Currently browsing

June 2004

2004 Audi A8L

Vehicle: Audi A8L 4.2 Quattro 6-speed Tiptronic with cold weather pkg, convenience pkg, front seat massage, 19″ wheels, solar moonroof, parking sensors, dual rear seat climate control, rear seat electric support, leather/door/armrest and center console with premium stitching, Alcantara pkg + dual panel security glass

Handling: The A8′s chassis has amazing rigidty thanks to its space frame construction. Its a very stiff and rigid chassis that has a light-on-its-feet feeling with pushing through corners. It feels like a much smaller car even if its a long-wheelbase version. Its not only a joy to drive in twisties, it also feels exceptionally balance. I drove this car at 160 km/h on freeway but felt like most car’s 50 km/h is a testament to its amazing freeway stability. Another attribute of A8′s tuning is the excellent balance of ride and handling. This car’s suspension absorbs bumps, washboard pavements and expansion joints exceptionally well without sacificing the sharp handling. The suspension is firm and taut without losing the supple people expect from a car of this caliber. The steering feels sharp, linear and responsive. It provides a decently heavy feel that lack in many of its competitors. The ESP doesn’t feel instrusive even when pushed through corners aggressively, it only kicks in when necessary. The A8 feels like driving an A6 given its nimbleness and agility which is truly a revelation. Not to mention Audi’s renowed Torsen Quattro system that adds all-weather security.

Performance: Powered by the proven 4.2L V8 32-valver that pumps out 330hp and 317 lb/ft of torque. The engine is simply a gem. It has excellent refinement, flexability and very willing to rev. Its also really quiet in its operation. During our freeway test drive, I clocked 120 km/h revs at a lowly 2000 rpm which is truly impressive. This engine mated with a great 6-speed Tiptronic that allows to driver to rev into the limter. The gear ratios are well-spaced and matched well with the powerplant. Its up and downshifts are very smooth without abrupt feeling.

Interior: The use of materials and build quality of A8′s interior are top-notch. The use of wood trim, aluminum trim and plastic are of excellent quality. There are many cubbyholes which have carpeting to protect the miscellaneous from moving around. It got a great set of analog instrumentation, automatic climate control and very comfortable Alcantara/leather seats. The biggest highlight of A8 is the use of MMI, or Multi-Media Interface. There are 8 buttons control the radio and navigation system. You can simply use that particular 4 buttons to control the stereo system. I could figure it out without reading the owner’s manual. This system also allows you to see the fan and position settings of the auto climate control. Its a pretty logical system to use overall. However, for those who don’t have experience with this sorta of technology. I still recommend study through the thick MMI manual before playing around during driving. On the back, it got tons of head and legroom with rear-seat climate control round out the wonderful package.

The trunk of the A8L is very well laid-out. It has a low liftover that allows for easy cargo access. Not only it got uninstrusive trunk hinges, the hinges are actually chrome-made. It truly speaks for its excellent attention-to-details. You also got a neat red case for the emergency trangle.

Brakes: Given the weight of the A8L, the brake has to be considered as excellent. The pedal feels firm, linear and easy to modulate. Its also fade-free after a couple of hard stops.

Conclusion: Given the A8L’s excellent execution which consists of attractive packging and pricing, Audi should really turnaround its weakest segment with this generation. Its not only has the merits to match the class leaders, it also has the ability to beat them.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 AUDI A8L
============================
Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4.75/5
Value-for-money: 4.75/5

Overall rating: 5/5

2004 Toyota Echo CE hatchback

Vehicle: 2004 Toyota Echo CE hatchback with 4-speed auto tranny

Performance: Powered by a 1.5L VVT-i 4-cylinder 16-valver DOHC engine that bumps out 108hp and 105 lb/ft of torque, it really motivates this lightweight hatchback even with automatic tranny. The throttle response is responsive without being too abrupt. This little engine is willing to rev thanks to variable valve timing. Unlike many of its competitors, its not easy to run out of breath at high speed. The biggest drawback is the engine tends to be noisy during kickdown. The auto tranny’s shifts are smooth and refined, typical Toyota tradition. It always stay on the right gear without any gear hunting. Both the upshifts and downshifts are quick and respond to the driver’s input accordingly. Consider the starting price of Echo is just over 12k, it has to be one of the best powerplants in this segment.

Handling: The driving dynamics of the Echo hatch is another pleasant surprise. Despite it only use 14″ wheels with tall sidewalls, it handles confidently through corners. It uses a different suspension setting than its sedan silibing. The suspension, springs and shocks are firmer than what it used in the sedan. Its more of an Euro-spec tuning than sedan’s North American softly sprung setting. Throw in into corners, there are quite amount of body rolls and understeer. Give it tires that are one or 2 inches larger, this car will definitely handle more like a Mk2 Golf than anything else. There are plenty of steering feel, both off and on-center. Given its short wheelbase and narrow tires, its ride comfort is surprisingly civilized. Although its quite sensitive to washboard pavement, its generally provides a quite comfortable ride quality. Compare to the last Echo 1.3 I drove overseas, this engine really gives what the chassis deserves. It no longer feels as underengined as its 1.3 silibing does. It really does a very good job in this car.

Brakes: The front discs and rear drums with standard ABS provide excellent pedal feel. The pedal feels solid and easy to modulate. The thresold is easy to find while ABS doesn’t kick in unnecessarily. Kudos to Toyota by giving a 12k econocar standard ABS.

Interior: Since our tester doesn’t come with any options or packages, its as basic as it is. The base velour seats are comfortable despite the lack of side support. As usual, there are tons of storage space in Echo’s space efficient interior. The rotary climate control is logical and very well laid out. As usual, there are drawbacks. The “sit on top” instead of “sit inside” of a car feeling really make the driver feels more tippy through corners. Secondly, the velour used in our CE feels somewhat low-rent. Thirdly, the center instrumentation gauges are really hard to see during hot daylight. Because of the location and use of colors, it tends to wash themselves out. Fourly, where is the tachometer?

