Automotive Reviews
Emmy Jackson
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Posts by Emmy Jackson
2011 Chevrolet Volt
0299 days
“Is this the future?” more than one person asked upon checking out the Volt. “Is this the future of the auto industry?”
“No,” I replied. “It’s here now.” I wasn’t just being pedantic. In spite of its uncommon electric drivetrain, what’s most interesting about the Chevrolet Volt is how ordinary it is.
There’s a preconception that electric cars are little more than glorified golf carts, and the Volt should help to put that fallacy to rest for good. Powered by electrons instead of burning gasoline it may be, but the Volt is capable of handling day-to-day life just as well as a Cruze or a Civic. (more…)
2011 Nissan Juke
0308 days
Nissan’s Juke seemed to come out of nowhere, looking like a biomechanical frog and dropping without much warning into the growing crowd of compact crossover vehicles and versatile mini-utes that are currently popular. But…what is it?
Nissan calls it a “sport cross,” and it’s a micro-SUV much like the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. No off-roader, the Juke is definitely petite–it rides the same platform as the Versa and slots into the lineup below the Rogue, which is already somewhat diminutive. What it brings to the table is fuel economy, entertaining performance in a package that can climb over curbs if need be, and a heaping helping of attitude and style. (more…)
2011 BMW 550i
0311 days
This is an automotive truth: BMWs are happier with manual transmissions. I have yet to drive a BMW that wasn’t dramatically more fun when equipped with a stick. I sampled the all-new 550i last spring and came away generally unimpressed; it was a competent luxury sedan that could tackle the twisties with aplomb, but not markedly cooler than a comparable Audi A6.
Drop a six-speed manual transmission into the equation, however, and the 550i is transformed into a serious piece of driving equipment. BMWs aren’t about being comfortable when stuck in rush-hour traffic, in the end. This is a car that demands driver engagement. Even the cupholders are inconvenient, an afterthought. (more…)