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First Impressions: 2019 Infiniti QX50

2019 Infiniti QX50 We got to drive the fully redesigned 2019 Infiniti QX50 at the 2018 Midwest Automotive Association annual Spring Rally. By Cherise Threewitt, Contributor, Car-ED.com | May 2018 This compact luxury SUV was on hiatus for 2018 but is back with a fresh and modern design. Infiniti gave us the opportunity to get acquainted with the new QX50 on the easygoing Wisconsin country roads that surround Road America, though we had only a short time to learn as much as we could. The redesigned QX50 has car-like handling and, from behind the wheel, feels quite a bit smaller than it actually is. The power isn’t particularly impressive, but it’s definitely not lacking, either. This vehicle features a groundbreaking variable compression engine, though shoppers only really need to know that it’s a turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 268 horsepower, paired to a fuel-efficient CVT. Acceleration is quick, responsive, smooth, and effortless; it just lacks the “ooomph” that we look for in an upscale vehicle. There’s no drama. The steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters are a nice touch and help add a little excitement to the driving experience. However, when we downshifted manually via paddle shifter, it took an unusually long time for the engine and transmission to match back up again. To be fair, excitement might not be Infiniti’s goal, here. There are two screens, a display for navigation and a touch [...]

Cherise Threewitt2018-07-06T20:17:07-04:00Jul 2018|Car Reviews|

Brand Deep Dive: Alfa Romeo

Brand Deep Dive: Alfa Romeo Alfa's back, and they're ready to rumble By Randy Lioz, Editor, Car-ED.com | June 2018 The Alfa Romeo brand—say “Alfa Ro-MAY-o”—has over 100 years of history, with a strong heritage of racing and sports cars. It’s the marque that gave Enzo Ferrari his big break before he started his own company. Jeremy Clarkson, the prominent BBC and Amazon automotive TV host, said, “you can’t be a true petrolhead until you’ve owned an Alfa Romeo.” And its badge was affixed to the hood of the flashy red convertible that Dustin Hoffman drove in The Graduate, cementing its identity in the minds of American consumers. What does this brand stand for? Image credit: FCA Alfa Romeo has always been about sportiness. From nearly the beginning, ALFA, which stands for Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, was involved in auto racing, which helped to set its course through history. For most of that time it hewed to the performance car standard of rear-wheel drive, though more recently the brand’s offerings had been built with the more cost-effective front-wheel drive layout, particularly for its small hatchbacks. These were never sold in the U.S., however. Alfa has been owned by Fiat since 1986, being positioned as a step up from that more affordable Italian brand. The company’s Maserati marque competes in the higher reaches of the luxury market, while Ferrari represents the ultimate [...]

Randy Lioz, Editor, Car-ED.com2018-08-23T18:21:55-04:00Jun 2018|News, Research|

2019 RAM 1500 Rebel

2019 RAM 1500 Rebel RAM's budget answer to the Raptor By Randy Lioz, Editor, Car-ED.com | June 2018 RAM has a bit of Raptor envy. The Ford F-150 Raptor is seen as many as the ultimate off-road truck, with its upgraded suspension dampers, wild engine and bold wide-body styling. But it's an expensive proposition, with an opening ante over 52 grand, and rising quickly from there with a few option groups. So RAM thought it had a better idea: take a basic RAM 1500–all-new for 2019–and give it uprated Bilstein monotube dampers, knobby tires, and a look that sets it apart from the standard truck, and save the customer a heap-load of money. As Fiat Chrysler spokesman Scott Brown put it, "Owners wanted the lift and look," but they didn't necessarily want to go full-bore if they're not racing their truck through the desert on the regular. We got a chance to try it out off road at Calamigos Ranch outside Malibu. What is this vehicle? The RAM 1500 is the brand's full-size pickup truck, a rugged workhorse that also provides creature comforts. The 1500 is the brand's lightest-duty truck, with heavy-duty variants starting at the 2500 level. But that doesn't mean it can't handle a ton of weight...literally. It can haul up to 2,300 lbs. of payload in the bed, and tow another 12,750 behind it if equipped right. The RAM 1500 [...]

