Of course it's another kind of ugly people are concerned about today. Heading southwest down a remote road on Vancouver Island in an American-plated WRX, I'm not exactly behaving like an ambassador for my country. These are some of the most challenging roads in North America, winding their way through the coastal mountains along ancient logging trails, the road bears the ravages of harsh winters; its two lanes rippled, rutted and patched beyond repair, concrete barricades serving as buffers when the going gets too rough.

Unlike the firmer, louder and more focused 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, the new 265 HP WRX eats all this up. As untroubled by the bumps as it is by the limited passing opportunities afforded by the few straights — after all, double yellows are just lines painted in the road — it leaves law abiding traffic in the wake of its new, louder exhaust.

A year ago this wouldn't have been the story we would have written. A competent but uninspiring drive, the 2008 model forsook performance for practicality in an attempt to broaden the brand's performance appeal. It didn't work, the WRX's traditional focus and involvement were mistakenly left out, resulting in a car that alienated its core audience while retaining enough awkwardness to miss the mass market, too. That car lives on in the form of the 2009 Subaru Impreza 2.5 GT, a car the company expects to make up only a small fraction of Impreza sales. Meanwhile, the WRX has been rethought from head to toe. Gaining better judged, firmer suspension all-round, thicker anti-roll bars, STI seats and most important of all, an STI-spec turbo. The WRX now hits 60 in 5.4 seconds before reaching 140mph (limited) and will retail for "under $25,000."

All of this works to create a faster, better handling, more controlled car that encourages the kind of three-figure, "sure, we can make it" passing that's proving so unpopular with the locals. Stopping for a quick opportunity to mark my territory behind a tree, the 10 cars that were just passed all at once get a chance to catch up and let me know just what they think of my bad behavior. I probably shouldn't have passed them all again within the next mile, but then America's honor was at stake; we do have a reputation to maintain.

But it wasn't just passing for passing's sake. My assholery had a purpose: to find corners unencumbered with traffic. Where the STI's suspension only really works on reasonable surfaces and requires a huge amount of belief in the ultimate ability of its vague chassis, the WRX revels in reassurance, never feeling like it'd be possible to run out of grip, even on the worst surfaces Canada could throw at it. You can thank Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive for this. Sure, it's nothing new, but unlike both the STI and 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo MR, here it's tuned for the road, not the track. In that environment, it means more speed, more involvement, more fun and an increased propensity to seek out corners with enough room to exploit it. While this on-road ability does lead to decreased on-the-limit track performance when compared to the other cars, it makes the WRX faster, more involving and more rewarding in the environment where it will be driven most. Or here in Canada, where we probably shouldn't drive again for a while.

Driving sucks in New York. Not only are the roads pot-holed, third-world battlefields, but local drivers treat them as such, doing everything possible to kill their fellow commuters. All this is made worse by the cops; their numbers swollen post-9/11, they prowl the streets like sharks, looking for anyone that stands out to punish with the full force of the law. You'd think driving a bright red Evo here would be a bad idea, but the thing is, it's not.

In MR trim, the Evo gains sound deadening, higher-quality suspension and bunch of toys like a decent stereo and satellite navigation. Then there's the gearbox. Called Twin-Clutch SST, it's Mitsubishi's version of a dual-clutch automated manual, and it's probably the best I've ever used.

Those features combine to create a car that's smooth-riding, well-controlled, quiet inside and that makes carving through gaps in heavy traffic completely fuss-free. None of that should sacrifice performance, while the suspension and gearbox will actually work to improve it.

Swipe the shifter that looks like it belongs in a manual over to the left, and you're in full-manual mode. No computerized brain tells it when to shift, leaving you in complete control. Well, at least once you've pulled away. The lack of a clutch to dump keeps take-off (and attempted donuts) wheelspin-free while high-rev launches require the use of a special launch control only available in Super-Sport automatic mode. Shifts are immediate and come when called for, never once beeping in protest instead of delivering the downshift required.

Cruising along slowly through the overcrowded suburban roadways, the MR's promise is ever-present in its immediate direction changes and ability to leap out of merge lanes. Its classier, toned-down looks don't draw attention the way the carbon-clad Evo IX I pass does, maybe due to the proliferation of down-market models like the Ralliart that share near-identical body addenda. The rear wing remains huge, but too many wannabes mean that, now, wings no longer signify performance. Cops we pass hardly take a second glance, more upset by Mitsubishi's manufacturer plate than the car's intent to speed.

Inside the MR you feel like an escaped convict, the car's promised performance making itself evident through the aggressive shifting, fierce acceleration and immediate responsiveness, but conveying those experiences in a manner that's positively refined. Cover up the plasticky interior, and this combination could spell M3.

It's really hard to write a remarkable review about an unremarkable drive. But maybe that's the most remarkable thing about the MR. Not only did it make the shittiest roads in the world tolerable, but it did so in a package supposedly capable of rivaling cars like the Porsche 911 GT3 RS or Ferrari F430 once the going gets more glamorous. To that ability I can't attest, but stuck in rush hour, I know which car I'd rather be in, and I'm excited about the possibility of owning a car of this caliber that's equally capable in the everyday grind. 

Photography: Björn Schütrumpf

Acceleration: ****
What you get depends on whether the car is in Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde mode. Normal acceleration in "Drive" registered 5.47 seconds to 60 on the computer. Not bad, but it felt hollow. Even though we were never able to best it when tapping the shifter manually, there's a certain satisfaction to wringing the big Hemi all the way out to its redline. Gunning it in this car means managing wheel spin, holding on for dear life and trying to wipe that stupid smirk off your face after you're all done

Braking: ****
Brembos. Big ones. And solid ABS software to back them up. With 4100 lbs of bulk, this thing scrubs speed as if an anchor from the Titanic was dropped off the stern. Best be buckled tight, or you'll get well acquainted with the steering wheel, ya land-lubber.

Ride: ***
Ride and handling, to our minds, are interlocked elements. If the ride is harsh, the handling better be damn good, and true for the opposite. Unfortunately here, the ride wins while the handling suffers. Considering the huge 20" wheels on the front and back of the Charger, the control exhibited on compression and rebound is respectable. We did notice quite a bit of noise from the suspension on the nasty stuff, but it was quickly muted by the more-than-ample shocks.

Handling: **
Yarg. Where to begin? It rolls like a low-level patsy ratting out a mob boss. High-speed corners are met with predictable, if not frightening, understeer. Pop it into 'no nanny' mode and you can turn the rear end around like a cocktail waitress at a Dean Martin convention.

