2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 [w/video]
Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, New Car Reviews, Luxury
Sport, Compact, Light? Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad
Sportlich, Leicht, Kompakt. If your German is as spotty as ours, that stands for ” Sporty, Light, Compact,” and it’s telling that those are the three letters used by Mercedes-Benz as an adopted moniker for the small hardtop/convertible [...]
2012 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD [w/video]
Filed under: Crossover, Mazda, New Car Reviews
Aging Three-Row Still Light On Its Feet
All of the auto industry’s big-time players are making large three-row crossovers these days, so the segment has become extremely competitive. With stalwarts like the Honda Pilot, Chevrolet Traverse and Ford Explorer at the top of the sales charts, how does a smaller [...]
2012 Jaguar XF Supercharged [w/video]
Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Jaguar, New Car Reviews, Luxury
This Midsize Cat Discreetly Blows Away its Competitors
The spotlight always shines on the superstars. These are the cars with the most powerful engines, largest wheels and most radical bodywork. In the midsize luxury sedan market, the brightest illumination falls on the flagships such as the BMW M5, [...]
2012 Ford Mustang V6
Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Ford, New Car Reviews
Cylinder-Envy No More
My first car was a used 1981 Ford Mustang. It was a complete piece of garbage, but it was the best I could do with $900 worth of hard-earned busboy tips. It only had one side mirror, the power steering fluid had to be filled every [...]
2012 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG [w/video]
Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Mercedes-Benz, New Car Reviews, Luxury
The Ultimate Passenger Vessel For Travel To Infinity And Beyond
Sometime before the end of this century, humans will travel to Mars. The longest manned journey ever attempted will take the explorers at least 34 million miles over the course of many months, at best. The vehicle necessary [...]
2012 Nissan Versa Sedan [w/video]
Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Nissan, New Car Reviews
What Are You Willing To Sacrifice For A Low Price?
The compact car market is white-hot. The new Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cruze and Hyundai Elantra have lifted the segment to new levels of refinement while at the same time improving fuel economy to 40 miles per gallon on the [...]
2012 Volkswagen Passat 2.5L SEL Premium
Filed under: Sedan, Volkswagen, New Car Reviews
Ich bin ein Mainstreamer
Volkswagen tried building cars in the U.S. once before, and it didn’t end well for the Rabbits assembled in Westmoreland, PA. “In Vietnam, ‘Westmoreland’ was a synonym for boundless optimisim in the face of raw facts. The same principle applies here,” said my friend Mike, explaining [...]
2012 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ
Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, New Car Reviews
An Aveo By Any Other Name Is, Indeed, Sweet
Whether General Motors likes it or not, the Sonic story starts in 2004, when GM decided to import a cheap, crummy little econobox from Korea. A product of its newest subsidiary, Daewoo, the Chevrolet Aveo had few charms. [...]
2012 Ford Edge Limited EcoBoost
Filed under: Crossover, Ford, New Car Reviews
EcoBoost Finds Right Mix Of Power, Efficiency
The sport utility vehicle became an endangered species not long after fuel prices began to skyrocket. But while vehicle buyers changed their shopping habits, they didn’t actually stray that far from the SUV formula. Many of today’s hottest-selling vehicles are crossovers; essentially the [...]
2012 Chevrolet Cruze Eco
Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM, New Car Reviews
Is 42 MPG The Ultimate Answer To The Ultimate Question?
On paper, it sounds like an enthusiast’s dream. Start by trimming almost 100 pounds from the curb weight of the base Chevrolet Cruze. Then drop the optional turbocharged engine underhood, bolted to a six-speed manual transmission. Lower the [...]
