2013 Ford Fusion at the Detroit Auto Show - NAIAS

Coming into the NAIAS, like most people, we were not expecting too much, and for sure not too much that we haven’t already seen spy shots of on the interwebs. That was true for most cars, but there were a few really good surprises.

2013 Ford Fusion:
I did hear that Ford would be bringing the new Fusion to the Detroit Auto Show, and was looking forward to a boring redesign that added accent lines and changed the headlight and taillight design a little. The Fusion is a decent car and last year was one of the best selling years for the Fusion, so why would they bother to change it that much?

Oh, how naive I am. The new Fusion is a complete redesign that merges their European design language into the family sedan. I personally think it looks great for a non-premium mid-sized sedan. It has an Audi-ish profile, a European Ford Mondeo rear, and an almost Aston Martin like front fascia.

It’s not just the looks, but this new Fusion will be offered in many models. Ford will let you chose from a plug-in hybrid, an eco-model achieving 47-mpg, and the standard. The standard car will offer a choice of powertrains starting with the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder pushing 170 hp and 170 ft-lbs of torque. You can also choose from 2 different EcoBoost engines including the 1.6 EcoBoost with 179 hp and 172 ft-lbs of torque and the 2.0-liter EcoBoost with 237 hp and 250 ft-bls of torque. No word on manual or auto transmissions as of yet, but I can say I’m really looking forward to testing out this new ride!

The Chevrolet Code 130R and Tru 140S Concepts:

Chevrolet introduced two concept coupes at the 2012 North American International Auto Show aimed at inspiring next-generation buyers to take the wheel and suggest ideas for a car they can co-create.

These two concepts have been talked about a lot this past week after the reveal at NAIAS, but we had no hit of these before hand. Chevrolet knows they need to focus on the youth market, and what’s more youthful than small and sporty coupes?

The Code 130R, which is a name that confuses us all, is a rear-wheel-drive, small coupe that could take on the likes of the new Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ. The styling is a little quirky, but you can see the Chevrolet heritage bulging out and it’s even sporting some Corvette “cross-flag” emblems on the fenders. Under the hood look for a turbo’d 1.4 liter engine pushing 150 hp and 148 ft-lbs of torque matched up to either a 6-speed auto or 6-speed manual transmission.

Personally, I think GM needs this car. Not just Chevrolet, but even as a sleek Buick. I hope they continue to develop on this platform, but take more styling cues from the Tru 140S.

So what is the Tru 140S? Another confusing name fore sure. Unlike the 130R, the 140S is a front-wheel-drive coupe design. It’s said to have the same engine and transmission setup as the 130R. I’ve heard this design being compared to an Eclipse and I think that fits well, but I’d really like to see this in a RWD platform. The design is really stunning and would make some waves for sure in the compact coupe market.

2012 NAIAS FAILS

When you bring a concept car or a production car to a big show like the North American International Auto Show, you really want to make a statement with that car and get as much good press as possible. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out and these are the cars we think fall into that category.

2013 Mopar 200 Super S was showed off at the Chrysler display in Detroit. Although I really do think the new 200 is a step above the Sebring, which isn’t that hard to do, I still feel that Chrysler needs to do more to improve its luxury status. Making a sportier Mopar variant isn’t what I had in mind.

Buick came out and showed off its new compact SUV named the Encore. We reviewed the Enclave and liked the direction the style is going. It’s not so much the style that made this a fail though. This is a small SUV; as small as the Nissan Juke. Why does Buick need this car? Is there a big demand for this car in this segment? If GM was looking to bring the platform into the family, they should have probably started off with a Chevrolet instead of a Buick, but we could be wrong. They might just sell well. Only time will tell.

Lincoln made a lot of hype about bringing the all-new MKZ concept to the Detroit Auto Show. We even saw a few teasers released by Lincoln that gave us hope. I’m just not digging the new design though; and it’s not just me. Lincoln needs to do something big to bring its name back and I’m afraid this just wasn’t it. It’s not just design, Lincoln needs to focus on who they want to compete with, and build competitive products, but they’ll never really be competitive with their front-wheel-drive platforms. They need to go all rear-wheel-drive or a true all-wheel-drive setup. They need to bring the enthusiasts in with a real halo car, whether that be a large luxurious RWD sedan, or a new sporty coupe based off the Mustang platform.

