2013 Toyota Camry Hybrid

The basic Camry cabin and configurations haven’t changed much in recent years. They still appear bland, average and uneventful to me. Standard features include dual zone automatic climate control with air filter, and electric power steering, power locks, and power windows with driver-side auto up/down. Entertainment is provided by the Display Audio system with a 6.1” touch screen, AM/FM/CD with MP3/wma capability, USB port, iPod connectivity, six speakers, hands-free phone connectivity, and audio streaming through Bluetooth.

The instruments are easy to see and read as the tilt/telescopic steering wheel with audio and Bluetooth hands free control aids visibility. The Hybrid is also standard equipped with ECO and EV modes, which allows the driver to trade off A/C power and throttle sensitivity against fuel economy, and adjusting how far the car can stay in purely electrical drive mode.

The Camry rolls on 16” alloy wheels managed by the Hybrid Synergy Drive system, and has colored-key folding power outside mirrors, side rocker panels with chrome inserts, tire pressure monitor, jam protection, daytime running lights, and sport mesh front grille. All standard features that add to Camry’s good looks.

You may feel that Camry is somewhat limited,

but time and time again the Camry has proven itself to be a comfortable, dependable, economical and popular car being purchased in the 100,000s. In fact, 90% of Camry’s sold in the last 15 years are still on the road.

There is not much change unless you look under the hood of the hybrid. Camry is completely free of engine drive belts, making the Camry more reliable while saving weight, reducing friction, and helping to improve fuel economy. The hybrid’s electric water pump doesn’t require the engine-driven belt. This shortens engine warm-up time for reduced emissions.

Standard gasoline power component for the Camry Hybrid is a 2.5-L 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve engine with Dual VVT-i. It is accompanied by a 6-speed transmission, and puts down 178 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 170 lb.-ft. torque at 4,100 rpm. The estimated fuel economy is 43 mpg city and 39 highway for the Hybrid LE, and 40/38 for the heavier Hybrid XLE.

When you look at the hybrid, try to find the battery. Should you give up, then look for it neatly packaged in an area ahead of the trunk, but behind the seats. It actually doesn’t take up much room. Everything is so well packaged, there is little noise, vibration, or harshness.

The Multi-Information Display keeps you continually informed of the Hybrid Synergy Drive energy flow and its efficiency management.

The Camry is spacious and comfortable with 38.8” head room, 58.0” shoulder room, and 41.6” leg room.

The Camry is also equipped with low rolling resistance tires. These specially designed tires allow the air pressure to be increased, which reduces the rolling resistance and improves gas mileage.

The price for the Camry Hybrid is just over $25,000, but the exterior magnetic gray metallic color can add an additional $727. Click on their website hmhid for more information.

2013 Acura ILX Tech

Optimism tends to take plight when a promising rendition of an otherwise staid “compact luxury” sedan comes into fruition. Case in point, the Acura CSX (or EL, depending on how far down memory lane you look). Now, it’s not a bad idea; jazzing up a compact car with an assortment of luxury bits is something many would appreciate.

However, where the CSX and original EL fell short was in execution. Looking more or less identical to the Civics of yesteryear, it is a breath of fresh air that Honda realized it cannot just change up the bumper and headlights, add a new set of wheels and cover the seats in leather while hiking the price considerably over the Civic before calling it a day.

For 2013, the Acura’s Civic-based compact luxury sedan lives on as the ILX. Upon first glance, Honda unquestionably nailed it. Considering the lack of a visual departure the CSX and EL boasted over the standard Civic, the ILX is a completely different car. And I mean completely, because unlike the generations of yesterday, not one body panel, headlight, tail light resembles the other found on the Civic.

As you can expect from Acura, the ILX wears the matte silver front grille treatment, affectionately known as the “beak” among Honda and Acura aficionados. As polarizing as it used to be, it is toned down on the ILX, to the point where it looks downright attractive. The beltline seems higher than on the Civic, and considering how the C-pillar window and roofline is cut (more on that later), rear sightlines can be a slight problem if you’re backing up or parallel parking. Thankfully, the back-up camera helps, and besides, you could always pull the handbrake and powerslide into a spot.

