For years now, Mazda has been known for making zippy cars that are fun to drive.  In almost every market segment, Mazda’s entry usually has just a little more “pop” than most of its competitors.  In addition, Mazda’s suspensions are tweaked toward sporty performance, giving a “road feel” that reminds one of their far more expensive European counterparts.

The downside of Mazda, especially in an era of gas prices that now have too many hungry middlemen to feed, is that they usually don’t get the best gas mileage in their respective market segments.  Usually, you sacrifice a few miles per gallon for Mazda performance.

That’s why the 2012 MAZDA3 iTouring is making waves in the industry.  Mazda has gone all out to find every power leak in its products, and has come up with an engine they call the Skyactiv-G.  For the MAZDA3 model, it is currently available only on the iTouring and the iGrand Touring trim levels.

The difference is startling, as the MAZDA3 iTouring and iGrand Touring both maintain their extra power while providing very competitive fuel economy.  The Skyactiv-G is the first engine to produce a 40 mile per gallon Mazda.

The MAZDA3 iTouring is a compact, and it comes with the aforementioned Skyactiv-G engine.  It is a 2.0 liter, inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 155 horsepower and 148 ft-lbs of torque.  It has 16-inch alloy wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 6-speed manual transmission.  It is rated at 28 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway.  It goes from zero to sixty in 8.1 seconds.

The MAZDA3 iTouring is the third of six trim levels, but still has plenty of creature comforts.  It has front sport seats with driver height adjustment, a split-folding rear seat, and cloth upholstery.  It also has a tilt-telescope steering wheel that houses cruise and audio controls, keyless entry, remote power locks, one-touch power windows, and power mirrors.

The iTouring also has air conditioning, electric speed-proportional power steering, simulated alloy trim on the doors, dash, and center console, leather and simulated alloy on the steering wheel and shift knob, a 12-volt front power outlet, remote trunk release, front seatback storage, a front storage console, door pockets and cupholders in both the front and rear, and a rear center console with storage.

The MAZDA3 iTouring is pre-wired for phone and bluetooth, and also has a trip computer.  The sound system has 6 speakers, AM/FM radio, a CD/MP3 player, and a audio input jack.  Satellite radio is available as an option, as are a compass and auto-dimming mirror with Homelink.

Each MAZDA3 comes with stability control, traction control, antilock brakes, brake assist, side curtain airbags, and side front airbags.  The iTouring also comes with a rear defogger, fog lights, a rear spoiler, and wheel locks.

Under the newer, more stringent US Government safety standards, the MAZDA3 received an overall rating of four stars, with a five-star rating for overall front impact protection.  The only drawback was that it got three stars for side impact.  This is offset, though, by perfect scores of “good” in all categories by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  Because the accuracy of IIHS tests and ratings determines how much money the insurance companies risk when they insure a vehicle, we always tend to believe the efficacy of their data over that of the US Government.  In other words, we see the MAZDA3 as a very safe car for its size.

Conclusions and Driver Feedback

The interior is slightly above average for its class.  It won’t remind you of a luxury car, but the materials are high-quality and the workmanship is solid.  There are a few harder materials, but most of what you will contact is soft-touch.  There is plenty of room in the front seat for a compact, with 42 inches of legroom and 38.9 inches of headroom, for a total head and legroom measurement of 80.9 inches, or almost 6 feet, 9 inches. The MAZDA3 is contoured with peak height directly over the heads of those in the front seat, which provides ample room for most drivers.

The rear seats, though, are a different story.  There is 37.5 inches of headroom, but only 36.2 inches of legroom, for a total slightly over six feet.  This is not bad for a compact, but taller riders will end up sitting with their knees very close to their chests.

The MAZDA3 iTouring “drives like a champ.”  If there is one theme to which we have consistently adhered  here, it’s that Mazda sedans and coupes are usually a lot more fun for the driver than they are for the passengers, especially in the smaller models.  The MAZDA3 has sacrificed a bit of its former “zip” for mileage, but it still has enough acceleration to make most drivers happy.  The suspension is still a star here, allowing drivers to hug the road, and responsive steering that helps the driver fully utilize the suspension.

The downside for passengers, though, is that the ride can feel a bit rough if you are not the person behind the wheel.  This is not a car for people who react badly to an occasional jolt, and who expect to drink uncovered beverages while riding.  There is also, predictably, a bit of road noise, but the aerodynamics keep wind noise to a minimum.

All in all, we see this as a slightly tamer MAZDA3 than those in previous years, but the mileage tradeoff is well worth it.  Even though acceleration is slightly down, this car has lost none of its agility, and is still the most fun a driver will have without moving up to a retro pony car or a European sports car.

It’s also safe enough that a young family could be very satisfied with this car, as long as the front passenger has a bit of a sense of humor.   The slight taming of the MAZDA3 and the resulting fuel economy has suddenly turned it into a car that makes sense even for conservative drivers.

The verdict: the market for this car has just been expanded to include family use, and those who require great fuel mileage have also been accommodated.  Very highly recommended.

In independent testing by a company not associated with the US government or any of the automakers, the 2012 Ford Fiesta SE Sedan bettered its EPA highway ratings of 38 miles per gallon by seven miles per gallon, with an actual performance of 45 miles per gallon.  This is a major game-changer for the model, and makes it a much better bargain, especially in the face of rising US gas prices.

The Ford Fiesta is the lowest-priced Ford, and the smallest at this time.  It is part of what is currently a very competitive market, with the Honda Fit in a dominant position, Hyundai finally getting the Accent right, Toyota’s slightly higher-priced Yaris, and entries from Chevy, Nissan, and Kia threatening to make a bit of noise.

At this point, there are so many subcompacts that it can be confusing.  Basically, though, there are five essential concerns about any compact car: safety, mileage, headroom and legroom in front seat, overall experience as a driver or passenger, and reliability.  Let’s take a look at the stats and specs first, and then give grades on the questions.

The 2012 Ford Fiesta SE is the middle of three trim levels.  It has a 1.6 liter, inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 120 horsepower and 112 lb-ft of torque.  It has 15-inch steel wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 5-speed manual transmission.   It goes from zero to sixty in 9.5 seconds.  The EPA rates it at 29 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway, but the aforementioned independent test rated it at 45 mpg on the highway.

