Your eyes do not deceive you: this is an updated version of the car formerly known as the Fisker Karma. This zombie electric luxury vehicle refuses to die, and for that it has my respect. More on that later. For now, the focus will be on much newer cars.
I’m fairly confident the 2019 Forester will end up being more popular than the Karma. What isn’t going to thrill some potential buyers is the lack of a premium engine or a manual transmission, both of which will bow out when the current generation ends production. Subaru is probably okay with losing some customers because those models never sold in high enough numbers to justify their continued existence. Although I can imagine some people going to the Ford Escape or Chevrolet Equinox because they both offer a range topping engine in their top trims.
The new Forester looks a lot like the next generation RAV4. That’s not really the fault of either company, especially because Subaru played it safe and basically just refined the exterior of the 2018 when designing the new one.
Are you seeing double? Nope! This is the new Ascent. The front end just happens to look a lot like its smaller sibling. It also doesn’t help that this particular one is the same color as the Forester that was nearby. How important is the Ascent for Subaru? I wouldn’t be surprised if this eventually outsells the Forester, so…very important. Fortunately, if you’re one of the customers that wanted a product like the Ascent for the last couple of years, its styling isn’t likely to turn you off, as it mirrors other vehicles in the Subaru lineup.
The Ascent is basically an Outback that found some human growth hormone. Or some Pym Particles. Anyway, if you’re okay with that, you may want to look at it. I imagine this crossover is going to eat into sales of the Explorer, Highlander, and CX-9.
Like any Subaru not named BRZ, the Ascent comes standard with all wheel drive. It also has a turbocharged version of the 2.4 liter boxer found throughout the rest of the Subaru lineup. It’s packing 277 horsepower and 260 Ib.-ft. torque, which isn’t terribly great for the segment, but on the other hand, Subaru claims the Ascent can achieve 27 mpg highway, which matches the EPA rating for the 2.3 EcoBoost variant that’s optional on the Explorer. The Ascent’s CVT probably makes it more likely that it will achieve that figure, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see if and when a major auto publication gets one in their fleet.
Brushed aluminum mirrors aren’t really a thing in the full size crossover segment, but their availability on the Ascent may prompt other automakers to offer them on their own vehicles. I couldn’t completely verify their authenticity, but they did feel like the real deal, and they were a bit colder than the surrounding metal, so its entirely possible that Subaru is actually putting real aluminum trim on their side mirrors.
The interior seemed pretty straightforward and aesthetically pleasing, but a bit lacking in segment appropriate materials compared to others in its class.
The second row seats are home to a plethora of outlets ready to charge your electronic devices, provided you bring the right cable. Subaru also opted to make one giant floor mat instead of two, which is odd, but I’ve seen that before.
In the near future, the Focus Active will be the only four door passenger car in the Ford lineup . If you want to know why that is happening, look no further than the Crosstrek. The slightly raised hatch is now selling over six figures, which is far more than Subaru had anticipated. They’re probably ecstatic about its success, especially since the base automatic commands a roughly $2700 over the Impreza hatchback. There is no way it costs that much extra to make a Crosstrek.
As long as it has standard all wheel drive and competitive pricing, the Active should do fine.
The Ascent and the Crosstrek have nearly identical interiors. The key difference is that the interior pictured above is more competitive with the competition in the compact segment compared with the Ascent and its relative position in its market. As I said before, these interiors are decent and functional, but not terribly premium.
Volvo currently only offers the regular V90 to American customers if they order the wagon directly from them. For 2019, the V60 will be far less exclusive, as it will be sitting on dealers lots as soon as it arrives.
Volvo’s modern wagons are lovely, but I’m still not sure there is a business case for their continued existence. Hopefully the company still keeps making them regardless of market conditions.
That market will likely favor the new XC40 over the V60 or any other wagon. Reviews for the new crossover have been very positive, and its not hard to see why. Its got very good looks and competitive powertrains. Did I mention that it looks good as well? The XC40 is an attractive vehicle, in case you didn’t already know. I used this manufacturer photo because people surrounded the floor models to the point where it was impossible to get a good shot of one up front.
