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dipulb3 · 4 years

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2021 Mazda CX-5 review: Fun at the forefront

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2021 Mazda CX-5 review: Fun at the forefront

Even though you’ll be having fun behind the wheel, the CX-5’s styling ensures you remain under the radar.

Andrew Krok/Roadshow

Sometimes, making a change means losing sight of what you used to hold dear. Thankfully, that’s not the case for the 2021 Mazda CX-5. While the Japanese automaker has injected its latest vehicles with affordable doses of luxury-level trimmings, the company hasn’t lost sight of the fun-to-drive nature that brought people into its showrooms in years past. If anything, it only makes this compact crossover more compelling.

Fun to drive

Properly fancy interior

Affordable

Don’t Like

Light on cargo space

Middling MPGs

Lack of touchscreen isn’t for everyone

Fashion forward

Devoid of harsh angles and eye-grabbing garishness, I appreciate the CX-5’s clean body lines, with only a hint of aggression on the hood giving way to subdued curves on the sides. It’s a little anonymous, sure, but I think it’s interesting in the compact crossover segment; competitors like the Toyota RAV4 and Nissan Rogue are content to go hard in the paint with unique styling but a general glossing-over of driving dynamics, whereas Mazda’s taking the opposite approach.

The best parts of the CX-5’s design are inside. This cabin is one of my favorites in the segment; just like the exterior, Mazda chooses to prioritize cleanliness over whiz-bang, look-at-me styling. Combine that with a whole lot of impressively soft leather on my Signature-trim tester, and you have an interior that borders on bona-fide luxury — and for less than the average new-car transaction price. The front seats are spacious and supportive without being tight, and while the rear seats may be a little cramped for folks over 6 feet tall, there’s still a decent amount of space back there.

Storage is a bit of a mixed bag, though. The CX-5’s cabin itself has a sufficient number of places to store one’s junk, whether it’s the phone-or-mask-sized tray under the climate controls or the deep center armrest cubby with its removable shelf. However, cargo area suffers compared to the competition; at 30.9 cubic feet behind the second-row seats, the CX-5 falls far behind the Honda CR-V (about 38 cubic feet), Toyota RAV4 (about 37) and Nissan Rogue (about 36). You’ll have to either get creative with your trip packing or figure out which child gets left at home.

Rewarding on the road

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 comes with one of two engines. Lower trims get a 2.5-liter, naturally aspirated I4 that produces 187 horsepower, but the top-tier Signature example before me picks up some major hustle with a 2.5-liter turbocharged I4 that bumps output to a meaty 250 hp and 320 pound-feet of torque. (Those numbers are for premium fuel; using the cheap stuff drops those specs to 227 and 310, respectively.) Whether I’m using the torque to swiftly move between stoplights around town or wringing the four-pot out at higher revs to pass cars on the highway, at no point am I left wanting for more motive force. Both engines use a six-speed automatic that might feel a little behind the times on gear count, but in practice it’s a smooth-shifting transmission that will never command attention.

Throwing some fun characteristics into a mass-market vehicle’s driving dynamics sometimes requires a trade-off in daily livability, but not here. The 2021 CX-5’s static dampers do an impressive balancing act, soaking up a majority of gross roads and returning little in the way of jostling or uncomfortable movement. Yet, at the same time, entering a corner faster than my passengers might prefer doesn’t result in a floaty or discombobulated feeling. The steering is direct but not so tight that small movements feel like bigger ones, and both pedals are dead simple to modulate for smoothness. Like its styling, I think the way the CX-5 drives will appeal to a broad swath of the buying public.

Oh, don’t worry, there’s a downside tucked away in here. Sadly, it’s fuel economy. With all-wheel drive and the peppier engine option, the 2021 CX-5 is EPA-rated at just 22 miles per gallon city and 27 mpg highway. I was able to best those figures by a couple, mind you, but the feds’ estimates are bleak in the face of Mazda’s competitors. For context, a similarly equipped Honda CR-V is rated at 27 mpg city and 32 mpg highway, with the RAV4 pulling ahead of the Honda by 1 mpg highway. Then again, that’s the price you pay for having 310 lb-ft of torque, which the other cars mentioned here definitely do not.

The CX-5’s interior gives a few “premium” automakers a run for their money.

Andrew Krok/Roadshow

Slick standard tech

While many of Mazda’s competitors are content to give you a little baby screen unless you throw down more money for a higher trim or an options package, the 2021 CX-5 gives every single buyer a 10.3-inch infotainment display mounted high on the dashboard, which runs the sleekest, newest version of the Mazda Connect software. Like the rest of the interior, this screen looks pretty darn fancy, with a standard dark-mode motif that is light on distracting eye candy. It’s responsive, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now both standard, but buyers used to touchscreens may not enjoy the fact that the sole methods of manipulation are a rotary dial on the center console and voice commands through a steering wheel button. When it comes time to charge, there are two USB ports for each row, although the base CX-5 Sport only makes do with plugs up front.

