A bit bigger: 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD TECH—A solid performer, a comfortable cruiser, and lots of tech

THE SHORT STORY

Pros: Refined, powerful engine and AWD drivetrain; comfortable, sporty interior; availability of a manual transmission.

Cons: Tons of buttons on the dash; not-so-user-friendly tech features; big chrome shield grille

Overall: Typical Honda/Acura refinement coupled with a great powertrain make his a solid luxury-sports sedan. Just keep the owner's manual around when you want to use anything with buttons.

The Acura TL luxury-sports sedan is slotted between the smaller TSX and larger RL, and is in its fourth generation. This latest iteration lets TL buyers opt for all-wheel drive with the company’s Super Handling (SH) system. Super Handling acts similar to a limited slip differential, and in this case, the SH is at both the front and rear differentials. The Tech package adds a host of features including navigation, a rearview camera, the AcuraLink communications system, sport seats, a hard disk drive, and other tech-related items.

EXTERIOR STYLING: An attractive package, sans the grille
I’ve been a critic of Acura’s styling as of late. I am not a fan of the big chrome shield grilles adorning their cars’ front ends. Despite the front grille, I think the TL is an attractive package, especially in black with the gray 18” wheels/tires. It’s a minimal look that appears luxurious and sophisticated. Think “grand touring sedan.” It is arguably the best looking vehicle in Acura’s line up right now—I am just not a fan of all the plastic chrome bits. I wonder what the grille would look like if it were paint matched? I do like the looks of the back end, and the flat dual exhaust ports look just right.

INTERIOR: Luxury, comfort, and sportiness
The interior of the TL is indeed luxurious, sporting, and attractive. The seats are supportive, comfortable, and well bolstered. Typical outstanding Honda/Acura ergonomics come into play: The gearshift is where it should be without interference from an arm rest. Nothing seems out of reach. The fat steering wheel is wrapped with leather and feels great in the hand. In the back, there’s plenty of legroom and there’s a fold-down armrest. Whether you’re up front or relegated to the back seats, the TL’s interior is comfortable. The trunk is decent sized; I thought it might be a bit bigger, but I could get my golf clubs in without issue.

Like the TSX we reviewed a few months ago, the TL has a lot of buttons on the dashboard and steering wheel. And also like the TSX, operation of just about everything from the radio to the Bluetooth isn’t intuitive. After some time, you do get used to how things work. But from a straight-up design and comfort standpoint, the interior is very nice.

TECHNOLOGY: Tons of tech. Too hard to use
Buttons, buttons everywhere! Like its smaller cousin, the TSX, the TL with the Tech package suffers from too many buttons. They’re all over the dashboard and steering wheel. It takes time to figure out what does what, and even then it doesn’t always work easily or as planned. Again, I can’t stand the Bluetooth system, aka the Hands Free Link system, which links your phone to the car. It didn’t work well with my old Samsung phone, and it doesn’t work well with my newer Nokia, either. With all the buttons, it’s hard to find exactly what you’re looking for, especially while driving. It’s kind of distracting, actually.

On a positive note, the stereo is fantastic, and the navigation, once you figure it out, is accurate and easy to follow. There’s tons of tech with this car, you just have to figure it all out.

ENGINE/DRIVETRAIN: An exercise in power and refinement
Enthusiasts can make use of all 305 horsepower thanks to the available six-speed manual transmission, and it’s an excellent one, too. Shifter action is extremely smooth with well-defined gates; it’s classic Honda. Clutch uptake is somewhat vague, however, and it can be difficult to find the friction point. The clutch almost feels too light sometimes.

The 3.7-liter V-6 engine is also very smooth and sounds great under acceleration. This is a velvety performance drivetrain that is sure to please. Fuel economy for the manual transmission TL AWD-SH is rated at 17 city, 25 highway. I was able to get 19+ in mostly city driving.

