Dodge Challenger R/T Review 2009

The all new Dodge Challenger is a monster of a car that is much more beautiful in person than in photos. Our Silver Challenger R/T looks muscular and elegant at the same time, attracting a wide range of people from teenagers to 85 year olds. Many people told us that the Challenger was their first car and that they had great memories of this car back when it was first introduced. We had people driving large MAC trucks turn around while in motion, even some Harley-Davidson riders took a second look which is not a safe thing to do when on two-wheels. Both young and old came up and gawked at the car, took photos with their cell phones, and were just amazed so see a flashback from the past. We were happy to let everyone hear the exhaust growl which brought forth a stunned ‘wow’. The Dodge Challenger is a special car in every sense of the word, there is power, good looks, and a great interior. From standing still in a parking lot to blasting down the highway, the car is in every-way what men have dreamed of.

The 2009 Challenger comes in three versions: SE with a 3.5L V6 engine, R/T with 5.7L V8 Hemi and a SRT8 with a 6.1L V8 Hemi. We recently tested the R/T model. While the standard R/T comes with 18 wheels, our car had the optional 20 inch performance wheel and tire package that has the same wheels as those found on the SRT8 which truly makes a huge difference in the appearance of the Challenger. Also optional on our car was the 6-speed manual transmission which is a option, with a 5 speed automatic being the standard equipment.

From the exterior the Challenger is just massive in every proportion. The front grill is large and wide and sits deeply reset from the front bumper and hood. The four round headlights look intimidating and give a powerful first impression. While one set are xenon HID lamps, the other are yellow halogens turn signals which give a nice contrast and an interesting look at night. On the bottom portion of the bumper are built in fogs lamps and also and air deflector in black plastic trim. The distinctive design of the front end is done very well, bringing the past into a modern day vehicle.

The front hood is just spectacular with a bulging center line that spreads into to two large vent slots on each side. There are insignias of the word “HEMI” prominently displaced which tells everyone of the monster engine hiding behind the hood. The car is so wide that it has similar proportions so a large full-size SUV. The overall length is just huge, like the big cars of the 70’s. The long side profile is smooth yet muscular as you go to the large rear end of the challenger. A rising rear end with a low slung roof line and small rear quarter windows looks just great. Trying to jump through these windows will be harder than in the original challenger. The massive 20 inch chrome wheels give the right amount of concept car looks and large 245/45 R20 tires keep on stuck to the pavement.

The tail end of the Challenger gets even more retro and true to the original car’s heritage. A full length tail light bar reminds you of all the cars of the past. Dodge lettering in the white reverse lamp is also another great touch. A modern single piece wrap around rear valence with modern dual exhaust tips blends very nicely with the retro touches. A small wing looks just great on the Challenger as well. The overall body length is 198 inches with a overall width of 76 inches. The wheelbase is 116 inches. Dodge designers have done a great job in the exterior design of the Challenger and having a concept car that looks just like the street version is what people want and what here is actually delivered.

The interior of the Challenger is where you enter a modern day vehicle with the feel of the high horsepower muscle cars of the past. Most of the interior is smooth and modern with a soft leather look material used on the dash and doors. The Challenger is both large and width which creates a very comfortable and spacious interior. The front passengers have a hip room of 55 inches, shoulder room of 54 inches, leg room at 42 inches and head room of 40 inches. While the rear hip room is also good at 51 inches, leg room is dramatically less at 33 inches. The instant you get in you will notice the large sport seats with a ribbed center portion. They are soft like your sofa at home and truly feel like a seat from the past on very comfortable springs. Having enough room for friends in back is also a benefit of the Challenger with large seats but little legroom. Also quite noticeable large gear shift lever, making the Challenger feel more like a arcade game. A smooth and large sunroof opens up the inside nicely and its high quality operation was just great.

The instrument cluster is wide with four large white oval gauges in a classic 60’s style rectangular display. Mixed in with these traditional gauges are two digital displays which show everything from navigational directions to trip computer reading and car setup functions. Almost everything else is modern and just like those parts found in other dodge cars, like the recently tested Dodge Avenger. There is a push-button start feature which works in conjunction with the remote key that you can keep in your pocket. The key however is needed to unlock the car and lock the car which makes you have to take it out of your pocket daily anyway, so having to put it back in your pocket before you start the car is pretty useless. The large steering wheel is leather wrapped and offers stereo and onboard computer adjustments. We have showed all the menu choices in our video so take a look at that. Control stalks are right out of a Mercedes S class from 2000 and thus feel quite good. Headlights are also automatic which is great to have which leaves one less thing to worry about.

The center console has a large 6.5 inch screen with the MYGIG system that has integrated touch screen navigation, a built-in hard drive so you can store music and pictures. It also offers satellite radio and real time traffic that updates your route when traffic jams block your path. A U-connect Bluetooth phone connection makes it very easy to connect any modern phone and talk through the car’s speakers. There is also an auxiliary jack so you can plug in most MP3 players. This is an impressive system with every imaginable feature and its very intuitive to use. The system has everything you can think of and all in a compact and easy to use setup. You can enter navigation destinations by phone, or name, and see traffic information on the screen live. Just press a few buttons and you can go from one area to the next, perhaps BMW should learn something from this. There is also an IPOD wire that allows you to charge and connect fully to the MyGIG system so your songs will be displayed on the screen. This is a great feature and it shows us that Dodge didn’t cut any corners when making the 2009 Challenger. There is hope for Chrysler.

Below the large MgGIG system are three dials for the climate control, one for the fan, and another for temperature and the third for air direction. There is no automatic climate control where you set a temperature and forget it. The system is very straightforward and relatively quiet. Finally below this are two buttons for heated seats and a button for emergency blinkers and a switch to turn off the stability control so you can burn some rubber. The center arm rest has a deep storage area that can fit cell phones, cameras and or a small purse.

Ergonomics are typically good in the Challenger where getting in and out is fairly easy as long as you are in the front seat. The rear seats are functional and can seat two full size adults but it does cause the front passengers to sit closer to the dash than they would like. Having only the driver’s seat be power operated was a mistake in a car that costs this much. The passenger side seat is also not height adjustable. Finally the large front doors are so big and heavy that if you happen to park on the hill, watch out that the door doesn’t slam back into you and cut off your leg. The one major item lacking is that the door doesn’t have a lever type hinge that keeps them open and in place that is commonly found in Mercedes vehicles. Dodge should have borrowed this as well when borrowing all the other parts from them. Even a VW Jetta comes with this. We had the door slam back on us a few times and we can tell you that is really, really painful. Watch our video for this demonstration.

What we could improve on would be grab handles in a ergonomic position on the door for the front passenger as well as a real leather covered interior. Rear quarter windows that go down as well would be great for a more open cruise. Moving the dash forward would open up the interior and allow for more legroom for rear seated passengers, we really did not need a trunk as large as the one in the challenger.

While the Challenger’s styling is beautiful and brings out lots of people with smiles on their faces, sitting behind the wheel and driving this beast is quite amazing in itself. The monster 5.7 liter V8 Hemi engine pumps out 370 horsepower and a hefty 390 ft-lbs of torque. Just the growl coming from the exhaust while the car is standing still is unbelievable. It immediately takes you back to the generation of American muscle cars. The experience is almost like being in a time machine. The sound and the feel of the car remind us of the good-ol-days of large engines, street drag races and the era of pure love affairs with men and their cars. It was a time when American cars were built tough and where companies like Dodge built their brand reputations. The 2009 Challenger truly takes you away from your everyday problems, atleast until you need to go to a gas station. It is definitely the sound of being in the Challenger that makes it fun; a deep growl as soon as you turn on the engine, deep exhaust notes as you press hard on the accelerator and even the fun of just revving the engine while standing still. Its all muscle; no turbos, no superchargers and no nitrous kits in this beast. The beauty of the Hemi is that it is a potent V8 made right without any gimmicks and mated to a exhaust system that brings out its fun character, the Challenger has done it all right.

