Hyundai Santa Fe: System tweaks enhance three-row crossover’s appeal 1
Hyundai’s pitch for the 2015 Santa Fe is mercifully succinct.
Autos Don Adair
SATURDAY, MAY 23, 2015
SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2015
Legacy: Subaru’s outlier sedan receives mainstream refinements
Hidden inside every Subaru Outback and Forester built are the muscle and sinew of the Legacy sedan. The midsize Legacy platform is Subaru’s lifeblood. It underpins the company’s two most popular models — the Outback and Forester — and accounts for two-thirds of its sales.
FRIDAY, MAY 8, 2015
740Ld xDrive: BMW adds turbodiesel to flagship lineup
In the Old Dogs/New Tricks category, BMW adds a turbodiesel option this year to its 7 Series lineup. The old: The current, fifth-generation 7 debuted in 2009; a new version is due this year. The new: A 3.0-liter turbocharged diesel six that makes 255 horsepower...
SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2015
VW Golf: Little hatch, big strides 3
When the 2015 Volkswagen Golf arrived, I’d spent the previous few weeks driving big cars. Minivans, midsize crossovers, full-size American sedans. Not a loser in the bunch. But the Golf forced me to face facts; I’m a small-car guy. Nothing rings my bell like a…
SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2015
Lincoln MKC: Old-school American luxury
Last fall, Lincoln ran a TV ad campaign starring Texas actor Matthew McConaughey in homespun-philosopher mode. The viewer goes deep inside McConaughey’s mind as he steers a new Lincoln crossover into an unnamed city at night.
SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2015
Chrysler 300S: Luxury, Motor City-style
I’m downtown, having a beer at a local haunt and watching the Final Four’s last hurrah. Outside on the sidewalk at halftime, a friend asks what I’ve driven lately that surprised me. Not what I’d liked best, but the one that exceeded my expectations. It’s...
SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2015
Toyota Sienna: People-hauling made better
This side of a big, yellow school bus, the minivan is the most efficient and comfortable way to transport people and their possessions. Nevertheless, its stock has fallen sharply of late, victimized by the popularity of the sedan-based crossover. Doesn’t seem to matter to Toyota,...
SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2015
VW Jetta: Promise fulfilled
Volkswagen dropped the sixth-generation Jetta in 2011 and has refined its DNA each year since. Its cabin has grown richer. Engines are more refined and efficient. Ride and handling have evolved. This year, a mid-cycle refresh extends the streak: A stout new turbo-diesel joins the…
SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2015
Mazda6: Heads up!
Out in the supermarket parking lot, you’d be hard-pressed to distinguish this year’s Mazda6 from last’s. Changes to its grille, headlights and taillights are so subtle casual observers won’t notice. It’s a different story inside, though, as Mazda fits the 6 with a new dash...
SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2015
Kia Sorento: Filling the gaps
Like a quarterback back seeing gaps in the opponent’s defense, Kia has a knack for finding unexpected openings. Last year, it debuted the K900, a luxury sedan that aims to replicate the full-on luxury experience for thousands less than the (mostly German) competition. This year,…
SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2015
Mazda CX-5: Exuberant efficiency
Let’s just go ahead and declare this Mazda month. In recent weeks, I’ve looked at Mazda’s MX-5 Miata and its CX-9 midsize crossover. Today, we’re looking at the CX-5 compact crossover, and in two weeks we’ll cover the Mazda6 sedan. Blame scheduling woes. I’m supplied...
SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015
Soul EV: Kia's fresh new face
Kia’s Soul is an obvious candidate for electrification. So obvious Kia designed its funky hatchback with that conversion in mind. The Soul’s raffish vibe is well-suited for the iconoclasts who are the EV tribe. Moreover, its blocky, upright stance seems custom-made to accommodate a boxy…
SATURDAY, FEB. 28, 2015
MX-5 Miata: A fond farewell
In my music critic days, I covered a “farewell concert” or two. Until now, though, I’ve not had occasion to review a car’s farewell tour. As you read this, Mazda is preparing the world for the arrival of the all-new, fourth-generation 2016 MX-5 Miata. Before...