DRIVING: Power, control, comfort
With 305 HP, a six-speed manual, and all-wheel drive with super handling, the TL SH-AWD is great all-around all-weather performance package. The gusty 3.7-liter V-6 revs quickly, and the gear ratios are spot on. Add to this the Super Handling and all-wheel drive, and the TL is a handler, too. However, at 3,962 lbs, the TL isn’t a featherweight, and that does come into play in the corners. You can tell you’re driving a heavy car, though it never becomes lumbering. In my week with the vehicle, I was never longing for more power or better handling. Again, a very nice combination of power, control, and comfort. Plus, that V-6 sounds pretty darn good at wide-open throttle!

This is a luxury-performance vehicle, and it rides very nicely on the highways as well as around town. At speed, the car cruises effortlessly and very comfortably. This is a car I could drive for hours and not have any complaints about the ride or a sore back. The ride is not floaty; it’s well dampened, but not too stiff. I’d say it’s spot on.


OVERALL: A solid value, a solid performer, a solid choice
At $43,245 including the $860 destination charge, the TL is in the ballpark for the segment. You get a great powertrain, an outstanding AWD/handling system, and all the tech gadgets you could want for under $45K. If you want the automatic, you’ll pay another $1,000. Don’t need AWD? You can get into a front-drive TL with the tech package from $38,835. At that price, I’m not sure why anyone would opt for the smaller TSX V-6 Tech, which is basically the same price. I think the TL SH-AWD is a solid value for a luxury car, though.

The Acura TL SH-AWD Tech is a player in the AWD performance/luxury sedan market. A great engine/drivetrain, noteworthy get-up-and-go and handling, tons of creature comforts, and a good overall value make this car a standout. I love the fact it’s available with a manual transmission, too; it makes the car very entertaining to drive. If you’re in the market for an AWD sports-luxury sedan, definitely take a look at this vehicle, especially if you’re looking to shift gears yourself.

Operating the power retractable hardtop on the 2010 Mazda MX-5

Let's face it: The power retractable hardtop on the Mazda MX-5 is pretty darn sweet and super simple to use. Just get in, undo the single latch, put the car in neutral, and hold the corresponding button until it's opened or closed. That's it. How fast is it? See above.

VIDEO: CR-X History from the American Honda Collection Hall

Adam Barrera, aka "highmileage," makes some great videos. Case in point, this above vid shot at the American Honda Collection Hall, full of CR-X goodness. Who doesn't love a CR-X? I'd still love to get an '87 Si someday.

LINKS
Adam Barrera (VisualCV)

Honda Jazz Hybrid for Europe

Here's what the Honda Fit Hybrid (aka Jazz Hybrid in Europe) looks like. Premiering at the Paris Motor Show, the Jazz Hybrid will have a CVT along Integrated Motor Assist system from the Civic/Insight hybrid. You'll note a few exterior changes, too. Honda says it has no immediate plan to import the car to the North American market, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it here, since Honda is currently offering the Civic and CR-Z hybrids in North America.

SOURCE
Honda Europe

North American Suzuki Swift launch delayed, but looks like it will happen

"At the moment, if the exchange rate continues like it is, we couldn't expect very much profit," Takuma Mizuyoshi, a Suzuki spokesman, told Automotive News. "So that's a concern right now." Those words came from this Automobile article.

The article goes on to say the recent acquisition of 19.9% of Suzuki by Volkswagen has also caused part of the delay. The companies are trying to find the best way to align their products.

By most accounts, we can plan to see the Suzuki Swift to launch in the U.S. in 2011. I, for one, am very much looking forward to that.

SOURCE
Swift Delay: Suzuki Swift U.S. Launch Delayed One Year (Automobilemag.com)

I have an xB loaner car. I don't like it.

The Yaris is getting new A/C condenser parts and a couple of other last-minute warranty claims. Beaverton Toyota was nice enough to provide a loaner car—an xB (they were going to give me an xD, but I've driven those before. FYI, I highly recommend this dealership, and appreciate the free loaner!). This is the first time I've actually driven the second-gen xB. I've had a grudge against it since it was released (I loved the first-gen xB, and didn't think the above-pictured vehicle was a good replacement). But you know what: It's time to move on. I wanted to drive this car and see what it's about. Maybe I'd actually like it ...

