Reviews
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Movie sequels can be a hit or miss affair. They can either be more memorable than the first movie (example: Empire Strikes Back) or leave a bad taste in your mouth (example: The Matrix Revolutions). This is true for vehicles as well; get it right and you’ll elevate yourself into a real player in the class. Get it wrong and you’re destined to become a nobody. So where does the new 2015 Hyundai Sonata fall? Well I spent a few days in the Sonata Sport 2.0T to find out. I think it is fair to say the new Sonata’s design has arrived with a bit of a thud. It isn’t to say the new Sonata isn’t a good looking sedan, but compared to the groundbreaking design of the previous-generat…
Last reply by cp-the-nerd, -
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One of my favorite vehicles I drove last year was the 2013 Cadillac XTS. I loved the looks, luxury appointments, and the ride characteristics of the big sedan. What I wasn’t too keen on was the 3.6L DI V6. As I said in my review, the 3.6 had to be worked to get it moving. Not something that is very characteristic of a big Cadillac sedan. Well the brand has introduced a new variant of the XTS called the XTS VSport with a new turbocharged V6 engine. Is the fix that the XTS needed? The turbocharged V6 in question is the 3.6L Twin-Turbo V6 from the CTS VSport. For the XTS VSport, it has been slightly detuned from 420 horsepower and 430 pound-feet to 410 horsepower and 369 po…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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You have to wonder what is in the water at Nissan’s headquarters when you first glance at the Juke crossover. This subcompact crossover/hatchback/thing was very polarizing when it first introduced back in 2010. I was one of those people who thought the Juke was an ugly beast and wondered if Nissan was being mind-controlled by aliens. But since then, I have warmed up to the Juke and appreciated that someone was willing to take a chance on a design that stood out. Would this feeling continue if I was to ever to drive a Juke? Well, I can answer this question after spending some time with a 2015 Juke SL AWD. The Juke’s design is no shrinking violet. The overall shape look…
Last reply by William Maley, -
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Last week, we introduced to the Scion iA. This model is part of a two-prong attack for Scion to get themselves out of the dark hole they currently find themselves in. The second prong to this attack is the Scion iM. Like the Scion iA, Scion turned to another maker - in this case Toyota - to see about using a current model to help revitalize their lineup. What they got was the European-market Toyota Auris hatchback as a replacement for the boxy xB. We came away impressed with the iA, will the iM be the same? The only real difference between the Auris sold around the world and the iM that will be sold in the states is the change from Toyota to Scion badging. Otherwise, …
Last reply by Frisky Dingo, -
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The Subaru Outback has followed a formula of taking a wagon and making it somewhat capable off the beaten path. This formula has proved to be a massive success for the brand with the Outback being one the top sellers year after year. So what happens when this formula is applied to a smaller vehicle? Let’s find out as a 2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek came in for a weeklong review. Starting with the Impreza Hatchback as a base, Subaru makes a few key changes to make the XV Crosstrek more rugged. The most noticeable change is in the ride height, where Subaru added 8.7 inches to make the XV Crosstrek more maneuverable when off the beaten path. Along with the increase in ride he…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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The Nissan Versa Note is a competent subcompact. I know, that sounds like damning praise. But the Versa Note has a lot of good points to it. The model is efficient on fuel, has loads of space, and comes with a fair amount of tech features for the low price. But the Versa Note is a bit dull in terms of design. Nissan has decided to address this issue by introducing the Versa Note SR. This model boasts a number of sporty touches to make the Versa Note more appealing. Let's see if this fixes the dullness problem. The SR treatment begins on the exterior with new fascias, side sills, headlights, and a set of 16-inch alloy wheels. Paired with the breadbox van shape of the V…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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Scion appears to be growing up. The brand which launched in 2003 with non-mainstream vehicles, a unique buying process, and a marketing campaign aimed at young buyers was a breath of fresh air. But the industry collapse back in 2008 and an aging lineup has seen Scion lose their key audience and drift into obscurity. So what does a brand aimed at young people that is treading water do? For Scion, it was time to get creative and work somewhat outside the box. Thus at New York, Scion introduced the iA and iM. What makes both of these vehicles different is they are actually rebadged version of other models. The iA is the sedan version of the new Mazda2, while the iM is the Eu…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Americans can’t seem to get enough crossovers. A study done by IHS Automotive showed that one out of every three vehicles sold in the U.S. is a crossover of some various size. Hence why it seems a week doesn’t go by without an announcement of a new crossover from ‘x’ automaker. One area that seems to have new or redesigned models coming fast and furious is the compact crossover class. New models are wanting to take a nice chunk of sales from the stalwarts such as the Honda CR-V, Subaru Forester, and Toyota RAV4. Whether it's with impressive handling characteristics (Mazda CX-5) or the availability to have three rows (Nissan Rogue), new models are beginning to take a stand…
Last reply by ccap41, -
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All of the hot hatches and sport compact cars owe their existence to one car - the Volkswagen Golf GTI. The engineers who worked on the first model during the mid-seventies didn’t know their little project would make massive waves in the industry. For six-generations, the GTI was the benchmark that many competitors were measured against. But with fresh blood arriving in the form of the Ford Focus ST and Subaru WRX, Volkswagen knew it was time to ready a new GTI. Thus last year, the seventh-generation Golf GTI was introduced to the market. Has the father of hot hatch lost its way or can it still show newcomers a few tricks? I spent a week in a GTI SE 2-Door to find out. …
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The latter half of the oughts have seen the Detroit automakers come out swinging with their muscle cars. General Motors has gone crazy with the Camaro, while Ford keeps amping up the Mustang. Dodge has been quietly working on improving the Challenger for the most part - and of course introducing the Hellcat V8. But while the Hellcat has taken the spotlight for the Challenger, it has put other Challenger models in the shadow. That’s kind of a shame since Dodge has worked on bettering the Challenger with major improvements and new trims. To find out whether or not other Challenger models deserve a spot in the light, I spent some time in a 2015 Challenger SRT. Looking at th…
Last reply by cp-the-nerd, -
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Being the car guy in the family is sometimes a difficult thing. Case in point is when someone asks for your help with buying a car. About a year or two ago, my dad asked me for some help with buying a new midsize sedan. He had two contenders in mind to replace his 2006 Ford Fusion - the new Fusion or the Nissan Altima. At the time, I had just reviewed the Altima and thought the four-cylinder powertrain needed a bit more refinement. The Fusion had its own set problems as the 1.6L EcoBoost four-cylinder - the engine my dad was considering - was having a number of reliability issues. There was also MyFord Touch which had a number of problems. At the time, I was leaning towar…
Last reply by oldshurst442, -
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The end of an era is upon us. After this year, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution will be no more. The model which was first introduced back in 1992 for the Japanese marketplace, was a technological tour-de-force with a turbocharged four-cylinder, all-wheel drive, and a limited slip differential. From there, Mitsubishi would introduce a number of new technologies such as traction control, YAW control, and a dual-clutch automatic. But Mitsubishi hasn’t done much with the Lancer Evolution in the past few years, instead changing its focus to electrics and crossovers. So before the Lancer Evolution heads up to the great parking lot in the sky, we decided to say farewell by drivi…
Last reply by smk4565, -
