Showing posts with label GCBC Awards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GCBC Awards. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 25, 2012

2013's The Bad 8 - Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid

VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG HYBRID
2013 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid
In the earlier part of this millennium, hybrid versions of conventional vehicles were so obscenely priced that claims of savings could only be proffered at the pump. 

 We've come a long way. The Toyota Camry Hybrid costs $920 less than the Camry SE V6, and SE isn't even the top Camry trim level. Ford's new Fusion Hybrid costs $3000 less than the Fusion Titanium. 

 So what's up with the Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid? Its limited production status forces Volkswagen to charge too high a price. If the hybrid vehicle in an automaker's lineup is going to be priced $15,130 higher than the basic version of the nameplate's more efficient diesel (and $3400 higher than the top of the line diesel), what's the point? No buyer in his or her right mind is going to buy that vehicle.

 2013's The Bad 8 logoIn fact, HybridCars.com says virtually no Touareg Hybrids find U.S. buyers. Through the first ten months of 2012, the hybrid was only worth 2.3% of all Touareg sales, just 0.05% of all Volkswagen sales,  only 0.04% of all VW Group sales, and less than 0.002% of all new vehicle sales in America. For every Touareg Hybrid Volkswagen sells, 19 Touareg TDIs leave VW showrooms.

 It's not just the TDI's more favourable pricing scheme that has buyers heavily favouring the diesel over the hybrid. The diesel Touareg is also the more efficient Touareg. The diesel's miserly qualities are made all the more apparent when we consider the size of the Touareg TDI:  4974 pounds, 1724 pounds heavier than the outgoing Subaru Forester, a four-cylinder vehicle that uses more fuel on the highway. Volkswagen's Touareg TDI is rated at 20 miles per gallon in the city and 29 mpg on the highway, enough for a combined rating of 23 mpg.

 The Touareg Hybrid shares the TDI's city rating but manages just 24 miles per gallon on the highway, something Lexus can achieve with its non-hybrid RX350.

 Where's the logic in spending more to save less? 

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Alternatives: Start with the obvious, Volkswagen's Touareg TDI, and move through the Touareg V6 Executive to other VW Group options like the Audi Q7 and Good 12-winning Porsche Cayenne.

Base USD/CAD Price: $62,055 / not for sale in Canada

It Sucks, But... In general, the Touareg is a very nice vehicle, one which challenges buyers to reject the traditional use of a luxury badge while still acquiring a luxury vehicle. The hybrid Touareg also happens to generate more horsepower than the gas V6 or the V6 TDI.

Sales Stats: According to HybridCars.com, Volkswagen of America only sold 232 Touareg Hybrids in the first eleven months of 2012. Compare that to 4313 Touareg diesels during the same period. In total, the Touareg is a small part of VW's U.S. output and a low-volume rival for luxury SUVs like the Mercedes-Benz M-Class and mainstream SUVs like the Toyota Highlander.


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2013's The Good 12 - Land Rover Range Rover - $80,000-$90,000

LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER
A November piece written by the unquestionably wise Jack Baruth for TTAC included mostly harsh words for the current state of Land Rover. 

 The Good 12 2013 logoBaruth shows this photo and explains it this way: "Putting that photo up where PEOPLE CAN SEE IT is approximately as stupid as me posing topless with “Marky Mark” Wahlberg and making sure every single mother in America between the ages of 22 and 35 gets a copy of the photo in her mailbox tomorrow."

 He's right, of course.

 GoodCarBadCar won't deny the appeal of a basic Range Rover. But these days, a basic Range Rover goes by a different name: Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, which is itself a Good 12 winner in the $25K-$30K bracket. At the high end, the still off-roadable L405 Range Rover is a real competitor for the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7-Series, and maybe even the Bentley Continental Flying Spur. 

