Reader Reviews
Test drive something recently? This is the place to post your impressions.
414 topics in this forum
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Recently my sister leased a brand new Radiant Silver on black Altima 2.5S. It's got the CVT and intelli-key system. Its a great package, for the the 22k or 23k but compared to our 06 Malibu that was the same price, the Malibu has twice as much options. Now for what makes the Altima a deal. The interior, why boring for most I find great. Materials are top notch, especially the cloth, which is some sort of cloth and suede like material. The only downside to me actually is the headroom , from the drivers seat I feel like my head and the roof are almost touching, there is plenty of leg room but. As for the exterior, yeah it looks ALOT like the old Altima, but its still very …
Last reply by Lamar, -
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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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We got our first Camaro in yesterday, a Nightfall Gray over Kalahari 8AT 2SS w/ no options. Suffice to say, after all the reviews and positive press, I've been dying to drive one. And I'm happy that we got an SS in as our first car. Of course, I would have loved for it to have been a manual, but I'll take what I can get. More on that in a minute. Starting with the outside, pictures don't do this car justice. Not to how good it looks in the first place, or even how different from the 5th Gen car it looks. There are much more sophisticated design elements at work here than it's predecessor. Think of it as the old design shrunk down to 9/10's, pulled taught over it's ske…
Last reply by oldshurst442, -
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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........
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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I rented a car because I got a good deal. AAA was giving a 3rd weekend day free if you paid for 2. Not only that, I got bumped up from a compact (because they didn't have any) to an intermediate. The car assigned to me was a 2019 Toyota Corolla LE. It was bronze with a black cloth interior and wheel covers on what appeared to be 15" wheels. Its styling is acceptable. The signature "angry appliance" grille isn't as bad as it is on some bigger Toyota's and Lexus products and an identifiable front fascia/bumper is welcomed. The greenhouse is sort of dull, as is the rear fascia. The small slats at the edges of the front bumper are odd but sort of grow on you. I t…
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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Nissan hasn't gotten the best press and the best sales numbers lately. I recently had a Nissan Sentra as a rental. This was a one car bump up in category from what I rented on line. I had driven one once before. Surprisingly, this is now considered an intermediate car. To me, it's a compact car. The Nissan Sentra is more likable than one might image, but it's also sort of boring and predictable. It's likable because it does everything fairly well for its size and price point, while not excelling at any particular thing. On second thought, it excels in terms of fuel economy when on a highway jaunt. Also, the Sentra is a very easy car to get accustomed to once …
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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Picked up a white Mazda6 at Port of Columbus Airport in Columbus, Ohio Thursday afternoon, dropped it off this afternoon. White w/ charcoal cloth interior. Put about 250 miles on it driving from Columbus to Cleveland (went to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum) then down to the family farm in Tuscarawas County and back to Columbus.. Nothing really to complain about...plenty of power for a 4cyl, quiet, smooth. Comfortable, good outward visibility. Reasonable controls. No steering wheel adjustment, though I was able to adjust the seat to my liking. No MP3 jack that I could find. Didn't like the red lit gauges at night. Turn signal control was counter-intuitive…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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previous review of a 2013 Encore by me here DRIVEN 2017 Buick Encore Essence AWD Leather 1.4t (about 7k miles) HIGHS Still has distinct and snazzy styling. Interior updates made a nice interior even nicer, despite random cheaper plastics. retains the popular crossover friendly seat height and step in. Still a good view all around. No cabin claustrophobia here. Still greatly manueverable and parkable. Still a very good amount of room inside in the passenger compartment (GM does not typically package interior space real effectively for every vehicle) Reasonably quite inside, thanks to Quiet Tuning. Decently quiet while cr…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Quick Drive: Smart Fortwo Electric Drive Cabriolet Shocker! Smart’s charged up cabrio is stupid fun! Moseying on down to the Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association's 2015 ElectraFest last week, I had the opportunity to test drive an electric car. The July heat called for a convertible and the smart fourtwo electric drive cabriolet was ready to for a summer fling! This is based on a 20 minute test around town. Smart Aleck Smart Elec Fossil-fueled smart’s aren’t renowned for performance pedigree, and when it comes to acceleration, they’re absolute dogs. Thankfully, the electric powertrain jolts a little pep into the Smart’s step, making for a dri…
Last reply by El Kabong, -
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DRIVEN: 2015 Hyundai Genesis RWD 3.8, msrp around 38k. No options, i believe HIGHS: Looks good on its own, but especially for a Hyundai Big car chassis and RWD, a rarity these days, and in that regard, at a decent price Wide and long, low center of gravity, we need more cars to come back to this Feeling of heft and being anchored to the road Engine has some guts to it......steps down alright when you gas it. Nice muted snarl Simple interior layout and hints at luxury that exists in other marques Nice interior convenience features Lots of features and tech, including 4g Leather is nice and has nice stitching Seats were firm and supportive Decent view out …
Last reply by frogger, -
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First and foremost I'm no writer. I put this together from random thoughts and it is simple, and limited to essentially the Epsilon vehicles with a little Alpha and Omega thrown in, but could be expanded to include all of GM concerning it's divisions Chevy vs Buick vs Cadillac vs the Industry Many people lambast Chevy for the Malibu and SS sharing some many design cues, but I maintain that both cars are variably handsome, and in the SS’s case, Chevy/Holden’s take on what a mature mainstream sedan should look like, not succumbing to the body-cladding of past Pontiacs, or racing stripes and trick painted surfaces of the Dodge brand, but presenting to the American…
Last reply by Cmicasa the Great, -
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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…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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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 …
Last reply by Frisky Dingo, -
