Cars News

Best and Worst Cars for Your Commute

2008-07-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

2008 Honda Accord

Commuting is tough. Gas prices are high, and thanks to increasing sprawl, the average American commute is now 30 minutes each way. If you're going to spend that much time and effort getting to work, you'd better being doing it in a nice ride.

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The Best and Worst Cars for Commuting were chosen based on their gas mileage, comfort, safety and overall quality. At the top of the list are cars that'll get you to work in a good mood. At the bottom are cars that may make you decide the bus isn't so bad after all. With the exception of the Hummer H2, we generally applied our criteria to cars that you can buy new for under $30K. We also included an estimate, based on a 15-mile commute, current gas prices and each car's EPA-estimated combined gas mileage, of how you'll spend on gas to get to work each week. Here are some of the best and worst picks for your commute:

Top Picks:

#1 Honda Accord

MSRP: $20,360

Estimated Weekly Commute Cost: $27.31

The 2008 Honda Accord features a stretched wheelbase that provides ample leg room while on the road. It also has an optional voice-operated satellite-linked navigation system that can find gas stations, ATMs and restaurants -- using Zagat survey ratings. The Accord's optional Bluetooth is linked to the system, so once drivers find a restaurant, they can make reservations from the road.

#2 Mazda3

MSRP: $13,895

Estimated Weekly Commute Cost: $24.27

The sporty 2008 Mazda3 zips you to and from work while sipping gas. It averages 27 miles per gallon and is a blast to drive. Its bold styling sets it apart from the usual ho-hum commuter cars.

#3 Hyundai Elantra

MSRP: $13,625

Estimated Weekly Commute Cost: $23.40

With an MSRP of $13,625, the spacious Elantra is a steal for commuters on a budget. Although the interior styling is a bit on the conservative side, the car boasts generous front-seat room and receives high marks for safety.

#4 Honda CR-V

MSRP: $20,700

Estimated Weekly Commute Cost: $28.50

The 2008 Honda CR-V can conquer whatever your commute hands out, and then some. Road noise in the compact SUV is minimal and the SUV combines nimble handling with a comfortable ride.

2008 Chevrolet Malibu

#5 Chevy Malibu

MSRP: $19,900

Estimated Weekly Commute Cost: $26.22

The Chevrolet Malibu, the 2008 North American Car of the Year, has a large cabin and driver-oriented cockpit. The Malibu also features a one-year subscription to OnStar, which can give turn-by-turn directions, find nearby restaurants and attractions, run remote diagnostics on the car and even contact help in an emergency.

#6 Subaru Legacy

MSRP: $20,495

Estimated Weekly Commute Cost: $29.79

Getting you to work in one piece is no problem for the 2008 Subaru Legacy Sedan, which is an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety "Top Safety Pick" for this year. The Legacy features Subaru's renowned all-wheel drive system, making it easy for you to get to work no matter what the weather.

Maybe Not For Every Day:

Pontiac G5

MSRP: $15,675

Estimated Weekly Commute Cost: $24.27

Reviewers say the interior of the 2008 Pontiac G5 is cheap and uncomfortable, which won't help you decompress after work. Add in poor handling, and it's clear the G5 would give any commuter a permanent case of the Mondays.

Hummer H2

MSRP: $57,425

Estimated Weekly Commute Cost: $65.55

Although the interior of the H2 is appealing and interior space is abundant, its enormous 6.2-liter V8 engine guzzles gas. In fact, many reviewers report gas mileage as low as 10 mpg. With a 32-gallon tank to fill and gas prices rising, the H2 makes taking the bus look very good.

Chevy TrailBlazer

MSRP: $27,745

Estimated Weekly Commute Cost: $38.55

Thanks to its poor reliability scores, the 2008 TrailBlazer is a great choice for commuters who enjoy being late, or not making it into work at all. With an estimated 14 miles per gallon city fuel economy, it's also a good choice for commuters who like to set fire to money.

Ford Ranger

MSRP: $14,490

Estimated Weekly Commute Cost: $28.50

The 2008 Ford Ranger is not a car you want to spend a lot of time in. Reviewers say its cabin is comfortable -- provided you're a Munchkinland native. Storage in the cabin is minimal and many complain the truck has a rough ride. All that plus the truck's lack of safety features make it a commuter that will get you to work cramped, grumpy and maybe in one piece.

Suzuki Forenza

MSRP: $14,489

Estimated Weekly Commute Cost: $28.50

Although the Forenza has a spacious interior for its size, reviewers say the seats are cheap and uncomfortable. All that interior space may be taxing on the car's 2.0-liter engine, which reviewers say is underpowered, even for a compact car. Poor safety scores are the final nail in the coffin.

Full List of the Best Commuters:

Car	Class	Highs	Lows	MSRP	MPG
Honda CR-V	Affordable Compact SUVs	Comfortable ride, nimble, easy to control	No V-6 engine available	$20,700	20/27
Subaru Outback	Affordable Fullsize Wagons	Safe, roomy interior, reliable	Disappointing transmission	$22,995	20/26
Honda Accord	Affordable Midsize Cars	Comfortable interior, reliable, strong performance with V-6	Automatic transmission can shift roughly	$20,360	22/31
Chevrolet Malibu	Affordable Midsize Cars	Comfortable seating, sharp exterior	Outdated four-speed transmission	$19,345	22/30
Hyundai Sonata	Affordable Midsize Cars	Great safety features, low price	Bland performance	$17,670	21/31
Subaru Legacy Sedan	Affordable Midsize Cars	All-wheel drive standard, excellent safety scores	Boring exterior styling, a little pricey for the class	$20,495	20/27
Honda Civic	Affordable Small Cars	Quiet ride, low price, good fuel economy	Strange instrument panel	$15,010	26/34
Hyundai Elantra	Affordable Small Cars	Fun to drive, great price	Some testers found maunal transmission tricky	$13,525	24/33
Honda Fit	Affordable Small Cars	Great gas mileage, practical interior	Some think seats are uncomfortable	$14,750	27/34
Ford Focus	Affordable Small Cars	Fun to drive, useful new optional SYNC technology	Interior comfort could be better, exterior styling is disliked	$14,375	24/35

Save it for the Weekends:

Car	Class	Highs	Lows	MSRP	MPG
Ford Ranger	Compact Pickup Trucks	Affordable	Cramped cab, lacks modern safety features, underpowered, bumpy ride	$14,220	21/26
Chevrolet TrailBlazer	Affordable Midsize SUVs	Roomy interior, powerful engine	Expensive gas guzzler, questionable reliability record	$27,405	14/20
Pontiac G5	Affordable Small Cars	Sporty exterior, good acceleration	Uncomfortable interior, cheap interior construction, bad handling	$15,175	24/33
Suzuki Forenza	Affordable Small Cars	Spacious interior	Interior is cheap and uncomfortable, engine is underpowered	$14,249	19/28
Hummer H2	Luxury Large SUVs	Roomy interior	Gas guzzler, expensive	$56,690	EPA does not report

Among Hybrids, the Toyota Camry and Chevrolet Malibu Offer the Best Overall Value

2008-07-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

Car buyers hoping to economize by switching to a hybrid car will save the most money if they buy a Toyota Camry hybrid, Chevrolet Malibu hybrid or Nissan Altima hybrid, according to a study by NADAguides.com.

As gas prices continue to rise around the country, hybrid cars are attracting more and more drivers who want to save money on fuel. But many consumers looking to buy a more efficient car only compare the EPA fuel economy and don’t factor in the increased price of the hybrid model, according to Tara Baukus Mello, NADAguides.com lead market analyst.

Even though they use less fuel to go down the road, hybrid cars cost more upfront and, depending on how many miles drivers cover, won’t necessarily save money. Baukus Mello and NADAguides.com studied the prices and potential fuel savings of hybrids on sale in the U.S. to determine their break-even point—how far the cars must be driven before savings in fuel costs outweigh the initial outlay for a hybrid.

The study used EPA combined fuel economy ratings for 2008 model year hybrid cars and their gasoline-engine counterparts to evaluate fuel savings. Coupled to the manufacturer suggested retail prices (minus any tax breaks for hybrids) for each vehicle, NADAguides.com found varied results. For gas prices, the study used the current cost of a gallon in Los Angeles, $4.59. While that’s higher than the current national average, it might not be too long before all of us are paying those prices.

2008 Honda Civic Hybrid

The Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Malibu, Nissan Altima, Toyota Prius and Honda Civic hybrids all offer enough fuel savings for drivers to recoup their price premiums after fewer than 75,000 miles of driving—or less than five years for an average driver. But even among these five models are some surprises.

Hybrids such as the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon take longer to break even than the five cars listed above (about 75,000 miles), and are thus not mentioned in detail below.

The Popular Kids are Costly

Since its introduction to the U.S. in 2000 as a 2001 model, the Toyota Prius has been the volume leader with over half a million models sold stateside. Discussion on fuel economy and high-mileage hybrid cars always seems to center around the quirky Prius, yet it may not be the best hybrid for buyers looking to minimize overall vehicle costs.

Even though it achieves a combined EPA rating of 46 mpg, the Prius starts at $22,160—thousands more than a comparable Toyota Camry LE rated at a combined 25 mpg. Baukus Mello’s study found that a driver paying $4.59 per gallon for gasoline would need to drive 41,626 miles before they saved money. That distance rises to over 47,000 miles for buyers paying the current national average of $4.11 per gallon. For most drivers, that’s three to four years of vehicle ownership before the Prius delivers cost savings.

The Honda Civic hybrid delivers an even worse return on investment. Though the hybrid Civic is far more fuel-efficient than its gasoline brethren, a $4000 premium for the hybrid is hard to recoup—even when factoring in a $525 tax break. At $4.59 a gallon, buyers need to accumulate 57,216 miles in order to save money with a Civic hybrid rather than an automatic LX model.

Still, Baukus Mello said she believes many consumers want to drive hybrid cars regardless of overall cost savings. Though the highly-praised Prius isn’t really going to save money for drivers, it might fulfill a different need: ecological pride.

“You’re doing it because you have an interest in fuel economy,” Baukus Mello said.

Most Popular Mid-Size Cars

2008-07-20T20:06:00.000-07:00

Hybrids and small, fuel-efficient cars are in short supply, and the auto industry, in general, is having one of its worst years ever.

But auto buyers, driven by rapidly rising gas prices, found some appealing fuel-efficient mid-sized and crossover vehicles in the $18,000 to $30,000 range. Sales of some models in this segment surged in June 2008, compared with June 2007, and the increase provided a ray of hope to automakers otherwise struggling to stay afloat.

The biggest winners were the Chevrolet Malibu sedan(25 mpg), sales up 73.4% in June 2008 compared with June 2007; Honda Accord sedan (24 mpg), sales up 54%; Chevrolet Equinox crossover (19 mpg), sales up 45.9; Subaru Forester crossover (22 mpg), sales up 41%; and Pontiac G6 sedan (25 mpg), sales up 34.2%.

The double-digit surge in sales of some mid-size vehicles highlights the shift in consumer preference away from gas-guzzling SUVs and pickups, whose sales continued spiraling downward in June--by 28.4% for the month.

Rough Month All Around

Overall, sales for June fell 18.3%, one of the weakest selling periods in years, according to Autodata Corp., which tracks vehicles sales. There were three fewer selling days in June 2008 (24) compared with June 2007 (27); the percent change calculation is based on numeric comparison and has not been adjusted to reflect the fewer selling days in the period.

Three days made little difference, however, as no automaker was exempt from the sales plunge--even Toyota, which many analysts predicted would overtake General Motors in U.S. sales. GM held its position with an 18% sales drop; Toyota's sales dipped 21%.

No segment was excluded from the sales slump, including hybrids such as the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic. Both experienced a sharp drop in sales last month--not because of a lack of interest, but because of a lack of availability. Auto buyers purchased the vehicles faster than auto makers could build them, so there are fewer of them left to sell. Sales of the Prius (46 mpg) tumbled 25.5% in June 2008 compared with June 2007; Civic hybrid sales (42 mpg) were off 6.1% (gas-powered Civics sales soared, however, by 23.1%).

"The source of weakness is coming from a distressed consumer," says Bob Schnorbus, chief economist at J.D. Power and Associates. "Consumer confidence is as low as one may imagine it getting, and there are uncertainties about where the energy market is going."

Auto sales likely won't rebound "until consumers get their confidence back, and that may not be until next year," he adds. Many consumers are holding off on making purchases until they feel more secure about their jobs, housing and cost of living, auto analysts say.

Mid-Size On The Rise

Consumers who did enter the market in June to purchase a new vehicle bypassed SUVs and searched for other options to reduce fuel expenses. Some snubbed subcompact or small cars for mid-priced vehicles. This broad segment includes a mix of sedans, coupes, convertibles, compact SUVs and crossover vehicles that appeal to families of varying sizes. They want fuel-efficiency but may need a larger vehicle that is versatile enough to meet the demands of their lifestyle.

"Some people really don't want smaller cars," says James Hossack, a consultant for AutoPacific Inc., an automotive marketing and product-consulting company. "What they really want is more fuel-efficient vehicles. They want room for the family and their stuff." Also important is safety, says Hossack.

It may take some time before automakers catch up to the marked shift in consumer preference for fuel-efficient vehicles. If June sales are any indication, demand for these cars is way ahead of supply--and will be for some time to come.

Toyota Prius Killer!

2008-07-20T20:01:00.000-07:00

2010 Honda Hybrid

Our team of spy photographers caught the next-generation Honda hybrid in the scorching deserts of the Southwest performing hot-weather testing. You can immediately tell from the car's profile that Honda's new "green" car is going straight after the Toyota Prius. Although the car is heavily camouflaged, you can see the basic overall design that mimics Toyota's popular hybrid and is heavily influenced by the shape of the company's FCX Clarity fuel-cell concept that appeared at the last Tokyo Motor Show. Back then, the FCX was introduced as a sporty hybrid, but it's obvious from these photos that usable economy is the name of the game now. Some have speculated that this new car will replace the now-discontinued Insight in Honda's lineup, while others maintain that it will become the new Civic Hybrid. Whichever label it wears, one thing for sure is that it will be one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles in the world, and may wrest the crown away from the Prius as the world's favorite green car.

2010 Honda Hybrid

The price of this new car will be low, as Honda maintains it will be an entry-level car with 200,000 units selling annually — half of those to be sold in the United States. Early rumors indicate that it may be as low as $19,000. With seating for five, this 4-door, front-wheel-drive hatchback will be using an updated motor-assist hybrid system and an advanced nickel/metal-hydride system, not lithium-ion batteries. We're not sure yet on the gasoline part of the equation; it could be the company's lean-burning 1.3-liter inline-4 (in the current Civic Hybrid) or something even leaner. The expectation is class-leading fuel economy, no doubt way north of 40 mpg. Look for the new Honda Hybrid to arrive at dealerships here in the States in late 2009.

Is there anything the Mitsubishi Lancer can't do?

2008-07-16T22:27:00.000-07:00

Mitsubishi announced today that it will enter a modified Lancer in next year's Dakar rally, the legendary grueling race through Africa. The base model Lancer is a small economy car with not much pep but a good cabin tech package, seemingly a poor platform for this tough race. However, Mitsubishi has been proving for years with the Lancer Evo, a heavily modified version of the car, that it can win World Rally Car races. The newest version, the Evo X, impressed the heck out of us on the track at Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif., earlier this year. Mitsubishi only released a sketch and some specifications of the car, designated MRX09, it intends to enter in Dakar.

The Lancer Sportback will be launched at the Paris auto show.

(Credit: Mitsubishi)

The body design is based on the Lancer Sportback Mitsubishi will show off at the Paris auto show this fall. The MRX09 is powered by a turbocharged three-liter six-cylinder diesel engine producing over 260 horsepower and 480 foot-pounds of torque. The car's all-wheel-drive system uses a center limited slip differential, similar to that on the Lancer Evo, and a five speed sequential manual gearbox. Mitsubishi achieved 12 wins in past Dakar rallies using its Montero/Pajero SUV as a platform, so the Lancer represents a significant departure from tradition. The only question that remains is whether the Dakar rally will actually happen, as the 2008 race was canceled because of the threat posed by armed groups along the route

2008 Infiniti M45X

2008-07-16T08:37:00.000-07:00

When you think big, comfortable sedans with cutting-edge tech, you look for a price range around $80,000 to $100,000 and think models such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7-series, and Lexus LS. But then here comes the 2008 Infiniti M45x with all the tech those other cars offer for a measly $60,000, fully loaded. This is the car for well-heeled value shoppers.