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The term black sheep is used to describe someone that is either odd or despicable, especially in terms of a family. Take into consideration Volkswagen. The past 15 years or so have seen a number of black sheep in their lineup. The best example is the Phaeton. Introduced in 2004 as competitor to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and its ilk, the Phaeton was over-engineered and came with impressive luxury features. The problem was convincing people that it was ok to spend $80,000+ on a Volkswagen and was pulled out a few years after its introduction. Then there is the CC. Arriving to the lineup in 2008, the CC was one of the first vehicles to capitalize on the four-door coupe trend…
Last reply by SuperDuper, -
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You ever hear someone say, “Eh it was good, but it wasn’t great.”? That really doesn’t tell you anything about the thing you were asking about. Consider asking a friend about a new restaurant and they say that phrase to you, it would drive you mad because your friend hasn’t given you a clear indication of where they stand. Well I’m about to commit this sin with the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Z71. I think the Colorado is a good truck, but not a great one. Now before you start screaming at your screen and writing angry comments, I will explain what I mean. The Colorado has been on sale in a number of market for a few years now, but only arrived in North America last year. …
Last reply by cletus8269, -
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The midsize sedan field has changed drastically within the past few years. New models are now standing in the spotlight, while older and more established models are beginning to fall flat. The Toyota Camry is beginning to feel some of the pressure. While it still is one of the top selling vehicles in the U.S., the likes of the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, and Ford Fusion are eating into its sales. Toyota knew it was time to make some changes to keep the Camry on top. The result is the 2015 Camry. I spent a week in the Camry SE Hybrid to see if these changes help or hurt. The 2015 Camry is quite a departure in terms of design. Whereas previous-generations were more res…
Last reply by William Maley, -
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The full-size luxury SUV marketplace are full of models that will never venture off payment. Such models include the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, and Mercedes-Benz GL that have either basic to somewhat advanced four-wheel drive systems. Then there is the Range Rover which boasts a number of off-road technologies and equipment to get you through some of murkiest conditions on earth. Sure, you never see one tackle an off-road trail unless its featured in a promo video, but it’s nice to know the model can get you through. It makes some wonder if there is a competitor that can match the Range Rover in terms of off-road ability and luxuries. Well Lexus believes they h…
Last reply by Frisky Dingo, -
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The idea of the luxury pickup has only come into spotlight during the last decade thanks to GMC. In the early-oughts, the truck manufacturer introduced the Sierra C3 which offered a number of luxury appointments never really seen on a truck - leather, premium audio system, power everything, new wheels, and a more potent V8. The C3 and the Denali which took its place a couple years later became big sellers and created a market for luxury pickups. Now most of truck players offer two luxury variants - one for those who dream of being a cowboy and one for those believe in up-town luxury. So how has the father of the luxury pickup compare to the new competitors? I spent a week…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Late last year, I had the chance to pilot the 2014 Lexus ES 350. In my review I said that while the new ES is a noticeable improvement over the old one, competitors such as the Buick LaCrosse have surpassed it. But Lexus has an possible ace up their sleeve and it happens to be the hybrid version of ES. Not many competitors offer a fuel efficient version, so does it give the ES an edge? What differentiates the ES 300h from the ES 350? Not much from the exterior aside from blue tint on the badge, hybrid badges on the door sills, and the"h" on the rear badge. The interior is the same aside from a new instrument cluster with an eco/power gauge and a EV mode button. One it…
Last reply by ponchoman49, -
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Being a person who gets the chance to review new vehicles, I have noticed that many of the vehicles that I evaluate are loaded up models. It does put someone like myself in a odd position trying to do a review since I have to try and distill it down to the main items that will be found on the lower tiers as many buyers don’t go for the top models. So whenever I get a mid-level or base trim of a review vehicle, it’s like a breath of fresh air and allows me to focus on the important parts. Case in point is the 2015 Hyundai Genesis which arrived during the Christmas holiday. I wasn’t sure what I was getting, possibly a fully loaded 3.8 V6 model or even the 5.0 V8. But it was…
Last reply by cp-the-nerd, -
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I’m going to list out some auto manufacturers and I want you to tell me which one doesn’t belong. Ready? Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Kia, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz. If you said Kia, then you'd be correct. Why is Kia on this list? For a very good reason. Like its sister car company Hyundai, Kia has introduced a luxury flagship. Called the K900, this is the automaker’s attempt to take on the old guard in the luxury flagship class. It may seem like a joke; Kia taking on the likes of the Audi A8, BMW 7-Series, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. But after spending a week in one, I think Kia has a very legitimate chance in this market. Before we fully dive into the vehicle itself, let’s tal…
Last reply by SalesmanSean, -
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The quintessential off-road vehicle in the United States is the Jeep Wrangler. From its humble beginning as vehicle to go anywhere in the heat of World War II to a well-loved off-roader by many when it entered the civilian market, the Wrangler has earned the honor of being an icon . But many Wranglers it seems are mostly on the road, not tackling some trail. Is the Wrangler built for this kind of duty or is it just a fish out of the water? I spent some time in the 2015 Wrangler Willys Wheeler to figure this out. The Jeep Wrangler may be the most recognizable vehicle around the world. The reason for this is simple, the basic shape of the Wrangler hasn’t changed much si…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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Another week is upon us and a new review vehicle has arrived. In this case it happens to be the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Z71. This is one of the vehicles that I have been waiting for quite awhile to get my hands on for review and its finally here. My particular tester is a Z71 crew cab with Short bed. With a couple of options ticked off, it rings in at $36,710. First impressions are quite good. The Colorado is quite the sharp looker with silver paint and 17-inch wheels. Moving inside and the controls are within easy reach and the seats are wrapped in a leather/cloth combination. Chevrolet MyLink so far hasn't crashed or showed any sign of slowdown. Also, this is one of th…
Last reply by SuperDuper, -
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If you wanted a Fiat 500 but had a family, you would have to ultimately pass on it. There just wasn’t enough space for four passengers or even two passengers and all of their stuff. But about year ago, Fiat started selling a bigger 500 known as the 500L which boasted more space and became more appealing to small families. I spent a week in the larger 500 to see if the added size helps or hurts. Even though the 500L shares the 500 name, that is where the similarities end. Fiat designers have added two feet to the 500L, and given it a boxy shape that is more akin to the Kia Soul and Nissan Cube. The front end is very much 500-esq with the winged-Fiat emblem, dual light set…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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If you have ever looked at the sales charts for Cadillac, you begin to notice a trend. While most of their models are seemingly downward or climbing back up slowly, only two models have been somewhat constant; the SRX and the Escalade. We have taken a look at the SRX and have delved into why it's a big seller. Now it's time to take a look at the Escalade and ask why does it do so well? After the first-generation Escalade, Cadillac has been working on separating the it from the Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon in terms of design. The second-generation saw an angled front end, distinctive side molding, and a new rear tailgate. The third-generation went a step further with a new g…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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It has been close to eight months since I last drove a vehicle equipped with manual transmission - a Volkswagen Jetta TDI. So it seems fitting that another Volkswagen is equipped with a manual. In this case it happens to be the CC, Volkswagen's top of the line sedan in the U.S. This CC is the base Sport model - which coincidentally is the only trim that you can get with a six-speed manual. But despite it being the base trim, the Sport comes with a impressive feature list. Standard equipment includes leatherette, heated front seats, 5-inch touchscreen with navigation and backup camera; and 17-inch wheels. Total cost? $33,550 with a $865.00 destination charge. Power comes…
