News By Topic: Carey Russ

2012 BMW 335i Sedan Review by Carey Russ +VIDEO

May 31, 2012

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS 2012 BMW 335i Sedan If the 2002 made BMW's reputation as a maker of sports sedans, the 3 Series that followed it, beginning in 1975, cemented that reputation and added luxury and prestige. 2002s were mid-market cars with performance and handling emphasized, especially in tii form; ... Continue reading

2012 Acura TSX Tech Review by Carey Russ

May 24, 2012

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS SEE ALSO: Acura Buyers Guide Desirable for buyers, the entry luxury segment of the automotive marketplace is a tough neighborhood for the cars within. Entries from long-established European marques define the class, but there are plenty more from Japanese and even American luxury a ... Continue reading

2012 Lexus ES 350 Review by Carey Russ +VIDEO

May 17, 2012

The New ES features something for everyone, and why not! DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS The ES has been the entry-level Lexus since Lexus's beginning in 1989. Lexus is unusual in that it now has multiple entries in the entry-luxury segment of the automotive marketplace. That shouldn't be overly surprising as som ... Continue reading

2013 Scion FR-S Drive and Preview by Carey Russ

May 11, 2012

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS The 2013 Scion FR-S is the best-handling, most perfectly-balanced new car I've driven in over a decade The best-handling, most perfectly-balanced new car I've driven in over a decade is a Toyota product. No, I'm not insane or on the take. The car in question is the new Scion FR-S, ... Continue reading

2012 Toyota Prius c Three Review by Carey Russ +VIDEO

May 1, 2012

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS 2012 Toyota Prius c Three Since its debut in the US over a decade ago, the Toyota Prius has become almost synonymous with the gasoline-electric hybrid car. Over half of the hybrids sold have been Toyotas, with the Prius the most popular of those. But there's room for improvement, a ... Continue reading

2013 Lexus GS 350 Review by Carey Russ +VIDEO

Apr 29, 2012

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS From its debut in 1993, the GS has provided mid-size sedan customers the luxury experience that is Lexus's specialty. The GS combined that Lexus luxury with a good amount of performance -- but never quite as much or in the same manner as did its German competitors. Until now. The f ... Continue reading

Our Carey Russ Reports on Western Auto Journalists Driving (FAST) Days at Laguna Seca

Apr 19, 2012

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS WAJ Media Days Overview Being that I am an automotive journalist based in Northern California, I'm a member of Western Automotive Journalists (WAJ), a professional organization for automotive journalists based primarily in California, but with members from other areas as well. One ... Continue reading

2012 Subaru Outback 3.6R Limited Review by Carey Russ

Apr 9, 2012

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS Do you live where winter means snow and ice? Or travel to such places for recreation? Maybe you like outdoors activities in better weather, and need a vehicle that can deal with dirt or gravel forest roads that might not be as "improved" as the map says. If the answer to any of the ... Continue reading

2012 and 2013 Volkswagens Preview by Carey Russ +VIDEO

Apr 9, 2012

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS What's new at Volkswagen? Plenty -- and to demonstrate, VW recently hosted members of the automotive press in Half Moon Bay, CA, just south of San Francisco and conveniently close to the company's engineering research center in Belmont. Highlighted were the 2013 CC four-door coupe ... Continue reading

2012 Nissan Maxima SV Sport Review by Carey Russ

Apr 1, 2012

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS Sometimes a back-to-the-roots approach is just what's needed. Case in point: the Nissan Maxima. Originating in the 1980s, complete with fully-independent suspension, rear-wheel drive, and the engine from the original 240Z (in a slightly different state of tune), the Maxima was not ... Continue reading

2012 Buick Verano with Leather Group - Review by Carey Russ +VIDEO

Apr 1, 2012

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS In common with most luxury car manufacturers, Buick has had to deal with generational shifts in customer tastes and preferences. Compounding that challenge, Buick's position as the entry-luxury brand in the General Motors portfolio means that it needs to adapt to customers younger ... Continue reading

2012 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe Review by Carey Russ

Mar 19, 2012

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS "Iron fist in a velvet glove" is a term that has been used to describe many a German or British high-performance car. Applied to an automobile, the term means a combination of first-rate sports car performance and handling with luxury levels of comfort and refinement. The Europeans ... Continue reading

2012 Dodge Charger R/T Road & Track Review by Carey Russ +VIDEO

Mar 13, 2012

And exciting new interpretation of a classic Detroit muscle car loaded with contemporary and civilized refinements DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS The name harkens to the past, as do some of the styling cues and even the "Hemi" engine's combustion chamber layout, but the current Dodge Charger is not an exercise i ... Continue reading

2012 Ford Focus 5-Door Hatchback (Titanium Edition) Review by Carey Russ +VIDEO

Mar 3, 2012

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS The Focus has been a mainstay in Ford's worldwide passenger car lineup since its European debut in 1998. The North American market got that car in 1999, model year 2000. Ford here was all about SUVs at that time, and the compact, efficient Focus provided some balance for CAFE fuel ... Continue reading

2012 Kia Soul+ Review by Carey Russ

Feb 23, 2012

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS A "mid-cycle product freshening" seems to be part of the life cycle of every car line, and that can be anything from minor trim changes to fairly significant alterations. The Kia Soul enters its third year for 2012, and gets its freshening. Which takes advantage of recent changes a ... Continue reading