Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Review: 2008 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/11/in-the-autoblog-garage-2008-mazda-cx-9-grand-touring/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/11/in-the-autoblog-garage-2008-mazda-cx-9-grand-touring/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/11/in-the-autoblog-garage-2008-mazda-cx-9-grand-touring/#commentsFiled under: , ,


2008 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring - Click above for high-res image gallery

 If you keep up with the print mags, it would be easy to think that every journalist, PR flack and blogger loves Mazda's CX-9. Automobile Magazine made a spot for it on their All-Stars list, Motor Trend named it Sport Utility of the Year, Car & Driver thinks its one of the 5 Best Trucks of 2008, SEAMO crowned it their Family Car of the Year and USA TODAY even went as far as calling it "about perfect." We put 380 miles on the 7-seater in our best attempt to debunk the CX-9's mythical aura of SUV perfection and found most of the legend true.


Gallery: Review: 2008 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring


All photos Copyright (C)2008 Chris Tutor / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Review: 2008 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring

Review: 2008 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara Xsport - Click above for high-res image gallery

When driving a vehicle for review, we always keep a list of pros and cons. At just a glance we can see which list is longer and instantly know if it's a vehicle that we'd personally drive. At the end of the evaluation we throw in a few verbs, several random adjectives and some technical jargon to make us all sound knowledgeable and it's a review! Just kidding. A little, at least.

The 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara Xsport that just left the Autoblog Garage didn't fit the mold. Our cons list outnumbered the pros, but we just can't give this one an automatic thumbs down.

The ride was unsettled by even slightly uneven pavement, which then caused the dash panel to creak and rattle. And the squeaky horn sounded more appropriate for one of Suzuki's econoboxes than a 4,600-pound SUV. And there's that funky side-opening rear cargo door. But from the pro list, we got a powerful V6, a fairly roomy interior and an impressive drivetrain warranty.

Our 2WD tester arrived wearing Quicksilver Metallic paint and cloth seats. The 2.7-liter V6 is standard, as are side curtain airbags, ABS, stability and traction control, fog lamps and 16-inch wheels. The Xsport trim level includes a few "comfort and convenience" options like a power sunroof, keyless entry and start, power windows and doors, audio and cruise controls on the steering wheel, a 6-disc AM/FM with six speakers and a subwoofer, and power mirrors. Total sticker price before shipping and handling was $22,349.


Gallery: Review: 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara XSport


All photos Copyright (C)2007 Chris Tutor / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Review: 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara Xsport

Review: 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara Xsport originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Larger and more powerful than the model it replaces, Mitsubishi has aimed its Outlander at bigger game. Where last year's model had Subaru dead in its sights, the 2007 model is taking on Toyota's RAV-4 and Honda's CR-V.

So what makes the Outlander shoppable against those two best-sellers? They're about equal on options and pricing, but the Toyota is less fun even with its V6 option, and the four-cylinder Honda doesn't even offer a third row seat, no matter how useless those extra seats are in these smallish CUVs.

The Outlander's looks have moved away from the "toughwagon" genre dominated by the aforementioned Subies towards the sporty mini-ute segment. Its side windows are tall, but the rear-leaning back window adds a look of speed. The standard roof rack, while practical, also improves the Outlander's looks with a bit of shine on top. A roof spoiler and 18" wheels help accentuate the car's sporty intentions.

Gallery: Autoblog Garage: 2007 Outlander XLS AWD

Continue reading In the Autoblog garage: 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS

In the Autoblog garage: 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jun 2007 12:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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