There’s a renaissance going on at Nissan.
After teetering on the brink of obliteration in the late 1990s, the company is coming back in a big way with amazing cars like the 350Z and impressive trucks like the Titan and Armada. The change couldn’t have been more dramatic.
And now the turnaround is showing more than ever in a variation on Nissan’s venerable, bread-and-butter Altima, a four-door sedan that has played second fiddle for years to the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Read more…
If you want a glimpse at the future of automobiles, take a ride in this Lexus.
It’s not a “car of the future” in the sense of GM’s Autorama show of the 1950s, which featured cars with wild styling and out-of-this-world gizmos that never made it into your garage. Read more…
The Nicest Electric Shaver We’ve Ever Driven
GMC’s Envoy has been carrying cargo and towing trailers in its current form since the 2002 model year. During that time owners have come to like its smooth ride and responsive, fuel-efficient I6. But the competition is getting tougher all the time and more power and luxury never hurt any vehicle’s chances for continued success. To that end, GMC has applied the Denali touch to the Envoy lineup, including things like more power courtesy of a V8 and revised styling via a “Denali-style” grille insert. The changes are enough to get us curious about how well the Envoy is holding up 3 years into its model cycle. Read more…
When it came time to design a new Pathfinder, Nissan had to satisfy two camps.
On one side were the loyalists who surely wanted the Pathfinder to be a Japanese Jeep, the kind of truck that’s reliable, affordable, rugged and capable of driving just about anywhere. They’re the kind of buyers who don’t give a rip about comfort, so long as they can traverse Death Valley without breaking a sweat. Read more…
American Muscle With German Training
Excitement builds as I clamber up the hill to the CTS-V parked on the crest. So docile this Caddy looks, resting on muscular haunches, flanks gleaming in the autumn afternoon sun. My pulse quickens as I stretch out my hand to the driver’s door. Heart racing I slide into the seat and twist the key, the LS6 V8 wakes from its slumber. A deep mellow pulse reverberates from the tailpipes. Buckle up; it’s time to ride! Read more…
With so many variations of the Envoy available, it seems GMC is trying to make an SUV for everybody.
After starting with the basic Envoy in 2002 — a solid, midsize SUV with a nice ride and quiet cabin — the honchos at General Motors decided it wasn’t big enough. So a longer version was created and dubbed the Envoy XL. Read more…
When the Jaguar S-Type was introduced a few years ago, it was criticized for being too much like a Ford and too little like a “real” Jag. It looked great on the outside — like every Jaguar should — but showed far too much of its Taurus DNA in the cabin.
Jaguar rectifies some of this Fordness, though thankfully not all of it, with a heavily revised S-Type. It retains its gorgeous body and chic style, but its interior, ride, handling, and horsepower are made more appropriate for a car with such a rich pedigree.
Read more…
Like a son discovering his father’s liquor cabinet, Buick has gotten a taste of the lucrative SUV market and like all other automakers who tip the SUV bottle, it has become addicted. So in an attempt to satisfy it’s craving for more customers and the all-mighty dollar, Buick will add a second SUV, called Rainier, to its lineup for the 2004 model year. In its previous life, the ’04 Rainier was known as the ’02 Bravada. When the General decided to kill one of it’s own and sent Oldsmobile packing, the all new and class leading Bravada was put up for adoption. Read more…
For decades, Cadillac called itself “The Standard of the World,” and it wasn’t an exaggeration. Technical innovations, elegant styling and sophisticated refinement made it the best car company on the planet — hands down — in the early part of the 20th century. Nothing else came close. Read more…
An Explorer In Business Attire
A rebadged Explorer? Well, yes, but also no. Consider the Mountaineer as an Explorer in business attire. It is worth a good first look, but don’t expect excess attention. We found that few heads turned when our Ceramic White tester came rolling through town. Soccer moms will appreciate the 7 passenger seating and dad will like the ruggedly upscale looks. Read more…
