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Posted by George Peterson on January 17, 2017 at 8:17 am
Source: Ford Motor Company
Ford is updating its iconic sporty coupe giving us a more aggressive Mustang for 2018. In industry parlance this could be termed a “front and rear six” meaning the front and rear six inches of the car has been changed. The 2018 change is a bit more than that. The front end is the main contributor to the more aggressive Mustang look. The standard LED headlamps flank a redesigned grille which has a new sporty texture. The front fenders, front fascia, and hood are all new. In the rear end, the taillamp graphics are tweaked a bit, not so you’d notice.
Source: Ford Motor Company
The big news in the interior is that the car is now available with a 12-inch re-configurable instrument cluster display. The display has been lifted from the new Continental luxury car but conveys different information. This is the “modern” way to go and also demonstrates that the costs of these electronic features are coming down dramatically and quickly. In addition to the cluster, the seat trim sew patterns have been updated. There is an available heated steering wheel and the center console has been upgraded with padded knee bolsters. Ford also adds Driver Assistance features as options such as adaptive cruise control, lane keeping warning and lane keeping assist.
Under the hood, the 3.7L V6 is gone and the 5.0L V8 has been upgraded. Ford has not yet provided the specifics. Similarly, the 2.3L EcoBoost 4-cylinder turbo has been upgraded. There is a 10-speed automatic transmission available, but the the folks who think manual transmissions are appropriate for a sporty coupe, a 6-speed manual is still available. The chassis has been upgraded to provide more nimble handling.
Ford has been producing the Mustang continuously for over fifty years. The car has gone through tough times and was almost killed on more than one occasion. Even when Chevrolet killed the Camaro, Pontiac killed the Firebird and Dodge killed the Challenger, Mustang stayed the course. There have been a few half-hearted efforts in the history of Mustang, but the 2018 promises to improve the breed. This update is a mid-cycle change that means we should see a major update in 2020 or 2021.
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Posted by George Peterson on December 2, 2016 at 11:21 am
The 2017 Honda CR-V goes on sale in December 2016. It’s predecessor, the fourth-generation 2016 Honda CR-V, is on track to sell about 380,000 crossover SUVs in 2016. It is the highest volume crossover SUV and one of the top selling vehicles in the market. In AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Award Research the CR-V achieved a score of 690. This is a fourth place showing in the Mid-Size Crossover SUV segment. Nissan Rogue (712), Toyota RAV4 and Subaru Forester place ahead of the 2016 CR-V. In AutoPacific’s 2016 Ideal Vehicle Award Research the CR-V was tied with Rogue in third place (1134 points). The class leading Subaru Forester (1175) and Mazda CX-5 scored higher.
Each year, AutoPacific surveys new car and light truck buyers to determine what changes they want in their vehicle. It is particularly interesting to compare the changes that owners want to their vehicle when it is just about to be replaced by the next generation. Also, AutoPacific’s research can be measuring stick on how well a manufacturer’s product planners, engineers and designers understand their customers. Using AutoPacific’s research to determine what changes people wanted in their CR-V, let’s see how well Honda did with their update.
Source: AutoPacific – Radar Chart Showing Changes 2016 Honda CR-V Owners want Compared with Competition
Technology – Still a Challenge as With Most New Generation Vehicles: As with many vehicles these days, technology is a love it/hate it affair. About 25% of 2016 Honda CR-V owners want more advanced technology than now. About 30% want the technology they have to be easier to use. The 2016 CR-V has the HondaSensing suite of driver assistance technologies available. The 2017 version expands on that adding a blind spot information system to the affordable EX model. Technology is still an area that requires a great deal of work, and the 2017 Honda CR-V improves on its predecessor. About 25% of CR-V’s competitors want more advanced technology as well. Among competitors, about 34% of 2016 Ford Escape owners want easier to use technology.
Driver’s Seat Visibility – Excellent View: Visibility is a key component in the acceptance of new crossover SUVs. About 29% of 2016 Honda CR-V owners want better driver’s seat visibility compared with 27% for competition. The previous CR-V was very competitive, but AutoPacific concludes the fourth generation CR-V is better. The driver’s seating position is excellent. The hood has been redesigned with more character that gives the driver more reference points in front. Honda has always been generous with glass and it appears the windows are larger. The 2017 CR-V should see better results next year.
