2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport SLS

By: Two for the Road USA

For a long time now the Suzuki brand has been about utilitarian vehicles. Vehicles that met needs and didn’t cost a lot; and while sporting some interesting names like Grand Vitara and Equator, they were basically pretty vanilla. Enter the Kizashi, and yes I know you thought “gesundheit’ I must have had ten people say it to me, but not withstanding the rather peculiar name, the Suzuki Kizashi is one nifty little pocket rocket. As I understand it, Kizashi translated means “something great is coming” and while I’m not quite ready to hang the “great” label on the Kizashi, it is in fact much better than just good.

The Suzuki Kizashi starts pricing starts at under $20,000 for the base model and $24,699 for the Sport SLS version we tested, which stickered at $25,304. With extras that included destination charges, Premium Floor Mats, Premium Metallic paint and XM Satellite Radio. Some niceties that come standard on the Kizashi include Smartpass keyless Entry and pushbutton start Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control ABS and eight airbags to name a few. Some of the Sports SLS Package adds include; Leather Appointed Interior, Power Sunroof, heated/power front seats, Rear Parking Sensors and Auto Headlamps and Rear View Mirror. The Sports Package includes Sport Aero Body Kit, Light Weight Sport Wheels, Sport Tuned Suspension and the Sport Design Steering Wheel. Which I believe epitomizes the phrase “a lot of bang for your buck.”

The Kizashi athletic styling looks good from all angles and inside you’ll find a pretty nice looking and functional interior. The level of refinement inside Kizashi's cabin surprised me as our test car was equipped with sharp black leather, dual-zone climate control, and 10-way power-adjustable heated front seats; it even had iPod and USB audio controls. The 10-speaker, 425 watt Rockford Fosgate sound system and integrated Bluetooth with audio streaming could be controlled from the steering wheel.

After driving the Kizashi Sport SLS I quickly realized that Suzuki certainly took the car to a higher level than the base model. It has a firmer ride and feels very secure on twisties or zipping through a cloverleaf on or off a freeway ramp. With 185 Horsepower it won’t rip you head of by any stretch of the imagination but mated to a 6-speed manual transmission, the Kizashi Sport is a whole lot of fun to drive. As with almost all cars that add the Sports moniker to a car, the stiffer suspension does transmit more road imperfections back to the driver but not to the extent it’s troubling although I have to admit, it could wear on you after a while on longer treks.

Bottom line, I think all the players in this segment need to pay close attention to Suzuki’s Kizashi. It offers a lot for a little and actually has a bit of a personality. So if you’ve been thinking about something different,  while the name alone may intrigue you, I can assure you, Kizashi is a whole lot more than just a name; it is indeed something good.

The Kizashi come with EPA ratings from 20-31 mpg and 36 month 36,000 base warranty and an 84 month 100,000 mile powertrain warranty.

2010 Caliber Rush

By Two for the Road USA

The Caliber is a Dodge compact vehicle that features interesting styling and flexibility that makes defining whether it’s a CUV or SUV difficult, although I’m not sure there’s one finite definition that will settle the debate. The 2010 Caliber receives a spiffed up interior that features a new instrument panel and padded door panels driver along with front passenger active head restraints. A Sport Appearance Package for Caliber SXT includes 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, performance suspension and performance steering.

I will confess now that I have not been nor do I see myself becoming a big Caliber fan. I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be a mid-size Magnum because it looks as though design was struggling for that look but got to the rear end and wasn’t quite sure how to finish it so they just gave it a kind of droopy chopped off look. I think it suffers from the same lack of styling identity that the wannabe Charger looking Avenger does.

I’m not saying the Caliber doesn’t have its place, it does offer a pretty fair amount of room and comfort for the money. Base priced at under $20,000 the Caliber comes with a sufficient amount of standard features that include a Media Center with HDD radio and a 30 Gig Hard Drive and Uconnect Blue Tooth. Unfortunately Electronic Stability Control, Brake Assist and Supplemental Front Seat-Mounted Side Airbags are optional.