Last reply by William Maley, -
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Nissan debuted their 2016 Nissan Maxima at the New York Auto Show on April 2nd, and I was among the first to get to tag along for a drive in a pre-production model later that evening. I will get to the ride along later, but first some background. Going on sale in the summer, the new Maxima ups the ante over the outgoing model with very bold styling. No longer the conservative, big brother to the Nissan Altima, the new Maxima sports the new "V-Motion" style grille that first debuted on the 2015 Nissan Murano. The Maxima, once nearly a legend in its segment, has been in the doldrums lately. One of the problems with the current Maxima is that it is really no larger than th…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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The past few years, Cadillac has been on a quest to show they can compete with the Germans. Whether it was introducing new and improved models such as the ATS and CTS, commercials that show one of their vehicles on the ‘green hell', or bringing in people from German automakers to lend their expertise. With all of these changes, how is this working out for the brand? I spent a week in a 2015 ATS4 2.0T Coupe to find out. The ATS Coupe is mostly a carbon copy of the larger, last-generation CTS coupe. The difference is the overall ATS coupe design isn’t quite as sharp as the CTS, a good thing in my book. The ATS coupe follows the basic guidelines for a coupe design; a lon…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Every automotive writer has a wish list of absurd ideas they would like to do. I have been very lucky to cross one of those items off my list - driving a $130,000+ vehicle for a week. A couple weeks back I was able to cross another item off that list: Driving a open-top vehicle in the winter. What vehicle afforded me the chance to accomplish this wish? It happens to be one of the smallest and sportiest open-top vehicles on sale today; the 2015 Fiat 500C Abarth. The Fiat 500 is one of the most iconic designs in the automotive world with its short and rounded shape that offered enough space for a small family, while having a price tag that everyone could afford. When it ca…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Before the full madness of the New York Auto Show comes upon us, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about this week's test car and spill some thoughts on it. The vehicle in question happens to be the 2015 Jeep Wrangler Willys Wheeler, which is a special edition model for the 2015 model year. Based on the Sport model, the Willys Wheeler gets such features as rock rails from the Rubicon model, 17-inch wheels, a new rear differential, and a number of decals on the outside. I like the exterior treatment with the grey paint, blacked out wheels and grille; and decals that harken back to the original Jeep from the 40's The interior is somewhat cramped due to the short…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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It has been quite awhile since we did an interactive review (two years). But I thought it was time to bring it back. You might have questions for a particular vehicle and I can do my best to answer them. It also gives you guys a preview of what will be coming round the car review docket. So let us begin with this week's test vehicle - the 2015 Fiat 500L Easy. This is the biggest model in the Fiat lineup (until the Fiat 500X hits dealers), which really isn't saying a lot. I haven't spent a lot time driving the 500L since it came yesterday because I was feeling a bit sick. But I did spend some time poking around 500L and can give some thoughts. Not quite sure about the 5…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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If you were to ask me what midsize I would recommend for most people, I would say the Honda Accord. It may not be the most exciting or best looking midsize sedan on sale, but it gets the basics right. From a comfortable and spacious interior, to a powertrain delivers excellent power and fuel economy, the Accord got the basics right. I wasn’t sure if anyone could challenge the Accord. But on a cold December afternoon, a 2015 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Premium drove up for a week-long review. Could this be the sedan to challenge the Accord’s status as being one best midsize sedans? The new Legacy follows the same idea as Accord on the exterior, minor changes to make it look somewh…
Last reply by ponchoman49, -
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The Jeep Grand Cherokee has been the shining star in Jeep’s lineup since its introduction back in 1993. It was the company’s vehicle to take on the world’s best. During its 20-or-so year life, it's had a mixed record on trying to accomplish this mission. But at the Detroit Auto Show this year, the off-road brand showed it meant business. Thanks to a reinvigorated Chrysler and a bit of help from Fiat, Jeep showed off a refreshed Grand Cherokee and made its intent very clear; we’re going to take on the world’s best. To see if the Grand Cherokee can handle this mission, I went back to back with two Grand Cherokees; an Altitude equipped with the 3.6L V6 and a Overland equippe…
Last reply by caddycruiser, -
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The last-generation Chrysler Sebring/200 was the punchline to a bad joke. Whenever you saw one driving around, you could easily assume that it was either a rental car or the person got a smoking deal. Not a good sign when you’re playing in one of the highly-competitive classes in the marketplace; the midsize sedan class. So what do you do? For Chrysler, it was to start with a blank sheet and get some help from Fiat. The result is the 2015 Chrysler 200. So how does new 200 stack up against the midsize class? Well I spent a week in a 200C to find out. The 200’s exterior design appears to be a mishmash of other midsize sedan designs. The front end looks to be borr…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Oh Toyota. I’m not sure who was it at the company who decided to market the Sienna with ‘Swagger Wagon’ tagline, because at first I thought it was kind of crazy. The tagline first appeared in an ad featuring the van and two parents rapping. At first I thought someone at the marketing department was having a YOLO moment. But the crazy thing was it worked. People took notice of the Sienna and began to put on their list of vehicles to look at. So when a Sienna XLE came in for week’s review, I wondered if there was something to this van or if the tagline Toyota had created was only promoting something mediocre. You can’t miss the Sienna due to how big it it. With measurement…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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With 2014 coming to a close and your's truly still having a number of vehicles that need to have reviews written up, I thought it would be a good idea to finish up the year with the remaining vehicles from the 2014 model year. Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting a number of quick reviews. This will be leading up to my favorite vehicles I drove in the past year. Let's begin with the smallest vehicles that I reviewed: subcompacts and compacts. First Up: 2015 Honda Fit EX If there was one model that defined the current subcompact class, it would have to be the Honda Fit. When it was first introduced back in 2006, the Fit featured a clever back seat to increase the pr…
Last reply by timelord731, -
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Next up in the 2014 review wrap-up is sporty cars. Originally I was going to call this sports cars, but only one can be considered it. The other two happen to be sporty takes on standard models. First: Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring PHRT For an automobile to remain true to its mission for a quarter-of-a-century is an amazing feat. Such is the case for the Mazda MX-5 Miata. When it first was shown back in 1989, it promised to bring fun and sporty driving that roadsters from the fifties and sixties, but with better reliability. Throughout its three generations, the MX-5 Miata has achieved this, along with a loyal and rabid fan base. With a new MX-5 Miata coming over the h…
Last reply by timelord731, -
