Renault Megane II Car 2008

To Americans, Renault is synonymous with bad quality and lousy reliability. These days, however, la Regie is responsible for some stylish and thoroughly well engineered cars, which are as reliable as anything on the European market and nicely screwed together, too.Whatever one thinks of the exterior of the Megane II hatchback—and we rather like the formal proportions to the hindquarters that remind us of a 1920s limousine—the interior is superbly wrought. Indeed, the soft-touch plastics that swathe the dashboard and center console and even surround the window lifts and door pulls are up to Volkswagen standards and make most of the small cars on sale here, whether from Japanese or domestic manufacturers, look decidedly cheesy. Sure, we were driving the upscale Privilege trim level, which costs the equivalent of $20,000 without the British sales tax of 17.5 percent, but all Meganes have the same elegant interior architecture and high grade materials. There's some suitably quirky Frenchness, too, with a flat card taking the place of a key: slot it into a hole in the center console and then hit the Start/Stop button to get going.

The Megane is sold with 1.4-, 1.6- and 2.0-liter gasoline engines as well as 1.5- and 1.9-liter common-rail diesels. The diesels are the nicest to drive, with the 1.9-liter four making 118 horsepower and an amazing 221 pound-feet of torque at an equally astonishing 2000 rpm. All that low-down lugging power ensures the Megane 1.9dCi covers ground remarkably swiftly, aided by a very sweet six-speed manual. Top speed is 122 mph, 0-62 mph is claimed to take 10.5 seconds, and real-world overtaking is remarkably easy. The engine is super smooth and quiet, too: We'd reckon that nine out of ten Americans wouldn't be able to tell what type of engine this is. Better still, in a place where fuel costs $5 a gallon, real world fuel economy of around 40 miles per (U.S.) gallon makes a huge amount of sense.

It's not all good. The Megane is a great highway cruiser, but once the road starts twisting and the surface starts breaking up, the car's MacPherson strut front and rear torsion beam suspension can't quite cope. The car tends to float too much over crests and suffers from lateral motions on bumpy back roads, while the steering is a touch inert. The chassis is competent and the car can be hustled rapidly and safely, but it's hardly inspirational.

Would the Megane catch on in the States? In Privilege form—with power locks and windows, steering column radio controls, automatic air, et cetera—it costs about the same as a well equipped VW Jetta or Golf. It isn't any more entertaining to drive, but is more stylish inside and out and would be a great freeway ride or city commuter. Whether anyone at Renault really wants to try out the American market again is a moot point-and with Nissan doing so well, why bother? What we really like about the Megane, though, is that its design team, led by the underrated Patrick Le Quement, has really managed to come up with a distinctly national style in a way that the multicultural design teams at other major makers-GM and Ford in the U.S. among them-have failed to do.

New Renault Sport Clio V6 Car

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Lyon, France - Imagine a widebody Dodge Neon coupe. Mid-engined. Rear-wheel drive. No longer powered by a humble four-cylinder but by a V-6 borrowed from the 300M. Get the picture? That's essentially the transformation Renault's Clio econo-hatch has undergone at the hands of Renault Sport and Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR). The result is the awesome Clio V6, son of the Renault 5 Turbo 2 and Renault's newest racer for the road.

The Clio V6 comes together at TWR's facility in Uddevalla, Sweden, where serious structural reinforcements are required before an engine can be planted in the middle of the car. While they are at it, the Anglo-Scandinavian welding artists stretch the wheelbase and widen the track, front and rear. The suspension is also all new. Up front are damper struts and lower wishbones, with longitudinal and transverse links at the back, abetted by compact spring and damper units. Thick anti-roll bars and four large vented disc brakes complete the chassis setup. Although the doors and fenders are composite, the Clio V6 still tips the scales at a sumo-esque 2955 pounds.

Like its charismatic predecessor, the genetically manipulated Clio does not share many items with its mass-production siblings. Under the hood, where lesser Clios have their engine and transmission, the Clio V6 has a black plastic tray that serves as a bonsai cargo hold. The engine instead looms large behind the front seats. Although sealed off by a well-insulated clamshell capsule, the 24-valve V-6 is still every bit as audible as an angry mother-in-law riding shotgun. Mounted east-west, the 3.0-liter engine, which produces 230 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque, is mated to an extremely long-legged six-speed manual transmission. With the exception of anti-lock brakes, there are no electronic watchdogs to aid traction or to sort out any handling imbalance. On grippy tarmac, the wild-looking Renault will accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 6.4 seconds. The top speed is an even more impressive 147 mph, although it takes a long time to get there. Fuel economy? About 16 mpg.

Visually, the Clio V6 is an absolute treat. The designers created a much more sensuous and sculptured body with prominent lateral air intakes, a massive front spoiler, flared front and rear fenders, sills that are now almost too wide to step over, multi-lens headlamps with xenon bulbs, and a busy rear bumper that incorporates two rectangular breathing gills and a pair of enormous tailpipes. The alloy wheels are shod with well-filling Michelin Pilot Sport SX tires--205/50ZR-17 front and 235/45ZR-17 rear.

Inside, however, the mid-engined Clio is definitely more Renault than Sport. The plasticky dashboard is almost unchanged, and the build quality is more in line with a $15,000 runabout than with a $34,000 hot hatch. Strong points include the comfortable and generously adjustable seats, the conveniently tall shift lever, and the perfectly spaced drilled metal pedals.

Ready for a blast around the block? Then brace yourself for some serious initial understeer. Directional stability can be best described as sporadic, and at-the-limit handling is a take-your-heart-in-your-hands experience. Power oversteer is the essence of this car's character, but you need to plant your right foot quite early to unstick the rear tires, and, occasionally, it helps to point the nose toward the apex of a turn even before you can see it. What can really throw you on winding roads is the extra-wide turning circle and the steering's lack of lock, both of which must be blamed on serious front-end packaging constraints. On the credit side, the Clio V6 deserves full marks for a set of powerful disc brakes and for its intoxicating drivetrain, which is smooth, torquey, responsive, and unexpectedly refined.

Renault Sport and TWR will build no more than 5000 Clio V6s through September 2003. Since orders already exceed the limited supply, the cars are being allocated to preregistered customers via an Internet raffle.

Perhaps DaimlerChrysler should consider a similarly tricked-out Neon. After all, such a car works wonders for the corporate image--and for the adrenaline flow of its lucky owners.

New 2008 Porsche 911 GT3 Track Experience Car

As journalists, we're accustomed to hearing well thought out, carefully planned marketing spin from expertly trained PR professionals. And we're usually very good at ignoring it. We smile at the nice PR rep, grab the keys, and formulate our own opinion.

Porsche reps don't give us lines of BS, though - their company is one of precious few that sell their cars based on engineering merit, not marketing slogans. So when Porsche product reps speak, we listen. And when they say that the GT3 is the closest thing to a race car you can get for the street, they ain't kidding.

We all know that the 911 is the quintessential sports car. You've heard us say it over and over again. It's an everyday supercar. It's rewarding, capable, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Well, I've just driven the 911 GT3 on the track, and to hell with everyday cars. To hell with supercars. In fact, to hell with my own personal 911. By comparison, the GT3 makes it (and just about every other car on the planet) feel like a softly sprung Buick Roadmaster.

