Gallery: ABG Garage: 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Limited

Continue reading Ford celebrates production of 100,000th hybrid SUV

Ford celebrates production of 100,000th hybrid SUV originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Mazda bringing the gullwings to Detroit

Mazda bringing the gullwings to Detroit originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Dec 2006 02:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Suffice it to say that Suzuki has never stunned North American consumers with beautiful automotive designs. In point of fact, reviewing their history reveals a certain manic quality, little of it pretty. Oddball propositions like the toy-like X-90 and character-free Esteem have given way to the likes of Suzuki's ill-proportioned Aerio and milquetoast non-statements on the order of the Verona and Forenza. But there are tangible signs that the automaker is finally finding the plot- the inexpensive Italdesign-penned Reno and the tweener SX4 crossover are both attractive propositions. But the offering most likely to become the company's poster child is the all-new-for 2006 Grand Vitara.

A direct replacement for its tired, boxy predecessor that reigned from 1999-2004, the new Grand Vitara is infinitely more compelling with even just a cursory glance. By comparison, yuppies ought to be clamoring for the reborn GV like it's next year's Ikea catalog. Simply put, it's a looker. The strong lines of its clamshell-style hood set the tone, creating a defining ridge across the top of the rectilinear grille, lending the clear-lensed headlamps a bit of edge. The former element is of the blacked-out cross-hatch variety, with a thin, u-shaped chrome lip adding definition and a bit of class. Even when viewed from the dead-on, the GV's meaty fender flares lend it a properly butch stance, particularly as they mold so nicely into the bumper, itself augmented by a pair of blisters housing auxiliary driving lamps. Complaints? Well, the chrome 'S' badge on the nose is a bit outsized, coming across like a Superman logo reinterpreted by an anime artist. But it's hard to blame Suzuki's designers for wanting to get the message out that they're finally in the business of making attractively styled vehicles.

(Click here for the full walk-around, along with more commentary)

Continue reading 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara 4x4 in the Autoblog Garage Day 1-2

2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara 4x4 in the Autoblog Garage Day 1-2 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 May 2006 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ford Motor Company announced yesterday that sales of its hybrid SUVs rose 50 percent year-over-year in April to 2,800 units, largely on the backs of sizeable incentive initiatives.

The numbers indicate a 75 percent increase over March, which would appear to indicate that Ford is gaining some traction thanks to the zero-percent 60-month loans on its Escape and Mercury Mariner hybrids, as well as the ramping up the 'Kermit Factor' (read: spending more $$$ on advertising).

Ford also attributes government tax benefits and increasing gas prices for the demand uptick.

[Source: Reuters via Planet Ark; Autos.163]

Ford's April hybrid sales surge on strong incentives originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 May 2006 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Not much is known about the next Ford Escape, other than the fact that the U.S. version is becoming more distinct from its foreign-market counterparts, like the re-nosed model set to run Down Under for 2007. Of course, as can be plainly seen here, the American version of the popular small SUV will get a new look as well, though markedly more aggressive than its Australian counterpart. With a bolder chrome grille and bumper inlet and headlamps similar to that of the 2007 Expedition, the look is definitely more grown up and aggressive, with designers having exorcised the overly prominent front bumper fascia of the current iteration.

No word yet on powertrain or interior refinements, though the Aussie Escape gained variable valve timing on its 2.3-liter four-cylinder model, and all models received an upgraded interior. From the looks of things, it would appear that the domestic Escape will receive a more thorough going-over than that of other markets, which should keep it in the hunt against vehicles like the new Toyota RAV-4 and Hyundai Tucson, along with upcoming competitors like the Mitsubishi Outlander.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Spied! The next USDM Ford Escape originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Apr 2006 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mitsubishi's first Outlander unwittingly lived up to its name, operating on the fringes of mainstream SUVdom, largely failing to cross-over to the widespread success of competitors like Ford's Escape and Honda's CR-V. It wasn't that it was a horrible vehicle, but it didn't offer much in the way of Unique Selling Points (USPs), save its love/hate front clip. But judging by our first exposure to the new-for-2007 iteration, the Outlander's luck may be about to change.

Significantly larger and more powerful than the first-generation model, the Outlander has undergone a Toyota RAV4-esque plus sizing. It now offers more interior room, including an optional flip up third-row. There's reason to hope that it will be a good handler, as well. Based on new architecture that will underpin the next-generation Lancer (and more importantly for enthusiasts, the coming Evolution), the Outlander rides on a longer wheelbase and a wider track, and uniquely, makes use of an aluminum roof to lower its center of gravity.

(Dozens of photos, original commentary full press releases and specs after the jump!)

Continue reading New York Auto Show: 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander on-hand impressions

New York Auto Show: 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander on-hand impressions originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 15 Apr 2006 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mazda Tribute hybrid prototypes fight fires originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Feb 2006 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.