2009 Mazda RX-8 Vehicle Overview

2009 Mazda RX-8 Vehicle Overview

Introduction

The 2009 Mazda RX-8 is weird. Its body style? Weird. Its engine? Weirder. Its styling? Yep, that's pretty strange too. Since its introduction five years ago, the RX-8 has served as an automotive asterisk. However, weird can be a good thing. Jim Carrey's weird and so is Japan, but plenty of people saw "Ace Ventura" and vacation in Tokyo. At the same time, though, those two entities also produced "23" and cucumber-flavored Pepsi (respectively, of course). So goes the Mazda RX-8 -- weird in good ways and bad.

The RX-8's coupe-like body features a pair of rear-hinged doors that grant easy access to the surprisingly roomy backseat. If you've ever seen an extended-cab pickup, it's the same idea. Given the car's performance and handling capabilities, that old marketing cliché of "four-door sports car" actually applies here. Under the hood is not a sports car's typical inline-4 or V6, but instead, Mazda's signature rotary engine. The number of other cars that feature this type of engine is exactly zero, but the resulting effect is that the RX-8 behaves like nothing else. With the manual transmission, the rotary engine spins up to 9,000 rpm with the ease of a blowtorch through Country Crock. The sounds are glorious, and playing with such a free-flowing, high-strung engine is a lot of fun.

All of this would be weird in a good way except that the rotary can also get tiresome in everyday use, as it produces very little low-end torque. Drive sedately and the RX-8 feels like a slug. That high-spinning nature also hammers fuel consumption to the point that the 3,000-pound, 232-horsepower Mazda RX-8 gets the same fuel economy as the 4,300-pound, 273-hp Mazda CX-9 crossover. That's weird in a bad way.

That last point is truly the 2009 Mazda RX-8's Achilles' heel. We could probably live with the rotary's less-than-stellar straight-line performance, given the fun derived from the RX-8's superb handling, but the fuel economy and dearth of low-end power are hard to reconcile. The BMW 128i, Nissan 350Z and Mustang GT provide better performance and/or fuel economy for a similar price. Of course, none of those cars provide the practical four-door coupe body style or that one-of-a-kind styling inside and out. In other words, if the RX-8's your type of weird, there's no other choice.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2009 Mazda RX-8 is a four-seat coupe with a pair of rear-hinged "suicide" doors that ease access to the backseats. There are four trim levels: Sport, Touring, Grand Touring and R3.

The base Sport features 18-inch wheels and performance tires, a rear lip spoiler (manual transmission models only), air-conditioning, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, full power accessories and a six-speaker stereo with CD player and auxiliary audio jack. The Touring trim adds a limited-slip rear differential, xenon headlights, foglights, an auto-dimming rearview mirror and an in-dash six-CD changer.

Grand Touring RX-8s have this equipment plus automatic headlights, heated side mirrors, rain-sensing wipers, an eight-way power driver seat with memory, heated front seats, leather upholstery, automatic climate control, keyless ignition/entry, Bluetooth and a nine-speaker Bose surround-sound system. The new-for-2009 R3 trim level is essentially a Touring model with a more aggressively tuned suspension, 19-inch wheels, a rear wing spoiler, a revised front bumper, Recaro front sport seats, keyless ignition/entry, Bluetooth and the upgraded Bose stereo.

The Touring and Grand Touring can be equipped with a premium package that includes a sunroof, satellite radio and the Bose stereo (Touring). Also optional on the Grand Touring is a new touchscreen navigation system with voice commands and a dedicated iPod connection.

Powertrains and Performance

The rear-wheel-drive Mazda RX-8 is powered by a 1.3-liter rotary engine. The engine's output depends on the transmission selected. Models with the six-speed automatic (with paddle shifters) receive 212 hp and a redline of 7,500 rpm. The six-speed manual version has 232 hp and an atmospheric redline of 9,000 rpm. All RX-8 engines produce a rather meager 152 pound-feet of torque.