I did manage to snag this pic of the rear side profile, which shows the XC40 in a very striking blue. Kudos to Volvo for being bold enough to outfit the car in regular and two tone paint schemes.
That window may claim that the Volvo was locked, but the person in the drivers seat determined that to be a lie. Someone at Volvo probably forgot to hit the lock button. What could they possible be hiding at this point anyway? The interior of the XC40 is the least exciting part of the vehicle, not because the cabin is boring or ugly, but mainly due to it being a carbon copy of all the other modern Volvo interiors.
The 2018 Lexus GS is a rear wheel drive sedan that hasn’t been updated for quite some time. It’s doubtful we’ll see a next generation model. But fear not! This one has a matte paint finish, which means you’re probably going to think its cool.
While we’re on the subject of paint, why don’t we gaze in awe at the sight of the Lexus LC 500 and its amazing Structural Blue paint job?
The LC 500 has been a prominent fixture at the show for at least two years now. I’m fine with that, and very happy I got to see this thing in the flesh.
And this year they unlocked at least one example so the unwashed masses could satiate their desire to sit in one. This particular LC 500 may not pop as much as the blue model, but it still looks damn good.
Inside is where things get complicated. The low slung and curvy exterior does not mesh well with the ho hum interior. Although the leather smelled great. The disappointing cabin would not stop me from owning one though, and I’ll seriously consider buying one if I win the lotto.
The spindle grille never really justified its existence until it appeared on the LC 500. The UX continues that tradition. Slated to arrive this December, the UX will be available with a gasoline engine, a performance hybrid powertrain, and a more explicit sport model under the Lexus F Sport moniker.
I am skeptical buyers want all three of those options. Regardless, the exterior is a huge step up from its platform mate, the C-HR, which has been a rare misstep for Toyota.
It’s been about ten years since Acura debuted the divisive “beak” style grille. The brand is still trying to sort itself out, and I’m not sure they’ve really recovered from it. That being said, the RDX does look pretty good.
For the 2019 model year, the RDX is returning to its turbocharged four cylinder roots. When it debuted in 2006, people were skeptical that a luxury crossover equipped with a turbo four would sell. Those same people were vindicated when the second generation dropped the 2.3 turbo for Honda’s ubiquitous 3.5 liter V6. It’s now pretty obvious that Honda jumped the gun a little bit. Four cylinder engines are significantly more refined now, so I highly doubt Honda is sweating the release of this new setup.
Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury division, hasn’t really gotten off to a great start. There’s the whole “Genesis needs stand alone stores in order for it to succeed! Wait, we take that back! So sorry!” thing going on right now. In addition to all that bad publicity, their entire lineup consists of sedans. It’s not exactly encouraging to stroll up to their display and see some wild concept car called the Essentia sitting on a pedestal. Whatever type of halo car the Essentia is supposed to represent, its the exact opposite of what the brand needs right now.
And I’m not sure the G7o needs to exist either. My cell phone seems to have come to this realization sooner than I did, because it screwed up all three of the exterior shots I took of the floor model at the show. Perhaps it just really didn’t care enough about this car to take good pictures of it. Critics really like the G70. Does that matter? Can this car make serious inroads in a segment dominated by the likes of BMW, Mercedes, and Audi? I’m extremely skeptical. I’m also over the idea that a luxury brand has to have sportiness baked into every single component of every one of its vehicles in order to be taken seriously. And don’t get me started about all these boring, impersonal alphanumeric names.
Does Mazda get a pass for switching to a lineup almost devoid of actual names? I’m not sure. What I do know is that this iteration of the Mazda6 is probably the best looking one yet. The refreshed 6 gets Mazda’s new turbocharged 2.5 liter that has an output of 227 horsepower and 310 Ib.-ft. of torque. Paired to that engine is a six speed automatic and front wheel drive, which is probably a few gears and two tires short of ideal. At least the Fusion Sport gets all wheel drive.
