Reader Reviews
Test drive something recently? This is the place to post your impressions.
414 topics in this forum
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DRIVEN: 2019 Chevrolet Blazer LT AWD 3.6 (MSRP around 40k) HIGHS: -Blazer name is back! -Unique, sporty CUV style, drawing inspiration from the Camaro. Be seen. Looks good in person, even in a bad color. -Nice new interior design, including ball blower vents down low. That will be a godsend in summer. I liked the gauges, displays, controls, and touchscreen. -Cargo area seemed more useful in size than I imagined. If I recall, the rear seats can slide forward and back to help out with that. -If you are averse to 4 cylinder engines, Chevy has you covered here. Most of the Blazers will be had with 3.6 v6. And with enough throttle foot, and…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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TESTED:2016 Cadillac ATS sedan 2.0t 8AT AWD Luxury, MSRP 45,000 and change Note: offered this test drive as an alternate / move up to the used Volt i went in to test drive. Offered as a sample due to a service loaner demo with a 'great lease deal'!! Disclaimer: i don't drive many luxury cars so my proper frame of reference is not great. I typically review vehicles as daily drivers. Prior similar test drive: http://www.cheersandgears.com/topic/81073-2013-cadillac-ats-25l-rwd/?hl=%2Bcadillac+%2Bats Since i am not really in the luxury car market, than this test drive may seem a little odd. But I am a GM fan and since i hadn't driven the AWD turbo ATS, I sa…
Last reply by Suaviloquent, -
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I was in NC and had rented a compact car for 4 days. I was hoping for a Cobalt or a Focus. No such luck...they were going to put me in an HHR or PT Cruiser. I told them I needed an 'effing trunk (I was firm, not rude). So I got a Yaris sedan. This is a short review. There is little that is inspiring to say about this car. It is the noisiest new car I've ever driven. It is a lawn-mower with a passenger car shell dropped onto it. To say that going from this car back into a 17 year old Regal with over a quarter of a million miles and feeling like one went from backpack cloth to velvet would about describe it. Shifts are rough, especially when throttled. The in…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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Keep in mind as you read this that I've been driving Chrysler products for decades now, though I had quite a few GM vehicles "back in the day"... You guys probably remember my gushing over the Cobalt we rented last summer while on vacation. Well, this summer we rented the Cobalt's bigger brother, a 2006 Malibu LT, while our daughter attended a figure skating camp in Santa Fe, NM. We had the thing for a week and put on 1200 miles in all kinds of driving, from stop & go city stuff to mountain climbing. The Malibu was equipped rather well with power everything, remote keyless, killer sound system, sun roof, electric driver's seat, 3500 V6 and a host of other goodies. H…
Last reply by ponchoman49, -
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Cadillac dealer had a couple new XT4's! Couldn't drive, and the particular ones they had were more pricey. But I sat in the one and got some pics. I like that it has back some of the Art and Science Edginess and more youthful swagger to it. The cabin in the front row is a very nice width for a compact, the seats way very comfy, and the ergonomics of the screen, wheel, shifter, and especially the selector wheel for the screen were very well thought out. Rear leg room depends on how the front seat is set. For a 'compact' its adequate space. But the rear row has a short seat back, and if the front seat is back far, then leg room for taller folks is tight. …
Last reply by Windstorm, -
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This is going to be fairly brief in comparison to my words about the Cruze. Namely, I did not spend as much time looking the Jetta over and did not have my camera with me. In addition, it still had all the factory protective coverings over much of it. Let me start off with a few words about the exterior. It's not as bland in person. Alot of the little details hide themselves in pictures. I was pleasantly surprised. It's still a very conservative design, but that's something VW has always honed and is present on my favorite, the MK3. In that regard, its a very well done design. It's much more modern and contemporary than the MK5 Jettas that sat beside it. Those, in compar…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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2009 Honda Fit 1 2
by ocnblu- 81 replies
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Well, today after work I stopped by "my" local BPG/Honda/Acura/Suzuki dealership at the invitation of one of the salesguys to try out an '09 Fit. The car I drove was a base/manual transmission in black. Here are my impressions of the whole experience: The dealership in general has been very nice to deal with, from my first contact with my eventual Sierra salesperson over the internet, to my parting words with the Honda salesguy this evening. First off, I drove to the back of the lot, where they have a fenced-in holding yard for excess inventory. They have quite a selection already of new Fits... silver, purple, black, bright blue and orange, most with "SOLD" tags on…
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
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--------- DRIVEN: 2016 Chevrolet Cruze 1LT 1.4t automatic (all new model) MSRP around 24,700 Includes technology package and sun and sound package HIGHS: -Ride....PLUSH -QUIET inside...OMG quiet for this class of car -good OOMPH from the fairly smooth 1.4t, which really has some of the character of the current 1.4, that is to say no lag and a willingness to rev (just smoother and much less noisy / buzzy). -TRANSMISSION is nicely responsive to the turbo. It takes some gas pedal sometimes, but mostly on the spot. -HANDSOME interior. Comes off as tidy, handsome, classy, attractive. Dash, doors, console, etc.....no issues on any plastics, and the dash cloth eve…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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A little over a year and 36,000 miles ago my brother and his wife decided to buy a prius. I thought I would give my impression on the vehicle this last weekend. 1st I want to start off that they traded in their 120,000 mile 1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette. During it's 120,000 miles they did have to replace the battery (90,000 miles), tires (60,000 miles), and at 115,000 miles they were having troubles with the alternator, hence why they decided to trade it in. The only other fix the van EVER had was the lumbar support piece being broken off when new. Now on to the prius. He did comment on how they are loving the space of the vehicle. They were able to load up all 3…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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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…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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will write up later tonight when I have time. nice car, not entirely my cup of tea, good car nonetheless.
