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By Dan Tsuchiya

Pros:

• Great mileage
• Sporty Handling
• Decent Value

Cons:

• Lackluster acceleration
• Suspension a little crude below 20 MPH
• Seating not as comfortable as the competition

Sport utility vehicles, especially the front wheel drive kind, are essentially station wagons for those who don’t want to be seen in a station wagon.  Whether it’s the perceived ruggedness or the more sporty looks, small SUVs have been a hot market for young urbanites ever since the RAV-4 and CRV entered the scene many years back. With gas prices remaining high and car shoppers looking to downsize with the recession, this segment of SUV’s has continued to blossom over the past few years.

We recently received the slightly redesigned Nissan Rogue SV front wheel drive, which comes with new bumpers that give the sport utility a less egg-shaped profile and gets rid of the Pokemon face, a criticism of the earlier Rogue. Does the redesigned Rogue SV make the grade in the $25,000 and under field of cute-utes? Read on…..

Design

Next to sedans, this is probably the most crowded field of vehicles, with every major manufacturer at the table. The recipe is simple: take a small car from your line up, design an SUV body around it, make some minor suspension and drive train modifications, and cover your engineering costs by charging $3-$8k more per vehicle. Can you say great profitability?

The Rogue took its design origins from the larger Murano, while using the chassis of the compact Sentra. Like we mentioned before, the Rogue has shed its Pokemon face with a new front end, but the overall design remains the same. The Rogue features a high roofline, which makes for great headroom, but also has sides that come in to provide a sleeker look. Unfortunately, this slightly affects shoulder room for our back seat passenger, and the quarter window behind the rear side window is all but useless when looking to change lanes due to a thick pillar design. In Nissan’s defense, the thick pillars are there for side airbags. Given the choice between safety and viewing out the window, we say use the side mirror.

Drive

Let’s get this out of the way:  the Rogue doesn’t drive like a Sentra, and it might actually drive better. There’s something about this SUV that creates a different feel, and we think it’s due to something as basic as seat position. Because of the higher roofline and stance of the Rogue, you sit in a commanding position above most passenger car traffic, while still retaining the benefits of a decent handling car chassis.

Run the Rogue within legal limits and it will return a combined city-highway mileage of 26 MPG.  This comes from a combination of being somewhat lightweight (in comparison to the competition) and the use of the two speed (read simple) Xtronic CVT transmission, which delivers power efficiently under normal conditions. The Continuously Variable Transmission has been a Nissan hallmark since the inception of the Murano. The only downside is when you have to get on the accelerator, as it’s slow to react and gets a little noisy when pushed hard.

Pros:

• Great fuel economy
• Sure footed all-wheel drive handling
• Sport mode that really increases responsiveness

Cons:

• Center rail is intrusive and limits loading options
• Engine noise from the turbo-4 when accelerating
• Premium sticker price for a non-premium car

I finally had the opportunity to drive a MINI and this one had 4-doors and all-wheel drive! Boy was this car an attention getter. Wherever I went it garnered comments and stares: my neighbor remarked, “I’m jealous … yours looks more aggressive than mine [2-door Cooper S].” People at church stopped to assess the body and look at the interior, and one kid jumped in and said the interior was “cool”.

Out driving, I noticed many people checking out the car. One MINI driver, after passing, slowed down and followed me for a bit. My wife added that this car definitely garnered the most attention of all the cars I’ve tested, which speaks to its attractive design and looks.

The new MINI Cooper S Countryman is a fun car to drive. The steering feels a little disconnected, but is still very responsive to inputs. I had the opportunity to drive it to the small Sierra town of Sutter Creek during a very rainy weekend and the ALL4 all-wheel drive system handled the inclement weather without making anyone nervous, despite the slick and curvy roads.

With 181hp, the Countryman’s 1.6-liter turbo motor has plenty of power, most of which is available at higher rpms. When I needed to pass and floored the gas pedal, the motor whined loudly as power and turbo pressure grew. To speed up the process, I did drop the 6-speed transmission down a gear using the paddles on the steering wheel, or I could keep the MINI in Sport mode (button on the center stack behind the shifter), which seemed to maintain higher engine speeds for any given gear.

At normal highway speeds and around town, the engine is smooth and fairly quiet. Braking power is excellent from high speeds, but with little modulation at low speed and minimal pedal stroke bordering on being grabby. This may be due to the newness of the car: just over 1500 miles on the odometer. Because of the elevated stature of the Countryman, ground clearance is excellent and visibility is very good. Additionally, I discovered that parking this compact crossover is a breeze.

