Automotive Reviews

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Driving the Tour of California in a Lexus SUV #3

With two days remaining in the nine-day Amgen Tour of California bicycle race, I stopped for my third refuel of the trip. The 2015 Lexus NX 200t F Sport had taken me from Sacramento to Santa Clarita, and the new luxury sport utility had done well for itself. The weather in the previous week included predicted warm and windy conditions and also a two-hour trek in a nasty rainstorm near Los Angeles. The inclement conditions were only outdone by the nastiness of the mess called the Southern California freeway system. And exactly why is it that some drivers speed up when there’s standing water on the freeway and a steady cross wind? My third fill-up 12.89 gallons was priced at

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2016 Volvo XC90: Style, safety in new luxury SUV

The first generation Volvo XC90 SUV was introduced in 2002. Worth the wait 13 years later is the second generation 2016 Volvo XC90. It offers a new level of sophistication and utility. The 2016 XC90 is new from badge to backup camera. It’s the first plug-in hybrid SUV offering three rows of seating for seven. Our drive with Volvo‘s mid-size SUV introduced us to a memorable luxury experience, a suite of modern safety features and superior efficiency in a package that dresses to impress. Driving Impressions Volvo is offering two versions of the redesigned 2016 XC90: the T6 and T8. The T6 AWD, on sale now, delivers 316 horsepower from a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with a supercharger and turbocharger. Power

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2015 Mazda CX-9 Review: Power, comfort, fair price

A full-sized crossover sport utility vehicle, the Mazda CX-9 debuted in 2006 as a 2007 model. It’s been refreshed and tweaked along the way. But the original generation of the three-row, seven-passenger sport utility vehicle for 2015 remains largely unchanged from last year. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2015 Mazda CX-9 is offered in Sport, Touring and Grand Touring trims, and my weekly driver was the top-line Grand Touring option with front-wheel drive. It’s available with all-wheel drive and a towing package. Like all Mazdas, the CX-9 has a long list of standard features. The Sport model’s equipment includes: 18-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, three-zone automatic climate control, a tilt-and-telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel, a height-adjustable driver seat, cloth upholstery,

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Driving the Tour of California in a Lexus SUV, #1

After driving the first three stages of the Amgen Tour of California in my weekly driver, a 2015 Lexus NX 200t F Sport, I stopped for my first refuel of the race’s 10th edition. Lexus is a sponsor of the event and it has provided vehicles for staff and media members. The Lexus NX 200t is a five-passenger, compact luxury crossover new for this year. The sport model I’m driving for 10 days embellishes the standard equipment with a half-dozen items to make the vehicle, well . . . more sporty. The upgraded features includes 18-inch wheels (instead of standard 17s) as well as summer tires, a sport-tuned suspension, transmission paddle shifter, performance gauges, upgraded interior trim and a sportier

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2015 Toyota Corolla Review: Steady, enduring sedan

Following a complete redesign last year, the 2015 Toyota Corolla remains the same as its one year older sibling with a few minor exceptions. The new edition of the best-selling car in history now has a fold-down real center armrest in all trims except the base L model. The Toyota Corolla for years has had a lengthy list of standard features, and it’s now even better. The upper level trims for 2015 get the Driver Convenience package as standard equipment. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The S trim premium was my weekly test drive, and it’s most equipped of the four Toyota Corolla trims, which also include L, LE and LE Eco. All models have a four-cylinder engine. A manual

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2015 Scion tC Review: Practical liftback with limitations

The Scion tC was unveiled by Toyota 11 years ago as a 2005 model to cater to the millennial market. It’s a thrifty, five-passenger, three-door liftback with a lot of standard features and a few available option packages. The 2015 model brings the car into its second decade as an unheralded compact with a sporty flair and a sub-$25,000 price. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Now in the second year of its third generation, the 2015 Scion tC (Touring Coupe) is offered in one trim level. Its standard equipment includes: 17-inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning, cruise control, full power accessories, a panoramic sunroof, a height-adjustable driver seat, a leather-trimmed tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, reclining and folding 60/40-split rear seats, Bluetooth phone and

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Fast & Furious 7: rare car demolition derby

The completion of Fast & Furious 7 was an homage to Paul Walker, the co-lead in the just-released action movie about cars, speed and bravado. Walker died in November 2014 in a single-car crash after only portions of the movie had been filmed. And while the film pays its respects to the actor, it also continues the enduring series’ emphasis on over-the-top joy rides among 340 cars, some rare, some extraordinarily rare. The vehicles were catapulted off ramps and out of planes and smashed together at every angle imaginable. The seventh installment of the movie includes a renewed emphasis on real stunts. Only 10 percent of the action sequences are computer generated. Still, 230 of the 240 cars used in

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Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, pistachios and cars

The upcoming Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao bout may be the most anticipated fight in boxing history. As such, exposure of both athletes has expanded beyond the boxing circles — and in far different ways. Pacquiao has a television commercial promoting pistachios. Mayweather is more flamboyant. He’s taken to social media to showcase his empire, including his vast collection of iconic cars. As a car collector, Mayweather isn’t in the same league as entertainers like Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld. But his choices are impressive, and certainly expensive, and easily attainable for anyone who happened to make $105 million in 2014. Mayweather likes to flaunt his cars and the other extravagant means of his life. In a recent Twitter image,

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2015 Toyota Camry Hybrid gets style, still sips fuel

