Originally Posted by SteveR
(Post 501307)
Ok, so we went and spent 6 hours today test driving cars :) We drove;
2009 Pontiac G6 GXP
2008 Pontiac G8 GT
2006 Dodge Magnum SXT
2006 Dodge Magnum R/T AWD
2006 Chrysler 300C SRT8
2006 Saab 9-3 convertible
2008 Saab 9-3 Aero
2007 Saab 9-5
All of the cars were nice, but some really stood out over the others. First was the Dodge Magnum SXT. I wanted to get an idea of how the Magnum felt and its visibility. The V6 was kinda crappy, and the cloth seats were uncomfortable. Visibility wasn't bad though and I kinda like the way it looks. There was plenty of room in the back seat for two adults. There was a good amount of cargo space and with the back seats folded down you could really put a good amount of stuff in there.
Next was the Pontiac G8 GT and G6 GXP. The G8 GT was very comfortable, and the interior is laid out real nice. Everything is ergonomic and easy to reach. I'd say front passenger area is in the same size class as the Audi A4. One thing we noticed is that the center console in the G8 is almost identical to the Saab 9-3, minus the Saab center console key thing. We drove one once a few weeks ago and it handled good, and there was plenty of power. The only thing I noticed when we drove it is that there is a very noticeable lag from foot-to-floor to engine reaction. Next was the G6 GXP. The interior is a bit bigger than the G8, with more leg room in the front and back (we drove the sedan). The ride quality was really good, the seats felt comfortable and it was a blast to drive. The motor was responsive and it has plenty of power. The looks of it are really nice in person with the mesh grill and optional black chrome wheels. I had only seen a few pictures of them here and there but never in person. We test drove a black on black one and I was very impressed with the looks of it. As much as I rag on Pontiac for always using the same double grill thing on every single car, they really made it look good this time.
Then we went over to the Saab dealer and played with them for a while. I wanted to take the 9-3 convertible out first and see what the road noise was like. It handles great and there really isnt much noise difference between the convertible and the sedan. There really isnt much of a back seat though in the convertible. Back seat in the 9-3 sedan was ok, but tall adults will have their knees in the back of the front seat. The 2.0L turbo had decent power, but it took a little while for the turbo to kick in and felt a little sluggish down low. The trans also didnt respond predictably in the one we drove so I never really felt comfortable that the car was going to do what I wanted it to.The interior is very well laid out and the seats were amazing. Next was the 9-5, and I like the way it looks, but it didn't feel as good as the smaller and cheaper 9-3. The seats didnt feel as contoured as the 9-3, and the center console wasnt as easy to reach and just trying to turn the radio on was a chore. The ride was nice and smooth though as the convertible felt a little stiff over bumps. Finally we took out the 2008 9-3 Aero. The 2.8L turbo V6 was very nice and was a huge improvement over the 2.0L, and all the trans issues were gone. The two tone tan and chocolate leather interior was very well done and the seats were so comfortable you could sleep in them. For some reason though they used interior design ideas from the older 9-5 in the new 9-3 which I think was a step back as the previous dash and console from the 9-3 was better I think, but not a huge deal, as it was still a little closer to the driver than the 9-5. After driving the '08 9-3 Aero, I knew it was going to be a strong possibility.
Finally we went to a Dodge dealer and first took out a 2006 Magnum R/T AWD. The interior upgrades over the SXT was night and day. The leather was decent, and the contour of the seats were a lot more comfortable. I didn't really get on it, but it had good enough power from the 5.7L hemi. Everything in the interior is easy to reach and for some reason, unlike the Saab's, all the controls on the steering wheel are lit so you can see them at night. I can see how people make fun of the SXT and SE though, as they arent very comfortable, and they are underpowered. The R/T on the other hand really felt like an entirely different car. The interior was much better, the engine more responsive, and the ride quality smoother. Finally was the 2006 Chrysler 300C SRT8. All I can say is OMFG. Love it or hate it, until you drive one, you have no right to make fun of it. The handling was responsive, the interior was very comfortable, everything was laid out nice, and with 425hp, it moves to say the least. The salesman let us take it out by ourselves so we had time to really see what it had. I was really impressed with it. The SRT8 seats were also really nice.
In the end, all the cars, minus the Magnum SXT which is being stricken from my memory, all fall into roughly the same price range of 20-25k after rebates and such. I still havent taken out a CTS yet, or found an S60-R locally to test drive, so following these last few days of playing, I'd have to say the list right now is;
300C SRT8
Magnum SRT8
Saab 9-3 Aero
Pontiac G6 GXP
Caddy CTS
Volvo S60-R
Lincoln MKZ
After these last few days I think it's going to be hard to choose just one of these cars as I'm very impressed with all the ones on the list that we've taken out so far.
|
