Mazda3: the little black dress of sedans

The 2009 Mazda3 is a hot little number, the little black dress of sedans. And like the perfect dress, it needn’t be expensive to get the full effect.

Mazda introduced a Touring Value model in 2009, offering consumers an extended list of standard equipment. The new trim option joins the Sport, Touring and Grand Touring models, and includes a revised front end, and standard ABS, traction control and 17-inch alloy wheels.
It’s no surprise that Mazda3 is the Japanese automakers bestseller. I spent a week driving the Mazda3 Grand Touring – a compact sedan that’s easy to drive and hip enough that it won’t embarrass you when you roll up to a stop sign.

Perhaps the most attractive thing about the Mazda3 is its features versus price equation. A six-speed manual transmission, leather seating, rain-sensing windshield wipers, Bose speakers and Sirius Satellite Radio capabilities all come standard in the Grand Touring.

Fuel efficiency is average: 29 miles per gallon highway will cost drivers $1,188 per year in gas. But at just $21,500, Mazda’s premium trim level is as affordable as it is fun to drive.

New Odyssey offers power tailgate and Bluetooth

Allow me to preface this review by admitting that, although I am about to become a mother, I had never actually set foot in a minivan prior to my week driving the 2009 Honda Odyssey Touring.

Sadly, the experience underscored every preconceived notion I had about the “family room on wheels” phenomenon.

Simply put, the Odyssey is a difficult boat in which to navigate the tides of city traffic – especially for first timers such as myself.

But it’s the van’s size that was prohibitive for me, not necessarily its handling. A four-wheel independent suspension ensures crisp steering maneuvers and a smooth ride.
The Touring comes equipped with a automatic, 3.5-liter V6 engine and has a fair amount of get-up and-go with 244 horsepower.

Surprisingly, the van gets 25 miles per gallon highway courtesy of new technology that deactivates cylinders when at cruising speed. Again, however, city driving is not recommended as it yields just 17 miles per gallon. Estimated annual fuel costs: $3,075.

The van’s interior is sumptuous, trimmed in leather, with a DVD entertainment system with wireless headphones, a voice-activated navigation system, XM Satellite Radio, an MP3-capable CD player, power doors, mirrors and front seats, and – new this year – a power tailgate and Bluetooth HandsFreeLink.

Now on to practicality: though the Odyssey’s seats do fold down, they are heavy and difficult to remove entirely. The van earned five stars in front and side government crash tests, four in the rollover test. In addition to side and curtain airbags, stability and traction control come standard on the Touring model.

If you’re set on the minivan, the 2009 Honda Odyssey Touring, priced at $40,405, is a good go-to – especially for the Honda faithful.

Honda’s insightful hybrid offers stylish new features

There’s something about driving a hybrid that makes you want to start a composting heap in your backyard and bring cloth grocery bags along on your next excursion to the farmers market.

Perhaps it’s because hybrid-makers are selling more than just vehicles. They’re selling an image.

Some iconic marketing campaigns have already stood the test of time – such as the luxury brands’ play on surrounding oneself with the best money can buy, or Ford’s image of the classic American rebel. But the image that driving a hybrid conveys is new and powerful: those who drive hybrids are conscious of how they affect their surroundings. They are a smarter breed, devoid of material yearnings that plague the rest of the American public.

I expected all this as I lowered myself behind the wheel of the 2010 Honda Insight, a car perhaps best known for its catchy commercial featuring a row of candy-colored insights lined up at the beach. I expected to immediately feel more socially responsible – and I did. I also enjoyed the smug looks I was able to shoot other drivers who were plowing through the daily commute in SUVs, even though there’s a gas-guzzling 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee parked in my driveway at home. But I didn’t expect to enjoy driving the Insight as much as I did.

Image or no image, the Insight is well-put together vehicle with some very tangible benefits. The first, of course is gas mileage. The manufacturers estimate the Insight gets 40 miles per gallon in the city and 43 miles per gallon on the highway. Insight drivers can expect to spend roughly $1,500 per year on fuel.

I drove the car between Seattle and Tacoma for a week and only had to fill up once. The grand total at the pump? A whopping $21.52. This, in direct contrast to my SUV, which I must fill up every four days at a cost of more than $50 per tank.

For all the jokes out there about hybrids being about as powerful on a road as a windy whistle, the Insight’s 98 horsepower, 1.3 liter 8-valve engine had plenty of get-up-and-go. One of the car’s most recognizable features is the “idle stop.” When you pull up to a light in the Insight, the engine essentially powers off. Once you take your foot off the break, the car comes back to life.