The M45x model is Infiniti's top-of-the-line sedan, featuring the model's largest motor along with all-wheel drive. This big sedan cruises easily and coddled us in its very comfortable front seats. Infiniti has been a real leader in cabin technology lately, and our M45x test car came with not only the optional Technology package, but also the Advanced Technology package. There are only a couple of places where we felt this car let us down, in its uninspiring automatic transmission and its mediocre fuel economy, which was expected given the size of the engine.

Test the tech: Traffic cruise
The 2008 Infiniti M45x includes a couple of cutting-edge technologies as options: XM NavTraffic and adaptive cruise control. We tested both of these with a rush-hour trip into heavy traffic around San Francisco, a city consistently rated in the top five for worst traffic in the country. We've used adaptive cruise control, a radar-based system that slows the car down to the speed of slower-moving traffic ahead, on freeways with sparse traffic. Even there we kept a foot hovering over the brake pedal, at least initially, afraid to put our trust into the system. But we were ready to take the next step and drive in heavy traffic, sans feet.

The adaptive cruise control is set for 72 mph, according to the display on the tachometer, but slower traffic ahead has the car's actual speed at just below 60 mph

And we also used the opportunity to test the traffic avoidance feature of the navigation system. With the Infiniti, as in a few other cars we've seen, such as the Cadillac CTS, the navigation system uses the information it gets about traffic on the road ahead to come up with alternative routes. This level of integration beats the systems that merely show traffic information without warning about traffic jams on the road ahead.

We set our initial route for the San Francisco International Airport, a few miles south of the city, and followed the route onto the freeway. Traffic was stopped in the other direction, but we got enough clear space southbound to gun the car up to 70 mph and set the cruise control. As we came up on the traffic ahead, our hearts pounding, the car braked and slowed itself to 45 mph, matching the speed of the car in front of us. The distance between our car and the next was initially pretty far, and would tempt too many people to cut in, so we pushed a button on the steering wheel that brought the following distance to the lowest setting.

In a few stretches just south of the city, the navigation screen showed an amber line along the freeway, indicating traffic moving at 20 mph to 40 mph, but the navigation system didn't suggest an alternative. We figured it would only suggest a different route for traffic going below 20 mph, indicated on the map by a red line.

This dense traffic is moving slower than the 20 mph to 40 mph indicated on the navigation screen.

As we drove under the cruise control's speed management, we felt that the car we were tracking was going a bit too slow, about 5 mph under the limit, so we looked for a clear spot and jumped a lane to the left. Our car immediately sped up, trying to reach the 70 mph it was set for, but quickly locked onto the car ahead, and we settled in at a more comfortable pace. But following this car, a minivan cut into the space between us. There wasn't a lot of room, and the M45x started slowing down. But we just didn't feel it was enough, so we hit the brakes harder to avoid a collision. We concluded that the adaptive cruise control does work in even heavy traffic, as long as it's moving along, but you have to be ready to get a foot on the brake when needed.

For the trip back, we set our destination as CNET headquarters, and the navigation system advised us that it adjusted our route based on traffic ahead. We looked at the entire route and saw that it wanted us to exit the freeway before a red section in downtown San Francisco. So far, so good. We got on the route, but quickly got into very slow moving traffic running well under 20 mph. Looking at the map, it claimed we were only in an amber section, and should be moving faster. This is a problem with the reporting and not Infiniti's system. If the traffic conditions were up-to-date, the navigation system would have routed us off the road. As it was, we took the next exit off and devised our own detour.

In the cabin
Our 2008 Infiniti M45x featured most of the same cabin tech we saw in the Infiniti EX35, and it is all very good. An LCD sits in the center of the dashboard with a set of controls on a panel below it. The main controller is a big, multifunction knob with directional buttons inset on top of it. We like this setup a bit better than the joystick/knobs found in BMW's iDrive and Mercedes-Benz's COMAND interfaces. Infiniti also supplements the buttons and knob with a touch-screen LCD, but in the M45x, the screen is too far from the driver for that aspect to be useful. There is also a voice-command system that replicates most of the controller commands.

The multifunction knob on the control panel is supplemented by the touch screen.

The navigation system included in the M45x's Technology package stores its map data on a hard drive. That and its quick processor make for fast route calculation and map rendering. The hard drive also allows for some very detailed information storage, such as outlines of some buildings in major urban areas and 3D map views. For destination entry, the multifunction knob makes it easy to select letters and numbers from the onscreen keyboard. The system also offers a complete points-of-interest database.

We were also happy with the route guidance, which uses detailed graphics to show upcoming turns and text-to-speech, reading out the names of streets. We mentioned the live traffic reporting above. Along with traffic flow information, the system shows incidents, such as road construction or accidents. There are too major traffic systems in cars right now, XM NavTraffic and Clear Channel's Total Traffic Network. In the San Francisco Bay area, we've noticed slightly better coverage from the Clear Channel service, but NavTraffic seems to be catching up. It showed traffic information on a highway through the center of the city, something we hadn't seen previously from this service, although it didn't have a highway south of the city that is covered by Clear Channel.

For entertainment, the M45x offers an almost ridiculous number of audio sources. Along with terrestrial radio, it has XM satellite radio. There is a single CD slot on the center stack, which can play MP3 CDs, and a DVD player in the console. You can play MP3 files off of a compact flash card inserted in a slot on the center stack or listen to an iPod plugged into a port in the center console. The iPod interface is excellent, letting you select music by artist, album, and genre. With the DVD player, you can even watch movies on the LCD, although we're not sure why anyone would do that.

These shoulder speakers come with the Advanced Technology package, part of an upgraded Bose audio system.

And the audio system produces excellent sound. With the Technology package, you only get eight Bose speakers, but the Advanced Technology package upgrades the audio system to 14 speakers, complete with subwoofer, center fill, and four shoulder speakers mounted in the front seats. 308 watts of amplification power these speakers, and the audio is refined using Bose's digital 5.1 surround sound. This system results in very clear instrument reproduction throughout the spectrum. The bass isn't overwhelming, but it is nice and clear, while highs are very distinct. With the audio system and the comfortable seats, we just wanted to drive around all day.

On the communication front, Infiniti's Bluetooth phone system is generally good, although it requires you to push your phonebook into the car. Some systems, notably from BMW, upload your cell phone's entire phonebook automatically. Our phone only let us push one entry at a time into the Infiniti's system, but other phones will let you push the entire phone book. For manual dialing, there is a good onscreen keypad, or you can use the voice command system.

The Lane Departure Prevention feature is activated with a button on the lower right of the steering wheel.

Many cars stop at these three basics: navigation, digital audio, and Bluetooth, but the M45x keeps a few more tricks in the cabin. We mentioned the adaptive cruise control above. Other driving technologies include Lane Departure Warning, which sounds a tone if you cross a lane line without signaling, and Lane Departure Prevention, a new technology from Infiniti we first saw in the EX35. When you enable this system by pushing a button on the steering wheel, it slightly brakes the offside wheels if you continue to drift over a lane line after the Lane Departure Warning has sounded. This braking results in the car being nudged back into its lane. The system only works above 45 mph and it is easy to override, either by turning the wheel or using a turn signal. In practice, we found this system worked very well when we let the car drift over a lane line.

The last significant piece of cabin tech is the rear-view camera. Previously, we've been so impressed by the rear-view cameras in Audis that we've tested them with backward slaloms and other maneuvering. The reverse camera in the M45x uses the same technology, presenting an overlay that shows the car's proximity to objects behind it, and another that curves when the wheels are turned, showing the path the car will take.

Under the hood
The 2008 Infiniti M45x is the first time the M45 has been fitted with Infiniti's all-wheel-drive system. This system, also used in the FX models, can move torque from 100 percent rear-wheel-drive to a 50-50 split between the front and rear wheels. Infiniti claims the system not only helps during inclement weather--there is a snow setting to lessen torque as well--but also gives the car better sport handling.

The snow button reduces torque, making it less likely the tires will spin on slippery surfaces

We had very dry conditions during our review period, but did drive some winding mountain roads, putting on the power through the curves. During hard maneuvering, the car leaned a bit and the rear tires felt like they skittered over the pavement, but the car never really slipped. It felt like it had grip to spare, but because of the car's heavy feel, we never really could tell when torque was splitting to the front wheels.

The five-speed automatic transmission didn't seem to add much to the driving experience. It had the usual manual shift mode requiring a push up on the shifter to upshift, and down for a downshift. But gear shifts felt slushy--typical automatic behavior--not like some of more highly tuned automatics found in cars such as the Cadillac CTS or the new Mercedes-Benz AMGs.

The five-speed automatic felt like a typical automatic transmission, with no real sport turning.

With 325 horsepower and 336 pound-feet of torque, the 4.5-liter V-8 under the hood isn't the most powerful engine around. Instead, it seems as if Infiniti is trying to strike a balance between power and economy. The engine does give the car decent acceleration, but it's not overwhelming. It seems more that Infiniti realized people buying a big luxury sedan weren't going to push it hard through the twisties, so it tuned the engine for comfortable freeway cruising, making sure there would be power when you needed it.

The engine uses continuous valve timing technology to maximize efficiency, but even so, the car is subject to a hefty gas-guzzler tax. The EPA gives it 14 mpg city and 20 mpg highway. We averaged a bit more than 16 mpg, right in the middle of that range, not great, but about what we would expect from an engine this size. We've seen comparable fuel economy in six-cylinder cars. For emissions, the M45x gets California's minimal LEV II rating.

In sum
At a base price of $52,750, the 2008 Infiniti M45x comes in fairly cheap compared with a lot of the competition. Our car also came with the $3,350 Technology package and the $2,800 Advanced Technology package. Along with the $1,300 gas guzzler tax and the $765 destination charge, the total comes up to $60,965, still a good deal for a car with this kind of tech.

For our rating, we give the M45x top marks for its cabin tech. With the core technologies we look at, the M45x offers many advanced features. It adds a number of other technologies on top of that, including Lane Departure Prevention, something no other manufacturer has currently. In the performance tech category, we are less impressed. Fuel economy is far from wonderful, and it doesn't offer a particularly sporty drive as compensation.

2009 Hyundai Sonata Limited V6

2008-07-16T08:32:00.000-07:00

Hyundai got high marks from many auto reviewers for the last generation of its Sonata sedan, but it fell short on the car tech front. But now the 2009 Hyundai Sonata is here, and it looks good for catching up with and surpassing its nearest competitors. We weren't surprised to find a navigation system in a Toyota Corolla we reviewed recently, but when we saw the LCD in the Sonata's dashboard, we only kept our feet because we had a little advance warning. It was the iPod integration and the voice command system that really floored us. We had the top-of-the line Limited V6 model, which comes with an engine offering more than adequate power for the little sedan. We were only troubled by the transmission's gear hunting, the soft ride, and the overly powered steering.

Test the tech: Talking to a car
Voice command systems can be troublesome. Many times while testing cars we've found ourselves yelling at the dashboard, repeating the same phrase over and over again, only to have the car reply "Sorry?" or "Audio off" when we were trying to cancel route guidance, as one example. And thinking it was audacious of the 2009 Hyundai Sonata, as a newcomer to modern car tech, to offer a voice command system, we put it to the test.

The Sonata has onscreen help for its voice commands.

While driving down the freeway, we started with a few free-form commands, not bothering to read the manual. After hitting the voice button on the left side of the steering wheel, we waited for the prompt, then said, "Destination." The navigation system brought up the destination entry screen right away--a good start. We wanted to go back to the map, so tried saying, "Exit." Hearing that, it switched from the CD player to AM radio. All right, time to get serious.

We pulled off the freeway, parked, and said "Help." The car brought up some top-level help commands on the screen, informing us that we could get specific help on any function. After reading the available commands, we set off again, and tried something complex. We said, "FM frequency 102 point 1," and the car responded by switching to FM 102.1, the local classical station.

OK, we had the hang of this. Thinking we might want to stop for a water, we tried another somewhat complex command. First we said, "Destination," then, "Find nearest convenience store." The screen immediately brought up a list of 7-Elevens and other convenience stores, sorted by their distance from our current location. Nice, but there were no indicator arrows telling us the direction to each one. With a few taps of the touch screen, we could find the locations of any entry on the map, but that was fairly tedious, especially when most of the nearest ones were behind us and we weren't in the mood to backtrack.

We liked its response when we asked it to "find nearest Mexican restaurants."

We continued on, and in thinking about our experience with the system so far, we realized that we might be able to utter our commands out of context. For example, with many systems we've found that you have to drill down, as in first saying "Navigation" then saying navigation-specific commands. So with the Sonata, we brought up the iPod screen, then said, "Find nearest Mexican restaurant." The system switched from our music screen to a list of nearby Mexican restaurants.

We were pleased with the Sonata's voice command system. In general, the voice commands are intuitive. It doesn't take much time with the onscreen help to figure out some useful commands. It also recognized our spoken commands with good accuracy, working just as well as the system we've used extensively in the Honda Civic.

In the cabin
We mentioned above that we were surprised to find so many tech features in the 2009 Hyundai Sonata. Part of the reason for all these tech features was apparent in the cabin where Infinity logos abound. The subwoofer grille on the rear deck proclaimed Infinity, as did the faceplate for the navigation and audio system. We could see that Hyundai had been hanging out in the right company.

Hyundai keeps knobs to a minimum with this instrument panel.

The instrument panel in the Sonata is very uncluttered, with a high-resolution LCD and plenty of nicely inset buttons. Hyundai seems to be taking a stance against knobs, for the most part, as even the temperature controls are rocker switches. In fact, there is so much leftover space from this clean design that Hyundai places two small storage areas in the center stack, below the navigation unit.

The optional navigation system, a good deal at $1,250, uses bright, clear maps with good resolution, avoiding jaggy street names. It renders its maps quickly enough, although we sometimes found its route recalculation slow. On one trip, when we forced it to recalculate multiple times, it finally seemed to give up. Of course, our final destination was already visible on the map, so the navigation system must have been telling us we could find our own way from there. But other than that critique, the route guidance is good, with clear graphics for upcoming turns and text-to-speech, its one advanced feature, where it reads out street names.

We found destination entry easy and intuitive, whether inputting an address or searching for a point of interest. The system also allows for complex routes, letting you input multiple waypoints. There is a screen listing all waypoints on the route that lets you add or delete addresses.

With the navigation system branded as an Infinity, it's no surprise that the audio system comes from Infinity, too. That both systems come from the same OEM means good integration between them. A USB and an auxiliary audio port in the console are part of this system and are standard with the Sonata Limited. You can plug a USB flash drive directly into the USB port and play MP3s from that, and you can plug an MP3 player into the auxiliary input. But there is a third option. Hyundai includes a cable that plugs into both the USB port and the auxiliary port at the same time, and terminates in an iPod connector.

The connector for iPod, USB drive, and auxiliary input sits in the console, marked by blue backlit labels.

We frankly didn't expect to find iPod integration when we put the Sonata on our schedule. The interface for it, through the touch-screen LCD, is everything we would want, letting us choose music by album, artist, and genre. The interface for USB drives is more primitive, merely letting you browse through folders, similar to the interface for MP3 CDs. With the navigation system, there is a single-CD slot. A six-CD changer is available if you don't get the navigation system. We've found that in cars with iPod integration, the iPod becomes our go-to source for music, and we don't bother much with CDs. XM Satellite Radio is also built into this system with, we expect, the first three months free.

The audio system in the Sonata uses six speakers in the standard configuration of tweeters in the A pillars and woofers in each door, along with a subwoofer in the rear deck. Our experience with this system largely depended on the music we were listening to. With acoustic guitar, we could hear the scratch of the strings, pointing to good clarity at the high end. But tracks with serious bass quickly overwhelmed the speakers, leading to bad rattle. It sounds like the amp used with this system is clear and powerful, but the speakers aren't always up to its output.

We were disappointed that the Sonata doesn't have Bluetooth cell phone integration as an option, especially as a hands-free law is about to come into effect in California. Looks like we will have to wait until 2010, when both Kia and Hyundai models will be getting a Microsoft system similar to the Ford Sync.

