 PEOPLE VS. 2006 Toyota Sienna XLE: Judge Bob must begin with obligatory prejudicial statements: His daughter owns a Toyota Sienna to carry his three grandkids in; his wife owns a Honda Odyssey that has been flawless for 120,000 miles and shows no signs of wearing out. These are the top two minivans in most autowriters' logs. Unfortunately, Judge Bob is not now testing Honda vehicles so he can't make a comparison. Other reviewers say Honda has raised the minivan bar with the 2006 model. It's hard to imagine the bar much higher than this Sienna. This minivan has no flaws. No quirks. No irritations. It does what it's asked to do -- carry 7 people in reasonable comfort and with reasonable economy (19/26). It's loaded with safety features, but the most convenient feature is the capability to open either sliding side door with the press of a button on the remote fob. The Sienna XLE starts at $29,025 and our tester rose to $32,461 with options. And the only thing worth fussing about is the fact that side air bags and full-length head curtains are part of a $2,575 option that includes much less desirable items. These safety essentials should be standard for a people-hauler like this.
PEOPLE VS. 2006 Dodge Magnum R/T: Judge Bob once was the proud owner of a 1969 Dodge Charger R/T. It was a screaming muscle car with a 440 cubic-inch V8. Looked like a shark. More powerful versions in that era could be had with a Hemi. Well, the Hemi is back. And so it was that the 2006 Dodge Magnum R/T that showed up in Judge Bob's driveway again has a Hemi under the hood. This is not the Charger, mind you. That will be coming for testing soon. This is the Gangstamobile station wagon model, the one with the roof that looks lowered. It was a thoroughly enjoyable ride with only one problem: It may be a machine out of time. All around Judge Bob during test week were gas stations with lines at the pumps serving up $3 a gallon regular gas. This Hemi is more thrifty than the older models, though. The EPA estimates 17 city and 25 highway. There are no real problems inside or outside this car, so any criticism has to focus on other factors. Judge Bob loved it, but wonders how many buyers there will be for a Hemi-powered station wagon. Young folks can't afford the $30,235 base price, much less the $35,640 final sticker. No. They're happy with the Dodge SRT-4. That's performance without breaking the bank. With the return of the Hemi, Chrysler seems to be riding a gimmick. There's no magic here. Just a powerful V8 in a big vehicle. And there's no reason to buy the Hemi version of the Magnum. The regular Magnum is cheaper, looks the same, is more fuel efficient and has the same utility. Judge Bob will hasten to add that he enjoyed the extra cost options that provided a navigation system and an audio system that allowed him to play his entire Harry Chapin collection as MP3s on a single CD. He never got around to using the rear seat video system! Quite a car. Anyone who buys one likely won't regret it.
PEOPLE VS. 2006 Dodge Ram 2500 SLT: Well, what do you know. Dodge put a Hemi under the hood of this Ram 2500. The result is a too-big truck, with too much horsepower in the absence of traction control, costing way too much money ($31,055) and demanding $100-a-week gasoline stops. And the tester didn't even have a trailer hitch! Folks, this is overkill. Serious overkill. Buy a diesel if you need the torque. Buy the Dodge SRT-10 if you want to be the baddest truck driver on the planet. But this one can't be recommended for any reason. It's brutally rough on even good roads. On bad pavement, the rear axle jumps every which way. On a wet road, Judge Bob tried to accelerate out in front of traffic but instead spun wheels and slipped across two lanes. Fortunately, the oncoming traffic saw fit to laugh and point fingers instead of running into Judge Bob or shooting him on the spot in a fit of road rage. In exclusive highway driving, the Hemi truck returned 15 mpg. Around town, you can figure 10 mpg or less. And it would prefer the most expensive premium gas, of course. Judge Bob despised the size of this -- it filled an entire lane of traffic. And hitting a bump meant jumping over the yellow center line and seeing the oncoming driver raise a single finger in salute. Nope. Judge Bob wouldn't drive this a month if you paid him. His internal organs would never survive.
