Autos plus
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 1 2013
SECTION
S E A R C H B U Y S E L L L E A S E T R A D E CUMBERLINK.COM/AUTOS
AUTO NEWS FROM AROUND SOUTH CENTRAL PA
To submit an article please email asippel@cumberlink.com
Brought to you by
Autos plus
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 1 2013
SECTION
S E A R C H B U Y S E L L L E A S E T R A D E CUMBERLINK.COM/AUTOS
AUTO NEWS FROM AROUND SOUTH CENTRAL PA
To submit an article please email asippel@cumberlink.com
Brought to you by
Autos Plus
E2 • The Sentinel
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Compact crossover offers versatility
Nissan’s compact crossover SUV, the Rogue, debuted in 2007 for the 2008 model year and it is nearing the end of its first generation, with an all-new redesign expected for the 2014 model year. The Gen-2 Rogue will have a sportier, bolder exterior and an upgraded cabin, but there is still much to applaud and appreciate with the current model, the 2013 Nissan Rogue. I test drove the Rogue in and around Chicago, on a trip to watch my son’s graduation from U.S. Navy Boot Camp at the Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois. The trip took us into downtown Chicago, and over to the O’Hare airport with highway and intown driving to Great Lakes, Libertyville, Gurnee and other suburb stops. This made for a solid city driving, open road, interstate and shoreline test.
Retains its value
Based on the Sentra sedan, Rogue handles in carlike fashion, and offers an upscale demeanor while priced in mid-range numbers with a good retention of value after sale, based on a retained value of 48.2 percent residual value after five years. The 2013 Nissan Rogue offers a fusion of value and versatility, coupled with emotional design, innovation and breakthrough technology, with the first non-luxury application of the optional Around View Monitor. The 5-passenger SUV boasts a versatile 58 cubic feet of cargo space, ample space for drivers and passengers, an oversized glove compartment, a large center console and a removable and washable tray that fits below the cargo area for storing wet or dirty gear and tools. Enhancements for the 2013 model year include a new Premium Edition (replaces the previous Premium
Package), which adds front fog lights and Bose audio system with seven speakers and subwoofer, along with automatic air conditioning, fog lights, power moonroof, auto on/off headlights and Nissan Navigation System. Also, a Bluetooth HandsFree Phone System and two additional speakers (six total) are added to Special Edition Package (S models). The 2013 Rogue is offered in three trims, S, SV and SV with SL Package, along with two options — Special Edition Package and Premium Package. All Rogue models are available in all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive configurations. My test drive was in SV trim with allwheel-drive.
Architecture in motion With unibody construction using corrosion-resistant and high-strength steel, Rogue measures 70.9 inches in length, 60.6 inches in width and 66.3 inches in height on a 105.9-inch wheelbase. Rogue weighs in at 3550 lbs. and has a step-in height of 17.9 inches in front and 18.5 in the rear, offering a ground clearance of 8.3 inches. Rogue’s sporty exterior gives the impression that the wind is blowing its hair back. Its angled front pillars and thick rear pillars form powerful lines and its front and rear ends both slant away from head-on sight for an in-motion perception. The exterior features available Xenon headlights, available power sliding glass moonroof with dark gray glass, and available roof rails. Chrome door handles, body-color bumpers, rear liftgate with fixed glass and power sideview mirrors are standard.
Driver-oriented cabin Rogue’s interior is versatile and fashionable with a driver-oriented cockpit, available leather-appointed seating surfaces, 6-way power
By Mike Blake
driver’s seat, heated front seats and mirrors and a folddown front passenger seat. Interior head room measures 40.4 inches of front headroom and 38.3 inches in the rear, which was comfortable for a newly graduated sailor recruit (airman) who tops out at 6-foot-3. Legroom is 42.5 inches in row one and an ample 35.3 inches in row two, while shoulder rooms goes 55.9 and 53.6. My test Rogue also had a navigational system that was often confused by Chicago’s roadways and it seldom gave enough information or warning to a driver in need of directions. Additionally the 4.3-inch color display was too small to effectively convey navigational information, but the rear camera was excellent in tight parking lots. As a driver, I received the response and handling I expected and my passengers were afforded comfort, roominess and an upscale passenger experience. While my test Rogue never started on first ignition turn — it always took two or three tries — it handled confidently and accelerated well when asked. Rogue’s 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine puts out 170 hp and 175 lbs.-ft. of torque, which was enough to manage a steady 8.8-second zero-to-60 sprint and a 17.1 quarter-mile. EPA rated at 22/27, I averaged 22.3 mpg during my test. Engineered with zone body construction, front and rear crumple zones, an energy-absorbing steering column, hood buckling creases and safety stops, and body side reinforce-
Submitted photos
The 2013 Nissan Rogue handles like a car but offers the passenger and cargo space of an SUV. Interior features include heated seats and mirrors, a sevenspeaker Bose audio system and Nissan Navigation System.
ments, Rogue receives 5 stars in side crash tests and 4 for rollovers. Rogue comes with the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System — dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt and occupant classification sensors, front seat-mounted side impact supplemental air bags, roof-mounted curtain side impact supplemental air bags and a rollover sensor for front
and rear-seat outboard occupant head protection. My test Rogue SV based at $26,050, added floor mats and cargo area protection for $190, and the SL Package for $3900 that included leather appointments inside, automatic temperature control, navigation system, seven speakers with subwoofer, power moonroof, alloy wheels and a multitude of other items. Adding
destination charges of $825, my Rogue-as-tested came in at $30,965. Visit www.CarlisleEvents. com for more on the automotive hobby. Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He’s been a “car guy” since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.
N.H.’s new law protecting auto dealers is challenged By Rik Stevens Associated Press
CONCORD, N.H. — Farm and heavy equipment manufacturers including John Deere have sued to block a new law that gives New Hampshire auto dealers new protections in their contracts with them. The companies say the so-called Auto Dealers Bill of Rights, which takes effect Sept. 23, improperly lumps them in with automakers. John Deere, famed for making farm equipment, trac-
tors and other heavy-duty equipment, argue that the law is unconstitutional in a 170-page suit filed this week along with along with AgCo and Case New Holland. “It represents an unprecedented level of regulation for our industry and jeopardizes Deere’s ability to do business in New Hampshire by voiding many of the provisions of our dealer agreements,” said Ken Golden, director of global public relations for Deere, which has its headquarters in Moline, Ill.
Golden said the agricultural and other equipment dealers operate in a different sphere than automakers and should be regulated differently. The company says it should be free to work with its dealers “to ensure that our agreements and policies have mutual benefit and support the investments that each party makes in our business.” Auto dealers had said they had no leverage in agreements with manufacturers that could require them to pay for costly and unneces-
sary renovations, ultimately driving up costs for consumers. When she signed the bill in June, Gov. Maggie Hassan said it leveled the playing field between manufacturers and dealers. Peter McNamara, president of the New Hampshire Auto Dealers Association, says some dealers were paying millions for manufacturer-mandated upgrades every five to seven years. He said his 500 members, including 180 franchisees, argued that the upgrades
didn’t automatically equal more sales. “Look, I like a cappuccino maker at a dealer, but it’s not going to make me buy a car,” he said. McNamara also noted that the state has already been regulating other vehicles, such as ATVs. “They’re making the same arguments they made in the legislature and those were rejected,” he said. The Alliance of Auto Manufacturers also opposed the bill, saying a provision determining warranty re-
imbursement would simply boost dealer profits and was a “money grab by New Hampshire dealers.” The bill also ends mandates by manufacturers to use out-of-state products and contractors to do showroom upgrades and ensures proper reimbursement for warranty work done by local dealers. The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of Hillsborough County Superior Court. A preliminary hearing will occur by Sept. 16.
Best.Thing.Ever. Event
0 60 %
FOR MONTHS on all new 2013 Volkswagen models 6714 CARLISLE PIKE MECHANICSBURG
QUALIFIED CUSTOMERS ONLY. OFFER ENDS 9/3/2013
Autos Plus
E2 • The Sentinel
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Compact crossover offers versatility
Nissan’s compact crossover SUV, the Rogue, debuted in 2007 for the 2008 model year and it is nearing the end of its first generation, with an all-new redesign expected for the 2014 model year. The Gen-2 Rogue will have a sportier, bolder exterior and an upgraded cabin, but there is still much to applaud and appreciate with the current model, the 2013 Nissan Rogue. I test drove the Rogue in and around Chicago, on a trip to watch my son’s graduation from U.S. Navy Boot Camp at the Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois. The trip took us into downtown Chicago, and over to the O’Hare airport with highway and intown driving to Great Lakes, Libertyville, Gurnee and other suburb stops. This made for a solid city driving, open road, interstate and shoreline test.
Retains its value
Based on the Sentra sedan, Rogue handles in carlike fashion, and offers an upscale demeanor while priced in mid-range numbers with a good retention of value after sale, based on a retained value of 48.2 percent residual value after five years. The 2013 Nissan Rogue offers a fusion of value and versatility, coupled with emotional design, innovation and breakthrough technology, with the first non-luxury application of the optional Around View Monitor. The 5-passenger SUV boasts a versatile 58 cubic feet of cargo space, ample space for drivers and passengers, an oversized glove compartment, a large center console and a removable and washable tray that fits below the cargo area for storing wet or dirty gear and tools. Enhancements for the 2013 model year include a new Premium Edition (replaces the previous Premium
Package), which adds front fog lights and Bose audio system with seven speakers and subwoofer, along with automatic air conditioning, fog lights, power moonroof, auto on/off headlights and Nissan Navigation System. Also, a Bluetooth HandsFree Phone System and two additional speakers (six total) are added to Special Edition Package (S models). The 2013 Rogue is offered in three trims, S, SV and SV with SL Package, along with two options — Special Edition Package and Premium Package. All Rogue models are available in all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive configurations. My test drive was in SV trim with allwheel-drive.
Architecture in motion With unibody construction using corrosion-resistant and high-strength steel, Rogue measures 70.9 inches in length, 60.6 inches in width and 66.3 inches in height on a 105.9-inch wheelbase. Rogue weighs in at 3550 lbs. and has a step-in height of 17.9 inches in front and 18.5 in the rear, offering a ground clearance of 8.3 inches. Rogue’s sporty exterior gives the impression that the wind is blowing its hair back. Its angled front pillars and thick rear pillars form powerful lines and its front and rear ends both slant away from head-on sight for an in-motion perception. The exterior features available Xenon headlights, available power sliding glass moonroof with dark gray glass, and available roof rails. Chrome door handles, body-color bumpers, rear liftgate with fixed glass and power sideview mirrors are standard.
Driver-oriented cabin Rogue’s interior is versatile and fashionable with a driver-oriented cockpit, available leather-appointed seating surfaces, 6-way power
By Mike Blake
driver’s seat, heated front seats and mirrors and a folddown front passenger seat. Interior head room measures 40.4 inches of front headroom and 38.3 inches in the rear, which was comfortable for a newly graduated sailor recruit (airman) who tops out at 6-foot-3. Legroom is 42.5 inches in row one and an ample 35.3 inches in row two, while shoulder rooms goes 55.9 and 53.6. My test Rogue also had a navigational system that was often confused by Chicago’s roadways and it seldom gave enough information or warning to a driver in need of directions. Additionally the 4.3-inch color display was too small to effectively convey navigational information, but the rear camera was excellent in tight parking lots. As a driver, I received the response and handling I expected and my passengers were afforded comfort, roominess and an upscale passenger experience. While my test Rogue never started on first ignition turn — it always took two or three tries — it handled confidently and accelerated well when asked. Rogue’s 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine puts out 170 hp and 175 lbs.-ft. of torque, which was enough to manage a steady 8.8-second zero-to-60 sprint and a 17.1 quarter-mile. EPA rated at 22/27, I averaged 22.3 mpg during my test. Engineered with zone body construction, front and rear crumple zones, an energy-absorbing steering column, hood buckling creases and safety stops, and body side reinforce-
Submitted photos
The 2013 Nissan Rogue handles like a car but offers the passenger and cargo space of an SUV. Interior features include heated seats and mirrors, a sevenspeaker Bose audio system and Nissan Navigation System.
ments, Rogue receives 5 stars in side crash tests and 4 for rollovers. Rogue comes with the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System — dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt and occupant classification sensors, front seat-mounted side impact supplemental air bags, roof-mounted curtain side impact supplemental air bags and a rollover sensor for front
and rear-seat outboard occupant head protection. My test Rogue SV based at $26,050, added floor mats and cargo area protection for $190, and the SL Package for $3900 that included leather appointments inside, automatic temperature control, navigation system, seven speakers with subwoofer, power moonroof, alloy wheels and a multitude of other items. Adding
destination charges of $825, my Rogue-as-tested came in at $30,965. Visit www.CarlisleEvents. com for more on the automotive hobby. Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He’s been a “car guy” since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.