Power and Fuel Economy – Going Turbo: About 20% of 2016 Honda CR-V owners want more power and acceleration and about 10% would sacrifice power and acceleration for better fuel economy. About 29% of 2016 Nissan Rogue owners want more power and acceleration. The 2017 Honda CR-V adds a 190-horsepower turbocharged 1.5L 4-cylinder in all but the base LX model. The turbo 4 gets both better fuel economy and acceleration and feels sprightlier than its predecessor. 2017 results should be even better than 2016.
Ride and Handling – Improved Dynamics: About 20% of 2016 Honda CR-V owners want easier handing and a softer ride. This compares to just 14% of the owners of its primary competitors wanting easier handling and softer ride. Honda has improved the ride and handling giving the 2017 CR-V a solid ride with crisp sporty handling. It is not a pillow-soft ride by any means, but gives the confidence that the vehicle will do what the driver demands.
Passenger Roominess – More Rear Seat Room: About 20% of 2016 Honda CR-V owners want more passenger room. This compares with about 24% of competition (about 32% of Ford Escape owners want more passenger room). The 2017 Honda CR-V has 2.1-inches more rear seat legroom while increasing the overall length of the vehicle by 1.2 inches. The rear seat seems much more spacious and the 2017 Honda CR-V should fare even better in AutoPacific’s 2017 research.
Exterior Styling – More Distinctive – Upscale: Looking at the all new CR-V, the at-a-glance impression is “more of the same”. CR-V, however, adopts Honda’s more aggressive and distinctive front end design with a heavy dollop of chrome. The taillights are a blatant evolution of the 2016 CR-V. About 16% of 2016 CR-V owners want more distinctive styling. 23% of owners of the 2016 Ford Escape, for instance, want more distinctive styling. It is probably safe to say that the 2017 changes to the CR-V will move the needle towards the more distinctive area.
Cargo Area – Even Better: 2016 Honda CR-V owners are less likely to want more cargo space than the competition – 14% compared to 28%. The 2017 Honda CR-V adds almost 10-inches to the length of its cargo space. This makes the all-new CR-V even better than before and substantially better than each of its main competitors.
Overall: The 2017 Honda CR-V has incrementally improved in almost every area. The styling is more distinctive. The powertrain more responsive. The interior is larger within a vehicle that is no bigger than before. Combined with Honda’s outstanding ergonomics, the CR-V, as a product, should be able to sell at about capacity especially at the aggressive pricing Honda has adopted.
Competition does not stand still. The Ford Escape has a substantial upgrade for 2017. The Nissan Rogue is all new for 2017. The 2017 research will show which vehicle’s product development team understood its customers the best and executed the product for them.
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Posted by George Peterson on November 13, 2016 at 4:22 pm
Honda has imposed an embargo for the new Honda CR-V on technical specifications, driving impressions and pricing, so we can only describe the vehicle and its competitive position in generalities. The embargo lifts on November 30, 2016.
New Honda CR-V – all new for 2017 with distinctive front end styling.
Honda Assures Continued Success in Entry XSUV Market The all new Honda CR-V is an impressive compact crossover SUV. A pillar of Honda’s product lineup that includes Accord, Civic and Odyssey, the CR-V sells almost 400,000 units per year. Strong competitors include the Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape. The Nissan Rogue is starting to make waves as well. The entry crossover SUV category has become the best selling class of vehicle in the United States. Entry crossover SUV sales are higher than mid-size cars. The popularity of the segment, and how good this new CR-V is, has led Honda to add more assembly capacity at its Indiana assembly plant in 2017.
Sport utility vehicles have evolved from the hardcore 4x4s of the 1970s to the very easy-t0-live with crossover SUVs of today. Responding to customer demand for better ride, better fuel economy, the latest electronic and infotainment features, the new crossovers have taken the market by storm. They are now the vehicles of choice for most female buyers.
In the development of the new Honda CR-V, Honda benchmarked the European BMW X3 to give this mainstream crossover a luxury feel. They clearly have higher aspirations for the vehicle. Also, given the sales volume of the CR-V, Honda added standard features in lower trim levels. Cost efficiencies are substantial when a product approaches the 400,000 unit volume level.
