2007 Ford Fiesta XR4 First Steer
June 10, 2007 by Alborz Fallah
Ford might have lost 40 million dollars this year (due to development costs of the new Falcon), but in the last 12 months they have added two new XR cars to the showrooms.
First came the mighty XR5, aimed at those who wanted a little more sophistication than a WRX (but not the torque steer in Mazda’s 3 MPS) and as of last week, Ford dealers got their hands on a new hero car, the Ford Fiesta XR4.
I approached this car with a great deal of caution. After all, a sporty Fiesta? Do you want one? The XR4 is powered by a modified version of the 2.0-litre engine living in the Focus. Power comes in at 110kW (3kW more than the Focus) while Torque pushes to 190Nm (5Nm higher than the Focus).
You have to remember, this car weighs all of 1090kg – nearly a go kart with a 2.0-litre engine!
Ford are silent on the 0-100km/hr times but I suspect high 7s low 8s. Fuel economy is 7.4L/100km combined, but expect around 9-10L if you want to enjoy it. The XR4 rides on 17″ wheels with 205/40 tyres, not bad at all. Disc brakes front and rear. The car comes standard with six airbags, ESP (which you can turn on/off) and a whole lot more.
It wasn’t the package that troubled me though, for $25,000 (28 on road) the car is a steal, but just who exactly will buy it? Obviously aimed at the younger crowd, the XR4 stands out like Bruce Lee in a sea of Steven Segals (specially with the stripes – $300 option), the part that got me was it even sounds like Bruce Lee! But does it go?
The XR4 only comes in manual, so it is obviously aimed at the younger crowd with a little bit of motoring enthusiasm. The gearbox is a modified version of the standard box in the basic Fiesta, however it has shorter gear ratios and a clutch lighter than one found in a Toyota Echo.
I took the car for a drive up Mt Cootha (Brisbane) with lots of hard corners and many twists and bends, initially my reaction was sheer surprise, just how much torque does this thing have! Second gear felt strong all the way to 6,000 RPM – power delivery is smooth. You can approach corners with confidence and accelerate out with little to no torque steer (ESP on).
The ESP system is relatively lenient, you really have to be doing something wrong before it kicks in, big thumbs up to Ford for including the system as standard (now why isn’t it available on the FPV Typhoon?). I did find first gear a little too short and this is definitely not made for hard launches at traffic lights.
Coming from an AWD I was very surprised just how well the XR4 behaves around corners, you really can push it hard without too much fear – the chassis is strong and the car feels very well balanced. Given the weight, the 2.0-litre engine makes a meal of hills and has plenty of power for quick dashes, but as with any small car it lacks punch at high speeds – and doesn’t like passengers.
There are some notable problems though, apart from the clutch (which even an anorexic celebrity will find light) – the rear seats are pretty useless. I am not actually sure what the point of them is, you can potentially fit two adults – without their legs. You can comfortably (just) fit one full adult – resting vertically in the back seat.
The XR4’s front doors are about as large at the ones on the Murcielago, and just as heavy. However in order to fold the front seats down, the button actually resides on top of the seat as oppose to its usual place at the bottom, this makes it infinitely easier.
There is no foot rest. So your left foot has to hover around the clutch at all times, in fact the pedals are so close together that in more than one instance I managed to hit the accelerator and brake at the same time.
Ford have squashed the 2.0-litre engine to fit in the XR4, so don’t go opening the bonnet, not that you would because the bonnet release is on the passenger side….
As for the seats themselves, they are half leather bucket style seats, rather comfortable, even for a big guy. The interior in general is rather bland with cheap looking plastic and a leather steering wheel better suited to a base model Kia, typical Ford. However the seats come in a range of colours to match the paint. Speaking of colours, there are six choices :
* Colorado Red,
* Frozen White,
* Moondust Silver,
* Sea Grey,
* Panther Black
* Performance Blue.
If I was going to pick, it would either be the Colorado Red, Frozen white with the stripes or Performance blue. The black with the silver stripes really doesn’t work.
Then there is the stereo, sure its 6-speakers and supposedly a Sony, but it sounds worse than a tin can. It can’t even play MP3s! What year is it again? I believe the cost in adding MP3 playback function to a CD player is less than $10 for royalties – Hyundai added it across the range in 2003! – come on Ford.
There is an auxiliary input though, so you can plug your iPod into it. Thankfully the CD player is not integrated and can be easily removed.