N.H.’s new law protecting auto dealers is challenged By Rik Stevens Associated Press
CONCORD, N.H. — Farm and heavy equipment manufacturers including John Deere have sued to block a new law that gives New Hampshire auto dealers new protections in their contracts with them. The companies say the so-called Auto Dealers Bill of Rights, which takes effect Sept. 23, improperly lumps them in with automakers. John Deere, famed for making farm equipment, trac-
tors and other heavy-duty equipment, argue that the law is unconstitutional in a 170-page suit filed this week along with along with AgCo and Case New Holland. “It represents an unprecedented level of regulation for our industry and jeopardizes Deere’s ability to do business in New Hampshire by voiding many of the provisions of our dealer agreements,” said Ken Golden, director of global public relations for Deere, which has its headquarters in Moline, Ill.
Golden said the agricultural and other equipment dealers operate in a different sphere than automakers and should be regulated differently. The company says it should be free to work with its dealers “to ensure that our agreements and policies have mutual benefit and support the investments that each party makes in our business.” Auto dealers had said they had no leverage in agreements with manufacturers that could require them to pay for costly and unneces-
sary renovations, ultimately driving up costs for consumers. When she signed the bill in June, Gov. Maggie Hassan said it leveled the playing field between manufacturers and dealers. Peter McNamara, president of the New Hampshire Auto Dealers Association, says some dealers were paying millions for manufacturer-mandated upgrades every five to seven years. He said his 500 members, including 180 franchisees, argued that the upgrades
didn’t automatically equal more sales. “Look, I like a cappuccino maker at a dealer, but it’s not going to make me buy a car,” he said. McNamara also noted that the state has already been regulating other vehicles, such as ATVs. “They’re making the same arguments they made in the legislature and those were rejected,” he said. The Alliance of Auto Manufacturers also opposed the bill, saying a provision determining warranty re-
imbursement would simply boost dealer profits and was a “money grab by New Hampshire dealers.” The bill also ends mandates by manufacturers to use out-of-state products and contractors to do showroom upgrades and ensures proper reimbursement for warranty work done by local dealers. The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of Hillsborough County Superior Court. A preliminary hearing will occur by Sept. 16.
Best.Thing.Ever. Event
0 60 %
FOR MONTHS on all new 2013 Volkswagen models 6714 CARLISLE PIKE MECHANICSBURG
QUALIFIED CUSTOMERS ONLY. OFFER ENDS 9/3/2013
Autos Plus
E2 • The Sentinel
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Compact crossover offers versatility
Nissan’s compact crossover SUV, the Rogue, debuted in 2007 for the 2008 model year and it is nearing the end of its first generation, with an all-new redesign expected for the 2014 model year. The Gen-2 Rogue will have a sportier, bolder exterior and an upgraded cabin, but there is still much to applaud and appreciate with the current model, the 2013 Nissan Rogue. I test drove the Rogue in and around Chicago, on a trip to watch my son’s graduation from U.S. Navy Boot Camp at the Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois. The trip took us into downtown Chicago, and over to the O’Hare airport with highway and intown driving to Great Lakes, Libertyville, Gurnee and other suburb stops. This made for a solid city driving, open road, interstate and shoreline test.
Retains its value
Based on the Sentra sedan, Rogue handles in carlike fashion, and offers an upscale demeanor while priced in mid-range numbers with a good retention of value after sale, based on a retained value of 48.2 percent residual value after five years. The 2013 Nissan Rogue offers a fusion of value and versatility, coupled with emotional design, innovation and breakthrough technology, with the first non-luxury application of the optional Around View Monitor. The 5-passenger SUV boasts a versatile 58 cubic feet of cargo space, ample space for drivers and passengers, an oversized glove compartment, a large center console and a removable and washable tray that fits below the cargo area for storing wet or dirty gear and tools. Enhancements for the 2013 model year include a new Premium Edition (replaces the previous Premium
Package), which adds front fog lights and Bose audio system with seven speakers and subwoofer, along with automatic air conditioning, fog lights, power moonroof, auto on/off headlights and Nissan Navigation System. Also, a Bluetooth HandsFree Phone System and two additional speakers (six total) are added to Special Edition Package (S models). The 2013 Rogue is offered in three trims, S, SV and SV with SL Package, along with two options — Special Edition Package and Premium Package. All Rogue models are available in all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive configurations. My test drive was in SV trim with allwheel-drive.
Architecture in motion With unibody construction using corrosion-resistant and high-strength steel, Rogue measures 70.9 inches in length, 60.6 inches in width and 66.3 inches in height on a 105.9-inch wheelbase. Rogue weighs in at 3550 lbs. and has a step-in height of 17.9 inches in front and 18.5 in the rear, offering a ground clearance of 8.3 inches. Rogue’s sporty exterior gives the impression that the wind is blowing its hair back. Its angled front pillars and thick rear pillars form powerful lines and its front and rear ends both slant away from head-on sight for an in-motion perception. The exterior features available Xenon headlights, available power sliding glass moonroof with dark gray glass, and available roof rails. Chrome door handles, body-color bumpers, rear liftgate with fixed glass and power sideview mirrors are standard.
Driver-oriented cabin Rogue’s interior is versatile and fashionable with a driver-oriented cockpit, available leather-appointed seating surfaces, 6-way power
By Mike Blake
driver’s seat, heated front seats and mirrors and a folddown front passenger seat. Interior head room measures 40.4 inches of front headroom and 38.3 inches in the rear, which was comfortable for a newly graduated sailor recruit (airman) who tops out at 6-foot-3. Legroom is 42.5 inches in row one and an ample 35.3 inches in row two, while shoulder rooms goes 55.9 and 53.6. My test Rogue also had a navigational system that was often confused by Chicago’s roadways and it seldom gave enough information or warning to a driver in need of directions. Additionally the 4.3-inch color display was too small to effectively convey navigational information, but the rear camera was excellent in tight parking lots. As a driver, I received the response and handling I expected and my passengers were afforded comfort, roominess and an upscale passenger experience. While my test Rogue never started on first ignition turn — it always took two or three tries — it handled confidently and accelerated well when asked. Rogue’s 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine puts out 170 hp and 175 lbs.-ft. of torque, which was enough to manage a steady 8.8-second zero-to-60 sprint and a 17.1 quarter-mile. EPA rated at 22/27, I averaged 22.3 mpg during my test. Engineered with zone body construction, front and rear crumple zones, an energy-absorbing steering column, hood buckling creases and safety stops, and body side reinforce-
Submitted photos
The 2013 Nissan Rogue handles like a car but offers the passenger and cargo space of an SUV. Interior features include heated seats and mirrors, a sevenspeaker Bose audio system and Nissan Navigation System.
ments, Rogue receives 5 stars in side crash tests and 4 for rollovers. Rogue comes with the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System — dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt and occupant classification sensors, front seat-mounted side impact supplemental air bags, roof-mounted curtain side impact supplemental air bags and a rollover sensor for front
and rear-seat outboard occupant head protection. My test Rogue SV based at $26,050, added floor mats and cargo area protection for $190, and the SL Package for $3900 that included leather appointments inside, automatic temperature control, navigation system, seven speakers with subwoofer, power moonroof, alloy wheels and a multitude of other items. Adding
destination charges of $825, my Rogue-as-tested came in at $30,965. Visit www.CarlisleEvents. com for more on the automotive hobby. Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He’s been a “car guy” since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.
N.H.’s new law protecting auto dealers is challenged By Rik Stevens Associated Press
CONCORD, N.H. — Farm and heavy equipment manufacturers including John Deere have sued to block a new law that gives New Hampshire auto dealers new protections in their contracts with them. The companies say the so-called Auto Dealers Bill of Rights, which takes effect Sept. 23, improperly lumps them in with automakers. John Deere, famed for making farm equipment, trac-
tors and other heavy-duty equipment, argue that the law is unconstitutional in a 170-page suit filed this week along with along with AgCo and Case New Holland. “It represents an unprecedented level of regulation for our industry and jeopardizes Deere’s ability to do business in New Hampshire by voiding many of the provisions of our dealer agreements,” said Ken Golden, director of global public relations for Deere, which has its headquarters in Moline, Ill.
Golden said the agricultural and other equipment dealers operate in a different sphere than automakers and should be regulated differently. The company says it should be free to work with its dealers “to ensure that our agreements and policies have mutual benefit and support the investments that each party makes in our business.” Auto dealers had said they had no leverage in agreements with manufacturers that could require them to pay for costly and unneces-
sary renovations, ultimately driving up costs for consumers. When she signed the bill in June, Gov. Maggie Hassan said it leveled the playing field between manufacturers and dealers. Peter McNamara, president of the New Hampshire Auto Dealers Association, says some dealers were paying millions for manufacturer-mandated upgrades every five to seven years. He said his 500 members, including 180 franchisees, argued that the upgrades
didn’t automatically equal more sales. “Look, I like a cappuccino maker at a dealer, but it’s not going to make me buy a car,” he said. McNamara also noted that the state has already been regulating other vehicles, such as ATVs. “They’re making the same arguments they made in the legislature and those were rejected,” he said. The Alliance of Auto Manufacturers also opposed the bill, saying a provision determining warranty re-
imbursement would simply boost dealer profits and was a “money grab by New Hampshire dealers.” The bill also ends mandates by manufacturers to use out-of-state products and contractors to do showroom upgrades and ensures proper reimbursement for warranty work done by local dealers. The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of Hillsborough County Superior Court. A preliminary hearing will occur by Sept. 16.
