The Toyota FJ Cruiser caught my eye a few years back when it was launched as a concept car at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show. The vehicle debuted in 2007 as a 4-door, 5-passenger 4-x4 sport-utility. It’s the kind of truck that can climb boulders or slog through waist-high churning rivers or simply tote your buddies and all their gear to the beach.

With styling that’s retro meets rugged, the FJ Cruiser looks-wise is a very exciting stretch for Toyota. It has an edge that transfers over to the way it drives. Equipped with a standard 4.0-liter, V6, 239-horsepower engine that does 16-mpg in the city and 20-mpg on the highway, the FJ Cruiser was nimble (yet a bit noisy and bouncy) when it came to on-road driving.

I took my family—three teens, a husband, a bike, and everyone’s luggage to Candlewood Lake in Connecticut last week in this car. No problem with fitting us all in. I’ve been off road in the FJ and it is all it promises to be. On road it has a surprisingly light touch, even on windy hills where you can use the manual shifting. I was amazed at the mileage—maybe I just have a steady foot but we went for days without a refill.

As far as storage goes, this vehicle has enough places to stash water bottles, cell phones and Ipods. It even has a stash compartment on the dash. And the sound system is sophisticated enough to penetrate the back seat with hip hop.

The doors open from the middle; handy for loading people or packages in and out. However, if you have small kids, this is not a good thing. I would suggest a vehicle that has a sliding door with finger sensitive closers.

Another consideration is that the rear seat did not have vents or windows that open and the ride was bumpy.

On the whole—not your cushy crossover but a cruiser with funk. It has a lot of get up and go for a vehicle that doesn’t pretend to be anything but a sport utility.

Etc…In a recent Consumer Reports survey, “The 11 Worst Cars”, the FJ Cruiser scored high points for off-road ability, powertrain and reliability. The lows were for visibility, ride, handling, noise, fit and finish, premium fuel and access. Interested? My advice is always; check it out and choose. Different strokes, different folks.

The last time you heard about my Mongolian chronicles I was circling an ovoo and making a wish. I took a week off from writing about Mongolia to go to Detroit so I got off track.

In any event, I left you off at the last day at a tent site. They told us that this was possibly one of the remotest campsites in the world. One word—PEACE.

As I sit here typing this from my King-sized bed in NYC with Jack, my trusty poodle, cuddled up in a pile of warm laundry, I can clearly remember the feeling I had out there in the Mongolian plains.

The air was sweet that day—it smelled like basil and the brilliant blue sky was swept super clean by rain the night before. I felt so WHOLE, one with the planet and all that.

Right now, after spending an entire afternoon at the AT & T store trying to hook up my new iPhone, cooking dinner for the family and sipping on a slightly tart white wine, I feel well, ready to go back there. Where life was so simple that my cell phone didn’t even work.

So, on to the adventure. That very afternoon we had lunch at a secluded mountain lake. Or so we thought. I guess the word was out. We were immediately surrounded by herds of sheep and cowboys and even a gal on motorcycle rounding up her flock. Another dream-like scenario. I climbed a hill to use the “outdoor girls room” and glanced up to see a couple of cowboys watching me from another hillside. Oh well, I thought, this should feed them enough gossip for a year. Not that I’m so hot, it’s just that there’s not much out there to talk about.

We arrived at our ger campsite at around 5 pm. This was the site where the neighbor insisted on giving Land Rover a horse. In exchange they gave him a bright orange Land Rover tent. What you have to understand is that the locals don’t want anything from us. This is simply their way of extending kindness.

This camp site—our last—was something out of a fairytale. A small river danced below our bluff and a group of horses galloped over to take a drink at sunset. It’s one of those scenes that you cannot shoot because it would not come out right. So, I just looked and oooohed. We were on our way to the neighbors to meet a real family.

The grandmother, her daughter, husband and their two young children invited us into their ger. Everyone was wide-eyed, including us.

