LG V500 ("G Pad") 8.3 Review

Forget the Q-Pair app (although if you're the kind of person who must have both your phone and tablet tunred on when you com home after a day at work, it does work well). And you should also probably forget the IR blaster (I haven't bothered to play with it yet).

Yes, never mind the extras. The LG V500 (unfortunately named the G Pad) is simply a gorgeous tablet. But with a $349 retail price, is it worth $100 more than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.0 or Nexus 7? I would argue that depends on how much it seduces you, and how long you intend to keep it. I know what I've decided. It took just 30 minutes with the tablet to make up my mind. Here's what you need to know.

What's in the box?

LG keeps it simple. The box has the tablet, a universal Android micro USB charger, and a manual most users will never read.

I have to applaud LG for sticking with the micro USB charging / data port. They could have gone the ASUS or cheap tablet route and used a propriatary cable connection, but a micro USB port means that you can use the same charger to power your Android phone or this tablet. It took a while for Android to catch up to Apple's unified power and data connections, but the four major manufacturers, Motorola, HTC, Samsung, and LG have gotten it together. Wearable devices, like bluetooth headsets, Google Glass, and wristwatches, already use the micro USB charging standard. So while we wait for possible universal wireless charging capabilitires, we Android users have a single stanard to charge all of our mobile devices, just as Apple has the lightning connection to unite its lineup.

What makes it run?

 The processor is not the fastest, but it is solid for a device like this. It's a quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600, running at 1.7GHz and nearly 2GB of RAM. That's plenty powerful. And the display is top notch. It' a 1920x1200, LED lit display that delivers 273 ppi, more than the Nexus 7's 216 ppi. So it has twice the RAM, and 25% higher resolution as the Nexus 7. Plus it has an aluminum back instead of plastic. Three writers over at Android Central think that's enough to justify the extra $100. I would argue that at the sale price of $299, the extra cost is completely justified.

Performance is simply solid. Some of you care about Vellamo results, so here they are. It's near the top of the current tablet crop.

What makes it special?

A man can hold one of the best tablets on the market in one hand. I admit, I like the 10.1" form factor. It's closer to the size of a magazine. My previous tablet was the ASUS Transformer TF300T. But stepping down to 8 inches was not a rough as I thought it would be. Magazines and books look fine. The LG V500 is light and very portable, like an Amazon Kindle. It's easier to use on a crowded train, and doesn't draw as much attention as an Apple iPad. It's a niche size in between the 7" and 10.1" tablets, and I really like it. 

I wish I could say that the battery life is stellar, but I don't yet know for certain. It is not near the Apple iPad perfromance, but to get over six hours at 75% brightness would be nice. Until I'm proven otherwise, I have to say that battery life is about average for a 7 to 8-inch device. Somereviewers have gotten through a full weekend of light use, at low brightness. Needless to say, if you use it to stream HD movies, the battery will not last long. The top of the unit gets the warmest when used continuously.

How is the software?

This is where some fine tuning may be required. LG, like its primary rival, Samsung, is into modifying the Android interface to the point it becomes cluttered with extra features, apps, and custom icons. If you are an experienced Android user, then you probably know that installing a well reviewed launcher can suppress the manufacturer's tinkerings with color schemes and icons. In LG's case, their defaut icons are a little too busy for most people's taste.

The eaiest way to fix this is with a good launcher. No need to root your device. I love Apex Launcher. It lets you revert your icons, appliation tray, and application dock (at the bottom of the screen) to a default Android 4.x appearance, or you can download and install custom icon packs and themes for a completely different look. It's one of the few apps worth paying for, and it can help you make any Android phone or tablet your own. See? It's fixed. It took just a little thought and effort while watching sports on the telly.

But, alas, there is one thing that you cannot get rid of on the V500, and that is the very busy notification shade.

What is going on there? There are shortcut buttons to adjust sound and brightness in the first row, shortcuts to apps in the second, and then slider controls for brightness and sound in the next two rows. Why have slider cntrols wheh we already have useful shortcut buttons? Some reviewers feel that this is a result of LG trying to one-up Samsung in some twisted war between two Korean manufacturers. Some at Andrid Central have speculated (out loud, in their podcasts) that this is a "Korean" thing, in which logical users interfaces get tossed in favor of flashy extras. Korea is different, to be sure, with it's far superior, much faster mobile networks, and wider array of gandgets that consumers can buy (not unlike Japan). But back to this busy shade.

LG first introduced this shade last year on the Optimus G (which is the phone I use, and love, and call the G1, as that was really the predecessor of their current flagship phone, the G2). However, on the G1, the shade is less busy and I've come to to like it a lot. Here is the shade on the G1 phone. It's clean. I have shortcut buttons to adjust the sound level, brightness, Wi-Fi radio, and airplane mode, and below that, my notifications. I think that's an improvement over stock android, and it isn't annoying at all. It's pretty useful. 

While the busier shade of the G2 phone and V500 tablet is less practical, at least the displays of those devices is larger, so you can quickly scoll past the clutter and get to what you want to look at in the first place - your notifications.

But LG still made changes in the second year of ther "G" user interface. The lock screen of the G1 phone is customizable. You can choose a wallpaper, a big clock or calendar overlay, and four apps you can quickly launch by swiping over them. Here are two versions of the G1 lock screen. 

With the V500 tablet, and presumably the G2 phone, the ability to choose a clock/calendar graphic to the lock screen is gone. You still choose six icons and the wallpaper, but you only get a big clock at the top of screen. A very minor gripe for me, but I just found it odd that after adding so much to their UI, LG would then take something attractive away from it.

What is this menu button doing here?

Well, there is one other thing that is not quite right with the LG setup. They continue to defy the Android standards guide and use a menu button in the lower right of the screen. It replaces any menu buttons that appear in apps. There's no real harm here. It's just LG being different, just how Samsung insists on replacing the Home button with a physical button on all of its Galaxy phones and tablets. I knew this going in, and I don't mind it as much as Android developers do. It works.

What I wish LG added, however, is the ability to long-press the Home button, which brings up recent apps and the option launch Google Now from there. I have that feature on my G1 phone. LG has taken it away (at least for now) on their new tablet. Here it is on my G1 phone. 

Any Accessories?

Not really. LG makes them, but they are not yet available in the US (and they might never get here). They are beginning to appear on eBay. And this fine Korean seller on eBay has colored, grippy hard shells that protrect the tablet's aluminum rear plate. I got one in light blue.

A Google Play Edition!

I was about to close this review by saying that this is the best tablet for under $300 (when on sale). I still think that. But lookey here! Google has just released a Google Play edition of the LG V500 running Android 4.4 Kit Kat for $349. It's available in black only, but it's suddenly the best Andrid tablet on the market, at any price. 

The Google Play edition strips out all the of the superfulus LG apps, restores the icons and notification shade to stock Android style, and replaces LG's menu button on the lower right to what Google demands, the "recents" button, which lets you quickly go back to a recently used app.

So if you go for this unique, medium sized tablet, you have two outstanding versions to choose from at different price points: $299-$349 for the LG version in black or white, and $349 for the Google Play version in black. It's the best of what Android does in two distinct flavors, and it's my choice for tablet of the year.

