Plug-in Hybrid Sales Soar; All-Electric Cars Stay In Low Gear

The original EV Pioneer, the Nissan LEAF

By Jerry Hirsch

 Los Angeles Times

Since a new generation of electric cars went on sale 18 months ago, the results have been far from jolting.

Sales of what are considered “pure” electric cars — they run off just a battery — have risen to slightly over 4,100 during the first six months of this year, up just 6 percent from the same period a year earlier, according to auto-information company Edmunds.com.

The gain, which amounts to just 234 cars, comes even though Ford, BMW, Honda and Mitsubishi all have joined pioneer Nissan in offering electric vehicles. Analysts say electric cars’ limited range and higher prices, as well as the lack of a widespread public charging infrastructure, have hurt the appeal of the vehicles. The pure electric cars have no backup to power them when their batteries run out.

“Range anxiety just kills it for a lot of day-to-day consumers,” said Ivan Drury, an analyst with Edmunds.com.

But sales of plug-in hybrids — vehicles that can travel some miles on battery power before a traditional gasoline engine kicks in — are soaring.

Thanks to a resurgent Chevrolet Volt and Toyota’s introduction of a plug-in version of its popular Prius, sales of such vehicles have jumped 381 percent to more than 13,000 in the first half of this year, according to Edmunds.com.

“A lot of consumers believe an ideal vehicle might be an all-electric, but the distance they drive might be greater than what an electric can handle,” said Michael O’Brien, the electric — and hybrid-vehicle marketing chief at Ford.

Ford recently announced the range of its first plug-in hybrid — the C-Max Energi small crossover, which comes out later this year. It will be able to travel about 20 miles on electricity alone but could go an additional 530 miles with the help of its gasoline engine, Ford said. The automaker said this week it plans to charge $33,745 for the vehicle.

General Motors has sold 8,817 Chevrolet Volts in the first half of this year, a 221 percent increase. That includes 1,760 sold in June. Volt sales have been helped by the car’s recent qualification for California’s rebate and carpool-lane permits. About 28 percent of its sales last month were in California.

Toyota has sold 4,374 of its Prius plug-ins through June, about 60 percent in California. The company has forecast that it will sell about 15,000 Prius plug-ins this year.

By comparison, Nissan sold only 3,148 all-electric Leafs in this year’s first half, down 18.8 percent from a year earlier. Just 535 of those sales took place in June.

Mitsubishi has sold 333 of its i-MiEV electric-only car.

“The battery-electric solution that is 100 percent gasoline-free really caters to a small audience because of the limited range of those vehicles,” O’Brien said.

Conventional hybrids, like the original Prius, route energy — much of it generated when the vehicle brakes — into a battery.

They use that electricity to power an electric motor to get the car moving from a stop and to assist in accelerating, passing or hill climbing, all areas in which cars burn up the most gas, which is why they get terrific fuel economy.

But they don’t give drivers the option of driving gas-free. Plug-in hybrids enable car owners to straddle both worlds.

“It is the best (electric) option right now because they overcome the idea that you can’t drive the vehicle past a 75- or 80-mile limit,” Drury said.

He believes plug-in hybrid sales will grow to 40,000 to 50,000 vehicles in 2013, but that their price — higher than that of a conventional hybrid — will remain an obstacle to faster growth.

“Plug-ins are in their early stages, similar to the first years of conventional hybrids,” he said.

As more companies come out with plug-ins — look for versions of the Ford Fusion and Honda’s Accord in the next year — the debate will turn to what is the best electric-only range for these vehicles.

Toyota’s plug-in Prius checks in with an 11-mile electric range, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The Volt gets 35 miles. (Individual drivers might do better or worse. The numbers are just guidelines.)

Ford says the 20-mile electric range of the C-Max is a sweet spot that can cover most one-way commutes and allow the driver to charge up for the return home.

The New Signature Look For Lexus

 

The new look for Lexus is a spindle grille, which is debuting on the LS460 that was introduced this week. The F Sport features a black eggcrate trim in the grille, but still offers the chrome border,

Nissan Altima is all-new vehicle for 2013

By Lary and Dee Coppola

After four highly successful generations, the venerable Nissan Altima enters its fifth generation as a totally new vehicle for 2013. Boasting a combination of innovative mechanical improvements, painstakingly tuned ride and handling, coupled with advanced cockpit connectivity and sleek styling, the 2013 Altima feels and drives like it’s in a class above its crowded midsize segment. 