The back seats are comfortable for a car of this size, however, it lacks the Euro-spec sliding feature.

The cargo space is also pretty spacious with low liftover and 40/60 split fold down rear seats.

Conclusion: The Echo hatchback is what Toyota supposed to bring us in day 1. Not only does its affordable, it also comes in a neat package even in the base car. Although Rio has better interior material texture and Accent has a more expensive interior, Echo exceeds in the performance department. Given its base price and standard ABS, it has to be one of the most attractive car in its class. BTW, its hella of fun to drive a car without air cond under 30 degrees sunlight.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 TOYOTA ECHO CE HATCHBACK
===========================================
Performance: 4.75/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.25/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 2.25/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 3.75/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4.5/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating:4/5

2004 Toyota Solara SLE V6

Vehicle: 2004 Toyota Solara SLE V6
Price as tested: CDN$35800

Performance: The Solara is powered by the Toyota’s highly regarded 3.3L V6 24-valver VVT-i engine. This engine has to be considered as one of the best V6 engine in the world. As usual, power is not an issue. There are plenty of low-end torque and it never run out of breathe at higher rpm. The refinement, flexability and NVH of the engine are simply exceptional. The extra 0.3L also really improve the performance on an already responsive powerplant. The 5-speed sequential manumatic tranny is also an excellent unit. The shifts are crisp and smooth. Its willing to up and downshifts on auto mode. Despite the protective nature of the manumatic mode that doesn’t let you rev pass the redline before upshift, it remains one of the best units available on the market elsewhere.

Handling: In terms of handling and ride compromise, Solara is truly a mix review. On the one hand, Solara provides a more sporting suspension set-up than all the Camrys I have ever driven, including the sporting suspended SE. Keep in mind I have emphasize the word “sporting” on above sentences!! That means you won’t feel like a landyatch on the freeway while going 160 km/h. On the other hand, the spring set-up has provided the worse of both worlds for ride and handling. Its neither firm enough for aggressive cornering when pushed, nor provide enough supple for a floaty and comfortable ride quality. I still feel some bounce while driving through washboard pavements and expansion joints. As Camry tradition, Solara’s steering feels numb and lack of feedback despite it got acceptable responsiveness. There are plenty of understeer and body rolls through corners. If I am going to buy a Solara, I would extensively test drive both with or without sports package before signing the dotted lines. Despite that, the last Camry LE I have driven without the so-called sporting “sports package” still have that sorta of ride/handling issue I have experienced with the Solara tester.

Brakes: The pedal provides a nice and firm pedal feel under heavy braking. The feel is solid and easily modulated. Its threshold is also very easy to control under panic situations.

Interior: Generally speaking, Solara’s interior materials are step above Camry and Highlander. All the material’s richness feels similar to more expensive RX330 than comparably priced Camry XLE. All the switches are logically placed and operated, while the instrumentation gauges are clear and analog. All of them are what you expect from Toyota’s ergonomics. The leather seats are comfortable, providing good back and thigh supports. Auto climate control and heated seats are effective in a chilly weather. The back seat space is quite spacious considered its coupe nature.

The use of instrusive trunk hinges, high liftover and a swallow trunk cut off have given Solara really limited use of trunk space given its size.

Conclusion: Although the Solara is not my cup of tea, it provides a decent package for people who are shopping for a comfort-oriented coupe with lots of features

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 TOYOTA SOLARA SLE V6
=======================================
Performance: 4.75/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.75/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 1/5
Value-for-money: 3/5

Overall rating: 3/5

2004 Honda Civic Si

Vehicle: 2004 Honda Civic Si sedan with 5-speed stick
Price as tested: CDN$22510

Performance: The sedan Si basically share the same engine as coupe. The same 1.7L SOHC VTEC 16-valver 4 banger underneath the hood that generates 127 horses @ 6300 rpm and 114 lb/ft of torque @ 4800 rpm. This engine is relatively refined and smooth, its also pretty flexible in terms of operation. It got enough torque down low while the mid and high rev range are pretty satisfying. The stick shift is typical Honda fashion, which means a light and progessive clutch with a shifter that smooth like a butter. The gates are sharp and clean, at the same time, the gates are well-defined.

Handling: The steering feels featherweight and lack of feedback. Although the handling capability is more than adequate for 99% of Civic buyers, the latest generation remains less involving than previous 2 generations which are far superior in terms of driver communication. The handling and ride compromise don’t seem to find a right balance. While the handling limit is relatively high, it doesn’t generate enough feel through corners. On the other hand, the overdamping springs don’t seem to provide enough firmness when pushed and enough suppleness for ride comfort. Both understeer and body rolls are pretty significant when pushed. Not to mention the turn-in is not sharp enough, also the general feedback is pretty numb. Given current Civic’s use of rear flat floor. Honda has to increase Civic’s COG in order to produce an interior package that can accommodate the rear flat floor, they also ditch the Double Wishbone suspension design for MacPherson Struct for using less hood space to create larger interior space. Combine all these factors, I am not too surprise the latest Si still handles like all other ES Civics.

Brakes: The front discs/rear drums provide better than average pedal feel. While the pedal feels firm at the beginning, I felt some fade after a couple of hard stops. The ABS doesn’t kick in unnecessarily which is a good thing.

