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2008 Suzuki SX4, Part Three

Why you should buy this car: "Yeah man, that WRX is nice but it looks like it's had some hard miles. That kid put stickers on it, that makes me nervous. I don't know if I want a used car. Yeah, yeah I'd love a new one but that's a little out of the question right now and, you know, I want something fun to drive but... yeah. I hear you. It's just that I don't want to have to replace the clutch in ten thousand miles. Why can't I have something new, fun and affordable that isn't stripped to the bones?"

Why you shouldn't buy this car: "OMG, have you seen the Fit? Honda makes it. FIT. F-I-T. OMG Cuuuuuuute. They had one in this orange color, I loved it. LOVED IT. But it had a stick and I'm not learning to drive a stick. The engine in the Fit? I don't know, I think it has one. Oh that Scion is super fierce. The fiercest. LOLzz"

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Feature

12:00 PM on Thu May 8 2008
By Matt Hardigree
3,122 views, 53 comments

Latest by gracilism: I'll take the Suzuki Burgman more »

jalopnik reviews

2008 Suzuki SX4, Part Two

Exterior Design:***
Design touches such as the split A-pillar, metal-look skid plates and black plastic everywhere give the 2008 Suzuki SX4 a distinctive and tough look that unfortunately distracts from its sporty and capable soul. If we're being generous, the car is a triathlete, pretty good at almost everything. At least it looks unique.

Interior Design:****
Did I mention the back seats tumble all the way forward? That's a nice touch. Though most of the buttons and switches come out of the Suzuki parts bin, everything is within easy reach and everything works like you'd expect it to. Everything but the shifter. The tall greenhouse also means those long of torso and rich with gear can move a lot for a little.

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Feature

12:00 PM on Wed May 7 2008
By Matt Hardigree
2,260 views, 36 comments

Latest by Scroggs!: @Dr.Danger's got the power: Suzuki IS in the WRC for the 1st time this year with a SX4 [www.suzukisport.com] more »

jalopnik reviews

2008 Suzuki SX4, Part One

When an automaker wants you to sell you a vehicle like the 2008 Suzuki SX4, they'll put together an ad featuring people who seem to spend their entire life riding mountain bikes, chugging energy drinks and otherwise enjoying a kind of lifestyle that exists predominately in the glossy pages of men's magazine. Needless to say, climbing class three mountains isn't how I spend my weekends. Thankfully I know a few people who do.

I should have known what I was getting into early Saturday morning when my friend Jane called to let me know she'd be late because she had forgotten she had a rock climbing class to teach. It actually worked out, because I had forgotten I wanted to spend another couple of hours in bed eating Cheerios while updating my online book list. I also needed to see if the SX4 would be able to be hold all our gear because that famous Chicago wind was acting up, meaning that hoisting bikes onto the roof wasn't the best idea.

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12:00 PM on Tue May 6 2008
By Matt Hardigree
3,527 views, 50 comments

Latest by Saboth: It actually sounds like people are getting better MPG than what is posted on the net...most people reported about 25/30 for the AWD. Although not as good of MPG as some cars like the Yaris or Fit, you have to compare more »

jalopnik reviews

2008 Mazda RX-8, Part Three

Why you should buy this car:
You've been complaining that no one makes interestingly different cars anymore, and now you have a chance to own one. You like the idea of an engine that not only can but must spin above six grand to be entertaining or useful. You think all doors should be suicide doors. You've never thought fuel economy or stoplight drags were primary considerations in buying a car. A good healthy session of Wankelry is an important part of your day. The thought of having one of the best-handling vehicles on the road is enough to make you overlook a few considerable flaws. You're the kind of person who laughs often, for a lot of reasons, and want a car with a similar disposition.

Why you shouldn't buy this car:
You don't get jokes. Ever. You like to let others have the interesting new experiences and the headaches that come with them. You have a thing about good old stump-pulling torque, or at least briskly-away-from-a-stoplight-pulling torque. You strongly disapprove of rear-hinged automotive access apertures and call them "genocide doors." You can't get past the idea of getting 16 city mpg and a 7-second 0-to-60 time out of the same vehicle. You were brought up to believe Wankelry is immoral, filthy and should be outlawed. Handling either just isn't important to you or you live where it isn't even a factor.