All the good and bad aside, The XR4 has some tough competition, notably the Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart which would leave the Fiesta dead at the lights, and the Volkswagen Polo GTi. The Polo is powered by a 1.8-litre engine with the help of a turbocharger, and boy does it go! With 110kWs of power and 220Nm of torque, the Polo is only $2,000 more than the XR4.
As for the Colt Ralliart, you can read our review here.
In all honesty, I found it hard giving the car back. Sure it has less power than the Golf/Colt, a stereo system from the 80s, a dashboard put together from recycled plastic, a gearknob from Crazy Clarks and rear seats with as much room as my TV cabinet, but the Ford Fiesta XR4 has something its competitors lack. Style.
As I stopped at a red light 20M in front of a police station, a cop car pulled out behind me – had I been in the Colt Ralliart, I am sure I would have received that usual look of death that QLD Police give Turbo car drivers, and as for the Polo, its just a little too feminine for me (and no one looks at a Polo anyway).
The police car pulled up next to me and had I been in another car I might have been a little worried but the officer took a quick glance and said “nice car mate….”. His compliment (my first ever from a cop I might add) pretty much sums up the XR4, its not as fast as its competitors, but it’s cheaper, it handles well and most importantly – it looks hot.
Alborz Fallah
Print it: 
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As a Ford dealer, we’ve already had quite good demand and enquires for the XR4.
Test driving it is a lot of fun and even service customers have commented on it being a good-looking car.
http://www.hillsford.com.au/
Hmmm you sure the cop was saying nice car seriously… maybe it was a joke because personally I think the XR4 is still very feminine and I wouldnt wanna be caught in one. Like its a nice looking car, but you cant deny if you saw an XR4 on the road first thing youd think is ‘a chick must b driving it’. I know I would… its the Stigma associated with these 2 door hot hatches. The XR5T on the other hand gets away from this, because it has a bad arse turbo which does all the talking. Just my thoughts.
Oh and good to see the word the article didnt throw around the word performance to much, I was reading up about the XR4 and some obviously ford biased sites label this car ‘high performance’… good for a laugh but far from the truth.
Great article, really enjoyed reading it!
I think the XR4 is a great looking little car, with the stripes too!
compare it to a swift, it IS high performance!
could this be the RS2000 of this decade???
Plenty of commodore kids will diss this as a lil girls car just before it wipes the floor with their v6 family car lameness.
In second gear, this car really really goes!
I was really pessimistic about it before driving it, I thought a 1.6-litre turbo would have done it more justice, but the way this thing drives, without any turbo lag, I really think Ford have hit the mark.
Also one thing i didnt add in the review, Ford dealers won’t go down a cent on price!, the dealer I talked to said he’s already sold 2 of the 4 coming in this month and he expects the rest to go very quickly – then it gets down to only 50 cars a month – nation wide!
QUOTE = compare it to a swift, it IS high performance!…Plenty of commodore kids will diss this as a lil girls car just before it wipes the floor with their v6 family car lameness.
Lol and my Toyota Camry is high performance when I compare it to a Dahaistu Charade! Fact is 0-100km/h in no doubt high 7s isnt high performance, I will concede its a performance ‘hot hatch’ but thats the extent of it, in its SEGMENT, overall its nothing special. This leads to next point, as a relatively young person myself I would be inclined to get a second hand Falcon (manly car) over an XR4 (chix car)…. as you will not only look like your batting for hte right team but you will beat the XR4 every day of the week, high 7s is slower then the newish Falcons and many other family cars (bar the crappy Omega which is an embaressment to Australian motoring). Not to mention as the review points out in regards to having a packed car of people, the younger crowd (bar those who cannot take passengers now thnx NSW govt… although they are the ones that couldnt afford this yet anyway) do drive mates around to drinks, the beach and what-not… now tell me with a straight face you will have young guys aspiring to go on road trips in an XR4 which cant even take 5 ppl let alone look heterosexual while doing it lol. For me, XR5T is the limit purely based on the fact that it actually has good performance and despite its hatch appearance gets respect as a result!
Clarification : I think the XR4 is a nice car, if I have a daughter one day, Im sure theyd consider it… but I cant see to many guys seriously considering this car even in light of its reasonable power, price and looks. Just my thoughts!
^I guess that is your opinion Paul, but everyone is different, for instant I couldn’t see anyone buying a Aurion TRD for serious sports car reasons but more to sex up a regular fridge-on-wheels Toyota.
You will see plenty of males driving the XR4, for the same reason guys drive Barinas and Yaris’.
