Hottest New-Car Features For 2013

Automakers are rolling out cutting-edge features and migrating last year’s hot new items more broadly across their model lines with increasing frequency these days. With the playing field being relatively level among most comparable models with regard to performance, comfort and quality, manufacturers are leveraging the latest technology to help their vehicles stand out in a crowded market and to help give motorists a reason to trade in their existing rides for the latest models.
An impressive array of totally new convenience, connectivity and safety features is debuting this year on model-year 2013 vehicles which we’re featuring in the accompanying slide show. These include such innovations as the first center-mounted airbags, a seat that “communicates” with the driver and a power liftgate that operates by the wave of a foot under the rear bumper.

Here Comes The Self-Driving Car, And There's Already 

Mazda2 - cheapest new car

Base price: $14,720

Fuel economy: 29 City, 35 Hwy

The Mazda2's another little car that's great around town but I wouldn't want to take it on a long road trip. It's noisy and jittery and the interior's not as nice to look at as the stylish exterior. Not a bad car, really, but you could do better for a little less. (These fuel economy figures reflect recent adjustments made to Kia and Hyundai's EPA estimates.)

Hyundai Accent - cheapest new car

Base price: $14,545

Fuel economy: 28 City, 37 Hwy

Watch: Hyundai's Accent: Efficiency and power
The Accent's a really decent little car, especially around town. It's also a good looking car with a nicely put together interior. On the highway, though, its engine sound begins to drone in a truly irritating fashion. A good car, but not Hyundai's best work.

Kia Soul - new car cheapest

Base price: $14,400

Fuel economy: 25 City, 30 Hwy

The Soul wins big with its combination of practicality, price and design. It may not be the most fun to drive but it's also not the worst by a long shot, either. It's a great cross between the tiny city cars and a bigger crossovers -- with dash of style thrown in.

2013/2014 Compact Crossover Ford Escape SE vs. Mazda CX-5 vs. Subaru Forester 2.5 Touring vs. Toyota RAV4

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No modern family starter kit is complete without a small crossover. On the automotive family evolutionary timeline, these crossovers live somewhere between a single person's sports car and a family's minivan. Young couples adore the sense of maturity and stability they represent. Crossovers can easily carry kids to school, bring groceries home, and still provide enough space for a a weekend Home Depot run. Older couples appreciate the easy ingress, egress, and utility after packing away the child seats for hobbies that require a folding second row. Small crossovers typically provide more utility than a wagon, better gas mileage than an SUV, and more fun than a big sedan. And sales show no sign of slowing down. Segment sales climbed 9.3 percent in 2012, and all of this year's test vehicles are selling strong. The Toyota RAV4's sales jumped 30 percent last year; the Ford Escape (last year's compact crossover winner) and Subaru Forester had modest increases; and the Mazda CX-5 sold 43,000 units during its first year. The newest crop of CUVs makes the case that utility can still be fun to drive. Their firm suspensions, powerful I-4 engines, and quiet rides provide as much athleticism as some sporty sedans. Outside of Santa Barbara, California, we put four such small crossovers to the test, traversing highways, twisty roads, and even a little dirt. Our group consisted of the all-new Subaru Forester 2.5i Touring, which comes standard with all-wheel drive, and front-drive versions of the Toyota RAV4 Limited, the upgraded 2.5-liter Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring, and the reigning champ, the Ford Escape SE 1.6 EcoBoost, which last go-around defeated the Honda CR-V, Kia Sportage, CX-5 2.0, and VW Tiguan. All our top-trim CUVs cost about $30,000, including navigation and Bluetooth connectivity, and each is rated at over 30 mpg highway, making them ideal for a cross-country tour with the Grateful Dead or Phish. Sad to say, those fun and footloose college days are long past. It's time to revisit the reality of responsibilities -- carrying people and stuff in quiet comfort -- without completely surrendering the driving fun of that GTI you drove in college. Viewed through that lens, which is the best small crossover?

