Reader Reviews

Attended the Ford sponsored EcoBoost Challenge today (merely a couple miles from home). These canned track / test drive events are usually pretty cheesy, and this was no exception, ST cars not withstanding. Since all you get either way in these cars is about a minute of time, there is not much to expound upon, but some things stick in your head. Hybrid Challenge- The trick was either take the Fusion Hybird or CMax hybrid and see what your best average mpg would be. Sort of a dumb concept, its a short loop course which you can't get up to speed to really put to use hypermile techniques. I ended up in a Fusion and I like the car. From what I could tell, it seemed smo…

I haven’t gotten much in the way of rental upgrades lately. I’ve gotten exactly what I’ve rented on line. I had a scheduled airport rental for a “standard” car, barely below a full-size car. When I showed up at the counter, the woman working there was trying to find available cars and wanted to put me in a SUV. I asked her for a regular car with a trunk. I pointed out a Malibu on the lot and she said, “No, that’s a full-size.” Wow! That’s splitting hairs. She spotted a VW Jetta, which is exactly what the icon on the rental reservation showed. She was very nice throughout the rental process and took me out to the car. I took to the VW Jetta with curiosity…

quick summation JUST SAY NO. MSRP a little under 23. White, front drive 2.4 CVT. Highs - better than expected engine performance, better than anticipated CVT behavior, solid 'trucklike' (Jeeplike?) feel, feels robust and secure (or did it just feel porky), steering that was decently quick, decent gauge layout and controls, seat was ok in terms of comfort, gets out of its own way (with a lot of groaning), basically sounds like you are driving a tractor. Lows - rear seat accomodations are a bit of a joke, so is cabin with, so is the cargo space, lots of road noise, lack of powertrain refinement, cheap interior, whole thing feels 15 years old, oddly quirky styling of Je…

DRIVEN - 2017 GMC Acadia SLT AWD, MSRP like 45,500 or something HIGHS: Something in the showroom at GMC to fend off the onslaught of Jeep Grand Cherokee sales Downsized to hit a broader swath of the market. Much more garageable than old Acadia. Solid build quality, inside and out. Feels very hefty and solid on the road, giving the impression of durability and ready for tough roads. If GMC wanted it to feel like a truck, and not a crossover, then they hit the jackpot. First and second row seating is very solid and comfortable. Drivers seat is very adjustable. Rear seats even good for large adults and plenty of leg room. Sort of a …

There once was a time, a time when full sized family sedans were in nearly every driveway in America. During this time GM's Oldsmobile divison built a reputation for quality and performance on the name Eighty-Eight. Introduced in 1949, the Eighty-Eight was the least expensive of Oldsmobile's full size offerings for 50 years until the end of production in 1999. The following C&G Drive is on a 1988 model with the optional 3800 V6 As Dick Van Patten says so well in this 1986 commercial"Its the family car, that didn't forget the family" . My 1988 Delta 88 Royale has done just that, after nearly two decades of faithful service I can say this is one family car that did…

DRIVEN: 2016 Cadillac CT6 Luxury 3.6 AWD (Used vehicle review) originally 63k msrp. HIGHS: Yup, this is my type of car, I got in and felt right at home. To heck with crossovers! Surprisingly I had a very positive vibe of the interior and it's quality. Sure it may not 100% match some Germans but honestly it was fine in the front and quite honestly better than what a lot of Cadillacs have had for interiors in the last 20-30 years. And a quiet interior. Hushed for road noise, like a luxury brand should be....an obvious upgrade vs. non luxury marques. And so comfortable! Seats were a glove and the cockpit around me was there just for me. I liked the l…

Can’t drive anything these days. And that’s ok. Here’s some Mach E pics from today.

NOTE: I was dumb enough not to bring my camera along for this test drive, so this Edmunds stock photo will have to do. More to come! Exterior I wouldn't be the first to suggest that the HHR looks like a more muscular PT Cruiser. That formality aside, the HHR's styling is pretty good to my eyes. Tall, boxy and, most importantly, it looks pretty unique parked in a lot full of Impalas. Those who are attempting to wean themselves off of SUVs will find the HHR's bold chrome grille and trucky stance especially inviting. One feature I thought was really nifty: The gas cap is flush with the body, but, rather than pressing a release inside, you push the cap in to release it, …

Tested 2013 Buick Verano SD sedan, MSRP about 24k 2.4l four cylinder, 6 speed automatic. This is one I have dying to get into. Verano. WTF is a Verano? (Keep in mind I am used to seeing VERONAS aplenty in various states of non operation in my previous service department). I have been seeing these everywhere! I thought new age car shoppers did not buy Buicks! Only OLD people drive them! They are so.........so......... Wait, something about this car is different. What is it exactly? GM makes everything the same way! Oh, this is from Germany? Ok, well not exactly. But the car does have its roots in the German Opel Astra.....one of Europe's most popular and most …

Friend texted me; said he spotted a Maverick! I was actually close by where he was at, so I went to check it out. more pics later; just a few for now.

