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Dual power: 2006 Prius hybrid is no longer a compact (2/10/06)Toyota makes the best-selling hybrid on the planet, but they didn't make the first one. In the mid-50s I was driving around in my own hybrid of sorts. My plywood miniature car was powered by an old Briggs and Stratton 1-hp lawnmower engine, but to get it moving I had to push it, jump in, give it full throttle and engage the hand clutch. Away I'd go, to the envy of every boy in the neighborhood...
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Longer, wider, taller: 2006 RAV4 full of changes (2/3/06)My enthusiasm for the new RAV4 surged when the salesman pulled a handle recessed into the rear cargo area and the left half of the second row seat instantly flipped forward, creating a flat loading floor. He pulled a duplicate handle on the right side and the other half of the seat folded flat. No removing headrests or flipping up seat cushions required!...
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Speaking with an 'Accent': Hyundai gives us more refined automobile (1/27/06)Hyundai is on a roll. With both J.D. Power and "Consumer Reports" saying complimentary things, the brand has become the fourth-largest import nameplate in the United States. That's one heck of an accomplishment for Hyundai, and a bit of a misstatement. ...
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Best gas mileage ever: Ford Explorer is completely redesigned for 2006 (1/20/06)Right off the bat, when I pulled the door shut on this week's test vehicle I was irritated by the goofy location of the door pull. "Why," I thought, "would Ford equip the best-selling SUV with such an awkward door pull?" But my irritation disappeared when I cranked the handsome steering wheel all the way to the lock and pulled away from the tight dealership parking space. ...
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New life and fire (1/13/06)Chevrolet has freshened the 2006 Monte Carlo's styling with new front-end and taillight treatments, but the venerable body shape is still instantly identifiable as one of racing's most popular nameplates. Debuting in 1970 at the height of the muscle-car era, the Monte Carlo was an immediate success at a time when GM claimed almost half of the North American car market. ...
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Toyota Land Cruiser: It's known by many different names (12/23/05)In China it is called "Shamowang," or "King of the Desert." In Latin America it is the "El Macho." In these parts it is simply the "Land Cruiser." because it doesn't need a road -- ordinary muddy, rocky, hilly land will do just fine. The first Toyota to challenge the famous WW-II Willis Jeep was called the "Toyota Jeep BJ." That 1951 design was not very impressive, but two years later, after many improvements, the Japanese National Police Reserve Forces were buying hundreds. ...
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Enormous power: Dodge Mega Cab is King Kong of pickups (12/16/05)Bigger is better. Size matters. The more you have the more you want. Increased, expanded, extended, enlarged. Welcome to the 2006 Dodge Mega Cab, a truck that sets new standards. The Mega Cab has the largest, longest cab. Its interior volume is unmatched. It has the largest cargo volume behind the rear seat and the largest interior flat floor-load area. Its back seat has the most legroom, and the largest rear door opening...
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Powerful and comfortable: New Honda Civic has radical redesign after 33 years (12/9/05)When Honda offered a four-door Civic sedan for the first time in 1981, I had to have one. I had endured the gas shortage waiting lines of the seventies, I had put up with skyrocketing fuel prices, and I had been forced to buy expensive unleaded gasoline so that my catalytic converter wouldn't clog. "There's a Honda motorcycle in my carport," I reasoned, "why not a Honda car?"...
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More room, more power (12/2/05)Ah, the holidays: Children home from school, a turkey roasting in the oven, and a general state of confusion as friends come and go and telephones chirp endlessly. But this Thanksgiving was going to be special for me, for the local Mazda dealer had flagged me down in traffic a week earlier, shouting through his open window that the '06 Miata roadster had arrived É oops, sorry about that, I mean MX-5! The Miata is known in the rest of the world as the MX-5, and so I must be journalistically correct.. ...
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Joining the competition: Mercury Milan is new competitor in hot midsize segment (11/18/05)There's a lot of buzz in automotive circles about how Ford Motor Company is getting back into the car business after a long absence. That's an exaggeration, of course, because Ford never quit building cars -- it concentrated on trucks and SUVs for the past decade while the competition, mostly from Japan, took the heart out of the car market. ...
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Good impression: 2006 Kia Rio is big improvement over old one (11/11/05)Kia brags that they sold more cars in their first 10 years in America -- one million -- than any other manufacturer. And just in time for skyrocketing gas prices, they introduce a vastly improved Rio, a compact car. Said to be "the most affordable four-door sedan in America," it features class-leading interior room and safety features, including six standard airbags. Although it is a small car, it has a relatively roomy interior, a large trunk, and an uncommonly quiet, smooth ride...
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Redesigned for 2006: Mercury Mountaineer gets Mustang V-8 engine (11/4/05)During the 1930s Ford Motor Company catered to the luxury market with its Lincolns and to the mass market with its Fords, but it had nothing optimized for the growing middle class segment. It closed the gap slightly with its 12-cylinder Lincoln Zephyr in 1936, but it still needed something in the medium price range. The Mercury Eight was the answer, and it was an instant success, selling 70,385 units during the 1939 model year...
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Designed for action: Pontiac's Torrent stirs up the SUV market (10/28/05)My idea of a great day is one with colorful, fall scenery zipping by, framed in the windshield of a responsive motorcar touring down a rural country lane. The windows are down, the sunroof is open, and, like Chuck Berry, I have "no particular place to go."...
