world automotive gallery

GM Segways to New Vehicles

2011-05-30T04:28:00.000-07:00

For all of you who thought Smarts were a bridge too far in how small vehicles could be, you are going to go positively Britney over the partnership between General Motors and Segway. This puts two wheels way into the crazy zone.

Genius entrepreneur Dean Kamen and his engineers at DEKA spent nine years and $100 million to develop the iBOT, a self-balancing wheelchair that could go up and down stairs, elevate its occupant, and balance on two wheels. Johnson & Johnson paid most of the bills and marketed the wonder, but Kamen was typically smart. He negotiated to keep technology rights to the wheelchair’s gyroscopic self-balancing technology for non-medical purposes. Johnson & Johnson couldn’t have cared less, but obviously didn’t have Kamen’s vision.

That technology would revolutionize sidewalk transportation after its 2001 debut in the Segway scooter that found favor with the U.S. Postal Service, law enforcement agencies, park rangers, mall patrols, recreationalists, and even President George Bush, who famously tumbled off of one in Kennebunkport. It gives the impression of a child’s transport, but amazes with how intuitively it moves forward, aft, and sideways with just a slight shift of body weight. It hasn’t quite revolutionized inner-city transportation as intended, but has proven its technology as amazing.

Perhaps it will take an automaker to really put Segway’s technology to the test. Announced at the recent New York Auto Show, GM and Segway are taking a special two-seat electric commuter to the streets. They call it Project P.U.M.A. (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility).

Said Larry Burns, GM vice president of research and development, and strategic planning, “Project P.U.M.A. represents a unique solution to moving about and interacting in cities, where more than half of the world’s people live. Imagine small, nimble electric vehicles that know where other moving objects are and avoid running into them. Now, connect those vehicles in an Internet-like web and you can greatly enhance the ability of people to move through cities, find places to park and connect to their social and business networks.”

Jim Norrod, current CEO of Segway Inc., continued, “We are excited to be working together to demonstrate a dramatically different approach to urban mobility. There’s an emotional connection you get when using Segway products. The Project P.U.M.A. prototype vehicle embodies this through the combination of advanced technologies that Segway and GM bring to the table to complete the connection between the rider, environment, and others.”

Burns showed a two-seat prototype that runs on a lithium-ion battery and utilizes “digital smart energy management” (whatever that means), two-wheel balancing, back-up training wheels, and dual electric wheel motors. P.U.M.A. can cruise at speeds up to 35 mph and go 35 miles between charges. Think of it as a cool neighborhood vehicle or electric car for short errands. Much was made of the vehicle’s ability to enhance person-to-person communications and connect neighborhoods, but the prototype demonstrates the technology with a passenger compartment more akin to a dune buggy.

If designers get their way, and the vehicle actually makes it to production, passengers will be treated to a 22nd Century club car. Computer sketches illustrate a helmet-shaped vehicle with solid wheels and glass that surrounds passengers, who enter through the front after the windscreen is moved forward. It reminds me of a science fiction version of the Chinese rickshaw.

Everything about the P.U.M.A. and its vision can be realized. The technology exists and is proven. It remains to be seen if people want to ride around in a space age, self-leveling, lithium-ion-powered balancing act.

By Casey Williams
MyCarData

Audi's new mouth-watering A7...

2011-05-30T04:26:00.000-07:00

If we were forced to pick the best brand car-for-car — bottom to top — it would have to be Audi. The German company continually amazes with its quality vehicles from one end of its lineup to the other.
Spending several days driving the stylish all-new 2012 Audi A7 fastback sedan only reinforced our opinion of the brand.

Audi has entered the relatively new segment of luxury hatchback sedans that has few members, namely the Porsche Panamera and the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo. Also the swept-back Mercedes CLS can be included because of its similar styling, although it does not have a fifth-door hatch.

In the case of the A7, Audi is once again one up on its immediate rivals in terms of driving dynamics, ride quality and interior refinements.

Since the A7 comes with only one choice, a 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 we can only compare it to the six-cylinder versions of the BMW and Porsche. The new A7 makes a very energetic 310-horsepower driving all four wheels (Quattro in Audi-speak) mated to a state-of-the-art eight-speed automatic transmission.

For the power hungry and those who generally scoff at six-cylinder engines Audi will soon offer an eight-cylinder-powered S7 that will compare nicely with the BMW and Porsche V-8’s. In the meantime we had no qualms with the smooth, seamless performance from the Audi six-engine, which, as measured by Audi, can accomplish 0-to-60 in a quick 5.5 seconds. And it matches up extremely well with the six-cylinder offerings available this year in the Panamera and the BMW 5-Series GT.

The Audi is built on the next-generation A6 platform and stretches out 195 inches, good enough for comfortable accommodations for four adults. One minor disclaimer — rear-seat headroom may be on the short side for long torso six-footers because of the slopping roofline designed to give the sedan its coupe-like appearance.

The Audi clearly stands out in two areas — exterior styling and interior ambiance. The A7 carries the next evolution of Audi design as found in the 2011 A8 with short overhangs, an expansive hood and low-slung sporty proportions. German auto magazine Auto Bild, with a panel of 10 design experts judging, named it winner of its annual design competition.

One of the unique features of the well-executed interior is an eight-inch screen that raises from the dashboard — canted toward the driver — when the ignition is switched on. It consolidates audio, navigation and telephone functions in an extremely easy-to-read display.
The A7 has been on sale in Europe for several months and is now reaching U.S. showrooms starting at $60,125.

By Jim Meachen - MyCarData

New 2013 Chevy Malibu gets 38 mpg with eAssist

2011-05-30T04:25:00.000-07:00

To demonstrate the new Chevy Malibu’s global aspirations, Chevrolet unveiled it simultaneously at the recent Shanghai and New York auto shows. Riding on a modified version of the Buick Regal’s architecture
, the Malibu is stunning with its Bentley Mulsanne profile, ultra-aero front facia, quad taillamps, and square gauges lifted from the Camaro. You’ll recognize it as a Chevrolet immediately, but the technology under the skin is like no other.

Malibu is going to borrow something else from popular Buicks: eAssist™ technology. The system combines lithium-ion batteries with an electric motor-generator to allow regenerative braking and start-stop functionality. In short, the car recaptures energy during braking and shuts off its engine while at rest to save gasoline. Often referred to as a “light hybrid,” eAssist-equipped cars cannot run on electricity alone.

The results are impressive. For relatively low cost and only a 65-lb. weight increase, the car gains 15 horsepower and achieves a stellar 26/38-MPG city/highway, easily making it the highest-mileage GM mid-size sedan of all time. This technology is partly a result of the hundreds of millions of dollars spent bringing the Volt electric car to market. Another Volt feature adapted for the Malibu ECO is a lower grille that closes at higher speed to improve aerodynamics. To put all of this in perspective, Malibu ECO can travel as many as 550 miles between fill-ups.

“The Malibu ECO is a smart choice for customers who want excellent fuel economy without the price premium of popular hybrid sedans,” said Rick Scheidt, vice president of Chevrolet marketing. “Malibu ECO exemplifies Chevrolet’s drive to use technology that delivers high-value, gas-friendly performance. In fact, the Malibu ECO delivers the fuel economy of a compact car in a midsize sedan.”

The all-new 2013 Chevy Malibu promises to be a stellar success. If gas continues to hover around $4/gallon or higher when Malibu hits the roads next spring, an incredibly high percentage of them are likely to be ECOs. While Malibu buyers may complain about gas prices, they are unlikely to gripe about their car’s ability to sip the precious stuff. Prices will be announced closer to sale, but should start well under $30k.

By Casey Williams - MyCarData

Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is both Sleek and Uber-efficient

2011-05-30T04:23:00.000-07:00

You’re walking down a dark alley, looking for the door to a house of il-repute, when a Lincoln MKZ Hybrid stealths up behind you. Its dark metallic paint is glimmering under the street lights. You couldn’t tell it was coming because its engine wasn’t running. It was in electric vehicle mode,
slipping unheard through the nighttime. It is eerie. It is creepy. But, somehow, it seems incredibly normal.

This is not exactly what one expects from Lincoln, home of the Navigator, purveyor of all things Town Car, and imbued with the spirit of Continental. Lincolns aren’t exactly known for subtlety, what with their flashy chrome teeth, slab sides, and limousine stretches. Shake your head a couple of times and prepare for an American luxury car that achieves 41/36-MPG city/highway. Quit wiping your eyes, you read it correctly.

The soul of this eco-gent is a 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine that works mob-style with batteries, electric motors, and regenerative brakes that recapture energy during deceleration. Full-on power nets 191 horsepower, but driven discreetly, the car can run on electricity alone up to 47 MPH over short distances. Hybrids typically achieve better mileage in town because they can run on batteries more often. That also allows them to creep down dark alleys, looking for attendees to houses of il-repute.
To encourage assorted affairs, the MKZ has a partial-LCD instrument cluster that shows power usage, battery recharging, and gas mileage. There’s also a cool display in which leaves and flowers “grow” when the car is driven ecologically and disappear as the scourge of Gore when leaden feet apply. I’m happy to report that after a duration of 400 miles, I have grown a full bouquet.

Even with all of this high-techery, there is plenty of old-world Lincoln luxury inside. And, there might be a little more high-techery. Seats are trimmed in Bridge of Weir™ leather, known for its refined grain, just like the ’56 Continental. It is pretty refined. Front buckets are heated and cooled and enjoy a view of genuine wood trim on the dash and doors. Blind spot warnings and a rear backing camera keep everybody safe while Lincoln SYNC® serves up voice-activated audio and navigation. iPODs can be connected to the car’s controls through a USB port while Bluetooth links in cell phones. The theatre-quality THX speakers are divine.

There’s nothing but discreet Hybrid badges on the decklid and doors to reveal this car’s inner soul. If you want a flash, look-what-I-bought hybrid, go shop the Lexus HS250h. Most MKZ drivers will be thrilled that they enjoy obscene fuel economy while slipping by unnoticed. They don’t want an arcade of buzzes and video screens. The car’s shape is Euro-conservative, but delights with a “bow wake” grille inspired by the ’40 Continental, wide rectangular taillamps from the ’61 Continental, liberal use of chrome, and 17” alloy wheels from no Continental. Puddle lamps under the mirrors let you arrive like a movie star should you want to dispense with the shady alley slinking.

I remember first driving the Ford Fusion, on which the MKZ is based, back in 2004. The Mazda6-derived chassis was precise and controlled. I drove the Fusion from Memphis, TN to Indianapolis, IN and back. It never put a wheel wrong and was comfortable the entire time. I’ve driven several Fusions, a Fusion Hybrid, and the similar Mercury Milan since. The MKZ was first introduced as the Zephyr. I liked that car – it had a slight float in the suspension as it wafted down the highway. After the name change to MKZ and a slight re-engineering, I drove the car from Memphis to Chicago and back. By then, it had the tighter suspension of the Fusion. It just didn’t seem Lincoln enough. This latest one feels somewhere between firm and float, which strikes me as Goldilocks perfect.

Long drives are required for appreciating the attention to detail in the MKZ. That Bridge of Weir leather from Scotland is milled for up to 12 hours, and uses a chromium-free tanning process so it touches your behind as buttery and can be easily recycled. Interior sounds are reduced through an acoustic laminated windshield, body and door sealing to squelch wind noise, expandable stuffers in the fenders and pillars, acoustic headliner, and damping material on the floor to defend against road rumble.

A hybrid so serene you barely know it is a hybrid, the MKZ slips through the night to wreak havoc among the unaware. If this is what the new fed mandates produce, then praise Nader, build a temple to the EPA, and bring on the mandates. Lexus didn’t see this one coming, but it is about to know where the MKZ has been as the hybrid is currently taking 25% of MKZ sales. Other foes include the Buick LaCrosse with eAssist, Toyota Camry Hybrid, and Nissan Altima HEV. Prices start at $34,330, but came to $38,775 equipped with Navigation, blind spot warning, rear view camera, and rear cross traffic alert systems. If you’re comparing, that’s the same price as a non-hybrid V6-powered MKZ.
Didn’t want it to slip by you.

2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
Five-passenger, FWD Sedan.
Powertrain: 191-HP 2.5-litre gas engine,
hybrid electric drive.
Suspension f/r: Ind./Ind.
Wheels: 17”/17” f/r.
Brakes: disc/disc fr/rr with ABS.
Must-have feature: Obscene mileage
Manufacturing: Hermosillo, MX
Fuel economy: 41/36-MPG city/hwy.
Base price: $34,330.

By Casey Williams - MyCarData

Caccia Custom Cars

2011-05-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

Fortunes have been spent entering the auto business. Go ask Preston Tucker, Malcolm Bricklin, or John Z. DeLorean. All of them attempted to start an auto company from the ground-up and realized too late how much capital such an enterprise consumes. Sustaining engineering,
design, marketing, sales and manufacturing is another matter entirely, requiring much more liquid green. Caccia Custom Cars of Indianapolis has a different plan, built on years of experience.

“I have been interested in sports cars since I was a kid,” said founder James Hunt. “When I built my first car in the mid-60s, you really couldn’t buy something from the factory that you could drive hard without spending a lot of money. You had to soup up something yourself. So, I built a car with a fiber glass body designed to fit on an Austin Healey chassis, but instead built my own tubular frame and attached a drag race engine and suspension from an early ‘60s Corvette.”

Over the years, Hunt has been involved in other ventures. Working with Randy Berry, owner of Marauder Kit Cars, IL, he built a replica of a Lamborghini Countach. They used a plywood frame sculpted with Masonite and Bondo for the body panel molds. It had the wide look of the later Countaches, but with the wheel wells more blended into the body. Six copies were sold.

Hunt eventually became friends with Eldon Rasmussen, who not only competed in the 1975, 1977, and 1979 Indianapolis 500 races, but also fabricated his own “Rascar” chassis for the cars. Rasmussen continued to fabricate race parts here in Indianapolis for years and was inducted into the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame.

After retiring from IPL in 2001, Hunt wanted to build another car that became the Ghepardo. He and Rasmussen started with a 2002 Camaro body structure, but modified it to accept a mid-engine, 2002 Corvette suspension and “LS6” V8 engine. A Camaro was partly chosen because it offered a steeply-raked windshield. To fit the engine, they removed the Camaro’s rear seat and trunk while fabricating an engine compartment around the Corvette suspension sub-frame.

Scott Chenoweth, who attended the famed Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, was enlisted for styling. Ghepardo’s body is fabricated from fiberglass and is inspired by the Lamborghini Murciélago, but stands as its own design. New door and body skins were formed and attached to the original Camaro panels, giving the car an entirely different look without destroying the car’s structure.

“Our next steps are to get financing and refine the car,” continued Hunt. “We’ll make some changes to the exterior based on a recent viewing and are looking for investors. We would like to sell a short run of cars to individuals who would like to have some say in the final look of the vehicle.”

Hunt and Chenoweth would like to modify the Ghepardo’s front grille, move its passenger compartment forward 4-5”, and modify the wide rear fenders to give it a more balanced appearance. They also want to change the rear hatch, using components from the Nissan 370Z, to reduce visual bulk. Some may not like golden colors, but the “House of Kolor” paint mixture certainly gleams in the sunlight and will get attention at any valet stand.

Anybody wishing to purchase a Ghepardo will have close to $200,000, but that’s a bargain compared to building a very sophisticated car yourself. Hunt and his team would like to sell about 30 worldwide – reasonable ambitions for this type of project. For more information, or to commission a vehicle, contact James Hunt and his team at cacciacustomcars@aol.com.

By Casey Williams - MyCarData

Audi's new mouth-watering A7...

2011-05-25T07:04:00.000-07:00

If we were forced to pick the best brand car-for-car — bottom to top — it would have to be Audi. The German company continually amazes with its quality vehicles from one end of its lineup to the other. Spending several days driving the stylish all-new 2012 Audi A7 fastback sedan only reinforced our opinion of the brand.

Audi has entered the relatively new segment of luxury hatchback sedans that has few members, namely the Porsche Panamera and the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo. Also the swept-back Mercedes CLS can be included because of its similar styling, although it does not have a fifth-door hatch.

In the case of the A7, Audi is once again one up on its immediate rivals in terms of driving dynamics, ride quality and interior refinements.
Since the A7 comes with only one choice, a 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 we can only compare it to the six-cylinder versions of the BMW and Porsche. The new A7 makes a very energetic 310-horsepower driving all four wheels (Quattro in Audi-speak) mated to a state-of-the-art eight-speed automatic transmission.

For the power hungry and those who generally scoff at six-cylinder engines Audi will soon offer an eight-cylinder-powered S7 that will compare nicely with the BMW and Porsche V-8’s. In the meantime we had no qualms with the smooth, seamless performance from the Audi six-engine, which, as measured by Audi, can accomplish 0-to-60 in a quick 5.5 seconds. And it matches up extremely well with the six-cylinder offerings available this year in the Panamera and the BMW 5-Series GT.

The Audi is built on the next-generation A6 platform and stretches out 195 inches, good enough for comfortable accommodations for four adults. One minor disclaimer — rear-seat headroom may be on the short side for long torso six-footers because of the slopping roofline designed to give the sedan its coupe-like appearance.
The Audi clearly stands out in two areas — exterior styling and interior ambiance. The A7 carries the next evolution of Audi design as found in the 2011 A8 with short overhangs, an expansive hood and low-slung sporty proportions. German auto magazine Auto Bild, with a panel of 10 design experts judging, named it winner of its annual design competition.

One of the unique features of the well-executed interior is an eight-inch screen that raises from the dashboard — canted toward the driver — when the ignition is switched on. It consolidates audio, navigation and telephone functions in an extremely easy-to-read display.

The A7 has been on sale in Europe for several months and is now reaching U.S. showrooms starting at $60,125.

By Jim Meachen - MyCarData

Volvo XC60 - Volvo’s New Personal Size SUV

2011-05-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

Historically, Volvos have received high marks on functionality and safety, but lower scores for styling and interior amenities. Well things have been changing inside the company for several years and the new XC60 SUV poster child of modern Volvo.

The XC60 might rightly be considered a smaller version of the XC90 SUV. Actually, I find the new XC60 a much more appealing vehicle.

To begin with, the styling is a skillful blend of an instantly recognizable Volvo shape presented in a curvaceously appealing and seductive form. From any angle, the new XC60 is a very fine looking vehicle and totally current with the times.

It’s hard to decide if this model is a compact or a midsize SUV but it holds 5 comfortably and has a large cargo area behind the rear seats. With all seats folded, you can bask in its 67 cubic feet of storage volume. This Volvo is a very solid vehicle and weighs in at over 4,000 pounds, yet it handles quite nimbly and drives smaller than it is. I found the XC60 to have surprisingly capable handling as we tested it on twisting west coast mountain roads. On the freeway, it is smooth, quiet and serene inside.

It exudes that “you’re safe in here” Volvo feeling and the vehicle has the technology to deliver. The XC60 benefits from and has all the safety gear that Volvo has developed over the years, plus something new. Volvo’s City Safety technology is being introduced on this model. The system basically monitors the distance between you and the vehicle in front of you when driving at low speeds, where most collisions occur. If it senses that you are getting too close, it applies the brakes and can actually bring the vehicle to a complete stop. Volvo is also thoughtful enough to include features like laminated glass in the sunroof so if you are in a crash, the glass won’t shatter all over the passengers. You also get, stability control, traction control, lane departure warning, driver alert control, distance control and whiplash prevention seats just to name a few.

The XC60 is powered by an inline transverse turbocharged 3.0 liter 6 cylinder engine. It puts out 281 horsepower and 295 ft lbs of torque. All XC60’s come with a 6 speed automatic transmission and all wheel drive. This combination makes this Volvo a joy to drive both in town and on the highway. The engine is responsive, the handling is controlled and ride is very nice.

The interior of the XC60 has also been tastefully done. The leather seats are attractive and comfortable. The design is upscale and the available real Nordic Light Oak wood inlays are oh so Scandinavian. Niceties like navigation, Sirius radio and DynAudio make the drive all the more enjoyable.

by Kelly Foss
MyCarData

Volvo XC60 - The all-new 2010 XC60 crossover is the safest Volvo ever

2011-05-17T04:56:00.000-07:00

When it comes to car crashes, slow-speed rear-end collisions are among the most frequent. Now there’s an antidote for the common crash: Volvo’s all-new 2010 XC60 compact SUV that can avoid a crash by automatically stopping itself. Not only is it the safest Volvo ever, it could very well be the safest vehicle ever built.

Unprecedented crash-avoidance technology
I was recently in Sausalito, Calif., just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco, covering the national media launch of this crash-saving crossover. Volvo’s unprecedented crash-avoidance technology can eliminate or drastically reduce the number of serious injuries from the thousands of costly rear-end crashes that occur each year.

Volvo calls its ground-breaking system “City Safety”. It is aimed at preventing or substantially lowering the number of collisions that occur at speeds of 19 mph or less. Why 19 mph? Volvo says that accident surveys indicate that 75 percent of all reported rear-end collisions take place at speeds of up to 19 mph. In half of these collisions, the driver has not braked at all before the crash, mainly due to some sort of distraction from within the car – like texting on a cell phone or trying to keep an eye out on the kids in the backseat. If this happens in the XC60 at the low speeds associated with moving crawl of typical traffic jams, the brakes will automatically activate to bring the SUV to an abrupt panic stop before it can hit the car stopped in front.

Lower insurance premiums possible
In cases where an accident cannot be avoided, the system helps reduce the force of the crash. And that means that occupants in the vehicle in front will receive a less serious impact and may, in fact, escape serious injuries such as whiplash. It also means that crash damage to both vehicles can be reduced. Volvo reports that it has already held discussions with several insurance companies regarding lower premiums for cars equipped with its City Safety system.
Out in California, when it was my turn to test the system, I drove toward a barrier at 10 mph that was designed to simulate a stopped car. Just before impact the system activated, bringing the XC60 I was driving to a very sudden and very jarring stop. “It is important to understand that the City Safety system does not relieve the driver of the responsibility from maintaining a safe distance to avoid a crash,” says Thomas Broberg who is a spokesperson for Volvo’s Safety Center located in Gothenburg, Sweden. “While braking is quite harsh under this scenario, it greatly enhances our objective that no one should die or be severely injured in a Volvo. With the XC60, we have built the safest car on the road -- before, during or after an accident,” says Broberg.

Driving historic change up the California Coast
Now only is this wunderkind crossover really safe, it features sharp looks, dynamic performance and has great road manners -- as my day-long drive up the Pacific Coast Highway through some of Northern California’s most spectacular oceanfront venues aptly demonstrated. While driving, I was listening to some classical sounds the XC60’s ample sound system. Along the way, I pulled off onto a scenic turnout high above the Pacific Ocean. Under a glorious bright blue sky, I watched with awe as wispy, windswept waves crashed onto the rocky coastline below sending enormous plumes of white-sea spray high into the air before cascading down onto sandy white beaches that were deserted for as far as the eye could see. From my little perch high above the Pacific, I took a moment to reflect on this country’s bountiful beauty -- from my usual home-base on the Chesapeake Bay to the magnificent view of the Pacific that was now unfolding in front of me -- indeed, unparalleled majesty from sea to shinning sea.

When it came time to resume my journey and head back south to Sausalito, the return route required driving for many miles on the rugged and winding roads that transverse Northern California’s mountainous terrain to reach the 101 Freeway. Here the all-wheel-drive compact SUV performed flawlessly with its 281-hp inline T6 engine providing power for plenty of spirited driving performance. “We designed it for drivers who impose high demands on the driving experience – whether the car is used in the city, on the highway, or to negotiate tight curves in country lanes,” said Lars Blenwall, XC60 project director.

“On this drive, you’ve experienced the VC60’s sweet spots: safety, design and performance,” Michael Cottone, U.S. brand manager for the XC60 told me. He predicts that the well equipped XC60 will win a 15-18 percent share of the growing premium crossover segment that now includes the Audi Q5, BMW X5, Infiniti EX35, Lexus RX350 and Mercedes Benz GLK. The XC60 is scheduled to arrive in Charm City Volvo showrooms in two weeks with an estimated EPA mileage of 16 city/22 highway.

Bottom line: On a day when I took a little time out to appreciate the impact of America’s natural beauty, the good news is that I believe Volvo’s revolutionary XC60 crossover is a man-made beauty that will have a big impact with drivers not wanting to have a big impact.

By John Peige
MyCarData

Volvo XC60

2011-05-17T04:55:00.000-07:00

You have to be careful about jumping on the latest bandwagon. For an auto manufacturer, it’s a good way to keep sales healthy and the lineup fresh, but it’s good to bring something to the table that’s more than just an attempt to have the latest toy everyone else has got.

The Volvo XC60 is a good example of doing it right. Crossover vehicles are all the rage at the moment, and they’re quickly replacing trucklike SUVs as the vehicles to have among buyers looking for versatility and bad-weather capability coupled with urban sensibility. The XC60 has all of the features that make the latest round of luxury crossovers popular: all-wheel drive, a raised seating position, luxurious appointments for five passengers and a generous cargo bay. However, it’s also got a number of qualities that make it all Volvo, like cutting-edge safety technology and a distinctively Swedish cabin.

Volvos have a strong visual identity, and the family look translates well onto the XC60. The familiar belted grille is the focal point of the front end. The trapezoidal shape of the grille blends with sharply defined beveling in the hood that expands out into a clear shoulder line that runs to the back of the vehicle. The greenhouse is low for a vehicle this size, and the silhouette is chunky but more svelte than the average SUV. On the XC60, this line is softened by a tapered waist that gives the car a trim, athletic look. At the rear, Volvo’s signature tall taillights are raised to cradle the rear windshield, and a simulated skidplate wraps around the base of the bumper and illuminate with energy-saving LEDs.

The interior is all about sporty Scandinavian sensibility. Volvo’s ubiquitous “flat-panel” center stack is use, of course, and it’s framed by a clean, uncluttered cabin. Shrink the XC90’s interior by thirty percent and you’ve got the XC60’s cabin. Satin-silver trim accents all surfaces, and a handy dash-top display provides vehicle info. A DVD-based navigation system is bundled with a reverse camera and links through the dash display. HD radio, Sirius satellite radio and Bluetooth connectivity are standard equipment, and Volvo will upgrade the sound system with a 650-watt Dynaudio Dolby Pro-Logic unit if you’d like. A panoramic glass roof is also available as a no-cost option for the first few months of XC60 production.

A choice of six-cylinder engines is offered. The XC60 3.2 is motivated by the same 3.2 liter inline six-cylinder engine that powers the S80 luxury sedan. With 235 horsepower on tap and a choice of front- or all-wheel drive, the 3.2 is a proper workhorse, and a surprisingly efficient one as well, with fuel economy ratings of 18/27. If you’d rather take your crossover out to play, the XC60 T6 offers a 3.0 liter turbocharged inline six with 281 horses. Both engines offer all-aluminum, double overhead cam construction. Volvo’s six-speed Geartronic automatic transmission is standard in the T6, as is all-wheel drive.

A nearly unprecedented range of active safety devices are along for the ride. The Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC) is almost expected in a Volvo product at this point. Volvo also equips the XC60 with Trailer Stability Assist, which is designed to prevent loss of control when the XC60 is pulling the 3300-pound trailers that it’s rated to drag.

The XC60 goes a step beyond all of that with City Safety, however. This “driver support system” uses a windshield-mounted laser sensor to monitor objects up to eighteen feet from the vehicle’s rear bumper. At speeds of 19mph or below, if the vehicle or object in front is closing too fast, indicating that the driver hasn’t noticed a collision is about to happen, City Safety will pre-charge the brakes, then apply them if the driver doesn’t react. At speeds below 10mph, the XC60 will come to a stop before impact. It’s a spooky way to keep you and your passengers safe; the XC60 simply stops itself. City Safety works as well as advertised, at least in controlled tests. We didn’t attempt any real-world, uncontrolled tests, of course. City Safety is designed to reduce or eliminate the low-speed parking lot and inner-city collisions that make up a large percentage of crashes.

At higher speeds, the City Safety sensors work with the vehicle’s restraint systems to adjust seatbelt and airbag deployment to the severity of the collision.

Out on the road, when things aren’t courting disaster, the XC60 is a confident and comfortable driver. The suspension is short on surprises, with a sophisticated MacPherson strut front, multi-link rear setup. There might be a bit less “sport” in the handling than Volvo would like for you to believe there is, thanks in part to a rather portly two-ton curb weight. That said, the XC60 won’t disappoint. Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes are standard.

As a further perk, Volvo recently announced its Complimentary Factory Scheduled Maintenance program, which is available on the XC60. For the first three years or 36,000 miles, Volvo provides the first four maintenance visits to the dealer, making oil and filter changes, fluid top-offs and diagnostic checks for free.

XC60 pricing starts at $32,395 for the front-wheel drive XC60 3.2.

Downlodable pictures.

By Chris Jackson
MyCarData

Volvo XC60 T6 - a luxury crossover with safety and style

2011-05-17T04:53:00.000-07:00

When you have a reputation to uphold, it takes special efforts and cutting-edge technology to stay ahead of worldwide automotive competition.

Volvo’s reputation for safety is legendary. It has been that way
at the Swedish auto manufacturer for years. “Volvo” and “safety” are synonymous in the minds of most people. And Volvo wants to keep it that way.

We were reminded of this when the driver who brought us a 2010 Volvo XC60 drove us to a vacant parking lot across the street from our business. He was obliged to do this, he said, before handing over the key.

He planted three tall boards in anchors in front of the car, backed the Volvo up about 30 yards, slipped the transmission into drive and then sat back, foot off the brake. We were getting a hands-on demonstration of Volvo’s newest technology, designed as much to preserve expensive sheetmetal as protect the inhabitants of the Volvo. Of course the delivery driver didn’t know we had experienced this during the media introduction several months earlier…but we let him do his job.

The Volvo approached the obstacle at about 2-to-3 miles per hour, and just in time slammed on its brakes. It was and remains a very neat trick, indeed. Had that been a car in front of us the new technology would have saved perhaps thousands of dollars in repairs to the Volvo and the car in front.

The system will prevent or mitigate collisions up to 19 miles per hour. Volvo says in most cases it will prevent contact up to nine mph. If the Volvo cannot be stopped in time, the force of the crash will be significantly reduced perhaps preventing injury. The system uses an infrared laser sensor at the top of the windshield to detect a vehicle within 13 feet of the front bumper that is either stationary or moving in the same direction.

Slow-speed crashes, commonly known as fender-benders, have become expensive propositions. If they can be avoided or minimized by Volvo’s magic when the driver is distracted, the cost of the new technology will pay for itself many times over.

This system is called “City Safety” and is standard equipment on the compact crossover, which is available in two variants: as an all-wheel drive (AWD) T6 turbocharged 3-liter starting at $38,025 including destination charge or as a naturally aspirated 3.2-liter V6 starting at $33,245 with front-drive or $35, 245 with AWD. Our focus today is the AWD T6.

One thing to remember about “City Safety,” if you creep up too close to a car at a stop light, bam, the brakes engage. While we experienced this in the testing it can be a bit nerve racking on the street. You need to pay attention at all times. And you need not to become overly dependent on the system. As we see it driving demands that the driver remain in control, always.

For those who hate the idea of giving up control at any time and fear ‘big brother’s’ constant observance, the system can be cut off with the push of a dashboard button. Maybe not a good idea for most of us!

In addition to the ground-breaking City Safety feature, the XC60 — as you would expect — comes with the many layers of safety engineered by Volvo over the years including rollover-sensing stability control, whiplash-reducing front seats, antilock brakes with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution, tire pressure monitoring and full airbag protection from front to back; along with the Volvo invented 3-point safety belts that we all take for granted, but probably do more to save lives than almost anything else in a car.

There is also a package of additional safety equipment that can be purchased as a $1,695 option. It includes adaptive cruise control with distance alert that automatically maintains and adjusts the driver-selected vehicle speed and distance to the vehicle ahead, collision warning that senses an impending collision and alerts the driver to help avoid or reduce the severity of a crash, driver alert control that alerts the driver when his or her concentration level is affected, a blind spot information system, and lane departure warning that alerts the driver when the car crosses road markings without obvious reason.

You make the decision — are these features worth an extra $1,695? We don’t care for the constant beeping intervention of co-called driver alert systems, and adaptive cruise is occasionally helpful, but a luxury to us. On the other hand, we have found the blind spot warning very helpful. One thing — if these systems are on your vehicle you can turn them off. But then why buy them?

Another thing — all wheel drive is standard on the T6, at least on the initial offerings in the U.S.

Volvo is indeed a safety leader and if that is paramount in your purchase decision, we applaud your choice. But this newest five-passenger Volvo — which competes in a crowded small luxury crossover segment against such stalwarts as the BMW X3, Acura RDX, Infiniti EX35 and Mercedes GLK 350 — has much more than safety going for it.

It is deliciously stylish inside and out. We think Volvo hit a home run with the exterior design, which successfully carries the XC theme, but with an attitude. We like how the hood rises above the fenders giving the new Volvo a sports car persona. The stylish projector beam headlight enclosures fit neatly into the fenders, and the brake lights sit up high flanking the rear hatch and flow into the curving roofline.

The interior may be Volvo’s best work yet. The elegant floating center console found in many Volvo models, sets off the overall look in the T6. The two-tone soft leather seats in our test vehicle drew praise from our passengers. Materials are first class throughout.

More importantly, perhaps, the powertrain was not overlooked. Ample and pleasing performance has been included in the package thanks to the muscular 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
It makes 281 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Volvo says the XC60 will accelerate from 0 to 60 in 7.1 seconds and we believe it.

Hit the accelerator at any speed and you will be rewarded with a growl and solid forward momentum. A downside to the engine is its rather meager gas mileage ratings of 16 in the city and 22 out on the highway. On the plus side, unlike many turbocharged engines the inline 6 will run just fine on regular gas.

Despite a class-leading 9.1 inches of ground clearance, the XC60 felt stable during aggressive driving on twisting roads. And it is remarkably agile in slow-speed city driving and mall parking space hunting. Add to that the confidence of plowing over the hill and through the woods to grandma’s house with little effort was a real plus.

Rear passengers are rewarded with decent legroom and good headroom while cargo capacity behind the seats is a decent 30.8 cubic feet and when cargo carrying is the goal the seats can be folded to reveal 67 cubic feet of storage space.

We think the base price is rather steep, but when you figure in the exceptional amount of standard equipment, perhaps it is justified.

This does not mean expensive options are not available. They are. Our test vehicle came with several including the aforementioned safety package and a multimedia package that included navigation and upgraded audio; a bundled technology-climate-child safety seat package; plus extra charges for the metallic paint and the wood inlay on the center stack.

The Panoramic Roof with glass panels and a power sunshade normally $1,200 was included at no charge. The bottom line was $44,265 including destination charges.

Volvo has created a very appealing as well as a uniquely safe vehicle. We give it two thumbs up for aggressively competing and holding its own in the small luxury crossover segment.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman
MyCarData

Volvo's All-electric C30 Project

2011-05-17T04:52:00.000-07:00

All-electric Volvo C30 project presented for the first time.
It looks like a regular Volvo C30 and it features the very same safety, comfort and space as the standard car. The difference is that it is powered solely by electricity, entirely without exhaust emissions, and has a range of up to 150 kilometres.

Volvo Cars' ambitious electrification strategy has quickly produced concrete results. In addition to the market introduction of a plug-in hybrid in 2012, work is currently under way on evaluating the viability of an entirely electric-powered car known as a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle).

In 2009, a small number of prototype versions of the C30 BEV have been built and tested internally by Volvo. In addition to focusing on performance and safety, much of the focus is on integration of the electric propulsion system with the rest of the car.

"The Volvo C30 is the first model we will try out with electric power. This car's excellent properties in city traffic and its relatively low weight make it particularly suitable, since electric cars are primarily expected to be used in and around cities and for daily commuting," says Lennart Stegland, Director of Volvo Cars Special Vehicles.

Technical solution
Electricity is highly suitable as a fuel for passenger cars. It is the superior energy efficiency of the electric motor compared with the combustion engine which suggests that electric cars will become increasingly common in the future as fuel prices rise and demands for low CO2 emissions become ever more stringent.

The Volvo C30 BEV is powered with a Lithium-Ion battery that is charged via a regular power socket found in most homes.