Picked up a white Passat early Sunday morning at the Cleveland, OH airport. I've got it through Feb 4th, so I'll have 2 weeks of experience. So far, pleasantly bland inside and out. Good, clear gauges. HVAC controls took a bit of time to figure out (humidity!! windows fogging up! Don't have that in AZ). Mirror adjustment controls were hard to get to work, thought the knob was going to break off. Driving--good steering feel, reasonable power and reasonably quiet (lots of tire thump noise on Ohio's broken up freeways and streets). Mostly surface roads and streets so far. Will update over the next week.

DRIVEN: 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti Sport AWD; (around 50k) HIGHS: -Sexy, sporty, attractive as a crossover these days can be. Love how you can get different colored brake calipers on this thing. -Very comfortable front row seating; lots of room and girth, bolstered seats hug you just right.......disclaimer: I would not get the bolstered seats, I am wider than the bolsters! and I hate climbing over them. The non-bolstered seats are just as comfortable and supportive. I will go so far to say that the seats are VERY GOOD, regardless if you choose bolstered or not. -Love the interior dash layout, and the gauges. The steering wheel is a rockstar, great …

Exterior There is no denying that the Mazda5 is a Minivan. A look at the sliding doors and the rounded, two-box profile is all you need to confirm it. However, the vehicle hides its Minivan-ness pretty well, in fact, better than any other Minivan on the road. The triangular headlights lend a sporty look to the nose, like an angry feline, and the trendy clear taillights also create a somewhat sporty credence. And, from the side, it looks more like a lengthened Toyota Matrix than a Mommymobile. Style is a matter of personal taste, and some would laugh at the Mazda5's attempts to cover itself up. But I think that, for a Minivan, this is as good as it gets. 1 2 3 4 5 Interi…

We've gotten our first Tiguans in and I've got a decent little drive a few times. I've thus far driven an SEL Premium 4Motion (2 row) and an SE FWD (3 row). My impressions follow- The Good- Overall driving dynamics. Steering is crisp and precise, with nice weight. Handling is beyond competent with a generally eager nature and it is happy going through corners. It really feels like a larger, taller Golf. Which it essentially is. Solid structure. It feels stiff and solid. Like most other VW's. It is quiet, and it rides quite well, even with the 19" wheels found on the top-trim SEL Premium. Virtual Cockpit really takes mainstream segment infotainm…

DRIVEN: 2015 Mazda Mazda3 Sport 2.0 MT, msrp 19,265 (no options) HIGHS: Attractive and intimate driver cockpit, simple, ergonomic, and somewhat reminiscent of a BMW or Audi design inside. Comfortable drivers chair, and more cabin girth than you'd expect. All controls well laid out. Touchscreen with secondary control wheel and pushbutton start included in sport trim 2.0 has pep and goes about its business with 'just enough' power for most, while not being offensive from the smoothness standpoint. Power delivery is VERY linear. Manual trans shifter, while not 'sublime', falls into line of 'very good' and with what you would expect from advance billing Despite not having a…

DETROIT -- General Motors' first-quarter pretax profit surged 28 percent -- even while its global sales slipped -- as the company aggressively cut costs in troubled regions and sold pricier vehicles across its key markets. GM said today its pretax operating income -- the figure the company considers most reflective of its underlying performance -- rose 28 percent, to $2.66 billion. That amounted to a pretax profit of $1.26 a share, hurdling the $1-a-share average forecast of analysts, compiled by Reuters. The improved results were broad-based: Each of GM’s four operating regions posted a stronger bottom line, even as economic headwinds made it tougher to do busine…

I had always known Hyundai Accents were in the compact category for rentals and I've seen so many on the road, but I had never driven one. I had one of those ridiculously low rental rates for a couple of weekend days, and it was actually for an intermediate. Upon arrival, I was told that this off-airport location had very few cars and that I'd be upgraded ... to a Buick Encore. Well, I really didn't want one. I asked if they had regular cars. I was told they had a smaller car in the way of a Hyundai Accent. I told the agent I'd take it. He seemed sort of surprised. First, the car was not an Accent sedan, but a hatchback. As I got in, I looked around and adjus…

I had just finished up with a doctor's appointment and there was a Cadillac dealership right across the street. I don't usually look at Cadillacs but, since it was right across the street, I thought I'd look at their entry-level vehicle, the CT4. There was one in the showroom and it made for sticker shock. That's because it was the Blackwing edition, the top of the line. I was told that they are having trouble getting cars in general and that there was one slightly used or demo of the more basic CT4 on the lot. I told the lady there was no sense in opening it up since I was just looking. I'll do this review in pro and con style, like @regfootball does, to be…

should have it up tomorrow.