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Bridging the gap: Lincoln Zephyr offers high style at a bargain price (10/21/05)I've always had a reverent respect for Lincolns. Even as a youngster, before anyone told me they were expensive, I knew they were special, different and better than an "ordinary" car. Growing up in a dusty Texas border town, in another era when our soldiers (including my dad) occupied Japan, life was a stark time of haves and have-nots. ...
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A run for the money: Chevy HHR gives Chrysler PT Cruiser some competition (10/14/05)If you've spent time in a PT Cruiser you will feel right at home in the similarly sized Chevy HHR. From the raised seating position to the centrally located power-window switches, and the adjustable rear cargo shelf -- everything seems familiar. Chrysler has had the retro-wagon market to itself for nearly six years, and has enjoyed good sales. ...
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Winning combination: Ford Fusion mixes performance with comfort and affordable price (10/7/05)In many respects it is appropriate that Ford name its new 2006 midsize car "Fusion," for it was 100 years ago that Albert Einstein published his famous equation that changed the world: E=mc2. It would not be until 1932 that the first nuclear reaction in a laboratory would demonstrate the accuracy of Einstein's equation, and now we know that through fusion, our sun and stars fuse hydrogen into helium, liberating enormous quantities of energy. ...
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Big and macho: Commander is Jeep's newest intimidator (9/16/05)The new Jeep Commander might be the perfect American vehicle. It's big. It's macho. It looks expensive (but really isn't). It hauls a lot of people (it's the first Jeep with three rows of seats). And finally, it's got a military bearing and a name to match. If it's a success -- and I'm betting it will be -- will we be seeing a smaller version next year called "Lt. Commander"?...
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Kia Sportage: V-6 power for the price of a 4-cylinder (9/9/05)When the first Sportage went on sale in 1995 I thought it was cute, and because it was inexpensive and rugged-looking, I considered buying one. So did a lot of other Americans -- Kia sold 62,000 of them at its peak in 2000. But sales declined rapidly after that, owing to stiff competition from bigger, more comfortable small SUVs such as the Honda CR-V, Jeep Liberty, and Ford Escape. Kia pulled the plug on the Sportage after the 2002 model year...
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Mazda 5 is part car, part minivan (9/2/05)Hiroshima, Japan has been in the news recently as we observe the 60th anniversary of the use of the atomic bomb in World War II. But a much happier event occurred in Hiroshima 25 years earlier -- the establishment of Toyo Cork Kogyo, which later changed its name to Mazda, in honor of the god of light. ...
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History repeats itself: Chevy Impala is more refined, efficient (8/19/05)If you're old enough to remember the original 1958 Chevy Impala, you also remember the hysteria of the '70s, when fuel prices doubled while we waited in line for the privilege of purchasing overpriced lead-laced go-juice. Now we have a new Impala, and once again, outrageous fuel prices. ...
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High-value family hauler: The Rio Cinco is perfect for young buyers on tight budget (8/12/05)The Kia story begins in 1944 with the founding of a factory focused on bicycle wheel manufacturing. Within a year, the Seoul, South Korea, factory was laying the groundwork for what would become a major bicycle manufacturing operation. In the 1960s the company moved into the manufacture of motor scooters, then three-wheeled delivery vehicles. By the early 1970s Kia was building trucks, and as the decade came to a close, Kia was producing the Peugeot 604 and Fiat 132 for the Asian market...
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Hyundai Sonata: This V-6 goes after Accord and Camry (8/5/05)I've been trying for months to get my hands on Hyundai's redesigned Sonata V-6 for a test drive, and my day finally came last week. Hyundai thinks it has built a car that gives Honda Accord and Toyota Camry -- the best sellers in the mid-size sedans segment -- some direct competition. I wanted to see for myself...
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Mustangs change but always give bang for the buck (7/29/05)"Summertime" for me is warm sunshine, green grass, singing birds, ice cream and convertibles -- like the Mustang I tested this week. I've owned four Mustangs -- two convertibles and two coupes -- with straight-six, V-6, 4-cylinder and V8 engines. Mustangs have grown, shrunk and grown again over the years, but one thing has always remained constant -- outstanding bang for the buck...
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Ford Escape Hybrid lowers fuel costs (7/22/05)Although hybrid cars seem to be capturing the headlines, the technology has been around for a long time. You probably have one or two hybrids around your house! A hybrid combines two or more sources of power. I'm writing this column on a hybrid laptop computer -- it operates on batteries or household current. ...
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A minivan that imitates an SUV (7/15/05)You can test drive cars for a week, read all the articles, and still buy the wrong car if you aren't completely honest with yourself. It happens all the time. How else can you explain the huge trucks and SUVs parked in our driveways? If we chose vehicles strictly on practicality, 90 percent of the cars on the road would be minivans. What other vehicle gives you so much for so little?...
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Turning heads: Mitsubishi's Eclipse melds exciting styling with sporting performance (7/8/05)The other day I drove a new car that I swear is the lovechild of an Audi TT and a Nissan 350Z -- with a dash of Mercury Cougar thrown in just to add spice. Mitsubishi calls it their "all-new 2006 Eclipse" and it is their latest incarnation of the hot little street fighter that for a decade and a half has been the darling of the sports-compact craze...
