Auto Expo Section 2/17/2013

■ FEBRUARY 17, 2013

T

he Enquirer Media and Cars.com Cincinnati Auto Expo, presented by the Greater Cincinnati Automobile Dealers Association, revs up Thursday and continues through next Sunday at the Duke Energy Convention Center, Downtown.

Hundreds of vehicle introductions highlight fuel efficiency, crossovers, electric cars, and technology and safety features. Enjoy the ride.

» Reviews of more than 50 vehicles start on page 3.

CHEVY MALIBU » PAGE I 5

MITSUBISHI i-MiEV » PAGE I 22

MAZDA CX-5 » PAGE I 38

ROCK ’N’ ROLLING SMALL CARS » I 50

I2 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

Aah! No-pressure browsing of hundreds of new vehicles

By Val Prevish Enquirer contributor

Steady growth in new car sales has auto dealers and vendors for the Enquirer Media and Cars.com Cincinnati Auto Expo excited about the prospect of large crowds and keen interest in the more than 400 new vehicles that will be on display Feb. 20-24 at the Duke Energy Convention Center.

The show is a perfect place to start searching for that new vehicle as a no sales policy means that visitors can browse cars from 32 manufacturers and 110 dealers all they want without pressure. The chance to compare cars of many makes and models in one spot is an opportunity many shoppers can’t pass up, says Charlie Howard, executive vice president of the Greater Cincinnati Auto Dealers Association.

“It’s a great opportunity to compare brands,” says Howard. “Technology is the ‘in’ thing right now. Cars are offering more connectivity. They are

also safer than ever before. Visitors can sit behind the wheel, pop the hood, test new technology and features, ask questions and receive expert advice.”

Every vendor spot for the show is sold out with nearly all area auto dealers represented, from Acura to Volkswagen, plus a number of industry-related exhibitors such as vintage car dealers, sports car clubs, and even fine chocolate sellers.

An aging U.S. fleet means more and more drivers are shopping for replacement vehicles, Howard says. The average age of cars on the road is 11.

With an improving economy and pent up demand, he expects national sales will climb to 15.5 million cars this year, up from 14.5 million last year.

Visitors to the show who haven’t looked at new models in a while will notice some fresh features. Cars are more fuel efficient than ever, and that efficiency does not come at the expense of space, power and luxury, says Howard. There are also electric models from several

ABOUT THE 2013 CINCINNATI AUTO EXPO » What: Enquirer Media and Cars.com Cincinnati Auto Expo presented by the Greater Cincinnati Automobile Dealer Association » Where: Duke Energy Convention Center, 525 Elm St., Downtown » When: The show kicks off with a preview party 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, featuring The Rusty Griswolds ’80s cover band, of which a portion of the proceeds benefit Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

The remaining dates are Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. » Admission: $11 for adults; kids 13 and under are free with an adult on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and $2 on Saturday and Sunday. » Discounts: Save $3 by buying a ticket at Cincinnati area Kroger stores. Also, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, adults can buy two tickets for the price of one at the door.

For more information: Go to cincinnatiautoexpo.com or Twitter: @CincyAutoEx.

manufacturers.

“Car makers have focused on how to create more room in smaller vehicles,” he says.

“They have more horsepower, too. But they are very fuel efficient.”

New autos are also full of technology, from hands-free parallel parking to back-up cameras and wireless media systems. Safety is also im-

proved from years ago, with many models boasting features such as tire pressure monitoring, stability control, collision mitigation on cruise control and blind spot detection, plus dual stage airbags, telematics and more.

Safety will be a highlight of the show this year as the event will feature a partnership with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

Medical Center to promote its Child Passenger Safety Program with child car seat safety demonstrations.

As part of this promotion, the kick-off party Wednesday evening from 5 to 9 p.m. will feature live entertainment by the Rusty Griswolds, a popular ’80s cover band, and a portion of the proceeds from the night will go to the CCHMC Child Passenger Safety Program.

Chip Hart, CEO of Hart Productions, which produces the expo, says that he expects attendance to increase this year as it did last year.

“The trend for shows is very positive compared to past years,” says Hart. “Economically things are up, and people are excited about the chance to see and experience new cars.”

Auto industry experts point to improving sales across the country and an industry that has bounced back from historical lows as proof that the American car market is recovered from the slowdown of a few years ago.

Now in its third model year, the highly innovative, industry-leading Nissan LEAF pure-electric vehicle features an extensive list of important enhancements for 2013. PROVIDED PHOTOS/NISSAN

Nissan CEO: Electric cars 10% of sales by 2020

By James R. Healey USA TODAY

Electric cars, barely a ripple in the car business now despite heavy publicity, will make up 10 percent of the markets where electrics are sold by 2020, says Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan and Renault.

“Am I still bullish on electric vehicles? Yes,” Ghosn said at a conference sponsored by consultant IHS and the National Automobile Dealers Association in connection with the New York auto show.

Nissan makes the Leaf electric, and Ghosn said the company has sold 25,000 worldwide.

He also said that he has halved the number of electrics, to 500,000, the number at which Nissan won’t need government incentives to maintain strong sales. Some U.S. electric buyers can get $7,500 credits on their federal taxes.

Nissan is ramping up production of electrics and batteries faster than expected, so the cost of pricey batteries and other electric components is falling fast, he said.

Nissan has sold 25,000 Leaf electric cars worldwide and will introduce other electric models.

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I3

HONDA

For 2013, a rearview camera, which helps drivers better know what’s behind the vehicle, is standard on all Pilots. And drivers have a good-sized, 8-inch, standard display screen in the dashboard. PROVIDED PHOTOS/HONDA

Roomy 2013 Pilot a winner

By Ann M. Job Associated Press

The Honda Pilot remains the most fuel-efficient eight-passenger sport utility vehicle for 2013; it is rated above average in predicted reliability and offers a comfortable ride and versatile cargo hauling.

The Pilot is a recommended buy of Consumer Reports and was named the Ideal Vehicle in the midsize premium crossover SUV segment by automotive research company AutoPacific of Tustin, Calif.

Despite the accolades, Honda keeps adding new standard equipment while keeping the Pilot price on par with competitors that also have three rows of seats.

For 2013, a rearview camera, which helps drivers better know what’s behind the vehicle, is standard on all Pilots. And

drivers have a good-sized, 8inch, standard display screen in the Pilot dashboard.

The 2013 Pilot gets other new standard equipment, including three-zone automatic climate control and Bluetooth handsfree phone calling for occupants with Bluetooth-enabled phones.

Best of all, the 2013 Pilot has a starting retail price of $30,350 for a front-wheel drive model with 250-horsepower V-6 and automatic transmission. The lowest starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, for a 2013 Pilot with four-wheel drive is $31,950.

The Pilot has only one engine – a 3.5-liter, single overhead cam V-6 that rations gasoline automatically when a computer module detects that a driver doesn’t need all six cylinders powering the vehicle.

The 2013 Honda Pilot is cleanly styled outside, and the interior is well-organized so anyone can get inside, set up a bit for a good view, and drive.

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I4 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I5

FORD

CHEVROLET

The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu ECO model will deliver an estimated fuel economy of 26 city/38 highway, making it the most fuel-efficient Chevrolet midsize vehicle ever. GETTY IMAGES All Ford Fiesta models come equipped with Ford’s leading safety and security features including driver knee airbag and anti-theft engine immobilizer. PROVIDED/FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Redesigned Malibu is a solid ride

Fiesta is Ford’s smallest US car

By James R. Healey USA TODAY

By Ann M. Job Associated Press

Ford Fiesta is a versatile, budget-conscious small car with a stylish interior and upscale car options such as heated leather seats and voice-recognition controls. The Fiesta also has higher U.S. government fuel economy ratings than a gasoline-powered Honda Fit. Best of all, the 2013 Fiesta earned five out of five stars in side-crash testing by the U.S. government. It’s one of the few subcompacts with such a high score in side-crash testing.

Available as a five-door hatchback and a sedan, the Fiesta features the lowest starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination

charge, of any new-model Ford: $13,995 for a base S sedan with five-speed manual transmission and $15,090 for a sedan with automatic.

A base 2013 Fiesta S hatchback with manual starts at $14,995. A Fiesta S hatchback with automatic, however, jumps in price to $16,090.

All 2013 Fiestas have the same 120-horsepower, naturally aspirated, four-cylinder, gasoline engine, though the Fiesta is sold in other some countries with diesel engines and turbocharged power.

In the United States, the Fiesta has a large number of smallcar competitors.

As an example, the starting Fiesta hatchback retail prices are $1,120 and $825 less, respec-

2013 CHEVY CRUZE LS AUTOMATIC • POWER WINDOWS/LOCKS

tively, than those for the 2013 Honda Fit with 117-horsepower, naturally aspirated four-cylinder and manual and automatic transmissions. But the 2013 Kia Rio five-door hatchback with 138-horsepower, naturally aspirated four cylinder has starting MSRPs, including destination charge, that are lower than the Fiesta’s – $14,550 with manual transmission and $15,650 with automatic.

Meanwhile, the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic starts at $14,660 as a sedan with manual transmission and $15,730 as a sedan with automatic.

As a hatchback, the 2012 Sonic has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $15,560 with manual transmission and $16,630 with automatic.

Sonics are available with 138horsepower, naturally aspirated four cylinder and 138-horsepower, turbocharged four cylinder. The turbo four has higher peak torque and it comes on at a lower rpm.

Not much has changed for the U.S. Fiesta for the 2013 model year though standard equipment and equipment packages are re-aligned.

The test Fiesta SE hatchback looked good in its bright red paint with painted aluminum wheels.

Fiestas have prominent indentations in their side bodies to add interest. Added-on trim pieces of silver or black are nonexistent, thus conveying a “clean” car that slices through the air.

2013 CHEVY MALIBU LS ALUMINUM WHEELS • CRUISE CONTROL

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Front styling has a swanky European look – not exactly brawny and not exactly cute.

Some buyers may prefer a different appearance, and Ford offers body stripes and different grille inserts as options.

The test Fiesta five-door moved along in traffic and merged well, though the car didn’t have super sporty acceleration.

Gear shifts were noticeable at times. The transmission was the six-speed PowerShift automatic that’s Ford’s dual-clutch, semi-automatic mechanism. It was the subject of complaints from consumers last year, but Ford said it has installed new electronic programming to betSee FORD FIESTA, Page I6

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OK, Chevy gets serious about the new Malibu.

Rolling out now is the mainstream version of the redesigned 2013 Malibu with the new-generation General Motors gasoline four-cylinder engines.

One model of the redone Malibu – the Eco – has been on sale since late January. But the Eco, which has GM’s eAssist gasoline-electric mild hybrid drivetrain, isn’t meant to be a highvolume seller; about 2,000 a month, or roughly 10 percent of total Malibu sales.

The eAssist, also offered in Buicks, was the only Malibu powertrain ready when Chevy, hurried by GM CEO Dan Akerson, finished the rest of the car.

The new gas engines weren’t on the same schedule.

Test Drive evaluated the Malibu Eco eAssist earlier.

The 2.5-liter gasoline-only models, like those evaluated here, are the ones that Chevy expects at least 75 percent of buyers to pick. The new design, 2.5-liter, four-cylinder has modern direct fuel injection but not the turbocharger that’s becoming a common power booster on four-bangers. It’s also the base engine on the 2013 Cadillac ATS small sedan coming soon.

A go-faster Malibu, coming in September or October, will have a 2-liter turbo four, same as the midlevel engine in the Cadillac ATS. It’s hardly a stretch to call the 2013 Malibu the best modern Chevy. Styling is crisp and restrained. Interior is roomy

and quiet, outfitted with classy trim. Engine’s strong. But that combo is almost the price of entry, rather than standout attributes.

The midsize sedan playground is full of bullies, and just being a really good car is no guarantee of success. Ford’s new Fusion comes soon, edgy and Euro. Honda fields a new Accord late this summer, sculpted and trimmer. Nissan’s new Altima just went on sale as a gas-mileage champ that’s quick and comfy.

There is such furious activity because the midsize sedan segment is biggest in the U.S.: 26 percent of all new vehicles sold, says sales tracker Autodata.

The Malibu is an adaptation See MALIBU, Page I6

A LOOK AT THE 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU » What: Redesigned Malibu with the new-generation gasoline engines most people will buy. Midsize, four-door, front-drive sedan meant to rival Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord. » When: On sale since early August » Where: Built at Fairfax, Kan., Detroit-Hamtramck, Mich. » How much: Starts at $23,150, including shipping; tops out about $34,000 » What makes it go: 2.5-liter Ecotec four-cylinder rated 197 horsepower at 6,300 rpm, 191 pounds-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm. Coming late summer/early fall: optional 2-liter turbocharged Ecotec four-cylinder rated 259 hp at 5,500 rpm, 260 lbs.-ft., at 1,700 rpm. All engines use six-speed automatic transmission. » How big: A few inches longer than Camry. Malibu is 191.5 inches long, 73 inches wide, 57.6 inches tall on a 107.8-inch wheelbase. Weight, 3,393 to 3,660 lbs. Passenger space, 100.3 cubic feet; trunk, 16.3 cubic feet Turning circle diameter, 37.4 feet » How thirsty: 2.5-liter rated 23 mpg in the city, 34 highway, 26 in combined driving. Trip computer in 2.5-liter test car registered 28.9 mpg (3.46 gallons per 100 miles) in highway driving.

Burns regular; holds 18.5 gallons » Overall: Great Chevy. Good-enough midsize sedan.

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I6 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

BMW

The BMW M6 Gran Coupe interior features two buttons to activate customized performance settings for the transmission, shocks, steering, engine and stability control.

Turbo-charged performance Detroit Free Press

The 2014 M6 Gran Coupe bolts two turbochargers to its 4.4-liter V-8 to generate 560 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque for a 0-60 time of 4.1 seconds.

The Gran Coupe is the latest example of German manufacturers’ infatuation with the idea of combining swoopy coupe-like styling with the practicality of four doors.

The M6 Gran Coupe uses the same powertrain as the M5 super sedan including its quick-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The interior features a head-up display, lightweight sport seats, Merino leather, carbon-fiber trim and two buttons to activate customized performance settings for the transmission, shocks, steering, engine and stability control.

It will be on sale this summer.

Ford Fiesta Continued from Page I4

ter manage the workings of the transmission.

Torque in the Fiesta’s 1.6-liter, double overhead cam, Duratech four cylinder peaks at 112 footpounds at a relatively high 5,000 rpm. In comparison, the Sonic’s 1.8-liter, turbocharged four cylinder delivers 148 foot-pounds of torque at 2,500 rpm.

Still, the test Fiesta easily averaged 29 miles per gallon in combined city and highway travel for a total range of nearly 360 miles on a single tank of gas. This mileage is a bit lower than the combined 33 mpg rating given to this Fiesta model by the U.S. government, which estimates city mileage at 29 mpg and highway mileage at 39 mpg. A Fiesta with extra-charge fuel efficiency package is rated at 40 mpg on the highway.

The Honda Fit, in contrast, is rated at 27/33 mpg with automatic transmission and has no extra fuel efficiency package.

Malibu Continued from Page I5

of GM’s award-winning German Opel Insignia with new start-fromscratch engines.

The 2.5-liter base fourcylinder is a bright spot.

Pretty quiet and calm normally, it will yowl and scoot under heavy foot.

Doesn’t feel taxed, just feels as if it’s having a ball at WOT (“wide-open throttle,” which is what engineers call flooring the gas pedal).

The Malibu test vehicles driven were an LTZ high-end model, about $31,000, and an LT more like a lot of buyers will choose, about $27,000. In addition to their engine, so well-matched to its assigned task, here’s what seems worth noting on

The Gran Coupe combines swoopy coupe-like styling with the practicality of four doors PROVIDED PHOTOS/BMW

The interior of the Fiesta test car had a snappy-looking dashboard arranged with a nice array of controls and features that dispelled any thought that this was a Spartan, cheap vehicle.

In fact, the sticker price was barely over $19,000, but the test Fiesta drove with surprising competency and nimbleness.

The car absorbed a good number of road bumps without fuss, and while passengers felt vibrations from the road, they weren’t overly intrusive. The driver, meanwhile, had a good feel for the road in the Fiesta SE hatchback and found the car tracked accurately in curves.

Front suspension is independent MacPherson strut, while a twisted beam and coil springs handle the rear.

Rack-and-pinion steering was more precise than expected and added to the driver’s confidence.

With conservatively sized, 15-inch wheels and tires, the test Fiesta had no feeling of unsprung, or heavy, weight at the corners, which helped ex-

plain the satisfactory, non-jarring ride. Yet, at more than 2,500 pounds overall, for the test car with automatic transmission, the Fiesta didn’t feel overly lightweight or tiny, either. This stable feel was enhanced by standard AdvanceTrac electronic stability control.

The Fiesta also has seven airbags, including one for the driver’s knee to help keep the driver properly positioned behind the steering wheel during a frontal crash.

The five-star side government crash tests are impressive for the Fiesta, while frontal crash test results garnered four out of five stars.

The Honda Fit earned four out of five stars in side-crash testing.

But the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic earned five out of five stars in both frontal and side-crash testing.

Note that Ford had auto journalists recently test drive one of its small, European, turbocharged engines.

While Ford made no promises of which U.S. car might get the powerplant, there is speculation that the Fiesta would be a good candidate.

these 2.5-liter Malibus: » Quiet. Chevy engineers set out to make the interior premium-carquiet and succeeded. Applause. » Comfort. Seats fit well; back’s roomy enough for adults. Some physiques might find the front cushions insufficiently padded. » Brakes. A bit numb, sadly. » Shifting. Six-speed automatic zips through upshifts and downshifts with composure and precision. Manual shift mode has been changed from a rocker switch on the side of the gear lever to + and touch points atop the lever. Still awkward and illpositioned for easy use.

The gearbox jerks violently in the quick on/off/ on throttle maneuver that you’d use if you started to hustle, suddenly had to

slow for a police car or errant pedestrian, then needed to get back up to speed fast. » Interior. Classy. The lower-price test car didn’t seem like a wanna-be version, save for lack of leather.

A big-screen infotainment and control system called MyLink is standard on all but the base model.

It is a central controller, operated by voice or buttons, for phone, stereo, streaming audio (via Bluetooth link to your phone, for instance). » Dynamics. Ride is comfy over most roads, but the front end bobs a bit on undulating roads.

Cornering agility is good for a family sedan.

The Malibu is a sweet Chevy, satisfying to wheel around. But can it stand out in an arena of strong contenders?

BMWStore.com 513.271.8700

The BMW Store 6131 Stewart Ave Cincinnati, OH 45227-1233 (513) 271-8700 www.bmwstore.com

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I7

CHEVROLET

The 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 convertible is a magic carpet for wealthy folks who have thick enough skins to shed eco-villain barbs from neighbors. PROVIDED/GENERAL MOTORS

Camaro ZL1 ragtop a rocket with good manners

By James R. Healey

You can imagine the discussion at Chevy.

“Hey, how about a Camaro convertible with, oh, a gazillion horsepower?”

“Um, well, that’s a lot in a car that lacks the gazillion-hp coupe’s steel top to keep it from pretzeling when all the ponies are raging.”

“We’ll just put in a lot of bracing and it’s good to go.”

“Yeah, but we already have the Camaro SS convertible, and it’s no dog. Do we really need a higher-performance ragtop?”

“Sure. Cars with tops that go down are inherently more fun.

And horsepower’s like money – no such thing as too much.”

Thus, the 2013 Camaro ZL1 convertible: 580 horsepower, 556 pounds-feet of torque, supercharged 6.2-liter V-8, 184 mph top speed, late September showroom launch, $60,445 and up. It joins the 2012 ZL1 coupe that’s been on sale since spring.

And man-oh-man, what a treat.

Except for some really cheap-looking plastic interior trim. Chevy’s gotta do something about that; it ruins the whole impression.

You could rant about the stiff

» What: Convertible version of high-performance, rear-drive, twodoor, four-passenger, sporty car » When: On sale late September » Where: Made at Oshawa, Ontario, Canada » How much: Starts at $60,445 including shipping, $4,550 more than the ZL1 coupe » What makes it go: 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 rated 580 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, 556 pounds-feet of torque at 4,200; available with Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual or Hydra-Matic 6L90 six-speed automatic » How fast: Chevy says 0 to 60 mph in four seconds, top speed of 184 mph, standing-start quarter-mile in 11.9 seconds. » How big: 190.4 inches long, 75.5 inches wide, 54.7 inches tall, 112.3-inch wheelbase. Weighs 4,380 pounds, 260 pounds more than the coupe. Trunk space, 10.2 cubic feet when top’s up, 1.1 cubic feet less than coupe; 7.8 cubic feet with top down. Turning circle diameter 37.7 feet » How thirsty: Rated 12 mpg city, 18 highway, 14 in city/highway mix (automatic transmission), 14/19/16 mpg (manual) Test cars’ trips computers showed 20 mpg (5 gallons per 100 miles) on 55-mph two-lane back roads, 14.3 mpg (7 gal./100 mi.) in enthusiastic driving on rural roads.

Requires premium fuel, tank holds 19 gallons

speed; the Chevy’s best is 19).

Chevy vs. Ford schoolyard taunts aside: a 580-hp sporty car just as the feds finalize the fueleconomy clamp-down for 54.5 mpg by 2025?

But not everything can, or should, be a fuel sipper if the price of that parsimony is tedium. Camaro ZL1 ragtop drinks deeply, but on a relative scale – satisfaction per gallon – it

price and the tight back seat, too, but ZL1 buyers probably have different priorities and higher incomes and care more about what’s under the hood.

The ZL1 does suffer in comparison with Ford’s Shelby GT 500 Mustang. The pony car is slightly lower priced, has more power (662 hp), goes faster (200plus mph) and uses less fuel (the Ford’s rated 25 mpg at highway

all really good. The ride’s not rough because the suspension adjusts, softening for bumps and firming on smooth paving.

The six-speed automatic, as in the test car, shifts crisply up and down and provides useful modes. In “drive,” it starts in second gear. That saves a little fuel, would help avoid wheel spin when starting on snow and is unnoticeable in easy-going driving because the engine has so much low-speed power.

In “sport,” it starts in first gear and has a more aggressive shift program.

Steering wheel paddles give you true manual operation of the automatic. It stays in the gear you choose rather than reverting to automatic if you aren’t actively using the paddles, as is typical.

The striking attribute is ZL1’s composure at any speed. But that’s a bittersweet observation.

Once upon a time, you could remark on similar good manners of most Detroit cars with a big V-8.

Nowadays, even V-6s are rare; four-cylinders have become the norm.

As good as today’s four-bangers are, they give you absolutely no clue how deeply satisfying it is to drive a V-8 as nicely tuned as the ZL1’s.

doesn’t use that much fuel.

Automatic transmission models such as the test car are rated just 12 mpg in town, 18 on the open road; manuals are 14/ 19. Our test miles on 55-mph rural roads showed 20 mpg holding at or near the speed limit (the biggest challenge of the test), and 14 mpg when being, uh, playful.

Too, the ZL1, and a racetrackoriented1LE model, also coming this fall, together won’t be more than 10 percent of Camaro sales, Chevy says, or about 9,000 cars a year.

Because the monstrously powerful ZL1 convertible is a Camaro, after all, it has the dramatic exterior styling that has helped make Camaro an evenup sales rival to Ford’s Mustang.

Unfortunately, that means it also shares Camaro’s demeaning, tacky, plastic interior trim.

The front seats are comfy, even if the convertible’s back seat is cramped. Controls are handy, if not always pleasing to operate.

Instruments in the dashboard are easy to read; those on the floor console aren’t without diverting your eyes from the road. Camaros of yore had some gauges there, and the modern reprise is an homage.

Steering, brakes, handling –

CAMARO ZL1 NUTS AND BOLTS

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THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I9

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I10 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

VOLKSWAGEN

Up mini-car tempts, but isn’t coming here

By James R. Healey USA TODAY

Volkswagen’s Up mini-compact is supposed to be the World Car of the Year, according to a panel of scribes who vote on such things.

But the world doesn’t include the U.S. VW says it has no plans to bring this nifty little car here.

Maybe later, after it’s redone for its next generation, and planners can bake-in considerations for U.S. emissions and safety regulations and tastes.

The current car can’t reasonably be modified thus.

Still, VW wants notice for the Up (VW prefers “up!” but that seems too affected), so it is lending it to U.S. auto writers.

“We love to tease,” VW spokesman Corey Proffitt jokes, adding more seriously, “We want to continue to show the depth and breadth of Volkswagen product offerings worldwide. We’re not just testing reaction to the Up’s size, powertrain and design.”

“With this car taking the World Car nod in New York ear-

A facilities worker wipes clean a Volkswagen Eco Up! at a showroom in Berlin, Germany. Rising sales in the Americas and Asia in 2012 helped to offset a drop in sales in western Europe. GETTY IMAGES

soil.”

The test car was a top-level version, called High Up (too cute, folks; back it off a notch).

lier this year, we thought what better than to keep one here for a while to put in front of the pundits to experience it on U.S.

It was a ball and yielded about 37 mpg despite lots of wideopen throttle. It would be fun to see Up stalking the streets look-

ing to pick off potential buyers of the similar-size Fiat 500 who favor a bit crisper execution than the Fiat delivers.

Wheel time in the Up did, though, highlight some botheration that comes with Euro-spec cars.

First the good stuff: » Styling. Terrific. Straightforward in line, shape and proportion, like a scaled-down, sharper-edge VW Golf. » Comfort. In such a minimobile? Yep. Back seat’s especially roomy for the size. Two adults can sit in comfort. Front’s accommodating, too. » Premium interior. Trim, upholstery, design – all high-level. The test car was the top model, but even so, it was surprisingly nice for an economy car. » Simple instruments, controls. Classic round analog gauges; no jazzing-up (and making confusing) what should be simple: operating and monitoring the car.

A favorite: aftermarketstyle navigation system. The screen pops onto or off of a See VW ECO UP, Page I12

FORD

Electric Focus EV is appealing but impractical

By James R. Healey USA TODAY

There’s nothing wrong with electric cars that three times the driving range at half the price wouldn’t cure.

In the case of the Ford Focus EV, that would mean about 230 miles of roaming room – not 76 – for about $20,000 – not $39,995 (or $32,495 if you qualify for $7,500 federal tax credit for driving a juicer).

But for now wheeling around in a pure electric car is like piloting a high-price gasoline car with only a quarter-tank of fuel that would take you several hours to refill (albeit for less money than topping off with gasoline).

You’re always looking at the range indicator as you’d tensely keep a wary eye on a low gas gauge.

Electric backers cite data showing most Americans aver-

them is about half fueled by coal, which has its own environmental issues.

The Focus EV, available only as a hatchback, is purely a Focus, save for powerplant. Thus it’s as stylish as a gasoline Focus but has even less space inside than the somewhat trim-fitting gas model.

The battery eats up rear cargo area, leaving you about 60 percent of the gas model’s cargo room. That’s a big drawback in a hatchback because cargo accommodation is a hatch’s forte.

But it’s fun, likable and satisfying because Ford does a dandy job on the electric powertrain. Plenty of scoot from a dead stop even though the EV weighs nearly 700 pounds more than the similar gasoline car.

Electrics are like that. Zip aplenty the instant you push the

age only 35 miles or so a day – but an average means some days less, some more.

Range anxiety is real, and it keeps you from enjoying the driving satisfaction otherwise provided by an electric vehicle (EV) such as the Ford Focus Electric. You also stew over possible power outages leaving you no way to refuel.

Ford hopes to sell 10,000 a year once the car’s available nationwide. A paltry number, but even so would be more sales than Nissan’s Leaf. Which says a lot about demand for electrics.