--Being in the used car end of the 'biz' gives me the opportunity to road test a variety of late-model cars for longer periods of time than a normal test drive would typically allow. Though these reviews may lack the excitement of being a first impression of the latest 'car de jour,' it provides a unique opportunity to see how a car performs with a little bit of wear and a little bit of age on it. This allows you to see just how well these cars hold up over the years and miles and also represents what the other half of America - i.e., the used car shopper - has to select from. Consider this a long-term test of a car whose previous drivers may or may not have given a damn.…

I’ve rented the Chevrolet Malibu before and I was treated to a normal weekly rate that didn’t have a drop charge in the Florida Panhandle, most likely because their tourist season is beginning and that area could use the cars. It didn’t really drive in from Malibu, but from elsewhere within Florida! It’s last call because the Malibu is bowing out this year. Chevy and its General Motors stablemates are overhauling their product lines in a big way. Nonetheless, whether as daily drivers or company cars and fleet cars, there are quite a few of these on the road, first arriving in 2017. With newer powertrains, first a smaller turbocharged 4 cylinder engine and the…

The Automobile 1996 Plymouth Breeze. After a lengthy search for a "worthy" automobile to replace my failing Monte Carlo, I discovered this Medium Fern (sage green) Breeze at a local dealership with only 68,000 miles on the clock. History/Lineage The Breeze was one of the cloud car triplets introduced in 1995 to replace the aged A-body, K-derived Chrysler LeBaron, Dodge Spirit, and Plymouth Acclaim sedans. Its archtecture is known as JA. Styling With a unique cab-forward design, the Breeze's fluid, flowing appearance was radical and unlike anything else on the road. It lacked a defined three-box design so common to its competitors. In 2006, this sort of design is copi…

A couple weeks back or so I managed to wind up testing a couple Fiats. Probably don't have much time here.... Fun car, better than I thought (the stick at least). Really would be a decent enjoyable car for someone who could live with the size. Car seems well made and is very affordable. The Pop I drove was a 5 sp manual. Due likely to the light weight of the car, the 100hp +/- motor kept the car on the beat and I didn't really miss a 6 speed much. Ride was fairly decent and the car did not crash on bumps. Interior was classy cute and was pretty comfy for the size. The clutch path and operation was hard to get used to and really it's an ergonomic issue. I'm sure …

Had a chance to drive both the auto and stick CX-5 a couple weeks ago. There is a lot that is really cool about this vehicle. There is a couple things Mazda really effed. Overall don't believe the hype about this feeling like a sports car or anything. It's height and such still make it feel like an SUV. Actually that is the impressive thing about the vehicle. They shaved a lot of pounds from the design but yet when you sit in it and drive it, it feels like a larger, heavier crossover / SUV. It just has better steering and responsiveness from pretty much the rest. It's still not a sedan though. You will not get the sporty feel of a sedan in this vehicle. The majo…

Hi all, this is my initial and 8 month review on my 2006 Grand Prix. First I'll start off with the basics. - Base sedan - Power windows/locks/mirrors/driver seat - Sunroof - 6-disc in dash CD changer - Steering wheel radio controls - OnStar - Remote vehicle start - White exterior - Black and Tan two-tone interior (Ebony & Tan? I can't remember what GM calls it) The Grand Prix comes fairly well equipped even as just the basic, plain Jane Base version. Aluminum wheels, power windows/locks/mirrors are all standard. Basically just the niceties that many of us want. If the car didn't have any of the other features, I'd still have gotten it. Since…

Driven: 2018 Buick Regal Sportback GS 3.6 AWD and Regal TourX Essence 2.0t AWD Prior review thread worth reading of 2018 Regal Sportback here. So I won't get too deep into here, I'll try to add on what is notably different or of relevance. REGAL GS HIGHS: -sexy look for the GS package -feature laden, the GS package is, heated and cooled seats with memory, heads up display, etc. Lots of content. -v6 for those that don't want a 4 cylinder. -Manual mode with the shifter is delightfully simple, slide to left, tap up / tap down. Explains why no need for paddle shifters, which using the lever is much easier in this car. 9 speed tranny is r…

Lately, I've been getting the category of car that I selected during the on-line rental process. That means I haven't been upgraded in a while. For a rental while away in May, and for a very good price in these crazy times, I was given a new Toyota Corolla base model. Pros: - the legendary reliability - the engine was a 2.0 L 4 cylinder, but there is a base 1.8 L 4 cylinder; also, Toyota has really cleaned up its engine bays and everything is easy to identify and reach - the fuel economy, with the CVT (also in cons) delivering better fuel mileage, per the EPA ratings, than the 6 speed manual option - it's a car that a driver becomes familiar wit…

While I’ve posted about Dodge Chargers quite a bit, I’ve never reviewed one. I once reviewed a Chrysler 300 because I rented one for a day for an abnormally low price. I’ve had Chargers as rentals. The last rented Charger featured the current roofline, but had the last bulbous Ram-like grille. Just recently, I had drove a 2020 Charger for 6 days via an upgrade. I was supposed to get a Hyundai Elantra (or similar). They didn’t have intermediates, so I was directed to the full-size aisle. The Dodge Charger is often one step up from full-sizes in rental fleets. So I asked the Cuban gentleman working on the lot if I could have the one Charger in the full-size row …

