Search for a new car Part 4 - The XR6

I've been a bit of a fan of the XR6 for a while. In the world of Ford and Holden (for some people, little else exists), I've always preferred Fords, though never took up arms in defense of the blue.

When I decided I wanted a bigger and better car, I'd thought about the option of an XR6. Actually, I'd wanted an FPV6, but that thing is a suicide machine, a class leader, and way out of my budget.

On an overcast day I made my way to the Ford dealer to kill two birds with the same stone, intending to check out the XR5, and the XR6. Unfortunately for the XR6, my interest was starting to wain.

Upon sitting in the cockpit I was faced with a new-car smell that bordered on unpleasant. Nevermind, it was probably something I wasn't used to and related to the leather seating. The wheel felt comfortable and was leather, as was the gear knob. Very nice styling, and great space inside. But then, I knew it would be large enough... that's why it was on my list.

However, at this time, I was starting to wonder if it was perhaps too large.

I'm keeping this one short, simply because I'd half-decided that an XR6, and a SV6 for that matter, might just be too large and not quite what I felt like driving.

The climate controls were dangerously fiddly, with small digital buttons to do most things from change temperature for driver, passenger, and the back seat, and to change the fan speed.

This was probably the point at which I decided the XR6 wasn't for me. While I'm not often distracted by changing the cabin temperature, currently in my Focus, it's a case of quickly locating the dial, and twisting it until I'm comfortable. With the Falcon, it would be a much more detailed process, and one that could be distracting in the worst way.

But, still... I intend to take it for a test drive and see if that changes my opinion.