I agreed Mike, I think Paul has got it wrong but he’s entitled to his opinion. The XR4 will be a big seller for Ford and yes, there will be plenty of blokes behind the wheel of this fair dinkum hot hatch.
As Alborz says, this car has style and some real soul. Why don’t you go down to your local dealer and have a steer and then come back and tell me you didn’t have fun.
With rip off petrol prices and fewer and fewer parking spots around in our cities, you couldn’t pay me to drive a used Falcon. And let’s not discuss handling – the XR4 would eat a big old ford.
I know of a NSW dealer that is selling these for $25K drive away with racing stripes!
That sounds like a good deal to me!
Well Im not going just off my opinion, friends as well who are pro-ford have also said its abit of a chix car… I agree with arugments such as fuel, price, handling and city driving the XR4 looks tempting but at the end of the day it still doesnt appeal to me as there IS a stigma attached to these smaller hatches as being more female orientated… and its performance is nothing to write home about when family cars are faster then it in a straight line at least, thats why something like an XR5T appeals abit more. But yes each unto their own.
Paul’s problem is he gets his self worth based on what he drives, and has a trajic case of caring what others think.
People who are comfortable with themselves don’t give a toss about image, they just get on with driving a car which suits their needs.
A friend of mine who was a multi times national go-kart champion drove a Mazda bubble at the time, because it was inexpensive to run, and had lots of room inside.
That’s what he needed, so that’s what he drove.
Yes you are right… as is the case for most people who are under the age of 90. Like dont get me wrong, I wouldnt not choose a fantastic car because of its image, its just ONE of many things I would consider when looking for a car and denying it would come into your own and others here thoughts is a total lie as everyone cares to varying levels about image, or else there wouldnt be a need for manufacrers to develop decent looking cars, theyd all look like SsangYongs!
In the XR4’s case… the things which deter me from this kinda car is its female orientated image, its slow acceleration, ordinary interior (Id have to look in person to confirm but it looks cheap and this review has supported this), ergonomics and inpracticality seeings as though I take a few road trips and this car cant take 5 people physically in the cabin let alone hawl them 60kms+.
So because it has a cheap cabin it appeals to women? Guys are less likely to give a crap about the quality of the materials and the appearance.
Paul,
i see you have a love for toyotas as i have read quite a few of your posts around the place. well i tell you there is not too much of a “blokey” image with toyota either.
But i do agree with you that the image of such car (xr4) is derived from a “girly” car image. i can appreciate it but i would never buy one as its not my thing. but in saying that i think ford will have plenty of male purchasers as you would be surprised how many males already drive round in cars a lot weaker than this one. e.g. hyundai excells with bolt on sports exhausts and lancers with clear tail lights.
^
You are CORRECT. And in fact you make a good point, Toyotas are hardly image based cars yet I own one and like them… proving that Im not all about image!!! Its a package deal, and the XR4 doesnt do it for me.
QUOTE = So because it has a cheap cabin it appeals to women? Guys are less likely to give a crap about the quality of the materials and the appearance.
No I think you’ve missed my point, those issues are factors I have considered on top of the stigma attached to these smaller hatches… as being chix cars. I dont know why people are denying this exists, like I said I asked a pro-ford friend (who is not a bogan nor am I) and first thing he thought is its abit of a chix car, its who these kinda cars are marketing to afterall!
Personally, I don’t think the XR4 is a girly car. Let’s face it, most girls I know wouldn’t care about the 2L engine, in fact, they’d probably rather the base model 1.6L with an auto gearbox.
I think that the Fiesta doesn’t look all cutesy like many properly girly cars (like the Yaris) do. The cutesy styling (common with the Asian small cars) is what makes them girly.
Besides, if you’re going for a weekend away, what kind of man are you if you can’t fit everything you need in the boot of a Fiesta? Part of being a bloke is being able to travel light.
Well I disagree… something like the Yaris I dont think its totally girly as its a get from A to Z car…. ‘hot hatches’ are chix cars for mine, a Yaris isnt a hot hatch (same applies to base Fiesta), its a car that you dont give a rats about and you hope it lasts for 500,000kms without costing you much!
