What happens when you take a $56k Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland off-roading? Two things. First, you’ll enjoy one of the poshest off-roading experiences ever – unless your daily driver is a Range Rover, perhaps – and second, you’ll be wishing the stock tires had more off-road cred. It’s through no fault of Jeep that the tires weren’t up to the challenge of a snowy, muddy, rocky Gold Mine Hill course in April. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess the ratio of on-roading to off-roading the engineers had in mind when choosing the 20-inch Bridgestones was somewhere close to 97 to 3, or maybe a little higher.
But back to what the Jeep name stands for. Off-roading. The Grand Cherokee Overland comes with the company’s Quadra-Drive II 4×4 system with a rear electronic limited-slip differential. The system comes with five settings: snow, sand, mud, rock, and auto. Rock mode is the most extreme as it is the only setting the requires the vehicle to be in 4-LO. It just so happens we needed it, too, since the base of stage three was covered with mud, which was then covered with snow.
The 3.0-liter diesel engine rated at 240 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque did little to help the JGC up the hill because, well, speeds never exceeded two mph. On the highway, it was a different story, however. The engine and 8-speed automatic transmission helped it trounce a Hybrid RAV4 on our 100-mile MPG loop. And it did it with torque to spare. Check out that mashup in the video below.
Best reasonably priced electric BMW i3, Nissan Leaf or Mitsubishi i-MiEV?
Is the 2016 Scion tC a good buy?
Today’s first question comes from a fan who heard that Disneyland’s Autopia ride is now sponsored by Honda.
Hi Nathan! I know you’re a Disney freak, so riddle me this.
Disneyland California (Anaheim) closed Autopia ride in January for refurbishment. It was sponsored by Chevron Gasoline but my friend’s recent visit to Disneyland showed a new sign. It’s now sponsored by Honda! I can’t believe it! Honda is all I drive and they are in Disneyland! Now, it’s going to be a year or two before I can visit Disneyland again. I live in Portland and it’s an expensive vacation to go to Disneyland. But every trip has been worth it. I was going to wait until the new Star Wars Land opened in 2018 but maybe I should go sooner?
Do you know anything about the new Autopia? Please let me know!
Your the man!
Todd
A: Hi Todd!
You’re absolutely correct, I am a Disney nut. Growing up in L.A., I would buy season passes all the time. I often found “ways” to head to Disneyland forgoing other commitments. When I was a kid, I grew up with the Autopia cars that looked like tiny Corvettes. Loved that ride!
Did you know that Autopia is one of the few rides remaining at Disneyland that dates back to the park’s opening back in 1955? Crazier still, my mom visited the year it opened and drove one of the original cars! Also, the maximum speed of the cars is supposed to be around 7 mph; however, these golf-cart-powered machines occasionally exceed 8 mph, but often have a hard time surpassing 5 mph.
As for Autopia’s now Honda sponsorship: Yes, there are quite a few small changes, but nothing big. If you live for the details, you’ll notice many things right away.
Entering the line, you’ll see many vintage animated shorts showing transportation predictions for tomorrow. Many of these films were produced in the late 1940s-1960s. You’ll see films that inspired The (non-Disney) Jetsons. Some of these films are present on smaller screens while others are on a big screen hanging near the actual Autopia cars.
The cars still have the same body and drive, but they have new colors. The track is the same, fortunately Disneyland changed some of the scenery giving the ride a retro-futuristic vibe. Honda has been pretty quiet on additional changes to the ride, but I feel that there may be a few cool things brewing.
That’s all I have for now. If any of you readers have info, please let everyone know below!
Give Mr. Toad my best!
N
—
This next question is from a viewer who wants to know which is the best reasonably priced electric BMW i3, Nissan Leaf or Mitsubishi i-MiEV.
Q: I want the best, reasonably priced electric vehicle. I’m looking at the BMW i3 (used), Nissan Leaf or Mitsubishi iMiEV.
What do you think? I can’t afford a Tesla and, knowing Tesla, it will be three years before anyone receives their cheaper new car. I need something today. My price range is $25,000 to $30,000. And I know the Mitsubishi i-MiEV is very inexpensive. I don’t care about that. I care about the most logical ride for me.
I have my own garage at my condo and I have higher wattage washing/drying machines in that garage too.
I am a single person who commutes less than 10 miles to work, my gym and the beach. I use public transportation often and fly to places rather than drive long distance. I have no pets, no kids, no large things to transport. I am unsure about a range extender like the one available in the BMW i3.
