Detroit - Small lux SUVs, the next big thing?

The question of "What's the next big thing?" often hovers at every auto show and is the topic of every chat during press days. After attending endless press conferences and walking the floor until my feet ached in Detroit, I came away with this: upscale SUVs are getting smaller. The new ones certainly gave me a "Honey, I shrunk the SUV" impression.

Small SUVs are not a new thing. In fact, it's a category that's now quite saturated in the $20,000 to $30,000 price bracket - playgrounds of the successful Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. But not just "affordable models, but also compact, sporty, upscale versions, such as the BMW X3 and to some extent the Land Rover LR2. Now, an entire wave of these versatile lux-boxes is coming. The Acura RDX arrived in 2006 and the Infiniti EX35 is just hitting the streets. In Detroit, the Cadillac Provoq, Mercedes-Benz GLK, and Saab 9-4X were shown in concept form, and provided the decor for the obligatory token green power of hydrogen, diesel, or ethanol powertrain. Tucked in a corner, was a production version of the Volkswagen Tiguan. The list grows with the imminent Audi Q5 and the Volvo XC60. (The latter will be unveiled at the Geneva auto show in March.)

Some say that this is too small a niche, but with the current aura of guilt surrounding SUVs, this move makes a lot of sense. I don't know anyone who has owned an SUV in the last decade who wants to give up the versatility, raised stance, and AWD in their next vehicle. But virtually all of these owners are eager to get better fuel economy and a more manageable SUV that is easier to park and more maneuverable. I'm also hearing a lot of owners asking that their next vehicles have high levels of luxury amenities and sporty on-road dynamics. Models in this emerging sub-category might fulfill these demands.

This year's Detroit auto show theme was in stark contrast to years past, where bigger was most certainly better. But now, instead of high-horsepower V8s, big performance and size, there was more greenness and downsizing in the air. The "next big thing" seems to actually be downsizing, which might be the right thing for many consumers.

—Gabe Shenhar

See our complete coverage of the 2008 Detroit auto show. And discuss the event in our auto show forum.

                                                                                                           

                   

 

Crash test videos

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently announced crash test results for 10 convertibles.  See how the models fared by watching the videos of their performance on the front- and side-impact tests.  The top performers were the Saab 9-3 and Volvo C70, both of which earned the Institute's highest Top Safety Pick award. The Chrysler Sebring, Mitsubishi Eclipse and Volkswagen Eos all earned a score of Good in the front and side crash tests. The Ford Mustang and Toyota Camry Solara earned Good or Acceptable scores in both front- and side-crash tests. The BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, and Pontiac G6 convertibles had marginal scores in the side-crash test and were either Good or Acceptable in the front protection.  See more of the Institute’s crash test videos by selecting a model from over 150 vehicles tested in front and side crash evaluations.

Personal picks: Upscale sedans, part 4

Here are more staff perspectives on the upscale sedans test group:

Jeff Bartlett: I recently spent several days in the Lincoln MKZ. The experience has reminded me of two things I very much enjoy: the Ford Fusion and $10,000 in the bank. While it is a solid sedan, for my money, there are more enticing near-lux cars, including the magnificent Infiniti G35 and the enticing Acura TL. That said, it has been hard rotating through these four-door indulgence machines having just spent quality time in the latest family sedans. In their top trims, the well-rated Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, and Toyota Camry all provide 90 percent of the feature amenities and similar power compared to their uppercrust stablemates from their respective manufacturers' luxury divisions. When staring down a payment, the prestige branding and elite engineering isn't enough to justify the extra expense for me month after month. I find no shame in driving a reliable, refined family sedan. In fact, I think there is great solace in making a smart purchase decision. And, ideally, a few nickels left over.

Jim Travers: Three cheers for the Saab 9-5! Or actually, make that just two. One from me, and one from Mike Quincy. Reading the logbook stashed in the glove compartment, CU staffers have filled pages with complaints about the Saab's antiquated design, quirky controls, $38,000 price, and creaky body structure. I can't argue with any of that.

