1 Car has posted a new item, 'Good Neighbors'
I am unaccustomed to running into my neighbors at HoCo politico events. It just
doesn't happen. Over the six yearswe'velived in our current neighborhood, its
only happened three times. The third time occurred last week at Courtney
Watson's event in Columbia whenI ran into my next door neighbors, the good ones.
Seven years ago, as our side by side homes were being built, I first met Hatem.
Later we would become introduced to his wife and two children. Maha now brings
her homemade baklava to our 3rd of Julyparties. When they traveled back to visit
family in Egypt, we kept an eye on their house.
At the party, Hatem told me that he was on the board of the Howard County Muslim
Council and explained some of the work that the council is doing in the
community. He made a point to mention that Courtney regularly attends their
functions and has been supportive of their efforts.
I loved this moment. I often lament about the sad state of loco civic engagement
and awareness. When I suddenly discovered that, right next door, another
neighbor was quietly doing his part to make HoCo a better place to live, it made
me happy.
In contrast, on the other side of my house is a family that has also moved in at
the same time. They have two daughters and after seven years I dont even know
their names.
We spoke a little about the plans for a Muslim school and worship center in
western HoCo. I told Hatem that a friend of mine is on the executive board of
Residents for the Responsible Development of Woodmont, which opposes the project
currently proposed by Dar-Us-Salaam of College Park because its size and
intensity are far in excess of what RRDW believes is reasonable for the Rural
Conservation district and the rural west of Howard County
I sincerely hope that the Dar-Us-Salaam community and the greater Cooksville
community can reach some sort of mutual accommodation on this. There are good
people on both sides of this zoning debate so there is good reason to be
hopeful.
You may view the latest post at
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Best regards,
1 Car
http://1car.pw
Sunday, 9 June 2013
Saturday, 8 June 2013
[1 Car] 2014 Toyota Corolla sedan unveiled
1 Car has posted a new item, '2014 Toyota Corolla sedan unveiled'
After what seemed like countless teaser and concepts, the 11th generation of the
worldâs best selling car has been unveiled in sedan form. The Toyota
Corolla sedan made its world debut yesterday with the design borrowing heavily
from the Corolla Furia concept first seen at this yearâs Detroit auto
show. Having sold almost 40 million Corollas since 1966, of which 1.2 million
have been in Australia, the new Toyota Corolla is going to become a familiar
sight on Australian roads soon. But the carâs design is not standard
worldwide. Given the Corollaâs mass appeal, Toyota has decided to create
two versions of the Corolla sedan. One for Europe and one for North America
(shown here in red). The two versions are very similar underneath but with an
obvious difference to the front end. Toyota Australia says the European car
(pictured in white) is the closer of the two in appearance to the model that
will make it to our shores early next year. The humble Corolla hatch has gone on
to become the best selling car in Australia as of last month, outselling the
popular Mazda3. The arrival of the sedan in 2014 will only further boost the
Japanese carâs popularity. The Corollaâs 1.8-litre four-cylinder
engine will be carried over from the hatch, with 103kW of power and 173Nm of
torque. A six-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable transmission
(CVT) will be the two options while fuel usage is expected to be around
7.1L/100km. Do you like the design of the new Toyota Corolla sedan? Which one
looks better, the American or European version?
You may view the latest post at
http://1car.pw/2014-toyota-corolla-sedan-unveiled/
Best regards,
1 Car
http://1car.pw
After what seemed like countless teaser and concepts, the 11th generation of the
worldâs best selling car has been unveiled in sedan form. The Toyota
Corolla sedan made its world debut yesterday with the design borrowing heavily
from the Corolla Furia concept first seen at this yearâs Detroit auto
show. Having sold almost 40 million Corollas since 1966, of which 1.2 million
have been in Australia, the new Toyota Corolla is going to become a familiar
sight on Australian roads soon. But the carâs design is not standard
worldwide. Given the Corollaâs mass appeal, Toyota has decided to create
two versions of the Corolla sedan. One for Europe and one for North America
(shown here in red). The two versions are very similar underneath but with an
obvious difference to the front end. Toyota Australia says the European car
(pictured in white) is the closer of the two in appearance to the model that
will make it to our shores early next year. The humble Corolla hatch has gone on
to become the best selling car in Australia as of last month, outselling the
popular Mazda3. The arrival of the sedan in 2014 will only further boost the
Japanese carâs popularity. The Corollaâs 1.8-litre four-cylinder
engine will be carried over from the hatch, with 103kW of power and 173Nm of
torque. A six-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable transmission
(CVT) will be the two options while fuel usage is expected to be around
7.1L/100km. Do you like the design of the new Toyota Corolla sedan? Which one
looks better, the American or European version?
You may view the latest post at
http://1car.pw/2014-toyota-corolla-sedan-unveiled/
Best regards,
1 Car
http://1car.pw
[1 Car] In This Months Business Monthly
1 Car has posted a new item, 'In This Months Business Monthly'
The Columbia Council is the red headed step child of loco politics. Even though
the elected council members serve as the board of directors of a corporation
with an annual operating budget of $60 million and 1,300 employees, very few
people pay much attention to its governance.