The Fiesta SE has a tilt-telescope steering wheel, front bucket seats with premium cloth upholstery, a split-folding rear seatback, remote keyless entry, power locks, power windows, power mirrors, and speed-proportional power steering.

It also comes with standard air conditioning, simulated alloy trim on the steering wheel, shift knob, doors, and trim.  The Fiesta takes full advantage of every available cubic inch of space, with storage pockets on the front console, front seatbacks, and front doors, and cupholders in the front and rear. The Fiesta also comes with a trip computer, an external temperature display, and a rear defogger.

The sound system pushes 40 watts of power through four speakers with a CD/MP3 player, AM/FM radio, and an auxiliary input.  The Fiesta is also pre-wired for a phone.

The Fiesta is very safe for a small car.   It includes the five modern safety essentials: antilock brakes, stability control, traction control, side front airbags, and side curtain airbags.  In addition, it is the only car in its class to include driver’s knee airbags.

In US Government testing, which is much tougher than it was two years ago, the Fiesta got an overall rating of four stars out of five, with four stars for frontal protection and five stars for overall side protection.  In addition, it received perfect ratings of Good in all tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  This is unprecedented for small cars, but is rapidly becoming a trend as most of the major manufacturers respond to public demand for safer vehicles.

Conclusions and Driver Feedback.

The Fiesta, though small, provides a reasonable experience for the driver and front seat passenger.  It has 39.1 inches of headroom and 42.2 inches of legroom for a combined number of 81.3 inches, or slightly under seven feet.  This is due to a compact car trend of slightly lower seats and a design that includes a bit of an arch over the heads of those in the front seat.  The move toward more power with smaller engines has created a bit more space for the legs of those in the front seats, too.

The materials are soft-touch and the design is modern.  This provides an interior that is much better than one would have expected from this class of car even two years ago.  The controls are in a center stack, and look fairly attractive.  They can be a bit complicated for some at first, but are fine after a few drives.

The rear seats, though, are pretty much recommended for small passengers or storage only.  There are 37.1 inches of headroom, but a paltry 31.2 inches of legroom for a total of 68.3 inches, or slightly over 5 feet, 8 inches.  Youngsters won’t mind, but teenagers or adults will not be happy in the back seat.

The trunk offers an average 12.8 cubic feet of storage, while the rear seat only brings storage up to 26 cubic feet.  This is not nearly as much as some of its competitors, and makes the Fiesta best for a single driver or a couple.

Where the Fiesta shines, besides its surprising fuel economy, is the driving experience.  This is one of the most surprising developments in the evolution of the Fiesta.  It accelerates well for its market segment, and is very smooth, both in acceleration and shifting.  Thanks to near-perfect adjustment of the power steering to the suspension, the Fiesta is almost like a more-expensive European car in its ability to drive like a sport car without sacrificing the ride quality.

For the last few years, Honda has really had their way with this market segment.  Up to now, the Fiesta has been a solid car, but nothing like what they have done this year.  If you read many of the reviews on this site, you may have deduced that we haven’t exactly been fans of the compact car segment here.  Thanks to Honda raising the bar and companies like Ford responding, the segment has suddenly become one with a lot of desirable choices.

Remember those five essentials we cited at the beginning of this post?  Here are our grades for the Fiesta:

Safety: A minus

Fuel Economy:  A plus

Front seat headroom and legroom: A

Overall experience as driver or passenger: B plus

Reliability: projected as an A

Total Grade: A

Out of all of the important things, the only drawback we see here is the lack of storage space caused by the very small back seat.  It is the only reason we didn’t give this car an A for the overall experience.

The Fiesta was already one of the cars usually mentioned whenever people were making comparisons in this market segment, but we are frankly stunned by what Ford has done here.  For a car this size to have ample headroom and legroom in the front, while obtaining scores of four and five stars in the new US Government tests is astounding.  It is also very impressive that they have managed to make this car drive so well while producing great fuel economy.

The verdict: if you can handle being in a small car, a resounding yes.

On Sunday, Fiat showed that they are serious about marketing their Fiat 500 Abarth in the US by spending a ton of money on one of the best ads in the Super Bowl.  The ad featured Romanian model Cartinel Menghia, who didn’t speak a word of English until saying “You’ll never forget the first time you see one” at the end of the ad, but left a huge impression on the US audience.

Now that they have gotten everyone’s attention, it raises a question: is the product as good as the commercial?

The Fiat 500 Abarth is a very small car.  For comparison, it is seven inches shorter and two inches narrower than a Mini Cooper.  Despite its size, Fiat has managed to give it 2533 pounds of curb weight.  While its sibling, the Pop, is a standard car, the Abarth is a sport coupe, and has a lot of subtle and not-so-subtle performance tweaks.

The Abarth has a turbocharged 1.4 liter, inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 160 horsepower and 170 ft-lbs of torque.  It has front-wheel drive and a 5-speed manual transmission, with 16-inch alloy wheels.  It goes from zero to sixty in 6.8 seconds, and it’s mileage is estimated at 27 in the city and 32 on the highway.

There are plenty of conveniences in the Abarth.  It has a tilt-only steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, one-touch power windows, remote power locks, power mirrors that are also heated, and electric power steering.

Whlle the Abarth does have a front and rear seat, the rear seat is more of a “2 + 2″ afterthought than a real seat.  The front seat gives you 38.9 inches of headroom and 40.7 inches of legroom for a total of 79.6 inches, which will handle someone in the 6-5 range with no problem.  The rear seat, though, provides 35.5 inches of headroom and 31.7 inches of legroom, for a total of 67.3 inches, which is realistically going to be comfortable only for someone less than 5-6 or so.

There are plenty of creature comforts and amenities here.  The Abarth has leather on the shift knob and steering wheel, standard air conditioning, front sport seats with driver height adjustment, front reading lights, a cargo area light, storage in the front console,  storage on the front seatbacks, front door pockets, and front and rear cupholders.  There is also a trip computer, a rear defogger, and a rear wiper.

The audio system has a Bose subwoofer, six premium Bose speakers, AM/FM radio with a CD/MP3 player, an audio jack, an iPod input, and a USB port.  The Abarth is pre-wired for phone, and has a bluetooth wireless data link.

The Abarth has most of the standard modern safety features.  It has 4-wheel antilock brakes, stability control, traction control, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, and driver’s knee airbags.  It also has active front head restraints to help prevent whiplash.

