2014 Ford Mustang GT Review: The Last ‘Classic’ Pony?
I drive a lot of different cars, so it’s no surprise that friends and family members often ask me about my favorites. With the surprising fleet of new vehicles available today, picking a winner – one...
View Article2013 Toyota Tundra Crewmax Limited 4×4: First Look
Here’s a first look at the latest ride of the week, a 2013 Toyota Tundra Crewmax Limited 4×4. The timing on this drive of the second-generation Tundra pickup is perfect. The upcoming 2014 Toyota Tundra...
View Article2013 Infiniti JX35 FWD: First Drive
The latest Ride of the Week is a 2013 Infiniti JX35 FWD, a three-row luxury crossover that debuted for the 2013 model year. For 2014, the JX35 becomes the QX60 to conform with Infiniti’s revised,...
View ArticleFirst Look: 2013 Buick Encore Premium FWD
The latest Ride of the Week is a 2013 Buick Encore Premium FWD. The Encore is a compact 5-passenger crossover that debuted for the 2013 model year. Earlier this year I had an opportunity to get an...
View Article2013 Buick Encore Safety: Close Call
Last Sunday, my wife and children and I were headed to a kids’ birthday party in nearby Decatur. We were riding in the 2013 Buick Encore, a compact crossover vehicle, when an erratic and unpredictable...
View Article2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel: First Look
Here’s a first look at the latest Ride of the Week: the 2014 Chevrolet Cruze Diesel. A small badge that reads “2.0TD” is mounted on the decklid of this compact Chevy sedan. It’s the only indication...
View Article2014 Toyota Tundra 4×4 Limited CrewMax: First Look
Here’s a first look at the latest Ride of the Week, the 2014 Toyota Tundra 4×4 Limited CrewMax. I’ve had an opportunity to drive several Tundra models lately, including the 2013 Tundra that was the...
View ArticleLast Week’s Automotive News: October 14, 2013
Quote of the Week: “I am disappointed and frustrated to be writing to you in the midst of the government shutdown. I hope that Congress will act quickly to resolve this unnecessary and avoidable...
View Article2013 Toyota RAV4 XLE fwd: First Look
Here’s a first look at the latest Ride of the Week, the 2013 Toyota RAV4 XLE fwd. Compact SUVs and crossovers like the RAV4 are right-sized. They’re big enough to be practical but small enough to be...
View Article2013 Toyota 4Runner Trail: First Look
Here’s a first look at the latest Ride of the Week, a 2013 Toyota 4Runner Trail. The 4Runner is one of the few remaining true SUVs. It’s a body-on-frame vehicle with available part-time or full-time...
View Article2014 Toyota Avalon Limited Review: We Don’t Need No Stinking Badges
“It doesn’t have the badge.” My car recommendation to a friend flunked his test drive, even though he reported no specific dislikes about his experience behind the wheel. He wanted something swankier,...
View Article4-Cylinder Superlative: 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG Review
You’ll hear no complaints from me when the Ride of the Week can make the following claim: under the hood of this little sedan is the most powerful production 4-cylinder engine in the world. The 2014...
View Article2014 Porsche Cayman S Review: Best Sports Car at Any Price?
Precision. That’s the word that kept coming to mind as a drove the 2014 Porsche Cayman S. This is a sports car that delivers precise performance in every aspect, from the fit of the well-bolstered...
View Article2014 Ford Fiesta SFE: Go Small or Go Home
When I heard about Ford’s new-to-the-U.S. three-cylinder EcoBoost engine available on the subcompact Fiesta, I was intrigued. The tiny, 1.0-liter turbocharged motor is lightweight yet relatively...
View Article2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport: Luxury Features, Affordable Price
What constitutes a luxury vehicle? Is it an esteemed nameplate with a long history of producing fine automobiles, like Mercedes-Benz or Cadillac? Is it technology like the electric propulsion system of...
View Article2014 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Edition 507: Street Art
This little monster is among the last of Mercedes-Benz models to receive a naturally-aspirated AMG V8. New, turbocharged motors power everything from CLA-class to S-class AMG models, and a new...
View Article2014 Scion FR-S: Underpowered or just right?
The 2014 Scion FR-S is a real sports car. Just consider the attributes listed in the Wikipedia entry for “sports car”: small (check: the 2014 Scion FR-S is certainly not a large vehicle) usually...
View Article2015 BMW M4 Convertible: Feel-It Fly
I opened the passenger-side door of the BMW M4 and flipped the front seat forward. My six-year-old daughter climbed into her booster seat in the back and buckled up, and I jumped in the driver seat and...
View Article2015 Nissan Juke NISMO RS: In Odd We Trust
My next-door neighbor occasionally flags me down to check out the Ride of the Week. He recently mentioned that he prefers cars that are a bit offbeat, a sentiment I can certainly appreciate. He and I...
View ArticleIdentity Crisis Aside, 2016 Scion iA is a Gem
Toyota recently announced it will discontinue its youth-aimed Scion brand, a not so surprising move for one of the world’s top automakers. One of the brand’s newest models, the 2016 Scion iA sedan,...
View Article