The system itself is at least partially to blame. Election rules and procedures
are inconsistent among the 10 Columbia villages and not all who pay the CA lien
are even eligible to vote, including the majority of the commercial property
owners.
Voter apathy is also to blame. Even seemingly contentious citywide issues such
as the future of Symphony Woods park barely register a blip on most
Columbiaresidents radar. On the other hand, try and take away a neighborhood tot
lot or swimming pool and suddenly people start to pay attention, though by that
time it may already be too late.
Its not too late now. If you live in Columbia please get informed and vote on
April 20thor, at the very least, get your hands on an absentee ballot. If you
know someone who lives in Columbia, particularly the villages of River Hill,
Oakland Mills, WildeLake and Long Reach, please encourage them to pay attention
and participate.
A healthy and forward looking Columbia is in the best interests of everyone who
lives in HoCo.
You can find this months column here.
You may view the latest post at
http://1car.pw/
Best regards,
1 Car
http://1car.pw
The Columbia Council is the red headed step child of loco politics. Even though
the elected council members serve as the board of directors of a corporation
with an annual operating budget of $60 million and 1,300 employees, very few
people pay much attention to its governance.
The system itself is at least partially to blame. Election rules and procedures
are inconsistent among the 10 Columbia villages and not all who pay the CA lien
are even eligible to vote, including the majority of the commercial property
owners.
Voter apathy is also to blame. Even seemingly contentious citywide issues such
as the future of Symphony Woods park barely register a blip on most
Columbiaresidents radar. On the other hand, try and take away a neighborhood tot
lot or swimming pool and suddenly people start to pay attention, though by that
time it may already be too late.
Its not too late now. If you live in Columbia please get informed and vote on
April 20thor, at the very least, get your hands on an absentee ballot. If you
know someone who lives in Columbia, particularly the villages of River Hill,
Oakland Mills, WildeLake and Long Reach, please encourage them to pay attention
and participate.
A healthy and forward looking Columbia is in the best interests of everyone who
lives in HoCo.
You can find this months column here.
You may view the latest post at
http://1car.pw/
Best regards,
1 Car
http://1car.pw
[1 Car] 2013 Honda CR-V vs. 2013 Mazda CX-5 vs. 2013 Hyundai Tucson GLS vs. 2013 Nissan Rogue
1 Car has posted a new item, '2013 Honda CR-V vs. 2013 Mazda CX-5 vs. 2013
Hyundai Tucson GLS vs. 2013 Nissan Rogue'
Written by James Hamel
Two of these compact family SUVs have been on the market for
quite a while now whereas the other two have been the newest dominating forces
on the scene for just the last model year. Now we all know that in this
competitive segment attention stays on one model for about as long as a Youtube
video sensation is talked about online. Now we are all for another cute cat
meows along to Justin Bieber song video but cant we try and pay attention to
something for more than 15 minutes?
Okay, perhaps thats stretching the point a little too far.
You are probably just in the market for a new compact family SUV and want to
know
if the two current heroes in the market segment currently (CR-V, CX-5) are
really worth the extra money compared to these two less expensive alternatives
known for quite a while as the Nissan Rogue and Hyundai Tucson. In this road
test we drove a mid-level GLS variant of the Hyundai SUV and a pretty much
loaded SV with SL trim Rogue whose naming structure (SV with SL trim?) wins the
award for stupidest naming structure on any vehicle that we have seen this
year. Or possibly ever.
Now, with an average of about 160-185 horsepower spread out
among these still rather porky SUVs, none of these compact family SUVs is going
to replace that hot hatchback you drove all the way through college. But with
kids, mortgages, in-laws and the appearance of gray hairs comes an extra level
of responsibility that these kinds of SUVs can provide all without breaking the
bank or the gas card. Have you seen the cost of regular unleaded lately? And a
couple of them might just entertain you from time to time.
Exterior Styling
Now this is always purely a personal decision but taken
objectively, we have to say that the 2013 Honda CR-V is easily the most
attractively handsome in a conservatively inoffensive way. It fits in at Home
Depot,
the grocery store or a Country Club parking lot. In second place is the
2013 Mazda CX-5 which despite a somewhat gawky looking front schnoz whose size
would force any Beverly Hills teen into emergency Rhinoplasty with her plastic
surgeon, at least looked sporty and compact from most other angles.
Although we arent the biggest fans of Hyundais fluidic
sculpture design language, our Tucson testers red exterior paint really made
this design pop when looking for it in crowded parking lots full of silver SUVs.
Last and definitely least is the 2013 Rogue which features a beady set of front
headlamps/bug eyes, a cheap looking egg-crate grille and none of the exterior
class and sass that makes the larger Nissan Murano such a visual and stylistic
hit. (1st Place: 2013 Honda CR-V EX-L, 2nd
Place: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport, 3rd
Place: 2013 Hyundai Tucson GLS, 4th
Place: 2013 Nissan Rogue SV with SL Trim)
Interior Styling,
Layout and Utility
Whereas the 2013 Hyundai Tucson has plenty of legroom for
six-footers in the front and back seats, the cargo hold is a bit smaller than in
competitors like the new CR-V. So if outright utility is what you are after
there are better choices than the Tucson. Cargo capacity is 25.7 cubic feet
behind the second row and 55.8 cubic feet with the second row folded flat.
