The Family Car features sedans

Audi A4 eats winter roads 4 breakfast, then 4 lunch...

By Keith Turner

The forecast called for snow.

A huge Alaska storm system was heading our way, due to bring tons of the white stuff to all elevations, including a prediction of the first snowfall to grace Sacramento in more than 30 years.

Buckle down, the forecasters warned, we could be in for a rough week.

Good thing I had just acquired a test vehicle that is built specifically for this type of trial. Not only is the 2007 Audi A4 prepared for slick and slippery winter roads, it actually enjoys them. As the forecasters were preaching preparedness and prudence, I could almost feel the Audi emit an ever-so-slight chuckle at the thought that some silly Northern California storm could even come close to testing its true winter mettle.

Continued

Slow-selling Acura RL has a lot to offer, but few know it

By Keith Turner
News reports haven’t favored the new Acura RL sedan.
It’s not that the fleet’s flagship luxury sedan is getting bad reviews, or that the styling is unsightly. The negative reports are about the low numbers that the RL is producing. Sales figures, that is.

According to Forbes.com, for some reason the Acura RL was the lowest and slowest selling Acura of the entire lineup in 2007, with sales dropping a whopping 35 percent from the previous year. That means only 11,501 RLs were taken off the car lots nationwide in 2006. Not a number that the Acura marketing department is promoting, I’m sure. But look on the bright side. If you were one of those lucky few who purchased an Acura RL from the 2006 fleet, you were among a select group who now claim ownership to the vehicle. Instead of being the first on your block to own an Acura RL, you might be the only RL owner in the state.
Continued

Ford’s Fusion Makes Focus Seem Wimpy

Commercials for Ford’s Fusion show it zipping around on an empty race track, or just acting like a muscle car.

We didn’t know about these ads, or about what the Ford engineers had in mind for the Fusion, before we test drove it.

Our first few moments behind the wheel of the Fusion reveal a solid, road hugging suspension with steering that seems to sense our upcoming whims and act upon our impulses almost before we have them. Does the Fusion have ESP?

Perhaps. We do know it has an engine that roars and yet allows us to feel like lion tamers.

The Fusion, and its cousin the Mercury Milan, feature aggressive styling that sets it apart from the rest of the mid-size sedans. The Fusion/Milan, based at just under $18,000, comes in either four or six cylinder versions, and is expected to get near 30 mpg in freeway driving.

FOCUS

MSRP: $13,995-$17,585
City: 27 mpg
Hwy: 37 mpg

FUSION

MSRP: $17,995-$22,657
City: 23 mpg
Hwy: 31 mpg

Xtra Special Soul of Spectra SX

As we test drove the Kia Spectra SX around Los Angeles we figured it to be our favored Kia. Just like the Kia Spectra 5, our test drive resulted in a WOW award from us for great handling.

The SX is not a sleepy vehicle. Its fine engineering is tuned to respond to driver desires like an aware beast at your command. This is a car that’s very fun to drive.

We’re not going to go into the technical details here, but it is important to note that the SX version of the Spectra delivers a luxurious-feeling driving experience at a price that not up in the stratosphere.

Now that we’re taking up the review of a trio of Kia vehicles on one page, we are forced to re-evaluate whether the Spectra SX is our favorite. All of the Kia vehicles, have their own special personalities, like children in a family, so we honesty conclude that we like them all equally.

GM’s G6 Gets Blood Going, Great Gas Grades

For a good feeling car that doesn't bust your gas budget, the Pontiac G6 is worth a look and a drive.

To start with, it has an estimated annual fuel cost listed at $999 (Let's just round up to $1000, shall we). That's half the annual fuel cost of your average SUV.

An interesting feature that kept us mildly entertained while test driving the G6, was the driver's information center, a simple narrow rectangular light-emitting-diode (LED) display in the center of the dash.

Actually, the LED display is rather boring compared to what's centered on the dash in so many other vehicles, but what's interesting is to leave the driver's info center set to display EST MPG, i.e. to watch the rise and fall of your miles per gallon due to variations in your driving style.

For a good feeling car that doesn't bust your gas budget, the 2006 Pontiac G6 is worth a look and a drive. Note that it also

On LA streets, our driving style never allowed the info center average MPG to rise to the 23 miles per gallon city that the vehicle was supposed to average. On the highway, the estimated MPG on the LED rose. (Click to continue)

Kia Rio Offers Pep, Tight Turning Radius

Like the Spectra 5 we test drove, the Kia Rio LX we are testing is fire-engine red. The Rio is stripped down to the basics. It is functional, easy to park in tight places, and can quickly take you up to emergency speeds, though not without a mighty roar. In all normal driving situations it delivers pure pep and has great ease-of-control, along with a very tight turning radius.

