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What are the latest car trends and designs for 2003? Warren Brown has been covering the automobile industry for The Washington Post since 1982. With more SUVs, hybrids and fuel efficient vehicles, Warren Brown's Ultimate Car Guide offers reviews, videos, photo galleries, and Web tools to make car shopping easier for all ages. Check out Warren's latest video as he test drives the 2003 Hummer H2 Adventure Series SUV, arguably one of the most potent sport-utility vehicles on the road.

Brown, who joined the newspaper in 1976, has what many people think is a particularly cool job. He gets to test drive all manner of cars, from top-of-the-line Mercedes sedans and the newest sports cars to Volkswagen Beetles and SUVs. His auto reviews are lively, detailed accounts of a car's good and bad points, addressing everything from a car's highway performance to its "head-turning" factor and sound system.

He regularly comes online Wednesdays at 11 a.m. ET to answer your questions on every aspect of the automotive industry -- from buying your dream car to the future of the internal combustion engine.

The transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Warren Brown: Good morning and Season's Greetings to all. Best wishes for the coming year, Let's roll!

Chevy Chase, Md.: I understand that you recommend the Taurus/Sable models as reliable, safe family cars. What model years would you look at for the best value?

Warren Brown: Dear Chevy Chase:
Thanks for your patience.
Models recommended for Tauris/Sable are 1998-through-present. Safe, reliable, good value and, according to readers, trouble free. A hidden value.

Shirlington, Va.: Happy Holidays and thanks for all the great chats this year!

If you had to pick the best buy for 2003 for an (a) entry level, (b) meaty engined, (c) sporty compact, which would you choose? (You know the one, where you can zip in and around town with a couple college friends without feeling anemic uphill).

Warren Brown: Okay, Shirlington:
Best buy, all-around, all-purpose, everything, affordable vehicle. Only problem is that it's ugly--The Honda Element.
Meaty engined: Still the Corvette after all of these years.
Sporty compact: Porsche Boxster
Light premium porty econo: Mini Cooper S

Falls Church, Va.: Warren:

Great review of the Echo on Sunday. I've been driving one for nearly a year and I continue to be impressed by its agility, space, and efficiency. It's variable-valve-timing 16-valve motor gives the a power-to-weight ratio that 30 years ago would have been achievable in a small sedan only by firms like BMW and Alfa Romeo. It's not a high-status car, but I need high status like a need another hole in my head!

Warren Brown: Dear Falls Church:
I didn't have space to mention the VVT-i aspects of the Echo engine. Thanks for brininging it up. That's variable-valve timing and lift, which increases fuel efficiency and decreases emissions. Love it. Best $13,000 I've ever spent. (Here's hoping that the kid starts making pay-back salary, soon.) Cheers!

Reston, Va.: Warren, What do you think of Toyota Matrix base?

Warren Brown: Dear Reston:
See if you can get it cheaper as the Pontiac Vibe base. It's the same vehicle.

Annandale, Va.: If money were no object (it is, of course, but I can dream can't I?), what would you suggest for hauling around a family of four (two adults and two kids under five)? Safety and comfort are probably our most important criteria.

Thanks.

Warren Brown: Dear Anandale:
That's easy.
The Volvo XC 70 Cross Country Wagon fully loaded for about $42,000.

Woodbridge, Va.: What Is your opinion of mid-grade convertibles? In particular, how does the Sebring Limited compare to the BMW 325 or 330? What would you recommend for a commuter car that needs to get at least one slug in the back seat? Have you heard anything about the PT Cruiser convertible? I currently have a 1991 BMW 325iC with 145,000 miles. I believe it is good for another two years and 50K but am looking around.

Warren Brown: Dear Woodbridge:
What an undeserved compliment to the Sebring convertible, comparing it to a BMW 3-Series! Trust me, the Sebring and the BMW 3-Series have little in common in terms of performance, handling, overall quality and value.
Which is not to say that the Sebring isn't nice, because it is--nice in a class several steps below the 3-Series.
Ditto the PT Cruiser Convertible---nice in a class several steps below the 3-series.
I suggest you stay with BMW.
Cheers!

Washington, D.C.: Happy Holidays, Warren. I am here every week and read all of your Post articles. I am being tempted by GM rebates and incentives and I wonder if you could give us some comments or recommendation on the new 2003 Cavalier with the 2.2 Eco-Tec engine. A base model with a manual transmission, still with A/C and AM-FM radio is very inexpensive after the rebates. Would you choose this car or an Alero with the same engine or neither? Many thanks.