Interior plastics and the seat fabrics could have done with some upgrades but I
you want more high quality class in your Hyundai then check out the Tucson
Limited which still only starts at $25,000. At that level leather seats come as
standard.
Or you could just go for the one with the highest quality
interior that truly feels assembled to withstand a full scale nuclear attack or
yet another world-wide tour by pop singer Cherthe 2013 Honda CR-V has the
lowest lift-in height to the cargo hold which simply wallops all comers thanks
to a brilliant set of handles set into the sides of the rear cargo hold which
once pulled they manage to perform an acrobatic ballet of seat folding
engineering artwork that truly should be lauded for being both useful and
dramatic to watch.
Behind the second row of the roomy CR-V there is 37.2 cubic
feet of room for most any sane suburban shopping excursion but in case of an
80% off going out of business sale emergency then fold those seats to offer
up a nearly miraculous 70.9 cubic feet which is more room than most Manhattan,
New York residents have in their entire studio apartment. The 2013 Mazda CX-5
offered also offered impressive amounts of cargo hauling ability of 34.1 cubic
feet behind rear seat passengers and that grows to over 68.1 when the second
row is folded semi-flat. The dashboard of our CX-5 had a sporty and
straightforward layout and interior materials were impressive considering its
too good to be real entry level price point.
The 2013 Nissan Rogues interior plastics have been upgraded
a few times during its life but it still looks, feels and smells no better than
an SUV that has been rented through three tropical Hurricanes in Florida and
has about 50,000 creaking, ill-fitting miles on it. Behind the second row the
Rogue can haul cubic feet of cargo growing to over 54 cubic feel when you
attempt to fold the cheap mechanisms hiding under the nasty and cheap feeling
rear
leather covered bench seat that perhaps was instead made from Armadillo skin.
Even worse, the front seats were heated and would smell awful
when they got warmer. On positive notes, the 2014 Nissan Rogue SV with SL tri
did come with a decent Bose 8-speaker AM/FM/USB/I-Pod integrating audio system
with a unique subwoofer, a power drivers seat, automatic
climate control (the
CR-V gets that standard), 18-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth, keyless entry and
push button start. a power glass sunroof as well as an in-dash navigator.
However, despite its high feature count, the one thing it is sorely lacking is
in the possibility of the owner ever having a pleasant interior
environment.(1stPlace: 2013 Honda CR-V EX-L, 2ndPlace: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport,
3rdPlace: 2013 Hyundai Tucson GLS, 4thPlace: 2013 Nissan Rogue SV with SL
Package)
Value, Pricing and
Fuel Economy
CX-5
Our four compact family SUV entrants all range in pricing
from generally about $20,000 to a little over $30,000 so they are within the
budget of most new SUV buyers as the average transaction price for any new
vehicle stands at a little over $27,000. Our testers were from trim levels all
over the map including the basic yet very enticing 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport which
was so basic its transmission came with a clutch pedal. When was the last time
you saw an SUV with a stick shift option even with its most basic trim level?
More importantly, when did any SUVs stick shift come with such a sporty shift
action and positive modulation through the clutch that you wonder if Mazda is
the last automaker intent on building fun cars for lovers of the manual
transmission?
Not only that but our front wheel drive 2013 Mazda CX-5
Sport stickered at just $20,695 yet still came equipped with air conditioning,
AM/FM/CD/USB/iPod integrated audio system with 4 speakers, power windows, power
mirrors and locks, cruise controls, steering wheel mounted audio controls,
17-inch alloy wheels, floor mats and pretty much every essential most families
look for besides Bluetooth but you can survive with an aftermarket headset for
this price, cant you? Over the course
of 7 days with us, the 2.0 liter 155 horsepower SkyActiv 4-cylinder and
six-speed manual returned an as yet to be better by any other compact SUV we
have ever tested 32.4 miles per gallon average. Yes foks, thats a record for
us.
Our 2013 Hyundai Tucson GLS was also a screaming bargain
with price
s starting at just $22,295 for this mid-level trim which definitely
didn't lack for features. Spend a few grand more for a Limited model and you
can even add leather, cooler looking alloys, navigation and an upgraded premium
audio system. But to our way of thinking the GLS is the smartest buy in the
Tucson lineup and even the standard 6-speaker audio system in the GLS does a
terrific job in its attempts to sound "premium."
Standard with every 2013 Hyundai Tucson GLS are features
like power windows, door locks and mirrors, air conditioning, AM/FM/CD
6-speaker audio system, USB/iPod connectivity, Bluetooth, a 2.4 liter 176
horsepower/168 lb. feet of torque 4 cylinder, a 6-speed automatic, tinted
glass, alloy wheels, keyless entry and a whole lot more. It is, in short all of
the compact family SUV that most people ever really need all with a handy 10
year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty. The 2013 Hyundai Tucson gets an EPA
estimated 21 city/30 highway and we were pleased to find our tester averaged
26.1 miles per gallon during its stay with us.
