2002-06 Nissan Altima
Nissan clearly wasn’t happy playing Newman to Honda’s Seinfeld and Toyota’s Costanza – otherwise known as the crowd-pleasing Accord and Camry. Read more
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all the innovation and technological advancement North America is known for we often cater to the lowest common denominator. Companies seeking to put their product in as many hands as quickly as possible scale back the “awesome” to just “pretty good” and release it to the masses.
2002-05 Kia Sedona
We’re all prisoners of gravity, or more accurately, mass. And perhaps nobody knows that better than a Kia Sedona driver.
Kia erred on the side of caution and bulked up its first North American-spec minivan to ensure it earned the ‘five-star’ crash rating so coveted by consumers.
At an asphalt-crushing 2.2 metric tonnes, this “minivan” is no flyweight. It’s up there with many sport-utility trucks in terms of its mass and propensity to drink deeply at the gas pump.
You know bloggers are mad when they use lots of exclamation marks and all caps: “EXTREMELY poor gas mileage,” wrote a Sedona driver. “I’m getting 16 miles per gallon (18 litres/100 km).”
Owners also got a lesson in reliability issues – a topic some auto reviewers sidestepped when they wrote about the new Sedona five years ago.
CONFIGURATION
The front-drive Sedona arrived in the fall of 2001 as an ’02 model. It came only as a dual-sliding-door model sized halfway between the short- and long-wheelbase versions of the Dodge Caravan.
As a subsidiary of Hyundai, Kia had the Korean success formula down pat: fill the base model with premium features including dual-zone air conditioning and loads of power-assisted goodies as standard equipment.
With the factory on the other side of the planet, it made economic sense to minimize model choices, so there were only two: the base LX and the premium EX, which added leather, ABS brakes, sunroof and even more toys.
Similarly, there’s only one do-it-all engine, supplied by Hyundai. The DOHC 3.5-litre V6 put out 195 hp and 218 lb-ft of torque, hooked up to a class-leading five-speed automatic transmission.
Minivans are fairly uniform in design, so shoppers tend to scrutinize the cabin for features and livability.
Here the Sedona scored well, with lots of storage cubbies and second- and third-row chairs that slid fore-and-aft for flexible room. The LX used a middle bench seat, while the EX featured captain’s chairs.
Unfortunately, the sliding seats cut into the small cargo compartment, making the van less practical than you might think.
“I can’t fit all my groceries in the back cargo space,” complained one owner.
For more load capacity, the split third-row bench folded forward, rather than disappeared into the floor. Alternatively, he-man owners could clean-jerk the heavy seats out of the van.
The Sedona benefited from minor tweaks in subsequent years.
In 2004 it wore a new chrome grill, and in 2005, the rear drum brakes grew larger for better performance and durability.
The Sedona was replaced for 2007 with an entirely new minivan that, significantly, weighs almost 200 kg less than the outgoing model.
ON THE ROAD
Thanks to its portly profile, the Sedona was a leisurely cruiser, taking 10.5 seconds to reach 96 km/h from a standstill (by comparison, a Honda Odyssey can do it in about 8 seconds).
But in other ways, the excess weight works in the van’s favour. The ride is well-controlled, though not the least bit athletic. The van leans in corners like a first-time sea cadet.
The steering feels a little light, but delivers good path control. It tracks nicely down the highway, unfazed by crosswinds and expansion joints.
The emphasis here is on comfort, which it delivers in spades. Noise levels are quite low, thanks in part to the heavy metal, insulation and the refined engine working under the hood.
WHAT OWNERS REPORTED
When new, the Sedona seduced shoppers with its high-value content, five-star crash rating and comprehensive warranty – engineered to take the fear of buying an unknown brand.
“I have to tell you the warranty was the number-one reason we purchased the van,” one owner confessed in an e-mail. “Kia definitely did surprise me with the fit and finish and the overall quality of the product.”
Some owners have been rewarded with a comfy, good-looking minivan that has served them well. Other owners told a different story.
