In a Nutshell: A great small car with an even more superb transmission, but pricey with options and some annoying marketing goofs.


Audi recently introduced the 5-door A3 hatchback to the American market ( prefering to leave the 3-door version overseas ) in response to a growing acceptance by Americans of the formerly shunned hatchback body style ( Saab, take notice...you did just the opposite ). I personally see no reason why the 3-door model could not have also come, except maybe that Audi's reasoning was that it would interfere with VW 3-door Golf ( recently renamed Rabbit ) sales.

Marketing Goof #1.

The A3 is built on generally the same joint VW-Audi platform that produces the Golf ( Rabbit ), Jetta, Beetle, A3, and A4 and Passat in slightly stretched form. It comes with a choice of a 2.0L turbo in-line 4 or a 3.2L V6 and a choice of a conventional 6-speed manual or the marvelous dual-clutch DSG ( Direct-Shift-Gearbox ), which is the primary reason for this review. Much has been written in the auto press about this DSG gearbox.......mostly good things.......and I wanted to see and experience it for myself, notwithstanding the fact that several people have asked me about this transmission and what it is like and I could only tell them what I had read about it. The auto press is correct; it is a superb piece of engineering....more on this later.

Unfortunately, Audi refuses to sell the also well-done Quattro AWD system on A3's with the 2.0 engine in the American market ( don't know about overseas ). Here you have to move up to the even pricier 3.2L V6 model ( starting at some $33,000 ) to get the Quattro system , an annoying and needless restriction, IMO, especially considering the fact that the turbo 2.0 has plenty of power to handle the weight and drag of AWD.

Marketing Goof #2.

Having said that, the rest of the car is quite impressive as well. It is built with superb materials inside and out, although Audi electronics have a well-deserved reputation for unreliability.

The interior and exterior both have extensive use of quality materials.....you will NOT find the dime-store cheesiness in trim and hardware that so many other vehicles in today's market have...especially a lot of domestic-nameplate stuff. However, to some extent this material quality is reflected in its price tag....the A3, despite its relatively small exterior size, is not a chump-change econobox.

You will make a significant dent in your bank account buying one of these, especially with the more expensive option packages. Though it starts at 26K, my tested 2.0 ran over 34K, quite stiff for a 4-cylinder, and 3.2 models can run 40K.
The paint job, as is customary with Audis in general, was excellent....very well-done. It rivals Lexus paint jobs in overall quality, and most of the paint colors are classy if a little on the dark side. Audi, though, like other German manufacturers, has an annoying and needless habit of charging extra for certain paint colors....half of the colors in the A3 line ( see the web site for details ) carry an extra charge of $450-750. This is needless, IMO.......Lexus, which does paint as well or better than even Audi, does not charge extra for any color line that I know of....even the gorgeous Lexus Matador Red that I have written about so much.

Marketing Goof #3.

The high-performance S3 model is not here yet but may be coming to the American market in the future....hence I did not list this as a marketing goof....simply an ordrinary minus below. Audi is officially mum on this, but from what I understand has not ruled it out. Also, no sedan A3's are available, but this market to some extent is already covered by the A4.


OK....now let's look at this not-so-cheap small car in detail:




Model Reviewed: 2006 Audi A3 2.0 T DSG

Base Price: $26,990
Major Options: Sport Package: $1800
Cold Weather Package: $700
Moro Blue Pearl Effect Paint: $750
Open Sky System: $1100
Audi Navigation Plus Sound: $2850
Freight: $720
List Price: $34,140


Exterior Color: Moro Blue Pearl Effect ( optional at extra cost )
Interior: Black Leather

Drivetrain: 2.0L turbocharged in-line 4, 200 HP @ 5100-6000 RPM, torque 207 ft.-lbs. @ 1800-5000 RPM, 6-speed DSG dual-clutch automanual transmission, Front-Wheel-Drive



PLUSSES:

Superb DSG transmission combines efficiency, power, smoothness, sophistication, and ease of operation.

Lots of engine power and accceleration for a 2.0 turbo.......partly due to the transmission's efficiency.

Excellent paint job...very close to Lexus quality paint.

Excellent hardware inside and out.

Versatile rear seat.

Better-than-average steering feel ( not quite to BMW standards )

Sharp handling and steering response with Sport Package.

Flat cornering.

Superb materials inside and out




MINUSES:

Spongy brake pedal.

Pricey with options.

No Quattro AWD with the 2.0 T engine.

Overly complex NAV and MMI system.

Fairly stiff ride with Sport Package.

High-performance S3 not available ( yet ) in the American market.

Somewhat cramped for large people.

Sport front seat bolsters too narrow for large you-know-whats.

Unreliable electronics.

Front grille too large.

Annoying and needless extra charge for some paint colors. ( $450-$750 )

No sedan versions...gotta get the A4 for that.



The first impression you get of this car as you walk up to it is ( not surprisingly ) that of an A4 with the trunk lopped off. Except for the too-large grille up front ( a new Audi trademark on all of its cars meant to recall the large-grilled Auto-Union racing cars of the 1930's that pioneered the Audi name ) the exterior, IMO, is, like the A4, handsome and well-done despite the lopped-off trunk look. The paint and exterior hardware are both very well-done......I have already described the paint above. The exterior hardware, also as described above, does not leave you with the El Cheapo flimsiness you notice on, say, Dodges, Chevies, Fords, etc......
Neither does the interior either. Open the door, get in, and shut it with a solid thud. All of the hardware around you is first-rate and well-assembled. There is a minimum of cheap plastic, and the fit-and-finish level is excellent as well, although naturally the interior is not as plush as that of more expensive Audis, and the Sport Package uses metallic trim instead of wood. The dash has several nice, round, solid-feeling TT-type air vents, which operate with a precise feel.
The gauges are generally well-designed, and the basic controls, while not quite Toyota or Honda-easy to use or operate, are better than on the average European-designed car.

This, however, is clearly not a car for large people. The sport-seats, designed to hold one in place during hard cornering, are a little too narrow for wide backs and rumps like mine...you can feel them pressing into you, and the bolsters themselves are not adjustable ( I think not anyway......I did not find a lever or wheel for it ). The solid-feeling wheel that adjusts the seat back rake is hard to reach behind you and between the seat and the door. The leather on the seat, though, like the rest of the interior, was first-rate in quality, and was not particularly slippery like leather seats can sometimes be.

