2011 Lexus CT 200h by txGarage - White Rock Lake Dallas, Texas

We’ve talked a lot here at txGarage about hybrid cars and different fuel efficient technologies and what the best way to go is when living in a state like Texas. Most commuters are not city based, so we drive a lot of highway miles. Hybrid cars are more efficient in the city, stop and go traffic, than they are on the highways. So we’ve suggested that maybe a hybrid isn’t quite the way to go if you are faced with this type of commute.

With that being said, our car of the week is a hybrid based on the Toyota Prius, which we’ve reviewed a few times. If you have read those reviews, you’ll know that while we like the Prius for what it is, we think the new system in the Volt is more advanced, and our biggest complaint with the Prius is the awful interior. So our first thoughts when we knew we would get the CT were that at least it should have a better interior, right?

Interior

Yes. The interior isn’t just better than the Prius, it’s as good as or better than most of its competition. That’s saying something as the main competition the CT will be facing is the Audi A3, BMW 1, and Volvo C30; all great little cars. The leather seats are plush and comfortable. The long center console that stretches from the dash all the way back, much like in the Prius, is put together well. In the Prius everything flexes and twists and cracks, but not in this car. The gauge cluster is clean and high-tech looking. The entire cabin is filled with ambient lighting points; it really is a nice place to be.

You can select between different driving modes, we’ll get to those a little later, but one cool point is when you switch to “sport mode” the gauge cluster turns red and the tach that was a hybrid-power indicator transforms into a RPM tach. Buttons on the center-stack are easily read and easy to distinguish.

Lexus touts its interior as “racing-inspired” with its placement of components, angled cockpit-like dash, and low bolstered seats. It definitely has a sporty feel more than an overly luxurious one, that’s not common to see in Lexus.

Exterior

The exterior looks of this car really shows who Lexus is targeting the CT towards. There is no doubt that Lexus is looking for a younger, more technology driven audience. There is also no doubt that they are targeting this car more toward the European market with its hatchback styling. Every sculpted surface on the CT is said to improve performance and fuel efficiency. The less resistance from air flowing over the car, the less fuel it takes to power it down the road.

Lexus says that the CT has up to 89 individual LED lights, including the standard daytime running lights. These are a nice premium feature and look good no matter how many people tell you Lexus is ripping off Audi. They have also thought a lot about weight distribution in this car and gave it a lower center of gravity than the Prius it’s based upon. To ensure the lowest center of gravity possible, all hybrid components are centrally mounted and high-strength lightweight materials are used extensively throughout the car.

Some complain that the car has an ugly face; some complain that the rear end is big and bulky, but we applaud Lexus for going out on a limb with a design that is a little out there and when you are behind the wheel, it all comes together.

Power

Like we have mentioned a few times, the CT 200h is based on the Toyota Prius, and thus comes equipped with its 1.8 liter gas/electric engine. Combined output is 134 horsepower to the front wheels and via a specialized continuously variable transmission. The weight of the CT does let it down in acceleration as most 0-60 times run in the 10 second range. That isn’t great acceleration, but with the electric motor kicking in while in “sport mode” you can feel the torque.

Handling

So the engine isn’t that great and the acceleration is pretty pitiful, so how can Lexus call this a sporty-hybrid? That’s where the handling comes into play. When you switch into “sport mode”, the throttle response comes alive and the steering becomes heavier. It’s a confidence inspiring feeling that is helped by the special suspension found in the Lexus CT. The CT features a combination of independent MacPherson struts up front and a fully independent double-wishbone in the rear. This maximizes comfort and grip and is a great setup. The CT is also home to Yamaha designed lateral performance dampers found mostly in limited-edition performance vehicles. The system is designed to minimize vibrations while providing a more linear steering feel, and thus, improved overall handling. This system can also independently adapt to varying levels of vibration, reducing unnecessary noise and contributing to more comfort.

Basically, it all works together to give you the inputs you want and keep out the vibrations you don’t want. It also feels great going through the corners at a high-rate of speed. We took this car out to some twisty and tight roads around White Rock Lake and some other areas where we like to test handling, and it was fantastic.

Fuel economy

2011 Lexus CT 200h hybrid

Although the CT isn’t quite as fuel efficient as the Prius, its fuel economy is really it’s party piece. The Lexus is easily the most fuel efficient between its competitors. The only one who comes close is the diesel-powered Audi A3, but the combined 42 mpg of the CT 200h is unmatched. We did a lot of “sport mode” testing in the car with high revving and tight cornering, and still averaged 32 mpg.

Your other modes are Eco, Normal, and EV. I wouldn’t even bother much with those as it’s almost dangerous driving with no throttle response.