It takes some getting used to, as it feels exactly the same as when you’re driving a manual transmission in first gear and you “kill” the engine. Once you do get used to it, it’s easy to imagine how much gas you’re saving while driving in the city and not having your engine idle at every stop.

Though the car itself is small, front and rear crumple zones add to its safety. The back seats fold down to allow for more trip space.

The car’s interior features are, for the most part, basic, with a Honda-backed navigation system and a 160 watt stereo. What stands out, however, is the Insight’s EcoAssist program.

The Ecological Drive Assist System, or EcoAssist, is interactive and allows the driver to both automatically boost the car’s fuel economy at the push of a button and use a sophisticated in-dash feedback system to modify their own habits.

The ECON Mode kicks in when you press a green button on the left side of the steering column. The button activates a system that is meant to utilize the continuously variable transmission and engine for the best fuel economy possible. However, as much of a car’s fuel economy rests on the shoulders of the lead-footed (or not) driver, a color speedometer – bisected between green and blue halves, and located on the far left side of the dash – tells you whether you are impeding the process. If you are driving efficiently, the eco-speedometer needle creeps into the green and the car’s actual speedometer, a digital number build into the center of the dash, takes on a green backlit glow. If you begin driving aggressively and wasting gas, the glow turns blue. over time, you can train yourself to drive more efficiently.

My only complaint about the Insight is the truck design. A hatchback, the elongated back truck makes it virtually impossible to clearly see out of the back of the car. But at a suggested retail price of $23,100, limited exterior visibility seems a small price to pay for the excess of exciting new features that the Insight provides.

2009 Subaru Forester XT

Boxy and bright, the 2009 Subaru Forester offers a roomier cabin and turbo charged engine. In it’s third overhaul since 2003, the Forester is primed to compete with the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV-4.

Built on a hybrid wagon-sedan Impreza base, the Forester comes available in four models, the 2.5 X, 2.5 X Limited, 2.5 XT and 2.5 XT Limited. All come equipped with Subuaru’s symmetrical All Wheel Drive technology and a 2.5 Liter, four-cylinder engine. As the models progress, the engine gets beefier and at its maximum the XT generates 224 horsepower.

Notable in Subaru’s classically simple interiors is the panoramic sunroof, automatic climate control and heated front seats. Not known for its luxury accouterments, Subaru does a nice job of creating an upscale feel in the Forester XT, without abandoning its rugged roots.

The Forester XT retails for $26,195. Fuel economy comes in at 19MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway. Five-star front and side crash ratings and all around good reviews for safety and reliability.

The last few Subarus I’ve reviewed have been somewhat disappointing, but the Forester was a refreshing return to what I expect from Subaru – a comfortable, well appointed yet simply styled vehicle with firm handling and a quiet ride.

By Emily West, Business Examiner

Mazda lives up to Zoom-Zoom mentality

By Hilary Reeves
Business Examiner Staff

I am terrified of manual transmissions.

I learned to drive in my mom’s Ford Taurus and my dad’s Ford F150, both automatics. There was no question that my first car, a 2003 Saturn Ion, would be an automatic. In fact, now that I think about it, I never officially learned how to drive a stick shift. I was forced into the know when my Saturn broke down several years ago and I had to drive my sister’s car for a week. I wasn’t what I would call a “natural.” So imagine my anxiety at seeing that my new test car – the 2009 Mazda 6 Sedan Grand Touring – was a manual.
“No problem,” I thought. After all, the hardest part of driving a stick is moving forward from a dead stop. I figured I’d just never stop between downtown Tacoma and my house in West Seattle. And on my way into work, I’d just time it so I hit all green lights and didn’t have to stop on the hill.

Easy, right?

I got into the car and was immediately impressed by the black leather, heated seats, dual-zone climate control, satellite radio and “electroluminescent gages.”

So far, so good.

I actually started off pretty well, and by the end of the week was a stick-shift pro. I also gained a greater appreciation of the art of the “rolling stop,” and why it’s not nice to be constantly varying your driving speed. If the car behind you is a stick, I guarantee the curses are flying.

Once I’d re-mastered the basics, I started experiencing Zoom-Zoom. My racy-red Mazda 6 had the practicality of a family sedan and the fun-factor of a sports car. I was surprised to learn that the six-speed transmission controlled a horsepower of only 170. It felt much faster. Other exterior features include auto-dimming mirrors and automatic rain-sensing windshield wipers.

Five-star safety ratings across the board and 29 highway miles per gallon make the Mazda 6 a steal at $29,440.

