Ford Escape Hybrid, 2010: The Weekly Driver Car Review

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A hybrid sport utility vehicle? About six years ago, the idea still seemed outrageous. But then the Ford Escape hybrid debuted. Skeptics sneered. But now SUV hybrids are plentiful from several manufacturers. In other words, there’s competition for the Ford Escape, even if some of the competition remains from Ford via the very similar Mercury Mariner and Mazda Tribute. The Escape hybrid is a “full” hybrid electric system, meaning the system can switch automatically between pure electric power, pure gasoline engine power or a combination of electric battery and gasoline engine operating together. That means  maximum performance and efficiency. The

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Kia Soul, 2010: The Weekly Driver car review

The Soul debuted at the Paris Motor Show in 2008, it was first available in February 2009 in Europe and a month later debuted in North American dealerships. With its varied trims, engines, colors and accessory options, Kia proudly declares the 2010 Soul is available in more than 10,000 combinations. The Weekly Driver Test Drive By coincidence, I drove in consecutive weekly test drives, the Nissan Cube followed by the Kia Soul. Both vehicles are innovative and in some ways, they’re a lot of alike — versatile, Utilitarian Hatchback Vehicles or UHVs (I made up the term.) I primarily drove

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Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, 2009: Roman Mica's Rambling Review

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Thirty some years later and somethings are still the same. Just like that Eldorado that my dad bought in 1978, the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid has that almost magic American quality of being bigger on the outside than on the inside. After driving the Escalade for a week, I finally get why my dad bought that Eldorado. Just like the Eldorado, the Escalade is big shouldered, brash and very American (or is it Texan) in-your-face-sort of a ride. For instance, I could drive a Prius from Denver to Nebraska tailgating “that” car doing 55 mph in the fast lane and

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Don’t Forget the No-Claim Bonus! How to Use Your Safe Driving to Lower Renewal Costs

When you renew car insurance, the No-claim bonus (often shown as NCB) is worth a quick look. Earned by staying claim-free on the own-damage side, it can bring down your renewal cost. It is one of those benefits that many drivers forget until renewal day. Keep it intact, and you could pay less without cutting coverage. In this article, you’ll explore how NCB works, how to protect it, and use it to cut renewal costs. What No-Claim Bonus Means in Car Insurance No-claim bonus is a renewal-time discount you earn when you complete a policy period without making an own-damage

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Nissan Leaf, 2011 review

The Nissan Leaf hatchback sedan — the first mass-produced all-electric car —drives like a regular, pleasant five-passenger economy car. However, some  owners may worry they’ll run out of charge before reaching their destination. However, Nissan says 90 percent of the U.S. population, on average, drives less than 100 miles a day. It says typical consumer weekday and weekend driving patterns are mostly less than 50 miles. The ran of the Leaf with a fully charged battery is touted as  100 miles. Key Takeaways First mass-produced all-electric car: The Leaf made history as the first purpose-built, mass-market battery electric vehicle, driving

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2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK350: Elegant luxury with power to spare

Mercedes-Benz gained ground in the prestige market in the United States against Cadillac in the 1970s, although its seats and ride were too stiff for many Americans accustomed to cushy U.S. luxury cars. But that seems like an eternity ago, and Mercedes vehicles such as its new compact GLK350 crossover fit nicely into the growing luxury crossover market here. The new GLK350 has a list price of $37,090 with rear-wheel drive and $39,090 with Mercedes’ advanced “4Matic” all-wheel drive. Those are reasonable prices for such a Mercedes with lots of comfort and convenience items, such as dual-zone automatic climate control

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Honda Accord, 2003: The Weekly Driver Car Review

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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.

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Volkswagen Jetta Wagon, 2003: The Weekly Driver Car Review

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What do you do when you’re considering a sports utility vehicle, you need a family car and really want a sports sedan? One answer, albeit a compromise of all three vehicle styles, is the Volkswagen Jetta wagon. With its various options, it has the style, sleekness and performance of some of the offerings from Audi and BMW for a substantially lower price. Yet, it’s still a station wagon. It has room for a small family and their dog, and more than adequate room for groceries and/or other cargo. For my weekly drive, I tested the 1.8-liter turbocharged, 180-horsepower, 4-cylinder GLS

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Honda Accord, 2004: The Weekly Driver Car Review

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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

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Honda S2000, 2004: The Weekly Driver Car Review

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Winding country roads provide great driving delight. They give sports car owners ample proof why they often sacrificed luxury and comfort for speed and excitement. In Northern California, the wine country roads through the Napa Valley and Mendocino Coast are prime examples — at least for drivers. There are plenty of stretches where passengers susceptible to car sickness may be in trouble. But for a driver, the deep turns and switchbacks require plenty of shifting, maneuvering and accelerating skills. So with a 2004 Honda S2000 as my weekly test drive, could there have been a better location for a getaway

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Volkswagen Jetta, 2004: The Weekly Driver Car Review

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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

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Suzuki Forenza, 2004: The Weekly Driver Car Review

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Like Hyundai and Kia, the Korean manufacturer Suzuki has accepted the difficult task of trying to infiltrate the sub-compact market dominated by Honda, Toyota and Ford. Its new 2004 offering is the Forenza, a front-wheel drive sedan offered in three models, the S, LX and the top-of-the-line EX. All models have a 2.0-liter, 126-horsepower, 16-valve engine. The LX and EX models include 15-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, keyless entry and alarm, power sunroof and fog lights as standard features. The EX model I drove for a week includes standard leather upholstery. Cruise control, air conditioning and AM/FM/CD and cassette system

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Acura TSX, 2004: The Weekly Driver Car Review

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As a new offering this year, the 2004 Acura TSX is defined as a near-luxury vehicle. By some definitions, that mean it costs less than $30,000 and does not feature the refined quietness of vehicles described as luxurious. Yet, however fine the line may be between near-luxurious and luxurious, the TSX does little to further define those boundaries. In fact, the reverse is true. It’s a luxury car for less than $30,000, and it offers a lot more than some of its higher-priced automotive cousins. My test drive for the week was TSX four-door with a six-speed manual transmission. (The

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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,

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Volkswagen Touareg, 2004: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Certainly, my chosen route south on Interstate 5 has long stretches where anyone who enjoys the pleasures of driving can feel “free.” But 30 miles into my journey, a sensor warning appeared on the console panel: “Defective tire on board.” The same warning had also appeared sporadically during my first two days with the vehicle in short, around-town treks. A local Volkswagen dealer representative said many Touaregs have suffered through the same “growing pains.” In short, owners noticing the same warning have brought their new vehicles to dealers with concern. But they’ve largely discovered nothing is wrong with the exception

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Acura RSX, 2005: The Weekly Driver Car Review

Among other improvements, some models have more horsepower, more heavily bolstered seats and an increase from 16 to 17-inch wheels. For my weekly drive, I scooted around town and on the freeway in the Type-S, the highest-performance of the RSX models. Like other Acuras, the RSX is a recommended purchase by Consumer Guide, the monthly national review magazine based in Illinois. But as much as I tried to like the RSX, several things about the vehicle just never seemed like it warranted best-buy status. There’s nothing particularly inferior about the car, but nor is any exterior or interior feature outstanding.

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