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Full Review: the 2012 Mazda 3 SkyActiv

Adam Moore — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:05:47 +0000

2012 Mazda 3 with SkyActive

Mazda is a brand marketed heavily towards the enthusiast crowd. Their commercials ask if your car is inspiring or just an appliance. They claim they build cars for people that care about what they drive, how it drives, and the way it makes the driver feel. In pursuit of Mazda’s “what do you drive?” manifesto, they have often sacrificed fuel economy for driving pleasure. I’ve always given Mazda props for doing this given the current trends automakers are following. This year though, Mazda has introduced a new technology to focus on making their cars more fuel-efficient. They call this technology SkyActiv, and I’ll admit, I’m a little worried hearing that Mazda is going in this direction.

So let us get a bit cerebral and talk about exactly what SkyActiv is. What it’s not is a hybrid platform, and unlike many other manufacturers, Mazda didn’t opt for smaller displacement turbocharged engines. SkyActiv all starts under the hood where you’ll find a big, blue plastic engine cover. Under that cover is a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. This engine is made lighter, it uses newer direct injection technologies – much like Ford and Hyundai – and it takes advantage of a uniquely high compression ratio.

But SkyActiv isn’t only about the engine. It’s an entire mindset behind building the car. The transmission is a 6-speed automatic built with fuel efficiency in mind. We don’t stop there as the whole frame and chassis setup is constructed with lightness and strength in mind as well. This all helps with economy, but should also help with Mazda’s sporty reputation. The question still remains though, has Mazda’s focus on fuel economy hurt the sportiness we’ve all come to love from Mazda? Do they still care about driving?Well, the 2.0-liter engine we mentioned earlier is said to produce 15 percent better fuel economy and 15 percent more torque. The official numbers on the engine dubbed the SkyActive-G are 155 horsepower and 148 foot-pounds of torque. That equates to 7-hp more than the non-SkyActive engine and 13-lb-ft of torque. So yeah, it still has some pep.

The outside of the Mazda 3 has been given a refresh as well. It still has a smiling grill, but it looks more aggressive than the previous generation. The side profile shows off more aggressive wheel arches and bodylines that match more with the Mazda 6. Our tester was fitted with the standard 16” alloy wheels and P205/55R rubber. They looked pretty good but I’d probably opt for a little bigger and nicer if I just bought the car.Inside the car is much like other Mazda’s we’ve driven. We have always been pleased with the quality of materials and design inside newer Mazda cars. You still get an incredibly small navigation screen tucked way back on the top of the dash, but once you get used to the way the buttons work on the steering wheel, it’s not too bad. Speaking of buttons on the steering wheel, most “journalists” I’ve read have a big problem with the number of buttons on the steering wheel. If you’re my age or younger though, I don’t see this being a problem. I love buttons and they are laid out well enough that I never felt confused or cluttered.

The first big question is has all of this SkyActive stuff worked? Do you get better fuel economy thanks to some engineering voodoo? That answer is, simply, yes. On our second day with the car, we reset all the computers and made a normal highway run in Dallas morning traffic. On that run we averaged 40.9-mpg. That’s 0.9-mpg better than Mazda’s official fuel economy rating. When we left the computers alone for a few days though and really tested out the average economy in the Mazda 3 is when we were really shocked. By day 4 we were still showing a 37.1-mpg rating and we stayed in that ballpark until day 7 where we were really being hard on the car doing video.

So we know the SkyActiv is a little more powerful than the normal Mazda 3; we know it’s a light and stiff chassis; we know it really does equate to better mpg, and we know the interior is still a nice place to be, but the next big question is does it really still have that unique Mazda feel? That is answered simply as well. This is still a fun to drive little car.

I’ll have to admit, I’m completely sold on SkyActiv. It seems that Mazda has found a way to get great fuel economy with none of the normal sacrifices. This isn’t just a great car for the young buyer or the enthusiast, this is a great car for just about anyone!

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Video: 2012 Toyota Yaris 3-Door Hatchback

Adam Moore — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:17:10 +0000

Go to – The 2012 Toyota Yaris 3-Door Hatch – for the Full Review.
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Video review of the 2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist

Adam Moore — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 22:20:01 +0000

Check out our video review of the 2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist.
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On YouTube HERE!

