Autoblog Comparisons

2013 Buick Verano Turbo vs. 2013 Acura ILX 2.4

Michael Harley — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Acura, Buick, Luxury, Comparisons

Answering The $30,000 Entry-Level Luxury Question

Twenty years ago, a comparison between an entry-level Buick and Acura would have matched a Skylark against an Integra.

Twenty years ago, a comparison between an entry-level Buick and its Acura equivalent would have matched a Skylark against an Integra. The unfair battle would have resulted in the compact American's defeat in nearly every measurable category, as the Japanese competitor was arguably at the height of its powers.

Yet the automotive industry has flipped, twisted and merged itself through more than just a recession over the past two decades - it's morphed into a whole different ballgame. Pitting a Buick against an Acura makes perfect sense today, as both automakers are peddling new entry-level models designed to scoop up buyers seeking premium features, luxury appointments and fuel efficiency in a reasonably priced compact sedan package.

Today's battle is between the Verano and the ILX. Instead of wringing out the base models and setting ourselves up for a day-long yawnfest, we chose the most powerful and dynamic variants of each, configuring them with six-speed manual transmissions to liven the pace. This unquestionably made our behind-the-wheel excursion more interesting, but we soon realized that our enthusiast-oriented decision would introduce a whole new set of headaches.

Continue reading 2013 Buick Verano Turbo vs. 2013 Acura ILX 2.4

2013 Buick Verano Turbo vs. 2013 Acura ILX 2.4 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Ford Focus ST vs. 2012 Volkswagen GTI

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Hatchback, Ford, Volkswagen, Comparisons

Can The Blue Oval Bad Boy Dethrone The Hot Hatch King?

About three years ago to the day, fellow Senior Editor Seyth Miersma and I - during our respective tenures as editors at Winding Road - met on a cold, wet autumn morning to put the then-new sixth-generation Volkswagen GTI up against a slew of hot hatches for a comparison test cover story. Miersma and I share a love for this type of car, simply because they're affordable little runabouts that don't skimp on functionality while being hysterically fun to toss about. Actually, you'd be hard pressed to find a single member of the automotive media that doesn't hold at least one of these little rascals close to their heart.

If you want to dethrone the king, you have to beat the GTI at the very game it created.

The hot hatch hierarchy has long been capped with the GTI as king, and for good reason. Of all the vehicles offered in the segment, it has perhaps the best blend of the many facets we love about these cars, and it's the one that we'd absolutely open our wallets for year after year, generation after generation. So when a new kid comes to town, it doesn't completely matter how it stacks up against other competitors in the segment - if you want to dethrone the king, you have to beat the GTI at the very game it created.

Enter the 2013 Ford Focus ST, a car that Ford says will run circles around every other hot hatch available in the United States. The Blue Oval is out for blood with this one, and for good reason. After our first experience with the car overseas, we must admit, it's damn good.

So on yet another cold autumn morning, I found myself sitting behind the wheel of the brand-new Focus ST, following Miersma in the GTI out to the same roads we've flogged hot hatches down in the past. History indeed has a way of repeating itself, but with the potent little Ford now in its class, does the GTI still hold onto its crown?

Continue reading 2013 Ford Focus ST vs. 2012 Volkswagen GTI

2013 Ford Focus ST vs. 2012 Volkswagen GTI originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Nov 2012 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Ford Escape vs. 2013 Mazda CX-5

Steven J. Ewing — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Crossover, Ford, Mazda, Comparisons

Brothers From Another Mother Face Off

Not a single part is shared between these two crossovers.

We couldn't do this comparison test a year ago. No, not because the CX-5 is a new nameplate and all-new vehicle for the Mazda brand (okay, that's technically a valid reason), but because until now, Mazda's only small crossover offering was the Tribute - a rebadged version of the trusty last-gen Ford Escape. In fact, it's always been sort of tricky to put Ford and Mazda vehicles in the same comparison test, only because nearly every product in Mazda's stable could be traced back to some sort of Ford platform.

But with the two automakers having officially parted ways, Mazda was forced to create an all-new platform for a small crossover that would play in the same segment as the Escape. And under the lights of the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show last November, both the 2013 CX-5 and 2013 Escape debuted, with representatives from Ford and Mazda alike reassuring us that not a single part is shared between the two crossovers, noting that the two companies were in no way involved in the development of each other's vehicle.

That in mind, we thought it best to pit the Escape and CX-5 against one another to see how the family lines have matured after the divorce.