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4th Place: 2013 Ford Escape SE

The Yin and Yang of Crossovers For every good quality we found with the Escape, we found an equally disappointing one. "On one hand, it has entertaining qualities (nice set for such a tall vehicle, decent steering response, quick and predictable reflexes)," noted associate online editor Nate Martinez. "Yet it provided a bumpy ride that families would likely not find ideal." "I like the Escape's looks a lot. Its connectivity is tops, and its driving dynamics are solid," added technical director Frank Markus. "But there are corners cut, low-cost evidence in some places (cargo hold), and wasted investment in others (soft-touch but cheap-look dash)." These inconsistencies moved last year's compact crossover winner to this year's basement. Many testing numbers confirmed our suspicions about the car's underwhelming performance. The Escape tied with the Subaru Forester for the worst 0-60 time at 9.0 seconds, had the worst passing time of 5.3 seconds to go from 45 to 65 mph, and took the longest distance -- 126 feet -- to stop from 60 mph. It also got the worst gas mileage of all the vehicles tested -- 21.1 mpg. The other three CUVs averaged at least 3 mpg more. However, I thought the Escape provided the best second row of the bunch, complete with a 115-volt outlet for kids to keep their cellphones and games fully charged. The seats in both rows were well-bolstered, firm, and comfortable. Then again, the Escape had the least amount of passenger space in both rows. See? Yin and yang in the least complimentary form.

The Escape's second row has a 115-volt outlet for kids to keep their cellphones and games fully charged

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The Escape, while filled with features such as a huge sunroof, Sync, and a beautiful LCD screen on the center stack, lacked many of the amenities families would appreciate every day. "No push-button start,

2014 Porsche 911 Turbo/Turbo S

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Ever since its debut in 1974, the Porsche 911 Turbo has symbolized extreme performance (beaten only by the completely bonkers GT2). While the original 930 was an absolute handful to drive because of its massive turbo lag and propensity for oversteer, force-fed 911 Turbos have grown quite compliant over the years while producing increasingly mind-blowing performance numbers. At first glance, the 991 2014 911 Turbo doesn't appear to be that big of an improvement over the 997. Output from the 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six goes up by 20 hp and 7 lb-ft to 520 and 487, respectively. The Turbo S gets a 30-hp bump to 560 from the 997's 530, but torque is unchanged at 516 lb-ft. Curb weight of both remains at slightly over 3500 pounds, with the Turbo S closer to 3550 pounds. One big powertrain change is the departure of the manual transmission, with all 2014 911 Turbos offered exclusively with Porsche's seven-speed PDK twin-clutch automatic. Purists may balk, but even the most skilled drivers will be hard-pressed to hit the claimed 0-60 marks of 3.2 seconds (Turbo) and 2.7 seconds (Turbo S) without the PDK's lightning-quick shifts.

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Speaking of those performance numbers, the last 997 911 Turbo we tested needed 3 seconds flat, and the last Turbo S went into Veyron territory by hitting 60 in just 2.7 seconds, beating Porsche's estimates. We wouldn't be surprised if we saw 2.5 seconds out of the 2014 Turbo S -- aside from being astounded by just how quick that is. Quarter-mile times should be similarly jaw-dropping -- we saw 10.9 seconds from the 2012 Turbo S and 11.2 seconds for the 2010 Turbo, which was equipped with a manual rather than a PDK. Claimed top speeds are 196 mph for the Turbo and 198 mph for the Turbo S. Handling performance should increase as well, with the 2014s fitted with active aerodynamics (a three-stage front spoiler and deployable rear wing with three positions), rear-wheel steering, and the new Porsche Traction Management all-wheel-drive system, which can send more power to the front wheels than before. The 991s also get

