New GPS navigation devices and ratings

The countdown to Black Friday and the holidays is on. The GPS team has watched the calendar closely, as we have felt the pressure to test and rate the latest automotive GPS units that went on sale late summer and early fall. There are a lot of new products now on store shelves, and we have updated our comprehensive Ratings and recommendations to help you make an informed purchase decision.

The latest Rated navigators include:

Alpine PND-K3 – This new unit is a pleasant surprise, marking a significant improvement over past-tested Alpine units and boasting attractive graphics.

Garmin Nuvi 265WT and 500 – Part of the latest 2x5 generation, the widescreen Nuvi 265WT features free real-time traffic. A dual-purpose, the Nuvi 500 unit combines traditional Nuvi car navigation with the ability to serve hiking and geocaching duties, as well.

Mio Knight Rider – We couldn’t resist testing this nostalgic homage to the 1980s television show. And yes, it does use the original K.I.T.T. voice.

Navigon 2000S, 2200T, and 7200T – An all-new Navigon line sees notable improvements, including easier address entry and quicker calculation times. “T” models include free real-time traffic.

Sony Nav-U NV-U44, NV-U74T, and NV94T – Ranging from basic to 4.8-inch premium, the new Sony navigators are quicker than previous models for route calculation and moving through menus.

In addition to car navigators, we have also recently posted handheld hiking GPS buying advice and ratings.

The road ahead
The GPS team has been busy, but we’re not done yet. The handheld hiking GPS buying advice and ratings will go live in a couple days. (View our hiking GPS video.) Plus, we are already at work on the next update, targeting early December for providing ratings on more recently introduced automotive navigators.

Check out our redesigned GPS special section. It has pages of buying advice, including information on in-car navigation and cell-phone navigation. Be sure to use the slick, new product selector (available to online subscribers). This dynamic tool lets you sort and filter ratings by the features that matter most to you, and it even includes information on units in testing.

—Jeff Bartlett

For more information on portable automotive GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS devices in the forums. 

2008 LA Auto Show: Hyundai sings the Blues

Most major manufacturers who held press conferences used the LA Auto Show to tout their green agendas. Hyundai came out swinging at its press conference, announcing they have a few near-future technologies up their sleeve.

"Hyundai aims to be the most fuel-efficient automaker on the planet," said Hyundai Motor America vice president, Product Development and Strategic Planning, John Krafcik.

That is no small goal, and one that Honda won’t make easy to accomplish. (See the Honda Insight concept for proof.)

Krafcik continued, saying, "We're aligning our global R&D resources in Michigan, California, Nam Yang, and Frankfurt to develop the Blue Drive technologies we need to achieve our goal - a 35 mpg U.S. fleet average by 2015." This is five years ahead of current federal mandates.

They are so green, they are blue
Hyundai used the LA show to launch its Blue Drive initiative—a technology-fueled effort to bolster mileage across its product range. The fired-up company will do this through separate strategies, including direct-injection gasoline engines, full hybrid powertrains, six-speed transmissions, and eventually fuel cells.

Shortly, Hyundai will offer Blue editions of the Accent and Elantra focused on bang for the mpg buck. These are conceived as low-cost models with fuel economy gains from low-rolling-resistance tires, enhanced aerodynamics, revised engine calibrations, and reduced final drive ratios.

The HED-5 i-Mode crossover concept on display showcased the Theta Turbo GDI. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine uses direct-injection to improve fuel efficiency, while applying a turbocharger to boost power output. The result is 286 horsepower, reportedly produced with less fuel than a comparable V6 would require.

The next-generation Sonata will be offered as a full hybrid in 2010. The hybrid drive system combines a 2.4-liter engine and six-speed automatic transmission with a 30kW electric motor. The kicker is that while some manufacturers are focused on lithium-ion batteries as the step beyond current nickel-metal-hydride batteries, Hyundai is leaping to lithium polymer.

Hyundai explains: "Compared with nickel-metal hydride batteries, lithium-polymer batteries deliver the same power with 30 percent less weight, 50 percent less volume and 10 percent greater efficiency over the nickel-metal hydride batteries found in all of today's hybrids."

Lithium ion uses a liquid electrolyte, which is commonly sealed in a battery cell a little larger than a AA battery. Hundreds of these batteries are combined in packs. On the other hand, lithium polymer is a gel, and it can be stored in large quanities, avoiding the need for expensive cells. As a result, lithium polymer promises greater packaging flexibility and lower production costs.

Hyundai has developed their next-generation battery packs to have maintenance-free operation for at least 10 years and 150,000 miles.

Next up is a fuel-cell vehicle. Hyundai plans to begin series production on an FCV in 2012.

Hyundai has cast aside an old reputation for poor quality with its impressive current line up. Similarly, the company appears poised to cast aside its legacy of modest fuel economy. In fact, I spent some time in our four-cylinder Sonata last week and observed better fuel economy than a compact sedan I had just transitioned out of. (More on that in a future report.)

Whatever color you wish to assign it, Hyundai is a company to watch.

—Jeff Bartlett

See our complete 2008 LA Auto Show coverage, and read other blogs about the LA Auto Show.

Preview: 2008 LA Auto Show

The 2008 LA Auto Show opens its doors to the automotive media and industry this week, on November 19. As the first major event of the new-car show season, LA provides a sneak-peek at 2010 models coming down the road as well as concepts for the cars of tomorrow.

