Road Tests
If it’s new to the road, you’ll get the in-depth performance report right here on MotorWeek. We put the latest vehicle models through their paces each week in our popular Road Test reviews. From sedans to sport utility vehicles, to exotics and economy cars, our staff gets behind the wheel of more than 150 vehicles annually. Following a series of rigorous tests, each vehicle is evaluated on performance, technology, practicality and efficiency. Join us each week to find out what the experts have to say. Click on our most recent Road Tests, or search by keyword above!
Most Recent Road Tests
1997 Jeep Wrangler
If there’s any one motor vehicle that can truly be called “all American,” it would have to be the subject of this week’s Road Test by Request, the Jeep Wrangler. Now, civilian versions of Jeep’s military marvel have been carrying faithful fans over hill and dale since the end of World War II. And while Jeep’s current owner, Chrysler, appreciates its classic appeal, it also…
1997 Nissan Pathfinder
Every time you think the 4-by-4 war is settling down, up pops another sport-utility vehicle. One of the latest to bounce into the ring is the subject of this week’s Road Test by Request, the new generation Nissan Pathfinder. Now the old Pathfinder was certainly competent and had a loyal following. But it wasn’t particularly exciting, so it never really stood out from the…
1997 Buick Park Avenue Ultra
Ask most people to name the top volume luxury car brand in America and very few would get it right. The correct answer is … Buick! You see, Buick’s combination of low-profile luxury, effortless highway cruising and reasonable prices have allowed it to beat out all domestic competitors and trounce the import crowd. Now, however, with the new Buick Park Avenue Ultra, their…
1997 Lotus Esprit V-8 & Elise
We’ve always been big fans of the sports cars from Lotus, especially the Esprit. And despite the company’s front office upheavals in recent years, Lotus engineers never lost their focus, giving the Esprit continual updates to keep it on par with its newer competitors. Naturally, we jumped at the chance to try out this new Esprit V-8. But you can imagine our surprise when…
1997 Pontiac SLP Firehawk
In all our years of testing high performance cars, we’ve rarely seen any that offered more bang-for-the-buck than those built by the aftermarket specialist, SLP. Their hotter-than-hot versions of the Pontiac Firebird never fail to light us up. We tested our first Firehawk back in 1992, and have looked forward to each new model year ever since. Well, it’s 1997, so let’s go…
1997 Jeep Cherokee
When the original Jeep Cherokee appeared for the 1984 model year, it was a ground-breaking concept, combining the best features of a 4x4 truck and a compact 4-door wagon. Nowadays, the Cherokee serves as a stalwart, entry-level alternative to Jeep’s increasingly cosmopolitan products. But just because a dog’s getting old doesn’t mean it can’t learn a few new tricks. In…
1996 Audi A4
Over the years, Audi has earned a reputation as a driver’s marque. That’s one of the reasons their smaller, more nimble, sedans have always been so popular, and why Audi chose its smaller chassis to create the original Quattro back in 1980. Well, here’s the latest Audi of that lineage, the A4. A car that a resurgent Audi hopes will please not only hard-core enthusiasts,…
1996 Porsche 911 Targa
With the demise of the last front-engine Porsche, and the Boxster only just now arriving, Germany’s premier sports car builder has had to survive on a single model, the venerable Porsche 911. But within the 911 family are an increasingly diverse number of clever variations, each designed to exploit a different niche. And that’s what the subject of this week’s Road Test by…
1995 BMW 318ti
As much as many viewers of MotorWeek like BMWs, there usually is one major complaint. They cost too much! Well, BMW must be listening. For the last few years, BMW has been working hard to produce more affordable cars that still retained the marque’s distinctive driving qualities. The best example to date of those efforts, is the 318ti. Now compared to other 3-Series…
1995 Ford Windstar
The Ford Windstar was the brand’s first front-drive minivan and the first real challenger to the Dodge Caravan. So naturally we chose it as our 1995 Drivers’ Choice Award for best minivan. Let’s take a closer look at what makes the 1995 Ford Windstar a good used van purchase. The Windstar is a most car-like minivan, and has the greatest wheelbase and width of all ‘95…