Sedans

Ford Focus Electric Quick Drive

It’s been nearly a year since Ford announced official class-leading EPA certification for the Focus Electric, and last month while visiting the automaker I found myself getting a few moments behind the wheel of the EV at the Dearborn, Michigan test facility. Zipping around the track on a frozen morning just outside Detroit, I found the Focus Electric to exhibit surprisingly good acceleration with driving characteristics remaining close to my impressions in a comparable gas model a while back. Acceleration is instant thanks to the qualities of the electric motors, while braking takes a little getting used to as the…

Events, Vehicles & Gear

2014 Kia Forte Test Drive: Compact Sedan with Full-Size Amenities

I live in a part of the country where one is likely to feel out of place if not driving an SUV or a pickup truck, and I like driving a big SUV. That’s not to say that I didn’t enjoy taking the 2014 Kia Forte out for a test drive while recently attending the Kia First Drive event in Scottsdale, however, because there’s just something *fun* about sitting lower to the road and really feeling what’s going on that can’t be duplicated when riding in a jacked-up rig. Kia gave me ample opportunity to experience that sensation during my ~115 test drive…

Vehicles & Gear

2013 Audi S4 Speaks with a German Accent on Fun

When we hear about premium sport sedans from Europe the names BMW and Mercedes are always certain to pop up. But there is a third German marque that bears our attention and it is the from the luxury division of the “People’s car.” It’s called Audi and, in this case specifically, the Audi S4. The S4 is a member of the A4 sedan family that has been around for the past four decades. For 2013, Audi has released the eighth-generation of the 4-series and recently we spent time in a gorgeous S4 quattro. What’s the difference between an A4 and…

Events, Vehicles & Gear

Cadillac ATS and Ram 1500 Named Car/Truck of the Year at NAIAS

Kicking things off on the first day of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit were the announcements of Car and Truck of the Year. This year’s honors went to the Ram 1500 for top truck/utility, and the Cadillac ATS was named North American Car of the Year for 2013. The winners were selected by a jury of 49 automotive journalists from the US and Canada, and the awards were handed out during opening ceremonies at the auto show earlier today. To be eligible, vehicles must be all new or substantially changed for the model year being voted on….

Vehicles & Gear

2013 Volvo S60 R-Design AWD

When looking back on cars I have driven this year there are a few that resonate driving enjoyment and would be nameplates I would like to see in my own driveway permanently. One of the biggest surprises was a Volvo – yes, I said Volvo. The S60 sedan, delivered to me in funky Rebel Blue R-Design form, stood out enough to best the likes of BMW 3-series’ and Infiniti G. And while delivering one of the best-looking products in quite a long time, safety does not take a back seat with the new model. As Volvo has slowly evolved its…

Vehicles & Gear

Grinding Gears Garage welcomes 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Turbo

This past summer I reviewed the new Chevrolet Malibu Eco with the e-Assist start/stop technology. While I liked what the automaker did with the new Malibu overall I was not impressed with my experience with that powertrain. Fast forward to the release of the new Turbo model Malibu and all that changes. I love this new turbocharged direct-injected Ecotec 2.0-liter four-cylinder powerplant and all of its enjoyable 259 horsepower and 260 lb. ft. of torque. That’s quite a punch for a four in a midsize sedan and the new Malibu feels like it is at the top end of the…

Vehicles & Gear

First Drive of all-new 2013 Nissan Sentra

Our recent trip to California with Nissan was a two-part launch program. The first I already brought you in the form of the all-new, unibody-once-again, three-row Pathfinder. The second is the 2013 Sentra compact sedan. Nissan wants to be your sedan destination and part of that, a big part, is this seventh-generation model. The compact segment is now second in total vehicle sales overall, growing to more than 2 million units per year with much of the competition already launching new units or rolling them out soon. Nissan has sold more than 4.3 million Sentras over the past 30 years,…

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

Admiral for a Day as we Test the Flagship 2013 Lexus LS Lineup

On July 30, Lexus introduced its latest LS flagship to the world in a unique “Lexus Laws of Attraction” unveiling exhibit in San Francisco. More recently, we got to spend time behind the wheel of the 2013 models including the new F Sport edition during a regional press event in Tucson, Arizona. Prior to driving we were given a bit of history on the Lexus brand and the LS specifically. Lexus began as an idea in the mind of the head of Toyota Motor Company in 1983 and by 1989 the first Lexus LS was delivered to the world. Since…

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

2012 BMW 335i Luxury Line

The BMW 3-Series luxury sport sedan has long been held up as the “industry standard” in its segment and for 2012 the Bavarian automaker gives us the sixth-generation of this modern icon. Globally, however, the 5-Series sedans sell better and here in the states sales have fallen off a bit for the champ. The reason? The field has become so crowded consumers are spreading their investments across three theaters of production now, those being traditional Europe, Japan, and now newcomer Detroit and the likes of the Cadillac ATS. There is not much I can say here that Bimmer enthusiasts don’t…

Vehicles & Gear

Two Words Came to Mind While Testing the 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid: ‘Why’ and ‘Ouch’

When I first saw the all-new ILX from Acura at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, I wondered to myself, “Why?” Acura already had the TSX sedan with premium content and an attractive appearance, so why would the “luxury” division of Honda create what appears to be a competitive model in its own stable? The new ILX is based on the Honda Civic architecture but looks little like its pedestrian counterpart. And short of calling the new Acura a modern Integra, the automaker comes close by choosing “I” for its moniker. Style-wise, the new ILX reminds me of a…