 Like Baruth said at TTAC, the current Range Rover isn't what it used to be and isn't what it should be. That doesn't mean the fourth-generation Range Rover isn't spectacular. It's exceedingly powerful, particularly beautiful inside and out, full of Bridge of Weir leather that you won't find in lesser SUVs, equipped with a stereo that will have Jesse Cook's guitar giving you goosebumps the size of an Evoque, and roomy enough to make you consider hiring a chauffeur. 

 The new Rangie isn't the best Range Rover of all time, but it's almost certainly one of the best new vehicles you can buy today.

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Engines: 375 horsepower; 375 lb-ft of torque from a 5.0L V8 or 510 horsepower; 461 lb-ft of torque from a supercharged 5.0L V8

Base USD/CAD Price: $83,500 / est. $98,120

City Fuel Economy: est. 13-14 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: You've heard about Land Rover's infamous reliability ratings? While it's true that the least reliable vehicle in 2013 is at least as reliable as the most reliable vehicle from 1970, there are some factors you'll want to consider. When you buy (or probably lease) a new Range Rover, make sure an alarm is set on your iPhone for the day its warranty runs out. And trade that bad boy in. By the way, you won't get as much on trade as you'd hoped.

Sales Stats: In the U.S., Range Rover sales improved in four consecutive years through 2011. Canadian Range Rover sales have been mostly steady over the last decade. In the first eleven months of 2012, the Range Rover accounted for 17% of all U.S. and Canadian Land Rover sales. The new model will likely bring about an increase in that figure.

 Viable Alternatives: At the high-end, the Mercedes-Benz G550, and at the low(er) end, the Toyota Land Cruiser.


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2013's The Good 12 - Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon - $50,000-$60,000

MERCEDES-BENZ E350 4MATIC WAGON
Wagons are a rare thing in North America these days. Mercedes-Benz's E-Class is basically without rivals. The BMW 5-Series GT isn't a wagon, and it's ridiculously ugly. The Cadillac CTS and CTS-V wagon won't continue much longer. Audi no longer sells the A6 Avant on this side of the Atlantic. The Acura TSX Sport Wagon? It's not very German, it is very front-wheel-drive, and it is not very powerful.

 The Good 12 2013 logoThe Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic Wagon is German, features all-weather all-wheel-drive, and is definitely powerful. It also looks fantastic in a legitimately blue-blooded, aristocratic sort of way, all the more so in the facelifted 2014 version. The E350 wagon is elegant. Call it classy, sophisticated, even dapper. 

 Fortunately, it's not ostentatious like Caddy's CTS-V or gaudy like a Porsche Panamera, or meretricious like a Mini Countryman.

The E350 wagon is a traditional car in a crossover world. The vast majority of buyers will direct themselves toward Mercedes-Benz's own ML350. The E350 4Matic Wagon requires buyers to take a stand, and with no financial benefits over the ML, I can see why. 

 Nevertheless, a big-wheeled bruiser of a wagon says something about your car-buying intelligence that no humdrum SUV ever will.

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Engine: 302 horsepower; 273 lb-ft of torque from a 3.5L V6

Base USD/CAD Price: $57,700 / $70,400

City Fuel Economy: 19 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: Oh wait, it is perfect. Except for the fact that somebody else is driving the 516-horsepower E63 AMG Wagon, a car that makes the E350 4Matic seem a bit weak-kneed. And, if we're nitpicking, the front end is a bit fussy and the interior's a bit complicated. The upcoming facelift improves the front end issue.

Sales Stats: Aided by multiple bodystyles - sedan, wagon, coupe, and convertible - the E-Class is substantially more popular than the BMW 5-Series, Audi A6, Lexus GS, and every other premium brand car in its price range.

 Viable Alternatives: While you can, the Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon is a unique proposition.