Both the CR-V EX-L and Rogue SV with SL trim were priced
pretty near the top of their respective model lines and packed with top notch
features and luxuries that most new SUV buyers lust after but do keep in mind
all of the aforementioned SUVs were front wheel drive. Still, the 2013 Honda
Civic EX-L we tested lacked only a navigation unit and rear seat DVD
entertainment
unit from the options list and stickered for just a bit over $27,000. The 2013
Nissan Rogue SV with SL trim stickered for $28,950 and attempts to trump the
CR-V by including a cheap in-dash navigator with a tiny 5-inch screen and dated
looking graphics. Or you could get a CR-V with their far superior navigation
unit for a total MSRP about $100 higher than the Rogue we tested. Seriously,
dont eat out for two weeks and buy the
Honda!
Sadly, no matter where the sticker price goes, the 2013
Nissan Rogue is always outclassed by the CR-V, CX-5 and even the Tucson. Also
remember that a Honda CR-V will hold its
resale value class leadership status that it has retained for years whereas
that is one detail that is not yet clear for the Mazda as of yet. Its a small
but important detail as is the CR-Vs as tested fuel economy figure of 29.7
miles per gallon fuel economy average which was a couple miles below that of
the CX-5. Bringing up the rear as usual was the rebellious for no reason Nissan
Rogue which returned a tolerable 24.7 miles per gallon.(1stPlace: 2013 Honda
CR-V EX-L, 2ndPlace: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport, 3rdPlace: 2013 Hyundai Tucson GLS,
4thPlace: 2013 Nissan Rogue)
Safety and Driving
Experience
The first concern of any parent buying a compact family SUV
is how safe it will be in an accident and we have the answers for you.
According to the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety), the 2013 Honda
CR-V, Mazda CX-5 and Hyundai Tucson all got top scores in all categories
meaning that they were named Top Safety Picks in their class. Unfortunately
for the 2013 Nissan Rogue, it only scored a less than perfect Acceptable rating
from the IIHS in the crucial roof strength test that helps ensure your family
stays safe in the event of a rollover accident in your SUV.
Part of the reason why the admittedly underpowered 2013 Mazda
CX-5 felt like such a cheeky laugh riot to drive was due to the fact that in
our base Sport trim it comes with a sweet six-speed manual gearbox that offers
up the same engaging smiles per mile transferred to your brain via the clutch
and shift lever much like in a Mazda2, Mazda3 or Miata with one of their
artfully engineered stick shifts. As part of its SkyActiv program, Mazda
instilled the six speed manual gearbox with the shortest shift stroke of any
vehicle in its class thereby giving the shift lever a quick and sporty feel
that you can enjoy in many regular cars. Steering feel is quick and the Mazda
corners with very little body roll and while it can feel a bit more antsy to
play than the more refined CR-V, the CX-5 definitely feels like it could handle
more power.
The 2013 CR-V may not be tuned quite as much for track day
cornering like
the CX-5 but the eloquent collaboration from the 2.4 liter 185 horsespower
4-cylinder engine, 5-speed automatic transmission and expert ride and
suspension tuning mark it out as the most grown up feeling small SUV on the
market. You might notice the CR-Vs steering offering up less feel than the
CX-5 but only after driving them back to back.
The 2013 Hyundai Tucsons 2.0 liter engine 176
horsepower/168 lb. feet of torque gives the driver a decent amount of power in
most situations but just isn't as smooth as the motors found in the CX-5 or
CR-V. For some reason, this same engine seems better isolated and less rough
sounding in its fraternal twin the 2013 Kia Sportage EX. Perhaps Hyundai
thought better to save some money on sound deadening measures that Kia kept in
place despite it causing that model to sometimes cost more when equipped like
for like.
Now, the Tucson's engine isn't horrible by any means but it
does sound a bit like a bucket full of thimbles being thrashed around under
full throttle acceleration maneuvers and the like. But then you could always
turn up the very capable stereo system and never be bothered by it so really it
could only prove problematic to those odd souls who drive without music playing.
Otherwise, steering feel is impressively taut and offers better feel than the
racks in either the Elantra or Sonata sedans. SUV's aren't supposed to be
driver's
cars but the Tucson does allow you to have a little bit of slightly unrefined
fun
on the drive to pick up the kids from soccer practice.
Lastly, is it right to even go into how much we abhorred
driving the Nissan
Rogue given its unshakably nervous and jittery suspension
tuning, vague as a newly elected politician-style steering feel and a moaning
CVT (continuously variable transmission) automatic gearbox which turned
Nissans normally quite pleasant 2.5 liter 175 horsepower 4-cylinder engine
into something that sounded like a cow being tortured. Low speeds, freeway
passing passing speeds, and even idling in a parking lot, we always felt that
there was some odd engine, wind, tire or transmission noise there to annoy you.