That’s not the only screen tucked away in the CX-5, though. Grand Touring and higher trims also receive a 7-inch LCD in the gauge cluster that comprises the speedometer and can show a bit of extra information on either side; it’s a little light on features, but it gets the job done without overwhelming the driver. There’s also a head-up display on Grand Touring Reserve and Signature variants, which projects pertinent information on the windshield rather than the dinky pop-up plastic that Mazda used to rely on.

Like most every other automaker, Mazda’s thrown in a number of active and passive safety systems regardless of trim. Every 2021 CX-5 gets automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and blind-spot monitoring. The tip-top Signature model adds to that with a surround-view monitor, traffic sign recognition and reverse automatic emergency braking.

In addition to the usual pages for audio and navigation, you can track your fuel economy… although given its efficiency, perhaps you don’t want to do that.

Andrew Krok/Roadshow

Down to brass tacks

The 2021 Mazda CX-5 is affordable, with the Sport FWD model starting at $26,370, including $1,100 for destination. AWD is a $1,400 option for any trim except Grand Touring Reserve and Signature, where it’s standard. Pricing tops out with my tester’s Signature trim, which will set you back $38,505 — a fair chunk of change, yes, but still within the realm of affordability.

That puts the CX-5 in line with the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Nissan Rogue, all of which are viable competitors. However, the CX-5’s biggest rivals are pretty milquetoast, offering little in the way of an interesting drive. The Mazda might be a little low on cargo space compared to the rest, but the tradeoff is a compact crossover that’s engineered with more than rote transportation in mind.

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perfectirishgifts · 4 years

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2021 Ford Bronco Sport: On Time And On Target As A Capable Off Roader

New Post has been published on https://perfectirishgifts.com/2021-ford-bronco-sport-on-time-and-on-target-as-a-capable-off-roader/

2021 Ford Bronco Sport: On Time And On Target As A Capable Off Roader

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport includes classic Bronco styling cues

The all-new 2021 Ford Bronco was just delayed 3 months, meaning we won’t see it in showrooms before summer of 2021. But the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport pictured here is arriving right on schedule, which means you can buy one. Right now. They’re arriving at dealers as you read this, and my recent experience with the Bronco Sport suggests it not only lives up to Ford’s iconic nameplate, it may be the better option for many buyers.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport is offered in five versions with varying level of premium features

Remember, the upcoming Ford Bronco rides on a traditional body-on-frame platform, which means it’s both stronger and less sophisticated than the unibody platform under the Bronco Sport (and almost every other modern SUV). Enthusiasts will read that sentence as, “Yeah, that’s why the Bronco Sport is inferior — it’s not as durable or capable as the ‘real’ Bronco.” It’s an easy mindset to fall into, especially if you haven’t driven either of them. But I have driven the Bronco Sport, and I can confirm it’s capabilities in demanding off-road circumstances as well as its uncompromised refinement on pavement.

The Bronco Sport has substantial off-road capability

As an off-road enthusiast you may have convinced yourself you need the “real” Bronco’s capabilities, but as a consumer grounded in reality, with real-world daily transportation needs between adventures, the Bronco Sport’s balance of on- and off-road capabilities might be the better option.

The Bronco Sport can be ordered with a fold-out table in the cargo area

Let’s start with the Bronco Sports’ design language, which includes trademark Bronco styling cues like short front and rear overhangs, an upright grille and round headlights. Ford reps told us they basically created a four-door Bronco with a smaller footprint, and when you consider the Bronco Sport’s potential 30-degree approach angle, 33-degree departure angle, and a 20-degree break over angle (depending on trim level and options) it’s fair to say Ford succeeded. These figures are bolstered by standard four-wheel drive on every Bronco Sport, along with a standard roof rack, cargo area tie downs, adjustable liftgate flood lights and a bottle opener in the rear hatch.

Over factory accessories are already available for the Bronco Sport

Ford’s design team emphasized that every Bronco Sport sketch during the development process included outdoor gear scattered around the SUV’s interior and exterior. This approach led to a cargo management system engineered for carrying everything from mountain bikes to climbing gear to canoes and, of course, dogs. The Bronco Sport comes to market with more than 100 factory accessories, and you can be sure the aftermarket will rapidly supplement that number.

A digital display in the gauge cluster offers a wide range of information in the Bronco Sport

Between its exterior design and interior features the Bronco Sport clearly positions itself as a capable adventure vehicle. These features are backed up by a standard 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine and an available 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. Those displacements may not sound large, but the 3 cylinder engine offers 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. Its turbocharged nature provides a surprising level of power and torque from a standstill and below 60 mph, though at higher speeds the engine can feel a bit winded. The 2.0-liter engine offers 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, with no power issues at any speed.

The G.O.A.T. drive dial offers either five or seven modes for various road surfaces

Both engines are connected to an 8-speed automatic, while Bronco Sports with the 2.0-liter include paddle shifters feature a more advanced 4×4 system. This system offers locking differentials and a transfer case that can send 100 percent of torque to either the front or rear axle. Both engine also offer multiple G.O.A.T. (Goes Over Any Terrain) driving modes, with 1.5-liter engines offering Normal, ECO, Sport, Slippery and Sand, with 2.0-liter drivetrains adding Mud/Ruts and Rock Crawl modes. These modes are set by a dash-mounted knob, coordinating the engine, transmission, braking and 4×4 system for maximum performance.

