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CONTENTS
Performance Benchmark
The 2014 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S sets the bar when it comes to performance SUVs ...pg 12
Sorento The Kia Sorento received a significant refresh for the 2014 model year ...pg 36
Silverado
Tire Guide
Nissan brings a smaller version of their commercial van to the market ...pg 38
Our 2013 Trucks Plus Performance Tire Guide ...pg 27
RVing
History
The 2014 Coachmen Clipper 17 BH ...pg 55
The all-new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado ... pg 21
ALSO INSIDE
NV200
Fresh Tracks---------------------------------------- 4 New Wheels: Ram 1500-------------------------18 New Wheels: Toyota Highlander----------------24 New Wheels: Ford Transit Van -----------------34 New Wheels: Ram HD---------------------------40
Norman Bel Geddes vison for the future ...pg 48
Feature: The Fuel Efficiency War---------------- 42 Truck Tech: BakFlip F1 Install------------------- 52 Gearing Up ---------------------------------------58 Stuck Trucks--------------------------------------62
DISTRIBUTION PARTNERS
AUG / SEPT 2013
Trucks Plus
FRESH TRACKS
Volume 6, Issue No. 4 August/September 2013 Publisher/Editor: Dean Washington
Toyota Records Record First Half Truck Sales
dean@rpmcanada.ca
Associate Publisher: David Symons david@rpmcanada.ca
Circulation: Brenda Washington brendaw@rpmcanada.ca Managing Editor / Graphic Design: Jordan Allan jordan@rpmcanada.ca Copy Editor: Gerry Frechette gerryf@rpmcanada.ca Sales & Marketing Elaine Fontaine elaine@rpmcanada.ca
Toyota Canada Inc proudly announced that it has set a June record by selling 8,716 trucks, which is up 12.6 percent from 2012, which led to them setting a new all-time best first-half of the year for truck sales, with 45,299 trucks in total being sold, a 10.7-percent increase from last year. The all-new RAV4 led the way with 3,193 units being sold, which is its best-ever month and is up an astonishing 38.8 percent from the year previous. The idle Tacoma 4x4 also had a best-ever June, selling 956 units which is a 21.3 percent gain over last year, bringing the first-half Tacoma sales up 11 percent from 2012.
2014 Ram to Offer Industry’s Only Diesel Engine for Half-Tons
Contributing Writers/Photographers: Jordan Allan Howard J Elmer Gerry Frechette Arch Linsao Budd Stanley
MAILING ADDRESS: #1-1921 Broadway Street, Port Coquitlam, BC Canada V3C 2N2 TELEPHONE: (604) 629-9669 FAX: (778) 285-2449 TOLL FREE TEL: 1-888-500-4591 EMAIL: info@rpmcanada.ca WEBSITE: www.rpmcanada.ca Trucks Plus is published six times per year by RPM Media Inc. Second Class Mailing Agreement #40050183
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away as 47.2 inches.
Ford Shows Off Its New Sport Truck, The F-150 Tremor Ford’s all-new 2014 F-150 Tremor is its attempt to get back into the sport truck market, without going to as far a length as it did with the Lightning. The Tremor will be pow-
The 2014 Ram will be the first pickup in the half-ton class to feature a diesel engine. The all-new 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 engine will make 240 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque and be paired with the same TorqueFlite 8-speed transmission that can be found on the 5.7L Hemi and 3.6L Pentastar versions of the1500. The engine is a turbocharged 60-degree, DOHC, 24-valve V6, and fuel efficiency is obviously the key driving factor for the creation of it, as Ram reports that it is “noticeably more efficient than all V6 gasoline engines in the half-ton category.” Also new to the Ram for the 2014 model year is a front park assist system, which uses four sensors located on the front bumper which send out ultrasonic waves when the vehicle is driven forward at low speeds. The system will be able to detect objects as far
FRESH TRACKS ered by the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 that makes 365 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque at 2,500 rpm, providing that great V8 power with V6 fuel economy. Also, Tremor F-150s will feature a launch-optimized 4.10 rear axle which will help provide quick acceleration and an electronic locking rear differential on both 2WD and 4WD versions that help put the power to the pavement on takeoff. On the outside, the Tremor features distinctive looks due to a custom-inspired FX appearance package that includes flat black accents that include 20-inch wheels, stylized body side graphics, and black badges with red lettering to really make them stand out. Inside, the MyFord Touch System powered by SYNC comes standard.
Ram’s 2014 Chassis Cab Lineup Introduces New Engine
for the all-new 2014 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra, which boast fuel economy numbers of 13.1L/100km in the city and 9.6L/100km on the highway in two-wheel drive trim. While this won’t lead GM to claim any best-in-class fuel economy numbers, the EcoTec3 V6 version of the 1500 shows best-in-class torque (230 lb-ft), payload (956 kg), and towing with the highest available towing rating of 3,266 kg, among its V6 competitors. Another great and unique feature of the EcoTec3 V6 is Active Fuel Management, or cylinder deactivation, which will provide you with great power when called upon, but seamlessly switches to four-cylinder operation while under lighter loads. The EcoTec3 engines also have direct fuel injection, continuously variable valve timing, and weight-saving components such as aluminum blocks and cylinder heads.
Ram recently unveiled its 2014 Chassis Cab lineup featuring 3500, 4500, and 5500 models, and they will now pack a bigger punch thanks to the all-new 6.4L V8 gasoline engine that now powers them. The engine will produce 367 horsepower (410 hp under 4,536 kg GVWR) and 429 lb-ft of torque and will include features like variable valve timing and fuel saver cylinder deactivation. Also new for the 3500 Chassis Cab model is a three link front suspension that provides the truck with a greater load carrying capability and best-in-class towing. The 4500 and 5500 models also receive a few upgrades, and both are now rated at 3,175 kg of front Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) on the 6.4L gas engine models, and 3,288 kg GAWR on 6.7L Cummins Turbo Diesel models. Along with all this, the Ram Chassis Cabs come equipped with engine, transmission and body mounts to deliver great noise, vibration and harshness control.
General Motors Joins Fuel Economy Party with New EcoTec V6 General Motors will be offering an all-new 4.3L EcoTec3 V6 engine
Ram Chassis Cab
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FRESH TRACKS The Ford F-150 continues to be Canada’s best selling vehicle
Canadian Auto Sales up 1.3 Percent In June, Could Have Best Year Since 2002 Canadian auto sales were 171,608 for the month of June, which is up 1.3 percent from the 169,459 vehicles sold in June 2012, and Alexandra Posadzki of the Canadian Press reports we could be in for our best year, auto sales wise, since 2002. She says that Carlos Gomes of the Bank of Nova Scotia has predicted that around 1.72 million light vehicles will be sold in Canada by the end of the year. The Canadian market is following the similar trend that the US market has seen lately, with sedan and other passenger car sales falling, but the SUV, CUV, and pickup market is greatly increasing, and helps explain the increase in sales. Ford continues to lead the way in sales, despite falling six percent from the previous month. Chrysler Group comes in as the second in sales for the month, with General Motors behind them in third.
2014 Mazda CX-5 Continues Strong Sales Thanks to New Engine
New for the 2014 model year, the Mazda CX-5’s SKYACTIV 2.5L engine features 184 horsepower and excellent fuel economy and is a strong factor in the increase of sales with the year-to-date sales up 44 percent, resulting in a 24-percent year-over-year gain. The 2.5L engine will only be available with a six-speed automatic transmission, while the 2.0L version of the CX-5 can still get the 6-speed
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manual transmission, which may have been worth offering with the new engine due to the increase of power (and therefore, fun). The 2.5L version boasts fuel economy numbers of 8.3L/100km in the city and 6.2L/100km on the highway, which is not a huge increase from the 2.0L (7.7/6.1) meaning that the switch to the bigger, faster engine is worth it.
Ford Atlas Concept Wins Truck Concept Vehicle of the Year
The winners of the North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards were announced in July, and winning the truck category was Ford with its big, tough-looking Atlas concept. The Atlas won the truck category by going up against the Kia Cross GT, Nissan Resonance, and the Volkswagen Cross Blue, with each vehicle being introduced to North America during this year’s auto shows in Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, Toronto, and New York. Ford’s intentions were to have viewers of the Atlas focus on the new technology the truck brings, as opposed to just the sheer size of the concept. Even though the size of the vehicle probably had many wondering if this is where new trucks are heading, the technology included in the vehicle made it hard to ignore, and shows that automakers are working around the
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FRESH TRACKS clock on ways for you to drive the biggest truck possible, and not have to take a second mortgage just to put fuel in it.
comes in at 271 horsepower, so you would expect a bigger gain for an SRT version.
All-New Jeep Cherokee Could Get SRT Version
VW Planning Subcompact Crossover for North America
Last issue, we filled you in about the all-new Jeep Cherokee coming to the market by the end of the summer, replacing the outdated Liberty. Now, there is a report from a well-connected Chrysler fan site, Allpar, claiming they have been told an SRT variant of the Cherokee is on
A report in Motor Trend suggests that Volkswagen could be planning to release a subcompact crossover vehicle to slot in below the Tiguan, and most likely to compete against vehicles like the Chevrolet Trax, Buick Encore, and the upcoming Jeep Cherokee. Motor Trend says the new crossover is likely still at least three years away from production, as it won’t arrive till at least 2016. Many will probably hope that the new vehicle will be a production version of the concept Taigun which sports a 1.0L turbocharged direct-injection gas engine, but Volkswagen has done a good job of keeping tight-lipped about the whole thing. Motor Trend also suggested that by the time it comes out in 2016, the segment will have more competition, as can be seen with the new Chevy Trax/Buick Encore from GM and the Jeep Cherokee from Chrysler.
its way, and will feature a hopped-up engine, a 9-speed automatic transmission, and in all likelihood, an all-wheel drive system. Allpar states that it has no word yet on which engine the SRT Cherokee would have, but it does have a few sensible ideas. A turbocharged Pentastar V6 has been in the works, and the estimated horsepower return with a single turbo is said to be 375, and 410 hp for a twinturbo version. Another option is a similar 2.4L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine which was previously found in the Neon SRT-4 and PT Cruiser GT that made 300 horsepower, but the already-offered V6 powertrain
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NEW WHEELS
Exclusive and intimidating
2014 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S Story and photos by Russell Purcell
W
aggressive appearance, and the subtle cues that are distinctive to the Cayenne Turbo S are most apparent at the front of the vehicle. The revised front fascia is dominated by a wide-mouthed central air intake which helps direct generous amounts of air to the twin turbochargers that give this model its lively legs. A wide plateau or ‘power-dome’ dominates the hood, providing a visual hint as to what is lurking beneath it.
When the Cayenne emerged, no one could have predicted how it would be received. The vehicle offered five-passenger seating in a conveniently sized package that was engineered to be exceptionally capable off-road, while maintaining its ability to drive like a Porsche on the pavement.