New Honda CR-V – all new for 2017 with more muscular styling
More Aggressive Than Past Hondas Sounding like a Big Three manufacturer of yore, the new Honda CR-V is longer, wider and higher than before. It has a new turbocharged 4-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable transmission on all but its base LX trim level. The looks of the new Honda CR-V are an upward evolution of its predecessor. Styling is more aggressive with more character in the hood and body panels. The grille is much more aggressive than previously and follows the trend adopted by the new Honda Pilot XSUV and Ridgeline pickup. The wheel openings are more muscular to accommodate larger tires and wheels.
More Upscale than Typical for This Class Comparing the new Honda CR-V with the RAV4 and Escape, the CR-V comes across as a product in a class above. The finish is outstanding, the interior has been substantially upgraded with soft touch materials in critical areas. As usual, the new Honda CR-V is an ergonomic tour de force. Visibility from the driver’s seat is excellent. Reach to the controls is intuitive. The large electronic instrument cluster is brilliantly lit and provides necessary information. Responding to customer complaints, the new Honda CR-V adds back a volume control knob for the audio system replacing the slider used previously. The rear seat is larger than in its predecessor and Honda describes the interior space in the new Honda CR-V as being best in class.
High Volume EX Trim Loaded with Features The highest volume trim level will be the EX one step above the base LX. The level of equipment on this model is impressive. Honda includes Honda Sensing, blind spot warning and cross traffic warning as part of the EX trim level. Honda Sensing includes adaptive cruise control with low speed follow, collision mitigation braking system, road departure mitigation, and lane keeping assist. The Honda-exclusive Lane Watch video camera system has been abandoned for the new Honda CR-V. Blind spot information replaces Lane Watch because owners want blind spot information on both sides of the car and the right-side-only Lane Watch system couldn’t be adapted to show the left side as well.
Best Selling Honda? Given the excellence of the latest generation CR-V, and the additional production capacity being added, it would not be surprising if the CR-V becomes Honda’s top-selling vehicle.
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Posted by George Peterson on July 29, 2016 at 4:22 pm
Ford’s F-Series Super Duty pickups are all new for the 2017 model year. The Super Duty line includes the F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 heavy duty pickups.
All-New For Real The term all new here is an actual fact because the last time the Super Duty was all new was over a decade ago. The high volume F-150 light duty full size pickup was all new and all aluminum for 2016. The Super Duty follows a year later, but Ford says the product update cadence should be shorter for both the F-150 and the Super Duties in the future.
Image by: George Peterson
Borrows from F-150, Then Goes on Steroids For this iteration the Super Duty pickups share the aluminum cabs of the F-150 – regular cab, Super Cab and Crew Cab. Each of these cabs is longer than that on the old Super Duty. Then everything changes. The front end styling is very different, tougher and stronger looking than the pretty darn strong looking F-150. The pickup box is upgraded to handle the more severe workload of a vehicle designed for construction crews and trailer towing. The fully-boxed frame has been substantially upgraded with the center section frame rails 1.5 inches taller than previously.
Venerable Twin-I-Beam Suspension Retained and Upgraded The Twin-I-Beam front suspension has been upgraded and remains a very important Super Duty unique selling proposition. According to Doug Scott, head of Ford truck marketing, there was a lot of discussion about retaining the venerable, but very strong Twin-I-Beam front suspension. There was one contingent within Ford that wanted a more contemporary front suspension similar to Chevrolet Silverado. But buyers of the Super Duty rely on the over-designed Twin-I-Beam for durability in extreme abuse situations. Super-computer simulations of the suspension design have eliminated the quirkiness of the previous set-up that tended to wander a bit on the open road.
Unique Interior Although the Super Duty shares the F-150’s cabs, the interior in the Super Duty is unique to the line. The “Active Motion” seats are designed for heavier duty application and long seat time. They are comfortable for hours on the road. The instrument panel is unique and much more industrial looking than in the F-150. There is a wide center console that can accommodate files or a laptop computer. The console top is an armrest in normal driving or a desk when necessary.
Feature Laden The list of available advanced features is an arm long. Most would be expected in an up-market car, but in a heavy duty pickup they are extraordinary. Super Duty gets Sync 3 available with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There is a 360-degree camera set-up that is extremely useful when parking or off-roading. Activating the camera allows you to see the obstacles near the vehicle and avoid them. The Super Duty can have as many as SEVEN cameras. Lane departure warning, blind spot information and adaptive cruise control systems are available. Adaptive steering is available that adjusts the steering ratio based on driver input.
