Review Archive

Preview Infiniti QX56 – Bigger But Smaller by Frank S. Washington The new QX56 is a full-size sport utility. And though this big sport utility vehicle excels in a lot of areas, this is going to be a tough sell.

MyCarData.com BMW 5 Series -- Modern Design by BMW The 6th generation of BMW’s executive express reflects the standards upheld by the world’s most successful manufacturer of premium cars.

Preview 2011 Ford Fiesta – Game Changer by Frank S. Washington When gasoline prices shot up, Ford promised it would sell some of its fuel sipping European cars here. The 2011 Ford Fiesta is the first of the bunch.

MyCarData.com Buick Regal is Turbocharged by Buick Armed with turbocharged horsepower, a driver-selectable suspension system and a firm, European-tuned chassis, the Buick Regal delivers.

Test Drive New Hyundai Sonata – More Quality by Frank S. Washington The 2011 Hyundai Sonata's 2.4-liter four cylinder engine now generates 198 horsepower. It's 200 horsepower for the SE dual exhaust model.

MyCarData.com Volvo C70 -- Nice & Simple by Dan Scanlan It has a simple interior with just the right dash of Swedish modern, and a simple turbocharged inline engine to pull it along. Call it chic simple.

Test Drive Land Rover’s LR4-- The Best by Frank S. Washington Land Rover’s 2010 LR4 might be the best version – so far. It’s gone through several name changes but no matter it just keeps getting better.

MyCarData.com 2011 Volvo S60 -- Safer & Sportier by Volvo The all-new S60 introduces a unique safety technology: Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake.

Test Drive M-B E550 Coupe – Simply Wonderful by Frank S. Washington Although the E550 Coupe is new, it’s not. The E Class is one of the best known luxury sedans in the world.

MyCarData.com Mustang GT -- Modern Muscle Car by Chris Jackson Redesigned for 2010, the Ford Mustang is a thoroughly modern vision of concept that dates to the Sixties the American muscle car.

Test Drive Kia Koup – Snappy & Fun by Frank S. Washington The Kia Koup had an aggressive stance. There was a muscular shoulder line meant to exude strength and power and it did.

Test Drive Caddy CTS Sport Wagon -- Approvable by Mary Chapman Caddy's version of its sister sport sedan performed admirably in a lot of standing snow, as did when I could actually see the road.

Test Drive Kia Forte -- Snappy by Frank S. Washington I think one of the most important things about a small car is that it doesn’t drive small. The Forte didn’t.

Trucks Dodge Ram Heavy Duty by Sue Mead There are many new things to like about the upgraded 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks that come in both 2WD and 4WD versions.

Test Drive Lexus LS 460L Power Player by Frank S. Washington The Lexus LS 460L was powered by a 4.6 liter V8 that made 357 horsepower. Its eight-speed automatic transmission that was unbelievably smooth.

Work Truck Show Nissan NV 1st Commercial Vehicle by Sue Mead Nissan unveiled its all-new 2011 Nissan NV (Nissan Van), the 1st entry in its new Commercial Vehicle lineup in North America.

Test Drive Kia Sorento – Competently Good by Frank S. Washington Even though Kia is moving up market it still offers a lot for comparatively little. Starting price for the 2011 Kia Sorento is $19,995.

MyCarData.com Nissan Juke Debut by Nissan The Juke is highlighted by a distinctive design, which includes a robust stance, high waistline, complex curves and coupe-like profile.

Test Drive Ford F-150 SVT Raptor – A Real Truck by Frank S. Washington The Raptor was powered by a 5.4-liter V8 that made 320 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. Get this: that’s the small engine.

Travel Test Ford Flex -- Edgy and Practical by Mary Chapman The 2010 Ford Flex is one of those vehicles that's edgy and innovative on the one hand, practical and utilitarian on the other

Test Drive Chevrolet Equinox – Truck of the Year by Frank S. Washington The Chevrolet Equinox recently won Internet Truck of the Year. I recently had a week-long test drive in one and walked away really impressed.

Test Drive Toyota Venza -- Still Clear by Mary Chapman The Venz's got a lot going for it: spaciousness, functionality and it easilly seats five adults though therre's no third row.

Preview New Infiniti M – More Traction by Frank S. Washington The M37 has a 3.7 liter V6 that makes an eye popping 330 horsepower.That’s best in class. The M56 has a 5.6 liter V8 that makes 420 horsepower.

Automotive Rhythms 2011 BMW 5 Series by Kimatni D. Rawlins Since 1972, 5.5 million BMW 5 Series have been sold. The last model was the leading seller for four years of its seven-year run.

City Drive Camaro SS Coupe – Super Sharp by Frank S. Washington The Camaro looks bigger but lower and it has an edgy sleek design. The car has the sort of sinister look, fore and aft, that enthusiasts want.

