Definitely NOT Your Old Man's Buick

By Lary Coppola

I’ve had three different opportunities to put the 2010 Buick LaCrosse through its paces since it debuted last year, and every time I drive it, I like it more. 

The LaCrosse not only marked the beginning of a more luxurious and stylish era for Buick — it was also the most important vehicle GM had launched in a generation. With China the world’s largest potential car market, Buick survived GM’s reorganization as one of its four “core brands” for no other reason than the Chinese love affair with Buick. Owning a Buick in China is a status symbol akin to owning a high-end Mercedes in the U.S. Go figure…

GM has positioned Buick as a serious competitor to Acura, Volvo, and Lexus — with the LaCrosse the first shot across the bow in the battle for younger, import-buyers’s wallets.

This LaCrosse is truly a world car. Engineers at Opel created the basic platform and most of the chassis development, while American engineers tackled the body structure, and GM China handled the interior and the majority of the exterior design. Considering the Chinese affinity for Buick as a premium brand, they wanted to ensure the design and materials were best-in-class. The LaCrosse is the first North American GM product built on its global mid-size Epsilon II platform following the Opel/Vauxhall brand that debuted in Europe last year.

The LaCrosse, is a midsize sedan that is the roadmap to Buick’s future. The new design is part of GM’s plan to revamp the Buick lineup the way it successfully did with Cadillac. The change at Buick started with the Enclave midsize crossover SUV — another vehicle that impressed us — and continues with the new Regal.

Walkaround: it’s hard to argue with the LaCrosse’s stylish looks. Smooth and rounded, it incorporates many of the styling cues from previous Buicks without coming across as retro or cliche. The new LaCrosse features a lower, coupe-like roofline that creates the optical illusion that this sedan is significantly smaller than the previous version. However, it’s virtually the same size.

The hoodline, beltline and rear deck all sit higher than before, while the roof sweeps down towards the sedan’s haunches. Both the front and rear glass have a significantly flatter slope than previously, and since the LaCrosse’s sheetmetal is meant for a global audience, the upright front fascia meets the more stringent European pedestrian crash standards. The body surfaces have more pronounced creases in the hood and flanks, including Buick’s signature “sweep spear” at the rear quarter, all contributing to an elegant, modern design.

Three trim levels are offered: CX, CXL and CXS, which all our test vehicles have been. The base CX gets a choice of 17-inch steel or alloy wheels, while the two upper levels get 18-inchers and the CXS Touring package adds 19-inch hoops along with an adaptive damping system.

Interior: The quality of the interior — both materials, and fit-and-finish — are much higher quality than what we’ve ever seen from GM. The dashboard covering, door panels and instrument cluster hood are all sew and stitch leather normally reserved for Cadillac. And it isn’t exclusive to the top of the line models either — it’s standard across the range. All LaCrosse models also have a leather-covered shifter and steering wheel, which has a thick, easy-to-grip rim outfitted with redundant controls for the audio system.

The central instrument panel protrudes slightly from the fall-away dashboard, lessening the reach to controls.

Instrumentation is Buick’s soft teal color with very pleasing teal accents. And while some customers prefer a touch interface for the optional navigation and audio systems, others prefer a traditional knob arrangement. Buick provides a choice of both in the LaCrosse, with most of the controls accessible via the screen or a knob directly below. And for the tech adventurous, most of the systems are also accessible through voice commands by pressing a button on the steering wheel.

Buick claims the new LaCrosse is the quietest Buick ever thanks to Quiet Tuning, which involves acoustic laminated glass, triple-sealed doors, liquid-sealed sound deadening, and special designs for the suspension bushings, engine cradle and mounts, and steering and induction systems.

The LaCrosse features all the usual power items — windows, mirrors, door locks remote entry, etc., pretty standard, as well as a smart key and start button. AM/FM/CD/ XM are all standard as is GM’s OnStar.

