Automedia.com - Reviews - 2001 Articles

2001 Acura MDX

2001 Audi Allroad Quattro

Colorado's Hardscrabble Road west of Denver is no place for a luxury automobile. Sharp rocks poke out of the terrain to bite holes in the sidewalls of low-profile tires and deep ruts lie in wait to snag vulnerable undercarriage gear. Yet, the Audi Allroad Quattro hardly slows its pace. Prancing on its tiptoes, the Allroad maintains forward momentum with the sure-footed confidence of a Rocky Mountain bighorn...

2001 BMW M5

Case-hardened by a career-long barrage of lavish press trips and free loaner test cars, the typical automotive journalist tends to be a pretty hard person to impress. Yet BMW's M5 (introduced as a 2000 model) has reduced the automotive press to a bunch of blubbering idiots. Almost universally acknowledged as the best production sports sedan ever offered to the public, the M5 has even been proclaimed to be the "Perfect Car" by some scribes. So much for the jaded automotive press—they're flat in love with the M5...

2001 BMW Z3 Roadster 3.0i Sport

In 2000, BMW began transforming its Z3 roadster with several cosmetic updates. The company completed the makeover in 2001 with mechanical upgrades that greatly enhance the roadster's dynamic capabilities...

2001 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

When Zora Arkus-Duntov launched the original Z06 Corvette option in 1963, it was as close to a "works" sportscar as he was allowed to build. Regular Production Option (RPO) Z06 consisted of a 36-gallon fuel tank, a fuel-injected 360-horsepower engine, big brakes and a stiff suspension. In its competitive debut, a Z06 won the L.A. Times Invitational at Riverside. (To the chagrin of Chevy loyalists, a haunting spectre also debuted at that race—Carroll Shelby's new Cobra.) Only 199 Z06 Corvettes were built in 1963. That low production made the vehicle unique; its spectacular performance made it legendary...

2001 Chrysler Sebring Sedan

Chrysler is introducing a new Sebring sedan for 2001 to replace the aging Cirrus. Retaining the cab-forward design of the Cirrus and larger LH cars, Chrysler has adopted many styling cues from the Sebring's larger sibling, the Concorde. This gives Chrysler a much stronger identity in the highly competitive midsize sedan market. More than a cosmetic makeover, this total redesign focused on improving performance and overall refinement—and building a car that's more fun to drive than the Cirrus it replaces...

2001 Corvette Z06

2001 DaimlerChrylser Minivans

2001 Dodge Stratus R/T

High volume, high utility vehicles may have greater prominence, but there's nothing like a pretty face to elicit true visceral response among car buyers. Sport coupes, in particular, offer the most tangible proof of that axiom. But history shows that shoppers in that visually high-profile niche are a notoriously fickle bunch. Even a successful new entrant's glory days tend to last only about 18 months before the first-on-the-block trendsetters start turning their attentions elsewhere. With the arrival of the new Stratus R/T, Dodge marketing types are hoping to forestall that process. This high-styled 2-door goes well beyond being a mere "pretty face." It's a total package that bolsters elegantly aggressive sheetmetal with a host of desirable design elements and a genuinely enjoyable driving experience...

2001 Ford Escape XLT 4x4

It's rather uncharacteristic of Ford to be a latecomer in any portion of the light-truck or SUV game. From the original Bronco to the now-ubiquitous Explorer or even its bigger and biggest bothers, the Expedition and Excursion, the firm has historically been in the forefront as the stakes—and the entries—increased. This year, Ford moved aggressively to deal with the other end of the spectrum. With gasoline prices continuing at unpleasantly high levels and sales of conventional midsize and larger SUVs faltering, the arrival of the new Escape couldn't have come at a better time...

2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

This is, admittedly, an odd truck. As if it couldn't decide between pickup and SUV at birth, Ford's latest creation engenders a measure of both, combining the passenger room of the extremely popular Explorer with a macho-but-small utility bed. Available in either rear- or 4-wheel drive and blessed with a healthy dose of style to go along with this unique brand of flexibility, the Explorer Sport Trac offers a new take on the basic SUV genre. Given the initial public response—Ford initially hoped to sell 50,000 2001 Sport Tracs, but orders have already exceeded that number—quite a few potential customers have already been smitten by what they see. We recently drove several versions but spent the bulk of our time in a rear-drive autoshifted version, which will likely account for the bulk of the Sport Trac volume...

