Reviews : Car Reviews And News

The first Mitsubishi that I ever came into close contact with was my dad’s Colt hatchback. Rebadged as a Dodge, the five-door was a daily-driven delight. With a manual gearbox, stellar fuel economy, room aplenty for baby seats, and nary a mechanical issue to be seen over multiple years.

Stomp around in someone else’s backyard just to see what happens. Throw the traditionalists for a loop with turbocharged antics and all-wheel drive agility, then back it all up with a jaw-dropping list of standard features for a fraction of the competition’s asking price.

Since it first debuted back in 1989, Lexus has sold over 2.18 million of its mid-size ES sedans. The car is not only a critical revenue generator for the brand, but it’s been one of their most middle-of-the-road vehicles, which is a direct reflection of its popularity, and vice versa.

The band Haddaway had one of the most infamous one-hit wonder songs of all time called What is Love? Now that that ear worm is in your head (you’re welcome), it made me ask the question, with A Night at the Roxbury’s theme song as the backdrop, “What is luxury?” I ask because Hyundai has plunged head first into the luxury car market.

My test car this week is very near and dear to my heart. It’s iconic to everyone, not just to me. This week I’m reviewing the 2018 Ford Mustang. It’s not a rare car. Heck, they’re everywhere.

It’s no secret that demand for SUVs is higher than it’s ever been, and cars here in the US are passé. But this doesn’t mean that all SUVs are popular. These days, the smaller, sleeker, sometimes cutesy SUVs and crossovers are all the trend.

Have you ever seen the film Lost in Translation? The one where a completely washed-up Bill Murray goes to Tokyo in order to ride whatever fame he has left in his sad career by selling his image via Japanese whiskey commercials?

It is not my job or responsibility to shill for one car brand over another. I see a wide variety of vehicles, and have driven almost every major brand on the road today. So, I consider myself “informed.” So, with that said, I’m always amazed when I hear people say, “Oh I’d never buy a Hyundai.” I don’t know if this is a remnant from the early 1990s when Hyundai was starting out and definitely made “cheap” cars.

First let’s get one thing cleared up right off the bat, this isn’t a truck review. It’s an engine review. Because nothing – not a single bolt, body panel, or switch – on the F-150 has changed except for the turbocharged 3.0L V6 oil burner that’s under the hood.

When Toyota announced that it was bringing a proper Corolla hatchback to market in the US a couple of months ago, I was pretty excited. The idea that the company might be jumping into the hot hatch arena to take on the Civic is something gearheads are surely stoked about.

Photos by Sam Bendall The sun is shining, the temperature is promenading toward 70 degrees, the Pacific breeze dances across my face with a dash of salt to its aroma. It’s a perfect Wednesday morning in Southern California when suddenly every other person walking, jogging or driving along Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica has his or her smartphone camera locked on me and the supercar I’m driving: a Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster cloaked in a hue of orange called “Arancio Argos.” Underneath a relentless SoCal sun, I fear the color may cook all those phones’ camera sensors.

While the current generation Toyota Avalon is a very nice car indeed, frankly it’s a bit dull. Sure, it’s smooth and quiet, but with its average buyer being in the mid-60s, it’s never really been designed to thrill.

Hot on the heels of our review of the utterly enormous Mercedes-Benz AMG Petronas F-1 paddock by LEGO, with it’s richly detailed shop space and cleverly equipped camera gear, comes a far simpler LEGO kit for auto enthusiasts.

The first time I laid eyes on the Mercedes-Benz E400 Coupe at last year’s Chicago Auto Show, I absolutely fell in love with the styling of this elegant vehicle, both inside and out. From its muscular and confident stance, to its dramatic faceted grille, the E400 just exudes substance and power from every angle.

Just a few weeks back, I had the opportunity to live with the 2018 model of the RAM 1500 Limited, and thought it was an excellent and very comfortable premium truck. Now, I’ve driven the 2019 model, and it’s even better than before in many ways.