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Next in the wrap-up in 2014 vehicle reviews, I take look at green vehicles. In this case they all happen to be the hybrid variety. 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring The second time is the charm? That’s the hope for Honda with the 2014 Accord Hybrid. The previous incarnation of the hybridized Accord was a sporty model that really didn’t see any improvement in fuel economy. This in turn caused it to be a flop.Honda went back to drawing board and have introduced an Accord Hybrid that promises best-in-class fuel economy. Can it right the wrong of the previous model? The Accord Hybrid looks for the most part like your standard Accord sedan with a two bar grille, la…
Last reply by timelord731, -
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We're now at the end of our 2014 review wrap-up which deals with the largest group of vehicles I dealt with this past year: Crossovers. Next: Dodge Journey Crossroad Let us go back to the most recent dark age of Chrysler. During the floundering years of DiamlerChrysler to Cerberus ownership, Chrysler produced some of the worst vehicles to ever appear. Models such as the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger, Caliber, Jeep Compass, and Patriot left a bad taste in buyer’s mouths and would be one of the factors that would lead the company into bankruptcy. But after going through bankruptcy and being under the guidance of Fiat, Chrysler would rise from the ashes. One of the first…
Last reply by William Maley, -
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While crossovers haven taken the space that SUVs occupied only a few years ago, a number of automakers are still producing them as there is still an audience for them. One that wants the off-road and towing ability SUVs offer. So come along as we take a look at three specimens in our latest 2014 review wrap-up. First Up: 2014 Toyota 4Runner SR5 Premium It is hard to believe that 30 years ago, Toyota introduced the 4Runner. The sister vehicle to the all-mighty Land Cruiser was to give Toyota a true competitor to the likes of the Jeep Cherokee and Ford Bronco. Since that time, the 4Runner has grown up somewhat in terms of size and position, but it never lost its mission; …
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 9, 2012 In 2004, if you wanted a subcompact vehicle with the ability to go off the beaten path, you would have to leave the U.S. and head to Europe to pick up a Fiat Panda 4x4. Then in 2006, Suzuki unveiled the SX4 crossover which came with the choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive. It was billed as the least expensive vehicle equipped with AWD in the U.S. with a base price of $14,999. Since its introduction, the SX4 hasn’t changed much and has drifted into obscurity. Even with Suzuki adding a FWD SX4 sportback and sedan to the lineup, there aren’t that many SX4s on the road. Now for the 2013 model year, Suzu…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Drastic changes are hard for a lot of us. Whether it's moving to a new state or country, the arrival of new family member, the prospect of a new job, etc: we wonder if this change will be good or bad for us. The same is true for any automaker. If they have a vehicle that is doing very well in sales and/or reputation, or are planning to resurrect an iconic nameplate, they know that a huge change could make or break the vehicle. Consider the Jeep Cherokee. The off-road brand built the Cherokee from 1977 to 2001, earning a reputation for being a rough and go-anywhere SUV. When news broke that Jeep would be bringing back the Cherokee nameplate, many Jeep fanatics were excit…
Last reply by maxx johnson, -
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For awhile, the best Buick you could buy was a Lexus ES. Lexus was able to take the formula that Buick had worked so hard on proving a smooth and comfortable car and just do it better. But Buick is back on the upswing. The recently refreshed LaCrosse shows that Buick is back and wanting to challenge the ES on territory it once held. So which is the better model; the LaCrosse or the ES? I spent some time in the 2014 ES 350 to try answer this. The ES 350’s exterior looks awkward as it seems Lexus was trying to make the ES look somewhat sportier, while retaining some of the handsomeness of previous models. The front has the spindle grille with flat bars running across and a…
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If you ever wanted to get a group of automotive writers angry and upset with you, just say or write the following words: I like the Mitsubishi Mirage. When I posted a picture of the vehicle and said those very words in a Facebook post, many automotive writers thought I had lost my mind. But I really did like it and began to wonder if I really had lost it or if everyone else missed the point of the Mirage. That’s what I decided to find out. Let's get something out of the way, the Mirage really doesn’t have any style. The best way I found to describe it is to imagine a kid making a car out of a tub of Play-Doh. What he or she will end up creating is something akin to the M…
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Trying to make yourself stand out in a crowd is a difficult task. Trying to do that in a competitive crowd such as compact luxury car market can be labeled as ‘Mission Impossible’. Why? Because sooner or later, you’ll be compared to the demigod that is the BMW 3-Series. The 3-Series has been a perennial favorite by many automotive writers and buyers because of its fun-to-drive characteristics and the value of the BMW badge. Since the F30 generation, many believe that the 3-Series has softened a bit. This has allowed competitors such as Cadillac, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz, and others to try and slip some of those buyers away. Lexus is one of the competitors hoping to give th…
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The Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla: the two best-selling compact models in the U.S. month after month; the two are on the top of the charts, usually one of the models being number one while the other sits in second place. It’s something that has confounded many automotive writers and enthusiasts as they believe there are better options out there. What they tend forget is those two vehicles have a reputation that very few can even dare match, which for most buyers counts massively. So what is it about these two vehicles that many people decide to purchase? Is it the name alone or something else? But also which one of these two vehicles is deserving of your money? I went b…
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Whenever an automaker introduces a redesigned vehicle, they talk about how new and improved it is. Whether its the all new engine that delivers better performance and fuel economy, or a new suspension that improves ride quality dramatically. But I have always wondered what would a redesigned vehicle look and feel like if they kept some things from the old vehicle. Well it happens to be that General Motors recently did this with the heavy-duty trucks, updating certain aspects while changing others. Lets see how this works out in the 2015 GMC Sierra Denali 2500HD. Let’s begin with what hasn’t changed. First off is the powertrain found in this truck which happens to be the …
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In every automotive manufacturer’s lifecycle, they will at least once build a black sheep. A vehicle which doesn’t quite fit into their lineup, despite how good or bad it is. A perfect example is the Buick Grand National. Taking the Regal Coupe, Buick dropped in a turbocharged V6 which produced anywhere between 200 to 245 horsepower and could smoke a number of performance vehicles in the era. But it didn’t quite fit in with Buick’s smooth-riding, luxury vehicles. Thus it became a black sheep, one that would become legendary in its own right. The black sheep phenomenon seems to be making a return to Buick. Along the rows of the luxurious and quiet vehicles sitting on deal…
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The Mazda CX-9 is one of the oldest nameplates in three-row crossover marketplace and also happens to be one, if not the oldest model on sale. At one time, it was considered to be one of the best crossovers. But since then, a new generation of crossovers have gone on sale. Does the CX-9 still have a place? Last year, Mazda gave the CX-9 a bit of a facelift with a new front end to bring it more in line with other models with the Kodo design language. The facelift hasn't worked out as the new front end seems very out of place to the rest of the vehicle. The remainder of the vehicle from the front doors on is still the same as the first CX-9 from 2007 and is still a very ha…
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The Hyundai Elantra has been quite the success since the Korean automaker introduced back in 2012. With distinctive styling, impressive feature set, and value that very few competitors can match. But since that time, competitors have been introducing new and refreshed compact models into the marketplace to challenge the Elantra. What does Hyundai decide to do? They introduced a refreshed version Elantra for 2014. I spent some time in a 2014 Elantra Limited sedan to see if it still is a formidable challenger. This being a mid-cycle refresh, the Elantra doesn’t have any dramatic changes inside or out. The Elantra’s exterior still has the ‘fluidic sculpture’ design language…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com June 20, 2012 Every year, there’s a new trend in the automotive world. One moment, its crossover mania; the next moment, it’s the coupe sedan. The current fad is compact, near luxury cars. And it’s not only the regular suspects that are getting into it. Luxury manufacturers are getting into the game as well: Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Acura, and even Buick. Buick? Yes, Buick. Last year, the tri-shield introduced their new compact car, the Verano. Buick is hoping to take slice out of the growing luxury compact car market. But does a small compact Buick make sense at all? Exterior At first glance, the Verano looks to be a…
