When you think of a luxury car, what comes to mind?
Most people would envision a huge Cadillac, Lincoln, or Mercedes-Benz that floats down the road like an ocean liner, its geriatric driver pointing his nose at the sky. This stereotypical luxury car is probably something quiet and smooth with snooty styling and a mushy suspension that makes the road feel like polished glass.
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Well, the folks at Volkswagen have finally gone off the deep end.
Or maybe they’re just marketing geniuses, because the new Touareg — the largest, most expensive vehicle ever to wear the VW badge — represents one of the biggest strategy shifts in automotive history. It’s quite a gamble for this German company, which for decades made nothing but low-priced economy cars and faces an uphill battle to change its public image.
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The Best Car Under $20,000?
It’s not hard to find a publication that will rave about the latest supersedan from Audi, BMW, Mercedes or Lexus. After all, those cars cost $60,000, $80,000, even $100,000. For that many greenbacks the car had better give us something to be excited about. That kind of money buys you a high-quality interior, a delightful driving experience and styling that is clean and upscale. Imagine our surprise, then, when we found all of these things and more in a sub-$20,000 compact from Mazda. We’ll warn you, this review contains ego-enhancing praise galore. Mazda, don’t let this go to your head. Read more…
When the Dodge Durango was introduced in 1998, it was perfect for Goldilocks – not too big, not too small.
With a spacious cabin, rugged performance and valuable third-row seat, the Durango quickly gained a following for its just-right proportions that neatly filled the void between midsize and full-size SUVs. It was a perfect fit – for a while. Read more…
Holy crap!
German engineering, 340 horsepower, a lowered suspension, six-speed manual transmission, gorgeous body, and a convertible top that lowers with the push of a button — it’s got everything, plus a relatively comfortable back seat. What else can you say about a car like this? Read more…
Remember Daewoo? It was the Korean carmaker that tried selling low-priced cars here for about three years before going kaput.
Or so we thought.
Thanks to the global tentacles of General Motors, Daewoo is undergoing a resurrection of sorts in the United States, only not under its own name. Chevrolet sells one Daewoo model as the entry-level Aveo, Suzuki sells another as the midsize Verona, and now Suzuki is selling a third Daewoo derivative called the Reno. All three are decent cars with incredible price tags. Read more…
If you’re looking for a midsize sedan with a hint of luxury, good luck. You’ll need it with the glut of choices available.
Today’s highways are packed with comfortable, good-looking sedans under $35,000. On the low end there are Camrys, Accords and Maximas with leather seats, navigation systems, and lots of fancy doo-dads. American cars like the Chrysler 300C and Ford Five Hundred offer a little more space for the money — not to mention more attention-getting styling — but they lack the appeal of a luxury brand. For that, there are plenty of solid cars from Infiniti, Lexus, Lincoln, Cadillac and Acura. Read more…
All Aboard, This Ship is Pulling Out
So what is the Aviator, a 7/8ths Navigator, or a rebadged Mercury Mountaineer/Ford Explorer? Well, about a year ago we took a Mercury Mountaineer to the northern part of Michigan’s mitten for a long weekend camping to determine its place in the stable. With that in mind, one can easily see we’re long overdue for an extensive jaunt across country. With that we packed up our gear, pointed the baby Nav north and gave it some gas. Destination: North Manitou Island, for a long weekend of driving, photographing, logbooking, swatting mosquitoes, and sleeping upon a fairly lumpy piece of good ole terra firma. Read more…
After driving some revolutionary full-size trucks this year — fantastic trucks like the new Ford F-150 and Nissan Titan — I had high hopes for the next-generation midsize truck from Chevrolet.
Those big trucks raised the bar for comfort and refinement in a pickup, making them drive more like cars without sacrificing truly heavy-duty performance. Is it unreasonable, then, to want the same thing in a smaller pickup? Read more…
