Reader Reviews
Test drive something recently? This is the place to post your impressions.
410 topics in this forum
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Last year, I won a weekend trip out to California to take part in a test drive event sponsored by Motor Trend (and probably Chrysler). 5 auto enthusiasts were chosen from video auditions, and we drove the piss out of the 2014 Malibu LTZ Turbo, Fusion SE 2.0EB, Camry SE V6 (*not the brand new one*), and the then-new 2015 Chrysler 200S V6. I'll break down the individual tests with scoring out of 5 stars. I hope you guys enjoy the long read. Acceleration: Chrysler 200S - * * * * * Toyota Camry - * * * * Chevy Malibu - * * * Ford Fusion - * * * *Note: we were required to use sport mode and paddle shifters. First things first: the 2.0T engines are outcla…
Last reply by Suaviloquent, -
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This was written in June on another Forum but I decided it would be cool to bring it here as a new member owning a new GM K2XX Just got home after originally going to the dealership looking for Escalades and Denalis.. The Cadillac dealership I went on Thursday to had ONE Escalade that wasn't sold yet, and promised me a 1 month wait if I ordered one. Asking price for the Premium version I built was $87,000. Then I told my salesman that I'd get back to him on Monday if I decided. At the same time I thought.. let me mozy over to the GMC/Buick dealer across the street and look at Denalis. This is what happened: So I go into the GMC/Buick dealer and talked to a salesman…
Last reply by Cmicasa the Great, -
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As an owner of 5 of the 7 generations of Corvettes I feel the need to give some input into where we have come from and where we may be going. C3. Codename: Lmas I loved this car. 1979 L82 T-Top. 225HP/270lbs of Torque. 0-60 in 6.6 secs, C&D Link fuel economy that came in at about 15mpg.. on the road.. and looks that were constantly and consistently getting me ass. Well.. it and my gorgeous smile, beautiful eye-lashes, and way with words… smooth as a butter, and tasty as sweet cream :badass: I was 22 years old (1995)… and was able to afford this because I knu how to hustle.. in more way than one. “sell me the pen?” No *** sell me the pen, the paper…
Last reply by Cmicasa the Great, -
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While New York was the home of the Cadillac CT6 debut, Cadillac still had something up their sleeve for Shanghai - the CT6 Plug-In Hybrid. The Plug-In Hybrid is comprised of a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a two electric motors. A new rear wheel electric variable transmission and 18.4 kWh battery finish off the powertrain. Total output is rated at 335 horsepower and 432 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy numbers are expected to "more than double that of the car’s conventional engine offerings, as measured by miles per gallon equivalent." Range is unknown at this time, but Cadillac says that most buyers will be able will be able to travel using battery power …
Last reply by butterfly1, -
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Imagine if the Ford Taurus wasn't a mass-market full-size sedan, but a luxury sedan. Well imagine no more. Ford has pulled the covers off the new Chinese-Market 2016 Taurus which moves upscale to satisfy the demand for luxury vehicles and delivers on the automaker's commitment to bring 15 new world-class vehicles to China by 2015. The 2016 Chinese-spec Taurus looks like bigger Fusion - we'll let you decided whether or not that's a good thing. Up front is the trapezoidal grille and a set of slimmed down headlights. The side profile boasts a distinctive character line and a set 19-inch wheels. Towards the back are a set of LED taillights and chrome bar. Compared to the No…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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The big star for Buick at the Shanghai Motor Show was the second-generation Verano. Buick's compact sedan borrows a number of design ideas from Avenir and Rivera concept cars with a larger grille, new headlights, a double-swept beltline, and steeply raked front and rear windshields. A set of 17-inch wheels finish off the Verano. Power comes from a turbocharged 1.5L EcoTec four-cylinder 166 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. This is paired with a new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. How much of this comes to the North-American spec Verano remains a mystery at this time. Source: Buick Image Credit: Newspress Press Release is on Page 2 Buick Verano Debuts…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Just picked this up for my weekend road trip to LA. Initial impressions--huge, quiet, smooth, comfortable, hard to see out of (esp. towards the rear). More notes to come. Update: Had a good weekend w/ this truck. Drove on a variety of freeways, 2 lanes, winding mountain roads, cities and small towns in Central/Northern AZ and So Cal. Impressions: All in all, a very good road trip vehicle...lots of cubbies and storage areas inside, power supply points, usb sockets, etc. Great ergonomics and seating position. Felt and drove very car-like, not truckish at all. My previous GM full size experience was a weekend w/ a Yukon a couple years ago, on some of t…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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This past Fri-Mon I had a '15 Malibu LT for a rental, picked it up in Columbus, Ohio and drove to various places in Eastern Ohio and Western Pa, in and around Pittsburgh and east to Monroeville and the PA turnpike a bit. I'd driven a few of the previous generation Malibus ('08-12), but this was the first of the current generation I'd driven. Interior impressions: well equipped, all the expected cabin features in a midsize car. Hard plastics on the doors and dash, but nice to look at--brown and light tan two tone. I like the brown. Good HVAC controls w/ dual zone climate, etc. Gauges well positioned and easy to read. I liked the blue lighting behind the chrom…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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Just wanted to post a few thoughts on the local auto show....what's the best forum to do that in these days?