My test car came with the standard 2.4-liter Inline 4-cylinder engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission that comes standard in SE and SXT with the 2.0-liter engine. It’s the first Caliber with a manual transmission that I’ve driven and frankly it’s a double edged sword. I like the peppier performance but really I don’t like the manual for a daily commuter. It just didn’t fit with the car for some reason.

Driving the Caliber is an exercise in passivity as there is absolutely nothing remotely scintillating about the car. Before all you Caliber aficionado’s out there, of which there seem to be plenty judging by the number I see on the highways, eviscerate me, I’ve never kept secret that I’m all about both form and function and alas the Caliber is pretty much a utilitarian vehicle; however, to that end it works well.

It drives and handles just fine, it has room to haul the kids and soccer gear around easily and its pretty decent on the highway although I’m not sure I’d like to drive it on a trip that took over 2 hours, but that’s me. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve seen a lot of Calibers on the road and there are actually Caliber car clubs so clearly Chrysler has reached some people’s hot buttons.

Bottom line, if you want something that certainly stands out from the norm, has room for 5 with a good amount of cargo area, at a cost that won’t break the bank, check out the Dodge Caliber. Our test car came with the $780.00 Optional Equipment Package that includes EBS, Brake Assist and the supplemental Front-Seat-Mounted Side Airbags. It also came with the $795.00 Leather Interior Group, the Driver Convenience Group for $300.00, with Tire Pressure Monitoring Display, Electronic Vehicle Information Center and the Universal Garage Door Opener and finally the Power Express Sunroof for $845.00; all that brought the price of the tester up to $23,445. The Caliber comes with an EPA rating is 23/29/25 and Chryslers 3/36 base warranty and a 5 year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty.

2010 Nissan 370Z Touring

Bill Zervakos and Cathy Droz

Two for the Road USA

The Nissan 370Z’s heritage dates all the way back into the ‘30’s although in truth the Z-car stems from a long line of two seat roadsters dating back to the 1960’s Datsun Fairlady roadster. That car evolved into the Datsun 2000 and in 1970 the wildly popular 240Z was born as a coupe. The Z-car morphed through several iterations that kept the same basic style all the way through into the 1980’s until the 300ZX was introduced in 1990. The 300ZX iteration didn’t remain extraordinarily popular and the last one rolled of the line in 1996. However, after a 7 year hiatus the 350Z debuted in 2003 with the Roadster joining the lineup in 2004.

For 2010 370Z Coupe maintains most of the design cues that were updated in 2009 while the 2010 Roadster receives some styling updates. The 370Z shares several mechanicals from the Infiniti G Coupe including the potent 332 horsepower CVTCS, or Continuously Variable Timing Control System V6, and some interior accoutrements. Some improvements include an enhanced navigation system, heated mirrors, and an in-cabin microfilter.

Our test car was come-and-get-me red so it was a stunner, and yes, I managed to stay out of trouble. The lines -of the new Z-car are very sleek and muscular with hefty haunches that add to the aggressive stance. Once inside you know you’re in a sports car as the seats are deep and pretty comfortable. Touring models look even more high-class thanks to their leather upholstery and upgraded faux suede door inserts. The ergonomics are easy to figure out, but I have to admit that the seat controls being squished between my right thigh and the console leaves a little to be desired.

Driving the 370Z is definitely a thrill. The ride while taut is not overly harsh and if one thinks it is, the someone is probably looking at the wrong type of vehicle. The 332 horsepower engine though a bit noisy in a raucous sort of way, is responsive and responsive to the right foot. The car handles well and when zipping into turns and downshifting with the paddle shifter; the rev-matching downshifts make the car even easier to handle in tight corners. If you have to stop in a hurry, no worries with the available 4-piston front calipers haul the Z-car to a swift and secure stop in just over 100 feet from 60 miles per hour.

