First Drive: 2013 Toyota RAV4

After two years of CarJunkie's Car Review, it is time that I reveal my everyday vehicle. I drive a 2007 Toyota RAV4 with the optional 3.5L V6 that produces 268 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque. It has been a workhorse. It help me get from Houston to San Antonio and back to Houston when I was in college. It help move my grand mother from her house of 55 years into her new place. It help me move into my new apartment. I have the sports edition which includes charcoal colored clothe seats and sports-tuned suspension. One feature I like on my RAV4 is the swing-out gate in the back with the spare tire on the exterior of the gate. I will get back to this fact later. But, today is the first day of the 2013 Houston Auto Show and as part of the auto show is Ride and Drive. Most participating manufacturers hold their test drives on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Two manufacturers started their test drives today. One being Toyota. Toyota has seven vehicles for test drives. I already test drove the Prius last year and did not want to be bored again. Toyota has the new RAV4 available for test driving. As someone who currently drives an older RAV4, I had to take this car out for the spin.

The first I notice about the RAV4 is the exterior design. One issue with my RAV4 is its boxy styling. The new RAV4 has a more sporty aggressive design. The front looks meaner than the previous RAV4s. I like how the grill and headlights are integrated into the design. The swing-out gate is replaced by a lift gate in the back. The spare tire that had previously been located on the rear gate is now located under the floor in the trunk.The interior is nothing special. You can get touchscreen navigation system as an option.

As far as drive quality, it is a Toyota and it is an SUV. The RAV4 handles bumps rather well. I hardly felt the bumps and I went over them. The car has responsive handling. I felt comfortable behind the wheel. The seat and suspension is softer in the new RAV4 than in my RAV4, but I have the sports-tuned suspension.

For the new RAV4, the only engine available is a 2.5L I4 engine that produces 176 hp and 172 lb-ft of torque. It goes from  0 to 60 mph in 8.9, which is on the slow side. Gone from the new RAV4 is the optional 3.5L V6 engine, yet the current Toyota Camry has the optional V6. The RAV4 I test drove did not feel as quick as my current RAV4. It also is not as much fun to drive as my RAV4. 

For as improved as the new RAV4 is on the outside, I still prefer my RAV4. Why Toyota decided not include an optional V6 for the RAV4, I have no idea. The RAV4 needs the optional V6. Car companies can get away with using I4 engines on compact cars and subcompacts because they are lightweight. As far as SUVs and mid-size car, they need to have either a V6 as the standard engine or an optional engine. My RAV4 has a 0-60 mph time of under 7.0 seconds. Not having that extra power really hurts the driving experience of the RAV4. Also, the swing-out gate and the spare tire on the outside of the gate give the RAV4 personality. It helps RAV4 stand out. What really hurts in the extra storage space under the floor in the back. Instead of having that extra storage space, you get the spare tire storage. I like the swing-out gate because if my two hands are carrying items, I can close the gate with my hip. I cannot do that with the lift gate. That ends my rant on the new RAV4.

Overall, the new RAV4 is not the same vehicle as older RAV4s. It is much easier on the eyes, but it does not have the features that make a RAV4 what it is. If you prefer the lift gate over the swing-out gate, then take the new RAV4 on a test drive. If you want a reliable vehicle that is good for road trips or a good car for college, the RAV4 is still a good option. The RAV4 still needs more power from 2.5L I4 engine, but it is comfortable to drive. Toyota kept the all-wheel drive system as an option of the new RAV4, which has front-wheel drive as standards. Prices for the new RAV4 start at $23,300. A fully loaded RAV4 Limited with all-wheel drive costs $28,410. The RAV4 is still good value for a compact SUV, it just can be so much better with the addition of a V6 engine.

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First Drive: 2013 Mini Cooper Countryman

The original Austin Mini Countryman was a two-door estate car with double "barn"-style rear doors. Luxury models came with decorative, non-structural wood inserts on the rear exterior of the car. From 1961 to 1969, approximately 108,000 Austin Mini Countrymen were built. In 1994, BMW gained ownership of the Mini marque. In 2010, Mini announced that the brand would be making a compact crossover SUV. At the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, revealed the production version of the compact crossover SUV, the Countryman. The Countryman is the first Mini crossover SUV and the brand's first five-door model. The Countryman is front-engine compact crossover SUV that is available with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. In America, the Countryman is either available with a 1.6L I4 engine in the Cooper trim level or a turbocharged 1.6L I4 engine in the Cooper S trim level. The four-wheel drivetrain is only available on the Cooper S All 4. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the Countryman, and a six-speed automatic transmission is available as an option. I first saw the Countryman at the 2011 Houston Auto Show. On February 2, 2013, I decided to go to a local Mini dealership and test drive a Countryman along with a Mini Cooper Hardtop. The Countryman I drove was the Mini Cooper Countryman that came with the six-speed automatic transmission.

