Car Reviws |
| 2012 Mazda 5: What I drove last night: Posted: 18 Jan 2011 06:08 AM PST  The four-cylinder engine in the 2012 Mazda 5 is rated at 157 hp.
The still-a-year-away Ford C-Max has gotten a lot of coverage lately, and with its distinctly European MPV-approach to motoring, the cute mini-minivan has piqued plenty of interest from folks looking for an alternative to their traditional minivans and even SUVs. But for the past five years, Mazda has offered its own spin on the C-Max here in the United States, a vehicle supported with scant marketing and media coverage such that rarely have more than 20,000 Mazda 5s made their way into American garages in any year. That's a shame, because the Mazda 5 is a pretty nifty little ride. I've had countless conversations with people shopping for family-friendly vehicles wherein I've acknowledged how much I love its packaging, its deft combination of tiny footprint and spacious interior. Of course--and this may be a decidedly nonenthusiast thing to admit--I generally enjoy minivans of any ilk, big or small, by any manufacturer. The flexibility they offer plays to my constant desire for utility--I like to be able to make a big-box store run whenever the itch hits--but I don't enjoy driving a truck all the time. And I ascribe no stigma to the class. Their giveaway sliding rear doors don't offend me; I simply don't feel embarrassed to be seen in one. (Perhaps I'd feel differently if I had a passel of children to tote everywhere.) And for the 2012 model year, Mazda has rolled out a redesigned version that offers a bit more power and a lot more sheetmetal interest. A 2.5-liter inline-four replaces the 2.3-liter engine and turns out 157 hp shuttled through either a five-speed manual or automatic transmission. While we wouldn't mind a few more horses, there was power aplenty to get the Mazda up and moving in short order. Merging onto freeways and passing never took more than a steady and heavy right foot, but I never warmed up to the Mazda's steering, which performed adequately but I thought felt too light. Mazda did refresh the interior a bit, but the cabin still feels plain and quite basic. The playfulness of the exterior isn't replicated at all inside, which, depending on how you respond to the wavy "nagare" design language (it drives me nuts!), is either good or bad. Still, it would be nice to see a little more styling splashed over some of the plastic surfaces. I did enjoy the wide-opening rear sliding doors, which made for easy opening and depositing of bags and stuff, but I don't know how many times I walked to the rear of the back door, grabbed for the handle, only to blurt, "D'oh!" Every time I got out of the car, I simply forgot the rear doors were sliders. Perhaps that's not a bad thing. Considering how many people consider the everyday minivan to be the definition of uncool, I was surprised at how I unconsciously treated the Mazda 5 like any other small car. 2012 Mazda 5 Base Price: $20,000 (est) Drivetrain: 2.5-liter I4; FWD, five-speed automatic Output: 157 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 163 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm Curb Weight: 3,457 lb Fuel Economy (EPA): 24 mpg |
| 2011 Lexus GS 350, an AW Drivers Log: Posted: 17 Jan 2011 07:16 AM PST         
EDITOR WES RAYNAL: Not that I love any of them, but this is my least favorite Lexus. Always has been. The last several I've driven have had serious flaws--squeaks and rattles, the cars have been beaten all to hell, etc. I remember one I drove, I turned on the wipers and they got stuck in the top position. This one seemed well screwed together at least. Build quality and materials inside looked and felt more refined and better than most. Still, the ergonomics are a bit of a mess (putting switchgear behind drop-down panels bugs me). The car drove OK. There's decent power, and it comes on in a smooth and seamless whoosh as long as you are accelerating hard. The ride is competent and there's good grip, though the steering feels way overboosted and unconnected and at times, in quicker transitions, you can feel the car's weight. The best thing I can say about this car is that it's $10,000 less expensive than the hybrid version. COPY CHIEF WENDY WARREN KEEBLER: Forewarned by Wes, I was on alert for squeaks and rattles. And guess what? I was quite annoyed by a prominent rattling in the dashboard. Other than that, though, and the pull-down panel for things such as mirror adjustments (I'd forgotten about this quirk and had to resort to the owner's manual), also noted by Wes, I found the car super-pleasant, nicely nimble and overall a good ride and a good drive. Fuel economy was as advertised (maybe a tad better). It's awfully pricey for its size and meekish presence, though. 2011 Lexus GS 350 Base Price: $48,825 As-Tested Price: $50,794 Drivetrain: 3.5-liter V6; AWD, six-speed automatic Output: 303 hp @ 6,200 rpm, 274 lb-ft @ 3,600 rpm Curb Weight: 3,965 lb Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 21/24.2 mpg Options: Luxury value edition including hard-drive navigation with backup camera, voice command, satellite radio, weather and traffic ($1,165); wood/leather steering wheel ($330); power rear sunshade ($210); rear spoiler ($200); cargo net ($64) |
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