155 automan july issue 2014

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in this issu

CONTENT M

COVER STORY 22-27 2015 JEEP CHEROKEE12-21 2015 CHEVROLET TAHOE | 2015 CHEVROLETSUBURBAN | 2015 GMC YUKON | 2015 GMC YUKON

XL/ DENALI |2014 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

OMAN | REGIONAL NEWS6-7 2014 MINI COOPER LAUNCH IN OMAN, GMFULL-SIZE SUV REGIONAL LAUNCH AND DRIVE IN

DUBAI, NISSAN-PLAYSTATION GAMER TO RACER

WINNERS, JLR TRAINING ACADEMY IN UAE, NEW

APPOINTMENT AT CADILLAC MIDDLE EAST, KTM

ENDURO RANGE LAUNCHED, DISCOVER MORE BY

HARLEY-DAVIDSON, RANGE ROVER EVOQUE IN

ME FILM

BRANDWATCH8-11 FIRST DETAILS OF GEN VIII ALL-NEWPASSAT RELEASED, SUBARU WRX STI RECORD

PERFORMANCE AT ISLE OF MAN TT, KIA AND

HYUNDAI FIFA 2014 VEHICLE HANDOVER, KIA S OUL

AWARD, PETER SCHREYER AWARDED, MITSUBISHI

READY TO ATTACK PIKES PEAK WITH ELECTRIC

CAR, MASERATI CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

DETAILED, MINI’S FIRST FOUR DOOR CAR, OZ V8

WELCOMES ALTIMA SUPERCARS, FORD ON TRACK

WITH LIGHTWEIGHT CONSTRUCTION, FOND

FAREWELL TO INDIA’S HINDUSTAN AMBASSADOR,

ARIEL BESPOKE MOTORCYCLES PLANNED WITH

HELP FROM HONDA

FIRST DRIVE28-33 2014 HYUNDAI GENESIS34-38 2014 MAZDA 340-44 2014 INFINITI Q5046-50 2014 HONDA CITY 52-55 2014 TOYOTA YARIS HATCHBACK

ALSO DRIVEN56-59 2014 JAGUAR F-TYPE CONVERTIBLE60-64 2014 LINCOLN MKX

PREVIEWS66-67 DUCATI DIAVEL68-71 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY VISION CONCEPT72-75 PORSCHE BOXSTER | CAYMAN GTS

MOTORSPORTS72-75 2014 LE MANS76-77 F1 MONACO AND CANADA RACE REPORT

80 CHICANE

2

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COVERSTORY |

2015 Chevrolet | GMC SUVsNew underpinnings with added features

2014 JeepCherokee A new era for the iconicmodel with revolutionarystyling

P r e v i e w s o f

h o t c a r s a

n d

b i k e

NEXT ISSUE

2015 FERRARICALIFORNIA T

66

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5/43

Our mid-year issue has turned out to be a bumper one in more ways than

one. To begin with, we were overrun by stories through the rst half of the

year, what with the number of new models being launched by brands in

anticipation of the summer lull period hitting us. As temperatures in Muscat

hit the high forties (and above if we believe our car’s digital readout) we nd

ourselves with some tests that happened over the past few months as well as

a whole crop of new tests over the past few weeks.

We were torn. Should we call this an SUV special? After all along with the

new Cherokee, we also have the whole family of K2XX SUVs and pickups

from GM. Or do we just call this our Ramadan special, what with the holy

month coming bang in the hottest time of the year? We compromised a littleby calling it our mega test issue, with a complete baker’s dozen of vehicles

on offer.

Among all of these the Cherokee stands out for what it brings new to the

table. It can’t technically be called an SUV any more, moving to a crossover

model, while getting marginally larger. With its transverse engine, front-

wheel bias and a whole new set of road manners, the Cherokee is treading

a middle ground that is meant to appeal to thousands of new customers

around the world. In the bargain the Fiat end of the alliance also gets its

hands on a spanking new crossover platform that should Fiat gain some new

customers.

In terms of full-size you can’t get any more full-size than GM’s K2XX platform.

But again, both the Yukon and Tahoe bring the Cherokee sort of equation to

a genre of vehicle that seems almost Jurassic in today’s world. Here too, the

road manners have improved, along with creature comfort and fuel efciency.

It keeps the format relevant and trendy in the GCC at the very least.

As for the rest of the vehicles, we have a whole range – from the new Mazda

3, the new Honda City, the new Toyota Yaris Hatchback and the two premium

sedans – the Inniti Q50 and the Hyundai Genesis.

Of course, along with all of these test drives, we also have a rich crop of

regular stories, including Brandwatch and motorsports. Page for page,

Automan continues to offer the best automotive content of any magazine in

the region. And we don’t buy out content from any external source. That’s

what makes us such a great read any time of the year.

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6/43

The trio of all-new 2015 GMC full-size SUVs — Yukon, Yukon XLand agship Yukon Denali were

introduced to the Middle East formallylast month in Dubai. The new arrivalshave been extensively re-engineered to

oer consumers greater capability andrenement, more power, a new fold-atrear seats, and a quieter interior. “TheYukon and Yukon XL was engineered fromthe ground up, building on a strong legacyof capability to take them to the top ofthe segment with exceptional renementand purposeful technology,” says GMCBrand Manager Nadim Ghrayeb. “And

when it comes to the tasks people rely ona full-size SUV for, they do it better thanever – and with more style.” The 2015GMC Yukon has a starting MSRP price inthe UAE of AED175,000.Meanwhile, Chevrolet also ocially

announced the arrival of the brand’sfull-size SUVs – the fourth generation2015 Tahoe and twelfth generationSuburban – for the region. “Chevrolethas a strong market presence and historyin the Middle East region with t he Tahoeand Suburban,” said Maurice Williams,President and Managing Director, GMMiddle East Operations. “With new

features and enhancements at its the all-new 2015 Tahoe and Suburbcontinue to play a key role in the bsuccess while extending the legacChevrolet has built in the region.”the new SUVs are built on the new

K2XX platform and are powered bEcotec3 5.3-litre V8 or 6.2-litre V8 emated to 6-speed automatic transThe 2015 Suburban will be oeredUAE ranging from AED 166,000 tofor two-wheel drive and AED 178,0242,000 for four-wheel drivetrain.Eds note: see rst drive impressionelsewhere in the magazine.

GM Middle East launches full-size 2015 Chevrolet and GMC SUVs

Nissan and Sony PlayStation® are againstaging the acclaimed Nissan PlayStation®GT Academy Middle East challenge inDubai, whereby Gran Turismo gamersget a once-in-a-lifetime shot at becominga real professional racer. The latestevent was held at the Dubai World TradeCentre on June 20-21, where twenty eightcontestants put the pedal to the metal in

order to qualify for the next stage. The sixwinners [below] will be taken to Britain’slegendary Silverstone circuit and putthrough a race drivers’ boot camp, honingtheir skills on the tarmac to determine theoverall Middle East GT Academy winner.

e Oman Society for Fine Art in Muscats the venue for the introductionthe all-new 2014 MINI Cooper andoper S. Four local budding artistesre also invited to the event who

esented their respective renditions of

the car. The new car is mar ginally biggerthan the one it replaces and will beavailable for the rst time with a choiceof turbocharged three and four-cylinderengines displacing 1.5-litre and 2.0-litrerespectively.

sed on the successful Jaguar Landver Academy in the UK and following

e launch of a US$1.5mn engineeringt centre in May 2013 in UAE, Jaguar

nd Rover MENA, has unveiled its newgional training Academy in Dubiotech,bai. The faculty will oer technical andn-technical training programmes toalers and regional oce sta across

the MENA network. With approved 40dealerships across 17 markets in MENA,and a further 24 dealerships expected by2017/18, the Academy will oer exactingstandards of training of its counterpartin the UK. Currently, there are 1,800 plusJaguar Land Rover dealer employee inthe MENA region and this number isexpected to go up to 3,000 soon.

The range itself includes four-stroke machines in the 250 EXC-F, 350 EXC-F, 450 EXC,500 EXC, along with the two-stroke machines 125 EXC, 200 EXC, 250 EXC and 300EXC, some of which have received detail engine improvements. In addition to this,with a design relative to the ISDE event in Argentina later in the year, the Six Daysrange is also available with all-round upgrades and specialist PowerParts tted to themachines for the ultimate performance. For model year 2015 the EXC receives a rangeof chassis developments including a new MAE digital speedometer, which o ers morereadily visible information to the rider, new black Neken handlebars with improvedhand guards, and softer dual-compound grips. There are also new black colored rimsfrom Giant providing higher rigidity, that compliment the CNC machined hubs, as wellas the factory look being completed with a striking orange frame, usually only seen onrace team machines, and an exciting new graphic design.

irati director’s Ali F. Mostafa’s roadp movie ‘From A to B’, will feature thenge Rover Evoque as the ‘4th star’.

nd Rover vehicles are no stranger to silver screen, having featured in manynic lms including Skyfall, but ‘From A

to B’ will be the rst time a Land Roverproduct stars in regional feature lm.Land Rover MENA began its relationship

with ‘City of Life’ creator Mostafa in 2011,when he was asked to become a regionalambassador for the Range Rover Evoque.