Best.Thing.Ever. Event
0 60 %
FOR MONTHS on all new 2013 Volkswagen models 6714 CARLISLE PIKE MECHANICSBURG
QUALIFIED CUSTOMERS ONLY. OFFER ENDS 9/3/2013
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Autos Plus
The Sentinel • E3
Kia Sorento for 2014 is all about ‘more’ By Ann M. Job Associated Press The restyled Sorento with attractive new face has a more upscale interior, a more powerful V-6, a more comfortable ride and more available features and safety equipment than its predecessor. The 2014 Sorento also is one of the few crossover SUVs that lets buyers decide whether to add more seats, so Sorentos can be equipped with five or seven seats. In contrast, the Toyota RAV4 dropped its thirdseat offering and now is sold solely with five seats, while Honda’s CR-V has never offered third-row seats. Buyers who need six or seven seats only intermittently will find the 2014 Sorento is nicely sized for this occasional use. At 15.4 feet long from bumper to bumper, the 2014 Sorento is like a slightly larger compact SUV or smaller mid-size SUV. It’s just 4.7 inches longer than the 2013 RAV4 and 6.3 inches longer than a 2014 CR-V. And it has the appealing ride of a crossover SUV that’s built on a car-like, rather than truck-based, platform. To add more ride refinement for 2014, Kia revamped the Sorento’s rear suspension and added strut tower bracing under the hood as well as a revised front suspension attached to a new subframe. Better yet, the Sorento comes with Kia’s generous warranty that includes 10year/100,000-mile coverage of the powertrain and a full five years/60,000 miles of limited basic coverage plus roadside assistance. In contrast, the 2014 Honda CR-V has a limited basic warranty lasting three years or 36,000 miles and powertrain coverage for five years/60,000 miles. But the Sorento’s starting retail price for 2014 is a bit more, too. Starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $24,950 for the base, front-wheel drive 2014 Sorento LX with 191-horsepower, four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission. This is $1,000 more than the starting retail price for a 2013 Sorento which had a lower-powered, 175-horsepower four cylinder that no longer is in the Sorento lineup. The price increase makes the base, 2014 Sorento LX pricier than the competing 2013 RAV4, which has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $24,160 for a front-wheel drive model with 176-horsepower four cylinder and sixspeed automatic. The base 2014 Sorento LX also is pricier than the $23,775 starting retail price for the base, 2014 Honda CR-V with 185-horsepow-
Associated Press
This undated photo made available by Kia shows the 2014 Kia Sorento.
Fact sheet 2014 Kia Sorento SX FWD
passenger, mid-size, crossover, sport utility vehicle.
BASE PRICE: $24,100 for LX FWD; $25,700 for LX V-6 FWD; $25,900 for LX AWD; $27,500 for LX V-6 AWD; $30,000 for EX FWD; $31,800 for EX AWD; $35,000 for SX FWD.
ENGINE: 3.3-liter, double overhead cam, gasoline direct injection V-6 with CVVT.
PRICE AS TESTED: $37,100.
TOP SPEED: 120 mph.
TYPE: Front-engine, front-wheel drive, sevener four cylinder, five-speed automatic and front-wheel drive. In fact, prices for the upper level 2014 Sorentos reach into the $30,000s, and the new, top-of-the-line Sorento SX-L has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $40,950. The SX-L includes allwheel drive, the new 290h o rs e p o we r V- 6, a n d luxury features such as leather-trimmed seats, panoramic sunroof, Xenon high-intensity discharge headlamps, heated front and rear seats and heated steering wheel as well as navigation system, power liftgate, side blind-spot detection system and rearview camera. Too bad that a rearview camera is optional on the base, 2014 Sorento LX; it’s standard on upper trim levels. But both the 2014 CR-V and 2013 RAV4 have a rearview camera as standard equipment on all models. The lowest starting price for a 2014 Sorento with allwheel drive is $26,750, and this includes the four-cylinder engine. TheV-6 is available on all trim levels and the lowest starting price for a 2014 Sorento with the new V-6 is $26,550. With 119,597 U.S. sales last year, the Sorento ranks as the top-selling Kia SUV and the second best-selling Kia
MILEAGE: 18 mpg (city), 25 mpg (highway).
LENGTH: 184.6 inches.
inches. CURB WEIGHT: 3,772 pounds. BUILT AT: West Point, Ga. OPTIONS: Third-row seating with 50/50 split backs and rear air conditioning $1,200; cargo net $50.
WHEELBASE: 106.3
DESTINATION CHARGE: $850.
vehicle overall in the United States, after the Kia Optima sedan. Buyers get a pleasantlooking SUV that sets riders up above the pavement for decent views out. But seat cushions also are positioned so most passengers can set themselves on the outer seats without having to climb or scramble aboard. The test Sorento SX AWD included an impressive, new panoramic roof that made the interior feel open and airy. And the Sorento’s first two rows of seats, in particular, were comfortable and supportive. Since second-row seats slide forward and back on their tracks, it was easy to arrange legroom in these two rows to accommodate seat occupants. But two third-row seats are best for children and small-stature adults, as the seats rest close to the raised floor back there. A thoughtful touch: Kia adds rear air conditioning, with vents at the sides of the third-row seats, to every Sorento with third-row seats. This can help alleviate car sickness tendencies for these rearmost riders. The test vehicle had the 3.3-liter, double overhead cam, direct injection gasoline V-6 that was well-
suited to most driving conditions. The only time the V-6 seemed taxed was in hard acceleration going uphill on a mountain road when the Sorento carried five adults. Engine sounds were strong and confident, and most of the time, power came on smoothly. Shifts in the automatic transmission were noticeable at times, but even with uplevel, 19-inch tires, the test Sorento had less road noise than earlier Sorentos. The new interior has a well-arranged dashboard that doesn’t look cheap or weird, and fit and finish on the tester was excellent. The power liftgate is programmable now, and maximum cargo room is a competitive 72.5 cubic feet. Blind-spot monitoring is a new safety feature. But the Sorento has six air bags, less than the RAV4 has. Fuel economy was lackluster at 19.4 mpg in combined city/highway travel. This is less than the 21-mpg rating reported by the federal government for the V6-powered, 2014 Sorento. Kia is part of the automaker that owns Hyundai, and the Sorento handily outsold its Hyundai sibling, the Santa Fe, last year in the United States.
Ford to make Fusion in U.S. for first time By Dee-Ann Durbin Associated Press FLAT ROCK, Mich. — For the first time, Ford is making its Fusion sedan in the U.S. The company’s Flat Rock, Mich., plant began making the Fusion on Thursday. The plant, which is about 25 miles south of Detroit, made the Ford Mustang sports car before getting a second shift of 1,400 workers to make the Fusion. The 66-acre plant now has 3,100 workers. Ford Motor Co. had been making around 250,000 Fusions each year at its plant in Hermosillo, Mexico. But that wasn’t keeping up with demand for the hot-selling midsize sedan, which was revamped last year. Sales this year are up 13 percent to 181,668 through July,
making the Fusion one of the best-selling cars in the country. “We could have sold more if we had more,” Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of the Americas, told a cheering crowd of workers at the plant. With the production at Flat Rock, Ford will be able to make 350,000 Fusions each year. Hinrichs said the cars being made Thursday would likely be sold within two weeks, a much faster rate than the 60-day average for the industry. The Flat Rock plant was built by Mazda Motor Co. in 1987 and became a joint venture with Ford in 1992. When Ford and Mazda severed ties in 2010, the fate of the Flat Rock plant was uncertain. “This very location was on the chopping block.
We didn’t even know if it was going to stay open,” said Jimmy Settles, the chief Ford negotiator for the United Auto Workers union. During contract talks with the UAW in 2011, Ford agreed to bring Fusion production to Flat Rock. While Ford will have to pay U.S. workers more compared with Mexico, where workers make $2 to $3 an hour, the wage difference isn’t as high as it once was. In 2007, the UAW agreed that new hires could be paid at half the rate as veteran workers. All but around 150 of the 1,400 workers making the Fusion are new and make $15.78 per hour, the company said. That compares with an hourly wage of $28.50 for veteran workers at the same plant. Hinrichs wouldn’t com-
ment on the profit Ford will make on the U.S.-built Fusions. Ford isn’t the only company that has moved work back to the U.S. because of the lower wage rates. General Motors Co. moved production of its Sonic subcompact to Michigan from South Korea in 2011. Hinrichs said Ford has now hired 75 percent of the 12,000 hourly workers it promised to hire by 2015. Settles hinted that the company might even hire more to keep up with growing demand for new vehicles, but Hinrichs wouldn’t confirm that. “We’re spending a lot of time on manufacturing planning,” Hinrichs said. “Let’s just keep growing our business and we’ll take it from there.”
Fast plant is boost for Japan auto also-ran Mazda By Yuri Kageyama Associated Press HOFU, Japan — Mazda, the longtime also-ran of Japanese automakers, says it came up with innovations in nearly every step of auto manufacturing for a super-efficient assembly line that rolls off vehicles at a stunning rate of one every 54 seconds. The revamped Hofu plant in Yamaguchi Prefecture, southwestern Japan, shown to reporters Tuesday, underlines how Mazda Motor Corp. has defied skeptics who predicted the automaker’s demise after Ford Motor Co. ended a long partnership. Contrary to expectations, Mazda was not bought by a Chinese competitor. Nor did it collapse under the burden of a soaring yen that made Japanese cars more expensive abroad. Mazda is still riding on its reputation for producing cool gas-sipping models such as the Miata roadster without a single gas-electric hybrid in its lineup. The Hofu plant can barely keep up with demand. Its pace betters that of Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s top automaker, which can roll out a vehicle at paces varying from 57 seconds to 115 seconds. The key to what Mazda calls its innovation in “monozukuri,” or “making things,” apparent at the Hofu plant, was using a common platform, the main structure on which a car is built, and common parts. Platform-sharing is a standard profit-boosting device in the auto industry, but is even more crucial for a smaller player such as Mazda, allowing it to create several distinct models from what in basic ways is the same car. After its partnership with Ford ended three years ago, Mazda needed a new approach. Mazda says it took the process a step further and unified platforms and parts at the design and development stage. It believes it has elevated the standard for an assembly line that can produce multiple size vehicles to a new level of leanness and efficiency. Mazda officials said it will introduce all the innovations it came up with for the Hofu plant they call “the mother plant” at its new plant in Mexico, set to go into production next year. The Hofu plant, first opened in 1981, rolled out
its 10 millionth car, a Mazda6 sedan, off its line Tuesday. “We see this as one step toward further growth,” said President Masamichi Kogai at a roll-off celebration, where workers set off party crackers and shouted, “Go for it.” The Hofu plant produced 350,000 vehicles last year, down from its peak at above 500,000 in 2007, but that’s recovering this year to about 400,000 vehicles. Still, Mazda has gone through hard times. Ford, which had owned a third of Mazda and was its main partner for three decades, including in key markets such as Thailand, China and the U.S., gradually pulled out. The U.S. automaker, based in Dearborn, Michigan, gave up its top stakeholder position in Mazda in 2010. At a time when Japanese rivals are moving production abroad, Mazda still produces 60 percent of its vehicles in Japan. Of the vehicles produced at Hofu, 94 percent are exports. That has left Mazda vulnerable in periods when the yen is strong. But the unfavorable currency rate has changed course since last year, providing an unexpected lift for the Hiroshima-based automaker. Mazda had honed in on cost cuts and efficiency partly because it wanted to be able to eke out profits even with a high yen. Mazda is planning to raise overseas production to 50 percent of total output by the 2015 fiscal year. It is also aiming to increase annual global sales to 1.7 million vehicles by 2017, up from the current 1.2 million. It is well on its way to achieve its profit forecasts for the fiscal year ending March 2014 at 70 billion yen ($700 million), according to Mazda. With its success, it’s out to prove wrong the critics who once insisted that high production volume of at least 4 million vehicles a year is needed to achieve profitability. That was once seen as the common sense wisdom in the auto industry. Some analysts say Mazda still faces an uphill battle because it lacks scale, through which automakers can cut costs. That means Mazda has to become almost an upscale brand that can command a higher price. Kogai said the automaker will not resort to price-cutting to woo buyers as it tended to do in the past.