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Plenty of power: Dodge Charger boasts Hemi engine (7/1/05)Launched in 1966, the original Dodge Charger was a response to the pony-car fad started by the Mustang, but on a much larger scale. It was based on the midsize Dodge Coronet model and quickly became a sales hit because of its muscular good looks and awesome performance provided by V-8s ranging from a 318-cubic-inch to the almighty 426 Hemi...
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Good looking, good driving (6/17/05)Revamped Hyundai Sonata has large-car dimensions The first time I heard of a "sonata" was in a music appreciation class. That was in the '60s when the music I appreciated was made with three guitars, a set of drums, and longhaired hippies yelling, "I wanna hold your hand." Today there are Hyundai Sonatas everywhere...
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Maxx-ium luxury (6/10/05)Louis Chevrolet would not recognize the car I tested last week that bears his name. In 1911, when the first Chevrolet went into production, there was no such thing as automatic air conditioning, automatic four-speed transmissions, or automatic power windows. ...
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Longer and sleeker (6/3/05)There are towns called "Avalon" in California, Georgia, Missouri, Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, England and France, but the Toyota Avalon is not built in any of them. Georgetown, Ky., is home to Toyota's flagship sedan, which has been re-fashioned and re-engineered for 2005. ...
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First mini sport utility (5/20/05)srobertson Lots of people think that free trade with foreign nations is a relatively new idea. It's no secret that American car manufacturers source many of their parts -- even entire vehicles -- from Asia and Europe. The Chevrolet Tracker and Ford Aspire were Korean built, Chrysler V-6 engines came from Japan, as do some Saturn engines and a number of Harley Davidson motorcycle parts. ...
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Sporty compact SUV (5/13/05)If you've ever wondered how difficult it would be to start a new business to produce your own dream machine, consider what Henry Ford went through. Before man could fly, Ford built his first car, or "quadricycle" in 1896. Three years later he formed the Detroit Automobile Company, but its cars didn't sell, his ideas differed from those of his stockholders, and he left to begin a successful racing career. ...
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Luxurious LT (5/6/05)I feel really special. This week I've been pampered. Coddled. Swaddled in expensive leather skins, caressed by filtered, air-conditioned breezes, and serenaded by the finest classical orchestrations of human creation. You see, I've been parading around in a pickup truck!...
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Ion Red Line is a sports car in disguise (4/29/05)It's no secret that most people dread shopping for a car. There are exceptions, of course, like me and my gearhead friends. To us, nothing is more fun than a day of tire kicking, peering under hoods, and getting down on one knee to read the fine print on the sidewalls...
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All-wheel-drive sedan (4/22/05)Montego is a large-size car with mid-size price Originally, Mercurys were mostly Fords with more flash and dash, for a little more cash. Fords were priced at the bottom end of the market, and Lincolns were designed, and priced, for the wealthy car buyer. Ford Motor Company needed a mid-priced automobile, and when it introduced the Mercury in the 1930s, it was an immediate success...
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Sporty mini-van (4/15/05)srobertson Mazda MPV thinks it's a sports car If BMW built a van, I think this would be it. It looks sporty, it drives sporty, and it has sporty features -- like a disappearing third-row seat that can be flipped over to create a tailgate seat. One BMW feature it doesn't have is a BMW price. The MPV is a Mazda, after all!...
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American economy car (4/8/05)srobertson Chevy Cobalt ready to battle imports If you are one of those car shoppers browsing in the "high value" market (translation: inexpensive), and you can't stand the thought of buying anything but American, I've got a car for you. It's brand new, it has most of the gee-whiz engineering gizmos, it's very well built, and it flies Old Glory with pride. ...
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Made in the USA (4/1/05)srobertson A popular Japanese family sedan is made in America Here's a puzzle: What's made in America, has been called a "Japanese Buick," and routinely outsells all other mid-size American and imported sedans? It's the Toyota Camry, built in Georgetown, Ky., and available in four different flavors -- the Standard, the LE, the sport-tuned SE and the luxurious XLE, with prices ranging from $18,195 to over $30,000 for a well-optioned XLE...
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Innovative vehicle (3/25/05)srobertson Honda reinvents itself with new Ridgeline Everywhere in the automotive press, writers are saying Honda has "reinvented the pickup truck" with the introduction of its new Ridgeline. I must agree that Honda's newest vehicle is innovative, but I would argue that if Honda has reinvented anything, it has reinvented itself!...
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Building a new image (3/18/05)srobertson Buick's new Terraza is part SUV, part van My most memorable ride in a Buick occurred when I was in high school and didn't yet have a driver's license. My buddy John had just gotten his, and as a reward his well-to-do-aunt gave him her four-year-old Buick convertible. John put a "cutout" on that old '58 V-8 that enabled him to by-pass the muffler and tailpipe by pulling on a knob hidden under the dashboard. The result was a racket that could raise the dead...
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Superior highway manners (3/11/05)srobertson Honda CR-V gets upgrades for 2005 Last week I wrote about a slick little SUV from Japan that had great off-road capability and acceptable highway manners. This week I'm going to tell you about another little SUV that has just the opposite personality -- superior highway manners but no serious off-road ambitions. ...