PEOPLE VS. 2006 LEXUS GS430: Think of a fine Swiss watch and you get a feel for this Lexus GS430. It appears to have super craftsmanship, a tightly sealed jewel that demands that doors be slammed shut in order to close. It's that airtight! Under the hood is a 300 horsepower 4.3-liter V8 engine that returns 18 city and 25 highway mpg. It's connected to a smooth six-speed automatic transmission. The base price of Judge Bob's tester was $51,125, but don't think you'll get out of the dealership for that. The bottom line here after desirable options was $59,709. The options included a Mark Levinson sound system with a navigation screen and rear-view camera. There was even a solar "clearance" system that showed Judge Bob how close he was to adjacent cars. Safety is first-rate in the GS430, with air bags everywhere, including driver and passenger knee bags. The headlights deserve particular praise, as they do in other Lexus models. Both headlights and windshield wipers come on when needed. The leather driver's seat could be adjusted to make just about any body comfortable, especially when combined with a wood-and-leather steering wheel that tilted and telescoped. All three rear view mirrors are photochromatic, so bright lights from behind are never a bother. Anyone thinking of spending this kind of money needs to test drive a Lexus. This brand is consistently the best in the world in reliablility and freedom from initial problems. "The Relentless Pursuit of Perfection" is getting very close to its end goal.
PEOPLE VS. 2006 HYUNDAI SONATA LX V6: You don't have to simply believe Judge Bob anymore when he tells you that Hyundai is a high-quality automaker, one of the best anywhere in the world at this moment. Fifteen years ago, that certainly wasn't the case. Hyundai was at the very bottom of a popular quality index. Today, the South Korean automaker is tied for fifth on that index, well ahead of the likes of Mercedes-Benz. The 2006 Hyundai Sonata LX that Judge Bob drove for a week is all the car almost anyone would need. It had NO options, was extremely well-equipped and sold for $22,895. It is directly competitive with Toyota and Honda products -- and has a better warranty (10 years/100,000 miles on drivetrain). This comfortable five-passenger sedan gets 20 mpg city and 30 highway. With gas now soaring past $2.75 a gallon for regular in Judge Bob's area, anything under 30 on the highway might be cause to pause. Here's a partial list of standard items on the Sonata LX: side curtain air bags, anti-lock brakes, stability control, automatic transmission, power everything, keyless entry, a stereo system that can even play MP3 disks, cruise control, fog lights, automatic-on lights, tilt/telescopic steering wheel, air conditioning, auto-dim interior mirror, and the niftiest chrome-accent exterior door handle of the proper bar design. It's just a first-rate car for average pocketbooks. Forget "employee-price" incentives. What a joke on car buyers! Go for quality and save in the long run. Check out Hyundai.
PEOPLE VS. 2006 SCION xB: Judge Bob was provided a 2006 Scion xB to test but no paperwork was included, so he threw the case out of court. The xB is unchanged from last year's model. This tester was bright yellow and attracted every tiny fly within 20 miles. Flies love the color yellow. How can it be that bug lights are yellow? Judge Bob can't figure this out. Anyhow, the test Scion has an unknown price for unknown equipment. But it seemed to have no optional items, such as the $2,000 Bazooka boom box, so whatever the base price is, that's what this is. It's a fun little box car to drive with its automatic tranmission. But the gas tank is so tiny - maybe 8 gallons - that Judge Bob filled up three times during test week. And it didn't have cruise control, which is expected these days in even a red Western Flyer wagon. During the week, various cars honked at Judge Bob and gave him the finger - but it was always a "Number 1" kind of index thing so Judge Bob knew it was the xB drawing approval from young folks who can't keep their pants up at the mall. If Judge Bob were 16 again, he might want one of these. If Judge Bob decides to follow a second career by enrolling in Ringling Bros. Clown College, then he definitely wants one of these.