Buick, in the past few years has been making a big effort toward Lexus. With the LaCrosse, Buick has succeeded in making an entry level luxury car that is as nice inside as any Lexus we’ve driven and comes in a great looking package as well.

With a starting price of just under $30,000 dollars the LaCrosee is a great bargain. Our tester was a decked out Lacrosse with eAssist. This cars msrp ran up to just over $36,000 but is basically top of the line. That’s still not bad at all.

The engine is a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder. This is matched up with a 6-speed transmission but is also matched up with an electric engine. The lithium ion battery takes up a little truck space but it’s still sufficient for almost any occasion.

Unfortunately the power train that allows this LaCrosse to achieve the 36 mpg rating is also the worst part about driving the car. The engine lacks power, especially when compared to the likes of Lexus. The stop-start technology is nice and saves fuel but in traffic and in situations where you’re doing lots of stopping and going it becomes rough.

Full review of the 2012 Toyota Yaris 3-Door Hatch

Adam Moore — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 21:46:27 +0000

The 2012 Toyota Yaris 3-Door Hatch by txGarage

At txGarage, we try to focus our attention more toward enthusiasts and enthusiast cars. There’s always something to be said about a small hatch with a short wheelbase and a peppy engine, and as Jay Leno always says, “It’s more fun to drive a slow car fast.” We don’t see as many of the “hot hatches” in American dealerships when compared to the rest of the world, and even less in Texas, but that’s starting to change. We’ve reviewed some of the new hot hatches to hit our shores, including the Ford Fiesta, Chevrolet Sonic, Fiat 500, and many more.

The Yaris is one small hatch that’s been on sale here for a while now, and this isn’t our first experience in one. I’ve driven the 2010 Yaris sedan, and was extremely unimpressed. At the same time, I know many enthusiasts who sing the praises of the 3-door hatch. It seems that Toyota has caught on to the popularity of the hatch. For 2012, the Yaris can only be had in a 5-door or 3-door hatch; the sedan is no longer offered. So now that we have our hands on this 2012 Yaris 3-door hatch, what do we think?

Let’s start with the exterior. As far as Toyota and the Yaris go, it’s not a bad design at all. You can see the new Toyota front end taking shape and it looks like a leaner, sleeker design over the previous generation. When you compare it to the styling of other small hatchbacks on sale now, it’s a little bit of a different story. The Yaris compared to the likes of Hyundai, Chevrolet, or Ford now looks a bit dull.

Inside is a great improvement over the previous generation Yaris. The instruments have been moved into their proper location in front of the steering wheel instead of the middle of the dash. It’s all cheap plastic, but this is a pretty inexpensive car. The interior reminds me more of a Scion than a Toyota though. The stereo is inserted in just a way that replacing it for a better one would be easy. There is decent room inside this 3-door hatch. Driving position is comfortable. In the rear seat, there is a lack of legroom but you could squeeze two adults back there if you had to do so. Open the hatch and you get plenty of room for groceries and day-to-day items. If you need more room, the back seats do fold down.

The biggest problem we found is the cheapness of the car. It might be expected when you’re spending your money on such an inexpensive car, but our tester had just over 4,000 miles and already developed an annoying rattle from the dash. Road and wind noise are pretty harsh as well. It could be excused, but there are so many other options on the market now. They might be more money, but could be worth it if you’re into a quieter ride and better build quality and materials.

So what happens when you’re ready to drive enthusiastically? Our tester was an LE trimmed Yaris. This gave us a 4-speed automatic transmission mounted to our 1.5-liter engine. We also had to settle for the 15-inch wheels. You could turn off the traction control, but as soon as you travel over about 25 mph it would re-engage automatically. There is still something to be said about having a short wheelbase and low weight, though. You could definitely have some fun when throwing it around corners.

If you’re really into the sporty ride, you’ll want to opt for the SE trim. This gives you a 5-speed manual and bigger, wider 16-inch wheels. It’s suspension is also tuned more toward sportiness, so cornering and wheel screeching should be much better in this trim.

The powertrain is the same basic setup as in the previous models. This puzzled me as, like I said earlier, we had a 4-speed transmission. Most of the Yaris’ competitors are now being sold with 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions. If the Yaris was equipped with such a transmission, this car could easily hit the 40-mpg range. Unfortunately, you have to make do averaging around 32 mpg.

