Summary:
Pure Muscle
Faults:
Nothing serious yet.
General Comments:
I have the automatic with K&N cold intake and Corsa Sport exhaust.
I wish I could switch between both manual and auto with a push of the button. I got the auto because of my almost all stoplight and town driving, and now that I am in my 50's, I thought I did not want to shift any more, but cruise. But, if I was to do it again, I think I would get the manual (of course if it had the 6 speed auto with the manual shift that all the autos today have, that would have been the one).
It is a car that could be a drag type of car with a little work, or with a little suspension work, a road car.
I like the exterior looks. From the rear and front angles, it looks good and beefy to me, and I like the more subtle look type of car.
The interior is well done; the only thing I want to change is the steering wheel. The seat comfort is decent. The steering is good, but could use more of a ratio, because you have to turn the wheel more than you think or want to.
The brake pedal feel and stopping is good. The accelerator has a long travel to the floor, and you really have to step on it a couple/few inches to get the car to go; I would like a more sensitive pedal.
The visibility is limited some to the rear and rear-sides.
The overall cornering is pretty good, and better than I thought for a car this heavy.
Overall acceleration is smooth and even, but not mind blowing. It does have its moments when the car starts to go in that 3-5k RPM range, and it tends to like the higher speeds. It is easy to get to 100 or over.
Launching from a stop takes some practice not to spin the tires at first, and not bog the engine RPM. I have tried 4th only, 3rd only, 2nd only, and manual auto shifting. Still trying to find the best 0-60 way. Sometimes I get it, and sometimes I bog it at about 50.
I put on new Continental Extreme Contacts for ride comfort improvement, and that did help soften the ride and noise over the stock tires. Also the grip is much better, and I find it much harder to spin the tires or lose any traction, period.
Overall, the ride is too harsh in the front end over cracks, dips and bumps in the road. I would like it to absorb those better and smoother. The rear is no problem.
The car does feel heavier than it should, and I would like to lighten up the feel and change the front suspension to absorb better.
I have learned that to drive the car, you really have to be rough and bully it around to get the performance, I put it in 1st and step on it, and manually shift into second and step on it. I turn it aggressively, brake it aggressively, and otherwise it is easy to putt and drive normally.
For the 20K I spent on a mint 7k mile car with this motor, interior, style and performance, it was a steal. The car is pure muscle and sex appeal. At about 24K I will do some after market upgrades to take it up a a notch or two.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know
Review Date: 9th July, 2012