Warren Brown: Dear Washington:
That's a good engine in one of my favorite "beater" cars--meaning that the Cavalier just goes and goes and goes without much grace or class, but it goes and goes, which is why, despite all of the put-downs, you still see so many Cavaliers on the road.
Take the rebates. Here's a hint: YOU CAN demand the best deal on both 2002 and 2003 Cavaliers because GM is coming out with LOTS of hot new stuff for 2004, including a completely re-worked Malibu that is bound to steal sales from Cavalier.

Indianapolis, Ind.: My elderly mother insists on taking her Mercedes ('95 S320, just now reaching 30K miles) to the Mercedes dealership for service even though their bills and estimates are often many hundreds of dollars. She insists they know things about Mercedes no one else does.

Shouldn't she seek out a good local garage instead?

Warren Brown: Dear Indianapolis:
Your mother might be elderly, but she's nobody's fool. God bless her. She's right on this one. Leave her alone. Seems to me that you can still learn something from Mom. Give her a holiday hug for me, will ya? Cheers!

Oklahoma City, Okla.: Warren:

I enjoyed your friendly review of the Toyota Echo. You perhaps know that's the car Robin Williams drives prominently in "One Hour Photo," his latest dark-side hit. It seems to scoot around fine, but it didn't save his soul.

Warren Brown: No, but it did cut the cost of going to Hell.

Sebring vs. BMW: Argh, not deserved comparison! Not to say Sebring is not nice, but it's completely not in the same league as a BMW convertible.

Warren Brown: Um, huh. Yep. No fight from me.

Richmond, Va.: Any suggestions for Sister Dearest who desperately needs to replace her very aged BMW 5-series? She wants SUV and hubby does not. She doesn't want anything to do with a station wagon but needs something to haul around baby, baby gear, and sometimes the big dog too. Also she wants 4WD or AWD, and as the person who has to chauffer them around in icy weather, I want her to have that too.
Thanks much!

Warren Brown: Deares Richmond:
Let's look at these two:
1. Nissan Murano--Classy crossover, available in all-wheel-drive. Loaded with stuff that Moms like without undermining Dad's masculinity. Sublime 3.5-liter V6 engine. Avante garde styling. Won't look like everything else on the block.
2. The Volvo XC90 2.5T, the "SUV" version of the XC70 Cross Country Wagon. The SUV for people who hate SUVs, or who at least think they hate them. (The qualifier is needed because most SUV haters, such as our darling Arianna Huffington and righteous Keith Bradsher, have little first-hand experience owning or driving the things.)
But at least, in the XC90, which has excellent anti-rollover properties, anti-SUV hubby can walk around feeling noble.
Cheers and best wishes for a Year of Peace.

Washington, D.C.: Warren,

How long do you guess, as an average in the D.C. area, does a car last till it's time for a new one?

I remember growing up in the 80s it seemed that if I car made it to over 100K miles you were ahead of the curve. It seems that cars are lasting longer and longer these days and longevity has been greatly improved.

Warren Brown: Dear Washington:
DC is an odd fish in terms of vehicle turnover. Here's why. We might have a struggling economy, but lots of people around here are affluent/rich/ well-to-do, et cetera. They tend to turn over vehicles every two years or so. That's because so many of them lease.

If your question refers to vehicle scrappage rates--how long they last before being trashed, I suggest you contact Ward's Automotive Research.

Shirlington, Va. follow up: A quick follow-up: I think my question was a little ambiguous. I was looking for the car that had ALL THREE qualities (e.g. entry level, AND good engine AND sporty). A tall order, I know. Sorry for the confusion.

Warren Brown: Sorry, Shirlington:
That makes for an even easier answer:
The Mini Cooper, hands down. Relatively inexpensive. Fun to drive. I could care less about the Insurance Institute's "marginal" bumper rating because I know how the car actually performs in horrendous crashes. If you are wearing your seatbelt, you have a good chance of walking away, according to several real-world crashes, including one flip-roll-rofftop skid event in California.
Even the Insurance Institute gives it a godd "real crash" rating.

Washington, D.C.: Mr. Brown,

I have read good reviews about the Volvo V70 XC but read also that they are not a good car to buy used. Is this a reliability issue? Which of the AWD wagons would you suggest which would have a couple years on them?

