Automotive News, Car Reviews, and Podcast
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.
Read moreThe 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.
Read moreThe 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.
Read moreLike 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.
Read moreThe 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.
Read moreWith 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.
Read moreThe 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.
Read moreAs 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.
Read moreDrivers 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.
Read moreSeveral 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.
Read moreIt’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?
Read moreThe naming of new cars must be a curious process. Animals are popular choices for various makes and models, and those selections often make sense But in recent years it seems manufacturers have one only criteria — the more obscure the name, the better. Volkswagen has its Touareg and Phaeton. Toyota has the Prius. Pontiac has the Vibe. Oldsmobile has the Alero.
Read moreAn 18-wheel vehicle will always win, and every truck driver knows that. But there I was on a freeway entrance ramp, with a slight advantage on a huge transport vehicle and momentarily battling with a truck driver who just didn’t want a 171-inch long Pontiac Vibe showing him up.
Read moreThe recent retro design trends of several manufacturers don’t pertain to Saturn. It’s only been around since mid-1990. But with its 2004 Vue, the compact sports utility vehicle, stylish retro interior accouterments help uniquely position the model in the increasingly crowded category
Read moreAs Acura’s entry-level vehicle, the RSX is positioned in the sporty coupe class. It’s perfectly categorized. With its stylish, contoured exterior, firm contouring seats, tight-shifting, six-speed manual (Type-S) transmission and compact racing steering wheel, the RSX is an economically priced sports car that’s fun to drive and grabs its share of attention on the road.
Read moreI pulled into an angled side street parking spot and two gardeners began to stare at my vehicle with puzzled looks. Did I park over the line? Did I not see a fire hydrant? Did I miss some other restricted parking designation? “Hey guys, anything wrong?” I asked. “No, nothing,” one replied. “I just haven’t seen that car before. That’s Tiger Woods car, isn’t it? It’s really a great-looking S.U.V.”
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