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Test Drive: Top 5 cars of the year
EDITORS NOTE: This is the second of two parts. The following capsule reviews are abbreviated versions of previous test drive columns.
Our love of pickup trucks seems to have no bounds as Ford's F-Series and Chevrolet's Silverado are virtually chiseled in stone atop the yearly list of America's best-selling vehicles.
Meanwhile, SUVs have become the default vehicles for millions of American families.
Earlier this month, we reported on our Top 5 cars of the year, and today we look at our Top 5 trucks and SUVs from the past 12 months of test drives in the Times Free Press.
BEST FULL-SIZE TRUCK - FORD F-150
Ford F Series pickups are America's best-selling vehicles, with more than three-quarters of a million trucks delivered this year. By comparison, that's almost as many units sold as Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, the nation's two best-selling sedans, put together.
The half-ton Ford F-150 pickup, the crown jewel of the F Series line, accounts for more than 600,000 of those sales. Ford could be forgiven if it simply stood pat and adopted the motto: "Don't mess with success."
But with great market share comes great responsibility, and Ford stepped up for 2015, introducing an all-new F-150 that makes generous use of lightweight aluminum panels in the cab and bed, an improvement that makes the F-150 both lighter and stronger. Ford says the new F-150 is up to 700 pounds lighter than its predecessor. Prices for the F-150 range from $25,420 for a base work truck to north of $55,000 for a fully-optioned, Supercrew Platinum edition.
All F-150s have a three-bar grille design that shouts "Ford truck." Headlight clusters - shaped like the Cs on the helmets of the Chattanooga Mocs football team - bracket the grille. The padded dash features an 8-inch touch screen that channels the MyFord Touch infotainment system, which has been streamlined and simplified for 2015.
The new F-150 has incredibly light steering, which belies its 5,000-pound-plus curb weight. The massive truck looks like it would be a bear to wrestle around town, but you can literally steer the F-150 with one finger.
Your engine choices are a 2.7-liter V-6 Ecoboost (325 horsepower, 375 lb-ft. torque); a 3.5-liter Ecoboost (365 horsepower, 420 lb-ft. of torque); a 3.5 liter normally aspirated V-6 (282 horsepower, 253 lb-ft. of torque); and the 5.0-liter V-8 (385 horsepower, 387 lb.-ft. of torque).
BEST SMALL TRUCK - GMC CANYON
Full-size trucks are such perennial best-sellers that manufacturers have until recently neglected the smaller pick-up segment. But with the emergence of the new Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon cousins for 2015, and a redesigned 2016 Toyota Tacoma now on the ground, the compact truck segment is experiencing a true renaissance.
The Canyon is our favorite. It's proportions are just right. The short-bed truck is actually more handsome in our view than the long-box version, which is a bit ungainly, like a teen-ager who hasn't quite grown into his extremities. The iconic, three-bar GMC grille on the Canyon is the signature of the brand.
The cabin is where the Canyon stands apart from its Chevy cousin, the Colorado. Premium grade materials make for more upscale touch surfaces. The power front seats are wide and supportive. Rear bench seats provide plenty of room for up to three adult passengers - making the Canyon a true, five-passenger ride.
Tech fans will appreciate the Canyon's online connectivity. The Canyon will support your iPhone voice commands via Siri, and also comes equipped to generate a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. GM's Onstar safety system is also standard.
The compact Canyon is a much better vehicle for urban commuting than a full-size pickup. One could imagine parking the Canyon in a mall lot, for example, without bother. Parking a full-size pick-up, on the other hand, can be a tedious exercise in inching into tight spaces and praying that you don't hear any scraping noises.
The GMC Canyon is a sturdy and refined compact truck that provides all the hauling utility most will ever need. It's a good choice for small families because of its rear seat room and sedan-like interior upgrades. With a price range stretching from the low $20,000s to the high $30,000 there's a Canyon out there for virtually any pocketbook.
BEST FAMILY SUV - HONDA PILOT
The new, third-generation Honda Pilot SUV looks like it now belongs in the family portrait alongside its dapper younger siblings, the CR-V and HR-V (see below).