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Full of options - Suzuki Grand Vitara is capable off-road, on (3/4/05)srobertson Suzuki Grand Vitara is capable off-road and on I've got good news and bad news about the Suzuki Grand Vitara EX. First the bad news: You can't get any options on this cute, four-wheel-drive sport-ute from Japan. Now the good news: It doesn't need any! The Grand Vitara comes so well equipped, so optioned to the gills, that there is practically nothing you could add that would increase its versatility, its comfort or its curb appeal...
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Sporty truck - Chevy's SSR retro truck thinks it's a roadster (2/25/05)srobertson Chevy's SSR retro truck thinks it's a roadster Let's say you're a healthy, normal person like me who likes sports cars -- those impractical, expensive conveyances with tiny trunks, powerful engines, noisy rag tops and only two seats. ...
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Suzuki Aerio SX is a hatchback with personality (2/11/05)srobertson Suzuki Aerio SX is a hatchback with personality Check out the window sticker on this week's test vehicle and you'll see the word "INCLUDED" repeated over and over. My 2005 Suzuki Aerio SX was loaded with convenience and luxury features, such as automatic climate control, yet it didn't have a single extra-cost option. ...
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Mini-van meets SUV - Saturn Relay is new Gm 'mid-van' (2/4/05)srobertson Saturn Relay is new GM 'mid-van' In researching this week's test vehicle, a 2005 Saturn Relay, I discovered an interesting coincidence. Saturn, the planet with the mysterious rings, is arguably the most beautiful object in the sky. Saturn, the car company, is building a beautiful new sports car called "Sky." With a body of steel (not plastic that Saturn is famous for), it will be available in 2006, and is designed to do two things: move the Saturn brand upscale -- between Pontiac and Buick -- and bring customers back to Saturn showrooms.. ...
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Time for a change (1/28/05)srobertson Kia is getting new respect with new offerings Change is in the wind at Kia -- change in perception, expectations -- even change in quality. Kia's U.S. sales grew 14 percent in 2004, but the South Korean automaker wants to be taken even more seriously, and is aggressively designing new vehicles...
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Freestyle is Ford's idea of 'crossover' vehicle (1/7/05)Freestyle is Ford's idea of a "crossover" vehicle Nothing can be more daunting than planning and executing the annual family road trip adventure, and few things are more important to its success than your choice of vehicle. Have you noticed that lots of vehicles have plenty of room for the family, but no room for their luggage?...
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Sedona earns five-star rating (12/17/04)srobertson If minivans were sold by the pound, the Kia Sedona would be the class leader, with the best price-to-weight ratio on the market. Tipping the scale at a beefy 4,800 pounds, the economical import from Korea is heavier than most luxury sedans, and that translates into a cushy, quiet ride that you wouldn't expect at this price point...
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Ram's less bulky brother (12/10/04)srobertson Dakota rewrites midsize truck specifications I'll bet that when Tim "the tool man" Taylor thinks about trucks, he pictures a massive, in-your-face chrome grill like the intimidating Dodge Ram's. You know -- something like a hemi V-8 breathing through a set of loud glass-packs. ...
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Taking the high road (12/3/04)srobertson Highlander is Toyota's best-selling SUV It's going to take a while to test all of the Toyota SUVs -- there are five! From the king-size Sequoia, to the diminutive Rav4, and everything in between, including the Land Cruiser, 4Runner and Highlander, Toyota builds an SUV for every budget...
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Old is new for Mustang (11/26/04)This 'pony car' combines improved ride with outstanding performance Trying to find a baby boomer that hasn't driven a Ford Mustang is nearly impossible. Appearing in 1964 when millions of boomers were getting their driver's licenses, it was an immediate sensation. ...
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Colorado has five-cylinder engine (11/19/04)Chevrolet transforms its S-10 pickup into the larger, bolder, more sophisticated Colorado. Colorado! The name evokes a feeling of adventure, freedom and wide-open spaces. Chevy has wisely adopted the name for its new mid-size pickup truck and dumped the old S-10 moniker, which didn't really tell you anything about the old product. ...
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Jeap Grand Cherokee - An American icon (11/12/04)srobertson Jeep Grand Cherokee is completely re-engineered for 2005. If ever there was an American icon, it is the Jeep. The brand began with the legendary Willys MB of World War II fame, and continues to thrive today. With their "go-anywhere, do-anything" spirit, Jeeps dodge the limitations of ordinary vehicles. ...
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Get comfortable with the G6 sedan (11/5/04)Think of the Pontiac G6 as a stylish, fun-to-drive sedan with good get-up-and-go and respectable gas mileage. If you were tuned in to Oprah Winfrey in September you saw the afternoon TV matriarch give away 276 Pontiac G6s to a screaming, near-riotous audience, in what has been described as the most daring marketing coup in the history of the auto industry. ...
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Five Hundred rides on Volvo platform (10/29/04)When my long-awaited appointment to test-drive the new Ford Five Hundred finally arrived, the sun was hidden behind ominous rain clouds. I thought about rescheduling, but that would have disappointed three buddies I was meeting for breakfast who were as excited as I was about being the first on the block to ride in the new replacement for the midsize Taurus...
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SRT-4 is most affordable hot rod (10/22/04)Every once in a while a car dealer tosses me the keys to something really special. Something that's a kick to drive. Something that leaves a lasting impression. And when that something doesn't cost an arm and a leg, I get really excited! The Dodge SRT-4 offers the most performance for the dollar of any production sport compact car available in the United States, foreign or domestic...
