ROAD TEST.....2015 Nissan NV200

2015 NISSAN NV200 SV

BASE PRICE:     $22,500 including destination chargeFULLY LOADED: $24,500 including destination charge. This little van is interesting and very handy but I think they named it wrong. It should've been called the Nissan WD200. Why WD you ask? WD in this case stands for Whiteknuckle Doorstop! Allow me to elaborate if I may. The term Whiteknuckle refers to the fact that on slightly windy days driving above 70 mph will find you grasping that urethane covered steering wheel for dear life. Despite the fact it may look somewhat aerodynamic (if that's even possible), it soooooo isn't! Cornering agility? Nope not with the roller skate size 15" tires on this little covered wagon. Power? Oh absolutely not. Will it get on the freeway without you getting struck down in the prime of your life? Sure if you mash down on the throttle like your life depended on it (& it just might). Moving on to the term Doorstop. There is only one way to describe what that means & that is literally a door stop. This thing looks like a door stop. And lastly on the subject of looks Nissan doesn't help this van's self esteem any by giving the base model black bumpers & steel wheels. They don't come any more "base" looking than this. When it comes to the cargo area here's where this little van shines. It has a lot more space inside than one might think & with the side window glass package visibility is great. Having dual side cargo doors really helps with loading & unloading cargo as well. I've seen people put a Vespa Scooter inside the back of one of these and have plenty of room to spare.
As far as creature comforts...um...not so much. Small businesses or consumers buying this type of compact cargo van aren't really so much concerned about how lavishly it's equipped. The seats are adequately comfortable. The seating position and overall ergonomics work well. But one minor annoyance is the very inconvenient location of the power mirror controls. You have to lean down to your left to adjust them & once you think you have it when you lean back up again you actually don't. The optional navigation audio system is not half bad & the center console storage areas are plentiful & huge! The optional rearview camera & rear parking sensors are a big plus to have in any cargo van & here is no different so I highly recommend you opt for them if within your budget. 
MECHANICAL: 24 city / 26 hwy / 25 combined130 hp 2.0L 4-cylinder CVTFront Wheel Drive Compact Cargo Van

SAFETY: Standard safety features include the usual multitude of airbags, electronic brake force distribution, Brake Assist, electronic stability control, and Tire Pressure Monitoring.

COMPETITION: Chevrolet City Express ($24,500, & IT'S THE SAME VAN!)Ford Transit Connect ($25,000, including destination charge)RAM ProMaster City ($25,500, including destination charge) 

The 2015 Nissan NV200 comes in 2 versions; S & SVThe available options/option packages include: Technology PackageRear Door Glass PackageSide Door Glass PackageAppearance PackageSplash GuardsAll Weather Floor MatsRear Bumper ProtectorBody Side Moldings
The bottom line here is this. If you are a small business looking for an affordable delivery van that you can beat the crap out of then the NV200 might just be for you. 
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ROAD TEST.....2015 Lexus RC

2015 LEXUS RC F

BASE PRICE:     $62,500 including destination chargeFULLY LOADED:     $71,000 Let me just start this review by saying that price is a bargain...A DAMN BARGAIN I TELL YOU! This car is sexy, mean looking, & a real kick in the ass to drive. When you wanna go...Jesus of Monte Cristo does this beast go! We're talking 467 horses of raw power. No superchargers, no turbos, just raw V8 muscle when you want it! I'll admit I was hooked on this thing back when it debut in concept form in 2013 and now that I drove one I can honestly say this car is so much better than any BMW M or Mercedes AMG. Since this car was on loan to me from Lexus I never really got the chance to open it up for obvious reasons. But the few times when i stomped on the gas it never failed to leave me grinning ear to ear. 
As far as creature comforts, it has all you'd want either standard or available in some form of package. My test car was hued in a flashy red color called "Infrared" & although this blogger is not normally a fan of red cars, i gotta say this color really makes the car pop. The seats were really comfortable & although this is a sports coupe it was relatively easier to get in/out of than others I've sat in in its class. My RS F test car came equipped with the same touch pad controller as the NX crossover I evaluated a while back however this version was much easier to access & the placement of the infotainment screen was just right. What are the negatives you ask? Well ok if I HAD to find fault with this car here's what i did'nt particularly like. The front end is a tad lower than it appears making it next to impossible to enter lower driveways without going at them at an angle for fear of hearing that awful sccccrrrrappe sound. The back seat is as much of an after thought as most of the cars in this class so don't even bother taking friends along for the ride unless they are amputee midgets. 
MECHANICAL: 16 city / 25 highway MPG465 hp 5.0L V88-speed automaticRear Wheel Drive 2-door Coupe

SAFETY:Standard safety features include the usual multitude of airbags, electronic brake force distribution, Brake Assist, electronic stability control, and front Active head restraints.

