Friday, October 15, 2010

2011 Maxima SV Premium

4 Door Sports Car contender or pretender

The Maxima has been around since the 1981 model year and was originally a rear-wheel-drive car until the second generation when Nissan switched it to a front-wheel-drive car to the chagrin of many like me. I always found it interesting that Nissan tries to sell the Maxima as a 4-door sports car and while I don’t think it quite lives up to that label, low and behold, right there on the rear quarter glass of the my test car I saw, 4DSC. You got it, 4 door sports car. Well I kind of subscribe to the philosophy of knowing something when I see it and at first blush I have to admit the new Maxima has a pretty sporty look. More on how it drives later.

The Maxima is available as a base S model and the SV with both being powered by the 3.5 liter 290 horsepower V6 and mated to a Constantly Variable Transmission. Standard on the Maxima S are 18" aluminum-alloy wheels, power sliding moonroof, Nissan Intelligent Key® with Push Button Ignition, Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System, and Vehicle Dynamic Control with Traction Control System.

The SV adds fog lights, outside mirrors with LED turn signal indicators, digital Bose® audio system with 9 speakers and 2 woofers, XM® Satellite Radio, leather-appointed seats, driver’s seat adjustable thigh support extension, and power lumbar support. The Sports Package adds sport-tuned suspension, 19" aluminum-alloy wheels with P245/40VR19 tires, rear spoiler, paddle shifters, High Intensity Discharge (HID) xenon headlights, dark chrome grille, smoked headlights and interior metallic-link trim.

My test car was the top of the line Premium which adds Dual Panel Moonroof with power retractable sunshades, rear-window power sunshade, premium mood lighting, 7.0" QVGA color display with RearView Camera Monitor, 2 GB Music Box® USB connectivity and eucalyptus wood-tone trim. Pricing range for the Maxima goes from 30,000 for the S, up to $36,760 for the Premium.

I took the Maxima on a quick run to California from Phoenix to catch my granddaughter’s softball tournament and I was very pleased with how comfortable the car was for 4 adults because according to my wife and daughter-in-law, the back seating area was plenty roomy for the two of them.

I’m not yet a big fan of the CVT, or constantly variable transmission and not sure I ever will be since I’m so used to playing with gears. Interestingly, the CVT has been around for over 100 years so it’s not new technology but heretofore materials weren’t durable enough for the big engines in cars. The main advantage is the simplicity of the CVT, you have a belt, some pulleys and microprocessors and that’s pretty much it. The downside is the weight. That said, I just don’t like the whining/moaning sounds that emanate from CVT’s.

Bottom line is, the new Maxima may not yet be a true 4-door sports car but it’s made huge gains in that direction. There’s a pretty stiff amount of competition when you get in the 36 to 37,000 dollar range, like the Lincoln MKZ, the Ford Taurus, the Volvo S60 and the Buick Lucerne to name a few. So do I think the Maxima lives up to the 4 Door Sports Car moniker, not quite, but if you haven’t been in one lately, put the Maxima on your list to check out. I was pleasantly surprised and I’m thinking you will be to.

2011 Lincoln MKT

Station Wagon or Crossover

Introduced in 2010, the MKT is Lincoln’s entry in the full-size luxury crossover segment offering three rows of seating and what Lincoln describes as the best possible blend of fuel economy, performance and technology. The MKT design features Lincoln’s signature split waterfall grille and I have to admit, I really don’t like the look at all. It just seems a bit overbearing to me and detracts from the overall look. That said the THX sound system is second to none.

The MKT is offered in either 6- or 7-passenger configurations, a second-row 60/40 split folding bench seat with heated outboard seating positions all standard. Optional power “fold and tumble” second-row bucket seats include heating, cooling and power lumbar adjustment and an available 5-quart refrigerator in the center console which all came in very handy for a weekend of grandkids soccer games. A fixed glass Panoramic Vista Roof with power-assisted front and rear sunshades is standard and a Power Panoramic Vista roof is optional.

What Lincoln does well with the MKT is offer a whole lot with the standard model. Some include wood inlays on the dashboard, door panels and the steering wheel. The also make the rear liftgate power and rain sensing wipers and heated rear seating. Obviously you get all the usual luxury features you’d expect from Lincoln like leather trim, power adjustable steering column, the Sync entertainment system and puddle lights.

Opt for the Premium Package and you get 12-way front power seats, rear footrests and rear-window sunshades, among other things. The Elite Package brings a voice-activated DVD navigation system with single DVD/CD/MP3 player, 10 gigabytes of music storage and SIRIUS Travel Link. The most fun part of testing the MKT was showing off Ford’s latest radar-guided blind-spot and parking lot warning aids which allows the MKT to park itself….yep, it literally parallel parks itself and quite easily at that.

The MKT is powered by and efficient albeit a bit underpowered 3.7 liter V6 that puts out 268 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque which unfortunately is a bit lackluster for this big a vehicle. That’s not the case with the very slick 3.5 liter dual turbocharged EcoBoost V6 engine that pumps out 355 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque which adds a huge fun quotient to driving the MKT. The EcoBoost engine is so efficient that despite weighing in at almost 5000 pounds, the MKT gets 16 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway.

Bottom line, whether you call the Lincoln MKT a CUV or a new age station wagon isn’t important and doesn’t alter the fact that it is a very versatile vehicle. It’s a big and roomy, ergo comfortable, and with the EcoBoost engine, it’s plenty spunky. So if you’re looking for a multitasking vehicle, the Lincoln MKT may fit the bill. With base pricing starting just over $44,000 and the EcoBoost AWD iteration tickling $50,000 it isn’t cheap, but then again, it is a Lincoln.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

TWO FOR THE ROAD TEST DRIVES HEAT

All-new Dodge Nitro model lineup gives more bang for your buck

The Dodge Nitro lineup has been revised and renamed for 2010, offering new exterior and interior styling and new standard features and safety equipment for 2010. These new models (Heat, Detonator and Shock) provide Nitro customers with more standard content, including a standard 4.0-liter V-6 engine, 20-inch aluminum wheels, eight premium speakers with a 368-watt amplifier and 9-inch subwoofer, deep-tinted glass, Uconnect Phone, iPod Control, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, speed control and security alarm.

In addition to the curb appeal gained from its 20-inch painted Mopar® aluminum wheels and body-color grille with bright billets, the 2010 Dodge Nitro Heat packs a punch with 23 percent more horsepower and 12 percent more torque than the previous entry-level model. With its aluminum 4.0-liter overhead cam V-6 engine, the Nitro Heat, and the entire Nitro lineup, delivers 260 horsepower (194 kW) and 265 lb.-ft. (359 N•m) of torque with a five-speed automatic transmission. MSRP for the 2010 Dodge Nitro Heat is $23,995 (including $745 destination).

The Dodge Nitro Detonator offers new exterior design cues, as well as standard interior and safety features that were previously optional on the former SXT model. The new Dodge Detonator model features 20-inch Mopar polished/painted aluminum wheels, hood decal, eight speakers plus subwoofer, remote start, ParkSense® rear-park assist and color-keyed premium cloth interior that matches the exterior paint color. MSRP for the 2010 Dodge Nitro Detonator is $25,995 (including $745 destination).

The Dodge Nitro Shock adds heated leather seats and a sun roof to the Nitro Detonator model. MSRP for the 2010 Dodge Nitro Shock is $26,995 (including $745 destination).
The new 2010 Dodge Nitro