Buick E-Assist, The New Mild Hybrid

Pictured: 2010 Buick LaCrosse CXS

With gas prices’ touching four dollars a gallon the need for a fuel efficient vehicle tends to be in the front of all buyers minds when they go to purchase a new or used vehicle. Now a lot of people simply assume that they will need to sacrifice comfort and size for the sake of high miles per gallon number. Now General Motors has thought about this and from Chevrolet they offer the Cruze Eco model. But what is that makes the Cruze Eco so efficient? To start with it has many different technical specs to help a 1.4L Turbo charged engine and a different body kit then what is standard on a normal Cruze. In the lower front grille of the Cruze has electrically powered shutters that close at high speeds to help reduce wind resistance, along with a front air dam extension and underbody panels and a rear spoiler, and a few other things help to give the Cruze Eco an EPA estimated 42 MPG highway.

Now, the Cruze is a bit on the smallish side if you are like me, you have tall friends or like to take long car trips and need lots of cargo space. So the next best thing would be to is purchase a Toyota Camry hybrid, which the Chevy Cruze out-sold in June just mention that in passing. But I personally never really liked full on hybrids or Toyotas, so what I really need is a large car that’s a sort of semi-hybrid and I think Buick has just what I’m looking for, and what they hope many consumers will be looking for too.

What general motors is priming on the 2012 Buick LaCrosse 4-cyclinder, and the 2012 Buick Regal is what they like to call E-Assist, which is basically a mild hybrid system. In short they take the best parts of a full hybrid and the best parts of a conventional automobile and sort of mash them together to create a half-hybrid really. Now to simply explaining that it is a watered down hybrid would make for an extremely short piece so what I will do is go into some details, about the actual drive system.

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Diagram of the E-Assist System

The core  feature in the E-assist powertrain is the regenerative braking does take the energy that would otherwise be turned into useless heat energy and lost, and uses it to recharge the battery located in the rear of the vehicle. What happens is that energy in the battery is used to power all of the accessories, like your climate control, infotainment system (radio) and such well the car is stopped. Why is this you may ask? Well, with the E-Assist system the vehicle is also equipped with a stop-start engine, and a 15 Kw motor that replaces the alternator. Now for those not in the know a stop start engine is an engine that when you come to a complete stop shuts off and when you touch the brake is released to move away it turns it back on, this is where that 15 kw motor comes in handy as it will start the engine back-up like it had never been off.  Now when once you have started to move again the engine will also charge the battery once it can do so efficiently. For added fuel efficacy the electric motor will temporarily cut the fuel supply off when you slow down or coast. The electric motor will then allow you to accelerate to pass or climb hills effortlessly as you would if you were in a Buick without this system.

Coupled with the mild electrification is the same sort of system that is found on the Chevy Cruze Eco, like the smooth underside body panels and other add-ons to reduce wind resistance. This total system is said to give a 25 percent rise in fuel economy, which will give the 2012 Buick LaCrosse and Regal an estimated 37 mpg on the highway not bad for a full and mid-size car. Also General Motors plans to release this system as part of the 2013 Chevy Malibu Eco, which will available after the super bowl this coming February. This new system of General Motor is truly revolutionary, and I personally hope that it will find its way as option on all GM cars as well as the big trucks and SUVs as it will offer an alternative to the standard nickel batteries found in todays’ hybrids which actually do more environmental damage then if you had simply purchased a normal non-hybrid vehicle.

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Pictured: 2011 Buick Regal CXL

 Basically what the e-assist system does is only allows you to use fuel when you need it, when you are accelerating and when you cruising, so basically when you are in motion. The average driver fails to realize how much gas is wasted when they are as a stop light or simply coasting to a stop. Now, as this system is not currently out yet it makes it impossible to know exactly how it will feel, but Buick claims that it will be like any other Buick, so exactly like 2011 Buick LaCrosse and Regal with the 4-cylinder, which should mean you will not have the stiff brakes like you would on a conventional hybrid. Which I personally find rather annoying most, no not most ALL of the time. Overall, I expect these both to do quite well, as the American consumer shifts toward

The Nissan Versa Old Vs. New

2011 Nissan Versa Sedan

The Hyundai Accent was the cheapest car in America, but not anymore. When Hyundai released the brand new redesigned model they said to themselves “Hey, let’s make a car that people other than those on a very strict income can afford, and actually want to buy.” Well, friends the fact is Hyundai did just that, they did design a car that no longer has the price appeal to the price motivated buy. So that got me thinking, what is the cheapest car in America for the 2012 model year? That, question was quickly answered by a somewhat annoying commercial from Nissan, for the again all new 2012 Nissan Versa.  

The last generation Versa was a very good car if you were simply looking to go from point A to point B, and back to point A respectively. I personally never really cared for it. The Versa was first introduced to the US market in 2006 as a 2007 model looking quite similar to a Renault Megane, which is probably due to the partnership between Renault and Nissan. The Versa was not only offered as five-door, but it was also offered as a four-door, this helped to bolster sales as it gave buys an option of body style.  But, which is better the older one or the new one? For this we will look at the 2011 model and compare it to its new self.

2007-2011 Nissan Versa Sedan

Let’s start off with my favorite point of a car, the styling. It has been said that in certain parts of the world they simply refuse to purchase ugly cars, primarily Italy if I remember correctly. My guess would be that the Versa never really caught on in those places. The first generation Versa was okay looking, nothing much to write home about, as most cars in the segment are, but no so bad that when you up to walk up to in the morning you have to vomit in the nearest flower bed.  The 2012 model things are not as well off Nissan has rounded off almost all angles of the car, and by doing so they have made it seem as though when the Versa took a summer holiday all it was ravage buffets the whole time it was away. So for the styling I’m afraid I have to give the Versa two and a half out of five.

If you have a very limited buying budget, and safety is a big concern of yours then the Nissan Versa should be right up your ally. For the 2011 model year notable safety features on the base model included all around airbags including rear and side curtain, and a tire pressure monitoring system. For the 2012 model the airbags and TPS are back but they are joined by a 4-wheel ABS system, as well as traction and stability control.

When it comes to creature comforts though the Versa is a bit of a slouch, for the 2011 model standard features included Power windows, locks, and steering as well as a remote truck release. But, the 2011 model lacked things like a radio or air conditioning. For the 2012 model it seems to have gone backwards, now both air conditioning and a radio with auxiliary input are standard, but features like power windows, and locks do not even appear as options on the base model on the information I have.

When it comes to power both use a 1.6 four-cylinder engine, the 2011 model produces 107 horsepower and the 2012 producing 109 HP, but the 2011 produces about four more pounds of torque then the new model. Both are what popular culture like to call gas sippers, the 2011 is EPA rated to give up to 34 MPG on the highway, and the 2012 is rated to give 36 MPG highway. The 36 MPG is a little disappointing since many cars in this segment are touching or passing the 40 MPG mark, so no points given to Nissan for that one.

This is the point we reach the elephant in the corner, the price. For the 2011 model year the price of a base line Versa was $9,990, most new car prices are dropping but due to the high demand for small cars like this the new Versa’s price climbs to $10,990. Which nets the 2012 Nissan Versa 1.6 S the title of the cheapest new car in America.

Overall, I think the new versa will continue to appeal to price motivated buyers for its standard safety features, and overall generic but pudgy styling. But buyers may be deterred if they cross shop the competition from Ford, Chevrolet, or Toyota. After seeing some more standard features as well as slightly higher gas mileage for a little bit of a higher price, that $10,990 might not be so attractive.