Honda Accord

Honda Accord 2012

General information
Despite riding out its current configuration and styling towards its last year or two, the Honda Accord still proves to be one of the best options out there in its class for ride comfort, styling, performance, value, interior space, and features.

Being in a segment that is hard to stand out in, that is exactly what the Accord manages to do. Be it the coupe or sedan that you’re interested in, the 4 cylinder or the V6, the performance will be to your satisfaction. The 4 cylinder models prove to be good enough with smooth rides, rendering the V6 almost redundant unless you plan on hauling heavy loads. With good body control, strong brakes, brilliant handling, and responsive steering, the Accord range infringes on the luxury car segment benefits. Fuel consumption has always been a strong suit for the Accords, though it does fall behind slightly when compared to the new Kia Optima or the Hyundai Sonata.

Interior
The foresight in the 2008 redesign for the Accord is paying off. With the sedan (and even the coupe) looking as fresh as it did 4 years ago, it manages to compete well with its competitors with minor changes here and there. This year’s model is running on the modifications made last year to the instrument panel, new wheel designs, a new grille design, and other small changes.
The interior trim and materials offered by Accord range from the garish to fashion-forward. The choice though remains with you on choosing your own combination for the interior. Its instrument panel though looks good, but is a little impractical in its button placement, paying more weight to looks than ergonomics. The materials used too don’t offer a high finish feel though the Accord does manage to balance it out with styling, when compared to the Toyota Camry or the Ford Fusion.

Specifications
If you’re a little open minded about the 4 cylinder engine and are willing to give it a chance, you’ll be surprised by what you get. With responsive and smooth 2.4 litre, 4 cylinder engines forming the entry level for the accord, you get great performance out of these. Available in a 177 hp and 190 hp versions, both offer you roughly the same feel. The V6 engines step up the game, with 271 hp on offer along with VCM - Variable Cylinder Management to reduce the engine noise and vibration in the cabin.

The 4 cylinder models offer a manual transmission with 5 speed in sedans and 6 in coupes. While they definitely add to the driving pleasure, the auto transmissions too are quite smooth and responsive.

Driving experience
For the most part, the Accords can hold their own against bumps and rough patches, though occasionally you might notice a little (ignorable) harshness. Though the interior options offered are plenty, there is a risk of turning it into a garish mess.
The 177 hp Accords prove to lack in merging and passing maneuvers, though the EX models with 190 hp manage to easily overcome those limitations. A rough idle with significant vibration is one of the issues faced in most 4 cylinder models. The V6 models are of course the quickest of the options, overcoming the passing and merging issues with ease.

The Accord LX-P with auto transmission manages to deliver 9.5 km/l for combined driving, with most other models staying within a tiny range of this.

Ups and Downs
For a car that delivers on most fronts, the noisy idling (and overall noise) proves to be the main irritant.

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Toyota Camry

Toyota Camry 2010

General information

In its fifth generation, the Toyota Camry is by far one of the best selling cars that we have seen in recent times. Dominating the mid-size sedan segment is no longer a target for Toyota, but only a challenge to increase the margin of domination. The new Camry has improved on many aspects – ride, performance, handling, greater interior space, and value for money – are just a few.
The core of the Camry comprises the 2.5 litre petrol engine that unleashes all the awesomeness. There are 4 models in the Camry range, namely: Altise, Atara S, Atara SX, and Atara SL.

Interior
Toyota has stepped up its game with the new Camry improving on its interior offerings. A modern look is highlighted by a contoured dashboard design, new seats, new instruments and new materials. More space has been added to the new models, making it a more comfortable ride.
The Camry Atara SL has a clear up-market feel to the interior with beige leather interior, black carpets to contrast and a wood grain trim to finish the look. The instrumentation provided is a three gauge lay, with a fuel consumption gauge.

The new steering wheel is impressive with quite a few (but very simple) buttons to control audio, phone via Bluetooth, etc. It is also adjustable for rake and reach. Another aspect that impressed is the clean centre console layout. The audio and navigation unit along with the gear and cup holder unit offer an uncluttered, easy to use format.
The Atara SL comes complete with a 10 speaker JBL audio system, along with a seven inch touch screen, live traffic updates and digital radio. Not much more you can ask for, right?
Though there is more! A blind spot warning system (what’s that, you ask?)  helps warn you of vehicles when taking turns with your indicators on. There is also an auto high-beam adjustment feature that dips your high-beam for other cars.
The luggage space is spacious 515 litres with a 60:40 split fold in the rear seat for greater storage versatility.

Specifications
As mentioned earlier, the power is driven by a new 2.5-litre, four-cylinder engine. The Atara range peaks at 135 kW/ 235 Nm, while the lower model Altise isn’t left far behind at 133 kW/ 231 Nm.