New MINI arrives in Oman

KTM introduces MY2015 enduro range

Gamer to Racer

Jaguar Land Rover MENA unveils Training Academy in Dubai

Cadillac Middle East has appointed FelixWeller as its new Vehicle Sales, Serviceand Marketing Director. Weller comesfrom Audi Middle East where he was SalesDirector for three years. Weller was alsoresponsible for establishing Audi’s DealerDevelopment program focusing on qualityat the point of sale.

New appointment

Range Rover Evoque to debut in ME lm

Discover More is enlisting 50 specselected riders to take the Street Gacross Europe, Middle East and NoAfrica, which include social media celebrities, journalists and inuenttouring riders. The bike now headsto Southern Europe and beyond barriving at European Bike Week, Aon the 6 September 2014. The rstto take Discover More to the roadrenowned chef and riding enthusiClaude Abry, who combines his pafor cooking and good food with himotorcycle touring. The tour will s

and machine complete a 20,000kmacross Middle East beginning at Joand Egypt enroute Europe. In EgypDiscover More Bike was ridden byfootball celebrity Hazem Emam.

Discover More laun

by Harley-Davidson

www.automanweb.com | JULY 2014 JULY 2014 | www.automanweb


7/43

Volkswagen has revealed the rsttechnical details of the all-newPassat Saloon and Estate, ahead

he cars’ unveiling in July and theirlic premiere at the Paris Motorw in October. The eighth-generationsat will bring with it a range of newhnologies and features to ensuret even after 41 years, it remains as

mpetitive as ever.car will benet from the latest in

tweight construction, thanks to theof advanced materials – including

h-strength, hot-formed steel andminium in certain areas – the newsat will be up to 85 kg lighter than itsdecessor. This will also help it to claimected fuel-eciency improvementsp to 20 per cent.

erior dimensions willnge marginally and the

w car will be smallerw. Interior space is

roved, with more leg-head-room, as well aseased luggage space.ghlight of the Passat’s

w range of engines is ah-performance, four-nder, 2.0-litre, bi-turbosel delivering 240 PS

an extraordinary 500from 1,750 rpm. This engine will be

ilable only with a new seven-speedG gearbox and 4MOTION all-wheel

e. A plug-in hybrid model will alsooered, with potential to travel 31es on battery power alone, and withotential maximum range of around miles. Other new technology to

be oered on the new Passat includesthe Active Info Display, which replacesthe instrument cluster with a fullycongurable interactive 12.3-inch TFTdisplay; a heads-up display; the latestModular Infotainment System, includingthe Car-Net remote app; a further-developed 360-degree Area Viewfunction; and the latest generation ofPark Assist. This newly developed ParkAssist includes the option for the car topark itself forwards into perpendicularspaces – useful, for example atsupermarket car parks, where access tothe boot is important. It also includes aworld-rst Trailer Assist, which providesassistance when reversing a vehicle witha trailer attached – without the needfor any modication or adaptation of

the trailer. Other safetytechnology includes SideAssist with Rear Trac

Alert; Trac Jam Assistwhich makes stop-and-godriving more comfortable;Emergency Assist, whichcan potentially halt avehicle when the driveris incapacitated; and thelatest Front Assist systemwith City EmergencyBraking, which optionally

combines both radar and camera sensorsto add pedestrian detection. All newPassats will feature LED tail lights, whileheadlights will be halogen or LED. Inconjunction with Dynamic Light Assist,one of the two LED headlight optionsautomatically adjusts the beam formaximum illumination of the roadwithout dazzling other trac.

FIRST DETAILS OF GEN VIII ALL-NEW PASSAT RELEASED

Hyundai Motor Company, the ocial Partner of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ -

delivered over one thousand vehicles for the ground transportation of the world’sbiggest sporting event to be held at Arena de Sao Paulo in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Theautomotive manufacturer also unveiled the branding decorations of the 32 busesthat will transport the teams of the qualied nations.Kia Motors also performed its handover ceremony at the same venue with its eetof ocial vehicles that will ensure the smooth and ecient transportation of teams,ocials, delegates and ocial VIP visitors from all over the world.

Hyundai and Kia hand over

FIFA 2014 vehicles

The Subaru WRX STI has once againbroken the four-wheeled lap recordaround the famous Isle of Man TT

circuit, with British rally champion MarkHiggins setting a new record of 19 minutes26 seconds in a production version of thenewly launched high-performance saloon.Higgins’s lap around the challenging 37.8-mile TT Mountain course saw him post anaverage speed of 116mph and a top speedof over 160mph.Manxman Higgins completed his timedrun under closed road conditions as partof the TT schedule and beat his previousrecord, set in 2011, when he set a time of 19minutes 56.7 seconds. That was done at thewheel of the previous-generation WRX STI,breaking a record that had stood for 21 years.As with the previous record-breakingcar, the WRX STI used for Higgins’srun was a standard Subaru productioncar [US specication], equipped witha 300ps 2.5-litre horizontally-opposedturbocharged Boxer engine.The only modications to the car involvedthe springs and dampers, which wereadjusted to minimise any potentialdamage when the car encountered thecourse’s many bumps and jumps at highspeed. The WRX STI was also equippedwith essential safety enhancements,including a roll-cage, race harness and resuppression system and was tted withDunlop Derezza tyres.Mark said of his run: “It was quite a lap wedid today and I am really happy to haveanother record in the bank. The chassisof the new car is so much better it reallyallowed me to pick up time in each sectorin the more technical parts of the course.

“There is nothing like the TT course in allracing. Not just because of its length butthe elevation changes, constant surfacevariations as you shift from town tocountry roads and the fact we run from30mph and then up to 160mph plus formuch of the race.”The outright lap record on the TT coursewas set in 2013 by J ohn McGuinnesson a Honda CBR1000RR ‘Fireblade’.McGuinness posted a time of 17 minutes11.6 seconds, equivalent to an averagespeed of 131.7mph. The all-new SubaruWRX STI is now on sale in Oman.

Subaru WRX STI breaks itsown Isle of Man TT record

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation [MMC] will

enter two MiEV Evolution III all-electricracecars in the 2014 edition of the world-famous Pikes Peak International HillClimb [Pikes Peak, June 23 to June 29] inColorado, United States. MMC will usetwo MiEV Evolution III all-electric racecars,which combine the best of MMC’s electricvehicle and four-wheel drive controltechnologies. MMC has competed twicebefore in the Electric Division in 2012 and2013, and now with the MiEV Evolution III,hopes to take its rst victory, this time inthe new Electric Modied Division.

Mitsubishi electric carsready for Pikes Peak mission

Hyundai and Kia, whi

together rank fth in gcar sales, are under presfrom a rming local curr

which erodes its earnin

and suer from recurrindustrial disputes and

labour costs at home

The all-new Kia Soul has been awarded a prestigious ‘red dot’ design aw

following in the footsteps of its stylish rst-generation predecessor. Th

second major design award for t he new Soul, following its success in tdesign awards’ only few weeks ago. The new Kia Soul was created by the Kia

team under the supervision of Peter Schreyer, President and Chief Design O

Kia Motors Corporation and Hyundai Motor Group.

Meanwhile, Schreyer has received the prestigious Lifetime Design Achievem

Award from EyesOn Design. Schreyer was recognized at the Detroit Institute

Ophthalmology’s Vision Honored award ceremony for his work overseeing t

design strategy of Kia Motors. This latest award places him on a list of intern

vehicle designers which includes design legends such as Sergio Pininfarina, S

Nakamura, Walter de’Silva and Giorgetto Giugiaro.

Red dot award for Soul



8/43

International Maserati Centennialhering celebrating the company’s 100r anniversary is due to begin in ModenaThursday, 18 September, and end inn on Saturday, 20 September 2014. The

ee-day gathering will see a successionxhibitions, parades, a regularity race,

ack test, a visit to the two Maseratiories and a concours d’elegance. Carscollectors from all over the world are

ected to be in attendance.undred years have gone by since, inember of 1914, Aleri Maserati and histhers Ettore and Ernesto opened the

car repair workshop in a basementVia de’ Pepoli, Bologna. Here, beforey entered the First World War and inmonths that immediately followed theof the conict, they began to preparemodify cars for themselves – the

ee Maserati brothers were also capableers – and the gentleman drivers ofperiod. These were the rst steps of a

mpany that in time was to become anrnational icon of Italian motoring.

The Maserati Centennial Gathering willbegin in Modena on Thursday, September18, with the arrival of the historic andcontemporary models that will be takingpart in the event and will be displayed insignicant urban spaces. The programfor the afternoon involves a visit to the

Exhibition at the Museo Casa Enzo Ferraridedicated to the Maserati Centennialand then to the historic Viale CiroMenotti factory. Here, where MaseratiGranTurismos and GranCabrios and theAlfa Romeo 4C roll o the production linesevery day, dinner will be served.The next day, Friday, September 19, theparticipants will make their way t o Turin.The rst stop will be the San Martino delLago Circuit near Cremona, which willhost track sessions and pay homage toBaconin Borzacchini and his Maserati V4‘16 cylinder, in which the Italian driverset the world record over the Flying 10Kilometres on 28 September 1929. Thehistoric Maserati convoy will then paradethrough the streets of Cremona before

r acing on to Turin where they will line up in

the majestic Piazza Castello. A gala dinnerat the Reggia of Venaria palace is set forthe evening.Scheduled for the morning of Saturday,September 20, the third and nal day of

the event, are a visit to the Avv. Giovanni

Agnelli Plant, where Maserati Ghiblis andQuattroportes are built, and the nal legof the regularity race, in the direction of

the Basilica of Superga. The Concoursd’Elegance in Piazza San Carlo taking placein the afternoon will be the concludingnale to the three day gathering.