The CX-3 also gets a nice nip-tuck for the 2019 model year. Mazda might be the only car company that currently makes attractive vehicles in every segment they’re in.
And that’s probably going to remain true for quite some time. The Kai concept likely previews the next generation Mazda3, and it also portends the potential application of the new SKYACTIV-X engine, which borrows compression ignition technology from diesel engines and applies it to gasoline powertrains.
Mazda already let journalists sample an early version of their new engine last year, so expect it to debut some time in the near future.
Once thought forever dead, the Karma has been resurrected and will apparently go on sale in the near future. The car that used to be known as the Fisker Karma is now known as the Karma Revero. It’s a plug-in hybrid that generates electricity from GM’s 2.0 turbocharged Ecotec four after its battery has been depleted.
Is the Karma any good?
Nope.
I’ll cap off part 3 with a shot of the Karma’s solar panel roof, which was designed to supply power to the climate control system but only tops off the 12v lead acid battery in the production model.
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Always liked the looks of the Karma, I can’t afford one though but hey that’s Karma for you 🙂
At first glance I thought the Subaru was Abcess Blue..
I’m more worried about the “Structural Blue” on that Lexus. So, the paint is holding the car together? Watch out if you get a chip. “We’re losing structural paint containment, Captain! She’s coming apart!”
I don’t know about the Karma, as it looks so damn cool. I might be more tempted to own one of the one Bob Lutz has reworked to accept an LS engine instead. THAT would be a fun car, albeit not so eco-chic.
This explains why i have’nt gone to the auto show in over 10 years………….really boring!!
Modern cars are better made more reliable more economical than most old cars that’s for sure but jesus these cars have about as much style or see appeal as a dose of the clap they could be made by anyone they look like bad orthopedic shoe’s
Your thoughts/opinion concerning the Subaru Crosstech mirror those of many European car writers. That is, why is this car so expensive and why is it so popular….especially considering it’s specifications and styling.
I’ve been a “car nut” for nearly 60 years and while I have always told folks that I don’t care for most cars built before WW II, I feel quite depressed that we have reached a point where cars are literally all the same. We are just a few steps away from a world where we all “drive” electric, golf cart type boxes. And you can have it in any color as long as it’s silver.
Well, I for one am not going to be the broken record, lamenting the sameness of everything out there, even if I’m inclined to agree with most of those sentiments.
I will say though that the model that I find most appealing of this bunch is the Volvo wagon. I actually think (and yes, I totally “get” the irony of this statement) that it’s a very sexy design. I’ll second the author’s hope that Volvo continues to offer traditional wagons, in spite of my fear that these will not be on the market for too long.
As for Subaru, I’m fairly bored by all of their offerings. I see the Forester (the new one or the outgoing model) as the automotive equivalent of the Teva sandal. Yawn. I suppose they know what they’re doing eliminating the top-line engine option in the Forester, but in my family that base engine was the reason that the last Forester my mother and her husband owned was traded off after only 2 years in the fleet. The standard 2.4 boxer and CVT just proved too sluggish in their Rocky Mountain locale. Understanding that Subaru sells a lot of cars to folks in places like Colorado, Vermont, etc., it seems counter-intuitive not to offer a bit more grunt.
The observation that “the base automatic [Subaru Crosstrek] commands a roughly $2700 over the Impreza hatchback” actually understates the difference: The MSRP of the base Impreza 5-door with CVT is $19,995, whereas the MSRP of the base Crosstrek with CVT is $22,795 – an even larger difference ($2800). (Each costs $1000 less with a manual transmission.)
