May 2013 Car Sales: Housing Rebound, Loan Rates Lend Trucks More Muscle
Consider the improving economic indicators and an upswing in home construction; factor in relatively stable, affordable gas prices, that are expected to stay that way through the summer; and altogether, it's no surprise that during May truck sales surged with new market muscle--and that auto sales blossomed.
Sales of the Ford F-Series finished the month 31 percent higher than those of May 2012, while both GM's sales of large pickups and monthly totals at Chrysler's Ram truck brand were up 23 percent versus the same period last year.
Full-size trucks tow the market upward
Trucks have been in an oversupply situation for some time, and the high inventory levels have resulted in strong rebates for full-size trucks like the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and Dodge Ram 1500.
Shoppers were springing for trucks, as well as larger utility vehicles, in May, while compact crossovers have remained on an upward trend, and the additional deal factors look to be what helped push several of these models to record levels for the month. The Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, and Nissan Rogue all had best-ever May results, while the Rogue had its best-ever month.Memorial Day weekend sales likely contributed to the strong performance, with more families reaching the decision point on long-deferred purchases.
Low loan rates, the real affordability factor
But before you think it was the deep discounts that brought buyers into dealerships in droves, consider that according to J.D. Power and Associates, the average transaction price for vehicles in May was at its highest-ever level--of $28,921 as of 5/23.
Power pointed to low interest rates and extended-term vehicle loans, which keep monthly payments low, as well as strengthening used-car residual values, which in turn help keep lease prices low.
Indeed, although rates have risen in recent days, according to Bankrate.com the national-average 72-month new-car loan was below 2.5 percent for much of this past month.
In recent years there's been a spring slowdown. Yet with strong May sales showing no sign of that--and continued good indicators--dealerships could continue to be very busy through the summer.These sales figures have been reported by the automakers:
General Motors: GM [NYSE:GM] sold 252,894 vehicles in May 2013, which is a three-percent gain over May of 2012. Those numbers are buoyed by Cadillac, which posted nearly a 40-percent year-over-year gain in total sales (to 13,808). GMC was also up significantly (7.0 percent) year over year, to 41,594. Chevrolet, by far the company's strongest-selling brand, was up 0.9 percent versus last year, to 179,510 units for the month--with sales of large pickups up 23 percent and large SUVs up 30 percent. The Chevrolet Cruze and Sonic had another best-ever month, while sales of GM's full-size crossovers, the Chevy Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave were all up (14, 15, and 19 percent, respectively).
Ford: Ford Motor Co. [NYSE: F] sales were up 14 percent in May (to 246,585), versus the same month a year ago, with utility vehicles and trucks leading the way (up 15 and 18 percent, respectively), fueled both by pent-up demand and construction growth, according to the automaker. In retail sales, it was Ford's best May since 2005. It was the Ford Fusion's best-ever May, while Escape sales were up 26 percent year over year. Separately, Ford noted that it passed its previous full-year hybrid sales record (35,496 vehicles) in the first five months of 2013.
Toyota / Lexus / Scion: Toyota says it sold 207,952 vehicles in May, up 2.5 percent from last May. The Toyota Division posted sales up 2.3 percent year-over-year, to 185,723, while Lexus gained by a higher percentage (3.6), to 22,229 sales for the month. The Toyota Prius family had its best sales month in a year, up nearly 10 percent, while the new RAV4 had its best-ever May sales, at 20,780 units. Toyota also noted that the Camry is again the best-selling car in the U.S., with 39,216 sold in May.
Chrysler: Ram Truck sales were up 24 percent in May, year over year, leading the way to Chrysler's best May sales since 2007. Chrysler Group LLC moved 166,596 units over the month, up 11 percent versus last May. Jeep sales were up one percent overall in May, versus last year, but the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Compass both posted their best sales months ever. The Fiat brand marked a milestone, having sold 100,000 vehicles in the U.S. since the brand's 2011 reintroduction.
