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For Skiers - It’s all good

By: Motormensch

Let me lay this on you, an image of you and three of your pals hitting the slopes for a weekend. Everything is packed and you rented the best fitting ski boots you’ve ever worn. With board (or skis) placed on your shoulder and your best impersonation of Shaun White cued up in your head – you make a b-line for the car.

Then it all goes wrong.

Oh crap! Your nifty car that zips in fair weather bogs down and leaves you stranded. You were doing so well without chains until you slid off/sank down/wiped-out/oozed-to-a-stop. Now, you and your friends are going to spend a chunk of your skiing time digging out… before it all happens again.

Improbable? Well, that happened to me about 20 years ago (without the Shaun Whitepart – I don’t think he was even born yet). I know it happens to many skiers. What’s more, it happens to surfers, climbers, kayakers and folks who just need to get to the store in inclement conditions. Now, add to all of that the possibility of getting lost (to the mountains, ocean, lakes, supermarket, etc.) and wanting a navigation system.

What to do?

There is the legendary Subaru brand, they are fairly economical and one of the cheapest all-wheel-drive (AWD) automakers around. Subaru’s Impreza 2.5i, the cheapest car from Subaru (without navigation), is going to be just under 19K with nothing on it ($500 less if you opt for the sedan).

There’s another company that has quite an international history with off-road vehicles and might just have the car for you. Enter please the Suzuki SX4 Crossover. This is a small, economical car that comes standard with many amenities including a navigation system.

Check it out: Standard navigation.

Sweet!

A 3 mode AWD system that allows you to switch from economical front-wheel-drive to traction adding AWD. Add to that a third selection that allows you to 4-wheel-drive for maximum traction on ice and snow.

Sweeter!

Having a hot-as-hell snow-bunny ask me details about the test model I drove (and me pretending that I still ski… which I don’t) and calling it cute.

Super Sweet!

Less than 18K for an AWD hatchback that has room for 5, gets the best mileage of any AWD in the states and has a killer warranty: “A fully transferable, zero-dollar deductible 100,000-mile/7-year powertrain limited warranty on all new vehicles sold after August 1, 2002.”

Sweetest!

The Suzuki SX4 Crossover is a breeze to drive. Lots of hip room for fat-bastards like me and decent seats make the SX4 Crossover an easy commuter. I have to say “crossover” because the other models like “Sport” and “Sedan” do not come with AWD. The 143 horsepower, 16-valve DOHC in-line four, 2.0 liter (with 136 lbs feet of torque) is an easy going motor that moves you through traffic smoothly. It’s no rocket, but it works well. Knowing Suzuki, it will last the duration of the long warranty.

What’s nice is the more than respectable high 20’s MPG, low 30’s if you take it easy. Last year, I drove one to high elevation and flew through the snow like a chimpanzee on crack (I had fun) and still managed to get in the mid 20’s MPG. The Suzuki SX4 does have a drag inducing AWD so competing with the likes of the Honda Fit and Nissan Versa isn’t the point.

The Suzuki is not the same type of vehicle as many econo-boxes. The body sits high on its springs for good articulation of its suspension. On the other hand, if you compete against the pricier, thirstier Subarus or small crossovers like the Hyundai Tucson SE 4WD – the Suzuki becomes a very compelling companion. 

It can swallow more than Rosie O’Donnell at an all-you-can-eat buffet (but it has a way better persona!)

The interior is in the same league as many economy hatches and small wagons. What I dig is the width of the SX4, as it allows for a lot more than you might think. It’s somewhat triangular and the wide opening rear is a cinch to pack. For its size, the rear seating area is great and I bet families with less than 5 would be comfortable inside. Oh, and DIG those port windows in front of the side mirrors! Way cool for maneuvering and parking.

I HAVEto tell you about the Suzuki SX4 Crossover’s slick little navigation system. It is easy enough for an AARP subscriber to figure out. If you pony up a little more cash, you can get MSN access and have a full onboard computer with internet access at your fingertips. When you need to bring the navigation on a hike (or just to look cool to your buddies), you can! Yup, just unsnap it from its base, grab the handy carrying case and allow it to run on its rechargeable battery for a few hours.

It’s about the size of the Apple iPhone.

As I said, I enjoyed bounding through the snow in the SX4 and even managed a few 4-wheel drifts around corners (if you watch WRC events, you know what I’m talking about)! With its wide stance, you have decent cornering stability. It reminds me of some of the Subarus I drove a few years back. With similar amount of body roll and ride height – without being as ugly as the current Impreza. The Suzuki SX4 is not meant to carve corners, but it is competent enough to be entertaining.

The bottom line is this: Do you want a cheap, economical, roomy, capable all-wheel-drive car with a fat warranty? Check out the Suzuki SX4 Crossover!