Muscular wheel arches extend outwards to help shroud the lightweight, five-spoke (split to ten), 21-inch 911 Turbo II wheels that help provide the Cayenne Turbo S with its incredible road feel and handling. My test unit’s wheels were wrapped in ultra-performance Michelin tires that adhered to the pavement like super glue and proved very quiet at speed. These sexy wheels are finished in a high-gloss black and feature a full-colour Porsche Crest. Careful attention to the details is what sets Porsche apart from its many rivals, so the high-gloss black finish has also been carried to the grille (including slats) as well as the exterior mirror lower trim and mirror base.
hen Porsche unleashed the first-generation Cayenne just over a decade ago, the plan was to fill an enormous gap in the company’s model lineup and provide its loyal customer base with a sporty utility vehicle. Porsche was losing sales to rivals such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi who already had luxury SUVs on the road, and a long list of entries from both America and Japan were attracting their share of Porsche customers as well.
Unfortunately, with the arrival of the brand’s first SUV, some traditionalists felt that the company had lost its way in an effort to keep up with Joneses. Initial demand was unquenchable, and the Cayenne would prove such a success that it would spawn a number of variants, and would soon become Porsche’s top-selling vehicle. In fact, the Cayenne should be credited with saving Porsche from obscurity, as its phenomenal sales provided the company with the resources it needed to regain its footing and re-establish itself as an automotive powerhouse. The Cayenne now comes in no fewer than seven distinct flavours. The subject of this review is the most potent of the bunch, that being the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S. The second generation Cayenne debuted in 2011, but model year 2014 brings a mild facelift and a number of equipment changes to the popular SUV. The second-generation styling revision gave the Cayenne a more 12 Trucks Plus
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NEW WHEELS backs, carpets and floor mats (with decorative edging and ‘Porsche’ logo) complete the exclusive two-tone concept. Carbon-fibre trim pieces and Alcantara leather elements abound, resulting in a near perfect blend of sport and luxury in the commodious cabin. The adaptive sports seats proved comfortable enough that after spending 1,550 kilometres behind the wheel, I was none the worse for wear, and when the roads got interesting, the 18-way adjustable driver’s seat provided exceptional support.
At the back of the vehicle, a subtle ‘Cayenne Turbo S’ script badge graces the tailgate to further impress (or intimidate) those following behind. And if that doesn’t do it, the twin dual-tube tailpipes surely will when this beast is fired up or burbling away in anticipation of a pending play date with its lucky owner.
As this is a driver’s car, the three-spoke SportDesign steering wheel is all business and features a thick-rim and quick action gearshift paddles. Notably absent is the wide array of auxiliary buttons you often find cluttering the steering-wheel in a luxury offering. A compact instrument cluster is front and centre, leaving all the accessory, climate and entertainment controls thoughtfully organized on the centre waterfall console seemingly borrowed from the Panamera. The list of standard equipment for the Cayenne Turbo S is extensive and includes all of the luxury and comfort equipment you would ex-
While styling enhancements are always worth noting, the big news is that this latest and greatest Cayenne has lost some weight. In the speed game, light is might so this will prove a blessing for Porschephiles already enamoured by the Cayenne’s impressive capabilities. The evolution of Porsche interiors has been rapid since the release of the stunning Panamera, and the second generation Cayenne Turbo S shares many of its interior design features with that slinky sedan. High on style and luxury, the standard leather interior now comes in a choice of two new two-tone combinations: Black/Luxor Beige or Black/Carrera Red. My test rig featured the latter and it was eye-popping, but in a good way. A silver exterior and a red leather interior is about as old-school German as you can get, but it works. Black seat
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NEW WHEELS pect in a vehicle that starts at $166,600. However, it also comes fitted with the company’s full suite of performance and handling upgrades including Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) , Power Steering Plus, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus) and Porsche’s Sport Chrono package as standard equipment.
there ever was a case study for having your cake and eating it too, the Cayenne Turbo S may be it.
Under the shapely hood of this flagship Cayenne resides the latest variant of Porsche’s proven twin-turbocharged 4.8-litre V8 engine, which produces 550 horsepower and a stump-pulling 553 lb-ft of torque. These figures represent a bump of a healthy 50 ponies and 37 lb-ft of torque over the potent Cayenne Turbo. Porsche press materials list the 0-100 km/h time for the Turbo S at 4.5-seconds and a terminal speed of 283 km/h. These numbers are just a hair better than those for the $123,800 Turbo (4.7sec / 278 km/h) which leads to the question: Who would feel the need to spend that much extra money for such little gain? The answer is simple. An affluent individual who has to have the best, the fastest, and the rarest of Porsche’s Cayenne models. Exclusivity always has a price. I should also point out that Porsche is known to post rather conservative performance numbers which means it is likely both the Turbo and Turbo S have even more zip on tap.
With Cayenne sales stronger than ever due to an expanding catalogue of models and features, you can be certain that the Porsche design team will continue to improve on the platform as they move ever closer to creating the ultimate expression of what a high-performance luxury SUV can be.
While the Cayenne Turbo S has been the performance benchmark since 2006, this latest variant has been engineered using the company’s Intelligent Performance Concept, the offering of increased power and efficiency with comparatively low fuel consumption. If
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All that power is transmitted to the road by the standard eight-speed Tiptronic S transmission. This marvel of engineering has been designed to adapt the gearshift points to your individual driving style and the prevailing road conditions. During aggressive driving the driver is free to flick up and down the robust gearbox using the slender paddles, but when left to work on its own, the system will act to reduce fuel consumption by slipping into the upper gears quickly and quietly. Should you need to get access to a few more ponies, the system will drop to second or third gear almost instantaneously when it senses a heavy foot on the throttle pedal.
SPECIFICATIONS: Base Price (MSRP): . ....................................................$166,600 Price as tested: .............................................................$173,265 Type: ................................................... 5-passenger, 5 door SUV Layout: ........................................... Front-engine, all-wheel-drive Engine: . .................................Turbocharged, 4.8-litre, 8-cylinder engine with direct fuel injection. Horsepower: . .......................................550 @ 5,500 - 6,400 rpm Torque (lb-ft): . ......................................553 @ 1,400 - 5,200 rpm Transmission: . .........................8-speed Tiptronic S auto-manual Brakes: . ....................................... Ventilated discs front and rear Acceleration (0-100 km/h): . ................................................. 4.5 s Fuel economy [L/100 km]: .. Automatic- City 15.6 L; Hwy 10.0 L
NEW WHEELS
Standing on Eight Legs Does Ram’s eight-speed live up to the hype?
Review by Budd Stanley, photos courtesy of Ram
L
ast fall, I tested Ram’s new Pentastar-powered, eight-speed transmission-driven 1500 just prior to its introduction to showrooms. However, the trucks we were driving were preproduction units and still had a couple of little faults that didn’t give the true impression of how good the updated Ram really was. That, coupled with only a half-day’s testing, still left some questions unanswered. So I’m back with the production version of the truck to finish the story. But before I go into what I wasn’t able to test, let’s briefly recap what I was able to sort from the refresh. Styling wise, the Ram offers, what I think, is the best looking exterior, and definitely,
interior design in a light truck. Both the Pentastar 3.6-litre direct injection V6 and ZF eight-speed transmission surprised me with how well they lend themselves to the truck platform. The Pentastar provided just the right amount of motivation, while the eight-speed actually suited the big heavy truck more than lighter cars. Towing abilities were impressive as well as the interior appointments, allowing tradesmen to double the Ram as an office/charging station. While the rotary shifter is cool and opens up more space on the dash, it will take a little while not to mix it up with the nearby volume knob. My only real quibble was with the seating position that was too high and close for my short stumpy legs and the sheer mass of the hood that restricts forward vision. Another shortfall is the lack of any step for rear bed ingress and egress. One thing I was not accurately able to test was the truck’s offroad abilities with the new adjustable-height air suspension option. So, having an Outdoorsman model, I figured I’d go outdoors. From the people who brought you the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee, the Ram 1500 is also a very astute offroad contender. While I prefer a manual shifter for the transfer case, the pushbutton setup on the Ram proved to adequate and reliable. The “4-HI” setting locks both drive shafts for extra grip and when things really get nasty, the “4-LO” position delivers a 2.72:1 gear reduction ratio that makes moderate to heavy off-road conditions clearable with the added gearing of the 8-speed. However as this is a quad cab, break over obviously isn’t as good as, say, a shorter-wheelbase truck. The air suspension
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NEW WHEELS good the upcoming diesel option will be. However, the golden gearbox was not all roses, as in production form, I noticed that instead of hunting for gears while driving up hills, it would hold on to certain gears for way too long. Annoying it is, but so is gear hunting, and it’s a fine line programming the shift timing in a gearbox with so many gears, although I think a wee bit more fine-tuning is in order. Overall, I came away from this much more thorough test liking the Ram even more than I did before. Ram has the full package now and the great thing is it isn’t stopping there. Later this year, the 3.0-litre turbodiesel will make its debut in the lineup, forever changing the way full-size trucks are powered here in North America, finally catching up with the rest of the world. However, until then, the Pentastar is proving to be Chrysler’s shining light, and with the new eight-speed, the Ram is a winner in my books. does a great job of lifting the truck to increase approach, departure and break-over angles, but a long wheelbase will always get hung up before a short. While this suspension aids off-road performance, it also doubles to make the Ram more on-road compliant, lowering down from “Normal” height to provide a firmer ride and better aerodynamics over and under the truck. As promised, a run up the Coquihalla Highway in B.C. and over a couple of mountain passes yielded an impressive 11.0L per hundred kilometres fuel efficiency, well-matched against both the Ford and the Chevy. In the city, the natural enemy of the full-size truck, that number jumps to 14.0L/100 km, big, but not too shabby for stop-and-go traffic. The choice of going to eight-speeds is proving its worth and I can only imagine how
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NEW WHEELS
Shiny New Silverado
Chevrolet reworks the Silverado for better efficiency and capability Review by Budd Stanley, photos courtesy of Chevrolet Canada
B
