2014 Honda Civic Hybrid Small Car Rating:
Side bags, front/rear Side curtain air bags Antilock brakes Traction control
Stability control Daytime running lights Safety belts Side bags, front/rear
Honda's freshening of the Civic gave the car a more comfortable ride, more responsive handling, better braking, and a nicer, quieter interior. The EX gets automatic climate control, and all versions have a standard backup camera. The powertrain remains smooth and unobtrusive. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) replaced the five-speed automatic for 2014. Fuel economy ranges from 29 mpg overall for the EX and 32 mpg in the HF to an impressive 40 mpg from the hybrid's 1.5-liter, four-cylinder gas engine and CVT. The rear seat provides pretty good room for the class. The sporty Si is quick, has a slick shifter, and returned an impressive 29 mpg overall, but is very noisy.
2014 Ford Fusion Mid Sized Car Rating: The Fusion is a delight to drive and looks quite stylish. All versions have a solid, upscale feel, with a supple ride, agile handling, and a quiet cabin. The main engines are a new 1.5-liter and a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder, both mated to a six-speed automatic. In testing we got 24 and 22 mpg overall, respectively, which isn't stellar. For 2014, the 1.6-liter turbo only comes with a manual transmission. The 1.5-liter does the job, but the 2.0-liter is punchier. We measured 39 mpg overall in the Hybrid, which is excellent but far from the EPA's 47 mpg rating. All versions have a nicely finished cabin with comfortable seats, but the rear is somewhat snug. Reliability of the redesign has been a mix: the 2.0 EcoBoost and 2.5-liter versions are average, while other versions are below average.
Side bags, front/rear Side curtain air bags Antilock brakes Traction control
Stability control Daytime running lights Safety belts Side bags, front/rear
2014 Infiniti Q50 Mid Sized Luxury Rating:
Side bags, front/rear Side curtain air bags Antilock brakes Traction control
Stability control Daytime running lights Safety belts Side bags, front/rear
The Q50 is quick and relatively roomy, however, on the luxury front, fit and finish took a step back as well as ride comfort and noise isolation. Handling is lackluster mostly due to the dull steering. Ride comfort is unsettled and suffers from the run-flat tires. Interior quality is marred by a few misfits. The front seat has a short cushion. While there is nothing wrong with the punchy powertrain it's not exactly a model of refinement and fuel economy is not impressive. For the class the cabin is quite roomy and the rear seat is fairly hospitable. The trunk, however is too shallow and has a small opening. Even more frustrating is the control interface, some of which is done by an agonizingly slow-responding touchscreen.
2014 Acura RLX Large Luxury
Rating: N/A
Acura's new flagship has some good points but falls well short of its competitors. The ride is jumpy and unsettled, and handling lacks agility, making the car feel ungainly. Our tested FWD model averaged 23 mpg overall with the slick and responsive 310-hp V6 and six-speed automatic. The hybrid uses additional electric motors to power the rear wheels and gets a claimed 30 mpg. We didn't find any benefit from the all-wheel-steering system. The cabin is spacious, and well-made, with a raft of connectivity features, but the controls are overly complicated. Reliability is likely to be above-average, but the RLX falls short on luxury attributes and scores too low to be recommended.
Side bags, front/rear Side curtain air bags Antilock brakes Traction control
Stability control Daytime running lights Safety belts Side bags, front/rear
2014 Mazda CX-5 Small SUV
Side bags, front/rear Side curtain air bags Antilock brakes Traction control
Stability control Daytime running lights Safety belts Side bags, front/rear
Rating:
The CX-5 has taut, agile handling and quick, well weighted steering. But we found the ride to be choppy and the cabin lets in too much road and wind noise. Both the 2.0-liter and the much more responsive 2.5-liter four-cylinder engines returned a best-in-class 25 mpg overall in our tests. The 2.0 is slow at launch and requires prodding to keep up with traffic. The 2.5-liter transforms the driving experience and provides noticeably quicker acceleration. The six-speed automatic is fairly smooth; a six-speed manual is available on the base version. The interior is roomy and versatile, with simple controls, but some cheap touches are evident. Reliability has been above average. The 2.0-liter version scored too low to be recommended.
2014 Acura MDX Luxury SUV
Rating: N/A
Redesigned for 2014, the Acura MDX is an easy SUV to live with. It's comfortable, quick, and quieter than its predecessors, though it lost some of its sportiness. It offers generous space for seven, as long as the third-row occupants aren't too big. The clever new button for folding the second-row forward is simple and ought to be an industry standard. However, the new touchscreen has made some controls more complicated. The 3.5-liter V6 and six-speed transmission are smooth and silky and provide competitive acceleration. We measured a best-in-class 20 mpg overall. A new front-wheel drive version brings even better fuel economy and a lower price.
Side bags, front/rear Side curtain air bags Antilock brakes Traction control
Stability control Daytime running lights Safety belts Side bags, front/rear
2014 Honda Odyssey Minivan
Side bags, front/rear Side curtain air bags Antilock brakes Traction control
Stability control Daytime running lights Safety belts Side bags, front/rear
Rating:
The recently updated Odyssey is a versatile hauler that combines clever and generous packaging with responsive handling and a supple ride. Its vigorous 3.5-liter V6 and smooth six-speed automatic returned an excellent 21 mpg overall in our tests. This van can seat eight people with ease and the comfy second-row chairs and third-row split bench can be deployed numerous ways for varying cargo and passenger needs. Easy access, excellent child-seat accommodations, and abundant cabin storage add to the family-friendly quotient. Among our few gripes is the tediously complicated dual touch screen infotainment system.
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Ratings based on ANCAP 5 star safety rating. Sources: http://www.consumerreports.org/ http://www.ancap.com.au/