Monday, April 4, 2016

2016 NEW YORK AUTO SHOW

LINCOLN 
Navigator Concept
WHAT'S NEW?
  • 400 hp EcoBoost V6
  • A very strong hint at what the 2018 Navigator will look like...MINUS the gull-wing doors
  • Huge Wheels
  • Chrome O' Plenty!
  • Built on all-new chassis
  • Blue Nappa Leather w/ Teak Wood interior trim
  • Soft Blue custom paint
  • Rear cargo area doubles as a closet w/ shelves creating a wardrobe management system
  • Multi-level running boards deploy automatically when the gullwing doors open/close
  • Wi-Fi Touchscreen Monitors built into front seatbacks
  • 30-way Power Seats
  • Pre-Collision Assist w/ Pedestrian Detection
  • Lane Keeping Assist
  • On sale sometime in 2017

WOULD IT BE ON MY SHOPPING LIST?

Yes! Especially if those gullwing doors made it past the FoMoCo bean counters & into the production models

WHAT DO I THINK OF IT?

It's beautiful that's for sure. Yet again I ask...DOES ANYONE NOT SEE THE GINORMOUS SIMILARITY BETWEEN FORD & LAND ROVER SUV's??? I mean c'mon this is the same size & overall design as the Long Wheelbase Range Rover!

VOLKSWAGEN
Golf Alltrack
 WHAT'S NEW?
  • 170 hp Turbo 4-cylinder
  • 6-speed DSG (or) 6-speed Manual
  • 4Motion All-Wheel Drive
  • 1" higher ground clearance than standard Golf Sportwagen
  • Black lower bodyside cladding
  • New "Off-Road" mode
  • On sale October 2016

WOULD IT BE ON MY SHOPPING LIST?

Ohhhh....I suppose I wouldn't kick it outta bed

WHAT DO I THINK OF IT?

C'Mon VW....let's not start cranking out new unnecessary models just to divert the general public away from the current diesel debacle. You've owned up to it....now fix it & leave the building of this sort of niche wagon to your more expensive brother Audi.

AUDI 
R8 Spyder V10
 WHAT'S NEW?
  • mid-mounted 540 hp V-10 w/ 7-speed S-tronic
  • Quattro All-Wheel Drive
  • 20" Matte Black Wheels
  • 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds
  • Large 12" Audi Virtual Cockpit uses 3D graphics
  • MMI Navigation w/ Touchpad
  • Audi Connect LTE internet access
  • Bang & Olufsen Audio
  • Optional Carbon Fiber front spoiler, rear diffuser, & side blades
  • LED Headlamps

WOULD IT BE ON MY SHOPPING LIST?

Are you kidding? This thing just exudes sex appeal

WHAT DO I THINK OF IT?

See above...that about sums it up!

TOYOTA
Highlander
Highlander Hybrid
 WHAT'S NEW?
  • 4-cylinder, V6, (or) V6 Hybrid
  • 6-Speed Auto, 8-Speed Auto (or) CVT (Hybrid only)
  • Front (or) All-Wheel Drive
  • LE, LE +, XLE, SE, Limited, or Limited Platinum
  • Hybrid LE, Hybrid XLE, Hybrid Limited, or Hybrid Platinum
  • NEW SE trim features 19" alloy wheels, dark painted grille, headlamp bezels, & roof rails
  • PLUS black leather seats / door panels, & black storage tray
  • Toasted Walnut, Salsa Red, or Celestial Silver
  • NEW Dark Brown leather seats
  • NEW Upper/Lower Silver (or) Chrome Front Grille
  • NEW Headlamps, Taillamps, Rear Bumper Chrome Trim garnish
  • 7 (or) 8-passenger seating
  • Pedestrian Pre-Collision Alert
  • Lane Departure Alert
  • Automatic High Beam Headlamps
  • Blind Spot Monitor
  • Bird's Eye View Camera w/ Perimeter Scan
  • On sale October 2016

WOULD IT BE ON MY SHOPPING LIST?