Randy Lioz, Editor, Car-ED.com2018-06-23T21:12:47-04:00Jun 2018|Car Reviews|

2018 Mazda Mazda3 Grand Touring

2018 Mazda Mazda3 Grand Touring This sedan begs to be tossed around. By Cherise Threewitt, Contributor, Car-ED.com | June 2018 What is this vehicle? The Mazda Mazda3 is the most affordable point of entry to the Mazda brand. This compact car is available in sedan and hatchback body styles and is known for being one of the best-handling vehicles in its segment. In base Sport trim, you’ll get a fun-to-drive, stylish, efficient, well-rounded compact car with a decent list of standard equipment. In the top-of-the-line Grand Touring trim, which we tested for this review, the Mazda3 sedan feels surprisingly premium and provides some advanced technology features that aren’t often seen in this class. Who is this vehicle for? The Mazda3 isn’t the absolute most affordable vehicle in the compact segment, but it’s priced pretty reasonably considering all that you get. This car is perfect for buyers who want something a little nicer than most entry-level compact cars, and who appreciate that a car can be genuinely enjoyable to drive even if it doesn’t have the most powerful engine on the market. The Mazda3 has modest horsepower compared to other sporty compact cars, but it’s also quite efficient, making this a good choice for fuel-conscious shoppers who don’t necessarily want a hybrid or EV. Why is this vehicle important to you, the buyer? The Mazda3 is really a great choice for shoppers [...]

Cherise Threewitt2018-06-22T12:42:42-04:00Jun 2018|Car Reviews|

Here are the Latest Hatchbacks

Testing Chevrolet, Hyundai and Toyota's Cool Compacts How do these three hatchbacks stack up? By Cherise Threewitt, Contributor, Car-ED.com | June 2018 We recently had the chance to check out the 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE, 2018 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel Hatchback, and 2018 Hyundai Elantra GT Sport. These three hatchbacks were tested during the Midwest Automotive Media Association’s annual Spring Rally, which is based at Road America in Wisconsin. Each member of the media who attends the rally gets a day and a half to spend with a roster of nearly 100 vehicles, from affordable compact cars to luxury SUVs to race cars. We used the opportunity to test out and compare some of the new vehicles that we expect to be most meaningful to car-ED readers. All three of the vehicles mentioned here were approved for street use only and were tested on the winding country roads that surround the Road America facility. 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE The Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE was an early favorite thanks to its sporty appearance and eye-catching bright blue exterior, and it was the first of our drives for this comparison. A disclaimer inside the vehicle stated that this was a preproduction prototype, which means that when the vehicle is available at dealerships, some elements of the vehicle may have changed. The interior was quick to impress, with a stylish and modern-feeling two-tone design and a comfortable steering [...]

Cherise Threewitt2018-06-19T01:04:14-04:00Jun 2018|Car Reviews|

2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Returning some sparkle to the triple-diamond By Randy Lioz, Editor, Car-ED.com | June 2018 The compact utility segment–with well-known entries like the Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape–is the best-selling in the industry, having leap-frogged the sedan segments as the family car of record for Americans. Mitsubishi wants to use its new entry in the segment as a basis for its climb back to relevance with U.S. consumers. The brand has had a tough slog, with a 10-year decline from 2002 to 2012, which saw the brand lose 83% of its sales volume. Over the past five years the tri-diamond has been growing, with 2017's sales nearly 80% above that of 2012. Nearly all of that increase has been owed to the brand's two existing crossovers, the Outlander and Outlander Sport. But to really kick up the momentum, and to introduce its new sense of design flair, Mitsubishi has resurrected the Eclipse name for a utility vehicle that tries to offer a distinct sense of sportiness in a field of crossovers that's more focused on utility and efficiency. What is this vehicle? The Eclipse Cross actually occupies the space in between the compact and subcompact segments, though Mitsubishi is positioning the vehicle against the compacts of the world. Its wheelbase and width suggest a vehicle right in the thick of competitors like the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape, but its [...]

Randy Lioz, Editor, Car-ED.com2018-06-15T00:50:28-04:00Jun 2018|Car Reviews|

Comparo: Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 vs. Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro

2018 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 vs. 2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro Midsize off-road trucks battle for the rock-crawling crown By Randy Lioz, Editor, Car-ED.com | June 2018 At the Motor Press Guild’s recent Droptops & Dirt event at Calamigos Ranch, near Malibu, CA, journalists had a chance to try out a unique mix of off-road focused trucks and utilities, as well as sporty convertible models. This is an intriguing time for those who like to play in the muck, as there are several different options within the pickup segments offering specially developed off-road editions straight from the factory. We got a chance to try two of these trucks, the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 and the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, side-by-side. What are these vehicles? These are trim levels of the popular Chevy Colorado and Toyota Tacoma. Already highly capable trucks, the brands add special equipment that allows them to be used in extreme off-roading tasks, like special suspension pieces that allow for better articulation during rock crawling, powertrain components that allow torque to be precisely controlled for optimal traction, body protection that preserves the panels even among tough terrain, and appearance pieces that announce to the world that they’re trucks to be reckoned with. Who are these vehicle for? These trucks appeal most to outdoor enthusiasts, many of whom appreciate the ability of these highly refined pickups to serve as [...]

