I Sense A Theme…

So in my last post, we talked about how The Wife and I went out on a limb and tried something new for us…Thai food at the Thai Cafe…and we loved it!

Well that was Saturday night. Fast forward a few hours, like Sunday afternoon, and we were all set to make a really nice Italian pasta dish. Then the phone rings…It was our friend Jen and she and her husband Chris were going to sign some papers on the house they are buying and wanted to know if we were busy afterwards because they wanted to meet us at a new place in town, HuHot Mongolian Grill.

Well let me tell you, it was almost a carbon copy of BD’s Mongolian Grill, also mentioned in the last post. What was really nice was that it was late afternoon and we were the only people in the restaurant for quite a while.

Like BD’s, at HuHot, it’s all-you-can-eat with a twist: You get soup or a salad with your dinner! I had the hot and sour soup and it was delicious. It was very tasty, with not much of a bite…that is, until I added some of the pepper sauce at the table.

The rest of the meal was awesome! They had great meat choices (beef, pork, chicken, and three or four different types of fish), great vegetable choices and sauce heaven!

There were 10 to 12 premade sauces and all the ingredient sauces to make your own. I like a good amount of spice (I want to sweat but not profusely) but even though I used a good amount of the more hot sauces, I found my first combination to be quite tame. On the second go, I added a few more ladles of the hotter sauces and got a better result. Moral of the story? Take the heat number as a guide and make sure your first plate is a small one so you can go back and experiment to find what combination you like.

Another small difference between HuHot and BD’s is that you have to ask for rice…and HuHot does not have the soft tortillas that makes BD’s more unique.

So yes, HuHot was good, great really, and it will make a great substitute for BD’s here in the Lou.

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Here is this week’s Retro Review:

2002 Acura 3.2 TL

Putting Sport and Luxury Together Like No Other

by James E. Bryson

Luxury in cars means different things to different people. Some like their luxury to be American-esque, a la Cadillac and Lincoln. Some like the European stylings of Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, et al. Still others are more prone to the offerings of the burgeoning Japanese luxury marques. Welcome to the 2002 Acura 3.2 TL and 3.2 TL Type-S.

Though luxury tastes take many forms, the most enticing from an enthusiast's perspective is the teaming of luxury and sport cars. Acura has been putting more sport into the sport/luxury segment since its inception, over a decade ago, with vehicles like the NSX and Integra GS-R. For 2002, Acura ups the luxo-sport ante to better compete with the Europeans and Americans at the game they joined in mid-play.

The TL is the sedan counterpart to the CL coupe that was updated for 2001 and looks as good, if not better than the coupe (if that can actually happen!) and gives Acura a real player for the "mid-luxury" segment, in Acura's own words. Changes to the TL include, but are not limited to, freshened front and rear fascias (with integrated fog lights on all models), more insulation in the doors and improved door seals to lessen noise, vibration and harshness levels, an in-dash six-disc CD changer and engine and transmission improvements.

As a real player in the sport/luxury segment, the Type-S model is motivated by a 3.2-liter SOHC 24-valve V6 that features Honda's VTEC valve timing gadgetry, an all-new, dual-stage induction system and numerous other performance enhancements, which is good for 260 horsepower and 232 lb.-ft. of torque. The base model is packaged with a not-too-shabby 225 horsepower/216 lb-ft. motor. Both models meet Low Emission Vehicle standards, while California bound TLs are rated as Ultra Low Emission Vehicles

All that power goes through a five-speed automatic with Acura's answer to the "manumatic" craze, Sequential SportShift, along with Grade Logic Control, which enhances shifting smoothness and reduces gear "hunting" when ascending or descending steep grades. The transmission was top-notch perfect; the shifts were Cadillac smooth and power delivery was instant-on in every situation.

The only gripe about the transmission was the manual shift mode. The gear changes were not in concert with the movement of the stick and the computer brain controlled the one-two shift no matter what input was received from the driver. We found that it was more satisfying to leave it in drive (D5, each gear had its own detent) and let the computer choose the gears while driving on tight, twisty roads. It just goes to show that transmissions like this are little solace for those of us that want a real manual in such a powerful, well-handling car.

