Wizzin' (In a New Car)
OK, I usually write with varying effectiveness about somewhat serious topics in my blog posts. Not this time (by the way, the title is a non-sequitur reference to a Futurama episode that sounded cool for a post about zippy cars). After driving the same ride for almost 10 years I decided to finally take the plunge and buy a new whip. I test drove more cars than I planned, partially to be thorough and also I became slightly addicted to it. I'm going to pretend I'm a "journalist" for Jalopnik (but hopefully with better proof-reading) and write about all the cars I drove. Along the way I'll be splicing in stupid Fast & Furious memes because I still have the mental maturity of a 14 year old. 3 people may read this. 0 will probably find it enlightening. Enjoy!
VW GTI
I started my journey with a trip to the Henderson Auto Mall's Vee-Dub dealership to look at their shiny Golf GTI's. OK, to be honest I mostly drove this one as a comparison car. I wasn't seriously considering it because it's front-wheel-drive, and I decided I'd like a sporty ride with all-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive. I'm keeping my decade old Scion tC, so I'll still have a FWD hatch-back/shitbox that gets decent gas mileage and can haul a lot of crap. But, GTI's are well regarded, and it was one of 3 cars I considered when I bought my Scion almost 10 years ago. In retrospect, back then I should have bought what I really wanted - a Subaru WRX - instead of the Scion. But, insurance for that car was nearly double, so the tC was the more sensible choice. The GTI would have been an excellent middle ground. Faster than the tC with lots of cargo room, but not as batshit crazy as the 'Rex. Anyway, I went for the tC. Yeah, I know.
So I took a spin in a new GTI. One criteria for my next ride is that it has to have a manual transmission, and all the GTIs the local dealer had on the lot were automatics. But that was OK in this case, because I've been dying to try VW's dual-clutch automatic. If you're unaware what that is, the oversimplified summary is that it's basically a sophisticated manual transmission that works automatically (or is it "Auto-MAGICALLY"?? *cue Japanese anime girl going "ooooooohhh"*). You can shift gears yourself if you choose with cool paddle shifters, but there's no clutch pedal.
I wasn't really impressed with the current understated VW styling until I started looking at cars on the lot. I've gone from terribly unimpressed with their design motif to borderline in love. They are very handsome cars. Inside the GTI is nice. I drove a 5-door version, and there was plenty of room. The interior is well sorted, but not as "refined"/luxurious as most of the internet car nerds would have you think. To hear them tell it GTIs are the hot-hatch equivalents of Mercedes-AMGs on the inside. There is definitely a difference between what they put in the Golf/GTI and the more upscale offerings (while sitting in the back seat of a friend's Passat recently I was impressed with how super nice the leather and other interior bits are - like sleeping inside a horse or a taun-taun, but more comfortable and less bloody, I presume). But don't get me wrong, it is nice, especially for this price point. I digress. A couple of high points: the gauge cluster is super sharp (they finally stopped using two digits on the tachometer numbers), and the Fender stereo was the best sounding system of all the cars I drove. I figured Fender just licensed their name for this system (after all, they're not known for car audio), but after researching I found they actually developed it and it's pretty damn good.
On to the test drive. It was a typical brief jaunt (but I did get to take it on the highway, at least), so I didn't get a thorough feeling, but my impression was that it was a sporty, quiet, comfortable drive, but nothing terribly exciting. That is, it didn't knock my socks off. But handling and composure were excellent. And that transmission...it was nice. So smooth and shifts were quick and effortless. I don't plan on abandoning cars with 3 pedals anytime soon, but this setup is very tempting.
The GTI is a sharp and practical hot hatch that can do it all: haul 4 people comfortably (I recommend the 5-door configuration over the 3-door), carry a lot of junk, get great gas mileage, all while providing a sporty yet comfortable drive with lots of creature comforts and a bitchin' stereo. It just wasn't a thrill ride. If I was a rich man and could afford more than one new car at a time, I would be tempted to buy one of these as a nice daily-driver that I can still get a kick out of on the way home from work...while keeping a sports car in the garage for the weekend. :)
Ford Mustang Ecoboost
After the GTI it was off to a Ford dealer to check out a car I was only considering in the back of my mind: the Mustang Ecoboost. For those unfamiliar, the Mustang was completely redesigned for 2015, including a much nicer interior and an independent rear suspension (finally crawling out of the stone ages and ditching the solid axle). Also new is a turbocharged direct injected 4-cylinder engine option (hence the "Ecoboost" name) to supplement the V8 and V6 offerings. The turbo-4 actually sits between the base V6 and the GT V8 and makes 310 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque. For comparison, that's more peak power than the V8's made until only a few years ago (the 1994 5.0L V8 only made 240 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque!). I drove a base Ecoboost 'Stang very briefly with a salesman who knew absolutely nothing about cars other than they have wheels and come in different colors. Despite his unhelpfulness, I was intrigued. I went to a more accommodating dealership and drove another Eco-Stang with more options including the performance (track) package. I was now impressed.
If you haven't been inside a Mustang in a while, you'll be surprised with what you'll find in the new generation. The interior, especially if you get a premium model, is miles better in terms of looks, ergonomics, features and materials. It feels like a fighter cockpit crammed with cool technology and leather. It may not quite match the interiors of Cadillacs or mid-level German cars, but it's very sharp. Outside, the styling has grown on me. I now feel this is my favorite Mustang exterior since the 60s (and they still have the sequential rear taillights - whee!).
