2011 Land Rover Range Rover Review: Like the Jeep in America, England’s Land Rover is the original real deal when it comes to off-road vehicles in the U.K. After years of testing them off road I can say with assurance that they can handle most any volume or viscosity of mud and muck and keep on roving. One of Rover’s latest, the 2011 Range Rover Sport HSE, is equally dashing …
When you think of pickup trucks, you probably don’t think of Suzuki. Suzuki has been selling cars in United States under its own name since the 1980s, it’s never offered a real pickup for the U.S. market. But that all changed with the Suzuki Equator. The Equator isn’t exactly Suzuki’s own creation, it’s essentially a clone of Nissan’s midsize Frontier pickup. Equator’s differences related to exterior styling and features. The …
2011 Hyundai Elantra GLS Review: Hyundai’s Elantra delivers on all the essentials most families are looking for in a midsize car, and then tacks on a few extra – like style – for good measure. The tested base Elantra GLS with a six-speed manual gearbox offers value, comfort and style – inside and out. As for the extras, it’s darned good on gas despite its growth into midsize dimensions. And …
Flash Floods, A Car That Talks Back and Other AdventuresThe all new 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport joined our household for a week long of adventures and minor mishaps. The compact crossover sports an aggressive shark-nose front-end with narrow headlights that got it’s taste for water hours after taking it off the lot. Even though it was pouring out, my daughter wanted to join me for the first drive. She was cheerfully …
Timing is everything and if I had planned it out better, I would have chosen the Mitsubishi Outlander to drop my kids off the first week of school. The fighter jet meets shark front end means business. It could set the tone for the year (wishful thinking) that mamma isn’t going to take any crap this year. Perhaps the car could even get my kids to school on time. Ok, …
If you like Toyota’s Prius, but demand more performance and luxury, you’re a good candidate for the Lexus CT 200h. This is a small sports hatch along the lines of a Mazda3 or Volvo C30, in that it’s diminutive in size, but sporty in handling and ride. Like the Volvo, it feels and looks a bit more upscale inside and the tested Premium model adds to that feel with a …
SUVs and crossovers have replaced wagons as the most popular people and cargo haulers. That’s too bad because the few wagons that remain are pretty spectacular, and the Acura TSX Wagon is among the brightest stars. The Acura is a sporty-looking, luxury wagon with a near perfect blend of power, comfort and cargo room. It handles like a sedan, rides like a sedan and is an absolute pleasure to drive. …
The new midsize Kia Optima sedan couples good looks with moderate pricing. I tested the Optima SX with a turbocharged 2-4 liter engine that generates 274 horsepower. This front-drive sedan is comfortable and capable of hauling four adults and five if you need to. The Optima is an excellent family car, and the SX Turbo is fun to drive. The six-speed Sportmatic transmission does a good job of putting that power …