The Abarth received perfect ratings of “good” from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for front protection, side protection, and roof strength.  It wasn’t tested for rear protection, though, and the US Government tests for a generic 500 received only two stars out of five for rear protection.

Conclusions and driver feedback.

The Fiat 500 Abarth is a tale of two cars.  For Fiat fans, it is a lone-awaited and welcome car that reconnects them with Fiats of days gone by.  For those who aren’t familiar with Fiat and have no emotional attachment to the brand and its past models, it’s another very small car.

Subcompacts have their own set of problems.  They are more difficult for addled drivers to see, and their weight and size put them on the negative end of the “energy equals mass times velocity squared” equation.  In other words, they are more likely to get into accidents and less likely to provide a lot of protection.   Also, getting in and out can be problematic for those who are large or have other physical limitations.

That being said, this car’s combination of looks and performance can be very appealing to the younger crowd, and its price is definitely in the ballpark for someone wanting a high-performance car at a very moderate price.

The interior of this car is very nice.  In this case, the “cockpit” looks a lot like an airplane cockpit.   Because it is so small, all of the controls are easy to reach, and they are intuitively placed.  One thing you won’t get much of, though, is room.  Even though there is plenty of head and legroom, the wheel is right on top of you.  The steering wheel doesn’t telescope because there would be no place for it to go if it did.  Also, there are only 30.2 cubic feet of storage, and only 9.5 cubic feet without using the back seat.

As for performance, there is plenty to like about the Abarth.  It won’t win any races, but it has a lot of zip, and is quite an agile car.  The Abarth is a nice bridge between a standard subcompact and a larger sport coupe.   The acceleration is better than a standard car, but not as good as a larger sport couple.  There isn’t a lot on the top end, but the average buyer isn’t going to drive much faster than 80 mph anyway.

The Abarth is great at getting in and out of traffic.  As you might imagine, it has a pretty small turning radius.  It also hugs the road quite well.  Also, due to a nice tweak linking stablity control with a locking differential, torque steer is almost non-existent.

As you might imagine, you can definitely feel the road underneath you, as the suspension is tweaked for sporty performance.  Along with the overall size, it keeps body roll to a minimum.  The steering is very responsive due to the suspension and the adjustment of the electronic power steering.   All in all, though, it is a lot more fun to be the driver than the passenger.

The verdict: for Fiat fans, the car is as good as the commercial.  And who knows: they may produce an entire new generation of Fiat drivers.  We recommend this for the young and the brave only, though.

Find the best price deals on a 2012 Kia Sedona LX.

The Kia Sedona was first marketed in the US for the 1998 model year.  It is also marketed elsewhere as the Kia Carnival, and has a few other names in various countries, too.  It was even sold as the Hyundai Entourage from 2007 to 2009 in the US.   The Sedona is currently in its second generation.

The Kia Sedona is a minivan, and it was Kia’s best-selling product when it first came out.  It had the same features as the market segment entries from the other automakers, but sold for a few thousand dollars less.  Although some of the materials were inexpensive hard plastic, nobody really complained.

Also, consumers and competitors alike expected Kia vehicles to have reliability and durability issues, but they have turned out to be somewhere in the middle: they won’t last twenty years, but they won’t deteriorate in the first few, either.  Even with the perception that Kia couldn’t deliver a great vehicle for the amount of money they were charging, the 2006 Sedona was cited as a “Gold Top Safety Pick” by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The 2012 Kia Sedona LX is the lower of two trim levels.  We chose it over the EX for review because it has plenty of features, and costs an average of $5,000 less than the higher trim.  The Sedona LX has a 3.5 liter, V6 engine that produces 271 horsepower and 248 foot-pounds of torque.  It has 16-inch steel wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control.  It is rated at 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

The 2012 Kia Sedona LX comes with a tilt-adjustable steering wheel that houses the audio and cruise controls, front captain’s chair seats, split-folding and reclining second-row seats, and split-bench, manual folding third-row seats.  It comes with remote power door locks, power windows, power mirrors, power steering, 12-volt outlets in the front and rear, front and rear air conditioning, turn signals in the mirrors, privacy glass, a rear wiper, a rear defogger, a roof rack, swing-out rear quarter windows, and cargo tie downs.

The LX has Bluetooth, and is pre-wired for telephone.  The audio system has 6 speakers, AM/FM radio, a CD/MP3 player, a three-month subscription to Sirius satellite radio, an iPod jack, an audio jack, and a USB connection.  Some lesser conveniences include front and overhead storage consoles, cupholders in all three rows of seats, front door pockets, reading lights, and cargo lights.

The LX has the requisite safety features.  These include traction control, stability control, antilock brakes with brake-assist, a rear parking sensor, side front airbags, and side curtain airbags for the entire seating area.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Sedona perfect scores of “good” for frontal-offset, side impacts, rear impact, and head restraint.

Conclusions and driver feedback:

Kia has upgraded their interior materials since the original model came out, but it is still much more of a practical design than a luxury design.  The dash is unpretentious, and the controls, other than the heating and air conditioning, are easy to both locate and operate.

As with most minivans, there is plenty of both headroom and legroom.  The combined headroom and legroom measurement in the front seat is 82.6 inches, or six feet ten inches, and the rear measurement is 80.7 inches.  We don’t have a measurement for the third row, but even it can hold adults with no problem.  In addition, the seats themselves are comfortable, so the Sedona is perfect for long trips.  The cargo area behind the seats provides 32.2 cubic feet of space, and you can expand it to a very roomy 141.5 cubic feet by removing the second row of seats, and folding the third row of seats into the floor.

The engine provides enough power for decent acceleration and smooth, consistent performance at highway speeds.  The steering is very responsive, while the suspension is adjusted to a very nice “sweet spot” between performance and comfort.  The result is that the Sedona holds the road nicely, while giving a very compliant ride, with a minimum of body roll.   There is also minimal road, wind, and engine noise, which enhances the experience even more.

There is a lot to like about this car.  We really like the ratio of cargo space to fuel economy.  We also like the abundant conveniences for a base trim.  The only problem here is that most of the competitors in this market segment are remodeled or updated heavily for this year, while the Sedona didn’t change much from last year.