Gearbox: **
Possibly the most embarrassing part of the car. If this tranny was in a family of upstate Oregon counterfeiters, they'd hide it in the basement, chained to the wall and fed only fish heads Goonies-style. It's the biggest weakness on the Charger; its greatest shame. But slapping it into manual mode lets you pretend like you're a big boy.

Audio: ***
It's an SRT product. If you have to rely on the Kicker sound system to entertain you, you're doing it wrong. During my time with the car, the most use I got out of the radio was it telling me where the traffic jams were so I could work my way around them.

Toys: ****
It's loaded. If you're a middle-management type with the requisite wife and two-point-five kids, this car will be magically delicious. The brain-maiming Sirius satellite TV is perfect for keeping those accidents of yours occupied with hour upon hour of Spongebob Squarepants and Dora the Explorer. Barring that, they can watch their favorite DVDs, all while wearing wireless headphones so you don't have to communicate with them. Even if you don't have kids, the Sirius radio, 0-60 MPH, 1/4 mile, 1/8th mile, and G-metering systems will keep you entertained no matter where you go. We recommend keeping the optional sunroof open during all exercises in reckless acceleration. It makes the evenings that much more exciting

Value: ***
Here I am, making fun of a Chrysler platform (which is like shooting pickles in a jar), and yet I can't help but think this is a fun car. Granted, the mileage is terrible, but it's more than made up for in utility, hoonability, and funulence. Yes, I just made up a word. Just make sure you don't plan on doing any autocrossing while you are in possession of this car or many a cone will meet its tragic end.

Overall: ***
Fun? Yes. Uncouth? Yes. An ego extension - you bet. Is this car for everyone? Absolutely not. The Dodge Charger SRT8 is one of those cars that, at the moment, seems obscene, but when the next malaise era rolls around will be remembered fondly as a pinnacle of automotive ballsiness. It is both great and terrible, brilliant and abhorrent, and the Charger SRT8 is everything we love about American braggadocio.

Also See:
2008 Dodge Charger SRT8, Part One
2008 Dodge Charger SRT8, Part Three

Photo credit to Fabrizio Constantini and Alex Conley

Where to begin? Well, for starters, you can completely disregard Wert's original review of the 2006 Dodge Charger SRT8. That's right, set his overly verbose love-screed aside because the Charger SRT8 is, above all, about testosterone. This is the kind of car that glorifies the years grease-streaked men have spent in dank, dark, sweaty garages squeezing every ounce of power from the profile of an intake cam. Guts this car has got in spades. The engine is a jewel of power and sound. The exhaust note of the big four-door is far more satisfying than the Challengers' more sedate murmurs. Small children cry in its throaty presence; young women faint; even dogs stare.

But engineers scratch their heads and laugh. How in the hell does a 6.1-liter, computer-designed, computer-controlled V8 provide such atrocious fuel mileage? We've managed to eek out 17 miles per gallon when being gentle, and when we call upon the dogs of war — 12. That's right, 12 miles per gallon. And not only that, but why does the transmission feel like it's getting its signals by way of carrier pigeon? In fully automatic mode, shifting feels less an exercise in maximum performance, and more an attempt at plowing mud with with your tires. Shifting it into manual mode, you gain a lot more control and it gets a lot more punchy, thus more fun, but the E-nannies still kick in too early, and the software fails to blip the throttle like Caddy's code does, making shift transitions awkward.

Finally, how did someone sign off on a suspension which makes a 1996 Toyota Corolla feel sporty in comparison? Don't get us wrong, the car is predictable at low speed, and extremely entertaining when you're writing graffiti on the parking lot, but at speed it feels unsettled, jittery, and unpolished in places where the Challenger shines.

The interior is nearly as bewildering as the traction control software. Things start off beautifully with multi-position, leather-clad seats featuring red-contrast stitching, tastefully embroidered SRT8 logos, and a suede-like seating surface. Nice. But then things get weird again. Instead of a purpose-built cockpit, we are faced with a bewildering user interface split between the speedometer and the navigation screen. And whoever thought a rear-seat Sirius satellite kids' TV package would make sense in this car should be rapped across the brow with a baseball bat. The only channels available are Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and the Disney Channel. Should it not be The Death Metal Channel, Car Chase Network and Tire Smoke News Channel? The wide swaths of depression-era gray rubberized plastic on the dash help highlight the failed execution of the art-deco styling in favor of the early-millennium "we phoned it in" school of design.

This is the essential problem with the Charger SRT8. It is both everything you love and everything you hate about American cars all wrapped up in one tough-looking package. It's big and rides smoothly, with plenty of space, lots of luxurious elements, and it's more powerful than stink on a wet mule. But the surprisingly sloppy handling, maddening user controls and tragic transmission make us cry uncle. The car manages to be just controllable enough that you have to be really stupid to get yourself in trouble, but it's powerful enough that if you do, you'll be going down in a blaze of twisted metal and tire smoke — a funeral pyre to the Gods of drag racing.

I would hate the Charger, but it's just so much goddamn fun.

Photo credit:
- Opening photo: Alex Conley, AlexCConley.com
- Gallery: Fabrizio Constantini

Update: For all the readers out there requesting the lead image in wallpaper size, click HERE and your wish will be granted [/cotomer sevis]

Also See:
2008 Dodge Challenger RRT8, Part Two
2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, Part Three

One item I neglected to mention in the video is that the device has a very handy gas prices application built in. It can find gas stations and tell you the price for standard unleaded. It will also sort by price or distance and you can search other regions for gas prices, which could be very handy for road trips.

Overall the Dash Express was fun to use and provided more functionality that any other third-party GPS units we've seen. It does have its quirks; directing me to the wrong place once and having a very slow startup and satellite discovery time. The touch-sensitive buttons on the top were a bit of an annoyance as well. If you drive for your job in a major metroplex, this could be a lifesaver or it could be helpful in very large cities prone to horrible rush hours (like Dallas). Since it relies partially on other users for data, the larger the driving population, the better your unit will perform.