Over two media days, there will be nearly 40 world and North American debuts from Buick, Cadillac, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Lincoln, Lexus, Mazda, Mercury, Mini, Nissan, Porsche, and Volkswagen. Announced models include the 2010 Ford Mustang, electric-powered Mini E, Mazda3, Nissan 370Z, and Saab 9-X Air BioHybrid. We also think there will be some surprises.

We will be on hand to cover the event, sharing first impressions, insights, and photos of the most significant models in the Consumer Reports Cars blog and in the special 2008 LA Auto Show section. The show coverage will be updated continuously throughout the week as information and images become available, so check back regularly to catch the latest.

—Jeff Bartlett

Learn more about the LA Auto Show. See our 2008 LA Auto Show coverage.

SEMA 2008 Wrap up

Consumer Reports Autos staff were in Las Vegas all of last week at SEMA, wearing out our shoe leather. What happens in Vegas, may stay in Vegas, but in this case, our Autos team is talking: they've been blogging away all week at a furious pace. Here's a breakdown of their posts by category of interest:

Cool cars
From new green machines to go-go revving monsters, SEMA is known for breaking out the wild, wacky and weird. This year was no exception:
Rolls-Royce - Pass the mustard and step on it
Tjin Pontiac G8 - SEMA-worthy family sedan
Sleepers and creepers
Grilling the Ford Transit Connect
Kia Soul primed for customizing
Ford still making vehicles
Dodge Challenger – Belle of the hall
Supercharged Hyundai Genesis boasts more horsepower
GM – Subdued at SEMA show?

Gear and gadgets
From the very latest in GPS to coolers you can drive, check out these innovative items:
Navigon 8100T GPS with 3D maps
New GPS - Motorola Motonav TN20, TN30
Nextar K4, I4-BC, Q4-MD - Budget navigation
AT&T CruiseCast - TV to go
Car mounts for gadgets
Azentek SmartMirror SM-450 with GPS navigation
GPS Buddy adds two-way interactivity
Cargo Sock protects SUV cargo area
Cruzin Cooler

Going green
Would you use animal fat for your engine? For the hottest in green, read on:
Aftermarket fuel economy gauges to help mind your mileage
Smart meets John Deere?
Green motor oil, or is it moo-ter oil?

Favorites
Consumer Reports staff picks their favorites:
Personal Picks

--Desiree Calamari

Consumer Reports statement on emergency aid for U.S. automakers

Consumer Reports magazine today issued the following statement on Congress' proposed emergency aid for U.S. automakers:

"Consumer Reports has concerns about letting domestic automakers fail. The loss of any major auto manufacturer would leave consumers with fewer choices and the industry with less competition and innovation, particularly at a transitional time when the industry is pursuing alternative energy technology. Moreover, the impact of losing a domestic automaker on the U.S. economy and jobs could be severe. In Consumer Reports testing and surveys, we've seen some progress among the  domestic automakers lately, with improved reliability and performance in certain models. But sustained progress is long overdue.  If the government is going to come to the rescue of the automakers, it shouldn't be a bailout without any strings attached. There need to be strict conditions so taxpayers are protected, and the automakers are held accountable to make the necessary changes to become more economically viable and energy efficient."

See how domestic models fared in our 2008 Car Reliability Survey.

Dash Navigation to cease GPS production

Dash Navigation, the company that developed the first portable GPS navigation devices with Internet connectivity, has laid off 65 percent of its employees and announced it will no longer produce devices for retail customers. Instead, Dash plans to license its technology for use in built-in automotive navigation systems, mobile telephones, PDAs, and other electronic devices. In this way, the company hopes to expand the reach of its services and traffic reporting abilities, without the development and marketing costs of manufacturing.

Dash Express units provide traffic information both through conventional sources and a unique system that enables their devices to report vehicle speed data to a central processing center, from where it is sent out to other Dash users. In this way, each Dash device becomes a provider of real-time traffic information for the network.

While Dash will no longer produce its own units, a representative said the company will continue to support owners who purchased a Dash Express since their introduction earlier this year.   

—Jim Travers

  For more information on portable GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS devices in the forums. 

 

GPS Preview: Navigon 8100T GPS with 3D maps

Navigon has come out swinging this holiday season, with an all-new GPS product line and next-generation features. But the company held out one model for a just-in-time introduction, the flagship 8100T.

The 8100T joins the new budget-priced 2000S, 2200T with free real-time traffic, and full-featured, wide-screen 7200T. (See our detailed first look at the Navigon 7200T.) The 8100T builds upon the 7200T’s rich feature set with a large 4.8-inch screen, brushed metal bezel, and the introduction of three-dimensional environments. Other standard features include traffic receiver, Bluetooth connectivity, Zagat reviews and ratings, voice recognition for address entry, and next-generation reality view.

The so-called Panorama View 3D is the key element here, and it may be a feature seen on other units in the future. To transition from the common, elevated two-dimensional perspective to provide contour mapping, Navigon used data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Back in February 2000, the Space Shuttle Endeavour embarked on an 11-day mission to collect elevation data on a near-global scale. The result is, according to NASA, the most complete high-resolution digital topographic database of Earth.

For public use, rather than government or military applications, the resolution is reduced, though Navigon has worked with the data to create a convincing representation of the world around us. For the 8100T, Navigon constructed a polygon-based topographic map, then overlaid color and texture. To give it graphic relief, a "sun" light source is used to create shadows.

In a demonstration, we could see how a route could be more meaningful when elevation changes are represented. There is a big difference between a straight road line on a flat map and one flanked by hills, or even crossing mountains.

