2017 Toyota Avalon Hybrid XLE Premium

Hybrid Avalon comfy big sedan, easy on the gas ... Sadly big comfortable sedans are about as popular these days as a new Nickelback album or The Dixie Chicks at a Texas veterans fundraiser. Too bad because as passé as big sedans are, they can move a family of five in smooth, quiet comfort and also... Continue Reading →

March 10, 2017 0

2017 Volvo V60 T5 AWD Cross Country

Volvo 's V60 Cross Country touts pizzazz, not smooth ride ... Volvo’s V60 Cross Country wagon/crossover wisely borrows some styling pizzazz from the likes of Mazda, then goes about saturating the vehicle with its usual core competency, safety. Pretty nice combo, but it ladles on enough luxury to push the V60 to luxury-level pricing, but without... Continue Reading →

March 3, 2017 0

2017 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring

New Hybrid Accord comfy family sedan with top-notch mpg ... Honda’s Accord is a car that’s hard not to like. It’s comfortable, handles well and provides a first rate ride. There’s room for four or five adults and the trunk is sufficiently large. Sexy it ain’t. Now add a hybrid power system and well,... Continue Reading →

February 24, 2017 0

2017 Volkswagen Passat V6 SEL Premium

New VW Passat hits for the cycle ... It may be a bit early in the calendar year to talk about hitting for the cycle, but the 2017 Volkswagen Passat does just that. Rare is the mid-size car that delivers healthy power, refined handling and ride along with a quiet interior. Often a sedan with... Continue Reading →

February 17, 2017 0

2017 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD

New Nissan Pathfinder more civilized, comfy ... My Navy son had a Nissan Pathfinder years ago and it was a true sport-utility truck, built on a truck chassis and able to go off-roading with the other utes of the day. Pathfinder has been around now for 30 years, but those trucklike days are gone as more... Continue Reading →

February 10, 2017 0

2017 Infiniti Q60 Premium AWD

New Q60 emphasizes performance, but ride suffers ... Driving similar cars back to back puts both into perspective, an unfortunate turn for the sporty Infiniti Q60. I’d driven the Mercedes-Benz C300 coupe with 4Matic, its all-wheel-drive system, the week before I slipped behind the wheel of the new Q60, which replaces the fine G37 in Infiniti’s lineup.... Continue Reading →

February 3, 2017 0

2017 Mercedes-Benz C300 Coupe 4Matic

Mercedes' sporty C300 coupe a smoothie ... Mercedes-Benz is on a roll. Not only has its Formula 1 racing team dominated for three straight years, now its street cars are back on top of their game. A couple years ago I sort of fell for the C300 sedan and now, in the dead of winter I... Continue Reading →

January 27, 2017 1

2017 Kia Cadenza Limited

Kia's Cadenza delivers luxury economically ... Back when I was kid in the 1960s and ‘70s a large luxury sedan meant a Buick, Lincoln, or certainly a Cadillac. Today, nearly every car maker has a large luxury model, some on the sporty side, but more favoring the luxury end, emphasizing smoothness and quietness. As us Boomers... Continue Reading →

January 20, 2017 0

2017 Toyota Corolla XSE

Toyota Corolla still running strong 50 years on ... Like Energizer’s bunny, Toyota’s Corolla just keeps on running through the generations and has succeeded like no other car model. It’s now 50-year run has resulted in more than 40 million Corollas being sold, most of any model. That’s more than the VW Beetle, the other... Continue Reading →

January 13, 2017 0

2017 Volvo S90 T6 AWD Inscription

Volvo's S90 a near perfect blend of sport, luxury ... There are many truly wonderful mid-size, luxury, sport sedans, both heavy on the sport and heavy on the luxury. Few blend the two as well as the new Volvo S90 T6 AWD Inscription. The S90 may be the best driving car I’ve tested this past year.... Continue Reading →