2015 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Eight-Speed Automatic

We know, we know. Manuals rule. Automatics drool. It’s one of the core arguments among the purest of the purists. But for GM and its crown jewel, the Corvette Stingray, this dispute is not if an automatic will be offered, but rather, which automatic will be offered. Facts are facts: 63% of the 37,000-plus 2014 Corvettes sold had a six-speed automatic. The rest, well, you know what they had.

Such telling data is precisely why GM is sinking copious time, money, and effort into an updated eight-speed gearbox. It’s dubbed the Hydra-Matic 8L90 and it’s all GM, baby. More than 24 patents were awarded to the company’s brainiacs during its creation. It’s more efficient and more capable than the current six-speed 6L80 it replaces. But, before we get into its specifics, there’s another reason why the 8L90 came to fruition: Z06. Yes, if you haven’t heard by now, the forthcoming Z06 will have a torque-converter-packing, planetary automatic transmission option.

“Really, this transmission was engineered around the upcoming Z06,” admitted Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “Corvettes are extremely tightly packaged with the transmission in the back, so we’re bearing-limited in longitudinal space. So essentially, this transmission is custom designed for our package space, as well as the performance capabilities of the car. Our priority was that it had to be able to withstand the 650 foot-pounds of torque and 650 horsepower.”

Juechter and his team turned to Kavoos Kaveh, global chief engineer for GM’s eight-speed automatic, to take on the task of building not just a gearbox for the Z06 and its crazy power, but a gearbox for the Stingray, other Corvette variants, and GM’s 6.2-liter-powered SUVs and trucks. Kaveh’s goals were simple, at least on paper: It had to be more efficient; it had to fit inside the Corvette chassis’ already extremely cozy constraints; it had to be lighter; and, if that wasn’t enough, it had to withstand all the stresses that come with the various applications.

2014 Mazda6 i Touring Long-Term Verdict

If you flip back to the December 2013 issue and the start of our Mazda6's long-term loan, you'll see that our initial plan was to spend six months in the mid-grade, 6 i Touring model, equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, before switching to the higher trim Grand Touring model with a six-speed automatic transmission and more premium goodies -- including, we hoped, Mazda's new Skyactiv diesel. The second part of this plan never materialized, because while Mazda has had tremendous success racing its diesel-powered Mazda6 in IMSA's Grand Am series (where it won the GX-class championship), it has yet to bring the production Skyactiv-D diesel engine to the U.S. in anything other than race cars. We didn't let this minor hiccup slow us down; we soldiered on quite happily with the manual Mazda6 and piled on a respectable 24,316 miles before turning it back in.

Over those miles, the '6 returned 28.1 miles per gallon and 29.0 on our Real MPG combined city/highway cycle. Both are pretty good, considering the EPA estimates 29 mpg on the combined cycle and our vehicle spent the majority of its time sprinting around the cities of El Segundo, Redondo Beach, and Manhattan Beach -- usually with a surfboard wedged inside its capacious trunk. In terms of wear and tear, the '6 never missed a beat; any damage to it or our wallets was editor-inflicted. We accidentally skipped the first of three recommended oil changes, but the '6 demonstrated no ill effects. We mangled a front strut bearing with a racetrack shunt, but one day and $184.53 later, she was not just as good as new, she was as good as boring.

Unless you're a vintage car collector, boring is exactly what you deserve in the new vehicle ownership experience. Who needs the thrill of calling your local tow-truck operator or the excitement of a recall notice? We don't, and thankfully never had to experience either, though Mazda6s built between October 25, 2012, and May 9, 2013, were subject to Mazda recall number 7414D covering a fuel tank issue. This isn't to say driving the Mazda6 was boring -- far from it. In fact, we say it's impossible to find another, similarly equipped family sedan as fun to drive as the Mazda6 -- primarily because there are so few remaining available with a manual transmission. (No family-sedan manual is better than the '6's.) And rowing your own is just part of the picture. But we've spent many updates praising the tossable nature of the '6; it's time for you hear about it from somebody else.

We don't often learn what happens to one of our long-term vehicles after it leaves our garage, but in the case of the Mazda6 i Touring, we know exactly what happened: It came back to our company parking lot, with our friendly IT guy, Will Sheppard, behind the wheel. We asked him a few questions:

2013 Nissan NV200 SV Long-Term

We took our busy 2013 Nissan NV200 to the dealer for its 22,500-mile manufacturer-suggested service for an oil change and tire rotation -- and got a passenger airbag recall notice too.

We were informed that our van had a recall notice (Recall ID #102500) to update the occupant classification system (OCS) software for the front passenger seat. 