One downside from this approach is that polygons are also used to render roadways, rather than smoother, vector-type graphics. The results on the pre-production models we viewed revealed slightly softened road edges, rather than the crisper appearance found on other units.

The 8100T goes on sale mid-November with a retail price of $599. Based on retail pricing, the 8100T commands a $150 premium over the 7200T, though GPS prices tend to move down quickly. We will test the 8100T soon as it is available and report on how well this new, three-dimensional feature works in the real world.

—Jeff Bartlett

For more information on portable GPS navigation systems, see our Ratings and buying advice and watch our video guide. Discuss GPS devices in the forums. 

2008 SEMA - Tjin Pontiac G8 - SEMA-worthy family sedan

The "Tjin Edition G8" is a modified Pontiac G8 GT. Parked at the GM booth, the informational plaque next to the car says it was designed in honor of the creator’s first baby boy.

So, what does a SEMA-worthy family sedan need? Sure there are the normal exhaust and cosmetic upgrades. But there are also Corvette Z06 "big brakes" – we’ve always said that a family hauler should be able to stop well. Plus, this is the first SEMA show car that I’ve seen with a baby seat in the back. Maybe the giant speakers in the rear deck – VERY close to baby’s head - can be useful for blasting Barney. I’m not sure how well baby functions will clean off of the diamond-tufted leather seats and door panels, but it looks cool.

Tjin also modified a Honda Fit, shown over at the Honda booth. It also had custom paint, leather, and wheels – but sadly no baby seat inside. With the volatility in gas prices, maybe a smaller SEMA family hauler wouldn’t be a bad idea.

—Tom Mutchler

Read about more cars, gear, and news from SEMA.

2008 SEMA - AT&T CruiseCast - TV to go

A new in-car satellite TV and radio system promises consumers more variety and better reception on the go than earlier mobile satellite systems. And like so many things electronic, it will come in a smaller package and at less cost than some previous systems. 

AT&T CruiseCast, scheduled to become available in spring 2009, is the result of a partnership between the telecommunications giant and RaySat, a satellite antenna manufacturer. The system will offer 22 satellite TV stations and 20 radio channels at launch, with capacity for more. A variety of family, sports, news and entertainment programming will be offered from stations including The Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, The Comedy Channel, and CNN. It can be used with any rear-seat entertainment system, and parental controls allow limits on what children watch.

AT&T says their new technology includes a buffer system that stores up to three minutes of programming automatically, to prevent the common loss of satellite signal that can be caused by trees, tunnels, or buildings. The roof-mounted antenna weighs just five pounds including its mount, a fraction of some earlier models that can weigh up to 50 pounds.

Plans call for a roll out at car dealers and mobile electronics installation shops. Cost will be $1299 plus a $28 monthly subscription fee.

—Jim Travers

Read about more cars, gear, news, and views from SEMA. Learn more about mobile electronics in our special section.

2008 SEMA – Car mounts for gadgets

If it’s becoming difficult to find areas in your vehicle to safely place your cell phone, GPS navigator, or MP3 player so they are easy to access and won’t become a projectile during a hard stop or accident, there may be have a solution. ProClip of Mundelein Illinois, has a full line of customizable two-piece holders for just about any electronic device or vehicle that can easily be installed without any special tools.

When you go to ProClips’s Web site, you first choose the device you’d like to mount—MP3 player, smart phone, PDA, cell phone, GPS, two-way radio, or satellite radio. Then you choose the specific vehicle you want to mount the device in. Depending on the vehicle, you will have several choices on where to mount the holder. For example, if you choose 2008 Toyota Camry, you can mount it to the console air vents, angled to the right of the center air controls, or to the center console. The mounts generally start at $35 and the holders at $30. Larger sized devices or adding swiveling capabilities or power connection capabilities increase the costs.

—John Galeotafiore

Read about more cars, gear, news, and views from SEMA.

2008 SEMA - Sleepers and creepers

Given SEMA’s tendency towards the extreme, its refreshing to see two groups of concept vehicles here that buck the trend. Call them sleepers and creepers.

A sleeper is a car that is faster than its looks let on. Two notable manufacturer-tuned cars here this year illustrate this. Subaru brought a concept Forester XTi to the show; beneath the boxy styling beats the drivetrain of an Impreza STi. (Watch our Impreza STi video review.) Calm down the show-floor paintwork, and this seems like quite a good way to get your family to the slopes on time - once you put on winter tires.

It’s a bit hard to call any Dodge Challenger a sleeper, but given what lurks under the hood of the Challenger SRT10, that term may apply. Note the SRT10 designation – as in the 10-cylinder engine from the current Dodge Viper. This car is a favorite among CR’s auto test engineers here at SEMA. As Jen Stockburger put it, "It’s the best of both worlds. You get the Viper’s engine and you don’t burn your legs getting in and out." With Chrysler trying to find a buyer for the Viper line, maybe they should hold onto a few engines.

As for creepers: a lot of the four-wheel-drive trucks here seem to be emulating Bigfoot. (Not the hairy one.) They’re jacked way up in the air, have lots of chrome, and big power mods. There was even an aftermarket lifted 2009 Forester that almost looked almost menacing.

In that vein, I like the contrast of seeing bare-bones elemental off-roaders here. Two trucks here came to mind. Jeep showed their Wrangler "J8 Sarge," an open-back basic Wrangler with a turbodiesel four-cylinder from VM, the same company that supplied the diesel in the Liberty a few years back. Given Jeep’s heritage and the fact that even the $30,000 Wrangler four-door hardtop we tested wasn’t a paragon of refinement, this idea seems right.