So, now that I've driven the car a bit, taken it to Costco and the grocery store, it's safe to say I am still not a fan. Although it easily swallowed my Costco/grocery store cargo, it does almost nothing for me, especially in the styling department on the inside or outside. It also is not fun to drive. At least the xB 1, although slow, was entertaining to pilot. Yes, the xB 2 is practical, so it's got that going for it. It also has a great sounding stereo with an Alpine headunit (which is not easy to use, however). Needless to say, I'll be driving the Mazda MX-5 review car as much as possible instead, and looking forward to an xB redesign in the coming years.

First Nissan Juke drive reports hit the Web

The Nissan Juke press event was earlier this week up in Vancouver B.C., and the first impressions are coming out. They seem mostly positive, too. Here are links to a few of the different medias' impressions thus far:

Autoblog: First drive: 2011 Nissan Juke

Motor Trend: 2011 Nissan Juke SV First Test

The Truth About cars: Review: 2011 Nissan Juke

Although Subcompact Culture wasn't at the launch (Hello? Nissan PR? This is the small car blog), I look forward to checking one of these vehicles out of myself. And to be fair, I wouldn't have been able to attend this event anyway (but if you're having another one soon, let me know!).

In the driveway: 2010 Mazda MX-5 Grand Touring PRHT

Yes, this is an "In the driveway" post, but I didn't have a chance to take a photo of it in my driveway before hitting the road. Let's face it: The Mazda MX-5 Miata is probably one of the most fun vehicles you can drive. If you've never driven one, you should. This model features the power retracting hardtop (PRHT) option, too. It only adds 85 lbs. to the car, and not only is functional, but it's pretty darn cool to operate, too.

First impressions: This is one of the most fun cars you can legally drive on the road. Legendary driving dynamics, great looks, and general open-air fun. I've had this car just over 24 hours and I already don't want to give it back—this is my kind of car. Oh man ... I think I've been bitten by the Miata bug.

More later!

Review: 2010 Mazdaspeed 3: A great combination of performance, practicality, and price

THE SHORT STORY

Pros: Turbo thrust; limited-slip differential; outstanding overall performance; bang-for-the-buck factor .... and it's even practical.

Cons: Smiling front end doesn't do it for me.

Overall: Great performance, driving dynamics, tech features, and practicality make this vehicle a standout.

The Mazda 3 has always been “a driver’s car”—especially the turbocharged Mazdaspeed 3— and the redesigned 2010 model aims to keep a good thing going. Speaking of the Mazdaspeed 3, it, along with the rest of the 3 lineup, has been redesigned for 2010. Go-fast goodies include a 16-valve DOHC, direct-injection 2.3-liter turbo four cylinder engine, sporty suspension tuning, unique interior bits, and more. The Mazdaspeed 3 (or the MS3, for short) is only available in hatchback form, which makes it one of the most practical performance-oriented vehicles available.

EXTERIOR STYLING: Racy looks, smiling fascia
The MS3’s exterior is an interesting look. As a whole, the vehicle looks racy with its ground effects, functional hood scoop, rear spoiler, 18” wheels/tires, and my car’s case, Velocity Red Mica paint (possibly one of my new favorite automotive colors). Then there’s the front fascia, which like most of Mazda’s lineup, looks like it’s perpetually smiling. Onlookers also suggested it looks like a whale’s baleen mouth or a happy carp. The car definitely looks different. However, for me, it’s more good than bad.

INTERIOR: Sporty, well thought out
Inside the MS3, you’re greeted by more raciness: Highly bolstered, supportive seats; aluminum racing-style pedals; a fat, chunky steering wheel, and well-designed ergonomics all add to the sporting feel. My test vehicle had a cool looing polka-dot fade interior pattern, which worked for me. The radio/climate screen and navigation display are located high up on the dashboard and set back. It’s different, and it works. The gauges are also legible and easy to read.