It wasn’t too long ago hybrid car buyers sacrificed exterior and interior design and cargo space to get superior fuel economy. The updated 2015 Toyota Camry provides another example how the segment has vastly improved. The new Toyota Camry looks like a luxury sedan and has an attractive interior. And it’s a fuel-efficient hybrid without any compromise of earlier hybrid offerings. The Weekly Driver’s Test Drive The 2015 Toyota Camry Hybrid has a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor that generate 200 horsepower combined and it’s matched with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The base Camry Hybrid LE gets an EPA-estimated 43/39 mpg city/highway. The Camry SE and XLE models earn 40/38 mpg. Beyond its vast upgrades, the 2015

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2015 Honda Civic Review: Iconic compact still segment leader

The Honda Civic Si debuted in 1984 and continues to fare well as its settles into adulthood. It’s the sporty version of its oldest sibling, now 43 years old. But in any trim and configuration, the 2015 Honda Civic retains its status as one of the best-selling cars in history. The Weekly Driver Test Drive In the decade since The Weekly Driver debuted, I’ve driven more Honda Civics than any other car. It’s been more than a dozen so far and with gas, natural gas and hybrids engines and as coupe and sedans. The 2015 Civic Si is a reminder just how far the car has advanced since its debut in 1972 as a “box with four wheels. The 2015

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2015 Nissan Pathfinder Review: Lots of features, limited space

Now 30 years old, the Nissan Pathfinder continues the carmaker’s midsize offering in the sport utility vehicle segment. The 2015 edition includes slight standard equipment amendments and technology upgrades in various trims like blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert systems. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2015 Nissan Pathfinder is available in S, SV, SL and Platinum trim levels, and my weekly driver was the SL trim with 4×4 or all-wheel drive. It also included the Tech Package ($2,030). All trims feature healthy standard features lists, and the Pathfinder is among most well-equipped SUVs in the industry. Standard on the S and SV models: 18-inch alloy wheels, a roof rack, rear privacy glass, keyless entry and ignition, tri-zone automatic climate control,

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2015 Nissan Rogue Review: Versatile SUV Keeps Improving

It’s hard to believe the Nissan Rogue has been around for eight years. It arrived in late 2007 as a 2008 model and joined the nearly exponentially growing crossover SUV segment with not much to differentiate itself. The second-generation debut in 2014 is carried over for 2015, with Rogue now improved in the tough SUV category. Increased gas mileage averages and an upgraded interior ad exterior are among its strong points. The Weekly Driver Test Drive I last drove a Nissan Rogue in August of 2013 for eight days and about 900 miles throughout Colorado. Mountain driving can stretch the limits of any vehicle, but the Rogue performed adequately even on some steep climbs to more than 12,000 feet into

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2015 Buick LaCrosse Review: Flagship sedan a success

General Motors has a lot invested in the Buick LaCrosse. It’s the carmaker’s flagship, full-sized sedan, and it has replaced some well-established styles, the Buick Century, Buick Regal and Buick Lucerne. Now in the sixth year of its second generation, the 2015 Buick LaCrosse offers several updates as it advances steadily into its second decade. It’s the brand’s best-selling vehicle in North America. Advanced technology and additional comfort highlight the updates for the 2015 LaCrosse. With the exception of the base model, the Onstar system now offers 4G LTE and WiFi, there are a rearview camera and four-way adjustable headrests as standard equipment. Further new technology in the infotainment system now includes the ability to read text messages and Siri

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2015 Kia Sedona Review: Redesigned minivan a worthy choice

Kia has vastly improved its lineup in recent years, including some “out-of-the-box” additions like the Sedona, Cadenza and K900. For 2015, the Kia Sedona debuts as a third-generation minivan with a fresh approach. The Sedona is an optional three-row minivan positioned in a segment dominated for many years by the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Dodge Caravan. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The Kia Sedona is offered in five trims: L, LX, EX, SX and SX-L. The EX is the only trim with an eight-passenger configuration as standard, with the larger seating arrangement as an option on the LX and SX. The L and SX-L are categorized as seven-passenger vehicles. My Weekly Driver test vehicle was the top-line SX-L. Like

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2015 Honda Fit Review: New look, better mpg, same value

When it debuted in the United States in early 2006, the Honda Fit had already been an international star for five years in Japan. Its popularity then quickly also grew in Europe, Australia, South America and Mexico and it likewise moved to the top of the subcompact segment in the U.S. That success rate is not likely to change with the 2015 Honda Fit. After a year’s hiatus, the Fit is back. It’s been redesigned to face head-on increased competition in the segment. There’s more cargo room and there’s better gas mileage. And there are more standard features and more options, all further expanding the definition and expectations of an entry-level car. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2015 Honda

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2015 Hyundai Sonata Eco: New design, better economy

A few years after its debut in South Korea, the Hyundai Sonata arrived in the United States in late 1988 as a 1989 model. Several generations later, the 2015 Hyundai Sonata has a new design in five trims and a hybrid model. The expanding lineup helps further establish the carmaker solidly into the mainstream. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2015 Hyundai Sonata is available in SE, Sports, Eco, Limited and 2.0T trims, and the unheralded hybrid model. My weekly test driver was the new Eco trim. It features a 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder with 177 horsepower with a seven-speed automatic transmission, thus the Eco name. The transmission is basically an automated manual transmission, and it gets better gas mileage and

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