2013

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2013 BMW 750Li: Superior luxury, hefty price (video)

The 2013 BMW 750Li, my weekly driver, showcased BMW’s power, as in a 4.4-liter, 32-valve V8 with 445 horsepower and five-second, 0-60 mph prowess. The 7-Series is the BMW flagship, of course and it deserves the status. It’s a beast of a seat, a 4,600-pound cruiser best suited for long, open-road hauls. But the long (201 inches) sedan is also a standard bearer of engineering, technology and for audio enthusiasts, an over-the-top whirlwind of sound. There’s a lot to lot about the new BMW. It short, it’s opulent. And it’s got a hefty price to go along with all of the fine mechanics and superior workmanship. Videographer Bruce Aldrich, editor/publisher of www.tahoetruckoutdoor.com, and The Weekly Driver, review the top-line BMW

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2013 Hyundai Genesis: World-class, less pricey luxury sedan

The South Korean 2013 Hyundai Genesis sedan shows it’s pretty hard, if not impossible, to come up with a one-to-one rival from such automakers as Mercedes, BMW or Infiniti. Especially when the Genesis costs appreciably less. But never mind. For a lower price, the rear-wheel-drive Genesis is a world-class luxury car from an automaker that built marginal cars in its bad old days. The Genesis possesses the high-class trappings of autos that cost considerably more. This rear-wheel-drive sedan comes as the base $34,200 3.8 model or the $46,800 5.0 R-Spec version. It has a 3.8-liter, 333-horsepower V-6 or 5-liter, 429-horsepower V-8. Both can run on regular-grade or premium gasoline. The 2013 Genesis has simplified model offerings and a new “ultimate

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BMW 135is, 2013: Rocket-fast coupe offers classic ride, high price

The 2013 BMW 135is is everything right with an upscale small car. It’s powerful, classically designed, keenly appointed and it drives with a healthy dose of attitude. The little BMW series is all about performance, and it’s in your face about it. Among several options are two turbocharged engines that produce 300 and 320 horsepower, respectively, both with six-cylinder engines and six-speed manual transmissions standard. The top-line 135is coupe, with the 320 horsepower and a six-speed manual transmission, was my weekly driver. I avoided getting in trouble. What’s not to like? Like other BMWs, the 135is is ideal for the open road and it’s race-car fast, with 0-60 mph performance in about five seconds. While not quite warp speed, the

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2013 Mazda MX-5 Miata: World’s top-selling, two-seat roadster

The Mazda MX-5 Miata was a sensation when it arrived as a 1990 model. It was an alluring, reliable copy for only $13,800 of the unreliable-but-respected 1960s-70s Lotus Elan costly low-volume sports car. The 2013 MX-5 Miata, which I tested in new “Club” trim, hasn’t lost the original’s charm. The first Miata quickly won over male auto buffs and replaced the Volkswagen convertible as the most desirable car among female high school and college students. And never mind that this two-seater lacked the Volkswagen’s back seat. The Miata is still very much with us, and is the record-holding top-selling two-seat roadster, with more than 900,000 produced. That means many have had two or three owners by now. Mechanical upgrades have

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2013 Ford C-Max: Prius challenger shines (video review)

A decade after its debut in Europe, Ford unveiled the C-Max in the United States in the fall of 2012 as the carmaker’s hybrid-only line. It’s available as a gas-electric hybrid and the Energi, a plug-in hybrid. It’s not available in a gas-only model. Ford’s goal is simple: It wants to infiltrate the long-standing dominance of the ever-expanding Prius family. And the carmaker is onto something with the Ford C-Max. It’s easy to like because like other hybrids, it has a quiet push-button start and a quiet overall demeanor. But it also performs with the acceleration, steering, braking and overall feel of a non-hybrid. I drove the highest-end Ford C-Max SEL edition for a week and primarily during several weekday

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2013 Lexus LS 600h L: Luxury hybrid satisfying

Maybe you can’t have it all in a full-size, fast, ultra-luxury sedan, but the 2013 Lexus LS 600h L hybrid sure makes it seem like you can. It should satisfy most spoiled—and some hard-to-please—luxury car buyers. Rivals to the LS 600h L are the Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid and BMW 7-Series ActiveHybrid. The Lexus LS 600h L is no sports sedan, nor is it supposed to be—not when it weighs a hefty 5,115 pounds—or 5,203 pounds with the costly, optional executive seating package that is popular in China. Big shots there like to be driven as they ride in the back, and the longer (205-inch) LS 600h L (compared to the normal 200-inch-length LS 460) gives them limo-style rear seating. However

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BMW 750Li, 2013: stylish, hi-tech, hefty price

The 7-Series is the BMW flagship and it deserves the status. It’s a beast of a sedan, a 4,600-pound cruiser best suited for long, open-road hauls. The 2013 BMW 750Li, my weekly driver, showcased BMW‘s power, as in a 4.4-liter, 32-valve V8 with 445 horsepower and five-second, 0-60 mph prowess. But the long (201 inches) sedan is also a standard bearer of engineering, technology and for audio enthusiasts, an over-the-top whirlwind of sound. The 750Li has a base price of $90,000 and that’s reflected in all that BMW represents -— superior handling and superior design as well as industry-best comfort and refinement. But the available option packages put the vehicle into a category of automotive overload combining plushness and hi-tech

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Ford C-Max hybrid, 2013: Can it challenge Toyota Prius clan?

Ford touts the 2013 C-Max as a hybrid that drives and looks like a “real car.” The marketing approach is a direct shot at the Toyota Prius, which despite its immense popularity still has plenty of detractors. The Prius still has a futuristic-looking exterior and it drives like . . . a hybrid. A decade after its debut in Europe, Ford unveiled the C-Max in the United States in the fall of 2012 as the carmaker’s hybrid-only line. It’s available as a gas-electric hybrid and the Energi, a plug-in hybrid. It’s not available in a gas-only model. Ford’s goal is simple: It wants to infiltrate the long-standing dominance of the ever-expanding Prius family. Ford is onto something with the C-Max.

