Full Car Reviews
by car review editor on February 21, 2012
The 2012 Hyundai Accent Sedan Review
Full Review by Andy: Hyundai’s Fairy Tale
Once upon a time – meaning last year – the general public looked upon the Hyundai Accent with displeasure, and often, pity. The Accent competed for the dubious honor as the cheapest econobox in America, suitable only for the few confused souls who preferred new Spartan torture chambers over used yet practical vehicles. For 2012, the Accent has been born anew. It runs about three grand shy of being America’s most inexpensive vehicle, and every penny is worth it.
What Does It Look Like?
Last year’s plain style has given way to a swoopy, chiseled exterior in line with the Sonata and Elantra. Like its corporate siblings, the Hyundai’s side design lines rise from the aggressive, feline front fascia and glide up to a high beltline and arch over the rear haunches. Yet, unlike the Veloster or the funk boxes offered by its Asian competitors, the petite Accent has a voluptuous design that manages to look stylish but not immature. [Read More]
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by car review editor on February 19, 2012
The 2012 Audi TT Coupe Review
Full Review by Andy: The Best Way to Splurge
Let’s suppose you have won the local lottery or have successfully robbed a local bank. Your neighbors all are suspicious Scrooges, so the pot totals a measly forty grand. Do you invest the cash in market hedge funds? Save for a retirement in Trinidad? Nonsense! There is only one way to appropriately spend forty thousand unearned or ill-gotten dollars. Buy the 2012 Audi TT 2.0T coupe.
Exterior
In a word: iconic. Its lithe proportions are as balanced as a ballerina’s. A long, sloping roofline swoops away from the expansive bonnet, characterized by Audi’s signature grille. An automatic rear spoiler bedecks the back. Designed by a team of artistic geniuses including Peter Schreyer and J. Mays, the award-winning exterior is one of the best modern renditions of classic automotive design. [Read More]
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by car review editor on February 19, 2012
The 2012 Ford Escape Review
Full Review by Andy: How Old Gets Sold
Sales of the outgoing 2012 Ford Escape jumped 24 percent in January. The staggering leap in US sales has many automotive journalists scratching their heads. The Ford Escape is a class symbol of a good SUV gone stale. Reviewers are quick to point out that many competitors best the antiquated Escape in terms of functionality and fun. So why did sales blossom earlier this year? Is the American public simply daft, or is there something about the Ford Escape that pundits can’t spy?
What Does It Look Like?
In an age where cars compete to see who can sport the most curves (if only Victoria’s Secret would take a cue, hmm?), the Escape’s brawn is a welcome haven of masculinity. The boxy body has massive wheel arches fore and aft, a two-part square chrome grille, and roof rails. The Escape remains a welcome alternative to the bizarre Nissan Murano or dull Honda CR-V. [Read More]
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by car review editor on February 17, 2012
The 2012 Kia Forte Koup Review
Full Review by Andy: En Route to Glory
The Kia Forte Koup is going places. Unfortunately, it hasn’t arrived yet. Kia’s first entry-level sports coupe, the Forte Koup, offers superior practicality and laudable fuel economy with a taut and talented suspension. Unfortunately, the 2012 iteration lacks the horsepower to seriously compete with the likes of the Honda Civic Si or Mazda3.
What Does It Look Like?
In my personal opinion, the Kia Koup looks precisely how an entry-level sporty coupe should. A raked, svelte roofline encapsulates sashless side window drawn over a high beltline. The front fascia integrates Kia’s traditional tiger-nose grille with a murdered-out bottom half (Mitsubishi Evo, anyone?). Out back, an integrated decklid spoiler runs over the taut taillamps and upraised blacked-out bottom. The design is clean, athletic and yet unpretentious – no non-functional hood scoops or batman spoilers here. [Read More]
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