Auto Trend and Auto Insurance News

The RDX, as in Acura RDX from Honda, is a Japanese SUV. This key, on my new custom Acura key chain, operates a worldly vehicle. The creators are Japanese, but it was designed for the American market. The topper is that it drives like a German sports car.

My satin chrome valet key chain is engineered to last a lifetime, just like my new Acura RDX. The valet key chain is designed to come apart so the vehicle key will be on one end and the home and office keys will be on the other. It is really two key chains in one. The Acura RDX is really two vehicles in one, a sporty sedan, and a load carrying SUV perfect for all those outdoor trips camping or skiing. Just check out the innovative storage compartments, plus comfortable seating for five in this shamelessly under priced car.

The Acura RDX is turbo charged, and when it kicks in, it makes a wonderful whooshing sound. It has the same excitement factor when driving that can be possible with the BMW 3 series. You are strongly tempted to pull out all the stops and drive it hard. In a 1,000 mile southern California comparison test with 4 compact SUVs, the RDX came is first, no sweat.

Comfort along with major performance is the goal of over 20 years of research and development. A good example of high tech is the tilt steering wheel which also telescopes. Safety has not been neglected with the Acura RDX. It was rated highest (5 stars) in frontal and side crash tests, as well as having electronic stability control. No wonder this company is a leader in safety, putting into practice their goals of creating and improving an environmentally sound line of automobiles.

Acura’s concern with the environment includes recognizing the impact they have on the community in Lincoln, Alabama where the factory is located. Acura has made it a point to preserve the environment at the manufacturing facility and beyond by installing state of the art pollution control devices. Acura commits to efficiently using materials and energy to preserve the natural state of their factory location. The goal of producing greener, more fuel efficient cars, with lower emissions, and excellent aerodynamic designs, keeps everyone striving to build better automobiles and environment.

Acura has just celebrated their 20th anniversary of producing better and better cars. Among the innovations, are offering up to $1,000 towards the cost of aftermarket adaptive equipment so those with disabilities will have the same opportunities to drive and ride in this vehicle.

Just as the Acura has several models in their line of vehicles, there are also several choices in the style of key chain, you choose to compliment your car. Most of these are designed to be handsome and long lasting, can be customized, and may well be the collectible of the future. So you may want to order more than one of them, so you and your spouse and everyone else in the family can each have one.

Overview

Forty-some years ago, a famous Land Rover magazine ad tallied the record number of times one of these stalwart vehicles had been gored by a Rhinoceros: “If you know of a Land Rover that has been gored more times, or by more Rhinoceroses, please contact us. . . .” The ad was deliberate camp, and a blatant parody of a famous Rolls-Royce ad of the same period. But its point was clear, and essentially true: If you needed to drive where Rhinoceros encounters were a genuine possibility, then the Land Rover was your baby. Whereas if quiet highway cruising was your goal, well then, old boy, you might do as well to shop elsewhere.

Four decades later, Rhinoceroses are still rarely encountered in upmarket suburbs; whereas comfortable, competent, even sporty SUV-like vehicles such as the BMW X5, Cadillac SRX, Infiniti FX, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, and Porsche Cayenne frequently are. And competition from these vehicles, more than the occasional large horn driven angrily through an aluminum door, constitutes the biggest threat to Land Rover’s territorial dominance.

So just last year (2006) Land Rover released the all-new Range Rover Sport: Spirited, sporty, agile, with a snazzy look. (OK, maybe not all that snazzy, but for a Range Rover, it’s snazzy.) And frankly more comfortable on the road than off.

Range Rover Sport also plugs a gap in the Land Rover model range, between the full-size, hyper-expensive Range Rover and the entry-level, family-friendly LR3. Range Rover Sport is in fact built on a mechanical platform derived from the LR3, but with a shorter wheelbase that emphasizes handling over seven-passenger capacity. Sport also costs a solid $20,000 less than the full-size Range Rover, but only about $4,000 more than a fully equipped LR3.

New for 2007: Standard equipment levels are improved with the addition of a Personal Telephone Integration System with Bluetooth capability, and one-touch power window operation at the front passenger’s position. The Dynamic Response System, exclusive to the Supercharged model last year, is now available (along with Brembo disc brakes) on the HSE. Supercharged Sports now come standard with Sirius Satellite Radio; and with a choice of Line Oak or Cherry interior wood, Lux or Sport leather, and standard or Stormer 20-inch wheels.

Model Lineup

Land Rover makes shopping for the Range Rover Sport easy. Just two versions are available, the HSE ($57,235) and the Supercharged ($70,535). The HSE comes with a 300-horsepower, 4.4-liter V8. Not surprisingly, the Supercharged has a supercharged V8 displacing 4.2 liters and making 390 horsepower. Both engines drive through the same six-speed CommandShift automatic that’s also fitted in the top-of-the-line Range Rover. Full-time four-wheel drive with a two-speed, shift-on-the-fly, electronic transfer case is standard, as is an electronically controlled, locking center differential. Optional is a rear differential lock ($500).

Standard amenities include dual-zone, automatic climate control; cruise control; eight-way power front seats; power outside mirrors, central locks and windows (now with one-touch operation from the front passenger’s position); three memory settings for driver’s seat and mirrors; digital, 13-speaker, surround-sound AM/FM/CD stereo with six-disc, in-dash changer and auxiliary audio inputs; sunroof; front and rear park assist; five function-programmable key fob; a new Personal Telephone Integration System with Bluetooth capability; and a DVD-based GPS navigation system with voice recognition and dash-mounted, seven-inch, touch-screen LCD display incorporating a picture-in-picture monitor of 4X4 settings and status.