Honda / Acura: American Honda sold 140,013 vehicles in the U.S. in May; that's an increase of 4.5 percent compared to May 2012. That includes Honda's gains of 5.2 percent and a 1.5-percent decrease in sales for Acura. Honda pointed to record sales of the CR-V (up 8.4 percent versus last year) plus strong sales for the Pilot and Odyssey, which were both up by double digits compared to last May. Honda sold 33,218 Accord models in May, up 11.7 percent from last May. On the Acura side, RDX sales were up nearly 50 percent year over year, to 4,930 in May, but most other models showed double-digit decreases.
Nissan / Infiniti: Nissan sales surged in May, to a new May U.S. sales record of 114,457 deliveries--24.7 percent more than May of last year. That was led by Nissan-brand sales up 31.2 percent, to 106,558, while Infiniti-brand sales tumbled 25.4 percent, to 7,899. Sales of the Leaf electric car were up nearly 333 percent over May of last year, to 6,311, while Pathfinder, Altima, and Sentra all saw major sales gains with new, redesigned models hitting the market. The Rogue also had its best-ever month, with 17,333 deliveries. All Infiniti models posted sales decreases, except for the JX crossover, which was up 10.2 percent to 12,435.
2014 Acura MDX: First Drive
We suspect we're not the only ones who think that the very premise behind some high-performance luxury utility vehicles borders on perverse.
Who are they kidding? Unless you're seeking revenge, you're not going to load your clients (or your mother-in-law) into the back seat and head out on a nine-tenths thrill ride—and driving like that with kids in the back seat? Don't dare. Are busy parents really going to take time away from carpool duty to go carve canyon roads in a luxury ute? Wouldn't they just have a Miata or an M3 for that?
All that silliness is perhaps part of the reason Acura did something very smart when it was redesigning the all-new 2014 MDX luxury crossover: Rather than listening to driving enthusiasts or focusing on how it build the brand's image, Acura went back and listened to current MDX owners.
What did they say? They like the size; they liked its performance; and they appreciated the utility and towing ability. But they wanted to see an improved interior, simplified controls, lighter steering, a quieter interior, smoother ride, and a little more room for the third row.
The brand took all of that feedback very seriously, and with the 2014 Acura MDX that begins arriving at dealerships in July, it's complied with pretty much all of it.
And at least at first, it seems like an about-face of sorts in Acura MDX history, as the last-generation MDX took a big step in the performance direction. That version was a pretty sharp-driving, responsive crossover—one of the best driving in its class, really—yet driving enthusiasts would have probably told Acura to tune the MDX even firmer, or that the steering could load up heavier.
Lean, athletic, yet not punishing
While Acura has shaken some of that edginess in the new 2014 MDX, we found the new model to be delightfully lean and athletic, and just as much at ease on undulating, oddly banked back roads as on smooth, fast highways.
But our first impression was that the MDX is quiet inside—very quiet—thanks to a host of noise-hushing and vibration-reducing measures. Active noise cancellation, active engine mounts, acoustic glass for the windshield and front windows, thicker glass elsewhere, added underfloor insulation, tighter seals, and subframe bushings are all among the many measures that help keep things quiet inside. And oh, do they.
Ride quality, too, is phenomenally good. New amplitude-reactive dampers reduce the damping force for high-frequency inputs—jittery pavement surfaces, for example—while hydraulic sub-frame mount bushings help seal out more road vibration.
Acura claims that the new approach improves ride comfort with no trade-off to handling, but in a back-to-back drive of a new 2014 MDX with the outgoing model, the new model didn't turn in quite as crisply. You do lose a little edge with all that vibration and harshness here, but to us and to the typical buyer, it's going to be worth it without a doubt.
Read the rest of this entry »
2014 Chevrolet Malibu: 35 MPG Highway, New Safety Tech, More Space
The Chevrolet Malibu has received solid marks in our review process in recent years, earning a 7.8/10 for 2013. Good four-cylinder gas mileage, a smooth-shifting automatic six-speed transmission, and nimble handling are among its noted strengths. But now there's a refreshed 2014 Chevy Malibu, due to go on sale this fall. How does it stack up to the current one?