Driving the car, you realize immediately how big (and heavy) it is. The hood seems to stretch on forever, but after a few minutes you get used to it. Parking is a bitch, but driving is very rewarding even for knuckleheads like me. The clutch is a little weird and doesn't have much feel for the engagement point. However, you get used to it quickly and I've read that this is completely remedied with a $20 replacement clutch pedal spring. Otherwise, pedal feel (gas & brake) is excellent, but the shifter is a bit on the overly-notchy/clunky side. The turbo-4 engine actually sounds pretty impressive from inside the cabin (but is almost silent outside, unfortunately) and provides quite a bit of power on demand. Steering felt pretty good and there are 4 different driving modes (in the premium model) and 3 levels of steering feel (weight) available. The shorter differential gear ratio and bigger brakes provided in the performance package really make the car come alive.
As a practical car, well let's just say it won't hurt to keep a beater hatch-back or extended-cab truck in the garage if you end up purchasing a Mustang. It gets decent gas mileage in this configuration, and it actually has a very big trunk. But, the back seats are there for marketing purposes only. You might be able to fit a small child back there comfortably. Adults should only be forced to endure such torture in emergencies. But the Mustang isn't about practicality, it's about fun. And this car puts a smile on your face.
Scion FR-S
Ahh, the Toyobaru twins. For those unfamiliar, a few years ago Toyota and Subaru jointly developed a RWD sports coupe to be sold (with minor differences) by both companies, as the Scion FR-S (soon to be renamed the Toyota 86 due to the impending and overdue death of the Scion brand) and the Subaru BR-Z. They are well regarded as incredible sports cars in terms of handling, but somewhat under-powered. I had to try one. I think the FR-S looks much better, so off to the local Toyota dealership I went...
OK, firstly this is a good looking car. The one I drove had a gorgeous burnt-orange paint job that suits this coupe's aggressively svelte body contours perfectly. Hopping inside you notice that its driving position sits very low, probably lower than the Mustang. As nice as the exterior looks the interior is another story. The cloth seats were comfortable and provided adequate bolstering, but that's where the good stuff ends. This car is very low on tech (it was the only car I drove without a backup camera). The center console layout looks like something from the early to mid 2000s, and the dash piece that stretches across the passenger side is hideous. The gauge cluster is effective at conveying information, but it tries too hard to look like a sport bike. The large speedo sits in the middle of a typical three-gauge cluster, and there's a red (redundant) LED digital speed readout within the analog gauge. Not really my style, but then again I like my cars to look like cars and my motorbikes to look like motorbikes, or at least I would if I still played Russian Roulette by riding one. Also, the back seat is the same deal as with a Mustang or Camaro: to be used only if you're trapped on Mars with Matt Damon and riding back-bitch in an FR-S strapped to a rocket is your only way home.
Getting this thing going was slightly nerve-wracking, as it has the touchiest throttle I've ever used. Just breathing on the pedal instantly revved the engine to at least 2,500 rpm. I got the hang of it, and the clutch is pretty easy. Shifter feel was OK. My salesman encouraged me to hoon the shit out of it and kept talking to me about how he drifts, and asking me if I was going to mod the hell out of the car (including $5-8 grand for a supercharger). Whatever. As much as I wanted to break the back end out Tokyo Drift style for an entire corner (as if I know how), I just don't have it in me to beat the shit out of a new car during a test drive (that's what CarMax is for). I did give it a fair amount of gas, though. I'll say this: more than any car I've ever driven, this thing goes exactly where you point it. Excellent weight distribution, low center of gravity (it uses a naturally aspirated version of the WRX's flat-four engine), an excellent suspension, and super low curb weight (it tips the scales at less than 2,800 lbs) combine to make this a great handling car. Also, that low weight means great gas mileage for a sports coupe (Youtube car geeks report getting around 35 mpg when hyper-miling).
But alas, we must get to the bad part (aside from the spartan interior). This thing just doesn't have any go-juice. Like I said, it gets the WRX's turbocharged engine except WITHOUT THE TURBOCHARGER. *Face palm*. Someone in the Jalopnik comments section says the factory Subaru turbo won't fit because it's a bottom mount turbo and this engine sits lower in the FR-S than in the WRX. Maybe so. But people have been adding aftermarket turbos and superchargers to this thing, and in some cases even swapping in Chevy LS V8s (is there any car rednecks won't do an LS swap on?), so it's not like the engine bay doesn't have the room for some kind of OEM forced-induction setup. Yes, the car is super light and the engine makes a respectable 200 horses of peak power. But at the end of the day, 151 lb-ft of torque (yes, you read that right) is pathetic. I'm sure this thing is fun if you're on the track and can keep the revs up past 4,000 in perpetuity, but it lacks enough low-end kick for spirited around-town driving. And when you compare this package to a comparably equipped (and much more powerful) Ecoboost Mustang or V6 Camaro, and then take into account that you can haggle the price down pretty far on those cars (which you can't do with Scion's hassle-free pricing) the FR-S suddenly doesn't look so hot. Outside of the tuner crowd filled with people willing to sink $8-10K into this thing including adding forced induction, this car is a big missed opportunity.
Subaru WRX
So before I test drove anything, this car was the one to beat. After all, the '07 model that I drove in 2006 was the car I really wanted to buy before the reality of double the insurance premiums of my tC kicked in. And yes, I may be the only person on the planet who actually likes the short-lived Subaru corporate grill that was present on this car in '06 and '07. I remember driving that thing through the twisty backroads of north Houston and just feeling that all-wheel-drive sink its teeth into the asphalt as I buried the throttle coming out of a corner. Would the new 'Rex steal my heart like the old one?