2011 Buick LaCrosse Dallas Texas

In 2009, we attended one of our first big media events for txGarage. What a great time to get in on all these new, exciting cars too. We were at the media event for the State Fair of Texas where they were launching the new GMC Terrain and the Buick LaCrosse. It was fantastic being at one of our first big events and driving brand new cars not yet on the market. Jump forward two years and we are reviewing the 2011 LaCrosse, with txGarage alive and kicking.

Maybe it’s my dysfunctional memory, or maybe the LaCrosse has just improved that much over the last two years, but I dont remember it being such a great car for the money. As tested, our LaCrosse dropped in at $36,660 and was basically fully loaded. You can pick up a base modle for under $30k.

2011 Buick LaCrosse rear end txGarage

The styling of the LaCrosse has set the tone for the direction of Buick and after seeing and testing the new Regal, I’d say it’s a great direction. Just check out the detail in those headlights and the defined, but swoopy lines down the hood; the sides; and around to the trunk. Unlike the Regal. this car looks big. And thats for good reason: it is big. Step inside and you get all the aminaties you’d expect from Lexus or many other luxury brands. Our tester was a CLX trimmed LaCrosse and was equipped with good quality leather seats, comfortable in the front and rear with pleanty of room to move about. Heated and cooled seats for both front passengers, dual climate control, Harman Kardon entertainment system with OnStar navigation, a rear window visor that is raised and lowered at the touch of a button, buttons on the leather wrapped steering wheel to control the entertainment system and cruise control, screens mounted to the rear seats for the DVD system, and the list goes on and on. You also get a keyless entry system that I wish was on some other GM cars we’ve recently driven. Keep the key in your pocket, walk up and pull on the door handle, sit down, put your foot on the brake and hit the start button. When you get out of the car, simply swipe your finger across the door handle and the car locks up. I can’t think of one feature that the Lexus has that I was lacking in this Buick.

The two-tone leather and wood interior was appealing, but even more so at night when the ice blue ambient lighting bathed the interior. The entire week of cruising along in this car all we could think was, how can this car be less than $37k?

interior of the 2011 Buick LaCrosse by txGarage

The ride and handling tell the same story. This is no sport sedan that’s going to hug you in the corners or brake your spine on harsh roads. This, much like the Lexus, is for comfort and luxury. It’s quiet and soft going down just about any pavement. In the turns, you get predictable body roll, but never excessive.

The one area of letdown is the powertrain and chassis layout of the Buick. Most luxury manufacturers offer platforms in rear-wheel drive and offer more powerful engine options. Although the Lexus ES, Acura TL, and Lincoln MKS are all well selling front-wheel drive luxury moniker, the LaCrosse still undercuts them on price. Obviously, the front-wheel drive and 4 cylinder combo allows the Buick to cost so much less than these other luxury brands. Is it a bad thing? Not at all. As much as I’d like to see a beautiful Buick body on a rear-wheel drive platform and a LS3 V8 under the hood, it won’t help incrase sales for Buick and would drive prices way up. If you are looking for that kind of luxury and willing to pay for it, GM still offers up Cadillac, by the way.

Nonetheless, our tester was fitted with the 2.4 inline 4 cylinder matched up to the six-speed automatic transmission. The power was lacking with 182 hp trying to push this 4018 pound sedan around. When you are cruising down the highway, it was all rosy, but in town with lots of starts and stops, the transmission was a little too jerky. Trying to get up to speed, you’d jerk back and forth through gears, then stop and start the parocess all over again. You could just tell that the car had too much weight for the power you got out of the engine. Fuel economy was decent as we averaged 21.2 mpg throughout our entire week. The EPA ratings for the LaCrosse are 19 city/ 30 hwy.