Around the back,

the ILX does not lose any of its chiseled styling. All things considered, the ILX is not unlike a first-generation TSX with revised, more modern sheet metal. That particular Acura has aged very well, and something tells me the ILX will do the same down the road. It is a handsome, upscale-looking car that’s much, much more than a just gussied-up Civic.

But that’s where the love affair with this car ends. With a barrage of competition on the horizon from other compact luxury sedans like the Audi A3 and Mercedes CLA, let alone conventional compacts like the Kia Forte, the ILX has a few areas that need to be addressed.

Let’s start with the interior. It’s not at all a bad place to spend time. The front seats are quite comfortable and supportive, and the dashboard layout is rather sexy and TSX-like. But unlike the exterior, it lacks execution. Yes, there are soft-touch materials everywhere, but some spots on the dashboard are as mushy as my memory foam pillow.

Acura’s entertainment system also needs work. Rather than opting for a clean and intuitive touchscreen, there is a low-resolution eight-inch display mounted on top of the dashboard and a barrage of buttons and knobs below it. Everything in the system can be accessed and adjusted through one central knob and a bunch of sub-menus, including navigation.

There are also two ways to adjust the radio: Either via the buttons and secondary text-based display above the central knob, or the knob itself. The former is a much more intuitive method to change stations or bands on the fly, and praise be to Acura for including it, but it’s also redundant. There is little sense to be made offering two methods to accomplish the same task, when there is one much easier method through just one simple touchscreen.

Now, onto the roofline I mentioned earlier: It compromises headroom considerably in the rear seat. Even those a few inches short of a rewarding NBA career will find the top of their heads resting uncomfortably on the top of the rear windshield. Not only that, legroom is scarce for taller passengers, with narrow openings below the seats for feet and very little knee room behind the seat back. I pity the poor sap relegated to the middle seat.

But crank up Acura’s surround sound system and complaints all but melt away. It is a spectacular system, with the requisite connectivity options such as Bluetooth and auxiliary inputs, as well as a built-in harddrive with ample gigabytes of storage. No complaints here after hooking up the iPod and upping up the volume. Click on their website hmhid for more information.

No compromise on safety

Malaysian community airline, Firefly, says it does not compromise on safety, especially in aircraft maintenance which is on par with its sister's company, Malaysian Airlines System (MAS).

Firefly chief executive officer, Ignatius Ong said: "We always adhere to stringent procedures of aircraft maintenance and ensure aircrafts operate at optimal conditions," he told Bernama.

Ong was in Toulouse to receive one of Firefly's 20 new aircrafts, the ATR 72-600, which the airline purchased in 2007 from Avions de Transport Regional (ATR), France's largest regional aircraft maker.

Nineteen more of the turboprop aircraft will enter service in stages until 2019 as part of Firefly's expansion. The airline's passenger manifest has grown from 100,000 in 2007 to 1.7 million last year.

The airline is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MAS and began operating in April 2007.

Ong says the turboprop ATR 72-600 is one the safest aircraft around and is equipped with a carbon fibre propeller engine, the technology for which is also used by military air-freight planes globally.

Meanwhile, ATR Media Relations manager, David Vargas explained the military always had up-to-date innovative technologies and propeller engined airplanes had evolved and were still being used in the industry.

He said the ATR 72-600 aircraft can travel 1,665 kilometres with a full passenger load, and is suitable for short-haul routes under 500 kilometres and 1,000 kilometre flights.

"Due to its propeller powered engine, the aircraft is 40 per cent fuel efficient compared to regional jet aircraft," he added.

ATR is an equal partnership between two major European aeronautics players, Alenia Aermacchi (a Finmeccanica Group company) and EADS. Founded in 1981, ATR has sold over 1,200 aircrafts with a customer base comprising 182 operators in 90 countries.