DRIVEN: 2016 Mazda Mazda6 Sport 2.5 AT HIGHS: For many, quite a rakish look in the blah midsize sedans segment. Looks sinister in certain colors with gunmetal wheels. Knockout cabin, in particular when fitted with white seats and dash accents. Like the Mazda3, its very reminiscent of German designs like BMW and its done fantastic. Great materials. Ergonomics and controls all down pat. Control wheel for the screen is a nice add. Like the engine in the Mazda 3, the 2.5 has pep and goes about its business with almost 'just enough' power for most. Linear power delivery and within decent smoothness. Automatic trans seems well mated to the car's power output. Backseat a…

I don’t usually take my vehicle to the dealer for service. But I just had a set of $1100 Michelins installed on my 2012 CX-9 GT and Discount Tire doesn’t do wheel alignments. My dealer recently sent me a coupon for a $49.95 alignment, so I decided to take advantage of it. While I was waiting for my car, I ventured into the showroom to check out the all-new 2016 CX-9 that was just released in the last month. They had a top-of-the-line Signature AWD model on display, which had a sticker of $45,215. The Signature is only available with Auburn-colored Nappa Leather interior and has real aluminum and genuine Rosewood trim. It even has very cool looking LED grille acce…

Friends, if you don't like VW or German cars, turn away now, because these next few paragraphs are going to read like a circa-2008 preteen girl just met real life Edward from Twilight. So with that disclosure out of the way, I'll throw a punch straight to the gut for those still with me. The Alltrack is the best new vehicle I've ever driven. Not the fastest. Not the most fun. Not the sexiest. Not the coolest. But all things considered, the all-around best. Some of you may remember I made a nearly-as-bold statement when I posted a review of the then-new '16 Malibu. This is finally the car that unseated it as being the most impressive out-of-the-box car for the …

Rented a truck today from U-Haul, drove 12 miles around town moving some furniture to the storage unit. Was going to rent a van, but was concerned it wouldn't clear going into the underground storage unit facility entrance (7' 6") Driving impressions--smooth, quiet around town. 1st time I've driven a full size pickup in years. Plenty of space in the bed. Forgot that Ford did away w/ the quarter windows and rear-opening doors on the regular cab w/ the last restyle. Huge C-pillars, slight blind spot in backing up. The tailgate when open must be 3 feet off the ground, had to use a stepladder when getting in and out of the bed loading sofas, coffee tables, etc. Ultra b…

DRIVEN 2018 Chevrolet Traverse AWD LT 3LZ (will verify) No MSRP on the label HIGHS Mini Suburban feel Mini Suburban crossover style Spacious and well laid out interior. Spacious front and second rows, particularly in GIRTH. Cargo space behind third row is more useful than previous version. More space and additional depth below cargo cover. Ridiculously simple dashboard design comes off as elegant and easy to use, using the same bits as all the other newest Chevy's (window switches, gauges, etc.) Sliding door cubby with touchscreen is actually not gimmicky and is a ridiculously useful center storage cubby. Very quiet inside. …

Malibu 2.0 but with a hatch. I like, but the interior is no real step above apart from a little bit nicer console. Not a drop dead stunner. Like most of the new Buicks it just sort of fades in. looks spacious at least. Overall I'd give styling a b for being inoffensive and incorporating the hatch very well. It doesn't come off as 'premium' as much as it should. I hope to check it out asap.

I seem to score better cars when renting overseas. I tend to reserve the smallest car they have with an automatic transmission. If I was in a rural area with just towns instead of cities, I could probably be satisfied with a manual transmission ... and save some money. So, once again, I rented a small car with an automatic. Once I got up to the counter, I asked what I'd be assigned. I was told that it would be a Skoda. I had heard of the brand but didn't know what its products looked like. It sounded Slavic. The car was in the lot and it seems the Italians have a host of other small(er) rental agencies in addition to the names we know in the U.S. and Canad…

I've spent about a week in a Caliber SXT rental......and this review can tag along with Cremazie's...... Let's get to the bad stuff first......I HATE the CVT (as I've hated most of them) in this car. It really seems to rob the car of power....it's awkward-feeling....and none too smooth. You really miss the kind off "step-off" from idle that you get in a torque-converter automatic. The car just kind of ooooozes away from a stop. That being said, while the car feels heavy, the engine seems to have decent power for a 4-banger in the midrange. I was surprised at how smooth the 2.0L is.....at idle and on acceleration there is very little buzz or vibration even noticeab…

DRIVEN: 2015 Ford Edge AWD Titanium 2.0 msrp around 43,500 HIGHS: Retains the spot on take of the large crossover segment it invented and takes it to a grand new place Exterior styling not a big departure from the past recipe but its still fresh and new, its 'Crossover 2015' Front row is a great place to be, lots of comfort, space, girth, and a great view out the living room window Perfect, and I do mean that, perfect seat height and location for a vehicle like this..... Solid and stable ride, its a grand chariot and you sit back, enjoy the view, and eat up a whole bunch of miles Lots of toys in that big MSRP......huge moonro…

