A CVT works with an engine in sending power to the wheels. Every car out there must have a transmission, even the electric cars have a fixed transmission(1), so the first question is what even is a transmission? Basically, a transmission takes the engine’s rotation speed (RPM) and divides it … Read more
Straddling the space between subcompact and compact SUV. The Nissan Rogue Sport is an all-new model or at least it is new to North America. Not to confuse it with the Nissan Rogue, the Rogue Sport is smaller than the compact Rogue, yet larger than the tiny Juke. Thus, it … Read more
New Sport trim adds pop to the Legacy line. Subaru can no longer be considered a niche car manufacturer. Fresh off its eighth consecutive year of record growth, this burgeoning Japanese brand continues to attract a wider base of American car shoppers, thanks in large part to its SUV-skewed lineup. … Read more
Nissan chooses a major refresh for the fourth year of its current generation compact Sentra sedan. Consumers are flocking to crossover utility vehicles and leaving cars, particularly sedans, in the dust. Despite that significant shift, some manufacturers are investing more money in small and medium-sized sedans and hatchbacks in an … Read more
Corrected MPG on Dec. 29, 2018. Should Subaru still be considered a niche car manufacturer? In some ways, it still is as its product line and sales are skewed toward utility vehicles. At the same time, this manufacturer has seen its US sales triple since 2007, an amazing trajectory that … Read more
There are no lack of SUVs on the market and Nissan itself is well represented. From its diminutive Juke to its burly Armada, there is something for everyone — six lines of utility vehicles to choose from. A Nissan Murano was a recent weekly driver, a five-passenger midsize crossover SUV. … Read more
The 2015 Nissan Versa Note, a five-door subcompact hatchback. Someone at Nissan has a sense of humor. Or perhaps they are a glutton for punishment. Not two weeks went by when a mind-blowing Nissan GT-R was followed by a proletarian Nissan Versa Note, representing the apex and nadir of this … Read more
The Subaru Outback is not emotive, but it offers an impregnable alternative to the small SUVs on the market. Select the base flathead engine with the premium trim line and this model stays just under the $30,000 price threshold. Subaru’s successes in recent years are well noted, what has transformed … Read more
Behind the wheel of Nissan’s best seller. The Nissan Altima is as American as any sedan gets. Built in Canton, Mississippi, this five-passenger, front-wheel drive midsize sedan features a chrome-wrapped grille, long overhangs and generous room inside. But it is built by a Japanese manufacturer, Nissan, a company that has … Read more
Heated seats, power accessories and a CVT. Survey Nissan’s product line and you will find multiple models priced from under $20,000. That price point is important for some consumers, especially people who simply do not want to pay anywhere near the current $31,200 average price for a new car. 2014 … Read more
Driving the little van that could. Cars, trucks, utility vehicles and vans have come and gone, but there has been nothing quite like the 2014 Nissan NV200 Cargo Van that was a recent weekly driver. For one thing, the compact Nissan was the first model supplied by a manufacturer’s commercial … 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
Small sedan provides big value. The Toyota Corolla may offer the best bang for the buck, a five passenger front-wheel drive sedan that can be had for under $20,000. Corolla is the best selling vehicle of all time, a compact model that competes against the Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, Volkswagen … 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
The Nissan Pathfinder made its US debut for the 1987 model year originally as a five-passenger SUV powered by a standard 2.4-liter four or an optional 3.0-liter V-6 engine. It was based on Nissan’s small truck platform and it stayed that way for three generations. 2013 Nissan Pathfinder Beginning in … Read more