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Volkswagen comes to Geneva with a concept that not only slips in between the Passat and Phaeton, but one that gives a sneak peek into a future design language. The Sport Coupé Concept GTE is larger than the current CC in every dimension except in height. The front end has a new grille design and headlights with LEDs. Around back is styling similar to the Audi A7 with a liftback and low stance. Inside is seating for four passengers, along with large display screens for front and rear seat passengers. Power comes from plug-in hybrid powertrain that pairs a turbocharged 3.0L V6 and two electric motors to produce a total output of 374 horsepower. Volkswagen says the powertr…
Last reply by smk4565, -
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Only a couple of days after first reporting about Chevrolet showing off the Bolt concept at the Detroit Auto Show, the automaker has revealed it for all to see. The Bolt is GM's attempt at building an electric car with a 200 Mile range for the price of around $30,000. Styling is a mixture of Spark and the BMW i3 with a large area of glass, and a high beltline. The Bolt's body features barely any front or rear overhang which in turn helps out in interior space. Materials such as aluminum, magnesium, and carbon fiber help keep weight down and improve range. Inside is very spacious with a light color theme which only adds to that feeling. The dashboard has a flowing look an…
Last reply by JulianWilliams, -
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---to post later --- short version AVOID
Last reply by Hengista, -
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I was able to test a new 2013 CC "Sport" this past weekend. It was a much better experience than I had hoped for. I had it for a couple of hours and did a good mix of interstate and East TN rural driving. My daily driver is a 1999 C280 with over 250K miles. I provide that only so you can see what I am comparing the new VW against. The over all build quality of the CC (German made 68%) is OK, and I mean just OK. While it is as nice as similar priced Mazda and oddly as nice as the 2013 Mercedes CLA, it is nowhere near as solid as the now 14 year old C280 I drive. The panel fit is OK, but the paint will likely not hold up for a decade, as I would expect. The mo…
Last reply by Hengista, -
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I have a number of new features planned for CheersandGears.com for 2015. The first new feature comes to us from long time member Balthazar. He has cued up trivia questions for us to answer each week. Some weeks, we will be offering prizes to the first to answer all 5 questions correctly. We will reveal the answers to this week's questions in next week's post. In the long-running TV series "Married with Children", what brand/model car was Al Bundy always bemoaning? Name 3 makes of American automobiles that have had special 'Hurst' Editions. In which state was the 'Springfield' Rolls Royce auto built? What was the first model year of the Chevy Bel Air? Which …
Last reply by smk4565, -
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Posts in this category are only visible to Admins and Editor/Reporter. This post is meant to be treated as a Wiki and Members of both groups can and should update this with new information as needed. Press Days: 01/12/2015 - 01/13/2015 Credentials: Arrived Drew's planned travel days: 01/11/2015 - 01/14/2015 Model Debut Spreadsheet: Google Docs (only Drew, Michael, and William can access) (3 truck debuts?) Press Release Schedule: Updated in the Google Docs above or the official press release schedule here. Banner Items: Completed by Dodgefan in mid November Accommodations: Reservation confirmed to rent a 4 bedroom home. It has enough room that William can crash ther…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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OK Quick clarification to anyone listening. Using BLUETOOTH and your existing DATA connection on your cell phone (Tested with ANDROID Samsung Galaxy III and IV and LG Viper) will allow you car to connect to (tested with my 2014 Impala LTZ, 2014 Corvette Stingray Z51, 2015 GMC Yukon SLT, ex's 2014 Buick Verano Turbo, and my assistant's 2014 Chevy Cruze LTZ) Apps: iHeartRadio Tune-in Milk Pandora and from what I speculate any other like those. I use iHeart, Pandora, and Milk all the time due to them allowing the "Create Your Own Station" features. I love listening to Prince, Doug Stanhope, Greg Gilrado, Robert Schimmel, Jim Gaffigan, Hendrix, Led Zep, Motown…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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review coming. here is the review I did back in 2012 http://www.cheersandgears.com/topic/76589-2012-vw-passat-tdi-sel-and-gas-se/?hl=passat
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G. David Felt www.cheersandgears.com 2013 Nissan Altima S - Success or Failure? This review starts off sadly, with my 2008 Trailblazer SS AWD being hit in the drivers door and needing a complete replacement. SS is awesome and all fixed, but for the 3 weeks I was out of an auto, I was in this rental. Short Answer for those that want to know what I think, DO NOT BUY! Everything people complain about of 1980's and 1990's American cars is what you find on this car. Yes this is a long term rental fleet car as it had California plates and 42,785 miles when I got it. My rental allowed me to add on 1,137 miles by the time I returned it. This did include a 300 mi…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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on its way bear with me DRIVEN slightly used 2014 Chevy Traverse LS FWD, not sure the MSRP HIGHS Snappy powertrain. Transmission shifts quick and finds the right gear, engine doesn't really have too much of a flat spot and revs nicely in this rig. Good passing power. Good driving position, passenger too. Good view out the front and not much hood to look over. Comfortable front row seats. Nice and wide for AMURCHAN butts. Feels decently carlike, for its size. Definitely not trucky like a Trailblazer. Steering that is neither too slow or too fast. And feels not too bad. Ride and bumps are nicely absorbed yet there is still a little feel. Not nois…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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chuggin
Last reply by regfootball, -
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getting there - edit TESTED 2014 Mazda CX-9 AWD Sport, MSRP around 33k, best price around 28 and change HIGHS Still among the sportiest looking 3 row crossovers. New beak makes it really stylish. Snappy powertrain, even without many gears. Throaty exhaust. Man, does she handle nice! for a crossover. Drives like a sedan that sits taller Feels a lot smaller than its competition, not at all intimidating to drive Nice cockpit and gauges Great value in this config, had power seats, heated seats and dual AC...for many thou less than others with these two items Sliding second row seats make most of every inch of leg room depending on your situation Ever…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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its comin DRIVEN 2015 Ford Explorer XLT 202 pkg 4wd, MSRP close or over 40k. HIGHS Grandiose feel of mass in the front of the vehicle. Vehicle is wide also, has hips. Panoramic view, ok, majestic view out the front. Comfortable and solid seating, each row. Excellent head room, hip room, shoulder room. Third row is more usable than you would think based upon sight. Nice dash and console layout........(this comment does not apply if MyFordTouch is installed) Feels quite solid. Stable and secure. Heavy, even. Moreso than most others in the segment. Gives an impression of quality. Decently quiet inside. Styling that has obviously been popular.…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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A swiss army knife in a really big box. Makes a great case for the modern 'mini'van. DRIVEN 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT (rental, amassed about 500 miles). No idea what the MSRP was, guessing close to 30k. HIGHS Pentastar is a Rock Star. Fabulous engine. Kicks down great, linear power. Cruises smooth. Pentastar is a Track Star. Vehicle chews up and spits out miles. If you need more room and space, then I don't know what to tell ya. Extended console creates a cockpit feel in a van, and the dash layout it great. Dash mounted shifter quickly becomes second nature, and functions quite well. SXT finally gives you the ability to customize your seatin…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Tested 2013 Nissan Altima SV sedan 2.5, MSRP roughly 25k Had to. Drove the Accord last week, the midsize segment is on fire with new entries. As you know, the Honda failed to win my endorsement due to NVH issues. But the 13 Accord has a new CVT...that was not the problem. Honda still makes their cars too loud and noisy, etc. The 13 Altima in nearly every way, shape and form is the most analogous to the new Accord. And the Altima itself is a market juggernaut. Sales and leasing, the Altima has been in the top of the sales charts for several years now. For 2013, Nissan chose not to mess with success, but did concentrate on worthwhile improvements all around the car to ma…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Driven: 2014 Buick Regal FWD (base) MSRP 30,615 sale price 24,995 Note: truncated review. I've reviewed Regals previously, so this is merely an update on whatever refinements over time that have been had. past reviews http://www.cheersandgears.com/topic/75027-2011-buick-regal-cxl-and-cxl-turbo-updated-with-turbo-manual/?hl=%2Bbuick+%2Bregal
