Automotive

12/31/2008

Driving Northwest: The top 11 cars of 2008
Car critic Tom Voelk has driven more than 100 different vehicles this year. He picks his favorites for this year-end column.

12/26/2008

Don't leave Toyota's Venza off your test drive list
Looking for family transportation? Add this rig to the long list of fierce competition. Venza is a comfortable, stylish and usable vehicle that should serve families well.

12/11/2008

The return of the Dodge Challenger R/T
In both price and performance, Challenger R/T offers up the best of the good old days and leaves most the bad stuff behind.

12/04/2008

The Acura TL: Not a wallflower
Styling is subjective, but no matter how you see the TL - subtle is not a world to describe it.

11/27/2008

Jaguar XF: One cool cat
Jaguar’s XF Supercharged is transportation, but it transcends that purpose. It’s art. It’s theatre. It’s a sex symbol.

11/20/2008

The Kia Rondo will surprise you
Kia's advertising slogan is "The Power to Surprise." It may not be sexy, but Rondo’s power to surprise comes from its ability to do most everything a family of four needs.

11/13/2008

A Lexus at the top of its class
This new Lexus is the first one to get an F, and that's not a failing grade. In Lexusese the letter F appears to stand for fast, fun and ferocious.

11/06/2008

A sneak peek at Chevy's electrifying future
GM has a bold plan. It's called Volt. It doesn't fly, nor is it solar powered. Volt is an electric car … with a gas tank.

10/30/2008

Infiniti's EX35: Refined, practical and a hoot to drive
Cars aren't just transportation, they're also image and fashion statements. And Infiniti's EX35 has hit the market at the right time.

10/23/2008

The 2009 Audi A4 3.2 Quattro
Running in the luxury sport sedan category, the new Audi A4 excels at the pampering part and its driving dynamics will please everyone but the discriminating buyer who attends track day.

10/16/2008

The Mazda6 S Grand Touring
The mid-sized sedan market is the toughest segment in the industry. Now there's a new player that wants to duke it out.

10/09/2008

Get a charge from Tesla's sleek electric Roadster
The folks at Tesla started with a simple observation: No one wants to drive the modified golf carts that have been passed off for electric cars. So instead of designing a slow, rickety appliance, they birthed a sexy sports car.

10/02/2008

The new Honda Pilot sports style
It's stout, well engineered and packed with nearly every tech trick in the book. Shoppers looking for a full sized crossover should give Pilot a look.

09/25/2008

Driving Northwest: Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen
Those who dismiss wagons because their parents drove one are missing out on serious driving fun.

09/18/2008

Dodge Durango Hemi 2 Mode Hybrid
The Durango's strengths are its city fuel economy and 3-ton towing capability. Aside from the plain cabin we find the Durango a capable way to go, if you need the space and the utility.

09/11/2008

Pricey Range Rover Sport offers style, capability
Many expensive SUVs never see a dirt road. So maybe it's appropriate that there's now one designed to be confident in a paved curve - the Range Rover Sport.

09/04/2008

Camping with the new Volkswagen Tiguan
These days the only SUVs that are flying off the lot are Small Utility Vehicles. Just in time to capitalize on this market trend is a new offering from Volkswagen called Tiguan.

08/28/2008

The BMW M3 convertible
It seems every automaker wants to catch BMWs 3 Series. Add a V8, suspension modifications and a whole host of upgrades and it becomes the legendary M3. That makes this car pretty tough to keep up with.

08/21/2008

The GMC Yukon 2 Mode Hybrid
Talk about global warming has made dropping junior off at soccer practice in a school bus-sized vehicle a bit gauche. GM thinks it has the answer to both to Al Gore guilt trips and astronomical Chevron bills.

08/14/2008

The Kia Borrego debuts with bad timing
Borrego is a perfectly fine example of SUVism. It has distinctive looks and it does the kind of things active families appreciate. But the timing? Just look at the price of fuel.

08/06/2008

The Toyota Camry Hybrid: An alternative to Prius
It's not a "save the planet" icon, but Toyota's Camry Hybrid hauls a family of four and their stuff well and economically.

07/31/2008

A big Mini hits the market
The Mini Cooper Clubman is a great way to go if you like the big personality and performance of a Mini, but find the original too small.

07/24/2008

Nissan GT-R: A bargain in the performance car world
The body is modeled after Japanese science fiction robots. Customizable gauges? Done by video game gurus. But best of all is the head warping performance. Nissan's GT-R is the current "it" car among those who have the need for speed.

07/17/2008

The fuel efficient Toyota Corolla
True to perceptions, Corolla offers fuel efficiency and a friendly demeanor all done up in a pleasant wrapper. The reality is that it has competition these days.

07/10/2008

The Pontiac Vibe's secret Toyota connection
The worst kept secret in the auto industry is that Vibe is essentially the same as the Toyota Matrix, which itself is based on the Corolla.