So would I buy one? No, but if I was a high school or college student I wouldn’t be embarrassed rolling in one. This car is made to be cheap to buy and cheap to maintain and it can be pretty fun when you really want it to be. Step up a little in price though and you can get cars with better design, better fuel economy, and much more fun. I’d definitely look at the Fiesta, Sonic, and Accent before pulling the trigger on a Yaris.

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Video: The 2012 Chevrolet Traverse

Adam Moore — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:37:24 +0000

Reviewed by Adam Moore
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Full Review of the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze by txGarge

Adam Moore — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:00:42 +0000

The 2012 Chevrolet Cruze 2LT reviewed by txGarage

We’ve been looking to get into the Chevrolet Cruze for a full week review for a while now. We’ve actually driven a few different models of the Cruze at some events, but have never had the time to really check out the details. Well, we finally got our hands on one, so what’d we think?

The last two times I was behind the wheel of a Cruze, one was a base and one was an eco model. Both had cloth seats and a lackluster performance. Our tester was a 2012 Cruze 2LT. This afforded us leather seats, navigation, 17” alloy wheels, remote start, and a 1.4 liter turbocharged engine matched up to a 6-speed automatic transmission. This decked out Cruze has a window-sticker of just under $24k (23,980) and is spec’d out the exact way I’d want one if I was dropping the money. But would I drop my own money for this car? Let’s get more into the driving, looks, and feel and find out.

Driving:

You can have the Cruze in a few different engine choices. You can have a 1.8 liter 4-cylinder engine with a 6-speed manual transmission. This combination will be good for 138 horsepower and 125 ft-lbs of torque. If you opt for the 1.8, you’ll be looking at fuel economy numbers around 26 mpg city and 36 mpg highway. As I said earlier, we had the 1.4 liter turbocharged engine, the same as the Sonic we reviewed last week, that pushes out the same horsepower (138 hp) but ups the torque to 148 ft-lbs. This car is said to get 24 city and 36 highway miles and we easily averaged in the lower 30’s during our week with the car. If you are looking at the Eco model, you get the 1.4 liter engine with a 6-speed manual transmission that should be good for 28 mpg city and a whopping 42 mpg highway.

The extra torque from the small turbocharged engine helped push the small Chevy Sonic out of the corners well, but how did it fair in this heavier family sedan?

Well the power just wasn’t there to make this car feel real sporty or responsive. If you’re going for a fun and sporty ride, you might want to keep the Sonic on your test-drive list. Although it wasn’t as sporty, it was still enough power for trolling around town and merging onto highways. Also, because this is a European car, the handling and steering feel were “bang on”.

Looks:

If you pay attention to the European car market, this look might already be growing old as the Cruze was being sold overseas there a full year before it hit American showroom floors. If you’re seeing one for the first time, it’s intently recognizable as a Chevrolet with it’s big two tier front grille. The headlights and lines down the side give it a swooping and sporty look and the 17” alloys we had continued that theme well.

Unlike the Sonic, the Cruze doesn’t really have any radical styling. It’s more of a basic style that looks good but won’t really put anyone off either. The looks outside and the ride were not really the party piece of this ride though. In our tester, the real surprise is the interior. The leather seats and quality material used is very European like. The interior isn’t just good for its segment, it was even better than some Cadillacs I’ve driven and it’s what stood out to everyone that got into this car.

Feel:

Comparing this car to it’s predecessor, the Cobalt, just isn’t fair. Just like the Sonic we drove last week, it’s not just better than the car that came before, it’s a giant step forward for Chevrolet. You can actually buy a smaller family sedan without sacrificing quality and comfort. Compare that to the competition and there is really only one car that can compete. This Cruze sets it’s sites on the likes of the Honda Civic, the Toyota Corolla, the Ford Focus, and the Hyundai Elantra.

I can tell you right now that the interior quality of the Cruze outshines that of the Civic and Corolla easily. It is also a much more enjoyable drive than either while costing less than an equivalent Civic. The Corolla is a little cheaper than the Cruze, but can’t stack up to the options you get. Also, the Corolla only has one engine option, a 1.8, and comes with a 4-speed automatic.