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12:00 PM on Thu May 1 2008
By John Krewson
6,741 views, 49 comments

Latest by kwanzabot: Hi all, I leased an '07 because it is quirky & unique and also because I wasn't sure if that rev-happy engine would last to 100k. Do I enjoy merging onto a highway in 2nd gear, screaming up the more »

jalopnik reviews

2008 Mazda RX-8, Part Two

Exterior Design:***
The 2008 Mazda RX-8 shows all sorts of pleasing shapes amidst all of that strong idiosyncrasy. It's good clean fun to look at the profile of the front fenders rising slightly above the curve of the hood while you're driving. Molded-in Wankelry on the hood flows nicely into subtle twin speed bumps on roof, but then the line drops into the rear, which is just kind of there. Our test car had the optional chrome Wankelry on the front and rear air dams. Frankly, there are better ways to spend $159. From outside, the infanticide —er, "Free Style" doors are well-integrated. Overall, a rather handsome car with "grows-on-you" versus "...Damn!" styling — although we hear the Mazda killer-guppy front fascia will be somewhat improved for 2009.

Interior Design:***
The 40th Anniversary edition includes leather trim and seats in a color Mazda calls "Cosmo Red," but your parent's living room group knew it better as "Dusty Rose." It seems, unfortunately, like a compromise color. The exterior Wankelry extends to the interior in the shape of the shift knob, headrest inserts, special badges on the floor mats... Rotors, rotors, everywhere rotors as far as the eyes can see. The instrumentation is crisp, but the luminous blue LCD-lit dials (Warning! Digital speedo, Will Robinson!) contrast with the red LEDs in the center stack, giving a pleasingly patriotic affectation to the dash.

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Feature

12:00 PM on Wed Apr 30 2008
By John Krewson
5,306 views, 43 comments

Latest by Unregular: excellent, thanks guys. more »

jalopnik reviews

2008 Mazda RX-8, Part One

I'm going to go ahead and hazard a marketing-based guess that the good folks at Mazda want me to think of the 2008 Mazda RX-8 40th Anniversary Edition as the culmination of their design and engineering genius. Unfortunately, the first thing going through my mind was that the suicide-doored, rotary-engined little 2+2 is one profoundly and unapologetically weird automobile. And figuring out whether the RX-8 was the refreshing and fun Mitch Hedberg/Lotus Europa/Devo kind of weird or the exhausting and tiresome Gallagher/Citröen DS/Buckethead kind of weird was not immediately apparent to me as I tried like hell to get as far from the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway as possible.

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12:20 PM on Tue Apr 29 2008
By John Krewson
5,590 views, 111 comments

Latest by Moordryd: I've owned an '04 RX-8 for over 4 years now. I am so happy that it has the free-style doors, two useable back seats and a trunk. This is truly a "family sports car". Although the gas more »

jalopnik reviews

2008 Suzuki Swift: Around The Block

When we found out Suzuki had an event with a Euro-only 2008 Suzuki Swift just a short distance from Chicago we jumped at the chance to take it for a quick spin. A volume seller in Europe, Asia and other markets, the Swift has a mostly inglorious past here in the states as the almost indistinguishable cousin of the Geo Metro between 1995 and 2001. Anyone who has driven either might wonder what made us so excited about the prospect of driving this particular Swift. There are two reasons. The first is that there's more than an ocean's worth of difference between that Swift of old and this completely reworked global compact car. The second reason is that although this particular version wasn't meant for American consumption, one similar to it will be here as a U.S.-spec model. Also, I'm not crazy enough to pass on an opportunity to drive one of the only two new Swifts in the US.

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12:00 PM on Wed Apr 23 2008
By Matt Hardigree
3,528 views, 62 comments

Latest by ShantJ: I was hoping for this car to come here, but I already bought a Scion xD. Regardless, I would have been forced to get a f&*(ing slushbox on that too. more »

2009 honda pilot

2009 Honda Pilot, Part Three

Why you should buy the 2009 Honda Pilot:
You have kids and take them places. Those places include bulk discount stores, the mountains, the beach, Home Depot and lacrosse practice. The utility in SUV appeals more than the style or image. You find the prospect of carrying sheets of plywood bizarrely intriguing. You need to tow, but don't want to buy an otherwise impractical vehicle in order to do so. You think that Ohio deserves just as much of your hard earned as Detroit.

Why you shouldn't buy this car:
You think an SUV will make you look tough and/or sporty. You're single. You live the kind of "Xtreme" lifestyle that requires a plethora of tribal tattoos. You think SUVs are the living embodiment of Hitler and George W. Bush combined.

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1:00 PM on Tue Apr 22 2008
By Wes Siler
3,776 views, 51 comments

Latest by westfieldind: Must repeat....Honda good for USA, Ford bad; Honda good for USA, Ford bad; Honda good for USA, Ford bad...must stop...brain hurting more »

2008 honda accord coupe

2008 Honda Accord Coupe, Part Three

Why you should buy this car:
You've always bought Accords and the 2008 Honda Accord Coupe will merely be the latest. You don't know much about cars but you do know that you don't want to buy American. You fit the above criteria, but despite the physical onset of middle age you think you're too young for a four door. In reality, you're just too single. You're on the fast track to middle management and you want people to know it.