After setting an appointment to drive one on a super slow Thursday evening, I showed up at the dealer only to find they didn't have the car pulled out yet. After waiting around 20 minutes, I finally got to fool around looking through the car and checking out the stereo for a while before we received permission to leave the lot. The WRX is all-new for 2015 with a rather polarizing look. OK, first off Subarus (and WRXs in particular) have never been lookers in the conventional sense. But even with that in mind, this thing is hard to love from an aesthetic point of view. Believe me, I tried. The weird angles up front, the massive wheel gaps (admittedly fixable with the right aftermarket springs), the hideous side profile... It's even more infuriating because Subaru showed off a new WRX concept that was rumored to be the basis for the new 2015 model. It was awesome. Below is a picture of this car that was obviously too good looking to be a Subaru. So they teased everyone with that, and then did what they always do which is give us an Impreza with a hood vent (and even less flare than normal). What. The. Fuck.
Moving on...what else sucks about the new WRX? No more hatchback option! One of the big selling points for getting a 'Rex is that since it's always been available in 5-door configuration I could sell my tC instead of keeping it, as I wouldn't need it for hauling junk. But Subaru decided to nix that option with the new model, even though around half of their WRX sales were hatchbacks (Why?? Because, "Carl's Jr., Fuck You!"). I'll also make a quick mention that Subaru still has the blandest assortment of paint colors imaginable (VW loses points here, too). The interior is a mixed bag. It's definitely better sorted than previous models, and similar to that of my sister's very nice 2014 Forester. Compared to the 07 I drove, the interior seemed to be mostly made of higher quality materials and the styling is less "boy racer"-ish than before. The gauge cluster in particular is very nice, and you actually get a display that indicates which gear you're in even on the manual transmission cars. But, while Subaru has improved their interiors I still wouldn't say they're first-rate for this class. The materials are better but still look a bit cheap in places compared to the Mustang and GTI, especially a few prominent faux carbon fiber plastic pieces (is this 2004?). And the backup camera screen, while a welcome addition, is crazy small. Regarding audio, Subaru has a reputation for terrible stock sound systems, but when I cranked the base system on this car it sounded...OK.
On to the driving. My salesman gave me the absolute lamest test-drive route one could devise. It amounted to driving 3 or 4 miles in a perfect rectangle, with many heavily-used crosswalks along the path. I mostly drove in straight lines at speeds of 35-45 mph for a few minutes. So yeah, I couldn't really get a feel for what this car could do. What can I tell you? Well, the engine seemed to have pretty good mid-range torque (I guess - I couldn't really give it much gas). And I hated the shifter. I had read that this thing was notchy and that is an understatement. I actually like my shifters on the notchy side, but this felt like driving a truck (back when you could buy one with a stick). Clutch feel was aiight.
So in short, I have absolutely no idea how this car performs. I might as well have sat in the parking lot revving the engine and rowing through the gears with the clutch depressed. I'm sure I could have nagged the salesman for an extended test drive to get a better feel for it, but after my brief time with the 'Rex was done I really had no desire to, which pretty much sums it up. Yawn.
Ford Mustang GT
OK, so at this point you can probably tell that I really enjoyed driving the Mustang. I decided to test drive a GT, ostensibly just so I can say I've driven one of the new ones with the 5.0L Coyote V8. Well, I ended up test driving two, one without the performance package and one with. How does it compare to the Ecoboost? Well, it weighs about 200 lbs more which hurts handling if you're into twisty roads (I couldn't really get a feel for this in my limited test drives around city streets and highways). You obviously get more power (435 peak hp and 400 lb-ft of torque from that 5.0!) and of course, the inimitable American cross-plane crank V8 rumble. It's pretty sweet, but...that rumble is really muted by the factory exhaust. Many have speculated that Ford put a rather quiet exhaust on the new 'Stang because they're selling it worldwide for the first time, and European noise laws are much stricter. Therefore, if you really want to hear this engine roar like it should you'll need to buy a good cat-back exhaust system (here's a video of a Mustang GT with an aftermarket exhaust that sounds like sexual chocolate, or something: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ga9JTU0SN4 ).
So is it worth the extra cost? Well, in addition to the engine you get lots of other little doo-dads including bigger brakes, hood vents, some cosmetic stuff...blah blah blah you don't care. Basically, you're paying around $7k more for a comparably equipped V8 GT vs the ecoboost. You get some more power, the V8 rumble, and slightly cooler looks including the "5.0" badge which will either make people drool in envy or curse you for driving a gas guzzling monster. Oh, and you get the "line lock" feature which will lock only the front brakes so you can do smoky burnouts even easier. Neat! Tires are cheap, right? In addition to the extra up front cost, you'll also have to factor in poorer gas mileage and slightly higher insurance. And of course you'll want to pony up about $1,500 for a good exhaust (although, going the ecoboost route there are a few aftermarket mods that are worth considering too). Is it worth it? Hmmm...
Ford Focus ST
OK, I wasn't really considering the Focus ST. But I was at the dealer driving a Mustang, so what the hell? Most people are familiar with Ford's compact car, the Focus, and their subcompact microcar, the Fiesta. Ford also makes "ST" versions of both of these cars. They have bigger brakes, upgraded suspensions, lots of cool styling changes and most importantly: much more powerful turbocharged engines. The little Fiesta ST has been wowing auto critics as one of the best canyon-carving little shitboxes you can buy. The Focus ST is bigger and heavier, and while it doesn't handle quite as well or feel as crazy as its little brother (so I've read), it offers 90% of the fun in a bigger, easier to live with package.
