Category: On The Road: Driving Impressions

Suzuki's SX4 SportBack comes with a standard low-cost navigation system. Does it measure up?

Whenever I evaluate a vehicle, I always pick an appropriate soundtrack. You see, I’m all about immersing myself into the experience of whatever a given car is supposed to represent. A bad-to-the-bone pickup truck? I’ll put on some Johnny Cash (or if it’s a Chevy truck, Bob Seger, of course). A stylish high-performance German coupe? I’ll cue up some nu-jazz, perhaps from the likes of Christian Prommer’s Drumlesson or Jazzanova. So, when I grabbed the keys to the Mustang Shelby GT500 with 540 supercharged horses, the only song that could possibly come to mind was the theme song from Team America whose title we can’t print here. Expletive-filled and crass, to be sure, but then again, so is the Shelby GT500.

Hyundai's Sonata proves a worthy choice for the mid-size car segment: Attractive, powerful, and affordable.

The Mitsubishi i, in i-Gas or i-MiEV form, has potential in the USA at the right price and with trim upgrades.

Lincoln's flagship offers presence and real-life usable convenience, at a reasonable price.

The 2011 Kia Sorento is all-new, meaning it has practically no relationship to its predecessor. All the part numbers are different. It is now based on a front wheel drive, unit body platform shared with the next generation Hyundai Santa Fe.

Does Suzuki's 2010 Kizashi have what it takes? Maybe, but those in the middle often get squeezed out.

Acura's MDX takes a fresh look, new transmission, and gets a serious feature update with the 2010MY.

2010 Nissan 370Z. No Compromises: Improved Dynamics, Power, Handling, and Interior. Kudos to Nissan for successfully improving the formula without taking Z's edge. And while some may carp about the stiff ride, the car is not for all drivers. If you want a similar formula in a more civilized package, there is always the Infiniti G37.

Acura gives its RDX a nip and a tuck for 2010.