To put it bluntly, most consumers won’t notice as much the lacking power, and Buick does offer up a V6 to help haul the mass. But this car, for this price, is a statement Buick is making loudly. This car has been selling well for Buick, pushing out over 61k units last year. With other brands out of the way and not a terrible amount of competition in the simi-luxurious market anymore, this is a great offering by Buick. The LaCrosse is really showing what great potential Buick has as a surviving brand of GM.

The full photo gallery HERE

2011 Buick Regal Turbo at Cowboy Stadium

The new Buick Regal was brought over from Europe to solve some of GM’s big problems in the U.S. Buick has been falling in numbers and failing with marketing for years, and now that it’s one of the surviving brands of the “New GM”, Buick knows it’s got to get it right. In the European market, this car is known as the Opel Insignia. If you know European cars and Opel’s history with GM, you’ll know that the last generation Opel Insignia was brought over to our shores as the Saturn Aura. Before the purging of brands, this Buick Regal would have been yet another poorly marketed Saturn. Thankfully, someone in GM had some clarity to make this a Buick. The Opel was built to compete in Europe with the likes of Audi and BMW, sort of the same market that Buick needs to go after. When you see the Regal, sit in it, and drive it, you might think to yourself that this feels more like a German car than an American one. With good reason, as the U.S. version shares 95% of its overall parts with the Insignia. The 5% that differs consist of the headlights and taillights and other minor changes to meet American standards.

2011 Buick Regal Turbo Sport Sedan

Buick is marketing the Regal as a “sports sedan” and bringing sportiness back to Buick. With its 220 horsepower 2.0 liter turbocharged engine, the Regal has a good claim to that title. Weighing in at 3,765 pounds makes it harder on the 220 hp motor. It’s not a “fast” car, but with its German tuned suspension and frame, throwing it into the corners can be an enjoyable process. The suspension is adjustable to your liking or needs of each particular moment. The Regal offers up sport suspension, touring suspension, or standard. These buttons are not there for looks and are not gimmick buttons. Push the sport button and it changes not just the stiffness of the suspension, but also the steering effort, shift pattern, throttle position, and traction control intervention. This is something that a sport sedan should have: comfortable when you want comfort and hard when you want hard, I liked it. The only complaints I’d have with the Regal in a “go fast” setting is that the steering still feels too loose under hard turning, I’d like it to be heavier and more consistent when in sport mode. The other is something that you can get out of Buick, but our test car wasn’t equipped with, which is a manual transmission. You would be surprised how much of a difference getting rid of an automatic gearbox can make in the acceleration of a car. The automatic fitted in this Regal did its job well and there is a manual sift mode, but no paddle shifters, but you get the inevitable lag when stomping your foot to the floor.

2011 Buick Regal Turbo Interior

Inside the Regal is more of a mixed bag. I loved the seats as they were good quality leather and very comfortable on any journey. I even think that they are better than some Cadillac seats I’ve sat in over the more recent years. The steering wheel was wrapped in leather and comfortable on the hands whether you are cruising down the highway or driving enthusiastically on a back country road. Everything is layed out well, easy to find and read buttons, and a great gauge cluster and information center. The looks from the outside make the car look small and sporty, but the interior is roomy and comfortable. Almost everyone I gave a ride to during our test week with the Regal had the same comment. Even backseat passengers didn’t complain about legroom. Again, I do have a few gripes with the interior, but they are minor at best. The flat black, plastic material that makes up the center stack is a material I’m familiar with. Unfortunately, it gets dirty easily, is hard to clean, and scratches easily. The other thing I’ve noticed is when you do decide to drive on the enthusiastic side, the whole center console flexes and you can hear the plastics moving back and forth. This could become a wear and tear problem and create annoying noises in the future, but we’ll have to see for ourselves when we get our hands on a higher mileage Regal in the future.

I’ve had here and there gripes about the sportiness and interior quality of the Regal, I couldn’t find one thing to gripe about when it comes to exterior styling. The Insignia is a great looking car and has some features in the front that the Regal doesn’t have, but on par, this is a fantastic looking Buick. It’s sporty and lean looking, drastically different from the any previous Regal and most other GM products. That is a great thing.