Loved your review of the XC90.

Warren Brown: Dear Washington:
I suspect it's a dealer service problem, which Volvo says is being corrected in the U.S.
Look, the XC70, et al, have to be properly maintained. They're not like the Chevrolet Cavalier, which can be neglected and still run, sort of. Lots of complicated systems in the XC70. Maintenance is key to happiness with this one.

Columbia, Md.: Warren -

I've been a big fan of your column. Thanks for sharing your insights as well as your own personal story.

I read with interest your review (well, maybe really your daughter's review) of the Toyota Echo in yesterday's paper. I must admit I was surprised: you gave the Echo a more positive review than I expected. I still remember that one of Car & Driver's early impressions of the Echo was "Something entirely new from Toyota -- a big mistake".

My own impression of the Echo has been that it's decent, (though early models didn't seem to be quite up to Toyota standards) but too small and underpowered for the U.S. market. I figured the only reason it hung around was to serve as a donor platform for the hybrid Prius.

I find it interesting that Toyota and the automotive press rarely if ever mentions that the Prius and Echo share the same platform. As a result, it seems the Echo seldom gets a good review, often because it's compared to larger, more competent cars. The Prius, because of its hybrid drive train, seems to be treated differently, and often gets better overall reviews than the Echo.

Honda made no such attempt when introducing the hybrid Civic. Perhaps Toyota doesn't want it to be so obvious that they haven't released a hybrid Corolla. Knowing a hybrid and non-hybrid share the same platform also invites comparisons that aren't always favorable to the hybrid. For example, at current U.S. gas prices, neither the Civic nor Toyota hybrid running costs are low enough to offset their higher purchase price in a reasonable amount of time (say 5 years or so). In addition, the purchase price is still heavily subsidized by the automakers and, for the moment, the government, in the form of tax breaks. This situation can't continue indefinitely.

Any thoughts as to why the Echo/Prius relationship seems to be kept quiet? I'd also appreciate any thoughts on the future of the hybrid market, which doesn't yet appear to be sustainable for the long term. Regards,

Phil

P.S. I think your daughter should have taken a closer look at the Focus. It's a better car than the Echo, in spite of some recalls that Ford should have handled more quickly.

Warren Brown: Dear Columbia:
I tend not to take the buff auto mags to seriously when it comes to cars such as the Echo. I think that the buff books, in their endless machismo, have an inherent bias when it comes to reviewing putt-putts such as the Echo and the Saturn Ion.

you have to take these cars for what they are--economy, Point A to Point B runners, nothing more or less. You've got to view them in context of their intended use and audience.

That's why I, in effect, let Kafi write the Echo review. She's bright, intelligent and has been around cars of all types all of her life. Her reasons for choosing the Echo were simple: She could afford it, with substantial help from the family bank. She could see over the hood. It's built tight and right. She likes all of the nooks and crannies therein. She can afford the gas bill. Very simple.

College Park, Md.: Re: Sebring:

My wife and I rented a convertible Sebring for a summer driving vacation in Nova Scotia. It was a great car to see the beatiful scenery from, and it was big enough for all my wife's luggage, but it shook and twisted over rough surfaces noticeably. Rent a Sebring, but buy a BMW (or Volvo, or Saab, or Merc) convertible.

Warren Brown: Got it. All the best to you and yours in the New Year.

Alexandria, Va.: Hi Warren. I've asked before, but what would you suggest a rag-top lover look at? need to think about replacing a Chrysler Sebring, and don't think I can afford the MB CLK Cabriolet of my dreams. Are there any reasonably affordable convertibles out there, other than the Sebring and the VW?

Warren Brown: Dear Alexandria:
There is always the Mazda Miata.

McLean, Va.: Mr Brown! Why am I reading a car guide -- because its so well written and clear. (Since early '90s)

Even though the Mercedes M class SUV looks like a shoe, I'm in love! I have an ad idea for this model (I'm serious) Whom, what level can I reach and not be blown off as excessive e-mail, phone message. Help. I really love this car!

Warren Brown: Call the lovely, exquisite, elegant and wonderfully competent Donna Boland at 201-573-6893. Donna knows all things and people Mercedes. If she can't help you, no one can. All the best for the New Year.

Arlington, Va.: Warren,
Any best bets for an entry level sedan in the $25-$30K range? I've looked at the usual Toyota, Audi, BMW, VW.