One of the best things about this car’s interior is its practicality. The cargo area is spacious, and the rear seats fold down to make for tons of storage. Whether it’s a trip to Costco or hauling a bunch of folding chairs for a party, the MS3 was up to each task I put it through. This blend of power and practicality is outstanding and lots of fun, too.

TECHNOLOGY: Abundant, easy to use
Whether you’re talking about the engine or the interior features, the MS3’s tech is abundant. Mechanically, you’ve got a turbo and intercooler, direct fuel injection, limited-slip differential, and all of the safety features out there. Interior wise, the MS3 has a great, easy-to-use Bluetooth system; a fantastic Bose stereo with aux/USB hookups; and a navigation system that works seamlessly (and information can be inputted with the steering wheel controls). Best of all, you don’t need an engineering degree to figure it out. Most of the functions are pretty straight forward.

ENGINE/DRIVETRAIN: Powerful performance
What makes the MS3 truly unique is its drivetrain. The direct-injection, turbocharged 2.3-liter four cylinder has lots of grunt at nearly all speeds. Mazda only offers the car with a six-speed manual transmission, and that it’s a good one with well-defined gates, and smooth, well-weighted shifter action. Clutch engagement is a on-or off, though and is kind of heavy for a four cylinder, but hey—this is a performance car—and when it grabs, it grabs hard.

DRIVING: Turbo thrust, torque steer, tons of fun
From the time you crank the engine on the MS3, you can tell this is going to be a fun car, and make no mistake, it is a fun car. Acceleration is very quick with published 0-60 times of about six seconds. Foot-to-the-floor acceleration means wheel spin throughout first and most of second gear with the traction control light flashing most of the time, not to mention inevitable and copious amounts of torque steer. When you floor it, you need to 1) hang on tightly and 2) be paying the utmost attention! The car was noticeably quiet … not too quiet, though.

Handling is at the top of its game thanks to a limited-slip differential, meaty 225/40/18 tires, and a sport-tuned suspension system. The MS3 loves the twisties. This car is grin-inducing, much like the car's front fascia. Maybe that's why it looks that way?

OVERALL: Great performance, practically, and price
This is one of the (if not the) best bangs-for-the-buck around. All this power, handling, tech, and styling lists at just $25,880 including destination. Base price is only $23,195 plus destination. That’s a great deal for the performance, the practicality, and the fun. This one’s a slam dunk for me.

Mazda has really created something great with the new Mazdaspeed 3. Just about anything you could want in a turbocharged hot hatch is there in spades. The only things that weren’t tops of the list: the front-end styling and the 18/25 fuel economy. But really: If you’re looking for stellar MPGs, you’re not going to opt for the MS3, anyway. If I were in the market for a fun, practical vehicle, the Mazdaspeed 3 would be at the top of my shopping list.

What subcompact would you like to see turbocharged?

Ah, the turbocharger. That snail-like device powered by exhaust gas that force-feeds an engine to create more power. Who doesn't love a good turbocharger? Othe than MINI's wonderful Cooper S, it's been a long while since the U.S. has seen a force-fed subcompact. Back in the 1980s, there was the hyperactive Chevrolet Sprint Turbo and Spectrum Turbo; the Mitsubishi Mirage/Dodge Colt Turbo, and a few others I'm likely forgetting. There are rumors that Chevrolet will once again offer a turbo subcompact—the Aveo RS—to the U.S. in the near future.

However, if you could have one factory turbocharged small car, what would it be?

For me, I'd have to say I'd love to have an SX4t, similar to the one built above by Road Race Motorsports and Suzuki. A small, AWD, turbocharged car would be TONS of fun!

Driven: 2011 Scion tC-The bread-and-butter model gets updated; now more bread, butter, and dough

Scion has sold 800,000 vehicles since the brand’s 2005 model year debuted, and the median buyer’s age is only 26—the youngest in the industry. Of the models Scion has offered since then (xB, xA, xD, tC), the two-door tC has been the brand's bread and butter. In fact, Scion VP, Jack Hollis, said there are about 310,000 tCs on the road. The tC, however, has remained mostly unchanged since its debut.