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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First and foremost I'm no writer. I put this together from random thoughts and it is simple, and limited to essentially the Epsilon vehicles with a little Alpha and Omega thrown in, but could be expanded to include all of GM concerning it's divisions Chevy vs Buick vs Cadillac vs the Industry Many people lambast Chevy for the Malibu and SS sharing some many design cues, but I maintain that both cars are variably handsome, and in the SS’s case, Chevy/Holden’s take on what a mature mainstream sedan should look like, not succumbing to the body-cladding of past Pontiacs, or racing stripes and trick painted surfaces of the Dodge brand, but presenting to the American…
Last reply by Cmicasa the Great, -
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(Here's a link to my prior test on a 2.5 automatic http://www.cheersandgears.com/topic/81238-2013-ford-fusion-25-se/ ) DRIVEN 2013 Ford Fusion 1.6 Ecoboost 6MT, MSRP unknown (car was preowned with about 30k miles) included MyFord Touch HIGHS (with the highs from the prior test below additional for reference, the additional applies here to this MT unit) Good feeling and working shifter Somewhat surprising power and drivability of the tiny Ecoboost 4 Torque curve has no real peaks and valleys, just has a nice linear torque build, almost elasticky in feel, no real lag Remains quiet inside and most of the tiny turbo din is muffled Amazing that you can find a la…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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TESTED: 2015 Subaru Legacy AWD 2.5i Premium MSRP 25,045 HIGHS -a natural and successful evolution of the.....successful previous generation. If you liked the last one, you will like this one -significant powertrain enhancements with the CVT, power delivery, fuel economy, and general drivability. -impressive CVT functioning. It really is ok to own a car with a CVT now! Simulated stepped automatic works well, and overall a lot of folks may not be able to tell the difference from a traditional automatic. -interior, which looks dreadful and cheap in pictures, is actually fairly decent and a bit of an upgrade over the previous model -evolved styling is a bit…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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-coming up-
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Tested 2014 Chevy Cruze diesel automatic. (Despite the dude at the one chevy place last week saying they would not hit lots until fall) HIGHS: Walks like a Cruze, talks like a Cruze, and this one is loaded. Feels great with the tan leather on black. Snappy acceleration. Possibly the fastest Cruze they sell. Peppy off the line and good kickdown for roll on acceleration too. Mostly behaves like a gas car. Fun to see instant mpg readings in the 60's, 70's, and 80's. Is heavier than a standard Cruze but does not feel overly ponderous or lazy or anything in that regard. Feels hefty on the road. Ride and steering very middle of market and will feel quality to most, …
Last reply by regfootball, -
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2008 Buell Blast Review Something Old, Something New Cheers & Gears Entering the motorcycle hobby is a strange thing. Companies, whet the appetites of riders-to-be with machines that promise warp speed acceleration, or long, chrome-laden cruisers dripping with sex appeal. But almost every Hayabusa or Harley rider has had to start with a bike that they were often glad to be rid of. Little attention is paid to the bikes that many of these riders threw their legs over for their first time. Before one may ride into the sunset on a stallion, they must first learn on a mule. At least that is how the motorcycle industry tends to view 'beginner' bikes: mules. Built…
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Last Friday I had set up an appointment for my 10,000 mile service update on my Volkswagen Golf (Rabbit) Having made the appointment at Vordermann Volkswagen in Ft. Wayne, I decided to finally taste one of GM's German delights; the new for the U.S. Saturn (Opel) Astra. The staff at Saturn of Ft. Wayne were very courteous and personal to work with. Having explained my situation of why I ended up with a VW instead of the Astra and wanting to finally experience one, they gladly agreed to offer a test drive. A few short minutes later, a silver Astra XR 3-door pulled up in front of my Volkswagen. Talk about nice looking but subtle versus hot looking and great visual pi…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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<h2 style="text-align: center;"><big><big>Battle of the Beasts</big></big></h2> <div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 363px; height: 273px;" alt="2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty" src="http://www.cheersandgears.com/uploads/1292458660/gallery_51_59_43290.png"> <img style="width: 362px; height: 271px;" alt="2011 GMC Sierra Denali 2500" src="http://www.cheersandgears.com/uploads/1289944373/gallery_51_58_805248.png"></div> <div style="text-align: center;"><big><big>Ford F-350 Lariat Super Duty v. GMC Sierra Denali 2500 HD<br> </big></big></div> <…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Just turned in a weekend rental of a 2014 silver Camry SE 2.5 with automatic and black interior with painted silver contrasting. The drive- in two words mediocre and forgettable. The 2.5 was enough engine to get you there and the 6 speed shifted smoothly. Handling was a mixed bag. Steering felt like it was Novocain injected with numbness and little feedback. Driven conservatively the SE with it's 17" tires does well enough and feels somewhat sporty. But driven at the limits is where it all falls apart. The tires howl in agony and there is much body lean. braking was competent but hardly class leading. The 2.5 got up to 60 in a middling 9 seconds flat with 9,200 miles on …
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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Picked up my weekend drive at Enterprise a few min ago. This was there 'CTS or equivalent' luxury car. Silver, black interior w/ shiny black wood. Decent so far....leaving for So Cal in a couple of hours...
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Touched a new 2014 today. Saw two of them on the interstate one day this week also. The new front end, in pictures does not look like it would effect much change. But in person, and seeing it in motion, it makes a huge difference in the look of the car. Well done. Through the glass, the interior changes look nice as well. The new console has a little more of a sport sedan flavor and it is very distinct from the laid back Impala. The narrowing of the front seats is noticeable visually inside the car for more leg room. But it still looks tight and the major flaw with seat mounts on the floor not getting fixed still seems half assed. Didn't drive one, want to wait t…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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Will start with this one now and fill in / edit more later. Tested 2013 Chevy Malibu 1LT Had a chance to put a few miles on a new Malibu yesterday. I probably did not get a chance to make note of all I wanted to. But in any case, it was a good drive. I really wanted to just test an LS, but the 1LT was what was available. I enjoyed the car a lot. I think there is just enough room left for improvement and it is improved quite a bit over the 2008-2012...which now seems not as appealing in pretty much in every real way. 13 is not quite as nice as the Regal, still (engine perhaps not withstanding). ------ HIGHS -new engine revs nicely and vibrations are damped. -plenty of…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 2, 2013 Speaking with reporters at the Tokyo Motor Show a couple weeks ago, American Honda CEO Tetsuo Iwamura said for him, "The big challenge is Acura. Acura has seen it sales increase six percent so far this year to 135,126 vehicles. However, the brand still trails in sales when compared to brands such as Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus. So what does Iwamura have in mind for Acura? To start, Iwamura wants to strengthen and grow Acura's presence in the U.S. and China, the two markets where the brand sells vehicles. To pull this off in the U.S., Acura needs to work on its sedans. Iwamura admits that sales o…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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2011 Ford Taurus SEL FWD (Rapid Spec 401A) The Story... Last Saturday I spent the day in a family members 2011 Ford Taurus SEL FWD Rapid Spec 401A with the 3.5L Duratec 35 V6 and six speed select shift automatic. This Taurus listed for $28,895.00 and was painted in Kona Blue Metallic with 18 inch alloy wheels, along with a long list of great features, that I will talk more about next. The Features & Interior... As an American car fan, but one who prefers GM some of things I have to say are hard for me to accept but I must. The Taurus SEL with the Rapid Spec 401A which adds Sync and rear parking assist is a great fullsize FWD sedan full of many neat featur…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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DRIVEN 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander ES AWD MSRP 27235 (actual price 22235) HIGHS -Price and Value + Warranty -Feels solid, substantial and stable and well built -Spacious first and second row for the class -Bonus (small) third row for the times it is handy -Second row adjust fore and aft as well as fold -Simple and legible dash and controls, good driving position -Plastic and interior materials that looks cheap in photos is actually not too bad -Good fit and finish all around -Nice steering wheel and SWAC -Nice trucky personality -Rides like a bigger vehicle -Nice alternative to the junky feeling CRV -Is a nice way for someone stepping down from a larger, more…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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------writeup coming later today----------- "Automotive death on four wheels, with a new funeral suit, and a larger, more spacious casket" Is this really the case? Check back later......