I would probably compare this against the Nissan Pathfinder first

WHAT DO I THINK OF IT?

The Highlander in my opinion has always been the "Camry" of crossover's. By that I mean, a low on style low maintenance car based utility wagon that mom can drive & drive until it's given to little Bobby or Snooki when they leave for college.

NISSAN
GT-R
 WHAT'S NEW?
  • Hand built 565 hp Twin Turbo V6
  • 6-Speed Dual Clutch Automatic
  • All-Wheel Drive
  • NEW Mesh Patterned Matte Chrome "V-Motion" Front Grille
  • NEW Hood, Front/Rear Fascias, & Side Sills
  • Re-Designed Front Chin Spoiler
  • NEW Nappa Leather wrapped dashboard
  • NEW 8" Touchscreen Monitor
  • NEW Display Command control knob on center console
  • Carbon Fiber Center Console
  • NEW Steering Wheel w/ integrated Paddle Shifters
  • NEW Titanium exhaust w/ Active Sound Enhancement
  • NEW 20" 15-spoke Wheels
  • NEW "Blaze" 4-stage color
  • Ivory, Amber Red, (or) NEW Rakuda Tan semi-aniline leather seats
  • NissanConnect Navigation, Mobile Apps & Services
  • On sale June 2016

WOULD IT BE ON MY SHOPPING LIST?

Ohhhhh HELLLLL YES!!

WHAT DO I THINK OF IT?

The current 545hp GT-R is a rocket disguised as a car. But...it does need a little softening around it's edges.

NISSAN 
Titan V8
 WHAT'S NEW?
  • 390 hp Endurance V8
  • 7-Speed Automatic
  • Optional V6 will be offered later in the model year
  • 1/2 ton short bed crew cab body style later joined by single & king cab versions
  • 1 foot shorter wheelbase than big brother Titan XD
  • Shares the same cab styles but the 1/2 ton model's chassis is different than the XD model.
  • Built in Decherd, TN
  • On sale June 2016

WOULD IT BE ON MY SHOPPING LIST?

Why not. 

WHAT DO I THINK OF IT?

If ever cometh the day where I'm looking for a big butch ass truck...it don't get much more butch than this thing!

KIA 
Cadenza
 WHAT'S NEW?
  • 290 hp V6
  • Front Wheel Drive
  • 8-Speed Automatic
  • Redesigned Front Fascia
  • Optional Nappa Leather w/ quilted seat bolsters accented with diamond shaped stitching
  • New Dark Brown interior color
  • Optional White package has new black pearl wood trim
  • Redesigned 18" and 19" wheels
  • NEW Head up Display
  • Updated Surround View Monitor
  • Advanced Smart Cruise Control
  • Collision Warning w/ Autonomous Emergency Braking and Lane Departure Warning
  • Smart Blind Spot Detection
  • Smart Trunk
  • Wireless Smartphone Charger
  • Standard Android Auto & Apple CarPlay
  • Microsoft's UVO Infotainment
  • Optional 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio w/ Clari-Fi music restoration technology
  • On sale November 2016

WOULD IT BE ON MY SHOPPING LIST?

Indeed it would

WHAT DO I THINK OF IT?

Still a great looking car that's full of the latest features. However, I am concerned that 290 horsepower isn't quite enough to move such a large car.

SUBARU 
Impreza
 WHAT'S NEW?
  • 155 hp Boxer 4-cylinder
  • Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive
  • Lineartronic CVT w/ manual mode & paddle shifters
  • Dramatic new look w/ signature hexagon grille & hawk-eye headlamp design
  • 2.0i, Premium, Sport, & Limited
  • NEW 2.0i Sport trim features 18" machine finish alloy wheels & Active Torque Vectoring
  • 2.0i Sport also has LED DRL's, black front grille, body color rocker panels, & turn signal mirrors 
  • Standard Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, & Near Field Communication connectivity
  • EyeSight includes Adaptive Cruise, Pre-Collision Braking, Lane Depart Warning, & Lane Keep Assist
  • Optional Blind Spot Detect, Cross Traffic Alert, Steer Response Headlamps, High Beam Assist
  • Standard Vision Camera & Automatic Reverse Braking
  • SUBARU StarLink Multimedia & Connectivity
  • SUBARU StarLink Safety & Security Connected Services
  • On sale November 2016

WOULD IT BE ON MY SHOPPING LIST?