In Defense Of The "Boring" Cars At The NYIAS: Part 3, The 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander GT S-AWC

The New York International Auto Show is long over. But I am not quite finished with my tips of the cap to the boring, yet practical cars of the show.

My third pick is a vehicle that has grown on me quite a bit the more I read about it - the third generation Mitsubishi Outlander. Part of this is because it has been on sale across Europe for over a year already. Another reason is because Mitsubishi has really brought the good stuff, especially for those who cross the $30K threshold (although that may be overpriced). Fully loaded, you get the guts of Mitsubishi's most legendary off road vehicles, the Pajero and Challenger, an interior that is finally refined and luxurious, and for the first time, a suite of safety technologies that Mitsubishi has only kept in Japan up until now.

I feel this is going to be another unnecessarily long post on automobiles. You have been warned.

As usual, I am ahead of myself. Let's catch up with Mitsubishi, a car company that is doing well in Japan, Australia and the Caribbean, but not many other places these days. Why do us car guys like them? There are several reasons. Mitsubishi is Japan's first mass producer of automobiles, with the Model A in 1917, nearly 20 years before Toyota built their first car. They never really charged into the US market, as I recall. They needed help to get here. So they sold a share of their car business to Chrysler, which realized that they could improve fuel economy in the turbulent 1970s oil market. That partnership resulted in the Dodge Colt, and Mitsubishi's gaining a foothold in the USA.

The 1977 Dodge Colt coupe. Perfect for hooning down under. 

History records that Detroit was too slow to make their cars lighter, more efficient, more reliable, safer, and more comfortable in the 1970s. The Japanese manufacturers did, and took a huge bite out of US market share in the 1980s. Detroit might have even forseen Japan overtaking them, but that didn't stop US manufacturers from partnering with their Asian competitors. Ford parternerd with Mazda. And GM formed partnerships with Suzuki, Subaru, Izusu, and Korean maker Daewoo (the last partnership continues to this day as GM Korea). These partnerships brought smaller, lighter cars to the US.

Not all Americans wanted small cars, to be sure, but the impression I always had was that Americans wanted more choices, and the Japanese companies worked harder to provide them. The more Americans gave Japanese cars a chance, the more Americans appreciated their smaller styles and more ergonomic interiors. Wanted a lightweight, rear wheel drive sports coupe? Datsun, Mazda and Toyota made those. How about a light pickup truck for those who didn't need an Ford F-150? The Japanese created a whole new compact pickup market. Subaru brought standard all wheel drive to its entire lineup beginning in the late 70s. Mid 1980s cars like the Honda Civic HF and Toyota FX-16 gave Americans both sporty performance and high fuel economy, unheard of in American cars. And while the XJ Jeep Cherokee, Chevy Blazer and Ford Bronco were the kings of the second generation of American SUVs, the Toyota Land Cruiser, Isuzu Trooper, and Mitsubishi Pajero (a.k.a. Montero) quickly became legends in the own right.

There was a slow build up before Mitsubishi could become a known and respected brand in the US. Up until the early 1980s, Mitsubishi was just a smaller manufacturer of lightweight sedans. But their engine building reputation got them more business from their rivals. Their partnership with Chrysler led to them to design and build more engines for companies like Hyundai and PSA Peugeot Citroën. Together with Chrysler and Hyundai, they developed the World Engine project, which supplied engines to all three companies for nearly 20 years. The Eagle (Chrysler) Talon had a bulletproof Mitsubishi alloy engine. So did the first Hyundai Elantra. A lot of Mitsubishi DNA went into some of Chrysler's most successful cars of the 1990s, such as the Dodge Intrepid and Stealth (which was actually a rebadged Mitsubishi GTO, one of the most successful GT cars of its time). And they manufactured the first generation Volvo S40, which was a redesigned version of the Mitsubishi Carisma.

Another rare bird. The Lancer Wagon, sold in Asia, Europe, and Canada only.

Designing and building engines for other car manufacturers is something Mitsubishi has done for decades. But it needed to find a niche of its own in order to build brand identity in the US. And by the early 1980s, it seemed to have found it in the compact Lancer sedan, the rugged SUV known as the Pajero (also called the Shogun and Montero in other markets), and the slightly more comfortable, full size SUV known as the Challenger. The Lancer and Pajero were introduced in 1973 (with the Pajero undergoing 9 more years of development before it went on sale). The 4-door Pajero came to the US in 1983 as the Montero. The 2-door Pajero followed as the Dodge Raider in 1987. The following summer, Mitsubishi added the Eclipse coupe and Galant midsize sedan to its US lineup.

By 1990, the Eclipse and Montero were hits in the US, giving Mitsubishi the opening it needed to expand its network of dealerships. Along with the Lancer and Galant, these four cars would be Mitsubishi's core US lineup for 13 years. The Lancer would become a worldwide hit once its high performance varient -the Evolution- was produced.

There would be no big expansion on that lineup. The wonderful Delica minivan made the briefest of apperances in the US. Pickup truck models would come and go. The mirage subcompact would come and go (and now it’s back). But essentially, Mitsubishi Motors USA sold four vehicles with the red diamond logo on them from 1988 to 2011, with the Lancer and Montero becoming the most loved and respected over time.

Most auto enthusiasts would get to know the Lancer. It made the incredible transition from a cheap compact to an all-wheel-drive, four door rally car rivaled only by the Subaru WRX. Like the Subaru, Ford Escort and Citroën Xsara, the Lancer is one of the great rally car sales and marketing success stories of the last 30 years. Most Americans would recognize the Montero as well. It's arguably the only other Japanese off road vehicle that could keep up with the Toyota Highlander in all conditions (and the Isuzu Trooper II wasn't far behind the Montero). In harsh, hot environments such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the American Southwest, you can still see quite a few Monteros in use. People who currently own one are holding onto them. They are special vehicles. Mitsubishi still sells the Pajero and Challenger, where they are especially loved in Australia.

A 2007 Pajero and a 1983 model, which was sold as the Montero in the Americas.

Things were going really well for Mitsubishi in the US around the year 2000. They had earned respect. They had big budget commercials on American TV and sales were up. But then "Project America" happened around 2001. It was a corporate misfire, and cost them dearly. Since 2003, Mitsubishi Motors in the US has been slowly dying, and Project America, combined with cuts in marketing expenses are directly to blame.

Since I don't know too much about it, I'll keep my summary short. Essentially, Mitsubishi decided to re-design and build two of their models, the Galant and Montero, in the USA (Normal, Illinois), and introduce a crossover tp be sold worldwide as the Outlander.

First, they redesigned the Galant with an emphasis on what they thought Americans wanted in the 21st century. They thought Americans wanted longer, more retro looking sedans. But Americans only bought more Accords and Camrys. Those who didn't go with Japan's two most popular brands gave Ford's new global sedan platform a try, which boosted both sales and prestige for the Mazda 6 and Ford Fusion. Even the smaller, BMW-like Subaru Legacy became a smash hit. The Galant, having achieved greatness in design and technology in its eighth generation (1996-2003) became totally left behind in its final form. A last minute attempt to market the Galant in Australia as a muscle car failed. In August 2012, the Galant ended its production worldwide, and the company is still trying to sell off unused inventory in the US.

The ninth generation Galant. From sleek and fun to drive to long, heavy, and ugly.

