2012 Volkswagen Passat – A Sophisticated Car with High-Quality Interior

Good Top notch interior; voluptuous rear seat; plenty of upscale features come standard; offered fuel efficient turbodiesel powertrain. Bad Offset pedals; ho-hum performance from 2.5 liter engine; below average braking distances. Introduction 2012 Volkswagen Passat is the biggest passenger vehicle in the company’s lineup that has all the refinements and technology expected of sophisticated German car, but is now designed and developed in United States of America especially for North American market. Engineered and designed in Germany, but made in America for Americans, the fully redesigned Passat deserves serious consideration from midsize family saloon shoppers. It has been completely redesigned for 2012 model year with newly offered turbodiesel engine and spacious cabin. Its Automatic  [...]

2011 BMW M3 – A Thoroughbred Performer

Good Sleek retractable hardtop of convertible; awe-inspiring high revving V8 engine; three offered body styles; otherworldly handling; enjoyable ride. Bad Saloon’s relatively confined back seat; limited interior storage. Introduction 2011 BMW M3 is the defining performance car in the sporty 3 Series lineup of BMW and possibly the purest in the inventory of BMW. It is perhaps the perfect all around vehicle for aficionados, from track day shenanigans to daily commute. The BMW M3 Sedan and Coupe are available for 2011 model year with Competition package that adds lowered suspension, reprogrammed stability and electronic damping controls, 19 inch wheels and wider track. Dig deeper and find F-1 inspiration motivated by first ever production V8 engine, that churns out 414 horsepower and redlines  [...]

2012 Audi TTS – Offers Drivability, Comfort, Power And Performance

Good Hatchback utility of coupe; first-rate interior; frugal fuel economy; tenacious handling; efficient automated manual transmission. Bad Lack of manual transmission; expensive price relative to performance; stiffed legged ride; steering not that sharp as compared to rivals. Introduction 2012 Audi TTS is an entry level sportscar in the Audi/Volkswagen AG selection of performance oriented cars and is aimed directly at the class leading cars from Porsche and BMW. It beats the standard TT model in terms of performance, but falls short of true sportscar status. The all new TTS provides rapid acceleration, beautiful cabin, crisp handling and remarkable fuel efficiency, all wrapped in an extremely unique, stunning body, which will not be mistaken for anything else on the road. Its signature  [...]

2012 Hyundai Veloster – An Asymmetrical Korean Hatchback

Good Long warranty coverage; plethora of gizmos for the price; huge trunk; innovative three-door design; unique styling; high fuel economy; balanced handling and ride. Bad Confined back seats; poor rear visibility; noticeable road noise. Introduction 2012 Hyundai Veloster is a sleek hatchback, which includes an extremely functional and convenient rear passenger side door. It is a unique and innovative entry into the small coupe segment. The Veloster is a boldly styled hatchback with one forward opening rear door and two front doors on passenger side. It delivers innovation to the small coupe class with distinctive three-door for easy rear seat access, 1.6 direct injected four-cylinder engine equipped with first dual clutch transmission of Hyundai, Blue Link telematics system of Hyundai  [...]

2012 Chevrolet Cruze – A Perfect Blend of Luxury and Performance

Good Large trunk; upscale cabin design; top safety scores; efficient yet lively turbocharged engine; secure handling; Eco model’s high fuel economy. Bad Low rearseat cushion; automatic six-speed’s sleepy responses; narrow front seats. Introduction 2012 Chevrolet Cruze is a newest entrant in the highly contested small sedan category and is based on global platform, which has been refined for America with emphasis on fuel efficiency. It replaced the Cobalt small car, when it was launched for 2011 model year. The Cruze offers bigger cabin as compared to its predecessor and other rivals in its price range. It marks the first small car to reflect higher quality approach General Motors has taken with most models’ cabins. The all new Cruze is everything a small vehicle should be. It is  [...]

2011 Aston Martin Rapide – Ultraluxury High Performance Sportscar

Good Highly customizable; seductive styling; beautifully designed interior; agile handling; V12 power. Bad Old-fashioned navigation system; slower as compared to rivals; confined rearseat; pricey. Introduction 2011 Aston Martin Rapide is a performance oriented four-door sportscar that offers more aggressive rear and front fascia, lower front bumper with deep scoops and additional air intake, more prominent boot lip spoiler and reprofiled bumper. The idea of four-door sportscar has been discussed for ages, but the all new Rapide truly lives up to the billing. There are no significant changes for 2011 model year, but there is a new Luxe edition, which includes most important options, such as custom luggage set and normally extra charge colors. It joins an increasing segment of ultraluxury  [...]

2012 Toyota Highlander – Designed To Meet Most Off-Road Driving Requirements

Good Easy to maneuver; potent yet fuel efficient V6 engine; user friendly interior with pioneering second-row seat design; impressive list of features. Bad Less overall cargo and passenger space as compared to rivals. Introduction 2012 Toyota Highlander is a midsize crossover sport utility vehicle, which is designed with legendary quality of Toyota and engineered to standout. It is a smooth performer and boasts spacious, flexible cabin along with progressive safety technologies, providing seven-passenger seating with comfort. The available flip-up rear liftgate window offers fast access to cargo area. Offered in four-wheel and front wheel drive system, the Highlander features either V6 or four-cylinder engine. It is an exceptional choice for do-all family vehicle; however several rivals  [...]