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2013's The Good 12 - Porsche Boxster S - $60,000-$70,000

PORSCHE BOXSTER S
With 9.9 cubic feet of cargo volume, the Porsche Boxster S is a minivan among two-seat roadsters. Its capacity to haul your weekend getaway luggage is 13% better than what you'll find in an Audi TT, 24% better than what the BMW Z4 can carry, 87% better than what Mazda's MX-5 Miata will lug. Only the Mercedes-Benz SLK, obviously a genuine Ford Expedition rival, outperforms the Boxster S in the trunk department.

 The Good 12 2013 logoThe SLK55 AMG, one of the most fuel efficient V8-engined cars on the market, is a startlingly quick machine. Its retractable hardtop is convenient and secure. And at $67,990, it costs less than a Boxster S that's equipped with optional wheels, paint, and seats. (The basic Boxster S does have wheels, paint, and seats, but you won't want them - no Porsche owner worth his salt avoids the option sheet.)

 However, the SLK55 AMG is a front-engined roadster in a front-engined world. The Boxster S, like all the great $250,000 supercars of our day, is a mid-engined car. Placing the engine between the axles improves balance. The 3.4L engine has its cylinders arranged horizontally. Boxer engines are always able to rest lower in the chassis. Moreover, the Boxster S weighs 14% less than the Audi TTS Roadster, 18% less than the BMW Z4 sDrive35is, and 19% less than the SLK55 AMG.

 Thus, the lightweight car has the optimal engine placement and the advantageous cylinder arrangement.

 But like the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid owner who tells you he bought his SUV for the fuel economy, you can tell all your 3-Series-driving friends you bought your Boxster for its trunks.

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Engine: 315 horsepower; 266 lb-ft of torque from a horizontally-opposed 3.4L six-cylinder

Base USD/CAD Price: $60,900 / $69,500

City Fuel Economy: 20-21 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: It pretty much is perfect. If we had to find fault it would be with the Boxster's weight gain. The S now weighs approximately 80 pounds less than the outgoing model, but nearly 6% more than the original Boxster from 1997. Weight is the chief enemy of any sports car (besides the Mercedes-Benz SLK) so it would be nice if the Boxster S could shed a few pounds. Another Boxster Spyder maybe?

Sales Stats: The Boxster range hit a rough patch last year that extended into 2012 as the second-generation car aged and became rare on dealer lots. Now that the new 981 Boxster is here, sales have perked up. But, at least in the United States, Porsche isn't about to return to the Boxster's glory days. A decade ago, Porsche sold nearly 10,000 Boxsters in the America. Boxster volume in America hasn't topped 5000 units since 2005.

 Viable Alternatives: In the absence of the Boxster, it's not as though you'd be disappointed with an Audi TTRS or BMW Z4.


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2013's The Good 12 - Porsche Cayenne S - $70,000-$80,000

PORSCHE CAYENNE S
The Porsche Cayenne S actually has a U.S. base price below $70,000 USD, a violation of GoodCarBadCar's eligibility for this price segment. 
The Good 12 2013 logo
The $65,850 Cayenne S isn't the Cayenne you want, though. It seems necessary to pay $790 for metallic paint, preferably the Umber or Meteor Grey. The $3140 Carmine Red is a bit much.

 Then I feel it's vital to upgrade the 18-inch Cayenne S III wheels to something like the 21-inch 911 Turbo II wheels. Those wheels will sting with a $5525 bite, but now that I have a Cayenne S I like, it costs $72,165.

It sure does look good, right, and proper. Maybe not good-looking like an Amaranth Red 911 Carrera S on 20-inch SportTechno wheels, but we can't all drive 911s now can we? The mainstream automotive press is mostly over the conflicting ideology behind Porsche as we used to know it and the Porsche that builds SUVs. And it's a good thing, because the Cayenne S is a fine luxury family vehicle, not just a fine luxury ess-you-vee.

