Auto Word from Creators Syndicate

The Most Fuel-Efficient Vehicles of 2008 for 07/15/2008

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

With the price of gasoline at $4 a gallon, it may make sense for some people to consider a different vehicle if their daily driver is getting fewer than 15 miles per gallon and their monthly fuel budget is $600 or more.

Paying $300 a month for a small, efficient, four-cylinder car that gets 30 mpg on the daily commute may provide greater savings by using less fuel, even after insurance, ...

Updated: Tue Jul 15, 2008

Saturn Vue Hybrid Has a lot to Offer for 07/22/2008

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Saturn Vue Hybrid is a good choice for a family vehicle that balances fuel economy and utility.

This five-passenger, "one mode" hybrid shuts off the four-cylinder gasoline engine at traffic stops, gives a boost of power on acceleration through electric motors and uses regenerative braking to channel kinetic energy back to the hybrid battery. But it can't be driven under bat ...

Updated: Tue Jul 22, 2008

Dodge Challenger SRT8 Built With Muscle Memory for 07/29/2008

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

What's wrong with the Dodge Challenger SRT8?

Nothing. But anybody who cares anything about this car has already read the rave reviews.

For what it is — a re-creation of a stompin' muscle car — the Chrysler designers and engineers nailed a 10.

The original 1970 Dodge Challenger was the inspiration for many design cues on the 2008 Challenger SRT8, among them: a fu ...

Updated: Tue Jul 29, 2008

Polaris' Vision Tour Is More Than Flash and Dash for 08/08/2008

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

When snowmobile specialist Polaris began building its Victory brand motorcycles a decade ago, its initial model, the cryptically named V92C, found it difficult to break into a crowded cruiser market.

The company made a plan to: stay in business, get noticed (they needed to) and make bold styling statements.

The revitalization began in 2003 with the Vegas, which had input from mast ...

Updated: Fri Aug 08, 2008

Honda Silver Wing Offers Best Of Both Worlds for 08/12/2008

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

An advertising pitch for the 2008 Honda Silver Wing ABS scooter could mirror the original Miller Lite beer slogan: less bulky, rides great.

Honda's top-line scooter is nimble enough to maneuver sharply through tight spaces, but is smooth and powerful enough to handle a long-distance journey. At 551 pounds, it's not tiny, but no one will mistake this for a fully dressed Harley, either.

Updated: Tue Aug 12, 2008

BMW Sibling Rivalry for 08/19/2008

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

What's not to like about small BMWs with big engines? Not much. But the coupe and convertible are like fraternal twins, female and male. One, the convertible, is attractive with alluring ways; the other is tough and blunt. Both have a full measure of engineering and drive with the integrity of purebred, rear-wheel-drive BMWs.

The 128i coupe has a starting price of $29,425, including the ...

Updated: Tue Aug 19, 2008

Redesigned FX Stands Out From Crossover Crowd for 08/26/2008

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

It might not appear that the cargo area of the Infiniti FX could hold five golf bags behind the second row, but it will — and without using the sunroof.

Crossover vehicles come in all shapes and sizes, each trying to stake out an identity. There's no missing the FX.

By government designation, it's a station wagon, but Infiniti's PR guys will bristle at that term. The FX has ...

Updated: Tue Aug 26, 2008

Redesigned FX Stands Out From Crossover Crowd for 08/26/2008

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

It might not appear that the cargo area of the Infiniti FX could hold five golf bags behind the second row, but it will — and without using the sunroof.

Crossover vehicles come in all shapes and sizes, each trying to stake out an identity. There's no missing the FX.

By government designation, it's a station wagon, but Infiniti's PR guys will bristle at that term. The FX has ...

Updated: Tue Aug 26, 2008

Chevy's Small HHR SS Is a Sporty Turbo Wagon for 09/02/2008

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The future of factory-built performance cars is at a crossroads as the price of gasoline chokes the fun out of driving. But Chevy has a little contender in its HHR SS.

The Heritage High Roof is a nod to the fat-fendered pickups and panel trucks of the early '50s, but its engine and customized styling are modern. And the SS has some fun show-and-go credentials, such as a no-lift shift, fi ...

Updated: Tue Sep 02, 2008

Ninja 650R Motorcycle Rides Like a Racehorse for 09/09/2008

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The horse-and-rider relationship of a jockey and thoroughbred is the bond I felt piloting Kawasaki's Ninja 650R motorcycle.

A 1,000-pound racehorse is a living, breathing animal. At 393 pounds, so is the Ninja.

Of course, a thoroughbred costs tens of thousands of dollars to acquire, if not more. You can stable the 650R in your garage for $6,499, and it's cheaper to feed and mainta ...