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Tucson is worthy competitor (10/15/04)Tucson (TOO-sahn): Arizona's second largest city, and the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the United States; Hyundai's second largest SUV, and the newest vehicle in its lineup. The 2005 Hyundai Tucson is a 4-door, 5-passenger sport-utility, the newest competitor in the crowded compact SUV category. ...
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Odyssey packed with fresh features (10/8/04)Mention lazy susan and most folks think about an appliance on the kitchen table. But Mr. Honda thinks it belongs in a minivan. The anxiously awaited 2005 Odyssey is here, and a lazy susan is just one of the nifty features in the totally redesigned people mover...
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New Caravan rides like a dream (10/1/04)srobertson If you are like a lot of us who need to haul a lot of people and stuff, I've got just the vehicle for you. And the best part is, it handles like a dream and provides a quiet, plush ride. It's the latest incarnation of Dodge's famous Caravan minivan, which for the past 20 years has been hauling everything from soccer kids to sacks of cement for more than 10 million owners worldwide...
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GTO has earth-pounding performance (9/24/04)In 1964 we were reeling from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the intensifying Cold War. Films like "Fail-Safe" heated up our fears of nuclear war, and Dr. Strangelove had us watching from the cockpit of a B-52 as we launched a pre-emptive strike against the Soviet Union. ...
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Civic Si is top performing (9/3/04)The Honda Civic Si was parked in front of a motorcycle shop and two college-age guys were ogling it. I watched from a distance as one of them went inside and returned with a third guy. As the trio inspected the sleek hatchback, three girls in a sedan pulled in and tried to initiate a conversation with the boys, who could not be distracted. The girls asked whom the car belonged to, and without taking his eyes off the car one of the boys said, "Some older guy looking at a bike."...
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Kia Spectra is a contender (8/27/04)The names car manufacturers give their products are often entertaining. Sometimes they give us insight into what the car is all about. I imagine the manufactures spend a great deal of time choosing just the right name. Take the Kia Spectra, for example. It sounds a lot like "spectrum," but is also brings to mind "spectacular," and I'd speculate it's no accident. The new 2004 Spectra covers the gamut from comfort to safety...
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Mitsubishi Outlander competes with other compact SUVs (8/20/04)Mitsubishi Outlander competes with other compact SUV models SUV, AWD, ABS, MIVEC, EBD, RISE, RPM, MSRP, MPG and WOW! There are enough acronyms in today's automotive jargon to drive a Scrabble junkie bonkers. Do you know what they all mean? Read about this week's test vehicle, a 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander XLS special-use vehicle with all-wheel-drive and anti-lock braking system, and you will...
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Mazda makes driving fun (8/13/04)New RX-8 model has engine that's ready to go for a spin How does a small Japanese automaker distinguish itself from the rest of the pack? Building unusual cars has always worked for Mazda, and giving them an enviable reputation for reliability and speed hasn't hurt a thing. ...
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America's workhorse - Ford Crown Victoria (8/6/04)Ford Crown Victoria has a loyal following "Front-wheel drive is just a fad," my aging father mused almost 20 years ago. "There will always be rear-drive cars." A couple of years later he traded his rear-drive Lincoln Town Car for a front-wheel-drive Lincoln Continental, and said, "Well, front-wheel drive has certain advantages, but rear-drive will always be around."...
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Drivers hooked on Hyundai Tiburon (7/30/04)Hyundai offers attractive deal for young buyers With harpoon clenched in bloody hands, Santiago waited for the shark attack. He was determined, but held little hope as he watched the great fish close in. The shark's head came out of the water and the old man rammed the harpoon down into the shark's head...
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GMC makes SUV with split personality (7/23/04)GMC Envoy XUV is a mid-size SUV or a pickup truck It happened again yesterday when I was driving this week's test vehicle, GMC's innovative XUV. "Hey, Robertson," a friend called, "I read your articles. You like every car you drive! When are you going to write about a bad car?"...
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Chrysler 300C howls (7/16/04)STEVE ROBERTSON * steve@robertsonsphotography.com Have a need for speed? Chrysler has the answer -- a hemi-powered, retro-style, rear-wheel-drive touring car that has the flash, and dash of a 1950s era luxury cruiser. The new 300C runs as a four-cylinder engine when cruising, but as a 345-horsepower V-8 when pressed hard. It should get 17 mpg/city and 25 mpg/highway...
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Toyota Corolla makes sales history (7/9/04)The Corolla has a reputation for durability and resale value The Ford Model T is the best selling car of all time, right? Wrong. Mustang? Nope. Volkswagen Beetle? Guess again. Although Beetles infested the world years earlier, and the Mustang galloped to market a full two years earlier, the boxy little Toyota Corolla, first introduced in Japan in 1966, has outsold it, with more than 25 million copies sold in 142 countries...
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Luxury lingers in new Lincoln models (7/2/04)Lincoln LS is luring younger buyers into showrooms The Lincoln LS is not your grandmother's Lincoln, or your great-aunt's for that matter. My great-aunt had a 1963 Lincoln Continental. The rear doors were hinged at the back and opened backward, like a gangster's get-away car from an old James Cagney movie. ...