Ride and handling features include Dynamic Stability Control and Active Roll Mitigation, which combine to heighten directional control and rollover resistance; Hill Descent Control, which automatically applies appropriate braking on steep downhill inclines; Terrain Response, a manually selectable set of four pre-programmed suspension and engine management settings for various off-road conditions; and, of course, Land Rover’s trademark load-leveling, height-adjustable air suspension.

Options for HSE include a rear-seat entertainment system ($2,500) consisting of two displays integrated into the back sides of the front seat head restraints, a six-disc CD changer, touchscreen interface, two wireless head sets and a wireless remote control; Sirius Satellite Radio ($400 plus subscription fee); and 20-inch alloy wheels ($4,000).

There’s also a Cold Climate package ($1,300) with heated seats all ’round and heated windshield and washer jets; a Luxury Package ($3,000), with upgraded leather upholstery, cherry wood trim, a center console cool box, the Cold Climate package, and adaptive headlights that pivot when you turn the steering wheel; and a Dynamic Response Package ($2,000) that combines Brembo front brakes with the Dynamic Response System, which electronically adjusts the stabilizer bars for optimal cornering.

The Supercharged model, or S/C, comes standard with everything on the HSE plus the Luxury, Cold Climate, and Dynamic Response packages; Sirius Satellite Radio; and 20-inch alloy wheels. Stormer alloys of equal size are an exclusive S/C option ($1,000), as is Adaptive Cruise Control ($2,000). S/C buyers can choose Lined Oak or Cherry wood interior trim, and Lux or Sport leather with no extra charge for either. Otherwise, the S/C offers the same options (at the same prices) as the HSE.

Safety features on the Range Rover Sport comprise twin, dual-stage front airbags; front seat-mounted side airbags for torso protection; full-coverage side curtain airbags to protect against head injury in side-impacts and rollovers; child safety seat anchors (LATCH); antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist; and all-terrain traction control.

SUVs began life as trucks. Trucks are bouncy and push a lot of air, which requires a lot of gas, and they’re hard to maneuver. No fun. So SUV makers with sports car genetics, such as BMW and Porsche, have tried to marry fun driving with truck utility.

The BMW X5 is a V8-powered SUV aimed to provide the driving fun of a sport sedan. A mid-size luxury SUV, the first X5 was introduced for the 2000 model year. It was a trim-looking, tightly handling, tall-riding wagon. We drove this model with its 4.4-liter engine several thousand miles. It was short on utility, which is these days described as the ability to carry bikes and boards (sand, surf, sail, skate and snow), which the original short X5 could barely accommodate. In fact, it had less cargo space than a 5 Series wagon. A bigger BMW X5 would better meet the requirements of luxury SUV buyers, more in line with SUVs from Cadillac, Mercedes, Acura, Audi, and Volvo.

For 2007, BMW stretched the X5 seven inches, while preserving its ability to handle well and be nearly as fun to drive as BMW’s sport sedans. BMW also expanded the height and width of the wagon two inches each dimension. This bigger X5 is known as the second-generation X5, same name, bigger body.

A BMW X5 adds a dimension to its intended tasks, traveling to places where active, fun sports take place, for example. Instead of hauling equipment and gear, the X5 gives sensitive automotive connoisseurs the top equipment they want to enjoy the activity of driving as much as possible. That’s why BMW is trying to get its SUVs to be called SAVs, for sport activity vehicle. In other words, it’s better for driving than hauling. This is not the wagon you fill with mulch for the garden and lumber to finish the basement. This is the car you take to the resort, and enjoy the drive, no matter the weather.

Powerful, smooth engines propel the X5 and exhilarate the driver with quick reflexes. Handling is intuitive, like a sculpted water ski, and ride is supple, like a freshly adjusted and tuned full-suspension titanium Merlin mountain bike. If you enjoy the sport of driving, you’ll like the dynamics of the X5 every bit as much as the nimble old X5. That’s a tough feat to pull off, since the new X5 outweighs the old one by about 400 pounds. A new suspension design and special variable ratio steering contributes greatly to the ride and handling.

Like other BMWs and the previous X5, the 2007 BMW X5 is pretty, with swoopy sheetmetal, a trademark double-grille fashionable nose, and deep, shiny metallic paint. Now this new version of the SUV fashion statement will hold more of the gear and boards that active folks use.

Model Lineup

The 2007 BMW X5 comes in a choice of two models, distinguished by engine.

The BMW X5 3.0i ($45,900) is powered by a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine that makes 260 horsepower.

The BMW X5 4.8i ($54,500) is powered by a newer 350-hp 4.8-liter V8 engine. The 4.8-liter model also makes available a host of extra high-tech gizmos, such as headlights that move with steering inputs, multiple variable electrically operated front seats, and both models include the iDrive control for the navigation, climate, entertainment, and personal preference functions.

Options include a premium sound system with a six-CD changer ($1,800); rear privacy glass and front and rear climate zones ($700); driver’s massage seat and front seats with fan-powered ventilation and multiple adjustable contours ($2,100); DVD rear-seat entertainment system ($1,800); satellite radio ($595); rear-view camera with parking assist system, satellite navigation, voice activation for some functions, and traffic information ($2,600); integrated garage opener and light switches, full-roof sunroof and power shade, auto dimming mirrors, adjustable lumbar supports, cargo cover, compass, vanity lights, and a live service assistance with Bluetooth phone function ($2,650); front seat heaters, headlight washers, heated wheel, and ski cover for luggage compartment pass-through ($900); leather steering wheel, 19-inch wheels, run-flat tires, anti-roll-over stability system, electronic damping control, larger seat bolsters ($3,600).

