Honda made the 2009 Pilot bigger and more powerful than earlier incarnations of the vehicle, and SpringsWheels writer Kevin Carmody took one out for a spin.

Jump on the accelerator, and all six cylinders come to life to bring you up to speed. Once you reach cruising speed, the V-6 shuts down the entire rear bank of cylinders for maximum fuel efficiency. As you start up an incline, the engine moves from three cylinders to four.

You’ll never notice the cylinders dropping in and out, (Eric Taylor, sales consultant for Front Range Honda) says, unless you see the little green light come on the dash that says ECO, which indicates the economy mode.

I was surprised when I was entering Interstate 25 and looked down and the engine had already gone into economy mode, and I was passing other vehicles.

With seating for eight, the Pilot sports a 250-horsepower V-6 engine and gets 16 miles per gallon in the city and 22 mpg highway. Read the full test drive over at SpringsWheels. Or drive a new Honda Pilot for yourself at Front Range Honda, 1001 S. Academy Blvd.

Photo courtesy of Honda

I drove the Mazda5 a few years ago when it first came out. Back then, I thought, “You know, if I had to haul kids around — with all their friends and gear — I would definitely want a vehicle like this.” It’s not exactly a minivan, not exactly an SUV or crossover, as SpringsWheels writer Kevin Carmody point out in his test drive today.

“It’s part minivan, based on its six-passenger capacity, complete with three rows — two, if you like, thanks to 50-50 fold third-row seats. Equally as impressive are the minivan-style sliding doors on both sides.

It’s part sportscar, too, with a lively, 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine that powers the trendy Mazda3 and Mazda6, along with the crossover CX-7, just to name a few.

And, with fuel economy that nears 30 miles per gallon, the Mazda5 defies characteristics of both a minivan and sports car. I guess it’s part sedan, too.”

With up to 44.4 cubic feet of cargo space and seating for six passengers, it’s definitely a vehicle for the driver that needs to move people, gear or both.

The Mazda5 got a face lift for 2008, with an updated exterior to enhance its wedge-shaped body and a five-speed automatic transmission that yielded much better gas mileage. The 2009 edition receives only slight refinements, including a couple of color changes.

But it hasn’t lost Mazda’s soul of a sports car. It has the engine as the CX-7 — “Think what (that engine) can do with the lighter (by some 500 pounds) Mazda5,” says Carmody. It also uses the same fully-independent suspension as Mazda’s sports car models.

“Call it what you want: a mini-minivan, Eurowagon or multi-activity sports vehicle. However you slice it, the 2009 Mazda5 provides plenty of options, versatility, style and, of course, with any Mazda, fun.”

You can read the full test drive here. Or test drive your own at Bob Penkhus Mazda Motor City, 1101 Motor Drive.

Photo courtesy of Ford

I was pretty excited about test driving the all new Hyundai Genesis recently. I got a sneak peak of the Genesis at the Auto Show this past April and thought it looked pretty good.

Loaded with extras, like a heated and cooled driver’s seat, park assist,  and proximity key, the test vehicle was also equipped with the optional technology package that adds a Lexicon Discrete 7.1, 17-speaker - no, that’s not a typo - surround sound audio system. The only other vehicle you’ll find that system in, master elite sales consultant DuWoyn Snipe tells me, is the Rolls Royce Phantom (which sells for more than 10 times what the Genesis costs). “You can feel like you’re at the concert while you’re in this car,” Snipe says.

Equipped with a 3.6-liter, V-6 engine, the Genesis pumps out 290 horsepower and 264 foot-pounds of torque, has quick acceleration and a smooth and quiet ride.

You can read my full test drive over at SpringsWheels. Or drive one for yourself at Phil Long Hyundai of Chapel Hills.

Genesis front seat

Park assist and gauges

Genesis's Multimedia Controller

Back seat leg and headroom

SpringsWheels writer Heather McDonnell recently test drove a 2009 Audi A4, provided by Phil Long Audi, 550 Automotive Drive. Audi’s small sedan gets a makeover adding 5 inches in length and 2 inches in width over its 2008 predecessor.

But just because the car is bigger, don’t go thinking that means it’s lost any of its pep. The new version is 15 percent lighter, says Joshua Creadeur, sales and leasing consultant with Phil Long Audi, giving it the same fuel economy as before but with more power and more space. The 2.0-liter version gained more horsepower and torque, as well.

McDonnell got plenty of enjoyment out of this car. “I found the interior to be spacious and comfortable,” she says,”especially for a small sedan. It’s also packed with nifty features that might keep you so entertained that you’ll forget to actually back out of the driveway and go somewhere.”

But she did go somewhere, saying “at the end of the day, it’s all about the drive. The test vehicle was equipped with a 3.2-liter V6 engine cranking out 265 horsepower and 243 foot-pounds of torque. What that translates to is this: I wasn’t slowing anyone down on the highway.”

You can read the full test drive here. Or visit Phil Long Audi to drive one for yourself.

Check out my test drive of the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI over at SpringsWheels. If you’re like me, you have a set of ideas about what diesel means: loud, smelly, dirty. Forget about it.

The new Jetta TDI is much cleaner than the old version. “I’m thinking 90 percent cleaner,” says Reggie Talison, sales associate for Al Serra Volkswagen, 3721 E. Bijou St. “You can put a plate right up there (by the exhaust pipes) and eat off it.”

