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2005
Vehicle Road Test Review Archive
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Well
Nissan has sent its fraternal
twins to the gym for 2005,
adding size and strength in
pretty much every dimension. [VW
TOUAREG REVIEW] |
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Reno
has four doors for passengers
and a hatch lid at the tail
to access the aft cargo compartment.
Its cabin is spacious with
room for five on comfortable
seats and lots of convenience
features aboard.
[SUZUKI
RENO REVIEW] |
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Kia
calls this street-cool car
the Spectra5, with that number
attached to the nameplate
to denote a tail-side fifth
door added for accessing the
aft cargo compartment. [KIA
SPECTRA5 REVIEW] |
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Well
Nissan has sent its fraternal
twins to the gym for 2005,
adding size and strength in
pretty much every dimension.
[NISSAN
XTERRA AND FRONTIER REVIEWS] |
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Nissan's
prime sedan scaled for the
mid-size class. The SE-R trim
designation Nissan reserves
for sport-inspired special
editions rigged with racy
aero body elements and boosted
power points. [NISSAN
ALTIMA REVIEW] |
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I f you walked around a mall and asked average people what word comes to mind when they hear the name “Volvo,” nine times out of ten—perhaps ten times out of ten—the response would be “safety.”
[VOLVO V50 AND XC70 REVIEW] |
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The magic of the Mustang’s allure starts with its shamelessly retro styling. Blatantly, lovingly
and successfully retrospective of Ford’s sexy ‘Stangs of the ‘60’s
and ‘70’s.
[MUSTANG CONVERTIBLE REVIEW] |
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All sedans in the Legacy series employ AWD, but the device differs
by type of transmission. With a standard manual shifter, the AWD
has a differential that distributes
engine power evenly.
[SUBARU LEGACY REVIEW] |
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| This slinky
new two-seater -- only the sixth iteration in the 52-year history of Corvette
-- charges down the track with the strength of 400 horses from a new V8 engine
making massive torque to spin the rear wheels. [CHEVROLET CORVETTE REVIEW] |
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After
time behind the wheel of both Ford's new full-size
Five Hundred sedan and sibling Freestyle crossover,
we've concluded there's no cut and dried dividing
line between the two.
[FORD FIVE HUNDRED REVIEW] |
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The
new Tucson SUV is uniquely positioned in the highly
competitive compact SUV market. It offers first-class
quality, size and comfort, along with one of the best
warranties in the industry.
[HYUNDAI TUCSON REVIEW] |
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The
Kia Sportage has been absent for three
years but is back with a new persona. And like
the kid up the block, its
act seems stitched together.
But that's increasingly
typical of Korean vehicles.
[KIA SPORTAGE REVIEW] |
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| he
current 2004 XC90 edition proved to be more successful
in the marketplace than expected, but Ford, owner
of the Swedish company, thought that some changes
were needed to keep the momentum going.
[VOLVO XC90 REVIEW] |
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ith
such a compelling combination of features, value,
performance and yes, quality, we can firmly assert
that this is one of the best small cars the world
has ever seen.
[CHEVROLET COBALT REVIEW] |
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| Consider
Montego as a premium mid-size sedan that has the body
of a mid-size model but the cabin of a big car with
seats for five plus luxury gear. [MERCURY MONTEGO REVIEW] |
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Chevrolet
hopes to convince those looking for AWD performance
and van-like seating with extra storage to consider
the new Uplander sport van.
[CHEVROLET UPLANDER REVIEW] |
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| Saturn
offers RELAY in two different levels of trim -- designated
by numbers simply as RELAY 2 and RELAY 3. Front-wheel-drive
(FWD) traction is the norm for RELAY 2 as well as
Relay 3, but RELAY 3 adds the option of all-wheel-drive
(AWD) traction.
[SATURN RELAY REVIEW] |
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| The
Sportwagon is based on the X-TYPE sedan, but with
a body styling and structure all its own. Starting
at the B-pillars and flowing the length of the roof
to the rear tailgate the new Sportwagon
offers unrivalled luxury, refinement
and versatility. [JAGUAR X-TYPE REVIEW] |
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Freestyle is the vehicle from Ford that was a long time coming in the booming crossover category, the latest must-have for any serious vehicle manufacturer. Ford's version is sandwiched between the smaller, more rugged Escape and larger, Explorer.
[FORD FREESTYLE REVIEW] |
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| By seamlessly blending luxury features, accurate handling, and a smooth ride with traditional SUV qualities such as large cargo space, immense ground clearance, four- or all-wheel drive off-road ability, and towing capacity, the Touareg is a true standout in the SUV marketplace. [VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG REVIEW] |
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| While
the 4Runner has changed significantly over
the past 20 years, it's remained true to
its roots as a tough SUV capable of providing everyday
transportation. With a track record of reliability
and appeal, the Toyota 4Runner is a tough
act to follow. [TOYOTA 4RUNNER REVIEW] |
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| Redesigned
and re-engineered for 2005, the RL sedan is arguably
Acura's most stylish car ever. Its sleek lines and
sporty look might even be characterized as masculine..
