Lightining: Sure the model is on its last year run of its current generation, but show me a truck made before 2004 that's made to be a muscle truck as well as the Lightning. Until the new Lightning based on the new F-150 comes out, the brand new Ram SRT-10 is the better muscle truck, but that doesn't mean the current Lightning neccessary "sucks". Reserve that title for the Silverado SS.
if you've ever been on a track with an svt lightening and in a stock 130hp protege wagon (both average drivers) that can keep up with it and all the hype as it is a sports truck...only on the straights could it actually do anything...braking took 50-60 feet longer from a high speed to stop with a lot of drama and while turning watching the rear end try to come around each time they tried to push it through
Cobra: Why are you bringing up a 1996 model Cobra for? The current and last gen of this model run definitly don't qualify for the "sucks" title. Show me something that is made to go superfast with a torquey V8 that's about or under $35k.
why not? when anyone thinks of "cobra" they can only think of the current generation?...the fact that it was slow when the first modeld debuted then later mistated horsepower several times (and not just on the cobra) doesn't conjur up some embarassment?
Escape: The pre-2005 model did not receive a "poor" frontal crash rating. Check up your stats again,
IIHS - marginal;
NHTSA - 5/4 star
As far as the 2005 model Escape goes, it received an
"Acceptable" rating in the IIHS test. The Toyota RAV4 also got the same
overall score in both organization's test. In otherwards, I fail to see why the Ford Escape "sucks", unless you're refering to the early models with all the bugs.
check the iihs site again and tell me the 2001-2004 escape did not get a "poor" rating in right leg foot injury...
http://www.iihs.org/vehicle_ratings/...105.htm...then look at the 2005 escape same area that did not improve the same intrusion danger in the right leg foot injury...now this was after Ford touted its 2005 escape had several improvements in crash safety especially frontal collision in which it was one of the lowest performers...you'd think a "poor" area would be a center of focus