Automotive Reviews
Emmy Jackson
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Posts by Emmy Jackson
2005 Nissan Quest
0543 days
Nissan’s sexy Quest is still the most stylish minivan out there. You don’t hear that much, because getting a car guy to admit that a minivan is kind of cool is a lot like admitting that you really, really enjoy housework; it tends to make people look at you a bit strangely.
2006 model pictured
We’re not afraid to confess that we like this van, though. Nissan’s outside-the-box design and bold interior turned the conventional notion of minivans on its ear when the current Quest hit the streets almost two years ago. This is a fashion over function minivan, a mixture of workhorse and show horse, and this unlikely combination is both the best thing and the worst thing about it. The exterior and interior design throw away all of the conventions of minivan styling in favor of a bulbous silhouette and an airy, light-filled interior environment that hasn’t been matched yet. Unlike most vans, which tend to be conservative, the Quest is an in-your-face, love-it or hate-it design. For every upside, there’s a downside, but that’s part of its charm. (more…)
2005 Honda Accord Hybrid
0543 days
Honda’s Accord has a well-deserved reputation as the Dell or Hewlett-Packard PC of the automotive world, offering years of largely maintenance-free, high-tech service without any pesky need to know exactly how it works. The Accord doesn’t talk to you, and doesn’t want to; it wants to go about its business and leave you free to go about yours.
Had it not been our job to do so, we might not have even noticed that the last Accord to grace the test fleet was a hybrid-electric car. Following in the footsteps of the Honda Insight and Civic Hybrid, the new-for-2005 Accord Hybrid brings improved fuel efficiency to the middle class. Offering improved fuel economy and emissions and giving up almost nothing in return, the Accord Hybrid is about as close to a win-win prospect as you can get these days. (more…)
2006 Ford Explorer
0543 days
How does a vehicle remain the best-seller for fifteen years, especially in a category that’s as hotly contested as the mid-size SUV market? Easy–by being the most versatile vehicle out there. Considering that there are about two hundred SUVs currently on the market, that’s saying something.
The Ford Explorer has always done a great job of filling the roles of several vehicles at once. It’s a family hauler, a rugged towing vehicle and a capable off-roader, all at the same time. For 2006, what looks like a light revision is actually a thorough reworking. This SUV’s body may look more or less the same behind those revised headlights, but the frame and interior are all-new. Don’t worry, Explorer fans, the truck’s versatility hasn’t changed, but some of its more annoying habits are no more. (more…)