Patrick Paternie: Volvo Chili Cook-Off, Scottsdale, March 8, 2010

I spent two days riding in Volvos with Patrick.  He had sought me out to be his co-driver and I looked forward to his commentary and stories.  I knew he was a good driver and would never take risks that so many of the hot-shots on these press previews sometimes take.

Patrick regaled me with stories of how he and his wife Linda towed a big trailer behind a Suburban in Arizona and there just wasn’t enough oomph in the big SUV to keep up with traffic with the trailer following behind.  He talked about how Linda had come to like riding  in his Ford pickup because of all the room in the cab.  He was especially complimentary about a drive with the Aston Martin Rapide in Alaska.  He said the Rapide was much more capable than he would ever have thought.  The folks at Aston Martin admit the car has been “placed at a considerable discount”.  He travelled widely for his passion.  I was jealous.

We talked about heart surgery I had undergone last November.  “How did you know you had a problem,” he asked.  “Sprained ankle,” I replied.  That got me to the doctor’s office and to get a physical my medical insurance provides every year.  Surgery followed a few weeks later.

Patrick never alluded to having a heart problem.  He looked fit and healthy.  He raced.  He finished.  He was 65.  We miss him.

Kia Optima Hybrid and Kia Rio

The cars did not disappoint and Kia threw in the chance to attend GRAND-AM Continental Tire/Kia200 Sports Car Challenge race at the Homestead-Miami Raceway.  So how could I refuse?

Optima – Elegant Mid-Size Style With Maximum Fuel Economy The Optima is one of my favorite mid-size cars.  Its styling is great and interior is very easy to live with.  From my perspective, the Optima style is very sophisticated and European.  Coming from the “junior” Korean manufacturer, the Optima is much better looking than the swoopy Hyundai Sonata that has turned so many heads since its introduction in early 2010.  My guess is that the Optima style has more staying power than the Sonata which may age pretty quickly.

Adding the Hybrid model to the Optima lineup gives Kia a price-efficient, fuel-efficient combatant in the growing fuel economy battleground among mid-size cars.

All New Rio – Bottom-Feeder No More This was the first chance I have had to drive the all new Rio.  As the bottom entry in Kia’s lineup, the Rio has evolved from a cheap, cheap tin can to a very worthy small car.  Of course, it is not cheap, cheap any more, but it is reasonably priced.  The model we drove was priced a notch above $20,000 but had everything on it including a navigation system, sun roof and leather seats.  In previous generations, it would have been unheard of to have this level of equipment available in the lowest priced car from a mainstream brand.   With a front seat package rivaling a mid-size car in size, folks are no longer “sentenced” to drive a small car.

Miami Beach to Key West Without Air Conditioning: The drive from the Shore Club Hotel in Miami Beach to the Parrot Key Resort in Key West was the perfect choice to experience “fuel efficient” driving.  Usually, product evaluations include a lot of twisty, curvy, hilly roads and high speed driving.  That wasn’t an objective with this Kia evaluation.  The Overseas Highway is usually a single-lane road over the water to Key West.  The maximum speed was 55 at one point, but usually was 40mph to 45mph.  This is an optimal speed to achieve maximum fuel efficiency and the thirteen police cruisers we spied on the way down helped guarantee we didn’t get too enthusiastic.

We thought running with the air conditioning off would help (the “smell of fuel efficiency, you know), but now I learn that at 40mph and above running with the windows closed and A/C on is the way to go.  Having the windows closed at that speed helps aerodynamics more than the air conditioning saps fuel economy.

The Optima achieved 45mpg on this trip of about 140 miles.  Great for a relatively large car.  At speed, the Optima Hybrid would seamlessly shift from all electric mode to gas mode up to about 70mph.  This is substantially higher than most other hybrids.

Kia took a very cost effective approach to develop the Optima Hybrid.  It has a six-speed automatic transmission instead of the CVT (continuously variable transmission) found on many hybrid vehicles.  This means the car feels normal and doesn’t have the rubber band feeling acceleration you get with most CVTs.  The hybrid powertrain uses an Atkinson-cycle version of Kia’s 2.4L Theta 4-cylinder engine.  Using Optima’s lightweight platform with enhanced aerodynamics (0.26 Cd compared with 0.29 Cd on the non-hybrid Optima), the Optima Hybrid is rated at 40mpg on the highway and 35mpg in the city.  Remember, we beat this highway rating on our drive down to Key West.