Under The Hood: The CX and CXL come standard with the new 3.0-liter direct injected V6, while the 3.6-liter DI V6 is optional on the CXL and was standard on all our test vehicles. Later this fall, a 2.4-liter DI four-cylinder will be added as the standard engine in the CX and CXL, the only such engine currently available in the segment. All are mated to a smooth 6-speed automatic. Front-wheel is standard with AWD offered on the CXL and CXS.

Behind The Wheel: The LaCrosse is a pleasure to drive. On a quick turnaround trip to Spokane and back — meaning almost 12 hours behind the wheel — it was smooth and quiet. The front seats are well shaped and supportive, and hold up surprisingly well to both aggressive two — lane blacktop driving, as well as 12 hours on the freeway. The standard Stabilitrak system with traction control, 4-wheel independent suspension with front McPherson struts, and 4-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with intelligent assist, make handling and braking responsive, safe and effortless.

Whines: The lack of paddle shifters is a glaring omission. However, this probably won’t matter to anyone but a handful of people — many of which probably wouldn’t consider a Buick in the first place.

Bottom Line: Simply put, this is a great car and a huge advance forward for Buick and GM. It’s quiet, comfortable, stylish, and at $34,090 as tested, a pretty good value as well. If you’re in the market for a mid-sized luxury sedan, you owe it to yourself to check the Buick LaCrosse out.

2010 Infiniti FX Adds Style and Solid Performance

By Lary Coppola

The 2010 Infiniti FX is the second generation of this stylish performance crossover SUV from Nissan’s luxury division. The FX was redesigned for 2009 with a new engine and transmission, as well as even smoother styling. Based on the same platform as the Infiniti G37 and Nissan ZX sports cars, the Infiniti FX is a rear-wheel-drive based vehicle with available All-Wheel Drive (AWD).

The 2010 Infiniti FX comes in three models — FX35, FX35 AWD, and FX50 AWD, which is priced significantly higher than the FX35. The V6 FX (our test vehicle for this review) is still called the FX35, while the V8 version was renamed FX50 in recognition of its 5-liter powerplant, and replaces the previous FX45. Both engines have significantly changed, both vehicles get new seven-speed automatic transmissions, along with many other large and small upgrades.

The eye-catching FX proves that SUV’s don’t have to be box-shaped and boring. Since this is not a high sales volume vehicle, it also offers a measure of exclusivity. The standard FX comes pretty loaded — including moonroof, bi-xenon headlamps, power hatch closure, and Sirius/XM satellite radio. Options on all FX models include lane departure warning/prevention systems, intelligent cruise control with distance control, voice-recognition navigation with real-time traffic, nine-inch LCD DVD rear-seat entertainment systems, adaptive headlamps, pre-crash belts, brake assist, rain-sensing wipers, tow package, splash guards, aero kit, roof rack cross bars, stainless steel illuminated sill plates, stainless rear bumper top, and a cargo organizer. Some features, like the Around View Monitor, are not available on any other vehicle at any price.

Primary competition for the FX is the BMW X6, which offers slightly better performance, but in my view doesn’t necessarily drive better and costs significantly more.

Safety includes dual-stage front airbags, front seat side-impact airbags, front and rear side curtain airbags, active front head restraints, first aid kit, stability control with traction control and antilock brakes, and tire pressure monitors. The only safety options are the pre-crash seat belts integral with the intelligent cruise control/distance control system.

Walkaround: If there ever were a class of vehicle called the four-door SUV sports coupe, a picture of the FX would accompany it. The FX was the originator of the style over function school of vehicle design.

The front tires have been pushed forward thanks to lengthening the distance between front and rear axles by almost 1.5 inches, also giving the FX a long, horizontal, muscle car style hood, that arches over wheels on the sides and engine in the middle. The signature roofline appears as a canopy fitted tightly over a rounded framework with no straight lines and an almost semicircular rear glass.

There’s only minimal use of bling — behind the huge front wheels are chrome, arched vertical vents that duct engine compartment air and reduce front lift. Door handles are chrome while mirrors are paint matched.