2011 Infiniti G – Deliver an Enjoyable, Enthusiast Oriented Driving Experience

Good Strong Value; sharp handling; high end gizmos; impressive braking performance; powerful 3.7 liter V6 engine. Bad Cabin is not that prestigious as compared to other European models; engine noise with G37; road noise. Introduction 2011 Infiniti G is agile and responsive luxury sedan that has a sporty flare, while providing a luxurious cabin and comfortable ride. Now with its base model and even lower price to match, the G is even more compelling luxury sedan, which provides a lot for the money. For 2011 model year, it gets G25 with fewer standard features and less powerful, smaller V6 engine. The entry level G37 has been stripped of its base variant but gets two special edition models. Designed and developed on rear wheel sportscar platform and equipped with high end suspensions engineered  [...]

Jeep Commander – The First Jeep to Have Three Rows of Seats

Good Plethora of standard features; muscular V8 engine; capable off-road; quiet and comfortable interior. Bad Unimpressive cargo space; small third-row seat; poor base V6 engine; lackluster fuel economy. Introduction Jeep Commander is a midsize sport utility vehicle, which provides more capability over rugged terrain than most drivers will ever need. The Commander counts its excellent off-road capabilities and potent V8 engine among its strengths; however these are not enough to overcome the poor fuel economy or limited passenger and cargo space. For the model year, it gets a powerful 5.7 liter V8 engine and power liftgate. The entry level Sport variant adds third row seats with foglamps. With configurable third row seat and upsized profile, the Commander is designed and engineered to  [...]

2011 Lincoln Town Car – A True Long-Established American Luxury Sedan

Good Large trunk; extended wheelbase Signature L model’s abundance of rear seat legroom. Bad Lack of convenience and technological features; sluggish handling; second-rate fuel economy; leisurely acceleration. Introduction 2011 Lincoln Town Car is appealing for its trunk and spacious seating that offers cavernous storage for golf clubs and luggage. It provides comfortable seating capacity for up to six passengers in a cabin trimmed with satin nickel accents, premium leather and burl walnut appliqué. The V8 engine of Lincoln generates 287 pound feet of torque and 239 horsepower for power on demand and smooth acceleration. It can also be fueled with cleaner burning E85, which is 85% ethanol and 15% regular gasoline. Front frame rails are hydroformed, making them stronger as compared to  [...]

2012 Mercedes Benz E-Class – Offers Something for Everyone

Good Ground-breaking convertible features; marvellous handling balance and ride; voluptuous sedan cabin; powerful engines; wide-ranging safety features; scrupulously constructed. Bad Less sporty as compared to rivals. Introduction 2012 Mercedes Benz E-Class is a meticulously built, enjoyable to drive sedan and a premium luxury car triumph, which deserves serious consideration. Fast, solid, prestigious, safe and comfortable, the E-Class is offered as cabriolet, sedan, wagon and coupe body styles. It is sportier as compared to before, offering class Mercedes design. The convertible gets innovative soft top, which is nearly one inch thick with three layers of acoustic sound dampening, leaving good trunk space and providing wind protection with top down. For 2012 model year, the E-Class gets  [...]

2011 Mercedes Benz S-Class – A Spectacle of Refinement

Good Available four-wheel drive system; luxury features; eye-popping performance from AMG powertrains; well designed cabin. Bad Unintuitive telematics interface; expensive options. Introduction 2011 Mercedes Benz S-Class is the most prestigious sedan, which has been offering discerning buyers with unparalleled levels of class, sophistication and refinement for several years. Its rivals are impressive, but the 2011 S-Class remains a quintessential premium luxury saloon. For 2011 model year, the S-Class gets plenty of enhancements, which include smaller but more powerful V8 engine, lane departure warning system, blind spot monitoring system with automatic brake intervention and a split-view display. With legacy of leadership, iconic design and groundbreaking innovation, it continues to presage  [...]

2011 Aston Martin V8 Vantage – The Low Slung Aston Martin

Good Dazzling styling; seductive exhaust sound; highly customizable; submissive ride; immaculate interior; tremendous handling. Bad Deprived navigation system; high-priced as compared to other rivals; V8 offers unimpressive performance; some features are optional and not standard. Introduction 2011 Aston Martin V8 Vantage is an exotic two-seater British sportscar, which is inspired by Aston Martin’s experiences at NA1/4burgring 24-hour race. It might not be one of the fastest of exotic sportscars, but the V8 Vantage has great many gifts to go along with astonishing looks. For 2011, it gets special edition N420 along with carbon fiber side strakes, front diffuser and air splitter, unique exterior trim, graphite tailpipe finishers, 19 inch 10-spoke wheels, sport tuned suspension and lightweight  [...]

2012 Audi R8 – Lighter, More Powerful and Even More Captivating

Good Easy to drive; powerful engine choices; comfortable interior; slick manual shifter. Bad Unintuitive electronics interface; rough shifting R Tronic transmission; limited storage capacity. Introduction 2012 Audi R8 is a driver oriented mid-engine sportscar of the company, which is designed and engineered with extreme performance in mind and with other high performance exotic sportscars in its sights. Easy to drive, elegant and even somewhat of bargain, the R8 is a stimulating choice for exotic sportscar. For 2012 model year, the more powerful and lightweight limited edition GT version joins the lineup. The all new R8 is developed and designed with revolutionary Audi Space Frame chassis, a technology Audi created and has spent over 10 years mastering. It provides optional Oxygen Silver  [...]