Driven: 2014 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab 4WD Denali If there is one word that explains why GM kept GMC and ditched Pontiac, that word would be Denali. Denali (or Mount McKinley) is the highest mountain peak in North America. It also represents the pinnacle GMC trim level, for the … Read more
Third generation IS sedans grow in size and attitude. It took eight years for Lexus to breathe fresh life into its IS line, what represents a family of smaller luxury vehicles including a pair of flashy sedans: the IS250 and IS350. Eight years is a long time between all-new models … Read more
It’s not easy being green. Five Subaru models have come and gone from my driveway, weekly loaners that ranged from the very good to the outstanding. Subaru’s consistent quality, dependability, and reliability has not been lost on me nor on the many new and returning buyers who continue to drive … Read more
Electrified Cadillac is provocative and swank. You may have heard the narrative: the Cadillac ELR is an overpriced Chevrolet Volt, GM’s attempt to put one over on the masses. True, the ELR is based on the Volt’s platform, but the similarities end there. In the Cadillac ELR you have a … Read more
The Subaru WRX is a compact sports sedan built on the platform that underpins the Impreza. Through 2014 it was officially known as the Impreza WRX, but beginning with the spring 2014 release of the all-new 2015 model, the WRX becomes a model line all of its own. Subie dooby-doo … Read more
Charleston, SC was the host city for an Urban Adventure, the theme for Toyotas week-long media event featuring its all-new Highlander crossover sport utility vehicle. Founded as Charleston Towne in 1670, the city has survived hurricanes, an earthquake, war, and most recently a winter storm that brought travel to a … Read more
It doesn’t take a full week of press fleet driving to appreciate the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, a model that will most certainly captivate and enthrall even the most experienced automotive writer. I won’t pretend that I’m an expert in all things sports cars, but I’ve had the opportunity to … Read more
The Hyundai Equus is the top-of-the-line model in this Korean brands arsenal, a true-blue full-size luxury sedan that is in the same class as the Lexus LS, Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. It retails for about $10,000 less than the Lexus and comes in at a … Read more
How do you cater to the pickup truck buyer that wants the next big thing? Usually, that means offering more horsepower or a higher towing rating. It can also mean rolling out yet another sub-model, a niche edition that has all the chrome embellishments, striping, and interior pomp that defines … Read more
At the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, GM unveiled the 2015 GMC Canyon, a midsize pickup truck. It is an all-new model that along with the Chevrolet Colorado puts GM back in the midsize truck game. The Canyon was last produced in 2012; the new model continues … Read more
It isn’t too often that the same model shows up in my driveway within three or four months, but when one does there is usually a different engine or drivetrain layout that sets these vehicles apart. In the case of the Buick Encore, it was a model year change that … Read more
Seven Auto Trends stand outs for the 2013 calendar year. 2014 Subaru BRZ. Car Reviews Ask most any automotive review writer what models have stood out and you may hear an assortment of vehicle types named. With this writer driving 40 vehicles during the 2013 calendar year there were several … Read more
Porsche Cayman S delivers the bite. Porsche is a name that is widely known, but it may not be fully understood by the motoring public outside of sports car enthusiasts. Personally, I straddle the line between the two camps, preferring sport sedans (Dodge Charger, BMW 3 Series, et al) for … Read more
The attainable sports car: 2014 Subaru BRZ. One week with the Subaru BRZ has changed my mind about small, sports cars. Not that my mind had been set in stone mind you, rather I’ve always had my eye on larger and pricier models, well-equipped sports coupes that start around $40,000 … Read more
Jeep Grand Cherokee sales are up 15 percent for the year through Nov. 2013. Arguably, it is the most recognized name amongst premium midsize sport utility vehicles, but Jeep is not resting on its laurels. For 2014, the Grand Cherokee gains a new Summit edition, it is outfitted with an … Read more
Imagine the frustration at GM when the feedback trickling in for the all-new 2013 Chevrolet Malibu was lukewarm at best. Six years after releasing a stunningly improved and widely acclaimed midsize sedan, the next generation model was faulted by some critics for its exterior styling, its uninspiring dashboard layout and … Read more
“Three is a charm,” was one thought that came to mind when a Venetian Red Pearl Subaru Outback showed up as my weekly driver recently. Just a few weeks earlier I spent some time with the Subaru Legacy and over the summer a Subaru Forester arrived unbidden. No Subaru model … Read more
What is your favorite car? Thats a question I am asked by friends that know I routinely drive, enjoy and review a variety of vehicles. Okay, the enjoy part is at times an arguable one as there are occasions when a car comes my way that I know I would … Read more
Sport trucks are a breed apart, specialty models that bring a level of performance to the pickup truck line typically not found elsewhere. The Toyota Tacoma X-Runner was a rarity at that — a small truck in a segment with just two players remaining: the Tacoma and the Nissan Frontier. … Read more
BMW has taken a two-edged sword to its beloved 3 Series, separating the meat (coupe and convertible) from the bone (sedan and wagon) to create two distinct model lines for 2014. The sedan and wagon remain with the iconic 3 Series model line while the coupe and convertible are now … Read more
My wife’s favorite vehicle is the Toyota RAV4, an important disclosure I want to get out of the way before touching on the salient points of this crossover utility vehicle. Fortuitously, a 2013 Toyota RAV4 Limited arrived in our driveway the very week her aged RAV4 was beginning to show … Read more
You don’t have to go that far back in Buick’s history to find a line up that was dull and uninspiring. GMs premium brand, now wedged firmly between Chevrolet and Cadillac, was serving up a slew of Century’s, Park Avenues and Terraza’s in the first decade of the new millennium. … Read more
When you are hot, you are hot. When you are not, then you must be one of the few manufacturers that are taking on the Toyota Prius. These manufacturers currently number just two: Honda and Ford, but each one has much catching up to do if they’re to make a … Read more
Should I choose the Toyota Avalon or the Lexus ES? That question was posed to me recently via Twitter and I responded to the inquirer with a choose the Lexus if the pricing comes out to be the same. Then again, you may want to skip the Lexus once you … Read more
Cadillac sales are on an upward trajectory, with year-to-date US sales up by 25 percent over 2012 through Sept. It is one of the fastest growing luxury brands with new models such as its compact ATS and midsize CTS sedans receiving rave reviews. A third sedan, the XTS slots above … Read more
Just weeks after testing the 2014 Toyota Tundra at a media event in Georgia and, lo and behold, a 2013 Tundra arrived as my weekly test drive vehicle. The 2013 model year was the final one for the second generation Tundra, while the 2014 model year begins its third generation. … Read more
The 2014 Subaru Legacy will likely not win many beauty pageants. However, its “looks” deficiency might not disappoint fans who are accustomed to driving a midsize sedan that is well built, reliable and safe. Indeed, like all other Subaru models, the Legacy routinely achieves top safety recognition, in part for its standard … Read more
If top-down fun is your thing, then the Nissan 370Z pegs the fun-o-meter. This model, available in coupe and roadster variations, simply gets it by delivering a handsome body, a sporty interior and a powertrain that will make you and everyone else take notice. The Nissan 370Z Roadster Touring edition … Read more
Following successive weeks driving the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado full-size pick up trucks, I can tell you that there is no difference between these two models. What I can tell you is that the Sierra Crew Cab with its 5.3-liter V-8 beats the Silverado Double Cab with its 4.3-liter … Read more
The large pickup truck segment has rebounded from its recessionary lows when sales fell by more than half in 2009 before beginning a steady recovery in 2010. Ford continues to lead the segment with its F-150, but it by no means has the newest truck on the market. The Toyota … Read more