Comparing the Regal to other cars was a fun process. Buick says that its main competitor is the Acura TSX. We took a quick drive in the TSX back to back with the Buick Regal at GM’s Main Street in Motion event. Around the small track the TSX felt more planted and stiff, but at the time we didn’t mess with the Regal’s sport suspension settings. Also the Regal seems much more comfortable in every day driving situations. The TSX is about the same price as the Regal, but the 4 cylinder engine is under on power from the Regal Turbo. To jump up in power you’ll need to get the TSX with a V6 and shell out another 6k. The Regal will be offered with a V6 soon as well, maybe even a V6 turbo model down the line. It has been brought to my attention that the V6 will not be brought to the Buick Regal. The GS model, when and if it makes it, will have a higher output turbo 4 cylinder engine.

But that’s who Buick compares this car with. What about real world cross shopping? Obviously, you might be interested in the Regal if you are looking at an Audi A4 or BMW 3 series. You save about 10-grand when picking the Regal over its German rivals, but you’ll sacrifice a little more as well. But if you’re looking for that American nameplate, the Regal is where it’s at.

Other interesting observations that came up when looking at competitors were the Suzuki Kizashi and Hyundai Sonata. Both are a little cheaper when fully specked out. If you are looking for a sporty sedan, the Kizashi is a fantastic starting point and the interior quality is surprisingly good. The Sonata now comes in “turbo” trim as well, and has a fantastic interior for the price point of the car. I don’t know if it says more good about these other brands, but I don’t think it says anything bad about Buick as these are great cars to be compared with. Before I purchased my current car, I was cross-shopping some of these sporty, reasonably priced sedans. If I was still in the market, the Regal would move way up on my short list for sure.

Check out more pictures from txGarage of the Buick Regal Turbo HERE!

2010 Buick Enclave

When I was young, I bought some of those x-ray glasses out of the back of a magazine. Although my parents tried to warn me, I insisted that they would work, plus they looked really cool. After weeks of waiting, checking the mail every day when I got home from school, the package finally showed up. I rushed to my room and ripped open the box throwing all the packing all over my room. As I pulled the glasses out and put them on my face, I felt an immediate sense of dissatisfaction. I ran around the house looking at everything I could thinking they have to work, yet they wouldn’t look through a thing. Not only did they not work as advertised, they were also cheaply made and broke within the first few days of having them. It has been a long time since I’ve felt this kind of dissatisfaction, that is until this week.

This week, we took delivery of the all new 2010 Buick Enclave CXL-2 AWD. So I know what your thinking, “How can you compare a seven-passenger SUV to x-ray glasses?” Well, we’ll start out with the initial excitement and looks of the car. Last week, we drove the new 2010 Equinox and loved it. We have also driven the Acadia and loved that as well. The Enclave is built on the same platform as the Acadia, but the Enclave is the most expensive vehicle that GM builds on that platform. So forgive us for thinking that we get the great interior and gadgets from the 2010 Equinox, but more luxuries, and the great practicality and ride of the Acadia for a seven-passenger SUV.

The looks of this big SUV are right in line with what Buick needs to do to attract more buyers and keep the brand alive. Along with the new LaCrosse and the upcoming Regal, Buick seems to be doing a fantastic job in the design department. The curvy and swoopy lines of the Enclave almost make it look like a smaller crossover than it really is. The optional 20 in wheels that we had on our test car really fill the wheel wells and give this car a great, big stance. From the stylized headlights and the waterfall grill to the aggressive arches and taillights in the rear, it is apparent that this is a beautiful car. As far as SUV’s go, we got more looks in this thing going to the grocery store or stopping at the gas station than any others.

Now that we have taken care of the looks, on to the interior. Here in the interior of the car is really where all my gripes about this car begin. Keep in mind our test car bleeds your wallet for a total of $49,655 (including destination charge). When you first look at the interior of this car, you dont get an overwhelming sensation of cheapness. No, it takes a few times stopped at stoplights and really feeling the materials used and focusing on the clutter and disarray encompassed in the dash. The first thing that bugged me was the technology in this car. Yes, it has the standard slew of interior tid-bits; including navigation, XM radio, rear DVD entertainment system, OnStar, rear audio controls, heated and cooled front seats and heated rear seats, bluetooth connectivity, and steering wheel mounted controls. With all these features, how could we complain about the technology within the Enclave? Simple, it’s all old technology, at least compared to the significantly cheaper Equinox we drove just the week before. The technology in this $50k car is the same old stuff you would expect to find in a 2007 Equinox, not a new luxurious and beautifully designed SUV.

