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2017 Hyundai Santa Fe SPORT 2.0T AWD – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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Is this sexy new Sante Fe SPORT ready to play in the big leagues? Both Hyundai and Kia have been huge success stories lately, but we still get comments from buyers that hadn’t considered “one of those brands.” Which is sort of understandable, if you only buy a new vehicle every 8-10 years, you might have missed out on the great turnaround of the Korean automaker. And you might be surprised how many crossovers and SUV’s are out there vying for your dollar – even if you’re the cheapskate that only parts with the greenbacks every decade or so. So let us …

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2017 VW Beetle DUNE Cabriolet – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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Is the Beetle Dune ragtop just what the doctor ordered? Back in September, we tested a VW Beetle Dune, and decided it could be the answer to VW’s Diesel-inspired tummy troubles. While the folks at VW may (still) be reaching for a Super Gulp-size Pepto, we found a much better choice for quick relief. The 2017 VW Beetle DUNE Cabrio. The recipe for the convertible is pretty similar to the Dune hardtop. Based as an homage to the Baja Bugs of yore, all Dune models get a notable bump in the macho department, with a slightly taller ride height (half …

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2017 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum AWD – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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Nissan and the Pathfinder are working hard to give you the SUV you really want. Which is really pretty admirable. Along with Toyota’s 4Runner, the Pathfinder is one of the most storied names in SUV-dom. But unlike the Toy, which has soldiered on being rugged and truckish – with pros and cons attached – in 2013, Nissan took the Pathfinder into the meat of the SUV marketplace with a unibody, 3-row family vehicle. OK, this was tough for some to swallow; the rugged little Nissan that drove all the way to the Amazon (memorialized in a series of commercials in …

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2017 Honda Ridgeline RTL–E – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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Is the Honda Ridgeline too good for most truck buyers? I mean after all, when the first Ridgeline appeared in 2005, it was revolutionary. Where trucks had trundled on for decades on separate chassis and bodies, the Honda re-envisioned the pickup with a unibody design. Much in the way the SUV’s and crossovers were dramatically improved with car-like comfort and manners, the Ridgeline should have been the standard bearer for pickups. Instead, after making a small splash, the majority of truck buyers went back to the harsh riding, less fuel efficient, but perceived tougher and more durable traditional trucks. They …

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2016 VW Golf GTI Autobahn Performance Pack – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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  It’s easy to love sports cars. They’re usually a ball to drive, fun to look at, and exist solely to make you happy. Who wouldn’t like that? Well, except that a sports car is a selfish thing. They usually seat only two. Or the rear seats are torture devices. They can ride harsh. They can be loud. Trunk space? Ha! As an only car, a sports car is best for the young and unencumbered. Otherwise you’ll need a second car. On roads clogged full of Sports Cars, Sedans, SUVs, CUVs and Trucks… …is a GTI the only vehicle you’ll ever need?The …

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2017 Honda HR-V 6MT – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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A Honda HR-V with 2WD and manual transmission. ! Rare barely begins to describe the 6MT on Honda lots nationwide. Perhaps this is an auto-reviewer special!? It’s certainly possible. In the craze for small crossovers, it seems like an automatic is de rigueur, and most buyers are finding the added grip and confidence of All-Wheel Drive (AWD to you and me) a temptation too hard to resist. A while ago, we tested an AWD, CVT, HR-V (OK, it’s alphabet soup) and really liked it. A bit slow perhaps, but with all the brilliant simplicity of design that we think would …

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2016 Chrysler 300S – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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Everybody’s gone SUV/Crossover crazy lately. Manufacturers are luring us out of small cars with the new CX-3, HR-V, Trax models, while sales of the largest SUV’s like Escalades, Tahoe and Suburbans –  thanks in part to cheap gasoline – are selling like crazy. In the rush for capability, capacity and audacity, something’s been lost. In case you might have forgot, there’s a segment that still deserves your attention. Ladies and Gentlemen, may we re-introduce a performer we’ve know and loved for years – the Great American Sedan. And perhaps there’s none greater than the 2016 Chrysler 300S. Depending on your …

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2016 Jeep RENEGADE Trailhawk 4×4 – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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  You say you want a small crossover/SUV? We can’t blame you. It’s just about the hottest-selling segment in the industry, and it looks like the small family sedan is taking a firm backseat because of it. And while there are a lot of nice choices out there, there is a problem. They all sort of look alike. There are notable exceptions like the mutant amphibian Nissan Juke. And the squat-and-squashed Mini Clubman. But in general, and HRV, CRV, CX-3, CX-5, RAV4, Forester, Rogue all look – and function – like relatives at a family reunion. Is the Jeep Renegade the cure …

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2017 Audi A4 Quattro – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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  We recently read a comment that the Audi A4 has become so refined and smooth – perhaps overly so – that why not just pocket the cash and get a Toyota Camry? This is a shopping decision that faces us in many places in modern life. Is that fancy artisanal sprouted bread really worth three times the price of the generic loaf at the local grocery? The freshly barista-poured Peaberry better than smudgy carafe of regular at the neighborhood donut house? And now we have an all-new Audi A4. Are we buying? Well, this may not be as easy …

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2016 Audi TT Coupe 2.0T Quattro S-Tronic – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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The Audi TT has always been a bit of a head scratcher for us enthusiasts. When it first launched in the mid 1990’s, it was a visual stunner. And in many ways, it was the birth of the Audi cool that we have today. But there was a problem. As stylish and trendsetting as the TT was, it was not a sports car. And in the world of Porsche Boxsters and BMW Z4s, the TT was odd man out. When the second-gen TT bowed in 2006, it lost some of the groundbreaking style, but was well on the way to …

