Automedia.com - Reviews - 2010 Articles

2010 Ford Escape Hybrid

Plenty of manufacturers are beating their own drums with regard to innovative and “green” hybrid technology. But if you stand back and look at the field, one of the leaders and one of the first to develop useable production hybrids is Ford Motor Company. And they accomplished the job with one of the most unlikely candidates one might first think of—the five-passenger Escape Hybrid SUV—the most fuel-efficient SUV on the planet. But is the Escape Hybrid really all that unlikely? We think not, and here’s why:..

2010 Suzuki Kizashi

Japanese automaker Suzuki chose the mid-2007 Frankfurt (Germany) Motor Show to unveil a most interesting new concept car called Kizashi. They said its name was Japanese for “prelude” or “foretaste” and that it foretold of something coming from a company known better here for its motorcycles, ATVs and outboard motors than for its small cars and SUVs...

2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid

Mercedes-Benz has been busy with BlueTec engines over the past few years, taking the diesel route toward improved fuel economy. Until the 2010 model year, though, hybrid-powertrain models have been absent from the German automaker's lineup...

2010 Honda Accord Crosstour

What’s in a model name? What is an SUV in your mind? Big, trucky, fuel inefficient. A minivan? Big, boring, soccer-mom transport. A station wagon? Boxy, clunky, old folks’ wheels...

2010 Lincoln MKS

It’s been said that torque makes the world go around. A certain successful motorcycle company named Harley Davidson has known this for a long time. Most of their competitors struggle to get it right. The reason is, modes of transportation built for conditions in North America really have no need for high RPM-fussy engines. Certainly in congested Europe or perhaps specific places in Asia where roadways between urban centers are short, crowded and in many cases prove narrow and twisty, a buzzy engine coupled to a multi-speed gearbox can be considered “fun” or at the very least, somewhat useful. But think of the typical North American thoroughfare (or even a typical backroad). The spaces here are wide open. And, for the most part, so are the roads...

2010 Nissan Altima Sedan

“My, how you have grown!” When you test drive the 2010 Nissan Altima, avoid sounding like a clueless uncle greeting an adult niece at Thanksgiving dinner. If, like much of America, it’s been a while since you’ve been in the market for a sedan—rather than an SUV—it’ll be tempting to repeat that familiar Turkey Day refrain. (Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday that reminds us why we no longer live with some people.)..

2010 Ford F-Series Super Duty

There is all sorts of fervor out there today about economies of scale, cash crunching and downsizing. It’s almost rather trendy for some folks to point at what they perceive as excess and then berate it. But what’s that old saying about walking a mile in someone’s shoes? Often times there’s a truly big need for brute and brawn. Just ask the guy who has to drive off-road to a construction site in a truck heavily laden with tools and equipment, or a rancher with a 40-foot long gooseneck trailer that’s mandatory to move livestock. Or ask the guy down the street with the big bass boat or the racer down the road with the triple axle fifth wheel trailer. Those people will be the first to tell you that the capability of their truck is more important than any other attribute to them...

2010 Spyker C8 Aileron

Some cars are meant for everyday driving. Others possess special characteristics, but may be wholly acceptable for daily commutes. A handful of vehicles are best suited for occasional use...

2010 Nissan Sentra

Surprised. Pleasantly surprised...

2010 Volkswagen Golf

To some folks, golf is a challenging, often frustrating game played on sunny Sundays with a bag of expensive sticks and balls. To others, it’s an iconic German small car that’s been around since 1977. Originally, and again recently, named the Rabbit for North America (and for a time assembled here) its U.S.-market fortunes have ebbed and flowed along with those of the company. But it has been a perennial favorite and a long-running best seller in Europe and most other markets...

2010 Acura TSX V6

Here’s a recipe for getting a traffic ticket while going less than 10 mph. Take one 2010 Acura TSX with a 280-horsepower V6 fitted with not-very-sticky Michelin Pilot MXM4s. Add one law-enforcement officer from a town that relies heavily on “traffic tax” for its operating budget. From a stop, slam the TSX V6’s accelerator to the floor. The driver will be rewarded with a satisfying, two- or three-second long tire chirp, a burst of neck-bending acceleration and an expensive citation for exhibition of speed, reckless driving, or more, depending on the city’s budget situation...