The Countyman is a bigger version of the Mini Cooper Hardtop. The Countryman has rear doors as well as being higher of the ground than the Mini Cooper Hardtop. It shares some styling from the Mini Cooper Hardtop. The Countryman has good head room and leg room for the front passengers. When I sat the back of one, I had little leg room. Just like the Hardtop, the Countryman has a speedometer in the center of the dashboard. I still find this feature strange. Not many brands, if any, has this feature on its vehicles. The seats have decent comfort. These are not the softest seats I have been in, but they are not stiff and uncomfortable.  

The Mini Cooper Countryman is powered by a 1.6L I4 engine that produces 121 hp and 114 lb-ft of torque. The Countryman goes from 0 to 60 mph in 9.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 116 mph. The Countryman uses the same 1.6L I4 engine that is used in the Mini Cooper Hardtop. Yet the Countryman is 300 pounds heavier than the Mini Cooper Hardtop. This hurts the Countryman in the performance category. The Countryman felt slow. When a company makes a bigger car and uses the engine from the smaller car, it just does not work. The Countryman needs a bigger and more powerful engine. 121 hp is just not enough for  a compact crossover SUV. As far as the ride goes, it has a slight sporty feel to it. It also feels a little bit heavy as well. The Countryman handles nicely. It responds well when I turn the wheel. It is also quiet inside the Countryman when I was on the roads and highways. 

Overall, the Countryman is not a good car. When I think SUVs, I think space and comfort. I drive a 2007 Toyota RAV4, and that is also a compact crossover SUV. My RAV4 has plenty of leg room for rear passengers plus I have a large trunk to carry my belongings when I was travelling between Houston and San Antonio during my college years. The Countryman does not have the cargo space that my RAV4 has. My main issue with the Mini Cooper Countryman is the performance. 121 hp and 114 lb-ft of torque is not enough power for the Countryman. If a company is going to make a new model that is 300 pounds heavier than a current model, then the new model should gets its own line of engines that are suitable for the new model.  When Mini and BMW came out with the Countryman, they should have given the Countryman its own set of engines. The Mini Cooper Countryman should have gotten at least a 2.0L I4 engine in addition to an optional V6 engine. If you want a compact crossover SUV will plenty of interior and storage space, pass on the Countryman. However, if you want a Mini with four doors, then go with the Mini Cooper S Countryman. That version gets 181 hp for a turbocharged 1.6 I4 engine. The Mini Cooper Countryman is just unimpressive.

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First Drive: 2013 Buick Enclave

At the 2006 North American International Auto Show, General Motors debuted a concept SUV that utilized GM Lambda platform. This car became the Buick Enclave. The Lambda platform is utilized by the Saturn Outlook, GMC Arcadia, and the Chevrolet Traaverse. The Buick Enclave went on sale in 2007 as a 2008 model. The Enclave replaces the Buick Rendezvous (a mid-size crossover SUV), the Buick Rainier (mid-size SUV), and the Buick Terraza (minivan). The Buick Enclave is a front engine full-size luxury crossover SUV that comes with either front-wheel drive (standard option) or four-wheel drive (a $2,000 option). The Enclave comes with three rows of seats. The Enclave can come with either seven seats or eight seats. At the 2013 Houston Auto Show, I took a Buick Enclave for a test drive. A six-speed automatic transmission is the only transmission available for the Enclave.

The Buick Enclave has below average styling for a crossover SUV. It has some characteristic lines that start from the grill to the back of the vehicle. I am not a big fan of the Buick grill. It is just parts that go vertical, nothing special. This is suppose to be a luxury crossover, it is suppose to be easy on the eyes, but the Enclave is not a pretty car to look at. It shares the same body style as the Chevrolet Traverse. The GMC Arcadia has some characteristics to its styling and GM should have added some uniqueness to the Enclave's styling. While I do not like the exterior, the interior is a different story. While the base cloth seats, it does come with a rear power liftgate and an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat. But for $4,015 extra, you can go with the Enclave leather group. This package includes leather and wood trim, which gives the Enclave a luxurious feel. The driver and front passenger seats are heated. The driver seat has power recline with memory presets for two drivers. The seats are comfortable. I have good legroom and headroom behind the wheel. If you want more features, there is a premium group trim level. The version I drove came with the premium trim and it had a luxurious feel to it.