Would I like to return to the days when, rather than a Porsche SUV, an Audi RS6 Avant could be honoured? Gladly. But that's not the world in which we live. In this world, the one where my daily drive doesn't involve a couple laps around the Nürburgring, the Cayenne's ability to do it all - including loading up 23.7 cubic feet of Costco purchases with five aboard and driving home after a fresh snowfall - is more than welcome. 

 As for the 'Ring, the Cayenne has been known to perform rather well there, too, as this Sabine Schmitz-driven Turbo well and truly proves.

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Engine: 400 horsepower, 369 lb-ft of torque from a 4.8L V8

Base USD/CAD Price: $72,165 / $81,520 (including metallic paint and 21-inch 911 Turbo II wheels)

City Fuel Economy: 16 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: Compared with the $58,800 402-horsepower Mercedes-Benz ML550, 375-horsepower $60,895 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, and $64,200 400-horsepower BMW X5 xDrive50i, the Porsche Cayenne S appears to be rather expensive, no?

Sales Stats: 2011 was the Cayenne's best U.S. sales year since 2005. Through eleven months, the Cayenne's 2012 sales total was up 15%. In Canada, 2011 was the Cayenne's best sales year ever, and in ten months, 2012 was already better than the whole of 2011.

 Viable Alternatives: The modern automobile industry knows how to build a modern SUV, from BMW's X5 to the Land Rover LR4, Audi Q7, and the diesel-powered version of this Cayenne.


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2013's The Good 12 - BMW 328i - $35,000-$40,000

BMW 328i
Until the F31-generation 3-Series Touring arrives and shows us what rooflines were meant to be, the 3-Series sedan does a fine job of showing us what a luxury car ought to be. 

The Good 12 2013 logoBMW is still benefiting from its long cultivation of the 3-Series brand. You can have at least this much horsepower and at least this much equipment for substantially less money in just about any 3-Series rival. Yet the 3-Series remains the more desirable car. 

It still handles wonderfully. Of course there's not the delicacy you'd enjoy in a 2002tii - get over it. And no, it doesn't steer like an E30 M3. Neither do any of the 328i's competitors.

 Apparently, most buyers don't care about the 3er's dynamic decline, nor do they appear concerned about its expense. We want a mix of power and efficiency, a blend of luxury and lightness, a union between handling priorities and ride quality. The 328i provides the right brew, and does so while looking better than it has since 1991.

 As for the advancement of the breed, the 328i now has as much horsepower as the E36 M3 of 1998. In fact, the 328i now has 8% more torque than that car and only weighs 9% more. The EPA city fuel economy rating has improved 35%, the highway figure is 27% better. The state of the modern sport sedan ain't so bad after all.

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Engine: 240 horsepower; 255 lb-ft of torque from a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder

Base USD/CAD Price: $36,500 / $39,990

City Fuel Economy: 22-23 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: If the market determines whether an item is priced appropriately, the 328i is perfectly priced. But to those of us who didn't pay the price, the 328i is the most expensive car of its kind with the most expensive options.

Sales Stats: The overall 3-Series range is America's best-selling premium vehicle line; Canada's too. Its best-selling competition, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, is selling better than it has in years, however. 

 Viable Alternatives: The Audi S4 is quick. The Volvo S60 is comfortable. There's a new Lexus IS on the way. The list goes on.


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2013's The Good 12 - Ford F-150 SVT Raptor - $40,000-$45,000

FORD F-150 SVT RAPTOR
GoodCarBadCar was quick to honour the Ram 1500 range with a Good 12 placement, but for customers aiming to spend a little extra, the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is downright irresistable. 

The Good 12 2013 logoSure, an off-road truck isn't every pickup buyer's dream vehicle. Maybe you don't need 411 horsepower. Perhaps a foot of suspension travel is too much for you. Gigantic skid plates might not be your cup of tea. Tires that are more than a foot wide and nearly three feet tall possibly offer a greater degree of curb-crawling competence than you can manage.

 Yeah, the F-150 SVT Raptor is just too much truck for some pickup buyers. 