Under the hood
The 2009 Hyundai Sonata comes in three trims: GLS, SE, and Limited. A 3.3-liter V-6 is available in all trims, while a 2.4-liter four cylinder is available in the GLS and Limited trims. We had the 3.3-liter V-6 in our Limited trim model, which puts out 249 horsepower and 229 pound-feet of torque--plenty of power for the little Sonata. The engine hummed right along, moving the car easily up hills, at freeway speeds, and passing other cars. To enhance efficiency, the engine uses continuous variable valve timing.

The V-6 engine is powerful in the Sonata, but we would have liked to test the economy of the available four cylinder.

The 3.3 liters seems an odd choice for displacement, and Hyundai could probably have shaved it down to 3 liters without hurting the driving experience while increasing mileage. As it is, this engine gets an EPA-rated 19 mpg city and 29 mpg highway. During our time with the car, we saw the mileage creep up close to 23 mpg during freeway driving, but our final average was down at 19.4 mpg. An emissions rating wasn't available at the time of this review, but we are impressed that the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine available in the Sonata is a PZEV, meaning it produces very few smog-causing pollutants.

The five-speed automatic transmission proved to be the weak link in this power train. It doesn't react particularly fast, even in manual mode, and it takes a while to find the right gear when stressed with hill climbs or passing. Our passing experience inspired very little confidence. When we stomped the accelerator to get around slower cars on a hill, the transmission did its hunting, and settled on a gear, which made the engine give off a bad grinding sound.

We felt this five-speed transmission spent too long hunting for gears when passing or hill climbing.

The suspension in the Sonata is also very soft. You can feel the shock absorbers compress easily, and on one bad section of road, we felt the suspension bottom out on itself. This type of suspension is fine on a commute car, but allows for plenty of lean in corners and generally doesn't behave well in more stressful situations.

Likewise, the steering felt overpowered. It was too easy to swing the wheel around, whether maneuvering through a parking lot or barreling down the freeway. We didn't get a lot of road feel through the steering wheel because of the power mechanism, although it was tight enough to produce results when turned. Again, this tuning is fine in a commute car, but can be troublesome in situations where you want some feedback.

The Sonata comes standard with traction and electronic stability control, along with a tire-pressure monitoring system, plus airbags all the way around.

In sum
The 2009 Hyundai Sonata Limited V6 goes for a base price of $25,670. The navigation package is a surprisingly good deal at $1,250. Along with $90 carpeted floor mats and a $675 destination charge, our Sonata came in at $27,685. The Limited is the only trim with the navigation option, although you can save some dollars by going to the four-cylinder version, which bases at $23,970.

We were suitably impressed with the Sonata Limited, as it offered cabin tech we weren't expecting. The navigation system offers one advanced feature, text-to-speech, and generally looks and works well. We noted some problems with the audio system, but we also liked the iPod integration. Lack of Bluetooth is a problem. The drivetrain tech was less impressive. The engine was fine, although it could have been more economical, but we just didn't like the transmission. Among the Sonata's major competitors, the Honda Accord is too pricey by comparison. We've also tested the Nissan Altima Coupe, a tech-filled and more sporty alternative, and the Toyota Camry Hybrid, which offers better fuel economy

2009 Nissan GT-R

2008-07-16T08:28:00.000-07:00

It must be Christmas, because a 2009 Nissan GT-R showed up in our garage. Just like how we spent 1973 transfixed by commercials for the Vertibird Rescue Ship toy, we slathered over every specification sheet and photo of the new GT-R since the concept was shown at the 2005 Tokyo Auto Show. And in each case, we finally ended up at the controls of one. The GT-R is definitely the biggest, baddest toy on the block.

The GT-R is essentially a race car made for the street. Production cars don't generally squeeze 480 horsepower out of a V-6, or have the transmission mounted at the rear axle. And the incredibly rigid suspension feels as if it was made for a race car. The car looks impressive and brutish, a theme that carries into the cabin and the driving feel. The Corvette Z06 has some scary competition in the GT-R.

Surprisingly, the GT-R is in no way stripped down, except maybe for the lack of an iPod port. Nissan put all of its excellent cabin electronics in the dashboard, which includes a hard-drive-based navigation system, an impressive stereo with plenty of digital music capability, and even Bluetooth cell phone integration. And those electronics share space with an incredibly detailed performance computer. This Nissan GT-R just doesn't compromise in its car tech.

Test the tech: GT-R versus virtual GT-R
We couldn't wait to drive the real 2009 Nissan GT-R, so months ago we picked up Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, which has a virtual GT-R. We compared the driving experience in each by taking the real GT-R for a drive on back roads north of San Francisco, and the virtual car in the game's Suzuka East track. In the game, we set the physics to Professional, as we figured that should replicate as closely as possible real-world physics.

There's room for a V-8 under the hood, but this twin-turbo V-6 gets the job done.

The first real difference we noticed was with the engine sound. The real GT-R makes an engine sound dominated by its turbos. The 3.8-liter V-6 isn't particularly loud or throaty, but when you give it power, the twin turbochargers whirr up like turbines. In the game, the engine sounds more generic, just a standard engine growl. Other things that just can't be replicated in the game is the hard ride, because of the low-profile tires wrapped around the 20-inch wheels and the rigid suspension, and the general cabin noise and vibration. The GT-R isn't a comfortable ride unless it's on a well-paved surface.

Acceleration between the real and virtual GT-R seems well-replicated. In the game, 60 mph seems slow, and it's difficult to get below that speed. With the real GT-R, we tapped the gas while getting on the freeway, and by the time we glanced at the speedometer, we were already at 60 mph. The GT-R has been clocked to 60 mph at times approaching 3 seconds. The kind of acceleration is really incredible. The big difference here is that it is much easier to modulate the GT-R's gas pedal than a PlayStation 3 controller, making it much easier to control the speed in the real car.

One hundred miles an hour and 6,500rpm in third gear are about right for the virtual and real GT-R.

The speedometer in the real car is much easier to glance at than that of the virtual car, and it helps that you can get a digital speed display on the tachometer and on the performance computer. While driving on public roads, our speedometer needle was generally in the 6 o'clock position, at 40 mph to 60 mph, while 200 mph is up in the 12 o'clock position. You also get a much different sense of speed--we could tell when we were getting up to scary while driving the GT-R down a two-lane blacktop with blind corners and rises.

The handling in the real GT-R truly feels phenomenal, as good as that of the Audi R8 we reviewed a few months ago. To get the real GT-R out of sorts, it takes the kind of driving you can only do in a controlled environment. We threw it into one particularly good corner with some speed, and felt the grip loosen for a fraction of a second, then get taken up by the all-wheel drive. In the game, we spent a lot of time facing backward in the sand as the car wiped out on the sharper turns. Maybe it was the difficulty in controlling our speed in the game, but we had a much harder time maintaining grip. It didn't seem to map well to our experience with the real thing.

There's nothing like open road for testing out the real Nissan GT-R.

As for the transmission, the game's automatic setting is far different than the real car's automatic setting. The GT-R uses a six-speed double-clutch manual transmission. There is no clutch pedal, as the dual clutches are controlled by computer. You can set it for automatic shifting or manual, using the column-mounted paddle shifters. In the game, the car shifts like a sports car, maintaining revs so you can keep power. The real car's automatic mode is designed for economy, rapidly shifting up to sixth gear even when you are only going 25 mph.

In manual mode, the real GT-R's shifts are visceral and solid. You can feel each one through the car as you push the left paddle for down or the right paddle for up. The game does a good job of replicating the match-up between speed, tach, and gear, but you just don't get that same abrupt power change in the virtual experience.

Recovering from yet another spin in the virtual GT-R, we miss the visceral feeling of the real thing.

Although we've spent many hours enjoying the virtual race track, nothing beats the experience of sitting behind the wheel of a real GT-R. For a good look at the Nissan GT-R's performance in a controlled setting, WebRidesTV has video of a GranTurismo 5 Prologue-inspired match-up between the GT-R and a Ford GT.

In the cabin
The cabin of the 2009 Nissan GT-R brings in many race car touches, but adapted for a road car. The deep front seats embrace you, but you don't have to mess around with a four-point harness. Although the steering wheel has a bubble in the middle for the airbag, the surrounding area, leading out to the three spokes, is metal and flat. Industrial-looking controls mounted on this flat area don't set torque and traction control, such as on a Formula One car, but handle more mundane features, like the cruise control and audio.

A high-resolution split screen map, with 3D and plan views, is an unexpected luxury of the GT-R.

We recently saw this same package of cabin gadgets in the Infiniti M45x, including navigation with traffic reporting, Bluetooth hands-free cell phone integration, and a stereo system that handles many digital audio sources. The interface between the two cars is different--where the Infiniti has a big multifunction control knob, the GT-R relies on a row of buttons and the touch-screen LCD, which works perfectly well. The GT-R also has the same voice command system as the M45x.

For a detailed look at the navigation and traffic system, take a look at our M45x review. Here we will just point out that, as the system stores its maps on a hard drive, route calculation is fast and the maps refresh quickly. You can look at 3D or plan view maps, or put them both in a split screen. When you have a route programmed, the system will automatically detour around bad traffic. Route guidance is aided by text-to-speech, which reads out the names of streets.

When you rip a CD to the car's hard drive, it automatically tags the songs from its internal Gracenote database.

The audio system is similar, but a little short of, that in the M45x. You can rip music to the GT-R's hard drive, which offers 9.3GB of space for music, or play MP3s from a CompactFlash card inserted in a slot in front of the shifter. There is an auxiliary input, suitable for an MP3 player, but no iPod port. The single CD slot plays MP3 CDs, and there is XM satellite radio.

Sound quality is very good from the 11 Bose speakers around the cabin, although they have a lot of road noise to conquer. The system has a centerfill in the dashboard, two subwoofers, tweeters in the A-pillars, mids in the doors, and most obviously, two woofers between the back seats. This system didn't flinch at heavy bass and reproduced highs nicely, although the sound was slightly compressed, unlike the better separation from the audio system in the M45x.

The hands-free cell phone system is useful, in the sense that you just don't want to take your hands from the wheel. Of course, you might not want to answer the phone at all as you go speeding down country roads. The system can store phone book entries, which is nice, although we had to push them from our phone into the car one at a time.

One feature that would have been nice, especially with the sharply angled rear window, is a rear view camera. This is one car you definitely don't want to back into a pole.

This screen was our favorite on the performance computer, as we like seeing the torque split change in different driving situations.

As a feature unique to the GT-R, the car includes a fascinating and customizable performance computer. We covered this feature and some other aspects on the cabin in our Nissan GT-R cabin tech gallery at the last Los Angeles auto show. Polyphony Digital, the same company that developed Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, helped Nissan with the performance computer design.

You can access the performance computer by pushing the Function button to the left of the LCD. A knob lets you scroll through the four customizable screens, marked 1 through 4, or the set screens, marked A through G. These screens use a variety of graphs and virtual gauges for wheel turn, torque split, gas and brake pedal percentage, turbo boost, and many other performance parameters. There is also a stopwatch for timed runs.

Under the hood
For such a muscular looking car, it's surprising to only find six cylinders under the hood. But Nissan wrings 480 horsepower at 6,400rpm out of this 3.8-liter V-6 with dual turbochargers. It produces 430 foot-pounds of torque between 3,200rpm and 5,200rpm. Our experience being pressed into the back seat with even 50 percent gas pedal bears these figures out in a qualitative sense.

The architecture of the car is unique, with the engine and transmission at opposite ends to balance the car out. The six-speed dual-clutch manual transmission has a shifter that merely puts it in park, reverse, neutral, manual, and automatic. In manual mode, you can shift up or down with the shifter, but you have to resort to the paddle shifters. In this car, we have no problem with this arrangement.

The downshift paddle is on the left side. You can get the car into manual mode by tapping a paddle or pushing the shifter to the right.

The automatic mode shifts early, getting up to sixth gear at only 25 mph. But with this much horsepower, the engine isn't bothered as it idles along at 1,500rpm, keeping the car moving easily. During one stretch of road, we had the transmission in fifth when we decided to pass a car in front of us. We went from 45 mph to 85 mph without changing gear, although a drop down to fourth gear or third gear would have blasted us by even faster.

We found city driving frustrating, as we could feel how much power we had on tap that couldn't be used. In these low-speed traffic situations, the automatic shifting felt rough, adding to the uncomfortable feeling of the suspension. There is a comfort mode for the suspension, but it doesn't smooth things over that much. We felt the driving experience in traffic was better than in the Audi R8, which suffered a lot from its R-Tronic transmission, but it didn't come close to the BMW M3, which drives easily in stop-and-go traffic or on the track.

The car's very stiff suspension absorbs road imperfections nicely, keeping the car stuck to the pavement, but it doesn't coddle the driver at all. In corners, there is no lean and the steering is very responsive. All-wheel drive, which defaults 100 percent torque to the rear wheels but can shift a full 50 percent to the front, helps keep the car gripping in the corners and under acceleration. This all-wheel-drive system, along with traction control and suspension, uses computer-aided adjustment to keep it at optimum settings no matter the driving conditions.

These switches control torque, suspension, and traction. The red lights indicate R, or track, mode.

Nissan advertises the GT-R as the supercar that anyone can drive, as it is hard to get it out of control. But in hard cornering we felt a small but satisfying amount of slip that got taken up by the car's systems. There are three switches on the instrument panel that let you adjust various settings for torque, suspension, and traction control. Each can be pushed up to R mode, with accompanying red lights. We drove some stretches of highway with the settings in R mode, but didn't notice a huge difference. The track is where these will matter. The torque switch can also be set for snow, the suspension for comfort, and the traction control to off.

As of this review, fuel economy numbers for the 2009 Nissan GT-R haven't been published. But don't expect them to be good, considering the amount of horsepower the engine produces. During our time with the car, we got about 14 mpg. On the plus side, and something we find impressive given the GT-R's supercar status, is that it is expected to meet California's Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle standard, one better than the minimal LEV requirement.

In sum
The 2009 Nissan GT-R goes for a base price of $69,850 or $71,900 for the premium model, which we had. We don't expect there to be options with this car, although there will be the usual destination charge. Few cars will get you to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds for this kind of money, and none offer the innovative driving tech of the GT-R at this price.

For our Car Tech rating, we give the GT-R near top marks all-around. It's a beautiful exterior design, although there are some odd creases when you get close, such as the joint between the B-pillar and the roof. The cabin tech benefits greatly from Nissan's already excellent hard-drive-based navigation system, stereo and Bluetooth. We can ignore the lack of an iPod adapter, in favor of the brilliant and unique in-dash performance computer. As for the under-the-hood mechanics, it is all very brilliant, only falling down in fuel economy.

2009 Acura TSX

2008-07-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

Because of its solid and comfortable everyday driver demeanor, buyers of the new 2009 Acura TSX will probably opt for the five-speed automatic transmission, for ease of driving in traffic and urban settings. And that's unfortunate, because to appreciate Honda's capability to build truly efficient engines that deliver both economy and power, you just need to get the six-speed manual transmission.

Our TSX came with the manual transmission, and it made driving the car a joyful experience. Of course, the many cabin electronics didn't hurt either, if we discount the mass of buttons on instrument panel and steering wheel. Acura evolves its excellent navigation system further by adding weather reports and better integration with live traffic. We also had a pleasant surprise in audio sources, finding the TSX not only adds a USB port, but Bluetooth streaming as well.

Test the tech: Sun chaser
When we sent editor Kevin Massy to San Diego for a preview of the 2009 Acura TSX last February, he got caught in a snow storm during his test drive, which is ironic as one new feature in the car is live weather reports. The weather-reporting feature shows weather icons on the navigation map, including severe weather alerts, and it lets you look up current and three-day forecasts for most cities. For our tech test, foggy San Francisco weather convinced us to seek a sunnier clime.

The report shows clear skies and sunny weather in Santa Cruz, Calif.

We hit the Info button on the instrument panel and chose the Weather feature. Santa Cruz, Calif., a town south of San Francisco, seemed like a likely candidate for sun, so we entered the city name and looked up the current weather. It said clear skies, so we chose a Santa Cruz point of interest from the car's navigation system and had it show us the route. Freeways took us most of the way, which meant 70 mph to 80 mph in sixth gear. We were impressed that, even at these speeds and in top gear, the car's 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine still delivered some acceleration when we hit the gas.

