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 ( …

 Quarrels about the definition of a sports car have been around since the first car enthusiasts laid eyes on a powerful new automobile.
Do you need four seats? Or are two mandatory to be considered a sports car? Front wheel or all-wheel drive? And can a sports car have anything less than several hundred horsepower and be effective?  And on and on it’s gone.

 Now, Honda has tossed some questions into the pot by virtue of its newest, the Honda CR-Z. It …

 One thing’s for sure—the all-new CR-Z is turning heads wherever it’s seen.
 During  test drives made by Automobile Journal staffers, we all noticed it. Students stopping in their tracks and giving the “thumbs up“ signal.  A couple driving a BMW who motioned for us to roll down the window and said, “Cool! That’s the first one we’ve seen.” Truck drivers rushing to pull aside us and yell,” What is it?” One guy almost dropped a sofa he was loading onto his …

Consistency and a solid brand identity are crucial these days for survival in the auto industry.
Arguably one of the car companies that does the best job of knowing themselves and their image well, is Mazda. Everybody knows it’s the “zoom zoom” brand, and little kids can be heard humming the theme.
From its Mazda5 minivan to the CX-9, each is imbued with  a sense of sporty affordability and a strong sense of individuality in styling and content. They are what they …

When was the last time you saw a real, honest to goodness hardtop?
We’re not talking about coupes, with pillars between the windows, however slender or invisible. We’re talking about an honest to gosh hardtop with nothing between windows. They are few and far between.

One of the most gorgeous ones soon to come to the market is Mercedes-Benz, completely revamped CL Class, long considered one of the most desirable–and rarely seen–cars in the world.
With styling cues that pick up on the …

Model: Suzuki SX4 SportBack
Engine: 2.0-literf DOHC I4
Horsepower/Torque: 150 hp @ 6,200 rpm/140 lb.-ft. @ 4,000 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Wheelbase: 98.4 in.
Length/Width/Height: 162.8 x 69.1 x 62.2 in.
Tires: P205/50R17
Cargo volume: 15.5/43 cu. ft. (rear seat backs up/down)
Fuel economy: 22 mpg city/30 mpg highway/19.2 mpg test
Fuel capacity: 13.2 gal.
Curb weight: 2,723 lbs.
Sticker: $18,513 ( $524 in options, no destination charge)
The Bottom Line: The SX4 SportBack is a small boxy “crossover” with a buzzy engine that does little to enhance Suzuki’s improving reputation.
Suzuki earned …

Model: Cadillac SRX Turbo AWD Premium
Engine: 2.8-liter turbocharged V6
Horsepower/Torque: 300hp @ 5,500 rpm/295 lb.-ft. @ 2,000 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Wheelbase: 110.5 in.
Length/Width/Height: 190.3 x 75.2 x 65.7 in.
Tires: P235/55R20
Cargo volume: 29.2/61/2 cu. ft. (rear seat backs up/down)
Fuel economy: 15 mpg city/22 mpg highway
Fuel capacity: 21.0 gal.
Curb weight: 4,307 lbs.
Sticker: $53,480 (includes $825 destination charge and $1,295 in options (rear seat entertainment system))
The Bottom Line: Cadillac’s smaller entry into the SUV market is a winner. Besides its traditional Cadillac tail fins, the …

Model: Toyota Highlander Hybrid LTD
Engine: 3.3-liter V6
Horsepower/Torque: 209 hp @ 5,600 rpm/212 lb-ft. @ 3,600 rpm + 167 hp @ 4,500 rpm and 247 lb.-ft. @ 0-1,500 rpm for electric motor
Transmission: Electronic CVT
Wheelbase: 109.8 in.
Length/Width/Height: 188.4 x 42.3 x 69.3 in.
Tires: P245/55R19 (full-size spare)
Cargo volume: 10.3/42.3/94.1 cu. ft. (behind 3rd row/behind 2nd row/behind 1st row)
Fuel economy: 27 mpg city/25 mpg highway/21.2 mpg test
Fuel capacity: 17.2 gal.
Curb weight: 4,641 lbs.
Sticker: $46,174 (includes $800 delivery charge and $5,054 in options)
The Bottom Line: …

Lost–at least somewhat in all the hooplah about all the other new Hyundai models–is the heavily revised 2010 Santa Fe.
For whatever reason, it seems that the Santa Fe’s modifications have been somewhat overlooked, and that’s a shame.  Hyundai has been careful and judicious with revisions on the new Santa Fe, and it was smart enough to keep the contemporary, upscale look that the current model has, with only  a few updates.
The real news for the Santa Fe is the all-new …

The new 2011 Infiniti QX56 is a stroke of boldness as distinctive as the brush strokes that the company uses to set its products apart from the crow din brand advertising.
It’s been totally transformed from a product that clearly resembled Nissan’s Armada, whose platform it used, to a luxury sport utility vehicle that won’t likely be confused with anything else on the road. From its unusual roof design to the interior that would be right at home in a luxury …