For 2011, the Scion's bread-and-butter tC gets more bread and more butter. There’s been an increase in nearly everything: horsepower, torque, fuel economy, performance, stereo watts, leg room, standard wheel diameter, weight, and price. The car gets new sheet metal, a new engine, new transmissions, a new interior, and the list goes on. So how has growing “up” changed the venerable two-door tC? I got a chance to drive two pre-production prototypes in San Diego to get a preview of the upcoming Scion coupe.

EXTERIOR
The exterior definitely keeps in line with the previous tC: two doors, a sporty look, and a coupe shape (although, it’s actually a liftback). There is evidence of styling cues from the Scion Fuse concept car, especially the wide rear C pillars. This design element seems to be at odds with the rest of the body, as the jut at the C pillar looks too squared off for me.

Scion has upped the standard wheel size to 18”x7.5” shod with 225/45/18 tires—impressive looking rolling stock, for certain. However, those living anywhere it snows will want to invest in a set of winter wheels and tires. (A 19" wheel/tire option is available, too.) The stock stance looks good, too, although like most cars, it’ll look even better if lowered. I think the most attractive part of the car is its rear, and the optional spoiler really sets the rear off. Overall, the car's look isn't exactly pulse-quickening, but it's not overly bland, either.

INTERIOR
Like the exterior, the interior is a bit of a mixed bag. The dashboard feels noticeably vertical, like something you’d find in an FJ Cruiser; I expected more of a wrap-around cockpit feel from a sport coupe. There is an excellent chunky steering wheel; supportive, well-bolstered seats; an attractive, easy-to-read set of gauges, and the panoramic glass roof. You’re surrounded by lots of hard, textured black plastic including a not-so-conveniently located hard plastic center armrest which was neither comfortable or well-placed—especially for those driving the manual transmission.

The interior is surprisingly roomy, both in the front seats and the rears. Yes, four adults can ride comfortably in this vehicle. Plus, the rear seats recline 10 degrees for comfort. Those rear seats also fold down nearly flat for a cavern-like rear cargo area, too.

Scion prides itself on its audio systems, and there’s good reason to. Both of the units I sampled sounded very good. There are three headunits to choose from. The non-navigation Alpine unit, however, was not easy to use, especially while driving. There is a touch-screen navigation option as well. The base stereo system has 300 watts, eight speakers, aux/USB, and sounds pretty good; the upgraded Alpine unit with subwoofer is outstandingly clear and balanced.

DRIVING THE MANUAL
I first drove a tC with a manual transmission, outfitted with TRD accessories including larger front and rear sway bars and a high-flow exhaust system. The car is very easy to drive. Clutch uptake on the new six-speed is predictable; shifting is light, although throws are a bit long. Overall shifting operation is vague, though. The new electric steering feels slightly artificial and doesn’t provide much feedback—a Toyota trait lately. The car rides firmly but controlled on the highway. Once in the twisties, car remains planted—those swaybars and 225mm-wide tires undoubtedly help. Handling is predictable, but not overly sporting.

The new 2AR-FE, 2.5-liter engine features dual VVT-i valve timing and is up 19 hp and 11 ft./lbs. of torque from the previous 2.4-liter mill. (Vehicle curb weight is also up 155 lbs.) Power is certainly adequate, but the car doesn’t feel like it makes 180 hp. Equipped with the six speed, the tC is certainly not a slouch, but it didn’t feel like it had a lot of grunt, either. Scion says 0-60 times are down more than a half second in the manual and nearly a full second in the auto (7.6 and 8.2 seconds, respectively).

DRIVING THE AUTOMATIC
After driving the TRD parts-equipped tC, I hopped in a completely stock base tC with the new six-speed automatic, which now features manual shifting ability.

