Long Term Update 4: 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI

At 20,000 miles, our long-term Jetta TDI needed new brake pads, per the service techs at Neftin VW in Thousand Oaks, California. VW recommends replacement when there is 4 mm of remaining wear in the pads, which measure 11 mm when new. Cost for the fresh pads was $158.09.

The second service-an oil change, full inspection, tire rotation, and cabin air filter replacement-was free, part of VW's 3-year/36,000-mile no-cost maintenance. "Gone are the days of my dad's clunky, smoky, and slow 1983 Mercedes 300TD," says Martinez. "This diesel is as smooth and quiet as any gas- drinking car. It feels quicker than most too. Thanks to its torque curve, I frequently chirped tires without much enticement of the skinny pedal."

First Drive: Hydrogen-Powered Mazda RX-8 and Premacy

Mazda’s two-car hydrogen fleet doesn’t feel futuristic, and it doesn’t feel like a science project. The RX-8 Hydrogen RE starts immediately with the turn of a key. There’s no waiting for it to warm up. And once the car’s on, there’s no whirring, no clicking, no hiss. There’s nothing to announce the hydrogen being combusted in the 1.3-liter rotary. It merely purrs a soft tremolo whirr.

That’s right: combusted. Instead of developing a fuel cell system, Mazda is running hydrogen through the four-stroke cycle. Doing so in a standard piston engine is difficult because hydrogen is highly combustible -- it's more than ten times more flammable than gasoline. So when hydrogen gets too hot in an engine -- like when it passes valves or a sparkplug -- it combusts prematurely and breaks things.

Likely unbeknownst to Felix Wankel, the rotary engine happens to be uniquely suited for hydrogen duties. Intake and combustion are in two different places, which keeps the hydrogen cool, and the distance between them allows Mazda to fit a larger, more accurate direct fuel injection system. Mazda has been putting rotary mills in U.S. consumers’ hands since the ‘70s, and development is cheaper. Another plus to using a rotary engine in the RX-8: When the hydrogen is all gone, press a button and it switches to gasoline on the fly. It’ll even make the change automatically, should you be too busy bombing down a mountain road to notice the fuel light. To switch back to hydrogen, you have to come to a stop. There’s no danger to going the other way while moving, but Mazda wants gasoline power used as a last resort.

Long Term Update 5: 2009 Mini John Cooper Works Clubman

At around 17,000 miles, the Mini's OE Continental run-flat tires were showing exposed wear bars, so we replaced them with a set of Michelin's new Primacy HP ZP run-flats. Total cost, including installation, was a healthy $993.87.

Wearing fresh shoes, the Mini had little trouble impressing Truck Trend Web producer Melissa Spiering. "The Clubman's third door made it easy to take my two-year-old nephew to daycare and when I had to pile friends into the back seat. I was also impressed that I was able to rake in 437 miles on a tank of gas, especially considering my occasional lead foot and three-hour daily commute)." Nits? "The lack of an armrest left me hanging, and I fumbled with the radio on a regular basis."

Auto Meter 2343 Autogage Mechanical Tire Pressure Gauge

Product Features:

• Economical and requires no electric power
• Used to measure the pressure of tires on a vehicle
• Has a range of 60 PSI
• Size of this mechanical tire pressure gauge is 1-1/2 (38.1mm)
• Offers a race inspired design with the trademark Auto Meter Monster look

Product Description:

Autogage line offers economical instruments for street and street performance vehicles, perfect for those needing good design at an affordable cost. Autogage is famous for its wide variety of black and chrome tachometers and underdash panels for 50's and 60's muscle cars. 60 PSI gauge retains the last measurement until the pressure is released. Patented design assures accuracy and durability, while a large dial and angled chuck enable easy measuring. Bronze bourdon tube 270 degree sweep movements and durable nylon gearing have made these rugged and long lasting gauges a proven high performance favorite for over 25 years. These mechanical gauges require no electrical power for operation making them an ideal choice for vehicles with no or low powered electrical systems.

How to flush a car’s radiator

Your car’s cooling system serves a very important purpose in keeping your vehicle running safely. Because an engine creates a lot of heat, cars needed cooling systems to keep the engines from overheating and leaving you stranded in the middle of nowhere. One important part of the cooling system is your car’s radiator. The radiator is in place to remove heat from the hot water that goes through the cooling system. When the radiator is functioning properly, the engine is kept as cool as possible to prevent overheating. When the radiator becomes clogged, its functionality is reduced and overheating may occur. This is why it’s important for you to learn how to flush a car’s radiator.

Radiator Function

Your car’s cooling system contains hot water that circulates throughout the system when your vehicle is in use. This hot water enters a tank at the top of your radiator, goes through the radiator, and is circulated out through a water pump. If your radiator was sealed at the auto factory, you need to be aware of leaks, but don’t need to take many more precautions. If your radiator is not sealed, however, you need to check the water level regularly and add water as needed. You also need to clear debris, like leaves, out of a radiator that is not sealed. You should learn how to flush a car’s radiator to keep this auto part maintained and working properly.

Preparation

Preparing to learn how to flush a car’s radiator is relatively easy. You need to park your car on an even service such as a paved driveway or section of concrete. The engine should be off, but the heater switch should be on. Because splashes can occur when learning how to flush a car’s radiator, you should also cover the engine. You’re now ready to begin flushing the radiator.

Instructions

You can learn how to flush a car’s radiator in a few steps. The first step is to take off the cap of the radiator and drain the water from it by removing the cap at the bottom. Watch the fluid as it drains to see if it is clear or very dirty. If the fluid is dirty, you should flush the radiator very carefully to clear out an accumulated dirt and rust. You should also disconnect the radiator hoses and make sure that they are not damaged. If they appear to be damaged, replace them with new ones. The next step is to put your water hose in the top of the radiator and let the water run through for several minutes. Ideally, the water will run clear at the end of this process. Insert the hose into the outlet at the bottom of the radiator and do a reverse flush. This will also take several minutes. Dirt and debris can build up on the engine cooling jacket, so be sure to flush this part of the radiator as well. When you’re done flushing the radiator, put the cap back on, reconnect all of the hoses, and fill it with coolant. Test how well the flushed work by running the engine and checking for leaks.

How to change fuel filters

If you want to improve the fuel efficiency of your car and save money in the process, you should learn how to change fuel filter parts on your vehicles. There are several reasons why you should learn how to change fuel filter parts, all of which can improve your vehicle’s performance and leave a little extra money in your wallet. If you have the right tools, and the ability to follow directions, you can learn how to change fuel filter parts on your cars very easily.

Benefits of changing fuel filters

There are several reasons why you should learn how to change fuel filter parts on cars and trucks. One is that your fuel filter protects other parts of your car by filtering out particles that could cause extensive damage. If these particles are not filtered efficiently and the filter becomes clogged, parts of your vehicle may become damaged, leading to costly repairs. When a fuel filter is changed, you can improve the speed of your vehicle, increase your vehicle’s power, and improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Learning how to change fuel filter parts can also save you a lot of money because you will only have to pay for the new fuel filter and not the labor of having a mechanic change it for you.