2010 Honda Odyssey

You’ve likely seen the trend almost as annoying as the “Baby On Board” placard: Laser-cut stickers that show the whole family, from Dad down to the pets, in stick-figure form. Sadly, these are especially popular on Honda Odyssey minivans because the people who own Odysseys have kids and are darn proud of it. We mention this because one of the few nits we can pick about the Odyssey is that Honda didn’t make the rear window resistant to these stickers’ adhesive. Odyssey owners: Resist the stickers. We know you have kids and are proud of it. Just wait. They’ll become teenagers and by then the sticker people will sell little piercing and tattoo stickers that can be added to the little stick teenagers...

2010 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

It’s common practice for sports-car makers to introduce a special model toward the end of a car’s product cycle in hopes of reinvigorating interest and sales, and Chevrolet has done this more than once in the last few years before a new-generation Corvette takes its bow. One such memorable model was the limited-production Grand Sport of 1994 in the third-to-last year of the fourth-generation (C4) Corvette’s long run before the all-new C5 arrived for 1997. Only 1,000 were built, each featuring, among other things, a set of bold, slanted fender stripes that harkened back to a series of five special racing Grand Sport Vettes in 1963...

2010 Acura ZDX

If you call an elephant a mouse, does it suddenly turn into a rodent? Obviously not; yet, starting with the crossover craze, some recent models have been given characteristics that step outside the customary lines...

2010 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road

You want to buy it, drive it, and hope it lives up to the hype. We borrowed, we whipped and we found some real brass in Toyota Racing Development’s trail-special Tacoma. This is not hype: taking a hammer to cars and trucks from the corporate press fleets isn’t always an exercise in satisfaction and, frankly, disappointment happens as often as pleasure. The TRD Off-Road Tacoma is better than that—it works...

2010 Kia Soul

A few months back we wrote a preview about this new small, hip vehicle that seemed sure to make a lot of buyers rethink the Kia brand by offering a strong player in a segment that includes notables like the Scion xB and Honda Fit. We looked forward to our official test drive.
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2010 Ford Focus Coupe

Everyone loves the environment, but many wince when they have to give up too much fun, fashion or funds to help preserve the planet. The sporty, economical, clean 2010 Ford Focus Coupe breaks the compromises. The two-door Ford Focus Coupe allows you to look good and enjoy driving without spending a lot of money or overstressing the environment...

2010 Chevrolet Camaro

After a seven-year hiatus, Chevrolet’s Camaro pony car returns to the showroom ready to take on its old school rivals, the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger, as well as import sport coupes like the Nissan 370Z. Camaro’s return was long awaited, and many expected a blockbuster introduction. But a funny thing happened on the way to the marketplace. Just as Chevy was about to shout their return from the highest mountaintop, the mountain crumbled beneath them into a sea of red ink. What followed was one of the lowest key launches of a high profile product in automotive history. The 2010 Camaro is here, but a lot of people don’t even know it’s back...

2010 Lincoln Town Car

Between both coasts is an extremely vast continent. There is plenty of open space and literally thousands of miles of long, straight Interstate (and other) highways and thoroughfares. What really works well here is a traditional V8-powered rear-wheel-drive (RWD) sedan. Something that can both soak up the undulations and the miles with ease. Lincoln has been building cars for what seems like forever to meet these highways and thoroughfares with power, comfort and style. They’re pretty much experts at it and, for many, they’ve set the standards for rear-wheel-drive luxury sedans...

2010 Audi Q5

Q5 is a ‘tweener; an upscale crossover parked just north of sport wagon and well south of SUV. Introduced to the lineup in 2009, it returns for its sophomore year in a segment with a handful of refinements, sprinkled across a three-level lineup: Premium ($38,175), Premium Plus ($42,225) and Prestige ($49,675)...

2010 Toyota Avalon Limited

What do glimmering geodes, an intense yoga experience, and the 2010 Toyota Avalon Limited have in common? It’s their inner beauty, baby. And in particular, the Avalon’s solid build, interior comfort, reassuring handling and ample power make it a comfy and reassuring companion for just about any road-bound excursion you can imagine...

2010 Infiniti EX35

Finding a new niche in vehicle design is getting harder than splitting hairs. Time was when there were just a few basic categories of conveyances: sedan, wagon, and truck. Life was so much simpler then, but also rather limiting. Today, of course, you can have your cake and eat it too. And also pick the flavor of frosting while you’re at it, along with a dizzying array of other toppings...