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2016 VW Beetle DUNE 9

2016 VW Beetle DUNE – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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You might not be a big fan of VW right now. Diesel has once again become a dirty word, and while the automaker struggles to make things right with the government and the buying public, the brand has been getting the stink eye in a lot of ways. We’re going to look past the diesel models, because there’s also a lot of goodness in the VW lineup, and we think there are an awful lot of folks who design, make, and sell the brand that had nothing to do with the problems going on. Right now, VW needs a new …

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2016 Toyota Prius Four Touring 7

2016 Toyota Prius Four Touring – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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The Toyota Prius hasn’t really been on the radar of auto enthusiasts. Oh sure, it’s been technically interesting – and with hybrid powertrains showing up in many supercars these days, you have to give a tip of the hat to Toyota for spearheading the effort. Of course, if you’re a diesel fan, you might not feel so warm and tingly. Where the Europeans have long felt that diesel was the way to get performance with miserly fuel economy, Americans bought into Hybrids in a big way. So big, in fact, that it forced many of the Europeans to develop both …

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2017 Kia Sportage SX Turbo 2.OL FWD – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

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  If you’ve read our other tests of Kia vehicles, you might remember that we’ve been noticing a distinctively German feel to these Korean Vehicles, much of it owing to the stewardship of Kia/Hyundai Honcho Peter Schreyer, who previously penned much of Audi’s goodness. When we tested the Kia Optima SX we found loads of Audi-ness in the overall feel of the car. And now with the all-new Sportage SUV, we’re tasting hints of Porsche and BMW in the mix as well. Has Kia created the Korean Kayenne? Well, from first glance, it will definitely catch Stuttgart’s attention. And a …

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Drive Review – 2016 BMW X1 – By Ben Lewis

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Baby Bimmer? Mighty Mini? X marks the spot. We recently tested the new Mini Clubman, and came to the conclusion it was as much a less-expensive BMW (sort of a squashed Sport Activity Vehicle) as it was a supersized Mini. So now, here we are, testing the new BMW X1. And that’s really interesting, since it shares the platform with the Clubman. And in many ways, it’s a radical departure from where BMW has been. The question is has BMW lost the melody, or did they manage to get us all singing along? BMW isn’t going to give away the …

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Drive Review – 2016 GMC CANYON DuraMax SLT 4WD – By Ben Lewis

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    We recently tested the all-new 2016 RAV4 Hybrid. What does this have to do with the GMC Canyon Diesel? Nothing, except it does point to a trend. Fresh powertrain choices in well-established vehicles. In the case of the Canyon – ok, just this once – the 2016 GMC Canyon 4WD SLT Short Box with 2.8L DURAMAX turbo diesel 4-cylinder – it means that the mid-size pickup buyer now has the opportunity to  enjoy the diesel goodness they’ve long been denied. Diesel has always been the go-to for the big rigs, and for the heavy-duty, 250-series size pickups as …

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First Drive Review – 2016 Toyota RAV4 XLE Hybrid – By Ben Lewis

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HYBRIDS.  Thanks for … Somethin’? But first, a little credit where it’s due. Or sacrilege. You be the judge. While we salivate over the Porsche 918 and BMW i8, and at $845,000 and $140,000 respectively, slobbering is about all we’re going to do.  We owe gratitude to the Toyota Prius. Yes, the Prius. While Porsche actually developed the first hybrid automobile in 1901, it was the agrarian little sedan from Toyota that started making hybrid a household name, way back in 1996. And in just 20 years, it has gone from one painfully slow 4-door to become the best selling …

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First Drive Review – 2016 Kia Optima SX 2.0T – By Ben Lewis

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You might have guessed by now, we’re big fans of German cars here at Car-Revs-Daily.com. The quality, performance, and balance of these vehicles always impress. On the other hand, we’re glad we’re not a German carmaker right now, because there are a lot of brands nipping at your heels – and they are coming a lot closer –sometimes, even surpassing those hallowed brands. Take for example, our recent test vehicle the 2016 Kia Optima SX 2.0T. It may just be the best entry level Audi you can buy. Yes, we said Kia, and yes we said Audi. How did this …

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2016 Lexus GS200t – By Ben Lewis

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    If you read our recent preview, or saw Tom’s video of the new Lexus GS-F, you know that Lexus is going after the German ‘Bahnstormers in a big way. How big?  A 5.0-liter V8 that pumps out 467 hp at a zinging 7,100 rpm, backed up by a chassis that could easily handle a good amount more. It’s an amazing machine. But allow me to play the devil’s advocate here. If you want the most German of the GS models, go for the entry level GS200t.  Yep, the one with the turbocharged 2-liter 4-cylinder. Allow me to explain. …

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Which Car Wins? 2016 Fiat 500 Abarth vs. 2016 Hyundai Veloster Turbo Rally – By Ben Lewis

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    One thing we hear all the time is, “What can I get that’s fun, affordable and most especially, I won’t see coming the other way all day long.” That’s not an easy task – there’s always a lot that’s new and exciting prowling the concrete jungle. But fear not, we have a couple really interesting choices for you. Welcome to the Compact Car Wild Kingdom. Let’s start with the Mad Mouse. Well, we think it sort of looks like a mouse, with its round shape, big eyes, and front grill that sort of looks like a moustache, The …

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