After my shopping interlude, I started my research at a site called CarSeek. I found CarSeek through their full, individual reviews of the 2007 and 2008 Equinox models, and after reading them both, I think the folks at CarSeek covet your ‘Nox! Reviews of both years’ models were extremely positive, and enough to make any Equinox owner feel 10 IQ points smarter and 15 pounds thinner. The future of the model seems brighter when independent feedback is so positive. There are many, many well-written vehicle reviews on the CarSeek site, and I want you to know that it’s okay to look at pictures of a Saab or a Toyota while reading about things like “aerodynamic headlights”. It’s not cheating on your Equinox to educate yourself about other types of vehicles, and it’s normal to be curious. I think it’s even acceptable to ask for a quote on another model of car without hurting your ‘Nox’s feelings, but that’s a delicate issue between you and your car. If you did decide to price a cute little Mazda Miata, you can request a quote on CarSeek.com and it will come to you in email. I asked for a quote on a 2008 Equinox LTZ, and I had first email contact in literally 30 seconds, and a full quote is supposed to arrive within a couple of hours. Whoosh… the Internet tubes are fast today! I’ll let you know what pricing is like in my part of the country as soon as I have the information.
CarSeek really appeals to my inner-reader, and I spent quite a bit of time enjoying the handy, informative articles about things like self-parking cars. (It’s cool and it’s creepy). The site also has an extensive selection of news stories related to the automotive industry, although there are no big news surprises right now. People are buying fewer cars, and the industry expects fewer profits. I hope the Equinox is a solid producer for Chevrolet and that it help carry them through the unavoidable financial downturn. I do wish they’d produce a hybrid Equinox, even if times are slow. If you need a primer on hybrids, as I did, CarSeek will hook you up.
This kind of turned into a blog entry about CarSeek rather than an entry about Brangelina, for which I apologize. Seeing as I’ve gone this far, I’d might as well add that CarSeek offers online car insurance quotes and, most importantly, new vehicle car loans (even for those of us who have a few, um, pimples on our financial history). In short, if you’re looking for a nice bit of reading about all things automotive, stop by CarSeek.com. Go for the reviews and articles, stay for the financial quotes and the blueberry cheesecake. It’s a nice way to spend an afternoon, even if you didn’t intend to shop for a new car.
]]>The stories below are just about the new Equinox Sport:
]]>WASHINGTON—General Motors Corp. today will tout its commitment to using advanced technologies to power vehicles with electricity and its research into plug-in hybrids—a cornerstone of its turnaround plan. In a speech at the Los Angeles Auto Show, GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner will outline a product plan based on “energy diversity” using a variety of advanced technologies and fuels that emphasizes the use of electricity to power vehicles. Wagoner also will talk about plans to use an advanced two-mode hybrid system on some larger 2008 model vehicles.
The two-mode hybrid—which GM, BMW and DaimlerChrysler AG will jointly produce—will have an extended driving range on battery power and feature a gasoline or diesel engine that powers the car when the battery is low. Ultimately, the two-mode hybrids could be converted to plug-in hybrids with advances in battery technology, GM officials said.
In his 25-minute speech, Wagoner will talk up the company’s belief in the promise of plug-in hybrids and will reference an upcoming announcement at the Detroit auto show, officials told The News. Next month, GM is expected to show off a concept plug-in hybrid—dubbed the I-car within the company, or iconic vehicle.
Wagoner won’t commit to building a plug-in until the company can overcome technical hurdles and improve battery technology. He will say production timing is specifically linked to technical improvements, according to people familiar with his speech. But GM officials believe the hurdles are “surmountable.” GM has quietly been making significant investments in battery technology, working with its suppliers and battery manufacturers.
“We’re trying to make a statement that says we are part of the solution,” to oil woes and environmental concerns, Troy Clarke, GM’s president for North America, said Tuesday night at a GM media event where golfer Tiger Woods helped the automaker unveil the Buick Enclave crossover. “We have the right technology and we know what customers want.”
GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, head of product development, said this month it will take three to four years “to convert from ‘power’ lithium batteries to ‘energy storage’ lithium cells,” which would allow vehicles to travel farther distances. GM is “studying plug-in hybrids, and will have more to say about those soon. The whole key there is the development of significantly improved battery technology,” Lutz said on a company Web blog in September. “But rest assured I truly believe that electric-drive vehicles have a real future.”
Wagoner’s speech today will emphasize the challenges the industry faces and note that no one could have predicted where the industry was headed in 2001. He will note the national security implications of not moving to eliminate U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Ultimately, GM sees hydrogen fuel cells as the likely solution to ending the country’s reliance on oil. GM believes the key is in using electricity—through hybrids, batteries and fuel cells. GM has made strides in hydrogen technology. It hopes to have 1,000 hydrogen vehicles on the roads by 2010, including 100 Chevy Equinox fuel cell SUVs next year. Its most advanced hydrogen vehicle, the concept Chevy Sequel, can travel 300 miles before refueling.
Plug-in hybrids are gas-electric vehicles that can recharge their batteries with an extension cord and a normal wall outlet. Like conventional gas-electric hybrids, which have two drivetrains, a plug-in hybrid also can recharge its batteries through a regenerative brake system while on the road. The range on plug-in cars has typically been no more than 20 or 30 miles on battery alone. But most vehicle trips are under 30 miles, which would remove the need to use any fuel in many trips.
Bruce Belzowski, assistant research scientist at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, said the jury is still out on what technology will win out in the years to come. “People are placing bets across the range,” Belzowski said. “There are no sure winners.”
]]>It’s a big year at Suzuki, which adds its largest vehicle to its U.S. lineup. The newly revamped Suzuki XL7 debuts for 2007 as a bigger, five- and seven-passenger crossover sport utility vehicle that’s longer, wider and heavier than its predecessor. The XL7 also is restyled, inside and out, has a more powerful V-6 than before and drops the hyphen from its previous, XL-7 name.
Price is up. Starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $23,534 for a base, five-passenger, 2007 XL7 with two-wheel drive. All XL7s come standard with V-6 and automatic transmission. The 2007 pricing also means the new XL7 relinquishes its ranking as the lowest-priced, seven-passenger SUV in America. Starting retail price for a seven-passenger, 2007 XL7 is $24,884 for a two-wheel drive model, compared with $24,145 for a base, 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe with seven seats, which also comes with two-wheel drive, V-6 and automatic transmission. The lowest-priced, 2007 XL7 with all-wheel drive starts at $25,134 and has seats for five. Besides the Hyundai Santa Fe, competitors to the XL7 include the 2007 Chevrolet Equinox, which starts at $22,680 for a V-6-powered, five-passenger SUV with two-wheel drive, and the Equinox twin - the 2007 Pontiac Torrent. The Torrent starts at $22,885.
Suzuki’s XL7 is based on the same platform as Chevy’s Equinox and the Torrent SUVs and is built at the same Canadian assembly plant as the Equinox and Torrent. Suzuki Motor Corp. of Japan and General Motors Corp., which owns the Chevrolet and Pontiac brands, have worked together for years on vehicles and components. But the XL7 is 8.4 inches longer, a tad wider and nearly 2 inches taller, overall, than GM’s Equinox and Torrent. It’s the only one of the three to offer three rows of seats and is heavier and has a noticeably more powerful engine. Specifically, the powerplant in the XL7 has a 3.6-liter displacement, instead of 3.4 liters in the GM SUVs, and it’s tuned to deliver 252 horses and 243 foot-pounds of torque at 3,200 rpm. This compares with 185 horses and 210 foot-pounds of torque at a higher, 3,800 rpm in the Equinox and Torrent versions. It also compares with the Santa Fe’s base, 185-horsepower, 2.7-liter V-6 with 183 foot-pounds of torque at 4,000 rpm and uplevel, 242-horsepower, 3.3-liter V-6 with 226 foot-pounds of torque at 4,500 rpm.