The Elantra is a nice car that has improved in quality over the years. I like the exterior design and what Hyundai is doing with their products. The interior quality is very good as well, but it doesn’t quite hold up to what we got in the Cruze.

The biggest competition for the Cruze is now the Ford Focus. We really like the Focus we reviewed last year, and it was also an all around good car. The interior is nice and put together well, the looks are great, it’s priced well, and it gets good fuel economy. Choosing between these two really comes down to what you personally think looks better. The Focus is probably the better to drive enthusiastically, but the Cruze isn’t bad.

Overall, we’ve been real impressed with the Cruze after our week long test. We’re impressed with the car, but also the attention that GM is giving it’s lineup. The only thing we really see lacking is a real sporty model. In Europe, they race the Cruze in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). I think GM would do good to make an RS model with a powerful 2.0 liter engine that’s not focused on fuel economy. Then enter that car into some racing series within the U.S.; maybe Grand-Am racing against the likes of the Mazda 3, Honda Civic, and Volkswagen Golf.

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Sonic the Turbo – Review of the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic 1LT TURBO

Adam Moore — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:53:26 +0000

2012 Chevrolet Sonic turbo - reviewed by txGarage

First and foremost, let’s do some house cleaning. The Sonic is a replacement for the Chevrolet Aveo. Don’t look on this site for an Aveo review, because there isn’t one. I have driven a few versions of the Aveo. Back when running a small local dealership in Dallas we would stumble across an Aveo or two. This was always a tough sell as there was nothing particularly good about these cars, except maybe it’s price. I could never recommend it to anyone; not as a teenager’s first car or a cheap family car. There were just too many other products you could get that were much better.

Now we have the Sonic and GM says that it’s not really replacing the Aveo because it’s a whole new car. You see the Aveo was a car built by Daewoo and badged in the U.S. as a Chevrolet. The Sonic on the other hand is all Chevy and assembled in Michigan. So did Chevy do it right this time? Can I finally recommend a Chevrolet, compact hatchback, to friends and readers?

Let’s start with the looks. The Sonic’s design was given high priority. With manufactures like Ford and Hyundai making not just good products but great designed compact cars, GM couldn’t afford getting it wrong. They haven’t disappointed either. The design is supposed to inspire sportiness and it’s said to be taken direction from motorcycles. I’ll have to say I really like the headlight and front fascia design. Looking from the side you can tell the car leans aggressively forward. This is no mistake as it’s given two character lines running from wheel to wheel showing off it’s aggressive stance.

Step inside and you’ll notice that this is a budget car. Unlike the Hyundai Veloster that offers a big touchscreen with navigation on even it’s base model, the Sonic doesn’t even offer one on it’s top-of-the-line LTZ trim. No matter though, what you really want to be looking at is the gauge cluster. This is more styling taking from “sport-bikes” with a large tachometer showing your 6500 rpm redline. Beside the large tachometer is every other output displayed onto a LCD display.

The rest of the interior is designed well and you don’t automatically notice its cheapness. There are a lot of plastics used but GM did a good job of breaking up the interior and keeping the driver focused on driving. In our tester we had cloth seats that were comfortable and supportive. There were a few times that I longed for leather/heated seats but after seeing the leather seats in the LTZ trim, I’ll stick with the cloth on this car.

The Sonic comes with two different engine options. You can get a 1.8 liter 4 cylinder that pushes 138 horsepower matched up with either a 6-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual transmission. You can also get a 1.4 liter 4 cylinder turbocharged engine with the same 138 horsepower but torque is bumped from 125 lb-ft to 148. This engine can be matched to a 6-speed auto or a 6-speed manual. Our tester was equipped with the 1.4 turbo and a 6-speed manual, so we’re expecting some fun driving!

Ride:

Driving a car with a turbocharged, small displacement engine is a lot different than what I’m used to. Living in Texas our sports cars are equipped with big V8’s or V6’s with lots of low down power. The Sonic’s 1.4 turbo doesn’t have that kind of lowdown power on tap. Cruising down the highway in 6th gear at 70 mph is smooth and fine, but what if someone pulls out in front of you and you need to slow down a little. Slow from 70 to 55 mph and then put the peddle to the floor and you get nothing. No power. Drop a gear to 5th and you get the same result, now people behind you are getting frustrated. Drop it another gear and finally that turbo is spoiling and you can use that 138 hp. It’s the same story around town. Corners I’d normally take in 3rd gear in my car require 2nd in the Sonic.

