TTAC takes the shiny new fuel-sipping SKYACTIV 2012 Mazda3 for a very tough spin, and comes away with this:

It’s nice to have a company like Mazda around, and I’m happy to report that their SKYACTIV technologies seem to indicate that they’ll be able to compete on both fronts: not only as the enthusiast choice, but also as a manufacturer of economically efficient daily drivers. This new Mazda3 is certainly a car I’ll be recommending next time somebody asks.

Brendan also managed to average 33mpg while driving it like a madman – impressive, considering that’s not far off from the EPA estimated 40 MPG for those who baby it.

The Mazda 3 has long been one of my favorite compact cars. It’s reasonably priced, reasonably good looking, and handles pretty doggone well. The one area where it always fell short was fuel economy – it simply couldn’t compete. SKYACTIVE changes that, of course, and adds more power at the same time. Why can’t everyone do something similar?

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Autoblog took a 2012 Boss 302 around the block a few times, and took the time to try out the TracKey. Here are their thoughts:

Whether you select the regular Boss or plump for the Laguna Seca, the Blue Oval still has your on-track performance in mind. Ford’s optional TracKey is a novel way to set up your car for circuit use. Basically, it’s a red key that optimizes the drivetrain for racing (“TracMode”). Something like the secondary key on a Bugatti Veyron that liberates the supercar’s top speed mode (albeit without the seven-figure price tag), TracKey alters over 200 engine computer functions, including things like spark mapping, variable cam timing, engine braking and fuel delivery. The result? Improved low-end torque and a suitably lumpy idle. Ford has also thrown in a launch control system derived from the one on the Cobra Jet drag car, a nice addition.

The entire concept of the TracKey is a nice touch. They took an idea from a $1+ million dollar super car and brought it to a relatively affordable Mustang.

Read more about the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302.

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Autoblog, lucky bunch that they are, reviewed the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S and had this to say:

With the Cayenne I sampled only the V8, but drove a Touareg with the V6 in 280-horsepoweer tune immediately beforehand. While the V8 is quicker and more sonorous than the V6, it doesn’t transform the Cayenne like it does the Panamera. Blame two factors. First, while the 4,553-pound 2011 Cayenne S is, commendably, 400 pounds lighter than the 2010 and 740 pounds lighter than the similarly-dimensioned BMW X5 xDrive50i, it remains ten percent heavier than the Panamera.

Porsche has some of the world’s best engineers, but even they can’t defy the laws of physics. The Cayenne is a large, heavy vehicle, even after the 400 lb diet it received this year. If you’re going to spend your hard-earned money on a Cayenne, save a bit longer and get the Turbo. You won’t regret it.

Read more about the 2011 Porsche Cayenne.

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TTAC reviews the 2012 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 R-Spec, the baddest Genesis of them all, and has this to say:

Oversteer can’t be dialed in nearly as progressively or intuitively as in a BMW or GM vehicle with right-wheel-drive. Perhaps for this reason Hyundai (like Infiniti with the similarly-afflicted G37) opted for a crude fix: prod the V8 to kick out the tail and the stability control cuts in early and hard. Sticky treads notwithstanding, the Genesis 5.0 R-Spec is most in its element when traveling through broad sweepers or, better yet, in a straight line.

Strange, an import that behaves more like a classic American car. Of course, Hyundai is new at this luxury / performance car game, and they’ve already come a long way. Just offering a 429 horsepower 5.0 liter V8-powered sedan is a big deal. Give it a few years, and the Genesis may actual give the German cars a run for their money without folks laughing.

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Autoblog checks out a 2011 BMW X3 xDrive28i and writes this:

Most annoyingly, throttle tip-in is noticeably sluggish. More than once after nosing the X3 out to snag a gap in quick traffic, we found ourselves with an indecisive vehicle and angry oncomings. The throttle doesn’t just choke during clutch plays, either – the initial deadness was constantly infuriating. The situation is compounded by the whims of the eight-speed gearbox, which tries to cycle through its cogs too often. We’ve experienced this same ZF transmission in many other cars – indeed, in many other BMWs – and we don’t recall it being so indecisive.

