Car and Driver's Redesign

Good news in the December issue of Car and Driver. Editor Eddie Alterman lets us know that come January, there'll be a new look...a redesign of the once (and hopefully future) king of the car mags.

Alterman discusses the disastrous last redesign three years ago, which he rightly describes the 2006 redesign as making C/D look "like a comic book".

And it was worse inside, with a jumble of fonts and a graphic look that was universally hated by readers, who were told "we ain't going back."...which Alterman describes as a public relations move roughly as successful as the docking of the Hindenburg.

To his credit, each issue of C/D since Alterman's arrival has been cleaner-looking than the last. Here's what he inherited early this year:



And here's September's cover:




The January 2010 redesign is expected to draw heavily on the sense of style from C/D's glory days. We can't wait.

Mercedes-Benz E 350 C

When I started TireKicking professionally back in the late 90s, my favorite Mercedes was the CLK 350. Well-built, smooth and slick...nice lines, and, with the 350 instead of the 430, beautifully balanced.

Over time, the CLK lost its allure...as did the entire Mercedes line when it went chasing volume at the expense of quality.

Well, the good news is that there's mounting evidence that Benz is back...and intent on building the best-engineered automobiles to a standard rather than a price.

The CLK convertible lives on, but the coupe is now part of the E-Class.

I mean, just look at the picture above. It's gorgeous.

And once inside, you're not let down...the car reinforces the "good choice" vibe every inch of the way.

Cheap? No. Just barely reasonable, really...at $48,050...and lightly optioned at $54,245. But it's how good the car is that carries it off.

For your money, you get looks, style, quality, performance (0-60 in 6.2 seconds) and reasonable (17 city/26 highway) fuel economy. And, thanks to M-B no longer chasing market share above all else, you'll be driving something different...you won't see three just like yours driving home every night.

Even in a recession, there's a place for high quality and true luxury. $50,000 Chevy Tahoes are out...but there'll always be a place for a car like this.

Scion tC

Here's a question I've never asked:

"If Darth Vader were a college student and drove a Scion, what would it look like?"

See above.

Okay, that's probably a bit harsh...but I was more than a bit bugged by the Scion tC.

Not the car itself, which I have always liked a lot...but by the way it was optioned.

The tC, for the uninitiated, is a smart, tight, fun little coupe...with a base price of just $17,000, an EPA estimate of 20 city/27 highway, more handling capability than most vehicles with a Toyota pedigree, and an impressive list of standard features (17 inch alloy wheels, moonroof, 160-watt Pioneer audio system with subwoofer)for the price.

Hard to beat.

But the tester came with $4000 of options that made absolutely no difference. $1083 for ground effects. $430 for a rear pedestal spoiler. $65 for a different shift knob. A metal one. In Phoenix. In summer (okay, that's worse for me than for a lot of folks). $1999 for 18" black wheels and Toyo tires. And $389 to upgrade the Pioneer audio system...though it doesn't specify what the upgrade was, exactly and it sounded about as good as the stock one (at least according to memory).

So $17,000 becomes $21,000...the performance of the car isn't improved (arguably, the 18 inch wheels hurt the ride) and the all-black menacing look....well, c'mon...it's a Scion. It's just not that menacing.

Still love the tC. Great car. Just buy it as-is, bone stock and you've got something. But jacking up the price by more than 20 percent for this stuff? Pass.

Camaro SS

Two months after our turn in the Camaro RS, comes the long-anticipated week in the Camaro SS.

What's the difference, ask the less than die-hard Camaro fans?

2 cylinders, 120 horsepower and 11 grand.

The SS is this year's bad boy Camaro...a 6.2 liter V8 making 425 horsepower. Not long ago, this was Corvette territory.

Sure, it's fast. Yes, it makes a marvelous noise when you put your foot in it. Yeah, I would have loved this car in high school. No, there's not much I'd change about it.

But would I buy one?