Recharging an entirely depleted battery via the regular household power supply system (230V, 16A) will take about eight hours. If the car is charged with renewable electricity this means that emissions – all the way from electricity production to its use out on the road – will in principle be non-existent.

The electric motor is housed under the bonnet, just like the engine in a conventional car. One of the priorities within the BEV project is to find the optimal placing of the battery. Most likely the best places are the prop shaft tunnel and the place where the fuel tank normally is located. These locations are within the car's optimised crumple zone in the most common collision scenarios. Since the car runs solely on electricity, it requires a larger battery with higher capacity (24 kWh) than in the case of the plug-in hybrid (12 kWh).

Battery capacity
The C30 BEV is limited to a top speed of about 130 kilometres an hour, which will be more than sufficient for most users of this type of car. Acceleration from 0 to 100 kilometres an hour will take less than 11 seconds. The car will have a range of up to 150 kilometres. This range is longer and far better than the distance 90 percent of all Europe's motorists drive per day.

The same safety standards as always
Volvo Cars imposes the very same high safety standards on all its products irrespective of the type of fuel or power source used. Volvo's safety dedication is always focused on the human being and is based on solid knowhow of real-life traffic situations. What is more, comprehensive in-house tests are carried out both virtually and in Volvo's highly advanced crash-test laboratory. If Volvo chooses to introduce an entirely new type of electric car on the market, it will be just as safe as any other car bearing the Volvo badge.

Volvo has theoretically identified all the electrification-related safety scenarios in the stages before, during and after a collision. After careful study of these scenarios, the company's engineers will create solutions for handling each and every situation identified, guaranteeing that any future electric cars fully match Volvo's renowned safety standards in every respect.

Market potential
Volvo Cars' main electrification track over the coming decades is plug-in hybrids. This applies in particular to the company's larger car models. The combination of electric motor and combustion engine is the solution that probably has the greatest potential from both the technical and commercial viewpoints. Plug-in hybrids offer long range, good environmental performance and at the same time limited dependence on expensive battery technology.

There are several factors that determine how successful dedicated electric cars will be in the future:

"The consumer must feel that this type of car is attractive both to drive and own. In order to ensure this, we feel that electric cars will have to be as comfortable and safe and offer similar levels of performance as cars with other power sources. The learning from the C30 BEV project will help us to fulfil all these criteria and showcase Volvo's determination to drive developments in the field of electrification," says Paul Gustavsson, Director of Electrification Strategy at Volvo Cars.

Source Volvo
MyCarData

Volvo C70 T5

2011-05-17T04:51:00.000-07:00

Everything is usually so nice and simple with a Volvo.

The shape is honest, with no dramatic shifts to something some designer in Itscoolvania thinks is spot on. It has a simple interior with just the right dash of Swedish modern, and a simple turbocharged inline engine to pull it along. Call it chic simple.

But is it enough to have simple chic?

*Volvo vision – The C70 is a hardtop convertible, the best of both worlds for many. You get the sleek shape of a coupe, especially in the roof line, yet the world shines in when you want it. We were glad when the original cloth-topped C gave way to this one in 2007, gaining a more defined round-shouldered look. For 2011, the overall look is the same. But Volvo has sweetened its face with reworked fenders that let the headlights slash up and aft more. The nose is more wedge-shaped, the “V” of the grill complimented by the upward cut of the fog light frames. Volvo claims the lower grill has been spiced up – maybe. Ours came in a deep Flamenco Red Metallic, the better to let its subtle curves glow in the sun. The front fenders’ shoulder line compliments the side view without distracting, another clean look with just a bit of waist at the door line, the body-color door rub strip an almost straight line. In back, wide LED lights echo the shoulder line, cleanly integrated in. Subtle fender flares frame “Diamond Cut” 5-spoke alloys wearing 18-inch Pirelli rubber. Like I said – a simple, nice design, a sleek coupe shape when needed, a sleekly simple convertible with no top-down hump when you cruise the beach. The side mirrors even fold when you shut down. It’s definitely a sleek look above other hardtop convertibles, like the VW Eos.

As for fitting in amongst the Bimmers and Benzes at a local beachfront resort area one day, we did, but only a few seemed to note the C70, based on the compact S40’s 103.9-inch wheelbase. Oh well.

*Volvo livability – Again, a simply clean design that oozes solidity without being stuffy. Black over light tan with alloy accents, a discrete white LED spotlight shining down on the still cool slim-depth center control panel, it is so Danish modern I love it even though every Volvo has it. The fine grain leather finish to the padded vinyl dash top is a clean look, as is the buff silver-ringed 160-mph speedometer with inset gas gauge/8,000-rpm tach with inset temperature gauge, with familiar green displays (one a trip computer controlled off the left stalk’s thumbwheel) and red needles. The thick-rimmed steering wheel has perforated leather were you grip most, manually tilting and telescoping with integrated Bluetooth, stereo and cruise controls. Subtle gauge face changes and a nicer feel to the instruments help for 2011. An LCD screen flips up from the dash top when you turn the high-mounted ignition, slowly coming to life, but offering only street lines – no names. Its joystick and twin function buttons are behind the steering wheels right spoke. I’d rather have the buttons on the front of the spoke, thank you. And the remote control (honest) is just a gimmick. I like how the sat-nav screen dims at just the right part of dusk when the headlights are on, the same time the dash lights glow on. The headlights can be set to turn when you do. And the blind spot alert flashed a side mirror-area light when something is hidden, then did it when nothing was there but air.

A CD slot tops the slim center stack, over a combination audio/car function menu done in more green that tells you all about the great 14-speaker Dynaudio sound system with 910 watts of power, Dolby Pro Logic II Surround Sound and a standard USB and MP3 audio jack under the small center armrest’s double cargo area. Slide down and there’s a dual-zone climate control system and a five-speed automatic transmission. Again, a clean look. The front bucket seats are firm and comfortable, the driver getting three memory presets and 10-way power adjustments. The glove box is good enough, the twin cup holders shallow, leaving water bottles in the way. Buttons power the front seats forward to access the back seats. If those in front give a little, you can bring two more out to dinner, but their hair will nudge the well-fitted hardtop convertible’s inner liner.

Want more headroom? The hardtop's three sections are smoothly integrated into an arcing pillarless top, meshing nicely with the rear deck. The top takes about 30 seconds to lower, its three sections stacking atop each other and sliding into the trunk under a rear-hinged cover. A white-lit button raises the assembly to access the small trunk space left under a divider. It is usable, and there’s a ski pass-through to slide longer stuff into the cabin. But the long trunk lid is heavy.

*Volvo vivacity - The C70's turbocharged 2.5-liter in-line five-cylinder engine is all we get stateside, with a light-pressure T5 turbo for 227-(up from 218)hp. Standard with a 5-speed manual gearbox, we had the five-speed "Geartronic" with manual shift capability. Our 3.300-mile-old coupe/convertible was perky off the line, seizing 60 mph in a decent 8 seconds, a half second better than the last version we tested, with smooth shifts. There’s a gentle turbo whistle under acceleration, a nice counter note to the inline five’s gruff snarl. The extra 400 pounds of top and bracing blunts performance a bit, and fuel mileage on premium was about 22-mpg in mixed coastal road driving.

The fully independent suspension gave a comfortable ride, and reinforced side members, doors and sills offer decent torsional rigidity, although we had a slight twinge of chassis flex top down over bad bumps, and a slight creak top up one cooling sunset. Get sporty with it, and we had a bit of body roll thanks to the added weight, with understeer cropping up, some comfortable tire scrub and a touch of Dynamic Stability and Traction Control that you can't turn off. The car was OK playing sporty, but a bit detached, sharp enough steering with some front-drive feel to it. The all-wheel disc brakes with ABS offered straight, short stops from 60-mph, with some fade after a few hard stops. Wind management was OK top down, aided by the windshield rake, and the heated seats and warm air flow helped on chilly nights. Call it more topless grand tourer than sports car. For safety, front and side impact air bags, plus very obvious door panel-mounted side impact air curtains.

*Volvo bucks – Base price for the C70 is $39,950, standard with all above except the $2,600 multi-media package with Dynaudio sound system and navigation, $850 metallic paint, $700 blind spot detector, and $1,900 Dynamic Package with 18-inch wheels, xenon active headlights and heated seats – final price $46,550. That’s up from the $44,075 last version we tested cost in 2007. The new VW Eos hardtop convertible is about $33,000, with less power and rear seat room, similar ride, but a cooler multi-function top. The better sports coupe/convertibles for a bit more are the BMW 3-Series and Infiniti G37 – ‘nuff said.

2011 Volvo C70 T5

Vehicle type 4-passenger hardtop convertible

Base price - $39,950 ($46,550 as tested)

Engine type – turbocharged in-line five cylinder gas engine

Displacement – 2.5 liter

Horsepower (net) – 227 @ 5,000 rpm

Torque (lb-ft) – 236 @ 1,500 to 5,000 rpm

Transmission – 5-speed Geartronic

Wheelbase – 103.9 inches

Overall length – 180.4 inches

Overall width – 72.3 inches

Height – 55.1 inches

Front headroom – 38.2 inches

Front legroom -42.3 inches

Rear headroom – 36.4 inches

Rear legroom – 33.9 inches

Cargo capacity – 12.8-cu.ft. top up/half that top down

Towing capacity – up to 2,000 lbs.

Curb weight – 3,837 lbs.

Fuel capacity – 15.9 gallons

Mileage rating – 19-mpg city/28-mpg highway

Last word – Better looks, nice weekend car that can tackle the week

By Dan Scanlan
MyCarData

Volvo S60 - Totally New 2011

2011-05-17T04:47:00.000-07:00

All-new 2011 Volvo S60

Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (VCNA) pulled the wraps off the all-new 2011 S60 sport sedan today at the New York Auto Show. The all-new Volvo S60 sport sedan will arrive at dealerships later this fall.

The all-new S60 introduces a unique safety technology: Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake. Pedestrian accidents occur every day in our increasingly intensive traffic environments. In the U.S., 11 percent of all traffic fatalities are pedestrians. This equates to approximately 4,700 deaths annually in the U.S., a number Volvo is trying to reduce. Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake is a groundbreaking technological solution that actively helps the driver avoid accidents. Volvo’s radar- and camera-based system can detect pedestrians in front of the car, warn the driver if anyone walks out into its path – and then automatically activate the S60’s full braking power if the driver fails to respond in time.

Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake consists of a newly developed radar unit integrated into the all-new S60’s grille, a camera fitted in front of the inside rearview mirror and a central control unit. The radar’s task is to detect any object in front of the car and to determine the distance to it while the camera determines what type of object it is. Half of all pedestrian accidents occur at speeds below 16 mph. Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake can avoid a collision with a pedestrian at speeds up to 22 mph if the driver does not react in time.

At higher speeds, the focus is on reducing the car’s speed as much as possible prior to the impact. Statistics reveal that the car’s speed has considerable importance for the outcome of the accident. A lower speed of impact means that the risk of serious injury is significantly reduced. For instance, if speed is cut from 31 mph to 16 mph, Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake is expected to reduce the fatality risk by as much as 20 % and in some certain cases up to 85%.

Source Volvo
MyCarData

Volkswagen Golf - Its back

2011-05-14T03:34:00.001-07:00

The Volkswagen Golf is back! It never went away, really; it’s just that from 2006 through 2009 it masqueraded as the Rabbit. Many of us were confounded by that name change when it happened. Evidently some suit at VW thought reintroducing the Rabbit name would lure folks hooked
on nostalgia back to the vehicle. After all, resurrecting the Malibu nameplate paid off handsomely for Chevy, and bringing an updated Beetle back to the U.S. did the same for Volkswagen.

The Rabbit nameplate, however, didn’t possess the cachet of Malibu or Beetle. Apparently it didn’t even possess the cachet of “Golf.” When something isn’t broke, why fix it? The switch to Rabbit is still confounding. If Chevy had brought back the Corsica nameplate rather than Malibu for its mid-size sedan, things might not have worked out as well as they have.
To VW’s benefit, returning the Golf moniker to its entry-level model was part of this year’s redesign. It’s good to have Golf back in VW’s lexicon.

Perched at the high end of entry-level automobiles, Golf requires more of a commitment from its buyers than any number of other starter cars. It is both sportier and more expensive than most in its segment. If basic transportation is your primary goal, others can handle the task and for thousands less. However, if you want a superbly engineered runabout, well constructed and full of pizzazz, the Golf will have you smiling from the moment you pull away from the dealership.

VW offers Golf with either three or five doors. A clamshell rear hatch provides access to the cargo area in both configurations. Two trim levels, based primarily on engine choice, create roughly a $4,500 base-price spread. My test Golf was the $18,240 base three-door with the optional $1,100 six-speed Tiptronic (driver-shiftable) automatic transmission that is standard in the five-door. Going for five doors instead of three would have tacked another $600 to the bottom line.

A 170-horsepower 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine motivates the base Golf. This is sufficient to infuse a degree of zippiness into the driving experience. The standard five-speed manual (three-door only) is a bit more fun to drive, but there is something to be said for the convenience of an automatic in stop-and-go slogs through congested city traffic. Volkswagen says that with the automatic, Golf can reach 60 miles per hour from a standstill in about eight seconds. EPA fuel economy estimates are 23 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway with the automatic tranny. The city mpg estimate drops 1 mpg with the manual transmission. The five-door comes standard with the Tiptronic transmission.

The up-level Golf TDI draws its power from a 50-state compliant 140-horsepower 2-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder engine. What it lacks in horsepower, it more than makes up for in torque as it delivers 236 lb. ft. of peak torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard no matter the number of doors. A $1,100 option, the six-speed automatic Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) with Tiptronic delivers manual transmission performance, but with the ease of an automatic. It takes about half a second longer to reach 60 miles per hour with the TDI/DSG combination than with the base engine and six-speed automatic, but fuel economy is much better. The clean-diesel TDI with DSG earned an EPA mpg estimate of 30 mpg city and a whopping 42 mpg on the highway.

While the TDI comes with stiffer suspension tuning and, consequently, crisper handling, the base Golf delivers better cornering than the bulk of its competitors. The fully independent suspension consists of MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link setup in the rear. The steering in both versions is remarkably responsive. Wheel size is another difference between entry-level and TDI. The former comes with 15-inch steel wheels and the latter with 17-inch alloy ones.

All Golfs enter life with four-wheel antilock disc brakes, traction control, stability control, brake assist and electronic brakeforce distribution. Likewise six airbags are also standard. Not available in the three-door, rear-seat side-impact airbags are a $350 option in the five-door.

Despite the fact you will pay more for a Golf than many other entry-level cars, you will probably feel pretty good about your purchase decision upon sliding behind the wheel. Even before you crank the engine, you will be impressed by the quality of the cabin. Be it the materials used, the expensive feel of the knobs and buttons, or the upscale styling, this is no entry-level interior.

Rear-seat legroom is a bit tight, but no more so than is common in this segment. Offering eight-way adjustment, the front seats are supportive with generous side bolsters. The gauges are large and easy to read. All functions are logically placed and operate intuitively. No diving for the owner’s manual every time you want to change the radio station or adjust the temperature as with some pricier German imports.

Included in the base price of all Golfs are full power accessories, heated outboard mirrors, cruise control, trip computer, 60/40 split folding rear seat, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, and an eight-speaker audio system with CD player and auxiliary input jack. Moving up to the TDI adds such enhancements as Bluetooth compatibility, full iPod integration and an up-level audio system.

Golf isn’t for the average entry-level customer. Its refinement and therefore its price, will be more than some entry-level buyers need. But for those who want to spend a little more for an automobile that is in every way considered entry-level only because it anchors VW’s lineup, the Golf will reward the cash outlay by providing an ample dose of satisfaction.

By Russ Heaps - MyCarData

Volkswagen New Stylish Coupe - 45 MPG!

2011-05-14T03:31:00.000-07:00

New Compact Coupe unites 4.2 l/100 km (45 mpg) with top dynamics.

Concept of an entirely new compact coupe emits just 98 g/km CO2, can go 227 km/h if necessary and accelerates to 100 km/h in 8.6 seconds.

For Volkswagen this marks the beginning of an action-packed year, in which more new models will be introduced than ever before in the company's history. Number 1 on the spectacular list of new products for calendar year 2010 is a car based on entirely new concepts and technology, a coupe with a hybrid drive that is extremely fast and yet futuristic in its fuel economy. It has sports appeal and sharp styling yet is remarkably elegant – positioned between Europe's bestselling sports car, the Scirocco, and the internationally successful CC. Its name: the New Compact Coupe. Site of its world premiere: Detroit, North American International Auto Show (January 11 to 24). Combined fuel consumption: 4.2 l/100 km (45 mpg)! CO2 emissions: 98 g/km! Incredible, considering its fuel economy, are its top speed of 227 km/h (141 mph) and the short 8.6 seconds it needs for the classic sprint to 100 km/h (0-60 mph in 8.1 seconds).

These values were made technically feasible by a high-tech alliance: a TSI engine (gasoline powered with 110 kW / 150 PS) that is as fuel efficient as it is sporty, an electric motor (20 kW / 27 PS) and a 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) which in the eyes of many car drivers is the best automatic in the world today. Just over a month after the debut of the most fuel-efficient four-seater in the world – the Up! Lite in Los Angeles – this new concept car confirms once again that future Volkswagen hybrid vehicles will not only focus on fuel economy, but – similar to pure gasoline and diesel versions of Europe's most successful automobile brand – will also aim to be sporty and fun to drive. In the first half of the year, Volkswagen will launch its first hybrid model on the market under the VW label – an SUV with full-time all-wheel drive. Meanwhile, the New Compact Coupe shows, both technically and visually, how Volkswagen envisions a front-wheel drive hybrid for the compact class that would be implemented when the time is right.

Source Volkswagen
MyCarData

Volkswagen Golf 2.5 - Still frugal and fun

2011-05-14T03:30:00.000-07:00

Lo those many years ago, I had a Rabbit.

Fleet of foot, fun to drive, able in snow and sun, it once carried 10 people down a country road after a canoeing trip. My second-generation Rabbit was also frugal
on gas as well as a gas to drive, since I had hopped into it from a cranky Fiat.

I’m happy to say the new sixth-gen Rabbit - err, Golf –is almost as much fun, albeit costing a tad more than my sorta-hot hatch of 1980. So let’s hop into ours and take it for a spin.

*VW visage - Available in three- or five-door models, the 2010 Golf, briefly renamed Rabbit a few years ago, gets a seemingly mild evolutionary redesign that sure keeps it looking like – well, a Golf. The all-new nose gets a more chiseled bumper with wider, double bar grille that blends into upward-angled headlights. The lower air intake is wider, flowing into fake side inlets that wrap around the sides. The front fenders have subtle flat-edged flares framing small-looking Continental 15-inch rubber with silver-spoked wheel covers over black steel wheels on our base Golf. The two-box shape of Rabbit/Golf of the ages is still there, the windshield’s A-pillars gracefully curving off the angled hood, more steeply raked it seems, while the rest of the car is subtly softer in angle, yet visually a bit wider. There’s no chrome here, not even a driver’s door keyhole; just a gloss black B-pillar. In back, wider taillights with round elements over a clear strip of turn signal look nicer, integrated into a classic hatchback with more roundness in the door. Twin red running lights lighten the look of the full body-color bumper, while twin pipes fit in a black lower fascia. The body-color hatch spoiler gets an integrated third brake light. Nice touch – a New Beetle-style VW emblem that tips up to become the unlatch/hatch handle.

Nice details, but as a whole, it still looks like the fifth-gen Golf/Rabbit, which I guess is OK. No one noticed it, while I think the new Jetta redesign last year was a bit more interesting.

*VW livability – On the inside, a padded gray plastic dash top with slimmer gauge package and a touch more silver, again more evolutionary. The main gauges are inset deeper, with silver rims, the 160-mph speedometer hosting an inset gas gauge, the 8,000-rpm tach with an inset temperature gauge, both framing a large white-on-gray LCD trip computer/odometer/trip odometer display. The dash center pod is smoothly integrated into the design, slimmer air vents over a decent 8-speaker AM-FM-CD audio system with good bass and an MP3 input in the center console. Its silver buttons brighten the interior as well as being easy to use. A three-dial single-zone a/c system underneath is set in a gloss black panel for a touch of class. Under that, a rubberized storage nook with 12-volt power outlet.

The black cloth sports buckets up front were very comfortable, with a grippy patterned insert, great side bolstering and manual lumbar and height adjustment, allowing the driver to set up perfectly with the manual tilt/telescope wheel. Our car’s cold weather package added three-position heated front seats and heated windshield washer nozzles. I would have loved some steering wheel audio controls, but it’s not a problem. I liked the large felt-lined door map pockets with water bottle space, and the dial-a-position sunroof like Audis. Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free cellphones was an option we didn’t have, and I would have liked a center armrest.

The 101.5-inch wheelbase is unchanged, but an added inch in width and half-inch in length seems to have expanded the room inside, most noticeable in back. Great head and leg room exist for two adults, with a fold-down center armrest and a ski pass-through to the squared-off cargo area, three cubic feet smaller than the last generation, but at least the rear seatbacks split and fold. There’s a solid security cover and some storage space in the side, too. Nice touch – red button lighting with red LED center console spotlights.

*Golf get-up-and-go – We had the 170-hp, 2.5-liter five-cylinder gas engine hooked to a 6-speed automatic; a 50-state compliant 2-liter turbo-diesel with 140-hp is an option, and a good one for those seeking high fuel mileage, decent power and a bit more sportiness. But our 8,000-mile-old carryover engine felt quite sprightly, especially when set in “sport” gearbox mode to hold onto the gears longer. This 5-banger hit 60-mph in 7.8 seconds with smooth upshifts, an OK exhaust note (and occasional abrupt downshifts). We saw an average 22- to 27-mpg on the trip computer in mixed city/highway driving, despite some spirited use. The solid platform, with independent front suspension with McPherson struts and anti-roll bars, and an independent four-link rear arrangement with a stabilizer bar, gave us an agile Golf that was fun to drive. There was some body roll in turns, but the Golf just hung on and played well with quick steering and a nice controlled suspension that was comfortable yet responsive. Stability control didn’t step in too abruptly either, but was there when needed and could be shut off.

The closest in fun feeling would be a MAZDA3 Sport, which has 28 less horsepower but was a bit more agile and sexy in styling. A Kia Soul is boxier yet cooler in styling too, but has a bit less power and excitement. A Mini Cooper S has two more ponies, a much smaller back seat and a tad more cost, but is just as frugal in fuel. The VW’s power-assisted four wheel disc brakes had decent pedal feel and no fade after hard use. For safety, six airbags (dual front, dual front side thorax, and side curtains).

*Golf dollars – The base three-door, manual gearbox VW Golf is $17,490. Our 5-door test model’s base price was $19,190, which includes remote keyless entry, one-touch up/down power windows and 3-year/36,000-mile limited warranty. With the $1,000 sunroof and $225 cold weather package, the final price was $21,165. A MAZDA3 is less, a bigger Dodge Caliber SXT or Soul about the same, depending on options. And while it’s technically a subcompact, a 117-hp Honda Fit is less, is lots of fun and fits four adults just as well, as does a compact all-wheel-drive Subaru Impreza 2.5i.

*Bottom line – A VW Golf has always been a player in this compact field, especially since VW practically invented the sporty hatchback. The sixth-gen ticks all the boxes – fast enough, fun enough, and frugally roomy and practical – basic fun that can handle commuting and people-carrying. For more fun that’s just as frugal, there are other compact options. But the Golf bags it with initial quality and German solidity.

2010 Volkswagen Golf

Vehicle type - 5-passenger compact 5-door hatchback

Base price $19,190 ($21,165 as tested)

Engine type DOHC, 20-valve in-line five

Displacement – 2.5 liter

Horsepower (net) – 170 @ 5,700 rpm

Torque (lb-ft) – 177 @ 4,250 rpm

Transmission – 6-speed Tiptronic w/manual shift mode

Wheelbase – 101.5 inches

Overall length – 165.4 inches

Overall width – 70.3 inches

Height – 58.3 inches

Front headroom - 39.3 inches

Front legroom – 41.2 inches

Rear headroom – 38.5 inches

Rear legroom – 35.5 inches

Cargo capacity – 12.4 cu. ft.

Curb weight – 3.023 lbs.

Fuel capacity – 14.5 gallons

Mileage rating – 23-mpg city/30-mpg highway

Last word The Rabbit has matured, but still frugal and fun

By Dan Scanlan
MyCarData

Volkswagen Golf – a rose by any other name

2011-05-14T03:28:00.000-07:00

First it’s the Rabbit. Then it’s the Golf. Then it’s the Rabbit again. And then, egad, it’s back to Golf.

The Volkswagen Rabbit of many years ago eventually became the Golf as the vehicle was known in Europe from inception. Then came along the marketing genius de jour and Golf was changed back into a Rabbit from 2006 through 2009, and now it has once again been re-christened the Golf, and hopefully this time for good.

Volkswagen officials had hoped the nostalgic Rabbit name would win over more customers, but apparently the change did not have the expected results. So now we return to the name the car goes by around the world and the name that won World Car of the Year honors in 2009. Whatever you choose to call it, Volkswagen’s bread and butter small car has been restyled inside and out for 2010 and has never been better. And that’s a very good thing.

In addition to the upgraded styling, the one thing that makes the Golf jump to the forefront for 2010 is the addition of the award-winning clean-diesel engine with a new 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbo-diesel that also powers the popular Jetta TDI sedan. Fun to drive and frugal at the pump, the TDI is an affordable and entertaining alternative to many larger gasoline engines and hybrid-electric powertrains.
Named one of Ward’s top ten engines for 2010, the all-new TDI — now certified in all 50 states — returns 30 mpg city and 42 mpg highway with either the manual or the optional 6-speed DSG automatic transmission.

Don’t be put off by the diesel’s rather modest 140 horsepower output. Its 236 foot-pounds of torque make it a stop-light to stop-light juggernaut. If you have never driven a Volkswagen diesel, a test drive will leave you impressed with all phases of performance including merging and passing. We pushed it up and down coastal mountains and our Golf TDI never stopped to take a breath.

And don’t let old diesel perceptions stop you from considering the TDI. The modern diesel is quiet, so quiet in fact it is nearly devoid of the typical diesel chatter. And the noxious smell; it’s gone.

The TDI runs as much as $4,000 more than a comparable 2.5-liter Golf, but the difference isn’t as great as it might seem when you add in generous standard equipment including 17-inch alloy wheels and sport-tuned suspension. There is a modest government tax credit available (check with your dealer) to offset the extra cost. And don’t forget the 30 percent improved fuel mileage.

If the diesel is out of your price range the standard 5-cylinder gas engine developing 170 healthy horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque is more than adequate. We drove the coupe version with a 2.5-liter engine mated to a six-speed automatic for a week after our week with the TDI with no complaints over performance or mileage. The engine is rated at 23 mpg city and 30 mpg highway.

Other than the fuel and engine differences we found the suspension tighter and the handling sharper on the TDI than on the standard Golf. But again we have no complaints over the handling and family-tuned ride of the standard Golf. It is engineered to suit the family, and Volkswagen has done a good job reaching the middle ground.
If you like the Volkswagen and the cargo-friendly hatchback design, but desire more performance check out the GTI version of the Golf with a stiff made-for-cornering suspension and a 200-horsepower 4-cylinder engine. It may be just what you are looking for.

The standard Golf comes in two-door and four-door hatchback variants starting at $18,370 including destination for the coupe and $20,085 for the four-door. Our test car with a handful of options listed for $20,764. Our TDI carried a base price of $23,340 and listed at $27,614 including options of navigation (with a new 6.5-inch LCD touch-screen system with 10-gig hard-drive that also includes premium audio with a 20-gig hard drive), the 6-speed automatic, a power sunroof, heated seats and Bluetooth connectivity.
While these prices may seem a bit higher than some of the competition, the Golf delivers more premium feature content and is designed with higher grade materials.

The Golf exterior has been reworked and now sports cleaner-looking quarter panels, a more refined sculpted look that has instant eye appeal. The front grille has been restyled, but still features the large VW logo in the middle. VW designers did a neat job giving the two-door and four-door versions nearly identical looks.
The interior has also been revised with a new gauge cluster and center stack. Volkswagen’s dashboard layouts have always leaned toward the conservative side, and the new design does not vary from this long-standing trend while evoking a handsome, quality appearance.

We found the front seats very comfortable for long-distance driving, and the driving position, with the help of the standard eight-way manually adjustable driver’s seat and a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, proved excellent.
We would opt for the four-door because it is to us simply more practical. But if you want the two-door, you will find decent leg room and good head room for two adult riders in the back seat. It’s just that the getting in and climbing out can be tedious.
Safety has not been overlooked with the new Golf. Standard on all models are four-wheel antilock disc brakes, stability control, front-seat side airbags and full-length side-curtain airbags. For even more protection, rear-seat side airbags are optional on the four-door model.

No matter what name VW calls it the new Golf should be noted for its hatchback versatility, its upscale look and feel, and its drivability; and for us the diesel engine is a must.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman - MyCarData

Volkswagen Jetta – 2011 model is larger and lower priced

2011-05-14T03:26:00.000-07:00

American consumers want all the benefits of small cars with all the roominess of larger one. So, VW’s engineers have responded. The wheelbase of the 2011 Jetta is almost
3 inches longer and the overall length is 3.54 inches longer. That allowed the interior to be increased. Even the rear legroom is bigger.

At the end of July, I was part of the last group of journalists to preview and test-drive the all-new VW Jetta. We were in the San Francisco area, taking a lengthy test-drive in Northern California.

The VW Jetta media event was a little different than usual since most of the journalists were foreign. There were groups from Singapore, Mexico, Canada, India, China, and elsewhere. Obviously, Volkswagen is reaching out. However, the new Jetta design is clearly aimed at the North American market.

We spent an entire day driving the new Jetta through the streets of San Francisco, along the upper Pacific coast highway, and back through the twisting roads in the Napa valley. Although there are four trim levels, our only choice for testing was the SEL model, either in automatic or manual. The base trim, referred to as VW’s entry-level model, is called S, and has a beginning price of just $15,995. That is almost $2000 less than last year’s offering. The SE model is slightly more upgraded. Our test model SEL’s are the most completely trimmed out and have a price tag of about $21,000. That price includes an 8 speaker audio system, Bluetooth phone system, iPod integration, and a standard navigation system. The SEL’s standard engine is a 2.5-liter that produces 170 horsepower. There is also a TDI trim that features a 2.0-liter TDI diesel four cylinder.
The car looks almost like all the other small new cars. The sedan has gently curved lines and the outward parts all tend to blend into one another. Even the headlights blend into the top piece of the grilles. It is not a sporty look, but it is how most new vehicles are being designed. Gone are the old days of the standout Beetle-Bug and Hippie Van. Now those vehicles were head-turners with distinction.

Inside, the feeling you immediately think about is quality. One of my favorite vehicles is the Touareg and this reminded me a lot of that. The dashboard, the seats, and electronics all give you a sense of well-designed premium items. The controls are all intuitive and conveniently arranged. The seats were redesigned for this year’s model and they are very, very comfortable. Even after several hours of driving, I did not feel “tired” of sitting in the seat of a car. The seats are covered with a V-Tex leatherette which has the look and feel of real leather, but is a more durable and covering.
Generally, manufacturers provide maps and clearly defined directions for journalists’ ride-and-drive events. Volkswagen chose to show off their navigation system and input the routes into the car’s route guidance. It worked very well, including the simple command, “Turn here. Now!” My driving partner and I laughed at the simplicity of the European approach to navigation.

Beginning early in the morning, the fog was thick and as we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, the tops of the columns were not visible, nor was Alcatraz Island. We maintained slightly slower speed because of the fog, although traffic was not very heavy. As the morning passed and the fog dissipated, we drove on more narrow roads that were twisty, rather than the wide and straight highways. The Jetta has good suspension and keeps the car generally flat on most hard turns. The 2.5-liter engine provides the power needed to climb in the hilly areas as well as hug the roads when accelerating around curves.
The navigation system is standard equipment and has probably been kept simple rather than run-up the costs of the vehicle. It is very basic and does not offer simple items such as text-to-speech. The roads were identified on the screen, but not verbally. Other advanced navigation features were also lacking. Overall, however, I liked the navigation. It provided all we needed to arrive at our destination, including intermediate stops for car changes and driver change.

For the afternoon portion of the test-drive, my driving partner and I chose an SEL Sport model. This has a lowered suspension, bolstered seats, and some chrome sporty touches. Other than a tighter handling, there wasn’t much noticeable difference in the regular SEL trim model and the SEL Sport trim.

The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta will be available in showrooms beginning October 2010. The pricing is noticeably reduced over last year. The car is modernized in appearance. It is longer and offers more room inside. The technology is up-to-date. Gas mileage estimates are 23 city and 32 on the highway. The TDI diesel rates almost 40 mpg.
The small-car class is becoming very competitive and includes Kia, Hyundai, Toyota, Honda, and even GM and Ford. I like the new Jetta and hope it does well, even if it doesn’t have the stand-out appearance of my old sly-blue van or a little green Bug.

By Alan Gell - MyCarData

Volkswagen Jetta – 2011 Get more, pay less

2011-05-14T03:25:00.000-07:00

The Volkswagen Jetta for years has felt more upscale than its competitors, offering a premium vehicle experience not found in other segment cars. The all-new 2011 Jetta
— at least in upper trim level — does a nice job of advancing the Jetta mystique.
As before, there’s a quality to the overall feel of the car that belies its new lower price.

The perception has been — for at least a decade — you may pay more for a Jetta, but you get more. Volkswagen has sought to keep the “get more” part of the equation intact for 2011 while tweaking the “pay more” part in favor of the customer.

Volkswagen says it has cut prices to the tune of $1,700 for the base model, which now starts at $16,765. And it’s possible to drive off in a up-level Jetta SEL with a 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine making 170 horsepower matched to a 5-speed manual and loaded with such desirable amenities as navigation, keyless start, simulated leather, a full-featured audio system with satellite radio, Bluetooth, and a wide range of safety features for $22,165. Our SEL test car included a 6-speed automatic and a sunroof for a bottom line of $23,395. This is about $2,000 less than the comparable 2010 model, Volkswagen says. Prices do not include a $770 destination charge.

So this price cutting begs the question, from where did these savings come? We like to think Volkswagen has made better use of its resources, streamlined the manufacturing process, and passed the savings on to the car-buying public. This is certainly a possibility, but VW has also made changes to the car aimed at cutting cost.
On paper, some of these alterations appear to be taking a step backward, but we found through a couple of weeks of driving in Eastern North Carolina, Northern California, and the Los Angeles area that Volkswagen has done an excellent job ensuring that the Jetta has lost little of its Teutonic prowess particularly in the upper trim level.

Changes include: Replacing the independent rear suspension with a less expensive torsion-beam setup, replacing the rear disc brakes with drum-type brakes on the bottom trim levels, replacing the electric power steering with the more traditional hydraulic power steering, replacing the gas-strut linkage in the trunk with old-style gooseneck hinges, and offering far fewer equipment combination choices (reduced from 148 to 18).
Despite the perceived “downgrades,” we found the driving experience nearly identical to the well done 2010 model.

To address possible buyer concerns, we concluded that the steering is just as accurate with as much on-center feel as a 2010 model we recently drove, and despite the change in the rear suspension, the new Jetta seemed as lively and responsive as the previous car. Volkswagen has pulled off these modifications with no perceptible difference in overall performance.

Note that a few items that Jetta owners are used to getting that are not offered on the Honda Civic or the Toyota Corolla or even on such mid-size cars as the Honda Accord and Ford Fusion — which will also figure into the Jetta buying decision — are still in place. They include a one-touch up/down feature on all four windows.

There’s one big difference that should make current and former owners smile and prove a strong selling point even against the aforementioned mid-sized sedans — a noticeable increase in passenger space.

The wheelbase has been stretched 2.9 inches, addressing one of the big concerns with the previous iteration, giving backseat passengers mid-sized comfort. Rear-seat legroom has grown a substantial 2.6 inches from 35.5 inches to 38.1. No more cramped quarters even for a six-footer. At the same time, Volkswagen did not cut into the generous 15.5 cubic feet of cargo space in the trunk.