The new powerplant along with the six speed transmission significantly refine the performance of this vehicle. Proving their commitment to greener technology, Toyota has improved on the mileage, with 7.8l/100kms being the current average (1 whole litre better than last year) and emissions too reducing to 183g/km (a 25% reduction).

Driving experience
A smooth ride is what the Camry delivers with all its improvements over an already smooth riding car. Easy, effortless gear shifts and the electric power steering make it a great experience. Be it the highways, the winding country roads, or the city traffic, you will be pleased with its performance.

Ups and Downs
Though there are many things that are left to be desired, they remain issues for the next segment, not the one that the Toyota Camry has perfected. If we had to point at one thing, it would have to be the lack of a diesel variant. Then again, the upcoming hybrid should take care of those issues.

The overall value proposition offered is undoubtedly one of the best out there on the market in any class (on a value/class evaluation). That apart, the Camry has managed to bring a lot of new features to this segment that have till now been left as optional upgrades at best.

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Volkswagen Polo GTI

Volkswagen Polo GTI 2012

General information
If there has to be one car that you can point to as the best of the Volkswagen range, it has to be the Polo GTI. Boasting of a beyond brilliant 1.4 litre turbocharged and supercharged engine and a standard 7 speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) auto transmission, this has to be the year’s big winner in this very hard to please market segment. What makes this an even greater marvel is its unbelievable price tag for all the goodies it offers.


Interior
As good as this car looks from the outside, it takes your breath away even on the inside. With a typical GTI trim sporting the ‘tartan-look’ (leather being an option), it takes of comfort right away. The dashboard also reflects the usual conservative look with a polished layout that exudes class.



Specifications
A 1.4 litre TSI – turbocharged and supercharged – four cylinder engine boosts you from 0-100 km/h in just 7.0 seconds. The maximum power sits at 132kW at 6200 RPM and the torque peaks at 250Nm when in the 2000-4000 RPM range.
The fuel consumption has improved drastically to great surprise. This four cylinder powerplant now offers 6.1l/100kms as compared to 8.0l/100kms with the previous model. What really blows our minds though is the complex art that controls and co-ordinates the TSI system, with the turbocharger taking over from the supercharger at 3500 RPM.

Driving experience

To describe the drive in this car as a pleasure would do it serious injustice. On both, high-speed terrain roads and city roads, the car impresses. Razor sharp turn-ins, unrelenting grip, and brilliant mid-corner balance make it a great car to take long trips in. The Polo GTI, much like the Golf GTI features the XDL or extended electronic differential lock. This active brake system ensures that the inner wheel does not spin in corners and offers improved acceleration.
Zipping around the city is also a good experience in the VW Polo GTI. The known issue with the VW Polo persists with the minor clunkiness during stop-start traffic. This however is something you get used to and seems to be a decent tradeoff for the high speed performance. Parking also is a breeze with the small turning circle of 10.6 meters.

Ups and Downs
The downer with this amazing car remains with the fact that there is no manual transmission model available.
The ups on the other hand encompass most of the car’s features – from its brilliant turbocharged and supercharged engine to its smooth driving, and from its sleek looks to the amazing value it offers!

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Alfa Romeo Guilietta JTD

Alfa Romeo Giulietta JTD 2012

General information

There’s just something about an Alfa Romeo that makes every car enthusiast’s spine tingle with joy. The Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback offers a 2.0 litre turbo-diesel engine with TCT twin-clutch auto transmission.
This Italian beast not only offers great looks and roomy interior space, but it also goes head on with the VW Golf GTD, the BMW 118d and the Audi A3 TDI. With Alfa Romeo’s sporty handling and ride dynamics, the Giulietta JTD is definitely a hatchback turbo-diesel worth its while.


Interior
This roomy Alfa Romeo sets claim to rear-seat leg-room, front leg-room & head-room superiority in its class. Once you’re inside the car, you can immediately feel the difference as compared to German cars. With Italian designing reflecting in every detail, the rake/reach adjustable steering wheel is leather-wrapped, the front seats are sporty in a classic Alfa manner, and the driver’s position is low behind the wheel to offer a sporty feel.
The instrument panel keeps up with the Alfa look with modern equipment spread all around. The rear seat folds 60/40 to offer load versatility.

Specifications
The first brand to offer the common-rail direct injection in diesel engines was Alfa Romeo. The latest Giulietta model employs the most up to date MultiJet common-rail direct injection in the JTDM-2 four cylinder 2.0 litre turbo-diesel engine.
The max power stands at 125kW and 350 Nm is its peak torque which is available from a low 1750 RPM. This puts the Giulietta in direct competition with VW’s 2.0 litre TDI engine featured in the Golf GTD and Audi’s A3. The advertised combined cycle fuel consumption is an eco-friendly 4.5l/100kms. The Euro 5 compliance of the Giulietta JTD means exhaust emissions ranked at 119 g/km.