Last reply by biff, -
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Well I didn't test drive it but my dad did. Our dealer had a Grand Re-Opening becasue it was renovated and they had a 2007 Silverado LTZ on loan from GM Canada. I was surprised they let some drive it. It set a very good impression. Everything was good about it except for the dash. It was a fully loaded LTZ with Nav and DVD. I am not a fan of the dash. i like the work truck set up much better. This had the 5.3L and when we fired up I couldn't believe it. I thought it had the Vortec Max in it because it sounded so powerful. It was loud and aggressive. I was surprised when we opened the hood. It was the 5.3L so I assumed the exhaust was just changed or something. It sounded …
Last reply by BigPontiac, -
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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.
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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Pics of a new 2020 CT5 Impressions: whoa Finally got picture up impressions later
Last reply by oldshurst442, -
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(edit: down several posts is the review----here http://www.cheersandgears.com/topic/84699-2015-jeep-renegade/page-3#entry763643 ) ----- note: I went to get my first oil change on my new Town and Country and the dship had a new Renegade on the showfloor. After checking it out, I intend to take a test drive soon. I didn't realize it would have the option for a stick, and on both FWD and AWD. Otherwise the 2.4 engine will sell the most since that is how you get an automatic. So this for now is just an impression on sitting in it and seeing it in person, and especially with it right next to the lame Compass, I can tell you what looks cheeky and cartooni…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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will get this review up later
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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I went by the Hyundai/Subaru/Mazda store today specifically to look at the Genesis Coupe. They had 3 on the lot (and 1 more that was out on a test-drive when I got there) but the one I was immediately drawn to was a Lime Rock Green 2.0T. There was a red 3.8 on the lot too, and 306hp is obviously better than 210, but I drove the green one anyways, since I was most interested to see how Hyundai does a turbocharged 4cyl. The other one was a Nordschleife Gray 4cyl manual, it was the best looking of the bunch. First Impression: The is a very attractive car in person. Its well proportioned and inoffensive, while the window dip at least keeps things interesting. Inside th…
Last reply by Dragon, -
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??? What a sweet looking rig! Wagoneer......... Wish I could have got interior pics. Seeet interior! And this isn’t the loaded model…
Last reply by ccap41, -
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My Summary? The GM enthusiast in me likes this car and would actually even consider purchasing one in SS trim! However, the realist in me recognizes that this car is at best a "has-been" in the marketplace and at least a solid decade behind where it needs to be in order to effectively compete in the mid-to-large sedan segment. Now my impressions....... I like the updated appearance of this car and the updated interior with quite good fit-and-finish and a more modern appearance (even if some of the trim pieces are of dubious quality.) However, actually driving this car reminds me of almost every single GM sedan I've driven in the last 20 years......and that's not…
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
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C&G Drives: The 2007 Saturn AURA By Brian Dreggors "Love me, love me, say that you love me." "I already sold two other XEs." -Saturn salesman That coincides with my findings, too. On the evening of the 15th, I spotted a car carrier taking about three Auras to Saturn of Clearwater. Curious, I tailed it and saw that trio of XEs join four other Auras - including an XR - delivered the night before. By this afternoon, five remained. Meanwhile, the Jeep Compass I tested a few weeks ago still sat lonely across the street. An early indication? Perhaps. We'll see whether Aura not this new midsize Saturn will really move. Let's go! The Basics My tester today was a 2007 …
Last reply by pow, -
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NOTES / EDIT: 2.0 and hybrid test drives further down Driven: 2016 Chevrolet Malibu 1LT 1.5, MSRP= 26,790? HIGHS: -RIGHT SIZE interior for the class.....consider the interior space / leg room issues fixed, six footers fit in the back even. Head, leg, hip, shoulders, all the room you need. -Greatly changed center stack no longer is a leg intruder. Room to SPLAY. -NOT A BUNKER. Airy cabin with good views out the front, side, and back -Quiet cabin. Muffles the engine din reasonably well and keeps road and tire noise out, more than you'd expect in this class. -As an example, bumps of any kind do not transmit large 'thunks' into the cabin, even on railroad…
Last reply by cp-the-nerd, -
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DRIVEN: 2019 Chevrolet Silverado LT 2.7t four cylinder turbo Crew Cab Short Box 4-Wheel Drive All Star Edition
by regfootball-
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DRIVEN: 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 2.7 turbo four cylinder Crew Cab Short Box 4-Wheel Drive LT All Star Edition (48k +/- MSRP) This is written from the perspective of someone who is not a truck fan, hasn't owned one, loves cars, not crossovers or trucks. Looking for a daily driver with space and utility. I won't be commenting on 'truck stuff' here. I can't tell you if the four wheel drive system is boss. Or anything about trailering. Or, LOADS. This is about a truck as a transportation device. HIGHS: -Although many may disagree, I love the new design of the Chevy and GMC trucks. (I prefer the more butch GMC front end) -OMG, HUGE INSIDE! NO. LIE…
Last reply by balthazar, -
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Review: 2nd Generation CTS Most of you know that I have recently found employment in the automotive business again. I am now working at a large Chevrolet-Cadillac dealer in New Hampshire as a sales representative. It's been a very busy week. I swapped in a 2007 Suburban LTZ for a very selective lease customer & also sold XP715's girlfriend a gently-used 2005 Pontiac G6 with the sky-view roof. Tomorrow is a really big day for me, more on that later. My computer is being difficult but I wanted to share a quick review of the 08 CTS with all of you fellow CheersAndGears members. As requested by several of you, I took another quick drive in the white diamon…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Damn if it's not a good looking car. In the flesh. Sort of an Alfa Romeo / Infinity cross up, but they did a nice job with it (at 43k with LOTS of stuff on it). Interior was locked but to be honest the inside of it looked surprisingly good as well. Lots of surface development and good basic layout. Strangely, the rear seat bottom is very deep, so there will be more leg room back there than meets the eye. There is some Korea faux German finishes and switchgear in there you can detect through the glass, but still, why is this a nicer interior than in most Cadillacs? Knowing that anyone with a beating heart and chromosomes can get credit on a Hyundai, they wel…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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DRIVEN: 2017 Cadillac XT5 Luxury 3.6 AWD (preowned vehicle review) HIGHS: -the 3.6 in this GM vehicle is decently powerful. -nice comfortable seats, good cabin space -dash design and layout is simple and effective -good commanding view of the road. -i do dig the steering wheel -floats along like Cadillacs of yore, sort of, give it credit for good comfort. LOWS: -milk -toast -What are you getting here any different than a trimmed out Ford Edge? -Doesn't feel like a luxury vehicle (to me) even though it is 'nice'. -Vehicle is bulky and not really nimble. -leather and plastics need to improve in quality an…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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CRUZE LTZ rental drive.....plus old 2011 Chevy Cruze LT1 quick spin - update - LTZ tested - update LS manual and LT2 tested - update ECO manual tested