The same goes for the Toyota Tacoma concept. Even the name is basic. This four-cylinder truck harkens back stylistically to the mid-80s. Seeing this off-white truck with vertical brown-gray stripes across the floor, I thought they had restored an old truck. Even the brown Recaro-labeled fabric on the seats (not to be confused with actual bolstered Recaro seats themselves) harkens back in time. But once you get up close and can put the size into scale, the largeness of the current Tacoma compared to the (much smaller) older trucks becomes more obvious. Mechanical upgrades were mostly limited to swapping in the axles and transfer case of the very capable FJ Cruiser.

This is one of the joys of SEMA for the enthusiast—the idea that there really does seem to be something for everyone.

—Tom Mutchler

Read about more cars, gear, news, and views from SEMA.

                                                                                                           

                   

2008 SEMA – Kia Soul primed for customizing

How important is the dealer accessory market to a manufacturer trying to recast itself as a youth brand? It’s so important that even before Kia rolls out the production Soul at the LA Auto Show later this month, it’s disclosed that the car will have the most extensive set of dealer-sold accessories of any of their models.

More informative, even more so than the Borrego concept with fender vents swiped from an Escalade, the Soul Burner concept car parked on the SEMA floor is very close to the production Soul. It looks like a very clever package, combining generous interior volume with a short length. Unlike its most obvious competition, the Scion xB, the Soul has big high windows – all the better for you to see out with.

Sure, hatchbacks as a whole haven’t been too successful in the States. But compelling hatchbacks like the xB, Honda Fit, and Toyota Prius have sold well. And with Kia’s most distinctive styling to date, and the possible combination of lots of content at the right price, the Soul may just join these ranks.

What do you think?

—Tom Mutchler

Read about more cars, gear, news, and views from SEMA.

2008 SEMA - Green motor oil, or is it moo-ter oil?

Here’s one energy-independence concept that you might not of thought of: lubricating your car’s engine with animal fat.

Green Earth Technologies announced this morning at SEMA that their new G-Oil, which is made from saturated animal fats, has met and passed all test criteria for the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) SM certification. That means some of it may soon be coming to a crankcase near you.

A company press release says saturated animal fats have a similar molecular structure to petroleum-based oils, and that G-Oil is both biodegradable and will deliver better performance than conventional motor oil. It also claims the production process is more efficient than that required to produce conventional motor oil, and that G-Oil could drastically reduce our dependency on imported oil.

How significant that impact will be remains to be seen. G-Oil is made from beef tallow, a byproduct of meat processing (and meat is something Americans like to process in abundance). Just take a stroll through the SEMA food court at lunchtime if you need a peek at how much we like our processed meats.

Dietary discussions aside, Green Earth Technologies says that animal-fat based motor oil is no bum steer. It says its ready to produce as many as 175,000 barrels of G-Oil a day.  The company also produces a wide range of green-themed care car products, including car wash, tire cleaner, rain repellant, and glass cleaner.

—Jim Travers

Read about more cars, gear, news, and views from SEMA.

2008 SEMA - Ford still making vehicles

It’s always entertaining to go to press conferences where the presenter isn’t following a teleprompter. The Ford SEMA press conference with Funkmaster Flex was especially entertaining.

The rapper/car customizer was showing off another customized, ah, Flex. He introduced the car this way:
"Ford will still be making vehicles in 2009-2010. Those other companies – GM, Chrysler – they may be making washing machines, but we’ll be making vehicles."

You might expect that that would generate some laughs and boos from the audience – and you’d be right.

What did Ford announce? More racing versions of the Mustang, the availability of a 69-70 Mustang bodyshell, and ramping up anticipation for the Transit Connect. Right now, it looks like the Transit Connect’s mostly aimed to commercial users, but Ford hinted that they wouldn’t mind if customizers worked their magic on it. The possibilities are intriguing...

—Tom Mutchler

Read about more cars, gear, news, and views from SEMA.

2008 SEMA - Dodge Challenger – Belle of the hall

Every year at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show there seems to be one car that you just can’t avoid. While the official car may be the Chevrolet Camaro, the car that is around every corner in the main halls at the Las Vegas Convention Center is the all-new Dodge Challenger.

A limited number of these two-door rear-wheel-drive muscle cars were released in 2008, and they became an instant cult hit with enthusiasts who fondly recall the legendary original. The initial models were the top-dog SRT8 that boasted a ferocious 425-horsepower, 6.1-liter V-8 Hemi engine, along with a fortified suspension and upgraded brakes. It was priced at $39,995, plus gas-guzzler tax.

For 2009, Dodge now offers Challenger with a six-cylinder base model SE that can be had for less than under $23,000, as well as a $30,000 mid-level R/T with a 372-horsepower V-8. Notably, the base model should be within the reach of many more Mopar fanatics. (However, based on EPA estimates, the 250-horsepower V-6 is only slightly less thirsty than the R/T’s V-8.)

If a six-cylinder retro-styled muscle car is too tame for your taste, and an R/T out of reach, you can always dream of building your own SEMA-grade, modified car. As evidenced by the inspiring project cars seen here in Vegas, you can have it supercharged, lowered, or even modified to look like an original "Cuda." That is, unless you prefer to start with a new Chevrolet Camaro or Ford Mustang.

--John Galeotafiore

Read about more cars, gear, news, and views from SEMA.

