Scion xD is Surprisingly Sporty

OVERVIEW

I’m a firm believer in the idea that appreciating the little things in life makes all the difference. You know, like when you find a twenty-dollar bill in a jacket you haven’t worn in months. Or, how about that first sip of coffee in the morning? These are the pleasant little surprises that make slaying the dragon each day a little easier. This week, while I wasn’t fortunate enough to find any missing twenty-dollar bills, I did experience great surprise in my Scion xD tester. Frankly, I expected to be driving a slow, ill-handling, awkward-looking, egg on wheels. Rather, what I found was quite the opposite. This little five-door, which is built on the same platform as the Toyota Yaris, features sporty handling, alloy wheels, and decent horsepower.

PERFORMANCE

I know what you’re thinking. What’s decent horsepower for a car that goes for under fifteen-grand? That is a perfectly legitimate question. In this case, decent is a 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder that offers up 128 horsepower. Before you scoff, consider two things. First, this little scrapper only weighs in around 2600 lbs. So, its power to weight ratio isn’t bad. Second, and maybe more important, its 128 horsepower is better than the Nissan Versa, Chevy Aveo, and Honda Fit. However, those familiar with this review may recall my excitement about the AWD Suzuki SX4 crossover, which makes 143 horsepower. Still, the xD is powerful relative to the majority of its competition. Also, my tester came with TRD exhaust that gave it a throaty sound that, while louder than most, stopped short of obnoxious.

HANDLING

Taking the xD around corners is where it really won me over. This short wheelbased wonder just loved being tossed around the twisties. Like last week, I have to rate it on the pregnant wife scale. For example, my level of enjoyment is directly correlated to the number of times my pregnant wife screamed for me to slow down or let her out of the car. Let’s just say she has no idea how dangerously close she came to getting a little more exercise, if you know what I mean.

STYLING

While I like the look of the xD, something about the front fascia struck me as a little awkward. However, awkwardness aside, it’s a reasonably attractive five-door. Plus, it came with 16” alloy wheels, which are a big bonus in this class. Its interior had a decidedly aftermarket-style feel to it. What I mean, is that one of Scion’s big selling points is that it can be highly customized from the factory. This tester featured piano black plastic trim, and a stereo that had a lot of moving animation on its main screen. It was a little too Fast and the Furious for me, but at least it doesn’t look cheap.

JUDGEMENT

The xD has some good attributes, and some great attributes. I would rank it a very close second to the AWD Suzuki SX4.

Hyundai Adds Luxury Features to Veracruz

OVERVIEW

Hyundai debuted its then all-new premium mid-size crossover utility vehicle, the Veracruz last year. In the past, I haven't been terribly impressed with Korean attempts to penetrate the luxury market. Some may recall my rather unflattering review of the Kia Amanti. So, my expectations weren't exactly stratospheric about the Veracruz. For 2008, the Veracruz gets a number of new luxury features, including navigation, memory for the driver's seat and mirrors, rain sensing wipers, power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, and several others. This is all aimed at enticing buyers who would otherwise be considering upscale crossovers like the Acura MDX, Subaru Tribeca, Mazda CX9, and Nissan Murano, to name a few.

PERFORMANCE

The Veracruz is powered by a supple and smooth 3.8-liter V6. I can’t say enough about how impressed I am with the engine/ tranny combination. Without question, this is an area that separates the men from the boys. This might also be the area where the Veracruz shines most brightly. Not only does its 260 horsepower come on swiftly, but up-shifts occur so smoothly as to almost go unnoticed.

HANDLING

While I would never compare the Veracruz to a BMW or a Lexus in terms of cornering agility and responsiveness, the Hyundai is still pretty darn good. Frankly, I doubt if many would ever drive a mid-size crossover to its cornering limits anyway. Those driving under normal conditions should be especially pleased with ride quality. Additionally, AWD is available in all three trim levels. So, budget shouldn’t interfere with inclement weather motoring.