I've driven open-wheel cars with less communicative steering. I've driven race cars whose engine sounded only a fraction as testosterone-laden as a GT3's. But I have never, ever driven a car that likes to dance like the GT3.

The GT3's handling is so fluid it could win Dancing With the Stars. Its engine sings so powerfully that it could win American Idol. And it's so down-to-business that it would win The Apprentice in one episode.

Luckily, my drive didn't end disastrously. But unlucky for me, I got to drive the GT3 in the first session in the morning at Barber Motorsports Park, a track I had never before driven. As I became more familiar with the track in successive sessions - in a Cayman, a Boxster S, a 911 Targa 4S, and finally a 911 Turbo - my lap times got faster and faster.

On the track, its 415-hp, 3.6-liter flat-six pulls to its 8400-rpm redline, gear after gear, with such smoothness you can't believe it's not butter. And with such immediacy that you can't believe it's not turbocharged. Cornering grip is blackout-inducing, thanks in part to the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, but even still, there is no body roll. None - not even during tank-slapper slides that would send ordinary 911s into orbit. A little opposite lock and some carefully applied throttle will pull you through, as if the GT3 were a go-kart.

With that said, the GT3 is a neutrally balanced race car, which means that oversteer is always one little mistake away. For an experienced racecar driver, it's a tool to help turn the car. For an inexperienced driver, it could be disastrous, especially because Porsche Stability Control isn't an option on the GT3.

But not once - not for a second - did I smile the way I did while driving the GT3. Not even when the Turbo's monstrous boost slingshot me out of second-gear corners. The Marketing Guys might tell me that the Turbo is the flagship of the 911 lineup, that it's almost as fast as the GT3 around a track, and that it makes a better daily driver. But on the track, there is simply no contest.

I'm ruined for life; I might never enjoy driving another car on the track again. The GT3 is that good. And that's definitely no line of marketing BS.

DBS

Truly great luxury sports cars are few and far between. In a world where innovation is all too often hampered by compromise, pure performance is a rarity available only to the genuinely discerning. Designed as the ultimate driving experience, the Aston Martin DBS bridges the gap between road and track – DB9 and DBR9. Equally at home on a twisting mountain circuit as on the open road, the DBS is a true thoroughbred.

The Aston Martin DBS is a 6.0-litre V12 powered, race-bred, two-seater shaped by the aerodynamic demands of high performance, with an exquisite interior that marries beautifully hand-finished materials with the very latest in performance technology. A combination of elegant design, innovative manufacturing processes, race-derived materials and components and Aston Martin’s unrivalled hand-build expertise makes the DBS a luxury sports car without equal.

New Alfa 147 3 doors

Elegant and sophisticated, metropolitan and sporty.

The new Alfa 147 epitomizes the best in Alfa Romeo’s tradition and a new way of living on the move.
Fully refurbished and enriched with new accoutrements, the new Alfa 147 stands out for its compact, slender lines.
Its bold profile, with a low grille and new elongated headlamps, defined by lines steeply slanted towards the shield, unveils the muscle and the dynamic quality of this model, whose design expresses a firmer grip on the road and unparalleled stability. Every detail of the rear section of the new Alfa 147 is an eye catcher, combining elegance with sportiness.
The rear handles blend so smoothly into the car body, they almost go unnoticed in the five-door version.
The headlamps, with a longer, more triangular shape, convey a new impression of strength. Even the tailgate looks smarter, with its exclusive light clusters and newly acquired chromed mouldings.

New Review 2005 Nissan Pathfinder

All-new for 2005, the third-generation Pathfinder has grown larger and more capable while morphing back from unit-body to its original body-on-frame configuration. Built on a scaled-down version of Nissan's rugged F-Alpha truck chassis employed by the Titan, the new Pathfinder nets 6.2 inches more wheelbase--to 112.2--over the compact model it replaces, plus gains a fully independent suspension like its full-size kin, the Armada. Available in XE, SE, SE Off-Road (Rancho shock absorbers, Hill Descent/Start Assist controls, bespoke wheels/tires/suspension, skidplates), and LE trim, and 2WD or 4WD, all share a common 4.0-liter V-6 engine and offer standard seating for seven.

The Pathfinder's angular lines, bold front brightwork, stepped-out rear bumper, and reverse-kick C-pillar reinforce family ties with the Armada, while prominent fender flares, short overhangs, and standard roof rack and
running boards emphasize its "adventurous" attitude. The XE, SE, and SE Off-Road have 16-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 245/75, 265/70 and 265/75 all-terrain tires, respectively, while the lightweight 17-inch rims on LE models carry 265/65 all-season rubber.

Nicely finished, easily accessible, and generously equipped, the Pathfinder displays numerous design cues also seen in its equally new Frontier and Xterra stablemates. The most obvious is the dash, replete with legible instruments and finger-friendly audio and climate controls. Standards include a full array of power assists, air conditioning (dual-zone auto with rear controls is LE standard/SE optional), cruise control, six-speaker AM/FM/CD sound system, keyless remote entry, tire pressure monitor, and privacy glass, with the LE swapping cloth trim for leather. Smaller items can be stowed in a dual-door glovebox with lockable compartment, open and covered console bins, or door pockets--with bottle holders up front. Further convenience features include four cupholders, four 12V powerpoints, and 12 tie-down hooks.

While total cabin space is up by 27 percent, its utility varies. Hip, leg, shoulder, and cargo room have grown far more meaningfully than the marginal gains in headroom; and taller riders may still find low overhead an issue, even without the available power sunroof. The front buckets are comfortable, but their lower cushions are on the short side and lateral support is modest. An

eight-way driver's seat is power activated in all but the XE, and the LE adds four-way power to the fold-flat passenger perch, plus front seat heaters. The buckets also get active head restraints that help prevent whiplash injuries.

One tier back, the 40/20/40 second-row bench also offers easy entry/exit, although its firmish, flatish, and shortish seat elements look best in comparison to those of the third-row seat. Even with Nissan's tip-and-flip feature, accessing that kid-scaled 50/50 split bench is cumbersome. However, each side folds completely flat at the tug of a lever, increasing cargo space from 16.1 cu ft to a healthy 49.2 cu ft. While dropping the second-row involves one additional, albeit small, step, doing so creates a cavernous 79.2 cu ft of free space. Another nice touch is the Pathfinder's large rear hatch, with a pop-up glass element that adds even greater flexibility.

New 2005 Nissan Frontier

The new Frontier is more stylish than the outgoing model. It is also bigger, with a 9.8-inch-longer wheelbase, sizing it more like a Dodge Dakota than a traditional mid-size pickup. Like most of Nissan's new trucks, it uses a derivative of the F-Alpha platform that underpins the Titan and the Armada, and it has an available 4.0-liter DOHC V-6 engine mated to either a five-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission. Those who are (truly) budget-conscious can buy a King
Cab model with an in-line four-cylinder engine. As before, King and Crew Cab variants are available, along with a shift-on-the-fly all-wheel-drive system. Niceties include a factory-fitted spray-in bedliner and a track bed tie-down system.