Only Minor Vehicle Segment Shifts: In general, US drivers would not shift to a different vehicle segment when time to replace their current vehicle. Differences from replacement vehicle segment choice and what respondents currently own range between 0-2 percentage points, according to survey results. For example, 28% of respondents own an SUV, and that same percent would choose one for their replacement as well. About 19% would choose a small car, which is two percentage-points higher than current respondent ownership. This is a stark contrast to the July 2008 fuel price spike when the top replacement choice was small cars at 32% of the sample, 12 percentage points higher than current ownership at that time.

$10/gallon to Change Buying Behavior? Escalating fuel prices could cause drivers to change the types of vehicles they plan to buy next, but not at today’s prices. About 33% that say higher fuel prices would cause them to change the type of replacement vehicle purchased. And on average, fuel would have to cost about $4.80/gallon for these respondents to choose a different vehicle, or $0.93 more compared to what they said they were paying. However, 47% of survey takers note that fuel price increases would not cause them to change vehicle type, and 42% of those respondents say that even $10/gallon gas would not persuade them to change vehicle type.

Fuel Prices Causing Discretionary Spending Cuts: In general, about 1 in 3, on average, curtail discretionary purchases when fuel prices increase—about 34% cut out movie/music purchases, 34% fast food, and 32% going out. On the flip side, 42% say fuel price increases have little to no affect on their discretionary purchases. Though a long-term purchase, vehicle-buying intentions show a similar trend. When asked whether current economic conditions, including fuel costs, have made them  more or less likely to buy or lease a vehicle in the next year, 32% say less likely but 59% say economic conditions have no effect.

Government NOT Doing An Acceptable Job Managing Energy Costs: During this election year, voters are paying close attention to how all sides of the political arena say they will manage energy costs. Right now, 66% of survey respondents say the current administration is not doing an acceptable job, while 86% say the same thing about congress. And the political party best equipped to implement a successful energy policy in US? 28% indicate Republican, 17% Democrat, but 34% simply say none of the political parties.

Drivers Change Driving Behavior: Drivers change their driving habits in some way due to fuel prices–47% combine driving trips, for example. In fact, about 8 in 10 say they change their driving behavior in some way when fuel prices increase: some drive slower now (37%), while others merely drive less (43%).

“I will not change the type of vehicle I drive (2-seat sports car) but I have changed my driving habits. I combine shopping trips, I no longer drive cross-country on long extended vacations, and I more carefully plan weekend holiday trips,” notes one survey respondent.

About Fuel Price Impact Study

The March 2012 Fuel Price Impact Survey is based on a sample size of 1,242 U.S. drivers and was fielded from March 20-30, 2012. Since 2005, AutoPacific has conducted the Internet-based fuel price impact survey every two months, drawing respondents from its VehicleVoice Internet Automotive Survey Panel. The objective is to determine the impact of volatile and rising fuel prices on American drivers and to determine what impact fuel prices would have on product segment and powertrain choices. The study also examines the impact of fuel prices on driving behavior, attitudes about various issues surrounding driving in America, and automotive aftermarket purchase intentions. The full results of the study are available via subscription.

In 1996, Volvo began a long-term relationship with a Swedish performance tuner – Polestar.  Polestar souped up Volvos for the European racing circuit.  And, now, Polestar has come to the USA through the offer of a chip enhancement for Volvo sedans and XSUVs.  Polestar can either be added at the Volvo port or as an accessory by your friendly Volvo dealer.   At the dealer it will set you back $1,295 and Polestar says the chipping should take about ten minutes.  You get a lot of bang for the buck.

If you get your Polestar upgrade when you take delivery of your new Volvo, it can be residualized in a lease or financed with the vehicle.  Volvo’s warranty and maintenance plans remain in place.  It’s pretty seamless.

