The 2009 Toyota Venza is quite an interesting vehicle. According to Toyota’s comparison website, the Venza’s main competitors are the Nissan Altima and Honda Accord, but the Venza is obviously no mid-size sedan. It looks more like a small crossover SUV, or maybe a wagon, but smaller than both. It’s the length of a Toyota Camry, the width of the Highlander, and in between the two for every other dimension. Despite never figuring out what the Venza really is, I found one important thing about it: it’s incredibly useful.

Sitting between the Toyota Camry and Highlander in size certainly has its upsides. Most people don’t need as much room as an SUV gives them, but need more versatility than a sedan, and that’s where the Venza comes in, essentially creating its own class of vehicle in between a car and SUV. Continue Reading…

The luxury crossover section has been a booming market since 1998 when vehicles like the Lexus RX and Mercedes ML sprang onto the automotive market. Since then, everyone from Europe, Asia and even here in America have been trying to take over the market.

The most notable car-based SUV from the states was the Cadillac SRX. When it debuted in 2004, it had some promise. Niceties such as a rear-wheel-drive chassis, leather interior and a Bose audio system were standard while navigation, all-wheel-drive, a Northstar V8, and a third row seat were options.

The SRX competed well with its competitors, with a good driving poise and room for both luggage and kids. However, it never overtook the perennial king of crossovers, the RX-series, with its squared-off body design and less-than-stellar interior. Cadillac hopes to change that with their new 2010 crossover and give the Lexus something to actually worry about.

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When Toyota Motor Company introduced Scion to the American car scene in 2004, it had one goal in mind: Sell inexpensive, yet funky cars to the young Generation Y driver as a way to develop their loyalty to the brand. There was the tiny xA, the toaster-shaped xB, and the cute tC. As soon as these cars started rolling off the back of the delivery truck, they rolled right into people’s garages, being a frugal, fun and reliable choice over the competition.

Shortly after the sales numbers started coming in, two very big surprises popped up: one was the most popular model in the line-up was the box-on-wheels xB; the other was the average owner age was 46, nearly twice the age Scion had originally projected.

To us car nuts, it doesn’t really matter who is buying what, but why. What makes the Scion xB hatchback, now in its second generation, such a popular choice for a car? Let us find out. Continue Reading…

With nearly every manufacturer offering at least one mid-size sedan, buyers have more choices than ever to haul a family from A to B with varying levels of cost. Some are luxurious and comfortable, while others are sporty, and most lie somewhere in between. With the popularity of SUVs waning, buyers need the wide range of choices to fit their family’s lifestyle.

To get an idea of the marketplace, the 2009 Chrysler Sebring sedan is in direct competition with superstars like the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, and Chevy Malibu, among others. How does it stand up against the competition? Continue Reading…

Now that small crossovers have become the best selling SUVs, GM seems to be in a difficult position. They’ve always excelled at producing big, heavy trucks and SUVs, but the Japanese automakers like Toyota and Honda are where it’s at for the smaller stuff. The Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V have a stranglehold on the small SUV market, and Chevy’s offering - the Equinox - was lost in the rest of the crowd due to its lack of personality, originality, and quality.

For 2010, however, Chevy intends to change that. They completely redesigned the Equinox this year inside and out, and gave it more options and standard features, different engines, a (gasp) refined interior, and above all, a bit of personality. Does the new 2010 Chevy Equinox have what it takes to stand up against the market leaders? Continue Reading…

When asked the age-old question “Is the glass half-empty or half-full?” I tend to lean towards the latter half of that question, trying to find the positives in live, especially in the direst of situations. If you need help feeling better about things, I am your man.

However, a certain vehicle has me a bit confused and contemplating a change to the other side of the spectrum. This car in question, the 2009 Dodge Caliber SRT4, promises to offer a quick and sporty drive for not much money. In general, it follows through on that promise, but the little hatchback has some flaws which make me think I need to add a bit more water to my glass.

What makes it even harder is the fact that Chrysler recently announced the SRT4 will be gone after this model year. Continue Reading…