by regfootball-
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tested - red 2011 Cruze LT1 sticker 20,600 +/- 1.4 turbo, 6 sp auto HIGHS Fantastic cockpit, dash layout, ergonomics, displays, and controls including yummy leather wrapped steering wheel and dash buttons Interesting interior design with pretty good material quality all around Gauges and display in particular are a huge upgrade Really good visibility (as opposed to bunker mode like so many cars including the Malibu) Power seat is handy Great front row space and cabin width Lots of thoughtful convenience features including remote start Quiet interior, especially at highway speeds Frisky little turbo! (except....see below) Much improved steering feel over the Cobalt I pul…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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My wife's Cobalt Sport is at 140,000 miles and it's starting to nickle and dime her. It's been efficient (29 mpg average mostly highway) with a bulletproof powertrain (2.4L/4A), but it's loud, it's ugly inside, and it's run its course. Besides, it's not fitting of a young woman with a doctorate in pharmacy making good money. Her requirements for her next car were: -small/maneuverable -more efficient with longer range between fill-ups -peppy acceleration (Cobalt had a reasonable 173 hp) -good for highway commuting -decent tech features like good stereo, heated seats, remote start -reasonably nice inside and out -light color interior (tired of burning her …
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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So I was bored yesterday, and being potentially genuinely interested in this car, I took a trip to the Ford store down the road from me. Magnetic Grey Sport sitting under the awning up by the showroom. Looks pretty slow, so I go check it out. Nobody comes out. I walk inside and find a sales guy. He doesn't introduce himself. Doesn't ask me my name. Doesn't as how he can help me. Awkward. I ask for the keys to the Sport. He proceeds to walk me out to it, let me in, and tells me precisely 0 about the car. Asks me exactly 0 questions. Is this this guy's first day? I ask for a drive, he goes and scans my DL, comes back with a D-tag and says, "There you go, see you when you ge…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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C&G Preview: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic vs 2012 Hyundai Accent With just about every new vehicle introduction this auto show season (save for the Camaro ZL1 and SRT-8 Mopars), it took no longer than 30 seconds to hear the words "fuel economy" come out of the mouths of the speaker once each press conference started. This being mainly a GM site, I figured it might be a good idea to look at the car curerntly slated to carry the fuel economy torch for the company - the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic - and compare it to another new-for-2012 B segment car that made its debut this season - the Hyundai Accent. Why the Accent, and not the old standards Fit and Yaris? Because Hyundai s…
Last reply by MyerShift, -
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At the New England International Ford was having an offer to Test Drive one of their vehicles and receive a $50 MasterCard gift card. I figured: sweet, getting paid to drive a new car, its win/win. With all of the Christmas shopping and such I kind of got sidetracked, but today I finally went down to the local Lincoln-Mercury dealer to take an MKS for a spin. I got to drive a red MKS with all-black leather interior. The exterior of the car is quite handsome. It’s not gorgeous nor is it eye bold like a 300C, but the proportions are nice for a FWD based car, and the lines are pleasing to the eye. I appreciated the details of the exterior, such as the thin sliver of chrom…
Last reply by vonVeezelsnider, -
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I spent Easter in Portland and had booked a full-size with Avis. A little over $ 50 for 2 days. Not bad. Avis doesn't have LaCrosses at this location, so I went up to the parking deck to see what they had and noted a couple of Monte Carlo parking spot numbers. I got a white coupe as a result of my snooping around. A couple of things have changed since the last model run and some things are the same. The first thing one notices are the seats. These are the plumper, boxier buckets found in the Impala. Unlike the GP, these are not the Recaro wanna-bes that are hard on anything above a 29 inch waist and one who has smallish lats. Rather, they are comfortable, nicel…
Last reply by BB_454, -
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Quick Test: 2008 Saturn Astra XE Back Story: Our humble family sedan, the trusty 2007 Saturn Aura XE V6, has been in the shop numerous times over the past two months for issues that have been plaguing everything from the audio system to the braking system to, just today, the on-board computer system (for a braking system-related problem). The first stop at the service department was a grueling five hour visit late last month, while the technicians tested the car out for two bad speakers, a bad stereo, a concerning grinding noise when you push on the brake pedal and shift into reverse or park, and taillights that came on when you pressed the gas pedal, but not the brak…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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I'll keep this one brief, as I didn't get a real long stint due to the near empty gas tank new cars are delivered to the dealer with. Just enough time to get a pretty decent impression of it. Car was a 6MT that stickered for a shade over 23K. Right off the bat, I'm not a fan of the clutch. It's softer than a marshmallow, with an absurdly long travel, and a super vague engagement point. No feel to it whatsoever. Made me feel like a manual car-novice. The next impression is the acceleration. And it's pretty modest. Yeah, yeah, I daily a GTI, but still. This is an engine that likes and needs to be revved. There's not much going on down low. It wakes up above 4,00…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Whoa! Didn’t know the Compass got an interior redo for 22! This is a game changer! Why does anyone even look at GM stuff anymore? Nice interior!