Last reply by frogger, -
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DRIVEN 2013 Cadillac ATS RWD 2.5L, Black with Carmel vinyl interior, MSRP about 33,800 HIGHS ATS is sweet looking inside and out! 2.5 has decent power, revs freely Good passing power and better than expected off the line power. Neutral handling with RWD chassis Good ride and handling balance appropriate for a base car Front row seating has nice space for legroom and width / girth Good forward visibility Attractive interior on the base model, even with the decontented headliner and vinyl seats and such Very nicely contoured seats for the base model Nice gauge cluster You can tell, the car feels very balanced, also stable and secure. Quite quiet inside and com…
Last reply by vonVeezelsnider, -
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Attended the Ford sponsored EcoBoost Challenge today (merely a couple miles from home). These canned track / test drive events are usually pretty cheesy, and this was no exception, ST cars not withstanding. Since all you get either way in these cars is about a minute of time, there is not much to expound upon, but some things stick in your head. Hybrid Challenge- The trick was either take the Fusion Hybird or CMax hybrid and see what your best average mpg would be. Sort of a dumb concept, its a short loop course which you can't get up to speed to really put to use hypermile techniques. I ended up in a Fusion and I like the car. From what I could tell, it seemed smo…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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A few weeks back, I took a still in the wrapper 2013 Subaru Outback 3.6 Limited in on trade, with just over 2900 miles. The clients had owned a 1999 Lexus RX300 for many years and many miles, and then decided after a few trials to get the Outback and specifically with the 3.6L engine "it has a lot more power, and is a lot nicer to drive" they said. But it didn't click. They have a lot of friends with Acura MDX's that sing the praises, and decided after driving one to trade it in again on the all new 2014 Acura MDX. So we now have the Outback for sale, with 3000 miles. It's an interesting package, as it has heated leather seats and the nicer audio, but a manual dimming mi…
Last reply by caddycruiser, -
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no drive, but touched em at two separate dealers. Hatchbacks. Car looks good mostly but to me the proportions are out of whack with the seemingly long hood and not so long passenger cabin. Some of this is likely trickery as the side swoop and the hood basically going over the bumper still doesn't keep some of the windshield from encroaching on the front axle line. But overall, the side profile looks very uncomfortable for a front drive car. You could say they are trying to emulate a rear drive BMW in its proportions. The shape is nice mostly but I think it lacks definition. Looks a bit blobbish. Or European, take your pick. What I could see through the glass abou…
Last reply by PONTIAC06, -
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should have it up tomorrow.
Last reply by Soku47, -
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Vehicle: 2013 Chevrolet Spark LT Colors: Blue Denim Metallic, Black Leatherette MSRP: $N/A (rental vehicle) So here I am on day #2 having a 2013 Chevrolet Spark LT rental vehicle while my wife's 2008 Pontiac G6 V6 Sedan is at the dealer for some warranty repairs (have been doing a punch list of items since early winter; the extended warranty expires in 8 days!). My choice of rental was either a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze LT sedan in black or this Denim Blue Metallic Spark LT - since the wife has been on a small car test-drive kick this year (a previous rental was a '13 Ford Fiesta), I selected the Spark. My drive home with it Monday evening on local roadways was not too ba…
Last reply by Z-06, -
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com July 22, 2013 For the past year or so, we've been hearing murmurs on a new Lexus IS coupe since Lexus showed off the LF-CC concept at the Paris Motor Show. Now, the Lexus coupe is real and is coming to this year's Toyko Motor Show. A source tells Automotive News that Lexus will unveil the production coupe in November and it will wear the RC nameplate. The base RC will use a 3.5L V6 with 306 horsepower. Follow that will be the RC-F which is reported to pack a 460 horsepower V8 engine. The RC is expected to go on sale late next year. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) William Maley is a staff writer for Chee…
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Tested 2014 Fiat 500L Easy, MT and automatic -----more later------
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com June 26, 2013 The Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson Edition has ridden into the sunset. “We don’t have plans for one at the moment. We’ve got 10 models including a brand-new Limited Model, which was new for 2013. We feel like we’ve got the market really well covered,” said Doug Scott, Ford Motor Co.’s truck marketing manager. The F-150 Harley-Davidson was introduced back in 1999 and was the flagship model for the F-150 lineup for a time. Scott said the Harley-Davidson only accounted for one to two percent of F-150 sales. Add in the fact that Ford has added such models like the F-150 Platinum, Limited and Raptor, and there isn…
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Vehicle: 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Crew Cab Standard Box 4WD (Z71 package) Black exterior with Jet Black leather interior MSRP: $48,xxx Late last night I decided to drive by a local Chevrolet dealership to see if they had received any 2014 Silverado models in stock yet. Much to my surprise they had two models parked up front for the whole passing-by world to see - a white LT CC short box 4WD (Z71) and the black LTZ standard box described above. The dealership was still open so I decided to stop to see if they'd let me sit in it. My 7 year-old son and I walked around the truck, admiring its 'newness'. A young sales professional quickly came out to greet us. …
Last reply by Blake Noble, -
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tested 2013 Chevy Volt base, no options. Fairly quick spin HIGHS: Major league and mature electric powertrain Electric motor kick in the pants! Accelerating and passing are nicely done Solid feel ride and handling, stable and secure Jazzy design compared to Prius Superior ride and drive to Prius Very little of the nerdiness of the Prius Hatchback utility for those that like it Cabin is not too closed off, nice view out the front when driving SUper freakin QUIET inside, and just enough powertrain noise to remind you you are in a motor vehicle. Low center of gravity, you can really feel its benefits. More or less to cut to the chase, it's a real car, and a goo…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Over the last couple weeks, I've had two Impalas from Alamo for rent..over Memorial Day weekend, 3 days with a white w/ neutral interior one in the Indianapolis area and this past weekend a black w/ black interior one in the Denver area. I had driven an '07 Impala a few years ago as a rental, these were pretty similar. Pros--spacious inside, big trunk, reasonably quiet and smooth. Overall, the ergonomics and seat adjustment were fine for me, the steering feel, brakes, etc seemed ok. Outward visibility was better than the Malibu I drove last year. Cons--a few quirks..the turn signal/wiper stalk combo was odd to me, I found myself turning on the signals when trying…
Last reply by PurdueGuy, -
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I was in So Cal the last few days for the Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix Indy Car race weekend, so it was only appropriate my rental car was a Camry. Had a white Camry w/ a black & gray two tone cloth interior. Drove about 150 miles around Long Beach and Orange County over the last few days. I had a choice of a Camry or Altima Friday night at Hertz, and I realized I'd never driven one so what the heck... Impressions: Nothing memorable. The car was perfectly functional, comfortable, smooth, quiet but really didn't leave much of an impression. Big trunk. Power seemed adequate for accelerating up the notoriously short So Cal on-ramps to the various freeways I …
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com April 17, 2013 Alfa Romeo has a very ambitious plan to triple their sales by 2016, meaning the brand would be selling around 300,000 vehicles. Looking at Alfa Romeo's current lineup that is only made up of the subcompact MiTo and the compact Giulietta, its a bit of a tall order. However Alfa Romeo's European boss, Louis-Carl Vignon believes the brand cannot not only meet the goal, but exceed it. So how is Alfa Romeo planning to do this? Well a big part of the plan deal with Alfa Romeo's return to the U.S. Alfa Romeo expects the U.S. and Europe to be their big markets by 2016. "Alfa's brand awareness in the U.S. is s…
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There's a new car in my driveway! And it has new car smell! (disclaimer, it's my companies car) Full day test drive tomorrow! Got about 25 mpg with it on a 40 mile sprint tonight........