Equipment needed

If you want to learn how to change fuel filter parts, you need the right equipment. Safety equipment such as protective eyewear and gloves should be worn. You will also need wrenches, Phillips head and flat head screwdrivers, pliers, drive-up ramps, and a jack and jack stands.

Preparing to change the fuel filter

As you learn how to change fuel filter parts, you will also learn what needs to be done to prepare for the change. Put your protective eyewear on first so you are protected for the entire task. Then make sure all of your tools are in one place so they can be accessed easily. Elevate your car, but be careful to do so properly. Don’t elevate the car using a jack unless you also use jack stands, or you risk having the car fall on you as you are working.

Changing the fuel filter

When you first learn how to change fuel filter parts, you will need to locate the fuel filter. You may have to search through your vehicle’s user guide or ask someone who is familiar with your vehicle’s make and model to tell you where it is. The fuel filter has a covering that must be removed next, which can be done with a wrench or screwdriver. Then you need to remove any lines that are connected to the fuel filter. The type of tool you use will depend on what is connected to the filter and what kind of attachments are making the connection.

Use a pencil or similarly-shaped object to cap the fuel lines, and then remove the fuel filter. Insert the new filter, making sure you point the fuel arrow toward the engine. Simply reattach all of the hoses to the fuel filter and the change has been made.

How do hybrid cars work

Hybrid cars are a great improvement over traditional vehicles in terms of increased fuel efficiency and decreased emissions. Many auto makers are focusing on the production of hybrid cars in response to the rising costs of fuel and the demand for more environmentally-friendly vehicles. But how do hybrid cars work and why are they beneficial? Keep reading to find out exactly how hybrid cars work and why they’re able to improve fuel efficiency and reduce air pollution.

Types of hybrid vehicles

Before you can understand how hybrid cars work, you need to understand what a hybrid vehicle is. Any vehicle that uses two or more sources of power that provide power can be considered a hybrid vehicle. In addition to hybrid cars, there are also hybrid buses, hybrid locomotives, and submarines. When you hear about hybrid vehicles on the news, however, you’re most likely hearing about hybrid cars.

Gasoline & electric power

Gasoline-powered cars are able to travel many miles before refueling is needed, and they are also able to travel rather quickly to keep up with the flow of traffic. The problem is, gasoline-powered cars aren’t very fuel efficient and they also produce a high amount of pollution. Electric cars seemed to be the answer to this problem, but they can also go short distances before needing to be charged. Charging can be inconvenient and may take quite a long time, so electric cars were not a good solution for every day travel. Hybrid cars combine the best characteristics of gasoline-powered cars and electric cars all in one vehicle.

Parallel and series hybrids

How hybrid cars work depends on the type of hybrid car being used. In a parallel hybrid, the gasoline engine and electric engine can function to turn the transmission at the same time. The car is then propelled when the transmission turns the wheels. In a series hybrid, the car is propelled a little differently. The gasoline engine doesn’t power the car directly; instead, gasoline is used to turn a generator that produces electricity that turns the transmission.

First Look: Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept

Cadillac exterior design director John Manoogian II can't contain himself. He talks about the production CTS coupe and how it will hardly vary from the "CTS coupe concept," the unmitigated hit of the North American International Auto Show (Detroit), without adding the requisite, "If we were to build it." And so what's a poor Cadillac P.R. guy to do, but to say it hasn't been made official?
If you read Motor Trend, you know Cadillac has been kicking around the idea of a new coupe since before the doddering Eldorado was sent to that great Cadillac Ranch in the sky. And you know that this latest "coupe d'etat," designed much more recently than those earlier ideas, is set for a 2010 model year introduction probably some 18 months from now, alongside a Euro-centric CTS wagon-er, estate/shooting break. (One insider says, if you like the coupe, "Wait'll you see the wagon." Wait until when? That CTS wagon won't make its debut at Geneva and, in fact, hasn't been scheduled for any auto show so far this season.)

Cadillac Converj: Two Doors or Four?

The Cadillac Converj is still just a concept. Even though I'm far from the only motor journalist to have gushed over the star of the North American International Auto Show, General Motors' brass hasn't given a production version the green light. To refresh your memory, the Converj is a sexy 2+2 coupe riding on a version of the Chevrolet Volt's Voltec platform, powered by a 16 kW set of lithium-ion batteries with a 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine for recharging purposes only. We'll have more details in an upcoming issue of Motor Trend magazine and of course here at MT.COM

One obvious issue regarding its green light: the Converj is a two-door coupe. My kind of car. And the kind of car designers love to draw.

Designers, working for GM as well as its competitors, haven't drawn many coupes in recent years because two-door models are tough to sell. Auto marketing executives consider them too "fashionable": they sell well in their first year of production, then drop off too quickly for the remaining three to five years of their lifecycle.

First Look: Audi Sportback Concept

Audi is clearly proud of its Sportback philosophy, which it defines as "the sporting elegance of a coupe, the versatility of a five-door model, sophisticated technology and pronounced sportiness."
First applied to the Audi A3, and more recently on its A1 Sportback concept seen at the 2008 Paris show, the Four Ring brand's latest Sportback-inspired intrepretation -- the Audi Sportback Concept unveiled at the 2009 Detroit show -- is by far the most luxurious and daring of its five-door efforts to date and no doubt serves as a thinly-veiled concept version of the soon-to-arrive Audi A7.
While the Sportback Concept is at first glance yet another take on the now painfully cliche "four-door coupe," it's the addition of hatch that sets it apart from the CLS-Classes of the world. At 16.24 ft long, 6.33 ft wide and just 4.59 ft high, the Sportback certainly sports coupe-like dimensions. The Sportback's roofline and frameless doors make for a silhouette that appears to flow seemlessly from front to back, and the wheel wheels wash over the concept-size 21-inch rims. Audi says the design has a dramatically reduced number of lines, and we can't argue with that.

BUGATTI REVIEW

By now, we all ought to know everything there is to know about Volkswagen's Bugatti Veyron 16.4. Bugatti has been trotting out prototypes since the 1999 Tokyo auto show. A runner finally met the world's slavering motor press in Sicily last fall, and we devoted pages and pages to its supreme ridiculousness [November 2005].How nutty is this car, anyway? Let's recap a few factory figures:- 1001 hp (yes, SAE net)- 922 lb-ft of torque- Sixteen cylinders, sixty-four valves- Four turbochargers- 253 mph top speed (governed)- 0 to 62 mph in 2.5 seconds- 0 to 124 mph in 7.3 seconds- 0 to 186 mph in 16.7 seconds- $1.3 millionIsn't it about time for Bugatti to let us take one on a good old road trip?As my dad used to say, if you don't ask, the answer is no. I asked.Every year, just as rowdy Bike Week is ending in Daytona Beach and even wilder spring break is in full swing along every coastal Florida town with sand and cheap motels, the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance at the Ritz Carlton is an oasis of beautiful vintage cars, manicured lawns, and well-heeled, finely mannered enthusiasts. It ain't at the Ritz for nuthin'.

