38 — Friday. May 14. 1999 - North Shore News

From prige 37

on slippery surfaces.

With a manual transmission, the
Xterra has a maximuni towing
capacity of 1588 kg (3,500 Ibs. ),
bat with the optional automatic
transmission, it rises to 2,268 ke
(5,000 Ibs.).

The simple but well-finished inte-

rior has five seatbelts, but there's
only enough room for four adults
beeause of the Xterra’s narrow
width.

Front and rear headroom and
legroom are adequate ~~ rear pas-
sengers have raised “theatre seating”
and a stepped roofline which pro-
vides plenty of rear headroom,

The dashboard design is simple
with extra-large, easy. 0-read
numerals on the gauges and con-
trols. Due to its tall, “boxy design
and raised rear roofline, the Xterra
has a lot of rear cargo room, and
aceess to the cargo area is via an
easy-to-Hift rear hatchback.

To make the cargo area even
roomier, the standard split 50-30
rear seatbacks can be folied down
— however, to create a flat loading
surface, the rear seat cushions have
to be removed and stored sone-
where else in the vehicle.

A full-size spare tire is stored
under the cargo floor to free up
intetior cargo space.

Serious off-road enthusiasts don't
like this because if'a rear tire blows
and the Xterra is stuck in mud, it’s

AG looks
at photo

radar vans

THE Attorney General is
reviewing an Integrated

Traffic Camera — Unit
announcement fast week
that two new sub-offices
and 10 more vans would be
added to B.C.’s photo radar
arsenal,

The 10 vans would have
brought the provincial fleet to
40 vans by the end of the
year, Last) week Kerry
Bennington of the ITCU said
the two new sub-offices
would go in Nelson and
Cranbrook.

“We will add 10 more vans
by the end of this year so we
can increase the enforcement
and bring down speeds,” he
said in a release.

But AG Ujjal Dosanjh has
reportedly since said he was
blindsided by the announce-
ment and he will look into the
expensive move.

Salish
Autos Haus

31 years on the North Shore!

A father & son business where
you can talk to the German
mechanics who work on your car.

FOR SALE
MERCEDES OF
ae WEEK

1975 230, auto, pwr roof, red
with beige interior $3,0000.b.0.
Call for more cars & info.

P Ave.
1590 Pemberton Ave. 987-3133

North Vancouver

wy

‘In your face’ SUV should be popular

AUTO

THE Xterra is estimated to cost $30,000 which shouid contribute to a large number of sales — espe-
cially with standard equipment such as four-wheel drive, power steering and air conditioning.

difficult to get the spare tire our.

Personally, Pad rather have the
spare under the floor to save space
and eliminate the vision obstruction
a rear-mounted tire creates.

Pl rake my chances in the mad.

Standard equipment is extensive,
including power steering, four-
wheel-drive, AM/FM/CD player
with six speakers, air conditoning,

power windows, power locks, tilt
wheel, imermittent wipers, cruise
control, remote entry, tchometer,

cloth seats, centre console with arm-

rest, 30-50 split folding rear seat-
backs, rear wiper and defroster,
retractable rear cargo cover, and
four cup holders.

The Xterra, which is manutae-
tured tn Smyrna, Teanessee, should

be in showrooms by Lite summer.

Though its estimated price of
$30,000 isn’t cheap, | predict it’s
going to be enormously popular.

The only competitors in its price
range with a VO enyine are the feep
Cherokee, Suzuki Grand Vitara and
Chevy Blazer/GMC Jimmy.

None of these has as much %in
your fice” character as the Neorra.

“We've gota
Spring offer that

—_— you're sure to

warm up to.”

CARTER CHEVROLET-OLDSMOBILE 987-5231

REGENCY PONTIAC-BUICK-CADILLAC-GMC 985-6333

Technical

Data
MSRP: n/a (est.
$28, 000-$830,000)
Type: tour-door, tive:
Passenger compacl sport
utility
Layout: kt mgitudin al
front engine/P TAwp
Engine: 3.4 lire V6
Horsepower: 170 @
4.800 cpm
Torque: 200 @ 2,800
rpm
Transmission: five
speed manual, tour:
speed automatic
Tires: 265/70R-15
Curb weight: 1,798 ke
(3,964 Ib
Wheelbase: 2,649 mm
(104.3 in.)
Length: 4,522 mm
(178.0 in.)
Width: 1,788 am (70.4
in.
Height: 1,880 mm
(74.0 in.)
Fuel consumption: Cia
15.6 1/100 km (18
mpg Hiry 14.7 1/100
km (24 mpg)
Warranty: three
v0. /60,000 km
Powertrain: tive
vr./100.000 km