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com March 26, 2013 What happens when you take the fastest and meanest Jaguar XK, the XKR-S and turn it up to eleven? You get the brand new 2014 Jaguar XKR-S GT which is a track-ready weapon that is road legal. The XKR-S GT features a new aerodynamic package that includes a carbon fiber front splitter, dive planes, extended wheel arch spats, a rear diffuser, and a large fixed rear wing. This allows the XKR-S GT to achieve a maximum downforce of 320 lbs when traveling at the vehicle’s top speed of 186 MPH. The GT also features a set of carbon ceramic brake discs (a first for Jaguar) and a race-derived, height-adjustable tw…
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DRIVEN 2013 Ford Fusion 2.5 SE, MSRP, a little north of 25g (no MyFordTouch) HIGHS Aston style on the cheap! A very welcome new look for those weary of the old Fusion Big bodacious car! Feels wide, large and safe, long wheelbase Many trims and price levels, and with discounts and incentives, can be a hell of value 2.5 is tuned well for this new platform, doesn't really fall on it's face even with it being slightly aged. Tranny manipulates the car well and shifts quick, stays in powerband and doesn't hunt or any reprehensible behavior. A very nice balance of open cabin with visibility and seclusion. Views out are pretty well done mostly. Interior plastics and…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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So I didn't drive it but checked out a Dodge dart at the local dodge dealer...had a few minutes to kill and thought the car looked interesting. Liked: Paint quality was good, probably better than average for a new car. Exterior has really sharp styling. Car is sized nicely, should be easy to park and is a nice balance with need for interior room. Really well packaged. Love the fact that it's available in a manual Reports of 40 mpg plus from reviewers and owners make the car maybe worth a look at some point. Disliked- Interior is nice, but poorly assembled. Car had been at the dealership for a week or so and several interior trim pieces were already starting to c…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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DRIVEN 2013 Buick Encore FWD Leather 1.4t MSRP about 31 geezles HIGHS Snazzy looking, great styling job on a very challenging package Nice interior, nice leather and plastics, nice dash, nice design Lots of interesting detail inside, snazzy displays and gauges Dashtop screen is surprisingly effective Popular crossover friendly seat height and step in Very good view all around (surprisingly open cabin for a current crossover) Extremely parkable A very good amount of room inside in the passenger compartment, GM does not typically package interior space real effectively For the most part, pretty quiet inside in most driving Good steering feel and an oh so I wanna…
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Checked one out! Obviously, can't drive it. But here is what I thought about it. Strong looking, has presence. Sort of predatory in the front. Large car. Very much cabin rear. Inside, very well done. If you have been in a CX-5, and have seen the pictures of the new interior, then you have a very accurate idea of what it is like. It is like a combination of a BMW interior and an Accord or other similar Japanese car. I would say the interior is better than the new Accord and pretty much all the others, despite some hard plastic that manages to avoid looking cheap. Ergonomics appear to be spot on across the board, especially the memory seat locations, the steering…
Last reply by frogger, -
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Quick Drive: 2011 VW Jettas SE with convenience automatic - SEL manual Some comments will be together but others will address the different trim levels. HIGHS 'classic' (cough) and 'safe' (cough), ok, we'll call it 'tidy' styling decent amount of KIT for the price more then deserved AMOUNT of power German 'engineering' is prevalent....regardless of where it was built cabin space and trunk space go beyond what is expected in class. leg room is abundant all around. non invasive cabin. solid road feel. good steering feel (with exception noted below) good road trip car, cruises nicely at high speed (with exception noted below) good transmissions nice feel…
Last reply by William Maley, -
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Tested 2013 Honda Accord Sedan Sport 4 cylinder automatic CVT, MSRP right around 25 geezels. In the interest of wanting to vet all the media gushing on the new Accord, and having sold cars who had CVT's and dealing with the public reaction daily as well as driving them myself....and as possibly thinking mid size sedan in the future...... I ended up in a shorter than i wanted test of a new 013 Accord. The previous gen Accord did not do much for me, and the combination of weird looks, cheap interior, and NVH and driving issues meant the car never interested me. And pretty much the press as a whole had begun to look away from Honda some as midsize class leader. Even th…
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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - CheersandGears.com Nov 30th 2012 Friday Night from 5pm to 9pm Dougs Cadillac of Seattle had their anual Customer Appreciation party with Wine, Woman and Cars! We were entertained by the local Seattle Big Band and Ball Room Dancing while enjoying excellent seafood, Cold cut meats, rice dishes, cheeses to go with the Wine and Beer. The only requirement was to bring a bag of non perishable food to donate to Food LifeLine of Seattle. The night started for me at 5pm and a test drive in the ATS AWD. This was an amazing car for me. At 6'6" tall I was still able to find a comfy seat position that allowed me to drive and realize …
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My step-son decided pretty late in the game to attend his senior prom last Friday (May 11). His original plan was to go with his friends in a stretch Chrysler 300 limo, but with his indesiciveness about attending, his friends replaced him with another couple. When he finally made the decision to go, it was too late for finding an affordable limo in short time (less than two weeks). In comes step-dad with the decision to rent a "luxury" car from Enterprise Rent-a-Car and offer my chauffer services for the evening (you must be 21 with a large fee to drive a rental car in NJ; 25 without the fee). I was hoping to end up with a Cadillac DTS or CTS, but being a holiday weeke…
Last reply by ponchoman49, -
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Got a chance to drive a base FWD 2.0 Ecoboost Edge. Let me just sum it quick. It keeps all the size, space, driving position plusses that makes the Edge popular. The new interior is light years more attractive, has way better quality, and is more functional. The new steering wheel has great layout with its buttons to control nearly everything on the vehicle. The Edge drives quieter and tighter now. Not any more sporty, but it does feel lots less junky than the first gen. Really this review is based on the engine......people say it's underpowered in the Explorer etc. Here is what i found........seems like a wee bit underpowered, but the power delivery is liquid smo…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 24, 2012 (Note: The weekend edition is back from its long vacation, mostly due to me being busy with other things. Sorry about that. Anyways, enjoy. -WM) Everyday, I go through a number of stories that I will post on Cheers & Gears. However, a good number of stories that I have picked out don’t make it onto the page during the week and either get posted next week or never. That’s where the the Cheers & Gears’ Weekend Edition comes in. Its where the stories that gotten forgotten about during the week get their due. In this third edition, we’ll be covering, Buick Considers A Big Change The Least Stole…