First Drive: 2010 Cadillac SRX Turbo

The luxury crossover might end up becoming a symbol of the 'you-can-have-it-all' era recently brought to a stunning conclusion by the collapse of Lehman Brothers. They're vehicles that let you tower over most passenger cars on the road while giving you near-carlike ride and handling. They get fuel mileage that won't embarrass you, but won't give you anything to brag about, either. And their performance is good enough, at least, to rival many quotidian cars.
Cadillac is just now jumping into this rich pool filled with the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLK, Volvo XC60 and of course, the latest edition of bland perfection, the Lexus RX. The volume launch version of the second-generation, first front-drive/Haldex all-wheel-drive SRX comes with a 3.0-liter, gas direct-injection V-6. That new model was good enough to smite the sonorous Lexus in our recent comparison, falling short of the RX's sumptuous refinement while trumping it in the fun-to-drive categories. Save for power.

Good thing, then, that Cadillac has an optional engine upgrade on the way, one that replaces the 3.0-liter's direct injection with old-fashioned port injection, shaves off 0.2 liters and adds an 11-psi max turbocharger. The 2.8-liter turbo V-6, available in the SRX about two months after its debut, is worth putting off your lux crossover purchase. Who knows? Maybe that'll be enough time for some improvement in the economy...while pricing isn't final, the turbo engine comes only with all-wheel-drive SRXes with the performance package and virtually every option included, for just under $50,000, nearly $4,000 more than a comparable 3.0-liter SRX and some $13,000 higher than a base 3.0 with front-wheel-drive. The only options left to choose will be 20-inch wheels (19s are standard), remote locking, cooled as well as heated seats and a rear entertainment system. Plus, the turbo is premium-only, while the 3.0 needs only regular.

First Look: 2010 Acura MDX

With a stroke of the designer’s pen, the last holdout in the Acura lineup has been updated to the company’s new corporate face -- beaklike grille and all. For 2010, Acura has updated the MDX SUV with new looks, a six-speed transmission, and all the latest technology in an effort to keep it on par with the competition.
Most noticeable to consumers will be the MDX’s new styling, updated for 2010 with new front and rear fascias to better reflect Acura’s recent design direction. The result looks something like a puffed-up TL and ditches the old MDX’s shieldlike grille, which was arguably the best-looking one in Acura’s fleet until now. Complementing the new grille and gaping twin air intakes up front is a slightly toned-down rear fascia with new, rectangular exhaust tips. In all, the MDX now looks less like its own vehicle and more like a larger RDX.
The bigger news is that Acura has dropped the old five-speed automatic for a new Sequential SportShift six-speed box with a multi-clutch torque converter for smoother shifting. Acura says the new box is fitted with five short gears and a tall sixth gear for good acceleration as well as good economy when cruising in top gear. The new automatic also comes with steering-wheel paddles for manual shifting as well as a sport mode, Grade Logic Control, Shift Hold Control, Cornering G Shift Control, and Hill-Start Assist and contributes to a 5000-pound towing capacity. Power hits the pavement through Acura’s Super Handling All Wheel Drive system equipped with Vehicle Stability Assist and Trailer Stability Assist.

First Test: 2009 Audi A6 3.0T quattro Sedan

Try splitting a market segment. That is, encapsulate the positives of both ends with none of the negatives. The Audi A6 does it deftly, bridging the space between the midsize A4 and full-size A8. Naturally, it shares engines with both, a 3.2L V-6 and a 4.2L V-8. But for 2009, it receives something in between: Audi's new supercharged 3.0L V-6.
Underhood the 2009 Audi A6 3.0T, the supercharger provides 11.6psi maximum boost to produce 300 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Max torque is available from 2500 rpm to 5100 rpm, where max horsepower starts and stays until the 6800 rpm redline. The result is eyebrow-raising acceleration as you pull the six-speed automatic's paddle shifters and watch as the digital speedometer slot-machines into triple digits. And that seat-of-the-pants sensation translates to the hard data: Acceleration to 60 mph takes 5.4 sec, just a tenth off the pace of the outgoing Nissan 350Z Track. Sure, the Z reaches the quarter-mile mark a little over a tenth faster, but this A6 is an inconspicuous, all-wheel-drive, 4139-lb sedan.

First Drive: 2010 Audi A5 Sportback

There are only two reasons Audi's new A5 Sportback won't be seen in U.S. showrooms shortly after production begins in September. The first is the brand's apparently unshakeable belief that Americans don't like and won't buy premium hatchbacks, no matter how sleekly seductive. "This concept is designed for Europe," shrugged Audi executives at the A5 Sportback launch in Italy this week.
While the model will be sold in markets as distinctively un-European as China and Australia, the company has no plans to add it to the U.S. lineup. According to German officials, this is chiefly because Audi of America isn't asking for the Sportback to be put on any discussion agenda. Compared with the apparent lack of interest both sides of the Atlantic, the second obstacle is insignificant. It's the small issue of certifying the A5 Sportback to meet U.S.
Government crash-safety standards. Close relatives from the Audi family, including the A4, already satisfy the regulations, so this would appear to be a mere formality.

Toyota FJ Cruiser (2007)

July 26, 2006 - Toyota has a long history in off-roading, muddying its tires and hopping rocks for decades and the most enduring name in Toyota's offroad prowess has to be Land Cruiser. Whether ferrying soldiers through battle, weekend beer-soaked rock-crawling or bringing medical supplies to remote locations, the Land Cruiser name has always meant durability and utility. In recent generations, Toyota has taken the Land Cruiser marquee decidedly away from its hardcore roots and converted it into a still capable off-roader but with more of a family vibe to it. Toyota fans have been waiting for a car like the FJ Cruiser to fill the fun, brutish void for years. The 2007 FJ Cruiser is Toyota's funky mid-range off-roader (the RAV4 is still in play on the low-end) put in place to attract a generation that has grown up maybe coveting a Jeep or in more recent times a Nissan Xterra or Honda Element. While those choices have similarly bold design, it's the FJ that's the real head-turner of the moment. The FJ is offered in three models: a 2WD automatic, a 4WD automatic and a 4WD manual. The manual 4WD is four wheel drive all the time while the automatic is only 4WD when user-initiated. The 2WD model features an automatic limited slip differential. Starting price points are, for the 2WD model $21,710; the 4WD manual at $22,890; and the 4WD automatic at $23,300. Our model came with a heap of options and the total settled in the neighborhood of around $28,000.

