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.
For nearly 75 years, Jeep has been not only one of the most capable vehicles in the world, it’s most recognized as well. The Jeep Wrangler is also one of the most-honored vehicles in the off-road spectrum, so what better way to spend nearly a week of icy winter weather than behind the wheel of the 2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.
According to Jeep, the Grand Cherokee premium sport utility is the most awarded SUV…ever. Those are some pretty big bragging rights, but after driving the new Grand Cherokee it is easy to see why this model is second to none in a category transitioning from rural bumpkin to metropolitan mainstay as automakers retool the segment for more urban adventures.
In my third and final rerun review for October, we revisit the all-new Nissan Pathfinder mid-size sport utility vehicle. Model year 2013 saw a switch to a three-row, unibody chassis SUV, a popular move apparently as we found our test vehicle getting quite a few positive comments from folks we encountered during our week behind the wheel.
General Motors has finally taken the wraps off its next-generation full-size SUVs as they introduce the all-new 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban and 2015 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL in a trio of events Thursday. Designed to demonstrate the automaker’s leadership in the segment, the new models show off new styling, new technologies and new powertrains. While GM held separate events on each coast to introduce its newest Chevrolet and GMC full-size SUV models, they brought the family together for a global family launch party in Dallas, Texas, not 20 miles from the Arlington Assembly Plant where they will be…
As I mentioned in a brief post the other day, last week I had the opportunity to travel to south-western Pennsylvania to stay at the Nemocolin Woodlands Resort and see, and drive, the 2014 Toyota Tundra and 2014 Toyota 4Runner. The resort was amazing and served as a terrific backdrop for getting to know the new Tundra and 4Runner. What follows is a brief description of our day along with some details on two lines of trucks that — spoiler alert — impressed the heck out of me. A bit of background. On farms throughout America, pickup trucks are like a member…
A year ago, we tested the world’s most expensive Jeep in the form of the Grand Cherokee SRT8, a vehicle I stated was apparently intended for those with plenty of disposable income and pay little attention to fuel prices. For the 2014 model year little has changed, save for the fact that gas prices have inched up a bit along with the sticker price of the new model while its badging shaves a character. Plus the new ride gets some new styling and a new gearbox. Jeep has given the entire Grand Cherokee lineup all-new styling for the 2014 models…
During this week’s Press Preview of the 2014 Toyota Tundra and 2014 Toyota 4Runner, we had a chance to spend some “quality time” in different models of each truck. And while we spent some time with the trucks on nicely paved roads, we also had a chance to go off-road with both vehicles. The event took place on the grounds of the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, PA, a gorgeous resort set on 2,000 wooded acres in the Laurel Highlands of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Here’s a small taste of what it was like off-road in the 4Runner. Toyota had a series…
An “odd duck” of sorts showed up in my driveway recently courtesy Mitsubishi media fleet – a 2013 Outlander Sport crossover utility vehicle. Odd as the automaker has already released an all-new 2014 Outlander but apparently the Sport variant will live on in the previous form for a while longer. We last looked at the Mitsubishi crossover in 2011 when we took delivery of the GT model during a freak winter storm here in North Texas. This time around for our time in the Outlander we got the exact opposite from Mother Nature – Texas heatwave. I have to say…
Design is still the leading factor when purchasing a new vehicle according to Ford Motor Company. The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker opened its 2014 product preview for journalists with a “talk show” format presentation in which Ford president of the Americas Joe Hinrichs and global product development group vice president Raj Nair answered prepared questions about Ford’s present and future. Hinrichs explained Ford’s recent gains in market share are driven by their product and they are committed to continuing aggressive introduction of new products throughout the showroom. Perhaps testimony to that is with a corresponding introduction of an all-new sport truck…
Buick is celebrating its 110th birthday. A quick trip down memory lane brings back such iconic models as Century, Roadmaster, Skylark, Riviera and Regal. The new era of Buick features a new Regal as well as a LaCrosse, an Enclave, and now – an Encore. Yes, Buick’s newest member of the fold is also its smallest, entering the staid brand into the subcompact crossover market with a new American entry with global DNA. The 2013 Buick Encore is built in GM’s Korean theater but is designed to appeal to consumers who may still be hesitant to venture over to “that…
In recognizing its behemoth QX fullsize SUV is not for every family, Infiniti has delivered a more of a “right-sized” crossover to meet the needs of families who, in their words, recognize the need to grow up without growing old. Enter the 2013 Infiniti JX35. Cross-developed with the new Pathfinder seven-passenger from Nissan, JX delivers interior flexibility and roominess, safety, three-row seating, performance and a host of hospitality features in something of a familiar package to its customers. Inside and out, JX exudes Infiniti design, style and content while benefitting from corporate research and development along with dipping into shared…
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…
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…
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 “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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
In a little over a decade, the compact crossover/sport utility segment has more than doubled in the number of competitors and they come from all corners of the globe. Automakers have seen sales figures of these vehicles account for nearly 13 percent of all light vehicle sales and they all want a piece of that pie. Toyota introduced its first small SUV, known as the RAV4, in 1994 globally and here in the U.S. the following year. For 2013 the automaker brings an all-new Gen-4 RAV4 that will be sold in more than 150 markets around the world. Since 1995…