As a prelude to the three day gathering,there will be an opportunity onWednesday 17 September, for Maseraticollectors to have their photographs takenwith their car next to the famous Fountain

of Neptune in the historic centre ofBologna, which was the inspiration for theMaserati trident logo and to see the exactlocation – Via de’ Pepoli 1 – where Maserati

was born, one hundred years ago.

MASERATI CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS DETAILED

British brand is now ociallyresented with a four door model in theall car segment for the rst time in itsory. The new addition is called the MINIdtop 4 door. The car will be oeredh turbocharged 1.5-litre 3-cylinder andlitre 4-cylinder engine. Both manualautomatic transmissions will be

ilable.

Nissan’s involvement in Australianmotorsport continues to expand, withthe addition of two Nissan Altimamodels to the Aussie Racing Cars

Super Series. In a project initiated byMusselbrook Nissan dealer principalMichael Rinkin, the Altima nameplatejoined the Aussie Racing Cars classthis season, with Rinkin and CraigThompson driving the two entries. TheAussie Racing Cars Series is one of themost popular support categories to theV8 Supercars Championship.The “pint-sized” cars use a 1,200ccmotorcycle engine in its small chassis.With close to 40 cars in each race,the category is renowned as oneof the closest and most exciting

MINI’s rst four-door entry

Altima name added to Oz V8 SupercarsChampionship support series

in the country. The next round of theAussie Racing Cars Super Series willbe held at Queensland Raceway inIpswich, Queensland, with the category

also supporting the V8 SupercarsChampionship at iconic circuit such asMount Panorama, Surfers Paradise andPhillip Island.

Ford Motor Company recently unveiled itsLightweight Concept vehicle, which usesadvanced materials to explore futureweight-reduction solutions that couldimprove performance and fuel eciencywhile reducing carbon dioxide emissions.The vehicle represents the latest phaseof Ford’s research into developingsustainable technology solutions thatare aordable for consumers and canbe produced in large volumes across the

product lineup. This research has alsoled to dramatic weight reductions of upto 700 pounds in the all-new F-150. The2015 F-150 sheds weight through the useof high-strength steel and aluminum,enabling it to tow more, haul more,accelerate quicker and stop shorter – allwith improved gas mileage.Light-weighting is a key component inFord’s Blueprint for Sustainability, whichintegrates sustainability into the businessplan for the long-term preservation andenhancement of environmental, social

and nancial capital. The introduction andincorporation of lightweight materialsinto vehicle construction helps meet thegoal of reducing weight to achieve betterfuel economy for consumers while alsoreducing greenhouse gas emissions.Ford’s research into improved eciencythrough weight reduction with advancedmaterials including new metals, alloysand composites began more than 25years ago. This research produced the

breakthrough Aluminium IntensiveVehicle programme in 1992 and all-aluminium high-performance Ford GT in2005.Along with other fuel-eciencytechnologies, light-weighting isfundamental to Ford’s eorts to stabilizecarbon dioxide concentrations in theatmosphere at 450 parts per million –the level many scientists, businessesand governmental agencies believe mayavoid the most serious eects of climatechange.

Ford on track with lightweight construction target

Bultaco, Horex, Indian, Saroléa, an

Voxan are legendary motorcycle b

that have had a chequered past an

but were discontinued and thanks

renewed interest, these brands ar

being revived and are in various st

of development. The revival list w

have another British brand added

all go well and the brand we are re

to is Ariel. The erstwhile British m

manufacturer was best known for

cylinder bikes, like the Ariel Square

The modern Ariel Motor Company

is a low-volume performance mot

vehicle manufacturing company b

in Crewkerne, Somerset, England.

company uses Honda-sourced har

to produce performance vehicles

Atom.

Honda hardware will be used to c

two-wheeler performance cruiser

A concept as planned for unveil at

Goodwood Festival of Speed. Give

brand’s design and engineering di

in cars, one can expect an a minim

performance cruiser with a more

approach. Honda’s high performa

The ‘King of Indian Roads’, the ubiquitousHindustan Motors built Ambassadorsedan, aka the ‘Amby, which hasfaithfully served as a family car, an ocialgovernment transport and lately taxissince 1957 has nally been retired in itsfourth iteration. Based on UK’s 1950Morris Oxford III, the Indian version ofthe car did carry some minor changesto dierentiate it from its Englishcounterpart. The early Ambassadors soldin India were powered by a 1.5-litre four-cylinder Morris B-Series engine mated

to four-speed manual transmission withcolumn shift. Later models like the MarkIV boasted Isuzu-derived diesels and ve-speed manual transmission and modiedrear dierential. The car’s cheap andeasy to repair attitude while coping withsome of India’s notorious pot-holed roadscontributed to its popularity besides itsability to haul more occupants than itsocial classication.At last count, Hindustan Motors engaged2,500 factory personnel to produce justseven cars a day. Despite local opposition,

the company has decided to disc

the car’s production owing to p

sales and increasing losses. Besid

these, the carmaker couldn’t me

the new stringent Indian legislat

relating to emissions and fuel ef

in automobiles in that country w

Amby. The last feather in the cap

the Ambassador got in its long c

was the title of ‘toughest taxi’ in

world in Top Gear season 20, epi

two TV programme.

Ariel bespoke motorccould be revived soo

FOND FAREWELL TO HINDUSTAN AMBASSADOR



9/43

It seems that industry watchers who had condently predicted that body-on-framearchitecture for large passenger vehicles were heading for extinction underestimated thewill power of some carmakers. General Motors is among few automakers left which is still

condent about the future of full-size SUVs or pick-ups. In this special report, Automanexperienced ve models – 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban, GMC Yukon/Denali XL and

Chevrolet Silverado pick-up – which are all based on GM’s latest chassis architecture in UAE

Author: Chandan B Mallik | Photography: author and supplied

2015 CHEVROLET TAHOE | 2015 CHEVROLET

URBAN | 2015 GMC YUKON | 2015 GMC YUKON

XL/ DENALI |2014 CHEVROLET SILVERADO



10/43

Most of us are aware that since2007, global sales of mid andlarge-sized SUV have dropped

signicantly and a new trend createdwith lighter and more lifestyle friendlycrossover SUV sales. Currently, thenumber of mid-size sport utility vehiclesoered up by car manufacturers hasdeclined two-thirds and when you factorin body-on-frame SUVs, the list becomeseven smaller.While the new breed of AWD crossoversnearly deliver everything the traditionalSUVs brought to the table -- performance,handling and fuel economy comparableto a mid-size or compact sedan, however,one element that has helped in preventinga total wipe out of body-on-frame SUVs vs

lifestyle-utilities or pick-ups is the ability ofsome SUV makers to produce cars in thissegment with a host of genuine eciency-oriented technologies and features.At the same time, serious SUV makersare also discovering innovative ways ofselling their products in order to stayin the game, especially in SUV-savvymarkets like the Middle East. Players likeNissan, Lexus/Toyota now oer uniqueapproaches in marketing such ideas.Lexus has recently introduced a limitedproduction supercharged LX 570 forMiddle East and Nissan looks at bespokeappointments in the VVIP Patrol as its USP.

Meanwhile, GM’s approach for its body-on-frame based line-up for 2014 onwardsbegan on new ground which begins withengineering and ends with p ackaging.Automan was invited to the joint regionallaunch and drive of the all-new MY 2015Chevrolet Tahoe/ Suburban, GMC Yukon/Denali XL in Dubai, UAE last month. Thefth vehicle, the new-for-2014 Silveradopick-up truck, which was launched afew months ago and also tested by thismagazine separately is also included in thisreport as each of the models in this article

are mechanically very closely related toeach other.The period of development of the newSUV successors has been interesting aspost global economic downturn, salesof full-size trucks and SUVs in the USdropped almost a third through the rstnine months of 2008. This also served asa strong indicator for the guys at GM toplot the next move. In fact, there werestrong rumours that a concerned GM hadcancelled its GMT 900 successor GMTK2XX truck programme in May 2008.This meant that the replacements of theChevrolet and mechanically equivalentGMC and Cadillac large SUV models werealso put on hold [at least temporarily].On January 14, 2010, GM announced thatthey were resuming development offull-size trucks and SUVs and here are thefruits of these eorts which are mostlybased on new GMT K2XX body-on-framearchitecture. The rst roll out productionvehicles based on these platforms hitmarkets in summer of 2013. The light-duty2014 model year Chevrolet Silverado andGMC Sierra full-size pick-ups were rstintroduced followed by the SUVs.