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After the SCCA Autocross a week ago I went to the local Toyota dealer and drove a new FRS, a Lava orange automatic. At the buckeye Miata Club autocross today, I got some (passenger) seat time in a new black manual FRS at speed. My impressions. I like the silhouette of the car. It reminds me of the old air cooled 911's, the Cayman, the Ferrari GTO, my old first gen Mustang fatback, the 67-69 barracuda which is gorgeous, the Porsche Cayman, the original 250 Z, the jag E type...very classy. the front and rear, a little less so. Car is sweet, but suffers from a little bit too much of the "Angry Pokemon" style of a lot of modern Japanese iron. I like the design touches s…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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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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Let me get to the point. A short 1 mile ride of the Outlander hybrid. The Outlander is past due, the hybrid powertrain didn't make any sort of impression on me otherwise. If the powertrain is advanced, this needs a new wrapper. thanks,
Last reply by frogger, -
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 2, 2013 Speaking with reporters at the Tokyo Motor Show a couple weeks ago, American Honda CEO Tetsuo Iwamura said for him, "The big challenge is Acura. Acura has seen it sales increase six percent so far this year to 135,126 vehicles. However, the brand still trails in sales when compared to brands such as Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus. So what does Iwamura have in mind for Acura? To start, Iwamura wants to strengthen and grow Acura's presence in the U.S. and China, the two markets where the brand sells vehicles. To pull this off in the U.S., Acura needs to work on its sedans. Iwamura admits that sales o…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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G. David Felt Staff Writer Alternative Energy - www.CheersandGears.com Mazda CX-9, 812 miles, 5 adults, 8 days, 7 nights, Grade = D- 25 years of Marriage is what started this lovely 8 days, 7 nights week for the family. Wife wanted to celebrate with the kids in a warm place. Answer was to trade in our time share condo for a time share condo on Kona at Aston Shores at Waikoloa (http://www.astonshoresatwaikoloa.com/). With the wife asking for a perfect week, I went ahead and got our place, made a reservation for a full size SUV, which sadly I could not get with Enterprise or Hertz as they both were out of stock, crazy but being married on Dec 24th doe…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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I've already reviewed the last-gen (2014 or 2015) Chevy Malibu. The reason I got the car is because I returned the new, heavily pillared and raked Chevy Impala to the rental car agency because I couldn't see out the back and over the headrests. I wrote a fairly good review about that Chevy Malibu. Some of you agreed and some of you disagreed. While this review is about an Impala, I had another of those last-gen Malibus in the recent past. The base 2.5 was indeed coarse when hammered and, not only that, the gas mileage on 2 tanks wasn't what I got the first time I had one as a rental. However, the biggest demerit was the start-stop feature at a light. It was far fro…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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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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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…
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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At such a low price, it made sense to rent instead of take the Regal. I had rented a compact. When I got there, they had no cars. They gave me a Trailblazer. They are nice, but not stunning. And even with a 4.2 Vortec 6, they are NOT economical. However, it was the lack of a canvas in the rear that caused me to take it back a few hours later. "Please give me something with a trunk." "How about a G6?" "Perfect." The overall stance of the G6 inspires confidence. It's rakish and the wheels are planted at the outer corners to the greatest extent possible, elongating the wheelbase. The rear quarter view is probably the most attractive. The front fascia is so…
Last reply by ToniCipriani, -
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2017 Cruze Hatchback Premier (1.4T/6A) Odo - 8051 mi We just took the Cruze on a 1,000 mile road trip (from Baltimore to Myrtle Beach and back) and this was my first extended, in-depth experience driving and living with the car for a week. I'll break down the review into sections if you want to skip around. Fuel Economy (EPA rated 28 city/37 highway): *Premium gas/mobil 1 oil used. Manual recommends regular gas, dexos approved synthetic oil. On our trip, we achieved 39.3 mpg leaving Baltimore and 41.0 mpg coming back, based on the gauge cluster. My wife reports that it's fairly accurate, if optimistic by an mpg. Hand calculation is pretty much out the window be…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Local dealer had a sponsored event for a comparison drive opportunities for 9 2018 compact crossovers in one place. Free food and coffee as well! Wanting to sample some of these without spending time at the dealer (which is why you go, right?) I decided to spend part of a saturday checking out these contestants / soul sucking, testosterone elimination devices. I also want to make note of the really nice biffy's that were provided for the event. My impressions will get up a bit later but the contestants were. Chevy Equinox 1LT 1.5 AWD Ford Escape SE 1.5 w appearance pkg Nissan Rogue Subaru Forester Toyota RAV4 Honda CRv Volkswa…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Was on vacation to New York for the weekend, got a rental Fusion to play around with. Originally I was looking for another G6, but they didn't have one. Exterior I was given an SE V6 model, the base model with an upgraded engine, and paired with a boring silver colour. But the car still looked good, as commented by my friends. For one thing it does look better than the dark side (read: *cough* *cough* Camry *cough*). Interior At first I was worried about the size of the car affecting the interior, but I was proved wrong throughout the trip. The capacity is amazing on this car. With me and my friend both being 6 foot, we both sat comfortably in the same column, wit…
Last reply by ToniCipriani, -
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No other country in the world has bought into the hype over hybrids like the United States of America. Whereas our European counterparts prefer more sensible diesels, we Americans have a Colin Farrel-esque stereotype about diesels in that they're grimy and they smell bad. I suppose that it's not entirely our fault, though. After all, when automakers tried selling diesels in passenger cars here back in the late Seventies, they were far from being an acceptable replacement for gasoline engines. They did stink like something dead, they clacked and clicked like a bag of old bones, and they were known for sometimes breaking down. They also could have arrived at a better tim…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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I had an intermediate car rented to drive down to the South Bay/Monterey County and was fully expecting to get Ford or GM stuff. Not so. I was given a Hyundai Sonata. My initial impression of this car was to scratch my chin - some good, some bad. The overall proportions make it easy to park and maneuver. It has a lot of room within its dimensions, both in the seating areas and in its deep trunk. Its seats are comfortable and its controls are very logically organized, though the layout is boring and the elliptical forms seem dated. The seats are well-formed and reasonably comfortable. I always appreciate a good greenhouse and this car has good visibility and few b…
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
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On the urging of my neighbor who owns an SX4 crossover and loves it, i took out an SX4 manual sedan today. Fun car! some caveats, which I will get to. Give me a bit and I will get that up. I drove an XL7 also, but that sucked so I won't write much on that.