We would like to give this minivan a high recommendation, but can’t quite do that in the face of its competition.  The Sedona is a very nice minivan, but this year is a bit of a “negative sweet spot” for this model.  It is still a nice vehicle for the price, but there is so much competition out there with remodeled and updated products that you would almost be negligent not to check them out.  Also, some other interiors are a bit nicer than the Sedona for this year.

The verdict: if you are a Kia fan, you will probably love this van.  Even so, we would recommend finding a new 2011 at a distressed price, or waiting for a 2013 update.    Otherwise, you might want to check out a lot of the competition.

Options, higher trim, and miscellaneous caveats:

The good news is that there are a lot of options.  You can get most of the EX upgrades as individual options, and you can also get a rear seat entertainment system, a Power Package, a trailer hitch, and wheel locks.

Upgrading to the EX gets you a leather-wrapped steering wheel, power-adjustable front seats, power tailgate, 17-inch alloy wheels, wood interior trim, a trip computer, a rearview camera, and dual power-sliding doors.  The other options are broken into packages for the EX only.  These include the Luxury, Navigation, and Premium Entertainment packages.  The are all pretty self-explanatory.

Please feel free to browse our inventory, and always contact at least three dealers to ensure the best prices.

Find the best price deal on a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8.

For the first time since 2006, Jeep is again making the Grand Cherokee SRT8.  The Jeep Grand Cherokee was in the works for fifteen years until it was finally released in 1993.  It is now in its fourth generation, known in-house as the WK2.  The Grand Cherokee, unlike many midsize SUV’s, has always used the same unibody construction that most SUV’s now utilize.

The current generation of the Grand Cherokee is by far the best they have manufactured.  Grand Cherokees used to be known for their off-road chops, but had a reputation for cheap materials and a lack of refinement when driven on pavement.  Then, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz bought Chrysler.

The current generation of Grand Cherokees borrows heavily from Mercedes-Benz in design and materials.  The SRT8 trim, which we consider to be a separate model, is the high-performance version.   “SRT” stands for “Street Racing Team.”  They usually concentrate on muscle and pony cars, but have lent their particular talents to the Grand Cherokee for 2012.  The result is a refined, high-performance SUV that borders on luxury.

The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 has a 6.4 liter V8 engine that produces 470 horsepower and 465 foot-pounds of torque.  It has 20-inch forged aluminum wheels, 295/45ZR20 tires, 4-wheel drive, and a 5-speed shiftable automatic transmission.  It is rated at 12 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway.  There is no official zero to sixty time yet, but unofficially, it is in the 4.6 range of its 2006 predecessor.

The Grand Cherokee SRT8 comes with a tilt-telescope, leather-covered steering wheel which houses the cruise, audio, and transmission controls.  It has heated, power 8-way front bucket seats with height adjustment, lumbar support, and height adjustment.  It also features suede leather upholstery and rear split-folding seats that also recline and slide for maximum comfort.  It also has keyless entry, power windows, power mirrors, power steering, and remote window operation.

You will also find 2-zone climate control divided between driver and front passenger, adaptive cruise control that uses a radar sensor to adjust speeds, 12-volt power outlets in the front and cargo areas, a 115-volt outlet in the rear seating area, a universal remote transmitter for garage doors and security systems, a front storage console, storage pockets on the back of the front seats, an overhead storage console, and front and rear cupholders.

There is carbon, leather, and alloy trim on the doors, carbon trim on the dash, alloy and leather trim on the console, leather trim on the steering knobs, a heated steering wheel, turn signals in the mirrors, memorized settings for two drivers including the audio system, a trip computer, a roof rack, a rear defogger, a rear wiper, privacy glass, a flip-up rear liftgate window, a liftgate door, automatic xenon headlights, and front and rear foglights.

The entertainment system has 9 premium Alpine speakers including one subwoofer, 506 watts of power, a DVD player, a video monitor, AM/FM radio, a CD/MP3 player, Sirius satellite radio with one year of service included, USB and iPod ports, and an audio jack.  There is also a hard drive-based navigation system with realtime traffic, Bluetooth, and hard-wiring for a telephone.

The Grand Cherokee SRT8 also comes with premium, self-drying, Brembo antilock brakes, active front head restraints, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, stability control, traction control, rear parking sensor, and a post-collision safety system.

Conclusions and Driver Feedback:

The interior was always one of the main drawbacks in any Jeep product.  They were all made to be abused off-road and cleaned with a hose when you were finished.  As a result, the Grand Cherokee used to be very plain on the interior.  Now, the interior looks as good as that of any domestic, non-luxury SUV on the market, and it is a lot closer to the luxury models than one would ever expect from anything with a Jeep nameplate.  The design is attractive, while the materials are high-quality, but still appropriate for rugged use.

The seats are both comfortable and supportive for short jaunts, off-road abuse, or long trips.  There is plenty of cabin space, with a combined headroom and legroom of 80.3 inches in the front seats, and a surprising 77.8 inches in the back seat.  Cargo space is average, with 35 cubic feet in the cargo area and another 34 cubic feet if you fold the rear seat, for a total of 69.

The Grand Cherokee SRT8 has an adaptive suspension that is built specially for high performance in this model.  It  handles almost like a sport car, while somehow maintaining off-road chops and providing a very comfortable ride.  The steering is precise and the suspension is extremely responsive, allowing it to hug the road at high speeds, even in corners.  There is even a rear spoiler to help with the aerodynamics caused by a slightly high center of gravity, and the low-profile tires help decrease the overall height.

The engine is the best ever put into a Jeep.  It accelerates like its former cousins at Mercedes-Benz, and operates at high speeds with almost no effort.  The end result is that the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is a “sleeper” that rivals the Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon.

When we reviewed last year’s Grand Cherokee, we noted that Jeep has finally gotten the Grand Cherokee right.  With the reintroduction of the SRT8 model, Jeep has upped the ante, making it the most fun SUV made in the US, on the road or off the road.

The verdict: very highly recommended.  We just can’t figure out if it is a muscle car disguised as an SUV or an SUV disguised as a muscle car.  Either way, the Grand Cherokee delivers the goods.

We usually reserve this space for options and other trims, but almost all of the “optional” equipment is included on this model.   The lower trim levels will be reviewed separately, because they are totally different from the SRT8.  For the record, they are the Laredo, the Limited, and the Overland.   We like them, too, but they are much more mainstream, both in price and performance.

