Oct 18, 2007
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS 2008 Volvo C30 Think "Volvo" and what comes to mind? "Safety"? Check. "Swedish luxury"? Check. "Expensive"? Likely, at least if you consider around $30,000 for the entry-level models and more like high 30s and up for most models to be expensive. "High-performance, low-cost premium ... Continue reading
Oct 17, 2007
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS It is the box it came in, and that's the beauty of the Honda Element. It combines almost unparalleled utility with a distinctive style - or, perhaps, anti-style - to make a vehicle that is eminently useful and is full of character. "Bland" is nowhere in its description. The Element ... Continue reading
2007 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS Review
Sep 7, 2007
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS The newest Hyundai Santa Fe is a mid-size crossover SUV that is equal to any vehicle in its class in refinement, comfort, space, and performance. This shouldn't be surprising, as it was designed with a close look at the most popular entry-luxury crossovers, not merely its price-lev ... Continue reading
2008 Mazda3 S Touring 4-door Review
Sep 7, 2007
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS The Mazda3 may not get the publicity and instant recognition that follow the MX-5 Miata and RX-8 sports cars, or the company's growing fleet of fleet-footed and sporty crossovers like the CX-7 and CX-9, but that doesn't seem to matter where it really matters. The Mazda3 is Mazda's ... Continue reading
2007 Mazdaspeed3 Grand Touring Review
Aug 27, 2007
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS 2007 Mazdaspeed3 Grand Touring I don't usually give test cars nicknames. But it took all of 15 minutes for me to start calling the 2007 Mazdaspeed3 "the Speed Triple". That's a bit of a pun, but quite fitting, as "Speed Triple" is the name of a very fast Triumph motorcycle that has ... Continue reading
Preview: 2008 Volkswagen Touareg 2
Aug 12, 2007
Preview: 2008 Volkswagen Touareg 2 By Carey Russ 2007 Understatement is a European specialty, and the Volkswagen Touareg 2 is nothing if not understated. With minimal fanfare, it's been on sale since June. Nowhere on the vehicle does the badging say "Touareg 2", merely "Touareg". While there are some external styling c ... Continue reading
2007 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD Review
Aug 12, 2007
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS 2007 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring AWD Crossovers seem to be the vehicle du jour, replacing the truck-based SUVs of the 1990s. With their emphasis on comfort, practicality, and utility this is understandable. With car-like construction, independent suspension, and V6 instead of V8 power ... Continue reading
2007 Volkswagen GTI 4-Door Review
Jul 27, 2007
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS 2007 Volkswagen GTI 4-Door Few vehicle types can combine fun and utility better than a performance hatchback, and the Volkswagen GTI is the granddaddy of the genre. Since its European introduction in 1975, and US debut in 1983, it has always had the prototypical "three-door" - two ... Continue reading
2008 Toyota Highlander - Preview
Jul 27, 2007
By Carey Russ "Sometimes you feel like a truck, and sometimes you don't" said Toyota with the debut of its Highlander back in 2001. Based on the Camry front-wheel drive unibody platform, it offered an attractive alternative to the body-on-frame 4Runner for people who liked SUV styling but preferred a vehicle that was b ... Continue reading
2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring PRHT Review
Jul 26, 2007
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring PRHT Mazda's MX-5 Miata became the best-selling two-seat sports car of all time by virtue of its many virtues. A long production run certainly helped, too - the car debuted in 1989, reviving what was then a moribund sector of automobiledom, and w ... Continue reading
2007 Saturn Outlook XR FWD Review
Jul 14, 2007
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS Saturn has a new Outlook on life... ok, the pun is obvious and inescapable, and Outlook, capitalized, in this case refers to the GM division's new large crossover vehicle. But, looking at Saturn products in the past year or two, the company really does have a new outlook, and a new ... Continue reading
2007 Jaguar XK Convertible Review
Jul 6, 2007
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS If the 1996 through 2006 Jaguar XK wasn't absolutely the most important car in the company's long history, it was certainly in the top few. It heralded a renaissance at the near-legendary English luxury and sports car manufacturer, and was the perfect bridge between the past and fu ... Continue reading
Welcome, Junior: Stanford University, Volkswagen, and the DARPA Urban Challenge
Jul 6, 2007
By Carey Russ The Auto Channel I'm watching Junior practice his driving techniques in a parking lot near Shoreline Amphitheater, in Mountain View, California. He's being tested, and he's doing well. When he comes to a four-way stop sign, he stops - and waits for the car on the right to move, as required by the vehicle ... Continue reading
2008 Scion Preview : The Next Generation
Jun 25, 2007
By Carey Russ Scion is a young brand, and that's appropriate as Scion is Toyota's youth-oriented division. It's been remarkably successful since it debuted in California in June, 2003, and spread in a controlled fashion across the country by June of 2004. That success was due, in no small part, to a simple lineup and a ... Continue reading
2007 Suzuki XL7 Limited 2WD Review
Jun 21, 2007
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS SEE ALSO:Suzuki Buyers Guide 2007 Suzuki XL7 Limited 2WD Don't confuse the 2007 Suzuki XL7 with the 2006 or earlier SUV of the same name. Because that name is about all they share. And, technically, they don't even share that, as the old one was XL-7 with a dash between the L and 7 ... Continue reading
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