Vehicles & Gear

2013 Cadillac ATS Premium Turbo

Cadillac has a new compact car. It is called the ATS and it is almost enough to forgive the luxury division at GM for that horrible first foray into the compact segment dubbed Cimarron, the turtle-like Chevy Citation knock-off of the 80s. Almost. ATS arrives as an all-new, lightweight entry luxury sedan in rear-wheel drive architecture offering a trio of powertrain options – two four-cylinder models and a V-6.


Say Hello to My (New) Little Friend, the 2013 Ford Focus ST

As I sat around lamenting the departure of the fun little Volvo C30 hatchback from US soil, my friends at Ford assured me they had a new car that would make me forget all about the saucy Swedish runabout, and they were right. Goodbye C30 – hello Focus ST! Yes, Ford’s global Sport Technologies medical staff delivered the perfect prescription for my hot hatch blues by rolling in here with the new five-door Focus ST boasting 252 horsepower, 270 lb. ft. of torque and a top speed of 154 mph – all the while delivering more than 30 mpg on…


2013 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT All About Value and Functionality

An automotive anniversary is quietly approaching, but I doubt anyone will notice. Of course I am not talking about the 50th anniversary of Mustang – no, I am speaking of the 30th anniversary of the minivan. Yes, that once-ubiquitous soccer-mom vehicle is still rolling off the assembly lines despite being outpaced over the last two decades by SUVs and CUVs. While the number of models available are about half what they were 20 years ago, the granddaddy of them all – the Caravan from Dodge – is getting ready to hit the big 3-0. Now offered only in Grand Caravan…


2014 Kia Cadenza Stylishly Conquers the Pacific Coast

Last week I was invited to test drive the 2014 Kia Cadenza along with a small group of other bloggers and auto journalists. The location Kia chose couldn’t have been more beautiful; we arrived in San Diego on Wednesday afternoon and took a short ride 20 miles north to Del Mar, an oceanside resort town. We stayed at the L’Auberge Del Mar, a 120 room boutique hotel on a hill overlooking the ocean. Our views were spectacular. I heard repeated apologies from Southern Californians for the “May Gray” (overcast skies) we were experiencing, which made me laugh; I was steps from…


2013 Acura RDX Graduates with Honors

Almost as if being handed its diploma and told to get a job, Acura has shed the frat-boy “hoodie” of the first-generation RDX crossover for a suit and tie on model year 2013. Gone is the chiseled styling and the (much beloved) spunky turbo four with Acura opting instead for more mainstream body lines and a smooth V-6 engine. RDX has been (barely) surviving in the shadows of the likes of the Lexus RX and BMW X3 and it appears Acura is tired of playing second (or fourth or fifth) fiddle to the segment leaders and is copying pages out…


2013 Chevrolet Suburban is the Prairie Schooner of the Modern World

The Suburban Carryall – prairie schooner of the modern era, the longest-running nameplate in the automotive industry, the original SUV. As Chevrolet heads into fall production of its iconic Suburban fullsize family hauler, it enters the 79th year of production of the model all the while keeping faithful to its initial concept of spaciousness and capability. The 2013 Suburban is built on the GMT900 body-on-frame truck platform underpinning all of its current pickup and fullsize SUV models. It is offered in two- or four-wheel drive and in half- (1500) and three-quarter- (2500) ton models. Powering the 1500 series (like the…


2013 Subaru BRZ is a Driver’s New Best Friend

Car and Driver 10Best; Cars.com Best of 2103; Ward’s 10 Best Engines 2013; Kiplinger Personal Finance Class Winner – I don’t think Subaru anticipated just how well received the new BRZ sports car would be when co-developing it with partner Scion. Saying the 2013 BRZ from Subaru and its twin FR-S from Scion are big hits is an understatement. With the visit of the Subie recently I have tested models from both automakers, and true to the partnership they are nearly identical save from some very minor styling and suspension changes. While testing the FR-S on the track in both…