The first offering was a big bowl of dried goat cheese which I passed on. But it wouldn’t have been polite to pass on the precious rice wine ( the one that can put you flat on your ass) so I took a few sips. With Uggi as our translator we asked them questions like,”Where do your kids go to school?” Answer: “Our family moves one of our gers to the closest town during the school year while some of us stay out here to tend the flocks.” (To note, they move their gers a couple times during the year. Since they only take one and a half hours to construct or deconstruct, it is an easy form of housing.

“Has the environment changed? Answer: “The winds are warmer, the summers are hotter.”

“Is the LR adventure coming here a good thing?” They all smiled.

Dinner that night at the site was fresh lamb that was cooked in the ground under a pile of hot stones. No spices, or herbs…I found it rather regular. I liked the couscous that John concocted much better. And the fresh tomatoes imported from China were fabulous. Fruits and vegetables are hard to get in the desert. Whenever we had them it felt like a blessing.

That was my last day in Mongolia. We drove to the airport, took a plane to UB, visited the Red Cross where we learned about Land Rover’s partnership, went to dinner and I took a plane back to NYC (via Korea) around midnight.

My trip to Mongolia was a blessing. As my friend reminded me this morning when we were talking in the pool after swim class, “ It’s no mistake that a lot of religions were born in the desert.”

A car seat made of soybeans? Ford has been investigating soybeans, hemp and coconut fibers to reinforce plastic parts.

Case in point, the 2008 Mustang had seats made with a 5 % soy-based foam, instead of the standard 100 % petroleum-based foam.

The EnviroSeat prototype, developed with LEAR, has many components made from renewable resources that will create major reductions in C02 emissions compared to traditional petroleum based products.

Features of the EnviroSeat include:

Soy-based foam used for seat and headrest cushions.

Seating fabric and headrest bag made of polylactid, a compostable type of plastic that is 100 percent derived from corn.

Side shield plastic material derived from sugar cane.

Seating clips made from recycled water bottles.

When I looked at samples of the renewable products they looked sexy enough to use for interiors. A corn-fiber control panel? A sugar cane shifter? Stay tuned.

Last night Ford took a group of “influencers” and journalists on an urban adventure in NYC with the 2009 Ford Flex. We started at the CUE Gallery in Chelsea where a commissioned artist was spray painting a Flex roof, went on to dinner at SUBA, a Spanish restaurant that floats over a swimming pool and had drinks at the trendy 60 Thompson.

An artist paints the Flex roof

It was the right venue for the 2009 Ford Flex, the 7-passenger “vehicle that dares to be different”. A crossover, an SUV, a wagon??? You choose. With its distinct squarish retro look, signature side grooves, wide windows and contrasting roof color (in white suede or brilliant silver) the Flex is a whole new genre of vehicle.

Story goes that J Mays, Group Vice President and Chief Creative Officer for Ford, was discussing vehicles with a fashion designer who said that he wanted a stylish “people mover” to jet out to the Hamptons in New York. That was the beginning of the idea for the Flex which was called the Fairlane in its concept stage.

Even if you are too young to remember, the Fairlane was a trendy two-toned sedan sold between 1955 and 1971. The Ford Fairlane brings back fond memories for many… the Flex is hoping to evoke the same with a marketing campaign that is strategically placing this vehicle in the hip zone.

Notably, the Flex can come equipped with lots of cool perks. Riding on the same wheelbase as the Volvo S80, a luxury sedan, the drive is steady and quiet. (Even on the Ford racetrack in Dearborn, Michigan the Flex stuck to the corners and had a nice steering feel for its size.)

Inside, the Flex feels like a limo, with the light and space of a greenhouse. As one friend noted, “ It’s an urban loft on wheels”. There are windows overhead in all three rows (in the SEL and Limited models) and ample room for lots of bodies. The seats, fashioned by one of Donna Karan’s designers, can fold flat to transport surfboards, duffle bags or whatever cool urban people carry.

The Vitals:

A refrigerator/ freezer in the middle row holds up to seven 12 ounce cans and cools 40% faster than a typical refrigerator. When switched off, the unit will keep ice cream frozen for nearly two hours!

