Chrysler Undertakes Urgent Vehicle Improvement Steps

They figured out what the rest of us already knew.

By Chris Haak

12.26.2007

There has been a lot of ink spilled over the past week about how things may be worse at Chrysler than Cerberus expected when they bought 80.1% of the company from DaimlerChrysler AG (now Daimler AG). Today's credit markets are not friendly to the types of financial needs that Chrysler would have in order to turn around their lineup with all world-class vehicles, and many of their recent products have been met with both critical and consumer complaints. Specific concerns surround perceived quality, interior materials and fit and finish, and styling. Basically, Chrysler needs to improve sales in the short term in order to fund improved future models, because it will be very difficult for the company to raise additional funds from external sources in today's environment.

Last week's Wall Street Journal contained several articles about Chrysler's situation, but one of the most interesting ones (to me) was that on August 6, when CEO Bob Nardelli started working, he immediately drove as many of the company's products daily as he could. Now, in spite of owning a Plymouth Prowler, Nardelli is not a car guy, but he is a bright guy, and also being a wealthy individual, probably also has a clue about what a quality product looks and feels like. Supposedly, Mr. Nardelli did like the Jeep Grand Cherokee, but found the wind noise and interior materials "totally unacceptable" in the Chrysler Sebring convertible. In fact, after his experience with the Sebring convertible, he sent a "terse" e-mail to the company's design chief, Trevor Creed, which read, "I found the wind noise totally unacceptable and bordering on offensive at speeds of 80 mph." He also took a shot at the interior quality, adding, "I sure hope that as we go forward, we don't punish the customer by thrifting the interior to meet a cost target."

The interior quality concerns, which have been a point of contention with Chrysler's critics, are going to be addressed immediately, according to an article in industry publication Automotive News on Monday. A team, composed partially of senior managers and directors who recently took buyouts and are returning to work as contract employees, will specifically address interior design and materials for the Sebring and Avenger.

The articles made no mention of the timeframe for when to expect to see the revised Sebring and Avenger, but if the project just got off the ground, I'd expect it to take two years to finalize the design and engineering and get suppliers on board with parts in production.

Meanwhile, I find it disappointing that the company who brought us vehicles such as the Viper, the original minivan, the Plymouth Prowler and the Chrysler 300C sedan rested on its laurels so much when creating the Sebring. The fact that the car has been on sale for only a year, and made its debut near the bottom of critical press comparison tests - and on retail shoppers' lists - while becoming a favorite of rental car agencies should be, and apparently was, very eye-opening to Chrysler management. I hope that they can fix this car's shortcomings (a little help with the exterior styling wouldn't hurt, either) before it's too late.

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GM Unveils 2009 Corvette ZR1

The King of the Hill Returns!

By Chris Haak

12.19.2007

One of the worst-kept secrets in the auto industry for the past year or two was that GM was working on a super Corvette with 600 plus horsepower, forced induction, and performance up to par with the world's elite supercars. After years of denying the program's very existence, GM trotted out a lightly-disguised version of this car (without confirming its name) for a few hot laps at Laguna Seca in October, but still didn't confirm the name or reveal its final shape.

Last night, GM pulled the wraps off of the ZR1 (previously referred to as "Blue Devil," "Corvette SS" or "Z07") as an early Christmas present to the Corvette faithful. Nearly every rumor about the car, except for its likely horsepower figure (the rumors were a little optimistic) and the transmission choice (it's a standard manual transaxle and not a DSG) turned out to be pretty accurate.

The biggest change for the ZR1 over the standard and Z06 Corvettes is the all-new supercharged LS9 small block V8 with at least 620 horsepower and 595 lb.-ft. of torque (final SAE certification has not yet been completed on this engine). The engine will be hand built at GM's performance build center, which also assembles the LS7 engine found in the Corvette Z06 and the supercharged 4.4 liter Northstar V8 engines found in the Cadillac XLR-V and STS-V.

Other go-fast goodies featured on the ZR1 include a beefed-up rear axle, stronger transmission, a new twin-disc clutch, and large carbon-ceramic brake rotors. The front brakes have a 15.5 inch diameter and the rear brakes have a 15 inch diameter, and are accompanied by six-piston calipers in the front and four-piston calipers on the rear. The car rides on 20 inch wheels in the rear and 19 inch wheels in the front, fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires developed specifically for the ZR1.