2010 Ford F-150

First Look—For 2010, Ford offers more capability and features to its class-leading F-150 pickup. The big news is the radical F-150 SVT Raptor off-road version developed by Ford SVT (Special Vehicle Team). In addition, the Harley-Davidson F-150 returns. These new versions expand on the award-winning Ford F-150 lineup, which was completely redesigned for 2009.
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2010 Honda Pilot

If the Honda Odyssey (or a large sport-utility vehicle) is too big and the Honda CR-V (or other small SUV) is too small, the 2010 Honda Pilot might be just the right size for your family and lifestyle. Like most SUVs, the Pilot is more often employed in the mundane movement of people to work, school and elementary school sports. While it may rarely get used for backcountry outings, it very easily could be...

2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Sedan

Not many automobiles have a history dating back more than half a century. Mercedes-Benz offers one: the E-Class sedan, whose initial ancestor came to life way back in 1947. Now entering its ninth generation, the E-Class gets a freshened appearance, coupled with even more technology than its predecessor. Better yet, most of the high-tech goodies are safety-oriented...

2010 Mercury Mariner Hybrid

What’s a lover of the environment and outdoor activities to do? A small car makes a lower carbon footprint, but can’t carry the gear for a backwoods adventure. And a small car certainly can’t go past where the groomed road ends. That means many outdoors enthusiasts need a sport-utility vehicle. But those tend to make big, stomping carbon footprints, which is embarrassing for the environmentally conscious. Here’s a vehicle that can carry a lot of stuff to that secluded campsite, while minimizing damage to the environment—the 2010 Mercury Mariner Hybrid...

2010 Ford Flex

How many of you remember the van craze of the Seventies? Or how about the Microbus craze from the Sixties? Or the station wagon craze of the Fifties? You might recognize a pattern here. It might not really be a craze after all. Maybe folks really have a need for a highly utilitarian mode of transportation—something that is based more upon function than form. The dawn of the minivan pretty much proved that but, over time, the minivan has morphed into something it wasn’t. People noticed and sales went away...

2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring

Who knew that when Hyundai brought out its all-new Elantra compact sedan to the U.S. market for 2007, it was planning to follow two years later with a sporty wagon version? Well, they call it a “5-door,” but it is a wagon—which is okay since relatively small, functional wagons, as alternatives to compact utilities, are beginning to be cool again. Witness German luxomakers BMW and Audi, who both offer premo-priced wagons of this size. Who knew, when Hyundai unveiled this Elantra Touring five-door hatchback (wagon) at the February, 2008 Chicago Auto Show, that it would turn out to be as likeable to drive as it is sportingly handsome to look at? Not to mention unusually roomy and practical for its size...

2010 Scion xD

The 2010 Scion xD five-door sport-subcompact vehicle delivers substance and value in the expanding segment where budget-minded buyers are seeking reliable, enjoyable transportation for less than $20,000...

2010 Chevrolet Equinox

Chevy’s original answer to Toyota’s RAV4, Honda’s CR-V and the passel of other compact crossovers (CUVs) in this fast-growing segment was almost pretty good. It looked fine, performed about average and was screwed together quite well. It satisfied owners with few complaints except a somewhat under-funded interior in terms of perceived material quality. This new one, like the midsize Malibu sedan and the Traverse three-row CUV before it, is a whole new ball game for the bowtie brand—better by far in virtually every way than the one it replaces; at least as good overall and better in many ways than its toughest competitors...

2010 Lexus IS C Convertibles

Convertibles, like the two-door 2010 Lexus IS C, are sexy. According to Lexus research, convertible owners hope their car’s sexy toplessness will lead them to getting lucky. Often. And in interesting places. IS C buyers are expected to be split fairly evenly among genders. As they say in New Orleans, laissez les bons temps rouler—let the good times roll!..

2010 Subaru Legacy

Subaru crams considerable variety into its midsize Legacy lineup, continuing that practice in the new generation. Buyers can select a modest four-cylinder, a hot turbo, or a heftier six-cylinder engine—each with standard all-wheel drive. Manual shift is available with four-cylinder engines, but the non-turbo edition can have a new continuously variable transmission (CVT) instead...