To help get the vehicle around tight corners in a stately manner, Acura has outfitted the Type-S with a sport-tuned double wishbone suspension (with front and rear stabilizer bars), V-rated, all-season rubber on 17 inch alloy wheels and Acura's Vehicle Stability Assist, all as standard equipment.

There's a lengthy list of standard features that come with the 3.2 TL Type-S too. Some features of note include remote keyless entry; DVD navigation system; automatic climate control; an Acura/Bose six-disc in-dash CD player; heated seats with six-way power for the driver and four-way power for the passenger; Driver's seat and outside mirror memory (the mirrors are also heated); automatic down and up for the driver's window; automatic day/night rearview mirror; power moonroof; xenon high intensity discharge headlights; speed-sensing intermittent wipers and the Homelink system.

We had a lot of fun with the DVD navigation system in the short time we had the car. It was quite interesting punching in a destination and then letting the system guide you there. It has a computerized female voice to command you and a host of graphical representations to assist further. Even if you turn the wrong way, the system recalculates its route and helps you get to where you want to go.

Safety features include driver and front passenger dual stage airbags, driver and front passenger side airbags; four-wheel ABS; front seatbelt pre-tensioners; a theft deterrent system with electronic immoblizer; emergency trunk release; Acura's Vehicle Stability Assist; front and rear crumple zones and side-impact door beams.

The total as-tested price, with no options to speak of, topped out at $33,710.00, including the obligatory destination charge, which is a great deal considering all the safety, comfort and convenience features this car offers. We loved driving this car. It handled well in all situations we threw at it and was more comfortable than we expected. The other luxury makes must be laying awake at night, trying to think up the next best thing that might compete with the new 2002 Acura 3.2 TL and 3.2 TL Type-S. These cars are already winners in the 2002 sport/luxury class.

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The Car of the Day is keeping with the current and is the Acura HSC concept from the 2004 NAIAS. It was rumored that this was going to be the next NSX. Unfortunately that never happened…

There’s a little bit of Ferrari in the nose and the rear.

But the side view is all Acura, with maybe a little Lambo for added punch!

The Best Thing In Life Is To Discover Something New …

I love to discover new things. Whether a new restaurant or a new magazine or new music. If I’ve never seen it before, then it’s quite new to me and I usually have to find out what it is and what makes it tick.

As an automotive enthusiast I’m always looking for a different perspective or new or different information outside of my usual avenues (Car and Driver, Road & Track, et al). Well, the wife and I were at the local library and I happened to spy a DVD set of the British car show Top Gear. Called “Top Gear 10”, it is the complete tenth season and let me tell you … these guys are awesome! The three hosts (Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May and the mysterious Stig, the tame race car driver, who does not speak on the show) are witty, funny and have that dry British humor that I grew up with from my Dad’s parents, who grew up in Scotland.

The show revolves around testing high-power, sexy, great-handling cars along with some crazy stunts and cool  reviews of more pedestrian autos. One of my favourite(!) spots is the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car, where the Stig trains a celebrity to run on Top Gera’s own race track and we get to see how well that celeb does. In season 10, Simon Cowell was king! Of all people!

Part of Top Gear’s charm for me is the English colloquialisms like Bonnet and Boot (we say hood and trunk), Saloon and Coupe (pronounced coo-pay) (we say sedan and coupe or two-door). Another great one is nicked … as in “they nicked my car stereo last night. Bloody blokes!”

It’s good, irreverent fun and I will definitely keep my eyes open for more seasons and what they have available online.

Another discovery came Saturday night. The wife and I were in an adventurous mood, ever since we ate at Utsav in New York City, we’ve been talking about trying new foods and doing some experimentation. And since the Wife isn’t a big fan of Chinese food, it’s been rough going…

That is, until we sampled Thai Cafe at the eastern end of the Delmar Loop in The Lou. We started with the Thai Tempura (# 10 on the menu) which was vegetable bits battered and deep fried and served with a totally delicious sweet and sour sauce. The veggies were baby corn, carrots, onion, broccoli and red and green peppers. The batter was light and very tasty and the combination of the veggies, batter and sweet and sour made for one of the best appetizers we’ve had in a long time.