Last reply by regfootball, -
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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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I just got home from driving an '09 Focus SE coupe. For 2009, the SE is the "base" coupe trim level, but it comes pretty well equipped for about $16,800 MSRP. Black grille, darkened head- and taillamps, foglamps, low rear spoiler, and body-color power, heated mirrors and door handles lend the car a sporty look. The lack of fender vents cleans up the sides of the car. The one I drove was Brilliant Silver, with the Stone cloth interior. The paint really glistened nicely under the lights on the lot. I'd prefer the black interior, though, to better contrast with the silver center stack. The car I drove had no factory options, but was equipped just about perfectly, feat…
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
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While New York was the home of the Cadillac CT6 debut, Cadillac still had something up their sleeve for Shanghai - the CT6 Plug-In Hybrid. The Plug-In Hybrid is comprised of a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a two electric motors. A new rear wheel electric variable transmission and 18.4 kWh battery finish off the powertrain. Total output is rated at 335 horsepower and 432 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy numbers are expected to "more than double that of the car’s conventional engine offerings, as measured by miles per gallon equivalent." Range is unknown at this time, but Cadillac says that most buyers will be able will be able to travel using battery power …
Last reply by butterfly1, -
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(Edit)---write up (still) coming---
Last reply by regfootball, -
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I signed up for an 'electric car test drive event'. I go, thinking Volts, Bolts, and Teslas would be available to drive (also the Pacifica hybrid). Well, there were no Chevy's there. And the only Tesla was a Model 3, which i sat in for awhile. Separate thread. No other Teslas. Wouldn't let anyone drive the Pacifica. Since they had a new Leaf, i took that for a spin. HIGHS The current Leaf is a nice, stylish, space efficient wrapper. I so wish more hatchbacks were like this, tall, without a tumbling roof in the back. So nice and roomy inside because of it. Comfy seats, particularly with the nice leather. Nice driving position. Easy to see …
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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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 …
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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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…
Last reply by riviera74, -
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Cadillac had a Lyric on tour here a couple days ago at a local dealer. Coincidentally I was downtown for a work seminar that day which was close to the dealer, and I managed to make it just in time before the end of the day to check it out before they got it back on the trailer. Images momentarily
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Last year, I won a weekend trip out to California to take part in a test drive event sponsored by Motor Trend (and probably Chrysler). 5 auto enthusiasts were chosen from video auditions, and we drove the piss out of the 2014 Malibu LTZ Turbo, Fusion SE 2.0EB, Camry SE V6 (*not the brand new one*), and the then-new 2015 Chrysler 200S V6. I'll break down the individual tests with scoring out of 5 stars. I hope you guys enjoy the long read. Acceleration: Chrysler 200S - * * * * * Toyota Camry - * * * * Chevy Malibu - * * * Ford Fusion - * * * *Note: we were required to use sport mode and paddle shifters. First things first: the 2.0T engines are outcla…
Last reply by Suaviloquent, -
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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…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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for a rental I got a Mitsubishi Outlander Sport (RVR in Canada) with about 200 miles on the odo. the target buyer is your weird aunt who always called herself ‘the fun aunt’ when you were 11 because she’s 44 but says she looks 41, unmarried, says words like ‘groovy’ , funky’ and ‘kiddo’ and always takes you to applebees for appy hour for some belated birthdate you had a week and a half ago. the aunt whose name your mom would slowly sigh out after hanging up another phone call where the subjects shifted between dried ovaries, outdated match.com profile photos, gravity’s toll and questioning why that nice boy way back in grade 12 never called again, while your…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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So this afternoon, after my wife's OB appointment, I decided we would take the opportunity to do something we hadn't done together in quite some time: go visit a car lot. The intended target: the 2011 Chrysler 300C. We got to the lot and saw about 6 or 7 300s there, most of which were Cs. About five minutes into our browsing (which mainly consisted of my wife listening to me ramble on about stuff), a salesman came out and asked us what we were interested in. I told him we were looking at the 300 and the Charger (which was true, but I had seen the latter already). After explaining many of the new features to us -- mainly the adaptive cruise control, the adaptive HIDs,…
Last reply by Maxy, -
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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.…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Back in Ohio for another week, another Pod to unpack. My rental car from Hertz for this week is a Ford Escape SE, first time I've driven one of Ford's cute utes. All in all, drives pretty well. Lots of headroom, outward visibility ok (though the rear window is small). There is an odd buzz and vibration when stopped w/ my foot on the brake, goes away when I release the brake.. The cab forward design results in a huge, deep dash and minivan like windshield. The base of the windshield seems so far away. Like the Fusion I drove last year, it has the neat retro center-meeting wipers. A few interior quirks, I found the rear wiper controls incomprehensib…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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Tested..... 2011 Kia Sportage base. White / black cloth. 