Reviews

2012 Buick Verano: Alternative Luxury

Casey Williams 2
It’s so easy to take the normal path. Just buy that European or Japanese luxury car your mother and father always hand in mind for you. But, what if your 30-something self comes to Easter Dinner driving a Buick? Just wait for the preaching to start! You’ll be accused of growing blue hairs, eating at cafeterias, and heading to church. Be not dismayed because rewards are great for those driving the Buick less traveled. It’s the alternative luxury car. [...]

2012 Lexus CT200h: Great Car, But Engineers Need To Sweat The Details

Casey Williams
Two of my favorite Lexus models of all time are the 2002 IS300 wagon and the current HS250h. The wagon was arguably ugly, but I liked the size, sporty feel, and impeccable build quality. It was also a little out of the Lexus mainstream, which added cachet. Despite its high price, the HS250h has a luxurious leather-lined cabin that also taps the tech genies for a powerful hybrid system, heads-up display, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and a space shuttle’s worth of toys. Put them together, and you get something like the CT200h. [...]

2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Richard Read
Given Hyundai’s lack of protections for LGBT employees, we face a dilemma: (a) can we be truly fair in our assessment of Hyundai rides, and (b) should we encourage LGBT readers to support a company with workplace policies that lag behind nearly all of America’s major corporations? [...]

2012 BMW 328i Sedan

Nick Kurczewski 1
The automotive world has seriously changed when you find yourself behind the wheel of a new BMW 3-Series and start drawing comparisons to a Kia sedan. I know that BMW fans are going into apoplectic shock over that comment. But give me a minute to explain. For starters, the sixth generation of the iconic 3-Series sports sedan looks great, is fun to drive, and gets better mileage than the outgoing model. The exterior changes are evolutionary but, in my opinion, very successful. [...]

2012 Hyundai Accent

Casey Williams
I’m driving along in the all-new 2012 Hyundai Accent, enjoying the crisp handling, hearing the solidness of the body structure, and appreciating how the powertrain does its thing. Then it hits me, “This is the entry-level Hyundai!” It is a suave little fuel-sipper that won’t put you out on the street – unless you want to be. [...]

2012 Infiniti G37 IPL Coupe

Casey Williams
I enjoy the Nissan 370Z, but its hyper-tweak personality can wear me out. Revving the engine to a scream and lighting up the tires makes me giddy, but constantly getting thrashed by the suspension is a bit much. I can think of a number of more entertaining ways to get thumped that don’t require a sports car. Coffee down the front of my shirt, throbbing headache, sore – never mind. There’s not even a rear seat. Point is, I could go for sports car fun without all of the sports car drama. [...]

2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI

Chris Doane 1
When you go to buy a Volkswagen, their best cars almost always have three letters or numbers at the end of the model name: GTI, TDI, VR6. The sixth generation, 2011 Jetta, on sale for a little over a year now, has been met with some pretty strong criticism. Reviewers took one look at 2011’s cheapened interior, and suspension, and had three letters of their own; “WTH??” [...]