We know that the 2013 Nissan Juke may only offer 10.5 cubic feet of cargo space
behind the second row of seats but somehow it manages to suffer from none of
the Rogues utterly inexcusable driving dynamics.(1stPlace: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport
(Manual), 2ndPlace 2013 Honda CR-V EX-L (Automatic), 3rdPlace: 2013 Hyundai
Tucson GLS, 4thPlace: 2013 Nissan Rogue)
Conclusion (And the
Winner is)
If you are one of the very few people who would ever
consider purchasing your next new compact family SUV with a stick shift (we
would now!), the winner would have to be the 2013 Mazda CX-5 which whipped up
so much value, utility and fun to drive zoom-zoom that we would have a hard
time passing by this incredible SUV buy. But if you want an automatic, things
become more muddled and the CR-V clearly takes the lead as the more sensible
and practical choice which still offers enough behind the wheel entertainment
to keep the driver engaged.
As for the Tucson and Rogue, they are quite obviously a
generation behind these two but it is the Tucson which easily nabs third place
thanks to its high style, value and vastly superior transmission in the form of
its Hyundai designed 6-speed automatic. Not only is the 2013 Nissan Rogue a bit
cramped and overpriced for what you really get but it also comes with Nissans
most obnoxiously whiny sounding CVT (continuously variable transmission)
automatic that alone
would banish it to last place simply on its own negative
mechanical merit.
(1st Place
Tie: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport (Manual
Transmission) and 2013 Honda CR-V EX-L
(Automatic), 2nd: 2013 Hyundai
Tucson GLS, 3rd Place: 2013
Nissan Rogue SV with SL Trim)
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Hyundai Tucson GLS vs. 2013 Nissan Rogue'
Written by James Hamel
Two of these compact family SUVs have been on the market for
quite a while now whereas the other two have been the newest dominating forces
on the scene for just the last model year. Now we all know that in this
competitive segment attention stays on one model for about as long as a Youtube
video sensation is talked about online. Now we are all for another cute cat
meows along to Justin Bieber song video but cant we try and pay attention to
something for more than 15 minutes?
Okay, perhaps thats stretching the point a little too far.
You are probably just in the market for a new compact family SUV and want to
know
if the two current heroes in the market segment currently (CR-V, CX-5) are
really worth the extra money compared to these two less expensive alternatives
known for quite a while as the Nissan Rogue and Hyundai Tucson. In this road
test we drove a mid-level GLS variant of the Hyundai SUV and a pretty much
loaded SV with SL trim Rogue whose naming structure (SV with SL trim?) wins the
award for stupidest naming structure on any vehicle that we have seen this
year. Or possibly ever.
Now, with an average of about 160-185 horsepower spread out
among these still rather porky SUVs, none of these compact family SUVs is going
to replace that hot hatchback you drove all the way through college. But with
kids, mortgages, in-laws and the appearance of gray hairs comes an extra level
of responsibility that these kinds of SUVs can provide all without breaking the
bank or the gas card. Have you seen the cost of regular unleaded lately? And a
couple of them might just entertain you from time to time.
Exterior Styling
Now this is always purely a personal decision but taken
objectively, we have to say that the 2013 Honda CR-V is easily the most
attractively handsome in a conservatively inoffensive way. It fits in at Home
Depot,
the grocery store or a Country Club parking lot. In second place is the
2013 Mazda CX-5 which despite a somewhat gawky looking front schnoz whose size
would force any Beverly Hills teen into emergency Rhinoplasty with her plastic
surgeon, at least looked sporty and compact from most other angles.
Although we arent the biggest fans of Hyundais fluidic
sculpture design language, our Tucson testers red exterior paint really made
this design pop when looking for it in crowded parking lots full of silver SUVs.
Last and definitely least is the 2013 Rogue which features a beady set of front
headlamps/bug eyes, a cheap looking egg-crate grille and none of the exterior
class and sass that makes the larger Nissan Murano such a visual and stylistic
hit. (1st Place: 2013 Honda CR-V EX-L, 2nd
Place: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport, 3rd
Place: 2013 Hyundai Tucson GLS, 4th
Place: 2013 Nissan Rogue SV with SL Trim)
Interior Styling,
Layout and Utility
Whereas the 2013 Hyundai Tucson has plenty of legroom for
six-footers in the front and back seats, the cargo hold is a bit smaller than in
competitors like the new CR-V. So if outright utility is what you are after
there are better choices than the Tucson. Cargo capacity is 25.7 cubic feet
behind the second row and 55.8 cubic feet with the second row folded flat.
Interior plastics and the seat fabrics could have done with some upgrades but I
you want more high quality class in your Hyundai then check out the Tucson
Limited which still only starts at $25,000. At that level leather seats come as
standard.
Or you could just go for the one with the highest quality
interior that truly feels assembled to withstand a full scale nuclear attack or
yet another world-wide tour by pop singer Cherthe 2013 Honda CR-V has the
lowest lift-in height to the cargo hold which simply wallops all comers thanks
to a brilliant set of handles set into the sides of the rear cargo hold which
once pulled they manage to perform an acrobatic ballet of seat folding
engineering artwork that truly should be lauded for being both useful and
dramatic to watch.
Behind the second row of the roomy CR-V there is 37.2 cubic
feet of room for most any sane suburban shopping excursion but in case of an
80% off going out of business sale emergency then fold those seats to offer
up a nearly miraculous 70.9 cubic feet which is more room than most Manhattan,
New York residents have in their entire studio apartment. The 2013 Mazda CX-5
offered also offered impressive amounts of cargo hauling ability of 34.1 cubic
feet behind rear seat passengers and that grows to over 68.1 when the second
row is folded semi-flat. The dashboard of our CX-5 had a sporty and
straightforward layout and interior materials were impressive considering its
too good to be real entry level price point.