Horsepower and Torque Upgrade The Polestar enhancement adds 23-horsepower and 29 lb ft of torque to Volvo C30 and C70 models equipped with the T5 5-cylinder engine.  This brings the power up from 227HP to 250HP.  It is also available on the 6-cylinder T6-equipped XC70, XC60, S60 adding 25-horsepower and 30 lb-ft of torque.  This brings the horsepower up from 300HP to 325HP and torque up from 325 lb-ft to 355 lb-ft.  Polestar is standard on the R-Design T6 XC60 and XC70 models.

Volvo Transformed You wouldn’t think that a 10% power and torque bump would do much for the driving performance of the cars, but it does.  The Polestar chipped Volvos are quick, feel more powerful and fun to drive.  These Volvos are not the “boxy, but good” Volvos of old.

About That Rectangle We can’t really figure out the logic of the blue Polestar rectangle.  At a glance it identifies a vehicle as having the Polestar upgrade.  This would be a point of pride for anyone springing for the upgrade.  But Volvo does not put the rectangle on the vehicles where Polestar is standard.  Huh?  For our money we’d spring for the extra $5 is would cost to slap the badge on the rear of the car.  The bragging rights are worth it.

Now they’ve gone and ruined it.  For the 2013 mild freshening, Chevrolet has abandoned its bold and distinctive front end appearance for a milquetoast “car” front end look for its crossover.  This fits into the VehicleVoice category of “WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?”

Honda is expecting sales on the order of 30,000 units per year for the new RDX.  This is not an unreasonable number for a product selling in one of the growth segments in the American car and light truck market.  In fact, this sales volume seems a bit timid for a brand forecasting a 45% increase in sales for the 2012 calendar year.

For 2013, the RDX gets very, very evolutionary styling – its hard to tell the 2013 from the 2012 from the outside – a complete interior makeover and now is powered by a 3.5L V6 engine.  The parrot’s beak grille has been toned down a bit although it is still there.  The DLO – daylight opening – for the side glass has been reshaped a bit and now resembles the Lexus RX XSUV in profile.

Smart Interior Package: The 5-passenger interior is friendly and comfortable.   The high tech features in the RDX are easy to understand and use with good attention to detail and ergonomics.   The instrument panel flows away from the driver and front seat passenger giving the sense of more space.  When looking at competition, the RDX interior dimensions are larger than the Cadillac SRX, Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes GLK.  Its overall passenger volume is huge at 103.5 cubic feet compared with the BMW X3 at 90.1 cubic feet.  Smart packaging.  As an entrant in the smaller SUV category, RDX in no way feels small.  For a small family or empty nesters, the RDX has all the space most would need.

Powertrain – V6 with Variable Cylinder Management – 6/4/3? Let’s think about the engine for a moment.  With the first generation RDX, the vehicle was at a disadvantage because it had a 240HP turbo 4-cylinder that gave only 24mpg on the highway with front wheel drive and 22mpg with all wheel drive.  The 2013 3.5L V6 gets 28mpg on the highway with front wheel drive and 27mpg with all wheel drive.  The 273HP V6 also has 33 more horsepower than the old turbo four.  The V6 is essentially the same six found in the Honda Accord, Odyssey, Pilot and other Acurae but with the added fillip of VCM – variable cylinder management to shut off cylinders depending on engine load.  Driving the RDX, the VCM transitions were seamless and under all conditions the V6 feels better than the four.  You don’t really know when you are driving with six, four or three cylinders.

Which brings us to a philosophical point.  Acura is launching a “Entry Premium XSUV” with a V6 that was sorely missed in its predecessor, but the timing may be wrong.  Could Acura have adopted an engine strategy to use a powerful 4-cylinder to achieve even better fuel economy than its “absolute top fuel economy in the class” at only 29mpg with front wheel drive?  Simply, could Acura have done better.

Capstone – Where’s the Excitement? The 2013 RDX is a competent and evolutionary replacement for the Acura’s first generation effort at a smaller XSUV.  RDX looks like what you would expect a contemporary Acura to look like.  It doesn’t try too hard to have controversial styling.  The parrot’s beak is more subtle.  It is comfortable.  It rides well.  It handles well.  It is easy to use and live with.  So, overall, the RDX hits all the right buttons except the excitement button.