The 2013 Altima arrives with a choice of a newly redesigned 2.5-liter four-banger that puts a surprisingly peppy 182 horses to the highway — or a more forceful 270-hp version of Nissan’s revered 3.5-liter V6, which has replaced the small-block Chevy of yore for being universally recognized as one of the best, strongest and most versatile powerplants ever built.

Safety equipment on all Altima models include ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, all federally mandated airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, child seat anchors, LATCH child-seat system, power window lockout, child safety rear door locks, emergency inside trunk release, Vehicle Dynamics Control, Traction Control, tire-pressure monitor, and Vehicle Immobilizer System.

The Nissan Altima competes with the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Mazda 6, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Volkswagen Passat, Chevy Malibu and Ford Fusion.

Model Lineup: The four Altima 2.5 models — base, S, SV and SL — are powered by the aforementioned 182-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder, while all three Altima 3.5 models — S, SV and SL — feature the 270-hp 3.5-liter V6. Both Altima versions come with a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The base Altima 2.5 ($21,500) features standard cloth upholstery, 6-way manual driver’s seat, AM/FM/CD with 4 speakers, hands-free Bluetooth phone and Bluetooth Streaming Audio. It also offers Nissan Advanced Drive-Assist display, power windows, power locks, dual remote power sideview mirrors, remote keyless entry, steering wheel cruise control, center console w/ armrest and power outlet, four cup holders, four bottle holders, 16-inch steel wheels, 215/60R16 tires, and halogen headlights.

The Altima 2.5 S ($22,500) adds six-way power driver’s seat, and six-speaker AM/FM/CD.

The Altima 2.5 SV ($24,100) adds leather-wrapped steering wheel, 17-inch alloy wheels, 215/55R17 tires, speed-sensitive audio volume control, USB port with iPod, satellite radio, Pandora, Google POI Search, hands-free text messaging, rearview monitor, dual-zone climate control, rear heating/cooling vents, and remote engine start.

An optional 2.5 SV Convenience Package ($1350) includes power moonroof, fog lights, sideview mirrors with integrated turn signals, manual folding sideview mirrors, illuminated vanity mirrors, one-touch auto up/down on the front passenger window, auto-dimming rearview mirror, Homelink Universal Transceiver, compass, mood lamp, and side cargo net.

The SV Navigation Package ($590) adds a 7-inch color screen, turn-by-turn navigation integration into Nissan Advanced Drive-Assist display, and steering wheel navigation system controls.

The 2.5 SL ($28,050) upgrades include leather seating, heated front seats, eight-way power driver’s seat w/ power lumbar, two-way adjustable head restraints, Bose 9-speaker AM/FM/CD/Aux, compass, folding power sideview mirrors, Homelink Universal Transceiver, power moonroof, wood-tone trim, metallic texture trim, side cargo net, LED front map lights, mood lamp, fog lights, outside mirror LED turn signals, and LED taillights.

An optional SL Technology Package ($1090) features everything in the SV Navigation package plus Blind Spot Warning, Moving Obstacle Detection, and Lane Departure Warning.

The V6-powered Altima 3.5 S ($25,360), 3.5 SV ($27,780), and 3.5 SL ($30,080) are all equipped the same as the respective 2.5 models and offer the same option packages.

Walkaround: The 2013 Nissan Altima features sleek, aggressive styling that gives it the appearance of being a class above its competitors. For 2013, the Altima has the same wheelbase as previously, but is 1.4 inches wider, and its fenders are deeper, giving it a sporty, aggressive, muscular-looking stance.

A chrome-trimmed, blacked-out grille and smooth-looking headlight cluster meet the short hood, and all flow easily to the steeply raked windshield. A single character line runs high and cleanly along the side towards the rear. Nissan designers intentionally avoided multiple, opposing character lines such as the Hyundai Sonata, avoiding cluttering Altima’s simple but elegant design. Chrome trim around the windows and bright 10-spoke wheels add to Altima’s near-luxury allure.

