Saturday, June 30, 2012
Mazda CX-9 Review
As the tide turns from traditional truck-based SUVs, a lot of people are discovering the larger crossovers (sport-utes based on car, rather than truck, platforms). It's turning into a crowded field (including four from General Motors alone)...but there are standouts, and one is the Mazda CX-9.
As noted in previous entries here at TireKicker, Mazda doesn't make bad cars. And the CX-9, based on the very good previous-generation Mazda 6, is a strong contender.
The CX-9 is big enough for three rows of seats accomodating seven passengers. The weight of the vehicle, people and stuff is pulled (yep, front-wheel drive) along by a 273 horsepower 3.7 liter V6 with a six-speed automatic transmission. The six speed helps nudge the EPA estimated mileage into respectable territory...16 city, 22 highway.
Ordered in Grand Touring trim, as the test vehicle I drove was, the CX-9 shows up with 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels, automatic Xenon headlights, leather-trimmed seats (including an 8-way power heated driver's seat), Bluetooth hands-free capability for your cell phone, a three-zone climate control and a six-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system. Price: $33,355.
Options on the tester included Sirius Satellite Radio, a blind spot monitoring system, a package including a moonroof and a 277-watt, 10-speaker Bose surround sound sytem with a six-disc changer in the dash, a towing package and a GT Assist package...including navigation, rear view camera and power rear hatch. That propels the bottom line (with delivery charges) to $39,405. ..which puts it right in the hunt with a similarly loaded GMC Acadia.
Safety's a plus here, too, with the CX-9 getting a five-star rating from the government for frontal and side crashes for the driver and passenger, and a four-star rollover rating.
As a smaller manufacturer, Mazda often gets overlooked. In this case, that would be a big mistake.
UPDATE: Just finishing a week and a few days in the base-level CX-9 Sport...one without any options whatsoever. And it's brilliant. How? Because the basic goodness of the CX-9 as above is there...but the lower standard equipment level (not lower by much) and lack of options keeps the price just a nick under $30,000 as tested. That's ten grand below the sticker price above....for the same basic vehicle. Go. Drive. One. Now.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Volkswagen CC Sport Review
I wonder if Volkswagen appreciates the irony of the new CC.
Six years ago, the company introduced the Phaeton, a big luxury sedan with a price tag starting around $65,000 and running all the way up to $95,000 (a hundred grand with tax) for a 12-cylinder model.
It was a monumental flop, yanked summarily from the U.S. market after only a couple of seasons (it is still sold in Europe and is on the verge of a third facelift for 2011 that has die-hard fans hoping for a return to America)
Part of the problem was that for all that money, it looked like a Passat, only bigger. And from a block away, with no perspective to judge size, it looked like a Passat, period.
So now, VW creates a truly desirable car...and it really is a Passat...but with a sleek roofline and some other styling tricks.
And...here's the good part...it carries a price tag lower than the Passat...base price for the Sport model I drove is $27,100...$1,200 below the least-expensive Passat.
The current-generation Passat is a bit of an awkward child...not Teutonically purposeful as the ones before, but without actually achieving elegance or desirability. Attempts to soften the Passat have resulted in it coming off as lukewarm.
But the CC turns up the heat by appealing to the emotions with fluid, sensuous lines.
And the best part is that, through artful use of colors, details and materials, Volkswagen makes the CC's interior feel special, too...giving you the impression that you're driving something a rung or two above the Passat.
The CC gets these impressions so right that driving the base model (the Sport), with only two options (a six-speed automatic transmission and Sirius Satellite radio), feels like the lap of luxury...and keeps the price tag, including destination charges, under $30,000.
You can go hog-wild with the VR6 4Motion and break $40,000 without a sweat....but why, when the Sport is so good?
EPA estimate (with automatic): 19 city/29 highway. Manual transmission 21 city/31 highway.
UPDATE: Just ended a week in another CC Sport. Everything above applies...apart from a base price increase to $27,760. Still, this one bottom-lined at $29,660...with the only option being a six-speed automatic.
And about that...the gas mileage estimate improves to 22 city/31 highway. In my even mix of city streets and freeways, I got 24 for the week...and the range estimate when I took delivery of 450 miles seems plausible. I handed it back this morning with just under half a tank of gas remaining.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Dodge Charger SRT-8
Never underestimate the power of something that looks this mean.
It's kinda easy to do, given that the Dodge Charger has been with us for 5 years now and a new one's on the way. We've seen it too many times in airport car rental lots and giggled as Mark Harmon and the gang on NCIS make the 6-cylinder ones they drive try to look menacing.
But five minutes in a Charger SRT-8 is enough to wipe that smirk right off my face...and replace it with a great big ear-to-ear grin.
Tromp on the pedal of an SRT-8 and the rear of the car is what everyone else on the road is going to see.
Yes, it has a Hemi. 6.1 liters worth, putting out 425 horsepower with 420 pounds of torque. The 5-speed "AutoStick" automatic transmission is up to the task, though a real six-speed manual would be ideal. Whatever...the point is brute strength and the Charger SRT-8 delivers big time.
