2015 Ford Focus ST Tested: Refresh Makes for a Better Car with Worse Tires

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2015 Ford Focus ST – Instrumented Test

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2015 Ford F-350 Super Duty V-8 Diesel 4×4: Supersize Drag Racer

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Get Up Everybody and Sing: The Best New Cars for Growing Families

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It happens to the best of us. One day you’re living life on your own terms, making frivolous decisions and changing directions on a whim. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, your personal monarchy begins to crumble, your former life of folly giving way to a hard-nosed democracy. Governing duties are now shared with a significant other, and decisions are driven by the best interests of your former kingdom’s newest residents—who have yet to walk, talk, or use a toilet. Face it, you’re a grown up.

Of course, we're being dramatic, but we're also here to help those who find themselves in such a position to upgrade their transport to something makes the good life even better. Anyone can just walk into dealership and lay down the cash for an enormous cargo-swallowing SUV and call it day, but for parents who’d prefer their practical family hauler include a little style, value, and, gosh darned it, maybe even a little fun behind the wheel, we’ve assembled this collection of favorites. Our list was compiled with price, versatility, and value being among the primary factors, and is presented in alphabetical order.

Dodge Durango | Base MSRP: $31,490

Wait! Before you write off the Dodge Durango as a lingering example of yestertech, hear us out. Freshened for 2014, the three-row Durango has modern and easy-to-use electronics and infotainment, a handsome and comfortable interior, and an eight-speed automatic transmission mated to either a 3.6-liter V-6 or a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8. Rear- or all-wheel-drive is available. That, paired with a stiff unibody chassis (the last body-on-frame Durango rolled of the line in 2010), has allowed the Durango to slip through the cracks of segmentation and onto the stage as a well-rounded offering. It's also available at a fraction of the price of most other SUVs in this size class, an important consideration if you need something with this much utility but can't swing, say, a $46,000 base Ford Expedition.

Dodge Durango | Base MSRP: $31,490

Buyers with big things to tug can opt for the V-8, but the V-6 has enough oomph for most users, all while offering seating for up to seven. It's also very good to drive. And the Durango still looks kind of bad-ass, which is important for making those late-night diaper runs. DURANGO PRICING, REVIEWS, MORE >>

Ford Flex | Base MSRP: $29,995

Traditionalists, take note: The Flex is about as close to an old-school station wagon as it gets these days, and that’s a very good thing. Sharing its structure with the Taurus and Explorer, this big box seats seven comfortably with room for all their stuff. In fact, the Flex does just about everything a full-size SUV can, but does it closer to the ground in a funky-chic package that leaves the intimidation factor at the (garage) door.

Ford Flex | Base MSRP: $29,995

The base V-6 makes 287 hp, while a hearty, twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 version makes 365. A six-speed automatic and front-wheel drive are standard. The 365-hp version is flat-out fast; handling, though, is less so. All-wheel drive is optional, but (sadly) woodgrain appliqués on the sides aren’t. The one caveat standing between the Flex and familial bliss is the price: Although the base MSRP is $29,999, well-equipped models can shoot skyward in a hurry, putting the Flex in league with full-on SUVs. FLEX PRICING, REVIEWS, MORE >>

Honda CR-V | Base MSRP: $24,325

No stranger to the top of the sales charts, for 2015 Honda turned up the CR-V’s amperage with a round of updates that make it better in every way. A freshened exterior gives it a look that is stylish and modern, while the interior is quieter and made from soft-touch materials. The dynamics are improved, too, with a retuned suspension and better brakes. For families, its appeal lies in its predictable handling, traditionally good reliability, and its tidy size, which enables easy parking and easy-on-the-wallet fuel economy.

Honda CR-V | Base MSRP: $24,325

A new 2.4-liter four-cylinder makes the same 184 hp as before, but now connects with a CVT. Front-wheel drive is standard; all-wheel drive is optional. If you liked the old CR-V, you’ll love the new one. And if you've never been in one and you have two or fewer kids, you owe it to yourself to check one out. CR-V PRICING, REVIEWS, MORE >>

Honda Fit | Base MSRP: $16,610

Since the model first appeared on the scene in 2006, the fun-size Honda Fit has been our reflexive recommendation for pretty much everybody on a budget, including the old lady in the shoe. To date, this spacious, bodacious cube has pulled in seven 10Best Cars trophies and three comparison-test wins. Our admiration for the previous two generations of the Fit well documented, the redesigned-for-2015 Fit is a bit less fun to drive than its forebears but still offers all of their interior versatility at a similarly affordable price. The exterior wears its contemporary styling well, and the updated and improved interior quality and design makes it one of the best bargain boxes in which to spend time with or without your brood.

