Category: Car Reviews
2012 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ pickup truck road test: Robust, refined and comfortable for the long haul
It’s not likely that you will see a 2012 Chevrolet Silverado LTZ pickup truck anytime soon with an old refrigerator strapped to the bed or or a mattress and box spring hanging out the back. That is not at all what this luxurious workhorse – completed with crew cab, standard bed and four-wheel drive – [...]
2012 Infiniti FX35 Limited road test: Bold, brawny, powerful and fun to drive
Nip here, tuck there, add a bevy of new features and what have you got? Yes, it’s the refreshed 2012 Infiniti FX35, a luxury crossover that tilts the usual emphasis of a sport-utility vehicle from utility to sport. Now in its ninth year, the Infiniti FX35 stakes its claim to market share on a bold [...]
2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe Review: Good changes = Great improvements
After a day spent driving the 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe on Nevada roads and on the track, there’s no doubt Hyundai gets it. Which isn’t something we say too often about big automotive corporations. Like the kid in the back of the class who may not participate much but absorbs everything, Hyundai pays attention all [...]
2012 BMW 328i sedan Luxury Line first drive review: 3-Series sixth-generation
The saying goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. That’s correct, of course, except when the more things stay the same, the more they change. And both sayings could apply to the new 2012 BMW 3-Series sedan. The 2012 3-Series is almost all new, yet this sixth generation 3-Series is true [...]
2012 Mazda Mazda3 SkyActiv Grand Touring review: A different kind of activity
The 2012 Mazda Mazda3 SkyActiv* is remarkable but the trim level composition can be confusing, so let’s deal with that before we get very far into the details of SkyActiv and the Mazda3. First, the Mazda3 is Mazda’s most popular vehicle worldwide and in the U.S. comprises nearly two thirds of all Mazda sales. The [...]
We drive the BMW ActiveE battery electric: Bavarian (electric) motor (car) works
It’s disconcerting, really. It’s the Twenty-first Century and all that, and there should be no doubt that if anyone can do it, BMW can. But to push the pedal down and have the BMW ActiveE move under battery electric propulsion almost silently out of the driveway and onto to the street is, well, it’s, um, [...]
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 road test: It’s a whole lot hotter than a standard SUV
It’s not cold logic that will bring buyers to the dealerships in search of the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, the brand’s red-hot sport-utility vehicle. Left-brainers simply will not comprehend the attractiveness of a ground-pounding, gas-guzzling, 470-horsepower SUV that is filled with luxury features and sells for more than $60,000. I was reminded of this [...]
Living with Leaf: Is an all-electric car really viable?
First, let me say I really like the Nissan Leaf. I like its quirky styling, impressive ride quality and amenities. If you want to read a full review of the Leaf and its inner workings, follow this link. What I’m going to cover in this missive is my experience with the car to see [...]
2012 Kia Sorento SX AWD review: That much for a Kia?
The shocker came from the sticker. The bottom line on our 2012 Kia Sorento SX AWD was $37,150, and all of that was standard equipment for the SX AWD except the $1,500 panoramic sunroof and $800 destination fee. Holy cow, that’s a Kia? Yes, indeed it is. It’s not that other compact SUVs with all-wheel [...]
2012 Mitsubishi Outlander GT review: Hard to be
It must be tough to be Mitsubishi in the U.S. It’s not that the Japanese car manufacturer doesn’t get respect. It’s that it just doesn’t get anyone’s attention. That’s despite building vehicles like the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander GT, a compact SUV-crossover with off-road credentials that for a crossover are quite impressive The Outlander GT is [...]
