Category Archives: AutoPilot

2014 Ford Tremor – Sept 30 AutoPilot

AutoPilot_2014_TREMOR.qxdOverview

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Description

Move over SVT Raptor because the Ford Tremor sport truck wants a piece of the action.
But instead of muscling its way into the specialty truck category, the more modestly powered and sized pickup aims to win friends with on-road street smarts – and not just off-road ability – as well as livable fuel efficiency.

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2014 Mercedes-Benz E250 – Sept 23 AutoPilot

AutoPilot_2014_E_250.qxdOverview

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Description

More power and lower emissions using fewer pistons is all the rage these days, and not just when it comes to gasoline engines.
Similar advancement of diesel-powered vehicles continues at a rapid pace and the 2014 E250 BlueTEC sedan is the latest example of the automaker’s considerable experience in this field.

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2014 Mitsubishi Outlander – Sept 09 AutoPilot

AutoPilot_2014_OUTLANDER.qxdOverview

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Description

There’s a new face at Mitsubishi that should receive more than just a passing glance. The 2014 Outlander wagon has cleaned up its design act both inside and out for 2014, shedding its dated open-mouth look in the process.

In some respects, the largest vehicle in Mitsubishi’s thinned-out fleet appears more like the second-gen edition that served the automaker for the 2007-’09 model years. As then, the front end returns to an understated and more aerodynamic appearance, which suits the vehicle better than the previous rally-inspired Lancer Evolution-style nose. Let’s face it, a seven-passenger rally-race wagon wasn’t fooling anyone. Leave that to the five-passenger Outlander Sport with its similar grille to explain.

 

 

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2014 GMC Sierra – Sept 02 AutoPilot

AutoPilot_2014_SIERRA.qxdOverview

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Description

With nearly endless combinations of powertrains, features and cab choices, you would be hard-pressed to find two identical pickup trucks on the road.

That’s certainly the case with General Motors’ light-duty cousins – the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra – although both share the same basic structure and running gear.

 

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2014 Nissan Versa Note – Aug. 5, 2013

AutoPilot_2014_VERSA_NOTE.qxdOverview

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Description

It just seems right that a test drive of the Nissan Versa Note takes place in the city of Montreal.
In a region where fuel costs are among the highest in North America – somewhere around $5.50 a gallon – small cars abound, especially those that are specifically shaped to maximize passenger and cargo space.
The original Versa wagon –  a 2007-model-year arrival – excelled on both counts. Paradoxically, its replacement, called the Versa Note, expands on that theme by actually shrinking in size, although not where it really counts.

 

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2014 Transit Connect Wagon – July 29, 2013

AutoPilot_2014_TRANSIT_CONNECT.qxdOverview

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Description

Nowhere in Ford’s press or promotional literature will you see the 2014 Transit Connect Wagon referred to as a minivan.
But one walk around this big-roofed rig with its dual-sliding side doors and up to seven-passenger seating capacity is enough to confirm that “minivan” is the most relevant designation, even if it’s from Europe.
The TC Wagon, which arrives in late 2013, is the junior-sized civilian offshoot of a series of new windowless commercial-vans heading to North America from Ford’s factory in Spain. Size-wise, it falls into the compact class, which means it’s significantly smaller than more traditional minivans from Chrysler, Toyota and Honda. In fact, a more direct comparison to the Mazda5 might work best.

 

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2014 Cadillac CTS – July 22, 2013

AutoPilot_2014_CADILLAC_CTS.qxdOverview

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Description

Cadillac’s head-to-head battle with German and Japanese rivals is nothing short of audacious and with the reenergized 2014 CTS joining in, the brand continues to gain newfound respect.
The third-generation CTS joins the new compact ATS and full-size XTS in a constantly evolving lineup and will soon be joined by the electric-powered ELR coupe that will employ a similar powertrain to the Chevrolet Volt. The speed at which these new models are coming to market is dizzying to say the least.

 

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2014 Chevrolet SS – July 18, 2013

AutoPilot_2014_CHEVROLET_SS.qxdOverview

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Description

You have to give Chevrolet credit. General Motors’ anchor division has really put the “Sport” into its new Super Sport sedan and is pleasing untold numbers of NASCAR fans in the process.
The SS’s lineage is an interesting one. Arriving this fall, the sedan is constructed at GM’s Australian facility where for years it has worn the Holden Commodore badge.

 

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2014 Dodge Durango – July 8, 2013

AutoPilot_2014_DURANGO.qxdOverview

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Description

It might seem like a stretch, pardon the pun, but if you’re looking for more passenger room than a Jeep Grand Cherokee has, you’ll be looking for a Dodge.
The related Dodge Durango for 2014 actually uses the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s bones, but finds room to fit up to seven passengers versus the Jeep’s five. We told you it was a stretch.

 

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2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA – July 1, 2013

AutoPilot_2014_M_B_CLA.qxdOverview

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Description

It might be hard to believe, but it appears as though Mercedes-Benz has caught the rest of the automotive world napping.
This fall, the automaker will introduce a front-wheel-drive sedan to North America that almost anyone pining for a loaded-up Honda Accord, Ford Fusion or Toyota Camry can afford.

 

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