Titanium's flash softens previous criticism

Sacramento, California – Several years back, I did a review on the Ford Flex that was negative enough to inspire some Ford Motor Co. folks to call me and express their profound displeasure.

Apparently, the statute of limitations ran out and I recently was allowed to review a 2011 Ford Flex, but this was a Flex of a different color. Or multiple colors as it turned out.

The tested 2011 Ford Flex Titanium with front-wheel drive was a prime, head-turning example of the Titanium models added to the Flex lineup. It literally begged for attention with a sparkling coat of Red Candy Metallic paint with black Alcantara inserts.

A Camaro driver rolled up to me and wanted to know if the Flex came that way from the factory, or was the exterior look a product of my customizing prowess. Obviously, he was totally unacquainted with my body shop incompetence, but still, it made the point.

This Flex Titanium stands out in the crowd.

I had the opportunity to take some volunteers for a ride in the seven-passenger vehicle, and they loved it. Roomy, comfortable and smooth on the roll, they gushed.

I agreed. Plus the interior is elegantly laid out, with a minimum of large, easy-to-reach controls. Tail-section cargo-carrying capacity is enormous, and my old bones were saved on the tester by a responsive automatic tailgate open/close device.

Even Motor Trend magazine loves the Flex, calling it “the best box you can buy.”

Alas, the Flex – even in Titanium trim – gives me pause.

For starters, it’s pricey. The tester weighed in at a hefty $43,505 after about $3,000 in extras were added on to the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.

Gas mileage is a wallet-draining 17 miles per gallon in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

The standard 3.5-liter V-6 with 262 horsepower struggles to meet the demands of freeway on-ramp merges and hill country climbs. In fairness, I did not have the available 3.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged engine that puts out 355 horsepower. That much oomph probably provides more than enough for all driving chores.

Is the Flex a nice match for an active family that makes a lot of road trips carrying a bunch of cargo? Yes.

Is the Flex a good match for a household looking to downsize its primary vehicle and gasoline bills? No.

Is the Flex growing on me? Well, maybe a little bit.

Earthquake could shake U.S. auto industry

Sacramento, California -- My usual weekly auto review seems entirely trivial, given the sledgehammer events occurring today in Japan.

And while we might feel safe and secure in our homes, there's a good chance the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan will reverberate throughout the U.S. auto industry in the immediate future.

Where to start? Well consider:

Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s biggest automaker, said today that it had shut down four of its subsidiary plants in Japan.

Honda Motor Co. has shut three plants through Monday, and Nissan Motor Co. stopped production at five of its plants in northeastern Japan.

Suzuki Motor Corp. said Friday it was still gathering "information about any additional effects to Suzuki’s operations, including port distribution, plant and dealership operations, as well as our vendors and suppliers located in the damaged areas."

In California, America's largest auto market, there are significant reasons to closely watch Japan's problems.

Japan is the third-largest foreign market for California exports, trailing only Mexico and Canada.

California merchandise exports to Japan totaled $12.2 billion in 2010, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.

Not only that, the department said California imported goods totaling $40.7 billion from Japan last year. The primary imports included motor vehicles, motor vehicle parts and tires.

It's too early to tell how badly Japan's manufactuing and economic infrastructure have been damaged, but here's hoping Japan and nations around the world aggressively step in and help the ravaged nation get back on his feet.

In this global economy -- and with Japan one of the world's top auto-producing nations -- Japan's pain could quickly become ours.

Volvo luxury sedan reviewed in Cruisin' News

Sacramento, California – My review of the 2011 Volvo S60 T6 AWD luxury sedan appears in the latest edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News, published out of Folsom, California, by John Sweeney and Evonne Sotelo.

The “Hot Laps” reviews, along with my "Oil Drips" observations on anything with wheels, appear monthly in the publication.

To subscribe to the Cruisin’ News, visit http://www.cruisinnews.com/, call (916) 933-0949 or send an e-mail request to cruisinnews@mac.com. Mailed requests for information should be sent to Cruisin’ News, P.O. Box 1096, Folsom, CA 95763-1096.

New Honda CR-Z is a hot-looking hybrid

This review originally appeared in the February edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin' News published out of Folsom, California -- mg

Sacramento, California -- The Honda CR-Z is all-new for 2011, and let me state from the beginning that it looks hot.

