Reviews


Quick Spin: 2011 Chevrolet Volt charges toward production

Three years ago this December we first walked into a Manhattan conference room for a background briefing on a new concept being developed by General Motors for the upcoming Detroit Auto Show. Earlier that year, the release of a documentary called Who Killed the Electric Car made the then largest automaker in the world the subject of some well deserved criticism for its handling of the end of the EV1 program. The movie and announcement of the all-electric Tesla Roadster lit a fire under GM to get back into the plug-in electric vehicle game. ... Read more →

Quick Spin: Nissan Leaf the tip of mass market EV spear

Nissan has gone into a back room, pulled out its Ouija board and decided that the time is right to make a huge bet. The Japanese automaker, along with its partner Renault, wants to be the world ...

Review: 2009 Infiniti G37X Sport makes no excuses

"Being close" matters with horseshoes, hand grenades and misguided arithmetic. In past years, the Infiniti G sedan has been close, but compared to the Kaiser of the Klasse, BMW's 3 Series, the G35 ...

First Drive: 2011 Buick Regal prototype looks to be a good sport

There's an odd bit of historical deja vu at work here. Back in the late '60s and early '70s, General Motors wanted to shift a few sporty-ish four-cylinder models from its Opel division into ...

First Drive: 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander GT is a CUV we can live with

Mitsubishi presented its best and brightest rides for us to drive over the course of an eight-hour event in the parched desert oasis of Palm Springs, CA. Everything from a tuned, 290-hp Lancer ...

Review: 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 six-speed reveals its true character 20 days ago on Autoblog

This isn't our first sampling of the reborn Dodge Challenger. We've driven the SE, R/T and SRT8 variants before. However, this time it's different. We've secured a Challenger SRT-8 with a six-speed manual transmission – and it's a whole different breed of bull. The six-speed-equipped ...

First Drive: SMS 570X makes 700 hp, gobs more joy 24 days ago on Autoblog

During the course of a wide-ranging, more than two-hour long conversation, we asked racing legend, aftermarket impresario and SMS namesake Steve Saleen what's the single most important thing he wants Autoblog readers to know about not only his new 700-horsepower 570X, but about SMS as a whole. ...

First Drive: 2010 BMW X6 ActiveHybrid is technologically impressive... but to what end? 25 days ago on Autoblog

BMW's pitch on how great the X6 ActiveHybrid is goes like this: it's the world's most powerful hybrid vehicle, fuel consumption is reduced about 20 percent compared to a similar vehicle without a hybrid drivetrain, and no matter what speed you're going, the incredibly complicated powertrain is ...

Review: 2009 Aston Martin DB9 Volante makes getting away with it half all the fun 26 days ago on Autoblog

Let's say a clandestine organization asked you, for your country, to "take care of" an enemy of the state at tonight's performance of Tosca at The Met. And let's say this organization gave you the choice of any Aston Martin in which to conduct the evening. Which Aston would you choose? If you ...

First Drive: 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG straightens up and flies right 27 days ago on Autoblog

On one hand, it may seem like an odd time for Mercedes to be jumping back into the ultra-premium end of the car market, particularly in light of its recent less-than-standouts efforts (think: McLaren SLR and the salesproof Maybach). But this isn't the case with the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. In ...

First Drive: 2011 Kia Sorento finally crosses over 1 month ago on Autoblog

Sometimes it's hard to remember what you did just yesterday, but think back to 2003 when Kia first introduced the Sorento mid-size SUV. At the time, the market was dominated by body-on-frame vehicles with real honest-to-goodness four-wheel-drive systems and rugged part-time transfer cases. The ...

First Drive: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour goes down the road nicely... but is that enough? 1 month ago on Autoblog

We hadn't been parked but a minute or two when it happened. After about a half an hour wringing out our test subject on what few curvy stretches of road suburban Detroit had to offer, we opportunistically pulled into a roadside fruit stand to snap a few photos before our ride got any dirtier. It ...

First Drive: 2010 Porsche 911 Turbo is Stuttgart's quickest car yet 1 month ago on Autoblog

It's faster to 60 mph than a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 or Ferrari Enzo. Porsche's fastest offerings, including the Carrera GT, GT2 and road-going 911 GT1 "Strassenversion" will only see its LED tail lamps during a typical sprint. Only the unlikely – make that incomprehensible – ...