According to Nissan, the OCS software may incorrectly think that the passenger seat (when occupied by adult) was empty, causing it to deactivate the passenger airbag, which could increase the risk of injury to the passenger during a crash. 

Nissan fixed this issue with a software update that took only a few minutes. For its third service, we walked out the door for a grand total of $58.

2015 Chevrolet Malibu Turbo

With well-defined shoulder lines, clean 19-inch wheels, and Impala-like front styling, the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu Turbo is one good-looking four-door. As a midsize sedan, though, the volume model is less than convincing. Chevrolet tried to remedy this for 2014 by adding a little more rear-seat knee room, updated sheetmetal, and standard engine stop-start technology, but in our most recent Big Test comparison, the car placed sixth out of six cars. That review covered the Malibu with the 2.5-liter I-4, so when a loaded 2015 Malibu Turbo arrived in the Motor Trend Garage, we track-tested the car to see how well its enhanced performance matches up to the competition. Slam the Malibu Turbo's throttle to the floor, and you'll either be highly entertained or slightly nauseated, or both. Turbocharged four-cylinder four-doors can be lots of fun when you're not interested in the more linear feel of a six-cylinder midsize sedan. In the Malibu Turbo, a bit of turbo lag is followed by a sudden burst of acceleration. At wide-open throttle from a stop, on the right surface, you can even burn a little rubber. The Malibu's turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 is good for 259 hp at 5300 rpm and 295 lb-ft from 3000-4000 rpm, and it's mated to a six-speed automatic with manual controls on the gear stalk. Those basic stats sound somewhat impressive on paper, but let's head to the test track.

From 0-60 mph, the 2015 Malibu Turbo is a mid-pack performer. It's quicker than a couple turbo-four-powered midsizers, but behind a pair of six-cylinder four-doors. The Chevrolet's 6.3-second time was, as you'd expect, quicker than an all-wheel-drive 2013 Ford Fusion with a turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 (6.8 seconds). Our long-term 2013 Kia Optima SX-L made more power but less torque than the Malibu Turbo from its turbocharged four-cylinder, and turned in a 0-60 mph time of 7.2 seconds. The V-6 midsize sedans still lead the class in this benchmark sprint, with a 2012 Toyota Camry SE V-6 clocking in at 5.8 seconds and a 2013 Nissan Altima V-6 at 5.9 seconds. In 45-65 mph passing, the turbocharged four-cylinder cars yield to the traditional V-6 cars, with the Malibu's 3.5-second time beating the Optima (3.9 seconds) and all-wheel-drive Fusion (3.7 seconds), but not the Camry (2.8 seconds) and Altima (2.6 seconds).

Turbo-four or V-6, fuel economy for those for midsizers is essentially a tie, with the 2015 Malibu Turbo at an EPA-rated 21/30 mpg city/highway; the 2015 Optima Turbo at 20/31 mpg; the 2014 Camry V-6 at 21/31 mpg; and the 2015 Altima V-6 at 22/32 mpg. We haven't yet tested a Honda Accord sedan with a V-6, which is EPA-rated at 21/32-34 mpg. If you're frequently making the most of the Malibu Turbo's 2.1-second 0-60 mph advantage over the naturally aspirated 2.5-liter I-4 model, though, forget about 30 mpg on the highway. Seamless engine stop-start technology is standard on that Malibu but not offered on the performance-oriented turbocharged model.

2016 Volvo XC90

It’s been 12 years since the first Volvo XC90 rolled off a Swedish assembly line and several years since the automaker has launched an all-new product. After a complete stall in research and development while the brand was being sold, Volvo is back in action, ready to show the world what it’s been working on the past few years.

Based on the brand’s all-new Scalable Product Architecture, which will underpin all new Volvos, the 2016 XC90 will be slightly larger than the outgoing three-row luxury crossover but also lighter. U.S models will get two Drive-E engine options, both of which are supercharged and turbocharged. The base engine, called T6, is good for 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a Volvo eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. It’s rated to tow up to 5291 pounds. The top-flight T8 matches the T6 engine with a 60-kW, 80-hp electric motor on the rear axle with a combined system output of 395 hp and 472 lb-ft from the plug-in hybrid drivetrain. T8 models can run on pure electricity from the 9.2 kWh lithium-ion battery, pure gasoline or as a hybrid and are, by default, all-wheel drive. All-electric range is estimated at up to 25 miles. In other markets, a 222-hp twin-turbo diesel engine is offered, with 347 lb-ft.

