The upscale brands are embracing their crossovers, SUVs that ride more like a car than a truck. Infiniti is no exception, offering three models plus the QX56 SUV. I got a hold of one of the last of the 2013 models for my weekly drive, the all-new Infiniti JX35, what … Read more
Buick Encore: Premium, subcompact crossover SUV. Most Buick and GMC vehicles are sold under one roof, part of a strategy that GM put forth more than two decades ago. Pontiac was included in that directive, one that made it possible for consumers to shop across three brands and inspect numerous … Read more
Acura MDX The Acura MDX is a seven-passenger midsize luxury crossover sport utility vehicle. It is sold in front- and all-wheel drive configurations and is priced from $42,990. Introduced in 2001, the 2014 Acura MDX begins the third generation for this model. Model Highlights The MDX features the brand’s “jewel eye” look … Read more
Youngsters the world over are fascinated with LEGO toys, those colorful, inter-locking plastic bricks that can be crafted into virtually any design. My two sons are no exception, so when my oldest boy found out about a show featuring LEGO artist, Nathan Sawaya, being held in Alamance County, NC, we … Read more
Toyota FJ Cruiser If the Toyota FJ Cruiser looks like a much older design than what it is, you’ll be forgiven for making that mistake. The FJ Cruiser has been on the market since 2007, but its a model that points to Toyota’s heritage, specifically its ability to make Jeep-like … Read more
The Dodge Grand Caravan is the antithesis of a sports car, a wholly practical vehicle that has dutifully served as a family hauler for the past three decades. When the Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan were introduced in 1983, a new vehicle segment, minivans, was introduced. The Grand Caravan, a … Read more
There is nothing ordinary about the Nissan Juke NISMO. Take one part SUV and another part rally car and what you have are the makings of a highly unusual vehicle. About as unusual as the Nissan Cube, but one that provides a far superior driving experience than its quadrate platform … Read more
Fourth-generation Subaru Forester debuts. Subaru has the midas touch as everything it makes seems to turn to gold. This Japanese automaker is much smaller than its homegrown contemporaries Toyota, Nissan and Honda but it may yet avoid the fate of its even smaller rivals that have left the US market … Read more
Large and luxurious sport utility vehicles are a small segment with Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, Lincoln and Lexus each fielding a model. The Infiniti QX56 should be named among them, a handsome three-row SUV that is based on a traditional body-on-frame platform. Our latest weekly drive was the 2013 Infiniti QX56, a … Read more
The automotive market is filled with compact crossover sport utility vehicles, a segment typically identified as five-passenger front- and all-wheel-drive models. Top models include the Toyota RAV4, Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Equinox and the Nissan Rogue. The Mitsubishi Outlander also competes in this segment, bringing an all-new model to … Read more
GLK250 is priced from $38,950. The German car manufacturers including Mercedes Benz have taken a leadership position in introducing new diesel products in recent years. Along with BMW and the Volkswagen Group, today’s diesel engines are quieter, fuel efficient and clean burning. They are also 50-state compliant as the current … Read more
The fifth generation Toyota 4Runner has been revealed, a midsize sport utility vehicle with standard seating for five or optional seating for seven. Like each model built to date, the all-new Toyota 4Runner features body-on-frame construction, an arrangement that makes it possible for the optional 44 model to handle off-road … Read more
Dodge Durango Dodge’s midsize crossover utility vehicle. A number of traditional body-on-frame sport utility vehicles have made the transition to a unibody chassis including the Ford Explorer and more recently the Nissan Pathfinder. Although off-roading capabilities are typically limited, these crossover SUVs are more rigid, quieter and provide improved fuel … Read more
The third generation Toyota Highlander has made its debut, taking a bow at the 2013 New York International Auto Show. The 2014 model receives a new exterior design and offers an upgraded, premium interior with technological and safety updates. This midsize crossover sport utility vehicle seats up to eight and … Read more
One of the most popular names in modern day Jeepdom is Cherokee, an appellation ascribed to not to one, but two models. The Cherokee name first appeared in the 1970s and was essentially the cheaper version of the Wagoneer. In the 1980s, a new model emerged, and this time it … Read more
Newest and smallest Buick is available for sale. Following a December 2012 dealer preview, the all-new 2013 Buick Encore is on its way to Buick-GMC retail outlets. The subcompact crossover SUV, a first for the Buick brand, is a 2013 model. It will retail from $24,950 and features standard front-wheel-drive … Read more
First ever diesel hybrid showcased by VW. Since the late 1990s, we have seen a slew of hybrid vehicles enter the market with Honda and Toyota leading the way. Other manufacturers including Ford, GM, Chrysler, Hyundai and Kia have jumped in, while the German companies have chosen to stay out … Read more
Car manufacturers routinely introduce concept vehicles at popular auto shows to gauge customer and media feedback. Though most concepts are never built, in recent years weve seen a greater tendency for automakers to present a new idea and quickly find a way to bring that vehicle or something like it … Read more
Estimating gas mileage is something that the Environmental Protection Agency leaves in the hands of car manufacturers. The mileage that you see published on the window sticker represents an estimate for city and highway driving as well as a combined mileage estimate based on 55 percent local driving and 45 … Read more
Jeep Heroes Jeeps are a lot like heroes. Tony Stark builds advanced armored suits and flies around in them fighting evil, when not roaming the concrete jungle in high-powered sports cars. James Bond is kind of like that. Except instead of donning armored suits, he wears bespoke Italian dinner jackets. … Read more
Luxury off-road favorite receives a nip/tuck. African safari venturers are accustomed to enjoying safe rides and may be escorted through Botswanian lion country or through a South African game preserve in the sturdiest of vehicles. The Mercedes-Benz G-Class, an iconic sport utility vehicle with upright pillars and rugged good looks, … Read more
Small crossover is big on amenities. GMC Terrain offers a more chiseled exteriorthan its Chevrolet cousin. Among compact SUV nameplates, the 5-passenger GMC Terrain is one of the newest on the market, introduced for the 2010 model year. Available in front- and all-wheel-drive, this spacious crossover is related to the … Read more
Sibling to the Jeep Liberty, the Dodge Nitro was introduced for the model year 2007, a five-passenger unibody sport utility vehicle designed for on- and off-road use. Like the Liberty, the Nitro goes places most modern SUVs cannot go; unlike the Liberty, this Nitro has an edgy, retro look representing … Read more
Your Porsche Cayenne is truly one hot SUV! But, have you outfitted your ride the way that you want it to be? Aftermarket accessories and supplies can personalize and protect your Cayenne so we’ve listed seven “must have” items for Porsche enthusiasts. Porsche faithful nearly died several years back when … Read more