[RH77]

Well, vacation's over and it's back to work...

I look down "Rental Row" and see the usuals: Impala, Charger, Fusion, Malibu, PT Cruiser, G6, and HHR.

I see a satellite radio antenna on a Vibe and make my selection. It's non-descript -- no special badging, spoilers, or extras. I hop in and take off. It gets good FE, so everybody wins...

The short on-ramp to the highway generally requires a little extra oomph, so I give it swift bit-o-foot expecting the 1.8L to rev up to it's optimum range and safely merge. WOAH! I look down at the speedometer and [refuse to disclose the result].

What I ended up with, is a clever "sleeper": The Camry engine, stuffed in a Vibe. No GT badges, no foglights, scoops, or "2.4L" stickers. What you get is 158-hp and 60 mph in about 8-seconds. Not earth-shattering, but quite the surprise. Turn-in and handling is well-balanced and quite sporty. It's just one of those cars that puts a smile on your face to drive. I just hope the economy isn't disappointing.

FE seems to be good, but we'll see. Combined EPA figures result in 24 mpg. I'm in Omaha for a couple days, then down to Wichita and back to KC. Expect more data Saturday.

Live from Nebraska, RH77, EcoModder News...