Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged sedan
2011 Buick Regal
Jan 8th
Remember the Buick Regal? It’s okay if you don’t; though it was in production from 1973 to 2004, it was always the runt of the Buick litter. Though it was a brisk seller, it spent the last decade of its production run virtually unchanged, and became a rental-fleet mainstay before being quietly retired.
Don’t look now, but the Regal is back, and if you’ve forgotten about the previous model, you’re already on the right page, because the new Regal is a thoroughly different animal. It’s still the entry-level Buick, but the injection of a bit of Chinese into the mix makes it a refreshing blend of expected and unexpected. The all-new Regal features all-new styling, a pair of efficient four-cylinder engines and the brand’s signature comfort, and it’s the next step in Buick’s revitalization. More >
2005 Jaguar S-Type
Dec 31st
It gets bandied about so often that it’s practically a cliché, but it’s true that there’s nothing quite like a Jaguar.
Now, that’s technically true about any car, but in Jaguar’s case it’s an especially distinguishing feature. Among luxury cars and luxury sport sedans, the competition is so fierce that the constant application of “me-too” features and the latest fashionable design tweaks results in a trend toward homogeneity. It’s easy to drive coast-to-coast in an Acura, Infiniti, Volvo or Mercedes, but often a bit difficult to find anything like a personality. Not so with Jaguar. For better or for worse, the British manufacturer’s products stand apart from the luxury car herd, and always have. The 2005 S-Type is no exception to this rule. From its retro-influenced styling to its fluid grace on the road, the S-Type still stands out, even though it’s been around since 1999 without major design changes–and even though Detroit is hip-deep in the things these days, since all the Ford executives are driving them. More >
2006 Hyundai Sonata
Dec 8th
Don’t call this an “impressive effort,” because it’s the real deal. Hyundai knows what it’s doing, and the all-new Sonata is merely impossible-to-ignore evidence of this fact. This completely redesigned sedan aims to do nothing less than go after the heart of the family sedan market. Flashy and dripping with sex appeal it’s not, but the 2006 Hyundai Sonata is nonetheless a big deal, because it represents just how good the low-priced Korean offerings have become.
Is Hyundai ready to challenge Toyota and Honda on the turf they helped create? Compared to its predecessor, the new Sonata is larger, more stylish and more powerful. Park it next to an Accord or Camry and it fits right in; the bargain-basement look and feel of past Hyundais is long gone. The Sonata is also built in the United States, at Hyundai’s brand-new Montgomery, Alabama plant. More >