Honda Fit | Base MSRP: $16,610

A fully revised direct injected 1.5-liter four-cylinder makes 130 horsepower, and a six-speed manual or optional CVT handle the shifting duties. Although the exterior dimensions are nearly identical to those of the previous model, Honda managed to carve out additional passenger room front and rear at the expense of a little cargo room. Still, it will be appreciated by even the youngest members of your clan. FIT PRICING, REVIEWS, MORE >>

Kia Sorento | Base MSRP: $25,795

With utility and rugged good looks, the Sorento is a value-oriented ride for those seeking to avoid the stigma of a minivan. The base engine is a 191-hp four-cylinder; a 240-hp turbo four and a 290-hp V-6 are optional. The V-6 offers third-row seating, although you'll want to reserve it for the little ones. A six-speed automatic is standard as is front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive is available. When properly equipped, the V-6 model with all-wheel drive can tow 5000 pounds.

Kia Sorento | Base MSRP: $25,795

The Sorento offers a supple ride, accurate steering, and a great warranty, and it's one of the nicest products to come from the Korean brand yet. It's also a tremendous value in terms of equipment for your dollar, a boon for folks affected by the financial weight of raising a family. SORENTO PRICING, REVIEWS, MORE >>

Kia Soul | Base MSRP: $16,015

While its best qualities may be overshadowed by its eye-catching exterior, the Soul’s solid fit and finish and smartly packaged interior are the real deal. Thanks in large part to its boxy yet out-of-the-box profile, the Soul offers a surfeit of headroom, which, as the taller C/D staffers will attest, is often in short supply in this segment.

Kia Soul | Base MSRP: $16,015

Base models get a 130-hp 1.6-liter four-cylinder with a slick six-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic while uplevel models receive a 164-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder and the automatic. With either engine, acceleration is relaxed at best. But hey, if speed is your top priority, you probably wouldn't be looking here in the first place, right? As with the Sorento, the Soul offers a lot of goodies for a reasonable price, which allows more budget to be diverted to daycare fees and the like (and maybe even a bottle of wine or two). SOUL PRICING, REVIEWS, MORE >>

Mazda CX-5 | Base MSRP: $22,675

The CX-5 is the sports car of crossovers, with an athleticism you have to experience to believe, making it a great choice for parents who haven't given up on driving something fun. A 155-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder is available only with a six-speed manual and front-wheel drive. For more zoom, choose the 184-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder, which opens up the option of all-wheel drive; either teams with a standard six-speed automatic.

Mazda CX-5 | Base MSRP: $22,675

Adept at handling the detritus of family life in an efficient manner and with a freshly updated and excellent interior, the CX-5 is also tech savvy. It's a competent crossover that has a little something in reserve to please enthusiasts, too. CX-5 PRICING, REVIEWS, MORE >>

Mazda 6 | Base MSRP: $22,315

Not everyone is comfortable in a crossover, and there are those out there who would sooner carry their kids to school than drive a wagon or hatchback. For them, we recommend the excellent Mazda 6. The 6’s sinuous styling, confidence-inspiring handling, and rich interior make it one of the best-looking and most enjoyable family sedans around—that’s why it once again finds itself on our 10Best Cars list.

Mazda 6 | Base MSRP: $22,315

Powered by a 184-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder and driving the front wheels through either a crisp six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic, the 6 is efficient, but acceleration is relaxed compared to some of its rivals—but we love its finesse so much, it’s easy to forgive that issue. MAZDA 6 PRICING, REVIEWS, MORE >>

Subaru Forester | Base MSRP: $23,245

The Forester is a genuinely useful crossover, offering both room and a view. Large, square doors allow for ease of entry, and once inside you'll find a simple and logical layout. Despite its comfort-tuned suspension, standard all-wheel drive contributes to surprising pace on winding roads and takes the Forester farther off-road than most in its class.

