RoadflyTV recently spent some time in the history-making 2011 Nissan LEAF electric car.  Needless to say, we were very impressed.  Join host Ross Rapoport as he reviews the first mass-produced, 100% electric passenger vehicle.

With such a highly-anticipated vehicle, it’s hard to know where to start when discussing the LEAF.  As it is a completely battery powered* electric car with zero emissions, reporting on the LEAF is a bit different. Instead of fuel economy and gas prices, the LEAF owner will have to consider battery range and kW/h prices.

The LEAF, in its debut, has a limited range of 110 miles on the battery pack, but for the driver who has a short commute or someone who needs a car just to get around town, the LEAF’s range will not be an issue. Then, when considering the national average of $.12 per kW/h, the cost per year to power the LEAF is only $500, less than half the price of a year of gasoline costs in your typical vehicle.

To charge the Nissan LEAF, the owner has three options. The “Trickle Charge”, “Normal Charge”, and “Quick Charge”. The “Trick Charge” can be done at home with any conventional outlet. While the “Normal Charge” is also done at home, some home improvements will accompany this method as it utilizes a specific 220 to 240 volt charge station. The last and most efficient method, the “Quick Charge”, really only applies to California owners at this point as it uses an actual charging station that can recharge the batteries to at least 80% power in 30 minutes. In addition to the charging indicators on the Nissan LEAF’s dash, the charging cord also has indicators to let you know the progress of the charge.

In addition to its environmentally-friendly features, the LEAF is also a practical hatchback. The feel of the drive/ride of the Nissan LEAF is centered due to the battery placement and the handling exceeds expectations of an electric car. The power of the LEAF is decent, as the battery packs produce 107 horsepower which is in the range of the Toyota Prius and Honda CR-Z. However, the 207 lb-ft of torque that is available at all times makes the LEAF a surprisingly strong vehicle, as that type of torque is usually seen and expected in mid-powered vehicles. That’s more torque than the Ford Fusion, Mazda3, Mazda2, Suzuki Kizashi, and the Nissan Cube to name a few gas-powered vehicles.

Lastly, and possibly most importantly, the Nissan LEAF is accessible to anyone at an affordable price point of $35,430 MSRP.

*Buyers should consider the longevity of battery power as batteries tend to lose their ability to hold a full charge over time.

Join host Ross Rapoport as he reviews the 2011 Jaguar XJL Supersport, the L referring to the long wheelbase version and the “supersport” classification warranted by its impressive performance.  True to its heritage, the XJL lives up to Jaguar’s old sales slogan of “Grace, Space, Pace”.

The XJ first hit roads in 1968 and has been evolving ever since. For 2011, Jaguar took a risk with the re-design of the XJL’s rear styling. While the car remains distinctly Jaguar, the modern style updates are a nice change.  On the inside, both the driver and the passengers will be riding in style and comfort.

Performance-wise, the XJL Supersport is a beast with a 0-60mph time of 4.7 seconds and a  5-liter V8 that produces 510 horsepower and 461 lb-ft of torque.  With the supercharger, max torque can be achieved at a mere 2,500 rpm.  Considering the output of the XJL, the fuel economy averages of 15 city and 21 highway can be considered decent to good for a vehicle of this type.

As Ross mentioned in the review, sticker shock might hit prospective buyers when they see a starting price of $113,200 (as-tested price of $114,075). But, when considering its competitors (the the Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin Rapide, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7-Series), the XJL’s performance and price are unmatched.

If you’re a future hybrid owner who doesn’t want to just go with the flow by purchasing a Prius, you may want to consider the Honda CR-Z.  Join host Jessi Lang as she reviews the 2011 Honda CR-Z hybrid.  Besides the distinct styling and environmentally-friendly aspects, the CR-Z throws in a twist by offering a 6-speed manual transmission in addition to the CVT automatic.

The transmission, whether you choose manual or automatic, is paired to a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) that produces 122 horsepower and 128 lb-ft of torque.  There are three driving modes: Normal, Eco, and Sport.  Normal and Eco live up to their names but when you hit the Sport button there is a noticeable change with the tightening in the throttle, steering, and shifting. Thanks to the low center of gravity and the agile ability of the CR-Z, it pairs the hybrid functionality to nimble driving very well.

The interior is laid out with the driver in mind.  The instrument cluster is similar to that of the 2011 Honda Insight hybrid.  The gauges change colors based on your driving efficiency and the display shows data for real-time fuel consumption with trip comparison if you take your fuel efficiency seriously.  With 31 mpg city and 37 mpg highway (slightly better if you have the automatic transmission), no matter the mode, you can expect good mpg averages.