The ZR1 is built on an aluminum-intensive chassis that the Z06 uses, and also has several weight saving features such as a carbon fiber hood, roof, roof bow, rocker molding, and front splitter. In spite of the exotic weight saving materials used, the ZR1 tips the scales at approximately 3,350 pounds, which is about 200 pounds heavier than the Z06. The weight gain can be primarily attributed to the ZR1's wider fenders, larger wheels, the addition of magnetic selective ride control, and the supercharger and related hardware.

As a Corvette enthusiast, I think the styling changes for the ZR1 are aggressive and attractive. You won't mistake this car for any other Corvette if you spot it cruising down the road. On the interior, I'm a little disappointed that it's no better than the base Corvette with the 4LT leather wrap package, except for the ZR1 logos on the seats. I wish the car came with a twin clutch automated manual transmission, at least as an option, for ultimate performance, and I wish the curb weight were closer to the ZR1's. Finally, as thrilled as I am to see this car without any disguises, I'm disappointed that GM chose to reveal it now rather than waiting three weeks to unveil it in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show. The only suspense around this car in Detroit will be its final horsepower and torque numbers, but I don't expect them to deviate much from the "at least" numbers.

Pricing has not been revealed for the ZR1, but expect it to be around $100,000. It sounds like a lot of money for a Corvette (or for a GM vehicle, for that matter), until you consider all of the expensive, exotic technology packed into this car and how superlative its performance will be.

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Family Hauler - 2008 Buick Enclave CXL AWD Review

The last in a series of family hauler reviews

By Chris Haak

12.17.2007

My quest to find a new family hauler with enough room four our growing family last led me to the local Buick-Pontiac-GMC dealer. Actually, before I had even test driven the Sienna or Odyssey, I stopped at the Saturn dealer to just check out second row legroom in the Outlook, as that was the critical dimension in which our Pathfinder was falling short. On paper, the Outlook's second row didn't seem to have much more legroom than the Pathfinder (36.9 inches versus 34.2 inches), but the Outlook's second row seats could be adjusted forward or backward depending on needs. I wasn't about to spend $35,000 to $40,000 for a new vehicle only to gain three inches of legroom, but I really wanted to give GM a chance to earn my business. The Saturn salesperson was very helpful and allowed me to try out our infant seat in a new Outlook, and it comfortably fit. Unfortunately for him and Saturn, Saturn doesn't accept the GM Card and doesn't generally discount under MSRP. I wasn't about to consider an Outlook over the better-looking and better-equipped Enclave, which would also be less expensive.

The day after I drove the Sienna and Odyssey - and was disappointed by the Sienna's steering feel and disappointed by the Odyssey's lack of all wheel drive - my son and I drove to the Buick dealer to test drive a 2008 Enclave CXL AWD.

Exterior
The Enclave's exterior is close to perfect, as long as it has the same 19 inch chrome wheels that are shown in all of the press photos. This particular one was Carbon Black Metallic with the $1,200 optional wheels. To my eyes, the Enclave is the best looking crossover or SUV on the road today. The Enclave is a very large vehicle, but the body's graceful curves really do a great job of hiding its length. It has very tasteful chrome accents and standard HID headlights with blue lenses. The Enclave really has a great physical presence that puts any minivan's shape to shame. Also, although the Enclave is almost identical in size and proportions to its platform mates, the GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook, to my eyes, the Enclave does a better job of disguising its considerable length, likely thanks to its Coke bottle-like curves.

Interior
The Enclave's interior is a nice place to spend time. Although cloth seats are standard in the base Enclave, the CXL that I drove had leather seating surfaces. GM's Lambda platform vehicles have taken some heat for second row legroom and seat comfort (dimensionally, the Enclave tops its competitors in only third row legroom, cargo capacity, and front shoulder room, but the numbers do bear out that second row legroom is short compared to others, and particular the CX-9, which tops it by nearly three inches.) Although I did not spend more than a few seconds in the second row seats, they are adjustable and can be moved rearward if necessary, which increases second row space, but naturally at the expense of third row space. Access to the third row is pretty convenient for a crossover, but not as easy as a minivan's; the second row seats more or less fold themselves nearly vertically toward the rear of the first row seats, leaving a large opening for access to the third row. One problem that hasn't been solved by any family-friendly vehicles, to my knowledge, is how to access the third row with two child seats installed in the second row seats. With captain's chairs, it's possible to squeeze between them, but not easy, and with the bench seat (actually an option that gives the buyer money back), one must able to climb over an unfolded seat to access the third row.

Although the interior looked gorgeous, there was some hard plastic on the top of the dash that I was not expecting in a vehicle of this caliber. Other than the hard top of the dash, there were some also a few obvious examples of cost cutting that were pretty noticeable, namely little details like the covers on the 12v power outlets.