Seriously hot, with stealth fighter jet angles and a Euro appearance that looks like the love child of a Lambo and an Alfa. You really don’t mind having a hatchback with the front-drive CR-Z, because the long-length cargo cover is an essential part of the aerodynamic styling.

Oh, and it’s a hybrid. You have a 1.5-liter in-line 4 matched up with an electric motor putting out 122 horses.

Given the lightweight construction, the power plant does pretty well in normal and sport mode. If you hit the switch to select eco mode, however, you’re going to find yourself with a power shortage that won’t bode well on your next high-speed freeway merge.

And on the city streets, the hybrid engine system does not sit well. In normal mode, the car stopped at an intersection drifts off to a fuel-conserving sleep. Upon hitting the gas, the car lurches back to life with the engine doing the heavy lifting.

That’s the thing, though. It literally lurches. The transition from dormant to drive-it is not seamless. It’s downright jarring in most cases. And if you have the car in eco mode, you get even more instances of jarring. No fun that.

The interior is comfortable enough, and the center stack of controls is pretty easy to understand. Likewise, the back cargo-carrying area is impressive for a two-seater. Interior comfort/convenience features are outstanding for a small transporter of two.

But getting into the low-slung car takes some practice. For a tall guy like myself, you have to do a bit of a freefall into the cockpit, and you need to master a little head shift to avoid banging your melon on the roof-level hardware. Vision from the cockpit is very limited. It’s so limited that I had to go with double over-the-shoulder looks to make sure I was not about to ram cars in the blind spots. Again, no fun.

Fuel mileage is great – especially with the prospect of a $4-a-gallon-and-up springtime in California – at 35 miles per gallon in the city and 39 mpg on the highway.

And the price is right. My CR-Z with the navigation system and a continuously variable transmission came in at $23,210, and that’s the most expensive of six trim levels. You can get an entry-model starting at $19,200.

Overall, this is a first effort that likely will turn the heads of shoppers, but the CR-Z needs some tweaking in the months and years ahead to warm the hearts of buyers who first fell for its looks.

Reworked Rogue packed with pleasing perks

Sacramento, California – Reworked inside and out for 2011, the Nissan Rogue is an agile crossover that gives you things you’d expect from a bigger, and costlier, sport-utility vehicle.

Despite the myriad changes for the current model year, the vehicle still looks like the recently arriving, original Rogue, which is to say sporty and saucy. You’d likely be happy for your grown-up kids to be seen in the Rogue. Young families would be wise to seek it out.

My tester was the SV with front-wheel drive, pretty much the middle of six trim levels and starting at a reasonable $23,220. For that price, you get a lot.

Not only is the list of standard comfort/convenience features lengthy, it’s sprinkled with high-end goodies not normally seen in the $23,000-and-change segment. How about a rearview monitor? Standard. Ditto halogen headlights.

The standard safety and security features are likewise plentiful and top-tier. An electronic brake force distribution system, multiple vehicle-control systems and 360-degree airbags are part of the off-the-line package.

While the Rogue looks small from the outside, backseat space is actually pretty good for three normal-size adults. Likewise, cargo-carrying space is generous enough (a max 58 cubic feet) to handle most urban/suburban hauling outings.

The Rogue handles easily, and the continuously variable transmission on the tester performed with nary a hiccup. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower handles most situations well, but it’s no neck-snapper by any means. You will have to mash the gas significantly to keep up the oomph on steep hill climbs.

The engine at full song does penetrate the cockpit to the point of annoyance, but the suspension – independent strut on the front, independent multi-link on the rear – does a good job of keeping the Rogue balanced and smooth.

Fuel mileage is fair at 22 miles per gallon in the city and 28 mpg on the highway.

Overall, I regard the Rogue as the small SUV equivalent of a Honda Civic passenger car. It’s not a horsepower-laden bomb, but it’s so safe, feature-loaded and functional that it’s hard to walk past it and not write a check for the asking price.

For Nissan, a good automaker laboring to stand out among the Hondas and Toyotas of the world, that’s a very good thing.

Let's race ... and watch out for Carl, Helio

Sacramento, California -- And so it begins.

Auto racing returns in earnest with this Sunday's Daytona 500, and it's staggering to think that NASCAR will be competing on a regular basis right up to Thanksgiving time.

