Road Reality » coupe

2012 Honda Civic debuts at Detroit Auto Show

John Suit — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:00:42 +0000

I don’t often show pre-production vehicles, but the “concept” label on the upcoming Honda Civic is a title for titles’ sake. In reality, the car shown here will be released as-is to consumers in the Spring of this year. Replacing the 2006-2011 model, the new Civic has a lot to work for. Between its release and today, the current generation Civic has a lot more, and a lot better, competition. Cars like the new Ford Focus, Hyundai’s Elantra and Chevrolet’s Cruze all bring more to the table. Click past the jump to see my first impressions, pictures and the press release.

The current-generation car is a forward-looking, safe, efficient car. I owned a 2008 Civic Sedan, which I put almost 15,000 miles on. In that time, I was consistently impressed with the fit and finish, build quality and overall efficiency of the car, as well as its interior design, seat comfort, and driving dynamics. While it was no “corner carver,” it held its own on the road, and returned phenomenal fuel mileage no matter the situation.

The new car is an evolution of this, with a more fuel-efficient engine, additional safety equipment, and more technology. While official EPA numbers are not yet available, I’d expect the manual transmission-equipped Civic sedan to achieve 29/38 city/highway MPGs, with automatics getting 27/37 MPGs. Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) will be standard, which will help mitigate errant driving maneuvers. Honda hasn’t said what specifically will be available technology-wise, but given the current model’s available navigation and radio options, expect Bluetooth, iPod/MP3 player connectivity and other infotainment features.

Viewing the concept car, the car very closely resembles the current-generation car, but gives a much sportier presentation, even in non-Si trim. While the wheel choices may change and the tinted taillights will probably be more clear, the rest looks production-ready. Less drab slabs of metal adorn the sides of the car, and the front and rear bumpers show more character as well. Overall, a more swoopy appearance is visible from the concept photos.

The new Civic goes on sale sometime this coming Spring, so look back for pricing information closer to its official release.

Show Press Release

The Honda Civic Si Concept coupe and Civic Concept sedan are making world debuts at the North American International Auto Show today, providing the first official glimpse at the styling direction of the all-new, ninth-generation 2012 model set to go on sale this spring, the company announced.

“The Civic is known for providing a balance of ‘just-right’ packaging, fun-to-drive character and outstanding fuel economy, at a price that even first-time buyers can afford,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda. “The redesigned Civic builds on this legacy and promises to be the best Civic yet.”

The 2012 Civic embraces the company’s vision as a “Civic for all people,” a phrase originally expressed in defining the goal of the first-generation Civic. With the widest array of engine choices available in its class, the 2012 Civic lineup intends to meet the needs of an increasing group of compact-vehicle buyers with a renewed vision of a “Civic for all people.” The diverse vehicle range includes a sedan and a coupe with conventional gasoline models, two sporty “Si” performance versions, along with one hybrid and a natural gas alternative-fuel variant. Collectively the depth of the Civic line offers a compelling balance between fuel economy, low emissions and fun-to-drive performance unlike any other vehicle in the industry.

As a new interpretation of the current Civic’s iconic “one-motion” mono-form shape, the upcoming, ninth-generation Civic conveys a more substantial, high-energy appearance. The exterior styling of both Civic concept models showcases the sedan’s and coupe’s clean-yet-powerful lines with steeply raked windshields, wide stances and pronounced character lines along the profile. The lower character line on both models broadens toward the rear fenders to enhance the dynamic feeling of forward energy. The front fender surface treatments form a complex, three-dimensional look to further enhance the image of sophistication and structural depth against the deeply set headlights.

The Civic Concept sedan takes on a sophisticated presence with a front grille defined by crisp lines and a solid bar that integrates a chrome Honda emblem. The look of the Civic Si Concept coupe conveys an aggressive demeanor with a more angular front fascia, mesh grille and a tapered rear roofline that flows smoothly into the trunk. The Civic Si Concept coupe is exclusively equipped with a rear air diffuser, a center-mounted exhaust outlet and a rear deck lid spoiler with dual vents. Each concept model has 19-inch machined alloy wheels.

Powertrain Technology
The Civic’s family of engines with “intelligent” Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (i-VTEC®) technology become even more fuel efficient for 2012. The upcoming Civic Hybrid offers the latest generation of the compact and lightweight Integrated Motor Assist™ (IMA™) gasoline-electric hybrid system and features the first application of a lithium-ion battery in a Honda hybrid.