At the rear, a bold chrome bar rides above the ending of the side character lines at the bottom of the trunk. The trunk has a convenient low lift-over height and the design signs off with dual chrome tailpipes.

Interior: The 2013 Altima lineup offers a varied range of interior trim levels, depending on the model.

The white-on-black instrumentation is extremely legible, and surrounded by nice soft-touch dashboard padding. The Advanced Drive-Assist Display — standard on every model — is a four-inch color display located between the speedometer and tach, providing fuel economy, trip computer, audio information, tire-pressure readings, and most importantly, turn-by-turn navigation.

The leather-wrapped steering wheel offered the usual audio and cruise controls, plus controls for the navigation system, which provided good information via simple, effective graphics.

Two things particularly worth mentioning are the Altima’s quietness, and new zero-gravity seats.

Nissan made considerable strides in strengthening the body structure and soundproofing its panels, which strongly contribute to the car’s class-above feeling, since quietness is a luxury car trademark.

Nissan’s Zero-Gravity seats are designed to provide consistent support from pelvis to chest, and during our six-hour road trip, which included a lot of winding two-lane blacktop through the Tennessee countryside, as well as freeway driving, they were extremely comfortable. Before embarking on the trip, we had an opportunity to sit side-by-side in them and in a competitor’s seats. There was absolutely no comparison in comfort.

The new Altima also boasts great electronic connectivity. All models come with Bluetooth hands-free phone connections and streaming audio. Also available is hands-free text messaging, Pandora integration, a USB/iPod connection and Sirius/XM satellite radio.

Under The Hood: The 2.5-Liter inline 4-banger is newly redesigned and married to a vastly improved Nissan CVT. This drivetrain delivers a segment-leading 38 mpg EPA Highway rating — better than Chevy Malibu ECO, Hyundai Hybrid, Ford Fusion Hybrid, or any other competing midsize sedan.

The strong 3.5 V6 is married to the same CVT.

Behind The Wheel: We found the 182-horse 2.5 worked hard to deliver what we’d term slightly above-average performance for this segment. Nissan says it does the 0-60 drill in 7.14 seconds. We’re thinking 8 seconds is probably more realistic — and for 38 mpg, you can handle 8 seconds.

Meanwhile the 3.5 V6 is a brilliant performer, doing the same drill in a very honest 6.2 seconds — fastest in this class.

The secret to the 2.5-Liter’s efficiency is the CVT. At 70 mph the Altima ran at 1,650 rpm — barely awake, and just sipping fuel. While the competitors hype their hybrids while forgetting to mention the excess cost, Nissan slipped under the radar and beat them all at the pump.

The Altima’s highway manners are superb. The top-of-the-line Altima SL trim is very luxurious, while the cloth SV trim isn’t bad either, with all models extremely quiet.

The multi-link suspension has been redesigned for excellent handling on all terrains, and the 4-wheel ABS disc brakes are equipped with electronic brake distribution, delivering minute degrees of braking control in slippery conditions. Understeer control, vehicle dynamic control (VDC) and traction control, each of which are fully automatic and self-activating, combine to give this car the full meal deal of modern safety and security.

Whines: On the 2.5, intelligent circuitry and the CVT regulate engine speed automatically, but we still missed the paddle shifters — available only on the 3.5 models.

Bottom Line: Headline-making fuel efficiency, great handling, unusual quietness, innovative connectivity and extraordinary creature comforts make the 2013 Altima a stylish, affordable and tempting choice regardless of the trim level you choose. The 2013 Altima interior feels like anything but a midsize car, while the higher trim models are absolutely lavish.

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited offers rugged luxury

By Bruce Caldwell

The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited is a vehicle that could have very well been designed specifically for Pacific Northwest drivers. It’s a multi-purpose SUV that does an outstanding job of melding ruggedness, versatility and luxury in one reasonably sized package. The Grand Cherokee suits the outdoor activities that are so popular with local residents and it also serves as a safe, comfortable commuter cocoon.

Walkaround: The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee was totally revamped for 2011, so 2012 changes are minimal. The most notable addition is the return of the spectacular Grand Cherokee SRT8 model with its muscle car-quick 6.4-liter 465-horsepower/465 lb-ft V-8.