Projector headlamps add some character to the front, while the dark chrome grille between has three-dimensional waves rather than two-dimensional slats. The spoiler atop the rear glass is integrated into the hatch, avoiding the obvious seams more common with add-ons. Chrome highlights the license plate recess, and a bumper top cover is available to avoid paint scuffs too deep for the Scratch Shield clearcoat to fix. This special paint covers the steel, aluminum and resin body panels, and uses sunlight to heat it and fill in small scratches over a few days.

Looking carefully, you’ll find a camera above the license plate, on the bottom of each rear-view mirror, and one at the top of the grille.

Interior: The stylish 2010 Infiniti FX cabin is exquisitely finished inside, boasting nicely stitched leather, beautifully stained Maple, and attention to detail, such as matte-finish surfaces trumping the usual chrome-plated plastic. Every FX comes with power leather seats, split-folding and reclining rear seats, leather shifter and tilt/telescoping steering wheel with audio controls, dual-zone climate control, power door locks/windows, power hatch closure, moonroof, Intelligent key, illuminated mirror visors with extensions, HomeLink, rear-view monitor, variable/fixed intermittent front/rear wipers, trip computer, power heated folding mirrors with puddle lights, rear privacy glass, stainless logo scuff plates, space-saver spare tire and a kickass, 300 watt, dual subwoofer, Bose audio system with MP3 capability and Siruis/XM.

The FX offers the same front seating room as most midsize sedans with a broad back seat with the ample legroom. Soft-touch surfaces abound, with minimal use of hard plastic.

The Infiniti FX35 comes with a 6CD changer that reverts to single CD when navigation is ordered, and 18-inch alloy wheels. However, 20-inch wheels with all-season tires are available as are matte-finish roof rails. Many FX options come pre-packaged, so you could equip an FX35 with FX50-level amenities and features for under $8,000.

The small-diameter, thick-rim, three-spoke steering wheel features thumb-operated buttons and switches, along with solid magnesium paddle shifters using leather along the back side for your fingers, and long enough to effortlessly change gears. Instrumentation is electroluminescent and lifted from the G37 coupe, although the FX gauge cluster does not move up and down with the wheel as it does in the coupe.

Under The Hood: The FX35 comes with a 303-hp V6 that’s EPA rated at 16/23 mpg, 16/21 mpg with AWD. All versions of the FX are married to a smooth, seven-speed automatic transmission.

Behind The Wheel: The view over the elongated hood reflects the power lurking beneath. The high-revving V6 — which has more horses than torque — easily revs well past 7000 rpm, and the FX35 does the 0-60 drill in just over 6 seconds — even with all-wheel drive.

The seven-speed automatic delivers quick gear changes up or down with a reassuring firmness, as well as offering a snow mode. It also offers downshift rev-matching for smoothness, and two overdrive ratios for highway cruising that are the main contributor to the improved mileage ratings in spite of additional horses. When run in manual mode, the transmission will not downshift automatically, even if you floor it in high gear.

The AWD system works without any driver input or feedback, putting ponies to the pavement efficiently, with help from the traction control when needed.

Brakes are four-wheel discs, and combined with the performance tires, they can stop the FX35 in short order, with no fade after repeated applications.

The FX rides firmly, more like a sport sedan than a crossover, because underneath, the FX is essentially a car with more ground clearance. Most of the suspension is aluminum, and the lightness adds to the car-like ride and good handling.

Whines: The AWD V6 is rated at 2,000 pounds for towing, while towing is not recommended for the rear-wheel drive version. Even with 7 inches of ground clearance, the FX isn’t designed for anything more off-road than a damp beach.

Bottom Line: The Infiniti FX35 is a highly stylish crossover SUV with supurb amenities, enough options to personalize it until your imagination is content, and solid performance at a realistic price. When it comes time to replace Dee’s Volvo XC90, the FX35 will definitely be on our short list.