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At one time, Toyota had a real shot of toppling the big three in full-size truck sales. When the second-generation Tundra arrived on dealer lots in 2007, Toyota had a huge marketing campaign for it; complete with commercials and magazine ads. People took notice of this and the automaker moved 196,555 units that year. While that still lagged behind the stalwarts (F-Series: 690,589 units; Silverado: 618,257 units), it was dangerously close to the GMC Sierra (208,243 units). But then a funny thing happened. Sales began to drop in the coming years. In 2008, Toyota moved 137,249 Tundras and in the following year, only 79,385 units. Now there are many factors that go into this …
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I happen to be one of those few people who liked the current Volkswagen Passat. Aside from the stale design which makes the Toyota Camry look like the Mona Lisa, there were a fair number of items that I liked. From the large interior space, comfortable ride, and value for money proposition. One huge drawback I noted in my review back in 2012 was the base 2.5L five-cylinder. Not only did the engine had to be worked to get it to move the vehicle, it was one of the noisiest engines engines I had ever driven. But last year, Volkwagen announced that the 2.5 would be going the way of the dodo bird and a new turbocharged 1.8L four-cylinder would take its place. I had the chance…
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Let us go back in time to October 2013 and my review of the 2013 Hyundai Sonata SE 2.0T. This is how I ended the review, “The current Sonata started a revolution in the midsize sedan and the fact it's still selling so well means the next-generation model has a tough act to follow.” Well the Korean automaker revealed the next act of the Sonata at the New York Auto Show back in April and it seemed that something was amiss. It was named Sonata, had the Hyundai badges, and was powered by a selection of four-cylinder engines. But it didn’t look like a Sonata. The new model had lost that stylistic edge that the previous one had. Not a good sign considering that most people co…
Last reply by William Maley, -
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There are days where I consider myself the luckiest person alive. A couple weeks ago, I had the chance to go for a ride in a very special truck. A fellow colleague of mine had the great fortune of getting his hands on the Ram 1500 Rumble Bee concept and was wondering if anyone wanted to check it out. Why not I thought to myself and sent a message to him saying I would like to see it. Before too long, I heard the rumble of a V8 entering my neighborhood and I knew the truck had arrived. Now the Rumble Bee Concept debuted last year during the Woodward Dream Cruise. Starting life as a standard 2013 Ram 1500 R/T regular cab with the 5.7L HEMI V8, Ram dug through its toy box a…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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I will admit that I have a thing for high-performance luxury flagships because of the sheer contradiction of them. Here is a type of vehicle whose main purpose is to coddle their passengers and provide smooth ride, and then drop in a bunch of performance goodies to make it into something completely different. But I never had the chance to drive one of these vehicles. That changed at the MAMA Spring Rally back in May where Mercedes-Benz had a 2014 S63 AMG 4Matic available for drives. Lets begin with the S-Class itself. The new model I think is one of the best looking S-Classes in quite a while. It takes the last-generation model and refines it. The front end is more impos…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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At one time, the subcompact was seen as the penalty box in the automotive marketplace. The reasons for buying one were the low cost and high fuel economy. But in return, subcompacts were devoid of many comforts found in larger vehicles such as air conditioning, power windows, and automatic transmissions. Now subcompacts are seen as a real choice in the marketplace and automakers have had to step up to make their models feel like an actual vehicle. One of the automakers who has made this change was Hyundai. Their entrant in the subcompact marketplace, the Accent, was the poster child of the no frills, cheap commuting vehicle. But with the most recent model, Hyundai has mov…
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Say you are looking for a vehicle to carry you, your family, and all of their stuff; what do you get? Previously you could get a station wagon or an SUV. But both types of vehicles have fallen out of favor for different reasons and new types of vehicles have mostly taken their place. Those vehicles in question happen to be the crossover and minivan. For most people, the crossover is the more appealing choice instead of a minivan because they don’t want to be seen as a ‘soccer mom’. That doesn’t mean crossovers get away scot-free. Their biggest problem is the ‘can do everything, but not really well’ conundrum. So which one should you consider? Well, I happened to have the…
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Style over substance: a theme that appears from time to time in the automotive design landscape. Examples include the Fisker Karma with its barely useable back seat and trunk, or the crossover coupes such as the BMW X6 and the soon to be departed Acura ZDX. Then there is the Infiniti QX70. Formally known as the FX, the QX70 blended distinctive styling and sports car performance into one bat-crazy crossover package. But does this package still make sense at all? If you were to ask me to describe the QX70 in one word, it would be, "wow". It's hard to believe that the design is going on six-plus years and still looks like it was just introduced. The overall look was designe…
Last reply by smk4565, -
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General Motors' track record with bringing and selling vehicles from Australia to the U.S. has been very checkered. All of the attempts see to have ambitious sales goals, and then not meeting them. GM hopes the third (or the fourth as some would argue) try might be it. That try is the 2014 Chevrolet SS. The SS got many criticisms for its exterior design and how blah it is. But let's be honest for a moment; the GTO and G8 (to a point) weren't really that exciting to look at either. Sure both models down the line (or trim line in the case of the G8) got bits and pieces that made them look more aggressive. To me, I think the SS looks great, especially in the black with the …
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You know how your mother would tell you if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all. Well this being a vehicle review, that is an impossible task since I have to explain why or why not you should consider ‘x’ vehicle. The reason I bring this up is because I spent a week in the 2014 Jeep Patriot Latitude 4X4 and I found myself being very disappointed in the model. Now before I go into the list of reasons of why I particularly didn’t like the Patriot, I should begin with the things I did like. First off, the Patriot looks like a Jeep. What I mean is that when you’re walking up to the vehicle for the first time, you can recognize it as a Jeep. This is due to the box…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Subcompacts tend to have that one thing, a gimmick or feature that they try to put out there as a selling point. We have models that are fun to drive, get good gas mileage, have the back seat space of a midsize, etc. The 2015 Honda Fit is no exception to this rule. As I found out at the MAMA Spring Rally, Honda is playing the versatility card with the Fit. The back seat in the Fit is what Honda calls the 'magic seat' and there is reason why. The back seat can be folded in a number of configurations to allow tall items to stand in back; create a flat floor delivering 52.7 cubic feet of cargo space; fold the front passenger seat along with the back seat to fit an eight-foo…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Automotive writers like myself suffer from a sickness sometimes called first drive-itus. Essentially first drive-itus is when an automotive has a different opinion on a vehicle than when they first drove it on a first drive event. No one is quite sure how first drive-itus manifests or where it comes from. There is a reason I’m telling you this because I think I had first drive-itus. A couple of years ago, I had the great fortune of heading down to Austin, Texas, to be one of the first people to check out the brand new Dodge Dart. At the time, I came away very impressed and said in my first drive that competitors should be watching their back. But recently, I spent a week …