Bottom line, at a base price on the Coupe in the low $30,000 dollar range and the Touring starting at just over $36,000, the 370Z is still one of the best sports coupes for the money out there. It’s sexy looking relatively comfortable even for big boys. It performs very well, numbers range from 5.1 to 5.5 0-60 and does so while getting an EPA rating of 19/26 with a combined average of 21 mpg with the automatic transmission. If you haven’t driven a Nissan Z-car lately, maybe you should check out the 2010 370Z. I think you’ll like it as much as I did.

BOND DB5 MOVIE CAR GOES FOR £3 MILLION

LONDON (27 October, 2010) − The world famous James Bond 1964 Aston Martin DB5 movie car driven by Sean Connery in Goldfinger andThunderball, and factory-fitted with the full complement of operational ‘Q-Branch’ gadgets, was sold at auction in London today by RM Auctions, in association with Sotheby’s, in front of a packed audience for *£2,912,000 ($4,608,500). “RM has just established the price of fame,” said Rob Myers, Chairman and Founder, RM Auctions. ”We had a fabulous time during the promotion of the sale of 007’s DB5 and we’re really pleased to have been able to assist with finding it a great new home.”

The successful bidder, Harry Yeaggy, an American business man, is only the second ex-factory owner of the Mr. Bond’s ride.  The car’s seller, Mr. Jerry Lee, an American radio broadcaster based in Philadelphia, PA, purchased it directly from the Aston Martin Lagonda factory for $12,000 in 1969.

“This is a car that I’ve always wanted, after all it is the most famous car in the world,” said Mr. Yeaggy about the purchase of the Bond DB5. “My plan is to display it in my private car museum in Ohio just as it is.”

Mr. Lee plans to use the proceeds from the sale to further the charitable work of The Jerry Lee Foundation, a multi-national initiative dedicated to solving social problems associated with poverty, with an emphasis on crime prevention. Of particular benefit will be the Jerry Lee Center of Criminology at the University of Pennsylvania and the Jerry Lee Centre of Experimental Criminology at the University of Cambridge. (http://jerryleefoundation.com/)

“The James Bond car has brought me much enjoyment for some 40 years,” said Jerry Lee. “Even as I sell it and use the proceeds to fund the Jerry Lee Foundation, the car will continue to give me great pleasure as it furthers the mission of the Foundation to do good around the world.” In addition to acquiring the ‘most famous car in the world’, today’s winning bidder receives commemorative Dormeiul ‘Vanquish II’ fabric woven with solid gold thread from famous British tailoring house Gieves & Hawkes, who dressed Sean Connery with bespoke tailoring for all six of his appearances as James Bond. This certified fabric will be made into a handmade bespoke suit by the craftsmen at Gieves & Hawkes of No. 1 Savile Row, London for an estimated value of £30,000. What better sartorial statement could one make when driving or exhibiting this iconic automobile?

2011 Nissan Versa Hatchback SL

The Nissan Versa was introduced in 2006 as a 2007 model as Nissan’s entry level vehicle. The Versa comes as a 5-door hatchback or sedan and believe it or not, there is a method to the madness with the name Versa. It’s an amalgam of Versatile and Space….okay, I’ll buy it but none the less, the Versa is indeed roomy for such a small car although it is a bit tight behind the wheel for an “athletic build” like mine.

The 2010 Versa received a fair amount of upgrades so the 2011 model only offers a few minor changes. ABS is standard on the 1.8 S, Traction control and Nissan’s Vehicle Dynamic Control are standard on 1.8 SL models, and optional on 1.8 S models. However, they remain unavailable in both 1.6 models.

The 1.6 liter in the base sedan puts out 107 horsepower and the 1.8 liter in the S and SL puts out 122 horsepower which allows for mileage ratings between 25 and 34mpg. And of course economy and utilitarianism is what the Versa is all about. One very surprising factor for me is the plethora of transmissions.

There’s an optional 4-speed automatic available for the base and 1.8S models, however its standard on the 1.8SL and not available for the others. There’s a 5-speed manual overdrive available for the 1.6 Sedan and Base Sedan but not for anything else. Then there’s the 6-speed manual overdrive that’s standard only on the 1.8S and not available on any others and finally there’s the CVT, Continuously Variable Transmission that’s standard only on the 1.8SL Hatchback and on nothing else.