For the rest of us, the idea of owning a comfortable, fast, and overwhelmingly effective truck is exciting, even thrilling. Only without the typical Raptor graphics, please. Garish isn't goodness.

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Engine: 411 horsepower; 434 lb-ft of torque from a 6.2L V8

Base USD/CAD Price: $43,340 / $56,599

City Fuel Economy: 11 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: The Raptor is more than half a foot wider than a typical F-150. That doesn't make parallel parking the Raptor in a downtown parking garage a task for the fainthearted. 

Sales Stats: The Raptor is just one niche model in the vast F-Series range. The F-Series range happens to be the best-selling vehicle line in North America. 4.6% of all new vehicles sold in North America in the first eleven months of 2012 were F-Series pickups.

 Viable Alternatives: The Mopar Ram Runner?


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2013's The Good 12 - Chevrolet Suburban - $45,000-$50,000

CHEVROLET SUBURBAN
The Chevrolet Suburban's downsides are widely known and easily explained in a nutshell. Suburbans are vast, and while that pays dividends inside, the size of this behemoth sucks, both in parking lots and at the fuel pump. Additionally, the eleventh-generation Suburban is nearing the end of its term, and its interior styling was never the most modern to begin with.

 The Good 12 2013 logoThe penalties we pay for Suburban ownership are nothing compared to the perks we enjoy during Suburban ownership. It's a veritable school bus, and with seats folded, it's a genuine cargo van. Suburban 1500s have a theoretical range of 540 miles. 

 The long wheelbase limits off-roading, but only to a degree: there are nine inches of ground clearance. Even in the third row, leg room stretches to 35 inches, just a speck less than you'll have in the back of a Civic. 

 Best of all, the Suburban can be a school bus and cargo van at the same time. Having seated eight of your besties, you can also throw in 45.8 cubic feet of their luggage. That's significantly more cargo capacity than you'll find behind the second row of the Chevrolet Equinox. The Toyota Camry's trunk is only one-third the size.

 Space equals luxury. Given how much Chevrolet is charging for a Suburban these days, it better be luxurious in one way or another.

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Engine: 320 horsepower; 335 lb-ft of torque from a 5.3L V8 or 352 horsepower; 382 lb-ft of torque from a 6.0L V8

Base USD/CAD Price: $42,545 / $52,610

City Fuel Economy: 10 - 15 

It's Not Perfect: There are plenty of fine Suburban rivals, not the least of which is its twin, the GMC Yukon XL. Cadillac's $66K Escalade ESV is a high-end option. Toyota's Sequoia and Ford's Expedition also feel a bit fresher. In other words, the Suburban is getting old, and we expect a bit more finesse from a new SUV these days, even if it is more than 18 feet long.

Sales Stats: Obviously GM isn't selling as many full-size, truck-based sport-utility vehicles as it did a decade ago. But automakers aren't selling as many vehicles as they used to in general, as the market is simply not the size it once was. Nevertheless, America remains a much larger market for jumbo SUVs than Canada. Although the overall U.S. new vehicle market is between eight and ten times bigger than Canada's, Suburban volume is 46 times better in the U.S.

 Viable Alternatives: Rather obviously, the GMC Yukon XL. The Ford Expedition and Toyota Sequoia are also impressive.


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2013's The Good 12 - Dodge Ram 1500 - $30,000-$35,000

RAM 1500
There are probably about 1951 different Ram permutations that end up with a price somewhere between $30,000 and $35,000. One important new version is the V6-powered 2013 Ram 1500 SLT 4x4 Quad Cab. Relatively efficient, suitable for work and family life, and decently equipped, the $34,585 SLT V6 Quad Cab will now be a commonly seen truck. The 305 horsepower and 269-lb-ft generated by the V6 are impressive figures, limited only by the high engine speeds at which they're achieved.

