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There's not a whole lot to say about the Eclipse that hasn't been said. Every time I get in, it's surprising how much power it has and how ugly the interior is. You get the double shock every time.
One minor, puzzling note: on the drive in today with the windows up and door double-checked tight, the air inside the cabin began to resonate during a moment of low wind sheer...
On Saturday, I took our Toyota FJ Cruiser to California's Yosemite National Park for a day hike to Nervada Falls. (Our FJ seems to be the vehicle of choice for trips into the Sierra Nervada mountain range; Inside Line's editor-in-chief and senior photographer have also used the Toyota for such purposes recently.) The FJ proved to be a fun vehicle for my passengers – three male teenagers visiting from France as part of a foreign student exchange program.
The boys entertained themselves during the drive by flipping through XM satellite radio stations and singing along with Beatles tunes courtesy of a hooked-up MP3 player. As the driver, I enjoyed the vehicle's responsive powertrain, comfortable seating and attention-getting exterior styling...
Ever see a German Shepherd puppy? I'm sure other breeds exhibit this trait, but these young 'uns have huge paws for such little animals. Kinda like the Solstice's big tires and wheels. These babies are big -- 245/45/18...
In many ways, the Mercedes-Benz R-Class is the least Mercedes-like Mercedes of them all. I'm used to the Benzes being heavy (this brute-wagon weighs in the CL and S-Class neighborhoods), but I've never felt like I was wrestling with an S-Class the way I do with our long-term R500. The beast accelerates, turns and stops effectively, but there is no time during these processes that the driver is not aware of the heft that's being launched, clotheslined, and flung into corners.
Good thing or bad...
We were one of the fortunate ones. Not just because we snagged a Ford GT (okay, that was pretty fortunate, too). No, we're lucky because we were able to order the car exactly the way we wanted versus buying one ordered by a dealer. The bulk of GTs were ordered to achieve maximum profit for the dealer, and that meant loading them up with every option, including the $4,000 McIntosh audio system...
My daughter doesn't have a birthday, she has a birth-season. And although she doesn't officially turn six until August 15, the season is already underway.
This weekend we drove the long-term Kia Sedona 400 miles up north to Sacramento to eat cake with Grandma Karla on Saturday evening, and Grandma Adeline on Sunday. During the 800-mile round trip Emma watched the beginning of Disney's High School Musical six times, yet never saw the whole movie because every time we stopped and turned off the engine, the DVD returned to the main start-up menu. Most in-car systems are smart enough to pick up where they left off, but if the Sedona has resume capability, I couldn't make it happen...
The Honda Civic Si as a runabout for the city? Fun. The Si as a canyon carver? Funner!..
Although I complained yesterday about the Commander's lack of hauling capability, I can't deny that I like the driving position in this vehicle and I like the way it rides and handles -- a couple of things that continue to make this Jeep so seductive in the face of high gas prices. The driver seat is well shaped, and the seat-bottom cushion is long, providing good thigh support for those with long legs. It's a shame the steering wheel doesn't telescope, but I found it easy to get comfortable, and visibility is quite good. The cushioning has a squishy feel reminiscent of the '99-'04 Grand Cherokee, which likely explains why the seats got uncomfortable on Karl's cross-country trip, though they held up just fine during my hour-long drive last night...
Everytime I hop into the MX-5, I'm reminded of how much better she is than the Pontiac Solstice. Sure, she's not a knockout like the Solstice and she doesn't turn heads like the Pontiac roadster. But she'll hold your iced lattes with her handy-dandy in-door cupholders or, hey there are cupholders in the center console, too. She won't make you get out of the car to put the top down or up, for that matter...
It's not uncommon for an exotic -- or any sports car, really -- to have front end clearance issues when pulling into driveways or going over speed bumps. If you've driven a C5/C6 Corvette, or a Viper, or just about any European exotic, you already know this. One of the more surprising elements of the Ford GT is its lack of front clearance issues under all but the most extreme circumstances. We didn't scrape the GT's lower front air splitter for several weeks after taking possesion, and even then it was on a very extreme driveway dip that immediately lead onto a newly paved (read: freshly elevated) street...
I haven't driven the Honda Accord Hybrid in a long while. I'd forgotten how choppy it feels. The transition from electric motor to gasoline engine is jolting. When accelerating, the engine kicks in ungracefully but it's even more pronounced when braking...
I'm in the midst of cleaning out my apartment, so I loaded up the long-term Commander for a quick trip to the recycling center. I was immediately struck by how high the load floor in this vehicle is. With the second- and third-row seats folded down, your load surface begins 4-5 inches above the top of the rear bumper. As I began loading in my sorted bags and boxes of recyclables, I realized I wasn't fitting much more stuff in the Jeep, which has a max capacity of 69 cubic feet, than I did over the weekend in an Audi A6 sedan, which has a 16-cubic-foot trunk and 60/40 folding rear seats...
Here's an update on our 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser's fuel economy. In 8,000 miles of driving, we've averaged 17.2 mpg. The best recorded tank so far was 23.8 mpg. The worst was 11.8 mpg. For reference, the EPA gives the FJ Cruiser 4WD automatic a 17 mpg city/21 mpg highway rating...
I got in our Civic Si last night to run a few errands and got out of it annoyed. The throttle is touchy, the steering oddly weighted and the clutch take up hard to pin. In other words, the Si isn't the easiest car to drive when you just want to get from one parking lot to another. I managed to work in a twisty road the next morning and suddenly remembered all the reasons why most people like the Si...
The Ford GT is loaded with subtle "easter egg-like" design elements (think hidden features on DVDs). One can be seen when looking at the driver's side headlight, which pays homage to Ford's Centennial Celebration. An innocuous lens is oriented to look like a "1" when combined with the two bulbs within the headlight, resulting in a "100" designation if you're looking for it. I suppose that makes the passenger lens an "001," but other than secret agent status (which maybe the Ford GT has...) I don't think there's any message in that headlight...
My early drives in our long-term MX-5 bordered on euphoric. From the surprisingly torquey 2.0-liter engine to the convertible top that requires no more than an over-the-shoulder toss (and goes down in 1.35 seconds by our technical director's stopwatch), the Miata was/is a wonderful drive on sunny Southern California days.
But this evening was my first opportunity to push the car a little on some of my favorite back roads. I had fun, but I'm not as high on the Miata as I was a couple months ago...
...so put back on your clothes, all you St. Lunatics.
Just a quick note here with the temps around LA (and most of the nation) breaking triple-digits all-day, everyday.
Small cockpit = very effective HVAC...
Boy, do I love driving the Si. Its shifts are short and only require a light touch to rein in its 197 horses. It's definitely a car whose capabilities are best realized on curvy canyon roads. But every time I've driven it, I notice that unless I shove the gear into 3rd, the stickshift won't snick into place causing me to grind the gear...
Los Angeles is suffering through a heat wave. Not only is it hot here, it is also humid, which is rare in our desert climate. When driving around the city, or more likely sitting is traffic, you need to have a good air conditioner.
While the A/C in the Sonata works quickly and quietly, the vents are in the wrong position...
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