Nismo R-Tune Altima

June 21, 2006 - A while back, we brought you an article on Nismo's R-Tune Altima. In case you missed that brilliant piece of automotive journalism, let us recap the article for you. Nissan had its performance division -- Nismo -- design a couple of performance packages for its mid-sized sedan. These performance packages come in two flavors: R-Tune and S-Tune. Both of these packages come with extreme suspension upgrades, which allow the Nismo Altima to boast a skid pad number of over .9Gs. This same suspension upgrade also allows the Nismo Altima to run through the slalom 10 miles per hour faster than the stock car. The main difference between the R-Tune and S-Tune cars is the engine: the street-tuned S-Tune car uses a 3.5-liter V6 that really only gets a new exhaust. The race-tuned R-Tune Altima actually has the smaller 2.5 liter four-banger. However, this four cylinder engine gets a cold air intake, more aggressive cams, a header and a cat-back exhaust, and according to Nissan, this four-cylinder R-Tune Altima is much faster than the V6-powered S-Tune. Well, it's been almost a year since we abused the Nismo Altimas at the track, and since a new Altima is on the way, we had to act fast if we wanted to drive the "old" Altima one more time. We somehow convinced the people at Nissan to loan us the R-Tune Altima for a week. We loved this car on the track, but we wanted to know if this car's track-worthiness would make the car unlivable on the street. We'll start off by saying that the majority of people will dislike driving a R-Tune Altima on the street. But then, the majority of people don't care about real performance, and the majority of people don't even know what Nismo is. Nismo didn't build the R-Tune Altima for these people, so their opinions don't matter. The people that know and understand (and even love) Nismo will find that the R-Tune Altima does everything they want and more. The inside of the R-Tune Altima is nothing special. Outside of the Nismo shift knob and floor mats, this cockpit looks like any other Altima 2.5S. It's not the fanciest interior out there, but it gets the job done. We would have liked to have seen a more aggressive seat or steering wheel or something, but we understand that pieces like that aren't financially feasible.

Toyota Camry SE (2007)

July 5, 2006 - Toyota's "Camry" has never been synonymous with "exciting", and it's easy to see why. Toyota's bread-and-butter family sedan has typically appealed to family-types, and by "family-types", we mean the people that don't get excited about cars -- the types of people that see cars as only a form of transportation to places such as work or school. These types of people just need a car to be economical, reliable, roomy and able to get the kids to school and soccer practice without much fuss. And we must say, the Camry has always done these typical "family" duties very well. What the Camry has not done well is stir the emotions of people. Since its inception, the Camry has looked... well... bland. Not that it needs to look sexy, the Camry is one of the best-selling vehicles in North America. The SE-spec version of the last-gen Camry was starting to look good, but it still didn't look as exciting as the offerings from Nissan and Honda. So for 2007, Toyota gave its family sedan workhorse a new powertrain and a significant face lift. The Camry's new appearance may not appeal to the car's traditional target demographic, but the kids sure seem to love this new look. We decided to get the keys to an '07 Camry and see if the new car can live up to its sporty new appearance.

Toyota Tacoma X-Runner (2006)

August 22, 2006 - Toyota has made some big claims about its Tacoma-based X-Runner sports pick-up truck, the biggest claim being that the X-Runner can go head-to-head with the Nissan 350Z. While Toyota may say that the X-Runner was able to pull .9Gs on the skidpad and deliver a sub 7-second 0-60 time in testing, the X-Runner is no Z killer. This X-Runner is a mixed-bag for us; its "street" stance and features render it practically useless for "truck" things like off-roading and towing heavy loads, yet its inherent "truck-ness" prevents it from being a good sports car. Don't get us wrong, it's good for a truck, but saying a "sports" vehicle is "good for a truck" just strikes us as all sorts of wrong.

Due to this dual nature of the X-Runner, we have a bit of a "love/hate" relationship with the thing. We absolutely love the way it looks. We're not fans of chrome, so we love the X-Runner's mono-chromatic paint scheme and blacked-out grille. We also really like the full aero kit - blistered fenders and all. These larger fenders really accent the 18-inch sport wheels and TRD large front brake kit. The X-Runner looks every bit the part of a sports car, it's really hard for us to not like it. But then we drive the thing. It's not a bad-driving vehicle, but it drives very much like a truck. Toyota gave the X-Runner a serious suspension upgrade: re-designed springs and specially-designed Bilstein shocks lower the truck an inch, the frame got some special X bracing to increases the truck's torsional rigidity, beefier sway bars have been added and the stock off-road wheels were ditched in favor of some 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in performance V-rated rubber. All told, the X-Runner corners much flatter than most trucks we've driven, but damn the ride is bumpy. Seriously, the X-Runner has one of the roughest rides we've experienced, and we spend a lot of time in slammed vehicles. This beefed-up suspension also doesn't help out with the truck's high-speed stability. The X-Runner feels floaty and seems like it wants to dart all over the place at moderate 75-mph freeway speeds. A sports cruising machine the X-Runner is not.

Honda Accord Hybrid Sedan

September 8, 2006 - Many cars offer things that make a car reviewer's job easy: bags of personality, amazing performance or flaws so blatant that one can't help but spend page after page talking about why a car is so awesome or why its climate control system sucks. But many cars, such as the Honda Accord Hybrid, make our jobs difficult. It does everything it's supposed to do well, but it does so without being exceptionally stellar. It's hard to get excited about a car that feels no more exciting than your average washing machine. To be honest, it's quite shocking that the Accord Hybrid feels so... average. We really liked the 6-speed manual Accord V6 coupe because it was everything that its competition wasn't: sporty and fun-to-drive. When the people at Honda told us that the Accord Hybrid sedan's hybrid system was designed more for a performance boost than overall fuel savings, we imagined it would be a "poor-man's" version of the Lexus GS 450h. However, rather than being an affordable gentlemen's sports sedan, driving this large Honda hybrid shows that its appearance and driving dynamics were tuned more for the suburban-dwelling, kid-raising, grocery-getting mom. Let's start off with the car's appearance. The Accord does have some very clean, if uninspired, lines -- which means the Accord Hybrid looks just like a basic sedan. There's nothing about its appearance that's eye-catching, stunning, unusual or quirky. All we can really say about the car's looks is: well... it's a sedan.

Acura RDX (2007)

October 5, 2006 - Acura calls its all-new RDX the "SUV soul mate of the Acura TSX sedan". Given all the hype surrounding the burgeoning car-based "SUV" crossover vehicle segment, we're surprised that Acura is trying to tag the RDX as an SUV. As you can well guess, there's nothing SUV-like about the RDX. It's built like a car, is powered by a sedan-sourced four-cylinder engine and has just about 5 inches of ground clearance. So why is Acura calling the RDX a "SUV"? We feel that the RDX could have a lot more "cred" if Acura would just go and call it a "crossover". But we don't care if the RDX isn't a real SUV. In fact, we like the RDX because it isn't a SUV. Essentially a tall wagon, the RDX rides and drives like a sports sedan -- which is exactly why we like it.

Note that we said we "like" the RDX -- not "love" the RDX. The vehicle's chassis and powertrain are great, but we think that its potential got diluted through Acura's attempt to brand it as a "SUV". Instead of giving enthusiasts a high-powered turbocharged all-wheel-drive sport wagon, Acura just had to try to make this vehicle "truck-like". We're not huge fans of the RDX's look: its lines are too chunky, its nose is too long and pointy and the back end just seems to end too abruptly. It may look well-proportioned in some of these photos, but the RDX's overall dimensions just seem a bit out of whack when seen in-person. Can you imagine just how sexy this vehicle would have been if Acura just made an estate (wagon) version of the TL or TSX?