Sportiest Volvo Ever To Arrive Late This Year

Volvo announces that starting price will be $37,000

Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (VCNA) has announced pricing for the all-new 2011 Volvo S60 sport sedan of $37,700. The all-new S60 packs more style, performance and technology than many of its competitors, but at a substantially lower price when showroom equipped, beating the showroom equipped 2011 BMW 335i xDrive by a whopping $7,150, and a Mercedes-Benz C350 by an impressive $1,765. The all-new 2011 Volvo S60 sport sedan goes on sale late this year.

The all-new 2011 Volvo S60 is included in Volvo segment leading Safe + Secure Coverage Plan. The program provides best-in-class coverage, offers the lowest cost of luxury ownership (according to IntelliChoice) and has been a major contributor to Volvo's recent sales success. Specifically, it includes:

• 5 Year/50,000 mile New Car Warranty

• 5 Year/60,000 mile Complimentary Facotry Scheduled Maintenance

• 5 year/60,000 mile Wear & Tear Coverage

• 5 year/Unlimited miles of Volvo Roadside Assistance

"The all-new S60 has been a long time coming, but it's been worth the wait.," said VCNA President and CEO, Doug Speck, "With 300 horsepower, standard all-wheel drive, its stunning design and Volvo's latest technology, it's the kind of car that will put a smile on any driving enthusiast's face. When you consider you can own an extremely well-equipped 2011 Volvo S60 for only $41,400, and that you will pay nothing to repair or maintain the all-new S60 for 5 years or 60,000 miles, it really becomes a no-brainer,"he added.

The all-new Volvo S60 sport sedan also comes standard with a new infotainment system which includes a 7-inch high-definition color monitor. The screen is accessed through intuitive steering-wheel mounted controls so the driver's hands are always where they should be. Information regarding the audio system, in-dash DVD video player, climate and vehicle settings are easily monitored and controlled through a thumb-activated rotator.

Other standard features offered only in the all-new S60 include an enhanced six-speed Geartronic transmission for quicker shifts, 18-inch alloy wheels, a sport-tuned Dynamic chassis, speed sensitive steering with driver-selectable settings, Bluetooth, HD Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio with a complimentary six-month subscription.

Continuing to introduce groundbreaking technology, Volvo will also offer Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake in the all-new S60. In the U.S., approximately 4,700 pedestrian fatalities occur each year and that's a number Volvo is hoping to reduce with the availability of Pedestrian Detection.

Pedestrian Detection actively helps the driver avoid accidents. Volvo's radar- and camera-based system can detect pedestrians in front of the car, warn the driver if anyone walks out into its path - and then automatically activate the S60's full braking power if the driver fails to respond in time. This world-first technology can help the driver avoid a collision with a pedestrian. 

On the safety front, the all-new Volvo S60 comes standard with City Safety, an auto braking system not offered on any of its competition. City Safety automatically stops the S60 if the car in front unexpectedly stops. The system is active from 2 - 18 mph and is designed for heavily congested urban environments.

The all-new Volvo S60 pricing and options

Despite the all-new S60 sport sedan being exceedingly well equipped right out of the gate, there are a number of attractive option packages and single options available.

2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD - $37,700

Destination charges - $850

Premium Package - $1,500

Power glass moonroof

Power passenger seat

Dual Xenon gas discharge headlights with Active Bending Light (ABL)

Climate Package - $800

Heated front seat

Heated windshield washer nozzles

Headlight washers

Rainsensor wipers

Interior Air Quality System (IAQS)

Multimedia Package - $2,700

Premium Multimedia Sound System with MultEQ XT by Audyssey,

Dolby Pro Logic II, 650 watts, 12 premium loudspeakers

Rear park assist camera

Navigation system with real time traffic updates

Map Care with two complimentary navigation updates

Technology Package - $2,100

Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Queue Assist

Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake

Distance Alert

Lane Departure Warning

Single Options

Metallic paint - $550

Premium Electric Silver paint - $675

Urbane Wood inlays - $300

Front and rear Park Assist - $500

Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) - $700

Personal Car Communicator (PCC) - $550

Touring chassis - N/C option

FOUR-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept) Active Chassis - $750

17-inch "Njord" alloy wheels - N/C option

17-inch "Njord" alloy wheels with self supporting tires - $500

Volvo Cars of North America, LLC,  is a subsidiary of Volvo Car Corporation of Gothenburg, Sweden. For more information, visit www.volvocars.com/us.

