Car road test: Kia Sorento

The Kia Sorento has ambition. What started life as an agricultural cheapie has been fettled and polished into something far more refined. This third generation model looks to have the finish and engineering to put the frighteners on the SUV-class high fliers.

Kia hasn't engineered this Sorento by halves. The UK range hinges around a 197bhp 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine that develops a peak torque of 441Nm. A great deal of work has gone into improving refinement, with a torsionally stiffer bodyshell, additional soundproofing, acoustic shields built into the engine bay, and a thicker dashboard. Depending on speed, ambient noise within the cabin is claimed to be between three and six per cent quieter than the previous car.

An electric assistance motor is attached to the steering rack rather than the steering column as in the old Sorento, helping to improve steering accuracy and offer more detailed feedback. The fully-independent suspension retains the format of the outgoing model (MacPherson struts at the front and Kia's multi-link system at the rear), but features a range of modifications. At the rear, the subframe supporting the suspension has larger bushings to better isolate it from the cabin and the larger shock absorbers are now mounted vertically behind the axle line, improving body control.

The 'p-word' crops up in almost everything you read about the Sorento: premium. It marks a measure of Kia's ambition. No longer does the brand feel it's achieved something being accepted into the mainstream. It wants to keep on trucking and leave the likes of Ford, Vauxhall and such like behind. There's little doubt that the Sorento's exterior design looks agreeably upmarket. The styling work was led by Kia's Namyang design studio in Korea, with significant input from the brand's Frankfurt, Germany and Irvine, California studios. The face of the new Sorento incorporates long, wrap-around headlamps and more prominent fog-lamps, as well as a larger, more upright 'tiger-nose' grille, with a distinctive three-dimensional diamond pattern. In profile, it retains the Sorento's hallmark long bonnet and trademark chunky D-pillar, but a lower roofline, higher beltline and swept-back shape give the car a more assertive, muscular stance.

It's hard not to be impressed at the way Kia has gone about developing the third-generation Sorento. While some may grumble that we don't really need cars to get progressively bigger with each passing generation, few would have any complaints about the way the Sorento has matured. It's better looking than before and a good deal more design input has gone into refinement, both aural and haptic. It's just a more assured and confident design. What we're still not quite seeing is a pronounced Kia hallmark with this car. It still seems a fairly reactive move to the way the SUV market is developing.

For many buyers, this is no bad thing. The Sorento looks a good deal more expensive than it is and even in a notoriously badge-conscious sector it would appear to be just too much of a bargain to overlook.

Car road test: Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

The Range Rover Evoque has been given a thorough once-over. It still looks much as before with only a few nips and tucks, but almost all the money has been spent under that very pretty skin. Efficiency improves with a new family of diesel engines and there's some exciting equipment choices also on offer. It's still the one the rest are aiming at.

It's a brave new world at Land Rover right now. The Freelander's gone and the Discovery Sport has appeared, but the big news might well be the development of the Ingenium engines that look to put the company on a similar efficiency footing as the best of the Germans and Japanese. The Evoque gets the aluminium Ingenium diesel engine, built at the company's shiny new £500m Engine Manufacturing Centre in the West Midlands. This TD4 unit is 20-30kg lighter than its predecessor and delivers low levels of vibration and noise intrusion. It's offered to Evoque customers in two states of tune: 150PS in the economy-oriented eD4 front-wheel drive model, and 180PS if you prefer a bit more poke and can't do without all-wheel drive.

Should you want to go faster still, you can buy the Evoque with the punchy 240PS Si4 petrol engine. This propels a three-door car through 62mph in just 7.6 seconds and on to a top speed of 135mph. The nine-speed ZF transmission is available and it's an option you really need to tick. It shifts between gears so quickly that ZF reckons it's "below the threshold of perception". An adaptive shift programme quickly matches the driving style and includes a memory function. A Torque Vectoring by Braking feature further enhances agility and safety by redirecting torque to counteract understeer. Off-road ability is enhanced with the fitment of All-Terrain Progress Control. This function maintains a pre-determined speed - selected using the cruise control function - in forward or reverse gears between 1.1mph and 19mph, allowing the driver to concentrate on negotiating tricky terrain.