ON SALE: December 2004PRICE: $14,500 (est.)ENGINES: 150-hp, 2.5-liter I-4; 250-hp, 4.0-liter V-6BOTTOM LINE: As subtle as a flying brick.

New 2007 Mercedes-Benz SLK350

The Porsche Boxster and the BMW Z4 are about to get their comeuppance. Later this year, at some multilane intersection somewhere in these United States, an unsuspecting Boxster S driver is going to glance into the next lane and see a 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK, its new, 3.5-liter, 24-valve V-6 burbling under the newly sculpted hood. The Porsche owner, accustomed to treating SLKs with the contempt usually reserved for a buzzing fly, will regard the new Benz with only casual and condescending interest. But then he will notice the SLK driver's look of keen anticipation, and suddenly it will dawn on him that, laughable as it may seem, his precious Porsche is being invited to participate in the latest round of the world's longest race, the stoplight grand prix. With an SLK! A car that for years has been the wimpiest, girliest little German roadster this side of an Audi TT. Wouldn't it be cool to be at that intersection and see that Porsche driver's face the first time a 2005 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 smokes his butt into yesterday?

OK, we might be
stretching a bit. Mercedes estimates a 0-to-60-mph time of 5.5 seconds for the new SLK350, which is at least fully competitive with the Boxster S and the Z4, if not literally fast enough to beat them. The little Merc is no longer an effete, poseur mall crawler; and no longer is its retractable hard top its principal virtue. It's now a real, honest-to-Hans sports car, and it finally looks like one, too.

The SLK's transformation started with its body and chassis, seriously weak and flabby in the outgoing car. On paper, the improvements are expressed as 46 percent greater torsional rigidity and a nearly 20 percent increase in bending stiffness, partly the results of a body shell made from a new cocktail of high-tensile steel, aluminum, and magnesium, with a few garnishes of fiber-reinforced plastic. On the road, progress is measured by a chatty chassis that incessantly tells the driver what's going on under those four Pirelli P Zero contact patches. For anyone who has spent time in the first SLK, pushing the new car over a challenging road will be a revelation. It feels, sounds, and acts like a thoroughbred.

The SLK's stiffer body cradles improved suspension, steering, and brakes, as well as a new powertrain. The previous control-arm front suspension has been replaced by a strut-type design, which provides well-snubbed damping and good ride comfort. Rack-and-pinion steering replaces the recirculating-ball format. The SLK doesn't match the Boxster's steering feel and feedback, but it's on par with the Z4 and far surpasses the TT. In the mountain switchbacks of Mallorca, where we had to keep decelerating for hundreds of professional cyclists grinding up hillsides in preparation for the Tour de France, the powerful brakes never faded.

We have few fond memories of the original SLK's supercharged, 185-horsepower, 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, which delivered reasonable performance but always sounded as if it had a bad cold. That problem was addressed originally by the introduction in 2001 of the optional 215-horsepower, 3.2-liter V-6 and then in 2002 with the SLK32 AMG's supercharged, 349-horsepower V-6. Yet no matter how much power was speaking up from under the hood, the SLK's complaisant chassis was, unfortunately, dominating the conversation. For 2005, Mercedes ditches the raspy blown four altogether, and we doubt any tears will be shed over the loss.

New Acura TSX

When we heard that Acura would be launching another four-cylinder front-wheel-drive sedan, we couldn't help but ask why. Our cortexes fizzled at the repetitive notion of yet another high-revving Euro fighter from Honda, and when we heard that this new car, the TSX, would be but a tweaked version of the European and Japanese Accords, our tiny skulls nearly shattered from disbelief. Two Accords? Neither of them rear-wheel-drive? We wondered why Acura--the last of the Japanese upscale manufacturers to dispatch two cars to this overcrowded category--couldn't resist the pull of the segment-fragmentation chipper-shredder.

But "Why?" turns out to be the wrong question. Better to ask "When?" and "How much?" and "What took you so long?" Drive the TSX, and all doubts evaporate. The new sedan is easily the finest in the Acura range and a credible rival to Audi's A4, Mercedes-Benz's C-class, and, yes, even BMW's 3-series. These cars were catching a lot of upwardly mobile ex-Accord, and -RSX owners who felt they had no
Acura to buy, calling attention to the phantom void in Acura's lineup. "We felt we needed something smaller to go up against the Europeans, to bridge the gap between the RSX and the TL," says Acura product planner Jay Joseph.

The TSX uses tricks from both. It has a refined and enlarged version of the RSX's i-VTEC four-cylinder, and it cribs from the TL its chic interior, double-wishbone/multi-link suspension, and shocking value equation. The leather-clad TSX's only options are a navigation system and the choice of a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission.

We drove the navi-equipped, six-speed TSX. After an easy familiarization with the mini-home theater between the front seats (it has an eight-inch screen), we tore up the Pacific Coast Highway to Mulholland Drive. During slow driving, the car's clutch takeup and shifter efforts seemed a bit flimsy--out of sync with the strong, self-centered steering, the firm ride, and the robust brake-pedal feel. Issues of control harmony straightened out with a few carefully administered doses of speed. When the TSX is driven quickly, its chassis has an anticipatory quality that only the best and most driver-oriented sedans share; the car places itself on the road. Grip from the Michelins was astounding, forcing us to recheck mid-flight to ensure that the standard Vehicle Stability Assist had been well and truly garroted. Precise responses from the broadly powerful engine and drive-by-wire throttle resulted in briefly errant, quickly recalled rear-tire paths.

Control and restraint are key TSX themes. Its interior has a taut, dynamic edginess, as if it belonged to an Accord that had been through six weeks of basic training. The exterior, too, is drum-tight and high-toned, yet this may not have been what Acura was going for. Joseph said that people buy the cars in this class for emotional reasons, then pointed to the at-best-compulsive/at-worst-anonymous styling as one of these. We wondered what he'd been freebasing and where we might score some.

But it may be just as well that the TSX isn't an overt piece of draftsmanship. It needn't be in order to sell the mere 15,000 units per year Acura is intending. Besides, in the long run, stealth works best, especially when you're on Mulholland and you spot a 3-series up ahead.

Take Care of Your Oil

A vehicle that performs at it's peak will realize the best fuel economy. If something interferes with peak performance it will decrease gas economy and will cause you to use more gas and spend more money. For that reason proper management of the oil in your engine is a critical component of good fuel economy.

You need to make scheduled oil changes a priority in maintaining your car. Following the auto producers oil change recommendations is a major component of keeping your car running at its peak and keeping your gasoline economy at its best.

The purpose of the oil in your vehicle is to prevent metal- to-metal contact of engine parts by lubricating its moving parts, thereby minimizing friction and carrying away excess heat. All of those attributes create better gasoline efficiency.

Motor oil also removes dirt, metal shavings and other impurities from the engine and captures them in the oil filter. You can pay a severe penalty for neglecting engine oil, possibly even needing to replace the engine itself. Keeping track of your last oil change will save you money at the gas pump and decrease your fuel consumption.

