Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged AWD
2010 GMC Terrain
Jul 20th
The GMC Terrain rolled into my driveway looking like a three-fourths scale armored car, but looks are somewhat deceiving when it comes to this new crossover. Sure, the quality and toughness that keeps GMC’s customers loyal are built into it, but the Terrain is unlikely to be spending much time on jobsites.
This carlike do-all represents a new direction for General Motor’s tough-truck brand. The Terrain is the second vehicle in the GMC stable to emphasize passenger comfort and fuel economy over towing capacity and payload. With the success of the full-size Acadia crossover, GMC has proven that it can do suburb-friendly trucks just as well as it can do working vehicles. The all-new Terrain offers similar dynamics in a smaller package. More >
2010 Honda Accord Crosstour
Jun 21st
The all-new 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour has arrived, and it’s not like anything else on the market. Well, not exactly. Like other recent “category-busters,” the Crosstour defies easy identification. Is it a tall sedan, or a crossover utility vehicle? An SUV, or a station wagon? The thing is, it’s hard to figure out exactly why the Crosstour exists, exactly. Yes, it’s a big, useful SUV-alternative that drives like a car, but apart from giving the Toyota Venza (another nice vehicle that answers a question I’m not sure anybody asked) a run for its money, why is it here? I’m used to Hondas lacking personality, but on some fundamental level, the Crosstour seems to lack a sense of purpose.
And then, a funny thing happened. I took the Crosstour into downtown Detroit to run some errands, and this big multi-tasker suddenly made a lot of sense. Combining Honda’s comfortable driving dynamics with a raised suspension and curb-ready tires made the Crosstour the perfect vehicle for tackling Detroit’s decidedly post-industrial streets. More >
2010 Infiniti EX35
Jun 12th
I had the opportunity to spend a few days with the elusive and reclusive Infiniti EX35. Not familiar with it? The EX35 was quietly introduced in 2008 and has been a minor player in the luxury-sport crossover scene since then. Infiniti’s compact crossover is a capable and enjoyable drive, and it’s inherited a lot of the good stuff that Infiniti puts into the G37 sports sedan. So what’s keeping it from being more popular?
It might not be the EX35’s fault. The luxury-sport crossover market may not have existed ten years ago, but it’s become a hotly contested and competitive market segment in the past few years. With truck-like SUVs losing favor among luxury buyers, vehicles like the EX35 and BMW X3 combine the sporty nature of mid-sized sedans with the cargo capacity of compact SUVs. If you’re thinking that the intent is to create a high-riding sport wagon, you’re not far from the mark. More >