The Jetta will eventually be sold in five trim levels. Three of those are now available — the base S, mid-level SE (which will probably be the most popular) and the up-level SEL. If you are looking for the excellent 140-horsepower diesel found in the 2010 Jetta TDI, it will be added by the end of the year. If you are a diesel fan, get your order in for the TDI and be first in line when they arrive.

A sporty GLI model will be available next spring featuring the award-winning 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Volkswagen said it is planning a hybrid edition for model year 2012.

For now there are two engine choices, the long-running 2.0-liter 4-cylinder generating 115 horsepower and a delightful 2.5-liter 5-cylinder making 170 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque.

The choice here is a no-brainer. We would look beyond the base model S, which comes with the 2.0-liter, and opt for the SE starting at $18,195 (plus $770 destination) with the excellent 5-cylinder engine, or if budget allows move up to the SEL.
We found that the 2.5-liter had rewarding performance in all driving situations mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. It can accomplish a 0-to-60 run in around 8 seconds, excellent time for an engine rated at 24 mpg city and 31mpg highway. If you consider the smaller engine for gas mileage, forget it. It actually averages a mile per gallon less than the 5-cylinder.

The switchgear is intuitive, the gauges clear and easy to read, and the standard navigation system in our SEL test car was simple to operate. What we did notice inside was a little less Audi and a little more plastic than the previous car. But the workmanship — fit and finish — appeared first class.

We think the new Jetta styling offers a mixed bag — a bit disappointing to us, but safe and inoffensive. The Jetta lost some of its allure in 2005, especially with the younger generation, going from a somewhat timeless shape throughout the first half of the decade to a trendier look. Sales dipped and the fall-off was attributed more to the styling than any other single element.

Maybe that’s why the designers this time decided to present a conservative stance eschewing the trendy for a look that should stand the test of time and offend no one. The new Jetta is what we think of as handsome, but it won’t turn heads.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman - MyCarData

Volkswagen Jetta - New and more compelling Jetta

2011-05-14T03:23:00.000-07:00

The Jetta from Volkswagen has become one of their most popular models. It started life as a Golf/Rabbit with a trunk added on the back. The cabin and therefore cabin space was identical but the vehicle was longer.

Over time, the Jetta became a somewhat larger vehicle and more clearly differentiated from the Golf/Rabbit hatchbacks. It was one of the few VW vehicles that was not originally designed for the German home market but rather was conceived as an American model. With the introduction of the totally new 2011 model, the car takes another evolutionary step forward.

The new Jetta has several powerful cards in its hand. First, it has superior styling and it exudes class and presence. Though technically, it is in the same class with Civics and Corollas, it looks much more substantial and grown up. It looks much larger and pricier than it really is.

Second, it retains its European driving dynamic. That’s been one of the ongoing appeals of any VW, the fact that they are so engaging and fun to drive. The new Jetta is not a sport model but it still drives very responsively and gives the driver control of the car.

Third, the value proposition on this car is very strong. Vehicles that are imported from Europe have become very expensive because of currency shifts. The Jetta is assembled in Mexico giving VW a powerful pricing advantage compared with other European sedans. Additionally, this new 2011 Jetta is about $1,750 less than the 2010 model. When you compare the base price of the Jetta with other cars, you soon discover that you get a lot of car for the money.

As part of the redesign, VW stretched the car to give it a large 15 cubic foot trunk and 3 inches more rear leg room. On the flip side they simplified the rear suspension and some of the interior trim. As it turns out, the new Jetta was not designed with just the American market in mind, but this model is also headed for China. Considering the lower price, most will applaud the changes.

The Jetta comes in 4 trim levels, the S, SE, SEL and the TDI diesel model. My personal preference is the model with the TDI turbocharged clean diesel engine and the DSG 6 speed automatic transmission. The car is very enjoyable to drive, attractively priced and delivers 30 city and 42 highway MPG. Real world numbers are often higher than that.
Compared with other vehicles in this class and other vehicles in this price range, the new Jetta is a strong competitor. It’s a compact sedan with large car attributes.

By Kelly Foss - MyCarData

Toyota Sequoia - 2011 upgrades

2011-05-10T04:43:00.000-07:00

2011 Toyota Sequoia Combines Outstanding Capability with Luxury
• Ample Three-Row Seating
• Three Model Grades
• 310-HP and 381-HP V8s Available
• Up to 7,400-lb. Available Towing Capacity
The Toyota Sequoia full-size sport utility vehicle moves into 2011 with minor interior trim changes. The trailer hitch connector is now the same as on the Tundra full-size pickup truck, and there is a new off switch for the standard Daytime Running Lights.
The Sequoia is available in SR5, Limited and Platinum grades. In select areas, the Sequoia features as standard E85 Flex Fuel capability on 4x4 5.7-liter V8 models.
Performance

Sequoia is available with a choice of two V8 engines, a 4.6-liter that was introduced for the 2010 model year and the 5.7-liter unit it debuted with. Both engines run on recommended regular-grade fuel. The standard engine for the 2011 Sequoia SR5 is the new 310 horsepower 4.6-liter i-Force V8, a 32-valve DOHC unit that features aluminum alloy cylinder heads with dual independent Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i). Peak torque is 327 lb.-ft. at 3,400 rpm.

The 4.6-liter V8 is teamed to a six-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission, benefitting both performance and fuel economy. The Sequoia Limited and Platinum grades feature a standard iForce DOHC 5.7-liter V8, also teamed to a six-speed electronically controlled automatic. This powertrain is optional for the SR5.
The 5.7-liter engine produces 381 hp at 5,600 RPM and 401 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,600 RPM, among the highest outputs in this vehicle class. The 5.7-liter V8 enables the Sequoia to tow up to 7,400 lbs. (depending on model grade and equipment). Critical to customers who tow, the 5.7-liter V8 produces 90 percent of its peak torque at just 2,200 RPM. A Tow/Haul mode modifies transmission shift points for optimal performance. The Sequoia's towing hitch is integrated into the frame as a single unit.
The 5.7-liter V8 is also equipped with dual independent Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i). An Acoustic Control Induction System (ACIS) switches the intake tract length in two stages, based on engine RPM and throttle angle, to optimize torque across the engine speed range.

In the six-speed automatic transmission for all models, Toyota's flexible torque converter lock-up control enhances efficiency, with lock-up occurring in fourth, fifth and sixth gears. The Multi Mode four wheel drive system available for all grades uses a two-speed transfer case with a lockable TORSEN® limited-slip center differential to power the front and rear wheels. The transfer case is shifted electronically via a rotary knob, and it locks with the push of a button.
Handling and Ride

The second-generation Sequoia is built on a special platform that features four-wheel independent suspension to help provide exemplary ride quality, handling and straight-line control. The suspension uses upper and lower A-arms at each wheel, shock absorbers, coil springs and a tubular anti-roll bar. The 39-foot turning circle is one of the tightest in Sequoia's class.

The Sequoia Platinum model is equipped with Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), which adjusts damper response with settings for Comfort, Normal and Sport. The Platinum grades Electronically Modulated Air Suspension also augments the Sequoia's ability to tow and haul heavy loads while maintaining an appropriate ride height and chassis attitude. The SR5’s standard 18-inch aluminum wheels have 275/65 R18 tires; 20-inch aluminum wheels and 275/55 R20 tires are standard for Limited and Platinum, with the wheels on the Platinum getting a diamond-cut finish.
Sequoia uses 13.9-inch ventilated disc brakes up front and 13.6-inch ventilated disc brakes at the rear. Four opposed pistons – two per side – ensure optimal braking performance and fade resistance.
Safety

The 2011 Sequoia is equipped with Toyota's STAR Safety System™, which includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA), plus Traction Control (TRAC). On 4WD models, TRAC is replaced by A-TRAC (Active-Traction Control). The 2011 Sequoia is equipped with dual stage advanced front air bag system, seat-mounted side airbags for the driver and front passenger, roll-sensing side curtain airbags for all three seating rows, plus driver and front passenger knee airbags.
Comfort and Convenience

The Sequoia SR5 is one of the best-equipped vehicles in its class, featuring standard: eight-passenger seating; tilt/telescoping steering wheel; engine immobilizer with alarm; direct tire pressure monitoring system; automatic tri-zone air conditioning; illuminated entry system; power windows, locks and sliding back window; keyless entry; rear wiper and defogger; cruise control, and mud guards. Standard audio on the SR5 is an AM/FM/MP3/CD with eight speakers, integrated XM Satellite Radio with a 90-day trial subscription, and an auxiliary audio jack/USB port.

The SR5 in addition comes ready to work and play with a standard towing package, an eight-way power driver’s seat, fog lamps, running boards, power tilt/slide moonroof, a roof rack and rear spoiler and a leather-trimmed steering wheel with audio and climate controls.

The Sequoia Limited adds functionality with front and rear parking sonar; power rear liftgate with a sliding window; power folding and reclining 60:40 split third-row seat and 20-inch alloy wheels. Luxury takes a big step up with standard power tilt/slide moonroof; heated front leather-trimmed seats, second- and third-row retractable sunshades and a steering wheel that integrates controls for the air conditioning system, Bluetooth®-capable phones and other functions. The Limited grade also features standard 10-way adjustable power driver’s seat; a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear shift knob; Optitron gauges; and a multi-information display. A standard-equipped auto-dimming electrochromic rear-view mirror integrates a compass and a map lamp, plus a 3.3-inch monitor in the rear-view mirror for the backup camera (when not equipped with a navigation system).

The Sequoia Limited is equipped with a JBL Synthesis AM/FM six-disc CD changer system with 14 speakers, XM Satellite Radio with a 90-day trial subscription, Bluetooth and an auxiliary audio jack/USB port.

At the top of the Sequoia line, the Platinum grade has standard Dynamic Laser Cruise Control, which can help maintain a set distance from vehicles ahead. A standard rear seat DVD entertainment system combines a nine-inch LCD screen with a separate rear seat audio system, including dual wireless headphones.

Additional standard features exclusive to the Sequoia Platinum grade include a 12-way adjustable power driver’s seat and simulated wood-trim; 20-inch diamond cut-finish alloy wheels; rear load-leveling air suspension; power seat memory package; second-row heated seats, and steering wheel with simulated wood trim.

The Platinum grade also features a standard DVD navigation system with a backup camera and JBL Synthesis AM/FM four-disc CD changer audio system with 14 speakers, integrated XM Satellite Radio and NavTraffic with 90-day trial subscription, Bluetooth and an auxiliary audio jack/USB port.
Options

With its vast array of standard features, the 2011 Sequoia has just a small menu of factory options. The lone option on all SR5 grades is a Sport Appearance Package that includes seven passenger seating, 20-inch super chrome alloy wheels, color-keyed grille, and black seat fabric. Exterior colors for the Sport Appearance Package are limited to Black, White and Silver.

The Limited grade offers three options: a Rear Seat Entertainment System that includes a DVD player with rear audio controls and a 115V outlet; a DVD navigation system with a backup camera and JBL Synthesis AM/FM four-disc CD changer audio system with a 90-day trial subscription to XM Satellite Radio and NavTraffic. Optional captain’s chairs can replace the standard second row bench seat.
The lone option on the Platinum grade is a rich White Pearl exterior paint.
Exterior Design

The Sequoia’s 0.36 drag coefficient is comparable to smaller crossover-type vehicles. The vehicle's mirrors, wipers, A-pillar and roof header are shaped to help maximize aerodynamic efficiency and minimize wind noise. The vehicle underside airflow is optimized to reduce drag and wind noise and to help improve directional control.
Headlamp washers are standard on all grades for improved visibility. On the Limited grade, the large side-view mirrors feature power retraction, automatic glare-resistance, and turn-signal lamps. In addition to these features, the Platinum grade mirrors also include puddle lamps, position memory and reverse-linked tilt functions.
The wide rear door-opening angle provides easy passenger ingress/egress and child seat installation. Standard on the Limited and Platinum models are front and rear parking sonar sensors that emit an audible warning to alert the driver of the position of solid objects and their distance from the vehicle.
Interior Design

The Sequoia dash incorporates a modular instrument panel structure and, like other interior surfaces, features a finish similar to fine luxury cars. Each of Sequoia's eight seating positions provides space sufficient to comfortably accommodate people well above normal height. The same efficient packaging that allows exceptional interior comfort also allows carrying items up to 11 feet long. Folding the second and third row seats flat opens the cargo area to 120.1 cubic feet of carrying capacity.
The second-row bench-type seat is split 40:20:40 and is equipped with a seat-slide mechanism that offers an adjustment range of 5.9 inches. This seat can also be folded down flat and uses a one-touch easy-slide action to allow passenger access to the third-row seat. Second row captain's seats are available for a seven-seat cabin. Child-seat restraints for the second row are standard on all grades.

The third-row seat is split 60:40, has a seatback reclining mechanism and can be easily folded flat. A power tilting and folding mechanism is available. The rear liftgate sliding glass can be opened and closed for easy loading with the turn of a key. The cargo area is equipped with handy hooks for grocery bags. Sequoia provides 16 extra-large cup/bottle holders, (18 on the Platinum grade) as well as convenient storage spaces. The glove box measures 9.5 liters, and the second-row console box will hold 12 CDs or four DVD cases.

All three grades offer two interior color choices of Graphite and Sand Beige. A Red Rock interior is also available on the Platinum grade. A Black interior is exclusive to the SR5 when equipped with the Sport Appearance Package.

Source Toyota - MyCarData

Toyota 4Runner - it performs brilliantly

2011-05-10T04:40:00.000-07:00

As tough and durable as ever, the 2011 Toyota 4Runner rolls into showrooms with little in the way of change. Receiving a major makeover for 2010, the 4Runner further cemented its place in Toyota's stable as a go-anywhere SUV with decent cargo capacity and a healthy amount of amenities. Historically SUVs evolve slowly, so there was little motivation for Toyota to tinker with one that had been thoroughly redesigned just a year ago.

A market segment with a split personality, SUVs fall into one of two groups: traditional, truck-based pack horses or crossovers that are basically butched-up alternatives to minivans. 4Runner is firmly and unequivocally entrenched among the former. It has been and continues to be an SUV with "off-road capability" emphasized boldly in its mission statement. A rugged dirt pounder of the first order, it is better suited to rock crawling than carting little Jimmy to his weekly bassoon lesson; but can achieve either with equal competence.

Toyota offers the 4Runner in three trim levels: SR5, Trail and Limited. A 4x4 system is available in the SR5 and is standard in the Trail. An all-wheel-drive system is available in the Limited.

One major split between the 2010 and 2011 4Runner lineups is the disappearance of the anemic 157-horsepower four-cylinder engine giving life to last year's RWD SR5. For 2011, all 4Runners, from the $30,335 entry-level RWD SR5 to the top-of-the-line $40,495 AWD Limited, derive their giddy-up from a 270-horsepower 4-liter V6. No matter the number of drive wheels, a five-speed automatic transmission distributes engine output.

You might think you would miss the availability of a V8, but not so much. A number of competitors don't offer a V8 option either. This V6 is both powerful and efficient. When appropriately equipped, it can tow up to 5,000 pounds. In 4Runners configured with RWD, the EPA estimates mileage at 17 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway. And whether the four-wheel drive is full time or part time, only the highway mpg number is affected, and that's only by -1 mpg.

My test 4Runner was the $32,075 SR5 4x4. Rounding out the trim-level selection are the $36,615 Trail and the $38,460 RWD Limited.

Brutish in appearance, this SUV projects a no-nonsense demeanor promising a high level of skill once the pavement disappears. Contributing to its off-road prowess it its body-on-frame design and advanced four-wheel-drive systems. Found in the SR5 and Trail is a two-speed part-time system operated by a second shift lever mounted on the center console. It features a 4HI and 4LOW setting, as well as neutral.

Serious off-roaders should appreciate Trail's CRAWL control that matches one of five speed levels to the terrain, freeing the driver to concentrate on steering a safe course. Additionally the Trail's Multi-Terrain Select system lets the driver dial in a targeted amount of wheel slip based on the current terrain, such as mud or sand. The Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System is a $1,750 option on the Trail that allows disconnecting the stabilizer bars for increased wheel travel over really rough terrain.
The Limited's AWD system features a locking center differential and a three-mode switch mounted on the center console. Both the part-time and full-time systems have A-TRAC traction control capable of distributing power to whichever of the four wheels has grip.
An independent double-wishbone setup in front and a four-link arrangement in the rear are the major components of the suspension that also includes coil springs over gas shocks at all four wheels. Although you won't mistake the ride with that of, say, the Avalon, it is surprisingly smooth for a vehicle engineered to overcome wild terrain.
Seventeen-inch alloy wheels hide ventilated disc brakes with antilock oversight on all four wheels. Stability control, electronic brakeforce distribution and emergency braking assist join the aforementioned traction control as some of the standard safety features. Two knee airbags bring to a total of eight the number of airbags around the cabin.
With the optional third-row seat, 4Runner can seat as many as seven in its roomy interior. Both the second- and third-row seats can fold flat. With the third-row seat in place, there are nine cubic feet of luggage space. Folding the third-row seat flat increases space to 47 cubic feet, which balloons to 90 cubic feet with both rear seats folded flat.

Standard in every 4Runner are full power accessories, remote keyless entry, heated outboard mirrors with integrated turn signals, tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and 10 cup/bottle holders. Entertainment in the SR5 comes from an eight-speaker audio system with CD player, satellite radio and auxiliary input jack. Every audio system has what Toyota calls "Party Mode." When engaged, this feature cranks up the base and transfers the output balance to the rear speakers, including those located in the tailgate.
Although 4Runner serves well as an image vehicle for poseurs, it excels as an off-road tracker for adventurers serious about the outdoors. Keeping it reined in on paved surfaces only is something akin to harnessing Seabiscuit to a hay wagon. What's the point? When drafted into around-town errands, however, 4Runner is sufficiently civilized, roomy and comfortable to deliver whatever is demanded of it. Engineered for the outback, it performs brilliantly in the city.

by Russ Heaps - MyCarData

Toyota Avalon - Tuned for comfort

2011-05-10T04:39:00.000-07:00

If you desire a confident, comfortable — and plush — driving experience, but are dismayed that your choices have dwindled over the last decade we have an interesting suggestion.

Trek down to your nearest Toyota store and check out the 2011 Toyota Avalon. It offers an attractive mix of exterior and interior styling, stretch-out room for four adults, a very energetic V-6 engine that can return nearly 30 mpg in highway driving, a quiet and well-appointed cabin, and as enough technology to keep you happy. And it’s available from the mid-to-upper 30s well equipped.

The Avalon was initially offered back in 1994 as Toyota’s answer to large family sedans targeting the Buick LeSabre and such stalwarts as the Mercury Grand Marquis and the Chevrolet Caprice. Today only the Avalon remains in production as the competitive set has changed, the Grand Marquis having concluded production just last month.
The Avalon has evolved into an entry-level luxury cruiser, sort of a bottom-end Lexus, now challenging the Ford Taurus, Chrysler’s 300 and the Buick Lucerne. Its popularity has waned since hitting 95,000 sales in 2005, the first year of the current iteration. The big sedan managed only 27,000 sales in 2009 and is currently on track for a repeat performance in 2010 with only 21,305 sold during the first nine months of the year.
Toyota is apparently satisfied with things as they are because the Avalon gets only a modest refreshening for 2011 instead of the five-year complete makeover that has become standard with the Japanese automakers.

Don’t let your heart be troubled, however. With just enough enhancements to keep things interesting, the Avalon should continue to be very appealing to its core customers delivering many luxury features and long-distance comfort for a relatively inexpensive price.

The front and rear have been restyled. Redesigned headlights and taillights that feature LED light bars give the car a more upscale “Lexus” look. What has remained the same are the car’s size and engine and transmission. A 3.5-liter V-6 generating 268 horsepower mated to a reliable six-speed automatic that remains standard equipment on all models. And the engine, which has resided under the hood since 2005, works well providing solid acceleration for all circumstances. It’s the type of energetic performance you expect from a well appointed car.

Measured in terms of 0-to-60, the Avalon keeps up with its competition completing the run in 6.8 seconds. A quarter mile flashes past in 14.9 seconds at 95 miles per hour. Stopping quickly is no less rewarding. The Avalon has the ability to come down from 60 in just 129 feet.

Standard safety equipment includes antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, active front head restraints and a full set of airbags. The sedan has earned a “Top Safety Pick” tag by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Making the acceleration even more appealing when compared to such entries as the Ford Taurus and Buick Lucerne, is gas mileage. Toyota has found something its competitors are still struggling to obtain, 20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway on regular gas. The Taurus V-6 of similar size is rated at 18/28 and the Lucerne at 17/27. On a near 800 mile drive, mostly on freeways and highways we managed almost 22 mpg. Full disclosure – our average speed was around 72 mph which no doubt reduced our mpg.

With a suspension tuned for comfort and highly-boosted power steering, the Avalon as you might suspect is not particularly adept at carving up rural road twists and turns. However, don’t associate Avalon’s very compliant ride with the big marshmallow sedans of decades past. While the Avalon effectively smoothes out the road it rarely wallows.
The interior is spacious and the front seats are broad and flat making for easy entry and exit. The Avalon we must admit is a comfort machine for those up front. The rear is equally plush; the seating area is roomy with scads of leg room. A flat rear floor allows for easier accommodation of three across, but we don’t recommend riding in the middle position for long distances.

Another trait usually reserved for high-end sedans are reclining seatbacks. The downside is that the rear seatbacks do not fold forward so you are limited to the 14.4 cubic feet allowed for trunk space. The good thing is the trunk had terrific depth able to easily swallow up our bags. Storing anything tall was out of the question.
The restyled dashboard is attractive with wood and metal accents as standard equipment. Switchgear is intuitive and the gauges are easy to read and attractive bathed in blue at night. Things that were not available in 2005 and are now standard equipment including Bluetooth hands free phone and music streaming, satellite radio and auxiliary connections for iPods and other music devices.

Toyota has included ample storage for things including a large covered bin in the center console, a large glovebox, door bins, and large covered cupholders that can also hold the junk of everyday life if necessary.

Our constant criticism of navigation in all Toyota and Lexus products is that audio controls including station presets are built into the screen and need to be accessed with an audio button. When driving these vehicles, we are continually reminded of simpler times when you reached over and punched up a station in one motion.
The climate controls are more accessible with fan speed and temperature settings obtained without consulting the screen. Steering wheel controls helped with both the audio and climate operations.

The trim lines have been reduced to XLS and Limited starting at $33,205 including destination charge. Edmunds.com says that depending on the area, people are paying about $30,000. One option on our Limited test car was navigation at $1,450. Toyota has done a good job pricing this feature because it includes a host of good things in addition to navigation including a backup camera, a 660-watt 12-speaker JBL audio system, satellite radio with NavTraffic, and hands free capability including setting destinations and using the phone. It’s a $2,350 option on the base edition. Our test car including destination was $37,884.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman - MyCarData

Toyota Prius - introduces it's new family

2011-05-10T04:37:00.000-07:00

During the recent Detroit auto show, Toyota ushered out its “Prius Goes Plural” campaign to bring home the point that the world’s most famous hybrid brand is in the family way. It has been twelve years since the first little awkward Prius swam ashore, forever changing how we view the automobile. Almost every automaker followed Toyota’s lead and launched its own hybrid. Now, the company that made hybrids mainstream is dredging a deeper waterway with three new models.

You’ll immediately recognize the “Prius v”, v for Versatility, as an extended member of a famous family. By creating an all-new wagon body, the five-door Prius accepts 50% more cargo. Passengers slide in and out as in a crossover while the available Panoramic View moon roof lets the light shine in. As expected from a Prius wagon, the car achieves 42/38-MPG city/hwy. - the best ratings of any SUV, crossover, or wagon on sale today.
The bigger Prius will come standard with Toyota’s Star Safety System that groups Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, ABS brakes, Electronic Brake-force Distribution, and Brake Assist for an umbrella of electronic protection. Toyota goes one better by making its brake-override system standard.

Prius v will be one of the first Toyotas to debut the company’s new Entune™ infotainment system that supports apps like Bing, OpenTable, and movietickets.com. You can also get real-time weather reports, traffic updates, stock prices, and sports scores. Music options include iheartradio, Pandora, and easy connection for MP3 players via USB or Bluetooth audio streaming. Entune can even read and respond to text messages. All of this will be available when the Prius v goes on sale this summer.

Coming by the end of 2012 will also be a Prius plug-in that can go up to up to 13 miles on electricity alone courtesy of high capacity Lithium-ion batteries. Toyota claims the car will be able to charge in about 3 hours on 110 volts and 1.7 hours on 220v. A Smaller “Prius c” is an economical twist on the hybrid formula. Designed primarily for city use, it will offer a lower price point to appeal to younger drivers. Aeron-style net seating, long body, and five-door design make the car feel much roomier than its footprint would suggest. While Toyota did not release specifications, it promises the Prius c will offer the “highest mileage of any cordless hybrid”. We’ll find out during the first half of 2012 if a smaller Prius is a better Prius.

By Casey Williams - MyCarData

Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid - amazing economy

2011-05-10T04:31:00.000-07:00

It is called the new Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid. Simply put, there is not much difference in the standard hybrid Prius and the “new” plug-in.

There is an old saying in our part of the world – “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The Japanese engineers with Toyota must have figured out what we all meant by that phrase. Make minor changes if necessary, but do not change the basics that made your product successful to begin with. That appears to be the current analysis of the Plug-In Prius, although this may change over the next few years.

There is no question that the Toyota Prius is the world’s best-selling hybrid vehicle. It is a mass-produced vehicle that offers a lot of technology and superb environmental performance. With the introduction of the Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus Electric, and others, Toyota is almost forced to introduce a competitive plug-in car. Rather than spend all their resources on something new, they are taking a great product and moving it to the next level.

The Prius Plug-in Hybrid is being called a PHV (Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle) and is different than the pure-electric such as the Nissan Leaf. The Prius PHV enhances the proven Hybrid Synergy Drive introduced by Toyota a number of years ago. The biggest difference is the battery pack itself. Toyota has steered clear of the lithium-ion batteries until now. The plug-in model Prius uses the lithium-ion batteries for the all-electric mode. These batteries increase the space requirement in the Prius, so the trunk floor has been raised up a few inches and the total vehicle weight in heavier.

Like other plug-in hybrids, the Prius offers a seamless acceleration from 0 to highway speeds on electric-only mode. A full charge only takes about three hours on a standard home 110V electrical outlet. However, the range is about 13 to 20 miles before the gasoline motor kicks in. That is enough, however, to reflect high mileage figures, sometimes in the 70’s or 80’s. Lengthy trips, however, will not produce much more fuel efficiency than the standard Prius. This plug-in is really designed for big-city commuters that drive short distances.

Toyota is offering performance evaluations to entities referred to as their “program partners.” These include universities, large corporations, city governments, and state agencies. This is designed for demonstrate, educate, inform, and evaluate the performance and benefits of the plug-in hybrid. Some are guessing that these “partners” will become the basis of Toyota’s marketing efforts.

Toyota does not plan to abandon their successful Prius hybrid, but merely add another dimension to “keep-up-with-the-Joneses.” Not only the Prius, but also Toyota is probably going to introduce a plug-in hybrid version of their RAV4.

Pricing has not been officially announced, but is expected to be about $48,000 for the little Prius plug-in. If our gasoline prices continue to climb at their current rate, maybe that price will look much more affordable if we can double our mileage. Typically, drivers respond with their driving habits and purchases based more on the fuel costs than on other aspects. The plug-in hybrid, even with a short all-electric distance, may be the best approach and deserves our attention.

The Prius just may be the right vehicle for the right time. It is expected to be in showrooms the early part of 2012. In the meantime, visit a Toyota dealership and check out the regular Prius Hybrid and all the other great Toyota products.

By Alan Gell - MyCarData

Toyota Prius and Honda Insight - Go Green without Spending a Lot of It

2011-05-10T04:29:00.000-07:00

Determined to show your green beyond St. Patrick's Day, you might consider two fuel-sipping hybrids that let you go green without spending a lot of it: the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. It shouldn't take getting rapped over the head with a shillelagh to convince you that gasoline prices are on the rise again. As pump prices sky rocket, cars that manage to eek out 40 mpg or more in city driving are going to look better and better.

Regardless on which side of the global-warming debate you stand, better fuel economy makes sense as prices at the pump head northward. As a savvy consumer, you want to maximize your fuel efficiency while minimizing the cost of achieving it. The $18,950 base Insight and the $22,410 Prius I do just that.

Although cleaner exhaust is a byproduct of the fuel-stingy propulsion systems on these cars; when the goal is saving you some green, fuel economy is the key. The EPA estimates the Prius will deliver 51 mpg in the city and 48 mpg on the highway with 50 mpg in combined driving. It further estimates that the total cost of fuel for driving 15,000 miles in a year to be $927. Compare that to $1,784 for a four-cylinder Camry.
Doing a bit of math reveals the base Insight costs about $3,500 less than the Prius I to drive out of the showroom. Somewhat offsetting that difference in stickers is less robust savings at the pump. The EPA estimates the Insight's numbers at 40 mpg in the city and 43 mpg on the highway for 41 mpg combined. This translates into a year's worth of fuel costing $1,131 compared to the four-cylinder Accord at $1,784..
One pricing drawback for both these hybrids is that increasing standard factory content requires making a significant step up the cost ladder to the next trim level. For example, cruise control isn't included in the base price of either car, nor is it available as an option. Adding cruise control requires spending another $1,400 to step up to the Prius II, and $1,700 to move up from the base Insight to the LX. Both base versions, however, deliver the same fuel economy as their more expensive trims; so they offer the same high-level of green for the least green.

Both are four-door hatchbacks and share an impressive list of standard features, such as full power accessories, automatic climate control, trip computer, tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, height-adjustable driver's seat, 60/40 split-folding rear-seat back, six airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, stability control, traction control, electronic brakeforce distribution, emergency braking assist, and an audio system with CD player and auxiliary audio input jack. With the Prius I, the audio system includes four speakers, while the base Insight comes with two.

Colluding to power the front wheels of these cars are a gasoline engine and electric motor. In the Prius, two electric motors actually work in tandem with its 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine to deliver a combined 134 horsepower. A 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine and electric motor in the Insight work together to generate 98 horsepower. Both rely on a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) to usher output to the wheels. Although the hybrid system in the Prius makes more horsepower, the Insight's generates more torque. Because torque is what actually launches a car, most drivers won't notice much difference in performance, particularly in stop-and-go city driving.
By a couple of inches in each direction, the Prius is longer, wider and taller than Insight, translating into about 15 cubic feet of additional passenger room. All of the length advantage of the Prius winds up in extra rear-seat legroom where it betters Insight's 33.5 inches by 2.5 inches. Prius has significantly better cargo space as well, but is more than 300 pounds heavier than Insight. Both hatchbacks, though, have plenty of space for the driver and front-seat passenger.

Incorporating their advanced technology into their interior design, the instrument panels are awash in subdued lighting and digital readouts. Insight claims the more traditional layout of the two. Generally all of the components are where you expect them to be. Prius, on the other hand, locates key driver information, such as miles per hour, in a display at the center-top of the instrument panel.
Attempting to hold down costs, Honda and Toyota haven't invested a lot of green in the cabin materials. Plastic abounds. Prius offers more storage solutions with additional cubbies. Included in its higher sales price, Prius has steering wheel-mounted redundant audio controls.

Neither of these cars is terribly exciting to drive, but fun to drive isn't why anyone buys them. Both deliver decent ride quality based on a front wheel independent suspension with MacPherson struts and a torsion beam rear setup. A slightly more taut suspension gives the handling edge to the Insight, but most drivers of these cars won't notice or care.
You don't need the luck of the Irish to save some cash on fuel. If what you are looking for is a conveyance to get you from one place to another with a minimum of gasoline, Insight and Prius fill the bill. They are comfortable, efficient and, best of all, green.

by Russ Heaps - MyCarData

Toyota Prius Plug-In - look Ma, no gas

2011-05-10T04:26:00.000-07:00

I can still remember the stares I got 11 years ago when I drove a Japan-market right-hand-drive Toyota Prius for a few days in Florida.

That first-generation Toyota Prius looked odd, and it just wasn’t the steering wheel on the wrong side. Here was a compact sedan with a gasoline engine, plus a battery with electric motor that could add boost to the little four-banger, or even motivate on electric alone. It was quiet as a golf cart when it did that, shutting off the gas engine at a stop light or parking lot.

The second-gen Prius had more electric-only power, while the third-generation 2010 model more streamlined wedge shape could go up to 25-mph for a mile on electric alone. But now, there’s another in Toyota’s planned long line of Prii (officially the plural of Prius.), and we had one of 163 pre-production test versions of it for 2.5 days.

Called the 2012 Prius Plug-In Hybrid, or PHV, it uses the sleek third-gen shape and takes it further with a higher-tech battery that can recharge via a 110- or 220-volt plug to get up to 13 miles electric range at speeds up to 70-mph in our case, then operate like the efficient (if slightly boring) gas/electric hybrid it’s always been. Welcome to the bold new world of factory alternate propulsion, joining the all-electric Nissan LEAF (up to 100 miles on electric alone) and Chevrolet Volt (25 and 50 miles on electric, with a 1.4-liter gas generator to expand electric range an added 344 miles). Now comes the Prius’s new Hybrid Synergy Drive, with new lithium-ion batteries that offer something in between. Let’s zap on down the road.

· Prius primer – There are more than 1.2 million Prius owners since its Japan intro in 1997. The 2012 Prius PHV lives in the third-gen Prius’. It starts with a wedge-shaped nose flowing into a raked windshield while the rounded roof gets carved wind channels before it slopes into a near-horizontal rear window with gloss black spoiler on a high tail that ends in a vertical back window. The semi-Kammback design adds flat flanks with a low sill line that help the aero-efficiency, a .25 coefficient of drag vs. the 2009’s .26. What you can’t see - a fin under the rear floor to increase linear stability, trays under the front, floor pan and back to channel air flow under the car, plus splitters behind the rear axle to direct air flow and improve straight-line stability. And while alloy wheels covered by wheel covers look odd, they improve streamlining as the car rides on high-efficiency 15-inch Yokohama rubber that look small.

To make sure you know the Prius PHV is special, stickers proclaim “PLUG-IN HYBRID” and “The evolution of hybrid for sustainability” only on this demo vehicle. There’s a “PLUG-IN HYBRID” badge on the right fender, a power plug under the left front fender door marked “PLUG-IN HYBRID,” and a PHV-only silver trim under the rear window. Toyota says some other minor trim changes may be made before the final production version comes out in mid-2012. A few car friends noticed the stickers and plug door, and how quietly I arrived at a breakfast gathering. A few questioned it when I dropped into a cruise-in, and the side stickers got some intense looks on the road. But it’s just another Prius to most.

Inside, pretty much a third-generation Prius except for an electric plug-shaped “EV” indicator when you are driving off the battery, and a miles-to-empty display. It’s all hard plastic, dark over light gray, with a high center-mounted digital display many hybrids and imports carry. There’s a digital speedometer with digital bar graph to the left for fuel, another to the right for instant mpg, and a gearshift indicator.

To the right is a multi-function display – it can show an animated pictograph of the car’s power sources and how the gas or electric power is being used, plus battery charge. You can display a bar graph that shows when it’s charging on deceleration, using a little or a lot of volts, or in Power mode when accelerating hard. Bar graphs can display current and average mpg/power usage (we never saw better than 5 percent battery/95 percent hybrid), while a linear graph monitors the best mileage and makes you moderate the gas pedal to keep it in the center economy mode. Too much power means the graph heads into the “Power” band. Our teenage son loved the clear skin displays that popped up when you used the flat-bottomed, tilt/telescope steering wheels’ soft-touch controls. The right side let me toggle through multi-function screen’s functions, plus adjust a/c temperature, re-circulate and trip meter. The one on the left handled the stereo. The dash center houses a simple satellite navigation touch screen that also handles the good six-speaker AM-FM-CD sound system. The dash flows into a floating center console, a climate control system just above an electronic gear shifter that acts like a computer joystick - “Park” is still a counter-intuitive button. There is storage space under the console, with a 12-volt power outlet and seat heater controls. The center armrest slides back to reveal the second cup holder, with removable tray for an MP3 player, audio input and 12-volt outlet underneath. There are upper and lower glove boxes but no Bluetooth for your cellphone. And as slick as it is, we had some wind noise from the driver’s-side mirror at speed.

