Automotive Reviews
Christopher Jackson
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Posts by Christopher Jackson
2011 Jaguar XJ Supersport
May 27th
Elegant though it was, I have to admit that the Jaguar XJ was getting to be a bit of a hard sell. Its retro styling and sleek, cigar-shaped body were the epitome of cool twenty years ago, but Jaguar’s constant upgrades on the same theme just weren’t in keeping with the changing face of the luxury-sport sedan breed.
So, for 2011, at long last, Jaguar threw out the template completely. This was a big step for the British brand, whose lineup has always been strongly steeped in tradition. For the new XJ, Jaguar’s managed to produce a clean-sheet update that manages to incorporate just about everything that makes the cars identified by the chrome cats awesome. The 2011 XJ is close to being just what a modern Jaguar ought to be, in fact. More >
2011 Kia Optima
May 23rd
Pontiac spent years trying to perfect the working-class, inexpensive yet sporty sedan that could compete with the Japanese and European manufacturers who trickled into the market in the 1990s. Had it ever gotten the formula quite right, the result might have been similar to the 2011 Kia Optima.
Kia’s formerly forgettable family sedan has gotten a serious makeover for 2011, with an all-new chassis, a move to more efficient four-cylinder power and a body that could’ve been snatched directly from a concept car. The new Optima also broadens its lineup with new hybrid-electric and turbocharged models. More >
2011 Honda Odyssey
May 17th
Within twenty-four hours of receiving the Honda Odyssey to evaluate, I had rescued an interesting-looking leather chair from a trash pile in Detroit, taken a sixty-mile road trip, and hauled 4×8 sheets of drywall. Who says minivans are only useful for soccer moms?
That’s always been the beauty of the minivan. Sure, most of them are pressed into service as mom-taxis, but in reality it’s a mobile command center, and Honda’s new-for-2011 Odyssey takes that role very seriously. Whether it’s hauling kids or camping gear, the Odyssey is ready to work with a lower, wider body and a more powerful, more fuel-efficient engine. More >