4 cylinder motor, front drive, 6 speed manual transmission. MSRP it was like around 20. Highs- Room and Space - Driver and front passenger have ample space. Rear seat is good for kids and teens if legs not too long. Lots of width. Styling - very attractive styling on the exterior (although the base model wheels were a bit of a dud). Decently attractive dash. Features - fairly well equipped even as a base model, USB, bluetooth, SWAC, power everything (some) Ergonomics - steering wheel is nice and falls into hand and gauges are decent to look into. Armrest and drink holders and window switches laid out nicel…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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Kia has been trying to break into the premium sedan market with limited success since 2003, first with the Amanti and then with a new try in 2013 with the Kia Cadenza, neither of which sold well. In spite of being on sale for three years, Kia has only sold about 25,000 Cadenzas in the U.S. in total. The Cadenza is Kia's version of the Hyundai Azera. At the New York International Auto Show, Kia unveiled the second generation, 2017 Kia Cadenza. In the 2017 Cadenza is a new, stronger and lighter body structure that helps keep out sound and provides a quiet driving experience. Powering the Cadenza is a revised version of Kia's 3.3 liter V6 producing (a prelim…
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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DRIVEN: 2020 Ford Explorer XLT 2.3 Ecoboost 4WD MSRP 39,770 HIGHS: -Complete redesign is sharp looking in the flesh, while still familiar and identifiable as an Explorer at the same time -Size was not sacrificed in the redesign, the Explorer is still a nice large vehicle in a time where EPA pressures are forcing smaller vehicles. -New RWD architecture dramatically improves space efficiency and driving feel all at the same time. That combination almost never has been able to exist before. Truly a complete beneficial ground up redesign. -2.3 Ecoboost now mated to new 10 speed automatic has nice pep and verve for most drivers, sounds good and sm…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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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…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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For comparison, see my previous review of the Atlas 3.6 SE here DRIVEN: 2018 Volkswagen Atlas 2.0t S FWD, $32,030 HIGHS: A conservative, butch, truckish shape that works well for the large 3 row crossover segment, on VW's first honest try. A+ on vehicle packaging. Considering the physical size, and usage of space; 3 spacious rows, usable cargo, great seating options (still applies). Very easy to get in and out of. Second row slides forward and backward. Genius how it can tilt forward for good access to third row, which can have real leg room for adults when all three rows are set up well. (still applies) Seating height in second row and l…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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I was able to test a new 2013 CC "Sport" this past weekend. It was a much better experience than I had hoped for. I had it for a couple of hours and did a good mix of interstate and East TN rural driving. My daily driver is a 1999 C280 with over 250K miles. I provide that only so you can see what I am comparing the new VW against. The over all build quality of the CC (German made 68%) is OK, and I mean just OK. While it is as nice as similar priced Mazda and oddly as nice as the 2013 Mercedes CLA, it is nowhere near as solid as the now 14 year old C280 I drive. The panel fit is OK, but the paint will likely not hold up for a decade, as I would expect. The mo…
Last reply by Hengista, -
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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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So I swung by the auto auction Wednesday for fun and to see what they had. Most of teh stuff wasn't of any interest, but an `03 Nissan Altima 2.5 V6 did catch my eye. I decided to spend some quality time with it and see what it was like. Overall the car was in good shape. Engine ran well, interior was clean and in good shape besides a cubby door forward of the shifter that wouldn't close. Exterior was in good shape save the yellowed headlights. Fired it up, revved it some, pooped the hood and gave it a walk around. Everything looked and sounded good. They have a pretty big area where you can test drive the cars, and get them up o 40-50 mph at full throttle before …
Last reply by Daryl Z71, -
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Was on vacation to New York for the weekend, got a rental Fusion to play around with. Originally I was looking for another G6, but they didn't have one. Exterior I was given an SE V6 model, the base model with an upgraded engine, and paired with a boring silver colour. But the car still looked good, as commented by my friends. For one thing it does look better than the dark side (read: *cough* *cough* Camry *cough*). Interior At first I was worried about the size of the car affecting the interior, but I was proved wrong throughout the trip. The capacity is amazing on this car. With me and my friend both being 6 foot, we both sat comfortably in the same column, wit…
Last reply by ToniCipriani, -
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This is the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk and before you ask, it doesn't have the 707 horsepower Hellcat V8. Jalopnik's Truck Yeah was the first to report on these pictures that leaked out last night. Much like the Cherokee and Renegade Trailhawk, the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk gets some improvements to make it more capable off road. There appears to be a suspension lift (we're guessing about an inch), a set of Goodyear off-road tires, skid plates, and tow hooks finished in red. We'll have more details when Chrysler unveils the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk next week at the New York Auto Show. Source: Truck Yeah! View full article
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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I needed a small car for a few days and the rate at a suburban location for a small car was excellent in these times of not so great rates for rental cars. I didn't know whether I'd get an upgrade one or two categories upward, as I sometimes do. I did not. I was given three cars to choose from. I chose a blue Kia Rio S sedan. The Kia Rio is the fraternal twin of the Hyundai Accent. There aren't many differences, and one certainly sees that in the switches, knobs, and readouts on the dashboard, for one. The difference is that, through the roofline, pillars, and even possibly the slope of the rear back lite, the Kia Rio looks like more of a notchback sedan while …