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Volvo C30, 2013: Cool look, safe ride got Swedish retro hatchback extinct quickly

The Volvo P1800ES is arguably the coolest and most unheralded sports cars from the 1970s. It’s still around and without too much difficulty could be mistaken for the current Volvo C30. The current version has also been discontinued, which means 40 years from now it will look as hip and the P1800ES, now also in its 40s. Both have the unique-to-the-industry tapering roofline and glass hatchback. Volvo has always been known for industry-leading safety features. But the Volvo C30, introduced in 2008, is several steps away. It’s a perceived sports car, and it never sold particularly well. The 2013 edition is available in T5 and R-Design trims. Both trims have a five-cylinder engine, with the top-line R-Design equipped with a

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2013 Nissan Pathfinder: best family affair on wheels

There was a time when categorizing a car as a “family car” translated into “boring car.” But that generalization, once well-founded, is now long gone. With 2013 models, including the top-rated Nissan Pathfinder, a new definition is particularly necessary. Family cars are great for families and some great family cars, like the Honda Odyssey and Honda CR-V, are so versatile, they’re ideal for families of one, too. Kelley Blue Book (KBB), the esteemed vehicle assessment site, likes car lists and one of its best annual lists is its Best Family Car list. The editors at KBB have selected the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder their No. 1 choice. The editors reported: “This year’s number one isn’t just all-new for 2013, it’s completely

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2013 Toyota Corolla: still a desirable, economical compact sedan

The 2013 Toyota Corolla continues the solid reputation of all Corollas, first sold in America in 1968. The front-drive compact Corolla is arguably the world’s top-selling car. Corolla rivals have come and gone, but they currently include the Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Mazda 3. A sporty Corolla has been offered on and off during the past decade with a larger, more powerful four-cylinder. But it’s never fit the Corolla’s economy car image and thus has never sold very well. It’s gone for 2013. The refined 2013 Corolla likely will be the last version of the latest generation of Corollas. A larger, redesigned 2014 model with a longer wheelbase and more room is scheduled to arrive this summer.

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Driving the Tour of California #4: Divine navigation the way to go in 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe

The first few days of the Amgen Tour of California involved only 10-mile round-trip treks from San Diego to Escondido, a welcome respite from the nearly 500-mile pre-race trek from Sacramento. But the multiple-hour treks returned for stages 2 and 3 and they reiterated my appreciate for the navigation system in the 2013 Santa Fe I’m driving for two weeks and for an estimated 2,000 miles. As previously mentioned, the Digital Navigation System in the Santa Fe is arguably the best I’ve used in the 10 years I’ve been reviewing cars. It has an eight-inch screen and offers a clear picture and easy-to-understand icons. Instructions are precise, provided with a professional voice and give not so often that it’s an

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Review: 2013 Lexus LS 460 pricey luxury sedan refined with more luxury

Lexus turned the luxury car market upside down in America when it introduced its big LS 400 luxury sedan in 1989. Suddenly, it seemed as if you were a sap if you bought a Cadillac or Mercedes instead of the Lexus LS. It was especially true in trend-setting places such as Beverly Hills — although Lexus had no luxury car track record in America and came from Toyota, which had still had a definite economy car image. Along with the LS 400, Lexus introduced a new, smaller, less expensive Lexus sedan. Called the ES250, it was clearly a thinly disguised Toyota, whereas the LS 400 looked as if it had just arrived from the heavens. I was at the media

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Driving the Tour of California #3: Arriving in Los Angeles madness in a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe

The final stretch of my drive from Sacramento to San Diego for the start of the Tour of California took me over the steep, winding Grapevine into the hectic nature of the Los Angeles basin and finally to San Diego. How anyone can maintain their stress level commuting in the Los Angeles area on either Highway 101 or the 405 is beyond me. I’ve driven both highways in recent years at different times of the day, and it’s always madness. Unlike the aggressive driving in Europe in which drivers also have skill, many Southern California drivers appear to be motivated only by anger and attitude. With four breaks along the way, I finally arrived at the Rancho Bernardo Inn parking

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2013 Toyota Avalon: Redesigned as sleeker, lighter Lexus twin

The revamped 2013 Toyota Avalon sedan is a far cry from the first Avalon, which debuted for 1995 as a stretched, roomy version of the Toyota Camry with a front bench seat (remember those?) and a column shifter. Toyota called it the “most American of Toyotas,” and it was sort of a Japanese Buick. The plain-looking, front-drive Avalon eventually was upgraded with such things as improved styling for 1998 and a larger V-6 for 2005. But as late as 2011 it still had a soft suspension and floaty ride, with small steering corrections needed during turnpike crosswinds and pavement changes. Still, a turnpike trip from Chicago to Maryland showed the 2011 Avalon to be a comfortable, fairly economical long-distance cruiser.

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Driving the Tour of California #2: It’s time for The Grapevine in a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe

It’s nice to have friends who know cars. One friend who owns a Corvette and has rebuilt vintage Triumphs likes to look at the engine of every car I drive, even when there’s often not much to see since they’re often covered. Another friend always asks about the weight of cars since he’s a pilot and such matters are important. Another friend is keen on sound systems and other friend immediately notices the design and material quality of interiors. This friend, who owns a Subaru Outback and a vintage Volkswagen bug, took one look at the 2013 Santa Fe I’m driving to the Tour of California and commented: “Look at that; the Big Boys should be worried. It looks like

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