C 2


fast The Manila Times


F there’s one aspect of my job that most men I know find enviable, it’s the fact that I’m able to bring home brand-new cars to drive for a few days. And one of the most common questions I get is: How long can you use a demo car for? My standard answer to that is: four to five days on average. While that amount of time would be more than enough for any car enthusiast,


I


it’s not nearly long enough for an automotive journalist trying to write a substantial story about the car in question. It’s not like you’d be able to drive the car for much of those four days. It’s relatively fine if a car company sends you the unit on a Friday so you can use it over the weekend. And even then you need to make some adjustments to your schedule so you can at least drive out of town. The trouble is if the car is delivered to you at the start of the workweek. That’s not a problem if you’re the type of motoring journalist who doesn’t have to spend time in the office. It’s a problem if you’re also an editor who has an entire publication placed under your watch. I’ve had test-drive units brought to and retrieved from my custody with their fuel-gauge needle barely moving a notch. Most of the time, you’re still only starting to get to know the car and you already have to return it. Hence, your test report becomes somewhat half- baked, with the car functioning more like a novelty instead of an intimate everyday ride—which is how you should approach the whole test-drive thing if you are to effectively convey to your readers even the smallest quirks of the vehicle. Because if you’re able to do that, people won’t find many “surprises” when they purchase the car, and thus won’t feel like they got suckered into buying an overrated product.


And then of course there’s the other challenging part of the traditional


four-day test drive. More often than not, you get a fresh unit almost straight off the assembly line, which you’ll hand back to the car company after some 300 kilometers. This, then, makes it impossible to know if the car has a tendency to act up over the long term. I distinctly remember one reader berating our magazine for not pointing out one irritating flaw in a car he had apparently bought after reading our review of the same. I had to explain that the flaw had not manifested itself during our short test drive.


The point is that there is only so much


THERE’S THE OTHER CHALLENGING PART OF THE TRADITIONAL FOUR-DAY TEST DRIVE. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, YOU GET A FRESH UNIT ALMOST STRAIGHT OFF THE ASSEMBLY LINE, WHICH YOU’LL HAND BACK TO THE CAR COMPANY AFTER SOME 300 KILOMETERS. THIS, THEN, MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW IF THE CAR HAS A TENDENCY TO ACT UP OVER THE LONG TERM.


you can learn from spending four days with a pristine car. In the US, the motoring press is fortunate to have what is called in the industry as the “four- season test.” Because the American market is so important, carmakers don’t mind spending on press fleets. They actually loan out cars to journalists for months. Car magazines there even have a parking lot just for demo vehicles, with their editors enjoying all the latest cars at their disposal. Of course, it’s completely unrealistic to expect this long-term test-drive arrange- ment to be applied here. First of all, I don’t think Philippine-based car manufac- turers and distributors have a big enough budget to pay for a sizable press fleet. Second, there are just too many “journal- ists” pestering car companies for demo vehicles, many of whom don’t even belong to the motoring beat. Where on earth would the car industry get the cars to lend to all these “test-drivers”? Heck, even radio disc jockeys now have a habit of borrowing cars—for what, I’ll never know. Third, the level of driving competence and professionalism among our motoring journalists leaves a lot to be desired. Why would carmakers invest in press fleets when they know the vehicles could be reduced to theme-park bump cars? In spite of all these difficulties, Honda


Cars Phils. appears to be doing its small part in changing the way we motoring writers test-drive cars. “We are pleased to invite you to be part of our special long- term test-drive program that will let you experience the spirited driving perform- ance of the Civic,” said Honda’s public relations officer Sheryl de los Santos in a recent e-mail. By “long-term,” she meant 20 days, and indeed that’s long by local industry standards. The stated objective was: “We do hope that this long-term test- drive opportunity will enable you to enjoy Honda as your day-to-day partner in mobility and ultimately live out a comprehensive ownership experience.” Of course, that’s a load of PR talk. In the first place, my car is a Honda. And they know I own a Honda. So that part about them wanting me to enjoy their brand as a day-to-day motoring partner is moot, to say the least. In truth, the reason they want me to drive a Civic 1.8 S with more than 11,000 kilometers on the clock, is that they need to generate some noise about their tried-and- tested (if fast aging) compact sedan, especially since it’s gradually fading in the presence of much-newer competition (think Chevrolet Cruze and the soon-to-arrive Hyundai Elantra). Like I said, as a Honda owner, I already know what attributes to expect from the brand: reliable, hassle-free, sporty even. This is particularly true with the Civic 1.8 S unit loaned to me, which, by the way, has the paddle shifters previously only found on the 2.0-liter model. Save for the not-so-new cabin smell and feel, the car comports itself almost like it did when Honda first introduced this very variant a year and a half ago. True, I do find the eighth- generation body a little too dated for my taste—what with all the Civics running around since 2006—but once I’m fixed behind the wheel, I am reminded all over again exactly why I became a fan of this Japanese brand. It’s easy to formulate theories about why Honda Cars Phils. is suddenly resorting to long-term test drives. You can say they’re struggling in the sales department, their 1,140-unit performance in October representing a significant drop from their 1,440-unit tally in the same month last year. You can also say they’re simply running out their inventory as the current-generation Civic is nearing the end of its model cycle. Or you can even say they’re merely trying to prop up the Civic nameplate amid reports Honda is already pulling the plug on the popular compact car in its domestic market of Japan. We can theorize all we want, but it shouldn’t distract from the fact that Honda is confident and bold enough to lend 11,000-kilometer cars to the media. The message I read from this is: Notoriously hard-driving Filipino motoring journal- ists can shake down a well-used Civic however which way they fancy, and they won’t even know the difference. Well, until they glance at the odometer, that is.


