The 2012 Fiat 500c is the Italian carmaker’s novel way to give an open-air driving experience without building a full convertible. The canvas roof certainly adds more eccentricity to this cute small car, but there are many small problems, according to Cars.com Executive Editor Joe Wiesenfelder. In fact, all those small issues lead to one very big annoyance that the 500c can’t shake. Watch the video above to learn more, and make sure to
Automobile World
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Reviews of Fiat 500c
The 2012 Fiat 500c is the Italian carmaker’s novel way to give an open-air driving experience without building a full convertible. The canvas roof certainly adds more eccentricity to this cute small car, but there are many small problems, according to Cars.com Executive Editor Joe Wiesenfelder. In fact, all those small issues lead to one very big annoyance that the 500c can’t shake. Watch the video above to learn more, and make sure to
Reviews the 2011 Nissan Pathfinder Reviews
Nissan's Pathfinder never kowtowed to the swoopy
crossover trend and didn't fall to the sedan-ification of SUVs like some
of its competition.
Of course, there's a price to pay for its truck-based
SUV ways: With the 2011 Nissan Pathfinder, a three-row SUV, it comes
mostly in the form of reduced gas mileage and a trucklike ride that can
get tiresome.
My test Pathfinder was a Silver Edition, which
celebrates the Pathfinder's 25 years in America and adds 17-inch alloy
wheels, leather upholstery, heated front seats and a 10-speaker Bose
sound system. It has a 4.0-liter V-6 and an adjustable drivetrain that
allowed me to choose two-wheel drive, 4-High or 4-Low. I liked having
the choice; it made me feel able to attain the high end of the
Pathfinder's EPA-estimated 14/20 mpg city/highway. Having a little
control helps because the Pathfinder uses premium gas and that will get
pricey.
Even with its truck platform, the Pathfinder was
comfortable on the road, but it had a stiff suspension. There was some
body roll in corners, too. Overall, I liked the ride. It reminded me I
was in an SUV and not a posh crossover.
For those who like to go out and play with their
truck, their toys and their kids, the Pathfinder can be a pretty good
fit. It has a starting MSRP of $28,570. The price of my midlevel
Pathfinder Silver Edition 4x4 was $38,485.
EXTERIOR
The Pathfinder
is rectangular to the extreme, and it has 17-inch alloy wheels, a towing
hitch and rugged tubular running boards. There are no sinewy curves
here.
There are a couple hiccups, though. First off, if you
want your small kids to get in this three-row SUV, you'll have to wait
until they're taller or be ready to help them for a while because the
rear-door handles sit up high. Kids will figure out a work-around
eventually, but until then you're their primary door-opener and that can
get old. For adults, the Pathfinder is easy to get into, which
surprised me. Because the Pathfinder looks so much like the Nissan
Armada, I kept expecting to have to take a giant step to get in it. A
couple of times, I took too big of a step and hit my head on the
doorframe.
The cargo area's load floor is high, but that's not
unexpected. A double-stroller can fit in the cargo area, but parents
hefting it might want to see if they can live with lifting it up really
high to get in the cargo area.
The Pathfinder has a 266-horsepower, 4.0-liter V-6
engine that's paired to a five-speed automatic transmission. A 5.6-liter
V-8 engine is available on the top-of-the-line LE trim.
SENSE AND STYLE
Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): GreatFun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove-On): Some
INTERIOR
After 25 years
in the U.S. you'd think the Pathfinder would have its act together. For
the most part, it does, but not across the board and some features seem
like they were added to the SUV at the last minute. I was pleasantly
surprised by the Pathfinder's comfortable driver's seat, however.
The driver's seat helped make up for the Pathfinder's
stiff ride. My back never ached and my legs never got tired. I wished
the Pathfinder had a telescoping steering wheel, but my test car did
have adjustable pedals, which helped somewhat.
This three-row SUV's buttons were easy to understand
and use. However, there were some stereo knobs that were set apart from
the rest of the controls. This seemed weird. Also, there were two power
outlets on the passenger side of the center stack that seemed like
afterthoughts. I know utility is the opposite of polish most of the
time, but it seemed like these details were overlooked.
In the Pathfinder, there are a lot of functional
storage spaces in the front row, but the cupholders annoyed me a little.
There are rubber inserts in them that stuck to most water bottles I put
in them. Paper cups fared well, as did soda cans. A travel mug is the
perfect fit because the Pathfinder has a niche for the handle. A nice
touch.
In the second row, things are less equipped. The
cupholders are at the base of the center console's rear, which is
difficult for kids in car seats to reach, and there are pockets on the
seatbacks. There was plenty of legroom, though, and the flat floor made
carpool drop-offs a breeze.
There's also a standard third row in the Pathfinder.
It's easily accessible because the second row's outboard seats tumble
forward. If child-safety seats are in the outboard seats, kids can
access the third row by folding the center portion of the 40/20/40-split
second row. The third row is small. My kids, ages 7 and 9, were
comfortable back there, but adults would find it uncomfortable after a
short ride. Both the second and third rows fold flat.
IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT
Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): AmpleCargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair
SAFETY
The 2011
Pathfinder received the top score of Good in frontal-offset and
side-impact crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
In IIHS rear and roof-strength crash tests, the Pathfinder received the
second-to-lowest score of Marginal. In rollover crash tests, it received
three out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration.
The Pathfinder has two sets of lower Latch anchors in
the second row's outboard seats. The second row is hospitable to
child-safety seats — even a rear-facing infant-safety seat — despite the
lower Latch anchors being wedged into the seat bight, where the back
and bottom cushions meet. The seats recline, allowing a good fit for the
car seats, and the tether anchors are high on the seatbacks.
The Pathfinder has standard four-wheel drive, antilock
brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, an electronic
stability system with traction control, a backup camera and six airbags,
including side curtains for all three rows of seats.
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