Search results for: station wagon
Rumors: Spy Shots—Refreshed BMW 5-Series GT
Our comrades over at Autoblog recently posted photos of a 5-Series Gran Turismo out and about sporting a camoflauged front and rear, there likely to hide the details of a recent nip-and-tuck job. This oddball Bimmer was rumored to be headed for the chopping block due to uninspiring sales, but these new photos could speak to the contrary.
Driven: 2013 Subaru XV Crosstrek
Already a strong force in the enthusiast-car space, Subaru believes that it has just the thing with its new XV Crosstrek. Built up on the all-new five-door Impreza, a car that we quite like, the Crosstrek promises the utility of a small, five-door wagon, genuine off-road capability, respectable fuel economy figures, and a fun-to-drive style.
Driven: 2013 Audi Allroad
Besides styling, one other area where the Allroad might be different from its crossover peers is in driving dynamics. While we are fans of the 2.0T engine, there is no denying that it shows its stuff best when pulling a relatively light vehicle like the A4. Since the Allroad weighs about five-percent more than the sedan but a similar amount less than a crossover, the engine works better here than it does with, say, the Q5 crossover.
Driven: 2012 Tesla Model S
The basic question with a new car like this really is something along the lines of “what is it?” Because the brand is new and the technology is new and the platform is new, consumers don’t have a basis for setting their expectations. You might not think that is a problem, but in our observation almost everyone imagines something about every new car regardless of his or her fact base. Get those expectations wrong, and you can be disappointed by a gem, simply because it didn’t fit with the concept in your imagination. To align expectations with reality, we think an understanding of the Model S is helped greatly by looking at the goals and decisions that the Tesla team had to make.
Quick Drive: 2012 Volvo XC70 T6 AWD Polestar
There’s a clip from Top Gear from a few years ago, where Jeremy Clarkson talks about a hot hatch being able to haul a chest of drawers while still being an absolute hoot to drive. By that definition, the Volvo XC70 Polestar is a hot hatch.
Driven: 2012 Volvos With Polestar Tuning
Unless you’re an avid fan of Swedish speed machines, you could be forgiven for not committing the name Polestar to memory. Volvo has officially partnered up with the performance brand since 1996, and Polestar has mainly been known for its hand in Volvo racing development. Whether we knew it or not, we North Americans have been waiting since sales began in 2009 to flaunt the blue square badge on our own roads. Our introduction began when Volvo invited us out to Arizona to sample a handful of its models equipped with Polestar tuning: the XC60, XC70, C30, and C70.
Flip This Car: 1992 Ford Mustang LX 5.0 Convertible—Part Three
Straight up, this car is a hooligan. It’s a rebel. It’s the friend that sets the bad example. Listening to NPR in this car is like going to church wearing leather chaps and a sleeveless shirt that says Sex instructor: beginners welcome. Even with the poor gearing and crummy seats, this car is a party animal that wants to get loud and sideways at every opportunity. It’s constantly taunting me, reminding me there’s a pair of wheels behind my head being driven by a gutsy V-8 up front, with a short wheelbase in between. The ride is harsh and the steering heavy, but those attributes bring a welcome amount of feedback on what the car is doing, and more importantly, what I must do to ensure the survival of both vehicle and passengers. How sideways can we get? How long do we want to hold it?
Quick Drive: 2012 Toyota Prius V Five
As of today, there’s no question that the Prius V wins within its small market segment. Of course that conclusion is helped along greatly by the fact that it basically has this sliver of the market—a very high-mpg small wagon—to itself.
Detroit 2012: Volvo XC60 Plug-In Hybrid Concept
Volvo, renowned for its safety technology, is now looking to bust into the world of green motoring. The Swedish brand will unveil a plug-in-hybrid version of its XC60 CUV at the upcoming North American International Auto Show.
Flip This Car: 1994 Buick Roadmaster—The Finale
Well friends, it finally happened. I knew the first potential buyer to actually look at the Beast would take it home, and after nearly nine months of sheer selling frustration, that’s exactly what happened two days ago. The Roadmaster will now serve a young woman finishing high school in the southwest region of Michigan, sparing her a winter fighting an unruly pickup truck.