Now that's a long season!

As always, NASCAR starts off its year with its Super Bowl event, the Daytona 500, and then a couple weeks later, it’s like it never happened as everyone lasers in on the chase for the season crown.

Jimmie Johnson will be going for a mind-blowing sixth series title in a row, and that, friends, is some serious history in the making. Just getting five is amazing, and drivers Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick made it very tough for Johnson last year. I think it will be even tougher this year.

I have the sense that fellow Cup competitors have reached the limit of their patience with Johnson winning. That includes Johnson’s teammates. I think Jimmie will find cooperation from fellow drivers very difficult to find on the big superspeedways, where cooperation is a must.

I also don’t think Jimmie will be getting too many breaks from his colleagues on short, tight tracks. My guess is they’ll be more inclined to bump him aside than they were in years past. Hamlin and Harvick will get their share of nods in preseason predictions, but let’s face it, Johnson and his No. 48 team loom as the favorites until someone knocks them off.

As for me, I’m looking at Carl Edwards as the most likely driver to end Johnson’s streak. Edwards can drive short, long, medium-fast and super-fast tracks at a high level. It’s just a matter of time before he puts a consistent campaign together. This could be the year.

In INDYCAR – that’s the latest “new” series name, one word and all caps -- you’re going to be hearing about the Indianapolis 500 centennial celebration early and often leading up to the May 29 race.

Keep in mind that the first Indy 500 was run 100 years ago in 1911, but this will be the 95th running of the race this year. Why? The track went dark in 1917-18 during World War I and from 1942-45 during World War II.

Defending 500 winner and Indy car series champion Dario Franchitti remains the top contender, but I kind of think the Roger Penske team is out for redemption after seeing the last two season titles snatched from its grasp due to uncharacteristic team mistakes.

Look for Penske pilot Helio Castroneves to claim his fourth Indy 500 victory in May and then finally put together a solid season to take the series crown as well.

Infiniti's G37 sedan is worthy of respect

Sacramento, California – I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I’ve long liked Infiniti’s car lineup.

And yet, even after 20 years in the United States, Infiniti doesn’t seem to get the same respect given to, say, Lexus, BMW, Audi and Acura. Go figure.

I respect classy styling, tight-fitting bodywork, excellent interior features and performance, and two recently tested 2011 Infiniti G37 sedans delivered on all counts. If I had $35,000 to $40,000 to put down on an uplevel family/luxury/sport sedan, this G37 would be a likely candidate.

Alas, one of the tested G37s was dressed up with more optional extras than you’ll see on the IHOP breakfast menu. The bottom line came to $44,245. Kinda rich for my blood, so if I was shopping, I’d say: Hold the navigation system, the power moonroof and hash browns and give me the basic machine.

The basic machine is plenty. You get an aerodynamic, shoulders-hunched-forward rear-driver with a sporty grille and a trunk that goes deep inside from a somewhat chopped tail section. The windshield angle is set at a jaunty, sporty angle. This G37 cuts through air smoothly, and quietly.

Inside, the setting is elegant and feature-loaded. Leather appointed seats are enhanced up front with eight-way power and heating. The rear seats are roomy and comfortable, and there is climate control for the occupants.

Step on the gas and – whoa, what was that?!!! I heard a roar. I definitely heard a roar. Yes, a deep and satisfying growl from the 3.7 liter, 24-valve V-6 with a max horsepower rating of 328. Now there’s something a family of four can appreciate on the way to
Applebee’s. Let’s dust off a few sport coupes before ordering those sliders.

Power is muscular, but the handling is agile and light.

The car’s list of safety features is what I’d expect in a $60,000 Mercedes. Electronic brake, traction and car-control enhancements also are standard.

Fuel mileage is OK at around 17-19 miles per gallon in the city and 25-27 mpg on the open road.

This is a traveling car that won’t leave you worn out at the end of a long day, and even with its relatively affordable price, the contemporary Bluetooth, satellite radio and rearview monitors are in place as standard fare.

Auto-reviewing colleagues like to pit Infiniti’s G sedans -- 10 trim levels are available for 2011 -- against the BMW B Series, and yeah, I understand that. Personally, I think it boils down to personal preferences.

As for me, I lean toward the Infiniti product. Respect that.