Building on its emphasis on fuel-economy, most upcoming Civic models receive Honda Eco Assist™ technology, already available in the CR-Z and Insight hybrids. The 2012 Civic is the first U.S. Honda model to employ Eco Assist technology in a gasoline-only powered vehicle. Eco Assist is just one example of how the new Civic can be customized and configured by the drivers to suit individual preferences.

Additionally, Honda is expanding retail sales of the natural gas-powered Civic GX model, which is the only OEM-built, dedicated CNG passenger car assembled in America. The increased availability of the Civic GX helps bring inherently clean-burning natural gas technology to an even broader audience while also supporting diversity in transportation energy resources.

Safety
The 2012 Civic continues to emphasize safety and is anticipated to score well in both the federal government’s New Car Assessment Program¹ (NCAP) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety² (IIHS) vehicle evaluations. The 2001 Honda Civic Coupe was one of the first two passenger cars ever to earn the federal government’s top 5-star crash safety rating³ for the driver and front- and rear-seat passengers in both frontal and side-impact crash tests.

All 2012 Civics are equipped with Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) as standard equipment. Additionally, the ninth-generation Civic continues to provide Honda’s exclusive and innovative Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure for frontal collision energy management.

Accolades and Manufacturing
As a top-selling model for Honda, the current, eighth-generation Civic has sold more than 1.5 million units since the 2006 model went on sale in late 2005. The 2006 Civic earned both the prestigious Motor Trend “Car of the Year” and the North American Car of the Year awards.

The current-generation Civic continues to be a significant entry-point to the Honda brand for younger buyers, introducing on average more than 90,000 new-car customers under the age of 35 to the brand every year. More than 95 percent of all Civics sold in the U.S. as of calendar-year 2010 were made⁴ in North America at manufacturing facilities in either Greensburg, Indiana or Alliston, Ontario in Canada.

by John Suit

Source: Honda

Top 10 New and Redesigned Vehicles for 2011

John Suit — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:00:07 +0000

There are lots of new and redesigned vehicles being built for the 2011 model year, and to help you sift through them, I’ve put together my Top 10 list of them. They range from the mainstream to luxury, but they’re all significant for the industry, manufacturer, or both. Click past the jump to see what made my list and why.

I’ve listed the following ten vehicles in alphabetical order by manufacturer. Let me know what you think in the Forums! (INSERT LINK TO FORUM TOPIC HERE)

Buick Regal

The Buick Regal brings back a tarnished nameplate for the semi-luxury GM brand, using the German engineering of GM’s Opel subsidiary. By designing the Opel to be more modular, including swapping headlights, taillights and badges, the Regal is a good example of badge engineering, a strategy that hasn’t worked out well for it, Chrysler or Ford. That’s not to say it’s a bad move for General Motors, since it injects some distinctly European flair into the traditionally stodgy domestic brand. With rave reviews, the new Regal is off to a good sales start, and works well as Buick’s entry-level car. For the 2011 model year, Buick will only be offering the CXL trim, with base and Turbo models, starting at $26,995 and $29,495, respectively. For 2012, the lineup will grow to three trim levels, and production will move from Europe to Canada. It’s a game-changer for Buick, which needs to bring its average buyer age down a good ways to stay in business.

Cadillac CTS Coupe / Wagon (plus V variants)

For Cadillac to really be the “New Standard of the World,” as their advertising would suggest, they need to compete head-to-head with the likes of BMW and Mercedes. Taking the CTS sedan’s solid structure and sales and adding coupe and wagon variants goes a long way towards accomplishing this goal. Expanding the CTS lineup is Cadillac’s first shot across BMW’s bow, and with all three body types containing the amenities and style BMW buyers are looking for, it should hit its mark. By offering performance-oriented V models, Cadillac is banking on the success of its CTS-V sedan to steal buyers of BMW’s M3 and Mercedes’ C63 AMG.

