2012 Hyundai Veloster Review: Hyundai has created another styling home run. This time it’s the diminutive 2012 Hyundai Veloster, a sporty coupe/hatch with a bonus back door on the passenger’s side. Veloster is a fun drive. It combines the swoopy appeal of Honda’s CR-Z hybrid coupe, with the light feel of former Toyota Celicas. Youngsters will dig this economical coupe/hatch. Beyond its stellar looks is a solid sporty car, one …
2013 Ford Flex and 2013 Ford Taurus Review: They call it a freshening. But in the automobile business, it amounts to a whole lot more than plumping a pillow. It’s what the car companies do to keep their vehicles current when they’re close to halfway through a life cycle, which usually is somewhere around four or five years. In backyard mechanic terms, it would be impossible, involving sheet metal changes, …
2012 Subaru Impreza Review: I like the looks, ride and handling of the restyled 2012 Subaru Impreza. The small sedan’s chiseled nose and flattened wheel flares give it a much more exciting appearance than its predecessor. But the variable speed five-speed transmission is a stumbling block. The continuously variable transmission makes the car’s acceleration less than stellar and combines with the engine to create a whine and groan that make …
2012 Acura RDX Review: When Honda decided to grace its upscale Acura line with a compact crossover SUV for the 2007 model year, it rolled out the Acura RDX, which was an impressive sports-car-like performer amid a sea of more mundane competitors. That sea has experienced a remarkable rising tide during the past five years, so it’s time for a new RDX that is both an impressive performer and a …
2012 Volvo XC60T6 Review: If a company can design and build a great car, why should it turn to an outsider for enhancement? It’s something that happens infrequently but often enough to raise the question. Most vehicle manufacturers do their own thing. For example, Dodge has its high-performance SRT arm; Ford calls its tuning group SVT, and BMW has its M division. Most recently, Mazda is promoting its in-house Skyactiv …
Kia’s youthful and useful Soul joined the small boxy car market four years ago and, amazingly, it seems no less hip today. The car’s rear sloping roofline and funky colors make it stand out from the other practical small hatches. My test drive was a “Moss” metallic greenish brown. There are three Souls. The base starts at $13,900, the Soul+ starts at $16,300, and the tested Soul starts at $19,600. …
2012 Toyota Prius Review: For a couple of decades now, the entire Toyota auto empire has been identified by the Camry. But maybe it’s time to realize that the Prius might be taking over as Toyota’s new signature vehicle. Actually, it’s not just the Prius anymore. It’s the whole Prius family, which has a new baby — the Toyota Prius C — which is predicted to become the top-selling model …
2012 Toyota Prius Review: Goldilocks has nothing on the Toyota Prius. With the introduction of the all-new 2012 c (for city) model, Prius now has bred a family of gasoline/electric hybrids. There’s the new papa bear station wagon, otherwise known as the Prius v (for versatile); the mama bear, which is the familiar mid-size hatchback (Toyota calls it a liftback), and now the c, the baby bear compact liftback. And …