Find the best price deals on a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS. 

If the Hyundai Santa Fe seems a little bit like a Hyunda Sonata to you, it’s because they share the same platform.  It was Hyundai’s first SUV, and debuted in 2001.  While it was roundly slammed by critics and reviewers for its plain countenance, US buyers disagreed, and would quickly turn the Santa Fe into Hyundai’s best-selling vehicle in the US.

The Santa Fe is now in the last year of its second generation.  Sometimes, that works out great, but sometimes, the manufacturer is so busy planning for the next model that they forget to take care of business on the current one.  The 2012 model didn’t really get a lot of changes for this year.  Luckily for their customers, the qualities that make the Santa Fe popular with buyers are still there, and an update really wasn’t necessary.

the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS is the basic trim level out of three.  We chose it as the best “bang for your buck” because it is more of a practical vehicle, and the buyer base doesn’t need bells and whistles as much as it needs competent, reliable, safe transportation.  The GLS has a 2.4 liter, inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 175 horsepower and 169 foot-pounds of torque.  It has 17-inch steel wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shifters.  It is rated at 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.

The Santa Fe GLS comes with a tilt-telescope steering wheel that houses audio and cruise controls, bucket front seats with driver lumbar support, a split-folding rear seat with a center armrest, cloth upholstery, remote locks, power windows, power mirrors, heated mirrors, power steering, air conditioning, and a 12-volt power outlet.

It also has a front console, rear console, and pockets on the back of the front seats for storage, front and rear cupholders, front and rear pockets on the doors, simulated wood trim on the doors, dash, and console, a trip computer, a roof rack, privacy glass, a rear defogger, and a rear wiper.

The audio system has 120 watts of power, 6 speakers, an AM/FM radio, a CD/MP3 player, XM satellite radio with a 3 month subscription included, an audio jack, an iPod input, and a USB port.  It has Bluetooth and is pre-wired for telephone.

All of the modern standard safety features are there, including antilock brakes, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, stability control, traction control, and hill-descent brake control.  There are no US government test results as of this writing, but the Santa Fe did get perfect scores of “good” in front-offset, side impact, and roof strength from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Conclusions and Driver Feedback:

The interior is rather plain or practical, depending on your point of view.  The dash is simply designed, and the controls are easy to understand and use.  The materials are medium-grade: some softer things with a few cheaper hard plastic parts thrown in.  It isn’t ornate, but it is very user-friendly.

There is plenty of space in both the front and rear seats.  The combined head and legroom measurement in the front seat is 82.8 inches, or 6 feet 10 inches for those who don’t have time to get out the calculator.  The rear seat measurement is a surprising 76.4 inches.  One caveat here is that some find the driver’s seat to be awkwardly positioned, and a test drive for comfort is mandatory.  The rear seats are very comfortable for short commutes or long trips, though.

There is plenty of cargo space.  There are 34.2 cubic feet in the cargo area, and folding down the rear seats adds another 44 cubic feet for a total of 78.2.  This is more than most in its market segment.

If you are looking for excitement behind the wheel, you won’t find it here.  Everything is tweaked  toward passenger comfort.  The result is average steering, a lot of body roll, and a smooth ride as long as you don’t opt for the bigger wheels.  The engine isn’t really all that exciting, either.  It has enough power to accelerate OK and cruise without a lot of effort at highway speeds, but isn’t going to help you dart in and out of traffic.

All in all, this is a nice, conservative family vehicle, and is OK for a single or couple whose days of expecting excitement behind the wheel are over.  If you want a dependable, reliable vehicle that will get you from point A to point B with a minimum of drama, the Santa Fe is right in your sweet spot.  Luckily for Hyundai, that is exactly what Santa Fe buyers have come to expect.

The verdict: we really want to recommend this vehicle to conservative drivers, so we will, but with a few caveats.  This model is close to the 2011, so we would recommend first trying to get a 2011 at a distressed or clearance price before buying the 2012.  We also think that waiting for the 2013 model might be a really good idea, too.  If you are not a conservative driver, though, this vehicle could either frustrate you or bore you to tears.

Options and other trim levels:

One of the first options we would recommend is going to the V6 engine.  It has 276 horsepower and 248 foot-pounds of torque, which is a lot more than the inline 4, and still gets a the same mileage in the city (20 mpg) and only loses 2 mpg on the highway (26).  Unfortunately, you have to go to the SE level to get it.

The second option is all-wheel drive, which chops another mile off highway fuel economy, but is invaluable for driving in inclement conditions.

There are two higher trim levels: the SE and the Limited.  Besides the V6 engine, the SE adds foglights, automatic headlights, 18-inch wheels, and a rear spoiler, and 8-way power driver’s seat with lumbar adjustment,  leather-wrapped shift knob, leather-wrapped steering wheel, with an auto-dimming rear-view mirror.    You can also get a sun roof, a navigation system, a better audio system, and a rearview camera by getting the Premium package.

If you go up to the Limited, you get leather upholstery, heated front seats, a 10-speaker Infinity surround sound system, and a 115-volt power outlet.

Find the best price deal on a 2012 Honda Pilot LX SUV.

The Honda Pilot is a mid-size crossover SUV with three rows of seating.  In other words, its market segment is those who want the smallest vehicle one can buy to carry the largest amount of people.  Honda has done a great job on smaller vehicles, but results are mixed on their larger ones.

On the positive side of the ledger, the Pilot has been a successful product for Honda.  Sales volume has been high, as has resale value.  On the other hand, they they tend to be sluggish, plain, and they take too long to come to a stop.   The current Honda Pilot is a second generation model, and there were a lot of improvements.  But are they enough to keep up with the improvements everyone else has made?

The 2012 Honda Pilot LX is the lowest of four trim levels.  It has a 3.5 liter V6 engine that produces 250 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque.  It has 17-inch steel wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 5-speed automatic transmission.  It is rated at 18 mpg in the city and 25 mph on the highway, and allegedly goes from zero to sixty in 9.7 seconds.

The Pilot LX comes with a tilt-telescope steering wheel that houses cruise control, bucket front seats with driver height adjustment, cloth upholstery, split-folding and reclining second row seats with center armrest, and manual folding third row bench seats.  It also features power locks, power windows, power mirrors, speed-proportional power steering,  12-volt outlets in the front, rear, and cargo areas, front and rear air conditioning, and a trip computer.