2014 Toyota 4Runner First Look

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For the dyed-in-the-wool Toyota 4Runner fans, here's all the important information you need to know about the 2014 version: The word "new" appears in 16 instances throughout the midsize SUV's eight-page, introductory press release, but it doesn't show up anywhere in the 1.5 pages dedicated to the engine, chassis, and drivetrain. Which, if you can believe it, will be good news for the 4Runner devotees who uses their 'utes for serious 4Running, off-road activities. For that group, the fewer mechanical surprises, the better. For those of us whose job or hobby it is to gripe about all things automotive, here are the facts. The 2014 4Runner continues with body-on-frame construction and is powered by a 270-hp, 4.0-liter V-6. A five-speed automatic matches to the engine with a choice of rear-wheel, all-wheel, or four-wheel drive. Control arms suspend the front corners and a four-link rigid axle handles the rear wheels (coil springs all around, of course). The long-standing SR5 trim name retains its entry-level position. The midlevel, 4WD Trail edition soldiers on with Multi-Terrain Select, low-range crawl modulation, and the optional Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System. The topline 4Runner Limited takes on greater passenger-coddling responsibilities with its X-REAS self-adjusting suspension and longer list of comfort and convenience features. An available third row enables a seven-passenger seating claim. It all sounds too familiar, right? Our presumption for the familiarity: In 2010, Toyota announced it would offer a 157-hp, 2.7-liter four-cylinder in the then-new, fifth-generation RWD SR5 (with a four-speed auto). It got exactly 1 more city mpg in the EPA ratings than the comparable V-6 model. And see how long that lasted. So what exactly is new about the 4Runner? Let's go through those 16 "new" points. 1. "New 2014 4Runner Features Rugged Exterior Design To Match Its Authentic Off-Road Heritage" This is the press release title. Makes sense, yes? 2. "…and the redesigned 2014 4Runner receives a rugged new exterior design…" See point number 1. 3. "The Trail grade features new color-keyed bumpers and overfenders…" Just when we had gotten used to the black ones. 4. "In addition to the distinctive new grille…" Toyota updated the 4Runner's front and rear fascias for a bolder appearance, which meant modifying the graphics, front grille, and the light housings. The redesigned, smoked headlights switch from halogens to projector-style illumination, and LEDs are incorporated into the head- and retouched taillights. The Limited goes heavier on chrome-plated trim pieces. 5. "Both the SR5 and Trail grades will ride on 17-inch alloy wheels with a new wheel-design for both…" The Limited model rides on 20-inch wheels (now painted black). Maybe that's why they're paired with the X-REAS adaptive shock

2012 Ford F-150 Lariat 4x4 EcoBoost Long-Term Update 4 Tow Truck

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When the F-150 was used as the tow vehicle for the Tesla test -- the one where Motor Trend editors drove the Tesla Model S from the Los Angeles area to Las Vegas -- we were reminded that at some point soon, the truck should really get a trailer brake controller. Since we weren't towing a heavy load that day, the truck's brakes would suffice, but that wouldn't always be the case, and we probably wouldn't get a lot of advance notice when the Ford would be called upon to tow closer to its capacity. It would be better to make the truck ready ahead of time than to not have it and regret it. Ford does offer a trailer brake controller from the factory, and to be honest, when we ordered our truck with the Lariat trim level, and saw that the Trailer Tow package was included, we made the mistake of presuming that a trailer brake controller was part of that package. It isn't. You may ask why it isn't; we certainly did. The answer makes total sense, though: people that tow on a regular basis may want to use their favorite brand of controller, so Ford gives them that choice. We opted to stay with the unit offered by Ford, and took it to a local dealership to have it installed. The controller cost $230, and there was already a space in the dash for the controller. We followed along as the installation took place, a process that took about an hour. The installer unbolted the bottom of the center stack, which freed the center console. He unbolted that, removed it, and set out of the way. He also unbolted the dash, exposing the areas where the wiring had to go. There had been a cover behind the dash where the controller wiring would connect to the truck, and once the installer removed that, he could plug the controller wiring in place. The unit itself, at least the interface that the driver would use, slid right into place on the center stack. Then he reassembled the interior, and the truck looked just as nice as when we brought it in, except for the new addition. But there was one more step to the installation. The electronics had to be programmed so the controller would work. After connecting a computer at the OBD II connector under the dash, the installer found the right program on the computer, and set it to run. We saw the gauge needles quickly blip from left to right (0 to max) and back, twice, and then the trailer brake controller installation was complete. He toggled through the menu within the gauge cluster to prove that the controller was set up correctly -- he checked to make sure that adjusting the gain was now an option (and it was), so his job was done. And now our long-termer is ready for towing heavy loads.