During low speeds the Challenger is most pleasing. There is this constant deep grumble which is most notable when you are parking, reversing, and going slow with blips of the gas just to move heads. The Challenger is so comfortable inside that you fall back in love with just cruising. The visual and audio sensations are great, and the look on peoples faces as you drive makes you feel like you are in a much more expensive vehicle. When you really need to get going fast, just a slight tap of the gas pedal will quickly get you up to 60 mph. The 6-speed transmission provides quick smooth shifts while the clutch is well weighted, not too heavy and not to light. The speed at which the RPM approaches redline keeps you on your toes as you quickly as you shift from 1, 2, 3 and 4. It doesn’t help that the RPM needle only goes to 5800, but on a good note you will hardly ever need to use 5th or 6th gear unless your pinching pennies on fuel expenses. Even in 6th there is ample exhaust sound, a deep grumble, and you are driving at low rpm saving gas. Also a nice feature is the hill start assist that automatically holds the brake for one second to prevent the car from rolling back when engaging the gear. Spirited driving will cause a dent in your wallet, we only averaged around 13 mpg during our days with the car in country driving. The Challenger is rated at 14 mpg in city and 20 on the highway. We were able to get around 21 on the highway when we were mindful to keep the RPM as low as possible.

While most people will look to buy the Challenger for its design and styling, some will no doubt look only at the performance accepts. While the Challenger is fast in the straight line, it doesn’t do to well on curves or salmons. With a heavy curb weight of 4,041 lbs, the Challenger doesn’t act like a nibble Porsche. However, the Challenger does extremely well in a straight-line. The combination of rear wheel drive with a potent HEMI engine and quick transmission make for quick 0-60 mph times but just don’t try to make miracles happen on a race track; this is a street car and best suited for late night drag races.

The Challengers suspension consists of an independent front suspension with a five link rear suspension setup. It’s quite pleasant to drive and not very stiff. Many people will compare it to their fathers Cadillac. Perhaps this has to do with the large and comfortable seats rather than the stiffness of the suspension. The rack and pinion power steering setup is smooth and requires minimal effort to maneuver this large car, its not like the old days where there was no power steering. However, the challenger is so large that it does have a big turning diameter of 38.9 feet. Body sway could be lessened so as to make the vehicle not feel so big and heavy. But overall it’s a great cruiser.

The 2009 Challenger also comes with every imaginable safety option. The retro design doesn’t mean that you will have to do without all the modern day electronic safety items. Multistage front air bags and side curtain front and rear airbags as well as anti-lock brakes and electronic stability program and a tire pressure monitoring system are included. We found that inflating tires to 5 psi above the recommended ratings will give you better fuel economy. The warranty on the Challenger is only for 3 years or 36,000 miles.

The pricing on the 2009 Challenger models is very aggressive. With a car styled to well and built as strong as a rock, the Challenger seems like a bargain when you compare it to other performance cars. The SE model with V6 engine starts at only $21,995. Most people out of college can pick one up as their first cars. The more powerful R/T with 5.7L HEMI starts at $29,995. This is a bargain considering you are getting a 370 horsepower monster engine that brings both power and beautiful music to your hears. Opting for the ultimate Challenger, the SRT8 will set you back another 12 grand with a starting price of $41,695. Considering that the power difference is not that much, the R/T is the best bargain for the money. Optional items on our test car brought our total to $38,570 but most driver’s will leave out many of these extra items. Some of the extra items in our car included the HID headlamps at $695, a Power Sunroof at $950, the MyGIG Multimedia system at $1390, a Electronics Group at $1060, and a six speed manual transmission at $995. There is also $675 in destination charges. Hopefully good discounts will enable you to have these necessary options and still have a low cost vehicle.

Dodge has brought back some excitement to the car market, and with that, hopefully an improvement in their fortunes. The 2009 Dodge Challenger will be a super hit for sure. Let this be clear to all the other car manufacturers: Design a car that is fun to drive and that looks unique. Put some emotion in your design and sales and profits will follow. People don’t want boring cars anymore. They want cars like the Challenger that are a sense of pride and joy for the buyer, a feeling that is unique and that defines a generation of young boys and men. People who talked to us about the Challenger remembered the days when they owned one and how it made them feel. Talk to someone about a Ford Taurus and see if you get the same result.

The Good :) Great exhaust note. Lots of power. Large smooth concept car looks. Huge wheels. Nav, live traffic, easy ipod integration, hard drive for storage.

The Bad :( Too large for sporty driving. Very low gas mileage of 14 mpg. Seats are not supportive for aggressive driving. Door hinges do not hold large doors open.

Mazda CX-7 Grand Touring All Wheel Drive V6 Review 2009

The Mazda CX-7 blends sports car performance and design with SUV like utility and passenger room. It is perhaps the best attempt by a manufacturer at bringing these two extremes together that we have seen to date. We say this in terms of design of course, you can’t compare it to the raw power and handling performance of a Porsche Cayenne S, but the Cayenne still looks like a large truck. The Mazda CX-7 has the profile of a sports car, just slightly higher off the ground. It’s a beautiful example of how managers shouldn’t get in the way of designers. A quick glance at Mazda’s entire vehicle lineup shows how strong their designers have a say in the end product. All of their cars, except for the Tribute which is really a Ford Escape, are futuristic and inspiring. Mazda also managed to get the pricing right so we all can enjoy a bold and aggressive, yet comfortable, crossover without having to take out a home equity line of credit.

The Mazda CX-7 is sleek and modern in its exterior design, aptly named “advanced frontier” by designer Iwao Koizumi. The smooth design gives the vehicle a futuristic look and retains a powerful feeling that is sometimes lost in bold forward thinking designs. The front end is small with large fenders smoothly flowing from the nose. A large grille gives the CX-7 a powerful look. Clear headlamps house the Xenon projector beams while the fog lamps are nicely built into the lower bumper with a chrome accent bar. The smooth front end carries nicely to the side profile. The large fenders convey a muscular feeling which is carried to the rear end that has a slightly higher body line. Panels are large and smooth with sleek windows conveying the overall appearance of a sporty vehicle.

Large wheels with thick tires makes the CX-7 feel bigger than it is. The attractive 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels have a nicely painted finish and a great overall design. They are wrapped in large P235/60 R18 all-season tires. Brake calipers in silver add to the attention to detail. Chrome touches around the windows and on the door handles look great. At the rear the CX-7 looks even more futuristic. Large wrap around tail lamps look great and their frosted blinkers are something new not found in any other vehicle. The rounded rear end, from the roof to the bottom of the bumper shows a clear advanced design theme. Dual exhaust tips in chrome and an under plate makes the vehicle look much more sporty. Aerodynamically, the CX-7 achieves best in class performance at 0.34 Cd. Overall the design is wonderful and inspiring.

“CX-7 is a vehicle built for the driving enthusiast who had to grow up. It features performance worthy of a sports car, but also offers room and space for five,” said Program Manager Shunsuke Kawasaki. “The four-cylinder CX-7 offers more horsepower and torque than most of its V6-equipped competitors, at nearly the same fuel efficiency and at a much lower price tag.”

CX-7 is offered in three trim levels. Some of the highlights of the standard features on the base Sport model are manual air conditioning, power windows, power door locks, retractable key, cruise control, MP3 capability, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob and six air bags. Also standard on all CX-7s is an Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and a Traction Control System (TCS).

The Touring edition adds leather trim (seats, steering wheel, shift knob), power adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats and a retractable cargo cover. In top-line Grand Touring trim, CX-7 is equipped with features such as leather with a black sport seat stripe, high intensity discharge (HID) headlamps, fog lamps, body-color mirrors, chrome door handles, automatic interior climate control, auto-dimming rearview mirror with Homelink and side turn signals integrated into the exterior mirror housing.