Headroom, front and rear, was also in relatively short supply, despite the rather conventional roof line that did not dip down in back like on so many other cars...the Open-Sky sunroof package, of course, accounts for some of that headroom tightness. The rear seat was somewhat cramped for large people but not notably more so than in any other small car.

The rear seat design itself was quite well thought-out and versatile. It not only folds down 60/40 using high-quality and durable-feeling hardware, but has a center pull-down feature that doubles as a rear armrest, compartment tray, and a hole for extending long items like skis through the trunk.

Another weak spot in the interior is the NAV / MMI system which was on my test car. The NAV controls were rather complex and I found the the MMI ( Multi-Media Interface ) system to be almost as frustrating as BMW's I-Drive, despite Audi's claim to the contrary. Save yourselves some money and frustration and get an A3 with conventional controls.....I check-tested one on the lot and they were much easier and more satisfying to use. The stereo and climate-control systems both worked well, and although quite good, were not quite in the Lexus-Infiniti class.

Start the engine with a key ( no push-button ), let the oil pressure come up, shift the DSG into gear ( no slam or lurch like other automatically-shifted manuals ), and off you go. The turbo 2.0 has plenty of power, and it comes on early for a turbo, without a long turbo lag. Don't let the small size of this engine fool you...with the turbo, you are pushed back into the seat firmly, and you better keep an eye on cars in front of you so you don't run up their rear bumper. This engine has PLENTY of power to handle AWD......get with it, Audi, and put the Quattro in this car. The engine's exhaust's note is the typical German satisfying tone that builds with RPM.
Part of the reason for the engine's good power, of course, is the efficiency of the DSG gearbox. This is every bit the superb piece of engineering the auto mags say it is...smooth, lurch-free engagement, quiet, efficient at transmitting the engine's power, RPM-matching downshifts, seamless shifting whether auto or manually shifted...just a pleasure to use. You have a conventional console-mounted lever with the choice of auto-shift or + / - manual-shift mode, and also nice, firm-feeling + / - paddles on the steering wheel. One would never guess, primarily because of the smoothness and instantaneous shift of the double-clutch mechanism, that this was not a fluid-filled torque-converter automatic. It gives the power of a manual, the smoothness and convenience of an automatic, and almost the efficiency of a CVT.....without the CVT's weird constant-RPM sensations. Well-done, VW-Audi.
The chassis dynamics, in the German tradition, are a little on the firm side, especially with the Sport Package and the higher-performance tires. Bumps and road irregularities make themselves noticed, but the trade-off, of course, is quick steering response, sharp handling, and a lack of body roll....though not as extreme as the Mitsubishi Evo IX I tested several weeks ago. Nonetheless, this car is at home on narrow, winding, curvy roads, and steering feel, while not quite as slick or driver-friendly as BMW's, has that connected-to-the-tire feeling so prevalent in German sport sedans.

Unfortunately that slick, driver's feeling was somehow left out of the brake pedal......uncharacteristic of German cars. I don't know if it was an A3 problem in general or just a quirk in my test car, but the brake pedal felt almost as spongy as in the Tahoe / Yukon, a vehicle notorious for spongy brakes. Unlike the Tahoe, though, when you press the pedal past its sponginess, you DO get brake response in this car.

So...the verdict? This car is clearly the cream of the crop of the American-market small hatchbacks. With the relatively stiff Sport Package, it is not a particularly good car for long-distance cruising, but will carve up twisty roads as good if not better than some smaller BMW's. Its steering feel is not quite as superb as BMW's, but the noted German sports-sedan feel nevertheless is unmistakable. The DSG gearbox is a marvel of engineering...easily one of the best transmissions I have ever seen ( though it is complex and could be costly to repair once the warranty is gone ). The materials inside and out ( electronics excepted ) are first-rate. Just be prepared to cough up some dollars for the privilege of driving it home, and having to deal ( depending on the dealership ) with the snobbishness and aristocracy you sometimes find at German-nameplate dealerships.

And last, one important note: If you just want the great engineering in the DSG gearbox and don't care about the other A3 attributes, the same transmission is available in some cheaper VW models....you don't necessarily have to pay the A3's price to get it.

In a Nutshell: The best and most impressive Jeep ever built.


Recently a close friend of mine ( an older woman ) from my church was accidentally run off the road in her Jeep Cherokee into a wall, and the vehicle overturned, pinning her inside....the rescue crews really had to work to get her out. She suffered some injuries....the worst being a fractured arm that has required time and therapy to heal, but she is convinced that the Cherokee's structure and engineering saved her life. Fortunately, the other driver admitted guilt and has fully co-operated, and while neither she nor myself believe in frivolous or excessive lawuits, she does have a right to at least some justice and compensation, which will eventually be settled by the courts, lawyers, and insurance companies.
So...she cannot drive right now, but once this is all taken care of and she gets her monetary settlement, a big item on the list will be a new vehicle ( the Cherokee was totalled ).
As she is convinced that the Cherokee's structure ( and God, of course ) saved her life, naturally she is gravitating towards a new Jeep...and wants something hefty, high-riding, solid, and something she will feel safe in...never mind the fact that high-center-of-gravity vehicles tend to be tipsy. So she asked me to look at new Jeeps for her while she is still recovering. ( She, of course, gets a copy of this review, plus a live briefing from me, but I'm also posting it for others at CL who may have an interest in it ) .

The Cherokee, after a production run of some 20 years, is gone; replaced by the Liberty, a vehicle I've driven and am not terribly impressed with. The Wrangler, of course, is too crude, harsh, uncomfortable, and too much of a mountain goat for her needs. The Grand Cherokee is a nice all-around vehicle but notoriously unreliable ( one of the most unreliable vehicles in Consumer Reports' database ). The new Patriot is boxy and square-shaped ( like she wants ) but is not really a Jeep underneath........... though it is trail-rated, it comes from a car-based design. The new Compass is even more of a car and not a Jeep....it not only is not trail-rated, but is essentially a rebadged version of the Dodge Caliber......a new compact car replacing the Neon.
So, that leaves only one Jeep left.........the flagship Jeep Commander.......and WOW what a machine. This vehicle, in my opinion, with a couple of small exceptions in the trim and hardware, is marvelous. This is easily....by a BIG margin.......the smoothest, most comfortable, best-handling, most pleasant to drive Jeep product EVER built....more on this later.