Powerful Power Stroke Diesel is the Volume Engine Choice The available powertrains include the second generation Power Stroke diesel that will be the high volume engine. The 6.7L V8 diesel has 440-horsepower and 920 lb. ft. of torque. That’s right – 920 lb. ft. The diesel is mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission. The diesel pulls, and pulls, and pulls. There is a 6.2L V8 gas engine with 385-horsepower and 430 lb. ft. of torque. On chassis-cab models Ford’s 6.8L V10 is available.
Driving the Super Duty The Super Duty is a delight to drive for such a big truck. The 4×4 King Ranch F-250 Crew Cab (~$78,000) was easy to drive and easy to maneuver if you have a lot of space. The unloaded ride was good depending on road surface. Because of the stiff 4×4 suspension the ride over choppy roads was a bit uncomfortable. The power of the 6.7L Power Stroke diesel was very impressive.
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Posted by George Peterson on March 23, 2016 at 10:37 am
Photo Source: Lincoln Motor Company
Navigator – First Luxury SUV Lincoln launched the Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) Market in 1997 when it launched the first generation of the Navigator. Navigator was a derivative of the Ford Expedition Full Size SUV and proved to be an instant success. Loaded with the appropriate amount of technology and bling for the time, Navigator hit a chord with upscale families that wanted something more than a minivan or full size SUV. The first Navigator was somewhat tame by today’s standards, but provided the sophistication, size, power and price people coveting this kind of transportation. It took Cadillac two years to respond with the Escalade – a quick-to-market response to Navigator.
A Battle of Bling Between Lincoln and Cadillac The first generation Navigator was to last for five model years (1997 through 2002) when it was replaced by the 2003 Navigator which raised the bar in the American Luxury SUV category. It adopted independent rear suspension which allowed for the rear load floor to be dropped by 7-inches and for a commodious third row seat to be installed. To this day, General Motors full size SUVs have not matched Lincoln’s third row seat package, much less Escalade. Cadillac evolved into a bling-mobile (one Cadillac marketer described the vehicle as having seven layers of chrome). Lincoln responded with a gaudy Navigator in 2007 that seemingly had chrome haphazardly thrown at every bodypanel. While Escalade had a major refresh in 2015 incorporating Cadillac’s vertical LED light pipe daytime running lights in the front, Lincoln freshened the front styling of the Navigator incorporating the clumsy winged grille style that appeared on its vehicles during the decade. Navigator also dropped its V8 powertrain replacing it with a more powerful EcoBoost V6. The lower weight and higher power of the EcoBoost transformed the handling of the Navigator.
But that brings us to the future.
Photo Source: Lincoln Motor Company
Style Evolution Yields a Range Rover Look-Alike The next generation Lincoln Navigator concept has been shown at the 2016 New York Auto Show and it is an absolute WOW. Like Lincoln did in 2015 when they stealthily introduced the Continental concept at New York, the Navigator concept was kept very quiet until its initial reveal. With this new Navigator, Lincoln takes a different tack towards elegance, sophistication and quietness – a Personal Santuary. The new Navigator adopts new Lincoln styling cues like the strongly trapezoidal grille opening, Lincoln logo mesh grille, headlamps accented by LED running lights. The front end is very strong looking. The rear appearance adopts Lincoln’s horizontal full-width taillamp treatment. The bodyside, however, comes across much like a Range Rover with similar accent lines and window graphics. Different, but similar. You might remember Bentley accused Lincoln of plagiarizing the style of its Flying Spur. Might Range Rover make the same complaint with the new Navigator?
Lincoln says the new Navigator is its “most spacious ever”, but the exterior style seems to make it appear a bit less bulky. This is good.
Photo Source: Lincoln Motor Company
The concept is shown with gull-wing doors and “concertina” side steps for easier access. These are certainly there for the concept reveal and will not appear in production.
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Posted by George Peterson on February 5, 2016 at 1:37 pm
AutoPacific, an automotive specialist research and product planning consultancy, forecasts that trucks, including XSUVs will be about 60% of the market for the foreseeable future. In fact, reading the crystal ball for the next five years, this percentage of the mix may be low. The charts above detail how cars and truck sales and market penetration have evolved since 1987 and the forecast for the future.