The interior of the CX-7 is modern and sporty. A three cluster instrument cluster and the navigation console push out of the dash with a bi-level design. This is very elegant and clearly a step ahead of the competition. Use of silver painted plastic parts is abundant with leather seating surfaces and leather look paneling. Most paneling is a textured leather like plastic which is soft to the touch. Ergonomics are good with grab handles for the front passenger however rear seated passengers lack a tall grab handle on the door.

The classic Mazda air vents dominate the front dash, and we like their look when they are closed however when they are open it does look like large holes in the dash. The drivers door features automatic up and down front windows while the rear must be held down to open and close them. The steering wheel is on the thin side but is leather wrapped and offers controls for stereo, phone, and cruise control as well as a button to control the voice operation of the navigation system. The instrument cluster is clean and simple with a bright red display during the day and blue backlighting at night. Though it lacks the crispness and brightness of German instrument clusters, it is better than most US branded vehicles.

The center stack holds the widescreen navigation system which is a DVD operated system. The touch screen is easy to use and simple with easy destination inputs. The only problem we had was that the screen was very dull and could not be seen clearly during the day. Also with the angle of the screen, during the day a lot of ambient light reflects off the screen making it harder to view. Someone should have sat in the vehicle and tested this system before approving it. Along with the audio display shown here there is a small display on top of the dash showing time, station and ventilation settings as well as outside temperature. This is a classic design found on most Mazda vehicles now.

The optional Bose sound system found in our test vehicle provided great bass and was quite good. However we did not think it was the best we have heard, even from Bose. It includes nine speakers, 240 watts of power and a Centerpoint surround sound system that offers five channel digital sound. The stereo system holds 6-discs as well which are loaded by opening the screen. An auxiliary audio input jack is located in the center armrest making easy connections to a iPod very quick and hassle free. A large glovebox can hold it all and a equally impressive center armrest can easily hold a laptop.

The front driver’s seat is comfortable and easy to get in and out of. The drivers seat is 8-way power adjustable for recline, lift and tilt with a manual lumbar support. However the front passenger seat was manually operated, something very strange considering the CX-7 seems to have everything else standard. Both front seats were heated which was nice to have during the cold winter days. The passenger seat has no height adjustment and is set a bit too high for our tastes. Both seats could also use deeper bottom cushions for a more relaxed ride.

A sunroof is optional and has one touch controls for opening and tilting. However both buttons are similar and thus it is not as intuitive to use as a dial found in most German makes. The sunroof is also of the old variety and is not as smooth and insulated as those found in comparable vehicles.

The climate control is easy to operate with automatic temperature control and two large dials which sound and feel great when turning. The dials are similar to those found in a Audi in their feel and though they are not made of metal, they do offer the same feeling.

A convenient card key allows you to open doors by touching a small button on the front door handle and start the car by just turning the ignition button located where a regular key would be located. Although a start/stop button would look cooler, this works well also. You can also open the front windows and the sunroof using this keycard.

The rear seats are soft and flat offering little bolstering for those seeking a sports car. The rear door panels are also bland and not designed with differing materials. Perhaps in the lighter interior color the vehicle will look much better. The rear armrest has cup holders built into the armrest which protrude and are stiff, therefore the armrest never feels great. The ergonomics of the seat are also not perfect with no support for your legs, being too low and not angled enough. What is great is the easy folding of the 60/40 spring loaded seats. They fold down without any adjustments and fold back up easily. The 70 inch long cargo floor is longer than most other competitors. A reversible cargo storage panel in the rear gives you room for things that may get wet. The trunk is nicely sized as well.

A 2.3 liter turbocharged 16-valve 4-cylinder inline engine with a 6-speed automatic transmission and manual shifting capability provided a peppy drive. A active torque split all-wheel drive system provides more feel and a sportier ride behind the wheel. The Direct Injection Spark Ignition (DISI) turbocharged engine produces 244 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 258 lb-ft of torque at 2,500 rpm. Redline is reached at 6700 RPM.

The engine is smooth, with power coming on very quickly. Gear shifts are somewhat delayed when shifting manually which cuts down on the CX-7’s sporty character. Acceleration is similar to that of a six cylinder engine however here you get better fuel economy. The CX-7 meets california LEV II emission standards.

The active torque split all-wheel drive uses a computer controlled coupling integrated with the rear differential to deliver up to half the available torque to the rear wheels on demand. Handling and power is sent to the wheels that need it most working with the stability control system and the ABS system. Suspension consists of an independent MacPherson strut type coil spring and stabilizer bar up front and an independent multi-link type coil spring with stabilizer bar in rear. The steering system is a powered rack-and-pinion with variable hydraulic power assist which is relative to the engine-rpm. The CX-7 comes with some impressive braking power thanks to the 11.65 inch dual piston ventilated disc up front and 11.9 inch single piston ventilated disc in rear. There is also every imaginable braking technology incorporated from a 4-wheel, 4-sensor, 4-channel electronic brake force distribution and brake assist to the power assisted anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution.

Overall the Mazda CX7 is a comfortable and easy to drive vehicle. The vehicle is quiet and smooth, although for those seeking a sporty vehicle, the delay felt when shifting manually needs to be fixed. Road feel is good and the steering is accurate as well. The all-wheel drive is silent and it feels more like a rear wheel drive car. The multilink design smoothes out rough roads nicely. In this highly competitive segment, Mazda needs to provide a more exciting package with some exhaust note, engine sounds, and sharper handling.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the CX-7 a five-star rating in both frontal and side-impact crash tests. It also received a four-star rollover rating for both the front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions. No SUV currently on sale has received better ratings from the government than the CX-7. Six air bags are standard covering front, side, and side curtain areas. Stability control and traction control makes driving easy in slippery conditions.

All 2009 Mazda’s come with a roadside assistance program. With a call to a toll-free number, owners can access roadside assistance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year throughout the United States and Canada. In addition, a comprehensive three-year/36,000-mile warranty covers every part on the vehicle except those subject to normal wear. Also, all 2009 models receive a five-year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty and a five-year/unlimited-mileage corrosion warranty.

Our test car started off at a base price of $28,400 for the Grand Touring all wheel drive CX7. Optional was the technology package for $4,485 which has all the goodies you really want in this vehicle. Front and rear under guards cost $445. Scuff plates add $145. A rear bumper guard was added for $50. Add a $650 delivery fee and our total comes to $34,175. Almost 95% of parts come from Japan with the final assembly point being Hiroshima, Japan. The window sticker shows fuel economy of 16 in the city and 22 on the highway and with mixed driving we averaged 20 miles per gallon.

The Good : Futuristic Styling, attractive and roomy interior, strong 4-cylinder engine, low price for high quality.

The Bad : Navigation system not bright enough during daytime. Body leans a bit too much.

VolksWagen Tiguan Review 2009

The all new Volkswagen Tiguan was first available in May of 2008. This compact sport utility vehicle competes directly with the BMW X3 and also with the Honda CRV and the Toyota RAV4. The Tiguan is a small SUV which many car makers hope will replace the full sized SUV that have not been selling since gas prices have gone up. Instead of investing in hybrid and alternate fuels, car makers have just offered us all smaller SUV’s. The Tiguan offers better fuel economy than a Touareg at 26 miles per gallon on the highway and still offers good space and a high ride height. Our recent test took it through its paces so see just how good it really is.