We had the base model CR-Z that starts at $19,200 but after the standard destination fee, the final price came in at $19,950.  For a stylish hybrid with a little bit of sport in its blood, the only downside to the CR-Z is the large blind spots, but with fuel economy in the mid-30s and a price tag under $20,000, it is a hybrid that will be hard to ignore.

Hosts Jessi Lang and Steve Hammes road-tested and reviewed the dependable and economical 2010 Nissan Murano, one of the originators of the modern crossover vehicle, the benchmark for all subsequent competitors.

Most of the major facelifts on the Murano came with last year’s model, which had garnered a whole new redesign, and this year finds only a few minor changes on several different trim levels. The luxury LE trim model now comes in a 2-wheel drive package, with several other minor equipment and technology additions. Our tester itself was the SL trim with all-wheel drive, definitely a model worth having in inclement wintry seasons. However, the Murano still retains its attention-grabbing looks and lines, maintaining its sleek, rounded physique that could be defined as sporty and utilitarian at the same time.

The Murano still retains their powerful and award-winning 3.5-Liter V6 engine that musters 265 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque, giving you plenty of ample acceleration for the road ahead. Gas mileage is decent, the Murano is rated at 18 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway.

The interior, however, could use a redesign when it comes to aesthetics. Its plain and lackluster console and dashboard amenities is a little disappointing, considering the comfortability of the drive and the beauty of its exterior. At first glance, the overall design inside the cockpit seems a little outdated, and could perhaps use a healthy touch of modernization.

The Murano is priced at $31,200 to start with, and our tester came in at $36,100 altogether with the technology, premium and leather package options. With a powerful engine, a gorgeous look, smooth ride, and all-wheel drive, this year’s Murano is a smart addition to the lineup of what is considered as the Godfather of the modern crossover SUV.

Hosts Jessi Lang and Steve Hammes checked out the all-new 2010 Mercedes Benz CLS 63 AMG, the ridiculously powerful sports sedan whose class, the CLS, is being marketed by Benz as a “four door coupe”. Although this seems like a contradiction, once you see the 63 AMG for the first time, you realize that its sleek, sporty styling, while managing to fit itself into a four-door frame, rewrites the rules on both coupes and sport saloons.

Mercedes’ CLS lineup has been known for both its power, sportiness, and luxury, and the 63 AMG is the culmination and pinnacle for all three. Under the hood, the 63 AMG has a naturally-aspirated 6.3-liter V8 engine that gets an insane 507 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. This power will get you a blazing-fast 4.3 seconds in the 0-60 test, a drop in 1.2 seconds from the closest model in its lineup, the CLS 550. However, all this power comes at a steep price: you’ll be looking at 12 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway, and that’s with premium gas.

The handling is a thrill as well. The AMG-tuned suspension also takes things to the next level, with stiffer shocks and stabilizer bars–controlling this car is a thing of beauty. Taking to the curves of the backroads gives you confidence and drives at a level which Steve Hammes calls, “Like a star athlete on game day.” The 7-speed automatic transmission comes with paddleshifters on the steering wheel and seems to shift slightly faster than the base CLS models.

Our test car came with the performance package, which rounded up the price another $9800. The package came with 19″ alloy wheels, a limited slip differential, larger front brakes, a track-calibrated suspension system, and a sport steering wheel. All AMG branded. And with this package, the speed limiter was raised from 155 to 186 mph.

The interior is a little less than expected out of a hundred-thousand dollar sports saloon, the electronics are outdated and the backseat feels a little cramped. But the 63 AMG is still luxurious, and one buys this car for the German engineering, the beauty of its exterior, and its incredible driving experience, not the minor gripes that can be found inside the cockpit.

And the CLS 63 AMG is no cheap car, either. The base 63 AMG starts at $97,950 while our test car, with that performance package, came in at $116,775. On either, though, tack on the steep $2600 gas guzzler tax charge.

Although the CLS models are on the cusp of a redesign, this year’s 63 AMG is an incredibly tempting and powerful marriage of luxury sedans and sport coupes that is hard to resist.

For 2010, Nissan has taken over one-hundred pounds off the body and added more power behind the engine of their 370Z Roadster. This agile coupe had host Jessi Lang grinning as she took to the backroads and highways to test out this super-fast and super-fun convertible.

The 370Z boasts a 3.7-Liter V6 engine that produces 370 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. It goes from 0-60 in about 5.1 seconds. Its advanced 4-wheel independent suspension has been made stiffer and lighter this year to improve its quick, responsive handles and ride comfortability. Fuel economy is manageable, you maintain about 18 mpg in the city and roughly 22 mph on the highway.

The comfortable interior maintains a racetrack-aesthetic, with digital gauges mounted into the dash that display all your pertinent information and a finely-tailored cockpit that make you immersed in a true sports car experience. And with the soft-top, the 370Z driving experience becomes a pleasure.