Last reply by balthazar, -
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Well, it was time for another business trip for my brother and another rental. To mine and his surprise his ride was a 2015 Charger with the Pentastar V6/8 speed auto. (He also had a choice of a base Cherokee or escape, but the charger was easily the winner). As a rental it was a base model with a few options. It had no foglamps, but did have some very nice looking LED accents on the front and the racetrack lights on the rear. For a base model he interior was very nice. It had the smaller 5 inch touch screen, but it is still VERY intuitive and easy to use. All touch points and the dash top were covered in high quality/soft touch materials The seats were very comfo…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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DRIVEN: 2019 Cadillac XT4 Premium Luxury AWD 2.0t, sticker north of 50 for sure HIGHS: -Pretty spot on size for compact class for Cadillac, this will be easy to park for urban dwellers or those who park in ramps. -A Cadillac with some personality, whoa. -Despite what you've read, this is actually a smooth engine, and it revs nicely. -I felt the acceleration was very good and more than I expected following reviews I've read. And the transmission really kicked down nicely when i needed it. -Very nice responsive steering. Perfect quickness and a very nice size steering wheel to work with. This wasn't a sport model yet to me this is sportier t…
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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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…
Last reply by surreal1272, -
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So this has been a long time coming, especially since I never really did a review thread after buying it initially. Well, without further delay, here we are. I'm just going to cut straight to the chase here and come out the gate with a lofty declaration- this is one of the greatest cars on the road today. Now, I'll tell you why in the next few paragraphs. There's countless reviews out there that no doubt sing this car's praises, but they're not as in-depth as what I will provide here. First the car itself. I bought a 2016 4DR GTI SE w/ DSG trans and Performance Pkg. The PP adds Golf R brakes, an E-LSD, and (supposedly) a 10hp power bump. I didn't care so much about…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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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.
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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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…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Driven, Buick Regal CXL and CXL Turbo. More specifics later. Drove each of them. I will rate highs and lows as they pertain to both or to each of them. I will rewrite this more legibly as I have more time. HIGHS "Right size" car "Intimate" but not "claustrophic" interior cabin Lots of standard content quiet tuned! (let's have a conversation, honey) Styling, inside and out Solid build quality, inside and out Comfortable seating, very adjustable power seats Genuinely sophisticated and quality demeanor gauges and displays are dead on in the perfect spots. fantastic 'touch points' (stalks, door pulls, wheel, SWAC, center stack, shifter) steering wheel, with on…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Over the last couple weeks, I've had two Impalas from Alamo for rent..over Memorial Day weekend, 3 days with a white w/ neutral interior one in the Indianapolis area and this past weekend a black w/ black interior one in the Denver area. I had driven an '07 Impala a few years ago as a rental, these were pretty similar. Pros--spacious inside, big trunk, reasonably quiet and smooth. Overall, the ergonomics and seat adjustment were fine for me, the steering feel, brakes, etc seemed ok. Outward visibility was better than the Malibu I drove last year. Cons--a few quirks..the turn signal/wiper stalk combo was odd to me, I found myself turning on the signals when trying…
Last reply by PurdueGuy, -
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The LA Auto Show will be the home for the debut of the 2017 Buick LaCrosse next month. To mark the announcement, Buick has released a teaser of the next LaCrosse. The picture reveals a front end similar to the Avenir concept shown at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year with a new three-color tri-shield insignia set on a wing-shaped element. “The Avenir concept shattered expectations of what a Buick could be and the 2017 LaCrosse promises to do the same. Its expressive design represents a break from convention and highlights the progressiveness in all new Buick models,” said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Buick. Buick goes on to say that the 2017 LaCrosse…
Last reply by SuperDuper, -
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2025 Toyota Camry LE Hybrid Review - All-Hybrid, All-CVT, Real-World 45-51 MPG Tested, and What You Give Up for Fuel Economy
by trinacriabob-
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I was upgraded in a rental contract and, while going up by one category is not a big deal, getting to try out the new hybrid Camry was somewhat of a big deal. The latest and current Camry only features hybrid powertrains. The base 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine, which was previously naturally aspirated, continues forward, but is assisted by an electric motor. To make the powering on and off work, a CVT is now the standard transmission, when Camry had an excellent 8-speed automatic transmission for many years. This vehicle had front wheel drive, but AWD is also available. The V6 engine and ICEs are no longer available. Getting used to this car doesn’t take much time…
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2008 Buell Blast Review Something Old, Something New Cheers & Gears Entering the motorcycle hobby is a strange thing. Companies, whet the appetites of riders-to-be with machines that promise warp speed acceleration, or long, chrome-laden cruisers dripping with sex appeal. But almost every Hayabusa or Harley rider has had to start with a bike that they were often glad to be rid of. Little attention is paid to the bikes that many of these riders threw their legs over for their first time. Before one may ride into the sunset on a stallion, they must first learn on a mule. At least that is how the motorcycle industry tends to view 'beginner' bikes: mules. Built…
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So, you all may well know that we just bought the MINI Cooper S for my wife to drive. My son is going to take our four door family car for his use, and we are going to be in need of a more door practical car in the next year or so. I've enjoyed reading the reviews of the Verano, and thought they looked like a sharp car. Since I got off of work a little early today, I stopped by the local Buick dealer for a quick test hop. There were things I liked, things I didn't like, and things that I thought really stood out as positives. First of all, things I didn't like. Biggest of all the side profile is a little bit busy with the extra front quarter window and extra rear qu…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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I had the chance to check out the new Cruze the other day, inside and out. I was unable to get a test drive in, however, as they were closed (and were irresponsible enough to leave it unlocked). Let me start by saying this, I was shocked by the car in a few different ways. The first of which, is the exterior impression. As I walked up to it, I was under the impression this was just a base model. Once my eyes wondered over to the window sticker, clearly, it was nothing of the sort. This one was priced at $24k and some change. The exterior is sorely lacking in details. There was nothing to show this wasn't just a tame, pedestrian model. It wasn't until you looked inside, …
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Imagine if the Ford Taurus wasn't a mass-market full-size sedan, but a luxury sedan. Well imagine no more. Ford has pulled the covers off the new Chinese-Market 2016 Taurus which moves upscale to satisfy the demand for luxury vehicles and delivers on the automaker's commitment to bring 15 new world-class vehicles to China by 2015. The 2016 Chinese-spec Taurus looks like bigger Fusion - we'll let you decided whether or not that's a good thing. Up front is the trapezoidal grille and a set of slimmed down headlights. The side profile boasts a distinctive character line and a set 19-inch wheels. Towards the back are a set of LED taillights and chrome bar. Compared to the No…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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review coming. here is the review I did back in 2012 http://www.cheersandgears.com/topic/76589-2012-vw-passat-tdi-sel-and-gas-se/?hl=passat