The Bronco Sport provides a roomy interior with luxury amenities available on higher trim versions

I tested out each of these modes as part of an on- and off-road driving route north of Los Angeles. On pavement, and at speeds up to 70 mph, the new Bronco Sport feels as civilized as any compact SUV, with confident steering, a comfortable ride and minimal wind or road noise. The interior design features straightforward controls and standard safety tech like lane-keeping assist, auto high beams and blind-spot warnings. As an alternative to established models like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, the Bronco Sport offers a comparable level of performance and refinement. For daily commuter or urban runabout duty it will serve drivers well.

With 8-inches of suspension travel the Bronco Sport climbed over extreme off-road obstacles

Once off pavement the Bronco Sport’s full spectrum of capabilities was quickly apparent. Up to 8 inches of suspension travel and 23 inches of water fording, along with its aggressive approach, departure and breakover angles were put to the test over rock-strewn roads, steep inclines and deep ruts. Both the 1.5- and 2.0-liter engines never faltered in terms of power or torque, and with the G.O.A.T. mode set to either Sand (for 1.5-liter models) or Mud/Ruts (on 2.0-liters) the 4×4 system actively (and confidently) managed traction for each wheel. This included driving “black” level routs, the most difficult trails available in the off-road park where we tested the Bronco Sport.

If you’re wondering whether the new Bronco Sport lives up to its Bronco heritage, stop wondering. it does.

Leather bucket seats are among the premium features offered on the Bronco Sport

How Much Does the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport Cost?

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport is offered in five versions. The Base model starts at $26,660 with the 1.5-liter engine, 4×4 drivetrain, 17-inch steel wheels and Ford’s Co-Pilot360 safety system (automatic emergency braking, blind spot information, lane keeping assist and auto high beams), plus Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system with an 8-inch display screen. Big Bend is the next step up, starting at $28,160 and adding easy-to-clean cloth bucket seats, automatic climate control, LED fog lights, 17-inch aluminum wheels and SecuriCode Keyless-Entry Pad (so you can leave your keys in the car during adventures).

Fold the rear seats down and the Bronco Sport can carry two mountain bikes

The Bronco Sport in Outer Banks form costs $32,160 and includes leather seats, power front seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, remote start, a shadow black roof panel, and a heated steering wheel with audio and cruise control buttons. The Badlands version of Bronco Sport includes the 2.0-liter engine, more advanced 4×4 system with two additional G.O.A.T driving modes, metal skip plates, full off-road suspension (8 inches of travel), 17-inch off-road tires and front tow hooks. Finally, a limited run of 2,000 First Edition Bronco Sports combined the capability of Badlands with the premium features of Outer Banks, including a power moonroof, with a starting price of $38,160.

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larrymccarty · 5 years

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2021 Honda CR-V Visiting Price, Specs, Release Date, Redesign

2021 Honda CR-V Visiting Price, Specs, Release Date, Redesign – The Honda CRV can be yet another SUV by the Japanese car producer, manufactured in the earlier 1995 with the manufacturing of sedan varieties regarding the Honda Civic. That CR-V is Honda’s key assortment electric powered car, seeking its situation in between the smaller sized HR-V and the greater Aviator.

This new Honda CR-V variety…

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perksofwifi · 4 years

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2021 Nissan Rogue First Look: Going Rogue Gets Safer, Swankier

The Rogue is Nissan’s best-selling vehicle, ranking No. 3 on the sales charts in the white-hot compact SUV segment behind the new-for-2019 Toyota RAV4 and (new-for-2017) Honda CR-V. That’s an amazingly strong showing given that the current Rogue came out in 2013, is less powerful, and has a smaller back seat than nearly all its competitors. For 2021, Nissan is finally poised to right those wrongs and attempt a sales surge.

The third-gen Rogue is based on a significantly revamped version of the current CMF-C/D architecture that now shares some basics with the new Sentra, less with the Altima. It’s cloaked in adventurous styling that was previewed by the X-Motion concept from the 2018 Detroit auto show.

Hallmarks of the design include the “floating” roof (now available in contrasting black), a double V-Motion grille that sweeps up to meet a higher and brawnier-looking hood. In a refreshing change from the norm for most SUVs, it does not get larger—in fact the bumpers are 1.7 inches closer together on a 0.1-inch-shorter wheelbase, and the roof lowers 2.1 inches.

According to Nissan product planning veep Jared Haslam, the team’s overarching aim was to make the Rogue more aspirational to Gen Y families: “These families are really focused on safety. With young kids and a family, it’s not just about the driver anymore. It’s about enhancing the experience in the second row for the kids.”

Less focus on the driver may help explain the very modest engine output bump from 170 hp and 175 lb-ft to 181 of each, just about nailing the average for the class. The engine is, however, 95 percent revised. The CVT essentially is a carryover.

