J.D. Power is well-known in the United States, offering up annual results for customer satisfaction and reliability surveys, although some say they should be taken with a pinch of salt. J.D. Power is now doing surveys in the UAE, and they’ve just released their 2018 UAE Customer Service Index (CSI) Study. And they have ranked non-luxury and luxury brands in terms of customer service.
Alfa Romeo, Fiat-Chrysler’s second-tier luxury brand that’s in comeback mode, dropped a bomb when their new rear-wheel-drive Giulia Quadrofoglio became the quickest sedan to lap the ‘Ring (at least at the time). While the hype from that 2015 run has faded, we finally got our hands on it to see if this car will save Alfa.
Nissan uncovers the sixth generation Altima mid-size sedan at the on-going 2018 New York Auto Show and the new sedan comes, for the first time in history, with semi-autonomous capabilities and, surprisingly, all-wheel-drive.
The all-new 2019 GMC Sierra was recently launch with a whole new design to the exterior, as well as changes to the interior plus additional new technologies.
Midsize sedans are increasingly being sidelined in the face of the crossover revolution. Many manufacturers are starting to give up on the segment, but there are two that have been consistently successful — the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord. Both have been launched in all-new forms for the 2018 model year, with launch events held at the same location in Dubai, and only a month apart, as if aligned by some cosmic intervention. These two stalwarts have undergone massive changes, with one bringing back the V6 and the other one going full turbo. Seeking to answer the “which is better”
Mini showed off a refreshed version of their classic Mini Cooper models at the 2018 Detroit Motor Show. This refresh included both the two and four-door hardtop and convertible models.
MG Motor announced recently the appointment of Al Yousuf Motors as its UAE distributor. Earlier this year, they had launched the new MG RX5 and MG ZS SUVs in the Middle East.
The minivan segment may be dying, but there are quite a few players trying to keep it alive. Honda, Chrysler and Kia offer the only mainstream ones in the GCC. Toyota does a jurassic-era fleet-spec one. BMW and Opel offer a couple of poorly-received ones. And then there is Mercedes-Benz, who have converted a commercial van into a luxury people-carrier, much like what Volkswagen did with their Transporter Multivan.
Peugeot 508 was the brand’s flagship sedan when the first generation model was released in 2011. Six years later, they’ve introduced the next generation model with sharper aesthetics and a better set of engines.
The all-new Mercedes-Benz Actros and Arocs trucks were revealed in the UAE and Middle East recently. The new generation trucks have new engine options, better fuel efficiency and new safety features.