■ The Honda Civic 1.8 S looks like this when new—and chances are will still do even after 11,000 kilometers.


BY BRIAN AFUANG MOTORING EDITOR


is what sets real guys apart. The Italians may wear white leather belts and pointy shoes and the French tight black turtlenecks and berets, but their preference for manual gearboxes leaves no room for doubts on these folks’ guy-ness.


R


And, really now, guy issues aside, what’s so difficult in popping a clutch pedal and slotting a gear lever on your own? What’s next, you want somebody else to chew food for you?


Such profundities came to mind as I tooled around town in Ford’s latest product in the Philippines—the Fiesta— some recent weeks ago. It was the top Sport model, too, so the car was packed with standard equipment used to be exclusive on models belonging in higher segments. When the first Fiesta debuted in the ’70s, it wouldn’t be surprising if the air on its skinny tires was listed as an option. In contrast, the present fifth-generation Fiesta (or fourth, depending which version of automotive lore is preferred) even has voice command. Yes, in this top Sport variant (priced at


P816,000), the Fiesta’s trick entertain- ment and communications package has voice control interface, plus iPod and USB ports, and Bluetooth connectivity. Press a button near the steering wheel and the car talks back to you. Instruct it, for instance, “radio,” and the system pro- ceeds to walk you through the process until you’ve made your selection. It works the same when operating a mobile phone—provided you’ve hooked one up to the system, of course. Other noteworthy pieces Ford fitted on the Fiesta—besides building most of the car’s structure in boron steel, making it really stiff, according to company engineers—are dual airbags, electronic stability control and hill-launch assist systems. During the Fiesta’s local debut event, a Ford officer also pointed out to


me the small but thoughtful touches that the car have, things like cubbies to store cards in or a clip on the windshield that holds some items. And though seating in the car’s rear and cargo space are tight, the seats fold down to make more room for the latter need. Anyway, if one requires more space then one should get a bigger car, right? Ford didn’t scrimp either on making the Fiesta look good. The Sport model rolls on really nice 16-inch alloys (which with 195/ 50 tires help in handling, too). It’s clad with aero pieces, lending the car more visual heft. And unlike the US-issue Fiesta, the local one gets the more elaborate lower grille that’s adorned by a pair of bling bling chormed pieces on the bottom edges—which I hate as they appear like the mistake of a hung-over factory worker who was able to successfully mount tailpipes in front of the car.


While I’m at it, the silver-color console on the Fiesta’s dashboard, which houses the audio and phone controls, is a tad too gimmicky. My 12-year-old son recognized it as Nokia-like—something that turned out to be true when a Ford interior designer, at the car’s regional presentation in Thailand, said the feature was in fact influenced by mobile phones—but what it reminds me of is an underbone motorcy- cle’s headlamp cluster, right down to its wedge shape. I’ve seen photos of this console rendered in black, and it’s more appealing as it merges with the rest of the dashboard neatly.


In contrast, the rest of the Fiesta’s cabin furniture are muted but decked with lovely details. The fabric covering the seats has


EAL men go manual. And you could read into that on so many different levels but opting to use a stickshift rather than a lazy slushbox


■ The Fiesta, especially in Sport trim, is totally stylish. Its cabin features


should appeal to the techie set, like the mobile phone- inspired console (bottom) and a voice


command device.


TUESDAY December 14, 2010


Times


The long and short of the test drive


HARDTOP


driven FORD FIEST A SPOR T


The Ford Fiesta Sport boasts an extensive list of premium kit that includes a dual- clutch gearbox— which it could’ve ditched


VERNON B. SARNE


SHHAPIFT


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18