Category: Motoring

An appeal has gone to the Lagos State Governor Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola to nip in the bud the crisis among the tipper drivers.

Members of the Lagos/Ogun Tipper Workers Welfare Association of Nigeria (LOTWWAN); Allied Trucks Transporters Association of Nigeria (ATTAN); National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO); and the First Nigeria Tipper, Lorry and Driver Association of Nigeria (FIRST NIGERIA) made the appeal, lamenting the use of force by the Union of Tipper and Quarry Employers of Nigeria (UTQEN) to rule them.

The drivers’ business is haulage of sand, granites and gravel in Southwest, especially Lagos.

The unions said: “The Ministry of Transport, by the act, has generated a situation which can only breach peace and security in the state by granting provisional approval for tipper quarry operations in the state to the UTQEN.

Members of UTQEN, they said, had employed thugs aided to disturb their members.

“The thugs beat up our drivers and damaged our vehicles due to their refusal to pay revenue to them,” the unions said.

In a petition to the governor, the unions reminded the state government that they are independent of UTQEN and cannot be regulated.

The petition, signed by the unions’ lawyer Olakunle Hassan of Olakunle Hassan and Associates, reads in part: “We would Constitution guarantee that ‘Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interest’. The constitution therefore rejects this kind of imposition by a minority organisation.”

The unions rejected moves by Ministry to foist membership of UTQEN on them.

“As we are not members of UTQEN, we reject the collection of revenue by UTQEN. We demand that the state government direct UTQEN to stop the use of thugs to harass us and demand payments from us.

“We demand that your Excellency direct the Ministry to cancel the provisional approval issued to UTQEN on the July 18, 2013, which is the main source of this crisis.

“We have always operated within the confines of the law and have paid our taxes to government agencies as at when due. The primary reason for the formation of our unions is to cater for the welfare of our members,” the unions added.

Any commercial bus owner, driver or conductor who fails to participate in the on-going accreditation by the Lagos State Government will face the law.

The government said it would not grant any extension to the 60 days period for the exercise which expires on December 31.

Commissioner for Transportation, Comrade Kayode Opeifa made this known in a statement.

He expressed displeasure at the uncooperative attitude of some transporters to regulate the operations of transporters for improved service delivery and security.

It would be recalled that the state government directed all commercial vehicle operators to register within the stipulated duration as agreed with the leadership of the various transport unions.

The exercise, involves all commercial bus owners to visit any of the 21 zonal offices of the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) for accreditation and documentation while drivers and conductors are to visit any of the five Drivers’ Institute (LASDRI) Centres where they would be accredited with the Lagos Commercial passenger Vehicle Driver’s and Conductor’s badge after completing the mandatory LASDRI training.

 

The Cherokee Jeep is back, though no one recognises the 2014 model—with sleek, modern styling, a long list of safety features, pleasant handling and comfortable on-road ride, writes TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO with agency report.

Remember that the last vehicle to carry the Cherokee name was a 2001 sport utility vehicle that had slab sides and noisy ride.

In contrast, the new Cherokee looks distinctly different from any previous one — or Jeep, for that matter.

It has the segment’s first nine-speed automatic transmission. It uses a platform based on cars from Jeep owner Fiat of Italy.

The new Cherokee offers safety equipment on luxury cars, including nifty storage places and hooks, plus sliding fore and aft back seats, which some other SUVs do not. The 2014 Cherokee even has 40.3 inches of legroom in the back seat.

The jeep, which retains 4X4 off-road capability and weighs more than many other five-passenger SUVs, is not tops in fuel mileage.

The best mileage rating is 22 miles per gallon in city driving and 31 mpg on the highway when the Cherokee has the base, 184-horsepower, 2.4-litre, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine.

This is lower than other five-passenger, four-cylinder-powered SUVs that intersect the Cherokee’s price range, such as the Honda CRV, Ford Escape and Toyota RAV4.

Note that the Cherokee also offers an optional, 271-horsepower, 3.2-litre V-6.

The 2014 Cherokee has a starting retail price, including destination charge, of $23,990 for a front-wheel drive Sport model with the turbocharged four cylinder and nine-speed automatic. No manual transmission is offered.

The lowest starting price for a new Cherokee with four-wheel drive is $25, 990, or $2,000 more. This is with the four-cylinder engine.

