For the last 3 or 4 months I was researching various SUV models that were in my price range and had enough room to load a 6-piece drum kit in, that didn't look like soccer-mom minivans. I was very close to buying an '06 - '08 Ford Escape but the rather gutless 200 hp motor, the biggest motor for that vehicle, just didn't grab my attention. I considered a Chevy Trailblazer/GMC Envoy, they definitely have balls to spare, but guzzle gas like nobody's business and seem to be plagued with electrical problems. One of my coworkers bought one and sold it within a year, he didn't like it at all. I looked at the imports with more than 200 hp, but the affordable ones (Saturn VUE, Kia Sorento, etc.) seemed to have reliability issues as well. The Japanese ones were all way too expensive, none in the '06 to '08 age range were under 20 grand.
I finally looked into the Chevy Equinoxes & Pontiac Torrents, the 2008 models introduced a 3.6L motor (Equinox Sport, Torrent GXP) that put out a surprising 264 hp, and 0-60 times of under 7 seconds. Even better, these models had 6-speed transmissions, perfect for highway driving and decent gas mileage. The best of both worlds! And what I found also surprising is they're deceptively large inside; you'd think an Escape had more room inside, but that's not the case. The Torrent has more headroom, legroom, shoulder room, and rear cargo space than the Escape! I'm 5'10" and sitting in it, I feel like I'm sitting nice and high, I get a good view of the road and tons of headroom. When you look at the car, it looks small, but it's quite spacious.
This baby had all the good options; moon-roof, seat warmers, premium Pioneer stereo 6-CD changer with 7 speakers, remote keyless entry, anti-theft system, all-wheel-drive, lowered sport-tuned suspension...pretty much everything except a navigation system, which doesn't really concern me.
And when you put the pedal to the mat...this thing gets up and goes!
I'm used to driving vehicles with power to spare, I couldn't get enjoyment from a vehicle that lacked balls. This Torrent GXP seems to be everything I was looking for!It's melting snow here so it'll be a while before I can detail it and take proper pics, but what do you guys think?
At any rate, it gets way better mileage than my '98 Dakota Sport with 5.2L motor. The Dakota has a bigger tank and the trip to Calgary used up 2/3 to 3/4 of a tank of gas. The Torrent has a smaller tank and used up just more than half...and the Torrent has approx. 35 more horses. Loving the 6-speed tranny!
I've always loved sleepers and the Torrent GXP is certainly that!
