Smaller hybrid easy on gas, hard to get out of its own way The new Toyota Prius C is what most folks think of when they imagine a hybrid car. They think of an extremely small car that gets great gas mileage, but has a hard time getting out of its own way. But unlike many... Continue Reading →
2013 Scion FR-S
Spiffy sportster rekindles Toyota's sport coupe tradition Finally, a new sports coupe from Toyota, albeit offered through its entry-level youngster brand, Scion. I’ve missed the Toyota Celica for years now, and I’m not alone, so with the 2013 Scion FR-S, Toyota again has a low-cost sports coupe that looks great and will provide much entertainment... Continue Reading →
2012 Hyundai Equus Signature
Full-size luxury has a new name - Equus - and plenty of ponies Hyundai’s full-size Equus is a fine luxury car with one major drawback, the Hyundai name. Unlike Honda and its Acura line or Toyota’s Lexus or Nissan’s Infiniti, Hyundai has chosen to simply offer its luxury liner as an extension of its standard... Continue Reading →
2012 Nissan Murano SV AWD
Luxurious crossover, quiet comfortable family mover A lot of time has passed since I last tested Nissan’s fine Murano crossover, yet it remains a solid, quiet, comfortable family mover. While many folks buy this in front-drive form, Nissan says, I had the next to top level SL model with AWD. That means it goes for... Continue Reading →
2013 Acura ILX Premium
A handsome winner that slots below TSX Acura created one of the finest entry-level sport sedans with its TSX a few years back, but now introduces another winner to slot in just under the TSX. For 2013 Acura rolls out the ever so slightly smaller ILX to fill the entry slot as TSX has crept... Continue Reading →
2013 Nissan Altima 2.5 SV
Refined family sedan with superb CVT deserves its due As in the political world where the frontrunners get all the hype and some worthy candidates get brushed to the sidelines or back pages, Nissan’s Altima doesn’t always get its due. That may be about to change. The 2013 Altima has been revamped to be slightly wider and... Continue Reading →
2012 MINI JCW Cooper Coupe
Two-seater delivers attitude, power, performance - at a high cost  Perfect timing! I had just driven the raciest version of Fiat’s tiny 500, the Abarth, when an even racier MINI Cooper Coupe, the John Cooper Works, or JCW, edition slotted into the test garage. The Coupe is MINI’s new model, with no back seat and... Continue Reading →
2012 Fiat 500 Abarth
Cute and powerful, but overpriced and a rough rider A co-worker put it perfectly after seeing my black and white Fiat 500 Abarth, it’s the Beanie Baby of cars – Cute with a capital C. I like small cars, appreciate their efficiency, their fun factor and generally their lower cost. The Fiat 500 is cute,... Continue Reading →
2013 Hyundai Elantra GT
Sporty, useful, practical, some hatchbacks have it all Hatchbacks are fantastic and Hyundai’s latest entry the Elantra GT proves the point. Sporty, useful, practical and bordering on fun to drive a hatchback often gives you more for your money than any other car design on the market. Think of crossovers as hatchbacks on steroids and... Continue Reading →
2012 Hyundai Azera
Azera is aces in luxury, quiet, comfort  If you are among the folks who thought Hyundai would never make it in the U.S. car market, well, get over it. I’ve driven quite a few Hyundai models of late and the new Azera is the finest yet. This is a large front-drive sedan to challenge Toyota’s... Continue Reading →