Autos Briefs Toyota investing $90M in W.Va. plant
this latest job growth and investment decision. I’m thankful for Toyota’s continued faith in our work W H I T E S U L P H U R force.” SPRINGS, W.Va. — Toyota is investing $90 million in Nissan pledges to its Buffalo manufacturing make self-driving plant. cars by 2020 Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced Friday the auIRVINE, Calif. — Nissan tomaker’s investment will Motor Co. says it will make create about 80 jobs. cars that drive themselves Tomblin says Toyota Mo- by 2020. tor Manufacturing West The Japanese automaker Virginia Inc. plans to in- made the pledge Tuesday crease production of 6- at an event in California. speed automatic transmisCEO Carlos Ghosn has sions by 20,000 per month said before that he wants by early 2015. The trans- Nissan to be the first to missions are produced for sell self-driving cars. But the Avalon, Camry, Lexus Tuesday’s announcement RX350, Sienna and Venza. was more specific. It marks the eighth exNissan says it will have pansion of the 1,300-em- a commercially viable auployee facility since it tonomous driving system opened in 1996. in multiple vehicles by Tomblin made the an- 2020. It hopes to offer that nouncement at the West system at a reasonable price Virginia Chamber of Com- across its lineup within two merce’s annual meeting at vehicle generations. The Greenbrier resort. The company says it’s “This announcement is working on autonomous a true example of ... West cars with several universiVirginia’s great story of in- ties, including M.I.T. and vestment and opportunity the University of Tokyo. It’s for our people and you, our also building the first dedbusinesses,” Tomblin said. icated proving ground for “(Toyota Motor Manu- autonomous cars near its facturing) team members’ headquarters in Japan. hard work, the quality Nissan already offers product they produce, and some technology that’s our state’s commitment to used in autonomous cars, creating a business climate including motion-detectthat encourages the private ing cameras. sector to create jobs, led to Associated Press
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Autos Plus
The Sentinel • E3
Kia Sorento for 2014 is all about ‘more’ By Ann M. Job Associated Press The restyled Sorento with attractive new face has a more upscale interior, a more powerful V-6, a more comfortable ride and more available features and safety equipment than its predecessor. The 2014 Sorento also is one of the few crossover SUVs that lets buyers decide whether to add more seats, so Sorentos can be equipped with five or seven seats. In contrast, the Toyota RAV4 dropped its thirdseat offering and now is sold solely with five seats, while Honda’s CR-V has never offered third-row seats. Buyers who need six or seven seats only intermittently will find the 2014 Sorento is nicely sized for this occasional use. At 15.4 feet long from bumper to bumper, the 2014 Sorento is like a slightly larger compact SUV or smaller mid-size SUV. It’s just 4.7 inches longer than the 2013 RAV4 and 6.3 inches longer than a 2014 CR-V. And it has the appealing ride of a crossover SUV that’s built on a car-like, rather than truck-based, platform. To add more ride refinement for 2014, Kia revamped the Sorento’s rear suspension and added strut tower bracing under the hood as well as a revised front suspension attached to a new subframe. Better yet, the Sorento comes with Kia’s generous warranty that includes 10year/100,000-mile coverage of the powertrain and a full five years/60,000 miles of limited basic coverage plus roadside assistance. In contrast, the 2014 Honda CR-V has a limited basic warranty lasting three years or 36,000 miles and powertrain coverage for five years/60,000 miles. But the Sorento’s starting retail price for 2014 is a bit more, too. Starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $24,950 for the base, front-wheel drive 2014 Sorento LX with 191-horsepower, four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission. This is $1,000 more than the starting retail price for a 2013 Sorento which had a lower-powered, 175-horsepower four cylinder that no longer is in the Sorento lineup. The price increase makes the base, 2014 Sorento LX pricier than the competing 2013 RAV4, which has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $24,160 for a front-wheel drive model with 176-horsepower four cylinder and sixspeed automatic. The base 2014 Sorento LX also is pricier than the $23,775 starting retail price for the base, 2014 Honda CR-V with 185-horsepow-
Associated Press
This undated photo made available by Kia shows the 2014 Kia Sorento.
Fact sheet 2014 Kia Sorento SX FWD
passenger, mid-size, crossover, sport utility vehicle.
BASE PRICE: $24,100 for LX FWD; $25,700 for LX V-6 FWD; $25,900 for LX AWD; $27,500 for LX V-6 AWD; $30,000 for EX FWD; $31,800 for EX AWD; $35,000 for SX FWD.
ENGINE: 3.3-liter, double overhead cam, gasoline direct injection V-6 with CVVT.
PRICE AS TESTED: $37,100.
TOP SPEED: 120 mph.
TYPE: Front-engine, front-wheel drive, sevener four cylinder, five-speed automatic and front-wheel drive. In fact, prices for the upper level 2014 Sorentos reach into the $30,000s, and the new, top-of-the-line Sorento SX-L has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $40,950. The SX-L includes allwheel drive, the new 290h o rs e p o we r V- 6, a n d luxury features such as leather-trimmed seats, panoramic sunroof, Xenon high-intensity discharge headlamps, heated front and rear seats and heated steering wheel as well as navigation system, power liftgate, side blind-spot detection system and rearview camera. Too bad that a rearview camera is optional on the base, 2014 Sorento LX; it’s standard on upper trim levels. But both the 2014 CR-V and 2013 RAV4 have a rearview camera as standard equipment on all models. The lowest starting price for a 2014 Sorento with allwheel drive is $26,750, and this includes the four-cylinder engine. TheV-6 is available on all trim levels and the lowest starting price for a 2014 Sorento with the new V-6 is $26,550. With 119,597 U.S. sales last year, the Sorento ranks as the top-selling Kia SUV and the second best-selling Kia
MILEAGE: 18 mpg (city), 25 mpg (highway).
LENGTH: 184.6 inches.
inches. CURB WEIGHT: 3,772 pounds. BUILT AT: West Point, Ga. OPTIONS: Third-row seating with 50/50 split backs and rear air conditioning $1,200; cargo net $50.
WHEELBASE: 106.3
DESTINATION CHARGE: $850.
vehicle overall in the United States, after the Kia Optima sedan. Buyers get a pleasantlooking SUV that sets riders up above the pavement for decent views out. But seat cushions also are positioned so most passengers can set themselves on the outer seats without having to climb or scramble aboard. The test Sorento SX AWD included an impressive, new panoramic roof that made the interior feel open and airy. And the Sorento’s first two rows of seats, in particular, were comfortable and supportive. Since second-row seats slide forward and back on their tracks, it was easy to arrange legroom in these two rows to accommodate seat occupants. But two third-row seats are best for children and small-stature adults, as the seats rest close to the raised floor back there. A thoughtful touch: Kia adds rear air conditioning, with vents at the sides of the third-row seats, to every Sorento with third-row seats. This can help alleviate car sickness tendencies for these rearmost riders. The test vehicle had the 3.3-liter, double overhead cam, direct injection gasoline V-6 that was well-
suited to most driving conditions. The only time the V-6 seemed taxed was in hard acceleration going uphill on a mountain road when the Sorento carried five adults. Engine sounds were strong and confident, and most of the time, power came on smoothly. Shifts in the automatic transmission were noticeable at times, but even with uplevel, 19-inch tires, the test Sorento had less road noise than earlier Sorentos. The new interior has a well-arranged dashboard that doesn’t look cheap or weird, and fit and finish on the tester was excellent. The power liftgate is programmable now, and maximum cargo room is a competitive 72.5 cubic feet. Blind-spot monitoring is a new safety feature. But the Sorento has six air bags, less than the RAV4 has. Fuel economy was lackluster at 19.4 mpg in combined city/highway travel. This is less than the 21-mpg rating reported by the federal government for the V6-powered, 2014 Sorento. Kia is part of the automaker that owns Hyundai, and the Sorento handily outsold its Hyundai sibling, the Santa Fe, last year in the United States.
Ford to make Fusion in U.S. for first time By Dee-Ann Durbin Associated Press FLAT ROCK, Mich. — For the first time, Ford is making its Fusion sedan in the U.S. The company’s Flat Rock, Mich., plant began making the Fusion on Thursday. The plant, which is about 25 miles south of Detroit, made the Ford Mustang sports car before getting a second shift of 1,400 workers to make the Fusion. The 66-acre plant now has 3,100 workers. Ford Motor Co. had been making around 250,000 Fusions each year at its plant in Hermosillo, Mexico. But that wasn’t keeping up with demand for the hot-selling midsize sedan, which was revamped last year. Sales this year are up 13 percent to 181,668 through July,
making the Fusion one of the best-selling cars in the country. “We could have sold more if we had more,” Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of the Americas, told a cheering crowd of workers at the plant. With the production at Flat Rock, Ford will be able to make 350,000 Fusions each year. Hinrichs said the cars being made Thursday would likely be sold within two weeks, a much faster rate than the 60-day average for the industry. The Flat Rock plant was built by Mazda Motor Co. in 1987 and became a joint venture with Ford in 1992. When Ford and Mazda severed ties in 2010, the fate of the Flat Rock plant was uncertain. “This very location was on the chopping block.
We didn’t even know if it was going to stay open,” said Jimmy Settles, the chief Ford negotiator for the United Auto Workers union. During contract talks with the UAW in 2011, Ford agreed to bring Fusion production to Flat Rock. While Ford will have to pay U.S. workers more compared with Mexico, where workers make $2 to $3 an hour, the wage difference isn’t as high as it once was. In 2007, the UAW agreed that new hires could be paid at half the rate as veteran workers. All but around 150 of the 1,400 workers making the Fusion are new and make $15.78 per hour, the company said. That compares with an hourly wage of $28.50 for veteran workers at the same plant. Hinrichs wouldn’t com-
ment on the profit Ford will make on the U.S.-built Fusions. Ford isn’t the only company that has moved work back to the U.S. because of the lower wage rates. General Motors Co. moved production of its Sonic subcompact to Michigan from South Korea in 2011. Hinrichs said Ford has now hired 75 percent of the 12,000 hourly workers it promised to hire by 2015. Settles hinted that the company might even hire more to keep up with growing demand for new vehicles, but Hinrichs wouldn’t confirm that. “We’re spending a lot of time on manufacturing planning,” Hinrichs said. “Let’s just keep growing our business and we’ll take it from there.”
Fast plant is boost for Japan auto also-ran Mazda By Yuri Kageyama Associated Press HOFU, Japan — Mazda, the longtime also-ran of Japanese automakers, says it came up with innovations in nearly every step of auto manufacturing for a super-efficient assembly line that rolls off vehicles at a stunning rate of one every 54 seconds. The revamped Hofu plant in Yamaguchi Prefecture, southwestern Japan, shown to reporters Tuesday, underlines how Mazda Motor Corp. has defied skeptics who predicted the automaker’s demise after Ford Motor Co. ended a long partnership. Contrary to expectations, Mazda was not bought by a Chinese competitor. Nor did it collapse under the burden of a soaring yen that made Japanese cars more expensive abroad. Mazda is still riding on its reputation for producing cool gas-sipping models such as the Miata roadster without a single gas-electric hybrid in its lineup. The Hofu plant can barely keep up with demand. Its pace betters that of Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s top automaker, which can roll out a vehicle at paces varying from 57 seconds to 115 seconds. The key to what Mazda calls its innovation in “monozukuri,” or “making things,” apparent at the Hofu plant, was using a common platform, the main structure on which a car is built, and common parts. Platform-sharing is a standard profit-boosting device in the auto industry, but is even more crucial for a smaller player such as Mazda, allowing it to create several distinct models from what in basic ways is the same car. After its partnership with Ford ended three years ago, Mazda needed a new approach. Mazda says it took the process a step further and unified platforms and parts at the design and development stage. It believes it has elevated the standard for an assembly line that can produce multiple size vehicles to a new level of leanness and efficiency. Mazda officials said it will introduce all the innovations it came up with for the Hofu plant they call “the mother plant” at its new plant in Mexico, set to go into production next year. The Hofu plant, first opened in 1981, rolled out
its 10 millionth car, a Mazda6 sedan, off its line Tuesday. “We see this as one step toward further growth,” said President Masamichi Kogai at a roll-off celebration, where workers set off party crackers and shouted, “Go for it.” The Hofu plant produced 350,000 vehicles last year, down from its peak at above 500,000 in 2007, but that’s recovering this year to about 400,000 vehicles. Still, Mazda has gone through hard times. Ford, which had owned a third of Mazda and was its main partner for three decades, including in key markets such as Thailand, China and the U.S., gradually pulled out. The U.S. automaker, based in Dearborn, Michigan, gave up its top stakeholder position in Mazda in 2010. At a time when Japanese rivals are moving production abroad, Mazda still produces 60 percent of its vehicles in Japan. Of the vehicles produced at Hofu, 94 percent are exports. That has left Mazda vulnerable in periods when the yen is strong. But the unfavorable currency rate has changed course since last year, providing an unexpected lift for the Hiroshima-based automaker. Mazda had honed in on cost cuts and efficiency partly because it wanted to be able to eke out profits even with a high yen. Mazda is planning to raise overseas production to 50 percent of total output by the 2015 fiscal year. It is also aiming to increase annual global sales to 1.7 million vehicles by 2017, up from the current 1.2 million. It is well on its way to achieve its profit forecasts for the fiscal year ending March 2014 at 70 billion yen ($700 million), according to Mazda. With its success, it’s out to prove wrong the critics who once insisted that high production volume of at least 4 million vehicles a year is needed to achieve profitability. That was once seen as the common sense wisdom in the auto industry. Some analysts say Mazda still faces an uphill battle because it lacks scale, through which automakers can cut costs. That means Mazda has to become almost an upscale brand that can command a higher price. Kogai said the automaker will not resort to price-cutting to woo buyers as it tended to do in the past.