On the Road
The first thing that struck me when I started the Enclave and dropped it into gear was the vault-like silence. The Enclave was the quietest car I can ever remember driving (I did drive a V12 S-class Mercedes with dual pane glass in the 1990s once, but that was too long ago). When attempting anything other than leisurely cruising, the engine felt a little overwhelmed by the Enclave's weight, but it wasn't awful. If GM adds the V8 option to these in a year or two, it would be the perfect complement to this vehicle (GM is also going to offer a two-mode hybrid system in the Outlook, and likely the Acadia and Enclave as well).

GM clearly (and correctly, given the current environment) prioritized fuel economy over performance when calibrating the six speed automatic transmission, because it really seemed to want to upshift quickly and get into higher gears as soon as it could. Perhaps it was just an issue of the transmission being in some sort of learning mode and not yet aware of my driving habits. It did shift smoothly whether lumbering around town or attempting a full throttle merge onto an expressway.

Handling felt confident, especially considering the size and weight of the Enclave (over five thousand pounds when configured as an AWD CXL). It's not a sports car, or even a midsize sedan, but the steering had good feel, and in a salesman-chaperoned test drive (with my two year old strapped into his car seat in the second row), I didn't detect any noticeable body lean or handling issues.

Fuel Economy
The Enclave AWD is rated at 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway according to the newly-revised 2008 EPA ratings. The front wheel drive models enjoy better ratings, at 16 city and 24 highway. The Enclave's fuel economy is competitive with models such as the smaller Lexus RX 350 (18/23 FWD; 17/22 AWD), Acura MDX (15/20 AWD), and Toyota Highlander (18/24 FWD; 17/23 AWD), and is far better than the 14/19 that a Chevrolet Suburban with the 5.3 liter V8 is rated.

Pricing
The Enclave CX front wheel drive starts at a very reasonable $32,990 including destination, but adding all wheel drive adds $2,000. Stepping up to the CXL model means a base price of about $35,000 for front wheel drive and $37,000 for all wheel drive. Desirable options include navigation ($2,600 with an upgraded stereo), rear seat DVD entertainment (another $1,100 with navigation and $1,600 without it), and a dual sunroof (the front section opens and the rear section is fixed with a movable sun shade) is about $1,300. Also, the chromed aluminum wheels featured in nearly every photo of the Enclave are nearly a must-have option in my opinion, and add another $1,200 to the MSRP. A fully loaded Enclave CXL AWD will top out around $46,000, and due to the newness and popularity of the model, coupled with GM's decision to keep tight reins on supply, you can expect to pay close to MSRP for a new Enclave in the near term.

According to TrueDelta.com, the Enclave's pricing is very close to the similar GMC Acadia's when adjusting for equipment available on the Buick but not on the GMC, so to me, it's nearly a no-brainer to choose the Buick over the GMC to get a quieter, more luxurious and better-looking package for around the same price.

GM did a great job with the Enclave. A few small tweaks, such as eliminating the small instances of cost cutting as well as a better integrated center stack (which supposedly is coming in the next two years - think of something more like the 2008 CTS has as far as audio and HVAC controls), and a little more power, and GM will not only have a first year hit on their hands, but a sustained success story as well.

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Family Hauler - 2008 Honda Odyssey EX-L Review

The second in a series of family hauler reviews

By Chris Haak

11.30.2007

Following my Sienna Limited AWD test drive, I headed to the local Honda dealer to sample an Odyssey EX-L with navigation and DVD entertainment. I was eager to drive the Odyssey, since I had never driven the current generation before, and by reputation and other reviews I've read, the Odyssey has a more engaging driving experience than many other family haulers.

Exterior
This particular van was in dark cherry pearl with a tan interior, and was a really attractive van. I found it to be about as attractive as a minivan can be expected to be. The sides are far more sculpted than the Sienna's, with an interesting character line below the door handles. External panel gaps were tight and consistent, and the doors opened and closed perfectly ("as if on ball bearings," to paraphrase an old Car and Driver review of the Accord). At this point in my life, I'm not trying to impress anyone with how hip my vehicle looks, so saying the Odyssey is a cool minivan is like saying Brilliance makes good Chinese cars. However, it does have a more modern, attractive shape than its competitors, and not really at the expense of interior volume or usability.

