Friday Fleet Notes: 3.28.08

This week our staff takes a look at the Audi R8, Scion xB, Pontiac G8 and Hyundai Veracruz. Check out what our reviewers and editors had to say, then get the full picture with our expert reviews.

2008 Audi R8

• This is the best cure for a bad day since ice cream. You’d have to be pretty far gone (or hate cars) to drive this and not feel better when you were done. The only complaint I had was that the clutch travel was quite long and my foot slipped around on the pedal face a couple of times. My shoes did have some snow on them, but it was a bit disconcerting. The brakes were the best I’ve driven: Right there, easy to modulate and confidence-inspiring. Overall, the R8 makes you smile. Just the right amount of engine noise comes into the cabin, the steering weight is just right (heavy, but not obtrusively so) and it looks really good. – William Jackson, Buying Guides editor, Weekend Athlete

2008 Scion xB

• Scion has got the maximum-space-on-a-budget segment covered with its xB. I honestly don’t have enough — or the right kind of — stuff to make full use of its maximum cargo area. I can see where the car has its appeal, with a long list of standard safety features for around the $16,000 mark, but I just didn’t have much enthusiasm for the oddly shaped car after driving it for a few days. That has nothing to do with the xB’s styling, as, in my opinion, the xB can look good when clad in the right color. My gripes came from the bouncy, bland ride and not-so-great gas mileage. I clocked-in around 22-23 mpg in my city/suburban commute, which is dead-on for the car’s EPA ratings of 22/28 mpg city/highway. – Joe Bruzek, assistant editor

• That the G8 is a driver’s car goes without saying; I’m not sure it works so well for passengers. Cabin comparisons to the Dodge Charger will inevitably favor Pontiac, but the Charger is years past its prime. Instead, compare the G8 to GM’s other full-size juggernaut, the Buick Lucerne, and you’ll see where Pontiac’s money went. Some of the elements here are just plain unappealing: The handbrake feels as cheap as a Ford Mustang’s, the indicators for the heated seats are lost in any sunlight, and when pressing the window switches you can’t feel when they go into express-down mode. On the plus side, the center controls’ large readout is convenient, and the speedometer’s 10-mph increments (most cars I’ve driven have 20-mph increments) mean you should know exactly what you’re doing when the patrolman pulls behind. With the sort of thunderous acceleration this V-8 cooks up, here’s betting that won’t be a rare occurrence. – Kelsey Mays, Cars.com reviewer

• The Veracruz is a strong product in a highly competitive segment: large crossovers with seating for seven or eight. It’s also the home of Hyundai’s first-ever factory navigation system option. The system finds destinations and gives you turn-by-turn directions through the stereo, just like others do. It has the database of restaurants, points of interests, etc. What it doesn’t have is integrated voice activation or a backup camera, and it replaces the standard CD changer with a single-disc player. Now, I’ve met few people who care to control their navigation system with voice commands (even the systems that work well), so that’s no great loss. I’d like to see a backup camera, but at least Hyundai prices this option a bit lower than the competition does: $1,750. You’ll pay roughly $500 to $800 more for packages from key competitors that include backup cameras and/or retain a CD changer. It’s a smart approach overall after years of falling behind. What I’d rather see, though, is a stand-alone backup camera option that’s only a few hundred bucks. It’s becoming common and is attractive to people who’d never consider a nav system and its added cost. – Joe Wiesenfelder, Cars.com Senior editor

2008 Audi R8 Expert Review
2008 Hyundai Veracruz Expert Review
2008 Pontiac G8 Expert Review
2008 Scion xB Expert Review