Automotive Reviews
Archive for October, 2008
2009 Chevrolet Malibu
01301 days
You’ve seen all of the hype, and the North American Car of the Year awards, and all of the praise coming from the automotive press. You’re fully aware that the new Chevrolet Malibu is no longer your grandfather’s cheap rental car. Thanks to a ground-up redesign, the Malibu single-handedly gives hope that the American auto industry ain’t dead yet, and is in fact healthier than it’s been in years.
And even though you know all of that already, be prepared to be blown away. The new Malibu’s really that good. The Malibu’s “new face of Chevrolet” may seem like the third or fourth new face the brand has had in years, but it makes an impression thanks to stellar build quality, a world-class interior, and road manners that don’t scream “rental car.” A new hybrid-electric model also debuts for ’09.
A deep grille with a Chevy horizontal bar and bowtie lead the way and dominate the front aspect. The Malibu’s front bumper blends neatly into the body for a smooth, show-car look. The greenhouse is larger than before, but lower as well, giving the Malibu a sportier side aspect. At the rear, twin round taillamps continue the easily recognized theme that’s marked Chevrolets for a decade or so. My test car was painted a handsome hue Chevrolet calls Imperial Blue. The color was nice, but the quality of the paint was even more so. With precise, narrow panel gaps, this Malibu doesn’t feel indifferently built.
The interior’s laid out in a twin-cockpit style and full of innovative, clever cubbies. The Malibu’s seats are comfortable, and the blue-backlit dash feels like it came out of a more expensive car–but not like it was cribbed from a Buick or a Cadillac. The Malibu’s crowning achievement is that it manages all of this upscale feeling without losing its essential Chevrolet-ness. This is still a car that the masses can afford; it just knows how to treat ‘em a little better. An available two-tone interior offers elegant-sounding color combinations like “ebony and brick” or “cocoa and cashmere,” and ups the luxury quotient considerably, as do the subtle ambient lights in the door handle pockets and overhead console. Head-curtain side airbags and XM satellite radio are standard equipment. Luxury-car touches like a rear-window sunshade are available.
On the road, the Malibu is quiet and reserved. Part of the reason’s hidden beneath the skin; Chevrolet makes extensive use of spray-on sound deadeners, laminated steel and rattle-absorbing “quiet glass” in the doors.
The ride is comfortable bordering on dull, like a good family sedan’s should be. MacPherson struts are used up front, and a multi-link layout at the rear; it’s a conventional layout that offers predictable handling slightly above par thanks to the Malibu’s strong, stiff unibody. Lightweight aluminum components are used at all four corners to reduce unsprung weight and improve handling response. StabiliTrak stability control is standard across the board. Four-cylinder Malibus use an electronic power steering system to further enhance fuel efficiency.
A 169 horsepower 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine is standard equipment, and when hooked up to the six-speed automatic transmission the Malibu returns impressive fuel economy ratings of 22 city/33 highway. That silky-smooth transmission is at its best when hooked up to the 252-horse 3.6 liter V6. Both engines use variable valve timing to reduce fuel consumption. As is usually the case, the more entertaining performance offered by the V6 comes at a fuel economy cost; I drove the four-cylinder and found it to be an acceptable compromise between outright horsepower and fuel efficiency. The four-cylinder Malibu’s no neck-snapper when it comes to off-the-line acceleration, but it is comfortably above average.
Will the Malibu silence those voices insisting that Chevrolet and its parent General Motors are on the way out? Probably not. But this vehicle is strong evidence that there’s life yet in the world’s largest car corporation, in spite of the unfriendly economic climate. And if there’s one thing the Malibu is sympathetic to, it’s tough financial times. With a base price of $21,395, the Malibu is one of the more affordable cars in its class. My tester was a Malibu LTZ, with a starting price of $26,795 and an as-equipped price of $26,620, after the credit for the four-cylinder engine.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu.
Length: 191.8 in.
Width: 70.3 in.
Height: 57.1 in.
Wheelbase: 112.3 in.
Curb weight: 3649 lb.
Cargo space: 15.1 cu.ft.
Base price: $26,795
Price as tested: $26,620
Engine: 2.4 liter DOHC inline four-cylinder
Drivetrain: six-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 169 @ 6400
Torque: 160 @ 4500
Fuel capacity: 16.3 gal.
2008 Infiniti G37 S
01301 days
I’m too young to have ever met any of the original “grand touring” cars–those four-place two-doors made legendary by Ferrari, Aston Martin and Maserati in the 1960s. I’ve never even sat in an Aston DB5 or a Ferrari Daytona. Even so, I’m astute enough to recognize the concept when I see it, and the new Infiniti G37 is as powerful an embodiment of this respected market niche as anything available today.