Some chassis modifications may incidentally please drivers. These include replacing four rubber-isolated mounts for the powertrain/suspension cradle with six rigid ones and then rigidly mounting the steering rack to that. This change, along with quickening the steering ratio, promises to greatly improve overall responsiveness. And by switching to more sophisticated hydraulic powertrain mounts, we’re assured that vibration and harshness won’t suffer. New Tokico twin-tube shocks utilize two pistons, one to provide high damping rates to low-frequency inputs (bumps, handling maneuvers) and another with low damping for high-frequency (washboard, rumble strips). The rear multilink suspension is revised from a simple semi-trailing arm and lateral link setup to more of a true multilink setup like that Pathfinder’s, and the base 16-inch steel wheels have been upgraded to much more aspirational 17-inch alloys.

To bolster the Rogue’s safety bona fides, standard equipment on all models now includes the Safety Shield 360 suite of assistance systems (rear automatic braking, lane departure warning, radar-based blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, high-beam assist, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection). In addition, there’s driver alertness monitoring, rear seat belt pretensioners and load limiters (a segment first), rear-door alert (to warn of something/someone left in the back seat), and 10 airbags (including front knee and rear side bags). An 11th airbag to separate the front seat occupants comes standard on top-trim Platinum models. The Rogue also adopts standard full LED front lighting in order to achieve a Good rating with the IIHS (a prerequisite for Top Safety Pick+ status).

A safety-related change to the body structure involves redirecting the crash load paths. Previously, the front frame rails used to head straight back to meet an underfloor cross-car beam well inboard from where the rear frame rails joined it. With the new “smarter crashing unibody,” the front rails curve outward to align with the rear rails. This also improves side impact crashworthiness and results in an increase in overall torsional rigidity of 27 percent.

The 2021 Rogue should weigh in about 100 pounds lighter than a similarly equipped 2020 model. Half of this savings comes from changes to the body-in-white structure, including expanded use of aluminum for the hood and all four doors and increased use of high-strength steel (from 19 to 35 percent). A resin composite tailgate assembly helps shave more pounds. Enhancements to make kiddos aspire to sitting in the rear seat include proximity key unlocking of rear doors (instead of just the fronts) and doors that open to an impressive 85 degrees. (We’ve dinged the RAV4 for its narrow rear door openings.) Once inside, space camp–bound young’uns will appreciate the “zero gravity” low-fatigue spinal support seat design that used to be reserved for front occupants only. Child-seat LATCH attachment hardware is now provided at all three rear seating positions so that two adults or older kids can flank a child seat. SL and Platinum trims get pull-up sunshades on the side windows, seat heaters, and a segment-exclusive third climate-control zone.

Despite the shorter wheelbase, the Rogue is roomier in back, with a notable 0.6-inch legroom improvement and an extra 0.7 inch of head room. Gone is the second row sliding-seat function, unnecessary now that the Rogue no longer offers a third seating row.

Some of that rear-seat spaciousness comes at a cost to cargo room, which drops from 39.3 to 36.5 cubic feet. But the space available with the rear seats folded expands from 70.0 to 74.1 cubes, and the rear hatch opening is larger and more square than before, measuring 45.6 by 31.2 inches. The Divide-N-Hide floor panel system has been rejiggered to eliminate the upper shelf position (few used it, and its supports consumed cargo area width); now the panels mount flush with the bumper lift-over, they come out or rest on the subfloor, and the rear one can mount vertically to divide the area.

Plenty of effort went into making moms and dads aspire to sitting in the front row as much as kiddos dig the second row. The base infotainment screen expands from 7.0 to 8.0 inches—still with standard CarPlay and Android Auto—while a higher-resolution 9.0-inch screen brings built-in navigation to the SL Premium package and the Platinum trim.

Similarly, the driver info screen in the instrument cluster jumps from 5.0 to 7.0 inches, and a 12.3-inch diagonal fully digital cockpit serves Platinum models along with a 10.8-inch color head-up display. An electronic shifter frees up lighted storage space between the front footwells, and twin center-opening lids on the main console makes it easier for both rows to access the bounty stored within or to share the twin USB-A and USB-C ports inside.

Of course, aspirational Gen Yers with sufficient scratch to swing the new top-trim Rogue Platinum will be treated to sybaritic pleasures unmatched in CR-V Touring or RAV4 Limited models—including semi-aniline leather complete with fancy diamond quilting and perforation patterns and an exclusive tan color option, ProPilot Assist with Navi-Link, and wireless Apple CarPlay. There’s also Qi wireless device charging, a 10-speaker Bose premium audio system, ambient lighting, and more.

One step down, the SL grade still gets 19-inch wheels, leather seats, a pano roof, a hands-free liftgate, and power seat and steering wheel memory with the option of adding the Platinum’s cruise and audio. Buyers at the SV level get 18-inch wheels, a more basic version of ProPilot Assist, and a Premium option to grab some of the SL trim goodies. Ten colors are offered, five of which can be two-toned with a black roof.