2008 SEMA - Supercharged Hyundai Genesis boasts more horsepower

I’m not sure how many buyers will be intending to supercharge their Hyundai Genesis V8. The V6 model that we’re testing is plenty enough. But that didn’t stop Hyundai from showing a concept supercharged Genesis. After all, this is SEMA, where more is better and even more is more betterer. Their claims: 460 horsepower, up from the stock 375. Thanks to cylinder deactivation, the fuel economy remains the same, but that doesn’t apply if you’re actively exploring those extra 85 horses.

This concept also has three Macintosh computers and WiFi that can support 250 users. (You want to be next to this Genesis in a traffic jam.) Funny thing is, the spokesperson said that this was facilitated by the Genesis’ standard iPod integration. Now, it’s great and all that the Genesis has that standard – but a USB port is a long way from juggling three Macs and a WiFi hub.

Either way, I doubt this Genesis is John "and I’m a PC" Hodgman’s next ride.

—Tom Mutchler

Read about more cars, gear, news, and views from SEMA.

2008 SEMA - GM – Subdued at SEMA show?

GM has a huge area on the floor here at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas. What I found notable in this year's fleet of modified vehicles was more what's absent than what was there.

No big SUVs. No Suburbans or Escalades. No Hummer H2s. Just smaller, gentler H3s instead. And only one full-size pickup truck.

The star of the GM booth was the Camaro – six new models and one classic. (There are classic Camaros all over the place this year.) There were two Malibus, a G8 sedan and sport truck, and a Solstice coupe. Jay Leno’s EcoBoost – the GM designed, Alcoa-bodied, helicopter-engine-powered road missile - is also closer to being finished this year.

Sure, I understand that big truck sales are down and that the focus is shifting to cars. But SEMA is a show of excess. Honda’s showing off tricked-out Ridgelines,  Scion is touting an xB truck conversion, and Ford isn’t backing off from showing trucks that you need a ladder to enter. Not to worry – there are plenty of big trucks, including GM's, in other booths…

—Tom Mutchler

Read about more cars, gear, news, and views from SEMA.

Election Day – Car pool the vote

November 4th – Election Day. Truly a day of global significance. One worthy of a Lee Greenwood rendition of "God Bless the USA" or even its own U2 anthem. However you intend to rock the vote this presidential election, consider your positions, and act accordingly. By all means, get out and vote.

For many, environmental issues are among their considerations, admittedly trailing the economy as a primary concern. If this is true for you, think about making a difference with your actions, as well as your vote.

This can be as simple as car pooling to the local polling center. After all, most people in your immediate area are headed to the same location. Team up with a significant other, co-worker, or neighbor. Doing so would reduce fuel consumption, lessen your carbon footprint, and ease parking congestion where you vote.

Make a difference. Car pool the vote.

—Jeff Bartlett

Read "Life in the car pool lane."

2008 SEMA Aftermarket Car Show – Start your engines!

If there’s a better place than Las Vegas to hold SEMA—the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s annual extravaganza of custom cars and aftermarket parts, tools, and accessories—I can’t think of it.

SEMA is as over-the-top as Vegas itself. With 120,000 attendees expected and two million square-feet of exhibit space spread over several massive venues, SEMA features everything from spectacular flame paint jobs to the very latest in hubcap mallets. It’s all set against a backdrop of blaring rock 'n' roll, chrome, and high-performance cars. The crowd itself is a blend of polo shirts and khaki, offset by more black attire than you’d find at any gathering this side of the Sturgis, South Dakota, motorcycle rally.

Through the high-revving excitement, our staff will be looking for the most significant products for consumers, ranging from car care to tires. We are on the trail for announcements from major automakers, and we plan to preview some all-new GPS units. We’ll share the highlights all week long here in the blog.

Just as the SEMA show is sensory overload in a truly Las Vegas way, the city has its own twist on car culture. Take, for example, that Vegas plays host to the Liberace Museum, home of the piano showman’s collection of truly unique customs. Notables include a vintage Rolls Royce covered entirely in mirrored tiles and etched with galloping horses.

Vegas is also where, a few blocks away, Evel Knievel once jumped the fountain at Caesar’s Palace on a Harley-Davidson. Unfortunately for Mr. Knievel, his flight resulted in a hard landing, breaking several bones and scattering Harley parts all over the parking lot. Though likely lost to history, some of those parts might be of interest to the SEMA crowd today.

Between the extremes on display will be news and products that matter to consumers. Starting Tuesday, we will explore every nook, cranny, and distant corner booth in our most comfortable shoes to find the very latest in what’s new.

Stay tuned to see what we find.   

—Jim Travers

Read our past SEMA coverage.

Sneak Peek: Mini E Electric Car

While other well-known automakers are developing plug-in electric and fuel-cell cars, BMW is making its own alternative fuel move by rolling out a fully electric, battery-powered Mini Cooper for lease to select customers in California, New York, and New Jersey. (Honda has a 200-unit lease program underway for its FCX Clarity fuel-cell-powered sedan.)

A large, 35 kilowatt-hour, lithium-ion battery pack takes up the whole back seat, making this Mini E strictly a two-seater. (That’s no great loss, as the Mini’s back seat has limited room for passengers’ legs anyway.) The battery is made up of 5,088 individual lithium-ion cells. The company claims a 150-mile range on a full charge, but in press photos the range indicator shows just 83 miles on a full charge. (While this may be a remnant of acceleration testing, we note that in practice electric cars often don’t attain their claimed electric ranges in real-world driving.)

Mini is including a quick charger with every electric car, but it has to be installed in lessees’ garages. The company says this special wall unit will charge the car in 2.5 hours, though the Mini E can also be recharged from a common 110-volt power outlet.