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Sorento offers plenty of surprises (6/25/04)Kia Sorento has amazing warranty and features It takes moxie to compete with the big-four SUV sales leaders Ford, Chevy, Jeep and Dodge, but that's what Kia is doing with the Sorento, a true off-road capable vehicle that also offers all the traditional SUV features. It's a fact that the only dirt most SUVs will ever see is garden dirt. But Sorento is designed for real trail busting, with its body-on-frame design and low-range four-wheel-drive...
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Suzuki Verona scores on value (6/18/04)STEVE ROBERTSON * srobertson@semissourian.com This 2004 Suzuki Verona was photographed in front of Southeast Hospital, and would make an excellent commuter, with its six-cylinder engine and automatic transmission. Engineered to compete against the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, the Suzuki offers more features for less money.srobertson...
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Hemi power in a family vehicle (6/11/04)The Dodge Magnum leaps from station wagon to sports tourer. I'll wager that most SUV owners over the age of 50 have had at least one station wagon during their driving careers. SUVs have much appeal with their flip and fold seats, huge cargo capacity and that "I have arrived" attitude, but station wagons offered those same features decades earlier. They could tow several thousand pounds, haul up to nine people and most came equipped with rooftop luggage racks...
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I-55 traffic should be CVB's target (6/7/04)My recent guest column suggesting that the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau's mission is wrong sure stirred things up. Chamber of commerce president John Mehner has called me twice and wrote a rebuttal column, and I've had a long (and congenial) conversation with Mayor Jay Knudtson and other interested residents...
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Excitement in an Eclipse (6/4/04)Sporty Mitsubishi vehicle is often mistaken for more expensive car One evening this week I was northbound on Interstate 55 between Scott City and Cape Girardeau when a fast-moving car caught my attention in my rearview mirror. As the speeding car closed the distance between us, I imagined it was an $80,000 Dodge Viper -- the fastest American production car on the road. ...
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Ride off road in Wrangler (5/28/04)Jeep Wrangler Unlimited has timeless qualities Rubber bands, balloons, inner tubes and Jeep Wranglers all have things in common: All are immediately recognizable. All can be stretched to make them more versatile. And, with a little creative thinking, all can be put to nearly unlimited, multipurpose uses. Maybe that's why Jeep's newest Wrangler has been dubbed "Unlimited."...
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Saturn Vue Red Line gets raves (5/21/04)This vehicle has numerous engineering innovations and safety features. Hurray for Saturn! Although the previous Vue, a 2003 model, was OK, it was nothing special when compared to compact SUVs from Ford, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Kia. But the 2004 Vue "Red Line" model changes everything, and is truly something to rave about...
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Unequaled Equinox (5/14/04)STEVE ROBERTSON * photos@semissourian.com It's easy to spot the new Equinox -- it looks like a baby Chevy Trailblazer with its muscular flared wheel openings and chromed horizontal grill bar. The new compact SUV features front-wheel-drive or all-wheel drive, and it the longest vehicle in its class. A V6 engine and automatic transmission are standard.Chevy's new compact SUV offers smooth ride and plenty of gadgetry....
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Grand Marquis provides a grand ride (5/7/04)STEVE ROBERTSON * photos@semissourian.com The 2004 Grand Marquis retains the traditional, stately Mercury sedan style. The nearly 4000-pound car gets surprisingly good gas mileage and has an excellent safety rating.srobertson The Grand Marquis appeals to a conservative, mature buyer...
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Take a look at Toyota's Tundra (4/2/04)srobertson Double cab is biggest Toyota truck model yet Americans are in love with their pickups, and it's a relationship that seems to have no end in sight. It's also apparent that "bigger is better," at least when it comes to pickups. More trucks are sold in North America than in any other part of the world, and despite rising fuel prices, the three top selling vehicles are full-size trucks with V-8 engines. ...
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Aerio is affordable compact vehicle (3/26/04)Superb gas mileage makes this car a winner. If curb appeal sells cars, Suzuki should have no trouble selling a trainload of Aerios. This fun-to-drive compact car is a family mover, commuter, slot car racer and colorful Easter egg all rolled into one. I didn't dream up that last description -- my wife did! But she echoed the sentiments of everyone who saw the tall, all-wheel-drive offering from Suzuki. "It's just so darn cute," was the typical response...
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Appealing Aveo - Chevy's new compact offers smooth ride (3/19/04)srobertson Chevy's new entry-level compact offers smooth ride at an affordable price There's a restaurant about 20 miles north of Cape Girardeau in Shawneetown, Mo., that is the perfect destination for test driving a new vehicle, and I usually show up there for dinner in a new car. ...
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High luxury in an SUV (3/5/04)srobertson Navigator is upscale version of Ford Expedition Light French Silk Clearcoat. Is this the latest nail polish color from Europe? Nope, it's the color of the 2004 Lincoln Navigator I tested last week. And although it's loaded with features to woo the ladies of the house, it's also a real, macho SUV with a two-speed transfer case and a 300-horsepower V-8 designed to send lesser wanna-be SUVs scurrying back to the suburbs...
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Variety in a Vibe (2/27/04)srobertson Pontiac Vibe GT is a high-performance sport wagon that targets young, hip buyers. You can ride a Yamaha motorcycle, play a Yamaha guitar and drive a Yamaha boat. But did you know you could drive a Yamaha-powered automobile? I did just that last week when I test-drove a Pontiac Vibe....
