Best Cars

Summer break report - Mercedes and Renault

2011-08-17T21:13:00.000-07:00

Mercedes and Renault started the year with high hopes of breaking into the top three, Mercedes having switched early to working on their 2011 car and Renault hoping a radical design coupled with momentum from a strong finish to 2010 would see them step up a level.

The black-and-gold Renaults got off to a flyer, taking two podiums in the first two races and clocking up 30 points as the silver arrows of Mercedes netted a total of just two points for Michael Schumacher's seventh place in Malaysia.

Since then, however, Renault have wobbled and Mercedes have slowly overcome them to take a 14-point advantage in the standings - but neither team is where they wanted to be, with Ferrari, who are at the back of the front-running trio, now on more than three times the points of Renault and Mercedes some 135 points behind.

Sebastian Vettel still firmly in control

2011-08-17T21:09:00.000-07:00

Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel

he Formula One season headed into its summer break with Sebastian Vettel still firmly in control but with 11 of the 19 races done, who are the winners and losers up and down the grid?

Last week we looked at the front-runners, so this week we'll look at how the two teams chasing them - Mercedes and Renault - have battled it out for the ‘best of the rest'.

Michael Schumacher You will see me in 2012

2011-08-16T04:47:00.000-07:00

Michael Schumacher

Mercedes’ Michael Schumacher has moved to rebuff rumours that he is set to retire (again) at the end of the 2011 season. It follows recent speculation that the seven-time champion could be replaced for 2012 in light of his disappointing form since joining the German team last year.

Whitmarsh believes McLaren can still win title

2011-08-15T08:25:00.001-07:00

Martin Whitmarsh

Martin Whitmarsh

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh reckons his drivers could still win the Formula One world drivers' championship this season despite Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel enjoying a huge lead.

McLaren ace Lewis Hamilton has refused to admit defeat in his attempts to win a second Formula 1 title in 2011.

2011-08-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton currently trails standings leader and reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel by 88 points, with eight races of the season still to go.
The Englishman's team-mate Jenson Button has suggested that the title race is effectively over, but Hamilton refuses to agree with that view.
He told the Daily Star: "I am 88 points behind, but it is not an impossible task.
"There are 200 points up for grabs and I will enter all the races believing I can win them.
"It is going to be an exciting run-down to the last race in Brazil and I can't wait for the next round in Belgium.
"Our car's pace is there right now as we have shown with our wins, mine in Germany with the fastest lap and Jenson's in Hungary.
"The car was on-song because of our excellent qualifying pace at both."
The Belgian Grand Prix at the end of August is next on the F1 calendar, with Hamilton hoping to repeat his victory of 12 months ago.

Formula One Fantasy - Renault’s Nick Heidfeld

2011-08-12T02:55:00.000-07:00

Nick Heidfeld is one of the longest-serving drivers on the current grid, with over 180 Grands Prix starts and 12 years of service to his name. As such, you would think that the German veteran has seen and done pretty much all there is to do in terms of Formula One racing. You’d be wrong. There’s still plenty left on Heidfeld’s F1 fantasy wish list, including dining with Ayrton Senna, Bernie Ecclestone, Enzo Ferrari and Colin Chapman, trying out 1950s-style F1 and driving Michael Schumacher’s title-winning 2004 Ferrari…

Q: You must choose a city for a new Formula One street circuit - which city, anywhere in the world, do you choose, and why?
Nick Heidfeld: New York! There have been discussions lately that New York might become a Formula One venue. And yes, I think it would be fantastic to race there.

Q: If you could choose one former world champion as your team mate, who would you choose and why?
NH: Ayrton Senna - he really had a great aura about him.

Q: Formula One innovations of the past - ground effect, active suspension, turbocharging, six wheels, the list goes on. If you could bring back one past innovation, what would it be and why?
NH: One innovation only? Then clearly it would be turbo engines, because everybody who drove with them speaks about liking them a lot. They say they were very difficult to drive with, so I think it would be quite cool to try.

Q: What innovations would you like to see in the future?
NH: I think it is difficult to speak about future innovations because you just don't know what they realistically might be. It's always interesting. If I look over the years since I have been in F1, there have been lots of innovations. Unfortunately some of them were disallowed but there were some quite interesting things.

Q: You can only drive at one circuit for the rest of your life - which circuit, past or present from anywhere in the world, do you choose?
NH: For me it would be the Nurburgring Nordschleife because it is a very long circuit and therefore less boring. It is the best circuit in the world anyway.

Q: Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Tyrrell, March are just some of the teams that have departed the sport. Which former team would you most liked to have raced with and why?
NH: I don't have a preference for which team I would have wanted to drive for in the past.