Interior
The van I drove was a 2008 Odyssey EX-L (the L stands for leather, and is the second-highest trim line behind the Touring model), equipped with satellite navigation, XM radio, and an award-winning overhead DVD entertainment system. The EX-L model comes with standard dual power sliding doors that can be opened via the key fob remote, but the rear cargo hatch is manual (it's powered on the Touring model). The navigation screen is large and easy to read (larger than the Sienna's), and can be controlled via touchscreen. The navigation screen also sits high on the dash, which allows the driver to quickly check the screen without taking his eyes off of the road. The problem with screens high in the dash (especially without a cowl around them) is that they tend to be more susceptible to sun glare. I did not experience this, but I know it can be a possibility.

Seating comfort in all three rows was outstanding. Honda really knows how to make comfortable seats. Access to the third row was a little tricky - and would be worse in my particular situation with two car seats in the second row captain's chairs - but fortunately I'm still young and limber enough to make it to the back between the second row seats. To do this, you have to remove the "PlusOne Seat" (really a mini seat that bumps the seating capacity up to eight) between the second row captain's chairs and squirm your way to the third row. Third row access can be a little easier if the right side captain's chair is moved closer to the center of the vehicle, as long as you aren't concerned about your children being within arm's length of one another.

All of the controls (radio, HVAC, light switches, etc.) had a consistent, smooth and well-damped feel. Unlike with some vehicles, there was no obvious cost cutting inside the Odyssey. Even the glovebox door and auxiliary audio input jack cover moved smoothly without binding or feeling cheap.

On the Road
I drove the Odyssey - which only had five miles on the odometer - with the salesperson present so he could explain the features to me. The first thing I noticed was how much more planted it felt on the road over the Sienna I had driven 90 minutes earlier. Steering feel was excellent, especially considering that I was driving an eight passenger family hauler with about as much usable interior space as a Chevrolet Suburban. Really, the biggest complement I can pay to the Odyssey is that I felt like I was driving a Honda Accord, only one that weighed over 4,600 pounds and had a higher driving position. In fact, the instrument panel and steering wheel, as well as control placement was almost identical to my 2004 Accord's. Acceleration was strong - not earth-shattering or as quick as the Sienna - but it had enough power to merge onto the freeway and the 241 horsepower 3.5 liter Honda V6 emitted some of the same sweet sounds I'm used to hearing.

Fuel Economy
The EPA rates the Odyssey EX-L and Touring at 17 miles per gallon city/25 miles per gallon highway. This is tops in the minivan class, and can be partially attributed to the inclusion of Honda's VCM (Variable Cylinder Management) that can run the engine in three- or four-cylinder mode in low-load conditions to conserve fuel in highway driving. LX and EX models have slightly more horsepower (244) but slightly worse fuel economy.

Pricing
The entry level Odyssey LX starts around $26,500 including destination. An EX-L without navigation or DVD is about $32,800. The DVD player adds about $1,600 to the price, and the navigation and DVD together (the only way to get navigation is in a package with the DVD player) adds $3,600 to the base EX-L price. The top Touring model starts around $has the navigation and DVD player starts around $40,600 and has navigation and the DVD player standard, plus adds Bluetooth functionality, a power cargo door, foglamps, an upgraded stereo, and larger 17" wheels. The only option available in the Touring model is run-flat tires for $600 (they are standard in all wheel drive Toyota Siennas). Frankly, I don't think that the $4,200 price difference between a loaded EX-L and base Touring is worth it, and the salesman agreed with me.

The EX-L is practically a bargain for what it is - the interior is very comfortable with high quality, soft-touch materials and a lot of space and flexibility. This is probably the vehicle I'd buy today if all wheel drive was available, but after driving through hard rain last week in a front wheel drive car, my wife and I decided that all wheel drive was the way to go. It's a shame, too, because the Odyssey is a great van, gets four miles per gallon better on the highway than the Sienna AWD does, and costs a lot less. Honda's Odyssey is now the best selling minivan in the US, and I can see why that is.

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Family Hauler - 2008 Toyota Sienna Limited AWD Review

The first in a series of family hauler reviews

By Chris Haak

11.28.2007

The past few weeks have found me in the market for a larger family hauler - one that can accommodate two child seats and with enough room for one adult over six feet tall (me) and one near six feet tall (my wife). The shopping list included large crossovers (as long as they had more second row legroom than our current SUV did) and minivans.