Updated: Tue Sep 09, 2008

Lincoln Restores Its Luxury Legacy With 2009 MKS for 09/16/2008

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

I've just finished a week in the new Lincoln MKS and I'm stunned.

This new flagship sedan is the first Lincoln I've driven that wasn't a glorified Ford. So that would make this car the first real Lincoln I've driven.

Lincoln MKS is a fitting flagship for the brand. It has sophisticated, efficient V-6 power, a richly trimmed interior and an option for all-wheel drive. Pricing begin ...

Updated: Tue Sep 16, 2008

Quiet Preview Creates a Wild Scene for 2010 Camaro for 09/23/2008

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Heads were turning the other morning outside the Hard Rock Hotel in downtown San Diego. A camouflaged 2010 Camaro pulled to the curb and a mini scuffle broke out among the paparazzi.

A Chevrolet engineering team had been based at the hotel while conducting final tuning and calibrations to the new Camaro, which goes into production Feb. 16.

A product planner for the Camaro had give ...

Updated: Tue Sep 23, 2008

Global Safety Standards May Square Off Over Cube for 09/30/2008

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Just as American drivers are seeing small as beautiful and inexpensive to gas up, Nissan will import an ideal example of utility and finesse in miniature — the Cube.

I've spent several days with a Japanese-spec, right-hand-drive Cube, and if Nissan doesn't foul up the U.S. version, this car could fly off dealers' lots like hot rolls being passed around the Thanksgiving table.

< ...

Updated: Tue Sep 30, 2008

Old Reliable: Toyota Corolla Hits 40 for 10/07/2008

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Toyota Corolla is the car a father recommends to offspring and in-laws. "It's dependable and fuel-efficient" are among the selling points he will use.

It's also dutiful and dull, but these days, how can anybody argue with 27 mpg around town and 35 on the highway using 87 octane?

The Corolla nameplate has been on the road for 40 years in the United States. The new 200 ...

Updated: Tue Oct 07, 2008

Cayenne Beloved by Buyers But a Quirk for the Brand for 10/14/2008

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The Porsche Cayenne sport utility vehicle is a sales phenomenon, but the GTS model is disappointing considering its $86,000 price tag.

The five-passenger Cayenne is engineered with Volkswagen and is a spinoff of VW's Touareg. The foundation is sturdy and practical, built to be an ultimate car-truck for Volkswagen.

Porsche has seven versions of Cayenne, a choice of manual transmiss ...

Updated: Tue Oct 14, 2008

Maximizing the Maxima for 10/21/2008

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The 2009 Maxima marks the seventh generation of Nissan's big sedan. The name has been around at least 27 years, and before that it was known as the Datsun 810.

That's uncommon name longevity in an industry in which some makers throw away great names for confusing alphanumeric identifiers.

The previous Maxima was no slouch, but it had lost some of its handling edge. In addition, th ...

Updated: Tue Oct 21, 2008

BMW Sports Activity Coupe Better as a Concept for 10/28/2008

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

The BMW X6 is one of those design experiments that worked as a concept vehicle. Too bad it didn't remain that untouchable dream car.

BMW boldly takes credit for creating a segment in which to sell its all-wheel-drive X6 Sports Activity Coupe. Except this coupe has four doors and four seats. It is sold in two models, with a choice of a 300-horsepower, inline six-cylinder or 400-hp V-8 eng ...

Updated: Tue Oct 28, 2008

Ford's New Crossover Can be Easily Personalized for 11/04/2008

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

I was having one of those days of deadlines and appointments when I hurried out to the 2009 Flex Limited that had just been delivered. With little time to spare for familiarization, I glanced at the clock, pulled on the seat belt, fired the engine, adjusted the mirrors, hit the fan speed button, turned on the radio and pulled it into gear.

Drivers do that drill several times a day, but f ...

Updated: Tue Nov 04, 2008

Saab Turbo X is Subtle but Stirring for 11/11/2008

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Saab's limited edition 2008 Turbo X sedan and wagon previewed next-generation technology to be applied to others in its 2009 lineup.

Saab built 600 black-on-black, 280-horsepower Turbo X models as a tribute to 30 years of turbocharging and the company's first all-wheel-drive system for passenger cars. That's not a bad way to tell a story, at $43,000 to $46,000 apiece.

Loyalists wh ...

Updated: Tue Nov 11, 2008

EX Marks the Spot for 11/18/2008

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Most luxury cars are better by the pound, but the Infiniti EX proves that small can be beautiful and luxurious.

This small crossover compares more or less with the BMW X3 and Acura RDX, but the EX looks less like a small sport utility and more like a downsized version of the larger Infiniti FX. Think of the EX as a station wagon to the G35 sedan.

But the EX, really, is nothing lik ...

Updated: Tue Nov 18, 2008