Volvo XC90 not mainstream, not good with details Volvo has never been mainstream and it’s not about to start now. Its new XC90 crossover that replaces a quite dated crossover of the same name is a high-end luxury vehicle that offers typical Volvo safety and substance, but drops the ball on a variety of details. First,... Continue Reading →
2015 Audi S3 2.0T quattro S tronic
Audi's S3 sportier than A3, but much costlier and turbo still lags I drove and enjoyed the Audi A3 with a turbo diesel a few weeks back and told myself I’d be ecstatic with the sportier looking and driving S3 this week. I wasn’t wrong, I still liked the S3, but I was less enthusiastic... Continue Reading →
2015 Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack
2015 Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack There’s no reason to be coy when addressing the strength of Dodge’s new Charger R/T Scat Pack. That’s Pack with a P as in Power. No this is NOT the Hellcat with its ridiculous 707 horsepower. This is the macho family sedan, the four-door with 485 throbbing HEMI... Continue Reading →
2015 Lexus NX 200t F Sport
First Lexus turbo turns up the juice in angular NX F Sport If I were selecting a smallish sport-ute solely on looks Lexus’ NX would be my first choice. I like its angular lines, its exciting sporty appearance, its 3D taillights and its front lights that appear to be large checkmarks laid sideways. I like the... Continue Reading →
2016 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring AWD
Sharp looking CX-5 also performs The 2016s are in! Not all of them mind you, but Mazda has released its revamped CX-5 small sport-ute early and it remains a good-looking ute in a mostly ho-hum market segment. That’s the first plus, because generally you aren’t hung up on looks if you’re shopping for a small... Continue Reading →
2015 Toyota Camry Hybrid SE
Hybrid gives us another good reason to buy a Camry Toyota’s Camry was the best-selling car in the United States last year, topping the No. 2 Honda Accord by roughly 40,000 units. In fact, Camry has been one of the top-selling cars for years, and for several, Toyota was happy to let it idle... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Automodello’s 1948 Timbs Streamliner
Automodello’s Timbs Streamliner exemplified slick styling Few cars are as radically styled as Norman E. Timbs’ Streamliner. The Streamliner is a teardrop-shaped car that looks like an amoeba that should be wriggling on a slide under a microscope, except it’s a car. You’ve probably seen it and didn’t know what it was. Now Automodello creates the... Continue Reading →
2015 Chrysler Town & Country S
Town & Country S(exy?) ... no, but Special for a family Are minivans sexy? No, but they are family friendly and if you have a large family, well, sexy may be something you’re needing to put behind you. Chrysler, via its Dodge and Plymouth brands at the time, started the minivan movement decades ago and... Continue Reading →
2015 Audi A3 TDI Premium Plus
Audi's sporty A3 TDI gives gas pumps the finger! Boxy, compact and easy on fuel … yawn, that sounds like your typical econobox, but for one key trait, the Audi A3 handles like a sports sedan. That’s what it is, an entry-level sports sedan somewhat along the lines of a small BMW, just not... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Auto World 1967 Chevrolet Impala SS
Auto World delivers unique 1967 Chevy Impala SS You can’t get any rarer than a one and only model, a one and done. In this case, Auto World has reproduced what experts say is the ONLY 1967 Chevrolet impala SS with a 427 cu.in. L-72 V8 under the hood as original equipment. The rare, make... Continue Reading →