It looks soooooo much better now so sure I'd shop it.

WHAT DO I THINK OF IT?

Previous Impreza's have failed to impress me for two reasons. First, they have horribly antiquated navigation/infotainment systems that are so hard to operate. Second, that 150hp boxer engine is just gutless beyond belief! So if these two items have been addressed well then I welcome thee Subaru!

MITSUBISHI
Mirage G4
WHAT'S NEW?
  • 85 hp 3-cylinder lawn mower engine
  • Top of its class in fuel economy (because it has no balls!)
  • 5 year/60,000 mile new vehicle warranty
  • 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty
  • 7 year/100,000 mile anti-rust warranty
  • 5 year/unlimited mile roadside assistance
  • Literally the only good thing about this car are the aforementioned warranties
  • Good News...it goes on sale May 2016!!!

WOULD IT BE ON MY SHOPPING LIST?

Really?

WHAT DO I THINK OF IT?

They took an already hideous roller skate looking hatchback & made an even uglier sedan!


Saturday, March 12, 2016

A BRAND REVIEW...INFINITI

Here is the second installment of a new feature on this blog called "A Brand Review". Today, I'll be reviewing the entire Infiniti product line for model year 2016. I did not include the upcoming Q60 nor QX30 as they are both being launched later this year as 2017 models.

Q50

Q70
QX50
QX60
QX70
QX80
_________________________________________

MODEL:                            Q50











ENGINES:                         208 hp Turbo 4-cylinder
                                          300 hp Twin Turbo V6
                                          360 hp V6 Hybrid
                                          400 hp Twin Turbo V6

STARTS AT:                     $35,000

FULLY LOADED:             $60,000

TRIM LEVELS:                 2.0t

                                          2.0t Premium
                                          3.0t Premium
                                          Hybrid Premium
                                          Sport
                                          Red Sport 400

I LIKE:                               Technology; Looks; Sport + mode

NOT SO MUCH:                4-cylinders; Fake Leather

ON THE ROAD:               Today's car manufacturer has strict gas mileage goals they are required to meet by the year 2025. I get that...I really do. Speaking for myself, if I can ever get myself to the point financially where I can afford a car in the $30-$40k range, I want more for my buck. The Q50 has lowered its starting price approx $3000 which is nice, but as a result you're sitting on fake leather and driving a turbo 4 borrowed from the Mercedes-Benz engine family but made in Mexico! That's the downside.

     The good? EVERYTHING ELSE! It's quick to respond when you need it. The hybrid has gobs of power while averaging 34-36 hwy mpg numbers and don't even get me started on how technologically advanced the Q50 is!
______________________________________


MODEL:                            Q70













ENGINES:                        330 hp V6
                                          360 hp V6 Hybrid
                                          420 hp V8

STARTS AT:                     $50,000
FULLY LOADED:             $77,000

TRIM LEVELS:                 3.7
                                          L 3.7
                                          Hybrid
                                          5.6
                                          L 5.6

I LIKE:                            V8 Muscle; Interior Space; Looks
NOT SO MUCH:             Old Technology; Not Very Refined

ON THE ROAD:              This is a difficult car to review. I would have to say I am literally on the fence regarding my opinion of the Q70. I love the L model's extra 6" of rear legroom, but hate the fact that the L feels so damn big & ponderous. I love that big V8 sound and feel and all 420 ponies it brings to the table. I hate the overall 12 mpg that comes with that same big powerful V8! I love the way the Q70 looks with the optional 20" sport wheels. I hate the harsh suspension & noisy ride you get with those 20" wheels. I could go on & on here but the gist of it is the Q70 and I have a "love-hate" relationship!
_____________________________________