Safety features include the mandated dual front airbags which have two-stage threshold activation, plus side-curtain airbags for head protection and side-impact airbags built into the front seats. Active safety features include anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, all-wheel drive, traction control, front seatbelt pretensioners and force limiters, adaptive headlights and cornering lights. Optional safety features include a rearview camera and parking assist as part of a Technology Package ($2,600), and anti-roll stability system and run-flat tires as part of a Sport Package ($3,600).

Buick was the special child in the GM family: the beautiful and temperamental second-oldest daughter that somehow always got the most attention from Daddy. Sure, oldest daughter Caddy got to wear the family jewels and formal gowns, but Buick was lavished with style. Whether it was Harley Earl or Bill Mitchell, GM’s top stylists always blessed Buick with their best efforts. For decades, Buick was maintained in the style to which she had become accustomed, and remained America’s fashion-conscious upscale buyers’ wheels of choice. And then, not.

Scotsman David Dunbar Buick founded his eponymous automobile company in 1903. The following year, the inventor of the overhead valve engine sold the struggling concern to James Whiting, an ambitious wagon builder. Whiting turned to William Durant to help jump start Buick.

With an excellent product to sell (the Model C), Durant’s energy, affability and marketing genius ensured Buick’s ascension to profit and glory. Durant used Buick’s revenues to acquire dozens of other automakers and form General Motors.

Right from the get-go, Buick was GM’s anchor brand. Durant capitalized on the company’s engineering excellence and reputation to expand sales around the globe. In 1926, Buick sold a then-staggering 260k cars.

The Great Depression hit the brakes but good; annual Buick sales plummeted below 40k. GM President and future CEO Alfred Sloan used the downturn to rationalize GM’s brand portfolio. He slotted the consummate “doctor’s car” between affordable Oldsmobile and unapproachable Cadillac.

Priced at around $40k to $65k in today’s dollars, pre-war Buicks were the Lexi of their time: refined, smooth, powerful, elegant and built to last. They were the consummate “doctor’s car.”

By the late thirties, GM’s inter-brand demarcations had begun their inexorable erosion. Buick’s product line overlapped a significant portion of Olds’ and Pontiac’s price range. As internal competition intensified, Buick cultivated two selling points to stay ahead: performance and style.

Throughout the ‘30’s and into the ‘40’s, Buick espoused its General Manager’s “more speed for less money” maxim. In 1936, Buick had a brand-new 320-cid 120hp straight-eight, designed for the large and heavy Series 80/90. When the company shoehorned the big eight into the smaller and lighter Series 40, it was dubbed Century, for its readily attained top speed. Thus the first factory production “hot-rod” was born.

When Harley Earl joined GM in 1927, he created the Arts and Color Section: the car world’s prototype styling studio. Earl used the Buick brand to showcase his most significant creative output.

Earl’s Buick Y-Job of 1938 was the world’s first dream-car. Unlike the European salon specials sold to exclusive buyers, the Y-Job’s was created to build excitement for future GM products, and showcase their styling direction. The Y-Job succeeded brilliantly; it solidified GM’s global styling leadership. And Buick’s.

The 1951 Buick LeSabre and XP-300 dream cars initiated the GM Motorama era, a grand traveling carnival of GM-think. Until 1961, Motoramas showed Americans a tempting glimpse of the (ever better) good life to come, from cars to kitchen appliances. And GMAC would finance the dream.

The consumer era was now in high gear, and Buick style led the way.

Buick enjoyed its greatest market-share success in the mid-fifties. From 1954 through 1956, Buick was America’s third most popular automotive brand. During those heady days, models like the Century, Super, Roadmaster and Special defined affordable American automotive luxury, class and power.

In ’57, Plymouth’s radical models pushed Buick back to number four. But it was Buick’s horrendously overwrought ’58 models that really hurt. Renaming 1959’s Buick entire line-up (LeSabre, Invicta and Electra) didn’t help. By 1960, Buick’s market position had tumbled to ninth.

Buick desperately needed a new make-up artist, and found it in Bill Mitchell. The 1963 Riviera coupe was Mitchell’s tour-de-force: one of the most beautiful American cars of the post-war era. It had the class, cachet and authenticity of a Mercedes CL or Bentley Continental. The Riviera’s halo effect worked; by 1965, Buick was back to fifth place.

Fast forward a decade, and Buick’s hot new coupe is the execrable Skyhawk, a clone of Chevy’s Vega-based Monza. Alternatively, Buick intenders could contemplate the Skylark, a padded landau-roofed version of Chevy’s Nova.

The preceding and ensuing string of badge-engineered disasters were unleashed at the exact moment when Buick needed to strengthen its roots– style, performance and quality. Up-scale import competition from Mercedes, BMW, Audi and later, Lexus, stole traditional Buick customers by the tens of thousands.

Buick’s subsequent decline is too painful to describe in detail, especially during the mid to late eighties. After that, it was either too little too late, or another kick in the groin, like the Rendezvous.

No wonder Buick packed her bags and slipped away to China, where she’s once again adored and idolized. All she left behind moldering in American showrooms are ghosts, pale shadows of her former stylish self. And plenty of beautiful memories.

BMW AG has made it official: It will build the next generation of the X3 SUV in-house, at its plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, when its current contract runs out in 2010–2011.

While not unexpected, it is a blow for Magna International which currently assembles the X3 for BMW at its Magna Steyr plant in Graz, Austria. In preparation for the addition of the X3, which launched in January 2004, Magna purchased its next-door neighbor, Chrysler’s Eurostar plant that was making minivans and PT Cruisers. Once Magna owned the whole complex, minivan production moved to Magna’s original plant; PT Cruisers were consolidated at the Toluca, Mexico, plant; and the vacated Eurostar space was prepped to set Magna up as the sole source for the new BMW.

