Sedans

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Mercury Milan, 2006: The Weekly Driver Car Review

With midsize monoliths like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry dominating the market for years, what do other manufacturers view as success with their respective offerings in the same class? It’s a crowded segment of the car market, for sure. Fourteen manufacturers are represented in the midsize class and an additional 10 are featured in the premium midsize category. Mercury hasn’t been a serious major player in either category. But like the Hyundai Sonata‘s genesis a few years ago, the Milan and its close relative, the Ford Fusion, have a lot to offer against the dominating duo at a substantially lower price. The Milan replaced the Sable in 2006 and it gives Mercury its first modern stylish sedan. It’s a

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Subaru Legacy GT, 2006: The Weekly Driver Car Review

The Subaru Legacy, like all of the manufacturer’s offerings, is a sure-bet for one outstanding characteristic. It has all-wheel-drive as a standard feature, and it’s quite a feature. Subarus corner and maneuver under any circumstance like no other vehicle. The ride is secure and steady, and drivers will have few worries in inclement weather, during sharp cornering or on rough roads With the  2006 Legacy,  particularly the 2.5-liter GT that was my recent weekly drive, the brand’s smooth rider was nicely complemented. The vehicle has impressive acceleration, above-average ride quality and a refined quietness often reserved for higher-priced sedans. Remodeled in 2005, this year’s Legacy is available in five configurations. With its newly lifted valve system, the horsepower and torque

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Nissan Maxima, 2006: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Yet the Maxima shows itself well in the midsize crowd with a superior interior and exterior design, comfort and myriad individualized features. My test drive for the week was SE edition, one of three Maximas available. Largely unchanged since 2004, the SE offers a powerful ride with a 3.5-liter, 24-value, 265-horsepower V6 engine. The four-door sedan has a five-speed manual transmission and more-than-adequate power. The Weekly Driver test showcased the vehicle at its finest — with one brief exception — during a weekend getaway that included myriad driving circumstances. The three-day, two-night jaunt from Sacramento to Santa Cruz, Calif., included trips in both directions on Highway 17. The 27-mile stretch between San Jose and Santa Cruz is considered among the

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Acura TL, 2005: The Weekly Driver Car Review

It’s potentially more problematic knowing the crowded, late-night return trip could include a stretch of interstate infamous for its thick, late-night fog. But visiting family outweighs the inconveniences of potential driving hassles. And if the journey is made in a vehicle with a commanding and secure road presence, such concerns are sufficiently eased. So it was during my weekly test drive of the 2005 Acura TL. The vehicle was successful for several years,  but Acura redesigned it and added more features in 2004 to offer BMW and Audi drivers another choice for a luxury sports sedan that combines performance with value. There’s little change in the TL from last year. The vehicle is based on the Honda Accord platform but

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Honda Civic, 2004 (Hybrid): The Weekly Driver Car Review

The first time I came to a stoplight, the car was so quiet I thought the engine had stalled. I tried to restart the car, but the 2004 Honda Civic hybrid’s engine was already on, and I advanced when the light changed in my favor. But the same thing happened at the next spotlight and again at the third red light I reached. It wasn’t like I was driving a “high-tech” vehicle and didn’t know how properly operate it. Rather, it was “only” Honda Civic Hybrid — the first hybrid I’ve had as a weekly test drive. But finally I got it. The “little” Honda Civic hybrid is more technically advanced than I imagined. In fact, the engine “idle stops.”

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Suzuki Verona, 2004: The Weekly Driver Car Review

And while it’s categorized in the economy sedan range, should a $20,000 vehicle with an full complement of standard features belong in that club? With its Italian design and a list of standard features substantially longer than offered by some its higher-priced competitors, the Verona has been stereotyped. Of course, first-year vehicles can have issues. Will the Verona and its complementary Forenza, for example, another first-year Suzuki offering, have fair resale value? Like the car has less-than-smooth automatic shifting, and foot brake must be engaged to shift. Regardless, my weekly test vehicle was the Verona EX TC, a 2.5 DOHC, 24-valve, 155-horsepower V6 sedan with a four-speed automatic transmission.  It’s the first time Suzuki has offered a V-6, and it’s

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Hyundai XG350, 2004: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Introduced in September 2000, the Hyundai XG350 is the first vehicle offered by the Korean manufacturer that approaches the $25,000 price range. In each of its four editions, new features have been added as the vehicle attempts to find a niche among its the high-selling competitors — the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. My test vehicle for the week showcased the four-door XG350 at its best. While its primary competition is more popular for good reason, the top-of-the-line Hyundai has a good list of attractive features. Unfortunately, it also has a list of needed improvements. With a new exterior design, including restyled bumpers, headlights, taillights, and grille, the four-door sedan has a finished, if basic, style. Car manufacturers seemingly like

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Mitsubishi Galant, 2004: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Like other manufacturers, Mitsubishi faces a formidable task in the midsize car class. The Honda Accord and Toyota Camry are among the country’s most popular vehicles, so how can others find a niche? Mitsubishi’s approach for 2004 was to increase the dimensions, offer new styling and add more horsepower to the Galant. The manufacturer’s simple hope is to provide a competitive alternative to the mainstream same-class offerings. Considering the strong resale value of Honda and Toyota and the less-than-stellar resale history of Mitsubishi, however, any buying-pattern shift would be a lofty goal. But the Galant does well, with three quirky disappointments. For a variety of reasons, I’ve had an increasing number of weekly test drives that included round-trip, 400-mile treks

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Volkswagen Jetta, 2004: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Matched against the best-selling subcompact models offered by Ford, Honda and Toyota, the Jetta is Volkswagen‘s best-selling car. Combined with the nearly identical Golf, more than 40 models of the vehicle are offered, including several 20th anniversary special editions in 2004. I drove the 1.8-liter, 180-horsepower, turbocharged 4-cylinder GTI anniversary edition for my weekly test. It included nearly every standard feature and option imaginable and was true to form to its intended audience. Drivers seeking a zippy little machine get exactly that. From its bright “Tomato Red” exterior and black-and-gray interior, the Jetta is more sports car than subcompact and it couldn’t be more conspicuous scooting around town or on the open road. The vehicle featured 18-inch alloy wheels and

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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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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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