Last thoughts

Overall, I think we were all impressed with the Lexus CT 200h. We were impressed with the interior, the performance, and the overall economy. Throw in that this is Lexus’ cheapest offering basing out just at $30k, and we are even more impressed. This car will not only be cross-shopped with the likes of the Audi A3, BMW 1, and Volvo C30, but at that price, it’s likely to be cross shopped with less expensive vehicles like the Golf or maybe even the Mazda 3. I think Lexus has done a great job showing America that premium and compact can go together. They have ambitious goals for this car stating they would like to be selling around 1000 units a month. That’s more than double what the A3, 1 Series, and C30 usually sell. But it’s first month on the market has rendered 2,199 units sold, and still going strong. Lexus just might have got this one right, we think they did.

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Lexus IS350 C reviewed by txGarage

First, I’ll have to admit, I’m not a big fan of taking a sedan and turning it into a two door convertible. There is a big difference between a roadster, speedster, and a 2+2 convertible as I’ve un-eloquently ranted about in other reviews. We’ll put these pre-existing criticisms aside to see what’s what with this IS convertible.

You guessed it. It’s out with the old and in with the new, and the dated Lexus SC is out. The new IS C is in and being based off the IS platform is an automatic plus in our book. Lexus’ old 2+2 convertible was all about plush luxury and not so much about handling or agility. The IS C on the other hand is being marketed by Lexus as bringing fun and sporty driving to a Lexus convertible, and basing it off a sporty sedan seems the right way to go. So did it work? Does the IS C stand up to Lexus’ marketing mantra? We’ll look into that in just a bit. First, let’s take a look at the exterior styling.

Exterior

Again, starting off with the IS platform was a great choice for Lexus. The front end looks sporty and aggressive.  The Bi-Xenon high intensity headlights with LED daytime running lights really set off the front end style. I know that the LED daytime running lights are just a rip-off of Audi’s headlight design, but I don’t care, I really think it looks great. Then come around the side and checkout those 17” ten spoke aluminum alloy wheels, with beefier rear tires than those in the front.

Unfortunately, this is where the aggressive, sportiness of the IS C starts to become compromised. To fit that big heavy hardtop into the trunk and still have space for – things, they have gone with a Volvo-ish looking rear end. It’s bigger and longer than the sedans backend and just doesn’t fit with the overall design of the car. Nonetheless, this is a pretty car. And that fact was vocalized to us over and over again, especially by women and children.

Interior

Inside the IS C is a display of what Lexus does best: luxury. The simi-aniline leather (yes I looked it up and it’s a real thing) seats were fantastic. They were geared for comfort and as such were not heavily bolstered. The power seat was complimented with three memory positions and an automatic feature that pushed the seat and steering wheel out of your way while entering and exiting the car. Both front seats had a one-touch button on the side that moved the seat forward for easy entry into the back seats. Space on the inside was adequate, but there were sacrifices. There wasn’t much room in the rear for adults and even having a child sitting behind this 6’1” driver required moving the seat to an almost uncomfortable position. Without back passengers the cabin feels roomy and once you drop the top, even more so.

Speaking of the top, Lexus claims that it’s the fastest three-piece metal hardtop in the world. With fifteen motors and thirty seven sensors working in unison, this hardtop is stowed away in about 20 seconds. That might sound pretty quick in the hard top folding world, but seems long in the real world, especially since you have to be at a complete stop the entire time the top is working.

The last note on the interior would be for the clock. I’m happy that Lexus decided to include an independent clock. It bugs me when your only clock is integrated with the navigation screen and while performing certain tasks, you lose the ability to tell the time. But the clock that Lexus chose for this IS C looked like it was pulled from a 1980’s Toyota, and just didn’t fit the feel of the modern luxury car. Just something that bugged me the entire week.



Sport

Coming into this review with my preconceived notions of a luxury convertible, I didn’t expect much in terms of sportiness. Lexus blew those thoughts out of my head quickly. Anyone who knows about cars and handling that I managed to get to take a ride with me in this Lexus agreed. They were surprised on how flat it stayed and how composed it was through cornering with the top up or down. The 306 horsepower, 3.5 liter V6 did a good job of pushing this overweight car around and the six-speed automatic transmission, while in manual mode and shifted by paddles on the steering wheel, did a good job as well. I still wouldn’t call this a sports car. There is no getting around the fact that 3,906 pound car is still a lot for a V6 to push around, and it weighs more than 450 pounds more than the sedan. Even with this weight, you still get from a standstill to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, about the same as my Genesis Coupe 3.8 V6. Not too shabby.

You can also now get some F package options. Anything from suspension, wheels, brakes, exhaust, and more aimed at bringing more sports to this sporty coupe.