Interior: As with all other Civics, its interior is nicely layout but blend. All the usual climate control and stereo are placed up high for easy access. The instrumentation gauges are clear and analog. The back seat is what Civic exceeds most. Thanks to rear flat floor, there are plenty of legroom. The headroom is also very accommodating. It remains one of the most comfortable backseat in the econocar class. As for build quality, unfortunately, I detected some dash rattles somewhere around the center console and howling glovebox in my tester.

Conclusion: When Acura introduced the EL back in 97, Honda Canada decided not to import the Civic sedan with the same engine in order to differentiate a lesser Civic from a more feature-laden EL. 6 years later, Honda Canada changed their mind and brought us back the Si (or EX-V during the 92-96 generation). Other than the Acura emblem, leather and wood trim (only if you opt for Premium), heated mirrors and better dealer service. Both the EL and Si are basically the same car. The introduction of Si really makes me think whether Honda Canada will still producing EL in upcoming generation of Civic chassis.

As for the Civic itself, it no longer the benchmark as it used to be. It doesn’t have the luxury and refinement of a Corolla, dynamics and sharpness of a Protege (and likely soon “3″), value and performance of an Elantra. I only hope Honda get the wake-up call and give us the Civic like we used to love in EK and EG.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 CIVIC SI SEDAN
================================
Performance: 3/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 2.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3.75/5
Value-for-money: 2.5/5

Overall rating: 2.75/5

2004 Hyundai XG350

Vehicle: 2004 Hyundai XG350
Price as tested: CDN$33120

Performance: The XG350 is powered by a 3.5L V6 24-valver DOHC engine that bumps out 194hp @ 5500 rpm and 216 lb/ft of torque @ 3500 rpm. This V6 engine is surprisingly refine and flexible. The overall refinement and smoothness are on par with anything else from Nissan and Toyota. There are plenty of low-end torque that deliver plenty of performance for passing without sacificing the high rpm when pushed. It never runs out of breath at high rpm, even close to redline. Its relaxed cruising gear ratio also ensures a very relaxing highway ride. It clocked at a lowly 2600 rpm @ 110 km/h. The shiftronic is a very smooth unit. While the manumatic mode allows you to rev before upshifts, there is a drawback with the auto mode. Like some auto Hyundais I have driven, the tranny is lazy to upshift. When its gonna to upshift, it creates a very abrupt and rough feeling. The tranny really does hurt the overall top-notch powertrain package.

Handling: The XG350 is more of a blvd cruiser than a curve hunter. Although XG is based on a stiff and rigid chassis, its suspension tuning is more of a soft side. There are plenty of body rolls and understeer when pushed. While the steering response is decent, it feels numb both off and on-center. The steering also feels darty and featherweight when pushed through corners. Despite of my criticisms on its softly sprung characters, its suspension has absorbed expansion joints and washboard pavements extremely well. Unlike some of the American rivals, its suspension setting gives you a confidence-inspiring feel that completely lacks the floaty “landyacht” feel you used to feel in American landyachts. Even when driving over 120 km/h, it has that stable feeling that you are able to find in more expensive European luxury sedans despite XG’s soft character.

Brakes: The brake pedal provides balanced feel and effort when haul it to a complete stop. The pedal feel is excellent and the modulation is linear. However, it has plenty of nose dive during hard stops because of its soft character.

Interior: XG’s interior really put a lot of so-called luxury cars in shame. There are plenty of soft plastic on top of the dashboard while the use of materials are excellent. The analog gauges are clear and easy to read. Auto climate control and stereo are placed on a logical position for easily reach. Those leather-covered seats are superb, providing great back and thing support. The back seats are as comfortable as the front seats, with plenty of head and legroom. However, there is 2 huge drawbacks. The faux wood trim looks really faux. The scariest thing is this faux wood trim covers the whole center of dashboard. If Hyundai designers are able to ton them down or, better yet, give us real wood trim. The interior ambience would feel much classier than it already is. Another drawback is the wood/leather steering feels very slippery when you are holding that piece of wood when flying through corners.

The trunk is nicely layout with low cut-off and uninstrusive trunk hinges.

Conclusion: XG350 has to be considered as one of the better cars in the V6 family car class. It got a decent powertrain, luxurious interior and a classy exterior. If Hyundai is going to fix the lazy tranny and wishy washy handling, this will surely bring XG as the top contenders in a tough segment currently dominated by Accord and Camry V6 alikes.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 HYUNDAI XG350
==================================
Performance: 3.25/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.75/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.75/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4.5/5
Value-for-money: 4.5/5

Overall rating: 3.75/5

2004 Chrylser PT Cruiser

Vehicle: 2004 Chrylser PT Cruiser with 4-speed auto tranny and ABS

Performance: The light-pressure turbo Cruiser is positioned between the underwhelming non-turbo version and powerful high-output turbo version. This light-pressure unit provides far better performance than the base car which is more suitable for most daily driver’s needs than the high-output version. There is no turbo lag. The turbo spools up quickly and seemlessly as I floored the responsive throttle. The engine is surprisingly smooth and refine, without the noisy character of the base motor. The 4-speed automatic also works relatively well with this engine. It provides decent ratios and willing to up/downshifts. In short, a more linear turbo delivery than high-output turbo and better respose than lowly base motor.

Handling: The PT provides another pleasant surprise through corners. The chassis provides decent feedback thanks to high stiffness and rigidty. There are certain amount of body rolls and understeer when pushed, however, they are all under very well-tempted. While I feel the steering is a bit numb on center, it provides more than adequate feel off-center. Steering response is quick and sharp. If Chrysler is able to dial up more steering feel on center, just like what they did to the high-output Cruiser, this car would feel even better on twisties. On the other hand, there is no torque steer pushed through the front wheels like I felt on the GT Cruiser. In terms of ride comfort, PT again ranks against the best in its class

Brakes: The front discs/rear drums with optional ABS provides good pedal feel. The pedal itself feels solid and easily modulated. The effort is balanced and well-controlled. However, Chrysler should make ABS standard across the board instead of only on PT HOP Turbo given the price they are charging for this ride.