Autos Briefs Toyota investing $90M in W.Va. plant
this latest job growth and investment decision. I’m thankful for Toyota’s continued faith in our work W H I T E S U L P H U R force.” SPRINGS, W.Va. — Toyota is investing $90 million in Nissan pledges to its Buffalo manufacturing make self-driving plant. cars by 2020 Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced Friday the auIRVINE, Calif. — Nissan tomaker’s investment will Motor Co. says it will make create about 80 jobs. cars that drive themselves Tomblin says Toyota Mo- by 2020. tor Manufacturing West The Japanese automaker Virginia Inc. plans to in- made the pledge Tuesday crease production of 6- at an event in California. speed automatic transmisCEO Carlos Ghosn has sions by 20,000 per month said before that he wants by early 2015. The trans- Nissan to be the first to missions are produced for sell self-driving cars. But the Avalon, Camry, Lexus Tuesday’s announcement RX350, Sienna and Venza. was more specific. It marks the eighth exNissan says it will have pansion of the 1,300-em- a commercially viable auployee facility since it tonomous driving system opened in 1996. in multiple vehicles by Tomblin made the an- 2020. It hopes to offer that nouncement at the West system at a reasonable price Virginia Chamber of Com- across its lineup within two merce’s annual meeting at vehicle generations. The Greenbrier resort. The company says it’s “This announcement is working on autonomous a true example of ... West cars with several universiVirginia’s great story of in- ties, including M.I.T. and vestment and opportunity the University of Tokyo. It’s for our people and you, our also building the first dedbusinesses,” Tomblin said. icated proving ground for “(Toyota Motor Manu- autonomous cars near its facturing) team members’ headquarters in Japan. hard work, the quality Nissan already offers product they produce, and some technology that’s our state’s commitment to used in autonomous cars, creating a business climate including motion-detectthat encourages the private ing cameras. sector to create jobs, led to Associated Press
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Autos Plus
The Sentinel • E3
Kia Sorento for 2014 is all about ‘more’ By Ann M. Job Associated Press The restyled Sorento with attractive new face has a more upscale interior, a more powerful V-6, a more comfortable ride and more available features and safety equipment than its predecessor. The 2014 Sorento also is one of the few crossover SUVs that lets buyers decide whether to add more seats, so Sorentos can be equipped with five or seven seats. In contrast, the Toyota RAV4 dropped its thirdseat offering and now is sold solely with five seats, while Honda’s CR-V has never offered third-row seats. Buyers who need six or seven seats only intermittently will find the 2014 Sorento is nicely sized for this occasional use. At 15.4 feet long from bumper to bumper, the 2014 Sorento is like a slightly larger compact SUV or smaller mid-size SUV. It’s just 4.7 inches longer than the 2013 RAV4 and 6.3 inches longer than a 2014 CR-V. And it has the appealing ride of a crossover SUV that’s built on a car-like, rather than truck-based, platform. To add more ride refinement for 2014, Kia revamped the Sorento’s rear suspension and added strut tower bracing under the hood as well as a revised front suspension attached to a new subframe. Better yet, the Sorento comes with Kia’s generous warranty that includes 10year/100,000-mile coverage of the powertrain and a full five years/60,000 miles of limited basic coverage plus roadside assistance. In contrast, the 2014 Honda CR-V has a limited basic warranty lasting three years or 36,000 miles and powertrain coverage for five years/60,000 miles. But the Sorento’s starting retail price for 2014 is a bit more, too. Starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $24,950 for the base, front-wheel drive 2014 Sorento LX with 191-horsepower, four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission. This is $1,000 more than the starting retail price for a 2013 Sorento which had a lower-powered, 175-horsepower four cylinder that no longer is in the Sorento lineup. The price increase makes the base, 2014 Sorento LX pricier than the competing 2013 RAV4, which has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $24,160 for a front-wheel drive model with 176-horsepower four cylinder and sixspeed automatic. The base 2014 Sorento LX also is pricier than the $23,775 starting retail price for the base, 2014 Honda CR-V with 185-horsepow-
Associated Press
This undated photo made available by Kia shows the 2014 Kia Sorento.
Fact sheet 2014 Kia Sorento SX FWD
passenger, mid-size, crossover, sport utility vehicle.
BASE PRICE: $24,100 for LX FWD; $25,700 for LX V-6 FWD; $25,900 for LX AWD; $27,500 for LX V-6 AWD; $30,000 for EX FWD; $31,800 for EX AWD; $35,000 for SX FWD.
ENGINE: 3.3-liter, double overhead cam, gasoline direct injection V-6 with CVVT.
PRICE AS TESTED: $37,100.
TOP SPEED: 120 mph.
TYPE: Front-engine, front-wheel drive, sevener four cylinder, five-speed automatic and front-wheel drive. In fact, prices for the upper level 2014 Sorentos reach into the $30,000s, and the new, top-of-the-line Sorento SX-L has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $40,950. The SX-L includes allwheel drive, the new 290h o rs e p o we r V- 6, a n d luxury features such as leather-trimmed seats, panoramic sunroof, Xenon high-intensity discharge headlamps, heated front and rear seats and heated steering wheel as well as navigation system, power liftgate, side blind-spot detection system and rearview camera. Too bad that a rearview camera is optional on the base, 2014 Sorento LX; it’s standard on upper trim levels. But both the 2014 CR-V and 2013 RAV4 have a rearview camera as standard equipment on all models. The lowest starting price for a 2014 Sorento with allwheel drive is $26,750, and this includes the four-cylinder engine. TheV-6 is available on all trim levels and the lowest starting price for a 2014 Sorento with the new V-6 is $26,550. With 119,597 U.S. sales last year, the Sorento ranks as the top-selling Kia SUV and the second best-selling Kia
MILEAGE: 18 mpg (city), 25 mpg (highway).
LENGTH: 184.6 inches.
inches. CURB WEIGHT: 3,772 pounds. BUILT AT: West Point, Ga. OPTIONS: Third-row seating with 50/50 split backs and rear air conditioning $1,200; cargo net $50.
WHEELBASE: 106.3
DESTINATION CHARGE: $850.
vehicle overall in the United States, after the Kia Optima sedan. Buyers get a pleasantlooking SUV that sets riders up above the pavement for decent views out. But seat cushions also are positioned so most passengers can set themselves on the outer seats without having to climb or scramble aboard. The test Sorento SX AWD included an impressive, new panoramic roof that made the interior feel open and airy. And the Sorento’s first two rows of seats, in particular, were comfortable and supportive. Since second-row seats slide forward and back on their tracks, it was easy to arrange legroom in these two rows to accommodate seat occupants. But two third-row seats are best for children and small-stature adults, as the seats rest close to the raised floor back there. A thoughtful touch: Kia adds rear air conditioning, with vents at the sides of the third-row seats, to every Sorento with third-row seats. This can help alleviate car sickness tendencies for these rearmost riders. The test vehicle had the 3.3-liter, double overhead cam, direct injection gasoline V-6 that was well-
suited to most driving conditions. The only time the V-6 seemed taxed was in hard acceleration going uphill on a mountain road when the Sorento carried five adults. Engine sounds were strong and confident, and most of the time, power came on smoothly. Shifts in the automatic transmission were noticeable at times, but even with uplevel, 19-inch tires, the test Sorento had less road noise than earlier Sorentos. The new interior has a well-arranged dashboard that doesn’t look cheap or weird, and fit and finish on the tester was excellent. The power liftgate is programmable now, and maximum cargo room is a competitive 72.5 cubic feet. Blind-spot monitoring is a new safety feature. But the Sorento has six air bags, less than the RAV4 has. Fuel economy was lackluster at 19.4 mpg in combined city/highway travel. This is less than the 21-mpg rating reported by the federal government for the V6-powered, 2014 Sorento. Kia is part of the automaker that owns Hyundai, and the Sorento handily outsold its Hyundai sibling, the Santa Fe, last year in the United States.
Ford to make Fusion in U.S. for first time By Dee-Ann Durbin Associated Press FLAT ROCK, Mich. — For the first time, Ford is making its Fusion sedan in the U.S. The company’s Flat Rock, Mich., plant began making the Fusion on Thursday. The plant, which is about 25 miles south of Detroit, made the Ford Mustang sports car before getting a second shift of 1,400 workers to make the Fusion. The 66-acre plant now has 3,100 workers. Ford Motor Co. had been making around 250,000 Fusions each year at its plant in Hermosillo, Mexico. But that wasn’t keeping up with demand for the hot-selling midsize sedan, which was revamped last year. Sales this year are up 13 percent to 181,668 through July,
making the Fusion one of the best-selling cars in the country. “We could have sold more if we had more,” Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of the Americas, told a cheering crowd of workers at the plant. With the production at Flat Rock, Ford will be able to make 350,000 Fusions each year. Hinrichs said the cars being made Thursday would likely be sold within two weeks, a much faster rate than the 60-day average for the industry. The Flat Rock plant was built by Mazda Motor Co. in 1987 and became a joint venture with Ford in 1992. When Ford and Mazda severed ties in 2010, the fate of the Flat Rock plant was uncertain. “This very location was on the chopping block.
We didn’t even know if it was going to stay open,” said Jimmy Settles, the chief Ford negotiator for the United Auto Workers union. During contract talks with the UAW in 2011, Ford agreed to bring Fusion production to Flat Rock. While Ford will have to pay U.S. workers more compared with Mexico, where workers make $2 to $3 an hour, the wage difference isn’t as high as it once was. In 2007, the UAW agreed that new hires could be paid at half the rate as veteran workers. All but around 150 of the 1,400 workers making the Fusion are new and make $15.78 per hour, the company said. That compares with an hourly wage of $28.50 for veteran workers at the same plant. Hinrichs wouldn’t com-
ment on the profit Ford will make on the U.S.-built Fusions. Ford isn’t the only company that has moved work back to the U.S. because of the lower wage rates. General Motors Co. moved production of its Sonic subcompact to Michigan from South Korea in 2011. Hinrichs said Ford has now hired 75 percent of the 12,000 hourly workers it promised to hire by 2015. Settles hinted that the company might even hire more to keep up with growing demand for new vehicles, but Hinrichs wouldn’t confirm that. “We’re spending a lot of time on manufacturing planning,” Hinrichs said. “Let’s just keep growing our business and we’ll take it from there.”
