Downshifts in the automatic could be smoother. Also, shifting into third gear instead of Drive when shifting out of Park or Reverse is easy to do.
Outward vision to the front is good, with thanks to the height-adjustable driver's seat, as from the front passenger seat, the hood slopes away steeply enough to disappear from sight. To the sides and rear, the tall glass house and slim sails ease parking and quick manuevers in traffic.
Handling and steering are good, considering the car's height and the tallish tires. Put another way, the alloy wheels deliver more in looks than performance. When pushed, the car eases into understeer, which is common for economy front-wheel-drive cars. The brake pedal in the test car was a bit mushy, but not enough to cause concern. Ride is solid, not too firm, and a daylong, 400-mile-plus drive wasn't unusually tiring. Next Page