2015 Chevrolet TahoeThe Tahoe along with its longer SiblingSurburban are considered as the industry’sbest-selling duo of full-size SUVs. Theoutgoing Tahoe and Suburban wereamong the rst models to benet theGMT900 platform which debuted at the2006 North American International AutoShow. This success of this chassis alsoformed the basis for the next generationof GM full-size pick-ups and SUVs, andreplacements for the GMT800 vehicles.Now, with the new platform, they areback and have been meticulously detailed

to oer more functionality, greaterrenement, new safety features and anincreased range of advanced technologiesto appeal to its respective customergroups.The outgoing Tahoe was a decent packageby itself as it sort of benchmarked thebrand’s packaging in the segment. Itwas also oered in LS, LT (with two LTpackages: 1LT and 2LT) and LTZ modelsand depending on market both rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive options.All Tahoe variants were powered by aVortec 5.3-litre V8 with variable valvetiming oering 320hp and 452Nm oftorque. Active Fuel Management was partof the optimization in performance andfuel eciency. The V8 was mated to GM’sHydra-Matic 6L80 six-speed transmission.The new Tahoe and LWB Suburban andGMC Yukon continue with V8s, but theVortec V8 has been replaced by lighteralloy head EcoTec3 engines which havebeen signicantly re-engineered toincorporate state-of-the-art eciency

technologies like direct injection, cylinderdeactivation, continuously variable valvetiming and an advanced combustionsystem besides bump in output andtorque. Improved engine mounts,electronic throttle control, adaptiveexhaust systems, improved aerodynamicsand other technologies help the engines

operate in four-cylinder mode mowith Active Fuel Management. Whpromoting eciency, the powertrare programmed to make the mospower, torque and eciency acrobroad range of operating conditiosix-speed automatic transmission carried forward and includes TapScontrol, Tow/Haul mode and AutoBraking. This new engine made itsearlier this year in the all-new Sierengineering focus is on eciency adaptability, we are aware that thspeed automatic transmission is trtrue, but in ‘real-time’ it’s two geacurrent market leaders.

2015 Chevrolet SuburbanBy far, the longest running namepin the industry, GM seems to haveextra cautious with the new ChevrSuburban. Now in its 80th year angeneration, the new Suburban is tlatest iteration of a vehicle that stits career as a cargo hauler and ha

transformed into a people’s careewith cargo carrying and towing cato match.The ve-door, three-row Suburban20in longer than the Tahoe and sit130in wheelbase. When you look aSuburban and Tahoe together frofront, both appear very similar. In

It was only after a glancedownward on the driver’sinformation centre thatyou notice a brightlylit green V4 symbolamongst the gauges



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Suburban has not shed its boxy lookswith its crisp new sheetmetal with

t creases give an aura of sophistication.wever, the dierences between theo become quite apparent when both

icles are viewed three-quarters,ecially from the C-pillar onwards. Bothurban and Tahoe have their own sheet

tal and despite engineering similaritiesh the latest Silverado 1500, not a bodyel has been shared with the pick-up

ck.s construction,has employed

mbination of steellightweightelp optimizeght. Common toh models are the

minium bonnetsliftgates. Theurban is aicle that canl from six- to

e passengers,ending onguration.ilable in base LS, LT and range-toppingversions, it is now standard with

ond- and power-folding third-rowing seats.ike the Yukon Denali LWB versionch is longer by 20in and gets thelitre V8 as one of the key dierentiator

under the bonnet, the Suburban ispowered by GM’s 5.3-litre EcoTec3 V8which is programmed to oer 355hpat 5,600rpm and 383lb-ft of torque at4,100rpm. Transmission is the corporate6-speed automatic Hydramatic. 2015 GMC Yukon / Yukon DenaliAll new Yukon models share a lot oftechnology found in the new Sierra lineof trucks and are available in standard

wheelbase or LWB. Several grades areoered and the SUV line-up is oered inbase SLE, mid-level SLT and top-of-the-lineDenali trim levels. Depending on how it’sspecied, it can haul up to nine passengersin comfort.In terms of creature comforts in the cabin,

although the Yukon is supposed to be afew notches higher in terms of contentand execution, there’s more evidenceof bin parts sharing than individualism.The infotainment system, dashboard andanalogue instrumentation are sharedacross all the models including theSilverado.The common 5.3-litre V8 engine rides in afully-boxed frame for added strength andcapabilities, and features enhancementslike hydraulic mounts for a smoother andquieter ride. Steering is electric power-assisted and speed dependent, and iscoupled with Denali-standard MagneticRide Control (MRC) adjustable shockabsorber set-up also found in the CadillacCTS-V and Corvette Stingray.In the upmarket Denali range, especiallythe XL variant is 20in longer and henceweighs more. To compensate the power-to-weight ratio decit [compared tostock], GM has shoehorned a biggerdisplacement 6.2-litre V8. And to give ita similar class and ride, hydraulic engine

mounts [to minimise engine vibration]have been employed to ensure smoothoperations.

2014 Chevrolet SilveradoThe Silverado pick-up is an importantvolume seller for GM in t he US and henceit was introduced in the markets a fewmonths before the SUVs which sharemechanicals and underpinnings. Chevrolethas taken a conservative approach in t heredesign and compared to the SUVs, hasits standalone features – the massivechrome bumper for instance. In ourmarket, Silverado’s biggest rivals includethe Ford F-150 and the Ram 1500. Andconsidering what Ford is planning to dowith the soon-to-arrive all-new F-150 [itstrendy design will be based on the Atlas

Concept], theSilverado can enjoyits advantage moreon engineeringprowess thandesign. While itconnects withits SUV siblings

mechanically, it’sa model that canbe associated withdesign simplicity inthe bowtie brand.In its construction,GM has paid

particular attention on stress points andstructural safety in the 2014 Silverado1500. Hydroforming technology has beenused to improve strength and reduce massof the front of the frame. The featuresa roll-formed steel pickup box , which islighter, stronger and more durable than

traditional stamped steel boxes and thecab structures are all new and incorporatehigh strength steel in the A-pillars, B-pillars,roof rails and rocker panels. Ultra-high-strength steel is used in areas of the rockerpanels and underbody in anticipation ofnew shallow-oset crash tests. In all, abouttwo-thirds of the cab structure is made fromhigh-strength steels. Even the cargo bedbenets from tougher steels. Sway controlis among technologies provided for seriestowing users.

What’s in, What’s out

Design exteriorIn the next decade, the auto industry willsee an explosion in its use o f aluminium to

cut ab and increase fuel economy. GM’shas begun that in this new generationof SUVs with sheetmetal componentslike bonnet and tail gates constructedin aluminium. Rivals like Ford have beenshowcasing truck concepts with signicantswitch to almost all aluminium bodyconstruction.To an untrained eye, the overall pro leof the incoming Chevy/GMC SUVs hasn’tchanged that much. Still boxy, however,the story is in the detailing, t andnish. The build quality has improved byleaps and bounds in the Chevrolet. Thequalitative dierentiator between Chevy

Thanks to usage of new Generation V/

EcoTec3 V8 engines with direct injection

and weight savings from the use of more

high-strength steel in construction, fueleconomy of GMT K2XX vehicles do increase

over the GMT 900 predecessors

and GMC SUVs is much less now arepresents condence and new lebenchmarking. This is a signicantconsidering there’s Cadillac also sthe top.Both Chevy and GMC SUVs have tsheet metal cut with softer curvesclean lines. The quiet, calm surfactreatment tries to oset the bulkyappearance. As before, the one-pifront end presents a friendly, welface but without forfeiting the carpresence.NVH has been a focus area for botand some interesting design chanhave been incorporated. The inlaydesign is the greatest giveaway wnow shut in the recess of the pillaboth body style versions. The addbonus is that it also helps in eectmanaging/ltering unwanted noisoutside. The second feature whichopinion is outstanding for the Miduser is that of the design of the A-While several new SUV/crossovers

raked their A-pillars considerably tstreamline airow, the ip side is increases the glass area and also dprotect the front occupants in parWhat we observed later with variodrivers and passengers is that no how close or far you are to the stewheel or dashboard, you are prote



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erously from the elements.added plastic valance reducesground clearance and also aectsarrival angle when going o-road.

mpared to the front end detailing, theV rear is mostly at, almost verticalgate resides between tall, narrowamps. The headlamp detailing is

o quite good. Personally, I prefer theon’s looks to the Tahoe’s and nd the

nali trim bordering the bling line.anwhile, the Silverado’s A-pillar rakeore aggressive and hence its rooinelittle lower than before. In creating

prole, GM has used a conservativeroach and has given enough cueset it apart from its SUV siblings. The

ndout chrome grille for instance is a keynature style-cum-functional element

so are the arrival angles. The groundarance is also higher in the pick-up.

sign interiorchange in qualitative aspect in the

C Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe is quite

iceable now. From a simple, eleganthboard that hinted of aspirations forry-luxury status has moved severalches up with a smarter set-up. GMvery cleverly used the parts binroach and at the same time been ableierentiate between the models and

m variants. For example the Silverado,

Tahoe, Suburban and Yukon share thesame instrument cluster. The analogueportion of the instrument cluster is alsoused in the top-of-the-line Denali modelbut the rest of the cluster is digital. Somemore dierentiation is noted between theGMC Chevrolet siblings at the base of thecentral console – the Yukon dashboardintegrates with centre console while inthe Tahoe it is separate. Trim nishes– especially eects on the dashboardplastics in the SUVs have been keptdierent and it is quite a contrast to thatof the Silverado which reects typicalpick up focus on form and function. TheSilverado’s instrument panel is moreupright and multiple storage optionsare tailored specically to the needs oftruck customers. Controls are functional,logically placed and easy to operate. Thegear lever placement in on the columnin all the models and in typical Americanfashion, the Tiptronic switch is actuallyon the gear lever. In terms of space andcomfort the SUVs get well padded leather

seats which oer decent support viapower adjustments. Getting in and out ofthe SUVs is easy, thanks to the retractablerunner board. However, the hip point ison the higher side. Head and leg roomare decent but drivers of all heights cannd the going good, thanks to the powerheight adjustable pedals.