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2 of 2 - 3 day rental across the pond - Citroen C3 with automatic transmission - economy car
by trinacriabob-
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I rented 2 different vehicles lasting 3 days each back to back. I’ve already reviewed the VW Golf. The second rental car was a Citroen C3. This was because each of the rentals took place in a different overseas location. I had seen the new Citroen vocabulary on display in the atrium area of an indoor shopping center overseas years ago. I didn’t know what to think of it - both the brand and the styling were unknowns to me. The one weird feature in the ones on display was the “Airbump.” Basically, the Airbump is the proprietary name, adopted overseas in English, for the large moulded rubber insert along the side doors. It’s supposed to function like protective s…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Quite frankly I’ve seen some bonehead moves in the auto industry over the last 35 years.. but this one might just take the cake. I’m not gonna speak on crazy comebacks that didn’t get enough attention and they crashed and burned like the Oldsmobile debacle.. and how GM was gonna rename the company Aurora.. put out class leading cars like the Aurora, Intrigue and Alero.. then killed the division. We won’t talk about the super cool Trofeo Toronada.. or the bend to tree-huggers with killing Hummer instead of simply merging it with GMC. Naaaah.. I’m not gonna bring up the fact that they killed the unanimously voted best sports sedan Chevy SS.. but instead of saying “hey We …
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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…
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As summer days begin to shorten, three of us decided to take a few days and travel through Jasper and part of Banff national parks. With neither of us wanting to rack up those rough kilometers on our vehicles it was apparent that we would be renting a car. With an internet reservation in hand I walked in to the Alamo and waited for the car I would be awarded in the car lottery. I wanted something compact and expected a Cobalt, Corolla or a Focus, I was pleasantly surprised when he handed me the keys to a 2007 Dodge Caliber. The Striking features of the Caliber along with the success of the Magnum and the 300 had me wanting to drive one for some time. The car was a mid…
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I never gave much thought to VW products until, when renting a full size at a local Budget years ago, I was given a Passat. I liked it more than I thought I would. I liked the user-friendliness of the dash and the controls. And I liked the flatness with which it cornered and rode. This "flatness" was more noticeable than in similarly sized Camrys and Altimas often found in the same tier of rental cars. The second and only other VW product I have driven was a VW Golf with an automatic. This was across the pond and the rental lasted 3 days. I immediately liked and disliked a few things about the Golf. I liked the dashboard and console set up, as well as the …
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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took in a Smart car.....had never driven one......wow, what a trip. the drive itself, as far as the cabin and visibility, not bad, you feel secure in traffic even though there is not much car. The powertrain is a huge deficit to the car. a small three popper and worthless tranny really make the car a toy. the style and design is neat though. Handling is not all bad! The car does give the impression of a tarted up golf cart but methinks its not all far off into being something interesting. HIGHS- unique, useful and innovative package LOWS- junk powertrain (mostly the tranny), lack of solidity truth is as urban cars its hard to think of a better package. Now inves…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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DRIVEN: thanks to an egift card incentive, 2017 Chrysler Pacifica (not even sure what trim) Quick spin, and even less time to write here. Here i can legimately make comparison to the Town and Country in our garage HIGHS -eye catching looks inside and out, minvans now have style -all the positive assets of the minivan are maintained....and enhanced -updated Pentastar v6 remains strong and feels faster, and promises improved mpg (if possible) -update to the 9 speed vs the 6 speed means much better and quicker shifting (note: my short spin exhibited none of the 9 speed foibles written about in the buff books). It bangs off shifts smoother and quicker and theref…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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As you all know I recently purchased a 2012 Beetle Turbo. The reasons i went with the Beetle is because I needed something with decent fuel mileage and got a great deal. It helps that it is somewhat unique and is a really good driver. Basics: 2012 Beetle Turbo 2.0T/6 speed manual Base turbo (18 inch instead of 19 inch rims, no fender audio or sunroof, etc, etc) 53k miles when purchased, now a little over 55k Dealership had to replace all brake rotors and pads because they were shot Price $10,900 Exterior: It is a Beetle and unabashedly so. I really like this generation. I was never a big fan of the New Beetle, but I…
Last reply by Stew, -
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---to post later --- short version AVOID
Last reply by Hengista, -
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Driven: 2018 Buick Regal Sportback Essence 2.0t (the original review is in this post. Revised reviews are further down, in this post, and in this other post) HIGHS: -Nice understated shape conceals a cleverly integrated hatchback design -'Decent' propulsion from 2.0t engine -Nicely shaped upper dash with touchsreen oriented slightly to driver. Interesting at least from a design standpoint. -Sporting driving position and good room in both rows, mostly, plus the biggest benefit being improved leg room over previous model -Really nice cargo space, with seats up, or seats down, the cargo area of this vehicle and the flexibility of it in a…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Bright Chrome Appearance package Cruise Control Leather wrapped steering wheel with redundant controls and bluetooth CD with USB port and AUX input jack Spare tire and wheel Ashtray and lighter Silver Moss with Ebony Sport Cloth MSRP $17,500 GM Employee price $16,125 I hit up GM's vehicle locator service on the net yesterday during my lunch break at work, and lo and behold, there was a car just about exactly like what I've been pricing out on Edmunds ever since the '09 prices have been posted, located at Red Lion Chevrolet in Red Lion, PA, about 45 minutes away from me. It's so rare to find a manual transmission car with options, and without the spoiler…
Last reply by ponchoman49, -
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We are looking for a new car this next year. On the list- Chevrolet Camaro V6 Mazda Miata MX-5 Mini Cooper/Clubman (S version) Volkswagen GTI Volkswagen Beetle (redesigned 2012) Volvo C30 My wife and Children wanted to add a car to the list-they wanted another four door to choose from, and it had to be fun to drive, a manual shift, and most importantly not look like anything else on the road. Oh a whim, we drove the Juke, and here it is-the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Last reply by 67impss, -
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2009 Dodge Grand Caravan SE G Package The Story... Last Saturday I spent a day in 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan SE G Package with the base 3.3L 175hp Flex Fuel V6 and four speed automatic. This van listed for $29,360.00 and was painted in Melbourne Green Pearl with 16 inch alloy wheels, it also had a full list of other toys which I will get into later. This van is my brothers used for his sales job, he trades every 1-2 years for something new. **Side note I will have option of getting it when he is done with it in a year and it has about 60,000 miles on it, and for the right price I would be tempted, provided the old Impala gets enough miles on it.** The Toys... …
Last reply by ShadowDog, -
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Here's a couple pictures of Buick Envisions I took while out at some lots today. Through the window glass, the interior looks to be as nice as it seems in pictures, but perhaps less spacious feeling than the outgoing Envision...perhaps mainly due to a less tall cabin.