The changes continue inside with updated seats and higher-quality soft-touch materials used for the door casings. The instrument binnacle has also been redesigned. Buyers still choose between three and five-door models, the key difference between which is the amount of room in the back of the car. Go for the five-door and the roofline is subtly re-profiled such that there's 30mm of additional headroom. The rear row of seats, with seat belts and head restraints for three passengers, have 60/40 folding squabs and are equipped with ISOFIX child seat mounts. When required, luggage capacity can be expanded to a healthy1,445-litres. The three-door has a boot that is a little smaller, measuring 550-litres with the seats in place and 1,350 with them folded.

Land Rover has spent its money wisely with this Evoque. Not a lot really needed doing to the styling and the interior finish and there's only been a bit of tidying up there; mere nips, tucks and tweaks. The engine range has come in for the lion's share of the budget and it's an investment that ought to keep the Evoque at the top of the class for some time to come. Rather depressingly for the Evoque's competitors, it's only the start of the roll-out of the Ingenium engine family. It's just going to get better and better.

That's wonderful news for Evoque customers. The car's just become significantly more economical and capable, both on road and off. Just about the only thing that can really sink this model is for it to go horribly out of fashion. That doesn't look like happening any time soon, but just in case, Land Rover has concentrated on substance over style with this revision. In doing so, the brand has future-proofed its biggest money-spinner.

Woman's perspective: Honda Civic

The Honda Civic has come in for a much-needed once-over, getting restyling at the front and the rear, while the interior gets higher quality fitments and a 7-inch Honda Connect touch screen. There's a Sport trim level inserted into the range to bridge the gap to the turbocharged Type-R range-topper. And significantly more affordable pricing.

Let's note here that there are some things about the Civic that are really, really good. The 1.6-litre diesel engine is a case in point. We don't think there's a better diesel; in the whole supermini sector and it continues in this car, developing 120PS, which is about the sweet spot in this market sector. There's also an entry-level 1.4-litre petrol engine on offer. Also continuing the theme is the 1.8-litre petrol engine, that's good for 142PS. At the top of the range is the banzai Civic Type-R which features turbocharging for the very first time.

The underpinnings carry on largely unchanged. Which means a torsion bar rear end. Yes, we know that the Civic used to sport a multi-link rear end, but it pays to take a pragmatic view. The last Type-R was no shoddy handler and neither is the Renaultsport Megane, another proponent of the torsion bar rear end. Standard across the range is Honda's clever City Brake Active system. Designed to avoid low-speed accidents, the system scans the road ahead, and applies the brakes if it detects an impending collision. It only works below 20mph though, so anything above that and it's down to your eyesight.

There have been a few exterior design tweaks to both the Civic hatch and the Civic Tourer estate. Gone is the weirdly modern yet somewhat bland face and in comes revised headlight units with integrated daytime running lights and a more rakish front bumper assembly. The Civic hatchback also features a slicker design for the rear bumper, side skirts, a rear spoiler finished in black, plus LED rear lamps. The sum total of these changes is that the car now looks a lot more like an older eighth generation Civic. Retrograde? Not really. That car was a little peach.

Think of this update as doing a lot with not much. The Honda Civic was one of those unfortunate cars that was so nearly right, but just needed a bit of spit and polish to come good. It just received the requisite burnishing. While it's probably still not going to threaten the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus for class honours, it's now a car that looks a lot classier and which features more quality indoors at a much more competitive price. In other words, your friends won't look at you and wonder what came over you if you arrive home with one.

The Type-R looks a genuinely exciting prospect, Honda determined to wrest the title of fastest front-wheel drive car around the Nurburgring away from Renault. A turbocharged Type-R might take a little bit of mental readjustment, but we're more than ready for our remedial therapy. The Civic looks good once again. For that, we're truly glad.

