drivetime
MICHIGAN CHRONICLE
DRIVEN
2010 Nissan Pathfinder
In a market now dominated by crossovers, the
Nissan Pathfinder has managed to maintain an appeal with everyone from surfers to everyday city dwellers.
Not an easy task in today’s market considering
that you don’t see that many mid-size SUVs on the roads these days.
OVERVIEW It took me some time to figure out why
after test driving the vehicle. But I think a lot of it stems from the rugged, “classic” appeal of the Pathfinder in the mid-size SUV segment that distinguishes it from most other vehicles in the segment.
Granted, the Pathfinder doesn’t necessarily have
the appeal it had some years ago with trendsetters. There’s just so much more to pick from those who don’t necessarily need the functionality of a mid-size SUV. The Pathfinder’s appeal is now driven more by a sense of practicality.
Revisions for the 2010 model include a standard
THE FORD FIESTA features 15 segment exclusive features.
Ford Fiesta
as the keypad on a mobile phone. The vehicle features Ford SYNC technology, integrating a driver’s mobile phone with Fiesta’s onboard, voice-activated communications and entertain- ment system.
Interior features are a lot more premium
than you’d expect in a “small” car when it comes to elements like the door knob and glove compartment. Some of the less seldom used touch points, like the driver and front passenger seat lever, feel a little flimsy. But the quality of key interior features that will likely endure the most wear and tear with the vehicle is impressive.
Seating surfaces are available in either cloth
or leather surfaces, which typically isn’t an option for a car in this segment.
The Fiesta is pretty roomy as well for a
“small” car. Not that I’d try to pull off a five-hour road
trip in the Fiesta with four other guys about my size. After all, there are a few parameters you have to adhere to when designing a small car and space is one of them, although I never felt like I was giving up much when driving or riding as a front passenger.
with some of the details like a cup holder that actually holds that small can of Red Bull.
The interior design is also pretty innovative I can’t
think of how many times I’ve bought Red Bull when driving and had to figure out somewhere to hold in place in the car opened because the standard cup holder won’t hold it.
Nice. The Fiesta also features Ford’s ambient
lighting that features seven complementary colors – switchable among three levels of in- tensity – for interior accent lighting.
WHIZ AROUND
With a 1.6-liter DOHC I-4 engine with 120
horsepower and 112 ft.-lb. of torque, the Fiesta isn’t big on power. But it’s fun to drive, which I experienced testing the car on some of twists and turns of San Francisco’s hills and an auto- cross course Ford set up at Candlestick Park.
From page B-1
The car’s available in an automatic and stan-
dard manual transmission, which is definitely your best option if you want to experience a little bit more fun when driving the vehicle.
Chalk it up to a specially tuned suspension
that gives the Fiesta a sporty, European driving feel.
Projected fuel economy is up to 40 miles per
gallon highway. The Fiesta’s quality is enhanced by the car’s
level of quietness with a specially laminated windshield that helps to absorb and contain noise. Engine noise is subdued by a hood blan- ket, with enhanced door seals keeping wind noise minimized.
The Fiesta’s pricing starts just under
$14,000. Safety features include dual-stage first-
row airbags, a class-exclusive driver’s knee airbag, side airbags and side curtain airbags. AdvanceTrac with electronic stability control is standard on Fiesta, as well as seat belt pre- tensioners and rear door child safety locks.
The model tested featured heated front seats,
chrome beltline molding, passive keyless entry and start system and chrome deck molding. All together, there are more than 15 segment ex- clusive features found on the Fiesta.
It all kind of changes your idea of a “small”
car, right?
Marcus Amick is a national automotive
and lifestyle writer. He can be contacted at
Marcus@Wheelside.com.
HIGHLIGHTS
Sticker: $18,590 (model tested) Fuel Economy: 29 City/38 Hwy Available Heated Front Seats Optional Leather Seats
Available SNYC Technology
Certified pre-owned vehicles: Luxury or economy?
W
ondering whether luxury CPO or econ- omy CPO is a better
buy? DriverSide is here to help.
If you’re in the market for a
good used car, you may have noticed a preponderance of certified pre-owned, or CPO, rides out there. Nearly every automaker on the globe offers some sort of certification pro- gram for its used vehicles, from Audi to Pontiac, so how do you know which is the best deal? Is it worth paying a little extra for some peace of mind on an economy car or a newish luxury whip? As it turns out, that greatly depends on who you are.