Still, their number will rise as car companies scramble for ways to meet fuel-economy regulations that dictate an average 54.5 mpg in 2025. And rules in some states for a minimum number of zero emission vehicles (i.e., electrics). But while EVs don’t directly emit pollutants, the power to recharge

ELECTRIC FOCUS EV NUTS AND BOLTS » What: Electric-power version of front-drive, four-door, five-seat, hatchback » When: On sale to fleet buyers since December, to individuals since mid-May » Where: Made at Wayne, Mich., alongside gasoline models. » How much: $39,995, including $795 shipping, plus about $1,500 for 240-volt fast-charge installation most buyers will want. Some buyers qualify for $7,500 federal income-tax credit. Some states offer additional tax subsidies. » What makes it go: Electric motor rated 143 horsepower and 184 pounds-feet of torque, driving the front wheels through single-speed automatic transmission. » How big: Nearly identical to gasoline Focus: 172.9 inches long, 71.8 inches wide, 58.2 inches tall, 104.3-inch wheelbase. Passenger space, 90.7 cubic feet. Cargo space, 14.5 cubic feet behind second row, (vs.

23.8 cubic feet in gasoline model), plus 1.5 cubic feet under-floor nook; 33.9 cubic feet when second row’s folded (vs. 44.8 cubic feet, gasoline).

Weight 3,624 pounds, 676 pounds more than gasoline model. » How thirsty: Range on a full charge rated 76 miles. Ford says four hours to recharge using 240 volts. Government fuel-economy rating is 110 miles-per-gallon equivalent in the city, 99 mpg-e highway, 105 mpg-e combined. » Overall: Stylish, good-driving electric, but like all EVs, high price and short range undercut appeal.

See FOCUS EV, Page I12

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SCION

The 2013 Scion FR-S is slightly more exciting than its near-clone counterpart, the Subaru BRZ. PROVIDED/SCION

Scion FR-S: Beauty, joy, notable value

By James R. Healey USA TODAY

The Scion FR-S is a gorgeous, joy-generating, modestly priced small sports coupe that turns out to be slightly more appealing than its nearclone, the Subaru BRZ. The near-clones are products of a joint development project between Scion parent Toyota and Subaru. They deliver an almost unbelievable amount of driving satisfaction for $25,000 to $30,000. They also deliver pretty good fuel economy for the lively way they encourage you to drive.

Despite their similarities, the FR-S test car made a little bit better impression than the BRZ did.

Can’t be, you say. Two peas in the proverbial pod.

Same factory, same hardware, same general styling with a few tweaks.

But the Scion starts at $1,315 less because it does without the Subaru’s standard navigation and highintensity discharge headlights. It also has just one version, with choice of transmission; BRZ offers two trim levels.

And FR-S felt a tiny bit better behind the wheel in several subtle ways, though that could simply be because the Scion test car came off the line later than the BRZ we tested and perhaps had a few tweaks. The Scion test car: » Shifted easier. The manual gear lever is stiff, as is the Subaru’s, but the Scion seems to move a bit more smoothly from gear to gear. Scion’s clutch action feels a tad gentler, so there is less chance of killing the engine at a light or starting uphill. » Rode more smoothly. Should have been no difference, as they have the same 17-inch high-performance summer tires with stubby 45-series sidewalls that offer little “give” over bumps. » Looked better. Reasonable people often disagree on matters of taste, but to our eyes the FR-S has a smoother silhouette.

The FR-S front fender is blemished a tad by an “86” badge, a reference to the 1980s Corolla AE86 that Toyota remembers as a sporting car of touchstone status (which seems like euphoric recall to us).

The faux vents on the front fenders are bigger and less artfully integrated on the BRZ. The Scion ethic, if you will, seems more pure.

The idea of the car is a return to affordable, sporty, sexy sports cars to sort of recapture the excitement of the original Mazda Miata.

To that end, Scion doesn’t offer lots of luxury items as the Subaru does – such as heated seats, automatic climate control and so on – and comes in just one trim rather than two.

We suspect that Scion buyers would like those features but also likely wouldn’t miss them.

But there’s no sense of driving an incompletely outfitted car: FR-S has fog lights, one-touch up/down power windows, satelliteradio compatible stereo, leather-covered steering wheel rim and shift knob and contrasting upholstery stitching.

No navigation is offered, but a $200 aftermarket unit could be generally handier and easier to update than a factory built-in.

And don’t mourn the

Scion’s lack of the BRZ’s fancy headlights. HID systems have such razorsharp beam cutoffs (in a failed attempt to avoid shining up into the eyes of oncoming drivers) that you can’t see anything even a little above the light’s reach. Good normal headlights provide generous illumination and give you a little light scatter at the fringes to spot something lurking just beyond the lights.

Neither BRZ nor FR-S offers a backup camera or multi-adjusting visors.

Their tiny back seats are more for small hostages

than passengers.

And because the cars come with summer-tread, high-performance tires and are low to the ground, you’ll need at least snow tires, more likely a separate winter vehicle, if you live where snow accumulates even a little.

At some point in shopping for cars of this type, you forget the flaws and embrace the joys. That seems proper. Both the Scion and the Subaru can satisfy you deeply. Fancyfeature lovers perforce must pick the Subaru, but the Scion has a very slight edge on the joy index.

ABOUT THE SCION FR-S: » What: Small, rear-drive coupe developed jointly by Toyota and Subaru, which calls it the BRZ. » Where: Made in Japan alongside the BRZ by Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries » How much: Starts at $24,930 with $730 shipping for manual transmission, $26,030 for automatic » What makes it go: New 2-liter Subaru “boxer” four-cylinder with Toyota-developed D-4S fuel system that combines direct injection and intake-port injection. Toyota says port injection is better after a cold start and under modest load, direct injection is best at other times. Engine rated 200 horsepower at 7,000 rpm, 151 pounds-feet of torque at 6,400 rpm.

Available with six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. » How big: About 9 inches longer, 2 inches wider than Mazda Miata. FR-S is 166.7 inches long, 69.9 inches wide, 50.6 inches tall on a 101.2-inch wheelbase. Weighs about 2,758 pounds (manual) or 2,806 pounds (automatic). » How thirsty: Manual rated 22 miles per gallon in the city, 30 highway, 25 combined.

Automatic: 25/34/28. Trip computer in manual test car showed 22.1 mpg (4.72 gallons per 100 miles) in sporting suburban driving. Burns premium; holds 13.2 gallons » Overall: Way too much fun for the modest price

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I12 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

VW Eco Up Continued from Page I10

dashboard-mounted stalk, just like a Garmin or TomTom. Why’s that better than built-in?

Because it frees space to leave main controls where they belong, in the middle of the dashboard. And because you can remove the navi screen and, if made to U.S. specs, convert it to a walking navi via a set of pedestrian maps. And it’s easier and safer to read when positioned atop the dashboard; you avert your eyes from the road less often and for less time. And, it is reasonable to assume you could replace it with the inevitable “new, improved” model in two seconds. » Inviting dynamics. Engine loves to rev, a good thing as you must thrash the little threecylinder, 75-horsepower, gas engine to keep up with quick traffic.

K1

Up is a fine example of the auto-enthusiast’s maxim: “It’s more fun to drive an underpowered car hard than an overpowered car easy.”

The gearing is low enough that you can ease along in stopspurt traffic with little fear of killing the engine or jerking down the road like a stick-shift rookie.

Steering feels well-tuned, nicely weighted and properly centered. Brakes feel firm enough to engender confidence.

Cornering is accomplished without much drama, which is how you want it.

The drawbacks: » Vulnerable weatherstripping. The rubber seals that keep out the rain and wind aren’t flush with the sheet metal or tucked out of the way. The test car’s was torn where two pieces met. That’ll quickly lead to troubling noise. » Lack of retained power: Many U.S. models leave the electricity on a little while after

you shut off the engine, so you can finish listening to a song or news report, or can put up the windows you forget to close. Up doesn’t have that. » Bothersome engine tuning. The test car’s engine didn’t slow much between shifts, so it felt as if you forgot to take your foot off the gas.

And it was slow to rev when you wanted, such as when trying to downshift smoothly from high speed. » Rigmarole controls. Driver’s-side arm rest lacks switches for both sides’ power windows. You have to lean over to close the passenger’s.

Front passenger’s seat takes a little more monkey motion than expected to unlatch and slide forward for back seat access.

Gripes aside, Up is fun to drive, fun to look at, roomy and agreeably classy inside. With more power it could be a very nice addition to the U.S. streetscape.

VW UP MINI-CAR NUTS AND BOLTS » What: European-market minicar that’s attracted attention as possible U.S.-market model, though would need significant modification for U.S. regulations, tastes. Front-drive, four-passenger, twodoor in three trim levels: Take Up, Move Up, High Up. VW’s preferred style on the name is “up!” » When: Maybe never, but it’s fun to fantasize about a VW challenge to the Fiat 500. » Why: VW has no U.S. subcompact and will need one to meet escalating U.S. mpg rules. » How much: The Euro-denominated pricing where it is sold translates to a range of about $13,100 to $17,100. » How big: Roughly the same length, width as Fiat 500, but about 300 pounds lighter on wheelbase 4.7-inches longer for more rear-seat space. It’s 139.4 inches long, 64.6 inches wide, 58.6 inches tall on 95.3inch wheelbase. Weighs 2,048 pounds. Rated to carry 961 pounds of people, cargo and accessories. » What makes it go: Test car had 1-liter, three-cylinder gasoline engine rated 75 horsepower at 6,200 rpm, 70 pounds-foot at 3,000 rpm; five-speed manual transmission. » How thirsty: European test cycle rates it 40 miles per gallon in the city, 59 mpg highway, 50 mpg combined. U.S. mpg ratings are typically 20 percent to 25 percent lower than Euro cycle ratings.

Test car trip computer showed 6.3 liters per 100 kilometers or 37.3 mpg (2.68 gallons per 100 miles). Burns premium (standard fuel in Europe), holds 9.2 gallons. » Overall: Fun, attractive, underpowered for U.S. conditions

Focus EV Continued from Page I10

pedal. Great in traffic. And the Focus has a generally sporty, inviting feel no matter what’s fueling the car.

There’s the faint whine you get from any electric car at low speed, but it’s still quiet enough that people will walk in front of you not realizing a car’s coming.

Official range is 76 miles.

Our overnight recharging on 120-volt conventional home outlet bumped the gauge to 80-plus, and it seemed to drop 1 mile for each one driven if you used a light throttle foot. Get playful, though, and the range dropped much faster than one-for-one.

The car sacrifices an electric’s creamy smooth driving behavior when shifting the gear lever to “L.” Normally that’d mean “low,” but in this Focus it’s the setting most electrics and gas-electric hybrids have (often labeled “B”) for increasing the amount of power that flows back into the batteries while braking, called regenerative braking, or simply “regen.”

In “L” the Focus is quite abrupt in decelerating when you change pressure on the throttle pedal. In on-then-offthen-on throttle use that is common in heavy traffic, you’re jerking like you have no finesse, probably aggravating and even scaring the cars behind and

The electric Ford Focus goes 76 miles on a full charge, but, like many electric vehicles, it leaves many consumers wanting more. AFP/GETTY IMAGES

ahead with sudden dives.

One gripe specific to the recharging: The cord that’s included for using a normal household outlet has a right-angle plug. Ford, nervous at the mere mention of using an extension cord to reach a distant out-

let or provide a straight plug that fits easier, might well have chosen the angle plug deliberately to discourage you from sharing your Focus outlet with any other appliance.

You can skip the hassle and spend $1,500 or so to get a ded-

icated 240-volt circuit for the Focus installed at your home and be able to charge drained batteries in just four hours.

Nice to see an electric in mainstream livery; makes it seem approachable, inviting.

But until electric cars’ ranges

go way up and prices come way down, it’s hard to regard any EV as more than a marginal entry in the clean-air, high-mileage derby – a very nicely executed example, in Focus EV’s case, but a niche machine nonetheless.

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THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I13

TOYOTA

New Prius c is a hybrid with personality

By James R. Healey

ABOUT THE TOYOTA PRIUS C

USA TODAY

The newest member of the Prius family, the c, brings the fun back to energy-saving models. PROVIDED PHOTOS/TOYOTA

Insight.

But the Prius, now in its third generation, quickly became the dominant gaselectric hybrid. In February, Toyota began expanding Prius from a single model, now called the Liftback, to a family of hybrids with the U.S. launch of the larger Prius v. Then, in April, the smaller Prius c hit showrooms.

Regardless of whether you think Toyota is gaming the sales-counting system, you have to consider Prius a success.

So, too, the c: frisky, inviting, easy to park, classier than expected, comfortable (at least in front) and faithful to its mpg promise.

The c provides adult-size leg and knee clearance for two in back, even behind 6-footers.

TOYOTA • SCION

WE’LL PUT A

» What: Front-drive, four-door, subcompact, hybrid hatchback, new to the lineup. The “c” stands for “city” to indicate its intended place in the world, Toyota says. » Where: Made in Japan » How much: Starting prices range from $19,710 including shipping for version 1 to $24,000 for version 4. Test car was a $23,519 version 3. » What makes it go: 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine rated 73 horsepower at 4,800 rpm, 82 pounds-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm mated to electric motor via continuously variable-ratio automatic transmission. Total combined rating, 99 hp » How big: About 19 inches shorter, 2 inches narrower and 542 pounds lighter than Prius Liftback sedan. Prius c is 157.3 inches long, 66.7 inches wide, 56.9 inches tall on a 100.4-inch wheelbase. Weight, 2,500 pounds Passenger space, 87.4 cubic feet » How thirsty: Rated 53 miles per gallon in the city, 46 mpg, 50 mpg combined.

Test car registered 49.1 mpg (2.04 gallons per 100 miles) in suburban be-bop. Burns regular; holds 9.5 gallons » Overall: Fun way to save gas

Route 4 in Fairfield, OH 45014 (888) 230-8000 ShopPerformanceToyota.com

Every Customer. Every Vehicle. Every Day.

ON YOUR FACE.

0 0 0 0

$ $

$ $

FIRST MONTH PAYMENT

$ $

DOWN PAYMENT

$ $

SECURITY DEPOSIT

DUE AT LEASE SIGNING

SPECIAL LEASE ON A REMAINING NEW 2012

CAMRY SPORT EDITION 4-DOOR SEDAN MODEL #2546

• INTEGRATED UNDERBODY SPOILERS AND SPORT SIDE ROCKER PANELS • 17” ALLOY WHEELS • COLOR-KEYED REAR SPOILER • CHROME-TIPPED EXHAUST • SPORT MESH FRONT GRILLE • COLOR-KEYED POWER MIRRORS

269

$ $

PER 1 MONTH

35

36 MONTH LEASE

DUE AT SIGNING INCLUDES $625 TFS LEASE SUBVENTION CASH

2

MPG HWY

3

PLUS

500 TOYOTA BONUS CASH

$

ON ANY REMAINING NEW 2012 CAMRY THAT’S OVER & ALL OTHER INCENTIVES! INCLUDES HYBRID.

or LOOK AT THESE READY

COROLLA LE 4-DOOR SEDAN MODEL #1838

36 MONTH LEASE $1999 DUE AT LEASE SIGNING

149

$

LEASE A NEW 2013

4

PER MONTH

*Due at signing includes $500 TFS Lease Subvention Cash.

2012TOYOTA TOYOTA SEQUOIA SR5 4.6L 2008 TUNDRA SR5 DOUBLE CAB

TO ROLL LEASES!

LEASE A NEW 2013

PRIUS TWO

5-DOOR HYBRID HATCHBACK MODEL #1223

36 MONTH LEASE

269

$

PER MONTH

$2399 DUE AT LEASE SIGNING

2009 TOYOTA VENZA BASE

5

2003 TOYOTA CAMRY LE

2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SR5

USED CARS

CERTIFIED TOYOTAS

Let’s start with Prius c hybrid’s colors: Habanero, Absolutely Red, Moonglow. Finally, a sense of fun about the eco thing.

And it’s from Toyota, usually so tame that boring would be more exciting.

Then consider realworld mileage. The test car, government-rated 53/ 46/50 mpg in the city/highway/combined tests, came close to 50 mpg in our suburban thrash-about. That was with no attempt to drive for mileage, nor any appreciable time spent in the “Eco” mode or the EV setting, which lets you run battery-only slower than 25 mph for most of a mile.

The trip computer, which can analyze each leg, showed 60 to 80 mpg for some 4-mile errands around the ’burbs.

The c, smallest and newest of the Prius hybrid family, also handled with grace, composure, little body lean and enough brio to make a driver grin.

And salute the drivetrain, which has axed the shudders that hybrids experience when the gasoline engine restarts.

Though rated just 99 total horsepower, gas engine and electric motor combined, the c has enough pep and friskiness to make it fun instead of dreary. It has the kind of personality that were it a dog, you’d call it Sparky or Scamp.

Amenities next, which in the level-three test car include a luxury car touch: If the car’s locked, the interior lights come on as you approach with the proximity key. Less exotic but still welcome: A touch on the door handle unlocks the car. The two-tone interior and small trim items colored to match the exterior elevate the Prius c from the dull presentation you might expect in an “economy car” or mileage-obsessed hybrid.

Appearance is agreeably funky, mainly because it’s achieved with purity via shape and proportion, not through styling exaggerations or gratuitous bulges and creases.

You might balk at the subcompact size, which limits rear-seat and cargo space. Yet the c provides adult-size leg and knee clearance for two in back, even behind 6-footers.

Getting into and out of the car can be a bit of a twist, though. And don’t expect to carry all your collegebound youngster’s goods in the cargo hold. The kid’s laundry, maybe.

You might be put off by the lack of a backup camera at any price. Prius c’s small size makes it easy to tell where you are in relation to big things you’d rather not hit, but there’s still plenty of smaller stuff – kids, pets, etc. – that you could see if only there were a backup camera.

There’s no navigation system on the lower-end models, but that’s almost a plus. Less-expensive aftermarket units, such as a $180 Garmin, work better than most built-ins.

You might find the engine’s mildly coarse voice annoying. And the CVT (continuously variable-ratio automatic transmission) revs the engine hard under acceleration and keeps it so until the car’s speed catches up. All CVTs do it, but that doesn’t make it OK. Here’s an odd one. The test car got the best mileage in Normal driving mode. Switching into EV or Eco settings quickly began eroding the mpg tally.

Satisfying, actually: Behave normally, get rewarded.

Leaving the car in EV very long, Toyota says, drains the battery and triggers the gas engine to run longer to recharge it.

That quirk, combined with EV mode’s refusal to work faster than 25 mph or for even 1 full mile make it seem senseless.

Toyota introduced the original Prius in the U.S. in 2000, a few months after Honda pioneered the modern hybrid with its original egg-shaped, two-seat

$34,832

5TDBM5G18CS001696

2007 Toyota Yaris Base JTDBT923571128444 .... $10,508 2008 Toyota Yaris Base JTDBT923X81291981 .... $11,819 2011 Toyota Yaris Base JTDBT4K37B4081265 .... $12,299 2010 Toyota Matrix Base 2T1KU4EE6AC275551 . $13,502 2010 Toyota Corolla LE 1NXBU4EEXAZ314074 .... $13,871 2011 Toyota Corolla LE 2T1BU4EE1BC625458 ..... $14,236 2010 Toyota Corolla S 2T1BU4EE9AC313936....... $15,556 2009 Toyota Camry LE 4T1BE46KX9U863819 ..... $15,570 2010 Toyota Camry LE 4T4BF3EK2AR071876...... $15,950 2010 Toyota Sienna LE 5TDKK4CC0AS331241 ......$17,040 2008 Toyota Highlander V6 JTEDS41A382025450 .. $17,050 2007 Toyota 4Runner SR5 JTEBU14R770109699 ..$17,400 2007 Toyota Highlander V6 JTEEP21AX70210728 .. $17,700 2010 Toyota Camry SE 4T1BF3EK5AU110485 ......$17,783 2010 Toyota Prius II JTDKN3DU7A0096543 ..........$17,898 2007 Toyota Sienna XLE 5TDZK22C77S064693 .. $18,773 2009 Toyota Highlander Sport JTEDS43AX92068813 ..$18,999 2011 Toyota RAV4 Base 2T3ZF4DV5BW062138 .. $19,050

$22,430

4T3ZE11A99U017166

2010 Toyota Camry XLE 4T1BK3EK1AU607884 ... $19,558 2011 Toyota Camry XLE 4T4BF3EK0BR097135 ... $19,830 2008 Toyota RAV4 Limited JTMBK31V785068518 ..$20,114 2010 Toyota RAV4 Sport JTMRK4DV5A5085792 ...$20,154 2010 Toyota RAV4 Limited 2T3YF4DV7AW027482 ..$20,910 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser Base JTEBU11F670062059 ..$21,873 2011 Toyota Prius ThreebJTDKN3DU8B0264028 ..$22,577 2009 Toyota Highlander Sport JTEES43A292131388 ..$24,499 2010 Toyota FJ Cruiser Base JTEBU4BF6AK079827..$24,716 2008 Toyota Tundra SR5 Crew Max 5TFDV54138X033855 ...$25,497 2008 Toyota Tundra Limited Double Cab 5TFBV58168X061697 ..$27,404 2010 Toyota Highlander SE 5TDJK3EH4AS039333 $28,912 2010 Toyota Sienna Limited 5TDYK4CCXAS316692.. $29,211 2009 Toyota Tundra Grade Crew Max 5TFDW54159X086555 .. $31,105 2011 Toyota Tundra Grade Crew Max 5TFDW5F1XBX181826 .. $31,332 2011 Toyota Tundra Grade Double Cab 5TFUY5F10BX206792..$31,693 2010 Toyota Tundra Limited Double Cab 5TFBY5F10AX142615... $36,202 2012 Toyota Tundra Limited Crew Max 5TFHW5F10CX238683 .$42,758

$6,213

4T1BE32K43U244897

1996 Toyota Corolla DX 2T1BB02E4TC156757 ........ $2,995 1998 Buick LeSabre Limited 1G4HR52K5WH511987 ..$3,995 1998 Toyota Camry LE 4T1BG22K5WU273625 ......... $4,272 2002 Volkswagen Passat GLS WVWPD63B62P222880.. $4,995 2000 Buick Century Custom 2G4WS52J6Y1187800 $5,695 2005 Saturn ION 2 1G8AJ52F15Z143102 ................. $5,925 2005 Ford Focus ZX4 1FAFP34N15W166275 ........... $5,991 2004 Toyota Camry LE 4T1BE32K84U859521.......... $6,448 2007 Ford Focus 1FAHP34N77W171718 ...................$7,125 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor XLS 4A4MM31S14E012876..$7,809 2007 Ford Focus 1FAFP37N07W331702 ................... $8,253 2007 Chevrolet Malibu LT 1LT 1G1ZT58FX7F236353 .. $8,399 2006 Ford F-150 STX 1FTRF12286NA46844 ........... $8,506 2005 Jeep Liberty Sport 1J4GK48K45W648350 ....... $9,218 2002 Toyota RAV4 Base JTEGH20V320079855 ....... $9,475 2006 Toyota Highlander Base JTEGD21A160141430$9,549 2004 GMC Canyon 1GTDS146548132291 ...............$10,531 2005 Chevrolet Impala SS Supercharged 2G1WP521059209558 ...$10,600

$6,431

JT3HN86R7Y0260243

2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LS 1GCEK19V42E136755 ...$11,132 2004 GMC Yukon XL 3GKGK26U84G230437 ...........$11,412 2006 Saturn VUE 5GZCZ33DX6S821864.................$11,780 2004 Honda Accord EX 2.4 1HGCM56754A178992.. $12,544 2005 Nissan Pathfinder SE 5N1AR18W35C765407.. $12,591 2005 Honda Odyssey EX 5FNRL38405B410670....$12,599 2004 Lexus RX 330 JTJHA31U640033431 .............$12,666 2008 Toyota Prius Standard JTDKB20U787738110...$15,390 2009 Nissan Altima 2.5 S 1N4AL21EX9C171499 ...$15,476 2010 Toyota Corolla S 2T1BU4EE0AC479195 .........$15,773 2007 Ford F-250SD 1FTSX21P87EA39685 .............$16,299 2007 Toyota Sienna XLE Limited 5TDZK22C97S038452.. $16,960 2010 Honda CR-V LX 3CZRE3H37AG705880...........$18,097 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport SE JA4AR4AU0BZ004156 ...$18,129 2006 Toyota Tundra SR5 Double Cab 5TBDT441X6S518036 ..$18,171 2007 Mercedes-Benz E-Class E350 WDBUF56X77B010166 ..$19,881 2011 Dodge Durango Citadel 1D4SE5GT2BC700209 ..$35,257 2011 Lexus IS 250 JTHCF5C29B5049997 ...............$29,707

1. Remaining new 2012 Camry SE Model 2546. $269/Mo. 36 Month Lease. ZERO Down Payment, ZERO Security Deposit, ZERO First Month’s Payment (1st month’s payment made by TMS) and ZERO Due at Lease Signing ($625 TFS Lease Subvention Cash included with offer). Lease end purchase option $13,568.* Must take retail delivery from remaining new 2012 dealer stock between 2/14/13 and 2/19/13. 2. EPA-estimated MPG for 2012 Camry 4-cyl., 2013 Corolla, and 2013 Prius. Actual mileage will vary. 3. Toyota Motor Sales Inc., U.S.A. $500 Toyota Bonus Cash available on remaining new 2012 Camry (includes Hybrid) dealer stock between 2/14/13 and 2/19/13. Must be applied to Toyota Financial Services special reduced APR and Lease offers. 4. New 2013 Corolla LE Model 1838. $500 Toyota Financial Services Subvention/Lease Cash must be applied toward due at signing – reduces $2,499 due at signing to $1,999 due at signing. Lease end purchase option $11,090.* 5. New 2013 Prius Model 1223. Lease end purchase option $15,488. * NO SECURITY DEPOSIT subject to approved credit through Toyota Financial Services – Tier I PLUS customers ONLY. Excludes state and local taxes, tags, registration and title, and insurance. Ohio sales tax due at lease inception. License and applicable fees are extra. Lessee may be charged for excessive wear based on Toyota Financial Services standards for normal use and for mileage in excess of 36,000 miles at the rate of $0.15 per mile. A $350 Disposition Fee is due at lease termination. 1, 3, 4 & 5: Must take retail delivery from remaining new 2012 and new 2013 dealer stock between 2/5/13 and 3/4/13 EXCEPT 1 & 3 must be taken from remaining new 2012 Camry dealer stock between 2/14/13 and 2/19/13. APR, Customer Cash & Lease offers may not be combined.

See participating dealer for complete details. Individual dealer prices may vary. Offers may vary by region. VEHICLE IMAGES USED FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY. Expiration for this ad is 2/19/13.College grad and military rebates are not included. Advertised prices plus, title and $250 documentation fee.

I14 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

PROUD MEMBER OF THE JOSEPH AUTOMOTIVE GROUP

Member of

JOSEPH AUTO GROUP

Member of

JOSEPH AUTO GROUP

ARRIVING DAILY! THE ALL-NEW 2013

AVALON & RAV4

513-385-1800 5

NEW 2012

9101 COLERAIN AVE., CINCINNATI, OHIO

TONY MEYER, ROB HUGHES, NICK WEISBROD & ERIC KAYSE SALES HOURS: MON-FRI 9-8 • SAT 9-6 • SUN 12-5 WWW.JOSEPHTOYOTA.COM

269

$

CAMRY

MODEL #2546, GAS ONLY

DAYS ONLY FOR $500 CUSTOMER BONUS CASH!

$0 DOWN $0 FIRST PAYMENT!

BONUS CASH IS FROM 2-14 THRU 2-19!

0 0.9

35

NEW 2013

FOR 36 OR MOS.

COROLLA

OR $750 CUSTOMER CASH!

149

$

*

MODEL #1223 EXCLUDES C, V, & PLUG-INS

34

PER MO. LEASE PLUS TAX

$1999 DOWN OR

36 MO. LEASE NO SEC. DEPOSIT INCLUDES $500 TFS LEASE SUBVENTION CASH

0

% OR APR

0.9

NEW 2013

$

% APR

FOR 48 & 60 MOS.

% APR

FOR 48 & 60 MOS.

PRIUS II 51

269

MPG HWY

FOR 36 MOS.