STYLING

Walking around the Veracruz, I found that its exterior does a pretty good impression of a luxury crossover. In fact, it bears some resemblance to a Lexus RX 350, especially the rear three-quarter view. However, the front fascia cannot be mistaken for anything but a Hyundai. It features a prominent “flying H” logo centered under a wide grill. Its oversized wraparound headlamps also draw attention to the front end. With the addition of the new luxury features for 2008, the Veracruz offers everything you would expect to see in any luxury crossover. One interesting twist which is sure to draw both raves and disgust is optional two- toned brown over black interior, as was the case with my tester. While I think it looks quite sharp, it is sure to be a love/ hate look for many.

JUDGEMENT

I think that the new Veracruz should be on your short list of premium midsize crossovers. Take away the Hyundai badging, and you would think that this was a far more expensive vehicle.

Q7 is No Turkey

OVERVIEW

This review is being written a few days after Thanksgiving. I hope each of you enjoyed some quality time with your families. My family has a tradition where each Thanksgiving we all load up our cars and head to Bethany Beach, Delaware for the entire Thanksgiving week. This annual journey provides an excellent opportunity for me to put an SUV through its paces. This year I spent my week driving the 2007 Audi Q7, which is an SUV that shares a common platform with the Volkswagen Toureg , and was introduced last year as a 2007model. It was initially offered with a 4.2-liter V8, however a 3.6-liter V6 has now been added as well.

PERFORMANCE

My tester came with the standard V6 powerplant. While clearly not as powerful as the bigger V8, I found the V6’s 280 horsepower plenty powerful to pass slower moving traffic on Maryland and Delaware’s many two lane state roads. The six-speed automatic transmission does a great job of keeping the V6 in its wheelhouse, so that when the power is needed, it’s there. However, because this V6 needs to downshift to access the available muscle, engine noise can be a little distracting from passenger conversation.

HANDLING

The Q7 comes standard with Audi's all-wheel-drive system. Considering that the Q7 weighs just over 5,000 lbs., it feels quite nimble. Furthermore, the Q7's ride quality is quite good, being a pleasant compromise between sportiness for the curvy sections and soft ride over bumpy roads.

STYLING

Since I had the opportunity to get feedback from nearly two dozen family members, I took full advantage. Responses were somewhat of a mixed bag. Nothing negative was said, but there were quite a few ho hum responses. Personally, I think its exterior is one of the sharper-looking designs within its class. It features an even more prominent front grill than that found on Audi's sedans. As I said before, the Q7 is based on the Toureg, although it’s been stretched 13 inches to accommodate the third-row seating. The interior on my Q7 was reasonably well appointed and comfortable. However, instrumentation is difficult to learn, and a little distracting while driving.

JUDGEMENT

Overall, I enjoyed my time with the Q7. It is a livable SUV with good cargo space, third-row seating, and is relatively inexpensive for its class. However, I found both the engine noise and instrumentation somewhat of an annoyance for an otherwise enjoyable SUV.

A4 Offers Choices

OVERVIEW

One of the key strengths of Audi’s A4/ S4 line is that there is a configuration for nearly every budget and taste. Models range in price from the entry-level A4 2.0T at $28,240.00 to the uber-fast V8 powered RS4, which will set you back about $66,000.00. Available powerplants include a 200 horsepower inline four cylinder, a V6, and a macho 420 horsepower V8. Another nice feature of the A4/S4 line is that the optional Quattro permanent all-wheel-drive is available in any of these configurations. Its good that it has these things going for it too, because the A4 competes against some really fantastic cars, including the Infiniti G35 sedan, BMW’s 3-series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and many, many others.

PERFORMANCE

My tester, being near the least expensive of the configurations, came equipped with Audi’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. This little engine makes 200 horsepower, and feels quick. While clearly not as smooth as a larger displacement V6 or V8, the little turbo is more than up to the task of providing enjoyable daily driving. An added benefit of the small displacement turbocharged engine is better fuel economy, which the Audi has in spades. With its 30-mpg highway average, you should get you over 400 miles between stops at the gas station. The downside is that engine noise is far more conspicuous than the V6 competitors I’ve driven.

HANDLING

Having enjoyed last year’s A3 S-line immensely, I was really looking forward to the A4, and its optional Quattro all-wheel-drive. I wasn’t let down in the slightest. Also, Mother Nature was kind enough to offer me the opportunity to sample the A4’s inclement weather characteristics, which included rain, sleet, and some snow. Under these less-than-ideal circumstances, the A4 excelled. My only complaint is that the optional sport suspension can be a touch rough over some roads.