On the infotainment front the packagingis corporate. Depending on trim, there’san 8in display and next-generation MyLinkconnectivity for audio, Bluetooth andnavigation. A rear-seat DVD entertainmentsystem is available with dual fold-downscreens and six USB ports and six poweroutlets are included in the feature pack.The compartmentalized centre console islarge enough to store a laptop or iPad. Inthe trim department, GM could have donea bit better with the top specc models.We were somewhat disappointed to ndChevrolet’s traditional version of fauxwood trim throughout the cabin of theSuburban, where as the brushed metaleect in the GMCs of the same trim stoodout nicely.In terms of cargo space in the SUV siblings,the Suburban as expected tops the list.Rear cargo space checks in with 39.3cftbehind the third row seat. Push the powerfold button and it almost doubles tonearly 77cft behind the middle row. Foldboth rows, and the Suburban becomes

a covered 121cft hauler. However, it’saround 16cft short of what the outgoingmodel oered.From a driver’s perspective, thefundamental approach used by GM isdierent in the SUV and p ick-up. In theSilverado, which has huge A-pillars anda tall dashboard, it gives the illusion of

relatively limited forward visibility.Yet that doesn’t mean we don’t like thisnew interior. All controls are groupedaround a big, vertical touchscreen thatoperates GM’s MyLink infotainmentsystem. Although it is simple enough tooperate, the infotainment system canbe frustratingly lag-prone. Luckily, mostinformation is accessible from the truck’ssteering wheel controls and pertinentaudio and navigation data can bedisplayed in the instrument cluster.The Silverado, we note, also takes a bigleap forward in terms of perceived quality.Materials are upgraded throughout, withmost surfaces swathed in pleasant soft-touch vinyls. An upmarket French stitchpattern is draped over the dashboard’svarious curves. On the tech front, t heSilverado oers up to ve USB ports plusoptional heated and ventilated seats. Welike having both heating and ventilation,but the latter emits an especially loudwhir audible even over the Bose speakers.Rear doors on crew cabs are larger, for

easier entry and exit, and rear doors onextended cab models are now hinged atthe front for easier access, especially intight spots.

Chassis and suspensionCommon to all models is the migration toa new chassis architecture which is knownas the GMT K2XX internally. This chassisis the direct replacement of the GMT 900series which was retired in 2013.GM has been able to oer dierenthandling and performance capabilities byusing this exible chassis. And for the rsttime, Cadillac’s programmable magneticride shock absorbers set-up has migratedinto Chevy/GMC products. G M’s decisionto continue with leaf springs for the solidrear axle in the Silverado and work onthe dampers instead to ensure shorterrebounds and narrow the performancegap with the coil-sprung Ram mayseem as a costingcutting measure.However, someof the aluminiumcomponents in thesuspension have been

optimized to saveon weight across therange.

PowertrainThe outgoing editions of the Tahoe usedGM’s small block Vortec Gen IV 5.3-litreV8 engines. GM’s Gen V small block V8engines have been tailored now to reectthe several mileage-boosting elementssuch as variable valve timing, directinjection and cylinder deactivation. TheEcotec3 portfolio has three V8 enginesand the bigger two are for ME markets.Ecotec3 is not to be confused with Ecotec

family of four-cylinder engines whichGM sells in smaller cars. Interestingly,GM hasn’t introduced turbocharging inthese engines like Ford in its Ecoboostset-ups. To make the engines lighter, theblocks and cylinder heads of all threeGen V EcoTec3 engines are now cast inaluminium.Between the four SUVs and one pick-upin this report, two engines are shared– the Ecotec3 5.3-litre V8 and 6.2-litre

V8 normally-aspirated engines. Anddepending on trim, 2WD or 4WD optionsare oered with range selector and dilocks. Compared to the outgoing models,power from the smaller V8 is up by 35hpfrom 320hp to 355hp and torque is upfrom by 48lb-ft from 335lb-ft to 383lb-ft. Common to all models is the 6-speedHydramatic automatic transmission.

Driving impressionsOur driving programme for the fouin the agenda was divided brand wtwo days. The rst day we took thand the GMCs a day after. The Silv1500 which we have added in this was done independently a few webefore the SUV programme. This mfor the SUV drive [both brands] wthree vehicles with the 5.3-litre V8set-up and only one, the LWB GMCDenali with the 6.2-litre V8.

On the mthe rst tin the 5.3V8 powecars we nwere imp

levels of quietnesluxury SUstandardadded em

on NVH mitigation through the uswind-cheating designs and laminaglass is commendable. Power anddelivery from the 5.3-litre V8 in theand Yukon seem to be adequate, bwouldn’t be classied as generousthe most of things under normal dcircumstances is the smooth-shiftspeed automatic, which is a little sactually complete a gear change c

Cost of ownership will be a key USP for

pushing sales of these vehicles according

to GM officials. GM claims the lowest in thesegments represented vis-à-vis key rivals



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t it matters that much, the good thinghat the gears hold longer and appearesist the whimsical urge to hunt fors. The engine runs stress free in these

o models and even with the seamlessnder deactivation system at work thereno telltale signs of stress whatsover.

wever, in the Suburban, which is longerheavier, we do feel it could have done

h some more oomph from the engine.ile we won’t say it was insucient orroughly underpowered, consideringfact of its potential usage as longance family and cargo hauler in t heon, it should be OK when speed isyour only consideration. However,clear winner in the three SUVs and pick-up as far as t his engine goesarticular is the Silverado. Obviously,

power-to-weight plays a big role andso does the chassis/suspension set-up,besides the driver aids for o-roading.In the long wheel base SUVs, the YukonDenali XL is a better car to drive comparedto the Suburban. The Denali, on the moveis the more enthusiastic of the two withgood pulling power and accelerationcharacteristics, where as the Suburbanfeels like a lazy MPV in the way it actuallybehaves. Though top-heavy by its nature,the Suburban doesn’t wallow too muchand body roll is quickly checked. The netresult is that despite its size, it trackingfeel is smaller than it actually is. Withits proven solid rear axle, GM feels itstill gives the best combination of ride,handling and towing capacity in a vehicleof this magnitude. The magnetic ride

suspension in the up specced modelsdo oer signicant handling advantagewhen it comes to comfort, cruising or citydriving. The advantage of the extra outputfrom the 6.2-litre V8 is quite obvious whenyou drive the cars back to back.With standard magnetic ride control, theYukon Denali is supremely composedon the road, belying its massive 5,533lbsweight by feeling almost light on its feet athighway speeds. Steering is light at slowspeeds, yet servo rms up well as the paceincreases.While most of the GM-organised drivingwith the SUVs was on-road in and outof Dubai, we had the benet of testingthe Silverado in both driving situationsduring our independent assessment of thevehicle. Although it is a pick-up by design,

what impressed us about the Silverado isthat not only it is very easy to drive, partin thanks to the light steering, on road,but it is very capable on sand and dunebashing too. The Silverado has denitiveadvantage of its SUV cousins for no w aswe expect at some point later when theZ71 o-road package arrives, then theSUVs and Silverado could challenge eachother on a level playing eld. For now, theSUVS [both Chevy and GMC] tested in thisarticle are more street focused despitesome having di locks and lo-hi rangeselectors.One feature that we noted was aboutthe steering feel and feedback across themodels. The electric power steering systemis very precise by truck standards and nicelyweighted so as never to feel too heavy atlow speeds or too light mid-corner.

VerdictIt’s actually quite rare to do two brandsand four SUV variants in one driveprogramme. The message we get isthat GM has put in quite a bit of eort indetailing the four SUVs while attemptingto bring in tiered levels of packaging andcomfort as far as luxury. We also thinkthat the positioning statement betweenthe Chevrolet and GMC brands is muchclearer despite some technology overlaps.The Tahoe denitely moves up a fewnotches in the entry lux segment andit will be interesting to see how muchcontent the Cadillac SUVs will oer inorder to stay ahead of GMC in particular.Meanwhile, the Silverado is a seriouslygood truck. While several of its rivalsmight boast more high-prole features,

but the Silverado rewards with a jcombination of attributes.We mentioned earlier in the articledierent SUV makers are employidierent philosophies when it compackaging large SUVs. In conclusioapproach has been logical and ratby packaging the vehicles sensiblyinvesting where it really matters. Aturbochargers or superchargers mpremiums have to be paid and it spricing into astronomical levels!Besides, the above, GMs key to mthese vehicles is the total packagevehicles themselves, the trims, priand cost of ownership over 100,00We can assure you that, GM is preaggressive about the last one.



