Kia Optima – 2015 Extended Test Revisited – Consumer and Car Exam

2015 Kia Optima

2015 Kia Optima SX and LX…revisiting one of Consumer and Car Exam’s most popular reviews

Plusses: The 2015 Kia Optima SX Limited is a nice, well-balanced car. The Optima’s ride is near-perfect, the interior is comfortable (and roomy), interior materials feel upscale, and the dash design is superb. Cloth materials in the base Optima LX are acceptable, as well. The 2.0 liter, Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI), 274 horsepower, turbocharged four cylinder engine is powerful, slick, and very smooth–no turbo lag was detected at all–this is the smoothest turbocharged engine Consumer and Car Exam Has ever tested. Braking feels good as well. The brakes also stop promptly in the Optima LX.

The non-turbo engine in our recent extended test base model Optima accelerated very well, too; it puts out a strong 192 horsepower and 181 lb-ft of torque. Acceleration is not lacking in either model tested. The trunk is large—cavernous, and it can hold a lot of items. The base suspension on the Optima LX is softer, so it doesn’t handle with the same vigor as the sport-tuned suspension on the SX Limited. Nevertheless, the base LX suspension does a great job of soaking up bumps in the road—it definitely serves its purpose for typical driving here.

2015 Kia Optima

This fully-loaded test model had navigation, rear camera, blind spot detection and much more; the safety features on the Optima are impressive. 34 mpg on the highway also impresses, and the six-speed automatic transmission will not disappoint most drivers; however, there is another caveat about rearward visibility in the upcoming minuses section…The stereo in the Kia Optima LX also has a good sound, with very strong bass tones to spice up the sound if you want to.

2015 Kia Optima

Minuses: The c-pillar design on the roof creates a blind spot, but the blind spot detection system can help compensate for that. Now, the other rearward visibility caveat: the high rear deck lid (and steeply-sloping rear window) makes rear visibility difficult; on the extended test base model Optima LX recently driven, two of the three rear headrests had to be removed to improve the rearward view. The high deck lid could be a problem for short drivers. Any kind of moderately-spirited driving means poor gas mileage (at least in the base LX, fuel economy tanks badly), so one needs to be careful when driving the Optima.

2015 Kia Optima

Final Grade: This is one of the best all-around, mid-sized sedans on the market today–and most worthy of Consumer and Car Exam’s final grade of “A/A+”…Well done, Kia–well done, and the all-new 2016 Kia Optima will hopefully be a winner, too.

2015 Kia Optima

Palomar Observatory – Palomar Mountain Road Trip – The Car Exam

Palomar Observatory – The Car Exam

 

Will you happen to be in Southern California for an upcoming trip, and you want a unique place to visit (and you’re a stargazer, too)? Try the Palomar Observatory in Palomar Mountain, California (South of Los Angeles and Riverside County; East of Yuma, Arizona). Nestled over 5600 feet high in the mountains away from city lights, this historic Caltech-owned observatory boasts the 200 inch Hale Telescope, once the world’s largest telescope. Go inside of the telescope, and you will see the inner-workings of the telescope along with displays about the history of the telescope, and the impact it has had on the world of astronomy and science. Take the Public Guided Tour (April – October) if you wish and pay $5.00 ($3.00 for children 5-12 years old), or make it an adventure and explore it yourself for free.

 
If you have more time during your trip, pay a visit to Palomar Mountain State Park, and go hiking if you wish. You can go hiking on one of its trails, go camping or even fishing (mountain bikes and dogs are not allowed on the trails, just so you know that ahead of time). If it’s as beautiful and scenic as the rest of the mountain, visitors will not be disappointed during their trek to Palomar Mountain State Park (address: 19952 State Park Rd. Palomar CA 92060). Go there and the nearby observatory, and you may be in for a fun day in Southern California. Obviously, it’s best to go when the weather is warm, so keep them on your list of places to visit. See their websites for directions, operating times, fees, and other visitor information.

