Automotive Reviews
Archived
Back-catalog of reviews written before 2008.
2005 Dodge Sprinter
0553 days
Okay, so it’s true that unless you’re a small business owner, an FBI agent on stakeout or a serial killer, full-size vans haven’t been even remotely cool since the 1970s, assuming you’re willing to concede that they were even cool then. So you can be forgiven for not realizing that Dodge has just done some significant shaking-up of the full-size van market with the introduction of the Sprinter.
That’s right, the die-hard Ram Van is no more. Unlike Ford and Chevrolet, who have fielded evolutionary updates to their full-size vans in recent years, Dodge threw the blueprint away entirely and badge-engineered this German behemoth instead. The newest van to wear the Dodge crosshair grille stands head and shoulders above the competition, literally, and it’s built by Mercedes. Yes, it’s big. How big is it? You’ll find Sprinters wearing Freightliner badges as well as Dodge’s nameplate. No, seriously, how big? Most of the Sprinters you see will have DHL, UPS or FedEx livery. But you can buy your own, too.
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2005 Chevrolet SSR
0553 days
Yes, it’s real. The Chevrolet SSR started life as a dream truck that combined 1930s styling cues, 1990s hot-rod modifications, and a modern drivetrain. Thanks to overwhelming public approval, the SSR made the leap from show car to showroom, and now it’s one of Chevy’s halo cars. Is it really a truck? Sort of. Think of it as the coolest El Camino ever, and you’ll be on the right track. In its second year on the market, Chevrolet’s big-boy toy gets a new powertrain to give it some serious go power.
No one is going to mistake an SSR for anything else. As if the retro bodywork wasn’t enough, this is also the only retractable hardtop pickup truck on the market. The extravagant curves of the front fenders and grille sweep into a compact, arch-topped cab. Chevy says the design was inspired by the Advanced Design pickups of 1947-54. The bed has a rigid tonneau cover, and the rounded-off tail has circular taillights in the fenders, just like the old trucks that inspired it. Chevrolet’s signature horizontal chrome bar bisects the line of the headlights up front. The SSR’s fender lines are echoed on other Chevrolet products as well, but nothing else has curves like this. The massive wheels, measuring 19″ in the front and 20″ in the rear, are the most overtly modern aspect of the SSR. (more…)
2005 Suzuki Forenza wagon
0553 days
It may not seem like it, but compact station wagons are a highly evolved breed. Since most serve as the only car for a household, they’ve got to carry small families and any cargo that might present itself. They’ve got to be easy to pilot through crowded suburban streets, and ride smoothly enough to deal with a variety of road conditions. A compact wagon needs to be sure-footed enough to handle all sorts of weather, and it should be comfortable too, because there are lots of errands to be run. And on top of all that, it ought to get good gas mileage, too. That’s a lot to ask of any car, and with the added competition of compact SUVs and the growing popularity of “crossover” five-door hatchbacks, means that a compact station wagon has to be very good indeed if it’s going to succeed.
For 2005, Suzuki has joined this complicated and competitive market, with a long-tailed version of the Forenza compact. Riding the same chassis as the sedan (and, going farther back, as the Daewoo Nubira), the Korean-built Forenza wagon features a handsome design, a well thought-out interior and one of the best warranties in the business. (more…)