Enter the xD. The xD also fills the entry model niche but it is a decidedly larger and more robust offering than the xA.

To begin with, the new car is larger all over. The cabin is comparatively spacious and more grown up. Cargo space is also increased. Though it looks deceivingly like just another compact car, inside the xD you’ll find amazing interior space. The seating is comfortable, offering a very good view of the road. There is no claustrophobic pettiness inside the xD. Rather, Scion has successfully harvested lots of interior space in this vehicle. The rear seats are split, slide fore and aft for comfort and can fold completely flat.

The minimalist safety equipment of the xA has been replaced with a full array of modern gear. This includes front, side and side curtain air bags. The structure of the vehicle has always been sound but crash test results show that the smaller the vehicle is, the more important these bags are. To an extent, they are the great equalizer when they collide with bigger rigs and actually protect passengers in a way that nothing else can.

The other major area of improvement is the engine. The previous 1.5 4-cylinder was a great little engine that was reliable and fuel efficient, but it was…little. The new engine is a totally new 1.8 liter 4-cylinder engine also found in the Toyota Corolla. It comes packin’ with 128 horsepower, dual variable valve timing and either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission. EPA fuel economy ratings are 27 city and 33 highway. In real world terms, on the highway at legal speeds, the xD is probably capable of about 40 miles per gallon like the past Corolla was. It is also wonderfully reliable, has better power this year.

With the price of gas high and getting higher, the xD should be the natural choice for lots of budget minded commuters. It’s big enough to have all the safety equipment, small enough to have great fuel economy, is very reliable and starts at about $15,000. You also get an excellent audio system at no extra charge.

The Outlook is an attractive vehicle and a good example of the current Saturn styling theme. It is substantial looking, somewhat angular, yet not too beefy. From a distance it presents itself small, but as you approach the vehicle, you realize that it’s almost the size of a Chevy Tahoe.

The interior is roomy and the tasteful exterior themes are carried through to the inside. The seating is comfortable and flexible. The Outlook has pretty roomy 3rd row seating, but it’s still a challenge to get back there if you’re over 4 feet tall. The cargo space is very roomy and is easily accessible. The seating is comfortable and there is sufficient height in the vehicle for everyone to have a commanding view of the road. There is lots of elbow room, and leg room in the first 2 rows is generous. This is quite a long vehicle, yet it is maneuverable and can be placed in a mall parking spot without too much trouble. The interior is attractive, comfortable and quiet.

At present, the Outlook is offered with GM’s new 3.6 liter, aluminum, dual overhead cam, V6 engine. This power plant delivers either 270 or 275 horsepower, depending on the model. It is mated to GM’s new 6-speed automatic transmission. This is fundamentally a front-wheel drive transverse engine design and all-wheel drive is also available. The engine has good power, but the vehicle is large so you can expect some up and down shifting as you go over hill and dale. Don’t be surprised to see a more powerful version of this engine in the future or a gasoline V8 (GM has 2 front-wheel drive V8 engines currently) or even an upcoming smaller displacement diesel V8 that GM is developing which would be ideal for this type of SUV. I could coax about 25 miles per gallon out of the 3.6 liter V6 Outlook on a straight freeway cruise at 60 miles an hour, which is very good for a vehicle of this size.

In all, the Outlook offers a nice additional choice for families needing space and looking for a modern vehicle design. You can carry lots of people, lots of stuff and even tow a trailer if needed.

At first glance it looks more like an import than a domestic product, with a sloping roof line, jeweled front and rear headlights, and a lot of chrome in the grille. The Edge sits on standard 17-inch tires for the base model and 18-inch wheels for the upgraded SEL edition. An intentional departure from the traditional square box approach seen in SUVs, it can draw a few second looks. While on display at San Francisco’s Embarcadero, members of the public got a chance to get close-up and personal with it and, for the most part, they liked what they saw.

Designed to compete against the Nissan Murano, Toyota Highlander and even its corporate relation, the Mazda CX-7, the Edge tries to bring something different to the party. Taking the approach that more standard features are better, it comes with three 12-volt outlets, a built-in audio jack for an MP3 player and rear seats that fold down at the touch of a button. Under the hood is a new 3.5 liter 265 horsepower V6 engine with 250 pound-feet of torque. The power plant is set up with a 10.3:1 compression ratio to get the best performance while operating on 87 octane unleaded fuel.

The Edge has one basic 6-speed automatic transmission with a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive trains. The AWD system might be one of the most desirable options, since it delivers comparable fuel economy to the front-wheel drive configuration. Ford is also including AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control to prevent wheel slip as part of the AWD setup.

Interior space is comparable to larger SUVs, with attention to extra foot space in the second row, something that a lot of manufacturers miss. In a day of driving in rural and urban settings, the Edge was quieter than expected considering there is 38 cubic feet of space in the passenger cabin. It would be nice if the rear door opened an inch more to make installing a child seat a little easier but that is a minor complaint. On the upside, it is set up so that it is not necessary to install running boards to climb up into the Edge.

