2008 Model Reviews

Mazda Introduces Hybrid Tribute Like its corporate cousins, the Ford Escape and the Mercury Mariner, the Mazda Tribute now comes with a hybrid power plant. In fact, it uses the same gas and electric combo as the Escape and Mariner. A 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine and a 70-Kilowatt motor combine to produce the equivalent of 155 [...]

The Box Gets Bigger Scion’s quirky xB van has grown up. Owners said they wanted a “bigger box,” according to Mark Templin, Scion vice president. So, a bigger box is what they get for 2008. The xB is now a foot longer and three inches wider. It also rides on a 102.4-inch wheelbase, up four [...]

Smart Brings Micro-Car to America I recently drove the Smart Fortwo, and I predict it will be the automotive sensation of 2008. Smart car mania is already building. According to David Schembri, president of Smart USA, over 50,000 people have taken test drives of the Smart Fortwo. during a nationwide tour. Over 30,000 have paid [...]

Range Rover Blends Luxury and Off-Road Capability If Rolls Royce or Bentley were to design an SUV, I suspect it would look a lot like the current Range Rover—understated on the outside and sumptuous on the inside. The 2008 Range Rover has the classic look of its predecessors, and the only concession to contemporary styling [...]

Volvo Builds a Pocket Rocket Who would have thought that Volvo would build a pocket rocket? Certainly not me. But the powers that be at the Swedish automaker wanted to attract younger male customers, and so the C30 came into being. The C30, in its upscale 2.0 guise, is ready to do battle with the [...]

The Mustang Is So Yesterday Maybe Ford feels that Mustang buyers are completely wedded to the past—the 2008 model sure seems like an old-time car. The body, which was restyled in 2005, isn’t so much an issue, but the interior, with its hard plastic surfaces feels like something from the ‘60s. The ergonomics are certainly [...]

Bland Styling Masks Good Performance The Subaru Impreza is a good little car that doesn’t attract a lot of attention. It doesn’t have the appeal of its rivals, like the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, or the Mazda3. Even within the Subaru lineup, it is overshadowed by the high performance WRX and WRX STI models with [...]

A Rabbit On Steroids I’ve always a soft spot in my heart for cars that perform exceptionally well, but don’t flaunt their high performance with souped-up styling. That’s why I like the R32. At first glance, it looks like a standard VW Rabbit coupe with bigger wheels, but don’t let that fool you, this is [...]