Last reply by William Maley, -
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Tested 2013 Buick Verano SD sedan, MSRP about 24k 2.4l four cylinder, 6 speed automatic. This is one I have dying to get into. Verano. WTF is a Verano? (Keep in mind I am used to seeing VERONAS aplenty in various states of non operation in my previous service department). I have been seeing these everywhere! I thought new age car shoppers did not buy Buicks! Only OLD people drive them! They are so.........so......... Wait, something about this car is different. What is it exactly? GM makes everything the same way! Oh, this is from Germany? Ok, well not exactly. But the car does have its roots in the German Opel Astra.....one of Europe's most popular and most …
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Back when I was eleven years old, we were taking a trip in my parents Ford Country squire through rural Georgia. We pulled into a servicew station, as both my younger sister and I had to relieve ourselves of the Coca Cola we had enjoyed at lunch. Thankfully, by eleven years of age, I was enough of a car nut to know that the car sitting in the service bay being repaired was a 1970 Torino GT converetible. The mechanic seemed old enough to have watched Sherman burn the place to the ground 112 years before. I asked him.. "Where is the bathroom?" "Over there, son...." he poointed towards two doors, one marked boys, one marked "Men". "Which one do I use?" I asked... "Ne…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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A couple weeks back or so I managed to wind up testing a couple Fiats. Probably don't have much time here.... Fun car, better than I thought (the stick at least). Really would be a decent enjoyable car for someone who could live with the size. Car seems well made and is very affordable. The Pop I drove was a 5 sp manual. Due likely to the light weight of the car, the 100hp +/- motor kept the car on the beat and I didn't really miss a 6 speed much. Ride was fairly decent and the car did not crash on bumps. Interior was classy cute and was pretty comfy for the size. The clutch path and operation was hard to get used to and really it's an ergonomic issue. I'm sure …
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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Had a chance to drive both the auto and stick CX-5 a couple weeks ago. There is a lot that is really cool about this vehicle. There is a couple things Mazda really effed. Overall don't believe the hype about this feeling like a sports car or anything. It's height and such still make it feel like an SUV. Actually that is the impressive thing about the vehicle. They shaved a lot of pounds from the design but yet when you sit in it and drive it, it feels like a larger, heavier crossover / SUV. It just has better steering and responsiveness from pretty much the rest. It's still not a sedan though. You will not get the sporty feel of a sedan in this vehicle. The majo…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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took in a Smart car.....had never driven one......wow, what a trip. the drive itself, as far as the cabin and visibility, not bad, you feel secure in traffic even though there is not much car. The powertrain is a huge deficit to the car. a small three popper and worthless tranny really make the car a toy. the style and design is neat though. Handling is not all bad! The car does give the impression of a tarted up golf cart but methinks its not all far off into being something interesting. HIGHS- unique, useful and innovative package LOWS- junk powertrain (mostly the tranny), lack of solidity truth is as urban cars its hard to think of a better package. Now inves…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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I picked up my weekend rental this morning..my neighborhood Enterprise was out of luxury cars, so I ended up w/ a silver w/ tan leather interior Yukon. It's the first GMT-900 SUV I've driven. So far, so good. Smooth, comfortable, quiet. About the only nitpick is I haven't found an ideal seat/wheel/pedal position..the steering wheel goes up/down, but no telescoping. Even w/ the seat all the way back (long legs), the pedals seem too close and the wheel too far away...got to fiddle w/ it some this afternoon after work before I hit the road. The various controls are familiar late model GM, quite similar to the Impalas I've driven. Will post more after I get back …
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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As part 1 of my vacation this week, I was in N. California for 4 days driving a rental '12 Cadillac CTS 3.0. I thoroughly enjoyed it in a variety of driving situations--Bay Area freeway traffic, beautiful winding Sonoma and Napa county country roads, driving around town in Sonoma and Napa, etc. My only previous CTS driving experience was a couple short local trips in a black 3.6 a couple of months ago. All in all, it drove quite nicely...this appeared to be a base model w/ small wheels and standard suspension, but the road feel, steering, etc was excellent. Not too many nit-picks to point out..I couldn't find an aux input jack, and the cup holders seem to be too cl…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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So my family got 2 new cars which I got to sample when I went to visit recently. My parents traded in their 2010 Fusion SE on an Escape XLT (FWD and 2.5 liter 4 banger.) They loved their fusion but my dad has MS and needs something that can transport a scooter. They got the escape on clearance for 19k (25k msrp.) Its a solid little truck and they got the 17 inch chrome wheels which really look good on it. No other options besides that. You can tell the platform's a little long in the tooth, it has a solid ride but at the occasional expense of ride quality. It won't win any drag races with the 4 cylinder but it's well geared and reasonably peppy. My brot…
Last reply by hyperv6, -
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Had to zip over to my dad's funeral last week and rented a Nissan Sentra S to make the trip. This one had the CVT tranny. I was far more impressed than I thought I'd be. The car is a great cruiser--at 70 MPH, the tach showed about 2000 RPM. No engine noise at all and the ride was quite serene as well. Very little tire/road noise. Drove into some fairly strong headwinds and no wind noise to speak of. Sound system was very nice. Peppy acceleration, at least on par with my dear, departed Neon. Ride was pretty good as well; everything seemed decently damped. Drove 800 miles round trip and averaged over 35 MPG, in spite of some sustained speeds of 75+ MPH. Nice car.