I would suggest that the Crosstrek is popular for the identical reason that the Outback was the popular choice over the Legacy wagon when first introduced: Many potential buyers simply liked the appearance (cladding, etc.) and the elevated ride. Advertising of the Outback boosted Subaru’s ability to sell the more profitable car, and eventually the Legacy was (regrettably) dropped in the U.S. It’s not as though anyone is being fooled when they spend extra for the Crosstrek, otherwise Subaru would not have been able to repeat the exact same concept 20 years later.
Many people pay many hundreds of dollars for a particular paint color over another. More power to the manufacturers, if people weren’t willing to pay the upcharge, either the upcharge or the item being upcharged would go away.
I’d wager that the $2800 upcharge for the difference in Crosstrek to Impreza is peanuts compared to what one is charged for the difference between trim levels in a full size pickup truck, both in absolute terms as well as percentage terms.
It could also be looked at the other way – $22,795 is not a bad price at all for a brand new AWD car with four doors, the Crosstrek in this case. However, if you elect not to take the cladding or ride height, you can save $2800, making the Impreza a bargain, comparatively speaking. As they once said, “(More) Inexpensive. And built to stay that way” 🙂
As regards the Focus, what is surprising is that it’s been, what, four years and only now has someone else decided to give this particular idea a shot? There should be a Golf (non-wagon) Alltrak as well as a Cruze-trek and maybe some sort of Hyundai-trek or Kia-trak with these apparent margins…
On the Subaru, let me get this straight – just as they supposedly have the head gasket thing under control – they turbocharge it? The turbo boxer engine and the CVT would probably cross the Subie off my personal list were I in the market. Which I hate, given that Subaru is locally built.
Am I getting old when I have trouble distinguishing between the front views of the Acrua RDX and the Mazda6? Personally I would be quite happy with a 6 speed automatic. Living with the one in my Kia, I have a hard time seeing where more gears would make my real-world life any better.
You’re conflating issues. Subaru has had turbo engines for a long time, but ironically they’ve all been essentially immune to the head gasket problem, as they have more head studs (or something like that). Turbo engines have been optional on the Forester and other models for quite a long time.
And CVTs have been the only automatic available on most Subarus for quite some years now too. The point is, turbo engines and CVTs (and teamed up with each other) are not new to Subarus, and they both are not known to be weak spots.
Thanks for the info on the turbo boxer, I had forgotten that they had been turbocharging this one for awhile. I am a little less convinced on the CVT – I have heard too many horror stories of CVTs in larger vehicles that cannot go the distance. It will be interesting to watch these bigger, heavier Subies after they have racked up some serious miles. Of course there have been plenty of shitty conventional automatics made in recent decades too.
The 2.4 engine in the Ascent is not the same engine as the 2.5 that Subaru has been making for years. This is a brand new engine, according to Subaru. In actuality is a brand new version of their FA engine, which is only distantly related to the ubiquitous 2.0/2.5 FB engines in everything else Subaru has made for about the last 8 years.
Here’s hoping that a modified, 350+ hp version of this motor will arrive in the next gen STI, due to arrive next year (preferably with a 5-door option again!!!!)
I hope the Ascent turbo engine goes into the Outback. A 350hp version would be a nice bonus but just as is would be dandy too.
My opinions:
– As the former owner of an older Forester, I thought that one aspect of the interior was VERY premium. The seats, dash, door panels looked like new after 10 years of snow and off-road use, with kids etc. that’s worth more to me than “soft touch”.
– I think, at current US prices that the Crosstrek is a decent value. For mild off-pavement or heavy snow use, the AWD system and ground clearance are useful. And, it’s still offered with a manual trans for a significant discount off the CVT price. Kudos to Subaru for that!
“10 years of snow” suggests a pre-2009 Forester, which did have much higher quality of interior materials than the 2009-13 Forester (and related 2008-11 Impreza) with their very flimsy door panels. We have three older Foresters in our family, two 2007s and a 2006 5-speed, and their interiors are holding up very well indeed.
It’s a damn shame that the Impreza/Crosstrek is the only remaining Subaru offered with a stick in North America. (I don’t count the BRZ – that’s a toy.)