We're on a mission from God.... A line out of the 1980 hit movie The Blues Brothers and totally appropriate for this blog entry as Mark and I traveled to the Midwest Automotive Media Association's (MAMA) Fall Rally just outside of Joliet, IL, home of the Joliet Prison where after his release from prison, Jake... Continue Reading →
2019 Honda Civic 1.5T Touring
Civic comes in 3 shapes, a big player in small car market … Honda’s Civic is a mainstay in the small car market. Why? It has been around for years, remains affordable and comes in three body styles, sedan, coupe and hatchback. All of those traits make it unusual. And for the past few years... Continue Reading →
2020 Kia Soul GT-Line 1.6 Turbo
GT-Line's turbo makes this the Soul you want ... This may be overstating it some, but if ever there were a modern-day Volkswagen Beetle in both spirit and style, it would be Kia’s sweet Soul. Consider that 11 years into its run the styling has been updated in tweaks to nose and tail, but the... Continue Reading →
2020 Nissan Z370 50th Anniversary edition
Latest Z car a beauty, and a bargain … Sports cars used to be more plentiful, but as we Americans have become larger, so have our cars, crossovers and trucks. Rare is the sporty or sports car, and rarer yet, one we could afford. But in 1970 Nissan introduced its Datsun 240Z, a long-nosed low-slung... Continue Reading →
2019 Cadillac XT4 AWD Sport
Small Caddy offers sexy looks & luxury ... There was a day when a Cadillac HAD to be as big as a cruise ship and loaded down with enough chrome to make a knight on horseback feel inadequate. No more. Cadillac has decided that affordable luxury with interesting styling is the way to get post-Boomer... Continue Reading →
2019 Nissan LEAF SL Plus
LEAF Plus: Better range, and exceeding expectations … No matter how much good I have to say about Nissan’s new LEAF (and I have plenty to say), I’m not sure you’ll believe me. That’s because the original LEAF, as revolutionary as it was as the first fully electric car to be marketed to the masses,... Continue Reading →
2019 Ford Edge ST AWD
ST is a family hauler with a sporty ‘Edge’ Ford revamped the nose and tail styling of its successful Edge crossover for 2019 and at the top end, gave it more power and a better tranny. I’d driven a new Edge Titanium last winter and it, along with the lower level SE and SEL, are... Continue Reading →
2019 Volkswagen Arteon SEL w/4Motion
VW Arteon a sporty fastback that should score big with families … VW’s new luxury family sedan proves that cars are not dead yet. This sporty fastback is simply so much more fun and comfortable to drive than an SUV or large crossover that it makes you wonder why cars are falling out of favor.... Continue Reading →
2019 Lexus LC 500h
Lexus LC 500h: A fast hybrid beauty that whines ... What must one expect when buying a car for $100,000? Certainly standout looks and performance are in the top couple “must haves.” But do you expect a hybrid sports car with supercar looks and a steady whine? Well, Lexus delivers on looks, performance and comfort... Continue Reading →
2019 BMW M2 Competition Coupe
BMW M2 a fast car on track, but tough on the tushie ... BMW is as synonymous with racing as Porsche and Ferrari, but also known for making road-worthy sedans and coupes that offer at least a modicum of civility and practicality. As its 3 Series and 5 Series cars have continued to grow, both... Continue Reading →