oth Ford and Ram have updated their pickups for the new environments facing the full-size truck today. Ford implemented turbos to increase the efficiency of its V6 a couple of years back, while Ram has added an eight-speed transmission to the fuel efficient, but normally aspirated Pentastar V6. However, while those two were just changing drivetrain options, GM was busy readying its all-new redesign of the Chevrolet Silverado. We never really heard much from the General about how it planned to take the battle to Ford and Ram, and to be honest, weren’t quite sure if it would even be able to keep up, but in June, we got the answer as the full-production version of the 2014 Silverado hit the streets. Hitting dealerships as I write, Chevrolet was indeed hard at work to build a competitive truck for a segment that’s amidst a dog-eat-dog grudge match between three real players. The most obvious updating comes in the styling department. I have to say, I’m not a fan of the blinged-out new look, but GM has put some real function to the form. The roof, tailgate spoiler and inlaid doors allow smooth airflow over the truck for reduced drag and wind noise, for a quieter cab. I’ve always thought of the interiors of GM products to be some of the very worst in the business, with styling that is obsolete before even being released and just not very pleasant materials. I can happily say that the old Silverado is dead and the new interior is not just good to look at; GM has done a great job making it feel and work as well as any other truck interior. In fact, many others can take a lesson from the sheer simplicity of the dash layout and massive amount of connectivity jacks to make the most of time spent on the road. No
fewer than five USB ports, three 12v AC outlets, an auxiliary jack, an SD card reader and a 110v outlet makes the Silverado its own power charging station for those who work for a living. If it’s charged by USB, AC or an auxiliary port, it ain’t going dead in this truck. Other new advances include new four-wheel-disc brakes fitted with Duralife rotors that improve brake feel and potentially double rotor life. For those who tow, GM has also increased the outreach of the StabiliTrak system with Trailer Sway Control on all Silverados, which activates trailer brakes in conjunction with the stability system to keep everything on the straight and narrow. The biggest war in this segment other than towing capacities is that of efficiency, something I will elaborate on elsewhere in this issue, but Chevrolet has succeeded in jumping into the race for EcoBoost efficiency. Mind you, it took a vastly different direction. Instead of slapping on complicated turbochargers or eight-speed transmissions, GM got into the internals of its EcoTec3 lineup and made them more efficient from the inside out, implementing direct fuel injection, Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and continuously variable valve timing to get the absolute most out of the fuel it burns. The available mills include a 4.3-litre V6, a 6.2-litre V8 and the 5.3-litre V8 that will be the most popular option for buyers. By the numbers, the 4.3 V6 posts 285 horsepower and 305 lb-ft of torque, delivers 12.6 L/100 km city and 9.0 L/100 km on the highway in 4x4 guise and can trailer up to 3,265 kg (7,200 pounds). The 5.3 V8 is listed at 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque, yielding 14.7L/100 km in the city, 8.7L/100 km efficiency on the highway, and the ability to trailer 5,216 kg (11,500 pounds). Meanwhile, GM doesn’t have definitive numbers on the 6.2 due out later this year. While towing numbers are not J2807 standardized numbers, the engineers promise me that the true numbers are within a couple of hundred pounds when the big three get their act together and give the customer a fair measurement. That being said, both the Ford EcoBoost and 6.2 V8-equipped F-150s are only 200 pounds back. All trucks come available with final-drive ratios of 3.08, 3.23, 3.42, or 3.73 with the Max Trailering Package, along with 6’6” and 8’ box options. So what does that all mean? Well, after several hundred kilometres spent on the open road with the Silverado, the new 5.3 V8 answered with 11.1L/100 km on the highway in real-world conditions. Not too AUG / SEPT 2013
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NEW WHEELS shabby considering the Chevy did it without the aid of turbos, or eight-speed gearbox. However, while the Silverado does impress with respectable numbers, the big 5.3 V8 does not have the spark or vitality of either the EcoBoost or eight-speed Ram, both itching to make the most of power reserves. The Silverado slowly wakes up when motivation is given to the right foot, requiring a heavy bit of abuse to kick it in the butt and get to the business side of 355 horsepower. Like Chevy trucks of old, the new Silverado has a nice soft ride, although the suspension and steering are not as responsive as the Ford or Ram. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just a little more old-school on the road, but it rewards occupants with a much more comfortable ride when the road gets rugged. I found the 4.3 V6 a much more connected and communicative truck despite the only difference being slightly smaller tires and a little less curb weight. I’ve never been much of a GM guy myself, and I was quite skeptical in the seriousness of the direction it was taking with the Silverado. However, now that I’ve driven it, I like what GM has done. It has put a big emphasis on bettering the interior design and usefulness, as well as the aerodynamics. More importantly, instead of taking chances with new and unproven technologies like Ford and Ram, GM does nicely with making the Silverado better with proven technologies, undoubtedly increasing its already-high reliability record. I can now say without doubt that GM is well caught-up and in the fight for best full-size truck.
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NEW WHEELS
Versatile Hybrid The 2013 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Story by Gerry Frechette, photos courtesy of Toyota Canada
T
he mid-size crossover SUV market is one of the bigger ones, and Toyota has a big chunk of it with its Highlander model. But there are no other gasoline-hybrid (HEV) models in this segment, making the Highlander almost a niche vehicle, and one which a prospective customer must compare to other SUVs with four-cylinder engines that just might deliver similar fuel efficiency, especially if seating capacity is not an issue. So, what might make someone want a Highlander Hybrid? The version we drove was the base model 4WD-i with the Comfort Package option, which brings this model up near the top-of-the-line Limited, minus the upgraded audio system and navigation system, among other things. It’s a nicely equipped vehicle for the family, all for $49,670. The exact features can be found on the Toyota Canada website at www. toyota.ca . Unusually for a hybrid, but making total sense for a vehicle this size, the Highlander Hybrid (hereinafter referred to as HH) is powered by the ubiquitous 3.5-litre V6 engine and, of course, Hybrid Synergy Drive, two proven technologies, and a pair that makes the HH not only capable and efficient, but actually quite fast, with a total 280 net system horsepower on tap, actually more than the V6 alone would have. It is actually rated to tow 1,587 kilograms.
But we suspect most people don’t buy these for power or speed; one of the big reasons is fuel efficiency. It is rated at 6.6L/100 km in the city, 7.3 on the highway, with the city number probably the best in the class, and the highway number very competitive in the gasoline-powered segment. The actual indicated consumption we achieved in normal 50-50 city-highway driving, not exploring the speed capabilities of the HH, was 9.2L/100 km, versus the “official” NRCan rating of 6.9. Still pretty good, but draw your own conclusions. Behind the engine/primary electric motor rests a CVT automatic, like in Toyota’s other Hybrid vehicles, and it works about like you’d expect a gearless transmission to, a bit “drony” when pushed hard, but generally satisfactory. As the name implies, this is an on-demand four-wheel drive vehicle, but instead of a driveshaft and differential in the rear, the HH is a front-wheel drive vehicle with a second electric motor mounted in the rear to drive those wheels, all electronically controlled, of course. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the opportunity to try this system in snow or mud, so we can’t comment on its efficiency. We can comment on the HH’s performance in “normal” conditions, and one must say that it is definitely biased towards the “softer” side of the spectrum when it comes to steering and suspension feel. No doubt, the usual driver of an HH will not be overly displeased with this, when one is trying to drive for fuel efficiency above all, which we suspect most drivers will be doing. Inside, the HH is a typical upscale Toyota – comfortable, quiet, conservative and tasteful in design, and with very high fit-and-finish. There is plenty of room for taller drivers, with even this base model offering eight-way power adjust of the supportive driver’s seat. The dashboard is well-laid out with big buttons for the major controls, and there are numerous storage areas throughout the cabin, starting with two big, deep cupholders with proper spring-loaded grips, so no more large drinks landing in your lap. Moving rearward in the cabin, the HH offers three-row seating only, an interesting decision in a product planning sense, given most other such SUVs have a two-row base version for less money. As we usually say,
24 Trucks Plus
AUG / SEPT 2013
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the third row is best suited for smaller people, and we suspect that a lot of HH owners will usually leave these seats flipped down, (in a 50-50 split), which makes a large and flat cargo area that is useful for most items like medium-size luggage or sports gear. Of course, one half can be left up.
mouNtiNg is easy, fasteners hold fender flares in place, using existing factory holes
The HH takes a unique approach to the middle row of seats. First off, they are split in a 40-20-40 ratio, meaning that to get a flat and (nearly) horizontal load floor, three sections have to be folded down. The middle “20” section can be removed entirely, with that unit stowable under the front centre console, a feature Toyota dubs the Centre Stow Seat. Of course, with that section gone, the middle row seats only two, and again, we suspect that most of the time, any given HH will be so configured. The big reason for this is that the middle section of seating is probably the least desirable place in the vehicle to park one’s derriere, given the cushion underneath is not contoured for the human figure as are the outboard seats, and there are seatbelt buckles that could cause discomfort. So, the HH is, in my view, primarily a very comfortable and roomy four-seat SUV, with the capability to make it a five-, six-, or seven-passenger, notquite-as-comfortable, but very versatile one.
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Actually, versatile is a good word to describe the Highlander Hybrid. It is the only SUV in this class with a hybrid drivetrain, yielding exceptional fuel efficiency, especially in the city. It has four-wheel drive. And, with three rows of seats, it can substitute for a minivan, albeit at a much higher price. On the other hand, there are less-expensive compact four-cylinder SUVs (like the excellent Toyota RAV4) if you really don’t need anything more than five-passenger capability, and that deliver very good fuel efficiency.
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But, you get what you pay for, and in the case of this Toyota, you get good value in a very functional and well-put-together mid-size SUV. If you do a lot of in-town driving, want all-weather traction, and need the room, it may be your best choice amongst the major brand names.
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AUG / SEPT 2013
Base price (MSRP): ......................................................$43,400 Price as tested: .............................................................$49,670 Type: ....................................4-door, 7-passenger midsize SUV Layout: .......................................... Front engine/all-wheel drive Engine: . .........3.5-litre DOHC, 24-valve V6, plus electric motor Transmission: . ............................................................CVT auto Power: . .....................................................280 hp @ 6,200 rpm Torque (V6 engine): ................................248 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm Brakes:.............................................. 4-wheel discs, ABS, EBD Fuel Consumption (L/100km, city/hwy): . ......................6.6 / 7.3
TIRE GUIDE you, but you can definitely out-drive your vehicle and any of its components, including your tires! You are the component that controls all the other components scattered all over your vehicle. It all essentially starts with you. Your abilities and/or inabilities will have a direct effect on how well or how poorly your vehicle performs. It affects that ever-so-sensitive and precise balance I’ve been talking about. For your vehicle to do what it was designed to do at whatever level it was designed to do so, it relies on your ability to match and maximize it.