The Tiguan has a upscale and attractive exterior styling reminiscent of a BMW X3. It features a bold front facia with a prominent VW logo on the grill and sweeping headlights that wrap around the side fenders. The grill is also lined with chrome and features a integrated lower bumper fog lamp location, wouldn’t it be nice of VW to just include that on all models? The dual halogen projector beam headlamps with optional Xenon lamps look like menacing eyes and stand to create a sculptured front end much more aggressive than most other VW’s. The side profile of the Tiguan is smooth and well proportioned, with 16 inch alloy wheels that compliment the attractive upscale look of the vehicle. The Tiguan has a wheelbase of 102.5 inches, with a length of 174.3 inches, width of 71.2 inches, and a height of 66.3 inches. The rear features dual exhaust pipes and wrap around VW dual lamp taillights in red. The Tiguan also features painted bumpers, mirrors and door handles that make for a pleasant upscale appearance. The side view powered mirrors also feature blinkers built-in so its easier for people to see that you plan on taking a turn. The mirrors are also heated which is a nice feature and usually only found in high-end vehicles. Another nice feature is the extended lower door sill which makes it easier to get in and out of the car.

The Tiguan is also a capable off-road machine with an approach angle of 18.6 degrees, a breakover angle of 21.3 degrees and a departure angle of 23.3 degrees. The Tiguan is also capable of a 27 degree lateral driving angle without flipping over and can climb a hill with a 31 degree slope. This is good enough to take you where you need to go in most situations but most likely no one will take their Tiguan off the beaten path. An interesting note about the Tiguan is that is put together with a laser seam welding method which is seamless and creates a more rigid body. This is a more expensive and a highly advanced way to weld steel panels together which creates a better handling car with little body flex.

The interior of the Tiguan is well thought out and nicely styled. Yes many parts are cheaper in quality than higher end VW’s such as the Touareg but the vehicle is also lower priced. For a more luxurious interior go with the SEL model which is fully covered in leather and has power seats, navigation and bi-xenon active headlights. The S model we tested has grained hard plastic made to look like leather that is found on all the upper dash panels. The front dash panel is a bit softer to the touch and this is carried on to the front doors as well, but on the rear doors the material is hard plastic. The doors are styled nicely with comfortable fabric arm rests and a ergonomic tall grab handle on all four doors. The dash is simple yet looks clean and modern with a digital information read out built in between the dials. A tall and easy to use stereo system is right at eye level. VW also provides a manual climate control system just below the stereo which is like that found in many other VW vehicles.

There are a lot of nifty storage spaces from a tray on top of the dash to small card holder slots located above the stereo. The area below the climate control system holds many small boxes for storage rather than one large space. A covered cup holder gives this area a nice clean look when not in use. The arm rest also houses another storage area and as usual it feels very good and is covered in a leather like material and is heavy and strong. We would have liked the steering wheel and shift knob to be in leather as well as that is something we really do not think any car maker should compromise on. The driver touches these part all the time and they should be covered in leather at the minimum. Rear view mirrors are powered and heated as well. All four windows are automatic up and down and the locks and widow switches are all lighted at night for easy locating. Great door handles feel good and are made of metal on the interior.

The rear seats are flat and seated higher than the front seats. The tall cabin allows for great headroom with front and rear headroom at a full 39 inches. There is also 40 inches of front legroom and 35.8 inches in rear. The rear seats slide forward 60/40 and easily fold down. As they fold down they lower as well providing a flat cargo area. The rear trunk cargo volume is listed at 23.8 cubic feet but greatly increases to 56.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. We did not have to remove the headrests to lower the seats, which was a plus. The front passenger seat also can fold flat for longer items making this a very versatile vehicle. Everything was easy and simple to use. The cloth seats are easy to clean and if you have pets it will get dirty but at least they are easy to clean. The carpets are also of better quality and are easy to keep clean, something that other cars we have tried have had trouble with.

The new dual hole air vents do not look very good in our opinion. They never close fully flat as the previous version did but VW has put shiny rings around them with chrome on the tips of the handles for a nicer look. There are just too many of them on the front dash making them the stand out feature, not the dash itself.

Roof material is of good quality made of ribbed fabric. Lighting is adequate but there is no footwell ambient lighting during the night. What VW has done is provided lights on all buttons and controls that you need to use at night.

The stereo system is very good and sound quality is quite high. There is a audio jack in the arm rest for easy connection to any MP3 device. All cars should have this feature now that CD’s and other sources are going away. The stereo houses a single CD player capable of playing MP3’s as well.

The steering wheel both tilt and telescoping which makes finding a perfect position for the driver much easier. Both front seats are manually operated and offer height adjustment although it only pushes up the rear end of the seat, not the whole seat which is a flaw. However, we suggest getting the higher end models of the Tiguan for power operated seats which will be adjustable in more ways. Most vehicles do not offer height adjustment in the front passenger seat and thus most VW’s are better just for having this feature.

The good amount of passenger space leads to not having the biggest cargo area but we thought this was a good idea. Most people only need large cargo areas from time to time, and with easy conversion into a hauler, the Tiguan offers great versatility.

The Tiguan features VW’s award winning 2.0L 4-cylinder inline turbocharged engine that puts out 200 hp at 5100 rpm and 206 ft-lbs of torque at 1700 rpm. One of the reasons the Tiguan takes off so quickly is because the engine’s full torque is achieved at such low revs. It’s a fantastic engine and feels much stronger than its 200 hp. Zero to 60 mph is achieved in a quick 7.8 seconds with top speed of 131 mph. We liked the engine, which revs very quickly and also is smooth and quiet. It is more free flowing than the Mazda turbocharged 4-cylinder that we just tested in the CX-7. The VW engine features the latest technologies such as direct fuel injection, variable intake cam timing and variable valve timing.

The manual transmission is smooth and silky. It has a automatic parking brake and a auto hold button which applies the brakes for you when on a hill or at a stop light which is great for a bit of rest for your feet. The clutch can be a bit heavy but shifting is fun and quick in this model. Off the line the front wheels are very easy to squeel from a stop so watch out if you drive in snowy areas with this two wheel drive Tiguan. Highway noise is very low and you can get up to speed very quickly, smoothly, and quietly, a great by-product of the German autobahns. Perhaps we should also have a highway system without any speed limits for better vehicles in the US. The steering is also quite responsive and provides good road feedback. The electromechanical power steering also allows for quick turning with only 39.4 ft needed to do complete a full circle turn and less turns needed at low speeds versus higher speeds. Our vehicle is only available with front wheel drive, however if you opt for the SE or SEL models you can get the 4MOTION all-wheel drive system which would be very useful in wintery driving.

The Tiguan features a monocoque construction with laser seam welding for a very rigid and stable body structure. The front suspension is a McPherson strut design with a single piece aluminum sub frame. Rear suspension consists of a four link independent steel spring setup. The ride was solid with little body lean or sway. Braking power comes via the power assisted front and rear vented disc brakes. They had fantastic stopping power and actually grabbed the discs too hard compared to the last vehicle we tested.

The Tiguan is packed with the latest safety features. It comes with six airbags as standard including front and side airbags. A nice feature is the automatic hazard lights that come on in case of an accident if the airbags deploy and a fuel pump that automatically shuts off, preventing a fire. The Tiguan also features anti-lock brakes, brake pad wear indicator, and electronic brake pressure distribution which applies the right amount of pressure on each brake. There is also a hydraulic brake assist that makes sure that the braking system works 100% when you press the brakes quickly. Daytime running lights and tire pressure monitoring are also standard features. Also free is regular maintenance for 3 years, something which only BMW has done in the past few years. Roadside assistance is also included for 3 years which makes the Tiguan a very easy car to own all around.

The Tiguan is a well made product that suits the majority of American buyers who prefer SUVs over cars. It’s attractively styled with strong performance and handling which should make it a top seller in the VW lineup. Its also priced right at around $25K with the true selling price a few thousand less. While the Tiguan is strong in the performance and styling end, buyers may want to also see the recently tested Mazda CX-7 which is strong in the amount of interior amenities offered and also attractively styled. The difference comes down to German engineering and the choice between buying the Tiguan and any of the other compact SUV’s will depend on how strongly the driver values engine, transmission, suspension and steering components. The VW Tiguan easily aces these areas. Most people are concerned about fuel economy and the S model leaves out the trip computer strangely enough. Our testing averaged 20 mpg which was not excellent. Hopefully VW can offer some hybrid models and diesel variations at a low price point.

