I went to the New York Auto Show at the Javits Center this past week. When some people buy cars they think of how much horsepower or torque the engine has. I think what is more important to emphasize are the car's safety features such as anti-lock braking, stability control, and airbags. There is too much emphasis in the automotive press on a car's zero to sixty times and slalom speed. I do like a car with performance, but I see too many drivers driving recklessly and irresponsibly while in their "performance" cars. Why not have an automobile magazine issue focused just on safety?
Well, with safety in mind, I did head over to the Volvo section at the car show. At Volvo, I liked most of lineup--from the sedans to the XC wagons. The cars' interiors were well laid out with high-quality fit and finish.
One trend I do like in the auto industry is hybrid technology. You know, the gasoline engine and electric motor combination. Again, I am not talking about "performance" hybrids, which only have marginally improved fuel economy, but are faster. I am talking about cars like the Toyota Prius, which has significantly better fuel economy and adequate performance. So, I did head over to the Toyota area to sit inside a Prius. Compared to the last time I sat in a Prius a couple of years ago, the interior was much improved, and it did not seem cheaply constructed. Toyota and Lexus are some of my favorite auto manufacturers. They produce very reliable automobiles that are of a higher quality in my opinion. If you look at the reliability figures at Consumer Reports, Toyota and Lexus are consistently higher. Why get a car that may need expensive repairs down the road? I like most of the Toyota cars such as the RAV4, Highlander hybrid, Prius, the new FJ Cruiser, and the Camry hybrid. At Lexus, the SC was well put together. I particularly liked the metallic red paint on it. The paint job on the SC was beautiful. I am also interested in their IS, ES, GS, and LS sedans.
Next stop, I headed over to the Acura area. I did like the RSX sports car. If I had one, do you think I might want to put in a different camshaft to get a bit more horsepower (at the expense of fuel economy)? How about a performance exhaust system for a few extra HP? I suppose I could drop in a turbo or supercharger for some more horses. Well, perhaps I'd do that, but you wouldn't catch me driving too fast. It's fun to work on cars, and I like the idea of making improvements to your vehicle yourself. So, I do like what some of the tuner crowd are doing. I also liked the RL sedan over at Acura. If I were interested in buying a sedan right now, I'd consider that one. Nissan was also represented at the show, and I checked out a convertible 350Z. Not a bad vehicle, and I'd consider getting it if I were purchasing a sports car. At Infiniti, I looked at the G35, which a friend of mine raves about. Over at Subaru, I definitely liked the new Tribeca, and I have relatives who have been happy with two Outbacks and a Forester. Subaru would be high on my list of cars to consider when looking to buy. Well, now on over to Mini, to check out the Mini Coopers from England. I like their style, and they, supposedly, have very snappy handling. I'd consider them, if I were looking into getting a small car.
Although I do favor the Japanese car maufacturers, I do not want to completely discount the autos of the Big Three. At Ford, there was the Reflex concept car with solar panels on the roof that looked appealing. A question I do have is: do the solar panels, which powers the on-board systems, save much fuel? My guess is, in a typical gasoline-powered car, not a lot of fuel is used to recharge the battery. Again, do the solar panels save a significant amount of fuel in the Reflex? Are the solar panels worth the expense? Well, the Reflex is concept car after all, and it will be interesting to see if solar panels ever make it into a production automobile. Also at Ford, I liked the Mustang, which I have rented in the past. Can they make it highly reliable though? At Saturn, the Sky looked nice and it was reminiscent of the Toyota MR2 (now discontinued). Saturn also has a hybrid Vue, which may be worth investigating. Over at Pontiac, I liked the looks of the Solstice, but I wonder if car is reliable. Would it hold up over time?
Also, BMW was at the show, and I looked at many of their vehicles. They were all right, and I would consider them, but reliability, again, is an issue. As far as Mercedes Benz AMG vehicles go, they looked nice, but they are overkill regarding horsepower. I particularly liked the looks of the SLK convertible though. In the "supercar" category, Ferraris and Aston Martins were represented. If you go to the auto show (which runs until the 23rd), you'll probably want to see them.