According to the window sticker that came with our tester, it's the official passenger car of NASCAR, which makes perfect sense. This is what NASCAR used to be. Take a big standard car, stuff the hairiest engine possible under the hood and hang on.
Sophisticated?
Refined?
Elegant?
No...but a big barrel of fun for a reasonable price. Base is $38,180. Yeah, that is awfully close to $40K. Find me this much performance for less than this money and maybe I'll change my mind.
Of course, you can load these up and that's just what the Dodge PR people did. This one had the SRT Option Groups II and III, roughly $2,800 worth of options including an upgraded radio, 13 high performance speakers, a 322-watt amplifier, a 200-watt subwoofer, surround sound, Uconnect, iPod control, a security alarm and a nav system.
Throw in the power sunroof ($950), HID headlamps ($695), performance tire and wheel upgrade ($250), rear seat video system (in a sedan?) ($1,480) and the inevitable gas guzzler tax (13 city/19 highway) of $1,700 and your bottom line after $750 destination charge is $46,850.
If your heart and your bank balance say yes, there's a lot of fun to be had here.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Subaru Legacy 2.5 i and 3.6R Limited Review
Subaru has made its place in the automotive world the past 35 years or so by being the Japanese SAAB. Quirky, yet loveable...attracting a small but devoted following.
Attempting to go mainstream is part of what very nearly killed SAAB, so there's precedent for concern every time Subaru gets a bit more normal.
Except that Subaru's managed it quite well...first with the Outback, then the Forester, and now with the Legacy.
The Legacy is stepping up in size and refinement, becoming for the first time a logical and direct alternative to Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
And to show just how good the basic product is, Subaru sent us a no-frills Legacy 2.5i. Not a single option (but with 17-inch alloy wheels, 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, air conditioning, AM/FM/CD, an auxilary audio jack, XM/Sirius capability, a multifunction trip computer, an outside temperature gauge, cruise control, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, power windows, door locks and mirrors, a remote keyless entry system, and map and courtesy lights all standard, it's a complete package without any options).
Even though the Legacy is bigger now, it's lighter than the competition...handles better...and don't forget...it's a Subaru, so all-wheel drive is part of the deal.
And the power from the 2.5 liter engine (170 horsepower), teamed with a smooth 6-speed manual, is more than adequate.
That six-speed is a help for the fuel economy...the EPA says 19 city, 27 highway.
And the price?
Well, the price had me reminding myself to think Subaru for my next family sedan: $19,995.
Remember the deal about no options? That's right...apart from $695 delivery charge, $19,995 is the base and the bottom line. There's a Camry a few hundred bucks cheaper, but not as satisfying, and the least-expensive Accord is $21,055. That's compelling math for a car that no longer has to be explained. The Legacy has arrived.
Japanese TV viewers got this commerical, with Robert DeNiro at the wheel of the new Legacy:
UPDATE: I chose to repeat the above review because the base Subaru Legacy is just so darn good. But recently, I had a week in the top-of-the-line 2011 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited. And it, too was a revelation...just for different reasons.
Regular TireKicker readers know that I believe you can too easily goop up a good car with add-ons and lose the basic flavor. But Subaru swings for the bleachers with the 3.6R Limited and hits a home run.
First of all, the engine....the 170 horses of the base car jumps to 256 in all three flavors of the R (R, R Premium and R Limited)...which puts the performance of the Legacy into another league entirely. The six-speed manual gets swapped for a five-speed automatic, but the extra power, the lack of a clutch and one fewer gear end up extracting the smallest penalty...18 city, 25 highway (as opposed to 19/27 for the base model).
And then, the creature comforts: Dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth, a 440-watt Harmon Kardon 9-speaker audio system, leather-trimmed seats (including a 10-way power adjustable driver's seat and a 4-way power adjustable one for the front passenger)....all standard. In fact, the only option on our car was a power moonroof ($995)...running the base price of $28,295 to an as-tested (with $725 delivery charge) $30,015.
There are absolute bargains. The 2.5i is that. There's no other way to describe that much car for under $20,000.
And then there are bargains based on the comparison of content and price. And that's where, for a shade more than 8 grand more, the 3.6 R Limited earns its bargain status. Subaru has built a car that can run with a significantly pricier pack..and, as with the 2.5i, if it were my money...it would be an immediate contender.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Mazda CX-7 Review
As impressed as I am with the Mazda CX-9, the smaller Mazda CX-7 may be the better vehicle for the largest number of people.
Shorter and seating five rather than seven, the CX-7 is a strong alternative to small SUVs and more expensive crossovers.
Mazda's attention to detail and focus on fun are what seal the deal. Not to mention economic factors. Opt for a CX-7 and $22,340 buys you a 16-valve four with a five-speed automatic transmission, independent front suspension, dynamic stability control, traction control, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, 17-inch alloy wheels, power locks, windows and mirrors, air conditioning, Bluetooth, a multi-function information display, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, remote keyless entry, and a better-than-average four-speaker AM/FM/CD/mp3 audio system.