The Good : Smooth and Responsive Engine and Transmission, Great Handling, Attractive Styling.

The Bad : Cheap Interior on S model, Heavy use of plastic, Slippery Steering Wheel, Front Wheel Drive.

Audi A4 Avant 2.0 T Quattro Tiptronic Review 2009

We said 5 years ago that Audi needed to make some much needed changes and Audi followed suit. We have been saying in the last few years that Audi makes the best cars out there for the money and now the world is noticing. Today Audi has a great lineup of vehicles that look sharp, offer amazing interiors, and drive superbly well, all at a lower cost than the competitors from Germany. With the new A4, the quality of the interior is amazing and ride quality is very impressive. Compared to a BMW the A4 is a great value.

The exterior style of the new A4 is what sets it apart from the crowd of cars it competes with. Even in its wagon form, the vehicle looks sporty, aggressive, low to the ground, and downright mean. Front end is probably our favorite part of the vehicle with a sculpted grille that is aerodynamic and functional. The curved lines in the lower grille are carried into the headlights nicely. The unique design makes the A4 Avant feel like it has a human face. LED eyebrows under the Xenon headlights gives the A4 a cool new look and use only 9 watts. The rounded front end flows nicely to the carved front hood which gives the fenders a wider look with its sloping design around the wheels. The profile shows that the A4 is luxurious as well as sporty offering chrome trim around the windows and a chrome roof rack. Large 18 inch wheels are optional and look very good with minimal wheel gap. The rear end is equally rounded and clean with hardly any body gaps visible. Nicely angled tail lamps provide a modern look while the only item missing would be chrome tipped exhaust tips. Overall the front overhang has been shortened and the hood and wheelbase are visibly extended.

With a smart key, doors unlock as you touch the door handle and engine starting is done at the touch of a button. Doors open wide for easy entry and egress and feel quite solid and heavy. Inside awaits a luxurious cabin, lined with soft leather and light wood trim. Immediately you will notice the quality of all the parts inside. Window switches, the center armrest, the aluminum trimmed dials on the central console and the steering wheel all feel and sound great when used. Audi did not forget the bottle holders in the doors, a sunglass holder, lots of cup holders and a card holder. Even a push button parking brake gives you technology found in more costly vehicles.

In many details, the new A4 has the sophistication of the A8 luxury sedan. All switches, for example, have short travel and lock into place when a defined amount of force is applied to them. The rotary knobs move as smoothly and precisely as the mechanism of a fine watch, and their ‘click’ is the sound of pure technical perfection. The center armrest can be moved forward and locks to give you various levels of height adjustment. A 6.5 inch color monitor is standard on the upper console with a 7 inch screen when you order the navigation system. Velour carpeting and chrome trim has even been used in the cargo space.

Seating is more comfortable and larger than in previous A4 sedans. Front seats are both powered fully with the driver’s seat also equipped with lumbar adjustments and 2 position memory. Even the rear hatch is powered for easy use when you have a bag of groceries. The A large glass sun roof extends to the rear cabin and opens up halfway for a targa feeling. The top is very solidly built with smooth operation with a built in powered shade for when it is too hot. Watch our video to see how this top works.

The long list of features in the A4 makes it one of the most technologically advanced cars available today. All four windows are powered one touch up and down with pinch protection. A parking system has sensors in the rear bumper and a backup camera. Homelink allows you to program your garage codes into the car. A Rain and light sensor lets you forget about a few things inside the car while driving. The powered rear hatch can be adjusted to suit your height or garage space when opening. A retractable luggage cover and net protects all your belongings and keeps it out of sight. The keyless start feature is amazing in that all four doors have a touch pad , not a button, which you simply touch, even with gloves on, and the doors lock. Just come close to the car and touch the door handle and the doors unlock. It works flawlessly. This feature is on all four doors so if you have a child that you want to put into the rear cabin first you pull the rear door first. Touch the back and the trunk power opens up.

Cool new features like Audi Side Assist works very well and monitors blind spots as well as fast approaching vehicles at 150 feet behind your car. Two radar sensors located in the rear bumper operate at 24 GHz, monitoring a space of up to
50 meters (164.04 feet) in width to the side and rear of the new Audi A4. LED’s in the mirror light up when a car is in your blind spot and flash if you blink your turn signals when someone is there. A bluetooth phone system allows easy connection to any telephone, just setup once and it will always connect automatically as long as bluetooth is on in your phone; much easier than in other vehicle systems. Music iPod integration works well with iPhone and iPod allowing you to view all the playlists in the large screen in the center of the dash. There is even adaptive cruise control which maintains a set distance from the car in front of you.

The Bang & Olufsen premium sound system offers 14 speakers with 505 digitally amplified watts of surround sound reproduction with microphone based noise compensation . A great audiophile system, it produces accurate sounds with its large quantity of speakers.

The climate control is very easy to use and has dual zones up front and a separate zone for the rear cabin. Watch our videos for how it actually works. You can graphically view everything you change such as airflow vents, speed of the fans, temperature of the air. The only thing we did not like was the position of the controls at the bottom of the front dash making it hard to see when the gear lever is in park. Perhaps Audi can remove the gear lever all together and replace it with buttons on the dash.

The steering wheel is also excellent, which it has to be for a great driving experience. It is thickly padded and quite comfortable with great road feel and soft leather. The many controls allow quick access to most of the Audi A4‘s controls. A large instrument cluster screen shows you most functions in wonderful vivid colors. The steering wheel controls allow you to dial into different stereo stations, you can speak certain commands as well by touching the microphone button. The instrument cluster display is quick and smart, showing you radio stations when you touch the scroll wheel on the steering wheel and then switching back to navigation view as you are driving. Even miles per gallon can be seen just below the navigation part of this display. A lot of information is packed into the instrument cluster in a clean and smart way. Watch it in our video.

A new feature is Audi Drive Select. This changes how the car handles to suit your mood. You can set it to comfort, dynamic, or automatic as well as individual settings for a mix of all of the above. The dynamic setting makes for quicker gear shifts, no lag as you press the pedal, and a stiffer suspension at .8 inches lower in ride height. While the comfort setting creates a more relaxed vehicle with softer suspension settings and smoother more delayed gear shifts. All this teamed up with the Quattro four wheel drive makes for a amazing vehicle.

Two engine choices are offered, a four cylinder or a six cylinder. Our test car has the four cylinder engine with turbocharger which provides smooth power and good fuel economy. It is rated at 211 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque available from 1,500 to 4,200 rpm. In our combined highway and road testing, we average 22 miles per gallon, not close to the 27 as stated on the window sticker for highway use even though most of our country roads were at about 40-50 mph. Both engines have direct injection technology and are 10 percent better at using gasoline. Under normal driving conditions, this distributes the forces at a ratio of 40:60 between the front and rear axle. This emphasis on the rear end perfectly harmonizes and a self-locking center differential transfers lets you have all the traction wherever you need it.

Speed-dependent servotronic steering adapts the amount of steering support to the driving speed. When parking, this system provides for easy steering, while at high speeds the support is decreased to ensure maximum precision. Braking is amazing with the A4 coming to a quick stop with a super grippy brake system. Even in snow you feel like you are driving on rails. The Quattro all wheel drive system makes this car stick to snow and ice like few other cars can do. We shot video of the car on four inches of snow and the vehicle tracked through turns as if it was on pavement.

All the electronic gadgets such as slip regulation can be turned off at low speeds for those needing traction in snow. The smart nature of the electronics automatically turns them back on after a set speed is reached so you don’t go head first into a tree at 45 mph. The A4 also keeps the brakes dry on wet road conditions with slight taps that you cannot feel.

