Maynard's Garage from Creators Syndicate

Lexus Reloads GS With Luxury, Technology for 02/14/2012

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

The 2013 Lexus GS sport sedan debuts the new face of the brand in an efficient but powerful statement. The stronger design and more luxurious interior are hoped to attract a new type of buyer. The five-seat sedan will be sold in three trim levels — Luxury, F Sport and Hybrid — in rear or optional all-wheel drive.

The car went on sale last weekend at the same starting price as ...

Updated: Tue Feb 14, 2012

Pride of Porsche: Redesigned 911 Carrera Has Evolutionary Styling, Revolutionary Performance for 02/07/2012

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

There were some changes made to the new 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera that caused consternation among corporate board members and raised eyebrows among loyalists. But in the end, the 911 Carrera — known in company terms as the 991 — is a soaring successor as an icon of the brand. The 2+2 coupe is lighter, stronger, faster, more fuel-efficient, cleaner-burning and just more fun to drive.< ...

Updated: Tue Feb 07, 2012

Sport Hybrid Hatch: CT 200h Is the Green, Lean Entry to Lexus for 01/31/2012

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

The Lexus CT 200h begins its second full year on sale and debuts a new external sound system for pedestrian notification that will be applied to other Lexus hybrids. Also new for this hot-looking, five-passenger, four-door hatchback is an F Sport Package.

The CT 200h is the smallest and least expensive of all Lexi, sold in base and premium models with starting prices of $30,000 and $32,1 ...

Updated: Tue Jan 31, 2012

Confident Camry: 7th-Generation Model Has Understated Finesse, Improved Interior for 01/24/2012

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

You know you're getting older when you're testing a new Toyota Camry and you catch yourself saying, "This is nicely done." I almost forgot I was driving what many would consider the most boring car on sale in the United States.

The redesigned 2012 Camry isn't the pinnacle of bland ambition that it once was. Granted, I was driving a top-line XLE V-6 with leather and the works, b ...

Updated: Tue Jan 24, 2012

Lincoln MKX: 5-Passsenger Crossover Has Executive-Class Presence and Family Utility for 01/17/2012

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

I finished my test week in the front passenger seat of the Lincoln MKX, and it had a leavening effect to the evaluation. I was on a round-trip of four hours up and back with a fellow journalist to an event at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

Sitting on the right side of this five-passenger crossover provided me a different perspective to consider such elements as the ...

Updated: Tue Jan 17, 2012

Super CR-V: Honda's Redesigned Crossover Is ‘Environmentally Responsible,' With Carlike Comfort and Minivan Storage Ingenuity for 01/10/2012

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

The fourth-generation Honda CR-V is the Super CR-V, said Akio Tonomura, Honda's chief engineer for the project, at the new model's media preview in Carlsbad, Calif.

He said Honda has a "responsibility to be environmentally responsible" and that the CR-V is "appropriate transportation for this day and age and for the owner to be proud of that."

Since the little ...

Updated: Tue Jan 10, 2012

Vagabond: Audi A3 Diesel Has the Heart of a Traveler and a 600-Mile Range for 01/03/2012

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

The Audi A3 is a study of good things in small packages.

This four-door hatchback has a young vibe and contemporary interior styling. There are hooks, grabs, pockets, slots, a locking glovebox and a folding seatback to fit the essentials and gear of the upwardly mobile.

This is a sturdily built car with tall headroom (39.3 inches), broad shoulder room up front and good sightlines ...

Updated: Tue Jan 03, 2012

Volvo S60 R-Design: Balanced, Tasteful and Completely Enjoyable for 12/27/2011

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

The Volvo S60 R-Design wears the halo in the midsize sedan lineup, but this car is no angel.

It gets more power and suspension finesse than the standard S60 T6, but it still runs on regular unleaded, you could still tow 3,300 pounds if you wanted to, and it costs less than $50,000 with nearly all the factory options.

The all-wheel-drive R-Design models, including the XC60, are the ...

Updated: Tue Dec 27, 2011

Uber Commuter: VW's Jetta Sportwagen TDI Is Utility-Rich for Families and Those With Active Lifestyles for 12/20/2011

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

The Jetta Sportwagen diesel is a cult classic, but without the tattoos, piercings and questionable life direction. It's on the fringe of the "Veggie Underground," flirting with that band of motorists who brew their own biodiesel from cooking oil to stake their claim for independence.

Volkswagen has brought diesel-powered cars to the mainstream in the United States, selling thou ...

Updated: Tue Dec 20, 2011

Hands on: The Maserati GranTurismo MC Is a Car for the Senses and a Sensation for the Driver for 12/13/2011

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

"My Maserati does 185 ..." You probably can sing along to the "Life's Been Good" hit by Joe Walsh in his wild and crazy days when he could afford to lose his license.

And the reworked 2012 Maserati GranTurismo MC (Maserati Corse) is the fastest and most powerful car in the Maserati lineup. With an infusion of performance from the company's Maserati Corse race division ...