On the numbers, the 2014 Malibu stacks up well, with a new 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with standard start-stop tech for estimated gas mileage of 23 mpg city and 35 mpg highway among the key new features. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine option gains 14 percent more torque, and is now rated at 295 pound-feet. There's even an extra 1.25 inches of knee room in the rear seat.
Other enhancements to the 2014 Chevy Malibu include a more refined suspension tune, a revised front end look, a redesigned center console, and new Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert safety options.
Looking at the numbers more closely, the new 2.5-liter Ecotec four-cylinder sees 5 percent better gas mileage in the city thanks to start-stop alone, according to GM. Direct injection and variable valve actuation help further improve economy over the 2013 model's 22 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. The new engine rates 196 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque.
Updates to the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine offered in the 2014 Malibu bring the engine's numbers up to 259 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, thanks to improved engine calibration and tuning. While horsepower is unchanged, the additional 14 percent, or 35 pound-feet of torque should make for noticeably quicker acceleration.
Improvements to rear-seat knee come mainly from re-shaped front seat backs and a new cushion placing the rear-seat occupant farther back in the seat.
For more details on the current 2013 Chevy Malibu, visit our full review.
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Mercedes-Benz Creates QR Codes To Save Lives
The good news is that our cars are safer than they've ever been. Improvements in vehicle structure and the addition of countless safety features have led to record-low traffic fatality rates. (For now, anyway.)
The bad news is that our safer cars are doing a much better job of trapping occupants during accidents. A few months ago, we told you about the new and improved Jaws of Life that have been designed to extract vehicle occupants after collisions. Now, Mercedes-Benz is working to facilitate that process, too.
Its solution: QR codes.
You probably know QR codes as the square, "quick reference" bar codes found mostly on ads in magazines. If you own a smartphone, you might even have an app that scans QR codes and pulls up additional information on various products (though there's a good chance you've never used it).
Recently, someone at Mercedes-Benz had the very bright idea to use QR codes to relay rescue information. This eliminates the need for emergency responders to track down a vehicle's "rescue sheet", which details the location of airbags, electric cables, batteries, tanks, and other elements. Having that information at the ready speeds rescue times and ensures that no rescuers get injured in the process.
According to a press release, as of this year, all Mercedes vehicles will carry two QR stickers, one of which will be located on the fuel tank flap, with the other found on the B-pillar on the opposite side of the vehicle. As the automaker points out, "it seldom occurs that both these parts are badly damaged at the same time in an accident, and they are furthermore easily accessible from the outside". In a rescue situation, responders can scan the QR code with a smartphone or tablet, giving them instant access to the data they need to make the rescue go as smoothly and safely as possible.
OUR TAKE
There are many ways to use new technology to improve rescue times, but this is by far one of the smartest, simplest, and least expensive applications we've seen. Mercedes-Benz deserves credit for thinking of it, and other automakers would be wise to follow suit -- including placing their own QR codes in the same locations.
By the way: if you own a Mercedes-Benz, Smart, or other Daimler-made vehicle, you can download a rescue sheet for your own car by clicking here.
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2014 GMC Sierra Denali Claims Top Towing Of 12,000 Pounds
The GMC Sierra Denali is back for the 2014 model year, as General Motors revamps its entire full-size truck and SUV lineup, model by model.
The first spin-off announced outside of the 2014 Chevy Silverado and the 2014 GMC Sierra, the latest Denali brings with it an option for a 6.2-liter V-8 with an estimated 420 horsepower, 450 pound-feet of torque, and a class-topping 12,000-pound towing capacity.
GMC says so equipped, the Sierra Denali will have the most power and torque of any light-duty truck. That engine will be a stand-alone option on the luxe pickup: the standard engine will be the same 5.3-liter also found in the Chevy Silverado, with 355 hp and an EPA-estimated 23 mpg highway for some models.