You might be thinking that this is a slow and un-fun car to drive then. Well you’d be wrong. You just need to adjust your driving style to get the most power of the small engine. Keep the rpm’s above 2500 or 3000 and you’re good. Keep them at the top of 5000 rpm and you’re having a blast! I know 138 horsepower isn’t that much but the suspension and the chassis are tuned for cornering. You can toss this car into corners at speed and you don’t get wobbling body roll. You get decent grip and balanced, level cornering. The steering has good feel as well so it’s easy to predict the amount of lock needed to attack a corner. This would be a great weekend time-attack car.

Economy:

This is a small hatchback and many will buy it not just for the price or utility but also for its economy. Our tester with the 1.4 turbo engine and 6-speed manual transmission is ratted at 40 mpg highway and 29 mpg in the city. Overall, with our fun spirited driving style, we averaged 32.8 mpg.

The Sonic is light and small but feels more spacious inside. I can easily get out of the driver seat and sit in the back without having to adjust the seat and I’m 6’ 1”. The hatch has decent space too and it helps that the seats fold down. The biggest thing that bothered me was the size of the fuel tank. Although you get great fuel economy the tank is so small you’ll be filling up ever few days if you drive a decent amount a day.

Comparison:

So the Sonic is giant leap above the outgoing Aveo and that’s great for GM, but how does it stack up to all the great compact hatches in the American market today? We really like the new Ford Fiesta and the hot new Hyundai Veloster. Not just that but the Mazda 2, Suzuki SX4, Honda Fit, Kia Rio, and Hyundai Accent are all decent cars.

I think the Sonic can be thrown right up there with in the top 3. It’s got good looks, a good engine, and it’s great to drive. This could easily be a weekend time-attack car and still produce good economy on day-to-day runs. My only slight reservation is on the price. When you’re comparing it to the likes of the Fiesta and the Veloster it’s priced similarly, but offers a little less as far as standard equipment. When you start looking at some of the others though, like the Mazda 2, you can find an economical and fun car for a lot cheaper.

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Video: 2011 Bullrun Live with a Texas Car Enthusiast

Adam Moore — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:34:37 +0000

Team Hall n' Nass on the Bullrun Rally 2011

Berry Lowman – a good friend and fellow Texas car enthusiast – with Team Hall n’ Nass and Motorama Live had the opportunity to join in the Bullrun Rally last year and he got some pretty good video of some of the craziness that goes on.

Check out the video below and make sure to follow this guy:
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Team Hall n’ Nass
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Video: Jan 2012 txGarage Preview

Adam Moore — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:33:48 +0000

It’s a new year and here at txGarage we’ve got a new look, a new logo, lots of new reviews coming your way and a new website!

-We are all real executed for all the changes and updates and it’s thanks to the support of all of you guys who watch our videos and read our reviews.

-We’re already kicking off the year well and this month we’ll be bringing you reviews of the 2012 chevy Sonic Turbo and the 2012 Chevy Cruze. Plus we’ll be heading to Houston for the firs big auto show in Texas for 2012. We’ll be tweeting and updating our social pages so make sure to follow us on twitter @txgarage and like us on Facebook. We’re even on Google+.

-Also please subscribe to us on YouTube! We’re looking to post up lots of cool videos this year and the more subscribers we get, the better!

Video: JG’s Garage – Dallas, Texas

Adam Moore — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:59:43 +0000

JG's Garage Dallas, Texas

Our friend and local Texas automotive blogger at reflectionsofthedrive.com posted up a great little video of JG’s Garage in Dallas, Texas.

Check out the video below and make sure to check out Reflections of the Drive!

This is my very first (small) effort for video with an SLR…well, SLT actually. This was shot with a Sony A77. The video was kind of an afterthought, and this came from 3 clips I filmed along with a few still photos.

Thanks to JG for opening his home for us to hang out and enjoy some pizza, beer, and all things Porsche.