Sonic is Top Drawer Five years ago, you would have been hard pressed to find really good small economy cars at you local dealerships. Now the scene is different. Subcompacts, like the Honda Fit, the Ford Fiesta and the Hyundai Accent have changed this segment. And joining their ranks in 2012 is the Chevrolet Sonic. [...]
Impreza Impresses Subaru redesigned its compact Impreza for 2012 and improved it in a number of ways. It has stronger styling, a more spacious interior and much better fuel economy. It’s also a pleasure to drive. The Impreza comes as a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback again this year. Both models feature a more [...]
A Worthy Contender The Nissan Rogue has some stiff competition in the compact crossover SUV market. The Honda CR-V, the Ford Escape and the Toyota RAV-4 are the leaders in this segment, and are more popular than the Rogue. Still, the Rogue managed to find 125,000 buyers in the U.S. in 2011—not too shabby. The [...]
Edge Gets EcoBoost The big news for the 2012 Ford Edge is EcoBoost. EcoBoost is Ford’s name for its turbocharging system that increases power and improves fuel economy. In the case of the Edge, it’s a four-cylinder engine that delivers the power of a V-6 and about 10-percent better gas mileage. More on this later. [...]
Lots Of Show—Not Enough Go The new Hyundai Veloster is head-turner. It gets admiring glances wherever it goes. Strangers come up and ask about it in parking lots. It is definitely not for people keeping a low profile. Hyundai designed the Veloster for young people, but it appeals to folks of all ages. The Veloster [...]
Hybrid Gets A Sport Edition Last year, Lexus expanded its lineup, and added a new compact hybrid, the CT 200h. It’s a five-door hatchback, and it’s the lowest priced model ($29,995) that Lexus offers. The CT200h is designed to appeal to those who have considered a Toyota Prius, but would like something livelier and more [...]
Toyota Redesigns Its Small Car Toyota has revamped its subcompact Yaris for 2012. An overhaul was needed since the Yaris was not doing very well in the small-car market. The new version is slightly bigger, and fresh looking inside and out. But did Toyota do enough to get the Yaris out of the doldrums? The [...]
Lexus LS Delivers Sport with Luxury A little over two decades ago, Lexus revolutionized the luxury car market with the introduction of the first LS400. This full-size sedan offered the luxury and the driving dynamics of a Mercedes at a much lower price. The LS400 was an instant hit—even Bill Gates bought one. Since that [...]
Still the Best The Honda Odyssey has been a leader in the minivan field ever since it debuted here well over a decade ago. The current model is the best Odyssey yet. But just don’t take my word for it, none other than Consumers Reports magazine rates it at the top of its class. Honda [...]
A Good Fit It’s no wonder over 57,000 Americans bought a Honda Fit in 2011, this subcompact four-door hatchback has a lot of appeal. It features standout styling, a spacious interior and a fun-to-drive personality. The current body style, which has been around since 2009, still looks fresh. The long, steeply raked windshield emphasizes the [...]
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