Before we get into the de-
tails of what we mean, let’s take a closer look at the CPO process in general. Certified pre-owned cars are sort of the middle ground between used vehicles and brand-new dealer offerings. They tend to be be- tween four and six years old with less than 80,000 miles, have no incident history and have been thoroughly checked over by the manufacturer. Cer- tified cars tend to be trade- ins or lease return vehicles, so odds are they’ve had all of their maintenance performed by the dealer and have had any recalls attended to in the same manner. In a phrase, these cars are the cream of the used- car crop.
That brings us back to our
question of which is a better buy, an economy CPO or a luxury. According to James Bell, editor and publisher of
Intellichoice.com, it really de- pends on the buyer. For some people, buying an economy car is the answer to a solution, and as such they don’t want to invest too much brain power in the decision.
On the flip side of that
coin, if you happen to be fairly handy under the hood or are confident you can get a better
The Detroit Charter Revision Commission Meeting
Tuesday, May 11 6:00 p.m.
FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, CITIZENS BANK IS PROUD TO BE THE NO. 1 SBA LENDER IN MICHIGAN*
deal on your repairs from a local mechanic, the upfront premium you pay for the cer- tification process and the ac- companying warranty may not be worth it to you. After all, your economy car is probably just basic transportation for you and your family.
Then there are the luxury
rides. There’s no getting around the fact that you’ll pay a larger premium for certified brands like Mercedes-Benz or Audi. Bell says part of that is due to the fact that the price-
point will support the increase. It’s not all about manufactur- ers taking advantage of what the market will bear, however.
So how much are we talking
about here? As it turns out, a certified pre-owned economy ride like a Honda, Toyota, Ford or GM will usually command around $750 to $1,500 over a similar, non-certified car. For that amount of money, buyers are given the manufacturer’s guarantee that the car isn’t a lemon and that it will provide mile after mile of carefree mo- toring. There’s also the added benefit of an extended war- ranty, similar to if the buyer had picked the car up new, straight from the dealer.
#1SBA LENDER
IN MICHIGAN
.
Along with being named SBA Financial Service Champion and SBA Preferred Lender of the Year, what does it all mean? Faster approvals and more approved loans to Michigan businesses than any other bank.
To talk to a Citizens Banker, call 800-946-2264 or visit us online at CITIZENSBANKING.COM/SBA.
— Photos Marcus Amick
moonroof on Pathfinder LE V6 model, a standard navigation system on Pathfinder LE V8 and simpli- fied exterior and interior color combinations. The Pathfinder’s classic SUV appeal is enhanced with a new exterior color, Dark Slate, and 17-inch machined aluminum-alloy wheels.
Inside, the 2010 Pathfinder features a refined in-
terior that includes available leather-appointed seat- ing, heated steering wheel, Nissan Intelligent Key with twist start and Nissan Navigation System with 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive.
The SE Premium Journey Package on the model
tested features a rear view monitor, roof rack cross- bars, 10-speaker Bose audio system, XM Satellite Radio, Bluetooth and Intelligent Key. The new LE V8 Value Package features a DVD player, 7-inch color
2010 Nissan Pathfinder
DRIVER:Marcus Amick STICKER: $36,615 MPG: 14 city/20 hwy
monitor for rear passengers and moonroof. The Pathfinder is available 266-horsepower 4.0-
liter V6 engine tested was more than enough power for city commutes. And an available 5.6-liter DOHC V8 engine is rated at 310 horsepower and 388 lb-ft of torque gives the Pathfinder a maximum towing ca- pacity of 7,000 lbs.
Available in a range of three 4x2 and four 4x4
models, pricing for the Pathfinder ranges from $27,440 for the Pathfinder 4x2 S FE with 4.0-liter V6 engine and automatic transmission to $42,160 for the Pathfinder 4x4 LE-V8 with automatic transmission.
Not a bad price for a classic. Well, sort of a clas- sic.
What’s to Like? The 2010 model is “classic” Path- finder.
What’s Not to Like? It’s that “classic” appeal that makes the SUV more about practicality now than in past years.
April 28 - May 4, 2010
Page B-2
Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries 150 Stimson Street Detroit, Michigan
Freman Hendrix – Chairman Detroit Charter Revision Commission
Information call DRMM: @313/993-4700 x4724
* SBA dollars approved through 9/30/09 year end.
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 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32