I want comfort, ease of use and maybe a bit of fun from time to time.
I like electric cars because they are clean, unobtrusive and quiet.
I do NOT want anything from Volkswagen, Chevy or Ford.
Thanks.
Pam
A: Howdy Pam,
Right off the bat, I can tell you that the BMW i3 with the range-extending generator is the best choice. Still, the Nissan Leaf is a solid choice and the range has recently been extended. I would pass on the Mitsubishi i-MiEV as it cannot compete with these vehicles – other than price.
If you want the most utilitarian of the three, the Nissan Leaf is most comfortable and can hold lots of cargo too.
Best of luck!
N
The last question is from a fan debating her purchase of a 2016 Scion tC.
Q:Hi Nathan, I watched your videos and read your reviews about the Scion tC.
My question is: with the brand Scion disappearing soon, should that be a consideration when buying a 2016 model? I like and agree about your perception of the Scion tC, I’m just worried that servicing and parts will be an issue in the future.
What would you do?
Amy
Scion tC
A: Great question!
I absolutely love the Scion tC. I’ve driven every version and enjoyed them all. Yes, it’s getting on in years, it’s still an outstanding value and a fun car. It has lots of utility and good features for the price. It’s my favorite Scion and one of my favorite Toyota products.
You’re right, it’s going away soon and it doesn’t look like Toyota is bringing a replacement to its fleet anytime soon.
Still, should you be worried about service and parts? Absolutely not. Toyota will service the tC once the Scion brand folds back into its Toyota parent company.
I say: get one while you can!
N
Speaking of fun cars…
Nathan and The Fast Lane Car team are here to answer your (reasonable) questions. Interesting and/or entertaining emails will be posted to this column. If it’s relevant in the automotive universe, there’s a chance we may know something about it. The author’s email address and name will be omitted – leaving your initials or nickname, your preference.
From day one, The Fast Lane Car has made it our policy to answer as many questions and comments as we can. We get thousands of emails and comments and feel that, as part of a tight-knit automotive community, having an open dialogue with you keeps things fresh and exciting.
Toyota’s RAV4 led compact crossover sales again in April, but a surprising amount of negative numbers might mean the segment is cooling off.
The RAV4 had nearly a 32 percent increase in sales for the month and an 18 percent increase for the year to extend its lead over 2015’s leader, the Honda CR-V.
The Honda’s sales were down 1.8 percent for the month and 2.4 percent for the year, but it wasn’t the only competitor to take a loss. Four out of the top six selling compact crossovers had sales drops over April 2015, including strong sellers like the Chevrolet Equinox and the Jeep Cherokee.
The fourth-place Nissan Rogue was the only other top contender to see a sales increase, netting a 6.5-percent gain for the month and a 6.9-percent increase for the year.
Could these negative numbers signal that the compact crossover sales might be plateauing? Start the conversation in the comments below.
2016 Hyundai Tucson
Further down the list, there are some surprises, the top one being the aging Jeep Compass. While it wasn’t able to overtake its sister car, the Patriot, it was as close as it’s ever been and was up 128 percent over April 2015. For the year, the Compass’ sales are up 62 percent while the Patriot’s sales are flat.
The all-new Hyundai Tucson continues to obliterate the sales numbers of its frumpy predecessor, gaining 92 percent for the month and a class-leading 83 percent for the year.
Check out the full list below.
Compact Crossover Sales – April 2016
Apr 2016 #
Mar 2016 #
Apr ’16/Mar ’16 %
Apr 2016/2015
YTD 2016 #
YTD 2016/2015 %
Toyota RAV4
30,152
29,045
3.8%
31.6%
106,274
18.2%
Honda CR-V
28,913
26,730
8.2%
-1.8%
100,101
-2.4%
Ford Escape
23,920
28,521
-16.1%
-7.2%
95,514
2.7%
Nissan Rogue
23,173
27,713
-16.4%
6.5%
92,209
6.9%
Chevrolet Equinox
20,607
21,480
-4.1%
-28.6%
80,486
-14.8%
Jeep Cherokee
17,667
19,170
-7.8%
-7.0%
67,201
0.0%
Subaru Forester
14,490
14,284
1.4%
3.7%
52,917
2.5%
Jeep Patriot
10,456
9,837
6.3%
10.0%
39,203
0.0%
Jeep Compass
9,421
8,282
13.8%
128.0%
29,995
62.0%
Mazda CX-5
8,826
8,965
-1.6%
-1.5%
32,433
-2.5%
Hyundai Tucson
7,718
7,830
-1.4%
92.0%
28,102
83.2%
Kia Sportage
7,645
6,804
12.4%
79.0%
17,467
57.8%
GMC Terrain
7,344
6,891
6.6%
-16.5%
31,302
-14.3%
Dodge Journey
4,865
9,986
-51.3%
-44.0%
31,286
-4.0%
VW Tiguan
3,804
3,519
8.1%
58.4%
13,096
63.8%
Mitsubishi Outlander
2,729
2,156
26.6%
117.6%
8,549
69.4%
Check out this TFLcar mashup video of the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid taking on the Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel:
In this special episode of Project Porsche, it is old vs new. Can an old 1999 Porsche 911 keep up with a new 2016 VW Golf GTI? The 911 may have more power, but is it quicker than a turbocharged GTI one mile above sea level where normally aspirated cars struggle in the thinner atmosphere. Watch this episode of Project Porsche to find out the answer.