Q: You have to design a new F1 circuit, combining all your favourite corners from other tracks around the world. Which three corners are top of your list and why?
NH: My three favourite corners? First would be the Esses at Suzuka. In second and third places, I don´t know. I would have to think about. For me, nothing comes close to the Esses. If I had to design my favourite circuit I would want all of the Nordschleife, all of Macau which is my second favourite circuit and large parts of Suzuka.

Q: You can travel back in time and compete in any decade of Formula One racing, from the 1950s to the 1990s. Which decade would you choose and why?
NH: I think I’d like to go way back! Perhaps even to the 1950s to compare it with what we have now. More recently like in the 1990s the cars were still fast, but the fifties would have been very different. A different era entirely!

Q: What current Formula One regulation would you most like to change and why?
NH: This is a difficult one. I don’t like the fact that we are not allowed to change anything on the car between qualifying and the race. And I did like the time when we had a tyre competition between manufacturers.

Q: If you could pick two Formula One greats of the past (from different eras) to watch race against each other, who would you pick?
NH: I would have liked to have seen more of Michael Schumacher and Alain Prost.

Q: Just 19 of the world’s motor racing circuits feature on the current F1 calendar. You can add one more. Which circuit do you pick and why?
NH: I don’t know which circuit I would add. I like most of the circuits and I like to go to new circuits. So I’m looking forward to India for example or any new circuit on the calendar.

Q: You are having a dinner party and can invite four people from the world of motorsport, past or present. Who do you invite?
NH: Ayrton Senna, Bernie Ecclestone, Enzo Ferrari and Colin Chapman. It should make for a very interesting evening!

Q: You are given the chance to drive any legendary Formula One car of the past (excluding those made by your own team). Which car would you choose?
NH: The Ferrari from the year when Michael Schumacher won everything! (2004)

Q: Rooftop swimming pool, bowling alley, revolving sushi bar - just some of the features most F1 motorhomes don’t possess. If you could add one thing to your team’s motorhome, what would it be?
NH: Just an added 1000 square metres would make it a lot better.

Q: (Imagine) you have just won the world title. Where would you go for your celebratory meal and what would you choose from the menu?
NH: I think you’d be so happy that you wouldn’t really think about the food. You’d just be so over the moon that it wouldn’t be the main priority

HONDA CIVIC CPOUPE 2012

2011-08-10T21:48:00.000-07:00

2012 Honda Civic 9th Generation Sedan and Coupe

2011-08-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

There is good news coming from Honda. The Japan automotive company finally releases the new generation of Honda Civic which is given name as the 9th generation of Civic. This new Civic is totally different from its predecessor because all parts which are used come from new design. Meanwhile, Honda seems like will not use the model which they showed at Detroit Motor Show. They prefer to use the new one because it gives the new look which could attract more customer. Actually, the new design of 9th generation of Civic is almost similar with the previous model that is 8th generation starting from exterior and interior. This brand new Civic is made into two versions; sedan and coupe, which both are powered by 1.8-liter I-VTEC engine delivering 140HP. It only takes fuel consumption about 41 mpg on the highway.
There is also other news coming from Honda that they will build the hybrid version for the new Civic. This hybrid of course will not take much fuel consumption and suitable for those who are seeking for low consumption vehicle. This hybrid uses lithium battery as the main fuel source and applies the engine technology from 1.5-liter I-VTEC engine which delivers power about 110HP. Honda official claims if the new Civic Hybrid will get EPA -estimated city/highway combined fuel economy of 45 mpg which means more economical than the previous model that there is an improvement about 4 mpg.

Tyre strategy - Pirelli on perfect planning

2011-08-10T21:07:00.000-07:00

Tyres - and the ability of a driver to use their tyres well - have always been critical to success or failure in Formula One racing. But it’s been especially true this season. With new tyre supplier Pirelli pushing the established boundaries with aggressive compounds specifically designed to increase the importance of tyre management, teams and drivers are being challenged in 2011 like never before. So getting race strategy right is vital...While strategic choices depend on a number of different factors, one of the most important questions for teams to decide is during which point of the race they wish to be fastest.Opting for the quickest tyre - which usually corresponds to the softest available compound - at the start of the race will enable drivers to make a quick getaway and pull out an early advantage: but this may come at the price of being overtaken by drivers who are on the quicker tyre during the middle and final stints of a race.

Conversely, drivers who start on the harder tyre may be able to jump, or ‘undercut’ their rivals at the first pit stops in order to gain track position, but they will come under a lot of pressure during the early phases of the race due to their rivals making the most of the faster tyres.

At the first round of pit stops, there is another crucial decision to be made: should the driver move onto a different type of tyre to the one on which he started, or duplicate his original choice?