36 MO. LEASE NO SEC. DEPOSIT

INCLUDES $625 TFS LEASE SUBVENTION CASH INCLUDES $500 BONUS CASH

% OR APR

MPG HWY

MODEL #1838

PER MO. LEASE PLUS TAX

*

MPG HWY

*

PER MO. LEASE PLUS TAX $2399 DOWN

36 MO. LEASE NO SEC. DEPOSIT

7

ASK ABOUT OUR $1000 MILITARY AND COLLEGE GRAD REBATE PROGRAMS!

PLUS, EVERY NEW TOYOTA COMES WITH TOYOTA CARE Complimentary Maintenance Plan That Includes Oil Changes, Roadside Assistance & More

THAT’S OVER AND ABOVE ALL OTHER INCENTIVES!

NEW 2013 COROLLA LE MODEL 1838. $500 TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES SUBVENTION/LEASE CASH MUST BE APPLIED TOWARD DUE AT SIGNING–REDUCES $1,999 DUE AT SIGNING TO $1,499 DUE AT SIGNING. LEASE END PURCHASE OPTION $11,090.* REMAINING NEW 2012 CAMRY SE MODEL 2546. $625 TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES SUBVENTION/LEASE CASH MUST BE APPLIED TOWARD DUE AT SIGNING–REDUCES $2,574 DUE AT SIGNING TO $1,949 DUE AT SIGNING. LEASE END PURCHASE OPTION $15,890.* NEW 2013 SIENNA MODEL #5338. $500 TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES SUBVENTION/LEASE CASH MUST BE APPLIED TOWARD DUE AT SIGNING–REDUCES $ 2,699 DUE AT SIGNING TO $2,199 DUE AT SIGNING. LEASE END PURCHASE OPTION $14,390.* NEW 2013 PRIUS MODEL 1223. LEASE END PURCHASE OPTION $16,214.* * CUSTOMERCASHDIRECTLYFROMTOYOTAMOTORSALES,U.S.A.,INC. DEALERPARTICIPATIONMAYAFFECTCONSUMERCOST. 0%APRFOR36MONTHSWITH$27.78PER$1,000BORROWED OR0%APRFOR48MONTHSWITH$20.83PER$1,000BORROWEDOR0%APRFOR60MONTHSWITH$16.67PER$1,000BORROWED. SUBJECT TO APPROVED CREDIT THROUGH TOYOTAFINANCIAL SERVICES TIER I+,I ,II & III ONLY. NOT ALL CUSTOMERS WILL QUALIFY FOR LOWEST RATE–SEE DEALER FOR TERMS AND CONDITIONS. COVERS NORMAL FACTORY SCHEDULED SERVICE FOR 2YEARS OR 25K MILES,WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. FINANCING IS AS FOLLOWS: 27.78 PER $1000 ON 0% FOR 36 MOS AND 21.22 PER $1000 ON .9% FOR 48 AND 17.05 PER $1000 ON .9% FOR 60 MOS. THE NEW VEHICLE CANNOT BE PART OF A RENTAL OR COMMERCIAL FLEET OR A LIVERY OR TAXI VEHICLE. SEE PARTICIPATING DEALER FOR COMPLETE PLAN DETAILS. VALID ONLY IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES AND ALASKA. TOYOTA MILITARY REBATE PROGRAM & TOYOTA COLLEGE REBATE PROGRAM ARE NOT COMPATIBLE AND CANNOT BE COMBINED. VISIT BUYATOYOTA.COM FOR COMPLETE DETAILS. *NO SECURITY DEPOSIT. SUBJECT TO APPROVED CREDIT THROUGH TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES–TIER I PLUS CUSTOMERS ONLY. EXCLUDES STATE AND LOCAL TAXES,TAGS,REGISTRATION AND TITLE, AND INSURANCE. OHIO SALES TAX DUE AT LEASE INCEPTION. LICENSE AND APPLICABLE FEES ARE EXTRA. CUSTOMER MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EXTRA FEES, SEE DEALER FOR DETAILS. LESSEE MAY BE CHARGED FOR EXCESSIVE WEAR BASED ON TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES STANDARDS FOR NORMAL USE AND FOR MILEAGE IN EXCESS OF 24,000 MILES FOR CAMRY AND 36,000 MILES FOR COROLLA, RAV4 & PRIUS AT THE RATE OF $0.15 PER MILE. A $350 DISPOSITION FEE IS DUE AT LEASE TERMINATION. MUST TAKE RETAIL DELIVERY FROM REMAINING NEW 2012 AND NEW 2013 DEALER STOCK 2/28/13. APR, CUSTOMER CASH & LEASE OFFERS MAY NOT BE COMBINED. SEE PARTICIPATING DEALER FOR COMPLETE DETAILS. INDIVIDUAL DEALER PRICES MAY VARY. OFFERS MAY VARY BY REGION. VEHICLE IMAGES USED FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY. EXPIRATION FOR THIS AD IS 2/28/13.

JOSEPH Member of

JOSEPH AUTO GROUP

SCION 385-1800

9101 Colerain Ave. • www.josephscion.com

NEW 2012

NEW 2012

NEW 2012

NEW 2012

NEW 2013

SCION iQ

SCION xD

SCION xB

SCION tC

SCION FR-S

STARTING AT

$

33

28

31

35

MPG HWY

MPG HWY

MPG HWY

MPG HWY

OR LEASE FOR 36 MOS. * $1969 DAS.

15,995 124 $

37 MPG HWY

*

USES $1000 TFS SUBVENTION CASH

STARTING AT

$

STARTING AT

OR LEASE FOR

16,075 159 $

36 MOS. $1999 DUE AT SIGNING

OR LEASE FOR

$

17,030 179 $

36 MOS. $1999 DUE AT SIGNING

STARTING AT

$

OR LEASE FOR

19,305 189 $

36 MOS. $1999 DUE AT SIGNING

STARTING AT

$

24,995

iQ $1,000 LEASE SUBVENTION CASH: Eligible on ‘12MY iQ only. The subvention cash must be listed on the lease agreement. The cash must be applied towards the due at signing with any remainder towards the capitalized cost reduction. Program is compatible with Pure Lease RCF’s up to 36 months only, on Zone 1+ thru Zone 3. Valid through 2/28/13. For reimbursement, dealers must submit the signed subvention cash form along with the standard lease documentation to their local TFS DSSO by 2/28/13.

JOSEPH BUICK EXPERIENCE LUXURY! FREE SERVICE! PICK UP HOME OR OFFICE!

FREE PICK UP!

JOSEPH GMC

REFUSE TO COMPROMISE!

2013 GMC TERRAIN #G3290

18 ENCORE AVAILABLE! 2013 BUICK VERANO

199

$

24 MO. LEASE. $2119 DUE AT SIGNING, 12K MILES PER YEAR 24 MOS. OF FREE MAINTENANCE

2013 BUICK ENCORE

249

189

$

39 MO. LEASE. $2939 DUE AT SIGNING, 10K MILES PER YEAR

2013 GMC ACADIA #G7007

$

24 MO. LEASE. $2449 DUE AT SIGNING, 12K MILES PER YEAR 24 MOS. OF FREE MAINTENANCE

2013 BUICK LACROSSE

299

$

24 MO. LEASE. $2639 DUE AT SIGNING, 12K MILES PER YEAR 24 MOS. OF FREE MAINTENANCE

2013 BUICK ENCLAVE

339

$

289

$

39 MO. LEASE. $1999 DUE AT SIGNING, 10K MILES PER YEAR

PRO GRADE PROTECTION 2013 GMC SIERRA WITH EXT CAB SLE VALUE PKG PLUS $2000 $5000 + $700 2 YEARS/24 , 000 $7750 MILES OF SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE

PACKAGE DISCOUNT IN REBATES FEBRUARY BONUS CASH

24 MO. LEASE. $3179 DUE AT SIGNING, 12K MILES PER YEAR 24 MOS. OF FREE MAINTENANCE

TOTAL VALUE WHEN YOU TRADE IN AN ELIGIBLE VEHICLE

*ALL PRICING INCLUDES MANUFACTURER REBATES, TAX, TITLE, DEALER FEES ARE EXTRA. CONSUMER MAY QUALIFY FOR ADDITIONAL REBATES SEE DEALER FOR DETAILS. PICTURE MAY NOT REFLECT DEALER ACTUAL INVENTORY.EXCLUDES PRIOR SALES MUST TAKE DELIVERY BY 2/28/13. OVER MILEAGE CHARGE IS .20 AT END OF LEASE, NO DISPOSITION FEE, TAX, TITLE, ACQUISITION FEES ADDITIONAL, BASED ON APPROVED CREDITALL BUYERS MAY NOT QUALIFY SEE DEALER FOR DETAILS. MUST TAKE DELIVERY BY 2/28/13. EXCLUDES PRIOR SALES.

*ALL PRICING INCLUDES MANUFACTURER REBATES, TAX, TITLE, DEALER FEES ARE EXTRA. CONSUMER MAY QUALIFY FOR ADDITIONAL REBATES SEE DEALER FOR DETAILS. PICTURE MAY NOT REFLECT DEALER ACTUAL INVENTORY.EXCLUDES PRIOR SALES MUST TAKE DELIVERY BY 2/28/13. OVER MILEAGE CHARGE IS .20 AT END OF LEASE, NO DISPOSITION FEE, TAX, TITLE, ACQUISITION FEES ADDITIONAL, BASED ON APPROVED CREDITALL BUYERS MAY NOT QUALIFY SEE DEALER FOR DETAILS. MUST TAKE DELIVERY BY 2/28/13. EXCLUDES PRIOR SALES.

WWW.JOSEPHAUTO.COM

WWW.JOSEPHAUTO.COM

Member of

JOSEPH AUTO GROUP

Ask Your Neighbor...They Bought From Us!

513-741-1000

CALL JERRY BITTNER, JOSH PALMIERI OR CHRIS WILLIAMS

OUR BRAND NEW LOCATION! 8700 COLERAIN AVE.

Member of

JOSEPH AUTO GROUP

Ask Your Neighbor...They Bought From Us!

513-741-1000

CALL JERRY BITTNER, JOSH PALMIERI OR CHRIS WILLIAMS

OUR BRAND NEW LOCATION! 8700 COLERAIN AVE.

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I15

NEW 2012 CHEVY

NEW 2012 CHEVY

2LT CRUZE 1LT EQUINOX 4WD STK#A32742 MSRP $23,155 6 AT THIS PRICE

OR CHOOSE

0% APR

FOR 60 MONTHS[1]

OR CHOOSE

STK#A33040 MSRP $30,855 2 AT THIS PRICE

0% APR

FOR 60 MONTHS[1]

NEW 2013 CHRYSLER NEW 2013 RAM TOWN & COUNTRY LIMITED 1500 LONGHORN CREW CAB A21131 MSRP $42,785

A21828 MSRP $53,605

25 17

MPG HWY MPG CITY

MSRP 4,000 OFF

$

4,000

$

INCLUDING $1,000 REBATE

OFF MSRP

TRAVERSE LS & LT SONIC LT FWD OR CHOOSE

STK#A33302 MSRP $31,550 4 AT THIS PRICE

0% APR

FOR 72 MONTHS[1]

STK#A32911 MSRP $18,095 1 AT THIS PRICE

OR CHOOSE

6,250

OFF MSRP

SAVE

$

OFF 10,500 MSRP

INCLUDING $2000 REBATE 1 AT THIS PRICE

INCLUDING $4250 REBATE 2 AT THIS PRICE

NEW 2013 CHRYSLER 300 C

NEW 2013 RAM 1500 SLT CREW CAB

INCLUDING $500 REBATE

NEW 2012 CHEVY

NEW 2012 CHEVY

$

SAVE

A21181 MSRP $44,770

A21587 MSRP $43,115

7

0% APR

OTHERS TO CHOOSE

FOR 60 MONTHS[1]

31 19

MPG HWY MPG CITY

$

SAVE

MSRP 7,000 OFF

$

MSRP JEFF WYLER DISCOUNT BONUS CASH AS LOW AS

$18,385 -$2,500 -$500

15,385

$

INCLUDING $2,500 REBATE

NEW 2012 CHEVY

NEW 2012 CHEVY

STK#A34131 MSRP $24,295 1 AT THIS PRICE

STK#A31391 MSRP $16,720 1 AT THIS PRICE

OFF 8,500 MSRP

SAVE

$

OFF 10,000 MSRP

INCLUDING $3000 REBATE 1 AT THIS PRICE

INCLUDING $4250 REBATE 1 AT THIS PRICE

NEW 2013 CHRYSLER 200 LIMITED

NEW 2013 RAM 1500 SLT QUAD CAB

A21164 MSRP $27,370

7

A21767 MSRP $36,025

OTHERS TO CHOOSE

MALIBU 1LT CORVETTE GRAND SPORT

OR CHOOSE

0% APR

FOR 72 MONTHS[1]

$

SAVE

MSRP JEFF WYLER DISCOUNT MANUCTURER REBATE BONUS CASH AS LOW AS

$24,295 -$3,000 -$3,000 -$1,000

17,295

$

MSRP JEFF WYLER DISCOUNT MANUFACTURER REBATE SALE PRICE LOYALTY REBATE AS LOW AS

$69,780 -$9,780 -$3,500 $56,500 -$3,000

53,500

$

6,500

OFF MSRP

OFF 7,000 MSRP

$

SAVE

INCLUDING $3500 REBATE 1 AT THIS PRICE

INCLUDING $2250 REBATE 1 AT THIS PRICE

NEW 2013 JEEP WRANGLER 2DR

NEW 2013 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE

A21188 MSRP $36,425

A21792 MSRP $23,990

NEW 2013 CHEVY

NEW 2013 CHEVY

SILVERADO SILVERADO EXT CAB REG CAB OR CHOOSE

STK#A33290 MSRP $25,395 1 AT THIS PRICE

0 APR %

FOR 60 MONTHS[1]

OR CHOOSE

0% APR

STK#A33351 MSRP $28,450 1 AT THIS PRICE

FOR 60 MONTHS[1]

$

SAVE

OFF 5,000 MSRP

SAVE

NEW 2013 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

AS LOW AS

$25,395 -$4,000 -$2,500 -$750 $18,145 -$1,000

17,145

$

NEW 2012 CHEVY

MSRP JEFF WYLER DISCOUNT MANUFACTURER REBATE BONUS CASH SALE PRICE TRADE-IN BONUS CASH AS LOW AS

$28,450 -$4,000 -$3,000 -$750 $20,700 -$1,000

A21466 MSRP $30,690

25 17

MPG CITY

3,500

OFF MSRP

0 APR

21,750

$

Equipment may vary from photo. Plus tax license and fees. Finance offers in lieu of rebate with approved credit. 1) 0% APR for 60 mos. with $0 down is $16.67 per $1,000 financed. 2) 0% APR for 72 months with $0 down is $13.89 per $1,000 financed. 3) Trade in assistance bonus has restrictions, see dealer for details. 4) Closed end lease 36 mo. $298 mo. w/ $1995 due at signing, No security deposit required with approved credit. Total of payments $9648. $.15 per mile excess mileage. Purchase option at termination. Mileage claims based on 2011/1012 EPA mileage estimates, reflecting new EPA fuel economy methods beginning with 2008 models. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008. Your actual mileage may vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle. Expires 2/23/2013

$

$

6,000

NEW 2013 DODGE DART A21208 MSRP $22,800

5,000

OFF MSRP

INCLUDING $1500 REBATE 2 AT THIS PRICE

SAVE

$

5

OTHERS TO CHOOSE

4,000

Base rebate included in discount as shown. Vehicle/equipment may vary from photo. Chrysler Jeep Dodge and Ram are registered trademarks of Chrysler Group LLC. Offers plus tax license and fees. Mileage based on 2011/2012 EPA mileage estimates, reflecting new EPA fuel economy methods beginning with 2008 models. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2008.

Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle. Expires 2/23/2013

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I16 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

BUICK

The five-seat Encore enters a relatively new segment of small crossovers that several automakers say will balloon in size over the next few years. PROVIDED/GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY

Encore takes Buick into new segment

By Nathan Bomey Detroit Free Press

General Motors hopes to carve out a new auto sales segment with the Buick Encore compact crossover.

The automaker also expects the Encore to continue the brand’s momentum among younger buyers and people who don’t own a GM product.

The percentage of the brand’s buyers who previ-

ously owned non-GM vehicles rose from 27 percent to 43 percent over the last half decade. More than 50 percent of Verano buyers are new to Buick.

“That’s part of the mission for this brand,” said Tony DiSalle, vice president of marketing for Buick and GMC. The vehicle’s arrival comes after a mixed year for the brand, which reported a 1.6 percent sales increase in the U.S. to

180,408 vehicles. Sales of Regal, LaCrosse and Enclave fell, and GM eliminated the Lucerne, but the introduction of the Verano made up for the difference.

Dan Akerson, GM’s CEO, told reporters this month that Buick “has shown incredible resilience post-bankruptcy” with strong resale values and pricing. He called it a “sub-luxury” brand that maintains a distinct posi-

tion in the marketplace despite occasionally overlapping with “the high end of Chevrolet and the low end of Cadillac.”

The five-seat Encore enters a relatively new segment of small crossovers that several automakers say will balloon in size over the next few years. GM contends it will appeal especially to young professionals and emptynesters. The crossover ranges from $24,950 for

FIAT

The 2014 Fiat is about a foot shorter than a Honda Civic sedan but has considerably more passenger and luggage space. FIAT/PROVIDED PHOTOS

500L mimics SUV with small-car charm Detroit Free Press

The 2014 Fiat 500L only comes with front-wheel drive.

with a black or white roof, or with a body-color roof.

The Trekking model adds 17-inch tires and toughlooking black fascias and wheel arches.

Despite its SUV-style

profile, the 500L only comes with front-wheel drive. Fiat builds the 500L in Serbia.

This small crossover wagon will be available this summer.

CE-0000543318

The surprisingly spacious 500L four-door wagon should expand the brand’s appeal significantly.

Checking in 26 inches longer and 6 inches wider than the subcompact 500, the L adds practicality without diminishing the little car’s charm.

Big windows, a high roof and a dual-pane sunroof amplify the interior’s feeling of spaciousness.

The 500L is about a foot shorter than a Honda Civic sedan but has considerably more passenger and luggage space.

Power comes from a 160-horsepower, 184 pound-feet version of Fiat’s 1.4-liter four-cylinder turbo engine and a sixspeed manual or dualclutch automatic transmission.

The 500L will be available as a two-tone model

the basic model to $28,840 for the premium package with combined average fuel economy of 28 mpg on the front-wheel drive version.

The Encore’s introduction comes as the average age of Buick buyers has fallen over the last five years from 64 to 57. GM says Buick is the only major brand in the U.S. to lower its average buyer’s age over that time Now that we’ve got a

second crossover in the portfolio we’re going to see new folks again coming into the showroom,” said Lloyd Biermann, marketing manager for the Buick Enclave and Encore crossovers. “They’re going to be younger, as well.”

The Encore could compete against vehicles like the Volkswagen Tiguan and the forthcoming Fiat 500L. GM said it expects 60 percent of Encore buyers to be women.

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I17

CADILLAC

ATS challenges German rivals

By James R. Healey USA TODAY

Cadillac ATS may be the brand’s answer. It will especially appeal to entry-level luxury buyers, who tend to be incredibly brand loyal. GETTY IMAGES

and V-6/automatic on the track at Atlanta Motorsports Park, a private club outside Dawsonville, Ga. Impressions: » Track. Everybody ought to have access to a

race course to exercise this kind of car.

The manual transmission that felt too stiff and balky on regular roads became just-so in slap-ithard track driving. And

through the corner, resisting an automatic’s normal urge to upshift too soon.

There’s a manual-shift mode, so you can do the gear-changing yourself, but it was hard to fault the

automatic’s operation. » Engines. Eager, husky-voiced and quick to answer the throttle. But if you drive the turbo four See ATS, Page I19

FeBrUarY 16TH & 17TH onlY! 1.99% PlUS all reBaTeS! onlY aT norTHGaTe!

ABOUT THE CADILLAC ATS » What: New-fromscratch small Cadillac four-door sedan meant to challenge BMW 3 Series.

Available with one of two new four-cylinder engines or a V-6. Rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). » Where: Made at Lansing, Mich. » How much: $33,990 to about $55,000, with shipping » What makes it go: Base: 2.5-liter four-cylinder rated 202 horsepower at 6,300 rpm, 191 poundsfeet of torque at 4,400 rpm.

Optional: 2-liter turbocharged four rated 272 hp at 5,500 rpm, 260 pounds-feet at 1,700 rpm Optional: 3.6-liter V-6 rated 321 hp at 6,800 rpm, 275 pounds-feet at 4,800 rpm Six-speed manual or automatic transmission. » How big: Exterior’s within half an inch of a BMW 3 Series sedan every which way. ATS is 182.8 inches long, 71.1 inches wide, 55.9 inches tall on a 109.3-inch wheelbase.

Weighs 3,315 to 3,629 pounds. Passenger space: 90.9 cubic feet; trunk, 10.2 cubic feet Tows up to 1,000 pounds Turning circle diameter: 36.4 to 38.1 feet, depending on model and tires » How thirsty: Government has rated only the base, 2.5-liter RWD model: 22 mpg city, 33 highway, 26 in city/highway mix GM 2-liter RWD to be about 22/32/26; V-6 RWD, 19/28/23. AWD will be 1 or 2 mpg less.

2.5-liter automatic test car registered 28.5 mpg (3.51 gallons per 100 miles) on hilly, rural two-lane roads with occasional hard acceleration and use of manualshift mode in the automatic.

2-liter turbo manual test car registered 23.2 mpg (4.31 gal./100 mi.) on hilly, two-lane back roads.

All engines burn regular; Cadillac recommends but doesn’t require premium for 2-liter turbo four. Tank holds 16 gallons. » Overall: Bull’s-eye

the automatic in the V-6, in “sport” mode, recognized when you approached a corner and downshifted to let a lower gear help you scoot through. And it held the gear all the way

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Cadillac needed an entry car more like the BMW 3 Series. Instead of adapting hardware from General Motors’ German Opel brand, as GM has done lately, Cadillac started from scratch and came up with the ATS. It’s the smallest, lightest, least-expensive Caddy and the only one offering four-cylinder engines.

It is most definitely not a repeat of the best-forgotten Cimarron of the 1980s, a once-over-lightly Caddy redo of the small, four-cylinder Chevrolet Cavalier that fooled no one and pleased even fewer.

ATS might lack the purely Germanic feel of a BMW or Audi, but it is roundly satisfying to drive. It provides crisp handling, quick acceleration, snappy braking, responsive steering, entertaining technology and an alluring base price of $33,990.

The average transaction price of a new car these days is $30,200, according to price tracker and researcher TrueCar.com. And the 3 Series that’s in Caddy’s crosshairs is $3,405 more expensive, though it comes with more power: 240 horsepower vs. 202 horsepower from the ATS’ base 2.5-liter four-cylinder.

The other two ATS engines: » New-design 2-liter turbo four rated 272 horsepower and 260 pounds-feet of torque. » GM’s 3.6-liter V-6 rated 321 hp, 275 poundsfeet.

We drove the base fourcylinder with automatic and the turbo four with manual on public roads, and a turbo four/manual

colerAin AVe

I18 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

INFINITI

The Infiniti FX target buyer is the crossover lover who prefers style over room. PROVIDED PHOTOS/INFINITI

Infiniti FX edgy rival to BMW

By Jason H. Harper

2013 INFINITI FX37 AWD AT A GLANCE

Bloomberg News

Like fashion and food, auto trends fade and re-emerge.

Sometimes the new becomes rote, and innovations later seem staid.

So I’m reminded when I step into the 2013 model of the Infiniti FX, a handsome crossover which got its start a decade ago.

The 2003 FX was wild and new. Built on a midsize car chassis, it made no claims of climbing mountains. Rather, its aggressive shape promised style and quick handling. The rounded roof swooped down dramatically in the rear.

It was a crossover before the name became popular.

I haven’t put a foot in an FX footwell for many years, and was curious how it’s stood the test of time. Look around at other SUVs and crossovers today, from the Land Rover Evoque to

Engine: 3.7-liter V-6 with 325 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque.

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic.

Gas mileage per gallon: 16 city; 22 highway.

Price as tested: $57,250 Best feature: The design, which stands the test of time.

Worst feature: The suspension could use performance tweaks.

Target buyer: The crossover lover who prefers style over room.

brightwork around the windows and grill. It had optional 20-inch alloy wheels, a $3,300 package that includes climatecontrolled seats and wood veneers in the interior.

the Audi Q5, and many of the design elements like the dropping roof have become standard.

Buyers can opt for the FX37, which starts at around $45,000 for a 3.7-liter V-6 engine, or the 5.0-liter V-8 FX50, which is more than $61,000. I drove an FX37 with the optional allwheel-drive, $57,250 as tested.

That’s a fairly steep price, putting it in line with very competitive players from BMW, Lexus and Audi.

My FX37 came in an attractive “iridium” blue with lots of

Crossover Look The big wheels filled out the arches nicely, giving the FX a compelling stance. To my eye, the FX looks modern and easily as interesting as many all-new crossovers. Curious, because See INFINITI FX, Page I19

The 2013 Infiniti FX’s 3.7-liter V-6 engine boasts 325 horsepower and 267 pounds per feet of torque.

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ALL ARE CLOSED END, 10K MILES PER YEAR, JX & QX REQUIRE $2999 DOWN & ALL OTHERS REQUIRE $2499 DOWN PLUS FIRST MONTH PAYMENT. $80 TAG FEE, $700 BANK FEE PLUS LOCAL SALES TAX. NO SECURITY DEPOSIT REQUIRED. $395 DISPOSITION FEE. EXCESS WEAR & TEAR CHARGES MAY APPLY. 25¢ PER MILE OVERAGE. TO QUALIFY FOR ABOVE PAYMENTS BUYERS MUST HAVE A 700+ BEACON SCORE. WE CAN OBTAIN YOUR SCORE WITH A COMPLETED & SIGNED CREDIT APPLICATION. SALE ENDS 2-28-2013.

WWW.INFINITIOFCINCINNATI.COM

Member of

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513-583-1200

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Fred Ferrara, General Manager • Dan Tarmey, Sales Manager Ask for Fred Ferrara for personal assistance email: sales@infinitiofcincinnati.com

SALE ENDS 2/28/13

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I19

VOLKSWAGEN

Gas Jetta hybrid tops diesel’s mileage

By Ann M. Job Associated Press

The 2013 Jetta Hybrid, the newest Jetta, has the highest mileage rating ever – 45 miles per gallon. The compact Jetta Hybrid sedan is only VW’s second gas-electric hybrid in the U.S. PROVIDED/VOLKSWAGEN

Volkswagen’s newest Jetta has the highest mileage rating ever – a combined 45 miles per gallon in city and highway travel.

It doesn’t use diesel fuel, though, as previous high-mileage Jettas have.

The 2013 Jetta Hybrid’s four-cylinder engine sips gasoline and is mated to an electric motor.

The compact Jetta Hybrid sedan is only Volkswagen’s second gas-electric hybrid in the United States. The first was the Touareg Hybrid sport utility vehicle, which debuted in the 2011 model year.

High mileage isn’t the only surprise of the Jetta Hybrid. This is a spunky

Infiniti FX

ATS

Continued from Page I18

when it was first released several colleagues and friends said it looked weird and wouldn’t last.

Other more recent avant-garde crossovers like the Acura ZDX, Honda Crosstour and the BMW X6 have also been criticized for their designs, and I’m not sure any of them will be around in a decade’s time.

Driving around the city, it’s easy to see the FX’s allure. It rides high, so you can commandingly see about you, but is narrow enough to slip past double-parked trucks without having to sweat centimeters.

The dynamic exterior shape does affect interior space. Middle rear passengers will be cramped, and room behind the rear seats is limited (24.8 cubic feet). Soccer families need not apply.

Luxury Game To stay in the luxury game, the FX has kept up with modern conveniences. Leather is standard, as is the de rigueur (and irritating) stop/start button.