In the second phase of Project America, a similar thing happened to the Montero. But I would argue the consequence was worse, because it cost Mitsubishi its flagship in the world's second largest car market. The US-based design team made the Montero longer and bumpier, with pronounced bumpers and thick fender flares, and renamed it the Endeavor. They also gave it the retro fascia of the ninth generation Galant. Mitsubishi must have realized that their new face for American cars was terrible, because they quickly revised the facia of the Endeavor, but the damage had been done. By 2009, sales of the Endeavor were so bad, Mitsubishi Motors USA suspended production for over a year to give unsold inventory a chance to decrease. In August 2012, the Endeavor was discontinued in all of North America. The Montero is still a hit worldwide as the Pajero, and it's still a real off roader worth buying. But with no 4x4 in the US market, Mitsubishi only lost precious market share.

Under the bumpy skin it was still a Montero. But Americans rejected it in droves.

Just so I'm clear, I'm arguing that missteps in the physical design of the Galant and Endeavor sealed their fates. Quite often, how bad a car looks can explain its demise, just like missteps in marketing, poor corporate leadership, or overall poor build quality. Just look at what happened late in the game to Pontiac and Isuzu.

For Project America's third phase, Mitsubishi entered the crossover market with the Outlander. Of the three "Project America" projects, it has not been a disaster. But it had a rough start. The first generation actually looked great in Japan (known in the JDM market as the Airtrek). But in the US, the Outlander (a name too close to the Subaru Outback, I think), was given a similar, retro nose and grill similar to the last generation Galant and Endeavor. The big grill vents look like something out of Fallout (where big 1950s car designs rust away in post World War III America). But Mitsubishi probably caught a break here. The Outlander was affordable, had all wheel drive, and was relatively efficient. Its sales numbers were respectable, and it was spared the axe.

2003-2006 Outlander and its ugly grille. 

The second generation Outlander was a vast improvement. It had more room and luxury features. It intorduced a 650-watt audio system by Rockford Fosgate. It had one of the better navigation systems available. And it offered Mitsubishi's new, global small truck engine, the 6B3. After a long hiatus, one of the engines offered in the Pajero and Challenger in three continents had returned to the States, more efficient than ever before.

Entertainment / navigation hub in the second generation Outlander. One of the best offered at the time.

The Outlander stretched from 179 to 184 inches to to accommodate a third row of seats, and the price, fully loaded, swelled to $34K. And yet, it became a hit, mainly because the entry level trims offered a lot of car for the money, and the quality was a marked improvement over the second generation. The Galant may have been dying. The Eclipse had been beaten by a new generation of east Asian rear wheel drive sports cars (Nissan Z, Hyundai Genesis, the Toyota-Subaru twins). But Mitsubishi had found a new product to compliment the Lancer, and remain in the US as a small niche brand.

The 2007-2012 Outlander. Progress!

It was soon time for Mitsubishi to do three things: reboot their North American marketing, increase their American marketing budget (a big reason sales dropped since 2009), and redesign an existing, popular vehicle without ruining it.

In the summer of 2012, the third generation Outlander debuted in Russia to positive reviews. Then it came to its native Japan. Then Australia. Then mainland Europe. And now, finally, the USA. So far, the two biggest gripes are that the base engine is too weak, and the GT model with AWD and the V6 is overpriced. The critics are nearly unanimous that overall, it is an improvement over the second generation model, aside from the loss of the drop-down tailgate. The critics also agree that while the styling is conservative on the inside, it's what American drivers prefer in terms of materials. A soft-touch dashboard goes a long way to win critics’ hearts these days.

The new Outlander is the most aerodynamic Mitsubishi ever produced with a drag coefficient of 0.33. Design-wise, it has elements of things I have liked over the last 10 to 20 years. It has a somewhat rectangular profile similar to the last generation Montero to be sold in the US, or the first generation Toyota Highlander. The front air intake is prominent, and probably shows too much radiator, but I appreciate the wide distance between the front headlamps (one of, if not the widest in the US market). The rear window is curved, contemporary, and compact. And the crystal clear brake light lenses are reminiscent of the previous generation Subaru Impreza, and they blend into the rear bumpers and lines very well. The stamped steel roof has ridges, which are functionally unnecessary, but similar to the ones seen in rugged vehicles like the Nissan XTerra, Ford Escape, and Jeep Wrangler. There are no fender flares like previous Outlanders. This is a tighter, more minimalist exterior design.

A nice accent: the chrome trim under the side windows swoops up to highlight the C pillar. It's almost a Hoffmeister Kink.

Rear brake light lenses remind this author of the third generation Subaru Impreza.

The Outlander is no wider over the previous generation - a relatively narrow 71 inches (just an inch wider than my Hyundai Elantra Touring). It has actually shrunk in overall length by one inch to 183 inches. Because of this, and its reduced weight, it is classified by the EPA as a compact SUV, like the Subaru Forester. But in terms of overall dimensions, it should be considered a midsize SUV. It is very similar in dimensions to the Subaru Tribeca, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, Chevy Captiva/Equinox, Kia Sorento, Dodge Journey, and Ford Edge. And of those vehicles, only the Outlander has a standard third row seat. In addition, the Outlander promises fuel economy equal to the Captiva and Santa Fe Sport, at about 25-28 MPG overall. Those are the Outlander’s key selling points, and the company can only hope American buyers take notice.

In the American three-row SUV market, the list is short, and the prices often creep above $35K. There’s the Chevy Traverse, Ford Explorer, Dodge Durango (essentially a lengthened Jeep Grand Cherokee), Hyundai Santa Fe Seven, Toyota Highlander, and Mitsubishi Outlander. With the lowest entry level sticker price of that group, the Outlander has an advantage it needs to market to death. It seems to be working. I’m seeing Outlander ads on TV again, marketed towards moms and dads alike (dads get a Monument Valley ad, moms get ads about the active safety technology). More important, I’m beginning to see the new Outlander here and there. I saw one at the Newport Folk Festival in July, and another in midtown Manhattan last week. So it is selling. But where is the cost cutting, and is it worth it to step up the premium model?

Not having driven the premium GT S-AWC model yet, I can’t comment on performance. But I spent some quality time in one at the 2013 New York International can make some observations conclusions about the overall package.

So what do you get for starters? Things you should expect for a contemporary crossover. The Outlander has independent suspension, four wheel disc brakes, steering wheel-mounted cruise and audio controls, an alloy engine, deep tint rear windows, and heated side view mirrors. So far so good.

The base model, the ES, gets a 2.4 liter I4 generating 166 horsepower, mated to a CVT. The jury is in on that combination: it’s efficient but sluggish, like the former Honda Element. The slightly more luxurious SE gets the same combo. The SE S-AWC also gets it, except it also gets a transfer case and center differential, for part-time all-wheel drive (or as Mitsubishi calls it, “Super All Wheel Control,” or S-AWC). I expect the SE S-AWC to be the best selling model, as it offers more convenience, safety, and luxury packages while retaining the 28MPG overall average. That’s the same average as the slightly smaller Chevy Captiva.

