PAGE 18, WH1TBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 1989 Nissan Maxima: A matter of picking favorites By AlezILaw Freelanoe Writer Here's the quiz. u o worry, it's a snap quiz. Snap as in ls ~ 8aise a two-part quiz, one for the ladies and one for the gentlemen. Ladies, whom do o like most out of this list: e Gibsen, Harrison Ford,' Jack Nicholson, Bruce Willis and Mark Harmon? Gentlemen,. whom do , u like moat out of this liat: chelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon, Cher> CybilI Shepherd, and Jamnie Lee Curtis? My choice? Nissan Maxi - sorry, I mean Susan Sarandon. I let my analogy get away fromn me there. The point te ho macle here is that sometinies you just like one person or one car more than another, for no good reasoni--I mean, ail of those pope are estimable atse at eas, and unquestionably attractive. But you just prefer one te, another. Similarly, there are a lot of estimable cars in the $30-$35,00 range, there' not much of consequence wrong with any of them, and you would be satisfled te, drive any of them. But you're bound te, have favorites. Right now I amn especi ally taken with the new Nissan Maxima, which has been totally redesigned for 1989. In the first place, I really like the way it looks. A lot. For my part, I like the way the car looks bulbously mnuscular, since some mxen neyer stop wanting biceps. Before I get to what I really like about this car, I have three problems with it I must mention. There is the matter of the sporty SE model's stark white dials with black digits on the instrument panel, which reverse to black on white at night. During the day they are almost too apparent to ignore, but at night when you're driving under distantly spaced streetlights they take on a recurring spectral presence that is downright distracting. The receiving pcowor of the radio remained amazingiy weak throughout my test. As an example, on a nice Saturday afternoon on the 401, south of Ingersoil I couidn't even get statie. let alone a real AM station. And I have some concerne with the four-speed fan system. If you want it a speed slower, you first have te, move it through the two other speeds. Durnb squared, especially when you want to go from 2tol1. Fortunately, what is not se easiiy changed are ail the best SEE PAGE 19 Suzuki joins the mainstream After establishing its presence in Canada as a maker of smal passenger cars with the three-cylinder Forsa, Suzuki has moved into the inainstream with the introduction of the high-performnance, four-cylinder Swift GT. The Swift GTi has a 1.3-litre, 16-valve, twin overhead carnshaft aiumilnum-alloyengine. With 100 horsepower on tap, at 6,500 rpm, and a strong 11.0 kg-m of torque available from this all-alinninum powerhouse, it gives the car the right to carry the name Swift. It 'delivers a frugal 8.0 litreWlOO km of fuel economy in the city, and 6.0 litres/100 km on the highway. The 1989 Swift GTI engine is aisoestate-of-the-art, with a multi-point fuel injection system, and t uned intalke manifold controlled by a computerized engine management system. brakes make sure stopping, in keeping with its performance capabilities. The front-drive Swift GII>s styling features a sioping hood that tapers to a pair of low-profile, flush-mounted headlght and sidlight clusters mounted over an integrated bumper and front air dam. Suspension includes MacPhersen struts in front and an independently sprung rear with cou springs. qteering is precise rack and pinion. Inres are rneatY, lOW Profile P175/60R14 that help provide surefooted handling. JAPANESE QUALITY FROM UNDER INLo~< s$10,0 W ~ qW89 SENTrRA w 2 dr. DLX, 5 spd. 38 3dr DLX$7 9 5 9 9 5 tram 7r9 oe" 9 9 5 AVAILABLE NOW FROM EASTERN ONTARIO'S #1 NISSAN DEALER. iSpeed., SUZUKI SWIFT 4 cylindel 1,3 lii e overlread - ~ cam electionsc fuel jected rerugne 3 doom 5 doom oe <11 $79995* *Spunka SUZUKI SAMURAI 4X 5speer 4 cymndef oht engine Fnm S$99995* SUZUKI SIDEKICK 616 re eleclronic luel injected 1 X 4 Frofn *Friht SWIFT SAMURAI SIDEKICK LEASING S15tà "23 we« 27 KEN O M T S 59*Kigsto R. .' :e-SUZUKI