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2012 Honda CR-V EX-L Review

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MPG-o-Matic 2012 Honda CR-V EX-L AWD Review Summary:
The Honda CR-V is the new ubiqui-wagon. Chunkiness is out and smooth lines are in. An 18 percent improvement in coefficient of drag enables higher fuel-efficiency and a quieter ride, when compared to the previous model, with attention to detail underneath the CR-V delivering better aerodynamics. More miles per gallon (MPG), a sleeker face, Honda’s legendary reliability, and a well-designed interior ensure that the CR-V will continue to be one of the safest bets among small SUVs and Crossovers.

The 2012 Honda CR-V is powered by a 16-valve DOHC i-VTEC 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 185 horsepower (HP) and 163 foot pounds of torque. The inline four is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission with Grade Logic Control. The CR-V is available in either front-wheel- (FWD) or all-wheel-drive (AWD).

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2012 SUVs and Crossovers with Manual Transmissions

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Do you love driving stick shifts? Is your car dealer giving you a runaround when you ask about SUVs or Crossovers that are available with manual transmissions? Look in the right place (here!) and you’ll find a slew of manual SUVs that are currently offered in two-wheel-drive (2WD), all-wheel-drive (AWD), and four-wheel-drive (4WD) … even though your dealer might not have what you’re looking for on their lot. Legend has it that our fellow Americans got lazy and stopped driving manual-equipped vehicles, so the dealers stopped ordering them. But the tide is changing. More-and-more folks are waking up and realizing how much more engaging the ride can be with three pedals.

We created this list of manual SUVs and Crossovers to make it easy for you to see what’s out there … and how they stack up with regard to horsepower (HP), torque, gas mileage, fuel capacity, and driving range.

2012 Nissan Juke FWD

  • 2012 Nissan Juke AWD1.6-liter, turbocharged
    inline 4-cylinder engine
  • 6-speed manual
  • 188 HP / 177 ft. lbs. torque
  • Premium
  • 11.8 gallon fuel tank
  • 318.6 mile combined range
  • MPG: 25 City / 31 Highway /
    27 Combined

 

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2012’s Best Gas Mileage AWD Vehicles

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After posting the 2012 Subaru Impreza review yesterday, I got to thinking … just how well does Subie’s thrifty AWD stack up to the competition?

So I spent the better part of today gathering data on the best gas mileage AWD vehicles of 2012. Needless to say, this page goes past the basics. While most sites are content to slap up a photograph and the EPA gas mileage estimates, I had to go deeper. You’ll find information on horsepower, fuel tank capacity, combined cruising range, 0-60 MPH times, and aerodynamic drag coefficients. And you’ll find it all on this one page.

The Impreza doesn’t just get the best gas mileage of the bunch. It’s also the second most affordable of all, after the tiny Suzuki SX4 Crossover. With a whopping price advantage over the competition, we can forgive its leisurely trot to sixty miles per hour.

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2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Sport Review

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MPG-o-Matic 2012 Subaru Impreza 2.0i Sport Review Summary: The 2012 Subaru Impreza is the most fuel-efficient AWD vehicle on the highway in America, bar none. The closest challenger for the Impreza’s remarkable 36 miles per gallon (MPG) are the 2012 BMW 528i xDrive , 2013 Audi A4 quattro, and 2013 Audi A5 quattro at 32 MPG … all of which are significantly more expensive than the Impreza’s starting MSRP of $17,495.

The 2012 Subaru Impreza is powered by a sequential multi-port fuel injected DOHC 2.0-liter Boxer (horizontally opposed) four-cylinder engine that produces 148 horsepower (HP) and 145 foot pounds of torque. The Impreza is available with a five-speed manual transmission or CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) automatic, as either a five-door hatchback or four-door sedan, but only in All-Wheel-Drive (AWD). Manual-equipped Imprezas use Continuous AWD with a viscous-coupling locking center differential, while CVT-equipped models use Active All-Wheel Drive with an electronically managed continuously variable hydraulic transfer clutch. All 2012 Impreza’s are equipped with the naturally-aspirated 2.0 liter Boxer. The WRX and WRX STI are fitted with the 2.5-liter turbocharged Boxer.

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2012 Ford Interceptor Burns More Rubber, Less Gasoline

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Over its twenty year run, Ford’s Crown Victoria-based Interceptor became the most popular law enforcement vehicle on American streets. The rear-wheel-drive, body-on-frame sedan is the benchmark to which every other police cruiser is compared.

The 2012 Ford Interceptor represents a dramatic departure from what was the norm. Common sense says that big American police cars have big V8 engines, with less than stellar mileage, as a result. But not anymore. The 2012 Interceptor has changed the game.

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