The Focus ST is a sharp looking car on the outside, and Ford wisely chose to base the ST variant on the 5-door/hatchback version. Jumping inside you notice that the interior is functional, buuuuut...it's still obviously an economy car. It's not bad. Ergonomics are decent and everything is where it should be, but it just doesn't look as grown-up as the GTI (am I contradicting my earlier statements about the GTI interior refinement?). Driving it is a blast, though. You've got to put in work, as the STs are only available with manual transmissions (a gutsy, but surprising move on Ford's part). Handling is spot-on, and you have little fear of losing grip while tackling a long corkscrew freeway entrance ramp at a higher speed than you think you should. I dig RWD, but there is something satisfying about feeling the front wheels pull you through a corner in a hot hatch. Pedal and shifter feel were good. Like the Mustang, the stereo was "eh". Not horrible, but some aftermarket upgrades would be welcome.
So, if I was going to buy a FWD 5-door would I choose this or the GTI? Let's just say it was close enough I would have to take a couple more test drives to find out. :)
Cars That I Didn't Test Drive But Would Have Liked To
If time were no object and I didn't feel bad about wasting salespeoples' time there are several other cars I would have liked to have test driven. A quick run-down:
Chevy Camaro
I've never been a fan of the new Camaros, until now. Most who hated the previous generation (the Transformers car) also loathe the styling on the new one, as they think it looks the same. I think GM changed just enough and (I never EVER thought I would say this) I actually really, really, REALLY like the new Camaro's styling (on the outside). Also, almost all of the major car mags have proclaimed this new Camaro (built on a smaller, more nimble platform) to be the new king of the track. I still might drive one at some point. But I crossed it off my list a while ago. Why? Outward visibility is still an issue. I sat in one at the Indianapolis Auto Show in January and everything they say about the lack of visibility is true. Looking out is like peering through the visor slits of a German Tiger Tank and HOW THE FUCK DOES ANYONE DRIVE ONE OF THESE WITHOUT CRASHING??!
Nissan 370Z
I'd really like to drive a Z. But really, it doesn't make much of a case for ownership at this point. The current 370Z design is very long in the tooth. It can't compete on performance numbers, the last mid-cycle refresh was pretty much a downgrade in the looks department, the interior design is horrifically outdated, and the Z has a reputation for letting in way too much road noise. And then you look at the sticker prices and ask, "why would I want this over a Mustang/Camaro/insert-RWD-sports-car-here?" The Z has fallen into the same sphere of neglect as the nearly decade old GT-R supercar. Nissan needs to get their shit together (says the guy who's never driven a Z).
Ford Focus RS
The Focus RS is a suped-up Focus that is to the Focus ST what the ST is to a normal Focus. Until recently, it was only offered in Europe. But this new generation is coming to America, and since it has been announced the collective car-loving internet has been having one continuous orgasm. Why you may ask? Well, this small 5-door hatchback is equipped with a 345 hp (!) turbo-four, mated to a 6-speed stick and a completely bespoke and off-the-wall all-wheel-drive system that can send up to 70% of the engine's torque to the rear wheels. It even has a button that lets you enter "drift mode" which makes - you guessed it - drifting not only possible on this car, but from what I've read easy. Add in lots of other cool stuff - better brakes, new suspension goodies, aero pieces, big ass wheels - and this may be the hottest hot hatch ever.
So, why wouldn't I test drive this? Well, it's beyond my price point (which sounds weird for a Ford Focus, but look at what you're getting). Optioned out the way I'd like the MSRP would be nearly $40k, but this thing is in high demand so most dealers will be charging markups. I'd expect the out-the-door price to be north of 50 grand. And good luck finding one. The first cars just rolled off the assembly line and already all of the first year's production is spoken for (and I don't think any dealer would do a test drive even if they had one sitting around). Plus, with the amount of awesome shit crammed into this car it could turn out to be a maintenance nightmare down the road. The trick AWD system in particular is both a marvel of engineering and scary to look at when you think of all the complex and relatively small components that will be forced to handle all that power in severe driving conditions (not that most people will push this car to its limits...). I'll see you in my dreams, perfect hoon-mobile.
Final Verdict
As you probably guessed, I went with the Mustang. As you may not have guessed, after much wavering between engine choices, I chose the ecoboost version over the V8 GT. Why? Well, a GT optioned the way I wanted would have been stretching my budget a bit more than I would have liked. The ecoboost is plenty fast for me (and I can get way more "go fast" down the road with a few mods) . So basically, I would have been paying $7k more, plus more insurance, plus way more gas money for some extra power that I won't use most of the time and that sweet V8 rumble. Furthermore, the environmentally conscious part of my brain wouldn't be happy. However, before I accidentally get all holier-than-thou, I have to say that if I made a few thousand dollars a year more than I do I would be buying a GT anyway, regardless of my carbon footprint concerns. Yes, I'm a hipster douche-bag hypocrite. Thanks for reading. Flame on. Time to drive.
