Ouissam Youssef Scientist
Driving Impressions
With an even 8 inches of ground clearance -- up 0.2 inch from the previous model -- the 2009 Pilot should make quick work of light-duty off-road tasks when equipped with all-wheel drive. But most Pilot owners are about as likely to leave the pavement as the Pilot is to receive an official "trail rating." Around town, the 3.5-liter V6's relative lack of low-end torque makes it feel rather flat-footed off the line. Passing power isn't much better, as Honda's VTEC technology uncharacteristically fails to bring the V6 to life at higher rpm. And although the feel of the brake pedal instills confidence, the Pilot turned in an unacceptable braking performance at our test track, requiring almost 150 feet to stop from 60 mph. That's nearly 20 feet longer than some competing crossovers.
Dynamically, the 2009 Honda Pilot feels every bit as big as it looks. There's bountiful body roll, and brake dive is significant even at low speeds. The reasonably precise steering is extraordinarily slow but nicely weighted, and the soft suspension affords a comfortable ride over rough roads and on the highway. The latter traits should endear the Pilot to family-minded buyers.
Powertrains and Performance
The XC90 3.2 comes with a 3.2-liter inline six-cylinder engine rated for 235 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The XC90 V8 gets a 4.4-liter V8 good for 311 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control. XC90 3.2 models come standard with front-wheel drive; all-wheel drive (AWD) is available as an option. The AWD system is standard on the XC90 V8. Towing capacity for both models is respectable at approximately 5,000 pounds. In performance testing, we clocked an XC90 V8 Sport at 7.4 seconds in the 0-60-mph sprint, which is about average for a V8-powered luxury crossover. Fuel economy ratings are a bit below average for this class of vehicle: The XC90 3.2 FWD is rated at 14 mpg city/20 mpg highway and 17 mpg combined, while the 3.2 AWD's combined rating drops to 16 mpg. The V8 is rated at a subpar 13/19/15 mpg.
Ouissam Youssef Adress :Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2009 Acura RL is a midsize luxury sedan available in three trim levels: RL, RL Technology Package and the eloquently named RL Technology Package with CMBS. The base RL comes very well stocked, with 18-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights, 10-way power and heated front seats with driver memory settings, leather upholstery, a sunroof, a keyless ignition, Bluetooth connectivity, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls and a 10-speaker Bose surround-sound system with a six-disc CD/DVD-audio changer, satellite radio and both a USB port and an auxiliary audio jack.
The Technology Package adds adaptive headlights, a rearview camera, a GPS-linked and solar-sensing climate-control system, AcuraLink real-time weather reporting, a navigation system (with real-time traffic and traffic rerouting capabilities), ventilated front seats and voice-command functionality for climate, audio and navigation functions. The CMBS package adds adaptive cruise control, real wood instrument-panel trim and Acura's Collision Mitigation Braking System technology (hence its name).
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Driving Impressions
The Grand Caravan's handling is certainly adequate for most owners. For 2009, the 4.0-liter SXT gets the sport-tuned suspension setup from Europe's Chrysler Voyager, which improves the van's responsiveness. Still, the SXT remains a step or two behind the Honda Odyssey in terms of ride and handling refinement. The interior remains quiet even at highway speeds, and the 4.0-liter V6 makes the Grand Caravan one of the swiftest minivans available. The 3.8-liter V6 delivers adequate, if not spectacular, acceleration. Grand Caravans with the 3.3-liter engine, meanwhile, are sluggish and don't deliver any corresponding increase in fuel economy.
Powertrains and Performance
The Forester 2.5X is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 170 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. It's available with a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic. (L.L. Bean Editions come with the automatic only.) Forester XT models have a turbocharged version of this engine that churns out 224 hp and 226 lb-ft of torque. The automatic transmission is mandatory on turbocharged models. Every Forester is equipped with AWD. EPA estimated fuel economy for the 2.5X is 20 mpg city/26 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined, the XT returns an estimated 19 city/24 highway and 21 combined.
Interior Design and Special Features
The 2009 Subaru Forester is blessed with a more stylish but no less functional interior than its predecessor, with visually interesting contours complementing generally straightforward controls. Enlarged dimensions have given rise to a roomier rear seat, and the cargo area out back has broadened by more than 5 inches compared with the outgoing model. While the last Forester boasted maximum cargo volume on par with its Toyota and Honda rivals, its passenger compartment was somewhat cramped by comparison. This is thankfully no longer the case, rendering the new Forester a more well-rounded entry.
Ouissam Youssef Contact : Interior Design and Special Features
The Chrysler 300's interior features a simple but elegant layout that benefited from last year's new instrument panel, center console design and upgraded surfaces. It is now a much nicer cabin, but given the 300C's price, some may expect something nicer. Controls are relatively simple, while loads of available high-tech features bring nearly endless entertainment options. Cabin dimensions are generous in all directions -- even more so in the extended-wheelbase models, which of course offer more rear legroom by far than any primary competitors. Unfortunately, the 300's signature low-profile windows result in compromised visibility -- particularly for shorter drivers. Also, the 300's trunk capacity measures a relatively modest 15.6 cubic feet.
Driving Impressions
After a generation of mostly tepid front-wheel-drive family sedans, the Chrysler 300 has led the return to rear-drive dynamics that Americans took for granted decades ago. Based on a good deal of Mercedes-Benz technology underneath, the 2009 Chrysler 300 is far more impressive in its driver control and handling than the rear-drive, full-size behemoths of yore. The Limited and 300C's new comfort suspension tuning should appeal to those buyers hunting for a comfortable cruising sedan, while the new 300C Heritage package and its tauter suspension plays the opposite game for those hunting for handling to match the big Hemi engine. Still, no 300 can quite match the thrilling yet refined Pontiac G8 GT -- not even the wild 300 SRT8.
Ouissam Youssef E-mail Powertrains and Performance
The 2009 Nissan GT-R is powered by a 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that generates 473 hp and 434 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission routes this prodigious power to the ground via an advanced all-wheel-drive system.
In our instrumented testing, the 3,836-pound GT-R teleported to 60 mph in a drama-free 3.3 seconds, thanks to its launch control function, and turned in a blistering 11.6-second quarter-mile at nearly 121 mph.
About Ouissam Youssef Driving Impressions
The Grand Caravan's handling is certainly adequate for most owners. For 2009, the 4.0-liter SXT gets the sport-tuned suspension setup from Europe's Chrysler Voyager, which improves the van's responsiveness. Still, the SXT remains a step or two behind the Honda Odyssey in terms of ride and handling refinement. The interior remains quiet even at highway speeds, and the 4.0-liter V6 makes the Grand Caravan one of the swiftest minivans available. The 3.8-liter V6 delivers adequate, if not spectacular, acceleration. Grand Caravans with the 3.3-liter engine, meanwhile, are sluggish and don't deliver any corresponding increase in fuel economy.
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