Gas mileage estimates for the 6.2-liter V-8 haven't been released. The engine will also be offered in the Sierra 1500 SLT.
As Denali, Sierras will swell with the luxury features that have turned the nameplate into a mini-brand over two generations. This third Sierra Denali gets its own 20-inch chrome wheels and a chrome grill; body-color bumpers; aluminum trim on the dash; and LED daytime running lights.
Among the functional upgrades are an eight-inch LCD display in the gauges that can be customized to show audio, phone, navigation, or other settings. Color Touch navigation and IntelliLink smartphone connectivity are standard, as are five USB ports, Bose audio, ventilated front seats, front and rear parking sensors, and a heated steering wheel.
On the short options list, GMC will offer a Z71 off-road package on four-wheel-drive Sierra Denalis; it comes with hill descent control, skid plates for the transfer case, and Rancho shocks. There's also a safety package with lane-departure warning and forward-collision alert systems, and a safety-alert seat that vibrates the cushions for haptic alerts. A sunroof and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system will be stand-alone options.
The 2014 GMC Sierra Denali goes on sale later this year. Pricing hasn't been announced.
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Hagerty Driving School: A Classic Education
School is out for the summer, or close to it. That creates an eight-hour maw in their day that needs to be filled with something other than Angry Birds, texting, and the Roku. We speak from experience.
If your teens are the kind that are cool with retro stuff like vinyl audio--and aren't against a life lesson being slipped to them in parallel--we suggest a spin at the Hagerty Driving Experience.
Hagerty's a major provider of classic-car insurance, and its driving experience isn't like the typical escorted lap around a big NASCAR oval. For one, it's free. It also offers seat time in classic cars, leveraging the expertise as well as the collections of local owners. And since most of the cars are equipped with manual transmissions, it's exposure to a piece of technology that could be going the way of the cassette--nevermind the compact disc--as you read this.
Hagerty says it conducts the schools because of the perceived lack of interest in teens in driving. They cite statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation, which suggest just 31 percent of today's 16-year-olds and 49 percent of 17-year-olds even have their driver's license, some of which is due to more restrictive licensing.
The company also believes manual transmissions are a dying breed, with fewer than 1 in 10 new vehicles being equipped with them. Combine the two, and it spells trouble for auto enthusiasm in general.
This year, across six different stops nationwide, the Driving Experience gives new drivers the chance to learn to drive a manual-transmission car through its half-day school. New drivers between the ages of 16 and 25 are welcome to sign up for the chance to learn how to drive cars they may never experience again, while parents get to watch with considerable jealousy.
The school kicks off with a primer on car maintenance basics. While half the group gets its first spin at cars, some of the group learns how they can take care of any car, new or old. That includes those friendly local collectors describing some basics like the operation of a manual transmission, with a working model, to a group that's just as likely to be dissecting a frog in biology class, but it also includes some tips on safe driving as well as keeping regular track of fluids and other maintenance needs.
At a recent stop in Atlanta, the Driving Experience pooled some of Hagerty's own fleet with cars from local owners' clubs, to give a group of a dozen teenagers their first stint behind the wheel of cars almost universally older than them--in some cases, three times older.Some very well-kept examples at Atlanta Motor Speedway included a 1967 MG Midget, on display for the car-care segment of the day (of course). On the track, drivers could choose from classics like a 1965 Dodge Dart GT; a 1964 Chevy Corvair; a 1975 Morris Mini; a 1975 MGB; and a 1991 Mazda Miata, which apparently qualifies as a classic, as if you didn't feel old enough. For a modern twist, one very popular owner brought a 2005 Ford Mustang GT convertible.
Owners outnumbered the drivers 2-1, and rode along shotgun as the newbies piloted their way around a basic cone course studded with stop-start exercises. For the first few laps, there were lots of hitches, judders, and stalls--and many stereotypes were overturned. One run-and-gun male couldn't keep the Mustang running between clouds of clutch; at least one teen girl glided through the course flawlessly on her first time ever in a manual, in the Corvair.