There’s a Bose stereo system with satellite radio that, at one point, informed me via an onscreen pop-up message: “Justin Bieber is playing on channel 12; would you like to listen to it?” No, system, I wouldn’t. But thanks for the heads-up.

Some elements are happy throwbacks. While the infotainment system has an eight-inch touch screen, there are also redundant hard buttons which perform the same functions. There are

knobs, too – glorious sion feels like it knobs which effortlessly could use allow you to turn the heat or air conditioning up or down, in one, simple twist.

The FX37 has 325 horsepower, more than MANUAL the original V-8-powLEASE F FOR: OR: ered FX45.

And

(At

Continued from Page I17

2013 Jetta S

159 0

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or the V-6 first, the base four will seem tepid.

Caddy says the base engine in a rear-

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OVER 100 NEW VOLKSWAGEN MODELS IN STOCK while that original FX45 8057 seemed Sale flush with power 10 years ago, these days we expect to see our high-performing V-8s put out something more akin to the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, with 470 hp.

The FX50 gets a decent 390 hp out of its 5.0liter V-8.

Too bad the V-6 powered FX37 manages only 267 pound-feet of torque, which makes it appear lackadaisical trying to get away from a green light.

wheeldrive car runs B e e c h m o n t A v e . • w w w. b e e c h m o n t v w. c o m from standHours: Mon-Thurs 9-8, Fri 9-6, Sat 10-6, Sun 12-5 still to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds.

The turbo four, 5.7 seconds (automatic) Special APR cannot be combined with any discounts or lease incentives. Special or 5.8 seconds (manual); APR subject to credit approval through VCI. *All 36 month closed end leases the V-6, 5.4 seconds. due at signing plus tax, title, doc fees. All rebates & incentives are applied. Ends 2/28/13 AWD cars are heavier, some so those 0-60 mph times $45,000, modern would be slower. love. The FX’s promise of it isn’t cheap, either.)

Caddy expects most Meanwhile, Infiniti sporty handling just buyers to choose the turbo doesn’t hold up to com- will soon be employing an four/automatic. all-new naming strategy, petitors. » Room. Back seat’s a Still, I can’t help re- wherein all of the models bit snug, but two adults of turning to its looks. With- will be branded with a Q. normal stature should be in its parent company, The FX will become the comfortable. Front’s quite Nissan, there are now od- QX70. agreeable.

No matter what you der – and far uglier – » Dynamics. Defined choices. Take a look at call it, the edgy crossover here as how the car moves Nissan’s small, quirky is still one of the best Modern Love when and where it should, Juke crossover, or the things to have come from and doesn’t when and Similarly, the steering downright bizarre con- Infiniti. Ten years on, I’m where it shouldn’t. All is a bit dull, the handling vertible SUV, called the glad it’s still with us. good. ponderous. The suspen- Murano CrossCabriolet.

Toll Free 877-329-9996

hybrid whose acceleration and low-end “oomph” are strong enough to push passengers’ backs into the seats.

The reason: The engine is both direct-injected and turbocharged to deliver 150 horsepower and up to 184 foot-pounds of torque.

This torque, by the way, comes on at a low engine speed of 1,000 rpm.

Meantime, the onboard electric motor delivers more power to push the total horsepower to 170.

Pricing for the 2013 gasoline-electric Jetta Hybrid is some $8,000 more than that of a base Jetta.

But it’s just $1,900 more than the starting price of a Jetta with diesel engine, and it’s only $755 more than the base retail price of a new Toyota Prius.

Steering’s nicely centered, responsive. Suspension is firm, but not harsh. Optional FE3 magnetic suspension is compliant and firms up fast when the road demands.

Brakes are wonderfully free of the spongy-pedal feel, and they seem to haul the car down promptly from high speed. » Tech. The full-on CUE (Cadillac user experience) system lets you amuse yourself for hours learning things it’ll do that you didn’t even know you might want a car to do.

Favorite, if not very exotic, feature: 60 virtual push-buttons. You can display several at a time on the bottom of the screen.

Use them to store not just favorite radio stations but frequent navigation destinations, oft-used phone numbers, songs that might be on one of the three devices you can plug into the three USB ports (one of which is lighted, hallelujah). Why did it take so long?

Not so good: sliding bar for stereo volume. Knobs, please. No better way. » No start-stop. Applause. Nobody’s done it right yet. It saves fuel by killing the engine when it needn’t run, such as at long stoplights. But restarts are jerky and clunky in most vehicles, including the BMW 3 Series that is ATS’ rival.

ATS is a delight, and its unique platform will migrate across the ocean to GM’s troubled Opel in Germany, and perhaps into Chevrolet or Buick sedans.

ATS is the credible starter model Caddy has needed to snag entry-luxury buyers, who are among the most brandloyal. And the use of ATS hardware elsewhere in GM makes ATS the start of something good.

CHRYSLER

Pricey pickup has top-notch fuel economy

By Mark Phelan Detroit Free Press

Armed with advanced features and exceptional fuel economy, the 2013 Ram 1500 SLT 4x4 pickup is the first V-6-powered full-size pickup that doesn’t sneer “cheapskate” every time you start the engine.

Until now, V-6 pickups were generally low-priced base models with little power or appeal.

The Ram changes that, with a long list of advanced features and a correspondingly high price. It offers outstanding fuel economy; though the 3.6-liter V-6’s relatively light torque output is apparent under highway and mid-range acceleration.

The 2013 Ram 1500 goes on sale in October. Prices start at $22,590 for a rear-wheel drive regular cab model with a 305horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 and eight-speed automatic transmission.

Like most full-size pickups, the Ram 1500 offers a dizzying

The Ram 1500 offers excellent fuel economy with a number of options for drivers.

PROVIDED/ CHRYSLER

array of combinations of cab and bed size, drivetrains and towing capacity.

There are three cab sizes – regular, quad and crew.

The drivetrain lineup consists of the V-6, a 310-horsepower 4.7-liter V-8 or 395-horsepower 5.7-liter Hemi V-8. A sixspeed automatic transmission is standard with the V8s.

The eight-speed will be available with the Hemi early in 2013. Rear-wheel drive, parttime and on-demand four-wheel

drive are available. The 1500 offers three bed lengths: 5 feet 7 inches, 6 feet 4 inches and 8 feet.

Quad cab prices start at $27,185. Crew cab models start at $29,765.

I tested an extremely wellequipped V-6 Ram 1500 Crew Cab SLT 4x4 with an estimated sticker price of $45,325. All prices exclude destination charges.

Thanks to its exquisite eightspeed automatic transmission

and Chrysler’s jack-of-alltrades Pentastar V-6, the 1500’s fuel economy, features and capability far exceed other V-6 full-size pickups.

The Ram’s worth the money, but there are some trade-offs.

On the plus side, the reardrive V-6 rated 17 mpg in the city, 25 on the highway and 20 combined in EPA tests.

In addition to the new engine and transmission, several aerodynamic, engineering and weight-saving tricks contribute

to the 1500’s fuel economy.

The V-6 1500 can tow up to 6,500 pounds – 6,250 for 4x4s. I towed a 4,000-pound speedboat around the Tennessee hills with ease in a rear-drive 1500. V8 1500s can tow up to 9,250 pounds.

The V-6’s horsepower compares reasonably well to most other automakers’ smaller V-8s.

It can’t match their torque, however. That leads to somewhat challenged acceleration on the highway and at midrange speeds. It’s one of the truck’s few shortcomings.

The roomy interior featured good seats, plenty of storage, straightforward controls and a pleasing design.

According to the EPA, a 4x4 V-6 1500 like the one I tested would use $500 to $1,200 a year less fuel than competitive V-8 4x4 crew cab pickups.

That payoff goes a long way toward excusing the V-6’s high price and unexciting highway acceleration.

I20 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

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$ 7

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SEE YOUR CINCINNATI AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY TOYOTA DEALERS TODAY!

Beechmont Toyota 8667 Beechmont Ave. Cincinnati

888-377-3359

beechmonttoyota.com

Kerry Toyota

Dry Ridge Toyota

Kings Toyota

I- 75, exit 181 Florence, KY

I- 75 South, Exit 159 Dry Ridge, KY

888-565-1186

859-824-9200

4700 Fields Ertel Rd. I-71, Exit 19 Cincinnati

kerrytoyota.com

dryridgetoyota.com

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Joseph Toyota of Cincinnati

Performance Toyota

9101 Colerain Ave. Cincinnati

5676 Dixie Highway Fairfield

josephtoyota.com

performancetoyotastore.com

385-1800

866-762-8407

1. Remaining new 2012 Camry SE Model 2546. $269/Mo. 36 Month Lease. ZERO Down Payment, ZERO Security Deposit, ZERO First Month’s Payment (1st month’s payment made by TMS) and ZERO Due at Lease Signing ($625 TFS Lease Subvention Cash included with offer). Lease end purchase option $13,568.* Must take retail delivery from remaining new 2012 dealer stock between 2/14/13 and 2/19/13. 2. EPA-estimated MPG for 2012 Camry 4-cyl., 2013 Corolla, and 2013 Prius. Actual mileage will vary. 3. Toyota Motor Sales Inc., U.S.A. $500 Toyota Bonus Cash available on remaining new 2012 Camry (includes Hybrid) dealer stock between 2/14/13 and 2/19/13. Must be applied to Toyota Financial Services special reduced APR and Lease offers. 4. New 2013 Corolla LE Model 1838. $500 Toyota Financial Services Subvention/Lease Cash must be applied toward due at signing – reduces $2,499 due at signing to $1,999 due at signing. Lease end purchase option $11,090.* 5. New 2013 Prius Model 1223.

Lease end purchase option $15,488.* 6. Subject to approved credit through Toyota Financial Services Tier I+ & Tier I ONLY on remaining new 2012 Camry (includes Hybrid) and Tier I+, I, II & III on remaining new 2012 RAV4 and new 2013 Corolla, Highlander, (Excludes Hybrid), Sienna, Venza and Tundra. Not all customers will qualify for lowest rate – see dealer for terms and conditions. 7. Toyota Financial Services Bonus/Subvention cash available on new 2013 Tundra - Regular, Double Cab & CrewMax Models. May be combined with Toyota Financial Services special reduced APR and Lease offers, but cannot be combined with Toyota customer cash. 8. $750 customer cash back on new 2012 Prius (excludes c, v & Plug-In Models) and new 2013 Corolla, Highlander (excludes hybrid) and Sienna. $1,000 customer cash on remaining new 2012 RAV4. $2,500 customer cash on new 2013 Tundra Regular & Double Cabs, and $2,750 customer cash back on new 2013 Tundra CrewMax. Customer cash directly from Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. Dealer participation may affect consumer cost. 9. Covers normal factory scheduled service for 2 years or 25K miles, whichever comes first. The new vehicle cannot be part of a rental or commercial fleet or a livery or taxi vehicle.

See participating dealer for complete plan details. Valid only in the continental United States and Alaska. 10. Toyota Military Rebate Program & Toyota College Rebate Program are not compatible and cannot be combined. Visit buyatoyota.com for complete details. * NO SECURITY DEPOSIT subject to approved credit through Toyota Financial Services – Tier I PLUS customers ONLY. Excludes state and local taxes, tags, registration and title, and insurance. Ohio sales tax due at lease inception. License and applicable fees are extra. Lessee may be charged for excessive wear based on Toyota Financial Services standards for normal use and for mileage in excess of 36,000 miles at the rate of $0.15 per mile. A $350 Disposition Fee is due at lease termination. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, & 10: Must take retail delivery from remaining new 2012 and new 2013 dealer stock between 2/5/13 and 3/4/13 EXCEPT 1 & 3 must be taken from remaining new 2012 Camry dealer stock between 2/14/13 and 2/19/13. APR, Customer Cash & Lease offers may not be combined. See participating dealer for complete details. Individual dealer prices may vary. Offers may vary by region. VEHICLE IMAGES USED FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY. Expiration for this ad is 2/19/13.

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I21

2013 FORD FIESTA S

STK #C13-2106

MSRP BEECHMONT DISCOUNT FORD FACTORY REBATE

MSRP $13,995 BEECHMONT DISCOUNT -$1356 FORD FACTORY REBATE -$250

12,389

2013 FORD MUSTANG

STK #C13-257

MSRP $24,485 BEECHMONT DISCOUNT -$3496 FORD FACTORY REBATE -$1500

19,489

W/O FMCC

MSRP BEECHMONT DISCOUNT FORD FACTORY REBATE FMCC REBATE

$24,965 -$3076 -$2500 -$1000

18,389 19,389

YOUR PRICE $ YOUR PRICE $ W/O FMCC

STK #T13-689

$31,710 -$3321 -$2500 -$1000

2013 FORD F-150

2013 FORD EDGE SE

STK #T13-493

$29,600 -$3711 -$2000 -$1000

22,889 23,889

YOUR PRICE $ YOUR PRICE $

2013 FORD EXPLORER MSRP BEECHMONT DISCOUNT FORD FACTORY REBATE FMCC REBATE

24,889 25,889

YOUR PRICE $ YOUR PRICE $

22,889

MSRP BEECHMONT DISCOUNT FORD FACTORY REBATE FMCC REBATE

$23,590 -$2701 -$1500 -$1000

2013 FORD FLEX SE W/O FMCC

STK #T13-596

18,389 19,389

MSRP BEECHMONT DISCOUNT FORD FACTORY REBATE FMCC REBATE

2013 FORD C-MAX SE

STK #C13-412

YOURPRICE $

2013 FORD ESCAPE S W/O FMCC

18,389

MSRP $25,995 BEECHMONT DISCOUNT -$2356 FORD FACTORY REBATE -$750

YOURPRICE $

YOUR PRICE $ YOUR PRICE $

$22,495 -$2606 -$1500

YOURPRICE $

YOURPRICE $

MSRP BEECHMONT DISCOUNT FORD FACTORY REBATE FMCC REBATE

2013 FORD FUSION S

STK #C13-398

STK #T13-334

$29,960 -$3571 -$1500 -$500

24,389 24,889

YOUR PRICE $ YOUR PRICE $ W/O FMCC

STK #T13-731

2012FORDSUPERDUTY4X4 MSRP BEECHMONT DISCOUNT FORD FACTORY REBATE FMCC REBATE

W/O FMCC

$34,290 -$4051 -$2750 -$1500

25,989 27,489

YOUR PRICE $ YOUR PRICE $

STK #T12-046

FOR FMCC REBATE, CUSTOMER MUST BE APPROVED THRU AND FINANCE WITH FORD CREDIT. NOT EVERYONE WILL QUALIFY. OFFER GOOD WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. SEE DEALER FOR COMPLETE DETAILS. OFFER ENDS 02/28/13.

Beechmont Ave. & I-275

513-752-6611

www.beechmontford.com

I22 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

MITSUBISHI

Mitsubishi i electric looks funny, rides rough

By James Healey USA TODAY

A hearty attaboy to Mitsubishi for, deliberately or otherwise, challenging Nissan’s Leaf battery car and Chevrolet’s Volt extended-range electric with a Mitsubishi electric car that, like Leaf and Volt, you can buy nationwide.

Of course, there are fewer Mitsu dealers than Nissan or Chevy dealers, so going down to the corner store for a Mitsubishi i isn’t the lithium-ion cinch Mitsu might wish.

Mitsu’s good intentions are acknowledged, but a week in the i was unsettling, unsatisfying.

Take the appearance: Tall and slender is OK for fashion models, but a dreadful approach to auto design. The i looks like an egg in heels. It corners a bit like one, too.

And the naming department needs to find other work. The car’s moniker looks like a typographical error. It’s also wrong-headed. “I” is selfish, and electrics are “we” cars, their fans will tell you ad nauseam, meant for the greater good. In other markets the car is i-MiEV (for Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Car). The name iMiEV is also ridiculous but at least long enough to be a real name, not a typo.

The Mitsubishi recharging system, apparently designed by nervous lawyers, restricts how fast the electricity can flow in. A safety issue, the automaker says, because while the car surely is juice-proof, no telling if your house can handle it. Thus, it can take up to 22.5 hours to recharge the car using your

120-volt home outlet.

If you use the optional 240-volt charger, it takes seven hours, Mitsubishi says. If you can find a socalled level 3 charger – 480 volts – you can go from discharged to 80 percent full in 30 minutes.

The suspension gurus might need some re-education. They start with a 100-inch wheelbase, which is huge for the overall size of the car; in fact it’s some 69 percent of the car’s entire length, and should almost guarantee a smooth ride. Instead, the i jiggles and slaps and jumps and slams over ordinary road surfaces.

Even if you like everything else about the i, the ride gets tiresome pretty early in the relationship.

And here’s a sure way to offend American buyers: Brand them as second-class by refusing to change the gearshift pattern to suit the left-handsteering that Americans use. It’s set up for Japanmarket right-side steering, so the tugs and yanks you need to move the floor shift through the gear-selection are backward for U.S. users. As much as anything, it’s a symbol that the i isn’t meant to be taken seriously here.

Let’s not overlook the price. It starts at about $30,000, before the government’s $7,500 incometax credit that some buyers will be able to claim.

And you’ll want a 240-volt charger installed at home, so add $1,000 to $2,000 or so. The total is low for an electric (Leaf starts at about $36,000; Volt, about $40,000), but high for a small car that’s not especially pretty or pleasant.

The good parts mainly

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric car motor is in back instead of the usual front location, so any whines or whirs from the motor are more distant from your ears. AFP/GETTY IMAGES

are those typical of electrics.

Decent low-speed scoot, because electric motors give you all they have the instant they begin to turn.

Relative quiet. Not much road or wind noise.

The electric motor is in back instead of the usual front location, so any whines or whirs from the motor are more distant from your ears.

The i is excellent with the windows down. No wind slap, just a light breeze. In fact, air flows so elegantly with the windows open that plasticbagged hanging drycleaning doesn’t flap.

Because it’s so good at airflow through and around the open cabin, you need to use the air conditioning less, and that helps save the battery.

Controls and gauges are straightforward, easy to find and use. They aggressively eschew the electronic complexities

ABOUT THE MITSUBISHI I » What: Battery-electric, four-door, rear-drive, four-passenger minicar. Official U.S. name is just i; elsewhere it’s the i-MiEV (for Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle) » Where: Made in Japan. » Why: Get attention by offering an electric car nationwide » How much: ES starts at $29,975, including $850 shipping. SE is $31,975. Well-optioned SE test car: $35,065.

Add $1,000 or more for installed 240-volt home charging station that cuts recharge time to about seven hours.

Some buyers will qualify for $7,500 federal tax credit, plus state or local subsidies. » How many: Just 300 sold in the U.S. January through May, but nearly all to individual buyers, not fleets, Mitsubishi says. » What makes it go: Electric motor rated 66 hp at 3,000 rpm, 145 pounds-feet of torque from 300 rpm up; single-speed transmission. » How big: Not very. 144.7 inches long, 62.4 inches wide, 63.6 inches tall on a 100.4-inch wheelbase. Weighs 2,579 pounds. Rated to carry 750 pounds of people, cargo and accessories Passenger space 84.7 cubic feet Cargo space: 13.2 cubic feet behind rear seat; 50.4 cubic feet when rear seat’s folded Turning diameter, 30.8 feet » How thirsty: Rated 126 miles-per-gallon-equivalent in the city, 99 mpg-e on the highway, 112 mpg-e in combined use. Rated range: 62 miles. Charge time, up to 22.5 hours on 120-volt household circuit. » Overall: Small, choppy-riding, tinny-feeling, quiet, distinctive

some alt-power cars load up on to enhance their gee-whiz quotient.

A teaser test car from the Japan market tested here two years ago had promise. It seemed as if it

could be a cute, fun way to electrify your mobility, once recast for the American market.

But the real U.S. version seems less tailored for its intended buyers

than expected. Mitsubishi hopes it’ll be seen as an entry electric, with therefore forgivable foibles.

Instead, it seems more like an unfinished project.

TOYOTA

MITSUBISHI 2013 LANCER ES 34 MPG HWY

18,485

$

#D1004, AUTO, AIR, PW, PL

169

OR LEASE FOR

$

PER MO., 24 MO. LEASE, $2499 DOWN PLUS TAX The 2013 Toyota RAV4 features a six-speed automatic transmission and 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. PROVIDED PHOTOS/TOYOTA

2013 Toyota RAV4 targets fuel-efficiency Detroit Free Press

With a sweeping profile, six-speed automatic transmission and 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, the RAV4 is all new.

Toyota ditched the thirsty V-6 engine and optional third row of seats to create a crossover that’s focused on the heart of the market fuel-efficient fiveseat models like the Chev-

rolet Equinox, Ford Escape and Hyundai Tucson.

The new RAV4 features a top-hinged tailgate that’s much more convenient than the old sidehinged gate. The spare tire moves from outside the tailgate to under the cargo floor. There’s slightly less interior passenger and cargo space than in the old model, though the RAV4’s length and width

both grew slightly.

Toyota expects EPA fuel-economy ratings of 24 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway.

Available features will include all-wheel drive, voice-recognition, Internet connectivity, blindspot and cross-traffic alerts, and an 11-speaker, 576-watt JBL audio system.

Prices start at $23,300.

2013 OUTLANDER SPORT 30 MPG HWY

18,995

$

199

OR LEASE FOR

$

#D4501, BLACK, 5 SPEED, AIR, PW, PL

PER MO., 36 MO. LEASE, $2599 DOWN PLUS TAX

2013 LANCER SPORTBACK GT 29 MPG HWY

21,988

$

179

OR LEASE FOR

$

#D1501, BLACK, AUTO, AIR, PW, PL

PER MO., 24 MO. LEASE, $2499 DOWN PLUS TAX

MITSUBISHI

513-752-1804 71 Beechmont Ave/Ohio Pike

75

275

The 2013 Toyota RAV4 has slightly less interior passenger space than the old model.

JOE KIDD OHIO RIVER

X

1065 OHIO PIKE JUST 3 MILES EAST OF I-275, EXIT #65 SALES HOURS: Mon-Thu 9-8:30 • Fri 9-6 • Sat 9-5:30

*TAX, TITLE AND REGISTRATION FEES ARE EXTRA. EXTENDED TO WELL QUALIFIED BUYERS. SUBJECT TO CREDIT & INSURANCE APPROVAL. LESSEE PAYS FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY & AD VALOREM TAXES (WHERE APPLICABLE) INSURANCE, MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY, EXCESSIVE WEAR & TEAR & A MILEAGE CHARGE OF 15¢ PER MILE FOR MILEAGE OVER 12,000 MILES ER YEAR. FINANCING FOR WELL QUALIFED APPLICANTS WHO FINANCE THRU MMCA. LENGTH OF CONTRACT IS LIMITED. SUBJECT TO CREDIT & INSURANCE APPROVAL.

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I23

CHEVROLET

‘Stingray’ bestowed on 2014 Chevy Corvette Detroit Free Press

How do you make the challenge of developing the new version of the Chevrolet Corvette more intimidating?

Tell the designers and engineers involved that if they’re good enough, the car they create just might earn the legendary Stingray name that’s been used just twice before on the most iconic model in Corvette history.

From its 450-horsepower direct-injection 6.2-liter V-8 engine to a lightweight body that’s about as long and slightly wider than a Porsche 911, to a pair of intricately detailed Stingray badges on the front fenders, the 2014 Corvette Stingray passed the test. The base version of the new ’Vette will accelerate to 60 mph in less than 4.0 seconds and exceed the magic 1G number in cornering grip.

The seventh generation of America’s greatest sports car also offers a five-position driving mode selector that adjusts a dozen systems for different performance profiles. A sevenspeed manual transmission has rev matching to adjust engine speed for smooth shifts. A sixspeed automatic is available.

The Stingray has 50/50 weight distribution for optimal handling. Lightweight materials include a carbon fiber hood and roof, composite fenders and doors, carbon nano-composite underbody panels and a new aluminum frame.

The Stingray name has been used just twice before on the most iconic model in Corvette history. AFP/GETTY IMAGES

The interior – frequently criticized as the one mundane aspect of previous ’Vettes – includes a small and sporty 14.1inch diameter steering wheel and trim made from real aluminum or low-gloss, tactile carbon fiber. Magnesium frame seats will be available with regular contours or a deeply sculpted Competition Sport shape for ultimate grip.

The word “Corvette” appears just once on the low, wide body –

across the rear end between the LED taillights. The front features LED daytime running lights, amber LED turn signals and fixed high-intensity projector headlights.

Other design elements include a low nose with a black egg-crate grille and curved front fenders, hood and roof.

The frame around the windshield seems to vanish for the appearance of a bubble-top fighter plane. On sale in the fall.

The all-new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray interior blends fine materials and craftsmanship with advanced technologies to deliver a more connected and more engaging driving experience.

PROVIDED/GENERAL MOTORS

FORD

Ford Transit Connect offers 7-seat model Detroit Free Press

The 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon offers convenient rear cargo space access via sliding side doors and a choice of rear liftgate or dual symmetrical side-hinged rear cargo doors. PROVIDED/FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Ford’s popular Transit Connect compact commercial van should win new fans with a new seven-passenger model and drivetrains projected to lift the thrifty commercial vehicle above 30 mpg on the highway.

The Transit Connect has been a surprising success, as many small businesses turned to the small front-wheel drive van as a more maneuverable and fuel-efficient alternative to full-size and minivans.

The new model comes in two wheelbases and can carry up to 1,600 pounds of cargo. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine will be standard. Top fuel efficiency will come from a 1.6-liter turbo.

Both engines team with a sixspeed automatic transmission.

The Transit Connect’s interior features a 6.5-inch touch screen and MyFord Touch controls. Ford expects the five- or seven-passenger wagon to serve as a taxi and shuttle.

The car will be for sale in the fourth quarter this year.

2013 LEGACY 2.5i Premium CVT

2013 OUTBACK 2.5i CVT

2013 FORESTER 2.5X 5MT

• Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive • 32 MPG HWY3

• Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive • 30 MPG HWY3

• Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive • 2012 IIHS Top Safety Pick1

• 173-HP Subaru Boxer® Engine • 2012 IIHS Top Safety Pick1

1.9% FINANCING FOR 72 MONTHS

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MODEL DAD-01 • #D3024868 • #MB-4868

• 2012 IIHS Top Safety Pick1 • Built in our Zero Landfill Plant

1.9% FINANCING FOR 72 MONTHS

• 170-HP Subaru Boxer® Engine

0% FINANCING FOR 63 MONTHS

$23,934

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MODEL DDB01 • #D3248345 • #RB-8345

MODEL DFA-01 • #DG408023 • #HA-80230

PLUS TAX AND FEES

PLUS TAX AND FEES

NEW CROSSTREKS AND IMPREZAS ARRIVING DAILY! GREATER CINCINNATI’S LARGEST VOLUME SUBARU DEALER 2011 AND 2012 STELLAR CARE AWARD RECIPIENT

Subaru Legacy, Outback and Forester are registered trademarks. 1. 2012 Top Safety Picks inlcude the 2013 Subaru Forester, Impreza, Legacy, Outback and Tribeca. 2. EPA - estimated Hwy fuel economy for 2013 Subaru Legacy 2.5i CVT models. Actual mileage may vary. 3. EPA-estimated Hwy fuel economy for 2013 Subaru Outback 2.5i CVT models. Actual mileage may vary. All sale prices plus tax and fees. Subject to vehicle availability & insurance. No down payment required. With credit approval. 0% & 1.9% financing through Subaru Motors Finance. $16.71 per $1,000 financed for 72 months at 1.9%, $15.87 per $1,000 financed for 0% for 63 months. Not all applicants will qualify. Subject to credit approval through Subaru Motors Finance. Plus tax, title and license fees & insurance.