Are you a race car driver? Or just pretending? By Arch Linsao
L
et’s face it, we’ve all done it. It may have been a nice empty stretch of highway on a cool, brisk spring morning, or an enticingly windy road on a hot summer day with the top down and the volume up. It may have been in a high-powered sports car, an SUV, a truck, a compact car or a family sedan. It doesn’t matter what we were driving or where we were driving it, we’ve all found ourselves at that one moment in time at one point or another. That moment where we decided that rather than slowing down and taking it easy, we’d much rather grab the wheel with both hands, let the weight of our right foot bear down on the throttle and aim for that perfect spot in the upcoming curve in the road that only a special breed of driver refers to as the ‘apex.’ Whether we’ve done it while imagining we were our favourite race car driver in our ultimate dream car on the track we could only dream of being on, or just imagining ourselves alone and free with nothing but an empty road ahead and time on our hands, we’ve all done it. We’ve all let the adrenalin and excitement get the best of us and opted to test the fine balance between our abilities to drive our vehicle ‘spiritedly’ and our vehicle’s ability to be driven that way. The balance between all the mechanical and electronic components being manhandled by the human component. The juggling act that we’ve got to have down to a science in order to maximize both our abilities and our vehicle’s capabilities. All the pieces of this complex puzzle working together to achieve harmony, to achieve balance. This ‘balance’ is what I think of when I think of performance. Heck, this balance IS performance. The better the balance, the better the performance. And vice versa. It’s quite a precise balance, really. And there is one key component that is essential in achieving this balanced performance. That component is... you. Now I know you were probably thinking I was going to say that the key component was your tires. But that would just be too predictable, wouldn’t it? Don’t get me wrong; your tires are definitely important. Very important, in fact! Heck, if they weren’t, I’d be out of a job! But the fact is, that nothing in, on or anywhere around your vehicle is as important as you. You dictate what the vehicle is able to do. Put it this way - your vehicle won’t out-drive
So what does your driving ability have to do with what performance tire you should buy? It has EVERYTHING to do with what performance tire you should buy! I’ve always said that you should buy a tire that is appropriate for the vehicle you’re putting them on. This makes sense, perfect sense. But it’s just as important to match that tire to your driving abilities, and yes, as much as we hate to admit we have them, our driving inabilities as well. By doing both these things, you come closer to achieving a better balance, thus achieving better performance. Now let’s get one thing clear here; better performance doesn’t necessarily mean more performance. It just means better balance. The best way to demonstrate this is to think about the last time you were out at a race track. Whether it be an autocross track, road race track, or even a drag strip. It doesn’t matter. Just think back and try to remember which vehicle had the best lap times or the fastest 1/4-mile. Was that car the one with the biggest motor and the most power? I’d be willing to say that more often than not, it wasn’t that car. And why wasn’t it? It’s all about balance. The car that was the most well-balanced amongst all of its components, driver included, was the one with the best ET’s. I’ve seen Mazda Miatas with faster autocross ET’s than Porsche 911s. How is that possible? Balance. You alone hold the key to achieving this balance. It starts with you being honest with yourself about your ability to drive your vehicle at the level that it was designed to be driven. Once you figure out how you fit into that puzzle, then you’ll be able to determine which components, in this case we’re talking specifically about tires, will work best with your vehicle and the way you drive. Example: If you over-estimate your driving abilities, you’ll end up with tires that will be a bit overkill. You’ll end up with a tire that may grip a bit too much for you to control properly and you won’t be able to maximize the tire’s capabilities. It’ll simply be too much for you. On the flip side, if you under-estimate your driving abilities, you will end up with a tire you’ll hate because it won’t ever perform up to your level and standards. This is the case no matter what vehicle you drive, whether it be a BMW M3, a Toyota Camry, a Honda CRV or a Ford Fiesta. If you don’t choose a tire that matches your driving ability (or lack thereof), it’ll be just like picking a tire that’s not appropriate for your vehicle. Balance will never be achieved and the potential to achieve that balance will be limited by the component that is throwing it all out of balance. Don’t they say that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link? So don’t be the weak link. Don’t be the performance component that caused the imbalance and limited the potential of the other components to perform. When it comes down to choosing the best performance tire out there for you, take a good hard look in the mirror and be honest with yourself when you try to evaluate your ability to drive your car and essentially, drive your tires. When you talk to your tire expert (because you know I always tell you to talk to your tire expert!), put the ego aside and be honest with them as well. They need to know your actual driving abilities, not the driving abilities that you wish you’ve got. That way, they’ll be able to better help you find the best tire to suit your driving abilities and your vehicle’s capabilities, thus helping you achieve balanced performance. AUG / SEPT 2013
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TIRE GUIDE Featured: g-Force T/A KDW
Features & Benefits: g-Control sidewall inserts resist deflection for more control in high-speed cornering, resulting in tremendous cornering force. Exceptional dry and wet traction and handling from the unidirectional race-influenced tread design. Deep wide grooves help speed water evacuation and reduce hydroplaning for confident wet traction. Large CAD-designed tread elements and rounded shoulder profile give this tire excellent stability, wear and handling under high torque loads and progressivity and predictability at the limit of adhesion.
Featured: Dueler H/P Sport
Features & Benefits: The Dueler H/P Sport lives up to the high-performance standards of your premium Sport Truck or SUV. The non-vent design and aggressive look of the sidewall fit the sleek lines of these imposing vehicles. In fact, the Dueler H/P Sport is an Original Equipment choice in the category. Expect the tops in wet performance with a power traction combination of UNI-T technology and high silica content to let you drive with confidence in changing road conditions.
Featured: ContiCrossContact UHP
Features & Benefits: A high-performance tire for your high-performance SUV. Solid shoulder blocks with links to the pattern rib provide steering precision, cornering stability and increased traction and braking. Wide circumferential grooves to expel water aids in water evacuation. Offset positioning of tread halves results in low and discreet tread pattern noise. All this adds up to outstanding handling and driving enjoyment, shorter braking distances and a quieter ride.
Featured: Azenis FK453-CC Features & Benefits: The new Azenis FK453CC is designed to target the growing demand for European-made luxury Crossover vehicles as well as SUVs produced by U.S. and international automakers. The result is a tire that offers higher performance, greater longevity and superb style. The FK453CC boasts a large shoulder block, with a continuous outer rib that provides greater handling and stability. It also effectively reduces tire noise and improves ride comfort. Additionally, the FK453CC is solid in adverse conditions, calling upon its three wide, continuous grooves that effectively evacuate water significantly, improving resistance to hydroplaning. Finally, Falken has created a stylish new sidewall design which highlights the Falken “F-Arrow� identity, enhancing the overall look of the tire and complementing the luxury Crossover or SUV. Featured: Grabber UHP
Features & Benefits: Versatile & stylish, the Grabber UHP is designed to provide dependable allweather traction. This high-tech tire delivers extended tread life and a quiet, comfortable ride. Secondgeneration silica compound delivers excellent handling, braking and traction in all conditions. V-shaped directional tread with grooves from centre to shoulder aid in efficient water evacuation and improves road contact for control in wet conditions. Flat belt contour, shallow slots and increased tread depth in the shoulder area work together to deliver even wear and extended treadlife. Advanced sound reduction technology and continually varying groove angles help assure an incredibly quiet and comfortable ride. 28 Trucks Plus
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TIRE GUIDE Featured: Eagle F1 Asymmetric SUV
Features & Benefits: Active CornerGrip Technology for commanding dry grip and ultra-high performance handling. Asymmetric tread design uses an outer tread zone for dry grip and a water-shedding inner tread zone to aid in wet traction. The Active CornerGrip Technology also helps maintain even tread pressure to enhance grip while cornering. Next-generation polymer tread compound also enhances dry and wet traction.
Featured: Ventus AS RH07
Features & Benefits: Ventus AS RH07 is Hankook Tire’s premier tire for SUVs. Smooth ride and low noise levels resulting from advanced technology. It’s the first tire in Korea featuring six main grooves for better water drainage and greater stability. Engraved patterns on the sidewall add to the stylish design. Its solid centreline improves driving stability while an open shoulder design provides “see-through” evacuation of water. Stepped groove walls provide extra edges for steering traction and handling. Nylon belt overlay provides strength to the tread area and restricts belt motion, the key to high-performance handling. And the two extra-wide high-tensile steel belts give the tire crisp handling and flex to absorb road shocks. Featured: Ecsta STX
Features & Benefits: The Ecsta STX is part of Kumho Tire’s Ecsta performance family and is focused on delivering premium high performance driving pleasure for your pickup truck, SUV and crossover utility vehicle. The directional tread and sidewall design delivers an eye-appealing combination for that sporty appearance. The Ecsta STX offers a perfectly balanced all-season performance compound and tread design to deliver year-round confident driving pleasure even in light snow. The Ecsta STX is available in a size range that covers both original equipment and plus fitment applications and offers a speed rating of either V or W to cater for the sportier applications. Featured: Latitude Sport
Features & Benefits: This ultra-high performance SUV/Crossover tire delivers sport performance handling and is original equipment on high-performance SUVs and Crossovers such as the Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne. It incorporates the same tread pattern and tread compounds found in the legendary Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 to achieve unparalleled dry grip. FAZ Technology places reinforcing filaments under the tread precisely where they need to be for a stable feel and crisp, confident handling at high speeds. This all results in a tire that provides high-speed confidence and is bred for performance.
Featured: NT420S
Features & Benefits: The NT420S features a non-directional, asymmetrical pattern that provides confident performance, rain or shine. The outer shoulder has large, continuous blocks to improve dry traction, while the inner shoulder channels away water for wet performance. The NT420S can be crossrotated so it wears more evenly across the tire. This feature ensures a quieter, more comfortable ride and longer tread life. The result is a comfortable, ultra-high performance radial. 30 Trucks Plus
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TIRE GUIDE Featured: P Zero SUV
Features & Benefits: Replicating the exceptional qualities of the P ZERO™ created for top-of-therange sports cars, this tire has been developed to respond to the performance requirements of the most powerful SUVs. Multi-step block geometry, wide longitudinal grooves and and an asymmetric pattern ensure excellent roadholding. The P ZERO™ improves braking performance and enhances handling and control of even the heaviest SUVs. The wide longitudinal grooves improve roadholding in the wet and reduce the risk of aquaplaning. A new nano-composite compound for maximum grip and stability provides structural integrity that makes steering more precise and facilitates uniform tread wear for excellent performance on both dry and wet roads.
Featured: HTR Sport H/P
Features & Benefits: Designed for the plus sized look, load requirements for SUVs and Light Trucks, passenger car ride, and sports car performance performance. Twin Reversible Sidewall Designs - smooth sidewall for clean shiny appearance, or stylish serration-style sidewall for a more decorative look. Non-directional all-season tread pattern and centre rib provide greater straight-line stability. Two-in-one shoulder blocks provide both superb lateral grip combined with reduced irregular wear. The secondary rib block is designed for maximum wet grip and stability.
Featured: Proxes T1 Sport SUV
Features & Benefits: Toyo continues to offer innovatively designed and technologically advanced tires to suit the needs of your performance truck/SUV. The Proxes T1 Sport SUV is Toyo Tires’ latest flagship UHP summer tire designed for luxury performance SUVs. It features the same advanced performance and comfort characteristics of the Proxes T1 Sport, with added technical characteristics and construction specifications for improved performance required by today’s luxury performance SUVs. The centre rib and wide blocks provide high-speed stability and increase the tire contact area. Both of these, combined with an asymmetric tread pattern, add up to a tire with improved braking, cornering and handling performance and quick responsive steering. Finish it all off with wide, straight grooves to provide a wide water channel for excellent wet weather performance and traction.