–The Car Exam

 

Palomar Observatory – Close up – The Car Exam

 

 

Dodge Challenger R/T – The Car Exam

Dodge Challenger (2015) R/T Scat Pack – Front

2015 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack: Super American Muscle

Plusses: 6.4 liters, 485 horsepower of pure Hemi V8 muscle–the Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack model is so fast, it will have you asking yourself, “Do I need this much horsepower? Really?” You may not need it all the time, but if you need to merge onto the highway or pass another vehicle, you’ll answer “Heck yes!” with a huge grin on your face. The rapid acceleration will press you against your seat instantly. The eight-speed automatic transmission works seemlessly with the 6.4 liter V8 engine. The Challenger shares the same platform as the Dodge Charger and the Chrysler 300, which means interior space is great for an American muscle these days (the Challenger even has a good amount of useable trunk space, although the lift-over is high). The Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro aren’t even close in that department.

Dodge Challenger (2015) Front and Side View

2015 Challenger – Trunk

The seats are top notch and comfortable, both in front and in back; the revised dash is light years better than the one in the 2014 models, and the touchscreen infotainment system is great–seeing the performance information (horsepower, torque, etc.) displayed on the screen is a terrific idea, and it can even be entertaining for passengers. The performance suspension has a ride the is acceptable, which is quite a surprise. The Challenger Scat Pack even has some nifty safety features on board (forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and a rear backup camera for good measure). The 2015 Dodge Challenger also has classic good looks going for it also–it’s the total package.

Dodge Challenger – Dash and Front Seats

Challenger Dash 1

Challenger Dash 2

Minuses: You’ll pay dearly at the gas pump for all that horsepower–the Challenger’s poor fuel economy won’t win any awards for frugalness (E.P.A. rated 14 mpg city, 23 mpg highway). The huge blind spots from the rear “C” pillars hamper visibility. It also make rear seat passengers feel claustrophobic, in spite of the spacious rear seat.

2015 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack

Final Grade: if you can afford the mid-$40,000 price of the 2015 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack (Consumer and Car Exam’s tester model), then go for it. This car will most likely become a collectible classic in the future. Do you need to buy the more expensive, Dodge Challenger SRT 392 model–or the even more expensive 707 hp Hemi Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat? No! The Scat Pack Challenger will do the job with no problem. The updated and improved Dodge Challenger is a fantastic piece of American muscle, and a thrill ride driving enthusiasts should experience at least once–actually, as many times as they possibly can. Even if some consumers can’t spend (or don’t want to) the extra cash for the Scat Pack Challenger, they still have the 5.7 liter, 375 hp, Hemi V8 R/T and 3.6 liter, 305 hp Pentastar V6 SXT models to choose from–decisions, decisions…

The Car Exam’s Grade: a strong “A” grade

Dodge Challenger (2015) – R/T and Base Models

Dodge Challenger (2015) Rear

Toyota Corolla LE Extended Test – The Car Exam

Toyota Corolla

Plusses: The 2014 Toyota Corolla LE has far more rear seat room than the 2014 model it replaced; it almost feels cavernous. Back seat passengers will be happy. It’s also clear to see why Toyota went with the CVT transmission now–it utilizes the power from the 1.8 liter 4 cylinder engine far better and more efficiently, making it accelerate faster (especially up long grades in the mountains) and also making the Corolla more fuel efficient (too bad the base models are still stuck with the outdated 4-speed automatic transmission). It’s not perfect, but the CVT Transmission does it’s job very well.

The Corolla LE has a soft, comfortable ride, soaks up bumps well and while it isn’t made for twisty roads and sharp handling, the suspension is acceptable, as are the brakes. The sounds system is good–a bit tedious to operate, though, and the back up camera is a nice touch, just be very careful not to over-calculate how close you are to another vehicle or object, because the camera’s lines on the screen seem a bit off, measurement-wise.

Minuses: the large, annoying, cinder block-styled dashboard is annoying and claustrophobic. It hurts outward visibility, as does the high rear deck lid. Speaking of which, the truck opening is too narrow, a common problem on most sedans these days, unfortunately. The rear seat headrests are not removable, which is inexcusable. If you have no rear seat passengers, and the driver wishes to remove the rear headrests for better visibility (which the driver would be happy to have, because the high position of the truck cuts rearward visibility out of the back window), then you’re out of luck. Toyota didn’t do this with at least the two previous generations of the Corolla, but it does now–and it feels like a cheap touch–not good, Toyota). Interior materials are better than the 2013 Corolla, but too much cheap plastic still remains.

