Automotive Reviews
Archive for February, 2012
2012 Kia Forte 5-door
080 days
In 2005 I took a memorable trip through the midwest, from Detroit to Wisconsin. The trip was memorable not because of the scenic American vistas I was passing through, but because of the Kia Spectra I was driving. While competent, the Spectra was very much an economy car, happiest with low-speed inner city travel and clearly not bred for long-distance driving. This year, I had the opportunity to repeat that trip, this time at the wheel of the Spectra’s successor, the Forte. What a difference five years makes!
To be specific, I was driving the Kia Forte 5-door, which is the new cargo-carrying variant of the Forte. Joining the sedan and sport two-door Forte Koup, the Forte 5-door offers an alternative to compact crossover vehicles. The entire Forte lineup stands as convincing evidence that Kia’s grown and changed in some impressive ways since 2005. (more…)
2012 Jeep Compass
085 days
Dramatic improvements to the Jeep Compass have transformed this formerly forgettable little crossover into a rather desirable little do-all. You’re still going to get flack from the true believers for not driving a “real” Jeep–it is still based on the Dodge Caliber, after all–but the Compass can now stand somewhat prouder as a member of the family. That’s partly thanks to the redesign, which gives it more kinship with the Grand Cherokee.
Intensified competition is the primary motivator behind the upgrade. When it was introduced in 2006, the Compass was among the smallest of the crossover vehicles, and didn’t have much competition. Now that the Nissan Juke, Mitsubishi Outlander Sport and others have arrived, things have changed a good deal, and the Compass has changed with them. (more…)
2012 Ford Flex Titanium
0103 days
This vehicle is a throwback to the days before minivans (perhaps because Ford’s success in that arena has been less than ideal), when the station wagon was king. Take a classic seven-passenger wagon, combine it with an SUV and stir in a bit of mean-street style and you’ve got the new Flex Titanium.
Like Chevrolet and GMC, Ford scuttled its minivans in favor of a more carlike large crossover vehicle. Whether this move was intended to improve the versatility of the line up or a reaction to a perceived inability to compete with the minvans from Honda and Toyota is a matter of debate. The Flex is undeniably an adept carrier of stuff, with a multi-configurable interior that offers ample room for up to seven adults or a wide variety of odd-sized cargo. (more…)