The Commander was introduced, along with the much smaller and less-capable Patriot and Compass, for the 2006 model year. It is based on a somewhat stretched version of the Grand Cherokee's platform and chassis but follows the Cherokee's square, shoe-box styling that was so popular with owners and is quite space efficient to boot., and retains Jeep s signature 7-slot grille. It comes with either a 3.7L V6, a 4.7L V8, or the regular non-supercharged 5.7 L Hemi. ( Jeep is mum about whether an SRT supercharged Hemi version, like the Grand Cherokee, is in the works....but I wouldn't bet on it, given the purpose of the Commander's design and marketing ).

Anyway, it comes in two basic price versions....the base Commander and Limited. The Limited really has a glitzy, first-class interior that, dollar-for-dollar, trumps the far more expensive Cadillac Escalade when value for the money is taken into account, though of course it can't quite tow what the Escalade does. There aren't really trim versions as such....they come in " S ", " T ", and " U " trim and equipment packages....see the web site above for details.

Thinking of my friend's concerns with income and the rising price of gas ( and, of course, that this vehicle is not chump change to begin with ) I chose a base V6 model ( somewhat hard to find, as most in stock are V8's ), although after driving it and looking at the very small difference between the V6 , V8 and Hemi mileage ratings, the V8's may be worth the extra money....they are almost the same price to run as the V6, except for the fact that the V6 and 4.7 V8 can run on regular fuel while the Hemi requires premium. ( I think.....the specs are not clear on this ) And....when my friend gets her settlement, ( a justified one ) she might be able to pick out any Commander she wants.

After a while, checking out new cars gets to be a routine, and cars usually behave the way I more or less expect, but every once in a while, when I review a vehicle, I get an unexpected surprise, and I sure did today. This vehicle was far more impressive on the road than I expected, so let's look at this remarkable machine in detail:




Model Tested: 2006 Jeep Commander

Base Price: $29,440
Major Options: Customer Preferred Package ( U ) $4100
Rear Air Conditioning $610
Freight $695

List Price $35,070

Exterior Color: Inferno Red Crystal Pearl
Interior: Slate Gray Leather
Drivetrain: 3.7L V6, 210 HP @ 5200 RPM, 235 ft.-lbs. Torque @ 4000 RPM, 5-Speed automatic transmission with Electronic Range Select and manual shift control and Tow / Haul feature, QuadraDrive I full-time AWD system and open front, center, and rear differentials .





PLUSSES:

SMOOTH ride......especially by Jeep standards.

Well-modulated power steering.

Sharp handling considering the comfort level and high center of gravity

Well-designed and well-modulated brakes.

Good accessability under the hood with V6.

Well-designed, durable, folding 2nd-row and 3rd-seats.

Stacked seating lets those in back see out.

Square body means good interior space eficiency.

Simple, well-designed, easy-to-use seat folding mechanisms.

Durable seat supports.

Well-applied paint for an American -designed vehicle.

Real brushed metal trim, not just plastic, on the base model's inside door panels around the power-window switches ( Limited models get wood-tone trim on the doors )

Simple, easy-to-use manual climate-controls...the automatic ones were just as simple, which is unusual.

Easy Entry / Exit.

Power-adjustable pedals.

Good towing capacity.

Standard third-row seats for large families.

Anvil-like body rigidity.

Sky-light windows for rear-seat passengers....included in the package option.

Nice wood-trim on the console and classy crystal-chrome Jeep steering wheel even in base model.

Well-insulated from road and tire noise..

Roomy seating areas.

Full-time AWD means drive-and-forget; no transfer-case lever, low range, different-surface requiremnents, etc......

Heavy, luxurious feeling on the road; ideal for long trips.

Likely to retain good resale value after several years.

Handsome-looking wheels.

Exterior trim a good combination of macho and soccer-mom features.

Ingenious double-use flip-over panel over spare tire compartment in back.

0% financing ( or rebates ) on 2006 models still in stock.









I found relatively few things to complain about, but a couple areas need improvement:


MINUSES:

Typical El Cheapo 3 year / 36,000 mile warranty like most domestic-nameplate vehicles.

There is no reason for the Inferno Red and Dark Khaki paint colors to be extra cost.....this is nonsense.

Exterior mirrors typical Chrysler-Jeep flimsiness and cheapness....poor-quality plastic.

Some interior and exterior hardware, though handsome, could be more solid in feel.

Stereo OK but a long way from Mark Levinson Units.

Large, wide, windshield A-pillars out ahead of the driver, VW Beetle-style, block a little vision....but this may help the strong body rigidity.

Has to prove its reliability after its brother Grand Cherokee's poor showing.




The first visual impression of this vehicle as you walk up to it is, like the Scion xB, a big, square shoe-box, but unlike the xB, a HANDSOME one. The classic Jeep design with the 7-slot signature grille brings back memories of the beloved Cherokee, and the box design, of course, means a lot of space inside and plenty of headroom, even with a sunroof. The body, besides having a boxy appearance, also looks chunky, with flared fender-sides and smart-looking chrome imitation rivet-heads all around the fenders. This is a BIG vehicle on the outside, especially by Jeep standards, and easily dwarfs the Grand Cherokee in appearance, though the two originate from basically the same platform. Standard roof racks tower above and a " Trail-Rated " badge proudly adorns the front fenders....though the Quadratrac I AWD system standard on the base model doesn't have a low range or locking differentials for hard-core off-road use....the Quadratrac II and QuardaDrive II systems do, and special off-road and towing packages are available . No matter. Most SUV's.....and especially this one.......are likely to be used for suburban driving most of the time nowadays anyway. Leave the hard-core Rubicon Trail stuff to baby brother Wrangler where it belongs.

Paint is well-applied, especially by American domestic-vehicle nameplate standards. There is much less orange peel than in many other Chrysler-Dodge and Jeep products, the shine stands out, and the paint itself is even with no blobs or run marks ( yes, you still see that today with some makes ).

Entry inside and out is easy, and the seats are comfortable and seem to be quite well-made. The steel hardware for the supports and folding mechanisms appears to be quite solid and well-made. The flip-down levers and handles to fold the seats are a piece of cake. Second and third-row seats flip down for added storage space, although the third seat is a little small for large adults...like most third-row seats, it is best left for children or small adults. However, also unlike many 3rd-row seats, they are SOLID, with anvil-like supports and hinges.
An ingenious, double-use panel behind the 3rd row seat flips over and doubles as either a carpeted piece of trim or a cubby-compartment...your choice.