City Drive Honda Accord CrossTour -- Versatility by Sue Mead Is it a car, is it a hatchback, or is it a crossover utility wagon? That’s exactly the sequence of questions I asked the CrossTour in my driveway.

City Drive Taurus SHO – All Season Performance by Frank S. Washington Snow can wreak havoc on a car with a lot of horsepower and torque. But my Taurus SHO proved to be an effective all-weather fullsize sedan.

Motor News Media 2011 Lincoln MKX -- Personal Touch by Ken Chester, Jr. The next Lincoln MKX luxury crossover features the first application of industry-exclusive MyLincoln Touch™ driver connect technology.

City Drive Buick LaCrosse – World Class by Frank S. Washington Buick just might pull it off. That is reclaim its place as a premium brand The 2010 Buick LaCrosse is why I make that statement.

Automotive Rhthyms Rolls-Royce Ghost -- Privileged View by Kimatni D. Rawlins The Ghost is not an adaptation. In 50 years Rolls-Royce has only launched an all new vehicle four times with the Ghost being the fourth.

City Drive Cadillac SRX – A Quantum Leap by Frank S. Washington The new SRX had a swept back sleek look, the lines were clean, the styling made it as visually pleasing as competitors from Germany and Japan.

Preview Land Rover Pumps Up Prestige by Sue Mead Under the hood of the 2010 Land Rovers is a new 5.0 liter V8 engine with an output of 375 horsepower and 375 foot pounds of torque.

City Drive Caddy Sport Wagon – Silent & Smooth by Frank S. Washington It’s the rare occasion when a wagon looks better than the sedan t is based upon. But that’s arguably the case with the 2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon.

MyCarData.com M-B SLS -- Top Speed 196 MPH by Casey Williams Carrying through on the original Gull Wing in the latest edition are a huge chrome star-studded grille, long hood, cozy cabin, and bobbed tail.

City Drive Toyota Corolla – Good But Under Assault by Frank S. Washington The first Toyota Corolla was small, fuel efficient and not exactly what Americans wanted. But it turned out to be exactly what they needed.

City Drive Suzuki Kizashi -- More Than a Name by Sue Mead With a name that means “Something Great is Coming,” thenew 2010 Suzuki Kizashi promises to put this Japanese automaker closer to the foreground.

City Drive Jaguar XF – Sleeker & Faster by Frank S. Washington Like its name, the Jaguar XF Supercharged is a sleek subtle speedmobile. Zero to 60 mph time for my test model was 4.9 seconds.

MyCarData.com BMW 5 Series -- Sixth Generation by BMW With the longest wheelbase in the segment, a long and sleek hood, short overhangs, and a coupe-like roofline, the new BMW 5 Series stands out. clearly

City Drive Nissan Cube Krôm – The Future? by Frank S. Washington The Cube is a small, sporty, spacious, fuel efficient car that looks more at home on Autobahns than Interstates but it may be future car of America.

MyCarData Mini Goes Electric by Mini The MINI E will be powered by a 150 kW (204 hp) electric motor fed by a high-performance rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

Debut! 2011 Audi A8 – The Eyes Have It by Frank S. Washington The 2011 Audi A8 has a full set of optional LED head and tail lamps. In fact, the only conventional light bulbs are the backup lights.

MyCarData.com 2011 Mazda2 -- Big Small Car News by Casey Williams Mazda2 orignally debuted in Europe, Japan, and Australia in 2007. Since then, it has won over 48 awards from around the world.

City Drive 2010 Mazda3 Gets My Vote by Frank S. Washington The Mazda3 was a finalist in the Internet Car and Truck of the year awards.It was stylish, easy to drive, comfortable and fuel efficient.

MyCarData.Com Caddy CTS Sport Wagon by Kelly Foss The CTS Sport Wagon is capable of an EPA 28 mile per gallon rating on the highway. The CTS comes standard in a rear-wheel drive configuration.

City Drive Buick LaCrosse -- The Stuff by Mary Chapman Back in the day, if you drove a Buick, you were doing something. You were the stuff. Doctors' cars, they called them.

MyCarData.com 2011 Infiniti M -More Power by Infiniti The 2011 M models will be designated the Infiniti M56 and Infiniti M37 respectively, reflecting their more powerful, larger displacement engines.

City Drive Mercedes CL550 -- Soft & Smooth by Frank S. Washington When it comes to Mercedes-Benz excellence is routine. Words like comfort, dependability, luxury, quality and refinement are often used.

City Drive Lexus HS 250h – Dedicated Hybrid by Frank S. Washington The Lexus 250 HS had a four cylinder engine, the first for the brand, and an electric motor. Both produced 147 horsepower.

Motor News Media 2010 Audi A5 Drop Top by Ken Chester, Jr. The introduction of the Audi A5 Cabriolet marks the expansion of the A5 model line and the replacement for the 2009 A4 Cabriolet nameplate.