Competition

Our test car, the IS350 C, totaled out at $53,522 with a little over $7,000 in options and extras packed in. When you get into that price range, you are looking at Corvette, BMW 335, and Audi A5 money. Lexus wants to pit this car against the BMW and I really think it gets close, but I can’t help but feel that it really won’t hold up to the BMW. When you get to the looks, the IS C is just a little too awkward and compromising.

I still have that nagging feeling too that this could be a much better car if only it were a standard coupe. Save on weight, save on money, and don’t compromise on the looks in the rear – this would do more for me than wind in my hair, top down driving does. I guess it left me wanting Lexus to build an “IS-F C”, but make the C stand for coupe. A fixed roof over head, that awesome V8 up front powering the rear wheels. Now that’s a car that would really get my attention.

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2011 Buick LaCrosse Dallas Texas

In 2009, we attended one of our first big media events for txGarage. What a great time to get in on all these new, exciting cars too. We were at the media event for the State Fair of Texas where they were launching the new GMC Terrain and the Buick LaCrosse. It was fantastic being at one of our first big events and driving brand new cars not yet on the market. Jump forward two years and we are reviewing the 2011 LaCrosse, with txGarage alive and kicking.

Maybe it’s my dysfunctional memory, or maybe the LaCrosse has just improved that much over the last two years, but I dont remember it being such a great car for the money. As tested, our LaCrosse dropped in at $36,660 and was basically fully loaded. You can pick up a base modle for under $30k.

2011 Buick LaCrosse rear end txGarage

The styling of the LaCrosse has set the tone for the direction of Buick and after seeing and testing the new Regal, I’d say it’s a great direction. Just check out the detail in those headlights and the defined, but swoopy lines down the hood; the sides; and around to the trunk. Unlike the Regal. this car looks big. And thats for good reason: it is big. Step inside and you get all the aminaties you’d expect from Lexus or many other luxury brands. Our tester was a CLX trimmed LaCrosse and was equipped with good quality leather seats, comfortable in the front and rear with pleanty of room to move about. Heated and cooled seats for both front passengers, dual climate control, Harman Kardon entertainment system with OnStar navigation, a rear window visor that is raised and lowered at the touch of a button, buttons on the leather wrapped steering wheel to control the entertainment system and cruise control, screens mounted to the rear seats for the DVD system, and the list goes on and on. You also get a keyless entry system that I wish was on some other GM cars we’ve recently driven. Keep the key in your pocket, walk up and pull on the door handle, sit down, put your foot on the brake and hit the start button. When you get out of the car, simply swipe your finger across the door handle and the car locks up. I can’t think of one feature that the Lexus has that I was lacking in this Buick.

The two-tone leather and wood interior was appealing, but even more so at night when the ice blue ambient lighting bathed the interior. The entire week of cruising along in this car all we could think was, how can this car be less than $37k?

interior of the 2011 Buick LaCrosse by txGarage

The ride and handling tell the same story. This is no sport sedan that’s going to hug you in the corners or brake your spine on harsh roads. This, much like the Lexus, is for comfort and luxury. It’s quiet and soft going down just about any pavement. In the turns, you get predictable body roll, but never excessive.

The one area of letdown is the powertrain and chassis layout of the Buick. Most luxury manufacturers offer platforms in rear-wheel drive and offer more powerful engine options. Although the Lexus ES, Acura TL, and Lincoln MKS are all well selling front-wheel drive luxury moniker, the LaCrosse still undercuts them on price. Obviously, the front-wheel drive and 4 cylinder combo allows the Buick to cost so much less than these other luxury brands. Is it a bad thing? Not at all. As much as I’d like to see a beautiful Buick body on a rear-wheel drive platform and a LS3 V8 under the hood, it won’t help incrase sales for Buick and would drive prices way up. If you are looking for that kind of luxury and willing to pay for it, GM still offers up Cadillac, by the way.

Nonetheless, our tester was fitted with the 2.4 inline 4 cylinder matched up to the six-speed automatic transmission. The power was lacking with 182 hp trying to push this 4018 pound sedan around. When you are cruising down the highway, it was all rosy, but in town with lots of starts and stops, the transmission was a little too jerky. Trying to get up to speed, you’d jerk back and forth through gears, then stop and start the parocess all over again. You could just tell that the car had too much weight for the power you got out of the engine. Fuel economy was decent as we averaged 21.2 mpg throughout our entire week. The EPA ratings for the LaCrosse are 19 city/ 30 hwy.