The heated front seats were gray cloth, comfortable and mostly supportive, while fit and finish were fine and all controls had a solid feel. The rear seats are very roomy for two adults. The real change is behind them. The PHV has a bigger battery pack of different batteries (more later), so the cargo floor is a few inches higher. The bigger battery means no spare tire either, with only a sliver of under-floor storage space compared to the regular Prius. The “regular” Prius has 26.1-cu.ft. of space behind the seats; the Prius PHV is so new no measurement is available, we are told. Other comments - the split rear window seam still divides rearward view; some of the digital dash display wasn’t easy to read in bright sun; and there’s an annoying backup beeper in the cabin, not outside.

· PHV power – I drove a second-generation Prius a year ago with a $10,000 Hymotion Lithium battery pack that made it a plug-in hybrid. The pack charged in a few hours off a 110-volt line, and I spent a half hour driving around under electric power, gasoline backup ready if needed. It worked well, but at a premium. Toyota’s Prius PHV is the factory version, although our test car’s spec could change before final production, we are told. Our 2,200-mile-old test car had the third-generation Prius’ more powerful (98-hp) 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle engine, plus two electric motors. One is the starter/generator, while the second and the gas engine drive the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission. That’s a combined net 138-hp, 24 over the previous generation. The PHV’s lithium-ion batteries are stacked in three packs, one to handle the hybrid duties, two to handle strictly all-electric motivation. They replace the standard nickel-metal hydride batteries, and take three hours to charge on 110-volt, or about 90 minutes with 220-volt.

Our car came with a transformer/circuit breaker-equipped 110-volt cable that plugged in within seconds, power flow indicated by an orange dash light and a test light on the box. Why shift to lithium-ion? They work better in pure electric and plug-in hybrids due to higher energy density with higher demands of charge-depleting operation (large swings in charge/discharge), Toyota says.

What’s it mean to a driver? The “regular” Prius I tested a year ago actually gave me less than a mile on full electric EV mode, and only neighborhood speeds. After its first full charge, this Prius PHV predicted 13.7 miles electric and got me 14, starting with neighborhood 40-mph driving and hitting 70-mph on the interstate. The gas engine kicked in briefly to get on the interstate, then went off as the instant mpg bar gauge zipped to 100-mpg. Batteries drained to two bars, it resumed normal hybrid operation – engine off/electric on at stoplights and low speeds like a regular Prius. The next full charge saw it go 13.62 miles on electric, a round trip to church and back. There was one minute of gas engine input going onto a highway ramp, then all electric until we came home, .02 miles EV range left. When the miles-to-empty meter’s tenths-of-a-mile indicator hit zero, the gas engine came on with a gentle shiver and we were a regular hybrid again. We could extend EV range by a tenth or two by anticipating a red light and gently braking early, which kicks the motor in generator mode and puts more juice into the batteries.

We stuck mostly to “ECO” mode, which dampens gas pedal response and cuts back on a/c for more economy. It works, but the result is leisurely acceleration coming off the line at a light unless you push it harder, with a slight sci-fi like electric motor whine as you accelerate. Outside, a bit of electric motor noise, but so quiet I surprised people in parking lots. And on electric mode through historic St. Augustine, people walking the narrow streets didn’t hear the Prius as in motivated electrically. No information on whether the Prius PHV will get a low-speed noise maker like the Volt and LEAF.

The car has a Power mode that brings the acceleration and a/c back to normal, and the gas engine engages more, so down goes gas mileage. Push the Power button and get to 60-mph in 10.3 seconds as battery boost helps the gas engine through a continuously variable transmission. A “regular” Prius took 9.6 seconds when we tested a 2011 model with the standard battery and powertrain. The few tenths of a second off may be due to the fact that the Prius HPV is heavier.

Like the “regular” Prius, the gas engine does power down during low-stress driving on neighborhood streets or downtown stop-and-go, motivation taken over by electric up to almost 40-mph. The result – our average mpg started at 23-mpg. A weekend of driving mostly in “ECO” and adding some hyper-miling techniques like light throttle application, braking gently to regenerative brake to a stoplight and lightening throttle down a hill or bridge to save gas/charge batteries brought it to an indicated high 53-mpg at its best, compared to an average 48-mpg in the “regular” Prius I tested a year ago. The “regular” third-gen’s EPA estimate is 51 mpg city/48 mpg highway, while the PHV’s is yet to be determined, but should be higher, says Toyota.

The Prius PHV’s ride was just fine, firm enough and comfortable over bumps. Handling was pedestrian, with understeer showing up early, tackled by stability control that can’t be shut off and beeps if you push too hard. There was some brittleness over sharp bumps, and the electric steering was a bit dead in feel, but better than some others I’ve driven recently. This isn’t a sports sedan, but it had a bit more fun in its genes than a Nissan LEAF. Disc brakes all-round vs. the last-generation’s front disc/rear drum brakes offered solid stopping power with no fade, but the pedal feel was wooden.

So is the Prius PHV’s extended EV ability, extra weight and smaller trunk with recharging cable in a bag in it worth it, not to mention the unknown price? If your commutes are within 10 miles with a bit of 110-volt recharge at each end, the Prius PHV would use no gas at all. Five days a week, a few weekend errands on weekends and nightly overnight charges might mean filling up with gas in a month or two. That’s a plus. Running 14 miles on electric means less pollution as well. For those worried about their utility bill going up, Toyota says a Prius PHV draws about one kilowatt an hour, so a nightly recharge should be inexpensive. Toyota says the lithium-ion batteries should last “the life of the vehicle;” first-gen Prius batteries are still working fine for the most part, 10 years later. “Power” or “ECO” mode didn’t change the way the Prius PHV’s EV worked – be nice with the throttle when fully charged, and it went just as far on electric either way. One note to Toyota – it might be nice for the driver to select when they want to go EV, instead of right after a charge. Let me pick my EV time, such as when I get into diesel bus-choked downtown rush hour.

That said, a Honda Insight hybrid gets to 60-mph in 10.5 seconds and averages 33-mpg; a gas-engine Honda Fit with manual tranny gets 37-mpg and is fun to drive for four; and a turbo-diesel VW Jetta can get 40-mpg or more in a fun sedan too. They all cost less than the Prius PHV. Of the alternate powered vehicles out now, a Chevy Volt got to 60-mph in 9.1 seconds with an average 36-mpg in our hour-long drive, and was good for 34 miles of all-electric. It starts at $41,000, but a $7,500 federal income tax credit can cut that down. My recent test in a Nissan LEAF saw 83 miles range on a full battery charge (which takes about 20 hours to recharge on 110-volt current or 8 on 220-volt), and it starts at $32,000, less with tax credits. All of these carry four people and stuff, the Prii and Volt winning on people space. The LEAF has the most range anxiety of the alternate powerplant cars – when it’s out of juice, there’s nothing but an electric plug to get it going. A Volt and a Prius PHV can both run for hundreds of miles on gas if the batteries are drained, but a Volt goes a lot longer on electric, making it more EV for the money.

· Prius price – We don’t have a final price on the plug-in Prius yet, since our car was one of the vehicles set for market/consumer analysis and demonstration in select U.S. markets. Our model had equipment like heated seats, touch-screen navigation and remote-start air conditioning, with cloth seats and AM-FM-CD audio. Toyota says the final PHV price will be a bit higher than the stock Prius, which starts at $23,050 base on up to $28,320 for the Prius Five. They could even change the battery output before the Prius PHV goes on sale. “This program is a necessary first step in societal preparation, in that it allows us the unique opportunity to inform, educate and prepare customers for the introduction of plug-in hybrid technology,” said Toyota group environmental and PR VP Irv Miller in a press release. “When these vehicles come to market, customers must understand what to expect and if this technology is the right fit for them.”

· Bottom line – The Prius PHV is another example of how technology can improve a design and make a more environmentally-friendly vehicle. After silently cruising in a Volt and Leaf on short test drives, it was nice to have a Prius to electrically play with for a weekend and see what Toyota’s electric life is about a year early. If I had a choice of alternate power vehicles, it would be a toss-up between a Prius PHV and a Chevy Volt. Both offer on-board gas engines to increase range to real-world needs while still offering all-electric range, comfort, room and options. The Volt just zaps along longer on electric, while a Prius PHV could cost less. A Toyota PHV demonstration program website – www.priusphv.com, is running now so folks can learn more about the technology, follow the program’s progress and track the performance of the demonstration fleet.

2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid

Vehicle type - gas-electric plug-in rechargeable hybrid compact sedan

Base price – TBA –a “slight price increase” over 2011 price

Engine type - aluminum DOHC, 16-valve in-line four/60 kW electric motor w/three packs of lithium-ion batteries

Displacement - 1.8 liter

Horsepower (net) - 98 @ 5,200 rpm/up to 80-hp from electric motor

Torque (lb-ft) - 105 @ 4,000 rpm/153 lb.-ft. from electric motor

Transmission - continuously variable automatic transmission

Wheelbase - 106.3 inches

Overall length - 175.6 inches

Overall width - 68.7 inches

Height - 58.7 inches

Front headroom - 38.6 inches

Front legroom - 42.5 inches

Rear headroom - 37.6 inches

Rear legroom - 36 inches

Cargo capacity - TBA

Curb weight- about 3,400 lbs.

Fuel capacity - 11.9 gallons

Mileage rating – TBA, but better than the 2011 version’s 51-mpg city/48-mpg highway

Last word – Look Ma, I can zip along electrically for miles and miles!

By Dan Scanlan - MyCarData

Suzuki Equator

2011-05-09T05:34:00.000-07:00

Until Suzuki launched its new Equator pickup truck, owners of its motorcycles and off-road sport vehicles were forced to tow or haul around their toys in some other brand’s truck. Believing they were missing some automatic sales from those Suzuki-loyal customers zipping around on their ATVs and dirt bikes, the decision makers at Suzuki brainstormed over the issue. The resulting a-ha moment sent them off to Nissan to contract for a version of its midsize Frontier pickup. Built side by side on the same assembly line in Nissan’s Smyrna, Tenn. plant, Equator and Frontier share a number of mechanicals and other elements, but there are a few distinctions as well.

Out of the box the Equator comes with a better powertrain warranty and six standard airbags rather than Frontier’s two. Adding the front side-impact and side curtain airbags in the Frontier will set you back an extra $550. The factory spray-on bedliner is standard on all Equators, but optional on some Frontier King Cabs and will set you back $430. The Frontier has a full-size spare tire while the Equator’s is a temporary spare.

Virtually every exterior piece from the A-pillar rearward is identical with the exception of the badging. The Equator does, however, get its own unique hood, grille, bumpers and front fenders. Inside the seating fabric and the badging are all that sets the Frontier and Equator apart. Most of what you don’t see from the curb is borrowed from the Frontier.

My test Equator was the front-wheel-drive $28,095 Crew Cab Sport with the six-foot cargo box. It is toward the top of the Equator food chain. When shopping the Equator, you can choose between the four-door Crew Cab and the two-door Extended Cab. The Extended Cab comes in Base, Comfort, Premium and Sport trim. No factory options are available on any Equator. If you want a particular feature, you have to move up to the trim level offering it. All Extended Cabs get the six-foot box. Only the Sport, though, can be outfitted with four-wheel drive. The least pricy of the various Equator trims and combinations, the Extended Cab Base rings the register at $17,995.

Powering the Extended Cab Base is a 152-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. A five-speed manual transmission escorts engine output to the rear wheels. A four-speed automatic transmission is available with the 2.5L, but you have to opt for the $22,450 Premium trim to get it. The Extended Cab Sport is only available with the 261-horsepower 4-liter V6 and the four-speed automatic.

Offered in Base, Sport and the more off-road capable RMZ-4 and RMZ-4 Sport trims, the Crew Cab can be fitted with either a five-foot or six-foot cargo box; although the RMZ-4 versions only come with the short bed. All Crew Cabs generate power from the V6 and four-speed automatic tranny. The Sport trim level is the only one offering either FWD or 4WD. The Crew Cab Base is only FWD, while the two RMZ-4 trims are only 4WD. The top-of-the-line RMZ-4 Sport totals out at $31,375.

This is a body-on-frame design with a boxed frame. That is to say, it’s a truck. All Extended Cabs and the Crew Cabs with the five-foot box ride on a 125.9-inch wheelbase. The overall length is 206.6 inches. Opting for the six-foot box on the Crew Cab increases the wheelbase to 139.9 inches and an overall length of 220.1 inches. A double-wishbone setup in the front and a solid rear axle with leaf springs in the rear comprise the primary suspension components. Over pavement the ride is more civilized than you might expect. Most surface inconsistencies are absorbed before reaching the seat of your pants. Long suspension travel improves off-road prowess.

Controlled by a part-time two-speed shift-on-the-fly transfer case, the available 4WD is engineered for more than simply snowy roads. Serious off-roaders have the opportunity to move up to the enthusiast-targeted RMZ-4 that can include Hill Descent Control and Hill Hold Control.

Monitored by an antilock system, front and rear disc brakes bring Equators to a stop. Electronic brakeforce distribution is standard, but only Sport and RMZ-4 versions have traction control and only the RMZ-4 Sport has stability control.

There is not much in the Equator’s cabin to differentiate it from the Frontier. The dashboard, instrumentation and switchgear are all the same. Air conditioning is standard in all trim levels, as is a fold-flat front passenger seat. The front seats are firm, offering generous side bolsters. The 60/40 split rear seat in the Crew Cab can have its bottom cushions folded up or the entire seat folded down for an elevated storage area. Although rear-seat legroom is a bit tight, most backseat occupants should be comfortable enough even when seated three abreast.

The standard audio system is a six-speaker setup with AM/FM receiver and CD player. To get an upgrade as basic as an auxiliary input jack for personal listening devices, you have to move all the way up to the RMZ-4 Sport trim with its eight-speaker Rockfor-Fosgate system.

Suzuki isn’t making any predictions regarding sales numbers; however, expectations are modest. This is a growth segment for Suzuki and any sales will be more than it had before. Despite the Extended Cab being the pickup’s price leader, current estimates have the sales about evenly split between it and the more expensive Crew Cab. In the meantime, Suzuki is already cross promoting the Equator and its sport vehicles. No doubt there will be a lot of back slapping going on at American Suzuki in Brea, Calif. if this marketing idea works. What next, a Suzuki RV?

By Russ Heaps
MyCarData

Suzuki Kizashi - Something Great is Coming

2011-05-09T05:32:00.000-07:00

Suzuki occupies an unusual place on the automotive landscape. The company is much larger than its trim lineup of SUVs implies. Its occasional forays into the realm of automobiles have been forgettable transportation appliances that are a far cry from the sporty, active-lifestyle offerings of its motorcycle and marine divisions.

The moribund state of Suzuki's car lineup is about to change, however, and quickly. The SX4 Crossover is an entertaining enough grocery-getter, but the all-new 2010 Kizashi is something Suzuki's never done before: a bona fide affordable sports sedan. That's right, Suzuki's going head-to-head with Volkswagen and Mazda in the fun four-door race. The Kizashi isn't built in partnership with any other manufacturers, unlike many of Suzuki's automotive products have been. This four-door was designed completely in-house, and it's all new. As a result, the Kizashi, whose name means "something great is coming" in Japanese, has a unique personality to go along with its impressive driving dynamics.

At a glance, the Kizashi looks like a curvier Volkswagen Jetta. The rounded, dipped face and projector headlamps are very Volkswagen-ish, but the big "S" on the grille and dramatically flared flanks ensure that any mistaken identity is short-lived. The Kizashi's high, flat roof is unusual, and adds a bit of visual length while reducing bulk. This car is larger than it looks, closer in size to a Volkswagen Passat or Nissan Altima, making it one of the larger vehicles in its class. The optional fine-spoked eighteen-inch wheels are distinctive and improve handling as well.

The cabin is comfortable and pleasantly appointed, with French-stitched seats and ample space for four or five passengers. The interior is designed to minimize NVH, but it's not intended to be an "isolation chamber," either. The Kizashi lets just enough road and exhaust noise into the cabin to keep things entertaining, but it's not punishingly loud and it definitely doesn't sound or feel cheap. The doors and hood close with very satisfying, solid sounds. Available amenities include three-stage heated seats, standard dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, standard pushbutton start and a 438-watt Rockford-Fosgate sound system. Bluetooth connectivity and MP3 playback are also offered. Like the exterior, the interior is very reminiscent of a Volkswagen.

As with other affordable sports sedans, Suzuki started the Kizashi with an excellent suspension before worrying about the powerplant. A stiff frame allows good handling characteristics to coexist with a less harsh suspension. The front and rear suspensions include additional frame reinforcement. Suzuki paired with Akebono, manufacturer of brakes for Japan's bullet trains, in developing the Kizashi's braking system. All of these measures have an impressive result: the Kizashi offers a good real-world ride without sacrificing track ability.

A 2.4 liter VVT-equipped DOHC four-cylinder engine is the only powerplant available. The lightweight aluminum engine is equipped with balance shafts and feels like a V6 at idle. This engine's good for 180 horsepower when paired with the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), and 185 horses with the six-speed manual. A rev-limiter in the CVT-equipped Kizashi is the reason for the difference in output. The CVT is equipped with paddle shifters that allow the driver to select gear ratios. All-wheel drive is also available, putting the Kizashi in the same league as Subaru and Audi. The Kizashi uses a different system than the Suzuki SX4, and the rear-biased i-AWD is designed to be proactive rather than reactive, suppressing wheel spin before it happens.

Out on the road, the Kizashi is a happy performer. Pitched hard into a corner, the front-wheel drive Kizashi understeers without plowing or losing control; in the same bend, the all-wheel drive version maintains its composure as readily as any Audi. This is a car that feels good when driven hard, but doesn't demand to be driven hard. At normal speeds, it's comfortable and confident, and at high speeds it's communicative and solidly planted. The standard stability control is designed with just enough slip to be enjoyable, instead of kicking in just as things start to get interesting. Anti-lock brakes and stability control are standard. Crash safety is enhanced by eight standard airbags, including rear-seat side airbags.

Is it possible to build an affordable, world-class sports sedan? Suzuki's done a great job of accomplishing exactly that. Want an Audi A4 but can't swing the payments? The Kizashi presents a compelling alternative, with a base price of just $18,999. The sporty Kizashi SE starts at $21,499.

By Chris Jackson
MyCarData

Suzuki Kizashi - Suzuki Enters the Midsize Sedan Arena

2011-05-09T05:30:00.000-07:00

Suzuki’s new mid-sized sedan gets most things right, making it a worthwhile investment in practical and comfortable transportation. We might even suggest it is smart investment with touches of unexpected refinement.

But the newest Suzuki will not get equal treatment in the marketplace.

There are reasons for this perceived prejudice. First, Suzuki is off the radar screen of most buyers in the U.S. And for those few who own Suzuki vehicles or who have shopped them in recent times, Suzuki is synonymous with small, rugged four-wheel drive jungle busters, motorcycles, or compact, fuel-efficient, inexpensive cars and crossovers.
Suzuki’s total U.S. sales in 2008 were a paltry 85,000. That’s only one-fifth of Toyota Camry’s 2008 sales.

Then there’s the name of the new flagship sedan — the Kizashi. If you can’t pronounce the name, and don’t know exactly what it is to begin with, you probably won’t go near a showroom to look at one or take a test drive.

Too bad; you’ll be missing a good car.

Hint – head off to the Suzuki store and when you get there ask to see the KEE-zah-shee. You should know that loosely translated from Japanese Kizashi means, “something great is coming.”

While we wouldn’t classify the Kizashi as great, we do put it in the “job well done” category. Without a doubt the nicest and best sedan Suzuki has ever produced for the U.S. market

Perhaps most importantly, the Suzuki designers did a commendable job styling the new car, which features an aggressive wheels-pushed-to-the-corners stance, an intriguing face with large, canted headlights and a bold rectangular grille.

The signature look for us is from the rear. A spoiler lip is integrated into the trunk lid and the dual triangular pipes are large and menacing. Very neatly done!

The problem with the Kizashi isn’t the Kizashi. It blends the aforementioned good looks with a nice ride, competent handling, decent performance, and acceptable gas mileage. It features a relatively quiet, well-executed interior that is comprised of decent materials and above average fit and finish. It even features some compelling surprises for a car in its’ price class.

The problem for the Kizashi is that it joins an extremely competitive segment with well established vehicles enhanced by long known names with huge marketing budgets. That’s lots to overcome.

While overcoming the obstacles that well-entrenched competitors present is a tall order
at least they join the fray with a credible entry, and one that Suzuki says is the most important car it has launched in the U.S. Note that the Kizashi is a completely home-grown design. It carries no parts from occasional contributors Daewoo and General Motors.

We found the Kizashi’s smallish size to our liking, but people looking for something in the larger end of the mid-sized segment such as a Camry or Accord, will be disappointed. Suzuki made its sedan slightly smaller because eventually it will be marketed as a world car.

The Kizashi is actually closer in dimensions to the Acura TSX, the Volvo S60 and the previous-generation Subaru Legacy.

But don’t be put off by its 183-inch length and 106-inch wheelbase — both of which fall several inches short of the aforementioned Toyota and Honda vehicles — until you drive it and ride a few miles in the back seat.

We found the driving position and the front-seat elbow room good, and it should prove comfortable for taller people. Rear-seat legroom is adequate, and better than the TSX and the S60. The rear seats are comfortable and should afford long-distance comfort. The rear seat back folds down in a 60-40 configuration for a useable combination of storage and passenger space.

The 13.3 cubic-foot trunk is capable of handling two golf bags, but on our day at the links it was simply easier to flip down the seatbacks and load the sticks straight into the trunk. After that particular round we felt more like loading them into the lake in front of the 18th hole.

Performance and handling are important, even in this segment, and after an hour on one of our winding back roads we were smiling. This Suzuki is indeed a driver's car with a well-tuned suspension and a lot of grip. This can’t be said for a number of competitors.
But if there is a weak link in the Kizashi it’s with the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, the only available powerplant. The engine provides good slow-speed performance, but it seems to run out of steam as rpm rush toward redline. And it offers a rather harsh note under full steam, not a refined drone as in Toyotas and Hondas.

If this was an entry-level product, all would be just fine. But the engine is a discordant note in a car that seeks elevation to the level of premium family transportation.

This is not to say the engine’s 185 horsepower with the 6-speed manual and 180 horsepower with the continuously variable transmission don’t provide decent performance. It does, measured at about 8 seconds from 0 to 60. Suzuki says the manual front-drive model can accomplish the feat in 7.4 seconds.

Should Suzuki include a small V-6 in the lineup? If it was our decision there would be a V-6 option available for the higher trim levels. It would take care of people like us who wish for a few more horses and a quieter, more refined engine.

Of course a number of our concerns may become moot as this week Suzuki and global giant Volkswagen have announced that VW has acquired a 19.9-percent stake in Suzuki; an action that could be very fruitful for both companies as Suzuki needs development help in mid-size and larger vehicles and VW needs small car help in third world markets and volume growth to move past Toyota as the global automotive leader.

For now Kizashi has four trim levels — S, SE, GTS and SLS — and available all-wheel drive. The Suzuki starts at $19,734 and runs up to $27,484 for a top-line SLS with all-wheel drive.

The list of standard features is impressive and includes such amenities as keyless start, dual-zone air conditioning, cruise control, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, a four-speaker audio system with CD and MP3 player, and a full range of power equipment.

Safety features are impressive as well with eight airbags including side airbags for the rear seats, antilock brakes, and electronic stability control.

Our GTS test car with manual transmission came in at $23,234. We think that’s an excellent price that undercuts many competitors.

That alone should help you find a Kizashi at your local Suzuki store.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman
MyCarData

Suzuki Kizashi - A step in the right direction

2011-05-09T05:28:00.000-07:00

Suzuki’s new mid-sized sedan gets most things right, making it a worthwhile investment in practical and comfortable transportation. We might even suggest it is smart investment
with touches of unexpected refinement.

But the newest Suzuki will not get equal treatment in the marketplace.

There are reasons for this perceived prejudice. First, Suzuki is off the radar screen of most buyers in the U.S. And for those few who own Suzuki vehicles or who have shopped them in recent times, Suzuki is synonymous with small, rugged four-wheel drive jungle busters, motorcycles, or compact, fuel-efficient, inexpensive cars and crossovers.
Suzuki’s total U.S. sales in 2008 were a paltry 85,000. That’s only one-fifth of Toyota Camry’s 2008 sales.

Then there’s the name of the new flagship sedan — the Kizashi. If you can’t pronounce the name, and don’t know exactly what it is to begin with, you probably won’t go near a showroom to look at one or take a test drive.

Too bad; you’ll be missing a good car.

Hint – head off to the Suzuki store and when you get there ask to see the KEE-zah-shee. You should know that loosely translated from Japanese Kizashi means, “something great is coming.”

While we wouldn’t classify the Kizashi as great, we do put it in the “job well done” category. Without a doubt the nicest and best sedan Suzuki has ever produced for the U.S. market

Perhaps most importantly, the Suzuki designers did a commendable job styling the new car, which features an aggressive wheels-pushed-to-the-corners stance, an intriguing face with large, canted headlights and a bold rectangular grille.

The signature look for us is from the rear. A spoiler lip is integrated into the trunk lid and the dual triangular pipes are large and menacing. Very neatly done!

The problem with the Kizashi isn’t the Kizashi. It blends the aforementioned good looks with a nice ride, competent handling, decent performance, and acceptable gas mileage. It features a relatively quiet, well-executed interior that is comprised of decent materials and above average fit and finish. It even features some compelling surprises for a car in its’ price class.

The problem for the Kizashi is that it joins an extremely competitive segment with well established vehicles enhanced by long known names with huge marketing budgets. That’s lots to overcome.

While overcoming the obstacles that well-entrenched competitors present is a tall order
at least they join the fray with a credible entry, and one that Suzuki says is the most important car it has launched in the U.S. Note that the Kizashi is a completely home-grown design. It carries no parts from occasional contributors Daewoo and General Motors.

We found the Kizashi’s smallish size to our liking, but people looking for something in the larger end of the mid-sized segment such as a Camry or Accord, will be disappointed. Suzuki made its sedan slightly smaller because eventually it will be marketed as a world car.

The Kizashi is actually closer in dimensions to the Acura TSX, the Volvo S60 and the previous-generation Subaru Legacy.

But don’t be put off by its 183-inch length and 106-inch wheelbase — both of which fall several inches short of the aforementioned Toyota and Honda vehicles — until you drive it and ride a few miles in the back seat.

We found the driving position and the front-seat elbow room good, and it should prove comfortable for taller people. Rear-seat legroom is adequate, and better than the TSX and the S60. The rear seats are comfortable and should afford long-distance comfort. The rear seat back folds down in a 60-40 configuration for a useable combination of storage and passenger space.

The 13.3 cubic-foot trunk is capable of handling two golf bags, but on our day at the links it was simply easier to flip down the seatbacks and load the sticks straight into the trunk. After that particular round we felt more like loading them into the lake in front of the 18th hole.

Performance and handling are important, even in this segment, and after an hour on one of our winding back roads we were smiling. This Suzuki is indeed a driver's car with a well-tuned suspension and a lot of grip. This can’t be said for a number of competitors.
But if there is a weak link in the Kizashi it’s with the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, the only available powerplant. The engine provides good slow-speed performance, but it seems to run out of steam as rpm rush toward redline. And it offers a rather harsh note under full steam, not a refined drone as in Toyotas and Hondas.

If this was an entry-level product, all would be just fine. But the engine is a discordant note in a car that seeks elevation to the level of premium family transportation.

This is not to say the engine’s 185 horsepower with the 6-speed manual and 180 horsepower with the continuously variable transmission don’t provide decent performance. It does, measured at about 8 seconds from 0 to 60. Suzuki says the manual front-drive model can accomplish the feat in 7.4 seconds.

Should Suzuki include a small V-6 in the lineup? If it was our decision there would be a V-6 option available for the higher trim levels. It would take care of people like us who wish for a few more horses and a quieter, more refined engine.

Of course a number of our concerns may become moot as this week Suzuki and global giant Volkswagen have announced that VW has acquired a 19.9-percent stake in Suzuki; an action that could be very fruitful for both companies as Suzuki needs development help in mid-size and larger vehicles and VW needs small car help in third world markets and volume growth to move past Toyota as the global automotive leader.

For now Kizashi has four trim levels — S, SE, GTS and SLS — and available all-wheel drive. The Suzuki starts at $19,734 and runs up to $27,484 for a top-line SLS with all-wheel drive.

The list of standard features is impressive and includes such amenities as keyless start, dual-zone air conditioning, cruise control, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, a four-speaker audio system with CD and MP3 player, and a full range of power equipment.

Safety features are impressive as well with eight airbags including side airbags for the rear seats, antilock brakes, and electronic stability control.

Our GTS test car with manual transmission came in at $23,234. We think that’s an excellent price that undercuts many competitors.

That alone should help you find a Kizashi at your local Suzuki store.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman
MyCarData

Suzuki Grand Vitara Limited

2011-05-09T05:23:00.000-07:00

Suzuki has long held its line of compact and mid-size SUVs in esteem.

They aren’t swift, and with a name like Grand Vitara, they won’t be as memorable a sidekick as a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4.

But when you add in a V-6, leather, satellite navigation, room for four and cargo and four-wheel-drive that works on- and off-road, and price all that under $30,000, some might call that an XLent deal.

OK, enough Suzuki puns. Let’s check out the refreshed 2010 Suzuki Grand Vitara Limited.

*Suzuki style – The compact SUV from Suzuki got a big redesign in 2006, and some tweaks since. So the 2010 model is familiar, but handsome, with short overhangs and a relatively long 103.9-inch wheelbase. The crosshatch plastic grill gets a half frame of chrome, with a big lower air intake flanked by inset fog lights. The gentle clamshell hood with slim fake side vents still offers a smooth look, as do squared-off fender flares that frame 7-spoke alloys wearing 18-inch Dunlop rubber, adding to a wide stance. There’s a gently rising beltline with tinted rear side windows, a nicely integrated roof rack, and a hard plastic spare tire cover on the simply-designed back end with stacked taillights and a slim rear bumper. Nice and simple looking, with lots of glass for decent visibility. But no one else took a second glance at our Slate Gray Metallic Limited. Paint and overall fit and finish were fine.

*Suzuki surroundings – The Grand Vitara got a pop-up Garmin satellite navigation system added to a rather complete list of standards. The Limited adds just about everything else, including black leather seats and keyless entry and ignition.

The front bucket seats were firm and nice enough, but flat and lacking lumbar support, although the driver had manual height adjustment. Twin front seat heaters are there too, but they are wimpy. The hard plastic dashboard design is solidly done and a bit sporty, with nice dashes of silver and gray fake wood. The three-spoke steering wheel gets leather, plus stereo and cruise control buttons, and is manually tilt adjustable. The inset gauges start with a big central tach with trip computer display, 140-mph speedometer on the left and gas and temperature on the right. The center stack is topped with the Garmin, manually tilting to adjust for glare. It looks like an afterthought, the screen a bit small and just out of easy reach for use. It shifts a bit when its touch screen is used. But it has clean graphics and quick map animation. Our version added real-time traffic alerts (“Traffic ahead” heard when we came on a construction detour), weather forecasts and radar, news headlines, local events lists, movie times, gas prices, stock updates, airline information, music and audio book upload-ability, plus on-screen Bluetooth text display. The 7-speaker AM-FM-CD-XM-ready sound system was OK, with an MP3 player input jack, but local FM reception was only so-so.

Our lower center console added twin 12-volt outlets flanking a hidden storage, although its hard plastic construction means anything tucked in it will rattle. Two cupholders live under a door ahead of the center armrest storage area, with sliding armrest. There’s decent room in the glovebox and door map pockets with water bottle slots. Two adults will find great head and leg room in the back seats, high enough for a great view outward and offering a bit of recline. But when rear head restraints are up, they intrude on rearward vision, although the spare tire doesn’t. There’s 24.4-cu.ft. of cargo space behind the rear seats, with a hinged solid security cover and handy net, and hidden storage under the floor and its rubber mat. The passenger-side hinged rear door accesses a nice load height floor, but blocks access if you load up on a street-side parking space. For safety, front air bags, front seat-mounted side airbags front and rear side-curtain airbags networked with a rollover sensor.

*Vitara vitality – Base power is a Suzuki-developed 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 166 hp, while our 2,200-mile-old Limited had a 230-hp V-6 with variable valve timing. Matched to a smooth 5-speed automatic with four-wheel-drive, we hit 60-mph in an average 10 seconds after a slow launch, all wheels grabbing in 4-wheel high. The engine growled when pushed, and only showed an indicated 19-mpg average in mixed highway/suburban driving on regular.

It all rides on a car-like unit body united to a classic SUV-like ladder frame. The result is a pretty comfortable ride with decent bump control on most roads, and only a bit of bounce on lesser routes, hinting at its ladder frame. The highway ride is composed, although we had some tire noise and a few creaks from the rear door and other unidentifiable places. Composure in turns was fine, with some body roll (for an SUV), four-wheel-drive grabbing where needed and some understeer when pushed. Stability control stepped in if you try sporty. Off-road, the Grand Vitara can do what most of import compact crossovers can’t. Twist a center dash transfer case dial, and you get all-round four-wheel-drive high biased toward the rear wheels. That worked just fine on grass, dirt or gravel trails, power transferred up front when needed. Need more? You can lock the center differential, switch to low range, even engage a Land Rover-style Hill Descent Control that tapped brakes as we went down hills, “walking” the Grand Vitara better than a driver’s brake foot. Sandy hills were no problem, meaning this compact is suited for lots of places, with a decent 7.9 inches of ground clearance. On and off road, the power steering had decent feel, and the four-wheel disc brakes with ABS had good pedal feel and decent power in regular driving. But we experienced fade after three firm stops from 60-mph.

*Grand Vitara price tag – Our Limited V-6 four-wheel-drive model starts at $26,999 with lots standard except $125 floor and $130 cargo mats, $130 premium metallic paint and $269 Bluetooth with text messaging display. That’s a final tag of $27,653. A loaded all-wheel-drive Honda CR-V is about $29,000, a Mazda CX-7 Grand Touring AWD $33,000, for comparison. Those two are more refined, but not anywhere as capable off road. A Jeep Liberty with four-wheel-drive is more mountain goat.

*Bottom line - The Grand Vitara we drove was pretty well outfitted for less than many competitors, not counting its decent on-road, and pretty good off-road, ability. You will get more style in a Toyota RAV4 or the new Hyundai Tuscon. But Suzuki, if there’s a dealer near you, does offer more for a bit less.

2010 Suzuki Grand Limited

Standard navigation system; automatic climate control with air filtration; trip computer; power windows, mirrors and door locks; remote keyless entry; tilt steering wheel; automatic on/off headlamps; AM/FM/CD/MP3/XM Satellite Radio-compatible audio system; leather, heated front seats, full-size spare tire with cover, 18-inch alloy wheels and HomeLink wireless control system.

Vehicle type 5-passenger compact sports utility vehicle

Base price - $26,999 ($27,653 as tested)

Engine type Aluminum 24-valve V-6

Displacement – 3.2 liter

Horsepower (net) – 230 @ 6,200 rpm

Torque (lb-ft) – 213 @ 3,500 rpm

Transmission – 5-speed automatic

Wheelbase – 103.9 inches

Overall length – 177.2 inches

Overall width – 71.3 inches

Height – 66.7 inches

Front headroom – 38.2 inches

Front legroom – 41.3 inches

Rear headroom – 38.2 inches

Rear legroom – 37.2 inches

Cargo capacity - 28.4 cu.ft./70.8 w/rear seat folded

Towing capacity – up to 3,000 lbs.

Curb weight – 3,876 lbs.

Fuel capacity – 17.4 gallons

Mileage rating – 17-mpg city/23-mpg highway

Last word – A contender, but not as smooth as its mates

By Dan Scanlan
MyCarData

Suzuki Grand Vitara

2011-05-09T05:22:00.000-07:00

Suzuki has been having a rough go of it. Its sales for the first quarter of 2010 were off about 60 percent from 2009. That's a major hit; I don't care who you are. Last year General Motors shut down its Saturn division that sold 188,000 vehicles in 2008, and its Pontiac division that pushed more than 267,000 vehicles over the curb that same year; Suzuki is on track to sell fewer than 25,000 units in 2010.