2001 Ford Focus ZX3

Korean automakers have run rabid through the small car lot of late, skimming off buyers galore with prices too cheap to believe. Fighting this incursion takes courage, commitment, and creativity beyond the pale. It takes a seriously outstanding effort such as the one Ford invested in its Focus, a bare-knuckle import fighter launched during the 2000 model year. The sensible strategy would have been to snuggle the Focus between proven Escort and Contour car lines. But in this day of cutthroat competition, the sensible approach seldom works. So Ford cleared its small-car decks, retiring both of those bookend vehicles to give the Focus ample breathing room. Designers and engineers exploited that opportunity to create one of the most interesting—and enjoyable to drive—small-car families ever to wear a domestic manufacturer's ID plate. Of particular note is the overtly sporty ZX3 hatchback...

2001 Ford Harley-Davidson F-150 SuperCrew

Ford began its affiliation with legendary American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson last year. Following the overwhelming success of the original limited-edition H-D F-150 pickup, the Blue Oval operatives created a new package for 2001 that takes the program one step farther. Where the initial offering was based on the F-150 SuperCab, this time around it's the new-for-2001 F-150 4x2 SuperCrew model that gets the bad-boy-in-black treatment...

2001 GMC Sierra C3

What if BMW built a pickup? That's the question General Motors asked its designers when planning the 2001 GMC Sierra C3...

2001 Honda Accord EX V6

There's nothing quite like getting things right the first time around. Except, perhaps, continuing to keep them right over and over. Honda's Accord is a spot-on, real-world example of that adage in action. Now in its sixth generation, this hardy perennial is rolling through the penultimate season of a five-year product cycle. To keep it competitive against its most formidable archrival in the midsize family-sedan segment, the Toyota Camry, Honda has added a few new wrinkles to the mix. Built in Ohio but seamlessly integrating design elements from around the world, the front-drive Accord is available in three distinct trim levels: DX, LX, and EX, which base at $15,100, $18,790, and $21,400, respectively. We recently slipped behind the wheel of a top-line sedan variant: an EX with V-6 and leather...

2001 Honda Civic EX Sedan

It's always risky to mess with success, especially when that process involves the wholesale redesign of a vehicle that's attained near-legendary status among buyers around the world. In recasting its perennial best-selling Civic for the seventh time, Honda created the biggest, most sophisticated and arguably best version ever to wear that revered badge. About the only element that hasn't changed much is pricing. With stickers ranging from $12,760 for a basic DX coupe to $18,400 for a fully loaded EX sedan, it remains within a couple hundred dollars of the 2000 lineup. So how well did Team Honda pull off this critical makeover? We spent a week in a top-line four door to find out for ourselves...

2001 Honda Civic GX

Powering through yet another tight turn on California's winding Highway 227 in Honda's 2001 Civic GX, the realization finally settles in—it's difficult not to get passionate about this car. More than 2,000 miles behind the wheel have proved this sedan to be comfortable, capable, stylish, and a snappy performer. What's not to like?..

2001 Hyundai Elantra GLS

There's an old adage that claims: "The third time's the charm." Those words do a pretty fair job of describing the new 2001 Hyundai Elantra. A host of major improvements on the third-generation Elantra have moved this Korean-built front-drive sedan significantly higher on the overall desirability ladder and narrowed the quality gap with its primary—and primarily—Japanese competitors. Although slightly bigger, better appointed and more refined than before, the Elantra still retains an exceptionally attractive pricing structure as well as a world-class 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty...

2001 Hyundai XG300

Known here since 1986 for economy-oriented automobiles, Hyundai has raised the bar this season with its XG300. Positioned above the midsize Sonata sedan—which was itself redesigned for 2000—the South Korean auto company's new "flagship" is the largest and most luxuriously appointed passenger car it's ever sold in this country. Our test car was a "base" model XG300. Priced at $23,499 (plus $495 destination charge), its lengthy roster of standard comfort and convenience features includes power windows/locks/mirrors, leather-trimmed seats, climate-control air conditioning, trip computer, cruise control, keyless entry, foglights, and a CD stereo system. On the safety front, the XG300 comes with ABS-abetted 4-wheel disc brakes, traction control, and both front and front-side airbags with a Passenger Presence Detection system to control deployment. For those who need even more, Hyundai offers an L variant at $24,999. It adds a sunroof, heated seats, automatic day/night mirror, and a combination cassette/CD stereo...