Warren Brown: My current favorite is the Infiniti G35 sedan, which is slightly over the $30K ceiling, but is well worth the extra money.

Washington, D.C.: Re: used Volvo v70 XC's

I was looking at them as well, and was advised (by a relative who's a Volvo mechanic) of one major problem with buying them used. Apparently the AWD system is very particular about tire diameter. When one tire goes irreparably flat and has a fair bit of wear, you need to replace all four tires so the diameter is the same. Failure to do so can ruin the drivetrain. Of course, very few people actually replace all 4 tires when they get a flat, so the drivetrains on many used XC's have undergone quite a bit of abuse.

Didn't matter in my case, though. I couldn't reach a deal with the salesman, so I wound up buying a 99 Audi A4 Avant (and am thrilled with it so far).

Warren Brown: Thanks for the tip. Best wishes for the New Year.

Alexandria, Va.: Last week you said you would be at the Washington Auto Show. Are you gooing to be there in an official capacity or on your own dime? I think it would be neat to meet you in person and was wondering what day(s) and time? (unless you are just going as an average joe not the automotive celbrity we all know you to be)

Warren Brown: The best way to avoid working is to do something you love. So, I'll be at the auto show "working" for The Washington Post on December 26, 11 am to 1 pm and on December 30 in the same time slot. Please stop by and say, "Hello." Happy to meet you.

And let me tell you about "celebrity."
You only have to come near death once to realize that "celebrity" is meaningless.
I did that dance twice.
I am happy to be alive to say "Hello" to you or to anyone else who wants to stop by.
All the best to you and your family for the New Year.

Alexandria, Va.: Husband is being sorely tempted by the Hybrid Civic. He drives a 2002 Civic now for his daily commute to/from Baltimore.

The only upshot I can see on the Hybrid is the $2000 tax break. There's no HOV on the Beltway or BW Parkway, so that doesn't help. His current Civic is averaging 38 mpg, so I don't see any fuel savings there.

How can I convince him that his current car doesn't need to be replaced? He is obsessed with the hybrid!

Warren Brown: Dear Alexanbdria:
Show him the post-Holiday bills. Tell him that you need a new kitchen or bathroom. Ask him if he wants (more?) children. If you have kids, show him how much it will cost to get them through college. If you're renting, tell him that you want to buy a house.

Bottom line is this: You are ABSOLUTELY right. Sadly. We have a government that supposedly wants fuel economy but that is doing very little to support. A $2,000 tax break on a $20,000 car note you don't need isn't much.

Washington, D.C.: Your story about your new-driver daughter reminded me of a related question that I've been meaning to ask. My 20-some daughter has had a license since age 16, but basically never driven outside the District of Columbia. Now she, like your daughter, has a job up north and wants a car. I hate to put her on the interstate with no driving experience, and I lack the time or the nerve to coach her from the passenger seat. Are you aware of any courses that can be taken in the D.C. area that focus entirely on highway driving skills? Thanks.

Warren Brown: Dear Washington:
There is a great course in West Point, Va., conducted by the Intertanational Trainining Institute, aka retired CIA, NSA, statepolice, and FBI types who have set up a defensive driving school. As soon as her BAPNESS can spare a weekend, I'm sticking her in there.

Boston, Mass.: I pass one of this hybrid electric cars everyday on my way to work, and it looks so cool. Are there any more of these style of cars coming out in '03? Do you know what kind of mileage the latests models get?

Warren Brown: Yes.
If you checked last week, I told you that we're expecting an announcement at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show that could break open the market for hybrid gas/electrics.

OKAY:
HERE IT IS. YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST!!!!

GENERAL MOTORS CORP. WILL ANNOUNCE THAT IT IS MAKING GAS/ELECTRIC HYBRID ENGINES AVAILABLE ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF VEHICLES, PROBABLY BEGINNING WITH SOME 2003 MODELS, ALMOST CERTAINLY INCLUDING A BEVY OF 2004 CARS AND TRUCKS.

Whenever the General, the biggest car company in the world, does something that big, the competition almost always has to follow.

Merry Christmas!!!
Happy New Year!!!
Drive Safely everybody.
See you at the D.C. auto show.

washingtonpost.com:

That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.

There will be no Live Online programming beginning Tuesday, Dec. 24. Regular programming will resume Thursday, Jan. 2, 2003. Meanwhile, catch up with the Live Online transcripts.

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