As tested, this X3 retailed for nearly $46 grand. The main reason people buy a BMW (besides the perception of awesomeness) is that they drive, well, awesomely. If you’re paying for an “Ultimate Driving Machine,” you expect exactly that. Settling for anything less while still paying the price? That doesn’t make much sense to me.

Read more about the 2011 BMW X3.

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txGarage got to beat up on a 2012 Mustang BOSS 302, and here are their thoughts:

No matter if you’re on the track or on the street, when you hit a corner, it’s time for this Mustang to shine. One of the first things I noticed when I got behind the wheel of the Boss is how different the steering felt compared to other Mustangs. It was lighter, but not in a bad way. It felt very direct, but made the car feel lighter on it’s feet and much more nimble. The chassis feels overwhelmingly balanced as you don’t get the feeling of a heavy front end like you do in the GT500. This, in turn, inspires confidence in the turns.

That’s the part that a lot of folks forget. Sure, the new Boss is ridiculously powerful, and gets going in a big ol’ hurry. But it handles better than any Mustang before it, too.

Read more about the 2012 Mustang Boss 302.

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Autoblog put a 2011 Explorer Ecoboost through the ringer, and had this to say:

While we can absolutely see a good reason for buyers to pony up a little extra coin for the EcoBoost 2.0-liter in the Edge, the engine makes more sense to us as a no-cost option in the Explorer. Ford has already employed a similar tactic with the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, allowing buyers to choose between greater fuel efficiency or greater power in the V6 model without asking them to dig any deeper into their bank accounts. Though the Explorer EcoBoost is a solid driver, we simply don’t think the optional engine’s benefits offset its taller price tag and reduced capability.

Four cylinders, one turbo, 240 horses, 4500 pounds, and just 2,000 lbs of towing capacity. That’s the Explorer Ecoboost in a nutshell. Is the extra 3MPG worth the price premiem, given the downsides? I’m leaning towards no, given that there are better choices out there.

Read more about the 2011 Explorer Ecoboost.

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Autoblog reviews the 2011 Dodge Caliber and has this gem at the end:

If you’re still with us, you may have noticed that with the exception of its drivetrain, the Caliber is a fairly competitive vehicle. In fact, we could even tolerate its Lego-block styling and unacceptable fuel economy if the vehicle carried a low enough price tag. Our tester did not. With a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $21,105 including a $750 destination charge, you would have to be a few strokes short of a four-cycle to park this in your driveway. At that price, any of the Caliber’s competitors would be exceedingly superior choices, even in base trim.

So, besides an awful powertrain, terrible fuel economy, awful styling, and a high price tag… this is a real winner. Dodge is going to have trouble keeping up with the demand, I’d imagine.

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Autoblog put a 2011 Camaro SS Convertible through the paces and had these thoughts at the end of it all:

While the standard Camaro is no great pantheon of handling, the fact that its large, topless sibling can come close to matching pace is pretty impressive. Unfortunately, the convertible is lugging around a substantially larger curb weight, which colors the driving experience accordingly. According to GM, the Camaro SS Convertible tips the scales at 4,116 pounds in our tester’s spec. That’s a full 267 pounds heavier than the SS Coupe, with most of that weight lodged over the rear axle. As a result, acceleration feels somewhat dulled even though GM claims that the vehicle can get to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds – two-tenths of a seconds slower than the hard top. The convertible simply feels heavy to drive, with braking, cornering and straight-line grunt all taking a hit.

This isn’t particularly surprising when you think about it. The Camaro SS Coupe is known for two things – absurd amounts of power, and excessive weight. Droptops always pack on the pounds even more, due to the need for structural enhancements.

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TTAC reviews the new second generation BMW X3, with this conclusion:

The 2011 BMW X3 addresses the two glaring weaknesses of the original—interior materials and ride quality—while looking and feeling more refined and substantial. A new, much less fatal flaw: despite (or perhaps because of) extensive electronic wizardry, the X3’s steering lacks the natural, wonderfully nuanced feel of the Q5’s. For this one reason I enjoyed driving the Audi more. But by any objective measure, and nearly any subjective measure as well, the second time is the charm.

Read more about the 2011 BMW X3.

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