The Mini E uses a 204-horsepower direct-current electric motor and a single-speed gearbox. Torque is rated at 162 lb.-ft. Mini claims the Mini E will accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 8.5 seconds, notably quicker than the base Mini Cooper we recently tested.

The Mini E is electronically limited to a top speed of 95 mph. The front-wheel-drive Mini E weighs 3,230 pounds, about 700 pounds more than a base Mini. The suspension has been fortified to account for the added weight and its distribution.

Interestingly, the Mini E will be the first all-electric car on the market with electronic stability control.

Mini says it will lease 500 of them, for a one-year term at a time. No word on how much those leases will cost, however, or what options are available to lessees at the end of the term. Mini will be looking for feedback on how lessees use the cars to gather data for future electric-car development programs.

Read more about electric cars. And join the discussion on our hybrids and alternative fuels forum.

—Eric Evarts

Toyota announces natural-gas Camry hybrid

The first alternative-fuel car of the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show has already been announced; Toyota will combine natural-gas and hybrid power in its CNG (compressed natural gas) Camry hybrid concept. (Camry SE shown.)

While natural-gas cars get roughly equivalent fuel economy as those powered by gasoline, the key difference is that emissions are cleaner. Plus, natural gas is clean-burning and in abundant supply in North America. However, tanks to hold natural gas are very large and hold relatively little fuel. Thus CNG-fueled cars tend to have a fairly modest driving range. And with only about 500 CNG stations nationwide open to consumers, the short range is a big problem. The hybrid system helps alleviate that somewhat. Our gasoline-powered Camry Hybrid had a range of 600 miles, so if the CNG version has conservatively half the range (roughly the same relationship of the Honda Civic Hybrid compared to the Civic CNG), it would be close to that in most gasoline cars.

In our testing of a gasoline-powered Camry Hybrid, we noted its relatively small trunk, worsened by constrained access resulting from the hybrid-battery cooling systems. With a large CNG tank, the trunk may be tiny. We’ll keep you posted when we see the car next month at the L.A. Auto Show.

For now, the CNG Camry Hybrid is a concept car; Toyota announced no plans to build more of them.

Look for live, daily coverage of the Los Angeles Auto Show starting November 19th.

—Eric Evarts

Learn more about fuel economy in our guide to driving green.

 

2008 Annual Car Reliability Survey: Gas-saving models in the lead

Fuel-efficient vehicles are a very reliable segment overall, European cars are improving, and, on average, Ford continues to build the most reliable American cars. These are the key findings from Consumer Reports latest Annual Car Reliability Survey. This year we had responses on more than 1.4 million vehicles (model years 1999 to 2008) owned or leased by our subscribers.

A total of nine hybrid models for which we have sufficient data rated above average in predicted reliability, most from Japanese automakers. From the Family Cars category, the Toyota Prius, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, and the Nissan Altima Hybrid, as well as the luxury Lexus GS 450h Hybrid sedan are all among the most reliable. The Lexus RX 400h and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid are among the most reliable in midsized SUVs, while the Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid small SUVs rated above average in predicted reliability. The Honda Civic Hybrid is also above average. In addition, conventional gas sippers such as the Honda Fit, Scion xD, Smart ForTwo, and Toyota Yaris had few problems. 

Ford’s three nameplates – Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury – lead the domestic automakers and continue to pull away from the rest of Detroit.  Except for some truck-based vehicles, almost all Ford products are now average or better. Excluding those, Ford’s reliability is now on par with good Japanese automakers. The Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan continued to rank among the most reliable family cars. The freshened Ford Focus sedan rated above average, a vast improvement from when the new model debuted in 2000 with below-average reliability.

European automakers, particularly Mercedes-Benz, showed signs of a comeback. Six Mercedes models, including the redesigned C-Class and E-Class (V6) sedans and the ML350 SUV have improved to average reliability and are now recommended. Last year, no Mercedes models had average or better reliability and so could not be recommended.

Still, Japanese cars are the most reliable overall, leading 15 of 16 categories in Consumer Reports’ predicted reliability ratings. The Scion xD has the best predicted reliability score for all new cars with about 80% fewer problems than the average model.

Check out our full reliability history charts and predicted reliability on hundreds of 2009 models, plus a list of what’s up and what’s down, best and worst models, and a comparison chart of brands (for subscribers).

Is California a fuel-economy bully?

That’s the viewpoint of some automakers looking at California’s pending carbon-dioxide emissions laws. Scheduled to take effect in 2009, the law, known as AB 1493, would effectively require automakers to build cars that average 40 mpg in the state. Burning gasoline produces CO2 in direct proportion to a vehicle’s fuel economy.

Under federal law, California is allowed to set its own emissions standards, because it had such standards before the federal Clean Air Act was passed. Other states have decided to follow federal standards, or California’s, but not set their own. That’s where the argument comes in.

Each time California enacts a new emissions standard, it must get a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency, which sets federal standards. Under intense lobbying from the auto industry, the EPA has denied the waiver for law AB 1493, and California has sued. (This is only one of many lawsuits over the law.)

The automakers argue that the California law would result in a patchwork of state-by-state fuel economy regulations that they could not meet. However, car makers do build different models for California emissions states now. Fuel economy would be more related to vehicle size than the emission standards.

That isn’t what the bill requires. Further, it wouldn’t be legal under federal law. But it also may not be that simple. Both California and federal fuel-economy requirements are averages, based on the average rating of all cars a manufacturer sells. Under federal law, that means all cars sold nationwide have to average out to the federal 35 mpg standard. If the California law went into effect, it would mean all cars sold in the state would have to average out to the state’s approximately 40 mpg standards. Simple enough so far.

