Audi TTS
Top Five Road Trips Cars of 2009
By : Sheryll Alexander
Date : 11/22/2009
Every year, my auto-loving family takes dozens of road test review cars on the ultimate test: a family road trip. For 2009, we drove all over California on many road trips in super hot test cars. Which vehicle and destination made the top of the list? Check it out, road trippers!
Paso Robles Wine Country: 2010 Infiniti FX 50
Base MSRP: $58,400
Fuel Economy: 20 mpg hwy, 14 mpg cityWith tons of advanced performance technologies, the 2010 Infiniti FX50 practically drives itself (really!). We tested it on an absolutely perfect autumn road trip to Paso Robles wine country in California’s Central Coast.
Performance is definitely the reason why the 2010 Infiniti FX50 made the No. 1 spot on this top list, but this super tuned CUV also has sexy curves outside and a totally luxe interior.
While driving through pastoral Paso Robles with award-winning wineries and family farms, we were utterly impressed with the 2010 Infiniti FX50 and its power, comfort, safety, kick ass audio system and advanced navigation technology. Thanks, Infiniti!
Palm Springs: 2009 Audi TTS
Base MSRP: $45,500
Fuel Economy: 29 mpg hwy, 21 mpg cityHeads turned and fingers pointed when my totally flamboyant neon orange 2009 Audi TTS drove down chic Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs, Calif. Yes, this super sexy beast was not only cool to look at, but the Audi TTS is also super fun to drive.
Weaving through traffic on the freeway, powering over high hills and hitting the windy straightaways to Palm Springs, I discovered Audi’s new TTS version really does compete with its other mid-prized sports car brethren such as Nissan 350Z, BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK350, Porsche Cayman and Porsche Boxster.
Plus, the exterior has just gotten better with curvy haunches, sexy side lines and a bootylicious back side. The interior, which in my case was a brash yet elegant two toned burnt orange and matte black, is minimalism at its best. Go TTS!
Paso Robles Wine Country: 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
Base MSRP: $14,790
Fuel Economy: 30 mpg hwy, 22 mpg cityOn a rainy winter weekend, we drove a sparkling white 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MR on a 500-mile round trip to Paso Robles wine country. Now, I’ve driven lots of cars, but I had never driven anything like the super-tuned sports sedan with its 2.0-liter turbocharged engine with I-4/6-speed paddle shift transmission and an extremely technical suspension system.
And even though my too-thick thighs didn’t fit into the Evo’s sport seats for all those miles, I didn’t care. The Evolution MR and its fancy all-wheel-drive technology and finely-tuned engine stood up to every wet curve with heart-thumping grace and style.
Plus, the interior of the Evolution MR also made me swoon. The super minimalist interior with great textures, cool infotainment screen, bumping Rockford Fosgate sound system and built-in steering wheel controls is a road trip dream come true.
Sonoma County Wine Country: 2009 Hyundai Genesis
Base MSRP: $32,250
Fuel Economy: 25 mpg hwy, 17 mpg cityThe most comfortable and luxurious road trip car of 2009 goes to the Hyundai Genesis. On a trip to Sonoma County wine country, we found this full-sized sedan competes well against its much more expensive competition.
After driving on curvy country roads through Sonoma’s wine and farm country, we were convinced that the Hyundai Genesis deserves serious consideration for anyone looking to buy a full-sized sedan, especially those who are willing to look beyond brand status.
So, what makes this car so special? Everything! Hyundai got everything right on the Genesis from the good-looking exterior, to the suave interior to the five-star safety rating to the vast list of luxury amenities to the fuel economy to one of America’s best warranty programs.
San Diego: 2009 Buick Enclave
Base MSRP: $35,070
Fuel Economy: 24 mpg hwy, 17 mpg cityOn the way to San Diego’s super family friendly Rancho Bernardo Inn, I decided the Buick Enclave may be the most perfect luxury CUV on the market today. The Buick Enclave just has it ALL: room for up to eight passengers, really great performance, a sexy exterior, superb safety, lots of options and, above all, a super cool interior design.