Car review: Hyundai Tucson FCV Drives Just Like an Electric Car

I’m sure many people are wondering what fuel-cell cars are like to drive. The folks from Consumer Reports have the answer to this question, as they recently drove aHyundai Tucson FCV.

Gabriel Shenhar drove the Tucson FCV and likened it to an electric car (which it is, except batteries are replaced by a hydrogen fuel tank). The car has instant torque and its very quiet inside. Also like an EV, it’s heavy: the Tucson FCV tips the scales at 4,200 lbs (1,905 kg), and the driver can feel those extra pounds during overtaking maneuvers or when trying to emerge on the highway.

For the moment, the car is only available for lease, for about $500 a month. It has to be said that the monthly lease also includes unlimited hydrogen fill ups. But here comes the tricky part: outside states like California, the refueling infrastructure is seriously underdeveloped, which means it may take some time before fuel-cell cars become a common sight on our roads.

However, with the involvement of automakers like Toyota and Honda, things may change rather quickly.

Video:

https://youtu.be/qXTyp-X2lYw

Car review: Hyundai i20 Feels Like a Larger, More Expensive Car

There’s no denying that the all-new Hyundai i20 is a massive improvement from a styling point of view over its predecessor. But is it better?

Carbuyer’s Ginny Buckley wanted to find that out. While she found the interior lacking in style compared to the exterior, there is nothing wrong from a functional point of view. Standard equipment is comprehensive, although the i20 doesn’t offer a touch screen as many of its rivals do.

Practicality is also good, with the i20 offering one of the biggest boots in the segment and plenty of space for passengers – even at the rear. 

So what’s it like to drive? Well, it offers a good balance between a comfortable, refined ride and decent handling. The 1.2-liter turbocharged petrol engine does its job well, but the steering is deemed too light and lacking in feedback. Scroll down for the complete video review.

Video

https://youtu.be/GgwyN4060po

Car news:Honda S660 expected to hit showrooms in Japan soon

Japanese car maker Honda, for long, has been working on a project that entails the production of the S660, an open-top mini sports car. Though there has been no confirmation from the brand regarding the exact date for the launch of this car, a report by Business Standard claims that it will hit showrooms in Japan really soon. The brand, according to reports, will initially put only 660 units of this car on sale in the Japan. Following the response of the Japanese market, Honda will target selling S660 in several international markets.

As per the development team, Honda S660 is a full-fledged sports car aimed at providing users with an enthralling driving experience. Also, Honda will fit this car with a mid-mounted powertrain that will transmit power to rear wheels, same as a classic sports vehicle. The car will get a 45-55 weight distribution and a low centre-of-gravity.

Enjoyment and experience are the main aims of Honda in designing this car, which will feature an open air cabin space. This design will allow passengers to enjoy a drive during good weather conditions. Honda S660 is expected to run on a three-cylinder turbocharged engine, which will be responsive to acceleration even at low speeds.

Reports suggest that Honda S660 will feature a six-speed manual transmission system along with the option of a CVT seven-speed paddle shift system. Experts feel that this car will have to go through the test of driving in daily conditions.

You can fit it : 2015 Honda Jazz (Fit is fun, frugal, and fantastic)

You don’t need to spend more than $20,000 to get a terrific car, and the 2015 Honda Fit is proof. This Honda does just about anything you need it to, anytime you want it to, and with the exception of its single but significant flaw, it represents the perfect transportation solution for a broad cross-section of the American populace.

We’ll discuss that flaw in a moment. First, let’s talk about the vehicle you see in the accompanying photographs. This is a 2015 Honda Fit EX, painted Mystic Yellow Pearl and equipped with a standard 6-speed manual gearbox. The price tag is $18,830 including the $820 destination charge. If you can’t operate a clutch pedal, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) adds $800 to the price.