But if Vermont, for example, or Texas were to sign on to the California standard, automakers would have to sell a similar proportion of pickups, small cars, and large and small SUVs there that they do in California.

And automakers say that is a problem. They call it "individual compliance," as distinct from individual standards. Automakers now sell, and consumers demand, a higher proportion of large pickups in Texas. On a national level, the relatively low fuel economy from those trucks can be balanced by selling more small cars in Vermont. That wouldn’t work under the California law.

It might be easy if automakers could just sell the same amount of pickups, for example, in every state. But this ignores the fact that consumers’ needs and wants vary by region. Fuel-economy laws have gotten enormously complex. And, as you can see, they are difficult to administer and difficult to with which to comply.

We think that the right direction is for automakers to make all of their cars—including pickups and SUVs – more fuel efficient. Over the years, government standards have been fairly weak and did little to push the development of increasingly fuel-efficient vehicles. As it has happened every time we’ve seen a spike in fuel prices, though, recent market forces have hastened fuel saving technology progress and impacted the new-car model mix.

Feedback time
We’re interested in your thoughts. Are fuel economy standards worthwhile? And should California be allowed to enact its CO2 emissions limit law? What do you think of CAFE, which has tried to do the same thing on a national level?

Some ground rules for the comments: No fair claiming that CO2 is not pollution; that California shouldn’t be able to dictate to the rest of the nation; or (as the automakers have) that AB 1493 is not an emissions law. These issues have already been decided by federal courts in favor of California. (On the other hand, California lost a lawsuit claiming automakers should pay the state billions of dollars in damages for CO2 emissions.)

—Eric Evarts

$750 billion bailout contains a gift to GM

A little noticed part of the giant $750 billion economic bailout package passed recently to shore up banks by allowing taxpayers to buy up bad loans and bank stock is a provision promoting electric cars. Make that plug-in hybrid vehicles, including the Chevrolet Volt. 

Under the provision, buyers of the Volt would receive a tax credit of $7,504, the highest available on a car. The new law gives higher tax credits for cars with bigger batteries. In effect, these batteries would be too large to be charged just by an onboard engine in a traditional hybrid and would have to be plugged in to recharge. So far General Motors and Toyota are the only automakers that have announced plans to produce plug-in hybrid vehicles in the near future. However, pure electric cars that run on batteries would also qualify, such as the Tesla Roadster, and small electric commuter vehicles.

General Motors had been lobbying Congress for higher tax credits on the Volt, claiming that its large, advanced battery pack would push the price of the car beyond the reach of average consumers.

In June, General Motors Vice Chairman of Global Product Development Bob Lutz said the Volt  would have to cost $40,000 for GM to break even on the car.

Earlier, the company indicated a target price for the Volt of around $30,000 to make it competitive with other high-priced small sedans. The $7,500 tax credit could go a long way toward making the Volt affordable for consumers.

-- Eric Evarts

Edited 10/24/08

Faster CAFE increases could bring 39.4 mpg by 2020

At a time when both consumer and automakers pocketbooks are pinched tight, the federal government is demanding higher fuel economy from passenger cars. And the CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) standards seem to be getting continually tighter, promising national fuel conservation, reduced operating costs for consumers and less dependence on foreign oil at the expense of increased development and marketing challenges for the beleaguered automotive industry. Now the 35 mpg fleet average mandated by Congress by 2020 looks likely to increase to more than 39 mpg.

In April, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which administers fuel economy regulations, announced it would demand faster mpg increases than would be required under the Congressional mandate, passed in the Energy Independence and Security Act last December.

With the latest round of rulemaking, NHTSA released an environmental impact statement (pdf) that says it will likely continue the faster pace of fuel economy increases through 2020. The result would be higher overall fuel economy requirements in that timeframe than Congress required.

Even as NHTSA sped up necessary fuel economy improvements in its April proposal, the agency was criticized for estimating that gas would cost less than $3 a gallon in that timeframe. Now, with higher gas prices, the economic benefits of raising fuel economy are more pronounced, and NHTSA has to take that into account in this proposal.

Largely, CAFE has not been effective at raising the average fuel economy of vehicle fleets, however the rapid rise in fuel prices over the last couple of years has changed the market forces and made consumers think more about fuel economy. If prices continue to increase, the market may demand cars that get more than 39 mpg by 2020, making this ruling obsolete. More also needs to be done to improve mass transit systems, bus, commuter rail, bike paths, and other transportation options that will give consumers alternatives to automobiles.

Ironically, as the federal government battles California over competing fuel economy requirements, this coincides closely with the 40 mpg requirements California is trying to implement by 2019.

The public now has less than 30 days to comment on NHTSA’s latest proposal before it publishes its final regulation, expected in November.

—Eric Evarts

Learn more about fuel economy in our guide to driving green .

Replacement costs drop for hybrid batteries

A frequently voiced concern about hybrids centers around the high cost of replacement batteries, which have ranged up to about $3,000. Now some relief may be on the way. Toyota announced last month that it has reduced the price of replacement batteries for the current (2002-2009) Prius by $686, to $2,299. Batteries for the first-generation Prius dropped $397 to $2,588.

That still seems like a lot of money. But overall, we have found hybrids to be very reliable in our subscriber surveys and relatively inexpensive to own. Automakers are required to warranty batteries for 8 years and 80,000 miles nationwide or 10 years and 150,000 miles in states that follow California emissions regulations. Relatively few hybrids have exceeded that mileage yet.