One of the major downsides is the price. This unit itself is available for $299, which is about average for a high-end GPS navigator, but it does require a $13 monthly fee to pay for the two-way services. You just have to ask yourself if paying a monthly fee for a GPS unit is worth it for your needs. Me? Personally not, but maybe it will be for you. [Dash]

Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: No
Fashion Victims: No
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: No
Tuner Crowd: No
Hairdressers: No
Penny Pinchers: No
Euro Snobs: No
Working Stiffs: Yes
Technogeeks: No
Poseurs: No
Soccer Moms: No
Nascar Dads: Yes
Golfing Grandparents: No

Also Consider:
• Ford Crown Victoria P71
• Chevy Impala 9C1
• '74 Dodge Monaco
• Increasing road safety by encouraging good driving behavior and motorist education instead of focusing on narrow-minded and ineffective speed enforcement

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: Dodge
• Model year: 2008
• Base price: $29,160
• Price as tested: $29,740
• Engine type: 5.7-Liter OHV V8
• Horsepower: 340 @ 5000 RPM
• Torque: 390 @ 4000 RPM
• Transmission: 5-Speed Automatic
• Curb weight: 4150 pounds
• LxWxH: 200.1" x 74.5" x 58.2"
• Wheelbase: 120.0"
• Tires: P225/60R18
• 0 - 60 mph: 5.9 seconds
• EPA fuel economy city/highway: 15/23 MPG
• NHTSA crash test rating: ***** front

Also see:
• 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, Part One
• 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, Part Two

Acceleration: ****
On paper, 340 HP may not look as impressive today as it once did, but when you stomp on the go pedal and wake up the four Hemi V8 cylinders that were taking a nap to save gas, those horses feel plenty strong indeed. Maximum power from the 5.7-liter mill comes in at 5000 RPM, and 390 lb-ft of torque is cranked out at 4000 RPM. And while it may not be exceedingly loud, the Hemi does provide a snorting soundtrack.

Braking: ***
With ABS and vented discs on all four corners, stopping performance is adequate, especially considering the massive size and weight of the Charger. What's important is the car feels stable and controlled during emergency-stop situations.

Ride: ***
Benefiting from the Mercedes-derived four-wheel-independent suspension, the Police Charger certainly feels better than the softly sprung solid-axle boats of yesteryear. But the sheer size of the car may make you feel a bit like you're in an SUV that's been hunkered down a few inches, though overall the ride is comfortable enough for a day's worth of patrolling.

Handling: **
You don't expect a car like this to go around turns well, and it doesn't. Body roll isn't as bad as some cars, but there's lots of understeer. Even with the traction control off, the car is hard to coax into a powerslide. You'll be fine chasing down a murderer in an Iroc-Z on the expressway, but you'll need to call-in a roadblock to catch a Porsche on a winding back road.

Gearbox: *
There's just something so nostalgically right about a column-shifter in a big American car. The five-speed automatic works fine for normal driving. However, the autostick feature is nearly worthless. Even my small thumbs struggled to properly operate the tiny +/- button for manual shifting.

Audio: *
The bargain basement stereo isn't impressive, though if you're busy listening to your police radio, we imagine it's sufficient.

Toys: **
With no sirens, no radios, and no flashing lights installed, our Charger had nothing to play with. If you want to install all the cop goodies, the Charger's ready to go with an upgraded battery and alternator — and all that would have moved the star rating to the top. Still, the spotlight is fun for making punk teenage drivers squirm night driving on unlit country roads.

Value: ***
Though we hear it all depends on what kind of deal your municipality can strike up, a Hemi-powered Police Charger starts at just over $29,000. That's pretty good if you want a brand new muscle sedan. Though a Ford or Chevy will cost less if you just want a cruiser. That's not even mentioning the endless supply of pre-abused P71 Crown Vics that are practically given away at police auctions.

Overall: ***
The Dodge Charger Police Edition is a squad car with the attitude to intimidate bad guys, and the muscle to run them down. It takes old-school flavor and brings it up-to-date, while retaining the simple charm of a big V8-powered American cruiser. So what do you say? Is it the new Bluesmobile or what?

Also see:
• 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, Part One
• 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, Part Three

It's got cop tires, a rough n' ready cop suspension and rubber floors. Most importantly, it's got a Hemi under the hood — the big 5.7-liter 345 cubic-inch 'plant. The engine helps this big Dodge make me feel ready for some silver-screen type stunts. Thoughts flash through my mind of arriving at the opposite side of a slightly raised drawbridge at full speed, but unfortunately, the bridge was down — my hopes of truly testing the stout suspension dashed. I'd have to settle for the curbs I'd hopped coming off the expressway to give me a feel for the resiliency of the Chrysler tested and police-approved chassis.

I slide up to see Hardigree wearily checking his watch, anxious to continue our pilgrimage across the city. No, we're not on a mission from God, not looking to reunite a band and save an orphanage. We're here to reunite this car with its spiritual home.

There's something universally menacing about the blacked-out Charger. Yes, anyone on the highway noticing the spot lamp poking out of the driver side A-pillar will move out of your way, but that's true with any decommissioned police car. The Charger, however, has an extra level of attitude, emanating from that strong centerline, the aggressive front grille and those big rear haunches — a truly scary feeling even a blind pianist can sense.

So, as we pull up to the Museum of Science and Industry onto the very familiar footbridge out front, I felt I could scatter Nazi Illini with a greater efficiency than Jake and Elwood ever could with their '74 Monaco.

But if we really want to make this car feel at home, we need to get pulled over. The whole film pivots on an unfortunate encounter with the Illinois State Police, but we'll settle for Chicago PD. Since we'd rather not actually get a ticket, we happen upon a police station and Matt hops out to talk with the sergeant in charge. Though rebuffed officially, one of the officers motions to us he wants to speak with us outside the earshot of his supervisor. Outside, he agrees to help us. He's not pulling us over, just parking behind us — with his flashing lights on — in the middle of the road. Other cops gathered about grumble jealously. "I wish they'd buy us some of these," says our friendly officer.

We bid farewell to The Man and head over to pick up Chicago-style hot dogs from a local stand, consuming them in a parking lot across the street from Wrigley Field. Not quite four fried chickens, but they'll do. Getting back in the Charger, I pull down on the column shifter, noting how different the equipment on this model is compared to the usual creature comforts we all take for granted in most modern cars. For example, no cupholders. But never mind because the floors are rubber, making clean-up simple should I spill something. No cigarette lighter either — true to Blues Brothers form.

Matt and I head downtown, but are disappointed to find neither mounted patrol or National Guard waiting for us. I continue on to Lower Wacker Drive, rolling down the windows and selecting a low gear on the Autostick. The echoing roar of the V8 chases me through the underground street. Even if you're not on a mission from God, you can't help but feel the divine reverberation. Sadly, we only had the car for a few days, and with our time almost up, I had to head back to Michigan.