To put it bluntly, most consumers won’t notice as much the lacking power, and Buick does offer up a V6 to help haul the mass. But this car, for this price, is a statement Buick is making loudly. This car has been selling well for Buick, pushing out over 61k units last year. With other brands out of the way and not a terrible amount of competition in the simi-luxurious market anymore, this is a great offering by Buick. The LaCrosse is really showing what great potential Buick has as a surviving brand of GM.

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2011 Hyundai Equus

It’s not very often that an automotive company is able to break a stigma of selling cheap, semi-unreliable cars to selling luxury sought after flagships. However, this is the direction that Hyundai is headed. Even their low end cars, like the Elantra and Sonata, are making waves in the industry. The Genesis and Genesis Coupe have exploded onto the scene outselling even Hyundai’s expectations. Now, they are bringing a car that has been around in the Asian market since 1999; one that is pitted against the Germans and the flagships of the American auto companies.

The Equus was introduced to America at the 2010 North American International Auto Show.  Hyundai debated bringing the flagship to America, but after the response they had, they decided to make it happen.

We had our first run-in with the Equus at the Dallas Auto show last year, where it was locked up tighter than a bank vault on Labor Day. Then during the State Fair of Texas, they had an Equus open to the public. This was the first time we were able to sit and and investigate the interior. Last week, we had the opportunity to give it the txGarage treatment. We tested out that touted V8 under the hood by roaring up and down some country roads. Put ourselves in the driver’s seat as well as a place we don’t usually find ourselves while reviewing a car:the back seats.

The Size

Let’s start with the size of this car. From the outside, it doesn’t seem overly big. That is until you park it next to a Sonata. In actual length, it’s just smaller than a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, and a little bigger than a Lexus LS 460. It’s wide too, as wide as a BMW 7 Series.  The stretched version, or “Limo” version, of the Equus won’t make it to our shore, but it gives the car an even longer wheelbase allowing the Equus to compete with the likes of the longer wheel base 7 Series and S-Class.

As big as it is on the outside, it feels enormous on the inside.  Hyundai points out that the Equus has nearly 4 inches more legroom in the front and very competitive cabin space. I have no doubt as I’m 6’1” and my trusty side-kick, Toby, is 6’2” and we had absolutely no complaints of space or comfort. The leather is as plush and soft as any other luxury car we’ve tested, and there is lots of it. The iDrive-like knob sitting by the armrest controls the infotainment system and the 8” screen sitting in the middle of the dash. That is unless the rider in the back seat decides to change it. This car is catered to the back seat with full audio controls, controls to adjust the front seat, reclining rear seat, heated and massaging seat, and this list goes on and on. This is the place to be in the Equus.

The Ride

The ride in the Equus is smooth and premium as well. On most cars we test, we are looking for crisp and hard suspension with very direct steering feel. If you are looking for these same driving characteristics in the Equus, you’ll be at a loss. That’s not really how this car was made to drive. You don’t get BMW crispness to the car, but it does feel Mercedes-esque feel – non AMG. This is helped by Hyundai’s air suspension that is adjustable by the push of a button, the sport button. Push this button and Hyundai says that the suspension firms up, throttle response is upped, and the steering is heavier. In our stint with the Equus, we couldn’t tell any difference with the sport button on.

The party piece

Hyundai is thinking outside the box with their new premium car. One way they are doing this is eliminating a paper version of the owner’s manual. Others companies have talked about it before, but as of now, the Equus is the only car you can buy today that comes with an iPad owners manual. We are talking about fully functional iPad, no one, not even Mercedes is doing this. You also never have to enter a Hyundai dealership. Order the color you want and they will ship it to you. Need service? Call up the service department on your iPad and they’ll swing by and drop off a Genesis sedan or another Equus loaner, perform the needed service, and bring your car back. This isn’t revolutionary thinking in the auto industry, but for Hyundai it’s a step up. They are even talking about including this to the purchase of a Genesis in the future.

Who is this car for?

It is Hyundai’s hope that this car will appeal to the younger, more tech savvy customers willing to spend $65k to $70k on a luxurious, big, and executive sedan. I agree with that for the most part. You are not going to convert a lifetime S-Class or 7 Series driver into a Hyundai owner. And although Motor Trend tested the Equus against the 2011 Bentley Mulsanne, I don’t see much conversion there. For the younger professionals looking to buy their first executive sedan though, this car should be on their list for sure. For the price, Hyundai should be making waves in this class.

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Lexus GS450h

Usually when we are reviewing a car, it’s not hard to determine things like class or target audience. Reviewing the 2010 Lexus GS450h, we understandably  had the preconception that it was made to target the hybrid buying crowd, but with a more upscale buyer. After I sat in it though, I see a button that says “Sport” and a button that firms up the suspension. But wait, isn’t this a hybrid?