Today's SUVs are our all-purpose family haulers, much in the way minivans were a generation ago. But increasingly, looks are important to SUV buyers, too. Fittingly, the 2016 Pilot loses the stern right angles that made the older generation look like an ice cream carton on wheels.
Inside, the Pilot is airy and spacious - just right for families with older children who need extra second-row leg room and plenty of elbow space to promote brotherly (and sisterly) love.
The Pilot comes in five trim levels, LX (starting at $29,995), EX ($32,430), EX-L ($35,905), Touring ($41,020), and Elite ($46,420). All-wheel drive is standard on the Elite and an $1,800 option on the other trim levels.
Our EX-L probably represents the sweet spot for Honda, with its mid-$30,000's price point and generally well-appointed cabin - leather seats are especially important for families who must deal with spilled drinks and sun-dried Skittles. Expect the Pilot to return about 27 mpg in highway driving and 19 mpg city.
The new Pilot has enough sex appeal to raise the eyebrows of style-conscious buyers who might have previously written it off. Still, it remains a practical, low-risk choice with plenty of interior space, a smooth power-train and the promise of years of trouble-free driving.
BEST LUXURY SUV - VOLVO XC90
Volvo isn't a company that rushes products into the marketplace.
The XC90 SUV is a good case in point. One of the Swedish car company's best-selling vehicles in the United States, the XC90 soldiered on without a clean-sheet redesign through 13 model years, 2002-2014. Even when Volvo decided to make an all-new XC90, it skipped the 2015 model year entirely to make sure the redesign was done correctly. The new 2016 XC90s are an example of the saying: Good things come to those who wait.
The completely redesigned XC90 - new chassis, new motor, new sheet metal - is getting near-unanimous praise in the automotive press, and we're happy to join the chorus. It's a rollicking good seven-passenger SUV with all the advanced technology and convenience features you'd expect in a $50,000-plus vehicle. To our eyes, it has the most tasteful and comfortable interior of any luxury SUV and a magical power plant that squeezes 316-horsepower out of a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine through deft use of both turbocharging and supercharging.
The XC90 is available in three trim levels, Momentum ($48,900), R-Design ($52,900) and Inscription ($54,500). Many available options are added a la carte. All-wheel drive is standard on all XC90 T6s.
Tasteful is an overused word when describing cars, but it's the adjective that best fits the XC90. From its leather seating surfaces, to its walnut inlays, the XC90 exudes sophistication and class.
Bottom line: The XC90 is a brilliantly-executed seven-passenger coach that should be a big hit among affluent American families.
BEST SMALL SUV - HONDA HR-V
In the old days - such as in 2014 - entry-level SUV buyers had just one Honda option, the tried-and-true CR-V, which, along with the Toyota RAV-4, virtually invented the compact-SUV segment 20 years ago. Buyers with a bit less money to spend could kick the tires on the Honda Fit, a sub-compact, all-purpose vehicle that many automotive journalists say is the most utilitarian, space-efficient hatchback on the market.
In the last couple of years, a smaller breed of SUV - the sub-compact - has come to embody a new, white-hot segment. Vehicles such as the Buick Encore, Chevrolet Trax and Jeep Renegade have blazed the trail, and now it's up to Honda to take the segment mainstream.
Clearly, Honda thinks it can do just that with the new HR-V starter SUV. A base HR-V can be had for about $19,000. A top-of-the-line HR-V in EX-L trim with all-wheel-drive and navigation can approach $26,000.
In typical Honda fashion the HR-V's body lines are crisp and embellished with just enough chrome to accent the design. Inside, the HR-V creates a minimalist vibe. There's nary a dial or button on the dash except for an electronic parking brake toggle. The HR-V's elevated riding position is one reason some buyers will prefer it over the Fit. It's also available in all-wheel-drive for those mountain residents around here who need enhanced traction in snow and ice.
It's only a matter of time until the HR-V, like the CR-V before it, becomes a household name. It's the right vehicle at the right time, so don't be surprised if yearly sales quickly spike into six figures.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfree press.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.