This Isn’t Your Typical Vee-Dub
There might be a cute face on the front of this one, but there is no Bug hiding behind that smile. Underneath that gentle demeanor is more grunt than any Yank bargained for. At least according to the spec sheet. But numbers don’t contact the pavement, rubber does. So what happens when a homegrown Red, White, and Blue farm boy gets behind the reigns of a German steed on western soil? Read on and find out. Read more…
You’ve got to love Jeep. At a time when most SUVs are becoming watered down, carlike “crossover” vehicles, the Jeep Liberty is staying true to its roots as a real off-road machine.
Jeep probably could have sold more SUVs if the Liberty were designed for shopping malls and freeways — places where comfort takes precedence over ruggedness and off-road dependability — rather than building an SUV to tackle the Rubicon Trail. But Jeep continues to look to its heritage, making the biggest changes for 2005 to the Liberty’s most rough-and-tumble model, the Renegade. Read more…
Starting this year, environmentalists will be a little more timid when they gripe about SUVs.
That’s because sport utility vehicles — long criticized for their gluttonous appetite for gas and dirty emissions — are turning green. Several manufacturers are planning more efficient models for the coming years, and the first to the market is Ford’s 2005 Escape Hybrid. Read more…
When you’ve got a sagging brand like Mercury, what do you do?
If you’re an executive with Ford Motor Company, you take the hot-selling Ford Escape, change a couple of things around, and rechristen it the Mercury Mariner. Read more…
I Never Thought A $60,000 Brick-On-Wheels Could Be So Cool
There are few things that can increase your “coolness” factor as much as driving a Hummer. Wearing P. Diddy’s bling bling while having Heidi Klum draped on your arm might come close but to gain true “King of the Scene” status from your peers you need to arrive in the latest and greatest plaything of the rich and famous. For the last several years that has been the Hummer H2; the more civilized brother to the Hummer H1, which is itself, just a civilized version of the Humvee used to move troops in and out of harm’s way around the world. It may not be the prettiest thing in the world but it’s sure to get you recognized. If that’s what you want then read no further because the H2 is your ride. If, however, you are interested in how this brute rides, drives, stops, and goes then you’ll want to keep reading. Read more…
It’ll Do Anything, Except Hit 80
What strikes fear into the heart of neighbors and most small countries? Well, the AT staff trying to pilot a 2006 Hummer H1 is a pretty terrifying image, if the expressions on fellow motorists’ faces is any indication. It’s not that it’s as large as a city bus (it is), or as loud a Cessna at take off (it’s louder), or even that it sucks through fuel faster than John Goodman at an all-you-can-eat buffet; it’s simply that it’s so darn hard to keep between the lines! Driving this thing at speed requires more concentration than two auto scribes juiced up on Starbucks and road grub can muster. Nevertheless, someone in the halls of GM thought it wise to loan us the keys to this $147,000 brick-on-wheels—they’re now currently unemployed. Read more…
A Midlife Makeover For The Best Selling Small SUV
The small SUV class has been doing well for quite some time and the same can be said for Ford’s Escape. Nevertheless there have been some new competitors who are trying very hard to steal the title of Best Selling Small SUV from the Blue Oval. Chief among these is Chevrolet’s handsome new Equinox, which has been well received by consumers and critics alike. Ford knows this and refreshed the Escape for the 2005 model year to try to maintain its lead spot in the sales race. Is the midlife makeover good enough to keep the Escape out front? You’ll have to keep reading. Read more…
Science Meets Sheetmetal
“Is that the thing that runs on water?”
“Pardon me?” I exclaim, with a half confused, half grimaced look on my face; yet another classic example of mainstream media leading to public confusion. Current events mix with auto tech about as well as the weather and sports. Sure, you still get the score, but what does the dewpoint have to do with the bases being loaded? Not much. But with fuel prices looming in the stratosphere, even the cameraman has something to say about gas savings. So without further ado, lets dive into the meat and potatoes of this FrankenUte (and no this isn’t a culinary review either)! Read more…
Crusin’ In The King Of Cool
For some people, making an entrance is what it’s all about. After all, you only have one chance to make a first impression and how you arrive on the scene says a lot about you. Underwhelming the audience is not an option. Perhaps that is why so many people rely on the Cadillac Escalade’s confidently exaggerated design to announce their arrival. With a chrome grille the size of a Miata and Cadillac badges visible at 200 yards, it’s near impossible to miss someone exiting a ‘Sclade. Add in the newly optional 20” chrome wheels and there’s a money-back guarantee you’ll be hippest thing in the parking lot. Not even Bermuda shorts and flip-flops could damage your street cred. Read more…
When you test drive a new car every week, sometimes you set yourself up for heartbreak — like when you trade the keys to a Porsche for the keys to a cheap economy car.
That hurts. Read more…