PEOPLE VS. 2006 RANGE ROVER SUPERCHARGED: To any list of the finest production vehicles on earth, add the Range Rover Supercharged sport utility. It has everything the legendary Range Rover has - which is to say almost every comfort and convenience feature known to man - and adds a 4.2-liter, supercharged V8 engine producing a stunning 400 horsepower. If you have to ask about fuel mileage, you will not be interested in this $92,450 sport utility that can challenge any offroader on earth - all while those inside sip champagne and browse the Wall Street Journal. There's just no way to do justice to the level of comfort this off-road, onroad champ provides. It cannot be compared, for instance, to any Jeep or Hummer. Those are bumpy toys compared to this. But be warned that learning to appreciate all of the features in this 2006 model will take time. A full week of testing was insufficient for Judge Bob. He didn't even get to play the DVD player, with remote controls, private wireless earphones, and TV sets inside both front seat headrests! Not only is the Range Rover so heavy it might win a collision with a cement mixer, but it has 8 air bags around its interior. It has ultrasonic parking controls front and back. It has a rear-view camera that is activated when the gear selector is moved to reverse - and stays activated for a few moments after the vehicle begins to move forward. It's the best combination of parking/safety features Judge Bob has yet seen. Other safety items include anti-lock brakes and dynamic stability control. Plus, this is all-wheel drive all the time. (But there's a 2-speed electronic transfer gearbox for those off-road jaunts). The suspension is auto-leveling and offers a selection of mutiple levels. Judge Bob stayed in the Range Rover as Mrs. Judge Bob went for ice cream one afternoon and was somewhat startled when the Range Rover suddenly settled a few inches. Oh my. The rear gate is split, so a tailgate can be lowered to sit on or lunch from. Stereo and headlights are both exceptional. About the only modern items missing are laser cruise control and a power rear liftgate. No problem. This one could stay in Judge Bob's garage.
PEOPLE VS. 2005 JAGUAR X-TYPE SPORTWAGON: Call this covering all bases. Jaguars of not long ago were too expensive for most folks and the company, now owned by Ford, recognized the need for a cheaper, er, lower priced model. Enter the X-Type. It was an excellent addition to a fine line of vehicles and that all-important bottom line on the price sticker stayed in the $30s. And, yes, it was a real Jaguar, but some thought all-wheel drive was an improvement over even pricier Jaguar models. Now in an attempt to appeal to families with an "affordable" Jaguar, we get the X-Type Sportwagon, which is JagSpeak for station wagon. Bottom line: $38,875 for our tester. It had all-wheel drive, a 227-horsepower V6, a 5-speed automatic transmission and a full complement of air bags. There are plenty of standard luxury features, such as an 8-way power driver's seat, a one-touch open/close moonroof, CD player, and the trademark wood/leather trimmed steering wheel in addition to leather-trimmed seats. Hey, you want all leather and wood, step up a Jag. Nice, nice wagon.
PEOPLE VS. 2005 INFINITI G35 COUPE: If there is a better looking coupe produced by any manfacturer, Judge Bob has not seen it. This G35 is so sporty looking that it can be mistaken for a Nissan 350Z at quick glance. But the swoopy roof still leaves back seat room for extra passengers. The 3.5-liter V6 puts out 280 horsepower, stout enough to take on most wantabe racers in stoplight tests. It's got the perfect feel of a front engine, rear-wheel drive car and no curve taken at fast speed seemed to challenge the handling limits of this beauty. Judge Bob kept taking the same curves faster each time and the G35 hunkered down and rode as if on rails. Judge Bob did not want to meet up with a constable, so he stayed legal most of the time. It's not easy in a G35. The exterior design is air tunnel tested to create a zero-lift front, adding both to aerodynamic stability and, yes, fuel efficiency (18 city/25 highway). The headlights are excellent high-intensity discharge Xenon units and light up the road ahead in spectacular fashion; fog lights as well as rear LED taillights are standard. Big 17-inch, 6-spoke wheels hold P225 tires up front and P235 in the rear. Luxury touches are everywhere, from an audio system that could play Judge Bob's MP3s, to the leather/power seats. Our tester came with XM satellite radio at $400 and a premium package of miscellaneous items at $2,450, then added the essential navigation system for $2,000. Incredibly, the color viewing screen rises from the dash when the car is turned on. There is nothing - nothing - to say negatively about the Infiniti G35. It remains one of Judge Bob's favorite cars. Our tester with all those options was $37,840.