The Lexus GS is a mid-sized luxury car that comes in a few trims, basing out with a 3.5 liter V6 in the GS350, then the 4.6 liter V8 in the GS460, and topping out at the model we tested the GS450h with the 3.5 liter V6 and an electric motor slapped on to make it a hybrid powertrain. The GS is built on a rear wheel drive platform, and the hybrid version is, to date, the only RWD hybrid on the market. The GS460 has an output of 342 horsepower that can jettison its 3,836 pound mass from a standstill to 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds. In comparison, the Mercedes E550 with a bigger V8 and more horsepower does the same in 5.2 seconds. The hybrid version though weighs in at 4,134 pounds and only outputs 340 horsepower out of both the V6 and electric motors combined. Yet, because of the way the power is delivered, the GS450h hits 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. Thats pretty impressive for something that has an “h” on the back if you ask me.

So it seems that this car keeps the luxury sports car buyer in mind over the environmentally conscious buyer. This is proven more when you actually see the EPA ratings on this car. City driving is obviously greatly benefited by the hybrid system averaging out at 22 mpg. Highway driving sees only one mpg advantage over the Lexus V8 averaging 25 mpg. While notably better than the V8 package in the same car, it seems like you sacrifice a lot in the process. You have added weight, you have a more complicated powertrain, and you have a $3,000 premium over the V8 Lexus.

Lexus GS450h

Is it worth it? I haven’t driven the GS460 to know for sure, but what I can tell you is that I’d give the V8 a shot first. Most of my gripes with the car are not with the design of the car, as I think it looks great. They are not really with the lack of significant gains made by the hybrid system in your miles per gallon. My biggest gripe with the GS450h is the hybrid system itself. Reading other reviews and watching videos about the GS450h, you hear a lot of talk about the seamless transfer of power from the gas engine to the electric engine. I found this to not be the case at all. In fact, all of our writers that had a chance to jump in this car – passenger or driver – could feel the transition between the two. And I can attest that the transition becomes quite annoying. Just a few weeks before, we tested the all new Prius and were pleased at the feel and transitions between burning fossil fuels and powering the wheels with electricity. So we are left scratching our heads wondering what went wrong? It really feels like Toyota threw this hybrid system together so that they can have the “h” badge on the back without really putting as much thought into it as they did to their dedicated hybrid, the Prius.

As many consumers can tell you, once you find one annoyance, every other annoyance is personified. This rang true in this luxury hybrid as well. Lets just take a second to compare this to the Lincoln MKS we test drove a few months back. When we drove the MKS, it was the most expensive car we had tested to that day, hitting your pocketbook at just over 54k. The GS450h shatters that record pushing just over 60 grand. This leaves us scratching our heads again. Is the GS450h $6,000 more car than the MKS EcoBoost? The fuel economy in the hybrid wasn’t substantially better, as it only averaged a few mpg better than the EcoBoost. The 0-60 time is faster in the Lexus, but the Lincoln never felt let down by its speed. The Lexus had a low roofline – another thing every one of us griped about – and the seats were hard to get into a comfortable position. The MKS had much more room, and was more comfortable to drive day to day than the Lexus. Even passengers in the back seats rode comfortably.

So where do I stand on this car? I think that it’s a good looking and luxurious car that gives you the all important RWD platform. If I was testing the GS460, I might have a completely different conclusion. But as for the hybrid, I’d pass. Save the extra money and get the V8 instead, or shop the MKS EcoBoost as it’s a fantastic car as well.

2010 Toyota Venza

Sometimes you just don’t have a good day. Something happens in the morning that puts you behind schedule, or someone makes a comment that bugs you all day. Sometimes your bad day can turn into a bad week and sometimes your bad week can turn into a bad month. You never really know what the future brings. All you do know is that you want all these bad things to just stop so your life can start over again. This is how Toyota must be feeling. Toyota is just not having a good year so far. As far as I can tell here, they have had to issue at least 4 recalls in the past few months and have had to terminate selling certain vehicles all together. When they are in the news, it’s most certainly bad news and now when you think of the brand you no longer think superior quality. We are keeping all of this out of consideration while testing our new Toyota vehicles in the garage this month. To us, Toyota is still synonymous with “beige excellence” and this 2010 Toyota Venza is no different.

The Toyota Venza is a crossover SUV, or maybe its more of a station wagon, or maybe its like a mini-vanish soccer mom thing – I’m not really sure and I don’t think the Venza knows what it wants to be either. What I do know, however, is that this is a comfortable long distance cruiser that eats up the highway miles. Our Venza was equipped with the 3.5 liter V6 with a 6 speed automatic transmission and all wheel drive. Horsepower comes in at 268 and 246 lb-ft of torque, and with a curb weight of just over 4,000 lbs the Venza actually felt quick when you wanted it to be. This doesn’t mean that it was good around the corners. Fling it into a corner with any speed, and despite the AWD system, you get understeer and loads of tire squeal. Who really wants to drive this thing “enthusiastically” anyway? Leave the auto transmission out of manual mode, lean back in your comfortable leather seats, set your climate to your desired setting, and cruise.