I'll repeat. That's standard. For the base price of $22,340. Stop there, pay the $750 delivery fee and you've just barely crossed into $23,000.
Mazda sweetened the press tester with a cargo net, fog lights, a retractable cargo cover, Sirius Satellite Radio, scuff plates and a convenience package that included heated front seats, a moonroof, a rear-view camera, power driver's seat and an upgrade for the air conditioning to automatic climate control.
And the bottom line was still only $25,990.
This, my friends, is a deal.
But wait! There's more!
As in five-star frontal and side crash ratings, four for rollover....and an EPA estimated 20 city, 28 highway miles per gallon.
And because of that fun factor I mentioned earlier, it's like driving a sports sedan. The CX-7 breezes onto the TireKicker Top 20 Cars list. It's that good.
UPDATE: Just did a week in an uplevel turbo version of the CX-7...yeah, you're boosting the bottom line to $30K or better...but you're also boosting the horsepower to 244...which makes a major difference in the fun factor. And you're only giving up 2 mpg city and 3 highway (18/25).
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
2011 Toyota Sienna LE, SE and Limited
All too often, advertising is better than the product.
The advertising is great. I love the whole "Swagger Wagon", "Mommy Like" and "Daddy Like" thing.
The product is better.
You see, to me, minivan haters have it wrong. At least from a standpoint of timing. 15 years ago, minivans were dreadful. The original Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth vans were expanding...and not gracefully. GM and Ford didn't have a clue and the Japanese were trying to be unique...and succeeding all too well. That would have been the time to rebel against them.
But now? There are some very, very good minivans out there. And the new Sienna is at the top of the list.
I had three different trim levels of Sienna over the summer. There are five. But the Swagger Wagons on loan to TireKicker were the one-step-up-from-base LE, the next-step SE and the top-of-the-line Limited.
The Limited? Well, let's just say that exposure to it caused one die-hard minivan-hater I know to go into a spasm of "Oh my God"s...and in a good way. Reclining captains chairs with footrests in the second row with which to enjoy the split screen entertainment system will do that to you. And the Limited is decked out very nicely. It's the Lexus of minivans. And ours had the $4,025 LTD Premium package.
Base price? $39,770. As tested? $45,890.
Yeah...that's a lot for a minivan. But it's good enough that if I was looking at family vehicles (SUVs, wagons, minivans) with a max budget of $50,000 (have you priced vehicles that seat seven lately), I'd pop for the Sienna Limited in a heartbeat.
But if you listen to your inner CPA, stepping down to the SE is by no means trading riches for rags. It's a wonderfully solid piece, with the same engine and transmission as the Limited, but less weight, resulting in a boost from 16 miles per gallon city, 22 highway to 18/24. And it's hard to argue with the savings...base price drops to $30,550 and our tester topped out at $33,518.
However, my favorite (no surprise to regular TireKicker readers) was the second-from-base LE. The 3.5 liter V6 is replaced by a 2.7 liter 4-cylinder which is more than adequate and bumps the EPA numbers up to 19/24. Base price drops down to $25,345 (ours had the LE Preferred Package, adding power sliding doors and driver's seat, backup camera, sunshades, upgraded audio system and Bluetooth) and the as-tested was $29,703.
Well-equipped minivans under $30K are not everyday things. But then, neither is the Sienna. I'd happily make the LE my daily driver.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
2011 Ford Fiesta Review
When I wrote the first drive impressions of the 2011 Ford Fiesta and promised a full review soon, I had no idea that TireKicker would be taking an unexpected two week vacation...but we did and now we're back and item one has to be to fill in the blanks left by the early look at this very significant car for Ford.
The basic first impressions (a quantum leap forward for American small cars, a serious threat to future Focus sales until we get the Euro-spec model of the Fiesta's bigger brother) all hold true.
But I see I used the word "roomy". I was so eager to get behind the wheel that I neglected to sit in the back seat. After I posted the first drive, my 5 foot 11 son sat back there...or tried to. It wasn't pleasant. And it wasn't much better for my 5 foot 4 daughter. That large trunk that I mentioned came at the expense of rear seat legroom. And while none of the cars in this class (Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, Honda Fit, Chevy Aveo) are limos, some of them...especially the Yaris and Versa...are better.
Coincidentally, I had a Yaris sedan the same week, and was able to drive them back-to-back. While the Fiesta dazzled with its newness, edginess and content, the Yaris had more rear and front-seat comfort, a quieter cabin and a smoother ride. And it was a few hundred dollars cheaper, too...staying under $19,000 ( The Yaris had the Sport package, a $3500 option that adds alloy wheels, spoilers, foglamps, leather trimming, power everything and an upgraded audio system) while the as-tested price of the Fiesta hit $19,600 (base for the SEL sedan is $16,320).
Gas mileage was a wash....the Yaris delivering 32 miles per gallon in an even split of urban street and freeway driving, the Fiesta 31.
