Having spent a week with our long-term 2005 Jetta TDI, I'm reminded about why we were such big fans of this generation Jetta back when it was new. It's the way the car looks and the way the doors "thunk" solidly when you close them. It's the upscale interior materials and the superb balance of handling and ride comfort. It's the European feel granted by the diesel engine and smooth gear shifter. Basically, it's just a cool car.

There were two major complaints we lobbed at the fourth-generation Jetta when it was new: its small backseat and its higher than typical price. Depreciation has mitigated the latter issue somewhat now. Of course, the car's "splotchy" reputation for reliability (editor Riswick's description) is a concern. But so far our Jetta has been trouble free.

Of the small cars that have gone through our long-term fleet recently, the Jetta TDI is certainly one of my favorites.

Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor

Our long-term Audi Q7 4.2 Premium has reached the end of the line, and at 24,000 miles, it was a long line.

Read the Long-Term Wrap Up

Lately, it seems like I'm meeting a lot of people who appear to be car enthusiasts but once I  start talking to them it  quickly becomes obvious they're only interested in automobiles as bling or status symbols - sad. Sure, they know some numbers and have been to a few races but there's something missing - it all comes off more like a gold digger on the make rather than someone who's actually had the taste of gasoline in their mouth on several occasions.

In a way, the G8 is kinda plain. It  will likely not appeal to gold diggers or bling blingers - one more reason I like it.  OK, the interior won't fool any Audi owners  but there's a refreshing authenticity to this sedan. Yes, the G8 is Australian in essence yet somehow American in spirit - and for that I love it. In a world obsessed with celebrity, TMZ and hey look at me, the G8 stands out as an anti-Hollywood, no bull kind of car. I just have one question - when can I get the keys again?

Brian Moody, Road Test Editor @ 3604 miles.

Turbocharged engines used to have a unique character, a.k.a. "turbo lag." You'd roll into the throttle from a stop, wait a few beats for the boost to kick in, and whooooosh! The sudden rush of power would pin you back in your seat. Automotive journalists often had nasty things to say about turbo lag, but personally I enjoyed it. It was something cool you could show off to your passengers -- that Jekyll-and-Hyde personality was what made a turbo a turbo.

Alas, times have changed. More and more turbocharged engines these days are designed to reproduce the linear, lag-free power delivery of larger-displacement normally aspirated mills. Try the new Subaru Forester XT's turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer four, for example -- or any BMW with the twin-turbo inline-6.

Happily, our turbocharged long-term Mini Cooper S offers the best of both worlds: it's eminently tractable at low rpm, unlike those laggy turbocharged engines of old, yet the overboost function adds a furious and decidedly non-linear kick under full throttle that reminds me of turbos past. Boot the Mini from a stop, and you're thinking, "Well, this feels pretty quick but not exactly--" Whooooosh! Suddenly you're pinned to your seat and grinning uncontrollably.

That's why I can never refuse the keys to the Mini when they're available. In a lag-free kind of way, it reminds me of the days when a "Turbo" badge (which our Mini lacks, incidentally) virtually guaranteed an engaging driving experience.

Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com @ 15,284 miles

Looks good sideways at 70, don't it?

Interested to see what sort of numbers it managed when the tires stuck and the Pontiac didn't disappear in a cloud of tire smoke?

Got a guess at its 0-60? 1/4 mile? Braking?  Think about it and then follow the link for results and some poorly filmed video!



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Since we are all sharing shots from yesterday's Willow Springs run here's a look at the long-term Ford GT between Turn 2 and Turn 3. I drove the car 100 miles up to Willow with no plans to track it (we rented the facility for another purpose), but at one point I noticed the empty racetrack and the fully-fueled GT sitting in the parking area. Hmmm...

Once upon a time Enzo Ferrari had a vision of his customers driving their Ferrari on public roads to the track, racing it on the track (and winning), and driving it home -- all with minimal "set-up" between street and track duty. The early 250 GTs and GTOs were capable of doing just that, and the bar he set with those cars is what many a manufacturer has tried to emulate ever since.

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I drove our 2008 Subaru WRX STI up to Willow Springs International Raceway and back with a load of equipment for our second-ever consumer comparison test. It handled the following test props and equipment without breaking a sweat:

One 85-pound, 3.5-ton floor jack

Two carry-on roller suitcases

One large international-sized roller suitcase

One Igloo ice chest

Two 15-gallon flip-top storage containers

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It's almost getting too easy to pick on our 2008 Ford Focus, what with that passenger side door handle falling off, the way the headlights (and horn) don't activate when you hit "unlock" on the keyfob, and such. (Though it's possible that the Focus can be reprogrammed for the lights to flash when you press "unlock," how many people will take the trouble to figure that out?) I'd like to add one more gripe, but, to be fair, counter that with a compliment or two.

First, the gripe: I hate the way the coupe's shoulder belt anchor is positioned. Granted, this is a coupe, so I guess it's not that unusual to have to reach all the way behind you to the b-pillar to grab the belt. But then the anchor doesn't adjust up or down either, and the result is that the belt rubs my neck, and not in a good way. Perhaps this situation could be ameliorated by moving the seat, but only if the steering telescoped, which, of course, it doesn't. Both the wheel and the belt anchor are big issues for shorter drivers. So bottom line is. I'm not comfortable in the driver's seat -- and I'm 5'6".

On the plus side, I really like the way the cup holders illuminate with the cool blue lighting. It makes it easier to see what's in there at night, when you're fumbling around for your keys, your cell phone, whatever. I'm always throwing stuff in the cupholders or console, and it's handy to have a little light.

Then there is the more important issue of fuel economy. I can't yet release the numbers from our "Gas-Sipper Smackdown," which publishes next week, but suffice it to say that the Focus is worth a look just for that reason.

Is the trade-off worth it? I'm looking forward to the debate.

Joanne Helperin, Senior Features Editor @ approx. 7700 miles

After using the Grand Caravan to pick up some cones at the Streets of Willow race track, Magrath and I decided to see what the big girl could do. As the below video shows, the Grand Caravan was a grand disappointment. Through a short-course configuration, the Grand Caravan managed a lap time of 1:14 without the main straightaway -- simply pathetic. Compared to the last few Dodges we've taken to the track, such as the Dodge Viper and Dodge Challenger SRT-8, the Caravan wollowed about with heavy body roll and understeer. It was also woefully underpowered and the automatic transmission was a let down -- maybe they should offer a manual. Seriously, I thought Dodge was all about performance and excitement. What's the deal?

The next time I go for a few hot laps, I definitely know what I WON'T be driving.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor

All that thwacking about you hear is the sound of about 30 traffic cones and a case of water bottles depositing itself across the interior.

Although our Lexus RX 400h long-termer has mostly been retired from the fleet and is now driven by non-editorial Edmunds folks, it occasionally falls back into our hands to make sure everything's running smoothly with the goal to test the long-long-term reliability of hybrids. After driving the RX to and from Willow Springs International Raceway, I'm happy to report everything is A-OK.

I can't really say the same about highway fuel economy, however. With cruise control set at 75 mpg there and back, I only managed 25.4 mpg (according to the trip computer). That's actually 0.4 mpg better than the EPA's 2008-standard highway estimate, but somehow I think it should be better even if the electric motor never kicks in at highway speeds. Certainly, the 27 mpg city is very impressive given most V6-powered crossovers get between 16 and 18 mpg in the city, however, I'm pretty sure we've never come remotely close to that. In fact, when I got into the car, it reported to me that it was averaging 18.3 mpg over its last 550 miles -- and that's not with the editor's lead feet on its accelerator.

James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 31,831 miles