Last week, I had the opportunity to test a nearly-loaded 2008 Toyota Sienna Limited AWD. The Sienna and the Honda Odyssey, of course, are the 800 pound gorillas of the minivan market. Both vans offer large cabins, dual power sliding doors, stability control, the full complement of airbags, kid-friendly features such as built-in DVD players, and solid reliability ratings. One thing the Sienna offers that its competitors do not, however, is optional all wheel drive. Hyundai, Kia, Chrysler, Honda, and Chevy all offer only front wheel drive minivans for 2008. Living in the Northeast, all wheel drive is nice to have for the occasional snowstorm, and for a more secure ride even in non-icy foul weather.

Exterior
People don't buy minivans to make a fashion statement; they buy them because they are some of the most space-efficient passenger carrying vehicles in the market. That being said, the Sienna is a pretty boring looking vehicle. It's a very generic minivan shape without many interesting styling details. The integration of the rearmost side window at the D-pillar with the shape of the taillight has an unfortunate resemblance to the Buick Rendezvous' similar design. Most trim levels have standard or available alloy wheels, which slightly improves the appearance. Top-of-the-line Limited models have available HID headlamps, which add some spice to the appearance after dark (as well as enhancing the driver's field of vision).

Interior
Crossovers have nothing on minivans when it comes to interiors. They can try to replicate the utility and passenger space of a minivan, but inevitably compromises in their design (such as the necessity to have a higher ground clearance and "trucklike" styling, plus non-sliding back doors). Dual sliding doors are opened and closed with buttons on the key fob, as is the rear cargo hatch. The Limited is extremely comfortable inside - in fact, on more than one occasion that afternoon, I referred to the van as the "Lexus of minivans." Seriously, if Lexus sold a van, it would be very similar to the Sienna Limited, which features such niceties as woodgrain interior trim (although it's fake), a wood steering wheel, navigation system, leather seats, and more. The styling of the interior was pretty attractive, and most modern minivans like the Sienna feature a third-row seat that folds flat into the floor, but leaves a deep, useful cargo well behind the third row when the seat is not folded. Also, there was plenty of legroom in all three rows of seats, plus the second row seats could be adjusted fore and aft to accommodate all different sizes of passengers. I found plenty of room for my 6'4" frame in both the second and third rows. In fact, the third row was far nicer than the third rows in any crossover or SUV I've sat in, including the Suburban. Another nice feature is that the console between the front seats can be moved between the second row captain's chairs so rear seat passengers have an extra spot to store things, or hold a drink.

On the Road
The salesperson at the Toyota dealership made a copy of my driver's license, stuck a magnetic tag on the van, and sent me on my way. I appreciated having the opportunity to drive the van wherever I wanted to without worrying about whether the salesman wanted me to stay on a designated route.

I found it very easy to find a comfortable seating position. I'm used to driving a Honda Accord and a Nissan Pathfinder, and I felt at home immediately in the Sienna. As I pulled onto the highway, I noticed that there was no wheelspin at all; though the roads were dry, I definitely would have experienced at least the traction control activating in a front wheel drive vehicle in that scenario. Engine power was strong from the 266 horsepower 3.5 liter V6, and the van felt very stable at highway speeds. I hadn't driven any Toyota in a while, and the common complaint is that they tend to have a less-than-engaging driving experience. I found this to be true, particularly with the steering. It felt very numb and uncommunicative - even worse than the steering in my heavier 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. The other odd thing I noticed about the driving experience was that the transmission seemed to upshift under full throttle at a relatively low (around 4,000 RPM) engine speed. When I encountered that issue, I had been cruising around 25 miles per hour and floored the accelerator. Accelerating on a freeway on-ramp at full throttle did extend the shift point to a higher range.

Fuel Economy
EPA fuel economy ratings (newly revised for 2008 to more accurately reflect real world expectations) are 16 city/21 highway for the all wheel drive model and 17 city/23 highway for the front wheel drive model, and are nearly identical to the ratings of competitors' vehicles.

Pricing
Pricing for the Sienna CE FWD starts around $25,000 including destination; the least expensive AWD model is the LE, which starts around $30,000 but includes far more equipment than the value leader CE. In general, all wheel drive adds about a $2,000 premium over a comparably equipped front wheel drive version. Fully loaded Sienna Limited AWDs start around $40,000 and top out at around $42,000 when all the option boxes are checked off (including navigation, laser cruise control and the aforementioned HID headlamps).

I haven't yet decided which vehicle I will purchase. On one hand, the Sienna looks great on paper: luxury interior, Toyota reliability, all wheel drive, and plenty of passenger space. On the other hand, while I won't be its primary driver, the driving experience was not the least bit engaging, and it may be the least attractive minivan on the market (except for the Chevy Uplander). My wife could care less about its looks and probably about its numb steering, so it might be the right choice for us.

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