Test Drive: 2018 Audi S5 Sportback Prestige

I have a real soft spot for Audi's performance sedans, especially the, S4/RS4 and S7/RS7 so imagine my joy when I found out that Audi is bringing the A5 and S5 Sportback, essentially an 80% sized version of the S7, to the US market. Originally slated to be displayed at last year's LA Auto Show, I was disappointed when it was a no show, but as soon as they started to hit the dealer lots, I took the opportunity to go and check one out, especially as we are looking for a suitable 4-door, 5-seat replacement to our long-term Jaguar F-Type.

Test Drive: 2017 Audi A4 Premium

Audi's reputation has been dragged through the mud of late due to the whole "diesel-gate" scandal. Even so, Audi's have always been nicely designed and well-appointed cars and the latest A4 is no exception. With a trip to New York that necessitated renting a car from the city, I opted to take advantage of one of the benefits of my Chase Sapphire Reserve card and booked a car through Silvercar for the weekend. Having only spent a little time with the last iteration of the A4, I was looking forward to having the opportunity to get a little quality time with this latest version.

Test Drive: 2015 Porsche Macan S

I have a love of wagons, but automakers seem to feel that bringing their wagons to the US is a waste of time and money. Who can blame them? Americans simply do not buy wagons or hatchbacks in the same kinds of numbers as our European counterparts. Instead, my fellow Americans are obsessed with SUVs and crossovers. So what is an enterprising, profit driven automaker to do when its parent company has a crossover that is ripe for the picking? Why, you add another vehicle to your line-up, of course. This is precisely what Porsche has done with the all new Porsche Macan. 

Just as the larger Cayenne is based on the same platform as Audi's Q7, the Macan shares its platform with Audi's Q5. This makes for a relatively compact CUV that still offers decent cargo space. Thankfully, Porsche has injected a bit of flair into the design, making the Macan look similar to its big brother and definitely carrying the family's now signature nose.

Test Drive: 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X GSR

Here at East-West Brother's Garage, our test drives are usually on newer cars. Every now and then though, we come across something that is simply too good to pass up a test drive of. While driving to work one morning, a blue sedan with a big wing caught my attention at the local Honda dealer. Upon closer inspection, it was a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Having never driven an Evo before, I made it a point to stop in and check out the rally bred sedan for myself.


Tucked away in a corner of the local Honda dealer's used car lot, the Octane Blue Pearl Lancer Evolution GSR caught my attention, not just because of the big wing, but also because the shade of blue was very similar to my own S2000. As I got out to inspect the Evo, the first thought that popped into my mind was, "I really like how Mitsubishi can take such a ho-hum looking car like the Lancer and turn it into something aggressive and sinister looking like the Evo." As I continued to circle the car, a salesman came over to introduce himself and offer a test drive of the Evo.

News: Tesla announces AWD Model S and Autopilot features

Every Tesla fan was likely glued to the web last night to find out about the latest from the electric auto maker and Elon Musk did not disappoint. The announcement of a dual motor all-wheel-drive version of the Model S corroborates the various rumors that had been swirling around all week. However, unlike the usual AWD systems, which saddle cars with extra weight and complexity, contributing to losses in performance and efficiency, the dual motor AWD system in the Model S seems to do exactly the opposite, actually improving efficiency and increasing the cars overall range while adding nearly 50% more horsepower and dropping the 0-60 mph time by over a full second in the now 691-hp P85D trim. Judging from the various videos floating around online of first impressions, this thing is an absolute monster.

On top of all this Tesla has also announced that starting from two weeks ago, every Model S built has the hardware installed for its new Autopilot features, which will be a part of the Technology Package going forward. This adds several cameras, sensors, and systems to allow the Model S to virtually drive itself. The car is able to operate the throttle, brakes, and steering to essentially drive itself, doing everything from managing your cruising speed by reading the speed limit signs to executing a lane change upon command, all without the driver touching the steering wheel or pedals. While the hardware has been included in recent production cars, the software to power this impressive feat of automotive engineering is still being finalized and will be released as a part of an over the air update. Unfortunately, there is no way to retrofit the hardware to older Model S cars.

As huge fans of the Model S, it is hard not to applaud Tesla for adding such admirable improvements to their cars, especially in an ongoing manner. The addition of such features not only toes the line on what is legally allowed at the moment for autonomous vehicles, but also shows that as a company, Tesla is committed to continued innovation. We look forward to taking a test drive of a car equipped with these new features so that we can share further impressions.

More details linked after the jump.