Hmmm.

Even assuming an epic middle-age crisis, I really don't know. The V6 RS, packing 305 horsepower, a price that begins in the $22,000 range and an EPA highway estimate of 29 miles per gallon strikes me as close to having it all.

425 horsepower is better on paper, but where and how do you use those extra horses and not endanger your future as a licensed driver? And the tradeoffs for that power of uncertain usefulness include a sticker that starts at $33,430 and an EPA highway estimate that drops to 24.

In absolute terms, it's a screaming deal....the tester bottom-lined at $35,850...which for this level of performance is amazing...and 24 highway for sheer muscle is a compelling number.

But factor in the uncertain times in which we live and banking the extra 10 grand from the purchase price and the weekly savings in gasoline, not to mention insurance, just seems like the smarter pick if you're shopping Camaros.

Chevrolet Equinox

And the award for "most improved" goes to.....

No, I'm not kidding. The past four years of the Chevy Equinox couldn't have been blander (quick..can you really picture one?). It was dead on arrival and buried by every new small SUV or crossover that came along since.

But this....if they'd had 535 of these to put in the Capitol parking lot a year ago, Congress would have passed a GM bailout bill so fast it would have made your head swim. There would have been no bankruptcy.

Yes...it's that good. So good, in fact, that I'd cross-shop it against the Mazda CX-7. And if you've read that review, you know that's saying something.

Pick the Chevy over the Mazda and you give up the sporting feel, but you gain room and a more commanding view of the road, thanks to the more traditional architecture of the Equinox.

Base price? $23,360...with most of the same standard equipment as the Mazda. The rest (apart from a sunroof) is made up for in options that, on our tester, only ran the bottom line up to $24,600. And here's what you get to sit in:



Not two years ago, I would have bet you that GM couldn't pull off an interior like that in this class and price of vehicle. Then, I'd have won.

And speaking of winning, the Equinox actually takes the CX-7 on fuel economy...thanks to a six-speed automatic paired with a just-right four....the EPA says 22 city/30 highway.

This is a vehicle that deserves your attention and consideration. And the new GM needs to make everything they do from here on out as good as this.

BMW X5 xDrive35d

Diesel rules. Just not here in the USA. But BMW's working to change that.

A great way to make the case for diesel's economy and lower emissions is to put it in an SUV.

The X5 xDrive35d (that's the name, folks) is one of the new generation of clean diesels...odorless, largely noiseless, with good performance from a V6 making 265 horsepower and tons of torque.

The EPA says 26 miles per gallon on the highway...which is five mpg better than the X5 3.0 6-cylinder gasoline engine...rated at 260 horsepower. And the price premium to step up to the diesel is less than $4,000. But that does put the base price a shade above $50,000...which seems to be a major psychological price point in the new reality.

I had the tester for a week and a half and it was flawless...a great drive...and the diesel engine is a great match for the x5's size and weight...that strong, linear power delivery imparting an extra sense of solidity to the vehicle. And there's the knowledge that diesel engines are routinely capable of 250,000, 500,000 and more miles in a lifetime.

Apart from large, mainly half-ton American trucks, it's the Germans who are carrying the flag on diesel. They're not wrong.

Mazda CX-7

As impressed as I am with the Mazda CX-9, the smaller Mazda CX-7 may be the better vehicle for the largest number of people.

Shorter and seating five rather than seven, the CX-7 is a strong alternative to small SUVs and more expensive crossovers.

Mazda's attention to detail and focus on fun are what seal the deal. Not to mention economic factors. Opt for a CX-7 and $22,340 buys you a 16-valve four with a five-speed automatic transmission, independent front suspension, dynamic stability control, traction control, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, 17-inch alloy wheels, power locks, windows and mirrors, air conditioning, Bluetooth, a multi-function information display, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, remote keyless entry, and a better-than-average four-speaker AM/FM/CD/mp3 audio system.