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Our Cars
Service life	8 months/21,476 miles
Average fuel economy	14.2 mpg
CO2 emissions	1.37 lb/mile
Energy consumption	237 kW-hr/100miles
Unresolved problems	None
Maintenance cost	$107.58 (2 x oil change, tire rotation, inspection)
Normal-wear cost	$0

2012 Land Rover Range Rove Evoque

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It was the middle of fall when a cold, wet, weather system blew in from the Pacific and dumped the season's first significant snow on California's Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort. The next day I received an enthusiastic email from co-worker Karla Sanchez asking to swap cars with me for the weekend so that she could zip to Mammoth Lakes for opening day on the slopes. I obliged but with the agreement she would give me a full report of the Rover's first frolic in foul weather. Here are her observations: "This is an overall awesome rig to take up to the mountains: It stuck well to the snow-covered surfaces, and rarely felt like it was going to lose traction. Driving at about 50 mph up Minaret Rd, the chassis would occasionally lose grip, but the traction system would quickly actuate, catch and correct any sliding. At one point, I approached a turn too fast and began sliding, but only for a moment, as the tires promptly gripped the snow, allowing the brakes to quickly bring us to a halt. I was a bit nervous pulling into six inches of fresh snow on the driveway of our rental cabin, but the Evoque plowed right through without hesitation. I drove with the snowy/icy surfaces mode engaged most of the time until the end of the weekend when all the snow had melted off the roads. And even then I drove over some large ice patches with the regular mode engaged, but the Evoque glided over them without incident, proving that the stability system is reliable even if the proper mode is not engaged. Room is not very generous inside, either. We had small and large suitcase, a medium duffel, three snowboards, and a few other small bags stacked inside, minimizing the already compromised rearward visibility. My backseat passenger was more then a bit cramped, but be kept his complaints to a minimum, and in fact, over the course of a few days grew to love the car's design and style - his eyes were opened to the benefit of small SUV with lots and lots of luxury amenities. He was also was charmed by the multi lens camera system and thought all the different views were a great novelty. Overall, the Evoque's condensed size and sure-footed stability system make it a great weekend runner to where the payment ends and the lifts begin."

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Our Car
Service Life	8/20,566 miles
Average Fuel Economy	21.7 mpg
CO2 Emissions	0.89 lb/mile
Energy Consumption	155 kW-hr/100 mi
Unresolved problems	None
Maintenance cost	$0 (oil change, inspection, cabin-air filter, engine-air filter)
Normal-wear cost	$0

2014 Buick Regal First Look

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Like the 2014 Buick LaCrosse, the midsize Buick Regal will undergo a face-lift and technology infusion for the 2014 model year. Additionally, the Regal GS and Regal Sport will feature a more powerful turbocharged engine and an upgraded all-wheel-drive system. Both the 2014 Buick Regal and 2014 Buick LaCrosse debut at the New York auto show this week. The refreshed Regal replaces its front and rear fascias, tweaking its headlights and adding new daytime running LEDs. Those light emitting diodes also go to the rear of the car, where "wing shaped" taillights make the 2014 Regal more recognizable. The interior adds a new center stack console, bringing this European Buick -- it began life as an Opel Insignia -- in line with other Buicks with the next-generation IntelliLink infotainment system, which centers around an 8-inch touch screen. The system also promises to be easier to use, as Buick cut back the number of buttons on the center stack from 17 to just seven. The Regal also swaps out its instrument panel, adding a 4.2-inch color screen between the speedometer and tachometer. This screen provides vehicle information, navigation, phone and other features for quick glances as a driver can toggle through screens with steering wheel controls. The new Regal GS will use a configurable 8-inch digital screen for its instrument cluster. Like the LaCrosse, the 2014 Regal will also receive a significant technology upgrade, offering radar-based adaptive cruise control which will operate even in stop-and-go traffic. The Regal also adds camera-based systems such as Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert systems.

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