Scorpions Anyone? At a glance you can tell the Abarth is something special.   Starting with the Fiat 500 Sport, the Abarth adds a unique front fascia that is actually functional making room for the 160HP 1.4L MultiAir 4-cylinder turbocharged engine.  The Abarth is not shy about shouting what it is.  The Abarth scorpion logo is found on the quarter panels, on the decklid, on the grille and on centers of the wheels.  There is also a lower bodyside stripe shouting “ABARTH”.  The outside mirrors sport contrasting colors depending on the interior color selection and matching the Abarth bodyside stripe.  The mirror caps and Abarth stripe are a $350 option.

In addition to the turbocharged intercooled 4-cylinder, the Abarth has dual exhausts, a sport tuned suspension, higher capacity brakes and Electronic Stability Control that can be turned off for the sportiest driving.  The Abarth has a 5-speed manual transmission that cries out for a sixth gear when cruising on the highway.  An automatic is not available – not a surprise for an Italian car.  The fact that the base 500 has an auto available is almost a surprise.

Load Up an Abarth and You can Spend $26,000: You can option up an Abarth with 17-inch wheels (up from the standard 16s) for $1,000, an expensive convenience package with satellite radio and a security system for $800 and leather seating surfaces for $1,000.  Checking all the boxes yields an out the door price of a bit over $26,000 – $4,000 over its base price of $22,000 without destination.  The base, base, base Fiat 500 starts at $15,500 and can be found for much less.  The $6,500 premium for the Abarth provides head-turning appearance touches and sparkling performance.

Is it worth it?  For such a small car, with the Abarth touches and the driving exhilaration the package provides, the $26,000 is worth it.  This is a little tiny car that brings a smile to your face.  It is raucous fun whether driven on the street or on a track.  Yippee!

2013 Acura ILX

The ILX’s GenY target is a youthful customer with a mature mindset who wants a “Near Premium” small sedan.  They see themselves as individuals with taste.  They live in and around big cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas.  They will sacrifice acceleration for fuel economy and innovative design.

Civic-Based ILX Won’t Turn Heads: Based on the Civic platform, the ILX has been substantially upgraded from the mass market Civic.  Acura’s research shows that its GenY target buyers want a vehicle with “cool” exterior styling that is affordable and environmentally friendly.  Is the ILX cool looking?  Is it innovative?  Not very cool or innovative on the outside, but not bad either.  The styling won’t turn heads, but it also will not generate the ridicule some present Acura vehicles have elicited in recent years.  The “parrot’s beak” grille has been toned down and the overall look is more mature than the two-segment higher TL.

Acura-Worthy Interior: The interior is Acura-worthy and the car comes across as larger than the C-Segment product it is. The interior abounds with technology features now expected even in smaller cars.  All ILX models with the exception of the higher performance 2.4L version is available with Acura’s slick navigation system and premium audio system.  The instrument panel looks functional and upscale at the same time.  It is  user friendly to those accustomed to today’s in-vehicle technologies.

Where is Honda’s Powertrain Magic? Honda has always been a powertrain company, but the ILX’s powertrain lineup shows little of the brilliance expected from Honda.  The base engine (about 75% of sales) is a 150HP 2.0L SOHC 4-cylinder mated to an automatic transmission and achieving 35mpg on the highway and 24 in the city.  Everything’s OK there.  Everything’s OK also with the 1.5L hybrid (about 20% of sales) mated to a CVT – Acura’s first hybrid with 38mpg highway and 39mpg city..  The hybrid’s 1.5L 4-cylinder has 91HP and the electric motor adds another 23HP.  But OK is not good enough for a premium brand like Acura.  Even the hybrid does not achieve the psychological 40mpg bogey many C-Segment cars are achieving today.

Acura will rightly point out that the ILX is more upscale, more fully-featured, heavier and slightly larger than the 40mpg club entrants, but still the environmentally conscious buyers Acura is targeting may feel let down by the fuel economy numbers of the ILX. But the powertrain story does not end with the less powerful 4-cylinders

2.4L 4-Cylinder Forces Weird Compromises for ~5% of ILX Performance Buyers: The weirdness comes with the model that could be the car line’s flagship – the 201HP 2.4L 4-cylinder.  This model is available only with a 6-speed manual transmission.  This is somewhat understandable because an automatic that could take the 170lb-ft of torque from the 2.4L would be larger and heaver.  Still, lack of an automatic in this model limits its sales potential among a buyer group that, admittedly, has never flocked to manual transmissions.  So, this is a limited volume model, right?  Right.  But to limit its potential even more, the Technology Package with navigation and premium sound is not available on this model.  Hmmmmm.

