Engine Cars

The 2011 Jeep Patriot

It was easy to dismiss the Jeep Patriot when it first hit the streets (and trails) a couple of years back. Part of it was guilt by association, having been introduced to the public at the same time as the first-ever non-Trail Rated Jeep, the almost identically-sized Jeep Compass.

But while the Compass was (and is, despite some upgrades) a Jeeped-up Dodge, the Patriot was (and is) a real Jeep. In many ways, its the spiritual successor to the 1984 Jeep Cherokee.

1984 Jeep Cherokee

Yes, if you dial the wayback machine 28 model years in reverse, youll find people wondering what was up with this very small Jeep, which replaced the huge (in retrospect) Cherokee (itself a cut-down version of the 1963 Wagoneer).

The Patriots like that. First impression is its too small to be a Jeep, having been exposed to Grand Cherokees, Commanders and even Libertys.  But drive it a few minutes and youll find its the back-to-basics vehicle that Jeeps been needing.

Our tester was the Patriot Latitude 4X4, but the window sticker shows that it was optioned up to Latitude level from a base Sport model. 

Well break that down for you. Jeep Patriot Sport 4X4. Starting at $17,695, its only $1,700 more than the Sport 2-wheel drive model. Stepping up to the 4X4 gives you the 2.4 liter DOHC 16-valve engine and 165 horsepower instead of the stock 2.0 liter, 141 horsepower four.

You also get three transmission choices: A Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), a CVT with AutoStick, or a five-speed manual. Personally, Id go with the stick, but the Jeep press fleet chose the CVT with an off-road crawl rate. And, honestly, it was a very good, very smooth CVT. I had to be reminded that was how the Patriot was equipped, which means it felt natural...like the best (Nissan, Subaru) CVTs.

2011 Jeep Patriot Interior

The standard equipment list also includes a full complement of airbags, electronic stability control, anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes, hill start assist, brake assist, speed control, Security Key Theft Deterrent System, a removable/rechargable LED flashlight, rear window defroster, wiper and washer, tire pressure monitoring, an AM;/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with audio jack, and a center floor console.

All in all, thats a cut above the basics in a very competent little Jeep for only $17,695. Id buy one like that.

Except. 

It hadnt occurred to me in a long, long time...especially living in Arizona, but there are cars for sale in this country (not many) where air conditioning is an extra-cost option. And the Jeep Patriot is one.

So our Patriot came with Customer Preferred Package 28B, which gives you air conditioning as well as an upgrade to 17-inch aluminum wheels, power heated manual fold away mirrors, body color door handles and liftgate applique, height adjustable drivers seat, power windows, speed-sensitive power door locks, remote keyless entry, illuminated entry, steering wheel mounted audio controls, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, rear 60/40 reclining and folding seat backs, a fold-flat front passenger seatback, heated front seats and a 115 volt power outlet.

That package is $3,700. Making the price (so far) $21,395. Which is actually a few bucks cheaper than starting with the Latitude 4X4.

But the option list goes on...another $3,400 worth, give or take. The Security and Convenience Group gets you supplemental front seat-mounted side airbags, a security alarm, auto-dimming rear-view mirror with microphone, electronic vehicle information center, universal garage door opener, adjustable roof rail crossbars and a soft tonneau cover for $750. All nice stuff to have.

Then theres the Freedom Drive II Off-Road Group: All-Terrain tires, brake lock differential, hill descent control, a full-size spare, skid plates for the transmission, oil pan and fuel tank, tow hooks, an engine oil cooler, trailer towing wiring harness, all-season front and rear floor mats and a "Trail Rated" badge for $500. Those are essentials. Id absolutely check that option box.

The CVT with off-road crawl ratio? Thats an extra $1,000. Again, Id go with the manual if it was my money.

Ours also came with the Media Center 430, which adds a 30 gig hard drive that can hold 6,700 of your favorite songs (depending on length...depending on Ramones or Rachmaninoff, your storage capacity may vary), and a 6.5 inch touch screen display. Thats $640.  As with nav systems, odds are your phone can do this.

And finally, $375 for the Uconnect Voice Command with Bluetooth. It adds a USB port for mobile devices, and Sirius Satellite Radio with a 1-year subscription. Im a huge believer in hands-free mobile when driving...Id probably say yes for the Bluetooth alone.