In 2006, the X3 represented about 45 percent of Graz’s total vehicle output. But the writing has been on the wall since BMW officials began suggesting the next X3 could share underpinnings with the Z4—and both could end up adopting the new 3-series architecture.

BMW is spending $3 billion to expand capacity at Spartanburg within three years from 140,000 units annually to 200,000. It already revamped operations, replacing two separate assembly lines with a single flexible one that builds the Z4 and the midsize X5 SUV. The new coupe-shaped X6 (based on the X5) also will be sourced out of South Carolina next year. The continued strength of the euro vs. the dollar is one of the reasons for building more of the BMW lineup in the U.S.

Meanwhile, Magna, which specializes in niche-vehicle production, says it is talking to customers to fill the excess capacity that looms in a couple years. That includes discussions with BMW, which is studying whether to source a different vehicle from Graz. The German automaker could be mulling something along the lines of the Concept CS revealed last month at the Shanghai auto show, and based on the 7-series. Or a smaller luxury sports tourer, based on the 5-series, could be under consideration.

It’s not been a good week for Magna. The Canadian parts maker also learned it lost out on its bid to buy Chrysler Group. Cerberus Capital Management is buying an 80.1 percent stake in the automaker in a deal expected to close in the third quarter.

The 2007 Suzuki SX4 takes over for the Suzuki Aerio SX as the most affordable all-wheel-drive car sold in the U.S. It derives from an established overseas model, the Swift, and boasts a generous list of standard safety features.

Exterior
Despite a roomy interior and good safety ratings, the quirky-looking Aerio SX four-door hatchback never caught on in the U.S. The SX4 is a less distinctive but more athletic looking little four-door, five-seat hatchback that should compete well with the current crop of subcompact and compact cars. Its 16-inch alloy wheels help the SX4 look like more than an econobox.

Interior
The SX4’s interior improves somewhat over that of the Aerio, with more variation in the color pallet. The backseat is more than workable for an adult, both in headroom and legroom. The backseat is split, 60/40, and can be both folded flat and tumbled forward to free cargo space. Even with the backseat raised, the cargo volume is a respectable 9.5 cubic feet — 22 cubic feet with the seats folded.

Under the Hood
The SX4 uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 143 horsepower. The standard transmission is a five-speed manual; a four-speed automatic is optional. All-wheel drive is standard with either gearbox. Suzuki estimates the gas mileage as 24/29 mpg (city/highway) with the manual transmission and 24/30 mpg with the automatic.

Safety
The SX4’s safety feature complement includes four-wheel-disc antilock brakes; frontal, side impact and side curtain-type airbags; and, with the optional Premium package, an electronic stability system.
The 2007 Suzuki SX4 AWD is a small hatchback station wagon designed for urban commuting. But we also drove it long distances on the highway, where its performance was competent, but less than thrilling.

Still, my assistant, Ria Manglapus, and I gave it thumbs-up.

“It’s a fun little car,” said Ria, who was able to fit her two sons and mother into the SX4 without anyone complaining about comfort. “It just needs a sixth gear for highway driving.”

She’s right. In the top gear of the SX4’s five-speed manual transmission, the wagon’s two-liter, in-line four-cylinder, 143-horsepower engine whines at maximum legal speeds of 65 and 70 mph. But the car remains stable and always manages to change lanes safely. But highway running clearly is not its forte. The city is where the little SX4 shines.

At urban street speeds of 25 to 40 mph, it’s zippy. It easily moves through city traffic. It is agile enough to stay out of the way of big delivery and construction trucks, even when the drivers of those behemoths seem intent on blocking the SX4’s path and squishing it and everything else in its subcompact category.

As a result, city driving in the SX4 is enjoyable. At a base price of $14,999, the car is cheap enough to free you of the anxiety associated with driving high-end automobiles in downtown areas. Many of you know the feeling: “Stay away from my Lexus! You’re too close to my Mercedes-Benz! If you scratch my Cadillac, if you bump my BMW, you’re gonna pay.”

In comparison, driving the SX4 is akin to strolling a boulevard sidewalk in a favorite pair of sneakers. They feel good, look good. You wouldn’t deliberately scuff or muddy them. But you wouldn’t have a heart attack if you did.

That does not mean the SX4 is a disposable car. In fact, it’s rather classy — probably the best-designed, best-built, best-looking automobile Suzuki has brought to America since it set up shop in this country in 1963.

Exterior design is cute, attractive enough to draw affectionate smiles. The interior is simple, yet elegant. And it’s big enough — as Ria so amply demonstrated with nuclear and extended family members — to comfortably seat five people.

If Suzuki could add “best-engineered” to the SX4’s commendable list of “bests,” the car would be a solid, all-around winner.

Here’s the problem: It’s no big deal to lack a sixth gear if the vehicle in question is of suitable weight. The SX4’s problem is that it’s a little tank. At a factory weight of 2,904 pounds, it is almost as heavy as many mid-size automobiles, which is too heavy for a car in the subcompact class.

The excess fat is in the SX4’s three-way all-wheel-drive system, which can be locked into full four-wheel-drive for better traction, adjusted for automatic wheel-to-wheel power shifts in all-wheel-drive, or allowed to operate in front-wheel-drive only. Choice is wonderful. But so much choice in a small economy car is unwarranted and harmful to something that really matters in this league — fuel economy.

For example, running in full four-wheel-lock, the SX4 averages 23 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. In front-wheel-drive only, it averages 24 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway. While those numbers would be acceptable, perhaps commendable in larger vehicles, they are decidedly subpar in a subcompact model.