Last reply by regfootball, -
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DRIVEN 2014 Chevy Impala 1LT 2.5 HIGHS Who can deny it's a sexy shape? STUNNER Lots of beautiful styling details if you look long enough and take notice Makes good on the promise and premise of a full sized sedan, lots of room and space, front and back and trunk This thing is definitely a great highway cruiser, in the vein of so many other GM sedans, you can be king of the cornfield states Seating all around is very comfortable Interior design is definitely flashy, good looking gauges and useful controls MyLink system has a lot of nice features Heft and solidity lacking in so many sedans these days The 4 cylinder, if set on cruise, and settled in, and …
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Last weekend my brother got married in Destin. Since we were only staying a few days, we decided it was worth it to rent a car for the trip from Cincinnati to Destin. I was hoping for a Malibu or Fusion and we received a Malibu that had about 1900 miles on it. The 1.5L was a solid engine. I've read where some people complain about turbo lag, but it seemed fine to me. The sound system was pretty good, although it had a weird issue with my iPod where it would randomly skip a few seconds ahead in the song. The usb location could have been better. It's out in the open, so you have to remove whatever device is sitting there if you don't want to worry about someone break…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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So, first off...my bad. I thought it was a Colorado...never really paid attention to the truck until today. It''s a 2005 (I believe) GMC Canyon regular cab with with a 4x4 Off Road package (I don't know the technical name). Overall I enjoyed it, albeit with a few somewhat important reservations. Exterior: I've always felt that these were attractive trucks, even if the front fascia could have been better integrated. I like the fender flares. I myself prefer the look of extended or crew cab shortbed trucks, but it certainly wasn't ugly. Interior: While it's no Cadillac, I didn't have a problem with the interior. The door panel armrest and area around it were pad…
Last reply by cletus8269, -
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This is good news. VW is listening to their US customers who admire what the brand was and should be again. The only affordable German brand. Which brings me to this review of the Jetta's less expensive little brother. I've been checking the website of the local VW dealership, and when they showed 4 Rabbits in stock, 3 five doors and 1 three door, I hightailed it in to check them out this morning. I ended up driving a 3 door with one factory option: floor mats. It was black (and you know what they say about black), with anthracite interior (dark gray woven cloth of a good quality). Of course everyone here probably knows the Rabbit comes with all of the "right" sta…
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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This is a cheesy write up but i checked out an Envision in the flesh. (By the way, huge Verano incentives now). Was not fortunate enough to get into it, but I can comment on how it looks. Looks pretty good. Front end is a little bland and dated. Was parked next to a Terrain and it's noticeably shorter, less wide, and not as tall. But the size of it yes pretty much falls into line with the compact CUV competition, like the MKC. A look through the window, the interior looks good, particularly the seats, leather, soft surfaces, the center armrest / console / stack. Gazing in the window, it looks like there is good use of space, it looks efficient. Rear leg spa…
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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July 2, 2012 Drew Dowdell - Managing Editor, CheersandGears.com When most people think of stalwart Japanese cars, the first names that come to mind are typically the Accord and Camry. However, Nissan's had a name in the game for just as long with the Maxima. The Maxima was the first of the Japanese mid-size cars to go big, growing to 188 inches in 1988 while the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry remained decidedly more compact for a few more years. This gave the Maxima a leg up in being considered more of a luxury car than your otherwise typical Japanese sedan. The 1988 Maxima was also called a 4 Door Sports Car by Nissan in a nod to the powerful-for-time 160 h…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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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 …
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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DRIVEN 2013 Ford Fusion 2.5 SE, MSRP, a little north of 25g (no MyFordTouch) HIGHS Aston style on the cheap! A very welcome new look for those weary of the old Fusion Big bodacious car! Feels wide, large and safe, long wheelbase Many trims and price levels, and with discounts and incentives, can be a hell of value 2.5 is tuned well for this new platform, doesn't really fall on it's face even with it being slightly aged. Tranny manipulates the car well and shifts quick, stays in powerband and doesn't hunt or any reprehensible behavior. A very nice balance of open cabin with visibility and seclusion. Views out are pretty well done mostly. Interior plastics and…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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(Here's a link to my prior test on a 2.5 automatic http://www.cheersandgears.com/topic/81238-2013-ford-fusion-25-se/ ) DRIVEN 2013 Ford Fusion 1.6 Ecoboost 6MT, MSRP unknown (car was preowned with about 30k miles) included MyFord Touch HIGHS (with the highs from the prior test below additional for reference, the additional applies here to this MT unit) Good feeling and working shifter Somewhat surprising power and drivability of the tiny Ecoboost 4 Torque curve has no real peaks and valleys, just has a nice linear torque build, almost elasticky in feel, no real lag Remains quiet inside and most of the tiny turbo din is muffled Amazing that you can find a la…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Through the last few years, and many automotive ventures, I've had the pleasure of living with endless long term rental vehicles for thousands of miles each. Typically, this has meant anywhere from 3000-6500 miles a piece, before swapping or exchanging for the next. Road warrior, randoms. I'm changing roles tomorrow, and will now be driving manufacturer demo's for long term. My "last rental finale?"... 2019 Cadillac XTS. Picked up yesterday. After putting 3,900 miles on a 2019 Ram 1500 Classic (LOVED it), Enterprise asked me if I'd do them a favor and take one of their leftover XTS's on my one way "get rid of it" trip. Interesting car...for sure..…
Last reply by caddycruiser, -