Subaru Forester | Base MSRP: $23,245

Engines are a 170-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder (with a six-speed manual—our choice—or a CVT) and a 250-hp 2.0-liter turbo/CVT combo. The turbo is the rally car for hikers, kayakers, and alpine postal services—too bad it only comes with the CVT. You could also choose the Outback wagon, which has many of the same qualities, but it'll cost you roughly $2500 more, which is why the Forester is our pick. FORESTER PRICING, REVIEWS, MORE >>

Toyota Sienna | Base MSRP: $29,635

It's a given that at least one minivan would find it's way onto this list. The winner of a recent C/D comparison test, the Sienna appeals to a wide range of families looking for roomy, comfortable, and high-quality transport. A 266-hp 3.5-liter V-6 paired to a six-speed automatic drives the front or—in a segment exclusive—all four wheels, a bonus when the weather turns nasty.

Toyota Sienna | Base MSRP: $29,635

An intercom allows front-seat occupants to address the third row (read, your mischievous offspring and their partners in crime) and a Blu-Ray entertainment system offers temporary distraction. It's a bit pricey when compared to some of its competitors, but when you factor in the cost of your sanity and the flat-out practicality of the vehicle type, it can seem like a real bargain. SIENNA PRICING, REVIEWS, MORE >>

Golf SportWagen| Base MSRP: $22,215

Being little more than a Golf with a longer roof and more cargo space, the SportWagen is just as pleasant to drive as its siblings. The structure is solid, the suspension deftly juggles bump absorption and body-control duties, and the electrically boosted steering is accurate. Occupants enjoy the same understated interior design, same upscale materials, supportive seats, as the Golf, all with the cargo-swallowing utility offered by its squareback design.

Golf SportWagen| Base MSRP: $22,215

Based on VW’s sweet MQB architecture, the model line features S, SE, and SEL versions with your choice of four-cylinders: a 170-hp 1.8-liter turbocharged gas engine or a high-mileage, 150-hp, 2.0-liter diesel. Six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmissions are available, and all-wheel drive likely is coming later. If you're one of the many who spent their post-college/pre-kinder years in a Golf or Jetta, this is the car for you. GOLF SPORTWAGEN PRICING, REVIEWS, MORE >>.

Volvo V60 | Base MSRP: $36,890

Even as most manufacturers have caught up in terms of overall safety, few brands enjoy as high a reputation for keeping families safe as Volvo. Yes, the V60 the most expensive vehicle on our list, but if you can swing it, the V60 brings an extremely handsome exterior, cosseting luxury features, and a roomy wagon cargo hold to the table.

Volvo V60 | Base MSRP: $36,890

The comfortable and capable V60 also has an option only available on other Volvos and Dodge's Journey: integrated child booster seats in the outboard rear positions. Here, they're a standalone $500 option that's available on even the base-spec car, and they adjust to two heights so that they can continue to be used as your kids grow. V60 PRICING, REVIEWS, MORE >>

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Own This Pristine, 100-Year-Old Go-Kart

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With modern car technology advancing at a staggering pace, it’s nice to see early examples of automotive history, like this 1915 Smith Flyer, still alive and kicking.

Beginning in 1915, the Smith Flyer was built by A.O. Smith Company. Its motor wheel, a technology that was relatively new for the time, was especially unique in that it was gas powered where previous examples had used electric motors. The 2-hp Briggs & Stratton engine is on a hinged mount to the chassis, allowing it to contact the ground.

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According to the selling dealer, this Flyer has been completely restored—which we imagine wouldn’t be too complicated of a task—and has spent its most recent years in collector hands. While $16,500 asking price is a lot for something that resembles a go-cart with an extra wheel, this car does represent the early days of the automotive industry. It’s cool to see that the notion of a go-cart is one that predates even your grandfather’s era.

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Own This Pristine, 100-Year-Old Go-Kart

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Going to Plaid: A Technical Look at the Car and Team Aiming for 1000 mph

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From the July 2015 issue

The land speed record has long been a curiously British obsession. Since it was first set back in 1898, when Frenchman Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat drove his electric Jeantaud to a dizzying 39 mph, Brits have held the title to the fastest land vehicle on earth for a combined 75 years (the U.S. comes second with 28 years). It was a British car that took the record supersonic, when ThrustSSC hit 763 mph in 1997 and broke the sound ­barrier. And now an even more powerful challenger is being readied in a nondescript industrial warehouse near Bristol.

