2013 BMW ActiveHybrid 5

2013 BMW ActiveHybrid 5

Base Price     $60,950
Drivetrain     Rear Wheel Drive
Curb Weight (lbs)     4365
City (MPG)     23
Hwy (MPG)     30
Horsepower     335@5800
Torque (lb-ft)     300@1300-5000
Wheelbase     116.9
Length (in.)     193.1
Width (in.)     73.2
Height (in.)     57.6


The ActiveHybrid 5 is a puzzling vehicle. Based on BMW's 535i midsize luxury sedan, the ActiveHybrid 5 adds a costly gas-electric powertrain but offers barely any fuel economy or performance benefits.
To create the ActiveHybrid 5, BMW took the 300 horsepower, 300 lb-ft of torque 3.0-liter TwinPower turbocharged inline-six cylinder from the 535, along with its eight-speed automatic transmission and then added a 55 horsepower, 155 lb-ft or torque electric drive system. The result is a combined peak 335 horsepower (hybrids requite some fuzzy math) and the ability to drive up to 37 miles per hour on electric power alone. The electric power for the motor is provided from a lithium-ion battery with 96 cells and a usable capacity of 675 watt hours. BMW says the ActiveHybrid used both a 14.6 volt power supply and a 317 volt supply, with the two systems linked together through a voltage transformer.

2013 Acura ILX

2013 Acura ILX

Base Price     $25,900
Drivetrain     Front Wheel Drive
Curb Weight (lbs)     2910
City (MPG)     24
Hwy (MPG)     35
Horsepower     150@6500
Torque (lb-ft)     140@4300
Wheelbase     105.1
Length (in.)     179.1
Width (in.)     70.6
Height (in.)     55.6





The Acura ILX is an entry-level compact luxury sedan intended to serve as a gateway car to draw in Generation Y buyers looking to move up to a premium brand. Though based on the Honda Civic, the ILX distances itself from its plebeian roots with distinct styling, additional tech and convenience features and a more coddling cabin.
The ILX's front end is unmistakably an Acura design, though the controversial "beak" grille is more gracefully incorporated than in some of the brand's other vehicles. The sides of the ILX feature a pair of eye-catching character lines: one runs relatively straight from the front headlight to the back of the rear window, while the other starts aft of the front wheel and sweeps up to create a "hip" above the rear wheel were the two meet. Around back, the taillights are reminiscent of the units on the brand's crossover vehicles.