Although generally quick by most measures, acceleration is hardly impressive for a sports car. In our tests, a manual-equipped RX-8 went from zero to 60 mph in 7 seconds. Fuel economy is unimpressive at 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway and 18 mpg

Safety

The 2009 Mazda RX-8 comes standard with antilock brakes, front side airbags and front side curtain airbags. All but the Sport model get stability control standard. In government crash testing, the RX-8 earned a four-star rating (out of a possible five) for driver protection in frontal impacts and five stars for the front passenger. In side-impact testing, the RX-8 received four stars.

Interior Design and Special Features

Giving the 2009 RX-8 a serious advantage over class rivals is its true four-passenger capacity. The "free style" reverse-opening rear doors make loading people and cargo much easier. Provided they are shorter than 6 feet tall, those seated in the back will find supportive seating and ample room all around.

The rear compartment is equally accommodating for luggage or grocery bags. The trunk is a different matter, as its opening is small and no flip-down rear seat function exists to increase that luggage capacity.

The RX-8's cockpit features a circular theme, with three round gauges and a circular central dash control stack that houses the stereo and climate control functions.

Look closely and you'll also spot numerous circle and triangle details throughout the cabin, a visual homage to the car's rotary engine design. Although the gauges are easily read, we've had mixed feelings about the central display used for the audio system and climate control, which some find to be too crowded with information. The optional navigation system is now operated through a touchscreen and voice recognition interface, which works well and is a welcome improvement.

Driving Impressions

Although the 2009 Mazda RX-8 has the look of a race-tuned sports car, its demeanor on the road is considerably more docile. There's plenty of grip in the corners and solid feedback through the steering wheel, but a compliant ride means that it won't beat you up on the daily commute. The rotary engine requires high engine speeds to make serious power, but the delivery is virtually vibration-free and noise levels are subdued. If you like a smooth engine (in feel, sound and delivery), there's none smoother. Overall, the RX-8 is one of the best examples of a car that's both fun to drive and very livable on a day-to-day basis -- just be prepared to pay at the pump.

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2009 Chevrolet Traverse Review

2009 Chevrolet Traverse Review

Introduction

It's no great secret that recent history has seen a decline in the sales and appeal of truck-based SUVs as family movers. Nonetheless, no matter how practical and easy to use a minivan is, there's just no getting around the minivan stigma for many people. Automakers have reacted to this trend with the crossover SUV, a vehicle that combines the family-focused functionality and car-based dynamics of a minivan with the outgoing appearance and personality of an SUV. With the introduction of the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse, General Motors now has four such vehicles built on the same "Lambda" platform, the others being the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Saturn Outlook.

Having so many similar vehicles available might seem like overkill, but the quality and thoughtfulness of design that all the Lambda crossovers share has made every one of them a strong segment contender thus far. The brand-new Traverse seems poised to do just as well, if not better. To help differentiate it from the General's other crossover offerings, the Traverse shares some styling cues with the new Malibu, including the distinctive mesh front grille, vaguely circular taillights and the lines of the dual-cockpit dash that extend onto the doors. Overall, the interior styling of the Traverse's cabin, while largely similar to the Acadia's and Outlook's due to parts-sharing, offers an edgier design without losing any mass appeal.

Like those that came before it, the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse is a strong entry in the already crowded full-size crossover SUV segment. If you're looking for a solid-performing people mover that seats up to eight (and doesn't exclude adults from the third row), hauls a lot of cargo and doesn't cramp your ego, the Traverse deserves your serious attention. Those considering a GM crossover who haven't made up their minds on which one should note that, at a starting price just over $28,000, the Chevy is the least expensive in the family. So if the styling and options specific to the Traverse speak to you, this latest addition to the brood may be just the right pick. But if the Traverse or its siblings don't work for you, the Ford Flex, Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9 and Toyota Highlander are all worthy competitors and merit a close look.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2009 Chevrolet Traverse is a large crossover SUV available in LS, LT and LTZ trim levels. Standard equipment on the LS includes 17-inch steel wheels, eight-passenger seating, split-folding second- and third-row bench seats, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, air-conditioning, full power accessories, OnStar and a six-speaker CD/MP3 player with an auxiliary audio jack and satellite radio.

