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Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage , Crossovers/CUVs , Chrysler, LLC. , Dodge Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Dodge Journey R/T The 2009 Dodge Journey carries the size and shape of a typical crossover, and it has seating for seven and all the amenities you could possibly ask for at $30,000. On paper, the Journey has a plenty of things in its favor, yet we had our doubts. First off, it looks a lot like the Dodge Caravan, which works against the Journey when considering that many crossover buyers want to avoid the minivan stigma. It's also based on the less than impressive Chrysler Sebring platform, which we have found to be just awful. Then there is Chrysler's corporate 3.5L engine, which is less powerful, refined and efficient than similarly sized engines from its competition. Chrysler's recent track record for vehicles that are less than class competitive also lent support to our notion that the Journey might be a letdown. Regardless, we tried to clear our minds...
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Filed under: Crossovers/CUVs , Mercedes-Benz , Rumormill While there is a mad rush for automakers to make smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles for the U.S. market, many of the vehicles we crave are already available to European customers. Mercedes sells A- and B-Class vehicles were deemed too small for U.S. consumption. One product Mercedes doesn't have in either of its two biggest markets is a small crossover vehicle, but that could change in 2011. Autocar is reporting that Mercedes is looking to rectify its small crossover position with the BLK , which will be positioned to take on the BMW X1 and Land Rover LRX. If Mercedes does build the BLK, it will likely be on an all-new FWD chassis that will also accommodate the next-gen A- and B-Class, as well as other like-sized models. The guys and gals on team Benz were looking to strike a deal with another automaker to platform share, but talks apparently came up empty. Mercedes is still looking to partner up with BMW on engine development...
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Filed under: Detroit Auto Show , Crossovers/CUVs , Lincoln Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lincoln MKT concept. As reported earlier , Lincoln has given the MKT crossover the green-light, with the production version set to debut in Detroit this January and sales beginning sometime next year. The MKT is built atop the same platform as the Ford Flex, but Lincoln insists that the two models won't share a single body panel. Power will be provided by either a 3.7-liter V6 or a 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, equipped with direct-injection and a turbocharger, however a hybrid drivetrain will not be offered. A six-speed automatic gearbox, complete with paddle shifters, will be standard, along with seven-passenger seating, a power-folding third-row seat, heated and cooled, first- and second-row thrones and the SYNC in-car entertainment system. Options will include a new sat-nav, Sirius Travel Link, an auto-park feature (similar to that found on the Lexus LS460) and a Cross Traffic Alert...
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Filed under: Crossovers/CUVs , Ford , Lincoln Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lincoln MKT concept. We've been waiting for an official production announcement of the Lincoln MKT since the concept was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January, and according to Automotive News and the Wall Street Journal , that confirmation comes today. The Ford Flex -based crossover will give Lincoln a seven-seat CUV to compete with the Acura MDX and the Audi Q7, while providing customers a more fuel efficient alternative to the Navigator. The production MKT will share none of the Flex's boxy sheet metal, but the mechanicals will be very similar. The MKT will launch with either the 3.5L V6 from the Flex or the bored-out 3.7L version from the MKS sedan . It's almost assured the MKT will get Ecoboost soon after launch, but Ford hasn't announced anything yet. Ford plans to build approximately 25k Lincoln MKTs annually, and production is slated to begin next year. Gallery: Detroit...
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Filed under: Videos , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford We're typically too busy with our nose to the automotive grindstone to goof off. After stumbling across some 50 year old Ford commercials on YouTube during our time with the Ford Flex , we had all the inspiration needed for some weekend fun. The old days of automotive advertising meant long, one- to two-minute commercials, bad camera work, and scripting that was done before the women's rights movement took hold. We had a somewhat retro-looking Ford Flex, a camera and a few spare moments to put something together, and the finished product is available after the jump. Continue reading VIDEO: Autoblog goes commercial with faux Flex spot Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Car Buying , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford Click the image above for more high res photos of the 2009 Ford Flex When the Ford Fairlane concept bowed in Detroit in 2005, it proved that Ford could design a stylish crossover recognizable from a mile away. Unfortunately, Ford didn't exactly have a stellar record of bringing hot concepts to market, so expectations were low that we would ever see the Fairlane reach production. Fast forward to 2008, and the Ford Flex is born. It's bigger than the Fairlane, yet it looks very much like the outlandish wagon that we saw in Motor City a few years earlier. Does the Ford Flex have the style, capability and appointments to be a player in the suddenly crowded large CUV market? Or is this modern day Woody just another oversized people hauler that misses the mark? Hit the jump to see how the all-new Flex fared during its stay in the Autoblog Garage. Gallery: Ford Flex Autoblog Garage All photos Copyright (C)2007 Chris Shunk / Weblogs, Inc....