Inside is spartan and functional albeit a bit cramped for me, but there is plenty of room for four. Power windows and locks, remote keyless entry, and cruise control are standard on the 1.8 SL model, optional on the 1.8 S, and unavailable on the 1.6 models. The 1.8 SL also has an exclusive power moon roof option. The 1.8 SL model also includes a 5-inch touch-screen and subscription-based XM Satellite Radio as well as Bluetooth connectivity and volume controls on the steering wheel.

On the road you pretty much get what you’d expect from a vehicle like the Versa. It’s solid and although it actually rides a bit better than I’d expected, in my opinion it’s still strictly a grocery getter and not something I’d look forward to driving for any length of time.

Nissan has a history of building pretty solid, safe and reliable cars and the Versa fits right in. So if you’re looking for a decent run around car that’s decent on gas and dependable, keep the Versa on your short list. Backed by Nissan’s standard 36-month, 36,000-mile limited warranty, with price ranges from $9,900 to $17,650, the Nissan Versa could be just the value you’re looking for.

2010 Mazda Miata MX-5

It’s still the one to beat

For anyone that’s followed my reviews over the years knows that I have a special affinity for the Miata, the or MX-5 as Mazda likes to call it now. We’ve owned a few in our time and in truth the only reason we don’t have one now is due to the fact that the power hard top wasn’t available until 2007 and that change alone opened the floodgates to allow the best selling sports car in history to tap an even bigger market.

Introduced in 1989 the MX-5 remains basically unchanged after receiving significant updates for 2009 when Mazda added RX-8 style bold fender flares, a large grille, bigger wheels and tires and dual chrome exhaust pipes. The design changes did give the MX-5 a bit more aggressive look that will hopefully attract more male buyers.  

I've always been a roadster fan and loved the old classics like the MGB and TR-6’s etc but if you owned one of those vehicles, as I did, you knew you were going to spend a fair amount of time “tinkering” with your car. Not so with the Miata. You got all the fun, and exuberance of the classics without any of the hassle. No leaking tops, no electrical problems, no quirky carburetors, nothing. Get in start the car and hit the highway.

The car is simply stated, an absolute blast to drive and for all it’s simplicity, it’s pretty civilized. The test car came with an inline 167 horsepower 4-cylinder paired with a 6-speed manual transmission which made for a really fun driving experience. For those that don’t want to manually shift, a 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters is available, but in truth, the only way to have this car is with the manual.

Steering is swift and sure, with great linear brake pedal action making handling very crisp, almost like that of a go-kart. And for a car with less than a 92 inch wheelbase the ride isn’t nearly as rough as one might expect. One minor annoyance is the 6-speed gearing. Fuel economy is decent at 22 and 28 but a taller sixth gear could improve on that significantly and since there’s only 140 lb-ft of torque, you have to downshift to expediently pass at 65, so I don’t understand why they didn’t make sixth a true over-drive gear.

This is a two-seater so there isn’t a lot of extra space in the cabin, and unfortunately the cupholders are positioned in such a way that a cup of coffee or soft drink can be in the way of the shifter. The very good news is that there are lots of places to store things and the trunk does have enough room for a full set of golf clubs but two sets could be difficult. Believe me though; it’s a minor problem though for the true enthusiast.

Bottom line, the MX-5 is still the king of the hill when it comes to serious two-seat fun. It’s inexpensive, prices start at just a under $23,000 for the base Sport and the top of the line Grand Touring PHRT, which is what our test car was, starts at just over $28,000, and with adds the tester came in at just under $33,000. It’s dependable and pretty economical and as I said, an unadulterated blast to drive. There are a couple of pretty nifty looking competitors out there but they don’t come close to unseating the Miata as the King of the Hill of fun roadsters.

So, if you’re looking for something that doesn’t cost a lot to buy and operate and is a boat load of fun, check out the new MX-5 by Mazda. I think you’ll like it a lot.

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.