But what the Saab does have is enough personality to give a chapter of Toastmasters International a run for their money, and that's refreshing in a group of such highly competent sedans, some of which are crushingly boring to drive or even to look at. And many are even pricier than the Saab.

In addition to distinctive styling, an admirable and increasingly rare quality in any automobile these days, the 9-5 has an airy cabin with good visibility--something else that's getting harder and harder to find. The steering is nicely weighted and offers good feedback, and the car has plenty of grip in corners. The 260-horsepower, turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine delivers plenty of acceleration, and I found myself taking the long way home more than once because I was enjoying the drive so much.

Yes, the Saab is quirky, and in this car some of the quirkiness seems oddly contrived. Even a dedicated Saabophile might be able to do without the floor-mounted key at this point, and chances are it's not going to help attract all those young, upscale car buyers we keep hearing about at car shows. Weirder still is the whole "Born from jets" thing. Designing a flimsy overhead light to look like a reading lamp in a 737 is a stretch, and the two-bell warning for those who neglect to fasten their seatbelt is an even bigger stretch. At least leg room isn't compromised for the sake of Swedish charm.

I like this car, if for no other reasons than it's different and fun to drive.  Would I buy one? Um, let me get back to you on that.

Saab, Volvo best in first-ever IIHS convertible crash tests

For the first time, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has tested 10 convertibles and found five that offer good crash protection.

The Saab 9-3 and Volvo C70 earned the Institute's highest Top Safety Pick award. And the Chrysler Sebring, Mitsubishi Eclipse, and Volkswagen Eos all earned Good scores in both front- and side-crash tests. The Ford Mustang and Toyota Camry Solara earned Good or Acceptable scores in both front- and side-crash tests.

IIHS rates vehicles on a scale of Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Poor. The BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, and Pontiac G6 convertibles had marginal scores in the side-crash test.

Side-crash protection is challenging in a convertible. Most Good-rated, hard-top cars use a curtain head-protection and/or side air bag combination. The Volvo is the only convertible here to use a curtain air bag, although the Volkswagen side air bag (shown) did reduce the risk of significant driver injury.

The IIHS side-crash test mimics the front of a midsized SUV striking the side of the car at 35 mph. The front test simulates two vehicles each traveling 40 mph striking head-on with only the center and driver's side of the vehicle making contact, as happens in many real-world accidents.

The Institute also rates vehicles for their whiplash protection in rear crashes. Only the Saab and the Volvo achieved Good rear-crash scores. The Mitsubishi Eclipse, Pontiac G6, and Volkswagen Eos were Marginal. All others were Poor.

Rollover protection is also important in convertibles, and five of the cars -- the Audi, BMW, Saab, Volvo, and Volkswagen -- have both standard roll bars and electronic stability control. Electronic stability control has been shown to reduce deaths in single car accidents by 56 percent by reducing the likelihood that the vehicle will roll over. Stability control is optional on the Chrysler Sebring, Pontiac G6, and Toyota Solara, but not available on the Ford Mustang and Mitsubishi Eclipse.

Of these convertibles, we have only tested the Mustang and the Solara. We continue to recommend the Solara, but we do not recommend the Mustang because of its below-average reliability.  Look for a test of the new hard-top convertible models (Chrysler Sebring, Pontiac G6, Volkswagen Eos, and Volvo C70), as well as the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, sometime next year.

To see how other models have performed in IIHS evaluations, select from crash test videos on more than 150 models.

--Eric Evarts

Personal Picks: Upscale sedans, part 2

Here are more staff perspectives on the upscale sedans test group:

Jake Fisher: This month’s pick is easy! The Infiniti G35 is amazing. The car drives like 300-hp Miata with room for four. With its quick reflexes and progressive breakaway, the rear-drive model is one of the most rewarding cars to drive on our track. My boss might take the cost of a set of tires out of my pay, but it was worth it!!