Ford SYNC, a Ford-exclusive technology developed with Microsoft for hands free communication, is a new addition that makes driving much safer and communicating more fun!

SIRIUS Travel Link has real time-traffic, coast to coast weather ( a very nifty gig) and fuel price information for more than 120,000 gas stations. In other words, you can shop in your car for the best gas prices!

The Easy Fuel capless fuel system is a unique and handy new addition.

The engine is a 3.5 liter V6 with 262 hp.

MPG: 16/22 for the AWD and 17/24 for FWD.

The Flex rocks in the safety zone: It just received a 5 star rating from NHSA.

Cost: From $28,995 to $43,000 fully loaded.

“I wish you a wide plain and good horses.”
(The Travels of Marco Polo by Marco Polo)

Marco Polo’s description of his travels in the Orient, including Asia, Persia, China and Indonesia, between 1271 and 1298, was a noted book in the 13th century. The book claims that Marco Polo was an important person in Kublai Khan, the Mongol leader’s court. The truth lies somewhere in between– modern scholars debate how much of the account is accurate.

However, having been to Mongolia, I can say that one does need good horses or steady vehicles to traverse this wildly changing terrain.

To prepare for the Land Rover G4 Challenge, the Recce Team will have made at least seven trips of three weeks each to assess the territory. When they do the final staging for the three week event next summer, the team will set up six weeks before, bringing in approximately seventy vehicles and loads of tents, food and equipment. In other words, this is not your average reality TV program on a staged set. There is a mega amount of planning that goes into the Challenge.

On our third morning of the trip we dissembled our camp in the dunes. Land Rover lives its eco word—you take out what you bring in. We were out of there just after sunrise and heading towards more remote areas. At one point we stopped in a dry lake bed so they could check out the kite bike and we could look for fossils.

It was HOT, almost too hot to eat lunch—the usual spread of local cheese, meats and tuna fish. Towards the end of the day I got into the Defender, the big kahuna of Land Rovers, with Dev. Besides being the leader of this expedition, Dev is fun to talk to and well, lovely to look at!

We were searching for a spot to camp. What we found even stunned the Recce Team. We drove above a canyon filled with small trees unlike anything we had seen in Mongolia. The area resembled a vineyard in the south of France! On top of the canyon was a large flat plateau perfect for pitching our tents. The wind was whipping through the valley so hard that it took two of us to anchor our tents.

John started up the campfire and took out the vodka. A couple of locals—wearing traditional robes tied with sashes– appeared from out of nowhere riding their horses and bearing gifts of goat milk. They hung out by the fire telling stories with Uggi and father. I drank a cocktail –a can of tonic which I poured vodka into each time it got low. I could barely keep my eyes open at 8:30 PM, around the time the sun went down.

After I tucked into my tent, the wind and rain whipped up something fierce. I was sure that I was going to be lifted out of my tent and thrown into the canyon. I had visions of being found in the top of the tree.

But despite the weather, sleep came fast. The next morning I woke to devastatingly blue skies and air that smelled like fresh herbs. I took a walk and found an ovoo. I circled it three times with a wish.

A perfect way to start a day.

When arriving at a traditional Ger, a visitor will say, “nokhoi khorioroi”, which means “call off the dog” and should not carry a whip or weapon when entering.

Remote Mongols tend not to shake hands with visitors, but greet by stretching their arms out wide.

When offered vodka, dip your ring finger into the glass and flick three drops-to the sky, the wind and the ground-then drink or, if you don’t want any, put the same finger to your forehead.

These were just a few of the many words of wisdom Land Rover sent to me before going to Mongolia. I thought it all sounded rather weird until I got to this remote country and experienced the local traditions.

First of all, Mongolians don’t knock (as on doors). Yelling, “call off the dog” is a good thing since dogs guard every Ger.

The Mongols that I met in the middle of nowhere were astounding friendly, open and hospitable. So, yes, on the arms open wide.