The Rio LX has a small 1.6 liter (see Kia Sportage section for more on liters) 4-cylinder engine that is able to provide 29 estimated miles per gallon in the city and the 38 MPG on the highway. This is very good, but note that even with these high mileage numbers, the upward surge in gas prices means that your estimated annual fuel expenditure will be just over a $1000.

With the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the Kia Rio just under $15,000, this could be a fine first car for your teens.

Dig this Dynamic Driving Delight, and Draw Stares

The Audi, after all, is born of German heritage, produced out of a plant in Ingolstadt, Germany. So what worries could possibly be produced by a freak little snow in the foothills of California's Sierra.

In fact, the snow didn’t show, leaving the deep drift testing for another day, but the cold temperatures certainly did. With overnight lows in the 20s, followed by bright, sunny skies, the roads were susceptible to black ice – a glaze that covers the asphalt and prevents the tires from gripping.

This could arguably be labeled a more dangerous situation than a full-on winter storm would have produced because black ice is invisible to the driver’s eye. After all, out of sight is out of mind.

So I strapped my family into the snug leather seats of the plush 2007 Audi A-4 2.0 FSI and ventured out on the snowless, yet ice-covered streets of the Sierra Foothills. Our first wish was for heated seats – once considered a luxury for most automakers selling to the California crowd -- but since our test vehicle did not come with bun warmers, we were pleased to find the dual temperature climate system produced plenty of warmth in very quick fashion. (Click to continue)

Topless Tale Takes Sebring to Seaside

Cruising San Vicente Boulevard on a perfect California afternoon, top down on a Chrysler Sebring convertible, the entertainment lawyer said to his music industry wife, “This is a pretty nice car.”

Rolling past well-worn jogging paths beneath beautiful coral trees, the couple savored the soft late afternoon air blowing through their hair and their cruise in the Chrysler Sebring convertible.

The Sebring is no sports car, as others have said before. It is a very nice grand touring convertible in the American style. Just don’t expect BMW athleticism or Miata reflexes.

The attorney obsesses on facts he reads in car magazines. She likes to dive into corners at speed then stand the on brakes. So the more relaxed manner of the Sebring wouldn’t be their cup on tea for the long haul. But it was a blast for a weekend. (Click to continue)

Radical RL Reviewed

(Continued from above)

You can probably drive for days before you come across another Acura RL on the freeway. You can start an RL owners club and not have enough attendance to move it out of your garage.

You will certainly save money on name tags, pencils, pretzels and coffee. You are a trailblazer – a maverick. An Acura RL owner is radical. Power to the RL!

But not only can you enjoy the psychological benefits on top of being the first and only RL owner in your region, you can also take pride in the fact that the vehicle you purchased is actually a very nice, sporty and luxurious, mid-sized sedan.

The RL not only talks the talk – with sleek styling and a sensuous interior -- but it also walks the walk, by kicking up some 290 horsepower from its 3.5 liter V6 VTEC engine. (Click to continue)

