Buick Encore surprisingly nimble The Buick Encore and Chevy Trax are kissin’ cousins riding on the same platform with the same engine and transmission, but aimed at different markets. Not surprisingly the Chevy aims at value-minded and younger buyers, while the Buick aims more upscale, at empty-nesters who demand luxury and feel they’ve hit a stage... Continue Reading →
2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club
Redesigned Mazda Miata still the perfect sport car My generation may have been having fun, fun, fun till our daddy’s took our T-birds away, but since 1989 the fun, fun, fun has mostly been provided by Mazda’s Miata. Lyrically it’s not the same at all, but the feeling continues to be the same and the nearly all... Continue Reading →
2016 Honda HR-V 2WD EX-L w/Nav
Honda's new HR-V just another solid little ute Honda makes many fine cars that perform well, get good gas mileage and are reliable and its new small personal-sized crossover, the HR-V fits that mold. But Honda, like Toyota before it, seems to have neglected styling in pursuit of its other laudable attributes. So the HR-V, like... Continue Reading →
2016 Mazda CX-3 Touring AWD
New CX-3 a spirited, fun, small crossover            Mazda isn’t the first car maker with a small personal-sized SUV, but it certainly has one of the most stylish and fun to drive with its new CX-3. The CX-3 continues the tone set by Mazda’s slightly larger CX-5 that competes with the likes of Toyota’s RAV4, Subaru’s Forester... Continue Reading →
2015 Hyundai Tucson Ltd. AWD
Stylish Hyundai Tucson looks great, drives great            I’ve found my new favorite small crossover vehicle, the Hyundai Tucson. I’ll admit to being surprised, but I’m not sure why. Hyundai and sister company Kia have become the styling leaders among Asian car makes and their performance is on par, or better than most of their... Continue Reading →
2016 Mazda6 Grand Touring
Move over Camry, Accord, the new Mazda6 is a gem After all these years reviewing cars (30+) I find it hard to understand why Mazda doesn’t sell a lot more cars. Its midsize Mazda6 is another gem that is sporty looking, handles well, provides a comfortable ride with good power and delivers extremely good fuel... Continue Reading →
2015 Chrysler 300S AWD
Chrysler nails full-size luxury with 300S AWD Remember full-size cars that were comfortable for five adults? Probably not, unless you’re of a certain age. A few remain, the distinctive and elegant Chrysler 300 being one of the better efforts. First, it looks great with a big grille and chiseled lines that have only been somewhat... Continue Reading →
2015 Ford Mustang I4 Premium
New Mustang flat out gorgeous, ride improves Fifty years in and Mustang is still behaving like a teenager with his first set of wheels and looking as sexy as ever. The previous sizzling Mustang design was so reminiscent of the 1960s icon that some felt Ford had taken a step back, just to glom on... 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 →