The airbags in the new Audi A4 are adaptive and operate based on a new strategy: they always inflate fully. If the control unit assesses the situation as relatively harmless – that is if the impact is not too violent and the seat occupant is sitting
close to the cockpit – part of the gas from the airbag is discharged again through valves, so that the head and chest of the occupant are restrained relatively gently. If the crash is severe, the airbags remain fully inflated for longer. The same
procedure occurs if the impact is not very strong, but if the passenger is sitting so far back that her or his torso would whip forward with great force.

The A4 offers a 4 year or 50,000 mile warranty and a 12 year corrosion warranty. A no charge first scheduled maintenance is also included along with a 4 year roadside assistance coverage.

Our test car starts off at a base price of $34,500. Optional is the prestige model choice which ads $7,800. This ads all the goodies that you expect in this high end vehicle like the keyless start, Bang & Olufsen sound system, lane change assist, power tailgate, Xenon headlamps with led running lamps, bluetooth hands free system, three zone climate control, heated front seats, six CD stereo system, the music interface and memory for the driver’s seat, not to mention a few more goodies like the 18 inch wheels and the rain sensor. It is all very important. The Audi drive select is the suspension and drivetrain customization system that costs $2,950. The navigation system with rearview camera costs $2,500. Wood interior trim in ash almond beige costs $400. A destination charge of $825 brings the as tested MSRP to $48,975. Hopefully good deals will allow you to buy this vehicle for under the invoice price. Bargain heavily we say. The window sticker states 21 miles per gallon in the city and 27 on the highway. The VW is very clean as well only producing a smog index score of 0.39. About 75% of the parts come from germany. The final assembly point is Ingolstadt, Germany with the engine coming from Hungary and the transmission from Germany. Watch our video for a great look at all that is inside this great family car.

The Good : Sporty exterior. Refined luxurious interior. Smooth engine and transmission. Great driving feel. Amazing DVD and vehicle information system. Amazing traction and stability. Ride beats all other competitors

The Bad : Small cabin, especially in the rear. A bit light at high speeds on twisties.

Suzuki Equator Crew Cab Sport Review 2009

In the United States, more people probably recognize Suzuki for their motorcycles and ATVs then they do for their automobiles. Suzuki has always filled a niche market here in the states and has never really broken into the mainstream car market that is dominated by bigger Japanese brands such as Toyota, Honda , Nissan and Mazda. Perhaps this has to do with the tremendous resources one needs to make special cars just for the American market, or perhaps Suzuki figured they would stick to what they do best which is to focus on small engine products.

By sticking to what they do best, Suzuki has captured a special place in the recreation market with their wide range of products from motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and even marine engines. Many of us are more familiar with their outstanding sport bikes such as the powerful Hayabusa or the GSX line. Others recognize their superiority in off-road dirt bikes and ATVs such as the KingQuad. However, mention SX4 or XL7 and they won’t have clue as to what you’re referring to.

Suzuki recognized this dilemma and asked their automobile dealers what product they would most like to see in their showrooms. The overwhelming response was a pickup truck. The thinking being that all the loyal fans of the Hayabusa, GSX, KingQuad and all of their other recreational vehicles would use a Suzuki made pickup truck to transport their toys. Sounds like a good plan to us, but how could a small car manufacturer jump into the truck market without taking out billions of dollars in loans to build a completely new truck factory? The answer lies in outsourcing.

The Suzuki Equator is a joint effort with Nissan and shares the majority of its parts and design with the familiar Nissan Frontier. Suzuki basically took a truck already in the market and stuck their name badge all over it. This was the quickest and cleanest way to get a truck into their product lineup to fill the needs of their dealers who were tired of seeing their friends down the street making more money selling boatloads of dirt bikes while they were stuck peddling a small car such as the SX4. The 2009 Equator is an impressive and well-made truck that fits the Suzuki product lineup very nicely and will surely bring some needed traffic into dealer showrooms.

“Suzuki offers a range of highly capable, value-packed vehicles that combine attractive exterior and interior styling with the performance and functionality requirements to meet some of the most demanding needs of American car buyers,” said Mark Harano, executive vice president, American Suzuki Automotive Operations. “With the arrival of the all-new Equator pickup truck, a natural fit with Suzuki’s off-road heritage and lifestyle-driven DNA, we’re extremely excited about the forthcoming 2009 model year.”

The Suzuki Equator is built in Nissan’s Smyrna, Tennessee plant and available in both Extended Cab or the four door Crew Cab style. The Equator is rear wheel drive with the option for 4-wheel drive. We tested the Crew Cab Sport model, which was rear wheel drive and featured the 4.0 Liter V6 engine. The standard base engine is a 2.5 liter inline four-cylinder. While our truck had the short five-foot bed, there is an option for a longer six-foot bed configuration as well.

The base model Equator Extended Cab starts off at $17,995 and comes with a five-speed manual transmission and 4-cyclinder engine. We highly recommend buyers stick with the Sport model which has the five-speed automatic transmission and the more powerful and smooth V6 engine along with other comfort amenities.

If you prefer the 4-door Crew Cab style, you will be happy to know that it comes only with the V6 engine and five-speed automatic transmission. The Crew Cab Base model with 2WD starts at $23,985, while the Crew Cab Sport, which adds aluminum alloy wheels, cruise control and power windows and door locks, starts out at $25,150 for 2WD and $28,095 for 4WD models. If you enjoy off-roading, Suzuki offers the top of the line RMZ-4 model that features Dana 44 axles, electric rear locking differential, Bilstein high-performance shocks, skid plates, BFGoodrich Rugged Trail P265/75R16 tires and other trim upgrades. The Equator Crew Cab RMZ-4 carries a starting MSRP of $29,325.

The Equator is attractively styled with a prominent front end that has a large bold grill that features a large chrome Suzuki “S” badge in the center. A chrome border that adds an upscale look surrounds the center grill. The one-piece jewel-faceted headlamps blend into the center grill and feature a large halogen lamp with smaller circular signal lamps surrounding it. Below the grill is a large silver painted skid plate which helps protect the underside when going off-road. The side profile features very large fender flares that give the Equator its muscular look. The sharp looking alloy wheels are wrapped in husky P265/65R17 BFGoodrich tires.

The overall length of the truck is 206.6 inches with a width of 72.8 inches and height of 70.1. It’s a well-proportioned truck that looks really sharp on the road. As you approach the rear you immediately notice the cargo bed area that has both a sprayed on bedliner and a track type tie-down rail system with four cleats that are easily movable to secure your gear. This is very useful to have on a truck and Suzuki was kind enough to include this as standard equipment. The Equator also comes with tinted privacy glass on the rear windows and dual powered rearview mirrors.

The Equator is a capable truck and strongly built with a fully boxed ladder frame and a body-on-frame construction. The boxed frame helps increase strength and reduce body flexibility which helps improve road-handling and towing characteristics. The Equator can also handle most off-road situations with up to 32.6 degree angle of approach and up to 23.3 degree angle of departure. There is even 10 inches of ground clearance at the rear differential.

The interior of the Equator is refreshingly nice and straightforward. The clean uncultured appearance is a good change from what most pickup truck owners are used to. The tilt steering wheel has cruise control switches mounted on the right side and felt good and well proportioned. The instrument cluster features two large dials for engine RPM and speed with built-in digital message displays. The center display features a 6-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system that is basic and easy to use. Below this is the climate control system that has two large dials on the outside of the four air direction control switches. The system worked well heating the vehicle during our freezing 20-degree test days. The cloth bucket seats up front are fairly comfortable and provided good lumbar support however their bottom cushion could be made larger for more comfort. The front passenger seat can fold down flat to increase interior storage room while the rear seats are 60/40 split with a flip up bottom cushion. Everything was very straightforward and intuitive to use. Doors lack a good grab handle from the inside as the area to grab is placed near the outer edge of the doors. The Equator also comes with power windows, power door locks and power rear view mirrors as standard equipment. The interior is fairly roomy with plenty of leg and headroom even for second row passengers. Front legroom is 42.4 inches with rear being 33.6 inches. There are 58.3 inches of shoulder room and 40 inches of headroom front and back.

