Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged luxury sedan
2005 Toyota Avalon
Nov 13th
Toyota’s new-for-2005 Avalon moves a step closer to being the kind of big, country-crossing sedan that a modern-day Oldsmobile, Plymouth or AMC might build, if any of them still existed. Large on the inside and the outside, this sedan is just begging for a road trip.
The Avalon has always been one of the wallflowers of the Toyota lineup. Larger than the Camry, this big front-drive sedan has done well among the retired set since its introduction in the mid-1990s. It’s an American-style sedan built by a Japanese manufacturer. The new Avalon may be the most “American” Toyota yet (with the possible exception of the Tundra pickup), because it’s designed for the North American market, and built here as well. More >
2005 Cadillac STS
Oct 31st
You may think you’ve seen plenty of this car, but chances are you haven’t. This is not the Cadillac CTS, American slayer of German performance giants like the Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class. No, what you’re looking at is the 2005 Cadillac STS, the CTS’ all-new big brother.
Cadillac does away with the former STS’ soap-cake styling in favor of the angular look that’s been working its way across the brand for the past few years. At a glance the STS looks just like the smaller CTS, and that’s exactly what the folks at Cadillac want. Like BMW’s twin-kidney grille or Jaguar’s svelte curves, the folded and pressed lines of the new STS are an instantly recognizable hallmark of the brand. It’s not a clone of the smaller car, although they do share some platform similarities. The STS has a sharper, more steeply raked profile than its little brother, however. After a while it’s easy to tell them apart, we promise. More >
2005 Acura RL
Oct 21st
The all-new 2005 Acura RL may come as something of a shock to anyone who’s familiar with Acura’s product lineup. It’s startling at first glance, because it’s not boring. The RL has always distinguished itself by not being particularly distinguished. Don’t get us wrong, it’s always been a good car, just not particularly memorable. The RL had become a bit like that old maple tree in the yard; it was always there, and it never gave us any particular reason to pay attention to it.
Sometimes, though, that tree suddenly reminds you it’s there by dropping a branch in your path. Lexus and Infiniti may find themselves feeling as though Acura has done just that. The new, deep-chinned RL is set to challenge the sport-luxury leaders with handling-enhancing all-wheel drive and even more technology than before. More >