Test Drive: 2014 BMW 650i xDrive Gran Coupe

Sometimes a coupe just does not cut it for one's lifestyle. I like the idea of a coupe, but I also like taking weekend road trips with friends or family and cramming everyone into a two-door with limited back seat leg room and compromised rear-seat headroom should only be reserved for those people you do not like. Still, what is an enthusiast to do if I like the long and low style of a coupe, but really only have space for a single car in my garage? We can thank the folks at Mercedes Benz for introducing a solution to this conundrum with the introduction of the first CLS-class sedan. It attempted to provide a coupe profile in a car with four doors that offers plenty of style with room for four adults. Observing the success of this car, BMW has gotten into the game as well and has introduced its own series of Gran Coupe models based on their 4-series and 6-series coupes. I recently had the good fortune to spend some time with the larger of the two models and experience just how much this segment has evolved since it was first introduced.

Test Drive: 2014 Maserati Ghibli S Q4

Maserati has always held a place among the upper echelon of performance brands. Since the Maserati brothers started the brand, it has produced some seriously winning sports cars and participated in world championship races throughout the last century. Although ownership has changed hands numerous times, the current company shares space with Ferrari and Alfa Romeo under the umbrella of the Fiat group. This arrangement has led to the resurrection of several of the brands storied nameplates, including the Quattroporte and, most recently, the Ghibli.

This new Ghibli, unlike its predecessors, is a four-door sedan positioned below the Quattroporte and offers itself as a competitor to the likes of the BMW 5-Series as well as the Mercedes E-Class. Jumping into such a competitive space, the Ghibli needs to find its legs quickly in order to remain a viable competitor for its share of the market. Being a part of the Maserati brand certainly does not hurt and the close engineering ties to Ferrari, care of its Fiat overlords, carries a fair amount of cachet among those who are looking for that performance pedigree. But has that Ferrari magic genuinely managed to find its way into the likes of this newest entry in the luxury mid-size class or will the influence seep in from below from another of Fiat's recent acquisitions, Chrysler?

Test Drive: 2015 Subaru WRX

While I am sure I have said this before, I will say it again: I like the Subaru WRX. After test driving the previous generation's 5-door model, I felt that it was probably the best WRX to date. In fact, I liked it so much, I declared it the winner in our first Hot Hatchback comparison. When Subaru announced that a new generation of WRX was in the works, my interest was piqued. After seeing it in person at the Los Angeles International Auto Show last year, I was excited. When I finally got to test drive it, I was...confused. When most people see the words "all new" attached to a car, they will generally think that this new car is quicker, handles better, has new technologies, and is more fuel efficient than its predecessor. Unfortunately for Subaru, it seems they only got two out of four of those things right.  

Test Drive: 2014 Jaguar XF 3.0 AWD

Jaguar has been on a tear of late. The F-Type, in either coupe or convertible form, is downright stunning. The sounds and sensations that one gets behind the wheel of the F-Type are some of most soul stirring available to the average driver. Of course, much of Jaguar's resurgence started not with a sports car, but rather with a sedan. In fact, it was this sedan, the XF, that put Jaguar back on the map. Introduced in 2008 as a 2009 model, the XF replaced the old, goofy looking S-Type as Jaguar's mid-size sedan. The stunning body lines, striking an athletic pose and wearing a seriously well-tailored interior, sprinkled with a dose of wizardry in the form of the pop-up shifter and acrobatic dash vents, made the Jaguar a popular car among journalists and enthusiasts alike. Now some five years later, is the Jaguar's mid-size sedan still competitive given that its competition has made some significant advances over the years?

Test Drive: 2014 BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon

Update: See how the 328i did against its competitors in our Bike Month Wagon Comparison Test.

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with BMW. Most BMWs I have driven have been good fun and the engineering that goes into them to keep their weight balance as close to 50/50 is certainly nothing to scoff at. However, over the years, they have also gotten progressively less Germanic in their construction and there is always the negative reputation of BMW owners to contend with (we've all heard the joke about the different between a BMW and a porcupine). Still, when it comes to cars that offer solid driving dynamics, good power, and tons of customizability, few manufacturers can match BMW, with that annoying caveat of "so long as you can afford it." Still, with as few options as there are in terms of wagons, it would be remiss for me not to test the 3-series wagon in looking at this segment.

Test Drive: 2014 Audi Allroad Premium Plus

Update: See how the Allroad did against its competitors in our Bike Month Wagon Comparison Test.

