Quote: Originally Posted by
sdashiki 
Question about the xB:
is it fast enough for you? I hear the engine is kinda tiny for such a "large" car. Just curious, cuz the tC is so much lighter and with larger engine?
My matrix has 130hp and it weighs a friggen ton, but still has ample power.
I have the 5-speed version, and the axle ratio is somewhat higher. At 80mph, I'm running 4000 rpm. That accounts for the fuel economy difference; the automatic gets a few miles per gallon better. But the stick version is a blast to drive and, with a bit wider tires and an anti-sway bar, it corners great.
If I have a complaint, it's that I can only go about 400 miles of a trip before my legs start to cramp. That's because the seats are good, but only good -- not great.
Still, it's a terrific little car. In less than two years, I've put 45,000 miles on it, with no expenses other than normal maintenance. I haul a 4'x8' open trailer easily.
The new ones moved the horsepower from 103 to 158, and it makes a huge difference in responsiveness, but it knocks the fuel economy down a good deal. Nonetheless, it's a really good car for surprisingly little money.
Didn't mean to hijack your thread,
Fixer, so I'll turn it back over to you.
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