hp loss = (elevation x 0.03 x hp @ sea level)/1000
The venue for this test was Bandimere Speedway near Denver, Colorado, which sits 5,800 feet above sea level. Using the equation above and the factory horsepower rating for a ’96 911 Carrera, the horsepower loss is approximately 51. This handicaps the Porsche to roughly 245 horsepower versus the GTI’s turbocharged 2.0-liter engine rated at 210 horsepower.
The ’96 Carrera weighs 2,901 pounds, which gives it a power-to-weight ratio of 0.8 horsepower per 10 pounds. The 2016 VW GTI weighs 2,972 pounds with a manual transmission and is calculated at 0.7 horsepower per 10 pounds. On paper, the older 911 still has the power advantage — even one mile above sea level. But can it hold off the turbocharged GTI at the finish line?
If you want to see more performance results of the Porsche, watch episode 5 of Project Porsche to find out which is the better car on the road course and in a flat-out, straight line drag race against other Porsches.
Thanks to Adam Jaspers at Rennstall Classic Cars for technical assistance and TFL test car driver, Paul Gerrard for is pro-driving advice.
The redesigned Hyundai Elantra is one of the latest cars to be overhauled in the hyper-competitive compact car segment. Other redesigns we’ve seen recently include the Honda Civic, Chevy Cruze, and the Nissan Sentra. As part of a sequential roll-out of information on the new Elantra, Hyundai has released pricing for the Eco trim level. The base price starts at $21,485 including $835 for freight and comes with a 1.4-liter turbo 4-cylinder engine paired to a 7-speed automatic dual clutch transmission.
The Elantra Eco’s engine makes 128 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque from 1,400 – 3,700 rpms. The EPA rates the car at 32/40/35 mpg city/highway/combined. According to fueleconomy.gov, those numbers should translate to about $950 in fuel costs per year. That’s based on driving 15,000 miles per year at today’s fuel prices with 45% highway and 55% city driving. For the sake of comparison, the $18,985 Elantra SE with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter and a 6-speed automatic is EPA-rated at 29/38/33 mpg. The estimated annual fuel cost is $1,000 using the same criteria. The SE’s engine makes 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, but it doesn’t peak until 4,500 rpm.
Standard equipment on the Elantra Eco includes LED daytime running lights, blind spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert and lane change assist, a 3.5” TFT monochromatic cluster display, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, dual automatic temperature control with auto defogger, proximity key with push button start, immobilizer, hands-free smart trunk and front door handle approach lights, heated front seats, sunvisor extensions, illuminated vanity mirrors, auto-up driver’s window, sliding armrest, and a front passenger seatback pocket. That’s a long list for an affordable compact car.
Check out this “Everything” from our time with the new Elantra.
General Motors President Dan Ammann (center) with Lyft Inc. co-founders John Zimmer (right) and Logan Green (left)
General Motors and ride-hailing company Lyft have promised to roll out a fleet of autonomous cabs by next year.
In January, GM and Lyft, the ride-hailing company, began a formal partnership with a goal to jump ahead of the competition that is developing autonomous vehicles. By next year, Lyft will launch a pilot program — in a city that has yet to be disclosed– with a fleet of self-driving Chevy Bolt electric vehicles. Customers will have the choice to opt in or out of the pilot program when requesting a ride from the company’s mobile app.