I'll repeat. That's standard. For the base price of $22,340. Stop there, pay the $750 delivery fee and you've just barely crossed into $23,000.



Mazda sweetened the press tester with a cargo net, fog lights, a retractable cargo cover, Sirius Satellite Radio, scuff plates and a convenience package that included heated front seats, a moonroof, a rear-view camera, power driver's seat and an upgrade for the air conditioning to automatic climate control.

And the bottom line was still only $25,990.

This, my friends, is a deal.

But wait! There's more!

As in five-star frontal and side crash ratings, four for rollover....and an EPA estimated 20 city, 28 highway miles per gallon.

And because of that fun factor I mentioned earlier, it's like driving a sports sedan. The CX-7 breezes onto the TireKicker Top 20 Cars list. It's that good.

Lexus GS 460

Think you've seen that car before? Well, you're right. The Lexus GS460 has been around quite a while now.

Want proof? Look on the instrument panel.

There...where the audio controls are.

Volume knob...tuning knob....memory buttons...CD slot.

Cassette deck.

Yes, cassette deck. There. Behind the gear shift.



Actually, it's kind of cool...made me want to dust off the old mix tapes during the week I had the car...but it's a serious indicator that it's time for some freshening.

There's nothing wrong with the GS, which is now in its fifth year since its last redesign...but it plays in a segment where innovation is a selling point. The base price of the GS 460 is $53,470. The tester I drove, with Mark Levison audio, Navigation, rear camera,/ rear spoiler (why?), power rear sunshade, trunk mat, Illuminated door sills (again, why?), XM Satellite Radio and delivery charges, bottom-lined at $59,443.

These days $557 shy of 60 large fairly demands compelling reasons for the expenditure...and while the GS is a nice ride, it's so quiet and so familiar that its sales strategy seems to be just hoping you'll just decide you like it that much all on your own.

And like every perfectly nice guy who wanted the prom queen to fall in love with him, that trick rarely works.

EPA estimate: 17 city/24 highway.

UPDATE: A night's sleep (okay, 3 hours) tells me I'm damning with faint praise here. Let me clarify.

The GS 460 is one of the nicest sedans I've driven in a long time. Smooth, quick, comfortable and confidence-inspiring. It made me feel like a better driver, and kept me fresher longer than most.

My concern (especially given that there's not a ton of promotion for it) is that it's going to get passed by...that five seasons without a significant re-do makes it invisible on the street and that anachronisms like the cassette player could brand it as last century's car for the few buyers out there still looking to spend $60,000 on a sedan.

It's well worth the test drive. I'd be perfectly happy with one in my driveway for the next five years. And my cassettes would feel less neglected.

Subaru Legacy

Subaru has made its place in the automotive world the past 35 years or so by being the Japanese SAAB. Quirky, yet loveable...attracting a small but devoted following.

Attempting to go mainstream just about killed SAAB, so there's precedent for concern every time Subaru gets a bit more normal.

Except that Subaru's managed it quite well...first with the Outback, then the Forester, and now with the Legacy.

The Legacy is stepping up in size and refinement, becoming for the first time a logical and direct alternative to Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.

And to show just how good the basic product is, Subaru sent us a no-frills Legacy 2.5i. Not a single option (but with 17-inch alloy wheels, 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, air conditioning, AM/FM/CD, an auxilary audio jack, XM/Sirius capability, a multifunction trip computer, an outside temperature gauge, cruise control, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, power windows, door locks and mirrors, a remote keyless entry system, and map and courtesy lights all standard, it's a complete package without any options).

Even though the Legacy is bigger now, it's lighter than the competition...handles better...and don't forget...it's a Subaru, so all-wheel drive is part of the deal.
And the power from the 2.5 liter engine (170 horsepower), teamed with a smooth 6-speed manual, is more than adequate.

That six-speed is a help for the fuel economy...the EPA says 19 city, 27 highway.