It seems the future of Suzuki's automotive U.S. operation rests solely on this Japanese import's level of determination to remain in the market. The recent launch of the Kizashi sedan here indicates Suzuki is still fighting the good fight, but the sedan's sales to date have also been tepid. This year will indeed be a test of Suzuki's resolve.

The good news for consumers is that Suzuki continues to offer excellent value. And because it is selling so few vehicles, owners find themselves inadvertently driving vehicles that make a statement about individualism. If you want to avoid looking like you are following the crowd, Suzuki has a vehicle for you. The Grand Vitara is such a vehicle.

Straddling the line separating SUVs and crossovers, Grand Vitara offers 4WD versions with true off-road capability. This gives it a leg up on more pavement-bound AWD competitors such as the Toyota RAV4 and Honda's CR-V. This is accomplished by offering a 4 Low Lock mode in addition to 4 High and 4 High Lock modes. There is also a Neutral mode that disengages all four wheels for towing the Grand Vitara behind an RV without racking up mileage on the odometer.

Another feature setting the Grand Vitara apart from its competition, as well as adding to its value, is that every Grand Vitara comes equipped with a removable Garmin GPS navigation unit. It rests in a flip-up holder located on the top of the center dashboard. When not in use, it folds out of sight. Intuitive in its operation, it offers voice directions and a generous, easy-to-see color display.

My test Grand Vitara was the top-of-the-line $26,394 Limited V6 4WD. Anchoring the lineup is the $19,794 Base RWD edition. The Premium and XSport trim levels offer prices and content levels in between. Even the entry-level version comes equipped with navigation system, automatic climate control, full power accessories, four-speaker audio system with CD player, remote keyless entry and cruise control.

All four trim levels can be equipped with a 166-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. In the base model, a five-speed manual transmission hustles output to the rear wheels. A four-speed automatic is standard on all other 2.4L versions. A 230-horsepower 3.2-liter V6 is available with the XSport and Limited trim levels. When so equipped, a five-speed automatic transmission transfers engine production to the wheels. All models except the entry-level offer the 4WD option.

Hill descent control and hill hold control are standard with models equipped with the V6 and 4WD.

Fuel economy is about average for this size vehicle regardless of which engine is used. EPA estimates put the mileage for the RWD 2.4L at 19 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. The highway number drops to 23 mpg in 4WD models. Moving up to the more powerful V6 has very little impact on mileage. The RWD V6 estimates are 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway, while opting for 4WD will reduce the numbers to 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway.

An antilock system supervises the disc brakes on all four corners. Traction control, electronic stability control, emergency braking assist and brakeforce distribution are standard on all trim levels. Six airbags and a tire pressure monitor are also on the standard equipment list.

A roomy cabin and a generous cargo hold are big pluses in this segment. There are some who might quibble over the lack of a third-row seat, but those seats in smaller crossovers are nearly unusable any way. Function trumps bragging rights. Folding down the 60/40 split rear seat balloons hauling space from roughly 24 cubic feet to 69 cubic feet. The side-hinged rear door, however, feels a little dated and is less convenient than top-hinged rear hatch.

Because it competes in the value end of the small crossover arena, the liberal use of plastic in the interior can be overlooked. The pieces in my test Suzuki were well assembled into a pleasing design. There is nothing complicated about the gauges and controls. Everything is easily accessible and simple to operate. The front bucket seats are comfortable enough for longer slogs.

Standard equipment in my test Limited included 18-inch alloy wheels, heated mirrors, tilt steering wheel with redundant audio controls, leather seating, heated front seats, Bluetooth connectivity, and an eight-speaker audio system with CD player and auxiliary input jack.

Is Grand Vitara among the more sophisticated smaller crossovers? No, but it is among the more affordable. It's a value. That it can be equipped to be more off-road capable then most of its competitors is another big plus. Comfortable, functional and affordable are all solid reasons for its consideration. Oh, and there is that individualism factor, too.

By Russ Heaps
MyCarData

Suzuki SX4 Sportback - small SUV

2011-05-09T05:19:00.000-07:00

We’ve gone compact crossover-crazy.
Almost every manufacturer from Audi (Q5) to VW (Tiguan) has a small crossover, which is a mix of a 5-door hatchback and a sports utility vehicle.

Suzuki, maker of a sporty Kizashi sedan/coupe, Grand Vitara SUV and compact SX4 Sedan, has joined the crowd. Raising the roof on the SX4, the result is a Suzuki SX4 Sportback.
In a market with compacts like Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tuscon/Kia Sportage, Toyota Matrix, Mitsubishi Outlander and other tall 5-door station wagons based on sedans, what’s the SX4 Sportback got? And is it any different than the one we tested a year ago?
Here’s the lowdown.

SX4 scenery – The shape is sure nice in red, penned by ItalDesign and full of cheeky design and a happy face. Its angular nose has a slim mesh grill flanked by upswept headlights over a wide-mouth lower grill flanked by foglights in fake side vents. The short sloping hood meets a swept-back windshield, while gentle fender flares add a bit of depth to the smooth flanks. A nice design touch is the dip the side window takes forward of the large side mirrors, with a “vent” window there. The lower window line then gets a gentle rise along the shoulder-line, meeting a reverse-angle C-pillar before rear side windows that look like they wrap around into the big rear glass on the hatchback. The roofline has a gentle roundness accented by clean black roof rails, while the rear overhang is short, accented by large taillights. Ten-spoke alloy wheels wear 17-inch Dunlop rubber. Despite a bit of added height to the SX4 sedan, it looks sporty and low thanks to body-color side skirts and a rear bumper fascia. My mechanic said it looked “European” before he worked on my Alfa Romeo. Oh, FYI – while Suzuki does make an SX4 Crossover (that’s its name), there really is no design difference between it and our SX4 Sportback other than the Crossover’s all-wheel-drive. Confused?

Suzuki civility – The car gets keyless entry to allow access to fine-weave black cloth bucket seats with a geometric insert pattern and decent comfort and support. You sit almost minivan high here, for a great view of the world around you that isn’t SUV high. The driver gets manual height adjustment too, the better to gaze upon a simple white on black gauge package with a 140-mph speedometer and 8,000-rpm tach framing a white LCD trip computer with odometer/trip meter and instant mileage gauge, and temperature and gas gauge above. Pewter plastic trim rings them, with red gauge illumination at night. One difference from the 2010 model we tested – no standard Garmin satellite navigation unit mounted on a pop-up dash-top door, which was a nice touch, but not installed well. Mobile sounds come from an 8-speaker AM-FM-CD-XM Satellite-ready sound system that sounded good to about three-quarters, but got a bit overloaded at full rock and roll volume. There is an MP3 input on the faceplate, but no iPod interface. The a/c system under it worked just fine, very cooling on a warm spring day. There’s lots of storage space underneath and in the doors, but it’s hard plastic and things rattle. Glove box size is usable, and we liked the front seats’ inboard armrests, although they got in the way of my elbow when shifting. Two adults will fit in the back seat, but the knees of anyone closing in or above 6-foot will impress into the soft back of the driver’s seat. A Honda Fit fits two in back better, as does a Scion xB. For storage, the SX4 Sportback has a decent-size rear cargo deck with seatbacks that split and fold easily, and a deep hidden compartment under the rear deck. The rear window is so big the rear seat head restraints don’t intrude much on rearward vision. The sun-visors also extend to help keep sun out of your eyes on sunny days, but they felt flimsy.

SX4 endurance – With a 150-hp four cylinder engine under the hood, hooked to a precise if long-shift 6-speed manual, the SX4 Sportback felt zippy, although our 2,400-mile-old 5-door took 10.1 seconds to get to 60-mph. That’s a tenth more than last year’s slightly higher mileage tester did it in. Passing power was good, and fuel mileage was an acceptable 27-mpg on the trip computer. Again, for comparison, that zip to 60-mph was 11 seconds for a Honda Fit and 8.7 for a base MINI Cooper with manual. The car – uh, crossover - is certainly sporty enough thanks to McPherson struts up front and a rear torsion beam suspension with firmer shock tuning and nice rubber. The ride was firm, even a bit sporty, yet comfortable over most surfaces. We did feel some chop in the ride over bumps, and catching a ripple in a turn did upset the composure momentarily until it settled back in. Last year, a full load of four back-seat passengers commented about a bouncy ride. Being a kind of crossover, we got a bit of lean in turns, gentle understeer scrubbing speed if pushed, but throttle controlled it, (defeatable) stability control adding more if pushed. A week’s worth of commuting showed the Sportback was agile and fun for most driving duties. Precise power steering helped, while the four-wheel disc brakes had standard ABS and electronic brake-force distribution and stopped the SX4 well. We did get some fade after four hits from 60-mph, though.

SX4 salary – This was about as base as an SX4 Sportback could get, but it wasn’t sparse. Starting at $16,599, our base SX4 had power windows/locks/mirrors, leather-clad steering wheel, fog lights, CD player, a/c, ground effects package, 17-inch alloy wheels, trip computer, six air bags and stability/traction control. With no options, it was $16,724 with destination. The same cars we compared it with last year are still around - a KiaRio5 has the same wheelbase and is close in length, at about $16,000; a Honda CR-V EX is $26,000; and a Honda Fit Sport is about $17,000. The newest competitor is a 2011 Kia Sportage, which starts at $18,000 with a new 176-hp motor and dramatic new styling. The Fit Sport is the athlete in handling, the new Sportage offering more standards.
Bottom line: The 2011 Suzuki SX4 Sportback is still a cute, mostly roomy and relatively inexpensive compact crossover with good standard equipment, nice fuel mileage and sporty-enough driving manners. The low price really brings it into consideration compared to other crossovers, and the ItalDesign is cool enough that some friends actually commented on it. But some of the other crossovers and 5-door compacts have more sophistication, room and power, even better gas mileage.

2011 Suzuki SX4 Sportback
Specifications
Vehicle type - Compact front-wheel-drive 4-door hatchback crossover
Base price - $16,599(as tested: $16,724)
Engine type - DOHC 16-valve in-line four
Displacement - 2-liter
Horsepower (net) - 150-hp at 6,200 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) - 140 at 4,000 rpm
Transmission - 6-speed manual
Wheelbase - 98.4 in.
Overall length - 162 in.
Overall width - 69.1 in.
Height – 61.8 in.
Front headroom - 39.6 in.
Front legroom - 41.4 in.
Rear headroom - 37.6 in.
Rear legroom - 35.9 in.
Cargo capacity - 16 cu.in. loaded to ceiling/43 w/rear seat down
Curb weight - 2,734 lbs.
Fuel capacity - 13.2 gallons
Mileage rating - 22 city/30 highway
Last word – Cheap but decent and a bit sporty too

By Dan Scanlan - MyCarData

Subaru Legacy

2011-05-02T04:09:00.000-07:00

In the melee that is the midsize sedan segment, Subaru's Legacy stands out with its standard all-wheel drive and rich selection of engine options. Although less popular in the sunshine states, it is a major player in the snowbelt. Historically AWD has defined Subaru, but other characteristics, such as its roomy cabin and generous standard content, should appeal to buyers in sunnier regions. It doesn't enjoy the degree of recognition of competitors like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, but it is certainly a viable alternative to them.

Legacy is divided into eight trim levels that vary in content and engines. Trim designations, like "Premium" and "Limited," feature somewhat different standard content according to the engine. Prices increase from the $20,690 of the base 2.5i to $30,690 for the 2.5GT Limited. Situated about halfway along this range is the $25,690 Legacy 2.5i Limited like my test Subaru.

Varying degrees of punch are delivered by the three engines powering the Legacy lineup. In addition to the 170-horsepower horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine found in the 2.5i, 2.5i Premium and 2.5i Limited, is the 256-horsepower horizontally opposed six-cylinder that powers the 3.6R, 3.6R Premium and 3.6R Limited. A 265-horsepower turbocharged version of the 2.5-liter engine supplies the go for the 2.5GT Premium and 2.5GT Limited.

Three different transmissions hustle engine production to the wheels. Standard in the 2.5i, 2.5i Premium, 2.5GT Premium and 2.5GT Limited is a six-speed manual transmission. A $1,000 option in the 2.5i and 2.5i Premium is a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with a manual-shift mode that is the standard tranny in the 2.5i Limited. The R-designated six-cylinder versions all come with a five-speed automatic.

Earning the best fuel economy numbers are the "i" versions equipped with the CVT. The EPA estimates their fuel consumption at 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. When the manual tranny is teamed with the same engine, the estimates drop to 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. Going with one of the other two more powerful engines drops the numbers even further to 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.

Even the normally aspirated four-cylinder bound to the CVT delivers very respectable acceleration. Goosing the accelerator won't press you into the seat back, but it will initiate an immediate and measurable response. Either of the other two engines is more spirited, and consequently, more fun to drive. But, of course, the trade off is a significant drop in fuel economy.

Four-wheel disc brakes monitored by an antilock system are standard on every Legacy, as are traction control electronic stability control, emergency braking assist and electronic brakeforce distribution. Also included in the base price of every Legacy are six airbags.

Delivering a pliant ride, the four-wheel independent suspension consists of MacPherson struts up front and a double-wishbone setup in the rear. This is a suspension focused on passenger comfort more so than high-speed cornering.

Subaru redesigned Legacy for 2010. In doing so, it has added in about 60 more pounds. This isn't really much when you consider the newer Legacy is 1.6 inches longer, 3.6 inches wider and 3.2 inches taller than last year's edition. Exterior styling is more refined on the new Legacy. Longer headlamps follow the outside lines of the more chiseled hood. The tail lights are longer as well and now extend into the trunk lid. The profile is more coupe-like with a more curved roof line.

Not a radical departure from last year's design, interior styling, however, is more sophisticated than in last year's sedan. Some of this comes from a center stack that appears less busy. The lines and shape of the dashboard also add to the enhanced look.

The seating is arranged for five. Offering moderate lateral support, the front bucket seats are firm and comfortable. In the 2.5i Limited, the driver's seat has eight-way power adjustment while the passenger seat has four-way. They are heated as well. The 60/40 split folding backseat has some definition and is more inviting than might be expected.

Simple to operate, the controls for the nine-speaker harman/kardon-imbued audio system in the Limited with its in-dash, six-disc CD changer and iPod integration are perched atop the dual-zone automatic climate controls in the center stack. Standard in every Legacy, redundant audio controls are also located on the tilt-telescoping steering wheel.

Front- and rear-seat occupants alike find plenty of head and legroom. At 37.8 inches, legroom is up significantly from the previous Legacy. The redesigned sedan has slightly more rear legroom than Accord and slightly less than Camry. The same goes for Legacy's 14.7 cubic feet of trunk space: The Camry has slightly more and the Accord slightly less.

Decently equipped, even the base Legacy 2.5i comes with full power accessories, air conditioning, and a four-speaker audio system with CD player and iPod integration.

Subaru's Legacy might not leap to mind when considering midsize sedans, but its value and user-friendly demeanor shouldn't be ignored. Roomy, comfortable and affordably priced, it can go toe to toe with the big dogs of the segment. Sure AWD isn't as big a draw in Miami as it is in Buffalo; but even on rain-soaked streets, AWD's added stability provides some extra peace of mind.

By Russ Heaps
MyCarData

Subaru Legacy - there are reasons for success

2011-05-02T04:03:00.001-07:00

For many years Subaru with its standard across-the-lineup all-wheel drive has been popular in the colder climates, but a slow seller in the rest of the country. Quirky styling, also kept Subaru a niche brand, something like Saab but in less expensive clothes.

Things started to change more than a decade ago when the Japanese company began producing vehicles — led by the small and endearing Forester crossover — that captured the interest of the mainstream population.

With the introduction of the all-new 2010 Outback crossover and Legacy mid-sized sedan, Subaru has seemingly entered a new era of mass appeal. These vehicles are more spacious, more attractive and more desirable than the iterations that came before them — and they still feature an all-wheel drive system across the lineup.

The new Subaru popularity is vividly pointed up by 2009 sales figures. In one of the worst sales climates in a quarter century, Subaru managed to increase sales and gain market share. Amazing but perhaps not as amazing as you might think if you spend time in an Outback or Legacy.

We just finished seven days in a 2010 Legacy sedan and it seems every bit the equal of the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu. That’s some pretty good company.

We noted in our review of the Outback that Subaru engineers seemed to take to heart every customer criticism and made it their primary objective to correct those things that turned people off. The same thinking and action applies to the Legacy as well. Subaru has done a masterful job upgrading the sedan in all the right places.

One of the biggest complaints with previous editions was lack of interior space. Rear passenger room was tighter than the aforementioned rivals. No problem, Subaru said. And the 2010 Legacy is now longer and wider than its predecessor gaining significant passenger and trunk room.

It’s bigger where it matters most. Passenger volume has risen to 103 cubic feet, a big increase over 2009’s 93.5 cubic feet. Rear leg room is now a healthy 37.8 inches, up nearly four inches from last year; now comparing favorably with Accord (37.2 inches), Fusion (37.1 inches) and Camry (38.3 inches). Trunk space has increased from 11.4 cubic feet in 2009 to a more competitive and useable 14.7 in 2010.

Improvements have been made to the three available drivetrains. The old, outdated four-speed automatic is gone in favor of a new continuously variable transmission, now paired with the base 2.5-liter horizontally opposed 4-cylinder engine. Horsepower has been increased from 243 horsepower to 265 in the turbocharged 2.5-liter engine paired only with a six-speed manual. A new 3.6-liter horizontally opposed six packs 256 horsepower compared to 245 in the previous 3.0-liter. The six gets a five-speed automatic.

Mileage is up about a mile to the gallon for both the turbo and six, at 18 mpg city and 25 mpg on the highway. The smaller 170-horsepower 2.5-liter engine with the CVT is rated at a very competitive 23/31.

Styling has been considerably upgraded, although we agree styling is very subjective. We like the sedan’s wedge-shaped stance highlighted by a slight flare of the fenders. Unlike some of the new entries that come with high belt lines and narrowed side glass, the Legacy has a big greenhouse with great sightlines in all directions; and for those with long torsos ingress and egress is achieved without getting knocked in the head. Overall, the Legacy’s styling is sleek and appealing from all angles. It has a well-designed instrument panel and gauge layout, a vast improvement over the prior model and highly competitive. Controls are generally well thought out and we appreciate a radio with old-fashioned knobs for volume and tuning. We found the seating position excellent. The power driver’s seat is amazing with the ability to hoist you to the ceiling or drop you to sports-car level; and it’s comfortable.

To make things even more attractive, Subaru has cut prices from last year. The base 2.5 model is in the neighborhood of $1,000 less expensive, and other models are correspondingly lower.

Although we are undisputed lovers of horsepower, we were happy when given a 2.5 version for testing. It afforded us with the opportunity to discover that the 170-horsepower “boxer” four is up to the task of pulling the 3,379-pound Legacy while delivering a solid 30 mpg.

The Legacy performed in an entertaining manner on some winding roads as its handling proved surprisingly good all while displaying a comfortable ride. The Legacy merged and passed without drama and has been measured at around 9 seconds from 0 to 60.

And you don’t have to give up any of the Legacy's amenities when you opt for the smaller engine. All three engine choices can be purchases in well-outfitted Limited and Premium editions. Our Premium test car with a base of $25,690 included leather, heated power driver and passenger seats, dual climate control, upgraded 440-watt Harmon/Kardon audio system, and full power accessories. Another $3,000 added a power moonroof and voice-activated navigation with rearview camera.

A base 2.5i starts at $20,690 with standard features including full power, tilt and telescoping steering wheel with audio controls, air conditioning, and a four-speaker audio system with CD player. If you desire the horsepower of the six-cylinder, prices begin at $25,690. The turbocharged edition begins at $28,685 in Premium trim. The six-cylinder has been measured at about 7 seconds from 0-to-60, and unlike last year, it will burn regular gas.

Safety starts with all-wheel drive, and includes on all models four-wheel antilock brakes with brake assist, stability control, front side airbags, and side curtain airbags.

Our test car with navigation, sunroof and Sirius satellite radio upgrade carried a bottom line of $29,211; and that solved the mystery of Subaru’s exceptional sales statistics over the past year — build cars people want at a fair price and they will come.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman
MyCarData

Subaru Outback - the wagon SUV

2011-05-02T04:02:00.000-07:00

Everyone's talking about crossover vehicles, those clever undefinables that combine SUV and car attributes into versatile and easy-to-drive packages. Lately it seems like every other vehicle I drive is a crossover of one kind or another, in fact, from the Lincoln MKT to the Chevrolet Equinox. Crossovers are clearly the Next Big Trend in automobiles. That, and fender vents.

Subaru must be feeling pretty bemused about the whole trend, because its Outback has been here the whole time, and it's the very epitome of what crossovers are trying to accomplish. The Outback first appeared in 1995 to compete with the growing tide of truck-based SUVs. Since it didn't build trucks, Subaru simply applied its already-proven all-wheel drive expertise to a toughened-up version of its Legacy wagon, and the rest is history. Now in its fourth generation, the Outback gets larger, bolder and tougher. If anything the Outback's more like an SUV than most crossovers are.

Compared to its taller, more trucklike competitors, the Outback looks sleeker than ever. The silhouette is still that of a classic station wagon, with a long hood and a capacious 71.3 cubic-foot cargo area out back. The wheelbase has been stretched by just under three inches, but overall length is about the same as before. As a result, front and rear overhangs are reduced, which improves off-road maneuverability. This car isn't all business, though; the Outback's new face aims for higher style as well. "Hawk's eye" headlamp forms give the Outback an adventure-ready squint, while the upright grille provides brand identification. Waves and curves dominate the design, with subtle cues like functional protective side cladding to remind onlookers that the Outback is ready for just about any abuse one cares to throw at it. The Outback seems to get taller with each redesign, but a big part of its charm is that it's a high-riding car, but still clearly a car.

My complaints about Subaru's interior treatments have been vociferous in the past, but Subaru has taken steps to put those disagreements behind us once and for all. The Outback's interior materials have finally caught up with its price tag, and luxurious surfaces (even wood trim) are now the order of the day. Luxury-car touches like exterior approach lighting and ambient interior lighting. Optional equipment includes a moonroof, Subaru's familiar all-weather seat-heater package dual-zone climate control and a navigation system with a huge 8-inch full-color display. The ample cargo space in the rear is welcome, and the longer wheelbase and other packaging improvements translate to an additional four inches of legroom for rear-seat passengers. The rear seats also recline, for additional comfort.

There are more high-steppin' cars with tall seating positions and high roofs these days, so the Outback doesn't stand out like it used to. This is one of the few that can really go just about anywhere, however. The Outback is also one of the few crossovers that can live up to the promise of its rugged looks.

That racing experience is paying off as well; the Outback gets up and goes in a very satisfying manner. It's no sports car by any stretch, but stepping out ahead of traffic isn't that difficult with the available torquey six-cylinder under the hood. The Outback is available with a choice of 2.5 liter four-cylinder and 3.5 liter six-cylinder engines. Both engines use Subaru's trademark horizontally opposed layout. The four-cylinder produces 170 horsepower and its Active Valve Lift system has been tweaked for improved fuel economy; the 256-horse 3.6 liter is the powerhouse of the family. It replaces the smaller-displacement 3.0 liter six, and its relaxed freeway manners are coupled with the ability to run on regular gas. The 3.6 liter six-cylinder also features variable valve timing and a broad torque curve that never leaves this Subaru feeling underpowered. The Outback 2.5i can be had with a six-speed manual transmission or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The "Lineartronic" CVT isn't Subaru's first--the brand was one of the first companies to offer one in the U.S., way back in the early 1990s--and it's well suited to the Outback, enabling the big wagon to reach 29 mpg on the freeway. Six-cylinder Outbacks are less economy-oriented, and get a five-speed automatic gearbox. All-wheel drive is standard across the board.

The Outback's weight is evident in turns, and its handling seems more confident on dirt than on pavement. MacPherson struts are used up front, and at the rear the multilink setup has been replaced with a more responsive double wishbone suspension. Stability control is standard, so the Outback's ultimately sure-footed, but there's enough roll in the turns to remind you that you're sitting up higher than you would in a regular car. The 8.7 inches of ground clearance allow it to creep over parking blocks without damage--the two-track out to a remote cabin should be no trouble at all. The Outback brakes confidently, even in hard stops.

The Outback remains one of the few vehicles that can realistically boast an ability to do anything. It's got road-trip comfort, camping-trip cargo and rough-road ability, fears no bad weather and it's even moderately entertaining to drive on twisty roads. Dial up the options list, and a well-equipped Outback is priced like a serious luxury car--the $23,690 starting price climbed to $35,630 for my 3.6R Limited tester with a navigation system and satellite radio--but in the end that still seems to be worth it.

Specifications:

All specs are for the 2010 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited
Length: 188.2 in.
Width: 71.7 in.
Height: 63.9 in.
Wheelbase: 107.9 in.
Curb weight: 3658 lb.
Cargo space: 34.3 cu.ft. (seats up); 71.3 cu.ft. (seats folded)

Base price: $30,995
Price as tested: $35,630

Engine: 3.6 liter horizontally-opposed six-cylinder
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 256 @ 6000
Torque: 247 @ 4400
Fuel capacity: 18.5 gal.
Est. mileage: 18/25

By Chris Jackson
MyCarData

Subaru Legacy 2.5i CVT PZEV - frugal, comfortable family sedan

2011-05-02T04:00:00.000-07:00

Everyone hopes they leave a legacy behind to their children, something that those who follow can appreciate, whether it’s money or just a heritage of something done well.
Well, since the first Subaru Legacy appeared on our U.S. shores in 1990, it has become the most mainstream of the once quirky car company’s products, and a legacy itself as it now appears in its fifth generation.

Maintaining the all-wheel-drive prowess and horizontally-opposed engine of Subaru’s past, the latest version of this Legacy gained a more mainstream look than ever when introduced for 2010, plus a longer wheelbase. Its three Porsche-like flat engines also offer 170 to 265 horsepower.
I’ve been sporty in the past year with the turbocharged 265-hp Legacy 2.5GT with 6-speed manual. Now it’s time to look at a more luxury-oriented mileage-leader, the 170-hp Legacy 2.5i Limited PZEV, or partial zero-emission vehicle model, with a continuously variable transmission.

* Subaru shape – My first vision of this generation Legacy was when I met Subaru of America CEO Tom Doll at a dealership groundbreaking, and he drove up in a red 2.5i Limited. Now we have one to ourselves in a nicely-done Caramel Bronze Pearl (brown metallic) paint job planted on 17-inch Bridgestone Turanza radials with pretty 10-spoke alloy wheels. It has more sculpting to its body shape than previous generations. That begins with a big winged Subaru emblem in a squared-off chrome grille mounted on a more upright nose due to new pedestrian safety standards. Big curved headlights sweep up off the grille into the fender design lines, with prominent fender flares framing the Bridgestone rubber. A design line angles gently up pf the front fenders and under the chrome-trimmed side windows to the tail, adding a slight wedge shape to the sedan. The lower door sills flow outward, emphasizing a Legacy wheelbase that’s grown 3.2 inches to 108.3 inches. Door windows that had always been frameless on past Legacys get frames for better weather- and soundproofing, with blacked-out B-pillars. Wrap-around taillights sit on a higher rear deck, our test car’s single exhaust tip peeking out on one side. Overall, a more interesting shape than in the past, if a bit similar to other mid-size imports. And not everyone liked the color.

* Legacy living – The living space in a Legacy has always been a nice, if not entirely luxurious place to be. Our Legacy Limited does a nice job of changing that with a brown over tan scheme with warm fake wood and buff silver accents. It well laid out in quality materials that had nice feel, and fit and finish. Front buckets were comfortable, 10-way power-adjustable with dual heat settings and power lumbar that worked well on a long trip. The leather-wrapped three-spoke tilt/telescope wheel hosts audio, cruise and voice command buttons, framing a hooded hard plastic binnacle with prominent four-dial (central 150-mph speedometer and 8,000-rpm tach) gauge package with a top-center odometer/trip odometer. Oddly, there is an analog mpg gauge, and only an idiot light temperature gauge.

Dashtop center, a display for the clock, trip computer and outdoor temperature. Dash center, a large touch screen heads the alloy-accented navigation/audio/dual-zone climate control unit, some of the red-lit buttons framed in an LED-lit frosted white panel that looked cool. The touch-screen unit also housed a calculator and calendar. Our test car had a powerful and solid-sounding 440-watt harman-kardon AM-FM-Sirius Satellite-CD sound system, plus a quick-to-connect Bluetooth cellphone system and voice command of navigation and audio. In the center armrest storage area, a 12-volt power outlet plus an MP3 and USB/iPod port, while Bluetooth audio rounds out the portable music choices. The quick-acting heat was appreciated on a chilly morning drive, and the rubber-padded center console nook with 12-volt power outlet, plus decent dual-level center armrest storage area and glove box were solid for storage too. The longer wheelbase, with almost four inches of added rear legroom, made it easy to pack two adults in back, headroom no problem since this generation Legacy is 3.2 inches higher. In back, a 14.7-cubic-foot trunk that expands by flipping and folding rear seats via trunk-mounted handles, with a segmented storage tray under the floor.

The push-button electronic parking brake button means no regular lever in the center console, so there’s more room for cup holders and the seat heater buttons. We liked the back-up camera and moonroof, but had to duck and squint for the trunk release and traction control button mounted low and to the left of the steering wheel.

* Subaru street sense – Subaru’s former quirky design and engineering is still apparent in the engine room of the latest Legacy - a Boxer (opposing cylinder) four-cylinder engine on our 6,600-mile-old test model. The 170-hp 2.5-liter 4-cylinder Boxer engine (with PZEV rating) also came with the new Lineartronic Continuously Variable Transmission, where chains and pulleys do the job of gears. This is a first use of a longitudinally mounted CVT in an all-wheel-drive production car, says Subaru. It has smaller pulley cores for a compact design and supposedly offers better gas mileage with its infinite gearing, with paddle shifters to select from six pre-selected steps to "shift." If I turned the stereo off and listened, I could hear its chain while driving, and there was a bit of wind noise at highway speed.

The real-world result is the engine finds the sweet spot in revs for the job you want it to do, and stays around there while the CVT does the gearing. Our 3,451-lb sedan gave us a leisurely start as the engine went to 5,000- to 5,200rpm, then stayed there until we hit 60-mph in an average 9 seconds. Passing power was adequate. With an active valve lift system and an 18.5-gallon (vs. 16.9 in 2009) fuel tank, we averaged a nice 27-mph and did a six-hour round trip on a tank of regular. The PZEV part means very low emissions that meet California standards. The $34,000 2.5GT we tested a year ago with a 265-hp turbocharged, intercooled four hooked to an accurate, but notchy six-speed manual hit 60 mph in 6 seconds and averaged a decent 22 mpg.

The MacPherson-type strut front suspension and a new double-wishbone rear suspension resulted in a comfortable ride for our Legacy Limited. The all-wheel-drive system's viscous-coupled locking center differential splits power 50/50 front to rear as needed, so we had great traction and confidence in exit ramps and turns, with a bit of body roll. Push harder and there was understeer, although the all-wheel-drive was apparent. The car was distinctly softer in feel that the 2.5GT we tested last year, nice for a trip and responsive enough in normal driving, but a bit too soft for my tastes and a bit bouncy over some bumps. The power steering was very direct; the all-wheel disc brakes had progressive bite and good stopping power with no fade after some tough use. Along with stability control and ABS, there’s front and side-impact airbags up front, and outboard head air curtains for all four main seating positions.

* Legacy finances - A base 170-hp Legacy 2.5i with 6-speed manual transmission starts at $20,690; our 2.5i Limited PZEV was based at $26,020. It had standards like heated side mirrors, wood-grain interior accents, cruise control, remote entry, 440-watt harmon-kardon sound system, iPod and MP3 audio inputs, dual-zone climate control, leather interior and leather-wrapped steering wheel. Options included $300 for the PZEV, and $2,995 for the power moonroof/navigation system package, which made the final price $29,315. A Honda Accord EX automatic starts at about $25,000, and has 190-hp four. A base Nissan Maxima S has a 290-hp V-6 and about a $30,000 base price. The very stylish Hyundai Sonata SE, with 200-hp four, based at about $23,000, and the new Buick Regal CXL starts at about $27000 with a 182-hp four. All of those hit 60-mph about a second faster, or more, and most were a bit more nimble and athletic in feel, some not as nicely loaded with equipment for the price.

* Bottom line – Subaru has established a legacy with its line-up of vehicles, going from a quirky car company that appealed to folks who needed all-wheel-drive to almost mainstream in the past decade while still offering value and innovation. The newest Legacy is an example of a comfortable, roomy, fuel-efficient family sedan with all-wheel-drive security, a more pleasing look and a level of near-luxury inside. It is nice choice in a crowded world of mid-size family sedans, but I’d go for the GT myself.
2011 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Limited PZEV

Vehicle type - 4-door, 5-seat all-wheel-drive sedan
Base price - $26,020 ($29,315 as tested)
Engine type - DOHC boxer 4-cylinder
Displacement - 2.5 liters
Horsepower (net) - 170 @ 5,600 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) - 170 @ 4,000 rpm
Transmission - 6-speed CVT automatic
Wheelbase - 108.3 inches
Height - 59.3 inches
Overall length - 186.4 inches
Overall width - 71.7 inches
Front headroom - 38.1 inches
Front legroom - 43 inches
Rear headroom - 37.5 inches
Rear legroom - 37.8 inches
Cargo capacity - 14.7 cu. ft.
Curb weight - 3,451 lbs.
Fuel capacity - 18.5 gallons
Mileage rating - 23 mpg city/30 mpg highway
Last word - Frugal, comfortable, sure-footed family sedan

By Dan Scanlan - MyCarData

Subaru Impreza WRX STi - pocket rocket par excellence

2011-05-02T03:57:00.001-07:00

With most manufacturers, the vehicle that’s considered the flagship and image leader of the lineup is the largest and most luxurious. Subaru, however, does things a little bit differently. The brand has made its mark with all-wheel drive and more recently with high-performance vehicles, and so the top-dog of the Subaru family is one of its smallest members. The Subaru WRX STi is the performance champion as well as the media darling of the brand.

Although it shares its basic structure with the Subaru Impreza, the WRX STi is more than just a hot-rodded economy car. This car takes Subaru’s rallying experience and applies it to a production car. Nearly every mechanical part of the WRX STi is unique to the model. For 2011, the WRX STi raises its performance ante with a new suspension and lightened equipment.

It's clear from the first glance that the WRX STi is spoiling for a fight. In rally-car style, the STi is available as a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback, just like the roadgoing version, but freakishly blistered fenders and a massive spoiler make it clear that there's some serious driving business to be taken care of. The deep chin spoiler has a low air intake, fog lights and brake cooling ducts at the outer edges, while the grille and headlamps are contained in an efficient, dark-trimmed slash. A gaping hood vent feeds the engine and offers additional brake cooling. The STi's side aspect is dominated by the rear fender flares which give the car muscular, athletic haunches, like a sprinter ready to explode off of the blocks. The front and rear spoilers aren't just for show; they are a system designed to reduce lift at high speeds, and the eighteen-inch wheels are lightweight racing-style units. Deep underneath all of that go-fast gear, the Impreza's crisp character lines are just barely visible.