Little things that the Venza did right and unique included the integrated cord hider and phone/iPod holder built into the center console. The interior was efficiently laid out with accents of nice materials worked into it. It also came with all the convenience and comforts you’d want, including a backup camera, memory seating, storage for everything, push button start, easy folding rear seats, and a mirror with compass and homelink. The Venza also had ample leg room no matter where you sat, and was comfortable on any road surface you come across. On the other hand, some things did go wrong. Mainly with the power lift gate. It worked sporadically, so we spent most of our time putting it up and down manually. The button to open the life gate on the exterior handle was another issue, it’s not centered in the handle. When you reach down to push the button, all you feel is the light that illuminates your license plate. Just to the right of that is the button you’re actually trying to find, and you have to almost break your back to get low enough to see it, and that’s just confusing.

Our test Venza also had the optional panoramic glass roof with front power tilt and slide moon-roof. Also included was the voice activated DVD touchscreen infotainment system. These are always great if you don’t mind ponying up the extra $3,600. That’s just the start of it, though. The premium package with the leather covered everything – what wasn’t covered in leather was done up in satin mahogany wood-grain trim – comes in at a whopping $4,345. In total, our test car weighed in at $38,984 and although it was luxurious, comfortable, and great on the road, I’m not sure I’d pay that kind of money for a car-wagon-thingy with an identity crisis.

2010 Lincoln MKS EcoBoost AWD

When shopping for a luxury sedan, there are many options to choose from and depending on exactly what you want to get out of the car in terms of driving experience, there are many options to weigh. If you want a slushy, detached ride that will whisk you away in comfort, you can find that. If you want a sharp handling ride with power that could keep up with the better sports cars out there, you can find that too. If you’re looking for a car that will bathe you in luxury and technology, there are many options for that as well.

The Lincoln MKS stacks up very well against its direct competition like the Infiniti M, Hyundai Genesis, Lexus GS, and Acura RL. The Infiniti M is a great car and has an indulgent interior that would please the best of them. I wouldn’t say, though, that it’s much better than the interior in the MKS and the styling points would have to go to the MKS in my book. The Hyundai Genesis has gone a long way in bringing the Hyundai brand more and more credit in every category. I think I’d still have the MKS on interior and styling though. The same goes for the Lexus GS and Acura RL, both extremely prestigious cars but still lacking something that the MKS seems to bring to the table. What about indirect competition to the MKS? Lincoln describes the new EcoBoost engine as having V6 fuel economy and V8 power, so someone decided to put that claim to a test against much more seasoned and expensive luxury cars. They pitted the MKS against the BMW 550, the Jaguar XJ, and the Maserati Quattroporte in a V6 vs. V8 challenge. When considering driving experience, any BMW should be around the top of anyones list (after all, it is their slogan), and in this challenge it ranked on top. The surprise for the test, though, was the second place ranking went to the less powerful, less expensive Lincoln.

So they may have a point with the power side of that argument, and sure enough after testing this car around the streets in Arlington, we never felt a lack of power. Drop that gear shifter into manual mode and use the shifters on the steering wheel and the peppy 3.5 liter twin turbocharged V6 comes to life. With 355 horsepower and 350 lb-ft torque it pushed this 4300 pound luxury car with ease. Dont get me wrong, your not going to light the streets on fire here -mainly due to the AWD system- but merging in traffic and using on ramps, this car gives you the confidence that you’ll be able to put your foot down and make it happen. Fuel economy is dead on in Lincoln’s claim as well. The 3.5 liter engine, although making significantly more horsepower has better fuel economy ratings than the standard 3.7 liter V6 offered in the car. The EPA ratings on the MKS AWD is 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. As we drove mostly city streets in Arlington and of course using the paddle shifters quite often, we still averaged 21 mpg and over.

Driving purists, much like us at txGarage, feel that the only way to go is rear wheel drive. In almost any circumstance, it’s just better and that much more fun. So how did we feel about the MKS’s AWD system? We are adamant that the Lincoln brand should switch to a rear wheel drive line-up if it really wants to compete in the luxury market of today and differentiate itself from its Ford platformed siblings. That being said, the AWD system worked well and was considerably better than trying to have the front wheels do all the work. Luckily, if you want the EcoBoost option, it is only offered in AWD. You wouldn’t want to see what 355 horsepower would do to the front wheels while they are also trying to steer you around a corner.