“We didn’t expect it to perform like a Honda, but we were hoping for at least (Ford) Windstar quality. We got Yugo!” expressed one dismayed owner.
“We bought the vehicle for $25,000 and had $13,000 in warranty work done,” posted another on the net.
The most frequent reported problem involved the air conditioner. It’s not hard to find owners who have had theirs repaired more than once in one summer.
When one owner returned his 2003 Sedona to the dealer to fix the air conditioner, he was told a stone had punctured the condenser and the warranty would not cover it. He paid out of pocket and – not having seen the wounded part – now wonders about the mysterious stone.
Other common gripes centre on faulty transmissions (watch for slippage or hard shifts), fluid leaks, and short-lived alternators and dead batteries.
Here’s a topic we rarely discuss: rust. The Sedona has a problem with the tailgate, which can rust prematurely above the license plate.
Another complaint unique to the Sedona is frequent stress cracks in the windshield along its base. In some instances, owners report, dealers determined the cause as stone impacts (sound familiar?) and disallowed warranty claims.
Other dealers sheepishly admitted the cracks were caused by the wires embedded in the glass to heat the wipers and replaced the windshields under warranty.
It’s important to note that the inaugural 2002 Sedona models generated the bulk of owners’ complaints. Presumably, Kia worked hard to address many of the problems in subsequent model years.
Regardless, shop carefully. Kia resides in the basement of the J.D. Power and Associates dependability surveys and it’s got a long way to go to climb out.
2000-06 Lincoln LS
“Pour some Clorox on the tires and watch the smoke pour off! I can almost hear that ‘Dukes of Hazzard horn,” writes the enthusiastic owner of a Lincoln LS on the Internet.
Somehow it’s hard to picture a 65-year-old driver (Lincoln owners’ median age) applying bleach on his tires and doing donuts in a parking lot on a Friday night.
Virtual proof that Lincoln has managed to reach a new, younger demographic with its LS sedan.
Launched in 1999 as a 2000 model, its mission was to lure baby-boomers into Lincoln showrooms with the promise of import-like refinement and sporting pretensions. It even went so far as to offer a manual transmission, the first in a Lincoln since 1951.
Ford’s engineers don’t readily admit it, but the BMW 5 Series made a handy template for the LS, with dimensions and weights that are within spitting distance of each other.
Likewise, the V6 and V8 engines powered the rear tires, not the front, in a nod to the god of excessive wheelspin. Blessed are the bleach makers.
CONFIGURATION
To help diffuse development costs, the LS was built on an all-new platform with which Ford used to underpin the Jaguar S-Type. Both cars were four-door sedans exclusively.
Buyers could choose from a reworked 3.0-litre DOHC V6 taken from the lunch-bucket Taurus or a 3.9-litre DOHC V8 borrowed from Jaguar.
The V8 was actually a detuned version with different cylinder heads and a displacement reduction from 4.0 litres, so as not too upstage the premium Brit brand. In the Lincoln, the V8 produced 252 healthy horses, while the pumped-up V6 made 210.
Buyers of the V6 could choose between the aforementioned Getrag five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. Drivers of the V8 could only get the autobox, with the added feature of ‘manumatic’ shifting (optional on the V6 automatic).
To help keep weight down, Ford specified the control arms, hood, front fenders and trunk lid all be fabricated from aluminum. To approximate ideal 50/50-weight distribution front to rear, Lincoln used an old hot-rodder’s trick and relocated the battery in the trunk.
Inside, the cabin was a little snug but well appointed. Unlike other Lincolns with their broad instrument panels, this one was designed for the driver’s viewing only. Curious passengers needn’t try to peek at the speedo.
“I consistently drive at between 80 and 120 (mph) and my wife, who is somewhat tolerant, has noted that the car feels very good at those speeds,” boasted a driver on the web.
One nice touch was the 60/40 folding seatback, which expanded cargo options as needed. Unfortunately, the trunk was small for a Lincoln – given that its bigger brethren are the airport-limousine standard.