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2015 JEEP CHEROKEE

Seekinga wild side

It may sport a new exterior, but the Cherokeeremains a hard-core SUV at heart. We test out CJD’s

latest offering at the launch in the UAEAuthor : Raj Warrior



15/43

How un-Cherokee like can theCherokee get? Admittedly, thathas been our rst reaction fromthe day we saw the early unveils of thenewest iteration of the Cherokee. It’sjust that, with the sloping bonnet and

overlapped layout of the seven-slat grille,there was something out of characterfor a sub-brand that has made its namewith a editions that were d ecidedly snub-nosed. And it isn’t as if Jeep designershad to take this path. This year’s unveil ofthe Renegade concept has proven thatutilitarian can look sexy (or at the veryleast – highly desirable).Admittedly the Cherokee is now morea crossover than a full-blown SUV, butthen that’s the last thing you want to tryto sell to traditional Cherokee loyalists.You can still see many of the XJ platformCherokees running around in Muscat,with most of them being driven by driverswho won’t stop to blink before they takethem over the dunes. Young, capable,

composed – the type of driver choses theclosed cabin of the XJ over the Wranglerlargely because of the additional roles heplays. That has been the story of the KKplatform too. Pardon us if we don’t harptoo much about the in-between KJ, built

during the heydays of Daimler’s so-calledpartnership with the Chrysler group.However, one takeaway is that theCherokee thrives because of what itoers in addition to the bulletproofdependability of the Wrangler. That is ahuge demand to full and going crossoveris hardly the way to do it.But there is something about this all-newKL platform. It isn’t all that dierent fromits predecessor – it features unibodyconstruction and delivers a vehicle thatalso comes in Trail-rated conguration. Butthe dierence is one of strategic nature.In this case the base platform has been co-developed by the Fiat-Chrysler partnershipto accommodate a series of vehicles.Called the Compact US wide platform, it

4x4 Systems

The new Jeep Cherokeprovides a choice of th

innovative 4x4 systemJeep Active Drive I features a spower transfer unit (PTU) thatfully automatic and delivers seoperation at any speed in bothwheel and two-wheel drive moThe system does not require an

intervention or feedback from driver, delivers necessary correduring dynamic events and impdriver control during both undeand oversteer conditions.Jeep Active Drive II includes a twspeed PTU with low gears. In thmode, the system locks the fron

rear drive shafts to ensure moreat low speeds and greater towincapability. Low range provides agear reduction that enhances cliability and oers outstanding craratios for severe o-road conditThe Jeep Active Drive Lock Systincludes all the features of JeepActive Drive II and adds a lockingrear dierential to provide incre

low-speed power when driving oextreme o-road trails. This syststandard only on the Trailhawk mAll 4x4 systems of the Jeep Cherfeature the Jeep brand’s renownSelec-Terrain traction control sy

with four modes (ve for the Tramodel, which adds the Rock moAuto, Snow, Sport and Sand/Muallowing the driver to choose thon- and o-road setting best suitfor optimum performance on anparticular surface.



16/43

is meant to underpin the Dart, the AlfaGiulietta and even the new 200. But thenit does come with a transverse enginelayout at the front, which means that intwo-wheel drive mode, the Cherokee isnow a front-wheel drive vehicle.That’s the reason, we would say, thatthe vehicles platform is shaped as it is –at some time in the future we are surethere will be an assortment of Fiat familycrossovers using this platform as well andFiat’s can’t be boxy.Either a four-cylinder 2.4-litre TigerSharkengine with 184bhp and 234Nm of torqueor a new version of the V6 PentaStarpowers the new Cherokee. The V6 nowhas a smaller bore to give a 3.2-litrenominal capacity. On this smaller capacity,the engine still generates 271hp with abetter torque of 316Nm. But then the4-clinder is largely going to be targetedat the eet market, while we are surethat retail customers will look only at thePentaStar.

The big new equation that the Cherokeebrings with it is a nine-speed ZF automat icgearbox (labelled 948TE) and a choice of4WD systems – with low range, withoutand even with a locking rear dierential.(See Box for details)As can be expected from a currentgeneration Jeep, the interiors areclass leading and the feature packis exceptional. The size of the cabinhas grown by a few inches over thegenerations. Now, the mid-size crossoverhas more than enough room for itscomplement of ve seats, besides havingthe volume to spare to throw in rakedwindshields and tailgates. Legroom inthe second row isgenerous by any

measure and the intelligent use of t hecabin has meant that the nicely paddedseats and generous panelling haven’teaten away into usable volume.While the steering wheel is dierent inlayout and shape, the overall layout of thedashboard is becoming familiar, especiallywith the use of the brushed aluminiumsurrounds around the display and thecentre air-conditioning vents. True toform, the layout is rather vertical, despiteits aggressively scooped out footwells.The top of the dashboard gets a coveredreceptacle that’s rather convenient to storestu like pens, coins and licence cards.The instrument panel gets a hybridtreatment with two large analogue dialsanking LCD space in between. Thispatch is used for a multitude of readouts,including a rather prominent digital speedreadout.While the steering wheel seems to havechanged in terms of basic layout, thecontrols are all in familiar positions,

including the audio that is behind ratherthan in front of the wheel.While on the subject of audio – CJD’spartnership with Beats Audio may seea version come in future. Until then atop quality Alpine system serves theaudiophile.The Cherokee comes in various trim levelsbeginning at the Sport, upwards throughthe Latitude, Trailhawk and Limitedversions. Among all of these, the localoce is keen to pr oject the Trailhawkvariant for its o-road prowess.And you can’t blame them – at aroundthe RO 15,000 plus level, t he Trailhawkhas the best of all worlds. It comes withthe low-range as well as the lockable rear

dierential. It also gets the fullbenet of the

Selec-Terrain

system with ve modes as opposed to thefour modes that the other versions oer(the extra is a Rock Mode).In terms of driver assist features, the cargets active cruise control; with followfunction, brake application and both lanedeparture warning and assist. The assistfunction is rather aggressive, giving youthe feeling that someone is taking over the

steering as you wander from the lane. Youcan turn it o – yet somehow we were leftwanting a more noticeable warning and agentler assist. The steering on the wholecould do with a little more weighting. TheEPS is noticeable and ever present.The Trailhawk is where the action iscentred. You can deate the tyres andtake the vehicle anywhere its oldervariants went. The ground clearance isaround 220mm including an extra inchof factory tted lift for the Trailhawk.That would feel almost crossoverishif it wasn’t for the neat sub-30-degree

approach angle and 32-degree departureangle. Somehow, the light-footed vehiclemanages a more than credible stint on thedunes.The combination of on-road manners ando-road capability continue to run in theCherokee’s blood. The strong points ofthe model in this generation are that itcan be many things to many people. The

styling may take some getting used to, butthere is no mistaking that the rst Jeepon the new platform is rather a potentvehicle. And the price range that coversalmost 5,000 Rials from base to top gradedoes give you a large enough buyingchoice. We are pretty sure that you won’tbe buying the FWD version for anythingbut basic transport. Stick with the Limitedor Trailhawk and you will get more thanyour money’s worth – with the onlydierence really being whether you wantthe lockable rear dierential and extrainch of ground clearance or not.

The all-new Jeep Cherokee marks the return of

a classic Jeep nameplate. The 2014 Cherokee

is much different in concept and execution when

compared to older Jeep Cherokees which were

no-frills off-road vehicles. The incoming model

is a small crossover SUV, much more luxurious

and has a fair amount of all-terrain ability


two different versions of Jeep’s Selec-rain are shown above, with the lowerangement with the extra Rock mode

ndard on the TrailHawk


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2014 Hyundai Genesis

Hyundai has managed to push the luxury tag over the years with its Centennial and Genesis badges. This

time around the Genesis comes with all the equipmentneeded. Does it make its mark?

Author : Raj Warrior

GENESISOF A NEWPREMIUM



18/43


C

ue in the ubiquitous backgroundmusicians of “There’s somethingabout Mary” and let’s pick up

thread along the lines of “there’smething about Hyundai”. We’ve been

n observers of the growth of theean conglomerate as it rst declaredthen met the goal of becoming the

rld’s fth largest car company. Alongway we’ve seen the way in whichrything changed in the company – fromap runabouts to very contemporarynstream cars.

wever that brought along with it muchrter model lives – now cars were beingewed every four years instead ofen and mid-life freshens could bring intures like LED lighting and the like, stut for full model changes in the past.the other hand Hyundai has spent thet three years in pushing its connectionh luxury. We love it. It’s not as if thenesis and Centennial actually ever made

it over into true ‘luxury’ territory. But itcertainly wasn’t for lack of trying. We lovethe brashness indicated by the insistenceto associate a ‘value’ brand like Hyundaiwith luxury. It reminds us of the self-fullling declaration that the company hadmade about its leadership position. It’salmost as brash as their declaration lastyear that they wouldn’t chase increasedvolumes for some time – instead lookingat rationalising their existing volume. Readthat they are looking at better protability,both by raising prices as well as producingmore higher value cars.The Genesis revamp comes at a criticaltime for the brand as it seeks to projectthe premium touch. The rst generationBH platform based Genesis went throughsome marketing initiatives including beingassociated with Prada, in an iteration thatwas all white Prada leather interiors andshiny alloys with a custom paint job. Thisyear’s model change brought with it a

whole host of changes, beginning from achanged platform – this one’s called theDH – as well as the full implementation ofthe Fluidic 2.0 design language (post PeterSchreyer’s elevation to oversee Hyundaias well).The car hasn’t changed dramatically – youwill still recognise it in the prole. Thefascia, on the other hand, is completelydierent with the new six-sided grilletreatment, bold horizontal slats, signatureLED lighting and the winged Genesis motifon top. The overall length of the car is4990mm, width is 1890mm and heightis 1480mm. The car sits on a wheelbaseof 3010mm. Note how the wheelbaseis stretching out in the new edition, t omatch the impressive prole of the car.In addition to improving the legroom atthe rear, the front wheels have movedslightly ahead to lower the front overhang,making the car look almost German in itsside-view.

