Cars Wheel

Ford Fiesta 2014

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Ford is adding to its Fiesta lineup with a high-powered ST edition, and a super fuel-efficient three-cylinder EcoBoost model. The 2014 Ford Fiesta lineup launched at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show also benefits from a stylish new look and an upgrade to MyFordTouch featuring Nuance voice recognition technology and a 6.5-inch touchscreen. 2014 Ford Fiesta ST Sporty ST models benefit from super snug Recaro racing seats, a lowered suspension, and a quicker steering ratio. Ford Fiesta 2014.
2014 Ford Fiesta ST Available exclusively as a five-door hatchback in North America, the sporty new Fiesta ST boasts a high-output variant of Ford's 1.6-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission to boast 197 horsepower and 214 lb-ft of torque, as well as up to 34 miles per gallon. And, helping the Fiesta become the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid subcompact in America with a projected best 40 mpg-plus fuel economy (official EPA testing is not yet complete), is a 123-horsepower/1.0-liter three-cylinder EcoBoost engine.
Including this new fuel-efficient Fiesta, next year Ford will offer eight vehicles rated at 40 mpg or higher double today’s total, and more than any other automaker. Pricing is not yet available, but as with the other EcoBoost engines offered in Ford’s lineup, the 1.0-liter should be an affordable option, as adding an EcoBoost engine costs about $995 in most other Ford vehicles. Interior of 2014 Ford Fiesta.
Beyond its high-performance and super-fuel-efficient engine choices, the 2014 Ford Fiesta also receives high-tech upgrades as well. Ford’s MyKey® is a new feature on Fiesta, which enables parents to encourage safer driving and limit their teenagers’ exposure to risk at the wheel. The system allows owners to configure maximum speed and audio volume limits, mutes audio until seat belts are fastened, and ensures driver aids, safety systems, and other alerts cannot be deactivated when used.
Outside, the new Fiesta will offer custom exterior design graphics and new color options (including Blue Candy, Molten Gold, and Storm), as well as a sporty new grille that reflects the new face of Ford. Inside, the glossy cell phone-inspired dashboard and available leather steering wheel and seats amplify the modern interior. A choice of 10 ambient lighting colors allow Fiesta drivers to set just the mood they want, while a new Sony HD audio/satellite radio with eight premium speakers allows drivers to more fully appreciate their music.
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Chevy Silverado 2014

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The 2014 Silverado made its auto show debut in Detroit on Monday. The pickup truck, along with the redesigned GMC Sierra, has been reworked with a lighter but stiffer frame and cab, a fresh interior with video screens and wireless connectivity, and three new engines one V6 and two V8s. The trucks have the same basic styling as the previous generation of pickups, but underneath the hood is a trio of engines from the fifth generation of GM's small-block engine family
That introduce a suite of fuel-saving technologies: direct fuel injection, which puts the fuel directly into each cylinder; continuously variable valve timing, which adjusts the opening and closing of the valves based on engine load; and cylinder deactivation, which shuts down some of the engine's cylinders during light-load driving. 2014 Chevy Silverado Interior View.
The truck engines are a 4.3-liter V6, 5.3-liter V8 and a 6.2-liter V8. They use aluminum blocks and cylinder heads to shed weight, compared to iron blocks and heads. The automatic transmission now uses six gears, up from four. To further enhance fuel efficiency, the Silverado sees some aerodynamically enhanced styling cues. Door mirrors were redesigned, triple-seal doors are inlaid into the body, and the roof and tailgate were designed for smoother airflow.
While the overall look doesn't change much, the Chevy pickup is more sculpted, and there is a twin-port grille and full-width bumper. The Silverado is also more accessible, with larger rear doors that are front-hinged. To better access the truck bed, there are corner steps integrated into the rear bumper, and handholds on the bed. The bed can also be equipped with new upper tie-down hooks, under-rail LED lighting and an easy-lift-and-lower tailgate.
Inside is a six-gauge instrument cluster with an optional center-mounted 4.2-inch information center for vehicle status information. Multiple storage options include a mini filing cabinet in the center console. Knobs are also specially coated with rubber to make them easy to grip, even when wearing gloves.
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Nissan Sentra 2013