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| Meme stolen from the interweb, probably created by some 12-yr-old. Let the recollection of excessive test drives begin! |
VW GTI
I started my journey with a trip to the Henderson Auto Mall's Vee-Dub dealership to look at their shiny Golf GTI's. OK, to be honest I mostly drove this one as a comparison car. I wasn't seriously considering it because it's front-wheel-drive, and I decided I'd like a sporty ride with all-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive. I'm keeping my decade old Scion tC, so I'll still have a FWD hatch-back/shitbox that gets decent gas mileage and can haul a lot of crap. But, GTI's are well regarded, and it was one of 3 cars I considered when I bought my Scion almost 10 years ago. In retrospect, back then I should have bought what I really wanted - a Subaru WRX - instead of the Scion. But, insurance for that car was nearly double, so the tC was the more sensible choice. The GTI would have been an excellent middle ground. Faster than the tC with lots of cargo room, but not as batshit crazy as the 'Rex. Anyway, I went for the tC. Yeah, I know.
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| This is a sharp looking car. And historically, dressing sharply is what the German people are best known for. Nothing else comes to mind. |
So I took a spin in a new GTI. One criteria for my next ride is that it has to have a manual transmission, and all the GTIs the local dealer had on the lot were automatics. But that was OK in this case, because I've been dying to try VW's dual-clutch automatic. If you're unaware what that is, the oversimplified summary is that it's basically a sophisticated manual transmission that works automatically (or is it "Auto-MAGICALLY"?? *cue Japanese anime girl going "ooooooohhh"*). You can shift gears yourself if you choose with cool paddle shifters, but there's no clutch pedal.
I wasn't really impressed with the current understated VW styling until I started looking at cars on the lot. I've gone from terribly unimpressed with their design motif to borderline in love. They are very handsome cars. Inside the GTI is nice. I drove a 5-door version, and there was plenty of room. The interior is well sorted, but not as "refined"/luxurious as most of the internet car nerds would have you think. To hear them tell it GTIs are the hot-hatch equivalents of Mercedes-AMGs on the inside. There is definitely a difference between what they put in the Golf/GTI and the more upscale offerings (while sitting in the back seat of a friend's Passat recently I was impressed with how super nice the leather and other interior bits are - like sleeping inside a horse or a taun-taun, but more comfortable and less bloody, I presume). But don't get me wrong, it is nice, especially for this price point. I digress. A couple of high points: the gauge cluster is super sharp (they finally stopped using two digits on the tachometer numbers), and the Fender stereo was the best sounding system of all the cars I drove. I figured Fender just licensed their name for this system (after all, they're not known for car audio), but after researching I found they actually developed it and it's pretty damn good.
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| Inside pic courtesy of VW's website, because I forgot to take any interior shots during the test drive. |
On to the test drive. It was a typical brief jaunt (but I did get to take it on the highway, at least), so I didn't get a thorough feeling, but my impression was that it was a sporty, quiet, comfortable drive, but nothing terribly exciting. That is, it didn't knock my socks off. But handling and composure were excellent. And that transmission...it was nice. So smooth and shifts were quick and effortless. I don't plan on abandoning cars with 3 pedals anytime soon, but this setup is very tempting.
The GTI is a sharp and practical hot hatch that can do it all: haul 4 people comfortably (I recommend the 5-door configuration over the 3-door), carry a lot of junk, get great gas mileage, all while providing a sporty yet comfortable drive with lots of creature comforts and a bitchin' stereo. It just wasn't a thrill ride. If I was a rich man and could afford more than one new car at a time, I would be tempted to buy one of these as a nice daily-driver that I can still get a kick out of on the way home from work...while keeping a sports car in the garage for the weekend. :)
Ford Mustang Ecoboost
After the GTI it was off to a Ford dealer to check out a car I was only considering in the back of my mind: the Mustang Ecoboost. For those unfamiliar, the Mustang was completely redesigned for 2015, including a much nicer interior and an independent rear suspension (finally crawling out of the stone ages and ditching the solid axle). Also new is a turbocharged direct injected 4-cylinder engine option (hence the "Ecoboost" name) to supplement the V8 and V6 offerings. The turbo-4 actually sits between the base V6 and the GT V8 and makes 310 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque. For comparison, that's more peak power than the V8's made until only a few years ago (the 1994 5.0L V8 only made 240 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque!). I drove a base Ecoboost 'Stang very briefly with a salesman who knew absolutely nothing about cars other than they have wheels and come in different colors. Despite his unhelpfulness, I was intrigued. I went to a more accommodating dealership and drove another Eco-Stang with more options including the performance (track) package. I was now impressed.
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| True Story: Shark-fin daytime running lights were inspired by Steven Spielberg's final masterpiece, "Sharknado." |
If you haven't been inside a Mustang in a while, you'll be surprised with what you'll find in the new generation. The interior, especially if you get a premium model, is miles better in terms of looks, ergonomics, features and materials. It feels like a fighter cockpit crammed with cool technology and leather. It may not quite match the interiors of Cadillacs or mid-level German cars, but it's very sharp. Outside, the styling has grown on me. I now feel this is my favorite Mustang exterior since the 60s (and they still have the sequential rear taillights - whee!).
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| The leather seats are warm and cozy, like a booth at Bennigan's. |
Driving the car, you realize immediately how big (and heavy) it is. The hood seems to stretch on forever, but after a few minutes you get used to it. Parking is a bitch, but driving is very rewarding even for knuckleheads like me. The clutch is a little weird and doesn't have much feel for the engagement point. However, you get used to it quickly and I've read that this is completely remedied with a $20 replacement clutch pedal spring. Otherwise, pedal feel (gas & brake) is excellent, but the shifter is a bit on the overly-notchy/clunky side. The turbo-4 engine actually sounds pretty impressive from inside the cabin (but is almost silent outside, unfortunately) and provides quite a bit of power on demand. Steering felt pretty good and there are 4 different driving modes (in the premium model) and 3 levels of steering feel (weight) available. The shorter differential gear ratio and bigger brakes provided in the performance package really make the car come alive.