On the interior, the overwhelmingly black and silver STi features Alcantara seats that are bolstered for spirited driving and a unique dashboard and console. All of the trim is done in shades of dark and light metal. For 2010 Subaru offered an STi "Special Edition," with some of the interior appointments that the sporty kids don't need taken out and a few go-faster goodies added, and for 2011 the Special Edition tweaks are standard on all STi models. The industrial-felt headliner, made of the material that lines the trunks of cheap economy cars, isn't all that bad, really, and Subaru left the soft-touch surfaces and Alcantara steering wheel intact so it doesn't feel like they've cheapened it at all. Bluetooth, satellite radio and a navigation system are available.
Under the hood, a 2.5 liter turbocharged and intercooled “boxer” four-cylinder produces 305 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers go a very long way, even in a 3400-pound car. Subaru’s Dual Active Valve Control System (DAVCS) variable valve timing is used to boost response. The electronic engine control can be tweaked while driving with Subaru’s unique SI-DRIVE system. "SI" stands for "Subaru Intelligent;" with this system, a rotary knob on the console allows the driver to select between three levels of powertrain responsiveness: Intelligent, Sport and Sport Sharp. The STi does torque-y, point-and-squeeze joy very well, on account of its rally-car heritage, and the burble of the massively turbocharged flat-four is intoxicating. All-wheel drive and limited-slip differentials front and rear are standard equipment, and a six-speed manual transmission is the only gearbox offered. The STi features a multi-mode center differential that enables the selection of up to nine different levels of torque balance, so that the WRX STi driver can fine-tune the car’s handling to his or her preference.

A faster steering rack and new double-wishbone rear suspension set the WRX STi’s suspension apart from the Impreza. Subaru has further improved handling for 2011 with a lower ride height and stiffer suspension bushings. Stiff inverted struts and a double wishbone suspension are used in the front, and double wishbones at the rear. The WRX STi features Brembo brakes and a race-bred Super Sport anti-lock brake system that is sensitive enough to control braking at each individual wheel. This system reduces understeer in high-speed turns. Vehicle Dynamic Control stability control is standard equipment, and on the STi the driver can select the level of intervention, or turn it off completely.

The WRX STi proves that a car doesn’t have to be the biggest vehicle in the showroom to be the most impressive. High horsepower, light weight and tenacious handling make it one of the premier sports cars available today. Getting the best of the best carries a price premium, of course. WRX STi pricing starts at $34,720 for the four-door sedan and $36,720 for the five-door. That represents a seven or eight-thousand dollar price walk over the WRX…and if you're looking for performance, it's worth it.

All specifications are for the 2011 Subaru WRX STi 5-door
Length: 173.8 in.
Width: 70.7 in.
Height: 57.9 in.
Wheelbase: 103.3 in.
Curb weight: 3373 lb.
Cargo space: 19.0 cu.ft. (seats up); 44.4 cu.ft. (seats folded)
Base price: $36,720
Engine: 2.5 liter turbocharged horizontally-opposed four-cylinder
Drivetrain: six-speed manual, all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 305 @ 6000
Torque: 290 @ 4000
Fuel capacity: 16.9 gal.
Est. mileage: 17/23

By Chris Jackson - MyCarData

Subaru Forester - Sunshine, rain, snow, mud, dirt or pavement

2011-05-02T03:56:00.000-07:00

Some light tinkering with trim level content, a new grille and a major revision of its smaller engine highlight the 2011 model-year enhancements for Subaru's Forester.

Subaru has never shied away from its tradition of quirkiness. It hitched its wagon, reputation and future to all-wheel drive before most American consumers even knew what AWD meant. Its all-weather prowess paid off, attracting a devoted following in the snow belt. Over the years, and particularly during the last decade or so, Subaru has broadened its appeal through leaps of quality and expansion of its product offering.
Because of its commitment to fuel efficiency and its reputation for value, Subaru was well positioned when the economic meltdown hit in 2008. In a year when total U.S. vehicle sales dropped by more than 21 percent, Subaru had a jump in sales in 2009 over 2008 of more than 15 percent. Nearly doubling the industry's 11 percent growth in 2010, Subaru's sales momentum has continued into 2011.

Arguably one of its more mainstream offerings, Forester is anything but quirky. Exceptional passenger space, AWD, solid fuel economy and peppy performance band together creating a well-balanced family wagon.

Close to the bottom of the pecking order, my test $23,920 Forester 2.5X Premium is one of six trim levels. Anchoring the Forester lineup is the $21,220 2.5X; while the $30,000 2.5XT Touring sits atop the bunch.

Although there are a few content distinctions between the X and XT versions, the primary differences are the engine and transmission. The 2.5X uses the competent, but less enthusiastic 170-horsepower 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder boxer engine. Subaru gave this four-banger a good going over for 2011. The result is a small boost in torque and a 1-mpg improvement in fuel economy for both the city and highway measures. It delivers acceptable acceleration and turns in EPA-estimated fuel economy of 21 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

Posting less impressive mileage numbers, but generating more dynamic acceleration is the 2.5XT's 224-horsepower turbocharged edition of the 2.5-liter boxer engine. Fuel economy takes a bit of a hit, though, with the EPA rating it at 19 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.
My test 2.5X Premium replaced the standard five-speed manual tranny for the optional $1,000 driver-shiftable four-speed automatic transmission to hustle engine production to all four wheels. The automatic is the standard transmission for the 2.5X Limited, as well as the 2.5XT versions. Perhaps the only real nit to pick with the Forester is the automatic transmission. It would be better served with a five- or even six-speed automatic. Such an improvement would certainly translate into better fuel economy numbers.

Engineered for foul weather, the AWD system operates transparently. OK for trail running, it doesn't have a 4-Low gear for crawling over boulders; however, with a minimum of 8.7 inches of ground clearance, it can ignore minor obstacles.
Ride quality is excellent. Its four-wheel independent suspension features MacPherson struts in front and a double-wishbone arrangement in the rear. Despite its overall height and noteworthy ground clearance, Forester has a lower-than-expected center of gravity. This is due, in no small part, to the flat construction of its engine. Its low center of gravity doesn't totally eliminate leaning during hard cornering, but it is less than expected. Steering control is also very good.

Bringing Forester to more controlled stops is achieved by its four-wheel disc brakes monitored by an antilock system. It's standard on every Forester, and includes traction control and stability control. Electronic brakeforce distribution and emergency braking assist are also part of the package. Among interior safety features are six airbags and anti-whiplash front-seat head restraints.

In this segment, seating for five is the standard. Forester provides generous living space for front- and rear-seat passengers alike. Among key competitors, such as Mazda CX-7, Toyota Rav4, Chevrolet Equinox and Hyundai Tucson, Forester delivers more front-seat legroom than any in the group and about the same rear-seat legroom as the Rav4 and Tucson. Only Equinox treats rear-seat passengers significantly better.
Forester also fares well against the competition in cargo capacity whether measuring it with the second-row seat in place or folded flat. Its maximum cargo space is 63 cubic feet; this is much more than Tucson or CX-7. In all but the base trim, the 60/40 split rear seat reclines.

Tastefully styled, the cabin is attractive, carefully assembled and comfortable. The seats are supportive and the controls simple to operate. The high seating position provides a clear view of the road. Standard in all but the entry-level trim, the tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel combined with the height-adjustable driver's seat encourage the driver to secure the ideal driving position.
A bit pricier than most of the competitors listed here, Forester's bottom line reflects the added cost of standard AWD and a comprehensive list of standard equipment. Every Forester comes with full power accessories, air conditioning, remote keyless entry, auto-on headlamps, cruise control, and a four-speaker audio system with CD player and auxiliary input jack. Stepping up to the 2.5X Premium, like my test Subaru, adds a sunroof, eight-way power adjustable driver's seat, Bluetooth, iPod integration and 17-inch alloy wheels.

If you want flashy, there are better choices than Forester; however, if competent, dependable, comfortable and practical are included on your must-have list, this Subaru demands to be considered. Sunshine, rain or snow, mud, dirt or pavement, it will get you where you need to go.

by Russ Heaps - MyCarData

Subaru Impreza WRX Limited - cheap fun that costs a bit more

2011-05-02T03:52:00.001-07:00

I could get to love a traffic circle in this car.
The 2011 Subaru WRX combines a lightweight compact sedan with a turbocharged, intercooled 265-hp engine driving all four wheels with a decent manual gearbox, leaving me hunting for traffic circles to go roundabout.

While the third generation of this little rally car-in-training was criticized when it came out in 2008 as too bland, Subaru has taken pains to address those issues over the past few years. And for 2011, more changes have been made to make the WRX look more like its gnarly 305-hp STI cousin as well.
Let’s see if Subaru has WRXed a favorite rally car-lite.

· WRX watch – The formula for the WRX is a simple one that goes back ages – take your econo-car and add performance to it, while still keeping it basic. So the base Impreza compact 4-door sedan (a 5-door hatchback is also available) is massaged with a body design that now looks more like the more macho STi, right down to a functional hood scoop. Subaru calls it a "wide and low" concept for an aggressive street presence, the changes over the 2010 model adding only 33 more pounds to the design. The simple grille is framed in dark graphite with a blacked-out Subaru wing, while upswept headlights also getting black framing. A deep center lower air intake shows off the turbo’s intercooler. There are front air dam winglets under inset fog lights with fake brake ducts. A design line that starts under the HID headlights curves up the more aggressive front fenders after designers gave the WRX an STI-like 1.5-inch wider stance. Fake air extraction ducts in front of flat-edged fender flares frame meaty P235/45R17-inch unidirectional Dunlop rubber on gunmetal gray 15-spoke alloy wheels. Fender air vents get alloy accents with “WRX” on it, while the fender flows into a flared lower door sill and into a wider flared rear fender. A sharp design line runs off the fender’s upper edge and aft, incorporating the body-colored door handles in a bit of BMW-like side detail. Our sedan roof line is simple, as are blacked-out side pillars and a dash of chrome on the lower window. The short rear deck ends in a big rear spoiler over large taillights and a buff alloy design bar. The rear bumper gets a lower valance with aero ducting and four meaty exhaust pipes. Our Lightning Red sedan sat low and looked racy, a number of folks gazing and commenting on it when I took it to a hot rod cruise-in. One said his day “was a lot better” for seeing it, another said the WRX “looked better” with the STI-style fenders. I prefer the 5-door shape for overall smoothness and muscle, but the WRX 4-door certainly had presence as well as decent body panel fit and finish.

· Subaru seating – Inside, the stock black hard plastic Impreza interior greets the driver, with some welcome upgrades. First, we had nicely bolstered high-back leather bucket seats with WRX embroidered in red on the seat backs and red stitched accents – there was an air of racing seat to them. The driver’s seat had manual height adjustment, but the lever was a bit stiff to use. A thick-rimmed leather-clad three-spoke steering wheel with dark graphite accents framing its cruise control and stereo buttons tilts and telescopes, with red stitching accents. It neatly frames a racy-looking set of gauges - an 8,000-rpm tachometer dead center with 150-mph speedometer on the right and gas and temperature on the left, under a small hard plastic cowl. Their red needles sweep the gauge faces when you fire up the car. A dark, shiny graphite accent band V’s off the center stack, while buff silver frames the wide LCD touch screen dash center, which has a six-speaker AM-FM-CD-Sirius Satellite Radio system with solid sound and Bluetooth cellphone and audio streaming with hands-free calling. It doesn’t have an iPod or MP3 audio input, but there’s a set of RCA audio/video inputs in the center armrest storage area to play back videos, with another 12-volt outlet. The center console is hard plastic with two cup holders and a red LED-lit front storage tray with 12-volt outlet, framed in a lighter alloy plastic accent. Aluminum alloy-faced pedals and a driver's footrest brighten the footwell, and all of the controls are backlit in red at night. The glovebox is big, with a damped door that opens slowly. We also had a power moonroof overhead, and some flimsy-feeling sun visors. In back, room for two, the legroom OK for two adults with a fold-down center armrest. The seatbacks split 60/40 and fold to open up the decent-sized trunk (the 4-door is 4 inches longer than the 5-door) – we fit a suitcase and folded wheelchair back there. But despite the alloy accents and leather seats, it’s still an inexpensive plastic interior that showed its compact car roots.
· WRX on the road – The heart of this sedan, which had my teenage son so pleased to co-pilot that he said he was “in love with the WRX and wants to marry it,” is its 2.5-liter, 265-hp boxer four (horizontally-opposed) engine with intercooler and a real hood scoop. Paired with a responsive 5-speed manual transmission and all-wheel-drive, our 8,000-mile-old WRX dug in all claws and snarled to 60-mph in a good 5.9 seconds in second gear. Its closest competitor is the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart, with a turbocharged, intercooled 2-liter four with 237-hp, Twin-Clutch Sportronic Shift and all-wheel drive – it hit 60-mph in 5.8 seconds. A front-wheel-drive Mazdaspeed3’s turbocharged four, with 263-hp and a manual tranny, does it in 6.3 seconds. Our Subaru handed back an average 20-mpg on $4.03 premium, though. Two notes – at low revs, the boxer four still sounds like an air-cooled VW Beetle, and if you choose to drive at 45-mph in fifth gear, the 1,600-rpm engine drone just echoes. But spool the WRX’s engine up above about 2,500-rpm, and the flat little four gets excited and offers a gentle turbo whistle replete with one of the most fun enthusiast engine notes that almost every passenger loved. In fact, there was some nice mechanical music when the car was at play, from the engine and turbo sounds to a slight gear whine. Passing power thanks to the turbo is there when you need it, the WRX even pulling strong in fifth gear. But there was some tire and wind noise at highway speed. Under the wider body is a 1.5-inch increase in front and rear track, with firmer rear sub-frame bushings, slightly wider rubber and lighter 17-inch wheels. The suspension was a joy on most roads, soaking up bumps with controlled rebound, just right in its sporty feel yet good for everyday driving. The car exhibited minimal body roll as it tackled turns, and that suspension’s initial softness swallowed mid-turn bumps. That said, there was some floatiness on higher speed runs when we hit a wallow or rounded mound. The all-wheel-drive had a viscous coupling locking center differential that gave us a 50/50 split under most situations, but also put power to the wheels that needed it when we had some fun. Expressway ramps could be taken flat and neutral, while traffic circles were just a right and left and right in second gear. Suicidal squirrels were avoided with a brake tap and a stable swerve. On our skid pad, the WRX, with stability control off, circled neutrally until understeer came in, then we could play with the tail via throttle input, getting a bit of tail out when needed. Stability control on, it reined in understeer. That said, I think Mitsu’s Lancer Ralliart may have had an edge in handling when you can select the all-wheel-drive mode. Nice note – there’s a two-second hill holder on the WRX that kept us from rolling back when we started on an incline. The power steering is very accurate if a bit light in feel sometimes, while the disc brakes had a reassuring pedal feel and good stopping power, although we had fade after a bit of hard play use. For safety, front and side-curtain airbags, plus ABS with Electronic Brake-force Distribution and Brake Assist.

· WRX wallet – A base WRX starts at $25,495, while our WRX Limited was $28,995, all listed above standard except the $2,000 option package with 7-inch navigation touch-screen and Sirius satellite radio, for a total $31,720. For comparison, a slightly roomier, more jet fighterish looking Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart starts at $27,695 with keyless entry/start and an active center differential with three settings. The one we tested a year ago had a $3,100 touring package with leather seats, 710-watt audio system, HID headlights (height adjustable), rain-sensing wipers, heated seats and moonroof. For less, a MAZDASPEED 3 starts at a bit over $23,000, and is a lot of fun and practical too. Or pay $33,000 base for a 291-hp EVO or $33,500 for a 305-hp WRX STI.
· Bottom line – This is just about the way a car should be – alive to drive, with agile road manners, just the right amount of power and slightly snarling looks. Yes, the fuel mileage could be better from a four-cylinder engine, and just north of $31,000 for a car with an econo-car interior and no MP3 or USB audio input is something to think about. But for a light 4-door car with a trunk, this Subaru wouldn’t “WRX” your weekend or your weekday commute.

2011 Subaru WRX Limited
Vehicle type - 5-passenger compact all-wheel-drive sports sedan
Base price - $28,995 ($31,720 as tested)
Engine type – Turbocharged, intercooled DOHC, 16-valve in-line horizontally-opposed four
Displacement – 2.5 liters
Horsepower (net) - 265 @ 6,000 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) - 244 @ 4,000 rpm
Transmission – five-speed manual transmission
Wheelbase – 103.3 inches
Overall length – 180.3 inches
Overall width – 70.7 inches
Height – 58 inches
Front headroom – 39.3 inches
Front legroom – 43.5 inches
Rear headroom – 37.4 inches
Rear legroom – 33.5 inches
Cargo capacity – 11.3 cu. ft.
Curb weight – 3,208 lbs.
Fuel capacity – 16.9 gallons
Mileage rating – 19-mpg city/25-mpg highway
Last word – Cheap fun that costs a bit more

By Dan Scanlan - MyCarData

Smart ForTwo - Smart Crazy

2011-04-30T03:51:00.000-07:00

“Never buy a French car unless you in fact live in France,” I remember a journalist writing during the ‘80s, when Renaults and Peugeots were tossing parts, reliability, and market share like shucked snail shells. This echoed in my head as I went online last year, swiped $99 off my debit card, and ordered a German-engineered, French-built, Smart ForTwo. They were a sight in Paris, Florence, and Rome when I traveled there and I wanted to take some Euro va-ca home. One year later, here I am – in very-middle-America Indianapolis – driving a French car.

It was a long road for me to get here. I’m sure I was sitting in high school study hall, wearing my “Columbus Sailed The Ocean Blue in 1492” Swatch watch, inhaling car magazines as usual, when I read the Swiss watch company was developing a car. A Swatch car! How cool. The long story of how Swatch founder Nicolas Hayek got way over his head trying to bring the car to market, teamed temporarily with Volkswagen, and eventually lost control of his car company to the great Daimler-Benz ended happily – for the car. Mercedes lost money on the venture for a decade after the first-generation rolled forth in 1998 and Hayek is still hocking chic watches.

If the Mercedes 190 had been a huge risk for the benchmark luxury maker, then the 1998 Smart (stands for Swatch Mercedes ART) was a calculated leap into the crazy zone. Nobody had ever built a car like this. The spec sheet reads like an exotic: Rear drive, mid-engine, two seats, tight steering, and compact dimensions. In reality, the Smart is small even by European standards at just 106” long, 61” wide, and 61” tall – able to fit end-to-end with my Corvette on one side of the garage. This presented some real safety and space challenges.

To achieve an array of 4- and 5-star crash ratings, engineers created the tridion safety cell, which derives its name from the three pieces of sheet metal that come together to form a protective cage. You can see the cell from the outside as the black or silver trim that outlines the passenger compartment. In an accident, the front and rear give way like an Indy racer, but do not allow destructive forces to crumple the safety cell. It’s perhaps the most creative crash cell design from the company that pioneered the concept on luxury sedans fifty years ago. In internal and federal tests, the tiny Smart protects much like a mid-size sedan. So, to answer friends’ most popular question, it is safe.

Interior space surprises everybody who rides in the Smart. Given the minimal footprint, you might expect a cramped cabin. Instead, the tall profile lets passengers enter and exit easily and provides command-of-the-road sightlines very similar to a mini-van. Even while cruising on the Interstate, you don’t feel like you’re about to be squashed by Freightliners. Designers allowed the passenger seat to sit slightly further back than the driver’s seat, freeing up shoulder room for both positions. A clear polycarbonate roof (comes with a retractable cover), like on a Corvette, provides an airy feel.

I planned to order just a basic Pure-grade coupe, but ended up choosing the uplevel Passion coupe for a couple of thousand more. Then, I proceeded to check all of the options including heated leather seats (fit for a ‘Benz SLK), rain-sensing wipers, six-disc changer, subwoofer, foglamps, dash-top “bug eye” clock and tachometer, and rubberized floor mats (cheaper than carpet and much better for winter). The car comes standard with a perfectly sized leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather-wrapped shift knob, exterior thermometer, trip computer, and tire pressure monitor. A tailgate and fold-forward passenger seat allow longer items to enter. Passion models are upgraded with a three-spoke sport steering wheel and paddle shifters on the steering column for the sequential transmission. As I found out late one night, it has an alarm system that will wake Lincoln. The dealer will be happy to install as NAV system. It’s loaded like a C-Class Mercedes and went out the door for $16,400.

I use the paddle shifters to get maximum use of the 71-horsepower Mitsubishi engine with three hamster holes. That doesn’t seem like much, but when it only has 1800 lbs. to move about, is more than adequate. As in uplevel BMWs, the five-speed transmission is an automated manual. Shifts can be abrupt, but talented drivers learn to let off the power a little when a shift is imminent. Otherwise, put it in full manual mode and use the paddles at your pleasure. Fuel economy is rated a frugal 33/41-MPG city/hwy. European diesel-powered models do considerably better.
Last weekend, I drove through a snowstorm to visit my relatives two hours away. All of the electronics and balanced chassis handled the poor weather like a pro, but the 30-mph crosswinds nearly cramped my arms. Passing semis in the left lane, at 75 mph, took nerve - A maneuver like that should be undertaken with the same concern and precision with which Mario Andretti should have passed Danny Sullivan.

Odd little floor-pivoting pedals work like the original VW Beetle, but are connected to electronic stability control, traction control, four-wheel ABS, emergency brake force control, brake cornering control, and hill start control (holds the car momentarily on hills as you lift from brake to gas). In calmer conditions, the coupe is long-distance comfortable and can swallow more luggage as a sports car. Even with excellent fuel economy, a tiny 8.7-gallon tank requires a stop every 200-250 miles at full till.

Only buy a French car if you in fact live in France. We’ll have to see if I made a huge mistake or spit in the face of destiny. So far, I’m pretty happy with my German-engineered, French-build micro-car. It isn’t for everyone, but is perfect for some. A ten-year history and Mercedes engineering go a long way towards building my confidence. I’ve followed the car from the start, saw them in Europe, and now have one in my American garage. I’ll let you know how it goes.

By Casey Williams
MyCarData

Smart ForTwo - No Destination is Too Far

2011-04-30T03:48:00.000-07:00

In “smart – small car, big deal” from Motorbooks, there’s a chapter titled, “The USA In Six Days: Laredo to Bemidji.” During early testing of the Smart, engineers drove the little cars from Texas to Minnesota and back to make sure the tots were ready for prime time in America. They performed admirably, prompting the author to declare, “For a smart, no destination is too far.”

I was already impressed by my own 2009 ForTwo, but was it capable of driving from Indianapolis to the Smokey Mountains and back without clogging mountain traffic? With a few vacation days to spare, I had to find out.

The mission was simple. A friend and I would leave on Saturday morning, drive from Indianapolis to Louisville, KY for a huge auto swap meet, and then rock it down to Gatlinburg, TN, at the entrance to the Smokey Mountain National Park.

I took a tour bus from Pisa to Florence during a trip to Italy two years ago. Before the trip, I had only ridden in one Smart at the Detroit auto show courtesy of DaimlerChrysler, on the way to my car. Riding the bus, huffing through high-speed mountain passes, we were seemingly swarmed, then passed easily, by Smarts. The tiny tikes were holding their own amongst Alfas, Mercedes, and Opels. That was in Italy, but how would the little car hold up in Appalachia?

Driving on flat Interstate lined by cornfields was easy. The morning was calm and traffic was light. Heated leather sport seats were supportive and comfy. Legroom was plentiful with a wide dead pedal, and there was plenty of luggage space for two large carry-on roller bags, two computer bags, and snacks. We listened to iPODs with the quick connection and rocked ourselves happy with the subwoofer. I loaded the six-disc changer to insure a constant stream of groovy tunes.

Even amongst car people, the Smart is a celebrity. Most of the Kentuckiana showgoers were bred on a steady diet of SUV and street rod. They had a hard time digesting the Smart, staring at us from every angle like Amish in Manhattan. We stayed at the swap meet for less than an hour, taking time to rummage through brochure stands and taking home $15 worth of Mercedes literature from the ‘60s and ‘70s. I found one with a ’79 Mercedes 280E like the baby blue one my grandmother once owned.

Back to my baby Mercedes for the afternoon run through Kentucky and Tennessee. In less than an hour from Louisville, we barely touched Lexington, before heading south on I75 towards Knoxville, TN. People stared and waved, but the Smart cruised happily at 80 mph – powered by a small 71-HP three-cylinder engine. There was no resisting the pull on the steering wheel when signs for the birthplace of KFC in Corbin, KY came into view.

The place is darned cool, even if it is the high mecca of fatty foods that have helped make America obese – the exact opposite of the Smart Effect. Sanders Court was originally a café and motel run by Harland “Colonel” Sanders. From a small kitchen, Sanders developed his famous herbs and spices, eventually franchising into one of the world’s largest fast food chains. You can still eat your KFC (a more modern restaurant has been attached to the original dining room) in Sander’s Court.
The Smart looked so small in the parking lot – like it could garage in one of the Colonel’s famous buckets, or better yet, get totaled by one. Hurried by my passenger’s irritated look, I quickly took photos and moved on towards the mountains.

To tell you I was nervous about driving the Smart through mountains is a misuse of the English language – I had visions of being swallowed in whole by Freightliners pulling logs. I owned a 1989 Geo Spectrum that I had to flatfoot through almost any acceleration, so that doesn’t bother me too much. A Smart looks tall, but all of the weight is low in the chassis, with the engine in the rear, allowing it to handle surprisingly well with its tight electric steering. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes with brake force distribution, cornering control, and electronic stability control (ESP) stood by if things got crazy. They never did – the car handled like a champ.

Stepping into the left lane at 80 mph requires timing, because there isn’t much power in reserve. The car will eventually surpass 90 mph, and you can keep a good head of steam, but you don’t want to try accelerating up a mountain with a semi (or Escalade) on your tail. Driven sensibly, the Smart is more than capable of taming mountains – in America, or in Italy.

In Gatlinburg, cruising the strip at a crawl, we caused heads to flip like flapjacks. Apparently, East Tennessee locals hadn’t seen may Smarts (although, we spotted about five while there including one with a motorized toy crank on its rear hatch). We drove up to the Microtel in our micro car then loaded up on pancakes, rummaged through shops of “Ye Ole’ Tourist Crap”, sent postcards, rode the ski lift, and otherwise gorged ourselves on vacation.

I really had fun on the curvy roads to Cades Cove and up to Clingman’s Dome within the Smokey Mountains National Park. I left the car in manual mode and paddle-shifted through every corner. The car’s short wheelbase and quick wit served up a load of fun. I had been working out so I wouldn’t huff and puff the nearly 1-mile hike to the dome in thin air. I didn’t huff or puff, and neither did the Smart.

Heading home, we started out in snow that worked the automatic windshield wipers like an exercise video and kept stability control on high alert. Going was as easy as coming except for strong crosswinds in Indian that whipped the Smart half a lane sideways at times. It can be a handful, and downright scary, but that’s part of driving a 1,800-lb. car with a high profile and small footprint. Of course, driving at a reasonable speed would have helped as well.

No matter where we stopped, the Smart absorbed attention. At one rural gas station in Kentucky, a cute little 75-year old cashier-man kept staring at the car, then at me as I paid. He asked the typical questions, “Is it electric? What is its fuel economy? Can you drive it on the Interstate?”
Then, he asked, “Can I come out and look at it?”
“Of course,” I said.
My friend looked at me with a concerned look as I was tailed by the little guy to the gas pump.
He took one more look, giggled, and said, “I’m gonna have to get me one of those to play with!”

With about 3,400 miles on the odometer, my Smart has already made highway trips to Illinois, Dayton, OH, Gatlinburg, TN, and as a daily commuter. It is a real car, capable of doing 98% of what you need a car for, and will be available as an electric model eventually (around 2011). But, how does a Smart handle Appalachia? Well, it turns out. Given calm days, there is truly no destination too far.

2009 Smart ForTwo Passion
Two-passenger, RWD Coupe.
Powertrain: 71-HP 1.0-litre I3, 5-spd. auto. trans.
Suspension f/r: Ind./Ind.
Wheels: 15”/15” f/r.
Brakes: Disc fr/rr with ABS.
Economy (MPG): 33/41 city/hwy.
0-60 mph: 12.8s
Top speed: 90 mph
Must-have features: MPG, Style.
Manufacturing: Hambach, France.
As tested price: $16,400.

By Casey Williams
MyCarData

Smart Fortwo - Passion coupe

2011-04-30T03:46:00.000-07:00

Since the stubby little things first hit U.S. streets just over a year ago, I’ve heard the same question over and over again: “Have you driven a smart car yet?” And I had to reply that no, I hadn’t. The waiting list for media test drives was almost as long as the waiting list to purchase the actual cars. Now, however, the moment of truth has arrived, and I’ve taken to the streets in a smart passion coupe.

So what do I think?

Well, like so many automotive decisions these days, it boils down to style. If you’re smitten by the smart’s carnival-ride styling and the prospect of being able to park in the smallest spots you can find, the smart coupe is for you. If you’re looking for a truly pragmatic way to save fuel on your commute, there are better alternatives.

That’s not to say the smart isn’t economical. The EPA rates it at 33 in the city and 41 on the highway. This economy comes courtesy of a 70 horsepower, 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine and exceptionally light weight. The engine is rear-mounted, just ahead of the rear axle. A surprisingly industrial engine note makes the smart sound not unlike a tiny FedEx delivery truck when underway. The smart’s transmission is a five-speed “automated manual” gearbox. As the little engine grumbles along, the smart shifts like it’s still learning to drive a stick; the leisurely up- and downshifts are great for fuel economy, but not particularly smooth. Acceleration is leisurely, and the smart will eventually get up to freeway speeds but it’s not particularly happy there. The car’s extreme light weight works against it at high speeds, where crosswinds can lead to spooky handling.

At lower speeds, the fortwo is delightful to maneuver. You’re practically sitting on the rear wheels, so parking lots and tight urban spaces are navigated with ridiculous ease. The suspension uses MacPherson struts in the front and a DeDion axle mounted with coil springs at the rear. Electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes are standard.

So, with all that said, the smart is, in fact, a real car, albeit a somewhat crude one. Vehicles like the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and Nissan Versa come close to matching the smart’s accomplishments, and offer four doors, five-passenger seating, and a great deal more cargo space.

There’s one thing you won’t get from any other car, however, and that’s the smart’s adorable packaging. Designed around the idea that the average commuter spends the majority of his or her time as the vehicle’s sole occupant, the smart has been penned with single-person occupancy in mind. Rather than create a featureless road pod, however, the smart’s got style. The two-tone exterior styling emphasizes the car’s safety-cage structure, with high-strength steel visible and accented by colored dent-resistant plastic body panels. The wheels are pushed out to the corners--they can’t help but be--and the nearly vertical rear end features four distinct taillamps and a gently sloped rear window. The smart’s face seems to grin, as if the car itself were amused at the way it looks. Hardtop and convertible versions are available; the coupe is available with a panoramic roof made of clear polycarbonate. If you live near a college town, let the inebriated pranksters know that the smart weighs in at a surprising 1800 pounds. This way, they won’t injure themselves attempting to carry it off, a fate that befell many a Lilliputian Fiat 500 and BMW Isetta in the 1960s.

In spite of the looks, the smart is not a regular car that’s been shrunken down to child’s size. Think of it as a regular-sized car with everything but the front seats removed, and you’re a bit closer to the truth of the interior. There’s plenty of room inside the smart, and delicate styling coupled with large windows and a high roof makes it feel even airier. The passenger seat is mounted six inches farther back, for additional legroom on that side, and folds flat for cargo carrying. With both seats up, the trunk will hold about 7.8 cubic feet of cargo--a few grocery bags or an overnight bag. There’s more storage space in nets in the doors and inside the bottom section of the two-piece tailgate. The interior quirk doesn’t come so much from the smart’s size as it does from the styling; the dash is covered in cloth, rather than cheap-looking plastic, and the auxiliary gauges are mounted in eyeball-like stalks on the das. The key is located in the center console, Saab-style.

What about safety? What’ll happen if your smart gets creamed by a Chevy Suburban? Based on two-vehicle crash tests that Mercedes has done, it’ll bounce off and go tumbling over and over like a die in a back-alley craps game. Fortunately, smart passengers stand a good chance of coming up with sevens, despite the wild ride a crash with a larger vehicle will send them on. With ten years of real-world development under its belt already, the smart knows how to protect its passengers. The body is one big safety cage, with most of the exterior features--including the front wheels--engineered in as crumple zones to keep the passenger cell intact. The smart also sits about eight inches higher than the average passenger car, so many impacts strike below the passengers rather than at shoulder level. Smart has added 2.5 inches to the “crash box” to compensate for the larger vehicles in the U.S., and the engine and fuel tank have been designed so that they won’t penetrate the passenger compartment in an accident. Front and side airbags are standard.

In the end, this is what I think: the smart is an adorable and extremely economical, but also very rudimentary car. For that, it’s also rather expensive. Prices start at $13,590 for the fortwo passion coupe, and my tester stickered for $14,980. It’s hard to ignore the fact that that kind of money will buy a number of much larger and more comfortable vehicles. If the smart calls to you and you want one, by all means, get it and love it, but if you’re just looking to save gas, there are more satisfying ways to do it.

By Chris Jackson
MyCarData

Scion tC - Frugal Doesn’t Have To Be Boring

2011-04-27T04:21:00.001-07:00

The Scion tC is one part commuter, one part sports coupe, and one part fashion accessory. This hat trick of urban usefulness is often the recipe for a car that does all things but excels at none of them. In this case though, the spendiest Scion on the showroom floor manages to be all things to quite a lot of people, and it has a good time doing it.

Though the boxy xB is the image leader, the tC is as upscale as Scion goes. Designed to serve the needs of the personal-coupe market so well attended by the Honda Civic, Saturn ION and Chevrolet Cobalt, the tC offers more space and a richer ride than some of those competitors, and packs it all into a vehicle with a smaller footprint. The stylish little tC is more car than its diminutive size would suggest.

The styling is subdued, especially compared to the standout xA and xB four-doors, but the tC isn’t boring by any stretch. Look closer and you’ll see intricate details in the headlight units and gentle side sculpting. The basic design is a seven-eighths scale interpretation of the long-hood, short-tail proportions of a classic sports car. The tC’s squared-off hood is comparatively stubby, but still makes up a good chunk of its length. A standard double-paned moonroof opens up most of the roof area to the sky and makes the cabin feel more spacious.

Inside, it’s surprisingly roomy. Although it’s only a two-door, the tC has a generous back seat with plenty of legroom. Driving position is somewhat legs-out and the tC sits low, so drivers used to riding high in an SUV may find it a bit constrained at first. However, there’s plenty of legroom and elbow room. The console includes a handy cubby hole for swallowing loose items. A measure of security is provided for the sound system as well, in the form of a cover panel that can be folded down to hide the stereo controls. The amenities are surprising, from the small things like the sun visors with extenders to the available iPod-compatible Pioneer sound system. Cruise control, a first aid kit and keyless entry are standard equipment. Side airbags are available. The tC may be relatively inexpensive, but it’s not a stripped-out entry-level car.

Will it really seat four, you ask? We trusted the Scion’s back-seat space enough to put our in-laws back there for a trip to dinner. There were no complaints...about the car, at least. A twelve cubic-foot cargo area hides under the yawning hatchback, as well.

Equipped with the optional four-speed automatic transmission, the tC is cheerful around town. Power from the relatively big-bore 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine is available immediately, and it isn’t buzzy or noisy. Variable valve timing broadens the torque curve while keeping fuel economy respectable. The standard five-speed manual ups the sport ante a little bit with faster responses and greater control over gearing, naturally. The tC is enjoyable with either gearbox installed, however.

The strut-front, wishbone-rear suspension is compliant enough to deal with potholed city streets, but provides plenty of feedback when cornering as well. The relatively wide stance and light, stiff body structure lend themselves well to feats of handling. Steering is responsive, and anti-lock brakes are standard. In stock form the tC is surprisingly well planted; enthusiasts who intend to go for more race-ready performance wheels and tires should find that the Scion responds well to tuning. With that in mind, Scion offers a Spec Package tC with plain steel wheels and limited options, that’s ready for modifying.

If cars were sold in department stores, you’d likely find the tC in the "Petite Sophisticates" section. That isn’t to say that all of the guys out there who have issues about being seen in a "chick car" should stay away, of course. Like the rest of the Scion lineup, the tC is a blank canvas upon which the owner is all but expected to imprint his or her personality. With surprisingly elegant style, excellent and entertaining road manners and versatile performance, the tC makes a good starting point. Pricing starts at $17,000. Tack on the automatic transmission, XM satellite radio and a security system, as with our test car, and you’ll get a sexy little $18,685 commuter that proves frugal doesn’t have to be boring.

by Chris Jackson
www.car-data.com

Scion xB

2011-04-27T04:20:00.000-07:00

Seriously funky styling always gets you noticed, but it rarely guarantees best-seller status. Cars like the Honda Element, Chrysler PT Cruiser and Volkswagen New Beetle have brought show-car styling to the masses, but the polarizing nature of an extreme design generally limits overall success. When the Scion brand was introduced three years ago, the boxy, no-compromise style of the xB was expected to make it the black sheep of the family. Instead, it became the signature Scion, outsold the rest of the lineup and arguably became the brand's flagship.