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Filed under: Crossovers/CUVs , Audi Click above for a high-res gallery of the Audi Q5 For those of you queuing for the Q5, Audi has let loose a flood of new info on its high performance, low consumption, relatively low emission sports SUV. Consumers outside the U.S., get to choose between one of two diesel-sipping TDIs -- of 170 hp and 240 hp -- that are the envy of Stateside quattrophiles. Even with that 240 hp and 369 lb-ft, you'll still get 31 MPG. Folks in the fifty U.S. will need to make do with the 211 hp, 2.0-liter V6 FSI... which isn't exactly a complaint. The vehicle wrapped around those engines is a study in efficiency, from the power steering pump to the energy recovery to the .33 coefficient of drag. The full press release is after the jump -- it's probably the only one you'll read this year that mentions a "holistic optimization of energy." And be sure to check out the gallery of hi-res images below. Gallery: Beijing '08: 2009 Audi Q5 [Source:...
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Filed under: Economy , Sedans/Saloons , Tech , Crossovers/CUVs , Suzuki As previously reported , Suzuki has decided to include navigation on its SX4 Sport and Crossover before you make the first mark on the options list. That will make the $15,999 car the lowest priced car in America to come standard with talking maps. And now they're set to arrive in the SX4 Special Editions that arrive in Suzuki showrooms this month. To recap, the nav system is called TRIP -- Travel, Real-time traffic, Information, and Play -- and incorporates several Microsoft features. Drivers can get traffic info, weather reports, headline news, stock quotes, movie listings, the lowest priced gas in the area, and directions to 500 nationwide Suzuki dealerships. If buyers go for the expansion module, they'll also get Fodor guide reviews of eateries and nightlife spots. It sounds like an awful lot to do in such a little car, but that's the march of progress. [Source: Suzuki ] Read | Permalink | Email this...
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Filed under: Videos , Crossovers/CUVs , Chevrolet , Toyota Click above for a gallery of high-res pics. When the 2009 Chevy Traverse goes on sale in September, it will be the fourth, eight-passenger Lambda-based crossover to come from GM. The bow-tie CUV will carry the lowest starting MSRP of the quartet, and it will also carry the most power, with 288 hp and 270 lb.-ft. of torque, along with the highest towing capacity of 5,200 lbs. Hit the jump to view several comparison videos that pit the Traverse against one of its main competitors, the Toyota Highlander. The first video is a walk-around of the Traverse to point out unique styling points, and from there it's all competition. We judge everything from the interior volume to the driving experience, and then take the two CUVs into uncharted territory -- the track. Enjoy! Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Chevrolet Traverse Continue reading VIDEO: Chevy Traverse takes on Toyota Highlander inside and out Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Spy Photos , Crossovers/CUVs , Cadillac , GM Click above for high-res gallery of 2010 Cadillac Provoq spy shost If you're a big fan of the current Cadillac SRX, you'll be happy to know that the name will soldier on past 2010 when Cadillac's first CUV is replaced by the production version of the Provoq concept , which is often referred to as the BRX. Inside Line is reporting that GM execs decided the SRX name has enough cache with customers to continue using it instead of the rumored BRX . While the name will stay the same, the vehicle will be entirely new with a FWD platform shared with Saab that replaces the current RWD Sigma one that also underpins the CTS and STS. Engines are rumored to be a base 2.8L V6 and and the direct-inject 3.6L powerplant tuned to around 300 ponies. The new platform will also give GM the opportunity to use technology like its plug-in two-mode system in future Cadillacs without re-engineering it from the ground up. Gallery: Cadillac BRX...