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| Not my work, stolen from vast internet meme factory |
As a practical car, well let's just say it won't hurt to keep a beater hatch-back or extended-cab truck in the garage if you end up purchasing a Mustang. It gets decent gas mileage in this configuration, and it actually has a very big trunk. But, the back seats are there for marketing purposes only. You might be able to fit a small child back there comfortably. Adults should only be forced to endure such torture in emergencies. But the Mustang isn't about practicality, it's about fun. And this car puts a smile on your face.
Scion FR-S
Ahh, the Toyobaru twins. For those unfamiliar, a few years ago Toyota and Subaru jointly developed a RWD sports coupe to be sold (with minor differences) by both companies, as the Scion FR-S (soon to be renamed the Toyota 86 due to the impending and overdue death of the Scion brand) and the Subaru BR-Z. They are well regarded as incredible sports cars in terms of handling, but somewhat under-powered. I had to try one. I think the FR-S looks much better, so off to the local Toyota dealership I went...
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| This color is called "Hot Lava", or, you know, that burnt orange color they used to put on 350Z's back when Nissan was still cool. |
OK, firstly this is a good looking car. The one I drove had a gorgeous burnt-orange paint job that suits this coupe's aggressively svelte body contours perfectly. Hopping inside you notice that its driving position sits very low, probably lower than the Mustang. As nice as the exterior looks the interior is another story. The cloth seats were comfortable and provided adequate bolstering, but that's where the good stuff ends. This car is very low on tech (it was the only car I drove without a backup camera). The center console layout looks like something from the early to mid 2000s, and the dash piece that stretches across the passenger side is hideous. The gauge cluster is effective at conveying information, but it tries too hard to look like a sport bike. The large speedo sits in the middle of a typical three-gauge cluster, and there's a red (redundant) LED digital speed readout within the analog gauge. Not really my style, but then again I like my cars to look like cars and my motorbikes to look like motorbikes, or at least I would if I still played Russian Roulette by riding one. Also, the back seat is the same deal as with a Mustang or Camaro: to be used only if you're trapped on Mars with Matt Damon and riding back-bitch in an FR-S strapped to a rocket is your only way home.
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| Let's go Faster & Furious'er(TM). Cabin pic courtesy of Scion's soon to be defunct website. :*( |
Getting this thing going was slightly nerve-wracking, as it has the touchiest throttle I've ever used. Just breathing on the pedal instantly revved the engine to at least 2,500 rpm. I got the hang of it, and the clutch is pretty easy. Shifter feel was OK. My salesman encouraged me to hoon the shit out of it and kept talking to me about how he drifts, and asking me if I was going to mod the hell out of the car (including $5-8 grand for a supercharger). Whatever. As much as I wanted to break the back end out Tokyo Drift style for an entire corner (as if I know how), I just don't have it in me to beat the shit out of a new car during a test drive (that's what CarMax is for). I did give it a fair amount of gas, though. I'll say this: more than any car I've ever driven, this thing goes exactly where you point it. Excellent weight distribution, low center of gravity (it uses a naturally aspirated version of the WRX's flat-four engine), an excellent suspension, and super low curb weight (it tips the scales at less than 2,800 lbs) combine to make this a great handling car. Also, that low weight means great gas mileage for a sports coupe (Youtube car geeks report getting around 35 mpg when hyper-miling).
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| Also stolen from Interwebs. Poor kid. |
But alas, we must get to the bad part (aside from the spartan interior). This thing just doesn't have any go-juice. Like I said, it gets the WRX's turbocharged engine except WITHOUT THE TURBOCHARGER. *Face palm*. Someone in the Jalopnik comments section says the factory Subaru turbo won't fit because it's a bottom mount turbo and this engine sits lower in the FR-S than in the WRX. Maybe so. But people have been adding aftermarket turbos and superchargers to this thing, and in some cases even swapping in Chevy LS V8s (is there any car rednecks won't do an LS swap on?), so it's not like the engine bay doesn't have the room for some kind of OEM forced-induction setup. Yes, the car is super light and the engine makes a respectable 200 horses of peak power. But at the end of the day, 151 lb-ft of torque (yes, you read that right) is pathetic. I'm sure this thing is fun if you're on the track and can keep the revs up past 4,000 in perpetuity, but it lacks enough low-end kick for spirited around-town driving. And when you compare this package to a comparably equipped (and much more powerful) Ecoboost Mustang or V6 Camaro, and then take into account that you can haggle the price down pretty far on those cars (which you can't do with Scion's hassle-free pricing) the FR-S suddenly doesn't look so hot. Outside of the tuner crowd filled with people willing to sink $8-10K into this thing including adding forced induction, this car is a big missed opportunity.
Subaru WRX
So before I test drove anything, this car was the one to beat. After all, the '07 model that I drove in 2006 was the car I really wanted to buy before the reality of double the insurance premiums of my tC kicked in. And yes, I may be the only person on the planet who actually likes the short-lived Subaru corporate grill that was present on this car in '06 and '07. I remember driving that thing through the twisty backroads of north Houston and just feeling that all-wheel-drive sink its teeth into the asphalt as I buried the throttle coming out of a corner. Would the new 'Rex steal my heart like the old one?