It took us about an hour to get to Santa Cruz, which was a thoroughly pleasant drive in the TSX, but the sun was clouded over when we got there. We quickly looked up the weather report in the car, and sure enough, it said partly cloudy. Well, the weather reporting in the car was accurate, as far as we could tell. We just didn't count on the weather changing.

When we got to Santa Cruz, we found that the weather changed.

Ever diligent, we made another attempt, locating the town of Half Moon Bay, Calif., up the coast where our weather feature said skies were clear and people were happy. Well, we just assumed that latter part. Heading up Highway 1 toward our promised sun, we got to play with the gears some more, because of occasionally slower traffic. The TSX passed other cars with ease, especially when we dropped the gear down to third, its 201 horsepower accelerating the car quickly when we asked for it.

Here's what partly cloudy skies look like.

But in Half Moon Bay we saw the same gray skies we had seen in Santa Cruz. And checking the car again, the weather report showed partly cloudy. We couldn't fault the car, as its weather reports seemed accurate for the time they were delivered. We could only assume a partly cloudy sky hung perpetually over our heads.

In the cabin
The interior of the 2009 Acura TSX proves a reasonable antidote to crummy weather by offering a lot of toys, both entertaining and informational. And Acura provides no shortage of buttons to access them with. Acura doesn't really do options, so you can get the car either with technology or without, the difference being about $3,000. If you don't spend the extra money, you still get a Bluetooth hands-free system, also found in the tech version of the car.

This mass of buttons on the instrument panel is complemented by even more buttons on the steering wheel.

Unfortunately, when you move up to the techie car, complete with navigation and a premium stereo, this Bluetooth system isn't integrated well with the rest of the tech. Our ongoing complaint about the tech interface in Acuras is that you get one set of buttons for Bluetooth voice command, and another set of buttons for navigation and stereo voice command. And Acura still uses its big multifunction knob surrounded by a sea of buttons. Although we've reviewed many Acura models, we still had to look for the particular button we wanted.

Another thing Acura has yet to improve is the resolution of its navigation maps. They just don't look that good, especially when compared with a newer system we saw in the Hyundai Sonata. But the navigation system overall is quite good. It is still DVD-based, but we found map refresh and route calculation to be quick. And one thing we've always liked about Acura's navigation system is the complete points-of-interest database, listing every retail shopping location.

You can view a list of traffic incidents on the navigation screen.

Acura has offered XM NavTraffic in various models for a while now, but it takes the integration a step further by having the system intelligently route around bad traffic congestion if you've set a destination. Like other cars we've seen with this feature, it will only route around traffic moving below 20 mph, but it lets you drive into moderately slow traffic. The weather reports we discussed above are also delivered through XM satellite radio.

We were happy to see the ELS brand on the TSX's stereo, an indication that Grammy Winner Elliot Scheiner's company designed the audio system. ELS Surround is a Panasonic brand, the company that supplies the hardware for this audio system. We like how this audio system lets you adjust not only treble and bass, but also centerfill and subwoofer levels. The results in the TSX were very good, but it sounded as if there was a little less separation than we heard in the Acura RDX, the first model to use the ELS system. The ELS system in the TSX uses 10 speakers, including a subwoofer and centerfill, powered by 415 watts of amplification.

The USB connecter, which also serves as an iPod port, is new for the 2009 model.

Audio sources include a six-disc in-dash changer that reads MP3 CDs and DVD audio, XM satellite radio, an auxiliary input, a USB port that also offers iPod integration, and Bluetooth streaming audio support. Many cars go down to a single disc player when navigation is present, but not the TSX. And we were also impressed that audio streamed from the same phone we had paired as part of the standard hands-free cell phone integration. Even Ford's Sync system hasn't completely ironed out the switch from playing music off a phone to making calls from the phone.

For making calls, the cell phone integration is generally good, although adding entries to the phonebook requires you to push each entry from your phone to the car. We like the system found in the Audi A5 better, which uploads the entire phone book at once.

Another extra in the tech package is a rear-view camera, although it doesn't have any helpful overlays, as found in the Audi A5. We also have to mention our fascination with the speedometer and tachometer, which both use needles that reach over from the outer rim of the dials, instead of being anchored to the front center. The effect is high-tech and cool.

Under the hood
We praised the 2009 Acura TSX's engine at the beginning of this review. This 2.4-liter four-cylinder may not sound like much, but it moved the car along adroitly while delivering an average fuel economy of 23.6 mpg for our mixed city and freeway driving. The EPA gives the car a 20 mpg city and 28 mpg highway rating, so we fell near the middle of that range. The engine also brings in a ULEV II emissions rating from the California Air Resources Board, a good achievement.

The engine isn't huge, but it works very well for the size of the TSX.

The engine gets its apparent power by generating 201 horsepower at 7,000rpm, which is right at the car's redline, and 172 foot-pounds of torque at 4,400rpm. We were happy with the accelerator response around 4,000rpm generally, but again, we have to emphasize that the six-speed close shifting manual gearbox makes a huge difference. This gearbox feels good while shifting and lets you get the right amount of power for the job at hand. We haven't driven an automatic version of the TSX, but in other Acuras with the five-speed automatic transmissions, we felt the transmission sapped any possible enjoyment you could get from the engine.

This six-speed manual transmission makes driving the TSX very fun.

When attempting a fast launch with the TSX, we found that the traction control stepped on us hard. We revved up, dropped the clutch, felt the beginnings of the launch, then the car just bogged down. The torque would have spun the wheels if the traction control hadn't interfered. And as the TSX is a front wheel drive car, it exhibits torque steer, although we found it easy to keep a straight line with a reasonable grip on the wheel.

The handling seems tuned very well in the TSX. We've noticed understeer in previous Acura models we've seen, and plenty more in Hondas, but the steering in the TSX was nice and tight, with plenty of response. The suspension is also a good mix of comfort and rigidity, letting the car handle very well in hard cornering. During normal cornering we couldn't really feel that the TSX's front wheel drive nature, although it became more apparent as we gave it the gas to pull out of a turn.

In sum
Acura doesn't really offer factory options--you buy the 2009 Acura TSX with technology or without. Our test car has a set price of $32,060, inclusive of navigation, the sound system, and all of the other tech we mentioned. A $760 destination charge runs the total up to $32,820. You pay the same amount for the automatic version, but we advise against it. You can also get the car without tech for $28,960, but you will be missing out on a lot.

We give the TSX a strong score for its cabin tech, only marred by the mediocre map resolution. In this area, the TSX keeps up with current tech, but isn't breaking much new ground. Its performance rating is also strong, as the engine manages to deliver both economy and power. We would like to see the emissions rating get a little better, as other small engine cars are earning PZEV ratings. It suffers the most on design, as the interface is still muddled with buttons. And while the car looks OK, it's not striking.

2008 Pontiac G8 GT

2008-07-16T08:24:00.002-07:00

With a 6-liter V-8 and brawny styling, the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT looks like the return of American muscle, only, it's not. The new G8, an example of International brand engineering, actually comes from Australia, where it's called a Holden VE Commodore. These origins explain some odd styling around the cockpit, such as window and mirror controls mounted on the console and a big red display showing battery charge and oil pressure.

The central point of the G8 seems to be the big engine, not really the best peg to hang your hat on these days. The car looks good, but takes some styling cues from BMW in the heavily flared front fenders complete with vents. When we first looked at the cockpit, we thought we were in for a tech treat because of the big LCD on the stack. But the car doesn't make good use of that display space, merely showing audio information. Likewise, a voice button on the steering wheel got us looking for Bluetooth or voice command, but then we found the button merely activated OnStar.

Test the tech: 60 mph runs
As there wasn't much else to do with the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT, we decided to see how fast we could get it to 60 mph. The engine produces 361 horsepower and 385 foot-pounds of torque, numbers that seemed a little low considering the displacement. This power is fed to the wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission--there is no manual transmission option. We made our 0-to-60 mph runs in normal drive mode, sport shift mode, and using manual gear selection.

After a few runs, we stop to note down the times from our performance computer.

With our performance computer hooked up and calibrated, we put the car in drive for its first run. Stomping the accelerator gave immediate results. The tires gripped with only minimal slip, the engine roared, and we were moving. Fast. Keeping the car under control was not a problem, as it uses rear-wheel-drive and a limited slip differential. The transmission let the engine speed run up to 6,000rpm before the third gear shift, and we blew past 60 mph in 5.52 seconds. The computer also told us we had reached 30 mph in only 2.17 seconds.

We reset for the second run, this time putting the transmission into sport mode, which entails pushing it to the right, into the manual shift gate. When we launched in this mode, we got more wheel slip, but not enough to slow us down significantly. As we watched the tach needle cross 12 o'clock, it didn't seem any different than our first run, but the computer proved otherwise, showing a 0 to 60 mph time of 5.33 seconds, with 30 mph reached in 1.93 seconds.

The lack of a red line on the speedometer makes manual shifting a guessing game.

For our final run, we pushed the shifter to the manual gate and pulled it back to the put the car in first gear. We waited for the computer to calibrate then hit the gas. As the tachometer passed 6,000rpm, we made ready to shift, but before we could do it, the car bogged down as we hit redline, forcing an engine cutoff. The lack of a redline marking on the tachometer made it difficult to judge when to shift. We went through with the run, but that over-revving slowed us down to 6.75 seconds to 60 mph.

We gave it another try, figuring we would have to shift before 6,000rpm, but we were too careful, and only made 6.72 seconds to 60 mph on the second run. Figuring the automatic mode could do a better job, we called the test complete. The times this car made were impressive, and we also found it interesting that manual shift mode lets you run over the redline, as most automatics will upshift once you hit a certain engine speed even if you put it in manual mode.

In the cabin
Although plastic abounds in the cabin of the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT, we found the general design, fit, and finish very good, suitable for the top sedan in Pontiac's line-up. Of course, leather seats and steering wheel wrapping, because of our car's Premium package, didn't hurt. We particularly liked the feel of the steering wheel, with its thick and easy-to-grip circumference.

Strangely, this big LCD only shows audio information, as navigation is provided through OnStar.

However, some features of the interior didn't seem to make the transition from Australia to the U.S. For example, the Blaupunkt stereo includes a 6.5-inch LCD, plenty of room for a navigation system, but navigation wasn't present and is not offered. Instead, the car relies on OnStar for turn-by-turn directions. A large LED sits at the top of the stack, but it only shows virtual gauges for battery and oil. Another waste of very usable space, and ripe for someone to hack into an in-dash pong game.

The only real tech feature in the cabin is the Blaupunkt stereo, an impressive sounding rig with a six-disc in-dash changer and an auxiliary input on the face plate. Satellite radio or iPod integration isn't available, but the disc changer reads MP3 CDs. The interface for selecting music from an MP3 CD is decent, if a bit busy. You can see folders and tracks listed on the LCD, but it's not a touch screen. The tuning knob lets you scroll through choices and select music.

You can choose from a variety of preset equalizer levels.

This audio system uses 11 speakers, including a centerfill and two subwoofers that get power from a 230 watt amp. The stereo lets you choose from a variety of equalizer presets, such as rock and jazz. We found the audio quality to be very good, with tight bass that didn't rattle the speakers and clear highs. It's not the best system we've heard, but it is substantially better than what we've heard from most six speaker systems.

Despite the voice button on the steering wheel, you can't get Bluetooth cell phone integration on the G8, although OnStar has a hands-free calling service. You can access OnStar by either pushing the steering wheel button or using the traditional OnStar button mounted on the mirror bezel.

We found one other feature we assume to be unique to the land Down Under, a break reminder. You can set a specific amount of drive time in the car, at the end of which it sounds a chime and pops up an image of a tree and a bench, with the words Rest Reminder, on the instrument cluster display. Likewise, you can set speed warnings in the same display that will chime if you go over whichever speed you've indicated.

Under the hood
The engine in the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT gives some bragging rights; you can boast 6 liters of displacement for its V-8. But you might get a little quieter when it comes to horsepower. Its 361 horsepower is substantial, but doesn't really compare with the 400-plus horsepower some automakers, such as BMW, squeeze out of lower displacement engines. The 385 foot-pounds of torque is a more impressive specification, and helped the near 4,000 pound car hit the 0 to 60 mph times we achieved.

This big engine generates plenty of torque, but it is thirsty.

Similar to vintage American muscle, the G8 isn't the best handling car around. In cornering, the car leaned pretty seriously, but we didn't feel tire slip. Unlike that American muscle, the G8 uses a thoroughly modern suspension, including a four link independent design in the rear. The limited slip differential will also keep the power flowing to both wheels while cornering. The suspension also absorbed the bumps well without feeling soft, although we felt some float.

The steering felt reasonably responsive, although it wasn't really tight. We didn't notice an excessive amount of understeer, just the normal amount for a road-going sedan. Pontiac includes its Stabilitrak traction and stability control with this model.

We noted the difficulty with finding redline when using the manual mode for the six-speed automatic transmission. In normal drive mode, this transmission shifts early, trying to keep the engine speed low the fuel economy high. This tuning resulted in very noticeable shifts. It's smoother in sport mode as the rpms are better matched to the gear shifts. Manual shifts had that slushbox feel, and the transmission wasn't particularly tuned for sport driving. We didn't notice any aggressive downshifting on our approach to corners.

The biggest drawback with the G8 is the fuel economy. We didn't expect much from such a high-displacement engine, and our expectations were generally met. The EPA rates it at 15 mph city and 24 mpg highway. In our mixed city and freeway driving, we only made 16.4 mpg, and that was with a bias toward the freeway. For emissions, it merely meets the minimum LEV II requirement from California's Air Resources Board.

In sum
The base price for our 2008 Pontiac G8 GT was $29,310. We added the Premium package for $1,250 and the Sport package for $600. These packages added no significant tech, just many niceties such as leather and power seats. Along with the $685 destination charge, the total for our test car came out to $31,845, not a bad price if you want a big engine. In fact, there aren't too many V-8s available at this price, but there are some very nice V-6es that afford much better tech and good driving characteristics, such as the Mercedes-Benz C300.

On the cabin tech front, we can't rate the G8 very high. The one bright spot is the Blaupunkt stereo, but that is missing some key features, such as iPod integration or satellite radio. We give it credit for offering navigation and hands-free phone support through OnStar, but not as much compared with a good in-dash system. For performance tech, we like its suspension and its 0 to 60 mph times are impressive. But its poor fuel economy hurts, along with the cornering feel.

2008-07-16T08:24:00.001-07:00

After a few runs, we stop to note down the times from our performance computer.

The lack of a red line on the speedometer makes manual shifting a guessing game.

Strangely, this big LCD only shows audio information, as navigation is provided through OnStar.

You can choose from a variety of preset equalizer levels.

This big engine generates plenty of torque, but it is thirsty.

2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK350

2008-07-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

Although the 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 looks tiny, the car is filled with much more tech and horsepower than you would expect. Mercedes-Benz updated the little roadster for the 2009 model year, giving it new styling cues, improving the engine, and loading it with its newest raft of cabin gadgets. The result is a car that may not be the most practical, but scores big on fun.

The SLK350 is a roadster with a fully powered retractable hardtop. This top compromises trunk space pretty severely, but letting in the sun becomes convenient and easy. Styling changes emphasize sport, with a more pointed nose and a diffuser in back, but that doesn't make the SLK350 an exceptional sports car. Although we found it enjoyable to drive--especially fun on mountain roads, its sportiness seems diluted in favor of comfort.

Test the tech: The 65 mph iPod
One of the key tech options in our 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 was an iPod port in the glove compartment, which came as part of the Premium package. This port was mounted next to an auxiliary audio input, and other audio sources included a six-disc in-dash CD changer that read MP3 discs and had Sirius satellite radio. As we've seen different levels of iPod integration on different Mercedes-Benz models, we decided to focus on this feature.

The iPod plugs into a port in the glove box.

To test the interface, we plugged in an iPod and put an MP3 CD in the changer, for comparison, then drove onto the freeway. We got into the flow of traffic, which was moving on the plus side of 65 mph, and started choosing music from the iPod through the car's interface. The iPod itself was stored away in the glove compartment, the connection to the car keeping it charged. To operate it, we had to reach across the instrument panel to a set of four directional buttons with an enter button at the center.

With the iPod chosen as our audio source, we pushed the down arrow button to get into the menu options at the bottom of the screen. Among these four menus, the one labeled Music let us into the main iPod screen, with options for playlist, artist, album, song, and genre. Although we had to reach across the navigation buttons, we found we could glance at the menu and select with only brief distraction from the road ahead.