There are plenty of storage nooks and crannies, too.  The front and overhead consoles are for storage, as are pockets on the backs of the front seats, front and rear door pockets, and the cupholders in all three rows of seats.  You will also notice a rear defogger, rear wiper, power liftgate window, a rear liftgate door, cargo tie downs, a trailer hitch, and trailer wiring.

The audio system has 6 standard speakers, a subwoofer, 229 watts of output, AM/FM radio, CD/MP3 player, an audio jack, speed sensitive volume control, and a radio data system.

The Pilot also has antilock brakes, stability control, traction control, side front airbags, side curtain airbags all the way to the back, brake hill holder, and active front head restraints.  In testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Pilot got their highest score of “good” for frontal offset and side impact tests, but only their second-worst of “marginal” for roof strength.  Also, most people who have brake tested the Pilot get a stopping distance of close to 150 feet from sixty mph.  That is twenty to thirty feet longer than most vehicles, and requires conservative driving or quick reflexes to counteract.

Conclusions and Driver Feedback:

For 2012, Honda addressed one of the Pilot’s shortcomings: the confusing, user-unfriendly dashboard.  Now, the controls are mostly well-placed and a lot easier to find and understand.  The design is modern but plain, especially in a lower trim level without the navigation system.  The materials are midgrade, with nothing that looks too cheap, but nothing that will provide a lot in the way of visual stimulation, either.

There is plenty of room in the first two rows of seats.  The combined headroom and legroom measurement in the front is 81.4 inches, while the second row measurement is a generous 78.3 inches.  They don’t provide a third row measurement, but the third row can comfortably seat adults.  There are 87 cubic feet of cargo space with the second and third row seats folded, with 18 cubic feet in the rear storage area behind the seats.

The Pilot is adjusted for passenger comfort.  The steering is not as responsive as one would like, and the suspension produces a lot of body roll.  The upside is that the ride is very comfortable.  The engine is not really enough for the Pilot’s body weight, though.  Basically, the Pilot is slow to accelerate and slow to stop.  Even though it has a unibody construction, it is still quite heavy.  It rides like a car, but drives more like a truck at times.

All in all, the Pilot is a decent SUV, but nothing special.  Honda does a superb job at compact and midsize cars, but they don’t seem to have as much experience with larger vehicles as the US “Big Three,” or even Toyota or Nissan.

The Pilot will provide solid performance for Honda fans.  It will, as is Honda’s main strength, get you from point A to point B with minimal drama.  We are concerned, though, with the braking distance.  For very conservative drivers, it probably won’t be a problem.  But for those who try to multitask behind the wheel in today’s busy society, it could be a problem.

Also, while Honda is putting out a decent product, the competition seems to be outworking them in this market segment.  Honda does such a great job at small cars that one could imagine they put most of their resources into those market segments.  We can’t really fault them for that, but we don’t really feel comfortable in recommending this vehicle without caveats, either.

The verdict: OK, but only if you are a very safe, alert driver, and really want a Honda.  Otherwise, check out some of the competition.

Options and other trims:

Honda doesn’t really list any major options on the LX.  Instead, you need to go to higher trims to get more features.  The second trim is the EX.  It will give you 18-inch alloy wheels, and adds an 8-way power driver seat with lumbar adjustment, foglights, 3-zone climate control, Bluetooth, 2 GB of music storage, and audio controls on the steering wheel.

The next trim is the EX-L.   It adds leather upholstery, a sunroof, heated front seats, a power liftgate, a power passenger seat, a rearview camera, satellite radio, and a USB/iPod interface.  It also gives you the option of a voice-operated navigation system and/or a rear-seat DVD entertainment system.

The Touring model gives all of the above, plus parking sensors, roof rails, a premium 10-speaker audio system, and driver memory functions.

Find the best price deals on a 2012 Buick Regal GS.

The Buick Regal first came on the market in 1973.  Buick discontinued it in the US in 2004, but reintroduced it for the 2011 model year.  The Regal is now called an “upscale sport sedan.”  In the lower trim levels, it doesn’t really quite fit the bill.  Luckily for Buick fans, those who want to pony up for the highest trim, called the GS, get a very nice car that is a lot closer to what they might have in mind.

The 2012 Buick Regal GS has a 2.0 liter, turbocharged, inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 270 horsepower and 290 foot-pounds of torque.  It has 19-inch alloy wheels, 245/40R19 tires, front-wheel drive, and a 6-speed, manual transmission.  It is rated at 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.  It goes from zero to sixty in 6.9 seconds.

The Regal GS comes with a leather and simulated alloy trim, tilt-telescope steering wheel that houses the audio and cruise controls, 8-way heated front sport seats with height adjustment and power lumbar support, 60/40 split-folding rear seatbacks, leather upholstery, remote power locks, power windows, power mirrors, heated mirrors, and speed-proportional power steering.

The GS also comes with a 12-volt power outlet in the front and a 120-volt outlet in the rear, a universal remote for garage door openers and security systems, 2-zone climate control, leather and chrome trim on the console, wood trim on the dash, chrome, leather, and simulated wood trim on the doors, a trip computer, a sun sensor, a chrome grille, a rear defogger, and automatic xenon headlights.

The 356-watt audio system has Bluetooth, 7 conventional Harman Kardon speakers, two subwoofers for a total of 9 speakers, AM/FM radio, a CD/MP3 player, Sirius XM satellite radio with 3 free months of service, an audio jack, an  iPod input, a USB port, and 5.1 surround-sound.  The Regal is pre-wired for telephone.

There are plenty of safety features here.  One of the more unusual is upgraded Brembo antilock brakes, which stop the Regal GS from 60 mph in 110 feet.  There are also front and rear parking sensors, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, rear seat thorax airbags, traction control, stability control, and the GM OnStar emergency communication system.  In testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Regal received perfect scores of “good” for side-impact, frontal-offset, and roof strength.

Conclusions and Driver Feedback:

The Regal’s design is very nice.  The dashboard has a very nice, modern curve to it that is visually and aesthetically pleasing.  The wood trim elements are a very nice touch.   Some may have issues with the center stack controls, as many of them look alike, but it isn’t a problem for most drivers after they get used to it.