07/03/2008

The BMW 128i convertible gets put to the test
The 128i certainly keeps BMW's legendary fun-to-drive reputation intact, it just doesn't dramatically lower the price of admission for the masses.

06/26/2008

The Maserati GranTurismo: Posh, fast and pricey
For the busy executive who wants to see Italy but doesn't have the time, why not drive a piece of it to the office? The GT has a lot to offer the buyer who has a lot of money to give.

06/19/2008

The Ford Flex: As big as it is bold
Everything about Flex is unexpected, from the name right down to the options that can be ordered. But nothing is more in your face than the styling.

06/12/2008

The Ford Taurus X: A roomy ride
Americans demand space and comfort from their vehicles, so automakers are rolling out more and more car based crossovers like the Ford Taurus X to soften the sticker shock of gasoline.

06/05/2008

Volvo's C30 makes safety sexy
C30 is fun, fast and fashionable - and being a Volvo, it's safe too. In the end the only thing keeping the C30 from its intended young demographic is the price.

05/29/2008

Pontiac G8: American style, straight from Australia
The G8 not only gives some much needed credibility to GM's "excitement division," it proves American style and performance can be fun.

05/22/2008

Acura TSX impresses with gizmos, high technology
While the TSX offers plenty of gadgets, drivers who demand top-notch German grade handling won't be satisfied with the front-wheel drive chassis dynamics.

05/15/2008

Nissan Altima: A fun family 4-door
This sedan looks good, performs deftly, keeps its occupants safe and comfortable and has oodles of features. Don't leave it off your test-drive list.

05/08/2008

Find a sporty, useful hatchback in the Toyota Matrix
In today's market the Matrix should thrive unless buyers suddenly decide they want screaming deals on Suburbans, Armadas and Sequoias.

05/01/2008

The Dodge Challenger SRT8: A blast from the past
This modern day muscle car will instantly transport you to the early 70s when gas was cheap and America was unaware of the disco menace that would descend upon it.

04/30/2008

Economic downturn fueling car lease-trading
If you're about to break a car lease - stop. There's a service that can help you break free of that lease without breaking your contract.

Avoid costly lease penalties

04/24/2008

Get spoiled in the Audi S5
It's not cheap, but this model offers everything you'd want in a car – style, acceleration, handling, comfort and technology – all done very, very well.

04/17/2008

On the road with the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile
Drive one of these and others on the road may think you're a real wiener, but deep down, as the song goes, everyone will be in love with you.

04/10/2008

The Saturn Astra sports Euro style
With a starting price of $16,000 for the XE and $18,995 for the XR 3-door, a bunch of Astras should get their passports stamped here in the states.

04/03/2008

Bond with the Aston Martin DBS
With only 240 copies of the Aston Martin DBS coming to America, this supercar is about as rare as they come. The best way to see it may be to rent a James Bond flick.

03/27/2008

The secret's out: Mazda5's a terrific family rig
This slick vehicle has been on sale for a few years now, yet its unique qualities simply go unnoticed by most shoppers.

03/20/2008

The Dodge Viper SRT10: A beautiful bad boy
Visually and audibly, this Viper commands attention wherever it goes, making Vettes look like Miatas.

03/13/2008

Subaru rethinks styling in the 2009 Forester
Subaru has done a commendable job with this new crossover. They’ve kept the utility, improved the look, made it quieter and lowered the price.

03/06/2008

Go topless in BMW's 335i convertible
Sun-loving performance drivers have to be willing to pay a lot of cold hard cash to chill in this superbly engineered convertible.

02/28/2008

Dodge brings you a pleasant Journey
As the most flexible mid-sized crossover on the market, the Dodge Journey is a reasonably priced vehicle that will be a parent's best friend.

02/15/2008

Buyers on a budget buckle up in the Nissan Sentra
Sure, fancy cars with all sorts of gadgets are tempting, but the Nissan Sentra will get you to the Mickey D's drive-through quite nicely. Most of the time that's all you need.

02/08/2008

The Lexus GX470: Tough but accomodating
If you need to put your luxury ride to work, the GX470 is a capable and comfortable companion.

02/01/2008

Subaru surprises with the Impreza WRX STI
Subaru doesn't just make dependable station wagons. This Impreza is about as close to an off-the-showroom-floor race car that money can buy.

01/25/2008

Porsche packs sport into the Cayenne SUV
Porsche is looking to grow and ensure the survival of its brand with the Cayenne, an SUV that offers crisp handling and room for the family.

01/18/2008

Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X: A very good tool
The Evolution is a car so powerful, you need a race-track to tame it. Here's proof positive you can find religion in Evolution.

01/11/2008

Mazda's CX-9: A road-hugging family hauler
CX-9 trades some "zoom-zoom" for family room, but most parents will find it a happy compromise.

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