Archive for November, 2013
2014 Cadillac XTS Vsport Platinum
Miles Driven: 251
Fuel Used: 13.1 gallons
Real-world fuel economy: 19.2 mpg
Driving mix: 50% city, 50% highway

Nissan’s Rogue compact SUV has been redesigned for 2014, and now offers three-row seating for seven. However, a version of the previous design will carry on as the “Rogue Select.”
Triggered by an explosion in popularity during the 1990s, every mainstream manufacturer had an entry in the compact-SUV class by the mid-2000s … every major manufacturer, that is, except Nissan. Oddly, that situation wasn’t rectified until Nissan brought out the Rogue for 2008.

2011-2014 VPG MV-1
Happy holidays! If you’re like most Americans you’ll soon be packing up the family people-mover and heading off to Gramma Mary’s or Uncle Vito’s house for family fun and a serious bout of good-cheer gluttony. But, how will you fill the time during the long drive there?
Luckily, we’ve prepared a special holiday edition of the Car Spotter Challenge. With the youngsters in mind, the Holiday Car Spotter Challenge is comprised of oddly shaped vehicles that are easy to spot from a distance.
Test Drive: 2014 Lexus IS 350 AWD

Our well-trimmed IS 350 AWD came to $50,164 on the sticker, including the $3160 F Sport package. AWD IS models start at $42,595 including destination.
2014 Lexus IS 350 AWD
Dates tested: 11/14/2013-11/22/2013
Miles Driven: 121
Fuel Used: 5.6 gallons
Real-world fuel economy: 21.6 mpg
Driving mix: 65% city, 35% highway

After a two-year hiatus, Chevrolet is set to reintroduce the “midsize” Colorado pickup in the fall of 2014 as a 2015 model. It is expected that most buyers will choose this crew cab, shown here in top-line Z71 form. There will also be WT (Work Truck) and LT trim levels. Compared to comparable Silverado full-size pickups, the Colorado is about 16 inches shorter, 5 inches narrower, 3 inches lower, and 900 lbs lighter.
Chevrolet just pulled the wraps off the redesigned Colorado midsize pickup, which is due to go on sale next fall as a 2015 model.
Ever since the previous-generation Colorado was dropped after the 2012 model year, Chevrolet has been without an entry in the midsize-pickup segment. And it’s not alone. A class that contained 11 entries as recently as 2010 has been hit by attrition that has left it with just three players today: the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, and Honda Ridgeline. And despite the drastically reduced level of competition, none of those trucks are setting sales records on fire.
Test Drive: 2014 Audi A8 L TDI

A diesel engine option is new for Audi’s A8 flagship in the U.S. Our Test A8 L TDI listed for $99,445, including the $6300 Bang & Olufsen audio system.
2014 Audi A8 L TDI
Miles Driven: 423
Fuel Used: 12.3 gallons diesel

A 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine is standard on LS, 1LT and 2LT Malibu trim levels. Our test 3LT, like the topline LTZ, comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. As equipped, our test car came to $31,380.
2014 Chevrolet Malibu 3LT Turbo
Dates tested: 10/31/2013-11/07/2013
Miles Driven: 255
Fuel Used: 11.9 gallons regular unleaded
Real-world fuel economy: 21.4 mpg
Driving mix: 40% city, 60% highway

Despite modest power and more-modest grip, the second-generation Volkswagen Scirocco handled with rare finesse.
By strict definition, a benchmark needn’t be the best representative of a given group, it need only be the representative by which other members of said group are judged.
As such, we could say that the situation comedy Cheers represents a benchmark for television comedy, but still safely argue that Seinfeld is funnier. It is important, however, that your benchmark represent a standard of sufficient quality that comparisons to it are meaningful.