Styling is handsome in a traditional, somewhat boxy SUV fashion. The vertical grille design is an easily recognizable Jeep cue. Like most Jeep products our Grand Cherokee was fitted with handsome five-spoke alloy wheels. Jeep has done an excellent job of combining classic Jeep cues with contemporary SUV elements. The result is a look that should stay fresh for many years and boost resale values.

Interior: The Grand Cherokee Limited interior is one of two major highlights of the vehicle. The other one is its off road prowess. Since interior interaction is an everyday thing, cabin quality will impress more buyers than the rugged trail abilities.

Our test Limited model is the middle option above the base Laredo and below the Overland. Even so, it had features and quality levels comparable to many top luxury sedans. A blindfolded person would have a difficult time telling that they were in an SUV if it weren’t for the obvious taller entry and seating position.

A near $10,000 price bump from the Laredo to the Limited nets over 30 extra/upgraded features. Our tester added the Luxury Group II option ($1,495). Key interior items on our Jeep included leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats, power lumbar, heated rear outboard seats, heated steering wheel, power tilt/telescopic, satellite radio, wireless cell phone link, voice recognition, navigation system, backup camera, and a great panoramic power sunroof.

Front legroom is stretch-out spacious. The seats are comfortable, but still very supportive. The quality of materials, the textures, colors and construction were all excellent. The Grand Cherokee approaches luxury sedans for its level of interior quietness.

Rear legroom is also excellent, even with the front seats pushed back. The previous generation Grand Cherokee had a considerably tighter rear seat, so this is a marked improvement. The second row seatback angles are adjustable. The floor hump is low, but the middle position is poorly padded. Adults can fit in the middle position, but not comfortably. The Grand Cherokee is great for four full-size adults.

Cargo space is sufficient, but not cavernous. It’s a long ways from a Chevy Suburban, but far beyond compact SUVs. The cargo floor is flat with welcome chrome rub strips. The split folding rear seats have a slight uphill slant. The power tailgate is a nice feature as are the shopping bag hooks.

Miscellaneous interior storage areas are ample. The center console bin is large as is the deep glovebox. Medium-size front door bins have bottle notches. A great sound system with auxiliary steering wheel controls caps off an excellent interior.

Under The Hood: The Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited is a mechanical marvel in terms of sophisticated traction technology. It’s based on a unibody platform that owes much to the Mercedes M-class SUVs (a bonus from the former Chrysler/Mercedes partnership). The result strikes us as a near-perfect blend of Mercedes technology and Jeep trail-tested ruggedness.

We’ve driven Jeep Grand Cherokees on daunting off-road courses that few owners would ever subject their personal vehicles to and been amazed at how proficiently the Grand Cherokee handled obstacles. The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee is capable of safely traversing terrain far more rugged than most owners will ever see, much less try.

Technology features border on overkill. The Selec-Terrain controls on the center console provide options for 4WD low, hill descent, snow, sport, auto, sand/mud, and rocks. There is a tow/haul switch on the dashboard. Most drivers will set the dial to automatic and let the outstanding Quadra-Trac II 4WD system do the hard work and decision making.

Our tester Grand Cherokee Limited had the 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, which is rated at 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. It featured cylinder deactivation to aid fuel economy. The EPA rates the Grand Cherokee V-8 at 13 mpg city and 20 mpg highway. We averaged 17 to 19 mpg with one freeway-only trip netting 20.6 mpg. A new six-speed automatic transmission helps in the fuel economy department.

Behind The Wheel: The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a smooth, pleasant vehicle to drive. It’s more carlike than trucklike. Acceleration was decent, but far, far short of what the SRT8 delivers. Steering, braking and overall handling were all very good.

Whines: We didn’t care for the left-side wiper controls that share the turn signal stalk. The rain-sensing wipers were excellent, but when we instinctively moved the stalk up for a single swipe we activated the right turn indicator. The V-8 engine was a little thirsty although that’s expected for a 5,000-pound vehicle with a 7,400-pound towing capacity.

Bottom Line: Jeep has been building off-road capable station wagons since 1947 and the current iteration of the Grand Cherokee Limited is by far the best of that impressive bunch.