Going onto a different choice creates more flexibility in the strategy, as the rules state that you have to use each nomination at least once. If, by contrast, you duplicate the choice with which you started then you have to make one more stop.

Teams use complex computer programmes to simulate their race speeds using different strategies, but one thing that these systems cannot take into account is the strategies that other people are adopting and the likelihood of being blocked, either by slower competitors, the nature of the circuit, or racing incidents such as accidents and safety cars.

Teams study the likelihood of such occurrences carefully and these have a major influence on the strategy. The weather is also a big factor, as the arrival of rain often sends most strategies out of the window.

How easy the track is to overtake on also forms an integral part of the strategy. If there are a number of passing opportunities it means that teams can afford to use a more adventurous strategy, if it suits them. But a lack of passing places tends to lead to more conservative strategies.

Ultimately, the key ingredient to every strategy is flexibility. The teams with the most reactive tacticians often score the top results, as they are able to respond in real time to unforeseen events and the initiatives from their rivals. And with Pirelli’s new range of PZero tyres providing another exciting but changeable element to the races this year, speed of reaction is more vital than ever.

Alonso not giving up on 2011 title hopes

2011-08-08T21:34:00.000-07:00

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso may be 89 points adrift of championship leader Sebastian Vettel, but he’s adamant there is still plenty of time to turn things around. Speaking at the Italian team’s summer press event at Madonna di Campaglio, Alonso insisted he wasn’t ruling out title success this year.

“We must try and win as many races as possible,” said the Spaniard. “We are realistic and the championship situation is what it is, but we have seen so often that there can be sudden reversals. And after all, we are Ferrari and we have a moral obligation, especially for the millions of fans spread around the world, to always think of the maximum goal.

“We can’t ever say we will tackle eight races without having the championship in the back of our mind: we will always have an eye on the title, at least until there is no longer the slightest chance. Of course we must start winning and we have to hope that Vettel makes a few mistakes or has some problems.”

Ahead of a two-week summer shutdown, Alonso also reflected on the team’s season so far.

“This has not been such a bad a season for us so far,” he said. “Sure, the beginning was very difficult: we had hoped for a better start but we did not manage it. In China we went through what was possibly the worst point, because not only were we not fighting for the win with McLaren and Red Bull, but we were also behind Mercedes and maybe Renault, who had already scored two podium finishes.

“However, after that, we reacted well. We still lack a little something in all areas, including from the drivers, to be at the level of the best. However, I feel much more part of the team than I did a year ago. In terms of driving, I don’t think I’ve ever been this strong.”

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali was also in attendance at the media event in the Italian Dolomites and was equally determined to stay optimistic.

“I always try and think positive,” said Domenicali. “We believe in our chances and will continue to do so until it is a mathematical impossibility. Of course, we need to win races and maybe something could change. We could have done that already in this last bit of the season, but we know how that went and why.

"However, ifs and buts change nothing, so it is better to concentrate on the future. If I had to score our season so far, I would mark it a 6+, which represents the mid-point between the terrible start and a great fight back that we saw in the second part. I expect we will continue down this route which has seen Fernando score more points than any other driver in the last four races, all the way to the end of the season.

“Our aim is to win as much as possible and to have a car that is competitive at the highest level. Let’s not forget that, last year, while fighting all the way to the end, we were still behind Red Bull in terms of performance. We want to close the gap, which has already been considerably reduced if not almost wiped out in the last few races.”

Domenicali also revealed that the team plan to concentrate on their 2012 car from next month.

“At the start of September, we will concentrate solely on next year, because we have already defined all the updates for the 150° Italia, at least up until mid-October,” he concluded. “Sure, if something was to change, then we would react accordingly. In fact, apart from the area that concerns the exhausts, on 23 August, the Technical Working Group should shed some light on all the grey areas, the regulations are practically unchanged and therefore, development on today’s car can also be useful for next year.”

Ferrari are expected back in the factory from August 22, ahead of the Belgian event at Spa-Francorchamps from August 26-28.

Sebastian Vettel Q&A: We have to get back on top of McLaren

2011-08-06T21:05:00.000-07:00

Sebastian Vettel

McLaren

Sebastian Vettel

McLaren

Hungary saw another thriller of a race, with brave overtaking moves, a car on fire, and conditions that were almost impossible to predict. It was arguably a bit too tumultuous for Sebastian Vettel, who was trying to return his Red Bull to winning ways and would probably have preferred less excitement. In the end he again finished second - a position he says he can live with, even though he admits nothing compares to winning…

Q: Sebastian, second place in a turbulent race. Under today’s circumstances does this second place feel like a win given that probably the ‘least dangerous’ of your title challengers has won?
Sebastian Vettel: No, because nothing compares to a win. To be honest I am not really satisfied with today’s result, as I believe that the victory wasn’t out of reach. Probably we had some issues here and there and have not been the fastest on the track, but I still think that more would have been possible. But of course we will never know that. My guess is that had we always pitted earlier to avoid slower times on the old tyres we eventually would have been in a better position. Nevertheless, it was a very turbulent race and in some phases it didn’t look good at all, so I definitely can live with P2, even if I have to say - and that shouldn’t sound too snotty - that the aim clearly has to be to win.