Chevrolet Volt (also notable: Chevrolet Cruze)

Finally, a mass-market electric car is coming to market. While it may not be electric-only, the range-extending gas engine should dispel range anxiety – the fear of running out of juice before returning to a charging station. With government subsidies, the Volt will be starting at around $33,000, but plan on spending another $2,000 or so to charge your Volt in less than 10 hours. The Volt is competing directly with the Nissan Leaf in the media, even though the Leaf is electric-only. By sharing its underpinnings with Chevrolet’s upcoming Cruze, GM could design the powertrain and other components separately, which saves the beleaguered automaker untold millions in development money. It also allowed the General to up its game in the small car segment, where the existing Cobalt has been a non-starter.

Ford Fiesta (also notable: Mazda Mazda2)

With the success of BMW’s Mini and the price of gas, some Americans have started to embrace the truly small car. The only hurdle left is convincing buyers who have a hard time putting $20,000 into a small car when for a few thousand dollars more, you can get a much larger one. The trick Ford is using is its SYNC infotainment system and high quality materials, fit and finish, as well as other amenities normally found in larger cars, such as heated leather seats. The Fiesta also re-starts Ford’s global car initiative, which stalled when redesigns of its Focus weren’t brought to the US from Europe, where the Focus is a much more popular car. Furthermore, even though Ford sold its controlling interest in Mazda, the two companies are still working together, including the platform that both the Fiesta and Mazda’s Mazda2 ride on. The Mazda2 promises to be a more fun to drive car, even while the Mazda is cheaper and has less options available.

Hyundai Sonata

After the initial success of the Genesis sedan and coupe, Hyundai is continuing its roll by revamping the Sonata mid-sized sedan. Already on sale, the Korean automaker has already moved a significant amount of metal, and for good reasons. Better-equipped, better materials, and three models to suit a bevy of tastes means the Sonata is really earning its place as Hyundai’s bread and butter car. Initially, only one model is available, in several trim levels, staring at around $20,000, but soon we’ll see the Hybrid and Turbo models debuting. Offering class-leading fuel economy, the Sonata is Hyundai’s first attack at upcoming CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) requirements.

Jaguar XJ

Jaguar’s styling seemingly hasn’t changed in decades, but the XF sedan which debuted in 2008 started a design revolution for the English brand. The XJ continues that, and brings Jaguar into the 21st century style-wise. The new XJ also brings Jaguar’s electronics up to speed, to compete with Audi, BMW and Mercedes. As long as the trick electronics hold up, Jaguar could have a hit on its hands, bringing the automaker back into the limelight of luxury cars.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

As I’ve written before, Jeep is rebuilding a legend with the 2011 Grand Cherokee SUV. With a less truck-like look, ride and feel, but with all the gadgets buyers expect, the Grand Cherokee looks like a winner. Jeep may lose some of its more rugged buyers, but it still offers the Wrangler to those buyers. The new Grand Cherokee rides on the last-gen Mercedes ML chassis, which is why it rides better, but its new platform also brings with it a much-improved off-road setup, so it’s a win-win for Jeep. Chrysler also gets to use this opportunity to refresh its Durango, a less-expensive and more sport-oriented alternative to the Grand Cherokee.

Nissan Leaf

For years, Nissan has been more a niche player than a mass-market manufacturer. With sales that lag behind that of Honda and Toyota, it has best competed with Mazda. Both automakers offer fun-to-drive vehicles that sell in smaller numbers, save the Mazda3. Nissan’s hybrid offerings have also fell behind that of Ford, Honda and Toyota, so it needed something unique to offer in the fuel economy wars. Enter the Leaf, a small plug-in electric car. With a range of 100 miles, the Leaf will work for a lot of commuters whose drives don’t include a lot of highway miles. The downside? Range anxiety. As the distance-to-empty meter gets closer to zero, drivers will be looking long and hard for a charging station. Major markets like LA, D.C. and New York will be building the charging stations, but most owners will be using in-home chargers, which will cost around $2,000. Reportedly, Nissan will be building the cost of the charger into the cost of purchase or lease, which is a smart move, and the rumor mill also says week-long loaner cars, with regular gasoline engines, will be available. It’s tough to say how well the Leaf will do, but I expect it to sell decently in the 150 or so markets it will be available, as long as the advertised range stays true when in the hands of consumers.

