Bi-Annual Car Review

Every six months, I take inventory of all the different cars I've driven on all the various road trips I've taken. Included in this bi-annual recap are the following cars:

- 2010 Ford Mustang GT

- 2010 Chevy HHR FlexFuel

- 2010 Toyota Camry

- 2010 Toyota Rav4

- 2010 Ford Fusion

- 2010 Nissan Versa

- 2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid

- 2009 Mazda 3 Sport

2010 Ford Mustang GT

Driven to Temecula, CA

Although it's pretty much a given, the Mustang boasts solid straight-away speed but suffers a bit on cornering. It's pretty much what is expected from American muscle cars. While the engine is a very responsive 210 horsepower outdated relic (as far as muscle cars go), the handling is still very nimble and the ride rather smooth. This car is a two-seater, even though there is technically a backseat (with very minimal leg room) and gets terrible gas mileage. The 150-mile trip to Temecula used up almost half the tank.

2010 Chevy HHR FlexFuel

Driven to Oxnard, CA

Surprisingly responsive and roomy, this cross-breed between old school Chevys and the modern re-designed PT Cruiser seats four or five comfortably. The leather seats are a nice touch, although the dashboard and the rest of the interior features are plastic. The best way I can describe the steering wheel is that it's fat. It fits your hand nicely. I didn't like the small windshield, the cramped front leg room, the elongated accelerator pedal or the rear view mirror that blocks part of the view looking toward the passenger side. The trunk space is very roomy. This is a mid-size car that feels like a full-size.

2010 Toyota Camry

Driven to Carlsbad, CA

Toyota gives you the basics with it's top two models, the Camry and Carolla. There was nothing really remarkable about this car. Good acceleration (although it did have a few moments where the transmission couldn't decide what gear it wanted to be in) decent leg room, deep trunk, automatic-lighting headlights. A plain ole car.

2010 Toyota Rav4

Driven to Pacific Palisades, CA

For some odd reason, Hertz classifies this car as a full-size vehicle, not a CBV (cross-breed vehicle) and as a result, you score a substantial discount on the rental price. The Rav4 is very roomy, very powerful (for its class) and a fun drive. The handling is very agile (didn't have to three-point turn where other cars would have required it) and the trunk is spacious.

2010 Ford Fusion

Driven to La Habra and Fullerton, CA

The best way I can describe the Ford Fusion is to think of the Toyota Carolla and then add a bunch of muscle and extra features to it. And a bulky key. I hate the new Ford keys! Ford must have stock in various plastic manufacturing companies cuz the interior of this car (and the Mustang) are heavy on plastic components. Even a portion of the steering wheel is made of plastic! But once you get past the plastic euphoria, the car drives really well. Good power, god handling. It almost feels like you're driving a cop car, minus the crazy horsepower. And shotgun.

2010 Nissan Versa

Driven to Phoenix, AZ

This car is one hell of a trooper. I'm not just saying that cuz it survived a one day out-and-back trip to Phoenix from L.A. but is pumps out a surprising amount of horsepower and handles really well. The ride is really smooth and the fuel economy is very impressive. The furthest I made it was almost 375 miles before having to fuel back up. Granted, that was all highway driving, but still a really cool compact car.

2010 Nissan Altima Hybrid

Driven to Huntington Beach, CA

Really didn't like this car. It requires a three-step process just to start the car. Insert the magnetic key into a slot toward the bottom of the dash, then step on the brake, wait five seconds, then push the ON button to start. At first, I didn't really mind it, but after making multiple stops, it became really annoying. Being a hybrid, this version of the Altima isn't going to have the same amount of power as its gas combustion counterpart, but I wasn't expecting such a significant drop-off in performance. And maybe it was just my car, but I kept smelling an odd burnt plastic-type smell. And yes, I was driving a brand new car (800-ish miles on the odometer.)

2010 Mazda 3 Sport

Driven to Costa Mesa, CA

Really liked this car. Nice acceleration, great handling, good fuel economy. Roomy too for a mid-size. It took some time to get used to the T-style steering wheel as I'm used to the X-style steering wheel of the Civic, but nit-picking aside, a fun car to drive. Zoom, zoom indeed.

Strawberry Festival Recap

Strawberry nachos. Strawberry popcorn. Needless to say these aren't your run of the mill foods. But for one weekend in mid-May, the central California city of Oxnard hosts its annual Strawberry Festival. The two day event tempts visitors from around the world with treats like strawberry pizza and the now ubiquitous deep-fried Twinkie... with strawberries.


There are two ways to get to the festival, via the 101 North or the more scenic coastal route of Hwy 1, assuming you're starting in Southern California. The 101 North is a pretty no-nonsense hour-long drive through the San Fernando Valley and the expansive farmlands of Central California. Hwy 1 takes a bit longer, especially getting through Santa Monica and Malibu, but once those suburban obstacles are cleared, it's a pretty clear and curvy shot to Oxnard.


The scenic route headed to Oxnard, CA

The entrance fee for the festival was $12, but more importantly, the food:

- Strawberry Nachos - I had nursed a large bottle of water the entire morning and into the early afternoon, so I was very hungry. Strawberry Nachos ($5) consisted of fried triangles of dough with strawberries and whipped cream. It was by far the most amazing thing I have eaten in quite some time.

The strawberry nachos were amazing!!

- Strawberry Pizza - While the name suggested something sweet and tempting, the actual product was far from it. For $5, I was served a slice of bland dough with a coating of plain yogurt and mashed strawberries on top. A dollop of whipped cream was added as if to make up for how lousy this dish tasted.

This vile and disgusting concoction was called strawberry pizza.

- Strawberry Lemonade - The lemonade overpowered the faint strawberry flavor in this $3 per cup concoction. I ended up drinking only half and dumping the rest.

- Chocolate-dipped Strawberries - A must-have at this festival, these jumbo strawberries were well worth the 3-for-$5 price. Juicy, sweet and a touch of chocolate. Perfect.

A must-have treat at this festival - chocolate-dipped srawberries.

- Funnel cake with Strawberries - The line was too long. And not moving. So no funnel cake for me.

- Strawberry Smoothie - This $2.50 drink was a combination of blended strawberries and Tampico orange juice. And mighty potent. The strawberry flavor was VERY strong.

- Strawberry Popcorn - Again, a long, non-moving line. Plus, it was $5 for a tiny bag.

Other treats included champagne with a strawberry, tostadas with guacamole and strawberry topping and the equally revolting mixture of strawberry beer. Traditional foods ranging from BBQ chicken to hot dogs and garlic fries were also available.

A myriad of food choices, once you make it through the crowd.

The festival also features a games area with a small Ferris wheel and a bumper car-like ride. An entire section was dedicated to various arts and crafts as well. Vendors sold candles, paintings, clothing and various knick-knacks.

Two stages also featured a string of tribute bands honoring Elvis, The Beatles, Springsteen, Johnny Cash and even Journey along with some original acts.

My 3-pack of fresh Oxnard strawberries... that took three days to finish.

The drive back took some time, thanks to a car accident in the one-lane area of Malibu. But once home, I was able to enjoy my 3-pack of fresh Oxnard strawberries... which I finally managed to finish off today.