In addition, the interiors have changedcompletely. Hyundai’s constantimplementation of the latest electronicgadgetry has come to a crescendo in theGenesis. But that’s only after the brand

has taken care of the essentials. The caris available with a similar sort of whiteleather to that it showed in the Prada car.In addition there is beige and light brownleather as well. It is all very upmarket,especially with the contrasted whiteleather and black woodgrain treatmentavailable. Throw in a square analogueclock on the dashboard you could almostmistake it for any other luxury brand.And the equation is taken further by allsorts of visual associations – from theshort-throw gearshift lever now favouredby BMW, to the feature packed steeringwheel.One very original design implementation isthe asymmetric dashboard. The driver’s IPbinnacle is accentuated by its trapezoidalshape and the cockpit feel r emains despite

the rather horizontal layout of the dash.Crisp, sharp and rather relevant, the IPuses the best of both worlds – analogueand digital, without clutter. Anythingthat could be moved over to the centre

of the dash has been. As it is the Genesisgets a large hi-res 8-inch display evenat base specs. At the top of the line a9.2” unit is available as is t he signatureLexicon sound system with either 14 or17 speakers. However, this time around,along with navigation and the usual rear-view function, the centre console gets anaround view monitor function.Other innovations in the Genesis includea handy smart boot function thatautomatically pops the boot for you ifyou stand behind it for more than threeseconds with the key in your pocket. Whiledriving, you also get features like adapt ivecruise control, anticipative pre-braking andlane departure warning and assist.And this time around the heads-up displayis what sets the Genesis apart from almost

any contender. It’s a full colour dion a patch of polarised windshieldbe seen in the harshest of light, pain information like an almost 3D vyour next turn o, complete with

countdown to the turn.In terms of powertrain, the Genesto the region with both the units tavailable in the Centennial as wellsmaller V6 3.8-litre Lambda unit feGDI and an upgraded performancenvelope with 315PS of power parwith 397Nm of torque. The larger is the 5.0-litre Tau V8, again with Gsignicantly larger envelope of 413505 Nm of torque at 5,000rpm. Bothese engines are coupled with theight-speed automatic transmissioprovides overdrive ratios all the wthe 5th to the 8th gear.Performance is never an issue, whwith the smaller V6 or larger V8. Mof the time you feel the engine is jabove idling. Yes, the rear-wheel d

nature of the car is perceptible oacceleration, as it sits into the

You can even get the high torV8 to drift the sedan out jus


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wee bit before the controls kick in anddial everything back. But there is almostno communication from the road. Just alittle bit of wind noise, some drummingand an electric power steering that sitssomewhere in between soggy to almostrm.There is no issue with the ride q uality. Theharmonics of the suspension arrangement

are brilliantly handled; with the chassisactually informing you that it could takea bit more than you and the steeringcan throw at it. Shod with the 18” wheelchoice, with the larger V8, you have a carthat would almost put a Merc S500 toshame, until you realise that Merc’s gotitself an all-new S that’s way better.

During lunch at the media drive evwe heard one comment used to dthe USP of the new Genesis – thata “value for money luxury car”. Inhonesty, that comment could deswell. The issue that we have of cothat we don’t associate the two ethe spectrum that are visualised incomment. To us either the car is V

or it oers luxury. There is no midground. With its current iteration,the technology thrown into it andthe feel of luxury that the Genesisexudes, the DH has moved the pocloser to luxury. It’s the Hyundai bthat still keeps it rmly rooted in tpart of the market.

In its profile, the new

Genesis sedan retains

its long bonnet and short

rear end, while the grille

is bigger and wider.

There are some nice

premium European cueswith this car’s design,

but importantly, the

new Genesis has its own

personality



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STYLISH &

FRUGAL Third genera tion all-n

e w 2014 Mazda 3 comes as a full y

redesigned car which boas ts signi can t impro vemen ts in

per formance, in terior quali t y and fea ture

con ten t. Au toma

check s the top-o f- the-line Lu xur y trim sed

an in the Sul tan

Au thor: Chandan B Mallik | Pho tograph y:

El vis John Ferrao

It seems that car makers areramping up their C-segmentoerings with packaging elementsthat a till few years ago wouldappear in higher models only.

Now, even the so-called bread andbutter models are included and in morethan one way, this is good news forpunters who can now look forward to

cars with decent kit and performancecredentials. This segment also has agood selection of cars -- ChevroletCruze, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, KiaCerato, Ford Focus and now Mazda alsoenters the fray with its latest model.Hiroshima-based Mazda is one of thekey leaders in the C-segment movementand the latest car to come out is theMazda3, which is oered in sedan andhatchback body styles. Mazda’s focus inthe third generation compact has beento preserve the model’s core strength

-- everyday practicality, choice of bodystyles, driving and handling whileevolving the packaging by improvingand promoting renement.Mechanically, the car is based on thesame new lightweight chassis that alsounderpins the CX-5 and midsize Mazda6 sedan. This chassis architecturehas allowed for body variants and

engineering exibility. The new 3 sedansports a longer than before wheelbaseand uses the automaker’s now famousKodo “soul of motion” design language.This application was rst seen on t heCX-5 crossover followed by the 6 mid-size sedan. The new arrival gets Mazda’snewest, more aggressive-looking grilledesign and nice curves on its sheetmetal. Meanwhile, slightly altereddimensions – the car sports 2.4in longerwheelbase, is also a bit wider and lower– which gives it its impressive stance.

Overall, the sedan is a very stylish cto look at with its sweeping waist lthat gracefully runs along the side othe car. The best part of the designand proportion is that both body stcomplement each other very nicelyBut the same cannot be said for theinteriors of this car as Mazda’s desiand packaging approach seems to

be somewhat confusing. Howver,there’s no reason to worry about bquality, trims or materials used sincthe percseived quality levels and topoints are as before quite high. So,big question is: what’s so confusingConfusing is the attempt to blendtwo distinctive styles in one packagThe basic layout of the dashboard itraditional and the top portion of thdash in middle gets a tab styled TFTdisplay. The Audi A3 or Mercedes-BA-Class seems to be its inspiration.

2014 Mazda 3



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Lower spec models get a smaller displayscreen. Come to the instrument clusterand then you realize that designerswanted to give it a sporty feel. So youhave a metal-dial tachometer centrallyplaced with a small window for a digitalspeedometer read out anked by wingedhousings on either side. I would havepreferred it to be the other way round sincethe 3 is a street car and not a sports car.The feature pack in the Luxury trim modelis quite impressive. Mazda borrowssome ideas from upmarket models andintroduces a new “Commander” dial-and-button control interface. The touchscreen interface allows users to use thenavigation system [the map provided byJapan was outdated], audio system and

smartphone, but not the air-conditioningcontrols or set-ups are not connected asthey are old fashioned analogue types.Also incorporated in this trim is a head-up display for driving information likespeed, lane departure etc. The car’s 13india steering wheel also has been keptbusy with steering-wheel-mounted paddleshifters and a host of o ther functions. Thetrim also adds cruise control, a 60:40-splitfolding rear seat, Bluetooth phone andaudio connectivity and a CD player to thebase model oering.In same vein of a sporty theme, the car’s

seats are nicely designed and also comewith double cross stitching. Adjustmentsare six-way power for the driver seatwith manual lumbar adjustment, butsurprisingly even in top trim t he passengerside is pure manual/mechanical. Whilethe front-seat area is spacious andseats genuinely supportive with newlycontoured base and more back and lateralsupport, at rear there is more knee roomand shoulder room than before, but it stillfeels tighter than most other compactentries despite the increase in wheelbase.The rear seatbacks are almost 2 incheshigher now to for the benet of rearoccupants.On the practical side of things, things aremore or less in line with the segment. The

sedan’s 12.4c-ft boot is bit small for theclass and almost same as the Civic, whilemore space is available in the Cruze andFocus. One can live with it.The test car came with bigger of the twoengines oered in this market. In fact,Mazda claims that the entire structure ofthe new car has been designed aroundthe SkyActiv four-cylinder engines. Theengine is carried over from the previousgeneration but has been tweaked -- highcompression, carefully tuned exhaustsystems and software renements are alltogether designed provide power while

extracting maximum eciency from everydrop of fuel. The test car sported a 2.0-litrefour-cylinder normally-aspirated mated toa six-speed gearbox. In this set-up 155hpand torque of 150 lb-ft at 4,000rpm helpspropel the car through its front wheels.Unlike Honda or Toyota, there’s noprovision for Eco drive mode. It’s a one-in-all sort of deal.The car’s suspension packagehas also been attended to.The package includes retunedsprings, shocks, and anti-rollbars – all designed to improvestraight-line stability. Mazdasays that work has been donein the suspension departmentto improved both corneringperformance and ride comfort.Meanwhile, stopping distancesare claimed to be among thebest of all compact cars throughthe four-wheel discs. Meanwhile,as part of the eciency drive,an electric power steering replaces theformer electrohydraulic system.On the safety front, the car enters themarket with top credentials. It has alreadybeen named an IIHS Top Safety Pick+model this year. Every Mazda 3 comesequipped with antilock disc brakes,stability and traction control, active front

head restraints, front side airbags and sidecurtain airbags.