Ugly but in a cute kind of way, this Easter egg on wheels is redesigned for 2015, and demonstrates a better-balanced look than previous versions of the Fit. Inside, there’s nothing weird about this new version of the car, a welcome change from the old one’s off-kilter and haphazard control layout that bled into the front passenger’s territory.

Indeed, from the design to the materials, this new Fit is grown up and less adolescent. Unfortunately, Honda put the soft-touch interior materials on the dashboard instead of on the upper door panels, where I typically rest an elbow while driving. Generally speaking, though, the Fit’s quality is outstanding for this price class.

Honda’s latest touchscreen infotainment system is terrific, looking and working like someone glued an iPad to the dashboard. The Fit’s other controls are easy to find and use, too, though I thought the deeply recessed tachometer and speedometer could have benefitted from additional illumination for improved clarity.

While I’m a fan of the touchscreen display, I am not a fan of Honda’s LaneWatch technology. Using a camera mounted to the right side mirror, LaneWatch shows the driver what is along the right side of the car, engaging when the turn signal is used or any time the driver decides to manually activate the feature.

In practice, I find LaneWatch distracting and no substitute for a true blind spot monitoring system that works for both sides of the car. Good thing, then, that from the driver’s seat the Fit provides fantastic outward visibility in every single direction.

Too bad the driver’s seat is not more comfortable for taller drivers. I measure six feet from stem to stern, with longer legs and a shorter torso, and I like to sit up nice and high behind the steering wheel. But, in the Fit, when I use the seat height adjuster to elevate my body, my legs splay out under the steering wheel and the seat cushion itself offers zero thigh support.

Honda has clearly botched an opportunity to make the Fit comfortable for tall drivers, and this is the single flaw that might force some people to look elsewhere for an affordable set of wheels. Given the redesigned 2015 model’s larger interior dimensions and limo-like levels of rear seat legroom, it should not have been hard to add front seat track travel to improve comfort for folks with long legs.

If you’re tall, then, it might be better to ask someone else to drive the Fit, because the front passenger’s seat is more comfortable. Or, you can climb into the cavernous back seat and literally stretch out on what Honda calls its Magic Seat.

Thanks to the Magic Seat, the Fit is exceptionally practical. Behind the seat, the trunk provides 16.6 cu.-ft. of cargo space, which is more than most midsize sedans. Fold the Magic Seat down, and maximum cargo volume rivals a crossover SUV at 52.7 cu.-ft. That is only 2.2 cu.-ft. less than a Jeep Cherokee can carry.

You can also flip the rear bottom seat cushion up, much like a crew cab pickup truck, in order to carry taller items on the rear floor. Or, you can fold the seat back down, fold the front passenger’s seat, and slide long items into the Fit as long as they’re not more than 7-feet, 9-inches long.

If you’re tall and forcing someone else to drive, you can also sit in the right rear seat, fold the front seat down, stretch out, and relax while someone else complains about how uncomfortable the driver’s seat is. At least the driver gets to have some genuine fun while squeezed behind the steering wheel.

The Fit is a peppy little car, equipped with a 130-horsepower, 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine that revs willingly. My Fit EX test vehicle had the standard 6-speed manual transmission, and it proved excellent compared to the sloppy gearboxes typically common in the subcompact car class. While shift action is positive rather than ropy and vague, the clutch is rather light and requires focus to avoid engine overrun or herky-jerky acceleration.

Thanks to light, quick, sharp, and precise steering, it sure is fun to toss this little guy around. Genuinely agile, nimble, and athletic, I was actually giggling out loud to myself as I hustled the Fit down Southern California’s Mulholland Highway.

When driving in the city and suburbs, I felt like the brake pedal exhibited too much pedal travel at the top of engagement, but when hustling the Fit on mountain roads the brakes worked exactly as desired and without a hint of fade.

No matter where you drive it, the Fit displays a firm and connected ride quality but this car doesn’t beat you up. Lots of road noise makes its way into the cabin, though, and the more severe holes and bumps in the pavement can unsettle the car a bit.

