RideLust

Thumbs Up: Great content, great value, surprisingly entertaining.

Thumbs Down: Automatic transmission won’t hold gear selected to redline.

Buy This Car If: You’re looking for a hatchback with impressive content at a great price.

It’s easy to love what Hyundai is doing these days, since the Korean automaker seems to be turning out hit after hit after hit. First it was the new midsize Sonata sedan, followed by the compact Elantra sedan. Next came the new Accent and the new Veloster, which seemed to fill the brand’s need for a compact hatchback. Read More…

Thumbs Up: Much better put together than Chrysler convertibles past.

Thumbs Down: Interior is on the bland side, not much fun to drive.

Buy This Car If: You want an affordable, four-passenger convertible.

Chrysler has not always been known for assembling solidly-built four-seat convertibles. Back in the LeBaron convertible days, we literally had rental cars shed interior pieces as we drove. The Sebring convertible was a step in the right direction, since it had less cowl shake than the LeBaron and stayed screwed together throughout every rental car experience we had behind the wheel, though we never really warmed up to its sub-standard ride or interior. Read More…

Thumbs Up: Takes styling cues from the Camaro, inside and out.

Thumbs Down: Takes styling cues from the Camaro, inside and out.

Buy This Car If: You’re looking for a solid value in a domestic family sedan.

Chevrolet sold a boatload of its previous Malibu sedan, which critics panned for not being as stylish, refined or well-equipped as the competition. The engineers at GM’s mainstream division took that criticism to heart when they set about designing an all-new Malibu for the 2013 model year. It’s better-looking and far more refined than the model it replaces, but that may be where the good news ends for Chevrolet. Read More…

Thumbs Up: A real head turner; as stylish a car as BMW builds.

Thumbs Down: Rear leg room lacking, options quickly escalate price.

Buy This Car If: Your bank account allows this big of a fashion statement.

In a perfect world, all coupes would have two doors and all sedans would have four. If nothing else, this would allow those of us who write about cars for a living to keep things simple when we describe new vehicles. We don’t live in a perfect world, though, and the hottest segment in the luxury car world these days appears to be the four-door coupe. Mercedes has its CLS550, Porsche has its Panamera, Audi has its A7, and as of the 2013 model year, BMW now has its 6 Series Gran Coupe, available in 640i, 650i and 650i xDrive variants. Read More…

Thumbs Up: If you want fuel economy and range, this is your car.

Thumbs Down: Nothing here for driving enthusiasts, cheap interior.

Buy This Car If: You care more about spending as little as possible on gas than you do about performance or handling.

This may come as a shock to driving enthusiasts, but the cold, hard truth is this: most people don’t like to drive. For the masses, driving is an act to be tolerated, not enjoyed, and any conveyance that gets them from point A to point B with as little fuss and expense as possible is optimal. Read More…

Thumbs Up: Nimble, still relatively quick with the V-6

Thumbs Down: Optioned-out, price grows quickly

Buy This Car If: You’re looking for a sportier take on a Japanese luxury sedan

Japanese premium brand Infiniti built its business in the United States market by delivering luxury cars that still had a performance edge. If you wanted the best ride comfort, Lexus was more up your alley; if you wanted reasonable comfort with a generous side order of handling, Infiniti was where you shopped. Read More…

Thumbs Up: Perhaps the best long-distance commuter car on the planet, for now.

Thumbs Down: Not much here for driving enthusiasts.

Buy This Car If: Your idea of an easy commute is 100 miles round-trip.

When it comes to luxury, few manufacturers understand how to coddle buyers in its cars and showrooms quite as well as Lexus. Its build quality is beyond reproach, its cars are ever-increasingly stylish and its dealers treat customers like extended family members; in short, we’d have a hard time naming an automaker that works harder to be atop the luxury pile than Lexus. Read More…

Thumbs Up: Hauls seven passengers in comfort

Thumbs Down: Handling not up to Infiniti’s usual standards, CVT is the only gearbox option

Buy This Car If: Comfort and capacity outweigh your need for speed.

The Infiniti brand earned its stripes by building cars that blended performance and luxury, usually for thousands of dollars less than its German rivals. The Infiniti G37 sedan remains one of our favorite sport sedans, especially when price factors into the equation, and the same thing can be said for Infiniti’s FX crossover. While the styling may not appeal to everyone, the FX delivers a surprisingly entertaining ride, and we’d easily take it over the rival Lexus RX. Read More…

Thumbs Up: More stylish and more comfortable than the car it replaces

Thumbs Down: Only gearbox choice is a CVT

Buy This Car If: You’re looking for a fuel-sipping commuter that still looks good

Nissan’s midsize Altima sedan is perpetually among the best-selling cars in the United States, and with good reason. Even in its prior form, it served up a reasonable blend of style, comfort, fuel economy and value, putting it near the top of the “must shop” list for many consumers. With that much in its favor, you can bet that Nissan was careful when it set about redesigning the Altima for the 2013 model year. Read More…

PRO’s: Great brakes, superb interior, handling and a media center that is one of the best in the business.

CON’s: High price, could use a bit more grunt.

FINAL THOUGHT: A fantastic automobile that proves Lexus is committed to building one of the best premium sports sedans money can buy.

If you were to open my garage you’d end up with two old muscle cars, a new pony car and a 20-year old station wagon that I use as a daily driver. None of these machines contain leather interiors, sunroofs, air conditioned seats or navigation, as they were all bought (and built) to serve a specific purpose. I tell you this because all my vehicles are bare bones and no frills, which is somewhat similar to how I live my life.

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