Featured Reviews

2007 Chrysler Sebring

EXPERT REVIEWS              

Car Connection | Edmunds | The Truth About Cars | CarPages.CA | Detroit News

Quick-take: With "love it or hate exterior" styling, and family car road manners, the second generation  2007 Chrysler Sebring is based on DCX's new D-segment platform (Caliber, Avenger), and represents a definite departure from the previous version in almost every regard. Yet if Chrysler wants to get noticed in the crowded mid sedan market (totaling 2 million sales a year) dominated by Honda and Toyota, it will have to do better than this it seems. None of the reviewers we tracked raved about this vehicle, and generally found little to get excited about -

The Truth About Cars has already relegated the new Sebring to rental car status, calling it a "nightmarish eyesore" and suggested its handling "puts the abyss in abysmal."  A little harsh perhaps? Maybe.

Edmunds bemoans the lost opportunity that Chrysler had to steal Accord and Camry buyers with  300C-like risk taking -

"A safe move, a defensive play borne of he same kind of carefully reasoned thinking that puts hundreds of thousands of people in Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys every year."

And CarPages.CA found the new Sebring agreeable overall but dripping in ordinary; not something they expected from the company that introduced the PT Cruiser and 300C.

Highs: Compared to previous versions, the 2007 Sebring has much to offer, including -

	Price: the base edition can be had from around $19K, and the fully trimmed Limited tops out at just over $26K
	Taller, wider and slightly roomier than early versions
	New 3.5 liter, SOHC V6 with six-speed AutoStick transmission (available in Limited model) that offers 235 hp and 323 lb-ft of torque (0-60 in 7.7 seconds - average for the segment)
	Vastly improved road handling, but still not in Accord, Camry or even Fusion territory. the car is quiet and  stable at high speeds.
	Impressive list of standard and optional equipment...
	Standard: ABS, tire pressure monitor, full cabin airbags, AC, CD player and MP3 interface, cruise control, tilt/telescoping steering wheel
	Options: Chill Zone beverage cooler/warmer, stability control, satellite radio, remote start, Harmon Kardon DVD-based navigation and infotainment system with real-time traffic information, fold flat front passenger seat
	A "clean and contemporary interior" with a "raft of gadgets for tech-lovers" Detroit News
	Commendable fuel economy for the segment (24C/32H mpg with base 2.4 liter, 4 cylinder engine)

Lows: More question marks than we would like here folks, but you be the judge...

	Exterior styling that seems to lack coherence and unity; (although we always recognize that beauty can only be a subjective thing)
	The base 2.4 in-line 4 cylinder with 4 speed auto transmission (DCX's new 173 hp / 166 lb-ft torque "world engine", designed in part with Hyundai and Mitsubishi) is lackluster and lethargic in this vehicle (get the Limited Edition Sebring with 3.5 liter V6 mentioned above if you can afford it folks)
	No manual transmission option at any level; the Limited with optional 3.5L V6 comes with six-speed AutoStick transmission
	Mediocre brakes in all but the Limited edition
	Materials quality - improved certainly for DCX but still not up there with the likes of Toyota and Honda (and even Hyundai lately)
	Although in general the new Sebring is bigger than its predecessor, it is narrow compared to others in the segment; keep this in mind if you have wide shoulders and hips
	Suspension needs serious work according to The Truth About Cars - like "a tiny man with a jackhammer was attacking my kidneys". Note: this sentiment was not shared universally by all expert reviewers, so you will want to test for yourself.

Score: 3 out of 5 stars (rounded up from 2.75 to be exact)

Bottom Line: Although a clear improvement over its predecessor, the 2007 Sebring could have been so much more, both in terms of its overall design statement and mechanical credentials. "Underwhelming" seems to be the consensus among our expert reviewers.

If you are looking for a cleverly designed mid-level family sedan with overall good value and typical family car manners, then the Sebring may be worth considering. If you want something more on the performance side, then you may want to shop other brands or wait for the upcoming Dodge Avenger, built on this same platform.

All trimmed out in the leather Limited Edition, the 2007 Chrysler Sebring will definitely cost less less than an equally apportioned Accord or Camry. Trademark Chrysler incentives and discounts will help. You will also want to compare the new Sebring to other FWD offerings in this class, such as Ford Fusion, Saturn Aura, Hyundai Sonata, and Chevy Malibu.

CarNut's Take: DCX does best it seems when it is shaking things up, stretching the segment, crossing over the lines, redefining the terms of play, taking a gamble. The new Sebring doesn't quite do this for them IMHO. It should however sell better than the previous, long-in-the-tooth Sebring that topped out at app. 60K units sold in 2006.

The Sebring has entered the playground without a shout or a bang, or “lets play something else guys" message. It is more of a whimper than a roar. So I predict it will whimper its way just north of 100K a year and do little to elicit more than a shrug from Toyota and Honda.

Although the general consensus is that the Sebring's exterior styling falls short, I personally like the way this car presents itself. It will almost instantly stand out in crowded parking lots full of Camrys and Accords.

