Automotive Reviews
Archived
Back-catalog of reviews written before 2008.
2001 Toyota Sienna
01063 days
Picture an average middle-class suburb, in all its splendor. You know: tree-lined streets, perfectly manicured lawns, average-sized cookie-cutter houses, average children running and playing, and the sound of sprinklers and singing birds seasoning the air gently. And in every other driveway, there’s an average minivan.
Okay, now look closer at that minivan. If you were to slap a badge on it, it would probably wind up being a Toyota Sienna. That’s not because Toyota sells more minivans than anyone else (that honor goes to Chrysler), but because the Sienna is about as close to a generic minivan as can possibly be built. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Toyota has sold over 300,000 Siennas since its introduction in 1998. Generic doesn’t mean worthless, clearly. (more…)
2001 Volkswagen Passat GLS
01063 days
This is the big problem with finding a family sedan: the practical ones (Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord) tend to be boring, and the interesting ones (Volvo S60, Audi A4) are far too expensive for the average family to consider.
Now, there is one big solution to that dilemma: the new 2001 Volkswagen Passat.
Technically, it’s a 2001.5 model. With its mid-year 2001 redesign, Volkswagen’s biggest sedan gilds its already handsome arched shape with just enough new chrome to indicate that over two thousand changes have been made to the car, many of them underneath the skin. The new Passat feels almost like a luxury car, even in comparison to the previous model.
In the same vein as the New Beetle and Jetta, the Passat is designed around a continuous arched form that goes from A-pillar to C-pillar. The passenger cabin is rounded, and the front and back of the car taper to match. The bumpers seem to melt into the car. It’s a slick design. A chrome grill and projector-lens headlamps add a touch of class, and a more steeply raked grille plays up its performance capabilities. Out back, there’s chrome in the taillights as well. Add to that Volkswagen’s narrow-gapped build quality and it becomes more clear why, when asking observers to guess the Passat’s base price, we heard estimates of up to $40,000, despite the big VW logo up front.
The interior features Volkswagen’s common theme of contrasting dark and light surfaces. Brushed aluminum trim and classy materials bring the “expensive” feeling inside. The shifter on manual-equipped cars is similar to that in the Golf and GTI models, and feels wonderful. Auto enthusiasts who require a family car will approve. The seats could be better; it takes some time to find that “just-right” position.
The Passat feels good on the road, too. We drove the GLS model equipped with a 1.8 liter turbocharged four-cylinder, which puts out 170 horsepower. Funny thing was, for the first hour or so we mistook it for a V6, because the power delivery was so smooth and strong for such a large car. The intercooled turbo motor has a flat torque curve which provides ample acceleration and response throughout the rpm range. A V6 is also available; the optional 2.8 liter V6 puts out 190 horsepower. A slick-shifting five-speed manual is standard equipment with both motors. The optional automatic is a version of the well-known Tiptronic, which allows drivers to manually select gears.
Although it’s a mid-sized car, the Passat drives small, as the saying goes. The suspension is more than able to deal with curvy roads and autobahn speeds–and sometimes both at the same time. Up front, a four-link independent system keeps the tires on the road. Out back, a beam axle is connected to torsion arms and coil springs. It’s an “old fashioned” arrangement, but it feels thoroughly modern. The Passat is no sports car–it’s too heavy for that–but the ride is confident and poised. We would have liked better tires, however. The Passat lost some of its confidence after a short rainstorm left the pavement slick.
The car’s frame has been tightened as well, giving the car a feeling of having been chiseled from a single block of metal. In addition to improving handling dynamics, these reinforcements improve the Passat’s crash protection as well. With the family in mind, front and side airbags and side curtain airbags are standard on all Passats. Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS are also standard equipment. So is traction control. The Passat doesn’t just look like a more expensive car; it’s equipped like one too.
To further beleaguer the value point, Volkswagen has kept the base price of the half-year Passat almost the same as its predecessor. The 2001.5 Passat starts at $21,750 for a five-speed GLS like our test vehicle. The priciest Passat is the GLX 4Motion, which comes in at just a bit over $31,000. It’s almost exactly the same price as the smaller Audi A4 quattro, in fact.
The price doesn’t mean that the Passat is a stripper, either: foglamps, AC, cruise, one-touch windows, heated mirrors and a full-size spare are all standard equipment. And that’s the base model. The pricier GLX adds power seats, wood trim, automatic climate control, dipping mirrors (which automatically drop downward when the car is in reverse, so the driver can see the curb), a sunroof and more to the standard equipment list. Luxury car-like options include heated seats and an in-dash CD changer.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2001 Volkswagen Passat GLS, which we tested.
Length: 185.2 in.
Width: 68.7 in.
Height: 57.6 in.
Wheelbase: 106.4 in.
Curb weight: 3225 lb.
Base price: $21,750
Price as tested: $24,000 (est.)