The most interesting aspect of the menu is the choices of “meat”, from beef and pork to seafood and tofu, all of which cost extra! It is a grand departure from most American restaurants where the “meat” is included so if you’re a vegetarian, then you’ll still pay for the meat. It is totally refreshing to have that much choice in a meal out and it would be great if more American restaurants would follow suit.

For entrées, the Wife had the Pad Manora; flat rice noodle stir-fried with meat, onion, pepper, bamboo shoot, basil leaves and red curry paste with coconut milk. It’s flavor reminded me of my favorite stir fry place, BD’s Mongolian Grill, where you create your own stir fry and have a ton of choices to flavor the vegetables and meats you choose. The Pad Manora was slightly spicy and had a great curry flavor.

I had the Pad Ped, which included red curry stir fried with meat, bamboo shoots, pepper, and basil leaves, all on  a bed of white rice. For my meat, I decided on chicken and it was sensational! The spice built the more I ate and by the end I was sweating quite a bit, but it was never hot and not once did i feel the heat in my mouth. To me, it was the perfect amount of spice and savory flavors.

Bottom line? We’ll definitely return and we definitely have a new genre of food to consider the next time we eat out!

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Today’s review is of the 2001 redesigned Honda Civic:

2001 Honda Civic EX

A New, Civilized Civic

By James E. Bryson

In the hilly outreaches of suburban St. Louis, there are many twisty, curvy roads that beg to be driven. Hard. The car of choice might be a Corvette or one of the many expensive sports cars on the market today. But if you, like many of us, can't afford one of these, then a drive in the new-for-2001 Honda Civic EX will give you a taste of what else is out there. Honestly, the only thing smoking during this road test was nothing but tires.

The EX Sedan is a pure pleasure to drive, plain and simple. The test vehicle came with the standard five-speed manual and the peppy 1.7l VTEC inline-four cylinder. It's amazing how quick 127 hp and 107 lb.-ft. can feel, especially in a car that is designated as an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle.

And, given that this seventh-generation iteration has moved from a double-wishbone to a MacPherson strut front suspension, it handles like a more expensive car. Taking the twisties in the Civic is as fun as after-hours trading, the main difference being the instant return on your driving investment.

The shift lever is almost as precise as that of the Mazda Miata or BMW Z3. It's a pleasure to work, back and forth, in small increments, never feeling like you're going to miss a gear because it seems to know where you want it to go, and it takes you there. No other car in this class can match this precision. Honda's engineers have taken a normal economy car and given us something to remember.

On that front, the whole drive train works extremely well together. Honda's venerable VTEC technology (variable valve timing) works wonders in keeping torque high throughout the rev range. That, coupled with a 6700 rpm redline, gives the Civic plenty of oomph to get around without much fuss. And fuss it does not. It tantalizes and taunts, causing you to push harder and farther towards redline, pulling every inch of the way. The best aspect of the VTEC engine is the lack of buzz as the revs reach higher ground.

The 2001 Civic EX has definitely moved upscale too. No longer is it a sub-compact econocar. The EPA rating puts it in the compact class for the first time. If you need proof of this, get a '01 Civic, park it next to an older Accord (the older models give a better indication of the newfound size) and compare length and width. You'll find the Civic to be almost as much car as an old Accord. This overall vehicle growth is becoming an increasing trend at Honda these days.

The upscale near-luxury treatment continues on the inside, where the two-tone dash treatment lends an air of sophistication. The plastics on the dash and the carpeting on the doors have a quality feel that should last for the 150,000 to 200,000 miles some Honda owners put on their cars.

More neo-luxury fair can be found with the shifter itself. The lever is covered in soft leather with a bezel and accent that hold the boot in place. The bezel and accent are done in an aluminum-looking material that almost looks like it belongs in an aforementioned Acura. Though, more such trim pieces would have given the Civic a much more grandiose feel.

