Lada

Lada may not have the reputation the Mercedes or BMW have for producing luxury motor vehicles, but when you are reviewing Russian car brands, it is impossible to ignore the Russian manufacture that made its name exporting the Fiat 124-based VAZ-2101, and its many variations, to Western Europe in the 1980s.

Lada Vesta Cross

The key to Lada’s success was not in its swish interiors or high performance engines, but in the reputation that the manufacturer gained for producing competitively priced, no fuss, reliable cars that were built in such a way that the home DIY mechanic could service and repair them. In the 1980s and 1990s, Lada exported more than 60% of the cars that they manufactured and they were an important source of foreign currency income for the hard pressed Soviet Union. In some cases, Lada cars were bartered for other products. Cocoa Cola, for example, traded its drinks in return for Lada cars, which it then sold on to the UK market.

Production of the original Lada ceased in 2012, but the company, which is now a part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, is still going strong and, despite western car imports now being widely available in Russia, Lada has still managed to hold on to a dominant share of the Russian motor vehicle market.

Marussia Motors

Marussia Motors were founded in 2007 by Russian racing driver Nikolai Fomenko and it was the first Russian car brand to produce a sports super car. The company produced two sports cars; the B1, which was a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive car powered by a Cosworth-built V6 engine, and the B2, which was a much more aggressive and brutal version of the B1.

Marussia Motors also became a player on the F1 circuit when they bought a significant stake in Virgin Racing Formula One team, which later became the Marussia F1 team. The team raced in the 2012 and 2013 F1 seasons, and part way through the 2014 season, and the team took 11^th place in the Constructors’ Championship.

The company broke up in 2014, when several key staff left the manufacturer to work at a Russian government institute and the manufacturer then got into financial difficulties and folded. The Marussia F1 team continued on for a while, as a British run F1 team, but it too ceased to exist in November 2014.

GAZ

GAZ, which stands for ‘Gorkovsky Avtomobilny Zavod’ is a Russian car brand that was formed in 1932 after a deal was struck between the Soviet Union and the Ford Motor company for an exchange of parts and expertise. The first vehicles that GAZ produced were a version of the medium priced sedan, the Ford Model A, and the Ford Model AA light truck.

In recent years, GAZ has become best known for its hugely successful range of light commercial vehicles that it began to produce in 2010 known as the GAZelle range. GAZ now has over 50% of the Russian domestic market for light vans and trucks and over 60% of the bus market too. The company also entered into an agreement with Daimler in 2010 enabling them to produce the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter at their plant in Nizhny Novgorod.

The GAZ group now has agreements with General Motors to produce the Chevrolet Aveo car, and an agreement with Volkswagen Group Rus to produce the, Volkswagen Jetta, the Skoda Octavi, and the Sakoda Yeti.

UAZ

UAZ is a Russian car brand that specialises in trucks, buses, and off-road vehicles such as the UAZ-469 utility vehicle that was used extensively by the military of the Soviet Union and other Eastern Bloc countries. The UAZ-469 gained such a good reputation for its reliability and off-road capabilities that some off-road enthusiasts rate it over Land Rovers, Toyotas, and Jeeps.

UAZ was founded in 1941 to manufacture trucks and ammunition for the Red Army to aid the war effort following the German invasion of the Soviet Union and, during the 1950s and 1960s, UAZ produced a wide range of four wheel drive vehicles that were used by the military, police, and the emergency services.

Demand for UAZ vehicles dropped off dramatically when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and the company struggled both financially and with quality. The UAZ plant was bought by the Severstal financial group in 2004 and the group has since made further investments in the Russian car brand.

In 2005, the company also began producing an SUV style car called the UAZ Patriot, which used a lot of third party parts in its production, including a replacement for the original UAZ transmission, which had gained a bad reputation in the UAZ-469.

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Ford Explorer Sport

The Ford Explorer is a nice entry into the fastest SUV list. It uses a V-6 to produce 365 horsepower and 350 pound feet of torque while hitting 60 in 5.9 seconds.

Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG

One of the fastest SUV models early on the list, this V-8 engine SUV uses 536 horsepower and 560 pound feet of torque to hit 60 in 5.3 seconds.

Audi SQ5

Many of these top vehicles are more or less supercharged sedans with a slightly higher clearance. The vehicle is on the list of fastest SUV models with a V-6 engine that produces 354 horsepower and 346 pound feet of torque, allowing it to hit 60 mph in 5.1 seconds.

2015 BMW X5 xDrive50i

It might not receive as much credit as the other BMW on this list, but it does sport a V-8 that pushes out 445 horsepower and 480 pound feet of torque to hit 60 MPH in 4.9 seconds.

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT

To start out the list of the fastest SUV on the market today comes the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It comes loaded with a V-8 engine that puts out 470 horsepower and 465 pound feet of torque. All of this allows you to reach 60 miles per hour in 4.8 seconds. As Jeep is one of the original creators of the SUV, it only makes sense it would have the top spot on the 2015 list.

Mercedes-Benz ML65 AMG

Mercedes knows how to pump out well performing vehicles and the ML63 is of no exception. This vehicle actually is more powerful than the top spot, but due to a few internal lacking, it isn’t able to hold up as long as the Jeep. This offering provides a V-8 engine that puts out 518 horsepower and 516 pound feet of torque, allowing you to reach 60 miles per hour in 4.7 seconds.

