pow

I forgot to mention that the sheetmetal appears to be adequately thick. The stuff on our Ody is uberthin and dentable.

OK the one in the showroom I checked out was a moderately-loaded SXT Grand Caravan in black. It had leather, parking sensors, heated front and rear seats, power liftgate, navigation, and reverse camera, but no DVD player or moonroof. It had the 16" alloys, the mid-grade 197 hp V-6 (down 43 from our '02 Odyssey), a six-speed auto (one more than our Ody), and stickered at $33K. The pricing structure is definitely more complicated than its import rivals, most of which have fewer trim levels and one ~250 hp powertrain. The GC's MSRP seems lower, thanks to a basic stripper model with 175 hp, but loaded up comparably to the LX/LE/S and EX/XLE/SL equivalents, it's no cheaper. The 4.0L engine forces you to get a well-equipped model. OK, so about looks. Actually I kinda liked it. It's not as generic and bloaty as the old Grand Caravan or current Sienna and Odyssey. It's fairly crisp and well-proportioned, and doesn't look as bulky as it is. In fact it reminds me a lot of our old Ody (also black). Maybe I'll hate it in white or some other color. Inside, overall build quality was good. The main components were solidly assembled and didn't jiggle about. Some of the dash materials were similar in quality to our 5-yo Ody -- low-sheen, hard to the touch, but not hollow-sounding or flimsy -- except there's a lot more of it (everything is molded into one piece, including the A/C vents), which kinda amplifies the cheapness. The stuff on the lower dash was noticeably cheaper and thinner, though. The gloveboxes were flimsy, and the door panels suck. But what really sucks about the interior is the design. There's absolutely no sense of flair or even established industrial design sense. The cutlines for the upper glovebox, A/C vents, radio controls, gear lever, and drawers are all haphazard. The door panels are solely there to cover the doors. All the shapes are harsh and clash together. The old Grand Caravan's dash was actually better in this regard. As far as practical matters, the only center console is this clumsy and poorly-assembled, bulky and gimmicky unit. It can store more than the tray in our Ody, but you can't use it as a table for fast food or clipboards, and it doesn't fold away (no walk-through access to the 2nd/3rd rows). The second and third row seating accommodations are clearly inferior to our Ody's. Both rows have less room and are significantly less comfortable. The second row buckets (the "posh" swivel-and-gos) are mounted too low (or the floor is artifically too high), so there's more bending of the knees. The swivel-and-gos also are bulky, limiting visibility and lots of third-row toe room, and they don't slide fore-aft enough to apportion 2nd/3rd row space as nicely as the Ody. Speaking of swivel-and-go, I found it clumsy and gimmicky as well. There's very little legroom with the seats facing each other, and removal of the little table is a PITA. It's a cool idea, but I would prefer airplane-style seatback trays. Small children won't mind the lack of room. There's footwell storage (where the stow-and-gos usually go), which is nice, but it requires moving the front seats forward for access, also a PITA. Cool idea, but could be executed better. The thin seat-mounted armrests are rough plastic (both 1st and 2nd row), as opposed to the cushioned leather ones I'm used to. The split 40/60 third row is definitely nice, and folding it into the floor was much easier than our Ody's bench. There's no space underneath, so you can't slide snowboards beneath them (that's how we loaded 7 adults/teens and their snow stuff), but then new Odys (split bench) don't have that either. Back to the driver's seat. The MyGig CD-ripping harddrive is definitely nice, though the system's graphics are rudimentary. The touchscreen is nice. The A/C vents are rather annoying. You get a tiny knob to jerk them up and down, and a separate dial to move them side to side. The turn-signal stalk is very high-quality and nice, as are the window switches and key fob. They feel like -- they are -- Mercedes pieces. The ergonomics in our Ody are better. The secondary controls are mounted on a narrow and very vertical tower. The imports spread them out laterally, on the same level, so you don't have to reach for your knees. That also frees up space for more cubbies and cupholders. They're also less vertical and angled more, so knobs and switchgear are much easier to see and control. The GC's floor is a bit higher than in the Ody, so I have to climb in as opposed to sliding in. The front seats are good; they have more lateral support than the Ody's. The leather quality, however, sucks. BMW and Mercedes have leatherette that's nicer. There is a lot more small-item storage possibilities than in our Ody. There's a Quest-style thing on the roof, for CDs and sunglasses, and there are two gloveboxes and larger door map pockets. The seatback pockets, on the other hand, are pathetic. There are sunshades for the third row, which is nice. The second row windows roll down. The power sliders are powered only if you push their respective buttons. If you pull the door handle, it reverts to manual mode. It depends on your preference; personally I like power operation all the time. The power liftgate is very nice and handy. There's a cheap and dim but clever LED flashlight in the back. Overall, I think the GC and T&C will do well. They're packed with lots of features, and even if they're not as good as the current Ody and Sienna technically, they've always sold well. Little kids won't mind the lack of room and care more about the Sirius TV. Personally I'm bored with the Ody and Sienna - I find the GC to be fresh looking and I wouldn't mind one. I just wouldn't pay Ody and Sienna money for it.

I'm gonna check out the new vans today, too... in addition to the Accord and leatherette CTS. Half the time I drive an '02 Odyssey, so I'll let you guys know how it is as a minivan.

These PZEV cars are all voluntary, not the result of higher CA standards.

Very cool.

LA traffic really isn't that bad, unless you're moving from one end of the county to the other, several times a day. Just stick to one city/area/neighborhood per day, which by itself has lots to do, and you'll be fine.