Okay so the technology is a bit old, and that could be forgiven by most drivers seeing as how it all still works, but what about those materials and clutter? First off, the seats look good and in our test vehicle were a tan leather. They looked fat and comfortable, and although it wasn’t like sitting on rocks, they just were not as comfortable and soft as we would have liked. The headrests, on the other hand, were hard as rocks. The top of the dash was made of what looks like a decent soft touch material, but wasn’t. Under that, you had a light woodgrain – plasticky – material, and if you know me, I’m not a fan of cheap looking woodgrain in luxury cars. Beneath the woodgrain, you have a plastic material made to look like brushed aluminum and in between both is a hard black plastic material and the analog clock with a plastic chrome strip around it. Under those is a big slab of hard black plastic that encompassed the infotainment system, which I can attest to the fact that it doesn’t hold up well to a few Texas summers before it starts warping. Then you have another, clear plastic, material that covers the gear selection on the shifter. This was probably the cheapest feeling material in the entire car. Move over to the steering wheel and you find leather wrapped grips with woodgrain along the top and bottom, although this woodgrain doesn’t match the woodgrain on the dash. Moving to the rear of the seven-passenger SUV, you get a fantastic look at the uncarpeted floor; looking at, instead, the area where the seats roll forward and backward.

Space in the Enclave is nothing to thumb your nose at. This is a true seven-passenger SUV, unlike some stretched SUV’s that only small children could fit in the rear two seats. Although all this space comes at a price; weight. Although you get the bigger 3.6 liter v6, it still feels underpowered when you are trying to merge onto the highway. The fuel economy ratings for the vehicle is set at 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway, although with mostly highway driving we struggled to climb over 17 mpg average.

I’ll continue to say that this is one of the best looking big SUV’s out today. And comparing it to a pair of x-ray glasses might be unfair because yes, the Enclave works. I just dont think it works as a $50k luxury SUV. I think Buick, and GM in general, is moving in the right direction with style. They are making cars that people are not just okay with, but eager to be seen in everyday. Where I still see GM struggling though, is interior quality and overall ride. They have made great advancements in the quality of their interior with the Equinox and the Camaro, but they need to keep that in the forefront when trying to build a luxury vehicle. It really felt like they spent all their time designing the outside and forgot the interior. Although the car did disappoint, it wouldn’t take much to really bring this SUV to where it needs to be. All I can say for now is that if you need a good seven passenger SUV that has good looks and is a good price, pick up a GMC Acadia and save yourself about ten grand.

Stats as Tested:

2010 Buick Enclave CXL-2 AWD

• Exterior: Cocoa Metallic
• Interior: Cashmere W/Cocoa Accentes
• 3.6 liter SIDI V6
• 288 Horsepower @ 6300 RPM
• 270 lb.-ft of torque @ 3400 RPM
• 6-Speed Auto Transmission
• Curb Weight 4780 lbs.
• 20” Chrome-Clad Aluminum Wheels
• Power Sunroof with 2nd Row Skylight
• $49,655.00 as tested price

Terrain Lane

Today we had the privilege of attending the first of two media days for the State Fair of Texas Auto Show. We met up at the Studios of Las Colinas only knowing that today would be dedicated to General Motors, more specifically Buick and GMC. We were in for a treat with two vehicles that I have actually been eager to check out and drive. With all the hype around GM bringing better quality and design to their brands, I knew that these cars would have to be good.

