2012 Honda CR-V EX-L W/Navigation

Pop the rear hatch on the Honda CR-V and you're in for a surprise: the load floor is very, very low. I went to throw some groceries in the back of the car last night and stood in the store parking lot for a minute, wondering exactly how it's possible to have such a low load floor, a fully-independent rear suspension, and all-wheel drive.  Reach over to either side of the trunk and...

Read More

2012 Honda Civic EX Sedan

It's funny how negative the reaction to this generation of Honda Civic has been. You'd think Honda was building a terrible Civic based on some of the press out there. The Civic is still a commendable compact car; it just isn't as impressive as the other recently redesigned cars in this class.  Honda's decision to play it safe with the Civic may draw criticism from the press, but consumers...

Read More

Fairy Design Maserati Quattroporte on PUR Wheels

Fairy Design are a Japanese tuning brand, based in Kyoto. They specialise in European cars including the Maserati Quattroporte. PUR Wheels recently sold a set of wheels to a Fairy Design project, the pictures below reveal the result!  The Fairy Design Maserati Quattroporte features a new front bumper which shares its looks with the MC Stradale, a new rear bumper with air vents and...

Read More

Jaguar XFR-S for Paris Motor Show

Rumours are circulating regarding a possible Jaguar XFR-S. The principle will be the same as that applied to the Jaguar XKR-S, less weight, more power and better handling. Jaguar could release this model as early as the Paris Motor Show in September. We’ve heard these rumours before and now they look closer to reality! No exact details are known at this stage, but expect a series of upgrade...

Read More

2013 Cadillac XTS

AUTO SHOWS: It looks like Cadillac may have been a little too over-eager to get to the early bird special: it accidentally put up an official image of the all-new 2013 XTS on its consumer site a week before its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The car is almost a dead ringer to the XTS Platinum concept from last year's Detroit auto show. The production XTS retains the concept's mesh...

Read More

2012 Hyundai Veloster DCT

I keep hearing everyone say that the back seat of the Hyundai Veloster is usable and that may be true, but it isn't exactly inviting. I drove the Veloster on a weekend during which my husband and I were going to a Red Wings game at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit (about a 45-minute trip). We were attending the game with another couple and had offered to drive, but when they arrived at our house...

Read More

Dacia Duster

Value for money is a great selling tool these days, and Renault’s budget brand Dacia is ready to clean up with a range of affordable models that will arrive in the UK from next January.If you’ve been on holiday in Europe recently, you’ll probably have seen a Duster on the road. And it’s a chunky-looking thing. The squared-off shape doesn’t look like any other 4x4, and the short front and...

Read More

Lexus GS 250

Lexus’ stubborn refusal to offer a diesel GS means the cheapest way into ownership is with this 2.5-litre petrol model.Priced from £32,995, the GS 250 is much cheaper than the £44,995 GS 450h hybrid, but it doesn’t feel basic. It gets 18-inch alloy wheels as standard, while inside there’s the same leather and high-quality surfaces as in the GS 450h – and a vast digital dashboard, too. The...

Read More

Honda Small Sports EV Concept

AUTO SHOWS: Honda will use its home turf of Japan to show off four small new concept cars. The "mini vehicle," electric sports car, plug-in hybrid sedan, and electric city car will all be shown off at the Tokyo Motor Show at the end of this month. The aptly named Small Sports EV Concept is an electric car that's said to be fun to drive, while at the same time producing very few (if any)...

Read More

2013 Honda Fit EV

If it appears to wear a sly grin, the Honda Fit EV may have good reason. The Fit EV is another clever adaptation of an existing nameplate for electric-car duty. However, it doesn't share much besides the doors, roof, liftgate, and front suspension with the Fit we know and love, and the fact that it still has the same dashboard is its biggest downfall. Unlike the Ford Focus Electric,...

Read More

2013 Volkswagen CC 2.0T

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan PRICE AS TESTED: Sport manual, $31,430/Lux automatic, $36,175 (base price: $31,430/$32,170)  ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection  Displacement: 121 cu in, 1984 ccPower: 200 hp @ 5100 rpmTorque: 207 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual/6-speed...

Read More