MODEL:                            QX50

ENGINE:                          325 hp V6

STARTS AT:                     $36,000
FULLY LOADED:             $45,000

TRIM LEVELS:                 Base
                                          AWD

I LIKE:                               New 19" Wheels
NOT SO MUCH:                Everything Else

ON THE ROAD:               I honestly cannot fathom why this car hasn't been killed yet. 2016 marks the first significant makeover it's had since it first debuted in 2008! There is so much more I could elaborate on this outdated luxury crossover but there just isn't enough time or blog space available!
__________________________________________

MODEL:                            QX60




ENGINE:                    250 hp Supercharged 4-cyl Hybrid
                                   265 hp V6

STARTS AT:               $44,000
FULLY LOADED:       $63,000

TRIM LEVELS:           3.5
                                    Hybrid

I LIKE:                         Technology; Interior Space; Looks
NOT SO MUCH:          Hybrid Refinement; Rear Visibility

ON THE ROAD:          Overall, the QX60 is a pretty nice luxury Crossover. It's got great features, its versatile, and in my opinion gives you the most for your hard earned dollar. Stay clear of the hybrid model though. The loud and rather clunky feeling alone is not worth the price of admission.


_____________________________________________


MODEL:                            QX70



ENGINE:                     325 hp V6

STARTS AT:                $47,000
FULLY LOADED:        $60,000

TRIM LEVELS:            3.7

THUMBS UP:               Looks; Handling; Sport package
THUMBS DOWN:         This Car Needs a full Makeover!

ON THE ROAD:            See QX50 & mirror that here!
_____________________________________________

MODEL:                         QX80




ENGINE:                           400 hp V8

STARTS AT:                     $65,000
FULLY LOADED:             $90,000

TRIM LEVELS:                 Base
                                          Limited

THUMBS UP:                    Roomy; Luxurious; Competitive
THUMBS DOWN:              BIG! 16 MPG in real world driving

ON THE ROAD:                 Man is this thing big! The QX80 has been the 2nd best selling SUV in its class since 2011 when the second generation QX launched as the QX56. I have to say as big as it looks, surprisingly it doesn't drive big. It handles nicely, is very comfy, and just as luxurious overall as any Range Rover , Lexus, or Cadillac out there. One item not so hot is the gas mileage. Of course, the demographic of people buying $65,000 + SUV's probably aren't much concerned about that I would imagine.

Monday, March 7, 2016

A BRAND REVIEW...NISSAN

     This post is the first of many in a new series called "A Brand Review". Basically, instead of reviewing one particular model that a manufacturer makes, I'll be reviewing the entire product line-up. Each post will have a general list of vehicle specs broken down per model, the starting price minus any optional equipment, the price if you wanted to order it fully loaded, the good/bad parts, and finally my driving impressions (if I've driven it yet). Ok let's start with the Nissan product line for model year 2016.

Versa
Versa Note
Z
GT-R
Sentra
Altima
LEAF
Maxima
Quest
Juke
Rogue
Murano
Pathfinder
Frontier
Titan XD
NV200
NV
______________________________________________________

MODEL:                  Versa

ENGINE:                           110 hp 4-cylinder

STARTS AT:                     $13,000
FULLY LOADED:             $18,000

TRIM LEVELS:                 S
                                          S+
                                          SV
                                          SL

THUMBS UP:                   Fuel Economy; Interior Space, Price
THUMBS DOWN:             Looks, Engine, Seats

ON THE ROAD:               Should you find yourself trying to merge onto just about any LA freeway while behind the wheel of a Versa, it's best to simply buckle up, hunker down, mash the throttle to the floor & pray to god the hamsters up front are able to successfully intertwine you with the crazies comin at ya FULL SPEED AHEAD! I don't think further elaboration is necessary here is it?