Scion tC

Toyota’s youth-oriented brand was originally designed to have single-generation vehicles replaced in 4-5 year increments. With steady sales of its tC model, Toyota executives commissioned a second generation, which ups the tC’s game with fresh design inside and out, as well as the speaker system from the Lexus LX470, a seriously bold move, and one which is bound to sway a fair number of younger buyers who are also audiophiles.

Volvo S60

Long believed to be more into safety than driving dynamics, Volvo needs less boring vehicles. Enter the 2011 S60 mid-sized sedan, which Volvo has been advertising as being “naughty.” Completely redesigned, the Volvo offers buyers the safety they’ve come to like, with proper handling and ride to go with it.

by John Suit

Information / Image Sources: Chrysler, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Jaguar, Mazda, Nissan, Volvo

Reader Poll: Cadillac CTS versus BMW 3 or 5-Series?

John Suit — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 14:00:10 +0000

With Cadillac releasing coupe and wagon variants of its popular CTS luxury sport sedan, I’ve started to wonder which of BMW’s cars is a better comparison: the 3-Series, which is a bit smaller, but priced similarly, or the 5-Series, which is a bit bigger, but priced about $10,000 higher? Click past the jump for the tale of the tape and the Reader Poll.

In order to get as close a comparison as possible, I went with the CTS Sedan 3.6 Performance, BMW 335i Sedan and BMW 535i Sedan, all with automatic transmissions. The tale of the tape for the three cars is as follows:

	CTS 3.6L Perf.	335i Sedan	535i Sedan
Base Retail Price (MSRP)	$41,565	$40,600	$49,600
Base Invoice Price	$39,279	$37,350	$45,630
Engine	3.6L 304 hp V6	3.0L 300 hp I6	3.0L 300 hp I6
Transmission	6-Speed Automatic	6-Speed Automatic	8-Speed Automatic
MPG city/highway	18/27	19/28	19/28
Horsepower	304 @ 6400 RPM	300 @ 5800 RPM	300 @ 5800 RPM
Standard Seating	5	5	5
Curb Weight (lb.)	3858	3605	4090
Wheelbase (in.)	113.40	108.70	116.90
Length (in.)	191.30	178.20	193.10
Width (in.)	72.50	71.50	73.20
Height (in.)	58.00	55.90	57.60
Track Front (in.)	61.80	59.10	63.00
Track Rear (in.)	62.20	59.60	64.10
Front Headroom (in.)	38.80	38.50	40.50
Rear Headroom (in.)	37.20	37.50	38.30
Front Shoulder Room (in.)	56.70	55.40	58.30
Rear Shoulder Room (in.)	54.70	55.10	56.20
Cruise Control	Std.	Std.	Std.
Tachometer	Std.	Std.	Std.
Tilt Steering	Std.	Std.	Std.
Tilt Steering Column	Std.	Std.	Std.
Heated Steering Wheel	Opt.	Opt.	Opt.
Leather Steering Wheel	Std.	Std.	Std.
Steering Wheel Controls	Std.	Std.	Std.
Telescoping Steering Column	Std.	Std.	Std.
Genuine Wood Trim	Opt.	Std.	Std.
Tire Pressure Monitor	Std.	Std.	Std.
Trip Computer	Std.	Std.	Std.
Radio	Std.	Std.	Std.
CD Player	Std.	Std.	Std.
CD Changer	Opt.	N/A	Opt.
DVD Player	Std.	N/A	Opt.
Hands-Free Phone	Std.	N/A	N/A
Navigational Aid	Std.	Opt.	Opt.
2nd Row Sound Controls	N/A	N/A	Opt.
Subwoofer	Std.	N/A	Std.
Telematic Systems	Std.	Opt.	Std.
Power Seat (Driver)	Std.	Std.	Std.
Front Cooled Seats	Opt.	N/A	Opt.
Front Heated Seat	Std.	Opt.	Opt.
Lumbar Support	Std.	Opt.	Std.
Memory Seat	Std.	Std.	Std.
Leather Seat	Std.	Opt.	Opt.
Power Seat (Passenger)	Std.	Std.	Std.
2nd Row Folding Seat	Opt.	Opt.	N/A
2nd Row Heated Seat	N/A	N/A	Opt.
Standard Features	22	15	18
Optional Features	5	7	9
Total Features	27	22	27

From the table above, you can see that while the CTS is closer in size to the 5-Series, its price is far lower, like I mentioned in the opening paragraph. In a lot of other categories, the CTS fits right in between the 3 and 5-Series BMWs, and even offers more standard features than either of them. The 5-Series catches up with optional features, but again at a higher price than the Cadillac.