The interval between oil changes is very important. It is important to following the car makers maintenance schedule. If the manual says to change the oil every three months do it. If the manual says to change the oil every three thousand miles do it. When oil is left in an engine too long, it becomes saturated with the very dirt and impurities it is supposed to remove. Once the oil is saturated it will be less efficient in doing its job. Your car's performance will decline and your fuel economy will get worse.

Another facet of proper oil care is to make sure that you are using the right grade of oil. You should use the grade of oil recommended in your owner's manual. The fuel efficiency of the engine can improve as much as 2 percent versus using the wrong grade oil especially when starting in cold weather.

Using the wrong grade of oil may cause your car to run poorly as the weather changes. The wrong grade will get thick and heavy in cold weather. Oil that is too thick and heavy requires the engine to work harder because the thick and heavy oil's resistance is greater. The harder the engine works the more gasoline it will use. The wrong grade of oil can cost you 1 to 2 percent of your gas economy.

If you use, for example, 10W-40 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-40 it can lower your gas mileage as much as the two percent mentioned earlier. In addition if something goes wrong with your car, and the manufacturer can show you used the wrong oil, it could void your warranty.

Many drivers make the mistake of procrastinating in getting the oil changed. The more a driver puts off changing the oil the worse the fuel economy will be. Using the proper grade and changing the oil on time will help you get better gas economy.

New 2009 Toyota Venza

Say what you will about small cars, alternative-fuel powertrains, and fuel economy, all of which will be front of mind for auto company executives and journalists attending the 2008 Detroit auto show. For Ford, the most important launch at the 2008 Detroit auto show is the heavily revised 2009 F-150 pickup truck, which is bigger and bolder than ever.

The F-series pickup is far and away the most crucial vehicle in Ford's lineup, selling hundreds of thousands more units each year than any other Ford vehicle. It has been the bestselling vehicle from any manufacturer for more than two decades. Yet there are serious cracks in the foundation of the F-series' sales dominance, as sales dropped some 13 percent in 2007, from a total of 796,039 units in the 2006 calendar year to 690,589 units in the 2007 calendar year. Nearly 700,000 units is still a huge result, but the loss of more than 100,000 unit sales hit Ford's balance sheet hard. Very hard.

The new 2009 F-150 rides to the rescue and will attempt to fend off a new challenge from the all-new Dodge Ram and last year's new Chevy Silverado and Toyota Tundra. The 2009 Ford F-150 takes its styling cues from the F-series Super Duty pickup, adhering to what Ford designers call a "Modern Tough" design aesthetic. "We learn from our customers," says Patrick Schiavone, the F-series chief designer. They've told us that "a truck needs to be tough. You cannot make it too tough for me." So, the new F-150 has a bigger grille, with chrome girders that are similar to those in the Super Duty. The big fender badge, according to Schiavone, "is meant to look like it's milled from a solid piece of steel." Grooves in the taillights that also run across the tailgate evoke 1960s and 1970s Ford trucks. The little flip at the top of the tailgate is there both to help aerodynamics and for looks.

Sitting side-by-side with the outgoing 2008 F-series, the new 2009 Ford F-150 indeed looks much bigger, tougher, and more substantial, and it will certainly appeal to those who purchase trucks as a reflection of their perceived masculinity or lack thereof. The Crew Cab model is a whopping six inches longer than before, with all of the additional length incorporated between the A- and B-pillars, in the front doors. Ride height is up about an inch, too, in response to dealers, who are asked by many consumers to install lift kits in the current truck. The increased height, length, and squared-off body combine to make the truck appear even bigger and more imposing.

What's interesting is that, even as the F-150's exterior has morphed into the automotive equivalent of muscle-bound actor Vin Diesel, its cabin has become as stylized as Jude Law's wardrobe. The outgoing F-150 already ran the gamut from basic work truck to on-the-town luxury ride in the form of both the luxurious Lariat model and the sumptuous King Ranch. Both of those trim levels return for 2009, as do XLT and others, but they're joined by a new, super-premium trim level called Platinum. "The F-series design studio has been dying to do the Platinum," enthuses Schiavone. "It's all about the big city. No two-tone paint. Twenty-inch polished wheels, not chrome. Big swathes of real aluminum trim, and black and brown materials derived from the fashion world. You see black and brown in BMWs and Rolls-Royces. We did not want tan." Indeed, the Platinum interior would do most any luxury sedan proud, and the instrument panel is very handsome. It's clear that the Platinum will effectively take the place of the Lincoln Mark LT pickup, which has not been very successful.

New 2008 Mini Cooper Clubman

Tiny machinery is almost universally satisfying. A friend of mine once dismantled a perfectly healthy 350-cc four-cylinder engine from an early-1970s Honda motorcycle just because he wanted to see what its pint-size pistons looked like. Once it was apart, he stared endlessly at the tiny wrist pins and nickel-sized valves. At the bar that evening, people gathered and gawped at a Lilliputian piston-slash-shot-glass, unable to stop turning it over in their hands. For whatever reason, miniaturized machines fascinate.

And so I found myself in a dingy parking garage in central Spain, taking delivery of a Mini Cooper S Clubman and unable to stop staring at the car's back end. I found myself ogling the tiny twin rear doors--the Clubman has twin clamshell rear doors where the ordinary Cooper has a traditional hatch--clicking their latches and opening them over and over. Two tiny doors, two tiny rear windows, two happily symmetrical tiny wipers. Same deal as with the Honda tiny moving parts, huge satisfaction.

At first glance, you'd think that those doors were about all the Clubman had going for it. Its looks -- an odd mix of taffy-stretched Mini Cooper and retro-pretentious bread van -- are an acquired taste. And its 100-inch wheelbase and 155-inch length (3.2 and 9.4 inches longer, respectively, than those of the ordinary Mini) don't bode well for preserving the nimble reactions and feisty likability of Minis past.

That's ironic, because the charm of Minis past is exactly what the Clubman aims to mine. The car takes its name from the shooting-brake-style Mini Clubman Estate wagon from the 1970s and early '80s. That vehicle -- a mildly updated version of the similarly styled Morris Mini Traveller and Austin Mini Countryman -- wasn't imported to the United States, but it was relatively successful in Europe and the rest of the world. Like its predecessors, the modern Clubman is little different mechanically from its smaller siblings; the dampers, stability control, and ABS have all been recalibrated for the Clubman's larger dimensions and greater weight, but drivetrain options are identical to those in the rest of the Mini lineup.

Once you finish playing with the rear doors -- and, believe me, this can take a while, especially for mild obsessive-compulsives like yours truly -- and climb behind the wheel, you're met with immediately familiar surroundings. The Clubman sports the same dash and basic interior layout as the ordinary Mini, albeit with three more inches of rear legroom and another eight cubic feet of cargo space when the seats are folded. A third side door sits behind the passenger door (think Mazda RX-8) and aids access to the rear seat. There's even a nifty little "Clubman" sill plate.