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| I forgot to take pictures at the dealer...again. Image stolen from Subaru. |
After setting an appointment to drive one on a super slow Thursday evening, I showed up at the dealer only to find they didn't have the car pulled out yet. After waiting around 20 minutes, I finally got to fool around looking through the car and checking out the stereo for a while before we received permission to leave the lot. The WRX is all-new for 2015 with a rather polarizing look. OK, first off Subarus (and WRXs in particular) have never been lookers in the conventional sense. But even with that in mind, this thing is hard to love from an aesthetic point of view. Believe me, I tried. The weird angles up front, the massive wheel gaps (admittedly fixable with the right aftermarket springs), the hideous side profile... It's even more infuriating because Subaru showed off a new WRX concept that was rumored to be the basis for the new 2015 model. It was awesome. Below is a picture of this car that was obviously too good looking to be a Subaru. So they teased everyone with that, and then did what they always do which is give us an Impreza with a hood vent (and even less flare than normal). What. The. Fuck.
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| The WRX concept that was apparently only used as a cruel April Fools' Day joke. |
Moving on...what else sucks about the new WRX? No more hatchback option! One of the big selling points for getting a 'Rex is that since it's always been available in 5-door configuration I could sell my tC instead of keeping it, as I wouldn't need it for hauling junk. But Subaru decided to nix that option with the new model, even though around half of their WRX sales were hatchbacks (Why?? Because, "Carl's Jr., Fuck You!"). I'll also make a quick mention that Subaru still has the blandest assortment of paint colors imaginable (VW loses points here, too). The interior is a mixed bag. It's definitely better sorted than previous models, and similar to that of my sister's very nice 2014 Forester. Compared to the 07 I drove, the interior seemed to be mostly made of higher quality materials and the styling is less "boy racer"-ish than before. The gauge cluster in particular is very nice, and you actually get a display that indicates which gear you're in even on the manual transmission cars. But, while Subaru has improved their interiors I still wouldn't say they're first-rate for this class. The materials are better but still look a bit cheap in places compared to the Mustang and GTI, especially a few prominent faux carbon fiber plastic pieces (is this 2004?). And the backup camera screen, while a welcome addition, is crazy small. Regarding audio, Subaru has a reputation for terrible stock sound systems, but when I cranked the base system on this car it sounded...OK.
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| Yes, I realize VTEC is Honda, yo. Yes, I realize my lame attempt at ironic humor probably makes me the worst form of life imaginable: a hipster. Happy Fry-Day. |
On to the driving. My salesman gave me the absolute lamest test-drive route one could devise. It amounted to driving 3 or 4 miles in a perfect rectangle, with many heavily-used crosswalks along the path. I mostly drove in straight lines at speeds of 35-45 mph for a few minutes. So yeah, I couldn't really get a feel for what this car could do. What can I tell you? Well, the engine seemed to have pretty good mid-range torque (I guess - I couldn't really give it much gas). And I hated the shifter. I had read that this thing was notchy and that is an understatement. I actually like my shifters on the notchy side, but this felt like driving a truck (back when you could buy one with a stick). Clutch feel was aiight.
So in short, I have absolutely no idea how this car performs. I might as well have sat in the parking lot revving the engine and rowing through the gears with the clutch depressed. I'm sure I could have nagged the salesman for an extended test drive to get a better feel for it, but after my brief time with the 'Rex was done I really had no desire to, which pretty much sums it up. Yawn.
Ford Mustang GT
OK, so at this point you can probably tell that I really enjoyed driving the Mustang. I decided to test drive a GT, ostensibly just so I can say I've driven one of the new ones with the 5.0L Coyote V8. Well, I ended up test driving two, one without the performance package and one with. How does it compare to the Ecoboost? Well, it weighs about 200 lbs more which hurts handling if you're into twisty roads (I couldn't really get a feel for this in my limited test drives around city streets and highways). You obviously get more power (435 peak hp and 400 lb-ft of torque from that 5.0!) and of course, the inimitable American cross-plane crank V8 rumble. It's pretty sweet, but...that rumble is really muted by the factory exhaust. Many have speculated that Ford put a rather quiet exhaust on the new 'Stang because they're selling it worldwide for the first time, and European noise laws are much stricter. Therefore, if you really want to hear this engine roar like it should you'll need to buy a good cat-back exhaust system (here's a video of a Mustang GT with an aftermarket exhaust that sounds like sexual chocolate, or something: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ga9JTU0SN4 ).
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| Stock photo from Ford. I doubt my salesman would've appreciated me testing the line-lock burnout feature during our test drive. |
So is it worth the extra cost? Well, in addition to the engine you get lots of other little doo-dads including bigger brakes, hood vents, some cosmetic stuff...blah blah blah you don't care. Basically, you're paying around $7k more for a comparably equipped V8 GT vs the ecoboost. You get some more power, the V8 rumble, and slightly cooler looks including the "5.0" badge which will either make people drool in envy or curse you for driving a gas guzzling monster. Oh, and you get the "line lock" feature which will lock only the front brakes so you can do smoky burnouts even easier. Neat! Tires are cheap, right? In addition to the extra up front cost, you'll also have to factor in poorer gas mileage and slightly higher insurance. And of course you'll want to pony up about $1,500 for a good exhaust (although, going the ecoboost route there are a few aftermarket mods that are worth considering too). Is it worth it? Hmmm...
Ford Focus ST
OK, I wasn't really considering the Focus ST. But I was at the dealer driving a Mustang, so what the hell? Most people are familiar with Ford's compact car, the Focus, and their subcompact microcar, the Fiesta. Ford also makes "ST" versions of both of these cars. They have bigger brakes, upgraded suspensions, lots of cool styling changes and most importantly: much more powerful turbocharged engines. The little Fiesta ST has been wowing auto critics as one of the best canyon-carving little shitboxes you can buy. The Focus ST is bigger and heavier, and while it doesn't handle quite as well or feel as crazy as its little brother (so I've read), it offers 90% of the fun in a bigger, easier to live with package.