SATURDAY, FEB. 21, 2015
Honda Fit: The substantial subcompact 1
In the past few years, Americans have discovered the little wagons and hatchbacks that rule the roost in Europe and Asia. Honda, for one, aims to grab its share of the market. For 2015, Honda debuts the third-generation of its Fit, a hatchback that packs...
SATURDAY, FEB. 14, 2015
CX-9: Mazda’s entertaining people-hauler
The 2016 Mazda CX-9 does everything expected of a three-row crossover, and then some. The CX-9 ($31,865, including transportation) carries up to seven in a modern and comfortable cabin. Flexible seating arrangements allow easy mix-and-matching of passengers and gear. And, even though most CX-9s are…
SATURDAY, FEB. 7, 2015
Honda CR-V receives powertrain implant
Add Honda to the growing list of manufacturers using mid-cycle updates to beef up their competitive positions. Having most recently remade its best-selling CR-V crossover in 2012, Honda ups the ante this year with a surprise powertrain transplant. This year, all CR-Vs receive the same…
SATURDAY, JAN. 31, 2015
Lexus NX 200t: Sign of the times 2
With the all-new NX 200t, Lexus becomes the latest premium maker to succumb to the allure of the small. The NX 200t, a luxury compact crossover, slots into a booming new segment populated by entries from Audi, Acura, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. About the same size…
SATURDAY, JAN. 24, 2015
Toyota Camry: Securing its lead
Every five or six years, Toyota trots out a new Camry and, almost without fail, it rockets to the top of the charts. The last all-new Camry landed in 2011. If convention held, the next new Camry wouldn’t have appeared until 2016 or 2017. But…
MONDAY, JAN. 19, 2015
Subaru Outback: A flirtation with luxury
I was writing lead sentences in my head when a passing stranger handed me one. As we pulled into the Mount Spokane Sno-Park, we overheard one skier say to another, “Every other car here is a Subaru!” Like they used to say about Hunter Thompson’s...
SATURDAY, JAN. 10, 2015
GMC Yukon: Big, bold and redesigned
As long as there are big families, big crews and big loads, there’s room in the market for big SUVs. Rigs like GMC’s Yukon ($48,185, including destination), a 5,500-pound body-on-frame SUV with seating for up to nine and an 8,500-pound towing capacity. The 2015 Yukon…
SATURDAY, JAN. 3, 2015
BMW X4: Unorthodox crossover
BMW animates its lineup this year with an unorthodox new coupe/crossover mashup. The 2015 X4 is a rig you’d expect to see on an auto-sow concept stand, not so much the street. Based on the compact X3 crossover, the X4 is either blessed or burdened…
SUNDAY, DEC. 28, 2014
Ford Escape: Multi-talented crossover
The reasons for Escape’s success are numerous. It’s good looking, comfortable and economical. It sports the latest tech wizardry and has the power to surprise; its available hands-free liftgate is one of the segments most thoughtful — and unexpected — innovations.
SATURDAY, DEC. 20, 2014
XC60: Volvo’s pulse-pounding crossover
Historically, Volvos have appealed more to my head than my heart. Volvos define sensible transportation. Even the turbocharged trims of recent vintage have been more sporty-ish than sporty, stronger on reason than passion. Now comes the XC60, a premium crossover (from $36,675, including destination) that…
SUNDAY, DEC. 14, 2014
Mazda3: Small package, big fun
Buyers today face a raft of good looking, economical and well-equipped compacts, whose starting prices fall well below $20,000. Only a handful can make the morning commute rewarding. That’s the nut Mazda cracks with the 2015 Mazda3 ($17,765, including transportation). Even the entry-level 3, with…
SUNDAY, DEC. 7, 2014
Acura TLX: Impressive newbie 2
Acura’s all-new TLX sedan may be the ideal near-luxury car for the Inland Northwest. It favors subtlety over flash, does its business quietly and gets the job done, fair weather and foul. And, at $31,890, including transportation, it’s as affordably priced as the segment gets.…
Don Adair is a Spokane-based freelance writer.