Q: You just said that you can live with P2, but even looking at the start it appeared that the McLarens were in a league of their own…
SV: Yes, it was very obvious at the start that Lewis (Hamilton) was able to drive faster on the intermediates when I had the feeling of moving on ice. But of course I tried to keep my position. In Turn Two I was going over the painted area outside the curve and had to open my position so as not to lose the car and I knew that I’d lost the lead. As I just said, we had some minor issues - one was with the brakes, the other one that I almost lost the car twice and had to go a bit wide - so it didn’t go all that smoothly, but overall it was a satisfying afternoon. We have to respect that the others did a good job, but overall I have to say that the whole weekend was good, as I again felt much more at home in the car than last week at Nurburgring. We’ve made a good step forward from the German Grand Prix in a very short period of time.

Q: How would you judge the McLaren threat?
SV: If you take the last two races they’ve been faster than us so we have to see that we get on top of them again.

Q: Is having to play catch-up something that worries you?
SV: I wouldn’t say that it makes me worried, but of course we also cannot accept it. We have to analyze what made them stronger and what cost us a bit of time. We clearly want to get back to where we were at the beginning of the season.

Q: At times this afternoon four world champions were fighting for a place on the podium. Do you feel that the right one has won today?
SV: Well, I think that Jenson (Button) was a bit unlucky at the last two races and his win today was well deserved. He has demonstrated that under difficult conditions he’s bl**dy fast, so congratulations on a well-deserved win! We should have been a bit faster and then he wouldn’t have been able to drive home his victory safely, but in the end P2 was the maximum we’ve been able to haul out this afternoon.

Q: You ‘only’ ended up in P2 but your lead in the championship went up from 77 to 85 points…
SV: …but it could have been more!

Q: Formula One is heading into the summer break - where are you heading?
SV: The three July races at Silverstone, Nurburgring and now Budapest haven’t spoiled us with too much sun so I will definitely head south to get a fair share of summer. But, of course, I also will visit my hometown, Heppenheim.

Ecclestone laughs off teams, News Corp interest

2011-05-07T11:05:00.000-07:00

Bernie Ecclestone

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone dismissed speculation about possible takeovers and rival series on Saturday as 'normal foreplay' to a new commercial agreement with teams and the governing body.

"There have been enough times people have wanted to do a breakaway and they haven't succeeded up until now," the 80-year-old told reporters at the Turkish Grand Prix when asked whether he was worried about the prospect of that re-emerging.

"We've had five or six 'Concorde Agreements' and there are always these sort of discussions going on beforehand. It's normal foreplay before these things happen."

The 'Concorde Agreement' between the commercial rights holders CVC, the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) and teams expires at the end of next year. It is a lengthy and confidential legal document that sets out the commercial basis of the sport and division of revenues.

After a largely quiet 2010 where the racing was the main focus of attention, the paddock has again become a hotbed of intrigue with speculation about the future of the sport and what the main players are doing behind the scenes.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and Italian financial holding EXOR, which controls Ferrari through FIAT, have teamed up to explore the "possibility of creating a consortium" that could run the sport.

They plan to talk to potential minority partners and the main operators. Shareholders, who would include investment funds from Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, in the big four teams are expected to meet them next week.

Some in the paddock have speculated that, with News Corp as owner and promoter, the teams could go off and do their own thing to take control of the sport's revenues should any attempt to buy the rights from CVC be rebuffed or fall through.

Others see the rumblings as all part of a familiar game to exert pressure and extract better terms from Ecclestone in negotiations on a new agreement.

"They'll have to approach the people that own the shares and buy the shares won't they?," Ecclestone said when asked about the teams' desire to become stakeholders. "That's what normally happens.

"I go normally to a restaurant in London two or three times a week, not a lot of point in me going and saying to the owners that I want a share of the restaurant just because I eat there.

"These people are going to look bloody stupid with all their trucks and their uniforms if they've got nowhere to race. It's the same if I go to the restaurant and they've got no food to serve me."

Ecclestone, who has said Murdoch chances of taking over Formula One are "close to zero," also enjoyed a dig at News Corp's attempts to buy the 61 percent of London-based broadcaster BSkyB that it does not already own.