Driving impressionsMazda’s 3 sedan maybe a global modeland it goes without saying that thereare several benchmark rivals to contendwith when it comes to performance and

handling. Peugeot ‘s C-segment model, thenew 508, sold in the region comes witha turbo-charged 1.6-litre 156bhp engine,so it is fair to use that as a referencewith the Mazda’s 155hp output from its2.0-litre normally aspirated engine. Tobegin with, on the move, this normally-

aspirated Mazda doesn’t feel as livthe Peugeot. It is sluggish and theshift changes are very slow compmany other cars in the segment. Itimes it feels as if there’s a CVT insa cogged-set-up.We think this car should have alsooered with stronger power deliv

through better torquemanagement. The chabehaviour is acceptabday-to-day driving situwith the suspension tcare of absorbing theimperfections and helthe car a decent ride. way towards Amerat,the car’s powertrain fpressure and need to prodded by the driversuspension seemed towell in the tight corneHowever, the athleticaspect of the outgoinclearly missing. The pr

3’s highway ride was smoother anwho prefer softly sprung set ups lToyota’s Corolla might be inclinedthe current 3 is too rm for their liI remember with the outgoing moMazda invested heavily in engineeelectrohydraulic power steering s

Although, the 2.0-litre engine is

carried over, Mazda’s efficiency

‘Skyactive’ programme has ensured

that this engine is able to produce

155 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque. And

as before, it drives the front wheels

through a six-speed automatic

gearbox

Mazda’s lightweight Skyactiv archialso benets new Mazda 3. The nestructure boasts a 30per cent imprin torsional rigidity. Meanwhile, the

2.0-litre engine also gets larger exmanifold to help boost mid-range t



22/43

For the 3, Mazda has also adopted theautomaker’s now famous Kodo “soul of

motion” design language. This applicationwas first seen on the CX-5 crossover

followed by the 6 mid-size sedan

for that last-generationcar, and nailed it. However,we simply don’t think thenew car’s electric powersteering system is as goodand as expected, the assistedsteering is light and somewhatnumb and didn’t feel ascondent on centre on thehighway. Despite eorts, anda lot of ride harshness andnoise still lters into the cabincompared to other cars in thisclass.

VerdictA redesign for MY2014 hasbrought in a wave of fresh airto the model series. Besidesrened styling, more features,and higher fuel eciencythat should, at least in theoryadd this to more small-carshopping lists. But, even

in a comparatively smallermarket like Oman, there’s noshortage of quality players inthe compact class segment.While, the 2014 Mazda 3stands out from the small-car crowd with its sport-car-inuenced proportions andcontemporary styling, it willhave to realize that goodlooks and some contemporaryfeatures alone will not beenough to motivate puntersthat easily. We think, Mazdacould look at improving thetorque delivery from this set-up more than focus on fueleciency – especially in thisregion where customers lookat on-road performance andpresence more than anythingelse. Overall, the 3 is a decentpackage.

The infotainment controller

etween the front seats is designedto operate with simplicity and

logic. It’s quite refreshing whenou compare it with ambitious andcomplex systems like that of theord Focus’ MyFord Touch system

for instance

www.automanweb.com | JULY 2014


23/43

Wiredto

chartnew

paths

2014 Inniti Q50

While the all-new 2014Inniti Q50 comes asthe replacement for theG sedans, it brings in awhole new angle for thebrand. We drove the Q50at its launch in Dubaiand see a distinct future

for the brand

Author: Raj Warrior

JULY 2014 | www.automanwebwww.automanweb.com | JULY 2014


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The entry-level premium segmentis among the most contested– because the buyer has lots

lternatives ahead of them. Theyld buy a premium brand and satisfymselves with either a small sedan orV or indeed stay with a mainstreamnd and buy a full spec large sedan orV. It’s enough to confuse even thedened automotive journalist. Theter is increasingly being felt by brandsging in variants and creating overlap.instance, if you wanted you could

k at BMW’s 1 or 3-series in dierent, Merc’s C or Audi’s A3. Each of thesea model sitting just above with lower

ms that will get you if you have a fewusand extra in your budget. And it is int established order of the hegemony

German brands that a brand like Innitibeen attempting to grow initially

with its G and M sedans and now with itsQ range. The Q50 is both the logical andhereditary successor of the G sedans, withthe nomenclature changing at the sametime as the model underwent its shift.Like Cadillac before it – Inniti has hadto bring the battle to the German übersedans. As the mainstream Americanluxury brands try to go global, they arefaced with the challenge of making theircars acceptable to the well-heeled driverfrom Moscow to Muscat. It’s no longerenough to pile on the leather and woodveneer, the car has to have the features,handling and performance that matchesGermany’s best otherwise it remains analso-ran. And this new mindset also helpsthe brand in the home market as moreAmerican drivers are exposed to theTeutonic overreach of BMW, Mercedes,Audi and Porsche.

The advantage the Q50 had was that whileInniti still makes their cars in Japan, sellsit in the US and now around the world, thistime they have two strong dierences –their product development team is basedin Europe and they have a strong tie-inwith the F1 team Inniti Redbull.The Q50 has also used this opportunity tomake a clean break with its positioning asa sort of value sedan at the entry point tothe segment. The G with its G25 varianthad a fantastic price point, although thiswasn’t really translated into a huge salesopportunity. This time around the Q50gets two engines at launch – the 3.7-litreV6 VQ37VHR stalwart of the Inniti line-up and a hybrid solution that featuresthe older 3.5-litre V6 VQ35 engine as thegasoline powerplant mated with a 67hpelectric motor. While the car is availablein an AWD setup in the US, in the region

we expect only the rear-wheel drive to beavailable for the foreseeable future.Another way in which the Q50 makesits dierence felt is in its larger size anddistinctly meaner proportions. There ismore than a touch of the current Maseratisedans in the styling of the front fendersand greenhouse, although without anactual attempt to copy anything. It seemslike the move towards introducing afeline, owing element in the car’s prolebrings with it a feeling of déjà vu. Howeverthe Q50’s strength lies in its rear-wheelarchitecture that allows a wheelbase of2850mm on an overall length of 4783mm,with reasonably small front overhangs.The crouching tiger eect is furtheraccentuated by the newest iterationof the Inniti grille, almost integratedheadlight assemblies and rather beefed uphaunches.Beyond the new 7-speed automaticgearbox, new modular architecture andthe choice of larger engines as standard,

the story of the Q50 is linked to three mainchanges – the rst being the use of a newdrive-by-wire steering system, the secondbeing the new generation of interface andcommand systems available for the driverand the third being the driver aid systems.Of course, by itself the provision of thehybrid engine would warrant mention as

the fourth signicant change. Moving in thereverse order let’s look at each of these.By now, we are quite familiar with theuse of the inline motor assist that Nissanfavours. It has come to the region in thePathnder and the Inniti JX (now theQX60). But the reason it is so dierenthere is that while you may enjoy the fullelectric mode for its quietness and utilityin stop and go trac, you really want themotor there for the extra torque it throwsin at ramp up. It isn’t surprising thatthe hybrid comes only in S spec (albeitthat the S is blue rather than red on thebadge). While the 3.5 V6 may take sometime to spool up to optimum torque levelsof 258 lb.ft, the electric motor adds its 214lb.ft from the word go. The accelerationis incredibly noticeable at the top of yourspine. Our guess is that most people whoare ready to pay for the extra weight,complexity and ‘greenness’ of the hybridwill be doing some very non-green dr ivingwith the combined 360hp on tap and the 5

second 0-100kmph sprint.In terms of driver aid systems, the Q50sets the new benchmark for the segment.Not only does it feature the usual aroundview monitor, active cruise control andbrake assist systems; now the car com eswith active lane keeping that identies thelane even from one set of markings and



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ers gently to keep you centred in thee. Additionally there is the obligatorye departure warning, active cruisetrol with follow and brake function.close quarters manoeuvring the rear

w monitor comes in handy as well.n we come to the interface. The entirehboard, centre console and driverng controls have changed. While theemains analogue in layout, the centresole has changed dramatically. Nowinterface is made of two stackedchscreen displays, the top one of

ch serves as multimedia and generaldout, while the bottom is largely theut device. The screen is smaller andsurrounded by hardware buttons for

mate control, just in case you don’t wantse the on-screen controls. In additionhe touch screen nature of the screens,knurled controller on the centresole helps meet the needs of Europeaners who are more comfortable in

tile controls at high speeds.tly, the drive-by-wire system. Iterated a huge discussion over dinner

h the system’s engineers who hadted from the Japan facility. Noty does going ‘by-wire’ mean thato electric motors on the front axle

trol the wheels’ movement, but anctric motor had to be added back tosteering assembly in order to dial

eedback for the driver – to preventeling of PlayStation controllering. Of course the

chanicalage

still remains between the steering wheeland the front axle, but it gets detachedas soon as

155 automan july issue 2014

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