The issue here is the so called hot hatches… a great example is the Suzuki Swift, they must sell 90% to under 25yr old women! I think a simple test to gauge whether your car is manly or not, at the lights when your next to an XR8 in your XR4 or whatever and the guys in the other car are laughing at you… you are in the chix car ;). Maybe its just me, but there is nothing manly about a 2 door hatch, with a 110kw engine and nice fuzly wuzly coloured dashes to make you feel all warm inside. Id prefer to outlay the $15k extra and get an XR5T, a car that people look up at and even if they dont (rare), at least its a true performance car with an engine to back it up so you get the last laughs!
Oh and clarification, its not just hot hatches in general, as I alluded to there are some good and some not.
XR5T and GOLF R32 etc = HOT
Suzuki Swift and XR4 etc = NOT (Hot for ladies)
Just my thoughts!
ITT bogans cry about a small hatch that can outhandle anything ever built here
Who cares what some boat captain at the lights thinks? He’ll look like even more of a wanker when the “small girly hatch” goes around a corner twice as fast as he can…
Someone is forgetting those things that come in between straight line roads.
Besides, most women I know would be just as happy in an automatic base model as an XR4.
Yes Im aware of cornering… but roads aernt personal race tracks, most people have limits which would be within large cars and are just way within their small ‘hot hatches’ capabilities… what you do notice more is acceleration in cases where you are overtaking, merging etc along with other things like cabin space! The XR4 by default is obviously targetted at young drivers, and as Ive said Im prity young and I wouldnt wanna drive an XR4 and I know many other male friends who are of the same opinion! Not bogans, just normal people… should do a survey to see!
Okay, I am here to poke fun at this XR4/Homosexual/TRD/TuRD arguement.
Why has HSV not been mentioned?
HSV; Hence, Herpes Simplex Virus. And yet, you guys are ranting one about TRuD.
HSV hasn’t been mentioned because HSV bogans wouldn’t dare go near a Ford page… lol
Thats right Anonymous,
hsv fans are one eyed and are too caught up in the image that holden produces to compile stats and opinions that would only prove that they (holden/hsv) arent that good.
Perhaps HSV hasn’t been mentioned because it has nothing to do with this topic. It seems as though you want to bring up any Holden based product just so it will be bad mouthed.
What the hell does HSV and TRD have to do with this. Anonymous you are obviously a bogan. Lets not make this degrade into a Toyota vs Ford vs Holden thing because of some idiot…
I’ve always found cars to be an unreliable predictor of sex or sexuality, and vice-versa.
In fact most people who buy new cars want to be treated as individuals, not stereotypes.
Working in the industry, I’ve seen an 83 year old buy a new Porsche Boxster. I’ve seen women buy Falcon GTs, BMW M5s and AMGs. I’ve seen ‘blokey’ blokes buy Suzuki Swifts, small Toyotas and Mercedes-Benz A-Class.
And then of course there are the dark horses: the people who buy a small car, make it look discreet and conservative and work it to deliver blistering performance.
I’d guess that the XR4 will appeal to lots of different people for diffeent reasons.
Do not call me a flipping idiot Paul. I would think of you as the biggest idiot as you started the whole thing, not tha some ofther bad point would have come out of this. I personally like the Focus and Fiesta since their recent redesign, not that I would buy one, I still think they are an awesome car for anyone; they do the X badge as well. Usually I agree with most of your posts, but I thought “sexism” or whatever you call it was above yourself. Give me a break to say the least, I come into this conversation 20 posts late, swiftly scroll down, here something of a negative towards ‘TRD’, so I thought, since that is way off, let’s just blow this conversation right out of proportion. Hence, I really don’t have any reason to be classified as an ‘idiot’ as I just tried to take the topic off your annoying rant. Which, itself, was fairly offtopic, as you were basing its sales off of people sexuality which is hardly relevant in its essence. Hey guys, I have a Ralliart shirt, something you can’t poke fun at the name of!
‘Ford have squashed the 2.0-litre engine to fit in the XR4′?? I believe it is the same dimensions as the 1.6L duratec motor. dont want to mislead people. And ‘6 speakers that sound worse than a tin can’? sounds a lot better than the sound of a new VE stereo. I also believe the rear seating is fine for a 3 door hatch, im 6′3″ and have been in the back a few time for test drives, seems quite normal. Maybe Alborz Fallah could remove the rear seat and fill it full of speakers so here can here the tin can better.
As for the lack of DSC on a typhoon, the F6 has to much power the DSC would come on every corner!
Damo the female stigma attached to this kinda car is relevant… like I said alot of people havent agreed, not knowing your ages, but people who I have asked (20-30yr old males demographic) wouldnt be caught in one.