Interior: Inside its the same old PT Cruiser. The seating position feels like on top of the car instead of inside. The power windows beside the air vents still need a home on the door panels, same goes for the switches placed down below on the back. The leather seats are comfortable despite it needs more thigh support.

Conclusion: This 150hp “mid level” engine really does provide what most PT Cruiser buyers needed. A decent enough performance without the sluggishness of base car and rocket feel of GT Cruiser. It worths every pennies over the base car if you are shopping for a practical vehicle with decent engine.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 PT CRUISER LIMTED EDITION
==========================================
Performance: 3.75/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive:3/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 3.75/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 5/5
Value-for-money: 4.5/5

Overall rating: 4.25/5

2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor Limited AWD

Vehicle: 2004 Mitsubishi Endeavor Limited AWD
Price as tested: CDN$42698

Performance: The Endeavor is powered by a 3.8L V6 24-valver that bumps out 215hp and 250 lb/ft of torque. Although the maximum torque arrives at 3750 rpm, the seat-of-the-pants feels better than paper suggested. There is enough low-end torque while the high rpm is willing to rev. The throttle response is about average, which means its not overly responsivenss nor sluggish for a V6. Both the refinement and NVH are of very high-quality in this Mitsu 3.8 despite it doesn’t sound as smoothly as Nissan’s 3.5 and Toyota’s 3.3 at high rev range. The Sportmatic 4-speed auto tranny is smooth, provides decent ratio and is willing to up/downshifts when needed. On the other hand, the manumatic mode provides smooth and crisp shifts for more enthuisastic driving.

Handling: The Endeavor is based on Mitsu’s new “Project America” chassis. This new chassis is stiff and stout, which means lack of flex and rattles. The steering response is quick, responsive and provides tons of feedback. Its also very nicely weighted. The body rolls are acceptable considered Endeavor’s COG, same goes for its understeer. The ride quality has to be one of the best in the mid-size SUV segment. It doesn’t have the rough ride of the Murano nor the floaty Highlander feel, it finds the exact right balance between ride and handling. If Endeavor’s handling/ride compromise is any indication, Galant and the upcoming new Eclipse would be something to look forward too given all are share the same platform.

Brakes: The 4-wheel discs with ABS provide excellent pedal feel. The ABS only kicks in when necessary even under the pouring rain today. The pedal is solid and easily modulated.

Interior: Endeavor’s interior has to be a mix reviews. Let’s begin with the good. The instrumentation gauges are clear and analog, it also has the blue lightning when you turned on the headlight. The ergonomics for stereo and auto climate control are excellent given their large knobs and clearly marked controls. Leather seats are very comfortable, provide great thigh and back support. Both the front and rear seats have wonderful head and legroom. Now let’s go to my pre peeves. The center armrest blocked my hand when I am shifting the Sportmatic. Another drawback for the center armrest is it all covered in cheap and hard plastic. The divider inside the armrest is a piece of hard and fragile plastic that feel out of place in an SUV costing 40 large grand. Another cheap interior piece is the glovebox. Not only the handle feels flimsy, the door has a hallow sound. The last pet peeve has to be the heated seat button location. It located down below the center console which is very unergonomically correct.

Conclusion: Despite of my criticisms, Endeavor remains a worthy mid-size SUV. Its a match for the top contenders, in terms of powerplant and dynamic qualities. If they can fix the cheap interior pieces and some of the refinement, it should be at the top of the segment.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 MITSUBISHI ENDEAVOR LIMITED
=============================================
Performance: 4.25/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 3.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 3/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4.5/5
Value-for-money: 3/5

Overall rating: 3.75/5

2004 Cadillac SRX

Vehicle: 2004 Cadillac SRX 5-seater V8 AWD with 1SC package and premium “Ultraview” sunroof
Price as tested: CDN$71405

Handling: One of the biggest highlights of SRX has to be its dynamics. Not only does it finally get rid of Caddy’s typical mashmellow softly sprung feel, it has enough solidity and driver connection to compete with its European rivals. The SRX begins with a very stiff and sound chassis that is completely free of rattles and flex, along with the excellent magnetic ride control that provides top-notch handling/ride compromise. The result is a crossover that handles exceptionally well. The steering is sharp, fast and responsive. It also provides plenty of road feel through the thick rim. The only drawback of the steering system is it remains on the light side. The magnetic ride control provides a optimum balance of ride and handling. This system has given the vehicle very minimal body rolls when pushed through corners, even with a bit of understeer. On the other hand, the absorb of washboard pavements and expansion joints are wonderfully comfy. The best thing is this system provides a ride quality that combines the European ride firmness and a bit of softness instead of Caddy’s usual floaty landyatch tuning. The confidence-inspiring handling really impressed during the rainstorm, same goes to the advance AWD system.

Performance: Our tester comes with a Northstar V8 4.6L that has 320hp and 315 lb/ft of torque. Power has never been an issue with this engine. Northstar has to be considered as one of the world’s finest V8 engines. It has excellent refinement and smoothness. The throttle response is fast and responsive, although it feels overly responsive at certain extent. The 5-speed auto tranny is typical GM quality. That means its a very smooth unit that provides responsive up/downshifts and driver never has to hunt gears. My pet peeves have to do with its manumatic. The first issue has to be with its responsiveness. This manumatic feels sluggish on upshift, I meant really slow type. Secondly, it doesn’t allow you to rev pass redline before upshifts. Thirdly, it doesn’t automatically downshift to 1 when you come to a complete stop. In many manmatics, even when you are driving 100 km/h @ 5th gear and you hit the brake pedal without downshifting yourself. It automatically downshift to 1st at complete stop. On the SRX, it remains at 5th gear when you stop at a signal. That means when you accelerate the vehicle again, it starts all over at 5th or 4th or 3rd or 2nd. GM really needs to rethink this system.

