You're all smoking funny cigarettes. What vehicle won the 5-way comparo of new three-row SUVs in this month's C&D? Hint: it was the only vehicle in the comparison test with a 4 cylinder. You guys have to get out of the 90's. Railton, you're shutting the door on some excellent vehicles with your no 4 cylinder rule.
I disagree. They don't sound nearly as good as a V8 or V6..and the NVH is unmatched (V8). Since driving an SUV is dynamic purgatory for me...I at least would want a melodious exhaust to keep me awake and interested.
Whatever you're smoking to disagree with that...please take a hit and pass it!
Which C&D issue BTW? July or June?
August.
Just read new Tiguan review. Same engine, isn't it?
Engine described as sounding "gritty" and off the line performance was sluggish with turbo lag.
You assumed because I brought up the fact that a 4 cylinder 3-row SUV won the competition against v6 rivals that it was a German vehicle. Au contraire. It was the Mazda CX-9. As for the Tiguan, I don't know which version of the EA888 it has in it, but I know that it's significantly down on horsepower and torque compared to the Q5. Besides, I'm not going to help y'all pound another nail into the 4 cylinders' coffin that you have fashioned. Look up the information for yourself.
It seems like the rest of the automotive universe has moved on to the all-around goodness of boosted small displacement engines. You need an open mind. That's all I will say.
AC, we went to the Mazda dealer first to check out the CX-9 with it's turbo 4 cylinder engine because of it's great styling inside and out and its great reviews. It checked all of the boxes except when it came to that typical 4 cylinder Civic sound on low RPM's. That, and it's AC didn't seem up to the task. That was enough to convince Mrs. Railton to look further.
I've owned 4 cylinder turbo vehicles for 15 years in my past - they can be great. And, they can be great sounding but Mazda needs to do something on the CX-9 to address it's engine sound coming into the cabin and the AC. Maybe pump in some fake noise is the answer. Time will tell.
Railton