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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My eyes almost dropped out of my head as I reading through the window sticker on the 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG. $63,815 as equipped?! ARE THEY SERIOUS?! I get the CLA45 AMG features one of the most one of the most powerful four-cylinders on sale and that AMG worked its magic all over the place. But almost $64,000?! This had better impress I thought as I got into the vehicle. Well the CLA45's exterior does. The shape is very much a downsized CLS-Class and that is very much a good thing. The long-flowing front end, high belt line, sculpting on the doors, and short rear make the CLA a standout in the entry-level luxury class. This gets amped up with AMG bits such as new …
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As the group of journalists were finishing up lunch and listening to closing statements of a presentation, the thoughts of many turned to what they would like to get their hands on next. Would it be the Jaguar F-Type? Maybe the Corvette Stingray? How about the SRT Viper? Yours truly had this same thought as well, but it wasn't towards to any of those vehicles mentioned. Instead, what I had my eye on was a yellow vehicle with NYC taxi graphics. Yep, I had my sights set on the Nissan NV200 Taxi. Trying to figure why I would want to drive a taxi cab of all things when there is a multitude of other vehicles that many would say are much more desirable could take years to figu…
Last reply by William Maley, -
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The past few years have seen Kia rise up from its cheap car roots and become a major player in some of the key areas of the automotive marketplace. But there has been one area that the automaker hasn't been quite able to wrap its hands around; the compact car. Kia has tried its hand before at building compact vehicles, but the results have ranged from middling to somewhat decent. But Kia thinks that with the 2014 Forte, they have cracked the compact car code. Let's find out if they have. The 2014 Forte continues Kia's trend of designing sharp looking car. Draped in what the automaker calls Abyss Blue and a set of optional seventeen-inch alloy wheels on the EX, the Forte…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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The 2015 Subaru WRX got off to a bit of a rough start when the production model was shown at the L.A. Auto Show last year. First off, the exterior looked to be a fully-watered down version of the concept that was shown earlier in the year. Then came the news that the WRX would be available with a CVT transmission. The internet seemed to implode on the basis of this news, but is it all bad? Has Subaru messed up the WRX? In a word, no. Let's begin with the CVT since that is what I drove at the MAMA Spring Rally last month. The CVT in question is Subaru's Linetronic and the company made some wise decisions for its application in the WRX. For starters, Subaru's engineers ma…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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To say Hyundai grabbed everyone’s attention when they launched the Genesis at the 2008 North American International Auto Show is a true understatement. Here was a model that came with rear-wheel drive, a choice of either a V6 or V8 engine, many luxury appointments and features, and the value the company was known for. The Genesis left many wondering what the devil the company was doing, but Hyundai had a plan. The Genesis was a model they thought would not only bring new people into the Hyundai fold; it would raise the allure of the brand. That’s just what the model did. Consider this: In 2009 when Genesis was on sale for a full year, Hyundai sold 13,604 Genesis models. I…
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In the full-size SUV class, the GM family of the Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and GMC Yukon/Yukon XL dominate the class. Every other model in this group just seems to try for second or third place. But why is that? Well I spent a week with a 2014 Nissan Armada to try and answer this question. The Armada happens to be the oldest model in the class, being introduced back in 2004. You wouldn’t know that by looking at the exterior as it still looks fresh with such design details as a large grille and headlights, flared out fenders, a unique roofline, and twenty-inch wheels. The interior got some much needed updates back in `08 with improved materials and a revised dashboard layo…
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It's not easy being number three. Especially in the class of the midsize sedan where the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry rule the roost. But there is a model which has been making itself at home in third place. That model would be the Nissan Altima. In its current incarnation, the Altima has been making a name for itself among the likes of the Accord and Camry. But why does the Altima end up sitting in third place in sales at the end of year? Well I spent a week with a 2014 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL and I think I have an answer to that. The Altima’s exterior sits somewhere in the middle of the midsize sedan design spectrum. It isn’t as exciting as a Kia Optima or a Mazda6, but …
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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When I learned that I would be getting a 2014 Nissan Titan 4X4 in for a week’s evaluation, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to fully test its capabilities. The reason is because this particular model was the Pro-4X which features a number of off-road tweaks such as Rancho performance shocks, lower final drive ratio, electronic locking rear differential, and other items. Well the week I got the pickup, Mother Nature decided to drop half a foot in snow. Thank you Mother Nature I thought as I got into the truck. Driving the Titan Pro-4X through the snow was a very fun experience. With a 5.6L V8 engine making 317 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque, and the 4WD set …
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 28, 2013 We all have that story of that one person we know that underwent a massive transformation. It starts off with the person who dumpy, bit nerdy, either really skinny or fat, or a number of items. Then maybe a few years on, you run into that same person and almost don’t recognize them. They’re dressed up in some nice clothing, loss some weight, built up some strength, and a few other things here and there. The same is true for vehicles. When the first-generation Kia Rio was introduced back in 2000, it became the cheapest vehicle you could buy in the U.S. It also earned the dubious honor of the ‘cheap and c…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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The holiday road trip: A time where the family fills up the vehicle with presents and luggage to head out and enjoy time with relatives and friends. But for many, the trip becomes a miserable experience with kids arguing and getting into fights over the stupidest things, while the parents begin yelling at their kids to stop it or we’re pulling to the side of the road. Such was the case of many holiday trips I took as a child. So this past Christmas, my parents asked if I would be willing to drive everyone up to Northern Michigan. I said yes and began to figure out which vehicle would be able to carry all our stuff, getting through the white Christmas, and keep the peace…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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Space, the final frontier. Besides being one of the well known lines in pop culture, it’s a perfect description for the Nissan Versa. When the automaker first introduced the Versa, it promoted that the model had a lot of space for not a lot of money. With this combination, Nissan was able to take a nice chunk of the subcompact marketplace. But as time went on, the subcompact marketplace got more competitive with automakers introducing brand new models that offered more than a low price. However, Nissan is sticking with a lot of space for not a lot money combination with the new Versa and Versa Note. Is this still a viable plan? I spent a week in a 2014 Versa Note SL to f…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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During the late forties and early fifties, Buick had a unique tagline in their ads which was “When better cars are built, Buick will build them’. This was to tell possible buyers that if you wanted a quality vehicle, look at a Buick. But this tagline also poses an interesting question. When General Motors exited bankruptcy just a few years ago, the brand that was the rising star was Buick. Sales were improving and the perceptions of the brand being an old person’s vehicle were changing thanks to two key models: the Enclave and LaCrosse. Within the past two years, Buick has introduced refreshed versions of the two models that have played a key part in its revitalization. …