______________________________________________________

MODEL:             Versa Note

ENGINE:                          110 hp 4-cylinder

STARTS AT:                     $15,000
FULLY LOADED:             $20,000

TRIM LEVELS:                 S
                                          S+
                                          SV
                                          SR
                                          SL

THUMBS UP:                    Fuel Economy; Interior Space, Price
THUMBS DOWN:             Useless Divide-N-Hide, Engine, Seats

ON THE ROAD:               Maybe it's a marketing thing, I don't know but why isn't this car just known as the hatchback version of the Versa? I mean why the "Note" portion at the end of it's name? Best piece of advice I can give regarding leasing or purchasing a Versa Note is this. If all you want is some basic cheap transportation for a low price that gets great mileage then go with the Versa Note S w/ the 6-speed manual transmission. It's the only way this car feels like it could have some underlying "oomph" hidden somewhere.

______________________________________________________

MODEL:                Z

ENGINES:                         330 hp V6
                                          350 hp V6

STARTS AT:                     $34,500
FULLY LOADED:             $51,000

TRIM LEVELS:                 370Z
                                          370Z Sport
                                          370Z Sport Tech
                                          370Z Touring
                                          370Z Touring Sport
                                          370Z NISMO
                                          370Z NISMO Tech

THUMBS UP:                    Fun to Drive, Throaty Exhaust, Looks
THUMBS DOWN:             Poor Visibility, Outdated Infotainment, Rotary Seat Controls

ON THE ROAD:               Ok Nissan...time for a serious re-fresh of the Z and please don't F*CK it up! The Z is now and always has been a seriously fun little rear-wheel drive rocket. However, it makes for a great second car but NOT a great everyday driver. On the Roadster with the top up you cannot see shit from shinola!
______________________________________________________

MODEL:                   GT-R


ENGINES:                         545 hp Twin Turbo V6
                                           600 hp Twin Turbo V6

STARTS AT:                      $103,500
FULLY LOADED:              $167,500

TRIM LEVELS:                  Premium
                                           Anniversary Edition 
                                           Black Edition
                                           NISMO

THUMBS UP:                     MY GOD IS THIS THING FAST!
THUMBS DOWN:               MY GOD IS THIS THING NOISY & CLUNKY!

ON THE ROAD:                 Dayyyyum is this thing neck-snapping fast! However for over $100k I would like my supercar to make a LOT less clunkity clunk sounds and be a bit more polished overall.
______________________________________________________

MODEL:                Sentra


ENGINE:                           130 hp 4-cylinder

STARTS AT:                      $17,500
FULLY LOADED:              $25,000

TRIM LEVELS:                  S
                                           FE+ S 
                                           SV
                                           SR
                                           SL

THUMBS UP:                    Fuel Economy; SR looks, Price
THUMBS DOWN:             SLOW as SHIT; Uncomfortable Seats

ON THE ROAD:               You can dress this car up as much as you'd like but it's speed on the open road does NOT match the sporty appearance what-so-ever! Yet again I say...THIS THING IS SLOW AS SHIT! Plus, the seats are not the least bit comfortable!
______________________________________________________

MODEL:                 Altima


ENGINES:                        180 hp 4-cylinder
                                          270 hp V6

STARTS AT:                     $23,000
FULLY LOADED:             $34,500

TRIM LEVELS:                 2.5
                                          S
                                          SR
                                          3.5 SR
                                          SV
                                          SL 
                                          3.5 SL

THUMBS UP:                    Fuel Economy; Zero Gravity Seats; Looks
THUMBS DOWN:             No Sat Radio or Sunroof on SR?

ON THE ROAD:               The new "SR" trim level is a half ass attempt at offering a sporty yet affordable Altima to compete with the Accord Sport or Camry SE models. The competition did a much better job with theirs and I will just leave it at that.
______________________________________________________

MODEL:             LEAF


ENGINE:                         110 hp Electric Motor

STARTS AT:                    $30,000
FULLY LOADED:            $39,500

TRIM LEVELS:                S
                                         SV
                                         SL

THUMBS UP:                   No Maintenance Costs! Win-Win!
THUMBS DOWN:             Frog Looking, Uncomfortable Seats, Range Anxiety!