Yet, the SX4 remains a worthy competitor in this segment. It is loaded with standard equipment — four-wheel disc brakes with antilock protection, side air bags, front and rear head air bags, power windows and locks, a four-speaker MP3 audio system, and a transferable 100,000-mile or seven-year warranty to help support resale value. It is well-built and affordable. For many city dwellers, especially those living on tight budgets, it’s a good deal.

Nuts & Bolts 2007 Suzuki SX4 AWD

Complaints: The little car is too heavy. A simple all-wheel-drive system in which power automatically shifts from slipping to gripping wheels would have been more suitable for this one.

Ride, acceleration and handling: The SX4 performs beautifully in all three categories in city driving. But it has the finesse of a little pig on the highway.

Head-turning quotient: Many positive nods towards this one. Someone at Suzuki finally has learned something about styling.

Vehicle design/layout: The SX4 is a front-engine, all-wheel-drive, subcompact economy wagon with four side doors and a rear hatch. The all-wheel-drive system can be adjusted three ways: full four-wheel-drive, automatic all-wheel-drive and front-wheel drive. There are two trim levels — the tested Base model and the better-equipped Sport.

Engine/transmission: The SX4 comes with a standard two-liter, 16-valve, in-line four-cylinder engine that develops 143 horsepower at 5,600 revolutions per minute and 136 foot-pounds of torque at 3,500 rpm. The engine is linked to a five-speed manual transmission.

Capacities: There is seating for five. With rear seats up, cargo capacity is 38.1 cubic feet. With rear seats down, it’s 54 cubic feet. The fuel tank holds 11 gallons of recommended regular unleaded gasoline.

Mileage: Our best highway mileage came in front-wheel-drive mode at 29 miles per gallon. Our worst was in full four-wheel-drive mode at 26 mpg.

Safety: Four-wheel antilock disc brakes. Front-passenger side air bags, and front and rear head air bags are standard.

Price: Base price on the tested Suzuki SX4 is $14,999. Dealer’s invoice price on the base model is $14,399. Price as tested, including a $595 destination charge, is $15,594. Dealer’s price as tested is $14,994. Prices supplied by Suzuki, http://www.edmunds.com, and http://www.cars.com, an affiliate of The Washington Post.

Purse-strings note: The Suzuki SX4 is the most affordable all-wheel-drive vehicle currently on sale in America. But in the overall subcompact car category, it’s surrounded by tough competitors, including the Chevrolet Aveo, Ford Focus, Honda Fit, Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris and Subaru Impreza.
Kia and Hyundai have loudly made inroads into the US auto market recently, but Suzuki also is attempting to establish a bigger presence.

Consider today’s test car, the 2007 SX4. Parents sometimes ask what to buy for their kids. From now on, this will be one of the cars I suggest.

First, at $16,000, I can’t find a less expensive all-wheel-drive car. Second, it is chock full of air bags. And third, the blend of modest performance and utility is just fine for driving in New England weather conditions.

The road suitability is mostly because the car comes equipped with a three-level system called i-AWD (intelligent all-wheel drive). The first level powers only the front wheels, appropriate for normal running and to save fuel. True full-time AWD systems use more gas.

But on a slippery highway or back road, click into AWD Auto. It monitors wheel slip and sends power where you need it most — fore or aft — and operates in front-wheel drive only under normal driving conditions.

If you need to slog through deeper snow or require traction in getting to a backroad venue — or you just don’t have time to shovel out in the morning before work — there’s another option: AWD Lock. It delivers 30 to 50 percent of the power to the rear, but all four wheels are always working. It cuts out at 36 miles per hour.

Even as I write about the SX4’s features, I have to keep reminding myself that it’s a $16,000 car. So it’s got to be cheap, right? Not at all. True, the seats aren’t leather, there’s no voice announcing when to make a left turn, and if your steering wheel is cold, you wear gloves.

But the SX4 is roomy, particularly for four passengers, and with a high roofline it has the spacious feel of some far larger cars.

The textured dash slopes gently toward the driver’s compartment and features a center control pod, with a brushed metal-look plastic that nicely hides any cost savings. The knobs and buttons for audio and climate control are easily manipulated. And a radio/CD player with MP3 capability is standard.

The car is powered by a 2.0-liter, inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 143 horsepower and 136 lb.-ft. of torque. Four-speed automatic and five-speed manual transmissions are also available. Understand that you are not going drag racing in this car, and you won’t win the Mount Washington Auto Road climb. You will, however, roll just fine as long as you don’t expect to beat a Subaru WRX Sti from a red light.

You will also need to anticipate when it’s time to pass another car, because the SX4 tends to run out of oomph at somewhere just above 4,000 r.p.m. It is stiffly stable on the road and sits firm, owing largely to antiroll bars front and rear. There is a tendency to oversteer, but it’s fairly benign.

Outside, the nose is short and raked backward rather aggressively so that the view from the inside reveals little of the hood. The windshield rises long and fast. From there, the SX4 turns into a small station wagon — it has a flat roof with rails that lead to a rather sudden drop-off at a chopped rear gate.

Standard safety equipment includes ABS and driver and passenger front and side bags, and curtain bags front and rear. Move up to the SX4 Sport package to add electronic stability and traction control. It’s $1,000 well spent, plus you get other goodies, such as an upgraded sound system with a six-CD changer.

Other standard gear includes a 60/40 split folding rear seat, power windows/locks/mirrors, 16-inch alloy wheels, and remote keyless entry. There’s also a seven-year, 100,000-mile warranty.

The SX4 is a good buy.

