Fuel Infection
Automotive Reviews
2011 Kia Optima
May 23rd
Pontiac spent years trying to perfect the working-class, inexpensive yet sporty sedan that could compete with the Japanese and European manufacturers who trickled into the market in the 1990s. Had it ever gotten the formula quite right, the result might have been similar to the 2011 Kia Optima.
Kia’s formerly forgettable family sedan has gotten a serious makeover for 2011, with an all-new chassis, a move to more efficient four-cylinder power and a body that could’ve been snatched directly from a concept car. The new Optima also broadens its lineup with new hybrid-electric and turbocharged models. More >
2011 Honda Odyssey
May 17th
Within twenty-four hours of receiving the Honda Odyssey to evaluate, I had rescued an interesting-looking leather chair from a trash pile in Detroit, taken a sixty-mile road trip, and hauled 4×8 sheets of drywall. Who says minivans are only useful for soccer moms?
That’s always been the beauty of the minivan. Sure, most of them are pressed into service as mom-taxis, but in reality it’s a mobile command center, and Honda’s new-for-2011 Odyssey takes that role very seriously. Whether it’s hauling kids or camping gear, the Odyssey is ready to work with a lower, wider body and a more powerful, more fuel-efficient engine. More >
2011 Kia Sportage
Apr 25th
Man, do you remember the first Kia Sportage? Like the Suzuki Vitara and Toyota RAV4, this compact SUV started life as a two-door, bare-bones, ultra-compact trail crawler of questionable merit. Look at it now! The Sportage is all grown up, with four doors and a handsome, modern body that marks it as a member of the growing compact crossover market. Everything but the name has changed.
To give Kia’s new do-all a workout, I took it right out of its urban-erranding environment and used it for a roadtrip halfway across the country. It’s not unthinkable that a crossover might be pressed into service for long-distance trips, after all; the more carlike ride and better fuel economy than the average SUV mean that it’s actually a decent choice. More >