Overall, the Clubman doesn't feel that different from a normal Mini. The extra length and wheelbase manifest themselves in slightly better high-speed stability, and ride comfort has been improved a bit over the standard car, but little else stands out. The rear seat is roomier but still slightly claustrophobic, the chassis is ever-so-slightly less willing to rotate in tight switchbacks, and rear visibility -- owing to the thick C-pillars and the central post created by the twin rear doors -- stinks.

That's about it.

Still, there's a lot to be said for charm, and surprisingly, the Clubman produces a fair bit of it. It'squirkier and more esoteric than the ordinary Mini, and the neat little unique-to-the-Clubman styling touches -- twin rain-gutter ridges in the roof panel, rear doors with cutouts for the taillights -- are strangely satisfying. The added practicality goes a long way, too. If you're not the autocross or track-day type, the Clubman (and its extra cargo space compared with the standard Mini) makes a great deal of sense.

People don't buy Minis because they make sense, though; they buy them because the cars are a happy mix of functionality, look-at-me quirkiness, and fun. And the best Clubman endorsement was probably given by a kid I saw at the Detroit auto show in 2006. Walking up to Mini's Clubman concept car with a couple of his friends, he pointed and said, "Dude! Check out the rad tiny doors!"

New 2003-2004 Mercury Marauder

The new Mercury Marauder takes its name from the big Mercury muscle cars of the 1960s, but its true spiritual ancestors are two black Mercury sedans that starred with Jack Lord in the long-running television series Hawaii Five-O. Lord portrayed the granite-jawed Steve McGarrett, head of Hawaii's elite Five-O police unit, his demeanor cop-show tough, his hair a perfect North Shore wave, his car no standard police-issue Ford Custom 500 or LTD but a big black Mercury in which he stormed around Oahu.

"Steve McGarrett's car is as much a character in the series as any of the people." So claims Karen Rhodes in Booking Hawaii Five-O, the best and as far as we know, the only scholarly tome on the cop show. "The big, black Mercury sets a tone of power and intimidation," she continues. "Steve is . . . tough and threatening on his own, but the black Mercury adds a further dimension of strength, even a sinister darkness, to McGarrett." That's some pretty impressive work for a '68 Park Lane and, later, a '74 Marquis, either of which, off-screen, might have been driven by your grandfather.

Twenty-two years after McGarrett screeched his big black sedan to a stop for the last time, Mercury has served up a machine perfectly suited to the marque's most telegenic enthusiast. The Marauder is a badass cop car with some major attitude.

The reborn Marauder first appeared not in Honolulu but in Las Vegas, as a concept car at the 1998 SEMA show. Considering what populates the miles of aisles at SEMA--wildly winged Honda Civics with hyperkinetic paint jobs, slammed SUVs on huge chrome wheels, bikini-clad babes stroking shock absorbers--Mercury's Grand Marquis in Darth Vader livery garnered a surprising amount of attention.

Now that it's here, the real thing looks virtually identical to that concept, with black paint, a blacked-out grille, most of the chrome trim removed, foglamps, and straight-spoked chrome wheels (eighteen-inchers all around, compared with the show car's seventeens up front and eighteens at the rear). The big wheels wear BFGoodrich g-Force T/A tires, size 235/WR50-18 in front and 245/WR55-18 in back.

Inside, in place of the Grand Marquis's bench front seat, we find buckets, a center console, and a floor shift for the four-speed automatic. The driver's seat is comfortable enough for an all-night stakeout, but when you're on the move, the driving position suffers for lack of a dead pedal.

In an obvious nod to hot rodders, the console houses Auto Meter oil pressure and voltmeter gauges; their white faces are echoed in the dash gauges (which include a tach). Aluminum-look accents replace the Grand Marquis's wood, and the upholstery is a sober gray leather. One back-to-the-'60s touch is the Mercury-head logo (from the Roman messenger of the gods) embossed in the seatbacks; it's also in the wheel centers.

Come this fall, the interior will be fancied up some more, with a two-tone gray color scheme, heated seats, and a sunroof. Traction control and a second exterior color, dark blue, also will be added.

The production Marauder differs from the concept car under the hood. The Vegas show car featured a supercharged, SOHC, 4.6-liter V-8 with an iron block, two valves per cylinder, and an advertised output of 335 horsepower and 355 pound-feet of torque. The production car does without the blower and instead employs a DOHC, 32-valve version of the 4.6 with an aluminum block and heads. Roush Performance helped out along the way, notably in the development of a new intake manifold and the dual exhaust system. The net result is 302 horsepower (at 5750 rpm) and 318 pound-feet of torque (at 4300 rpm). That falls short of the concept Marauder's supercharged engine but handily betters the Grand Marquis's top V-8, which can muster only 235 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque.

New 2003 Mercedes-Benz G500

Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier, Qubec-- The Ice Hotel first manifested its strange power well before my stay there, when my wife awoke from her night's sleep, waking me, too, and said, "I dreamed I was at the Ice Hotel." I asked what she'd done there. "I went to the bar for a drink." My Mormon wife never boozes, but the concept of vodka served in vessels of ice kind of grabs you.

So I began to wonder what I would dream when at last I slept in the Ice Hotel. My premonition, weirdly logical, was of being encased in amber. This did not deter me. In fact, I could hardly wait to go to Qubec because of the Ice Hotel's allure and because I would be driving the towering and indomitable Mercedes-Benz G500, the famous Gelndewagen, available at last in our market. Every element of the plan suggested adventure tinged with self-indulgence and mystery.

Even in advance of her dream, my warmblooded wife had declined the invitation to accompany me, but research assistant Reilly Brennan volunteered to come along. We would rendezvous with the photo team in Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier, a place much smaller than its name, lying northwest of Qubec, the provincial capital. And so, one day before sunrise, we climbed up and up into the G500 and blazed eastward across Ontario, led by the three-pointed morning star on the grille. (By my count, the constellation of three-pointed stars on board totaled nine fixed members.) When we climbed out for gas, which happened quite often, the people of Canada managed to hide their disappointment at learning we were not hip-hop stars, drug lords, or professional linebackers. Since the moment the G500 had gone on sale six weeks before, about a quarter of the 2000 units Mercedes hoped to sell this year had already moved. "It's the rapper's vehicle du jour," my editor told me. If so, then rappers have discovered the need for an ultra-luxury brute-ute equipped with three locking differentials and willing and able to climb a 58-percent grade.

At the second fueling, at a Napanee, Ontario, truck stop, I mistakenly grabbed the diesel nozzle. The G500 makes its 292 horsepower--and its soulful baritone tremolo--with premium unleaded, thank you, and I caught the error straightaway; nevertheless, this incident would come back to haunt me. Meanwhile, as I pumped 72.7 liters (19.2 gallons) into the tank for $45 Canadian, the guy at the next island sang out the G500's praises. "It's beautiful," he said in Hockey Voice, the oddly inflected and rather heavily cadenced English of Ontario. "Kinda looks like a Hummer." Someone else would say this later. To respond that the G-class antedates the Hummer was a waste of my precious breath, which needed to be saved for future shivering. A Hummer? No, no, the G500 looks like a NATO ambulance.