The Buick Enclave is powered by a 3.6L V6 engine that produces 288 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 7.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 112 mph. The Enclave is a big vehicle and has that big vehicle feel. Yet it feels quick for a full-size crossover SUV. During my test drive, I outran and Ford Mustang 5.0 GT. The Enclave has a good drive quality. It is quiet inside the vehicle. The Enclave has a smooth ride and it responds nicely when I turn the steering wheel. This gives a good driving experience for a full-size crossover SUV, even if it is not the most exciting vehicle to drive. Prices for the Buick Enclave start at $39,665, that includes a $925 destination fee. The version I drove, a FWD Enclave with the premium trim level starts at $47,240, which includes a $925 destination fee.

Overall, the Buick Enclave is a good family vehicle. It has three rows of seats. This is very suitable for a family with two to five children. It makes a good road trip vehicle. Even though there are other vehicles in its class with more powerful engines, the 3.6L V6 engine still provides good power. I outran a V8 Mustang in the Enclave. In addition to solid power and performance, the Enclave has a good ride quality. It is quiet, smooth, and comfortable to drive. But it is not worth the $40,000+ price tag, especially when the base trim level comes with cloth seats. I think that the base trim should start around $33,000. The leather trim Enclave should start at $37,000 with the premium trim going for around $41,000. Other than it being a few thousand dollars overpriced, it is still a good family vehicle. I have driven the Buick Verano, Buick LaCrosse, and Buick Regal. Buick has improved in terms of luxury. The overall Buick styling can improve, but the overall ride quality and comfort for the LaCrosse, Verano, and Enclave are very good. Buick needs to soften the ride for the Regal. It was too rough and uncomfortable to sit in.

Next time, I review the 2013 Buick Encore.

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First Drive: 2013 Buick Encore

At the 2012 North American International Auto Show, General Motors debuted a subcompact SUV, called the Buick Encore. At the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, General Motors unveiled the Opel Mokka, which the Buick Encore is based on. In the United Kingdom, the Mokka is marketed as a Vauxhall. Opel, a German subsidiary of General Motors, engineered the vehicle. Yet the Encore is built in South Korea. Since the Opel brand is not sold in the United States, Canada, or China. General Motors rebrands Opel cars as Buicks in these markets. The fifth generation Buick Regal is a rebadged Opel Insignia. The Encore is a front-engine subcompact SUV that comes with either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. I first saw the Buick Encore at the 2013 Houston Encore. During a Wednesday in August 2013, I stopped by the local Buick delearship and took one for a test drive. The Encore is available with one transmission, a six-speed automatic transmission with a manual shifting mode. The version I drove came with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is a $1,500 option.

The Buick Encore is very small. It is one of the smallest SUV sold in the United States. It has a wheelbase of 100.6 inches and an overall length of 168.5 inches. It has an exterior styling that I can only describe as unique. It is not pretty, but it is not ugly either. It does not look like any other car on the road and will stand out. It lacks that the extended wheel arches found on the Nissan Juke, which hurts the Juke's styling. The Encore comes with 18 inch wheels. The version I drove came with 18 inch chromed aluminum wheels, a $995 option. The Encore I drove came with the premium trim level and came with saddle leather seats. It also came with a heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control air conditioning, a remote vehicle starter system, heated front and passenger seats, front and rear park assist, forward collision alert, and lane departure warning. The screen in the middle of the dashboard serves as both a screen for the backup camera and the navigation. The leather and wood trim gives the Encore a luxurious feel, even in a vehicle as small as the Encore. The seats are comfortable. I had good headroom and legroom behind the wheel. The premium trim level cost $3,900 more than the base trim level.

The Buick Encore is powered by a turbocharged 1.4L I4 engine that produces 138 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 9.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 110 mph. The Encore feels slow. I notice a little bit of turbo lag coming from the engine. Despite the subpar performance, the Encore has a smooth and quiet ride. The vehicle responds well when I turn the wheel. Prices for the Buick Encore starts at $24,950, including a $750 destination fee. The version I test drove costs $31,475. A full loaded all-wheel drive Encore goes for over $33,000. For the size of the car, it is a little bit pricey.

Overall, the Encore is average. It has a luxurious feel when equipped with the leather and premium trims. But with the base and convenience trims, you do not get a lot, especially for a vehicle starting around $25,000. The Encore is small and underpowered. The Encore could have benefited from either a turbocharged 2.0L I4 engine available in the Buick Regal and Cadillac ATS. Hopefully, General Motors will offer more engine options with the Encore. The turbocharged 1.4L I4 engine ruins the driving experience for the Encore. That engine provides 4 more hp than a Toyota Prius. The engine is not powerful enough for a vehicle that weighs 2,850 pounds. The Encore needs a more powerful engine. It is just too slow and small to cost $25,000. If the Encore started at $20,000, then I could recommend it. But there are much better cars and SUVs out there than the Encore that cost around $25,000.

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