Last reply by ponchoman49, -
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For the longest time, the Volkswagen Jetta has had it all to itself. I’m of course talking about the diesel compact sedan marketplace. Since the first Jetta came over the to the U.S. in the eighties, Volkswagen has offered a diesel engine as an option. Within the past few years, the popularity of the Jetta diesel has skyrocketed. But this past year, another contender has come in to challenge the Jetta’s dominance in this small niche. That would be the Chevrolet Cruze Turbodiesel. How does it stand up to the Jetta? Much like the Jetta TDI, the Chevrolet Cruze Turbodiesel doesn’t scream out that it's a diesel at all. The only clues that reveals its true identity are a set …
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Volvo is known for a few things: Safety, boxy designs, and wagons. Volvo also happens to be known for a specific engine, the T5. Introduced in the 850 in the mid-nineties, the T5 was a turbocharged and intercooled five-cylinder engine unbeknownst to the company, this engine in its various forms would go on to power a number of models and take number of race wins in Europe. The T5 engine would become part of a rarified company of engines that have long lives such as GM's 3800 V6 and Nissan's VQ engine family. But with all things, there has to be an end. Before too long, the T5 engine will be retired. In its place will be a new range of four-cylinder engines called Drive-E…
Last reply by soup63, -
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If you have ever taken a class in economics, then you were most likely taught the economic cycle. The cycle explains periods of growth and decline in a economy via four different parts; expansion, boom, recession, and depression. A perfect example of this cycle in action is Scion. The youth-oriented brand which came on the scene in the early 2000’s experienced massive growth for the first few years. In fact, 2006 was its best year ever with sales reaching 173,034 vehicles. But since that time, Scion has been seeing its sales drop precipitously with 2010 being the worst year with 45,678 vehicles sold. 2013 was a mixed bag for Scion. On one hand, the brand told its dealers…
Last reply by smk4565, -
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Back in November, I drove a 2013 Chrysler 300S for a review. After spending a week in it, I came away mightily impressed. So a few weeks after, I spent some quality time with the sister car, the 2014 Dodge Charger. Would I feel the same way as I did in the 300S or I would come away with a different opinion on it? Like the Chrysler 300, designers at Dodge decided to keep the basic shape of the Charger and make small improvements here and there. The front end features a crosshair grille and scalloping along the hood to give the Charger a bit of meanness to it. The front doors have a large groove that begins where door meets the fender. This is a definite callback to the 1…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com July 24, 2013 Stopgap. Standby. Stand-In. Makeshift. Temporary. Interim. Placeholder. All of these words in one way or another have been used to describe Cadillac's current flagship, the XTS. When the XTS was introduced back in 2012, it filled the gap left by the DTS and STS. It also became a vehicle to serve as the flagship until the long-rumored rear-wheel drive flagship appears. But do all these words hurt the XTS? Is it something more than a placeholder in the Cadillac lineup? I recently spent a week with a 2013 XTS Platinum AWD to answer this question. The XTS might be my favorite Cadillac design to date. The ove…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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The current Honda Accord and I had a difficult beginning. When the automaker introduced the Accord Coupe Concept at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, I was wondering what real changes had been made and being more interested in the early 80’s Accord on loan from The Henry Ford in their exhibit. Then when Honda revealed the production Accord Sedan and Coupe, I was wondering what was going at Honda because it looks almost the same as the old one. But recently, I spent a week with a 2014 Honda Accord EX Sedan and I said, “Oh, I get it now.” Read on to see what I mean. On the face of it, the 2014 Accord EX Sedan doesn’t look that much different from the last-generation model. The t…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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American Honda CEO Tetsuo Iwamura told reporters at Tokyo Motor Show in November that his biggest challenge is Acura. Sadly, it's easy to see why Iwamura says this. Most of Acura's lineup are either half-baked ideas or showing their age. Even with those issues, sales for the brand were up 5.9 percent at the end of 2013. Thats thanks to Acura's refreshed SUV lineup which includes the MDX and RDX. These two models made up 59 percent of Acura's total sales for 2013. This begs the question of what is the automaker doing right with their SUVs. To find out, I spent a week with the 2014 Acura MDX. There are two ways to describe the 2014 MDX's design. Its either a last-generatio…
Last reply by caddycruiser, -
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For the past few years, General Motor’s pickups were getting sand kicked in their faces by Ford and Ram. The two truck manufacturers were introducing refreshed models with new powertrains, improved interiors, and clever technologies that made GM’s models look and feel old news. While the sales numbers showed a fair number of Chevrolet Silverados and GMC Sierras were being sold every month, everyone, including GM knew sales were being stolen away. All the company could do was wait for their next-generation trucks to be finished. Come late 2012 when GM introduced the next-generation Silverado and Sierra pickups. The new pickups promised more power, efficiency, and refinemen…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 2, 2013 To say the current crop of mid-size sedans is downright impressive would be massive understatement. We have sedans that can be compared with more expensive models in styling, are fun to drive, and get fuel economy numbers that only compacts and subcompacts were getting a few years ago. It's hard to place where the starting point is for this current group of mid-size sedans, but I have a possible answer. The year is 2010. Hyundai introduced the next-generation Sonata to the marketplace and it was a suckerpunch to the midsize marketplace. Here was a mid-size sedan that brought forth amazing styling, impress…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 12, 2013 The name of the game in the midsize sedan class is to build something that appeals to everyone. Just look at most of the sedans on the marketplace and they are similar to one another. But what if an automaker decides not to follow the crowd? Go to the beat of its own drum? You would likely end up with something like the 2014 Mazda6. The new 6 is Mazda's first midsize sedan without the oversight of former parent Ford. As a result, Mazda could create the midsize sedan it wanted to. A little bit of SKYACTIV Technology, a dash of Mazda's Kodo design language, some lightness, and the fun to drive aspect the…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 17, 2013 Author's Note: With 2013 coming to a close in a couple of weeks, we've decided to clear out the remaining 2013 vehicle reviews this week. Everyday a new review will appear on the front page. If you miss one day, don't worry, we'll have links to the previous reviews just below. -WM Monday: Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV Wednesday: Hyundai Santa Fe Limited AWD Thursday: Toyota Land Cruiser Friday: Lexus LS 600h L The compact crossover marketplace has become one of the most crowded and contested in the automotive world. It seems a month doesn't go by without news of a new or redesigned compact crossover. Automak…
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Author's Note: With 2013 coming to a close in a couple of weeks, we've decided to clear out the remaining 2013 vehicle reviews this week. Everyday a new review will appear on the front page. If you miss one day, don't worry, we'll have links to the previous reviews just below. -WM Monday: Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV Tuesday: Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD Wednesday: Hyundai Santa Fe Limited AWD Thursday: Toyota Land Cruiser Toyota's hybrid lineup here in the U.S. covers both extremes. On one end is the Toyota Prius c, the cheapest and most fuel efficient hybrid model in the lineup. On the other end is the Lexus LS 600h L, the pinnacle of Toyota and Lexus engineering. Here is a model t…