Two stops on this year's tour have already taken place, but a few remain, including June 7, in Denver; July 12, in Orange County, Calif.; August 2, in Toronto; and Sept. 21, in Las Vegas, Nev.
Enrollment is limited, but to check on available slots, stop by the Hagerty Driving Experience page on Facebook.This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2013 Cadillac SRX Recalled Due To Loose Wheel Nuts
General Motors is recalling certain 2013 Cadillac SRX luxury crossovers for a problem with wheel nuts that may be loose.
A notice on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website puts the number of vehicles potentially affected in the U.S. at 18,871.
According to Motor Authority, the number of SRX crossovers affected worldwide is around 27,000. Besides the 18,871 in the U.S., another 913 units are affected in Canada, while the remaining cars were sold outside North America.
Affected vehicles were built from January 31, 2012 through March 18, 2013 and are equipped with 18-inch wheels.
The problem
According to documentation from General Motors (PDF), the defect only relates to certain 2013 Cadillac SRX crossover vehicles with 18-inch wheels that have not had service that required wheel removal and reinstallation. Vehicles in the recall population may experience loosening of the wheel nuts.
The automaker notes that if wheel nut loosening occurs, a “creaking, rattling or grinding noise may originate from the wheel area” and a “steering vibration may also be present.”
A potential consequence of the condition being either unnoticed or ignored is that “one or more of the wheel lug nuts could detach or fatigue” and the “wheel attachment studs may fracture.” If this occurs while the vehicle is in motion, a crash could result without any prior warning.
General Motors said it has received no reports of wheel loss or accidents due to this issue.
What General Motors will do
General Motors will notify owners of affected 2013 Cadillac SRX crossovers and dealers will remove and reinstall the wheel nuts by performing a tire rotation. The service will be performed at no charge.
The General Motors safety recall campaign, identified as No. 13116, is expected to begin by June 3, 2013.
In the meantime, owners of 2013 Cadillac SRX luxury crossovers with any questions or concerns may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.
Alternatively, owners of vehicles involved in the campaign may contact NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to http://www.safercar.gov. Reference the NHTSA campaign ID No. 13V202000.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
2014 Fiat 500L: Stylish, Room For Five, Starts Below $20,000
Considering the Kia Soul, MINI Countryman, or Nissan Juke? You might want to hold out another few weeks as there'll soon be another strong rival to throw in the mix: The new Fiat 500L begins arriving to dealerships this next month, and it's now been very competitively priced against those models.
The fashionable 2014 Fiat 500L will start below the $20,000 mark.
And perhaps most importantly, it's more than just the little Fiat 500, stretched out a few inches in length. This is actually a different car entirely—with four doors, seating for five and, at least in part, different underpinnings.
Fiat has boasted that the 500L is a full-size car by EPA standards, even though it's still a subcompact if you go by its parking footprint. It's just 163 inches long, but that's 23 inches longer than the Fiat 500.
Power is provided by a 160-horsepower version of the 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo four-cylinder engine, delivered with a standard six-speed manual gearbox; all versions have front-wheel drive for now, but we wouldn't rule out an all-wheel drive option in the future.
We haven't driven the 500L yet, but with the 160-hp engine and a chassis borrowed from the sporty Fiat Punto hatchback—and details like Koni frequency-selective damping front struts and rear shocks—we're expecting an engaging driving experience.
So how does the $19,900 500L match up against the Kia Soul or the MINI Countryman? Price-wise, the Soul is still the value leader here, with a starting price of $15,175. Even a top-of-the-line 'Soul!' with the Premium Package (leather, heated seats, automatic climate control, nav, push-button start) totals just $23,175.
The MINI Countryman costs quite a bit more, though—and you don't get as many features. The base front-wheel-drive 2013 Countryman runs $22,700, and just getting the ALL4 all-wheel-drive version steps up to $28,000.
