Expect fuel economy to improve by at least 10% after your first oil change.
What about comfort, interior quality, and all that stuff? Anyone think the reviews were spot on?
I'm barely getting 23 mpg on almost all highway driving. But it's because I'm idling a lot in the driveway learning how to use everything, and I'm cranking the air conditioning. Since getting 23 under those circumstances is not too shabby, I can't wait to see what happens when I settle down and operate it normally in cooler weather.
Also, the lower you set the AC, the better your mileage is. I always thought just having it on was bad, but there are GRADIENTS of bad.
Comfort - high. The seat is very good, though I don't feel like it's holding me in place from side-to-side as well. The cloth actually has a sheen to it, so it doesn't cause friction with your clothes, which means you don't feel as stuck to the seat.
The steering wheel is a great thickness - it feels really substantial. But the texture of the wheel is kind of abrasive for my hands, so I'm going to cover it with something.
Buttons are awesome, everything seems sturdy, everything is easy to reach. There is a high learning curve on Sync and the radio and even the climate controls, which is why I'm idling in the driveway so long each day trying to learn it all. But I'm getting the hang of it. It's not confusing, so once you know it you remember it, but it's not intuitive. I actually have to study and take notes on some of this stuff, and I'm one of the go-to tech people in my office!!
The car is so dang fast. If I didn't know better, I'd assume that I'd just traded up in horsepower from my Olds Alero. I'm still mourning having an automatic, but I'm learning not to stomp on the accelerator. Plan ahead. Press the pedal gently 1/3 of way to the floor. Be ready to take evasive action when you realize you are going too fast and about to rear end whatever is in front of you.
Air conditioning is amazing. Cools down in seconds even in 95 degree weather, polar air temperature means you never have to crank it for more than a minute. Stereo is so powerful that the bass shakes the door, the floor where the manual clutch would be, the rear view mirror. But without degrading into that rattle - sound stays clear even while it's shaking the car. Big, good, sound. I think my legs are so long I have to adjust the balance so that more of it is coming from the car's back speakers, but I'll play with that this weekend.
And it's sexy from every angle.