And the price?

Well, the price had me reminding myself to think Subaru for my next family sedan: $19,995.

Remember the deal about no options? That's right...apart from $695 delivery charge, $19,995 is the base and the bottom line. There's a Camry a few hundred bucks cheaper, but not as satisfying, and the least-expensive Accord is $21,055. That's compelling math for a car that no longer has to be explained. The Legacy has arrived.

Lexus IS 350 Convertible

Despite some drawbacks (air and water leaks, an easy target for knife-wielding thieves, noise that drowns out the stereo, the need to preserve TV-ready hair, sunstroke in five minutes or less....okay those last two are strictly my problems), I'm a sucker for convertibles. Always have been. My Uncle Ron drove nothing else...a '55, '59 and '63 T-Bird and a '69 Mercury Cougar XR-7. Riding in Uncle Ron's cars was always a big treat...and that's probably where I got it.

One of the best ways to address most of the above problems is a retractable hardtop. Top up, it's just like driving a fixed-roof coupe...top down, you've got a convertible.

Until now, you could get one from Lexus, but only one...the SC 430. Styling? A matter of taste. Price? 66 grand and change, base.

But this year, Lexus brings a new prize to the party...the IS 350 Convertible. As you can see in the photo above, it's a retractable. It's also, at least in my opinion, a bunch better looking than the SC 430 (also a retractable hardtop), a bunch more contemporary (the SC's been in production 11 years now, with no substantive changes) and a bunch more affordable....with a base price of $43,940. A bit of a bargain can be had by opting for the IS 250 Convertible...you give up about 100 horsepower (getting 204 instead of 306), but the base price falls to $38,940. Whether there's 5 grand worth of enjoyment in the bigger engine is your call.

All we've been exposed to is the 350...and it was a very nice ride. Since it carries the IS badge, there's more of a sporting feel (at least by Lexus standards)...and it's got more usable room (though not tons of it) than the SC430 for the driver and passengers (just don't take that back seat seriously).

EPA estimate: 18 city/25 highway.

With headlamp washers, the Luxury Package (Bi-Xenon high-intensity headlamps, adaptive front lighting, heated and ventilated front seats, leather, wood, memory seats, illuminated scuff plates, and rain-sensing wipers), and a nav system that also upgrades the audio system to a 275-watt Mark Levinson AM/FM/5.1 Surround DVD system, the bottom line wound up at $51,860.

That's up there for the size of the car (apart from the new HS hybrid, the IS is the smallest Lexus) and the level of the luxury, but more than 20grand cheaper than a similarly-outfitted SC 430. Your call.

Jaguar XK Convertible

And so it goes. Jaguar changes ownership again...this time moving to Tata of India.

So, can they build a proper Jag?

That's a question best answered over years of ownership, but my week in the 2010 XK Convertible suggests they won't miss a beat.

What's new? Well, power is up...now at a standard 385 horsepower as the XKR reaches 510.

And the rotary dial gear selector from the XF sedan has made its way into the XK. Does anyone really like this? A knob larger than BMW's iDrive that controls only one thing...the gear? And I'm on the record as not liking iDrive...or any intrusion of a "mouse" into the console. A lever would do just as well...in fact, better. As bad as Jag's old automatic J-gate shifter was, there was some sense of having locked in a gear. And that's not there with the rotary.

And then there's price. Base for the XK Convertible is now $88,150. Ours had only one option...HD Radio (digital broadcasting technology that makes AM sound as good as FM and FM as good as CD, while allowing up to 3 additional channels to each FM signal). It costs $300, and there are several issues. One: There are so few cars with HD available, and even home units cost $300, that there's nearly no one listening...and that means broadcasters are getting edgy. There's a real chance, unless manufacturers start making HD Radio standard equipment(and cutting themselves out of $300 per car) that broadcasters will abandon HD Radio as a failed experiment sooner or later.

