Automotive Reviews

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Honda S2000, 2004: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Winding country roads provide great driving delight. They give sports car owners ample proof why they often sacrificed luxury and comfort for speed and excitement. In Northern California, the wine country roads through the Napa Valley and Mendocino Coast are prime examples — at least for drivers. There are plenty of stretches where passengers susceptible to car sickness may be in trouble. But for a driver, the deep turns and switchbacks require plenty of shifting, maneuvering and accelerating skills. So with a 2004 Honda S2000 as my weekly test drive, could there have been a better location for a getaway weekend? The two-door, rear-wheel drive sports car is a sleek, quick-moving 2.2. liter, 16-valve, 240 horsepower convertible with a six-speed

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Honda Accord, 2004: The Weekly Driver Car Review

The trunk was open when one friend walked past and the hood was popped open when two other friends meandered by my 2004 Honda Accord. “If I took off my front wheel, OK maybe both wheels, I could my bike in the trunk, no problem,” one friend said. “That’s a spacious trunk for a mid-sized car.”My two other friends were more impressed with the powerful and efficiently designed engine. “Look where everything is; It’s good access, for sure,” he said. “Even if you know nothing about cars, you can find everything. It would be hard to put the oil where the transmission fluid goes. And it’s like what we used to call a ‘Muscle Car’ engine when we were growing

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Hyundai Accent, 2003: The Weekly Driver Car Review

A four-wheel drive sports utility vehicle, with plenty of cargo space and easy access would have been the logical choice. Instead, the three of us, all at least 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, made the drive in a 2003 3-door Hyundai Accent GL. Long-time running friends, we arrived at Pollock Pines, Calif., elevation 4,000 feet, after an hour’s trek on a cool summer morning along Interstate 50 from Sacramento. When we arrived from the flatlands, it was just after sunrise and the dirt parking lot for the recreational retreat was full of SUV’s. Nevertheless, the entry level offering from the South Korean manufacturer renowned for its 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty, had surprised us. As the driver, my front-seat was secure for the

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Volkswagen Jetta Wagon, 2003: The Weekly Driver Car Review

What do you do when you’re considering a sports utility vehicle, you need a family car and really want a sports sedan? One answer, albeit a compromise of all three vehicle styles, is the Volkswagen Jetta wagon. With its various options, it has the style, sleekness and performance of some of the offerings from Audi and BMW for a substantially lower price. Yet, it’s still a station wagon. It has room for a small family and their dog, and more than adequate room for groceries and/or other cargo. For my weekly drive, I tested the 1.8-liter turbocharged, 180-horsepower, 4-cylinder GLS model. It had a five-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift capability. And while it may have been a station wagon, the

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Honda Accord, 2003: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Nearly three decades after its debut, the Honda Accord has maintained its mass appeal. Among the country’s best-selling cars, it combines good value, dependability and efficient economy of design. Driving appeal, of course, is paramount for any vehicle’s success, and the 2003 Accord continues to deliver. With the Accord, the comfort is not unlike the driving equivalent of wearing a favorite pair of jeans. It’s comfortable and welcomed in most circumstances — just like soft denim. The test-driven, 4-door Accord EX, the model’s seventh generation in 28 years, included a 5-speed automatic transmission and a 160-hp, 16-valve, 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder engine. The blue/gray exterior (its official color is “eternal blue pearl”) was nicely complemented by gray leather seats. The look and

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