STYLING

For many people, the most noticeable part of the A4’s appearance is its large grill. It is also its most controversial feature. For me, the entire exterior and interior appearance of the A4 is home run. The combination of the prominent grill, aggressive stance, and rather understated lines are just gorgeous. My tester came with black leather interior and lots of aluminum accent pieces. It looks simple and of high quality. Unfortunately, every yin has its yang, and there are some problems with the A4’s interior. Because its dimensions are smaller than many of its competitors, legroom is in short supply both up front and in the backseat. Additionally, Audi’s instrumentation can be a little daunting for some.

JUDGEMENT

With its many configurations, the A4/S4 is a rewarding small luxury sedan that offers something for almost everybody.

New EPA Fuel Economy Bad News for Camry Hybrid?

Fast Forward
By Marcus MacFarland

OVERVIEW

As it turns out, I had the 2007 and 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrids scheduled within a couple of months of each other. Normally, I try to avoid such a thing. However, in this case, there were only a few minor changes between these model years. The Camry got a major redesign for 2007, so the near carryover is no big surprise. Two of the changes for 2008 are rather surprising though. First, the base price actually went down for 2008, slightly. Secondly, EPA fuel economy estimates on the sticker are now supposed to be more accurate, which for hybrid automobiles is quite interesting. Perhaps, the two are related?

PERFORMANCE

The Camry Hybrid is powered by a 2.4-liter DOHC four-cylinder gas-powered engine that gets a 40 horsepower boost from a nickel-metal hydride battery-powered electric motor. Total horsepower between gas and electric motors is 187, with 147 horsepower coming from the gasoline engine and 40 from the electric. Interestingly, EPA fuel estimates for the Hybrid Camry have dipped for this year. While last year’s model was estimated at 40-mpg city and 38-mpg highway, the new estimates are 33-mpg city and 34-mpg highway. I think the latter estimate is far closer to what Camry Hybrid buyers should expect to see. When you consider that the standard four-cylinder Camry gets 21-mpg city and 31-mpg highway, it would take a long time for this option to pay for itself.

HANDLING

While the Camry Hybrid offers comfortable ride quality, its standard 16" wheels betray its cornering ability. I’ll reach and assume that the average Hybrid buyer is not going to find this information to be "An inconvenient truth". Sorry for the bad joke, but I couldn’t resist. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t expect to shred corners between Leonardo Di Caprio speaking engagements.

STYLING

Appropriately, my tester came with green exterior paint. Even though the Monroney called it Jasper Pearl, I would called it sour apple. As I’ve said before, I think the redesigned Camry is the best-looking Camry to date, sour apple paint and all. Inside, it features an attractive and thoroughly modern looking interior. However, while you can get upgraded audio and a moonroof, leather is out of the question for the Camry Hybrid.

JUDGEMENT

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times. The hybrids I’ve driven serve more as a political statement, than a sound financial decision. Realized fuel savings are only a few hundred dollars per year. So, the cost of this option will take buyers quite some time to recoup.

Dodge Caliber Speaks Loudly and Carries a Big Stick

Fast Forward
By Marcus MacFarland

OVERVIEW

These days, the automotive landscape is full of reasonable, practical choices. In fact, the burgeoning crossover market is a great example of this. Our busier and more demanding schedules combined with escalating oil prices seems to be shifting demand towards vehicles featuring smaller displacement engines and lots of cargo space. However, sometimes our vanilla lives need a shot of something more exotic, like mango guava berry. Of all of the vehicles that I would imagine to fit this analogy, the Dodge Caliber would have been one of my last guesses. Stranger things have happened though when you factor forced induction to the equation.

PERFORMANCE

SRT, which is Dodge’s skunkworks group, has placed a heavy emphasis on brute horsepower in all of their vehicles. The Caliber SRT-4 is no exception. In fact, horsepower is likely the awkward Caliber’s greatest attribute. It comes equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that benefits greatly from a turbocharger. Its 285 horsepower is enough to catapult this hatch to 60 mph in the low six-second range. For the record, the trip to 60 mph, while quick, isn’t easy. The car wants to make a hard right turn under full throttle. This raucous torque steer is quite a bit more overstated than the Mazdaspeed 3 or the Subaru WRX.