DRIVEN: 2020 Cadillac XT6 AWD Sport, MSRP about 63,500. Satin Steel exterior, black interior. HIGHS: -Peppy, responsive 3.6 v6 and 9 speed auto. -Nice quick steering, unusual for a CUV and especially for Cadillac. -Overall, nice suspension, ride and handling. Comfortable but tight in turns, feels darn near sedan like, Cadillac did a really nice job with the steering, ride and handling. -I didn't take issue with the interior so much, apart from it's dated and dull design. At least in all black it looked pretty good and textures and plastics and build quality were nice; I just don't have a good frame of reference for interiors vs. the whole of t…

I had never driven any Honda vehicle until this year and, after being assigned a 2022 Accord as my rental car in March, I was again assigned an Accord in May. However, this time it was a hybrid. I had never driven any hybrid vehicle until recently, either. First, all Honda Accord sedan models were refreshed for this model year and the minor changes took this car in the right direction. The front grille and rear fascia, together with their lights, are simpler, cleaner, and, somehow, pack an even better punch. It has become a more attractive vehicle. Inside, things are much the same except that the cloth seating surfaces have also been changed for the better compa…

DRIVEN: 2015 Ford Escape SE FWD 1.6t Ecoboost, MSRP about 26,200 HIGHS: Not at all like the older Escapes we probably rode in or drove at one time in the past Fluid shape that many will like compared to boxier offerings A crossover can feel somewhat athletic on the road? This does... Because of nicely weighted and quick steering coupled with composed suspension and handling The engine joins in the fun, the 1.6t has a nice little torque burst, revs out nicely, and is quite smooth The transmission is well mated to the engine and kicks in quickly to help the fun Most cars in this price range these days don't even feel connected as much as this ....SUV VERY quie…

Got a chance to drive a base FWD 2.0 Ecoboost Edge. Let me just sum it quick. It keeps all the size, space, driving position plusses that makes the Edge popular. The new interior is light years more attractive, has way better quality, and is more functional. The new steering wheel has great layout with its buttons to control nearly everything on the vehicle. The Edge drives quieter and tighter now. Not any more sporty, but it does feel lots less junky than the first gen. Really this review is based on the engine......people say it's underpowered in the Explorer etc. Here is what i found........seems like a wee bit underpowered, but the power delivery is liquid smo…

There's a new car in my driveway! And it has new car smell! (disclaimer, it's my companies car) Full day test drive tomorrow! Got about 25 mpg with it on a 40 mile sprint tonight........

This morning I brought my Cobalt in for service, and after handing the service writer the keys, I slowly wander into the showroom to kill some time while waiting for the work to be done. I spent a good ten minutes in each of three cars, and my impressions follow: Malibu By far the crown jewel of the showroom. It got the coveted spot in fhe center of the showroom just in front of the entry/exit doors. This pot is usually reserved for a Corvette or SSR. This particular specimen was an LS optioned only with floor mats and color keyed rubstrips. The car was blue with the titanium cloth inside - a very attractive combination that sort of hid its base car status (the smalli…

Just wanted to post a few thoughts on the local auto show....what's the best forum to do that in these days?

Last Friday I had set up an appointment for my 10,000 mile service update on my Volkswagen Golf (Rabbit) Having made the appointment at Vordermann Volkswagen in Ft. Wayne, I decided to finally taste one of GM's German delights; the new for the U.S. Saturn (Opel) Astra. The staff at Saturn of Ft. Wayne were very courteous and personal to work with. Having explained my situation of why I ended up with a VW instead of the Astra and wanting to finally experience one, they gladly agreed to offer a test drive. A few short minutes later, a silver Astra XR 3-door pulled up in front of my Volkswagen. Talk about nice looking but subtle versus hot looking and great visual pi…

Coming up later..... Here's some pics. Was shopping for mom. I don't think MOM 'needs' the TWIN TURBO. HIGHS: Lots of extra ROAR and THRUST for the twin turbo vs. the AARP issue V6. Attractive car, take a look at the pictures. Comfortable seating and lots of girth, room, and space. This is how GM used to build a lot of their cars (they don't anymore unless you get a truck). Honestly the car could cruise all day (that must be why they offer Super Cruise). At the same time, it has steering and handling that isn't dead or slow. It has the right amount of reflexes for a non sport model. As with every CT6 I have driven, it drives ligh…

So.....was in Phoenix today for two meetings and was graced with an '08 Charger rental....800 miles on it....with the <groan> 2.7L V6 engine. This was a base car with cloth, no moonroof, and vinyl covering the steering wheel. I'm reminded of why I like the LX cars. Even in this (very) base trim, this car's overall package is hard to beat. The chassis is solid and tight as a drum, and even the base car goes around corners with almost NO body lean and a complete lack of float on the highway. What about the small V6? Let's just say it's a dog....BUT....if you drive the car like most normal people do, it's quiet, mannerly, and at light-to-part throttle, offers mo…