The cabin space tries very hard to avoid the standard cliche for cars that call themselves sport cars: a lot of space in the front and not so much in the back.  The combined head and legroom in the front seat is a generous 80.9 inches, and the same measurement in the rear seat is 74.1.  That actually allows passengers slightly over 6 feet tall to sit comfortably in the back seat.  The trunk has 14.2 cubic feet of space, but is a bit narrow compared to other cars its size.

The GS has a very sporty suspension.  The steering is very responsive, and the suspension, combined with the very low-profile tires, helps the GS hug the road while cornering or even while taking curves “at speed.”   The GS will give you a very engaging driving experience, especially if you take it out on winding or mountain roads.  Thankfully, the tight, sport-tuned suspension doesn’t detract a lot from the ride.  It isn’t the mushy Buick ride you might expect, but it certainly isn’t a bad ride, either.  The cabin is quiet and a passenger can detach from the environment for awhile if he or she wants to.

We chose the GS to review because we feel it is the trim level that most closely matches Buick’s description and intent with this model.  The main thing that sets the GS apart from the other trim levels is its turbocharged engine with free-flowing exhaust that boosts its power even more.  It provides plenty of power for high-performance acceleration and effortless cruising at highway speeds.

There are also three “driving modes” on the GS.  The modes adjust fuel rate and other factors to either give you high mileage, high performance, or the setting in between.  They are called standard, sport, and GS.  The GS is the mode that really allows you to maximize performance.

There is one stumbling block with this engine, though: a lag between hitting the accelerator and the turbo boost.  Buick is trying to turn the Regal into a US version of a European sport sedan.  They are very close to doing it, but the turbo lag has got to be addressed somewhere down the line.  At this point, it might be the only factor that it separating the Regal GS from Buick’s stated mission: “a driving experience that rivals the best import sport sedans in the segment.”

The verdict: definitely worth serious consideration.  The turbo lag is the only factor that is keeping us from putting the “highly recommended” tag on it.  If you can take the turbo lag, this will probably be a slam dunk.  If the lag bothers you, and you have a few more thousand bucks to spend, you might want to check out one of those European imports Buick cites as it’s competition.

Options and other trims:

The GS is the highest trim level, and most of the “optional” equipment for other trims is standard on the GS.  There are a few goodies you can add, though.    The one we would recommend is the navigation system, but you can also get a sunroof and 20-inch wheels with summer performance tires.

The other trim levels start at almost $9,000 less than the GS.  The base doesn’t have the turbo boost and we only recommend it for people who want a car that looks sporty but doesn’t accelerate very well.  The Regal is also available with a mild hybrid, “e-assist” engine.  Once again, it is going to be a sport sedan in looks and name only.

Find the best price deals on a 2012 Dodge Journey SXT.

The Dodge Journey is a relative newcomer on the crossover SUV landscape.  It has been in production since the 2008 model year.  It is a midsize crossover SUV, and is in its third set of revisions.   Dodge is now spending a lot of money advertising the Journey on US television, which indicates that they are serious about it being one of their more desirable vehicles.

TV advertising is funny sometimes.  It can make almost anything look great.  You are bombarded with a melange of images, all leading you to somehow conclude that what you are looking at is an exciting, groundbreaking, smashing hit, and that you can’t do without it.   We make no bones about it here, though; we can do without the 4-cylinder engine.

Luckily for you, all you have to do to get a very nice V6 engine is avoid the lowest trim level and move up to the SXT, which is the second-highest trim level.  Let’s take a look and see how the Journey SXT fares in a highly-competitive market segment.

The 2012 Dodge Journey SXT has a 3.6 liter, V6 flex-fuel engine that produces 283 horsepower and 260 foot-pounds of torque.  It has 17-inch alloy wheels, front-wheel drive, and a 6-speed shiftable automatic transmission.  It is rated at 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

The Journey SXT comes with a tilt-telescope steering wheel that houses the audio and cruise controls, front bucket seats with driver height adjustment, a split-folding, reclining rear seat, power locks, doors, and windows, remote entry, power steering, 12-volt outlets in the front and cargo areas, 2-zone air conditioning, a roof rack, privacy glass, a rear defogger, a rear wiper, a rear liftgate door with a fixed window, cargo tie downs, automatic headlights, and foglights.

The audio system has 6 speakers, AM/FM radio, a CD/MP3 player, Sirius satellite radio, with a free 12-month subscription, an audio jack, an iPod port, and a USB port.  The Journey SXT is also  pre-wired for a telephone.

One thing that does stand out about the Journey is that it is one of the safer vehicles on the road.  It has antilock brakes, stability control, traction control, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, driver’s knee airbags, and active front head restraints.  In testing from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, it got perfect scores of “good” in side impact, frontal-offset, and roof strength tests.

Conclusions and Driver Feedback:

When the Journey first came out, it was, to be blunt, for Dodge loyalists only.  The materials and workmanship were bottom rung, and it looked and drove like something made twenty years ago.  This was great twenty years ago, but there is simply too much competition out there now for any automaker to have the “luxury” of being able to fall asleep on the job.

For the 2012 model, though, the Journey is top-notch.  The materials are all high-quality, and the interior shows some flair and imagination.  The design is sleek,  modern, and practical, with touches like integrated child seats thrown in.  The controls are well-placed and easy to operate.

There is plenty of cabin space, too.  The combined front head and legroom is 81.6 inches, while the rear measurement is 73.5 inches.  The rear seat reclines to create more headroom for taller passengers.  There is a total of 67.6 cubic feet of cargo space, with 39.6 of it behind the passenger area, while the rest is created by folding the rear seats down.  There are also storage bins for small objects hidden under the first row passenger seat and the entire rear seat.

We like how the journey drives and rides.  The star of the show is the perfectly-conceived 3.6 liter engine.  This engine is showing up in a lot of Dodge models, and for good reason.  It is a great combination of reasonable fuel economy and enough power to make driving fun.   If the Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep track record is any indication, it will probably turn out to be one of the longer-lasting engines in the business.

The Journey accelerates very nicely, and drives smoothly at higher speeds with minimal engine noise.   The steering is very responsive, and so is the suspension.  The end result is very good handling with minimal body roll.  The handling doesn’t come at the expense of the ride, either.  The Journey is solid, and the ride isn’t a luxury ride, but it is right in line with most of the market segment.  Also, subtle aerodynamic changes from the original have not only helped fuel economy, but also help the Journey ride quietly with minimal wind noise.