Turbo-props are the preferred choice for short haul routes worldwide and particularly in fast growing economies," he told a group of Malaysian journalists undertaking a media familiarisation trip by Firefly to Toulouse in conjunction with the aircraft handing over ceremony.

The new ATR 72-600 will be flown in by three Firefly pilots, accompanied by six engineers and a Civil Aviation Department officer from Toulouse to Kuala Lumpur. It will begin the first commercial flight to Johor Baharu from the Skypark Terminal, in Subang, on July 12.

One of captains, Kamarul Alam Radzi, 37, who has been with Firefly for five years, said he was proud to fly the new generation aircraft home.

"The new aircraft is the most advanced propeller aircraft to date and greatly increases the safety and comfort of passengers," he added.

The aircraft features the latest innovation in terms of passenger comfort, with the award winning Armonia cabin designed by Giugiaro Design, and equipped with new slim-line seats with soft leather, larger overhead bins and appealing LED lights.

Ong said the new aircraft will enable Firefly to further expand its regional offering by adding new routes, frequencies and connectivity to the Asean network. More information about the program is available on the web site at www.hmhid.com.

Subtle changes boost cache

WHEN the Porsche Panamera was first launched four years ago, there were many rather negative comments regarding its styling and I happen to be one of those who thought the design did not quite gel well.

On the other hand, it has appealed to a large number of buyers, with more than 100,000 units sold worldwide to date.

Now the second generation has arrived and on release in Munich 10 models were announced, of which only six will find their way to SA: the Diesel, the 4 and 4S, the S Hybrid, the GTS and the Turbo.

New to the range are the Executive models, available as the 4S Executive or Turbo Executive, both featuring a lengthened wheelbase of up to 150mm. However, these will be built only in left-hand drive so will not be available for our market.

At the launch Porsche design vice-president Michael Mauer pointed out the most significant changes to the body styling: the headlights are reshaped with the option of LED lights that run deeper into the front bumper.

The bumper itself has larger and revised air intakes, giving the vehicle a wider, lower stance. The side profile features sharper lines while the side sills have a much slimmer design.

The bonnet’s power bulge also has a sharper look while the rear receives new tail lights, sportier tail pipes and a relocated number-plate mounting.

The differences are clear when seen alongside the original design but do not change the overall look, particularly that rather large rear end. The new generation is all about increased power and efficiency rather than a radically different look.

Climb inside any of the range and you enter a bespoke cockpit with plenty of switchgear extending from the roof and down onto both sides of the centre console. These may initially deter many, but it is quite intuitive and it takes just a few minutes to acclimatise to the layout.

Rear passenger space, both headroom and legroom, is good and, unlike many of the Gran Turismo designs on the market, this is truly a comfortable four-seat high-speed tourer.

Perhaps the two most significant advances are the all-new V6 3.0l Bi-Turbo petrol engine and the first luxury plug-in hybrid.

I drove the 4S, the S E-Hybrid, and the GTS. The 4S is the first to receive the new V6 Bi-Turbo engine, which replaces the previous model’s 4.8l V8, all the while gaining an extra 15kW and 20Nm. Fuel consumption is said to have been improved by as much as 18% over the outgoing engine.

The GTS, much like its predecessor, still uses that normally aspirated 4.8l V8 engine to push out 324kW at 6,700r/min and 520Nm at 3,500 r/min via a seven-speed PDK transmission.

The S E-Hybrid has a supercharged 3l V6 engine and an electric motor to produce a combined power output of 306kW at 5,500r/min and 590Nm from as low as 1,250r/min.

Power goes to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission, replete with paddles behind the steering wheel for manual gear changes.

A fascinating aspect of improving the performance and efficiency is the new advanced control system for the PDK transmission. The conventional PDK has seven gears and this is supplemented by virtual intermediate gears provided by a very clever system.

The concept is to reduce engine revolutions at speeds of up to 80km/h: if changing up to the next gear would mean the revs would drop below the engine’s lower limit, the transmission control unit engages adjacent gears.