For 2008, the xB's first ground-up redesign enables it to grow into that role, literally. The new xB is larger, bolder and just as cutting-edge as ever. Fashionistas and hipsters have no fear, the box hasn't lost a bit of its attitude. It's picked up a more powerful engine and improved road manners however; the better to be a serious all-around vehicle rather than just a cool-looking commuter that can carry more stuff than average.

The 2005 t2B show car predicted the styling of the new xB, a fact which is obvious from first glance. It's still a box, with narrow headlights and a solid, two-box look. Flow-through windows and a solid C-pillar accentuate the look. The xB has softer edges and narrow-ish windows, giving it a heftier, more burly look. Asymmetrical details like a single, offset reverse light add visual interest, and bulging fenders suggest a hint of performance capability. The new car is twelve inches longer, with a four-inch stretch to the wheelbase. Out of sight, subtle underbody aerodynamics reduce drag. With 69.9 cubic feet of cargo space, the xB is as big as some small SUVs inside. It could make a surprising alternative to some crossover sport-utes in fact, though it doesn't offer all-wheel drive.

The interior looks more conventional, but isn't ordinary by any stretch. If anything, it's slicker than the outside. The seats are tall, with the short cushions that have always characterized Toyota products, and they recline flat for impromptu camping if need be. The dash features a centralized four-gauge pod, and the nearly-flat console is decorated with chrome and wraps around the shifter. A driver information center with clock, temperature, fuel economy and range information is standard. There's a cool storage drawer under the back seat as well. Connections for an iPod and other portable music players are standard equipment, and the sound system comes with rear inputs to make adding aftermarket subwoofers and amplifiers easier. Scion clearly knows its customer base. The air conditioning system has been improved over the previous, rather weak system. A navigation system is also available for the first time.

The new xB gets a larger 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine, courtesy of the Scion tC. The 158-horsepower engine is well-suited to the xB's larger dimensions, and the box moves out nicely when given the urge. The 2.4 is actually a bit more engine than the xB needs, so it's a relaxed powerplant that's nearly silent at idle. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, with a four-speed automatic optional. The cable-actuated shifter lacks the solid feel of a true performance car's linkage, but is light and easy to use in traffic. Fuel economy, according to the revised, real-world based 2008 EPA figures, is 22/28.

The MacPherson front/torsion-beam rear suspension keeps the xB feeling confident. On the road, this car rides almost like a small SUV, thanks to the relatively tall ride height and spacious interior. Keeping things carlike, the longer wheelbase and low center of gravity give the xB a secure feeling, which is augmented nicely by the bank-vault design and blind C-pillars. It's not tippy in the least, and though it hasn't been set up to be a performance vehicle, the xB is likely to shine with minimal performance modificiations. The electronic power steering is light on effort, and well-suited to the xB.

Scions have always been well-equipped, and the xB continues that tradition. Four-wheel disc brakes, anti-lock brakes and traction control are standard equipment on Scion's box. Side and side-curtain airbags are also on the list.

Don't call the xB "entry-level," because it's a definite step above, in spite of its relatively petite dimensions. This subcompact has style and attitude to match cars four times its price, and the improved performance and freshened looks should bring a lot of loyal xB customers back. Pricing for the new xB has been set at $15,650 for the manual transmission and $16,600 for the automatic.

by Chris Jackson
www.car-data.com

Scion tC - Recapture Your Youth

2011-04-27T04:18:00.000-07:00

I must admit I’m not in my 30’s, or 40’s for that matter however, I will admit driving this sporty little coupe made me drift slightly back in time. And did I mention this feeling can be had at the starting price of $17,800. Not a bad price for a trip down memory lane. Don’t think for a minute that you can’t add a ton of nifty upgrades to trick out this “cute” tC, however they can add up quickly.

My test vehicle had a rear spoiler, Scion Security and a navigation system, which is a must, making my vehicle still less than $21,500. The car was sufficiently equipped and had everything I needed. Of course that could bring us back to the age issue, but let’s not go there. While I’m not a fan of two door cars the third door Liftback came in really handy when loading and unloading groceries. Much easier than loading and unloading passengers in the back seat, I might add, but with only 31.6 inches of rear legroom it tended to feel a bit cramped. The 60/40 split rear seats were a plus when hauling larger items.

I liked the interior. The rich appearance and mix of textures added to its overall appeal. Sitting in the driver’s seat had a cockpit feeling and I felt in control of the car. The sunroof that covers both the first and second row seats adds an element of the outdoors and makes the interior feel bigger and more open. The 160-watt Pioneer audio stereo system with iPod connectivity and auxiliary port also provided great audio capabilities.

Along with the price, the appeal of this car is the many, many choices and options a buyer can add. Kind of like a blank artist’s canvas, you can even add purple neon light under the dash, although I’m not sure that would add to the ride. Scion engineers also included a wide variety of safety features such as Four-wheel antilock brakes, Seat mounted side-impact airbags, first and second row side curtain airbags and driver’s knee airbags. Add all this up and a sleek exterior design, which differs from the other more funky boxy Scion’s, and I think I’d safely say they have a winning vehicle.

I have come to the realization that when I get into a vehicle for the first time, I immediately look at the cup holder options. Call me shallow or just an avid coffee drinker who is seldom without a cup, but I found in talking to other people, women in particular, that this is a very important aspect of how we feel about the vehicle.

On a scale of 1-10
Cup holders – 5½

The tC had four total cup holders which were one size.

By Sandi Pedersen
Car Data Co.

Scion iQ Concept

2011-04-27T04:16:00.001-07:00

Much more likely than the GM/Segway P.U.M.A. to find its way into American garages during the next couple of years, the Scion iQ concept is already on European streets under the Toyota brand. Developed as a more practical response to the Smart ForTwo, it adds two tiny seats and a roomier interior for only a few inches of length. Sported out with low profile tires, ground affects, and cool colors, it would be a great addition to Scion’s line-up of youth-oriented cars.

If you saw it on the street, you might think a Smart and Toyota Yaris procreated. At 126.9” long and 71.4” wide, it should fit almost anywhere. A rear hatch and fold-down seats allow small children to ride in the hindquarters and provides versatile luggage space. In concept form, the iQ looks like a Hot Wheels mad scientist lost his entire mind and created Frankenstein’s city car. The Toyota iQ, sold over the pond, is rather conservative, but designers went for 20-somethings and added ferocious facias, 18” gray alloy wheels, LED driving lamps, Flash Gordon metallic yellow paint, spoiler, and body color everything.

Unlike Smart, the iQ is front-engine and front-drive, requiring a slightly longer snoz than its German-French competitor. In practice, this will keep costs down and make the car a little more normal from the driver’s seat. The 1.3-litre four-cylinder engine develops 93 horsepower and 89 lb.-ft. of torque. Vehicle Stability Control, brake force distribution, and four-wheel anti-lock brakes insure all of the power does not overwhelm the car’s wee chassis.

Inside, passengers will want to play with the LCD dash screen that can play music and videos. Brown seats are stylish with their honeycomb inlays. Much of the rest of the cabin, including three knobs for climate control, sporty three-spoke steering wheel, high seating position, and simple controls are very similar to the Toyota Yaris. Designers always trick out concept cars, but the basic design and space utilization are very good. The rear window airbag is also a pretty cool idea considering how close passengers sit to the hatch.

Scion’s iQ may only have one wheel in the crazy zone as it heads for American showrooms circa 2011. Toyota is even promising an all-electric version. Take a Smart, add a little more space, up power from a larger engine, while not making it too large seems like a great recipe for Scion success. If/when the Scion iQ makes it to production, expect prices to start at a youth-friendly $13,000.

By Casey Williams
MyCarData

Scion xB - Is It Still Hip to Be Square?

2011-04-27T04:15:00.001-07:00

A few years ago, when Toyota launched the Scion brand, they hoped to stake a claim on a very large, very young, car-buying audience. They marketed on the down-low. They offered a huge array of customizable options. A buyer could build his car on-line and pick it up at the dealership with a no-haggle price. Those first generation Scions were a big hit and the xB was a grand slam. Four years later, I have to ask the question: is it still hip to be square?

If anything, the xB is a beefier square. It’s bigger both inside and out. It’s got more power. It has chiseled fender bulges that give it a more significant road presence. And now it stands on the road with a reputation all its own. If that weren’t enough, it’s got the reliability of Toyota engineering backing it up.

Let’s start with its new look. As I drove it, people either loved it or hated it, but everybody looked. People too old for it, but familiar with it nonetheless, liked the remake better than the original. Someone commented, “They Americanized it. It looks much better now.” Most people also agreed that the single reverse lamp was a bit odd, but at least it gave them something to talk about.

Inside, the xB is roomier. The back seat is almost cavernous – my eight-year-old was too short to see out of the window. My four-year-old in a booster seat couldn’t see out the window. But I have to keep in mind that the xB isn’t meant for a thirty-something suburban mom, no matter how hip she thinks she is. I took it on a four-hour road trip, and after the first hour I started feeling it in my back. Either I’m definitely too old for this car or the seats could use a little more lumbar support. Scion means cool gadgets and my favorite is the iPod hook-up that links your iPod via an included cable directly to an incredible touch-screen Pioneer sound system. While there is a small learning curve to controlling the iPod on the touch screen, it is just plain fun. It sounds great and charges it for you while it’s plugged in.

The improved power is instantly recognizable in the new xB. Freeway merging is a lot less teeth gritting and much more normal. This comes thanks to tC’s 2.4-liter, 158-horsepower engine. It’s got a lot of zip and if you care at all about the law, you’ll find yourself easing off the gas pedal quite often. The five-speed manual gearbox is user-friendly, especially living in hilly terrain like I do. One feature of note is that the new xB is easier to see out of than the previous model. This is especially important to us hip people who happen to also be short.

Perhaps the best feature of all is the price. Starting in the mid-teens, you can get a lot of bang for your buck. Combine that with excellent fuel economy and the xB becomes downright practical. Saving money is definitely a hip thing to do, no matter how old you are; but let’s keep that on the down low.

by Cindy Stagg
www.car-data.com

Scion tC - Refreshed and redesigned

2011-04-27T04:14:00.000-07:00

A long time ago – well, it was actually 2004 – Toyota decided to give up on the younger buyer.
Instead, it birthed a new Scion division and let it market cars aimed at 18- to 35-year-old buyers who probably would never drive a Corolla … and killed the cool Celica and the fun mid-engine MR2.

First came the xA – a cooler Yaris – and the boxy xB, both born off of familiar platforms to the U.S. Then came the one car enthusiasts waited for – the sporty tC, the first generation premiered at the 2004 North American International Auto Show. Designed for the U.S. alone in 13 months and based on the then-Europe only Avensis sedan platform, it was a sporty coupe that cost way under $20,000, was a lot of fun to drive and still handled four adults and stuff.

Six years later, it’s time for a reinvention of the tC, what Toyota said would be a compact sports coupe with “premium style and features” to meet “the desires of the evolving sports coupe buyer,” according to Toyota.

But has it changed?

· Scion scenery – The 2011 Scion tC coupe shares the same long (106.3-inch) wheelbase and 174-inch length as the first generation, while its design is definitely an evolution of the first version. Its “bolder, more aggressive stance” is inspired by the Calty-designed Scion FUSE concept, Toyota says. We start with a slit grill between a pair of slit-eyed, glaring headlights over a bolder, wider-mouthed lower inlet with small splitter. The side intakes, fake on the tC, are larger as part of the edgier lower bumper. The nose and hood line seem lower as a result, while the flat-edged fender flares framing 16-inch Toyo radials seem a bit more aggressive, athough the 14-spoke alloy wheel design is a carryover from 2010. The roofline is less rounded as it heads aft, the windshield and side windows (thanks to black accents on the A- and B-pillars) takes a bit of its design inspiration from a wrap-around racing helmet. The car is a bit over an inch and a half wider, but no lower according to the spec sheet. The rear side windows get a more angular upsweep of the beltline, which rises more sharply upward off the front fender line. In back, more sharply defined fender lines accent the rear roof line and larger taillights, while one chrome pipe peeps out of the lower fascia. Repeater turn signals live in the side mirrors. Our model had one of seven colors, a purple metallic Sizzling Crimson Mica, well applied to a precision built body. It looks sporty and purposeful, with that interesting rear roof line that promises utility inside. But it looks so much like the first-gen tC that no one noticed it, even other Scion owners.

· Scion seating – I said it back in 2005, when I tested the first tC – the long wheelbase means a nice long door to get into a grippy black cloth-covered bucket seat with good comfort and support, plus manual height adjustment. The thick flat-bottomed, leather-clad (perforated at 2 and 10) three-spoke steering wheel looks like a race car’s, and manually tilts and telescopes for a good view of the dual-cowl (vs. the three-cowl first-gen) gauge package. Under that hard plastic dash top, set deep, is a 140-mph speedometer and 8,000-rpm tach, the latter with a green temperature icon in lieu of a gauge. That’s it, except for the central gas gauge – not so sporty, I guess. Underneath, a trip meter, while a green “ECO” indicator lights on the speedometer when you are driving more efficiently. The steering wheel was lacking in controls, only the basics for stereo –no Bluetooth connectivity on the base tC. But there is one thing not missing from the second-gen tC – good basic audio. We had a standard 8-speaker, 300-watt Pioneer AM-FM-CD audio system that shares some speaker components with the Lexus LX 570, each door packing a tweeter, mid-range and woofer for seriously clear and powerful sound. The big volume knob also doubles as a tuning/song selection/menu selector, and works well. There’s a USB connector and a 12-volt outlet at the base of the center stack, with a hard plastic nook to rest your music unit. There’s also an MP3 auxiliary input for other music players. An Alpine Premium audio system is available. The tC always had something a lot of its sporty coupe competition didn’t have – very usable, adult-size rear seats, and the second-gen is no different. Thanks to a roofline that doesn’t go all fastback, plus front seats that easily tilt and slide forward, you get easy access to truly good head and leg room in back for two adults. The rear seats split 60/40 split to expand a wide, if not too deep rear cargo area. And the rear seatbacks do recline up to 10 degrees. For storage, water bottle holders in the door map pockets, two cup holders in the center console, one of which can hold a rubber coin tray with iPod/MP3 player slot. There’s storage space under a hard plastic center armrest with room for up to 18 CDs, and a big glove box. There’s a power tilt and slide moonroof up front and a glass roof in back, both with sunshades. For safety, driver and front and seat-mounted side airbags, driver knee airbag, and side curtain airbags. I have nitpicks – the first generation tC’s interior was bolder, brighter in its use of alloy-like plastic, and more fun to be in, while this one was almost all hard black plastic with a touch of silver and padded door inserts – solid and precisely made, but a bit drab.

· tCompetition – Back in 2005, I tested a first-gen tC with an aluminum 2.4-liter, DOHC, four-cylinder VVT-i in-line four with 160 hp, borrowed from the Camry SE. In the Camry, with 5-speed manual, we hit 60-mph in 9 seconds. The same engine in the tC coupe did it in 7.8, with a delightful 5-speed manual. Fast forward to 2011, and the second-gen tC grows a bit in power with a new 2.5-liter inline four with Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) and a Variable-induction Intake Manifold System that changes the length of the air-intake pipe to supply more torque on demand. That meant 180-hp, with a snarling lightweight exhaust and a six-speed automatic vs. the base manual. The result – 60-mph in 7.2 seconds from our very young 900-mile-old tC, weighing 3,102-lbs. (198 more than the ’05). We had crisp downshifts, the ability to shift for ourselves, and an average 28-mpg in mostly highway driving on regular. Riding on what Toyota called “an enhanced platform” – read redoing the first version’s - we had a McPherson strut front/double-wishbone rear-suspension with a supple yet sporty ride. It handles highway bumps and back road lumps with no harshness, even with two on board. The new tC is as tossable as the old one, with good grip and a well-weighted electric power steering, aided by wider rubber and a thick-rimmed steering wheel. It plays well in the corners, with some front end scrub handled by traction and stability control, and stable in an off-ramp. Larger disc brakes on all corners helped the stopping power, with a precise feel to the pedal and no fade. I’d like the 6-speed automatic to downshift a bit quicker coming out of some turns. And if you want to play a bit more, the tC’s competition is sportier (see below).

· Scion economy - The tC starts at $18,275 with a manual transmission, and $19,275 with an automatic, all with ABS, Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Brake Assist, defeatable traction and stability control and a brake override system. All above was standard except $109 carpet mats, for a final price of $20,169. Direct competition includes the Honda Civic Si coupe and the Mini Cooper S. The Civic Si’s 2-liter four has 197-hp and hits 60 mph in 7 seconds with a very slick manual, as does the Mini Cooper S's turbocharged 181-hp in-line four. Both are crisper handlers as well, albeit a bit short in rear leg room. With 200-hp, a new VW Golf GTI gets to 60-mph in under 6 seconds as well and may be the supercar in the class. Alas, all three cost $2,000 to almost $10,000 more.

· Bottom line – If you want or need a chunky, sporty, good-handling sporty coupe with good fuel mileage and good room for people and gear, a tC is a good place to start. It is fun to drive, makes the right noises and has good value for the cash. It also has good power, and an automatic that gets us use it with economy. But I’d hoped the second-generation tC would up the ante in sportiness, when the aforementioned competition has.

2011 SCION TC

Specifications:

Vehicle type - front-wheel-drive 5-passenger compact sports coupe

Base price - $19,275 (As driven - $20,160)

Engine type - aluminum alloy block DOHC 16-valve with Dual VVT-i in-line four cylinder

Displacement - 2.5-liter

Horsepower (net) - 180 hp at 6,000 rpm

Torque (lb-ft) - 173 at 4,100 rpm

Transmission - 6-speed automatic

Wheelbase - 106.3 in.

Overall length - 174 in.

Overall width - 70.1 in.

Height - 55.7 in.

Front headroom - 37.7 in.

Front legroom - 41.8 in.

Rear headroom - 36.4 in.

Rear legroom - 34.6 in.

Cargo capacity - 14.7 cubic feet/35.4 w/rear seats folded

Curb weight - 3,102 pounds

Fuel capacity - 14.5 gallons

Mileage rating - 23 mpg city/ 31 mpg highway

By Dan Scanlan - MyCarData

Last word – Refreshed and redesigned, but maybe, just maybe, didn’t go sporty enough

Scion xB - goes custom

2011-04-27T04:12:00.000-07:00

Toyota’s youthful Scion brand busted out of the box with, well, a box. The xB was as square as the earth is round, but all of that slab-sided real estate made the perfect canvas for drivers wanting to customize their ride. From the factory, there is a barrage of available colors, interior lighting choices, and add-ons. An enormous after-market parts business has also grown to support the Toyota offspring, but Scion retailers offer a warehouse full of options, ready for the asking.

Cruise through the accessories tab on scion.com and you’ll see a list of options that looks like the catalog for Auto Zone. Illuminated door sills, contrasting color leather-wrapped steering wheels, and custom floor mats dress up the interior. Carbon fibre door pillar appliques, chrome exhaust outlets, and 19” Toyota Racing Development (TRD) wheels turn the xB from boring to boisterous.

Moving beyond mere cosmetics, performance enthusiasts can check off a TRD lowering kit, front strut brace, rear sway bar, performance shocks, quick shifter, and even specific oil caps. The TRD torque-biasing differential is available with the five-speed manual transmission to make sure all of the xB’s power gets to the pavement. All of this customizing potential gave Scion a good idea.

To inspire our troops and custom car builders, Scion put out a challenge for active duty military personnel to customize xBs in a contest. Cars were judged on thirteen criteria that included “paint, build quality, bodywork, interior, and audio/visual entertainment.” The Grand Prize Winner of $14,000 was “Team: The Salty Dogs” for The Squid Concept. It was created by members of the U.S. Navy, based at Naval Station, Mayport, FL. Two other teams created concepts that look like a safari car with open air rear compartment and a jacked up dessert buggy.

“All three teams did an awesome job transforming their xBs from cool concepts to complete head-turning rides,” said Steve Hatanaka, Scion auto shows and events manager. “On behalf of Scion I want to congratulate The Salty Dogs on their amazing build. I look forward to seeing this vehicle at SEMA and around the country in the coming year.”
Besides its debut at SEMA, “The Dog” was on display at the Detroit auto show. You might not want to go for the full nautical theme on your Scion xB, but given a little creativity and lots of help from your local dealer, you can design and engineer an xB like no other.

By Casey Williams - MyCarData

Saab 9-3 Sport Combi - Wagon-Like 9-3 Hits the Right Notes

2011-04-20T03:48:00.000-07:00

A number of manufacturers refuse to call them wagons. But vehicles that look curiously like station wagons of old are making an astounding comeback, particularly among the European entry-level luxury ranks.

Vehicles with four doors and a hatch in back were once a staple of the industry in virtually all segments. Then in the ’90s it became more fashionable to find the hatch attached to the rear end of a sport utility vehicle.

But people are rediscovering that wagons — a few companies beg us not to refer to their vehicles as such — are capable of hauling as much stuff as a comparably sized SUV while yielding much better gas mileage and offering alluring designs. Many of these new offerings can be ordered with all-wheel drive offsetting one of the few advantages of an SUV.

Jaguar, BMW, Audi and Volvo all have excellent examples of these compact and mid-sized wagons. For 2006, add Saab to the list. The new Saab 9-3 SportCombi is a honey of a car and returns the Swedish automaker to its hatchback roots.

All of the new European wagons are wonderfully proportioned. The 9-3 is no exception. The roof gracefully tapers rearward into a steeply raked tailgate. Arching high-mounted rear taillights wrap into forward-slanted D-pillars. The front third of the car is similar to the 9-3 sedan. And that’s a good thing.

The SportCombi is a mouth-watering design that puts Saab back in the hatchback business. Not long ago Saab was synonymous with hatchback. A great number of Saabs over the past few decades were either three-door or five-door hatches. But under the direction of new owner General Motors, the rear door was eliminated in 2003 in favor of a traditional sedan trunk. Saab loyalists who loved the hatchback design were left on the side of the road. The SportCombi has put the Saab aficionado back in the driver’s seat.

The 9-3 offers a sports-sedan feel with 45 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the seats folded and nearly 15 cubic feet behind the seats. It’s a wonderful combination of driving fun and practicality.

Our test car was the sporty Aero trim level, which runs $6,000 more than the base version at $32,900. In our estimation it’s worth the money. In addition to a power-packed turbocharged 250-horsepower 2.8-liter V6, the Aero brings bolstered front sports seats, leather upholstery, a lower body kit treatment, a lowered sport suspension, 300-watt stereo with 13 speakers, 17-inch alloy wheels, chrome instrument surrounds and chrome interior trim.

There are only two trim levels across the 9-3 model lineup for 2006. The confusing Arc and Linear designations have been discontinued and combined into an unnamed standard model.

The standard engine in the SportCombi is a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder generating 210 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque.

Both trim levels have manual transmissions available, a 5-speed in the base and a 6-speed in the Aero. Our test car came with a 6-speed automatic with steering wheel shift controls. It suited us just fine.

The V6 pulls strongly through the gears, but with a hint of turbolag at low rpm. We felt virtually no torque steer in the front-driven wagon. That’s impressive since the V-6 generates 258 pound-feet. The SportCombi actually feels faster than the unofficial published times of around 7.0 seconds from 0 to 60.

We did not drive the 4-cylinder model, but performance should be satisfying with 0-to-60 in the mid 8-second range.

The power derived from the V6 is a suitable counterpart to the car’s excellent handling and cornering capabilities. And this smile-inducing behavior is achieved in part thanks to a firm but certainly not jarring suspension. Good feedback is offered through the steering wheel with excellent on-center feel.

The driving position is near-perfect thanks to the excellent sports seats. They offer a neat combination of comfort and support. And we were impressed with the look of the parchment-colored leather seats with black inserts.

The dashboard layout is standard Saab black. We’ve always found Saab’s aircraft-inspired instrumentation attractive, even as some critics call for more colorful executions, but as in the past there are a lot of same-looking buttons that can be confusing until the controls are put to memory. Saab’s signature Night Panel remains in which all the interior lights can be cut off except for the speedometer for less distracting night driving. Saab was also one of the first automakers to offer a large, cooled glovebox for beverages or to keep your Snickers bar from melting in hot weather. It’s standard equipment — lined with a rubber insert — on the SportCombi. Storage areas are plentiful, including under-floor cubbies in the cargo area.

Our test car came with a few options including navigation, automatic transmission, front heated seats and special Fusion Blue Metallic paint bringing the bottom line to $38,065. The base price includes no-charge maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles and a four-year, 50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

The new Saab gives people who desire an upscale vehicle with cargo space an opportunity to say no to the gas-hungry sport utility. They will get a handsome wagon that can return 28 miles to the gallon on the highway while offering driving excitement not possible in a high-profile SUV.

by Jim Meachen
www.car-data.com

Saab 9-3 Turbo X Wagon - Saab's Munster Koach

2011-04-20T03:45:00.000-07:00

Load up the kiddies, the Cannondales, the kayaks and blast them to Hades - Saab has the most evil-looking wagon since George Barris created The Munsters’ Koach. Although the Saab doesn’t run on embalming fluid or a Mustang GT V8 engine, it does share the Koach’s black paint and sinister, road hugging, persona.

Now almost synonymous with Turbo, Saab debuted its first one on the 99 CombiCoupe in 1978. As with the original turbo 99 and 900 models, the dark and ominous 2008 Saab Turbo X features jet-black paint – now metallic. A matte black grille treatment simulates titanium while eighteen-inch 3-spoke wheels, twin tailpipes, and a rear spoiler further distinguish it from lesser 9-3s while linking it to its ancestors. Interiors are outfitted with bolstered black leather sport seats, carbon fibre finishes on the dash and doors, special gauges, and a thick-rimmed steering wheel. It looks ready to slay Volvos, feeling the part as soon as you slip inside.

Along with all other 2008 9-3 models, the Turbo X was designed to reflect a more aggressive aero-inspired exterior and Scandinavian interior themes driven from the recent Aero X concept car. Smoked taillamps and upswept headlamps with “eyebrow” lighting are modern and refined. Interiors are less cluttered with fewer niblet-sized buttons, adopting GM’s Black Tie radio design and ergonomic climate controls. Saab’s traditional driver-focused dashboard, large analog gauges, businesslike controls, and console-mounted ignition switch are as they should be. The nighttime lighting mode, which extinguishes all but essential gauges, is nice to the eyes. True to Scandinavian tradition, everything is high quality, but never ostentatious. Think IKEA with attitude.

Boring people may drive the sedan, but enthusiasts with a sense of adventure will choose the SportCombi wagon in which there is plenty of cargo room, especially with the rear seats folded, to tote your IKEA wares. While I had the car, I picked up my grandmother for lunch. Not only was she comfortable in her leather-bolstered seat, but her walker also fit very easily beneath the rear hatch. A bicycle, stroller, or tailgate party consumables can be consumed in whole.

Unlike the original “black turbos” that spun power from four-cylinder engines, the latest one makes whoopee with a 280-horsepower, 24-valve, 2.8-litre V6. An eager amount of torque (295 lb.-ft.) comes online at 2,150 rpm and stays until 4,500 rpm. Peak horsepower is made at 5,500 rpm. What you notice is surging power off the line and open lungs way above legal speeds. Buyers can choose between a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy is rated 15/24-MPG city/hwy.
Saab’s XWD all-wheel-drive system gets all of that power to the ground without drama. Very sophisticated, the system can shift power from front to rear and from side to side, depending on traction and road conditions. Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, electronic stability control, electronic brake force distribution, and traction control insure every bit of friction is used to the max. Engineers tuned the chassis for a stiff and solid ride for a good balance of performance feel and long-distance comfort. The car was also lowered 10mm to coax even more ability from of the car’s chassis.
One look at the Munster Koach tells you Mr. Barris had little concern for safety. Saabs, on the other hand, offer exemplary safety. Like any good European car, the 9-3 comes standard with dual front airbags, front side airbags, and side curtain airbags for all outboard passengers. Almost everything in the cabin is softly padded, including front knee bolsters, to protect soft humans. Front seats feature active headrests that move forward in an accident to prevent whiplash. All seating positions hold passengers in with three-point belts. Of course strong safety cage construction beneath the skin works to prevent intrusion from the front, rear, and sides. Saabs are as sophisticated in safety as they are in active handling and performance.

Whether you choose the Turbo X sedan or SportCombi wagon, you’ll drive a world-class car that can run with some of the best sport sedans and wagons in the world, but with a sense of practicality that can only come from Sweden. A powerful turbocharged V6 engine, angry ground affects, and black paint give it attitude that would make George Barris proud. Competitors include the Subaru Legacy, Volvo S40, and VW Jetta SportWagen

By Casey Williams
www.car-data.com

Saab Turbo X

2011-04-20T03:43:00.000-07:00

To help put an exclamation point on the 30th anniversary of its high-performance turbocharged engines, Saab has introduced the Turbo X. This limited-edition 9-3 features a more powerful engine, a menacing black paint job and introduces Saab's all-new XWD all-wheel drive system.

The 9-3 is the closest you can come to a "classic" Saab, so it makes sense that the manufacturer chose this model to carry the hot-rod torch. The 9-3's compact dimensions and well-balanced chassis make it a good starting point for a performance version, and it's the spiritual successor to the cool turbocharged 99 and 900 models of the 1980s. The Turbo X is available as a four-door sedan or a five-door wagon, and Saab plans to sell 600 of them in the U.S., out of a worldwide production of 2000.

The Turbo X is available as a four-door sport sedan or a five-door sport wagon, and it's available only in a metallic jet black color meant to evoke Saab's classic Turbo models. The familiar long-nosed styling and four-hole grille are enhanced by blackout exterior trim and a lowered stance. The front and rear bumper fascias have been slightly tweaked for improved aerodynamics. Special spoilers also set the Turbo X apart. Dark gray six-spoke eighteen-inch wheels are unique to the Turbo X and wrapped with Pirelli P-zero tires.

On the inside, the Turbo X features standard black leather and carbon-fiber trim accents. The seats are snug but not aggressively sporty, and all the familiar Saab cues are here: floor-mounted ignition key, cool kung-fu cupholder, multi-adjustable air vents and a nighttime "blackout" panel for improved visibility. Like most Saabs, the Turbo X features a comfortable, upright driving position.

Standard equipment includes rain-sensing wipers, XM satellite radio, a Bose Centerpoint surround-sound radio and a power moonroof. A DVD-based navigation system and heated seats are available.

The Turbo X's performance credentials are impressive; an all-aluminum 2.8 liter DOHC 24-valve turbocharged V6 resides under the hood and cranks out 280 horsepower at 5500 rpm, with 295 foot-pounds of torque available between 2150 and 4500 rpm. Variable valve timing and a dual exhaust ensure that the V6 is responsive even when the turbo isn't spinning. Saab reports a 1-100 km/h time of just 5.7 seconds. Saab doesn't report the big, honking exhaust, which is as noisy as some of the ineptly installed aftermarket systems hooting around town underneath modified Hondas. On the freeway, the Turbo X's booming exhaust note will easily render the surround-sound audio system useless. A choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions is offered, and the new Cross Wheel Drive (XWD) all-wheel drive system is standard. Produced by Haldex, XWD manages torque delivery front to rear and features a limited-slip rear end, offering stable and responsive handling in a variety of conditions.

Like the rest of the 9-3 lineup, the Turbo X has a MacPherson strut front suspension and an independent four-link rear. Special performance tuning sets the Turbo X apart on the road, however; the suspension is 10mm lower, with stiffer springs and shocks, as well as self-leveling dampers in the rear. Bigger brake discs, 13.6 inches in the front and 11.5 in the rear, are visible behind the wheels. The Turbo X is confident on the freeway and will cruise at extralegal speeds easily--almost too easily, in fact. In hard cornering, the all-wheel drive induces a bit of predictable understeer, and the Turbo X isn't particularly tolerant of rough roads. The overall feeling is that of a tauter version of Saab's confident, organic-feeling handling. This is a car that you feel like you're wearing, rather than simply driving it. It lacks the happy-performance-accident feeling of the early turbocharged cars it seeks to emulate, replacing it with a more carefully engineered sense of confidence and ability. Considering the on-again, off-again performance of the early Saab Turbos, this isn't necessarily a bad thing.

With pricing starting at $42,510, the Turbo X is playing with the big boys; in true Saab tradition, it's doing it while marching to the beat of its own drum. It's earned the price tag; the Turbo X is the ultimate representation of Saab performance, from its menacing yet subtle look to its track-tuned suspension and powerful turbocharged engine. To underscore this, Saab even treated the first 100 Turbo X buyers to an exclusive driving school at Road Atlanta.

by Chris Jackson
www.car-data.com

Saab 9-7X

2011-04-20T03:40:00.001-07:00

Maybe we've just been talking to too many Saab fans, but everyone seems to hate the new Saab 9-7X. It's an obvious part of the platform-sharing trend at General Motors, it's true, and the world probably doesn't need another V8-powered SUV. Most of all, to the Saab faithful, the notion of a great big sport-ute joining the family is somewhat anathema. Porschephiles reacted the same way to the Cayenne, and long-time Volvo owners revolted when the XC90 hit the streets.

All of the bad attitude may be a normal part of introducing an SUV to a lineup that has traditionally done without. Don't let it prevent you from considering the vehicle at the heart of it. For all of its badge-engineered flaws, the Saab 9-7X might be the nicest version of the General Motors' already respectable mid-size SUV family.

So how do you translate the sleek styling of a Saab sedan or wagon onto the tall, boxy framework of a mid-size sport-utility vehicle? The 9-7X offers a surprisingly handsome answer to this question. The rounded, boat-like chin that's come to characterize the Swedish manufacturer's offerings is present here, as are the three-element grille and catlike headlamp units. Saab's trademark smooth, aero look is also very much in evidence. The bumpers are flush-mounted, making the 9-7X look less truckish. 18" wheels are standard. At the rear, a unique bumper and rear windows that wrap around the D-pillars (as it does in Saab's 9-3 and 9-5 wagons) bring the styling expression to an elegant close.

The 9-7X gets the best interior of General Motors' midsize SUV family. The colors are warm, the seats handsomely stitched. With the familiar Saab instrument panel and the ignition key between the front seats, this doesn't feel like a TrailBlazer at all from the driver's seat--a problem that plagued variants like the Buick Rainier and Oldsmobile Bravada. It's even borrowed Saab's silly dancing cupholder from the 9-3. One might accuse it of trying a bit too hard to be a "Saab," in fact. Get past the theatrics and the 9-7X is comfortable and upscale. The architecture feels a little bit dated-- this platform is about five years old, after all--but it's solid and offers plenty of space for front and rear-seat passengers. It's well- stocked with cool stuff, too; GM's OnStar system offers turn-by-turn navigation to premium subscribers.

On the road, the 9-7X is quiet, with a smoother, firmer ride than competitors like the Volkswagen Touareg. It gives up a lot of interior space and airiness to the Audi Q7, but feels larger and more solid than the Volvo XC90. The luxury SUV market is crowded, and like a fractured European state, it's practically defined by the borders of its neighbors rather than by any particular distinction of its own.

The ride height has been lowered slightly, but the truck-like body-on- frame construction and solid-axle rear suspension makes itself known in the form of head-toss, reminding passengers that the 9-7X is a fairly tall vehicle. Steering response has been tightened, and together with the big wheels the 9-7X feels reasonably confident on the road. To keep things safe, a tire pressure monitoring system and StabiliTrak stability control are standard equipment. StabiliTrak helps to reduce yaw and oversteer in slippery conditions. Four-wheel disc brakes help to bring this SUV to a stop in all conditions.