But the Grand Touring (GT) trim interests me the most, despite the high price. It swaps out the four banger and CVT for the 6B3 engine and a new 6-speed automatic transmission. Peak horsepower is only obtainable at high RPMs, but the overall noise and vibration is far lower compared to the ES andd SE trims. The GT also adds aluminum paddle shifters on the steering wheel and digital, dual zone climate control. S-AWC comes standard with the GT, as well as the option to lock all wheel drive at slow speeds. Don’t expect a 0-60 time of under 9 seconds, but do expect a quieter, more confident ride, as well as better road feedback and handling, which I greatly prefer. If the Outlander with the CVT feels slightly numb, like a first generation Nissan Murano, as I suspect, then I would hope the Outlander with the 6-speed feels more like a Hyundai Santa Fe sport. That would be a lot more fun.

There is a high price to pay for the upgraded drivetrain - about $5,000 more. And then, with the price nearing $30K, you might be tempted to get the Grand Touring options package, which adds heated leather seats, a sunroof, and the 710-watt audio system by Rockford Fosgate. That brings it to about $31K. If you go all the way and add Navigation, a power liftgate, and radar cruise control and speed limiter, it tops out around $34K. That’s about the price of a well equipped Santa Fe Sport with nearly the same features (minus the third row of seating, and substituting a turbocharged I4), or the price of an entry level Audi Q5 (also with a turbocharged I4). That’s premium territory, and critics have pointed out, it's a bit much for any Mitsubishi aside from the Lancer Evolution or Challenger.

Stepping inside the Outlander, you can see the critics have a point. The gauges are LED-illuminated, not electroluminescent (a premium feature these days). The steering wheel, while leather wrapped, is not small and beefy as is the trend today (see any current BMW, Audi, or the Jeep Grand Cherokee). The centerpiece of technology is the Rockford Fosgate radio/CD/NAV unit, which, since 2008, has always looked more like an aftermarket product than a factory installed option. But I am still in love with that unit. It’s among the best factory-provided satellite radio and navigation units available.

The dash, at long last, is soft touch, but the design is closer to cargo van than luxury SUV (I admit, I am fond of the new design, because it is closer to what Mitsubishi and Subaru offer in their domestic market vans). The vents are up high, and the center stack is nearly vertical. But in a nice ergonomic touch, all the buttons and controls are all angled at the driver, not unlike the last Saabs or the current Kia Optima. There is no Mazda-like slope to the center stack. There’s nothing to surround the driver in soft materials. But that does seem to be Mitsubishi’s design philosophy, as seen in the nearly vertical center stacks in both the Challenger and Pajero SUVs overseas.

I have no idea why manufacturers like Ford and Nissan think that piano gloss black plastic is a premium material. I try not to touch my dashboard as a general rule, but piano black is a fingerprint magnet. It’s usually a dealbreaker for me, but I admit it looks okay here. The buttons are big enough so it’s difficult not to miss them with your finger. But I will have to wait until a test drive to see if the aluminum trim around the cluster of buttons is reflected in the windshield. The Saab 9-3 had that issue, and in sunlight, it caused the trim to appear as a bright line across the driver’s line of sight out the front windshield.

So the interior is conservative. But still, on a scale of Western vs. Japanese, I’m happy to say that the Outlander still feels Japanese. I actually consider that a selling point in in the current US market, as most Japanese automakers are designing their cars in Europe and the US.

The back seat is fine. There’s plenty of legroom. The seats are firm and supportive. My rule for back seats is simple. If there’s more room than a BMW 5 series, and a drop-down center armrest, then I’m happy. If not, then I have a impractical car that can’t accommodate my mother in law. Most cars skimp on legroom, especially the German brands. I need those seats to be roomy.

Cargo space is also fine. With the third row folded flat, there’s 34 cubic feet of space behind the second row of seats. With the second row folded down, cargo space becomes an impressive 63 cubic feet, a little more than my own Hyundai Elantra Touring. I carry a toolkit, various tote bags, and two beach chairs in my Elantra Touring at all times, and can still carry two pieces of rolling luggage when needed. The Outlander can easily do the same.

A panoramic sunroof is not an option at this time (something you’d hope for above the $30K mark). Mitsubishi opted not to make a rear seat DVD or video game center available, which opens the door to plenty of aftermarket choices for families who need to keep their kids entertained.

Third generation Outlander conceptual illustration, circa 2008.

Although the automotive world saw this vehicle coming in slow motion since 2008, I like how Mitsubishi maintained its size and overall look during the design process. From conceptual drawings, to concept show car, to final production model, Mitsubishi took care to make this a global car, marketed in nearly every continent as the first vehicle of a refreshed car company looking to put recent mistakes behind them.

Third generation Outlander prototype, 2009.

I will kick its tires again at the New England International Auto Show in January 2014. And there is an outside chance that the plug-in hybrid model, the Outlander PHEV will make an appearance at the New York International Auto Show in April, as Mitsubishi hopes to sell it in the US before the end of calendar year 2014. We’ll see if this vehicle lives up to my positive first impressions in the months ahead.

I'm probably in the minority when I say that I care about Mitsubishi, and I want them to stay in the USA. Mitsubishi, Mazda, and Subaru are the smaller, "performance" brands from Japan,and I'm a fan of all three. What Mitsubishi does over the next 12 months will decide their fate here, as does the sales figures for the new Outlander.

Rehab, American Style

Michael Douglas got a well deserved Emmy for his performance as Liberace in Steven Soderbergh's swan song, Behind the Candleabra. At the end of his acceptance speech, he made a reference to his 34 year-old son, Cameron, who is serving a drug use sentance, with two full years in 23-hour solitary confinent.

He elaborated backstage:

If you happen to have a slip, this for a prisoner who is not violent … they punish you....In my son's case, he has spent almost two years in solitary confinement, and right now I'm being told I cannot see him for two years. It's been over a year now, and I'm questioning the system. Obviously, at first I was disappointed with my son, but I've reached a point now where I'm very disappointed with the system.

The next day, Sabhbh Walshe of The Guardian, agreed with him, and drove the point home in her analysis:

People may have little sympathy for Cameron Douglas, the poor little rich kid who had it all and couldn't handle any of it. He did break the law numerous times by dealing drugs to feed his habit and deserved to be sanctioned for that. It's reasonable to assume also that if he had come from a poor minority background, he may have received an even harsher initial sentence and no one would have been writing newspaper articles about him or calling out to him during high profile award ceremonies. Still his case deserves attention as it typifies the stupidity of the war on drugs that has caused America's prison population to explode while doing almost nothing to eradicate drug use in our society.

I can add my two cents and say that Mr. Douglss and Ms. Walshe are absolutely correct.

The last time I was called for jury duty, I spent seven of the most depressing hours of my life watching white lawyers, judges, court officers and jurors, busily administering the drug laws of the commonwealth of Massachusetts. All the defendants and their families were sad, poor persons of color, who were going to rot in prison and have their futures wrecked because poor, sad, addicted poor people use illegal drugs. When I was finally called to explain my unwillingness to serve on a jury, I told the judge I considered the drug laws of this nation to be close to the classic definition of insanity. We are doing the same things, over and over again, and expecting a different result.

Drug addiction is a medical problem, and drug dealing is a function of the poverty and lack of opportunities that's endemic in this country. Our answer to this social pathology? Lock up one third of the young men of color in this country, incarcerate more people than any other nation on earth, create a vast, corrupt and wasteful prison industrial complex, and continue this madness year after year, as the problem gets worse! Yes, Mr. Douglas was right to address this at the Emmys.

Just What Was Tom Smith Thinking?

