever it takes to get all that chrome off the front. 6. '19 Chevy Silverado 1500 - I might be talked into a High Country for the right deal, but I'm more likely to go for an '18 leftover instead just based on appearances.
  13. Drew Dowdell
    I'm still not seeing it. GM specifically targeted the use of aluminum in the bed material, not in body panels. GM has been using aluminum hoods and doors on other vehicles for years. If the carbon fiber bed is more dent resistant than steel or aluminum, there is no hypocrisy there. GM's original "man step" goes back to at least 2002 and was always a far simpler and graceful solution than Ford's. The Ford man step is still a rickity looking piece and is overly complicated. Having a built in cane just puts the cherry on top. Watching the video on the GMC shows it to be simpler in operation than the Ford. I'm not blown away by the GM trucks, I like the new Ram better...but GM did get these two things right.
  14. Drew Dowdell
    See, that seems just odd to me. Those should be pretty standard GM parts. Is the seat belt buckle really that different between an Envision, Encore, and Enclave? If so, then that's some pretty bad product planning there. However, I could totally see internal corporate bureaucracy doing that.
  15. Drew Dowdell
    I'm not getting what you're referencing here with the Sierra tho...
  16. Drew Dowdell
    Up until the coming 2019 Envision, the Terrain had some distinct technical advantages over the Buick, but for 2019 they are more evenly matched. I do think the Terrain is a bit overpriced, but if you can get over that, then something like a $45k Terrain Denali Turbo Diesel does have some advantages over an equivalently priced Envision. The Terrain also does feel slightly more roomy even if the numbers don't play that out. The base model engine of the Terrain is better than the base model engine of the Envision, and for some reason Buick makes you pony up for the 2.0T to get AWD when AWD can come in the 1.5T in the Terrain. Pluses and minuses all around depending on your priorities. Edit: Apparently my knowledge was out of date and you can get the 2.5 with AWD in the Envision. That must have been a first year only thing.
  17. Drew Dowdell
    Er... the Terrain does not have any naturally aspirated engines at all. It has the 1.5T, 2.0T, and 1.6TD. I was talking about the RAV4 being only NA 2.5 or Hybrid 2.5
  18. Drew Dowdell
    Don't fret. There will still be GMC work trucks. Work trucks are generally not news makers, so that's why you haven't seen anything about them. Flash (Denali) and wow (MultiPro) are what generate headlines, not base model white trucks that will be found at a local construction firm. I like the MultiPro gate, but I wonder the weight it can support. It would be good for hauling a motorcycle.
  19. Drew Dowdell
    I get that... but when I cross the $30k mark, I want more than a naturally aspirated 4-cylinder. Not an option in a RAV4
  20. Drew Dowdell
    At least in the Terrain's case, it sells at the top end of its price range.
  21. Drew Dowdell
    You know it's more than exterior length. The interior of the Kicks is most politely described as "snug".
  22. Drew Dowdell
    At lease some of the price of the Terrain comes from the powertrain. You get your choice of a naturally aspirated 4-cylinder with a 6-speed auto or a Hybrid 4-cylinder with a 6-speed auto. The Terrain at the higher prices gets you a 2.0t and 10-speed or the new Turbo-diesel. I have an issue paying $34k for a naturally aspirated 4-cylinder in a economy crossover
  23. Drew Dowdell
    The Kicks is substantially smaller than the Rogue. Much less horsepower. FWD only. Feels smaller than my Encore inside. The Rogue is a 3-row crossover these days, slightly bigger than the Chevy Equinox. Then there is the Rogue Sport, a tweener about the size of a Subaru Crosstrek or Jeep Compass.
  24. Drew Dowdell
    $37k for a RAV4 and $47k for a Terrain is overpriced.
  25. Drew Dowdell
    Love the exterior. Not sold on the interior of the Chevy, so not sure some fancy trim is going to help. Another power train announcement is coming later this month.
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