Review: 2010 Kia Forte continues string of hits from South Korea 1 month ago on Autoblog

It's not that there was much wrong with the Forte's predecessor. In fact, the last time we drove a Kia Spectra, we walked away wondering if anything more might be overkill. The Spectra was good but tended to blend in with a crowd, and Kia's not into playing the role of wallflower anymore. In ...

First Drive: 2010 Dodge Ram HD comes strong with more models, configurations and classier duds 1 month ago on Autoblog

Back in 1993, truck drivers had no choice but to depend on domestic automakers for work-ready pickups, and only Ford and General Motors offered competitive haulers. That all changed a year later when Dodge set the pickup truck market on its leaf springs with the introduction of its all-new Ram. ...

First Drive: 2010 Lincoln MKT EcoBoost has soul of a sports sedan, controversial looks 1 month ago on Autoblog

In 1998, Lincoln's overall sales made it the number one luxury brand in America. The Navigator, Continental and Town Car weren't exactly world beaters – let alone an enthusiast's cup of Darjeeling, but the typical Lincoln buyer was getting precisely what he or she expected: soft, cozy, ...

Review: 2010 Buick LaCrosse CXL aims upmarket and almost hits target 1 month ago on Autoblog

With great fanfare, General Motors has introduced the 2010 Buick LaCrosse, a vehicle with which the automaker hopes to jump-start a sweeping brand transformation for the tired Tri-Shield. For Buick to be a success in GM's post-bailout, post-bankruptcy era, the brand must dump its well-deserved ...

First Drive: 2011 Lexus LFA is wicked and this way comes 1 month ago on Autoblog

It's taken nearly four days to wrap my head around the 2011 Lexus LFA, and if I'm honest, I'm still not halfway there. The combination of a decade-long gestation, a half dozen prototypes comprised of two different materials, a high displacement V10 that cuts fuel at 9,500 RPM and a $375,000 ...

Review: 1970 Hotchkis E-Max Dodge Challenger causes smiles lasting longer than four hours 1 month ago on Autoblog

Before we begin, we have to state up front that we've rarely – if ever – had more fun with a car than we had with the Hotchkis E-Max Challenger. And the loud yellow Dodge was in our possession for maybe five hours. Why are we cutting to the chase like this? Why not structure this ...

Review: Ducati Sport 1000 lives up to its heritage 1 month ago on Autoblog

Ducati. It's a name full of racing heritage and tradition, but it hasn't always been that way. The company's roots are much more humble, first by selling radio equipment before moving into the world of two wheels with a quaint motorized bicycle dubbed the Cucciolo – meaning "puppy" in ...

Review: 1967 Classic Recreations Eleanor Mustang is the real movie deal 1 month ago on Autoblog

H. B. Halicki was a used car salesman who wanted to make a movie. With a little money, one big idea, and a 1971 Mustang Mach 1, he made Gone in 60 Seconds. And in that particular way that movies, especially '70s movies, can be, it wasn't all that good, but it was awesome. Fast forward to Michael ...

First Drive: 2010 Suzuki Kizashi drives brand out of basement, into fast lane 1 month ago on Autoblog

Shut your eyes and say the word "Suzuki" out loud. Unless you're a moto-head or one of those rare Geo Metro fanatics (they exist, trust us), the image that springs to mind isn't very nice. Odds are that the car your subconscious conjures is tiny, cheap and bizarre. It's probably named something ...

First Drive: 2010 Volkswagen Golf evolves the German hatchback 1 month ago on Autoblog

Outside of North America, the Golf has been Volkswagen's bread-and-butter model for more than three decades, making the diminutive hatch one of the best selling global vehicles since its mid-Seventies launch as the Beetle's successor. But in the States, it's a totally different story. Except for ...

Quick Spin: 2010 Nissan Altima a well-mannered sedan without surprises 1 month ago on Autoblog

As the company's number-one global volume vehicle, the Altima is instrumental in keeping the lights on at Nissan HQ. Now in its fourth-generation (last redesigned for the 2007 model year), the made-in-the-USA model is sold in both sedan and coupe variants with a choice of two gasoline engines or ...

