Car Review 2013

Subaru has made its place in the automotive world the past 35 years or so by being the Japanese SAAB. Quirky, yet loveable...attracting a small but devoted following.

Attempting to go mainstream is part of what very nearly killed SAAB, so theres precedent for concern every time Subaru gets a bit more normal.

Except that Subarus managed it quite well...first with the Outback, then the Forester, and now with the Legacy.

The Legacy is stepping up in size and refinement, becoming for the first time a logical and direct alternative to Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.



And to show just how good the basic product is, Subaru sent us a no-frills Legacy 2.5i. Not a single option (but with 17-inch alloy wheels, 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, air conditioning, AM/FM/CD, an auxilary audio jack, XM/Sirius capability, a multifunction trip computer, an outside temperature gauge, cruise control, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, power windows, door locks and mirrors, a remote keyless entry system, and map and courtesy lights all standard, its a complete package without any options).

Even though the Legacy is bigger now, its lighter than the competition...handles better...and dont forget...its a Subaru, so all-wheel drive is part of the deal.
And the power from the 2.5 liter engine (170 horsepower), teamed with a smooth 6-speed manual, is more than adequate.

That six-speed is a help for the fuel economy...the EPA says 19 city, 27 highway.

And the price?

Well, the price had me reminding myself to think Subaru for my next family sedan: $19,995.

Remember the deal about no options? Thats right...apart from $695 delivery charge, $19,995 is the base and the bottom line. Theres a Camry a few hundred bucks cheaper, but not as satisfying, and the least-expensive Accord is $21,055. Thats compelling math for a car that no longer has to be explained. The Legacy has arrived.

Japanese TV viewers got this commerical, with Robert DeNiro at the wheel of the new Legacy:



UPDATE: I chose to repeat the above review because the base Subaru Legacy is just so darn good.  But recently, I had a week in the top-of-the-line 2011 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited.  And it, too was a revelation...just for different reasons.

Regular TireKicker readers know that I believe you can too easily goop up a good car with add-ons and lose the basic flavor. But Subaru swings for the bleachers with the 3.6R Limited and hits a home run.

First of all, the engine....the 170 horses of the base car jumps to 256 in all three flavors of the R (R, R Premium and R Limited)...which puts the performance of the Legacy into another league entirely. The six-speed manual gets swapped for a five-speed automatic, but the extra power, the lack of a clutch and one fewer gear end up extracting the smallest penalty...18 city, 25 highway (as opposed to 19/27 for the base model).

And then, the creature comforts: Dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth, a 440-watt Harmon Kardon 9-speaker audio system, leather-trimmed seats (including a 10-way power adjustable drivers seat and a 4-way power adjustable one for the front passenger)....all standard. In fact, the only option on our car was a power moonroof ($995)...running the base price of $28,295 to an as-tested (with $725 delivery charge) $30,015.

There are absolute bargains. The 2.5i is that. Theres no other way to describe that much car for under $20,000.

And then there are bargains based on the comparison of content and price. And thats where, for a shade more than 8 grand more, the 3.6 R Limited earns its bargain status. Subaru has built a car that can run with a significantly pricier pack..and, as with the 2.5i, if it were my money...it would be an immediate contender.

The 2013 Audi A4 2.0T quattro.

As weve noted here at TireKicker before, the worst part of a successful car is keeping the ball rolling...doing the freshening needed to keep the car relevant without losing the thread and screwing it all up. Last time around, two and a half years ago, I worried that Audi was letting the magic of the A4 slip away.  If they were, they fixed it in a hurry.

The 2013 Audi A4 2.0T quattro is simply tremendous. A car that pulls of the trick of feeling utterly contemporary and timeless at the same time. The timeless thing is important because Audis had the A4 pretty close to perfect for a long time. To wander too far from what has made an A4 an A4 for the past decade or so would be courting disaster.

The 2.0T quattro tiptronic is a 2.0 liter turbocharged inline four, making 211 horsepower....mated to Audis quattro (the lower case "q" is intentional) full-time all-wheel-drive system and the tiptronic (the lower case "t" is also intentional) 8-speed transmission with sport and manual shift modes. Base price: $34,600, and thats a rock-solid price for the car...neither too high nor too low.

Standard equipment includes anti-lock brakes with brake assist, 17-inch 10-spoke wheels on all-season tires, electronic stability control, electromechanical speed-sensitive power steering, a dynamic five-link front suspension, a dynamic trapezoidal-link fully independent rear axle, power glass sunroof, halogen headlights, front and rear foglights, rain and light sensors, heated and powered outside mirrors, leather seating surfaces, a 12-way power drivers seat and an 8-way power passengers seat, automatic climate control, Audi concert radio with premium sound, including AM/FM/SiriusXM/CD, with SD Card, USB and auxilary inputs, and the usual airbags and alarms.

Going small in displacement with the 2-liter engine and an 8-speed transmission delivers strong fuel economy numbers, too...20 city/30 highway.




2013 Audi A4 interior.

The interior continues to be a best-in-class effort (despite my concerns in 2010)...and our options tended to enhance the time spent at the wheel: The $4,200 Premium Plus package delivered auto-dimming mirrors inside and out, an iPod cable, Bluetooth, a driver information system with trip computer, heated front seats with driver memory, a split-folding rear seatback, HomeLink garage door opener, a three-zone climate control plus Xenon plus headlamps, LED daytime running lights and taillamps, and an upgrade to 18-inch 10-spoke wheels. The car was also treated to polished exhaust tips for $140 and an extra-cost paint job (Monsoon Gray metallic) for $475. With $895 destination charges, the bottom line wound up at $40,310.

