Car manufacturers sometimes choose odd names for their vehicles. Most such names, including the Mazda Bongo and the Mitsubishi Pistachio, never make it to the US as marketers wisely intervene and demand changes. The Nissan Rogue has one of those names that slipped through the cracks, although it is doubtful … Read more
The subcompact sport utility vehicle segment is expanding rapidly as new products from Honda, Fiat, Jeep and Mazda enter the fray. Joining the current Buick Encore and Nissan Juke is another small SUV, the Chevrolet Trax, a five-passenger model that gives the bow-tie brand its fifth utility vehicle. The 2015 … Read more
The Ford Transit is available as a commercial van or a passenger wagon. Until a Ford Transit arrived in my driveway earlier this month, 1980 was the last time I had driven a full-size van of some kind. At that time I was a fairly new driver, but my neighbor … Read more
Living large with GMC’s big SUV. Oversized sport utility vehicles seem like a throwback to a different era for some. For those who own them or aspire to acquire one, these models deliver the best amalgamation of passenger room and trailering capabilities in the business. Fuel costs can be exorbitant, … Read more
The Jeep brand continues to set sales records and shows no signs of losing ground. New or updated models have propelled the brand as have new markets and consumers who are embracing America’s iconic 4×4 brand. 2015 Jeep Renegade Jeep is not resting on its laurels. The Chrysler Group, indeed … Read more
Buick’s flagship sedan now delivers Wi-Fi and more. Buick calls its LaCrosse a luxury, midsize sedan. Though there is little to dispute the luxury label, calling this sedan “midsize” just doesn’t seem right. Instead, what you have here is a fairly large four-door model that comfortably seats five people and … Read more
Now that the Ford Motor Company has turned its attention to Lincoln, new and updated products are debuting with more on the way. In 2013, the latest generation MKZ sedan made its appearance. This summer, the all-new MKC crossover utility vehicle rolled out. And this fall we have the latest … Read more
Subaru continues to ride on a crest of month-over-month sales increases, based largely on its mix of utility vehicles. Not to be overlooked is the midsize Subaru Legacy sedan, the only standard all-wheel drive model in the segment. For 2015, the Legacy is all-new and Auto Trends had one 3.6R … Read more
Chrysler lays claim to the world’s fastest sedan. Just weeks after introducing the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, the Chrysler Group has unveiled a 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. The new model shares the same supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V-8 engine found in the Challenger SRT Hellcat, making 707 horsepower and … Read more
The 2015 Cadillac Escalade marks the start of this luxury SUV’s fourth generation and remains the largest and most expensive model in the brand’s lineup. As always, the Escalade rests on the platform that underpins GM’s pickup trucks and other large SUVs, and is sold in rear- and four-wheel drive … Read more
The original Porsche Cayenne changed the way that we look at Porsche as well as at sport-utility vehicles in general. Where Jeep and Land Rover paved the way for the earliest off-road vehicles, Porsche came to the party late, but with its guns a-blazing. Porsche’s First Sport Utility Vehicle The … Read more
New EcoBoost engine makes the power grade. The 2015 model year will bring yet another new engine to the Ford product line, a 2.7-liter V-6. That engine follows four-cylinder engines displacing at 1.5- and 2.3-liters, being utilized in the Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKC respectively, as well as in other … Read more
Quite easily the 2015 Chrysler 200 is the best midsize sedan ever to wear a Chrysler badge. Don’t get all giddy about my statement just yet — Chryslers offerings in this segment have included the LeBaron, Cirrus, Sebring and the 200. Under performers all and in one of the toughest … Read more
Fourth generation model debuts this year. The Ford Motor Company released updated information on Wednesday about its full-size sport-utility vehicle. The 2015 Ford Expedition is the latest version of this big body-on-frame SUV. Standard and stretched wheelbase versions are once again available; a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine is now standard. … Read more
Incentives program announced in advance of sedan’s debut. When the Acura TLX goes on sale next month, it will replace the current TL midsize sedan and the compact TSX. Sales of both models are off by at least one-third for the year, presenting a drag on Acura’s overall sales. Even … Read more
