Senior Editor Jason Muxlow seeks a vehicle that returns great fuel efficiency and yet will haul along all the trappings of life. He finds the 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL350 BlueTEC. Read more…
Editors Gernand and Muxlow take a little road trip to get a gauge for just how fuel efficient the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI can be. Tune in to the Automotive Trends Garage Episode 2 for final details on how the Touareg fared.
Executive Editor Brandon Dye reviews the 2011 Audi Q5 whilst driving through the frozen Thumb of Michigan.
Just a Flash in the Pan
Since our weeklong foray with the Cadillac SRX 2.8 Turbo, GM has decided that Cadillac dealers no longer require the services of this “premium” offering of their midsize crossover and have decided to cancel the 2.8 Turbo engine offering after one year. Without tipping my hand too far here, I have to say we are inclined to call this a smart move. But let’s delve into the details a bit before we bury the hatchet on Cadillac’s troubled turbo crossover. Read more…
Disappointments Tarnish an Attractive Package
The Venza had a lot going for it heading into this review. My colleagues and I had already determined that its bold grille, modern crossover proportions and over-the-top 20” wheels made it the best looking Toyota among the current crop. Not exactly a hard fought victory, we realize, but bonus points nonetheless. Plus we knew our particular model would be powered by the optional V6 that has been praised in everything from the RAV4 to the Camry, so we expected that to help seal the deal. Add in the fact that this particular crossover isn’t even tall enough to adversely affect handling all that much and we were fully expecting to write a review praising Toyota’s family hauler. And then over the course of a week we found ourselves distracted by some glaring faults and by the end we were left questioning, of all things, Toyota’s hard-earned and long-held reputation for unbeatable interior execution. Read more…
We’d be lying if we said there’s never an amusing moment behind the scenes of Automotive Trends, and even more so during an auto show. So we figured we would shed a bit of light on what happens during our coverage of the NAIAS Press Days. Click through for more video and a gallery of the moments you’re not supposed to see. Read more…
The cars are all packed up and the displays have been torn down and shipped to the Windy City, but the memories from this year’s Detroit Auto Show extravaganza still dance in our dreams like sugar plum fairies. Ok, actually something far cooler than that, but the bottom line is we don’t want it to be over. So we thought we would rekindle a wee bit of the flame that was the 2011 NAIAS and put to work a few more of the 4,000-plus shots our highly-caffeinated photog snagged. Click through to have a look at some bonus galleries from this year’s show. Read more…
If you want to understand the Honda Odyssey, you need to look at the ’96 Chicago Bulls.
Why the sports reference? Because that’s the year Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman played on the same team, making the ’96 Bulls one of the most dominant teams in the history of sports. They won 72 out of 82 games and made the NBA championship look easy. No other team has dominated like the ’96 Bulls, and no other minivan has dominated like the Odyssey. Read more…
A Celebration of Survival
Automakers had a lot to celebrate at this year’s North American International Auto Show. The first of which was simply being at this year’s auto show. After surviving a period filled with bankruptcies, shuttered brands, mergers, recalls and the Great Recession, all but one company saw sales rise in 2010. A little recall you might have heard about is responsible for Toyota’s negative sales performance. With the worst hopefully consigned to history, the industry is setting its sights on how best to entice cautious consumers in 2011. Each company will approach this challenge differently. While their results will vary, one thing is certain: car buyers will be the real winners. If you can’t make it to Detroit to see all the new offerings on display, allow us to highlight the winners at this year’s auto show. Read more…