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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As an owner of 5 of the 7 generations of Corvettes I feel the need to give some input into where we have come from and where we may be going. C3. Codename: Lmas I loved this car. 1979 L82 T-Top. 225HP/270lbs of Torque. 0-60 in 6.6 secs, C&D Link fuel economy that came in at about 15mpg.. on the road.. and looks that were constantly and consistently getting me ass. Well.. it and my gorgeous smile, beautiful eye-lashes, and way with words… smooth as a butter, and tasty as sweet cream :badass: I was 22 years old (1995)… and was able to afford this because I knu how to hustle.. in more way than one. “sell me the pen?” No *** sell me the pen, the paper…
Last reply by Cmicasa the Great, -
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This past Fri-Mon I had a '15 Malibu LT for a rental, picked it up in Columbus, Ohio and drove to various places in Eastern Ohio and Western Pa, in and around Pittsburgh and east to Monroeville and the PA turnpike a bit. I'd driven a few of the previous generation Malibus ('08-12), but this was the first of the current generation I'd driven. Interior impressions: well equipped, all the expected cabin features in a midsize car. Hard plastics on the doors and dash, but nice to look at--brown and light tan two tone. I like the brown. Good HVAC controls w/ dual zone climate, etc. Gauges well positioned and easy to read. I liked the blue lighting behind the chrom…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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The month of August means higher rental car prices in California, but I somehow managed $22.00 a day for a compact 2 weekends ago. I went up over the Sierra and to Reno for the weekend, so I figured I'd pick up a rental. (I don't gamble, so it was buffet time...damn, my beloved $8.99 breakfast buffet at the Reno Hilton's "The Lodge" has deteriorated since it changed over to the Grand Sierra Resort). I really like the styling changes on the Focus sedan. They've improved its appearance over the last-gen model. I can't say the same for the changes they've made to the coupe. The previous-gen hatchback coupe with the lights up in the rear pillars was unique. I once ren…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Had to beat the deadline and do my auto show test drive to get my 50 bucks. So i went to my local Ford dealer last saturday. Considering I just bought the cobalt, and really should be getting out of my Taurus X for financial reasons, I really wasn't shopping cars. Just wanted the 50 bucks. But i hadn't driven an 010 Taurus yet. I had driven a Flex once, but very briefly and it was AWD. I have had a Ford 500 and currently the Taurus X so its kind of like dating your girlfriends sister or cousin or mom. "It's all going to feel the same". IYKWIM.....LOL. I really wanted to test the more basic trims because if i do buy again anytime in my life that would be the trims…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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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…
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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DRIVEN 2013 Buick Encore FWD Leather 1.4t MSRP about 31 geezles HIGHS Snazzy looking, great styling job on a very challenging package Nice interior, nice leather and plastics, nice dash, nice design Lots of interesting detail inside, snazzy displays and gauges Dashtop screen is surprisingly effective Popular crossover friendly seat height and step in Very good view all around (surprisingly open cabin for a current crossover) Extremely parkable A very good amount of room inside in the passenger compartment, GM does not typically package interior space real effectively For the most part, pretty quiet inside in most driving Good steering feel and an oh so I wanna…
Last reply by GMTruckGuy74, -
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Just picked this up for my weekend road trip to LA. Initial impressions--huge, quiet, smooth, comfortable, hard to see out of (esp. towards the rear). More notes to come. Update: Had a good weekend w/ this truck. Drove on a variety of freeways, 2 lanes, winding mountain roads, cities and small towns in Central/Northern AZ and So Cal. Impressions: All in all, a very good road trip vehicle...lots of cubbies and storage areas inside, power supply points, usb sockets, etc. Great ergonomics and seating position. Felt and drove very car-like, not truckish at all. My previous GM full size experience was a weekend w/ a Yukon a couple years ago, on some of t…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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My brother had another rental while his Audi was in the shop................. again. Anyway, enterprise was having a weekend deal at $9.99 a day for the weekend. THey were out of basically everything, but still had to honor the deal, hence the Traverse. He had it from Friday Morning until Monday evening for around $32 all in. Not bad. Anyways, here are just a few impressions. Exterior: Basic Traverse, silver in color. Decent rims and huge tires. A neat little easter egg I located was the CHevy bowties located on the headlights, I am sure there were probably more. Decent looking for sure, but can't wait to see what the new one looks like. Interi…
Last reply by Stew, -
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I had never driven any Honda. I had rented a full size car for a week in a Southern California suburb. I saw some Chevy Malibus and Toyota Camrys on the lot, but was assigned an Accord. I would have preferred to remain in something I was familiar with, but was open to this experience. I’m glad I was. The Honda Accord was of the last model year before the current refresh. It’s a comfortable car with an easy to live in cabin. Both the front and rear seating areas are spacious enough, and the trunk is also generous. The seats have a nicer shape, even though the fabric was weird, with an unusual sheen. (In the refreshed Accord, the seating upholstery has reverted …
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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Will get some thoughts up later today. Unfortunately missed out on getting any pics.