I would tell Shaun White, but something tells me he’s able to afford something a tad ritzier – like a Mercedes.

Photos courtesy of: Suzuki America

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you one hell-of-a good car for 2009!

Psssst – it’s a KIA!

By: Motormensch

Yup, while I was participating in the press days at the L.A. Auto Show, I came across a curious looking cube called the “KIA Soul.” I liked it straight off. In fact, I was kinda smitten. Not in a Jessica Alba in a bikini kind of way… more like a Rachel Weisz (cute outside, but the real good stuff comes from within.).

Whew, took me a while – that allegory…

I hate most cube cars. Let me say that again, I friggen hate the current batch of cube cars sold here! The original Scion xB was mildly amusing, its replacement is not. The Honda Element is great for functionality, but looks about as attractive as my prom date (just use your imagination).

The stylist at KIA actually made the Soul into something more-or-less interesting without being obnoxious. That’s a hard feat. What’s more, the internal configuration is very useable, eminently practical and somewhat stylish. Not to shabby for a car that should price in the $13,000 - $19,000 category (it’s an educated guess).

The base model Soul has a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine coupled with a five-speed manual transmission, which puts out about 120 horsepower. The Soul+, Soul! and Soul Sport have the optional (approximately) 140 horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine which is available with either the five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy for both engines is approximately 30 or more miles per gallon (highway, I believe). Still, that’s damn good.

Weight and towing were not available at press time; 2,900 lbs is my guess. If the KIA Soul can tow, it will most likely be around 1,000 lbs max. The more powerfulish140 horsepower 2.0 liter should keep the 0-60 times to less than 9 seconds. The less powerful, but more frugal, 1.6 4-banger ought to be above the 9 second mark. Straight-line speed will not be the KIA Soul’s forte… unless they introduce a turbo! Oooh, bring the 2.0 liter iron block (the 1.6 is aluminum) to about 200 horsepower and you would have something! All the same, it should zip around in either normally aspirated form with enthusiasm.

I was told by a buddy of mine (who tested the diesel version in Korea) that the good looking 18 inch wheels made the ride hard and didn’t help the handling much compared to the smoother 16 inch wheels. He had no qualms with the handling which he said was better than the current Scion box. I should note that this is the same guy who screamed like a kindergartener with a scraped knee when he rode in a Mazda RX8 (a car I consider tolerable). Oh, and if you were curious, there has been no announcement as to when the diesel or hybrid are coming here. I would imagine sometime after 2010.

Yup, mostly hard plastic. But it looks good.

KIA Soul has a major ace up its sleeve when it comes to interiors. Here’s KIA’s take, “The Soul’s interior design is decidedly influenced by the car’s highly specified audio system. An uncluttered dashboard with a three-dial instrument cluster, LCD illumination, a floating center stack design is the key visual feature and offers enticing access to the AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system outfitted with SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities and three months complimentary service. Standard auxiliary and USB input jacks also can be found in the center console with full iPod^® controllability via the audio head unit and steering wheel controls.”

My take: this is a car that may appeal to drivers 18 – 88 years of age. No kidding, the seating position and instrument/control layout is nearly spot-on. Forget the stupid, poser-like center pod speedo or cup-holders that tear up your ankles in other car-boxes, this thing is a packaging champ. There is real room for 3 in the back and the storage is quite good. Despite its size, don’t let the box look fool you, this is a small car.

With an overall length of 161.6 inches and an overall width of 70.3 inches, the KIA Soul has a similar size to the Scion xB – minus about 7 inches in length. The Scion xB is 167.3 inches long. In fact, the KIA Soul is about an inch wider than the lowered mini-van looking xB. So, it is closer to the feel and look of the older (and better in my mind) xB. If KIA is smart, they will forego the silly youth campaign Scion has embarked on and simply show this unique little bugger to the masses. It is the first KIA I have met that would be worth owning on character alone. That’s saying something, EXACTLY the same way Samuel Jackson described the word character in “Pulp Fiction.”

Weather you decide to be real or a big fakie, the KIA Soul may be the car for you. And just in case you like saying you know cars (but don’t) and your KIA Soul conks out; KIA’s got you covered with one of the best warranties in the business.

In the KIA Soul, there is no reason to feel the need to FAKE counter culture, wear crappy looking baggy clothing, wear white sunglasses, wear your hat sideways, get a “tramp-stamp,” sport a “whale tail” (G-string constantly seen above the low-cuts) or even use the terms, “bounce,” “dawg,” “sup?” or anything else that stupid.

With this KIA Soul, I think it’s just enough fun for anyone who isn’t trying to act like “someone.”