Pics of a new 2020 CT5 Impressions: whoa Finally got picture up impressions later

I was assigned a 2025 Nissan Versa from NY-LGA for the Labor Day weekend. About 10 years ago, I used to think that Versa was dowdy. As I got into it and drove around Long Island, Westchester County, and even a little bit of Manhattan (where I parked it on the street overnight for free!) with a friend I'd gone to school with, I came to like this little car. There's nothing overwhelming or remarkable about this last Versa It's just a straightforward economy car. It's nimble, slots into small spaces, and, on good pavement, rides smoothly enough for its size. The ergonomics of the interior make sense - an aesthetically balanced dashboard, simple controls, decent sea…

I travel a lot for work and rent cars 40+ times per year. After several years of dealing with substandard rentals (calling most of them mediocre would be a complement….and a lie), I realized that reserving a “Premium” car was the only way to be guaranteed a decent vehicle. The ‘Premium’ class can be anything from a Taurus Limited, Impala LTZ or Toyota Avalon to a Volvo S60. Recently, I had to fly to Memphis (from Atlanta) for a few days and made my rental reservation the day before I was arriving. I booked a Premium, but when I got to the lot (where I could usually pick a car using my Fastbreak card and be gone in a few minutes) there was nothing that fit the bill.…

It's been a little over six months since I first picked it up from the dealership. Got the first oil change back in April. So far there are three problems that popped up: 1. Engine will "hot-crank". The G6 is equipped with an electronic starter, opposed to a traditional one that you hold down until it starts, which is designed for remote start. Tap it into start and the car will start on itself. However, the problem right now is that it cranks longer than normal for it to start. 2. Radio will not come on with car occasionally, have to tap the power button repeatedly for it to come on. 3. Car outside temperature display will not show correct temperature at times. O…

First Drive & Ride: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 & Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 William Maley - Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com August 22, 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 What happens when you drop a Jeep Grand Cherokee off at Chrysler's Street and Racing Technology workshop and tell the SRT engineers to have at it? You get the dark and monstrous Grand Cherokee SRT8. On the outside; the Grand Cherokee SRT8 has a lower stance, flared out fenders, a hood with scoops to help cool down the engine, 20 inch wheels wrapped in massive Pirelli PZero tires, and design bits give it an impression of don't mess with me. Inside the SRT8, its a combination of l…

William Maley Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com April 18, 2012 Shelby has been synonymous with the Mustang since the late sixties with the GT350 and GT500. Since the two got back together in 2007 with GT500, Shelby has been reestablishing itself as the halo car producer for Ford. But Shelby is looking to expand. Autoblog talked with Shelby president John Luft about what the future holds for the company. Luft said the company is looking at whether to branch out to other vehicles in the Ford stable. "Our plans include everything from the Mustang to looking at future development of the EcoBoost motor. There could be a Focus or Fusion development in our future." Luft…

DRIVEN 2014 Mitsubishi Outlander ES AWD MSRP 27235 (actual price 22235) HIGHS -Price and Value + Warranty -Feels solid, substantial and stable and well built -Spacious first and second row for the class -Bonus (small) third row for the times it is handy -Second row adjust fore and aft as well as fold -Simple and legible dash and controls, good driving position -Plastic and interior materials that looks cheap in photos is actually not too bad -Good fit and finish all around -Nice steering wheel and SWAC -Nice trucky personality -Rides like a bigger vehicle -Nice alternative to the junky feeling CRV -Is a nice way for someone stepping down from a larger, more…

Tryin to catch up on reviews! Today I had some free time cuz the wife took the day off so I spun out to survey the new 2011 Kia Sorento. For 2011, Kia has updated one of their signature and most popular models by moving to a new platform that is car / crossover based in hopes of giving the Sorento a more modern crossover appeal. This is what renewed the interest for me in the vehicle. That, and very attractive pricing and value in addition to handsome, if a bit bland, new styling. For me in particular, having two crossovers in the garage (Aztek, one of the original crossovers, and a Ford Taurus X), i feel I am the type of shopper companies target with these kinds of …

Picked up a gold '10 Fusion SE from Alamo at Denver International Airport Friday morning, put about 200 miles on it this weekend around the city, suburbs, and freeways. It and 3 HHRs were sitting in the 'fullsize' row. None are fullsize, but that's the way it is w/ rental cars.. Overview: A smooth and quiet midsize sedan, pleasantly put together, clean exterior styling, clean interior design, decent materials for the price point (what do these go for, $20k or so?). Pluses Very quiet. Sitting at a light w/ the HVAC and radio off, it's dead silent. As quiet as a hybrid. Only the tach gives away that it is idling. Drives smoothly. The faux brushed aluminum dash …