Updated: Tue Dec 13, 2011

Jaguar XF 4-Cylinder Diesel Crosses US at 52 mpg Average for 12/06/2011

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

On the day the Obama administration proposed doubling the U.S. fuel economy standard to 54.5 mpg, Jaguar Cars announced that it had just finished a cross-country run in a four-cylinder, diesel-powered XF sport sedan that averaged 52 mpg over nearly 3,000 miles.

The Nov. 16 timing was fortuitous, but not planned.

"This project was designed primarily to test the potential econo ...

Updated: Tue Dec 06, 2011

Infiniti EX: Pretty Styling, Persuasive Ways, Tough Attitude for 12/06/2011

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0800

The Infiniti EX35 is a cleverly disguised tall wagon with a lot of cargo capacity, roomy front-seat area and somewhat snug back-seat room. The EX is an ideal downsize vehicle for parents exiting the minivan phase or professionals who need more capacity than a sedan.

The 2012 model is a carryover from 2011, except for the addition of Homelink (gate-garage opener) as standard equipment on ...

Updated: Tue Dec 06, 2011

Lexus IS 350 AWD: No Cut Corners for 11/29/2011

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

The Lexus IS midsize sport sedan is virtually unchanged for 2012 after a significant "freshening" for 2011 that included front and rear styling updates and minor interior changes.

Sold in IS 250 and IS 350 models, in rear- or all-wheel-drive, starting prices are up by $300. The IS 250 has a starting price of $34,170 and comes with a six-speed manual transmission and 204-horsepo ...

Updated: Tue Nov 29, 2011

Mitsubishi i: Electric Car Underpromises, Overdelivers for 11/22/2011

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

The four-seat, four-door Mitsubishi i is the simplest mass-produced electric car to date and possibly the most satisfying to live with for its hardiness and utility. It's also got the lowest starting price.

This face of Mitsubishi's new green and fuel-efficient direction began its launch in November for California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. Dealers will have at least one car for tes ...

Updated: Tue Nov 22, 2011

PDK Equals PDQ: Porsche's Automated Manual Adds a New Dimension to 911 Driving for 11/15/2011

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

On the first day of driving the Porsche 911 GTS with the PDK transmission — an automated manual — my left leg kept reaching for the clutch pedal, and my right hand would reach for the shifter.

It was my mindset and muscle memory that "all good Porsches have manual transmissions." By Day 2, I was liking the smoothness of the seven-speed gearbox — with the tongu ...

Updated: Tue Nov 15, 2011

Big Easy: Audi A6 Is Larger and Still Forceful With Downsized Engine Choices for 11/08/2011

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0800

Audi didn't follow the leader when updating its Audi A6 sedan. It cornered the BMW 5-series and Mercedes-Benz E-class and then redefined the segment.

With a half an inch here and there in the dimensions, new and tighter tolerances in assembly and clean styling, the 2012 A6 graduates to the Tier 1 league of aspirational sedans.

And it brings its own temptations and considerable fue ...

Updated: Tue Nov 08, 2011

Practical Prius: V Wagon's Size and Utility Have Mainstream Appeal for 11/01/2011

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0700

Six inches may not seem like much at times, but that's the difference between the Toyota Prius "Liftback" and the new Prius V, which is six inches longer, three inches taller and an inch wider.

It doesn't look that much different, but the V becomes a viable family vehicle and not just a novelty of miserly mileage. V is for "versatile," and this roomy little wagon has ...

Updated: Tue Nov 01, 2011

Boss 302: 444-hp Mustang Makes Every Driver Feel Like a Hero for 10/25/2011

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

I knew it was wrong from the start. But I couldn't help myself. It was just one of those things that happened. I wasn't looking for it, but there it was ... undeniable. Nobody was supposed to get hurt. I felt alive; my heart was pounding fresh, red inspiration.

And now I can't stop thinking about her: the Mustang Boss 302.

I had this car for four days over the Coronado Speed Festi ...

Updated: Tue Oct 25, 2011

Genuine Genesis: 5.0 R-Spec Is a Comfortable Step up in Performance and Style for 10/18/2011

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

The 429-hp Hyundai Genesis 5.0 R-Spec sedan is a halo model with global aspirations. It has a tuned suspension that feels like BMW; it has the commanding substance of Mercedes-Benz; it has the millimeter-tight assembly for which Lexus is known.

To these positive similarities, the Genesis adds a big, booming presence that's unique to this car. It's a collection of advanced Hyundai enginee ...

Updated: Tue Oct 18, 2011

Vital Versa: Nissan's Small Sedan Gets a Style and Size Makeover for 10/11/2011

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0700

The once-subcompact Nissan Versa sedan has been re-engineered on a new larger platform and restyled with enough interior capacity to push it into the compact class — but with subcompact pricing.

With starting prices ranging from $11,750 to around $18,000, Versa can now claim more appeal for a greater variety of drivers, ranging from misers to young families. It has incredible back- ...

Updated: Tue Oct 11, 2011