Last reply by regfootball, -
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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…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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Tested 2014 Fiat 500L Easy, MT and automatic -----more later------
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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This is 2 reviews in one. Like the title of the review says, with a Fiat 500, it depends. Here, I'm not talking about their reliability. That's a big question mark across the board. I'm talking about the driving experience in the 500 and how it varies by the model you have. In this case, a while back, I had 2 back to back Fiats in different places, given to me by the rental car to fulfill the economy car with automatic criteria. Fiat 500 coupe This is the reboot of the old school Fiat 500 coupe of yesteryear that people laughed at, stereotyped as the prototypical Italian car, was once truly ubiquitous, and could be picked up and moved by 2 or 3 strong peopl…
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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DRIVEN: 2018 Volkswagen Atlas 3.6L V6 SE w/Technology A8 SUV MSRP $40,285 HIGHS: FINALLY something to drive real traffic in a VW showroom!!! Really, this (and the new Tiguan) will save Volkswagen and make them relevant again. After a second consideration, this is a very crisp, conservative shape that will play well in its market. Bland, sure, and a bit truckish perhaps, but that's what it wants to be. A+ on vehicle packaging. Considering the physical size, and usage of space; 3 spacious rows, usable cargo, great seating options. Second row slides forward and backward. Genius how it can tilt forward for good access to third row, which can ha…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Was in Denver for the weekend, beautiful fall weather. Since I'd sampled 3 midsize and one fullsize this year, I thought I'd rent a compact...got a black 4dr Cobalt from Thrifty. Charcoal interior. First compact I've driven since a 2dr Cobalt back in '08, also in Denver. Was a pleasant little car, nothing to complain about..seemed competent, reasonably peppy, comfortable, easy to see out of. Interesting to have the controls for the info screen (trip computer) on the steering wheel...couldn't figure out how to reset the trip odometers, though. No cruise control. The seats were firm, pretty well bolstered...wonder if they might be too firm on a long drive. See…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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I needed to go to San Jose and San Francisco a couple of Saturdays ago, so I thought I would avail myself of the best weekend rates I could find. And then, on Sunday, I would make my way up to Lake Tahoe as summer winds down. I found a great rate for a compact and, naturally, when you get to the counter, they try to sell you the upgrade into a bigger car. I was told $5 for each day and that one of my choices would be a Malibu. I said "sign me up." For $10, I could take an extended test drive and I wouldn't be pressured into buying. The Malibu has grown on me and, even initially, I liked its overall packaging and styling, but didn't love it. I'll speak to the styli…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Basically, I got to take my bother's A5 for a few hour highway jaunt to pick him up in Ashland last Wed. He had driven the rental Charger down and took the train back. So, I pick the car up at my parents and drop off my truck. I have my pre-trip pep talk with the A5 and slip into the driver's seat to get comfortable. After driving my pickups for so long I immediately notice that the footwell seems tight and the pedals far closer to each other than I remember. No problem though. I slide the seat into a comfortable position and adjust the tilt and telescoping wheel and adjust the the lower back lumbar. Seating position: Good to go. Next it is time or an MM…
Last reply by Stew, -
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Tested..... 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander ES. Gray / black cloth. Demo.....6-7k on the odo. 4 cylinder motor, front drive, CVT transmission. Lightly optioned. MSRP more than 21,500 but less than 22,000. Highs- Room and Space - cargo and passengers Seating comfort, first two rows. Seat adjustments, both rows, including recline and fore/aft in the second row. Engine does well at highway speeds, once underway and crusing. Excellent visibility overall and fairly airy cabin by today's standards. Decent gauge layout, convenient and simple radio and climate controls. Steering wheel feels real nice with nice feeling function buttons. Fold and tumble second row seats for max …
Last reply by regfootball, -
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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…
Last reply by pow, -
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DRIVEN 2016 Buick Envision Premium I 2.0t AWD 15k miles HIGHS -One of the more favorable impressions of me with the oft used 2.0t in a GM vehicle. A very strong point on this vehicle. It fit the character of the vehicle well. Smooth, nice power and torque, and tranny behaved well. It sort of changed my impression of that powertrain as it seemed to fit here better as opposed to being in a 'sport sedan'. -Comfy seats (with nice leather and design), this is supposed to be what Buick is for. And feels very solid. -Quiet cabin, this is supposed to be what Buick is for. -Supple ride and very smooth steering, this is supposed to be what Buick…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Ok, this is going to be a little different. No, I did not drive it, but got to spend a decent amount of time riding in the backseat and it is pretty amazing the things you pick out about a vehicle vehicle from back there. Also, since these are the modern equivilent of a station wagon, I think this makes sense. First impression....... The materials are downright awful. Hard plastic on all rear ouch points and the seat fabric seemed overly cheap. Legroom was ok, but not great. Really, my 07 Patriot was on par with the materials found not only in the back, but most places in the vehicle. It was really pretty dreadful. he only interior high-spots were the gauges and …
Last reply by Suaviloquent, -
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With some scouring and luck, I was able to get a weekly rental at a price folks were more accustomed to seeing. This was at the end of last month, right around when fall colors peaked in some places. I was booked for a "mid-size," for which the icon showed a Nissan Sentra. Once I got to the rental agency, there was indeed a Nissan Sentra. However, I saw a Ford Fiesta - a "compact" - toward the edge of the lot and asked if I could have that, instead. The rental agent obliged. It was interesting that this was a 2019 and with miles that were low enough to allow it to remain in the rental fleet. For some strange reason, I get a kick out of the Ford Fiesta. It …