In March, GM and Lyft began a program that rents the Chevrolet Equinox to drivers needing vehicles in the Chicago area, but that program is due to expand to more cities and will transition to the Bolt EVs instead of the Chevy SUV.
The plan is still a work in progress, according to Taggart Matthiesen, Lyft director of product.
“At first, we’re talking about a very small number of vehicles,” said Matthiesen, who will speak Friday afternoon at the Detroit Techweek conference. “You’d start with a handful and slowly increase the supply as you gain confidence. Safety is paramount.”
The location of the testing is still being discussed, according to a Lyft source. But it could incorporate some of the technology GM is trying to purchase in its acquisition of Cruise Automation, a 3-year-old San Francisco startup for which GM has offered to pay about $1 billion.
Matthiesen said Lyft and GM will want to validate the Cruise Automation system before taking it on public roads.
GM has said it wants to close the Cruise Automation acquisition by the end of June, but that could be delayed by competing lawsuits between Cruise’s CEO and co-founder Kyle Vogt and a former associate, Jeremy Guillory, who claims he is entitled to a significant percentage of the acquisition price.
Uber also has invested heavily in the robotics and artificial intelligence needed to take full control of a vehicle. Google has been testing its self-driving cars on public roads in Mountain California and Texas for several years.
During the initial tests, human drivers will be behind the wheel to take control if necessary. While that may be so, GM and Lyft still have to find a city and state where regulations will permit operating vehicles without a driver.
In this TFLcar EV ‘mashup review’, it’s the 2017 Chevy Bolt vs 2016 Nissan Leaf.
For the reported 325,000 people who placed $1,000-deposits for a non-existent Tesla Model 3, Elon Musk has some bad news mixed with words of encouragement.
First, the bad news: The target start-of-production date of July 1, 2017, “is not a date that will actually be met,” according to Musk during a conference call on Wednesday. The CEO went on to say, “The reality is that the volume production will then be some number of months later as we solve supply chain and internal production issues.” Exactly what number of months he was referring to has yet to be determined.
Now for the good news (sort of): Musk is still optimistic, at least outwardly, on Tesla’s ability to one day deliver the cars and become a mainstream player in the auto world. “Tesla is hell-bent on becoming the best manufacturer on earth,” he said. During the call, Musk also invited top manufacturing execs from around the world to join him in order to make his predictions a reality. His statements come roughly a week after the company lost its vice presidents of production and manufacturing. Not typically a good sign.
To make good on its promises – not something Tesla has historically been known for – the company will need to stay on schedule for battery production to be able to meet the eventual increase in demand. The number of deposits received is evidence the world is ready for a sexy, affordable electric car… said car just isn’t ready for the world yet. If you’re not as optimistic as Musk and want to buy an electric car today, check out the video below for some tangible alternatives.
Infiniti’s flagship 5-passenger sedan has once again upped the ante in the mid-luxury sedan class with the Infiniti Q70L AWD. Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury division focus for the 2016 model year lineup included: penning a sleeker, more expressive exterior design without sacrificing interior roominess, while enhancing the luxury quotient with elevated levels of hand-craftsmanship; providing a healthy power output along with impressive fuel economy while delivering improved ride and handling qualities; and providing “Safety Shield” features that aid in reducing driving stress factors.
The design was skillfully blended with existing styling cues to maintain the brand heritage and DNA displayed by the 2015 refresh. The form is slippery in terms of aerodynamics from the low-mounted horizontal grille flanked by Infiniti’s signature hood cut lines and headlamp shapes that flow into the pronounced, high front fender wells and strong shoulder character line. A definitive rocker cut-line pulls the entire car’s form into a lower, more sinister stance, displaying genuine rear-wheel drive proportions with its long hood and short deck.
From the front, a strong body line rises from the grille, flowing through the bodyside like a wave and blending into the shape of the rear LED combination lights, forming a compelling profile that highlights the Q70L’s sporty stance. At the rear, the design of the taillights creates a horizontal flow in motion while the high-quality lighting signature evokes a fresh and classy image.
The Infiniti Q70L elevates the luxury level with an extended wheelbase that is nearly 5.9-inches longer than the standard Q70, providing increased flexibility and roominess. This equates to the rear legroom of an SUV in a performance luxury sedan. The improved proportions allow the Q70L to deliver a class-leading interior and cargo volume while providing personal lamps, a power outlet, heated seats and rear door cinchers in the spacious rear passenger area.