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Kia expands with new flagship (2/20/04)srobertson Last June I test drove my first Kia, the Optima, and those of you who remember that review will recall how impressed I was with that Korean-built mid-size sedan. Last week I had an opportunity to spend a day with Kia's new flagship, the Amanti, and I'm just as impressed...
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Mazda 3 gives powerful performance (2/13/04)STEVE ROBERTSON * photos@semissourian.com The Mazda 3 has electroluminescent gauges and a handsome interior with high-quality materials. The automatic transmission has a sequential shift feature, and the AM/FM sound system has a six-CD changer and six speakers. srobertson...
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Stylish Suzuki XL-7 (2/6/04)srobertson Vehicle offers features not found on other compact sport utilities. Test your automotive knowledge. True or false: 1. Suzuki engines power Toro lawnmowers. 2. Suzuki engines power Arctic Cat snowmobiles. 3. In 1954 Suzuki was producing 1,000 motorcycles per month...
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St. Louis Auto Show features 600 new vehicles (1/30/04)Show features 600 new vehicles Remember the 1950s and 1960s when new cars came out each fall? I can remember the thrill of riding my bicycle down to the local dealerships to sneak a peak of their latest offerings. The dealers would cover their showroom windows with paper to build suspense leading up to new car introduction day. And customers were willing to stand in line to get a glimpse of a new Mustang or Corvette...
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Rubicon as tough as rocks (1/23/04)Jeep Wrangler Rubicon offers new adventure in off-road travels. Isolation, solitude, seclusion -- that describes my idea of a vacation. The perfect vacation destination? Moab, Utah. Or more precisely, the desert, canyons, arches and other bizarre geology surrounding Moab and accessible only by rugged mining trails. The perfect vacation vehicle? A Jeep. Or more precisely, a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon -- the classic symbol of off-road rambling...
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Sporty family fun (1/16/04)STEVE ROBERTSON * photos@semissourian.com The 2004 Pontiac Grand Am GT has muscular styling cues that announce its sports sedan heritage. Reasonably priced and mid-sized, the Grand Am has always been popular since its introduction in 1973. Sports car performance, family sedan accommodations...
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A better-built Buick (1/2/04)Celebration model LeSabre offers large car comfort at a reasonable price The old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," certainly applies to the current edition of the Buick LeSabre. For years it has been the best-selling full-size car on the road, and one test drive will show you why. I recently picked up a LeSabre Celebration Edition from VanMatre Buick and headed across the new Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge for a test drive...
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A different Durango (12/26/03)Birds do it. Dogs do it. People do it. Why shouldn't Dodge do it? Why shouldn't Dodge try to distinguish itself from the rest of the pack? There are dozens of SUVs out there. Ford builds five different SUVs. Chevy has as many. Even Buick has two different SUVs. Then there are all the imports. Dodge, with just one SUV, has got to be different...
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Marvelous minivan - The Town and Country performs like an SUV (12/12/03)srobertson The Town and Country performs like an SUV yet gets excellent gas mileage Ask a college freshman what famous product is made in St. Louis, and you'll probably hear, "Budweiser." Tell them that one of the most successful vehicles in automotive history comes from St. ...
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Hyundai Sonata offers luxury features at economy price (12/5/03)srobertson We had a fun day last Sunday in a new Hyundai. That's more than just a silly limerick. Hyundai rhymes with Sunday, and we really did have a fun day testing a new 2004 Hyundai Sonata. I borrowed a 2004 Sonata recently, picked up three friends and drove up to the wine country west of Ste. Genevieve. It was a cold, blustery, rainy day, but we felt safe and cozy, thanks to our anti-lock brakes, traction control, and some excellent government crash test results...
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Mercury Monterey revives old name with long heritage (11/21/03)The new Mercury Monterey looks nothing like the Montereys of the past. My dad had a '57 Monterey two-door, and I got to drive the handsome green and white hardtop once in a while. It had a big 312-cubic-inch V8 engine and an automatic transmission that was controlled by push buttons on the dashboard...
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Malibu makes a comeback (11/14/03)srobertson Mention 1964 and some folks think of the New York World's Fair. For others it was the struggle for equality and the enactment of the Civil Rights Act. 1964 was the year of the Yankee/Cardinals World Series Game, the Beatles' invasion and the escalation of the Vietnam War...
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Toyota's Solara is more than a two-door Camry (11/7/03)srobertson On Oct. 31, I had two things on my mind: Halloween and this week's test car, a Toyota Camry Solara. Soskin Toyota provided the vehicle, painted in Absolute Red, just in time for a Halloween cruise, so I pointed the sleek 220-horsepower four-seater toward the rolling hills north of here. But within minutes I noticed something spooky about this vehicle, which I will tell you about in a minute...
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Hyundai hits the mark (10/24/03)srobertson Smooth, quiet-running engine provides an excellent ride Bad news: The service manager told you that you need a new transmission. It will cost more than $800. You still have six more payments to make on your 4-year-old car. Good news: You drive a Hyundai that came with a 10-year/100,000 miles powertrain warranty!...