Volvo is also considering additional powertrain and drivetrain options. Another gasoline engine, known as T5, is under consideration for the U.S. market. It also displaces 2.0 liters but is only turbocharged, not supercharged, and produces 250 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque and would be the new base engine. Volvo may also offer the T6, and eventually T5 if it happens, in front-wheel drive as well as the currently standard all-wheel drive.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Volvo if it weren’t safe. The 2016 XC90 introduces pedestrian and cyclist detection day or night, cross-traffic detection when backing up, collision warning and automatic braking, rear impact detection, and will even stop you if you try to turn in front of an oncoming vehicle. It’ll also try to steer you back onto the road if you’re drifting off or toward a barrier, park itself in both perpendicular and parallel spaces, and drive itself while stuck in a traffic jam. Also available are adaptive headlights, blind spot warning, power-operated and hands-free tailgate, power-operated third-row seats, four-zone climate control, a built-in child booster seat in the second-row center seat, a 360-degree camera system with parking aids, and an air suspension. The second-row seats also slide to make more room in the third row and fold 40:20:40. With both second and third rows folded, the XC90 will swallow 85.7 cubic feet of cargo. The 2016 Volvo XC90 also features what the automaker is calling "Thor's Hammer" daytime running lights, a look that will spread to the rest of the lineup.

2014 Acura MDX SH-AWD Long-Term

Not only does my family think the MDX to be a perfect road trip vehicle, but it's also been on several adventures with various MT staffers. Some of those adventures were family-related; some work-related; and others friend-related.

Senior art director Andy Mock's family of four took the MDX on a road trip to South Lake Tahoe then headed over to Monterey, California, then back home, covering just over 1200 miles. Not only did they have no complaints, but they had nothing but good things to say about their time in the MDX. "Spacious, comfortable for both the driver and front passenger, as well as those riding in the back, and the DVD system kept the kids happy for hours," Mock reported.

Brenda De Guzman, a producer at our video partner Mind Over Eye, spent a week in the MDX as video/production support for our Best Driver's Car program. The MDX could go anyplace it was needed and was able to haul not just video equipment, but also supplies to keep the photographers and video cameramen fed and hydrated. There is nothing worse than being in the middle of nowhere and not having enough resources to keep the production going.

Last and certainly not least is our manager of visual assets, Brian Vance, who took the MDX for a long getaway with some friends. Brian enjoys the outdoors, and when you go on outdoor adventures, you tend to bring quite a bit of stuff and supplies. And the MDX had no problem hauling everything Brian needed. Everyone who has driven the MDX gave it glowing praise for everything -- comfort, space, fuel economy, sportiness -- but everyone had the same question: How is it that the MDX costs $57,000? They all said if it were about $10,000 less expensive it would be the perfect vehicle.

2015 Nissan Versa Note SR Long-Term Arrival

Until the Note hatchback model arrived on the scene last year, the Nissan Versa was never big on style. Visually, the Note is markedly improved over the frumpy Versa sedan, but if you're looking for similarities between the two cars, you won't find many. The car was snatched directly from the Japanese market to replace the old Versa hatch and shares little with its three-box cousin besides its platform, engine, and name badge.

We took delivery of a 2015 Nissan Versa Note SR to find out what the newcomer brings to the B-segment table. The SR trim level adds sportier looks, but no more performance over a standard Versa Note. New black-accented, 16-inch alloy wheels, a unique roof spoiler, and a more aggressive-looking front end change the Versa Note's appearance, but the experience behind the wheel is much the same. The last Note SL model we tested, which boasted the same 109-hp 1.6-liter I-4 as the SR, hit 60 mph from a standstill in 10.4 seconds and completed the quarter mile in 17.8 seconds at 78.2 mph. Push the Note hard, and you'll be treated to a buzzy, monotone wail as the CVT works its shiftless magic. But being gutless is par for the subcompact course, we suppose. There is one upside to the Versa Note SR's lack of thrust: It retains the 31/40 mpg city/highway rating of the standard model.

The extra equipment that comes with the $660 SR Convenience package will be put to use during the Note's yearlong stay in our fleet. The package includes features such as a 5-inch screen, rearview camera, SiriusXM satellite radio capability, and Bluetooth streaming audio. Those last two features will be more than welcome on the long trips we intend to take in the Versa Note.

The Red Brick-finished exterior complements the SR's sporty touches and matches the red stripes of the special cloth-upholstered seats. But the added style doesn't come cheap. The 2015 Nissan Versa Note SR starts at $18,340, and our tester with the Convenience package and $180 floor and cargo mats rings up at $19,180. That's a lot of coin for such a little car. While it's true the Versa Note brings the nameplate forward in terms of looks, the question of whether it's class-leading remains. The Versa has led the subcompact sales race for years, but in Motor Trend comparison tests, the car has never finished better than mid-pack. In our 12 months with the Versa Note SR, we hope to find out whether this new model can change that -- and whether it's more than just a pretty face.