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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July 2, 2012 Drew Dowdell - Managing Editor, CheersandGears.com When most people think of stalwart Japanese cars, the first names that come to mind are typically the Accord and Camry. However, Nissan's had a name in the game for just as long with the Maxima. The Maxima was the first of the Japanese mid-size cars to go big, growing to 188 inches in 1988 while the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry remained decidedly more compact for a few more years. This gave the Maxima a leg up in being considered more of a luxury car than your otherwise typical Japanese sedan. The 1988 Maxima was also called a 4 Door Sports Car by Nissan in a nod to the powerful-for-time 160 h…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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So, you all may well know that we just bought the MINI Cooper S for my wife to drive. My son is going to take our four door family car for his use, and we are going to be in need of a more door practical car in the next year or so. I've enjoyed reading the reviews of the Verano, and thought they looked like a sharp car. Since I got off of work a little early today, I stopped by the local Buick dealer for a quick test hop. There were things I liked, things I didn't like, and things that I thought really stood out as positives. First of all, things I didn't like. Biggest of all the side profile is a little bit busy with the extra front quarter window and extra rear qu…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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After the SCCA Autocross a week ago I went to the local Toyota dealer and drove a new FRS, a Lava orange automatic. At the buckeye Miata Club autocross today, I got some (passenger) seat time in a new black manual FRS at speed. My impressions. I like the silhouette of the car. It reminds me of the old air cooled 911's, the Cayman, the Ferrari GTO, my old first gen Mustang fatback, the 67-69 barracuda which is gorgeous, the Porsche Cayman, the original 250 Z, the jag E type...very classy. the front and rear, a little less so. Car is sweet, but suffers from a little bit too much of the "Angry Pokemon" style of a lot of modern Japanese iron. I like the design touches s…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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So the Former Stang Drives the newest stang.... Overalll.... Pluses. The fit and finish of the car I drove was fantastic....as good as anything I've seen sold today. The trunk had flawless finish inside of the trunk lid, the door jambs were flawless, the paint inside the motor bay was flawless. Interior fit together perfectly also. It also had plenty of power. However, the car felt really heavy and not terribly playful, the shifter wasn't as clean of good as a GTI, Volvo C30, or any of the other cars we drove and liked better. Seats were comfortable enough but lacked the support of the GTI seats or the better seats of several other cars I've driven. Overall, an 8…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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touched and sat in the 013 Escape today! got a couple pics will post later. Very nice looking in person. Good packaging. Engine compartment is efficient. Front seats are roomy. Rear a tad tight maybe. Overall, vehicle is larger in flesh than pics indicate. Also looks more dynamic in the flesh than pics. Interior design is Focus 3.0....similar layout, but more flashy. I thought interior plastics could be a bit nicer though. Leather and seats were stylish. Trunk decent size. Seems a little smaller inside overall than the CX5 but that is not a scientific judgment. Didn't drive it, but the exit the little SUV seemed to haul some arse....... 38 grand! the big m…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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Since Zipcar now offers Focii, and since that's a vehicle I would seriously consider, I thought I'd borrow one for 2 hours while they're still mint, and see what's what. 2012 Focus SEL 5-door - $21,XXX (no options) and 700 miles on the odo PROS: silent engine, low NVH, very polished powertrain overall good build quality; not VW solid but still feels very substantial high-quality switchgear (solid buttons, switches, knobs) SEL gets soft upper door panels = nice supportive and comfy front buckets (even without sport seats) seats keep you fresh after a long drive superb tracking and stability; great on LA freeways, not perturbed by expansion joints, wind, uneven sur…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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short spin.... handles really sweet. 7 speed auto, fairly responsive....still not a manual though. all in all, not really detracting from the drive much. the gimmicky nature of the shift lever is distracting though. Paddles make up for it. Size of the car is nice for anyone who doesn't carry people. Seats were comfy. Interior simple, and tasteful. I'd go for a couple inches wider and some more rear leg room. Interior not plush but in the front enough room to be sorta comfy in the excellent seats. Love the visibility out of the car. Partially this is due to the 2 door nature and lack of obtrusive pillars aplenty. Have to admit though.....the car did not feel ba…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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Got a real brief drive in a 12 Focus. Hadn't drove one yet. Wowzers, nice! Quick notes: HIGHS: Sweet cabin. Nice plastics and design. Comfy seats. Great dash. Zippy, thought the dual clutch auto was alright! MyFord Touch has lots of features........ Sweet handling, nice ride Feels premium "Intimate" LOWS: MyFord Touch I can see, can be super buggy and a pain. Way too many buttons all around. Buzzy engine.....should be smoother Back seat looked tight, not as tight as I thought though (too) "intimate" for some Ford is putting money the hood of these now.....sweet little cars! I thought I would like a Cruze.....but......... Can't wait to see how the Fus…
Last reply by riviera74, -
William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com April 18, 2012 Shelby has been synonymous with the Mustang since the late sixties with the GT350 and GT500. Since the two got back together in 2007 with GT500, Shelby has been reestablishing itself as the halo car producer for Ford. But Shelby is looking to expand. Autoblog talked with Shelby president John Luft about what the future holds for the company. Luft said the company is looking at whether to branch out to other vehicles in the Ford stable. "Our plans include everything from the Mustang to looking at future development of the EcoBoost motor. There could be a Focus or Fusion development in our future." Luft…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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We are looking for a new car this next year. On the list- Chevrolet Camaro V6 Mazda Miata MX-5 Mini Cooper/Clubman (S version) Volkswagen GTI Volkswagen Beetle (redesigned 2012) Volvo C30 My wife and Children wanted to add a car to the list-they wanted another four door to choose from, and it had to be fun to drive, a manual shift, and most importantly not look like anything else on the road. Oh a whim, we drove the Juke, and here it is-the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Last reply by 67impss, -
