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Acura RDX, 2007: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Not even experts agree on the definition of “crossover” vehicles. But in general terms, consumers seeking the combined best components of a sport utility vehicle and a car are increasingly purchasing “crossovers.” The crossover term, however, isn’t even en vogue anymore for some industry experts. “We don’t call them crossover; We call them car-based SUVs, because that’s what they are,”Gabriel Shenhar, senior auto testing engineer for Consumer Reports magazine, said in a recent article in bankrate.com. “These are vehicles that are usually derived from passenger cars, not trucks.” Crossover vehicles also often have fully independent suspensions and more adept for

Mercury Mountaineer, 2006: The Weekly Driver Car Review

In the 15-year span beginning in 1990, sales of sport utility vehicles grew at at alarming rate. In 1990, about 900,000 SUVs were purchased. By the end of 2004, about 28 percent of all new vehicle sales, or about 4.75 million units, were SUVs.

Volvo C70 T5, 2006: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Hardtop convertibles have been around periodically in the United States for about 50 years. And from the early years of Ford Fairliner to the current offerings of several manufacturers, the same question always arises: How mechanically sound is the retracting hardtop mechanism?

Volkswagen Passat, 2006: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Golf courses to restaurants, the quaintness of the small towns to the Pacific Ocean, there’s nothing quite like a visit to the Monterey Peninsula. But the 200-mile drive from Sacramento is also an ideal route for testing cars, particularly the 2006 Volkswagen Passat.

Saab 9-7X, 2006: The Weekly Driver Car Review

The oddity, of course, is that General Motors owns Saab. And for purists fond of the vehicles first offered in 1947 as a outgrowth of Swedish Aeroplane Corporation, the 9-7X SUV shares a lot with the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, Buick Rainier, GMC Envoy and Isuzu Ascender. Additionally, the 9-7X is assembled in Moraine, Ohio. Nonetheless, Saab’s maiden journey into the SUV market isn’t necessarily a bad thing just because the vehicle isn’t outright Swedish. On the contrary, the 9-7X offers a lot of Saab traits and it’s unique enough to fare well against the major players of the category — the

Nissan Pathfinder, 2006: The Weekly Driver Car Review

A long-distance haul means different things to different drivers. For me, on this occasion, it was a 400-plus mile trek from Redondo Beach to Sacramento, California. It was a seven-hour day in the car. The trip included the long climb over the infamous Grapevine in Southern California and plenty of flat and high-speed miles along Interstate 5. My transportation was a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder and it performed well.

Nissan Maxima, 2006: The Weekly Driver Car Review

The flagship sedan for Nissan, the 2006 Maxima is in tough company in the midsize car category — arguably the most competitive in the auto industry. The Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Volkswagen Passat are among its competitors.

Mitsubishi Outlander, 2005: The Weekly Driver Car Review

The 2005 Mitsubishi Outlander is the least expensive of the Japanese manufacturer’s three sports utility vehicles. It’s compact, nicely designed and offers more standard features than many SUVs nearly twice the price. But the Outlander faces a tough challenge.

Honda Pilot, 2005: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Like its popular brethren, the CR-V, Odyssey and new Element, the Pilot completes Honda’s best-buy SUV and van line. And like any of those offerings or anything else in Honda’s arsenal, it’s hard to find serious fault with the Pilot.

Ford Escape (Hybrid), 2005: The Weekly Driver Car Review

The 2005 Ford Escape is the fourth addition to manufacturer’s SUV line, the first hybrid in the class and it makes an impressive debut. The Escape is economically and environmentally smart, and for those still unimpressed by SUVs, the vehicle could easily change their thinking. The 4-door, all-wheel drive 5-passenger rig has a 2.3-liter, 4-cylinder gas engine assisted by an electric motor.

Chevrolet Trailblazer, 2005: The Weekly Driver Car Review

With the addition of the 5.3-liter, 325-horsepower V8 extended cab (EXT), eight Chevrolet Trailblazer models are on the road in 2005. And as the largest and most powerful Blazer available, the new EXT has plenty to offer.

Honda S2000, 2005: The Weekly Driver Car Review

The 30-mile stretch from Willits to Ft. Bragg along Highway 20 in Northern California is an ideal place to drive a sports car, like a Honda S2000. The two-lane road offers tight switchbacks, extended flat stretches and plenty of climbs and descents.

Acura RSX, 2005: The Weekly Driver Car Review

As the entry level Acura, the RSX is a compact coupe that complements the often highly recommended manufacturer’s varied other offerings. For 2005, the 2-door hatchback has several upgrades from the previous year, including a revised suspension, steering and brakes.

Acura TL, 2005: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Drivers have more stress during the holidays, alcohol consumption increases and patience in busy traffic can quickly wane. A 200-mile round-trip, therefore, is a less-than-ideal way to spent part of Thanksgiving.

Honda CR-V, 2005: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Several years ago, a friend loaned my wife and me a front-porch bench. It’s made of iron and wood and it’s heavy and awkward to carry. On a recent weekend, it was time to return the bench. Its owner, once a neighbor, now lives nearly 100 miles away. With remarkable ease, my wife reconfigured the back seat arrangement of the new-look, more spacious 2005 Honda CR-V, and the cargo area opened flat and cavernous.

Volkswagen Touareg, 2004: The Weekly Driver Car Review

It’s named after a nomadic, hearty Saharan tribe with the unusual-sounding name, TOUR-egg. Literally translated, the word means “free folk.” So what better way to test drive the Touareg is the first SUV offered by Volkswagen — than during an open-road, 400-mile round-trip journey to the famed Monterey Peninsula?