Hyundai Santa Fe GLS

December 11, 2006 - Many of our readers are too young to recall Hyundai's "less than stellar" early years. If you are one of those people, check this factoid out: in the early 90's, "Hyundai" equaled "terrible car". However, a lot has changed for the Korean car company in the past 15 years; these days Hyundai has established itself as a maker of cheap (sorry: "high-value") rides that are easily on-par with the likes of Honda and Toyota reliability-wise. Not only that, the latest generation of Hyundais is showing that the Korean manufacturer learned how to churn out rides that add a bit of style and a whole lot of safety to the vehicles' now-solid reliability. Hyundai's latest soft-roader, the second-generation Santa Fe, shows that Hyundai can now build rides that are cheap and pleasing to look at. The all-new 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe is 100-percent prettier than the vehicle it replaces, but it is still lacking the "wow" factor of a CUV like the Acura RDX or the Ford Edge. This CUV's appearance is unassuming to say the least: it's attractive enough to not turn people off, but it's not wild or bold enough to turn heads. The Santa Fe's styling is smack-dab in the middle of "average", which is more than good enough for the majority of car buyers. This CUV still tries to look like a truck - especially in the front - but the overall lines of the vehicle are much softer. Yeah, the old Santa Fe was pretty "round", but one can't deny the fact that the '07 car looks a lot more fluid.

Infiniti FX45

November 21, 2005 - The luxurious FX45 from Infiniti is by far the sweetest SUV we've driven all year. Though just over three years since its introduction, the aggressively-styled, swoopy ride still cranes necks as one motors down the street, still causes the heart to pitter-patter each and every time you drive even the shortest of distances. For the brief week I had it (four days technically … IGN Cars Master and Commander Justin rolled in it earlier in the week, no doubt impressing and confounding his bandmates and skateboarding buddies messing up the downtown areas what with their hackey sacs and the punk rock musics), there was a desire to run even the most mundane of errands. I even offered to run to the store for my elderly next door neighbor, a deed not unpunished as she later sent me back when I bought the wrong kind of pecan cookies. Introduced in 2003, the FX line from Infiniti has won over the hearts of many a SUV buyer with some incredibly bold styling, heaps of power, and boatloads of originality. To be sure, nothing on the road quite approaches the profile of the FX. Many people we spoke to while we had the truck stated that they didn't at all appreciate the design when it first came out. Time though and a fiendish pursuit of upgrades and tweaks from the designers at Infiniti have evolved the vehicle to a near-perfect mixture of pure aggressiveness and restrained luxury. It is just the right mix of sport and power and suppleness. It is a singular achievement in automotive design.

Volvo S40 (2006)

December 12, 2005 - Volvos have always had a reputation for being boxy and good. In fact, the Swedish carmaker was described as such in the Dudley Moore comedy classic Crazy People. About 15 years ago (about the time this movie was released), Volvo's PR flacks were all stoked for the "boxy but good" shout out in the movie, as they thought it would help shake the brand's then somewhat "plain" image. What a difference a decade and a half makes, as Volvo is now responsible for some of the most stylish cars on the road. We're guessing that there's something in the water in Sweden that makes its people more open to design nowadays. In addition to stunningly beautiful women, this Scandinavian country now gives us the cheap stylish pleasures of Ikea, the stylized synth-pop of The Sounds and, of course, the sleek and stylish entry-level luxury-sports sedan, the Volvo S40.Sure, Volvo's S40 isn't exactly new to these shores, but the current design is still "fresh" in our eyes. Introduced in the middle of 2004, the redesigned S40 showed the world that Sweden could make an entry-level luxury sports car that can rival the best Germany has to offer.

Infiniti G35 Sedan (2003)

A week ago today Infiniti delivered a Garnet Fire 2003 G35 sedan to our doorstep. Since then we've taken the beast through its paces and remain thoroughly impressed with Infiniti's sports sedan. This is it, today is the day--the last day we'll have the pleasure of riding in Infiniti's RWD-chariot, for now. After logging in nearly 1,000 miles in the G35 we're pretty sure that we know what potential buyers are getting into. It's about time to go through each aspect of the vehicle, step-by-step. Styling We said it before and we have to say it again for anyone that missed it--styling is love-it-or-hate it with the G35 sedan (not so much with the coupe). Many times has the G35 been compared to the Nissan Altima. The dimensions are similar, but these are two different vehicles. The Nissan sibling hangs out a bit more in the front and rear while the G35 has shortened overhangs, more in tune with BMW or other European design. We concede that the rear end could use a bit of work, but is still passable and doesn't suffer from "ugly-butt" syndrome. The C-pillars are pulled back as possible and do help for visibility's sake from the inside of the cabin. On the other side of the vehicle, however, the G35 is solid, we love the bulging arches created behind the headlights and the lamp housings as well. The front bumper isn't overly busy, like so many are today, but it's not deathly dull either. End-to-end the G35 succeeds in design; it's a refined yet subtle look that is further enhanced in coupe form.

Toyota Land Cruiser (2003)

March 14, 2003 - Day One We snuck into Toyota headquarters picked up our first SUV this morning. It's a little number Toyota calls the Land Cruiser. A quiet sort of flagship the Land Cruiser sits at the top of the Toyota SUV heap in terms of amenities and luxury. The 'Cruiser moves along quietly through traffic without much notice. But don't think for a minute that the stately Land Cruiser doesn't look regal, if anything. It is a very good-looking vehicle, but does go unnoticed in terms of exterior appeal more often than not. The Land Cruiser is the sleeper king in the SUV world. We have the privilege of driving this V8 Toyota from Manhattan Beach to the IGN headquarters in the Bay Area and back later this week. We pack Peer, Matt, Chad (Chatootie) and myself into the three-row tank on wheels. Seth and Steven (The Continental) "have too much work" and stay back at our Raleigh Movie Studios offices to "work." No sweat off our back, more room for Matt, Peer and Chad to partake in some mobile entertainment activities. Matt didn't bring along a monitor, just a Cube and the necessary equipment; but, alas, he forgot the car adapter so no Zelda for us. We still have our MDs, GameBoy SPs and laptops to keep us company.

Toyota Celica GT-S (2003)

Call us a bunch of silly editors, but we've never been down with the Celica. It's kinda been a "your parents" sorta car. Not that there was necessarily anything wrong with the car, after all, it was and is a Toyota. But it didn't have the sex appeal of, say, the last gen Supra. However, in the name of automotive journalism, we gladly accepted an invitation to do a road test of a 2003 Toyota Celica GT-S with not just the Action Package, but a full TRD package. This we can do. The Toyota Action Package does a lot for the Celica's exterior and gives the hard-sculpted lines some additional eye-candy to catch everyone's attention. The option comes with different front and rear bumpers, Action Package-exclusive side rocker panels (side skirts) and a very large yet clean looking rear wing. Add black-out HID Xenon headlights, a beautiful looking and sounding TRD exhaust and some super-clean five-spoke 17-inch wheels shod in lo-pro Paradas and this is far from your momma's ride. Not shown is our test mule's color. Appropriately named Solar Yellow the Celica's skin lights up the sky no matter day or night. It also does a lot for the car's disposition giving it a "happy aura."