The G37 certainly matches the description of a grand touring car: it’s a longer, lower and wider four-seat, two-door coupe. Add to that equation an ultra-responsive, great-sounding V6 engine with over 330 horsepower and a comfortable yet athletic suspension, and you just might have road-trip magic. To check it out, we took the G37 on a quick, 2000-mile road trip.
You wouldn’t know to look at it, but the G37 is packing over 330 horsepower. Like a proper grand tourer, it doesn’t shout its performance capabilities to the world like a muscle car. Hidden beneath its smooth lines is a 3.7 liter V6–as if it weren’t evident by the name change, the G37 gets a larger engine than its four-door counterpart the G35 for the first time. The 3.7 features Infiniti’s Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL) system that changes valve timing and lift to improve performance and efficiency. Power’s immediate; drop the pedal at almost any engine speed and the G37 responds eagerly. Electronic throttle control only speeds the engine’s response. On surface streets, the G37 rips off impressive zero-to-the-speed-limit times with ease; on the freeway, it’s a relaxed cruiser that’s ready to accelerate with an instant’s notice, and it sounds great too. The G37 will roll with V8-powered cars easily, while beating their fuel economy numbers. Like in its sedan counterpart, the 3.7′s power comes on with a steadily building rush, and it never feels wound up or wrung out even at high revs. The six-speed manual transmission makes driving the G37 a heck of a lot of fun as well. A paddle-shifter-equipped five-speed automatic is available, as is a launch-enhancing limited-slip rear differential.
The straight-line performance is there, and the G37 lives up to the grand-touring designation on twisty roads as well. It’s too heavy to be an honest sports car, but with a double-wishbone suspension up front and a multi-link rear it was happy to demonstrate grin-inducing stability and grip on the on-ramps and backroads I found myself exploring. Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) stability control is standard equipment, and a new, exclusive-to-Infiniti four-wheel active steering system is available. This system can change the steering gear ratios and move the rear lower links to provide an additional measure of stability and responsiveness in the curves. The controls strike an excellent balance between comfort and communication; this car is easy to drive all day.
It’s not a proper grand tourer if it won’t impress the folks waiting in line at your favorite resort, of course. Here, the G37 doesn’t disappoint, with lines that look right at home parked next to any Jaguar or Lexus at two-thirds the price. The catlike silhouette dips handsomely at both ends, looking at a glance like a hatchback, but the G37 has a proper trunk. Angry-looking headlights are pulled back tight to the fenders, and large lower air intakes beneath an Infiniti family grille. The Adaptive Front Lighting System, whose headlights turn with the front wheels, is available. The G37 looks finished and polished. The taillights are flush-mounted LED units, and large dual exhausts with air diffusers finish the rear end. It’s aerodynamically correct too; when equipped with the optional rear spoiler, the G37 has zero lift at the rear.
The G37′s handsome interior layout avoids the sin of too much plastic and also avoids looking too much like a sports car. Brushed aluminum is accented with polished trim on the dash and door panels, and the car feels modern and purposeful. If you want to go old-school, wood trim is also available. It’s not quite as inviting as it looks though, I had a hard time getting comfortable in the driver’s seat on my long drive, and the cabin is short on small-item space. Travel necessities like maps, notepads and cell phone had to be piled in the passenger seat once the tiny console and door pockets filled up. Once on the road, the G37′s excellent driving dynamics and Bose sound system made these things seem less significant, however. Standard equipment includes Infiniti’s Intelligent Key with a pushbutton start. The available Intelligent Cruise Control, Bluetooth connectivity, backup camera and navigation system make road-tripping that much more effortless. The navigation system’s touch screen controls could be more intuitive, but overall the G37 is a pleasing travel companion.
Headroom in the back seat is less than optimal, but there is enough legroom for the G37 to be called a proper 2+2, and enough luggage space for it to really be a grand tourer. In fact, the only thing keeping the G37 from true grand tourer status may be the price. Unlike the Ferraris and Jaguars that have traditionally held the distinction, this slick Infiniti stickers for less than $50,000–considerably less, in fact. Starting MSRP for the G37 is a comparatively reasonable $34,250, with the sportier 6MT manual transmission-equipped version coming in at $35,550.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2008 Infiniti G37 S
Length: 183.1 in.
Width: 71.8 in.
Height: 54.8 in.
Wheelbase: 112.2 in.
Curb weight: 3668 lb.
Cargo space: 7.4 cu.ft.
Base price: $34,250
Engine: 3.7 liter DOHC 24-valve V6
Drivetrain: six-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower: 330 @ 7000
Torque: 270 @ 5200
Fuel capacity: 20.0 gal.