The upholsery and door panels on the base model look a little plain....this in contrast to the jazzy-looking dash and console........but are well-upholstered, with durable-feeling materials. What appears to be a real piece of brushed aluminum ( not just coated plastic ) surrounds the power-window swtiches and door locks. ( Limited models get wood-trim). There is a fair amount of plasticized chrome on the shifter and dash.....and around the gauges, which are generally clear and well-done. Climate controls are simple and easy to use....and a special switch on the front dash turns on a fan in the extreme rear so passengers in back don't get claustrophobia.

On the road.......WOW, this is where this vehicle REALLY shines. This was, overall, one of the most pleasant vehicles to drive I have seen in quite some time....especially considering it was mildly off-road capable. The Jeep chassis, suspension, steering, tire, and brake engineers have really done their homework on this one...in my opinion it deserves Truck of the Year.

The SMOOTH ride, especially by Jeep standards, was a delight over just about any pavement surface you encountered ( I did not go off-road ). Concrete, asphalt, broken pavement, potholes, bumps, frost heaves.......no matter what was under the tires, the ride remained smooth, quiet, steady, and composed. Road noise and wind noise were both well-suppressed. Unfortunately the quiet, smooth ride could have gone with a slightly better stereo to enjoy the lack of wind noise...but the standard factory stereo, while adequate, was not the best by a long shot.
This vehicle, in addition to a smooth and quiet ride, gives the feeling of riding down the road in a nice heavy, substantial machine that won't leave you ( or it ) looking like one of Aunt Jemima's pancakes in an accident. (That is one of the chief things my friend is looking for ). The only fly inthe ointment as far as the driving experience is concerned is that the big, fat A-pillars out ahead of you, VW Beetle-style, at the base of the windshield block a little of the forward vision to each side...but this is not serious, and those big A-Pillars will no doubt protect you by keeping the roof from caving in if you DO ever manage to flip this thing over, God forbid.

Very impressive.....I've driven some " luxury " cars that could not equal this ride.
Nor, thanks to the homework the enginers have done, does this pleasant ride affect the handling or steering like it does in some vehicles. The power steering is well-weighted, with almost the perfect amount of boost, especially at low speeds for good on-center feel and just the right amount of effort to make handling a pleasant experience. However, this is still a high-center-of-gravity SUV, and even though the handling, when driven sensibly, is as pleasant as the ride.....a real rarity especially in SUV's.......you still cannot throw this big machine around corners. It is not a sports car. If that is what you want then go buy a Miata or a sports sedan....but driven sensible this machine will delight on a long trip like no other SUV in its price class. The Lexus RX330, yes, has a smooth ride, quietness, and great quality, but cannot equal this machine in passenger capacity, towing, or interior room.

The V6 engine has adequate power but has to work pretty hard in a vehicle this size, and I noticed that the EPA mileage ratings are actually pretty similiar for the three possible engines, so in some ways the only way you really save with the V6 is in the purchase price. The V8's don't use hardly any more gas and turn in probably better performance. I would recommend either one of the V8s, even though the Hemi uses premium gas as well, for any kind of serious or hard-core off-roading or even for smooth pavemant in hilly terrrrain with a heavily loaded vehicle.

The more advanced Quadra-Trac and Quadradrive II systems have differentials and a transfer case more sited to this kind of work than the Quadratrac I system in the base model, anyway.

The 5-speed automatic transmission, like Mercedes products as well, has the side-to-side slap-stick automanual feature I've always liked that flips the transmission one gear up or down no matter what mode you are in. Some automanual units, the way they are set up, ( especially if you are in SportShift non-manual mode ) don't let you now which gear you are in BEFORE you hit the lever, so you sometimes get a nasty surprise and a lurch when you downshift of lugging on the upshift. Not so with the Cyrysler-Jeep-Mercedes side-to-side action and digital readouts....you never have to guess which gear you are in either before you hit the lever or after.

Brakes were just like the chassis.....superbly well-done, although the stopping distance was a little long. The pedal had a nice lack of sponginess, smooth action, evenness of proportion, and could be adjusted electricsally along with the gas pedal for different-size legs.


OK.......the verdict? By now you no doubt have the idea that I like this vehicle......and you are correct. It has one of the most superbly designed and refined SUV chassis I have ever experienced....a delight to drive over almost any surface. The heaviness and quietness of the vehicle gives you a sense of serenity. The power steering is exceeded, in smoothness of feel, only by some BMW's I've driven....to be expected. The center-of gravity is high, yes, and there is some tipsiness...but that is part of life with almost any Jeep. The V6, even with its lower purchase price, is a questionable value, and this is not a cheap vehicle, but discounts and rebates are offered. But you get what you pay for. There has never been a Jeep like this. It puts some luxury cars to shame on the road. However, it does have to prove its reliability........the vehicle whose platform it was taken from, the Grand Cherokee, was in the repair shop more than out, and gave a lot of owners trouble despite its widespread popularity. ( the regular Cherokee, overall, was substantially more reliable than the Grand Cherokee )

The only real improvements and suggestions that I would suggest for the Commander is put on some better-quality exterior mirrors, a slightly better stereo, take off that ridiculous extra charge for a couple of the paint colors, ( Chrysler charges extra for the Inferno Red on all of its models ) and maybe a few better-quality trim parts inside and out.

In a Nutshell: Still the lowest-priced automotive Scrooges in the American market, and still a bargain, but not quite the terrific bargain they were with the last generation models.

With the recent rise in gasoline prices, of course, has come a new and more widespead interest in small, inexpensive high-mileage cars in the U.S. market once again.....one of the reasons why today we have not only the Scion xA, Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Suzuki Verona / Reno, and Chevrolet Aveo, a micro-sized Nissan on the way, but also two brand-new redesigns from Hyundai and Kia as well....the third-generation U.S.-market Accent and the second-generation U.S.-market Rio. ( Really, they're the same car, as I will illustrate later ). I plan to review both the Fit and Yaris as well, but the Fit is extremely high demand / low supply and simply is not available at dealerships. dealerships have limited allotments, and just about every one coming off the truck is pre-sold. As of today, though, Accents and Rios are available at dealerships but not in great numbers. I thoroughly reviewed a sample of both cars, but because the Rio and Accent, under the skin, are so much alike, sharing platforms, chassis, drivetrain, and even many interior parts, I decided not to write up two separate reviews, wasting both time and CAR CHAT screen space. It made much more sense to combine the two into one general review, so you as a potential shopper can compare them both right here.