By Gary Chan

Pros:

• Turbine smooth engine
• Quiet cabin
• Clean center stack
• Seats that do everything

Cons:

• High price
• Gear change stumble between 1st and 2^nd
• Annoying squeak in driver’s door

Say you’re a C-level executive at a major company and you wanted to spend around $125,000 for a new luxury car, what would you buy? What features or qualities would you want? V8 – check. All-wheel drive – check. High tech features throughout – check. There are less expensive cars to choose from, but the Mercedes-Benz CL550 4Matic Coupe fits the bill on the spec sheet. However, is the CL550 fulfilling from the driver’s seat?

At this price point, we have high expectations for the driving experience and this Mercedes did not disappoint. Handling is great for this large luxury coupe, and it remains planted and flat in the turns. The Direct-Steer rack-and-pinion steering graces the CL with perfect feedback and weight from the driver’s seat with Sport mode engaged, and the Adaptive Damping suspension nicely balances ride comfort and handling poise.

Mercedes extended “adaptive” technology to its Drive-Dynamic front seats, with side bladders that inflate/deflate automatically while cornering. Unfortunately, the system has a hard time keeping up with the car, especially when tackling a series of turns in rapid succession. Luckily, this feature can be turned off, allowing the driver and front seat passenger to better enjoy the massage function, which actually does work well.

Pop the hood of the CL550, and you’ll find an all-new 4.6-liter, direct-injection twin-turbo V-8. Rev the 429-hp engine while parked, and you’ll see the whole car rock back and forth, reminiscent of a muscle car from the 60’s. Being a luxury car, the exhaust sound is unfortunately muted, hiding its 429 horsepower and 516 lb-ft torque.

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Pros

• Impressive engine and suspension
• Quiet cockpit
• Driver comfort and controls
• Active Cruise Control

Cons:

• Lack of keyless entry at this price point
• Navigation input/lag and interface
• Rear visibility with tall/thick C-pillar that reach the taillamps
• Bluetooth setup

My family owned a sky blue 1974 Volvo 144 sedan that we purchased new and had for a number of years. My childhood memories of that large car include its heavy feel, slow acceleration and sleeping steering. Absolutely nothing that would stir the senses. Fast forward 37-years, and times have sure changed for the better. Light, nimble, and fast (complete opposites of the 144) are the adjectives I’d use to describe the new redesigned S60 during my long weekend with the car.

Driving Impressions

The S60 is blessed with a 3-liter, 300-hp, 6-cylinder turbocharged engine that revs quickly and is very smooth. One of the other reviewers, Twain, and I took the Volvo on a road/fishing trip to Los Vaqueros reservoir both marveling at how quiet the interior is.

One of the cool features is the speed dependent steering force selectable from the car settings (via the LCD display) with choices of Low, Medium, or High. The two lower settings were too artificial, and I kept it on “high” because the weight and feedback was much more tactile. Power is more than adequate, and the engine revs build quickly and smoothly with little turbo lag. The engine, in fact, feels like it loves to be rev’d with the 6-speed transmission smoothly making gear changes.

The suspension soaks up most road irregularities with aplomb, but on harsh surfaces the firm suspension does transmit those imperfections to the occupants and interior. Driving at night, the HID lighting (part of the Premium package) throws a blanket of light forward allowing me to see farther forward than normal and the Active Bending lights do an amazing job on dark, single-lane mountain roads.

Looking over my right shoulder, it was consistently difficult to see if there were any cars (on the right) due to the wide C-pillar and I could never quite adjust the passenger side mirror to get a good view of that side.

One thing that I used regularly was the Active Cruise Control (ACC). It’s so much easier to use (i.e., intuitive) and adjust following distances than other iterations while being highly useful. During a 20 mile drive, I set the cruise control at the beginning of the trip at 70 mph. Even though traffic speeds sometimes dipped to 55 mph, I never had to disable or adjust anything (nor brake) with the cruise control automatically slowing and accelerating the car as needed. Out of curiosity, I wanted to see what would happen activating the ACC in town. Again, the system automatically adjusted the vehicle speed and came to a complete stop without any driver intervention when approaching a car at a stop light. Truly amazing.

For the record, I drove 382 miles and averaged 21-mpg. With the cruise control set at 70-mph on flat Hwy 101 (and no a/c), instantaneous gas mileage was 26-mpg.

Build

The 2007 S80 is the last Volvo I drove, and it possessed a solid structure devoid of squeaks or rattles. This new S60, however, had a few squeaks coming from the B-pillars when going over uneven terrain – a disheartening quality of car with less than 5,000 miles. Other than that, my only other complaint was the trunk lid: I lost count of how many times I had to re-close the lid because it didn’t close the first time. The lid does require a bit of force and speed to close completely.

The leather seats and interior are on par for car costing almost $50k. I loved the contrasting leather door panels that matched the seats. The contrasting black frame around the top of the aluminum shift gate is gorgeous – I believe it’s brushed black anodized aluminum (Volvo calls them “shimmer graphite decor inlays”) – a work of art that I found myself admiring each time I got into the car.