ON THE ROAD:               Well I guess electric vehicles are here to stay. Personally, I would go for a plug-in hybrid vehicle first. Have you ever experienced "range anxiety"? It's sort of like when the low fuel light comes on and you start to panic because there are no stations around. So you start to think how far can I go on this last drop of gas? Well magnify that feeling by a 100 because when it says 11 miles left to empty...IT MEANS EXACTLY THAT! Nissan dealers and/or other charging stations are a lot fewer and far between than your local Exxon or Shell. Plus, the damn thing looks like a frog! Oh and FYI...each headlamp on the LEAF costs $1000!
______________________________________________________

MODEL:             Maxima

ENGINE:                           300 hp V6

STARTS AT:                     $33,500
FULLY LOADED:             $41,000

TRIM LEVELS:                 S
                                          SV
                                          SR 
                                          SL
                                          Platinum

THUMBS UP:                    Aggressive Styling; Outstanding Performance; Interior Room
THUMBS DOWN:             Distance Control; Poor Shift Handle Placement

ON THE ROAD:               Words cannot describe how much I love the new Maxima. In fact, once my lease is up on my Altima Coupe, I'm seriously thinking the Maxima will be my next car.
_____________________________________________________________

MODEL:             Quest

ENGINE:                          260 hp V6

STARTS AT:                     $27,500
FULLY LOADED:             $46,000

TRIM LEVELS:                 S
                                          SV
                                          SL
                                          Platinum

THUMBS UP:                   Versatility; Dual Sunroof
THUMBS DOWN:             Everything Outdated & Oddly Placed

ON THE ROAD:               Every year I ask...THEY STILL MAKE THIS THING?? Let me just say that if you MUST drive a Minivan the Honda Odyssey or Kia Sedona are a MUCH better choice.

______________________________________________________

MODEL:              Juke

ENGINES:                        190 hp Turbo 4-cylinder
                                          215 hp Turbo 4-cylinder

STARTS AT:                     $21,000
FULLY LOADED:             $32,000

TRIM LEVELS:                 S
                                          SV
                                          SL
                                          NISMO
                                          NISMO RS

THUMBS UP:                    NISMO Aggressive Design; Peppy; Somewhat Fun
THUMBS DOWN:             Odd Looking, Loud CVT, HORRIFIC NISMO Seats

ON THE ROAD:               If i were in my early 20's I might like the Juke a little more. But I'm not and therefore I'm going to tell you what I really think of it. It's looks are polarizing to the human eye. It's loud, buzzy, uncomfortable, has terrible blind spots, and hardly any rear cargo room. But quite possibly the worst feature about this little crossover are the HORRIFICALLY uncomfortable seats in the NISMO RS version. Words cannot describe how bad these seats are. It's a shame really because the NISMO versions actually look pretty cool on the outside and they have a slight bump in horsepower but those seats man....my GOD are they bad!
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MODEL:              Rogue

ENGINE:                          170 hp 4-cylinder

STARTS AT:                    $24,000
FULLY LOADED:            $34,000

TRIM LEVELS:                S
                                         SV
                                         SL

THUMBS UP:                   Looks; Overall Ease of Use, Price
THUMBS DOWN:             Ridiculous 3rd Seat option; Whiny CVT, Sorta-Gutless

ON THE ROAD:               The Rogue is roomy, versatile, easy to drive, and if optioned right can be a little cheaper than the RAV4 or CR-V. On the down side, the CVT is very loud and whiny. It revs really high at times without really going anywhere. If you get the SV family package it comes with a 3rd row seat that is more suitable for a bag of groceries than an actual person of any age.
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MODEL:                 Murano

