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.
2013 Ford Fusion 11.01.2012
It could be argued that the 1996 Ford Taurus was the last straw for the vast majority of midsize family sedan buyers in America. After reigning as the bestselling car in the land for five years running, an all-new “oval” Taurus design sent buyers fleeing to the more conservative Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Since then, domestic brand family cars have taken a… Read More
2013 Chevrolet Spark 9.30.2012
There are small cars and then there are extremely small cars. The smallest examples are known as mini-cars; that is they are smaller than a subcompact; or city cars since that is where these tiny four-wheelers fit best. Up until now, mini-cars have not gained a meaningful foothold in America. Buyers have resisted them because of a limited size that also limits… Read More
2013 Cadillac ATS 9.01.2012
The 2013 Cadillac ATS is the brand’s first compact luxury-sport sedan and their first car that is sized right to do battle with the BMW 3 Series and other smaller European performance sedans. While we’ve heard claims of sport sedan parity from Detroit brands before, the engineers behind the ATS have taken all the necessary steps to meet their off-shore… Read More
2013 Nissan Altima 8.01.2012
Nowhere in the automotive business is the competition more intense than among mid-size family sedans. Every full-line automaker has at least one entry, all trying to unseat a pair of industry stalwarts; the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. In recent years several competitors have made significant inroads including the Hyundai Sonata, Ford Fusion, and the Nissan… Read More
2013 Scion FR-S 7.01.2012
The 2013 FR-S is Scion’s first rear-wheel-drive car and makes one heck of a first impression. With an aggressive front end and angular headlights glaring back at you, this coupe comes ready to rock. The dual exhaust around back reinforces that message, and another: this is no ordinary Scion. Light on its feet, this sport coupe wrangles up 200 horsepower and makes… Read More
2013 Ford Escape 6.01.2012
The Ford Escape was not the first compact crossover on the road, that honor falls to the Toyota RAV4. However, with over two million sales over the last 12 years, the Escape’s success has been a key to the rapid growth of the small utility market. But, anyone familiar with the previous Escapes will find the all-new 2013 model a huge departure. Gone is the boxy… Read More
2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco 5.01.2012
Up until just a few years ago, Detroit auto companies were making big profits by catering to America’s taste for larger SUVs and trucks, fueled by the free flow of relatively inexpensive gasoline. But, this false prosperity caused the companies to put a low priority on designing cars for the volume family sedan market. There were still lots of great sedans… Read More
2012 Fiat 500 Abarth 4.01.2012
When the Fiat brand returned to the U.S. market last year after nearly a generation of absence, there was high hope that it would make a huge splash with its smallest car, the 500. The Fiat 500 offered a cute to see, and fun to be seen in, Italian engineered 3-door coupe that was also cheaper than the similarly sized MINI Cooper. While we found the 500 lived up… Read More
2012 Buick Verano 3.01.2012
Buick has been working overtime to transform its image from the “old man” car brand of yore, to a much younger demographic in both age and style. So far, all of its new larger products, Enclave, LaCrosse, and Regal have by and large hit the spot with good vibes from the press and public alike. But not all young, upwardly mobile buyers are into large or even… Read More
2012 MINI Cooper Coupe 1.31.2012
Ever since the “new” MINI Cooper arrived for 2002, car writers have searched for the proper words to describe driving one of the world’s smaller car lines. While MINI products are micro-compact in size, the brand does not make entry level lethargic gas misers. In fact, MotorWeek described the 2002 MINI Cooper as akin to motoring about in a square-cornered, hard… Read More