The lowest starting MSRP, including destination charge, for a 2014 Cherokee with the Pentastar V-6 is $26,985, and this is for a front-wheel drive model.

In comparison, the 2014 Ford Escape, which has a similar wheelbase but is four inches shorter than the 15-foot-long Cherokee, has a starting retail price of $23,595 with 168-horsepower, non-turbocharged four cylinder, six-speed automatic and front-wheel drive. The Escape is offered with a 178-horsepower, turbo four cylinder, too. Prices start at $24,945 in a front-wheel drive Escape.

Another Cherokee competitor, the Toyota RAV4, is two inches shorter than the Cherokee in overall length. The RAV4 has a starting MSRP, including destination charge of $24,160 for a front-wheel drive model with 176-horsepower, non-turbo four cylinder and six-speed automatic transmission.

Some agreed that the new take on Jeep’s trademark seven-slot grille at the front of the Cherokee is reminiscent of an early-era Norelco electric shaver.

No matter the debate on styling, this Jeep felt solid in its handling and ride. There was a hefty feel to the 4,000-pound tester, which was a Limited 4X4 model with V-6.

Doors closed with acceptable quality sounds, and the vehicle moved over potholes and other road imperfections with decent management of shocks and vibrations. It was not a “cush” ride but it was well-controlled, with even body sway in curves nicely held at bay. At the same time, the ride did not feel overly firm. The Cherokee uses a MacPherson strut front suspension with four-link rear with trailing arm.

Steering had good on-centre feel and felt normal, for an electric power rack-and-pinion setup.

Brakes worked strongly, with progressive, linear response to brake pedal pressure, and the Cherokee rode like a tightly constructed, cohesive piece — nothing like Cherokees of old.

The engine sounded confident and provided strong power smoothly, though nine gears seem like more than what is needed.

All these gears certainly did not seem to help fuel economy. The vehicle averaged 21.6 mpg in city/highway travel. This compares with rating of 19/27 mpg for this model.

Note that no V-6 is offered in some competing five-passenger SUVs.

To further dispense with the idea that this Cherokee is historic or somehow retro, one only needs to get inside.

This is a modern SUV with a communication display between gauges right in front of the driver. The driver sets the display to show information he or she wants and can rotate through a series of information screens without turning to either side.

Another, bigger display atop the center of the dashboard provides access to audio, navigation and the like.

Attention to detail was unexpected. There is a bit of a shelf at the base of the dashboard center stack where a power connector and USB port reside, making for a handy spot for a phone.

A covered storage spot is atop the dashboard. There are hooks in the cargo space to hang those pesky plastic grocery bags that otherwise roll around on the floor. The Cherokee’s front passenger seat cushion hides a usually unused storage spot.

Another nice touch was the key fob button to open the power liftgate also would close the liftgate.

Seats were comfortable, front and back. The premium, leather-trimmed, black seats in the test vehicle gave good support, though the swirling tufted sections seemed a bit overdone.

Because of the Cherokee’s sleek profile, there is a tad less headroom in the back seat — 38.5 inches — than in Ford’s Escape, which has 39 inches.

Cargo room in the Cherokee grows from 24.6 cubic feet to 54.9 cubic feet when rear seats are folded.

A bit more room can be had for long items in the Cherokee, because the front passenger seatback can fold down, too.

 

The 2014 Acura MDX illustrates the benefits of smart and selective evolution. The previous generation was a success, popular with buyers who enjoyed the midsize luxury crossover SUV’s sporty performance and luxurious nature. Still, there is always room for improvement, and canny upgrades have produced an even more refined adaptation, poised to achieve even broader appeal.

Last year’s MDX shared its platform with the Honda Pilot and previous-generation Odyssey. For next year, the crossover gets a new platform that offers a slight increase in interior room. Within the MDX’s cabin are useful new features, such as a second row that slides forward with the touch of a button to facilitate third-row access. A seven-inch touchscreen largely replaces the endless array of buttons that dominated the center stack of previous models, and this upgrade gives the dash a cleaner, more modern look.