City Drive Ford Fusion – A Lot of Sedan by Frank S. Washington The midsize sedan market has always been fueled by function and reliability rather than style. The Fusion remains a formidable competitor.

Motor News Media Acura ZDX -- Dramatic Versatility by Ken Chester, Jr. The all-new 2010 Acura ZDX four-door sports coupe boasts dramatic styling, outstanding performance and the latest in advanced technology.

Preview Ram HD – Back to Business by Frank S. Washington The heavy duty Ram is the brand’s 4th best-selling vehicle and it accounts for one third of Dodge Ram sales.

MyCarData.com Buick Regal -- Rump Turner by Casey Williams Buick Regal: a world-class sport sedan set to turn the mid-size sedan market on its rump. Will roll into Buick dealers by 2011.

MyCarData Accord Crosstour -- Functionality by Casey Williams Based on the benchmark Honda Accord, Crosstour promises all of its sister’s excellence with even more functionality.

Preview 2010 Lexus GX 460 – Still Rugged by Frank S. Washington One of the most significant things about the 2010 GX 460 is that Lexus stuck with the traditional body on frame construction.

Preview Nissan’s $400 Nav System by Frank S. Washington A new navigation package would be available in Nissan's compact and subcompact cars for which it will charge about $400.

MyCarData.com Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid by Toyota The 2010 Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid (PHV) Concept vehicle will make its world debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

City Drive 2010 Mustang Sophisticated Muscle by Frank S. Washington Ford has done a lot of work on the interior of the 2010 Mustang. It’s not as closed in as past models, the materials made me feel comfortable.

MyCarData Kia EcoDynamics Sub Brand by  Kia Kia Motors made its presence felt at the 63rd Frankfurt International Motor Show by showcasing several new models, including the ‘EcoDynamics.’

RoadWorthy! Caddy CTS Wagon -- Luxury & Speed by Ken Chester, Jr. Cadillac’s first-ever North American wagon is a progressive take on the classic wagon body style that delivers significant functionality.

Preview 2011 Kia Sorento Up to Snuff by Frank S. Washington Kia has completely changed the Sorento from a truck based sport-utility vehicle into a car based crossover-utility vehicle.

Preview 2010 Suzuki Kizashi – A Good Car by Frank S. Washington The Suzuki Kizashi was a small midsize sedan powered by a 2.4-liter four cylinder engine that made 185 horsepower and 170 pounds-feet of torque.

MyCarData Aston Martin’s One-77 by Aston Martin The One-77 epitomises everything Aston Martin from technology, to hand rolled aluminium panels to the attention to detail.

Preview New VW Golf, New Prestige by Frank S. Washington The car felt “awesome.” The Golf TDI’s narrow torque ban translated into instant passing power to get around trucks that cluttered HWY 248.

City Drive GMC Terrain – Studly & Beefy by Mary Chapman I tooled around Michigan's western environs in a 2.4-liter direct-injection four-cylinder, six-speed automatic that can get 32 mpga.

City Drive Lincoln 2010 MKT – Tough! by Frank S. Washington The face of the 2010 MKT is the best example yet of what Lincoln’s new mug will ultimately look like on future models. I call it the butterfly grille.

Automotive Rhythms 2009BMW 750Li Long Term by Brian Armstead & Kimatni Rawlins This car is chocked with so much technology, it requires a bit of study to effectively operate it, even for a seasoned automotive writers.

City Drive Lincoln MKS EcoBoost by Frank S. Washington Lincoln now understands that long term reputations in the luxury market are built on car platforms and not on utility vehicles.

Automotive Rhythms 2010 Audi R8 V10 by Geoff Reeves & Kimatni Rawlins Audi reels you in with stunning exterior designs, making the eyes follow their flowing sharp lines ...you want to touch every surface.

Preview GMC Terrain -- Better Than Good by Frank S. Washington This is GMC’s smallest utility vehicle but that doesn’t mean it’s miniscule. The Terrain is a five-passenger utility vehicle

On the Road Ford Mustang is Worry Free Classic by Mary Chapman Like certain purses or hats,the Mustang is, and always has been, more than suitable for any occasion. Not sure who'll be there, take the Mustang!

City Drive 2010 Chevrolet Camaro – “The Car” by Frank S. Washington With a low stance, a wide ground hugging appearance, sharp angles and creases and a raked windshield, the Camaro is simply a stunner.

City Drive Ford Transit Connect by Sue Mead Ford has brought its Transit Connect to the American market, promising low cost and high utility transportation for small business owners.

Preview Nissan Z Roadster – Another Winner by Frank S. Washington The Z Roadster has a synchronized downshift rev which matched the transmission speed. It makes downshifting seamless.