Oh, and one other thing. Despite how much fun I was having flogging the Fit, my 34.7 mpg fuel economy average actually exceeded the EPA’s 32-mpg estimate for combined driving.

Overall, the Fit is a triumph of dynamism and practicality. Plus, it gets a 5-star overall crash-test rating from the NHTSA and a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), critical considerations when choosing a small car like this. Plus, the Fit doesn’t cost much to buy, shouldn’t cost much to own, and is likely to last for a long time.

These qualities, and so many more, make the Honda Fit perfect for a broad segment of car buyers. But if you’re tall, shop elsewhere.

2015 info-Car buyers: Honda’s Civic Concept

People love Honda, even at times when the romance is a very one-sided affair.

With all due respect to one of the world’s most popular auto brands, Honda has occasionally struggled to grasp the enthusiast market and nurture the passion that made it the darling of the tuner world.

Not long ago, Honda’s engineering acumen made it something akin to a poor-mans-BMW. Except that with the right specs or state of tune, the Japanese automaker’s performance products often had the muscle to best the boys from Bavaria, not to mention truly direct rivals from Ford, Toyota, Subaru and Chevrolet.

Then, somewhere along the road, Honda veered too far into the middle lane. The brand’s U.S. range lost its sporty edge and, with the move towards more ‘sensible’ models, a lot of the good automotive mojo it had created over the years.

The Honda Civic Concept, shown for the first time at the 2015 New York International Auto Show, is vivid evidence that Honda could be about to stage a performance renaissance. Here are five reasons why the Daily News Autos loves this car, and two reasons why we’re staying wary about the production model.

That color!

You can spot the Honda Civic Concept from pretty much anywhere at the New York Auto Show. This paint doesn’t just glow, it nearly grabs you by the collar and shakes you senseless. We were tempted to turn off all the lights at the Javits Center, simply to see if we could still spot this neon green machine. We’re betting we could!

Turbo baby

That’s right, Honda is slapping some turbos onto the engines of its long-serving economy car. The engine in the Civic Concept is a punchy 1.5-liter 4-cylinder coupled to a 6-speed manual. That combo could easily result in an output of roughly 200-horsepower, along with some very miserly fuel mileage. Performance and economy, this is what makes Honda, well, HONDA!

America gets to have some fun

For too long, we’ve been looking across the Atlantic at some seriously cool-looking Civic models sold in Europe. That’s right, the Civic sold here isn’t quite what you’re going to find anywhere else. Thankfully, Honda is taking a risk with the next stateside-Civic's exterior design. Even in a much more muted color, the Civic Concept’s sharply-creased front fascia, center-exit exhaust, and large LED-rimmed tail-lamps would look fantastic minus the neon green paintjob.

A hatch is back

After a strangely long absence, Honda is bringing a hatchback version of the Civic our way. We’re not sure why they ever gave it the chop in the first place, but let’s not quibble. When it arrives next year, Honda will offer a coupe, sedan, and five-door hatchback.

Return of the Type-R

That’s right, the legendary Type-R is on its way to the U.S. For Honda fans, this is better than having McLaren-Honda F1 driver Jenson Button take you for a lap or two of Monaco. The Civic Type-R could be the beginning of an entirely new era of Honda tuning and affordable performance. We can’t wait to get our hands on one!

Before we get carried away…

There are a couple things you need to keep in mind with the Civic Concept. For starters, details like super-sized alloy wheels and ultra-sleek side mirrors are going to get the heave-ho for the production models (yes, even the Type-R).

Honda also has to maintain – and regain – some ground lost to recent reliability issues. After years of watching the U.S. manufacturers stumble in this regard, Japanese automakers have proven they’re not infallible when it comes to quality problems and recalls. If Honda can rekindle its engineering creativity, while simultaneously rebuilding its record of reliability, the automaker could prove an unstoppable force in the very near future.

It starts at (or near) the bottom of the range, however, and with the eagerly awaited debut of the next-generation Civic in 2016.