The Pontiac G6 is one of the first General Motors products to be sold in the U.S. that shares a platform with European vehicles such as the Opel Vectra. Available initially in sedan and coupe form as a 2005 model, the G6 looks the part, but it hasn’t been the critical or sales success that GM would have liked. (In truth, the Saturn Aura and the Chevy Malibu are far-better-developed versions of the same basic underpinnings.)
The G6 comes in three body styles: sedan, coupe, and hardtop convertible. The sedan has a four-cylinder engine in base trim levels, with a 3.5-liter V-6 when sold as a GT model and a DOHC 3.6-liter V-6 engine making 252 horsepower in GXP guise. The coupe comes in GT and GXP forms; the convertible is available only in GT trim.
Verdict
The G6 is a decent vehicle but is solidly mid to back of the pack compared with more recent GM efforts and the best of the Japanese competition. We like the bold styling, especially on the coupe and hardtop convertible, but the ride and handling are only average, and the interior quality lags behind that of the class leaders. Still, the GXP models offer a lot of bang for the buck, and the convertible is one of the cheapest and most elegant four-place convertibles on the market.
Pontiac is almost as fast as Porsche, maybe because they also use Porsche Spare if I am not mistaken
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Mercedes-Benz chose Southern California for the worldwide first-drive program of its freshened 2009 SL-class roadster on account of, we thought, its friendly, relatively predictable March weather and access to fabulous roads. Although the blessed Left Coast location has both of those things, Mercedes attributed its choice of locations to something even more significant, asserting that it was bringing us to the roots of the SL-class. That’s right, Southern California is responsible for the very existence of the SL roadster itself. Huh? According to Mercedes-Benz, in the SL’s not-so-humble beginnings—the storied 300SL Gullwing—there was little or no initial consideration for doing a roadster version. The butterfly doors on the coupe were designed to make the big two-seater accessible in tight European quarters, and without a roof, there would be no place to mount them. But according to the “legend,” California’s rich and famous—who didn’t share European space constraints, nor did they care much about Europeans, for that matter—clamored enough to make a case for a roadster version. The result was a beautifully proportioned instant classic. Surprised? Just take a look around Los Angeles and you won’t be. There are more SLs on the road in Southern California, we’d guess, than anywhere else in the world. And so we set off feeling right at home as we got our first taste of the 2009 SL-class. The fact that it was a perfect sunny day in March and we were enjoying California’s trademark fabulous roads was icing on the cake. Just as the Rich Get Richer, the Stylish Get More Stylish Just as the wealthy always seem to find more money in their accounts after making withdrawals, style builds on style when it comes to their rides. The SL’s midcycle enhancement, then, brings with it a few effective styling changes, headlined by a new single-bar grille that evokes most of its SL forebears, flanked by L-shaped headlamps that evoke none of them. But they do tie the SL nicely to the CLS-classfour-door coupe-sedan thing and likely many sporting Mercedes-Benz models to come. To us, the lights look a bit discordant, primarily due to the rearmost edge having the same roundness as the previous SL’s now-dated peanut lights, no doubt to keep Mercedes from having to develop new fender stampings. The fenders themselves on the SL550 and SL600 incorporate modified gill-type air outlets behind the front wheels and bracket a redesigned hood with two stupidly named “power domes,” which, in fact, are neither domes nor anything that gives the car more power (for the real power story in the SL lineup, look no further than our drive of the new SL63 AMG, with its naturally aspirated 518-hp, 6.2-liter V-8—and no power domes). Other modifications found on the SL lineup include larger side mirrors with curious arrow-shaped turn signals and, in the case of the SL550 and SL600, a faux air “diffuser” and trapezoidal exhaust tips at the rear. In all, we’d say the changes are successful in adding presence and a sportier overall look to the car. Whether it’s more attractive is up to the beholder, we suppose. All we can say at this point is that, unlike the previous model, it now looks really good in red. More important, from Rodeo Drive to Indian Canyon Boulevard in Palm Springs, everyone seemed to notice that we were driving new Benzes. New Steering Wheel, New Steering Sensations A sporty new three-spoke steering wheel is the most dramatic change made to the SL’s interior. The only other changes of note are the mildly revised instrument cluster, a more logical COMAND infotainment system, and the newly available three-speed Airscarf system that blows warm air onto your neck. But it’s what you feel through the steering wheel, we’d say, that is more important. The previous steering rack has been replaced by a new variable-ratio system that is a touch slow immediately off-center but gets really serious, really soon as the wheel turns toward 90 degrees. Seldom in our winding mountain driving experience—over the gorgeous Angeles Crest Highway toward Palmdale, back around Mount Waterman and down toward Palm Springs, with a stretch along the 6000-foot-high Rim-of-the-World Highway—did we have to feed the wheel from hand to hand in corners. Although feel and feedback are far from Porsche-like, both characteristics can be considered excellent and perfectly suitable for a sporting six-figure luxury-touring roadster. Want a bit of oversteer? Simply stab the gas—particularly with the stability control (ESP) off—and the big roadster’s tail comes around quickly and predictably, making us feel perhaps a bit more confident on our drive than we should have given the narrow roads, often with steep drop-offs on one side and hungry-looking trees on the other. As ever, ABC (active body control) does a remarkable job of keeping body roll completely snuffed while soaking up all but the most torrid impacts; between the air springs and the solid construction inherent to all recent SLs, we noticed only a few jolts during our entire stint behind the wheels of both SL550 and SL600 models—impacts that probably would have caused much more of a disturbance to lesser cars and their occupants. The SL’s brakes, however, felt a touch artificial as the hypersensitive anti-lock system constantly fiddled with the brake pressure at each wheel, especially when trail-braking into corners or on rough patches. This was most apparent in the SL550, whose 13.8-inch-front and 12.6-inch-rear rotors are each 0.4 inch smaller than those of the marginally heavier SL600. Still, both systems proved completely fade-resistant and more than capable of yanking the big two-seater abruptly down in speed.