Automotive Rhythms The 2010 Land Rover Experience by Kimatni D. Rawlins You can find me atop a steep mountain alongside the Megget Reservoir in the countryside of Scotland where goats and rams graze in romance.

City Drive Chevy Equinox -- Simply a Stunner by Frank S. Washington Although my Chevy Equinox featured OnStar with all sorts of services,I was impressed that GM has adapted and now includes Bluetooth.

City Drive Toyota Prius -- Fun Drive by Mary Chapman The most flattering thing I can say about the new Toyota Prius is that it doesn't feel like a Prius. that's meant as a compliment.

City Drive Honda Insight Lowers Playing Field by Frank S. Washington At a $19,800 base price, what Honda has done is lower the hybrid playing field to a more affordable price than competitors.

Motor News Media Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback --Functional Sportiness by Ken Chester, Jr. Building on the Lancer sedan introduced two years ago, Mitsubishi ups the stakes with the new-for-2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback.

City Drive Honda Fit – Well Worth its Price by Frank S. Washington This gas sipping econo-box is just what consumers need to ride past gas pumps. And that’s with a small fuel tank that holds 10.6 gallons.

MyCarData.com Luxury is Being Redefined by John Peige Like the dinosaurs that preceded them, the gas-guzzling luxo-barges of yesteryear are part of a vanishing breed.

Preview Suzuki Kazishi – Do or Die by Frank S. Washington The Kizashi was a good looking midsize sedan that will be powered by four cylinder engine. It will be available in two-wheel or four-wheel drive.

City Drive '09 Infiniti G Convertible -- Coninued Innovation by Sue Mead Infiniti achieves perfect proportions no matter the perspective, with the three piece hardtop either upright or tucked beneath the tonneau cover.

Preview Acura Turns it up a Notch by Frank S. Washington When Acura, the first Asian luxury brand to be sold here, invited me to look at what it had coming for the next model year I jumped at the chance.

Preview 2010 Toyota Prius -- Even Better by Sue Mead During the Prius’s second generation, this hybrid sedan truly came of age in America, when it won the 2004 North American Car of the Year.

City Drive Audi A4 Avant – Just the Ticket by Frank S. Washington The A4 Avant is not for everyone but for those folks with a couple of bucks and want something small but it might be just the ticket.

Road Test VW Touareg TDI Anew by Sue Mead VW debuts a new Touareg diesel, having given the TDI Touareg a go before-- only to see it forced out of showrooms due to U.S. emissions compliance.

Preview Buick LaCrosse Tops Expectations by Frank S. Washington Buick has done it again. As with the Enclave crossover, the interior of the 2010 Buick LaCrosse exceeds expectations.

Automotive Rhythms.com 2010 Porsche Panamera: Amazing by Kimatni D. Rawlins On Germany’s Autobahn we were able to surpass 178 mph in the Turbo Panamera; that's a bit shy of its top speed of 188 mph.

Preview Ford Flex EcoBoost – Remarkable! by Frank S. Washington The Ford EcoBoost delivers V8 power with V6 fuel efficiency. By the numbers, it makes 355 horsepower and 350 pounds-feet of torque.

Motor News Media 2010 Caddy SRX by Ken Chester, Jr. The redesigned Cadillac SRX brings a more dynamic alternative to the luxury crossover segment. It's dramatic with more efficient engine.

City Drive Audi A5 – Still in Love by Frank S. Washington The A5 has a long hood, a short deck lid and an awfully low stance. Audi’s wide single frame signature grille is particularly effective on the A5.

MyCarData.com Nissan Maxima -- Not Quite by Chris Jackson When I first slid behind the wheel of the Maxima, I had no idea that it would be so hard to classify. How difficult could that be?

City Drive Infiniti EX – Nice Touches by Frank S. Washington If it wasn’t for bad news, we might know more about the nice touches that Infinti has given the EX; its smallest utility vehicle.

Motor News Media Lexus IS Convertible -- Luxury Motoring by Ken Chester, Jr. The 2010 Lexus IS hard-top convertible gives Lexus a coupe and convertible in the entry luxury segment for the first time.

City Drive Mazda6 Pleasantly Surprising by Frank S. Washington I didn’t realize that the Mazda6 was available with a manual transmission. Mazda is serious about its Zoom Zoom brand identity.

Car-Data.com GMC's Terrain Notches Up Styling, Refinement by Casey Williams The GMC Terrain jumps up about four notches in style and refinement while satisfying SUV drivers.

Preview Taurus Sho --Serious Performance by Frank S. Washington The Taurus SHO has a 365 horsepower dual turbocharged direct fuel injected V6 that makes 350 pounds-feet of torque from 1,500 to 5,250 rpm.

City Drive M-B BlueTEC – Time to Consider Diesel by Mary Chapman The Mercedes-Benz ML320 BlueTEC, which supplants the ML320 CDI is a stereotype-busting diesel, and a looker, and a hauler too boot.