On the ergonomic front, where Honda engineers seem to spend a lot of time, the switches are easy to reach and operate and feel like they were taken from an Acura. For instance, you can feel the fan detents when you turn the dial, but they never hinder movement. The transitions are smooth, making the dials feel more expensive. A nice touch for a vehicle that costs under $18,000.

As for price, the top-of-the-line new Civic EX stickered at only $17,160.00. On this model, standard equipment encompasses air (with Micron filter), CD stereo, cruise control, power windows and locks, keyless entry, a myriad of storage cubbyholes, front and side airbags for driver and passenger, ABS, rear seat anchors and tethers for child safety seats, an emergency trunk opener, anti-theft system, 5 mph bumpers and a bevy of other equipment. The only optional piece on the tester was floor mats at $89.00. That plus the destination charge brought the grand total of the tester to $17,689.00. Not a bad deal considering that the average new car leaves the showroom at the mid-$20,000 level.

There aren't many dislikes with the new Civic, thought it can be quite noisy at highway speeds, depending on the road surface. There are a number of factors that could cause this, not least of which is the fact that the Civic is still an "economy" car. It is not an Acura, nor does it claim to be, but a little more padding in the right places might drop the noise levels.

After 336 miles of tortuous driving, the Civic returned 31.1 miles per gallon of gasoline. And, no, there will be no recount. This figure is less than the EPA City estimate for the EX, but the mostly around-town driving was up and down and around the hills of St. Louis, therefore garnering a bit less in the mileage column.

As for crash test data, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives the 2001 Civic five stars for frontal crash worthiness and four stars for side crash worthiness. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has not tested a 2001 Civic yet.

The new Civic is a good buy and a great car for young 20-somethings, older Honda enthusiasts or anyone in the market for a highly contented car for not a lot of money. And with Honda's stellar quality and durability, the 2001 Civic could be the new sales leader in its class.

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And now, the car of the day:

This is the Mitsubishi Tarmac Spider concept from the 2003 NAIAS. It’s a cool little car that might could make a big impression today with it’s diminutive size and cute looks.

It does look like the current Eclipse Spider, at least it has some similar styling cues like the complex rear lights and well defined wheel arches.

Hope you had a good read!

AMF!

Always Up For A Little Pizza

So we went out last night to Onesto Pizza & Trattoria in the South Hampton neighborhood of St. Louis proper before Vikki had some dental work done today.  What a great little place!

It’s the only commercial entity on the whole block but looks like it definitely belongs to the neighborhood. The decor was outstanding and was unlike any strip mall location can hope to offer. The coolest things were the tin roof (painted red!) and the Star Wars figures all over the dining room we were seated in. It was a little hot out so we didn’t sit on the patio, which was large enough to almost double the inside seating capacity.

We started with the Mozzarella Impanata, which was basically a couple chunks of cheese, battered and fried. The batter was light and the cheese was perfectly done, making for one of the best appetizers we’ve recently had, outside of Mexican cheese dip…

Vikki got a calzone for her entre and it came out perfect. The crust was light and tasty and the filling was chock full of the veggies and such Vikki had ordered.

I ordered a small pizza with pepperoni as the only topping. The crust was tasty and, at first, I thought there was too little cheese and sauce. Turns out it was that first piece. The rest of the pizza was almost perfect!

Again, Onesto’s is part of St. Louis Originals, which means we have a bigger stake in going there as we know the restaurant is locally owned and operated. This is from the St. Louis Originals homepage:

“The St. Louis Originals exists to promote dining in local independent area restaurants, to provide diners with a unique local flavor and to raise awareness of independent restaurants both locally and nationally.”

So yes, we will definitely go back to Onesto’s to try more of their Italian fare and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere. And hopefully I won’t have a ginormous lunch that afternoon!

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Continuing on with the old reviews, here’s the second Ford Ranger review I have done:

2001 Ford Ranger

Ford Updates Its Ranger Line

by James E. Bryson

Once upon a time, there was a big car company that wanted to make a better truck for the masses. That company worked hard and kept its loyal following up to date with the most current features, and fed the public's hunger for good-looking, well handling small trucks.