PEOPLE VS. 2005 DODGE RAM POWER WAGON: One tough truck! Brute! There are plenty of names that could be used to describe this monster Ram truck that bottom-lined at $43,260! It's special, of course, because it has Chrysler's legendary Hemi V8 under the hood. Interestingly, Chrysler doesn't advertise either the horsepower or the fuel mileage on its window sticker. Both are exorbitant. The 5.7-liter Hemi, so named for the shape of its combustion chambers, has a long history as a favorite engine for drag racers and is heavy on horsepower and torque. But press the accelerator of a Power Wagon and nothing happens. Press harder and too much happens all at once. The truck doesn't move easily with a light pedal, but rips out like Don Garlits in Swamp Rat 4 when pressed a bit harder. That's in rear-wheel drive mode. A shifter on the floor allows the Power Wagon to go to four-wheel drive in high or low mode. Judge Bob took the Power Wagon into flooded areas of dirt roads and used four-wheel high most of the time. Pressing hard on that accelerator could fling mud everywhere. Great sport! There's a 36-gallon fuel tank under this beast (36 times $2.39 = $86.04) that will need regular visits to a service station. And Judge Bob certainly can't recommend the ride comfort. This is one of the roughest vehicles ever tested. It rides high for clearance and off-road use, but pounds anyone inside while traveling over anything less than perfect pavement. The flooded, potholded dirt roads this traveled were brutal to feel inside. Still, those who want a monster will not be deterred by lack of a luxury ride. Dodge lists the Power Wagon starting at $29,750, but that's a huge joke. Tack on the options our tester had and this will cost $43,260. It's Detroit-funny figuring: Everything that makes this a Power Wagon is an optional cost item. Judge Bob recommends this only if you want to be among the biggest, baddest trucks out there. Judge Bob himself would prefer the Dodge SRT-10 truck. Wow.
PEOPLE VS. 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA X-RUNNER: Let's not pretend this is an original Toyota idea. Chevrolet had this idea many years ago and its little XTreme sold well to young truck lovers. What Chevy did was look around, see what kids were doing with aftermarket kits, and then modify an existing truck to look like a customed model.  Toyota must have seen the Chevy, because it takes about three years to copy anything. But this was an idea worth copying. No sense letting Chevy capture all the crowd loving this type of truck. The huge surprise was how much Judge Bob liked his week spent in the X-Runner. Like most auto writers, Judge Bob most often favors cars, not trucks, minivans or sport utilities. But this truck was so cool - from its Speedway Blue paint job to its hunkered down look with a few tacked-on aero pieces - that it won him over completely. He actually liked being seen behind the wheel of this truck. Believe Judge Bob, people looked. It's a cool truck and begs inspection. A close look will reveal that its 245-horsepower V6 puts power through a 6-speed manual transmission to rear wheels. It has a special X-Brace tuned racing suspension that gives it NASCAR-like handling in turns. It's not all that quick, but it's so much fun to drive and shift that it feels faster. The seats are the deep buckets often found in sports cars, inspired by race car seats that hold a driver in position. But the X-Runner proved a surprisingly comfortable truck, with little of the brutality found in so many trucks (yes, it's rougher than a car, but tolerable). Bottom line on this desirable little Tacoma is $23,645.
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© 2005, Robert C. Bowden
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