Driving experience
The first thing to note in the Alfa Romeo Giulietta is how silent this car is for being a turbo-diesel engine. The 2.0 litre turbo-diesel Giulietta manages to just outperform the VW Golf GTD in acceleration going from 0-100 km/h in 7.9 seconds. This makes it the fastest in class. Though not as good as the BMW eight speed auto transmission, the Alfa’s TCT twin-clutch 6 speeder matches the VW and Audi in precision and smoothness.
The Giulietta employs Alfa’s MacPherson strut front-end along with a multi-link rear with an additional driver selectable Alfa ‘DNA’ system – Dynamic, Normal, and All-weather. All of this leads combines to offer great handling and ride performance.
The sportier QV model gains an even greater suspension calibration owing to its lowered ride height.


Ups and Downs
Being an Italian in a market dominated by Germans is not an easy task. The Alfa Romeo Giulietta scores big with its roomy interior. The drive too does not leave much to be desired. However the only points deducted would be for the lack of finish on the interior as compared to the other European makes.

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Audi A7 Sportback

Audi A7 Sportback

General information
Look at it, marvel at its technical specifications, and breathe in a deep sigh of love. That’s what happened to us with the Audi A7 Sportback. The Quattro all-wheel drive system combined with the awe inspiring luxury interior is definitely something worth beholding.
Made to compete with the Mercedes-Benz CLS, the A7 Sportback definitely gives the car a run for its money. Available in 2 versions – the 180 kW/ 500 Nm 3.0 litre turbo-diesel and the 220 kW/ 440 Nm supercharged 3.0 litre V6 petrol, we take the latter up for review.
With a seven speed transmission, this four-door coupe is a great all round car. Big on interior space, generous with luxury, great looks, and a high performer – the perfect combination!


Interior
It almost seems like Audi is trying to show off with the interior quality it provides in the A7 Sportback.  The trim is in Valcona or Milano leather, with highlights available in a choice of walnut, aluminium or fine grain ash. Now that is what you should get when you shell out your cash for a luxury ride.
The sleek sloping shape of the A7’s roof is deceiving in how much head space the rear passengers would have. Plenty of head space for most people, you’d only a face a problem if you’re among the giants (or heading to the football matches with your headgear on)! The boot space too is huge at 535 litres at its least, expanding up to 1390 litres when the rear seats are collapsed.
If you’re going to be driving the A7 Sportback, you will definitely have nothing to complain about. The steering wheel has a well-designed rake/reach adjustment while your seat has a 20-way (yes, 20!) electronic and pneumatic adjustments.
Adding to the luxury are options like the 6.5 inch fold-away color navigation monitor, the default audio system with 14 Bose speakers (upgradeable to Bang & Olufsen), park assist, adaptive cruise control, the conventional instrument layout, and an optional head-up display.

Specifications
The A7 Sportback features the 180 kW/ 500 Nm, 3.0 litre, V6 turbo-diesel engine. It’s a common-rail direct injection design with four valves per cylinder. The 180 kW max power is attained at 3800 – 4400 RPM and the 500 Nm peak torque between 1500 & 3250 RPM.
The seven speed S-tronic transmission with the Quattro all-wheel drive system makes this drive a well-balanced act. 0-100 km/h is achieved in 6.5 seconds and gives 6.5l/100kms.

Driving experience
There really is not much to be said about the driving dynamics of this car. The engine and the drive system are perfectly paired, the ESP calibration is on the mark, and the chassis balance is excellent offering exact turn-in and great mid-turn stability. All of this without the optional package of the sports suspension.
The one potential issue of reduced rear visibility is tackled with a standard reverse camera. Its 11.9 metre turning circle needs some attention when tackling those tight city corners.



Ups and Downs
There is a minor miss with the feel of the steering wheel, but apart from that there isn’t anything that you can pick on. Great on performance, brilliant in its luxury, and a spot-on match for all other requirements, the A7 is unequivocally a brilliant car.

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Ford Focus

 Ford Focus 2009

General information
As a part of Ford’s effort to fight the good fight, the Ford Focus lineup boasts a mind-boggling 17 variants with 10 hatchbacks and 7 sedans. These models include engines powered by either petrol or diesel and boast of technology like the ‘Active Park Assist’ that is an automated system for parallel parking. Both sub-ranges – the hatchbacks and sedans – have similar offerings in terms of engine power and performance.
Staying in line with their central strategy, the new Focus displays their design philosophy with the ‘Kinetic Design’. With Ambiente being the entry model, and Titanium the top end one, there are Trend and Sport to fill in the gaps.