On my drive back, the jazz station crackling on the radio lulls me into losing track of time, worries, distance, and apparently speed. I guess you can only get pulled over when you don't want to be. "Do you know what I stopped you for?" asks a blindingly bright beam of light in my passenger side window. I've never answered "no" to that question. So, after my quick slick answer, the uniformed man with the inquisitive flashlight goes back to his Crown Vic for a minute. I hope he doesn't have SCMODS. Thankfully, he returns with only a written warning and a guilt trip. "You should feel privileged to drive this car." states the officer. It's true, I should.

Remember that, people: No matter who you are and what you do to live, thrive and survive, there are still some things that make us all the same. You, me, them, everybody... and respect for a police-spec Charger is one of them.

Also see:
• 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, Part Two
• 2008 Dodge Charger Police Edition, Part Three

Chevy's rationale makes sense: Soccer moms across the country are about to turn in their leased Trailblazers and Yukons. They've seen budgets battered by gas prices, but they still have to have something that can tote the brood around. With 7 or 8 passenger seating, a tall ride height, generous cargo room, and a fairly low load floor, the Traverse attempts to give them a reason to drive back out of the Chevy dealership in something new — something new that isn't a minivan. Chevy needs the Traverse pretty badly, considering they don't have squat between Malibu and Trailblazer.

Although Traverse sits on the same Lambda platform upon which the Saturn Outlook, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave ride, and it's arguably the least successful styling exercise of the four, perhaps due to the fact Chevy wasn't initially slated to get a Lambda vehicle — it looks hurried. The exterior stylists described their goal as creating a crossover with broad, global appeal. Translated, that means, "we tried to please everyone." As is typically the case when you set out to offend no one, you end up exciting no one. That's definitely the case here. Traverse looks as long as a school bus, and the front end comes off as heavy, with a cow-catcher sized air dam begging to scrape the nearest curb.

Inside, Traverse mimics Chevy's successful Malibu with a sweeping dual-cove theme for the dash and materials featuring good texture and a solid feel. Available SmartSlide seating for the middle row causes the captain's chairs to glide forward with the pull of a lever, allowing good access to the surprisingly comfortable third row seats. But the lack of a sliding side door means piling tweeners in and out without bashing into the cars beside you will never be as easy as it is with a van.

On the road course GM set out for us, Traverse displays the good manners we've come to expect from the Lambda platform. It has decent acceleration for its size, good isolation from road, wind, and engine noise, and corners pretty flatly give the size and weight. The stability control system does an admirable job of avoiding cones in wet and dry conditions, and it handles Michigan-style bumps and potholes with aplomb. But, since GM is touting the Chevy's towing ability (5,800 lbs.), it was surprising to feel how much the Traverse was affected while pulling a 4,000-lb boat/trailer combo. The tail felt unstable at moderate speeds, and there was never any doubt about the chunk of weight on the aft end.

So where does this leave the Chevy Traverse? Chances are it'll sell well, considering there are still folks out there who won't drive anything but a Chevy, and the fact the Traverse is light-years better than the Uplander and Trailblazer. Chevy's pricing is going to be key: If it's in the same ballpark as the Outlook, we'd guess GM aficionados will be rethinking Saturn or upgrading to an Acadia. Most of the other buyers will be across town scoping out the Ford Flex.

Ford PR Flack:"We wanted to give the Flex what we call a 'wow' factor."
Random Auto Journalist: "Wow, can I quote you on that?"

I don't know when it happened, but at some point in its history, reviewing cars became the domain of the boring, the middle aged and the overweight. It also lost its way, becoming yet another tool for the industry to market its products (something akin to long-form, text-based advertising), rather than a critical method for helping consumers make informed decisions. It's now commonplace to see PR-speak quoted in place of actual insight.

Which brings us to the wow factor. Picked up by your typical auto journalist (though this being the jean shorts and Oakley Eye Jackets breed rather than the slightly more common blue button down and khakis variety) it causes both Ray and I to choke on our lunches, desperately trying to maintain some semblance of polite facial expression. Full Disclosure: a member of the Ford PR team offered to cut up my free lunch for me, I declined, but out of embarrassment, not integrity.

It's not that the Flex isn't good looking. It genuinely is, to our minds it's the best designed Ford since the GT, completely banishing memories of the depressingly bland Taurus X, the car the Flex is based on under its slick skin.

And it does have a wow factor, even if it makes me cringe writing that. The Flex's look at once captures everything good and romantic about American cars while eschewing the bad and the boring. You don't look at it and think SUV or minivan; you look at it and think, "Wow, that's a pretty nice looking car." In person, it also looks surprisingly small. Like the Taurus X it sits somewhere between a wagon and SUV in height and is surprisingly large once you climb inside.

No, our problem isn't necessarily with the use of the word 'wow,' it's with the lack of critical thinking that takes place in the average car reviewer's mind. The Flex is ostensibly the vehicle Ford should have built in 2005 instead of the bland Freestyle-cum-Taurus X, but at the time, it lacked the chutzpah to do so. Pressed, a Ford representative will admit this, but pressed further, they'll also admit that they don't know what they're going to do with the Taurus X now (they'll keep selling it as a cheaper alternative for a couple of years before quietly killing it off). And we just don't see much wow in any of that.

But style aside, is a rebodied Taurus X the right car for right now? We're not sure. As a people carrier it's equal parts brilliant and flawed. Brilliant: the doors that wrap around the lower sill, making ingress easy for the old, the feeble and the short; the four sunroofs; Sync; Ford's new SatNav system, which just became the best on the market; the driving position that's the perfect compromise between sedan and SUV; the incredibly quiet interior. Flawed: the third row seats are tiny, much smaller than a Buick Enclave's; the doors don't slide; Ford's 3.5-liter V6 mated to this 6-speed auto is still the worst combination on sale today, delivering neither performance nor economy.

It's equally flawed when considered as an emotional purchase. According to Ray, it drives exactly like a Taurus X, which is to say depressingly adequately, which doesn't compensate for the fuel consumption, 16/22 for the AWD version is too SUV-like to wow us. Nor does the stylish exterior keep its promises inside. While the front seat passengers are treated to a reasonably swanky dash of higher quality than that available in the Taurus X — I couldn't remove any trim pieces with my fingers alone. Full Disclosure: this is a hobby of mine — from the front seats back the interior is exactly like that of the donor car.

