2011

Saab 9-5, 2011 car review

The redone 2011 Saab 9-5 Saab can hold its own with top European sports/luxury sedans. The Swedish automaker once had a reputation for being a capable but offbeat (by U.S. standards) outfit with a distinguished aircraft design background. I once roared across Sweden in a new Saab turbocharged model on a media trip and toured the plant where Saab built jet fighter airplanes. General Motors bought part of Saab years ago, then purchased the entire outfit —leaving it pretty much alone during most of its ownership. That allowed Saab to continue making cars considered out of the mainstream by many Americans. But Saab was marginally promoted and thus wasn’t on shopping lists of many sports/luxury foreign car buyers. Nevertheless, its

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Subaru Forester 2011 car review

I recently was in the left front seat of an older Subaru Forester at highways speeds, but with no steering wheel in front of me. Not to worry. I was in Australia, where the steering wheel is on the right side and vehicles are driven in the left lane. My daughter was at the wheel. I recently tested a 2011 Forester four-door small SUV (or “crossover,” if you will) after returning to America. This third-generation Forester, which was new for 2009, is appreciably larger in every dimension than the last generation model, with a roomier back seat. It’s styling is clean, but won’t turn heads. There are only minor trim changes for 2011. The new Forester is no more powerful

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Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, 2011: car review

Its lithium polymer battery technology was first showcased at the Los Angeles Auto Show three years ago. And the result is the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, the South Korean manufacturer’s first hybrid. The Sonata Hybrid, which debuted in February, features a 2.4-liter engine with six-speed automatic transmission, a 30kw electric motor and lightweight lithium polymer batteries. Like many of its siblings, the Sonata Hybrid had an impressive arrival. With its new sloping design and other innovations, the Sonata was among five finalists for the 2011 Green Car of the Year. Yet, despite gaining substantial acclaim from publications ranging from the New York Times to Edmunds.com, the Sonata Hybrid’s first five months have been unheralded. Reasons are two-fold: the Nissan Leaf and

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Hyundai, Honda lead new decree: 40 mpg the new 30 mpg

If 40 mpg is the new 30 mpg in the automotive world, then more manufacturers —  Hyundai to Volkswagen, Honda to Toyota — have reached the new milestone as car buyers seek more economical options. Hyundai is at the forefront of the influx of 40 mpg with newly designed 2011 Hyundai Elantra. With its base price of $14,830 and fuel economy of 29 in city driving and 40 mpg on the the highway, it costs an estimated $51 for a tank of gas (at $4 per gallon) and will travel an estimated 538 miles per tank. The 2011 Hyundia Sonata (hybrid) is also listed at 40 mpg in highway driving. Here are several other 2011 models averaging at least 40

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Hyundai Elantra, 2011: Sleek, handsomely sculptured

Introduced at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, the newly designed 2011 Hyundai Elantra has attracted as much attention during its first six months in circulation as any car in the country. There was little wrong with the previous version of the Elantra other than its staid appearance. But all the criticism of the previous styling is likely gone now with the car’s fifth edition. Previous editions of the Elantra were often described as frumpy. But the new design is sleek and handsomely sculptured. The new Elantra has a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine matched to a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. The gas mileage averages have been tweaked, allowing the Elantra to join the select, small group of vehicles

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2011 Hyundai Elantra chosen best value in family ‘shootout’

The 2011 Hyundai Elantra has won a unique best value honor when matched among five compact cars that seat five, get more than 35 mpg and are priced at less than $20,000. The evaluation, conducted by the website Cars.com, revealed the Elantra earned the honors, according to the site’s editors, for its exterior and interior design as well as its smooth ride. “With unrelenting gas prices and continued economic uncertainty, our shootout couldn’t be timelier in terms of what car shoppers are looking for,” said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com editor-in-chief. “In fact, four of the five models that competed have been among dealer’s best sellers in April and May. To determine the winner of the shootout, experts from Cars.com and USA

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Toyota Tacoma, 2011 truck review

As an ultimate utilitarian vehicle, it’s hard to find fault with the Toyota Tacoma. It’s the best selling truck in the United States in its class, and the 2011 edition is a recommended buy of Consumer Reports. Two months ago, the Tacoma also was named top truck in its category in J.D. Power and Associates’ 2011 Dependability Study. It’s another reason why despite peaks and valleys, Toyota Tacoma sales have exceeded 145,000 annually since the compact truck’s debut in 1995. Now 17 years old and a few generations into its tenure, I test drove for a week the 4×4 edition, one of several configurations available in 2011. The Weekly Driver Test Drive It’s not often an urban driver needs a

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BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz on 2011 dubious cars list

In its seemingly endless quest to present car lists, CNNMoney.com’s lastest automotive tabulation is its top-10 most disappointing cars of 2011. The list includes some surprising choices, BMW to Honda, Acura to Mercedes-Benz — manufacturers often on top-10 best car lists. Here’s what Alex Taylor III, a senior editor-at-large for the website, wrote about the 2011 BMW X6 — the surprisingly poor seller: “The X6 is marketed as a ‘sports activity coupe’ that combines the attributes of an SUV (high ground clearance, all wheel drive large wheels and tires) with the stance of a coupé (bold styling, dramatic sloping roof).” “BMW sales are hot, but buyers are apparently confused by the concept, put off by the chunky styling, or deterred

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Toyota Corolla, 2011 car review