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Not just another pretty face (10/17/03)It offers a smooth ride and high visibility, but the Tribute doesn't slouch on muddy roads or inclines What do you get when you cross the world's best-selling roadster, the Miata, with one of the best small SUVs on the market, the Ford Escape? A Mazda Tribute...
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Fantastic features in Accord (10/10/03)srobertson Honda could be on its way to creating the perfect car with the new Accord model. "Daddy, how much longer until we're there?" I'll bet I've heard that question a thousand times on long trips, and I've often wished there were some way the kids could just ask the family car that question, instead of bothering me every 10 minutes...
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Sporty Saturn satisfies drivers (10/3/03)The 2004 Saturn Ion Quad has smart, eye-catching lines. Although it looks like a traditional coupe, it actually has four doors and a spacious interior and trunk. The Ion Quad Coupe is actually a four-door hot rod "Watch out for the torque steer," I told my brother as he slid into the driver's seat of my new '89 Ford Probe GT...
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Rainier raises the bar (9/26/03)srobertson Buick Rainier offers a quiet, comfortable ride Several months ago, after test driving a new Buick Rendezvous, I had this to say: "Upscale, good looking and comfortable -- that's always been my impression of a Buick." I went on to describe the competent, comfortable Rendezvous and added, "... I've not been in [an SUV] that delivers a better ride or has more comfortable seats."...
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Keeping in Focus (9/5/03)Ford vehicle makes list of 10 best cars in world If I said, "Name the 10 best cars in the world," what brands come to mind? European old standards like Mercedes, and Rolls Royce? Japanese marquees such as Lexus? Or do you think of American standbys Cadillac and Lincoln? And if you had to pick the 10 best cars, what parameters would you use? Reliability? Safety? Styling? Performance?...
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Chrysler Pacific bridges gap between minivan and SUV (8/29/03)srobertson Chrysler Pacific bridges the gap between minivan and SUV A friend who lives up the street was asking me for car advice the other day. It became obvious to me that the only vehicles under consideration were in the trendy SUV category. "Why does everyone want an SUV?" I wondered. Not being a sport utility vehicle owner myself, I have a hard time grasping the fascination with them...
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Fresh ideas and tight steering make for fun ride in new Jeep (8/15/03)The Jeep Liberty Renegade's tasteful interior is roomy and comfortable. srobertson It was love at first sight. I was in high school, and the beautiful college girl that moved in next door drove an MG Midget sports car. She was beautiful. And so was Colleen!...
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Reclaiming a sporty image (8/8/03)STEVE ROBERTSON * photos@semissourian.com An innovative interior in the new Grand Prix offers such features as fold down rear seats and a folding front passenger seat. The new Grand Prix, with its supercharged engine, can outrun the competition "Get your motor runnin'. Head out on the highway. Lookin' for adventure and whatever comes our way É"...
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Lincoln's Aviator might be in need of a better name (8/1/03)srobertson I'm in a quandary. I always thought an aviator was a person who flew aircraft. But thanks to Lincoln, it's also a new vehicle. I think a car's name should describe what a vehicle is all about. Explorer, Expedition, and Ranger seem like descriptive vehicle names. ...
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Ready for a Ram - Mayor of Truckville heats up the competition (7/25/03)Competition is a wonderful thing. Competition put a man on the moon. It pushes Lance Armstrong over the Pyrenees. It gives us the World Series, the Indy 500 and É the Dodge Ram! If you haven't met the "mayor of Truckville," it's time for an introduction. ...
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Optimum package in Optima (6/27/03)srobertson Kia's Optima offers a pleasant surprise in driving and price Whoever coined the adage "Big surprises come in small packages" could have been sitting in a new Kia Optima. When I checked out this week's test car, a low-priced midsize provided by Auffenberg Kia in Cape Girardeau, I was blown away! Without a doubt, it's the most surprising car I've ever driven. ...
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Chevy's new model mixes the best of pickup and SUV (6/20/03)srobertson The engineers at Chevy must have had a ball designing this week's test vehicle. I'll bet they grew up playing with those cool little metal toys that morph from a skateboard into an airplane into a military tank. The Avalanche is just like that -- one minute it's a pickup truck; the next minute it's an SUV. I have no idea why they named it "Avalanche" É perhaps all the engineering drawings kept sliding off the table? I like the name "Morf" better É it's much easier to spell...
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Maximum power in new maxima (5/30/03)srobertson "Mr. Sulu, give me full Maxima power!" Spock's words echoed in my ears as I jabbed the throttle. I knew that somewhere beneath the floor there was not a conventional throttle cable connected to the engine, but a drive-by-wire system connected to a computer. I knew that this machine was equipped with OBD II (On-Board Diagnostic System), and that if it detected an emissions-related incident our mission would be compromised...
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Rugged new SUV by Honda comes with all the bells and whistles (5/9/03)Anyone who's taken a chemistry class knows an element is a substance that cannot be reduced into a simpler substance by chemical means. An element is about as simple as it gets. So when I picked up Honda's funky new SUV from Wieser Honda in Cape Girardeau for this review, I had a few preconceptions...
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Mazda 6 packs punch (5/9/03)srobertson This vehicle could well be one of the best-handling cars ever. Those of you old enough to remember the 1960s recall that horsepower ruled in those days. We didn't know what a "sound system" was. Back then, great sound came from a set of dual exhausts with glass packs -- not a bunch of electronic gear. ...