2009 Honda Legend

The Moscow auto show will debut the Euro spec 2009 Honda Legend, featuring a new face lift. North America will see the Legend in the form of the 2009 Acura RL which was previewed at the Chicago auto show earlier this year. The European model does have a bigger front grill as well as revised lights, bonnet, front fenders, boot lid, bumpers and standard 18? wheels. Under the hood, the 3.5L V6 is replaced with a new 3.7L plus new exhaust side VTEC, putting out an even 300hp - 220kW which translates to a 20% increase in mid-range torque and a 0-60 time of 7.1 seconds.

Luxury and performance do not come cheap, the 2009 RL starts at $46,200 US while pricing for the Legend is not available yet, I would imagine it to be in the same range. Personally at that price point I would rather step into the Infinity G35.

Wald International GTR

Best known for their luxury car body kits,Wald International released some concept creative of their new Nissan GTR body kit. Historically speaking Wald’s designs are sometimes questionable but based on what I see here it looks like the GTR is going to be a winner.

The kit which consists of  front bumper fascia, lower rear bumper fascia with integrated diffuser, side skirts, upper rear wing extension , lower lip spoiler on the deck lid (carbon fiber none the less) along with rear wheel arch flairs. The one thing that stands out the most is the non-functional rear diffuser and excessive use of air ducts on the front fascia, but it does seem to work as a package. The kit is still in production and may not look exactly as shown here.

The top of the line LaCrosse/Allure CXS comes with a 3.6L V6 engine that produces 240-hp and 225 lb.-ft of torque. It has only slightly worse fuel efficiency ratings than the CX and CXL because it is performance geared. It also has more bells and whistles and a few extra styling features. It will however, set you back an additional $5,000-$7,000 or so.

Interior and Features
We found the midlevel CXL to have adequate features such as a satellite radio (XM), heated front seats, dual zone climate control, and sunroof, as well as descent quality materials for the dash, seats and controls. Not all the features came standard on the CXL but, our test model had all those features and cost about $31,000 CAD.

The car itself has lots of cabin room in the front and back, as well as, accommodating trunk space. The seats are comfortable, even for the pickiest of passengers and the sound system is good too. Not great, but definitely not for Grandpa. Also, the cockpit is attractive and functional. The one major flaw this vehicle has, as do many other GM vehicles is the On Star system. It has what GM calls Turn-by-Turn Navigation, which is only a tiny bit useful in the U.S. because it does not operate in Kilometers, only Miles. Even aside from that, it is apparent that this technology is completely pointless and obsolete if you have a GPS system (which can be purchased for as little $100-$150). GM’s so called “navigation” is a computer voice that tells you when to turn. There is no visual aid and if you miss the turn it recalculates but, you are not able to see the new route and from our experience, it did not do the greatest job of re-routing us. I highly recommend you don’t renew your On Star subscription once the free trial expires. On Star has other “safety” features as well, but again, they are mostly redundant and largely useless.

Exterior
The exterior styling of the LaCrosse/Allure is a much needed evolution from the Buicks’ of years past. The stance of the car looks similar to that of the Pontiac Grand Prix, which is a compliment. The lines and curves are modern enough yet, subtle and still conservative like all the cars it competes against. It has a chrome package option that makes the car look better. However, even without that, this car does look good and gives Toyota, Honda and Ford a serious run for their money.

Verdict
Overall, the LaCrosse/Allure gives you a lot more bang for the buck than its competitors and the quality fears are no longer applicable to all GM vehicles. In fact, GM has made a lot of progress regarding quality and although not all cars are up to the level they should be yet, most of them are and as of now, cars produced by the Big Three should be judged on a case by case basis. In this case, the LaCrosse/Allure has a quality level that is equal to Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. If you are looking for a family car in the $30,000 CAD range, you should check out the Buick LaCrosse/Allure. It will offer more value than the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord and is superior to the Ford Fusion.

Ride: 7.5/10

Interior: 7/10

Exterior: 7.5/10

Reliability: 8/10

Value: 8.5/10

Overall: 8/10

Immediate Competitors:
-Toyota Camry
-Honda Accord
-Ford Fusion