Tipping Point For Electric Vehicles

By Andy Palmer
Senior Vice President, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Why has the Nissan Renault Alliance committed itself to leadership in electric vehicles ahead of hybrids or other alternative forms of future propulsion?  

Well simply, because EV’s are the most mature form of technology that allows us to reach zero emissions and delight the customer. The technology, even as it exists today will be more than ample for most drivers, although I must admit there will need to be a change in mindset to conquer what is now being called ‘range anxiety’. The battery in the Nissan LEAF is already good for 160km a day between charges (typical LA driving mode), far more than the daily needs of 80 per cent of motorists.  

Beyond the comparison with alternative forms of propulsion, when customers realise that EV’s can save them money on running costs; don’t ever need to visit a filling station, are fabulously fun to drive thanks to “on-demand torque” and a very low centre-of-gravity; and are silent; I believe the market will tip in the same way that the market for diesel cars tipped in Europe 15 years ago. We’re at a pivotal moment.

One of the reasons both Nissan and Renault prioritise EVs is that we want to focus our efforts on zero emission leadership. Yes, Nissan will have hybrids and we have already announced the first Infiniti hybrid for launch in 2010.  We will also have a full set of other low Co2 / leading fuel economy solutions such as idle-stop, down-size turbo, clean diesel, etc, all grouped under the umbrella name of PureDrive. The promise of affordable clean transportation has always been ‘some time in the future’. By mass-marketing EVs we aim to break through that barrier, driven by our technological innovation and commitment to scale.

But having the technology is not necessarily a guarantee of success; we also need to assure full charging infrastructure availability.  That’s one of the reasons we have been so pleased by the response of numerous governments and power generating companies to our plans – installing charging networks is absolutely vital for the success of EVs. Also imperative in the short term while the technology is maturing, are government incentives for people to buy electric vehicles. This allows LEAF to be sold at a price that is competitive with diesel and petrol engine family cars in most countries. 

To be specific, LEAF will be sold in the USA for less than $33k MSRP. When you combine the $7.5k federal incentive, the customer will see a real sales price of less than $25.5k.  When turned into a monthly lease price, this means LEAF is cheaper than say, a Honda Accord.

We’ve been accused of “betting the farm” on a technology that nobody has proved can sell in big numbers.” Analysts have also suggested that our forecast of a global EV market share of 10 per cent by 2020 is way too optimistic and suggest it could be less than 5 per cent.  Well, I’ll stand by our forecast because having seen the analysis, knowing our product plan and having driven LEAF many times, I am convinced that the merits of our EV’s are extremely persuasive. Actually my biggest concern today, is not whether we are over-optimistic but whether our production capacity will meet immediate demand – the kind of problem this industry is not known for!

Cantwell Urges New Standards to Improve Auto Safety

Along with other Senators, she introduces legislation responding to Congressional hearings on Toyota

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) has joined Senate Commerce Chairman Jay Rockefeller and others in introducing legislation to establish industry-wide safety standards designed to prevent unintended acceleration in new passenger vehicles. The 38-page Motor Vehicle Safety Act requires auto manufacturers to incorporate an electronic data recorder (EDR) in each new vehicle to collect crash information. At present, inclusion of an EDR is voluntary. The Act instructs the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration to revise its technical specifications for EDRs, allowing them to record additional useful vehicle operational information before and after crashes and in situations that could lead to crashes.

“Recent tragic accidents involving unintended acceleration in passenger vehicles have shed light on significant gaps both in industry and government in our ability to assess vehicle safety,” Senator Cantwell said. “Computers now run many vehicle functions, including acceleration, yet our highway safety administration does not have one software engineer to assess these systems for safety, and only two electronics engineers. With more and more vehicles relying on electronic systems, it is absolutely essential we bring our industry standards up to speed and increase the chances that we can discover and respond to problems before accidents occur.”

