I remember back in 2002 when Porsche offered the first-ever incentives on the Boxster. The industry was in an uproar -- "Porsche is offering killer lease and purchase deals on the Boxster! Can you believe it???"

"Yes" was my answer. Followed up with,"Can you say Nissan 350Z?" After seeing the photos and hearing the specs on this car it was clear the Boxster's position as an "affordable Porsche" was about to be undercut by this even more affordable sport coupe (and convertible) from Nissan. And it was clear Porsche knew it, too.

Obviously the 350Z is no Porsche, and that first-year Z had its issues that we experienced first hand with our long-term car (interior quality, front tire wear, etc.), but from day one it was a helluva performance proposition. Driving the latest 2008 version was a good reminder of how much fun this car provides for a starting price under $30,000.

Continue reading...

Is the Nissan Cube weird? Yeah, but so were the xB and Element when they first hit showrooms, and both are selling well enough to justify Nissan's interest in the "$17,000 Box-on-Wheels" market.

The model I just briefly drove was a 2007, Japanese-market version, so it doesn't exactly represent the one we'll see at Nissan dealers in 2009 (unless they are going to make them all right-hand drive with no radio). Still, I got to experience the basic design philosophy behind the Cube, which like the xB and Element is essentially "maximum interior space packed into minimal exterior space." This meant the Cube was easy to park, but hard for my 6-foot-frame to get comfy in. The 1.4-liter, 80-horsepower engine moved the car with enough authority to please the target crowd, which should theoretically care more about fuel mileage anyway, right?

Continue reading...

Nissan has "updated" the Armada for 2008 with a better interior, more high-tech features and a moderately restyled grille. I drove one home the other night and found those upgrades to be well-executed and highly appreciated. The soft-touch material covering the dash and door panels, not to mention the woodgrain inserts, finally put this SUV's cabin on par with the competition. The rear camera in our test vehicle was most helpful when manuevering this beast in the parking garage, as was the high-grade audio sysetm and clear navigation display while cruising around Los Angeles and up PCH.

But I have two major issues with this SUV. The first relates to its drivetrain, which like so many Nissan drivetrains is simply too "buzzy." The 5.6-liter V8 has plenty of horsepower (317 to be exact) and plenty of pulling grunt (385 lbs-ft), but there's a high-pitched engine screech when you floor it, and too much NVH at higher rpms. Not sure if this is just a matter of engine mounting design or fundamental engine design itself, but for this class and this price point I need a "calmer" experience -- even when I mash the gas pedal.

Continue reading...

If you've driven a Nissan Altima sedan you already know how surprisingly sporty this "family sedan" is. Short of having an available V8 and rear-wheel drive this model is as close to a muscle car as you can get...except for the Charger/300 and G8, which do have V8s and rear-wheel drive.

Regardless, I still consider the Nissan Altima "the great upsetter" ever since the redesign in 2002. I remember the 2001 New York Auto Show when it debuted, and the level of concern on the Honda and Toyota execs faces was undeniable. Suddenly the Altima wasn't an oddly-sized, bottom tier Japanese sedan, it was a real player with more interior space, horsepower and handling potential than the two titans of the category. The car's first redesign since that paradigm-shifting 2002 model was last year, and for 2008 an all-new Altima coupe hits with all the tradiitional Nissan character traits.

Continue reading...

Just took a gander at Automotive News' future product plan for Japanese carmakers. Not too surprisingly, the coming years hold hybrids and crossovers from the Land of the Rising Sun (actually, many of them will come from right here in North America). Each automaker has a few interesting items in the pipeline.

Acura: No official confirmation of a V8 in Acura's future, which I continue to view as the division's greatest failing. The next RL is due in 2011, so they better make up their mind. But we do know a V10 engine will power the NSX replacement. I like that they have a full-tilt exotic in the works, but one vehicle does not a division make (as was proven with the last NSX).

Honda: Honda will continue to push hybrids, with a smaller-than-Civic model. No more Accord hybrids, but the Odyssey will be Honda's first V6 diesel-powered vehicle in the U.S. in 2010 (also the year CR-V goes diesel with a 4 cyl.).  I'm personally looking forward to the Remix, the spiritual successor to the CRX. And between the Pilot and CR-V? Yup, another crossover is coming.

Continue reading...

With a 20-inch wheelbase stretch, and the availability of of a long-bed on crew cab models, this 2008 Nissan is truly a Titanic truck. It's been awhile since I drove something with its own zip code, but other than navigating the parking garage this Nissan was surprisingly manageable. And, between the top-line LE trim and options like nav and DVD rear entertainment, this truck feels more like a open-bed minivan with regard to luxury amenities.

Continue reading...

Once upon a time I really liked the Nissan Pathfinder. It was actually our Most Wanted mid-sized SUV circa 2002 (after it got the much-needed power boost midway through 2001). Back then the Pathfinder had attractive looks, a surprisingly car-like ride quality on pavement, and even more surprisingly capable off-road prowess (considering its pleasant on-road demeanor and unibody design). Back then I considered the Toyota Land Cruiser the king of combining on-road refinement with off-road capabilities, but those qualities didn't come cheap in the Toyota. After driving the Nissan I decided the Pathfinder was a slightly smaller, far less pricey "Baby Land Cruiser" -- about as strong of praise a midsize SUV could hope for from me.

Continue reading...

Since everyone seemed to love (or hate) the Saturn Aura Hybrid comments from yesterday here's more hybrid blog fodder. I just ran two identical driving loops in the 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid and Toyota Camry Hybrid. These loops were about 66 percent through the Santa Monica Mountains and 33 percent along PCH. We use this area because it offers relatively traffic-free driving (at least during mid-day) and a good mix of driving situations. Truth be told it's not the best loop for hybrid vehicles because it offers almost no stop-and-go driving and the average speed on this loop was about 46 mph (well above the speeds where an internal combustion engine can really be "helped" by the electric motor). That said, the route is easily controlled by the driver because of the lack of traffic, meaning I could essentially pick my speed and driving style versus having it dictated to me by other drivers and/or "road conditions." I actually didn't change my driving style much, but I did tend to leave a larger gap in front of me so I could coast down hills to recapture energy and/or have momentum when the road went from downhill to uphill (which is quite often on this loop). So how did they do?

Continue reading...

I finally got some seat time in Saturn's Aura Hybrid (yes, our test car was the exact same color as our long-term Aura). This hybrid is defined as a "weak hybrid" because it can't motivate itself on pure electricity. The engine always has to be running whenever the car is moving. It's basically similar to GM's full-size truck "hybrid" system, meaning it can shut off when stopped and provide a bit of boost when accelerating.

Continue reading...

The rumors started a few weeks before the Tundra went on sale last month:

"Psst. Hey, Toyota is going to launch their brand new Tundra with incentives!"

It seemed ludicrous to think the most successful automaker on the planet, and one historically loathe to incentives, would be offering them on a brand new product even before the dust could settle on showroom models.

Continue reading...