All in all, the Journey is a nice crossover SUV.  There really is a lot to like about it, and not much to dislike, especially with the V6 engine.  It is very possible that this engine could turn out to be like the 4.0 Jeep engine down the road, and a lot of Journeys could end up seeing 200,000 miles on their odometers.   Everything about this SUV is practical, reliable, and safe, with a hint of fun and excitement built in.

The only real quibble with this year’s model is that we would like to see a few more amenities built in.  There are some very nice options available, both as add-0ns and as standard equipment on the highest trim level, but some competitors are giving a bit more in the way of conveniences and creature comforts for a similar price.

The verdict: there is a lot to like about this SUV, and we would like to give it a high recommendation, but we are going to go a notch below.  In other words, it is a slam dunk for Dodge fans, but others may want to check out the competition, too.

Options:

There are some nice options available.   Dodge offers 4-wheel drive, which is great for driving in inclement weather or rougher climates.  The Comfort/Convenience Group contains a fold-flat rear seat, and a 6-way power driver seat with 4-way power lumbar adjustment.  The Popular Equipment Group adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel and remote ignition.

If you move up to the premium trim, called the Crew, you get all of these plus Bluetooth, an upgraded audio system, and 2-zone climate control.  Other options are available, but these are the highlights.

Find the best price deals on a 2012 Audi A3 2.0 Premium Quattro Wagon.

Audi calls the Audi A3  a “small family car.”  It is classified in the marketplace as a small luxury 4-door hatchback.  The A3 has been around since 1996.  It is currently on its second generation, with two updates, the last one in 2008.  The Audi A3 is a versatile car that tries to be everything to everybody.  On some levels it succeeds.  On some it doesn’t.  Let’s take a closer look at the 2.0T Premium Quattro trim and see how it stacks up against the competition.

The 2012 Audi A3 2.0 Premium Quattro Wagon has a 2.0 liter, turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 200 horsepower and 207 foot-pounds of torque.  It has 17-inch alloy wheels, Audi’s “quattro” all-wheel drive, and a 6-speed, automated manual transmission.  It is rated at 21 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.

The 2.0T Premium comes with a tilt-telescope, leather-wrapped steering wheel, front bucket seats with height and lumbar adjustment, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, leather upholstery, keyless entry, power locks, windows, and mirrors, cruise control, remote trunk release, electric speed-proportional power steering, and 12-volt power outlets in the front and cargo areas.

It also has 2-zone climate control divided between driver and passenger, leather trim on the shift knob, simulated alloy trim on the doors, dash, and console, a trip computer, a real spoiler, a rear defogger, a rear wiper, cargo tie downs, and foglights.  The audio system has 140 watts of output, 9 conventional speakers, one subwoofer, AM/FM radio, a CD/MP3 player, Sirius XM satellite radio with a free 3-month subscription, a radio data system, and an audio jack.

The A3 has plenty of safety features.  Among them are antilock brakes, stability control, traction control, side front airbags, side curtain airbags, and active front head restraints that greatly reduce whiplash injuries.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the A3 perfect scores of “good” for side impact, frontal-offset, and roof strength tests.

It is worth mentioning that we selected the Quattro because the Quattro AWD’s transmission assists both stability and traction control, and is great for inclement conditions or for routine driving on tougher roads.

Conclusions and Driver Feedback:

The interior is very nice.  Most of the materials are soft-touch and high-quality, with just enough hard plastic materials to remind those who look closely that they are going to get some entry-level features with their luxury.  If you don’t put the interior under a microscope, though, it is very attractive.  Though Audi doesn’t do “understated European luxury” as the two European luxury “big boys,” they don’t charge nearly as much for their cars, either.  We are going to call this interior “Euroluxury Lite.”

The seats, though they aren’t power seats, are still quite comfortable.  There is plenty of space in the front, with a combined headroom and legroom measurement of 80.5 inches.  The rear measurement, though, is only 71.7 inches, which pretty much means that anyone over 5 feet, ten inches tall is not going to be very comfortable.  We see this to be a huge error in any luxury car, entry-level or not.  There is a passable amount of cargo space, with 19.5 cubic feet in the cargo area and another 19.5 if you fold the rear seats down for a total of 39 cubic feet.

The engine is enough to give you decent acceleration, and the A3 drives smoothly at highway speeds.  The electric steering gives great response, and the suspension does a good job of helping the A3 hold the road under circumstances that a midstream passenger car might skid.  For many, though, it comes at the expense of the ride quality.  The suspension is too firm for many, and even though it does a good job of mitigating most bumps, there is still a stiff quality to the ride that makes a lot of people take notice.

We think some people will really like this car, but we think the “sweet spot” in their market is very small.  This car tries to be everything to everyone.  More often than not, though, it is nothing to anyone.  On one side of the argument, the car has a lot of luxury features, a peppy engine for city driving, and great handling.  Also, we are very impressed with the safety scores and the way the quattro drive works with the stability and traction controls.

On the other hand, there are myriad red flags here.  The car has a luxury price tag, but doesn’t have a luxury interior or a luxury ride.  It has sporty performance, but only in the city, because is sorely lacking in top end speed.  Two people can sit comfortably, but those in the rear seat had better be children or very short adults because of the lack of headroom and legroom.

We are trying to figure out who exactly would want this car.  If you are a single, couple, or young family who wants just a little bit of pep around the city, but doesn’t want a car that will really go fast on the highway, this might work for you.  If you don’t mind paying luxury prices for a car that really isn’t a luxury car, this car might be for you.

We really want to recommend this car.  Maybe it is the great commercials they are showing in the US right now, or maybe it is admiration for what they are trying to do.  We know Audi is serious about putting out a great car, but we just don’t see enough here to justify the price tag.

The verdict: Mazda will give you a very similar car and save you over $10,000 while doing it because they aren’t calling it a luxury car.  And they will give you a bigger back seat and more top end speed.

Option packages:

There are two option packages that we really like here.  The first  is the Bluetooth Value Package.  It gives you Bluetooth and an 8-way power driver’s seat.  The second is the Audi Navigation System System Plus Package.  It gives you a navigation system, Audi’s MMI interface, and an upgrade to either an iPod port or a 6-CD changer.