April 6, 2008
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Chevrolet added the Aveo subcompact in 2004 as its lowest-priced car. Offered as a four-door sedan or four-door hatchback, the Aveo was based on a design by the defunct Korean automaker Daewoo. The sedan’s styling was freshened inside and out for the 2007 model year, while the hatchback carried on with the same styling and a name change to Aveo5. At the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show, Chevrolet announced the 2009 Aveo5 would get fresh styling to bring it in line with the sedan. (more…)
April 6, 2008
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Heavy frost blanketed Broken Bow Lake, Oklahoma, where my sons and I bade farewell to 2007. Thirty hearty souls braved the sub-freezing night for a fly fishing adventure. Predawn light revealed our trucks standing sentinel over the smoldering remains of the previous night’s campfires. Through my billowing breath, I examined ice crystals forming a thousand little shrines on the SUVs’ sheet metal. A thought occurred to me: everyone that made the journey to our pine needle-carpeted glade did so in a heavy-bodied American SUV or pickup. In that early morning chill I wondered, is the Kia Sorento ready to join the club? (more…)
April 6, 2008
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While we weren’t equipped with the means to record our time on the track with the Nissan GT-R, our friend Ty from Exhaustnote.com had the foresight to bring along a couple of video cameras to Reno/Fernley to show how Godzilla tackles the twisties. (more…)
April 6, 2008
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Anyone who looks at the new Audi A3 3.2 DSG and sees an overpriced economy car should not be allowed to play with Rottweiler puppies. While Ingolstadt’s diminutive four-door may seem like a hatchback for badge snobs willing to sacrifice size for breeding, it’s actually a four-wheeled fiend, a beast born and bred to take a bite out of the time - space continuum. Everything else about the A3– the foot on the Audi ownership ladder thing, the four-wheel-drive peace-of-mind shtick– is nothing more than a glossy coat on a vicious little monster. And I mean that in the nicest possible way. (more…)
April 6, 2008
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Once funky and cute, the Honda CR-V has grown up to look more like a high-dollar crossover. This latest-generation CR-V, completely redesigned and re-engineered for the 2007 model year, is more powerful and more comfortable than the previous-generation models. Its new suspension geometry delivers an improved ride and better, more responsive handling. The four-cylinder engine employs variable intake valve timing to optimize horsepower and torque for acceleration and cruising speeds and it’s paired with a five-speed automatic transmission. (more…)
April 6, 2008
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Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to honor the Acura RSX, whose life was cut short by overlapping products and muddled brand identity. Since 2002, this, the US version of the fourth generation Honda Integra, has enjoyed strong consumer support and numerous awards from erstwhile auto critics, including two consecutive year’s on Car and Driver’s 10Best list. But we are not here to debate the value of ad-sponsored gongs or mourn the passing of a beloved automobile. We are here to celebrate a life well lived. (more…)
April 6, 2008
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The Mercedes-Benz E-Class features more powerful engines for 2007, along with subtle styling changes, new interior elements, and a few tweaks for handling and safety.
The E-Class in many ways epitomizes the Mercedes-Benz brand. It’s the company’s best selling line worldwide and one of the best-selling Mercedes models in the United States. (more…)
April 6, 2008
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The Volkswagen New Beetle isn’t that new anymore, but still smart and stylish. And because it’s a Volkswagen, it’s refined. Der Beetle combines German engineering and performance with exceptional fit and finish, and it represents a good value. As in other retromobiles, however, driver and passengers must make some concessions for style. Interior ergonomics are not as good those in a more traditional car, like a Golf, nor is there a lot of trunk space. (more…)
April 6, 2008
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HUMMER will bring the HX Concept, a nimble, reconfigurable off-road concept vehicle, to the Geneva Motor Show next month. With unmistakable HUMMER design cues and a compact, go-anywhere attitude, the HX is an entry-level, open-air vehicle that packs the off-road acumen for which HUMMER has become legendary into an easily convertible body that acclimates to trail conditions, cargo needs or passenger whims. (more…)