"They've been doing that for three years, so they've got plenty of practice of doing things and not succeeding," he said. "Trying and doing are two different thing"

Vettel not worried by missed session

2011-05-06T08:29:00.000-07:00

Vettel

The Red Bull driver, the winner of the first two races, lost control of his car during a wet opening practice session, crashing heavily against the barriers.

As a result of the accident, Vettel was unable to run in the afternoon. However the world champion said the lack of running will not be a big problem.

"It makes it a bit more difficult, no doubt, but I don't think it will be a problem," said Vettel. "We know the track quite well from the past years, and in the end it was only one afternoon we had in the dry.

"We'll see. I'm still confident for tomorrow. Everything is open. It looks fairly close and I think it will be quite exciting tomorrow."

Vettel said he apologised to his mechanics and admitted the most important thing was that he was uninjured.

"You could see there was nothing I could do to stop the car from hitting the wall, so I think the most important thing is that I'm fine," he said.

"Unfortunately we couldn't get the car ready in time. There was a little bit too much damage. I'm sorry for the guys. I apologised because it was not my intention to damage the car.

"But this is racing and it can happen. I think the most important is that we are still here."

Turkish Grand Prix 2011: McLaren's Jenson Button sets the pace ahead of Fernando Alonso

2011-05-06T08:19:00.000-07:00

Sebastian Vettel

British driver Jenson Button set the pace in Turkish Grand Prix practice on Friday while Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel crashed in the morning and missed the entire second session.

Vettel, the championship leader after winning two of the first three races, gave his Red Bull mechanics plenty of extra work after spinning into the barriers at the rain-soaked Istanbul Park circuit.

The 23-year-old German, who has been on pole position for the past four races, spun at the exit of the challenging triple apex turn eight.

The session was red flagged with 27 minutes remaining, with marshals clearing mud off the track while the battered Red Bull was hoisted onto a flatbed truck and brought back to the pitlane.

"There was some water on the exit. There was nothing I could do," he said over the team radio after his car skidded down the barriers to a halt.

The damage was extensive and Vettel was a mere spectator in the afternoon when the sun made a weak appearance and temperatures rose notably. He will now go into the weekend with no dry weather mileage under his belt.

No red faces at Red Bull on Turkish return

2011-05-04T13:13:00.000-07:00

MARK Webber and Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel will make sure there are no red faces at Red Bull in Turkey this weekend after learning an embarrassing lesson last year.

What could have been a dominant one-two finish ended in rage and recrimination after the two team mates collided while fighting for the lead, gifting McLaren maximum points instead.

Red Bull have won the Formula One driver and constructor championships since then and return to Istanbul leading both again.

"Obviously last year what happened, happened," team principal Christian Horner told Reuters ahead of the fourth round of the campaign and first of the European season, even if the circuit is on the Asian side of the city.

"Lessons were learned from it and we are looking forward to going back to Istanbul," he said. "It's a great challenge of a circuit, especially Turn Eight. The whole team's looking forward to being back in action.

Potential F1 bid faces major problems - Eddie Jordan

2011-05-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

Eddie Jordan has said that a possible bid from Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation to take control of Formula 1 would face major problems at present.

Jordan says teams would want long-term income assurances if the sport was taken off free-to air TV, which the European Union currently guarantees.

"Until that happens I feel this is just a little bit of posturing," he told the BBC, for whom he now acts as a pundit.

Jordan also stressed that a new, post-2012 Concorde Agreement is critical.

Though News Corporation and Italian investment firm Axor - who are linked to Ferrari - revealed they were working on a potential bid to buy F1, they did admit in a joint statement that "there can be no certainty this will lead to an approach to its current owners".

Its current owner CVC Capital Partners - which paid £1.8bn to buy F1 in 2006 - has insisted the sport is not "for sale".

Any takeover would involve changes to the Concorde Agreement, a commercial arrangement involving the racing teams, CVC and the sport's governing body, the FIA.

This agreement says that the sport should be shown on free-to-air TV where possible, though the agreement runs out at the end of 2012 and the signatories are in the process of negotiating a new one.

The BBC has the UK broadcasting rights to F1 until 2013. The television companies controlled by News Corp are not currently free-to-air.

"I'm still concerned as to how it [a potential bid] can become effectual," said Jordan, who used to manage his own F1 team, Jordan.

Formula One 'not for sale'

2011-05-04T05:13:00.000-07:00

Formula 1 Races

Formula One races

Formula One

News Corporation confirmed on Tuesday its plans for a joint takeover of Formula One together with an Italian investment company Exor.