Why you shouldn't buy this car:
You know that driving fast isn't just about power. You want to buy American and that whole "Made in Ohio" versus "Assembled In Ohio" thing confuses you. You want a simple, well-engineered, economical, practical car. You work in any design-related field.

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12:30 PM on Tue Apr 22 2008
By Wes Siler
3,333 views, 67 comments

Latest by superbmtsub: Sorry Wes. This car jus kept lookin better every day. The interior dash cluster is a flaw however. One word of advice: Not every car has to be a big-wiener mobile. more »

2009 honda pilot

2009 Honda Pilot, Part Two


Exterior Design:***

The 2009 Honda Pilot nicely embodies traditional SUV themes in a package that looks more compact than it actually is and manages to convey an approachability and friendliness lacking in its competitors. Shame it's just a little boring.



Interior Design:****

Everything a family needs and more laid out in an intuitive but very buttony way. Plenty of space for eight, although full-size adults may not jump at the opportunity to spend time in the way back, with the middle row pulled forward, they'll fit just fine. The trunk is cleverly configured, offering below-floor storage for wet and dirty stuff and a cargo shelf for items that need to remain easily accessible. With the seats folded down completely flat, there's room for a stack of full-sized plywood sheets to lay completely flat.




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12:00 PM on Mon Apr 21 2008
By Wes Siler
2,840 views, 91 comments

Latest by Wes Siler: @westfieldind: We have reviewed the Taurus X and found it to be a decidedly inferior vehicle, both in driving prowess and practicality. [jalopnik.com] more »

jalopnik reviews

2008 Honda Accord Coupe, Part Two

Exterior Design:**
In places the 2008 Honda Accord Coupe is woefully bland, in others awkwardly edgy. And what's with the rubber strip running across the hood? Having said that, it packs space for five and their luggage into a reasonably svelte shape, we suppose that's something.

Interior Design:**
As seen here in EX-L trim it's possitvly posh. The problem is, the grayish plastic and cornicopia of buttions clash with the nice leather. Too much that you touch is cheap plastic, while what you look at is awkwardly unintuitive. The Sat/Nav screen resides several inches behind a piece of prehensile plastic and can't be viewed anytime the sun is above the horizon. The high waist-line makes for huge blind spots.

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12:00 PM on Tue Apr 15 2008
By Wes Siler
5,188 views, 51 comments

Latest by null: Comment on 2008 Honda Accord Coupe, Part Two I recently drove the 2008 Honda Coupe EX-L V6. It's a fantastic car for the money. It was fun to drive and for the amount of gas it uses it's a more »

jalopnik reviews

2009 Honda Pilot, Part One

The 2009 Honda Pilot isn't the fastest or most exciting car to go on sale this year, nor is it the best looking. But, if we're honest with ourselves — which honestly, we aren't very often — it's probably the one we should buy. But that's the problem with honesty, it just isn't very exciting.

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3:01 AM on Tue Apr 15 2008
By Wes Siler
4,815 views, 40 comments

Latest by EricMerrill: @athodyd: The Mazda5 is one of the sexiest non-sports cars being produced today, in my opinion. It's just got something about it. I have no idea what that something is. I imagine it's too small, though, for Jalopnik's needs. more »

jalopnik reviews

2008 Honda Accord Coupe, Part One

The 2008 Honda Accord Coupe isn't immune to road rage. Driving back to Brooklyn on the LIE, scrunched forward on the steering wheel with a back seat full of reasonably-priced, but well-designed Ikea flat pack behind, I'm minding my own business in the middle lane, overtaking the law-abiders on the right but not the flouters on the left when suddenly the Accord's rear view mirror is filled with a chrome Isuzu badge. Not content with making the same progress as everyone else, the Forward Cab driver has settled on intimidating those before him in order to ensure he arrives back at whichever depressing industrial estate he's destined for at least 30 seconds earlier than he would have otherwise.

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12:00 PM on Mon Apr 14 2008
By Wes Siler
6,840 views, 66 comments

Latest by dudeman2323: bet Sebastian wished t was a Stream so he could get the shit out of his lap. more »

jalopnik reviews

2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Part Three

Why you should buy this car:
You want a luxury SUV that isn't blinged out or foreign. Your expectation of what luxury entails is fairly low. You don't like driving but you're too lazy to ride a bicycle. You give money to groups that support eco-friendly candidates but you don't actually vote.