We'd also throw the Nissan Juke in as a competitor; it starts in the same range--$21,070, running up to $27,730 for a top-of-the-line 2013 Juke SL AWD.
The 500L is offered in Pop, Easy, Trekking, and Lounge models. At the base level, the 500L Pop includes air conditioning, cruise control, a trip computer, steering-wheel controls, tilt/telescopic steering adjustment, and a multi-position cargo-area panel. Six-speaker sound is also included, with the Uconnect 5.0, offering a five-inch touch screen, voice commands for the radio, hands-free calling, Bluetooth audio streaming, and a media hub with USB and aux-in ports.
The so-called Fiat 500L Easy adds 16-inch alloy wheels (replacing the steel wheels in the Pop), plus tinted rear glass, a front-seat center console and armrest, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, special cloth upholstery, a vinyl-wrapped instrument panel, and 520-watt sound. Above that, Trekking models add lots of 'rugged' appearance extras, including special wheel moldings, larger 17-inch wheels, fog lamps, and two-piece front and rear fascias, plus a unique-to-the-model, two-tone black/brown interior with low-back bucket seats.
Lounge models are at the top of the line, at $24,995, and they include power heated leather seats, driver lumbar adjustment, split-folding rear seatbacks with rear fore-aft adjustment (and recline/tumble), fog lamps, and a dual-zone climate control system—plus the Euro Twin Clutch six-speed automatic transmission.
For the 500L's first year, there's more value. All models but the Pop will be optioned up with the Premier Package—otherwise $1,700 but included for free in the 2014 500L. It includes ParkSense rear park assist, a rear backup camera, and the larger-screen Uconnect 6.5 system (including an SD card reader and text-message reader).
Catch all the latest information, as well as driving impressions and other details, by visiting our review pages on the 2014 Fiat 500L.
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Honda Accord Or Nissan Altima: Which One Does V-6 Better?
A decade ago, both the Honda Accord and Nissan Altima were offered in base four-cylinder versions. But with the V-6s of that time offering a big leap in performance and smoothness, with fuel economy only slightly lower for the V-6 (yes, gas prices were lower then), the question then was: Why not get the V-6.
Now the question is more along the lines of: Why do you need the V-6?
The reason? Smoother four-cylinder engines now prove their mettle, with surprisingly good acceleration and fuel economy thanks to a host of fuel-saving technologies, plus transmissions that really make the most of them—earning fuel economy ratings that are simply great, at up to 38 mpg highway for the Altima and up to 36 highway for the Accord.
Yet on either of these models—even as rivals like the Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Chevrolet Malibu, and Ford Fusion have dropped the V-6 option entirely, in favor of turbo fours—you can still opt up to a V-6.
Are these models worth the premium for the V-6, and if you want to go the strong, smooth route with one, which is better? We recently revisited both the 2013 Honda Accord V6 Touring and 2013 Nissan Altima 3.5 SL with this question in mind. Between these two, it was a close call, so follow along and we’ll tell you the what and why.
Powertrain. First and foremost, powertrain. The Nissan Altima has a 270-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6, while the Honda Accord has a 278-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6. Both engines are very strong, smooth, and refined, and it’s now a tossup, even when you consider the engine and transmission. Nissan’s continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) gives the Altima V-6 a laid-back personality, and it gathers speed deceptively fast and easy; the CVT also works far better with this V-6 than in Nissan’s smaller cars, raising revs quickly whenever needed for bursts of power, and offering steering-wheel paddle shifters that let you ‘pretend’ it’s a conventional automatic. Meanwhile, the six-speed automatic in the Accord is smoother than Honda’s previous-generation automatics, as well as more responsive to downshift. While they’re nearly identical in performance, we might give the Accord the edge in sound alone; the Accord snaps through the gears with a sophisticated snarl, while the Altima tends to drone when you push it.