Honda introduced a completely redesigned Civic in 2006, and little has changed since. Available as a four-door sedan or two-door coupe, the Civic boasts accurate steering, strong brakes, a roomy interior, and a willing suspension. The Civic’s styling—the large, fast windshield, minivan-like front end, and UFO-style two-tiered dashboard—incites a bit of controversy, as these are all love-them-or-hate-them elements.
Power is adequate with the base 140-hp, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, which is available with a slick-shifting five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic. Shoppers seeking more power might be interested in the Si model that offers a slightly larger and more powerful 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 197 horsepower. The Civic Si is only available with a six-speed manual transmission. For those seeking an uncompromised, near-sports-car-like experience, the Civic Si Mugen sedan keeps the powertrain of the Si but features a multitude of chassis and exterior tweaks.
Although all Civics boast excellent fuel economy, some buyers might want to stretch their fuel budget even further. For those who must have Toyota Prius –like fuel economy, Honda offers the Civic hybrid, which couples a small 93-hp, 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine with a 20-hp electric motor to boost fuel economy over 40 mpg. Honda also offers the Civic GX, which is powered by a natural-gas-burning, 113-hp version of the “normal” Civic’s 1.8-liter four-cylinder. The CNG Civic GX is the only production vehicle so equipped for sale in the United States today and is eligible for tax credits, although individuals can purchase one only in California and New York. The GX CNG is strictly available to fleet buyers in other states.
For 2008, Civic offers eight different trim levels (DX, LX, EX, EX-L, Si, Si Mugen, GX, and hybrid). Si Mugen, GX, and hybrid versions are only available as four-door Civic sedans.
Major competitors to the Civic lineup include the Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Kia Spectra, Mazda 3, Nissan Sentra, Pontiac G5, Scion xB, Scion xD, Subaru Impreza, Suzuki SX4, Toyota Corolla, and Volkswagen Rabbit and GTI.
Verdict
The Civic distinguishes itself from the rest of its class by offering superb refinement and a somewhat sporty driving experience. Aside from its funky styling, the Civic is easy to love. From a gas-sipping hybrid to the track-ready Si versions, Honda builds a Civic for every lifestyle and budget.
Few cars of the last decade have had the impact of the Toyota Prius hybrid. It wasn’t the first hybrid vehicle to enter the U.S. market, and the first-generation Prius had a quiet reception here, as it was too small, too slow and too conservatively styled to get much attention outside the hard-core environmentalist community. In contrast, the current-generation Prius, introduced in 2004, has attained celebrity status. It’s not just that it’s roomier, more fuel-efficient and cleaner-burning than the original, although these are all good reasons to consider buying one. It’s that this midsize hybrid hatchback looks like no other car on the market and thus allows its driver to make a personal and political statement. Add in the ability to drive a Prius solo in the carpool lane in California, its biggest market, and it’s clear the 2007 Toyota Prius will continue to sell in brisk numbers.The heart of the original Toyota hybrid car is a gas-electric drivetrain the company calls Hybrid Synergy Drive. In the Toyota Prius, the setup consists of a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine paired with an electric-drive motor that draws power from a nickel-metal hydride battery pack (mounted under the car’s rear hatch area) — together they make 110 hp. A second electric motor functions solely as a generator, recharging the batteries. The primary electric-drive motor can also rejuice the batteries, using energy recaptured during braking. It sounds complicated, but a simplified continuously variable transmission (CVT) deftly shuffles power between the sources, providing smooth, seamless operation from the Prius driver’s point of view. The Prius’ claim to fame is its ability to operate under electric power alone at low speeds, which contributes to its low fuel consumption. With a combined EPA rating of 55 mpg, this is the most fuel-efficient car on sale in the U.S. for 2007.As technologically sophisticated as the Toyota Prius is, it’s a remarkably practical car to drive on a day-to-day basis. Its interior is spacious enough to accommodate a family of four in comfort, and a tight turning radius combined with light, electric-assist steering makes it extremely easy to maneuver in crowded urban areas. The one thing the Prius doesn’t offer is excitement, as its frugal drivetrain and modest handling capability make it one of the most tepid midsize cars on the road. This likely explains the introduction of the ‘07 Prius Touring model, which should provide slightly crisper handling along with a sportier look. If you’re shopping for a Prius, you should also consider the similarly priced Honda Civic Hybrid. Its acceleration is equally pokey but it has better road manners and more mainstream styling. For those who can spend a bit more, Toyota’s own Camry Hybrid offers a larger interior and all the comforts of a regular Camry. If you want to wear your green commitment on your sleeve, though, there’s no better choice for a hybrid car than the 2007 Toyota Prius.
When Honda promises dramatic styling, there’s usually a collective groan from the Car and Driver nerve center. We’ve heard that line before, and the result is invariably as exciting as a meal of oatmeal and water. But this time, the Accord coupe has the handsome design that’s needed in the coupe market. It’s not quite as slinky as the brand-new ’08 Altima coupe, but its svelte lines are arguably better balanced and offer more room—three more cubic feet of interior space (93 versus 90)—but the trunk is far bigger at 12 cubic feet (compared with the Altima’s 7). Because of its superior sedan underpinnings, the Accord coupe is a better machine than the Altima. It’s certainly fast. The sonorous and smooth 3.5-liter V-6 engine makes a solid 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque, enough to motivate the car from 0 to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds, 0.2 second quicker than the Altima. The Accord reaches 100 mph from rest in 13.6 seconds, 2.1 seconds earlier than the Nissan. The six-speed manual transmission fitted to our tester was slick and easy to use.