What makes you shudder? The cold? Seeing something gory? Well, a Ford Focus can make me shudder. Read on and find out how. I happened onto an exceptional opportunity to rent a compact car for about $11 a day around Labor Day. One rents a category and not a car. When I arrived to the agency, I didn't see anything among the compacts that I liked. Focuses were something I was curious about and they had been evading me in rental situations, despite seeing bar codes anywhere and everywhere as I went about my daily existence. As luck would have it, a Focus was being returned as I walked out to survey the inventory one last time. "Can I have it?" "Yes, if you'…

DRIVEN: 2016 Chevy Sonic LT 1.4 turbo 6AT sedan. MSRP was a little bit below 20g. It's pretty amazing i had not yet driven a Sonic. I usually find a way to test most of Chevy's newer car lineup and so therefore the fact that i put this off so long is a big surprise. HIGHS: -Chevy nails the styling with the Sonic. It's unique both within Chevy and for it's econocar class. A lot of presence and very tasteful. -Compact outside, relatively space efficient inside for its overall size. GM doesn't do packaging efficiency well very often! -Getting in and out easier in the Sonic than other compacts and subcompacts. -Lots of headroom and more upright seating than …

Well, it is coming time to purchase a newer vehicle. The trucks are rough on fuel and starting to show their age and miles. My goals are something room, AWD, and fuel efficient. I had an 07 Patriot with the 5 speed manual that I loved, so i figured, why not give the updated versions a tr? it also gave me a chance to tr the only transmission choice i hadn't yet, the 6 speed auto. Anyway, here we go! 2015 Jeep patriot Sport AWD. Options: AC, AUTO, power windows/locks, all weather package (tow hooks, 17 inch rims with Goodyear Wrangler SRA tires, tow package, all weather floormats). 30k miles. The overall condition was excellent, no scratches …

-coming up-

I had the most incredible test drive experience ever in my "career" as a car enthusiast! I attended the Ferrari Challenge at Infineon Raceway (formerly known as Sears Point) up in the Bay Area this weekend. Through a friend that I have at Ferrari N.A., I got to test drive a 612 Scaglietti and an F430 Spider for about 30 minutes each on roads in and around Sonoma County. And, incredibly, my friend got me two "hot laps" around the track in between races in a 612 driven by a professional Ferrari driver. 612 Scaglietti The 612 is THE Ferrari daily-driver. I was impressed by how much room was actually inside the car (it IS a big car after all....) and we had three of us …

touched and sat in the 013 Escape today! got a couple pics will post later. Very nice looking in person. Good packaging. Engine compartment is efficient. Front seats are roomy. Rear a tad tight maybe. Overall, vehicle is larger in flesh than pics indicate. Also looks more dynamic in the flesh than pics. Interior design is Focus 3.0....similar layout, but more flashy. I thought interior plastics could be a bit nicer though. Leather and seats were stylish. Trunk decent size. Seems a little smaller inside overall than the CX5 but that is not a scientific judgment. Didn't drive it, but the exit the little SUV seemed to haul some arse....... 38 grand! the big m…

A couple of weeks ago, my sled, a 2008 Buick LaCrosse CX with the base 3800 V6 engine, turned ten! Both then and today, it had and has less than 70,000 miles on the odometer, respectively. I remember driving it home after being pushed by friends and family to replace its predecessor, another W body with over 270,000 original miles and reasonably hassle free service, and savoring the new car smell. Part of what pushed me was the impending cessation of Buick Motor Division’s production of the 3800 V6 engine, which I had in the previous car, albeit of Series I vintage. I had been extremely pleased with everything about that “little” engine. The other impetus was t…

Touched a new 2014 today. Saw two of them on the interstate one day this week also. The new front end, in pictures does not look like it would effect much change. But in person, and seeing it in motion, it makes a huge difference in the look of the car. Well done. Through the glass, the interior changes look nice as well. The new console has a little more of a sport sedan flavor and it is very distinct from the laid back Impala. The narrowing of the front seats is noticeable visually inside the car for more leg room. But it still looks tight and the major flaw with seat mounts on the floor not getting fixed still seems half assed. Didn't drive one, want to wait t…

I had never driven an Infiniti Q50 before, let alone ever really looked at them. I also didn’t know much about these cars. I was supposed to be assigned a medium sized SUV, but remarked I wanted the luggage area to be hidden. The rental agent told me they could not guarantee the presence of a retractable cover. (Why would they order a car without one or why would someone take one? eBay?) They didn’t have any SUVs anyway, and I got put into an Infiniti Q50. I checked my phone to verify the cost would be covered by my insurance and the credit card parameters. It came in at around $43,000. That’s if new. That said: “no worries.” However, this unit would b…

2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited automatic 6 speed EPA 29/40, MSRP 20,830 (I think) silver w/ gray interior. HIGHS snappy, smooth engine responsive and well spaced automatic trans. no shift delays, it bangs them out. No Cruze thing here. very usable and effective manumatic large interior with great space front and rear in all dimensions center stack shaped to allow a bit extra drivers knee room attractive, well laid out, and convenient gauges, radio, center stack, and other switches and controls gauge and center stack illumination is fantastic superb steering wheel, with nicely lightly weighted and responsive quick steering to go with handy and organized armrest a…