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The 2013 Nissan Sentra makes its first play for conquest customers with completely revised sheetmetal. And, while the very general proportions have carried over from the sixth to this new seventh-generation Sentra the stubby, wide nose and abbreviated trunk lid are both familiar this new car looks very little like its sharply creased predecessor. If we're blunt, we don't care much for what the designers have done. The rounded, pugnacious front end gives the Sentra added visual height from the front view, while the high beltline and bulging character line do the same for the profile view.
In total, despite the fact that this Sentra is just a little bit lower and longer than the last model, it looks altogether more top-heavy. The new Sentra's ride quality was nearly as impressive as its noise, vibration and harshness tuning, as here again the Nissan made a passable impression of a larger, more expensive vehicle. Suspension compliance over potholes and such was excellent; the Sentra's primary ride was rarely upset by a cracked bit of asphalt or even some washboard-like sections we found on an unpaved back road. 2013 Nissan Sentra Interior.
In fact, whether we were just kicking back on the highway or pushing the car pretty hard on a fun road, the Sentra's suspension kept the wheels firmly planted on the road, with not much kickback in the steering or through the seats. the combination of Nissan's 1.8-liter four-cylinder and its revised continuously variable transmission hugely colors our impressions of the vehicle. The new engine is thoroughly more efficient and has a higher specific output than the old Sentra's 2.0-liter mill, though with just 130 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque it doesn't get the car moving with any sense of urgency. Nissan Sentra 2013 Engine.
Likewise, the CVT has been enhanced with a sub-planetary gear and smaller pulleys, aimed at better low-down response and improved high-speed fuel economy, but without doing much for driving satisfaction. We were able to snag a top-spec Sentra SL for this First Drive report, so we really did get the best that the model has to offer in terms of interior amenities and creature comforts. Adding the Leather (which also adds rear disc brakes, oddly), Premium and Navigation packages ensured that we wouldn't go without two-stage heated front seats, Bose audio, a 5.8-inch infotainment screen with backup camera, that powered sunroof and a few more odds and ends.
Overall the SL felt like a very complete, well-screwed-together cabin with respectable material quality as well as fit and finish (especially considering we had a pre-production model). Some noticeable detractors from the experience were the regrettable wood trim pieces on the center tunnel and the doors, as well as an overly large, thin-rimmed steering wheel that felt as if it were sized for a pickup rather than a compact car. Thankfully, we know that other Sentra trim levels do away with the wood bits the steering wheel is just something we'd have to live with.
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BMW 328i Sports Wagon 2013

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The 2013 wagon drives much like the sedan, feeling poised and balanced overall. The steering is a little light and lacking in feel, but it is accurate. Torsional stiffness is said to be up by 10 percent, and the wagon certainly felt solid and was particularly quiet, which is not easy to achieve when the cabin is so large and extends over the rear axle. The turbocharged four pulls strongly, and we estimate a 0-to-60-mph time of about six seconds, or 0.3 to 0.4 second slower than a 328i sedan. 2013 BMW 328i Sports Wagon.
Even in throttle-dulling eco-pro mode, the transmission is always willing to find the right gear quickly, according to the demands of your right foot. The stop-start system stays out of the driver’s way in operation, but you definitely know when the engine turns on and off. Engine noise and vibration at idle and during startup will have to be reduced by an order of magnitude before these systems become transparent. 2013 BMW 328i Sports Wagon Interior.
The new Sports Wagon will go into production next spring and arrive here shortly afterward. Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but if we apply the sedan-to-wagon increase from the prior generation to the new one, we’d expect a base price of about $40,000 for the rear-drive wagon and a two-grand premium for all-wheel drive. For fans of station wagons, the fact that a new five-door 3-series is here at all is good news. That it looks great and drives competently might be considered bonuses. BMW 328i Sports Wagon 2013.
The lift-over height into the cargo area is lower than on the preceding car, and the liftgate opening is several inches wider for easier loading. The hatch is now power operated, and the rear window once again can be opened independently of the sheetmetal. BMW offers the hands-free ability to open the hatch by waving your foot under the bumper, provided the proximity key is with you. This is a feature we’ve seen on European Passat wagons and the latest Ford Escape.
There are a couple of storage compartments under the trunk floor. The forward one has some deep wells, and the rearmost one can hold the roll-up luggage cover when you need it out of the way for taller cargo. Overall, the new model looks a bit sleeker, thanks to the increased length and a beltline that rises more sharply than before. Inside, the wagon looks just like the latest sedan. It has all of that model’s new features, such as the engine stop-start system; an “eco pro” driving mode; electrically boosted steering; and Sport, Modern, Luxury, and M Sport trim options.
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