Posts Tagged ‘cars’

In my review of the Infiniti EX35 on Honk, I called it, “one of the best cars you’ve never heard of.”  I find the EX to be a thoroughly great – though unconventional – crossover vehicle.

The car’s biggest problem is also its most endearing feature: a dramatic, sweeping roofline.  The benefit is a stylish, coupe-like stance.  The downside is a very tight rear seat and cargo bay.

I was skeptical until I drove an EX35 for the first time and found myself appreciating the honesty of driving a car that was no bigger than it needed to be.  The swoopy design tells you up front that this Infiniti was never intended to be a family vehicle and once you stop trying to judge it like one; you’ll realize that it is a great ride for a single person or couple.

Most people will not give the EX that consideration, though, and they’ll wonder, what’s the point of a crossover utility vehicle that lacks utility?

My mother is one of those people.  She’s been happily driving an Infiniti FX for several years now and has so far refused to give it up.  The FX is a surprisingly sporty ride and she credits its quick reflexes with saving her life one day when she had to swerve to avoid a drunk driver.

But lately the charm of her FX’s firm ride and aggressive engine sounds has been wearing thin.  “I loved all that sporty stuff in the beginning but now I’m a little over it,” she confesses.

I knew with 100 percent certainty that she’d love the EX if only she could put aside her prejudices and get behind the wheel.  I begged, pleaded, and cajoled for months until she finally borrowed a loaner car from her local dealership for a test drive.

She had the car for 24 hours and by hour two had announced that she didn’t want to give the EX back to the dealership.  She called me up, very excited, and gushed about the luxurious cabin and buttery smooth ride and eager engine.  “I got on the highway today,” she urged, “and it felt fast.”

The interesting thing to me is that where once my mother was making excuses for why she needed to continue driving a large car, she’s now finding justifications for why she’d be better off in something smaller.

It’s a complete turnaround in her thinking and it reminds me of the ‘right-sizing’ movement that’s become so fashionable across the country.  The economic recession has brought a lot of pain but it’s also provided an opportunity for us to slow down and focus on what really matters.

The EX35 can’t tow elephants or carry nineteen people or cross rivers.  Instead, it figured out what’s really important for its intended market and it does those things exceptionally well.

Whatever happens, I’m just happy my mother admitted that I was right for once.

Anyone who’s ever made their down an alpine slope can tell you that snowboarders and skiers don’t always get along.  Each group is prone to complaining that the other is in their way, with skiers calling first dibs on mountain sports and snowboarders claiming to represent the vanguard.

In researching our post on Shaun White’s ultimate mountain ride last week, we came across some interesting data that may help shine light on the people behind this decades-old rivalry.

We crunched some numbers in the Honk database and created top-50 lists of vehicles for both sports.  Most notably, the list for skiers was dominated by expensive sheetmetal, with luxury brands filling out 26 of the top 50 spots.  That same measure was only 15 for snowboarders, suggesting that skiers have the edge when it comes to household income.

That number doesn’t tell the full story, though.  Honk data shows that snowboarders are a much younger group overall and that means that they are still in the early stages of their careers.  About 28% of snowboarders are under age 30, compared to only about 9% for skiers.

Curiously, skiers also had seven convertibles in their top-50 list while snowboarders had none.  Since convertibles are often purchased as a second or third car, this could be merely a by-product of skiers being older and more likely to be married with multiple cars in the household fleet.

Don’t get your bindings in a twist over these results, though, because both sides will no doubt agree that the most important thing is to get out there and enjoy the ride.