The midrange LT trim level actually comes with the choice of two packages: the moderate 1LT and the more upscale 2LT. The 1LT package offers 18-inch alloy wheels, an eight-way power driver seat, leather-wrapped steering wheel, rear parking sensors and remote vehicle start. Select the 2LT package and get all that plus Bluetooth, tri-zone automatic climate control, a 10-speaker Bose system, rear audio system controls, seven-passenger seating featuring second-row captain's chairs, a power liftgate and a rearview camera integrated into the rearview mirror. The Traverse LTZ improves upon the 2LT with 20-inch wheels, leather seating, heated and cooled power front seats with driver memory settings, a navigation system with real-time traffic and a rearview camera.

Many of the features on upper trim levels can be added to the lower ones via optional packages. Also available are dual sunroofs and a rear-seat entertainment system. Should you wish to take advantage of the Traverse's 5,200-pound towing capacity, a trailering package is available on all trim levels and includes a heavy-duty engine cooler and trailer hitch.

Powertrains and Performance

There is only one engine/transmission combination available for the Chevrolet Traverse -- a 3.6-liter V6 mated to a six-speed automatic with manual shift control. In the LS and LT trims, which sport a single-outlet exhaust, the V6 produces 281 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque. In the uplevel LTZ, hp jumps to 288 and torque goes to 270 lb-ft thanks to a dual-outlet exhaust and an upgrade to direct fuel injection, which allows for increased efficiency and reduced emissions when compared to the V6 used in earlier years of the Traverse's platform mates.

EPA fuel economy estimates for the front-wheel-drive Traverse are 17 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway and 19 mpg combined. All-wheel-drive Traverse models are very similar at 16/23/19 mpg.

Safety

Antilock disc brakes, traction and stability control, front seat side-impact airbags and side curtain airbags for all three rows are all standard on every 2009 Chevrolet Traverse, as is one year of GM's OnStar service, including turn-by-turn navigation and Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity.

In both frontal- and side-impact crash tests performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Traverse received a perfect five-star rating for its protection of occupants in head-on and side-impact collisions.

Interior Design and Special Features

Inside the roomy cabin of the Traverse is an attractive layout in a two-tone color scheme with brushed aluminum and chrome trim. The instrument panel consists of dual gauges featuring bright white numbers on a black background that are simple and easy to read. One of our few complaints is that the audio and climate controls consist of too many small and similar-looking buttons and not enough knobs.

Depending on the configuration chosen, the Traverse seats either seven (with second-row captain's chairs) or eight (split-folding second-row bench seat) passengers in three rows. The first- and second-row seats are quite comfortable and supportive, and the split-folding third-row seat which is often a kids-only zone in traditional SUVs -- can accommodate adults in reasonable comfort.

Maximum cargo capacity is a generous 117 cubic feet with second- and third-row seats folded down, and even with all three rows of seating in use, there are still a useful 24 cubic feet of luggage space.

Driving Impressions

Like the other three large General Motors crossovers, the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse hits a happy medium between secure handling and a comfortable ride. And even though it is a big vehicle (4,720 pounds with front-wheel drive, 4,925 pounds with all-wheel drive), it doesn't feel nearly as large and lumbering as it should from behind the wheel. The 3.6-liter V6 feels peppy and capable. Its higher than average towing capability is a plus, too, though during a test-drive that included towing a 4,200-pound boat (1,000 pounds below the Traverse's maximum tow rating), the crossover seemed a bit overtaxed when compared to a lighter competitor. Additionally, the six-speed automatic transmission is often unwilling to downshift, which, though good for fuel economy, can be frustrating.

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