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MPG-o-Matic BMW 335d Review Summary: . The 2009 BMW 335d sets a new standard for performance-oriented sedans, by delivering a remarkable combination of fuel economy, acceleration, handling, and electronics.
The 2009 BMW 335d is like nothing else on the road in America today. While it looks, for all intents and purposes, like typical 3-series BMW, the 335d’s game-changing clean diesel engine transforms the car into a tour de force to be reckoned with.
While the hybrid SUV phenomena can’t match the combination of peanut butter and chocolate for pure popularity, the blending of truck-based people-mover and electric propulsion technology has produced a notable oxymoron.
Justly or not, SUVs are frequently cast as the poster boy for conspicuous consumption. You won’t find the conventional press or hordes of lemmings (any similarities are purely coincidental) praising the vast majority of SUVs for their fuel-stinginess. Yet the Ford Escape Hybrid SUV achieves quite remarkable gas mileage in city settings. (We were able to hit the magic 40 MPG mark in-town in our Escape Hybrid review.) This unique quality has led the Escape Hybrid to sell out its production runs, year-after-year.
Earlier this week, Ford announced a notable milestone: the 100,000th Escape Hybrid has rolled off the line at the Kansas City Assembly Plant. With production constraints due to battery availability, 100,000 vehicles in a relatively short time frame is significant. It’s clear that many Americans aren’t keen on giving up their SUVs and the Escape Hybrid fills an important niche.
The economic climate and drop in the price of gasoline have not been kind to the market, and there’s little to trumpet on this front on the other side of town. With Chrysler putting a hold on production of the Chrysler Aspen Hybrid and Dodge Durango Hybrid late last year, the twins have earned the distinction of being the first hybrid SUVs to be put on hold … two canaries in the coal mine. The market has further delayed the introduction of GM’s next-generation Saturn VUE Two-Mode Hybrid.
Nevertheless, there are seven hybrid SUVs available in America today. Over the last twelve months, we’ve had the good fortune to have opportunity to review four of the hybrid SUVs currently on sale:
MPG-o-Matic Mitsubishi Outlander XLS Review Summary: . The 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS is among the most sporting of the mid-size Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV), with a rally-inspired design that provides real four-wheel-drive, magnesium paddle shifters, and an optional 650-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system.
All 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander ES and SE models are equipped with a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine, producing 168 horsepower (HP) and 167 foot-pounds of torque. The more sporting Outlander XLS is equipped with a 3.0-liter V6, producing 220 HP and 204 foot-pounds of torque. The 2.0-liter is fitted with a CVT, while the 3.0-liter V6 earns a well-suited six-speed automatic transmission.
There’s little question at this point that the worldwide automotive industry is under siege, but yet the show must go on. And this week, the stage lights are shining brightly on the 2009 Geneva Auto Show. With budgets slashed and expectations lowered, the automakers continue on their dramatic journey of remaking the modern car, as we know it.
The purse strings are pulled tight here at MPGomatic, for the moment. We hadn’t planned to make the trip across the pond with our cameras in tow to cover the show. But fear not faithful readers, we have something wonderful to share. Joe Simpson of MovementDesign takes us for a brisk video walk around the 2009 Geneva Auto Show, followed by a brief Q&A that hits on a range of the most important vehicles on display.
Joe’s expert report is divided into three segments.
Part One features Infiniti, Hyundai, Ferrari, Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, and Volkswagen:
Ever wish you could fill up at home and skip the service station altogether? How about eliminating your addiction to petroleum with the cleanest internal combustion engine sold today? The Honda Civic NGV aims to fill all those dreams. The natural gas powered Civic GX NGV is refilled via a Phill home fueling unit, which … Read more