The hottest product segment in the American light vehicle market is the crossover SUV (XSUV). A crossover SUV can be as large as a Chevrolet Traverse or as small as a Chevrolet Trax. There are dozens of XSUVs in between. And there will be more.
The XSUV segment has become so hot because this type of vehicle corrects the criticisms buyers had of traditional SUVs which sold very well, but were not optimal. Buyers wanted products that were not hard-core off-roaders, but more civilized and city friendly. The SUV market exploded in the early 1990s with the introduction of the Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee. It wasn’t until 1996 that the crossover SUV began slipping into the marketplace. First the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V appeared. They were followed by the luxury crossover RX300. Clearly the manufacturers were listening and reacting.
Here are just a few of the things we know about the evolution of the SUV market over the next five years…
Cadillac Cadillac states that it has too few XSUVs (one, the upcoming XT5) and wants to add two or three more to its lineup while adding one more car as a range topper between now and 2020.
Buick Buick is adding the small Envision XSUV to its lineup this Spring. Envision is assembled in China.
FCA Drops Cars to Add XSUV and Pickup Capacity Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is dropping its Chrysler 200 and Dodge Dart in favor of more capacity for XSUVs and pickups. The Ram pickup will take over the FCA Sterling Heights, Michigan Plant when the Chrysler 200 is dropped. FCA’s huge Belvidere, Ilinois plant will be populated by XSUVs when the Jeep Compass and Patriot plus the Dodge Dart fade away.
Toyota Pushing RAV4 Toyota Motor Sales has stated that they would not be surprised if the RAV4 XSUV overtook the Camry mid-size car as its best selling product. Camry was the best selling car in the USA in 2015.
Lexus will add a 3-row XSUV above the RX350 in the next few years.
The charts above show the impact of crossover SUVs on the light truck market. Huge volume increase and market share increase.
Hyundai Aggressively Adding XSUV Capacity Hyundai is replacing 50,000 units of car capacity in its Montgomery, Alabama assembly plant with the Santa Fe Sport. That drops capacity for the Hyundai Sonata and Elantra from 400,000 to 350,000 units per year. Hyundai admits that they underestimated the demand for XSUVs years ago. This capacity move reacts to market demand and dealer pressure to get Hyundai dealers more XSUVs that are easier to sell and require less incentives and discounting.
Hyundai will add 45,000 units to its Tucson compact XSUV volume this year. Built in South Korea, Tucson has been limited because it is popular around the world and the vehicle was capacity constrained.
Hyundai also recognizes there is a hole at the bottom of their XSUV lineup and are adding a sub-compact B-Segment XSUV to fill that hole. There is a possibility that a smaller A-Segment XSUV will replace the Hyundai Accent hatchback.
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Posted by George Peterson on October 19, 2015 at 9:05 am
Cheap and cheerful is gone. The 2016 Honda Civic sedan has raised the bar for a compact car to new levels. After realizing that the 9th generation 2012 Civic was a dud, and quickly adding band-aids for 2013, Honda has gotten very, very serious with the all new 10th generation Civic. In fact, for awhile there the automotive analyst and journalist community was sensing Honda was losing its mojo. After updates to the Accord, the new Pilot, the HR-V and now the New 2016 Honda Civic, it is clear Honda is back. Honda’s development name for the new Civic is “EPIC” Civic and it fits. To achieve this “epicness” Honda benchmarked not only the usual suspects, but also the C-Class entries from Audi, BMW and Mercedes.
For reference, the 2016 Honda Civic has 5 basic trim levels: LX, EX, EX-T(urbo), EX/Leather, Touring.
More Expressive Styling: While still quickly identified as a Honda, the new Civic is much more expressive than any Civic before it. The car is larger with a 3.0-inch increase in overall length and a 1.2-inch increase in wheelbase. The car is 0.8-inches lower and going back to an old Honda trick, its cowl is 1.6-inches lower giving better forward visibility. The car is lower and wider to give it the look of a more premium car. The Civic adopts its own version of Honda’s evolving face using an upscale looking grille. Innovative front lighting gives the car a unique look. LED daytime running lights are standard. The top-of-the-line Touring model has LED headlamps as well. The bodyside is creased as is today’s fashion with a slight bulge over the front wheels leading to a upper body character line ending in a muscular bulge over the rear wheels. The C-Pillar has a sharp crease separating the roof from the rear fender. The standard LED taillamps are huge V-shaped affairs.
