2010 Model Reviews

A Poor Man’s Infiniti G37?
It used to be that you always had a choice when you bought a midsize car. You could select the traditional four-door sedan, or you could opt for the sportier coupe. That’s no longer is the case. Now only two moderately priced midsize cars are offered both ways—the Honda Accord and [...]

TSX Gets More Horsepower
Last year Acura redesigned its entry-level sports sedan, the TSX, and made it larger. They also incorporated styling cues from its big brother, the Acura TL. This year, the TSX gets a shot of extra horsepower from the TL. The TL’s standard V-6 engine is now an option on the TSX.
The TSX [...]

Outback Goes Crossover
Subaru is on a roll. The Japanese automaker was one of only three car companies (along with Hyundai and Kia) to increase sales in the U.S. in 2009. Furthermore, they are off to a good start this year. Their redesigned Outback has been named Motor Trend’s “2010 SUV of the Year.” And with [...]

A Fusion By Another Name
If you have read my review of the Ford Fusion Hybrid, you already know a lot about the Mercury Milan Hybrid. The Fusion and the Milan are corporate twins. The Fusion Hybrid has gotten the recognition (“North American Car of the Year”) but whatever can be said about the Fusion, can [...]

The SHO’s Back On The Road
After a layoff of some 10 years, the Taurus SHO has returned to the Ford lineup. The SHO, which stands for Super High Output, is the performance model in the Taurus line. It’s a sport sedan geared for those who enjoy spirited driving, but also need a full-size car for [...]

An Electronic Treasure Trove and More
The Mercedes E550 is a rolling treasure trove of high-tech wizardry. This car has every type of driver aid imaginable. Features that started on the big S-Class have now migrated to the new E models. Some, like the Pre-Safe system and Attention Assist are standard. Pre-Safe prepares the car for [...]

Escape Hybrid Leads in Fuel Efficiency
If you are looking for best gas mileage in an SUV, look no further than the Ford Escape Hybrid. It gets between 31 and 34 miles per gallon of gas. But this excellent fuel economy comes at a cost. The base price for the Escape Hybrid is just shy of [...]

Ford’s “Car of the Year”
The Ford Fusion hit the jackpot for awards this year. The Hybrid model was named “North American Car of the Year” by a panel of 49 auto journalists in Detroit, and the Fusion (all models) was named Motor Trend’s “2010 Car of the Year.”
One of the reasons Motor Trend [...]

2010 TL Gets 6-Speed Manual
I don’t know if the styling of the Acura TL has grown on me in the last year, or whether my test car, which was painted white, made the design look more subtle. From some angles the TL is quite attractive, but that massive nose is a polarizing styling cue. Folks [...]

A Junior Version of the Evo
I’ll never forget the last Lancer Ralliart that I drove—it got me a speeding ticket. Of course, I can’t really blame the Ralliart, but it did bring out the boy-racer in me. The latest Ralliart will do the same, and I have to admit to some difficulty curbing my enthusiasm [...]