2013 Cadillac XTS AWD

Cadillac, like so many automakers, has gone through a product transformation of late. Adding new models, discontinuing others, all the while attempting to reach new clientele without losing the base customers that got them here. Large, luxurious land yachts have always been the staple at Cadillac but to look at the current lineup one would be left scratching their head. Where have all the big cars gone? Yes, Lincoln and Cadillac have abandoned (at least for now) the “land yacht” stereotype and offer smaller, more fuel-efficient models across the board leaving not only consumers but commercial and livery customers wondering…


2013 Ford Shelby GT500 is All That

OMG has been waiting for a moment like this – the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 – a car that absolutely epitomizes the philosophy of “shut up and drive.” Oh-My-Gawd! I find difficulty in accurately describing my first experience behind the wheel of the latest Shelby model Mustang save to say that this car is definitely not for everyone and there should probably be required background checks for those wishing to purchase one. It is a beast. It is mean and nasty. It has the most power ever in a Mustang (or any factory V-8). Heck, it’s got launch control! (And…


2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid for Earth Day

Let’s face it – going green will cost you, at least when it comes to your automobile. Nearly every automaker charges a premium for their most environmentally sensitive models when compared to comparable gas-only alternatives. At Volkswagen things are no different. The last new Jetta we tested was the TDI turbo-diesel model that arrived at the high end of the pricing spectrum for the model line. Now the German automaker offers a gasoline/electric hybrid version its popular compact sedan and it tops the Jetta pricing scale. Part of the reason is research and development costs need to be recuperated while…


2013 Nissan Titan Pickup is Upgraded ‘Status Quo’

Despite much of its lineup receiving significant (and much needed) makeovers recently, Nissan boasts a vehicle that is perhaps the “longest in the tooth”, as it is still basically in its first iteration in the form of the Titan fullsize pickup. The Nissan Titan first appeared at the 2003 Detroit Auto Show, and later that fall as the first full half-ton pickup for the automaker. It arrived with very simple choices for the consumer in the fact it offered only one engine and one transmission on a chassis featuring king or crew cab compartments and two- or four-wheel drive. Since…


Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Finally Earns ‘Thumbs Up’ UPDATED

It has been a few years since a Ford F-150 Raptor has graced our test driveway, and in that time the model has seen a few enhancements to what is already a ‘roided-up version of Ford’s best-selling vehicle in North America. While the SVT Raptor is basically a Baja truck with NHTSA safety equipment and license plates, Ford includes its full complement of creature comforts as well. Thankfully that now allows for a SuperCrew cab variant and the beefier 411hp 6.2-liter V-8 engine mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. This tradeoff is fuel economy of course, and in 4×2 mode…


2013 BMW X1 Sport Activity Vehicle Bleeds 3-series DNA

BMW is a marque used by many automotive journalists as their “industry standard.” While I do not agree with many of my colleagues across the board on this, for me the X3 crossover from Bavaria is at the top of its game so there was much anticipation when the automaker brought its newest cute ute to the states in the form of the X1 Sport Activity Vehicle (BMW-speak for crossover utility vehicle). The 2013 BMW X1 is based on the 3-series automobile platform and offers many of the same creature comforts and attributes of the sedan and coupe models albeit with…


Ford Adds More ‘Sport’ to the 2013 Ford Explorer SUV

Ford “reinvented” its popular Explorer sport ute for the 2011 model year, shedding its frame-based roots for a unibody platform shared with the likes of Taurus and Flex. For 2013, Ford is adding the option of the twin-turbo V-6 EcoBoost engine in the midsize ute – calling the new model Explorer Sport. To add more of a sporty nature in the new Explorer Sport, engineers beefed up the platform rigidity to allow for the added power while also enhancing ride and lateral stability. A new crossmember was added underneath the transmission tunnel area and the front strut tower supports were…