With its unparalleled legacy via sheer numbers, the Toyota Corolla stands alone in the automotive industry. Now well into its 40s, the Corolla is the biggest selling car in history (approaching 40 million), with one new Corolla sold somewhere in world about every 40 seconds. Now in its 10th edition, the car that received its name for the Latin word for crown may have reached its saturation point. Manufactured in 15 countries (but not the United States), the Corolla is facing increasingly difficult competition from several manufacturers thriving in the subcompact and compact car categories. They offer faster, more efficient and better equipment vehicles. Still, the Corolla nameplate, now around since 1966 globally and since 1968 in the United States,

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Mercedes-Benz 2011 (CL550) car review

The Mercedes-Benz 2011 four-passenger CL550 coupe I tested from the automaker’s CL-Class line is a throwback to the grand Mercedes coupes of decades ago. That was when Mercedes engineers were given a pretty free hand to design the automaker’s large sedan and coupe models, complete with thick double-pane side glass. Those big powerful cars thus were superlative and majestic. Although heavy, they were fast and had no serious competition in America, where they were overqualified for most U.S. driving — and for most U.S. drivers, who were accustomed to soft U.S. luxury cars. The new CL550 coupe is the entry model in Mercedes’ CL-Class coupe line. It’s a two-door version of the sumptuous Mercedes S-Class sedan and thus has all

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Chrysler 200, 2011 car review

Gone is the much-maligned Chrysler Sebring. Welcome its replacement, the 2011 Chrysler 200. The midsize sedan debuts in a crowded market featuring many of the most popular vehicles on the road. Available as a sedan or convertible, the Chrysler 200 retains the Sebring’s platform, but not much else remains cosmetically, not the powertrain nor the standard and optional equipment. Stiffer body mounts are new, for example, as are thicker seat cushions to a revised suspension. The Weekly Driver Test Drive In addition to its new exterior design and other changes, new for Chrysler is the 200 featuring a 3.6-liter V6 matched with a six-speed automatic transmission and generating 283 horsepower. It’s called the Touring Edition. It was my test driver

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Audi TT 2011: fast, quiet and turns heads

Few of my test cars turn heads or draw compliments, but the bright red 2011 Audi TT coupe I drove attracted an unusual amount of attention. I expected stares I got from young guys, but was surprised when a middle-aged lady, who looked like the Toyota Camry type, glanced at the zoomy TT and said “Nice car!” The TT is offered in a variety of trim levels, including a top-line $50,000 convertible. But I tested the base, well-equipped $38,300 TT model, which should satisfy most TT buyers. The latest TT has minor styling revisions, including redesigned front and rear bumpers and radiator and fog light grilles. But watch out for the car’s low front end when approaching low objects. The

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Nissan Juke 2011 car review

The 2011 Nissan Juke, like its sibling Cube and the Kia Soul, is another automaker’s bold new style. But like two now infamous vehicles of yesteryear — the Pontiac Aztec and Ford Pinto — any new car design too risky prompts diverse opinions. With the Juke, the mini-crossover that debuted at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, the reactions were immediate, strong and mixed: Is the Juke an automotive revolution? Is it so ugly it’s cute? Or is the Juke just ugly and ill-conceived? Regardless, the Juke from a sales perspective, is an unqualified success. In Japan, where the Juke debuted to the public in June 2010, strong sales were immediate. Likewise, in Europe and the United States, early sales have

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Dodge Grand Caravan 2011: Quick, overhauled, carlike

Some thought Sport Utility Vehicles and the newer car-based crossovers would eliminate minivans, but they remain too handy to die. While the minivan market isn’t as big as it once was, Dodge’s redone 2011 Grand Caravan minivan and redesigned minivans from Toyota, Honda and Nissan show automakers have confidence folks will continue to be drawn to minivans that provide much-needed room and a carlike driving experience. Dodge’s entries long led minivan sales, and this automaker has made major improvements to its 2011 front-drive Grand Caravan model to stay competitive with large Japanese rivals. List prices for the roomy Grand Caravan range from $24,995 to $30,995. It  comes as the Express, Mainstreet, Crew and R/T models. I tested the well-equipped $28,695

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Ford, Hyundai top fastest 2011 cars under $30,000

Forbes.com compiles innovation car lists, best used cars to most cost effective hybrids. The business website’s latest car list in the top-10 fastest 2011 cars that cost less than $30,000. The list extends from the Ford Mustang GT to the Hyundai Sonata SE, one of most increasing popular cars in the United States. Forbes.com used 0-60 mph times for 2011 models tested by Edmunds’ InsideLine.com. The 10 fastest that cost $30,000 or less made the cut. As Forbes.com stated, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage (4.1 seconds) and Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid (3.1 seconds) are too expensive for the list. Here’s the information on the Hyundai Sonata SE, the 10th-fastest car with a price less $30,000, as well as the complete

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Nissan Leaf Named Kelley Blue Book Green Car of 2011

Despite its miniscule fleet in the United States, the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle  has been named the top green vehicle of 2011 by Kelley Blue Book because of its “ground-breaking combination of range, room and price.” The Chevy Volt, an electric car with a range-extending gas engine finished second in the voting by the renowned car guide. Although there about 20,000 active reservations in the U.S. for the Nissan Leaf, less than 500 have been delivered via mechanical issues or the recent earthquake and Tsunami in Japan. Kelley Blue Book  labeled the Leaf as “the first electric car for the masses.” Here’s a list of the top 10 electric cars of 2011, according to Kelly Blue Book: 1. 2011 Nissan

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