Featured: Advan ST
Features & Benefits: Yokohama keeps its presence in this market with the proven Advan ST. This tire was conceived to handle the specific demands of today’s ultra-performance, low centre-of-gravity vehicles. Its newly-developed silica compound and W-shaped multi-directional tread grooves create massive traction in both wet and dry conditions in a good range of temperatures, and the larger shoulder blocks and steel sidewall reinforcement enable responsive steering and great control and lateral stability at high speeds and cornering. 32 Trucks Plus
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Added traction, added LONGEVITY MORE TREAD LIFE
Tougher than ever and longer lasting.
All-terrain performance to count on. The Toyo Open Country A/T II gives you all the traction you need with more durability and longevity than the competition. And with the option of going “Xtreme” the Open Country A/T II Xtreme delivers peak performance with rugged good looks. With the even tougher Open Country A/T II you’ll be ready for your next adventure! Ask us how! Toyo Tires…engineered for the real world.
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NEW!
NEW WHEELS 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6, and a South African-manufactured 3.2-litre Power Stroke turbodiesel. This last one is an inline five-cylinder design and was the motor in my test vehicle. This will be the first time Ford has offered a small diesel in its North American product. The base 3.7 V6 will also be offered with an LPG or LNG prep kit, making after-sale conversion simple. All three of these engines will be come with the same transmission, a sixspeed automatic. This is where my European-built tester differed; it had a six-speed manual transmission – one that I thoroughly enjoyed. However, for now anyway, Ford will not offer this gearbox here.
2013 Ford Transit Story and photos by Howard J Elmer
T
he Ford Transit van I tested last week was built in Europe and is one of only three in Canada. These three early arrivals have been undergoing real-world use here by service companies as Beta-testing for Ford; by coincidence, I became part of that test when I borrowed it. Certainly it was the rare sight of a Transit on Toronto streets that prompted the burly contractor with the heavy Russian accent to approach me in the Home Depot parking lot. “Hey, where you get that van” he yelled. “I love da Transit; at home that all we use.” I told him about the test and how it was coming to Canada. “Good! I have many Transits in Ukraine; better than Mercedes – and cheaper!” he said. This type of encounter happened several times with European expats familiar with the Transit. All had positive pronouncements to share, some with a hint of nostalgia thrown in, as with my Russian friend. Well, they won’t wait long now. Being built in Kansas City, the North American Ford Transit will be available by the end of this year and besides its intended purpose of replacing the E-series Ford vans, it promises to be a much mightier workhorse. First off, it will offer three engine choices which will include a base 3.7-litre V6, the popular 34 Trucks Plus
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rear-wheel drive setup.
The body of the Transit is supported on a unibody chassis and is available in two wheelbases (129.9 or 147.6 inches), single or dual rear wheels and three roof heights (83.2, 100.8 or 110.2 inches). The engine is front mounted and it’s a
My unit was the largest available, with a high-roof, long wheelbase and dual rear wheels (referred to by Ford as the “Jumbo”). It already had 40,000 kilometres on the diesel engine, as it had been on loan to a service company for long-term testing. It was these people who put the racking inside and the ladder carriers on the roof. What I saw was a very organized service truck in which you could easily stand erect and carry a ton of equipment. I used it to carry reno material, carpet, beds and new mattress to the cottage; the inside racking did nothing for me in this job, but I still had enough space inside for these high-cube items. Entry and access is through a large, sliding side door or twin swinging rear doors that open to 90 degrees or, with the push of a button, to 270 degrees laying flat alongside the van. Standard pallets will fit through either opening. My load never really offered the Transit any kind of workout, as it was pretty light. Still, at the moment, Ford has not released the weight capacities for the various size Transits, but the truck is rated to tow with an optional Class IV hitch (which will also provide a tow/haul setting on the transmission shifter.) That, at least, indicates that the power will be sufficient for a full load, and then some.
NEW WHEELS On the road, the blunt sides of the Transit do react to crosswinds and truck vacuums, but the steering is surprisingly light, and corrections are slight for wind gusts. With its height (10’8” w/racks), I instinctively slowed for hard curves and ramps; this flattened out some moderate body lean. For safety, Ford offers the Transit with standard AdvanceTrac and Roll Stability Control. Both of these electronic systems monitor and correct any out-of-line events caused by road conditions.
without shifting. For passing and on-ramps, if I held my gears, the van was very quick, easily merging with traffic. On the highway, the cruise had no difficulty holding it at 120 km/h. Some other interesting features on the Transit were a fuel door that won’t open unless the driver’s door is opened first, and an ignition key that is also used to unlock the fuel cap and the front hood latch. A nice security feature. The Ford Transit will now face off against the Mercedes Sprinter and soon, the new Fiat-sourced Dodge ProMaster van.
The shifter position is at mid-height on the dashboard and will be convenient for intensive forward/reverse manoeuvres; I know with the manual, it was a comfortable reach and I never had to look down at it. The truck has a slightly set-back front axle which gives it a tight turning radius, and it responds quickly to low-speed parking situations. A nice feature is a “tip back” position on the high-backed seats which tips the seat front up, offering relief for the long-legged driver without having to set the seat too far away from the steering wheel. My tester also had power windows, cruise control, ample dash storage and a flat floor behind the dog house (which does not intrude very far into the cab). Ford has yet to announce the fuel consumption figures for the three engines, but over the 500 kilometres I drove, I recorded the vehicle’s on-board results as 11.8L /100 km, over a 200-km stretch where most of the travel was on highway. Where I spent more time in city traffic, my average rose to 12.8L/100 km. Again, this was with the new 3.2-litre inline diesel. This motor had loads of torque; I could lug it to crawling speeds in fourth and fifth gear and still accelerate
AUG / SEPT 2013
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NEW WHEELS
A Considerable Refresh
Story by Jordan Allan, photos courtesy of Kia
T
he Kia Sorento enters the 2014 model year due for a midcycle refresh. In spite of it looking very much the same as its predecessor, Kia claims that it is now almost 80 percent new (and improved), including a new chassis, an all-new V6 engine option, and a brand new infotainment system. This is due to some enhancements you wouldn’t necessarily see or notice unless you were to put in some serious seat time. The body of the Sorento now sits atop a new platform that is nearly 300 pounds lighter than the previous version, and has a few new features such as a new panoramic sunroof, stiffer front and rear suspension subframes, and legroom in the second row
increased by about 30 millimetres. All of these changes to the platform were made while keeping the wheelbase completely unchanged. On the outside, the partially re-designed front end now features a more aggressive look with LED lightbar, accents at the top of the headlight clusters, and the optional fog lights have been moved closer to the lower corners. The inside of the Sorento now offers a seven-inch colour LCD centre gauge, which comprises a crisp, clean digital image of a regular speedometer, but with customization potential of numerous trip meters and fuel range displays available. Entertainment is handled by the optional eight-inch LCD touch screen with a second-generation UVO system that includes all necessary USB and auxiliary input jacks, played through a tenspeaker Infinity sound system. Since the Sorento is considered to be one of the bigger Crossovers in this class, it’s no surprise that you’ll find plenty of room in the back for cargo, especially if you fold down the second row of seats (and third row, if you have that option). Leave the seats up to comfortably sit five adults; just leave the optional third row to the kids. Under the hood, you’ll find one of two engines. The smaller option is a 2.4-litre 4-cylinder GDI engine that makes 191 horsepower with 181 lb-ft of torque, and the bigger option and the one included in our test model Sorento SX was the all-new 3.3-litre GDI V6 that pushed out 290 horsepower and 252 lb-ft of torque. The V6 choice isn’t enough to get you into regular trouble, but the power is definitely there when it is called upon in any situation, whether it be merging onto the highway or driving up a steep hill. The standard-on-all-models six-speed automatic transmission was incredibly smooth, making it so you’d barely notice a shift. Our SX model was also equipped with the AWD function, which is a great option for some areas of our country.
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NEW WHEELS be ignored that the Sorento will give you everything those other brands offer, and (probably) more, as you’d be hard-pressed to find another fully-loaded vehicle with all the features and equipment the Sorento has in this class… at that price. Kia has made the effort over the last few years to change the perception of the brand from being just an inexpensive car that can get you from point A to point B, to a brand that enters any conversation when thinking about a new vehicle. The considerably refreshed Sorento is definitely another step in the right direction for Kia, and if this was its version of a “mid-cycle refresh,” we are excited to see what it does when it is time for an all-new model.
The driver’s seat of the Sorento sits you in a higher position than I would have liked, but the high roofline gave my rather large 6’4” frame plenty of headroom. The CUV handled incredibly smoothly, thanks to the all-new electronic steering. Overall it is a very comfortable vehicle with plenty of legroom in the first two rows. The Sorento will be the first model in Kia’s lineup to offer a blind-spot detection system that alerts the driver with audio and visual warnings when a vehicle sneaks into your blind spot. Our test model SX AT AWD, equipped with almost everything save the third-row seating, comes in around $40,000, while the base model will cost about $26,000. Some may think Kia’s asking price is a little too steep given the current options available in the marketplace for around the same price. However, it cannot
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NEW WHEELS
2014 Nissan NV200 Intro
Story and photos by Howard J Elmer
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he small commercial van market is underserved, and that is the simple reason for Nissan bringing the NV200 to our shores. The better reason is money. Commercial vehicles are cash cows – they are not updated as often as consumer cars and they require less design work. Not to mention that business eats them up year in and year out. The Big Three have always known this. Look at the little minivan; Chrysler has sold a ton of its Commercial Vehicle Caravans. But for some reason, this market service fell off with the demise of the GM Astro/Safari twins. These were based on the S-10 truck chassis and with their decent roof height and boxy body were excellent small commercial vehicles. Frankly, they were the last good, small commercial vans until they were discontinued. It was shortly after this that Ford saw an opportunity and filled it with the Transit Connect. Brought in from Europe, this small van has done well for the blue oval in the past four years, in part because it’s virtually alone in the market. This is where the NV200 now jumps in. Okay, so it’s small, but its other attributes include a base MSRP of $21,998 and a low roof height that will allow access to any underground parking or loading dock. For city deliveries and service vehicles, this is crucial. To picture its size, think of the current Nissan NV full-size van and lop 4.5 feet off the length and 2.5 feet off its height. This makes it a significantly different product, aimed at a market that wouldn’t consider a full-sized van. So, along with Ford’s Transit Connect, this vehicle lands in a new market niche, one that until now has forced buyers into vans too big for their needs, or into cars not really suited to their purposes. In California, I saw an NV200 outfitted by a custom-built surfboard shop and another by Gibson, as a mobile guitar repair shop. This shows that NV’s price-point, size and running costs will appeal to the small entrepreneur as well as larger customers who want to do on-the-spot marketing at shows, events and cultural venues. How? Well, park your custom woody NV at the beach and show 38 Trucks Plus
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off your surfboards on a pull-out rack. No building, no permit, no overhead. Perfect. If you’re Gibson, park your van at concerts and in front of music venues, interact with the bands and have fans check out your wares. It doesn’t hurt that the body of the NV200 has no windows, so it, in essence, becomes a rolling billboard for your business as well. Big name recognition – at a small cost. What also helps in the customization of the NV200 is the factoryinstalled interior metal webbing that provides standard mounting points. To these, all manner of racks and shelves can be attached without drilling into the sidewalls. Also, six floor-mounted cargo hooks in the cargo bed can be used as temporary or permanent fix points. Inside, the NV200 offers up 3,474 litres (122.7 cubic feet) of cargo space and almost seven feet of clear floor space length. This new van is built in Mexico and is in use around the world (in over 40 countries). The front-wheel drive platform uses a 2.0L gas engine that makes 131 horsepower and 139 lb-ft of torque
NEW WHEELS this NV200 is billed as the Taxi of Tomorrow as it was chosen the “next� official taxi of New York City last year. The first units start rolling this fall in the Big Apple.