The LS got a mid-generation refreshing for 2003, with styling tweaks that included updated facades front and rear, and cool nickel-look trim inside. Power-adjustable pedals became standard.
More significantly, variable-valve timing was added to both engines, boosting peak horsepower to 280 in the V8 and 232 in the Taurus-derived V6. A five-speed autobox was the only transmission.
ON THE ROAD
In V6 form, the LS was a polite tourer with uncommonly good road manners. The sedan hits highway speed in 8.0 seconds (almost 9 with the automatic), which is competent but nowhere near the sport sedan standard.
But with its independent rear suspension and wide track, the LS is surprisingly adept at carving its own path on the tarmac. It can generate 0.84 g of grip on a circular skidpad, besting the BMW 330i, and exhibits excellent balance and neutral steering.
“The car will enter a relatively stable four-wheel drift condition long after many vehicles would have lost control and broken loose on either the front or rear wheels,” one owner posted.
For envy-inducing peel-outs, the V8-powered LS comes recommended. The extra-strength 2003 model could hit 96 km/h in just 6.5 seconds. The down side is lousy fuel economy, with city mileage as low as 14 mpg (20 litres/100 km), owners reported.
Published comparison tests with other sports sedans usually ranked the LS at the back of the pack. Magazine editors singled out two problems with the car’s manners: unpleasant brake feel (particularly during heavy use) and an overly firm ride with the Sport suspension.
Unflattering things were also said of the five-speed autobox, which was reticent to downshift at the right moments.
“Hot-rod Lincoln was more fun as a pop tune,” mused an editor.
WHAT OWNERS REPORTED
“Well-balanced” is the most-oft mentioned attribute of the LS. Owners appreciated the care taken in engineering this German-baiting sedan.
“It’s an incredibly comfortable, quiet touring car that can be driven quite quickly,” concluded one owner, who called it a great rain car. Another noted that the switchable traction control made the rear-drive car sure-footed in snowy conditions.
Beyond the good road manners and creature comforts, however, the Michigan-built LS also exhibited a fair number of mechanical problems.
Reported weaknesses include faulty air conditioning and heated driver’s seat, broken window regulators, air-flow regulators and traction control, as well as assorted electrical glitches. Moisture in the headlight assembly was a common complaint.
A number of owners griped about vibration at speed, which some traced back to the car’s standard Firestone tires – an unusual choice for a premium sports sedan.
Overall, the LS represents a skilled attempt by Ford at building an Autobahn speedwagon utilizing its trans-Atlantic resources. It may not be the most reliable sports sedan, but hey, neither are those vaunted nameplates from the Rhineland.
And the best part is, depreciation has been swift and steep, making a second-hand LS a decent buy. Get the V8 and steal some bleach from the laundry room.
Grand Prix helps take Pontiac brand out with a bang
Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel steered a Pontiac Star Chief convertible across America in a series of episodes for TV’s I Love Lucy in 1955. It was a marketing coup for Pontiac, which until then wasn’t known for building memorable cars.
That changed when “Bunkie” Knudsen became Pontiac general manager in 1956 and introduced a performance theme for the brand. One of his first acts was to hire gearhead John DeLorean.
Pontiac’s re-imaging began with the 1957 Bonneville, which featured a fuel-injected V8 that made 310 hp and 400 lb.-ft of torque.
Move ahead a half-century and history essentially repeated itself with the shoehorning of a V8 engine into the Grand Prix – the most powerful motor ever to grace a North American front-wheel-drive sedan.
For a swan song by a faded brand, it was pretty cool.
CONFIGURATION
Pontiac’s mid-size sedan received a thorough makeover for 2004 (the two-door retired the previous year). The W-platform wheelbase remained unchanged, but the swoopy new body grew a little longer.
Inside, rear legroom increased ever so slightly, while rear headroom actually shrank. Shoppers noticed that the cabin was quite cramped.