The Good 12 2013 logoThe Ford EcoBoost-fighting V6 is only one part of what makes the Ram pickup range the one to consider. Let's be clear: there are countless reasons for the F-Series' marketplace dominance. You'll probably be satisfied with a Chevrolet Silverado, you'd have fun with the Nissan Titan's 5.6L V8, and the Toyota Tundra is a big truck on a continent that loves big trucks.

This Ram has a lot going for it, however, not the least of which is that new V6 engine. The rumbling Hemi V8 remains the most alluring truck engine on the market. Though not F-150-like inside, the Ram's interior is so far beyond what GM is currently offering. 

 Much of the Ram's appeal continues to be its styling. Pickup trucks ought to be this aggressive, and the Ram's near-perfect truck design details - the forward-leaning crosshair grille and thick-spoked wheels especially - cause other trucks to appear almost unassuming. 

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Engine: 305 horsepower; 269 lb-ft of torque from a 3.6L V6, 310 horsepower; 330 lb-ft of torque from a 4.7L V8, or 395 horsepower; 407 lb-ft of torque from a 5.7L V8

Base USD/CAD Price: $22,590 / $19,995

City Fuel Economy: 14-18 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: The Ram is not a Ford F-150, and that alone is enough for many buyers to  avoid the truck formally known as a Dodge. As is the case with other trucks, Ram's diesel engine is unfortunately not available in non-HD versions.

Sales Stats: Consistently America's third-best-selling truck and Canada's second-best-selling truck (and second-best-selling vehicle), the Ram pickup range is the highest-volume nameplate in the Chrysler Group's lineup.

 Viable Alternatives: Thinking specifically, the Good 12-winning Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is a statement maker, a veritable maker of statements. In general, it's hard to find a bad full-size truck. The replacements for GM's twins appear to be very livable products, too.


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2013's The Good 12 - Fiat 500 Turbo - $15,000-$20,000

FIAT 500 TURBO
2013 Fiat 500 Turbo
Remember all the times you questioned whether 101 horsepower was enough in a modern automobile? Fiat heard your concerns.

 The Good 12 2013 logoThe 135-horsepower 500T is no Abarth. This wasn't the car Tracy Chapman was singing about. But it's plenty swift. Horsepower is, after all, up 34% in a car which weighs just 5% more. It is indeed the 500T's weight, the wonderful lack of weight, which makes it such a worthwhile drive.

 Tipping the scales at just 2477 pounds, the Fiat 500 Turbo is spectacularly maneuverable and eminently chuckable. Rather fortunately, the 500's ride never deteriorates the way you'd expect from a car with less than eight feet of wheelbase. 

 Fiat did more to this 500 than just up the underhood ante. There's a subtle bodykit, upgraded brakes, and the 500 Sport's suspension. 

Compared with more conventional cars like the best-selling Honda Civic, Good 12-winning Kia Rio, and pricier Volkswagen Golf, the 500 is a bit of an oddball. Yet its flair is distinctly Italian. In North America, unless you can afford a Ferrari, Maserati, or Lamborghini, the 500 is the only way to find that seductive flair.

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Engine: 135 horsepower; 150 lb-ft of torque from a turbocharged 1.4L four-cylinder

Base USD/CAD Price: $19,500 / $18,495

City Fuel Economy: 28 miles per gallon

It's Not Perfect: There are rear seats in the 500T, but they're difficult for an adult to access and even more difficult for an adult to tolerate for more than a moment. Some interior parts don't measure up to the high quality of other parts. Too cute can also be too much of a bad thing. And though clearly not a guzzler, fuel economy isn't the 500's strong suit.

Sales Stats: There was one rival in view when Fiat returned to North America. Fiat's 500 is easily outselling the whole Mini brand in Canada, and in the U.S., the 500 is right in line with equivalent Minis. The turbocharged mid-range car will only generate greater Cinquecento volume.

 Viable Alternatives: The Mini Cooper springs to mind.


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