Last reply by ccap41, -
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Back when I was eleven years old, we were taking a trip in my parents Ford Country squire through rural Georgia. We pulled into a servicew station, as both my younger sister and I had to relieve ourselves of the Coca Cola we had enjoyed at lunch. Thankfully, by eleven years of age, I was enough of a car nut to know that the car sitting in the service bay being repaired was a 1970 Torino GT converetible. The mechanic seemed old enough to have watched Sherman burn the place to the ground 112 years before. I asked him.. "Where is the bathroom?" "Over there, son...." he poointed towards two doors, one marked boys, one marked "Men". "Which one do I use?" I asked... "Ne…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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DRIVEN: 2017 Chevy Volt LT cloth seats quick note, most of my basis of comparison is the outgoing Volt model, which I have driven a few times. HIGHS: -Sexy new shape is less science project and more real sporty car. -Sexiness carries to the interior which you sit 'in' like a cockpit and its a sporty outlook out of the car. Center console with shifter and such is very nice. -Interior is revised with 'iPad on the dash' and a completely new design that fits in with all the other Chevy's; no longer an outlier -New Volt is a big step forward in overall execution of the Voltec concept; it's a big improvement in nearly every way over the already pretty well done Vol…
Last reply by Frisky Dingo, -
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I put a couple hundred miles on a metallic black w/ charcoal cloth interior '10 Taurus SEL in Orange County (Ca) over the weekend. Picked it up Friday afternoon at John Wayne airport (after some confusion w/ Thrifty-I'd reserved a Charger, almost had an Impala that was low on gas, then got the Taurus). Had a nice mix of freeway gridlock driving, city driving, beach town driving, winding roads, etc. The car had 28,xxx miles. Impressions: Big, solid car. Love the dash design and detailing. Lots of useful cubbholes, cupholders, etc. One of nicer cloth interiors I've seen recently. Wished it had a sunroof since it was dark inside. Positives: Very comfortable. Dis…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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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 …
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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For someone who actually Is considering a car like this for his next drive, I'm deciding on a little review....this coming from someone who has owned Gm compacts for the last decades..... 3 Cruzes came in today to my local dealership. Two LTs, one LTZ. My first impression-mini Malibu! Even after seeing at the auto show, it still reminds of that in the real world. the "outside"- It actually looks good on the outside...even in three different colors. Fit and finish is still much better than the Cobalt. I can close the doors and tell you the difference. It just feels solid when you compare the two. Trunk is the biggest I've seen in a compact. That should be good for the …
Last reply by regfootball, -
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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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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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Checked one out! Obviously, can't drive it. But here is what I thought about it. Strong looking, has presence. Sort of predatory in the front. Large car. Very much cabin rear. Inside, very well done. If you have been in a CX-5, and have seen the pictures of the new interior, then you have a very accurate idea of what it is like. It is like a combination of a BMW interior and an Accord or other similar Japanese car. I would say the interior is better than the new Accord and pretty much all the others, despite some hard plastic that manages to avoid looking cheap. Ergonomics appear to be spot on across the board, especially the memory seat locations, the steering…
Last reply by frogger, -
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Yesterday I went to the AltCar expo in Santa Monica, CA, where manufacturers were showing off their alternative fueled vehicles: GM - Volt, Cruze LTZ, Silverado Hybrid, Equinox Fuel Cell Nissan - Leaf Honda - Civic Hybrid, Civic CNG, FCX Clarity Toyota - Prius Plug-in, Highlander Fuel Cell Mercedes - B-Class Fuel Cell Kia - Borrego Fuel Cell CODA - EV sedan Ford and Toyota dealers - their respective hybrids VW dealer - Jetta SportWagen TDI and Golf TDI Others - EV fortwo clone, X-Prize vehicles, etc. GM had two Volts there, one silver and one black. They were offering test-drives, but there was a 100 person waiting list, so I only rode in the backseat. Overall…
Last reply by pow, -
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Unfortunately not long enough to do a full on review of it, but enough to get some quick impressions. So I sold a customer a new Equinox the other day, and while waiting he told me he was awaiting his new Slingshot. I told him to bring by sometime, and lo and behold he did. He came by the dealer after having picked it up about an hour earlier, and let me take it for a quick spin. The thing really looks cool in person. It's wide and all edges and hard angles and just looks super aggressive. I thought we were going to cause a wreck driving it through town. Ergonomics are surprisingly good. It's fairly easy to get into, and decently comfortable once you do. You sit uprig…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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DRIVEN 2015 Honda CR-v AWD LX HIGHS Engine plus CVT can deliver great scoot ........when you lean hard on the throttle CVT might actually be the best of such a breed, compared to earlier CVT's, responsive Sufficient cabin girth and front row room Rear seat space is alright for this class too Surprising cargo space with and without the rear seat down Innocuous, if that is your sort of thing Feminine, if that is your sort of thing Cheap and tinny, if that is your sort of thing EPA ratings are pretty good i guess Honda whores out the leases so you are ok there Some parts of the newly revised dash feel soft to the touch Rear cargo latches to dump the rear sea…
Last reply by JessiFox, -