Well, we got our first 2.0T in, and after waiting for what seemed an eternity- it was actually two days- it got PDI'd and put on the lot. So, being the car junkie I am, I took it for a quick spin earlier. I kept the drive fairly short, as I was mainly concerned with the impact the 2.0T made on the driving experience. As you may remember, my initial thoughts on the 1.5T were extremely positive. I'm happy to say, a stint with the 'big block' hasn't changed that. I'm just going to come right out and say it- in 2.0T guise, it may be the most competent, best built and driving vehicle I have ever been in relative to it's price tag. I believe I read an article a few month…

DRIVEN: 2019 Honda Accord LX 1.5t CVT, MSRP under 25k HIGHS: -Roomy, spacious, front and back, and in the trunk. Front seats reasonably comfortable. -Interior design and quality of plastics entirely nice enough for this price class. Clean, simple dash shape and console. Fake wood is decent, plastics are nicely grained. No complaints. -Its nice to not be in too much of a bunker. The side windows and glass area are generous enough that it is easier to see daylight out than some other competitors. Good front, rear and side visibility, comparatively speaking. -For a CVT, one of the better performing CVT's. And with good get up and go with a hea…

This was probably the first time I’ve gotten downgraded and it wasn’t on my part. I rented a compact (icon showed a Nissan Versa) at LAX to keep costs down and was given what could be considered a subcompact. Their number of cars was slim. I felt I was downgraded in more than one way. I had seen these cars at auto shows and didn’t pay much attention to them. At the time, they were the only car sold in North America that I knew of being sold with a 3-cylinder engine. The guy at the rental lot didn’t believe it and lifting the hood – to count manifold ducting – is what convinced him. Spark plugs which depended on a coil are no longer in the sides of engines as they…

This road test of the Citroen C5 was the result of a serious upgrade in a rental at a Sicilian airport. I’ve been assigned a smaller Citroen C3 at this very airport before – when the AirBump feature was novel and unusual - and remarked on its excellent ride and easy handling. The C5 is quite a few steps up. Mostly, it’s all good. This is a heavier vehicle and, along with that, the ride is like that of a bank fault. It’s smooth, quiet, and isolated. In some ways, it is perhaps too isolated. By this, I mean that road feel is a little compromised owing to its very soft ride, and there is too much assist in the steering. I noticed this upon taking out of the rent…

Stopped by the Ford store after work this evening. They had two Fiestas; a ghastly green SE five-speed with no options for around $15,000 and a black SE with Sport/SYNC and PowerShift for $2K more. I chose the black car because it was already outside and, frankly, it looked so much better. The car was "only" an SE but it didn't feel like it was missing any content. It had nice 15" alloys, same as the ones on the Euro Fiesta; kinda cheapo looking LED DRLs; power everything except the seats; and buttons on the steering wheel for SYNC. The only missing features I'd want are 17" alloys (the current Focus SES has nice charcoal ones) and maybe manumatic control for the automat…

??? What a sweet looking rig! Wagoneer......... Wish I could have got interior pics. Seeet interior! And this isn’t the loaded model…

Reader Reviews are submitted by our readers of vehicles they test drive or rent. If you would like to submit a Reader Review (like our Chevrolet Trailblazer Reader Review), e-mail [email protected] First Impressions I recently had a current-gen Nissan Sentra as a weekly rental. I had driven one before, but it was the last-gen model, and I’ve reviewed it on this forum. This rental unit had slightly over 30,000 miles on it. I gave the last-gen model a mostly positive review for its “can do” aspects and excellent fuel mileage. Now, looking at this new one, it almost makes the last-gen model look a little dowdy. Design, Ride, and Handling You’ll…

I've spent years visiting various forums that catered to 3.8 powered FWD BOP products. The LeSabre T-type forum, the Bonneville forum as well as A & W body forums. A few requests, complaints or desires by various members have always seemed to be consistent...... the availability of a standard transmission on the more powerful V6 FWD offerings, lack of 2 dr coupes, more gears and exciting styling. Well the G6 GTP coupe shows someone was listening. One ivory GTP coupe showed up at our local GM dealer and my gal fell right in love with it. So the search began, we looked at red ones, green ones, silver ones, black ones, base coupes, black leather, morocco, and black clo…

Was It A Mistake To Make A Muscle Car Out Of An SUV? 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer SS Review AWD LT 1SE Black Exterior / Ebony Interior In the 70’s a muscle car was a large, powerful, fast machine. My father owned a 71 Oldsmobile Cutlass S (badge brother to the Pontiac GTO and Chevrolet Chevelle) Unfortunately it was totaled and pie-wedged as a Big Rig ran over it, but by all descriptions it was fast as hell! It was simple back then: engine, transmission and speed. Of course as the RPM’s went up the gas gauge went down and that car “could pass everything but a gas station.” In this age of high gas prices this would seem to indicate that the age of the pony car …