2009 Model Reviews

Better Than Ever
When I first drove the Infiniti G sedan in 2003, I was blown away. This car had excellent power, phenomenal handling, sleek styling and a reasonable price. I nearly bought one. Had I done so, that 2003 model would still be sporty enough to contend in today’s market. However, Infiniti didn’t rest on [...]

When Price Is No Object
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to drive a Rolls-Royce? Well, I have too. Although I have driven hundreds of new car over the years, not one of them was a Rolls-Royce—that is until now. Through a stroke of good fortune, I participated in a Rolls press event [...]

An Environmentally Friendly Diesel
Diesel engines are not like they used to be. Most of the problems with diesels have been eliminated, or at least minimized. Diesel odor and soot are no longer a concern. Engine clatter is almost gone, and turbocharging has improved performance.
Volkswagen has new diesel engine in the Touareg this year. The [...]

A Miata by any Other Name is Still a Miata
I’ve never understood why Mazda dropped the Miata name from their popular MX5 sports car. Miata is the name that people have identified with this car for nearly two decades. Ask any enthusiast what this car is called, and he or she will tell you it’s [...]

Revamped, But Much The Same
If you are in the market for a cute car, you will be hard pressed to find one cuter than the 2009 MINI Cooper convertible. Of course, this is the same thing I thought when I saw the first generation MINI convertible five years ago. In fact, the new MINI looks [...]

Stripped Versa Is A Good Value
When I learned that the new base model of the Versa was coming my way, I had trouble suppressing a groan—I was not enthused. But when the car arrived, I was pleased to see that it looked a lot like the higher priced Versa sedans. It had full-size wheel [...]

The 535i Continues To Impress
Last year, BMW upgraded its mid-range 5-Series sedan by installing twin turbos on its three-liter engine, and calling it the 535i. This power plant gave the inline-six a real kick in the pants with 300 horsepower—45 more than the old 530i. This engine is a real delight—it’s very smooth and very [...]

Does The Civic Hybrid Have a Future?
With the introduction of the new Honda Insight hybrid, you have to wonder what the future might hold for the Civic Hybrid. The Insight is more stylish, and almost the same size. More importantly, the Insight costs up to $3850 less than the Civic.
However, some buyers might be [...]

Sports Car Performance, Everyday Usability
The BMW M3 coupe and convertible are sports car that many driving enthusiasts would give their eyeteeth to own. But supposing you’re a hot shoe with a family, and really need a sedan. Well, now you can buy an M3 with four doors. After a hiatus of over a decade, BMW [...]

Luxury and Low Emissions
If you’re a person who wants V-12-type power in your luxury sedan, but low tailpipe emissions as well, Lexus has a car for you. That is if you have 100 grand to spend. The car is the LS 600h L. It’s the hybrid version of the full-size Lexus LS 460 L—the stretched [...]