Tom Mutchler: As a champion of the creed “driving a slow car fast is more fun than driving a fast car slow,” I have a crisis of confidence here. That mantra would have me picking an Acura TSX with the six-speed manual. It feels light and nimble on its feet, four-cylinders are certainly enough, and a sub-$30,000 price tag is pleasing.

But. My colleague Jake Fisher calls the stunningly-fast Infiniti G35 a “four-door Miata.” (And we know how much Tom loves the Miata: ED.) That’s good enough for me; I’m sold. The G packs 306 horsepower and great handling, but it still cossets with a beautiful and comfortable interior with optional state-of-the-art electronics. More telling, along with the Infiniti M35, the G35 has squelched my long-held desires to own a BMW sedan. Sure, the 3 Series has a bit better steering feel and ride, but the difference is nuanced and the G is no slouch in those regards. (Never mind the G35’s much cheaper price, or its huge base power advantage, or that Infiniti, thankfully, didn’t go and redesign/overcomplicate simple controls like BMW did to the 3’s turn signal lever or the panel dimmer control….)

Mike Quincy: I know my colleagues are going to bust a gut laughing at this one, but my pick for this month is the Saab 9-5. I realize that it’s one of the bottom-rated models within this category (and it came in dead-last in this test group), but for some reason the old 9-5 still speaks to me. Maybe it’s the steering feedback or the thrust of the turbocharged engine… I don’t know exactly why I like it. Or, perhaps when I was in college, a Saab was THE car to own – and I never came close. I like the way the 9-5 looks, and I fit well in the seats. Most of the other cars are faster, handle better and a few get better fuel economy. But I find that the Lexus ES350 has no soul, the Nissan Maxima is boring, the Lincoln MKZ does nothing for me that the cheaper Fusion doesn’t do, and I’m MUCH too young to fall in love with the Buick Lucerne (but its V8 engine is a gem). I really like the G35. It’s so clearly an engineering marvel-–I spent a great deal of time driving our RWD model back from North Carolina–-but when it came time to pluck a set of keys off of our car board, I kept reaching for the 9-5. Personality goes a long way with me, and what the 9-5 gives up in performance to the G, it more than makes up for it with character.

From the logbook: Saab 9-5

With over 100 years of combined auto-testing experience, the engineers and support staff at our 327-acre facility run our cars through a series of more than 50 tests and evaluations. And every car is equipped with a logbook so that each driver can write down his/her thoughts on what works...and what doesn't. As we do each week on the blog, we've gathered highlights from a newer test model to share our raw first impressions.

The Saab 9-5 was introduced in 1998, and while it was freshened in 2002 and 2006, it has changed little since it launched. With that in mind, here's a snapshot of what we think of our 2007 Saab 9-5 sedan (stickered at $38,310), which we equipped with the optional five-speed automatic transmission:

"[The 9-5] has gone way beyond quirky to just plain being old."

"Too much road and wind noise."

"Good high-speed cruiser with linear steering and good grip, but a fidgety ride."

"The seats are not all they're cracked up to be--flat, slippery, soft underneath, narrow, not enough lumbar."

"Good seat heaters."

"Cramped rear seat for teenagers."

"The cup holder under the arm rest is not useful to anyone."

"Clumsy cruise control is not intuitive at all."

"Auto windshield wipers rarely work at the appropriate speed."

"There's not enough telescope range on the steering wheel, and it's slightly canted toward the driver on the right."

"Some of the decisions GM/Saab made for the interior baffle me: I mean, why use a ',' to separate the 10ths of digits in the odometer - like '24,6' - instead of '24.6'?"

"Strong power, but these [unrefined] four-cylinder noises are out of place in a $38,000 car."

"Good headlights and the 'Night Panel' feature is a nice gimmick for nocturnal types."

"Acura TL does everything better for less money."

Clearly, despite its updates, the 9-5 is up against some stiff competition. We'll have more on this and other upscale sedans soon. -- Mike Quincy