The new automatic shifted smoothly under all driving conditions. However, the manual gear selection was slow to react, and oddly, didn’t want to upshift under full throttle. I had to back off the throttle before it’d change gears.

As expected, the all-stock tC unsurprisingly doesn’t corner as crisply as the model equipped with the TRD sway bars. But again, handling is still predictable but not overly performance oriented—I suggest buying the sway bars as a first accessory. But both the manual and automatic cars felt bigger and heavier than they were, especially during spirited driving. There was also a noticeable drone while at highway speeds. As with most automatic-transmission-equipped cars, acceleration was significantly slower than its manual counterpart, and this was exaggerated in the 96-degree SoCal heat with the A/C on.

BOTTOM LINE
The 2011 tC didn’t strike me as a standout. The car was a bit vanilla, topped with just a bit of chocolate sauce on it. Of course, with the addition of TRD and Scion performance accessories, buyers will be able to add more sauce and extract more performance and style.

Buyers can get into a base tC with a manual for $18,995; a base auto for $19,995 (including the $750 destination). Remember: Scion uses “Pure Pricing,” which doesn’t allow for any negotiation—great for those who don’t want to haggle. However, with the state of the economy, many brands are willing to negotiate to get you into a car, something that might hinder tC sales.

For me, the 2011 tC falls slightly short. Its styling doesn’t stand out enough, its performance is not quite as strong as I’d hoped, and I think it’s priced a bit high. Yes, you get a lot of standard premium features, but the car as a whole is a bit underwhelming.

Winner of the Road Race Motorsports Suzuki SX4 Short Ram Intake: "Brickauto"

And the winner is .... "Brickauto," who posted at August 16, 2010 9:00 AM. You have until August 27 to e-mail me an claim your prize!

Thanks to all 19 comment leavers and to Road Race Motorsports! Enjoy your new "used" intake, Brickauto!

In the driveway: 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD

The latest vehicle in the Subcompact Culture driveway is the 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD Tech. This one's got all the electronic bells and whistles you could want, plus Super Handling all-wheel drive. Best of all—it's a six-speed manual!

The car is very powerful and smooth, and in typical Acura fashion, solid as a rock. The steering and clutch are both very light (almost too much so). I am still not a big fan of the front end of this vehicle, but in black with the darker wheels, the car looks pretty good. Thus far, I like it a lot more than the TSX V6 Tech.

Full review soon.

Last day to enter: Road Race Motorsports Suzuki SX4 Short Ram Intake giveaway!

Today is the last day to enter to win this Suzuki SX4 Short Ram Intake (fits the 2.0-liter 2007-2009 SX4 engine) from Road Race Motorsports. To enter, follow this link and leave a comment. Tomorrow (August, 20), a winner will be selected at random to win the intake. Good luck!

2011 Kia Rio: Automatic transmission only?

I just got done paging through the latest edition of Car and Driver—the "New Car Issue." While perusing the changes for 2011, especially in the subcompact market, I noticed it said the Kia Rio's manual transmission was "going bye bye."

I know the manual transmission is a dying breed, but no option on a Rio/Rio5? Wow. We'll have to wait until official 2011 Rio specs are released to be sure. I find it a bit hard to believe, but if it's true, it goes to show that even people that buy the least expensive cars on the market still don't want to shift it themselves. Insert frowning face here.

I spy with my little eye ... a burning Porsche?

While eating a sandwich at Subway in Vancouver, WA, my Dad and I noticed something burning. We saw a firetruck. We saw smoke. We overheard people say words like "Porsche" and "on fire" ...

After consuming my semi-delicious chicken breast sandwich, we walked out to see none other than a Porsche 911 on fire. It was a crispy little number. We talked to a fireman as to why they were just letting it burn. One word: Magnesium. Apparently, the firemen did attempt to put some water on the burning German sports car, but quickly found out that something on the car (I assume the wheels?) were made of magnesium. And when you add water to burning magnesium you get this:



The good news is the owner got out OK. The bad news is, well, I think the photos speak for themselves.