Honestly, both the Fiesta and the Yaris are way out of the target zone when their stickers get that close to $20K. You can get Corollas, Sentras and Civics (not to mention the 2011 VW Jetta) for that kind of money.The base Yaris sedan starts at $13,365...the base Fiesta at $13,320. That's where the battle in entry-level sedans is likely to be fought.
But will the sedans be the main focus? The Fiesta that makes the biggest splash visually is the five-door hatchback...and the base price for that is $15,120...a big step up, especially when you consider the Yaris 5-door hatch starts at $12,905 (lower than the Yaris sedan price).
The Fiesta leads the class in style...leaving the frumpy Yaris in the dust both in terms of exterior and interior. But these are entry-level vehicles. And while Europeans have a keen understanding of the term "premium compact", the Fiesta's going to have to make a value argument to drivers from the land of Wal-Mart. That could turn out to be a very tall order.
UPDATE: We've now had a chance to drive the 5-door Fiesta...in Blue Flame metallic, like so:
It's the same strengths and shortcomings as with the sedan above, but this time, Ford sent an SE model. And that brings the value equation back into line. The base price for the 5-door SE is $1200 less than the SEL sedan, at $15,120, as mentioned above. And the options list was kept to a minimum: Rapid Spec 203A (SYNC, 80 watt premium audio system, a sport appearance package, crusie control, 15 inch painted aluminum wheels and front parking lamps with black bezels) for $1,245...Ambient lighting and Sirius Satellite radio packaged together for $370...and heated front seats for $195.
With destination charges, it addes up to $17,605, but there's a "Rapid Spec Discount" of $490...so the bottom line works out to $17,115.
EPA estimates say 37 highway/28 city.
At this price, it's worthy of inclusion in your shopping.
Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX Lose CR Recommendation Over MyTouch
Consumer Reports has pulled its "Recommended" status from the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers because the new MyTouch telematics system is "unwieldy, difficult to use and requires drivers to take their eyes off the road.
More than one Detroit insider had said this day was coming, that Ford boss Allan Mulally's one weak spot was his belief, forged in his days of running Boeing, that complex onboard electronics are a good thing. What those insiders say Mulally doesn't get is that there are at least two people at the controls of a jumbo jet, auto-pilot is always an option and air traffic control has your back...none of which apply on the road.
Full story from The Detroit News.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV Review
About 20 years ago, before my TireKicking days, I worked at KTVK in Phoenix with a reporter named Jay DeDapper. Jay seemed even in those pre-cyber days to have his own Bluetooth and Twitter connections in his brain. He'd know about the best new restaurant in any major city 30 seconds before it opened. He'd have read the latest book about...well, anything...cover to cover while the Barnes & Noble staff was unpacking the boxes.
Needless to say, I listened.
So when I found out that Jay refused to rent anything on out-of-town assignments but Nissan Maxima SEs from 1989 until he went to WABC, New York in 1992 (a refusal that was so vehement that on one occasion the Hertz crew at LAX surrendered and gave him one with a bashed-in trunk because it was the only one they had), I figured I should see what was so great about it. Having had the previous generation '88 as a rental, I couldn't imagine.
Well, Jay (no surprise) was right. Hertz now had two finicky reporters from Phoenix to deal with.
Nissan called the Maxima "The Four Door Sports Car" or "4DSC" in those days. And they were very nearly right. For the times, nothing came close, unless you wanted to up the ante to maybe a 5-series BMW. And our expense accounts, even in those free-spending days for TV news, had limits.
Nissan wandered away from that very successful formula after 1994. It's been 15 years of Maximas that really were just big Nissans: "The Four Door Car" could have been the ad campaign, if Nissan had put any promotional clout behind them (they really didn't).
2009 brought a new Maxima (the top of the line is now the SV instead of the SE), and the return of the "Four Door Sports Car" label. And while size, weight and complexity (find a car that hasn't added all three in the past decade and a half), it's very close to the old one in spirit.
A 24-valve V6 makes 290 horsepower, but with a Continuously Variable Transmission, manages to get 19 miles per gallon in the city and 26 on the highway. It rolls on 18 inch alloy wheels. Moonroof, fog lights, leather, power everything and a nine-speaker audio system are all standard.
Base price: $31,990. The tester I drove for a week added only a cold package (heated front seats, steering wheel and outside mirrors), Bluetooth, floor mats and a rear spoiler...resulting in a bottom line with destination charges of $33,900. A real bargain for what you get.
Is it as good as the '89-'94? Not in terms of sheer driving pleasure. But it's a great base to work from. If Nissan's engineers are allowed to evolve and refine it, this one could be even better.
UPDATE: Everything above still applies, except the base price...now up to $33,530. And the most recent tester sent our way was much more highly optioned...a rear spoiler ($370), floor and trunk mats ($180) and the Premium Package ($3,230), which adds a dual panel moonroof with power sunshades, HID Xenon headlights, premium leather-appointed seats, a climate-controlled driver's seat, heated front seats, a power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, which is also heated and wrapped in leather, paddle shifters, an automatic entry/exit system, driver's side memory for seat, mirrors and steering wheel, an auto-dimming driver's side outside mirror, heated outside mirrors with reverse tilt-down, rear bucket seats, eucalyptus wood-tone trim, a 7-inch color monitor and rear camera, AUX, USB and iPod jacks and a 2.0 GB Music Box with 800 MB of storage.
