Ford Explorer less trucky, more luxury Long gone is the truck-based Ford Explorer that fueled the SUV craze that begot today’s crossover craze. The 2016 Explorer while tall and muscular is car-based and luxurious, which explains both its popularity and in the tested unit’s Platinum trim, its price. A base Explorer starts at $31,595... Continue Reading →
2016 Ford Escape SE 4WD
Ford's Escape a looker and a handler ... Ford’s Escape is popular because it looks good, comes in a range of prices that meet a wide array of consumers’ needs, and is an extremely sporty handling crossover. None of that changes for 2016. Escape is handsome with enough of a swept-back look to appear quick and... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Replicarz’s 1928 Indy 500-winning Miller
Replicarz delivers stellar 1/18 scale Miller ... Beyond Ray Harroun’s 1911 Marmon Wasp that won the first Indianapolis 500, the Miller racers of the 1920s and 1930s may be the most recognizable early Indy cars. Most famous, and recognizable, of those Millers is the gold No. 14 that Louis Meyer drove to victory in 1928, his... Continue Reading →
2016 Fiat 500 Easy
Fiat 500 Easy: low price, low power, lower expectations Several years have passed since I last drove a Fiat 500, the mini-car Fiat re-launched its brand with in the U.S. market for 2012. The 500 hasn’t grown any, nor changed much, which depending on your point of view may be good, or a bit sad.... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Auto World’s 1969 Dodge Charger 500
1/24-scale 1969 Dodge Charger a nice value ... Originally I was not a big Dodge Charger or American Motors Marlin fan. Both were too radical in their fastback designs for me. I preferred the Plymouth Baracuda and Ford’s Mustang 2+2. But by 1968 the second generation Charger looked racier to me and in 1969 Dodge... Continue Reading →
2016 Honda Civic EX
New Honda Civic adds style, remains no-nonsense sedan ... Need good basic wheels? Make that better than basic, but at a no-nonsense price, a practical car that’s fun to drive with good ride and that will fit a family of four comfortably. Honda’s new 2016 Civic sedan has you covered, and then some. Civics, when first... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Autoart’s 1958 Chevy Corvette
1958 Corvette another beauty in 1/18 scale ... While the early Corvettes were cute little underpowered sports cars, for my money they got serious and more aggressive looking for 1958 when Harley Earl and his design crew gave them quad headlights. To be honest, the Corvette had gotten off to a rather slow sales start... Continue Reading →
2016 Toyota Avalon Touring
Stylish Toyota Avalon long on comfort at good price Toyota’s Avalon is a breath of fresh air, a full-size sedan with stylish lines and oodles of comfort and features at a reasonable price. In days of yore, that would be enough to make it one of the top sellers in the marketplace, but alas, modern... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Top Marque’s Audi Pikes Peak Winner
Audi Pikes Peak Winner driven by Bobby Unser a winner On a twisting dirt and gravel road 100 years ago intrepid racers staged the first Race to the Clouds, otherwise known as the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. It was one of the rare times an Unser didn’t win. For many of the past 50 years... Continue Reading →
2016 Kia Sorento SX Ltd. Turbo AWD
Handsome turbo-packing Sorento near faultless ... Several drives in Kia’s handsome Sorento crossover during the past couple years still has me searching hard for its faults. There aren’t many. Most test drives leave me wanting a little more, or less, of something, but Sorento just keeps impressing. First, it has the ability to carry seven... Continue Reading →