Review: 2009 Honda Fit/Jazz Test Drive

The Fit's big selling point is the versatility of its interior. The key to the car's design is the placement of the fuel tank under the front seats, creating space so the rear seats can fold down flat and low. There's also an unusual amount of space (51 in. at the high point) between the floor and ceiling of the car, and the seats fold up and down in multiple ingenious ways, giving the Fit amazing hauling power for such a small car...

The rear seats are still tight for average-size adults but not as cramped as they used to be. The new Fit is only half an inch wider than the old one, but interior width is 1.2 in. greater, creating more shoulder space. The rear doors now open wider, making it easier to get into and out of the back seat, and the rear hatch is bigger and extends down lower, making it easier to load stuff into the back of the car.

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2009 Mazda 6 - Road Test Drive Review

Time to say bye-bye to the original Mazda 6, born as a 2003 model… Mazda aimed higher with the new 6, .. the 2009 model leapfrogs Camry dimensions to land a shade behind the bulked-up Accord,... North America now gets a unique body that is distinctly larger than Europe’s and Japan’s, up 6.9 inches in length, 2.3 in width from before.

Mazda6i (four-cylinder) and Mazda6s (V-6) models will be offered in SV, Sport, Touring and Grand Touring form, each with a complement of upgrades, and will go on sale in late August. Prices will range from about $19,000 to $26,000 for the four-cylinder “i” models, and from about $24,400 to $28,400 for the V-6-powered “s” models. Zoom zoom indeed.

First we drive a Mazda 6 with the four-cylinder engine and an automatic transmission, and the extra weight of the bigger chassis doesn't drag it down. There's plenty of midrange torque and a smooth, refined feel near the 6,200-rpm redline. We drive a four-cylinder car equipped with the six-speed manual and it's just as enjoyable… Then again, with poorer EPA mileage numbers than the automatic, the case for buying the manual transmission is pretty weak.

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2009 Ford Flex SUV Road Test Drive

When I first saw the Ford Flex as a concept at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show (where it was introduced as the Fairlane concept) I must admit that I didn't get it... Flex has evolved from a puzzling concept into an interesting, appealing, clever and fresh take on the crossover class… First, the Flex looks great. Turns out there's nothing "over the top" about it, even though its key individual design elements (the grooved side panels, the aluminum-look hatch, the straight lines, wrap-around lights, the prominent grille) may seem risky.

Competing against the Honda Pilot, Toyota Highlander and the like, not to mention GM's crossover quartet (GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse) the Flex is a whole new take on the conventional family vehicle -- a new-age Taurus X, if you prefer. But unlike the latter, the Flex makes everyone, and I mean everyone, turn their heads.

Flex Suv (or is it a wagon?) is powered by Ford's 3.5-liter V-6 mated to a fuel-efficient 6-speed automatic transmission. The powertrain delivers 262 hp horsepower at 6250 rpm and 248 lb.-ft. of torque at 4500 rpm with fuel economy numbers on par with other full-size crossovers. Flex also offers optional intelligent all-wheel drive. The 2009 Ford Flex goes on sale in summer 2008. It will be manufactured at Ford's Oakville Assembly Complex in Ontario, Canada.

The Flex's look at once captures everything good and romantic about American cars while eschewing the bad and the boring... As a people carrier it's equal parts brilliant and flawed. Brilliant: the doors that wrap around the lower sill, making ingress easy for the old, the feeble and the short; the four sunroofs; Sync; Ford's new SatNav system, which just became the best on the market; the driving position that's the perfect compromise between sedan and SUV; the incredibly quiet interior.

Flawed: the third row seats are tiny, much smaller than a Buick Enclave's; the doors don't slide; Ford's 3.5-liter V6 mated to this 6-speed auto is still the worst combination on sale today, delivering neither performance nor economy. It's equally flawed when considered as an emotional purchase.










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Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Test Drive

Just as it had done with the Murcielago and the more extreme LP640 variant, designers also tinkered with the Gallardo and added some extra kit to make it a much more vicious machine. Put on a diet, the brand new LP560-4 loses 20kg over the standard model and is given another 30kW for extra bite. The most significant changes come in the form of a new aerodynamic package that improves downforce considerably and makes the car a far more formidable track weapon than the standard Gallardo.

Named for its 560hp (418kW) output and 4WD powertrain, the latest incarnation of the Gallardo impresses on several fronts. With its highly-strung 5.2-litre V10 the LP560-4 has stunning performance, accelerating to 100km/h in just 3.7 seconds and going on to reach a top speed in excess of 320km/h.

Source: Auto Crave

2009 Lincoln MKS Test Drive

The MKS fills a giant chasm in Lincoln's lineup, in between the mid-sized-ish MKZ, and the huge, ancient, Town Car. And the new sedan fills it well, and none too soon. The MKS's competitors? Think Lexus GS, think Acura RL, think Cadillac CTS, and to some extent, the Volvo S80, MKS's corporate cousin. The later should come as no surprise, as the Lincoln shares its chassis architecture with the S80, as well as Volvo's XC90 sport/utility, and the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable.


Source: Auto Crave

Road Test: 2009 Hyundai Genesis

It's all about the numbers. Longer and wider, with a longer wheelbase and shorter turning radius than BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-Class, and Lexus ES. Lower coefficient of drag, 0.27, and better fuel economy than most. A stiffer body than those of the Bimmer, Benz, and the Lexus LS 430 (Hyundai sees much of the Lexus range as its competition). Its optional Tau V-8 is "best-in-class," making more horses (375) than V-8s in the 550i, E550, GS 460, or Infiniti M45 and does 0-to-60 mph in well under six seconds.

On Namyang's tight handling course, the Genesis's suspension handles transitions reasonably well. Push it hard, though, and the front tires scrub into the pavement....The car is biased considerably toward understeer, and there's no steering with the throttle, electronic stability control on or off. As with most any Lexus or Mercedes, you can't turn ESP off completely. The speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering is a bit numb and on the light side, offering less feedback than an Infiniti M35 provided for comparison, and requiring small corrections on the banks of Namyang's high-speed oval.

Source: AutoCrave

2008 Saab Turbo X

Well, for 2008 a total of 600 Sport Sedan and SportCombi (wagon) vehicles will make it here to the U.S., all of them in metallic black paint as homage to the original Saab 99 and 900 Turbos, starting at $42,510 and $43,310, respectively.

The Turbo X marks the debut of Saab's XWD ("Cross Wheel Drive," as the Swedes say it), a fourth-generation Haldex-built all-wheel-drive system that will also be available on garden-variety Saab 9-3s. Unlike previous Haldex systems, the center clutch-pack coupling (which is technically not a differential) no longer relies on wheelspin in order to transfer torque to the rear axle.

Source: AutoCrave