There's also some quality issues inside. While the primary dash surfaces are covered in decent plastic, secondary surfaces on the transmission tunnel are very low rent. Worst of all, start feeling around and sharp plastic edges abound. In the couple of minutes Ray and I spent looking, we found edges sharp enough to cut behind the center console's fascia, on the door trim and especially in the sunroof surrounds, reach up there with care kiddies.

What this all comes down to is a vehicle that we wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen in, but not one we'd want to own or drive on a regular basis. For the $42,000 as-tested price, we'd expect a little more wow than that.

Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: Yes
Fashion Victims: No
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: No
Tuner Crowd: Yes
Hairdressers: No
Penny Pinchers: No
Euro Snobs: No
Working Stiffs: No
Technogeeks: No
Poseurs: No
Soccer Moms: No
Nascar Dads: No
Golfing Grandparents: No

Also Consider:
• Audi A3 2.0T
• Dodge Caliber SRT4
• Mini Cooper S Clubman
• Subaru Impreza WRX 5-door
• VW GTI 5-door
• BMW 135i and massive debt
• Moving to France, buying the greatest of all hot hatches, the Peugeot 205 Gti 1.9 and taking up smoking

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: Mazda
• Model year: 2008
• Base Price: $23,090
• Price as Tested: $24,805
• Engine type: 2.3-Liter Turbocharged DOHC I4
• Horsepower: 263 @ 5,500 RPM
• Torque: 280 @ 3,000 RPM
• Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
• Curb Weight: 3,180 lbs
• LxWxH: 177.8" x 69.5" x 57.7"
• Wheelbase: 103.9"
• Tires: P215/45R18
• 0 - 60 mph: 5.8 Seconds
• EPA Fuel economy city/highway: 18/26 MPG
• NHTSA crash test rating: NA

Also see:
• 2008 Mazdaspeed3, Part One
• 2008 Mazdaspeed3, Part Two

Acceleration: ****
The 263 HP is impressive, but that's just half the story. At just 3000 RPM it's making an STI-threatening 280 lb-ft of torque. Mash the throttle in any gear, at any RPM, and the Mazdaspeed 3 pulls with minimal lag thanks to the turbocharged 2.3-liter aluminum-block inline four with direct injection. The power may drop off at 6000 RPM, short of the redline, but that's to be expected from a turbo. To help get grunt to the ground, there's a limited-slip differential and a trick torque-management system that reduces torque steer. The car still staggers around from a launch, over rough surfaces, around low-speed corners, and pretty much any other time you get on the gas in first or second gear.

Braking: ****
If you want to stop in a hurry, the brakes are quite good. However, they can feel just a bit oversensitive if you're not wearing communicative shoes. Once you get used to the relatively light pedal and short travel, they're confidence inspiring, working equally well for spirited driving on back roads or brisk sprints through the city.

Ride: ***
You don't expect a Mazda hot hatch to ride like a Buick, but that's not to say you don't feel somewhat annoyed by how bouncy the car feels over poor surfaces. It doesn't make any sense until you've brought it up to speed, where you realize they haven't forgotten to put shocks on the car, they've just tuned it to feel composed going fast. That being said, if you're planning on using this as a city car in a dense urban area, it may get a bit obnoxious.

Handling: ****
You may expect a relatively nose-heavy car like this to have a serious understeer problem; it does, but you have to be pushing seriously hard to find it. What you get instead is a car that feels well-planted and very grippy. It's not extremely flickable, like some smaller 3-door hatches, but if you keep in mind that this is actually a bigger car than a Subaru WRX 5-door (which feels soft by comparison), you don't mind so much.

Gearbox: **
Don't think that, because you're in a Japanese hatchback, everything is going to feel light and dainty. The gearbox and the clutch are very weighty. That's not a bad thing, though, as I much prefer feeling like I'm operating a machine rather than just pushing plastic buttons. No, the problem I had with the shift action was not weight, but vagueness. At times, it's hard to distinguish between selecting 1st or 3rd, and 3rd or 5th, which is not a unique issue, but an issue nonetheless. A bigger issue is that the shift into 5th or 6th gear requires too much effort at an angle, which, for my arm, was uncomfortable and tiring. But maybe I just need to go to the gym.

Audio: ****
The Bose system, with its 222W digital amp, on this Grand Touring model pumps through 7-speakers, and sounds great. Combined with satellite radio, you'll almost forget that there's an in-dash 6-disc MP3-capable CD changer. If that's not enough, there's also an auxiliary jack for your MP3 player.

Toys: ***
The audio system has pretty much everything you need to stay entertained, but there's also an available DVD navigation system that's easy to use. If you're a techno-fiend, there's not much else. But if you're easily wowed by gimmicky tech, you would've already been sucked into buying a Ford with Sync.

Value: *****
The Mazdaspeed3 is a tremendous value. All this performance, practicality, equipment, and overall quality comes in at just over $24,800 as tested. If you want fewer options, you can get one for about $23,000.

Overall: ****
To get this much speed combined with this much practicality usually requires a paying a far higher price. That the Mazdaspeed3 combines talents to create an affordable, high-quality and, above all, discrete package is an impressive achievement. Still, if we're picky (we are), we'd like to see a touch more driver involvement. And more hot hatches on this side of the Atlantic, please.

Also see:

• 2008 Mazdaspeed3, Part One
• 2008 Mazdaspeed3, Part Three

The Lincoln MKS is the biggest car I've driven in 6 years, I'll admit. It rides low enough to the road that I'd be concerned about scraping its cute-as-a-penny bottom in more than a few steep driveways, but it does look pretty damn cool — much more so than any Lincoln we've seen since the era that brought us Ben's personal project car hell. In the pre-driving presentation the design guys kept droning on and on and on about their new paint color "tuxedo black," which contains bits of glass to make it sparkle in a different way. But then they told us we'd be driving for two hours before getting to the next presentation, so I was more concerned with running for the bathroom and missed the assembled auto journalists making cute cooing noises when they got outside and saw it in the sun. At least I think they were. It was either "ooooh!" or "eeeeww!" — it's hard to tell from the bathroom stall. But it really does look like they poured glitter in the paint, though, so I felt like maybe it wasn't a total "old person" car.