2007 ACURA RDX

EXPERT REVIEWS              

New Car Test Drive | Car Connection | Detroit News |Truth About Cars

Quick-take: Acura clearly delivers on its first turbo-charged performance-oriented CUV, designed to go up against the likes of the BMW X3 and Nissan Murano. Slotted slightly below the popular MDX, the Acura RDX' 2.3 liter, 4 cylinder turbo-charged power train is driven to thrill. All reviewers gave high marks for the RDX's intuitive handling, responsive steering, crisp gear changes from its new 5-speed auto transmission and firm yet supple ride. And with an engagingly tech-driven cockpit and perhaps the industry's finest voice-activated navigation system, the RDX can easily be considered at the top if this increasingly popular vehicle class.

Highs: Lots to like here folks, including:

	Zero - 60 in just under 7 seconds; 240 HP @ 6000 RPM
	Drives like a German performance sedan; yet has all the functionality of a compact wagon
	Superb handling ("The the RDX is the best handling crossover in its class" - Truth About Cars)
	Acura's new Super Handling All Wheel Drive technology that intuitively anticipates all driving surfaces and conditions
	Safety - all the latest air bag restraints and roll over sensors and rear-view camera to boot
	Mind-blowing, MP3 ready surround sound audio
	Seamless fit and build quality we have come to expect from all Hondas and Acuras
	Voice-activated Navigational System that is the best the industry offers
	Honda's first production turbo-charged engine in the US - and its a winner!
	"A crisply done, functional interior absolutely jammed with feature content" (New Car Test Drive)

Lows: The only potential negative in the Acura RDX is its exterior styling, that may turn some away who have perhaps fawned upon the sloping beauty of the Mazda CX-7 or the clever curves of the Nissan Murano. It also suffers somewhat in the fuel efficiency area with a published 19/24 mpg but a real road 11/17 mpg (as recorded by Edmunds).

Score:  4.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: If you are looking for a sporty little performance-tuned wagon that just wants to go, then the Acura RDX should be at the top of your wish list. For $30-37K, you get just about everything you could ask for in terms of performance, handling, safety and all the latest gizmos and gadgets that tech-addicted folks crave inside. Although beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder, and the exterior look of the RDX may not be for everyone, Acura is clearly making strides in the visual presence department. Its new crop of vehicles definitely stand apart in the personality department. Check this one out folks - you won't be disappointed!

2007 Audi Q7

EXPERT REVIEWS              

New Car Test Drive | Forbes | Automobile | The Auto Channel    

Quick-take: Although late to the lux-SUV segment, this newcomer from Audi is a uniquely compelling blend of quality, refinement, elegance, performance, versatility and safety. New for 2007, the Audi Q7 (the "Q" stands for Quattro) represents a "winning combination of comfort, style and space," says the reviewer at New Car Test Drive.

CarNut Update: Folks, I just saw one of these up close, and I have to say this is unquestionably one of the most aesthetically gorgeous vehicles I have ever seen; certainly the nicest Audi on the road in terms of overall design presence.

Highs: far too many to mention, but here's a sampling -

	A "paragon of driving elegance and interior refinement" - New Car Test Drive
	Beefy and commanding exterior design that instantly identifies this new SUV as a new Audi
	An upscale and elegant interior that is at once quite, comfortable and compelling from wherever you are sitting
	Peppy 4.2 liter V-8 delivering 350 HP with Audi's FSI direct fuel injection and driver -friendly six-speed manumatic transmission (a 2.8 liter, 280-hp V-6 is also available)
	Audi's all-wheel drive quattro system is standard on all Q7s - thus the "Q", and confidently meters out just the right amount of control where needed
	Optional Adaptive Air Suspension that provides preset settings for high and low clearance, as well as luxury car comfort, sport handling, and an automatic setting; most reviewers considered this a must have option
	Ride and Handling - unibody structure, light weight aluminum hood and fenders, low center-of-gravity design, make the Q7 rigidly secure on the road,  and very car-like in its handling
	Safety - a plethora of standard (such as anti-lock brakes, full cabin airbags, and ESP stability assistance) and optional safety features (such as rearview backup camera, and Side Assist blind-spot intrusion system) make the Q7 one of the safest vehicles in its class
	Clever balance of form and function; with 3 rows of seating and multiple configurations for active families

Lows: Minor nitpicks here folks, such as -

	Fuel economy is less than stellar, at least in the 4.2 liter V-* (rated at 14 city and 19 highway)
	Audi's MMI (multi-media interface) single-control interface for controlling navigation, suspension, audio and telephone systems could be a lot easier to use, and far less distracting for drivers

Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line: For between $50K-65K, the Audi Q7 holds it head high against the likes of the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Porsche Cayenne, and Volkswagen Touareg. Automobile Magazine's note that the Q7 "will do a better job of putting Audi on American's radar screen than all of its current passenger-car models combined" certainly says a lot about what this vehicle represents to the segment and to Audi. The 2007 Audi Q7 comes highly, highly recommended folks!