I drank the local vodka, but not from a local. I did take a farmers offer of a fermented rice drink that is known to put you under the table. I took a few swift sips, enough to please my hosts. The taste? I can’t describe. Let’s just say that if I was offered it again I’d run in the other direction.

Day 3: We were heading north to the mountains to check out places for the contestants to mountain bike, off-road, use their navigation, do rope work and anything else that would challenge them.

Dev, the competition rekke team leader, noted that the locations had to be visually as well as physically compelling. The reason–there would be TV cameramen (for a TV special) as well as a slew of photographers and journalists for the event in 2009.

Dev went on to say that we would be heading towards the largest sand dunes in the Gobi Desert. He noted, “It will mean we will get lost for sure. But no worry, we will just speak to the local people to figure it out.” Well, OK, I thought, no problem. We have this phenomenal “Dream Team” to get us out of anything.

We set out in our convoy of vehicles flanked front and rear by the rekke team. It included Fernley, rope and vehicle guy; Jamie, medic and jack of all trades; Nick, photographer; Assif, vehicle guru, Tobey, logistics; John, food and drink man; Ugi, Mongolian translator and heavy metal band member; “Father “, an elder Mongolian who knows everything yet speaks no English, Ed who heads up the Challenge and “G4 Jane”, his capable assistant. I will leave off the descriptive adjectives for now. Each member of the team including the PR people and the 6 journalists had PERSONALITY for days.

Driving through the first desert was a challenge because the roads were extremely rutty and uneven. But we were driving through herds of camels, sheep, cowboys and small horses. It was all quite biblical looking except for the occasional motorcycle running wild through the landscape. They’ve become a preferred form of transportation for anyone who was big enough to mount one. I even saw them used to corral sheep.

After most of the day driving on rutty roads we came upon the sand dunes. Blue sky, white puffy clouds and whiter, softer sand than I’ve seen on any Caribbean beach. We put our vehicles into sand mode and plowed through with ease. Even when we got stuck, it was an easy task to winch us out. Totally Disney!

Our camping spot that night was at the base of a sand dune. We set up our tents and started trekking barefoot to the top of the dune to watch the sunset. Some of the group sand-boarded down the side. Ugi flew a huge kite. I simply sat there—tired but exhilarated. The climb almost killed me. Ha! And I thought I was in good shape. I assure you—it was the heat and the altitude that got me. After all, I am a New Yorker and we live below sea level!

That night we ate the famous boil-in-a-bag dinner. FYI, these camp dinners don’t come cheap. They run around $10 a bag. I had curried chicken, which was yummy. For desert, I decided not to have the “Spotted D_ck” pudding, apparently, an English favorite.

In any event, the sky was stunning. A backdrop scattered with every constellation that I’d ever imagined. Yes, this is what the world looks like with no pollution. I slept so deeply in my little orange tent. Dreams of being chased by the Russian mafia.

I am invited to Mongolia (yes, that’s next to China and Russia) to go on an adventure with the Land Rover G4 Recce Team. Recce means reconnaissance, which translates to finding the best routes for the Land Rover G4 Challenge and sites for extreme activities like sand boarding off dunes, mountain biking, rock climbing and kite surfing.

Day 1
I arrive at Chinggis Khaan Airport in Ulaanbaatar (UB), Mongolia. By the time I get to the hotel it is midnight. I have been on the road for 20 hours. I need to pick up email, call an editor in NYC (12 hours behind) and repack for a week of camping in the Gobi desert with Land Rover.

Day 2
Breakfast at 6:30 AM. Transfer back to airport for a private charter to the Gobi desert (the fourth largest desert in the world!). Meet the Recce Team, a group of very fit (and hot!!!) guys who are leading this excursion.

We load up our orange Land Rover’s and head to camp in the Gurvansaikhan Mountains.

Take a hike to a frozen waterfall (well, actually a slice of ice in the desert) and walk around a shrine (ovoo).The ovoo is a pile of stones, coins, (even vodka bottles), that is a shamanistic prayer tradition. The gig is you circle the ovoo three times, throwing a stone on each time and repeating one wish. From that first day, I got addicted to the ovoo’s and did my prayer walk every time I saw one.