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G. David Felt www.cheersandgears.com 2013 Nissan Altima S - Success or Failure? This review starts off sadly, with my 2008 Trailblazer SS AWD being hit in the drivers door and needing a complete replacement. SS is awesome and all fixed, but for the 3 weeks I was out of an auto, I was in this rental. Short Answer for those that want to know what I think, DO NOT BUY! Everything people complain about of 1980's and 1990's American cars is what you find on this car. Yes this is a long term rental fleet car as it had California plates and 42,785 miles when I got it. My rental allowed me to add on 1,137 miles by the time I returned it. This did include a 300 mi…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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Here's one you guys might like. My dealer group owns a Toyota store and a GM store, so I took a new Crew Cab Z71 Colorado out and drove it back-to-back with a Double (Toyota speak for crew) Cab Tacoma TRD Sport. I did a write-up right afterwards- Exterior- It's bigger than I expected. At first glance, it doesn't really seem smaller than a Silverado. Parking the two next to one another reveals the Colorado to mainly be narrower and have a smaller cab. The bed height is virtually identical, which is a sore point, imo. But it's a good-looking truck, overall. Nicely detailed, modern looking. I dig it. In comparison, the Tacoma looks cheap and toy-like. It's decidedly…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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EDIT- SCROLL DOWN a few posts for the test drive. This is cheating a bit , not really a full review. But I just checked out a new CX-9, and boy that thing is (pardon the impression) sweet as balls. Having looked at a new Cadillac XT5 just a few days ago too, I am not sure why you'd spend much more for the Cadillac. Interior is really sweet on the CX-9 and packaging and space is great. All 3 rows. Looks nice, crazy low prices if you consider the ludicrous prices of some other brand SUV's. Easily this thing would whoop a new Lilliputian Acadia for same or less $$$. At a minimum far more style and execution for interiors than rival Japanese makers.
Last reply by regfootball, -
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-coming up-
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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FIAT's 500e is an odd vehicle, in that it's one of the industry's better EV efforts and yet it's publicly loathed by FIAT's own CEO. Though sold only in California and Oregon, a number of 500e's are coming off lease, needing new homes. Unlike many Americans in late 2016 who swore they'd move to Canada, FIAT 500e's are actually following through on those plans, aware of Canada's love of cheap and cheerful compacts. Juicy Jolt A couple diminutive expats ended up at a nearby lot, one of which was a bright, juicy orange with a white accented spoiler, air dam and mirrors. Despite being a fairly old vehicle, this colour combination is akin to a Scaramucci-esque…
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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Driven 2010 VW Tiguan S manual trans, FWD, Black w/ Charcoal cloth 17" wheel option MSRP 24,400 +/- Highs Room and Space, both rows, lots of it. Could serve as family transport. Upright seating, good cabin visibility. Nice center armrest. Most cabin ergonomics and controls are good. Nice dead pedal. E Brake. Very good 'Pre 2011 Jetta' VW plastics, textures. Well trimmed cargo area. second row seat slides forward if need be. Tiguan has a very compact footprint Good power rating on the engine Quick steering ratio. Decent and comfortable ride. Heft and quality build feel. 2nd gear is a good gear for fast speed building in urban driving. 4th gear is a great…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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There are only 4 econoboxes that I know of that you can get with manual windows. They are the Chevy Sonic, the Chevy Spark, the Ford Fiesta, and the Nissan Versa. When it's icy outside and hitting the power window button does NOTHING, you sort of think back to manual windows. I had them in my last car ... by design! It's not surprising they are in the Nissan Versa. It's supposedly the least expensive car you can buy in America. At least, that's the case in base form with manual transmission and no options. It costs something like $12,000 outfitted that way. Professional reviewers all say that the Versa sedan is bread and butter transportation and nothing m…
Last reply by oldshurst442, -
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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…
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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popped into the honda dealer yesterday as friday night i saw a new odyssey in the wild. It sure looks like a new age techno barge out and about. Actually, it trailed behind a ford edge in a line of cars, in motion it sort of looked like a stretched and pulled and lowered edge with a kim kardashian bigg butt....... it definitely looks better than the current crop of minivans including Honda's own. It's sort of clumsy look keep the rest of it in check from looking 'too sporty'. I will say this, even with its clumsiness and questionable detailing, its probably the most appealing minivan out there, looks wise. And the minivan segment is taking off again, so has Honda h…
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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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'…
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com April 17, 2013 Alfa Romeo has a very ambitious plan to triple their sales by 2016, meaning the brand would be selling around 300,000 vehicles. Looking at Alfa Romeo's current lineup that is only made up of the subcompact MiTo and the compact Giulietta, its a bit of a tall order. However Alfa Romeo's European boss, Louis-Carl Vignon believes the brand cannot not only meet the goal, but exceed it. So how is Alfa Romeo planning to do this? Well a big part of the plan deal with Alfa Romeo's return to the U.S. Alfa Romeo expects the U.S. and Europe to be their big markets by 2016. "Alfa's brand awareness in the U.S. is s…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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So while visiting my wife's family in Middle of Nowhere, Virginia, I went to the local Ford dealer to look at the Fusions that they had. We saw several Fusion SEL models (all 4cyl), a couple of SEs, and a Sport. The salesman came out to talk to us ("us" being me, my wife, and her cousin and cousin's husband). We made the usual salesman-customer talk, and then he asked if I wanted to take one of the cars out for a little bit. Now you know I couldn't pass that up... We chose one of the SELs, black on black. Remember a few months ago that I test-drove the '09 Mazda6 i and came away impressed with the dynamics. Now was my chance to compare the first cousins... The in…
Last reply by regfootball,