Interior
The Focus showcases the new interior design that is being seen as a somewhat central theme to all new Ford makes. This effort by the company has been branded as 1Ford whereby it isn’t just the looks but also the quality offered that promises to be consistent.
Across the range, a rake and reach adjustable steering wheel with various easy-control buttons are featured, with extra trimming applied to the Sports and Titanium models.
High quality graphics are offered in the dashboard gauges with good finishes. The steering wheel also features some basic controls for the screen. The rear passengers have plenty of room to stretch their legs (keeping in mind the segment) with the top two models also having a rear center console.
The finish quality has been maintained in the soft touch feel of the switchgear, dashboard, handles, center consoles, and instruments.
The boot space offered ranges from an impressive 421 litres in the sedans to a massive 1101 litres in the hatchbacks (with the rear seats collapsed).

Specifications
With the large range of models up on offer, Ford has divided their engine offerings into three sets. Starting from the entry level models to the top end ones, they range from a petrol based 1.6 litre, 4 cylinder Duratec Ti VCT engine to a new 2.0 litre GDi Ti VCT engine.
For the entry level engines, fuel consumption is the brightest spot with 6.2 litres per 100 kms. The engine offers 92 kW at 6300 RPM, with the torque peaking at 159 Nm at 4000 RPM. The GDi engine on the other hand is among the technologically best engines by Ford with a naturally aspirated engine.
The diesel engines see a similar improvement with the Duratorq 2.0 litre turbo diesel engine. The emphasis has been on improved driving experiences with these changes.
Though the sedans and the Titanium hatchback are sold with just the auto transmission, manual drives are available in the other models with a 5 speed manual transmission.

Driving experience
The balance and grip offered by the Focus is of very high caliber. Even on surfaces that don’t offer the best grip, be it due to slick roads or gravel, the car manages to hold on.
One of the better areas of improvement by Ford has been in the noise department. With a quieter engine and lesser noise penetrating through, it definitely shows. Starting from the Ambiente, working our way up to the Titanium, every single car offers improvements (albeit minor in some cases), with the Titanium clearly standing on top with its leather trimmings and assisted parking features.

Ups and Downs
With a very difficult job at hand to match the Mazda and VW entrants in the battle for this segment, the Focus manages to keep up with competition. Barring a pricey Titanium diesel, not much is left to point fingers at. The reworked interior, the great engine improvements, and the tech add-ons make work in Focus’ favor.

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Range Rover Sport

Range Rover Sport 2009

General information
The status offering of a Land Rover is still one of its highest selling points. However, with the more recent success of the Range Rover models, the lightweight sibling tag is slowly finding its way out. The 2009 Range Rover Sport though, is still a model meant more for on-road driving than the more adventurous trips out in the wild.
That being said, the Sport is capable of handling its share of mountainous tracks with its classis Land Rover suspension and steering components, along with the added benefits of the active roll technology.
The heavy weight of the car does affect its performance in agility, acceleration, and fuel consumption. What keeps the Sport in the running despite these issues is its raw power and handling abilities.

Interior
The best that the Sport has on offer on the inside is its high placed stadium seating. For both the front occupants, this offers an unencumbered view of the road. The dash is without clutter, minimalistic yet elegant. Seating is comfortable with supple leather seats and spacious enough for four adults, though a fifth could manage on the rear center seat. The headroom is a limiting factor for a tall individual, though quite comfortable for most. Though the sloping rear limits the size of cargo you can carry, the luggage space matches the segment’s average at 71 cu ft.

Specifications
The Supercharged Range Rover Sport boasts of a blown 4.2 liter, V8 engine that offers an output of 390 horsepower and 555 Nm of torque with a 6 speed auto transmission. It manages to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.1 seconds, which is quite comparable to its larger model.
Standard on the Supercharged Sport is the 4WD system by Land Rover with two speed transfer case and the Terrain Response system. It helps auto set the powertrain, electronic systems and suspension to optimize the traction based on one of the following settings: general, mud and ruts, sand, rock crawl, and gravel/grass/snow. With the right setting, the Sport is capable of towing up to an impressive 3500 kilos.
The fuel consumption estimates for the Range Rover Sport Supercharged is a poor 5 km/litre in the city and 7.6 km/litre on the highway.

Driving Experience
A heavy curb weight keeps the Sport from impressing much. However, the Supercharged variant is still a better option than the HSE. Its 4.2 litre V8 engine drives through a lot of power and the suspension system combined with the chassis help convert it into a smooth ride with responsive handling.
Ups and Downs
In a stand-alone economy, the Range Rover Sport might have impressed, but with competitors that it has to deal with, it really does lack on many fronts.



Ups and Downs
In a stand-alone economy, the Range Rover Sport might have impressed, but with competitors that it has to deal with, it really does lack on many fronts.

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