Final Grade: that annoying dashboard, along with some other minor issues prompts The Car Exam to give the 2014 Corolla LE a “B” grade: if Toyota gets rid of that horribly annoying dashboard, the Corolla would have earn a top “A” grade for sure, because there’s a lot to like about the 2014-2015 Corollas.

Ford Mustang Convertible (2014) – Ford’s Fifth Generation Pony Car Sendoff: An Extended Test

2014 Ford Mustang

Good Grades: Horsepower. Lots of Horsepower. Don’t let the base V6 engine fool you: the 305 horsepower, 3.7 liter V6 can get up and go. The 305 horsepower was needed on various occasions, and it didn’t disappoint. Sure, it may not have the 430-plus horsepower that the current Mustang GT has, but it holds its own very nicely. The 6-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly and works well with the V6. There was a bit of hesitation when the transmission was put in reverse, which may have been an anomaly with the test vehicle.

Ford Mustang – Consumer and Car Exam

Ford Mustang – 3.7 liter V6

The four-wheel disc brakes stop quickly; there is a lot of front end nosedive, but considering the heavy weight of the car and soft suspension, it’s understandable. There is lots of front leg room; if a short driver or passenger is up in the front, then rear passengers do have a bit of legroom to work with–not much–but it won’t be adequate for long trips, though. The front seats, while generally comfortable, also become tiresome on long trips.

The 2014 Ford Mustang base model tested had a good bit of good standard features going for it–most buyers wouldn’t need to check very many option boxes. The styling of the 5th generation Mustang is decidedly retro, but it evolved during the course of its nine-year run, and Ford did a good job of moving it along.

Ford Mustang – Consumer and Car Exam

Bad Grades: The soft suspension–the base Mustang’s suspension is too soft. While it handles speed bumps and some road imperfections well, it makes tight cornering far less confident. It isn’t as bad as the 4th generation Mustang’s sloppy base model suspension, but it still isn’t ideal. Don’t expect to have any fun driving the 2014 base model Mustang around twisty roads–it will inspire fear more than anything.

The ancient rear live axle suspension doesn’t help cornering either–hit almost any road imperfection when you’re turning a corner, and the rear end will feel like it’s skating on ice. Thankfully, Ford gave all 2015 Mustangs independent rear suspensions, a welcome and long overdue change.

Ford Mustang – Consumer and Car Exam

The speakers in the base Mustang sound sub-par–the base is nowhere near as strong as it should be in a car that costs way over $20,000. There are also too many small buttons used to control stereo (and HVAC) controls. You need to be able change the controls quickly at a glance, and that’s a challenge in the 2014 Mustang. Was this improved in the 2015 Mustang? A review of the 2015 Mustang will help determine that.

Ford Mustang – Stereo/HVAC controls

Fuel economy is okay on the highway (up to 27 mpg was averaged on the highway during the test), but the city mpg isn’t so great, unfortunately. Combined highway and city mpg hovered around 23 mpg–sometimes more, sometimes less. Finally, please, Ford–give both front seats power adjustments, especially for height–entry and exit ease is important for any car. Also, the convertible roof has large blind spots, but it’s a convertible and that can’t be avoided.

Ford Mustang

Final Grade: The 2014 Mustang base model convertible earns a solid “B” grade. It is a decent sendoff for America’s original pony car. While not a perfect driver’s car, it’s a nice car for cruising the town in style. If you need better everything in your Mustang (except fuel economy), go for the Mustang GT. The 2015 Mustang may improve on that formula; time (and an all-new road test) will tell…

Ford Mustang – Consumer and Car Exam

Chrysler 200 Limited, a quick test: the 2015 model is better, but it needs more…

Chrysler 200

Good Grades: The styling of the 2015 200 is much better than the dowdy, unattractive 2014 model. In fact, it’s one of the best-looking midsized sedans on the market now.

Chrysler 200 – front and side

With over 290 horsepower on tap, power is certainly decent; the brakes are adequate, interior room is fair, the seats are comfortable, the dash layout is improved, and the overall car, as a whole, seems better–except…

Chrysler 200

The Bad Grades: …the fake wood on the interior looks atrocious–it looks cheap, and looks low-rent in an otherwise classy-looking car. The nine-speed automatic transmission doesn’t seem to work well with the 3.6 liter V6 engine at all; it seems to sap the power from the engine, and it just doesn’t feel well-connected. The transmission disappoints. The price can also get lofty (well over $30,000 dollars).