One of my favorite things about the new MKS is the styling. Not because its the most beautifully styled car out there, but because it finally shows that Lincoln is in the right century. This car basically takes over as the flagship sedan replacing the Town Car in Lincoln’s line up. Although Lincoln says the new split grill was inspired by the 1941 Continental Cabriolet, it is a fantastic new design bringing the Lincoln a more modern and sleek look. The headlights are thin and wide meshing with the split grill. They are jammed with features like adaptive lighting that turns the lamps as you turn the wheel, adaptive brights that will turn your bright lights on and off for you, and come standard with HID xenon lights. The high belt line and substantial c-piller of the MKS doesn’t assist in any way to visibility, yet they did it anyway. This means that they are actually thinking about design. More out with the old and in with the new is the integrated touch panel in the b-piller. Fords and Lincolns used to have a little touch panel of ugly buttons just above the door handle that allowed the driver to lock and unlock the vehicle with a code. Now with an illuminated touch panel, that hides away in the b-piller of the car. Not only can you unlock the car, but also input functions like rolling the windows up or down, or sliding the sunroof open. Coming around the back of the car, you’ll notice what I think are the best looking taillights put on a Lincoln. Maybe because they resemble those on a Maserati, but Lincoln designers specifically put them at the far corners of the rear to give the car a wider and more planted look. Don’t look now, but those are 3.5 inch dual exhaust tips starring at you too. Overall, the line work on this car is stunning for a Lincoln; the designers did a fantastic job!

The interior is more “out with the old and in with the new” as the first thing you notice sitting in this car is how comfortable and nice the seats feel. All the leather in the car is Bridge of Weir leather, the same leather put in Aston Martins, and is incredibly attractive. The front seats are standard with heated and cooled options, and are twelve way adjustable with two memory settings for the driver seat. The rear seats can also warm your buns as you cruise along in comfort, all while having plenty of room for your legs and shoulders. As a matter of fact, we fit five people in this car on a few occasions and all were surprised at just how much room they really had, and we’re talking Texas boys here. Of course, we have to keep our passengers entertained, thats where the THX 5.1 surround sound came into play. The SYNC system worked great, as to be expected, although the screen being up higher was more of a reach if you really wanted to touch it in the first place. We opted for the hands free voice commands that work so well with SYNC. More features packed into this car are adaptive cruise control that you can set the distance you want between you and the car infront of you, then the car will accelerate or brake for you. You also get park assist, a great feature to show off to friends, but in Texas unless, you go downtown into a major city there are not many real world times to use it. Pull alongside a group of cars and push the park assist button and the information system will tell you to pull up till the sensors on the car find an open spot. Once the car has found a spot for you, you pull forward till you hear a beep then stick it in reverse, take your hands off the wheel and let the car work the rest out for you. Our test car had the incredible dual pain sunroof that had shades that could slide back and forth with a touch of a button, and the front could tilt or slide like a traditional sunroof. This car is, for sure, a nice place to be especially when you do a lot of driving.

So where does this car fall in the slew of choices your faced when buying a luxury car? Good power, good fuel economy, and a great interior ,all at a decent price should put this at the top of the shopping list for any buyer. The direction that Lincoln is going is, finally, toward progress. We would still like to see the Lincoln brand switch away from front wheel drive platforms and would love to see a MKS coupe, at lease in a concept version, coming from Lincoln in the future. We’ll hold our breaths on those points though.

2010 Buick Enclave

When I was young, I bought some of those x-ray glasses out of the back of a magazine. Although my parents tried to warn me, I insisted that they would work, plus they looked really cool. After weeks of waiting, checking the mail every day when I got home from school, the package finally showed up. I rushed to my room and ripped open the box throwing all the packing all over my room. As I pulled the glasses out and put them on my face, I felt an immediate sense of dissatisfaction. I ran around the house looking at everything I could thinking they have to work, yet they wouldn’t look through a thing. Not only did they not work as advertised, they were also cheaply made and broke within the first few days of having them. It has been a long time since I’ve felt this kind of dissatisfaction, that is until this week.

This week, we took delivery of the all new 2010 Buick Enclave CXL-2 AWD. So I know what your thinking, “How can you compare a seven-passenger SUV to x-ray glasses?” Well, we’ll start out with the initial excitement and looks of the car. Last week, we drove the new 2010 Equinox and loved it. We have also driven the Acadia and loved that as well. The Enclave is built on the same platform as the Acadia, but the Enclave is the most expensive vehicle that GM builds on that platform. So forgive us for thinking that we get the great interior and gadgets from the 2010 Equinox, but more luxuries, and the great practicality and ride of the Acadia for a seven-passenger SUV.

