The $3,495 Sport-Leather package, which I highly recommend if not for the upgraded seats alone, also includes memory
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| The fabulous 10-speaker, 600-watt Dynaudio stereo system offers a completely unique and absolutely wonderful approach to car audio. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
exterior mirrors to complement the three position memory seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and an uprated sport suspension, over an above those items already mentioned.
My tester came with the fabulous Dynaudio stereo system, a completely unique approach to car audio. Altogether, ten speakers are included, four separated for bass and mounted in the doors. Interestingly, they integrate a proprietary Magnesium Silicate Polymer (MSP) technology for the cone material. Additionally, two 52 mm midrange drivers join four 28 mm tweeters placed in the front and rear of the car for a balanced sound. At the heart of the system, 600 watts of power, achieved via four amplifiers per channel totaling eight, makes for crystal clear sound reproduction with ultra-bright highs (maybe too bright) and a depth in the low range which is unusually powerful. The system's head unit doubles as the navigation interface, and features fairly large knobs and buttons that should make operating it with gloves possible. While almost overwhelming for various genres of music, the system also made talk radio sound especially clear. This might be the best sound system available from any entry-level brand, with only Mitsubishi's
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| Connected to the audio system interface is an extremely user friendly navigation system. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
upgraded 650-watt stereo rivaling it for clarity and depth, at least in my experience.
Connected to that audio system interface, as mentioned, is an extremely user friendly navigation system, and if it wasn't for its ease of operation I couldn't have opened up the convoluted grid of Boston's ocean-side roadways via its detailed map to find all the splendid photo backgrounds that are displayed in this article, and more importantly it kept me locked onto my hotel when I needed to get back to where I would enjoy dinner and finally spend the night. It's available as a stand-alone option on 3.6-litre models for $2,700, and well worth it for the directionally challenged or travelers who go on regular road trips to unfamiliar cities.