The Act addresses several issues that came to light as a result of the Congressional hearings into the recent Toyota recalls. Among other things, the legislation:

• Empowers the NHTSA Administrator to stop further sales of a vehicle if a defect creates an imminent hazard that could lead to deaths and serious injuries
• Requires manufacturers to make EDRs readable by commercially available devices
• Requires minimum distances between floor pedals and the vehicle floor, and any other potential obstructions, to address the potential for out-of-place floor mats
• Increases NHTSA’s capacity to address motor vehicle safety issues that involve electronics and software
• Provides additional resources for NHTSA, doubling its authorization level over the next three years from $140 million in fiscal year 2010 to $280 million in fiscal year 2013
• Increases civil penalties per vehicle from $5,000 to $25,000 and removes the overall cap on civil penalties for auto manufacturers that intentionally fail to report vehicle safety defects to NHTSA or that intentionally provide misleading information to NHTSA
• Makes better motor vehicle safety information available to NHTSA and to the public; and
• Includes an anti-revolving door provision prohibiting former NHTSA employees from working for any entity regulated by NHTSA for a period of three years after leaving the agency, if that position involves communicating with NHTSA or giving advice regarding vehicle safety regulations.

To learn more about what the bill does, click here to view an extended summary.

Over the past several months, Senator Cantwell has been actively assisting a constituent in gaining access to EDR data from a 2007 fatal accident in Washington state that may have involved unintended acceleration. Chris Eves, 29, of Bellingham, was killed in an accident on October 17, 2007, while driving a 2007 Toyota Tundra. Two years later, Toyota recalled that vehicle, among other Toyota models, for problems with the driver-side floor mat and accelerator pedal. Toyota had initially refused to provide readout data from the EDR in Eves’ vehicle. On March 2, 2010, at a Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing, Senator Cantwell secured a commitment from Yoshimi Inaba, President and Chief Executive Officer of Toyota Motor North America, Inc., to provide the read-out of the EDR data to Ron and Lori Eves, Chris’ parents. Event data that could help provide additional information as to the circumstances surrounding the accident is being analyzed.

“Requiring electronic data recorders be mandatory and readable by commercially available devices will ensure that families such as the Eves do not have to wait years to learn the details of accidents involving loved-ones,” Senator Cantwell said.

Watch a video of Senator Cantwell’s discussion with Mr. Inaba on March 2, 2010.

2010 Honda Element: Funky, plenty of utility and surprisingly fun to drive

By Lary Coppola

 When I first saw the advance photos of the Honda Element back in about 2001 or so, I thought to myself, “They must be joking. That thing is butt ugly.”

Built in Ohio, and Honda’s least expensive sport utility vehicle (SUV), the Element received extensive upgrades in 2007, including a horsepower boost, new transmission, and a new, sportier SC model. In spite of the changes, the Element has remained your basic no-fuss vehicle.

I’ve driven this almost paramilitary looking box numerous times over the years since its debut, and frankly, the more I’ve driven it, the more it’s grown on me.

Originally aimed at high-spending Gen-Y males, the Element also appeals to some middle-aged women, as well as proving itself to be a highly functional vehicle for the young family on the go. The Element has become a staple in the Honda lineup, and makes up a large proportion of first-time new vehicle buyers.

Let’s fact it, no Honda buyer is taking a big risk where the actual mechanics are concerned — and the Element is no exception. It’s based on Honda’s well-proven CR-V, but is more functional because it merges the features of an SUV and pickup with a car’s fuel economy and overall performance.

Walkaround: What can you say? It’s a box on wheels that comes in pleasing colors. Thankfully, that awful plastic cladding that graced about half of the exterior became history several years ago.

The Element is offered in both front and 4-wheel drive versions. The base model is the LX and there’s a more upscale EX trim level, and the sportier SC.

My first thought when I saw the rear “suicide doors” open (Honda calls them “clamshell” doors) was that if it had a drain plug in the floor, you could just hose the whole thing out and call it good.