ENGINE:                          260 hp V6

STARTS AT:                    $30,500
FULLY LOADED:            $46,000

TRIM LEVELS:                S
                                         SV
                                         SL
                                         Platinum

THUMBS UP:                   Good Power; Much Better CVT, Interior Room, Overall Design
THUMBS DOWN:             Long Front End, Hard to Park, Too Expensive

ON THE ROAD:               The Murano can go up against the best in this class & probably come out on top. There are a lot of things to like about it however, I feel they should probably come down on pricing a bit. It should start at just under $29,000 & top out at no more than $42,000 with all the bells/whistles. Just my opinion....love it or leave it.
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MODEL:              Pathfinder

ENGINE:                         260 hp V6

STARTS AT:                    $30,500
FULLY LOADED:            $47,000

TRIM LEVELS:                S
                                         SV
                                         SL
                                         Platinum

THUMBS UP:                   Versatility; Interior Space, Competitively Priced
THUMBS DOWN:             Feels Outdated, Poor CVT, Blind Spots

ON THE ROAD:               This gen Pathfinder has only been around for 3 model years & is already feeling outdated in every aspect. That's probably not a good thing for Nissan I'm guessing. It's very competitive overall including pricing but in general it just feels old, tired, & in need of a refresh.
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MODEL:               Frontier

ENGINES:                        150 hp 4-cylinder
                                          260 hp V6

STARTS AT:                     $19,000
FULLY LOADED:             $36,500

TRIM LEVELS:                 S
                                          SV
                                          Desert Runner
                                          PRO-4X
                                          SL

THUMBS UP:                    Reliability; Towing Capability; Lowest Starting Price
THUMBS DOWN:             VERY Outdated, Anemic V6, School Bus-like Turning Radius

ON THE ROAD:               How has this generation Frontier not been massively re-done yet?
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MODEL:               Titan 
                             Titan XD


ENGINES:                         310 hp Cummins V8 Diesel
                                          390 hp V8

STARTS AT:                      $35,000
FULLY LOADED:              $61,500

TRIM LEVELS:                 S
                                          SV
                                          PRO-4X
                                          SL
                                          Platinum Reserve

THUMBS UP:                    Very Smooth Cummins Diesel; Pulling Power; Overall Ride
THUMBS DOWN:             I feel like I'm 12 y/o behind the wheel; Poor Turning Radius

ON THE ROAD:                Nissan wanted to play in the big boy sandbox and the new Titan XD is what they brought to play with. A medium duty truck that rides quite comfortably, has gobs of diesel torque, and is as elegant feeling inside as any F-150, Ram, or Silverado out there. 
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MODEL:               NV200



ENGINE:                          130 hp 4-cylinder

STARTS AT:                     $21,500
FULLY LOADED:             $25,000

TRIM LEVELS:                 S
                                          SV

THUMBS UP:                    Dual Sliding Doors; Unbelievable Cargo Carrying Ability
THUMBS DOWN:             A Whiteknuckle Doorstop; Anemic Engine; Um...it's Ugly!

ON THE ROAD:               There is no denying it...this thing looks like a doorstop. I do have to say on the positive side if I were a small business owner just starting out & in need of a little cargo van I'd look no further than the NV200. If you can get past it's looks & accept that it doesn't handle well over 75 mph then it's a damn bargain!
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MODEL:             NV 1500/2500/3500 Cargo

                           NV 2500/3500 High Roof Cargo
                           NV 3500 Passenger

ENGINES:                         260 hp V6
                                          315 hp V8

STARTS AT:                     $26,000
FULLY LOADED:             $41,000

TRIM LEVELS:                 S
                                          SV
                                          SL

THUMBS UP:                    Massive High Roof Cargo Area; Interior Comfort; Price
THUMBS DOWN:             High Roof is Ugly! Poor Visibility; Anemic Engines

ON THE ROAD:               I think if Nissan would just make the glass package standard fare & put the new "Endurance" V8 in it, the NV would blow the doors off the competition