Brakes: Given SRX’s weight, the 4-wheel discs with ABS provide very good pedal feel. Unlike many GM cars I have driven, this one has one solid feel. Its easily modulated with balanced pedal effort.

Interior: SRX begins with a great sets of leather seats. The leather material feels soft and supple, while provide excellent back and thigh support. The climate control, stereo and driver info center are of easy reach. It also has a clear and analog instrumentation in front of the driver. However, these are the drawbacks. Firstly, SRX still stuck with CTS’s interior. While CTS’s interior already not that pleasing to look at to begin with, its about the same for SRX. Secondly, the tranny indicator on the dashboard uses a very light orange preface. While its already really hard to read in a rainy day when I turned on the headlight, good luck reading it under sunlight. Thirdly. While the rest of the interior uses high quality materials, some of them even soft to the touch. The glovebox stuck with a cheap POS plastic that is completely out of place in a 70+ grand Caddy. Its acceptable in a 13k Cavalier, its unforgiving in a 70+k SRX.

The 2nd row of seats have plenty of head and legroom. Unlike the Pacifica, SRX actually has a center position.

The cargo space is huge. It has lots of cubbyholes and is covered with expensive carpet lining. If you take the 5-seat instead of 7-seat version of SRX, it has larger luggage space than many SUVs.

Conclusion: Judging by the fact the Pacifica and SRX are shared the same concept, latter executed far better. It got a powerful Northstar V8, handles exceptionally well and the 2nd row got the middle position. The SRX V6 should give huge pressure to Pacifica even if you have to pay some premium for the Caddy.

As for the vehicle itself, it has to be the best Caddy I have driven for quite a while. SRX also has one significance for this brand. It signifies Caddy’s on a renissance with rave of great new products on the horizon, also a comeback to the marketplace.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 CADDY SRX V8 AWD
====================================
Performance: 3.5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.75/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 3/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.25/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 5/5
Value-for-money: 4.25/5

Overall rating: 4.25/5

2004 Chevrolet Optra LS 4-door

Vehicle: 2004 Chevy Optra LS 4-door with 5-speed stick
Price as tested: CDN$17465

Performance: The Optra is powered by only 1 engine. A 2.0L 16-valver D-Tec a.k.a Durable Technology that bumps out 119 hp and 126 lb/ft of torque. Suffice to say, this is an adequate powerplant. It has enough low-end torque for signal take off and freeway merging, however, the story is completely different at high rpm. This engine is unwilling to rev and, when you really rev it, it becomes very noisy. The overall refinement is more than acceptable in its price range. The 5-speed stick has to be one of the numbest units I have ever driven. The throws are long and ungainly, gates are poorly defined. This tranny is also easily misshift because of the vague motion. On the other hand, it got decent set of ratios and a progessive clutch.

Handling: In terms of dynamics, Optra is a pleasant surprise. The steering provides pretty good road feel, both off and on-center despite its on the light side. The suspension is firm while providing supple ride quality, just a slight bit of roughness when going through expansion joints. There are acceptable amount of body rolls and understeer when pushed.

Brakes: The Optra comes with 4-wheel discs with optional ABS. The pedal feel is better than average. It got decent pedal balance during emergency stops while the effort is easily modulated. However, GM should make ABS a standard feature across the board considered its base price starts at somewhere above 16k.

Interior: The interior is very well layout. With decent set of instrumentation that are clear and analog. The switchgears have a very high-quality tactical feel. While you still can find some hard plastic in a couple of areas, the general ambience feels pretty expensive considered this car just opted out above 17k. The velour seats are comfortable, providing decent back and thigh support. The velour material also feel more expensive than the price suggested. The biggest surprise has to be the details. There are nice carpeting in some cubbyholes that stop the stuff from sliding around when pushing through corners. However, that’s not without drawback. Thanks to Optra’s Daewoo origin, it continues Korean’s “hilarious school of stereo button design philosophy”. All the buttons are tiny and hard to see. They are simply mickey mouse design. If the buttons are mickey mouse, the knobs control the volume and “tune/seek” are barely larger then mickey mouse’s nose.

The back seat has plenty of head and legroom, you also got a large center armrest.

The trunk has a low cut off for easy luggage access. It also has 60/40 split fold down rear seats. However, it stucks with instrusive trunk hinges that have always been a “no no” in my book.

Conclusion: The Optra is an econocar that has a real potential. It has a good chassis, really good dynamics, nice interior and an acceptable powerplant. Thanks to Daewoo, Chevy finally got an econocar that is competitive with its Korean and Japanese competitors. Its also the first Chevy that match the rest of the econocar “bar” set by the stiff competitors.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 CHEVY OPTRA LS
==================================
Performance: 2.25/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.25/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.25/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.25/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 4/5

Overall rating: 3.75/5

2004 BMW X3 3.0i

Vehicle: 2004 BMW X3 3.0i with Steptronic, Premium pkg, Sport pkg, Activity pkg, metallic paint, ambience leather, rear side airbags, Panorama sunroof, Light Birch wood trim, electric seats with memory, PDC and privacy glass
Price as tested: CDN$70090

Performance: The familiar straight 6 3.0 DOHC with double VANOS bumps out 225hp and 214 lb/ft of torque. While it feels very responsive and has turbine-like refinement underneath the hoods of 3 and 5-Series, it feels sluggish in an X3. It just doesn’t have the fast and aggressive pulling feel as its silibings. While the throttle response still responsive enough for most drivers, it doesn’t have the raw feel as in the 330i. To some extent, it feels pretty sluggish when pushed. The biggest downfall is it feels noisy when driven hard. That’s pretty disappointed considered its the same proven straight 6 as in 330i and 530i. The Steptronic, on the other hand, feels as good as ever. Its shifts are smooth and crisp. The beauty of Steptronic is it allows you to rev pass redline before upshifting. It also has decent set of ratios to match with the engine.