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By Gary Chan

Pros:

• Quiet cabin
• Velvety smooth engine
• Lots of storage space for trips
• Kick-ass A/C system

Cons:

• Mediocre fuel economy (The ’11 Chevy Suburban has an EPA rating of 15/21 with a 5.3-liter V-8!)
• Center stack from the Space Shuttle
• Shift handle is too high
• With 2nd and 3rd-row in use, rear storage is limited

In the Pilot Seat
My how the Honda Pilot has grown over the years! From its humbler, smaller beginnings to its current 8-person hauler, besides size, it’s grown in sophistication. As a driver that regularly takes long weekend trips with friends and family, functional space and features are very important to me. Loaded with tons of features, would this Pilot “be ready for almost anything” as the Honda website advertises? Would it be ready to swallow the camping and racing gear for two or three-people going to a triathlon as well as a Toyota Highlander Hybrid?

Performance and Driving
Equipped with a 3.5-liter, six-cylinder engine (250-hp, 253 lb-ft), a 5-speed automatic transmission and advanced 4WD system, the Pilot is powerful enough to accelerate smoothly from a standstill. Acceleration at highway speeds, however, is lacking with the engine seemingly tuned for lower speeds (where it is more than adequate). Braking is good, but there is a bit of dive under panic braking. I thought the steering was well-weighted and communicative. A bit of tire squeal exists during high speed sweepers, but the Pilot remains firmly planted and directed in the desired direction. Parallel parking is simple with the rear view camera and front/rear audible parking sensors.

Shhhhh!!! No need to tell that to the Pilot since it has a very quiet in the cabin. This is the first car I’ve driven that has active noise cancellation, and it appears to work well whether on city streets or the highway. Having conversations or listening to the minute details of a classical score from an XM channel is effortless in the cabin … even with the 245/65 17”-Michelin LTX’s rolling underneath. A very nice quality of this Honda SUV.

Interior and Styling
With a center stack with the same number of buttons as the Space Shuttle control panel, you can do almost anything (if you read the manual) short of reaching the International Space Station. I found the many buttons and controls a bit tedious as I had to actually look down when making adjustments to ensure I was pressing or turning the correct knob/button. I love technology and features, but the growing amount of buttons is getting ridiculous.

Some things I did appreciate was the large storage area in front of the center section that included cup holders and an adjustable partition while under the arm rest, was more storage plus a 110v/100w outlet, 12v outlet as well as USB and AUX inputs. Open the glove box and you’ll find a 3-section shelf in addition to the normal storage area.

The steering wheel is well designed with buttons to control most audio, cruise and information features. The leather, memory front seats are power-adjustable and comfortable yet firm with the capability to heat your rear at the push of a button.

One of the best features I enjoyed (during our strange October heat wave a few weeks ago when it hit 92-degrees), was the HVAC system. It functioned flawlessly and pushed out cool air like a Sub-Zero freezer. At its lowest temperature setting, I even got the chills. At the highest fan speed, the noise is not loud – the fan in our 535xi is much louder!

A perfect car for families with kids, the wireless entertainment system allows the rear passengers to listen to or watch something completely different from the front passengers plus the user interface for the rear passengers is very intuitive. I was listening to XM radio up front while “How to Train Your Dragon” was playing in back.

Second and third row seats fold flat creating a large space to transport all of your large box purchases from IKEA, and there are plenty of tie down locations if needed. Comparing the interior space with the Highlander, I think fellow reviewer Twain and I could stuff the Pilot with all of our weekend tri gear rather than requiring an additional rooftop cargo box (needed with the Toyota). With both 2nd and 3rd row seats “up”, the rear storage area is limited but you do have a little under floor storage if needed accessed via a spring-loaded hatch.

Areas to Improve

• Forward side visibility due to the now-common thick A-pillars. Night driving on winding roads was exciting.
• Shifter knob location/height: Almost every time I moved my right hand from the steering wheel to make an adjustment on the center stack, my hand hit the shifter.
• More mid-range horsepower and torque
• Simplify/reduce the number of buttons on the center console

Hands Down It’s a Winner
I loved being in the Pilot’s seat. It’s easy to drive and provides a lot of functionality for the price ($41k). In my short drive time, I averaged 15.5mpg (below the 16/22 EPA estimates) even with the Variable Cylinder Management (VCM – able to run on 3, 4 or 6 cylinders based on the power requirements) engaging often while driving with cruise control on. Next time I have a Honda with the VCM V-6, I’ll take it on a longer highway trip to see how effective it really is. The tons of standard features (no options) on this model add up to a highly functional vehicle capable of satisfying the needs of many. If I had the money, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a Pilot for my trips to Tahoe, Home Depot and the Wildflower Triathlon as I have no doubt it could handle anything I put it through.