2010 Lincoln MKT

Just after the turn of the 20th Century, when automobiles were in their infancy, one of the most popular automobile configurations was the touring car. Those early cars were of the open variety, regularly fitted with a (hand) folding top. The key, however was the capability of transporting a good-sized group of people over occasionally great distance in considerable comfort. Many actually seated four or more adults in the back seats. And they were popular, too. In the case of the Ford Model T, records indicate that more than 6.5 million touring cars were constructed between 1908 and 1927 (out of a grand total of approximately 15,000,000 Model Ts). Ford wasn’t the only company building touring cars. Many luxury brands of the era sold more touring cars than all other body styles combined. Eventually, though, the need for hauling a number of passengers in one car fell out of style. More cars were available. Cost effective personal transportation had arrived...

2010 Nissan GT-R

How many race-capable cars safe and suitable for daily driving can you buy, for any price? Precious few: Chevy’s Corvette ZR1, Porsche’s top-of-the-line Turbo 911s, Dodge’s track-ready Viper and a handful of big-buck exotics. Now we can add one more to that short list: Nissan’s fifth-generation Nissan GT-R. Known as the Skyline GT-R (aka “Godzilla”) in Japan, it is the first to be imported here. The 2009 debuted in North America in July 2008, and the slightly upgraded 2010 models are available through nearly 700 official “GT-R certified” Nissan dealers across the U.S...

2010 Lexus HS 250h

This all-new HS 250h is far from Lexus’ first hybrid. Toyota’s luxury brand says it has sold some 170,000 GS 450h, RX 400h, RX 450h and LS 600h L hybrids in the last few years. But those are gas/electric hybrid versions of conventional vehicles. What Lexus has not offered until now is a “dedicated” hybrid-only model comparable to parent Toyota’s popular Prius...

2010 Ford Edge

The Ford Edge wasn’t the first crossover-utility vehicle to market, but when it did arrive, it arrived to much applause. Ford has, after all, been a trendsetting leader more than a few times, with the Mustang, Taurus and Explorer, for example, so you can’t really fault them for their late appearance to the crossover party. And arriving fashionably late does have a few distinct advantages: Most important, Ford was given the opportunity to look at the competition up close, figure out what was hot, and what was not. That homework certainly shows in the au courant Edge...

2010 Ford Taurus + SHO

The Ford Taurus made its debut to much fanfare in 1985 (as a 1986 model). It was perhaps a risky move for Ford. Not only was it Ford’s first big foray into midsize front-wheel-drive cars, the styling was like nothing else. In an era where crisply folded lines were the norm, the “soft” styling was decidedly different. So different, some pundits declared it would prove to be an outright sales disaster. They couldn’t have been more wrong. The Taurus (and to a lesser degree, sistership Mercury Sable) went on to dominate the automotive sales charts. Since its launch in 1986, Ford sold over 6.7 million Taurus’s worldwide as of 2007, making it the fifth bestselling North American nameplate in Ford's history. Only the F-150, Escort, Model T, and Mustang have sold more units. Between 1992 and 1996, the Taurus was the best-selling car in America...

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T

The cars in every major racing series are rear-wheel drive. And so is the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T. Similar to a rear-wheel-drive racecar, the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T is quick, responsive and fast. The standard engine is a 210-horsepower, turbocharged, four-cylinder that makes a whopping 230 pound-feet of torque at a very low 2,000 rpm. For comparison, that’s five more horsepower and only 60 pound-feet less torque than a 1984 Corvette. (Modern safety features and sound-deadening material combine to mean the Genesis Coupe 2.0T weighs about the same as an ’84 Corvette.) Importantly, pricing for the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T starts at about $23,000...

2010 Mazda Mazda3

In the auto industry, it’s sometimes better to improve what you have than to start from scratch. That’s the approach Mazda took with the 2010 Mazda3. After a successful six-year run, the Mazda3 is reengineered for 2010, not totally redesigned. Mazda calls it an evolution, not a revolution. They made the right call...

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid

There’s a common misperception that U.S. automakers are behind some imports in technology and fuel efficiency. That may have been true some years ago, but it could not be further from the truth today. Both Ford and GM have become quality and fuel economy leaders in the last few years, especially from the highly competitive mid-size segment up. Chrysler still trails in both but is working hard and fast to catch up. Don’t believe us? Check the numbers...

2010 Honda Insight

Honda and Toyota pioneered the hybrid-powertrain business in the U.S. market, with the Insight two-seater and the original Prius sedan. Both debuted at the turn of the 21st century. Honda halted production of the original Insight after the 2006 model year, and Toyota's midsize Prius is now entering its third generation as a 2010 model...