The 2013 Nissan Rogues interior plastics have been upgraded
a few times during its life but it still looks, feels and smells no better than
an SUV that has been rented through three tropical Hurricanes in Florida and
has about 50,000 creaking, ill-fitting miles on it. Behind the second row the
Rogue can haul cubic feet of cargo growing to over 54 cubic feel when you
attempt to fold the cheap mechanisms hiding under the nasty and cheap feeling
rear
leather covered bench seat that perhaps was instead made from Armadillo skin.
Even worse, the front seats were heated and would smell awful
when they got warmer. On positive notes, the 2014 Nissan Rogue SV with SL tri
did come with a decent Bose 8-speaker AM/FM/USB/I-Pod integrating audio system
with a unique subwoofer, a power drivers seat, automatic
climate control (the
CR-V gets that standard), 18-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth, keyless entry and
push button start. a power glass sunroof as well as an in-dash navigator.
However, despite its high feature count, the one thing it is sorely lacking is
in the possibility of the owner ever having a pleasant interior
environment.(1stPlace: 2013 Honda CR-V EX-L, 2ndPlace: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport,
3rdPlace: 2013 Hyundai Tucson GLS, 4thPlace: 2013 Nissan Rogue SV with SL
Package)
Value, Pricing and
Fuel Economy
CX-5
Our four compact family SUV entrants all range in pricing
from generally about $20,000 to a little over $30,000 so they are within the
budget of most new SUV buyers as the average transaction price for any new
vehicle stands at a little over $27,000. Our testers were from trim levels all
over the map including the basic yet very enticing 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport which
was so basic its transmission came with a clutch pedal. When was the last time
you saw an SUV with a stick shift option even with its most basic trim level?
More importantly, when did any SUVs stick shift come with such a sporty shift
action and positive modulation through the clutch that you wonder if Mazda is
the last automaker intent on building fun cars for lovers of the manual
transmission?
Not only that but our front wheel drive 2013 Mazda CX-5
Sport stickered at just $20,695 yet still came equipped with air conditioning,
AM/FM/CD/USB/iPod integrated audio system with 4 speakers, power windows, power
mirrors and locks, cruise controls, steering wheel mounted audio controls,
17-inch alloy wheels, floor mats and pretty much every essential most families
look for besides Bluetooth but you can survive with an aftermarket headset for
this price, cant you? Over the course
of 7 days with us, the 2.0 liter 155 horsepower SkyActiv 4-cylinder and
six-speed manual returned an as yet to be better by any other compact SUV we
have ever tested 32.4 miles per gallon average. Yes foks, thats a record for
us.
Our 2013 Hyundai Tucson GLS was also a screaming bargain
with price
s starting at just $22,295 for this mid-level trim which definitely
didn't lack for features. Spend a few grand more for a Limited model and you
can even add leather, cooler looking alloys, navigation and an upgraded premium
audio system. But to our way of thinking the GLS is the smartest buy in the
Tucson lineup and even the standard 6-speaker audio system in the GLS does a
terrific job in its attempts to sound "premium."
Standard with every 2013 Hyundai Tucson GLS are features
like power windows, door locks and mirrors, air conditioning, AM/FM/CD
6-speaker audio system, USB/iPod connectivity, Bluetooth, a 2.4 liter 176
horsepower/168 lb. feet of torque 4 cylinder, a 6-speed automatic, tinted
glass, alloy wheels, keyless entry and a whole lot more. It is, in short all of
the compact family SUV that most people ever really need all with a handy 10
year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty. The 2013 Hyundai Tucson gets an EPA
estimated 21 city/30 highway and we were pleased to find our tester averaged
26.1 miles per gallon during its stay with us.
Both the CR-V EX-L and Rogue SV with SL trim were priced
pretty near the top of their respective model lines and packed with top notch
features and luxuries that most new SUV buyers lust after but do keep in mind
all of the aforementioned SUVs were front wheel drive. Still, the 2013 Honda
Civic EX-L we tested lacked only a navigation unit and rear seat DVD
entertainment
unit from the options list and stickered for just a bit over $27,000. The 2013
Nissan Rogue SV with SL trim stickered for $28,950 and attempts to trump the
CR-V by including a cheap in-dash navigator with a tiny 5-inch screen and dated
looking graphics. Or you could get a CR-V with their far superior navigation
unit for a total MSRP about $100 higher than the Rogue we tested. Seriously,
dont eat out for two weeks and buy the
Honda!