Then they partnered me up with another to-remain-nameless reporter and we went rock-paper-scissors for who got to drive first and I lost, damn him. He started up the car and admitted he doesn't own one and never drives, so I knew I'd at least have one up on him even if he did go first. But for the moment, I looked at the route of windy back roads and hoped to God the airbags worked as we started off. Since he had to pay so much attention to the road, I got to play with the gadgets — it didn't read my off-brand MP3 player (but I guess if you buy a $46,000 car you'll probably also have an iPod), the jukebox selection was lame and just as I was settling on a musical choice the ass coolers kicked in. The seat blows cold air on your butt, which feels good for about a minute before it feels weird to have cold puffs of air constantly assaulting your ass and thighs.

But, it turns out, even with one of the world's least experienced drivers at the helm, the car handled pretty good, and I only worried about going off the road three or four times, so I looked around some more. They designed the glove compartment so that only one edge shows (which sounds good, but really just makes it easier to manufacture). For as big as it looked on the outside, it wasn't really all that spacious. The dashboard is all stitched leather, the seats were comfy and the moonroof extends into the back seat besides — but while opening it is pretty intuitive, it isn't quite as easy to get it shut. I probably should've read the manual, but I didn't want to be too much of a girl.

It was also a damn quiet ride, which made it hard to hear the engine shifting on the hills and such, but the tachometer said that, even on hills, the RPMs were pretty low. It's also a little strange to be roaming around the Virginia countryside (looking out for cops, even) in a huge car that feels like something a driver would drive you around in if you had a driver, but maybe that's just me.

When we got to switch positions, I realized that my companion was a rather unassertive driver. My concerns about pickup and handling were pretty much assuaged when I had to take a left turn across 4 lanes of highway traffic to head back to D.C. and laid rubber in the parking lot and didn't fishtail in the left lane, though I'm not sure he felt the same way about it.

As a short person, my problem with driving big cars is that I often can't visualize the corners because I can't get up high enough or forward enough without bumping my chest up against the steering wheel. Somehow, despite the size, I was able to get the MKS's seat adjusted to a point where I didn't feel like the air bag would kill me in a collision and I could see enough of what I was driving to take curves at appropriate speeds without worrying if I was over the line, and I never once felt that sliding sensation that the car was about to lose it no matter what the curve was or how fast I stopped. For a car that's bigger than my dining room, that's a pretty impressive accomplishment.

My biggest concern, other than not getting pulled over by the cops when my lead foot got the better of me, was how much gas I was using. On a 20 gallon tank, we went somewhat less than 200 miles on back roads (most of which was not in traffic, thankfully) and used up about half a tank, meaning we'd spent about $40 in gas to just tool around. Do people still buy huge leather-filled cars with backseats they'll never use (and navigation systems that will tell them sports scores, but not while the car is moving) when gas is this expensive? It was a question that I pondered pretty heavily as I sat in traffic in I-66 on the way back into the city to give the car back and retrieve my cuckolded Corolla.

After flashing my hi-beams in the WRX's mirrors and revving my engine as I pull up next to it at a red light, I don't even get so much as a glance from the driver. Maybe he's just playing it cool. So I turn the traction control off and wind the engine up to about 3000 RPM. Green light, release the clutch, and we're off. I kill the Scooby. Oh, wait — he wasn't racing. So I try again at the next light. Will he take the bait this time? Nope. And that's the thing about the Mazdaspeed3; nobody seems to think it's anything special. To most eyes it's nothing more than a normal Mazda 3 hatchback. Paint it in a dark color and it's practically invisible. Which means that the WRX probably didn't even take me seriously enough to bother wasting gas on. It actually would have been a close race, but it didn't happen. So, I continue cruising.

To say there's a proper method for illegal street racing may sound oxymoronic, but it's true. You hear from a friend who heard from a friend that there's a bunch of guys that hang out at a certain place, and from there they go to the place where they actually race. You don't need to bother asking when, because it will always be at a spontaneous time after midnight. That is to say, the serious guys aren't out at 9PM just driving around hoping to find a victim — like what I'm doing.

So I start looking for parking-lot hangout spots, and eventually find one. Immediately I start scoping out the competition: a few enhanced Audis, a late-model Mustang, a kid with mom's CL55 AMG, an Evo IX, a small crew of crotch-rockets, the obligatory mid-life crisis man with his Corvette convertible, and some other stuff drifting in and out. Slim pickings. I buzz through in first gear to gauge reactions. With the relatively loud stock exhaust, I actually do get a few glances from some guys. I say "guys" not because there aren't any girls around hanging out, but because not a single one of them seemed to care. It's as if my gray 5-door compact isn't sexy enough. So I park the car and sit with my windows down and the stereo up. But time passes and nothing happens. This is lame. I resume cruising, but as one suburb blends into another and into another, I feel like I'm just driving in circles. Out here it's just an endless blur of shopping malls, big-box stores, chain restaurants, and cubicle farms. I've gotta get out of here.

The next morning I wake up at my own leisure, and engage in a lost cultural ritual known as breakfast. Today I'm setting my own pace instead of trying to keep up with the rat race. So, when the navigation system asks me which route I want to take on my spontaneous trip up to Wisconsin, I choose the one with the fewest number of expressways. If I encounter a few dawdling Lincolns along the way, so be it. Cars like this shouldn't be confined to petty stoplight cockfights; they should actually be driven. Sure, the back roads to Madison are no Nürburgring, but at least I get to focus more on the driving and less on weaving between traffic and watching for speed traps. And it's out here, surrounded only by farmland and lakes, that the car calms down. It's no longer fidgety and bouncy, but poised and confident. No longer am I being dragged around by the brute force, but I'm part of the machine—and we want to go faster.

Also see:

• 2008 Mazdaspeed3, Part Two
• 2008 Mazdaspeed3, Part Three

Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: No
Fashion Victims: Yes
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: No
Tuner Crowd: No
Hairdressers: Yes
Penny Pinchers: No
Euro Snobs: Yes
Working Stiffs: No
Technogeeks: Yes
Poseurs: Yes
Soccer Moms: No
Nascar Dads: No
Golfing Grandparents: Yes

Also Consider:
• VW Eos
• Mini Cooper S Convertible
• Mazda MX-5
• Volvo C70
• A well-sorted 1992 325i convertible with Eibach springs and shocks, Yokohama AVS Intermediates, AP Racing brakes, a K&N filter, Borla exhaust, performance chip, a sweet 5-speed manual and performance driving lessons.