CVC has confirmed it has received a "friendly" approach from James Murdoch's company, and that he understands Formula One is currently not for sale.

CVC said, however, that it recognised "the quality of Exor and News Corporation as potential investors".

"CVC can confirm that it has recently received an approach from the Exor News Corporation consortium," said the company in a statement.

"James Murdoch has informed us that the approach is friendly, at a very preliminary stage, and that they acknowledge that Formula One is privately owned by CVC and not currently for sale.

"CVC recognises the quality of Exor and News Corporation as potential investors, but any investment in Formula One will require CVC's agreement and will need to demonstrate that it is in the interest of the sport and its stakeholders, taken as a whole."

Formula 1 gossip Mark Webber

2011-05-02T04:08:00.000-07:00

Mark Webber

Mark Webber

Mark Webber says he would consider joining a new team if he is released by Red Bull when his contract runs out at the end of the season. Team principal Christian Horner has said he would expect the 34-year-old Australian to retire if he leaves Red Bull, but Webber has opened the door to a future move. "If the team doesn't want me anymore, I will have to ask myself a question - hang up my helmet or change teams?" he said

2011 Infiniti G Sedan Features and Review

2011-05-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

2011 Infiniti G Sedan

Infiniti G Sedan

The 2011 Infiniti G ranks 6 out of 21 Upscale Midsize Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 60 published reviews and test drives of the Infiniti G, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

That the 2011 Infiniti G manages to stand out from other upscale midsize cars should tell you it’s good. But if you’re not sold on it yet, maybe its sporty drive, luxurious interior and low price will seal the deal.

Infiniti’s G lineup has something for everyone. The G line has three different body styles (sedan, coupe and convertible) three different engines (ranging from 218 to 348 horsepower) and rear- or all-wheel drive. Reviewers say the G is a well-rounded car that can appease every potential buyer with its array of options.

Although the Infiniti G leans towards being a performance car, it’s still comfortable and luxurious enough for commuting. It balances fun and luxury without being as soft as a Lexus ES or as hardcore as a BMW 3-Series. Additionally, its interior is a tech lover’s dream with easy-to-use electronics that don’t require a Ph.D to operate.

2011 Subaru Impreza Features and Review

2011-05-01T11:19:00.000-07:00

Subaru Impreza

Subaru Impreza

Subaru Impreza

Subaru's compact Impreza upholds the most rudimentary tenets of A-to-B transportation: capability, comfort and utility. Its cabin feels thoroughly basic, and a few must-have features are missing, but I suspect that months or even years after buying one, the car's workhorse qualities will make many drivers glad they chose it.

With two body styles, four engines and multiple trim levels, there are more than a dozen Impreza variants. All come with standard all-wheel drive. Stack them up here, or compare the 2010 and 2009 Impreza here. I drove an Impreza 2.5i Premium hatchback with an automatic transmission.

Familiar Shape
The Impreza has a a clean — if forgettable — design, and unlike some rivals, even the base 2.5i trim has dual tailpipes and body-colored mirrors and door handles. The sedan has aged better than the hatchback, whose frosted taillights became passé around the same time MySpace did. Alloy wheels go on all but the 2.5i trim, while the gussied-up Outback Sport adds two-tone paint and a raised, heavy-duty suspension. (In Subaru tradition, the Outback Sport is based on the Impreza; it shares only its name with the larger Outback wagon.) The turbocharged Impreza 2.5GT, WRX and WRX STi add a functional hood scoop.

The Outback Sport and WRX STi come only as hatchbacks; all other trims are available as hatchbacks or sedans. Though both cars share the same wheelbase and turning circle — a decent 34.8 feet — urban drivers may want to go with the hatchback, as it's 6.5 inches shorter from bumper to bumper than the sedan.

Plain, Purposeful
You can't expect a sub-$20,000 interior to match up to what you see in glossy car ads, but the Impreza's feels low-rent, even for this league. Materials are plain — an unpadded center armrest, acres of shiny dashboard plastic, a cardboard-grade headliner. Little things, from the keyless entry remote to the wiper stalks, are of a tinny, cheap quality. A telescoping steering wheel, which a lot of competitors offer standard, requires stepping up to a turbocharged model, and the stereo's old-school readout displays only the first few words of song titles. For similar dough, there are more upscale cabins out there — like the Mazda3, Honda Civic and Volkswagen Jetta.

The Impreza finds its redemption through practicality. Everything just plain works: The tall windows and narrow pillars offer excellent sight lines. The gauges are cleanly organized, with a dummy-proof blue light that indicates when the engine is too cold for you to crank up the heat. The seats have supportive cushioning and a respectable grade of cloth, and my test car's optional seat heaters worked quickly and stayed hot all day. I'm driving a Lexus RX 350 this week, and its tepid seat heaters have me missing Subaru's.