The company hopes the basic looks matched with options such as a panoramic glass Vista Roof®, Navigation and DVD entertainment system will appeal to buyers who want more than bland transportation. What it doesn’t offer is aluminum alloy wheels, which can do a lot to attract buyers. Maybe that will come in the next model years.

While technically able to go off road, the Edge is not being presented as a rough and tumble vehicle. Instead, Ford hopes it will attract a wide cross section of buyers who like its size and functionality, while searching for the next trend in the American auto market. Considering that 1.8 million crossover vehicles were sold in this country last year, Ford hopes they are catching the right side of a potential trend wave in automobiles.

by Casey Williams - www.car-data.com

The impending Pontiac G8 Sport Truck won’t be the only Pontiac G8 getting attention this year. Realizing true performance enthusiasts would want more power than base models, and that GM’s performance division needed a true successor to the GTO, engineers stuffed a 6.2-litre V8 into the engine bay. Marketers call it the GXP.

Said Jim Bunnell, Buick-Pontiac-GMC general manager, “More than just raw power, the GXP delivers the sophisticated yet exciting driving experience that enthusiasts expect in a car costing far more than the GXP.” Pontiac claims the car will run 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds and through the quarter in 13 seconds at 108 mph.

Pouring out 402 horsepower and 402 lb.-ft. of torque, the big V8 engine obviously moves the GXP with enthusiastic athleticism. So does a short-throw Tremec six-speed manual transmission. However, the sedan also stops like a champ with four-wheel Brembo disc brakes inside of 19” alloy wheels and summer performance tires. StabiliTrak electronic stability programming shepherds all of that power down the road as straightly as possible. A stiffened four-wheel independent suspension system and quick-ratio steering were developed at Germany’s famed Nurburgring race circuit.

Visual differences from mortal G8s include a revised front fascia with lower splitter, rear diffuser, and 19” wheels. Highly bolstered two-tone sport seats, alloy sport pedals, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, GXP embroidery, and leather trim rounds out the special cabin. Easy-to-read white/red-lit analog gauges remain just as they should.

Many of you will quickly let Pontiac know that the G8 GXP is a poor excuse for a GTO, especially since it allows the convenience and comfort of four real doors. Here’s a reality check: You never saw or drove a GTO that could match the G8 GXP. The fact that it can get the kids to school or your mother to BINGO nearly as comfortably as any full-size sedan sold in America is something you’ll just have to get over. No worries. It won’t take long. With an expected base price near $35,000, competition includes the Dodge Charger SRT8, Chevy Impala SS, and Nissan Maxima.

The downside to the vehicle’s handling prowess is a stiff, jiggly ride that may be off-putting to some sensitive behinds. We had no problem with the ride, but we encourage prospective buyers to travel some uneven pavement during the test drive.

Going fast in a hurry means a slight bit of turbolag, but it’s hard to detect and the wonderful urgency displayed at any speed through the five-speed automatic is smile-inducing. The vehicle’s go-fast persona is enhanced with standard paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

Some may be put off by the RDX styling, but we found it aggressive without being overdone. In fact, we prefer its lines to those of the new MDX, and we certainly prefer the more subdued grille treatment in the RDX.

The interior is a great place to live. The leather-trimmed seats are comfortable and supportive, and the gauges are as good as it gets. Three round hooded pods enclose backlit white, red and blue readouts that are as vivid in bright sun as they are at night. In addition to the speedometer, the center pod includes outside temperature, odometer and a display that shows the current torque split. A wide swath of aluminum trim neatly breaks up the black textures. It can also be found along the edges of the center console and on the door pulls.

We highly recommend the $3,500 technology package, which includes a navigation system with real-time traffic updates, a rearview camera, Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free phoning and a premium 410-watt surround-sound audio system that can play either CDs or DVD audio discs. In that configuration, the RDX comes with the requisite controller knob just below the navigation screen. But it’s easy to use and most of the climate and audio controls can be accessed independently of the controller.

Storage cubbies are handy and the center console bin is large enough to swallow up a small laptop computer. Rear-seat passengers — provided there are only two — will find comfortable accommodations with enough head and leg room for long-distance travel. And when carrying cargo is paramount, the seatbacks can be folded 60-40 to open the rear to 60.6 cubic feet of space. A very usable 27.8 cubic feet of storage resides behind the rear seats.

At first blush you may feel the RDX’s starting price is perhaps too high. The vehicle carries a base price of $33,665, but for that cash outlay virtually everything is provided. The only extra is the aforementioned technology package.

Some of the standard goodies include the all-wheel drive system, 18-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights, side airbags and side-curtain airbags, stability control, traction control, tire-pressure monitoring system, leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, power moonroof, power up/down windows and cruise control.

We have already pronounced our love for the technology bundle. As also noted, the RDX is not a towing machine with a rather meager rating of 1,500 pounds.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the RDX is its meager gas mileage rating of 19 city and 23 highway. Perhaps meager is too strong, but our disappointment was enhanced after reading several reports from auto testers who managed only high teens in mixed driving. And that is on the recommended premium gas.

We would bite the bullet, and perhaps even smile as we pulled up to the 91 octane tank, after a romp in the Acura. With the RDX, it’s a small price to pay.