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Driven, Buick Regal CXL and CXL Turbo. More specifics later. Drove each of them. I will rate highs and lows as they pertain to both or to each of them. I will rewrite this more legibly as I have more time. HIGHS "Right size" car "Intimate" but not "claustrophic" interior cabin Lots of standard content quiet tuned! (let's have a conversation, honey) Styling, inside and out Solid build quality, inside and out Comfortable seating, very adjustable power seats Genuinely sophisticated and quality demeanor gauges and displays are dead on in the perfect spots. fantastic 'touch points' (stalks, door pulls, wheel, SWAC, center stack, shifter) steering wheel, with on…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Instead of the Impala (I've had 3 as rentals this year), I moved up a class at the counter and chose a 300 over the LaCrosse. Had a silver 2012 Chrysler 300 with 795 miles on it when I picked it up Friday night in San Jose. Drove to Monterey and got to drive on a mix of freeway, two lane roads, and city streets around the Monterey Bay area over the weekend. Impressions: Smooth, quiet, solid and hefty. Even w/ the V6, it moves out at a reasonable pace...sticks to the road well for its size. Outward visiblity is pretty good, better than the similarly sized Taurus I drove last year IIRC. Great lights at night (xenon, I believe) Comfortable, adjustable seats. Lots…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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Tested, base 9-5 sedan...MSRP roughly 40k (closeout price roughly 30k), 2.0 turbo 4, 220hp, 6 speed man.... HIGHS Smooth engine and powertrain Nice shifter and clutch, nice knob to grab and hold. Good cabin room front and back Borderline sexy exterior style Lots of equipment Saab starter button now between the legs....er, seats......! That Eurocar smell inside..... Big trunk that is nicely appointed. Drivers seat is widely adjustable and generally comfortable. Other seats are pleasing firm. Decent visibility out the front and sides, under the premise of a car with not very large side glass. Dash layout, which differs from the Regal, is not too bad of a layout…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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2011 BMW 535i xDrive I’m going to admit something slightly embarrassing here in the hopes that other people out there, who suffer from the same thing, won’t feel so alone. OK, here goes. I’m a virgin. …a BMW-virgin. I’ve driven many Audis, Vokswagens, Mazdas, Infinitis, Cadillacs and even a few Porsches, but never a car with the blue and white roundel on the hood. All that changes today as I step into the new, 2011 BMW 5-series. Today, I become a man. Or, something… What Works Good news first. The 535i is packing a 3.0L, inline 6 cylinder motor with a twin-scroll turbocharger, and it likes to party. Its’ 300hp will get you to 60mph in about 5.5 seconds, and a $…
Last reply by bobo, -
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2012 Passat SEL TDI 33,+/- MSRP and 2012 Passat SE 5 cylinder, 25,8xx MSRP HIGHS -stately exterior, looks more expensive than class competitors -large car -classy interior (see commentary) -simply laid out and functional interior -huge inside, by all metrics...leg, head, shoulders, it's all good. -big trunk -nice feeling controls -well organized under the hood (including insulation on battery) -SE trim level better than expected, on par with class -SEL has decent plood and nice seat accents, even SE interior in black is alright with pleather -TDI has some snort (see comments) -TDI, DSG functions pretty well -TDI, you really have little idea you are driving …
Last reply by regfootball, -
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First Drive & Ride: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 & Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com August 22, 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 What happens when you drop a Jeep Grand Cherokee off at Chrysler's Street and Racing Technology workshop and tell the SRT engineers to have at it? You get the dark and monstrous Grand Cherokee SRT8. On the outside; the Grand Cherokee SRT8 has a lower stance, flared out fenders, a hood with scoops to help cool down the engine, 20 inch wheels wrapped in massive Pirelli PZero tires, and design bits give it an impression of don't mess with me. Inside the SRT8, its a combination of l…
Last reply by William Maley, -
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- Editor-in-Chief
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C&G Preview: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic vs 2012 Hyundai Accent With just about every new vehicle introduction this auto show season (save for the Camaro ZL1 and SRT-8 Mopars), it took no longer than 30 seconds to hear the words "fuel economy" come out of the mouths of the speaker once each press conference started. This being mainly a GM site, I figured it might be a good idea to look at the car curerntly slated to carry the fuel economy torch for the company - the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic - and compare it to another new-for-2012 B segment car that made its debut this season - the Hyundai Accent. Why the Accent, and not the old standards Fit and Yaris? Because Hyundai s…
Last reply by MyerShift, -
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For the last week because of not having a single drivable car in the driveway, I've had a white diamond '11 STS as a rental. Taking it back to Enterprise tommorow. First impressions: Smooth. Quiet. Comfortable. Good exhaust roar when I put my foot down. Like the color combination--white diamond w/ two-tone tan interior. I've always liked the exterior design of the STS, crisp and clean..not as aggro as the CTS, but definitely a Cadillac. This is the first current Caddy I've driven, have driven an '00-02 vintage DTS and a few mid-late '90s era deVilles. Seats are adjustable and comfortable, not sport seats, but wide enough for fat American behinds (my size 40 fi…
Last reply by z28luvr01, -
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will get this review up later
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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So this afternoon, after my wife's OB appointment, I decided we would take the opportunity to do something we hadn't done together in quite some time: go visit a car lot. The intended target: the 2011 Chrysler 300C. We got to the lot and saw about 6 or 7 300s there, most of which were Cs. About five minutes into our browsing (which mainly consisted of my wife listening to me ramble on about stuff), a salesman came out and asked us what we were interested in. I told him we were looking at the 300 and the Charger (which was true, but I had seen the latter already). After explaining many of the new features to us -- mainly the adaptive cruise control, the adaptive HIDs,…
Last reply by Maxy, -
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- Editor-in-Chief
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I know y'all have been waiting for this one (right). I did this one a couple weeks ago. Let me explain. I was at a used dealer scoping out something and they had a used 2011 Kia Sedona cranberry red sitting there. Always sort of looking at family cars, I asked if I could grab some keys and so I took it for a quick spin. Reason: I had read that the Sedona had inherited the revisions to the corporate Kia v6 as well as the 6 speed automatic. So I wanted to see how refined and what sort of nuts it had since i had read an article about it recently. HIGHS Strong, smooth powertrain Space Value for the dollar 'Good' level of refinement Visibility Decent basic interio…
Last reply by Maxy, -
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TESTED 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan Express FWD MSRP 24,830 +/- 3.6 Pentastar v6 6 speed automatic HIGHS powertrain revised interior including good controls and ergonomics things like gauges, radio, climate control, shifter, vastly improved and deliciously simple interior space, duh, it's a huge box decent ride and handling, does not feel like a barge decently quiet inside not terrible visibility considering a big beast of a van lots of folks like STO N GO updated styling outside looks less dowdy, the grille and rear in particular are nice improvements price! / get more value than the price LOWS considering price point, not a bunch really a little bit more noi…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Well as a part of the autoshow GM was handing out brochures to take to the dealership to get 25 dollars in free gas and to test drive a Cruze. The heater core hoses in my Malibu were rotting out so I had to pass by the dealership anyway to pick up a couple of new ones. I got into a blue Cruze LS. The First thing I notice is plenty of interior space; much different than the last compact GM car I drove. My brother owns a Cavalier, and when I enter that car I'm touching the dashboard with my knees, the steering wheel etc etc (Its cramped!). This car felt much roomier, no intrusions from the dash, door, wheel etc. Outward visibility was great. The car came with power w…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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This is going to be fairly brief in comparison to my words about the Cruze. Namely, I did not spend as much time looking the Jetta over and did not have my camera with me. In addition, it still had all the factory protective coverings over much of it. Let me start off with a few words about the exterior. It's not as bland in person. Alot of the little details hide themselves in pictures. I was pleasantly surprised. It's still a very conservative design, but that's something VW has always honed and is present on my favorite, the MK3. In that regard, its a very well done design. It's much more modern and contemporary than the MK5 Jettas that sat beside it. Those, in compar…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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