MORE EXPERT REVIEWS
	2009 Honda Pilot Review – Honda’s 8-passenger SUV Rating: By Holly R. “The Pilot is a solid, well-performing SUV. The 2009 model has been re-designed, and while it’s squarer shaped than previous years, it looks a lot more bad-*ss. It’s comfortable, spacious, easy to see out of, and the features that came with it are very useful for drivers and passengers as well.”
PHOTO GALLERIES
2010 Honda Pilot | 2009 Honda Pilot
Honda Motor Company of America: Cars, Sedans, CUVs, Trucks – www.autombiles.honda.com

By Gary Chan

Likes:

• Interior space (especially back seat)
• Highly intuitive touchscreen interface for stereo/satellite radio/navigation
• Rear end looks more luxurious than flat rear of previous generation
• Ergonomic positioning of driver controls (signals, cruise, sound, etc)

Dislikes:

• Lack of power at lower rpm’s
• Center arm rest is too far back and angled downward to be functional/comfortable
• Phone connectivity non-intuitive and non-functional (in my case)
• Noisy fan at highest setting

The People’s Car
Volkswagen has been in the United States since the 1950’s, and has grown to be one of the largest manufacturers in the world. With the sixth-generation Jetta that is now less expensive, lighter and larger (almost 3” in length) than the previous version, VW is targeting buyers of the Civic and Corolla with the base price of the Jetta S at $16,755. Incidentally, the base is almost $1k less than the 2010 Jetta S. The model I drove was the Jetta SEL which starts at just over $22,000. With the in-laws in town, I was eager to test out the new Jetta over a few days.

Performance
Equipped with a 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine (170-HP, 177 lb-ft of torque) and a 5-speed manual transmission, the Jetta SEL is no pocket rocket. The engine begins to pull around 3000 RPM, but below this engine speed, it’s not very flexible often necessitating a downshift for passing and accelerating. When I did keep the engine speed above 3500 RPM, the Jetta did accelerate very quickly. However, the downside of the high RPM’s was a noisy engine from 4000 RPM and above.

Stomping on the brakes from high-speed, the brakes grab well enabling controlled stops. The brakes aren’t super strong, but I felt confident as the car stopped repeatedly under hard braking. Steering is light and responsive, but not communicative. The sport suspension is well damped and proved flat in the turns. It’s no sport car, but for most spirited driving around town, the suspension is more than adequate.

Interior and Styling
The new design is markedly different than the previous fifth-generation version. I believe it’s lost its unique look and characteristics and now blends in too easily with many other cars available today.

The layout of the dashboard is similar to last year’s model, but appears slightly simplified possibly to save costs.

The bolstered front seats are comfortable and covered in a perforated vinyl. Don’t look for power adjustments here as you’ll only find three manual levers on the seat sides and fore/aft adjuster in front. After bit of tinkering, I was it to find a comfortable position.

The interior is quiet with only a hint of wind noise even with the sunroof open (it has a large wind deflector).

The best part is the touch screen display which controls the audio, phone and navigation systems: switching between the various sound options and making choices was very intuitive and fast. Entering a destination was even better quickly predicting street names and automatically jumping to the next screen.

It had a unique zoom and rotate feature while navigating to my destinations. For example, when approaching a cloverleaf and changing roads, the map would automatically zoom and provide closer view of the desired direction as well as rotate to give the driver sense of direction and orientation. Upon completing the road change, the map returned to the default view. Very cool navigation feature.

I did have problems pairing my phone with system. I followed the instructions in the manual, and every time I entered the prescribed pass code into my phone, it was “invalid”. This is the first time this has ever happened during any test drive.

Areas We Would to See Improvement

• Side visibility due to rear seat head rests, thick C-pillar, and trapezoidal mirror shape
• Cruise control lag exists when depressing the button on the left stalk. One has to wait for each step (up or down) before depressing the button again. In most cars, multiple presses result in speed increasing/decreasing several MPH.
• More torque and horsepower at lower engine speeds

Viva la Volkswagen!
Overall, the added length makes the Jetta much more functional for carrying passengers in the rear seat. That combined with the cavernous trunk makes it the perfect car for road trips for four people over a long weekend. The front splitter and the rear trunk shape are two design changes that improve the look of the Jetta making it look more expensive than it is. However, the front end design is simply too muted making it look like many other cars. Perhaps this is VW’s intention in making the Jetta more appealing to the masses, both in design and price. Time will tell, but I think VW has a “winner” here, and I can’t wait to test out the GLI version with the 2.0-liter, direct injection turbo four (200 HP/236-lb-ft of torque) arriving early next year. Power to the people!