As the numbers indicate, the new XL7 doesn’t lack power. The tester cruised highways easily and passed other vehicles without fuss. Power came on smoothly and impressively via the five-speed automatic transmission. Still, I noticed the heft of this vehicle, which, in the top-of-the-line tester with all-wheel drive and seven seats topped 4,040 pounds. Gosh, this is as much as Cadillac’s largest car, the DTS, weighs, and I found myself wrestling with the idea that a Suzuki could be this large and heavy. I also was surprised to see that the top XL7 surpassed $32,000 in final window sticker price. Suzuki, after all, has built a reputation as a low-priced, small-vehicle manufacturer
Don’t look for fuel savings in the XL7. Rated at just 17 miles per gallon in city driving and 23 mpg on the highway, the tester was midpack among all SUVs - big and small. The considerable weight, plus a softly sprung suspension and some notable body motion in curves and turns, encourages moderate, mainstream driving in the XL7. There’s no real sporty feel here. And watch when making U-turns. The XL7 has a sizable, 41.8-foot turning circle, which compares with 35.8 feet in the Santa Fe. The quieter XL7 ride, though, is a definite improvement over its truck-based predecessor. Indeed, this is the first time Suzuki’s seven-passenger SUV has monocoque body construction, like that of cars. It characterizes many crossover SUVs and contributes to a more car-like ride. Still, with a healthy 7.9 inches of ground clearance underneath, the XL7 can travel over - and above - some obstacles.
All seats, including those in third row, are roomier than I expected. In fact, I found that the third row doesn’t need to be relegated to kids-only status. Second- and third-row seats split and fold down flat to allow for a maximum and surprisingly roomy 95.2 cubic feet of cargo space. The XL7 can tow up to 3,500 pounds. But at highway speeds, riders front and rear noticed wind noise in the test XL7, and the plastic dashboard seemed overly expansive. There were a lot of amenities, though, including leather-trimmed, heated front seats, a seven-speaker audio system and chrome, 17-inch wheels. Traction and stability control are standard, as are antilock brakes and curtain air bags.
]]>“Oh yeah? We’ve got one too, and it’s better!” That’s what Ford is saying to Chevrolet at this year’s Los Angeles auto show. A few months ago, Chevy announced their plans for a fleet of Equinox fuel cell vehicles and also slapped a bowtie on the front of the previously GM-badged Sequel concept.
Because of the obvious competitive factor here, Ford is bragging about the records set by their Explorer. Due to a large, center-mounted fuel tank, the fuel cell Explorer can still hold six passengers while driving 350 miles on one tank of hydrogen. This helped engineers drive 1556 miles in a twenty-four hour period, the most of any fuel cell vehicle.
The SUV has been driving 17,000 miles in the past year as part of a Department of Energy study to determine the feasibility of hydrogen fuel cells as a viable technology for vehicle propulsion in the near future. Alternative energy seems to be the theme of this year’s L.A. show, and it is good to see that the Americans are taking it as seriously as many foreign companies, notably those from Germany.
The bigger news? Ford tells us that this Explorer is just the first in a line of fuel cell demonstration vehicles. The next will be shown in January at the Detroit show. That’s the big stage for the big three, so we’re excited to what they surprise us with.
]]>OAK RIDGE (WATE)—With gas prices rising again, you might be considering a switch to a more affordable kind of fuel. A group of students at UT is perfecting a vehicle that could be right up your alley. On the outside, it looks like any other SUV. But on the inside, it’s a fuel efficient, clean emission work of art.
“We switched the engine from gas six cylinder to a four cylinder diesel engine. We are actually running it on biodiesel,” says UT student Courtney Lindwurm. The Chevy Equinox is part of UT automotive research. Students are working with General Motors in a project called Challenge X, a national competition for engineering students to improve the vehicle by decreasing total energy consumption and emissions while maintaining vehicle performance. It’s a three year program. Seventeen teams from across the country, including UT, are working with the program. “This project taught me a lot about machinery and how you have to take something with problems fix them and go through it. It doesn’t always work the first time,” Lindwurm says.
On Sunday, the team captains took their project to an autocross in Oak Ridge. Lindwurm says it’s the best way to work out the kinks before the project is completed. “We can see what’s wrong and make it the best it can be.” UT’s car will go up against 17 others next summer. The competition will be judged by General Motors. Besides getting a lot of research from the students, General Motors sometimes hires the most talented students.
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