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So I didn't drive it but checked out a Dodge dart at the local dodge dealer...had a few minutes to kill and thought the car looked interesting. Liked: Paint quality was good, probably better than average for a new car. Exterior has really sharp styling. Car is sized nicely, should be easy to park and is a nice balance with need for interior room. Really well packaged. Love the fact that it's available in a manual Reports of 40 mpg plus from reviewers and owners make the car maybe worth a look at some point. Disliked- Interior is nice, but poorly assembled. Car had been at the dealership for a week or so and several interior trim pieces were already starting to c…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Bingo. This is one of the few times I've rented an economy car and got the exact car shown on the icon. I rented a car for one day and was given a Ford Fiesta. I have rented quite a few slightly larger Ford Focuses in the past but never a Fiesta. Also, the only times you get the "icon" from what you rented is if you rent a really high priced luxury car where the car is specifically named. And it's a large enough airport location. I've never done that. The other extreme is when you want an econobox mini with 2-seats and an automatic trans overseas to keep costs way, way down. I have done that. In that case, you'll usually be handed the keys to a Smart for two. …
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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And hot damn, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little impressed. Nice steering. Great ride but not at the compromise of handling, which itself is pretty nice. Low noise levels. Solid brake feel and action. It's let down by the transmission, which is painfully slow to respond under heavy throttle and can deliver harsh shifts. Under part-throttle upshifts, it's generally fine. The smallish back seat, cheap interior, and Chrysler reliability would keep me from buying one, but I can't in good conscience say it drives bad. Which is rather surprising.
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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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…
Last reply by Frisky Dingo, -
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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 …
Last reply by Frisky Dingo, -
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So, my brother finally found the perfect replacement for his A5 and we went and picked it up last night. it is a completely loaded 2015 ATS Premium with the performance package and every option available. Only 4900 miles. It has the 3.6 V6/6 speed auto, AWD, full suite of safety tech and luxury features. has the full performance package too, complete with Brembo brakes and Magnetic ride control. Anyway, here we go. My brother picked me up when i got off work at 6. We got in the Audi and headed off for one last journey. I just took the passenger seat this time since i need to rest some and I figured since it is his car \he should have the last hurrah.…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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This has been a long time coming, but wife and I recently relocated to the St Louis, MO area after living about 2 hrs south of here for 4 years. With the relocation came a new job, and the opportunity to do a ton more reviews and whatnot. I am now at a VW dealership that also specializes in doing a lot of high-end pre-owned vehicles, so this is a whole new world for me. I've already driven 911's, AMG's, Bentleys, Astons, etc, etc, but I want to keep this piece focused on VW models. I'm going to keep this fairly basic with a 'good' and 'bad' type rating system for the vehicles. I will try to add and expand when possible as needed.
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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Test- black 2010? Kia Soul Sport, black, red interior. 4 speed auto. Price was like close to 21 grand. Highs Terrific driver and passenger space and seat comfort. Rear seats are even comfortable and seem to have good space. Nice interior materials and plastics....even the red color looked fantastic in bright sun, textures looked rich and detailed and very little offensive gloss. Ergonomics, everything is laid out nicely and all switches and buttons felt great. Climate controls are very nice! Radio fairly easy to search songs on the flash drive when using SWAC and buttons on the radio. Seating position is nice, not SUV high, and a more chairlike than a car. Inter…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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Back-to-Back: 2010 Chevrolet Traverse 2LT and 2010 Honda Odyssey EX-L Silver Spring, MD—Yesterday, my parents and I went out to buy my mom a new car. Her Venture hit 105,xxx miles recently and still had a lot of life left, but the problems were beginning to add up, especially since the intake manifold had begun to fail. Rather than sinking $2000 into a car that was only worth about $4000 anyways, they decided the time had come. We narrowed the choices down to a Traverse 2LT or an Odyssey EX-L, and went to a nearby autopark in Montgomery County to sample both. Our first stop was the Chevrolet dealer. They had an incredible selection, ranging from the base LS to t…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Test drove a new 2010 Subaru Legacy base and 2010 Ford Fusion SE today. Both with four cylinder and manual trans. Since I rarely finish what i start, I will try to just be more brief than usual. Since I drove them back to back it is interesting to have them to compare to each other. First off, the 2010 Ford Fusion SE. 2.5l 4 6 speed manual trans. The car was not equipped with the 18" wheels and Monochrome sport package and what i presume to be tighter suspension. I was disappointed that I could not try that. I have driven the 2010 Fusion this exact way before but figured it would be ok to drive it again. The Fusion is a known commodity and everyone I think will a…
Last reply by Cory Wolfe, -
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Test Drive: 2010 Volkswagen Golf 2.5 and Jetta TDI Stock Image Shown Got out in the cold yesterday and took out a couple VW's. A 2010 3 door Golf 2.5 / manual and a 2010 Jetta TDI / manual. I wanted a Golf TDI but none was available. I will add more to this tomorrow, since i forgot to get this up earlier Saturday evening. You would be surprised to know that I think my preference of the two is the gas model. I have driven the TDI Jetta now with the manual and the DSG and neither time did I come away thinking I would enjoy the vehicle long term, when i began to consider the main benefit of the diesel is basically fuel mileage....a benefit that comes at a greatly …
Last reply by regfootball, -
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1998 Saturn SL1 in Dark Green 1.9 liter I4 100hp 30,000 miles This car is basically featureless...manual windows,locks, and mirrors, AM/FM Stereo w/ 4 speakers, A/C , powersteering, smokers package, floormats. I've had this car since it was new...so this is a very Long-term review. Styling: I like the styling a lot. Something that you see in this car and other saturns of these years is that they stand out in the compact class. This car has a sporty look. The headlights have a sleek slim design that complement the badge in the middle. The back end could've used some more appeal and badging. Euro style tail lights do not cut it as compared to the front. Another is…