We have to drill down through a number of menus to play music from our iPod.

We chose artist and were shown a list of artists on the iPod. Selecting one of them, we were shown, after a slight pause, a list of that artist's albums on the iPod. Selecting an album led us to the actual song list. Drilling down like this is a bit tedious, especially as we looked back to the road between each selection. It was worse when we chose a genre, as that led us to artist names, then albums, and then a song listing. Each menu had a folder icon at the top and bottom, letting us navigate back up through the library menus.

Having to drill down through menus like this is potentially dangerous. What we would like to see, a common feature on MP3 players, is an option to play all music at the top of each menu listing so, for example, you could choose the genre Jazz, then choose to play all music classified as Jazz. MP3 CD navigation was simpler. You browse through the folders on a disc, and as you can burn MP3 CDs with only one level of folders, it is potentially safer since it eliminates the need to drill through so many menus. We were also disappointed in the time it took the system to load lists of music from the iPod.

In the cabin
As we would expect from a plus-50-grand roadster from Mercedes-Benz, the interior of the 2009 SLK350 is designed for luxury. All surfaces except the buttons are soft. And although it's a roadster, you don't have to put the top up to stay warm. Our SLK350 had Mercedes-Benz's Air Scarf feature, which blows warm air on your neck from a vent in the head rest. We took it out on one particularly fog-bound and clammy day, San Francisco in the summer, and drove for hours with the top down, and the heated seats and Air Scarf kept us perfectly comfortable.

The vent in the headrest blows warm air on your neck, making the car comfortable to drive with the top down in cooler weather.

Mercedes-Benz's newest navigation system, which we saw in the C300, is hard drive-based, making route calculation and map refreshes quick, but we didn't have the navigation option in our test car. Likewise, the SLK350 can be customized with a Harmon-Kardon Logic7 audio system, which we've been impressed with in other models, but our test car only had the stock audio system.

The audio quality of the stock system, though full, suffered from shrill highs. We played a variety of music through the system and were generally impressed with the frequency range we could hear, and the good separation that made bass, mid, and treble notes distinct. But as we turned the volume up, the highs became unbearable as the speakers turned what should have been a clear high vocal into an eardrum-piercing note. The system handled bass-heavy tracks without rattle, but the Logic7 system seems a necessary upgrade.

The standard Bluetooth hands-free system lets you import your phonebook and keeps a record of recent calls.

The SLK350 also comes with standard Bluetooth hands-free cell phone integration. We were initially frustrated to find we couldn't pair a Samsung phone with the system. Checking the Mercedes-Benz Web site, we found that the car is compatible with most Nokia and Motorola phones, along with various BlackBerry models and the iPhone. We successfully paired it with a BlackBerry and found the call quality to be good. The car let us easily import our phonebook contacts, and kept a record of recent calls. And we finally had a use for the keypad Mercedes-Benz puts on the dashboard of most of its models.

Under the hood
The SLK-class is available in three versions marked by their engines, from the 3-liter V-6 SLK300 to the 5.5-liter V-8 SLK55 AMG. The 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 that Mercedes-Benz squeezes 300 horsepower at 6,500rpm and 265 foot-pounds of torque at 4,900rpm out of. Although the SLK350 is a small car, the horses don't translate to rocket ship power. It moves fast and smooth, but we didn't get the blast in the back we expected. During one drive on a two-lane highway we started to pass a line of cars, but when oncoming traffic appeared, the SLK350 didn't have the guts to keep us confident in the maneuver. We did make it to the front of the line, but had to consider slotting back into the line before our intended spot.

Even though modern engines are clad in plastic, Mercedes-Benz at least makes it look good.

The engine feeds its power to the wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission that keeps shifts very smooth. Through a little technical wizardry, the transmission exerts a little throttle when it downshifts to keep the engine speed matched to the gear. Our car had the standard seven-speed transmission--a sport version is available, complete with paddle shifters. The automatic transmission can be put into Sport mode at the push of a button, or you can manually shift by pushing the shifter from side-to-side. The manual shifts were tighter than a normal slushbox, but they didn't feel exceptionally sharp. We concluded that our test car, lacking the Sport package, was tuned more for a fun, luxury ride than hard-core driving.

The steering communicated this feeling as well. It is responsive when you want it, but it isn't twitchy, letting you drive without having to constantly adjust. Because of the car's small size, we felt we could throw it around readily, and it seemed perfectly amenable. The back end would slip a little in hard cornering, but not in a way that wasn't correctable. Mercedes-Benz dials back the tech in the steering a little, relying on a mechanical system for its variable power steering.

The C/S button at the front of the shift gate switches the transmission from Comfort to Sport.

Mileage with the SLK350's engine is an EPA-rated 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. We came in around the middle of that range, at 21.3 mpg for a mix of city, highway, and freeway driving. Mercedes-Benz derived more efficiency from the engine by raising its redline and increasing the compression. Emissions ratings weren't available at the time of our review.

In sum
The 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 goes for a base price of $50,825. Our test car included the $2,950 Premium package and the $990 Heating package, which brings in the Air Scarf system, taking the total to $54,765. Given our choice, we would also add the Multimedia package, which includes the Logic7 audio system and navigation, for $2,980. When shopping for a roadster in this price range, we would also take a long look at the Audi TT, a car with better handling due to its Quattro all-wheel-drive system.

For the SLK350's cabin tech rating, we have to take a little bit on faith, as our test car didn't have all the options available. Fortunately, we've seen the newer navigation system in the C300 and have heard the Logic7 in several Mercedes-Benz models, letting us extrapolate a little into the SLK350. With the Multimedia package, the car would exhibit some impressive tech, although nothing over the top. As for performance tech, we like the seven-speed automatic transmission and the refinements Mercedes-Benz made to the engine. It's not a barn burner, but the car is well balanced and fun to drive. But it is a lot of money for a car that can only carry two people and minimal luggage with the top down.

Review: 2008 BMW X6 xDrive35i

2008-07-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

Even after driving the 2008 BMW X6 for a week, we're still not sure what to make of it. BMW's marketing campaign calls it the coupe's evil twin, but with the 3-liter twin-turbo inline six-cylinder in our xDrive35i model, it doesn't feel particularly diabolical. It seems more like the coupe's fatter twin, although it might refer to itself as merely big-boned. But it does handle like a BMW, which is to say, excellently, and certainly doesn't look like an SUV, so you don't have to live with that stigma. The front seats are particularly nice, but the rear seats have compromised headroom, and it doesn't offer as much cargo area as the BMW X5.

What the X6 represents is a rare risk by BMW designers into the crossover market. Although the X3 and X5 have all the requirements to be considered crossovers, BMW's design for the X6 is much more car than SUV. The nearest thing in the automotive world is the Infiniti FX45. The Infiniti has more usable space inside, but offers similar handling. BMW and Infiniti make a good complement of electronics available in the cabins of their respective luxury crossovers.

Test the tech: Traffic avoidance
One new tech feature we've seen on an increasing number of cars is traffic reporting integrated with the navigation system. The best of these systems proactively warn you about traffic jams on the road ahead, and offer a detour. The 2008 BMW X6 gets this feature with its navigation system, so we put it to the test with some rush-hour traffic in the San Francisco Bay Area, consistently rated on of the five worst places for traffic in the country.

Arrows overlaid on the road indicate traffic flow.

Instead of XM NavTraffic, used by Acura, Infiniti, and Cadillac, BMW uses the Total Traffic Network, a service provided by Clear Channel. We found two immediate advantages of BMW's system: one, you don't pay a monthly subscription fee, as you do in cars with XM NavTraffic, and two, we saw some highways around San Francisco covered by Total Traffic Network and not covered by XM NavTraffic.

However, we really wanted to test the system's traffic avoidance features, so we drove to Oakland at 5 p.m. and entered destinations in the navigation system that would take us through some of the worst traffic areas. In the X6, traffic flow information is shown as a series of black arrows overlaid on the road. No arrows means traffic moving more than 40 mph. Arrows spaced close together mean traffic moving slower than 20 mph, and arrows spaced a little further apart mean moderate traffic speeds, between 20 mph and 40 mph.

When the X6 detects bad traffic on a route, it offers to calculate a detour.

We first entered a destination in Berkeley that would take us along the perpetually clogged Interstate 880. After calculating the route, the navigation system gave a verbal warning about traffic obstructions along the way. It didn't offer a detour, but it did highlight the traffic incident icon to the left of the map screen. Clicking that showed slow traffic on the freeway we were supposed to take. We scrolled the map along the freeway and saw arrows indicating traffic between 20 mph and 40 mph. We figured this traffic wasn't severe enough for it to offer a detour. There is a feature in the system, accessible by hitting the New Route button, which will program in a detour based on how many mile you want to go off the route it originally calculated.

Our next destination was Half Moon Bay, Calif., which would require a trip across the bay and over to the coast. Again, the system warned of traffic along the way, on Highway 92, but this time offered to calculate a detour. We let it do its work, then looked at the results. The route it gave went through very slow, as in slower than 20 mph, traffic on Highway 92. In this case, we figure the system couldn't find any reasonable detours, understandable because the nearest alternate road over to the coast would have taken us a significant number of miles out of our way.

Although this route shows bad traffic, the car couldn't find a reasonable detour.

Finally, we drove across the bay and set a destination north, to CNET headquarters in San Francisco. As we drove along the Interstate 280, the navigation system suddenly piped up, warning us about a new traffic situation along our route. It offered a detour, which we accepted, avoiding a big snarl around downtown San Francisco. We were impressed by the system here because it noticed a new traffic incident while we were already driving along its programmed route.

In the cabin
The 2008 BMW X6 uses many of the design elements we've seen in other BMW models, such as the wide-screen LCD. The screen is split into a main and secondary display, with the secondary being used to show maps or trip information. But the X6 also gets a heads-up display that projects the car's speed low on the windshield. Even better, this display shows route guidance directions when the navigation system is in use. We found it extraordinarily convenient to keep our eyes on the road and at the same time see our next turn.

The heads-up display shows the car's speed and route guidance information.

iDrive is still the order of the day for using the car's systems, an interface we have become used to, but we have not come to love it. Fortunately, BMW is making changes to the interface that will be seen on the new 7 series. As just getting a map to appear on the main screen involved four moves of the iDrive controller, we found ourselves using the voice command system, issuing the instruction "show map."

The navigation system offers one advanced feature, traffic, which we discussed above, but not much else beyond basic functionality. Its interface isn't very intuitive, with points-of-interest placed under the Information menu. It also doesn't offer text-to-speech, so can't read out the names of upcoming streets. The maps look good, though, and it can show them in 3D view. Our biggest gripe about the system is that it was particularly slow to calculate routes, although recalculation when we got off route worked quickly enough.

Our particular car abounded in disc drives. First, the navigation system has a DVD drive just above the console. There is a single disc drive as part of the audio system in the dash, and a six-disc changer hidden in the glove compartment. Finally, as our car had the rear seat DVD option, we had a disc drive at the back of the console, facing the rear seats. That's four drives total.

The iPod interface lets you browse albums, artists, and genres

We tested out both of the audio disc drives, of course, but in general driving we tended to use the iPod connector in the console. The interface for selecting music is good, letting you browse albums, artists, and genres, but iDrive steps in again, requiring three moves to get to the iPod. Mirroring the slowness of the navigation system, accessing the iPod showed delays. For example, when we chose albums from the menu, a screen came up saying it was loading data from the iPod for a second or two. BMW also offers Sirius satellite radio and HD broadcast radio. We found the audio quality of each radio source about the same, although HD radio suffers from the usual distance limitations.

The quality of the audio in the X6 was surprisingly underwhelming, as we had the premium audio option. This system uses 16 speakers, including subwoofers under each front seat and five sets of mids and tweeters around the cabin, with one set serving as a center fill. A nine-channel 600-watt amp powers these. With all this audio hardware we expected really excellent audio quality. It sounds very good, but just not fantastic.

We like the screen set up for the rear seat DVD option because it doesn't interfere with the driver's rear view.

The rear seat DVD option is nicely done, with the DVD screen mounted to the back of the console. It folds away when not in use, and doesn't block the driver's rear view when it is up. The screen looked good and the controls were easy to use.

BMW's excellent Bluetooth cell phone integration was also present. We like this system because it automatically imports a paired phone's contact list. As all this information is displayed on the LCD, making calls to contacts is easy. The system also saves recent call history. The voice system also does a good job understanding spoken phone numbers.

The parking assist feature is also worth mentioning. It shows an outline of the car with gray zones fore and aft. Objects in those zones, such as a pole you might back up into, appear first in green, then yellow, then red, depending on how close they are to the car.

Under the hood
The 2008 BMW X6 xDrive35i comes with the same twin-turbocharged 3-liter inline six-cylinder engine we've been so impressed with in the 135i, the 335i, and the 535i. You can also get the 2008 BMW X6 xDrive50i, which comes with the new twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8. In the X6, we didn't feel the same amount of boost from the 3-liter engine because of the car's nearly 5,000 pounds of weight. However, the 300 horsepower and 300 foot-pounds of torque do get it moving at a good clip. BMW claims 6.5 seconds to 60 mph. The bigger engine cuts that time down to 5.3 seconds.

The spoke-mounted paddles are strangely designed, a little too chunky for our tastes.

The six-speed automatic transmission has three modes, drive, sport, and manual selection. We don't care for the wheel-mounted paddle shifters, small, thick protuberances that you push for a downshift and pull for an upshift. The shifter offers the same functionality, or you can just leave it in sport mode, where the transmission does an excellent job shifting gears. On one mountain run, we found the transmission shifting down to third when we braked moderately hard before a turn, then holding that gear as we put the power on in the latter half of the corner. It only upshifted as our speed climbed on the following straightaway. This is one of the smartest automatics we've tested.

During this sport driving, we also found some interesting characteristics of the handling. The car does not feel like an SUV at all in the turns, staying flat as the g-forces piled on. The suspension kept it straight and the tires digging in, until we pushed it hard enough that we got some rear wheel slip. That actually surprised us, the X6 being an all-wheel-drive car. But as with other BMWs we've tested, this slip didn't feel out of control. The car let the back wheels out a bit, assuming we knew what we were doing, but then the traction control and other mechanisms kicked in to make sure we didn't get sideways. It's a satisfying driving experience.

Where the X6 really let us down was fuel economy. The EPA rates it at 15 mpg city and 20 mpg highway. During our time with the car we barely saw it climb to more than 14 mpg, about 5 mpg less than we saw in the BMW 535i. We were a little suspicious of the low numbers coming from the trip computer, but the rapidity with which the fuel needle dropped confirmed that the X6 was gulping down the gas. Emissions rating are not yet published for the X6.

In sum
Our 2008 BMW X6 xDrive35i came in for a base price of $52,500, a couple thousand dollars more than the BMW 535i and about $6,000 more than the naturally aspirated six cylinder X5. We added the navigation system for $1,900, premium sound, which includes the iPod adaptor, for $2,000, the heads-up display for $1,200, and the rear seat DVD player for $1,700. Other sundry options and the $825 destination charge brought the total to a whopping $68,820. Even worse, the bigger engine xDrive50i starts at a base of $63,000, meaning an optioned up model will run close to $80,000. You really have to starting thinking about what else you could be driving for that kind of money.

For our rating of the X6, it is a serious tech car, given the cabin electronics and the power train. The transmission stands out pretty seriously for its smart programming. But it takes a number of hits as well. Although we really like this engine in BMW sedans and coupes, it doesn't perform as well in the X6, delivering poor economy and only satisfactory acceleration. We do give it credit for exceptional handling from its suspension components. The iDrive interface loses it points on design, as does the compromised rear head room. Aesthetically, a couple of staff members referred to it as the BMW Aztek, so we knock it a bit there. For cabin electronics, we give it good scores for the traffic reporting feature, Bluetooth cell phone integration, and the iPod adaptor. We also like the HD radio, a feature currently unique to BMWs and Minis. Although we weren't overwhelmed by the audio system, it's still very good, so doesn't really hurt the score. It just loses a point for the slowness of route calculation and iPod loading.

Mercedes F700 Concept

2008-07-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

Additional Resources

As it turns out, the luxury car of the future doesn't look much like the spindly, teardrop-shaped, hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered creation envisioned a decade or so ago.