Vehicles subject to availability. Great Cincinnati’s largest volume dealer for 2012 as listed in Subarunet Jan. 1, 2013. Stellar Car Award as listed in Subarunet, January 2013. Subaru has no affiliation with Hamilton County Parks. Sale ends 2/28/2013

SUBARU of KINGS AUTOMALL

FREE OIL CHANGES FOR LIFE! FREE GREEN PACKAGE!

www.subaruofkingsautomall.com

(513) 583-9300

EXIT 19 OFF I-71 IN THE KINGS AUTOMALL Sales Hours: Mon-Thurs 9-8; Fri 9-6; Sat 9-6; Sun 12-5

EVERY NEW SUBARU GETS THE GREEN PACKAGE: • FREE HAMILTON COUNTY PARK PASS • VALUABLE PARK COUPONS • FREE OIL CHANGES FOR LIFE • FREE SERVICE WASHER • FREE SERVICE SHUTTLE SERVICE • FREE SERVICE LOANERS • FREE PINSTRIPE

*Subaru is not affiliated with Hamilton County Parks

I24 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

NISSAN

With its boldly futuristic aerodynamic styling and fuel-efficient hybrid-electric powertrain, the Nissan Resonance concept proposes an all-new dynamic and edgy design that once again leads the trend for the crossover category. PROVIDED PHOTOS/NISSAN

Nissan Resonance similar to upcoming Murano replacement Detroit Free Press

Nissan hopes the Resonance concept vehicle will repeat the futureshock crossover excitement the original Murano crossover created years ago.

The Resonance concept drops major hints about Nissan’s plan for the next generation of the Murano.

The concept features a hybrid-electric powertrain as Nissan pushes to make wider use of that fuel-saving technology.

The North American

International Auto Show also marks the debut of an elaborate new stand Nissan developed for 11 leading auto shows around the world. In addition to two turntable stages, the stand has a high-definition LED display and mood music that varies with the time of day.

In an innovation destined to become either a punchline or the next big thing at auto shows, a scent generator wafts a smell intended to complement Nissan’s brand character throughout the stand.

The Nissan Resonance drops major hints about what may be coming in the new Murano.

PORSCHE

.

The 2014 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S’ array of chassis technologies promise flat cornering, agile handling and a comfortable ride. PROVIDED PHOTOS/PORSCHE

Porsche Cayenne S Turbo faster, more expensive Detroit Free Press

Somebody, somewhere, must have complained the 500-horsepower $108,000 Porsche Cayenne Turbo SUV wasn’t fast and expensive enough, because Porsche will add the even more luxurious 550horsepower Turbo S. The twin-turbo 4.8-liter V-8 engine also ratchets up torque 7 percent to 553 pound-feet, accelerates to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 175 mph.

Air suspension, torque vectoring, all-wheel drive and an array of other chassis technologies promise flat cornering, agile handling and a com-

2013 Cayenne Diesel Black Ext, Luxor beige leather, Heated multi-function steering wheel, Pwr. Steering Plus, Exterior pkg. high gloss black, trailer hitch, Upgraded Cayenne-S III wheels, Heated front seats, Driver memory pkg., Panorama Sunroof System, Air suspension-PASM, Convenience pkg., Auto dim mirrors, PCM with Navig., Bi-Xenon headlights, BOSE audio pkg., XM radio, 6-Disc changer, F/R park assist with reverse camera.

LEASE FOR

899 48

$

/MONTH MTHS*

WITH $5,000 DOWN 10,000 miles per year

2012 Panamera 4 Carrara white, Luxor beige leather, auto dim mirrors, Wheel center color crest, ventilated front seats, Porsche crest R/R headrests, Burl walnut int. pkg., Upgraded Panamera turbo wheels, Heated steering wheel, Bi-Xenon headlights, BOSE surround sound, Satellite radio, 6-Disc changer, Prem. Pkg. Plus, heated Seats F/R, Park Assist with reverse camera, Servotronic Steering, Electric roll up shade rear side windows, 14-Way pwr. seats w/memory, Porsche active suspension mgt.

FINANCE SPECIAL:

999 84

$

/MONTH MTHS*

$5,000 DUE AT SIGNING

The twin-turbo 4.8-liter V-8 engine accelerates the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 175 mph.

kings-automall.porschedealer.com

fortable ride.

The interior features two-tone black/red or black/beige leather, an Alcantara headliner and

carbon-fiber trim.

The vehicle’s base price is $146,000.

The luxury SUV is on sale in May.

Porsche Cars North America., Inc. Porsche recommends seat belt usage and observance of all traffic laws at all times. 2013 Cayenne Diesel, #80809, optional equipment shown is extra. Lease is for 48 months. $5000 due at signing, 10K miles per year, $.30 per mile overage. 2012 Panamera, #00853, optional equipment shown is extra. Finance special is for 84 months. $5000 Due at signing.

All prices are plus tax. Offers Expire 2/28/13.

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I25

DODGE

Want value? Dodge Dart hits the sweet spot

By Mark Phelan Detroit Free Press

Chrysler threw in some of what Louisiana natives call lagniappe to sweeten the deal and get customers to try the automaker’s first compact sedan in years, the 2013 Dodge Dart.

Lagniappe – pronounced “lon-yop” – is a little extra, something on the side to make sure the customer is happy.

The Dart heaps on features you don’t expect in a compact car, including some no competitor offers.

The Dart rolls into showrooms next month with cushy materials, sculpted seats, electronic blind-spot alert, and sporty handling and performance.

Despite a few shortcomings, the 2013 Dodge Dart’s value and features make it a strong competitor for compacts like the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla and Volkswagen Jetta.

Prices for the Dart start at $15,995 for a base model with a 160-horsepower 2.0-liter fourcylinder engine and six-speed manual transmission. A sixspeed automatic adds $1,100.

A turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder is a $1,300 option.

That engine combines good fuel economy and spirited performance, thanks to 184-poundfeet of torque available from 2,500 to 4,000 engine rpm.

The 1.4-liter comes with a six-speed manual transmission.

A $1,100 six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission will be available with the engine in the third quarter. The $22,495 Dart R/T will have a 184-horsepower 2.4-liter and six-speed manual or automatic when it goes on sale in the third quarter.

I tested a very well-equipped $25,160 Dart Limited. It had the 1.4-liter turbo, manual gearbox, touch screen controls, navigation, leather upholstery and more. All prices exclude destination charges.

The 2013 Dart is the first car jointly developed by Chrysler and Fiat, the Italian automaker that gained control of the Auburn Hills automaker during the Great Recession.

Fiat provided Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep with platforms, engines and technology to build

The 2013 Dodge Dart GT is comfortable and sporty, with a 97.2-cubic-foot passenger compartment.

PROVIDED/DODGE

fuel-efficient small cars and crossovers in exchange for a controlling stake in Chrysler.

Chrysler engineers and designers reworked the platform Fiat developed for the sporty little Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback to create the Dart.

Chrysler designers crafted the Dart’s interior and exterior designs specifically for American tastes.

I drove a Dart Limited from Chrysler’s introduction of the car in Austin, Texas, where I rode with the Dart’s engineers and designers, to the New Orleans Jazz Festival. I covered well more than 600 miles from the Texas Hill Country’s sweeping curves to Houston’s superhighways and New Orleans’ rough surface streets.

The car is roomy and comfortable. The 97.2-cubic-foot passenger compartment is bigger than the competitors’, with plenty of head, shoulder and legroom. The 13.1-cubic-foot trunk is useful. The Cruze, Focus, Elantra and Jetta offer more room.

Interior storage includes a cavernous glove box, bins and map pockets.

The interior materials are mostly excellent. Soft-touch padded plastics with attractive

MORE DETAILS: 2013 DODGE DART LIMITED Front-wheel drive five-passenger compact sedan Price as tested: $25,160 (excluding destination charge) Rating: * * * (out of four stars) Reasons to buy: Features, value, handling, interior space Shortcomings: Premium fuel, low-rpm torque, weight More Details: 2013 Dodge Dart at a glance Vehicle type: Front-wheel drive five-passenger compact sedan Power: 160-horsepower, 148 pound-feet of torque, 2.0-liter fourcylinder; 160-horsepower, 184 pound-feet of torque turbocharged 1.4liter four-cylinder; 184-horsepower, 171 pound-feet of torque 2.4-liter four-cylinder available in third quarter.

Transmission: Six-speed manual or automatic; dual-clutch automatic available in third quarter.

Price range: $15,995-$22,495 (excluding destination charges) Curb weight: 3,191 pounds Assembled at: Belvidere, Ill. Options: 1.4-liter turbocharged engine; remote proximity keyless entry; push-button start; rain-sensitive wipers; automatic high-beam lights; LED “race track” taillight surround; rear parking assist; blind-spot and rear cross-path alert; high-intensity discharge headlamps; navigation system; Alpine nine-speaker audio system with subwoofer; Nappa leather seats; heated front seats; heated steering wheel; dual-zone automatic temperature control; universal garage door opener; polished aluminum wheels

finishes cover the dash, armrests and the top of the doors in most models.

The doors’ lower surfaces, around the map pockets, have a hard surface and unattractive look. The sculpted leather seats of the car I tested were comfortable and attractive. The thick leather-wrapped steering

7500 Alexandria Pike Alexandria, KY

wheel looks and feels solid and sporty.

Chrysler’s steering-wheelmounted controls for cruise, voice recognition, phone and audio are among the best in the auto industry. The rest of the controls are equally easy to use.

The dials and buttons in the center stack and the 8.4-inch

touch screen in the car I tested performed well, as did its voicerecognition for phone, audio and navigation.

The navigation voice-recognition had a small glitch when I dictated one address, but worked fine otherwise. You can configure the Dart’s LED gauge cluster to a variety of formats.

The display is as sharp as highdefinition television.

There’s not much wind noise.

Road noise from rough surfaces was quite noticeable in fast driving, however.

The car negotiated fast curves well, but the ride got bumpy on rough pavement. The electric power steering provides good feedback and assist at all speeds.

The 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder has surprising power. There’s not much lowrpm torque, but performance is good and passing is easy for anybody willing to rev the engine and shift the smooth sixspeed fast and frequently.

Fuel economy is good: an EPA-rated 27 mpg city, 39 highway and 32 in combined driving. An upcoming Aero model will use special tires and lightweight parts to hit 41 mpg or more on the EPA highway test.

However, the 1.4-liter turbo uses premium fuel. The Dart’s other engines use regular.

The Dart’s main competitors run on less-expensive regular.

That means the Dart’s annual fuel bill will be about the same as less fuel-efficient models of the Focus, Corolla and Cruze, and more than the Civic, despite the Dart’s higher mpg, The Elantra’s annual fuel cost also undercuts the Dart. The 2.0-liter Sentra and 2.5-liter Jetta will cost more.

The Dart’s also a heavy car.

The 3,191-pound curb weight of the one I drove is 180 to 485 pounds more than its competitors. While the Dart’s weight is partly due to its many features, like 10 standard air bags, Chrysler might have won outright fuel-economy and performance leadership with a lighter car.

Those flaws keep the 2013 Dart from scoring a clean bull’s-eye, but the value, features, performance and room of Dodge’s new compact are ontarget enough to win lots of happy owners and make the competition uneasy.

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I26 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

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Excludes taxes, titles and fees.To well-qualified lessees approved by Honda Financial Services. No down payment with approved credit through AHFC.To qualified buyers. Not all lessees will qualify. Higher lease rates apply for lessees with lower credit ratings. Dealer contribution may vary and could affect actual lease payment. MSRP includes destination, excludes tax, license, title fees, registration, documentation fees, options, insurance and the like.All net capitalization costs include $595 acquisition fee. Lessee responsible for maintenance, excessive wear/tear and 15 cents/mi. over 12,000 miles/year for vehicles with MSRP less than $30,000, but for vehicles with MSRP of $30,000 or more, mileage cost is 20 cents/mi. over 12,000 miles/year. See dealer for complete details. 1Closed-end lease for 2013 Civic LX AT. MSRP $19,755.00. Net cap cost $20,106.45. Total monthly payments $9,100.00. Option to purchase $12,445.65. 2Closed-end lease for 2013 Accord LX CVT. MSRP $23,270.00. Net cap cost $23,259.86.Total monthly payments $10,500.00. Option to purchase $14,427.40. 3Closed-end lease for 2013 CR-V 2WD LX AT. MSRP $23,625.00. Net cap cost $23,946.59.Total monthly payments $10,850.00. Option to purchase $14,883.75.

4Closed-end lease for 2013 Pilot 2WD LX AT. MSRP $30,350.00. Net cap cost $29,204.85.Total monthly payments $12,600.00. Option to purchase $17,299.50. 5Closed-end lease for 2013 Odyssey LX AT. MSRP $29,505.00. Net cap cost $28,536.19.

Total monthly payments $12,250.00. Option to purchase $16,817.85.All lease offers valid 1-3-13 through 3-4-13. 760 monthly payments, $17.05 per $1,000 borrowed. 836 monthly payments, $28.16 per $1,000 borrowed. AOffers valid 1-3-13 through 3-413. BOffers valid 1-25-13 through 3-4-13. Super-preferred and preferred tiers only on approved credit. Not all buyers may qualify. Higher rates apply for buyers with lower credit ratings. Dealer contribution may affect your cost. Not valid on prior sales. 9No down payment with approved credit through AHFC. †Based on 2012 EPA mileage estimates, reflecting new EPA fuel economy methods beginning with 2012 models. Use for comparison purposes only. Do not compare to models before 2012.Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.”

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THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I27

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I28 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

ACURA

The 2014 Acura RLX features include touch-screen controls adaptive cruise control and capless fueling. PROVIDED PHOTOS/ACURA

RLX challenges luxury brands Detroit Free Press

Promising full-size room in a midsize body, Acura’s RLX flagship hopes to challenge the performance, luxury and prestige of cars like the BMW 5-series and Lexus GS. The RLX replaces the slow-selling RL. It will offer V-6 and hybrid drivetrains and all-wheel drive.

Front-drive models can be equipped with rear steering for improved maneuverability and parking ease. The base model will come with a 310-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 that promises an EPA

combined city/highway rating of 24 mpg.

A 370-horsepower hybrid model will have allwheel drive and could score an EPA combined rating of 30 mpg. Other features include touchscreen controls adaptive cruise control and capless fueling.

The RLX’s design features a long passenger compartment and short rear deck for a look Acura calls “aero-fused.” The nose features jewel-like LED headlights and a grille that resembles a smiley face.

The Acura RLX will be on sale this spring.

The RLX’s design features a long passenger compartment and short rear deck for a look Acura calls “aero-fused.”

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2014 Audi SQ5 Sport crossover boasts power Detroit Free Press

Boasting a 354-horsepower supercharged 3.0liter V-6 and 5.3-second 062 mph time, the SQ5 aims to bring a new level of power and performance to compact crossover SUVs. In addition to standard all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic

transmission, the SQ5 features a lowered suspension and sport-tuned shocks and springs; 20inch tires are standard, options include 21s. Other exterior changes include a platinum gray grille with aluminum-look bars and side mirrors.

The interior is swathed in Nappa leather and Al-

cantara.

The SQ5 was developed specifically for the U.S., China, Russia, Canada, Brazil and other markets that haven’t warmed up yet to high-performance diesels. Germany and most of Europe will get a diesel SQ5.

The SQ5 will go on sale in the third quarter.

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THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I29

2014 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra promise more power Detroit Free Press

SEMA names the best vehicles to accessorize The next time you’re in the market for a new car or truck, you may wonder what’s hot and what’s not.

What seals the deal for many buyers is the ability to individualize and personalize a vehicle.

While the $28 billion annual automotive customization market offers thousands of products to transform any car or truck, some models offer more options for personalization than others.

One way to learn which cars and trucks are the most accessory-friendly is to check out the SEMA Award winners, presented annually by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA).

Whether you want to create a high-performance sports car or a rugged truck worthy of offroading, these awards can help you identify which vehicles have the greatest potential for customization.

“Each year, manufacturers from the specialty and performance industry come to the SEMA Show with an array of new products and new styling trends displayed on the cars and trucks they view as the most popular trendsetting models,” said Chris Kersting, SEMA’s president and CEO. “The SEMA Award taps into the exhibitors’ unique ability to identify what’s hot, just as the trends are gaining momentum.”

This year’s awards were presented to the Chevrolet Camaro for the Hottest Car, the Fiat 500 for the Hottest Sport Compact, the Ford F-Series for the Hottest Truck and the Jeep Wrangler for the Hottest 4x4-SUV.

Hottest 4x4-SUV The Jeep Wrangler was named the Hottest 4x4-SUV for the second consecutive year.

Custom parts and accessories for the Jeep Wrangler remain in high demand as owners look for ways to make their Wranglers more their own.

Enthusiasm for the Wrangler has lead to its winning of multiple industry awards, including the SEMA Most AccessoryFriendly SUV in 2007.

Hottest Truck The F-Series is a perennial favorite with enthusiasts and specialty-equipment manufacturers.

See SEMA, Page I31

The 2014 Chevrolet Silverado will be available with 4.3-liter V-6, and 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V-8 engines. PROVIDED

automatic transmission, 4.3-liter V-6, and 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V-8 engines.

No fuel economy figures are available yet, but the 5.3-liter aims to be more fuel-efficient than the Ford F-150’s turbocharged V-6, while the 6.2liter is intended to offer more towing capacity than the popular Ford engine.

The full-size pickups go on sale late spring or early summer.

PHOTOS/GENERAL MOTORS

The 2014 GMC Sierra SLT features an all-new bold and refined design.

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Hitch up the hay wagon, the battle for pickup bragging rights is about to resume as new versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size trucks hit the road.

A new generation of the small-block V-8 engine promises more power and higher fuel economy thanks to direct fuel injection, variable valve timing, cylinder deactivation and more.

The new trucks are about the same size as the outgoing models. The crew cab has two inches more rear legroom, however. There’s no decrease in front legroom thanks to a more-efficient layout.

The rear doors open wider than before for easier access.

The extended-cab model coming later this year dispenses with the old model’s rear-hinged suicide doors for more convenient conventional doors.

The interiors have big gauges, large buttons and GM’s new voice-recognition and touch-screen controls for audio, phone and navigation systems.

The powertrain lineup consists of a six-speed

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I30 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

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Chrysler has eliminated the gearshift lever on some models of the 2013 Ram. Instead of a lever protruding from the column or console, the version of Ram with eight-speed automatic transmission gets a dashboard knob.

You twirl your way from gear to gear.

Ram folks say it makes more sense than taking up lots of space to give a lever room to move through the extra positions that are useful on an eightspeed.

Jaguar uses a similar shifter, but it’s consolemounted. Jag’s knob rises to greet the driver’s hand

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THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I31

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With beautiful Italian styling, timeless functionality, fuel efficiency and innovative technology – the same attributes that made the original version an icon – the 2012 Fiat 500 is relevant for an entirely new generation of drivers.

Continued from Page I29

New F-Series designs have spurred even more parts and accessories for blue-oval fans, and all indications are that the trend will continue with the latest models.

Hottest Sport Compact

Hottest Car

The Fiat 500 was named the Hottest Sport Compact at the 2011 SEMA Show, making it the first vehicle to take home the honor in the newest category and beating out a dozen competitors.

After arriving in U.S. showrooms earlier last year, the Fiat 500 quickly became a favorite of

Named the Hottest Car for the second consecutive year, the Camaro remains one of the most accessorized vehicles on the planet, and the list of available performance parts and accessories grows daily as its popularity increases.

North American Precis Syndicate

CADILLAC

Versa Note comes to US Detroit Free Press

The hatchback model of Nissan’s subcompact gets a new name and new features as it becomes the 2014 Versa Note.

Nissan’s utilitarian subcompact sedan retains the Versa name, but the hatchback – all new for the 2014 model year – switches to the better-equipped model that’s sold as the Note in other parts of the world.

Power comes from a 109-horsepower 1.6-liter engine linked to a fivespeed manual or continuously variable automatic

transmission.

At163.7 inches long, the hatchback Note is nearly a foot shorter than the Versa sedan, but Nissan boasts class-leading cargo space thanks to its hatchback body style.

The Versa Note features options including heated front seats, a navigation system, hands-free text messaging and cameras that can simulate an overhead bird’s eye view for parking.

Nissan says the most fuel-efficient Versa Note will get 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

The hatchback Note is nearly a foot shorter than the Versa sedan, but it has class-leading cargo space.

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The 2013 Cadillac XTS includes a number of tech features. The most-touted is a driver’s seat that vibrates when one side of the vehicle is near another object. GETTY IMAGES

Cadillac XTS is quick, comfortable

By James R. Healey

smaller models now.

A day piloting a preproduction XTS with optional all-wheel drive on curving canyon roads and chugging in heavy traffic along the Pacific Coast Highway suggests that the XTS will make quite a few friends. XTS is: » Visually pleasant, inside and out. » Comfortable, especially in back where the 40 inches of stated legroom equals that of a big SUV, and in fact feels like more. » Quick, unexpectedly so because the only engine is a 304-horsepower V-6 in a car that weighs more than two tons.

USA TODAY

Cadillac’s new 2013 XTS sedan snags a remarkable number of double-takes.

Good sign for this vehicle, which will stand as the “big” Caddy until the brand finishes development of a bigger one, about which it will say little. Cadillac marketing boss Don Butler hopes to sell 40,000 of the XTS a year, perhaps a quarter of Caddy’s U.S. sales.

Big, luxurious cars have been, after all, a brand signature, though it’s making its way with

» Easy on fuel for a car of its size, weight and performance. Our real-world mileage zipping through the canyons in an allwheel-drive, high-end Platinum model was 17 mpg. Hardly a hybrid, but respectable. » Technologically geewhizzed to the gills, with the added benefit that you can simplify the controls and displays to suit if you are put off by the car’s attempt to do and show and control everything.

One of the tech features you’ll see championed as a safety benefit is the vibrating driver’s seat. If the car’s sensors

think you could collide with something on the left, the left side of the driver’s seat vibrates. On the right, the right side vibrates. If the threat is square-on, the whole chair wiggles.

Caddy says it’s an intuitive way to warn the driver without a sudden audible warning, which Cadillac believes can startle and distract.

The seat has an “off” switch, which we triggered, finding the vibrating annoying more than cautionary.

Cadillac hopes XTS will seem a credible rival to Audis and BMWs, but,

can be confounding. To trigger the “sport” setting that stiffens the chassis, you have to pull the gearshift into “M,” as if you mean to shift the gearbox manually.

But that means you can get trapped in the fullmanual shift mode even if you’d be happier letting the gearbox make the choices, or perhaps using the steering-column shift paddles to temporarily choose gears. » Handling isn’t crisp and engaging, even in “sport.” The XTS isn’t a sloppy driver, but neither

despite the appealing features and appearance, that appears unlikely because: » Brakes are numb.

The pedal feels as if it’s doing little to slow the car, and what it is doing is out of proportion with your pedal pressure. In cars that can go fast, being able to slow and stop confidently is a key ability and one missing from XTS. » Some simple tech features are overlooked.

There is no “back” button, for example, to let you undo a wrong command in some areas of the menu. » Switching into a sporting driving mode

See XTS, Page I32

MSRP

INCLUDING $1,000 CUSTOMER CASH COURTESY VEHICLE 1 AT THIS PRICE

The latest Ferrari F12 Berlinetta is equipped with new a V-12 6,262-cc engine. AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Ferrari F12 Berlinetta exotic 2-seat sports car Detroit Free Press

Ferrari announces its return to the auto show for the first time since 2009 with the roar of a 730-horsepower 6.3-liter V-12 engine in the glorious new F12 Berlinetta twoseat coupe.

The sensuous, flowing body and chassis rely on 12 alloys for a car that’s 20 percent stiffer and 154 pounds lighter than Ferrari’s last V-12 coupe and boasts a performance-oriented weight distribution that puts 54 percent of the

car’s mass over the rear axle.

While many small engines rely on turbocharging to generate plenty of torque at low rpm, the F-12’s engine produces 80 percent of its 509 poundfeet of torque from just 2,500 rpm.

Mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the engine blasts the car to 62 m.p.h. in 3.1 seconds and 124 m.p.h. in 8.5 seconds.

Base price: $315,888.

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I32 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

TOYOTA

XTS Continued from Page I31

does it have the sweet, integrated feel of the better German cars Caddy is challenging.

The main threat to success, though, seems to be that XTS might fail to fit the brand’s intended image as a perfect blend of sportiness and luxury. XTS, instead, could be seen as too edgy for traditional big-Caddy owners, both in how it drives and in its overwhelming technology. At the same time, the XTS could seem not sporty enough for those looking to move up out of the smaller Caddies or from rival brands’ cars.

ABOUT THE 2013 CADILLAC XTS

The Corolla is back, it’s new and it’s cause for the competition to get very nervous. PROVIDED PHOTOS/TOYOTA

Corolla Furia – what a concept Detroit Free Press

Toyota’s sporty Corolla Furia concept compact sedan.

Hang on – that name sounds familiar. Could it be?

Yes, this sporty coupe is the forerunner of the long-awaited replacement for the Toyota Corolla, the durable and fuel-efficient compact that’s remained one of America’s best-selling cars despite being years older than models like the Chevrolet Cruze, Dodge Dart, Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra.

The Corolla is back, it’s new and it’s cause for the competition to get very nervous. The Furia’s styling features a long roofline

that suggests plenty of passenger room. The hood and trunk are short, and the windshield leans back sharply.

The concept features LED headlights and taillights, a blacked-out grille and carbon fiber accents around the wheel wells, rocker panels and rear fascia.

The 106.3-inch wheelbase – a full 3.9 inches longer than the current Corolla – promises room and comfort. The Furia is 1.9 inches longer and 1.6 inches wider than the Corolla, with a 1.6inch lower roof.

The production model of the new Corolla should go on sale later this year.

The Furia’s styling features a long roofline that suggests plenty of passenger room.

JOSEPH SUBARU

75

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» What: New model that will be biggest car in Cadillac line, offering most technology and meant to rival German brands.

Four-door, five-passenger sedan, available with front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). » Where” Built at Oshawa, Ontario, Canada » Why: Cadillac is not Cadillac without a big sedan. » How much: Starts at $44,995 with shipping Test car: Platinum trim AWD, $61,305 » What makes it go: 3.6liter V-6 with direct injection, rated 304 horsepower at 6,800 rpm, 264 pounds-feet of torque at 5,200 rpm, mated to six-speed automatic with manual-shift mode. » How big: About 8 inches longer, 1 inch narrower, 2 inches taller and 7 percent roomier than Audi A6, often used in comparisons. XTS is 202 inches long, 72.9 inches wide, 59.4 inches tall on a 111.7-inch wheelbase. Weighs 4,006 pounds (FWD), 4,215 pounds (AWD).

Passenger space, 104.2 cubic feet Trunk, 18 cubic feet Turning circle diameter, 38.7 feet » How thirsty: Rated 17 mpg in the city, 28 mpg highway, 21 mpg combined (FWD); 17/27/20 (AWD) AWD test car registered 17 mpg (5.88 gallons per 100 miles) on rural, hilly two-lane roads with three people aboard.

Burns regular, unlike most rivals, and holds 19 gallons (FWD) or 20 gallons (AWD). » Overall: Good-looking, comfortable, quick – but doesn’t speak German

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7600 INDUSTRIAL RD., FLORENCE, KY Andy Held, Doug Schmidt, Joe Fangman or Dan Robke MON-THUR 9-8 • FRI 9-7 • SAT 9-6 • SUN 11-4

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I33

KIA

The 2014 Kia Cadenza features a new interpretation of the brand’s “tiger nose” grille and character lines on the hood. PROVIDED PHOTOS/KIA MOTORS

Cadenza lifts brand prestige Detroit Free Press

Bigger, more powerful and better equipped than any car Kia has sold, the Cadenza sedan aims to lift the brand’s prestige.

The big sedan features a new interpretation of the brand’s “ti-

The 2014 Kia Cadenza has available features such as adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure and blind-spot alerts.

ger nose” grille and character lines on the hood. Power comes from a 293-horsepower 3.3-liter V-6 mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Available features will include adaptive cruise control, and lane-departure and blind-spot alerts.

AUDI

RS5 provides luxury and performance Detroit Free Press

Audi’s powerful RS5 coupe loses its head with the 450-horsepower soft-top RS5 convertible, which accelerates to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds en route to a 176-mph top speed.

