2012 Buick Regal GS: Paint It Black

Jeff Stork
I joined Buick during the glory days of the turbo 3.8-litre (the Grand National was announced the year I started). Every male under 30 and quite a few of the women at Home Office bought one — myself included — and proceeded to spend a Michigan winter going diagonally, coping with the awesome power and serious lack of traction that black beauty provided. We loved it dearly, but it was hardly a balanced automobile. The motoring press loved it as much as we did. Tony Assenza from Car and Driver Magazine road-tested the legendary GNX in April of 1987 and wrote of it, “In a world of sleek shapes and refined manners, the GNX is an ax-wielding barbarian laying waste to everything in its path.” [...]

2012 Nissan Juke SV: Defying Boredom

Casey Williams 1
What the hell is a Juke? It’s jacked up like a crossover, but it doesn’t look much like a crossover. My neighbor tried to get his 50-something self into the rear seat and nearly required three young men to yank him back out. You could forgive the rear seat if it was a sport coupe, which it definitely is not. It is, however, a whole box of funky coolness. Throw in a quarter, kick the big pedal, and go for a spin. [...]

2012 Infiniti FX35 AWD Special Edition: Tell Jaguar Not to Bother

Jeff Stork 2
Jaguar has been making news of late, developing a mid-sized luxury SUV, and I admit I have been amused by the notion. From my Jaguar days, I know that an astronomically high percentage of Jaguar customers also own a Land Rover, so that would seem to take up the slack. But further reading reveals that Jaguar has a different flavor in mind — a crossover utility with both a very sporty character and a very richly detailed interior. [...]

2012 Range Rover Sport Is Smooth, If Pudgy

Casey Williams
Driving the Land Rover Range Rover puts you among queens of all hair heights, but the big gal’s size can make you wince at the idea of hustling her through curves and tight city streets — even if the SUV’s off-road capability and all-road luxury are legendary. What Land Rover needed was a vehicle that combined all of the Range Rover’s excellence in a slightly compressed package. Shimmy up to the Range Rover Sport. [...]

Ford’s New Police Fleet Closes The Books On The Crown Victoria

Nick Kurczewski
I’m gunning it out of corners and dodging construction cones in Queens, New York, when I realize this is the first, and hopefully last, time I’ll spend with Ford’s brand new range of Police Interceptors. After decades of loyal service, the Crown Victoria sedan, a staple of police forces and taxicab fleets around the country, is headed for a long-overdue retirement. Its two-pronged replacements are based on either the Ford Explorer SUV, or the Taurus sedan. To prove the merits of both models, Ford invited journalists to CitiField, home of the New York Mets, to simulate hot pursuits in several coned course layouts in the stadium’s parking lot. [...]

2012 GMC Terrain: A Butch Boy for the Soccer Mom Set

Jeff Stork 2
I have a long history with mid-sized GMC utilities. I had a first year four door Jimmy back in 1993, another Jimmy in 2000 and a 360-based Envoy in 2002. All were mid-sized utilities which were based on a truck frame and powered by some version of a six cylinder engine. The GMC Terrain replaced the Envoy in 2009 as a crossover vehicle based on the GM Theta platform, and while I’ve had extensive experience with the Theta derived Cadillac SRX, I’d never actually driven the Terrain. [...]