The control uses a defined amount of slip on the clutches to provide the perfect ratio. Wear is a relatively low factor as the clutches are oil-bath type. This system is used on all Gran Turismo cars with the PDK transmission, with the exception of the GTS and the E-Hybrid. More information about the program is available on the web site at www.hmhid.com.

The 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek

The Subaru XV Crosstrek was introduced in concept form as a lifted version of the 5-door Impreza Sport (wagon) so in many ways, the XV Crosstrek is nearly identical to the Impreza. However, where the Impreza Sport offers more of a sporty, low slung posture – the XV Crosstrek sits quite a bit higher so it is ideal for those buyers who spend some time on the road less traveled…and less paved. The XV sits about 4 inches higher than the Impreza and with almost all of that coming by means of suspension and chassis modifications, all of that height is reflected in the ground clearance of this sporty 5-door. Also, the increased height of the XV offers a higher driving position, similar to what you would get with a small crossover but it does this without facing the downsides (like poor fuel economy) that come with many crossovers or small SUVs.

My 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek test vehicle was a 2.0I Premium trimline vehicle with no added options and a price of $22,790 including the $795 destination fee. This test car is literally as base as it gets for the XV Crosstrek lineup but you wouldn’t guess that after spending some time behind the wheel on the road and off.

Across the front end, the XV Crosstrek wears a very similar headlight, hood and grille design to the Impreza. This includes sharp, angular headlights, a similarly angular grille and a hood line that comes down into the auto LED bulbs to provide for an angry look across the face of this sporty wagon. Where the XV differs from the Impreza is in the lower front fascia, where the lower grille opening flows into a blacked out chin spoiler rather than the body colored chin of the Impreza. This change helps to further the high riding feel of the XV as the dark lower trim tricks the eye into seeing a vehicle that sits a little higher than is actually the case. Also, while both the XV and the Impreza have round fog lights mounted on the outer corners of the lower front fascia, the VX’s fog lights are molded into the body where the Impreza has contrasting dark colored bezels that house these extra lights.

Along the sides, the 2013 XV Crosstrek really stands apart from the Impreza thanks to the increased ride height that has the body sitting some 4 inches higher. That difference provides a much bigger gap between the tires and the body and that basic design gives the XV the natural look of a crossover or small SUV. Also, the XV has unique 17 inch wheels with black painted pockets and machined spokes that are far sportier than the standard rollers on the Impreza. Also, in addition to the black cladding along the lower rocker areas, the XV has dark contrasting wheel opening flares that help to contribute to the offroad ready look of this high riding sport wagon.

The back end of the 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek is also quite a bit different from the standard Impreza wagon thanks to the uniquely designed lower fascia that has a body colored diffuser that flows down from the rear hatch opening, flanked by dark contrasting reflector bezels on both sides that run into the dark rear rocker extensions. Compared to the Impreza Sport, which has a body colored area that extends down through the lower reflectors with a contrasting center section, the rear end of the XV looks more like something intended to hit the trails where the Impreza has more of an on-road sport compact design.

When it comes down to it, if you like the looks of the modern Subaru Impreza you will like the looks of the new 2013 XV Crosstrek. This car has all of the design DNA of the Impreza but the few subtle changes around the exterior allow this high riding hatchback to differentiate itself from the traditional Impreza and it does so in a way that I think allows it to have a personality of its own. This is clearly a model based on the popular Impreza but the unique front and rear fascias combined with the unique wheels, the wheel opening flares and the steady dose of dark trim running along the bottom of the vehicle give the XV a very sporty, offroad ready look that I really like.

KFC opens green restaurant

The East Maitland store is the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certifiable quick service restaurant in Australia.

LEED is a voluntary, consensus-based, market driven program that provides global third-party verification of green buildings – once formally certified, the East Maitland restaurant will mark KFC’s ninth LEED store globally, with other locations in Turkey, China, the United Kingdom and the US.

The restaurant features the latest in environmentally-friendly building design, operations and technology. it is expected to divert more than 40,000 kilograms of waste from landfill each year, reduce energy use for lighting by around 50 percent and reduce water use by up to 20 percent.