All-wheel drive and an four-speed automatic transmission are standard. The lack of a selectable automatic transmission will turn some buyers off, as will the behind-the-curve number of cogs to select from. Five- and six-speed automatics are the way to go in the luxury SUV department these days. Give the 9-7X a healthy kick of throttle, and those reservations should disappear pretty quickly. The 9-7X is available with a choice of straight-six or V8 power. The 290-horsepower 4.2 liter inline six is the standard engine and does the job well enough, but the available 5.3 liter V8 brings the 9-7X to life. With 302 horses under the hood, the V8 erupts with a very un-Saab-like roar, and speed is delivered in a confident hurry. Like other GM V8 engines, the 5.3 is equipped with the Active Fuel Management cylinder shutoff system, so it's not sucking down ridiculous amounts of gasoline at all times. Properly equipped, the 9-7X will tow up to 6500 pounds, and a covered receiver hitch is standard equipment.

Ultimately, the 9-7X offers a taste of Sweden by way of Ohio. The Saab faithful may not respect it (as is the case with so many cross- pollinated vehicles these days), and its aggressive Saab-ness comes off as a bit defensive, but it's an extremely nice vehicle once you look past the overacting. Pricing starts at $39,935 for the six- cylinder and $41,935 for the V8.

by Chris Jackson
www.car-data.com

Saab 9-3 Sedan - A Little Quirky but Nice

2011-04-20T03:39:00.000-07:00

Well, if we knew the answer to that, we’d probably be making a great deal more money than we do now. "Rightness" is an X-factor that dances in and out of the grasp of every automotive engineer. Sometimes it’s predictable, and other times it turns up in unlikely places.

The Saab 9-3 is one of those places, and we’re still deciding if it’s an unlikely candidate for "rightness" or not. General Motors’ Swedish-car department seems to have lost its way somewhat lately, with Subaru- and Chevrolet-based additions to the lineup, but the 9-3 is much more of a pure Saab creation, with lines that resemble those of classic Saabs. It’s available as a four-door sedan, station wagon-like SportCombi, or a two-door convertible. This car is the spiritual descendant of the 900 sedans and hatchbacks that helped to forge Saab’s reputation as a car as sturdy as it was quirky.

Most folks will recognize the 9-3 as a Saab product, in spite of a design that’s been watered down somewhat by General Motors. The four-element grille is distinctive, and the rounded and tapering front end is also a Saab hallmark. From the side it’s a bit more generic, but a strong character line that rises from front to rear and creates a subtle wedge effect ensures that the 9-3 won’t fade completely into the woodwork. For 2006 Saab has dropped the "Linear" and "Arc" models whose geometry-based names were the delight of nerds everywhere, and merged the two lines into a single base model. Even so, the 9-3 retains its basic Saabness even in the face of GM ownership and platform-sharing.

The most brazenly Saab-ish aspects of the 9-3 - the ignition key mounted in the floor, "night panel" dashboard blackout button and aircraft-style air vents - seem more like affectations than purposeful innovations these days. The 9-3 is comfortable and well-built, however. The seats are comfy chairs that pleased a number of different passengers during our test drive, and the interior is surprisingly spacious. Handsome red walnut trim is available. The optional navigation system allows the 9-3 to keep up with the Joneses of the luxury car market, but the small screen and tricky controls make it one of the least helpful systems we’ve used.

The 9-3 is undeniably a long-legged, confident handler that eats up freeway miles with gusto. A choice of turbocharged engines is offered; a 2.0 liter four-cylinder in base models and a 2.8 liter V6 for the Aero line. The base model we drove was a bit turbo-laggy from a standstill, but the 210 horsepower still offers an entertaining drive. The V6 in the Aero makes 250 horsepower and probably doesn’t do wonders for the 9-3’s tendency to exhibit a bit of torque steer in four-cylinder form. Transmissions are similarly split between model lines; a five-speed manual or automatic is offered in the base 9-3, and a six-speed manual or automatic in the Aero. We drove the five-speed automatic and found it to be a generally agreeable gearbox, with smooth shifts and admirable response times.

In spite of the turbo lag and wobbly wheel under power, the 9-3 has that all-important measure of rightness to its handling. The independent suspension includes a carefully tuned four-link rear that offers a degree of rear-wheel steering but maintains lateral stiffness; as a result, the 9-3 turns in eagerly and without feeling loose. Understeer is predictable and doesn’t spoil the fun. On the road, the 9-3 feels alive and eager to be driven, rather than bored with mundane tasks. It’ll run at high speeds with a Mercedes-like lack of drama; we sometimes found ourselves going faster than we intended, in fact. Thankfully for your license, the 9-3 will haul itself down from speed without drama as well, thanks to standard anti-lock brakes.

It’s a nice little package that often goes unnoticed in the constant flow of new luxury and mid-luxury cars from Europe. Enthusiasts will enjoy the 9-3 for its road manners; Saab fans will like it for the familiar quirks that haven’t been ironed out by General Motors. The rest of you will just have to meet the Saab and decide for yourselves. The 9-3 starts at $25,900. Our test car was equipped with heated seats and a navigation system, and stickered for $32,960.

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by Chris Jackson
www.car-data.com

Ram Power Wagon - well-earned reputation

2011-04-20T03:35:00.000-07:00

Ram Power Wagons have a well-earned reputation for being indestructible and as off-road capable as a full-size, heavy-duty truck has a right. Re-introduced in 2010, and updated for 2011, the latest edition lives up to its reputation.
“No off-road truck on the market can touch the Ram Power Wagon. It dominates the competition,” said Fred Diaz, President and CEO – Ram Truck Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. “It’s a vehicle born from the minds of off-road enthusiasts and goes way beyond anything ever created by an automaker.”

That’s a bit of a stretch given the Ford Raptor and GMC Sierra All Terrain HD concept, but the 4x4 Power Wagon is plenty capable. It is equipped with electric-locking front and rear differentials, electronic disconnecting sway bar (a learning from Jeep), 32-inch off-road tires, Bilstein shocks, skid plates, 4.56 axle ratio for steep hills, and custom Warn® 12,000-lb. winch.

Keeping this beast on the move is a 383-horsepower 5.7-litre HEMI V8 engine connected to a five-speed automatic transmission. Given its off-road charge, the V8 has been modified for greater precision off-road through softer throttle response and a higher idle speed. This provides additional control when climbing or descending hills at low speeds. A heavy-duty frame helps the HEMI move up to 10,300 lbs. of trailer. You really don’t want to know about gas mileage when doing so.

Power Wagons are not Longhorns, so don’t expect extravagantly-equipped interiors. However, durable and comfortable cloth seats, leather-wrapped three-point steering wheel, Satellite radio, ginormous drink holders, and enough space for six large adults holds its own luxury. Power adjustable pedals, mirror extensions, and rear park assist camera make it easy to drive. I’d be all for the remote starting in winter.
Ram Power Wagons come with a powertrain to slay competitors and bodies to convince doubters. They can tow heavy trailers, bust through mud, and boogie like a ‘70s pickup to impress the neighbors. If you need to get it done, this adventurous Ram can probably do it. You’ll just have to pony up at least $44,980, or $50,535 as tested, to get in the door.

By Casey Williams - MyCarData

Porsche Boxster - Is Pure Sports Car and Pure Fun

2011-04-18T04:16:00.001-07:00

Porsche’s product development cycles are unlike other manufacturers. They introduce few models and keep them in circulation for many years. That necessitates an occasional upgrade of a current model. Think of how many iterations the 911 has been through…

We had the opportunity to re-experience the wiles of the Boxster at the completely renovated Circuit de Mont Tremblant racetrack just north of Montreal in Canada. This is truly a beautiful area and the track was similarly well suited for this type of drive. This part of Canada is in the Laurentien Mountains. Geologically, these are very old worn down mountains and often look like very large tree covered hills. The landscape, however, is what seems to be a never-ending series of rolling hills, forests, lakes and greenery…a perfect place for a road course.

On hand at the track were 3 well-experienced champion race drivers. As we sped through the countryside and over the track, it was reinforced yet again that the dominant gene in Porsche’s DNA pool is performance. That capability above all else is so fundamentally bred into the vehicle that roads and tracks that would severely challenge another vehicle, are easy and comfortable for the Boxster. Dips, corners, curves and swells are what this roadster was built for. It begs for a chance to sweep around a bend, crest a rise or attack an S curve. One of the things our pro drivers taught me was how important comfort is in a racecar. Having done the 24 hour endurance races at Daytona and LeMans they’ll tell you that not all race cars are equally refined and comfortable. Many can go fast but they beat up the driver in the process. Porsche’s as it turns out are very fast and very comfortable.

When driving a Boxster on a racetrack, it must be done with the top down. It’s all part of the overall sensory experience. You need to feel the movement of the car. You have to bond with the machine and the elements. Though the tachometer is the most dominant gauge in the most visible position on the dashboard, you shift gears by listening to the engine…you’re too busy driving to look down. You’ve got to congratulate the Porsche engineers who control the machine-driver interfaces. Not only does the machine perform well according to the numbers, but it also evokes such passion while driving it that you just want to own one yourself. Studies show that the single greatest factor in owner satisfaction is whether they “LIKE” driving their vehicle or not. Owners will overlook a surprising number of other vehicle shortcomings if they like their car. I guess that’s why Porsche enjoys such a loyal customer following.

The Boxster is the mid-engined Porsche. The horizontally opposed flat 6 is positioned ahead of the transaxle thus maintaining perfect balance and harmony in this little piece of the automotive universe. The cockpit will hold 2 comfortably and there is both a front and rear luggage compartment. The seating is superbly supportive and comfortable. The interior styling is sporty, classic and elegant. The 2003 interior has a new look, more similar to the 911 than before. The audio system is also upgraded and the optional Bose system is now powerful enough to compete with the wind during open top driving.

Though the Boxster is the “entry” level Porsche, it possesses all the sporting pedigree of the brand that its more expensive and more exotic siblings have. It is just as fun to drive and even though its terminal velocity is lower than the others in the line, it’s more than enough for the city streets where most of us spend our time. Add to that the fact that it is one of the best looking sports cars available, and you can understand the appeal.

by Kelly Foss
www.car-data.com

Porsche 911 - Celebrates 60 years with two new 911 Carrera Coupes

2011-04-18T04:15:00.000-07:00

When I was starting out as an auto writer, the annual introduction of new Porsche 911 models always confused me. To my untrained eye, the new models often looked just like the previous year’s models they replaced. While my eye for automotive detail has grown sharper over the years, the challenges for differentiating one model year 911 from the next still remain.

True to form, to celebrate the German company’s 60th anniversary of building fast cars, the two new 2009 Carrera models that are now heading to dealer showrooms look ever so close to the 2008s. But not to worry: Porsche aficionados will soon discover that these quintessential 911s have been especially engineered to mark this magnificent manufacturing milestone and are the most sophisticated, potent and environmentally friendly 911 Carrera models that the company has ever produced.

Despite their abundance of 21st century technologies, the 2009 911 Carrera Coupe and Carrera S Coupe clearly trace their engineering and aesthetic roots to the seminal Porsche. That original car evolved for over 15 years beginning in 1948 as the highly coveted 356. Then at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show, the groundbreaking 911 Coupe debuted as a 1964 model. As a testament to the genius of its design, after more than 40 years of development and six generations of engineering improvements, the 911 Carreras still showcase a horizontally opposed, rear-mounted six-cylinder engine carried in a distinctive and instantly recognizable body.

Though the new 911 Carrera and Carrera S Coupes boast several important refinements over the 2008 cars, the cars carry the same internal 997 designation as their immediate predecessors. Chief among those refinements are new, more powerful and fuel-efficient engines and the availability of Porsche's seven-speed double-clutch transmission, the PDK, in place of the optional Tiptronic S. Other critical changes include larger, more potent brakes, a revised Porsche Communication Management system with Bluetooth connectivity and available voice commands, a fresh exterior with BI-XENON™ headlights, and light-emitting-diode rear lighting.

Both the 911 Carrera Coupe and 911 Carrera S Coupe receive new engines that feature direct fuel injection, new two-piece crankcases and revised intake and exhaust systems along with Porsche VarioCam Plus intake-valve timing and lift system. Thanks to a 6.2 percent increase in horsepower, the 3.6-liter engine goes from 325 to 345 hp. When the car is equipped with the new PDK double-clutch transmission in place of last year's Tiptronic S, the 911 Carrera Coupe accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, more than a full half second quicker than its predecessor.

The 3.8-liter engine in the more potent 911 Carrera S Coupe exhibits equally awesome results sprinting to 60 mph in only 4.5 seconds when equipped with a manual gearbox, and making that run in a mere 4.3 seconds with the PDK. This blazing acceleration comes by way of the new 3.8-liter 385 hp engine. Despite the substantial increases over the predecessor models, neither the 2009 3.6-liter 911 Carrera Coupe nor the 3.8-liter 911 Carrera S Coupe carries the stigma of a gas-guzzler penalty. Better yet, both qualify as low emissions vehicles!

And even the most seasoned gear-head might find it surprising to learn that while the new 911 is equipped with two clutches, there’s no clutch pedal. While it is way too complicated to explain the mechanics of how all that works here, Porsche engineers said that in order to take full advantage of the newly designed engines, they decided to offer drivers a transmission that delivers quicker acceleration than is possible with the standard manual gearbox, while maximizing fuel efficiency. The new PDK (from the German Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe), or Porsche double-clutch transmission, replaces the Tiptronic S as the optional gearbox in both the 911 Carrera Coupe and 911 Carrera S Coupe. The seven-speed PDK allows the driver to shift up and down automatically, or he or she may opt to shift via steering wheel mounted paddles or the console-mounted lever, as with the Tiptronic S. If you’re a bit confused by all this techno talk, all you really have to know is this: the PDK is one of the world’s most sophisticated racing transmissions that enable this Porsche to go really fast, really quick!

When it comes to stopping, Porsche engineers firmly believe that a car's deceleration ability must always out-perform its ability to accelerate. That said, the both new 911 models receive added braking capability and are now equipped with the same sophisticated brake system previously used only on Porsche's very powerful all-wheel-drive models.

As significant as are the changes in the Carrera Coupes' drivetrains this year from last, the exterior differences are, as always, most subtle. Porsche's designers allowed only minor refinements to the appearance of the model range for 2009. When viewed head on, the most notable differences are the new, horizontal covers for the BI-XENON™ headlights and the L.E.D. daytime running lights, which extend over the air inlets. Also noteworthy are air vents, which boast larger cooling openings. The keen-eyed observer will also note the absence of a center radiator on cars equipped with the PDK. The side view reveals new, larger exterior mirrors with aerodynamic twin-arm mounts, as well as new lightweight alloy wheels. Each car's wheels are of a distinct design. In the rear, all the lighting elements are now light-emitting diodes, for improved luminosity, longer life and instantaneous response. Finally, in the back, the 911 Carrera Coupe sports two single oval exhaust pipes while the 911 Carrera S Coupe shows dual round polished exhaust outlets.

Interior refinements include a revamped center console highlighted by a new Porsche Communication Management system (PCM) and the availability of ventilated front seats. The optional navigation module now has a 40 GB hard drive and may be operated with optional voice commands. Other available features include an internal GSM mobile phone module with Bluetooth handsfree operation, as well the ability to connect with external music sources such as iPods or USB memory sticks. As before, the cabin offers its occupants the protection of six airbags: dual frontal-impact airbags; as well as two seat-mounted, thoraxprotecting, side-impact airbags; and two head-protecting, side-impact curtain, door-mounted airbags.

Bottom line: Both 2009 Carreras satisfy the need for speed with world-class performance. Indeed, when it comes time to serve this master of seductive Autobahn speeds by furiously flogging the shift paddles to push this willing and obedient model to its upper limits, design lines become blurred in an unrestrained and seemingly never ending power exchange of double pumping clutch action that only Porsche’s 60th anniversary 911s can deliver.

By John Peige
MyCarData

Porsche 911 Carrera 4S cabriolet - All around supercar

2011-04-18T04:13:00.001-07:00

If there’s such a thing as an all-around supercar, the Porsche 911 has held that title for several decades running now. In production and constantly evolving since 1963, the 911 has become a rolling technological tour de force wrapped in a skin that most casual observers can recognize, even if the layperson doesn’t always appreciate what it means.

Hardly a year goes by without a round of updated and upgraded improvements to the 911, and 2009 is no exception. The current iteration was introduced in 2005, featuring Porsche’s usual round of comprehensive updates. The Porschephiles call this vehicle by its internal codename, “997,” but for the public at large it’s the latest and greatest 911. For 2009, Porsche has boosted the engine’s horsepower and added an all-new seven-speed double-clutch transmission.

The 911 is perhaps one of the most recognizable high-performance cars on the road, thanks to a design whose basic theme hasn’t changed in two generations. Each passing update makes it sleeker and more aerodynamic, but the 911’s silhouette is still vaguely froglike, with rounded headlamps sweeping back into a dramatically curved greenhouse. The tail is sloped as well, and the Carrera 4 S is slightly wider than the two-wheel drive model. With the roof removed, the 911 is a surprisingly elegant design, with a flush-fitting top stack that’s surprisingly light--at just 77 pounds, it doesn’t have a significant negative effect on performance. Even the ordinary parts are extraordinary on a 911--the headlights are fitted with standard Xenon units, and driving lights, brakelights and taillights are LEDs. Nineteen-inch wheels are standard on the 911 Carrera 4 S.

The cabin is snug, but much more comfortable than one might expect from a dedicated sports car. The 911 has always been the “supercar you could live with,” and the latest iteration is no exception. Ventilated seats are available for the first time, and combined with the available seat heaters mean that 911 passengers are more comfortable in all weather conditions. The available navigation system, Bluetooth connectivity and iPod connections are handled through the 6.5-inch screen of the Porsche Communication Module. There’s even a chronometer on the dash. Why? For recording lap times, of course. The only thing you won’t haul much of in the 911 is luggage; the front trunk is less than five cubic feet, and the space behind the front seats (which is laughably occupied by seats) is only half a cubic foot larger.

If you’re lucky enough to find yourself behind the wheel of a 911, it’s a special experience. You don’t have to be an enthusiast to appreciate the flat-six engine under the rear deck. It does take a moment to get beyond the giddy, star-struck feeling of “Holy crap! I’m driving a 911!” Take a few deep breaths and get that out of your system, though, because there’s a lot to see and experience here, and you don’t want to miss any of it. The standard 911 gets a 345 horsepower 3.6 liter engine, while the Carrera 4 S cabriolet has a 3.8 liter powerplant making 385 horsepower. Fuel economy is also improved, to 18 in the city and 27 on the freeway. Porsche claims a 4.7-second 0-60 run with a manual transmission, and 4.5 seconds with the optional double-clutch automatic. To rein in that accelerative ability, Porsche’s Launch Control is included.

Forget anything you may have heard about this car being hard to drive. The 911 has endless grip and stability, especially in all-wheel drive format. It’s not as twitchy as a Corvette; power delivery is nice and progressive (though not slow by any means!) On the transmission front, the Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (just call it “PDK”) replaces the Tiptronic selectable automatic in the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S Cabriolet. The PDK is a seven-speed double-clutch automatic transmission that offers lightning-fast shifts. It’s also lighter than the Tiptronic, for that all-important weight savings. With the PDK transmission in Sport mode, it’s right at home on the track. The PDK transmission is a double-clutch system that actually engages two gears simultaneously. This makes shifts quicker, with no lag while the revs are matched to the next gear. All-wheel drive is handled by the electronic Porsche Traction Management system, borrowed from the 911 Turbo. It replaces a hydraulically-operated system used previously, and helps to increase reaction time and sure-footedness.

The handling is in its own league. The 911 cabriolet is strongly reinforced to give it the same body rigidity as the track-bred hardtop, and the cars are equally adept when the going gets twisty. The suspension is fully independent, and not easily summed up. Up front, a spring strut axle is used, with each wheel individually coil-sprung and mounted on a track arm. The rear uses independent control-track arms for each wheel. The mechanics are complicated, but the results are obvious: the 911 grips the road with unmatched tenacity. It’s not immediately obvious from the styling, but the 911 is blessed with an extremely wide track, which helps to keep it planted as firmly as if it were riding on rails. Porsches have always been known for good braking, but that didn’t stop the engineers from improving the 911’s brakes for 2009. Discs at all four corners measure 12.99 inches, and the four-piston calipers are shared with the 911 Turbo.

The Porsche 911 is a constantly evolving yet approachable supercar. As a measure of how far this car has come, consider the Gemballa Avalanche of the 1980s. This radically-modified 911 was one of the legends of its day, reportedly so powerful it was almost undriveable. The new 911 Carrera 4S has about fifty horsepower more than the Gemballa Avalanche did, yet it’s docile enough to be easily driven on city streets. The Porsche mystique is backed up by real performance, and that makes the $102,900 base price of the Carrera 4 S cabriolet a bit easier to swallow. The PDK transmission adds another $4050 to the bottom line; fully optioned, my tester stickered for $120,100. It’s rare that I say this about any six-figure automobile, but: this one’s worth it.

By Chris Jackson
MyCarData

Porsche Panamera S - almost as pretty as a 911, and just about as good to drive

2011-04-18T04:12:00.000-07:00

“I didn’t know Porsche made a four door,” said a friend after gazing at our Panamera S.
With a 400-hp V-8 under the long nose and a 7-speed, dual-clutch Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe automatic transmission hooked to wide 20-inch rear rubber, it’s the most different Porsche since the Stuttgart company’s four-wheel-drive Cayenne SUV. But in a city where one of the most legendary Porsche dealerships exists, and races (Brumos), you’d think folks would know the new 4-door sedan.

Some did a few months ago, when Brumos showed off all three Panamera models in an art gallery, with Porsche Cars North America president and CEO Detlev von Platen and legendary multi-time Le Mans and Daytona endurance race champ Hurley Haywood in the house.

Von Platen said Porsche’s desire was to build a car with space, where one could take wives along “without any complaints,” but also “without any kind of compromise; a really true Porsche.”

“I have driven this car and it is amazing,” he said. “You are not sitting on a car; you are sitting in a Porsche, and this car, I believe, is absolutely unique.”
“I love the way it looks; I love the way the interior set-up is; I love everything about this car,” Haywood added. “This is truly a 4-door 911.”
The Panamera is in rare company - a true sports sedan like the Cadillac CTS-V, BMW 7-series, Mercedes-Benz S-class, Maserati Quattroporte and the Aston Martin Rapide. Porsche expects to sell up to 20,000 worldwide in the first full year of production, which started Oct. 17. So far, all three versions – our rear-wheel drive Panamera S or all-wheel-drive Panamera 4S, and the 500-hp, twin-turbocharged, all-wheel-drive Panamera Turbo – have more than 4,000 U.S. owners.

*Panamera panache - Porsche’s fourth model behind the 911, Boxster, Cayman and Cayenne SUV, the is the company’s first four-door car in its 60-year history, the result of five years of design and engineering work. The end result – well – looks like a 4-door 911 of sorts. You have a familiar low, sporty silhouette, albeit a 195.6-inch-long version, with a long, almost 115 inches of low-hung wheelbase. The sweeping headlights, rounded bumper and low air intake instead of a traditional grille say “911,” then you see the long bonnet with power bulge and curved front long fenders framing that familiar Porsche face. White LED running lights enhance the look over the black double bars in the side air intakes above the lower air dam. Two long doors get the classic 911 roundness around the door handles, while the lower door sill visually lowers the car, a fender vent and lower door accent line with a chrome side vent with marker lights. The rear roofline’s curving contour and rounded rear fenders flow into the rear hatchback with an E-type window with big 911-style LED taillights framing its chrome accent strip. This is the only place the Panamera’s design looks a bit awkward, a bit fat-bottom. But as it tapers to a rounded rear, we get a bit of the familiar 911 tail, plus dual tailpipes in brushed stainless steel in a black lower fascia. Those who peeked underneath found a large undertray, combining with the sleek shape into a wind-quiet .29 drag coefficient, aided by an adaptive spoiler that rises at 56 mph and adjusts at speed. And the optional 14-spoke Spyder Design 20-inch alloy wheels, with Michelin P255/40ZR20’s in front and P295/35ZR20’s in back, finished the look, while sunny days really made the Mahogany Metallic stand out. We got thumbs up, swiveling heads and lots of looks on the road. And when we parked at a hot rod cruise-in, we got more looks than a line of custom Camaros, including more than one “awesome.”

*Porsche portage – Hop into the form-fitting driver’s bucket, with 14-way power adjustments, twin memory presets and heating/cooling, and you find great comfort and firm support with power lower thigh and height-adjustable lumbar support. The Panamera-shaped key fob fits the ignition on the left, a Porsche historical note from its endurance racing days, when drivers ran to parked racers and started the car with the left hand as they buckled with the right. The entire interior is covered in Luxor Beige leather, stitched beautifully at the edges, with polished black accents on doors, dash and center console. Straight ahead, a big central 8,000-rpm tach with configurable display underneath – we liked a big digital speedometer. To the left, a 200-mph analog speedometer with odometer/trip odometer or clock, overlapping oil pressure and temp gauges. To the tach’s right, a 4.8-inch LCD color screen that displays trip computer information from tire inflation or radio stations to a repeater navigation map, with water and gas to the right of that. The screen also shows the speed limit on the road you are driving on, plus radio stations and telephone numbers. All functions are controlled via a rubberized thumbwheel on the flat-bottom power tilt/telescope steering wheel, which has a thick leather-padded rim. Bluetooth telephone controls are there as well as the elegant alloy PDK transmission paddle shifters. The big 7-inch touch-sensitive Panamera Command Center has a navigation map, plus weather, stocks and traffic information, and also displays the park assist. You can access a superb BOSE Surround Sound 14-speaker, 585-watt AM-FM-XM Satellite-CD-audio/video DVD system with Bluetooth connection for cellphones and music, plus an interface in the center console for iPod or a USB hookup. Overhead controls handle ParkAssist sensors and Homelink. The center console extends aft to the rear bucket seats, where my 185-lb., 6-foot frame fit either side just fine, and surprised friends with the space. Behind, a power hatchback opens to reveal a flat, wide 15.7-cubic-foot trunk with netted nooks on either side. The rear backrests split and fold to open up a bigger 44.6 cu. ft. of space. We had a padded ski-bag that fits through the center section folding separately between the rear seats. Cup-holders – two fold from the aluminum trim strip in front of the passenger, and another is somewhat usable aft of the gearshift.

*Panamera power – We had the base version, if you want to call it that, with a tad over 6,000 miles on the clock. Some thought 400-hp wasn’t enough until I told them the car weighs only 3,968 lbs. That water-cooled aluminum 32-valve V-8 has four overhead camshafts; valve timing and valve stroke variable on the intake side (VarioCam Plus), all new with tricks like a valve control box and valve cover made of magnesium and an intake manifold with extra-thin walls and lighter crankshaft. There’s a decent 369 lb-ft of torque.The dual-clutch PDK works via the gear shift or paddles on the steering wheel, one handling first, third, fifth and seventh gear, the other with second, fourth and sixth gear. One waits as one works, meaning instant shifts. Testing Porsche’s other models at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama recently with PDK, I was significantly smoother on its winding course, and faster than a 6-speed manual. You concentrate on driving, and leave the razor-sharp shifts to the PDK, which never caught me out and even blipped the throttle on downshifts like a racer for matching revs.

Set on our optional Sport Chrono’s “Sport Plus,” (comfort and sport settings too) electronic engine management gives the engine more aggressive response, upshift points moved to higher engine speeds, gears shifting up later when accelerating and down earlier when decelerating. The result – 60-mph in 5.3 seconds with precise shifts, and 100-mph in 13 seconds. There’s a switch to open up the exhaust a bit more, the snarl intoxicating but not intrusive. We averaged 16-mpg on premium.

Our car had Porsche Active Suspension Management with adaptive air suspension. On base setting, we enjoyed a fluid ride that was comfortable on all surfaces, but never too soft. Firming up on “Sport,” “Sport Plus” lowers the car almost one inch and switches to a harder spring rate as PSM backs off. The result is razor sharp steering, almost no body roll and a neutral feel when going into a turn, nice when you consider the engine is up front. PSM will kick in again if the front wheels reach the ABS control point. But you can power the tail a bit for better exits, all catchable, the suspension never beating you up. The chassis, tires and steering act in concert, very tossable for a 4-door, very precise and world-class fun – and it’s a 4-door! And with the dashboard stopwatch and another split timer the secondary display, you get lap times as well as the times required on individual routes, overall time required on a specific route or lap, the distance covered on the last lap, the total number of laps completed so far, and the driver’s individual lap times.

The PDK double-clutch transmission also gets an engine start-stop system like a hybrid for gas savings, the engine shutting down at stop lights, then firing quickly at launch, unless you are in a “Sport” mode. The PDK also has a launch control, although it was a bit cranky after some presumed abuse as a press car. Still, when you left-foot brake, tap the gas pedal, and the engine hits 5,000-rpm, Porsche Stability Management handles shifts and traction control. That resulted in a 0-60 time of 5 seconds – very fast and all under control. What goes fast also stops well - front six-piston aluminum monobloc brake calipers with 14.17-inch grooved and inner-vented discs, and four-piston aluminum monobloc brake calipers and 11.7-inch rear grooved and inner-vented discs meant flawless short stops with no fade time and time again. The supercharged Cadillac CTS-V is faster, and less expensive, if not as agile, a BMW 5-series almost as agile, but doesn’t feel like a 4-door 911. My only nit-pick – the rear window height and side sail panels conspired to limit side rear visibility when passing.

Haywood has spent extensive time behind the wheel of the Panamera, including lots of laps at tracks. He simply calls it “extraordinary.”

“It has the manners of both an S-Class Mercedes-Benz and a 911. And with the press of a few buttons, you can change the character from an S-Class to a 911,” Haywood told me. “Driven fast, it has supreme confidence, so you can drive this very fast and feel very in control all the time. I experienced that on the road to Bavaria from Munich at 180-mph with four people on board. It was like sitting in my living room.”
‘Nuff said.

*Porsche paymeister - The Panamera S starts at $89,800, with lots of options to take it up to $111,220, including $2,950 sport exhaust, $3,655 Luxor leather interior, $3,120 Spyder Design 20-inch wheels, $1,990 adaptive air suspension, $1,320 Sport Chrono, $1,794 14-way front power seats, $210 heated steering wheel and more. The all-wheel-drive Panamera 4S and Panamera Turbo retails for $93,800 and $132,600, respectively, while the just-introduced 300-hp V-6 version (3.6-liter that’s about 66 lbs. lighter than the V-8) starts at $74,000 and averages 18 mpg city/27 highway. FYI – eight airbags for driver and front passenger, plus knee airbags, two-chamber thorax/hip side airbags at the front, and rear side airbags as an option. No spare tire, just a repair kit with tire sealant and air compressor.

*Bottom line – This is an executive sports car transport or a ground-bound Citation commuter jet on wheels with cargo and human space – I loved it.
2010 Porsche Panamera S

Vehicle type - 4-door, 4-passenger sports sedan
Base price - $89,800 ($111,220 as tested)
Engine type – aluminum DOHC, 32-valve V-8
Displacement – 4.8-liter
Horsepower (net) – 400 @ 5,500 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) – 369 @ 3,500 – 5,000 rpm
Transmission – 7-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic w/paddle shifters
Wheelbase – 114.9 inches
Overall length –195.6 inches
Overall width – 83.2 inches
Height – 55.8 inches
Front headroom – 38 inches
Front legroom – 41.9inches
Rear headroom – 38.2 inches
Rear legroom – 33.3 inches
Cargo capacity – 15.7-cu.ft./44.6 w/rear seats folded
Curb weight – 3,968 lbs.
Fuel capacity – 26.4 gallons
Mileage rating – 16-mpg city/24-mpg highway
Last word – Almost as pretty as a 911, and just about as good to drive

By Dan Scanlan - MyCarData

Porsche Panamera

2011-04-18T04:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks to its door count (four as opposed to two) one might be tempted to dismiss Porsche's Panamera sedan as a poseur in the sports car arena. Yes, the idea of a four-door Porsche takes some getting used to, but don't get hung up on those incongruous rear doors. If necessary, when approaching the Panamera, close one eye to block them from sight because once behind the steering wheel, you will forget all about those extra portals anyway.

Having launched the Gran Turismo Panamera models for 2010, Porsche is following up with the $75,375 V6 Panamera and its $79,875 AWD version, the Panamera 4, for 2011. This is a lot of cash for what is essentially the entry-level model, but when you consider that the top-end Panamera Turbo is $133,575, a sub-$80,000 price tag seems quite reasonable. The number of drive wheels is the only difference between the Panamera and Panamera 4.
The most notable contrast between Panamera and the $90,875 Panamera S, besides the $15,500 sticker price, is the number of engine cylinders. Panamera S has a 400-horsepower 4.8-liter V8 thrashing under the hood, while the Panamera has a 300-horsepower 3.6-liter V6.

Popping the Panamera's hood reveals about eight inches of empty space between the front of the engine compartment and the beginning of the V6. In S versions this gap is filled with the V8's additional cylinders. Basically the V6 is the V8 less the two cylinders. Otherwise the engines are quite similar. Both feature a 90-degree "V" which helps lower the car's center of gravity over traditional V configurations with 60-degree angles.
Wrangling engine output to the wheels is the seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe dual clutch transmission. For most of us attempting to pronounce its name could bring on a pounding headache. Don't worry; Porsche shorthands the name to PDK. This is a driver-shiftable automatic tranny that comes with shift paddles located on either side of the three-spoke steering wheel. Clicking the front side of the paddles forward advances the transmission, while clicking the backside of the paddles toward you down shifts.
According to Porsche, galloping from a stop to 60 miles per hour takes an impressive 6.0 seconds when two wheels are doing the work and an even quicker 5.8 seconds when all four wheels are pulling. Opt for the $1,480 Sport Chrono Package with its digital stopwatch and Sport Plus button, and you can shave another 0.2 of a second from the above times.
Fuel economy is a very reasonable 18 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway by EPA estimates. Adding AWD chips 1 mpg from the highway number. Porsche threw everything it had at keeping fuel consumption as low as possible. Liberal use of aluminum in the engine, as well as the axles, doors, hood and front fenders, helps hold down the weight to 3,880 pounds in the RWD car and 4,012 pounds in the 4. Auto Start Stop, that automatically turns the engine off when not required, like at stop lights, and then automatically restarts it when the brake pedal is released, also helps maximize mileage.
A number of optional enhancements are available for the standard steel suspension consisting of a double-wishbone setup with cylindrical coil springs and twin-sleeve dampers in front, and a multilink arrangement with springs and dampers in the rear. This produces a firm ride and controlled handling. Porsche Active Suspension Management is a $1,990 electronically controlled damper system. The $5,000 Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control keeps the car flat during cornering. It also includes Porsche Torque Vectoring that combats understeer in the turns.

Monitored by an antilock system, the four-wheel ventilated disk brakes also support traction control, electronic stability control, emergency braking assist and electronic brakeforce distribution. Among the passive safety features inside the cabin are 10 airbags including dual front knee airbags as well as rear side-impact airbags.
Once inside the cabin, the spaciousness is striking. This isn't some 2+2 where the backseat is little more than a parcel shelf. Seating four, both front- and rear-seat occupants have scads of head, shoulder and legroom. Nearly 16 cubic feet of luggage capacity swallows cargo, and can be expanded to more than 44 cubic feet by folding down the rear seat.

First timers may find the acres of buttons, gauges, controls and switches intimidating as they slide behind the wheel. A Marine fighter pilot would probably find the density of buttons somewhat off putting. Porsche believes in a separate control for every function as opposed to some sort of central computer interface like BMW's iDrive. No complaints here.

Exactly what you would hope for in a sports car, the eight-way power-adjustable leather front bucket seats wrap around driver and passenger keeping them upright even during the hardest of cornering. Likewise the rear bucket seats provide optimum side support. Wood, leather and brightwork combine to create a rich, inviting environment.
Full power accessories, heated front seats and outboard mirrors, leather-wrapped tilt-telescoping steering wheel with redundant audio controls, dual-zone automatic climate control, and an 11-speaker audio system with a CD/DVD player and iPod interface are all standard.

A dizzying array of options will either thrill you or send you screaming out of the showroom. Everything from a $5,690 16-speaker Burmester Surround-Sound System to a $140 fire extinguisher are on the list.
If you want a luxury sedan with serious performance DNA, the Panamera is the real deal and an experience you can share with three friends.

By Russ Heaps - MyCarData