2012 Passion: first impressions

I think they've done really well this year.

Traded in my 2009 to get the better interest rate (0%!), as well as the greatly improved warranty, the eight airbags, the improved transmission, and the factory cruise control. New toy is silver on silver.

I had an MDC cruise control that was giving me occasional trouble (no fault of the mechanism or Smart Madness, who replaced the original unit quickly and with no argument... it just didn't agree with the car for some reason. Would trip the solid yellow triangle every couple of weeks). The factory cruise control is excellent. Holds speed very well, and doesn't over-rev like aftermarket (set it for 65, and when you go up a hill, the aftermarket screams up a little over 70 then settles down). The factory one just calmly brings you back up to speed and stabilizes. It takes a bit firmer tap on the brakes to disengage, but there's a "cancel" button on the left side of the wheel that does the same thing, then returns you to your set speed when you hit resume. Very good overall. If you love the paddles, you don't want the cruise control because it replaces them, but I rarely used them. And you can still use the gearshift to shift manually if you flip it towards you, just like before.

Transmission is MUCH improved. Very well behaved in the parking lot, no more jerking. Smooth shifts all around, very happy with it.

I got the hockey puck (light/rain sensor) this time around. VERY impressed. Left work yesterday in a light mist... turned the lights to auto and the wipers to intermittent. Leaving the parking lot, the LED lights were on, and the wipers swiped maybe once every 30 seconds or so. Pulled out onto the 45mph street, and the wipers sped up a little... ok, that's the same as before, speed controlled... or so I thought.

A sheet of rain swept across the road... and before I had a chance to bump the wipers to constant on, they sped up themselves, then as soon as I made it through the brief rain squall, they slowed right back down where they needed to be. Cool.... then a couple miles later, a large truck pulled out in front of me. As soon as the spray from his back end started hitting, the wipers sped up again and slowed after he turned off. About this time, the clouds thickened, and on came the low beams. Few miles farther, the rain paused... back to the LED lights, and very very slow wipers, just enough to remind me to turn them off. Overall I give the hockey puck five stars! I expected it to perform well in rain, but mist usually throws off "automatic" sensors... not in this case!!

Very very happy with the Silver Surfer! Now to get the vortex generators back on, and make another "CAPACITY: 19 CLOWNS" sticker for the rear window...