Hyundai is betting on Hydrogen

Hyundai taking a different direction in making vehicles more Eco friendly. Bumper2Bumpertv has a look at how the brand is readying itself to offer alternative power trains across the mobility platforms.

2019 Honda Civic 1.5 Touring

THE AUTO PAGE

By

John Heilig

• MODEL: 2019 Honda Civic 1.5 Touring 
• ENGINE: 1.5-liter turbocharged 4 
• TRANSMISSION: CVT with paddle shifters
• HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: 174 hp @ 6,000 rpm/162 lb.-ft. @ 1,700-5,500 rpm 
• WHEELBASE: 106.3 in. 
• LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT: 182.7 x 70.9 x 55.7 in. 
• TIRES: P235/40R18 
• CARGO CAPACITY: 14.7 cu. ft. 
• ECONOMY: 30 mpg city/38 mpg highway/20.0 mpg test 
• FUEL TANK CAPACITY: 12.4 gal.
• CURB WEIGHT: 2,963 lbs. 
• TOWING CAPACITY: Not recommended 
• COMPETITIVE CLASS: Chevrolet Cruze, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla  
• STICKER: $28,220 (includes $920 destination)  
• BOTTOM LINE: The Honda Civic is a very nice compact car, but it doesn’t have any “wow” factors to elevate it from being ho-hum.

            The Honda Civic is, and always has been, a very nice compact car, even though the EPA classifies it as a mid-size. It has many interesting features, and some questionable ones. 

            Among the latter there is the absence of a blind spot monitor, something I consider essential in any size vehicle. There’s absolutely nothing on the left to tell you what may be approaching. On the right, a camera located under the exterior rear view mirror picks up what’s there when you turn the signal on, and projects the image on the infotainment screen. It’s a clear view in daylight, but essentially useless at night.          

            Civic is a light car (2,963 lbs.), so therefore the 174 horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged four offers enough power for merging into traffic and maintaining speed. Economy, however, was not so good. It’s listed at 30 mpg city, 38 mpg highway and 33 overall. Granted, we didn’t accumulate many highway miles that might have contributed to better mileage, but we barely touched 20 mpg on our test in economy mode. The CVT transmission is smooth

            Economy is taken seriously at Honda. For example, there’s a bar across the top of the instrument panel that is white, but it turns green when you’re driving economically. Adaptive cruise control is a nice feature in an economy car.

            The instrument panel is clear with a large digital speedometer surrounded by a 180-degree tachometer. I found it easy to read.

            The infotainment screen is clear with the usual options. 

            Ride comfort is very good for a small car. Front seats are comfortable with some side support. Both the driver and passenger have power assisted seat controls (8-way for the driver, 4-way for the passenger), and both are heated. Rear seat legroom is good,and the rear seats are heated as well. However, every time I tried to get into the rear seat I banged by head on the door opening. Fortunately, I drove the Civic from the front seat. Four assist handles aid in entry and egress, and there is room for water bottles in all four doors.

            There’s a sliding cover on the center console/arm rest that is good for comfort, but it obscures one of the cupholders when it’s in the forward position.

            Overall, the Honda Civic is a nice package for a compact car. Sadly, there are no features that stand the Civic apart from the crowd.

(c) 2019 The Auto Page Syndicate

Honda Passport gets new skin and tech upgrades.

The 2019 Passport from Honda has undergone some design changes to give it a more rugged look. Bumper2Bumpertv reports that in addition it also got some tech and safety upgrades that are worth checking out.

2020 Subaru Legacy Touring

THE AUTO PAGE

BY

John Heilig

·         MODEL: 2020 Subaru Legacy Touring

·         ENGINE: 2.4-liter turbocharged 4

·         TRANSMISSION: CVT (High Torque Lineatronic)

·         HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: 260 hp @ 5,600 rpm/277 lb.-ft. @ 2,000-4,800 rpm

·         WHEELBASE: 108.3 in.

·         LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT: 190.6 x 72.4 x 59.1 in.

·         TIRES: P225/50R18

·         CARGO CAPACITY: 15.1 cu. ft.

·         ECONOMY: 24 mpg city/32 mpg highway/20.0 mpg test

·         FUEL TANK CAPACITY: 18.5 gal.

·         CURB WEIGHT: 3,779 lbs.

·         TOWING CAPACITY: Not recommended

·         COMPETITIVE CLASS: Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata

·         STICKER: $36,795 (includes $900 delivery)

·         BOTTOM LINE: Subaru’s entry into the mid-size segment, the Legacy, retains some of the manufacturer’s CUV attributes with the convenience of four-door sedan utility.

            Most sedans in the mid-size segment don’t have standard all-wheel drive. The Subaru Legacy does, along with just about every other Subaru. This not only gives the convenience of better traction on less-then-ideal roads and in bad weather, but also improves handling by lowering the center of gravity.

            The 2.4-liter turbocharged Boxer 4-cylinder engine offers decent power at 260 horsepower. We had no problems, for example, merging onto highways, even when opposing traffic was bearing down on us. 

            I have had issues with Subaru CVT transmissions, but in the Legacy the CVT worked well with no whining. This one was quiet, which leads me to believe that it could have been a sound deadening issue or a faulty gearbox in previous models. 

            Dominating the center of the dash is a huge 11.6-inch infotainment screen with all the standard features. It reminded me of the Tesla screen. I did have problems with the audio. The first time out it worked fine. The second time out there was no sound, no matter what I did to try to correct it. Then, the third time was the charm, and everything worked well. I suggest a serious read of the owner’s manual.

            Overall ride quality is good with comfortable heated front seats. They offered good side support. Style wise, the front seats, doors and dash were covered with saddle leather surfaces. Rear seats are also heated and the backs fold easily to increase cargo capacity. Rear seats offer good legroom, up 1.4 inches from the previous model. 

            Interior design is good with a tray on the right side for the passenger’s phone. There’s also pocket on the right side of the center console for storage. The center console/arm rest is small, however. 

            The blind spot monitor is a bright light on the exterior rear mirror housing. There’s a standard back-up camera, but there is also a front-view camera located in the front grille,which is convenient for parking. It gives a 180-degree view. There’s also a rear cross traffic display. 

            While there is no heads up display per se, if the driver is inattentive (or if the Legacy thinks so) a red alert flashes on the windshield. Two cameras straddle the rear view mirror to keep track of what’s going on ahead.

            Overall, the Subaru Legacy has a place in the competitive mid-size segment. On the plus side it offers all-wheel drive among its other unique features.

(c) 2019 The Auto Page Syndicate

The Flagship Lexus LS500 continues to hold its banner high.

For more than two decades the Lexus LS has been the top of the line offering from the brand. Now Bumper2Bumpertv has a look at the latest incarnation of a full-sized luxury sedan that also comes with a performance attitude.

What is the LEAD PONY in a herd of Mustangs?

While many automakers are working hard to develop alternative fuel vehicles, Ford is one domestic brand that is doubling down on the performance side of the Mustang. Bumper2Bumpertv tells us this is a choice that makes pony car owners very happy.

The Toyota RAV4 has reached adulthood

It has been 22 years since Toyota broke ground in the small SUV segment with the RAV4. Bumper2Bumpertv has a look at what the 2019 version brings to the party.