Bottom line (after $750 destination charge): $38,060. If it were my money, I'd probably go with the more lightly optioned one from before and, even with the base price increase, come in at or under $35K. But the loaded one is so well equipped and so nice to live with, that I wouldn't talk you out of going for it. This sedan, this well done, with this much equipment at under $40,000 is one heckuva deal.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Review
See that car with the European plate carving up that winding road? Audi A4, maybe?
Well, unless you're oblivious to headlines, you know already that not only is that not an Audi or any German car, but a Suzuki.
The good news is that the Suzuki Kizashi is all the things no one ever thought about Suzuki. The bad news is the word needs to spread more. We'll start here.
We got the chance to sample three different Kizashis and found them all to be good looking, comfortable, and fun bordering on truly sporty to drive.
The SE sedan came with a 180 horsepower four, a Continuously Variable Transmission, and a remarkable list of standard equipment (ABS, power steering, 8 airbags, tire pressure monitoring system, security system, keyless entry, premium cloth sport seats, dual zone climate control, rear passenger air vents, a 7-speaker AM./FM/CD/mp3 audio system with iPod and mp3 player USB port, steering wheel audio controls, a 10-way power driver's seat with memory, 17 inch alloy wheels and leather-trimmed steering wheel and shifter) for only $21,499. The only options on that one were a premium floor mat set ($125) and premium metallic paint ($130), so the total (delivery charge is listed as zero) was $21,754. EPA estimated mileage is 23 city/30 highway.
Next step up was the SE All-Wheel-Drive. Base price ramps up to $22,749, but so does handling capability...it was a noticeable improvement over an already nimble machine. Standard equipment remains the same, so does the free delivery, and the EPA estimate drops to 22/29.
And then there was the Sport SLS. 5 more horsepower (185), no increase in torque (170 lb/ft) but some added standard equipment including fog lights, an upgraded 425 watt Rockford Fosgate audio system with 10 speakers, Bluetooth, a leather interior, sunroof, rear parking sensors, rain sensing wipers, automatic headlamps, an aero body kit, lightweight sport wheels and a sport design steering wheel. Price bumps to $24,699, the EPA estimate falls to 20 city/ 29 highway and this one had XM satellite radio on the option list, so the bottom line wound up at $25,304.
Everything inside seems of high quality and craftsmanship and the overall vehicle is solid. In fact, the Kizashi gets five stars for frontal and side crash ratings...four for rollover.
The Kizashi represents a major breakthrough for Suzuki...a sporty sedan with styling and handling that you'd associate with other cars costing quite a bit more. At the price point (especially for the Sport SLS), there's certainly competition. But your shopping isn't thorough enough if you don't make time for a test drive of the Kizashi.
Volvo S60 T6 Review
Volvo's been going out of its way to brand the new S60 as "The Naughty Volvo" (see video above). Guess it depends on your definition of "naughty". The S60 is not for kids, it's fast and fun, it's shapely.....
The days of the boring Volvo are dead, let's give the marketing people that much. And that's on looks alone. In a week at the wheel in an example provided by Sanderson Volvo in Phoenix, the S60 T6 AWD just got more and more desirable. The beauty here is more than skin-deep.
With 300 horsepower, the S60 is responsive and downright quick. Steering is direct and immediate. There is no tradeoff of ride versus handling...the balance is perfect.
And the interior is an exceptionally pleasant place to engage in all that pleasurable driving. A long way from the plain-jane interior of the old Volvo 240, the designers have managed to give the eye a constant level of stimulation without losing the functionality...everything is exactly where your brain and your hand expect it to be.
What about safety? Volvo's hallmark? Don't worry...it's there...from the basic stout structure of the car to the highest levels of technology that (unlike a lot of cars we've tested) manage to do their jobs without being intrusive.
And, unlike virtually every other car we've tried it in, the adaptive cruise control, which adjusts speed to maintain distance between you and the car in front of you, is flawless. It...and the other tech in the car...simply never put a foot wrong.
Price? The front wheel drive model (with 50 fewer horsepower) starts at $30.975...all-wheel drive at $37,700. Optioned like the one we drove...mid-40s and well worth it.
EPA mileage estimates: 20 city/30 highway for the FWD, 18/26 for the AWD.
So...go with "naughty" if you must. But we think the Volvo S60 T6 AWD is really @#$%! nice.
Did we just say that?
Friday, June 15, 2012
2011 Cadillac STS Review
Cadillac's upcoming XTS sedan will not only replace the DTS, but the STS as well. What's an STS? Can't blame you...this is another strong sedan that's been neglected in the marketing department and overshadowed by its smaller (and brilliant) sibling, the CTS.
And that's a shame, too....because while the STS never really got to be the BMW 5-Series killer many had hoped it would be, it's a terrific sedan.