But just in case you need to compensate for (ahem) something, there is enough room for huge speakers, amps, extra lights, 20 inch wheels, huge exhaust pipes, “original” paint schemes and a few inches for lowering.

Please god no!

Anyway, have a look and take a seat in a few months when the 2009 KIA Soul hits the showrooms. At the very least, I bet you’ll look at KIA differently. I know I am.

With one month left til Christmas. Most shoppers will be out in full affect looking for that perfect gift for their families and loved ones. This time of year is the busiest time for credit card companies and thieves. Make sure that if you are shopping and swiping the stripe that you do so at major retailers that are trusted. The last thing you need is to be settling wrong bills in the new year.

Here are a few tips to remember when using your cards.

1) Dont pass your cards to your kids to shop.

2) Always get retailer to do the transaction in front of you

3) Never use your card for payments on the phone and pass off personal info

4) Guard the cards like cash

If you stick to these simple rules shopping will be easy and fraud should be nill. Merry Christmas to all.

TWILIGHT is an action-packed, modern-day love story between a teenage girl and a vampire. Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) has always been a little bit different, never caring about fitting in with the trendy girls at her Phoenix high school.  When her mother re-marries and sends Bella to live with her father in the rainy little town of Forks, Washington, she doesn’t expect much of anything to change.  Then she meets the mysterious and dazzlingly beautiful Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a boy unlike any she’s ever met.  Edward is a vampire, but he doesn’t have fangs and his family is unique in that they choose not to drink human blood.  Intelligent and witty, Edward sees straight into Bella’s soul.  Soon, they are swept up in a passionate, thrilling and unorthodox romance.  To Edward, Bella is what he has waited 90 years for - a soul mate.  But the closer they get, the more Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could send him into an uncontrollable frenzy.  But what will Edward & Bella do when a clan of new vampires - James (Cam Gigandet), Laurent (Edi Gathegi) and Victoria (Rachelle Lefevre) - come to town and threaten to disrupt their way of life?

ABOUT TWILIGHT: Based on the #1 New York Times Best-Selling series with over 17 million books in print by Stephenie Meyer, TWILIGHT is a cultural phenomenon, with a dedicated fan base that eagerly awaits this movie.  There are over 350 fan sites devoted to TWILIGHT, and it has been chosen as the New York Times  Editor’s Choice, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, Amazon’s “Best Book of the Decade…So Far”, Teen People’s “Hot List” Pick, and The American Library Association’s “Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults” and “Top Ten Books for Reluctant Readers,” among others.  Critically acclaimed director Catherine Hardwicke brings to life this modern, visual, and visceral Romeo & Juliet story of the ultimate forbidden love affair - between vampire and mortal.

I came across this from the official website twilightthemovie.com. To me the story sounds like a bunch of crap. Modern day vampire falls in love with normal girl next door….blah blah blah. The only people this movie appeals to is teenage girls. I dont think it will be worth the time or money to watch in the theatre, but maybe worth finding the torrents or waiting till its on dvd.

There is one sure fire way that you can save a bundle over this holiday season. Tell everyone that you have converted to be Jewish or a Muslim…hahaha. Now back to reality. Since this is not an option here are a few simple things you could try before breaking the bank.

1) Make a list of how much money you plan to spend in total and then divide that money up between the amount of people that you need to buy for.

2) Pay for everything in cash.  It is way too easy to swipe the card and run over budget. Dont be an idiot and buy now and worry later.

3) Ease up on the booze. No need to drink tons and  hurt your wallet while getting fat.

4) Do a secret Santa. My friends and I tried this a few years back and it worked great since we could end up spending more on one person and buy things that were really cool. Instead of getting everyone something small. Lets be honest would you rather have some crappy shirt from the GAP or PS3. Case closed.

5) Shop online. Not only do you get to avoid all the hassles with crowds, parking and the dreaded mall. Most online retailers have incentives like free shipping or even discounted prices. Since their overhead tends to be lower they end up passing the savings to you the consumer.

Best of luck to all with your Christmas shopping. And if you do end up splurging and spending more then you wanted…dont worry you can always file for bankruptcy.

Now that the dust has settled and UFC 91 is over. The number one Heavyweight in the world Fedor Emelianenko has come out openly and expressed and interest in fighting Brock Lesnar. The fight has been a suggested co-promoted fight has been offered between M-1, and Affliction Entertainment and the UFC. Zuffa has already turned down the offer.

The problem with signing Fedor to the UFC has always been disagreements over contracts and who’s ego was bigger.

“I think Lesnar fought a very smart fight,” Emelianenko told Sherdog.com on Tuesday. “It was very interesting to watch. I think one of his strengths was that — I was impressed by his speed in the fight. I think just from watching the fight, each fighter was waiting for the other one to make a mistake and I think Lesnar was very fortunate to have caught Randy and prevail.”