Speaking of those doors, they have no visible center post — it’s hidden inside the rear doors, making it easy to load cumbersome items such as surfboards or mountain bikes — not to mention lawnmowers and other more mundane and domestic items.

Interior: The interior is strictly no-nonsense. Instrumentation is simply straightforward and easy to read.

The shifter is easy to grab since it’s in the center of the dash much like some Lexus’ and Toyota’s. The climate and sound system controls are conveniently located and quite large. There’s no console, so the cupholders sit right on the floor, which is only a slight annoyance.

The front seats provide above-average support and are pretty comfortable overall. The outside mirrors are fairly large, but the rear windows can impede vision from those mirrors because they swing out instead of sliding down due to structural reinforcements and various mechanisms in the rear doors.

The rear seats flip up to the sides to create a big cargo area, although they too block rear vision in that position. They can be removed or made to lay flat to form a lumpy bed with the folding front seatbacks. There’s also a very large, flip-up sunroof located in the rear of the vehicle over the back seats and cargo area.

The split rear tailgate bottom opens down to reveal an utterly flat, low load floor, which makes cargo loading a snap, while the upper part of the tailgate swings smoothly up on hydraulic struts.

The LX has features like an adjustable steering column and power front windows, door and tailgate locks. The standard audio unit is a 120-watt, 4-speaker, AM/FM/CD system, but a 7-speaker, 240 watt system with MP3 and WMA capability along with an auxiliary and USB jack is available on the EX and SC. Also standard are air conditioning, cruise control, anti-lock brakes, alloy wheels and power mirrors.

I’ve seen the Element described as a “rolling dormitory,” because the seats are covered with a waterproof material and the utilitarian urethane-coated floor resists dirt and water, allowing for easy clean up.

Under The Hood: The Element sports a high revving, 16-valve, 2.4-liter, 166-horse DOHC 4-banger that delivers spirited acceleration. A five-speed automatic is the only transmission offered. Gas mileage is in the mid-20s, which isn’t bad for a boxy, 3,500 pound, SUV with high-rev powerplant utilizing “short” gearing to boost acceleration.

Behind The Wheel: Surprisingly, it also handles much better than you might imagine, in spite of its high, boxy profile. One downside of the shape is wind noise gets excessive over about 65 mph.

I found the Element lots of fun to drive, with quick, power assisted steering. The brake pedal is a bit too sensitive, but stopping distances are short. While generally good, the ride becomes what you might initially expect from its appearance when on rough roads.

Whines: The windshield is huge, but you can’t see the front of the vehicle from the driver’s seat, which makes parking and other maneuvers in a tight area a bit dicey.

Bottom Line: No one is going to mistake the Element for a styling trend setter, but it has a unique character, is highly functional, fun to drive, reasonably priced for an SUV, and has become a mainstream crossover vehicle with surprisingly high appeal factor.

2010 Nissan Maxima — Return of the 4-Door Sports Car

By Lary Coppola
I’ve had the opportunity to put the Nissan Maxima through its paces several different times since its major redesign in 2009. My initial impression was that an already good sports sedan had been much improved when I drove it for the first time at a press event in California. That impression has been reinforced every time I’ve driven it since. Built in Tennessee, the seventh generation Maxima is offered in two very well-equipped models — the 3.5S and 3.5SV.

The original front-wheel drive Maxima debuted in 1985, with what Nissan marketeers referred to at the time as a “sinister” look that prevailed until a 1989 model year redesign, when the term “4-Door Sports Car” was coined.

The Maxima is the fourth vehicle built on Nissan’s high-performance, front-wheel drive, “D-Platform.” It offers lower weight and increased roominess over a rear-wheel drive platform, and provides increased body and torsional rigidity, improving body stiffness, significantly reducing interior noise, and making torque steer a memory.

During the original technical presentation before driving the redesigned Maxima, Nissan engineers told us their “official” goal was to return the Maxima to its position as, “The best performing front engine, front-wheel drive car in the world,” by including class-leading acceleration, braking, handling, craftsmanship and cockpit design. They also told us their “unofficial” goal was to recreate that “sinister” look in a breakthrough vehicle with an attitude — akin to the impact the Hemi-powered Chrysler 300M had upon its debut — making it the “badass” of this market segment. It appears to me they succeeded on all counts.