“My head, my shoulders and knees all are touching everywhere,” posted the owner of a ’07 model. “It’s also impossible to have three adults in the back seat.”
One tall driver reportedly whacked his head on the sunroof, breaking the mechanism. Not only did he have a headache, but to add insult to injury, he was presented with a nasty repair bill.
The cockpit was a hodgepodge of “exciting” Pontiac shapes and colours, all aglow in the trademark fighter-red lighting. Critics lambasted the automaker for its overwrought plastics.
The split-folding rear seat allowed the spacious trunk to take longer loads as needed. Even the front passenger seat folded down to accommodate really long cargo.
The base model GT1 and fancier GT2 made use of GM’s venerable Series III 3800 V6 engine, putting out 200 hp and 230 lb.-ft. of torque. The GTP models got an Eaton Gen 5 supercharger that boosted the V6′s output to 260 hp, up 20 from the previous year.
GM’s four-speed automatic remained the sole transmission, although the GTP Comp G package featured Pontiac’s TAPshift, allowing manumatic control via steering-wheel paddles.
All models had standard four-wheel disc brakes; anti-lock and traction controls were optional on the base model.
For 2005, Pontiac sweetened the performance mix with the GXP, which adopted the LS4 5.3 L V8, making 303 hp and 323 lb-ft of torque directed through the front tires. It featured a shortened crankshaft and other modifications to allow it to fit, as well as active fuel management technology that shut down cylinders during steady-state cruising to save fuel.
The 260-hp supercharged engine was dropped after 2007. All Grand Prix production ended after the 2008 model year as part of GM’s planned retirement of the Pontiac brand by 2010.
ON THE ROAD
Compared to sporty imports such as the Nissan Maxima and Volkswagen Passat, the Grand Prix felt unrefined in terms of its chassis dynamics. The ride can be harsh on frost-heaved roads, depending on the tire-wheel combo.
Although the V8-powered GXP provided gobs of thrust, torque steer was an issue with the aging front-drive chassis. Engineers mitigated the problem by specifying fatter rubber (255/45R18) on the front wheels than the rear (225/50R18).
The base 200-hp car could accelerate to 96 km/h in 8.1 seconds; the supercharged GTP could do it in 6.6 seconds. The badass V8 trimmed a full second off the latter time.
“This is a great highway vehicle. Quiet and quick when it’s needed,” posted the owner of an ’05 GT.
Owners liked the car’s smooth power delivery and ability to consume great distances in comfort. They also singled out fuel economy as a positive, since both the V6 and V8 tended to sip rather than guzzle.
WHAT OWNERS REPORTED
The Oshawa-built Grand Prix has earned a lot of repeat business and for good reason: GM’s durable 3800 V6 and Hydra-Matic 4T65-E automatic transmission were a proven team.
That’s not to say the 2004-08 Grand Prix is immune to mechanical snafus, because some owners did report significant ones.
A clunk in the steering that can be felt and heard during slow turns was traced to the steering intermediate shaft, which should be replaced. Water may leak from the A-pillar due to a seam that was not properly sealed, or from the fresh-air intake grille.
“Water comes through the front dome light, luckily right into the cup holder,” one owner observed.
Beyond these documented problems, drivers reported faulty transmissions, air conditioners, wheel bearings, purge valves and numerous front-end suspension parts.
If you find a good one, the Grand Prix can reward you with low maintenance bills – which will cause you to wonder why Pontiac was fingered to take the fall.
Audi sedan fights to live up to reputation
Which car company ranked tops in customer satisfaction in Germany in 2007 and 2008? Was it Audi? BMW? Mercedes-Benz?
Nope, it was Honda.
After decades of nationalistic pride that made Fiat, Renault and Volkswagen big sellers, Europeans are challenging their automakers to be more competitive.
J.D. Power and Associates’ customer satisfaction studies reveal that Japanese nameplates took five of the six top positions in Germany in 2006.
One German model that’s been under pressure from rivals is the Audi A4 – a critically acclaimed small sedan that’s a questionable second-hand buy.