at max rpm, and, it uses all that rpm range with a sturdy CVT transmission. This combination moves the van around lickitysplit. It’s nimble, with a tight turning circle (37 ft) and easy, quick steering. Now, I never drove it with the max load of 679 kg (1,500 lb), but I suspect it will still perform up to expectations. The payoff of the small engine is small gas bills. Nissan claims 8.7L/100 km City and 7.1L/100 km Highway. The FWD configuration also has other benefits. First, a very low load floor height (19.5�) and second, small unobtrusive rear wheel hubs. A standard 40 x 48-inch pallet will fit back there. Also accommodating this skid entry are rear doors that first open to 90 degrees, then with a second release swing wide and out of the way to 180 degrees. Those rear doors are also split 60/40 with the larger door being on the curbside. For deliveries, this is excellent both in placement and design. Opening one door a hundred times a day beats opening two that many times. Another access design element are the twin side sliding doors, again convenient in tight delivery situations but also helpful in a Taxi configuration. In fact,
The driver and passenger doors themselves are also large and open wide for the inevitable in/out, in/out, in/out that makes up a delivery driver’s day. I also noted that all the door handles/latches are light and easy to one-hand open. For the necessary paperwork that goes along with any delivery vehicle’s route, the NV200 has a built-in convenient clipboard holder on the dash. Also, the passenger seat folds flat and has a hard back to act as a desk surface. The shifter is in the centre stack, easily used without looking. Mirrors are decent size, and the windows also have auto up-and-down feature, while A/C is standard (nice in California this time of year, I can tell you) and the rest of the gauges and controls are simple and well laid out. If I have to voice a complaint about the NV200, it is simply that the window-less body shell makes backing out of laneways a chore, with a big blind spot. Past that, I expect Nissan will have good success with this small van, particularly because it has beaten Mercedes and Chrysler to the punch. Those players have said they are bringing smaller product, but we have yet to see it. Orders for the van are being taken now, and vehicles start to arrive at dealers shortly.
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NEW WHEELS
2013 Ram HD Piles on the Pounds
Story and photos by Howard J Elmer
T
hirty thousand pounds; fifteen tons, or the weight of two African bull elephants – that’s what the new 2013 HD Ram can tow. At the Chelsea proving grounds in Michigan, a suitably-equipped Ram was loaded down with exactly that much steel plate recently to show off the newest HD and the grunt of the newest version of the Cummins diesel engine – the High Output 6.7L. So which model Ram can tow 30,000 pounds? Well, thankfully, it’s not tied to the most expensive trim package; no, in fact, the cheapest fleet model (properly equipped) was offered as the test truck hooked up to the 30-foot flatbed piled high with steel. Around the test track, this rig accelerated at a steady rate to cruise easily at 100 km/h. In the turns, the truck remained flat with no twisting feel, and during lane changes, it didn’t wallow or dive. A calm, commanding drive. After a few laps I started braking, and that’s when I really became aware of all that weight; the pedal pushed down, down and finally
started to grab halfway to the floor. The four-wheel discs stopped the load with a solid effort; the use of the engine exhaust brake with loads of this size will certainly make a difference. Speaking of the exhaust brake, Ram introduced this several years ago and interestingly, it is so effective that owners complained that on long downgrades, they had to actually accelerate, as the brake was slowing the truck too much. So, this year, Ram adds a “smart” feature to its exhaust brake; it will now automatically apply and release to maintain the speed that the truck started down the hill with. So how has Ram jumped its top weight rating by almost 8,000 pounds in one go? Well, as with most complex engineering, it’s a multiple layer of improvements on an already decent design. To handle the new weights, the Ram gets a new Aisin six-speed transmission to match the 850 lb-ft of torque coming out of the new Cummins 6.7L High-Output turbo-diesel. This motor also makes 385 hp, but frankly, it’s the torque that makes this engine snort. One of the tech updates on the diesel is a new air-handling system. How much air the motor gets, and how dense it is, makes all the difference in diesel performance. For this, a new dual-inlet system adjusts induction air draw based on temperature, humidity and performance demand. Called Ram Active Air, it’s also smart enough to draw air from under the hood when it senses heavy rain or snow. The driveline is also updated (including the U-joints), first to handle the added torque, and second it also now disconnects the front axle when 4WD is not engaged. By not spinning this prop-shaft continually, the overall fuel savings is as much as 0.2L/100 km. Of course, having all this towing capacity is pointless unless you have a solid platform to hook up to. New frames feature high-strength 50 KSI steel, eight cross-member construction, hydroformed main rails and fully boxed rear rails. However, for the first time, Ram is also offering a factory hitch. To accommodate this improvement, the factory
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NEW WHEELS of torque, this gas motor is rated to tow a max of 13,280 pounds. Also offered are detuned versions of the Cummins. A standard model (370 hp and 800 lb-ft) with the old six-speed automatic will still tow 21,930 lb, while the manual transmission will support a rating of 350 hp and 660 lb-ft of torque (up from 600 lb-ft in 2012) in the Cummins. That equals a max tow rating of 17,880 lb. However, Ram is still the only truck left that offers a six-speed manual transmission on its HD truck. What you can also read into the scheme of decreasing capacities are expected price drops. Buy only what you need – and pay for only what is necessary to get the job done. Works for me.
is adding a large steel plate (under the cargo box) that spans the twin frame rails. This plate is now the base for a factory fifth wheel and gooseneck pin (available through Mopar). A nice touch is that the heavy cast pins can be removed when not in use – replaced with rubber plugs – and a flat cargo bed is recovered.
For 2013, Ram HD is available in three cab configurations: two-door Regular Cab, four-door Crew Cab, and four-door Mega Cab with two bed sizes (6’4” and 8-foot). There are ten models in 4x2 and 4x4 drive configurations: ST/Tradesman, Power Wagon, SLT, Big Horn/Lone Star, Outdoorsman, Laramie, Laramie Longhorn and Laramie Limited (ST available in fleet only). These are coming to dealers now.
2013 is also the year that the Cummins diesel makes the move to the diesel exhaust fluid after-treatment that virtually eliminates soot and NOx while increasing fuel economy by up to ten percent, says Chrysler. Oil change intervals have also gone up – to 24,000 km now between service visits. After driving several versions of the HD Ram, I started thinking that towing a couple of elephants is a great visual, but not everyone will want to. For that matter, not everyone can justify the cost of the diesel, so this year, the Ram 3500 can be ordered with the 5.7-litre Hemi V8 as the base engine for the first time. At 383 horsepower and 400 lb-ft
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FEATURE
The Fuel Efficiency War Ford, GM and Ram are locked in battle to build the most fuel efficient full-size truck Story by Budd Stanley, photos courtesy of Ram, GM and Ford As I promised last issue, I have returned from several vehicle launches where I tested real-world fuel efficiency numbers. The full-size truck market is one of the fastest growing segments in the auto industry despite fuel prices being at all-time highs, as more and more people turn to the big pickups to handle both family and work needs. However, these big heavy trucks haven’t exactly been the model of fuel efficiency - that is, until now. To keep the segment growing, the manufacturers have had to vastly increase the attractiveness of these trucks, and one of the best ways to do that is to make them cheaper to live with. The result has been a new front that has opened up in the full-size truck war, not about who has the most power or towing capability, but who sips the least amount of fuel. A war that sees Ford, GM and Ram locked in battle of fuel attrition. However, you may be asking yourself, what about the Japanese? Don’t they build the most efficient vehicles? Both Toyota and Nissan jumped into the full-size truck market with both feet and grand aspirations a little over a decade ago, only to have misjudged not just the direction the segment was headed, but how attractive American wannabe trucks built under foreign brands would be against the well-entrenched Big Three. As a result, the Tundra and Titan have failed to make a suitable dent in the market, as the domestics stride ahead with constant innovations. Are they out of the game completely? No, not yet; both Toyota and Nissan have new products coming in the very near future, and both are working on alternative or diesel propulsion, so the war could expand in a few years’ time. However, today, it’s the Yanks leading the way. 42 Trucks Plus
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I tried to get a good mix of capable trucks that will be useful to customers in terms of hauling, all-terrain capabilities and space for the family. That means all the trucks are 4WD, full four-doors and can haul at least 2,000 kg (4,400 lb.) In terms of the GM, to properly match the Ford and Ram V6’s, I am using the 5.3-litre V8, as it more closely matches towing capacities and will be the primary engine sold in the lineup. As such, we have the 2013 Ford F-150 Lariat EcoBoost 4x4 Supercrew with 365 horsepower, 420 lb-ft of torque from its 3.5-litre turbo V6 with six-speed transmission. The Ford is equipped with a 3.55 final drive, has a 5,125 kg (11,300 lb) towing capacity and an as-tested price of $61,544. The 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ came with 4x4, a 355horsepower, 383 lb-ft of torque 5.3-litre V8 mated to a six-speed transmission driving a 3.42 final drive. This gives a 5,216 kg (11,500 lb) towing capacity and an as-tested price of $50,910. The Ram 1500 is a 4x4 Outdoorsman model that comes equipped with the 305-horsepower, 296 lb-ft 3.6-litre V6 and eight-speed transmission with a 3.55 final drive. Towing capacity is listed at 1,996 kg (4,400 lb) and it has an as-tested price of $38,385.