Maxima a reliable commuter, but missing the thrill factor

By Hilary Reeves
Business Examiner Staff

Touted as “the four-door sports car” the 2009 Nissan Maxima features a 3.5-liter V6 engine, a continuously variable transmission, an electronically controlled throttle and vehicle-speed-sensitive power steering.

Sounds impressive, but I was initially underwhelmed.

Exterior features include alloy wheels, a moon roof and UV-reducing solar glass, but you don’t appreciate the Maxima until you spend a few miles enjoying its leather-appointed seats, low-key styling and state-of-the art sound system with MP3 hook up. The Bose audio system even includes speed-sensitive audio control, a feature so subtle that it took me awhile to catch on. Once I did, I marveled at the technology.

I had driven the Maxima roundtrip between Seattle, where I live, and Tacoma, where I work, several times before I began to appreciate its commuter-car potential. While Nissan isn’t known for its luxury cars and the new Maxima is missing a bit of that initial “wow” factor, I could see myself driving it day after day, week after week.

The Maxima has a combined fuel economy of 22 miles per gallon, but its 20-gallon fuel tank took me through the entire week without a fill-up. It’s safety has yet to be rated. The 2009 Nissan Maxima totals $31,990.

Rugged SUV better on the trail

By Hilary Reeves
Business Examiner Staff

It’s hard not to be intimidated by an SUV with “off road” displayed predominately on the driver’s side door. “Unique seat fabric” meant to repel stains combined with roof rack rails and monster “rugged trail” tires sealed the deal: the 2009 Nissan Xterra is an SUV for the adventurous of spirit. I am not adventurous of spirit.






The most adventure I had when driving the Xterra was a jaunt to Mercer Island on Saturday morning to meet my friend for coffee. Not only did I have to park on the street because I wouldn’t fit in the compact parking spaces in Starbucks’ minuscule parking lot, but I endured my fair share of dirty looks from the island’s Prius-driving inhabitants.

That said, the SUV isn’t that big, as far as SUVs go. It’s taller than the standard SUV, but it’s trim. I never noticed Xterras on the road until I started driving one. Now that I’m familiar with their distinct shape, I see them everywhere and realize the extent of their popularity.

Besides the textured cloth seats, the Xterra’s interior features cruise control, and auto-dimming mirror power everything, keyless entry and even XM radio. The the Xterra features many standard comforts, there was really nothing that stood out about the SUV’s interior.

A 4-liter, V6 engine is good for 261 horses; the Xterra’s mechanics include many stabilizing and suspension-design features. On a scale from one to five, five being the highest, the Xterra scored four safety stars in frontal crash test arena, but just three starts in rollover test, perhaps because it is so rectangular and top-heavy.

MSRP for the Xterra is $29,340, but gas is expected to cost $2,470 every year with just 17 combined miles to the gallon.

In short, the Xterra is meant for drivers want to leave the open road, but want to listen to satellite radio while they’re doing it. A functional, if lackluster, combination of strength and comfort – not necessarily conducive to commuting or driving about town. However, the Xterra’s off-road capabilities do come in handy when you’re parking and you have to jump a curb.

Flashy new TL draws the eye, soothes the soul

By Hilary Reeves
Business Examiner Staff

All I wanted to do was program the welcome screen to greet me by name. Two hours and hundreds of pages of owner’s manual later, I was no closer to replacing the anonymous “Driver 1” with “Hilary.” Normally, a needlessly complex center console might irritate me, but, as I was behind the wheel of the 2009 Acura TL, I just smiled and snuggled a little lower into my cozy leather seat.





Like all new Acuras nowadays, the TL’s interior is reminicent of the womb in terms of wrap-around comfort. My TL, equipped with a tech package, featured a navigation system with voice recognition, real-time traffic and weather reports, the ability to schedule service appointments from inside the car, a rear-view camera and my beloved XM radio and heated seats. Though technically a push-start, the TL requires the driver to insert the remote entry device into a slot near the start button – particularly helpful for me, who has a tendency of dropping push-start entry fobs into the passenger seat and then can’t find it when I need to lock the car.



I had looked forward to driving the TL for many weeks and it didn’t disappoint, but I wasn’t prepared for the positive reaction I got around town.

I think it was the color that got people’s attention. Named “Mayan Bronze Metallic,” the color was a cross between chocolate brown and dark cherry. My father-in-law passed me in his BMW 5 Series on my way to work the first day I drove the TL and he was the first to say “great color.” Then there was the guy in the parking lot of Commencement Bay Coffee Company, the guy at a gas station in North Tacoma and the woman who sat smoking outside my favorite Greek restaurant. They all had one thing to say: “I’ve never seen that color. Great-looking car.”
And that was just the first day.