The apparent super fight between Randy and Fedor now looks like a thing of the past.

“To tell you the truth, I wasn’t entirely excited in fighting Randy. I have a great deal of respect and admiration for him. Getting in the ring with someone that, I myself, adore as a person and a fighter, I’m never as interested in getting in the ring with someone I have an emotional attachment to.”

“I would choose Lesnar, mainly for the reason I mentioned before,” said Emelianenko. “I’m very sympathetic to Randy. We hung out together. We got to know each other. I have a lot of warm feelings toward him. Based on that, if I had my choice without any outside forces involved, I would choose Lesnar.”

Feodr’s next match looks to be vs Andrei Arlovski at Affliction 2 “Day of Reckoning” on Jan. 24 in Anaheim, Calif. The event will be co-promoted by M-1.There is no telling if Emelianenko vs Lesnar will ever happen but there is always a possiblity.

If you are a fan of the shooter genre COD “World at War” is an absolute must. I am completly new to the franchise and have no experience with any of their previous titles but I can tell you that playing this game has set the bar for what shooters should be. High paced action and realistic graphics makes for an incredible gaming experience.

I found myself at EB games yesterday trading in a copy of Star Wars “The force unleashed” and was faced with quite the decision. Gears of war 2 or COD world at war. I initially walked in with my mind made up…knowing that I wanted to buy COD. But after a 5 minute conversation with the sales clerk I found myself waivering from my original descision.  Dont get it twisted I am a huge GOW fan. However something about this COD really had me interested. I think it is the appeal of shooting the Japanese. I know its sick and twisted but you have to understand that my family lost everything in the war due to their occupation in Asia. I have since forgiven them with the introduction of sushi into western culture. That and for hosting some of the most incredible MMA fights during PRIDE FC.

Ok back on topic. If you are already a fan boy/girl then you already know about the multiplayer functionality and earning your stripes for better weapons. That aside I am drawn to the story of single player. I am not quite sure how long this will last but for now I feel like I have gotten my 60 dollars worth.

Oh…one more thing once you do finish the game there is some crazy multi you can play with your friends to kill nazi zombies. I know sick huh? But its true. Does not get much better than that. WW2 and zombies…what else can you ask for?

President elect Barrack Obama looks to start a youtube channel? Is he for real?? I guess it does sound cool to know the next president knows more than traditional smear campaigns using TV and radio. Whats next a blog that he can monetize with CPM ad money. Hey times are tough and people need to get paid. This might not be that bad of an idea after all.

When the newly elected president takes office in January it will be interesting to see how well he keeps in touch with the youth of today. During his run for president Obama did a great job using the internet for various viral messages and encompassing that around his celebrity following to push record number of voters to the poll.

Lets just hope that when he gets in there he sticks to his word and really does do what he has promised.

A huge win at UFC 91 for Ken-flo has put him into title contention against no other than the Prodigy.  Let me just start by saying I have never been a huge fan of Kenny but through the years have lost some money betting against him. His evolution as a mixed martial artist has been nothing short or amazing. Since working with Mark Dellagrotte and Sityodtong Kenny’s Muay Thai is as good as any one fighting in MMA today.

With the first round destruction of Joe Stevenson, Florian looks to take on a man that has beaten everyone who is anyone from 155-170. The new BJ 2.0 looks indestructible but that does not seem to put a dent in the plans of Florian.

Although no date has been scheduled Kenny will have till wait till after Penn VS GSP to challenge the 155 champ. Styles make fights and this fight looks to be nothing short of spectacular.

Both fighters have amazing bjj and striking. But most would agree that Penn is on a whole different level in his career than Florian. I expect to see a war with Bj coming out on top.

After Saturday nights loss to behemoth Brock Lesnar. The Natural goes back to drawing board to re think about his career and future options. No one quite knows what to expect from Randy. He has achieved what most in the sport could only imagine and helped to launch a multi million dollar business from the ground up. He is a pioneer of the sport and a humble ambassador.

At 45 years old fans and media question if the once great legend still has enough in the tank to compete at the top tier of MMA. Well I am here to say that I am NOT one of those fans! Randy Couture has made a believer out of me. In the post fight interview he said ” I still feel like I am getting better” I believe it. Giving up over 60 Pounds in that fight and being able to control the clinch and scrmable back to his feet from the takedown, strongly suggests that this great champ still has what it takes.

Couture is the type of person who lives for the competition and losing only one fight of his last 3 is hardly a reason to contemplate retirement. This great champ still has 2-3 fights left in him. And one of which should be Fedor. Whatever your choose to do Randy I would just like to thank you for all the years of dedication to the sport and helping to bring the sport to where it is today.