With $700 destination charge, the bottom line winds up at $25,410. And thats a long way from the $17,695 we started at. But its not unreasonable. It is far less expensive than the average SUV, which doesnt have the Patriots capabilities (as equipped), and its actually less expensive than the average family sedan today.   And wed knock a grand off that sticker by shifting it ourselves.


2011 Jeep Patriot

Base price: $17,695

As tested:   $25,410

EPA estimate: 20 mpg city/23 mpg highway

Likes: Compact size, low base price, real Jeep capability, fuel economy, dramatically improved interior.

Dislikes: Air conditioning and Bluetooth should be standard.

XK has been upgraded for less than a third generation, 385 hp direct-injection 5.0-liter AJ-V8 engine under the hood, while the range-topping supercharged XKR version was the same engine with 510 ponies. Jaguar of 2011 has improved the credibility of GT road when it comes to high performance based on speed and XKR Pack Black Pack Speed Pack to raise the maximum speed is 174 mph (280 kph), and Black Pack offers a dark structure and a tape and a half.

The 2011 Hyundai Elantra.

Its the one-two punch the Japanese have been dreading.

A little over two months ago, we reviewed the 2011 Hyundai Sonata...the upshot being that Hyundai, for 20 years the Korean underdog, had now built a credible competitor to the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord (and everything else in the family sedan segment too...Focus, Malibu, Passat...).

Well, just as Accord has Civic and Camry has Corolla...Sonata has Elantra...but its better than that. The Elantra, the smaller of the two, is as good in its class as the Sonata in its and maybe better. Its reminiscent of the days when Accord and Civic were so good you couldnt begin to come up with a reason to buy anything else.

Rear and side view of the 2011 Hyundai Elantra.

The fact is, the Elantra is every bit as good a car as the Sonata...its just smaller and gets significantly better gas mileage (29 city/40 highway to the Sonatas 22/35...both equipped with automatic transmissions).

Now that paragraph above is a big deal, because I dont believe the Civic is as every bit as good a car as the Accord (though we havent had a 2012 Civic at TireKicker World Headquarters yet), nor that the Corolla is every bit as good a car as the Camry. Once upon a time, they were, but its been more than 10 years since I would have put my name anywhere near that assertion.

But the Elantra is. There are no penalties to be paid for its junior status. The styling is fluid and exciting, the power, like the Sonatas, more than adequate, the ride and handling ditto.

The one we tested was the top-of-the-line Limited with the Premium Package. You may remember, our Sonata was a one rung up from the bottom SE with only one option: Floor mats.

As a result, far from being an econobox torture chamber, this is what the interior of our Hyundai Elantra Limited test vehicle looked like:

The 2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited interior.

The Limited starts at $19,980, with ESC, traction control, ABS, four-wheel disc brakes, Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Brake Assist, a full complement of airbags and a tire pressure monitoring system standard.

Oh, yeah...and 17-inch alloy wheels, a power sunroof, fog lights, air, a six-speaker AM/FM/XM/CD/mp3 audio system with iPod/USB and auxilary jack, power windows, locks and heated mirrors, remote keyless entry with alarm, Bluetooth, steering wheel-mounted audio, cruise and phone controls, a tilt and telescoping steering column, trip computer, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, leather seating surfaces with heated front and rear seats and a full tank of gas.

That Premium Package we mentioned above adds $2,000 for a nav system with a high-resolution 7-inch touchscreen, a backup camera, a premium audio system with external amp, automatic headlights and proximity key entry with pushbutton start.

$95 for floormats, $35 for an iPod cable, and were done at $22,110.

Yes, I know thats only $1,305 less than the Sonata we tested. Im fine with that. Seriously. Look at it another way. Its only $1,620 more than the Chevrolet Cruze ECO, gets 1 mile per gallon more in the city and two less on the highway (in our testing, we saw 26.9 in 80/20 city street and freeway driving in the Elantra versus 29.2 in the Cruze ECO).

If I was playing with my own money, Id make the choice between the Sonata and Elantra based on size and room needed. And the Elantra is remarkably roomy inside for its size class, with a surprising amount of trunk space.

Pity Honda and Toyota. Its gotta be rough to have Hyundai make a strong showing in one segment this year. But two?

2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited

Base price: $19,980

As tested: $22,110

Likes: Styling, features, fuel economy.

Dislikes: Can I get back to you...or not?

EPA estimate: 29 mpg city/40 mpg highway.