Engine: 1.8 liter turbocharged four-cylinder
Drivetrain: five-speed manual, front wheel drive
Horsepower: 170 @ 5900
Torque: 166 @ 1950-5000
Est. mileage: 22/31
2001 Volvo S60
01063 days
Here’s proof that racing improves the breed, when it comes to automobiles. Not many Americans know it, but Volvo went racing back in the early Nineties. It wasn’t the first time the Swedish cars had competed in motorsport, but the boxy Volvo 850 station wagons that took part in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) that year were all but laughed off the track. But the Swedes stuck in there, rubbing fenders with BMW, Alfa Romeo, and Audi. And over the years, Volvos started to lose their corners, becoming swoopier and, dare we say, prettier. Volvo eventually won the BTCC championship a few years later. Not much was made of it on this side of the pond (and there are no Volvos in NASCAR…yet), but the subtle shift in Volvo’s direction has been clear. They idea that safety has to be boring is long dead. These days, safety looks pretty good, in fact. Witness the all-new 2001 Volvo S60.
The curvy shape is nothing like the boxy Volvos you’re used to seeing, and that departure reflects the car underneath. The S60 shares underpinnings and a drivetrain with the new V70, but it rides a smaller S80 platform. Just like the V70 was designed as a wagon and has unique qualities that improve its performance in that respect, the S60 was designed as a sedan, and is a companion to the V70 despite the different nomenclature. With this new sedan, Volvo is finally gunning for Audi and BMW on the street as well as on the track.
The S60 and V70 share sheet metal from the A-pillars forward, with the new narrow Volvo snout and a blacked-out grille bearing the Volvo slash. The now-familiar Volvo “shoulder” line runs all the way to the back of the car, where it tapers and defines the trunklid, giving the S60 a fastback appearance. At the back, the taillights are peaked to match the shoulder line, like those of the S80. 16″ wheels fill the wells (the sportier T5 can be had with 17s), and the S60 looks tense and poised for action–the C-pillar line is one of its prettiest aspects. The slicked-back look is the latest evolution of the box-less styling that has been creeping through the Volvo line since the C70 made its appearance. It’s a striking car, and stands out at the curb.
Inside, the dash and instrument panel disappoint the eye somewhat, with a flat, featureless gray plastic panel. It works well, but isn’t much fun to look at. As always, Volvo’s seats are a marvel of comfort, and a great place to spend an entire afternoon. The stereo controls are confusing at first; new owners will want to read the manual once. The usual complement of Volvo surprise and delight features impresses as well; a trunk pass-through and folding front seat that allow long items to be carried, handy pouches located on the leading edge of each front seat, and a handy “wall” for holding grocery bags in the trunk. The S60 also contains Volvo’s always outstanding safety features in the form of active headrests which prevent whiplash and inflatable curtain-style side airbags. Volvo’s dash-top navigation system is also available.
Once they’ve had it on the road, the Car Guys will insist that the S60 begs for the available manual transmission. We drove the automatic, unfortunately. The turbocharged 2.4 liter five-cylinder engine works best when the turbo is spinning, allowing all 197 horsepower to the wheels. The five speed automatic does its best, but is geared more toward smoothness than outright power. The hot setup carries the familiar T5 designation that has graced hot-rod Volvos throughout the 1990s, and features a 247-horsepower engine. And luckily, it is available with a manual transmission.
The suspension shows that all of that racing has paid off. The S60 is communicative and light on its feet. Four-wheel disc brakes with standard ABS bring things to a stop when the time comes. The fully independent setup handles well, and the S60 tends toward a racer-friendly oversteer if pushed hard. It’s wonderful on the freeway, where it’ll cruise comfortably at extralegal speeds, and has a solidly planted, rail-driven feel similar to that of the Audi A6. The S60 T5 improves on that with a stiffer, more sport-oriented suspension.
S60s are available in three trim levels, and as four-door sedans only. The base model is a naturally aspirated (non-turbo); next is the 2.4T turbocharged model we drove, and at the top of the line is the T5, with a more powerful turbocharger. A station wagon is also available–it’s called the V70. S60s start at a surprising $29,800. It’s quite a bit more car than a $25,000 S40 in both ability and personality, and strikes us as a better value. Our test car was optioned up with a leather interior, heated seats, and a sunroof, and stickered for $36,260. Still, unlike other Volvos–the V70 Cross Country and C70 convertible pop to mind–we didn’t find ourselves wondering why the S60 cost as much as it did. It justifies the price with a combination of road ability, solid feel, and luxury.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2001 Volvo S60, which we tested.
Length: 180.2 in.
Width: 71.0 in.
Height: 56.2 in.
Wheelbase: 106.9 in.
Curb weight: 3468 lb
Cargo space: 13.9 cu.ft (seat up), 36.5 cu.ft. (seat folded)
Base price: $29,800
Price as tested: $36,260
Engine: 2.4 liter DOHC inline five-cylinder
Drivetrain: five-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 197 @ 6000
Torque: 210 @ 1800-5000
Est. mileage: 21/28