Sadly, no matter where the sticker price goes, the 2013
Nissan Rogue is always outclassed by the CR-V, CX-5 and even the Tucson. Also
remember that a Honda CR-V will hold its
resale value class leadership status that it has retained for years whereas
that is one detail that is not yet clear for the Mazda as of yet. Its a small
but important detail as is the CR-Vs as tested fuel economy figure of 29.7
miles per gallon fuel economy average which was a couple miles below that of
the CX-5. Bringing up the rear as usual was the rebellious for no reason Nissan
Rogue which returned a tolerable 24.7 miles per gallon.(1stPlace: 2013 Honda
CR-V EX-L, 2ndPlace: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport, 3rdPlace: 2013 Hyundai Tucson GLS,
4thPlace: 2013 Nissan Rogue)
Safety and Driving
Experience
The first concern of any parent buying a compact family SUV
is how safe it will be in an accident and we have the answers for you.
According to the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety), the 2013 Honda
CR-V, Mazda CX-5 and Hyundai Tucson all got top scores in all categories
meaning that they were named Top Safety Picks in their class. Unfortunately
for the 2013 Nissan Rogue, it only scored a less than perfect Acceptable rating
from the IIHS in the crucial roof strength test that helps ensure your family
stays safe in the event of a rollover accident in your SUV.
Part of the reason why the admittedly underpowered 2013 Mazda
CX-5 felt like such a cheeky laugh riot to drive was due to the fact that in
our base Sport trim it comes with a sweet six-speed manual gearbox that offers
up the same engaging smiles per mile transferred to your brain via the clutch
and shift lever much like in a Mazda2, Mazda3 or Miata with one of their
artfully engineered stick shifts. As part of its SkyActiv program, Mazda
instilled the six speed manual gearbox with the shortest shift stroke of any
vehicle in its class thereby giving the shift lever a quick and sporty feel
that you can enjoy in many regular cars. Steering feel is quick and the Mazda
corners with very little body roll and while it can feel a bit more antsy to
play than the more refined CR-V, the CX-5 definitely feels like it could handle
more power.
The 2013 CR-V may not be tuned quite as much for track day
cornering like
the CX-5 but the eloquent collaboration from the 2.4 liter 185 horsespower
4-cylinder engine, 5-speed automatic transmission and expert ride and
suspension tuning mark it out as the most grown up feeling small SUV on the
market. You might notice the CR-Vs steering offering up less feel than the
CX-5 but only after driving them back to back.
The 2013 Hyundai Tucsons 2.0 liter engine 176
horsepower/168 lb. feet of torque gives the driver a decent amount of power in
most situations but just isn't as smooth as the motors found in the CX-5 or
CR-V. For some reason, this same engine seems better isolated and less rough
sounding in its fraternal twin the 2013 Kia Sportage EX. Perhaps Hyundai
thought better to save some money on sound deadening measures that Kia kept in
place despite it causing that model to sometimes cost more when equipped like
for like.
Now, the Tucson's engine isn't horrible by any means but it
does sound a bit like a bucket full of thimbles being thrashed around under
full throttle acceleration maneuvers and the like. But then you could always
turn up the very capable stereo system and never be bothered by it so really it
could only prove problematic to those odd souls who drive without music playing.
Otherwise, steering feel is impressively taut and offers better feel than the
racks in either the Elantra or Sonata sedans. SUV's aren't supposed to be
driver's
cars but the Tucson does allow you to have a little bit of slightly unrefined
fun
on the drive to pick up the kids from soccer practice.
Lastly, is it right to even go into how much we abhorred
driving the Nissan
Rogue given its unshakably nervous and jittery suspension
tuning, vague as a newly elected politician-style steering feel and a moaning
CVT (continuously variable transmission) automatic gearbox which turned
Nissans normally quite pleasant 2.5 liter 175 horsepower 4-cylinder engine
into something that sounded like a cow being tortured. Low speeds, freeway
passing passing speeds, and even idling in a parking lot, we always felt that
there was some odd engine, wind, tire or transmission noise there to annoy you.
We know that the 2013 Nissan Juke may only offer 10.5 cubic feet of cargo space
behind the second row of seats but somehow it manages to suffer from none of
the Rogues utterly inexcusable driving dynamics.(1stPlace: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport
(Manual), 2ndPlace 2013 Honda CR-V EX-L (Automatic), 3rdPlace: 2013 Hyundai
Tucson GLS, 4thPlace: 2013 Nissan Rogue)
Conclusion (And the
Winner is)
If you are one of the very few people who would ever
consider purchasing your next new compact family SUV with a stick shift (we
would now!), the winner would have to be the 2013 Mazda CX-5 which whipped up
so much value, utility and fun to drive zoom-zoom that we would have a hard
time passing by this incredible SUV buy. But if you want an automatic, things
become more muddled and the CR-V clearly takes the lead as the more sensible
and practical choice which still offers enough behind the wheel entertainment
to keep the driver engaged.
As for the Tucson and Rogue, they are quite obviously a
generation behind these two but it is the Tucson which easily nabs third place
thanks to its high style, value and vastly superior transmission in the form of
its Hyundai designed 6-speed automatic. Not only is the 2013 Nissan Rogue a bit
cramped and overpriced for what you really get but it also comes with Nissans
most obnoxiously whiny sounding CVT (continuously variable transmission)
automatic that alone
would banish it to last place simply on its own negative
mechanical merit.
