Drew Dowdell

The 200 shows promise, though admittedly I haven't driven it yet.

I wonder if they are still Renault based

Why make 3 or 4 versions of the same car!?

I am giving someone a gift...I'd like to include something special in the package... so I need you guys to help me find something. I need a high-res, desktop wallpaper worthy picture of a Toyota Camry or Corolla, beige preferably, in some elegant pose. Toyota PR pictures preferred. Lets see who can come up with the best "gag" for this gift!

the Soul is not a crossover, it doesn't even have 4WD/AWD available much less any off road abilities.... it is a tall wagon, nothing more.

What I don't like about the Dart is the ride and handling. It's bad enough to be a real deal-breaker for me. Cars like the Elantra and Forte aren't remarkable in this department, but they aren't bad. The Dart felt a good 15 years behind...like they found the tooling for the old Neon and said "Hey! This will fit!"

that looks like a take on the current Impala rear design to me...

No more so than any other crossover

well ... if anyone was going to do it... it might as well be Porsche

I know... but was still fun too see.

Really? How's your turbo intercooler doing?

And also, this was circling overhead further along my trip. I don't think POTUS was on board. They flew veerry low multiple times without the gear down. I'm guessing it was for training as there is an airforce base nearby.

Spotted in Richmond Indiana today..... it's more than 106 miles to Chicago.

I like it on the orange and silver ones.... I think it doesn't really work well on the black ones because you lose the effect.

Three weeks ago, at the New York International Auto Show, Nissan unveiled the 2015 Murano. The Murano has always been a crossover with more curvaceous lines than the rest of its peers and this new version is no exception. As it was so soon after the NY Auto Show, I was caught off guard today during a trip from Indianapolis, IN to Columbus, OH by these two 2015 Murano prototypes cruising on I-70 with no camouflage. The silver one looked fairly complete and wearing all of its trim, while the black one had clearly been taped up with plastic previously and was missing several exterior trim pieces. You can clearly see the “floating roof” treatment that Nissan is trying out with this model by blacking out part of the D-pillar. The 2015 Murano will be powered by a carryover 3.5 liter VQ-V6 producing 260 horsepower and 240 lb-ft of torque. An updated version of Nissan's Xtronic continuously variable transmission will contribute to the reported 20% gain in fuel economy over the existing model. The 2015 Nissan Murano goes on sale late this year. click to enlarge click to enlarge click to enlarge View full article

And you can find all of those at your local John Deere or Tupperware retailer. To most of the rest of us, quality also means using fine materials and including well designed modern technology that makes our lives easier. Here is the difference between my definition of quality and yours. The Hyundai Genesis Sedan, a car that neither you nor I have any love for, uses a metal rod with a tupperware plastic tip with 6-indents for the tilt wheel function in lower level models. It feels like ancient technology to use... in fact, it is basically the same as the tilt wheel in my '81 Toronado. Assembled well? Sure. Durable? Absolutely. Reliable? Certainly. But in a car with a $34,000 base price, is that what we call quality? Not if it is duplicating technology in a 35 year old Oldsmobile. Over at Toyota, the Avalon also starts at around $34,000... ditto our mutual feelings of the car... But the Avalon comes with a power tilt and telescoping wheel. When unlocking the car with a specific key-fob, the car automatically sets the wheel to the programmed possition for the respective fob. Is it reliable? Toyota has a long list of complaints, but that is one I haven't heard of. Durable? It will probably outlast the ownership. Well assembled? Probably, it's a Toyota... their issues have been with design, not assembly. For the same $34,000, you can buy a luxury car with a John Deere - Tupperware supplied tilt steering lever or you can buy a car that automatically electronically sets the tilt and telescope for you as soon as you unlock the car. Which one is higher quality?

Well in that case, you should just buy a John Deere and be done with it. The feel is exactly the thing someone writing a check for $32k cares about. I'm talking about the cheapo feeling of the vent controls where you can feel cables pulling the different baffles closed. However, when you write a $27k check for a Jetta GLI, you get the fully electronic HVAC controls that would be appropriate in an Audi A6. It is this inconsistency of quality at those price levels that I am pointing out.

The problem is VW's inconsistency in quality and reliability. The GTI, GLI, Beetle, Passat, and CC all sit in the same showroom. I am sure there is a price range where they all overlap. Yet the feeling of quality and the issues with reliability can all vary greatly. The beetle can be a $32k car with cable operated hvac controls for example.

Doesnt direct injection have a lot to do with it too?

But add the Encore soon so I can send updates on it!