When we crossed through Montral, a French news station gave the day's stock prices, and the traffic reporter told of a truck that had discharged its load just ahead. We arrived at the Ice Hotel three hours later, well after dark. We saw construction equipment, a pole supporting floodlights, and a confusing array of tent-shaped barracks made of snow. I fancied that I had arrived at Prudhoe Bay or maybe the South Pole research station. The strange spiritual power, so strongly registered at home, barely nudged the needle now.

This initial sense of anticlimax was dispelled as soon as we entered the hotel, passing through a portal in a wall of beautiful ice blocks and finding ourselves in a salon with floor and walls of snow and splendid ice carvings everywhere we turned. One massive sculpture of flowing abstract shapes included the detailed representation of an Inuit hunter with a seal across his kayak's bow. Hanging from the cathedral ceiling was a classic-looking chandelier, also of ice, glowing pink, then blue, then white because of integrated fiber-optic lines. Whenever we expressed our wonder, the drifting vapor clouds carried farther from our lips than our voices did.

Just ahead was another rectangular opening; I am five feet, eight inches tall and could barely get through. This room was the theater, with snow formed into four broad steps and deerskins spread for lolling viewers. I was more curious about the wedding chapel, entered from the passageway between the welcome salon and the bar. (A chapel and bar together!) Built in the traditional cross shape, it had pews of pure ice. There was an altar and a pulpit--always of ice; all the Ice Hotel's furniture was fashioned from blocks of ice--but instead of a crucifix in this province with every other place named for les saints, I found on the wall an eight-pointed New Age star. Or was it a snowflake?

New 2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK500

If every moment you spend in a car needs to be a screamer, buy a BMW. But if you are inclined to appreciate the many other subtleties of fine motoring, you'll find the new Mercedes-Benz CLK500 to be a real sweetheart.

We are pleased to say the pillarless hardtop CLK looks better in person than we were led to believe; it's not as fluffy as pictures had indicated. The hood dips dramatically between twin bulges that open into a robust collection of headlamps (Bi-xenon are a must-have option), and the ubiquitous three-pointed star has dropped from hoodtop to mid-grille.

The interior sports a higher level of cush than your basic Spartan Bimmer, with puckered-leather door inserts, vents and gauges ringed in chrome, and flared chrome that sweeps across the glovebox and the burl walnut door trim panels.

Instrumentation is black and white; the speedo, tachometer, and clock are all round and boldly numbered, and auxiliary instruments are vertically hashed. The air bag housing in the center of the steering wheel is smaller than usual, and four big oval thumbpads offer remote control of the radio and telephone.

The CLK seats fit snugly, and we can say that, as luxurious as you would describe its ride, the CLK is far from a mere luxo-barge. Our morning commute includes a nicely cambered set of turns that the CLK flew through neatly, with not a bobble or sidestep. We have emerged faster in Porsches and Bimmers from that section of road, but we didn't miss the extra exit speed once we saw the county sheriff parked in the weeds aimed directly at our driver's license. He pulled behind us, ruining the fun for another five miles, but eventually gave up and let us have our head for the rest of the drive.

This sounds a little stupid, but we also had a fun time this weekend showing off the CLK's bag of little tricks. It's been a long time since a car's features have so cracked us up that we've wanted to tug on people's sleeves and say, 'You have got to check this out!"

So it is with M-B's Keyless Go, which works like this: You walk up to the locked CLK with the key still parked in your pocket and you pull open the securely locked door— a wonderful bonus when your arms are full of groceries. You jump in (key still in pocket), put your foot on the brake, and press the button on top of the shifter, and the 302-hp, 5.0-liter V-8 (a 212-hp, 3.2-liter V-6 is standard) roars to life. Shift back in Park, press the button on top again, and the CLK shuts down. Hop out, press the tiny square on the outside of the door handle, and the CLK is locked up tight once again. Great party trick, along with demos of the dash-controlled rear-window sunshade and the seatbelt presenter—a robot arm that pops out to hand you your shoulder harness when you get in either front seat.

Our test car's options also included Distronic cruise control which automatically keeps you at a safe distance from the car in front despite your speed setting. We had it set at 80 mph, marked on the speedo by a small glowing hash mark, and it slowed almost imperceptibly to 65—like a squeeze of the brakes—as we neared a bulge in the traffic. A couple more hash marks popped up on the speedo to show the adjustment. Once the traffic cleared, the CLK took itself back to 80 mph.

New Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor Sport

It doesn't sound like a Mercedes," opined my passenger. She had a point. The supercharged, sixteen-valve, 1.8-liter DOHC in-line four in the C230 Kompressor has the aural quality of a vacuum cleaner. It's a pity, because the engine actually is a good performer, making 189 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque--21 horsepower and 15 pound-feet more than the C240's 2.6-liter V-6. Mercedes claims the C230 sedan can scoot from 0 to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds.

The engine is an all-new piece, not the one found in the 1999-2001 C230 Kompressor. Despite the new four's smaller displacement (the old car had a full 2.3 liters under the hood), Mercedes decided there was currency with the C230 moniker. Whatever the nomenclature, this is the new entry-level C-class sedan, aimed at younger (read: less affluent) buyers.

The C230 Kompressor is one of two new C-class Sport Sedans (the C320 Sport Sedan is the other); the models obviate last year's $3000 Sport option package. The cars have a restyled front end, textured aluminum cabin trim, and broadly bolstered seats. The C230 has a six-speed manual gearbox (a five-speed automatic is optional) as well as seven-spoke wheels with 225/45ZR-17 tires and a sport-tuned suspension that is calibrated differently than the old sport package's.

The C230's price--a low, low $28,710--is likely to be its most compelling aspect to most buyers, because it includes such niceties as automatic climate control, a multifunction steering wheel, and partial leather seats. A CD player is not part of the deal, however.

Despite the engine's unmelodious note and the stick shift's rubbery and imprecise linkage, the C230 is the most entertaining, most agile C-class model. The suspension gives much better body control with seemingly no diminution of ride quality, and the car feels better balanced than the heavier V-6-powered cars.

The C230 sedan finally reveals the inherent goodness of the C-class chassis: It feels like a real competitor to the BMW 325i. Too bad it doesn't sound like one.

New 2004 Mazda RX-8 Four Seasons Test

Our year with the Mazda RX-8 was like spending time with young children: deeply rewarding most of the time but occasionally very frustrating and annoying.

Let's get the bad part out of the way first. The RX-8 is the first U.S.-market car to usea Wankel rotary engine since the Mazda RX-7 departed our shores after 1995. The rotary has a number of advantages over a reciprocating engine-notably its compactness, its simplicity, and the lack of moving parts that allows it to rev higher. But as with most things in life, you don't get something for nothing, and there are also a number of problems with rotary engines. First, they aren't very thermally efficient, which means they're thirsty for petrochemical products. We found the RX-8 guzzled premium gasoline at a rate of 19 mpg during its 34,305 miles with us.