If this world-exclusive drive of the Mercedes-Benz F700 research vehicle is an indication, the luxury car of 2020 and beyond will be very similar to those on Mercedes dealer lots now.

Sure, it will look different, with exaggerated proportions and an aerodynamic shape. But according to Mercedes, this future S-Class will run a gasoline engine and an automatic gearbox and offer the same space, performance and comfort as the current flagship.

With an average 44 mpg and super-low emissions, the F700's advanced driveline has the environmental credentials to ensure a bright future, and this would be despite $6-per-gallon gasoline and severe emissions limits. Its secret lies in its efficiency, typically 20 to 30 percent better than that of today's models.

When you're behind the steering wheel, it is apparent that in spite of its futuristic theme, the F700's major controls bear a strong resemblance to those in today's S-Class. The big four-seater's interior layout and overall packaging are close to production reality.

The F700's gasoline-electric-hybrid drivetrain holds the biggest clue to Mercedes' future luxury car (This Week, Aug. 6, 2007). A front-mounted, twin-turbocharged, 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine runs in combination with a transmission-mounted electric motor.

The experimental engine combines elements of both gasoline and diesel units, with differing injection and variable compression depending on drive conditions. The idea is to combine the power, smoothness and low emissions of a gasoline engine with the torque, flexibility and frugality of a diesel. Mercedes calls it DiesOtto, in honor of inventors Rudolf Diesel and Nikolaus Otto.

The F700 comes to life using the same electronic key as today's S-Class, running first in spark-ignition mode, with a lean air-fuel mixture injected directly into the cylinders. Once temperatures rise and the engine is under light loads, it automatically switches to variable-compression ignition, and the spark plugs deactivate.

The new engine lacks production-ready refinement; it now feels a bit like an out-of-tune supercharged 1.8-liter four. Still, it delivers power in a smooth, linear manner sufficient to ensure that the F700 won't be left behind at a traffic light. Its 238 hp compares favorably with Mercedes' existing 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine, with a 20-hp electric motor to provide additional power under acceleration. Torque is 295 lb-ft.

With drive running through a seven-speed automatic to the rear wheels, Mercedes says the 3750-pound F700 goes from 0 to 62 mph in 7.5 seconds and hits a top speed of 120 mph. More impressive is that it boasts double the fuel economy of a 3.5-liter-V6-equipped S-Class, with half the emissions.

And then there's the F700's sophisticated Pre-Scan suspension. Using laser beams mounted in the headlamps, Pre-Scan reads road imperfections and alters spring and damper rates accordingly. It sounds complex, but compared with Mercedes' existing Active Body Control system, its body movements were typically half or less with the Pre-Scan system. Without being able to drive this one-off research vehicle at a high speed, it was hard to discern very much about its handling. It was, however, easy to tell that the steering is light and direct, and there's minimal roll to the body.

As a technology showcase for future luxury cars, it is clear that the bold F700 is anything but utopian in its outlook. If this is the S-Class for tomorrow, however, we say bring it on today.

ALMS unveils Green Challenge

2008-07-15T10:04:00.000-07:00

In January, the American Le Mans Series announced it would hold its first "Green Challenge" competition during Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in October, ahead of the Challenge being implemented at all ALMS races in 2009.

Now, in conjunction with the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency and SAE International, the series has unveiled the Green Challenge's rules and regulations.

The ALMS' various cars--which run on sulfur-free diesel, E10 ethanol or cellulosic E85 ethanol--will be ranked by the amount of energy they use, the greenhouse gases they emit and the amount of petroleum they displace. Simply put, cars that go the farthest and the fastest with the smallest environmental footprint for the energy used will receive the lowest scores.

Unlike typical racing points systems, the Green Challenge rewards the cars that score the lowest number of points. One Green Challenge award will be given at each race to the lowest-scoring car in both the prototype and GT classes. The car in each class that uses the least energy and the least petroleum and emits the least greenhouse gases on a distance- and speed-equalized basis will be the winner.

For the 2009 season-long Green Challenge championship, cars will also receive championship points based on their "green score" at each race.

The ALMS expects to announce a Green Challenge sponsor and cash-payout scale during the Petit Le Mans weekend.

Report: Toyota to put solar panels on some Prius models

2008-07-15T10:03:00.000-07:00

The third-generation Toyota Prius will likely be even greener--the firm is considering roof-mounted solar panels for the popular hybrid.

The panels would be supplied by Kyocera Corp. and help power part of the air conditioning on some Prius models, according to wire service Reuters, which quoted an unnamed source.
“It's more of a symbolic gesture,” the source told Reuters. “It’s very difficult to power much more than that with solar energy.”

Toyota has been racing to fill demand for its hot-selling Prius, which is the ninth-best selling car in the United States through June, with 91,440 units. The panels would add another dimension to the car, which has helped reinforce the Japanese automaker’s status as an

2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Review

2008-07-15T10:00:00.001-07:00

Pros:

Decent mileage
Acceleration is reasonable at speed
Pretty stylish looking
Looks roomy
XM® Satellite Radio
OnStar (Standard for ONE YEAR)

Cons:

Not a lot of storage in the main cabin
Battery takes up too much room when the seats are folded down for trunk over-spill
Little noise reduction (despite what’s advertised)
The switch from gas engine to battery mode and back again is not seamless
The mileage was decent, but not what I’d expect from a hybrid (some non-hybrid cars get better mileage)

Introduction:
The 2008 Malibu Hybrid is a really sharp-looking sedan. The car’s lines are really nice and it actually looks like it has a decent amount of room. I was excited to drive it, and compare it to the only other hybrid I’ve driven - a Prius. Plus, the Malibu was voted the 2008 North American Car of the Year.

Driving Impressions:
I didn’t expect the vehicle to have much in the way of “bling” or horsepower. But I honestly thought that it was a decent ride. Definitely not plush, but not a rough ride either. It was somewhere in the middle. The most impressive thing about the ride was its stability. I’ve driven a Prius in the wind and rain, and was absolutely terrified. I’d give the Malibu a much-higher rating for stability at any speed. I felt very safe, and very stable in this car.

Build:
The seats and trunk seemed a bit flimsy. I had to be extra firm when closing the trunk, else it didn’t latch. Even though I felt the seats were a bit flimsy, they made up for it with the fact that they were reasonably comfortable. The doors seemed very light and wispy, but I didn’t have any issues in closing them. The windows rolled up and down easily, but the soundproofing was sub-par. It was noisy in there! Bottles rattled in the bottle holders, as the holders seemed a bit big for a standard water bottle.

Interior Comfort and Ergonomics:
The good:
The drivers seat had a good range of adjustments. I was able to get the seat into a comfortable position with a minimum amount of messing about. Visibility is good as well. I had no issues with blind spots and the mirrors were very sufficient in that I could see wherever I needed to. Also, some of the compartments were well-thought out. I was a big fan of the little hidden compartment on the dashboard, and my cell phone fit snugly into a small compartment at the bottom of the center stack. It fit so well that I didn’t notice it on several occasions and left it in the car! I have to say that the instrument panel was really easy to read, and quite visible. It’s very simple, which is the best way to have it. Less to worry about, just show the necessary items. The Malibu did this very well.

The bad:
Space. While the car looks roomy from the outside, it is anything BUT inside. It felt really small when I first got in. I was barely able to fit my bike in the back seat. I thought if I folded the seat down that I could make that work, but I found that the battery took up a considerable amount of space, height-wise, in the trunk area, only leaving a gap of maybe 10 inches between the top of the battery, and the top of the opening. You could stick skis through it, or a snowboard, or some 2×4’s. Maybe some golf clubs. The trunk space was pretty small, but you could make it work. While I got a bike, my spare wheels, a small cooler and a backpack in it, I was unable to carpool to a race, as I couldn’t fit much else in the car! Big bummer with the gas prices.

The ugly:
With the sun-visor down, it obscured a significant portion of the rear-view mirror. Not only is this ugly, but it’s dangerous. The visor should be re-designed to allow for this due to the small size of the cabin. The other “ugly” point, albeit not dangerous, is the lack of room for personal items in the cabin. For instance, there is a small bottle holder in the door pocket. Yet, I couldn’t get a bottle to stay IN the holder (the space was too short, and the holder lip too small). Nor was the pocket wide enough for me to put my CD case in. So I tried to put it in the center console. It wouldn’t fit, not even when I put it in at an angle. Only when I pushed down HARD, did it latch (probably not the best thing to do). There was no other place in the car I could store my CD case, unless it would fit under the seat. To me, the lack of thought into the standard conveniences that a lot of other car manufacturers build in, is a huge oversight. It wouldn’t cost Chevrolet more to make the door pocket a bit wider. Or the center console a bit deeper, or slightly taller. Sure, you could expand the size of the center console, but it was rather flimsy at best, and even then it only expanded the size lengthwise, not depth-wise, where you really needed the expansion.

Performance:
I’m not sure if “performance” and “hybrid” really should go together in the same sentence. Honestly, I didn’t have high expectations for the performance of this car, and it didn’t let me down… I will give it high marks for accelerating while AT SPEED, as this seemed to be easy for the car. Acceleration from 0 to 40 is not so great. Steep hills presented a special challenge, as one would expect. Even with the gas pedal floored, I was losing steam pretty rapidly on a nasty grade, but a quick pop into the low gear got me up the hill. If one was interested in performance in a Malibu package, it seems that the Malibu LTZ would be what you wanted. But again, most hybrid purchasers realize that performance is going to take a back seat when considering fuel economy.

When the car switches from gas engine to battery power, it’s pretty rough. The first few times this happened to me, I honestly thought that the engine had died. The entire car actually shuddered. The same thing happened when the gas engine kicked back in. It may have done it while I was driving, but the times I noticed it was when I stopped. As soon as my foot hit the brake, the whole car shuddered and the battery engine kicked in. As soon as I took my foot off the brake at a stop sign or traffic light, same thing. While I couldn’t prevent it from being so rough at the times I stopped, I learned to let my foot off the brake gently as I anticipated having to go again, then when I’d put my foot on the accelerator, it was a significantly smoother start. Chevrolet needs to work on this transition, making it seamless, because it’s anything but!

Most of the “dinging” in the performance section is coming from the switch from battery to gas mode. I cannot, in good faith, fault the car for not having a lot of power.

Handling:
While the turning radius wasn’t superb, everything else about the Malibu was fine. It handled itself well at 35 mph, 65 mph and pretty much anything in between. I wouldn’t classify it as nimble, but I also wouldn’t classify it as a bus. It’s snugly in between. As I noted earlier, I felt the car would be able to handle itself fine in rain, wind, etc. I don’t know about SNOW, but it felt like it could take the elements and still continue handling as well as it does on dry pavement.

Styling:
The Malibu is simple, yet sharp. Clean lines, a nice grill, sleek lines. It looked nice from every angle. I really couldn’t find any flaws in the exterior of the car. Everything blended nicely into the next section. The headlamps FIT the car. The bumpers blended nicely. The wheels even fit the overall look of the automobile. I remember the Malibu of days long gone, and while it was a sweet-looking muscle car, it later morphed into some pretty ugly incarnations. This latest version reflects the sedans of today, looking very similar to the Saturn Aura (or the Aura looks similar to the Malibu). Consider them distant cousins as they are both built upon the same chassis (this also includes the Pontiac G6).

Value:
Overall, the car is a decent value for the money. $25k buys you a stable vehicle, which gets decent mileage, looks good, and is a hybrid. You can feel good about your purchase! As for safety, the Malibu I tested has a 5-star frontal and side-impact crash rating, six standard air bags, standard four-wheel anti-lock brakes and traction control. Additionally, the “Driver Information Center” offers 34 vehicle function messages (such as oil life, tire pressure, fuel range, with the addition of 10 additional personalization settings) all viewable in the main dashboard area (along with current mileage, odometer, etc.).

Conclusion:
While there were some things I really liked about this car, there were a lot more things I didn’t like. If American auto makers really want to compete, they need to start building in some of the conveniences offered by their competition. It wouldn’t cost more to create a bit more storage space in the cabin, or a bit smaller visor so the driver’s vision wasn’t impaired. It’s the small things that sell a car, and Chevrolet has a bit of catching up to do, even though they truly are on the right track. A few more years of development work and they can have something that works really well AND offers all the conveniences that a buyer demands. Let’s hope they listen…

Who should buy one?
Someone who is interested in buying an American hybrid, and interested in saving money, since the Malibu is a better deal (savings of about $2,000) over both the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the Nissan Altima Hybrid. Not to mention the Malibu is really easy on the eyes.

	Build	Interior	Performance	Handling	Styling	Value	Overall
Rating	2.75	2.0	2.75	4.0	4.0	4.0	3.25/C-

Get Smart

2008-07-15T09:58:00.001-07:00

Nothing puts me to sleep faster than reading yet another doom and gloom newspaper rehash about the auto industry.

Actually, here’s something that does: seeing stories that start with “Congress is back in session.”

No doubt this latest session will be filled with continued weeping and gnashing of teeth over oil prices. Months of hand wringing and finger pointing will surely follow, with oil companies, speculators and greedy consumers all blamed, depending on whom you talk to.

Hell, there might even be a congressional hearing or three, and nothing can slow progress like one of those. Then by, say, December, the gasbags (pun intended) should have statements prepared--with, ahem, “solutions.”

They might even create some new, useless regulations.

Here’s a better idea to increase fuel economy: Smart traffic lights.

On my morning commute I sit in front of at least a dozen traffic lights where no cross traffic exists. I sit, internal combustion engine idling away mightily, burning fuel.

Sometimes I shut the car off. Sometimes I’m too lazy to do that. Whether or not I do, there are 251 million cars on U.S. roads that at one time or another doing the exact same thing I am. Figure it out for yourself: 251 million times roughly 30 seconds of idling is a whole lot of gas.

Cannot traffic lights “know” I’m there and am the only car in the intersection? Does not the technology exist to turn a light green so I can move along? Surely if Google Earth can show my front lawn, or when I can see what my family is eating because whitepages.com can practically zoom in on my dining room, I have to believe my light can turn green.

Maybe you already have smart traffic lights where you live. Perhaps my neighborhood is just behind the times. Maybe when we get done putting all our local governmental focus (read: budget) on our mayor and his outrageous behavior, we can move on to some other stuff.

Like saving gas.

If you’re like me and don’t have smart lights where you live, may I suggest that you write your member of congress and tell her you want smart lights in your area? It will give her something to do besides spewing hot air at all the wrong people for all the wrong reasons.

The Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series

2008-07-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

The exclusive high-performance coupé for the discerning motorist

Mercedes-Benz unleashes their SL 65 Black Series that turns out an eye-popping 670 hp and 737 lb-ft of torque from a 6 liter V12 twin turbocharged motor. Only 200 units are designated for U.S. shores, so get in line now. Don’t forget to bring your checkbook. The price tag for the SL 65 Black Series is $320,000.

Equally impressive is the SL 65’s power-to-weight ratio of 6.17 lb/hp. Similar in performance, but can be had for less than $300k, is the Ferrari 599 GTB Fioranio with a power-to-weight ration of 6.00 lb/hp. If you like numbers, the 599 GTB Fiorano cranks out 620 hp and 448 lb-ft of torque from a normally aspirated 6 liter V12. The Ferrari 599 seems like a bargain at $270,000. Does it become a question of which one to choose or do the two marquees attract their own loyal fellowship?

Following is the official press release and more photos of the SL 65 from Mercedes-Benz:

Affalterbach – Sensational appearance, unique performance data, with light-weight design throughout and total exclusivity - that’s the new Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series. This high-performance coupé is a motorsport engineering thoroughbred, opening up new drive dynamic vistas to sports car enthusiasts. The AMG 6.0 liter V12 biturbo engine, with a maximum output of 493 kW/670 hp and 1000 Newton-meters of torque, guarantees super sports car level performance. The powerful two-seater was developed in the AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO and represents the continuation of the highly successful Black Series strategy pursued by AMG, the Mercedes-Benz Cars Performance brand.

Broad, muscular and ready to pounce - that’s the new Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series. Even when stationary, the coupé’s superlative dynamism can arouse great passions. The strikingly broad mudguards, the retractable rear spoiler and the rear apron with diffuser fins point unmistakably to its motorsport origins, part of the Mercedes-AMG corporate philosophy for more than 40 years. One glance at the new SL 65 AMG Black Series and you are reminded of the successful AMG racing sports cars like the present DTM C-Class or the 1997 CLK-GTR from the FIA-GT series.

