WILLOW LABORATORIES INC

2009-02-20T11:12:41Z

Volkswagen Jetta SE Performance
The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta SE comes with a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine that's rated at 170 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, giving it anywhere from 14 to 44 more horsepower than the inline-4 engines of its rivals. The engine note is somewhat gruff, but a few staffers felt that gave the car some personality, something lacking in a segment where most engines have all the aural appeal of a sewing machine.

Honda Civic Hybrid: Function
Though the Civic Hybrid's compact size allows for decent overall visibility, its high rear deck and wide rearmost roof pillars
make it a little difficult to see while reversing. No extra parking
aids (sensors, rearview camera) are available to remedy the situation.

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Saab 9-3 Turbo X Sport Combi: Function
Gone are the days when we'd admire Saab for its kooky interior design, then damn it at the same time because those same design quirks impeded a car's basic functionality. While purists will say the GM-sourced audio and climate switchgear dilutes the 9-3's Saabness, we say they make the car's controls a snap to use. They are well-spaced, well-marked and easily reachable thanks to the driver-canted, high-mounted dash design. There's still plenty of quirky Saabness to go around, though, like the console-mounted ignition and Night Panel light dimmer. The Turbo X comes with a surround-sound audio system, which is excellent in CD mode, but quite poor in all others.

Dodge Ram Pickup 1500 SLT
Function
From a truck shopper's perspective, the Ram's functionality index is high. Outside, the innovative RamBox storage system transforms the interior spaces of the bed walls into roomy lockable cubbies. Bed width suffers slightly as a result, but the standard
4-by-8 plywood sheet will still fit without issue. We like that the
RamBox package includes a sliding bed divider that doubles as a bed
extender; however, you'll have to decide for yourself whether the extra
storage provided by the RamBox is worth the nearly $2,000 that Dodge
charges for it. Further back, we noticed that the tailgate doesn't
lower itself softly � a damped tailgate is a feature we've appreciated
on rivals like the Tundra and Titan.

Dodge Challenger SRT8
Comfort
Oversized though it may be, the steering wheel does tilt and telescope, so most drivers
should be able to find a suitable driving position. The large, heavily
bolstered front buckets are comfortable on long drives, but they were a
bit too wide and soft for some drivers. A benefit of this new-age Challenger's imposing size is its spacious rear seat, which can accommodate two adults as long as they aren't over 6 feet tall. The seat is high enough to provide adequate leg support, and there's also a generous fold-down armrest back there.

Lexus RX 400h: Comfort
Plush yet supportive, the seats in the 2008 Lexus RX 400h suited most editors. In keeping with this Lexus' luxury-, not sport-minded intentions, the side bolsters aren't as pronounced as you'll see with some other midsize luxury SUVs.
As opposed to gripping you, they gently wrap around and allow for
easier ingress and egress. On a couple hours' drive, we had no
complaints as far as our backs, and backsides, were concerned.

BMW X6 xDrive 35i
Performance
Our car had the optional Sport package, which includes what BMW calls Adaptive Drive. This feature is essentially an active suspension and active antiroll-bar system that counteracts body sway. Combined with the quick, telepathic steering and sticky, high-performance tires (that are part of the optional 20-inch wheel package), the 2008 BMW X6 can get around corners almost like a high-end sport sedan (or coupe, if you prefer). However, there's no escaping the X6's significant mass.

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Willow Laboratories

2009-02-17T21:35:21Z

Willow Laboratories

Lexus RX 400h Performance

For a softly suspended SUV, the RX 400h handles itself well on a
twisty road. Though you can feel the body roll when you push it harder
in the corners, it never feels nervous and there is plenty of grip to
be had. Furthermore, the stability control system will step in to keep
things in check if need be. The well-weighted steering is precise, if
devoid of road feel.

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Ford Escape Hybrid

Function

It's no surprise the 2009 Escape Hybrid passes the child seat,
golf club and large luggage case tests with flying colors, an obvious
benefit of an SUV's tallish, boxy, efficient body style. With the rear
seats in use, there are about 28 cubic feet available. Folding the
split rear seats down is a hassle, though, as it's a three-step affair:
1) remove headrests; 2) flip bottom cushion up; 3) flip seatbacks down.
Once done, you'll have 66 cubes at your disposal, more than the Saturn
Vue Green Line but less than a CR-V or RAV4.

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Willow Laboratories News: Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

Comfort

In an effort to keep weight down (!), the Tahoe Hybrid's front
seats are thinner than the standard Tahoe's. We found them to be not as
comfortable as the regular Tahoe seats due to a rather flat bottom
cushion, though this becomes apparent only on longer road trips. Some
longer-legged staffers took issue with the lack of a telescoping
feature for the steering wheel and felt that this or the power pedal
adjustment should at least be optional in this otherwise loaded ute. A
large padded console top and plenty of storage cubbies make the Tahoe
Hybrid a user-friendly ride for commuting and road trips.

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