Lexus restyles, upgrades its RX 450h The Lexus RX series has been ruling the luxury mid-size crossover roost for nearly two decades and there’s no reason to think the new RX will sully that record run. Lexus and its mainstream counterpart Toyota wised up and started restyling its vehicles and giving them some personality the... 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 →
2015 Nissan Rogue SV AWD
Rogue grows to happy medium in SUV/crossover market Nissan restyled its entry-level crossover, the Rogue, last year to give it a less trucky appearance and smooth its ride along with its appearance. It works and offers a little more interior room and overall length than most small SUVs, like Toyota’s RAV4 and Ford’s Escape. Rogue... Continue Reading →
2015 Nissan Juke SL AWD
Juke the latest oddball design from Nissan Nissan’s Juke is unusual looking! You’ll probably substitute your own word for “unusual”, but there will be no argument that it looks like no other car on the road, but then neither did the Nissan Cube, which has been discontinued, or the late Pontiac Aztek. For lack of a... Continue Reading →
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited
Subaru's new Outback epitomizes luxury AWD wagon Subaru could be credited for starting the crossover craze as an early adopter of AWD on all its vehicles, including its wagons. Jeep could argue, but Jeeps are unique unto themselves, at least in their original form. The Legacy wagon comes to mind from the Subaru camp and... Continue Reading →
2015 Lexus NX 300h FWD
Lexus NX 300h (hybrid) long on edgy styling, short on power Credit Lexus with designing a sporty, exciting looking hybrid SUV/crossover. With swept-back styling the NX looks fast and agile from its sporty LED headlights to its sculpted angular sides. It stands out from most of the luxury SUV crowd, and its hybrid-ness, only adds to... Continue Reading →
2015 Subaru Legacy 3.6R Limited
Subaru upgrades Legacy to take on Camry, Accord, Fusion Subaru strengthens its position in the mid-size market with an even more appealing Legacy sedan, but it retains a major advantage, all-wheel drive. While past Legacy models (see the reveal at the Chicago Auto Show) may have felt a little bargain basement in their interiors, the... Continue Reading →
2015 Honda Fit EX-L w/Nav
Honda Fit not a hit, just a basic entry-level car Honda’s new 2015 Fit is larger inside than the previous model, but remains a basic entry-level car that delivers excellent gas mileage. But it has its limitations, as all entry-level cars do. Power is modest, the ride is rough and wind noise is fairly intrusive. This... Continue Reading →
2014 Mitsubishi Mirage ES
Pokey Mitsubishi Mirage offers bare bones performance Last year when I drove the 109-horsepower Nissan Versa Note I thought I’d driven the slowest accelerating car made in the past 10 years, but that was before I’d driven the new Mitsubishi Mirage. This makes the pokey Versa Note feel frisky. Mirage is a pleasant looking little hatchback... Continue Reading →
2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
Outlander Sport SE AWC = smooth looks, ride Maybe I’m becoming more tolerant as I age, but I liked the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport better than I had the first time I drove it three years ago. What I liked was its looks, a smooth sophisticated body, and its smooth well controlled ride, something one comes to appreciate... Continue Reading →