Wide cooling air apertures in the front apron and the bonnet are the clearest indication of the massive power of this AMG twelve-cylinder, biturbocharged engine. From its 5980 cubic capacity, the AMG V12’s engine generates a maximum power of 493 kW/670 hp at 5400 rpm and an electronically limited torque of 1000 Newton-meters between 2200 and 4200 rpm. Without a limiter, the AMG 6.0 liter V12 biturbo engine, which is hand-built in the AMG engine factory in accordance with the “one man – one engine” philosophy, would achieve a maximum torque of 1200 Newton-meters. Compared with the basis power pack in the 450 kW/612 hp SL 65 AMG, new turbochargers were developed for the twelve-cylinder SL 65 AMG Black Series engine. The turbochargers’ spiral cross-section, now twelve per cent larger, and the optimized wastegate ducts permit increased air throughput and an even more impressive display of power in all engine speed ranges. The modified intake air ducting results in an even more spontaneous response. The new design for the AMG sports exhaust gas system’s rear silencers reduce the exhaust gas backpressure and help increase the power output. The acoustic side effect of this is to produce a distinctive twelve-cylinder sound, typically evocative of AMG engine tuning, from the two trapezoidal tail pipes. The low-temperature charge air cooler, now 30 per cent more powerful, and the optimized water cooling system guarantee not only that the power generated under extreme dynamic driving conditions is exploited to the maximum but also the greatest possible fatigue strength at high outside temperatures.

Unique performance thanks to attractive power-to-weight ratio

The extraordinary engine specifications, which make the SL 65 AMG Black Series the most powerful AMG model yet, help to produce unique performance data: from a standing start, it takes just 3.9 seconds to reach 100 km/h; 200 km/h is attained after 11.0 seconds. The top speed is 320 km/h (electronically limited).

The most important data are summarized below:

	SL 65 AMG Black Series
Configuration and number of cylinders, valves per cylinder	V12, 3
Cubic capacity, cm³	5980
Bore x stroke, mm	82.6 x 93.0
Compression ratio	9.0: 1
Power Output kW/hp at rpm	493/670@5400 rpm
Max. torque, Nm at rpm	1000*@2200-4200 rpm
Acceleration 0-100 km/h	3.9 sec
Acceleration 0-200 km/h	11.0 sec
Top Speed km/h	320*

* Electronically limited

Equally responsible for its excellent dynamics is the attractive power-to-weight ratio of only 2.79 hp/kg, resulting from the comparably low unladen weight of 1870 kilograms, according to EU standard measurement. This makes the SL 65 AMG Black Series some 250 kilograms lighter than the SL 65 AMG - a respectable weight saving due specifically to the use of lightweight construction. Numerous bodywork components are made of high-strength and particularly light carbon fiber composites (CFRP), a well-proven motorsports technology. The 14 centimeter wider front mudguard, the front apron with the visible carbon front splitter, the bonnet and the boot lid are all made from CFRP. Large apertures in the bonnet ensure that excess heat is reliably ducted away from the engine. “V12 Biturbo“ lettering on the front mudguards gives an indication of the engine’s power.

New CFRP roof with integral roll-over bar

The whole CFRP roof shell has taken on a completely new design. Not only does it now have an integral roll-over bar but, by no longer having the typical SL vario roof installed, the roof line has a significantly flatter profile. This is also evident from a glance at the bigger rear window, now placed at a less sharp angle to the boot lid. The CFRP rear spoiler, concealed in the boot lid, automatically extends twelve centimeters at 120 km/h, effectively reducing the lift force on the rear axle at high speeds. Looked at from the rear, the conspicuous feature is the new rear apron with its visible carbon diffuser. Concealed within it is the active cooling system for the rear axle locking differential.
New, weight-optimized, twin-spoke design, AMG forged alloy wheels - 19 inch wheels at the front and 20 inch at the rear - impressively occupy the whole of each wheel housing. With their black paintwork, high-sheen surface and matt finish, they lend a note of extravagance to the side profile.

Power transmission with double-declutch function and four transmission modes

Matching the outstanding performance potential and the versatile drive dynamics, the SL 65 AMG Black Series also displays its power pack and suspension at their best. An AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS five-speed automatic gearbox transmits power to the rear wheels. There is a choice between four transmission modes: “C”, “S”, “M1″ and “M2″ which has gearshift times 25 per cent quicker than the “M1″ mode. The torque converter’s lockup clutch guarantees extremely direct gearshifting in all driving situations right from first gear. The automatic double-declutch function not only makes shifting down a more pleasurable task, it also ensures that the load alteration effect is reduced.

AMG adjustable coil spring sports suspension and 3-stage ESP

As for the suspension, the AMG experts have put their trust in a new design. The AMG sports suspension has been designed on adjustable coil spring lines; this well-proven motorsports solution allows the shock absorbers’ rebound and compression stages, the ride height, wheel alignment and camber to be adjusted. This means that the driver can adjust the suspension to suit his own personal specifications when driving on racing circuits. The spring links, camber struts and pull/push rods on both axles are new developments and each axle has a weight-optimized aluminum wheel carrier. Compared with the standard SL 65 AMG, the Black Series front axle track width is 97 millimeters wider and the rear axle track width 85 millimeters wider. The new front axle kinematics produce an 8 per cent more direct steering ratio; and the completely re-designed elastokinematics ensure noticeably greater steering precision. A multiple-disc limited-slip differential on the rear axle with a 40 per cent locking effect guarantees optimum traction.

The 3-stage sports function ESP is a by-word for maximum driving pleasure and outstanding drive dynamics: The driver can choose between “ESP ON”, “ESP SPORT” and “ESP OFF” by pressing the ESP button; the AMG instrument cluster will then show whichever mode is currently activated on the central display.

Sports tires and composite disc brakes for best performance

The wheel-tire combination chosen is also responsible for a superb performance by the SL 65 AMG Black Series on racing circuits. 265/35 R 19 tires are fitted to 9.5 inch wide AMG light-alloy wheels on the front axle. The impressive format for the rear axle is AMG 11.5 x 20 light-alloy wheels with 325/30 R 20 tires. Dunlop, DTM’s motorsports partner, supplies the “Sport Maxx GT” sport tires which provide particularly good grip and permit astonishing cornering speeds.

The large AMG high-performance brake system can be seen through the filigree structure of the AMG twin-spoke light-alloy wheels. Internally ventilated and perforated disc brakes engineered in particularly strong composite materials are employed all round. On the front axle, braking is undertaken by six-piston fixed calipers and 390 x 36 mm discs; on the rear axles, this task is carried out by four-piston fixed calipers and 360 x 26 mm discs.

A functional and lovingly designed interior

Nappa leather, Alcantara and carbon: the interior of the SL 65 AMG Black Series provides the perfect ambiance to set the pulses of sports car enthusiasts racing. The interior, entirely in black, exudes the functional atmosphere of a genuine racing sports car while the lovingly designed details have the power to captivate.

Newly developed AMG sports bucket seats made of CFRP (ECE version only) provide perfect lateral support for the occupants when taking bends fast. The seats without side airbags are upholstered in fine-grained nappa leather and Alcantara with embossed AMG lettering in the head restraints. With its 15 millimeter smaller diameter, flattened lower profile and with both sides perforated for easier grip, the AMG Performance steering wheel provides maximum vehicle control. The silver-colored aluminum shift paddles allow manual gear selection.

Additional highlights in the center console are the high-quality carbon trim parts, the gleaming matte start/stop button, the new selector lever with carbon inlay and the AMG logo with “Black Series” lettering. Matching features are the carbon door center panels with embossed AMG lettering, together with the roof lining and the A and C-pillars upholstered in Alcantara anthracite.

The AMG instrument cluster is a completely new design. The black speedometer with its scale reading up to 360 km/h has also been re-designed; and the same is true of the white rev counter which has four integral LEDs to advise the driver of the optimum gearshift points.

Exhaustive development in all the world’s climate zones

Exhaustive development and testing of the SL 65 AMG Black Series began in 2006. AMG engineers and technicians test drove ten prototypes and experimental vehicles in all the world’s climate zones. Whether it was fast circuits of the Nürburgring, high-speed test driving in Nardo (Italy), wind tunnel testing, intensive test driving in summer heat or the cold of the Arctic or actual crash testing – the new AMG high-performance coupé had to prove its production readiness under all conditions. In total, the SL 65 AMG Black Series was test-driven for roughly 30,000 kilometers on various circuits, 15,000 kilometers of which were on the Nürburgring north loop alone, acknowledged to be the world’s most difficult race circuit.

Like the SLK 55 AMG Black Series and the CLK 63 AMG Black Series before it, the SL 65 AMG Black Series was also developed in the AMG PERFORMANCE STUDIO, which opened in 2006. The first vehicles will be delivered to customers, starting in November 2008. Further information about the SL 65 AMG Black Series is on the Mercedes-AMG website under www.mercedes-amg.com.

2008 Jaguar XKR Review

2008-07-15T09:54:00.000-07:00

Pros:

Stunning styling
Incredible power
Beautiful interior
Exclusivity

Cons:

Useless back seats
Minor complaints including hard to read GPS and poor radio reception
No sunroof
$90,000 is too much for mere mortals

Introduction
This is a review of the 2008 Jaguar XKR. The “base” model XK features “just” 300 hp while the XKR uses an Eaton supercharger to generate 420 hp. It is a beautiful 2-door grand touring coupe.

Driving Impressions
I have never been more excited to drive a car. And the Jaguar over-delivered on my anticipation. This is the finest car I’ve ever had the pleasure to sit behind. It was designed by Ian Callum, the same genius who penned the similarly gorgeous Aston Martin DB9.

Build
The Jag leverages aluminum to reduce body weight (~3,700 pounds) and improve responsiveness. But the lighter structure doesn’t mean flimsy. The fit and finish was superb from the spacing of the body panels to the beautifully crafted interior. Everything was solid yet light to the touch. Awesome.

Interior Comfort and Ergonomics
The interior featured gorgeous cream (“ivory”) leather seats and surround panels. The seats were the most comfortable and supportive I’ve ever had the pleasure of putting my tush in. Seat controls are on the door and offer for/aft, up/down, cushion extension, adjustable lumbar, and adjustable side bolsters. Best of all, the passenger enjoys the same level of adjustment. Leg room and headroom were plentiful for those 6 feet tall.

The steering wheel is thick and visibility is surprisingly good; there are some moments where it’s hard to see out the back corners, but overall, very livable. The trunk is surprisingly spacious and might even fit 2 sets of golf clubs or a weekend’s worth of luggage. The beautifully chromed parking brake was simple to use and intelligently disengaged automatically when put in to Drive. And the adaptive cruise control is perfectly implemented with an easy-to-use rotary dial on the steering wheel.

There are some areas where the interior fell short, but these are merely small criticisms.

At first, switching the gated shifter falls to Neutral when you really want Drive. It takes a bit of getting used to.
Paddle shifters would be better if mounted on the steering column instead of the steering wheel for shifting in turns.
FM reception was mediocre
It would be nice if it had a sunroof, though this would intrude on the headroom. This is why they make the convertible…
MP3/iPod compatibility. There is no external jack. And it’s impossible to use a radio-frequency adapter because you can’t manually tune a “weak” station to channel via radio.
The storage for the key fob is in the center console; this is an awkward reach back while in the driver’s seat.
GPS seemed slow to respond and the screen was small and hard to see with any glare.
Would have liked to have seen burled wood interior trim instead of piano-black pieces. And the aluminum trim (a $2500 option) seemed like a rip off, though that package includes the seats and leather trim. There is a wood option that I would have preferred.

Performance
Wow. This is a seriously impressive vehicle. It is completely docile, quiet and serene while cruising on the freeway or even running errands through city streets. But a slight touch on the loud pedal generates a muted but throaty rush; the exhaust note is perfect-not too loud but let’s you know you are hauling ass. Acceleration is instantaneous at any speed. But what is truly remarkable is the SMOOTHNESS of the speed. There is no drama, just incredible build of thrust. I recorded 0-60 in 4.52 seconds in an effortless, un-dramatic run. Just pure speed. Jumping from 80 to 120 is similarly seamless. It feels like you can do anything in this car. Amazingly, I averaged 16.8 mpg despite flooring it at every opportunity.

Handling
For a large luxurious GT coupe, one might think this would be ponderous. In fact, the Jag feels light on its feet and has excellent precision. There are videos on YouTube showing it hanging its tail out at 110 mph that truly demonstrate it’s prowess. In fact, it was able to stay with it’s much more expensive cousin, the Aston Martin DB9 ($168k) at the track.

Styling
Does it get any better than this? Seriously? The XKR is a beautiful car. It’s tiger-shark front followed by flowing lines over the a-pillars, then flaring out over the wide-set rear wheels are truly breath-taking. Neighbors who I haven’t talked to in years came round to inquire about this rolling sculpture in the front yard.

Value
At nearly $90,000, this is a very expensive car. That being said, when I visited my health club (subsidized by my employer!), I looked around in the parking lot and spotted a BMW 550, M5, M6, Cadillac XLR, Audi RS6, and Mercedes CLs. Most of those cars cost MUCH MORE than the Jag yet none of them offer the distinctive styling. And most can’t match the 0-60 times. Given that, for its class, the Jaguar seems like a bargain.

Conclusion
Jaguar has done a phenomenal job with this gorgeous coupe. It offers unique and beautiful styling, incredible comfort, and stunning speed. It’s a car for those who appreciate a uniquely different shape with elegance and performance. Well done, Jaguar!

Who should buy it?
If you have enough disposable income to consider a $90k car (and have an SUV as a backup), the distinctive good looks and phenomenal performance make this an incredible option.

Green Solutions Available Now

2008-07-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

There are lots of reasons to go green: Fuel is expensive, Pope Benedict XVI decreed environmental pollution is a mortal sin, and, surprise of all surprises, depending on how globally you consider the costs, it’s cheaper in the long run. Since definitions of “doing the right thing” number like oxygen molecules in lungs full of fiery rhetoric, that concept won’t even enter into the discussion.

You’ll find no ethanol-burning vehicles on this list. Issues include the facts that fuel consumption increases by 25 percent when you burn E85 and that ethanol continues to be produced mostly from corn. The quantity of corn required to fill an SUV with ethanol could feed a person for a year, a point made all the more pertinent by the riots sparked by food shortages currently peppering the globe.

Before the letters roll in, let us say public transportation rocks, bicycles are great, green is good, and we take showers more frigid than Cruella de Vil’s heart in order to reduce our carbon footprint.

If you’re in the market for new wheels but have taken to knitting sweaters out of your cat’s hair and have replaced all cleaning products in your house with Dr. Bronner’s soap, consider the following choices that employ extremely different tactics in pursuit of a green agenda. A couple of these are only available for lease; the most environmentally friendly option here we’ll give you if come get it the hell out of our parking lot. Of course, you could always buy a used 50-mpg 1994 Honda Civic VX, but if you need something new, here are nine green solutions.

Mini Cooper/Clubman

2008-07-15T09:45:00.001-07:00

It’s not surprising that a small car designed and manufactured by BMW is a pleasurable thing, but that it’s extra miserly is icing on the strudel. Thanks to a recent redesign, a new 1.6-liter four-cylinder, slightly smaller dimensions, and a new six-speed transmission conspire to produce good fuel efficiency, particularly on the highway, where an extra cog makes all the difference. The Mini and slightly longer Mini Clubman get the same fuel economy, so there’s no penalty for the latter other than greater expense and a reduced number of parking opportunities. Watch those options, though. Despite a reasonable $18,700 entry price, the last naturally aspirated Mini Cooper we tested cost as much as a Camry hybrid.

Toyota Yaris

2008-07-15T09:44:00.003-07:00

It’s a happy day for consumers when one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles sold is also one of the cheapest. The Yaris isn’t even too much of a slowpoke, scampering to 60 mph in under nine seconds. If the petite Yaris seems more quirky than masculine, it’s because it was designed for markets where gas has always been expensive and they say things like sauve qui peut. Those hoping for Lotus Elise–like reflexes or Gatsbyesque luxury will be disappointed, but those without champagne expectations will enjoy a plush ride and solid build quality. Despite a short wheelbase, the Yaris can transport deceptively large quantities of cargo.