Nissan 350Z (2003)

We knew the day would one day come when a 350Z would find its way to our door. That fateful day has come and we don't think the IGN offices will ever be the same again. A beautiful Silverstone Track 350Z was delivered to our office a little after lunchtime. The news of this event spread within the office and everyone wanted to see it. Equipped with biggie 18-inch Rays wheels, massive Brembo GT brakes and upgraded HID Xenon headlights the already stunning Z is even more of a looker. From any angle the Z is just an amazing car design achievement. Muscular fenders and short overhangs push the Z from aggressive to all-out killer. Slight changes were made from the concept car to final production car due to government regulations and some functionality issues. The front bumper was modified in the process, but we prefer the look of the somewhat subdued production vehicle. The triangular headlights stayed pretty much the same and still hit the halfway mark on the aluminum hood. A vertical door handle also made the transition from its birth at Nissan design studio the showroom floor. We like the look of the handle, but we don't like the look of the handle with the rest of the car--it clashes too much. But that's the only design element we're not fond of. The rest of the car is a visual treat from headlights to flanks it's just gorgeous and it goes for the interior. Design-wise there is very little not to like about the Z's two-seat cabin. Three "pods" sit center stage on the dash and remind us of the Datsun 240Z (S30). This is obviously intended to cause that nostalgia.

Mazda RX-8

October 30, 2006 - For all the trash I talk on Mazda's "Zoom Zoom" ad campaign, I sure do love its vehicles. Every Mazda I've driven -- from the standard Mazda3 to the minivan-like Mazda5 to the turbocharged AWD MazdaSpeed6 -- is the very definition of a "driver's car". I have yet to drive a bad Mazda, so it should be no surprise that the manufacturer of all that is zoom zoom is quickly becoming one of my favorite companies. So even though I've had a hefty amount of seat time in many of Mazda's finest vehicles, I really haven't had the chance to experience its flagship sports car -- the Mazda RX-8. Sure, we've featured the RX-8 on IGN Cars more than a few times -- but I wasn't the one behind the wheel for those reviews. I did take an RX-8 for a few hot laps around Laguna Seca a year back, and you can click here to read about the whole experience. For those of you too lazy to click around, let me summarize the driving experience as such: absolutely perfect handling, but the 1.3-liter engine needs to be kept in the upper part of the rev band if one wants to keep the car's speed up. I only had about 5 or 6 minutes in the car, but that was more than enough time for me to figure out that I had to have this car for a whole week -- if not longer.

So a year later I finally get an RX-8 to review. I'm still not 100-percent sold on the car's looks -- especially the front fenders. They look all right from the front or the side, but they look awful from a rear 3/4 view. I'd prefer to see the fenders actually sit flush with the rest of the car, but that's just me. Even so, the RX-8 is such a blast to drive, I can easily overlook the car's oddly-shaped front. I don't know if the suicide-style doors were designed as an afterthought or a gimmick, but I gotta admit: they are kind of cool. I do think that, had the car been designed and built as a two-door, the RX-8 would look a whole lot better. Of course, I also think that the RX-8 should have been designed as a two-seater, but then that would make the car an RX-7. But I'm getting off-point and should probably move on to talking about the car's interior. I don't know if I shrink during the day or what, but I find the RX-8's headroom to feel pretty tight first thing in the morning and slightly better in the afternoon. I still can't find a perfectly comfortable driving position for my 6-foot-1 frame, but the car just feels better later on in the day. Maybe I'm just less cranky as the days go on... I don't know. Still, it's hard to feel bad while driving the RX-8, as it is set up to deliver a first-class driving experience.

Review: Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder (2007)

November 14, 2006 - I've read many car reviews where the reviewer takes a special - almost sadistic - delight in "tearing a car a new one". Many times these writers dedicate 2 to 3 pages to why a car sucks and have almost nothing positive to say about the car being reviewed. I often find myself confused as to what traits a car must posses to earn the ire of the "automotive elite". Sure the car may not appeal to that reviewer, but it can't be that bad, right? New cars are pretty damn good these days, are they not? They start every time, their buttons and switches work as they should, and when properly maintained, modern cars can easily go over 100,000 miles. I have been of the mindset that modern cars do not and cannot suck. These cars may not be my taste, but they aren't bad. I can't hate a car... ..Or so I thought until I hopped back into the Mitsubishi Eclipse. The last time I reviewed the Eclipse, I cut it a lot of slack due to it being the lower GS version. I still complained about the ghastly interior, mushy stick shift and horrible outward vision, but I said it had "potential". I liked the seats, and I figured that if the car had the power to back up its looks - it would be a decent street machine.

Review: Volkswagen Touareg (2007)

November 28, 2006 - Volkswagen has been doing the whole "crossover-thing" long before "crossovers" were even cool. Well okay... VeeDub has been doing crossovers since at least before they were considered to be the "next big thing" in autos. VW's hard-to-pronounce (and spell) Touareg first hit U.S. shores in 2003 as an '04 model, and it created a pretty fair amount of buzz. This German carmaker - known primarily for the cute little Bug - was now trying to sell a big and very-Eurocentric "SUV" to Americans weaned on boxier and "tougher" offerings from the likes of Chevy and Ford. Back in '03, people were skeptical that this rounded wanna-be "truck" would be able to lure soccer moms away from their trusty "traditional" SUVs. Now that it's 2006 and "SUV" is one letter away from being a four-letter word, everyone and their grandma is trying to get a piece of the premium car-based Crossover Utility Vehicle market. Was VeeDub really one of the first on the scene? And if so, can the almost 4-year old CUV still hold up to the newer offerings rolling down the line? Our answer is "yes". If we've learned anything during our stint here at IGN Cars, it's that Germany knows how to make a damn fine automobile. So it should go without saying that Volkswagen's Touareg is one of the finest CUVs on the market today. The Touareg isn't one of the best on the market because it looks pretty - because it doesn't. It's not bad looking, but it sure as hell isn't as "pretty" as its Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne siblings. The Touareg certainly isn't photogenic, but it's certainly acceptable to look at "in the metal". One thing that the pictures can't convey is just how big the Touareg feels when viewed in person. It's not as massive as a Cadillac Escalade, but for a VeeDub, the Touareg is huge.

MINI Cooper Checkmate (2006)

December 1, 2006 - This review was originally supposed to be about the factory-prepped John Cooper Works MINI Cooper S. The standard MINI Cooper S is one of our favorite front-drive cars, so to say that we were looking forward to some time driving the limited edition race-bred 214-horsepower version of the car would be a gross understatement. But this review isn't about the JCW Cooper S. You see, an unfortunate turn of events occurred just a day or two before we were supposed to pick up the car: MINI needed the JCW Cooper S for some kind of event, so it pulled the car from our possession before we even got a chance to see the thing in the metal. However, the peeps at MINI didn't want to leave us stranded without a ride, so it let us borrow its MINI Checkmate. "Okay," we thought, "driving a regular Cooper S is still fun. Things will be fine." Turns out MINI wasn't going to give us the Checkmate edition of the Cooper S. We were "stuck" getting the standard 115-horsepower Cooper with the Checkmate package. While the MINI Checkmate does include electronic stability control and a "performance-oriented" wheel and tire package, the bulk of the package is merely cosmetic. Most people that choose to outfit their MINIs with this Checkmate package will likely be doing so for the special-edition seats and stickers.