Last reply by Ravenfreak13, -
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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…
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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Speeding through a city’s arteries, few vehicles get your blood pumping like Buell’s 1125CR. With a futuristic design and a frame coddling a heart that bleeds Red, White and Blue, this American sportbike is unlike anything else on the road. I step outside from a neighbourhood pub, only to notice an older gentleman poring over my motorcycle. Circling around, his gaze moves from side to side before fixating onto the large disc on the front wheel. Upon my approach, he looks up at me, grinning ear-to-ear. “Well mister, I’ve never seen anything quite like this in my life,” he says. “Where did this bike come from? Area 51?” “It is quite otherworldly, isn’t it?,” I smile. B…
Last reply by FAPTurbo, -
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Just a few quick reviews i have done over the last few months, originally shared on MT forums. 2015 Audi A3 2.0T Quattro So, my brother had this car as his loaner while his A5 was being worked on at the closest Audi dealership.............. which is around 200 miles away. He had to return it Saturday and pick his car up. I got to spend a good solid 2 hours driving it. Exterior: the A3 is a good looking car with nice detailing on the exterior. It does have a stubby butt and is kind of tall, but not bad at all. Interior: I have mixed emotions here. The quality was very good and I love the newest version of MMI (I prefer it over touchscreens). It was very e…
Last reply by Stew, -
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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…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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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…
Last reply by I hope GMRULES again, -
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2012 Passat SEL TDI 33,+/- MSRP and 2012 Passat SE 5 cylinder, 25,8xx MSRP HIGHS -stately exterior, looks more expensive than class competitors -large car -classy interior (see commentary) -simply laid out and functional interior -huge inside, by all metrics...leg, head, shoulders, it's all good. -big trunk -nice feeling controls -well organized under the hood (including insulation on battery) -SE trim level better than expected, on par with class -SEL has decent plood and nice seat accents, even SE interior in black is alright with pleather -TDI has some snort (see comments) -TDI, DSG functions pretty well -TDI, you really have little idea you are driving …
Last reply by regfootball, -
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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…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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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…
Last reply by Frisky Dingo, -
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TESTED: 2015 Subaru Legacy AWD 2.5i Premium MSRP 25,045 HIGHS -a natural and successful evolution of the.....successful previous generation. If you liked the last one, you will like this one -significant powertrain enhancements with the CVT, power delivery, fuel economy, and general drivability. -impressive CVT functioning. It really is ok to own a car with a CVT now! Simulated stepped automatic works well, and overall a lot of folks may not be able to tell the difference from a traditional automatic. -interior, which looks dreadful and cheap in pictures, is actually fairly decent and a bit of an upgrade over the previous model -evolved styling is a bit…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Vehicle: 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Crew Cab Standard Box 4WD (Z71 package) Black exterior with Jet Black leather interior MSRP: $48,xxx Late last night I decided to drive by a local Chevrolet dealership to see if they had received any 2014 Silverado models in stock yet. Much to my surprise they had two models parked up front for the whole passing-by world to see - a white LT CC short box 4WD (Z71) and the black LTZ standard box described above. The dealership was still open so I decided to stop to see if they'd let me sit in it. My 7 year-old son and I walked around the truck, admiring its 'newness'. A young sales professional quickly came out to greet us. …
Last reply by Blake Noble, -
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Picked up my weekend drive at Enterprise a few min ago. This was there 'CTS or equivalent' luxury car. Silver, black interior w/ shiny black wood. Decent so far....leaving for So Cal in a couple of hours...
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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I currently have a new Monte Carlo LT with the 3900 as a rental car...... ......and I'm fairly impressed with the 3.9L VVT pushrod V6 in this car! First, let me just clarify that I HATE the exterior styling of this car (always have) and I think the interior fit-and-finish and materials is horribly unforgiveable. (As we know, the Monte Carlo does NOT share the vast majority of the MUCH nicer Impala interior upgrades.) The whole car strikes me as "typical" "old-school" GM. NOW that that's off my chest, I can say that the 3.9L in this car is the nicest execution of a pushrod V6 that I've ever seen GM accomplish. Wierd because in the G6 GTP rental I had about a …
Last reply by Carguy, -
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------writeup coming later today----------- "Automotive death on four wheels, with a new funeral suit, and a larger, more spacious casket" Is this really the case? Check back later......
Last reply by frogger, -
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well, I don't think its worthy of a lux car badge. I had this inkling to try an X type since they are CHEAP on the used market. They are compact, but sort of nicely appointed. AWD standard. They look nice. Trunk is actually an ok size. Found a used 5 speed 2.5 to drive today. Had like 60k miles on it. Well, I don't think i will pursue one. Basics on the test drive......the 2.5 needed to be wound up a bit, but had some guts once you got up 35-40 mph plus and had it in the right gear. If the 2.5 worries you they say there is a 3.0. At first I did not like the clutch since it was stiff. But even though it does require a little more leg than you should think…
Last reply by Hudson, -
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I know y'all have been waiting for this one (right). I did this one a couple weeks ago. Let me explain. I was at a used dealer scoping out something and they had a used 2011 Kia Sedona cranberry red sitting there. Always sort of looking at family cars, I asked if I could grab some keys and so I took it for a quick spin. Reason: I had read that the Sedona had inherited the revisions to the corporate Kia v6 as well as the 6 speed automatic. So I wanted to see how refined and what sort of nuts it had since i had read an article about it recently. HIGHS Strong, smooth powertrain Space Value for the dollar 'Good' level of refinement Visibility Decent basic interio…
Last reply by Maxy, -