HANDLING

Driving the SRT-4 around corners with any speed is a lot like driving it fast in a straight line. It goes fast, to be sure. But, the way it goes around corners approximates wrestling an alligator. When you’re done, you’re excited and maybe exhilarated, but mostly it’s because you’re just happy to be alive.

STYLING

Have you ever seen one of those dogs that is just so darn ugly that it’s cute. My feelings about the exterior looks of the Caliber SRT4 are just that way. When I laid my eyes on this…well, whatever it is, sitting in my driveway, I was strangely excited. Not sure if it’s the 19" rims, ground effects, or the funky spoiler, but I love it. Unfortunately, once I climbed inside the beast, the interior that lay before me wasn’t so impressive. The SRT embossed leather seats are impressive pieces, with great lateral support. However, the abundance of black plastic makes for a rather cheap-looking interior.

JUDGEMENT

This quirky automobile has several great attributes. The combination of brute horsepower, cheap sticker price, and reasonable gas mileage are all quite appealing. The only problem is that other competitors, namely the Mazdaspeed3, feature some of the same attributes without the awkward packaging and low-grade interior.

New Dakota has Big Horsepower in a Small Package

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By Marcus MacFarland

OVERVIEW

There are precious few certainties in this life. However, one thing you can certainly count on, besides death and taxes, is that automakers will always compare apples to oranges. By that, I mean our fast-moving, sound byte-driven existence, makes catch-lines starting with "best in class" or "first in class" more and more pervasive. And, what better way to ensure you can make these kind of claims than to blur the lines within the classes. Such is the case with the Dodge Dakota, which was introduced way back in 1987. If you can remember back that far, the two major players in the small pickup truck category were the Ford Ranger and the Chevy S10. The Dakota was designed so that it was markedly bigger than the Ford and Chevy, but still smaller than a full size F150 or Silverado.

PERFORMANCE

A major difference between the Dakota and the rest of the field can be found in the engine bay. While you can certainly opt for the standard V6, a bigger, beefier 4.7-liter is optional. Thankfully, my tester came with the V8. While not as much fun as the Hemi, this V8 makes plenty of horsepower. If you plan on using this truck for towing, it’ll haul up to 6,700 pounds and has a payload capacity of 1,151 lbs. Also, this V8 can run on E85 gasoline.

HANDLING

Well, the Dakota corners like a truck with a solid rear axle. If you hammer the fun pedal going around a corner, you’re almost sure to end up facing the wrong way. There is also pretty noticeable wheel hop on bumpy roads. All of this is par for the course. Otherwise, its ride is pretty good. I did actually get to use the Dakota to haul a bed-full of junk to the dump, which it did without any difficulty.

STYLING

As usual, my tester came loaded with nearly every option. The exterior featured manly-looking 18" chrome wheels, which go a long way towards making a smaller truck look rugged. The interior, which was shod in leather and included DVD navigation, was also packing an abundance of plastic. For a truck that stickers north of thirty grand, the plastic makes it seem rather cheap.

JUDGEMENT

If you are looking for a smaller truck that is capable of real work, the Dakota’s V8 makes it a real competitor. However, fit and finish in both the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier are better.

Double Header Edition

Greetings!! As promised, I'm posting the first two reviews in my three part series about summer convertibles. Checkout my take on the Volkswagen Eos 3.2L and the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Stay tuned for the third review, where I'll be discussing the Honda S2000. As always, let me know what you think of my take, or any other thoughts you have about goings on in the automotive world. Happy reading!