[ACURA RL REVIEW] |
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A
new model in the Toyota's lineup for 2005, the XRS
makes the bold declaration that sportiness can include
practicality, safety and reliability. A regular
Corolla at heart, the XRS receives several unique
features.
[TOYOTA COROLLA XRS REVIEW] |
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| The
timbre of a Boxster engine at idle is unlike anything
else on the face of the planet. If you could capture
it in a bottle, wrap it in a stylish box and put
it on sale, the need for Viagra would disappear.
[PORSHCE BOXSTER REVIEW] |
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Land
Rover has launched only nine new models in its 56
years, and the LR3 is the first since Ford's takeover
in 2000. It's taking the place of the now-defunct
Discovery in Land Rover's vehicle line-up..
[LAND ROVER LR3 REVIEW] |
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| The
Saab 9-2X is a serious move on the part of this
small Swedish company to enter the young, urban
market. It has the looks, performance
and feel of a car costing thousands more. Saab continues
to gain strength now that General Motors handles
the books. [SAAB 9-2X REVIEW] |
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| Thee
2005 Ford Focus is available in three body styles;
3-door hatchback, 4-door sedan or wagon and a 5-door
hatchback. Whichever one you choose, the styling
is reminiscent of last year's model, but has been
upgraded nicely in both look and feel.
[FORD FOCUS REVIEW] |
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In
today's fast-paced society, breaking away for a
few minutes of solitude is more important than ever.
To this end, the 2005 Ford Escape has been significantly
revamped from last year's model and designed to
offer a quiet ride and superior comfort in a moderately
priced package.
[FORD ESCAPE REVIEW] |
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When
Bayerische Motoren-Werke (a.k.a. BMW) took on the
resurrection of that extremely British icon, the
Mini, doubts abounded. But BMW got it right as rain.
Spang on. Nail on the head. And they keep scoring
full points with every new move, such as offering
a four-passenger topless Mini.
[MINI COOPER CONVERTIBLE REVIEW] |
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Every
inch of Ford's famous pony car has been changed
for 2005. Thanks to some automotive nipping and
tucking, the new look is instant retro and instantly
recognizable.
[FORD MUSTANG REVIEW] |
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| Land
Rover has made significant progress these past years in search of reliability. With looks
that emulate more expensive Range Rover and
newly designed LR3, the Freelander makes a discriminating
choice in the small to mid-size SUV
category. [LAND ROVER SE REVIEW] |
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| At
first glance, the Sport Coupe gives the impression
of a poor-man's Benz, but don't kid yourself; the
little coupe is 100-percent Mercedes-Benz. The doors
open and close with the signature bank-vault "thud,"
the seats are extremely supportive and covered in
handsome leather.[MERCEDES C320 COUPE REVIEW] |
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Built
in Lincoln, Alabama, a small city located east of
Birmingham on Interstate 20, the new Honda Odyssey
once again sets the standard for drivability, design
and performance.
[HONDA ODYSSEY REVIEW] |
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| A
completely new vehicle for '05, the Pathfinder
offers proof of just how far Nissan has
come.Their success of late has
been phenomenal. A recognized leader in design and
engineering, the new Pathfinder strengthens that
position in the market. [NISSAN PATHFINDER REVIEW] |
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| The
Jaguar S-Type and XK cars don't change much for 2005,
and that's mostly a good thing. After all, the luxury
cars are classy - and classic - style statements with
distinctive looks that evoke Jaguar's heritage and
make passengers feel special. [JAGUAR XK AND S REVIEW] |
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The
new Chrysler 300 series and specifically the new
300C, expand on all the good traits of the 300M
and improving on them in every possible way.
[CHRYSLER 300C REVIEW] |
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A
new era has dawned for diesel. German car makers
especially are striving to erase from American memory
that outdated view of diesel's drawbacks.
[MERCEDES-BENZ E320 CDI REVIEW] |
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Enter
the Chevrolet Equinox, new for 2005, that the company
will put into production around February. This is
a new entry for GM's Amercan car division in the
bread and butter "crossover" segment all
auto companies strive to own.
[CHEVROLET EQUINOX REVIEW] |
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| The
PT convertible comes with four usable seats that
sit up a bit from the floor, allowing passengers
to enter and exit more easily than they can in many
other convertibles where riders sit close to the
floor. [CHRYSLER PT CRUISER CONVERTIBLE REVIEW] |
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