Lexus is about 100 years younger than Mercedes-Benz, but, after 20 years of hard work, it has already surpassed M-B and all the other luxury brands in terms of quality, durability, reliability, and desirability among American buyers, an astounding performance. The flagship sedan that started out as the LS 400 and then grew up as the LS 430 has been morphed into a completely new car, the LS 460, that challenges all comers as the best luxury sedan in the world. It competes with the Mercedes-Benz E- and S-Class, and BMW 5 Series and 7 Series.

In addition to the new LS 460, there will be a long-wheelbase version called the LS 460L with a limousine-like rear seat and a hybrid version called the LS 600h, which combines a 5.0-liter version of the V8 engine with a new version of the Lexus hybrid drive system.

The all-new 2007 Lexus LS models are bristling with technology. The LS 460 is the first car in the world with a computer-controlled eight-speed automatic transmission. An optional parking guidance system uses onboard cameras to help the driver parallel-park or park between cars, a system offered by no other manufacturer. The 460L offers reclining heated bucket seats, a cool box, dual-zone rear HVAC controls, a folding table, an ottoman, a shiatsu massager, and, of course, DVD with wireless headphones.

On the road, we found the LS 460 extremely quiet and extraordinarily smooth. Its 4.6-liter V8 can propel it from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 5.4 seconds, according to Lexus, yet it gets an EPA-rated 27 mpg Highway. The eight-speed automatic is super smooth and plays a big role in the fuel-economy story. The electrically powered steering system and adjusts according to speed. The ride quality and handling are exemplary, and an optional Touring package brings a new level of sportiness to the LS 460. The brakes have been improved, and now they are fully electronically controlled, working with all of the other computers on the car to determine how much brake force to put at each individual wheel, rain, snow or sunshine.

Line Up

The 2007 Lexus LS lineup includes the LS 460 ($61,000) and the longer LS 460L ($71,000). The hybrid-powered LS 600h will be introduced later in the model year.

Options include satellite navigation with Bluetooth, XM satellite radio with real-time traffic display, Mark Levinson 19-speaker, 450-watt sound system and 30-gigabyte hard drive, a pre-collision system, dynamic radar cruise control, advanced parking guidance system, Lexus Link, power trunk opener/closer, a Comfort Package, and a Comfort Plus Package. Four different rear-seat packages are available for the 460L.

Safety is a primary consideration for luxury car buyers, and the LS 460 fairly drips with safety equipment, from eight standard air bags to ABS (anti-lock brakes), electronic brake assist, ESP (electronic stability program), adaptive front lighting that turns corners, and tire pressure monitoring. With the optional two-seat rear compartment, there is an additional air bag in the mix, and there are more safety options, including a pre-collision system that moves seats to a neutral position, closes the windows and sunroof, and tightens belts when the computers detect an impending collision.

Walkaround

Lexus designers have given their latest three models a new look. The recently redesigned Lexus ES, IS, and GS feature a look designers refer to as L-finesse, with much more attention paid to aerodynamic considerations that ultimately lead to improved high-speed stability, quieter operation, and better highway fuel mileage.

As the flagship, the new, 2007 Lexus LS 460 gets the most finesse of any of the L-finesse designs thus far. Its lines flow smoothly from its amazingly complex, crystal-like headlamp units, under the car, up over the roof and around the mirrors, with a short trip over the tiny rear deck to the integrated rear spoiler. After all that detail work on the exterior, they gave the car a drag coefficient of 0.26, tied with the best in the industry for a four-door sedan.

Interior

To climb into the left front seat of the 2007 Lexus LS 460 is to climb into the future of luxury cars. The seats are gloriously comfortable, and they are 16-way adjustable for travel and rake and tilt (12-way on the passenger side), with a three-way memory system for each front seat. All models come with perforated leather seats, with the option of semi-aniline leather with the Luxury Package option. The seat bolsters are just wide enough to retain your torso without trapping your torso or intruding on comfort. The front seats are climate-controlled on the standard car, with heated rear seats added to the L version.

Optitron is the name used by Lexus to describe its electroluminescent gauges and displays, and they are lit by bright white LEDs for excellent readability, day or night. Almost all of the needles illuminate, dominated by the large tachometer and speedometer needles. Every single switch on the car is lighted for ultimate convenience. A new thin-film-transistor (TFT) multi-information color display delivers as many as 13 information and setting displays during driving.

New four-spoke tilt-and-telescope leather-and-wood steering wheels (heated on the uplevel versions) feature redundant controls for audio, information, cruise control, radar cruise control option, telephone, and a new brake-hold feature. To use the brake-hold feature, just come to a stop, push down the brake pedal, touch the button on the steering wheel, and the brakes stay on regardless of vehicle attitude until you touch the gas pedal.

The center stack of controls is beautifully integrated, as is every single piece of interior trim, and though there are lots of buttons, they are clearly marked in large type and lighted, so there will be little confusion after a couple of drives. The navigation display is large and bright, and the graphics are crisp and sharp. An auxiliary input is provided for MP3 players, such as the Apple iPod. The standard sound system is a 276-watt, 10-speaker system that sounds wonderful until you try the optional Mark Levinson system, which we think is the single best automotive sound system on the market.

The new Lexus LS is a big, roomy and comfortable luxury sedan, with generous interior dimension and 18 cubic feet of trunk space, enough for four sets of golf clubs.

The 460L version offers more room of course, and the option of a luxurious rear-seat setup with two reclining heated bucket seats, a cool box, sunshades, additional climate ducting, and dual-zone rear HVAC control. Yet another configuration, the executive class seating package, adds a folding table and a right rear seat with a built-in ottoman section, shiatsu massager, an extra air bag, and a rear roof-mounted 9-inch DVD screen and two sets of wireless headphones. No car manufacturer this side of a $350,000 Maybach offers this kind of rear-seat setup.