Fuel economy may not seem that important given today’s gas prices, but Nissan went to great lengths to increase EPA ratings by a couple miles per gallon. All Rogues get underbody covers, active grille shutters, air curtain inlets by the foglamps that encourage smooth air flow over the spinning front wheels, deflectors to route air flowing under the bumper around the front tires, and drag-reducing features at the rear—including the taillamp shape and spoilers at the top and side of the rear window.

These improvements work in concert with the nearly 100-pound weight reduction, efficiency improvements of the PR25DD engine, and slightly taller axle ratio (5.69:1 versus 6.39:1 previously) to improve EPA city/highway/combined fuel economy slightly, from 26/33/29 mpg for front-drivers and 25/32/27 mpg with all-wheel drive to 26–27/34–35/29–30 and 25–26/32–33/28–29 (the lowest-spec S models achieve the higher number in all these ranges).

For now, Nissan is ceding the aggressive off-roader market to the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk and Toyota RAV4 Adventure. Likewise, it’s leaving the hybrid business to Honda and Toyota. But if sales prove strong enough, Nissan’s hybrid system will package easily. Speaking of powertrains that fit, Nissan could trump the market with a track-rat 268-hp, 280-lb-ft 2.0-liter VC-Turbo-powered Rogue NISMO. But don’t hold your breath. Creating such a vehicle would violate this Rogue’s “families-first, drivers-second” design brief.

New PR25DD Engine

Although this 2.5-liter engine was also new for the 2019 Altima, we were so distracted by the upmarket 2.0-liter VC-Turbo mill replacing that car’s V-6 that we neglected the base engine’s cool new features. These include a global first: thermally insulated resin intake ports, which are inserted into the cast intake runner, leaving an air gap to the cylinder head material. This helps keep the intake charge cooler, improving anti-knock performance.

The intake and exhaust cams trade places, and the exhaust manifold is integrated into the back side (as mounted in the vehicle) of the cylinder head. There’s a variable-displacement oil pump, and the Mirror Bore manufacturing process used on the GT-R and some NISMO engines is applied here. An electrically charged wire sprays molten iron onto the cylinder walls to a depth of approximately 0.2mm thick, and this surface is then honed with a diamond-encrusted bit to achieve an ultra-low-friction surface.

Tuned for a broader torque curve, the Rogue’s engine makes 181 hp and 181 lb-ft with front or all-wheel drive; the Altima application makes 188 hp and 180 lb-ft with front-drive or 182 hp and 178 lb-ft with all-wheel drive.

Rogue gets the latest ProPilot Assist

Nissan’s smartest cruise control system takes another step forward in the Rogue application by integrating with the built-in door-to-door navigation system. It leverages navigation database information about speed limits and curve radii to provide automatic speed-limit adherence (no offset can be set at this time), to reduce speed automatically in sharper curves. When a rise or drop in the speed limit is detected, it notifies and offers the driver the option of adjusting to the new posted speed.

It also will understand when you are transitioning to an exit ramp, in which case, instead of seeing no car ahead and attempting to resume a set highway speed, the system will target a 35-mph or lower speed, determined by the curvature of the off-ramp as gleaned from the navigation. The time it will wait to resume driving in stop-and-go traffic rises from 3 seconds to 30, after which the driver still must touch the accelerator or “resume” button.

The system gets a longer-range radar and wider-field-of-view camera, to better predict and thus smooth braking events. It also can detect and adjust for people cutting into your lane more smoothly. And the lane-following steering assist tuning is improved for better on-center feel.

Optimizing Aero for 1-2 Extra MPG

2021 Nissan Rogue PRICE $26,500-$37,000 (est) LAYOUT Front-engine, FWD/AWD, 4-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 2.5L/181-hp/181-lb-ft DOHC 16-valve I-4 TRANSMISSION Cont variable automatic CURB WEIGHT 3,350-3,650 lb (est) WHEELBASE 106.4 in L x W x H 182.8 x 72.4 x 65.9-66.4 in 0-60 MPH 7.5-8.7 sec (MT est) EPA FUEL ECON 26-27/33-34/29-30 mpg (est) ENERGY CONSUMPTION, CITY/HWY 125-130/99-102 kW-hrs/100 miles (est) CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.65-0.67 lb/mile (est) ON SALE Fall 2020

The post 2021 Nissan Rogue First Look: Going Rogue Gets Safer, Swankier appeared first on MotorTrend.

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/nissan/rogue/2021/2021-nissan-rogue-first-look/ visto antes em https://www.motortrend.com

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dipulb3 · 4 years

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2021 Nissan Rogue review: Playing it down the middle

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/2021-nissan-rogue-review-playing-it-down-the-middle/

2021 Nissan Rogue review: Playing it down the middle

The Rogue is currently Nissan’s best-selling vehicle by a long shot, and consumer demand for compact crossovers shows no sign of slowing down. Needless to say, the “don’t screw it up” factor is pretty high with the redesigned 2021 Rogue, which rolls into dealerships later this year.