Handling: Combine BMW’s new X-Drive AWD system with one stiff chassis, you got a dynamic package that is really good to drive. The DSC-3 doesn’t feel instrusive even when pushed into the limit. Steering provides excellent weight and feedback, with sharpness and responsiveness to boost. The whole vehicle feels balanced when pushed. With the optional sports pkg, X3 handles even sharper thanks to stiffer suspension and springs. However, it comes with a drawback. X3 with sports pkg has to be considered as one of the roughest riding soft-roaders on the market. Its roughness is about on par with Cayenne without air suspension and FX45. Going through washboard pavements and expansion joints, you feel more like riding an unloaden heavy duty full-size truck than a German soft-roader. That’s definitely not the kind of ride quality you expect from BMW.

Brakes: X3′s brakes continue BMW’s tradition of designing excellent pedal feel and modulation. Not only does the stopping distance is short, its pedal also feels balanced and linear.

Interior: X3′s interior is truly a mix review. While it still got a great set of instrumentation, ergonomically placed stereo and auto climate control; as well as great set of supportive yet supple leather sports seats. You have to wonder why for 70 large grand, BMW is able to give us an interior as cheaply made as this. The bottom 2/3 of the center console is made of cheap, shiny and hard plastic that don’t look out place in an Altima (cheapest interior I haver ever experienced, regardless of price ). At the same time, the top storage bin also made of cheap black plastic. The beige and black don’t seem to coordinate each others well. If X3′s interior is any indication of future 3-Series, the cockpit feel that defines BMW interiors for last couple of decades have become a thing of history.

However, the back seats have more leg and headroom than an X5, same as cargo space.

Conclusion: From the info I gathered from inside a BMW dealer, the introduction of X3 could meant the discontinue of 3-Series Touring in near future. Ironically, the Touring handles better, rides better, has far better interior quality and appointments and, even with 2.5L, it feels quicker and smoother than X3 with 3.0L. If I am shopping for a Touring at this time, I would RUN, not walk, to a local dealer and order a 325i Touring before it died.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 BMW X3 3.0i
==============================
Performance: 2.75/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 3.75/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 3.75/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 2/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3/5
Value-for-money: 1/5

Overall rating: 2.25/5

VW Polo 1.4 5-door

Vehicle: 2003 VW Polo 1.4 5-door with 4-speed auto tranny
Price as tested: HKD$139900

Performance: Our tester is powered by a DOHC 1.4L 16-valver 4-banger that bumps out 90hp and 93 lb/ft of torque. While the numbers won’t make your heart pounding, it certainly more than enough for most daily driving. The overall refinement and NVH are in very high standard in its class. The throttle response has to be considered one of the most linear I have ever driven. Engine is smooth and quiet while revving through the rev range. Match with this little engine is an eager 4-speed auto tranny. The shifts are smooth, coordinate and very willing to up/downshifts when needed. The biggest reason why this little 1.4L has such a responsiveness has to be its tranny. Without this auto box, this little Polo would feel like a dog. On the other hand, this little mile would feel even better if it receives stick shift along with more powerful 100hp motor.

Handling: Thanks to Polo’s rigid and stiff chassis, as well as a very well sorted out suspension setting. Its dynamic package is impressive indeed. The electric power steering provides decent response and feedback. It also feels clean and sharp through the corners. It has to be considered as one of the better EPS I have ever driven. The suspension absorbs washboard pavements and expansion joints relatively well. The ride comfort is top notch given its short length and long wheelbase design. Although you still can feel quite an amount of body rolls and understeer when pushed through corners, they are all under very well tempted.

Brakes: Polo’s 4-wheel discs with standard ABS provides pedal feel and distance that is completely outclassed all other econocars. The brake pedal has exceptional pedal feel. Its easily modulated and the effort is balanced. In terms of distance, it has to be the shortest I have ever experienced anywhere in this segment.

Interior: Polo’s interior is typical VW logics. That means clear and analog gauges all around. Stereo placed above the semi-auto climate control. The cloth seats are comfortable and provide decent thigh/back supports. Although Polo uses the best materials in its class, I still found some cheap pieces. Glovebox door is one area I found hard plastic. Despite its hard, it doesn’t have the shiny and cheesy feel as in some other econocars.

The back seat provides decent head and legroom. It also comes with an armrest with storage. Its definitely a very nice touch.

In terms of cargo space, it got 60/40 split folding rear seats as well as low liftover.

Conclusion: Polo is indeed a very nice econocar. It got style, quality and dynamic performance to match its luxury car-like package. If only VWoA is willing to bring this car to us to fulfill the lower-end of the spectum that Golf started to lost when going upmarket.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2003 VW POLO 1.4
==============================
Performance: 4/4
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.75/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.75/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4.75/5
Value-for-money: 4.5/5

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Toyota Corolla Verso + Corolla 1.5GLi

Vehicle: Toyota Corolla Verso with 4-speed auto
Price as tested: HK$159030

Performance: The Corolla Verso is powered by a 1.8L VVT-i 16-valver 4-banger DOHC engine that bumps out 135hp and 125 lb/ft of torque. This engine is basically identical to Corolla sedan available in North America. Throttle response is quick and linear. The 4-speed auto tranny, just like other excellent units from Toyota, is smooth and responsive. Its also willing to up and downshifts. The shifts are crisp and never hunt for the right gears when pushed. In short, its an efficient and willing unit that’s well-suited to Verso’s character.