Ford’s Fusion Makes Focus Seem Wimpy Commercials for Ford’s Fusion show it zipping around on an empty race track, or just acting like a muscle car. We didn’t know about these ads, or about what the Ford engineers had in mind for the Fusion, before we test drove it. Our first few moments behind the wheel of the Fusion reveal a solid, road hugging suspension with steering that seems to sense our upcoming whims and act upon our impulses almost before we have them. Does the Fusion have ESP? Perhaps. We do know it has an engine that roars and yet allows us to feel like lion tamers. The Fusion, and its cousin the Mercury Milan, feature aggressive styling that sets it apart from the rest of the mid-size sedans. The Fusion/Milan, based at just under $18,000, comes in either four or six cylinder versions, and is expected to get near 30 mpg in freeway driving. FOCUS MSRP: $13,995-$17,585 City: 27 mpg Hwy: 37 mpg FUSION MSRP: $17,995-$22,657 City: 23 mpg Hwy: 31 mpg Xtra Special Soul of Spectra SX As we test drove the Kia Spectra SX around Los Angeles we figured it to be our favored Kia. Just like the Kia Spectra 5, our test drive resulted in a WOW award from us for great handling. The SX is not a sleepy vehicle. Its fine engineering is tuned to respond to driver desires like an aware beast at your command. This is a car that’s very fun to drive. We’re not going to go into the technical details here, but it is important to note that the SX version of the Spectra delivers a luxurious-feeling driving experience at a price that not up in the stratosphere. Now that we’re taking up the review of a trio of Kia vehicles on one page, we are forced to re-evaluate whether the Spectra SX is our favorite. All of the Kia vehicles, have their own special personalities, like children in a family, so we honesty conclude that we like them all equally.	GM’s G6 Gets Blood Going, Great Gas Grades For a good feeling car that doesn't bust your gas budget, the Pontiac G6 is worth a look and a drive. To start with, it has an estimated annual fuel cost listed at $999 (Let's just round up to $1000, shall we). That's half the annual fuel cost of your average SUV. An interesting feature that kept us mildly entertained while test driving the G6, was the driver's information center, a simple narrow rectangular light-emitting-diode (LED) display in the center of the dash. Actually, the LED display is rather boring compared to what's centered on the dash in so many other vehicles, but what's interesting is to leave the driver's info center set to display EST MPG, i.e. to watch the rise and fall of your miles per gallon due to variations in your driving style. For a good feeling car that doesn't bust your gas budget, the 2006 Pontiac G6 is worth a look and a drive. Note that it also On LA streets, our driving style never allowed the info center average MPG to rise to the 23 miles per gallon city that the vehicle was supposed to average. On the highway, the estimated MPG on the LED rose. (Click to continue) Kia Rio Offers Pep, Tight Turning Radius Like the Spectra 5 we test drove, the Kia Rio LX we are testing is fire-engine red. The Rio is stripped down to the basics. It is functional, easy to park in tight places, and can quickly take you up to emergency speeds, though not without a mighty roar. In all normal driving situations it delivers pure pep and has great ease-of-control, along with a very tight turning radius. The Rio LX has a small 1.6 liter (see Kia Sportage section for more on liters) 4-cylinder engine that is able to provide 29 estimated miles per gallon in the city and the 38 MPG on the highway. This is very good, but note that even with these high mileage numbers, the upward surge in gas prices means that your estimated annual fuel expenditure will be just over a $1000. With the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the Kia Rio just under $15,000, this could be a fine first car for your teens.	(Continued from above) Dig this Dynamic Driving Delight, and Draw Stares The Audi, after all, is born of German heritage, produced out of a plant in Ingolstadt, Germany. So what worries could possibly be produced by a freak little snow in the foothills of California's Sierra. In fact, the snow didn’t show, leaving the deep drift testing for another day, but the cold temperatures certainly did. With overnight lows in the 20s, followed by bright, sunny skies, the roads were susceptible to black ice – a glaze that covers the asphalt and prevents the tires from gripping. This could arguably be labeled a more dangerous situation than a full-on winter storm would have produced because black ice is invisible to the driver’s eye. After all, out of sight is out of mind. So I strapped my family into the snug leather seats of the plush 2007 Audi A-4 2.0 FSI and ventured out on the snowless, yet ice-covered streets of the Sierra Foothills. Our first wish was for heated seats – once considered a luxury for most automakers selling to the California crowd -- but since our test vehicle did not come with bun warmers, we were pleased to find the dual temperature climate system produced plenty of warmth in very quick fashion. (Click to continue) Topless Tale Takes Sebring to Seaside Cruising San Vicente Boulevard on a perfect California afternoon, top down on a Chrysler Sebring convertible, the entertainment lawyer said to his music industry wife, “This is a pretty nice car.” Rolling past well-worn jogging paths beneath beautiful coral trees, the couple savored the soft late afternoon air blowing through their hair and their cruise in the Chrysler Sebring convertible. The Sebring is no sports car, as others have said before. It is a very nice grand touring convertible in the American style. Just don’t expect BMW athleticism or Miata reflexes. The attorney obsesses on facts he reads in car magazines. She likes to dive into corners at speed then stand the on brakes. So the more relaxed manner of the Sebring wouldn’t be their cup on tea for the long haul. But it was a blast for a weekend. (Click to continue)	Radical RL Reviewed (Continued from above) You can probably drive for days before you come across another Acura RL on the freeway. You can start an RL owners club and not have enough attendance to move it out of your garage. You will certainly save money on name tags, pencils, pretzels and coffee. You are a trailblazer – a maverick. An Acura RL owner is radical. Power to the RL! But not only can you enjoy the psychological benefits on top of being the first and only RL owner in your region, you can also take pride in the fact that the vehicle you purchased is actually a very nice, sporty and luxurious, mid-sized sedan. The RL not only talks the talk – with sleek styling and a sensuous interior -- but it also walks the walk, by kicking up some 290 horsepower from its 3.5 liter V6 VTEC engine. (Click to continue)