Quiet, comfortable cabin

Decent fuel economy

Available digital gauge cluster

Enhanced ProPilot driver-assistance tech

Don’t Like

Weak engine performance

Styling isn’t for everyone

Best tech features are only available on the most expensive trim

Smartly, Nissan opted to take a conservative approach to the Rogue’s redux, though you might not think so upon first glance. The boldly styled front end certainly isn’t for everyone — I’m not a fan, personally — but it’s at least expressive, which isn’t something I could say about prior Rogues. The rest of the crossover’s appearance is unsurprisingly conventional, although new two-tone color options are available to give that upright, two-box shape added visual interest. All told, the 2021 Rogue is about an inch shorter in both length and height than its predecessor.

Inside, 2021 Rogue loses half an inch of headroom and 1.5 inches of legroom up front. Rear-seat occupants, on the other hand, enjoy slightly more headroom and legroom than before — 0.7 and 0.6 inches, respectively. A third row of seats isn’t available, and while that might seem like a given considering the Rogue’s small size, keep in mind that Nissan offered a holy-crap-that’s-cramped option from 2014 to 2017. Trust me, the Rogue is better off without it.

The SUV’s back doors now open to a full 90-degree aperture, which makes getting in and out easier and gives you more space when finagling car seats or other bulky items. A similar bit of helpfulness is found in the cargo area, where there’s an adjustable divider in the two-tier load floor. Only available on SL and Platinum grades, this two-piece partition gives you a maximum of 36.5 cubic feet of storage space behind the second-row seats, while the Rogue S and SV make do with 31.6. Regardless of model, folding the back seats flat results in 74.1 cubic feet of room, which puts the Rogue ahead of the Toyota RAV4 (69.8) but behind the Honda CR-V (75.8).

Generally speaking, the Rogue’s interior is perfectly nice. Nissan’s comfy and supportive Zero Gravity seats are standard for both front and rear passengers, came wrapped in leather on my SL tester and is available with quilted, semi-aniline hides on the bougie Platinum. All of the plastics and wood appliqués are nicely grained and none of the vehicle controls feel cheap or flimsy. Well, mostly.

The new electronic gear selector is a particularly lousy part of an otherwise well-built cabin. It looks cheap and feels cheaper. On the other hand, no mechanical linkage to the transmission frees up space beneath the console for added storage, but considering how cavernous the compartment aft of the cup holders is, I don’t imagine needing that extra space all that often.

Most Rogues will roll out with an 8-inch color touchscreen display in the center of the dash, running the newest version of the NissanConnect infotainment system. A larger 9-inch high-definition screen is optional on the SL and standard on the Platinum, with the same NissanConnect software inside. This system isn’t my favorite, with its occasionally laggy response times, but the graphics are nevertheless colorful and crisp — on the HD display, at least — and it’s a step up from the Display Audio and Entune systems offered in the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, respectively.

If you want the mega-tech experience, go for a Rogue Platinum, which comes with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 10.8-inch head-up display, as well as a wireless charging pad. It kind of sucks that you have to spring for the most expensive Rogue — $36,525, including $1,095 for destination — to get these niceties, but so it goes. At least Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the board. What’s more, wireless CarPlay is optional on the SL and standard on the Platinum, and every Rogue save for the most basic S has an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot as well as four USB outlets (two A, two C).

The Rogue’s interior is clean and modern.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

A whole bunch of driver-assistance technologies come standard on every Rogue, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a driver alertness monitor, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning and automatic emergency braking. Nissan’s excellent ProPilot Assist joins the standard roster on SV trims and higher, combining adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist for easy-breezy highway commuting. A newly enhanced version of this tech, ProPilot Assist with Navi-Link, is optional on the SL and standard on the Platinum. It uses navigation data to adjust the Rogue’s speed for things like tight highway curves and busy intersections, and it can even keep the steering assist active on freeway exit ramps. The uplevel ProPilot software also includes speed-limit adaptation, which is something normally reserved for higher-end luxury cars.

Unfortunately, the rest of the Rogue’s driving experience isn’t so techy; you won’t find turbochargers or electric assistance under the hood. Buyers looking for more punch should check out a Mazda CX-5 with the 2.5-liter turbo, and if you’re all about fuel-sippin’, the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 can be had with hybrid powertrains. The Escape and RAV4 even offer plugin options.

The Rogue, meanwhile, uses a reworked version of Nissan’s long-standing 2.5-liter I4, making 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, increases of 11 hp and 6 lb-ft over the 2020 model. A continuously variable transmission is mandatory across the board, and buyers can choose between front- and all-wheel drive on every trim level.

The more upright shape results in increased rear-seat headroom.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

Nissan’s CVT is one of the better transmissions of this type, largely fading into the background without roughness or loud droning during acceleration. But the Rogue definitely isn’t quick, and it occasionally suffers on steep grades. Climbing California’s notorious Grapevine on the I-5 freeway at 75 mph requires a heavy right foot, especially since the 2.5 has a dearth of low-end torque. The experience would be worse with passengers and/or more cargo onboard, too. This is where the low-end torque from a turbocharger or added electrification can really help, but competitors generally also make you pay extra for their more-powerful engines. Nissan offered a Rogue Hybrid previously, so perhaps a more powerful engine option will come along in the future.