Randy Lioz, Editor, Car-ED.com2018-06-11T21:55:53-04:00Jun 2018|Car Reviews|

2018 Nissan Kicks

2018 Nissan Kicks Nissan’s smallest SUV joins the car world’s biggest craze. By Nick Kurczewski, Car-ED.com | June 2018 Small SUVs are the next big thing in the car world, and automakers are rapidly adding more of them to their lineups. The 2018 Nissan Kicks joins in as the latest entry in this growing range of subcompact SUVs, which includes similarly brand-new models like the Ford EcoSport and Hyundai Kona. More established competition in this segment – which Nissan expects to more than double in sales volume over the next 3-4 years – includes the Kia Soul, Chevrolet Trax, Honda HR-V and Toyota CH-R. What is this vehicle? In terms of its size, the Kicks is right in the thick of its competition. The Nissan stretches 169.1 inches in total length, making it slightly larger than the Kia Soul (163 inches long), a bit smaller than the Toyota CH-R (171.7 inches), and the exact same length as the Honda HR-V (169.1 inches). Helping the 2018 Kicks stand out from the crowd is an aggressively low starting price of $18,965, including the $995 destination fee. A fully-loaded Kicks SR, such as the one we recently test drove in San Diego, California, still came with an affordable as-tested price of $22,025. Our test car included features such as a 7-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay and Android compatibility, blind spot monitors, surround-view camera, rear cross-traffic warning, leather-wrapped [...]

Nick Kurczewski2018-06-12T22:58:38-04:00Jun 2018|Car Reviews|

2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti RWD

2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti RWD Standing out among performance luxury sedans has never been so fun! By Nick Kurczewski, Car-ED.com | May 2018 What is this vehicle? Let’s get it out of the way, because we know you’re dying to ask: The Alfa Romeo Giulia turns heads and is a thrill to drive, but rival compact luxury sedans from BMW, Lexus, Mercedes and Audi represent more sensible car buying choices. So, is it worth taking a chance on this fun-loving Alfa? The answer: an emphatic ‘Yes!’ (but with a couple caveats added into the mix). We can’t give away the entire plot in the first few lines of a car review, right? The Giulia is the Alfa Romeo brand’s attempt at cracking into the compact performance luxury sedan field, which is currently dominated by cars like the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Lexus ES, Cadillac CTS and Audi A4, to name a few. Available in rear- or all-wheel drive format, the Giulia comes powered by 280-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, which is coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission. A range-topping performance model, called the Quadrifoglio, has a total of 505 horsepower and is the only Giulia model not to offer the option of all-wheel drive. Who is this vehicle for? You’re not exactly shy if you’re considering the Alfa Romeo Giulia, that’s for certain. The Giulia is a sport sedan for someone who [...]

Nick Kurczewski2018-06-07T00:14:39-04:00Jun 2018|Car Reviews|

First Impressions: 2018 Subaru WRX STI Type RA

2018 Subaru WRX STI Type RA We get a look at Subaru's highest-performance vehicle at Road America. By Cherise Threewitt, Contributor, Car-ED.com | May 2018 At the 2018 Midwest Automotive Association annual Spring Rally, Subaru provided the Type RA variant of the high-performance STI sedan. The STI Type RA was available to test on laps around the Road America track, although it also would have been delightful on the winding roads of Wisconsin. We’re already fans of the WRX and STI, so taking the Type RA for a quick track drive is icing on the cake. Protocol for this particular event emphasizes that we have the privilege of testing cars at Road America, rather than the obligation to pretend that we’re all racing experts, so bear in mind that we weren’t trying to set any records with the STI Type RA, nor was this really the time or place to attempt to find its limits. During those precious few minutes, we found little to complain about. The price is an eye-opener, to be sure, and it will be hard for most buyers to justify the premium over the STI (or even the WRX, for that matter). And while the ultrasuede-finished steering wheel looks great, it quickly gets a little sweaty under high-pressure driving situations. Besides that, the interior is comfortable and easy to set up the way you like, and the firm, [...]

Cherise Threewitt2018-06-04T14:29:03-04:00Jun 2018|Car Reviews|