Headroom up front is good, even with the optional moonroof. Taller drivers may want more rearward seat travel; I'm 5-foot-11, and I drove with the seat all the way back. A height-adjustable driver's seat is standard. Bear in mind the Impreza's WRX and WRX STi trims have shapelier seats, so my impressions of cushioning and fabric quality don't apply there.

The backseat has decent headroom and, for this class, adequate legroom. The seat cushions are rather low to the ground, though, and taller passengers will find their knees pointing up. Amenities are limited, too: Non-turbo models lack a center armrest, and the rear seats don't recline or move forward and backward. Behind the backseat in the hatchback is a competitive 19 cubic feet of cargo space. The seat folds down simply in a 60/40 split to form a flat, ledge-free load floor, but maximum cargo volume is 44.4 cubic feet — on the low end in this group.

2011 Mazda CX-9 Review and Features

2011-05-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

2011 Mazda CX-9

Mazda CX-9

Mazda CX-9

The 2011 Mazda CX-9 ranks 2 out of 23 Affordable Midsize SUVs. This ranking is based on our analysis of 52 published reviews and test drives of the Mazda CX-9, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

Reviewers say the 2011 Mazda CX-9 manages to thread the needle: it’s a seven-seat SUV that’s actually fun to drive.

Most reviewers say the 2011 Mazda CX-9 should be the crossover of choice for people who need a midsize SUV that can seat seven, but also want something that’s fun to drive. Decent fuel economy and a comfortable interior are just icing on the cake.

The major downside to the CX-9 is its price: even among seven-seat SUVs, it’s a little high. But, for the money you get standard Bluetooth and remote keyless entry. Plus, many reviewers say the CX-9’s interior is nicer and more comfortable than the competition. And, of course, you get the CX-9‘s great driving experience. If you don’t want to give up having fun behind the wheel just because you’ve gained some passengers, the Mazda CX-9 is worth the extra money.

Toyota Sienna Features and Review

2011-05-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

Toyota Sienna

Toyota Sienna

Toyota Sienna

Toyota actually claims to have beaten Chrysler’s minivans of 1984 to market by a few months with its creatively named Toyota Van. But it would take another 20 years and the second-generation Sienna for Toyota to directly compete with the Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country. Starting in 2004, Toyota’s family hauler finally had enough room, horsepower, and practical features to be considered a serious contender in the minivan ranks.

In our last minivan comparison test, the Sienna, despite being a three-year-old design, placed second, beating out the current-generation Dodge Grand Caravan and falling behind the Honda Odyssey. We marveled at the Sienna’s luxurious demeanor but leveled criticism at its flaccid responses and boring, anonymous character. It seems Toyota may have heard our complaints, because the redesigned 2011 Toyota Sienna has upped the sportiness quotient in driving dynamics and looks.

Audi A4 Model 2011 Features and Review

2011-05-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

Audi A4 Car

The marketplace is awash with well made, fun-to-drive, small midsize sedans today. I recently tested one of the best, the new 2011 Audi A4 2.0 TFSI Quattro sport sedan equipped with Audi’s Premium Plus and Titanium Sport packages. Wow! What fun it is to pilot this sedan around town, on the freeways and around curving roads in the mountains.

With the Premium Plus and Titanium Sport Package you get the best of world worlds - a more sporty, more aggressive drive experience, and luxury features not found in most small midsize sedans.

The Premium Plus Package includes Xenon plus headlights, LED daytime running lamps and LED rear taillights, Bluetooth hands-free phone interface, three-zone climate control, heated front seats, HomeLink universal garage door opener, split folding rear seat back, Audi music interface that replaces the auxiliary-input, rain-light sensing wipers, a driver information system with trip computer and an auto-dimming rearview mirror with compass heading.

The Titanium Sport Package includes aggressive 19X8.5in. titanium-optic 5-spoke aluminum alloy wheels wrapped with wheel-well stuffing 255/35R19in. Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT low profile performance tires, black exterior single frame grille surround, black greenhouse surround and black rear diffuser, 10-way power adjustable deeply cut sport bucket seats with power lumbar adjustment, a sport-tuned suspension, a 3-spoke, leather wrapped, manual tilt/telescoping steering wheel, black piano decorative inlays on the doors and dashboard, and a black headliner.

One other option on the car that I tested was polished stainless steel dual exhaust tips. This new A4 2.0 TFSI Quattro looks more menacing that a base A4 2.0, handles more precisely and features a more luxurious interior. It puts an edge on the A4 to better compete against all other small midsize import sedans.