Our 370Z as tested, with the navigation package, came in at $45,270, up from the base price of $41,620.

The 370Z Roadster Touring boasts a lot of power and fun for your dollar, and is a tough competitor to beat in its price-range, a range which includes muscle cars such as the Mustang GT and Camaro SS, or sports sedans such as the Subaru WRX STI and the Lancer EVO. However, the 370Z easily stands on its on apart from the herd with its aggressive exterior, powerful drivetrain, and distinguishing, incomparable characteristics.

Porsche has a long and legendary history when it comes to sports cars, but new for 2010 is their first addition to the growing luxury sports sedan market: the Porsche Panamera. Our host, Jessi Lang, spent a week road testing and reviewing the Panamera 4S.

With a noticeably Porsche-esque front end, many of the Panamera’s design cues, especially the noticeable sloping roofline that rises toward a high back end, have more in common with the Cayenne than perhaps the Boxster or the 911.

Although the look might be decidedly different from Porsche’s norm, its powertrain is not. Our test car, the Panamera 4S, boasts a 4.8-Liter V8 engine with 400 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, and does 0-60 mph in 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 175 mph. Fuel economy is decent, you retain 16 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. Not bad for a car that weighs nearly 5,500 pounds. The Panamera also uses a variant of its PDK dual-clutch transmission, one designed specifically for the Panamera in order to achieve a lower center of gravity.

Our test car’s interior is beautiful and high-tech as well as highly customizable, but also has a steep learning curve thanks to the dozens and dozens of dials and buttons that control every aspect of the car and its features. Digital gauges in the dashboard are classy and display all your pertinent information and then some. Hand-stitched leather seats and consoles really enhance the luxury aspect of the Panamera.

Be prepared, however, to spend a pretty penny on the Panamera. The base 4S model starts at $93,800 and our test car topped out at $114,515.

Other Links:

Porsche Panamera Forum

Porsche Panamera video on YouTube

Panamera pictures from the video shoot

Window sticker (Monroney Label) for our test car: 2010 Porsche Panamera 4S

The intriguing 2010 Jaguar XF, with its sleek, distinguished lines, robust engine, and highly customizable options, sets it apart from other luxury competitors.

Our host Jessi Lang road-tested the XF-Premium, which comes with a 5-Liter V8 engine with 385 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. The transmission is a 6-speed automatic with JaguarDrive selector, which uses a rotary knob for gear changes. Gas mileage is what you would expect in such a high-performance vehicle, you’ll be looking at 16 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.

Handling is firm and confident, acceleration is quick and speedier than you would hope for in any comparable sports sedan, and the suspension is even-tempered. You’ll have no trouble swiftly and firmly navigating the corners, or coming to a quick stop with solidly responsive brakes.

The interior features a rich wood trim and plush leather seating, a very elegant complement to its sensuous exterior stylings and thankfully can be found in all XF trims as standard. In addition, the navigation system and center console options are top-of-the-line and retain a fully cutting-edge aesthetic that Jaguar is known for.

The base XF starts off at $51,000 and our test car, the XF Premium with the Porfolio package, which includes 20″ wheels, power-seating, heated steering wheels, ebony wood trim interior, and a power rear windowshade, came in at $62,900.

Overall, the Jaguar XF is a force to be reckoned with. With such a sporty look and driving dynamic, all while retaining the necessary luxuriousness, the Jaguar XF may just have the edge on comparable vehicles in the sports sedan class, such as the Mercedes E-Class or the BMW 5-Series.

Host Jessi Lang loved the 2011 Porsche Boxster Spyder with its retro-style manual soft top, six-speed manual, and standard limited slip differential.  After watching her video review, few will be able to disagree with her.

For 2011, the ’11 Spyder boasts the title of lightest vehicle in the Porsche fleet with a 176 pound drop, thanks in part to the use of aluminum, the Spyder-specific 19″ wheels, and a 2.6 gallon reduction in gas tank.  Tapping into the Porsche racing heritage (in a variety of ways), the suspension has also been lowered by 8/10s of an inch for an even firmer ride where the driver can feel the texture of the road.

The Boxster Spyder is powered by a 3.4-liter flat six cylinder engine that produces 320 horsepower at 7,200 rpm and 273 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm, a 10 horsepower increase from the Boxster S.  The engine is paired to a six-speed manual or a seven speed dual clutch automated manual transmission with paddle shifters.  Fuel economy in the Porsche Spyder is surprisingly good, with 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.

In addition to its distinct design style and performance prowess,  the Boxster Spyder has a price tag that Porsche enthusiasts can easily stomach . The base price starts at $61,200 and as tested topped out at $67,800.

Discuss the Spyder in our Porsche Boxster Forum.