I read Subcompact and I vote. OR, I read Subcompact Culture and I mow the lawn.

Remember folks: Subcompact Culture decals are a free and easy way to say, "I read Subcompact Culture and I vote, or something." Just e-mail me your address and what color you want (silver or white) and you can have one, too.

Spain to Mongolia in a Suzuki Jimny

Scott Brady is the owner/publisher of Overland Journal, a beautiful magazine about overland adventures (e.g. crossing large stretches of land in a vehicle). His latest trek is taking him through 20 countries in Europe and Asia. He started out in Spain and is headed to Mongolia. His vehicle of choice? An outfitted Suzuki Jimny. How sweet is that?



LINK
Scott Brady (Facebook)
Overland Journal

Toyota Yaris replacement concept to debut at Detroit

Autocar has reported the next Yaris, or its replacement, will bow at the Detroit Auto Show in January. According to Autocar, the next-gen Yaris, which has been spied in Europe, will be a mild refresh, and use much of the same bodywork. Autocar also talks of hybrid models.

There has been a good amount of speculation as to the fate of the Toyota Yaris in the U.S., especially on Yarisworld.com and MicroImageOnline.com. The smallest North American Toyota has been among the top-five selling subcompact since its debut in the U.S. in 2007, but hasn't changed much, and is due for replacement, or at least a major update.

SOURCE
Autocar

Subcompact Culture Giveaway: Road Race Motorsports Short Ram Intake for the Suzuki SX4

So here's the deal: I'm giving away a Road Race Motorsports Short Ram Intake for the 2007-2009 Suzuki SX4—a $199.99 value.

The one I'm giving away was a review sample, so it has been used, albeit gently—the filter is barely dirty. The intake comes with all the necessary hardware. It also includes a Road Race Motorsports and Subcompact Culture decal. A great how-to installation can be found on the SX4Club.com forum.

So how do you obtain this fine piece of equipment?

Simply leave a comment and I'll randomly pick a winner on Friday, August 20 and post up the winner's username (so please, don't post as "anonymous"). The winner will then have until August 27 to claim their prize by e-mailing me.

Please give some love to Road Race Motorsports by checking out their Web site link below! After all, they're the ones who provided the product to begin with. Don't forget to "share" this link on Twitter, Facebook, and other places (see the buttons below).

Good Luck!

LINK
Road Race Motorsports

VIDEO: 910 hp "Monster"-piloted Suzuki goes up Pikes Peak

I know you know about the Pikes Peak Hillclimb. You probably also know about Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima and his crazy 910 hp Suzuki SX4, too—he won the 2010 Hillclub ... and the year before, and the year before, and the year before ...

Here's a sweet vid of "Monster" headed up the mountain a this year's rally.

What the hell? Some old Suzuki Wagon R photos put me in a crazy Japanese van kinda mood

What is this? I think it is ... er ... was a Suzuki Wagon R at some point. I've had these photos for several years. Why am I posting them now? Why not. They're fine example of a crazy Japanese tall wagons/vans—a favorite genre of mine. And frankly, I'm in a crazy Japanese van/tall wagon kinda mood. So here's one more: A Suzuki Wagon R dressed up to look like a Chevy Astro van. Why? Just because ...

Sweet Tomatoes Ford Transit Connect

I can't speak for where you live, but here in the Portland there are a lot of Ford Transit Connects. My wife, Mercedes (yes, I'm a car fiend and am married to a woman named Mercedes), spotted this Sweet Tomatoes-branded Transit Connect outside of Lake Oswego, OR the other day. It just goes to show that businesses of all kinds seem to be embracing Ford's tiny transit van.

By the way, does anyone else feel the need for a salad?

In the driveway: 2010 Mazdaspeed 3

It's been a couple of months since the last full vehicle review on Subcompact Culture. But my latest review vehicle—the 2010 Mazdaspeed 3—is a great way to get back into the swing of things.