The Lexus ES is all-new for 2007. Boasting a new 3.5-liter engine, the 2007 Lexus ES 350 is more powerful than last year’s ES 330. In fact, the Lexus ES with this new engine is now a serious performer. We were impressed with it and found it quick and responsive. Lexus says it can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, a solid performance from its 272-horsepower engine. Likewise, the steering and handling are much more responsive than with last year’s model.

Still, the Lexus ES is a luxury sedan that celebrates smoothness, quietude and sophistication. It doesn’t suffer the hard ride of a sports sedan. You can safely sip a cappuccino on the way to work. The ride is smooth, the engine is smooth, the transmission operation is flawless, and everything is quiet.

The Lexus ES has come a long way. When Toyota launched its Lexus brand of luxury cars in 1989, its entry-level car was the ES 250, a thinly disguised Camry chassis and powertrain with an upgraded body and interior. This car’s role was to give the new dealers some sales volume to help support the big LS 400. With each of the succeeding four generations of ES, the car has better met the needs of the upper end of the entry-luxury segment, with more room, more space, more power and more standard equipment. And more safety features. The all-new 2007 ES 350 makes the greatest single leap in ES history.

The ES uses front-wheel drive, while the Lexus IS models are rear-wheel drive. In short, the ES is designed more for luxury and a smooth, comfortable ride, while the IS models are designed more for performance and handling.

The ES 350 will compete with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3 Series, Infiniti G35 and M35, Audi A6, Saab 9-3, Volvo S60 and a host of domestics in this popular class. Pricing for the 2007 ES 350 was not available at press time.

Line Up

The 2007 Lexus ES 350 comes as one model, but the buyer can opt for a huge range of equipment by selecting Premium, Premium Plus, Ultra Luxury, Pre-Collision, and Adaptive Cruise options packages. Freestanding options include park assist, a power rear sunshade, heated and ventilated front seats, a full-size spare tire, a wood and leather trim package, and DVD navigation with backup camera.

Optional equipment includes a navigation system, satellite radio (XM or Sirius), a 14-speaker Mark Levinson stereo system, Bluetooth wireless capability for cellphones, a panoramic glass roof, and radar-adaptive cruise control.

Safety features that come standard on the ES 350 include dual front airbags, a knee airbag, side-impact airbags (for torso protection), curtain airbags (for head protection), electronic stability control, traction control, antilock brakes (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), and a tire-pressure monitor system. A new two-chamber passenger airbag is designed to stop your passenger’s upper body and torso with minimal facial contact and neck stress on deployment.

The Pre-Collision package includes a radar-based cruise control system that automatically maintains a preset distance between the ES 350 and the car ahead. If the system senses an imminent collision, it retracts all the outboard seatbelts and triggers full panic-braking power at the pedal (but it doesn’t close the windows and the sunroof like the Mercedes-Benz system).

Walkaround

The 2007 ES 350 featires the Lexus L-Finesse design scheme used on three concept cars and the GS and IS sedans, with everything emanating from the grille and flowing back over the car in hard lines. The new look brings a new level of slickness, only 0.28 coefficient of drag in the wind tunnel, making the ES 350 inherently quieter and more fuel-efficient than before.

The first thing that impressed us was the new look and more generous physical size of the car. The grille has been subdued, the headlamp units have been made smaller and less obtrusive, and the accent line along the side has been raised to yield more musculature under the skin. Now this car looks like it belongs in a Lexus showroom.

The new ES 350 was consciously upsized, to about where the original LS 400 flagship car was when it was introduced. The wheelbase is more than two inches longer at 109.25 inches, the body is wider by 0.4 inches, the track is wider by 1.2 inches, and the body has crisper, shorter overhangs along with a new front, side and rear appearance that’s much more luxurious looking than any previous ES.

About the only exterior customizing you can do other than paint and wheels is a choice of lighting, from standard projector beam to optional high-intensity discharge headlamps to optional adaptive lighting, the latter of which swings the headlamps through an arc of up to 15 degrees when turning. There are 10 colors to choose from.

The ES 350 is about 110 pounds heavier than the ES 330 due to the addition of more safety features and standard equipment built into the price.

Interior

If there is any part of this car that could be called a quantum leap, it’s the interior, which is much more together, more modern, and more fully equipped than any previous Lexus ES interior.

It starts with the standard SmartAccess key fob and push-button engine starting, a first for the ES, and goes from there. The instrument panel and center stack are completely new and much more driver-centered, engaging and involving that previous panels. The main instruments are deeply tunneled, using white LED lighting and the Optitron electroluminescent displays that are part of all Lexus models, with their eye-pleasing startup routine. The standard trip computer monitors a dozen functions. All of the real wood trim is from a matched set that is serial-numbered for future replacement, if necessary. The thick, fat steering wheel is a pleasure to use.

There’s more space overall, within a few cubic feet of the original LS 400 V8 rear-drive sedan at 95.4 cubic feet, with more shoulder and leg room built in, and the rear floor is flat and can accommodate large American feet under the seats. There are three interiors to choose from in leather, perforated leather, or cloth, plus optional semi-aniline leather.

The new ES is insulated well. At cruising speeds, it’s extremely quiet, in part due to a new acoustic-control laminated windshield.

The driving ambience is superb, with good sightlines, the hooded instruments and crisp graphics, a 10-way power seat and standard tilt/telescope steering wheel. Fit and finish inside are exemplary.