Theres no question the Audi A4 lives in a competitive world (the BMW 328i, also packing a 2-liter turbo four is probably its deadliest nemesis), but its hard to imagine a car holding its ground better. If you cross-shop the A4 and the 3-series, itll be personal preference, not a weakness in either vehicle, that will most likely be the deciding factor.

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Superb technique may be typical GT-R can burst to speeds stultifying during handling and intrigue also merge with ease. This is certainly a surprisingly rapid series right, but even more noticeable to walk around a track. GT-R is undoubtedly decent rule, but soon explodes into the drive chain, when the typical turbo kick before. 2010 Nissan GT-R twin-turbo 3.8liter V6 engine that makes 485 horsepower and 434 lb-ft of torque. Mated with a six-speed dual clutch automated manual gearbox, the GT-R is simply to go right from 00 to 60 km / h in under four seconds. All this shows a great fourth of a mile time of only 11.7 seconds and reaching a top speed of 192 mph. It s definitely one of the most complex cars generally available. In general, it has never been a suggestion that massive brake fade just hard km route, usually carrying GT-R down precious time and, therefore, once again, come close to the speed, the corners soon gears.

The interior is almost in competition with the outside. Although all the Maxima now sent with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), the large, almost oversized aluminum Flappy paddles behind the steering wheel feel great. The seats are also robust, multi-channel adaptive and comfortable. Overall, the quality of materials is comparable to other choices of entry-level luxury.

Mercedes-Benz GL 2013. This SUV is the most sophisticated and technologically advanced weve tested so far.

The German manufacturer is not new to the SUV segment, since it launched its first model in 1997 and in 2006 appeared the first GL. Since its launch, to this day has sold over 138.240 units in USA (10% of total produced). Turning the U.S. into the largest market for this model. That is why this is not only manufactured in Alabama, was also designed in USA.

Among the equipment included for this generation, stands the Cross Wind Stabilization system (standard), this works together with the EPS (Electronic Stability Program), AIRMATIC and ABS (Adaptive Brake System). This system is activated to help stabilize the vehicle when crosswinds are strong while traveling at 50 mph (80 km / h) or more. This also helps maintain vehicle stability when towing a trailer.

Aesthetically the new GL is recognizable as such, but received major cosmetic updates. Its dimensions were extended slightly, now is 1 "long, 1" wider and 1.5 "high. Was very supportive of chrome parts and elaborate sidelines to get a sophisticated and elegant.
The options available are that AMG is present with a sport appearance package, which brings unique front and rear skirts, prominent front grille and wide fenders.

For those who like a more external "fine" the possibility of opting for an appearance package "design Exclusive" accentuated by chrome detailing.

Inside the Mercedes GL 2013 has room for 7 passengers (3 rows of seats) and access to the 3rd row of seats has been facilitated by the 2nd can be folded easily after pressing a button with the EASY-ENTRY system. Also, the 3rd row can be folded and unfolded electrically from buttons installed in the vertical gate behind or tailgates.

The interior details and finish are impressive. Our test unit had wood veneers with a texture so real that left us happy. The impressive display mounted on the center console can be operated easily, and the images collected by the 4 video cameras installed in each of their perimeters are expressed in a vision "from heaven" which helps to park easily (optional).

Some standard accessories are electrically adjustable controls and climate control for front seats THERMATIC, direct steering system that provides flexibility for the vehicle behind the steering wheel paddles to control the transmission, Quattro permanent 4-wheel drive 4-Matic ; AIRMATIC suspension system, which detects when the vehicle is loaded with extra weight and ensures a constant high level, the Attention Assist system prevents accidents by alerting drivers distracted or lost concentration.

Other additional options available for the GL 2013 are the Night View Assist Plus, which uses an infrared camera in the dark and pack on / off road.

Mercedes-Benz offers three versions of the GL 2013. GL350 Bluetec will have to first ($ 62.400) diesel 3.0-liter V6, 240 HP and 455 lb-ft. It uses 18 miles per gallon in the city and 24 on the highway. It also offers 7.500 pounds of towing capacity.

The second version is a gas GL450 ($ 63.900) with 4.6-liter V8 engine capable of generating 362 HP and 406Lb-Pie, with a fuel consumption of 14 mpg in the city and 19 on the highway.

Finally, the third option is the version GL550 ($ 86.900) that loads a twin-turbo V8 engine of 4.6 liters. This can generate an impressive 429 HP and 516 lb-ft. This takes a little gasoline, from 13 miles per gallon in the city and 18 on the road.

Mercedes-Benz announced that very soon we will list the GL55 AMG; this will have a 5.5-liter V8 engine that can produce 550 HP and 560 lb / ft of torque.

In conclusion, it is clear that this new generation of 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL offers a very wide evolution versus the previous generation. The suspension offers a trip AIRMATIC very gentle and intelligent, as this meets the needs of the vehicle depending on terrain.

Mercedes did not stop paying attention to any detail on the inside or out. This is an SUV that families in search of a vehicle ($ 64,000) capable on and off the road, good cargo space, class and style should be considered superior.