COMPETITION:BMW M4 ($64,000, including destination charge)Mercedes-AMG C63 ($65,500, including destination charge)Audi RS 5 ($71,000, including destination charge) Cadillac CTS-V ($70,000, including destination charge)

The RC comes in 3 trims; RC 350 (305 hp V6), RC 350 F-Sport, & jaw dropping RC F.The available options/option packages include: Premium PackageNavigation PackageNavigation/Mark Levinson PackagePerformance PackageAll Weather PackagePower Moonroof19" polished 20-spoke Alloy WheelsPre-Collision Alert w/ Dynamic Radar Cruise ControlBlind Spot Monitor w/ Cross Traffic AlertLeather Seating
The end result you see here is one stunning & fast as shit coupe! The RC has lots of kick ass power, is quite comfortable all things considered, & just loads of kick your teeth in fun! If I were shopping for an everyday usable performance coupe I'd have to say that the 2015 Lexus RC F would be at the top of my list.MORE PHOTOS:

ROAD TEST.....2015 Lexus NX

2015 LEXUS NX200t

BASE PRICE:          $35,500 including destination chargeFULLY LOADED:     $53,000That might seem like a lot of money for a small crossover but it's really not. The small luxury crossover segment is growing rapidly. This is where I'll stop for a moment & bring everyone back to car reality when i say crossover utility vehicles...ARE JUST MINI STATION WAGONS raised up slightly!! I mean lets call a spade a spade shall we? Station Wagons have been around for a very long time. Although mostly seen as mega large gas guzzlers with fake wood paneling, they still got the job done with a little bit of luxury thrown in for good measure. When the minivan was introduced the station wagon's days of popularity became numbered. These days, the Crossover Utility Vehicle (aka CUV) segment is doing to the minivan what the minivan did to the station wagon. C'mon Mr/Mrs Joe buying public everywhere....pull your head out of your ass & stop believing these CUV & SUV's are anything more than station wagons on steroids! The actual definition of SUV means an enclosed Sport Utility Vehicle that usually has room for 5-passengers, is built on a truck chassis (frame), and is on/off road capable. The actual definition of CUV means a scaled down version of the SUV but is built on a car chassis (frame) and usually handles bad weather/other situations better than a standard vehicle but maybe not quite as good as an SUV. Now back to the NX. This CUV surprised me. The ride is almost Mercedes like. I've not had a lot of behind the wheel experience with Lexus products in general, do they all ride this nice? If so, that explains why there are so many Lexus vehicles on the road these days. The NX has very comfortable front seats along with plenty of legroom. I did hit my head a few times getting out of the NX and I'm only 5'11" so in my opinion it could stand to have a few more inches of headroom. The dashboard is way overdone almost spaceship like. As usual, the NX has all the tech goodies & creature comforts one expects from Lexus, however & I say this about ANY car I first get behind the wheel of, if I can't connect my bluetooth within 5 minutes I am immediately turned off! Without going on a rant for too long, let me just say this to Lexus...the remote touchpad controller? NOT USER FRIENDLY Lexus...WAYYY TOO COMPLICATED TO OPERATE QUICKLY Lexus....NOT NEEDED Lexus! I suppose over time the driver could get used to this touchpad thingy but not this blogger! You have to scroll & click way too much to access the simplest most everyday features such as the radio tuning, navigation, etc...By comparison, the NX had me playing the distracted driver role way more than any other new technology laden vehicle I've driven thus far in my lifetime. The large main 7" screen is too far away from the driver's eye's & it as well as the HVAC controls get washed out by the sun too often. Overall I just felt that they were trying too hard regarding the interior by placing too many buttons all over the place. Now driving wise, its the little turbo that kinda could. Not bad & again better than some but not as good as others in its class. 
MECHANICAL:22 city / 28 highway MPG235 hp Turbo 4-cylinder6-speed automaticFront Wheel Drive (or) All-Wheel Drive Luxury Crossover
35 city / 31 highway MPG195 hp 4-cylinder HybridCVTFront Wheel Drive (or) All-Wheel Drive Luxury Crossover

SAFETY: Standard safety features include the usual multitude of airbags, electronic brake force distribution, Brake Assist, electronic stability control, and front Active head restraints. Optional safety technology items include Blind Spot Monitor w/ Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Preview Collision Braking, and Lane Departure Warning amongst many others.