EPA estimates for the Jetta TDI are 29 miles per gallon city and 40 mpg highway, giving you combined estimated fuel economy of 33 mpg. Plus, you’ll find a 2.0-liter engine under the hood pumping out 140 horsepower and 236 foot-pounds of torque. This is no sluggish diesel. It’s zippy and fun to drive. And it has a lot of personality.

Check out the VW logo on the headlamps.

And here are some other pics of the all new Jetta TDI.

Read the full test drive here or stop by Al Serra Volkswagen to drive one yourself.

Photos by Pam Hoskins

You wouldn’t know it by today’s weather, but when I test drove the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon a couple of weeks ago, it was hot — upper 90s hot. And I don’t have air conditioning in my house. All I could think about was finding someplace cool. While the Wrangler was equipped with A/C, that wasn’t exactly what I had in mind. Instead, I was dreaming about fording cool streams in the mountains and crawling the Jeep across rocks to find a shady grove of aspens. Luckily this trail-rated Rubicon was up to the task. Provided by The Faricy Boys, 4950 New Car Drive, was built to take on the gnarliest of roads and trails. When it comes to off-roading, “this is the vehicle to do it in,” says Nial MacDonald, sales consultant with The Faricy Boys.

You can read my full test drive over at SpringsWheels.com, or get MacDonald to take you out in one at The Faricy Boys test track. It’s pretty cool.

Photos by Pam Hoskins

If you’re in the market for a real people mover, but don’t want the same old SUV or crossover and wouldn’t dream of being caught dead in a minivan, check out SpringsWheels writer Heather McDonnell’s test drive of the new Ford Flex. Phil Long of Motor City, 1212 Motor City Drive, provided the vehicle.

“Asked to describe the Flex crossover to friends, I found myself at a bit of a loss because it’s not your typical SUV. It’s not even your typical crossover. The Flex is its own beast, and it’s one that lives by its own rules,” McDonnell writes.

With unusual exterior styling, a multi-panel Vista roof,  plenty of legroom all around, 38.3 cubic feet of cargo space and a 3.5-liter Duratec V-6 engine, the Flex is designed to get you, your family and your stuff around town in comfort, while not missing a chance to turn heads.

You can read more about the Ford Flex here. Or visit Phil Long Ford of Motor City to test drive one for yourself.

Photo courtesy of Ford

I recently drove a 2009 Lexus RX 350, courtesy of Lexus of Colorado Springs, 604 Auto Heights Drive. This is not your typical SUV. It’s loaded with luxury items, such as 10-way power-adjustable seats for both the driver and front passenger; real wood interior trim; leather-trimmed interior; a six-disc, single-feed, in-dash CD player; autodimming, power, heated outside mirrors; rain-sensing wipers; headlamp washers; a power moonroof and a voice-activated DVD navigation system.

“With zippy acceleration, comfy seats and minimal body roll, you might forget you’re driving an SUV. Until you load up your kids or your friends and all their stuff. The RX350 seats five comfortably, with 38.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row of seats. There’s even hidden storage under the floor in the cargo area. Or you can fold the rear seats flat to create up to 84.7 cubic feet of carrying space for your weekend of bargain hunting.”

Read the full test drive here or visit Lexus of Colorado Springs to drive one for yourself.

Photo courtesy of Lexus

SpringsWheels writer Kevin Carmody does a little creative writing in his recent test drive of the Mazda CX-7 crossover:

“Imagine the looks on the Mazda engineers’ faces when they got this assignment: Develop the automaker’s first crossover-utility vehicle based only on a picture of the RX-8, Mazda’s quintessential sports car.

Imagine the conversation that might have taken place.

‘OK, let me get this straight. You want us to take this picture — a sports car — and make a new midsize SUV with the same features, inside and out?’

‘That’s the idea.’

(Intermittent laughter) “You’re crazy, right?’

‘A little. But I also sign your checks.’

(Laughter stops) ‘Actually, as crazy it sounds, I think it’ll work.’

Who’s laughing now?”

The 2008 CX-7, provided by Bob Penkhus Mazda, 1101 Motor City Drive, came loaded with standard features, such as a 244-horsepower four-cylinder engine, automatic Sport transmission, power-assisted ventilated antilock brakes with advanced dual front air bags and an illuminated remote keyless entry system with a panic button. Carmody calls the CX-7 the most-spirited crossover he’s driven.

Read the full story here or test drive your own at Bob Penkhus Mazda.

Photo courtesy of Mazda

A recent test drive turned out to be one of the most fun I’ve ever taken. I think that’s mostly due to Ken Collins, sales representative with Colorado Spring Dodge, 7455 Austin Bluffs Parkway. The dealership provided the Ram. Collins provided the fun. He took me off road in the big quad cab pickup and showed me its power and agility.

He told me ahead of time that I’d find new words after driving the truck, and I found myself using words I hadn’t used in a test drive before.

“The truck scurried up steep grades — leaving us looking at nothing but blue sky — and down like a smaller SUV. It felt secure and planted throughout the off-road course. And it was a whole heck of a lot of fun. Very few test drives elicit laughter and hoots from me, but this one did.”

Read my full test drive here or check out the Dodge Ram in person at Colorado Springs Dodge.

 Photo courtesy of Dodge