When was the last time you can honestly say that you’ve driven a full-size car with 140 horsepower and it has been more than adequate?  Maybe the 1986 Ford Taurus with the venerable Vulcan V6?  Well, I was given the opportunity for some seat time with a 2012 Passat TDI clean diesel and it is Volkswagen’s newest sedan to hit American soil, err, actually be built on American soil.  While the styling may not be anything to get excited about at first glance; like a jelly donut, it’s what is inside that counts.

The exterior of the Passat is fairly vanilla…almost Impala-like at first glance.  That’s ok, right?  It works for the Camry.  Parked next to a Jetta, it bears a strong family resemblance.  Besides, I only have to look at it when I walk up to it.  It is the interior that matters the most.  OK, so I don’t like the phony wood trim or the climate control knobs that feel like a dollar store special buy.  Neither remind me of a real Volkswagen, which usually have pretty awesome interior bits and well-crafted switches, but I still REALLY like the Passat TDI a lot.

The rear seat is made for families that have NBA all stars in the making.  With a hair over 39-inches of leg room, the back seat is super roomy and doesn’t feel the least bit like some small Euro saloon.  The cabin is simple yet modern.  The Passat I tested had a navigation system that was easy to use and the iPod interface was fast and simple.  I can’t say the same for VW’s navi system in the Jetta, so this was a welcome surprise.

The rest of the car feels remarkably like a Volkswagen but the price was actually kept in check in time.  The Fender audio system is clean, crisp and well worth the price of admission.  The steering wheel and most of the switches and stalks feel like any other VW.    I took the family on a road trip from Ann Arbor to South Bend, IN.  With an average speed of 75 MPH I was getting over 44 MPG.  That’s over 800 miles out of one tank at that rate.  Not having any time with the five-cylinder model or the V6, I think it is safe to say that the diesel option is the ‘killer app’ in the Passat line up.

The Passat TDI hits a home run in all of the areas that matter – rear seat leg room, fuel economy, comfortable ride, attractive pricing, and safety.  If VW can prove that they have high quality and excellent fit and finish out of their new plant in Tennessee, they should be fairly successful with this new entry.

What could they fix?  I’d like to see high intensity headlights, improved feel from the climate control knobs, and maybe a blind spot mirror for the exterior mirrors.  Not much, really.  I really like the Passat and the TDI seems to have found the answer to excellent fuel economy without eating up trunk space for a hybrid battery.  I never thought 140 HP would be more than adequate in a car of this size but VW proved me wrong.

]]> http://vehiclevoice.com/2012/03/2012-vw-passat-when-140-horsepower-is-fun/feed/ 0 http://vehiclevoice.com/2012/03/ed-kim-and-the-audi-a3-e-tron/ http://vehiclevoice.com/2012/03/ed-kim-and-the-audi-a3-e-tron/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 23:23:53 +0000 Ed Kim http://vehiclevoice.com/?p=4245 Recently, Ed Kim, AutoPacific’s Director of Industry Analysis, was given a sneak peek at the Audi A3 e-tron plug-in electric.  Earlier this week, Ed’s impressions were prominently featured in Audi’s featurette about the car. This video was released in conjunction with the automaker’s official announcement about the A3 e-tron’s U.S. test program at the 2012 TED Conference in Long Beach, CA. 

The A3 e-tron will be distributed in select markets in the U.S. to help Audi get real world data about how electric vehicles are used in everyday life, ultimately aiding in the development of future plug-in vehicles from Audi.

Audi, rightly so in our opinion, believes there is no one silver bullet in the quest for greater efficiency.  As such, the automaker is exploring just about every available alternative powertrain technology out there as potential components of a greater solution.  Those can include electrics, hybrids, plug-in hybrids, diesels, or even very efficient gasoline engines.

Watch below to see Audi’s A3 e-tron in action, and Ed’s thoughts on some of the issues surrounding electric vehicles.