By the Numbers
2011 Volkswagen Jetta SEL

• ENGINE: 2.5 liter, DOHC in-line 5
• HORSEPOWER: 170 at 5,700rpm
• TORQUE: 177lb-ft at 4,250rpm
• FUEL CONSUMPTION: 20 City MPG/29 Highway MPG/ 22 MPG overall

MORE EXPERT REVIEWS
	First Impressions Review: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Rating: By David Colman  “Although the Jetta’s reconfiguration will appeal to family types, the basic sporting strengths of the sedan endure in this latest iteration. Jetta continues to shine in the motivation and handling departments.”
	2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI – First Impressions Rating: By Twain Mein  “The X5 is a stylish, well-built luxury SUV. With a powerful and efficient diesel engine, the X5 35d ups the ante and makes a strong case for the further adoption of this old technology in America.”
	2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Review Rating: By Derek Mau  “The Volkswagen TDI engines are no where near what many Americans think of in terms of the old generation diesel engines that were noisy, spewed black soot out the back, and smelled like rotten eggs.”
	2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen Review Rating: By Gary Chan  “If you’re looking for a car that’s easy to drive, has decent gas mileage, and a multitude of utility value, the Jetta SportWagen is a great choice.”
	2008 Volkswagen Jetta Review – German Design and Engineering at an Economical Price Rating: By Alex Kramer  “The Volkswagen Jetta brings German design and engineering to a car that starts at well under $20,000.”
PHOTO GALLERIES
Photo Galleries: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta | 2009 VW Jetta TDI | 2009 VW Jetta SportWagen | 2008 VW Jetta

By Gary Chan

Pros:

• Engine flexibility
• Seat comfort
• Exhaust sound
• Handling and ease of driving

Cons:

• Noise (wind, road, and tire)
• Ergonomics and amenities (for a $75k vehicle)
• Chassis jumpy on uneven surfaces
• Rather cheap looking interior

When the C4 came out in the 80’s I thought it was THE car to have when you were limited in your budget providing much of the performance of the exotics for a fraction of the cost. Fast forward almost 30-years, and with the C6-based Grand Sport, I was excited to drive this beast with the “base” 6.2L V-8 engine.

Driving Impressions
This Jetstream Blue Grand Sport convertible with dark titanium interior started at $58,600. Added to the base price is the 4LT Premium package ($9700k – leather, Bose speakers, satellite radio, heads up display, heated power sport seats), Grand Sport Heritage Package ($1200 – 2-tone leather seats, seat embroidery, fender stripe), navigation ($1750), 6-speed paddle shift automatic ($1250), dual-mode performance exhaust ($1200), Jetstream blue metallic tintcoat ($850), pedal covers ($250) for a grand total of just over $16k in options bumping the price with destination charge to $75,740.

Lower yourself into the low slung seats, press the start button and you are greeted with an initial throaty rumble from the V-8 before it settles into a smooth idle. Rev the engine and you notice it revs smoothly and rises quickly. The gas pedal is heavily weighted (compared to every other car I’ve driven), and requires some effort to depress. Regardless, I loved the flexibility of the engine whether cruising around town or passing at 80 mph – the 6.2 liter engine never disappointed and remained extremely smooth. It’s not only fast and furious, but easy to drive as well.

Steering is a bit numb and heavy at lower speeds until you drop the throttle and pick up the pace, then the steering comes alive and feels perfect. I tried the shifting with the paddles a few times, but found the transmission in auto mode to be more than adequate for performance driving — seamlessly dropping into lower gears when necessary, followed by smooth up-shifts.

Be careful driving in parking structures or over speed bumps as the very low lip spoiler will scrape if you’re not careful. Road and wind noise permeate the cabin with wind turbulence from behind the closed top resulting in a load roar. With the top down (and no wind screen), the wind continually buffets the passengers and it’s difficult to carry on a conversation.

Build
Doors close easily and solidly, and have a neat push-button opening feature. I did notice some random creaks from the convertible top while driving around town. Nothing too annoying and I eventually didn’t notice them anymore due to the greater wind and road noise.

Closing the trunk was a bit of a hassle because if you didn’t close it with enough force the first time, you’ll have to place your palm on the trunk surface and give it a solid push for the latch to engage. I’m sure this can’t be good for the paint long term.The engine compartment is spacious and all fluid caps are well labeled.

Overall, the construction is good, but the quality of the materials (and design) for a $75k car is lacking. An example is the steering wheel that was leather covered and hard – a slightly thicker and more padded wheel would have been a nicer touch for a performance coupe. I’ve driven cars costing half as much with interiors that felt “richer”.

