By Don Hammonds

Most of us car writers usually try to pick a main theme every year following the 2017 North American International Auto Show, now underway in Detroit.

Sometimes it’s sports cars. Sometimes it’s sport utility vehicles. Other times it’s hybrid or electric cars. Whatever.

Well,  this year, it’s clearly family cars. And that means a totally new affordable family sedan like the 2018 Toyota Camry. Or the livery for the well-heeled family–the also all new Lexus LS500. Or a dependable ride …

This year’s North American International Auto Show—also known as the Dtroit Auto Show-took a U turn away from hybrids and compact cars–and unveiled a slew of big cars, huge trucks and flashy sport car with blistering performance. Everyone from Ford and Buick——that’s Buick’s stunning concept car, the Avenir, just above– to Acura and Lexus unveiled products that represented a huge departure from the sorts of cars seen at the last few Detroit Auto Shows.

Just about the only brands introducing products that …

By Don Hammonds

 Chrysler has unveiled its 2011 Chrylser 200 midsize sedan, with design and features that take it in a dramatic new direction from the  Chrysler Sebring, the car upon which its derived.

  The car was  unveiled at the Los Angeles International Auto Show. The only thing that will  be recognizable from the previous Sebring will be the roofline and the doors.

 It combines a lot of 21st century style “cool”, such as the use of LED lighting  that draws attention …

Think of  Nissan’s new 2011 Leaf, the country’s first all-electric mass produced vehicle, as a conventional car with a wonderful twist.

  No gas needed.  And along with that enviable wrinkle, it  has a lot of other cool ones too. No noise–and we mean no noise. Decent acceleration. Lots of room.  No exhaust pipes. Zero emissions.  Quality materials. And a car that’s awful easy to drive and get used to despite its rather ground-breaking characteristics.

It haas a range of about 100 miles.Nissan says …

   By Don  Hammonds

Everybody’s got a “thing,” so to speak when it comes to car brands.

Honda’s thing,”  in our view, is bringing sporty driving experiences to everyone, no matter what type of car you’re talking about, and making even the trip around the block a cause for pure driving  joy.

  The all–new Odyssey is no different. Yes, it’s roomier. Roomier in fact than its competitors. Yes, it’s well-equipped. It comes with all the bells and whistles, and then some.  And …

One of the biggest surprises of  this model season has been the return of life  to the minivan market.

After the minivan was all but given up for dead by Ford and General Motors, and after sales either stagnated or disappeared from view for many other makes, it would have taken a prognosticator of the first order to suggest that there was life yet to come in that market.

But sure enough, in rapid succession, Toyota (Sienna), Honda (Odyssey) and Mazda ( …

This is the year of the “E”–the Mercedes E-Class.

Arguably Mercedes’ most important model, both to the bottom line and to the indelible image that this line has in the minds of upscale consumers, Mercedes has been hard at work introducing a strong family of new models, including a four door sedan, coupe, convertible, and now, at this week’s press days event at the New York International Auto Show, the 2011 E Class wagon  is  being unveiled.

The family resemblance is obvious, …

We’ve all known it was coming.

Just about every auto journalist with an eye on this fast-changing industry knew that it was only a matter of time before Hyundai took on the best luxury cars in the industry.

Well, that time is here.

At this year’s press days event at the New York International Auto Show, Hyundai took the wraps off of the 2011 Equus, its new ultra luxury car that is expected to cost out at the mid-$50,000 price level for starters when …

Which car brand arguably had the best time at the recent press days event at the New York International Auto Show?

KIA.

A barrage of model introductions kept the working automotive press busy as the company unveiled four all-new models, including the 2011 Kia Optima midsize sedan, a a truly stunning design that is light years away from what the company produced even a couple of years ago.

Other introductions included the Forte five-door compact, and the Sportage and Sorento SX compact CUVs.

It’s …

We at Automobile Journal don’t have crystal balls, tea leaves, Ouija boards or walls  with handwriting–except for those with toddlers at home–but we think we can safely predict that Hyundai’s all new Sonata is going to make life difficult this sales year for  just about everyone they compete with in the mid-sized car field.

And now Hyundai has extended its reach with two all-new models, a high performance turbocharged number, and a hybrid, too. Any questions about our prediction?  Didn’t think so.

The …