Our Equator Crew Cab Sport came with an aluminum 4.0 liter, 24-valve DOHC V6 engine with Variable Valve Timing. Horsepower is rated at 261 at 5600 rpm with 281 lb.-ft. of torque at 4000 rpm. We liked the feel of the engine which had strong pull and never lagged even when pressing down on the pedal at top speed. In fact, the Equator handled so well during highway driving that we almost forgot we were driving a truck. The engine was smooth and quite and felt stronger than its 261 horsepower rating. The five speed automatic transmission also performed flawlessly with smooth shifts. The system also kept the right gear engaged depending on how we were driving. Stopping power is superb thanks to the four wheel vented disc brakes that handily stopped the Equator even during abrupt stops on wet roads. The four-wheel anti-lock brakes also come with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) that increases braking performance when you most need it. The overall handling performance of the Suzuki Equator was fantastic and a huge improvement over pickup trucks from just a few years ago.

The Equator comes with so many life saving safety features that it’s hard to believe how far trucks have really come. There are driver and front passenger dual-stage airbags with roof-mounted curtain side-impact airbags. There is also a tire pressure monitoring system that notifies you if a tire is deflating. The vehicle also has an energy-absorbing steering column with front and rear crumple zones. Suzuki has an incredible 7-year or 100,000 mile powertrain warranty that is fully transferable.

The Equator is a well made truck and the small additions that Suzuki added are a nice welcome over the Nissan Frontier. While the Equator will fill the immediate need of dealers who recognize that it’s easier to sell a truck then a car, we highly disapprove of private labeling other manufacturer’s vehicles. We understand that many consumer products are made this way, with China producing every imaginable item and scores of U.S. companies happily private labeling their goods. While it may work for pillows, bathroom fixtures and car floor mats, we don’t think it works in the car market.

Just look at what GM did to all the companies it acquired from Saab, Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac; Eventually all their products starting to look the same and each brand which was once very unique and exciting, is now fading into a miserable death spiral. Let’s be clear about one thing, people want cars that are unique and that express their own sense of being. When everything becomes homogenized, people turn to other brands that still have a sense of what they stand for. Suzuki has stood for something different with its unique styling and own brand identity. If they try to take the easy way out by private labeling their cars they won’t stand a chance in this competitive and cut-throat market. However if they create their own unique product that stands for what they are, they will continue to increase market share and also retain their existing base.

Jeep Compass Sport 4x4 review 2009

Exterior:
* Light Sandstone Metallic Clear Coat replaces Light Khaki Clear Coat
* Deep Water Blue Pearl Coat replaces Steel Blue Metallic Clear Coat
* Mold-in-color liftgate appliqué on Sport model
* Body-color liftgate appliqué on Limited model

Interior:
* New instrument panel, door trim panel and center console
* Soft touch door armrest and center console with split lid for added storage space
* New chrome accents on the Compass Sport HVAC vents and shift bezel
* New chrome accents on the Compass Limited HVAC vents, shift bezel, instrument panel, door spears and cluster rings
* Carpeted load floor replaces vinyl load floor
* LED-illuminated cup holders
* Large front and rear floor mats standard on Sport “E” and Limited models
* uconnect tunes and uconnect gps available
* uconnect tunes standard on Limited model
* Universal Customer Interface (UCI) standard with uconnect

Powertrain/Chassis:
* 2.4L CVT PZEV powertrain option available on FWD CVT model
* Improved engine compartment and floor silencers plus revised exhaust tuning (including larger resonator)
* Revised suspension tuning for a more comfortable, smoother ride

ENGINE:
2.4-LITER DOHC 16-VALVE I-4 WITH DUAL VVT
Availability Standard
Type and Description

Four-cylinder inline, tuned intake manifold with Electronic Active
Charge Motion Control valves dual counter-rotating balance
shafts
Displacement 144 cu. in. (2360 cu. cm)
Bore x Stroke 3.46 x 3.82 (88 x 97)
Valve System Chain-driven DOHC, 16 valves, electronically controlled dual
VVT, direct-acting shimless mechanical bucket tappets
Fuel Injection Sequential, multiport, electronic, returnless
Construction High-pressure die-cast aluminum block with dry iron liners,
cast-aluminum cylinder head, cast-aluminum ladder frame,
forged steel crankshaft
Compression Ratio 10.5:1
Power (SAE net, estimated) 172 bhp (129 kW) @ 6,000 rpm (72 bhp/liter)
Torque (SAE net, estimated) 165 lb.-ft. (222 N•m) @ 4,400 rpm
Maximum Engine Speed 6,500 rpm (electronically limited)
Fuel Requirement Unleaded regular, 87 octane (R+M)/2
Oil Capacity 5.0 qt. (4.7L) SAE 5W/20
Coolant Capacity 7.2 qt. (6.8L)
Emission Controls Single catalytic converter, FWD, Dual catalytic converter, 4WD
Dual heated oxygen sensors and engine features
Smog-forming Pollution 0.9 g/mile (0.56 g/km)(c)
Maximum Gross Trailer Weight 1000 lbs. (450 kg) 2000 lbs. (900 kg) with Trailer Tow Group
Estimated Fuel Economy
Estimated EPA Fuel Economy mpg (City/Hwy)
(2009 EPA Standards) 23/28 — 2WD with 5-speed manual transaxle
21/25 — 2WD with CVT2
22/27 — 4WD with 5-speed manual transaxle
21/24 — 4WD with CVT2

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES(d)
Wheelbase 103.7 (2635)
Track, Front 59.8 (1520)
Track, Rear 59.8 (1520)
Overall Length 173.4 (4404.8)
Overall Width 69.3 (1760.7)
Overall Height 65.2 (1631.7)
Overhang, Front 34.5 (877.0)
Overhang, Rear 35.2 (892.8)
Approach Angle with P215/60/R17 Tire 20.1˚
Breakover Angle with P215/60/R17 Tire 20.3˚
Departure Angle with P215/60/R17 Tire 31.4˚
Ground Clearance with P215/60/R17 Tire 8.1 (206.7)
Approach Angle with P215/65/R17 Tire 20.6˚
Breakover Angle with P215/65/R17 Tire 21.0˚
Departure Angle with P215/65/R17 Tire 32.2˚
Ground Clearance with P215/65/R17 Tire 8.4 (213.7)
Aero (CdA) 10.6—2WD; 10.7—4WD
NAFTA Curb Weight, lb. (kg) Sport 2WD—3071 (1404)
Sport 3223—(1462)
Limited 2WD—3177 (1450)
Limited 4WD—3329 (1520)
Weight Distribution, percent F/R 57/43—2WD; 56/44—4WD
Fuel Tank Capacity, gal. (L) 13.6 (51.5)—2WD; 13.5 (51.1)—4WD

Leg Room 40.6 (1032.1)
Shoulder Room 54.6 (1387.0)
Hip Room 52.3 (1328.7)
Seat Travel Driver—10.2 (260); Passenger—10.2 (260)
Recliner Angle Range Driver—up to 88˚
Passenger—76˚ fold-flat/88˚ non-fold-flat
SAE Front Seat Volume Index, cu. ft. (cu. m) 52.2 (1.478)
Rear
Head Room 39.9 (1013.8)
Leg Room 39.4 (999.7)
Knee Clearance 1.7 (44.1)
Shoulder Room 54.0 (1371.9)
Hip Room 51.0 (1294.5)
SAE Rear Seat Volume Index,
cu. ft. (cu. m) 49.1 (1.391)
SAE Interior Volume, cu. ft. (cu. m) 101.3 (2.87)
Cargo Volume Indexes
Rear Seats Up, cu. ft. (cu. m) 22.7 (0.643)
Rear Seats Folded, cu. ft. (cu. m) 53.6 (1.519)
EPA Interior Volume Index,
cu. ft. (cu. m) 124 (3.512)
Liftover Height 30.5 (773.6)
Cargo Volume with Front Passenger Seat and
Rear Seat Folded, cu. ft. (cu. m) 60.7 (1.719)
Minimum Cargo Width at Liftgate Opening 38.5 (976)
Minimum Cargo Height at Liftgate Opening 25.0 (634)
Maximum Cargo Width at Liftgate Opening 45.3 (1150)
Maximum Cargo Height at Liftgate Opening 26.7 (681)
Distance Between Wheelhouse Interior Trim 38.0 (966)