The new 2006 Hyundai / Accent / Kia Rio is the latest versions of basic economy cars that go back some 15 or so years...the Accent more than the Rio, at least in the U.S market. The original Hyundai Accent ( a coupe version was called the Scoupe ) quickly developed a richly deserved reputation for quality almost as bad as the terrible Excel that it replaced.....as did the first U.S. market Kia Rio as well. I still remember that the first Rio I test-drove, had, even brand-new right off the dealers' lot, squeaks and rattles all over the interior and a misaligned rear door that would not shut properly.

But boy, how times change. Quality on both cars rapidly improved, year by year, after about 2000 or so, and the assembly quality of the latest-generation of these two cars, IMO, rivals that of Toyota and Scion....although the doors of the 2006 Accent do not appear to be as solid-feeling or sounding as those of the 2005.
There were some differences between the 2005 Rio and Accent, despite both having the same drivetrain, but in most areas the two new twins are as alike as Tweedledee and Tweedledum. The Accent's GLS interior ( there is no more Accent base verison...it has been dropped ) is, at least to my taste, better done than that the equivant Rio LX, and there are some minor differences on the outside as with Rio's large, black anti-scuff / anti-scratch bands on both front and rear bumpers, and the Rio's underhood insulation pad....both are missing on the Accent GLS, but for the most part, mechanically, these two cars are identical. The Rio offers a slightly more expensive Rio5 SX, a 5-door hatchback with better trim inside that is a little more comparable to the Accent's. The Accent has a limited-production, somewhat sportier 3-door GT hatchback, but it is not built in large numbers and is designed for a different purpose despite the similiar engine. For a true Hyundai 5-door hatchback you have to move up to the more expensive ( but still bargain-priced ) Elantra GT. Both the Accent GLS and Rio LX four-door sedans have EXACTLY the same body, chassis, tires, drivetrain, and interior dimensions, so these were the two versions I decided to review and compare. Prices, as expected, have risen somewhat over the 2005 versions, and neither model is quite the Miser Scrooge-mobile the 2005 models were, but the Rio, unlike the Accent, still offers a lower-priced Base version starting between $11,000 and $12,000 for skin-flints, those with poor credit ratings, those who don't mind shifting for themselves in heavy traffic, or who otherwise just don't want to want to spend much on a new vehicle or who want a new car at a used-car price. All U.S.-market Hyundais and Kias, including these two, fortunately still carry the superb 10 year / 100,000 mile drivetrain and 5 year / 60,000 mile total-car warranties ( transferrable to immediate family members upon resale ) and fairly long ( for the price ) list of standard equipment, although neither car had the optional power package.....you wound up your own windows, locked your own doors, and adjusted both mirrors the old-fashioned way. It shows you how spoiled we've gotten in today's society...I can remember well when you had to buy a luxury or near-luxury-level car to get these things.

OK....enough introduction for the Bobsey twins here.....let's look at them in detail:


Models tested: 2006 Hyundai Accent GLS 4-door sedan, 2006 Kia Rio LX 4-door sedan.

Base Prices: Accent GLS: $12,455. Rio LX: $13,185

Major Options: Accent: Automatic transmission, $850, A/C $800 (standard in the Rio)
Major Options: Rio: Automatic transmission $850

List Prices: Accent GLS: $14,105, Rio LX: $14,035

Exterior Colors: Accent, Wine Red. Rio, Clear White
Interior Colors: Accent, Two-tone Black / Silver cloth. Rio, Black Cloth

Drivetrains ( both cars ): FWD, transverse-mounted 1.6L inline-4, 110 hp @ 6000 RPM, 106 ft.-lbs torque @ 4500 RPM, 4-speed automatic transmission with push-button overdrive-off feature.
( Interesting......for some unknown reason, the Accent is EPA - rated at 28 / 36 MPG Highway and the Rio, 29 City / 38 Highway, despite the fact that the two cars are aerodynamically and mechanically identical, the tires were the same on both cars, and the final-drive gearing didn't seem to be any different either )


PLUSSES:

Low price

High value

Well-designed power steering

Good overhead engine accessability despite plastic engine cover.

Relatively good safety ratings for a small car.

Rio: 5-door hatchback available

Accent: Attractive interior

Good stereo by entry-level standards

Rio: large protective side and bumper mouldings

Good driver comfort...more so with Accent

Multi adjustable seats...unusual in this price range

Good assembly quality

Superb warranties

Sharp handling and steering response

Rio has some nice paint color options...especially on the hatchback.



MINUSES

High road noise.

Somewhat rough ride.

Tight rear-seat room

Small trunk openings in the 4-door sedans

Rio LX interior too plain-looking

Lack of engine torque with automatic and A/C.

Accent paint colors too dull.






On the outside, the two new cars are noticeably taller than the ones they replace, which of course make getting in and out somewhat easier. This also, not surprisingly, helps headroom as well...at least in the front seat. Neither car, though, despite the hoopla written in the brochures, will seat large adults comfortably in the rear....rear legroom, while not the worst I've seen, is quite short, and it was exceedingly difficult to get my big size 15 shoes through the small space between the B-pillar and the rear wheel arch. Rear headroom, while OK for small adults, doesn't cut it for 6' 2" guys my size......the downward-tilt of the new roofline in back scrapes the top of your head, especially with the traditional baseball cap I always wear. ( Yes, I wear that for a reason...never mind why ). These cars, with automatic, also don't have the torque for carying a full load of large adults...more on that later.

Up front, there is plenty of room ( by small-car standards ) for even large adults to get comfortable. The dash, gauges, and controls are nicely ( and almost identically ) laid out in both cars. The gauges are black with white numbers, quite legible, and have nice red and silver needles. All primary and secondary controls are also nicely laid out, work well except for the too-soft return spring in the turn-signal control stalk ( I noticed this too in the more expensive Hyundai Entourage minivan ) , and appear to be made out of nice hardware. The Accent's center-mounted stereo and climate controls looked like an almost perfectly scaled-down version of the larger Sonata's and Azera's....and the stereo in both cars had identical controls and sounded just about identical, though as mentioned, the Accent's looked a little richer in its trim. The Accent's climate controls, for some reason, also looked, felt and worked a little slicker than the Rio's, even though the basic layout was identical. The front seats in both cars seats were cloth...the Accent's, IMO, somewhat nicer cloth than the Rio's, and the Accent had a nice pull-down Captain's Chair-style armrest ( for the driver only ) which looked and felt well-made........I don't recall seeing that feature in the Rio. Both cars had nice, easy-to-use ( even with the doors closed ) manual twist-wheels for adjusting the level of both the front and back of the drivers' seat cushion....unusual in this price class ).