The other problem is one that I ran across in the last Jag convertible I tested. And that is that the standard 525 watt Bowers & Wilkins audio system just doesn't sound very good. Run it loud enough to compensate for the usual convertible noises and it can't get there. The whole thing sounds thin and bordering on distortion. Admittedly, the acoustics of convertibles, both in terms of extra noise and limited places to put speakers, are a challenge. But other manufacturers found their solutions long ago.

Anyway, with HD Radio and transportation charges, the bottom line was $89,300. EPA estimates, if anyone is counting, are 16 city/22 highway.

The XK is what it is and you're either a likely buyer or not. The good news is that a change in ownership so far appears to not be a factor in your decision.

2010 Ford Raptor

Thanks to Randall Bohl and Joe Sage of Arizona Driver Magazine for snapping and posting this shot of yours truly behind the wheel of the 2010 Ford Raptor.

Yes, I'm wearing a tie. TV and all that.

Anyway, this was at a special Ford event this past Tuesday (10/6) at Firebird Raceway south of Phoenix...a ride and drive for members of the Phoenix Automotive Press Association to get familiar with hot new FoMoCo product all in one place.

Some of them were vehicles already tested and posted here on TireKicker (Ford Taurus, Mercury Milan Hybrid), but we got a couple of fresh rides, too...including the Raptor.

A full review is coming, but I'll say this much in advance: The Raptor is going to be a huge and deserved hit among the serious off-road crowd, and is so well engineered and so civilized in everyday on-pavement driving that I believe it will sell to an even larger pool of drivers.

There's no denying the visual impact. And the way Ford's guys sweated every detail...well, that's a story for the full review.

Lexus RX 450h

This is the year that Toyota makes it clear...you don't have to drive a Prius to be green.

Lexus has been building hybrids for a while...but the big advertising and PR push is now...and with the 2010 RX 350 crossover all-new, there's a fair amount of the spotlight falling on the hybrid version, the RX 450h.

Basically, it's a 350, but with a hybrid powerplant that boosts mileage considerably...to 32 city/28 highway...an improvement of 14 and 6 respectively.

Of course, hybrid tech costs money, so the 450h starts just a shade less than $5,000 above to gasoline-powered 350...at $41,660.

Lexus, of course, wanted to show off the new 450h in the best possible light, so the tester they sent out was...well...loaded. Like ten grand worth of options loaded.

19 inch aluminum alloy wheels ($660), heated and ventilated front seats ($640), LED headlamps with AFS (adaptive front lighting system), intelligent high beams and headlamp washer ($1,875), a Mark Levinson surround sound DVD audio system with 15 speakers ($1,610), a navigation system with XM NavTraffic and NavWeather ($2,440) and the Premium Package.

Now, with the standard equipment in a Lexus and the options above, I would have figured the whole car was a premium package, but no...this adds a touch open/close moonroof, auto-dimming power heated outside mirrors, a power rear door, an mp3 mini plug and USB audio plug and driver's seat, steering and mirror memory.

That's $2,400. Add in the $875 for delivery charges and this particular RX 450h bottom-lines at $52,160. A bargain? No. But a very nice machine...and probably well within the comfort level of the target buyers.

Land Rover LR2 HSE

The words "Land Rover" and "value" aren't often found together, but the LR2 could change that.

As noted in our test almost exactly a year ago, the LR2 used to be the Freelander, and it wasn't very good.

The LR2 steps up considerably from those humble beginnings, creating a small SUV that looks and feels like a legitimate little brother to the bigger Rover utes.

The one we had recently stickered at $41,475..and came with only two options, a lighting package (Bi-Xenon headlamps, adaptive front lighting, approach and puddle lights and memory seats and mirrors) and the Technology Package (Nav system, surround sound audio, Sirius Satellite radio , rear seat audio controls and a Bluetooth telephone interface).

Well, let's say that the standard lighting is good enough (it is). $1,050 falls off the window sticker just like that.