Interior Comfort and Ergonomics
To understand how to use some of the simple features (like customizing some of the parameters like locking and lighting), I had to consult the manual. Buttons are not intuitively labeled, and the user interactivity needs considerable development. For example, cruise control is located on turn signal stalk (on left); push the button at end of stalk to engage the cruise control and slide a switch on the same stalk to increase speed with finger tip push (which can be done with your hands remaining on the wheel). However to disengage cruise control, you have to remove your hand from steering wheel to push the same switch to left (and it stays in “off” position) – if you don’t switch it back to the neutral position, you can’t re-engage cruise control – a lot of work for a simple feature that most manufacturers integrate within the steering wheel. In addition, there’s no indicator on instrument panel that indicates cruise control mode (except for momentary display on information screen that says “Cruise control speed set at 70 mph”, and sometimes even the set speed didn’t match the heads up display vehicle speed. One said 70, and the other said 69.

Some other ergonomic features that need work:

• Closing the window – has one-touch switch to open, but not to close.
• Steering column adjustments: manual tilt adjustment on the left and electric telescope switch on the right. Why not combine them into the electric switch?
• I wanted to cancel navigational guidance, and it took a minute of hunting through the menu system to find the button on the LCD display.
• Audio touch controls (i.e., satellite radio) on the same screen are not intuitive and confusing

Speaking of the navigation system, it’s a relic. With the current availability of high resolution detailed maps on portable units and intuitive user interfaces, the nav system in the Corvette seems like something from a few years ago with its antiquated graphics.

With the low-slung seating position and narrow rear window, there’s limited rearward visibility with the top up. With the top down, visibility is far better. Lowering the top is a quick and easy process involving releasing an interior latch and pressing a button. The whole process is completed within 30-seconds, and the top is nicely covered by a sculpted cover.

Even though the seats are thinly padded with limited fore-and-aft adjustments, my wife and I found them to be comfortable and supportive for a day-long, 500-mile trip. With the tilt and telescoping steering column in combination with the seat adjustments, I found a comfortable driving position that I saved as a memory setting. The head up display (HUD) can be configured for height as well as the information displayed. The HUD was clear and bright displaying relevant information without the need to remove my eyes from the road. Dual-zone HVAC controls are clearly labeled and easy to set.

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By Gary Chan

Pros

• Driving position
• Cavernous with all seats folded
• Lots of features for price

Cons

• Weak gas mileage
• Choppy ride
• Limited leg room for 2nd and 3rd row seats

When the Mazda CX-9 debuted a few years ago, I thought it was aggressively styled unlike any other SUV’s at the time. Now a few years later, the freshened version has arrived for 2010, and I was eager to finally test drive Mazda’s full-size crossover. How would it drive? Would it be sporty and fun to drive like the Mazda 3 or RX-8? Would it be practical?

If you keep up with the print mags, it would be easy to think that every journalist, blogger, and PR flack loves Mazda’s CX-9. Car & Driver thinks its one of the 5 Best Trucks of 2008, Automobile Magazine made a spot for it on their All-Stars list, Motor Trend named it Sport Utility of the Year, and USA TODAY even went as far as calling it “about perfect.” We put 300 miles on the 7-seater in our best attempt to debunk the CX-9′s mythical grandeur of SUV perfection and walked away with all of our questions answered.

Driving Impressions

This front wheel drive (FWD) CX-9 was the Touring model with a 4.3-inch LCD Multi-Information Display (MID) with back-up camera, and 6-disc CD changer included as optional equipment. In addition, it had the power moonroof & Bose Audio package ($2,255) that upgraded the equipment and speakers (10 of them) as well as adding satellite radio. Additionally, the Power Liftgate package ($617), plus keyless entry and start system, made the CX-9 easier to use.

The first thing I noticed was that the steering is responsive and light. That light touch feels a bit artificial and over boosted in around-town driving. The interior is fairly quiet, but not as insulated as some SUV’s – though I’ve experienced this noisy trait in other Mazdas I’ve driven. In normal mixed driving, the gas mileage is a bit disappointing with a 17.4 mpg average for 270 miles of driving (I hit the half-tank mark at only 160-miles).

Cruising on the freeways was a pleasure with a commanding view of the road. I picked up my brother and his two kids in the Mazda; my brother and nephew sat in the second row, and my niece maneuvered her way to the 3rd row after folding the sliding the 2nd row forward. In real world use, the 3rd row would really only work for small children as there is very limited leg room when the 2nd row is moved back to its normal position.

Backing up and parking the CX-9 was easy during the day because the area behind the vehicle was well illuminated and visible on the small LCD screen. At night, however, the backup lighting is dim, and one must watch image closely to see what is behind the vehicle – definitely a challenge.