Now before we get to the real-world results on the Big Three’s astounding claims, let’s take a quick look to the lengths each manufacturer has taken to pull such impressive numbers from their most useful drivetrains. Ford technically started this whole war when it came out with the EcoBoost, offering real capability to a truck that got excellent efficiency as well. Mated to a sixspeed transmission, the 3.5 turbo V6 sips fuel with a light foot, then goes to work, spooling up the turbos when that foot gets heavy. Along with aerodynamic tweaks to the front fascia and tailgate, the EcoBoost put all makers of full-size trucks on their heels with its newfound fuel capabilities. Ram was the next to counter with the update to its 1500 last year. Ram has to be the company that has likely done the most
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FEATURE to improve its numbers. While the use of Chrysler’s much beloved Pentastar 3.6-litre V6 had already made great gains in the Ram 1500, Ram has added many electric-powered ancillaries to further the efficiency of the V6. Active grille shutters sit in front of the radiator that direct air away over the hood when temperatures are ideal, improving the aerodynamics, which are further increased with Ram’s Active-Level air suspension that lowers the truck’s ride height at speed of 100 km/h and above, punching a smaller hole through the air. And finally, we come to the real jewel, the ZF eight-speed gearbox. With eight ratios on tap, the truck can stay in the ideal rev range for maximum efficiency while not sacrificing acceleration and allowing cruising at high speeds at a lower RPM. With the new Chevrolet Silverado now on the scene, we now know how the General is combating its Detroit rivals. Rather than turbocharging smaller V6s or lumping mass quantities of gears into their transmissions, GM has chosen to make the most of what it knows, adding direct injection, cylinder deactivation and continuously variable valve timing to its current engine lineup to increase efficiency across the board, while not chancing that new technologies may prove unreliable in the real world. So on to the results of the driving tests. While the conditions were not ideally identical for all three trucks, they were all performed in similar conditions on similar, slightly hilly terrain with a calm but not hypermiling driving behaviour. Ford publishes 14.1L/100 km in the city and 9.6L/100 km for the highway for an EcoBoost. After two days of driving, I recorded real-world numbers of 12.2L/100 km on the freeway with speeds over 100 km/h, 10.2L/100 km on highways with speeds between 80 and 100 km/h and a city rating of 15.8L/100 km.
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FEATURE GM publishes 13.3L/100 km for the city, 9.0L/100 km highway and 11.4L/100 km combined fuel efficiency. Those are pretty brazen numbers for what is by far the largest engine of the bunch. As the latest truck on the market, GM says that this combination is the best-in-class efficiency across the board. On the road, my real-world figures returned 11.1L/100km on the freeway over 100 km/h, 10.1L/100 km on the highway between 80 and 100 km/h, and a city rating of 16.7L/100 km. Finally, we come to Ram with its eight-speed. Ram publishes 12.3L/100 km for city driving and 8.0L/100 km on the highway. That is the best of the bunch as far as published numbers, but in the real world, I found the Ram to get an impressive 11.5L/100 km on the freeway above 100 km/h, 8.9L/100 km on the highway between 80 and 100 km/h and finally 14.0L/100 km in the city. Now, does this mean that the manufacturers are publishing fraudulent numbers that are completely unobtainable? Absolutely not. With very calm, cool and collected driving techniques, published numbers are attainable, and as I have proved in issues past, even beatable. It all comes down to the way you drive. If you treat the throttle like a light switch, even a Toyota Prius will get worse efficiency than a full-sized truck. Treat the throttle like a balloon that is about to pop, and you’d be surprised what type of increases you’ll see. So, who won? Well that really depends on how you plan to use your truck. Just by best fuel efficiency, the Ram comes out on top. Crunch the numbers to see what would work best for highway driving, city or a mixture of the two. Ideally, it would be great to
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test all the different drivetrain and final-drive options, but that’s just not going to happen. Personally, my favourite remains the F-150 EcoBoost. It may not be as fuel efficient as the Ram, but it does so much more in terms of towing and hauling. Is this the end-all of this war of fuel efficiency? Not even close. Not only are Toyota and Nissan scheming behind the scenes, but Ram has already announced that it will be matching that eightspeed gearbox with its new 3.0-litre turbodiesel V6, upping both efficiency and towing capabilities. Likewise with Ford, while it is keeping quiet about following suit with its own 3.2-litre turbodiesel from the Transit making its way into the F-150, expect to see a marriage in the next year.
HISTORY
The Truck of the Future
Norman Bel Geddes vision of commercial transport Story by Budd Stanley, photos courtesy of Diamond T, Texaco
T
here has been no time since the Gothic era so rich in design and artistic exploration as that of the Art Deco era. No matter what the size, a piece of Art Deco design stands out amongst its surroundings and can instantly be dated back to the 1930s. Art Deco was so strong that it took over nearly all facets of life at that time, from art to architecture to even the automotive sector; each took on a new industrial, yet streamlined, style. While iconic cars like the 1939 Bugatti Type 46, 1933 Pierce Arrow, 1934 Voisin Type C27 Aerosport Coupe or 1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Xenia symbolized some of the great characteristics of Art Deco, it’s important to remember that it wasn’t just cars getting the 1930s cultural treatment. Norman Bel Geddes was one of the leading designers of the Art Deco era, incorporating streamlining and a futuristic character into most everything he created. Bel Geddes was better known for his architectural and industrial design contributions, including the rather famous General Motors Pavilion at the 1939 New York World’s Fair entitled “Futurama.” It would be Bel Geddes’ firm that would come up with one of the most futuristic interpretations of a tanker truck, of all things, that would actually go into production. The Texaco Doodlebug was a sight to behold in 1933, incorporating a low-slung stance and powertrain architecture that continues to be used today in large buses. This funny truck with a funny name was conceived when Texaco approached Bel Geddes to help give the company a more techno-modern look. Bel Geddes, at the time, was pioneering theories of “modern vehicle design,” things many people were not thinking of for well over a decade later. He envisioned automobiles incorporating all-steel body construction (in a time 48 Trucks Plus
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when wood was still heavily prolific in vehicle construction,) rear engine placement and aerodynamic designs. Texaco, at the time, was redesigning every asset of its business, from its company logo, to the fuel station design and even the uniforms gas attendants wore. As such, it needed a modern tanker truck, Texaco’s rolling billboards, to supply these stations. Bel Geddes’ design was put into effect by the Heil Co. of Fort Payne, Alabama. Heil fabricated the futuristic design that was void of fenders or any real appendages that would relate it in any way to the conventional way cars and trucks were designed. The body made use of several pioneering design features such as a flush cab front and angled rear deck that improved the efficiency of the truck. Curved side glass and a compound curved windshield were highlights that would not be used for another 24 years. The iconic body was then mounted onto a Diamond T truck chassis, made ready to supply Texaco’s vast network of fuel stations.
HISTORY As per Bel Geddes’ design, the engine was mounted lengthwise in the rear with a radiator mounted just behind. While it is not known what exactly was used as a powerplant, historians hint that it was most likely a Hercules flathead six-cylinder that sat in the rear, connected to a four-speed transmission. With the engine positioned in the rear, certain issues arose that normal trucks did not have. Shift points were one such issue as the driver was unable to hear the engine mounted so far away. Equipping it with a tachometer was not feasible, as the length of cable was too long, so Heil rigged up a microphone in the engine compartment with a speaker in the cab to audibly let the driver know when to shift. The distance between cab and engine also made clutch and shift actuation an issue, both easily resolved with pneumatic air system that worked in the same way as the air brakes. One of the most surprising aspects of the Doodlebug was its size. The overall height was a mere 1,830 mm (72 inches) tall, standing a mere four inches higher than a Ford sedan of the same era. No one was building trucks that low in those days, nor do many manufacturers do so even today. Likewise, despite being only 7,925 mm (26 feet) long, the onboard tank was capable of holding 5,678 litres (1,500 gallons) of fuel.
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Texaco would build six Doodlebugs for use in their fleet. While the tankers were used to supply fuel stations and airports, Texaco also used the trucks to be a clean and modern method to supply homes with heating oil. Texaco thought that people would rather have a clean new truck and equipment invade their driveways and basements rather than the contemporary suppliers. The result was all the oil companies followed suit, creating their own modern streamlined trucks to keep up to Texaco. Despite only six trucks being created, the Doodlebug would become not only an icon, but also a pioneer of the Art Deco design of commercial trucks that would continue on well into the ‘40s. Much like their automobile counterparts, these wonderful works of art have long since vanished from modern day mass production, but a few shining examples pay tribute to the glory years of automotive design and class.
TRUCK TECH
BAK Flip F1 Tonneau Cover Install
hen it comes to choosing the tonneau cover that is W the right fit for your truck, it really comes down to personal preference, as there are endless choices for all applications on the market today. Flip, Roll, Retractable, Hard, Soft, Power‌the list goes on and on!
The owner of this 2013 Ford F-150 Super Cab with a fivefoot-five box uses his truck to transport his dirt bike and haul a trailer a few times a year, but mostly to transport supplies and stock to his customers in the auto repair business. The features that were important to him were having a cover that was secure, easy to operate and, of course, looked good. After researching the many options, he chose the BAK Flip F1 tonneau cover, as it provided
all of the features he desired and also maintained complete access to the limited space in this small box when fully retracted. Installation was straightforward and took less than an hour, even with taking the time to take photos for this feature. Here is a pictorial step-by-step of the install that can be done easily by one person.
#1 - First step with any installation is to lay out parts and compare to list provided to ensure they are all there prior to beginning the install.
#2 - Place rails in place as close to the cab as possible and secure with three clamps on each side. Tip: there is no specific placement for clamps but they should be spaced equal distances apart.
#3 - Put cover in place, making sure it is aligned properly at front part of the box.
#4 - Close tailgate prior to securing last section and check the rear portion is aligned properly. Tip: look down the side rail to ensure cover is lying straight as you can still make adjustments prior to securing cover.
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TRUCK TECH
#5 - Put flat-headed elevator bolt in place.
#6 - Tighten flat-headed elevator bolt with star knob. Tip: make sure you place the rubber washer between the star knob and the metal extension plate.
#7 - Connect drain tube. Tip: there are many options to drain the water. We chose to drill a hole in the bedliner and let the water drain out beneath it.
#8 - We then retracted the cover by simply pulling down on the lever and flipping over each section to the front of the box to attach the assemble arms.
#9 - Attaching the assemble arms.
#10 - Install rubber stoppers to protect cab from cover when it is fully retracted.
#11 - Secure cover by sliding assemble arm into the vertical plates and inserting knob into the treaded nutsert.
#12 - Cover full retracted and secure.
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RV-ING
2014 Coachmen Clipper 17 BH
Story and photos by Howard J Elmer
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mall, lightweight conventional travel trailers are not just for “new” RVers. No, speaking to dealers has revealed that this year, this hot segment of the market is also being frequented by veteran campers, particularly ones who have downsized and are looking for a simple, low-effort unit to get them out into the parks on select weekends. The Coachmen Clipper I tested would certainly do that job. My unit, the 17 BH, was a 21-foot bunkhouse trailer that could sleep six, but more about it in a minute. The Clipper lineup I looked at covers seven models ranging from 15 feet up to 21 feet. Dry weights range from 1,800 to 2,800 lb, making these units towable with a wide variety of fuel-efficient vehicles. In my case, I used my current long-term tester, the Ram 1500 Outdoorsman with the Pentastar V6 engine and TorqueFlite 8 automatic transmission. This is a very gas-friendly truck, but frankly, it was almost too much for this unit. I noted that the Ram cruised along in “Eco” mode with the trailer on and averaged no more than 14L/100 km while towing. Although it’s a single-axle trailer (they all are), it felt well-balanced and tracked the truck closely. The air suspension system on the Ram automatically levelled the trailer – no need for an equalizing hitch (at least with this truck). The backup camera in the truck (that shows a large image on the centre stack monitor) helped me back under the ball on the first try – really effortless.