Bloodhound SSC—SSC for “supersonic car”—will use both jet and rocket power in its record-setting attempts. Following a 200-mph test run in the summer, the team will target 800 mph later this year and 1000 mph in 2016. The venue will be a specially prepared 12-mile-long course on the Hakseen Pan, a salt flat in South Africa. Royal Air Force Wing Commander Andy Green, the man who drove ThrustSSC, will also be piloting Bloodhound, meaning there will be the most experience possible in the cockpit. He’s as unflappable as you’d expect an RAF pilot to be, but he acknowledges that, despite extensive computer modeling, he will be taking a trip into the unknown.

Unlike most previous land speed record attempts, Bloodhound is a professional project, fully funded by sponsors and charged with the mission of increasing interest in engineering and science in the U.K. and around the world. To that end, the car’s blueprints are being shared online, and all record attempts will be streamed live around the world, using 500 channels of telemetry data from the car.

1. Car

It’s 44 feet long, 9 feet tall at the fin, and will weigh 8.6 tons when fully fueled, but Bloodhound is a relative minnow compared with ThrustSSC, which was 10 feet longer and two tons heavier.

2. Wheels

The wheels aren’t powered, but to take the land speed record, Bloodhound needs what will be the fastest set of wheels ever produced. These are made from solid aluminum and will rotate at 10,200 rpm. At 1000 mph, they’ll turn about 10 percent slower than the car is traveling because of slip.

3. Cockpit

During the record runs, Bloodhound’s cockpit will become one of the loudest places on earth, as it sits directly below the jet engine’s air intake. It’s surrounded by thick soundproofing. All cockpit data is presented with color-coded bars on display monitors.

4. Steering

Bloodhound SSC uses conventional steering gear. ThrustSSC’s twin jet engines meant it used rear steering, which Andy Green remembers as “alarmingly wayward.” Fortunately for him, Bloodhound steers with its front wheels. Steering characteristics will change dramatically at speed, with supersonic shock waves making it hypersensitive above 700 mph.

5. Air Intake

One of the biggest engineering challenges here is slowing down the airflow enough for the jet engine to digest it. With the car traveling at 1000 mph, the air will have to lose 400 mph of velocity in the intake cowling. Bloodhound will be faster than any jet aircraft has operated at low altitude.

6. Oxidizer Engine

Delivering the high-test peroxide to the rocket motors [see: “Rockets”] requires a serious pump. The original plan was to use a Cosworth F1 engine; the new scheme calls for a 5.0-liter supercharged Jaguar V-8 producing 800 horsepower.

7. Jet Engine

Primary power comes from a Rolls-Royce EJ200 jet engine, more normally fitted to a Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet, producing 20,000 pounds of thrust. The actual engine is a prototype with just 20 hours of use left, but that’s plenty. Each of Bloodhound’s record runs will be under 120 seconds.

8. Rockets

The jet engine’s reduced efficiency at higher speeds means the car also needs rocket power. Each rocket, produced by the Norwegian company Nammo, delivers an additional 27,500 pounds of thrust and uses solid fuel with high-test peroxide as a liquid oxidizer for a 20-second burn. A single rocket will be used for the 800-mph target run; a cluster of three will chase 1000 mph.

1. Brakes and Parachutes

You won’t be surprised to learn that Bloodhound has multiple means of stopping. Just cutting the engines at 1000 mph will produce 3.0 g’s of deceleration. Air brakes will be deployed at around 700 mph, and there are two backup parachutes. Hydraulic brakes with carbon-ceramic discs will be used below 200 mph.

2. Wings

The tail fin and rear wings aid stability and will operate automatically. The wings trim Bloodhound to be lift-neutral. Ride height at speed will be just 3.1 inches above the salt.

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The Record

The FIA states that the land speed record is set by a two-way average through a measured mile achieved within one hour. The “turnaround team” that will refuel and re-prepare the car is aiming to be ready to send it off the second time within 45 minutes.

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2016 Bentley Continental GT Speed Breitling Jet Team Series Limited Edition Debuts (That’s the Entire Name—Save for “Debuts”)

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We’re thinking of swapping our bromides for something a smidgen more potent, like, say, reading the name of Bentley’s new special-edition Continental GT Speed. Halfway through the car’s 65-character, 11-word name, we simply gave up, hit “copy” then “paste” just to stave off torpor and get it to you quicker: 2016 Bentley Continental GT Speed Breitling Jet Team Series Limited Edition. To mitigate our carpal tunnel, we’ll just shorten that to “BCGTSBJTSLE.” Much more elegant, no?