Oh and I actually saw my first XR4 on the road today! And lol a chik was driving it, was in black… in that colour without strips barely noticable its differentiated from the regular Fiesta as the grill etc blends in but I did hear the light rumble from the exhaust. Didnt change my perceptions on it being a chix car!
Clarification 3rd post in a row – I THINK it was an XR4, they are released? The grill was the same and its exhuast wasnt quiet so Im confident it was one.
In their launch month all xr4’s have stripes. might not have been an xr4 you saw Paul.
Rob Prior Said :
–‘Ford have squashed the 2.0-litre engine to fit in the XR4′?? I believe it is the same dimensions as the 1.6L duratec motor. dont want to mislead people.
It might the same dimensions but they have had to move it on an angle to make it fit. It was merely a joke nonetheless.
– And ‘6 speakers that sound worse than a tin can’? sounds a lot better than the sound of a new VE stereo.
Not the car I had!
– I also believe the rear seating is fine for a 3 door hatch, im 6′3″ and have been in the back a few time for test drives, seems quite normal. Maybe Alborz Fallah could remove the rear seat and fill it full of speakers so here can here the tin can better.
yes you can sit in the back seat if the front passengers are midgets without legs. But in all honestly, the rear seats are absolutely useless – they are great for a quick trip though, which is what they are made for, you wouldn’t dream of taking four people on a long drive in an XR4
– As for the lack of DSC on a typhoon, the F6 has to much power the DSC would come on every corner!
Many cars with much much more power have ESP/DSC, Hell Fords main competitor, the HSV R8, has ESP!
The point is, you can turn it on and off, so if your just going for an easy drive, its safe to have it on
You have to admit if you were a guy and were to be spotted in any light car, the XR4 wouldn’t be that bad. It’s not like people would drive pass and laugh at you, if so they are assholes :P.
ya think!!LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME.I don’t know who the manufactures are targeting this stuff at GAY GUY’s ??? POOR MANS GT’s????? I mean if you pulled up next to it what is the first thing you would do ?? Laugh right!!!Yep!
Maybe the XR4 has been released for the young drivers that under the New QLD licence Rules for P-platers… as they can not drive a high performance car… i would think i would the XR4 would not be classed as a high performance car, so they car buy and drive it!! and it has the race strips and some performance parts on it!!! so i think that it was kind of a smart move by ford??? does holden has a small performace car thats not turboed??? if i had to drive a small car it would be the XR4 or a Ford focus…most likly the focus because i dont think i would be comfy in that small of a Car, i am 6′5… but saying that it a cool looking Car… and i am not a small car fan really… but saying that i do like the XR4 amd XR5 turbo… i think there should be a XR4 turbo…all that power with NO real Wieght…. now thats a Hot hatch!!! saying all this i am a Big car fan… i am 20 yr old male, with a 2004 BA XR6… and my next car will be either a typhoon or GT!!!
i dont care if car is big or small, all i really care is that are they fast or not… i respect cars big or small, i love my GT and Typhoons and Mustangs 2007 GT500KR (400Kw V8) is the i want more then anything!!and i respect the WRX STI and EVO… which are small cars in my eyes… i like my Cars Big and Fast, but if the Car is Small and fast, i will respect that as well! So who really who cares if they are Big or Small, if they are fast is the only thing that matters!!!
Well I did drive an XR4. What did I think? Bleugh. Cheap, tacky interior. Totally USELESS front seats that me of average height just couldn’t get into a decent position. Power and torque delivery not enough to get a smile on the face. Brakes don’t inspire any confidence. Those STRIPES (which the dealer at least said they’d get removed at no cost, and take off the $300 for the ‘option’ if you didn’t want them). And the killer, that ludicrous pedal setup where there is no space besides the clutch so you either hover your foot on the pedal or tuck your foot behind it.
Good points: price I guess; handling is ok; back seats fold down totally flat if you want the extra space; gearbox has a nice action.
I drove a Pug 207GT the next week: almost the same power & torque figures but a heavier car. Yet the 207 was a more involving drive and ‘felt’ quicker. And *killed* the XR4 for features, interior, and build quality. And only about $4k more.
Hi NoFiestaForMe,
Can’t argue with how you felt about the Fiesta versus the 207 GT, but should point out a couple of things …
the RRP of a the Pug is $31,490 versus the XR4’s $24,990 … for $6.5K more, it better offer something significantly more!
The Pug is a 1.6 turbo with the same power as the Fiesta but much more torque at much lower revs 240Nm @ 1400 vs 190Nm @ 4500 … so the Pug should be much more tractable and ‘feel quicker’.