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| Interior pic courtesy of Ford's website. |
The Focus ST is a sharp looking car on the outside, and Ford wisely chose to base the ST variant on the 5-door/hatchback version. Jumping inside you notice that the interior is functional, buuuuut...it's still obviously an economy car. It's not bad. Ergonomics are decent and everything is where it should be, but it just doesn't look as grown-up as the GTI (am I contradicting my earlier statements about the GTI interior refinement?). Driving it is a blast, though. You've got to put in work, as the STs are only available with manual transmissions (a gutsy, but surprising move on Ford's part). Handling is spot-on, and you have little fear of losing grip while tackling a long corkscrew freeway entrance ramp at a higher speed than you think you should. I dig RWD, but there is something satisfying about feeling the front wheels pull you through a corner in a hot hatch. Pedal and shifter feel were good. Like the Mustang, the stereo was "eh". Not horrible, but some aftermarket upgrades would be welcome.
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| This has nothing to do with the blog topic. |
So, if I was going to buy a FWD 5-door would I choose this or the GTI? Let's just say it was close enough I would have to take a couple more test drives to find out. :)
Cars That I Didn't Test Drive But Would Have Liked To
If time were no object and I didn't feel bad about wasting salespeoples' time there are several other cars I would have liked to have test driven. A quick run-down:
Chevy Camaro
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| From Chevy's website. |
I've never been a fan of the new Camaros, until now. Most who hated the previous generation (the Transformers car) also loathe the styling on the new one, as they think it looks the same. I think GM changed just enough and (I never EVER thought I would say this) I actually really, really, REALLY like the new Camaro's styling (on the outside). Also, almost all of the major car mags have proclaimed this new Camaro (built on a smaller, more nimble platform) to be the new king of the track. I still might drive one at some point. But I crossed it off my list a while ago. Why? Outward visibility is still an issue. I sat in one at the Indianapolis Auto Show in January and everything they say about the lack of visibility is true. Looking out is like peering through the visor slits of a German Tiger Tank and HOW THE FUCK DOES ANYONE DRIVE ONE OF THESE WITHOUT CRASHING??!
Nissan 370Z
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| From Nissan's website. |
I'd really like to drive a Z. But really, it doesn't make much of a case for ownership at this point. The current 370Z design is very long in the tooth. It can't compete on performance numbers, the last mid-cycle refresh was pretty much a downgrade in the looks department, the interior design is horrifically outdated, and the Z has a reputation for letting in way too much road noise. And then you look at the sticker prices and ask, "why would I want this over a Mustang/Camaro/insert-RWD-sports-car-here?" The Z has fallen into the same sphere of neglect as the nearly decade old GT-R supercar. Nissan needs to get their shit together (says the guy who's never driven a Z).
Ford Focus RS
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| "Oh yes, Garth, she will be mine." No, she won't. :( (Image from Ford website) |
The Focus RS is a suped-up Focus that is to the Focus ST what the ST is to a normal Focus. Until recently, it was only offered in Europe. But this new generation is coming to America, and since it has been announced the collective car-loving internet has been having one continuous orgasm. Why you may ask? Well, this small 5-door hatchback is equipped with a 345 hp (!) turbo-four, mated to a 6-speed stick and a completely bespoke and off-the-wall all-wheel-drive system that can send up to 70% of the engine's torque to the rear wheels. It even has a button that lets you enter "drift mode" which makes - you guessed it - drifting not only possible on this car, but from what I've read easy. Add in lots of other cool stuff - better brakes, new suspension goodies, aero pieces, big ass wheels - and this may be the hottest hot hatch ever.
So, why wouldn't I test drive this? Well, it's beyond my price point (which sounds weird for a Ford Focus, but look at what you're getting). Optioned out the way I'd like the MSRP would be nearly $40k, but this thing is in high demand so most dealers will be charging markups. I'd expect the out-the-door price to be north of 50 grand. And good luck finding one. The first cars just rolled off the assembly line and already all of the first year's production is spoken for (and I don't think any dealer would do a test drive even if they had one sitting around). Plus, with the amount of awesome shit crammed into this car it could turn out to be a maintenance nightmare down the road. The trick AWD system in particular is both a marvel of engineering and scary to look at when you think of all the complex and relatively small components that will be forced to handle all that power in severe driving conditions (not that most people will push this car to its limits...). I'll see you in my dreams, perfect hoon-mobile.
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| Random cat pic. |
Final Verdict
As you probably guessed, I went with the Mustang. As you may not have guessed, after much wavering between engine choices, I chose the ecoboost version over the V8 GT. Why? Well, a GT optioned the way I wanted would have been stretching my budget a bit more than I would have liked. The ecoboost is plenty fast for me (and I can get way more "go fast" down the road with a few mods) . So basically, I would have been paying $7k more, plus more insurance, plus way more gas money for some extra power that I won't use most of the time and that sweet V8 rumble. Furthermore, the environmentally conscious part of my brain wouldn't be happy. However, before I accidentally get all holier-than-thou, I have to say that if I made a few thousand dollars a year more than I do I would be buying a GT anyway, regardless of my carbon footprint concerns. Yes, I'm a hipster douche-bag hypocrite. Thanks for reading. Flame on. Time to drive.
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