Automotive Reviews
Four Doors
2011 Ford Fusion
Mar 22nd
I always respect family cars that have every right to be dull transportation appliances, but go the extra mile to be interesting instead. It’s not such a special thing to build a reliable, functional and affordable vehicle these days; making it interesting is the hard part. The Ford Fusion makes it look easy.
Fusion Sport pictured.
With conservative-yet-dynamic styling, a very capable suspension and appealing pricing, the Fusion has gone a long way toward making the Ford oval a badge worthy of respect when it comes to compact sedans. Fresh off a 2010 update, the Fusion picks up a few new options for 2011, including available HD Radio. More >
2011 Chevrolet Cruze
Feb 22nd
Chevrolet, always the darling of the blue-collar set, has always struggled to produce a compact car that matches up to the competition. Oh, don’t get me wrong–Chevy’s compacts have sold in big numbers, but as products they’ve tended to be sub-standard vehicles. To be honest, the all-new Cruze’s two predecessors–the Cobalt and the Cavalier before that–were both on the extremely short list of cars that were so hopelessly mediocre that I couldn’t find a good word to say about them. That I’m even writing about the Cruze should be considered proof that Chevrolet has succeeded with this car.
The Cruze is a brand-new take on a familiar theme. Chevrolet’s compact sedans and coupes have always been affordable, no-nonsense vehicles at heart, and this one doesn’t stray far from that template. What’s new–and what make it stand out–is the sense of style and purpose. The Cruze is an entry-level car for buyers who demand more than just the minimum necessary. In other words, the Cruze is directed at the buyers who’ve been flocking to Toyota Corollas and Honda Civics for years. This isn’t just a rehash of the same tired program that gave us the Cobalt and Cavalier–the Cruze really is a significant step forward. More >
2011 Audi A4
Feb 12th
Being the flagship of a luxury brand is a cakewalk; you get all of the best stuff crammed into a single package, and your over-the-top nature is more than enough to justify your existence. The lower-priced luxury cars have a harder time of it.
There’s a careful balance that needs to be struck between representing the marque’s core values and attributes and remaining reasonably-priced enough that the riffraff won’t think that all the budget went into the badge. There’s also the matter of the compact luxury sedan market being one of the most competitive in the industry. More >