Here in the U.S., we have the 5-Series Gran Turismo, which is more of a crossover than a wagon, so that doesn’t count, but we do have a 3-Series wagon, as well as the 3-series coupe, so in that regard, the CTS compares better with the 3-Series than the 5-Series.

I know it’s a complicated comparison, but hopefully the explanation and table above help clear things up – and I’d like to know what you think, so go ahead and vote below! I’ll announce the results of the poll in a future article in the first week of November.

Take Our Poll

by John Suit

Data Source: autos.msn.com

2011 Nissan Altima Photos and Pricing released

John Suit — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:00:20 +0000

This week, Nissan released photos and pricing of its Altima mid-sized sedan. Changes are limited, including three new colors for the Sedan (Metallic Slate, Saharan Stone and Brilliant Silver) and a Special Edition package for the 2.5 S. On the Coupe front, only two new colors are available (Metallic Slate and Brilliant Silver), but you can still get a manual transmission with either the 4-cylinder or V6 engine. Click past the jump for high-resolution photos and trim-level pricing.

Trim Level	2011 Price	2010 Price	Difference
Altima Sedan Pricing:
Altima Sedan 2.5 CVT	$19,900 USD	$19,900 USD	$0
Altima Sedan 2.5 S CVT	$22,060 USD	$21,840 USD	+ $220
Altima Sedan 3.5 SR CVT	$24,740 USD	$24,520 USD	+ $220

Trim Level	2011 Price	2010 Price	Difference
Altima Coupe Pricing:
Altima Coupe 2.5 S 6MT	$22,940 USD	$22,440 USD	+ $500
Altima Coupe 2.5 S CVT	$23,440 USD	$22,940 USD	+ $500
Altima Coupe 3.5 SR 6MT	$30,100 USD	$29,600 USD	+ $500
Altima Coupe 3.5 SR CVT	$27,770 USD	$27,270 USD	+ $500

Altima Hybrid Pricing:
Altima Hybrid2.5 eCVT	$26,780 USD	$26,780 USD	$0

NOTE: Pricing does not include the as-yet-undetermined Destination charge.

Sedan Photos:

Coupe Photos:

Hybrid Photos:

by John Suit

Source: Nissan

Cadillac to its competitors: Game On! (w/video)

John Suit — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:00:37 +0000

If you’re Cadillac, and you’ve got the CTS-V sedan, a 556-horsepower sports sedan (and now coupe!) that truly competes with rivals from Audi, BMW and Mercedes, what’s your next move? Commission a commercial showing off some of your car’s best moves, and do it in your rivals’ own backyard! Click past the jump to see the “Competition” commercial from Cadillac.

by John Suit

Source: Cadillac via YouTube

Road & Track pits Shelby GT500 versus CTS-V Coupe!

John Suit — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:00:44 +0000

Ok, so I know they’re not even in the same league; the Ford Shelby GT500 is a raw, muscular pony car with pretty good handling and a nameplate that goes back to 1964, while the Cadillac CTS-V Coupe is a luxury-oriented coupe that hangs with BMWs, and whose name has only been used for the last several years. But, both being American cars, someone was going to pit them against each other, and it turns out Road & Track got it done, and posted it to YouTube. Click past the jump to see the video.

by John Suit

Source: Road & Track

Road Reality » coupe

2012 Honda Civic debuts at Detroit Auto Show

Top 10 New and Redesigned Vehicles for 2011

Buick Regal

Cadillac CTS Coupe / Wagon (plus V variants)

Chevrolet Volt (also notable: Chevrolet Cruze)

Ford Fiesta (also notable: Mazda Mazda2)

Hyundai Sonata

Jaguar XJ

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Nissan Leaf

Scion tC

Volvo S60

Reader Poll: Cadillac CTS versus BMW 3 or 5-Series?

2011 Nissan Altima Photos and Pricing released

Altima Sedan Pricing:

Altima Coupe Pricing:

Altima Hybrid Pricing:

Cadillac to its competitors: Game On! (w/video)

Road & Track pits Shelby GT500 versus CTS-V Coupe!