The stages of finding the first bad song by one of my favorite bands:

1. A grandiose breakup song. Okay.

2. Sustained falsetto. That's....different.

3. Holy shit, it's a Journey song!

4. But it's got a hook. Play it again. And again.

5. Singing along is actually possible, and fun, so long as you act sincere.

6. Oh hell, this is a cheesy Phil Collins song!

7. Some country band could cover this and make it a smash country hit. Just maybe.

Let's Try This Aussie V8 Supercar Thing Again

Supposedly there are enough Americans who want a rear wheel drive sedan that can run with the BMW 5 series, but don't want to pay more than $50K like a 5 series. But does this country really want a rear wheel drive GM sedan? Haven't we been here before?

GM tried this in 2008 with the Pontiac G8. It was a Holden Commodore in disguise - and a fine one at that.

Well, here comes the Holden Commodore again, as the Chevy SS (they should never have introduced that name in the 60s).

It will be a sales dud.

When GM gives us what we "want," we get all excited for the car at the auto show, NASCAR event, or dealership. But then we buy a Malibu, Impala, or a Honda or Toyota. It's part common sense. It's also the hard fact that most American car buyers, male or female, are looking for the most practical sedan that gets them where they need to go. Those who want rear wheel drive, American vehicles, buy a Jeep, Dodge, or Chrysler, and those who want a BMW or Mercedes simply look to those dealerships.

There's a difference between what excites car people, and what the market clearly shows us: that buyers want luxury and technology features, and are willing to stretch auto loans to 7 or even 8 years to get those leather seats, big rims, panoramc moonroofs, and touchscreen infotainment systems. Explaining to a buyer why they would have a much more fun driving experience with the rear wheel drive SS over the front wheel drive Impala could be fruitless. But GM will give it one more try.

I'm calling it now. It's going to FAIL. It doesn't deserve to fail, mind you. But like sport wagons and practical crossovers, we Americans can't have all the nice things. We have more car choices than ever before, and that might be the problem. Even the largest car market in the world can't support every niche. Only Japan can.

Postmodernism

Trent Reznor gets it. Always did. This is Copy of A, from Nails' first album in 5 years.

I am just a copy of a copy of a copy
Everything I say has come before
Assembled into something into something into something
I am never certain anymore

I am just a shadow of a shadow of a shadow
Always trying to catch up with myself
I am just an echo of an echo of an echo
Listening to someone's cry for help

Look what you had to start
Why all the change of heart?
Well you need to play your part
A copy of a copy of a
Look what you've gone and done
Well that doesn't sound like fun
See I'm not the only one
A copy of a copy of a

I am little pieces little pieces little pieces
Pieces that were picked up on the way
Imprinted with a purpose with a purpose with a purpose
A purpose that's become quite clear today

Look what you had to start
Why all the change of heart?
Well you need to play your part
A copy of a copy of a
Look what you've gone and done
Well that doesn't sound like fun
See I'm not the only one
A copy of a copy of a

I am just a finger on a trigger on a finger
Doing everything I'm told to do
Always my intention my intention your attention
Just doing everything you tell me to

Look what you had to start
Why all the change of heart?
Well you need to play your part
A copy of a copy of a
Now look what you gone and done
Well that doesn't sound like fun
So I'm not the only one
A copy of a copy of a

Look what you had to start
Why all the change of heart?
Well you need to play your part
A copy of a copy of a
Now look what you gone and done
Well that doesn't sound like fun
See I'm not the only one
A copy of a copy of a

(Look what you had to start) Look what you had to start
(Why all the change of heart) Why all the change of heart
(You need to play your part) You need to play your part
A copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a
(Look what you've gone and done) And look what you've gone and done
(Yeah, that doesn't sound like fun) That doesn't sound like fun
(Yeah, I'm not the only one) See I'm not the only one
A copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a

A Quick Note About Reflective High Profile Buildings

Architects and their sponsors have often been guilty of allowing their ambitions to overwhelm their common sense. But these days, technology and ego have combined to produce buildings that approach lethality.

Why, one wonders, does a designer simply ignore the likely consequences of using highly polished surfaces in dense, urban environments? Why does he create a building which cannot ever be watertight, or creates wind tunnels which propell hurricane force winds down pedestrian packed streets?  Why not, if it brings fame and huge fees!

Update, September 6, 16:50: "We'll take care of it."

Will Pardew Ever Figure Out His Midfield?

No.

And I much as I want to like this guy, I can't trust him as a manager if he can't figure what should be a good problem for a manager to have. His problem is, he has too many midfielders, but doesn't know where they should fit, and in which formation.

Where do they fit?

We have learned an awful lot since things fell apart last October after a season start that had Newcastle on pace for an 8th place finish. A year ago, Yohan Cabaye and Cheik Tiote were the core of what could be one of the best midfields in the English Premier League.

Flash forward to last month, and it clear to many armchair analysts like myself that Canaye and Tiote should not be on the pitch at the same time. Tiote is a defensive midfielder, and enforcer. He strikes me as someone you bring in to defend a second half lead (something Newcastler were terrible at last season). Cabaye is supposed to be one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe. But for reasons most pundits don't know, his passing simply disappeared last season. Couple that with Cisse's poor year, and the offense was effectivly disabled. 

What can bring the triangular passes back? The simple passes that generate scoring chances?

If there are zero expectations for Jonas at left wing, why keep starting him? Surely Marveaux can take over?

And can Hatem Ben Arfa at right wing ever be trusted? Yes, he's a magician when he runs with the ball. But a rebuilt midfield would not include him, would it?

We fans and pundits have the correct questions. Alan Pardew does not know the answers.

We Have Waited For This Day

We can now configure the all new Jeep Cherokee online!

This answers some questions, like which models have brown seats (the Limited), and what's the price (about $34,000 with the panoramic sunroof and all the technology options).

The only model to offer brown seats is the Limited. The seats are actually a volcanic clay and navy blue called Vesuvio (because daddy Fiat said so). 

However, I know Jeep, and if it's a hit, there will be special editions and probably more colors in the years ahead.

IF it's a hit.

But the bottom line remains the vehicle's best feature: This is the world's first crossover with a 9-speed automatic transmission. That, coupled to Fiat's new Tigershark 2.4L Multiair engine, it should get close to 30 miles per gallon, even with four wheel drive. Awesome.

What Newcastle United Must Do In The Next Four Weeks

Well, the answer to the question is obvious, isn’t it? Newcastle need a few more players. Maybe only two more if they don’t lose Yohan Cabaye.

It appears likely that Newcastle United are close to their first major signing of the summer transfer window. While I really like Gouffran and Sissoko, their two newest forwards signed in January, they need additional strikers to make up for the gap left when they lost Leon Best and presumably will lose when Papiss Cissé leaves the club.

The best striker, as things stand, the best available striker is Bafétimbi Gomis. Newcastle have expressed interest in him, and better still, he has reciprocated. So get the deal done, right?

Well, not so fast. Since 2011, Newcastle have not been quick to buy any new players in the summer season. No one really has an answer as to why this is so. The most pessimistic of Newcastle supporters fear that the four signings from January are the new summer signings. Considering what happened last summer (one signing), they have every right to be concerned.

Newcastle need two new strikers, with our without Cissé on board, and at least one of them needs to be world class. The clock is ticking. Get it done.