2013 Toyota Highlander Limited 4WD in the Grinding Gears Garage

Toyota claims its Highlander midsize crossover utility vehicle pioneered the segment that saw traditional frame-based carry-alls attain more carlike attributes by converting to unibody architectures. Despite that, Highlander never really became a “household name.” That’s kind of a shame, as Toyota’s midsizer offers quite a few variants of its three-row CUV including choice of powertrains – four- or six-cylinder gas or hybrid engines – and front- or full-time four-wheel drive, along with choice of base, SE, Limited or new Highlander Plus trim grades. The current Highlander is the second-generation of the nameplate that received a mid-cycle refresh a few years…


Chevy Volt at SXSWi Review

Chevy Volt, loaned to me for the week of South by Southwest Interactive for review purposes When it comes to car reviews, Gear Diary has some experienced people to check things out for you. But this time, neither our intrepid (and superlative) car reviewer David Goodspeed — and how excellent is that a name for a car reviewer, right? “Goodspeed”? Awesome! — nor our fearless lead editor, Judie (who has done car reviews before as well), could attend South by Southwest Interactive (SXSWi) this year. On the other hand, ol’ Doug lives in Austin. So I got the chance, for the…


Survey Says Japanese Motorcycles More Reliable Than American and German Bikes

Consumer Reports has just released its first-ever motorcycle reliability survey and – as if mimicking recent automotive surveys – Japanese motorcycles ranked better than American and German models. The survey, conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, says about one in four Harley-Davidson owners reported a major problem in the first four years of ownership, and that BMW motorcycles had even more problems reported than that. By comparison, the study showed only one in ten Yamaha owners had issues, followed closely by Kawasaki and Honda. Despite experiencing a higher rate of problems with their motorcycles, Harley and BMW owners…


2013 Ford Escape in the Grinding Gears Garage

Compact utility vehicles are all the rage these days, and in recent weeks (and months) many have graced my test driveway. Automakers near and far are seeking ways to stand out from one another in a bid for the consumer’s attention and at Ford that is certainly no different. For 2013, Big Blue Oval has completely overhauled its popular little Escape (that is still deems a sport utility vehicle), updating not only styling but powertrains as well. Three engines are now offered in the Escape, two of them EcoBoost turbo models. Our recent tester arrived sort of “middle-of-the-road” in SE…


Hyundai Takes Social Bloggers to Coronado for the New Santa Fe!

As I had written previously, the folks at Hyundai took a group of ‘social bloggers’ to Park City, UT last August to introduce the new 2013 Santa Fe Sport. My review was highly favorable, but what was missing for me was the full-sized Santa Fe 6/7 passenger model – Hyundai teased that model, but we weren’t allowed to take pictures, get in or even touch the pre-production model they brought. However, they told us that once it was ready to launch we would be able to get a hands-on look. This weekend the made good on that promise, as Hyundai…


A Fond (and Fun) Farewell for the 2013 Volvo C30

Hot Hatches – boy, how I love ‘em, whether it’s the celebrated green chile pepper from New Mexico or a cool baby wagon from an automaker such as Audi, Mazda or Volvo. Unfortunately we have to bid farewell to one of them, the Volvo C30. C30 is the baby in the Volvo lineup here in the States. It was launched in 2006 to give Germany a run for its money in the premium sport hatch segment. It’s my guess that during development Volvo engineers nicknamed the C30 “Jack,” as in “Jack be nimble, Jack be quick.” It certainly is. But…


Preparing to Check Out the New Hyundai Santa Fe

Last August the folks at Hyundai took a bunch of non-auto-centric bloggers to Park City, Utah to check out the new 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. I described the experience here and the drive test here. It was a great experience, and the only thing missing was the full-sized 3-row Santa Fe. Now that is ready and today I am preparing to check out the New Hyundai Santa Fe ! This time the folks at Hyundai are taking us to Coronado, California. For those who don’t know, Coronado is “an affluent resort city located in San Diego County, California, across…