Sgt Beavis

I've got the 2010 LTZ I-4 and I echo much of what was said in the review. I just got back from a 2000+ mile road trip to Florida and the LTZ was almost flawless. Ride and drive were extremely comfortable. IMO the I4 engine has plenty of power for the majority of folks out there. I would only buy the V6 if I needed it for towing. The car is also surprisingly quiet. Definitely quieter than any of the competition that I drove when shopping for a new car. I saw 25mpg on the highway but, most of the time, I was driving 80mph. I also has two small dogs, luggage, Christmas packages, and my wife in the car. I was also using E-10 fuel for the entire trip (sucks 10% off your mileage right there). In ECO mode, I do think the transmission holds top gear more than I would like, so I simply turn it off for city driving. I had it on for highway driving and had no issues. Two other things I should praise are XM radio and OnStar. I have been dismissive of these two products in the past but now I'm addicted to Blue Collar Radio. I've already bought a subscription. OnStar also performed beautifully as I used it to navigate to my destination. I used it to find a hotel in New Orleans, find my Mom's house in Florida (first time I had been there) and to find several other destinations. OnStar was DEAD ON every time. I do have some very minor gripes. 1. iPod/iphone integration works but is clumsy. If you connect an iPhone 3G or 3GS, you get an error asking you to switch the phone into Airplane Mode. You can safely hit NO and continue running normally. The car then plays your songs in ALPHABETICAL order instead of track order. Lastly, there should be an option for you to connect your iPhone but not automatically have music playback. Right now there isn't an option for that. Most of the time, I'm just hooking up my phone to recharge. The actual controls are done through the menu/tuner knob on the radio. I thought it was cumbersome. That knob is also too far from the driver for regular use and should have a redundant control on the steering wheel. 2. The power lift gate button on the rear gate should be illuminated. It is invisible in the dark. This is more of a suggestion than a gripe. 3. I was surprised to see that GM is very limited on the available accessories for the Equinox. For instance, there is no cargo mat available from GM. Fortunately HuskyLiner is selling one now. I could have used one for my trip... All in all, I am extremely please with my purchase. The LTZ trim is a lot more luxurious than you might think. IMO it is a vastly better value than the entry level Caddy SRX, which only has Leatherette.

Does anyone have the dimensions of the triplets? I'd like to compare their wheelbase, weight, and interior dimensions to those of the Aveo, Mini Cooper, and other small cars sold in the US. IMO, GM should take one of the triplet designs and give it to Deawoo. Have them build it and sell it around the world, including in the US.

I haven't reviewed the bill so I don't know if I support it or not but I did find something interesting. Nissan testified that they CAN meet those fuel standards. It strikes me as being similar to Honda's testimony before congress for the 1973 Clean Air Act. Everyone in Detroit testified that it was impossible to meet the new standards but Honda came in and testified that the EPA had just certified one of their engines to exceed the new standards. They even took an American V8 and fitted it with their CVCC heads and it met the emission requirements. (can't remember it was a GM or Ford V8 but I think it was a GM V8)

I got to drive an Avenger RT last week. I thought the powertrain was ok. The 6 speed was responsive but the engine was harsh. I hope Chrysler has better luck with their next gen V6. Exterior styling is outstanding IMO. One of the things I've liked about Dodge is their Take it or Leave it approach to styling. For the most part they hit home runs with me. Interior fit felt good. No rattles and the seats were very comfortable. I drove in 90 degree Texas heat and the AC worked great. IMO it was on par with GM's air conditioning (GM makes the best AC IMO) However Dodge and Chrysler now suffer from the problem that GM is digging themselves out from under, Cheap Materials. I would happily pay a few hundred extra if DCX has put some better quality plastics in their cars. GM finally got a clue and they are slowly rebuilding their rep as a top notch auto builder. Dodge needs to do the same. The cheapness of the interior was a stopping point for me. I won't be getting this car. Fortunately I'm not in a hurry. If you are shopping for a car in this size class, my recommendation is that you wait for the new Chevy Malibu. If you need a car now, then the Saturn Aura or new Nissan Altima are superior cars (except for exterior styling IMO)