Consumer Reports: "surprises and letdowns" of 2008

[ifcar]

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/01/2008-in-review.html

2008 in review ? A year of surprises and letdowns

With the new year rolling in, and the Detroit auto show just hours away, let?s take a (belated) look back at the last year?s worth of testing. Some automakers showed their consistency, with impressive redesigns like the Honda Accord and Subaru Forester. No surprises there. But let?s single out the models that delivered more than expected, as well as those that fell short:


Hyundai Genesis ? The Genesis moves Hyundai to a whole new stage, topping our upscale sedan scoring and delivering roomy refinement at an aggressive price. Another surprise from Hyundai: 26 mpg from the freshened 2009 Sonata four-cylinder model, impressive for a family sedan from a company that wasn?t known for optimizing fuel efficiency.

Cadillac CTS ? From the brand that brought you the badge-engineered Cimarron, who would have expected this: a well-tailored, fun-to-drive sports sedan that outscored rivals from BMW and Mercedes-Benz at their own game.

Pontiac G8 ? It?s been a long time since Pontiac has had a competitive car?until now. It?s not necessarily the blistering acceleration that impresses here; there are V6 competitors that are nearly as rapid as our tested V8-powered G8 GT without the G8?s mid-sized SUV fuel economy. No, what really impresses is the ride and handling balance of this big sedan. It rivals some snooty high-dollar sports sedans but at a relatively bargain price (especially with current incentives).

Chevrolet Malibu ? This car balances the quietness of a Toyota Camry with the agility of a Honda Accord, all bundled with arguably more eye-catching styling than either. With a new six-speed automatic, the four-cylinder version gets better fuel economy than the Camry or Accord, and first-year reliability has been strong. One downer: the "light" hybrid version doesn?t bring a big bump in fuel economy for the additional cost.

BMW 135i ? It didn?t sound all that promising at first: charge nearly 3 Series money for a smaller car. But the 135i was one of the most popular cars in our fleet this year, just the thing for a spirited drive home. It scored at the top of its class to boot.

Ford Flex ? The Taurus X was a competent but unassuming (and slow-selling) wagon-like SUV. But take that basic platform, improve and enlarge the interior, and wrap it all in styling that looks like the box it was shipped in. The result is one of the top SUVs we?ve tested this year.

But there were also some letdowns:

Saturn Astra ? We were excited by the promise: European road manners with a well-finished interior. The Astra indeed delivered those, but was let down by a milquetoast and not-so-efficient drivetrain and cryptic controls.

Honda Pilot ? It?s not that the new Pilot is a bad SUV ? far from it. But the 2009 redesign lost some refinement relative to the best in this class, with abundant road noise, so-so braking, and unimpressive fit and finish.

Acura TL ? Between the TL and the TSX (which we?re still testing), Acura?s new direction seems to be overwrought styling, button-festooned dashboards, and less steering feel. Like the Pilot, the TL was once a CR Top Pick, but the redesign doesn?t make the cut.

Ford Focus ? Maybe it?s that we long for the well-finished, refined-handling European Focus and all of its available body styles. Instead, the American Focus got restyled, adding stuff like SYNC and lighted foot wells and cup holders. Unfortunately, it lost some of its handling sharpness and didn?t really fix the cheap interior or engine noise. We also miss the practical hatchbacks and wagon.

Infiniti EX35 ? Infiniti?s sedans rank at the top of their respective categories. The fun-to-drive EX shares their high performance, but it?s a bit of an odd duck. The snug rear seat and small cargo hold limit the practicality you?d expect from a small SUV/wagon.

[TBR]

I don't think the EX was truly a let down. Sure it isn't roomy, but it's sexy as hell and quite luxurious which is all the target audience really wants.

[GoCougs]

A let down IMO is how well it performs in the market. The G8 and Flex are major letdowns as they are sales disasters.

[sportyaccordy]

I don't think the EX was truly a let down. Sure it isn't roomy, but it's sexy as hell and quite luxurious which is all the target audience really wants.

They should have just made a G wagon... would have been roomier, more economical and practical

[hotrodalex]

Speaking solely from a car perspective, this is one of the few times I can agree with Consumer Reports.

[TBR]

They should have just made a G wagon... would have been roomier, more economical and practical

Really? Because it seems to me that's exactly what the EX is.

[Cookie Monster]

Really? Because it seems to me that's exactly what the EX is.

The EX is less sporty than a G wagon would be.

[TBR]

The EX is less sporty than a G wagon would be.

Hardly.

[ifcar]

Really? Because it seems to me that's exactly what the EX is.

The EX is more of a hatchback than a wagon.

[TBR]

I doubt a straight wagon variant of the G would have a proper wagon roof line either, it just isn't fashionable anymore.