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2017 Toyota Avalon Hybrid Limited Review
Today’s Avalon is a very different product from that modest initial offering. Although it has retained the same “big car” dimensions for the last decade, the packaging within has transformed the Avalon from a massaged Camry into a luxurious line-topping sedan with no need to apologize for anything.
Read More »2017 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T SE Review
For 2017, Passat continues to benefit from the major makeover it received in 2016. In addition to restyled front and rear fascias, the Passat’s 6.3 inch graphic user interface touchscreen now includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Read More »2017 Lincoln MKZ Reserve AWD Review
The big news at Lincoln this year is the return of the Continental, a storied 77 year old nameplate now attached to an all new luxury sedan for 2017. A lot of the Continental’s $60,000 luxury has also surfaced in Lincoln’s completely revamped 2017 MKZ.
Read More »2017 Volkswagen Golf TSI Alltrack 4Motion Review
So far, the new Alltrack VW had checked all my boxes. Was it fast enough? Yes. Did it handle well enough? Absolutely. Did it look good inside and out? Check and check again. But as a sportive player, now it would have to pass the bike test.
Read More »2017 Ford Fusion Platinum Energi Review
For 2017, Ford offers more flavors of Fusion than Ben and Jerry makes ice cream. At the top of the long list is the all new for 2017 Sport version, with a 325hp, 2.7 liter V6 powering all four wheels. Moving down the range, Ford also offers a turbocharged 2.0 liter inline 4 making 240hp.
Read More »2017 Volkswagen Jetta 1.8T SEL Premium Review
It’s always reassuring to scrutinize a vehicle’s price invoice (called a Monroney Sticker) and discover that absolutely NO extras have been added to inflate the base figure. In this case, $26,995 is what you will pay for a very fully equipped Volkswagen four-door sedan.
Read More »2017 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro S tronic Review
Let’s say you placed your coffee cup on your coffee table just so. You’d expect it to be where you left it the next time you reached for it, right? Of course you would. Such, however, is not the case with Audi’s redesigned A4 when it’s equipped with the $1,800 optional DAP, or “Driver Assistance package.”
Read More »2016 Fiat 500 Abarth Review
For the sheer joy of driving, Fiat’s 500 Abarth is unmatched. With a price under $30,000, it’s something of an economic miracle. Even though our bright “Celeste Blu” test car had its bottom line elevated by $5,375 worth of options, this storming gnat’s total price amounted to just $28,945.
Read More »2017 Toyota Prius Prime Advanced Review
Toyota has been busy supplementing the Prius line with new versions dedicated to extra space (Prius V), affordability (Prius c), and now, a plug-in version first distributed in fall of 2016 as a 2017 model. This latest entry in the hybrid class, named Prius Prime, looks like a space ship compared to previous Prius designs.
Read More »2016 Mazda CX-9 Signature All Wheel Drive Review
The CX-9 will hustle down a crooked road with real aplomb, conveying its occupants with unruffled equanimity thanks to standard Roll Stability Control (RSC). The CX-9 is also tow rated for 3500lbs. worth of trailer, and the onboard electronics afford Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) to help manage the sway of your load.
Read More »2017 Toyota Corolla 50th Anniversary Special Edition Review
In honor of five decades of continuous improvement of that winning original recipe, Toyota celebrates the Corolla’s unprecedented longevity with a tastefully appointed 50th Anniversary Special Edition. So the 50th anniversary Corolla is really quite the bowl of dark cherries.
Read More »2017 Acura MDX AWD Advance Review
In the course of a test year, I drive almost all the mid-price SUVs. For the most part, they make little long lasting impression. Acura’s MDX, however, breaks the mold of boring conformity. This is without doubt the company’s best model, which also explains why it’s their best selling SUV.
Read More »2016 Mitsubishi Outlander 3.0 GT S-AWC Review
The loaded Outlander GT makes a good case for ownership. For starters, the price is right, at a base of just $30,995. Even fully loaded, with a $3,350 Navigation System that also includes Lane Departure Warning and Adaptive Cruise Control, the bottom line tally is a modest $35,195.
Read More »2017 Honda Ridgeline AWD Black Edition Review
This Honda’s very versatile design is based on the company’s Pilot SUV, which was redesigned for 2016. Like the Pilot, the Ridgeline packs a sophisticated 3.5 liter V6, good for 280hp and 262lb.-ft. of torque. Those numbers will allow you to tow a 5,000lb. trailer.
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