(1st Place
Tie: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Sport (Manual
Transmission) and 2013 Honda CR-V EX-L
(Automatic), 2nd: 2013 Hyundai
Tucson GLS, 3rd Place: 2013
Nissan Rogue SV with SL Trim)
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[1 Car] Business Machines
1 Car has posted a new item, 'Business Machines'
Our businesses have always been aided by machines... Humans are tool makers, and
from the very beginning we applied those tools towards staying alive. As we
evolved and prospered, we started doing business with each other, and we started
cr...
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Our businesses have always been aided by machines... Humans are tool makers, and
from the very beginning we applied those tools towards staying alive. As we
evolved and prospered, we started doing business with each other, and we started
cr...
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Friday, 7 June 2013
[1 Car] Deployment Environment generation fails to create Business Space tables with an Oracle Common Database
1 Car has posted a new item, 'Deployment Environment generation fails to create
Business Space tables with an Oracle Common Database'
I'm currently installing and configuring IBM Business Monitor 8.0.1.1 against
Oracle 11g R2, all on Linux.I hit the following exception when trying to
generate and import a new Deployment Environment: -25/03/13 20:41:07:936 GMT]
0000002c BSpaceConfigL ...
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Business Space tables with an Oracle Common Database'
I'm currently installing and configuring IBM Business Monitor 8.0.1.1 against
Oracle 11g R2, all on Linux.I hit the following exception when trying to
generate and import a new Deployment Environment: -25/03/13 20:41:07:936 GMT]
0000002c BSpaceConfigL ...
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'Boy Meets World' Cast Reunites at AXT Festival: 'We All Just Felt It Click'
'Boy Meets World' Cast Reunites at AXT Festival: 'We All Just Felt It Click'
(Jack Plunkett/AP)
The cast of Boy Meets World reunited for the first time on Friday at the Austin Television Festival in Austin, Texas to reminisce about the fan-favorite comedy.
Ben Savage (Cory), Rider Strong (Shawn), Matthew Lawrence (Jack), Betsy Randle(Mama Matthews), Trina McGee (Angela), Maitland Ward (Rachel), Lily Nicksay (Morgan #1), and BMW creator creator Michael Jacobs delighted a sold out crowd with stories of their favorites moments from the series, which ended its seven year run in 2000. Even Danielle Fishel, who could't make it to the festival in person, taped a special message and Q&A session for fans.
So why does Boy Meets World still resonate with fans so strongly after all these years? "We never talked down to you," Jacobs told the crowd. "We talked about the things that were going to happen next for you and you all appreciated that."
The core relationship on the show was always the friendship between Cory and Shawn, but all of the actors admitted that it took the addition of Topanga to really make things click. "We are just felt it," Strong shared of the episode that first introduced Cory's future wife. "The best TV shows are always a combination of a good concept, really strong writing, and then it comes down to whether the cast can get along… and we all did."
Ben Savage credited the show's success with the fact that the BMW wasn't afraid to explore those truly awkward pre-teen and teenage years. "The writers did a really good job of embracing the awkward years of any teen. And I think that's what a lot of people could identify with when they watched the show," he laughed, admitting that even at 33-years-old he was still in an awkward phase.
As the show grew and expanded, more actors were brought in to fill out Cory, Shawn, and Topanga's group, including Matthew Lawrence, Maitland Ward, and Trina McGee. The transition was wasn't always smooth, Lawrence shared. "The first week I was there… I think out of the 100 notes we were given, I got 89 of them," he laughed. "I felt like I was doing a bad job, but all these guys rallied around me and helped me elevate my game."
McGee felt honored to join the cast midway through the show's run and thought her character added an important dynamic to the show. "There was always this colorless love between me and Shawn. And I thought it was so needed and so wonderful at the time," the actress revealed...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Saying goodbye to the show after seven great years on the air was extremely emotional for the cast, who felt like they were also saying goodbye to more than just a television show. "It's hard for me to even watch that [final] scene… It wasn't just the end of our show, it really meant a lot," Savage shared.
Strong couldn't help taking a little piece of Shawn with him when he left the set for the very last time. "I even kept the leather jacket and took it with me to New York. And then it got stolen out of my car in Brooklyn! I was so pissed," he laughed.
Other fun BMW facts revealed at the ATX panel:
• Rider Strong was the very first actor that producers saw audition for the series. Jacobs immediately knew that he was the right person to play Shawn and almost didn't see the rest of the child actors who had shown up to audition.
• The role of Topanga originally went to another young actress. Danielle Fishel was called in as a replacement at the last minute.
• Maitland Ward never audition for Boy Meets World. She instead audition for another of Jacobs shows, Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane. She didn't get the part on that series, but instead was offered the role of Rachel on Boy Meets World.
• The final scene of the series finale (where the gang says goodbye to Mr. Feeny) was shot in one take. Producers noticed Danielle Fishel's neck tattoo for the very first time during the filming of the final scene.
• The little boy who plays Cory's toddler brother Joshua in the finale was played by Michael Jacobs' real-life son Daniel, who was brought in at the last second after another child actor started running around the set and halted production.
• Most of the cast named the Season 5 horror spoof episode "And Then There Was Shawn" as their favorite episode of all time.
• The young cast thought William Daniels (Feeny) was British! He's not, he just has impeccable diction.
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