I have a favorite new sport sedan and its the 2014 Chevy SS. This is Chevrolet’s first rear-drive performance sedan in nearly two decades and that last one had a nickname of “Shamu.” The Chevrolet SS sedan utilizes GM’s global rear-wheel-drive architecture that also underpins the Camaro but the new SS is more than merely a four-door Camaro, much more.
As most have probably already learned, there is very little sport in sport utility vehicles. Generally they lean much heavier to the utility side of the equation. Unless you are the new Volvo XC60 R-Design with Polestar package and that is exactly what Volvo recently sent us. Sport…Utility…Vee-hickle – a midsize luxury SUV with a real emphasis on sport.
The Ford Focus was just named the best-selling car in the world according to Polk new vehicle registration data from IHS Automotive, so what better way for the automaker to celebrate than change it? Ford recently debuted the new hatch and the next Focus sedan will bow at the New York International Auto Show next week.
When Chevrolet introduced its new Silverado pickup model for 2014, GMC was also celebrating a new truck along with 111 years in the truck business. Sierra is GMC’s pickup line, and Denali is the range-topping package that recently arrived for us to test. The 2014 GMC Sierra Denali is their most powerful, most advanced and most refined truck yet.
You’ve probably seen the commercial, the one where the “know-it-all” guys are yelling at the female motorist telling her she is about to pump diesel fuel in her tank. Not sure how that campaign worked for Audi getting its point across that an attractive, quiet automobile can be a diesel, but driving the 2014 Audi A6 TDI sure works.
With the recent departure of the Compass model from Jeep showrooms, the automaker now anchors the entry end of its lineup with the Patriot compact SUV that boasts Jeep styling, Trail Rated 4×4 capability and, according to Jeep, is still the best priced SUV in America. For 2014 Patriot now offers up to 30 mpg thanks to a new transmission.
Last year, Senior Editor Dan Cohen and I were introduced to the new 2014 Toyota Tundra fullsize pickup in separate launch events, his in an eastern state and mine out west. In his review, Dan began a conversation related to consumers who buy trucks out of necessity, but here in the Lone Star State, many are purchased merely for want.
The Mazda3 recently turned 10 years old, and to celebrate the automaker gave the world an all-new, third-generation model. Mazda‘s been a bridesmaid to other Japanese automakers for years, but with new releases like the CX-5, Mazda6 and this little gem, Mazda proves it deserves to be in the same conversations as the likes of Toyota and Honda.
I have written about this before, but I believe it bears repeating – model year 2014 is a great one for Jeep Grand Cherokee. So far we have tested the base V-6 model and the top-of-the-line, no holds barred SRT version and loved both. Now we take a look at the all-new 730-mile range EcoDiesel Grand Cherokee.
Camera straps have a significant purpose – they are designed to protect your investment in case of accidents, clumsiness, etc. while also freeing up your hands while not shooting. For many, however, the traditional neck/shoulder strap is not their thing, and for these individuals Joby introduces UltraFit Hand Strap with UltraPlate designed for comfort, convenience and security.
Last year we reviewed the ninth-generation Honda Accord sedan that quickly became one of our favorite new rides. Fast-forward a year, and we test the newest of that family in the form of the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid with the most significant difference being the next-generation two-motor hybrid-drive powertrain and, just like that, Honda has another hit on its hands.
There is a wolf in sheep’s clothing over in the Lexus stable and it comes in the form of the flagship 2014 Lexus LX 570 full-size luxury SUV. Be it atop the Continental Divide or the swankiest new spot in South Beach, occupants arrive in opulent style for any occasion in any location in this capable three-row luxury utility vehicle.
Last month we saw Lincoln take the wraps off its newest flagship SUV – the 2015 Navigator – and with it waved goodbye to the last V-8 engine (for now at least) from that storied automaker. This week Ford is debuting the next Expedition full-size SUV that also sheds the V-8 for the powerful, economical twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6.
I know what you did last summer, Acura. You brought to market the all-new 2014 MDX luxury crossover, your best-selling vehicle for all of last year. You made the new model more comfortable and more fuel-efficient while giving it better performance and yet you managed to keep it one of the best values in the segment.
Despite hitting a setback in sales volume due to winter weather recently, the midsize sedan market is a hot segment. Consider the competition: Accord, Camry, Fusion, Malibu and Avenger. In an attempt to make its car more populous in driveways than rental fleet lots, Dodge offers special edition Avengers such as this 2014 Dodge Avenger Blacktop.
Most of us know that GM and Toyota battle it out each year for global auto sales leadership, but how many of you know who is the No. 3 automaker in the world? If you said (guessed) Volkswagen, you are correct, and thanks to ‘people’s cars’ such as the 2014 Passat, VW will not be relinquishing that position anytime soon.
The first Ford Mustang-themed pinball game was introduced in 1964 and this week, honoring 50 years of the Pony car, Stern Pinball debuts three new Mustang-themed pinball games at the Chicago Auto Show. The new games will pay homage to such icons as Boss 302, Boss 351, Boss 429, the original 1965 Mustang and the upcoming all-new 2015 Pony car.
For years, professional photographers and filmmakers have been using light meters to tell them just how bright or dim the scene being recorded is but these handheld meters are rather pricey. The Luxi system from Extrasensory Devices is a diffusion dome attachment that clips on your iPhone and provides a very good, very affordable alternative to those expensive professional meters.
What is that sleek, sophisticated and dynamic new sport ute you just saw? According to Toyota it is the all-new third-generation 2014 Highlander. While previous models were very good in their own right, the new Highlander may just be the epitome of the saying ‘Third time’s the charm’ by delivering more style, more comfort and more utility and capability.
As the buzz from the North American International Auto Show begins to wane, Lincoln (that other car company from Ford) has unveiled to the world its next Navigator full-size SUV. Arriving this fall, the 2015 Lincoln Navigator (the Lincoln that does NOT use the “MK” nomenclature in its name) is all-new inside and out and will be powered by EcoBoost.
It has been about five years since we last saw an “all-new” Mazda6, and that was about five years after Mazda first introduced the new midsize sedan to the world as a replacement for the 626. In that time it’s made valiant attempts at grabbing marketshare from key competitors Accord and Camry, but efforts always fell short – until now.