Interestingly though the 0-100kmh for the Pug is 8.1 secs and the XR4 is 7.9 secs … clearly gearing and weight (Fiesta 1080kgs and the Pug 1376kg) has a significant part to play, as a turbo!
And looking at the specs list … I cant see much if anything that the Pug has over the Ford for the extra $7,000 … amazingly for Ford, they put curtain airbags and ESP as standard on a car!!!, so their is no obvious missing features although you can get cruise as an option for the Pug which would be nice for Ford to have avbailable on their small cars inc. XR5.
The biggest difference is in the model cycle for the two cars – the Pug getting refreshed in 2006 whilst the Fiesta is a 2003 car. An all new Fiesta/Mazda2 is due next year … which may address some of the issues you spoke about in terms of the Ford.
Whatever .. I reckon its great that the little “hot” Euro’s are coming to Australia again … been too long and dynamically at least, the Europeans do it so much better than the Asian manufacturers with small cars … although having said that, if they could make a hybrid Euro/Japanese car … the build quality of the Asians and the driving expoerience of the Euro’s … how good would that be?
I’m really starting to go for this little bugger… 110kW is great from that really good little engine… these cars handle well and actually feel like proper cars…not just appliances like lots of the others… the fuel bill my falcon and A6 are taking home are starting to get concerning, and the fiesta looks a good idea
As a daily drive to work this car would be great. Have been considering getting rid of my 6 cylinder and this might be the car to do it. Less petrol and more fun through the streets due to its gearing. Sort of like the 2L Escorts from the past. The Focus would be better but its a lot more money.
Ford XR4 lovers… get into it http://www.fordxr4.com :)
We talk, touch and play with all things XR4.
Cheers,
Miyagi
the XR4 is hot,sexy,stylish,tough. I know of many ppl that have already traded in their XR6. Without having driven one, u can easily justify negative comments. However, take a seat in one of these babiez & u will realise just how much power it packs, and just how many looks it recieves. As a female, i would say ne male driving this car is worth a second look – defy generalisation, drive sumthin unique 4 a change! – not all males need 2 prove their “tough” exterior through so called “tough” cars – pfffttt to that. by the way – an XR4 dragged a V8 (VT SS) & it only lost by 1.5 secs (1/4 mile). Its a light car, with a tough engine – it will give small cars a run for their money & in todays day & age, with petrol prices souring by the minute… choosing a small car that is not only cheap but also fast (nevermind its looks) is a smart move! Well Done FORD for bringing sexy back!
Oh & Paul – Take a look in the mirror buddy, bet ur not as hot as ud like to think… boooooo 2 u!
^
Tough car, not like the wording Id used… very feminine car yes. And its not fast despite your various claims, its slower then most family cars these days… and although losing by 1.5secs over the quarter mile is possible (I would think more 2-3sec is more realisitic) at the speeds they are at when you cross the line, its like a 100m difference (slight exaggeration obviously)
QUOTE = Oh & Paul – Take a look in the mirror buddy, bet ur not as hot as ud like to think… boooooo 2 u!
Lol funny cos I was replying regardless before I read this. But not I dont think Im hot at all… if I want a ‘performance’ car I want it to be faster then a V6 Camry to 100km/h and I want it to at least look abit tough! And one poster already mentioned a few negatives as well… so its not a totally fairy wairy nice prity wity looking fuzzly wuzzly car!
Paul,
well if you want tough then you can throw your camry out straight away then too.
you have to give this car some credit though. for its class it does perform very well. it does put out the same power figures as its turbo charged competitors.
and since when was a camry the benchmark for performance cars??
Its not that was my point lol… the fact that a Camry the so called ‘fridge on wheels’ can put it to this hot hatch says alot, so much for a ‘performance car’! And Im serious when I say this… Id prefer to go unnoticed in my V6 Camry then have people laughing at me in my XR4 (On top of all the inpracticalities that make a car like this not the one for me!)
Paul,
the camry you are talking about is a v6. how about you compare it to at least a 4cyl camry.
the main thing i am pointing out is as for its CLASS it does extremely well putting out the same figures N/A as what the competitors do with a turbo on them.
as for preference i would not buy one either. but there are plenty of people (males) already driving out there in cars with a lot weaker presence than this one. and i mean a lot. i am a bit like you in that way and i think males are going soft in terms of what they drive. but the fact is they are driving them