Introduction

Boasting a lot of bang for your buck, the Mazda2 is a quick and peppy ride with amazing gas mileage and an extremely agreeable pricetag, all-in-all exemplifying the old Mazda maxim, “Zoom zoom.”

Exterior Styling

Taking design cues from its sporty cousin, the Mazda3, the Mazda2 retains much of the signature hatchback sleekness that the 3 is known for. Its smooth lines give it an aerodynamic aesthetic, and the wide headlights and unique honeycomb front grill make for a fun-looking ride.

2011 MAZDA2 Touring

Interior Styling

Surprisingly, in a car of Mazda2′s size, there’s a good amount of headroom. Being 6’3″, I found plenty of space between my giant head and the car’s ceiling and found that there was plenty of comfortable space for my legs and arms as well. The backseats looked and felt a little restrictive, but on the plus side they come with a 60/40 split fold-down so you can greatly increase the car’s cargo capacity, since the regular trunk space is rather paltry.

As far as interior amenities are concerned, the Mazda2 are rather lacking. Air conditioning, power windows and locks are all standard but you won’t find any navigation screens or state-of-the-art computing here. The most appealing feature I found here is an auxiliary input for your iPod and a pretty decent 4-speaker stereo system. But for someone like me, that’s really all I need, so I can’t complain.

Safety

The Mazda2 features six standard airbags, great visibility, and a confident braking system that makes you feel safe while driving such a compact car.

Powertrain & Performance

The Mazda2 has a 1.5 liter four-cylinder engine that cranks out 100 horsepower and 98 lb.-ft. of torque. This may seem weak, but with the great power-to-weight ratio, the Mazda2 accelerates faster than you’d guess.

Driving Impressions

I got to drive the Mazda2 for a solid week and was impressed. I would have loved to try out the 5-speed manual while I was cruising along curvy country roads, but my as-tested 4-speed automatic was more than diligent, and the handling was responsive and assertive. I had no problem hugging the curves in this car along the backroads or avoiding the common pitfalls of Washington DC traffic. And, as a side note, this the easiest car you will ever parallel park.

Conclusion

With gas mileage that is practically comparable to hybrids (27 city, 33 highway! and even better if you take the 5-speed manual), the Mazda2 is a fun little ride that you’ll enjoy whether you commute in the city or the country, and it won’t break your bank either. With an as-tested price of $17,185, the Mazda2 seems to outclass its competitors such as the Honda Fit or the Toyota Venza with its confident and sporty attitude.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

12►

Join host Jessi Lang as she reviews the 2010 Infiniti EX35 Journey AWD.  Though not your rough and tumble SUV, the AWD EX35 will be more than enough of a sport utility vehicle for the driver seeking stability/confidence in bad road conditions paired to luxury, style, and sport performance.  Watch the Infiniti EX35 review video for more on the key features of the vehicle and more importantly, how it stacks up against some of its competitors in the crossover SUV segment.

With acceleration and power fit for a sports sedan, the Infiniti EX35 is car-like in its nimble driving and handling.  Powering the EX35 is a 3.5 liter V6 engine that produces 297 horsepower and 253 lb-ft of torque.  The front design is reminiscent of its G37 sibling while the rear tends more towards its larger FX family member.  However, with the small crossover styling, the EX35 compromises its interior and cargo space for its tight compact packaging.

The EX35 comes with two great optional packages, the Premium package and Technology package. With the Premium and Technology  packages, Infiniti offers a bevy of creature comforts from memory seating position synchronization, 8-way powered front seats, navigation, lane departure warning, intelligent cruise control, distance control assist, and a 360 degree around view mounted camera system for parking.

Pricing for the 2010 Infiniti EX35 is the same as the previous year starting at $37,400.  As-tested with all of the packages will put the price-tag at $42,945.

For more car review videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel:  RoadflyTV

Hyundai started off auto show season debuts with the redesigned Elantra at the 2010 LA Auto Show.  In addition to great fuel economy and affordable price tag, the compact 2011 Elantra boasts the  ‘Fluidic Sculpture’ design with four-door coupe styling, i.e. the same style you may recognize from the Tucson and Sonata.  The Elantra will go on sale before the new year with a starting price of $14,830.

The range-topping Elantra Limited boasts heated leather seats (front and rear)  and a 172-watt audio system with iPod/USB/Bluetooth connectivity. Other options include passive entry and GPS navigation. Under the hood, the Elantra is powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 148 horsepower and 131 lb-ft of torque, mated to standard six-speed manual transmission (a six-speed automatic is optional), giving the car a hybrid-like fuel economy rating of 29 mpg city and 40 mpg highway.

For more auto show coverage and new car reveiws, subscribe to our YouTube Channel:  RoadflyTV