You probably think a mid-life makeover of the Tata Aria isnt worth your time. You might be making a hasty judgment there. The Tata Aria 4x2 is not just another makeover. It extends the range to new segments and redefines several benchmarks by slashing prices by a whopping Rs. 1.3 lakh. If that isn’t incentive enough, take it on a drive to find out whether Aria 4X2 will be a game changer for Tata.

No better place than Pune for a test drive -- with a wide variety of driving conditions spanning across the Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway, idyllic hill stations a stone’s throw away, most indisciplined city traffic and off-roading prospects within the city limits, thanks to roads that have forgotten even the smell of tarmac.

Styling

The angular, wrap-around dual-barrel headlamp with projector beam and the signature Tata grille that we saw on Vista and Manza give Aria an aggressive look. Step in, oh sorry, walk-in (Passengers can simply walk into the Aria, rather than having to climb up or get down, thanks to the low-floor design) and youll be quite impressed, rather surprised. The incredibly spacious cabin has three-row seats that are strategically arranged to provide passengers with acres of head, leg and shoulder rooms. Both front and middle seats are adjustable so that even a 56" person can comfortably sit in the third row. Yet, the third row is for kids, I must say. There are AC vents on B and C pillars, providing satisfactory cooling in all three rows equally. All seats, except the drivers, can be flat-folded, giving you lots of luggage space - even space to stuff in a Tata Nano.

The dual-tone dashboard is neat, but not that exciting. Unlike the 4X4 edition, the new Aria has black & beige interiors with wood inserts and it looks much better than the black & plum dashboard with brush metal inserts. The Aria 4X2 lacks Satellite Navigation system and reverse guide camera, but has the Ultrasonic Reverse Guide System instead. There are two gloveboxes, one of which can be used as a chiller, too. The 2 DIN integrated music system with 6 speakers is great but again, nothing exceptional about it.

Aria 4X2 has a constructive driver information system that gives you real-time information about fuel-consumption, distance to empty, engine performance and other critical data. Tiltable steering, electronically adjustable and foldable mirrors, height-adjustable drivers seat provide the driver with lots of ease.

Safety

Tata had taken safety to new heights with the Aria 4X4. Aria 4X2 also benefits from the same features, both active and passive, that only vehicles over Rs 30 lakh can boast of. While active features like ABS , EBD and all disc brakes aid steerability and control in emergency braking, driver and passenger airbags ensure protection from front impacts. However, Aria 4X2 lacks curtain airbags. Passive features include Hydroformed chassis members that enhance strength and rigidity with reduced weight, crumple zones to absorb impact energy, side impact beams within doors, collapsible steering, auto door unlock during accidents et al.

Performance

At the heart of the Tata Aria is the same 2.2 litre Direct Injection Common Rail (DICOR) engine that powers the 4X4 Aria. Belting along a resplendently smooth mountain road that leads to Lavasa, the Aria didn’t gasp. The potent motor has an astonishing spread of power, pulling hard from low in the rev range and getting progressively and fantastically stronger all the way to the 4,400rpm red-line. Coupled with variable turbine technology and 32-bit ECU, the motor delivers 140 PS power and 320 Nm torque. It is equipped with a dual mass flywheel that isolates torsional vibrations from the powertrain, thus providing a NVH free environment in the cabin. The new Mark II gearbox is mated to the engine ensuring a slicker shifting. Turn the ignition and the Aria burbles gently into life. But as your foot goes down, it becomes a monster, accelerating swiftly. Trust me, there’s very less or zero turbo lag, this coupled with minimal gear shifts makes city driving duck soup.

Ride and Handling

Aria does a remarkable job of protecting its passengers from rutted Tarmac. Unlike many others in this segment, Aria doesn’t juggle the middle-seat passengers. Independent double wishbone suspension in front and five link rear suspensions mean it rides amazingly and the shortage of body lean is amazing for such a tall, heavy car. There’s no need to slow down unless you are cruising along a dreadfully damaged road. Aria is capable of dampening the harshness of ruts, potholes and even small speed breakers. You feel really confident behind Aria’s wheel, thanks to precise steering response, tremendous braking and laudable cornering capabilities.

When I halted amid dense fog of the Lavasa hills for a brief photography session, a couple of guys curiously chasing me on their two-wheelers all the way uphill, passed by, yelling – “naaice car!”- and that says it all.

The 2011 Kia Optima. Yes, Kia Optima.

The progress made by Korean automakers Kia and Hyundai the past few years has been nothing less than remarkable. Its the same basic story as how Toyota, Nissan (then Datsun) and Honda went from footnotes to mainstream best-sellers, but with a much steeper curve, negotiated much more quickly.