I was feeling so pumped I decide to hike the couple of miles back to camp. We could see our orange tents in the distance and took off climbing these perfectly formed soft green hills. The experience was dreamlike, effortless. It was something like being an avatar in SECOND LIFE. It felt like my feet never touched the ground. The magic of Mongolia is starting to sift in to my soul…

Get back to camp and traverse over a canyon on a zipline. We get hooked in and pull ourselves over and back. Let the games begin!

Have a briefing (how to use outdoor toilets, pitch tents, warm up bags of food, make a cup of tea over a fire etc.etc.) by the Recce Team.

Dinner is a fabulous lamb stew cooked by our chef John. We sit around a campfire, drink Tiger beer and go to bed in our Gers. A Ger is the traditional Nomadic yurt tents that are large enough for four beds (hand painted wood), a small pot-bellied stove and a table. The bathrooms are located in a converted Russian truck that the team bought in UB. It looks like the truck in M.A.S.H.—double outside showers et all!

Some facts: Mongolia with a population of 2.6 million (1.5 in UB) is approximately four times the size of France. It is one of the most uninhabited places on the planet; only 5% of the roads are asphalt (a total plus if you’re going off-road). There are no fences in Mongolia and no private ownership giving Land Rover free room to roam.

The Land Rover G4 Challenge is a renowned global adventure trip, something like extreme sports meets wilderness and off-road. Initiated in 2003; this Challenge will kick off in 2009 with 18 teams (one man, one woman) from all over the world. The Challenge runs over three weeks. The winning team receives a Land Rover to donate to their National Society of Red Cross and Red Crescent.

Give –back: The 08/09 Challenge program is partnered with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The aim is to generate over $2 million over the next two challenges.

Next up: Climbing sand dunes in bare feet.

This week I attended the 2009 Kia Borrego introduction in Cle Elum, Washington. For a reference point that’s a couple of hours outside of Seattle and around the bend from where the epic Twin Peaks TV series was filmed.

But, the big news is that the Borrego, Kia’s first midsized seven passenger SUV, is set to compete in a more upscale market. Even though the truck-based market is down, Kia’s overall market is up. In April and May they set record sales and they’ve had a fabulous quarter.

So, you might ask where this puts them in terms of bringing on a new SUV. Well, they’re saying it’s a value story with their V8 making best in class highway fuel economy at 15/22. And the prices for the V6 start at $26,000 and go to $38,000 for a decked out V8.

Is it all that? After driving the Borrego I would certainly suggest that my friend’s check it out. First of all, the styling is really innovative. The Borrego has a strong front end with lots of chrome and a nice balance of hefty curves and soft edges.

On the inside, there’s plenty of useable space for cups, phones, ipods and kids stuff. The touch screen/voice control Nav system was fabulous. Seriously. It never got us lost even with a series of wrong turns.

Our V8 sported brushed “stainless steel,” flat black and shiny “aluminum” interior appointments that felt good to the touch. There are 16 air vents in all (in my world, this is as important as cupholders!) with temperature and fan speed controls in the rear.

Talking comfort, at 156.8 cubic-feet, the Borrego claims more interior room than the Ford Explorer, Nissan Pathfinder, Toyota 4Runner, Jeep Grand Cherokee and the all-new Honda Pilot.

In other words, there’s plenty of room for hips, shoulders and height in the Borrego. The seats were really big, comfortable and cushy. A nice touch is that the 2nd row tracks and reclines 33 degrees. It was easy for me to tuck, tumble and shift the rear seats-sometimes with one hand. The cargo area has an automatic locking tailgate, lights and a power outlet.

Talking power, the Borrego comes standard with a 3.8-liter V6 that with 276 horsepower and the manufacturer’s first-ever DOHC 4.6-liter V8 engine with a best-in-class 337 horsepower. The V8 Borrego has “class-leading towing” of 7,500 pounds. Although the V8 feels large, it had plenty of power for climbing hills at altitude and accelerated quickly on the straight-aways.