Build

The Mazda is well manufactured, but the “feel” of the construction is less. For example, closing the large doors doesn’t result in a solid “thunk” like other cars; rather they feel too light.

The interior plastic buttons and switches have positive tactile feel, and most are clearly and cleanly labeled. One annoying rattle emanated from the center console under the arm rests – probably all ill-fitting plastic piece. With my arm resting on the console, the noise went away.

The seat leather is smooth and stiff with even stitching throughout. Second row seats slide easily forward with the pull of a lever allowing easy ingress/egress for the third row.

Covered mostly in plastic, the engine compartment nonetheless provides its owner with easy service access to all fluids.

Interior Comfort and Ergonomics

The ergonomics of the Mazda’s largest SUV are well designed with controls placed in intuitive and ergonomic positions such as the steering wheel controls and HVAC knobs. On the dash, a column of gear position lights are flanked by a large tach and speedometer on the left and right, respectively. The center dash (above the HVAC controls) is a bit busy with lots of buttons (some aren’t labeled).

The small information screen required you to focus on the information displayed a bit longer than if it there was a larger screen; I just couldn’t quickly read the words in a glance. At the very top of the center stack was a small, sliver of a display which showed temperature, fan speeds, and basic trip/mileage information. Again, the small icons and lettering in addition to the orange-ish LCD coloring made it hard to decipher/see in bright sunlight.

Finding the perfect driving position is easy with the heated, front seats that are 8-way adjustable with power lumbar controls in combination with the tilting/telescoping steering wheel. The steering wheel controls include both cruise and audio/phone; I appreciated the toggling switches that controlled vehicle speed and audio volume: push up or down for faster speed/higher volume, or down for lower speed/volume, respectively.

Bluetooth sync was simple with my Sanyo phone, and reports from the other end of my calls said my voice was clear and loud but a bit artificial. The three-zone HVAC system allowed my niece and nephew to control their climate in the 2nd row.

It is a large vehicle, and I was able to easily fit four full-sized and two slightly-larger-than-full-sized adult males (with three guys in the 2nd row!) for a short trip around town.

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Pros

• Engine – Smooth as silk
• Ride comfort
• Navigation system
• Status

Cons

• Cartridge changers for CD’s and DVD’s (so 90’s)
• Wind noise
• Gas mileage
• Rear-camera visibility (especially at night)

Vanilla Ice had his 1990’s hit “Ice Ice Baby” referencing his 5.0-liter Mustang in his lyrics: “Rolling in my 5.0 with my rag-top down so my hair can blow; the girlies on standby waving just to say hi …” As funny as those lyrics are, that Mustang engine topped out at 225-hp. Fast forward 20-years and Land Rover’s “5.0” iteration represents the latest in technology and performance incorporating direct-injection and supercharging. 510 hp makes that 1990 Mustang’s output look like a sport compact’s output from today. Just as I loved the Vanilla Ice song (yes, I admit it) from 1990, I loved “rolling” in the Range Rover Autobiography.

Driving Impressions

Loaded already with many standard features found on luxury SUV’s and cars, the only additions were the Autobiography package ($14.5k), Surround Camera system (5 cameras total around the perimeter, $800), and a beautiful wood/leather steering wheel ($1k).

As the most expensive trim, the Autobiography added Aniline leather seats as well as more leather throughout the cabin, wood accents, a 4-zone climate control and special climate glass, Autobiography badging (sill plates, rear, and interior), unique 20” alloys, rear entertainment and HD radio, and adaptive cruise control. What more could you need?

Driving around on either the local streets or on the 101 to Carmel, I was treated to a luxurious ride insulated from road noise. Steering effort is light regardless of the speed. With direct injection and a supercharger, acceleration is linear and instantaneous which proved to be a great attribute entering freeways.

As helpful as all of the camera’s can be during the day, the rear lighting at night provides a somewhat hazy view of the area behind you when backing up.

As noted, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) is included, and was used consistently during long stretches of freeway driving. It’s Land Rover’s 3rd generation of ACC and has “12-beams to scan the road ahead ten times every second.” By far, their system is the easiest and least intrusive systems I’ve used accelerating and decelerating seamlessly while maintaining safe distances. You can easily set the distance you would like to maintain between you and the car ahead.

Land Rover Driving Experience School

You can always see Land Rover Discovery’s tearing across sub-Saharan Africa on the TV, but until I actually drove one, I had no sense of a Land Rover’s off-road capabilities. We were given the opportunity to spend a few hours with Mike Igo (Land Rover Driving Instructor) at the Land Rover Driving Experience School at Quail Lodge in Carmel, California.