But even the rapid rise to respectability couldnt prepare us for the giant leap that is the 2011 Kia Optima. Until now a generic-looking sedan that fit right in as a rental car, the Optima now is gorgeous (if not absolutely, then certainly by family sedan standards), stylish and has bypassed contemporary for futuristic.

Rear view of the 2011 Kia Optima.

That particular "F" word, "futuristic",  is fraught with peril for manufacturers on that side of the Pacific, who have produced some designs that look like mutant insects from a 1950s sci-fi flick. But not the new Optima. The future here is one thats within sight from the present...where other manufacturers have been heading, but wont arrive for another move or two, thats where the 2011 Kia Optima is now.

The Optima starts at a very reasonable $19,200 for the LX with a manual transmission. Our tester was the EX with an automatic...boosting the price of entry to $22,495. You keep the same 2.4 liter four cylinder engine (200 horsepower), but step up to 17" wheels from 16s, and you get chrome accent door handles, clear-lens projector headlights, front fog lights, dual body-color heated power mirrors, Smart Key & pushbutton start, dual zone automatic climate control, the passenger gets an auto-down feature for the power window, door mood lamps and rear reading lamps, auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink and compass, an 8-way power drivers seat, leather seat trim and aluminum interior trim. Thats a lot of upgrades for $3,295.

2011 Kia Optima Interior.

And then theres the interior. And Ill be honest. At first, I felt let down. The surfaces and materials felt cheap to me. I finally figured it out...theyre exactly right and maybe a bit better than they need to be for this segment and this price point....but the car gives the impression of being a much more expensive piece...my brain was thinking $40,000 when I slid behind the wheel. Again, the reality is $22,495.

That, of course, is before options, and the Kia press fleet folks added two...the Technology Package (a navigation system with backup camera and Sirius Traffic plus an upgraded Infinity audio system with 8 speakers) for $2,000...and the EX Premium Package (Panoramic sunroof, power front passenger seat, driver seat memory, heated and cooled front seats, heated outboard rear seats and a heated steering wheel) for $2,250.

Regular TireKicker readers know our mantra when it comes to $2,000 factory nav systems ("Your phone does that"), but the Infinity audio system sounds mighty nice, so maybe thats only a grand worth of nav.

With those two options and a $695 freight and handling charge, the sticker price on the 2011 Kia Optima we drove was $27,440. Slick, smooth, clean, quiet...EPA estimates of 24 city/34 highway and Kias 10 year/100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty, 5 year/60,000 mile limited basic warranty and 5 year/60,000 mile roadside assistance. Hard to go wrong.

And theres a hybrid version for 2012 that will be in our hands in early October.

Camry, Accord, Altima, Mazda 6, Sonata, Fusion and Malibu, move over. Theres a new contender you have to share the stage with.

An advantage of Bentley cars is the engine. Bentley Azure is hand made of 6.75-liter V8 engine capable of producing 500 hp and a torque of 700 ft. It s really a combination of a luxury car, the elegance and power. Bentley Azure argued that the extent of 00-60 km / h in 5.2 seconds and can be a maximum speed of 179 mph. This car has a 6-speed automatic transmission.

In 2011, Explorer offers one of the first Ford few years, a system of land management related to the much more expensive Land Rover LR4. It allows the driver to choose one of four settings to recognize the road surface and also offer Hill Descent Control, which is the only pilot to fly, while car accidents at a safe speed.

Overall, the 2010 Toyota Avalon is undoubtedly available in three trim levels, XL, XLS and Limited. It really is just a choice of 3.5-liter V6 engine that makes 268-hp and 248 lb-ft of torque. It also comes only with 6-speed automatic transmission, which may also be possible to move manually. Avalon has also recorded a track from 0-60 mph in 7.1 seconds. Not surprisingly, the individual in 2010 Toyota Avalon is actually a little more sound on the main road. Avalon is certainly delicate, soft, elegant and more the point, the idea of suspending the tender many causes float over ground contours and softer direction tends to make sense really designed for a luxury-but-not-sports . In general, the direction of Avalon is almost certainly too low within the meaning of sport, but not the best, reacts to driver input is also a way of decent fabric. Faster is definitely enjoyable on many levels and so typical of the ability to change gears manually is certainly one of the best special manumatic the actual segment. Critics have strong brakes, but notes that the trough of typical car very hard when braking hard.