NUFC: This Is Not The Change We Requested

This is a very late post. But this blog needs to repeat it, as if the point hasn't been made enough.

While we wait for Newcastle's first significant signing of the summer (if there is going to be one at all), it just needs to be acknowledged that Newcastle United Football Club have arguably the worst front office in all of professional sports.

As an American, I know there are some really bad front offices here. Actually, there is a long list: The Chiefs, Knicks, Mets, Pirates, Bruins, (Arizona) Cardinals, Twins, and Royals, just to name a few.

So apparently there has been a power struggle between manager Alan Pardew and chief scout Graham Carr. Alan Pardew, of course, has recently finished one of the most disappointing seasons in recent Newcastle United history, with a 16th place finish in the table, and a staggering 45 league goals conceded.

Having signed an 8-year contract last October, it is understandable that the board would put Pardew on a short leash. But their next move has the press, fans, and even the competition confused and bewildered. The club hired former manager (and arguably one of the poorest managers in the top flight in recent years) Joe Kinnear as Director of Football.

The news of Kinnear’s appointment leaked on Sunday June 16, just a week after I returned from my annual visit to Vieques, and around the time I was hoping to hear that Newcastle was preparing a few bids for players once the transfer window opened on JUly 1. Newcastle fans remember how disastrous Kinnear’s tenure was with the club as manager. But it still came as a shock when Kinnear walked into a radio station on Monday June 17, before the club had confirmed his appointment, and declared himself to be the final word on new signings, as well as Alan Pardew’s boss. He also declared, before the official announcement, that Managing Director Derek Llambias was on his way out. Oh, and it was simply offensive and bizarre.

Derek Llambias did indeed resign. Friendly with fans, and seemingly on board with Pardew’s French and African recruiting plan for the club, Llambias’ departure set off alarms all over Tyneside.

But when Pardew broke his silence after his summer vacation on July 8, he showed no sign of wanting to quit, and expressed his commitment to the new power structure in the front office. He even said that he and Llambias didn’t work well together.

It would appear that Alan Pardew has the toughest task of any Premier League manager in the 2013-2014 campaign. He has to use the squad he currently has, plus or minus no more than 4 players total, and deliver a top 12 finish, while being overseen by one of the least successful and most despised men in all of English football. Joe Kinnear hadn’t been re-hired by any top flight club since being fired by Newcastle in 2009. His being re-hired by the club that should know how terrible he is makes this story all the more extraordinary.

It will be, in words of The Guardian’s Louise Taylor, a minefield.

UPDATE, July 21, 11:00 EDT, The Mag reports that Kinnear has just hired former Sunderland and Newcastle player, Mick Harford, as a coach. He had agreed to join East London club Milwall as a coach just last month. This probably puts additional restraints on Alan Pardew, and not just because Harford used to wear red and white stripes. These are interesting times, indeed.

UPDATE, July 22, Harford has rejected Kinnear's job offer. Smart move, Lad.

The New Google Maps

The new Google Maps is here. It's gorgeous, and more helpful. Plus, it anticipates what you like and what you search for (given that it normally relies on your Google account).

However, gone is the ability to create custom maps. The "my places" custom maps have been left behind in Google Maps Classic.

I will have to download my custom map data, or print them, as I'm sure Google will retire the classic map in a couple years time (or sooner).

 

In the meantime, wait for the updates to arrive to your mobile device, or go to maps.google.com to sign up for the new web version of Maps.

You'll see that it attaches keywords to places, based on user reviews and social media.  So for example, if you click on The Strawberry pub in Newcastle Upon Tyne, you'll see keywords like "roof terrace." Pretty cool.

What felt new in 2004 is new again.

The Most Secretive Presidency Since Nixon

Books will be written about this. I firmly expect Glenn Greenwald to be among those to write one of the best books. But I will say just this.

The Obama administration's record on civil liberties is the worst since the sixties and seventies, when the Johnson and Nixon crowds let loose the Feds on anti-war activists.

Obama is, allegedly, a constitutional law professor. Despite that, he appointed Eric Holder as Attorney General, a man who has refused to enforce the anti-fraud laws against the Wall Street bankers who nearly destroyed our economy. At the same time, Holder, presumably under orders from the executive branch, has employed the full weight of the Justice Department against whistleblowers who seek to reveal the crimes of the high and mighty.

Obama has a lot of supporters who have either no idea how secretive his administration is, or choose to ignore that fact. In addition, millions of Americans also choose to ignore that Obama has expanded the "War On Terror," by launching a secret drone war, and has made it a permanent fixture in our nation's foreign policy. That's not a theory; top administration officials have confirmed it.

Obama deserves the AP phone records scandal, and probably many others.

Is It Posh Assholery Or Projection?

Niall Furguson is perhaps the closest thing the UK has to Ann Coulter. He's not a real economist or historian, despite his teaching privileges at Harvard. He's a right wing television commentator with a particular mean spirited, provocative style. He loves to push the buttons of his political and academic opponents.

On May 2nd, speaking to over 500 financial advisors at the Tenth Annual Altegris Conference in Carlsbad, California, Mr. Furguson once again attacked the greatest, most influential economist of the 20th Century. No transcript is available, but he essentially said that the motivation behind Keynes' famous quote, "In the long run, we are all dead," stems from his being both gay and childless. The argument that Keynes' alleged homosexuality weakens or invalidates his economic theories has been a staple of anti Keynes criticism for seven decades.

This is not Ferguson's first homophobic slur against Lord Keynes. As long ago as 1995, in an article for Spectator, Furguson asserted that Keynes opposed the 1919 Treaty of Versailles (which formally ended WWI) because he was sexually attracted to the German representative at the negotiations. That was to argue that Keynes was literally gay for Germany. Then, famously in a 1999 book, he accused the greatest economist of the twentieth century of picking up young men in London.

What is it with all these personal attacks on a man who can't defend himself? Could it be projection? Isn't it always?

I noticed that the Harvard History Department was unavailable for comment on Ferguson's latest nasty remarks. Apparently his nose is broken because the American public refuses to embrace the imperial project he believes the Unites States must pursue in order to be true to its destiny. Poor Niall.

NUFC: A Summer Of Change Is Required

I have wanted to write about Newcastle since their dreadful, historic loss at home against the Mackems. But I've spent too much time being nervous about relegation.

It was too late for Newcastle to make any tactical changes late in the season. They just had to win one more match between April 14 and May 19, and they just got it done against QPR on Sunday. Now we cal all relax a bit. Bit there is so much to be done betweeen now and the end of July.

It is clear to every knowlegible supporter that Newcastle United is a squad full of talented players. But the tactics and player slections were off the entire season.

There are also clear talent gaps. The squad can't afford to have wingers who cannot cross. I'm sorry, Jonas, but you have to go. You also have to go, Tioté.

In the current campaign, this squad has consistant difficulty delivering the ball to the strikers. The combinations are off. They have scoring machines up front. But it's all for nought if the team can't contruct sustained attacks. Giving up the first goal of the match is not the way to 60 points either.

It hurts to think that if this team had gotten just three more wins, they would be sitting in eighth place in the league, right behind Liverpool. That's not a spectacular finish, but very respectable, and away from the cluster of poor teams at the bottom. But what this means is that they are a poor squad. The club needs a lot of rebuilding, and they are going to have to help themselves.

