Automotive Reviews
Editorial
2005 Nissan Pathfinder
Jan 8th
With the introduction of the all-new 2005 Pathfinder, Nissan moves its familiar sport-ute nameplate from the “They still make those?” category to “Gotta have one!” This ground-up redesign returns the Pathfinder to its off-roading roots with a new, truck-based chassis, larger body and a more powerful engine.
As the Frontier has become a mini-Titan, so the Pathfinder is now a mini-Armada. The familial resemblance isn’t accidental; underpinning the Pathfinder is a version of Nissan’s strong truck platform, making this mid-size SUV a direct descendant of the tough Titan pickup and Armada full-size sport-ute. The tougher platform marks a return to the Pathfinder’s roots; long before the SUV craze hit, the Pathfinder was crawling down gnarly trails and making a name for itself. Subsequent years softened the truck up, but the ’05 model is keen to remind you that its name is more than just hype. More >
2005 Land Rover LR3 HSE
Dec 31st
It’s not hard to imagine the all-new Land Rover LR3 as a simple appliance. Get one in basic white or upscale silver and park it at the back of the garage between the full-suspension mountain bike and the carbon-fiber kayak. “That? Oh, that’s our LR3,” owners would say. “We use it when we have to go someplace that our SUV can’t.”
Looking like an avant-garde refrigerator (and not in a bad way), the LR3 replaces the Discovery in Land Rover’s U.S. lineup. Overseas, it’s still called the Discovery, but apparently Land Rover’s U.S. arm preferred the technical sound of the alphanumeric name. This all new mid-size sport-ute is a true seven-seater, and ditches the Discovery’s solid axles in favor of a smoother-riding independent suspension. Don’t worry, though, Land Rover isn’t going soft on us. The LR3 just might be more capable off-road than its rugged predecessor, and it could take days to describe each and every feature of this Swiss Army truck. We’ll just hit the highlights. More >
2011 Mitsubishi Outlander GT
Dec 23rd
The Mitsubishi Outlander is positively begging to be noticed. It always has been. The compact crossover SUV hit the ground in with wild styling, an unusual side-hinged rear door and carlike handling courtesy of a distant kinship with the Mitsubishi Lancer. Over the years it’s adopted more of the Lancer’s good habits, like terrain-sensing all-wheel drive and powerful brakes, and for 2011 the Outlander has a new face that’s the automotive equivalent of waving a hand in the air and yelling, “Pick me! Pick me!”
There’s plenty to like about the Outlander, too; it now shares Mitsubishi’s Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) all-wheel drive system with the high-performance Lancer Evolution and introduces an all-new infotainment system similar to Ford’s SYNC system. All this and good road manners too? The Outlander definitely merits a closer look. More >