Fast plant is boost for Japan auto also-ran Mazda By Yuri Kageyama Associated Press HOFU, Japan — Mazda, the longtime also-ran of Japanese automakers, says it came up with innovations in nearly every step of auto manufacturing for a super-efficient assembly line that rolls off vehicles at a stunning rate of one every 54 seconds. The revamped Hofu plant in Yamaguchi Prefecture, southwestern Japan, shown to reporters Tuesday, underlines how Mazda Motor Corp. has defied skeptics who predicted the automaker’s demise after Ford Motor Co. ended a long partnership. Contrary to expectations, Mazda was not bought by a Chinese competitor. Nor did it collapse under the burden of a soaring yen that made Japanese cars more expensive abroad. Mazda is still riding on its reputation for producing cool gas-sipping models such as the Miata roadster without a single gas-electric hybrid in its lineup. The Hofu plant can barely keep up with demand. Its pace betters that of Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s top automaker, which can roll out a vehicle at paces varying from 57 seconds to 115 seconds. The key to what Mazda calls its innovation in “monozukuri,” or “making things,” apparent at the Hofu plant, was using a common platform, the main structure on which a car is built, and common parts. Platform-sharing is a standard profit-boosting device in the auto industry, but is even more crucial for a smaller player such as Mazda, allowing it to create several distinct models from what in basic ways is the same car. After its partnership with Ford ended three years ago, Mazda needed a new approach. Mazda says it took the process a step further and unified platforms and parts at the design and development stage. It believes it has elevated the standard for an assembly line that can produce multiple size vehicles to a new level of leanness and efficiency. Mazda officials said it will introduce all the innovations it came up with for the Hofu plant they call “the mother plant” at its new plant in Mexico, set to go into production next year. The Hofu plant, first opened in 1981, rolled out
its 10 millionth car, a Mazda6 sedan, off its line Tuesday. “We see this as one step toward further growth,” said President Masamichi Kogai at a roll-off celebration, where workers set off party crackers and shouted, “Go for it.” The Hofu plant produced 350,000 vehicles last year, down from its peak at above 500,000 in 2007, but that’s recovering this year to about 400,000 vehicles. Still, Mazda has gone through hard times. Ford, which had owned a third of Mazda and was its main partner for three decades, including in key markets such as Thailand, China and the U.S., gradually pulled out. The U.S. automaker, based in Dearborn, Michigan, gave up its top stakeholder position in Mazda in 2010. At a time when Japanese rivals are moving production abroad, Mazda still produces 60 percent of its vehicles in Japan. Of the vehicles produced at Hofu, 94 percent are exports. That has left Mazda vulnerable in periods when the yen is strong. But the unfavorable currency rate has changed course since last year, providing an unexpected lift for the Hiroshima-based automaker. Mazda had honed in on cost cuts and efficiency partly because it wanted to be able to eke out profits even with a high yen. Mazda is planning to raise overseas production to 50 percent of total output by the 2015 fiscal year. It is also aiming to increase annual global sales to 1.7 million vehicles by 2017, up from the current 1.2 million. It is well on its way to achieve its profit forecasts for the fiscal year ending March 2014 at 70 billion yen ($700 million), according to Mazda. With its success, it’s out to prove wrong the critics who once insisted that high production volume of at least 4 million vehicles a year is needed to achieve profitability. That was once seen as the common sense wisdom in the auto industry. Some analysts say Mazda still faces an uphill battle because it lacks scale, through which automakers can cut costs. That means Mazda has to become almost an upscale brand that can command a higher price. Kogai said the automaker will not resort to price-cutting to woo buyers as it tended to do in the past.
Autos Briefs Toyota investing $90M in W.Va. plant
this latest job growth and investment decision. I’m thankful for Toyota’s continued faith in our work W H I T E S U L P H U R force.” SPRINGS, W.Va. — Toyota is investing $90 million in Nissan pledges to its Buffalo manufacturing make self-driving plant. cars by 2020 Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced Friday the auIRVINE, Calif. — Nissan tomaker’s investment will Motor Co. says it will make create about 80 jobs. cars that drive themselves Tomblin says Toyota Mo- by 2020. tor Manufacturing West The Japanese automaker Virginia Inc. plans to in- made the pledge Tuesday crease production of 6- at an event in California. speed automatic transmisCEO Carlos Ghosn has sions by 20,000 per month said before that he wants by early 2015. The trans- Nissan to be the first to missions are produced for sell self-driving cars. But the Avalon, Camry, Lexus Tuesday’s announcement RX350, Sienna and Venza. was more specific. It marks the eighth exNissan says it will have pansion of the 1,300-em- a commercially viable auployee facility since it tonomous driving system opened in 1996. in multiple vehicles by Tomblin made the an- 2020. It hopes to offer that nouncement at the West system at a reasonable price Virginia Chamber of Com- across its lineup within two merce’s annual meeting at vehicle generations. The Greenbrier resort. The company says it’s “This announcement is working on autonomous a true example of ... West cars with several universiVirginia’s great story of in- ties, including M.I.T. and vestment and opportunity the University of Tokyo. It’s for our people and you, our also building the first dedbusinesses,” Tomblin said. icated proving ground for “(Toyota Motor Manu- autonomous cars near its facturing) team members’ headquarters in Japan. hard work, the quality Nissan already offers product they produce, and some technology that’s our state’s commitment to used in autonomous cars, creating a business climate including motion-detectthat encourages the private ing cameras. sector to create jobs, led to Associated Press
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Autos Plus
The Sentinel • E3
Kia Sorento for 2014 is all about ‘more’ By Ann M. Job Associated Press The restyled Sorento with attractive new face has a more upscale interior, a more powerful V-6, a more comfortable ride and more available features and safety equipment than its predecessor. The 2014 Sorento also is one of the few crossover SUVs that lets buyers decide whether to add more seats, so Sorentos can be equipped with five or seven seats. In contrast, the Toyota RAV4 dropped its thirdseat offering and now is sold solely with five seats, while Honda’s CR-V has never offered third-row seats. Buyers who need six or seven seats only intermittently will find the 2014 Sorento is nicely sized for this occasional use. At 15.4 feet long from bumper to bumper, the 2014 Sorento is like a slightly larger compact SUV or smaller mid-size SUV. It’s just 4.7 inches longer than the 2013 RAV4 and 6.3 inches longer than a 2014 CR-V. And it has the appealing ride of a crossover SUV that’s built on a car-like, rather than truck-based, platform. To add more ride refinement for 2014, Kia revamped the Sorento’s rear suspension and added strut tower bracing under the hood as well as a revised front suspension attached to a new subframe. Better yet, the Sorento comes with Kia’s generous warranty that includes 10year/100,000-mile coverage of the powertrain and a full five years/60,000 miles of limited basic coverage plus roadside assistance. In contrast, the 2014 Honda CR-V has a limited basic warranty lasting three years or 36,000 miles and powertrain coverage for five years/60,000 miles. But the Sorento’s starting retail price for 2014 is a bit more, too. Starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $24,950 for the base, front-wheel drive 2014 Sorento LX with 191-horsepower, four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission. This is $1,000 more than the starting retail price for a 2013 Sorento which had a lower-powered, 175-horsepower four cylinder that no longer is in the Sorento lineup. The price increase makes the base, 2014 Sorento LX pricier than the competing 2013 RAV4, which has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $24,160 for a front-wheel drive model with 176-horsepower four cylinder and sixspeed automatic. The base 2014 Sorento LX also is pricier than the $23,775 starting retail price for the base, 2014 Honda CR-V with 185-horsepow-
Associated Press
This undated photo made available by Kia shows the 2014 Kia Sorento.
Fact sheet 2014 Kia Sorento SX FWD
passenger, mid-size, crossover, sport utility vehicle.
BASE PRICE: $24,100 for LX FWD; $25,700 for LX V-6 FWD; $25,900 for LX AWD; $27,500 for LX V-6 AWD; $30,000 for EX FWD; $31,800 for EX AWD; $35,000 for SX FWD.
ENGINE: 3.3-liter, double overhead cam, gasoline direct injection V-6 with CVVT.
PRICE AS TESTED: $37,100.
TOP SPEED: 120 mph.
TYPE: Front-engine, front-wheel drive, sevener four cylinder, five-speed automatic and front-wheel drive. In fact, prices for the upper level 2014 Sorentos reach into the $30,000s, and the new, top-of-the-line Sorento SX-L has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $40,950. The SX-L includes allwheel drive, the new 290h o rs e p o we r V- 6, a n d luxury features such as leather-trimmed seats, panoramic sunroof, Xenon high-intensity discharge headlamps, heated front and rear seats and heated steering wheel as well as navigation system, power liftgate, side blind-spot detection system and rearview camera. Too bad that a rearview camera is optional on the base, 2014 Sorento LX; it’s standard on upper trim levels. But both the 2014 CR-V and 2013 RAV4 have a rearview camera as standard equipment on all models. The lowest starting price for a 2014 Sorento with allwheel drive is $26,750, and this includes the four-cylinder engine. TheV-6 is available on all trim levels and the lowest starting price for a 2014 Sorento with the new V-6 is $26,550. With 119,597 U.S. sales last year, the Sorento ranks as the top-selling Kia SUV and the second best-selling Kia
MILEAGE: 18 mpg (city), 25 mpg (highway).
LENGTH: 184.6 inches.
inches. CURB WEIGHT: 3,772 pounds. BUILT AT: West Point, Ga. OPTIONS: Third-row seating with 50/50 split backs and rear air conditioning $1,200; cargo net $50.
WHEELBASE: 106.3
DESTINATION CHARGE: $850.
vehicle overall in the United States, after the Kia Optima sedan. Buyers get a pleasantlooking SUV that sets riders up above the pavement for decent views out. But seat cushions also are positioned so most passengers can set themselves on the outer seats without having to climb or scramble aboard. The test Sorento SX AWD included an impressive, new panoramic roof that made the interior feel open and airy. And the Sorento’s first two rows of seats, in particular, were comfortable and supportive. Since second-row seats slide forward and back on their tracks, it was easy to arrange legroom in these two rows to accommodate seat occupants. But two third-row seats are best for children and small-stature adults, as the seats rest close to the raised floor back there. A thoughtful touch: Kia adds rear air conditioning, with vents at the sides of the third-row seats, to every Sorento with third-row seats. This can help alleviate car sickness tendencies for these rearmost riders. The test vehicle had the 3.3-liter, double overhead cam, direct injection gasoline V-6 that was well-
suited to most driving conditions. The only time the V-6 seemed taxed was in hard acceleration going uphill on a mountain road when the Sorento carried five adults. Engine sounds were strong and confident, and most of the time, power came on smoothly. Shifts in the automatic transmission were noticeable at times, but even with uplevel, 19-inch tires, the test Sorento had less road noise than earlier Sorentos. The new interior has a well-arranged dashboard that doesn’t look cheap or weird, and fit and finish on the tester was excellent. The power liftgate is programmable now, and maximum cargo room is a competitive 72.5 cubic feet. Blind-spot monitoring is a new safety feature. But the Sorento has six air bags, less than the RAV4 has. Fuel economy was lackluster at 19.4 mpg in combined city/highway travel. This is less than the 21-mpg rating reported by the federal government for the V6-powered, 2014 Sorento. Kia is part of the automaker that owns Hyundai, and the Sorento handily outsold its Hyundai sibling, the Santa Fe, last year in the United States.