Handling: Verso shares the same chassis as the Corolla, that means it has a stiff and sound structure to begin with. Its completely lack of rattles and flex when pushed. The steering is light and responsive, it also provides decent off and on-center feel that are somewhat lacking in our Matrix. There are plenty of body rolls and understeer thanks to its high COG. Despite that, the sports suspension absorbs washboard pavements and expansion joints relatively well. The ride/handling compromise is as good as any latest Corolla I have ever driven. Its ride is also pretty comfy.

Brakes: The 4-wheel discs with standard ABS provides solid pedal feel. The pedal is easily modulated and effort is balanced.

Interior: The interior of the Verso is very well designed. It got a set of clear and analog instrumentation gauges. The stereo placed above the auto climate control. The tranny placed higher off the ground for better ergonomics. The aluminum trim around the center console is very tastefully done without feeling too overstyled. The seats are comfy with plenty of leg and back supports. Velour is of high-quality ingredients, that means its soft and supple. The back seat is large. Thanks to the theater design of the rear seats, it positioned higher than the front seats for better visibility and legroom. You also get a rear center armrest with cupholders as a bonus.

In terms of cargo space, it starts with a low liftover. After you fold down the 60/40 split fold down rear seats, its a completely flat floor for heavy cargoes that won’t sliding around thanks to well-lined carpeting.

Conclusion: If the Matrix serves well for Toyota to attract younger audience to the Corolla platform, Corolla Verso should also serve well as an upgraded vehicle in Scion’s model range. In short, a very neat package.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR TOYOTA COROLLA VERSO
====================================
Performance: 4.25/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.75/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.75/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 5/5
Value-for-money: 3/5

Overall rating: 4/5

Mini review: NEZ121 Corolla 1.5 GLi with 4-speed auto
Price as tested: HK$139050

This version of Asian Corolla is really a definition of luxury in an econocar. You can find all sorts of luxury features in a small package like this. Auto climate control, wooden/leather steering and faux wood trim. The use of velour is of top quality, that means its soft, smooth and supple to the touch. Although I found the faux wood trim very tacky, it makes you feel like a mini-Lexus inside.

Dynamically, its springs and shocks have tuned slightly softer for Asia’s rougher roads (not that roads in North America <-say Vancouver, Toronto, Boston and NYC are any smoother ). That means it absorbs bumps and washboard pavement in soft but controllable manners. However, suspension is firm enough for most twisties. Its a firm unit without over and underdamping feel in some econocars. The steering is pretty light but responsive. That’s despite it feels numb off-center, just like last North American Corolla I drove.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

2004 Mazda 3 GT 5-door

Vehicle: 2004 Mazda 3 GT 5-door with A/C, moonroof, leather and 5-speed stick shift
Price as tested: $24085

Performance: The 3 GT is powered by a 2.3L 16-valver 4-cylinder engine that bumps out 160hp and 151 lb/ft of torque. The is a very sweet engine. With plenty of low-end torque and its willing to rev through redline. The powerplant is smooth, refine and extremely flexible. Despite the stick shift’s throws are a bit long, its gates are well-defined and clutch is light yet progressive. I have clocked 140 km/h at 3800 rpm which is pretty impressive considered its 4 banger origin. The throttle response is quick and linear. In short, this is the best 4 banger you can find anywhere in the econocar class.

Handling: Based on the C1 Focus chassis, that means its on a very stiff and solid structure. The chassis stiffness is exceptional. Given the fundamentals of the 3 are on such a good base, it doesn’t come as a surprise that it handles wonderfully well. The steering is sharp, reponsive and provide lots of feedback. Combined with the thick rim in my GT tester, the whole steering feel is exceptional. There is a slight understeer when pushed through corners. The biggest surprise is you can have a little off-throttle oversteer fun in this chassis. On the other hand, the cornering is flat and stable. The body rolls are hard to detect when pushing through corners. The ride comfort is among the best in the business. It absorbs both washboard pavements and expansion joints very well. If the “standard” 3 already handled like this, imagine how great the stiffer sprung Mazdaspeed 3 will be.

Brakes: Once again, the 4-wheel discs with standard ABS provide exceptional pedal feel. Even under the flurry condition of today’s Vancouver weather, its stops are short and straight. The pedal is easily modulated and effort is balanced. The ABS only kicks in when necessary.

Interior: The interior of Mazda 3 is extremely well layout. With excellent instrumentation gauges, which are both clear and analog. Its design is also one of the coolest available elsewhere. The stereo is placed up high with a large knob to operate the volume. The black backlit stereo display is clear and easy to read. 3 knobs that control the climate control have very high-quality and tactical feel that won’t look out of place in cars costing 2 times more. The driver position is easily find and adjusted. There are plenty of storage space with a large glovebox and 2 stage center armrest.

There are plenty of head and legroom in the backseat. In terms of cargo space, there is a low cut-off with 60/40 split fold-down rear seats. I have to give nod to Mazda designers for the neat smooth-out handle on the back of the hatch. Its easy to grab and ergonomically superb.