Why you shouldn't buy this car:
You live by the motto "between here and there is better than either here or there." You spent $30,000 on your last five cars, combined. You're holding out for a diesel version. You realize it ain't this easy being green; making a meaningful reduction in your own environmental impact requires the kind of sacrifice and commitment that can't be achieved by driving a luxury SUV. You couldn't give a damn about the previous sentence.

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12:00 PM on Fri Apr 11 2008
By Matt Hardigree
1,967 views, 39 comments

Latest by trjarvis01: Definitely Chicago. You got your Dinkels on Lincoln, the CB2 up the street, and a Treasure Island from... Broadway, maybe? I hear Bill C. has one, with a fridge in the back. But no astroturf. more »

jalopnik reviews

2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Part Two

Exterior Design:***
Whereas the platform buddy Ford Escape never manages to look tough enough and the other derivative, the Mazda Tribute, looks like a child with some sort of neurological condition, the Mercury Mariner Hybrid appears exactly as it should. By far the best looking of the trio, the conservative looks fare well next to luxury SUV offerings from Toyota and Acura.

Interior Design:**
Compared to the previous generation, the interior of the Mariner is smart and luxurious. The stone-colored leather seats are comfortable, though more side bolstering would be nice. The rear bench is roomy enough for two passengers joining you and your wife for a night of gallery hopping, and if you ditch them, the rear seats fold forward far enough to hold just a touch over 66 square feet of trendy crap.

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12:00 PM on Thu Apr 10 2008
By Matt Hardigree
2,601 views, 41 comments

Latest by charles_barrett: @Matt Hardigree: "...as I cruised for Etruscan pottery." Matt, please tell me you aren't planning to take the Etruscan stuff to "the Paint Your Own Pottery place off Lincoln Ave..." I doubt you can improve on their work... more »

jalopnik reviews

2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Part One

The full title of this review is "2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Part One or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love my Yuppie Ass" but the kicker wouldn't look good on the page. I do my best to pass myself off as anything-but-a-yuppie. Preferring to rock cheap chinos, a hoody and an Astros cap over J. Crew sweater vests and flat front Banana Republic slacks, but something about the Mariner Hybrid makes me suddenly think about how fly I'd look with the sleeves of my dress shirt exposed while driving through Lincoln Park listening to The Best Of Tuvan Throat Singing Vol. 2.

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12:00 PM on Wed Apr 9 2008
By Matt Hardigree
2,635 views, 119 comments

Latest by leighzbohns: on topic: The many hybrids I see are prius. Basically, the D-Bs who want a SUV jut buy one with the full climate change, and the folks who want a wagon buy a wagon, and all the wannabe Gs more »

jalopnik reviews

BMW X6, Part Three

Why you should buy this car:
Odd vehicles fascinate you. You're open-minded and prepared to accept that a big, tall, heavy SUV can out-drive many a sports car. You always wanted a Lamborghini LM002 but are locked into a world of lease agreements. Your heart says sports car but your head says, "You live at the end of a dirt road in mountains that are snowbound nine months out of the year." Your own personal project car hell is creating the ultimate Dakar racer.

Why you shouldn't:
You think that lightness and simplicity are the be all and end all of automotive greatness. SUVs offend you. You need an SUV for off-roading and hauling manure. You have small children. The thought of $5 a gallon gas sends you into deep depression.

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Feature

12:00 PM on Tue Apr 8 2008
By Wes Siler
3,074 views, 26 comments

Latest by ruggels: @j6r: w00t brand whorage ftw! more »

jalopnik reviews

BMW X6, Part Two

Exterior Design: ***
Like many parts of the BMW X6, its looks are promising yet flawed. Doing a great job of disguising its bulk — the X6 is huge, that lip on the rear hatch is taller than an F-150's tailgate and the pictured wheels are 20-inchers — they're nevertheless awkward in some places — the huge rear end — and disappointingly conservative in others — the boring front. It's an extremely color sensitive shape; white showing off its surfaces best while the burgundy version is just boring.

Interior Design: **
In short: conservative and impractical. By opting for a CLS-style rear console BMW unnecessarily reduced the X6's people capacity to four, but haven't made the interior special enough to justify its lack of space. It's also very color and spec sensitive; the dash looks great covered in dark leather, but the beige plastic found in base versions is just plain tacky. The rear window, big on the outside, looks like little more than a slit from the front seat. The low roofline doesn't compromise rear headroom as much as it looks though, I'm 6'2" and could sit there all day, legroom is equivalent to an X5.

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12:30 PM on Mon Apr 7 2008
By Wes Siler
7,271 views, 52 comments

Latest by brownie: @Pope Dearthair the Awesometh: There is no S6 Avant and certainly no RS6 Avant offered in the US. Nor the RS4 Avant, for that matter. Clearly Audi hates America. more »