Automotive Reviews
Emmy Jackson
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Posts by Emmy Jackson
2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser
0553 days
Like the Mazda Miata and Volkswagen Beetle, Chrysler’s PT Cruiser is a feel-good sort of car. It’s hard not to be in a bad mood when driving one, because there’s just something about the little retro-commuter that makes people smile. The PT may not be as universally adored as the Miata, but it’s a great companion. The tall body, good road manners and versatile cargo-carrying ability make it the perfect break from the ordinary when it comes to mundane day-to-day tasks.
For 2006, Chrysler has given the PT Cruiser a quick redesign, with a revised front and rear that give it a bit more of a family resemblance to the rest of the Chrysler lineup (Remember, the PT Cruiser started life as a Plymouth, before that brand’s demise). (more…)
2005 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT
0553 days
You’ve probably got a lot of ideas about what a minivan is. It’s a people-mover, it’s a symbol of middle-age stodginess, it’s a parking-lot hogging visibility blocker. We’d like to add one more idea to the pile: it’s a tree fort on wheels.
Remember the tree fort you had (or wanted) as a kid? It was the home base for most summertime adventures. Bring a sleeping bag and a lantern, and you could camp out in it. There was space for a stash of snacks, space for friends to hang out, and plenty of comfortable places to sit. A recent long trip in the 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan revealed it to have all of the qualities of that old tree fort, with one telling difference. In fact, it’s better, because unlike that tree fort star cruiser or pirate ship which was always in the same place once your imagination wound down, the Caravan can actually take you out on those adventures. Okay, a minivan can’t navigate the stars or the stormy Atlantic, but anyplace in the continental U.S. is fair game. Ahoy, matey, indeed. (more…)
2005 Toyota Avalon
0553 days
Toyota’s new-for-2005 Avalon moves a step closer to being the kind of big, country-crossing sedan that a modern-day Oldsmobile, Plymouth or AMC might build, if any of them still existed. Large on the inside and the outside, this sedan is just begging for a road trip.
The Avalon has always been one of the wallflowers of the Toyota lineup. Larger than the Camry, this big front-drive sedan has done well among the retired set since its introduction in the mid-1990s. It’s an American-style sedan built by a Japanese manufacturer. The new Avalon may be the most “American” Toyota yet (with the possible exception of the Tundra pickup), because it’s designed for the North American market, and built here as well. (more…)