2001 Kia Optima SE V-6

Things have been looking pretty sweet of late for the gang at Kia Motors. U.S. sales rose some 17 percent in 2000, thanks in no small measure to the recent arrivals of the Sephia-based Spectra and the ultra-economical sub-compact Rio—currently the lowest priced car available in this country. Continuing the product rollout on a slightly grander scale is a brand-new midsize sedan, the Optima. Although destined to play against a host of well-established competitors in one of the most cutthroat market segments, this stylish, well-built four-door offers an attractive roster of standards and a price that significantly undercuts a comparably equipped Toyota Camry, Honda Accord or Ford Taurus...

2001 Kia Rio

One can't help but be leery of any product that touts being the "lowest-priced available in America." When that item happens to be a new car, the matter takes on an even greater degree of significance. (Just ask anyone who'll admit to being even remotely involved with the ill-conceived Yugo experiment.)..

2001 Lexus IS 300

Lexus earned its stripes with a decade of invade-and-conquer initiatives scattered throughout the luxury car and truck market. Now this brand's mighty product cannons have shifted aim toward another daunting target. After warming up in Japan and Europe, the new Lexus IS 300 has arrived in U.S. dealerships on a clearly defined mission: to rattle the cage of one the most universally adored automobiles on the planet, BMW's 3 Series...

2001 Lexus IS 300

2001 Lexus LS 430

With all due respect to that prescient observation by the late Oscar Wilde, Lexus may quite possibly have at least conceptually one-upped the famed literary bad-boy with its all-new LS 430. This top-of-the-line luxury sedan picks up where the LS 400 left off—and promptly proceeds to establish a host of new benchmarks for the class...

2001 Mazda B4000 Dual Sport Cab Plus 4

Seven years ago, Mazda took a risky leap—from selling its own well-respected B-Series compact pickup to offering a lightly disguised version of Ford's Ranger. Import-oriented owners were initially miffed, but they've come around quite nicely. As a matter of fact, new customers rated the 1999 Mazda B-Series pickups at the absolute top of the small-truck heap in J.D. Power & Associates' Initial Quality Survey...

2001 Mazda Millenia S

In the intensely competitive entry-luxury sport-sedan game, Mazda's Millenia has chronically suffered from an odd-man-out stigma. Intended to be the lead entry for the firm's stillborn upline division, Amati, it arrived on the scene in late 1994 with plenty of designed-in goodness. But that fact notwithstanding, the Millenia has been hampered by the lack of perceived prestige and a dearth of underhood firepower compared to many of its key rivals. And, in a league that also awards points for visual distinctiveness, some have also criticized this midsize four-door for bearing too strong a resemblance to its kid brother, the 626. Seeking to address a number of those issues, Mazda made several significant changes to the 2001 package that add to its visual, structural, and mechanical appeal...

2001 Mercedes-Benz C320 Sport

When the original C-Class arrived in 1994, it heralded the start of an entirely new era in the history of Mercedes-Benz. Stunned by the meteoric rise in popularity of Japanese "second-channel" luxury offerings, the German automaker embarked upon a new course of action that placed as much emphasis on perceived value as it did on prestige and safety. Replacement for the entry-level 190 line, the seminal C-Class was a showcase for this radical—for Mercedes—line of thinking. Quite simply, it delivered more for less—the biggest "less" being a base price below $30,000. Buyer response was predictable; first-year sales shot up by more than 60 percent compared to the outgoing 190. With the introduction of the 2001 C-Class sedan, history appears ready to repeat itself...

2001 Mitsubishi Montero

Located in the southwestern corner of the Grand Canyon state, Tucson wears many faces but has two distinct personalities—like the state it's a part of. The region has attracted New Age visionaries and is home to old Spanish missions; miles of majestic caves meander underground, and the unsightly pilings of copper, silver, and gold mines litter the terra firma. Tucson appears barren and devoid of habitation but, at the same time, boasts a landscaped urban sprawl. Its most visible contrast is between Tucson's lowland desert and highland mountains. Each is rich with natural beauty and compliments the other. It was here that Mitsubishi brought its latest version of the Montero to give auto writers a chance to experience this full-sized SUV's many faces and two distinct personalities...

