Automotive Reviews

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2015 Chevrolet Corvette under scrutiny, recall next?

The 2015 Chevrolet Corvette, the iconic vehicle often dubbed through the years as “America’s Sports Car,” is having difficulty. Although it hasn’t been recalled, General Motors has issued two stop-sale orders because of the difficulties with the driver’s airbag and in other instances, the parking brake cables. “General Motors has told Chevrolet dealers to stop delivery of approximately 2,000 2015 Corvettes to fix the driver’s airbag. GM has also temporarily stopped shipment of the cars from the plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the automaker said in a statement. “Separately, another 800 Corvettes — most of them at dealerships — are on hold because they may have been built with only one of the rear parking brake cables fully seated and

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2014 Toyota Venza Review: Versatile SUV drives like a car

In the past eight months, the 2014 Toyota Venza and I have become good friends. For one week on each occasion, I’ve had three test sessions with the crossover, sport wagon or small SUV — however the vehicle in properly designated. By any combination and by whatever its name means, the Venza is versatile. It’s a crossover with all-wheel drive, yes. But it’s compact and streamlined like a wagon. And it also has the characteristics of a daily driver sedan. The 2014 Toyota Venza has surprisingly strong acceleration. The result is a combo-car with a combo name. Plenty of theories abound what Venza means, including the Spanish translation, Conquer. Toyota says the vehicle’s name is a compilation of the words

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Favorite fantasy cars, Jaguar XKE to Bugatti Veyron

Maybe just a simple red convertible, any year, any style is your fantasy car? If that’s not good enough, how about a high-performance supercar like a Bugatti Veyron or a even more rare Saleen? Perhaps you’re into vintage cars and long for a 1957 T-Bird, a Gullwing Mercedes-Benz or a pristine Porsche? Or maybe off-the-hook top speed is what you’re seeking and you’ll only settle for a Hennessey. Its Venom GT model last February achieved a record top speed of 270.49 mph at the Kennedy Space Center on the Shuttle Landing Facility’s 3.2-mile runway in Cape Canaveral, Fla. Regardless of your desires, here are 10 fantasy cars. Some are readily attainable without cashing in your 401K. Others are likely out

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2014 Scion FR-S Review: Best sports car for $25,000?

Now in its second year, the 2014 Scion FR-S coupe is largely unchanged from the debut model. Additional padding has been added to door panels and center console, and there’s now a touchscreen audio system.But the Scion remains unheralded as an entry-level sports car — available only in the United States — and with an odd name that makes sense. The FR-S is the acronym of the car’s platform — Front-engine, Rear-wheel drive, Sport. The Weekly Driver Test Drive Available in only one trim, the four-seat 2014 Scion FR-S features a 2.0-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine generating 200 horsepower. My weekly driver included a six-speed manual transmission. But there’s also a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters available. Standard equipment includes

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2014 Toyota RAV4 Review: Sporty, versatile compact SUV

Toyota believes in keeping a good thing going. The Toyota RAV4 was the first compact crossover when introduced in the mid-1990s and soon became a hit because it was carlike, practical and economical. It also carried Toyota’s revered name. The fourth generation RAV4 four-door hatchback arrived for 2013 as a significantly redesigned and improved model, so the 2014 model includes just a few new options. Minimal changes are planned in the 2015 RAV4. New items for 2014 include an Entune Audio lineup and a Technology Package option with Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic and Lane Departure Alert. Toyota RAV4: multiple trims The RAV4 looks sporty and comes in these trim levels: LE, XLE and Limited, with front-wheel drive (FWD)

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2014 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Review: Best car for $25,000?

The Jetta is the best selling Volkswagen and the main reason is its versatility. It’s available in about 40 configurations and trims, including the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. It’s the diesel edition of the mid-size sedan. It features a 2.0-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder matched with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission and 140 horsepower. The Weekly Driver’s Test Drive In the 10 years I’ve written The Weekly Driver coumn, I’ve driven the Volkswagen Jetta TDI several times and each time I’ve been perplexed. Why isn’t this version of the Jetta more popular? Is the stigma against diesel engines strictly based a now former curse? (Remember the Mercedes-Benz diesel sedans in the 1970s? They were loud and spewed a lot of

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2014 Lincoln MKZ Review: Strong luxury car contender

Maybe you’d rather have a Lincoln. The 2014 Lincoln MKZ sedan turns heads, and it’s been a long time since this automaker has built a car that does that. MKZ is part of Lincoln‘s attempt to put it on the lists of more luxury car buyers. It has the looks, ride and handling to make it competitive with some Cadillacs and foreign luxury car models. Steering is sharp, an adaptive suspension makes the ride comfortable, and the car handles as well as some top-line European and Asian luxury sports sedans. The brake pedal has a good feel and causes the anti-lock brakes to bite early and surely. So why hasn’t Lincoln offered a car such as the MKZ several years

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2014 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line Review: Solid, versatile SUV

No matter how revered an old car model was, an automaker must offer the latest designs to remain popular. The beloved 1950s-1970s Volkswagen Beetle put VW on the map here, but offered little performance or practicality. While the Beetle operated in an auto world that’s vanished, the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line is right in step with the times. The handsome Tiguan is contemporary partly because many Americans have tired of bulky SUVs and opted for carlike crossover vehicles such as the Tiguan, which won’t be changed much for 2015. It’s a tall hatchback based on Volkswagen‘s popular, sporty Golf GTI auto and is sized for this country with an overall length of 174.5 inches. The Tiguan comes in a variety

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2014 Buick Regal Review: New worthy mix of U.S. and Euro design