Review: 2010 Chevrolet Equinox sets the tone for New GM 1 month ago on Autoblog

It's fitting that General Motors has a vehicle named after an astronomical phenomenon that marks the seasons. The first Equinox came from the "old" GM during the autumn of its long slide. Since then, the General has emerged from a government-funded chrysalis, and the Equinox has followed suit ...

Quick Spin: Superformance GT40 MkI is vehicular sashimi, raw and delicious 1 month ago on Autoblog

As much as we enjoy piloting modern machinery, there's something special about vintage vehicles, and that something is the pure, unvarnished connection between man and machine. But it's not always good. Things get dicey when the driving experience is a little too vintage. Despite our supreme ...

Review: 2010 Ford Flex EcoBoost turns it up to 11 1 month ago on Autoblog

We were headed on a road trip, because that's what you do when the summer draws to a close and something as gigantic as the Ford Flex rolls into your driveway. Destination: Brooklyn. Five miles into the journey, the Sony audio system belts out the Beastie Boys' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn," and the ...

First Drive: 2010 Volkswagen GTI reminds us why we like hot hatches so much 1 month ago on Autoblog

Performance Icon. That two-word phrase is bandied about so often there's hardly any meaning left in its 15 letters. After all, if a Porsche 911 is rightly referred to as a performance icon, can we call a Honda Civic Si the same? And are we talking any old 911/Civic Si, or just certain years and ...

Review: 2009 Lexus LX570 is three tons of luxury with a dollop of off-road mastery 2 months ago on Autoblog

While the Lexus LX570 is the flagship SUV in the automaker's lineup, its glory is often overshadowed by the best-selling RX. With proven Land Cruiser bloodlines, and the Tundra's V8 muscle under its hood, the seven-passenger LX competes in the rarefied full-size luxury SUV segment occupied by ...

Exclusive Drive: Iacocca 45th Anniversary Edition Ford Mustang is one sterling 'Stang 2 months ago on Autoblog

When the phone rings and the guy on the other end asks if we want to drive a new Ford Mustang, we have to take a moment before answering. While we always enjoy the chance to pilot a new vehicle, we have to carefully consider whether we want to subject you to yet another pony car review. As we've ...

First Drive: 2010 Acura ZDX offers figure over function 2 months ago on Autoblog

Acura calls its all-new ZDX "a provocative luxury four-door sports coupe," adding that it's a "passionate getaway" vehicle designed for "a couple, their belongings, and more." The proclamation is a twist on a pitch we've heard before, yet with an even narrower segment focus. While the ...

Road Trip Review: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe with Navigation [w/VIDEO] 2 months ago on Autoblog

It's been less than a year since the Hyundai Genesis Coupe hit the streets, but the Korean automaker isn't sitting on its hands. Just as it's done in the past, Hyundai is launching a steady stream of refreshed and redesigned models, and even new models – like the Genesis – are ...

Review: 2009 Mazda MX-5 Miata is still the drive of our childhood dreams 2 months ago on Autoblog

Remember back when you were a diapered enthusiast-to-be and you weren't allowed to venture beyond the end of your family's tree lawn? The sum total of your 'driving' experience was probably a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe. If you were like us, your toddler self was all big dreams, bustling feet and ...

Review: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS demands to be loved 2 months ago on Autoblog

The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro has taken so long to get to here we wouldn't be surprised if Caravaggio did the original sketches. We wanted the car when we first saw it back in 6 B.C. We drove prototypes sometime around the Norman Conquest. And now it's finally on the streets. It seems like a mighty ...

Review: Moto Guzzi V7 Classic is an Italian beauty you can live with 2 months ago on Autoblog

Every once in a while, you can tell exactly how a motorcycle will ride based solely on the initial walkaround. When the seminal Yamaha VMax hit the scene way back in 1985, one look at its muscular stance, massive V-four and spindly suspenders told you everything you needed to know about its ...

Review: 2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Convertible is just right 2 months ago on Autoblog

While Ford has been introducing a countless string of Mustangs that appeal to nearly every enthusiast on the planet, Chevrolet has had to make due with only three versions of the Corvette (five if you count both coupes and convertibles). Well, for 2010, Chevrolet is adding a new model to the mix, ...








Autoblog Podcast #155: 'Twas the night before LA...

Chris, Dan, and Editor Paukert go over some LA Preview action and quietly whoop it up on the podcast.

 
 

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