There is a new 3.5-litre V6 under the hood, and though it offers 10 less horsepower than the 3.7-liter it replaces, it boasts more low-end torque thanks to direct fuel injection technology. Acura says the 2014 MDX gets from zero to 60 mph half a second quicker than last year’s model, due largely to a 275-pound curb weight reduction. The new engine brings fuel economy gains, too, and AWD models in particular offer a 17 per cent improvement in combined mpg. And for the first time ever, Acura’s midsize crossover is also available with two-wheel drive, which gives buyers in mild climates a less expensive (and more fuel-efficient) entry point into MDX ownership.

The MDX’s talents are formidable, but it faces strong competition. The Buick Enclave is roomier and less expensive, but falls short of the Acura in refinement and handling. The BMW X5 is more performance-oriented, but it also represents a significant step up in price. Infiniti’s QX60 and Lincoln’s MKT are solid picks, but neither is as enjoyable to drive as the MDX. With its pleasant handling and ride dynamics and generous feature content, the highly evolved Acura MDX earns recommendation for drivers seeking a three-row crossover that hits the sweet spot when it comes to driver engagement, luxury and value.

 

Body styles

The Acura MDX is a midsize luxury SUV that seats seven. It is offered in one well-appointed trim level with progressive add-on packages.

Standard features include 18-inch wheels, automatic LED headlamps, heated mirrors, a power liftgate, a sunroof, rear privacy glass, keyless entry/ignition, heated eight-way power front seats (with driver power lumbar), driver memory settings, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, leather upholstery, tri-zone automatic climate control and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. Electronics features include twin console displays (7-inch touchscreen and eight-inch information), a multi-angle rearview camera, Bluetooth phone connectivity, and an eight-speaker sound system with a CD player, an iPod/USB interface, a Pandora radio interface and satellite radio.

The Technology package adds a navigation system, voice controls (navigation and audio), Bluetooth audio connectivity, AcuraLink (with the Aha smartphone app interface) and a 10-speaker Acura/ELS surround-sound audio system with HD radio. Also included with this package are 19-inch alloy wheels; rain-sensing wipers; rear-door keyless entry; GPS-linked and solar-sensing climate control; and lane departure warning, blind spot warning and forward collision warning systems.

 

Powertrains and performance

The MDX is powered by a 3.5-litre V6 that produces 290 hp and 267 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive are standard, and all-wheel drive is available as an option.

EPA-estimated fuel economy with front-wheel drive is 20 mpg city/28 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined.

 

Safety

Standard safety equipment for the 2014 Acura MDX includes antilock disc brakes, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, active front head restraints and traction and stability control. A multi-angle rearview camera is also standard, and AWD models come with a stabilising feature for trailer towing.

Optional safety features include lane-departure and blind-spot warning systems. A forward collision warning system is also available, and it works by warning the driver of a possible collision with auditory and visual alerts. The MDX is also offered with collision mitigation braking, which automatically applies the brakes to prevent or mitigate an impending collision. A lane-keeping assist system is available as well, and it provides automatic steering assistance to keep the MDX in its lane.

 

Interior design and special features

The MDX’s interior is driver-focused, with a pleasantly thick, leather-wrapped steering wheel and easy-to-read gauges. Materials quality is high grade, a step up from last year’s model. The center stack has been simplified, with a cleaner layout and two display screens that largely replace the previous generation’s seemingly endless ocean of buttons. Overall, the cabin is a pleasant and luxurious place in which to spend time.

Using the navigation system is simple and intuitive, as Acura allows you to look up destinations by using the central control dial, a new seven-inch touchscreen interface (mounted below the eight-inch nav screen) or an enhanced voice recognition system. The touchscreen provides both haptic and audible feedback, and in our experience, this helps you enter a destination more quickly.

Second-row seats now slide fore and aft, with an adjustment range of 5.9 inches, for added flexibility. Rear legroom is reasonably generous. The one disappointment is the front seats’ minimal adjustability. Relative to other models in this segment, they offer only basic adjustments.

The third row is best suited for kids, but adults should be OK back there on short trips. Accessing the third row is a breeze, thanks to power-sliding second-row seats that slide forward with the touch of a button.

With 15.8 cubic feet of space behind its third row, the MDX trails its competition in cargo room when all three rows are in use. However, when you fold the second and third rows, cargo capacity becomes quite generous, with 90.9 cubic feet of room available for luggage and belongings.