The looks of this big SUV are right in line with what Buick needs to do to attract more buyers and keep the brand alive. Along with the new LaCrosse and the upcoming Regal, Buick seems to be doing a fantastic job in the design department. The curvy and swoopy lines of the Enclave almost make it look like a smaller crossover than it really is. The optional 20 in wheels that we had on our test car really fill the wheel wells and give this car a great, big stance. From the stylized headlights and the waterfall grill to the aggressive arches and taillights in the rear, it is apparent that this is a beautiful car. As far as SUV’s go, we got more looks in this thing going to the grocery store or stopping at the gas station than any others.

Now that we have taken care of the looks, on to the interior. Here in the interior of the car is really where all my gripes about this car begin. Keep in mind our test car bleeds your wallet for a total of $49,655 (including destination charge). When you first look at the interior of this car, you dont get an overwhelming sensation of cheapness. No, it takes a few times stopped at stoplights and really feeling the materials used and focusing on the clutter and disarray encompassed in the dash. The first thing that bugged me was the technology in this car. Yes, it has the standard slew of interior tid-bits; including navigation, XM radio, rear DVD entertainment system, OnStar, rear audio controls, heated and cooled front seats and heated rear seats, bluetooth connectivity, and steering wheel mounted controls. With all these features, how could we complain about the technology within the Enclave? Simple, it’s all old technology, at least compared to the significantly cheaper Equinox we drove just the week before. The technology in this $50k car is the same old stuff you would expect to find in a 2007 Equinox, not a new luxurious and beautifully designed SUV.

Okay so the technology is a bit old, and that could be forgiven by most drivers seeing as how it all still works, but what about those materials and clutter? First off, the seats look good and in our test vehicle were a tan leather. They looked fat and comfortable, and although it wasn’t like sitting on rocks, they just were not as comfortable and soft as we would have liked. The headrests, on the other hand, were hard as rocks. The top of the dash was made of what looks like a decent soft touch material, but wasn’t. Under that, you had a light woodgrain – plasticky – material, and if you know me, I’m not a fan of cheap looking woodgrain in luxury cars. Beneath the woodgrain, you have a plastic material made to look like brushed aluminum and in between both is a hard black plastic material and the analog clock with a plastic chrome strip around it. Under those is a big slab of hard black plastic that encompassed the infotainment system, which I can attest to the fact that it doesn’t hold up well to a few Texas summers before it starts warping. Then you have another, clear plastic, material that covers the gear selection on the shifter. This was probably the cheapest feeling material in the entire car. Move over to the steering wheel and you find leather wrapped grips with woodgrain along the top and bottom, although this woodgrain doesn’t match the woodgrain on the dash. Moving to the rear of the seven-passenger SUV, you get a fantastic look at the uncarpeted floor; looking at, instead, the area where the seats roll forward and backward.

Space in the Enclave is nothing to thumb your nose at. This is a true seven-passenger SUV, unlike some stretched SUV’s that only small children could fit in the rear two seats. Although all this space comes at a price; weight. Although you get the bigger 3.6 liter v6, it still feels underpowered when you are trying to merge onto the highway. The fuel economy ratings for the vehicle is set at 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway, although with mostly highway driving we struggled to climb over 17 mpg average.

I’ll continue to say that this is one of the best looking big SUV’s out today. And comparing it to a pair of x-ray glasses might be unfair because yes, the Enclave works. I just dont think it works as a $50k luxury SUV. I think Buick, and GM in general, is moving in the right direction with style. They are making cars that people are not just okay with, but eager to be seen in everyday. Where I still see GM struggling though, is interior quality and overall ride. They have made great advancements in the quality of their interior with the Equinox and the Camaro, but they need to keep that in the forefront when trying to build a luxury vehicle. It really felt like they spent all their time designing the outside and forgot the interior. Although the car did disappoint, it wouldn’t take much to really bring this SUV to where it needs to be. All I can say for now is that if you need a good seven passenger SUV that has good looks and is a good price, pick up a GMC Acadia and save yourself about ten grand.

Stats as Tested:

2010 Buick Enclave CXL-2 AWD

• Exterior: Cocoa Metallic
• Interior: Cashmere W/Cocoa Accentes
• 3.6 liter SIDI V6
• 288 Horsepower @ 6300 RPM
• 270 lb.-ft of torque @ 3400 RPM
• 6-Speed Auto Transmission
• Curb Weight 4780 lbs.
• 20” Chrome-Clad Aluminum Wheels
• Power Sunroof with 2nd Row Skylight
• $49,655.00 as tested price