I'VE BEEN DRIVING "JIMMYS" SINCE 1989. LEASED A 2001 4-DOOR SLT AND AT THE END OF THREE YEAR LEASE DECIDED TO BUY IT.

MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN SHOPPING FOR AN UPSCALE SUV TO REPLACE HER MERCEDES M CLASS (NO SLOUCH, BY THE WAY). WE'VE DRIVEN THE NEW M-500 MERCEDES, HONDA PILOT, TOYOTA GX, VW TUAREG, ACURA MDX, CADILLAC SRX, BUICK RAINIER,GMC ENVOY, AND LOOKED AT A FEW OTHER POTENTIALS THAT JUST DID NOT SIT RIGHT OR LOOK RIGHT, OR HAVE THE RIGHT "COCKPIT" FEEL. AT THE END OF THE DAY,WE'VE KIND OF SETTLED ON THE ACURA MDX AS THE BEST OF THE BUNCH FOR OUR NEEDS.

IN MY OWN MIND, HOWEVER, I MEASURE EACH OF THESE UPSCALE VEHICLES AGAINST MY LOWLY JIMMY SLT. JIMMY, OF COURSE, HAS A MARVELOUS "COCKPIT" WITH ALL THE GAGES AND INSTRUMENTION LIKE YOU WOULD FIND IN A FULL BLOWN RACE CAR, WHITE ON BLACK WITH PERFECT SYMETRY. ALL CONTROLS ARE DESIGNED TO BE OPERATED WITH GLOVES ON AND ARE ERGONOMICALLY LOCATED....AFTER A WHILE IT BECOMES INTUITIVE.

SEATS IN THE JIMMY ARE ABOUT THE BEST I HAVE FOUND INCLUDING THOSE IN THE VEHICLES DESRIBED ABOVE. THE RIDE IS CARLIKE AND COMFORTABLE AS DEMONSTRATED IN TWO CROSS COUNTRY TRIPS.

PERFORMANCE IS NOT UP TO THE LEVEL OF THE SUPER SUV'S, BUT 0-60 TIMES IN ROUGHLY 9.5 ARE ADEQUATE, WITH GOOD LOAD PULLING TORQUE. YES, THE OLD 4.3 IS A BIT ROUGH, BUT REMEMBER IT IS A 90 DEGREE V-6...A BIT NOISY, BUT DEPENDABLE. MILEAGE OVERALL HAS BEEN IN THE 17-19 MPG RANGE ON LOW TEST.....STEADY STATE HIWAY RUNS AT 70 MPH YIELDED A SURPRISING 22 MPG!!!!!!

REAR SEATING AND CARGO CAPACITY ARE JUST FINE FOR MY NEEDS, RECOGNIZING THAT THIS WILL VARY WITH THE INDIVIDUAL.

ALL IN ALL THE 2001 JIMMY SLT 4 DOOR HAS BEEN HEAD AND SHOULDERS ABOVE THE COMPETITION IN ITS CLASS, AND EVEN BETTER THAN SOME OF THE UPSCALE MORE MODERN COMPETITION. FOR THE MONEY......ONE HELL OF A VALUE. I'LL KEEP MINE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS TO COME.
Amount Paid (US$): 27000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2001
Model and Options: SLT, SUNROOF, LEATHER