The princely Ranger pickup line has given Ford Motor Company plenty of reason to beam with pleasure whenever they mention its name, as it is the best-selling small tuck. It also is a popular vehicle for fleets and small-business people.

For 2001, the Ranger line has been updated with new features and a slightly different look. The interior, which was a friendly and comfortable place before, gets a new 60/40-split bench seat and a six-disc in-dash CD changer. Ranger interiors always have been filled with nice materials, comfy seats with good cloth and, on XLT models at least, good instrumentation.

The cloth-covered seats of our tester were comfortable and the fabric clung when the corners came hard and strong.

The front fascia has changed for 2001: The grill is more subdued than last year's (it doesn't bulge out so far) and there's a body-colored surround rather than chrome. The headlights also have been revamped. They are now jeweled units with an integral turn signal in the same space as last year's lights. It all looks more upscale and expensive. Overall, the new look is a refreshing departure from past iterations.

There are many new features worth mentioning across the whole 2001 Ranger line, here are just a few:

First off, Ford is offering more standard equipment on Rangers, with fewer options packages. They have reduced the total from 330,00 possible build combinations to just 184 and are calling this approach “targeted product offering.”

Second is the Edge model, which is slated between the XL and XLT trim packages. This monochromatic-colored version was designed to appeal to “young, active-lifestyle customers who want a vehicle with a distinctive appearance at an affordable price.” The Edge comes with a washable textured vinyl floor for those young active people to be able to hose out the mess they might make out in the woods or on the trail. It harkens back to the old days when all you could get for flooring was vinyl mats.

Our red tester, an extended-cab XLT 4X2 with the big 4.0-liter SOHC V6, came well equipped and nicely appointed.

We were impressed with the power of the SOHC V6, which replaces the OHV 4.0-liter. The difference is the lack of pushrods in the new motor, making actuating the valves more precise for better control of the combustion process.

In two-wheel-drive trim, though, it was easy to spin the wheels and make a lot of racket with this much power at hand. This new engine to the Ranger line generates 207 horsepower and 238 lb.-ft. of torque. Traction seemed decent on dry pavement, but on wet roads we had our hands full trying to motivate.

The five-speed automatic transmission shifted smooth and sure, especially under hard acceleration. Under normal driving conditions, it shifted more smoothly, making you almost forget its even there. Ford has done a good job on this transmission; it puts power to the pavement in a smooth, seamless fashion.

Stopping is another good point for Ranger. With standard four-wheel ABS and electronic brake force distribution (this system adjusts rear brake pressure to optimize stopping distances depending n vehicle load), we stopped on a dime every time and never felt any fade after repeated stops from highway speeds.

The structure of the four-door extended cab seemed to have been beefed up for 2001. Compared with last year's truck, this one definitely flexed less, making us feel safer because the body felt stronger.

This is also the quietest Ranger we've driven. According to a press release, Ford has employed the gentleman responsible for quieting the Lincoln Town Car to perform the same magic on the Ranger. He has done a good job at quelling noise, vibration and harshness in the 2001 Ranger.

Interior materials were top-notch. We really liked the interior color Ford calls Prairie Tan. It was a shade of brown that looked like sandstone and had a rich hue that gave the interior a welcoming feel. It was a nice departure from the standard gray or black. The seat cloth was nice to the touch but gripped well when we took corners quickly.

One interesting detail of note from the 2001 Ranger press kit: Ranger will be at least 90 percent recyclable by weight. Approximately 10.5 percent of its plastic parts and about four percent of its non-rubber content will be made from post-consumer recycled material. This includes the accelerator pedal, snow shields and engine fan shrouds. The air cleaner cover and tray contain 30 percent post-consumer recycled material, up from 25 percent in the previous model.

All this, coupled with low-emission vehicle status for all Ranger engines, means Ranger is one Earth-friendly ride.

In XLT trim, like our tester, Ranger comes with many standard items, including power windows, locks and mirrors; remote keyless entry; tachometer; driver and passenger airbags; SecuriLock anti-theft; power rack and pinion steering; short-long arm front suspension; and 15-inch chrome wheels with P225/70RX 15 tires.