First Look: 2013 Fisker Surf
After teasing us about an upcoming debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Fisker has unveiled the five-door Surf range-extended electric vehicle.
Secondhand Gems: Cool $35K Crossovers
You’re not as young as you used to be. You may not be old, or even middle age, but whereas you once terrorized streets in a pimped out MkIV Golf GTI or atomized countless sets of rubber in a Camaro Z28, you now prowl the aisles of Home Depot looking for the proper shade of cranberry seat cushion for your seven-piece bistro patio set. That is, unless you’re packing the cooler with soda for the weekly little league game, or loading up the 2.2 kids, the dog, and four suitcases full of stuff for two days with the grandparents.
Driven: 2012 Toyota Prius V
If you want to save yourself the time of reading our entire well-considered first drive review of the all new Prius V, let us sum it up for you right here in the opening paragraph. The only thing truly surprising about the new Prius wagon is that it has taken Toyota this long to offer it for sale.
The Winding Road Guide To Beating $4 Gas
For drivers, this escalation in fuel prices sucks big time. But let us not despair. Some of our favorite driver’s cars also happen to best the competition in fuel economy, whether sipping regular, premium, or diesel, and even sometimes with a chaser of electrons from a battery pack.
First Look: 2012 Saab 9-5 SportCombi
This week, Saab will debut its freshest wagon, the new 9-5 SportCombi, at the Geneva Motor Show.
Secondhand Gems: Sneaky Sleepers For $25,000
Unsuspecting speed. It’s as American as a Kid Rock concert and more fun than a super-sized waterslide. Drop a big motor in a pedestrian machine, then go humiliate the local horsepower bully with your grandma’s Sunday cruiser. To anyone who has never enjoyed this sort of automotive hilarity, go buy an Oldsmobile 98 Regency and a 250 shot of giggle gas. Beating the guy in the flashy muscle car isn’t even the best part; it’s when you meet at the next light and say, “Didn’t you know? All Oldsmobile 98s are this fast.”
Detroit 2011: Toyota Prius C Concept Shows Another Direction For Hybrid Family
Today, besides introducing the newest member of the Prius family, The 2012 Prius V, Toyota showed the smaller Prius C Concept.
First Look: 2012 Toyota Prius V
Today in Detroit, Toyota debuted the next member of the Prius family of hybrid vehicles, the 2012 Prius V. According to the automaker, V stands for versatility, and the Prius V is meant for young, active families.
Secondhand Gems: $20,000 Tailgaters
After last month’s voyage into the realm of “cheap” supercars, offering up a selection of truly affordable performance machines with accommodating backsides seemed the perfect antithesis. Not all motoring enjoyment takes place at speed, and though we’re currently roasting away in the dog days of summer, autumn tailgating adventures will soon bewitch the football faithful around the country. You know the season well—crowded parking lots packed with people dressed in sweaters and sweatshirts, the air a delicious mix of brats, burgers, beer, and burning leaves. Traditional vehicles for such venues are ones with plenty of room out back, so weekend warriors can cook, feast, and down enough adult beverages to officially be labeled a distillery.
Quick Drive: 2010 Jeep Liberty Renegade
The Liberty looks good, in a utilitarian, purposeful way. It doesn’t overdo it, like a Hummer would have—it isn’t gargantuan, hulking or a cartoon of itself. But it looks chiseled and solid. The interior has some nice touches like a very vertical A-pillar and a dash that is only a few inches deep. That gives a retro feel that fits the oeuvre on offer here.
First Look: 2011 Fiat 500
Fiat is planning on having its 500 in showrooms by the end of 2010, and in keeping with that timeline, the Italian brand has revealed the North American version of its diminutive city car. Designed to take the fight to the Mini Cooper in the boutique small car market, the 500 will be available with one engine (initially)—Fiat’s award-winning 1.4-liter turbocharged MultiAir inline-four.