The Lexus IS 250 and IS 350 sport sedans are quick, responsive and fun to drive. Designed to compete with BMW 3 Series sedans, the Lexus IS models are built on rear-wheel-drive chassis tuned for sporty handling. They stick in corners and stop with authority, aided by high-performance brakes and tires.

The IS 350 is propelled with authority as well, benefitting from a 306-hp V6. These are enjoyable and easy cars to drive. The IS 350’s VDIM electronic stability control steps in very early to keep the driver out of trouble. The IS 250 AWD model’s all-wheel drive makes it a good sports sedan for the Snow Belt. The automatic transmissions are responsive and feature paddle shifters for semi-manual control.

All of them look sporty, with bulging muscles and a purposeful stance. All come loaded with features and are trimmed well, with leather upholstery. A full complement of passive and active safety features comes standard.

New for 2007 is the X-Package, which combines a sports suspension and 18-inch alloy wheels with a bold front spoiler, sport pedals, and illuminated door scuff plates. Also, the electronic stability programs can be disabled by turning off the traction control. Lexus says this might be useful when trying to extricate the car from snow, and in other situations as well.

Line Up

The Lexus IS 250 ($30,255) is powered by a 2.5-liter V6, which sends 204 horsepower to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. The IS 250 is also available with a six-speed automatic with Formula 1 inspired paddle-shifters.

The IS 250 AWD ($34,285) comes with the automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.

The IS 350 ($35,705) powered by a 306-hp, 3.5-liter V6 with the six-speed automatic. More sophisticated braking and electronic stability systems augment its additional performance.

Leather is standard; the IS 250 AWD comes with special perforated leather and Bird?s eye maple accents. Standard features: dual-zone climate control; SmartAccess keyless entry with pushbutton engine start; and a 194-watt, 13-speaker stereo with a six-disc in-dash CD changer. The audio system features digital signal processing, an electronic crossover network and built-in theft deterrence. It’s satellite-ready and includes an audio input jack that accepts external audio sources such as iPod, Walkman, etc.

Standard exterior items are fog lamps, projector beam headlamps, puddle lamps on the underside of the outside rearview mirrors (which are also heated), dual polished stainless steel exhaust pipes, infrared and ultraviolet reducing glass on all the windows, and a color-coordinated front air dam. Also standard are 17-inch aluminum five-spoke wheels fitted with low-profile high-performance radials. The IS 250 AWD comes with all-season 225/45VR17s at all four corners. The IS 250 and IS 350 come standard with all-season 225/45VR17 tires in front and wider 245/45VR17s in the rear, a staggered setup to increase grip under acceleration. Optional 18-inch wheels are available for the rear-drive models only, fitted with summer-only 225/40YR18 tires in front and 255/40YR18s in the rear.

Options include the AWD model’s perforated leather trim, wood accents, and heated/ventilated seats. The Luxury Plus Package adds outside mirrors with electrochromic, memory and reverse tilt-down, illuminated scuff plates, a power rear sunshade, memory seats, HID headlamps with AFS (they steer with the front wheels), rain-sensing wipers, and a power tilt/telescope steering wheel with memory. The Sport Package ($2956) adds a sport suspension, 18-inch wheels, sport pedals, and metal scuff plates.

The navigation system ($2168) includes voice activation, a rear backup camera (a great safety feature), and Bluetooth wireless technology; buy it with or without the Mark Levinson audio, which employs advanced discrete amplifier technology with 300 watts, and 7.1 channel speaker architecture. The Pre-Collision System ($2280) with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control is optional.

Safety features for all IS models include driver and front-passenger knee airbags. The brakes are large and effective four-wheel discs, clamped at the front by aluminum four-piston calipers. Augmenting the big brakes are ABS, Electronic Brake-force Distribution, and Brake Assist. Vehicle Stability Control and traction control (TRAC) come with every IS 250, while the IS 350 gets TRAC as well as a more sophisticated stability program Lexus calls Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM).

Walkaround

The Lexus IS sport sedans look sporty, with a purposeful stance. The nose presents the fierce glare of a car that wants to be first in line. The steeply angled hood, made of weight-saving aluminum, is framed by the determined glower of projector beam headlamps and a deep front spoiler and large intake. It’s unmistakably Lexus but visually fresh.

The IS slips through the air with quiet stability. In addition to the distinct aerodynamic wedge of the overall shape, a number of small details contribute to the exceptional coefficient of drag (0.28). A front underbody structure creates downforce between the front wheels, a small air kicker integrated in the taillamps helps separate turbulence from the rear corners and reduces drag, and a small trunklid spoiler increases rear downforce.

Interior

Lush with creature comfort, trimmed with upscale materials, and crackling with electronic wizardry, the interior environment of the IS sport sedans is pure Lexus. But the cabin is more sports car than family sedan.

A prominent central console clearly establishes the driver and front-passenger zones. The controls wrap around the driver with every gauge and switch within easy scrutiny or close reach. The Optitron gauges are large and easy to read, and their light-saber indicator needles and dynamic redline indication are cool modern. The keyless entry and pushbutton ignition is handy.

Leather upholstery comes standard on the IS 250 and IS 350 with metallic accents appropriately placed around the cabin. The IS 250 AWD comes with perforated leather trim and beautifully crafted bird’s-eye maple accents. Each piece is hewn from a single chunk of wood to ensure a perfect match from panel to panel.

The heated and ventilated front seats are a must-have. They come standard on IS 250 AWD and are available on the other models. Once you’ve tried these seats, there’s no going back.

The climate control system features a sophisticated temperature calculation system called Neural-Net, a humidity sensor, a micro dust and pollen filler and, in IS 350, a smog sensor that detects excessive hydrocarbons and automatically reverts to a special recirculation mode until the atmosphere clears.