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Filed under: Wagons/Estates , Japan , Crossovers/CUVs , Subaru Click either image for a high-res gallery of the Subaru Exiga. We received word from a little birdie last week that Subaru was gearing up to release its brand-new Exiga into journalist's hands in Japan. Coincidentally (or not), a teaser shot of Subaru's new pseudo-CUV popped up on the NASIOC forum over the weekend and it's clear from the darkened profile that many of the elements from the show car have migrated over to the production model. The Exiga, which appeared at last year's Tokyo Motor Show as a lightly veiled concept, will likely form the basis for the new Outback, slotting in between the Legacy and the Tribeca CUV. However, it's doubtful that when the Exiga (or Outback) makes the trek across the Pacific it will be sporting seven full seats. Its closest competitor here in the States is the forthcoming Toyota Venza , which aims to define a new segment between wagon and crossover, but in reality, both...
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Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford Click above for a high-res gallery of the Ford Flex. The SUV exodus means Ford's Flex has the potential to be a hit and it's gearing up for an onslaught of orders when sales begin this summer. Ford's group veep of marketing and communications, Jim Farley, told Automotive News that consumers leaving the full-size SUV fold and others who haven't considered putting a Blue Oval badge in their garage might be ready to give something like the Flex a chance. CUV sales have been strong over the last year, and Ford and Farley believe that the Flex could rack up 100,000 sales annually if the trend continues. Gallery: 2009 Ford Flex [Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Etc. , Crossovers/CUVs , Porsche There's probably a few clunkers in DaVinci's sketchbook, too. Looking more gnarled than Van Gogh's Potato Eaters hand studies, Ivan Volkov's Porsche Traveller concept picks up design ideas from the Matchbox Fandango , though it doesn't look like the spare wheel on the Traveller incorporates Rolamatic action. Rather than heap massive derision on Volkov's renderings, it would be interesting to get a deeper explanation of the design goals and features incorporated in this car. The SUV/CUV appears to have a pickup-like division between the front and rear body sections, and one thing's for sure, it's got absolutely no chance of seeing production without much further refinement. We'll grant that the Cayenne isn't the most classically handsome conveyance to roll out of Zuffenhausen, but Volkov's Traveller is exponentially more polarizing. Gallery: Porsche Traveller Concept [Source: Concept...
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Filed under: Trends , Marketing/Advertising , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford Ford sent but a single model into the roiling crossover market battle with GM's Lambda trio quartet . How did the Edge move 130,000 units alone while GM needed the aggregated sales of the GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, and Saturn Outlook to close 137,000 deals? Money. It's a simple case of throwing lots of bucks behind a product and making it hot. Ford backed the Edge with about $179 million in media buys, while GM spent less in total for all three Lambdas. Having three branches on the same tree doesn't give quite the same bang for the buck as you can get throwing it all behind a single product, too. The advertising campaign for the Edge saw Ford hitting the web with a vengance, in addition to being placed well with several programming tie-ins. Viewers of American Idol and Extreme Makeover were treated to the Edge blitz, with snappy spots from David Mamet highlighting the Edge's speed and serenity. Overall...
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Filed under: Garage , Crossovers/CUVs , Nissan , Driving click above for more images from our first drive of the 2009 Nissan Murano Nissan's original Murano was a successful and difficult act to follow. The elder statesman of crossover utility vehicles saw its sales increase every year since it was introduced in 2003, but with the segment going from crowded to standing room only, Nissan realized changes were needed to compete. "Murano-ness" - that's what Jarrad Haslam, Nissan's product planner for crossovers, said the company insisted be preserved in the new version. Nissan invited us to Atlanta to sample this almost-totally-new Murano for 2009 . You'll recognize the distinctive rounded nose, sharply-raked windshield, the side glass kicked up over the rear fender, a smallish rear hatch window topped by a sliver of a spoiler, and a lower rear bumper accentuated by dual exhaust outlets. But put the 2007 and 2009 (the Murano sat out the 2008 model year) side by side...
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