Continue reading 2013 Ford Escape vs. 2013 Mazda CX-5

2013 Ford Escape vs. 2013 Mazda CX-5 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Mini Cooper S Roadster vs. 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition

Chris Paukert — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Mazda, Mini, Comparisons

Veteran And Rookie Roadsters Face Off In Droptop Doubleheader

Like an aging ballplayer, the Mazda is starting to look a little gray around the temples - a bit vulnerable.

We've been eying this fight for a long time. Since the reborn Mini first burst on the scene in 2002, really. Oh, the Mini Cooper Convertible has been around since 2005, but we just couldn't bring ourselves to compare them. What with all that physical and visual weight from the Mini's nearly useless rear seats, it just didn't seem like a fair fight. The classically proportioned rear-drive Mazda MX-5 Miata against a front-drive droptop with a pair of roll hoops awkwardly stationed behind the second row of seats, Tour de France-sized blind spots and a windshield header so far away from the driver as to be oddly distant - not to mention streetlight blocking? No, the Mini Convertible wasn't the answer we were looking for.

And neither, as it turns out, have been all the other suitors the industry has concocted over the Miata's considerable lifespan. Everything from General Motors' Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky twins to the Aussie-built Mercury Capri, Toyota MR2 Spyder and Honda Del Sol has tried to crack Miata's iron grip on the affordable and fun basic roadster crown, and all have collapsed rather miserably. The Miata has been around for nearly a quarter century, and it's cornered the affordable convertible market for both new enthusiasts and golden oldies looking for a British sports car that doesn't leak and bears no trace of Lucas electrics. To borrow shamelessly from Terence Mann of Field Of Dreams (say it in your best James Earl Jones bellow):

"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been the Miata. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. The sports car market has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But the Miata has marked the time."

But now, like an aging ballplayer, the Mazda is starting to look a little gray around the temples - a bit vulnerable. Despite a steady stream of small tweaks and tugs and a parade of special editions, this third-generation NC Miata has been on the market since 2005. Since that time, Mini has effectively released its second generation of ragtop Coopers with this new-for-2012 Mini Roadster, and it poses a more serious threat to the Miata than even we realized.

Continue reading 2012 Mini Cooper S Roadster vs. 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition

2012 Mini Cooper S Roadster vs. 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Aug 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Hyundai Genesis Sedan vs. 2012 Chrysler 300S [w/video]

Michael Harley — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Chrysler, Hyundai, Luxury, Comparisons

Battle Of The Budget-Friendly Full-Size RWD Luxury Sedans

The Hyundai Genesis Sedan and Chrysler 300S are much more alike than they are different.

Why compare a Hyundai to a Chrysler? At first glance, this matchup may seem rather preposterous, but a logical argument says this rivalry has been in place for more than a decade. In 2002, Chrysler and Hyundai were both offering full-size front-wheel-drive sedans. Hyundai had its XG350 fitted with a 194-horsepower 3.5-liter V6, while Chrysler was touting its Concorde with a 214-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 (each shared an EPA rating of 16 mpg city and 24 mpg highway). Not only were both remarkably similar on paper, but both sedans started at about $25,000.

Today, Hyundai and Chrysler remain in the full-size arena with products that are infinitely more interesting, significantly more powerful and immeasurably more engaging to drive - they also happen to be the only two rear-wheel-drive luxury sedans left in this price segment.

Sensing an interesting fight, we rounded up a 2012 Hyundai Genesis sedan and a 2012 Chrysler 300S for a driving comparison. After several hundred miles of city, canyon and highway had passed swiftly beneath their undercarriages, one clear winner had emerged.

Continue reading 2012 Hyundai Genesis Sedan vs. 2012 Chrysler 300S [w/video]

2012 Hyundai Genesis Sedan vs. 2012 Chrysler 300S [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi A7 3.0T takes on the Mercedes-Benz CLS550

Michael Harley — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury, Comparisons

Which Is Better Depends On Where You're Sitting

"This car has an identity crisis. The aggressive exterior, brash exhaust note and firm ride say 'sport,' but the interior screams 'grandma!'"

The decision was made to review these "four-door coupes" not only from the driver's perspective, but from all four seating positions.

Strong words, especially when they originate from a stranger named Stephen sitting in the back seat of the $80,995 Mercedes-Benz some 80 miles from where we picked him up. The 31-year-old real estate broker and five other industry outsiders were invited to spend the day with Autoblog to help us compare the 2012 Audi A7 3.0T to the 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS550.

These two vehicles have met head-to-head before, but not on these pages. To make things a bit more interesting, the decision was made to review these "four-door coupes" not only from the driver's perspective, but from all four seating positions. The unique comparison would require each of the vehicles to carry 700-plus pounds of passengers comfortably from the flatlands of the hot LA Basin up to the cool mile-high elevations of Big Bear Lake and back. The winner would be determined by a simple vote.