In addition to a 4.2-liter normally aspirated engine and standard Quattro all-wheel drive, the RS5 cabrio’s seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission helps the convertible score an EPA fuel economy rating of 16 miles per gallon in the city, 22 on the highway and 18 combined.

The power soft-top opens and closes in less than 20 seconds at up to 30 mph. The top reduces the 13.4-cubic-foot trunk’s capacity by a relatively minor 2.1 cubic feet.

B

The 2014 Audi RS5 has an EPA fuel economy rating of 16 miles per gallon in the city, 22 on the highway and 18 combined. PROVIDED/AUDI

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Top Safety Pick includes the 2008 Tribeca. Government frontal and side crash tests are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program. See safercar.gov for more detail. Subaru Impreza, Tribeca, Forester and Outback are registered trademarks. *Tax, title and registration fees extra. Call 1-800-WANT-AWD for lease details. Extended to well qualified buyers. Subject to credit and insurance approval. Lessee pays for personal property and ad valorem taxes (where applicable), insurance, maintenance, repairs not covered by warranty, excessive wear and tear, and a mileage charge of 10 cents per mile for mileage over 10,000 miles per year. **Financing for well-qualified applicants who finance through Subaru Motors Finance. Length of contract is limited. Subject to credit and insurance approval and vehicle availability. Subaru, Forester, Outback, Tribeca, Legacy, Impreza, WRX, STI and SUBARU BOXER are registered trademarks.

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I34 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

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THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I35

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I36 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

SUBARU

The 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek’s design and bold color stands out in a crowd. PROVIDED PHOTOS/SUBARU

Crosstrek blends look, utility

By Ann M. Job Associated Press

Fitted with a raised suspension, unique wheels and some bold paint colors, Subaru’s new XV Crosstrek five-door hatchback gets attention.

But the verdict is out on whether potential buyers will see the Crosstrek as a smartly utilitarian tall wagon or what Subaru officials sought to design – a compact crossover sport utility vehicle.

Basically, the new-for-2013 Crosstrek is a Subaru Impreza that has been raised 3 inches, shod with larger tires on blackand-gray two-toned wheels and mildly restyled.

The Crosstrek uses the same platform as the Impreza, the same 148-horsepower, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder engine and Subaru’s all-wheel drive.

Nearly all the interior is from the Impreza, too.

But where the Impreza, which is Subaru’s entry-level car, blends in as a normal and pleasant-looking sedan and a slightly sporty-looking hatchback, the unusual – some might say odd-looking – Crosstrek tends to stand out in a crowd.

Price-wise, the Crosstrek comes in at the higher range of the Impreza models and at the lower end of models of the Subaru Forester compact SUV. Starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, for a 2013 XV Crosstrek is $22,790 with five-speed manual transmission and $23,790 with continuously variable transmission that a driver operates like an automatic.

This compares with $19,165 for a base, 2013 Impreza fivedoor hatchback with manual transmission and the $22,090 starting retail price for a base, 2013 Forester with manual.

Note that the Forester is heavier, taller and longer in

There is 43.5 inches of front-seat legroom in the Crosstrek. Front seats heated as standard equipment.

overall length than the Crosstrek, while the Crosstrek is heavier, taller and a tad longer in overall length than the Impreza hatchback.

All Crosstreks come standard with all-wheel drive.

While federal crash testing has not been reported, standard safety equipment on every Crosstrek includes seven air bags – one is for the driver’s right knee – along with stability control, traction control, frontseat anti-whiplash head restraints and antilock brakes with Brake Assist and Electronic Brake Distribution.

Subaru officials say competitors include compact crossover SUVs, which are vehicles built on car-like platforms that provide a more comfortable ride, rather than a brutish truck-like ride.

Examples include the 2013 Nissan Juke, which has a starting MSRP plus destination charge of $22,440 with all-wheel drive, 188-horsepower, turbocharged four cylinder and CVT.

Note the Juke is available with front-wheel drive and CVT at a lower starting retail price of $20,780.

Meantime, the 2013 Mazda CX-5 crossover SUV has a starting retail price of $21,790 with 155-horsepower, naturally aspirated, four-cylinder engine, sixspeed manual transmission and front-wheel drive. A base 2013 CX-5 with all-wheel drive has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $24,440.

While the Crosstrek’s foreign looks grab attention, it is the vehicle’s flexible interior for people and cargo that have enduring appeal.

Cargo room behind the second-row seats measures 22.3 cubic feet, and there’s smallSUV-like space of 51.9 cubic feet with rear seats folded down. Best of all, the cargo floor is up some, so people don’t have to lean over to load and unload the back.

Headroom is less, in front and back, than in the taller Forester and the CX-5, but the

Crosstrek still has a commendable 39.8 inches and 37.7 inches of front and rear headroom, respectively, which is more than what a Juke has.

There’s an impressive 43.5 inches of front-seat legroom in the Crosstrek, and while the back seat’s 35.4 inches is less than the Forester’s, both frontand rear-seat legroom are better than that in a Juke.

The Crosstrek’s interior, at least in base Premium trim, appears a lot like an Impreza’s.

There’s considerable plastic trim in there and acceptable cloth upholstery on the seats, with front seats heated as standard equipment. To get leathertrimmed seats, buyers must move up to the Limited model, which starts at $25,290.

For both the Limited and base models, a moonroof and navigation system are options, and a rear vision camera is available only on the pricey Limited.

The 2-liter, double overhead cam four cylinder worked hard

to keep up with other vehicles on uphill mountain highway sections and to accelerate.

But mated to a fuel-saving CVT that droned incessantly, the engine’s power felt a bit tapped at times in the 3,175pound tester, particularly when it carried four adults and suitcases.

Peak torque is 145 footpounds at 4,200 rpm and compares with 177 foot-pounds starting at a low 2,000 rpm in the turbocharged Nissan Juke. But it’s close to the 150 foot-pounds of peak torque delivered at 4,000 rpm in the Mazda CX-5.

Paddle shifters on the steering wheel let Crosstrek drivers manually “shift” the CVT and reduce the droning as the tranny then goes from one to another of six preset gear ratios. Still, this artificial fix conflicts with the real reason to have a CVT, which is to maximize fuel economy by allowing the transmission to manage power delivery itself.

For the record, the test Crosstrek with CVT averaged 27 miles per gallon in combined city/highway travel, which is less than the 28-mpg rating reported by the federal government.

Riding on 17-inch tires, the test Crosstrek surprised with its stable handling.

Despite a ground clearance of 8.7 inches, the Crosstrek test vehicle maintained its composure in sudden emergency maneuvers and remained balanced and flat in corners.

The high ride height provided good views out to the traffic ahead but didn’t make the Crosstrek feel tippy.

Best of all, the Crosstrek’s seats were well-positioned, so most passengers could just set themselves onto the seats without climbing up or dropping down.

Electric power-assist rackand-pinion steering felt a bit numb but was acceptable.

HYUNDAI

HCD-14 concept points way for next-generation Genesis sedan Detroit Free Press

With a silver body and lines that flow like mercury, Hyundai’s HCD-14 concept points the way for the next rear-wheeldrive Genesis sedan.

The long dash-to-axle ratio, big wheels and a dramatically sloped rear window create a refined profile. “Suicide” rearhinged back doors create a large opening for easy access. A full-length center console designed to look like a cresting wave creates a four-seat layout

and provides a nook designed particularly to hold iPads secure in spirited driving.

The controls dispose of traditional dials and buttons in favor of eye-tracking and gesturerecognition technologies for audio, navigation, climate and telephone. Hyundai believes the system will reduce distraction and make it easier for the driver to focus on driving.

Power comes from a 5.0-liter direct-injection V-8 engine linked to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The Hyundai HCD-14 Genesis Concept car has a long dash-to-axle ratio, big wheels and a dramatically sloped rear window that create a refined profile. PROVIDED/HYUNDAI

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I37

BMW

The 320i compact sports sedan accelerates to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds. A six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission will be available. PROVIDED PHOTOS/BMW

320i offers new entry into 3 series Detroit Free Press

Just a year after the new 3 series went on sale, BMW adds a new entry-model priced at $32,550.

The 320i has an impeccable 50/50 weight distribution and a 2.0-liter turbocharged 180horsepower engine. A six-speed manual or eight-speed automat-

ic transmission will be available. The 320i accelerates to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds and should match the fuel economy of the more powerful 328i.

In addition to the base reardrive model, an all-wheel drive 320xi will be available.

This car is expected to be available in late spring.

The BMW 320i will be available later this spring.

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I38 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

MAZDA

Mazda puts a lot of standard equipment into its five-passenger, crossover CX-5 SUV. Every CX-5 comes with 17-inch, alloy wheels with Yokohama tires, rear spoiler, body-colored outside mirrors and door handles, push-button start and one-touch power up and down driver-side window. PROVIDED PHOTOS/MAZDA

Mazda’s CX-5 SUV lands at top

By Ann Job Associated Press

A new, 2013 sport utility vehicle is at the top of the fuel mileage charts, and it’s not from Honda or Toyota.

The smartly packaged, functional and new-for-2013 Mazda CX-5 earned a combined city/ highway fuel economy rating of 29 miles per gallon from the federal government.

This puts the CX-5 ahead of competitors such as the wellknown Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

It also means the CX-5 ties the 2013 Nissan Juke, which is a smaller-sized SUV, as best fuelsipper among non-hybrid SUVs. Better still, while the Juke’s turbocharged four cylinder requires premium gasoline, the CX-5’s naturally aspirated four cylinder needs only regular unleaded.

The CX-5 is a recommended vehicle of Consumer Reports magazine, which lists reliability at better than average.

Mazda puts a lot of standard equipment into this five-passenger, crossover SUV. Every CX-5 comes with 17-inch, alloy wheels with Yokohama tires, rear spoiler, body-colored outside mirrors and door handles, push-button start and one-touch power up and down driver-side window.

And with a starting retail price of $21,790, value is part of the CX-5 story – to a point.

This starting retail price is for a CX-5 with front-wheel drive and six-speed manual transmission.

Most drivers today buy automatics, and the starting price

All CX-5s come with a 155-horsepower, naturally aspirated, directinjection four cylinder. Interior colors are offered in black and sand.

jumps considerably – to $23,190 – for a CX-5 with automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. A 2013 CX-5 with allwheel drive has a starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, of $24,440. All-wheel drive is available only with automatic transmission.

All CX-5s come with a 155horsepower, naturally aspirated, direct-injection four cylinder.

The competing 2013 Honda CR-V, with 185-horsepower four cylinder, has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $23,625 with front-wheel drive and automatic. The CR-V’s highest government fuel economy rating is 26 mpg in combined city/highway driving for a front-wheel drive model.

The 2013 Toyota RAV4, with a 176-horsepower four cylinder, debuts early next year and no pricing has been announced.

The 2012 RAV4 has a starting retail price of $23,495 with auto-

matic and front-wheel drive.

Mazda dropped its five-passenger CX-7 SUV after the 2012 model year to accommodate the new CX-5.

It’s a good move, since the 2012 CX7 had a higher starting price – $22,985 for a base, frontwheel drive model – and was similarly sized to the CX-5.

But the CX-5’s smaller displacement engine, with careful engineering to produce good response and top fuel economy, outshone the CX-7’s, and CX-7 sales have been sluggish.

Meantime, the CX-5, which launched earlier this year, has garnered awards and sales around the world.

For example, the CX-5 was named Car of the Year in Japan.

In Russia, which is Mazda’s biggest European market, CX-5 orders are poised to easily surpass the company’s sales target for the whole year.

American car buyers will like that the CX-5 has a stylish look that makes it seem like it’s

in motion even when it’s standing still. There are lines in the exterior metal that carry the eye along the sides of the vehicle, and the front and back tie in attractively.

It’s easy for easy petite women to get inside the CX-5. While passengers sit up a ways from the pavement, seats are wellpositioned for most people to just set themselves onto the cushions without needing to climb up.

But there are only two interior colors offered – black and sand.

Standard cloth seats have pleasant upholstery, while the leather-trimmed seats in the test CX-5 Grand Touring model looked upscale and provided good support.

The 41 inches of front-seat legroom was a welcome sight for a 6-foot passenger, and even back-seat passengers get a generous 39.3 inches. This is an inch more than what’s in the back seat of the CR-V and compares with only 32.1 inches of rear-seat legroom in the smaller Juke.

Headroom is good, too, with 40.1 and 39 inches, respectively, in the front and back seats of the CX-5. These figures are more than what’s in the CR-V. Yet, the test CX-5 handled more like a confident and poised car than a taller-riding SUV. The driver felt a noticeable connection to the pavement surfaces, and steering had good on-center feel and crisp, but not twitchy, response. Road noise came through from the tires on all but the smoothest of asphalt.

The commendable body control, which reduced any tippy

feeling in curves and turns, translated into a firm, but not harsh, ride.

One thing that surprised: The turning circle for this 15foot-long SUV is 39 feet, which is larger than that of many other compact SUVs. It’s true the CX-5’s 2-liter, double overhead cam, direct-injection four cylinder isn’t as powerful as those of some competitors, including the RAV4 and CR-V. The CX-5’s engine torque peaks at 150 foot-pounds at 4,000 rpm, and there were times during the test drive where the engine sounded buzzy and pressured.

But at idle, the test CX-5 was impressively quiet, and the tester averaged nearly 27 mpg in city/highway travel.

It felt good to have a normalacting automatic transmission with six gears smoothly delivering the power, rather than a continuously variable transmission that can drone on and leave a driver wanting for pre-set shift points.

The test CX-5 performed well on city streets and flat terrain and exhibited some lugging when on uphill highway stretches with a load of passengers inside.

Mazda does sell a trailer hitch and states the CX-5 can tow as much as 2,000 pounds.

Standard safety equipment includes six air bags, electronic stability control and traction control.

The CX-5 earned four out of five stars in overall crash tests by the federal government, with top, five-out-of-five stars in frontal testing and four out of five stars in side testing.

LINCOLN

Lincoln seeks rebirth with shapely MKZ

By Chris Woodyard USA TODAY

As you walk up the sidewalk, you know this isn’t your father’s Lincoln.

On the street, the new MKZ has all the hot looks of a performance sedan, with 19-inch gunmetal wheels and its sloped back. It’s about as far from a Town Car as you’ll get.

We got a look at and short ride in the new MKZ, the first of four models aimed at reviving Ford’s flagging Lincoln luxury brand.

Lincoln’s Rich Kreder, who gave us the spin, says the new sedan takes aim at Cadillac CTS and Lexus ES 350, among others.

We liked the way the MKZ looked when it was introduced – and we liked it even more cruising around West Los Angeles. It felt cool, not stately.The most notable feature to set it apart from competitors is its sliding panoramic roof. It’s the largest we’ve seen – and the car’s sloped-back roof is perfect to handle it.

The car rides quietly. We can’t talk about pep because we didn’t drive, but we’re sure it’s perfectly adequate, probably not spectacular. From the pas-

senger seat, we felt the center console is too high, creating too much of a barrier between the driver and front passenger.

One nice touch: Lincoln has moved the automatic transmission controls to the dashboard and banished the pull-up handle for the parking brake to create more space. The center console control labels disappear when the car is off to enhance the clean, uncluttered look.

Prices start at $36,800 for the base turbocharged 2-liter engine, and the hybrid version, which will be rated at 45 miles a gallon, is the same price. The most upscale version with the 3.7-liter V-6 engine will go for up to $45,000.

The car will be aimed at “progressive luxury customers” – younger, upscale consumers who know what they like and don’t particular care what others think about their luxury choices. “They are not into buying the badge,” says Lincoln’s Tom Kowaleski. If others don’t agree with them, fine. Their attitude is “we’ll start our own club.”

With the new MKZ, they will not only get a club, they might soon need a larger clubhouse.

The 2013 Lincoln MKZ, aimed at younger, upscale consumers, starts at $36,800 for the base turbocharged 2-liter engine and for the hybrid version. PROVIDED PHOTOS/FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Lincoln has moved the automatic transmission controls to the dashboard and banished the pull-up handle for the parking brake to create more space.

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I39

HONDA

Honda redo upgrades Civic

By James R. Healey USA TODAY

Less than two years after the latest Civic redesign, here comes another one, so extensively changed that some automakers would be tempted to call it “all new.”

It’s not, nor are a lot of cars that are so labeled, but in this one there are a fantastic number of changes for the better.

The overhaul is extensive enough to make a mockery of the acronym Honda uses for midcycle updates: MMC (minor model change).

Honda says it began working on the updates even before the 2012 hit the market 19 months ago, because it was evident that rivals were moving faster.

“Our industry has never been as fast-changing,” says Art St. Cyr, Honda’s vice president of product planning.

It’s mere coincidence, Honda says, that the 2013 Civic updates should also quell the griping that the 2012 triggered from the rollout for a cheap-looking interior, clunky road behavior, styling that many have found unexciting and a generally behind-the-curve persona.

Not that buyers have been insufficiently satisfied by the 2012 Civic.

Sales are zooming vs. last year, though it’s partly because there was a shortage then, and there isn’t one now.

When Honda unwrapped the 2013 Civic in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show (and simultaneously put it on sale), the company put an upbeat face on the fast refresh. In Honda’s view, launching a car with so many changes in “just one model year” should be considered admirable “speed to market.”

But the situation feels unpleasantly more like the tech industry, were new products are put onto the market before they are ready, then updated in response to protest, leaving early adopters – often a brand’s most-loyal buyers – with lesser products.

Honda is in a ticklish spot: What does it say to the 200,000-some people who bought the “old” new 2012 Civic, now that the “new” new 2013 Civic is so much better? “Oops,” seems insufficient.

Owners of 2012 Civics will take a big hit on depreciation if they try to unload theirs soon, says Larry Dominique, president of ALG, which calculates depreciation.

Making the 2013 Civic better: » More sound-deadening, including noise-re-

The 2013 Civic EXL looks snappier, is quieter from the moment you turn the key, feels firmer and more agile, and has the mantle of classiness the predecessor lacked. PROVIDED PHOTOS/HONDA

ducing pads and thicker windshield and front window glass. » A stiffer chassis for better handling and road feel, and more-responsive steering. Included is a new crash structure to improve safety ratings in the new partial-offset front collision tests. » Nicer plastic and fabric inside, with more softtouch materials, more attractive detailing and more metal accents. » More standard features, including a backup camera on all models and an array of new infotainment features. » Enough styling changes – hood and trunk lid in addition to the normal grille and light updates, adding about 2 inches in length overall – to send the factory guys to the bar across the street, muttering about “who’s gonna pay for all this?”

The bill for the work is a weight boost of some 50 to 90 pounds, depending on model, and a price boost of $160 on each model. Modest for all the improvements.

And, boy, are they improvements.

Changes are noted immediately. The car looks snappier, is quieter from the moment you turn the key, feels firmer and more agile, and has the mantle of classiness the predecessor lacked.

Interior changes that might sound inconsequential add up to a big deal. Simply deepening the grain in dash and door padding makes it look more like leather and less like hard plastic. Not only

do things inside feel nicer to touch, they are nicer to view.

Seats are comfortable (not always true of Hondas) and back seat legroom will handle most adults.

The recalibrated steer-

job. Instrument lighting, unchanged, varies colors to suggest how eco-sensitive your driving is.

The main driver display is neither harder nor easier to read at a glance than more conventional gauges.

Unchanged: Drivetrains, trunk and passenger space, gas tank size.

Result: Civic’s now a car that’s fun to drive, not one that’s just OK. It feels as if it’s a credible contender for best compact.

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ABOUT THE HONDA CIVIC » What? Fast update of Honda’s front-drive compact sedan after just 19 months to catch up with market. » When? Gasoline-engine sedan went on sale in November, simultaneous with unveiling at Los Angeles Auto Show. Other models due soon. » Where? Made at Greensburg, Ind., and Alliston, Ontario. » How much? All models start $160 more than 2012s.

Base sedan starts at $18,955 with $790 shipping; coupe starts $18,755. » What makes it go? Most models use 1.8-liter fourcylinder gasoline engine rated 140 horsepower at 6,500 rpm, 128 pounds-feet of torque at 4,300 rpm; five-speed manual or five-speed automatic. Si performance models use 2.4-liter rated 201 hp, 170 lbs. ft. » How big? Gasoline sedan, the most popular model, is 179.4 inches long, 69 in. wide, 56.5 in. tall, on a 105.1 in. wheelbase. Coupe slightly smaller.

Gasoline sedans weigh 2,740 to 2,877 lbs. Coupes, 2,716 to 2,868 lbs. Trunk: 12. 5 cubic feet, sedan; 11.7 cu. ft., coupe. Hybrid sedan weighs 2,868 to 2,879 lbs. Trunk is 10.7 cu. ft. » How thirsty? Most models with 1.8-liter engine rated 28 mpg in the city, 39 highway, 32 in mixed driving. Hybrid: 44/44/44.

Test car with 1.8 liter, automatic transmission registered 26.2 mpg (3.82 gallons per 100 miles).

Burns regular, holds 13.2 gallons. » Overall: Big improvement, but why not at 2012 launch 19 months ago?

ing is a joy, avoiding the two common sins: so responsive it’s twitchy, or so power-assisted that it’s numb.

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1. $1000 holiday bonus cash on 2012/ 2013 Maxima, Xterra, Titan, Armada, Murano, Murano Cross Cabriolet, and 2012 Pathfinder. $500 holiday bonus cash on 2012/ 2013 Altima Coupe, Rogue, Frontier, JUKE, Sentra, 2013 Altima, and 2012 Quest. Available on lease and purchase. See dealer for details. Must take delivery from new dealer stock. Subject to residency restrictions.

Varies by Nissan region. Offer valid 2/15/13 – 2/18/13. Ω For well qualified lessees. As shown 2013 Sentra 2.0 SL $255 per mo. lease for 36 months. As shown 2013 Altima 3.5 SL $332 per mo. lease for 36 months. As shown 2012 Rogue SV $352 per mo. lease for 39 months. As shown 2013 Pathfinder Platinum w/ Premium Package $570 per mo. lease for 36 months. $0 initial payment required at consummation. ($0 consumer down payment, $0 first month payment.) First monthly payment will be credited as “noncash credit” on the lease agreement. The following MSRPs include destination charge: $19,150 (Sentra SV), $22,620 (Sentra SL), $23,925 (Altima S), $31,350 (Altima 3.5 SL), $25,080 (Rogue S), $31,095 (Rogue SV), $31,370 (Pathfinder S) and $44,295 (Pathfinder Platinum). Net capitalized cost of $19,262 (Sentra SV), $22, 411 (Sentra SL), $23,301 (Altima S), $29,821 (Altima 3.5 SL), $29,877 (Rogue SV), $30,392 (Pathfinder S) and $41,706 (Pathfinder Platinum) includes $595 nonrefundable acquisition fee. Net capitalized cost of $24,280 (Rogue S) includes $595 nonrefundable acquisition fee. Dealer sets actual price.

Dealer contribution may affect actual cost. Monthly payments total $8,244 (Sentra SV), $13,794 (Sentra SL), $9,684 (Altima S), $11,952 (Altima 3.5 SL), $11,271 (Rogue S), $13,728 (Rogue SV), $13,644 (Pathfinder S) and $20,520 (Pathfinder Platinum). At lease end purchase for $11,490 (Sentra SV), $14,122 (Sentra SL), $14,594 (Altima S), $19,124 (Altima 3.5 SL), $13,794 (Rogue S), $17,102 (Rogue SV), $19,136 (Pathfinder S) and $24,362 (Pathfinder Platinum) plus purchase option fee up to $300 (except KS &WI), plus tax or pay excess wear and tear plus $.15 per mile for mileage over 12,000/year. Lessee is responsible for maintenance and repairs. Disposition fee due at termination of lease term. No security deposit required on all above list offers. Offers end 2/28/13. *Ward’s Light Vehicle Market segmentation. MY13 Sentra CVT vs. 2012 Upper Small class, excluding hybrid and diesel models. 2013 EPA fuel economy estimate, 34 MPG combined with CVT transmission; 33 MPG combined CA state emissions. Ward’s Large Cross/Utility segment. ’13 Pathfinder 2WD vs ’12 and ’13 competitors. ’13 Pathfinder 2WD EPA fuel economy estimates 26 highway MPG. Actual mileage may vary with driving conditions – use for comparison only. **Government star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). Models tested with standard side air bags. Rogue fold-flat front passenger seat not tested. Always wear your seat belt and please don’t drink and drive. Nissan, the Nissan Brand Symbol, SHIFT_tagline, and Nissan model names are Nissan trademarks. ® 2013 Nissan North America, Inc. Visit www.ChooseNissan.com

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I42 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

CHEVROLET

The 2013 Chevrolet Spark’s two rear doors sit nearly seamlessly into the side styling. KAREN BLEIER/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

’13 Chevy Spark sips gas

By Ann M. Job Associated Press

Don’t be surprised if some people assume the 2013 Chevrolet Spark is another newfangled electric car.

Just 12 feet long and with an aerodynamic front end and abruptly chopped-off rear, the Spark could pass for an electric car.

But there’s no plug and no problem with fueling the 2013 version of this Chevrolet, because it comes with a gasolinesipping, internal combustion, four-cylinder engine. (An electric Spark is planned for 2014.)

While the 2013 Spark doesn’t rival the government fuel economy numbers of electric cars, its top government mileage rating of 32 mpg in city driving and 38 mpg on the highway for a manual transmission model put it ahead of many competitors.

For example, the best govern-

ment mileage rating for the 2013 Honda Fit hatchback is 27/33 mpg with manual transmission.

The Spark can come with high-tech features such as smartphone-integrated navigation, Pandora personalized Internet radio, Stitcher Internet news broadcasts and Bluetooth audio streaming.

New for 2013, the five-door Spark hatchback also is Chevy’s only subcompact car and carries the lowest starting retail price of the brand.

Chevy’s Spark has seats for four, with a low, plastic area with two exposed cup holders positioned between the two rear seats.

It’s actually not apparent, at first, that there are two rear doors for access to these seats.

This is because the doors sit nearly seamlessly into the side styling and door handles are tucked up in the back upper part of the door windows

New for 2013, the five-door Spark hatchback is Chevy’s only subcompact car. AFP/GETTY IMAGES

DODGE

The super-cool Dodge SRT Viper makes a return with the 2013 model. PROVIDED/RICHARD PRINCE

New Dodge Viper is top of the line Detroit Free Press

The Viper exotic sports car returns after a two-year break with a new brand name and a new persona, but the same old supercar looks and V-10 kick in the pants. A low-slung body, extreme cab-rearward layout and double-bubble roof assure there’s no mistaking the Viper for anything else.

While the original Dodge Viper was aggressively retro, devoid of most electronic comfort and driving aid, the 2013 was rechristened as the flagship for Chrysler’s SRT performance brand. It hits the road with carbon-fiber and aluminum body panels, voice-recognition, touch screen controls and Har-

man/Kardon audio. Soft-touch coverings replace the previous Viper interior's hard surfaces.

Two different leathers are available.

An updated version of the Viper’s 8.4-liter overhead-valve aluminum V-10 engine and sixspeed manual transmission power the car to a 206-mph top speed. Zero to 60 mph sprints should take just over 3.0 seconds.

The Viper GTS adds features including an adjustable suspension. GTS prices start at $122,995, including the federal gas-guzzler tax.

Base price: $99,995 (includes gas-guzzler tax).

The Viper goes on sale in March.

Soft-touch coverings replace the previous Viper interior's hard surfaces. PROVIDED/DODGE

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I43

NISSAN

Nissan Pathfinder gets a facelift

By Ann Job Associated Press

For 2013, the Nissan Pathfinder sport utility vehicle is longer, wider and has a roomier interior than its predecessor. At the same time, this new Pathfinder is 500 pounds lighter.

And with a 30 percent boost in fuel economy, it tops all other mid-size crossover SUVs in sipping gasoline.

How can a bigger SUV be lighter and more fuel efficient?

Nissan engineers built the redesigned 2013 Pathfinder as a unibody, so the vehicle no longer uses a heavy truck frame.