I got a lot of attention for the TL’s exterior stylings, but I was also surprised at the car’s versatility. My husband drives a BMW and it’s about as useful in inclement weather as a fork in a soup kitchen.

The TL has automatic all wheel drive, and is very powerful, with 305 horsepower and a 3.7-liter, V6 engine.

The car averages 20 miles per gallon. For $42,235, I’d take the Acura TL over a BMW or Mercedes any day.

Kia Borrego EX 4x4

By Emily West
Business Examiner
Kia introduced the mid-sized Borrego SUV in 2008, adding depth to the company's line of smart and accessible vehicles.

While 2008 seemed like a strange time for a manufacturer to introduce a large-model vehicle, the gamble may have paid off as gas prices have begun to level off from their recent peaks. The Borrego is significantly larger than the Kia Sorrento, the compact crossover introduced in 2003, and answers what call there is for an SUV with more heft and capacity. The Borrego is a foot longer than the Sorrento to accommodate a third row of seating, bringing its passenger load to seven.

The rear seats are equipped with Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH), adding safety features to the already well-equipped Borrego. Dual front airbags, three-row side curtain airbags and front seat mounted side airbags are in place in the event that the Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), tire pressure monitoring and other safety controls don’t keep driver and passengers out of harm’s way.

Creature comforts are plentiful in the Borrego when equipped with the Premium and Luxury packages. Premium packages run $1,800 and include both interior and exterior benefits- sunroof, 18 in alloy wheels, rear A/C with full controls, and an Infinity 10-speaker sound system. Add on the Luxury package for another $1,500 and the Borrego is outfitted with first and second row leather seats, heated front seats and memory controls for steering, mirrors and driver’s seat. The Kia Navigation system adds another $1,500 to the price tag, but is one of the best I’ve run across. The system allows you to modify searches while in motion, has a very easy to use interface and a clear, well- positioned screen. With a base price at just under $30,000, a fully loaded Borrego is available for about $36,000.

The Borrego’s 3.8 liter, V-6 engine was powerful and very responsive. Fuel economy is rated at 16 MPG in the city and 21 MPG on the highway. The turning radius is impressive for its size and in general the Borrego was very maneuverable in tight spaces. It’s standard back up warning system alerted me if I was dangerously close to anything, but it was not equipped with a back up camera.

The Kia Borrego was solid and had the feel of being far more “finished” than similar SUVs in its class. It was attractive both inside and out, and left a favorable impression of the automaker’s ability to serve the SUV market.

Lackluster 2009 Pontiac G8 relies on its power, price

By Hilary Reeves
Business Examiner Staff

For awhile, General Motors was teetering on the verge of bankruptcy, and the company’s new 2009 Pontiac G8 Sedan might, in part, explain why.

True, General Motors is the brawn behind many exceptional vehicles. I bought my very first car, a Saturn Ion, in 2003 and it’s still going strong. But, unlike the Ion, Pontiac’s newest sedan has been marketed as a power-packed sedan with an impressive safety package.

In reality, “the most powerful sedan available in the U.S. for under $30,000” is powerful, but something on is missing. I did notice that I could take Tacoma’s intimidating hills with nary an automatic shift – something I appreciate, as I’m constantly waiting for my Saturn to kick in to a higher gear and worrying that I might not make it to the top – but it really wasn’t enough to impress me. My friend Mike, who sells vintage cars for a living, perhaps said it best: “There’s really nothing exceptional about it.”

The RWD Pontiac G8 is a large sedan, featuring a 3.6 liter V6 engine controlled by a five-speed automatic transmission. Standard features include power windows, mirrors and locks, 18-inch aluminum wheels, four-wheel independent sport-tuned suspension, OnStar and, my personal favorite, XM Satellite Radio. It's interior consule is remarkably easy to understand, and the radio was easy to program – something I always appreciate.

Though the sedan’s safety features are impressive – six airbags, four-wheel disc brakes, battery run-down protection, a tire-pressure monitor and the Stabilitrack electronic stability system – the G8 has not been rated by the government for frontal crash, side crash or rollover risk.

Coming in at $27,995 and averaging 20 miles per gallon, the G8 may be a good fit for sedan-lovers who aren’t concerned about luxury features, who want a solid car that doesn’t look as if it was designed for the under-five crowd and an engine they can tell their friends about. It’s about the only thing worth a brag.