From the Passenger's Seat

Well, it's that time of the year where students go back to school, and I am no exception. Since this is my first year of high school, I am super excited and anxious. But with the inevitable assignments and assessments, I feel I should take a break from my blog. The next time I will return will be Monday-Wednesday on Thanksgiving week. Until then, my readers! -Jason L.

As you might be able to decipher from the vehicle name, the Concept X5 eDrive is a plug-in hybrid version of the redesigned 2014 X5. Thinly veiled as a concept, the Concept X5 eDrive is almost sure to go into production as a environmentally-friendly luxury SUV (or SAV in BMW's language).  The big news with the Concept X5 eDrive [what a mouthful!] is its powertrain. There's a conventional turbocharged gasoline four-cylinder engine, and a 95-horsepower electric motor powering the wheels. The combination allows for a zero to 60 acceleration time of under 7 seconds. Driving on electricity alone, you can go 19 miles on a full battery charge and up to 75 miles per hour without wakening the gasoline engine. In slippery conditions, you can drive without worry as BMW's xDrive permanent all-wheel-drive system is there to get you moving.  BMW points out a 74.3  miles per gallon ( or up to 74 MPG, or 62 MPG, or 75 MPG, depending on your source) fuel economy rating on the ...

Do you like the regular 458 Italia, yet yearn for more horsepower and performance? Well, Ferrari has just the extreme car to fulfill your extreme desire! The 458 Speciale is the ultimate trim of the 458 lineup that is street-legal (there is also a track-only 458 Challenge).  Horsepower is bumped to 597, which is 35 more than the base 458 Italia. Peak torque remains at 398 pounds-feet. This makes the 458 Speciale the high-power, naturally aspirated V-8 Ferrari of all time, Ferrari says. Ferrari claims the engine itself, at 133 horsepower per liter of displacement, is the most horsepower-dense naturally aspirated road engine ever. Ferrari cites a 0 to 62 miles per hour acceleration time of 3 seconds flat, and a 0 to 124 miles per hour time of 9.1 seconds.  To enhance the car's handling, dry weight (how much the car weighs without any fluids) is cut to 2844 pounds from 3024 pounds in the base 458. A different algorithm was programmed into the Side Slip angle Control for mo...

After a substancial redesign for the 2013 model year, the 2014 Accord model line remains untouched with the exception of "premium" seat fabric for the Accord LX, and an automatically-dimming rearview mirror that no longer requires you to press a power button to activate it.  The new base price for the Accord sedan is $22745, which represents a $275 price hike to the 2013. The coupe starts at $24415, which also is $275 more than the 2013. Pricing includes a $790 destination charge. The 2014 Accord sedan goes on sale August 22, and the coupe is officially on sale now. The plug-in hybrid version of the Accord is new for 2014. 

While my mother's car is in the shop being fixed, we got a Jeep Patriot as a loaner car to drive for the week. When I saw that the Jeep Patriot was our rental, I was disappointed. I had read that the Patriot is an utterly mediocre vehicle, and I had rock-bottom expectations going in.  It turns out the Patriot is a mediocre car, but mediocrity isn't unexpected for such a cheap SUV. Starting at only $15995 (not including destination), the Patriot is the cheapest crossover/SUV on sale in America today.  The riding experience of the Patriot is underwhelming, mostly because of its stiff and bouncy ride. You get to know the road's imperfections well in the Patriot, which is not a good thing. The bouncy suspension doesn't pay off in the corners, either, where the Patriot leans.  The cabin was surprisingly quiet, though. Granted, many cars are quieter than the Patriot, but tire whine on grooved pavement was kept at a minimum at high speeds. Some low-frequency rumble filte...

After being hit with class-action lawsuits that claim the C-Max was not getting close to the original EPA-rated 47 miles per gallon fuel economy rating, Ford has decided to drop the combined fuel economy rating to 43 miles per gallon.  This moves comes after a hybrid system update to Ford hybrids in an attempt to increase real-world fuel economy.  In addition, Ford will be sending owners of the 2013 C-Max money to compensate for the misleading mileage figures. Current owners will get $550, while lessees will receive $325. No specifics were released on how to obtain the money, but current owners will be sent letters with instructors on the matter.  The mileage discrepancy comes from old EPA "general label rules." Under these rules, a vehicle can carryover another vehicle's fuel economy ratings if the drivetrain and weight are shared. In this case, the C-Max carried over the Fusion Hybrid's ratings.  The 2014 C-Max will be tweaked mechanically and aerodynamic...

To compete with the recent wave of subcompact German crossovers, the BMW X1 and Audi Q3, Mercedes decided to jack-up its hatchback A-Class to form the GLA-Class. A concept version previewed the GLA earlier this year, and the GLA will officially debut in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show.  The GLA-Class is only 173.9 inches long, 71 inches wide, and 58.8 inches tall. That makes it very small; it is 4.4 inches shorter and 8.1 shorter than Mercedes' compact GLK-Class crossover.  While the GLA-Class is small in size, it does not have a modest personality. The exterior styling is best described as extroverted, with dramatic curves and bold shapes. I might also think it's cluttered and a mess, but others might think differently. 18-inch wheels are standard, and 19-inch wheels can be had as well.  T he interior, thankfully, is much more conservative. While I don't think the round air vents match the design, they do give off a high-quality air. The dashboard can be...