Est. mileage: 17/26
2007 MINI Cooper S
01301 days
After six years on the market, even the most car-ignorant onlooker knows what a MINI Cooper looks like. This stylish subcompact is one of the big reasons that small cars are turning all respectable on us, after all. With premium appointments and entertaining performance as well as fantastic fuel economy, the MINI Cooper was one of the first cars to prove that diminutive dimensions don’t necessarily have to mean a cut-rate ride.
Everybody recognizes the MINI, but considerably fewer will notice that for 2007, it’s all-new. This cheerful little hatchback has been completely redesigned, though it’s not obvious at a glance; the new sheet metal is style to perfectly match the proportions of the old. That said, a host of improvements make the 2007 MINI a legitimate next step in the evolution of the premium compact.
One MINI owner described the new design as being like a caricature of the previous car, in a good way, and that’s true. The elements that made the MINI familiar are stronger all around. The changes are subtle; a tweak to the basic look here, a nip and tuck there. The result is a MINI that looks more assertive and a bit more upscale. Perhaps, in the case of the Cooper S, even a bit meaner. Our test car’s airdam, big wheels, and narrow panel gaps gave it a more powerful look.
If you want the rundown of actual changes, they’re more obvious when the current and previous MINIs are parked side-by side. The headlights are larger and more intricate, with cool projector-lamp detailing. The chrome trim running around the body is more prominent and distinct, encompassing the windshield wipers. At the rear, the window glass has been revised for improved aerodynamics. The taillights are larger, too. The oversized details mask the increase in size, so the MINI still looks “mini,” even when parked next to the smaller ’06 model. It’s about three inches longer than the first-generation MINI. The higher-performance MINI Cooper S is still distinguished by the hood scoop and central exhaust, and the cool details like contrasting-color roof and mirrors and available roof decals are still available, of course.
The size increase is intended primarily to make the interior subtly larger. It’s not particularly noticeable except in the cargo area, which can now hold a few grocery bags without necessitating that the rear seat be folded. The optional cargo nets are handy, too. Up front where the people sit, the dinner-plate sized central speedometer and retro toggle switchgear are still prominent design elements. The cheap plastics that got some flak in the previous model have been banished. Rear seat room has been slightly increased by re-contouring the front seatbacks. At night, indirect ambient lighting in a choice of colors gives the MINI showcar-like style inside, glowing from the B-pillars, door pockets and door handles. Another upscale touch is the ignition key, which is a round transmitter rather than a traditional key. For MINI drivers who want even more luxury, a variety of interior trims are now available, including color-matched dash trim and wood. There’s an optional navigation system as well.
The new interior does look better, but the sound system controls are an ergonomic nightmare. MINI has integrated many of the ancillary controls with the speedometer. The resulting layout is simpler to look at, but it’s very hard to use and even harder to figure out quickly. Thanks to too many counterintuitive controls and no simple way to scroll up and down the radio dial, we found ourselves irritated with the MINI’s radio quite frequently.
Of course, that doesn’t detract from the driving experience in the least. How could it? It may be a touch bigger, but the MINI hasn’t lost a bit of its joie de vivre. The handling is still wish-quick, the grip still monorail-like. Variable-assist electric power steering is new, and includes a “sport” mode that offers a more direct connection to the road. Anti-lock brakes, corner braking control and traction control are standard equipment, with Dynamic Stability Control available.
The MINI gets an all-new engine, as well. In the MINI Cooper S, the all-aluminum 1.6 liter four-cylinder is turbocharged, and makes 172 horsepower. The twin-scroll turbocharger offers almost lag-free power. The new car feels somewhat more athletic than its predecessor as a result of the power bump. Small size works in the MINI’s favor in the economy department as well; all of this performance is had to the tune of 29 city, 36 highway mileage. The standard MINI will top 40 mpg on the freeway. The standard transmission in both MINI models is now a six-speed manual, with an optional six-speed automatic also available.
The MINI faithful will of course instantly recognize the new car versus the old; most other folks probably can’t tell the difference. Spotting the changes isn’t all that important, however; what’s important is that the MINI is still the MINI. The more refined 2007 model hasn’t lost any of the charm that made it an automotive icon in the first place. MINI pricing is still in the “premium compact” range, with the Cooper stickering for $18,700. The hot MINI Cooper S starts at $21,850. Per pound, that’s pretty steep, but the MINI Cooper S will happily repay the extra cost in driving enjoyment.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2007 MINI Cooper S
Length: 146.2 in.
Width: 66.3 in.
Height: 55.4 in.
Wheelbase: 97.1 in.
Curb weight: 2668 lb.
Cargo space: 5.7 cu.ft. (seats up)
Base price: $21,850
Price as tested: $26,170
Engine: 1.6 liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder
Drivetrain: six-speed manual transmission, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 172 @ 5500
Torque: 177 @ 1600-5000
Fuel capacity: 13.2 gal.
Est. mileage: 29/36