Conclusion: Mazda 3 is an econocar that provides refinement, performance and dynamics you only expected to find in a more expensive sports sedans like the A4 and TSX. By combining the excellent attributes of outgoing Protege like handling sharpness and spaciousnness, while adding the refinement and power that it needed in the past. The result is a car that has upped the ante in this tough segment.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 MAZDA 3 GT 5-DOOR
====================================
Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.75/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.75/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4.5/5
Value-for-money: 4.5/5

Overall rating: 4.85/5

2004 Lexus ES330

Vehicle: 2004 Lexus ES330 with Premium Luxury Package
Price as tested: CDN$48800

Performance: As with the RX330, ES330 is powered by Toyota’s excellent 3.3L V6 with 225 hp and 240 lb/ft of torque. As expected, power has never been an issue with this powerplant. The engine is smooth, refined, flexible and willing to rev through redline. The throttle response is instant and responsive. The 5-speed auto box is a well-matched to this engine’s character. As with Toyota tradition, the tranny is willing to up and downshifts. The shifts are crisp and smooth. Best of all, its transition between gears are so silky smooth that you never know its changing gears.

Handling: If you treat ES as a blvd cruiser instead of a curve eater, this car will never disappointed you. The AVS suspension serves as a system that adjusts the suspension for 3 different kinds of settings. The sport setting is nothing more than a slightly more sporting setting. While it feels marginally firmer than the comfort setting, it still feels rather soft when pushed. On the other hand, comfort setting is really really a really really really (I hope 5 “really” is enough in ES’s case ) comfortable setting. The ride has become softer, so does the handling becomes even softer sprung than the already soft sport setting. The medium setting is really a “neither” “nor” kinds of setting. If you want the softest setting, its not able to give you the kind of suppleness you expected. If you want a more confidence-inspiring setting, it doesn’t provide you with much confidence through corners. You have to give notch to Lexus engineers for engineered such a such a comfy car. Its ride comfort has reminded me of 1st generation of LS400. That’s quite an achievement in this price range. The steering feels featherweight and lack of feedback, regardless of on and off-center. There are tons of body rolls and understeer, regardless of AVS settings.

Brakes: The 4-wheel discs with ABS provide decent pedal feel. Its easily modulated and pedal feels balanced even under rainy day like today.

Interior: ES330′s interior appointments really reflect its soft-riding characteristics. Everything else are designed to please those who value comfort over hard-edged handling. The soft use of leather materials, wood trim and instrumentation gauges have created a feeling of luxurious and comfort. The seats are very supportive. Leather materials are supple, soft and smooth. Back seats are comfortable with plenty of head and legrooms. Although I found the wooden/leather steering looks tacky, as with some places decorated with wood trims. However, those are the items that ES customers are looking for when buying this car.

Conclusion: Although ES330 is not my cup of tea, it does serve well as a luxurious cruiser. It got a nice engine, a superb interior and AVS is able to adjust to the softest setting to your liking. Those who are looking for driving fun no need to apply to this car.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 LEXUS ES330
===============================
Performance: 4/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 1.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.75/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.75/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3.25/5
Value-for-money: 3.75/5

Overall rating: 3/5

2004 Chevy Malibu LS

Vehicle: 2004 Chevy Malibu LS
Price as tested: CDN $25905

Performance: The Malibu LS is powered by a 3 and a 1/2 liter OHV V6 that bumps out 200hp and 220 lb/ft of torque. While this pushrod engine still lacks the refinement of competitors’ SOHC and DOHC V6 engines, it provides more than enough power for daily driving. The throttle response is typical GM quick. The same goes for the 4-speed auto tranny. Its shifts are smooth and crisp although I found it hunting between 2nd, 3rd and 4th gear. GM should give Malibu a 5-speed auto which is more competitive with the rest of the segment. While Accord, Camry and 6 are all offer 5-speed auto,Chevy fell behind the rest of the pack in engine packaging. On another note, this 3.5L V6 not only fell short of refinement compares to Camry, Accord and Altima’s 6s. It also doesn’t feel as refine as GM’s venerable 3800 Series 2 pushrod engine.

Handling: Since Malibu shares the same Eplison platform as 9-3SS and Vectra, it doesn’t come as a surprise its a stiff structure. Even though Malibu shares the same chassis as 9-3, it doesn’t feel to have the same stout struture when pushed through corners. The electric power steering feels numb, featherweight, completely lack of feedback and has slow response. Every time I turned the wheel, it feels like the software for EPS has died. When I pushed the car through left and right transition tests, the steering has a dead feel on center and slightly stiff off center. This EPS feels as worse as the unit in the last Ion I drove. Another problem is this steering needs slight correction when going straight, especially on highway speed. The ride quality is acceptable although it doesn’t feel as comfy as an Accord or as firm as a 6. However, it needs more rebound damping when going over washboard pavement and expansion joints. As usual, it has plenty of understeer and body rolls when pushed.

Brakes: The front discs/rear drums provide better than average pedal feel. The ABS kicks in appropriately. The pedal modulation feels better than many GM cars preceding it.

Interior: Inside the Malibu, there are tons of hard plastic on top of hard plastic on the dashboard. The texture of the wood trim looks even more faux than many others’ faux wood trim. Although the switchgears have some pretty decent quality feel, the knobs are loose on our tester. The velour has a low-rent rental car feel. In other words, its texture has a rough and low-quality feel. The driving position feels more like seating on top instead of in a car thanks to its flat seat. On the other hand, the instrumentation gauges are clear and analog. The auto shifter slightly tilts toward the driver is a smart idea. The stereo placed above the climate control is another smart idea from GM. Back seat space is more than adequate.

Malibu’s trunk uses instrusive trunk hinges for cost measure. While its good at save money, its never been a good idea on my book. It also has a high liftover that is not very good for loading.

Conclusion: Although the Malibu has improved significantly over its predecessor, it still fell short of the competitors. Suffice to say, it barely match the bar sets by the rivals. GM needs lots of efforts before Malibu becomes a real Camcord, Altima, 6 and Passat competitors.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 CHEVY MALIBU LS
===================================
Performance: 2/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 2.25/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 2/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2.25/5
Value-for-money: 2/5

Overall rating: 2/5