If we were to purchase our tester, we would pay $21,450.00. this includes the six-disc in-dash CD changer ($270), tubular aluminum bed extender ($195) and a destination charge of $585.

For the price, Ranger still is one of the most popular trucks in the nation. And with the features, look and price that Ranger customers demand, Ford is sure to have the best selling compact truck for many years to come.

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And now, the car of the day:

This is the Dodge Kahuna and it was first shown at the 2003 NAIAS.

It’s a “woodie” and is something they really should have built as it’s another in a long line of great design exercises that have never hit market.

‘Till we meet again…

Saludos Mis Amigos

As I reflect on 10 years in The Lou, I find myself reflecting on my life before and after that monumental move. One of the things I miss most is going to hear live music. With the smoke-filled rooms, my age and the early hours I keep, it’s not as easy as it used to be…that, and I’m not sure where in The Lou to go to find the local musicians who play the kind of music I might be in the mood for.

I was reminded of this last weekend when I went to Pop’s Nightclub with my parts of my lunch crowd.

It seams Savannah’s sister loves this band, Final Drive, and their chance to play at Pointfest on the Pop’s side-stage was hanging in the balance as they were in a battle with seven other bands who all wanted that same stage. This night at Pop’s would crown the winner, through votes cast by the bar patrons

Never one to miss a chance to hangout with the lunch crowd, I was in!

Now, I like a wide variety of music, as attested to on my iPod, but hard-core gangsta rap and death metal (where there’s more screaming than singing) have never been my favorites, and even if I knew going in that the night would prominently feature such acts I still would have gone.

There were eight bands that played and each had about 20-30 minute sets. The was made possible by two separate stages set up in Pop's, which was a great idea and worked well since there was plenty of room for it.

We ended up arriving during the first band’s set, which is sad as Centerpointe was probably the most subdued and pop-like of all the bands. And in my eyes would make a great addition to Pointfest as I thought they were the most marketable.

Other bands of note included From Mars To Venus, who had this Flyleaf-like vibe. I say this as the singer tried to sound like Lacey Mosley but without the full-on attitude and great vocal range. Their music was OK but not a hit at our table.

My favorite of the night was Floodline. They were bluesy, ballsy and well-polished. The bass player looked like he could play with Lynyrd Skynyrd or The Doobie Brothers…and he could sing! Floodline’s music was energetic and well-written. Unfortunately, I don’t think they were a good fit for Pointfest. The kids going there won’t be looking for heavy blues…they want to mosh.

The last band of the night was, of course, Final Drive. They were actually quite good; tight, loud and heavy. Like I said, I’m not a fan of the scream/singing but there were plenty of people at Pop’s who really got into Final Drive's music and really seemed to enjoy their set. I was left with ringing ears (forgot my earplugs) and a newfound appreciation for the local metal scene in The Lou.

As an aside, outside of Sirius/XM’s Liquid Metal, this music doesn’t get much airplay, which means that unless they tour heavily, scream/sing bands like Final Drive have a tough row to sow to make a living out of the music industry.

Here’s the full lineup from Pop’s Pointfest battle from Saturday, July 25th:

• Centerpointe
• Metal Sanity
• From Mars To Venus
• Barrel Proof
• Floodline
• Lesser Key
• Emptyset
• Final Drive

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Here’s an old review of a car outside the ordinary:

2002 Mazda Protegé5

A Way-Cool Approach to the "H" Word

by James E. Bryson

Hatchbacks have never been too popular in the United States. Most people seem to prefer large wagons, an SUV, or a minivan, over smallish economy cars with an increased carrying capacity, compared to a sedan. Enter the new for 2002 Mazda Protegé5.

If you look around there are some new vehicles on our shores that could be considered hatchbacks, depending on how you look at things, and whether or not the manufacturer sees it as one. Mazda, on an upswing these days with many new and interesting products, has designed a "youth-oriented" vehicle that, they say, has exceptional seating and cargo capacity and flexibility and a distinctive, sporty style that reaches out to a diverse group of consumers. Can you say Hatchback?

Introduced as the Sport Wagon at the 2001 Los Angeles Auto Show, the Protegé5 is Mazda's newest product to come from the Protegé platform, and is leading the industry in the new "five-door" niche with great looks and decent performance for an economically minded car.