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Author's Note: With 2013 coming to a close in a couple of weeks, we've decided to clear out the remaining 2013 vehicle reviews this week. Everyday a new review will appear on the front page. If you miss one day, don't worry, we'll have links to the previous reviews just below. -WM Monday: Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV Tuesday: Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD Wednesday: Hyundai Santa Fe Limited AWD Friday: Lexus LS 600h L In this age of crossovers, the Toyota Land Cruiser is a bit of dinosaur. It rides on a ladder-frame and not a uni-body platform. Power comes from a big V8 engine and not a downsized V6 with turbochargers. It features a full-time four-wheel drive system with a load of off…
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Last December, I had a 2013 Kia Sorento SX V6 in for review. This was an odd time to review it since the month before at the LA Auto Show, Kia introduced the 2014 Sorento which brought forth a number of changes and improvements. At the time of my review, I said to hold off on getting 2013 model and wait to see how the 2014 model fares. Well it has been almost a year since that review and I had the 2014 Kia Sorento, this time in the new SX Limited trim. Let's find out if I made the right call or not. At first, you might be wondering what exactly did Kia do to the 2014 Sorento since it mostly looks like the outgoing 2013 model. Well there are some changes, some more appar…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com April 23, 2013 Well, that didn't go quite as planned… By the time you are reading this review, Toyota has introduced the new 2014 Highlander. I should have realized this when I was scheduling vehicles about a month ago, since this current generation of Highlander has been with us for about six years. But alas, I didn’t. Here’s the thing though: the current Toyota Highlander doesn’t look or even feel like its six years old. It still feels pretty new. Now it may seem a bit odd to do a review on a vehicle that’s destined to be replaced. But it’s the perfect time to spot the differences between the ou…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 9, 2013 While Toyota gets most the of spotlight when talking about hybrid vehicles, it is Honda that deserves a lot of credit for introducing hybrids to North America. In 1999, the Japanese brand introduced a weird looking two-seater vehicle called the Insight. The egg-shaped vehicle hid a very unique powertrain for the time; a gas engine paired with electric motor and a set of batteries. This combination helped the Insight get amazing fuel economy numbers. But since the first-generation Insight, Honda has played second-fiddle to Toyota in the hybrid marketplace. It isn't due to Honda sleeping on the job. It's mo…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 18, 2013 Author's Note: With 2013 coming to a close in a couple of weeks, we've decided to clear out the remaining 2013 vehicle reviews this week. Everyday a new review will appear on the front page. If you miss one day, don't worry, we'll have links to the previous reviews just below. -WM Monday: Nissan Maxima 3.5 SV Tuesday: Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD Thursday: Toyota Land Cruiser Friday: Lexus LS 600h L A few weeks ago, I reviewed the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport and really came away impressed. Now I was wondering how the larger brother, the 2013 Santa Fe would fare. Well I have an answer to that as I spent a we…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 16, 2013 Author's Note: With 2013 coming to a close in a couple of weeks, we've decided to clear out the remaining 2013 vehicle reviews this week. Everyday a new review will appear on the front page. If you miss one day, don't worry, we'll have links to the previous reviews just below. -WM Tuesday: Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD Wednesday: Hyundai Santa Fe Limited AWD Thursday: Toyota Land Cruiser Friday: Lexus LS 600h L During the life of the third-generation Nissan Maxima, the automaker created a new SE model that featured a 160 horsepower V6 engine (up to 190 later in its life), five-speed manual, stiffer suspension…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 11, 2013 Whenever you have a conversation that revolves around the Hyundai Equus, two questions pop up: Hyundai is building a luxury sedan? Won't the Hyundai Equus end up having a similar fate as the Volkswagen Phaeton? The second question comes up a lot since the Equus and Phaeton share a lot of commonalities: Both come from automakers with modest lineup Both are/were the most expensive models in the lineup Both came with a number of luxuries and technologies The difference is how long they were sold in the U.S. The Phaeton went on sale in 2002 model year and only lasted four years. Meanwhile…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 4, 2013 When Toyota introduced the refreshed Yaris subcompact last year, they also introduced a new tagline which is somewhat questionable. The tagline was "Yaris, it's a car!" So we know the Yaris is a car and not anything else, but is it one that you should go out and spend your money on? I spent a week with the 2013 Yaris L three-door to find out. Let's start with the obvious: This particular Yaris is a three-door model, which happens to be the only three-door subcompact on sale in the U.S. As for the design, Toyota cleaned up the Yaris by smoothing out some of the lines and removing some questionable details…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 27, 2013 Back in the late nineties and early 2000s, hybrid vehicles were seen as being on the fringe of the automotive marketplace. Built with fuel economy in mind, the first hybrid vehicles were for those who wanted to stand out while getting impressive fuel economy. Fast forward to today and hybrid vehicles are now part of the mainstream. A number of manufacturers are offering hybrids in different types of vehicles. From compact cars all the way to luxury SUVs. But not every type of vehicle has a hybrid model. For example, there are no compact crossovers that offer a hybrid option. Somewhat weird when you cons…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 6, 2013 Chrysler has a habit of building a car that can cause everyone to go gaga and have the desire to own one. In the early 2000s, it was the PT Cruiser that caused many people to go crazy with lust. Then in 2005, lighting stuck once again with the introduction of the 300. Its bold styling and available HEMI V8 struck a chord with people. Here was a vehicle that looked like a million bucks, but was very much attainable. However the 300 lost it's exclusiveness and became old news. But a couple years ago, Chrysler under the guiding hand of Fiat launched a new 300. The new model was leaner and possibly a little …
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 13, 2013 The past few years has seen Hyundai rise as a dominant player in automotive marketplace. Vehicles like the Sonata, Elantra, and the Accent have shown how far the Korean automaker has come and being rewarded for their efforts. There is one segment that Hyundai hasn't quite cracked yet; crossovers. It's not for the lack of trying. Hyundai has been trying its darndest since the first-generation Santa Fe rolled off in 2002. Some of their efforts have included making the second-generation Santa Fe larger and introducing a smaller and larger crossover to complement it. That didn't quite work, so Hyundai went b…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 30, 2013 The 2013 Nissan Pathfinder caused quite the ruckus when it was introduced at the 2012 New York Auto Show. Nissan announced that the new Pathfinder was leaving its off-road roots that it had for the majority of its life and was turning into a crossover. Of course, most everyone in the automotive world went mad and complained that Nissan was tarnishing the good name of the Pathfinder by going the crossover route. However, Nissan is having the last laugh as sales of the new Pathfinder are booming. In 2011, Nissan moved 25,935 Pathfinders. So far this year, Nissan has more than double that with 63,826 Pathfi…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 23, 2013 Whether it was deserved or not, the previous Beetle earned the dubious title of 'chick car'. It's easy to see how the Beetle earned this title; a bubbly design, flower shaped wheels, and a flower vase. This wasn't helped by the addition of the Beetle Convertible which only reinforced the 'chick car' mantra.. But Volkswagen pulled something short of a miracle with this current Beetle; made it look like the classic Beetle that we know and love without giving it any details that could make it a 'chick car'. Could they pull off the same feat with the new convertible? I spent a week with the 2013 Beetle Conver…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 16, 2013 Last year, I had the great fortune of going to the Midwest Automotive Media Association's Spring Rally. The rally brings automotive media and manufacturers together for a couple days of driving new vehicles. During my time there, I had the chance to slip behind the wheel of the recently launched Lexus GS 350. But this wasn't any ordinary GS 350. It happened to be the new GS 350 F-Sport model. When I wrote my wrap-up of the event, I said this about the GS: "Has Lexus created a vehicle that can give everyone in the midsize luxury sedan class something to worry about? Oh very much so." Bit of a bold procla…
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