Archive for the ‘Test Drives’ Category

Test Drive / Review - An open, flat road, somewhere in the Midwest. Surrounded by corn fields. You see the outlines of farm silos far in the distance. Then there’s your Camaro SS, waiting: Are you ready? You slip behind the wheel, you turn the key. The V8 roars: Are you ready? You turn off the traction control and activate the competition mode. You are ready. [View our 2011 Camaro SS slideshow here.]

Test drive Buick Regal T – Perception is unlikely to lead you to a Buick dealership when you are looking for a car that is fun to drive on twisty roads and you are younger than 55. However, in the case of the Regal T, you’d be missing a very capable car which ended up with the Buick logo only by accident. This Regal is not your grandma’s sofa on wheels.

Review 2011 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid Platinum – Fuel efficiency is not the first thing on your mind when you purchase a monstrous Escalade Hybrid. There are few vehicles on the road that flaunt your wealth as much as this big SUV – and remind you from every angle that you can spend $100,000 on your car, while the strategically placed Hybrid badges make sure that your environment knows that you do your share to contain global warming. Representation is what this car is about, but we were interested in the fuel economy only. How many miles per gallon can you squeeze out of this 5879-pound SUV?

Review – As the first version of GM’s Lambda platform, the GMC Acadia was introduced for the 2007 model year and has aged in grace, while competitors have introduced 7/8-seat crossovers that make more sense for families since then. The Acadia remains a visually attractive vehicle, especially with the recently introduced Denali package that adds extra spice and a boatload of tech features. How much bling do you need in a crossover?

Test Drive/Review – Hybrids may be all the craze these days, but there are some interesting cars in the compact and midsize sedan class evolving that are fine-tuned to lower their gas consumption. The Cruze Eco has a list of elaborate modifications that result in hybrid-like fuel economy. Take a seat in what may be the most reasonable car on the street today. Click for the Slideshow here.

Last week, I had an unexpected opportunity to spend some time with a Chevrolet Volt right off the mass production line. It was not enough for a thorough evaluation, but it was plenty for a first impression. Join me for a first meetup.