2010 Toyota Prius

When gasoline prices hit record levels in the first half of 2008, interest in hybrid-powertrain vehicles shot upward, too. Suddenly, fuel-efficiency took precedence as a reason to buy a particular car. A few months later, as gas prices sunk back below $2 a gallon, that enthusiastic burst of hybrid popularity quickly eased. Customers started to revert to past habits, turning to bigger and less-frugal automobiles...

2010 Ford Mustang

Taking an iconic car like the Ford Mustang into the future while building upon its proud heritage is a job that Ford has been tackling with their legendary icon for 45 years. Over nine million Mustang owners have bought into the dream and become part of the legend that is Mustang. While the proven and successful formula of a rear-wheel-drive coupe remains the same, the collected knowledge and refinement gained in delivering the ride of choice for a young and vibrant America for over four decades is built into every 2010 Mustang...

2010 Lexus RX

When Toyota’s luxury Lexus brand launched its first RX 300 “crossover” in 1998, it was essentially a gussied-up wagon body on a front-drive Toyota Camry chassis. And it was seen by some as a weak competitor to the truck-based SUVs that were fast gaining popularity. It looked and drove okay, but lacked real SUV towing, cargo and rugged off-road capabilities...

2010 Cadillac SRX

PREVIEW—Are the years growing shorter or is it just me? Sometime in early summer, the all-new 2010 Cadillac SRX will be in dealer showrooms. The new sports-utility vehicle (or crossover, or whatever you’d like to call it) is smaller, gets better fuel economy and should be just as quick as its predecessor. The 2010 SRX will be powered by the smallest engine offered in a Cadillac; but, since it will make 265 horsepower, few will notice. An optional state-of-the-art all-wheel-drive system should make the SRX a favorite of those who live or play where it snows. The 2010 Cadillac SRX loses the 2009’s marginally useful third row seats, leaving it with five seating positions...

2010 Kia Forte Preview

A lot of people would be happy to emulate the Kia Forte: It’s skipping 2009 and going directly to 2010. Since the Forte will be in showrooms by early summer 2009, it’s less of a skip and more of a running head start. A bit of momentum will be welcome as the Forte is charged with replacing the Spectra as the compact four-door sedan in Kia’s broad lineup...

2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid

Ford Motor Company’s mid-range Mercury brand has long occupied the middle ground between somewhat more affordable Fords and more upscale Lincolns. That is not expected to change going forward, but Mercury will become more European in size, style and character and more slanted toward fuel efficiency. So, not surprisingly—since Ford has redesigned its already excellent parallel hybrid system and is expanding its availability to substantially upgraded Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan mid-size sedans—the 2010 Mercury Milan Hybrid joins its Ford cousin, and the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner (compact crossover) Hybrids double both the size and volume of the company’s hybrid lineup. Official EPA ratings put these fine new Fusion and Milan Hybrids at 41 mpg city and 36 highway, beating Toyota’s ’09 mid-size Camry Hybrid by eight and two mpg, respectively...

2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class

Adding another SUV—even a crossover—in the midst of a frightfully distressed economy might not seem like the wisest course. Mercedes-Benz would beg to disagree, noting that the new GLK-Class falls into the premium compact category, well removed from the German automaker's other offerings. Marketers anticipate strong growth in the entry-level SUV segment, which the GLK clearly occupies. Bernhard Glaser, general manager for product management, explained that the 2010 GLK350 "doesn't look like a small M-Class," referring to the company's best-selling SUV, as redesigned for 2006. Neither is it a smaller version of the GL-Class...

2010 Buick LaCrosse Preview

In China, Buick is one of the best-selling automotive brands. European stylists are famous for their sumptuous designs. And, of course, most General Motors engineers and factories are located in the United States. That’s why GM employees from three continents came together to produce the all-new 2010 Buick LaCrosse luxury sedan. Buick says this is the first General Motors vehicle to be developed by its personnel on three continents...

2010 Kia Soul Preview

PREVIEW—You can point toward the high cost of gas, raising concerns about the environment, or just what goes around, comes around, but small is big. Small doesn’t have to mean an austere, plain, prole-mobile, though. With vehicles like the MINI, Scion Xb and Honda Fit, small is hip and fun...