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 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
2012 Mazda3 SKYACTIV 12.31.2011
One of the most unexpected outcomes of the rush by automakers toward hybrids and battery powered cars is the emergence of advance technology that makes the tried-and-true internal combustion engine competitive in fuel economy. Mazda, for one, is determined to forgo mass electrification of their products, at least until they have gotten every last MPG possible out… Read More
2012 Honda CR-V 12.01.2011
The all-new, fourth-generation, 2012 Honda CR-V is more of an evolution than a revolution. That’s easy to understand as Honda decided not to mess with a winning formula. But even for the CR-V, it takes constant tinkering to stay on top. For 2012, the exterior has taken a fresher turn. Styling is now far more engaging. But, Honda resisted the trend toward making… Read More
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 Beetle is… 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, but it… Read More