Land Rover has a total of four Driving Experience schools, located near plush resorts, with three in the US and one in Canada. The Driving Experience schools are a great opportunity where you’ll learn to properly navigate steep ascents and descents, pick the right line on side tilts, and maintain vehicle control on log bridge crossings. Whether you are an avid enthusiast, seasoned adventurer or curious novice, each lesson is customized to your individual skill level.

by Gary Chan

Pros:

• Fun! Fun! Fun! to drive
• Rev-happy engine
• Cockpit ergonomics

Cons:

• Less rear leg room than flying economy-class
• Ride comfort sacrificed for sportscar handling
• Torque steer … whoa, hang on, Nelly!

The last MS3 that I drove was a 2008 model. It was a fun car that stuck to the road like glue. With a few updates and a completely new body, I put in my request for this new model months before it became available eager to see what had changed. Ride-wise it wasn’t too different from the previous version, but the updated interior and controls were welcome improvements.

Driving Impressions

Many of the people I ran across told me, “That car screams, Give me a ticket!” Thankfully, I avoided the police during my 5 day test drive. I had a Velocity Red Mica MS3 Sport with a 6-speed manual transmission and outfitted with the only option package available: the Mazdaspeed Tech Package (which included an upgraded Bose surround system, in-dash 6-disc changer, 10-speakers, Sirius® Satellite Radio, a compact navigation system, keyless entry and start, plus an alarm).

The first thing I noticed was a heavy clutch requiring some leg strength compared with my trusty Integra. No bother. I quickly adapted and was flicking through the gears with reckless abandon. With only one or two people in the car it’s a bumpy, if not somewhat harsh ride.

With four adults inside, the ride is much improved. After a few miles of driving in the city and on the freeway, my wife was not a happy camper complaining that her body was being “jolted” around. To me, it was okay because I appreciated the stiff suspension and responsive dynamics they created for my short drives.

As with the previous and current Mazda 3 (Speed and standard models), road and engine noise permeate the interior. I wish their engineers had spent a bit more time insulating the cockpit to make the driving experience a bit more pleasurable instead of having to raise the audio volume a bit higher than normal or needing to talk a bit higher just to be heard.

Build

In the 200+ miles that I put on the car, I didn’t detect any noticeable squeaks or rattles, and this was on a tester that had over 8k miles on it. None of the surfaces or seats showed much wear so I suspect the interior would last and look great for quite some time. The quality of the interior construction is very good reflecting a car costing much more than $25k. The engine compartment is dominated by the hood scoop-cooled intercooler, but everything is still easy to access and service.

Interior Comfort and Ergonomics

Thank goodness Mazda offers an optional full-color display as well as a smaller display for HVAC and satellite info. The single-line LED display on the previous version was painful to use (and see). With mainly steering wheel buttons, you can control/set/adjust almost everything found in the display.

Therein lies the rub: you have to use one of the 15-buttons or three-toggle switches to accomplish anything. There are the HVAC controls and audio controls on the center stack, but other functions like configuring my Bluetooth® phone required too many steps through too many screens or audio prompts. I had to pull out the manual and go step-by-step through the instructions to pair my phone (and it took 3 attempts!). Ugh. Not intuitive at all.

Okay, so the navigation screen is rather small and pushed deep into the dash to help you quickly focus from the road to the screen, and it worked rather well. What didn’t were the navigation instructions … they were a bit slow to update, and I passed several streets based on the voice commands. My navigation app on my simple Sprint phone is better.

It’s too bad they removed the HID headlights that were standard on the previous model, and replaced them with standard halogen lights. Even the Mazda3 Grand Touring models have HID lighting as standard equipment.

The cockpit was a totally different story. It felt like it was made for me even with its rather sparse seat adjustments of height, seat back-angle, and fore-and-aft positioning. The leather and cloth-trimmed seats with beefy thigh and side bolster were perfect in keeping me planted and comfortable. The steering column tilts and telescopes helping to achieve the best driving position.

One annoying interior feature was the center console with the sliding padded armrest. I would either hit it with my elbow when shifting or it would slide back and forth sometimes with my arm resting on it.

Performance

With 263 hp on tap from the 2.3L direct-injection turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and 280 lb-ft of torque, it moves. It’s slightly slower than the previous generation as this new car weighs a few hundred pounds more.

The conditions during my entire test drive were wet (here in sunny California!) so I was unable to fully push the limits. From a standing start, the engine revs so fast that you have to watch the tach otherwise you’ll feel the fuel being reduced after you pass redline as a safety measure. As I accelerated hard, I definitely felt the torque steer wanting to pull the car to the side. Shifts are fast and precise (gone are the shifting issues from the 2008 model).

The Mazdaspeed3 is plenty fast for performance driving around here in the San Francisco Bay Area and its surrounding mountain roads. Just keep the rpm’s about 3500, and you’ll stay on boost while grinning from ear-to-ear.

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