I drove the turbocharged goodness that is the Mazdaspeed 3 at the Run to the Sun event last month and it was a hoot. My second coming of the turbo 3 has reiterated that it's a performance bargain at $23,195 + $750 in freight. My test model is $25,880 with some options. For this you get 263 hp and 280 ft./lbs. of torque, a limited slip diff, a six-speed manual trans, and a metric ton of torque steer. Better keep both hands on the wheel at wide-open throttle!

Full review to follow, so stay tuned.

Honda Fit Hybrid hits the Japanese market in October; cheapest hybrid available

Honda Motor Company has announced that its Fit Hybrid will hit the Japanese market in October at a price of 1.59 million yen ($18,600 USD). This will make the Fit Hybrid the least expensive hybrid on the market in Japan. It will be 400,000 yen ($4,657 USD) more than the gas-powered Fit.

There have been rumors the Fit Hybrid will cross the pond and be sold In North America, however, I haven't seen any formal announcement yet. FYI, last year Toyota said it planned to offer a Yaris Hybrid to Japanese and U.S. markets in the near future, too.

SOURCE
Reuters

Our new car: 2010 Suzuki SX4 AWD

If you've followed Subcompact Culture for any time, you're well aware that my wife and I really liked our 2009 Suzuki SX4 AWD. It was small, all-wheel drive, decent on gas, and fun to drive. It was the perfect car for us ... almost.

The not-so-perfect part was that it wore black paint. This was our first black car, and not too long after taking it home, we decided it would be our last. You've got to have a certain mindset to own a black car, what with it's propensity to show every speck of dirt, scratch, rock chip, or flaw. Frankly, we did not have that mindset.

So, after a year-and-a-half of black-car ownership, our Black Onyx Pearl SX4 was traded in for a 2010 SX4 AWD wearing "Quicksilver" paint. Having owned multiple silver cars, we knew we could live with this finish.

2010 Changes
For those not aware, there were some significant changes to the SX4 for '10. A new 2.0-liter engine has variable valve timing and makes 150hp (up from 143) and 140 ft./lbs. of torque (up from 136). Fuel economy is up to 22/30, too (from 21/28). If you opt for a manual transmission like we did, the car comes with a six-speed manual vs. the previous five-speed (there's also a new CVT available). In addition, the seats are more supportive (and feature a driver's side height adjustment) and they wear a new fabric; there's a new gauge cluster; a new stereo head unit (with aux jack); and the ability for fold-flat seats (we'll need to buy the optional floor piece for that since we bought the base model).

All these pieces take the already good SX4 and make it that much better. It's more comfortable, faster and more efficient, and it's more versatile thanks to our fourth-coming floor panel for fold-flat interior capability.

The only downside (and it's a minor one for us): Gone are standard alloy wheels. Instead we got steelies with hubcaps. No real biggie, though; we plan on getting some custom wheels at some point. However, that's down the line. Until then, we'll enjoy our silver SX4, and hopefully not spend as much time worrying about whether or not the finish will show every speck of dirt.

By the way, Todd and the rest of the sales crew at Vancouver Suzuki (in Vancouver, WA) was great—highly recommended.

For anyone interested in Suzuki stuff, here are some links below.

LINKS
Suzuki Auto (American Suzuki Motor Corporation)
Suzuki on Twitter
Suzuki on Facebook
Suzuki on YouTube
SX4Club.com (Suzuki SX4 forum)
Road Race Motorsports (Suzuki performance parts)

Oh, and if you want a free Subcompact Culture decal, you can always e-mail me! Just send your name, address, and whether you want white or silver.

What the hell? "Barfboro" Barfing Team VW minibus

I'd seen this thing minibus driving around Portland before, but this time it was at my local gas station. It's a VW minibus painted with what looks to be Marlboro livery. However, it says "Barfboro Barfing Team." This is, of course, immediately funny, conjuring up all sorts of mental images. Whether you smoke or not, the bumper sticker below is pretty hilarious, too.

FYI, the van, which is somewhat legendary in Portland, is owned by Erik Vidstrand, a Multnomah County health educator and anti-smoking advocate.