Fiat shows off the mischievous side of its cute 500 with the 500 Cattiva, which was first shown in concept form at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. Apparently, Cattiva describes "a person or situation that is naughty yet cool" in Italian. The 500 Cattiva might not really be "cattiva," but it sure does try hard to be.  The Cattiva can be ordered on the 500 Sport and the 500 Turbo. While the Cattiva model does not add any mechanical upgrades, it does feature many darkened elements. The lighting pieces are all darkened, there's a Nero-painted (black) roof, there's a Nero-painted rear tailgate spoiler, and the 16-inch wheels are finished in a two-tone design.  Inside, the dashboard trim is painted a sooty black instead of the body-color paint other 500s use. The seats are upholstered in Nero and Grigio (black and gray) cloth stitched with silver thread. Leather seats that are black are also available. Regardless of seat upholstery, the steering wheel and shift...

The European and U.S. Honda Civics are loosely based on each other, but the only similarity anyone will be able to see is the shared steering wheel. As you can tell from the photos, the European Civic sports a much more audacious design. 

Now in its third model year, Chevrolet subcompact vehicle receives a few new safety features, some trim shuffling, and a price "change." All the same trim levels (LS, LT, LTZ and hatchback-exclusive RS) and body styles (awkward sedan and five-door hatchback) return for 2014. The mechanical bits carryover as well. However, a backup camera becomes standard equipment for the LTZ and RS trims, and it can be ordered with the MyLink multimedia interface on the LT.  A new advanced safety package that is an option at all trims. It includes forward collision warning, lane departure warning and a rear view camera.  Another package is the LT Promotional Package that adds MyLink, a power sliding glass moonroof, and front fog lights. Apparently, this is a limited production package.  Red Hot, Ashen Gray Metallic, Cool Blue and the limited-edition Deep Magenta Metallic join the Sonic's existing exterior color roster.  The 2014 Sonic starts at $14995, including a $825 ...

This is an i8 prototype. After launching the i3 urban electric car, BMW has now put out details about its i8 plug-in hybrid sports car. The i8 is all-wheel-drive, but not in the way that you might think.  The gasoline engine of the i8 is a turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder churning out 231 horsepower and 236 pounds-feet of torque. With four valves per cylinder, an aluminum construction and the Valvetronic variable valve timing and lift function, the engine is essentially BMW's famed inline-six engine chopped in half. This is the basic engine that will be used in the next Mini Cooper. Being a 3-cylinder, a balance shaft has been added on to counteract vibrations and there's a multi-stage damper within the six-speed automatic transmission. The engine is placed in the middle of the vehicle, and it powers the rear wheels.

Instead of starting at $39995 like the 2013 Volt did, the 2014 Chevrolet Volt will start at $34995 (including an $810 destination freight charge). That represents a $5000 price cut, and it means that you could theoretically get a new Volt for just $27495 once you factor in the $7500 federal tax rebate.  In reality, the 2013 Volt already started at $39495. Chevrolet has been running a $5000 discount for some time to get those cars off dealer lots.  Two new exterior paint colors, Ashen Gray Metallic and Brownstowne Metallic, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel are added for the 2014 model year. The Volt is still eligible to drive in HOV lanes in California and New York even if there is only a single occupant.  The Chevrolet Volt's price reduction comes after a series of lease and purchase discounts from other automakers for their EVs, including Nissan, Ford, Honda, and more.  In other news, nobody is commenting on my blog! I know people are viewing it! It w...

I'm super lazy today, so I just decided to post an old research paper of mine. It's not super good, but it gets the point across.  Honestly, what is up with the stigma of minivans? They're so good, yet so bad. I can't think of anything else that is as good of a product as the minivan but has such a lowly image among consumers. Well, maybe the station wagon... Ugh, I want a Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon so badly. Corvette LT1 engine, dual sunroofs, wood graining. It's so appealing! Yeah, maybe I'm weird. Anyways, read my report if you would like to. Just click the words "Read more" below this paragraph.

In almost 13000 Nissan Versa Notes, there could be weak, loose, or missing bolts in the rear seatback latches. As for bolts bolting the body of the car to the undercarriage, some may be too loose or missing. These bolts, or lack thereof, negatively impact the car's crash performance and/or can harm  passengers in the backseat. Nissan is not aware of any injuries or collisions related to the bolts.  Vehicles under this recall were assembled before July 5, 2013, in Mexico. Owners will be notified by Nissan of this recall in mid-August. Dealers will inspect and repair the bolt problem free of charge. For more information, owners can call Nissan at 800-627-726, the NHTSA's (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236, or visit www.safercar.gov.