Consider the specs: Available in rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive...a 3.6-liter V6 engine making 302 horsepower and 272 pounds per foot of torque with a six-speed automatic transmission standard...and an EPA mileage rating of 18 city/27 highway.
But, unlike its big brother DTS, you have to dig a bit to find a big discount over the 5-Series. The entry level 5 (the 528i) starts at $45,050...the lowest-rung STS is $47,280. But the STS has 60 more horsepower. Move to erase that deficit, and you're looking at the 300-horsepower (2 less than the Cad) 535i, and the price tag for that Bimmer is $50,100.
The XTS promises to be quite a car, and, frankly, more of a replacement for the STS than the DTS. The time has come for change. But GM's neglect of upgrades and marketing for the STS deprived a lot of people from discovering this car in its prime...and its dealers of thousands of sales to what would have been satisfied customers.
(review vehicle courtesy Lund Cadillac)
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Cadillac Kills The SRX Turbo
Fun is fun, but if nobody's showing up for the party, well.....
GM Inside News says it's confirmed that Cadillac is dropping the Turbo model of its SRX crossover. Goodbye, 300 horsepower. But also goodbye, 15 miles per gallon city. Which might have a lot to do with it. As might the publicity garnered last spring when more than one of those turbo engines did its impression of a grenade after suffering the indignity of being fed regular fuel rather than premium.
2011 Cadillac DTS Review
Eras end. Driven by changing tastes and the aging of customers, Cadillac will stop making and selling the big DTS sedan (the modern-day version of the Sedan DeVille) at the end of the 2011 model year. It will be replaced by the XTS, a car that will almost certainly be targeted to the tastes of Baby Boom luxury car buyers...and thus, at Lexus, Audi and BMW.
It's easy for Boomers to ignore and even ridicule the DTS, a car you're most likely to find in retirement communities, parking lots of restaurants serving the Early Bird special dinners and the occasional rental fleet.
But it's also wrong.
At a base price of $46,680, Cadillac's biggest sedan is $3500 less than the BMW 335is coupe. Apples and oranges, you say? You're right. Let's put the DTS against the least-expensive big Bimmer, the 740i sedan.
The Cadillac is $24,000 less. It has more room, costs less to insure, maintain and license and the highway fuel economy difference (23 mpg for the Cadillac, 25 for the BMW) is negligible.
So what's it like to drive? I hadn't had the opportunity in 7 years (even GM's press fleet folks have been treating the DTS like a stepchild), so I rounded one up for a week. No, it's not meant for blasting through winding mountain roads (newsflash: neither is any Lexus save the IS-F).
What it is is quiet, smooth, responsive, and, given its size and lack of cutting-edge handling hardware, remarkably agile. The people who've eagerly shelled out $65K for Escalades but wouldn't give a DTS the time of day would think they're driving a sport sedan by comparison. They'd also find they and their passengers are as or more comfortable and they could make a nice dent in the power bill with the money they save on gasoline.
Something I learned programming popular music radio back in the day: There is such a thing as out-hipping yourself, walking away from things of value to a mass audience in the pursuit of image. A week in the DTS has me strongly suspecting that we'll miss it once it's gone.
(review vehicle courtesy Lund Cadillac)
Toyota Recalls 1.5 Million Cars
Just when the hysteria over unintended acceleration died down for lack of any evidence, Toyota has a real problem on its hands...a huge recall of a million and a half vehicles worldwide for brake fluid and fuel pump issues.
Details from the Associated Press via The Detroit News.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV Review
About 20 years ago, before my TireKicking days, I worked at KTVK in Phoenix with a reporter named Jay DeDapper. Jay seemed even in those pre-cyber days to have his own Bluetooth and Twitter connections in his brain. He'd know about the best new restaurant in any major city 30 seconds before it opened. He'd have read the latest book about...well, anything...cover to cover while the Barnes & Noble staff was unpacking the boxes.
Needless to say, I listened.
So when I found out that Jay refused to rent anything on out-of-town assignments but Nissan Maxima SEs from 1989 until he went to WABC, New York in 1992 (a refusal that was so vehement that on one occasion the Hertz crew at LAX surrendered and gave him one with a bashed-in trunk because it was the only one they had), I figured I should see what was so great about it. Having had the previous generation '88 as a rental, I couldn't imagine.
Well, Jay (no surprise) was right. Hertz now had two finicky reporters from Phoenix to deal with.
Nissan called the Maxima "The Four Door Sports Car" or "4DSC" in those days. And they were very nearly right. For the times, nothing came close, unless you wanted to up the ante to maybe a 5-series BMW. And our expense accounts, even in those free-spending days for TV news, had limits.
Nissan wandered away from that very successful formula after 1994. It's been 15 years of Maximas that really were just big Nissans: "The Four Door Car" could have been the ad campaign, if Nissan had put any promotional clout behind them (they really didn't).
2009 brought a new Maxima (the top of the line is now the SV instead of the SE), and the return of the "Four Door Sports Car" label. And while size, weight and complexity (find a car that hasn't added all three in the past decade and a half), it's very close to the old one in spirit.