Also, assuming Alan Pardew is given another chance to make things right, he needs to stop saying silly things. Someone get the Silver Fox a public speaking coach.

There really isn't much to say until the summer transfer window is well underway. So I'm going to enjoy a week in Puerto Rico and then hope I return to mainland to news of players bought and sold. This was the case in 2011, when the team bought Marveaux, Obertan, and Cabaye around mid June.

This team needs a bigger, better squad so that it can compete in both the Premiership and in tournaments. That's where the money is. If Newcastle is to reamin a big club (the biggest football club in the world north of 53.5 north latitude, in fact!), then they need to be far better than this.

So Many Ways To Derail Bush's Legacy Rehabilitation

It was impossible to avoid coverage of the George W. Bush presidential library opening yesterday (a Thursday, always a good day to invite weekend visitors).

It was also painful having to watch three Democratic presidents (two former and one current) say generic, nice things about the man. But this is what politicians do. They are good actors. But then again they are all part of the same club. It doesn't get any higher for these guys. So members of that club can and do get along. How else could Clinton honor Nixon when he passed away, or Obama say anything positive about Bush 43?

There has been at least one great book about his presidency.

Here's a very recent blog post by Jonathan Chait, reminding everyone of how the library treads lightly over so much that went so wrong. Namely, he was never good, and he was never smart.

There are countles ways to deny Bush any positive legacy. There is no positive legacy to be found anywhere in his two terms. 

Actually, he was the worst president in my lifetime, and arguably the worst EVER.

As the linked post above makes clear, he was not smart.  One only has to remember the following true story.

In 2000, candidate Bush asked former Defense Secretary Dick Cheney to conduct a search for a suitable vice presidential candidate for the ticket. Cheney came back a few weeks later, presumably after an exhaustive review of the Republican Party's luminaries, and told Bush that he had discovered the perfect running mate.

And who was this paragon? Right, Dick Cheney!

And what did Bush do? Did he laugh in Cheney's face, tell him this suggestion must be a joke, point out that if he had thought Cheney was the right match he would have asked him in the first place? No, he named Cheney as the man who would be a heart beat from the presidency. Smart?  I rest my case.

And so will many, many others, for years to come.

The 2014 Jeep Cherokee Is Awesome

Allow me to cut to the heart of the brewing Jeep Cherokee design controversy. If this were unveiled as the 2014 Jeep Liberty, there wouldn't be as much outrage. It has an A pillar and sloping front door line reminiscent of the Kia Sportage. It has a rear windshield and taillight setup similar to the Subaru Tribeca. So what? Seriously. So what? There is no rule that the Jeep Cherokee needs to look like this:

Just as there's no rule that forbids a Range Rover from looking like this:

Jeep already has a vehicle in its lineup, the Patriot, that looks slightly retro, like the XJ Cherokee (1984-2001).

It's the year 2013. Jeep has only one body-on-frame truck in its lineup, the Wrangler. That's their most capable off road vehicle. Every other new vehicle they lunch is going to be a car-based unibody design. The Compass? I didn't see much hate towards their female-friendly, comfy crossover, based on the Dodge Caliber. The Patriot? It comes in a Trail Rated trim, but it too is based on the Dodge Caliber, and originally had a CVT transmission.

Jeep has a flagship that people love - the Grand Cherokee. It's challenge is to make a desirable intermediate SUV that won't compete with either the Wrangler or Grand Cherokee. 

And so, after Fiat acquired Chrysler, they immediately put the Fiat Viaggio platform to work in North America. The first product was the new Dodge Dart. You remember the Dart name, don't you? In the 60s and 70s, the Dart was a well powered compact car, which back then was still a car over 100 inches long. It is Stephen King's favorite Dodge of all time. Now it's back as a contemporary compact sedan, built on a front wheel drive, Fiat platform.

The 2012/2013 Jeep Liberty

And so the Jeep Liberty, while popular with both rental chains and Jeep fans since 2001, was not delivering what the majority of crossover buyers want in North America. They want more smartphone integration. They want a more ergonomic driving position. They also want a quieter ride and improved fuel economy (the Wrangler is not good in either category). Simply put, Jeep, seeing a large sales increase since the acquisition by Fiat, wants to keep the momentum going. And while the second generation Liberty is a big improvement over the first, it only has a three percent market share in the intermediate SUV segment – the most popular car segment in the USA. With this third generation vehicle, they think they can compete with the Ford Escape, both in the rental chains (which they already do) and the driveways of the suburbs. With four trim levels, two engines, and three all wheel drive systems to choose from, the Cherokee might be the vehicle to help Jeep push past the 1 Million units sold mark within a fiscal year.

Chrysler was expecting a fan backlash to this new design. But so far, they are unapologetic

The Cherokee won't compete against the Kia Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, Honda CR-V, or Toyota RAV4. While the four cylinder versions of the Cherokee will have thee engine positioned horizontally with a front wheel drive bias, the Trailhawk trim can go far off road, leaving those vehicles, plus the Ford Escape, on the pavement.

In the commercial vehicle market, the current Liberty competes very well against the Ford Escape and Chevy Captiva. The Captiva is popular with the US Government, and the Escape is popular with small businesses. Liberties are seen all over cities, including New York. But I suspect this redesign will not make it a popular choice among plumbers. Jeep is aiming straight at the active small family set.

The press won't have any first drive reviews until at least May. Jalopnik was the website that first revealed the new Cherokee rolling off the assembly line. Most writers at Jalopnik who have written about it have defended the design and return of the Cherokee name in America (the Liberty was sold in other markets as the Cherokee). Matt Hardigree has already explained how the KL Cherokee is technically superior to the XJ Cherokee. Here are more reasons:

The 2.4 liter Tigershark inline 4 engine is Chrysler's replacement of the World Engine project co-developed with Hyundai and Mitsubishi. Ford and Hyundai's best engines are small displacement I4 turbos that use regular 87 octane. The Tigershark uses Fiat's “multiair” intake and variable valve timing technology to recycle a small amount of exhaust back into the intake cycle, resulting in a dramatic increase in fuel efficiency.

I just mentioned fuel efficiency. Here's something that will make it even more impressive: a 9-speed automatic transmission. Jeep purists already lament the lack of a manual transmission in the KL Cherokee. But this is the market. This is the 21^st century. And this is the first 9-speed transmission in any mass produced vehicle. This means that even the Trailhawk version, with its full time “Active Drive Lock” 4X4 system, should still get over 30 miles per gallon using the Tigershark engine and the rear axle disconnected (which makes it the first 4X4 Jeep to offer that ability). This should translate into a 45% improvement in fuel economy over the outgoing Liberty.

The interior is welcoming, ergonomic, and beautiful. They really thought it out. It has a back seat 110-volt AC outlet for tailgaters. It has “hill” motifs on the insides of each door. There are plenty of leather and stitching options. It has an 8” entertainment and information center available. It looks like instlling interior LEDs will be easy. And it has a storage compartment on top of the dashboard – perfect for hiding that E-ZPass.

A full size 110v outlet faces the rear passenger seats in the Trailhawk and possibly other trims.

And I have one more reason to love it. Mango Tango! Yes. Mango Tango. Can't wait to see this color on the Cherokee.