Interior Much, Much More Upscale: The front edge of the instrument panel sweeps below the windshield in a smooth unbroken arc from A-Pillar to A-Pillar and continue down the door trim panel. This adds a sense of width to the car. The instrument panel pad feels very high quality and nowhere near the hard plastic some cars in this class had in the past. The seats are very comfortable – at least in the EX-L trim level with leather interior – and trimmed in high quality leather. The instrument cluster includes a digital speedometer surrounded by an analog tachometer. Nicely done. Honda has paid a lot of attention to the transformer-like center console. The conventional shifter is where you would expect, but ahead of the shift lever is an area for your cell phone or iPad mini. Next to the driver’s knee is the switch for the electronic parking brake. There is a sliding lid that reveals cupholders and space to hold an iPad. Since all Civics have keyless start, there is storage for the key in the console.
Two Engines – Both Upgrades to Predecessor – Honda’s First Turbo in USA: The base engine for the 2016 Honda Civic is a 2.0L double overhead cam 4-cylinder with 158-horsepower (the old Civic had a single overhead cam 1.8L 4-cylinder with 143HP). The upscale engine is Honda’s first turbo in the USA, a 1.5L double overhead cam 4-cylinder turbo with 174-horsepower. The base engine is available with a 6-speed manual transmission or CVT. The Turbo is available only with the CVT. The 2.0L I4 has more power than Corolla, Elantra or Mazda3. The base Ford Focus with a 2.0L 4-cylinder has 160-horsepower edging out the base Civic by a couple of ponies. The Turbo is bested by entries like Ford’s 252HP EcoBoost 4-cylinder Turbo in the Focus ST (manual transmission only) and 350-horsepower in the Focus RS, but those are rarefied enthusiast entries, not mainstream like the Civic Turbo will be.
Joins Democratization of Technology Club: As with many car lines down the price spectrum, Civic now comes with a long list of available technology features capping out with its Honda Sensing system that includes adaptive cruise control with low speed follow, lane keeping assist, road departure mitigation, forward collision warning, lane departure warning. Honda Sensing is standard on the top of the line Touring model and optional for $1,000 on the lower spec models. Even the base LX is pretty well equipped with automatic headlights, auto up/down power windows, ambient interior lighting. LCD color audio system, electronic parking brake and automatic climate control. You get Lane Watch and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto when you move to the EX model. When you go the EX-T you get the 174HP Turbo engine, heated seats XM and HD radio and dual zone automatic temperature control. When you pop for leather, you get an 8-way power driver’s seat. Touring gets the full package: Honda Sensing, rain sensing wipers, LED headlamps, power passenger seat, navigation.
Driving the Civic Turbo: Honda is, after all, an engine company and the new 1.5L Turbo shows that. It has good power to move the car easily. It is smooth and nicely damped from the interior. The engine is quiet even when outside the car. The CVT, a usually reviled transmission type, has been developed to a point where you cannot really tell it’s a CVT. While you expect Honda to provide an outstanding powertrain, it is the solidity, ride, handling and braking that set this Civic apart from its predecessors and many other small cars out there today. It appears that they implemented many of the lessons learned when benchmarking European luxury car competitors. It is that good. No complaints on the dynamics of the car at all.
Pricing: The base price of the 2016 Honda Civic LX is $18,640 with $835 destination and delivery on top of that. The top of the line Touring Edition comes in at $26,500 with $835 D&D. Comparatively, a 2016 Ford Focus S starts at $17,225 with $875 D&D. The Focus S does not have the feature load of the Civic LX. It lacks a 6-speed manual transmission, automatic climate control and one-touch windows all around. The Focus Titanium with (almost) all the boxes checked comes in at $26,125 plus $875 D&D. So from a MSRP standpoint, the two cars are pretty close and Ford dealers are more likely to go for the deal vs. a hot out of the box Civic.
