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2013 Lincoln Motor Company MKZ: Little More Zest, Less Zzzzz

The last time I drove an “entry level” luxury car that shared bones with some of Ford’s European DNA was my 2002 Jaguar X-Type 2.5 Sport with a manual transmission.  Haters can hate but I liked that car because it was more Ford than Jaguar.  Before the X-Type I had a 2001 Focus ZX3 and before that I had a Mercury Cougar.  The front-wheel drive one that was made in Michigan and exported to Europe.  Before that I had a 1996 Contour Zetec 5MT.  A 1999 SVT Contour was also in there somewhere.  Regardless, I’ve always been jealous of what Ford has offered in Europe.  I did what I could to get my hands on the closest thing to a European Ford, even if it wasn’t always the real deal.

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2013 Lincoln MKZ, AutoPacific, Dave Sullivan, Lincoln, More Tags

Analysis: 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon

What if I told you you could buy a vehicle that had the capability to haul seven people, could hit at least 30 MPG on the highway, and had all of the creature comforts you would want, such as navigation and Bluetooth; would you buy it? What if there was a catch? Would sliding doors break the deal for you? Would riding in a jazzed up cargo van send shivers down your spine? Would you embrace the Transit Connect without power sliding doors and power liftgate? Time will tell.
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7-passenger minivan, 7-passenger vehicle, AutoPacific, Dave Sullivan, More Tags

The Little Engines That Could

Silence is Golden in Slick New VW Jetta Hybrid

There are three key parts to making a successful hybrid…1) great performance, 2) a smooth powertrain, and 3) outstanding fuel economy. VW has done it all and more with their “Serene Hybridness” – the new top of the line 2013 Jetta, the slick and sophisticated Hybrid (starting at $24,995).

By now, most of you know the current generation Jetta…larger car…lower price, with more mainstream appeal than the earlier forays into sports sedan territory. To create the Hybrid, VW started with the new Jetta and added the independent rear suspension and soft touch interior from the Jetta GLI (yes, the “real” Jetta for you sports sedan holdovers). So, we know it feels good to your hands and the road feels comfortable to your bottoms, even when the pavement gets rough. To the naked eye, other than very subtle badging, it looks just like a Jetta.

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Women Drivers More Satisfied than Men

Driver satisfaction is a critical measure of vehicle acceptance. Having a satisfied buyer results in better loyalty, better word-of-mouth, stronger image. Satisfaction is a central building block of a brand. AutoPacific has been measuring driver satisfaction since 1993 and it is always instructive to look at the differences between women and men drivers. In AutoPacific's annual 2012 Vehicle Satisfaction research, women drivers score 39 rating points higher than men - 674 over 635 in their overall Vehicle Satisfaction score.
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satisfying women drivers, Vehicle Satisfaction Award, Vehicle Satisfaction research, VSA, More Tags

2013 Toyota Avalon Shifts to Youngsters

No Longer a LARGE CAR - Now Avalon is a Premium Mid-Size Car The 4th generation car is slightly smaller with much more expressive styling. It goes a long way in changing the perception of the vehicle. Based on the Camry platform, the Avalon shares much under the skin with the Camry and Lexus ES350. The Avalon is the product of Toyota's Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, CA and the huge and growing Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is, of course, assembled in Georgetown, KY.
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2013 Toyota Avalon, Auto Pacific, AutoPacific, avalon, More Tags

2013 Buick Enclave and Verano Turbo Deliver Style and Power

There was once a time when Buick was synonymous with stodginess—an aging automotive brand out of touch with contemporary luxury car buyers. Then came the Buick Enclave for 2008 model year, a premium mid-size crossover that gave birth to a more exciting, redesigned Buick, providing styling cues that today’s luxury customers demand. So has been the theme of recent Buick entries and revivals, including its latest premium compact entrant, the Buick Verano. And for 2013 model year, Buick has made notable improvements to both Verano and Enclave.

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Buick Enclave, Buick Verano, Buick Verano Turbo, General Motors

Mid-Size Powertrain Wars – Ford Fusion

The 2013 Fusion is great vehicle and it no doubt shooting for the stars, in styling, technology content, powertrain options
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Atkinson-cycle, EcoBoost, Ford, Ford Fusion, More Tags

2014 Honda Accord PHEV – Bring the Bling

Honda will add a plug-in hybrid version of the Accord for the 2014 model year with launch in the first quarter of 2013. As part of its Earth Dreams Technology initiative, the PHEV represents the toughest powertrain challenge for the Accord according to Plug-In Hybrid Large Project Leader Yasuyuki Sando. Later, a pure two-motor hybrid version will be added.
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2014 Honda Accord PHEV, Accord PHEV, AutoPacific, enhanced AT-PZEV, More Tags

2013 Accord – Honda Gets its MOJO Back

The all new 2013 Honda Accord is Honda's most important vehicle EVER. That's right, EVER! It comes after lackluster reviews of the latest cost-reduced mind-numbing Civic. It enters the mid-size car product segment where the oldest high volume competitor was launched as a 2011 model in early 2010 (Hyundai Sonata) and each new model is more impressive than the one that came before it... Toyota Camry, Kia Optima, Volkswagen Passat, Nissan Altima, the coming-soon Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu and next year's Mazda6. Each new mid-size entry is better, more finessed, more technologically capable and available with a wider range of features than ever before. The question is "Did Honda bring their 'A Game' to the 2013 Accord, or is it another misstep like the Civic?" Bring their "A Game"? Wow, did they! This Accord is a take-no-prisoners attempt by Honda to reclaim leadership in the premium mid-size car class. With this car, Honda appears to have its MOJO back!
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2013 Honda Accord, Accord, all new Accord, all new Accord Coupe, More Tags

2013 Ford C-Max Trounces Prius V

During a brief drive from Hollywood to Malibu and back through the Hollywood Hills to Sunset Boulevard, the 2013 Ford C-Max showed what a small hybrid-powered people mover could be. Ford, of course, touted the clear advantages of the C-Max over its designated competitor the Prius V. C-Max has 50 more horsepower. C-Max has 7-miles per gallon better fuel economy through its third generation hybrid powertrain. And, C-Max is priced $1,300 lower than the Prius V. While earlier Ford hybrids had used a similar hybrid system as Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive, Ford was clear to state that the C-Max lithium-ion batteries are an in-house development as is the all new CVT (continuously variable transmission).
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2013 C-Max, Auto Pacific, AutoPacific, C-Max, More Tags
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