Just called the local dealers. They arrived today. I'm going to check them out this evening. A '08 CTS with leatherette is also in stock, so I'm going to check that out too.

Only the '07 and beyond (brand-new PSA French engine instead of the DCX Brazilian) Coopers have automatics available. And you're lucky. All the FlexCars around here are only Civic Hybrids, Elements, and Tacomas.

You probably hit the "downshift" toggle button underneath the accelerator pedal. And since you said it had an auto, I'm assuming this is an '07, which means it gets 40 MPG on the highway. It was the old ones with the Brazilian Chrysler engines that got below average economy (like 36 or something).

The '08 Accord LX 5A is $840 more than a comparably-equipped '08 Malibu 1LT. It's going to be a close one.

And it won't be worth half its MSRP in three years.

Yeah, you definitely don't want to do the bus tours, especially if you've got a car. How many days/nights in LA?

Personally I'd spend more time in L.A. than Vegas. The buffets take an afternoon, the Strip takes an evening, the show takes a night, and pretty much you're done, unless you want to gamble or party more. 1-2 nights at the Bellagio or Wynn > 4 nights at some crappy hotel

Or a G35 or IS350 or C350 or TL-S or CTS then. Don't get me wrong... I like the 9-3, especially the SportCombi, especially at $28K. I just can't imagine spending the $40Ks on something so dated and technically inferior, even if it's full of character and whatnot.

Do you want to look at rich people or poor people? Really LA is so diverse you can do/see/learn/experience whatever you want, anything from a fricassee of English snails with artichoke veloute to free-trade wild salmon on organic free-range poached eggs to 3-minute carne asadas at the local taco truck...

I've been in the new Malibu "in person" and color me unimpressed. It looks fantastic from the outside (LTZ), but other than that, there is nothing wholly remarkable about it. It shares many of the AURA's faults: the similarly chintzy interior, the same narrowness, and the same awkward rear seats. But like the AURA, it's competitive and priced less than its first-tier rivals.

I like it, except for the wheels, the spoiler, the exhausts, and the bumpers. I'm just having trouble understanding why anyone would buy it over a 335i.

Well you've just proved the blog's point. Saturn as an "independent", "free-thinking", creative company is dead. People at GM "forced it into submission" and killed it. Now it's just another brand.

The RS6 Avant is also a wagon.

The '07s are much better (but just as boring). It's nearly impossible to hear the engine with the windows cracked open.

Maybe we'll see undersized Siennas again, the reappearance of the T100, the sexy Corolla wagon, and the hot-selling MR2 Spyder again...

Jeep - decent image Chrysler - stuck between premium (300C) and mainstream ($13K PT?) Dodge - mainstream, but with a serious image problem Since "four-door coupes" are all the rage, how about a CLS-like LX? Rebody the 300C, charge more for it, and call it the Concorde or whatever. Dodge needs to dump their "bold" trashy campaigns and be more normal.

This engine must sound incredible... the snarl and high-revs of a V10 with the whistle and torque of two turbos.. ptember 5, 2007 Avant one now: it's the Audi RS6! It's finally here. After months of speculation, subterfuge and spy shots, the Audi RS6 has revealed itself to the world. Muscling into Frankfurt to steal the thunder from, well, everything, the RS6 looks like being everything we hoped for - and a bit more besides. Let's start with a few numbers. The new RS6 will be powered by a twin-turbo version of the S6's 5.2-litre V10, which now develops a monstrous 572bhp at 6,250rpm. There's 480lb ft of torque available from as low down as 1,500rpm, helping to shove the RS6 (in Avant guise) to 62mph in 4.6 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. Those are identical performance figures to the BMW M5 Touring (upcoming twin test courtesy of every motoring magazine in the world), but the RS6 has an extra 73 horses to play with, and also just edges the Beemer on fuel economy too, returning an almost-respectable 20.3mpg. Transmission is taken care of by Audi's six-speed Tiptronic auto gearbox, while Dynamic Ride Control and ESP (which can, if you're feeling profligate, be switched off) ensure that all four driven wheels stay on the road. A bulked-up Torsen diff divides torque with a 40:60 front/rear split, while huge ventilated all-disc brakes take care of stopping duties. Ceramics are a cost option. It's the tried-and-tested RS approach in the visuals department - nothing too extravagant but plenty of subtle pointers. Wider wheelarches house 19-inch spokes - although 20s are available if you want them - while at the front there's a meatier bumper and LED running lights. The rear gets a full-width diffuser and a pair of chromed oval tailpipes, but all-in-all there's not too much to indicate the mad power lurking within. How much? There's no exact word as yet, but expect prices in the £75,000 region when the RS6 Avant goes on sale in the UK next spring. If you're holding out for the saloon version (which you really shouldn't - the Avant is far cooler and has enough bootspace to swallow a small orchestra), Audi says it'll be on the way later next year. We'll be waiting with baited notebooks to see the covers come off the RS6 Avant next week in Frankfurt. Make sure you join us.

A lot of college campuses have "intended for off-road use only" Chinese microvans.

You know what, I rode in a friend's Camry LE two days ago, and I too was pleasantly surprised. I think it's a lot better than what we give it credit for. For normal people who just want a comfortable, soothing way to get from A-to-B, it's an excellent car. The seats were great, the interior had a very soft and pleasing look (perfect antidote for stress), the engine was dead silent, the ride quality was just-right, and the electroluminescent gauges were sharp. It's a very refined (white rice?) experience in contrast to more whole-grain (brown rice?) cars like the current Accord or AURA.