Second, all Pathfinders now come with a fuel-efficient continuously variable transmission (CVT). And the V-6 engine is a bit smaller, at 3.5 liters instead of 4 liters, while a V-8 no longer is offered.

So, while towing capacity has dropped from 7,000 pounds in the 2012 Pathfinder to 5,000 pounds now, the new Pathfinder proudly carries a government fuel economy rating of 20 miles per gallon in city driving and 26 mpg on the highway as a twowheel-drive model.

This rating is better than previous mileage standouts in the category – the Honda Pilot and Ford Explorer which, like the Pathfinder, have three rows of seats.

Another highlight: Starting retail prices for this fourth-generation Pathfinder are lower than that of its predecessor.

Specifically, starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $29,495 for a base 2013 Pathfinder S with 260horsepower V-6 and two-wheel drive. The lowest starting retail price, including destination charge, for a 2013 Pathfinder with all-wheel drive is $31,095.

This compares with $30,115 for a base 2012 Pathfinder with two-wheel drive and $32,115 for a base 2012 Pathfinder with four-wheel drive.

Meantime, the 2013 Honda Pilot starts at $30,350 with 250horsepower V-6 and two-wheel drive and $31,950 with fourwheel drive. The 2013 Ford Explorer starts at $29,995 for a front-wheel drive model with 290-horsepower V-6 and $31,995 with four-wheel drive The new Pathfinder is restyled, with some people liking the lower-to-the-ground and mainstream family hauler look on the outside.

Minimum ground clearance under the new Pathfinder is 6.5 inches; last year’s Pathfinder, with its body-on-frame design, had minimum ground clearance of more than 8.5 inches. So, fans

The 2013 Pathfinder showcases the Pathfinder re-imagined – a next-generation SUV with an unparalleled balance of capability, premium comfort and advanced, user-friendly technology. PROVIDED/NISSAN

of older Pathfinders, with its rugged and taller appearance, may not be impressed.

The 2013 Pathfinder’s 3.5-liter double overhead cam V-6 generates 260 horsepower instead of the 266 from last year’s 4-liter V-6. Torque is reduced more, going from 288 footpounds at 4,000 rpm to 240 at 4,400 rpm.

But the test Pathfinder was responsive when accelerating and didn’t lag, even when it carried a full load of seven passengers.

The CVT, which a driver operates like an automatic transmission, worked smoothly and in satisfying fashion, and the characteristic drone sound that was expected wasn’t heard.

In fact, nothing much was heard inside the Pathfinder because the vehicle is so quiet.

Passengers in the tester didn’t even notice any wind noise at highway speeds. The interior seemed as quiet as that of a luxury car.

Better yet, the tester aver-

aged 21.6 mpg in combined city/ highway travel. This is nearly equal to the government’s combined 22-mpg rating. The average mileage gave the test Pathfinder a 420-mile range on a single tank of regular gasoline.

The 2013 Pathfinder retains above-it-all seating positions that give passengers and driver good views out over traffic.

And even though the new Pathfinder is shorter in height by 3 inches from its predecessor, it offers improved headroom for passengers, particularly when a moonroof is not installed. In the test vehicle, two 5-foot-2 adults sat comfortably in the third row, thanks to this headroom and expanded legroom.

Plus, second-row seats can travel 5.5 inches forward and back, so it’s easy to add more third-row legroom, adjusting space among the rows of seats to accommodate everyone in comfort.

It’s also easy to move secondrow seats out of the way to allow

access to the third row. It takes just the push of a finger on a lever at the side of a rear seat to get the seatback to fall forward and the seat to slide forward.

This leaves a good-sized space on the floor, by the door, for a passenger to put his or her feet while climbing up and into the back row.

Cargo room in the Pathfinder has grown, too, to a competitive 79.8 cubic feet when secondand third-row seats are folded down. When all of the seats are up and in use, cargo space measures 16 cubic feet, which is about the same as in a Honda Accord sedan trunk.

Despite the 500-pound weight loss, the Pathfinder still can feel hefty on the road with less-than-crisp handling and a ride that tends toward comfortable and compliant rather than tightly controlled.

Passengers readily can notice body motions as this 16.4foot-long vehicle travels through curves and on twisty mountain roads. Still, steering

response was notably good.

A special touch in the tester was how long the driver seat cushion was. It came to the back of the knees of a 5-foot-4 driver and provided exceptional support.

One complaint, however, was the weak illumination provided by the test vehicle’s halogen headlamps. Upscale high-intensity discharge lights are not available.

Also, a rearview camera, which is really needed to see what’s behind the Pathfinder while a driver backs up, is standard on SV trim levels and above, but not on the base S. In contrast, Honda includes a standard rearview camera on all Pilots.

The 2013 Pathfinder received four out of five stars, overall, in government crash tests, which includes five out of five stars in side crash testing.

Standard safety equipment includes electronic stability control, antilock brakes, traction control and six air bags.

JEEP

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit will boost fuel economy without sacrificing off-road ability. PROVIDED/JEFF KOWALSKY

Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit fulfills wishes Jeep wishes some of its most passionate owners a happy new year by adding a torque-laden and fuel-efficient 3.0-liter V-6 turbodiesel and an eight-speed automatic transmission to the Grand Cherokee.

Gearheads have been begging for diesel Jeeps to boost fuel economy without sacrificing off-road ability. The Fiatproduced 3.0-liter 24-valve V-6 sounds like just the ticket. It produces 240 horsepower and a whopping 420 pound-feet of torque – more torque than Chrysler’s 5.7-liter Hemi V-8.

Mated to the superb ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, the turbodiesel lifts rear-drive Grand Cherokees to

21 miles per gallon in the city and 30 on the highway, up 50 percent from a 2013 Grand Cherokee Hemi.

The eight-speed also delivers fuel-economy improvements to the 2014 Grand Cherokee Hemi and 3.6-liter V-6 models.

The eight-speed also promises excellent off-road performance thanks to its outrageous 44.1:1 crawl ratio – a 46 percent increase from the 2013 Grand Cherokee.

The Grand Cherokee will also add a more luxurious model called the Summit and the latest version of Chrysler’s Uconnect touch-screen and voice-recognition.

The 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit will include the latest version of Chrysler’s Uconnect touch-screen and voice-recognition. PROVIDED/JEEP

I44 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

HONDA

HONDA

Plug-in hybrid Accord is the best of new line

By James R. Healey USA TODAY

2013 Honda Accord EX-L V-6 sedan has a first-ever frontal collision warning system. PROVIDED/HONDA

Accord makes big changes for 2013

By Ann M. Job

of $22,470 with four-cylinder engine and manual transmission and $23,270 with continuously variable transmission (CVT) that a driver operates like an automatic are increased just $200 from the 2012 Accord starting prices.

Even without factoring in the new standard equipment, which includes dual-zone, automatic climate control and the 16-inch alloy wheels on base 2013 Accords, the pricing is aggressive for Honda.

With sales of more than 235,000 in calendar 2011, the Accord is Honda’s biggest seller. But following the previous generation Accord that grew big, bland and cheapfeeling, the 2013 version is critical for Honda.

There are both sedan and coupe Accords, with four-cylinder and V-6 gasoline engine offerings. Later in the model year, hybrid Accords are due.

The base, 2.4-liter, double overhead cam, four-cylinder with Honda’s variable valve operation called i-VTEC is new and now is direct injected for sprightly performance.

Associated Press

Honda’s 2013 Accord sedan is handsomely restyled and re-engineered to be more fuel efficient and refined than its predecessor, and it offers more technology, including a standard rearview camera that’s an option on major competing sedans.

The new top-level Accord touring model comes with standard light-emitting diode headlamps similar to the ones on Audis. They are the first LED headlights on an Accord and give the Accord a luxetech look.

This top Accord also has a first-ever frontal collision warning system, and some Accords are available with a cloud-based HondaLink system that provides hands-free access to services, audio and information.

Consumer Reports predicts reliability of the five-seat 2013 Accord will be better than average.

Best of all, the new Accord sedan’s starting retail prices

It helps, too, that the 2013 Accord has been sized down just a bit – it’s 3.5 inches shorter in length than its predecessor, for example – and thus has lost a few pounds.

Horsepower now is 185 or 189, depending on the Accord model, instead of the 177 from last year’s four-cylinder. The four-cylinder’s torque increased noticeably to 181 footpounds at 3,900 rpm in the base 2013 Accord from 161 foot-pounds at 4,300 rpm.

Despite the power improvements, the 2013 Accord has better fuel economy ratings, in part because the automatic has been dropped from four-cylinder models and replaced by a CVT, which uses a wide power band, rather than pre-set gears, to optimize gasoline mileage.

The 278-horsepower, 3.5-liter, single overhead cam V-6 that was in the test Accord Touring sedan was rated at 21 /34 mpg and averaged 23.6 mpg in combined city /highway travel. The V-6 uses regular gasoline.

Honda adds two gasolineelectric hybrids next year to the new Accord lineup, both to be sold as 2014 models, at prices not yet announced.

Next spring, expect a plugin hybrid that Honda hopes will be rated for 10 to 15 miles on battery power before the gas engine has to kick in.

That’s a lot for a plug-in, which uses much smaller battery packs than full-electric cars.

A few months later, Honda will launch a non-plug-in hybrid, too.

We had a short time in a preproduction version of the plugin and found it wonderful. Best driving feel of any electrified vehicle we can remember. It also gets our vote as the best version of the new Accord.

The Accord’s hybrid system is a radical shift from Honda’s simple system on the Insight and Civic hybrids. Accord uses two electric motors and a single-speed transmission, teamed with a 2-liter gas four-cylinder unique to the Accord hybrid.

It always uses electric power to get rolling and for most low-speed driving (below 45 mph). Electric motors are torque monsters, so they don’t need the help from low-trans-

mission gearing that gasoline engines require to jump and run.

If the drain on the battery is too much, the gasoline engine kicks in to run a generator.

At about 45 mph, Accord’s gas engine takes over and begins directly driving the wheels. Gas engines are more suited to high speed.

It worked like magic in the test car, which Honda says is representative of how regular production models will feel.

Stunningly quiet. No shudders, shakes, shimmies; no intrusion of any kind as the hybrid system moved between gas and electric power. Not “almost none.” Absolutely none.

And the electric motor’s low-speed punch made the Accord frisky and fun. It also seemed to handle better despite the extra weight of the hybrid’s battery pack.

The car surrenders roughly half its trunk to batteries, though. And it will come only as a single, well-equipped model, so is certain to be highpriced by Accord standards.

Still, it strikes us as worth waiting to try the Accord plugin before making a decision on which midsize sedan to put in your garage. Nevermind the eco-benefits. The plug-in Accord is just so sweet to drive.

The new Accord uses two electric motors and a single-speed transmission teamed with a 2-liter gas four-cylinder unique to the hybrid. PROVIDED/HONDA

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THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I45

MERCEDES-BENZ

Diesel’s back in big Mercedes-Benz

By James R. Healey

MERCEDES-BENZ S CLASS NUTS AND BOLTS

USA TODAY

Mercedes-Benz has brought back a diesel version of its big S-Class sedan to the U.S., the first since the 1996 model.

It seems odd that it waited so long to field a diesel for the SClass that met U.S. emissions rules because Mercedes has been a diesel pioneer here and is doing good business with diesel power in its smaller E-Class sedans and in its SUVs. Called the S350 Bluetec and introduced as a 2012 model, it has all-wheel drive (called 4Matic) standard. Starting at $93,425 with shipping, it is near the bottom of the S-Class price list. Only the S400 hybrid is cheaper, at $92,725.

That makes the S350 diesel a relative bargain. For just $700 more, the diesel gives you the 4Matic not available on the hybrid, as well as better mileage and quicker acceleration. M-B says the hybrid sells best on the Left Coast, the diesel in the East and Snow Belt, and each accounts for about 5 percent of S sales.

The Bluetec diesel, emissions-legal in all 50 states and D.C., is a 3-liter, turbocharged V-6 and rated a modest (typical for diesels) 240 horsepower. But it’s rated a jaw-dropping 455 pounds-feet of torque available at just 1,600 engine revolutions per minute.

Perversely, for all that lowspeed torque, it can’t get out of its own way from a dead stop if you nail the throttle. It oozes ahead until about 8 mph, then begins to accelerate as you intended.

But, if you ease into the throttle – push firmly and deliberately – the car gets going acceptably.

Mercedes-Benz acknowledges that “the engine will take a moment to spool up all systems” but says the pattern quickly becomes second nature.

Once underway, throttle response is vigorous and prompt.

Another perversity: The seats adjust all manner of ways using the on-screen pictogram and the big control knob on the console. Yet perfect comfort was elusive. Mainly, the system wouldn’t dial back the intrusive

Mercedes-Benz acknowledges that the S350 BlueTEC “engine will take a moment to spool up all systems” but says the pattern quickly becomes second nature. Once underway, throttle response is vigorous and prompt.

» What: Reintroduction to the U.S. of diesel power in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class full-size, four-door, all-wheel-drive luxury sedan » Where: Made in Germany » How much: Starts at $93,425 including $875 shipping.

Test car: $108,640. » What makes it go: 3-liter, V-6, turbocharged diesel engine rated 240 horsepower at 3,600 rpm, 455 pounds-feet of torque at 1,600 rpm, mated to sevenspeed automatic transmission with manual-shift mode » How big: Very much fullsize. S350 BlueTec is 206.5 inches long, 73.7 inches wide, 58 inches tall, on 124.6-inch wheelbase.

Weighs 4,784 pounds. Passenger space, 125 cubic feet, trunk, 16.4 cubic feet Turning circle diameter, 40.3 feet » How thirsty: Rated 21 miles per gallon in the city, 31 highway, 25 in city/highway mix Trip computer in test car showed 23.3 mpg (4.29 gallons per 100 miles) in easy-going suburban driving; 27.3 mpg (3.66 gal./100 mi.) in short highway run.

Burns diesel, holds 23.9 gallon Urea tank, required for pollution control, holds 7 gallons » Overall: Embraceable despite annoyances

PROVIDED/MERCEDES-BENZ

lumbar push.

The so-called dynamic seats automatically inflate the side bolsters to keep you in place during corners. But it also triggers at parking lot speed, keeping driver and front passenger in place during 3 mph parking turns. It was adjustable to be less intrusive, but still bothersome. We turned that feature off pronto.

The lane-departure warning also was intrusive, though effective. Cross the lane line without using your turn signal and the steering turns back the other way, a warning comes on and the car slows. Only the dead will fail to notice. Turned that one off pronto, too.

The $108,640 S350 Bluetec test car was rakish-looking by

virtue of its low roof line and optional big wheels with fat tires ($2,020). But it seemed more cushy-limousine-like inside because of extraordinary legroom in back (more than in front) and its optional ($3,040) “rear seat package.” That includes heated and power-ventilated back seats that are separately adjustable and tiltable, plus separate rear climate control.

The same sport/lux confusion shows in the ride and handling. When the suspension is set on Airmatic Comfort, the normal mode, the car bobs and pitches a bit like an old Buick.

“Sport” mode is no antidote, seeming too stiff, neither truly sporty nor luxurious.

Styling is nice, and the interior is gorgeous enough to over-

whelm the car’s drawbacks. It includes a touch that says Mercedes-Benz understands U.S. buyers better than many luxury brands do: Lights along lower edges of dashboard and doorpanel trim. Buick and Cadillac, for instance, use that to good effect. Though it’s cosmetic, once you’ve had it, a car interior seems barren without.

M-B also does the door “thunk” better than anybody.

That, too, can be artifice, achievable even in lesser vehicles with more straps and fasteners in the door panels, as well as better weatherstripping.

Still, the vault-like sound and feel radiate sturdiness, assurance and luxury in a way you deserve if you spend six figures for a car.

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Because it’s a diesel, the S350 Bluetec doesn’t use much fuel for its heft and power. But if you can afford a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, do you care?

More likely you simply prefer the feel of a diesel or hope your neighbors notice you are doing your bit to save oil.

The S350 Bluetec’s inability to find the sport/luxury balance and the otherwise-appealing diesel’s sluggish takeoff from a dead stop are big disappointments in what otherwise would be a showpiece.

Still, you wouldn’t be crazy to overlook the problems and let yourself be charmed by the exterior looks, interior feel, standard all-wheel drive and the long cruising range of the diesel.

I46 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

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THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I47

INFINITI

JX 35 is all about space and sport

By James R. Healey USA TODAY

Infiniti’s 2013 JX 35 is a big crossover SUV that breaks the brand’s selfimposed rules and gets by with the transgressions.

JX is a front-drive chassis available with a simple all-wheel drive.

Foul called: Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury brand, has said over the years that it would stick with rearwheel/all-wheel drive for better-balanced handling.

And it’s been lavish with hardware and software so its AWD could anticipate need instead of only reacting when the wheels spin as the JX does.

JX is almost minivanlike in its handy features and people-oriented layout. One look at Infiniti’s smaller, style-first FX SUV makes clear how radically different the JX approach is.

JX uses a CVT (continuously variable-ratio transmission) instead of the conventional automatics the brand has embraced. CVTs usually make a vehicle feel as if it has a manual gearbox with a slipping clutch – yuck.

We didn’t expect to like JX one bit. On paper, it reads like a dumbed-down cop-out from a purveyor of scintillating machinery.

Not so. JX quickly became a favorite. Its appeal is in its balance of attributes: » Ride quality. JX dispatches broken pavement with a shrug. No thumping from the suspension or tires. » Handling. Not Infiniti-sharp, but not sloppy.

Steering’s firm, well-centered. Brakes bite quickly, surely. Heavy front end wants to understeer a bit but responds to a firm hand on the wheel. » CVT. Infiniti discovered that the best thing to do with a CVT is get rid of it. So the JX mode-selector knob sort of gives you that option. In “sport” mode, it tries to mimic a conventional six-speed automatic with defined ratios. Feels as if there’s still some slipping-clutchstyle slur within each ratio. It’s inferior to a real gearbox but no longer a deal-breaker. The other modes are normal, eco and snow.

A separate program activates “eco pedal” – the gas pedal resists when you try to push it, arguing

ABOUT THE 2013 INFINITI JX 35 » What: New full-size, seven-passenger, threerow crossover SUV. Available with front- or allwheel drive. » Where: Made at Smyrna, Tenn. » Why: Not a lot of competition. » How much: FWD starts at $41,400 with shipping. AWD: $42,500.

Loaded: mid-$50s. Preproduction test vehicle would have had $54,800 sticker. » What makes it go: 3.5-liter V-6 rated 265 horsepower at 6,400 rpm, 248 pounds-feet of torque at 4,400. Continuously variable-ratio automatic transmission has normal, eco, snow and sport modes. Sport mimics a conventional six-speed automatic. » How big: Think Acura MDX/Audi Q7. JX is 196.4 inches long, 77.3 inches wide, 67.8 inches tall on a 114.2-inch wheelbase. Weighs 4,280 pounds (FWD) or 4,419 pounds (AWD). Passenger space: 149.8 cubic feet.

Cargo space behind third row: 15.8 cubic feet » How thirsty: FWD rated 18 miles per gallon in town, 24 highway, 21 combined; AWD: 18/23/20 Trip computer in AWD test vehicle registered 20.4 mpg (4.9 gallons per 100 miles) in highway driving, 16 mpg (6.25 gal/100 mi) in frisky suburban driving.

Burns premium. Holds 19.5 gallons. » Overall: Lovable, if the size suits.

with you about using more fuel as you do when pushing on the throttle. Now that really is anti-Infiniti. » All-around view. If you’re willing to spend thousands, you can get packages that give you cameras and sensors to show you everything on all sides. The setup even

tries to stop the JX, if you don’t, when something’s sneaking up on you.

In full alert mode, you wind up with three views over two screens. It can seem like too much information and become confusing.

See INFINITI JX, Page I51

The 2013 Infiniti JX is not a small vehicle. But then, with room for seven, why should it be?

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I48 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

LEXUS

The 2013 Lexus GS 350’s looks, comfort and quiet remain strong attractions. The GS offers four driving modes: eco, normal, sport and sport plus. PROVIDED/LEXUS

2013 Lexus GS 350 AWD long on quiet and comfort

By Mark Phelan Detroit Free Press

With its unique spindleshaped grille and sleek profile, the 2013 GS 350 AWD gives Lexus a new face, but the luxury brand’s soul remains the same: long on quiet and comfort, short on thrills.

That formula – plus reliability, resale value and great service – helped make Lexus America’s best-selling luxury brand for years.

It’s nothing to sneeze at, but Lexus wants more. Like many of its owners, Lexus is solid and respectable, but it longs to be seen as wild and racy.

The GS – a sedan roughly the size of an Acura RL, Audi A6, BMW 5 series, Cadillac CTS, Infiniti M and Mercedes-Benz E-class – is the repository of Lexus’ daydreams of a life less ordinary. It falls short, but the car’s looks, comfort and quiet remain strong attractions.

Prices for the 2013 Lexus GS 350 start at $46,900 for a rearwheel drive model with a sixspeed automatic transmission.

All-wheel drive models start at $49,450. All GS 350 models come with a 306-horsepower

3.5-liter V-6 and six-speed automatic transmission.

A hybrid called the GS 450h starts at $58,950. Its electric motor and battery boost the car’s output to 338 horsepower.

The GS 450h has a continually variable transmission.

Lexus used to sell a V-8-powered performance model called the GS 460. It featured a 342-horsepower 4.6-liter V-8 and eight-speed automatic transmission. That model no longer exists as Lexus tries to position hybrids as its mostpowerful and fuel-efficient cars.

The V-8 was underpowered among luxury sedans, so it’s no great loss. The new GS could use the missing eight-speed to boost its performance and fuel economy, though. The Audi, BMW, Infiniti and Mercedes all have more gears than the new Lexus.

I tested an option-laden GS 350 AWD that cost $58,884. The car had heated rear seats, good voice-recognition, fine audio and navigation systems and many other features. The price put the GS 350 AWD at the high See LEXUS, Page I50

MORE DETAILS: 2013 LEXUS GS 350 AWD All-wheel drive, five-passenger luxury sedan Price as tested: $58,884 (excluding destination charge) Rating: Three out of four stars Reasons to buy: Looks, voice recognition, quiet, comfortable interior Shortcomings: Handling, fuel economy, control usability

MORE DETAILS: 2013 LEXUS GS 350 AT A GLANCE Vehicle type: Rear- or all-wheel drive five-passenger luxury sedan Power: 306-horsepower port- and direct-injected 3.5-liter V-6 or 338-horsepower hybrid electric Transmission: Six-speed automatic; continuously variable transmission in hybrid Price range: $46,900-$58,950 Base price: $49,450 Safety equipment: Antilock brakes; stability control; electronic brake-force distribution; brake assist; backup camera; front and rear seat-mounted side air bags; curtain air bags; front-seat knee air bags; front seatbelt pretensioners and force limiters; whiplash-lessening front head rests

SPECIFICATIONS AS TESTED

Engine: 3.5-liter port- and direct-injected DOHC variable-timing 24-valve V-6 Power: 306 horsepower at 6,400 rpm; 277 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm Transmission: Six-speed automatic EPA fuel economy rating: 19 mpg city/26 highway/21 combined. Premium gasoline.

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 112.2 inches Length: 190.7 inches Width: 72.4 inches Height: 57.9 inches Curb weight: 3,980 pounds Where assembled: Tahara, Japan Options: Blind-spot monitor; heated rear seats; rain-sensing wipers; heated and ventilated front seats; power rear sun shade; 18-inch alloy wheels; adaptive variable suspension; wood and leather trimmed steering wheel; wood interior trim; semi-aniline leather trim; 18-way power front seats; memory for passenger seat; three-zone automatic climate control; manual sun side shades; heated steering wheel; navigation system; parking assist; trunk mat; cargo net

FORD

Tech corrals 662 horses in Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang

By Mark Phelan Detroit Free Press

The last Shelby performance car sanctified by the late Carroll Shelby – the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 convertible – is the fastest, most expensive and, by far, best Mustang from the maestro’s decades of work with Ford.

It also redefines the American pony car as a vehicle whose technology and power can compare to elite super cars for a fraction of the cost.

The Shelby’s window-rattling 662 horsepower is just the start. It brings a new level of technology to a car that critics dismissed for decades as more brawn than brains.

The 2013 Shelby GT500 has sophisticated launch control, multimode stability control, adjustable Bilstein shocks and more. Its supercharged 5.8-liter V-8 engine generates more power than the 6.2-liter twin-turbo 12-cylinder engine in a Bentley Supersports convertible.

The Bentley’s claim to being the world’s fastest four-passenger convertible is probably fluttering somewhere in the Shelby GT500’s wake. At a minimum, the sub 4-second zero-60 mph time and 200-mph-plus top speed Ford claims are both close enough to make the $280,000-plus Bentley sweat.

All 2013 Shelby GT500 Mustangs come with the 662-horsepower, 631-pound-feet of torque supercharged 5.8-liter V-8 and a six-speed manual transmission.

A new one-piece carbon-fiber driveshaft transmits the en-

MORE DETAILS: 2013 FORD SHELBY GT500 Rear-wheel drive high-performance four-passenger coupe Price as tested: $62,695 (excluding destination charge) Rating: * * * * (out of four stars) Reasons to buy: Performance, looks, legend Shortcomings: Interior storage, poorly fitted trunk liner, no memory for driver’s settings, shifter feel Vehicle type: Rear-wheel drive high-performance four-passenger coupe or convertible Engine : 662-horsepower supercharged 5.8-liter V-8 Transmission: Six-speed manual EPA fuel economy rating: 15 mpg city/24 highway/18 combined.

Premium fuel.

Price range: $54,200-$59,200 (excluding options and destination charges) Wheelbase: 107.1 inches Length: 188.2 inches Width: 73.9 inches Height: 55.1 inches Curb weight: 2,970 pounds Where assembled: Flat Rock, Mich.

Safety equipment: Antilock brakes; stability control; electronic brake-force distribution; front-seat side air bags; Brembo vented disc brakes Options: Torsen limited-slip rear differential; Gurney flap; Bilstein adjustable shocks; upgraded springs and stabilizer bars; “Tarnish” black-painted forged aluminum wheels

gine’s power to the rear wheels.

Prices start at $54,200 for the coupe and $59,200 for the convertible.

I tested a well-equipped Shelby GT500 convertible with voice-recognition Bluetooth phone and audio, blind-spot alert, a Torsen limited-slip differential and more. It stickered at $62,695. All prices exclude destination charges.

Performance notwithstanding, the Shelby doesn’t really compete with the ultra-luxury Bentley Supersports. Its main target is the new 580-horsepow-

er Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

Other cars a Shelby driver might deign to race include the Audi S5 convertible, BMW M3 convertible, Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 coupe and MercedesBenz C 63 AMG coupe.

None of them matches the Shelby’s output. Only the Camaro ZL1 comes within 100 horsepower. Amazingly, all but the 333-horsepower V-6 Audi S5 also trail the Shelby’s fuel economy.

The EPA rates Shelby at 15 mpg in the city, 24 on the highway and18 combined. It escapes

Rev the engine and drop the clutch, and the Shelby leaves quibbles in the dust. The engine roars as acceleration presses you back and won’t let go. AFP/GETTY IMAGES

the federal gas-guzzler tax levied on the ZL1 and most similarly powerful cars.

Despite all that, the Shelby isn’t perfect. Most of its failings will be familiar to anyone who knows the current Mustang – limited interior storage, poor rear visibility when backing up and no memory for the driver’s settings.

The Shelby GT500 adds a few flaws to that list. The trunk liner of the car I tested fit very poorly.

The interior had leather seats, but many hard surfaces, including the top of the doors and dashboard.

The shifter was notchy, notably less smooth than the ZL1.

Leg-wearying clutch effort recalled the days when powerful engines required massive clutch springs.

Rev the engine and drop the clutch, and the Shelby leaves those quibbles in the dust.

The engine roars as acceleration presses you back and won’t let go.

The suspension keeps the Shelby level whether you’ve got the gas pedal or brake floored.

