Honest opinions – the good, bad and ugly.
A couple of things about the 2012 Infiniti G37 coupe… . No, wait – three things: It’s available with AWD. Comes standard with a 330 hp engine. There’s an optional retractable hardtop. You can get one or the other (in a few cases, two out of three) in competitor models like the BMW 3,...
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Hyundai is becoming a juggernaut. The Korean automaker isn’t content merely to be competitive. It intends to dominate. Last year, the new Sonata cold-cocked the mid-sized family car segment, with features such as a standard 200 hp engine that also delivers 35 MPG on the highway wrapped up in one of the sharpest sheetmetal...
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If you think about it, most current “minivans” aren’t. They’re pretty huge, actually. The 2011 Toyota Sienna, for example, is 200.2 inches long, has a 119.3 inch wheelbase and weighs 4,275 lbs. It’s a great van, but mini, it ain’t. A 1984 Dodge Caravan – grandaddy of all minivans – was more than two...
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The Acura TL is one of the more unusual cars in the mid-sized luxury-sport sedan segment. Not just its unusual looks, either. Take a peek underneath: On the one hand, it’s a FWD-based car in a segment that’s mostly RWD-based, with the handful of FWD cars (like the Audi A4 and Lexus ES350) being...
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BMW’s 3-Series coupe/convertible is a car that many car lovers dream about. Most of these dreamers, unfortunately, awake in the morning to the harsh reality of the Three’s economic inaccessibility: A 335i convertible is a $52k car; the base model hardtop 328i coupe starts at almost $38k. $44k for the more powerful 335i. But...
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Kia is not fooling around. Korea’s other automaker has a surprise on deck for 2012 that should make econo-compact buyers smile – and will definitely make competitors sweat. Two surprises, actually… . WHAT IT IS The Forte is Kia’s entry-level compact car. It’s available in regular sedan, hatchback sedan and coupe (which Kia spells...
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Thank God it’s not just a name change – because the old Chrysler Sebring was the ultimate Rental Car Special. A car you drove for $25 a day when on vacation or business someplace else – but which you’d probably never drive home. Or pay $300 a month to own. Well, the Sebring’s gone...
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Here’s the thing: Everyone makes good cars now, so “reliability” and “safety” aren’t the selling points they used to be. They’re givens. That puts the name-brand Japanese brands – Honda and Toyota – in a new and much tougher environment. And it has given a leg up to ambitious Korean brands like Kia, which...
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The first factory-built Camaro convertible in two – no, three – generations is finally here and just in time to catch up with the Mustang convertible and put some distance between itself and the still-not-here-yet Dodge Challenger convertible. WHAT IT IS The convertible version of Chevy’s reincarnated muscle car. Prices begin at $29,275 for...
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Since its 1969 introduction, Nissan’s famous “Z-car” has appeared in many forms – some better, some not so much. During the ’90s, in particular, it got ever-heavier . . . and also progressively more expensive. By 1996, a 300ZX turbo’s sticker price was pushing $44k and even the base (non-turbo) model was almost $38k....
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