Mango Tango on the Dodge Challenger

In Defense Of The "Boring" Cars At The NYIAS: Part 2, The 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek

Another car that isn't going to excite many people, but ranks high on the value meter is the Subaru XV Crosstrek. This car was introduced at last year's show, but it took a year of reviews and comparisons to cars in its class to grow on me. Why? Well. I wanted to give the Hyundai Elantra GT (i30) a fair shake. It has nice features, a good transmission and a very good engine. But the cost cutting in the rear of the car is obvious. Hyundai didn't send the wagon version of the car to the US (as they did in 2009 with the Elantra Touring), and the rear suspension has been downgraded to torsion beam. Most drivers won't notice or care. But I prefer independent rear suspension. Car makers took away the fun of rear wheel drive from us, but at least let us car buyers choose a superior suspension setup. Fortunately there are plenty of other cars out there.

The Crosstrek XV is the better value compared to the Elantra GT. The increased ride height is not for everyone. Nor is the CVT transmission. But the utility features, the slightly larger cargo space, the better stock wheels, and sportier cockpit should win both singles and young families alike. More important, it has a longer list of standard features, especially the heated seats, a feature that I believe Subaru offers standard in al of its cars sold in the US.

Car aficionados lament how Honda got rid of its tradition of using double wishbone suspension on all four wheels. That was and still is a premium, superior suspension design. Subaru has retained double wishbone rear suspension in all of its current US lineup. That's an engineering advantage over cars with torsion beam rear suspension.

Subaru unveiled a hybrid version of the XV Crosstrek at this year's New York International Auto Show. It has a driveshaft, so the rear wheels are not electrified as they are in Subaru's Viziv concept, which they unveiled this past February. The verdict on this more conventional hybrid is that the additional fuel savings probably won't justify the higher price tag. In fact, if anything, it will highlight just what a good value the gasoline-only XV Crosstrek is. Zac Estrada over at Jalopnik points out that the XV Crosstrek hybrid only get 10% better fuel economy over the slightly more fun, and lower priced gasoline model.

Like the Outback Sport before it, the XV Crosstrek is a lot of car for the money, and is Subaru’s best value. It comes well equipped at $20,000.

Subaru's global head of sales and marketing, Tomohiko Ikeda, revealed that Subaru's next two milestones are to electrify the rear wheels in future hybrid models (using independent electric motors, one for each wheel), and then full electrification for all non “performance” models (the BRZ and WRX). But until then, we have Subarus like this. While not nearly as fun to drive as the models that used five speed tradtional transmissions, these will do until the electectric vehicles arrive. At least the Crosstrek brings back some of the quirkyness that made Subaru such a lovable brand.

In Defense Of The "Boring" Cars At The NYIAS: Part 1, The 2013 Toyota RAV4

Car Shows are not really necessary, not in this day and age. The automotive press has shrunken in size. Manufacturers could simply stage events, like Apple or Samsung, and car fans will turn up to see it on the Internet, blogs, news sites, and all kinds of social media.

But car shows are fun. Exotic or hand built cars bring in a lot of ticket paying visitors, while dealers, parts suppliers, and the press all catch up with the latest selling points and automotive technology and marketing. That last bit is key. Going to an automobile show to see the press events is a window to how the vehicles are marketed.

Car design is almost always driven by marketing. Even manufacturers that make cars that put an emphasis on performance, are driven by marketing. BMW's reputation as a performance vehicle, as well as Mazda's reputation as being fun to drive, are shaped by marketing. It's almost all marketing, so as a regular attendee to these shows, I have learned not to get too excited by any car. Most cars aren't collected. They are utilitarian and help compliment an owner's lifestyle or personality. As passionate as I am about cars, I try to block out the highly seductive advertising and promises that come with them.

A few weeks ago, before the New York show, I saw Jalopnik's first impression of the 2013 RAV4. Travis Okulski called it a “sleeping pill.” Zac Estrada simply called it "boring" when it rolled out in LA last fall. Based on Toyota's track record since the Celica and MR-2 were discontinued, I was inclined to agree. Toyota sells a lot of cars by being mechanically reliable, and by playing it very safe (mostly). In many respects, Toyota has become one of the most conservative car makers in the world. They make cars you want to drive for five years and then get a new one without skipping a beat. That's the twentieth century American car marketing and manufacturing model, right?

I never liked the RAV4 very much. The first two generations won accolades for being small and fuel efficient. Motor Trend even called the first generation the best SUV of 1997. It accomplished what the Suzuki Samurai and Daihatsu Rocky couldn't, which was to bring better reliability and comfort to micro SUVs, thereby firmly establishing the segment in the USA. And yes, the RAV4 is credited with being the breakthrough hit that allowed the compact SUV market to flourish in the USA. The Samurai and Rocky were very popular in Africa, Sotheast Asia, and the Caribbean, but it was the RAV4 that made it into big American cities. When you see a Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Hyundai Tucson, Chevy Captiva, or Kia Sportage, you are seeing a vehicle that is following a path that the RAV4 began.

Quick bad analogy, but here goes. Citizen Kane is boring for most people, but it is historically significant. That's the RAV4. Sort of.

But a funny thing happened when I checked out the RAV4 at the New York show this past month. I liked it. I like it better than any previous generation of the product. I like it's Scion-like quirks, such as the asymmetrical placement of the cup holders, or the faux carbon fiber in the center stack. I like the faux leather on the dashboard (which Toyota calls SofTex). I like the six speed automatic transmission and part time AWD.

Sure, I know, we have the right to like anything. The young writers at Jalopnik have the right to call it boring. But I was looking at the new RAV4 as a vehicle that has a little something for everyone. It is a family vehicle, for sure, with a lot more interior room than the Camry just three years ago. And it has classic Toyota touches that I haven't seen in a Toyota for a while, like a row of switches and buttons low on the center stack (that reminded me of every generation of the Land Cruiser since the 80s).

It has a little bit of quirkiness. The wedge front end took me back to the 80s a bit (anyone remember the Corolla FX-16 or the third generation Celica with the headlamps sloped back? This wedge is way bigger, but it made me think of those). And the standard, running board / side skirt on the premium models seems functional, like kids will use it to help them stem into the vehicle. So it's both a ground effect and a practical part of the car. That's 80s, too, I think. It made me wonder if any of the Toyota designers made intentional design winks to the cars that Toyota's customers grew up in. I'd like to think so.

But obviously Marketing drives the RAV4. Who is it for? Young families that need more space than the Camry or Corolla, and want the higher ride height. But it can't be priced higher than the Prius wagon or Highlander. So it's the one Toyota that offers a ton of interior room for the money. That's notable. And that's why I think this latest RAV4 will be remembered fondly out of all the others that succeeded that small, plastic coated SUV 16 years ago. This is the bang for the buck choice in the Toyota lineup.

Another Great History Of The Subaru WRX

Now that we've had a preview of where the Subaru WRX will go within the next 24 months, Mate Petrany over at Jalopnik put together a fine, tight history of a favorite street legal rally car. I tried to do it last year and got a little carried away.

This story of an all new WRX began back in the Spring of 2011, when Subaru told the press at the New York International Auto Show that the Impreza and WRX would go separate ways. They have kept their promise. At this year's show, they told the press that all non-perforance Subarus will one day be fully electrified. I think they will also keep that promise.