Chrysler 200 – Dash (2)

Final Grade: The 2015 Chrysler 200 earns a solid “B” grade. If Chrysler can correct the issues on the current car for the 2016 model year, then the 200 can finally be the competitive force it wants it to be.

Chrysler 200 – rear

Chrysler 200 Limited, a quick test: the 2015 model is better, but it needs more…

Chrysler 200

Good Grades: The styling of the 2015 200 is much better than the dowdy, unattractive 2014 model. In fact, it’s one of the best-looking midsized sedans on the market now.

Chrysler 200 – front and side

With over 290 horsepower on tap, power is certainly decent; the brakes are adequate, interior room is fair, the seats are comfortable, the dash layout is improved, and the overall car, as a whole, seems better–except…

Chrysler 200

The Bad Grades: …the fake wood on the interior looks atrocious–it looks cheap, and looks low-rent in an otherwise classy-looking car. The nine-speed automatic transmission doesn’t seem to work well with the 3.6 liter V6 engine at all; it seems to sap the power from the engine, and it just doesn’t feel well-connected. The transmission disappoints. The price can also get lofty (well over $30,000 dollars).

Chrysler 200 – Dash (2)

Final Grade: The 2015 Chrysler 200 earns a solid “B” grade. If Chrysler can correct the issues on the current car for the 2016 model year, then the 200 can finally be the competitive force it wants it to be.

Chrysler 200 – rear

Kia Sedona Quick Test – The Car Exam

Kia Sedona

Good Grades: the Sedona has nice styling (inside and out); this easily blows away every other Kia Sedona minivan built before this one. Kia has made terrific strides over the years in every phase of its operations, and this 2015 Sedona shows just how far Kia has come–even in the last 10 years. The 2015 Sedona has a cavernous, comfortable interior, decent braking/handling, a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission, fair mpg (18 city, 24 hwy), and nice safety features help the Sedona shine.

Kia Sedona

Kia Sedona Limited

Bad Grades: For some reason, the 2015 Kia Sedona fells a bit slow and underpowered. Having driven a Kia Optima before this, the Sedona felt like it could have used at least an extra 15 horsepower. It doesn’t feel like it’s packing a 3.3 liter, DOHC 24-valve, 276 hp V6 under the hood. The 248 lbs. ft. of torque feels taxed, too. The Limited model The Car Exam tested was north of $40,000, which is pricey for a minivan–potential buyers may wisely choose to opt for an L or LX model (the “L” starts at $26,000, while the LX starts at $28,300).

Kia Sedona

Final Grade: The Car Exam gives the 2015 Kia Sedona Limited a solid “B” grade. The Sedona, in spite of its flaws, is yet another impressive effort from Kia. The Sedona can easily give Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Dodge and Chrysler some tough competition, and look very good doing it.

Kia Sedona Limited

Kia Sedona Review Coming Soon

Kia Sedona

Consumer and Car Exam’s review of the 2015 Kia Sedona is coming soon! How does it drive? Stay tuned to Consumer and Car Exam to find out! More Car and Food reviews are coming up, as well!

The Ford Ranger U.S. customers can’t get! – The Car Exam

Ford Ranger

Ford may have abandoned the Ranger compact pickup in the U.S. after the 2011 model year (it was more profitable for Ford to make money on the full size F Series pickups here); people wanting a smaller pickup now are left with the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon siblings, the Toyota Tacoma or the Nissan Frontier to choose from. However, many other countries got a brand new Ranger–leaving U.S. customers out in the cold.

Ford Ranger (rear)

The Car Exam/Consumer and Car Exam recently spotted one from Mexico in the Southwestern U.S. It’s larger than the last one built here, but still smaller than the current F Series pickup sold here (and in Mexico). According to the Ford of Mexico website, it is only sold as a crew cab with a 2.5 liter, 164 HP four cylinder engine (http://www.ford.mx/camiones/ranger/precios). A 2.2L, 125 HP I4 TDCi diesel engine is also available.

Ford Ranger

The Ranger is available in XL, XLT and Limited trim levels. The base XL gasoline model starts at $285,500 pesos, or $18,189.57 US dollars. It’s too bad we can’t get it here in the US–it’s a decent looking truck, the base price is adequate, and people wanting a smaller truck would buy it.

Ford Ranger