Rotary engines also like to consume oil, because they use this particular hydrocarbon to lubricate rotor seals on a total-loss basis. The manual warns owners that they will need to check the oil level every couple of fill-ups, but it's odd to have to do that in this day and age-it reminded us of owning an old British sports car. It's not as if Mazda makes the task easy, either, as senior editor Joe Lorio observed: "For a car that needs such close monitoring of its oil level, its dipstick sure is buried. And should you actually need to add a quart of oil, you must first remove the engine cover. Now, that's convenient."

We probably wouldn't have cared too much about the RX-8's sheik-friendly ways, except that there was another problem. The car didn't like cold mornings. We're not fans of them, either, but we don't lie down and give up when the thermometer drops. We had to call Mazda's roadside assistance no fewer than three times when the rotary failed to start in winter. Jump-starting it worked once, but twice it was hauled away to our local dealer on a flatbed. Online editor Mike Dushane, savvy about the RX-8's aversion to the cold, parked it facing downhill so he could push-start it, which came in handy once.

It transpires that the Renesis 13B rotary is prone to flooding if you fire it up and then shut it down before it gets up to operating temperature. The RX-8's manual specifically states that you should warm up the engine in really cold weather-0 degree Fahrenheit or lower-and use minimal throttle for starting. Once the engine is flooded, Mazda advises flooring the gas (which shuts off the fuel pump) or using no throttle at all.That sounds fine in theory, but in practice, our car just didn't respond to those wiles. One really cold afternoon, the car stalled when the traction control cut in while we were reversing out of a snowy driveway. We tried everything to restart the car, but it wouldn't fire up. To exacerbate the annoyance, getting to the battery terminals was a giant pain in the fingers, thanks to the aforementioned cover that must be removed for access to anything on the engine.

The starting problem wasn't unique to our car, as both Mazda and Internet chat rooms acknowledge. Mazda says that, weirdly, only some cars have been affected by cold-starting woes, which the company has partially redressed by changing the spark plugs and retrofitting batteries with more cranking power.

Our RX-8 also spent plenty of time at the dealership because of numerous check-engine-light issues, including a stuck thermostat, a wiring problem with the stability control switch, and a catalytic converter that died because its shield had failed. We also had to replace warped front brake rotors at 12,156 miles, which the warranty covered.

It was a shame the car let us down so often, because it is otherwise a terrific package and felt as solid at the end of 34,000 hard miles as it did when it was delivered.

The RX-8's unique selling proposition-that it's a four-door sports car-is certainly one of its most appealing features. The short suicide doors provide far better access to the rear seats than sliding the front seats forward in a conventional two-plus-two coupe. The rear seats are excellent for small kids and acceptable for adults on short trips. "During a weekend of wandering around Michigan," noted Web intern Stuart Fowle, "there were no complaints from my back-seat passengers about the space."

New 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata

What red-blooded American automotive journalists would admit in the pages of a car magazine that they drove to the beginning of one of the most spectacular roads in these United States, saw the 35-mph speed limit, and found it didn't bother them?

Call me a girl, which only means I'll be brave enough to write that gentle motoring has a place in our hectic world, that it can even be alluring. Depending, of course, on the transport. And, of course, on the locale.

We've come all the way to the Big Island of Hawaii (4038 square miles) to stare into the ocean's depths at dawn and ride at dusk to the top of Mauna Kea (13,796 feet), lifted up into a heaven packed with more stars than we've ever seen in our lives. In between, we'll fling the top back on the planet's most popular roadster and drive through a goodly number of the eleven microclimates on the island. By the time we get to that perfect road, Highway 250 north out of Waimea to Hawi, we're packing some major aloha-that's "love" to you haoles-and feeling as if our groove has come all the way back from the flatline we've been feeling after a long, rainy month on the mainland.

No, the all-new Mazda MX-5 is nothing like the ass-kicking Porsche Boxster S. Yes, it does have a lot more horsepower than it had, though not an overabundance of same-170 with the five- and six-speed manuals and 166 with the six-speed automatic transmission, up from 142 last year. It has slightly more room for longer torsos, thanks to a 0.6-inch-taller windshield header, a seatback with another degree of rearward travel, and a new tilt steering column. There's 2.2 inches more hip room, as well as enough extra cargo space for another grocery bag or two (plastic, not paper). The body feels tighter, thehandling nimbler, the chassis sturdier, and the steering more responsive. It looks fresher, a bit edgier from the sidewalk, more luxurious and more richly appointed from behind the wheel.

Not so much as a nut, a bolt, or a switch has carried over from the second-generation Miata-not even the name. And yet the most important element has not changed-that would be, simply, driving fun.

The perfectly executed two-seater that began the revolution in late 1989, spawning the Mercedes-Benz SLK, the Porsche Boxster, the BMW Z cars, and now the Pontiac Solstice, remains true to its roots. "Jinba ittai," they say in Hiroshima. The synergy of rider and horse moving as one. Manly automotive journalists don't go around talking about jinba ittai, no matter how perfectly it expresses the very soul of the Miata. It might be easier to embrace a more freewheeling interpretation, delivered in the quaint syntax of our Japanese friends at Mazda as the "lots of fun concept." Who can't appreciate lots of fun?

MX-5 program manager Takao Kijima, who has spent more than a third of his life on the Miata, explains that the engineering focus was not on direct measures such as performance and quality achievements but rather on "intangible virtues such as pleasure, beauty, and emotional attachment." Instead of 0-to-60-mph acceleration statistics, the Miata engineers felt it was more important to understand "how the car feels through the driver's sense of touch, how it sounds at speed, how it looks with the top folded, and what pleasant scents can be enjoyed during a spring drive."

Despite the fact that I've pushed the idea of the simple, lightweight roadster to the wall with my very own lusty 178-hp, turbo-charged 2005 Mazdaspeed version of the Miata, Big Island driving makes it easy to embrace the lots of fun concept. Only a handful of roads circle and straddle this still wild, volcanic paradise. One is more heavily pa-trolled than the next by a zero-tolerance police force lurking in their own personal cars and trucks behind the 25- and 35-mph speed-limit signs found on every single road of note. None fast, all fun. A flick of the steering-wheel-mounted cruise-control switch preserves our driving record-for now.

New 2007 Mazda CX-7

Do you have the patience to hear about one more SUV? How about one of those annoyingly nebulous SUV/crossover/whatever vehicles? At the risk of having you turn the page right now, we'll tell you that the new Mazda CX-7 is an SUV-like thing that tries to be sporty. We know, you've heard that before, with the BMW X5 and X3, the Infiniti FX45, the Porsche Cayenne, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, and some lesser lights as well.

Look past the obvious-the RX-8 wannabe front fenders, the hop-up windowline, and the bulging rear wheel arches-and you notice that, unlike every other entry in this overcrowded field (save perhaps the FX45), the CX-7 has not a single flat plane anywhere on its body. The front end is radically swept back, the windshield sports the fastest rake in its class, the roofline takes a dive aft of the B-pillars, and even the greenhouse features some major tumblehome and tapers in toward the rear. This thing isn't just styled, it's shaped.

