A little more than a year ago we saw the return of the GMC Canyon midsize pickup. It arrived as a 2015 model with more efficiency and more capability than the previous Canyon (and Chevy counterpart Colorado). For 2016, GMC offers Canyon with a Duramax turbo diesel engine for segment-leading towing and fuel economy.
A few years ago Subaru rolled out a new small utility vehicle dubbed XV Crosstrek. The little cute ute featured most everything Subaru was known for including Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and a smooth Boxer four-cylinder engine. Trouble was that vehicle was overladen with one thing: its name. For 2016, Subaru introduces the Crosstrek.
Despite the drama surrounding the diesel fuel economy cheating scandal, Volkswagen is still one of the leading producers of automobiles globally. And no matter what unfolds in the wake of its recent problems, the automaker still offers some good vehicles and that includes the 2016 Jetta 1.8T compact sedan with turbocharged gasoline engine.
Last fall, Editor-in-Chief Judie Lipsett Stanford introduced you to the all-new 2016 Kia Optima sedan, a vehicle that leads the brand in sales numbers and is largely responsible for Kia’s improved perception. Recently I got my turn behind the wheel of the midsize sedan to see if her first impressions resonate with others.
One of the most anticipated new vehicles for me to drive this year is the Nissan Titan XD. This Titan is nothing like the previous fullsize pickup from Nissan and it is actually a little bit extra. Powered by an all-new Cummins V-8 turbodiesel, the 2016 Nissan Titan XD looks to shake things up in the pickup market.
The Honda Accord has long been one of the most popular sedans in North America and was the first nameplate built here by the automaker. In its nine generations the model has seen significant upgrades and improvements and for 2016 Accord gets some appreciated styling enhancements along with technology upgrades.
I find myself split on my opinions of the all-new 2016 iA sedan from Scion. And that’s not meant to be a pun as my opinions split almost right down the middle of the vehicle itself. Front? Good. Rear? Not so good. Not to mention the vehicle itself has sort of a split personality.
A few months back I mentioned that it seemed as though I was receiving nothing but repeats from the press fleet of vehicles for review. This is one of those and it arrived in the form of the 2016 GMC Sierra Denali 2500HD 4×4, a nearly identical truck to the unit we reviewed last year.
Mazda has hit it out of the park with the all-new 2016 MX-5 Miata roadster. Now in its fourth generation, the new car is lighter, smaller and quicker than the model it replaces while still offering affordable fun. Following the mantra of Jinba Ittai (pairing the driver as one with the car) designers and engineers have created a little masterpiece.
Update: We’ve been getting a lot of calls and emails offering us vehicles to restore. To be clear, Gear Diary is not the company doing the restorations, and we can not forward your requests to Martin Brothers. Thank you for your understanding. 🙂
It’s an age-old problem: you park your car, go walking down the street to shop or dine, come out — and you’ve forgotten where you’ve parked your car! Worse yet, there’s always the chance of missing the cut-off point when your parking meter runs out of time. The solution? A nonda ZUS Smart Car Finder and USB Car Charger.
No sooner does Scion release a couple of all new vehicles than its parent company Toyota Motor Sales announces the division will be mothballed. Fortunately it appears the Scion vehicles will be rolled back into the Toyota production lineup as they are all very worthy including the newest hatchback, the Scion iM.
I am constantly asked what the best three-row crossover vehicle is and for many years my answer has not waivered: a minivan. I am still a firm believer that the ultimate utility comes from a model that receives so little respect these days, and recently we got a (final) look at the granddaddy of them, the Dodge Grand Caravan.
Longer, lower, livelier…these are the three L’s to live by in the all-new 2016 Nissan Maxima. This is the eight-generation for the flagship four-door that leads the Nissan lineup and the automaker swears this four-door sports car – created by driving enthusiasts for driving enthusiasts – is its best yet.
Want something that looks like an SUV, handles like a sports car, that comes with all the bells and whistles without breaking the bank? You’ll want to look at the 2017 Kia Sportage CUV. I recently tried it out, and I came away impressed. Get this — the top of the line model with every option can be had for $34K!
The test driveway has been treated to a couple of hot little Italians in the form of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider and, most recently, the Fiat 500 Abarth Cabrio. They both reside under the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles umbrella, both feature a cloth top that opens, and they both have turbocharged, four-cylinder engines.
Crossover utility vehicles are to the new millennium what minivans were to the late ‘80s and early ‘90s: all the rage. It seems, however, that many CUV designs blend together, especially when friends try to describe one they don’t know the name or brand of. GMC’s latest, the Terrain, sought to step apart from that confusing landscape.
The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is to driving what Fifty Shades of Grey is to Valentine’s Day. It is not subtle and it is not always pleasant. It is spank-your-ass driving that, when done, leaves you with a feeling like few other experiences in your life. This car is a seductress and it is a dominatrix.
As I eagerly await some more new vehicles to review (models I have not tested in the past couple of years) I will update you on some familiar fascias that have arrived in the test driveway recently. We first looked at the new Jeep Cherokee two years ago and the recent Trailhawk tester featured a couple of updates.
What is the longest-running nameplate in the automotive industry? If you said Suburban you would be correct. Now in its 81st production year, the Chevrolet Suburban Carryall offers all of the latest safety and infotainment technology available while still being the mother of modern land yachts to transport families and their stuff.
Toyota has been making trucks for fifty years and twenty years ago it introduced the Tacoma pickup. For the past ten years, Toyota has dominated the midsize truck segment and, for 2016, Tacoma is all new. Designers and engineers have rebuilt Tacoma from the ground up to make this model the best yet.