Ford to make Fusion in U.S. for first time By Dee-Ann Durbin Associated Press FLAT ROCK, Mich. — For the first time, Ford is making its Fusion sedan in the U.S. The company’s Flat Rock, Mich., plant began making the Fusion on Thursday. The plant, which is about 25 miles south of Detroit, made the Ford Mustang sports car before getting a second shift of 1,400 workers to make the Fusion. The 66-acre plant now has 3,100 workers. Ford Motor Co. had been making around 250,000 Fusions each year at its plant in Hermosillo, Mexico. But that wasn’t keeping up with demand for the hot-selling midsize sedan, which was revamped last year. Sales this year are up 13 percent to 181,668 through July,
making the Fusion one of the best-selling cars in the country. “We could have sold more if we had more,” Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s president of the Americas, told a cheering crowd of workers at the plant. With the production at Flat Rock, Ford will be able to make 350,000 Fusions each year. Hinrichs said the cars being made Thursday would likely be sold within two weeks, a much faster rate than the 60-day average for the industry. The Flat Rock plant was built by Mazda Motor Co. in 1987 and became a joint venture with Ford in 1992. When Ford and Mazda severed ties in 2010, the fate of the Flat Rock plant was uncertain. “This very location was on the chopping block.
We didn’t even know if it was going to stay open,” said Jimmy Settles, the chief Ford negotiator for the United Auto Workers union. During contract talks with the UAW in 2011, Ford agreed to bring Fusion production to Flat Rock. While Ford will have to pay U.S. workers more compared with Mexico, where workers make $2 to $3 an hour, the wage difference isn’t as high as it once was. In 2007, the UAW agreed that new hires could be paid at half the rate as veteran workers. All but around 150 of the 1,400 workers making the Fusion are new and make $15.78 per hour, the company said. That compares with an hourly wage of $28.50 for veteran workers at the same plant. Hinrichs wouldn’t com-
ment on the profit Ford will make on the U.S.-built Fusions. Ford isn’t the only company that has moved work back to the U.S. because of the lower wage rates. General Motors Co. moved production of its Sonic subcompact to Michigan from South Korea in 2011. Hinrichs said Ford has now hired 75 percent of the 12,000 hourly workers it promised to hire by 2015. Settles hinted that the company might even hire more to keep up with growing demand for new vehicles, but Hinrichs wouldn’t confirm that. “We’re spending a lot of time on manufacturing planning,” Hinrichs said. “Let’s just keep growing our business and we’ll take it from there.”
Fast plant is boost for Japan auto also-ran Mazda By Yuri Kageyama Associated Press HOFU, Japan — Mazda, the longtime also-ran of Japanese automakers, says it came up with innovations in nearly every step of auto manufacturing for a super-efficient assembly line that rolls off vehicles at a stunning rate of one every 54 seconds. The revamped Hofu plant in Yamaguchi Prefecture, southwestern Japan, shown to reporters Tuesday, underlines how Mazda Motor Corp. has defied skeptics who predicted the automaker’s demise after Ford Motor Co. ended a long partnership. Contrary to expectations, Mazda was not bought by a Chinese competitor. Nor did it collapse under the burden of a soaring yen that made Japanese cars more expensive abroad. Mazda is still riding on its reputation for producing cool gas-sipping models such as the Miata roadster without a single gas-electric hybrid in its lineup. The Hofu plant can barely keep up with demand. Its pace betters that of Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s top automaker, which can roll out a vehicle at paces varying from 57 seconds to 115 seconds. The key to what Mazda calls its innovation in “monozukuri,” or “making things,” apparent at the Hofu plant, was using a common platform, the main structure on which a car is built, and common parts. Platform-sharing is a standard profit-boosting device in the auto industry, but is even more crucial for a smaller player such as Mazda, allowing it to create several distinct models from what in basic ways is the same car. After its partnership with Ford ended three years ago, Mazda needed a new approach. Mazda says it took the process a step further and unified platforms and parts at the design and development stage. It believes it has elevated the standard for an assembly line that can produce multiple size vehicles to a new level of leanness and efficiency. Mazda officials said it will introduce all the innovations it came up with for the Hofu plant they call “the mother plant” at its new plant in Mexico, set to go into production next year. The Hofu plant, first opened in 1981, rolled out
its 10 millionth car, a Mazda6 sedan, off its line Tuesday. “We see this as one step toward further growth,” said President Masamichi Kogai at a roll-off celebration, where workers set off party crackers and shouted, “Go for it.” The Hofu plant produced 350,000 vehicles last year, down from its peak at above 500,000 in 2007, but that’s recovering this year to about 400,000 vehicles. Still, Mazda has gone through hard times. Ford, which had owned a third of Mazda and was its main partner for three decades, including in key markets such as Thailand, China and the U.S., gradually pulled out. The U.S. automaker, based in Dearborn, Michigan, gave up its top stakeholder position in Mazda in 2010. At a time when Japanese rivals are moving production abroad, Mazda still produces 60 percent of its vehicles in Japan. Of the vehicles produced at Hofu, 94 percent are exports. That has left Mazda vulnerable in periods when the yen is strong. But the unfavorable currency rate has changed course since last year, providing an unexpected lift for the Hiroshima-based automaker. Mazda had honed in on cost cuts and efficiency partly because it wanted to be able to eke out profits even with a high yen. Mazda is planning to raise overseas production to 50 percent of total output by the 2015 fiscal year. It is also aiming to increase annual global sales to 1.7 million vehicles by 2017, up from the current 1.2 million. It is well on its way to achieve its profit forecasts for the fiscal year ending March 2014 at 70 billion yen ($700 million), according to Mazda. With its success, it’s out to prove wrong the critics who once insisted that high production volume of at least 4 million vehicles a year is needed to achieve profitability. That was once seen as the common sense wisdom in the auto industry. Some analysts say Mazda still faces an uphill battle because it lacks scale, through which automakers can cut costs. That means Mazda has to become almost an upscale brand that can command a higher price. Kogai said the automaker will not resort to price-cutting to woo buyers as it tended to do in the past.
Autos Briefs Toyota investing $90M in W.Va. plant
this latest job growth and investment decision. I’m thankful for Toyota’s continued faith in our work W H I T E S U L P H U R force.” SPRINGS, W.Va. — Toyota is investing $90 million in Nissan pledges to its Buffalo manufacturing make self-driving plant. cars by 2020 Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin announced Friday the auIRVINE, Calif. — Nissan tomaker’s investment will Motor Co. says it will make create about 80 jobs. cars that drive themselves Tomblin says Toyota Mo- by 2020. tor Manufacturing West The Japanese automaker Virginia Inc. plans to in- made the pledge Tuesday crease production of 6- at an event in California. speed automatic transmisCEO Carlos Ghosn has sions by 20,000 per month said before that he wants by early 2015. The trans- Nissan to be the first to missions are produced for sell self-driving cars. But the Avalon, Camry, Lexus Tuesday’s announcement RX350, Sienna and Venza. was more specific. It marks the eighth exNissan says it will have pansion of the 1,300-em- a commercially viable auployee facility since it tonomous driving system opened in 1996. in multiple vehicles by Tomblin made the an- 2020. It hopes to offer that nouncement at the West system at a reasonable price Virginia Chamber of Com- across its lineup within two merce’s annual meeting at vehicle generations. The Greenbrier resort. The company says it’s “This announcement is working on autonomous a true example of ... West cars with several universiVirginia’s great story of in- ties, including M.I.T. and vestment and opportunity the University of Tokyo. It’s for our people and you, our also building the first dedbusinesses,” Tomblin said. icated proving ground for “(Toyota Motor Manu- autonomous cars near its facturing) team members’ headquarters in Japan. hard work, the quality Nissan already offers product they produce, and some technology that’s our state’s commitment to used in autonomous cars, creating a business climate including motion-detectthat encourages the private ing cameras. sector to create jobs, led to Associated Press
Autos Plus
E4 • The Sentinel Miscellaneous 805 Transportation
H ARLEY, 1997 883 Sportster, 15k mi. $4,000/obo. FORD, 1998 Mustang GT convertible, black on black, 77k mi. $8,000/obo. Call 717-776-4290.
TRAILER, ATV/Snowmobile. Open aluminum, 14.5x102, surge brakes. $1,600. Call 717-860-7302.
Classic 810 Specialty Autos CHEVY CORVAIR, 1961. 21,000 mi. 4 door. Monza auto trans. original condition. $11,000. 243-5804
855 Sport Vehicles HYUNDAI, 2010 Tucson Gray/black, 24k miles. Stock #LX17363A $17,488
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com JEEP, 2011 Cherokee Blue/tan, 37k miles. Stock #LXP818A $29,988
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com
870
Vans
CHEVY, 1978 Corvette Silver Anniversary model, L48, auto., 199 mi.! Stored for 9 yrs. Still has new car smell. $23,000. 717-379-5110.
CHEVY, 2004 Astro. AWD, seats 7 passengers. Very good condition! $5,900/obo. 776-3344 or 385-1040
RV / 840 Travel Trailers
MAZDA, 2000 MPV. 188k miles, new PA inspection, white. Good condition! $3,500. Call 385-9984.
5TH WHEEL, 2006 beautiful KZ Montego Bay 37’, 4 slides, fireplace new fridge & furnace, on-board generator, $22,000. 554-0684. COACHMAN, 30’ Class A. Rear queen bed, 2 TVs generator, microwave, 23k mi., good tires, awning, steer safe, power brakes & steering. Easy to drive. $29,900. Call 717-761-0483.
COLEMAN, 1995 Destiny Pop-Up. $1,200/obo. Call 717-552-8659 for more details. COUGAR, 2007 5th Wheel. 29.1, many extras. Excellent condition! $14,950. Call 717-834-5500.
OUTBACK, 2008 32’ 2 slides, sleeps 9, 2 bedrooms, flatscreen TV, used very little, clean, well equipped, tow package included, $19,995, stop by & see at 2452 Ritner Hwy., Carlisle, call 717-258-0352. PARADISE STREAM A/C, heat, large kitchen, king size bed, separate shower/bathroom, 2 slides, TV, sleeps 6. Excellent condition! $18,000/obo. Call 717-648-5763.
850
Motorcycles / ATVs
HARLEY, 2006 1200 Sportster. Blue/ silver, lots of chrome, Screamin’ Eagles II pipes, fat tank & lots more. $6,200. Call 717-448-3393. HONDA, 1988 Goldwing GL 1500 cc. Includes helmets with intercom, @ 43k mi. Asking $4,000. 532-6821.
KAWASAKI, 2006 Prarie 360 ATV. Excellent condition! $3,000. Call 717-486-8992.
SUZUKI, 2011 GXR 750, Good condition, inspected & registration. 1,200 mi. 717-440-3608 after 1pm.
YAMAHA, 2009 Silverado. Garage kept & adult owned. Manufacture warranty & service contract. $5,300. Call 717-576-1401.
be our friend.
880
Autos
ABSOLUTE MINIMUM $300+ PAID ON MOST JUNK VEHICLES! Higher cash paid on re-sellable vehicles. Free towing. Licensed dealer. Call 717-324-9395. CHEVY, 1993 Corvette Coupe. New inspection, red/black, power, leather seats, Delco/Bose audio, factory build sheet, original dealer sticker, 79k. Very good condition, garaged. $12,900. Call 697-4305. CHEVY, 2008 Malibu Gold/tan, 42k miles. Stock #LXP791A $12,988
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com CHEVY, 2011 Impala LT. Remote starter, power windows, doors & locks, leather heated seats, keyless entry, rear spoiler, flex fuel average: 26mpg, black, 57,600k miles. $14,589. Call 717-512-4775.
“Cleanest Cars in Town” Since 1953!
www.martysinc.com
880
Autos
CHEVY, 1987 Corvette Convertible. Inspected, new tires. Needs paint job & TLC. $7,500. 717-486-7680.
FORD, 2002 Focus SE. 105k miles. Good condition! $3,750/obo. Call 717-240-0976.