Everything from KFC’s canola cooking oil, cardboard, bottles and cans can be recycled, with food and general waste turned into compost.

Overall energy use is expected to be reduced by at least 16 percent, through the installation of LED lighting throughout the entire site, innovative day-light and movement sensors in strategic areas, as well as industry-leading kitchen ventilation technology.

A range of water-saving measures have also been implemented, such as the installation of water efficient landscaping, tankless water heaters and water conservation systems for taps, bathrooms and urinals.

Michael Clark, chief supply chain officer for KFC Australia, said “This new restaurant marks a huge milestone in our journey towards creating more sustainable restaurants.

We have been investigating more energy efficient technologies, processes and systems for several years and we’re excited to be rolling out many of these innovative initiatives across our company restaurants.

“As one of the largest quick service restaurant brands in Australia we believe it is our responsibility to minimise the impact of our business on the environment we live and operate in,” Clark said.

“We are committed to making substantial investments in research and initiatives designed to reduce our environmental impact and to help ensure that all our new restaurants are LEED certifiable by 2015.”

At the official launch event Environment Minister Robyn Parker, welcomed the opening of KFC’s new green store.

“It’s great to see the project incorporate environmental sustainability as a key aspect of its design and I hope it will inspire local businesses to do the same,” the Minister said.

“The NSW Government is committed to supporting local businesses to become more water and energy efficient so they too can drive down operating costs and help the environment.” More information about the program is available on the web site at www.hmhid.com.

WigWag Kicks Off Home Automation Campaign

Startup WigWag aims to kickstart a new do-it-yourselfer fad in home automation. The Austin-based company announced in June recently surpassed its modest funding goals on Kickstarter, but it has a long way to go in sparking a firestorm in the emerging Internet of Things.

Plenty of home automation kits since the days of X-10 have had their brief day in the sun. Most lead quiet, limited lives confined to the dusty back shelves of hardware stores. Whether WigWag escapes a fate of obscurity to play a larger role in IoT remains to be seen.

WigWag makes three products targeting DIYers interested in adding intelligence to their homes: a universal sensor, a relay box, and a wireless LED Strip light. It also makes smartphone apps that can control the systems using a simple GUI or -- for the technically minded -- its underlying Javascript.

The heart of the WigWag system is its sensor block. It includes eight environmental sensors including light, motion, temperature, and humidity sensors. It has an IR blaster to set up trip wires between sensor blocks, four control features, and analog and digital expansion ports.

The company says the block, driven by four AA batteries or a USB-power link, can be used for a wide variety of traditional and novel home-control tasks, from turning on sprinklers to detecting a break-in. It provides connectivity through a relay box to a WigWag cloud service and presumably relies on WiFi.

The WigWag Glowline is an eight-foot RGB LED lighting strip capable of generating 22,000 colors. It comes with its own power supply and is presumably controlled through a sensor block.

The startup's products are compatible with Phillips Hue light bulbs and Belkin WeMo outlets. WigWag has working versions of all the products, but the cloud service is so far in an internal-only beta test. An iPhone control app is up and running, and an Android version is in development.

The company won pledges totaling nearly $90,000 from 439 supporters as of the end of June, far above its $50,000 goal. Its campaign officially ends August 18.

WigWag aims to ship a variety of development systems, including boards for integrating with Arduino and Raspberry Pi kits, starting in November. Prices range from $119 to $249.

Apparently, the startup has plenty yet to do to make its open hardware and software designs production-ready. Its app and cloud services are based on DeviceJS, an open-source runtime for executing Javascript built using Google V8 and Node.js. DeviceJS supports links to IP, 6LoWPAN, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and RS-232, in addition to Belkin WeMo and Phillips Hue products.

The WigWag hardware is based on the Contiki operating systems for 6LoWPAN. WigWag expects to provide software for the Arduino and Raspberry PI boards on Github, as well as details of its hardware designs when dev kits ship in November.

The tiny startup has considerable marketing savvy. But whether that will translate into a groundswell of interest remains to be seen.