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: BMW
• Model year: 2008
• Base Price: $33,100
• Price as Tested: $33,100 plus a Suzuki ($47,395)
• Engine type: 3.0-Liter DOHC I6
• Horsepower: 230 @ 6,500 RPM
• Torque: 200 @ 2,750 RPM
• Transmission: 6-Speed STEPTRONIC Automatic Transmission
• Curb Weight: 3,571 lbs
• LxWxH: 171.7" x 68.8" x 58.0"
• Wheelbase: 104.7"
• Tires: P205/55R17
• 0 - 60 mph: 7.0 Seconds
• EPA Fuel economy city/highway: 18/27 MPG
• NHTSA crash test rating: NA

Also see:

• 2008 BMW 128i Convertible, Part One
• 2008 BMW 128i Convertible, Part Two

Acceleration: ***
In the sportiest of modes, which requires nudging the shifter to the left and pushing the button on the dash, the heavy convertible manages to trot to 60 mph in a reasonable 7.0 seconds, slightly faster than the 328i Convertible. Unfortunately, the whole process is, and I feel strange saying this about a car, a bit mechanical. There's no rush of speed, no woosh of sound, just a car competently completing the task it's presented with.

Braking: ***
The one place where the BMW doesn't feel as heavy as it is, is when it comes to stopping. There are a variety of electronics involved, including automatic Brake Fade Compensation, but in this instance there's no loss of feel. Step on the brakes and all that heft comes to a fulfilling stop.

Ride: **
If you were to drive the BMW 128i along a straight, bumpy road you'd be excited. All that jostling must indicate there's some sort of highly tweaked and insanely fun suspension lurking beneath you. The problem is, there's not.

Handling: ***
What initially feels like a responsive rear wheel drive chassis turns out to be disappointingly underwhelming. Switch the plethora of electronic nannies off and all you get is a soft, unpredictable, unsporty drive. Still, it's competent and capable of a somewhat satisfying turn of speed, just not the responsive, lithe revelation we'd hoped for.

Gearbox: **
Err... which mode? There's the regular, boring hands-off automatic six-speed that's too slow or the thumb paddle-interfaced version that's too confusing. The sport option is the best choice for those, like me, always in a hurry to get where they're going.

Audio: ****
Maybe it's because of the lo-fi music I listen to, but the 10-speaker stereo managed to keep me in tunes through the noisy top-down conditions. Even better, the satellite radio is easier to navigate with the newer iDrive system, meaning that I can swap between Grandmaster Flash and Cat Power without having to complete any post-graduate programming classes. The BMW also features an adjustable audio auxiliary port for my iPod.

Toys: ****
When configuring this particular press fleet vehicle, the folks at BMW must have gone on a box-checking spree. Xenon headlights? Check. Comfort access. Check. USB-port? Check. Voice dialing? Check. Automatic dimmers? Check. Mirrors that bend downward when parallel parking? Check. Navigation with traffic updates? Check. And as much as people like to criticize the iDrive system, after a few minutes I found this version to be fairly easy to use. But, we'd trade it all for less weight, more communication and a better drive.

Value: *
At approximately $33,100, a base-priced 128i comes in $10,100 below the larger 328i despite sharing the same engine and basically the same chassis. That would be good deal as the extra room you get in the back of the 3-Series isn't $10,000 worth of space. Unfortunately, to get a fully loaded baby Bimmer you're going to be out $47,395. Even with our current currency issues our money goes a little further than that.

Overall: **
Underwhelmingly adequate isn't a phrase normally associated with BMW's products, nor one that we want to use to describe them. Unfortunately, the 2008 BMW 128i suffers too much from its own hype. There are those that may argue it should be judged in a vacuum, avoiding comparisons to either the older E30 3-Series or even older 2002. But that's what BMW promised and then failed to deliver. At the end of the day, it's a three star car with four star ambitions at a five star price, which means giving it more than two stars would be overly generous.

Also see:

• 2008 BMW 128i Convertible, Part One
• 2008 BMW 128i Convertible, Part Three

Alas, this isn't that car. Meaning I look ridiculous only for the amusement of Mark. The new 1-Series, at least in 128i trim, is only going to fulfill the desire of a trophy wife lusting after a toy taken from the profits of her hubby's burgeoning orthodontic practice, or perhaps for old men who find the Z4 too two-seatery. BMW is lucky in that, as niches go, that one is large enough to require a specific model. The enthusiast community is the loser here. This new Bimmer is just too heavy, too complicated and too expensive to be mentioned in the same breathe as the much-loved E30.

It isn't obvious by looking at the 128i standing by itself that the smallest BMW is such a porker. BMW's flame surfacing is toned down to Zippo level with only the straight crease across the beltline and the curved line running wheel to wheel as indicators that this is part of the company's Bangleized look. Unlike the coupe version, there's no too-tall greenhouse to distort proportions. In fact, its large eyes and kidney grille entice the driver to hop in and enjoy a bit of fast, topless fun. But once you do get in, that desire quickly turns into annoyance and then boredom.

Before you can even turn the key you... well, you can't even turn the key. You have to push the start button (as nightmares of Vista dance in your head). Then interface with the iDrive system to select the navigation screen, but only after you agree that using a GPS system while driving is bad and subsequently relinquish your ability to sue BMW for directing you into a ditch. Then click the iDrive a few more times to select a radio station and poke at the multiple switches to adjust the sport seats into a comfortable position. All this involves more button pushes and time than it takes me to transfer funds, check balances and otherwise completely reorganize my meager finances at an ATM.

Once you actually start moving even more obstacles appear between you and an ideal driving experience. The six-speed STEPTRONIC automatic transmission our car came with offers a variety of ways not to enjoy the engine's potential power. Assuming you want to do none of the shifting yourself you have the choice between the painfully slow standard mode, which makes quick shifts way earlier than you'd want them, or the sportier mode, which lets you enjoy those precious lower gears slightly longer. Assuming you prefer the hands-on approach, you can bounce the shifter up and down or blip one of the two thumb paddles located behind the steering wheel. Of all the options I preferred the sport setup with the occasional nudge, usually in the wrong direction, of the shifter. The 1-series uses BMW ridiculously unintuitive new paddle set up, both the left and right move forward and back instead of the traditional right for up, left for down. It doesn't sound that bad, but if you've ever driven another paddle-equipped vehicle you'll end up up shifting every time you go to shift either way.