The ‘formed from a solid piece of metal’ exterior styling features a solid, taut muscular presence denoted by strong shoulders and a dramatically racked roofline that has become synonymous with the Audi name.

Hyundai Tucson 2011 Review and Features

2011-05-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

Hyundai Tucson

"The Hyundai Tucson is a solid B in a field of Bs, although the design is excellent and the quality and safety story at the top of the class. You'll like this vehicle if: you want a tall station wagon with Euro looks, great crash test scores and solid quality."

The safety story matters here for a very good reason: Tucsons and Tiguans and Foresters and their ilk are 21st-century station wagons and safety matters to the family buyers coughing up $20,000-$30,000 for a household ride. Folks, the Tucson is as safe as they come.

Reliable, too. Name your research – J.D. Power and Associates, Consumer Reports – and the story is the same: Hyundai is producing high-quality vehicles.

Consumer Reports’ most recent reliability study ranks Hyundai No. 11 overall and says the Tucson is a “recommended” vehicle. J.D. Power’s three-year dependability study also ranks Hyundai No. 11 overall, and among mainstream brands only Toyota, Honda and Ford are rated higher. Hyundai is No. 7 in J.D. Power’s three-month quality study, as well. No wonder Hyundai has scored huge gains in perceived quality among consumers in a study released last November by ALG (Automotive Lease Guide).

All this might lead you to believe the Tucson is perfect. No. In a world stuffed with compact SUVs, this one is pretty good overall and it may be the best-looking rig in its class. Yet in many ways the Tucson is hardly a stand-out.

Take power. The current Forester, Chevrolet Equinox (and its corporate cousin, the GMC Terrain), the Escape, CR-V, CX-7, Outlander, Rogue and RAV4 all offer four-cylinder engines making from 161 to 182 horsepower – although some of these have V-6 options and an updated Forester is available with a turbocharged four making 224 hp.

The Tucson in all-wheel-drive form has a 2.4-litre, 176-hp four-banger (the front-driver’s engine is rated at 165 hp). Nothing special there, although the Hyundai’s fuel economy is pretty good: 10.1 litres/100 km city, 7.1 highway for AWD.

The Tucson fits right in with its competitors in terms of size, too. Sure, the Tucson’s turning circle is a few millimetres tighter than the Ford Escape’s and some others, but the differences are minimal. Mechanically, the Tucson is totally mainstream.

The Tucson is pretty noisy at speed and the four-cylinder engine can get coarse or emit a tiring drone. The all-wheel-drive system sends power to the front wheels until it detects slip (a switch can lock the system into a 50-50 torque split), which means most of the time the Tucson behaves like a front-driver. A compact six-speed automatic is solid but unspectacular.

Nissan Rogue Reviews and Features

2011-05-01T01:25:00.000-07:00

Nissan Rogue

Today is day two with the 2011 Nissan Rogue and we’ll look at the interior features and what’s new for this refresh.

Once inside the 2011 Nissan Rogue, the interior is nice but it initially seems somewhat plain. However, upon further inspection, the cabin uses quality soft-touch materials that seems as if it might be right at home in an Infiniti. The dash and door tops also have a nice soft-touch material and the remainder of the materials are price-appropriate plastic with good fit and finish throughout.
For 2011 the Rogue gets a redesigned instrument panel and center stack, new seat upholstery, and ambient lighting. The Rogue returns with a long list of standard features that we’ll look at in detail tomorrow. Although there isn’t a ton of cargo space, the SV model has a front-passenger seatback that folds forward to create a usable 8.5-foot cargo channel allowing loading of longer items.

Storage up front is adequate for smaller items. The center console has two integral cupholders and a small tray that will work for holding cell phones and other small items. If that's not enough, the center console bin is extra deep and is available with a removable tray to give it two levels of storage. Additionally, there's a huge glovebox for extra storage.

The ride height makes getting into and out of the Rogue very easy. Once inside, the driver's seat is comfortable and offers a good driving position, even though it has just a few seat adjustments. There's also good head and leg room for all but the tallest drivers.

There's good visibility out the sides with large outside mirrors, but the small back windows make over the shoulder visibility somewhat compromised.

The backseat is roomy and offers enough head and leg room to accommodate adults, even with the front seats moved far back. Cargo space is good but not at the top of the class. The second-row seats fold flat in an easy one-step motion and are split 60/40 to open up to the maximum 57.9 cubic feet of cargo space.

Standard on every Rogue is a washable, removable tray, beneath the cargo floor. Also available is a clever cargo-bay organizer with a recessed floor and removable nets to act as partitions to help prevent groceries from rolling around in the back. The low floor makes loading items into the back easy.

Come back tomorrow and we’ll look at every available option and feature on the Rouge.