A 24-valve V6 makes 290 horsepower, but with a Continuously Variable Transmission, manages to get 19 miles per gallon in the city and 26 on the highway. It rolls on 18 inch alloy wheels. Moonroof, fog lights, leather, power everything and a nine-speaker audio system are all standard.
Base price: $31,990. The tester I drove for a week added only a cold package (heated front seats, steering wheel and outside mirrors), Bluetooth, floor mats and a rear spoiler...resulting in a bottom line with destination charges of $33,900. A real bargain for what you get.
Is it as good as the '89-'94? Not in terms of sheer driving pleasure. But it's a great base to work from. If Nissan's engineers are allowed to evolve and refine it, this one could be even better.
UPDATE: Everything above still applies, except the base price...now up to $33,530. And the most recent tester sent our way was much more highly optioned...a rear spoiler ($370), floor and trunk mats ($180) and the Premium Package ($3,230), which adds a dual panel moonroof with power sunshades, HID Xenon headlights, premium leather-appointed seats, a climate-controlled driver's seat, heated front seats, a power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, which is also heated and wrapped in leather, paddle shifters, an automatic entry/exit system, driver's side memory for seat, mirrors and steering wheel, an auto-dimming driver's side outside mirror, heated outside mirrors with reverse tilt-down, rear bucket seats, eucalyptus wood-tone trim, a 7-inch color monitor and rear camera, AUX, USB and iPod jacks and a 2.0 GB Music Box with 800 MB of storage.
Bottom line (after $750 destination charge): $38,060. If it were my money, I'd probably go with the more lightly optioned one from before and, even with the base price increase, come in at or under $35K. But the loaded one is so well equipped and so nice to live with, that I wouldn't talk you out of going for it. This sedan, this well done, with this much equipment at under $40,000 is one heckuva deal.
The Showroom New 24 Year Old Buick
Boulevard Buick in Signal Hill, California has probably seen its share of slow-moving units over its 50 years in business...but why has this brand-new 1987 Buick Regal GNX stayed on the showroom floor for almost half that time?
The fascinating story from the Los Angeles times via The Detroit Free Press.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Lincoln MKT Review
From the back, in black, it looks like a 1940's hearse.
For several thousand dollars less, you can get a Ford Flex...which is what this is based on.
The above two lines are the sum total of the downside to the Lincoln MKT.
There's a ton of upside.
First of all, for better or worse, Lincoln's breaking some styling rules and creating distinctive automobiles. And since the new family grille is a modern interpretation of 40s Lincolns, I suppose the "40s hearse" rear-end isn't a surprise.
Number two, 16 city/22 highway (the EPA estimate, which, for the first time in a long time in a Ford Motor Company product, we didn't achieve or exceed), while not great, is also not bad for something this big, with this kind of power. The MKT packs the twin-turbo EcoBoost engine...and, in fact, 16/22 is the mileage cited for the Flex when equipped with EcoBoost.
And as for the MKT/Flex comparison, well, Lincoln deserves a major pat on the back for putting distance between the two vehicles. This is shared-platform as opposed to "badge engineering". You could drive the MKT and Flex back-to-back (which Ford was brave enough to allow a group of journalists, yours truly included, to do around the fall '09 introduction of the MKT) and spend the next few minutes remarking on how they really are completely different vehicles.
That price difference? Well, it's there...a base MKT starts about where a loaded Flex leaves off ($44,000) and it's not difficult to load an MKT beyond the $50,000 point with 2nd row bucket seats (in place of the standard bench), a 2nd row console with a built-in refrigerator, and Active Park Assist. Put simply, it parks the car automatically. Yes, Lexus got there first, a couple of years ago, but the system wasn't flawless. We've used the Lincoln's ourself. It is.
But here's the thing: It's that distance between the two vehicles I mentioned two paragraphs up. You have to have X-ray vision and a set of blueprints to know that there's commonality with the Flex. The Lincoln is a cut above in style, luxury, percieved quality and cutting-edge tech...including voice-activated navigation. Save home, say "home" and you're guided on your way.
Our most recent test vehicle came courtesy Sanderson Lincoln/Volvo in Phoenix.
Here's a very cool promotional video about the MKT from Lincoln and Ford Motor Company:
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Infiniti M37 Review
It's all about the curves.
No, you haven't logged on to Playboy's home page by mistake. But words like "sexy" and "voluptuous" just might get used in the next few paragraphs. Infiniti, the near-luxury division of Nissan that originally tried to sell us cars by showing us pictures of trees and running water in its TV commercials (just no cars), has finally realized that cars, at their best, are tactile, emotional, exciting...and sent the stylists to the drawing board with just that in mind.
A great leap forward? Well, yeah. Click here for a reminder of what last year's Infiniti M looked like. We've gone from mildly upscale vanilla Japanese design to "somebody has a Maserati poster on their bedroom wall" in one model year.
What's great about it is that the beauty isn't only skin deep. If you read the review of last year's M35 linked above, you know we liked it a lot. But the M37 in its gorgeous new wrapper turns up the heat when in motion. Last year's 303 horsepower becomes 330. 262 pound-feet of torque becomes 270.