Now for the Nitpicks: There are, of course, no perfect cars even though Consumer Reports contends the Tesla Model S is better than perfect. Here are my nits for the Civic. 1) The steering column adjustment lever is a long reach under the instrument panel. Even though you might not use it often, it is tough to get to. 2) Radio volume control is a slide on the touch screen for the audio system. Might not be too much of a problem once you figure it out, but it would fail the rental car test. 3) Blind spot monitoring system with cross traffic alert is not available. Honda contends this is not now appropriate for the Civic class of car even though several competitors offer it. It appears that Honda is depending on Lane Watch to handle this important safety chore, but Lane Watch will not help you pull out from between two Suburbans in a parking lot and warn you of approaching traffic. Honda used a similar rationale on the Accord where Blind Spot Monitoring is only available on the top of the line. 4) Honda has lowered the front seats by about 1.5 inches. This reduces the hip to floor distance, creates a more laid-back driving position and hampers ingress/egress. The higher seat height in the previous car was better.
Overall: Great Job on the EPIC Civic.
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Posted by George Peterson on July 20, 2015 at 10:40 am
Raising the Bar in a Competitive Segment The Koreans keep getting better and the new 2016 Hyundai Tucson (product code TL) is an example of how Hyundai has executed a segment-beater. Competing against big sellers Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape, Jeep Cherokee, Chevrolet Equinox, Mazda CX-5, etc. the new Tucson checks all the boxes. It is well styled and immediately identifiable as a Hyundai (looks almost too much like the Santa Fe Sport). It has a great package – good visibility, spacious front and rear seating, good cargo room, easy ingress/egress. The fit and finish is excellent inside and out. The interior trim materials have moved upwards – almost up to the next higher price class.
MY16 Hyundai Tucson
MY16 Hyundai Tucson
Hyundai Fell Behind in Segment – 2016 Hyundai Tucson Provides Conquest Opportunity The product is good enough to begin some serious conquesting. As the compact crossover SUV market has boomed over the past several years (growing 14.9% 2015CYTD), Hyundai has been left with a less-than-competitive product capable of selling around 45,000 per year. As such, Hyundai Motor America’s share of the segment slipped from about 6% to 2.5%. Some of that is due to capacity constraints from its Korean plant. A new plant in the Czech Republic has come on line and will be supplying Europe freeing up Korean capacity. With the new Tucson on sale in August, 2015, HMA’s volume is expected to rise to 56,200 in 2015 and up to 90,000 or higher in 2016. The 2015 Hyundai Tucson is good enough to pull that off if there is strong marketing support behind the vehicle (the last generation was essentially a “launch and leave” proposition with little marketing support). At 90,000 units, the Tucson will have about 6% of the segment.
Pre-Family Market Target Who will buy the 2016 Hyundai Tucson? HMA sees this as the entry targeted at “pre-family” singles and couples. Tucson is 8.5-inches shorter than the Santa Fe Sport that is targeted at “post-family” couples who no longer need the seven-passenger three row capacity of the 8.5-inch longer (than Santa Fe Sport) Santa Fe. Santa Fe is targeted at “core families”. Tucson democratizes technology by offering most of the latest gee whiz electronic features available on higher classes of products.
Hyundai describes its styling as bold and confident and it certainly comes across that way. It has a slightly more vertical windshield that helps ingress to the front seats. Tucson adopts Hyundai’s new corporate face with the hexagonal grille. From the side view, the Tucson is lean and wedgy. Exterior styling was by Hyundai’s European studio. The interior was styled in California. Ergonomics are outstanding with controls placed where expected. There is an 8-inch information screen with navigation and Hyundai’s BlueLink interface. The only criticism is with map graphics that don’t show enough detail and seem to show only major arteries, not the interesting spur roads you pass.
MY16 Hyundai Tucson
Powertrain OK but Full Throttle is Disappointing The base engine is Hyundai’s Nu 2.0L GDI 4-cylinder that has 164-horsepower and 151 lb ft of torque. The 2.0 L mileage figures are 23/31/26mpg. The 2.0L gets a six-speed automatic transmission. The optional engine, and the engine on the majority of Tucson models, is the Gamma 1.6L 4-cylinder Turbo with 175-horsepower and 195 lb ft of torque. The 1.6L mileage figures are 26/33/29mpg). The 1.6L gets a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. You definitely want the higher torque 1.6L Turbo. The torque is the key to performance feel. In the examples of the Tucson I drove, there was a noticeable lag when full throttle acceleration was wanted or needed from a stop (with traffic approaching, for instance). Pedal to the metal was disappointing. On a part throttle take off, this was not evident. It seemed to happen only when you really wanted the oomph. This is a characteristic an owner will learn over time, but Hyundai should sort it out ASAP.