Back in college, a friend of mine had one of the original Audi A6 Allroads, sporting the same 2.7L twin-turbo V6 motor as the S4 of that period, a six speed manual, and an adjustable air suspension. That wagon was plain awesome and saw many a trip to the local Target as well as the local storage facility between semesters. I always envied the versatility of that car so you can imagine my excitement when Audi announced that the Allroad would be making a comeback. The new Allroad, now based off of the A4 platform, still sports a turbo-charged engine, although it has shrunk from a 2.7L V6 to a 2.0L inline-4 and gone are the manual transmission and air suspension. Even so, the Allroad is still in an exclusive group as options for wagons with more than 200 horsepower are few and far between these days. Still, the limited competition in the segment is stiff with some great products, so is the current Allroad able to rekindle the magic of its predecessor?

Test Drive: 2013 Audi A4 Premium 2.0T Quattro

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With my S2000 in the body shop after being rammed in a parking lot during a doctor's appointment, I needed a rental car to get me to and from work. Unable to find anything at a reasonable price from the large rental chains near LAX, a Google search led me to Silvercar.com (you can read my review of Silvercar by clicking here). Long story short, I ended up with an Audi A4 2.0T Quattro for two and a half days instead of whatever econobox one of the large chains would have stuck me with for a higher price.

At first glance, the current generation of the A4 is a fairly handsome car. Since this car came with the lighting package, it had the new LED daytime running lights and xenon HID headlamps. The LED daytime lights have a very sinister and aggressive look and offers a good contrast to the rest of the car with its fairly smooth lines. There is one major thing working against the look of the A4 though, and that is the standard 17 inch wheels for the Premium trim, which are far too small for the car. They look tiny inside those large wheel wells. The optional 18 inch S-Line wheels, or the standard 18 inch wheels in the Premium Plus and Prestige trims look far better on the car. In fact, it seems to be the case with a lot of cars these days, where 17 inch wheels just no longer cut it.

Test Drive: 2014 BMW 428i xDrive Sport Line

Let me start by saying that snow sucks.

The only thing worse than snow is ice. Of course, here in the Boston area, we have gotten an ungodly amount of snow this winter. The car-sized piles of white stuff, now frozen into little ice mountains, lined both sides of the road when I set out to get a test of the new BMW 428i. Since the sun was bright in the sky, but the air temperatures were low, the ground had plenty of black ice and so a RWD version was out of the question. However, an xDrive version was readily available and so I happily took the keys while the car was dug out and defrosted.

Test Drive: 2014 Acura TL SH-AWD 6MT

For our final test drive of the year, I opted to select a car from a brand that is near and dear to my heart. As a long time owner of Acura cars, my 2012 TSX being the fifth Acura I have personally owned, I have always followed the brand closely and frequently return to them when I am seeking a starting point when searching for a new car. Therefore, you can imagine my disappointment when the initial version of the 4th generation Acura TL was released, the prominent beak overshadowing all other design aspects of the car, which carried a muscular profile that nobody cared about because of that grille. For 2012, Acura made a course correction and toned down the styling of the TL for its mid-model year change, resulting in a rather more conventional, but significantly more handsome version of the now signature Acura look. It had been a while since I had taken the 4th generation TL out for a spin and I had yet to drive the 6-speed manual transmission version with Acura's utterly brilliant super handling all wheel drive (SH-AWD) system.

It is hard not to draw comparisons of this car with the 3rd generation TL Type-S that I owned back in 2008. That car had the strongest motor in the TL line-up at the time, putting out a claimed 286-hp to the front wheels and, if you had the manual transmission (which of course I did), a limited slip differential. That car is still, to me, the one that got away and I regret ever agreeing to sell it. Despite being FWD, it handled surprisingly well and was extraordinarily well balanced between comfort, performance, luxury, reliability, and cost. Coming into my test of the 2014 TL, I was expecting Acura to deliver once again on this formula, given its past success, but I would leave feeling more than a little let down.

Long Term Test: 2011 Acura RL Tech Wrap-up

Current Miles: 16,640

December 14, 2013 marks the final day our Forged Silver Metallic, 2011 Acura RL Tech spent with our family. This RL, the second one we have owned, has served us well for the last three years. Besides a very minor paint quality issue I noticed when we picked up the car (which was fixed under warranty), the car has been trouble free. What surprised me most was the fact that the transmission did not suffer any issues and was not recalled for any problems. It is an odd thing to be surprised about, but considering Honda's history on rolling out new transmissions, the fact that there were no problems left me a touch amazed. 

Test Drive: 2014 Audi S4 Premium Plus 6MT

Some people look for pure speed when buying a car. Others look for nothing but total luxury and comfort. Others still want nothing but the ultimate driving experience. But what if you could find a car that combines all of these traits. Imagine a car that offers excellent power combined with superb handling and wrapped in a high quality leather-swathed package with room for 4 adults and their luggage. Even better if it comes available with a manual transmission. There are only a small handful of cars that fit such an exacting and rigorous set of criteria and the current generation Audi S4 is precisely one such car.