Some American brand sports/luxury sedans are edging closer to costlier foreign rivals as the auto world shrinks. A few minutes at the wheel of the 2014 Buick Regal gave me the feeling I was driving a foreign luxury sports sedan. It sure handled and rode much like one. Buick has made lots of changes, but the Regal‘s behavior puzzled me. I soon found the Regal is basically an Americanized version of the high-line German Opel Insignia. No wonder it felt as if it would be happy humming along a German autobahn at 100 m.p.h. It’s got a decent size, with a 107.8-inch wheelbase and 190.2 -inch overall length. The 2014 version of the Regal has new front and rear styling,

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2015 Hyundai Genesis Review: More car, less snob appeal

Would you prefer a well-known luxury car or saving thousands for a worthy but less-prestigious rival? The new, redesigned 2015 Hyundai Genesis is a fast, luxurious sedan designed to compete with foreign rivals (mainly German) that cost thousands more. This Genesis has slicker, more imposing styling. It’s highlighted by a new, very aggressive-looking hexagonal grille and dynamic rear design. The wheelbase is longer at 118.5 inches and there are shorter body overhangs than its predecessor. This big, imposing four-door is equipped with plenty of luxury and convenience equipment. It’s 196.5 inches long and weighs from 4,138 to 4,541 pounds. It’s not a sports sedan, but has excellent roadability, due partly to nearly 50/50 weight distribution and a new rear multi-link

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2014 Lexus IS 350C: Day 2, Driving the USA Pro Challenge

Retractable hardtop convertibles are the answer for car owners who like driving convertibles but who live in areas where ragtops can wear quickly or prove otherwise troublesome (like leaking or freezing) in inclement weather. The 2014 Lexus IS 350C hardtop convertible joined the increasing supply of retractable hardtops in 2010. The current 2014 edition is my vehicle for the weeklong USA Pro Challenge, a pro bike race from Aspen to Denver, Colorado. The mountain drive from Snowmass Resort to Aspen is only about 7.5 miles, but it was warm and sunny Monday morning, so after a nearly a five-hour ride yesterday from Denver with the top up, a top-down ride seemed only right. The Lexus IS 350C hardtop retracts electronically

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2014 Lexus IS 350C Review: Day 1 driving the USA Pro Challenge

The 2014 Lexus IS 350C, via the manufacturer’s description, is an entry level retractable hardtop offered by Toyota‘s upscale line. It’s hard to think of a $55,000 car as an entry level machine, but I’m not here to squabble. The two-seat V6, 306 horsepower automatic is The Weekly Driver’s test vehicle during the USA Pro Challenge, the weeklong professional bike race in Colorado. I’ve just finished a nearly five-hour stint in the car from the Denver International Airport to Snowmass Resort. The navigation system detailed a 203-mile route with a 3-hour, 38-minute journey involved. But my trek included a few quick small-city diversions along the way for restroom, stretching and coffee breaks. (OK, I checked email, too.) The day’s adventure,

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2014 Toyota Venza Review: Odd name, odd look, all good

Like reviewing a restaurant after only one visit, reviewing a car may be best after two test periods in the vehicle and at least separated by a few months. Welcome back to the 2014 Toyota Venza. Seven months after first driving the oddly named Venza solo for a week, I just completely another weekly test driving the Venza. This time, it was with a colleague. The Toyota Venza strikes many people in the same way. What is it? Just like I did, my colleague, who took the images for this review, had the same reaction. It’s neither a wagon nor a true sport utility vehicle. Rather it’s a crossover with all-wheel drive functionality like a wagon, cargo room like an

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2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata Review: Racy, fun, agile

Nobody ever seems to get tired of sports cars. The Mazda MX-5 Miata didn’t look exotic when it arrived for the 1990 model year. But it turned lots of heads because it was the first modern-looking small sports car in years, complete with retractable headlights. Once-popular affordable sports cars such as the dated British MG and Triumph were long gone. The Miata actually was a clever copy of the 1960s-1970s British Lotus Elan sports car. Both were a blast to drive. But, while the low-volume Elan was troublesome and known to few Americans, the heavily promoted, high-volume Japanese Miata was dead reliable. The rear-wheel-drive Miata was a quick, straightforward, agile little roadster. Many young women–not to mention plenty of male

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2015 Lexus NX Review: Goes bold, gets racy

Lexus continues to keep filling upscale vehicle market niches. I didn’t really expect to find a Stabilo Therm flask with a set of crystal shot glasses in the new 2015 Lexus NX, although this newest compact crossover vehicle is plenty luxurious–and practical. The luxury crossover market has been growing steadily since Lexus created that market with its 1998 RX model. With the new NX, Lexus feels that it has a good shot at attracting much-desired younger buyers–singles and couples 30- 40 years old. It’s a boldly designed crossover with either a potent turbocharged engine or fuel-saving hybrid model, along with a turbo Sport version that has mainly cosmetic pizzazz. The three NX versions, which will start at approximately $37,000 when

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2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Review: Quiet SUV efficiency

Now in its second year, the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport is the smaller of the two Santa Fe offerings. It remains much the same as last year’s debut model with a few minor upgrades. The small, five-passenger option in Hyundai‘s restyled Santa Fe lineup, the Sport is the five-passenger version of the larger Santa Fe that replaced the poor-selling Veracruz. In addition to one less passenger and a smaller engine, the Sport is eight inches shorter than the Limited. But there are many similarities among the siblings. Most notably, the SUVs both offering a smooth ride. Hyundai‘s new design is featured throughout its SUV lineup, and it attracts a lot of attention in sedans and in the Santa Fe

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