So, back to my tester. It is obviously a family unit and one that would compare easily to tent trailers in the same price range, except you have hard walls and no setup. I expect that those pop-ups will be the products that are being cross-shopped with the Clipper. Coachmen, which is now owned by Forest River, is an old name in the RV business – so is Clipper for that matter – and in that spirit, the construction of these trailers follows simple, old-school styles and materials. Like? Well, for starters, there is not much aluminum in these trailers. Instead, the frames are powder-coated steel I-beams, the wheelwells are galvanized steel and the walls and roof are wood framing and trusses. Where there is aluminum is on the exterior. This .024 Mesa aluminum siding covers the units with the exception of a nice Diamond Plate front wall protector. The roof is a one-piece rubber membrane and you’ll see caulking in all seams and joints. Anything wrong with this construction? No. It’s just the old way of doing things. However, in this case, Coachmen uses these techniques to keep its costs down building this line – as I said – old school.
Thinking back to what the dealer had said about downsizing RVers, I was drawn to the sketch of the largest of the Clipper units, the17FQ. This trailer featured an 80x74-inch Queen bed in front and a bathroom that stretched the full width of the trailer at the rear. This unit could only be aimed at a couple, and probably a veteran RVing couple. This was the unit I set out to test, but it was sold out – it’s been that popular. AUG / SEPT 2013
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RV-ING Inside, though, the floorplan designers have created up-tothe-minute layouts that will please young, old, newbie and veteran RVers alike. The first thing I noticed inside my test unit was the size of the kitchen counter, the number of cabinets, a floor-toceiling pantry and the number of appliances. Standard features include a high-neck faucet over a deep steel sink, a microwave, a lighted range exhaust hood, and two-burner LP stove. Under the laminated countertop is a three-cu.ft. refrigerator. Cabinets have a deep maple colour and appear to be hardwood – though they are tagged as Lumbercore Cabinetry. Again, a cost choice – but a nice one. Colour schemes are nice, materials decent – but nothing is over-the-top. I harp on this because I don’t mind builders being frugal as long as it’s reflected in the bottom line. Note the light features are all the plastic bubble type – another cost concession. But, the overall effect in the unit is one of simple, useful, elegance. I should mention that most bunkhouse units are meant for families with younger kids, but the Clipper bunks are full-size and will support up to 300 pounds each (I hope no one’s ten-year old weighs that!) Also, the lower bunk folds up to create a large travel storage space – ideally for bikes. An exterior half-door is included here for exactly this job. Easy in and out. Large storage is also available under the front bed. This space is accessed from inside by lifting the bed, assisted by gas-filled lift shocks or from outside with locking doors on either side of the unit. Another feature of this line of trailers is the standard conveniences list. Coachmen has built them with just about everything included and just a tiny option list, the idea being that the price quoted should offer a well-equipped trailer that most buyers will find suits all their needs. Tall order, that. However, they have taken a good run at it. Everything mentioned thus far is standard on the 17BH; in fact, the only option on my test unit was the front window with fold-down rock guard. So, what else did Coachmen include? A 13,500 BTU roof air conditioner, 20,000 BTU furnace, six-gallon DSI water heater, AM/FM/MP3/USB Stereo built in to the cabinet, a monitor panel and TV antenna with booster, HDTV cable hook-up, mini-blinds, window valances, residential-grade flooring and power bath fan. Outside, the unit gets a dual battery rack, easy-crank tongue jack, radial tires (with spare), electric brakes, Ultra Lube leaf spring axle, four crank down scissor-style jacks and a large A&E awning. A side
note – the Ram 1500, when ordered with the tow package, gets an excellent set of flip-up tow mirrors with large bottom convex lenses (these are also heated for sloppy rainy driving). Inside, an integrated trailer brake system has been relocated to the bottom of the centre stack, just below the rotary-dial gear shifter (my suggestion – really). It displays all its readouts in the centre display between the two main gauges in the dash. A special trailer screen shows the distance towed, time elapsed, fuel economy (instant and average) and the percentage power setting on the brakes; this scale shows the trailer brake grabbing as the truck brakes are applied. Judging by the readout and the “feel,” this allows very accurate setting of the trailer brakes at the start of every trip. An interesting item that was pointed out to me on the Clipper line of trailers was the addition of a new system called Zamp - powered solar panels. A plug-in just ahead of the main door fits a jack that connects to a folding solar panel which, when deployed, trickle charges the house batteries. This panel is not permanent, so it’s not subjected to the elements like a built-in one would be. Instead it can be stowed and set up only when needed. It is also standard and a smart idea. This innovation makes the length of a dry camping trip almost endless, restricted only by your water needs. It’s also eco-friendly; no more running the car/truck to charge depleted trailer batteries. All this is already wired, so when you get it, plug-and-play is all that’s required. As I said, buyers of certain hybrid trailers and tent campers will want to have a look at the Clipper line – for a good comparable anyway – and then perhaps a change of heart about an old-school travel trailer. The other nice thing is that what you see is what you get – there is no plus, plus, plus (other than taxes of course). I think Coachmen is on to something.
SPECIFICATIONS: Coachmen Clipper 17BH Travel Trailer Dry Weight: .................................................................... 2818 lb GVWR: . ......................................................................... 3626 lb Exterior Length: ................................................................ 21’ 8” Exterior Width: ......................................................................88” Exterior Height: ....................................................................9’8” Interior Height: ......................................................................76” Fresh Water: .................................................................... 33 gal Gray Water: . .................................................................... 25 gal Black Water: . ................................................................... 25 gal Tire Size: ...............................................................................13” Factory MSRP: . .......................................................$14,529.00 *the front window and rock guard cover is included in this price. Sorry it was not broken out. Unit supplied for testing courtesy of Campkin’s RV Centre, Myrtle Station, ON
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GEARING UP Mickey Thompson Mickey Metal Series Wheels New from Mickey Thompson Performance Tires and Wheels are the new Mickey Metal Series wheels, which are specifically designed for today’s tough off-roaders. The wheels feature a twopiece construction and have a flat black powdercoat finish, and matching black centre cap with the Mickey Thompson logo stamped right into the wheel face. The wheels are available in 15-,16-, and 17-inch sizes, for most popular trucks and SUVs. For more information please go to www.mickeythompsontires.com
The All-New Zeon 12 Winch from Warn Industries The all-new Zeon 12 Winch from Warn Industries features 12,000 pounds single-line pulling capacity, and 80-feet of durable 3/8-inch galvanized steel wire rope. The winch features a convertible control pack that can either be attached to the winch itself or operated remotely. The system now features a new geartrain and motor which deliver outstanding pulling power, and is quieter and faster than it ever has been before. For more information please go to www.warn.com
New Dee Zee 6-inch Oval Nerf Bars Dee Zee’s all-new six-inch Oval Nerf Bars feature molded plastic end caps and step pads that are embossed with the Dee Zee logo and provide you with a non-slip surface. They are made with heavy-duty, durable 16-gauge steel which is overlaid with stainless steel. These bars are a great way to accent your rugged exterior while providing a safe and easy way to step into lifted trucks. They are available in three lengths: 51, 73, and 86 inches. For more information please go to www.deezee.com
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GEARING UP Hypertech Inc. Max Energy Available for 2011-13 Ford F150 EcoBoost
DEFLECT IT. PROTECT IT.
EXPERIENCE IT.
Hypertech Inc. now offers its handheld performance tuner, the Max Energy, for owners of 2011-2013 Ford F-150 with the V6 EcoBoost drivetrain. The performance tuner can add up to 87 horsepower and 101 lb-ft of torque to your vehicle. Along with a power gain, there are many other things the Max Energy is capable of, such as speedometer calibration, adjusting the top speed limiter, auto transmission adjustments, active fuel management, and RPM rev limiter adjustments, just to name a few. For more information please go to www.hypertech-inc.com
Skyjacker 7-inch Suspension Lift for GM 2500HD
SIDEWIND DEFLECTORS HOOD PROTECTORS
Now available for 2011-2012 Chevrolet/GMC Silverado/Sierra 2500HD is a 7-inch suspension lift kit from Skyjacker Suspensions. This 7-inch lift will clear room for you to run up to 37-inch tires. The kit features front and rear ¼inch steel cross members, heavy-duty raised torsion bar relocation brackets, and a differential skid plate. All of these components will greatly reinforce and strengthen your truck, all while maintaining factory alignment specs and OEM steering geometry.
Fast & Easy Installation Available in Chrome or Smoke
For more information please go to www.skyjacker.com
Hi-Lift’s Off-Road Base Hi-Lift’s brand-new Off-Road Base (ORB) provides you with a surface to put your jack on, even in the worst of conditions such as soft ground, or mud. The base will eliminate any jack sinkage on soft ground and is made with a rugged construction featuring hard plastic, so it won’t break. The base is only 15x12.2x2.2-inches so it is easy to store and won’t take up much space. It can be used with any HiLift jack. For more information please go to www.hi-lift.com
NEWLY RELEASED: 2014 Chevy Silverado 2014 GMC Sierra
stampedeautomotiveaccessories.com AUG / SEPT 2013
800.858.5634 Trucks Plus 59
GEARING UP OEM-Style Replacement Electric Mirrors from Bestop Now available from Bestop is the HighRock 4x4 OEM-style Replacement Electric Mirrors for 2011-current Jeep Wrangler JK. The mirrors feature an electrical wiring harness to operate them from inside the cab and utilize the de-fog feature. They also have impactand UV-resistant black ABS composite housings and DOT-approved glass. All mirror kits are sold in pairs with all of the necessary hardware, and feature a no-drill, bolton installation. For more information please go to www.bestop.com
Black Series Performance Exhaust from MBRP The all new Black Series Performance Exhaust from MBRP for the 2011-2013 Ford F-150 Raptor 6.2L offers great styling combined
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with excellent quality and performance. The exhaust features a new high-heat coating made specifically for exhaust systems to withstand extreme heat and abrasive conditions. All seams of the exhaust are fully sealed to resist rust, and the precision bends will fit the factory exhaust location without having to make any modifications. For more information please go to www.mbrp.com
Jeep Wrangler Hood Vents from Daystar Now out from Daystar are hood vents for 1987-2006 Jeep Wrangler YJ and TJ. These vents will help improve the overall appearance of your Jeep, and allow the hot air from underneath the hood to get out. The hard black poly vents install in minutes using only just a few simple tools and the vent template which is supplied. They are sold in pairs and are fully paintable, so you can achieve any look you want. For more information please go to www.daystarweb.com
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We’re sure that most of you have had the misfortune of getting stuck while out on a weekend adventure. So send us your photos of your adventure to stucktrucks@rpmcanada.ca and if we use your photos we’ll send you a cool Trucks Plus hat!
Guess the mud was a bit deeper than he had hoped.
How in the world did he get in this position?
That’s one sunken Jeep.
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Someone didn’t check their clearance.