Third van model for Ram brand arrives in 2015. With Chrysler separated Ram from Dodge, the move was deemed by some as a curious one. Especially with a line up that consisted solely of midsize, large and heavy duty pickup trucks. The Ram Dakota occupied the midsize segment, but was … Read more
Yet another MINI variant for this iconic British brand. The MINI Hardtop 2 Door will soon have a four-door companion. Late last week, MINI USA showed photographs of its latest model and shared some details about its newest product. The MINI Hardtop 4 Door will go on sale after the … Read more
The battlefield for small cars is an intense one with numerous compact and other small models available to entice first-time car buyers. Honda has its Civic, a compact model that competes with the Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra, Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus for customers. On the subcompact level is the … Read more
New 2015 models on the way. The Big Three automakers continue to fight back in a wide open US market. GM remains the market leader, but Ford and Fiat Chrysler continue to boost market share in various segments, sometimes at the expense of each other. For 2015, all three automakers … Read more
The Volkswagen Golf may not be the most profitable model in the VW arsenal, but it is the most popular vehicle built by this German manufacturer. Some 40 years and 30 million models later, the North American market will soon get what the Europeans are currently enjoying: the seventh generation … Read more
For the 2015 model year, the Chevrolet Impala will get a new model. No, it will not be a coupe or wagon variant, instead this model line will receive its very first compressed natural gas (CNG) option. The new model goes on sale in Fall 2014, one of just a … Read more
Ford expands its product line yet again. With much fanfare, Ford production workers at the Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Missouri, started production of the 2015 Ford Transit on Wednesday. The Ford Transit is a large van, one that the automaker expects will help Ford claim a larger slice … Read more
A familiar silhouette receives Chevy garnishment. And then there were five. With the introduction of the Chevrolet Trax at the New York International Auto Show last week, the bow-tie brand will soon have five utility vehicles for customer perusal. The Chevy Trax is a subcompact model that has been sold … Read more
A midsize sedan with a large interior. The New York Auto Show is all about technology so it seemed fitting that the 2015 Hyundai Sonata would use that venue to showcase whats new from this Korean car manufacturer. The seventh generation Sonata was unveiled this week, a model replete with … Read more
Best selling sedan receives a makeover. The current generation Toyota Camry rolled out for the 2012 model year, as mild of an update as you might find. The overall dimensions of the model remained the same and critics faulted Toyota for playing it safe as it sought to retain its … Read more
Smallest Nissan model gets a big makeover. The subcompact segment is where many young, first-time car buyers look when considering a new car. Pricing typically is in the $15,000-$20,000 price range although more basic models can come in quite a bit lower. In advance of the 2014 New York International … Read more
Lexus needs no introduction, but as Toyota’s luxury brand it has lacked a pair of engine choices that some of its chief competitors offer: diesels and turbocharged engines. Don’t expect to see a diesel-powered Lexus stateside anytime soon — its multiple hybrid offerings fill the need for improved fuel economy. … Read more
Second generation sedan receives available all-wheel drive. The 2015 Hyundai Genesis made its debut at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit this past Jan. Sales will begin this spring for the second generation of this larger rear-wheel drive sedan. The new Genesis advances fluidic sculpture 2.0 or … Read more
Introduced in 2011, the Chrysler 200 took up where the Chrysler Sebring left off. That is, it occupied a position toward the bottom end of the midsize sedan pack. Not so much in sales, rather in looks, engineering, and the execution of the final product. The 200, like the previous … Read more
It is a fact that GM needs a pickup truck hit. Its current generation Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra models are new for 2014, but the six-year-old Ford F-150 continues to outsell these two models by more than 100,000 units annually. Where GM can expect to enjoy some gains has … Read more