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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday July 30, 2008 - 21 The 2009 Subaru 3.0R Continued from Page 20 Hot Days. Hot Deals. Hot Cars. (You sensing a theme here?) 2008 There is a rotary knob on the transmission tunnel marked as Intelligent, Sport and Sport Sharp. By twisting the knob, the response from the engine and transmission can be changed to best suit one of three driving modes. Intelligent smoothes out the engine and improves fuel economy by as much as 10 per cent for highway and in-town daily cruising. Sport is more for general use giving more linear throttle response and extra punch when passing. Sport Sharp changes the engine mapping plus holds lower gears longer for more power plus instantaneous shifts. The 3.0R comes with a five-speed automatic Sportshift transmission with manual shift mode. It is one of the fastest shifting units in the industry taking 0.2 seconds (literally the blink of an eye) controlled by big paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel or by the shift handle on the transmission tunnel. It also has a "blipping" mode that matches engine speed on downshifts making for smoother and lurch-free gear changes. With a long wheelbase and wide stance, the engine, transmission and Si-Drive are mated to Subaru's patented symmetrical full-time all-wheel-drive. Developed from the lessons learned in three outright World Rally Championship wins, the Subaru system is at once simple, but very effective, in routing torque back and forth so seamlessly that you don't notice it. For the 3.0R, a limited slip differential is added for more precise torque splitting. Because the boxer engine layout allows it to sit lower, it lets the driveshaft to the rear travel in a straight line and that makes for a lower overall centre of gravity and less power loss in universal joints. The result is a sedan that feels very substantial overall. In the 3.0R the buildup of speed is deceptive in that it's so smooth that you don't get a sense of how fast you are going. Entering and exiting a corner in a Subaru demonstrates the level of grip the AWD system has such is the competency of the pitch and yaw system (Subaru calls it Vehicle Dynamic Control) with traction control, ABS and electronic brake force distribution. In Sport Sharp mode, braking and then accelerating is done in one sweeping motion. With the paddle shifters going and the engine blipping matched gears with engine speeds, it's a lot of fun to feel the car respond so fully. It's a luxury car, but it also lets you enjoy motoring without breaking any laws. And speaking of luxury, the 3.0R shows how Subaru has comes from the days when you could have any interior color as long as it was gray. The 3.0R Premier tested here was finished in a warming two-tone blend with wood and aluminum accents. With heated front seats with dual zone climate control, the Limited and Premier have a nine-speaker Harman Kardon, 385-watt sound system. The Premier adds a GPS DVD-based navigation system with touch-screen monitor. The 3.0R is in its element as a highway cruiser. Sticking it on the cruise and picking your favorite tunes on the Sirius satellite radio (three-month trial period) while putting 400 or 500 km behind you can be taken in stride. But for our weather and driving conditions, especially after last winter, having Subaru AWD is a serious buying consideration. I know my next vehicle will have AWD, and having owned one Subaru already, it is high on my list. GRAND VITARA 4WD / Power Windows / Power Locks / Power Mirrors / Remote Keyless Entry / Air Conditioning / V6 13.0 L/100km (22 mpg) city 9.5 L/100km (30 mpg) highway NEW CASH PURCHASE PRICE $19,995 OR PURCHASE FINANCING 0% FOR 72 MONTHS PLUS $1000 CASH INCENTIVE 2008 GOLD KEY AWARD BEST NEW COMPACT SUV L'ANNUEL DE L'AUTOMOBILE MSRP $25,595* JLX MODEL SHOWN FINALIST BEST NEW SMALL CAR 2008 THE ALL NEW 2008 SX4 SEDAN PURCHASE FINANCING FOR 48 MONTHS SX4.ca 9.2 L/100km (31 mpg) city 6.5 L/100km (43 mpg) highway Air Conditioning / Power Windows / Power Locks / Power Mirrors / Remote Keyless Entry 0% $ DOWN PAYMENT ON LEASE 0 LEASE FROM $ 205 @ 1.5% FOR 60 MONTHS ** SPORT MODEL SHOWN 2008 MOST FUEL EFFICIENT AWD IN CANADA 8.7 L/100km (32 mpg) city 5.8 L/100km (49 mpg) highway JLX AWD MODEL SHOWN SWIFT+ PURCHASE FINANCING FOR 72 MONTHS Cargo Area Cover / Standard Front & Seat Mounted Side Airbags / AM/FM/CD/MP3 Player (4 speakers) 0% 2008 SX4 S MODEL SHOWN CROSSOVER 9.9 L/100km (29 mpg) city 7.1 L/100km (40 mpg) highway Intelligent AWD / Power Windows / Power Locks / Heated Power Mirrors / Cruise Control / Remote Keyless Entry / Air Conditioning LEASE FROM PURCHASE FINANCING FOR 48 MONTHS 0% $ DOWN PAYMENT ON LEASE 0 $ 235 @ 2.28% FOR 60 MONTHS ** Visit suzuki.ca for your nearest dealer. Every new SUZUKI comes with 5-year 100,000 kilometre powertrain limited warranty and 5-year unlimited kilometre roadside assistance Suzuki of Oakville 2219 Wyecroft Road, Oakville, ON L6L 5L7 Toll Free 1-877-469-5969 fax 905-469-4562 CONSUMERS SHOULD READ THE FOLLOWING: Vehicles may not be exactly as shown. Limited time offers are subject to change without notice. *As shown: $29,745 MSRP for a new 2008 Grand Vitara JLX model with automatic transmission; $18,995 MSRP for 2008 SX4 sedan sport with manual transmission; $16,295 MSRP for 2008 Swift+ S with manual transmission; $20,695 MSRP for a new 2008 SX4 Crossover JX AWD model with manual transmission. Destination and delivery of $1,395/$1,250/$1,250/$1,250, administration fee, $400/$75/$0/$75 fuel conservation fee (where applicable), other taxes, license, insurance, applicable fees and registration are extra. Cash purchase price for a new 2008 Grand Vitara JA (model LLN81S8) with manual transmission includes $5,000.00 cash incentive available only to cash customers and cannot be combined with subvented lease and finance offers. Destination and delivery of $1,395 administration fee, $400 fuel conservation tax (where applicable), other taxes, license, insurance, applicable fees and registration are extra. **Limited time lease offers available to qualified retail customers on approved credit only on new 2008 SX4 Sedan (MODEL S3L83J8) manual transmission $17,195 MSRP at 1.5% APR and new 2008 SX4 Crossover JX AWD (MODEL H3N80J8) with manual transmission $20,695 MSRP at 2.28% APR (5.56% effective rate) for 60 months. Monthly payment is $205/$235 (including $1,250/$1,250 destination and delivery). $0/$0 down payment or equivalent trade-in, $0 security deposit, $72 PPSA, $350 acquisition fee, administration fee, $75/$75 fuel conservation tax (where applicable) and first monthly payment due at lease inception. Total lease obligation is $12,298.55/$14,099.98 including down payment. Taxes, license, insurance, applicable fees and registration are extra. 20,000 km/year total mileage allowance ($0.10/km for excess mileage). Limited time purchase finance offers available to qualified retail customers on approved credit at 0% for 48 months on new base 2008 SX4 Sedan (MODEL S3L83J8) only; at 0% for 72 months on new base 2008 Swift + (MODEL STR48C8) only; at 0% for 72 months (4.05% effective rate) on new 2008 Grand Vitara JX & JLX; and at 0% for 48 months (4.55% effective rate) on new 2008 SX4 Crossover JX AWD. Finance example: $10,000 at 0% APR for a 48-month term; the monthly payment is $208.33; cost of borrowing is $0.00; total obligation is $10,000.00. Down payment or equivalent trade-in may be required. Administration fee, other taxes, license, insurance, and registration are extra. ¥Based on Fuel Consumption Guide ratings published by Natural Resources Canada Retailers are free to set individual prices. These offers cannot be combined with any other offer except for the Suzuki Graduate Program. With the Suzuki Graduate Program, recent university or college graduates may be eligible for an allowance on the purchase or lease of certain models. Dealers may lease or sell for less. See participating dealers for details. Offers end July 31, 2008. Gone are the days when Subaru interiors meant gray on gray. In the 3.0R passengers are greeted by a two-tone mix with a liberal use of wood and aluminum inserts.