The Accent, IMO, also had a MUCH nicer-looking two-tone black / silver interior than the Rio did, which was essentially just plain black vinyl, plastic, and cloth. The Accent also had nicer trim and better-contrasting materials.
A weak point on both cars is the new doors, which, IMO, do not feel as solid on the new Accent sedan , nor shut with as solid a " thunk " as the ones on the old Accent did. The older, 2005 Accent had noticeably more solid-feeling doors than the older 2005 Rio. ( I briefly looked at, but didn't drive, a new 2006 Accent GT 3-door hatchback, and its doors felt more solid than the new sedan's)
However, it is not all one-sided. The new Rio, unlike the new Accent, has nice, big, black, anti-scuff and anti-scratch panels that not only cover the front and rear bumpers but much of the sides of the car as well.....this in contrast to the Accent's monotone paint all around which, after repeated bouts in a parking lot, is a lot more likely to get scratched up. The Kia also has an under hood insulation pad in contrast to the Accent's plain-sheet-metal hood, although on the road it didn't seem to make much difference in engine noise....more on this in a minute. The Rio, of course, unlike the Accent, also has the advantage of a 5-door hatchback design if you need more trunk space.....both the Accent and Rio have a very small outside trunk opening, although both also have 60-40 folding rear seats. The more expensive 5-door Rio5SX hatchback ( see the Kia web site for prices ) also has a nicer, sportier trimmed interior that better competes with the nice-looking Accent's.
On the road, both cars can best be described, not surprisingly, as " economy ". Torque, with the automatic, is adequate for stop-and-go driving with a light load, but forget a heavy load or steep hills...you're going to be downshifting and in the slow lane with the trucks. However, like with the Scion xA and xB, the Mickey-Mouse power levels translate into excellent mileage ratings, particularly with an automatic. This is just about as good as mileage as a conventional gasoline-powered non-hybrid automatic gets....although, as earlier mentioned, there is an small odd inconsistency between the two cars in the EPA mileage ratings despite the identical drive trains and bodies. The automatic transmission on both cars, despite not having a manual sport-shift gate, did have a feature I like.....a small button that you push to lock out overdrive on hills. It also had a sensible, no-nonsense straight front-to-back P-R-N-D-2-1 feature....none of that idiotic double-S-shaped zig-zag crap. The shift lever itself, though, to me, did not feel as solidly mounted as on the 2005 Accent.

You could literally close your eyes and be blindfolded in the two cars and not tell the difference between them in the way they drive, handle, steer, and brake...........even with my years of experience of evaluating new vehicles. Both have excellent power-steering boost levels with a lot of road feel and a significant amount of steering effort at low speeds. I like that....I can't stand power steering completely devoid of road feel like on, say, the Mercury Grand Marquis. Steering response at higher speeds, despite the nose-heavy FWD layout, was quick......almost too quick, but fortunately not as darty as the Mitsubishi Evo I reviewed last week.
Ride was another weak point in both cars, even with the 14-inch 65-series relatively absorbent high-profile tires ( the base Rio gets 70s ), primarily due to the tallness of both cars, the short wheelbases, and the relatively stiff springing that gave good response a lack of body roll but was not particularly absorbing of bumps and road irregularities. The relatively high body lines, surprisingly, did not induce much body roll but, combined with a short wheelbase, did induce a little of the SUV-style front-to-rear porpoising motions like you often get with vehicles like the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CRV. Road noice was pronounced......a weak point that I have noticed in just about all new Hyundai-designed sedans, but you expect some road noise, to a certain degree, in just about all small cars.

Brakes were well-done on both cars despite the lack of space inside the small 14-inch wheels for large rotors. The pedals were firm, linear, and responsive by economy-car standards, which means adequate but not Porsche 911-style stopping distances).


The verdict? As I mentioned earlier, these two vehicles are still the automotive Scrooges of the American marketplace, at least until the new under-$10,000 Chinese cars get here, but they offer a lot of car for the money, if not quite as much so as the cars they replace. These two cars still lead the American market in the price-warranty combination. The Scion xA and Toyota Yaris, for the same or slightly higher price, offer a little better potential reliability, but with only half the warranty. The Accent and Rio are both excellent first-time car gifts for a college student...but they will have to drive carefully. At roughly 2400-2500 lbs.as tested, these cars are not battle tanks, and despite their relatively good safety ratings for a small car, they will likely come out second-best in a collision with, say, a Suburban.

Both the Rio and the Accent, fortunately, avoid the quirky center-mount gauges of the Scion xA and the Yaris..a real plus, IMO.

The BIG question mark, of course, is how the new Honda Fit, which sells in the same price range as the Yaris, will stack up against the Accent and Rio. Honda has a reputation for the superbness of their designs in small cars....I can't wait to drive a Fit, but to date have not been able to. It is still on my list whenever enough of them become available.

In a Nutshell: Speed, Agility, Noise, and Harshness....not the car for everyone.


I had planned this weekend to review the entry-level Honda Fit ( several people I know are interested in one ) but they are simply too hard to find..almost every one is coming into dealerships pre-sold. Even some old friends of mine in the Honda sales business couldn't locate one for a test-drive, so as I looked down the street to the Mitsubishi shop, ( my home town is FULL of dealerships ) I though to myself.......Well, Mitsubishi may not hang around here in the U.S. market much longer

Some people, especially young single ones, drool over the Evo ( though it is not a car for the masses, as we will shortly see ), and even if Mitsubishi does not decide to pack up and leave, the Evo's days in the U.S may be numbered.....right now a 2008 model is not guaranteed, but as of today a 2007 model will be offered at least part of the year.... that decision is still open to change.
So I figured I'd better check out the latest version ( the Evo IX ) while we still had the chance. So...a few minutes later I had my Subaru parked and was going over a row of new Evos ( surprisingly the dealer had 6 or 7 of them in stock ). They were reluctant to let the top-line Evo MR's out on test-drives but, after routinely Xeroxing my drivers' license, happily tossed me the keys to a new Phoenix Red Evo IX with only 70 miles on it. Of course, being a brand-new car, I did not push it to its amazingly high limits...this car is so extreme a sports sedan that, in this traffic-congested region, you can't really drive it safely or realistically at its limits anyway...though I did find some nice sharp curves to really test the handling.
This is a CLASSIC high-performance pocket-rocket sedan that is at its best only under very limited circumstances , such as rallying, empty curvy roads, or auto crossing. It is not, IMO, a vehicle well-suited for daily driving, cruising, long trips, rough roads, or ( especially ) immature and impulsive drivers, and the lack of an automatic transmission in any of the Evo models only further limits its usefulness well.