Outside, the Buick Enclave fits right in with other luxury CUVs with its shiny metallic silver paint, beefy chrome grille, almond-shaped headlights, fluid side lines, swooping windows and bootylicious back side. Inside, all of the components for a comfortable, modern luxury vehicle are handy and handsome at the same time. One other convenience worth buying is GM’s do-everything navigation and infotainment system with satellite radio, real-time traffic and back up camera.
And, the Buick Enclave definitely rocks its 3.6-liter direct injection V-6 engine. We found the engine has powerfully quick acceleration and superb handling, suspension, braking and torque. The engine is so powerful, in fact, you can even tow up to 4,500 pounds when equipped with towing gear.
We can’t wait to get on the road in 2010 to test out more new vehicles and discover new road-worthy destinations!
Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer based in Costa Mesa, Calif. Follow me! @sheryllalexande
Infiniti, Mitsubishi, Audi, Hyundai and GM provided vehicles for these road test reviews.
Road Trip: 2009 Audi TTS
By : Sheryll Alexander
Date : 04/11/2009
Who knew a 2009 Audi TTS would be the perfect car for a road trip to Palm Springs? But when this totally flamboyant neon orange sports car drove down Palm Canyon Drive, heads turned and fingers pointed…A LOT!
So, why is the Audi TTS such a sexy beast and did Audi really give its all-new TTS model some much-needed supercharging?
Road Tripping to Palm Springs Restaurant Week
I set out on my road trip to sample restaurants participating in Palm Springs Restaurant Week on a bright spring day in Southern California. (My fave PS restos? Le Vallauris, Johnny Costas, Matchbox, The Tropicale, Circa 59 at The Riviera Resort & Spa.)
I’ve road tested a few Audi TT’s in my time and I had labeled them all “putt-putt” cars with fun-to-drive engines, but not much more in sports car performance, especially since the Audi TT is meant to compete against the Nissan 350Z, BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK350, Porsche Cayman and Porsche Boxster.
Weaving through traffic on the freeway, powering over high hills near Moreno Valley and hitting the windy straightaways to Palm Springs, I discovered Audi’s new TTS version really does compete with its other mid-prized sports car brethren.
Why? Because the 2009 Audi TTS has a thrilling 2.0 liter turbo 265 hp direct injection, which Audi claims goes 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds. And all of the other driving dynamics on the TTS are excellent too – even exhiliarting! Yes, sports car fans, the 2009 Audi TTS really delivers as a hot sports car with super fun-to-drive handling, tight suspension and responsive braking.
And just looking at the 2009 Audi TTS either in your driveway or in your rear view mirror also gives a thrill. The exterior has just gotten better with the 2009 Audi TTS. The front grille is meaner, the side lines are sexier, the windows are more cat-eye sleek, the haunches are curvier and the back side is even more round and definitely desirous.
The interior, which in my case was a brash yet elegant two toned burnt orange and matte black, is minimalism at its best. All is well in the world when you are inside the 2009 Audi TTS with its saddle-stitched leather dashboard, cozy leather seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and stick shift. What masculine decadence!
When I drove my super flamboyant neon orange 2009 Audi TTS into Palm Springs’ ultra modern Hotel Zoso, I knew the car and the destination had come together harmoniously. The hip Hotel Zoso, which sits right in the middle of the see-and-be-seen downtown district, showed off the TTS’ hot factor to the nines. Thank for the memories, Audi!
2009 Audi TTS Trims and Features
The 2009 Audi TTS has a base MSRP price of about $45,000. Standard features include TTS-unique body treatments such as the grille, bumpers, rocker panels and exterior mirrors. The TTS package also comes with Xenon headlights, 18-inch wheels, black-painted TTS brake calipers, Silk Nappa leather seats and dual chrome exhaust pipes.
2009 Audi TTS Safety
So far, the 2009 Audi TTS has not yet been rated by the National Highway Transportation Administration.
Sheryll Alexander is a lifestyles writer based in Costa Mesa, Calif.
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