Given the length of the battery warranty, even if a hybrid owner does have to replace the battery pack after 80,000 or 150,000 miles, the cost is comparable to the cost of a transmission, which would likely have failed in other cars before that point. And hybrids have fewer other issues, which more makes up for any added battery cost.

Toyota says it has been able reduce costs in part by building its own batteries through its joint venture with Panasonic, through Panasonic EV Battery Corp., thereby reducing the impact from the battery middleman. And the company says it expects battery price drops to continue.

The nickel-metal hydride batteries in the all of the current hybrid vehicles are also recyclable which may help with price reductions.

Cheaper batteries are good news for more than owners of hybrids today. Electric cars, and hybrids that plug in for extra power are the most promising near-term alternative to oil consumption. And those cars will require bigger and better batteries to meet consumer demands for performance and range.

The next generation of advanced batteries are called lithium-ion batteries, like the one we had installed in the plug-in Prius we are testing. Lithium Ion batteries are smaller and lighter for the same energy storage capacity and so lend themselves better to full electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. However, they cost even more than nickel-metal hydride batteries. And expensive lithium-ion batteries are the biggest stumbling block to building more electric cars. So the race is on to lower the price of batteries across the board.

Toyota will start building lithium-ion batteries in 2009 and mass-producing them in 2010, the company says. But Toyota’s National Manager of Advance Technology Vehicles Bill Reinert says the company is already looking beyond lithium ion for future energy storage.

Dilithium crystals or a Flux Capacitor, anyone?

—Eric Evarts

Learn more about alternative fuels in our guide to driving green. And read "Taking charge: Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid."

Gasoline alternatives – What would you compromise?

It’s often said there is no silver bullet for replacing oil dependence in the United States. It is no wonder, because no petroleum alternatives have as much energy density as gasoline. To put it another way, the other choices contain less energy for a given space than petroleum.

This results in significant compromises for most alternative fuels. For instance, natural gas and hydrogen require large in-car storage tanks that can rob cargo space. A small tank equals a short cruising range between fill-ups. Batteries take even more space yet provide an even shorter range. To compound the problem, batteries take hours to recharge.

A frequently discussed alternative is E85 (85 percent ethanol). This renewable fuel can be created domestically and emits less smog-causing pollutants than gasoline, but it provides fewer miles per gallon and is hard to find outside the Midwest. (Learn more about the pros and cons of alternative fuels.)

Although it’s still made from petroleum—and emits many pollutants—diesel fuel stands out from the other mentioned fuels, as it is the one alternative that packs more energy density than gasoline. This is part of the reason diesel engines are more fuel efficient. Now if only diesel fuel was cheaper than gasoline…

So engineering vehicles to run on gasoline alternatives leads to inevitable compromises, such as price, range, and utility. The real question remains: What compromises would consumers accept?

Looming oil challenges
Oil production from non-OPEC countries has already reached its peak and begun to fall, according to Peter Wells, a longtime oil industry consultant and former British Petroleum exploration manager. Wells spoke at the Toyota Sustainable Mobility Seminar last week. Even new discoveries and drilling are unlikely to make up for the drop in production from existing wells, he says.

Increasing oil production from tar sands and oil shale requires enormous amounts of energy, meaning the return on extracting these resources will be relatively small. Producing them also takes vast supplies of water, while aquifers and rivers in the U.S. are already oversubscribed.

Some people are likely to accept different sacrifices, whether it’s range, cost, or driving less. Yet automakers continuously report that most customers aren’t willing to sacrifice anything their cars can currently do. This mirrors feedback collected from the Consumer Reports National Research Center. In our recent gas prices survey, nearly 80 percent of car shoppers reported wanting better fuel economy, yet 69 percent want a same-sized or larger vehicle.

So for the sake of discussion, here’s a question: If you had to cut your oil consumption in half next year, in the name of energy independence, staying out of the poor house, or another reason, what would you be willing to do or sacrifice?

Learn more about how others are reacting to today’s gas prices in our recent Auto Pulse survey.

—Eric Evarts

Fuel-cell Highlander takes the high road

Many automakers believe fuel cells represent the long-term future for powering cars, as evidenced by the high number of fuel-cell vehicles in testing. Honda and General Motors even have models available for consumers to drive on a limited basis.

Now Toyota has announced that it will begin consumer testing of its latest-generation fuel-cell vehicle, the FCHV, based on the original Highlander.

We had a chance to drive the same Toyota FCHV advance fuel-cell vehicle around Portland, Ore., recently. It was one of the last fuel-cell cars from a major automaker that we hadn’t driven. Like other fuel-cell vehicles, we found the experience seamless—eerily quiet, quick, and responsive.

The latest version of the FCHV uses 10,000 psi hydrogen storage tanks that hold 6 kilograms of hydrogen. According to Toyota, that gives it a range of 432 miles at the equivalent of about 72 miles per gallon. It makes 122 horsepower, which doesn’t sound like much, but felt like plenty around town. Like other fuel-cell vehicles today, the FCHV also uses a battery to provide short bursts of added power. (Thus the Fuel-Cell Hybrid Vehicle moniker.) The FCHV uses nickel-metal hydride batteries.

It’s often been said that extreme temperature ranges are an engineering challenge for fuel-cell vehicles; Toyota claims this Highlander can be started at temperatures as low as -22 degrees Fahrenheit.

Arguably, the biggest problem with fuel cell vehicles is where to get the hydrogen to refill them. That didn’