2010 Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic: New look, more safety features, and a surprise

Written by Steven Macoy
Thursday, 19 November 2009 16:14

As a rule, the base price of this year’s model is higher than last year’s. Throw in a redesign, a few additional colors and a new standard feature or two; there’s another price bump. Because that’s the rule.

Mercedes-Benz is breaking rules this year. In fact, it’s breaking just about all of them.

2010 Mazda CX-9 Grand Touring distinguished by 'driveability'

Written by Steven Macoy
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 10:09

Mazda was late to the big-car game, having spent most of its first 30 years in the U.S. market seeking a niche befitting its early, unconventional role as purveyor of cars powered by Wankel rotary engines. In 2007, Mazda joined the crossover crusade, introducing the compact CX-7 and the beefier CX-9.

Now in its fourth year, the CX-9 has undergone a modest redesign for 2010. The major difference is an exterior resculpting that gives the car a longer, lower, more graceful appearance. The front fascia features a wide, disarming smile with a chrome strip running horizontally down the middle, but don’t let the friendly face fool you. Although not designed for serious off-road driving, the CX-9, with eight inches of ground clearance, available all-wheel drive and stability control, is tough and versatile.

2010 Jaguar XKR Coupe: Noticeably improved

Written by Steven Macoy
Friday, 06 November 2009 14:32

We’ve driven test cars that just weren’t good enough to meet our standards. Then there’s the 2010 Jaguar XKR coupe. If this sleek Jag could talk … well, it would let you know in no uncertain terms that we fell short of its standards.

OK, we admit it: We’re not good enough drivers to operate machinery this exalted. Few mortals are.

A $3-million Plymouth Superbird

Written by Steven Macoy
Thursday, 15 October 2009 11:02

Even when he was a 12-year-old clipping articles about hot rods, Brian Chaffee knew there would be something big in his future. And now it’s here: the 1970 Plymouth Superbird that shook the automotive world.

Superbirds were racing-bred versions of the popular Road Runner, with big V-8 engines, exaggerated rear spoilers and extended front ends. Plymouth built 1,920 of them in 1970, the only year of production. But the Superbird in Chaffee’s E-Muscle automotive repair and restoration shop in Middlefield is one of a kind.

2009 BMW 335d: Fuel-efficient clean-diesel with BMW style

Written by Steven Macoy
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 09:57

American drivers have never really warmed to the diesel cars that are so wildly popular in Europe. Blame it on the old Mercedes-Benz diesels, which were noisy, smelly and slow. Or the General Motors diesels, which were all of the above, plus unreliable. Diesel fuel isn’t always easy to find in out-of-the-way places, and the fuel has been more expensive than gasoline in recent years.

Nevertheless, the major European makes are pushing their clean-diesel technology in the U.S. market. They’ve figured out how to get rid of the foul odors and racket, without compromising diesel technology’s high fuel economy.

2010 Chevrolet Equinox 2LT: Another winner from General Motors

Written by Steven Macoy
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 09:53

The Chevrolet Equinox, redesigned for 2010, is a triumph of right-sizing. With available all-wheel drive, room for five adult passengers, 7.8 inches of ground clearance and more than 30 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the spacious back seat upright, it’s big and rugged enough for most families. And the standard 182-horsepower, 4-cylinder engine is a perfect fit.

Bottom line: The tiny minority of owners who need minivan seating accommodations or Range Rover ruggedness, or sufficient cargo room to transport three or more youth-hockey players and all their gear, will look elsewhere. For the rest, the Equinox is everything it needs to be.

2010 Chevrolet Camaro 2LT: Crowd-pleasing style from GM

Written by Steven Macoy
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 09:47

OK, we know what you’re thinking. You’ve seen the picture and read the headline, and you know this article is about Chevrolet’s new Camaro. You’re wondering if it’s a babe magnet.

Well, it’s hard to say, even after a week with a Rally Yellow 2010 Camaro. Babe magnet? It’s an everybody magnet. The thumbs-up gestures from other drivers and the buttonholing sessions in the parking lot were constant.

Chevrolet and its troubled parent company, General Motors, have a hit on their hands.

2010 Mini Cooper Convertible: It’s just so darn cute!

Written by Sally Sanders
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 09:42

The Mini Cooper isn’t the most versatile car, or the fastest, roomiest or even the most fuel-efficient. But it may be the cutest. Spend a few moments looking at one and you may find an old Traveling Wilburys lyric going through your mind: “Baby, you’re adorable.”

Even the tune played by the car’s alarm bell is cute and catchy. Indeed, the Mini Cooper embodies what students of literature call artistic integrity. Everything fits perfectly with everything else — every sound, every curve, every gauge and switch. And it all adds up to cute.

2009 Volvo XC70 T6: Strangely appealing

Written by Steven Macoy
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 09:36

Near the end of our street, construction crews have been excavating and backfilling the main road with material apparently designed to inflict maximum discomfort on anyone who dares to drive over it. Our cars were administering the requisite punishment whenever we passed the construction zone; then we ran the same gauntlet with a 2009 Volvo XC70.

It was a whole new experience. The gritty, uneven asphalt may as well have been a fresh new sheet of concrete.

2009 Nissan Murano LE AWD: Now this crossover is more than its good looks

Written by Steven Macoy
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 09:32

The Nissan Murano was a sensation when it arrived in 2004, mainly because its drop-dead good looks combined with a high level of functionality. The Murano hinted at its corporate relationship to the stunning Infiniti FX series without intruding on the premium brand’s turf.

The Murano sold well even though its driving dynamics, interior accommodations and riding comfort were ordinary at best. Realizing the Murano needed updating, Nissan halted production after the 2007 model year, performed a redesign aimed at preserving the car’s look while addressing its weaknesses, and brought it back for 2009.