2001 Mitsubishi Montero 4WD Limited

The arrival of the 2001 Montero marked the start of a new era in Mitsubishi's history as a builder of sport-utility vehicles. Originally introduced in 1983 and last redesigned in 1992, the previous Monteros reflected design concepts of a bygone time when SUVs were used by only a handful of dedicated off-roaders who motored in far-off corners of the globe. Monteros performed flawlessly in that capacity, successfully enduring where others had failed. Along the way, they distinguished themselves with multiple victories in the most demanding of all trials-by-fire, the grueling Paris-Dakar rally. But the game has changed dramatically in the past few years, and even the Gen II version's notable strengths paled in light of the current suburban SUV paradigm. Its field-worthy body-on-frame architecture, for example, was seen as unrefined and truck-like, while its tall profile and slab sides made even minor crosswinds a little too exciting...

2001 Nissan 4x4 Frontier Crew Cab SC

Without a doubt, the Xterra was a breakthrough vehicle for Nissan. A very hip ad campaign—"everything you need, nothing you don't"—struck a chord with young, affluent buyers, and Nissan delivered a vehicle that didn't disappoint...

2001 Nissan Sentra CA

When "environment" is placed in context with cars, thoughts often turn to alternative-fuel vehicles of one type or another. Hybrids such as the electric/gas Honda Insight or Toyota Prius carry the highest profile in the enviro arena these days, garnering more attention than battery-powered cars like the GM EV1...

2001 Pontiac Aztek

Pontiac calls its 2001 Aztek the world's first "sport recreational vehicle." Catchy classification, perhaps, for an all-new vehicle that now joins nearly four dozen SUV models on the highways of America. Not a new idea, however, as a number of other automakers have tried to make a distinction for their new crossover offerings with category-straddling names such as "sport activity vehicle," "sport utility wagon" and "sport utility truck."..

2001 Porsche 911 Turbo

During the quarter century or so that Porsche Turbos have scorched American pavement in hot pursuit of speed and glory unknown to ordinary automobiles, they've earned an indelible reputation. Every school kid knows this is the definitive bad-boys' car. It's the all-time favorite of rock stars, lottery winners, and trust-fund beneficiaries in a hurry to have fun. On the speed charts, the Turbo resides a notch up from the quickest Corvettes, in league with the money-is-no-object Aston Martins, Ferraris, and Lamborghinis...

2001 Toyota Camry LE V6

There's nothing quite like consistently topping the best-seller charts to build confidence. Now in the final year of its 4th generation, Toyota's versatile Camry has reigned as the passenger-car volume leader in the U.S. for four consecutive seasons. Having recently spent a week in a mid-level V-6 powered LE, it became more obvious how and why this midsize front-drive family sedan manages to enjoy continued popularity in a segment that boasts some formidable competition...

2001 Toyota Highlander 4WD V6

Toyota, once best known in America as an import automaker of reliable, economical, fuel-efficient small cars, has long since formally broadened its mission. Today, that includes becoming a driving force in the truck and sport-utility arena as well. With product ranging from an all-new RAV4 to a Tacoma Double-Cab to the full-size Tundra and its new runningmate, the Sequoia SUV, the firm has racked up an impressive track record on that side of the market, as well. Its latest offering, the all-new Highlander, represents a departure from both realms. However, as we quickly learned, it blurs the line between the world of cars and trucks in a most engaging way...

2001 Toyota MR2 Spyder

Toyota resurrected and redesigned its MR2 sports car to stop Mazda from having all the fun in the 2-seat inexpensive roadster realm. That motivation led to a 3rd-generation Spyder aimed at kids of all ages with semi-flush bank accounts and a spare slot in the garage. Price of entry starts at $23,585 and even fully loaded won't top $25,150. Although by no means a car for everyone, the new MR2 offsets some of its less-practical aspects as a daily driver with a magnum load of sheer driving pleasure...

2001 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4x4

In 1995, when Toyota announced plans to build a full-size pickup at a new plant in Indiana, it left no doubt that a full-size SUV based on that truck would follow. The Tundra pickup arrived in 1999; and now, right on cue, the Sequoia rolls into the picture...

2001 Volvo S60

What if you could blend Jaguar's svelte styling, Mercedes-Benz-grade safety, BMW road prowess, and VW practicality and efficiency in one reasonably affordable automobile? Volvo engineers and planners must have had something like that in mind when they joined forces to create the new S60 compact sedan because that's precisely how it turned out...

2001.5 Volkswagen "New" Passat Sedan

What do you call a midsize car that exudes sheer excellence all around? You could easily call it "Passat"—one of the smoothest-riding, most-refined and comfortable automobiles of its class on the road today...