But once I did, well, it was like buttah.
When you get right down it, a car is essentially a wagon for transportation. Sure, it’s also a status symbol, a vehicle for luxury and, in some cases an extension of one's home. But I’m one of those “it gets me from point A to point B” kind of gals. Yet I’m open to the idea that a set of wheels can be more than just a buggy with a motor. I’m a beemer newbie, and had never experienced the smooth-yet-sturdy German engineering. (I won't get into my car history but let's just say it involves a lot of QT spent with a Ford Focus. The glories of buying a car on a writer's salary.)
I test-drove the impressive vehicle over a weekend, weathering a six-hour drive north to Amelia Island (in pounding thunderstorms) and experimenting with the car’s numerous high-tech features and powerful engine. It’s also one of the more handsome cars I’ve seen. It combines the all the elements of a station wagon, SUV and hatchback without caving to the boxiness or soul-crushing nerdiness of those shapes.
Things I loved about the car:
- how safe the car felt. We drove through pounding rains at 80mph - something I would never attempt in my usual SUV, but the car felt so smooth and solid (and quiet!) that it was easy to coast through the downpour at high speeds.
- the highly-adjustable driver’s seat with snug “wings” that hug your lower back
- the incredibly roomy cabin. This is a touring vehicle, ideal for a group of 4-5 people on a trip, and there's enough space for everyone to sit comfortably.
- the dashboard speedometer projects onto the windshield, so you don’t have to take your eyes off the road when checking your speed.
- the backseat has “stadium” seating, so it’s a bit higher than the front seat, giving the second row passengers a view of the action ahead.
- the hatchback-like trunk which allowed us to jam a weekend’s worth of luggage, baby gear, a stroller and a folding bike (we’re not into light packing) into the car.
- the speedometer alarm that you can manually set to alert you when you’ve gone over your limit. I set mine to 90. It was binging a lot.
What I didn't love:
When you get right down it, a car is essentially a wagon for transportation. Sure, it’s also a status symbol, a vehicle for luxury and, in some cases an extension of one's home. But I’m one of those “it gets me from point A to point B” kind of gals. Yet I’m open to the idea that a set of wheels can be more than just a buggy with a motor. I’m a beemer newbie, and had never experienced the smooth-yet-sturdy German engineering. (I won't get into my car history but let's just say it involves a lot of QT spent with a Ford Focus. The glories of buying a car on a writer's salary.)
I test-drove the impressive vehicle over a weekend, weathering a six-hour drive north to Amelia Island (in pounding thunderstorms) and experimenting with the car’s numerous high-tech features and powerful engine. It’s also one of the more handsome cars I’ve seen. It combines the all the elements of a station wagon, SUV and hatchback without caving to the boxiness or soul-crushing nerdiness of those shapes.
Things I loved about the car:
- how safe the car felt. We drove through pounding rains at 80mph - something I would never attempt in my usual SUV, but the car felt so smooth and solid (and quiet!) that it was easy to coast through the downpour at high speeds.
- the highly-adjustable driver’s seat with snug “wings” that hug your lower back
- the incredibly roomy cabin. This is a touring vehicle, ideal for a group of 4-5 people on a trip, and there's enough space for everyone to sit comfortably.
- the dashboard speedometer projects onto the windshield, so you don’t have to take your eyes off the road when checking your speed.
- the backseat has “stadium” seating, so it’s a bit higher than the front seat, giving the second row passengers a view of the action ahead.
- the hatchback-like trunk which allowed us to jam a weekend’s worth of luggage, baby gear, a stroller and a folding bike (we’re not into light packing) into the car.
- the speedometer alarm that you can manually set to alert you when you’ve gone over your limit. I set mine to 90. It was binging a lot.
What I didn't love:
- the sun roof mechanism. Sure, it's a panoramic sun roof which is fabulous but it took me no less than 25 minutes to figure out how to get the whole thing open all the way. I'm no gearhead, and I'm sure if I had bought the car from a dealer the person would have walked me through all the functions, but on first encounter, the switch is non user-friendly.
- the joystick gearshift. Call me old-fashioned but I like to feel some mechanical heft when I'm pulling into Drive.
But other than that, no real complaints. It's a big spaceship of a car, with an interior like a cockpit. If I owned the car I probably wouldn't end up using nearly half the electronic features available on the car's hard drive, but it was cool to experience for a weekend.
But other than that, no real complaints. It's a big spaceship of a car, with an interior like a cockpit. If I owned the car I probably wouldn't end up using nearly half the electronic features available on the car's hard drive, but it was cool to experience for a weekend.