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Posted by George Peterson on July 8, 2015 at 6:33 am
Owners rate Kia K900 top car, Ford F-150 top truck. Tesla Top Brand
TUSTIN, Calif. (July 8, 2015) – AutoPacific today announced its 19th annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards (VSAs), identifying the most satisfying vehicles on the market. An industry benchmark for measuring how satisfied an owner is with his/her new vehicle, VSAs are based on survey responses from over 66,000 owners of new 2015 model year cars and light trucks.
“2015 represents a year of diversity,” says George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. “Competition is fierce and no one automaker dominates the results.” The 2015 winners are spread across nearly every manufacturer, with wins by 9 out of 11 automakers. General Motors receives the most wins with 5, followed by Kia and Nissan, with 4 and 3 wins, respectively. Honda, Toyota, FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobile), Volkswagen and Ford follow with 2 wins each. Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai each take home 1 win.
“For the 2015 model year, there are 274 models and 33 brands from which to choose a new vehicle,” says Peterson. “It can be daunting for consumers to sort through all of those options and try to predict which one will work best for them in the long run. AutoPacific VSAs help to give them a strong starting point.”
The average VSA score for 2015 is 25-points higher than in 2014 confirming products and customer handling are improving markedly. The brands with the greatest year-over-year improvements are Jaguar – improving eleven positions; Volkswagen – improving ten positions; Ford – improving nine positions.
The Kia K900 – Kia’s range topping luxury car – set an all time high and wins AutoPacific’s President’s Award. This award is given only when the overall score tops the previous high score. Interestingly, the all-new aluminum bodied Ford F-150 would have won this award if the Kia was not in the running. The previous President’s Award winners were the 2014 Mercedes S-Class and the 2010 Hyundai Sonata.
Korean Manufacturers Take Over Top Spot in Satisfaction
Tesla, a domestic brand with only one vehicle, is the top scoring brand overall. General Motors’ GMC division is the top scoring mainstream brand. In aggregate, Korean brands are the top source of high scoring vehicles. With 5 winning vehicles, including the top ranking Kia K900, Korean manufacturers Kia and Hyundai come out on top in combined average score, taking over the position previously held by European manufacturers. “Kia and Hyundai are continually improving owner satisfaction in key areas like reliability and quality, yet are also hitting the mark with safety, braking, handling, styling and seat comfort, not to mention a very satisfying warranty program,” explains Peterson.
AutoPacific’s Vehicle Satisfaction Awards objectively measure owner satisfaction with 50 separate attributes ranging from interior comfort and styling to fuel economy and performance.
“In many cases, an extremely satisfying vehicle is not the car or truck that has the best absolute build quality or the best safety rating,” says Peterson. “VSAs look at the big picture, which includes owners’ experiences with their vehicle’s quality and safety, but also goes deeper into the heart of the ownership experience.”
About AutoPacific
AutoPacific is a future-oriented automotive marketing and product-consulting firm. Every year AutoPacific publishes a wide variety of syndicated studies on the automotive industry. The firm also conducts extensive proprietary research and consulting for auto manufacturers, distributors, marketers and suppliers worldwide. Company headquarters are in Tustin, California, with an affiliate office in the Detroit area. Additional information about AutoPacific and the Vehicle Satisfaction Awards can be found on AutoPacific’s websites: www.autopacific.com and www.vehiclevoice.com.
Contacts
Dan Hall dan.hall@autopacific.com 714.838.4234
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Posted by George Peterson on June 2, 2015 at 12:10 pm
New Maxima Job #1 in April 2015 The 2016 Nissan Maxima is assembled at Nissan’s huge Smyrna, Tennessee plant. Smyrna has become the highest capacity single plant in the United States with a capacity of over 650,000 units per year. The 8th Gen Maxima Job #1 was in April 2015 and dealers began getting the cars in early June. Competing with the likes of the Toyota Avalon, Chevrolet Impala, Dodge Charger, Ford Taurus and Acura TLX, the new Maxima pushes the design envelope with its “energetic flow” styling. The styling is head turning and certain to be controversial. 
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