2013 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro: Can It Still Compete With Younger Rivals?

James Hamel
Audi has one of the most expansive line-ups of niche luxury models in the industry, but when it comes right down to it, nearly one out of every two Audis sold is the comparatively “bread and butter” model known as the A4 sedan. But don’t think we’re likening Audi’s hottest worldwide seller to a piece of stale toast and unsavory buttery topping that just refuses to melt or spread properly. If there’s one thing we’re sure of around here, it’s that no Audi is anywhere near the equivalent of automotive prison food. [...]

That’s So Gay: 2013 Lexus RX350

Sam Gomez 3
2013 is proving to be the year of the LGBT. The U.S Supreme Court can’t stop talking about us, and neither can liberal Washington or intolerant Washington. Everywhere you look, there are “known homosexuals”, as the more flamboyant of us were called generations ago. Heck, we even have an openly gay NBA player to look up to (literally, at seven feet). Indeed, we are the new ‘it’ girl of the post-Law and Order generation. [...]

2013 Buick Encore: A Compact Crossover With The Soul Of A Buick

Jeff Stork 1
When I first saw the new Buick Encore, it seemed to me to be the answer to a question that nobody had asked: “Is there really a place in the market for a compact Buick crossover?” Based on the GM Gamma II platform — also shared with the Chevy Sonic — the little bubble of a Buick is an adaptation of the Opel Mokka, and is about to go on sale as the Chevrolet Trax in markets outside North America. First impressions made me wonder if GM’s little Korean crossover was little more than an exercise in badge-engineering. [...]

Come Fly With Me: The 2014 Chevrolet Impala LTZ Channels Sinatra

Casey Williams 1
Frank Sinatra never owned a Chevy Impala, but that hasn’t stopped Chevrolet from using his recording of Cole Porter’s “Fly Me to the Moon” in commercials. The clips feature a sexy man, dressed in a trendy suit, playing golf, and taking his wife to a drive-in movie while Sinatra croons “Let me play among the stars, let me see what spring is like on a Jupiter and Mars” in the background. All that makes sense with the new Impala. [...]

Fiat 500L Adds Portals Without Losing Its Sexy Italian Flair

Casey Williams 2
While the styling seems to mimic the Mini Countryman, the 500L is obviously from the Fiat family, given its big round headlamps, stubby nose, and rounded taillamps. Designers make a big deal about the car’s nearly 360-degree visibility, made possible by wide expanses of glass. Most trim levels exhibit a clean Italian aesthetic, but the Trekking model was given the mini-SUV treatment for American sensibilities. [...]