Wanna know the really hot part?
It's cheaper.
The fabulous curves, the big boost in power...is accompanied by a base price that's $1,700 lower than the last model.
And it gets better mileage. 16 city/22 highway is now 18/26.
Wanna talk more about curves? Fine. It handles them like a slot car. Like it's on rails. Find a twisting, turning road and you'll be grinning like an idiot.
You'll steal glances over your shoulder when you park it and walk away.
Your wife, girlfriend or both will be jealous of this car.
Yes, it's that good.
Wherever Infiniti found the $1700 to cut, it wasn't the interior. Better than ever, with virtually everything standard at $46,250. Our tester had exactly four options: The trunk mat, trunk net and first aid kit ($195), illuminated kick plates ($350), the Sport package (which swaps the standard 18 inch alloys for 20-inchers, and adds sport suspension, sport brakes, paddle shifters, 4-wheel active steer, plus sport seats, steering wheel and shift knob) for $3,650, and the Premium Package (hard drive Nav sysstem, color touch-screen, XM NavTraffic and NavWeather, Zagat Survey restaurant reviews, voice recognition, an upgraded Bose 10-speaker audio system, with Bluetooth streaming audio and a 9.3 GB hard drive to store your music, climate controlled fron seats and a heated steering wheel) for $3,350. Add $865 for destination charges and the total is $54,660....$255 less than the similarly loaded (but less powerful and less beautiful) 2010 model.
Sure, the bottom line is a bargain only in relative terms. But drive it. Then tell me you don't want one.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
2011 Lexus RX 350 Review
The shape is instantly recognizable. It's the vehicle that started the whole luxury-crossover segment more than a decade ago...looking much like it does today.
Sure, there have been refinements. That's what's kept the Lexus RX 350 at the top of its game...but the fact that the basic design is within walking distance of what it was in the late 90s is testament to just how right Lexus got the RX.
RX 350s are everywhere. In traffic this afternoon, I was behind three of them, all white. But familiarity and popularity have done nothing to lessen the status. This is THE luxury crossover. A lot of people wouldn't drive anything else (note to self: a piece on people who're on their fourth or fifth RX might be very interesting).
A big factor in the RX's favor is price. Base is only $37,975. That gets you a 3.5 liter 275 horsepower V6, a 6 speed automatic transmission with "snow mode", 18" aluminum alloy wheels, a raft of safety features, a premium audio system with a six-disc in-dash CD changer, Bluetooth and a 90-day trial to XM Satellite Radio.
Ah, but we're not done. Also on the standard equipment list is an auto dual-zone climate control system with rear vents, a power tilt and telescope steering column, 10-way power driver's and front passenger's seats, height-adjustable headrests for all the seats, genuine wood trim and a bunch more.
And the cockpit is one of the nicest, most serene places you could spend your commutes and vacations in. If it sounds like you could stop with just the standard equipment and keep the tab under $40,000, you could. And you'd have a very nice piece. But the one we drove also had the Comfort Package (rain sensing wipers, High Intensity headlamps, Adaptive Front Lighting (the headlights turn with the front wheels, helping you see around corners), and heated and ventilated front seats. That's $1,950.
It also had the Luxury Package (semi-aniline leather trim, a moonroof, retractable outside mirrors, wood and leather steering wheel and shift knob, a wide-angle backup camera, an upgrade to 19" alloy wheels, a USB audio plug, power rear door, memory for the seats and mirrors, illuminated scuff plates and headlamp cleaners. Add $4,900.
That's not all, though. The Mark Levinson Premium Surround Sound system with a 6 disc DVD changer and 15 speakers was also on the list ($1,610). And then there's the navigation system with XM NavTraffic and NavWeather at $2,465.
Oh, and a cargo net for $59.00.
Tack on the delivery fee ($875) and you're at......
$49,834. Which (and you won't hear me say this too often) is actually reasonable for what you're getting. The quality of the vehicle itself and the upgrades makes the experience of driving an RX 350 equipped like this one exceed the sticker price. It feels like $60,000 (in fact, it feels better than some $60,000 vehicles we've driven) and it's a shade under $50,000.
Not many cars can say that, and it's probably a huge chunk of the reason the RX 350 continues to be the leader in its segment.
EPA mileage estimates: 18 city/25 highway.
One more thing: Especially when buying a luxury vehicle, the dealership experience matters a lot. One of our recent RX350 vehicles came from Bell Lexus in Phoenix. Sales Associate Anthony Covington spent half an hour acquainting me with the finer points of the vehicle before I left the lot...and pointed out things the Lexus PR department hadn't...like how finishing the insides of the wheel wells helps keep the exterior cleaner, the ride quieter and reduces the risk of long-term damage and/or corrosion. Or how, since the redesign, the edges of the doors extend all the way to the bottom of the body...protecting the doorsills, which means you don't get road grime on your trouser cuffs as you enter and exit the car. It's a pleasure to deal with people who know their product that well.