FORD, 2010 Mustang GT Red/black, 22k miles. Stock #17583A $24,488
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com HONDA, 1995 Civic. 290k mi., inspected ’til 4/14. $1,100/obo. Call 717-552-8659 for more details. HONDA, 2008 Civic EX. 89k miles, blue in color, has auto. start & sunroof, cruise, inspected in June. In good shape! $9,500. 713-5380. HYUNDAI, 2012 Veloster White/black, 19k miles. Stock #LXP779A $17,488
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com LEXUS, 2004 ES350 Maroon/black, 89k miles. Stock #LX17793A $12,488
Y A D R LABO
Bonus Cash
2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE LT SUTLIFF PRICE $17,999 Stock #31 #31553
LEXUS, 2008 RX350 Savannah/tan, 76k miles. Stock #LX16192A $18,988
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com MINI, 2006 Cooper Red/black, 68k miles. Stock #LX17586A $10,988
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com TOYOTA, 2000 Corolla CE. 153k mi., 64k miles on engine. $2,000/obo. Call 717-991-9095.
SAVE $2,266 MSRP $20,625
From
$149/MO.*
hunting home? 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU LS for a
Savvy home shoppers reach for the classified ads before they hit the streets. The newspaper classified section offers everything they need to make an informal purchasing decision.
*36 Mo./36,000 Mile lease. $2,209 due at signing. For qualified buyers. Plus tax & tags fees.
SUTLIFF PRICE $19,365 Stock #31778
Want to make a move? Check the classified ads first.
the first place to look for everything
471 E. NORTH STREET, CARLISLE
Cumberlink’s on Facebook
$500 $500
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com
Check the classified section first 07HyundaiAccentCpe.,AT,1Owner .........$5,995 07 Saturn Ion 2 AT4cyl...............................$8,495 06 Lincoln Town Car Sig.L .................$4,995 05 Hyundai Elantra GT AT4cyl..................$6,595 05 Honda Accord LX AT,1owner4cyl..........$9,595 04 Toyota Camry LE4cyl, 1owner.....................$8,995 04 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT................$7,595 04 Ford Freestar......................................$6,995 04 Kia OptimaAT4cyl.................................$6,595 03 Ford Focus ZTS5spd.,1owner...............$5,995 03 Saturn Ion AT4cyl..................................$6,595 03 Ford Focus SW 67K,4cyl.,1owner..........$6,995 03 Hyundai Elantra 78k,1owner,4cyl...........$6,995 03 Ford Focus SdnAT4cyl.........................$5,995 03 Honda CRV4cyl(AWD)...............................$8,995 03 Ford Focus CPAT,1owner4cyl...............$5,595 03 Hyundai Elantra AT4cyl......................$5,995 02 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport..............$5,595 01 Hyundai Elantra Auto.,4cyl.,..................$4,995
Sunday, September 1, 2013
249-5418
SAVE $3,440 MSRP $22,805
$169/MO.*
*36 Mo./36,000 Mile lease. $2,369 due at signing. For qualified buyers. Plus tax & tags fees.
2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX FWD LS
SUTLIFF PRICE $22,237 Stock # 36019
Advertise in The Sentinel and get results!
SAVE $2,848 MSRP $25,085
$199/MO.*
*36 Mo./36,000 Mile lease. $2,619 due at signing. For qualified buyers. Plus tax & tags fees.
2013 CHEVY SILVERADO REG CAB 2WD WORK TRUCK
SUTLIFF PRICE $22,701 Stock #36005
ONLY $20,201 IF YOU TRADE A ‘99 OR NEWER GM TRUCK! Contact Jackie Cox at 717-240-7102 or jcox@cumberlink.com to discuss advertising opportunities for your business!
MSRP $27,050 SAVE $4,349 717-234-4444 or 888-SUTLIFF Only 20 minutes from Carlisle
I-83 AT 13TH STREET EXIT • HARRISBURG
SUTLIFFCHEVROLET.COM
See dealer for Complete details
Autos Plus
E4 • The Sentinel Miscellaneous 805 Transportation
H ARLEY, 1997 883 Sportster, 15k mi. $4,000/obo. FORD, 1998 Mustang GT convertible, black on black, 77k mi. $8,000/obo. Call 717-776-4290.
TRAILER, ATV/Snowmobile. Open aluminum, 14.5x102, surge brakes. $1,600. Call 717-860-7302.
Classic 810 Specialty Autos CHEVY CORVAIR, 1961. 21,000 mi. 4 door. Monza auto trans. original condition. $11,000. 243-5804
CHEVY, 1978 Corvette Silver Anniversary model, L48, auto., 199 mi.! Stored for 9 yrs. Still has new car smell. $23,000. 717-379-5110.
RV / 840 Travel Trailers
5TH WHEEL, 2006 beautiful KZ Montego Bay 37’, 4 slides, fireplace new fridge & furnace, on-board generator, $22,000. 554-0684. COACHMAN, 30’ Class A. Rear queen bed, 2 TVs generator, microwave, 23k mi., good tires, awning, steer safe, power brakes & steering. Easy to drive. $29,900. Call 717-761-0483.
COLEMAN, 1995 Destiny Pop-Up. $1,200/obo. Call 717-552-8659 for more details. COUGAR, 2007 5th Wheel. 29.1, many extras. Excellent condition! $14,950. Call 717-834-5500.
OUTBACK, 2008 32’ 2 slides, sleeps 9, 2 bedrooms, flatscreen TV, used very little, clean, well equipped, tow package included, $19,995, stop by & see at 2452 Ritner Hwy., Carlisle, call 717-258-0352. PARADISE STREAM A/C, heat, large kitchen, king size bed, separate shower/bathroom, 2 slides, TV, sleeps 6. Excellent condition! $18,000/obo. Call 717-648-5763.
850
Motorcycles / ATVs
HARLEY, 2006 1200 Sportster. Blue/ silver, lots of chrome, Screamin’ Eagles II pipes, fat tank & lots more. $6,200. Call 717-448-3393. HONDA, 1988 Goldwing GL 1500 cc. Includes helmets with intercom, @ 43k mi. Asking $4,000. 532-6821.
KAWASAKI, 2006 Prarie 360 ATV. Excellent condition! $3,000. Call 717-486-8992.
SUZUKI, 2011 GXR 750, Good condition, inspected & registration. 1,200 mi. 717-440-3608 after 1pm.
YAMAHA, 2009 Silverado. Garage kept & adult owned. Manufacture warranty & service contract. $5,300. Call 717-576-1401.
be our friend.
855 Sport Vehicles HYUNDAI, 2010 Tucson Gray/black, 24k miles. Stock #LX17363A $17,488
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com
JEEP, 2011 Cherokee
Blue/tan, 37k miles. Stock #LXP818A $29,988
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com
870
Vans
CHEVY, 2004 Astro. AWD, seats 7 passengers. Very good condition! $5,900/obo. 776-3344 or 385-1040 MAZDA, 2000 MPV. 188k miles, new PA inspection, white. Good condition! $3,500. Call 385-9984.
880
Autos
ABSOLUTE MINIMUM $300+ PAID ON MOST JUNK VEHICLES! Higher cash paid on re-sellable vehicles. Free towing. Licensed dealer. Call 717-324-9395. CHEVY, 1993 Corvette Coupe. New inspection, red/black, power, leather seats, Delco/Bose audio, factory build sheet, original dealer sticker, 79k. Very good condition, garaged. $12,900. Call 697-4305. CHEVY, 2008 Malibu
Gold/tan, 42k miles. Stock #LXP791A $12,988
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com CHEVY, 2011 Impala LT. Remote starter, power windows, doors & locks, leather heated seats, keyless entry, rear spoiler, flex fuel average: 26mpg, black, 57,600k miles. $14,589. Call 717-512-4775.
“Cleanest Cars in Town” Since 1953!
www.martysinc.com
880
Autos
CHEVY, 1987 Corvette Convertible. Inspected, new tires. Needs paint job & TLC. $7,500. 717-486-7680.
FORD, 2002 Focus SE. 105k miles. Good condition! $3,750/obo. Call 717-240-0976.
FORD, 2010 Mustang GT Red/black, 22k miles. Stock #17583A $24,488
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com
HONDA, 1995 Civic. 290k mi., inspected ’til 4/14. $1,100/obo. Call 717-552-8659 for more details. HONDA, 2008 Civic EX. 89k miles, blue in color, has auto. start & sunroof, cruise, inspected in June. In good shape! $9,500. 713-5380. HYUNDAI, 2012 Veloster White/black, 19k miles. Stock #LXP779A $17,488
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com
LEXUS, 2004 ES350
Maroon/black, 89k miles. Stock #LX17793A $12,488
Y A D R LABO
Bonus Cash
2013 CHEVROLET CRUZE LT SUTLIFF PRICE $17,999 Stock #31 #31553
LEXUS, 2008 RX350 Savannah/tan, 76k miles. Stock #LX16192A $18,988
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com
MINI, 2006 Cooper
Red/black, 68k miles. Stock #LX17586A $10,988
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com TOYOTA, 2000 Corolla CE. 153k mi., 64k miles on engine. $2,000/obo. Call 717-991-9095.
SAVE $2,266 MSRP $20,625
From
$149/MO.*
hunting home? 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU LS for a
Savvy home shoppers reach for the classified ads before they hit the streets. The newspaper classified section offers everything they need to make an informal purchasing decision.
*36 Mo./36,000 Mile lease. $2,209 due at signing. For qualified buyers. Plus tax & tags fees.
SUTLIFF PRICE $19,365 Stock #31778
Want to make a move? Check the classified ads first.
the first place to look for everything
471 E. NORTH STREET, CARLISLE
Cumberlink’s on Facebook
$500 $500
1-800-778-0850 www.bobbyrahallexus.com
Check the classified section first 07HyundaiAccentCpe.,AT,1Owner .........$5,995 07 Saturn Ion 2 AT4cyl...............................$8,495 06 Lincoln Town Car Sig.L .................$4,995 05 Hyundai Elantra GT AT4cyl..................$6,595 05 Honda Accord LX AT,1owner4cyl..........$9,595 04 Toyota Camry LE4cyl, 1owner.....................$8,995 04 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT................$7,595 04 Ford Freestar......................................$6,995 04 Kia OptimaAT4cyl.................................$6,595 03 Ford Focus ZTS5spd.,1owner...............$5,995 03 Saturn Ion AT4cyl..................................$6,595 03 Ford Focus SW 67K,4cyl.,1owner..........$6,995 03 Hyundai Elantra 78k,1owner,4cyl...........$6,995 03 Ford Focus SdnAT4cyl.........................$5,995 03 Honda CRV4cyl(AWD)...............................$8,995 03 Ford Focus CPAT,1owner4cyl...............$5,595 03 Hyundai Elantra AT4cyl......................$5,995 02 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport..............$5,595 01 Hyundai Elantra Auto.,4cyl.,..................$4,995
Sunday, September 1, 2013
249-5418
SAVE $3,440 MSRP $22,805
$169/MO.*
*36 Mo./36,000 Mile lease. $2,369 due at signing. For qualified buyers. Plus tax & tags fees.
2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX FWD LS
SUTLIFF PRICE $22,237 Stock # 36019
Advertise in The Sentinel and get results!
SAVE $2,848 MSRP $25,085
$199/MO.*
*36 Mo./36,000 Mile lease. $2,619 due at signing. For qualified buyers. Plus tax & tags fees.
2013 CHEVY SILVERADO REG CAB 2WD WORK TRUCK
SUTLIFF PRICE $22,701 Stock #36005
ONLY $20,201 IF YOU TRADE A ‘99 OR NEWER GM TRUCK! Contact Jackie Cox at 717-240-7102 or jcox@cumberlink.com to discuss advertising opportunities for your business!
MSRP $27,050 SAVE $4,349 717-234-4444 or 888-SUTLIFF Only 20 minutes from Carlisle
I-83 AT 13TH STREET EXIT • HARRISBURG
SUTLIFFCHEVROLET.COM
See dealer for Complete details