Can you live without navigation, surround sound, satellite radio, giving the kids the ability to control same and Bluetooth for your phone (hang up and drive already)?
Sure. Presto. Another $3500 gone. And you've got a very nice base vehicle (hey, the standard stereo is a 320-watt, nine speaker Alpine system with a 6-disc in-dash changer).

If it weren't for delivery charges and Land Rover's highway robbery of throwing $700 on the sticker for a "Dealer Pre-Delivery Inspection", you'd be down to the base price, too...a very reasonable $35,375...in an age of $31,000 RAV4s.

Even with the delivery and PDI, you're under $37,000. But Land Rover dealers are hungry too...I'd see if you can get them to make that PDI charge go away. It better not cost $700 to make sure one of these is ready to sell to a customer.

Toyota RAV4 Sport

Usually, here at TireKicker, price gets discussed last...after a recitation of facts and opinions about the vehicle being reviewed. And then, it's base price, a rundown of the options, culminating in the bottom line.

Well, in the case of the Toyota RAV4 Sport, I'm going to work backwards.

$30,938.

That's right. Almost 31 large for a compact SUV. What can we do about that? Let's work our way up the options sheet:

$745 for delivery. Not really an option. It stays.

$359 for a VIP-RS3200 Plus security system. I'd feel like a dope if it got broken into or stolen and I'd cheaped out on $359. It's a keeper.

$750 for a towing reciever hitch. What on earth am I going to be towing in a RAV4? Lose it. Gets us down to $30,188, which is still too much money.

$199 for floor mats and a cargo mat. Yeah, I could probably do better going aftermarket, but they match and I'm not a cheapskate...I'm just trying to reasonably equip a reasonably priced RAV4. Keep 'em.

$70 for a light control system. According to the sticker, it turns your headlights on automatically. I can turn on my own headlights. Dump it. Now we're at $30,118.

$40 for daytime running lights. Hate 'em. Always have. Goodbye. Make that $30,078.

Ah, here we go: $1,550 for a Nav system. When TomToms and Garmin Nuvis are available for a couple hundred? When most new cell phones have a GPS navigation app? I don't think so. Saying no means losing XM Satellite Radio and mp3 capability, but a couple of aisles over from the portable nav units are combo XM recievers/mp3 players for less than $200. Strike this line item. New balance: $28,528 and counting.

$1,930 for the Premium Package. That's leather-trimmed seats, driver and front passenger heated seats, 8-way power adjustable driver's seat with power lumbar support and height adjustment. I say no for two reasons: One, because we're trying to get the price down here and two, because if enough people order this kind of stuff on RAV4s, they'll eventually be $40,000 and as big as Highlanders "because that's what buyers say they want." New number: $26,598.

$475 for an integrated back-up camera. In a big vehicle, where lines of sight are compromised by how high up you are, these are useful. I don't think a RAV4 needs it. Down to $26,123.

Last item: $220 for a roof rack. Lousy for aerodynamics, meaning noise and gas mileage. If you're a biker or other outdoors type and seriously need one, then you probably know where to find one perfect for your purposes and maybe at a better price. Goodbye.

Where are we? $25,903. Still a smidgen pricey, but it's well-equipped, has Toyota's reputation for reliability, high crash ratings and an EPA estimated 21 city/27 highway miles per gallon.

At this price, I'd be interested. At almost $31,000? No way.

UPDATE: Drove the 4X4 version of the RAV4 recently with a base price of $26,530. Ouch. That means with nothing on it, it's now above what we whittled the front-wheel driver down to. And while this one wasn't quite as option-laden, it still rang up to $29,808 after delivery charges. Meantime, mileage drops to 19 city/26 highway.

There's growing competition in this segment...and by and large, it's less expensive. A couple of years back, you could justify the extra cost with a simple, "Hey, it's a Toyota". But right now, pennies count...to say nothing of thousands.