Now, what’s this BCGTSBJTSLE all about? Well, for starters, it’s actually seven things—seven special-edition Continental GT Speeds inspired by the seven-aircraft Breitling show-jet team. You could say that they’re Born from Jets, but a forlorn Swede sheds a tear over the fallow grounds of Saab’s Trollhättan headquarters every time those words are uttered. Bentley is already paired with timepiece-maker Breitling (the latter provides clocks to the former’s vehicles), and we assume the two were just so excited to team up on a themed car they threw brevity to the wind. That’s surprising, given that said car features a short list of modifications.

Implemented by Bentley Motors’ Mulliner bespoke program, the upgrades include a two-tone Hallmark and Onyx paint job (silver over gray) with Breitling yellow accents, a special interior with leather flourishes of the same bright-yellow color, and special numbering and graphics matched to one of the seven Breitling jets. Without a doubt, the cars with long names are stunning, and as the director of Mulliner, Geoff Dowding, points out: “The Continental GT Speed Breitling Jet Team Series demonstrates . . . zzzzz zzzzz.”

Oh, it seems merely making it through the Conti’s name knocked ol’ Dowding right out. What he likely meant to say was that the special-edition demonstrates “the level of customization Mulliner can achieve for customers. Creating this very special edition has been an exciting experience for the entire team, taking inspiration from the Breitling Jet Team’s grand tour.” If you care for a visual confirmation of the cars’ existence, they’ll be on display at the Boeing Seafair Air Show on July 31st in Seattle.

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Red Bull Gives You License Plates? Roadgoing Supercar May Happen

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The Red Bull Formula 1 team may produce a roadgoing supercar, with company boss Christian Horner telling journalists at the Goodwood Festival of Speed that the idea is still being discussed.

We’ve been here before, however. Red Bull first said it was looking to collaborate with Nissan on a road-car project as long ago as 2012, and the following year Horner said that he wanted to grow the Red Bull brand outside of Formula 1.

According to Britain’s Autocar, Red Bull’s chief technical officer Adrian Newey is considering potential designs, with Horner saying the Formula 1 designer is very keen to do it as a “legacy project.”

So far, Red Bull’s involvement with road cars has been limited to the collaboration over the Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge concept, which still hasn’t made it to production. The obvious technical partner for any roadgoing Red Bull project would be Infiniti, which is closely linked to the Formula 1 team—or potentially a wider collaboration with Nissan. But we would not expect a tie-up with Renault, after the disastrous unreliability of the engines the French company has been building for the Formula 1 team.

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If Red Bull does decide to build a real car, it already has several virtual prototypes to choose from—the various Red Bull machines that have been designed with Newey’s input for the Gran Turismo franchise (pictured at top). Just build us one of those.

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Casey Jonesing: Smart Takes to the Rails

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We should give credit to whoever signed the check for this one. Because Smart UK has spent some serious money to create a unique version of the Forfour seemingly solely so it can justify using the old “corners like its on rails” cliché in anger.

The Forfour in question was fitted with 22-inch-diameter solid-steel wheels profiled to allow it to drive on standard-gauge railroad tracks—which are 4 feet, 8-and-a-half inches apart. It was then unleashed on a privately owned railroad in the UK, where it was able to move under its own power, rolling past a steam locomotive that would, we presume, have crushed it like a tin can had the two come into contact with each other.

Weighing just 2150 pounds, the Smart Forrail is seriously lacking in tractive effort compared to a proper railroad locomotive. (For context, a U.S.-spec EMD SD70 freight hauler tips the scales at 390,000 pounds and can pull 5000 tons without braking sweat.) We’re reasonably impressed by Smart’s video proof that the Forrail could gain enough traction to move itself on steel rails, let alone pull anything else.

The one-off Forrail was built by Interfleet, a train constructor in Derby, England. Apart from the natty steel wheels it had its steering gear disconnected and had extra supports welded to lock the front wheels in position. It was driven on Bluebell Railway in Sussex, and has since been converted back to road-going form.

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The question you’re probably asking is why. And after reading the entire release several times over we’re still not sure, beyond Smart’s claim to have created “arguably the most efficient, and fun, commuting machine in the world.”

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Casey Jonesing: Smart Takes to the Rails

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