Fuel economy. In real-world fuel economy, we saw much better with the Altima than the Accord, but we put more miles on the Altima. The Altima earns a 31-mpg highway rating, while the Accord’s six-speed automatic allows a 34-mpg highway rating for the V-6—thanks also to Variable Cylinder Management (VCM).
Handling. In handling, we found some surprises. While in previous model years we might have chosen the Accord over the Altima, the new Accord makes some significant advances in steering feel and suspension tune—yes, even though it drops the double wishbones—and it manages to have great body control with a relatively firm ride that can soak up potholes and the most jarring bumps. The Altima, on the other hand, could be a little harsh in its last-generation version; but now it’s on the soft side, and we weren’t big fans of the steering feel, which is too light and doesn’t manage much feel of the road. Both cars are confident, but we’ll give this one to the Accord.
Interface. As you go up the model line for either of these popular sedans, you add features like navigation and upgraded audio, and they take up a little more dash real estate. And in experiencing both of these models, we couldn’t help but notice how refreshingly clean and simple the controls of the Altima are compared to those of the Accord. We give the Altima a big edge in user-friendliness for the interior; the interface isn’t any more complicated than it needs to be, and somehow they cleaned out nearly as many buttons as Honda without adding confusion.
Cabin appointments. And at the top of the line, what you get in the top-of-the-line Accord V6 Touring feels to us to be more warm, plush, and inviting than what you get in the Altima 3.5 SL. We felt better supported in the Accord’s seats, while those in the Altima were a bit slippery and short on lateral support at the thighs. Trims in the Accord wrapped cohesively around to the doors, and there was a damped feel to many of the lesser controls that was missing from the Altima. Simply put, we could see the Accord selling with an Acura badge, but the Altima would never be convincing enough for an Infiniti badge (and we’re not holding one lux brand in more esteem than the other here).
Safety. These cars are both Top Safety Pick+ performers, which means they’re pretty much at the top of their class for safety. And while the top-of-the-line cars we tested each had some active-safety features, it was a feature on the Accord—the LaneWatch blind-spot display—that we found especially useful, for driving around town. And we like the Accord’s somewhat better view outward.
Among V-6 sedans, Accord has the edge
So should you go for a top-of-the-line 2013 Accord V-6 or Altima V-6? Between the two, the Accord is narrowly our pick between the two. We like the way the Accord responds and handles, although the Altima may have an edge in ride quality. Inside, the Altima’s cabin just doesn’t feel as high-grade as the Accord’s; and while we like the Altima’s way of presenting a comparable feature set without the dash clutter, the Accord’s LaneWatch feature is everyday-useful.
If you drive them both, we’re eager to hear what you think; let us know in your comments below. And to compare all the points, such as styling, pricing, and other details we didn't cover here, be sure to read both of our full reviews: on the 2013 Honda Accord and 2013 Nissan Altima.
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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
Crash Tests Go Viral In IIHS’ New Video Series
Ever wonder what goes on during car crash tests? In a new eight-part video series produced by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), viewers can see footage of actual testing at the Institute’s Vehicle Research Center in Ruckersville, Virginia.
The first two videos in the series, “Crash test dummies at work” and “Frontal offset testing,” have already been posted to the IIHS' YouTube channel. A new installment will appear each Tuesday from now through early July.
Crash test dummies at work
The first video in the “Inside IIHS” series is a three-minute look at the types of crash test dummies the Institute uses, how they are calibrated and the technology they contain for gathering information.
In the video, Marvin Hatchett, dummy calibration lab manager, gives viewers on a step-by-step overview of what goes on during dummy calibration. Interesting tidbit: A fully calibrated crash test dummy approaches $200,000 in value.
Frontal offset testing video
The second posted video in the “Inside IIHS” series explores the specifics about frontal crash testing conducted by the Institute. This video explains the differences between the IIHS’s two frontal crash tests, the moderate overlap and the small overlap, and demonstrates how structural performance, dummy injury measures and restraint systems affect a vehicle’s frontal rating.
This story originally appeared at The Car Connection