Unlike the more pedestrian and useful station wagon of yore, the Protegé5 has a very small cargo area concealed by a rigid privacy cover. Most of us recognize this layout as the aforementioned "H" word. But, since doom and gloom come to carmakers that use the "H" word, most have decided to change the image of these runabouts by calling them something else, like a five-door "what-have-you". We have been very impressed with the arrival of these vehicles because the five-door is useful and stylish all at once, unlike a lot of the frumpy hatchbacks we had to buy in the 70s and 80s.

All of these new vehicles, including Chrysler's PT Cruiser, the Suzuki Aerio, the Pontiac Vibe and the Ford Focus ZX5, to name a few, are attractive and offer more cargo hauling choices than their sedan counterparts. The flexibility of the rear hatch to swallow large loads when the rear seats are folded is the best point of these vehicles. While they cannot carry as much cargo as the traditional station wagon, they are a compelling alternative to an SUV, stylish and utilitarian in one compact package. Another point in favor of the sedan-based five-door is better fuel economy and much better handling than any SUV could hope for.

On the flip side, directly comparing the Protegé5 with the best selling small SUV and the newest five-door, cargo capacity is at a premium for the Mazda. With the rear seats folded, a good measure of true cargo capacity, the Ford Escape has 64.8 cubic feet of space to stow your stuff. The new-for-2003 Pontiac Vibe has 57.2 cubic feet available for your mountain bikes or whatnot. Consequently, the Protégé5 has only 24.4 cubic feet to carry what-have-you.

At the least the "Zoom, Zoom" factor of the Mazda outweighs the apparent cargo-carrying deficiency.

When driving the Protegé5, you notice the crisp and quick handling within a few minutes on the road. The slightest movement of the steering wheel makes course changes instantly, while not being too twitchy. Cornering is above par on most surfaces, and traffic lines are cut as quick as the Fed has cut interest rates this year.

We really liked the full gauge cluster and ergonomic layout of the controls. We also liked the positive pedal feel and tight clutch. What was stellar was the shifter. It was the nicest front-drive gear selector we've driven lately and felt almost as good as its sibling's, the MX-5 Miata.

Interior accoutrements are on pace with other vehicles of the sub-$20,000 class. We liked the cloth covering the seats; it's texture and pattern suited the sportiness and utility of the vehicle. Controls were well placed and easy to use. We definitely like the separate stalk with windshield wiper controls.

And we were very impressed with the Protegé5's engine. Torque and horsepower in this engine merge to form a formidable line that propels this vehicle to speed faster than you might expect. With 130 horsepower and 135 lb.-ft. of torque, this little wagon gets going pretty well. One passenger, though, commented that the ride felt rough and the car jerked around quite a bit. While we really don't disagree, we at least can attribute the jerkiness to a touchy clutch and taut suspension.

The styling of the Protegé5 is boy-racer cool, with ground effects all around and a monochromatic color scheme that could make any adolescent drool. As part of the Protegé5 package, you get 16-inch alloy wheels, P195/50R16 all-season tires, large front fog lights, an adjustable roof rack, rear roof-end spoiler, front and rear air dams and side sills, and body-colored power mirrors, bumpers, side moldings and door handles.

Our Protegé5 tester topped out at $18,395 that included a base price of $16,335 plus a small list of options and the obligatory destination charge ($480). The options on our tester, of the few that are offered, were carpeted floor mats ($80), ABS with side airbags ($800) and a power sliding glass moonroof ($700), the last two had to be chosen together to get either.

The Mazda Protegé5 is a veritable bargain in its price class: You get superior handling coupled with enough power to make the most of the handling in an attractively stylish automobile. Long live the hatchback!

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And now, the car of the day:

This is the Mercury Cougar Concept from the 2003 North American International Auto Show.

It never saw production but we can always hope, right?

This is one sharp car with great lines and that sporty look a lot of manufacturers are going for these days.

This is just another example of Ford teasing us with a great design that never sees the light of production, but I’m not bitter ;O)