The 128i's normally aspirated 3.0-liter inline-six is zippy if not particularly powerful, providing 230 horsepower and 200 ft.-lbs of torque. Whatever oomph is there is, unfortunately, is misused by the transmission. Driving fast, in a straight-line, you find yourself a gear ahead of where you'd like to be, grasping for the 7,000 RPM redline which remains nothing but a red-painted promise. It should be no shock then that the 0-60 time for the automatic is 0.6 seconds slower (at 7.0) than the same car equipped with a manual transmission. There's a finely tuned rumble to the i6, but it's merely a tease the transmission can't fulfill.

And speaking of being unfulfilled, the handling is anything but enjoyable. Mark and I randomly met up with a gentleman driver more familiar with the lay-of-the-land who was piloting a radar detector-equipped BMW Z3 and offered to lead us on a drive through some of the twistier roadways of the suburbs. It required a serious effort to keep up with him as the little Bimmer's suspension (borrowed mostly from the 3-Series) fought against the rapid changes in direction. Considering the car weighs in at 3,494 pounds, not even 300 pounds lighter than the much roomier 328i Convertible, there's not the light-and-easy toss-ability you'd hope would be present. The stiff suspension keeps the hefty cabriolet relatively flat when it starts to accrue G's, but at the price of a bumpy ride over less-than-perfect roads.

If you press the Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) button on the dash, things get slightly better. Power comes a bit quicker and, when pushing the car to its limits, there's a little less insistence from the BMW that it knows more than you about driving. But push too hard while cornering and the power suddenly vanishes. It's not so much a nanny preventing you from having fun as it is an electronic compensation for an inherently un-exploitable chassis

This doesn't mean I couldn't enjoy driving people around in the 128i with the top down. The next day I found myself cruising around the smooth roads encircling Wisconsin's Lake Geneva with my lady friend, blasting old school hip hop through the sound system, which made me feel less like a douche and more like a poser, but a content poser. The car is still a BMW convertible and therefore is a stylish and comfortable way to slowly cruise by jealous onlookers. Though perhaps they wouldn't be jealous if they knew how much it costs. This one's got more options than any one person could possibly use, driving the suggested base from $33,100 up to $47,395, a sum King Solomon himself would blink at.

Leaving the Lake Geneva area I defied the GPS and chose a path that would give me a bit more time to experience the car on some unrestricted back roads. Unfortunately, the 128i isn't as refined as the price might suggest. There's so much wind and noise intrusion, even with the windows up, that when we reached higher speeds my passenger pleaded with me to switch to top-up driving so that we could hear our own thoughts and each other. I happily complied because she was both nice to look at and interact with. I wish I could say the little BMW boasted the same characteristics.

Also see:

• 2008 BMW 128i Convertible, Part Three
• 2008 BMW 128i Convertible, Part Two

Acceleration:**
Thank the Lord this was the 232 horsepower version (both motors have the same 159 ft/lb torque rating) of the RX-8, because it needs it all. Serious tail-twisting mechanical Wankelry is required to make time in this car, and it's a dog in traffic. On the numbers it might earn a third star, but persuading it to do so is more hard work than it should be.

Braking:****
Very nice. Precise, smooth, lets you know exactly what's going on. And the calipers are plain old caliper-colored, despite recent attempts by automakers to turn them into some sort of jewelry-like accessory for your wheels. ABS shows up a bit earlier than many will appreciate.

Ride:****
Should be far worse than it is for as well as it handles. You 'll know it when there's bad pavement underneath you, but you won't worry about it too much.

Handling:*****
Outstanding, gorgeous, superlative, predictable, and lots of fun. Whether you decide to steer with your hands or your right foot, this car will do exactly what you want all day. The RX-8 is a rather light car to begin with, but once it's in a groove it seems to drop about 500 pounds. A real hero-maker.

Gearbox:**
Look, our car may be an anomaly, as many RX-8 owners love their 5- and 6-speeds, but this Aisin/Mazda co-manufactured gearbox was kind of a chore. Short throws aren't much of an advantage when you feel you need a home-run swing to select the next gear.

Audio:****
Nine Bose speakers with 300 watts behind them and a fairly intuitive button cluster. Very good sound, but no MP3 player hookup.

Toys:***
The 40th Anniversary Edition comes with just the normal stuff standard, like heated seats and Homelink and so on, although it's very well-executed normal stuff. But don't forget, it has fratricide —er, Free Style doors, if those count. We think they do.

Value:***
If you want one of these, it's worth it—What else is like it? However, at $32,594, you might opt for, say, the 350z or the G37 with their increased torque and normalcy, not to mention far better fuel economy.

Overall: ****
There's no denying the RX-8 is a lot of quirk and a lot of work. But this lovable oddball has charisma by the bucketload, even if you do need bucketloads of patience, good humor, and gasoline to live with it every day. Plus more than a few pails of high-quality synthetic oil. But even with all that, I'd own an RX-8 in a second. Maybe it's because I'm a dedicated oddball and a sucker for a light, agile, fairly unique car. Maybe that should worry me, but to hell with it — I'm not yet too old to believe that lots of good moves and a few big laughs just might make up for a little drinking problem.

Also see:

• 2008 Mazda RX-8, Part One

All of our reviews are always available by clicking the Jalopnik Reviews tag in the masthead.

Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: No
Fashion Victims: No
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: No
Tuner Crowd: No
Hairdressers: No
Penny Pinchers: No
Euro Snobs: No
Working Stiffs: Yes
Technogeeks: No
Poseurs: No
Soccer Moms: Yes
Nascar Dads: No
Golfing Grandparents: Yes

Also Consider:
• Toyota Highlander
• Toyota 4runner
• Ford Explorer
• GMC Acadia
• Hyundai Veracruz
• Mazda CX-9
• A vasectomy

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: Honda
• Model tested: Pilot EX 4WD
• Model year: 2009
• Base Price: N/A
• Price as Tested: N/A
• Engine type: 3.5-liter SOHC 24-valve i-VTEC V6
• Horsepower: 250 @ 5,700 RPM
• Torque: 253@ 4,800 RPM
• Red line: 6,300 RPM
• Transmission: five-speed automatic
• Curb Weight: 4,498 lbs
• LxWxH: 190.9" x 78.5" x 72.7"
• Wheelbase: 109.2"
• Tires: 245/65/R17
• Drive type: 4WD
• 0 - 60 mph: 7.5 seconds (est)
• 1/4-mile: n/a
• Top speed: N/A
• EPA Fuel economy city/highway: 16/22 MPG
• NHTSA crash test rating: n/a

Also see:

• 2008 Honda Pilot, Part One

• 2008 Honda Pilot, Part Two