BMW 335i Coupe

December 5, 2006 - Everything you've ever read about BMW's venerable 3-series sports sedan is absolutely true. The 3-series is consistently lauded as being one of the finest sports sedans money can buy, and for good reason - it is. We finally got the chance to hop into the latest E92-chassis 335i coupe, and let us tell you, our lives have changed forever. Screw the Bangle haters, the flame-surfaced 3-series coupe is one of the sexiest vehicles on the road today. In fact, this car is so stunning, we're at a loss of words when called upon to describe its beauty. It's like trying to describe Giselle Bundchen without using the world "perfect" over and over again. If we really wanted you to experience the full power of Ms. Bundchen's perfection, we would just have you click this link so that you could see a picture of her in her full glory. That pic is a hell of a lot better than a useless paragraph, right? The same must be done with the BMW E92 coupe - you just have to see it to be able to appreciate its shape. As with all 3-series coupes, the E92 boasts the ideal proportions for a coupe: long hood, sweeping cabin and short rear deck lid. We'd even go so far as to say that the E92 coupe is as beautiful as our all-time favorite coupe, the Infiniti G35. The much-hated flame surfacing is actually pretty subdued on the E92, but the sweeping lines and bold creases still show Bangle's fiery design legacy. We can't help but get caught up in looking at the subtle design details - like the way the bottom of the doors sweep up towards the rear, or the way that the 18-inch alloy wheels fill up the wheel wells in the exact perfect way.

http://cars.ign.com/articles/753/753029p1.html

December 13, 2006 - We do our best to ensure that each one of our car reviews exists "in a vacuum". In an ideal world, we'd be able to maintain a laser-like focus on each individual car and write about it without thoughts of other machines clouding our minds. However, as we hop into a brand-new ride each and every week, it's incredibly hard not to compare the "new new car" with the new car we just got out of. Hey - we're only human. Why bring this up? Well, it's because immediately prior to our picking up the Suzuki SX4, we spent a week in the excellent-in-every-way Audi A3 S Line. Both cars are small, all-wheel drive 5-door hatches, and in a way, these cars are kind of in the same class (as far as size and drivetrain, at least). Yeah, we know it's not fair to compare a near $40K car to a $15K car - especially before we even hop into the $15K machine - but we can't help the fact that we hopped into the Suzuki expecting to be disappointed. So imagine our genuine and honest surprise when we discovered that the Suzuki SX4 is a pretty damn good car. We mean, this car is on a whole 'nother level when compared to Suzuki's other offerings - like the rebadged Daewoos in the company's line-up (we're looking at you, Reno and Forenza). The past Suzukis we've driven, while pleasant cars, felt kind of cheap and flimsy. Of course, that's because they were cheap; we weren't expecting them to have the vault-like feel of a Mercedes. But this new SX4... it actually feels like a solid and respectable car. Furthermore, and we mean this in the best way possible, it feels normal. For a company known more for its sport bikes than its cars, having a solid "normal" car is a big deal. The SX4 shows that Suzuki is a real car company that builds real cars. Excuse us for a minute... we still can't get over just what an improvement this car is over past models.

2007 Audi A6 Avant S-Line

January 3, 2007 - IGN Overlord and resident German Peer "Ja Kool" Schneider has been quite pleased with us lately. Peer's stoked that we've been cutting back on the JDM-only reviews in favor of DTM-tyte rides from his homeland. These days, it's hard for us to request anything but a German-made ride. The Germans build cars for driving enthusiasts, and as we like to consider ourselves driving enthusiasts, we like to think that the German auto manufacturers build these cars just for us. We wanted to continue to sample the best rides Germany has to offer (all while staying on Mr. Schneider's good side), so we called up the peeps at Audi and demanded another car. Rather than hang up on us, which most companies do when we demand stuff, Audi said "sure thing" and asked us what kind of car we wanted. We've spent enough time in German sedans and coupes. Being in L.A., too many a**holes drive these Teutonic two and four-door cars as a false sign of wealth, and we didn't want to be associated with them. So what vehicle type did this leave us with? Our favorite type: the wagon. We asked Audi for an A6 Avant, and boy did Audi deliver.

AKUMA's World 12

January 4, 2007 - Editor's Note: I normally don't like to hijack Terry's column, but I thought I should do so in this case. You see, Terry knows a thing or two about building drift cars. I know he's mentioned it a few times, but it's worth re-stating. If you have a question about drifting, drift-car set-ups, etc., Terry's the man to ask. I got a letter in the regular IGN Cars inbox asking if Takumi's 11,000 rpm Trueno motor was actually feasible or something that can exist only in Initial D. I sure as hell don't know the answer off the top of my head, so I shot it over to Terry. Go ahead and read this column to get the answer!

will try to give you the best explanation possible. The 4AG engine that you are asking about came from a front wheel drive Japanese market-only Corolla (chassis code AE101), and the biggest feature that it has over previous models is an additional valve in the head for a total of 5 valves per cylinder. The 20 valve (20v) motor came with individual throttle bodies (ITB) for improved response and torque (bonus effect was the sweet sound of ITB's) and the new 4AG was also fitted with a VVTi unit for the intake cam. In stock form the motor has a similar rev limit to the venerable 4 valve motor, but since the additional intake valve allows the motor to breathe so much better the 20v will have better performance on the top end.

2007 Shelby GT500

January 29, 2007 - In the minds of many people, Ford's 500-horsepower Shelby GT500 is the "ultimate" Mustang. On paper, that line of thinking appears to be true; Ford's Cobra-badged two-ton pony car boasts a supercharged 500 horsepower 5.4-liter V8, massive Brembo brakes, a revised suspension and functional aero pieces. It's a good car, to be sure, but "ultimate"? That's a mighty big word... Ford is hoping that its "ultimate" $40K GT500 will invoke warm and fuzzy feelings in wealthy car buyers that remember the original Cobra Jet-powered Shelby GT500KR. We're talking about those older guys who spend their weekends ignoring their children so that they can watch the Barrett-Jackson marathon on TV, spending each and every auction-packed minute wishing that they had an extra 2 million dollars to spend on one of those 35-year-old Dodges. This type of car buyer could also be called "not us". The reason we mention these "older" customers is that the new GT500 is designed for them - not us. 2 million bucks for a muscle car is out of the reach of most people, but that rich dentist in your neighborhood can certainly afford a 40-thousand dollar toy. Those of you that haven't driven this car certainly won't believe this next statement, and that's fine, but this "ultimate" Mustang is actually pretty "soft" around the edges. Those GT500 customers looking to make up for a lost GT500KR-less youth don't want the man-boob-jiggling "rough" ride that a "real" performance car offers. Hell, most GT500 customers don't care (or even care to know about) a car's lap times or lateral G numbers. Sneeze-and-you're-five-lanes-over hyper-sensitive steering is also a big no-no for the "weekend cruiser" weaned on driving as fast as he can in a straight line. Let's be honest for a minute here: the typical GT500 customer just wants big engine in a car that can leave a stoplight right-quick.

