Car of the Month
Each month, MotorWeek host John Davis selects a vehicle to highlight that has the potential to be a game-changer, sets a new benchmark in its class, or exemplifies the latest trend in the automotive world.
2012 Chevrolet Sonic 11.01.2011
The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic subcompact series replaces the Korean-built Aveo. And like the Aveo, its basic design was conceived in the Far East. But that ends any comparison between the two cars. The Sonic is a clean sheet design that’s not only built in the U.S.A., it targets America’s youngest car buyers like no Chevrolet before it. To that end, both the Sonic… Read More
2012 Volkswagen Beetle 9.26.2011
There is no automotive shape more iconic than the Volkswagen Beetle. Even after 70 years, the Beetle is special. Originally known only as Volkswagen, which literally means “people’s car,” it was a mechanically simple rear-engine model that almost everyone could afford to own. But those driving it started calling it Käfer, or Beetle. The 2012 Volkswagen… Read More
2012 Toyota Camry 9.01.2011
The Toyota Camry is America’s favorite car, and it has been for 13 of the last 14 years. But, in recent times, recalls, natural disasters, and new rivals have taken the shine off this mid-size family sedan benchmark. So, the all-new, 7th generation 2012 Toyota Camry has a formidable job ahead. It must not only return a quality luster to the Camry nameplate,… Read More
Fiat 500c 8.01.2011
When it went on sale in America this past spring, the Fiat 500 brought a splash of Italian style to our often dull subcompact car market. Now, the original two-door hatchback is joined by a convertible just in time for the hottest days of summer. The 500c, for Cabrio, is certainly unlike any other car in the segment, with a fully retracting canvas top that’s… Read More
2011 Chrysler 200 Convertible 7.01.2011
Nothing says summer like a new convertible, and the drop-top version of the 2011 Chrysler 200 is the newest one on our lot. But, that alone is not reason enough to warrant its selection as MotorWeek’s Car of the Month. This honor also has a lot to do with what the Chrysler 200 represents. It is uncanny how fast the new Fiat bosses at Chrysler Group were able… Read More
2012 Prius V 6.01.2011
You would have to be living under a rock not to know that the most popular hybrid vehicle in America is the Toyota Prius. Over a million Prius have been sold in America since it first arrived here for 2001. This enviable record has now prompted Toyota to expand the Prius lineup into multiple models, or as their fans have dictated a family of Prii. The first… Read More
2012 Ford Focus 5.01.2011
Among the more recent industry predictions arising from the on-going instability in gas prices is that compact cars will replace mid-size cars as a volume leader. One reason that prediction might come true is the 2012 Ford Focus. The all-new Focus is a terrific example of utilization of space and practical technology. With its wheels spread to the corners,… Read More
2011 MINI Cooper Countryman 4.01.2011
The 2011 Cooper Countryman is Mini’s fourth new-generation model, and easily the biggest Mini yet. It resides on an all new and larger chassis. The Countryman’s is 15.7 inches longer than a Mini Cooper coupe, with the wheelbase stretched by 5 inches. Even with the increase in size, the Countryman still looks like a Mini. But, like most of us, the additional… Read More
2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe R-Spec 3.01.2011
For almost 30 years, as the mid-Atlantic weather turns icy and cold, MotorWeek has ventured south to Savannah Georgia’s Roebling Road Raceway for a week of winter, and supposedly warmer, car testing. Never, in all that time, has there been a Korean car we felt was worthy of challenging Roebling’s nine high speed turns. Now, there is one, the 2011 Hyundai… Read More
2011 Volvo S60 T6 1.01.2011
It's been a decade since the stylish Volvo S60 first arrived, signaling the Swedish carmaker's welcome departure from its traditionally boxy design language. The S60 also marked a more aggressive and sporty direction for the brand. Well,10 years is a long time to wait for a redesign, but the 2011 Volvo S60 T6 is finally here. Built on a revised Y70… Read More