Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Monday, April 26, 2010

2010 Honda Accord EX vs. 2011 Hyundai Sonata SE, 2010 Subaru Legacy 2.5i - Comparison Tests

Here's a really good comparison test between three really good cars....
Practically Chic: Does style really matter in these mid-size schleppers armed with just four cylinders and slushboxes?

For all the ascendance of crossovers—certainly the most amoebic of all automotive classifications—mid-size sedans continue to be one of autodom’s biggest sales categories. There are many reasons for this—all-around family usefulness, resistance to the swollen SUV bulk of crossovers, respectable fuel economy—but double-take glamour is rarely one of them.

This mid-size dedication to stylistic timidity has always mystified us. Given a choice between two implements that function with more or less equal efficiency, wouldn’t you be inclined to pick the one that looks the best? This is not a trick question. As a Detroit design chief observed long ago, “If practicality was all that mattered, they’d have to put a roof over Kalamazoo so they could build enough Checkers to satisfy demand.”

Checker sedans were terrific taxicabs. But their mass-market appeal was limited. Kalamazoo was never in danger of requiring a big roof, and the factory shut down in 1982.

It’s true that several purveyors of mid-size sedans have tried to raise the curbside wattage of recent offerings—the Chevy Malibu, Ford Fusion, Mazda 6, Nissan Altima, and even the Toyota Camry have all snazzed up a couple of notches compared with their predecessors. But how many actually turn heads? Very few; none, maybe. Staying visible in a 15-minutes-of-fame society requires some risk taking. Daring. Chutzpah.

The 2006–’10 Hyundai Sonata played to solid reviews that praised, in particular, its extensive array of standard features and a marked improvement in overall quality. But it’s safe to say that the styling failed to provoke any oohs or aahs. Responses were more of the ho and hum variety.

If you’ve been following our previews and show coverage on our website, or if you saw Hyundai’s myriad Super Bowl commercials, you already know that the Sonata, like the ugly duckling, has matured into a handsome swan. If it’s not the sleekest thing in its class, we’d like to know what is.

Of course, looks aren’t everything. If they were, Megan Fox would be president. Or, perhaps even scarier, Sarah Palin. There’s gotta be substance, too, which, in our constituency, translates as supple ride, all-day comfort, decent power, competitive fuel economy, contemporary safety features, high-quality fit and finish, and, of course, a high fun-to-drive quotient.

How does the 2011 Sonata grade out on the full report card? The quickest way to place it in the mid-size-sedan continuum is to pit it against a couple of prominent players in this class. The new Subaru Legacy—redesigned inside and out for 2010—needed to be on the menu since it has yet to be tested against its peer group. And, of course, we had to include the reigning mid-size champ—the Honda Accord, a perennial 10Best Cars titlist (24 trophies in 28 years) and winner of our last three mid-size showdowns.

The group’s specifications were constrained by the Sonata’s powertrain limitations. The Accord and the Legacy both offer six-cylinder options, but the new Sonata’s only engine, at least for now, is a naturally aspirated four-cylinder; a manual transmission comes only in the base model. Thus we specified automatics and fours in all three cars—a combination that accounts for a little more than 80 percent of the mid-size, mid-price sedan market.

Our Sonata was the slightly sportier SE model. We requested a midrange Accord EX, and the Legacy was a basic 2.5i with a CVT automatic. Base prices ranged from $20,690 (for the Subaru) to $24,540 (the Honda).

Could one of these newbies knock the Accord off its throne? We assembled our threesome in Southern California to find out.

To continue to the article...click on this link--> Continued...

Source;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/10q1/2010_honda_accord_ex_vs._2011_hyundai_sonata_se_2010_subaru_legacy_2.5i-comparison_tests

Saturday, April 24, 2010

2011 Hyundai Verna (Accent) First Look

2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Front View2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Front View

2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Elegant Car2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Elegant Car

2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Car Picture2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Car Picture

2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Side View2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Side View

2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Photo2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Photo

2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Car Interior2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Car Interior

2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Exotic Car2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Exotic Car

2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Rear Angle View2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Rear Angle View

2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Sexy Car Girls2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Sexy Car Girls

2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Front Top Side View2011 Hyundai Verna-Accent Front Top Side View

Beijing 2010: Honda Li Nian Everus sedan concept

I can't help but think that this concept is showing the direction that Honda may be going with the next generation Honda Civic....
The Beijing Motor Show is well under way, and Honda is showing off a new concept slated for the Chinese market. Called the Li Nian Everus, the car is the fruit of a partnership between the Japanese automaker and its Chinese partner, Guangqi Honda Automobile. We don't have too many details on the sedan other than the fact that at this point, it's nothing more than a concept.

Judging by the renderings, we're tempted to guess this thing has more than a little Civic DNA swimming around in its blood stream, though it looks like Honda raided the Acura design department for the car's less-than-traditional nose and rear-end.

Speaking of the Civic, it would make some sense if Honda swapped a little sheet metal and called it a day. Honda's compact is sold under the Dongfeng Honda banner, leaving Guangqi Honda Automobile without a comparable model. Our guess is that when the Everus comes to market, it will be slightly more upscale and boast more standard niceties than its sibling.

Source;
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/23/honda-li-nisn-everus-sedan-concept/

Friday, April 23, 2010

2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Luxury Car

2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Front View2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Front View

2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L First Drive2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L First Drive

2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Side View2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Side View

2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L First Look2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L First Look

2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Interior View2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Interior View

2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Car Picture2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Car Picture

2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Rear Seats2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Rear Seats

2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Rear Light2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Rear Light

2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Photo2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Photo

2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Rear View2011 Mercedes-Benz E-Class L Rear View

2011 Audi A8 L Pictures

2011 Audi A8 L Front View2011 Audi A8 L Front View

2011 Audi A8 L Car Wallpaper2011 Audi A8 L Car Wallpaper

2011 Audi A8 L Grille2011 Audi A8 L Grille

2011 Audi A8 L Seat Photo2011 Audi A8 L Seat Photo

2011 Audi A8 L Side View2011 Audi A8 L Side View

2011 Audi A8 L Best Interior2011 Audi A8 L Best Interior

2011 Audi A8 L First Look2011 Audi A8 L First Look

2011 Audi A8 L Rear View2011 Audi A8 L Rear View

2011 Audi A8 L Car Engine2011 Audi A8 L Car Engine

2011 Audi A8 L Image2011 Audi A8 L Image

2011 Audi A8 L Pop Up Table2011 Audi A8 L Pop Up Table