Check out the Pontiac Torrent

Admittedly, it's going to be a bad year for the auto industry, but what do you make of the demand for crossovers, those pseudo sport utility vehicles that are supposed to look like trucks but drive -- and sell -- like cars?Some are up, some are down. The well regarded Honda Pilot saw its sales drop 24 percent in March while Ford enjoyed a 35 percent increase in sales of the Edge, a big enough boost to require more employees at the Oakville, Ontario, assembly line.Meanwhile, another Ontario product, the Pontiac Torrent, built in Ingersoll, is not doing so well. Sales of the Torrent were down nearly 44 percent in March and were running about 13 percent behind last year's first quarter.It appears Torrent will go out not with a bang but a whimper, as General Motors plans to retire crossover at the end of the 2008 model year.Part of Pontiac's problem may be the competition. Since full-size SUVs became less fashionable with soaring pump prices last year, automakers have responded with a virtual -- dare I say it? -- torrent of crossovers to bridge the gap between more fuel-efficient cars and high-riding trucks.When first hatched, crossovers were more a shortcut to sport utilitydom than a retreat from the segment. Subaru needed an SUV but didn't have a truck platform, so the beauty of all-wheel-drive surfaced in the Forester, a taller version of the Impreza sedan, introduced in 1997.That same year, Lexus debuted the concept version of the RX300, a crossover that surpassed all notions of how smoothly an SUV could ride.While the RX remains the benchmark in ride and drive, others are coming close to the ultimate smoothie. The Torrent is really rather silky -- and roomy, to boot, well endowed with a healthy ration of standard equipment. But if you're looking for a Torrent that goes beyond the flow, take a look at the GXP, a 264-horsepower V6 version with a six-speed automatic that can -- and should -- be shifted like a stick.Independent track tests have clocked the Torrent GXP's 0-to-60 mph time at 6.9 seconds, which makes it faster than the BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne. Are we building excitement yet?The GXP rides an inch lower to the ground than the regular Torrent and has a mere 6.6 inches of ground clearance. A set of 18-inch wheels accentuate the stance and streamlined profile.Other performance features include a specially tuned suspension, hydraulic power-assisted steering and dual, chrome-tipped exhaust portals.Like the regular Torrent, the GXP can be acquired with front-wheel drive for a base price of $27,830 or all-wheel drive at $28,980.A navigation system is optional, along with heated sport leather seats, DVD entertainment system, and Sunroof. One disadvantage against the new Dodge Journey and some others in the segment is the lack of an optional third row of seats. Even though the mid-size segment is hardly suitable for seven-passenger seating, these are the days when full-size SUVs are a luxury and buyers are willing to compromise comfort for utility.Pontiac also makes side-curtain airbags optional for $395, whereas the Journey makes them standard. Fuel economy is another pill at 16 miles per gallon in the city and 24 mpg on the highway for an estimated annual fuel bill of $2,209. It wasn't that long ago when annual refuelings of more than $1,000 really got your attention.The six-speed automatic transmission is designed to maximize mileage but also lets you unleash your inner Andretti with tap-up/tap-down manual shifting.While all-wheel-drive is the preferred layout for high-performance driving, it also shaves your 0-60 mph times by a tick or two. In either mode, StabiliTrak electronic stability control system adds a margin of safety, as do the four-wheel power disc brakes with antilock.Torrent also provides a sliding rear seat that boasts the greatest rear-seat legroom in the class, a flat-folding front passenger seat for longer cargo items, power accessories with remote keyless entry; air conditioning, tilt steering and rear liftgate with defogger and washer/wiper. Your entertainment needs are addressed through an AM/FM stereo with six speakers, an in-dash six-disc CD changer and MP3 inputs. A year of XM Satellite radio service is $200. XM, by the way, is the one that still carries C-Span -- at least until a merger with Sirius is completed.While the Torrent's brief lifespan may not earn a place in the hall of fame, at least it erased the eyesore that came before, the ghastly mistake known as the Aztek.WHAT'S NEW: High-performance GPX in model's last year. PLUSES: Performance, comfort, standard features, price. MINUSES: Fuel economy, lack of third row option, side air bags not standard. BOTTOM LINE: Strong performer lost in the crowd. (E-mail Richard Williamson at motorfriend(at)sbcglobal.net)