In the past, Audi's A4 platform offered many of the desired traits, but was too small to comfortably seat 4 adults for anything longer than a run to the local pub or organic grocer. The up-rated S4 models, which sported everything from turbo-charged six cylinders up to a high-revving V8, heaped on mountains of power and improved the handling, but could never address the fact that the backseats were nearly useless for anyone larger than a preteen. However, with the introduction of this latest platform, Audi took the extra measure to stretch the wheelbase enough to offer what is finally usable legroom for rear seat passengers. Add to that a typically Audi interior layout, the all new supercharged V6 motor, and, of course, the latest version of Audi's ubiquitous Quattro AWD system and what you have is one of the most balanced cars available on the market.

But, is it good enough to justify its nearly $60k pricetag?

Test Drive: 2014 Cadillac CTS AWD V6 Luxury

To say that the CTS is an important car for Cadillac is a bit of an understatement. The last generation CTS became the bread and butter car in Cadillac's line-up and was one of the early signs of a struggle for life from a then disintegrating GM. This 3rd generation car needed to do a number of things for Cadillac: one, grow the CTS to properly compete with the BMW 5-series and Mercedes E-class; two, continue to expand and improve Cadillac's reputation for performance as established by the recently introduced ATS; three, demonstrate that Cadillac has been listening to its customers and fix the issues of the previous generation cars. With its recent string of successes in the form of the ATS, Impala, and Corvette, GM approached the redesign with great care and what has resulted is honestly a genuine piece of art. But as good as it looks, can it really go toe-to-toe with the established German competitors?

Test Drive: 2014 BMW 535d xDrive

Diesels and sport together seems counter intuitive. The oil burning motors are better known for providing superior torque for towing and superlative fuel economy in passenger cars. But when a manufacturer best known for its sport sedans throws its weight behind diesel motors, any enthusiast worth his salt has to at least sit up and pay a bit of attention. This is why I recently found myself behind the wheel of BMW's latest entry into the sport diesel market, the 535d. Combined with BMW's xDrive AWD system, the twin-turbocharged inline-six, this luxury sport diesel (that seems like quite a contradicting mash-up) seems to be the model that BMW is banking on as its volume seller in the 5-series line-up for New England.

However, given BMW's reputation for providing excellent sport sedans, can a car that plays on so many contradicting ideas continue to deliver the ownership experience that make BMW's so popular with their buyers? Or is this just the latest in a long line of odd disappointments from what was once the most storied sport sedan manufacturer on the planet?

Test Drive: 2014 Lexus IS250 AWD

Lexus has an aging problem. Its buyers tend to skew towards the older side and attempts to attract younger buyers with cars like the IS300, based on the Japanese home market Altezza, resulted in small surges of younger buyers. Unfortunately, those youngsters quickly left the brand due to a lack of suitable upgrade options within the brand as they got older, as they were still seeking fun cars to drive. The second generation of the IS went in an entirely more conventionally Lexus direction, focused on luxury and ride, with only the slightest of nods towards performance. However, just to throw a curve ball, Lexus also took the opportunity to introduce the F-Sport sub-brand to sell performance parts and even entire cars, like the absolutely bonkers IS-F and LFA. As Lexus has decided that drawing a younger audience is increasingly important, they have also sought a significantly edgier image with the aggressive predator-face spindle grille that is being applied across the line-up and a full-fledged push at a true motorsports division.

All of this effort, intended to capture younger buyers, who are increasingly discriminating in their buying habits, may be for naught if Lexus's all new 3rd-generation IS fails to capture their hearts, minds, and dollars. So does the newest entry luxury sport sedan meet the high bar set to attract the moneyed youth to what has been a traditionally stodgy brand with squishy-driving cars?

Test Drive: 2014 Infiniti Q50 AWD

The Infiniti line-up has always been sporty and is oft considered the Japanese equivalent of BMW, offering performance oriented cars with a touch of luxury. It's volume seller of the last decade, the G sedans and coupes, were among some of the best driving cars among the Japanese luxury brands. In fact, I nearly bought a G35 and a G37 when each car came out, the only thing holding me back being the slightly sub-standard interior materials and the poorly executed manual transmission shifter and clutch. However, if you were looking at the cars with automatic transmissions, they really were fantastic cars to drive. However, to replace the G37, Infiniti has developed not only a whole new car, but has also adopted a whole new naming scheme. What was once the G37 is now the much more non-sensical Q50. However, a lot more than the name was lost in this transition. The new Q50 may be a step up from the G37 in terms interior quality, but seems to have sacrificed some of its sporting character at the altar of luxury.