Mitsubishi, after a long run overseas, and particularly in the home Japanese market, introduced the AWD Lancer Evolution VIII into the American market in response to the explosive popularity of the 227 HP Subaru WRX sedans and later the 300 HP Sti. These were the first attempts by both automakers to sell Rally or near-Rally-capable stock production cars in the American market, and the Evo and Sti soon became limited-production arch-rivals along the same lines as the Mustang GT / Cobra - Camaro SS / Z28 and BMW M - Audi S rivalries. The present-generation Evo IX model replaces the last-generation Evo VIII, but two other trim levels are offered in the American market....the RS model without a spoiler and the top-line MR.
So......as I said, I wound up with a new red IX to review and test-drive, so let's get on with it.....


Model Tested: 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX
Base Price: $31,399
Major Options: None
Freight $595
Sticker Price: $31,994

Exterior color: Phoenix Red
Interior: Black leather / Alcantra with Recaro front seats
Drivetrain: 2.0L 16-valve twin-scroll turbo / intercooled inline-4 with MIVEC valve timing, 5-speed close-ratio manual transmission, All-Wheel-Drive with helical front differential, Active Driver-controlled center differential, and mechanical limited-slip rear differential.

( Folks, needless to say, this is NOT a cheap or simple drivetrain, especially, unlike the Subaru STi's, with the need for even more hardware and bevel gears to hook up the AWD to the front transverse-mounted engine )


PLUSSES:

Amazing, Rally-car agility at a reasonable price

Extremely quick steering response.

Slingshot acceleration when turbo boost kicks in ( up to 20 PSI )

Tenacious tire grip in corners

Seamless, driver-controlled AWD

Easy-to-use clutch and lower gears in transmission.

Engine components accessible from above without an annoying plastic engine cover.

Phoenix Red and Electric Blue Pearl welcome exceptions to the usual funeral-home colors

Momo steering wheel provides a good grip.

Superb Recaro front seats.

Brembo brake package front and rear gives right-now response.

Super-long 10 / 100 and 5 / 60 warranties rival those of Korean makes.

Well-designed dash and gauges with simple no-nonsense controls and switches.



MINUSES:

Not a car for immature or careless drivers.

High insurance rates

Somewhat tinny sheet metal

Extremely harsh ride

Lack of sound insulation means high wind and road noise.

Turbo intercooler low under front bumper exposed to damage from debris despite the protective screen.

OK but unexceptional stereo...a better one is available as an option.

Difficult to keep engine RPM's down during break-in.



The first impression you get of the Evo, as you walk up to it, depends on which model you are looking at. The RS model, without the high spoiler-wing on the trunk, is that not much different from an ordinary ho-hum econobox Mitsubishi Lancer or the Lancer Ralliart...an intermediate Lancer model between the two extremes. The main differences are the Evo's red Brembo brake calipers, power hood bulge, fog lights, turbo intercooler grille, and the more aggressive wheels and tires. The Evo IX and MR models, of course, have the classic boy-racer wing high over the trunk that not only screams " look at me " but also blocks some of the visibility out the rear window, which is significant, because most of the cars you share the road with in an Evo are going to end up right there...in your rear mirror.

In the spoiler's defense, however, it is only fair to say two things. First, once you see it close-up, it does have a classy look and feel with its carbon-fiber wing, and Second, as a licensed pilot, I noticed that it has the shape of an upside-down airplane wing, so it is not just there for show...it is apparently capable of creating down-force.
Except as already noted, the Evo's exterior, particularly the RS, is similar to the Lancer's. Paint quality, never a Mitsubishi strong point, is OK but quite a way from Lexus or Acura standards. There is a notable lack of exterior trim except for the 8 vortex generators on the back of the roof that feed air to the spoiler. The exterior sheetmetal is a little on the tinny side, and the 4 doors do not shut with exactly Mercedes G-Wagon solidness. There is a notable lack of sound insulation around the doors, in the fender wells, and in the engine compartment......probably in an attempt to keep the weight down more for performance than to keep costs down. ( more on this later ).
OK......get inside, shut the somewhat tinny doors, adjust the superb ( and I mean SUPERB ) Recaro seats, get belted in, adjust the mirrors, and you're ready to go. I can't praise the Recaro eats enough.....they are truly excellent. Although you feel the high side bolsters a little getting in and out, once you're in and seated, those Recaros fit even my over sized torso, rump, and legs like a custom-tailored suit. Many side bolstered seats in sporty cars tend to be too narrow and uncomfortable for me. Not these. In fact, if it wasn't for this car's harsh ride, high noise level, and tendency to dart all over the road ( more on this later ) you could ride all day long in these seats and not be fatigued or have a backache.....they cradle your lower back smoother than a politician's double-talk. Much has been written in the auto press about the excellence of Recaro seats. Believe it.

As for the rest of the interior, it can best be described as basic, unpretentious, and functional. Headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in front are all fine. Ditto in back, except that legroom, as usual, is tighter, but still not unreasonable for a small car. And most of the people who end up buying this car, of course, are young singles who don't often carry people in back anyway.

It is also quite obvious from the design of this car's interior that it a NO-nonsense driver's car.
While the basics in comfort and convenience are there, like power windows / mirrors / door locks, A / C, and intermittent wipers, you will NOT fine a bunch of electronic toys and gimcrackery like NAV screens, automatic climate control, trip computers, or computerized joy sticks between the seats like on the so-called " Ultimate Driving Machines " from BMW and Audi. The dash is plain, simple, basic, and functional, with a strip of attractive carbon-fiber trim running the whole width of the dash. A large, clear tachometer occupies the space right behind the steering wheel, with the speedometer and auxiliary gauges on either side of it. A push-switch to the left sets up the All-Wheel-drive in one of three modes...TARMAC for dry pavement, GRAVEL for non-paved surfaces, or SNOW for slick surfaces, each mode with a different mix of torque-split through the center differential front-to-rear. Of course, even with the SNOW setting, the dry-weather, high-performance tires are not particularly suited to rain or snow anyway.