BODY AND CHASSIS
Layout Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive
Construction Unitized steel body

SUSPENSION
Front Independent MacPherson strut, coil spring over gas-charged
shock absorbers and stabilizer bar
Rear Multi-link independent with coil springs, link-type stabilizer bar,
gas-charged shock absorbers

STEERING
Type Rack-and-pinion with hydraulic power assist
Overall Ratio 16.4:1
Turning Diameter (curb-to-curb) 17-in. wheels and tires—35.6 ft. (10.8 m)
8gas-charged shock absorbers

What’s New for ‘09
18-in. wheels and tires—37.2 ft. (11.3 m)
Steering Turns (lock-to-lock) 17-in. wheels and tires—2.88
18-in. wheels and tires—2.76

BRAKES
Availability Standard on 4x2 Sport
Front
Size and Type 11.5 x 1.0 in. (294 x 26 mm) vented disc with 2.2 in. (57 mm)
single-piston floating caliper
Swept Area 223.52 sq. in. (1442.12 sq. cm)
Rear
Size and Type 9.0 x 1.38 in. (229 x 35) drums
Swept Area 78.1 sq. in. (503.6 sq. cm)
Power Assist Type 10-in. (254-mm) single-diaphragm vacuum
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) Standard
Electronic Stability Program (ESP) Standard

Audi A5 3.2 Quattro Review 2009

2009 Audi A5
- 3.2 V6 FSI direct injection engine; quattro permanent all-wheel drive standard
- 265 hp, 243 lb-ft torque, 0-60 mph in seconds: 5.8 man / 5.9 Tiptronic
- Audi Valvelift system 2-stage valve lift on intake valves increases both power and efficiency
- Latest quattro permanent all-wheel drive standard, with 40:60 rear bias (under nominal conditions) for greater agility under power
- Brake Assist, automatically senses emergency braking and applies maximum available power boost to reduce overall stopping distance

NOTEWORTHY VEHICLE INFO
- A5’s styling features classic couple proportions including a long hood, short rear deck lid, and low sweeping roofline.
- A5 range is new for Audi, positioned between A4 and A6 (Audi coupes haven’t been on sale in the USA since 1991); S5 manual went on sale in November 2007, and the A5 3.2 FSI (V6) manual and Tiptronic (auto) in March 2008. S5 Tiptronic (auto) went on sale in April 2008.
- Audi Advanced Key (keyless entry and start) optional on A5
- A5 has optional innovations such as rear view camera with guiding lines, as well as the Bang & Olufsen 505 watt premium sound system

NOTABLE FEATURES
Exterior
- Bi-xenon headlamps with distinctive LED daytime running lights (optional)
- Wide single-frame grille that accentuates A5’s wide and low chassis.
- Long hood to house the engine compartment as a sign of power, emotion, and sophistication
- Thick and powerful rear C-pillar is a sign of strength, while the thin accentuating line shows attention to detail that is second to none.
- Large std panorama sunroof featuring a high-tech sunshade that can be rolled open or closed
- Standard 18-inch wheels with all-season tires, available 19-inch wheels with high-performance tires

Interior
- Multifunction sport steering wheel, high quality leather-wrapped
- Optional Bang & Olufsen premium audio system, featuring 505 watts through a 10-channel amplifier
- 3-zone automatic climate control system
- Driver-oriented cockpit featuring 3-dimensional design and texture; dashboard overhang on top of instrument cluster is a sign of Audi’s interior craftsmanship and engineering put together.
- Instrument cluster with innovative night lighting hue behind all gauge needles
- MMI (Multi-media Interface) operating logic standard
- Deep cupholders to maximize control of MMI functions despite large beverages
- 1-liter bottle storage in door pockets
- Automatic headlights and wipers standard


Technical Specifications A5 3.2 FSI

ENGINE:
Type V6 gasoline direct injection DOHC
Arrangement Front mounted, longitudinal
Bore 3.327 in. 84.5 mm
Stroke 3.654 in. 92.8 mm
Displacement 195.1 cu. in. 3197 cc
Compression ratio
Fuel requirement Unleaded Super, 95 RON (unleaded regular, 91 RON, as an alternative with slight reduction in performance)
Horsepower (SAE) 265 hp @ 6500 rpm
Max. Torque 243 lb-ft @ 3250-5000 rpm

ENGINE DESIGN:
Cylinder block Aluminum alloy
Cylinder head Aluminum alloy
Valve train / intake DOHC, two-stage intake manifold, Audi Valvelift System two-stage variable intake valve lift
Cooling system Water-cooled, thermostatically controlled radiator fan
Fuel injection Fully electronic engine management with FSI direct injection
Emission system Catalytic converters with oxygen sensors

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:
Battery 12volts 95amp x h
Alternator 14volts 150amp x h

DRIVETRAIN:
Transmission 6-speed manual transmission with synchromesh on all gears, hydraulic single-disc clutch with dual mass flywheel
6-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission
Gear ratios: 1st 3.667
2nd 2.053
3rd 1.423
4th 1.065
5th 0.853
6th 0.730
Reverse 3.400
Final Drivefront / rear 3.889
Front Differential Hypoid gear, electronically locking (EDL)
Center Differential Self-locking center differential with assymetric/dynamic torque split 40F/60R
Rear Differential Hypoid gear, electronically locking (EDL)

STEERING:
Type Rack and pinion with Servotronic electric power assist
Ratio 16.3:1
Turning circle (curb-to-curb) 37.4ft. 11.4 m

SUSPENSION:
Front 5-link front suspension with upper and lower wishbones
Rear Trapezoidal link independent rear suspension with anti-dive compensation
12.5:1

BRAKES:
Service brake Dual-circuit brake system with diagonal split, ESP with electronic brake force distribution EBD, ABS;
brake assit with tandem brake booster; front: ventilated discs, rear: discs
Front, size and type 12.6 in. 320mm - Vent. disc
Rear, size and type 11.8 in. 300mm disc
Parking brake Electromechanically actuated at the rear wheels

BODY:
Material Galvanized steel with aluminum front fenders
Corrosion protection Multi-step anti-corrosion protection

CAPACITIES:
Engine oil 6.3qt. 6.0liter
Fuel tank 16.9gal. 64liter
Cooling system 9.5qt. 9.0liter (incl. heating)

EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase 108.3in. 2751mm
Track: front / rear 62.6/62.1in. 1590/15/77
Overall length 182.1in 4625mm
Overall width 78in 1981mm (includes mirrors)
Height 54in. 1372mm
Curb weight 3682lbs. - manual 3770 lbs. - Tiptronic
Distribution % front / rear 52/48

INTERIOR DIMENSIONS:
Seating Capacity 4
EPA class Subcompact
Head room 39.1in. 993mm
Shoulder room 54.3in. 1379mm
Int. vol. (EPA) 84.0cu. ft.
Luggage capacity (EPA) 12.0cu. ft.

PERFORMANCE:
0-60 mph 5.8 sec. (manual) 5.9 sec (automatic)
Top speed Electronically limited to 130 mph

FUEL ECONOMY:
Manual Tiptronic
City 16mpg 17mpg
Highway 27mpg 26mpg
Combined 20mpg 20mpg