As this task called for six warm bodies willing to be chauffeured 160 miles over a long afternoon, Autoblog's Facebook page was enlisted to recruit. Within 24 hours, we had our six smiling volunteers fingered.

Continue reading Audi A7 3.0T takes on the Mercedes-Benz CLS550

Audi A7 3.0T takes on the Mercedes-Benz CLS550 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Honda Civic Hybrid takes on Chevrolet Cruze Eco and Volkswagen Jetta TDI

Steven J. Ewing — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Hybrid, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM, Honda, Volkswagen, Comparisons

Battle Of The Eco Compact Cars

Battle of the Eco Compact Cars - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you wanted a highly efficient compact car five years ago, you bought a hybrid. Diesel was still a dirty word commonly reserved for heavy-duty pickups and the occasional Euro import, and 30 miles per gallon was just becoming the new industry benchmark. The Chevrolet Volt was still just a concept, all-electrics like the Nissan Leaf were barely a blip on our radar, and if a car was turbocharged, it was for go-fast reasons, not fuel-sipping ones.

Fast forward to 2011. Times have changed.

Now, 40 mpg is the new 30 mpg, and we're quickly approaching the days when 50 mpg won't be such a lofty number. After all, there are quite a few cars that already crest that mark without breaking a sweat (including one or two of the cars in this test...).

Enter the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco and 2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI - a trio of cars that all boast fuel economy figures of 42 mpg or higher on the highway, and all have price points within the $18,000 to $24,000 range. All three fuel-sippers take a completely different path towards overall efficiency - traditional hybrid, turbocharged gasoline and clean diesel.

We're here to put these three eco compacts through their paces - testing not only economy, but general drivability, quality, comfort and value. The winner won't be based simply on its miserly ways - all three cars are pretty darn close in that regard. Instead, we're looking to see which car represents the best overall package, regardless of powertrain. We're here to find out which eco-warrior is the one we'd open our wallets for.

Continue reading Honda Civic Hybrid takes on Chevrolet Cruze Eco and Volkswagen Jetta TDI

Honda Civic Hybrid takes on Chevrolet Cruze Eco and Volkswagen Jetta TDI originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Jul 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Alternative Aspirations: 2011 Honda CR-Z vs. 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Street Cup Edition

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Hatchback, Honda, Volkswagen, New Car Reviews, Diesel, Long-Term Garage, Comparisons

Two Ways To Go Green And Enjoy It

2011 Honda CR-Z vs. 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Street Cup Edition - Click above for high-res image gallery

What do the Ferrari 599 HY-KERS, Lotus Evora 414E and Porsche 918 Spyder have in common? They're all fuel efficient sports cars with technology that's finally fitted to something worth driving. Also, we can't buy them... yet. What's worse, when they do go on sale, mere mortals who don't log on to an off-shore account to check their net worth won't be able to partake.

So how can a gearhead tread a little lighter and still get their kicks? Read our full story to find out.

Gallery: 2011 Honda CR-Z vs. 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Street Cup Edition

Continue reading Alternative Aspirations: 2011 Honda CR-Z vs. 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Street Cup Edition

Alternative Aspirations: 2011 Honda CR-Z vs. 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Street Cup Edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battle of the Sixes: Ford Mustang V6 takes on Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 and Nissan 370Z

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 17 May 2010 11:56:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Ford, Hyundai, Nissan, New Car Reviews, Comparisons

V6 Sports Car Comparison - Click above for high-res image gallery

This comparison test couldn't have happened just a few short months ago. Sure, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe has been around since 2009. And not counting a seven-year walkabout, the Datsun/Nissan Z has been with us in one form or another since the first moon landing. Want to talk old? The Ford Mustang dates back to the invention of the wheel. At least it seems that way.

So why no comparison until now? Because until quite recently, Ford's entry level V6-powered Mustang was never really a sports car. The heavy, near impotent Cologne iron-block V6 was a joke, fit for little more than rental car duty, and it wasn't even terribly adept at that. But the non-V8 pony car has undergone some significant changes for 2011 - the biggest being its all-aluminum V6 producing 305 horsepower and 280 pound feet of torque - allowing it to finally hang with these two V6-powered competitors from across the Pacific.

At least on paper.

Read on to find out which V6-powered sports car reigns supreme. If you can't wait, skip right to the results.

Gallery: V6 Sports Car Comparison: Mustang vs Genesis Coupe vs 370Z

Continue reading Battle of the Sixes: Ford Mustang V6 takes on Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 and Nissan 370Z

Battle of the Sixes: Ford Mustang V6 takes on Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 and Nissan 370Z originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 May 2010 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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