OK, time to drive....this car's real forte. Twist the key ( no start button ) and the in-line four fires up with somewhat less-than-Lexus-style smoothness and quietness.....not surprising with the lack of underhood sound insulation. A few seconds to get the oil pressure up, push in the easy-to-use clutch, slip the 5-speed into first and off you go. The lack of insulation. the ultra-stiff suspension, and aggressive tires all combine to assault your ears and kidneys with a go-kart ride that is very harsh and uncomfortable...one of the worst I have seen on a modern car, and roughly comparable to a 70's-vintage Japanese compact picup truck. This is NOT a vehicle for rough or bumpy roads.......you will feel a cigarette butt if you drive over one. Every irregularity, bump, or road imperfection comes crashing through the chassis and the otherwise nice Momo steering wheel like it was on a telephone line. On the torn-up streets of Washington, DC, Manhattan, or the Snow Belt this car would be cruel and unusual punishment. ( some guys I know would give their mother-in-law a ride in an Evo just for this very reason....and the car's high noise level would drown out her complaining ).

However, putting the shoe on the other foot, the rock-hard chassis and tires give this car the agility of Michael Schumacher's F1 Ferrari. The handling and response of this car, especially for a 4-door sedan, is nothing short of astounding. This car reacts like a scared cat in a room full of bulldogs. One small flick of the wrist on the steering wheel will throw this car around 90-degree curves, Esses, and hairpins like they didn't even exist. The AWD helps out here, too, by distributing torque to all four wheels so each tire can do its share of the cornering load as well.

I've driven a lot of sports sedans in my lifetime, including some BMW M's and Audi S'es.....this car, on a winding road, IMO, trumps them all....at the cost of a great deal of ride comfort, of course. But IMO it sets the standard for sports-sedan agility, especially for cars anywhere near its price range. But to be honest, though, BMW still wins out for steering feel.....NOBODY makes a steering system like a Bimmer. for road feel.

Unfortunately, as soon as the curves unwind and the road straightens out, that lightning-quick response so nice in the twisties becomes a real liability. Even with the positive effects of AWD and the gyroscope stabilizing effect of the 4 spinning drive shafts, this car is so sensitive to steering input that I found it difficult to keep it in a straight line. This car simply doesn't WANT to go in a straight line......it LIVES for cornering. A straight road is as alien to its personality as putting Bill Clinton in a convent full of nuns. The tiniest twitch of the wheel can send you drifting toward the next lane, and correcting sends you back toward the other one. You have to DRIVE this car every second. Take your eyes off the road for a couple of seconds or get distracted by something and you could get a nasty surprise. It is obvious why the engineers who designed this interior made it so simple and functional, and with easy-to-use controls....that was not a co-incidence. With the stiff, noisy ride and constant drifting, a long trip in this car on the Interstate would drive you nuts after about an hour or so., despite the superb Recaro seats.

Under the hood, of course, is another one of the car's noted features. The turbo, intercooled, 16-valve, in-line 4 with variable valve timing produces 286 HP @ 6500 RPM and 289 ft.-lbs. of torque at a fairly low 3500 RPM, which, trust me, is a LOT of spunk for a car of this size and class, even filtered through the weight and drag of AWD. Once again, the efforts in this car to keep weight down and power up have paid off. Give the oil a few minutes to warm up, look for a break in traffic and MAKE SURE there are no cars in front of you, ( or you will run right up their tail ) let the clutch out in first, nail the aluminum gas pedal, and after a second or so of the inevitable turbo lag, you are off like you are shot out of a cannon. The torque hammers you back into the Recaros with some real G-force. You have to watch the road in front with one eye and the tach with the other, because this engine winds up SO quick that you are at break-in RPM before you know it...and I didn't want to overrev a brand-new engine by redlining it. Bring the crisp lever back to second and you shoot forward almost as fast. You have to be careful not to get too close to the guy in front of you and think in advance. If you don't pay diligent attention to what you are doing this car can bite. Stepping up from an ordinary 120 HP Mitsubishi Lancer...or even a Ralliart.......into this car is like jumping from a basic training plane into an F-18 Hornet.

In fact, the salespeople told me they took one Evo in trade after only 6 months because its owner simply could not avoid tickets and almost lost his insurance and his license.
The transmission and clutch are fine in the lower gears but 3rd, 4th, and 5th are a little vague, so you have to be careful you don't misjudge a downshift and go 5-2 instead of 5-4 or 4-1 instead of 4-3. I still don't understand why automakers don't put a simple light on the dash with manual transmissions that tells you what gear you're in like they do with automatics and automanuals. It would save a LOT of guessing and torn-up transmissions and clutches.

As one would guess, the standard-equipment 4-wheel Brembo brake package with its distinctive red calipers hauls the car down from speed as fast as the turbo four can haul it up there. The pedal is firm, as expected, and has good, linear response, and while I did not brake hard repeatedly as these were brand-new brakes, Brembo packages are rarely known to fade even with hard use.

So....the verdict? This car, IMO, is a benchmark for sports sedan agility and handling, even compared to some cars costing much more. Under the right conditions it is an absolute blast to drive on UNCONGESTED winding roads and sharp turns...but is tiring and skittish on straight ones. The ride, at best, is quite noisy and harsh. In a pinch, it will carry 4 people, unlike many pure sports cars and 2-seaters, and the IX model I drove was reasonably priced at 32K. More expensive MR models generally run 36-37K on dealer lots...still not unreasonable, IMO, for the performance level. In the twisties the Evo will outrun anything in its class and then some...and on the drag strip it will give the 300 HP STi a run for its money. In fact, the Evo I drove, at least in the lower gears, felt as fast as the 400 HP Corvette C6 I reviewed last December, although at higher speeds the Corvette's massive torque then made itself known.

So the Evo is most at home in the twisters, in Rally and autocross conditions, and sometimes on the drag strip as well......it did not get its reputation as one of the world's best rally cars for nothing. It is NOT a car for rough roads, Interstate driving, long trips, congested areas, and most importantly, it is NOT a car for unskilled, immature, inexperienced, or otherwise irresponsible drivers. It is a true driver's car for mature and responsible people....as witnessed in its insurance rates. In the right environment it will richly reward like no other car in its class.....but it can also bite if driven carelessly.