GMC Terrain Front

Our first treat was the all new GMC Terrain, GMC’s new mid-sized crossover SUV. GMC is excited about this new model hoping that it would appeal to a wider audience than the everyday GMC. The Terrain, although built on the Equinox platform, only shares two body panels with the Equinox. It will be offered with a 2.4 liter inline four or a 3.0 liter V6 both mated to a 6 speed automatic gearbox with a manual mode. One big thing GMC tried to tackle in this new SUV was fuel efficiency. The 2.4L has an estimated 22 city and 32 mpg highway rating, which is unbelievably good. Even the V6 has a 17 city and 25 mpg highway rating while still maintaining 264 hp and 222 lb-ft torque and a towing capacity of 3500 lbs. So all in all I think the they did a great job in the fuel efficiency standpoint.

GMC Terrain Dash

So what about the looks a feel of the Terrain? The outside looks sleek and bold. It keeps the masculine look associated with GMC with flared fenders, big headlights, and a big bold grill. The interior was about the best I’ve seen from any GM brand in a long time. The contrast of textures and colors, the sophistication and ease of the center control panel, and the steering wheel and cluster look and feel gives the Terrain an upscale feel. During the drive the suspension felt smooth and direct and the power was never lacking. The Terrain drives with ease like a smaller car or SUV but with the look and feel of a bigger SUV.

I think that GMC and GM has really hit the nail on the head with the Terrain. I was very impressed and thats coming from someone that doesn’t like big SUV’s. I accept GMC will have a real hit on their hands with this one.

Buick LaCrosse

Next up was the all new Buick LaCrosse. Ever since I saw this car as a concept I pleaded for Buick to bring something with as bold and sporty design to the market. Needless to say I think the car looks great on the outside and seeing it in person did not disappoint. It will be offered with a 3.0 liter V6 with 255 HP (replaced later this year with a 2.4 liter four) or in the CXS top of the line you get GM’s 3.6 liter V6 pushing out 280 HP and 259 lb.-ft of torque, both with a six speed automatic gearbox with manual mode. The drive was smooth but not as smooth as you would expect from a Buick. The other thing I just can not get over, even arguing with others at the media event, was the interior. You could tell that they put a lot of thought into the layout and the materials in the car but it just didn’t seem as luxurious as the Terrain, or even any more than an Impala at that. I couldn’t put my finger on it, I just couldn’t get into the gray leather and gray dash and gray headliner. The one good thing that stuck in my head was the instrument panel with backlit gauges and a beautiful ice-blue ambient glow throughout the cabin. All in all I would say the LaCrosse’s design is a success but is it enough to draw people away from Acura or Lexus? I don’t think so.

Buick LaCrosse Dash

The big surprise after driving the Terrain and the LaCrosse was a set of new Camaros. Review coming soon! Tomorrow we check out what Ford, Dodge, and Toyota have for us.

check out the Photo Gallery HERE

Saturn Sky

When the Pontiac Solstice and the Saturn Sky first hit the show rooms I was more than ecstatic. Finally, we are bringing some small sporty life into American cars, I thought. The Pontiac lineup and the Saturn lineup were showing signs of revival and these cars spotlighted that revival. Now in 2009, with the bankruptcy of GM and the ever failing car market the Kappa platform that these cars are built on has ceased production. Saturn has been sold to Penske and no one really knows the fate of Pontiac so with the lower than expected sales of these fun little cars there has been no real push to keep them around.

It’s a shame, in my opinion, that these cars seemed to not catch on. The Saturn Sky often referred to as the baby Vette is a beautiful car with a very sporty look and feel and was quite fun to drive. The almost retro styling of the Solstice and the new to 2009 hard top Solstice were exactly what Pontiac needed to revive the sporty nature they had lost after years of cars like the Sunfire and the Grand Am.

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I really think they will have a big following in the used cars markets with all the aftermarket toys and companies willing to shove V8’s under the hood they appeal to a lot of enthusiast track day racers.

I still have hope, first for Saturn with Penske as the new owners they all but have to bring a racing car to the market. As I showed in my “Plea to Saturn and Penske” they should have some sporty vehicle to choose from. Second I’ll try and reserve some hope for Pontiac. There have been some companies put forth offers to GM to buy out Pontiac, each getting the same answer from GM “Pontiac is not for sale.” In their official bankruptcy filing GM only says that they are keeping Pontiac as a limited production brand. Will they bring it back from the dead with a whole new limited production line of sporty cars? It seems like a reach, but you never know.

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