COMPETITION:BMW X1 ($32,000, including destination charge)Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class ($32,000, including destination charge)Audi Q3 ($33,500, including destination charge) Lincoln MKC ($34,000, including destination charge)

The NX comes in 3 trims; NX 200t, NX 200t F-Sport, & NX 300h Hybrid

The available options/option packages include: Luxury PackageNavigation PackagePremium PackageComfort PackageMoonroofLED HeadlampsDynamic Radar Cruise ControlBlind Spot Monitor w/ Cross Traffic AlertIntuitive Rear Parking AssistPower Folding Rear SeatbacksWireless Device ChargerThe end result here is a beautifully crafted and fairly luxurious crossover that has decent power & a very comfortable but slightly overdone interior. If I were shopping for a small luxury crossover the 2015 Lexus NX is one I would consider.MORE PHOTOS:

ROAD TEST.....2015 Infiniti QX80

2015 INFINITI QX80 Limited AWD

BASE PRICE:      $64,000 including destination charge
FULLY LOADED: $91,000 including destination charge 
YIKES! When you choose the Limited package you are automatically required to select every other option package made available on the QX80 such as the Theater, Driver Assistance, Deluxe Technology, & 22" Wheels/Tires. That Limited package includes such niceties as smoked headlamps, taillamps, & exterior trim, dark tinted 14-spoke 22" wheels, stainless steel running boards, welcome lighting, exclusive Truffle Brown quilted semi-aniline leather interior, Matte Ash interior trim, & much more. Overall it's a pretty elegant package that's on par with the best of them in this class.This luxo-barge is big there's no denying it. The first version, the QX56, bowed in 2005 as the bigger brother to the QX4 & was essentially a fancied up Armada. Only a handful of large SUV's on the market today have room enough to carry 7-8 passengers PLUS all of the gear they bring along. In terms of smooth power delivery, interior space/comfort, and available technology the QX80 can hang with the best of 'em no problem. The area that really surprised me in a positive way was handling. This thing looks and feels as big as the rest of its competitors, yet when you get behind the wheel and hit an off ramp corner faster than you may have intended to, this thing does NOT handle big!It's a tad expensive but then again aren't they all in this class? I mean when you stack it up against the Escalade it screams bargain. You could realistically select one or two option packages & get out the door for basically the same as what the Escalade starts at.
MECHANICAL: 14 city / 20 highway MPGI have NEVER achieved over 15 MPG in one of these but every trip to the gas station sure was a comfy one!400 hp V87-speed automaticRear Wheel Drive (or) 4-Wheel Drive Luxury SUV
SAFETY: Standard safety features include the usual multitude of airbags, electronic brake force distribution, Brake Assist, electronic stability control, and front Active head restraints. Some of the many optional safety features are Blind Spot Warning, Forward Collision Warning, and Lane Departure Warning to name just a few.

COMPETITION: Mercedes-Benz GL-Class ($64,500, including destination charge)Cadillac Escalade ($74,000, including destination charge)Lincoln Navigator ($63,000, including destination charge) Lexus LX ($84,000, including destination charge) 

Besides the aforementioned Limited, other available option packages include: 

Deluxe Technology PackageTheater PackageDriver Assistance Package
At the end of the day, the QX80 is a beautifully crafted and ultra luxurious SUV that has more than enough power & comfort at a pretty competitive price. If I had a large family, made a decent salary, & was looking for an upscale family hauler, the 2015 Infiniti QX80 would be at the top of my shopping list no doubt about it.
PHOTOS:

ROAD TEST.....2015 Infiniti QX50

2015 INFINITI QX50 Journey AWD

BASE PRICE:       $35,500 including destination chargeFULLY LOADED: $45,000 including destination charge. 
This crossover needs a major re-design. The first version bowed in 2008. Is this a true luxury crossover contender? Not these days it isn't. This is a very competitive segment in the auto industry lately & for the money there are much better choices available. In terms of smooth power delivery and available technology it's right up there with the best of 'em. In all other categories it's way behind the times!This would've sold much better had it just been marketed as a wagon version of the ever popular G37 series because that's essentially what it is. 
MECHANICAL: 17 city / 24 highway325 hp V67-speed automaticRear Wheel Drive (or) All Wheel Drive Luxury Crossover
SAFETY:Standard safety features include nine airbags, electronic brake force distribution, Brake Assist, electronic stability control, and front Active head restraints. Some optional safety features include Blind Spot Warning, Forward Collision Warning, and Lane Departure Warning to name just a few.

COMPETITION: Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class ($39,000 including destination charge)BMW X3 ($46,000, including destination charge)Acura RDX ($37,000, including destination charge) 

Here are the extra goodies: 

Technology PackagePremium PackageDeluxe Touring Package
Essentially, the QX50 is a fine luxury crossover with adequate power & comfort overall. The QX50 has some great technical features as most Infiniti models do these days, but it's hampered by its outdated looks & average sized cargo area.MORE PHOTOS:

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