Automotive Reviews
Archived
Back-catalog of reviews written before 2008.
2006 Saturn VUE
0543 days
They’re still uncomplicated cars for uncomplicated people, but be prepared to change your impression of the Saturn brand in 2006. It’s not enough to just be inexpensive and simple these days. Subcompact and other entry-level products are displaying heretofore unprecedented levels of refinement and quality. Materials are getting better, and there’s more to the interiors of economy cars than gray plastic these days. In that kind of environment, the no-frills ergonomics that we’ve grown used to from Saturn just don’t hold up so well in comparison. To this end, Saturns are getting a makeover, and the 2006 VUE demonstrates this new direction.
The 2006 Saturn VUE crossover SUV is the first product from the brand to demonstrate a new commitment to style and comfort, while retaining the “uncomplicated cars for uncomplicated people” vibe that make Saturn unique. (more…)
2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
0543 days
With buyers sick of ponderous handling and poor fuel economy heading back to station wagons and sedans, many sport-utility vehicles have responded by becoming more carlike. Crossover SUV’s work hard to have it both ways with softer suspensions and lower bodies.
Not the Chevy TrailBlazer. This big mid-size SUV stands proud as a Truck, with a capital T, and it’s just looking for things to tow or haul. The TrailBlazer soldiers into 2005 with two body styles, two engines and a collection of new safety and comfort features. This is a Truck, after all, so it’s best to keep things simple. (more…)
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…)