Honda Civic, Toyota Rav4 and Camry Review Sneak Peeks! – The Car Exam

Honda Civic, Toyota Rav4 And Camry Review Sneak Peeks! – The Car Exam

Honda Civic

2016 Honda Civic: If you can get past the exterior styling (some people love it, some don’t), then you’re in for a pleasant surprise. This is one terrific car…

Toyota Rav4

2016 Toyota Rav4: Updated, nicer-looking, and one competent SUV–one of the best small SUV’s on the market…

Toyota Camry

2016 Toyota Camry: Always reliable, smooth, and now a bit more fun to drive. Look for these reviews coming up soon on Consumer and Car Exam!

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2015 Ram 1500 Big Horn Pickup – All-American Hemi Muscle! – The Car Exam

2015 Ram 1500 Big Horn Pickup – The Car Exam

2015 Ram 1500 Big Horn Pickup: Hemi Muscle! – The Car Exam

Good Grades: This crew cab pickup truck has gobs of horsepower: 395 hp and 410 ft. lbs. of torque, and it can tow up to 10,600 pounds. Step on the gas even a bit too hard, and you’ll light up the rear tires something fierce–wow! The engine/transmission combo works well together. It accelerates very quickly, and passing attempts won’t be too difficult speed-wise. The brakes work nicely, too. There is a good amount of interior room (and storage space) in this truck, although the back seats don’t seem quite as roomy as you’d figure they would be. The styling is classic Ram, which makes you think of 18 wheelers when you look at one. The front seats are indeed comfortable, though, the gauges are easy to read, and interior materials quality is good. The stereo system sounds great, and the view out from the driver’s seat is good. A nice touch: the power-sliding rear window–every pickup truck should have that.

2015 Ram 1500 Big Horn Pickup – Hemi Muscle! – The Car Exam

2015 Ram 1500 Big Horn Pickup – Hemi Muscle! – The Car Exam

Bad Grades: Fuel economy, as you would expect, is poor. EPA city mileage is rated at 15 mpg, and it seems that’s the best Consumer and Car Exam could do round trip with mixed city and highway driving. The Ram drives too much like a car, which is to say the ride is too softly sprung, and changing lanes or turning corners results into some white knuckle moments. Also, the UConnect Stereo system seem more difficult to deal with on the Ram for some reason. Finally, the dial knob automatic transmission shifter/selector seems totally out of place on this truck.

2015 Ram 1500 Big Horn Pickup – The Car Exam

2015 Ram 1500 Big Horn Pickup – Hemi Muscle! – The Car Exam

2015 Ram 1500 Big Horn Pickup – Hemi Muscle! – The Car Exam

Final Grade: B/B+ The Ram 1500 Big Horn model is a good, multipurpose, luxurious, fast, powerful, workhorse of a truck. Its previously mentioned shortcomings are the only things holding it back from getting an “A” grade from The Car Exam.

MSRP: $46,215

©2008-2016 Consumer and Car Exam and T.C.E. No use of any material from this website is allowed without the permission of Consumer and Car Exam and T.C.E.

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2016 Nissan Versa – The Car Exam

2016 Nissan Versa SV – The Car Exam

2016 Nissan Versa SV Review – A good powertrain in need of a better car – The Car Exam

Drive the 2016 Nissan Versa SV Sedan long enough, and you’ll learn exactly what the plusses and minuses about the car as a package, are. Without further delay, here they are:

2016 Nissan Versa SV – The Car Exam

Plusses: The powertrain in the Versa SV is surprisingly peppy and smooth. 109 hp., 107 ft. lbs. of torque, 1.6 liter 4 cylinder engine feels more powerful and refined than the numbers suggest. Driving it up steep hills, for instance, is surprisingly effortless. The CVT Transmission takes excellent advantage of the engine’s power, and you quickly understand why a CVT trumps a conventional five or six speed automatic transmission. Acceleration is decent, as well. The lumbar support in the front seats is very good, rear seat room and head room are impressive, and trunk room is also more than acceptable. Braking and ride quality in the Versa SV Sedan are also adequate. Fuel economy is also respectable (31 mpg city, 40 mpg highway).

2016 Nissan Versa SV – The Car Exam

2016 Nissan Versa SV – The Car Exam

Minuses: That where the plusses end: The rest of the Versa is lacking, and had the rest of the car been as good as the powertrain, it would be a winner. It isn’t. Other than acceleration and power, the Versa is not fun to drive–at all. Handling is sloppy, the driving position isn’t the greatest, the stereo system stinks, the interior plastics are subpar, and the overall styling exercise is awkward at best. It wants to be a Sentra or Altima in spirit, but it doesn’t deliver. This body style has been on the market for about five years now, and while it is much better than the Versa Sedan that came before it style-wise, it still looks out of proportion.

2016 Nissan Versa SV – The Car Exam

Final Grade: if Nissan put the Versa’s powertrain in a number of small cars that aren’t Nissan, it could make them better–but it’s in the Versa SL Sedan, so it’s left without the proper vehicle that would help it shine and stand out against the competition. The 2016 Nissan Versa SV can only muster up a grade of C/C-. That’s too bad, because with some more effort, this Nissan could be so much better than it is now.

Base MSRP for the 2016 Nissan Vera SV: $15,580

©2008-2016 Consumer and Car Exam and T.C.E. No use of any material from this website is allowed without the permission of Consumer and Car Exam and T.C.E.

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