Retractable Hardtop Shines on Volkswagen Eos

Fast Forward
By Marcus MacFarland

OVERVIEW

Over the next few weeks I’ll be reviewing cars whose purpose is rooted less in practicality and more in fun. While each of these cars is quite different from the others in many ways, all have one common denominator. They are convertibles, and they are all about fun. Considering summer is now in full swing, reviewing three "good time" convertibles seems quite appropriate. Further, the fact that you’re reading this review means that you live in one of the most affluent regions of the most prosperous country in the world, which means that your automotive buying decisions aren’t always only about needs. So, let’s get to it, shall we?
The all-new 2007 Volkswagen Eos 3.2L is a two-plus-two with front-wheel drive and a retractable hardtop. Considering its size, sticker price, and luxury options, there isn’t a lot of competition. Pontiac’s G6 power hardtop and Volvo C70 are the Eos’ closest competitors.

PERFORMANCE

The Eos comes in three trim levels but offers only two choices for power. The first, available in the base and 2.0T trim, is a 2.0-liter turbo charged four cylinder making 200 horsepower. My tester featured the second choice, a 3.2-liter VR6, making 250 horsepower. Despite the Eos’ rather porky curb weight for its size, the 3.2L model is pretty quick. It’ll reach 60 mph in just six and a half seconds.

HANDLING

When putting the little Eos through its paces around my local testing facility- aka country roads- it proved to be rather responsive and crisp. When I really pushed hard, front grip gave way to the more than 3,500-lb. curb weight. One characteristic I expected but was conspicuously missing was torque steer at corner exit. Overall, the Eos is a competent cornerer.

STYLING

I made up my mind about the Eos’ styling just about the time I took it to my local gym. Almost as soon as I pulled into the parking lot my mind was spinning up reasons for driving this chick car: The jacked-up SS393 Chevelle wasn’t running. My wife took my Harley shopping. Whatever. I felt my manhood under scrutiny immediately. Not only are the exterior lines cutesy, but my tester was a shade of blue that could almost be described as periwinkle.
Inside, the surroundings are comfortable and rather luxurious. Its retractable hard top features a panoramic sunroof that can be opened without lowering the hardtop.

JUDGEMENT

On the whole, I liked the Eos. I would liken my feelings about it to that of many guilty pleasures, like singing in the shower or romantic comedies. Men, if your wife decides to buy one of these cars, you’ll likely complain about it, and then find yourself asking to drive on summer afternoons.

MX-5 Miata Adds Retractable Hard Top

Fast Forward
By Marcus MacFarland

OVERVIEW

Now in the second year of its third generation, Mazda’s MX-5 Miata isn’t resting on its laurels. The sporty little two-seater, which practically single-handedly brought back the classic roadster from the dead, has kept true to its roots while continuing to get better with age. For this year, a rather surprising option has been added, the retractable power hardtop, which is normally associated with more option-laden luxury automobiles. What’s more, the hardtop neither added an inordinate amount of weight nor sacrificed truck space in the MX-5.

PERFORMANCE

While the marketing for the MX-5 Miata states that it has "the soul of a sports car", I don’t think it got the engine of one. This most recent generation has more horsepower than has ever been available before, but considering brute force has never been a strongsuit for the Miata, that’s not saying a whole lot. The current mill is a 2.0-liter DOHC inline four-cylinder that makes 166 horsepower. This engine could be called lively, but in no way fast.

HANDLING

This is where the little roadster earns its reputation as one of the most fun cars on the market. Spend a beautiful spring day blasting through the country with the top down and you’ll not only appreciate the Miata, but also the 50’s and 60’s British roadsters that inspired it. This is really one of the more forgiving and neutrally handling cars I’ve driven. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not fast, but really fun to drive around twisties.

STYLING

So, this generation of MX-5 Miata is more sporty looking and less cutesy than previous generations. But, stylistically, the most significant part of this year’s model is the retractable hardtop. Kudos to Mazda for this addition. Not only does it only add 80 lbs. over the standard convertible model, but it also can be put up or down in a mere 12 seconds. Oh yeah, it also doesn’t absorb any trunk space.

JUDGEMENT

This year’s MX-5 Miata has kept everything that makes it a Miata, but now has received a noticeable jump in sophistication courtesy of the new retractable hard top. This is a characteristic that hasn’t exactly been overwhelming in years past. The fact that they’ve been able to add this to such a great niche vehicle, and keep it under 30 grand is pretty impressive. I wish the MX-5 Miata had a bit more horsepower, but hey, I doubt anybody who has ever bought one of these cars would care about that.