Land Rover Range Rover Sport Supercharged

As one of the fastest SUV models on the market, the British Range Rover (which is actually now owned by an Indian automotive company) does not produce all that many vehicles, but the few it does are all excellent performance vehicles. This vehicle uses a V-8 engine that puts out 510 horsepower, which can reach 60 miles per hour in 4.6 seconds.

Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged

Similar to the Sport Supercharged, it uses the same engine and, naturally, receives the same basic results, going from 0 to 60 in 4.6 seconds.

2015 BMW X6 M

This sporty SUV really looks like a BMW coupe on steroids. It uses a V-8 that produces an impressive 567 horsepower and 553 pound feet of torque to hit 60 MPH in 4.2 seconds. You probably never thought you’d see those kinds of speed numbers in an SUV, and it is only 7 on the list.

Porsche Cayenne Turbo S

Porsche knows how to make fast cars, so naturally it is going to have a fast SUV. The Cayenne Turbo S uses a twin-turbo V-8 engine that moves 570 horsepower and 590 pound feet of torque. This allows you to hit 60 miles per hour in 3.8 seconds.

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What does suv stand for? What makes it different than a standard truck, car, jeep, station wagon, etc. is the fact it has some features of several ordinary vehicles rather than all the features of one standard vehicle. For example, four-wheel drive as a truck might have, the towing ability of a truck (and sometimes a front-mounted winch); the seating room of a sedan sized car, and of course storage space as you might see in a minivan. Almost every car maker has an SUV model available. Some models include the Hyundai Sante Fe, Ford Escape, and Toyota Rav 4. Mid-size models include the Toyota Highlander, Ford Explorer, and Dodge Nitro. Larger SUVS models are the Ford Excursion, Chevy Tahoe, Chrysler Aspen, and Cadillac Escalade.

What does SUV mean? An SUV crossover is more of a merge between a standard SUV and a station wagon type of vehicle. Examples of this type can be found in models Mazda CX-7, Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave, and the Ford Edge. What makes a crossover SUV different is that these vehicles will typically have the same features of an off-road vehicle, yet handle the same way a car would. Standard SUVs are built on a light truck platform, and crossover SUVs are built on car platforms. Crossover and standard SUVs both have higher ground clearance than other vehicles and larger seating capacity. The standard version starts at 8,500 pounds weight while the crossover models must be under 8,500 pounds in weight.

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Advantages and disadvantages of the hatchback

Basically the main advantage of acquiring a hatchback is the fact that it is able to transport large and oversized cargo since the rear sets can be folded down creating extra spacing for cargo. Hatchbacks do have spectacular, versatile and large cargo areas, hands down. Probably more than triple the size of that of a Sedan cargo space with the back seat folded.

Hatchbacks are also easy to maneuver with, due to their relatively small sized bonnets and boots that do not protrude.

Disadvantages of Hatchback

Depending on the vehicle hatch’s pivot point, the typical hatchback may require more space for it to open the hatch. A hatchback cannot reverse too close to a wall or another vehicle.

A hatchback too may fail to provide for the privacy of cargo in the public since it opens wide.

The hatchback also cost slightly higher in relative comparison to the sedan.

Popular hatchback vehicles

The hatchback is generally quite a common car find in our roads; you probably wouldn’t stay for more than a few minutes before seeing a bunch of them passing past or by. Some of the popular hatchback models do include;

• Ford Fiesta
• Ford focus
• Honda fit
• Mazda 3
• Mini cooper
• Scion xd
• Subaru imprezza
• Volkswagen golf
• Volkswagen GTI
• Toyota prius V

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The fist one is 2015 Ford C-Max Hybrid

This vehicle doesn`t represent an ordinary wagon. It is somewhat between wagons and hatchbacks. It also has minivan vibe to it. But nevertheless, it has the same features the wagon does. If you compare it with a hatchback, you`ll see that it has more backseat space and cargo capacity. It`s much more than that. This vehicle is also in demand for its elevated driving position and high fuel economy (don`t forget, it`s a hybrid, after all).

The second one is 2015 Subaru Outback

Though this car will provide you with elevated driving position and more SUV-like appearance, it is still a wagon. Its cargo capacity is one of the best ones, and it is convenient to load something into the car thanks to its design. An excellent cabin, maximum safety and high fuel economy make this car one of the best wagons 2015.

Let`s proceed to luxury wagons.

The third one is 2015 BMW 3 Series

BMW returned after a short break and it has become even better. This brand is famous for its great performance and engaging handling. Furthermore, it`s quite fuel-efficient. Thanks to a four-wheel driving system, a beautiful interior, a relatively great cargo capacity and tradition-bound design, this vehicle stands out in the automobile market.

The fourth one is 2015 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Once omnipresent, Mercedes is an endangered species nowadays. But their E-Class wagon is still being sold. This model offers you a four-wheel driving system and sedanlike handling. There is also a third-row seating. This will provide you with seven seats. It is one of the best awd luxury wagons 2015.

And finally, the fifth one is 2015 Volvo V60

It feels like a sport sedan and is quite fuel-efficient. This luxury wagon has a front-wheel driving system. Its cargo capacity is not so high as the one of the vehicles above, but we must say that this sporty wagon has its own versatility features. For example, it provides comfortable built-in child seats for your child. This vehicle is really amazing.

Now you have an idea of the best station wagons 2015. We hope this article will be useful for you, whether you are going to buy a car or are just curious.

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