]The well-appointed interior reflects the exterior’s sensuous lines of the Infiniti Q70L’s combination of style and spaciousness.] With 110.6 cubic feet of interior room (versus 103.6 cubic feet for the standard Q70), the Q70L stretches the expectations for comfort in class – including the ability of most rear seat passengers to cross their legs.
Infiniti Q70L Bespoke Edition
As with the standard wheelbase Q70, the instrument panel features Fine Vision gauges, gear-like rings on the instrument cluster meters, a 7-inch color vehicle information display, and Infiniti analog clock. Leatherette, heated 10-way power driver and front passenger’s seats, with 2-way power lumbar support, are standard – along with a dual occupant memory system for the driver’s seat, steering wheel and outside mirrors that can be linked to the individual Infiniti Intelligent Key fobs.
Power for the Q70 and Q70L is delivered by either an advanced 3.7 liter, DOHC, 24-valve V6 engine with sequential multi-port fuel injection that puts out 330 horsepower at 7,000 rpm along with 270 pound-feet of torque at 5,200 rpm; or a 5.6-liter DOHC, 32-valve V8 engine with sequential multi-port direct injection gasoline, which generates 420 horses and 417 pound-feet of torque at 6,000 rpm.
The transmission for both engines is an electronically controlled 7-speed automatic with Adaptive Shift Control. A driver-adaptive learning algorithm senses driving style and adjusts automatic shifting accordingly. Manual- shift mode offers sequentially selectable manual gearshifts and downshift rev matching. Infiniti Drive Mode Selector allows the driver to choose from Standard, Sport, Snow or Eco modes and controls throttle responses, transmission shift points, and hill-start assist. Both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive are available.
Available advanced technologies include Predictive Forward Collision Warning, Around View® Monitor with Moving Object Detection, Backup Collision Intervention, and Forward Emergency Braking.
Also offered are an advanced Infiniti Navigation System, Bose® Studio Surround® premium audio system, Blind Spot Warning, Blind Spot Intervention, Lane Departure Warning and Lane Departure Prevention systems, Enhanced Intelligent Key, Intelligent Cruise Control, Distance Control Assist and Front Pre-Crash Seat Belts.
My test Infiniti Q70L was finished outside in Hermosa Blue metallic and inside in a Java and Charcoal theme with the Silver infused wood trim accents. The base price was set at $67,050 while options, which included The Deluxe Technology Package, Illuminated Kick Plates, Performance Tire and Wheel Package, along with the Destination Charge increased the final sticker to $76,770.
SUMMARY: The 2016 Infiniti Q70L is an exquisite luxury sedan. It’s not inexpensive, but it certainly comes across as an excellent value given the features and equipment content.
In keeping with driver focus, the Q70L features technologies that enable individuals to customize the driving feel. The Infiniti Drive Mode Selector allows drivers to select from four driving modes – Standard, Eco, Sport or Snow – and the integrated control system adjusts throttle sensitivity and transmission mapping helping to optimize performance. The system also adjusts Active Trace Control and Eco Pedal settings (available with Technology Package).
To encourage eco-driving behavior, the available Eco Pedal provides feedback directly through the accelerator by giving a slight pushback if driving inefficiently. The Q70L utilizes the advanced Infiniti Front Mid-ship (FM) platform, which positions the engine behind the front axle, which results in optimizing front-to-rear weight balance. Laser welding is carried out at critical locations to help enhance lateral bending stiffness, torsional stiffness and suspension mounting point stiffness.
The handling characteristics are precise and sporty, provided by an independent double-wishbone design at the front and multi-link independent suspension in the rear, along with front and rear stabilizer bars. The ride quality is both quiet and comfortable.
Bottom line, the Infiniti team has successfully achieved the goals that they ambitiously set. The Q70 in any of its forms represents a rewarding, safe and secure performance-oriented luxury sedan to pilot in virtually any driving scenario, but the Q70L is the most luxurious – particularly with the increased comfort for rear passengers.
In this TFL ‘first drive’ review, Roman gets behind the wheel of the 2016 Infiniti QX60, which has been refreshed and lengthened for more rear seat legroom.
2016 INFINITI Q70L AWD SPECS
MSRP
$67,050
Price as tested
$76,770
Engine
5.6L DOHC V8 w/direct injection, VVEL, CVTCS
Power (hp)
420 @ 6,000 rpm
Torque (lb-ft)
417 @ 5,200 rpm
Transmission
7-speed automatic w/adaptive shift control
Drivetrain layout
Longitudinally mounted front engine / all-wheel-drive