Fuel economy ratings of 27 miles per gallon city, 35 mpg highway and 30 mpg combined are on the better side of average for the compact crossover class. Opting for all-wheel drive reduces those figures by one to two mpg depending on trim level, but again, that’s not uncommon for small SUVs. After several days of testing in mixed conditions, my Rogue’s onboard computer shows 28.5 mpg.

The engine itself may be pretty mediocre, but overall, the Rogue drives with confidence and composure. The redesigned rack-mounted electronic power steering is a lot better than in old Rogues, with improved weight and more natural turn-in that doesn’t feel overboosted. Even so, as far as steering feel is concerned, the Rogue, like most other small SUVs, is as dead as your childhood dreams.

Of all the compact crossovers on sale today, the Nissan Rogue is definitely one of them.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

A new, stiffer frame gives the Rogue a solid on-road demeanor, and the suspension is nicely tuned to soak up the sort of rough pavement and occasional pothole you’ll experience in everyday driving. The base Rogue S rides on 17-inch wheels, but 18s and 19s, like the ones on my tester, are available. Brake feel is solid and easy to modulate, and if you hustle the Rogue through a corner you’ll find predictable amounts of body roll. But for the key missions of a Nissan Rogue — running errands, commuting to work, taking the kids to the lake — this vehicle is appropriately tuned.

Pricing for the 2021 Nissan Rogue starts at $26,745 including destination and all-wheel drive is a $1,400 upcharge on every trim. Like every other aspect of the Rogue, this puts Nissan’s CUV squarely in the middle of the compact crossover class.

It’s hard to fault Nissan for playing it straight with the 2021 Rogue. The current model is doing really well for the automaker, and it’s the segment’s third best-selling model behind the Toyota and Honda. Frankly, considering Nissan’s big-picture troubles, it’s probably not a good idea to shake up a winning formula. Is the Rogue the most attractive, most fun-to-drive small SUV? No. But it’s comfortable, spacious, economical and priced right, and those are pretty strong laurels on which to rest.

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dipulb3 · 4 years

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2020 Buick Encore GX review: Your roots are showing

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/2020-buick-encore-gx-review-your-roots-are-showing/

2020 Buick Encore GX review: Your roots are showing

The GX is definitely more attractive than the smaller Encore.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

Crossovers accounted for 90% of Buick’s US sales last year, and with statistics like that, it makes sense that Buick will soon stop selling sedans altogether. But before that happens, Buick needs to bolster its SUV lineup. That’s where the Encore GX comes in.

Great infotainment tech is standard

Ample passenger space

Powerful engine and nicely tuned suspension

Don’t Like

Interior materials aren’t great

Rough engine vibration at idle

More expensive than larger, more efficient competitors

It might sound like just a trim level of the subcompact Encore crossover, but the GX is in fact an entirely new vehicle, riding on a platform shared with the Chevrolet Trailblazer — for better or worse. It squeezes in between the ever-so-slightly smaller Encore and the ever-so-slightly larger Envision, the latter of which will be replaced by a sharply styled successor in early 2021.

The GX is certainly more handsome than the little potato that is the Encore, with standard 18-inch wheels and LED headlights. The version you see here wears Sport Touring duds — a $1,100 package that adds body-colored side moldings, unique bumpers and a whole bunch of red accents in the grille. I could absolutely do without the red stuff, but the rest of the Sport Touring getup is actually rather nice. Still, you’re likely better off skipping this package and saving some money; I think the Encore GX is just as attractive with its standard gray exterior trim.

Stepping inside reveals a handsome, nicely organized cabin, although the closer you look, the more flaws you find. Don’t forget the $25,095 Encore GX (including $995 for destination) is based on the $19,995 Trailblazer, and it doesn’t take long to find evidence of those budget roots. If something looks like cheap plastic, it is cheap plastic. And even the more upscale-looking materials on the dashboard feel weirdly rubbery. Specific items like the turn signal and windshield wiper stalks are the same low-rent parts General Motors has been using for years, and the rest of the controls are all just kind of meh. Buick maintains it’s a premium brand, and its larger vehicles are actually quite nice inside — even the smaller Encore can be decidedly more plush — but the GX’s interior is no better (or in some cases, worse) than what you’ll find in non-luxury competitors like the Hyundai Kona or Kia Seltos.

Happily, the GX redeems itself in terms of overall passenger volume. Since it’s bigger than the standard Encore, there’s plenty of room for adults in both front and back, and the upright shape means headroom is hardly an issue. The leather seats of my Sport Touring tester are comfortable, though they’re rather narrow and lack any real side bolstering. With the driver’s seat set for my ideal driving position, I have lots of space to sit behind myself (although at 5 feet, 8 inches, I’m not exactly what you’d call tall).

The interior is nicely laid out, but the materials are just so-so.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

Unfortunately, cargo volume suffers, with the Encore GX offering just 23.5 cubic feet of space with the rear seats upright, or 50.2 with them folded flat. Those numbers just slightly best the smaller Encore but lag behind other subcompact CUVs, including the aforementioned Seltos or even the tiny Nissan Kicks. A hands-free power liftgate is optional, and it can be set to open to different heights.