The CX-7's engine is equally radical. Borrowing the Mazdaspeed 6's direct-injection, 2.3-liter turbo four-a high-strung engine with an all-or-nothing, turbo-dependent power delivery-and pairing it with a manu-matic transmission sounds like an absurd choice for SUV duty. After driving the CX-7, we'd say it's merely unusual. In this application, the engine has traded away 30 hp and 22 lb-ft for improved driveability, yet it's still able to push the CX-7 along with verve while returning semirespectable economy ratings of 18/24 mpg (with all-wheel drive). But the throttle response is hardly linear, and the engine note will never be mistaken for the smooth spin of a good V-6.

The CX-7's sporty chassis tuning suffers no such downside. Its most immediately endearing quality is the steering response, which is direct, linear, and nicely weighted. SUVs that don't heel over in corners are no longer a novelty, but even in those vehicles you're keenly aware that a lot of weight is riding way up high. The CX-7 is a bit lower and lighter (under two tons, anyway), and it manages to escape that high 'n' heavy feeling.

Naturally, the CX-7 isn't quite as roomy as some of the boxier entries, even though it's longer and wider than the Mazda Tribute, and there's no third-row seat. (That's coming in the CX-9, which was recently unveiled at the New York auto show.) The CX-7's below-the-windowline cargo space is reasonable, but its tapered greenhouse and sloping roofline cut into maximum capacity. If hauling stuff is your priority, you have a herd of more suitable SUVs to pick from. The CX-7 instead makes a case for itself as a tall, sporty wagon-and, for less than $30,000 (exercising a modicum of options restraint), it's notably cheaper than the other sporty crossovers at the auto mall. That's how you wedge your way into an overcrowded field.

New DRIVEN PREVIEW 2007 Mazda CX-9

The CX-9 shares the same gaggle of parts as the Ford Edge, but it's been engineered as a seven-passenger vehicle, so the Mazda's wheelbase has been stretched 2.0 inches and the vehicle is 13.9 inches longer overall.

The CX-9 is a great people package. The second-row, 60/40-split bench seat slides back five inches and also reclines, and there's a single release lever to expedite access into the third-row, 50/50-split bench seat. An optional rear-seat DVD system keeps passengers entertained, while the air-conditioning is powerful enough to sustain a breeze all the way to the back. Both rear seats fold down flat when it's time to visit the Home Depot. Even better, the interior of the Grand Touring model mixes color and trim in a cool, sophisticated way that even the Lexus RX350 can't match.

Mazda's new people mover also meets carlike standards of safety. The canopy air bag protects all three rows of passengers from head injury, while ABS, electronic brake assist, and stability control are standard. Like the Edge, the CX-9 features Ford's Volvo-engineered, antirollover stability system with twin sensors to monitor body roll and yaw. Also like the Edge, all-wheel drive is optional.

Best of all, the CX-9 drives like a Mazda, not some soggy station wagon. The long, 113.2-inch wheelbase helps deliver a stable ride, firm suspension bushings produce surprisingly crisp steering response (although at the price of some thumping over bumps), and the Grand Touring model even gets twenty-inch wheels. Moreover, the six-speed automatic (from Aisin, not Ford) has such refinement that you feel only the 263 hp of the Ford-supplied 3.5-liter V-6, not the shifting.

The Mazda CX-9 is what the American car has become in the twenty-first century. It's in the middle of the fastest-growing segment in the car industry, and that's why there are some forty-three similar crossover utility vehicles on the market right now, with a total of seventy expected by 2009.

New 2002 Acura RSX Type-S Four Seasons Test

Back in the 1980s, when Acura was just a babe in the woods, Honda's upscale brand sold its cars with the simple tagline "Precision crafted performance." But the ad campaign wasn't merely playing up the epistemological attraction of an invented name (Acura brings to mind accurate, which inspires pleasant thoughts of technological sophistication, superlative fit and finish, and bulletproof reliability). Acuras really were well-honed tools for the driving enthusiast-Honda greatness turned up to eleven, if you will. And although Madison Avenue is a fickle place, and "Precision crafted performance" long since has gone the way of "Fahrvergngen" and "This is not your father's Oldsmobile," the engineers at Honda are anything but fickle. Acura automobiles-from the most exotic offering, the aging NSX, to the most affordable, the RSX Type-S on these pages-are still paragons of mechanical precision and fine craftsmanship.

Introduced in the summer of 2001, the RSX is the successor to Acura's beloved Integra. It was met with some wariness (by us, at least), mostly because it eschewed a model name that had been around just long enough to achieve historic resonance. But at least the new car remained true to the mission of the original 1986 Integra: Provide a thoroughly engaging driving experience in a frugal-albeit premium-package.

The Integra's three generations saw, variously, two-door and four-door hatchback body styles as well as a traditional three-box sedan, but the RSX showed up as a hatchback coupe only (although Acura since has revisited the premium four-cylinder sedan market by way of the TSX). The base RSX rolls with a 160-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed manu-matic, but we chose the hotted-up Type-S model for our Four Seasons test. Following in the tracks of the screaming Integra Type-R, the Type-S packs a 2.0-liter four that uses Honda's i-VTEC variable valve timing to produce 200 horsepower at 7400 rpm and 142 pound-feet of torque at 6000 rpm. It is paired only with a six-speed manual transmission.

From the outset, we knew we'd made the right choice. Tipping the scales at a trim 2740 pounds, our test car clocked a 6.5-second sprint to 60 mph and ran the quarter-mile in 15.3 seconds at 94 mph. (That's about as quick as a V-8-engined Ford Mustang GT, but, very much unlike the GT, the Type-S will return an exemplary 24 mpg in town and 31 mpg on the highway.) During performance testing, technical editor Don Sherman noted, "Hints of torque steer are evident, but that's inevitable with so much energy going through the front tires."

Without exception, the six-speed gearbox was loved by everyone who used it. Although the engine's torque is modest, a 7900-rpm redline means the driver isn't constantly stirring the shifter to get things moving. Throws are slightly longer than those of Honda's similarly high-strung S2000 roadster, but they are accomplished with stupefying ease. So delicate were gearchanges that Sherman-perhaps a bit too accustomed to punching Corvettes and Vipers into gear-forecast an ugly future for our tester's first- and second-gear synchros. And yet after twelve months and 31,309 miles, his dire prediction failed to transpire. The RSX's gearbox was as light and tight on its last day as it was on its first. Associate editor Joe DeMatio summed it up in one word, "lovely," and road test coordinator Tony Quiroga asked, "Could this be the best shifter in a front-wheel-drive car?" Yes, we found, it could be. And it is.

The torque-sensing, variable-assist rack-and-pinion steering was appreciated, by and large, for its BMW-like heft and quick ratio (quicker than the last Integra's) but nonetheless inspired some grousing for its questionable feel. Sherman: "Nervous on center; requires small but constant corrections to maintain a straight path." Executive editor Mark Gillies, who initially anointed the RSX "the heir to the Honda CRX," later tempered his praise by writing: "As a steering fetishist, my biggest letdown with the RSX is the steering's poor on-center feel and nasty dead spot." Senior editor Eddie Alterman, never one to mince words, noted: "I'd like to point out that this car's steering sucks. Oh, it feels good when you've got it pointed straight, but it's completely artificial in quick evasive maneuvers."