Fuel wise the Borrego runs on regular unleaded and achieves class-leading fuel economy of 15/22 city/highway for its V8 with two-wheel drive, and 15/20 city/highway for the four-wheel drive.

The ride was quiet and fairly smooth with excellent visibility, easy turning and very steady steering with a turning circle worthy of a sedan.

The Borrego comes quipped with the usual, plus; AM/FM/CD/MP3 six-speaker audio system with USB an auxiliary input jack, back up warning, automatic locking tailgate, power adjust pedals and telescoping wheel. This is also the first Kia to offer SIRIUS Satellite Radio with three months of complimentary service.

To come: A more buff Kia Borrego LTD in one color- Black Monotone with 2nd row heated seats.

I have this thing about toy cars. I display them everywhere; like in the soap dish, a bowl of fruit, as a table centerpiece and running around my desk. They also make good paperweights. I think they’re fun and let’s face it, I’m a car nut.

So, when my friend, Bob Kocher, came up with the idea for Toy Car Club’s “Car of the Month” program, I thought it was worth writing about.

“I came up with the idea for what I originally called “car of the month club” about three years ago to lease actual top-end cars giving the renter a different vehicle each month,” explained Kocher. “It was a great plan but just too big of a deal to do.”

Thus, the die-cast toy cars. Kocher knows his stuff. This noted automotive journalist says he has, “bought, sold, wrecked, repaired, raced and driven nearly a million vehicles.”

I consider this is a unique gift for the people in your circle who are car lovers, collectors or just appreciate something unusual. Kocher also gets what kids (and adults) like –each toy car has a pull-back propulsion system.

The gig? For $34.99 a year (includes postage, shipping and handling) you receive one car a month for 12 months.

The Toy Car Club’s initial collector set — the Classic Car Group–features old favorites like the 1957 Chevrolet Corvette, 1964 Ford Mustang, 1955 Ford Thunderbird, 1949 Ford Woody Wagon and 1967 Volkswagen Classic Beetle. Each miniature comes with a collector card that features a photo and historical explanation of each vehicle.

Honestly, I never gave the Chevy Aveo a second look until I drove it last week in New Orleans.

After all, I’ve tested many of Chevrolet’s alternative fuel vehicles including the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, the Chevy Tahoe E85 that runs on ethanol and gas. I’ve also taken a very quiet drive in the hydrogen-powered Equinox Fuel Cell which will go nearly 150 miles per fill-up and reach a top speed of 100 mph. (They’re not out yet—still in test stage!)

I know that everyone is getting all hyper about hybrids etc. and thinking that’s the only way to go. Well, it’s not. There’s also the fuel efficient small vehicles that will house you and your gear and will cost waaaay less.

Back to the 2009 Chevrolet Aveo which competes with the Kia Rio, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent and Toyota Yaris. To help you understand what we’re looking at, the Aveo is the top-selling Chevy model in Europe. So, that gives it some “cool” factor.

I tested the Aveo5 – a sporty five-door hatchback powered by the 1.6L Gen 3 Ecotec with variable valve timing that helps to rev up the rpms and make it fuel efficient. Rated at 106 horsepower and 107 lb.-ft. of torque, this puppy certainly had enough go for me and three other passengers. I was surprised at how light it felt to drive and how easy it was to maneuver in the cobble-stoned streets of the French Quarter.

If you like Euro simplicity, this is it. Everything has a purpose. For instance, there are simple levers to operate the side mirrors, the vents for the air-conditioner can be directed with a simple push.

On the outside, a shape that looks streetwise. The Aveo5’s “tall car” design has short front and rear overhangs (for easier parking), room for front and rear passengers and cargo space. It’s also got some buff goin’ on with grillwork from the famous Malibu and 15-inch aluminum alloy five spoke wheels.

The Aveo5 comes standard with OnStar, standard side airbags and a 95-amp alternator. And yes, you can hook up your iPOD.

Hold on for the best news. MPG runs 27/34 for the manual and 25/34 for the automatic. The price for the AVEO5 starts at $10,895.