Lincoln MKX (2007)

February 21, 2007 - Lincoln seems to be having a bit of an identity crisis these days. The stuff that made a Lincoln "a Lincoln" is long gone; Ford's luxury brand no longer makes large luxury barges or stylish rides with suicide doors. It seems that these days every vehicle in the car maker's line up is nothing more than a warmed-over Ford. Lincoln's current offerings are the textbook definition of "badge engineering" - the only thing really separating a Lincoln from a regular Ford is the badge on the grille. Sometimes this badge engineering doesn't work that well. Lincoln's MKZ is a nice car, but it's just a Ford Fusion, and not many people aspire to drive a mid-sized Ford sedan... On the other hand, Lincoln's Expedition-based Navigator is an example of how this badge swap can work. People actually want this luxury SUV, but we don't know if it's because the Navi appeals to the bling-bling SUV set or if it is because it actually uses the winning Lincoln formula of yore (big car, big engine, RWD and some luxury). Lincolns' new crossover, the Edge-based MKX, falls somewhere in the middle. It's certainly a nice car built atop a good platform, and its large-ish size does make it seem like more of a luxury vehicle (at least when compared to the MKZ). That said, the MKX is still a Ford Edge at its core, a fact that may hurt the MKX as it attempts to steal customers away from "dedicated" luxury rides like the Lexus RX and Infiniti FX.

Honda Element SC (2007)

February 27, 2007 - Honda's Element hit the market before the whole "crossover" fad took over the U.S. auto industry, so it was initially marketed as a "light" SUV. Its tall stance, plastic fenders and "Real Time 4WD" gave many buyers the impression that this Honda was designed to tackle rough terrain just like a "real" truck-based SUV. The fact that the Element came with a rubber-lined interior (able to be washed out by a hose and everything) only added to the boxy Honda's pseudo "outdoorsy" image. But as we all know, Honda's Element is basically a front-drive automobile. It can't crawl over rocks nor can it tow any boats; the Element just can't do the things that a "real" SUV can do. But let's be honest here: SUV owners don't go off-road or tow boats; they live in the cities and do "city-people" things like go drive for a cup of coffee. Given this reality, Honda made a "street" version of its boxy people mover for 2007. This newest Element street concept - conveniently called the Element SC - sheds its fake outdoorsman image in favor of a look that's more "street".

2007 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Mega Cab

March 2, 2007 - No doubt Dodge and other big truck manufacturers are facing sizable competition from the overseas behemoths... just look at the sales figures. Once a bastion of Americanism, the pick-up has gone global and with this new reality, American automakers for the past several years have been pulling out all stops to drop responsive, price-competitive, and electronically sophisticated products into pre-defined sweet spots in the marketplace. The large truck segment is crowded to be sure, but few are bigger than the Dodge Ram 1500 Mega Cab. With an impressive 5.7 Liter Hemi V8 powerplant capable of moving the workhorse down the road at a decent clip and a base price starting at $37,920, the Dodge Ram 1500 Mega Cab is not the least expensive big boy, but it's certainly worthy of your serious consideration if you happen to be looking for a stylish, powerful, and capable machine to get you from A to B in rugged yet luxurious style. Yes, we liked it. Our Ram 1500 Laramie Mega Cab came in a gorgeous color that Dodge calls "light khaki metallic" with a similarly colored leather interior ($490 option and completely worth it.). The effect of all of that tan is a crispness we weren't really expecting. It also sets the Laramie apart as a luxury vehicle as we're quite sure that muddy boots or sweat-soaked gear might not fare too well in the luxe interior. In fact, luxury seems to be the primary factor at play here, especially in relation to the comfort of the rear passengers. In addition to adjustable seats and leather, as well as a rear-climate control, backseat riders are able to take advantage of a rear-seat entertainment video system that just might be the savior of sanity on long car rides. At $1200, the option is considerably less expensive than on other vehicles where the price can sometimes be up to $1000 more.

2007 BMW X5

March 14, 2007 - Despite the fact that every automaker under the sun is attaching the hot new "crossover" tag to as many vehicles as it can, BMW is content to keep on calling its X5 a "SAV" - or "Sports Activity Vehicle". We never liked this "SAV" tag to begin with, so we're kind of disappointed that BMW is carrying it over to its brand new generation of X5. The 2007 X5 is definitely high on "sport" and "vehicle", but we're not too sure where the "activity" comes into play. This latest X5 is fun to drive, but is it practical? Styling The new X5 certainly looks practical - to 95-percent of Orange County-based housewives at least. Unless you're a die-hard BMW fanatic, you would be hard-pressed to distinguish the new X5 from the old one. Apparently that's what BMW was going for - an evolution rather than revolution in design. The 2007 X5 is instantly recognizable as an X5; though a closer look will reveal that the new car is larger than the last generation.
This latest SAV is larger because it rides on a brand new chassis, meaning that the X5's sheetmetal is all new as well. Yeah, new sheetmetal - we couldn't tell, either. Even when we look at the two generations of X5 side by side, we can kind of tell that the new car's design has changed... we just can't say exactly how it's different. We can see that the new X5 gets a little more flamed surfacing, but that's about it. It's gonna be hard for new X5 owners to "wow" their friends at South Coast Plaza when the new-for-'07 Bimmer looks like the X5 from 1999.

Audi RS4 (2007)

March 20, 2007 - If, for some reason, the automotive gods decided to smile upon us and let us have any one car in the world, any car we desire out of the millions made over the past century or so, we know exactly which car we'd choose. We like to drive fast, but as we're quite happy with the size and performance of our genitalia, we wouldn't opt for a "dream car" like a Bugatti Veyron or Ferrari FXX. We also wouldn't do the Gran Turismo fanboy-thing and choose a GT-R. Despite what you kids in Georgia think, GT-Rs are rather common (we know several people that have 'em) and we can pick one up in Japan for the price of a used Hyundai. To be honest, we just can't feel special in a car that every yankii and yankii-wannabe throws a fart can on. Moving on to the real reason we wouldn't choose any of the aforementioned vehicles is that they're just not practical. We've never been the types of people to want a Jay Leno-shaming garage; we just want one vehicle that can do everything we want. We're too lazy to hop in and out of different vehicles; we just want one car that can tear up a race track, carry our ladies in relative comfort and haul a drum set if needed. And since we started this story saying that we could only choose one vehicle, there is only one ride we can think of that perfectly combines our wants of ultra performance, comfort, style and drum set-carrying ability. That vehicle, ladies and gentlemen, is the Audi RS4.