The best thing about the Encore GX’s interior is the multimedia tech. Every GX comes standard with Buick’s incredibly easy-to-use infotainment system, housed on an 8-inch touchscreen. This is essentially a rebranded version of the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 suite found in Buick’s corporate cousin, and that’s a good thing. All of the icons are easy to read, the system responds instantly to inputs and the menus are a cinch to navigate. If you prefer to rely on your own tech, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, and Amazon Alexa integration is available. Embedded navigation is optional on all Encore GX models, but you could also just skip it and let Google Maps or Waze do the heavy lifting.

Standard driver-assistance systems include forward-collision warning with pedestrian braking, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist and lane-departure warning. It’s an impressive roster of tech for this price. Curiously, though, adaptive cruise control remains optional, even on the most expensive Essence model, where it’s bundled into the $1,790 Advanced Technology Package that also includes a surround-view camera, head-up display and navigation. The HD camera is the only part of that package worth paying for; the head-up display is one of those dashboard-mounted ones where a small screen flips up, and you can hear how cheap this thing is by the groan of its motor and the click as it snaps into place. It’s a shame Buick doesn’t allow a desirable option like adaptive cruise control to be purchased on its own. (Or, you know, just make it standard, like so many other non-premium competitors are doing these days.)

The Encore GX is available with either a 1.2-liter or 1.3-liter I3 engine, both of which are turbocharged. Front-wheel drive is standard, and if you want all-wheel drive, you’re forced into getting the larger inline-three. I can’t speak to the smaller 1.2-liter I3 and its 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque, as my South Korea-built Sport Touring tester has the larger 1.3, which brings 155 hp and 174 lb-ft to the party. Regardless of engine, front-wheel-drive models use a continuously variable transmission, but the 1.3/AWD pairing gets a nine-speed automatic.

The nine-speed transmission operates smoothly and seamlessly, and with the engine’s full torque punch coming on strong at just 1,600 rpm, there’s plenty of low-end power for scooting around town. But this engine isn’t perfect. Little triples like this are often rough by nature, and Buick’s 1.3-liter is no exception. It kind of chugs like a diesel under hard acceleration, and the engine vibration at idle is strong enough that you can feel it through the seat and the steering wheel.

The GX’s most efficient powertrain combination is the 1.3-liter engine with front-wheel drive, which the EPA says should return 30 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. Adding all-wheel drive reduces those numbers to 26 mpg city and 29 mpg highway, and if you go for the smaller 1.2T, you’re looking at 26 mpg city and 30 mpg highway. Across the board, these aren’t exactly stellar figures, especially when a larger, more powerful Honda CR-V will return 28 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. Still, they’re relatively easy to achieve; I had no problem seeing about 30 mpg highway in my AWD tester (though I only ever drove it in FWD mode).

Red means sporty, right?

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

Like many other small SUVs, the Encore GX’s all-wheel-drive system isn’t an always-on affair. In fact, the GX defaults to front-drive unless you press the “AWD” button on the center console, just ahead of the shifter, at which point torque is sent to the rear axle. I really like that the Encore remembers your setting when you shut the engine off — if you had AWD selected, it’ll be turned on when you start the vehicle again. The handling characteristics don’t really change between FWD and AWD, either, at least on dry pavement.

On the road, the GX is mostly fine. The steering is incredibly light and equally devoid of feedback, but the chassis is nicely sorted. The Encore has no trouble soaking up the bumps on Los Angeles’ crummy roads and smooths out the often jarring expansion joints on the 405 freeway. Body roll is about average, and the brakes are strong but easy to modulate. The GX will largely spend its life running errands and commuting in traffic, and for that, it’s perfectly suited.

Yet the more time I spend behind the wheel of the Encore GX, the more I struggle to find its appeal. My Essence 1.3T AWD Sport Touring tester retails for $36,320 including destination, and adding the rest of the available options brings it up over $38,000. Sure, that’s several thousand dollars less expensive than a similarly equipped Audi Q3, but the Audi’s a real luxury vehicle with a significantly better interior, nicer on-road manners and a larger suite of tech. For my money, I’d just pick up a fully loaded Honda CR-V Touring which, again, is larger, more powerful, more fuel-efficient, nicer inside and offers more driver-assistance tech, all for a lower price ($35,870). Or I’d just get a Chevy Trailblazer, because it’s essentially the same car for less money.

The GX is fine in a vacuum, but non-luxury competitors — and the cheaper non-GX Encore — are better buys.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

The GX might be positioned between Buick’s Encore and Envision, but it doesn’t seem like it was originally designed to fill that role. The less expensive Encore has a more refined powertrain and nicer interior materials. The GX, meanwhile, just feels like the higher-cost Trailblazer it is.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with the GX, but aside from being a little bigger and slightly better looking than the standard Encore, it doesn’t really seem to improve upon that package. Still, Buick needs as many new utility vehicles as possible in order to keep momentum. And until fresher offerings arrive, the Encore GX is at least another option.

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