2012 Acura TSX Review: If you were a loyal Honda Accord buyer, and you know a new generation of Accord is coming out in September of 2012, would you be interested in an Accord-like vehicle from Honda that exceeds every feature you always wished the Accord possessed, for about the same money? If you would you pay $32,000 for the much-anticipated 2013 Accord, would you pay $30,000 for an Acura …
2012 Mini Cooper’s JCW Coupe Review: The new Mini Cooper Coupe – the John Cooper Works, or JCW, edition – perked up my driveway. The Coupe is Mini’s new model, has no back seat and a lowered roofline that gives it a distinctive profile, and a more buglike appearance. With black paint and a red racing stripe – reversed on the red roof with a black racing stripe – the …
A co-worker called my black and white Fiat 500 Abarth the Beanie Baby of cars – Cute with a capital C. I like small cars, appreciate their efficiency, their fun factor and generally their lower cost. The Fiat 500 is cute almost to a fault. At its base Pop trim level it’s a fun subcompact that starts at an extremely attractive $15,500. The Abarth (Fiat tells us that’s pronounced AH-bart) …
2012 Mitsubishi i SE Review: Be careful out there. That caution from an old cop drama on television is all you need to know about the 2012 Mitsubishi i—or, for that matter, any purely electric car. The i is the latest and least expensive electric vehicle marketed by a major manufacturer. Called the i MiEV (for Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle) in its native Japan, it is a four-door hatchback just …
2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata Review: To look at Mazda’s MX-5 Miata you’d think little has changed since its introduction nearly 25 years ago. It’s the quintessential two-seater with a simple layout, lines, controls and a simple price tag. The base Sport with a soft convertible top goes for $23,470, and the tested Special Edition with a power hardtop lists at $31,225. Add in the $795 destination charge and you’re looking …
2012 Volvo C70 Review: If your lifelong desire was for a flashy car, would you pick “A,” a sleek new convertible, or “B,” the best-looking two-door coupe available? How about “C,” both of the above? The 2012 Volvo C70 arrives precisely at that unlikely intersection as the best of both worlds. If the sun is shining and the temperature sufficiently warm, flip a button on the console and things start whirring: …
2012 GMC Terrain Review: When I drove a GMC Terrain a couple years back I was impressed by its fit, finish and good value in the small sport-SUV or crossover market. Not much has changed in a couple years. The Terrain is larger than many smaller SUVs and crossovers but isn’t big enough to be a seven-person hauler. Yet there is ample room for five adults and their luggage. Plus, …
2012 Buick Verano Review: Buick moves into the compact sedan market with its new Verano based on a front-drive Opel platform from Europe. This has been a successful General Motors strategy of late, revamping its European models and offering the restyled versions in the North American market. Verano’s goal was to reach the entry-level luxury sedan buyer, the first-time luxury car shopper. Buick says its primary targets were buyers aiming …