Vehicles & Gear

2012 Audi A6 Blends Athleticism and Elegance

When Audi was preparing to release the seventh-generation A6 luxury sports sedan, it knew the marque was an improvement over the model it replaces. How much better? Winning the International Design Excellence Award (IDEA) for 2012 AND the coveted red dot award honoring benchmarks in quality for starters, not to mention year-to-date sales increases topping 123 percent for the model. Yeah, it’s that good. Audi’s trophy case is filling nicely since introducing the 2012 A6 model last fall, placing an emphasis on athleticism and elegance. It competes with the BMW 5-Series and E-Class from Mercedes along with the new GS…

Vehicles & Gear

2012 Hyundai Genesis 5.0 R-Spec a True Competitor

Dictionary.com defines the word “Genesis” as a coming into being, an origin or a creation. Hyundai defines Genesis as “a vehicle crafted to rival the world’s premier sport sedans.” When Hyundai introduced its new Genesis sedan lineup to the media a few years back, I wrote, “I define Genesis as the next big thing. Get ready because you are going to be seeing a lot of these cars on the road soon.” Hyundai has basically taken the design elements of the world’s leading luxury sport sedans and combined that with performance parameters of the top rear-wheel-drive models on the road…

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco with eAssist Is a Very Mild Hybrid

For 2013, the Chevrolet Malibu enters its eighth generation and the first version released is the Malibu Eco. Let me begin by saying I love what Chevy has done with the Malibu of late. Vast improvements have been made to styling – inside and out – and the overall driving experience. It was not too long ago when the automaker gave Malibu its due attention, but for 2013 the vehicle needed to be hitched to a new global architecture as this is the model soon to be seen ‘round the world. All that said, I believe this Eco version and…

Vehicles & Gear

First Drive: Forget-Me-Not 2013 Lexus ES 350 and ES 300h

“Impossible to ignore, impossible to forget.” That is the marketing phrase Lexus is using to launch the next-generation ES premium midsize sedan. The 2013 model ES will arrive as the sixth generation of the popular model line. Once a sales leader in the segment, Lexus is pinning its hopes of returning to the top with the new ES that includes – for the first time – a hybrid variant. Lexus anticipates the luxury market to grow this year, especially the entry luxury segment where the ES resides. Currently it has a 17 percent market share between its CT 200h, IS…

Vehicles & Gear

First Drive: 2013 Nissan Altima

Quick, name the No. 2 best-selling car in America last year. Difficult, isn’t it? I, for one, did not realize the Nissan Altima was the second-best selling car in the U.S. in 2011, nor have I really given it much thought (or digital ink) save for the coupe we took to New Orleans a couple of years ago. Altima has been on sale here in the states for two decades now and for 2013 Nissan has decided to lean a little heavier towards revolutionary (as opposed to evolutionary) for what will be the fifth-generation of the car. Granted, they have…

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

The 2012 Buick Regal GS Is a ‘Hot Wheels’

Growing up it seemed as though it was all about my “Hot Wheels,” riding backwards in the rear-most seat of the family truckster, and watching the Indy 500 on Memorial Day weekend. Since then, not too much has changed really. Substitute the Daytona 500 for the Indy race, and I hardly ever ride anymore as I am always driving news cars to review, but it is still all about the “hot wheels” and I don’t just mean the kids’ toy. Sure I have a sizable collection of the little metal cars (including many I owned as a child) but being…

Vehicles & Gear

2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist

Poor Rip Van Winkle, if he were to awake today he would not recognize so many things that have exist today that were not here when he laid down to take his nap. Things like smartphones, American Idol, children not being spanked – and Buick. Sure, Buick was a division of General Motors 20 years ago but it looked nothing like it does today. Perhaps no other automotive division has undergone such a radical product transformation as Buick has in the past two decades. As one of the surviving members in the GM family, Buick dealerships no longer resemble the…

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

2012 Honda Civic Si: It Wasn’t Broke, but They Fixed It Anyway

It wasn’t broke, so why did Honda (try to) fix it? That is a question many have had for Honda after they released the 2012 Civic earlier this year. As with the rest of the model lineup, the sporty Si was made over for 2012, enhancing a low, sleek athletic appearance with a long windshield rake, one that raises some criticism due to the design and construction challenges because of it. Honda continues to employ the split-level instrument panel in the new model and as such some folks will continue to admire it while others are polarized away from that…

News, Vehicles & Gear

Ford Using App for 2013 Fusion Unveil

Want to see the all-new 2013 Ford Fusion sedan? Ford has an app for that. The automaker has released iOS and Android smartphone and device apps to tease the eventual unveil of the vehicle that will occur in the app simultaneously as it does on stage at two stellar events. The 2013 Ford Fusion (which has been named the official car of CES 2012) will be unveiled at both the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month as well as the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. These are two of the biggest shows held in the U.S….

Vehicles & Gear

Good Day at the Track with 2013 Lexus GS Just Got Better

I was planning on introducing you to the all-new 2013 Lexus GS luxury sport sedan this week as I have just returned from an awesome day at the track with the new models, but Judie kind of stole my thunder last week. [Sorry! -Judie] So instead perhaps I will regale you with word of the OTHER Lexus that showed up while us autowriters were putting GS through its paces. Ya’all ever heard of the LFA? Well, Lexus invited us to spend some seat time riding shotgun with factory driver Ron Newsome as we zipped around the road course on the…

Reviews, Vehicles & Gear

Finally, the Real Ford Focus Comes to America

I’ve been waiting for the 2012 Ford Focus for a very long time. Even as Ford was rolling out the red carpet on the last generation Focus compact in 2007 I was waiting for this car. Heck, my anticipation goes back a decade. Well, it’s here and in usual Ford fashion Focus arrived in a flurry of product placement as it has been driven on nearly every reality TV show this year. I first saw the latest Focus in its new plant last December as Ford allowed us an insider view of the assembly facility it had completely rebuilt specifically…

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