Walkaround: The exterior design of the Maxima imparts that same feeling of “liquid motion” that embodies its upscale Infiniti line. The Maxima offers smooth, flowing lines, coupled with an aggressive-looking front grille, and a belligerent stance featuring wide front and rear tracks. The wraparound L-shaped headlights with “turbine” light surrounds and available High Intensity Discharge (HID) Xenon lamps, slightly flared fenders, and a “catamaran-style” hood, highlight the visual flow to a raised trunk lid flanked by 12-LED L-shaped “stepped” taillights. Dual chrome-tipped exhaust pipes, and standard 10-spoke, 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, complete the “badass” look.

While a moonroof comes standard, a cool Dual Panel Moonroof with a wide opening front panel, fixed translucent rear panel with front and rear power retractable sunshades that give the appearance of a full black glass roof, is optional.

A real spoiler, and 19-inch, 5-spoke alloy wheels are also available.

Interior: The Maxima’s interior design is what Nissan terms its “Super Cockpit” concept — imparting the feeling of driving a sports car.

Controls are close, and ergonomically-positioned, while the interior still offers both driver and passengers ample room and luxurious comfort. The optional “Driver’s Chair” sport seat is oversized, and features extended thigh support. The shift lever is offset closer to the driver, offering the choice of using it, or the optional steering wheel-mounted paddles for manual shifting. The instrumentation has what’s termed “Daylight Illumination” — eliminating the washout caused by bright sunlight and/or polarized sunglasses common to digital readouts.

There are two rear seat layouts — a 60/40 split fold-down configuration with trunk access, and a fixed rear-seat with a center armrest pass-through. There are also two available grades of leather offered, including a premium grade.

The Maxima features a wide range of available technology that’s both intuitive and user-friendly, including Bluetooth, a premium Bose audio system, iPod interface, a 9.3GB Music Box hard drive, Nissan’s Hard Drive Navigation system with Voice Recognition, and a rear view camera. Also available is Sirius/XM satellite radio and XM NavTraffic and NavWeather — which offers real-time traffic and weather information — but requires an active satellite subscription.

Under The Hood: The Maxima boasts Nissan’s award-winning 3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve VQ-series V6 powerplant — universally acclaimed as the best and most versatile engine since the original small-block Chevy. It delivers a spirited 290 horsepower with 261 lb-ft of torque. A revised Xtronic CVT™ with manual mode, available paddle shifters, and a new “Ds mode” (drive sport) tuned specifically for this Maxima is the only transmission offered.

Behind The Wheel: Be it mundane freeway driving, or winding, twisting 2-lane mountain roads offering tight curves, switchbacks and lots of acceleration and deceleration, the more challenging the terrain, the more the Maxima can showcase its superb handling capabilities. Acceleration is quick and decisive, and the speed-sensitive, rack-and-pinion Twin Orifice Power Steering (TOPS), delivers exactly the right amount of assist. Challenging topography is also where the CVT’s manual mode can be utilized to its fullest, as well as the standard four-wheel ABS disc brakes, which feature Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA).

The enhanced CVT works extremely well with the powerful V6, and while purists may disagree on principle, in manual mode, it actually outperforms any stick shift I’ve ever driven.

In short, the Maxima is a blast to drive on challenging terrain, and even though it’s a big car, it’s light on its feet — like a sports car in many respects.

Whines: The glovebox is one of the largest and deepest I’ve ever seen in any vehicle, but if someone is in the passenger seat, their knees get in the way of complete access.

Bottom Line: This is the first Maxima not benchmarked against a Toyota Avalon or Camry, but against itself. Nissan is billing it as the “Return of the four-door sports car.” After driving it, I understand why — it’s totally awesome in every respect. Nissan has been on a major product roll for most of the past decade. However, the 2010 Maxima is not just another home run, but a grand slam.