Its normal setting cushions bumps for a comfortable ride.

See SHELBY, Page I51

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I49

NISSAN

The 2013 Nissan Altima leaves many wondering how much longer the more-expensive Maxima will survive. PROVIDED PHOTOS/NISSAN

Nissan updates, beautifies Altima for ’13

By James R. Healey

The most innovative version yet, the fifth-generation 2013 Nissan Altima builds on its strong reputation for quality and reliability and adds new levels of innovation, fuel-efficiency, dynamic performance and premium style.

USA TODAY

The new No. 1? That’s how Nissan sees the 2013 Altima sedan that it’s building.

The freshened model is meant to push Altima from second-best-selling car in the U.S. to first – displacing the Toyota Camry.

To accomplish that, Nissan says it benchmarked the new Altima in its development against luxury cars such as Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Altima’s not meant to compete with those premium German cars, but Nissan wanted to see how close it could bring a mainstream family car to their quiet, crisp, classy personalities.

The 2013 Altima sits on a chassis similar to the 2012, for instance, and the drivetrains carry over – albeit with updates to the base four-cylinder that add seven horsepower and, along with changes to the CVT (continuously variable-ratio automatic transmission), increase fuel mileage.

About 70 percent of the CVT’s parts are new and friction is cut, accounting for 40 percent of the mileage boost, Nissan says.

The 2013 four is rated 27 mpg in the city, 38 highway and 31 combined, up from 23/32/27. Power is unchanged for the V-6, but mileage rating now is 22/ 31/25, up from 20/27/23.

Miles on Tennessee back roads and suburban boulevards in two V-6 models, plus about 660 highway miles and some suburban zipping in a fourcylinder model, leave this impression of the new Altima: terrific – except for wonky steering and basemodel seats with cheaplooking cloth upholstery and no lumbar adjustment.

The steering and some other details could be due to the test cars being preproduction models.

There’s time to tweak some things before the car goes on sale . But the subpar cloth? Likely stuck

with it. Maybe it won’t trigger your gag reflex as it did ours.

Specific gripes: » Steering. Too stiff, especially on the V-6 models. It’s as if you have to break it loose from deadcenter to turn or maneuver. And once you do, it then seems too assisted, over-reacting to your moves on the wheel.

What’s more, in all three test cars, the steering seemed to drift left, requiring corrections to the right.

The problems feel minor at low speed but are quite bothersome as speed rises. » Seats. Not only is the cloth cheesy, but lowerlevel models lack lumbar adjustment, so there’s no way to tone down the tooprominent bulge in your lower back.

The leather upholstery in the four-cylinder driven from Smyrna to Virginia was much better, and the upgraded seats have lumbar adjustment. » Radio knobs. On two of the three test cars, they rotated as if through sand.

Not so much on the third, so likely a preproduction inconsistency.

But Altima also has plenty to like.

The four-cylinder got about 37 mpg on the highway trip home, very close to its 38 rating, even though the drive was through foothills and involved wide-open throttle for merging and passing.

The four feels and sounds strong enough to be an engine of choice. It doesn’t force you to pay for the V-6 just to get some scoot.

The V-6 is, of course, peppier, with 88 more horsepower than the four, but the four’s 182 hp never felt insufficient, at least with one person and luggage.

The CVT has a setting labeled “Ds,” which we’d like to think stands for “Drive, sensible,” though Nissan considers the “s” a “sport” designation.

Like with the CVT in the new Infiniti JX35 SUV, the setting lets the transmission mimic a conventional step-ratio automatic to more or less satisfy antiCVT folks.

Brakes work quickly and firmly without being touchy, making graceful stops easy from high speed or low.

Handling – how the car corners and how confidence-inspiring it is in doing so – is a treat if you can somehow overlook the steering problem. The handling’s good enough that you wonder how long the more-expensive Maxima, based on the old-generation Altima, survives.

Styling is cool, hinting at the stylish Audi A7.

Dark colors work especially well.

Thoughtfulness is infused. Altima’s tire pressure display shows the pressure in each tire, unlike some cars’ idiot lights that come on when a tire’s low but give you no clue which one to check. Nissan designed the system to help you fill the tire. Air up and the car’s flashers come on to show air is going in. The horn chirps when the tire’s full.

Altima’s wipers return to their parked position low on the windshield in-

ABOUT THE 2013 NISSAN ALTIMA » What: Remake of popular four-door, front-drive, five-passenger sedan » Where: Made at Smyrna, Tenn.; Canton, Miss. » Why: Predecessor showing age even before rivals launched new designs » How much: $22,280 with $780 shipping for base 2.5 four-cylinder; $24,880 for 2.5 SV likely to be most popular; $28,830 for base V-6 3.5 SL » What makes it go: 2.5-liter four rated 182 horsepower (up 7 hp) at 6,000 rpm, 180 pounds-feet of torque (unchanged) at 4,000 rpm Optional: 3.5-liter V-6 rated 270 hp at 6,000, 258 pounds.-feet at 4,400 (both unchanged) Continuously variable-ratio automatic transmission (CVT) with setting that mimics conventional set-ratio automatic. V-6 version has manual-shift mode. » How big: About the same as the old model, similar to Toyota Camry. It’s 191.5 inches long, 72 inches wide, 57.9 inches tall on 109.3-inch wheelbase. Weighs 3,108 pounds to 3,355 pounds. Passenger compartment, 101.9 cubic feet.

Trunk, 15.4 cubic feet. Turning circle diameter, 36.1 to 37.4 feet » How thirsty: Four-cylinder rated 27 mpg in the city, 38 mpg highway, 31 city/highway mix. V-6 rated 22/31/25.

V-6 test car showed 22.3 mpg (4.48 gallons per 100 miles) in brisk driving on rural two-lane roads.

Four-cylinder test car registered 37.1 mpg (2.7 gal./100 mi.) in 660 hilly highway miles driven hard; 27.3 mpg (3.66 gal./100 mi.) in suburban dash-about.

Both engines burn regular. Tank holds 18 gallons. » Overall: Very nice, but needs upgraded seats in lower models and retuned steering.

stead of stopping where they are when you shut off the engine. Nissan says it keeps them from freezing in place in cold weather.

Altima’s one of the best cars in a long time to drive with the windows down.

Not buffeting, just light tugging at your locks.

There’s enough good about the car that we’d love to give the new Altima a fist bump and unreserved applause.

But until that steering gets retuned, and the cloth seats and their lumbar setup are upgraded, no can do.

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CE-0000544620

I50 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

2013 BMW Mini Cooper S Roadster convertible starts around $30,000. BMW OF AMERICA/MINI USA VIA BLOOMBERG

The 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo has a suggested retail price of $21,950.

PROVIDED/HYUNDAI

The Ford Focus ST combines a subtle paint scheme with an aggressive stance, lightweight carbon fiber additions, and a classic interior makeover with high-performance engine tuning parts.

The 2013 Fiat 500 Abarth, the sportiest version of Fiat’s two-door hatchback, features a turbocharged 1.4-liter, four-cylinder engine with 160 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque, and a five-speed manual transmission.

PROVIDED/FORD MOTOR COMPANY

PROVIDED/CHRYSLER

Rock ’n’ rolling small cars dominated by Ford Focus ST

By Jason H. Harper

Turbo Engine

Changing Gears

The Veloster is entertaining, but the 138-horsepower 1.6- liter engine didn’t quite get the job done. Now they’ve added a turbo model with 201 hp and a standard six-speed manual transmission.

The suggested retail price of the Veloster Turbo is $21,950. As tested, my 2013 model-year car came in just over $25,000. Gas mileage is 26 city, 38 highway.

Hyundai’s interiors and electronics are good, but the handling and ride characteristics needed work. The Veloster Turbo proves those areas are coming along nicely.

With front-wheel-drive and no limited-slip differential, the hatchback may not be a serious canyon carver, but is very good at bombing down boulevards.

An accessible mix of amenities and driving entertainment.

In my recent review of the Fiat 500 Abarth ($22,000; $26,050 as tested), I was clearly taken by the piccolo Italian chariot. A few weeks ago I had the chance to let it lope around a racetrack and wondered how it would hold up. (Can you even imagine taking most small cars on a track?)

No racecar, it pushes wide on corners and the front end dives under hard braking. Yet there’s something intensely likable about the upright seating position, the way you can see through the windows, and rowing through the gears with the long stick shift.

Giggle-inducing good times, even on a track. I’m enamored with this car. (MPG 28 city, 34 highway.)

BMW-owned Mini always has a troop of cadets ready to muster for those who like their kicks in small packages. Perhaps the simplest offering is the Cooper S Roadster, a topless version of the two-door Coupe model.

It’s little more than a soft top, turbocharged engine (a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 181 hp), two seats and a sophisticated suspension. That recipe is best when zipping around back roads like those I drove in early October; leaves carpeting the asphalt, the top down and heat blasting.

Bloomberg News

This is the time of the small car. The car you want to own, the one you’ll brag about. The rock ’n’ roll small car.

Americans are being offered the best crop of compacts in recent memory, if not all time. Hot hatchbacks, rear-wheel-drive hellions, impish convertibles and turbo-charged tykes, all crying out for very modest dollars.

And they’ve responded by buying: the U.S. saw a 50 percent increase in small car sales this September.

Not long ago, purchasing a compact or subcompact meant compromising, giving in or even giving up. For every Volkswagen GTI with a furious little engine built for fun, we were awash with tinny toys like the Ford Aspire, Geo Prizm, and Hyundai Excel.

Now, if you’ve got $22,000 or more and buy a boring car, it’s your own darn fault.

Hyundai was once a major source of punishingly bad small cars. Now the South Korean brand gives us zingy hatches like the Veloster, released last year.

Lexus Continued from Page I48

end of its competitive set.

The car’s interior was exceptionally lovely. Trimmed in soft leather and dark wood, it also had plenty of useful storage bins and cubbies.

The interior is exceptionally quiet at speed. The front seat offered plenty of room, and the rear seat is acceptable. At 14.3 cubic feet, the GS’ trunk is one of the biggest in its class.

The gauges are clear and legible. The 12.3-inch display

for navigation, audio and other systems is particularly good.

A joystick-type device that Lexus calls Remote Touch in the center console operates many functions. I found the joystick difficult to use when the car was moving. It took my eyes off the road and required too much thought.

A touchscreen or old-fashioned buttons might be preferable. It’s particularly annoying that the joystick didn’t have a “back” function.

Providing a single step to go back or cancel an incorrect command is a valuable function for complicated controls. The

Gas Pedal

puts to the gas pedal.

It gets 27 mpg city, 35 highway. Too bad it starts around $30,000 (and $33,000 as tested), so it is as expensive as many larger, more complicated cars.

When it comes to happy gifts from the small-car gods, I’m especially thankful for two 2013 models, the $24,500 Ford Focus ST and $26,265 Subaru BRZ. The Focus comes as both sedan and five-door hatchback, a cute and likable entry. The ST model is less cute and more fiery, with Recaro sports seats and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine which makes 252 hp, 270 pound-feet of torque. It has a specially tuned suspension meant to get it to slip and slide at will. (Gas mileage is 23, 32.)

Subaru’s BRZ, meanwhile, is a rear-wheel-drive two seater.

Extremely light, it does without turbos to its 2.0-liter four- cylinder engine (200 hp; 151 lb-ft of torque; 22, 30 mpg).

Developed in conjunction with Toyota, which released its version as the Scion FR-S, nobody has made a new car like this since the original Mazda Miata.

Dueling Banjos

direct and port fuel injection.

Lexus says the system improves power and fuel efficiency.

The EPA rates GS 350 AWD’s fuel economy at 19 mpg in the city, 26 on the highway and 21 in combined driving.

The Audi A6 Quattro 3.0T, BMW 535xi and MercedesBenz E350 4Matic all use less fuel.

The Audi also has more horsepower and torque, while the BMW produces more torque. The Cadillac CTS4 3.6liter gets the same combined fuel economy as the GS 350 AWD, and its engine produces

more power.

The EPA estimates the CTS4 will cost less to operate because it uses regular fuel. The GS and the other competitors all burn premium.

The hybrid GS 450h is the most powerful and fuel efficient GS. The hybrid rated 29 mpg in the city, 34 on the highway and 31 in combined EPA testing. It uses premium gasoline.

Behind the new-look grille, the GS 350 AWD is a luxurious, advanced and elegant sedan like the ones that built Lexus’ reputation. That will be enough to please many buyers.

The car pivots from its center, and is tuned to steer with in-

voice-recognition system doesn’t recognize “cancel,” an equally vexing oversight.

The GS offers four driving modes: eco, normal, sport and sport plus. They all provide acceptable performance, but the GS 350 AWD poses no challenge to the sporty Audi A6 Quattro and BMW 535xi.

The suspension absorbs bumps well for a smooth, comfortable ride.

The brakes are exceptional.

The speed-sensitive steering is direct and has good on-center feel.

The GS’ 3.5-liter V-6 is the first engine equipped with both

A colleague and I took the cars onto a road course to race against each other, like dueling banjos. After all, both were created with an eye toward troublemaking on a racetrack. (The same could be said for me and my buddy.)

I started with the BRZ. On the first big bend, I gave it a dose of gas and turned the wheel, creating a tire-screaming drift.

I let off the gas slightly, flicked the wheel, straightened and made for a straightaway.

Glancing into the rear-view mirror, I found the Ford right on my tail.

Around and around we went.

I couldn’t shake the Focus ST, which was also sliding around the place like we were driving on oil. I let him pass.

We switched cars. The Ford is front-wheel-drive, but engineered to turn on a dime. I was soon on the Subaru’s tail. I was whipsawing the wheel about wildly, playing with my driving line. Under these conditions, the Ford was quicker than the Subaru.

Exiting, I pulled off my helmet and my head steamed in the cool air. Totally rock ’n’ roll.

THE ENQUIRER /// SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 I51

FORD

Shelby Continued from Page I48

The 1.6 liter EcoBoost Ford Fusion will be assembled in both Flat Rock and Hermosillo, Mexico. Sleek design will differentiate Fusion from other sedans in the midsize segment, with class-leading fuel economy in gasoline (37 mpg on the highway with the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine), hybrid (at least 47 mpg in the city) and an all-new plug-in hybrid (with more than 100 MPGe). PROVIDED/FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Ford relaunches Fusion, a most important car

By Alisa Priddle Detroit Free Press

Ford executives are fanned out across the country for the launch of the most important car in its lineup: the 2013 Ford Fusion, which goes on sale this fall.

The elegant design of the new model, new creature comforts and technology, along with five engine choices, have raised expectations that it can go tire-to-tire with the segment’s perennial leaders, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. The last time Ford had the bestselling car in the U.S. was 1996: the Taurus.

Whether Ford regains the sales crown or not, there are profits to be reaped. The car is expected to increase Ford’s market share, said Mark Fields, Ford president of the Americas.

Americans buy more midsize cars than any other segment. In 2011 midsize cars accounted for almost 1 in 5 U.S. sales – about 2.3 million – and they are on pace to reach 2.5 million this year, according to data from Autodata and WardsAuto.

Looking ahead, WardsAuto forecasts that 36 percent of sales from all new vehicles hitting the market this year will be midsize cars.

“There is no more important segment in the U.S. market,” said Michael Robinet, managing director of IHS Automotive Consulting in Northville.

“To be successful, you have to have a strong midsize car or you can pack up your tent and go home,” Robinet said. All major players have or soon will launch a credible entry. Honda’s all-new

Accord is coming to market at the same time as the Fusion. Chrysler will have a new 200.

“This year, it’s the hottest segment, with a lot of new product,” said Haig Stoddard, product analyst with WardsAuto in Southfield. Toyota sold 280,536 Camrys through August.

Nipping at Camry’s heels is the Honda Accord, with 218,665 sold in the first eight months and an all-new model .

The Nissan Altima is a serious contender with 209,592 sales through August, including the allnew model that went on sale in June.

General Motors introduced the next-generation Chevrolet Malibu in the summer, including the Eco mild hybrid model.

The Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima are hardcharging upstarts.

Into the fray comes Fu-

FORD

sion with a fresh exterior look, three gas-engine options, a gas-electric hybrid and plug-in hybrid.

“Fusion is the styling leader and has a good assortment of powertrains, all four-cylinder,” Robinet said. “In technology, the Fusion sets a new high bar for the segment.”

The outgoing Fusion is the fourth-best-selling midsize car through August at 181,865. Ford is betting its $555 million investment in tooling the Flat Rock plant and preparing to add a second shift of 1,200 workers that demand will warrant the extra capacity. Flat Rock will augment three shifts of Fusion production in Hermosillo, Mexico.

“I can’t underestimate how important the Fusion is to Ford,” Fields told workers at Flat Rock , noting the segment is growing two times faster than

the rest of the industry.

Neither Fields nor Mulally would comment on whether beating Camry is the measure of Fusion’s success.

“The Camry is not infallible,” Robinet said.

“Both Ford and Nissan have added capacity to make more midsize cars so they would be capable of beating the Camry if the demand is there.” But Robinet said he thinks Camry will stay on top for a few more years.

“This year, the Camry can’t be unseated,” said WardsAuto’s Stoddard.

The segment will remain the largest for another decade, meaning huge volumes are up for grabs, Robinet said. With much more ambitious fuel economy standards in place, midsize cars’ share of the total new vehicle market is expected only to grow.

The Goodyear tires adhere to curves as if they were molten. A “track mode” display includes an accelerometer that shows how many G’s the car pulls in turns, acceleration and braking.

The electric power steering’s sport and comfort settings are noticeably different. I found sport fine for all driving.

In addition to several settings for stability and traction control that allow anything from mild burnouts to closed-course racing, the Shelby offers launch control.

Launch control uses some of the same engine and brake controls as traction and stability control, but while those systems reduce power and speed, launch control holds the tires to the very edge of adhesion for maximum acceleration without any wheel spin.

The Shelby’s system allows the kind of racewinning acceleration from a stop once attainable only by supremely skilled drivers.

The visually dramatic Shelby has lowprofile 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels.

The front air intake is massive and deep, a black maw behind the bumper that gulps air to cool the engine. The powerful Brembo brakes’ 15-inch front discs are as big as the base wheels on a Ford Fiesta subcompact.

This combination of classic style and advanced performance technology is a fitting tribute to Carroll Shelby, who helped Ford develop the first performance Mustangs in 1965 and unveiled the automaker’s latest and greatest pony car to a roar of engines and loud applause in Los Angeles in November.

Save some Benjamins.

And Washingtons. And Lincolns.

The 2013 Jetta-Passat-Tiguan APR Special.

0% APR* for 66 months.

The 2013 Ford F-150 King Ranch is the industry’s first luxury pickup truck. PROVIDED/FORD MOTOR COMPANY

F-150 meets King Ranch luxury

By Chris Woodyard USA TODAY

The new F-150 King Ranch has a new grille, 20inch wheels, special King Ranch chrome, and lots and lots of leather.

“While others are just starting to understand the

Infiniti JX Continued from Page I47

» Space. There’s lots of it in the first and second rows. Not so much in the third, but that’s par for this course.

Second row has more legroom than some vehicles do in the front row, and that’s a ton. Second row also slides fore-aft to help tailor people and cargo space to your needs of the moment.

The second row also can slide far enough forward to provide an alley to the third row, even if a child seat is strapped into the second row. » Interior presentation. Very classy trim.

Generally simple, wideopen dashboard layout.

appeal of Texas innovation and luxury, we’re proud to have worked with our longtime partners at King Ranch who helped define both,” said Ford General Marketing Manager Dave Mondragon in a statement.

Yes, there really is a

King Ranch. It covers 1,300 miles of Texas, and 260 Ford pickups roam it.

The 2013 comes with a choice of 5-liter V-8 or 3.5liter turbocharged EcoBoost six-cylinder engine that has defied even Ford’s own predictions about its popularity.

No gimmicks.

The twist-jiggle knob that controls the stereo and other features is easy to work, though some procedures aren’t intuitive.

You get the sense that some of the junk that automakers lard onto today’s cars is done just because they can. And once one does it, others have to keep up. » Comfort. Remarkable, for the most part, often the direct result of vehicle size. Seats have silly squiggle patterns but were restful nonetheless.

Head restraints will cause neck aches for some physiques. It’s because of whiplash regulations that require the restraint to all but whack the back of your skull.

Ford has managed to create legal adjustable

head restraints that solve the problem. Why others aren’t willing to pay to use the idea, or change it just enough to claim they didn’t copy it, is unclear.

Perhaps that doesn’t seem like a litany of praise, but in truth, it was barely moments after sliding into the JX in Midtown Manhattan that it began warming the cockles.

And it kept on doing so on the highway, in the ’burbs, sitting at idle.

It’s not cheap: about $50,000 typically outfitted.

Nor is it a fuel-sipper, showing about 20 mpg on the highway, 16 in the suburbs, so it won’t make a lot of shopping lists.

But buyers in that neighborhood would do well to knock on JX 35’s door and ask to come in.

Excludes TDI® Clean Diesel and Hybrid models.

2013 Jetta, Passat, & Tiguan models are available with financing as low as 0% APR for 66 months. Excludes TDI® Clean Diesel and Hybrid models. So what are you waiting for?

See Kings Volkswagen for this and other great Jetta deals. *APR offer good on new 2013 Jetta, Tigua, & Passat models. Excludes TDI® Clean Diesel and Hybrid models. Example: For 0% APR, monthly payment for every $1,000 you finance for 66 months is $15.15. No down payment required with approved credit through Volkswagen Credit. Not all customers will qualify for lowest rate. See dealer for details or, for vehicle information, contact 1-800-DriveVW. Offer valid in US and only at participating dealers in IA, IL, IN, KY, MI, MN, MO, ND, OH, PA, SD, WI, WV. ©2013 Volkswagen of America, Inc.

The 2013 CC Lease Special. $279*/Month. 36-month lease. $2,999 due at signing.

Excludes title, tax, options and dealer fees.

Lease a 2013 CC Sport with Lighting Package with automatic transmission for $279* a month. 36-month lease, $2,999 due at signning. (Excludes title, tax, options and dealer fees) See Kings Volkswagen for this limited time offer or for one of many other great lease deals available on CC models. ©2013 Volkswage of America, Inc. Based on MSRP of $32,890 (including destination charges) for a 2013 CC Sport with Lighting Package with automatic transmission, excluding title, tax, options and dealer fees. Monthly payments total $10,044. Requires dealer contribution of $3,664.13 which could affect final negotiated transaction. Purchase option at lease end for $17,452.80. At lease end lesses responsible for $0.20/mile over 30,000 miles and excessive wear and tear. Dealer sets actual prices. Lessee responsible for insurance. Closed-end lease offered to highly qualified lessees on approved credit by Volkswagen Credit through participating dealers. Supplies limtied. U.S. cars only.

Additional charges may apply at lease end. See your Volkswagen dealer for financing details or for general products information call 1-800-Drive-VW.

The 2013 Tiguan Lease Special. $219*/Month. 36-month lease. $2,699 due at signing.

Excludes title, tax, options and dealer fees.

Lease a 2013 Tiguan S fwd with automatic transmission for $219* a month.

36-month lease, $2,699 due at signning. (Excludes title, tax, options and dealer fees) See Kings Volkswagen for this limited time offer or for one of many other great lease deals available on Tiguan models. ©2013 Volkswage of America, Inc. Based on MSRP of $25,835 (including destination charges) for a 2013 Tiguan S fwd with automatic transmission, excluding title, tax, options and dealer fees. Monthly payments total $7,884.

Requires dealer contribution of $1,193.29 which could affect final negotiated transaction. Purchase option at lease end for $15,334.30. At lease end lesses responsible for $0.20/mile over 36,000 miles and excessive wear and tear. Dealer sets actual prices. Lessee responsible for insurance. Closed-end lease offered to highly qualified lessees on approved credit by Volkswagen Credit through participating dealers. Supplies limtied. U.S. cars only. Additional charges may apply at lease end. See your Volkswagen dealer for financing details or for general products information call 1-800-Drive-VW.

The 2013 Eos Lease Special. $369*/Month. 36-month lease. $2,999 due at signing.

Excludes title, tax, options and dealer fees.

Lease a 2013 Eos 2.0T Komfort with automatic transmission for $369* a month. 36-month lease, $2,999 due at signning. (Excludes title, tax, options and dealer fees) See Kings Volkswagen for this limited time offer or for one of many other great lease deals available on Eos models. *Based on MSRP of $35,475 (including destination charges) for a 2013 Eos 2.0T Komfort with automatic transmission, excluding title, tax, options and dealer fees. Monthly payments total $13,284. Amount due at singing includes non-refundable security deposit. Requires dealer contribution of $1,196.13 which could affect final negotiated transaction. Purchase option at lease end for $19,506.500. At lease end lesses responsible for $0.20/mile over 36,000 miles and excessive wear and tear. Dealer sets actual prices. Lessee responsible for insurance. Closed-end lease offered to highly qualified lessees on approved credit by Volkswagen Credit through participating dealers. Supplies limtied. U.S. cars only. Additional charges may apply at lease end. See your Volkswagen dealer for financing details or for general products information call 1-800-Drive-VW. ©2013 Volkswage of America, Inc.

The 2013 Jetta S Lease Special. $169*/Month. 36-month lease. $1,999 due at signing.

Excludes title, tax, options & dealer fees. Excludes TDI® Clean Diesel & Hybrid models.

Lease a 2013 Jetta S with manual transmission for $169* a month. 36-month lease, $1,999 due at signning. (Excludes title, tax, options and dealer fees.

Excludes TDI® Clean Diesel and Hybrid models). See Kings Volkswagen for this limited time offer or for one of many other great lease deals available on Jetta models. ©2013 Volkswage of America, Inc. Based on MSRP of $17,470 (including destination charges) for a 2013 Jetta S with manual transmission, excluding title, tax, options and dealer fees. Excludes TDI® Clean Diesel and Hybrid models.

Monthly payments total $6,084. Requires dealer contribution of $581.61 which could affect final negotiated transaction. Purchase option at lease end for $9,958.50. At lease end lesses responsible for $0.20/mile over 36,000 miles and excessive wear and tear. Dealer sets actual prices. Lessee responsible for insurance. Closed-end lease offered to highly qualified lessees on approved credit by Volkswagen Credit through participating dealers. Supplies limtied.

U.S. cars only. Additional charges may apply at lease end. See your Volkswagen dealer for financing details or for general products information call 1-800-Drive-VW.

Offers end 2/28/2013

I52 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2013 /// THE ENQUIRER

The All New 2013 Ford Fusion

BELOW SUPPLIER PRICING!* ON ALL IN STOCK 2013s

BELOW SUPPLIER PRICING!* ON ALL REMAINING 2012 MODELS!*

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KINGS FORD

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†Supplier pricing & factory invoice do not reflect dealer’s actual cost. * *Available on in-stock vehicles only. Supplier pricing is Ford X Plan and can be verified on dealer invoice. See dealers for details. Not all rebates combinable.

Customer may not qualify for every rebate; see dealer for complete qualification details. Not combinable with other offers. Prior sales excluded. All prices plus tax, title, license & destination. Offer excludes C-Max & Fusion Hybrid.

Expires 2/28/13. *Auto Show Cash: Ford Credit Bonus Cash requires Ford Credit financing and not all buyers will qualify. Offer not available on hybrid models, plug-in models, 2013 Transit Connect, Raptor or Shelby GT 500. Residency restrictions apply. For all offers take new retail delivery from dealer stock by 3/04/13. See dealer for qualifications and complete details.

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WE SERVICE ALL FORD PRODUCTS Same-Day Service Available

All 24 & 36 month closed end leases are 10,500 miles per year with 20¢ per mile overage on Lincoln MKS & Lincoln MKX, 25¢ per mile overage on Lincoln MKT. Due at delivery includes first payment and security deposit. Tax, title and license extra. Payments include all factory rebates. Based on credit approval from Lincoln Automotive Financial Services. All prices exclude government fees, taxes, finance charges and documentary fees. Pictures may contain optional equipment. Sale ends 2/28/13