CONFIGURATION
Audi’s top-selling model underwent a complete redesign for 2002, borrowing some visual cues from its handsome bigger brother, the A6. It grew slightly larger, gaining 33 mm in width and wheelbase, and 58 mm overall.
It was more commodious inside, though you’d be hard-pressed to find the extra space. The rear seat was tight for two adults and uncomfortable for three.
Beyond that, the cabin was a great place to spend time. While the layout was simple, the materials and their fit and finish were first-rate, with rich fabrics or leather, muted aluminum and real wood inserts contributing to a sensual, tactile experience.
Double door seals and 30 per cent thicker glass enhanced the hush.
The new A4 arrived as a four-door sedan and Avant wagon. The Cabriolet (convertible) was added for 2003, complete with a power-folding softtop that featured a heated glass rear window.
The base 1.8T sedan made use of Volkswagen’s 170-hp turbocharged 1.8 L four cylinder that drove the front wheels. Optional was a five-valves-per-cylinder 3.0 L V6 rated at 220 horsepower – a gain of 30 hp over the old model.
New to the A4 was an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT), which employed a steel chain between two pulleys whose diameters varied to change the gear ratio seamlessly. Ultra-low gearing negated the need for a power-robbing torque converter.
Available on front-drive models only, the CVT could emulate a six-speed Tiptronic manumatic transmission by moving the shift lever sideways and using the steering-wheel buttons.
Audi’s celebrated “Quattro” all-wheel-drive system was optional, tied to a five- or six-speed manual or conventional five-speed automatic tranny.
The high-performance S4 returned for 2004, packing a 340-hp 4.2 L V8 and a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.
The A4 received a thorough reworking for 2006, including fresh engines and revised steering and suspension geometry. Visually, all models adopted the new corporate trapezoidal grille.
The introduction of fuel-stratified injection (FSI) on the 2.0 L four and 3.1 L V6 motors boosted power output to 197 hp and 252 hp, respectively.
Both engines reverted to four valves per cylinder due to the location of the FSI injectors.
ON THE ROAD
“The precision of the steering, the power of the turbo and overall fun-to-drive aspect has revitalized me and given me a reason to love cars again,” posted an enthusiastic A4 owner.
There’s no question Audi knows how to build a composed and talented chassis. Auto scribes heaped praise for its poise and refinement – at least in V6 form (the VW four can be a tad noisy and rough).
The base 1.8T (170 hp) accelerated to 96 km/h in 8.1 seconds, while the more capable 3.0 L six did it in 6.8 (7.0 with the CVT). The muscular S4 could do it in 5.5 seconds, thanks in part to Quattro’s ability to distribute the power and torque through all four wheels.
The A4 1.8T could generate 0.85 g of lateral grip and stop confidently, thanks to its generous brake rotors.
Owners were split on fuel consumption. Some felt the small sedan should return better numbers, while others reported good highway fuel economy – using premium grade.
WHAT OWNERS REPORTED
Audi has earned a following in North America for its crisp designs and Bauhaus-inspired interiors. Unfortunately for devotees, the A4 often tests their loyalty.
“Within seven months I had the transmission replaced three times. Recently the oil pump malfunctioned and the engine blew,” reported a hapless owner of an ’04 model.
The CVT transmission has bitten the dust in sizable numbers and warrants close inspection (the fluid should be changed every 60,000 km).
The 1.8T engine has an ignition coil serving each cylinder and those coils fail with frightening regularity, sometimes stranding drivers. A faulty fuel pump can do the same.
The turbo is notorious for burning oil. Keep a close watch on the dipstick and only use synthetic motor oil. Engine-killing sludge formation is an issue.
Other frailties include water leaks stemming from the A-pillar, electrical gremlins, failed window regulators and sunroof motors, weak air conditioners, short-lived timing belts (a recall item), clutches and headlamps.
Best advice from owners? Don’t buy a used Audi without a comprehensive warranty.