Jaguar is on the prowl. This marque’s midsize XF is simply a star. More than once I’ve been asked by car fans for the precise year when Jaguar began its momentous renaissance. I immediately direct them to the midsize XF sedan, a model introduced in 2007 (2009 in North America) … Read more
Are diesels better than gasoline engines? A significant segment of the consumer market thinks so, especially in Europe, where such engines compose nearly half the vehicles purchased. The Allure of Diesel Engines In the US, diesels have had difficulty gaining acceptance, with heavy-duty pickup trucks and German luxury cars among … Read more
A final look at the outgoing Hyundai Genesis. The Hyundai Genesis is marketed as a “premium luxury sedan” and is the first upscale model sold by this Korean manufacturer in North America. Introduced in 2009, it was soon joined by the unrelated Genesis Coupe and the still larger Hyundai Equus. … Read more
Infiniti’s athletic midsize sedan can be had in an extended wheelbase version. The elongated model delivers best-in-class rear seat legroom. The luxury market is an intensely competitive one with BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus seated as the top sellers. The first two marques rely on diesels to supplement their gasoline offerings; … Read more
Audi has the luxury utility vehicle market sewn up. The German automaker offers three distinct model lines — Q3, Q5 and Q7 — along with the Allroad and the very wagon-like A3 Sportback e-tron, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a very sensible price. What is missing from the Audi … Read more
Automotive analysts drive me nuts! Well, not all — after all, I am an analyst myself. What infuriates me is when any purported expert or analyst takes data and uses that to argue a point, a baseless one in particular. For example, some people are pointing to Cadillac’s current sales … Read more
Of all the car segments available, large or flagship sedans have taken a punch. Most of the larger mainstream brands still offer them, but they’ve been overshadowed by midsize sedans for years. Then there are those boring crossovers that seem to be everywhere. Chevrolet has its Impala, Ford markets the … Read more
The Nissan Juke is so ugly that it is beautiful. Its design is polarizing, the dimensions seem too short, but this tiny crossover sport utility vehicle is simply a hoot to drive. That’s something I can personally confirm, having spent three times in the past four years driving one. The … Read more
When taking to the road, you need a reliable car. A meaningful bonus is any model that gets you there in style. This past week an Infiniti QX80 was my weekly driver and I also received an added bonus of my own: permission to take it Washington, DC, and back, … Read more
In the Hyundai pecking order, the Azera sits between the midsize Sonata and the luxury Genesis sedan. That placement means that this large sedan has intense competition coming from below and above as well as from its competitors. The Hyundai Azera continues to fall far short of sales projections, missing … Read more