2009 Ford Escape Hybrid

2008-07-15T09:44:00.001-07:00

The lone American ranger in this group is the Ford Escape hybrid, the roughest and tumblin-est vehicle here, if mostly by posture. Refreshed for 2009, the Escape addresses many of the issues that made it an almost unacceptable compromise, including the anemic performance, punishing ride, and poor brake feel. The stronger four-cylinder now boasts 177 horsepower in addition to its hybrid-electric drive, the revised suspension system includes a rear anti-roll bar, and the brakes feel something like normal. The Escape is a hybrid SUV with solid moves at an affordable price tag, for which no excuses need be made. Though an official fuel-economy rating has yet to be obtained for the new model, not much change is expected from 2008.

Volkswagen Jetta TDI

2008-07-15T09:40:00.002-07:00

The TDI, as equipped with a six-speed manual transmission, shines in highway driving, returning fuel economy on par with the air-hockey-table-sized Smart Fortwo. Diesel currently outpaces gasoline prices by about 20 percent, but the TDI betters the fuel economy of the next-thriftiest Jetta model by over 30 percent. The SportWagen, while more expensive than the sedan, suffers no penalty in fuel economy. It offers more luggage volume than the Prius and just slightly less passenger volume while being good-looking and offering a driving experience that won’t approximate the work of an anesthesiologist. Both aesthetically and dynamically, the diesel-sipping Jetta TDI is engineered to be enjoyed by the user, not just employed.

Toyota Camry Hybrid

2008-07-15T09:40:00.001-07:00

Yellow-paintbrush-wielding New York cabbies can’t be wrong: the Toyota Camry hybrid is good at moving passengers economically and without drama. Unlike the Altima hybrid, you can buy the Camry hybrid nationwide. Hybridization did nothing to impact the virtues that make the Camry an award-winning family-hauling appliance: laudable road manners, quiet and comfortable operation, and a highly competent overall experience. Stepping up to the hybrid also begets stability control and the top-of-the-line XLE interior package, minus leather seats.

Nissan Altima Hybrid

2008-07-15T09:39:00.007-07:00

The Altima hybrid is sold only in California and the seven eastern states that share Cali’s CARB air-quality statutes, which is a shame as it delivers hybrid efficiency in a stylish, pleasurable-to-drive sedan. The Altima hybrid delivers similar fuel economy numbers to the Camry hybrid, which isn’t surprising considering Nissan licensed Toyota’s Synergy Drive for the effort. Paired with Nissan’s 2.5-liter gasoline engine, the Altima hybrid returns performance numbers better than the standard model. It delivers on its sporty looks and design-forward interior with a fun, enthusiastic chassis and precise steering. If the name “Camry” makes your inner rebel cringe, you’d do well to consider the Altima hybrid.

Smart Fortwo

2008-07-15T09:39:00.005-07:00

A small sum of money gets you a Lilliputian car that returns the third-best fuel mileage of any vehicle here. The Smart Fortwo delivers solidly on its niche-market promise: it’s the ultimate urban vehicular solution as defined by stylish cachet, excellent fuel economy, and—by virtue of being the smallest—the biggest gun in the parking wars. Your mileage may vary; ours did, with an average of four fewer mpg than the EPA’s combined number. Given that the Fortwo is the slowest-accelerating passenger vehicle in the country (say a Hail Mary before merging onto a freeway), a lead foot, with a resulting impact in fuel economy, is practically a safety requirement.

Smart Fortwo

2008-07-15T09:39:00.003-07:00

Honda Civic Hybrid

2008-07-15T09:38:00.001-07:00

The Prius’s main contender is the Civic hybrid, a more quotidian approach to economical hybrid transportation. In rendering the hybrid more aerodynamic, Honda also made it one of the better-looking Civic offerings, more likely to appeal to those who don’t need to wear their environmentalism on their lapel, although this may be part of the reason that it hasn’t seen near the sales success as the Prius. The Civic hybrid drives more like a regular car than the competition, is a more responsive handler, and is a touch less sluggish. The Civic’s hybrid system is simple and compact, but doesn’t deliver quite the miserly numbers of the Prius

Toyota Prius

2008-07-15T09:37:00.000-07:00

The Toyota Prius, the gold standard for fuel economy, is a bit like steamed broccoli: utterly insipid but wholesome just the same. Iconic status was guaranteed when Hollywood types with air-conditioned mega-mansions trotted out Priuses as their green beards, even before the car was immortalized with its own episode of South Park. An anodyne ownership experience includes tepid acceleration, numb steering, and nonlinear brakes. Of note are the unbeatable fuel economy, impressively low price tag, and unique, futuristic lines that house a large amount of usable space. Stay tuned for the next-generation Prius and a plug-in version, which will further increase fuel economy, in 2011.

Ferrari California: North American Photo Exclusive!

2008-07-15T09:36:00.000-07:00

Ferrari says the California "is aimed at owners who desire a car which embodies everything the Prancing Horse represents in terms of sporty design and innovation, but also seek a car with greater versatility than ever." This newest prancing horse is not the "baby Ferrari." It is, in fact, a brand-new model complementing and similar in size to the racier F430 with more flexibility in packaging. In addition to having a retractable hardtop, the car can be ordered in a 2+2 configuration - children seating only, please!, or more storage space for weekend outings. There is even a trunk pass-through for skis for those who want to hit the slopes in the winter.

And despite a raft of new technologies, the California doesn't forget Ferrari's past. The car's styling uses several nostalgic elements from the Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder from the late 1950s and early 1960s. Those elements include the large air intake on the hood, the side gills just aft of the front wheels, near identical grillework and similarly swoopy rear fenders. And although the photos Ferrari released to the world's press don't do the car justice, Editor-in-Chief Thos L. Bryant — who recently got a sneak peek at the car at the Ferrari factory — says the California "looks absolutely stunning in person."

Unlike the Ferrari Superamerica from a few years back, which featured a roof that simply flipped backward, the California will come only as a true retractable hardtop; meaning, when the top is down, the rear deck is completely flat — just like the Mercedes-Benz SL, for example. Editor Bryant was also fortunate to see the top in action, and he said it was "quite slick in its operation." The factory claims it takes 14 seconds to go from open top to fully-closed position.

As with any Ferrari, the engine is the star of the show. In this case it's a 4.3-liter direct-injected flat-crank V-8 that produces 460 bhp. Even more important is the car's use of Ferrari's first dual-clutch gearbox with not six speeds, as on every other recent Ferrari, but seven forward gears. Ferrari claims the California will be able to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 4 seconds.

In another dramatic move, Ferrari has swapped out its traditional double-wishbone suspension at the rear for a multilink setup on the California. And those amazing (and incredibly expensive, lightweight and fade-resistant) Brembo carbon-ceramic brake discs seen on so many Ferraris these days? Standard issue on the California.

In yet another new move, Ferrari has been unveiling the California bit by bit online on a special website — www.ferrarigtcountdown.com. The first piece released was the sound of the car's V-8, followed days later by three photographs. More photos and information about the car will continue to be posted in the coming weeks (Ferrari calls it a "virtual voyage of discovery"), right up until the California's official worldwide reveal at the Paris auto show on October 1. Ferrari says the California will start production in late summer in a brand-new building in Maranello. Fans should see them on sale in Europe by the end of the year, with U.S. sales following later, probably as a 2009 model and priced in the range of the F430.

Study: Sioux Falls, S.D., safest US driving city

2008-07-15T09:34:00.000-07:00

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - An insurance study has once again found that Sioux Falls has the safest drivers in the nation, marking the third straight year that South Dakota's largest city has topped the list.

Researchers with Allstate Insurance Co. analyzed two years of internal crash data to calculate the chance that drivers in 193 of the nation's most populated cities would be involved in an accident.

Allstate, which claims a 12 percent market share of the nation's auto insurance policies, found that Sioux Falls motorists average an accident once every 14.6 years — 31.6 percent better than the national rate of one every 10 years.

The city's rate improved slightly from last year's average of one accident every 13.7 years.

Officials in Sioux Falls again attributed the ranking to strong traffic engineering and driver education programs.

Following Sioux Falls were Fort Collins, Colo.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Sterling Heights, Mich.; Warren, Mich.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Lexington, Ky.; and Detroit.

Motorists in Washington, D.C., were most at risk, according to the study, averaging an accident once every 5.4 years.

Drivers in Detroit, ranked 11th in population, are likely to experience a crash once every 12.4 years, the best among cities with between 500,000 and 1 million people. Phoenix ranks the highest for safety among cities with more than 1 million people with a collision likely once every 9.8 years.

Massachusetts' cities were not included as the company does not write policies in the state.

Allstate planned to give away free gas at a Sioux Falls filling station Tuesday to reward residents for their ranking.

Researchers studied about 2 million damage claims defined as any collision resulting in property damage filed between January 2005 and December 2006. A weighted average of the two-year numbers determined the annual percentages.

10 common car-buying mistakes

2008-07-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

Buying a new car can be exciting. But it's also a complex process through which you can end up overpaying by hundreds or thousands of dollars or with a vehicle that you won't be happy with down the road. Below are 10 mistakes that car buyers often make that can quickly turn that initial excitement into buyer remorse--and how to avoid them.

You can find more in-depth information and advice on each of the following subjects in Consumer Reports' new 384-page Smart Buyer's Guide to Buying or Leasing a Car, available in bookstores. It provides a five-step plan that guides you through every aspect of the car-buying experience, showing you how to simplify the process, find key information, and take control of the negotiations at the dealership.

1. Falling in love with a model.

When spending tens of thousands of dollars on a car, emotion shouldn't rule the day. Becoming infatuated with a single model can blind you to alternative vehicles that may be better for your needs or make you skimp on thoroughly researching a vehicle's ratings, reviews, reliability, or safety and pricing information. A wide -eyed approach can also leave you more susceptible to a salesperson's tactics to get you to pay more than you should. To determine which vehicle is best for you, you should set emotion aside and focus on doing your homework, comparing different models, and assessing your real wants and needs. There will be plenty of time for emotion after you've bought the vehicle.

2. Skipping the test drive.

The test drive is one of the most important parts of the car-buying process. A lot of vehicles look good on paper--especially in glossy brochure photos--but the test drive is your best chance to see how a vehicle measures up to expectations and how well it "fits" you and your family. You don't want any surprises after you've bought it. That's why it's surprising that many people give vehicles only a token test or, worse, none at all. That is a mistake and a sure recipe for buyer remorse. It's critical that you take ample time--at least 30 minutes--to conduct a complete test drive and perform a thorough walk-around of any vehicle you're considering.

3. Negotiating down from the sticker price.

Don't use the sticker price as your gauge when negotiating a deal. A salesperson may offer you a deal that's, say, $500 below the sticker price, and many consumers will conclude, often mistakenly, that they're getting a good deal. Unless the vehicle is in big demand and short supply, you can often get an even lower price by negotiating up from what the dealer paid for the vehicle. When you know the dealer's true cost, you'll know how much profit margin it has to work with and can determine a reasonable target price with which to begin your negotiations. You can calculate the dealer's cost by subtracting any behind-the-scenes sales incentives, such as dealer rebates and holdbacks, from the dealer invoice price. Consumer Reports New Car Price Reports does this for you with the CR Bottom Line Price.

4. Focusing only on the monthly payment when negotiating.

Salespeople like to focus on a monthly-payment figure while negotiating a deal. Indeed, "How much were you thinking of paying each month?" might be one of the first questions to greet you when you meet a salesperson. Don't take the bait. It's the first step down a slippery slope of being manipulated with numbers and overpaying for your vehicle. Using the monthly payment as the focus, the salesperson can lump the new-vehicle price, trade-in value, and financing or leasing terms together, giving him or her too much latitude to give you a "good price" in one area while making up for it in another. Instead, insist on negotiating one thing at a time. Settle on the vehicle's price first, then discuss a trade-in, financing, or leasing separately, as necessary. A leasing tip: Don't bring up your desire to lease until after you've agreed on the vehicle's price.

5. Buying the "deal" instead of the vehicle.

Automakers have been offering a variety of attractive sales incentives in recent years, from 0% financing and hefty cash rebates to employee-discount pricing programs. These can save you money, but it's important to remember that any deal is only as good as the car that's attached to it. Just because you can get a good discount doesn't mean you should buy the vehicle. After all, you'll be living with the vehicle for years, so make sure it's the right one for you. Thoroughly research any model you're considering and check our Ratings and reviews of competitive models (see our New-vehicle Ratings comparison, available to subscribers). You may find you can get a much better vehicle for not much more money. Also check the reliability of the model (see our Reliability Ratings, available to subscribers). Despite an attractive discount, a vehicle with subpar reliability--and the possibility of hefty depreciation--might not be much of a bargain in the long run. A related tip: Don't let a special incentive keep you from negotiating. Rebates and special financing are subsidized by the automaker, not the dealership. You should still negotiate the vehicle's price as if there were no incentive. There's no reason you shouldn't get the best price and the incentive, too.

6. Waiting until you're in the dealership to think about financing.

You might be a whiz at negotiating a good deal, but if you don't choose your financing just as carefully, you could lose everything you saved on the vehicle's purchase price, and more. A car shopper who hasn't researched financing terms is especially vulnerable to being manipulated by the dealership. Not only do you only have the dealership's terms from which to choose, which are often higher than elsewhere, but dealers also often mark up the interest rate of a loan over what you actually qualify for--a tactic called "interest-rate bumping." It can cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars more over the term of the loan. That's why it's critical to comparison shop for financing terms at different financial institutions and get prequalified for an auto loan before you go to the dealership to buy the vehicle. Check interest rates at banks, credit unions, or online financial sites to see which offers you the best rate. If the dealer can offer you terms that are better than what you got elsewhere, you can always choose that deal instead.

7. Underestimating the value of modern safety features.

Today's vehicles offer an array of advanced safety features. But many buyers don't know which are most important or what to look for when comparing vehicles. Antilock brake systems (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC), and head- protecting side air bags, for instance, are effective and well worth the money. Studies have shown that ESC can significantly reduce accidents and fatalities. The feature is especially important for SUVs, because it can help prevent rollovers. Side-crash tests show that head-protecting side air bags are critical in preventing fatalities in side impacts. Unfortunately, you can't always depend on a dealership's salespeople to give you accurate information or reliable guidance about these features. That's why you should thoroughly research the benefit of all available safety features and look for vehicles that have the ones that will best protect you and your family.

8. Buying unnecessary extras.

Dealerships often try to sell you extras that boost their profit margin but are a waste of your money. They can include rustproofing, fabric protection, paint protectant, or VIN etching, in which the vehicle identification number is etched onto the windows to deter thieves. Don't accept those unnecessary services and fees. If you see those items on the bill of sale and you haven't agreed to them, simply cross them out and refuse to pay for them. Vehicle bodies are already coated to protect against rust. And recent CR reliability surveys show that rust is not a major problem with modern cars. You can treat upholstery and apply paint protectant yourself with good off-the-shelf products that cost only a few dollars. If you decide you want VIN etching, you can buy a kit to do it yourself for less than $25, instead of the $200 that some dealerships charge. Also think twice about an extended warranty. It can cost hundreds of dollars. But if you buy a model with good reliability or if you expect to have the vehicle only for five years or less, it often isn't worth the cost.

9. Not researching the value of your current car.

You could get a great deal on your new car but lose all of the savings--and more--on your trade-in. That's why it's critical that you research the value of your current car before buying your new one. Find out what both the used-car retail and wholesale prices are, so that you'll know what you should be able to get if you trade it in or if you sell it yourself. Typically, you'll get more money by selling it, as long as you're willing to put in the additional effort. By knowing your vehicle's true value and by sticking to your price during the negotiations, you can get your car's full value, whether you trade it in or sell it yourself.

10. Not having a used car checked by an independent mechanic.

When buying a used car, condition is everything. Even the most reliable vehicle can turn into a lemon if it's poorly maintained. Before you buy a used vehicle, have it scrutinized by a repair shop that routinely does diagnostic work. A thorough diagnosis should cost around $100, but confirm the price in advance. A good mechanic should be able to tell if the car has been in a major accident or has a hidden but costly problem. Ask for a written report detailing the car's condition, noting any problems found and what it would cost to repair them. You can then use the report in your negotiations with the seller to adjust the price accordingly.