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Filed under: SUVs , Euro , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford , First Drive Click above for high-res gallery of the Euro-spec Ford Kuga The grass, they say, is always greener on the other side of the fence. Though that often appears to be the case, most of the time it isn't. Dearborn's new "One Ford" initiative promises that we'll soon be able to stop gazing longingly across the ocean at what the company offers overseas buyers, as Ford endeavors to integrate its global product line-up into one cohesive range for every market around the world. In the case of the new Fiesta, that's a good thing. Less so with regards to the Kuga. Follow the jump to read why. Gallery: First Drive: 2008 Ford Kuga Photos Copyright (C)2008 Noah Joseph / Weblogs, Inc. Continue reading First Drive: Ford Kuga (Euro-spec) Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage , Crossovers/CUVs , Nissan Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Nissan Murano It just so happens that the all-new 2009 Nissan Murano is one of those nondescript mid-size crossover utility vehicles that may blend into the crowd. Its styling is certainly modern, if not overly exciting. The cabin is accommodating, if not excessively spacious. The handling is inspiring, if not unduly sporty. The engine is strong, and even reasonably efficient. How would this perfectly acceptable, yet hardly over-achieving CUV handle five passengers and full luggage on a 1,000-plus mile road trip across the Southwestern desert? Read on to find out. Gallery: In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Nissan Murano All photos Copyright (C)2008 Michael C. Harley/ Weblogs, Inc. Continue reading In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Nissan Murano Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage , Crossovers/CUVs , Chrysler, LLC. , Dodge Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Dodge Journey R/T The 2009 Dodge Journey carries the size and shape of a typical crossover, and it has seating for seven and all the amenities you could possibly ask for at $30,000. On paper, the Journey has a plenty of things in its favor, yet we had our doubts. First off, it looks a lot like the Dodge Caravan, which works against the Journey when considering that many crossover buyers want to avoid the minivan stigma. It's also based on the less than impressive Chrysler Sebring platform, which we have found to be just awful. Then there is Chrysler's corporate 3.5L engine, which is less powerful, refined and efficient than similarly sized engines from its competition. Chrysler's recent track record for vehicles that are less than class competitive also lent support to our notion that the Journey might be a letdown. Regardless, we tried to clear our minds...
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Filed under: Crossovers/CUVs , Chevrolet , First Drive Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Chevy Traverse At the Chicago Auto Show , Chevrolet rolled out the fourth and hopefully final member of its Lambda crossover family, the new Traverse. By the way, according to Chevrolet the proper pronunciation puts the emphasis on the second syllable. Like its Saturn, GMC and Buick siblings, the new Traverse is a full-size vehicle that is almost the same size as the Tahoe. That means it has seating for up to eight occupants, although three in the last row is a bit of a squeeze. GM invited the media out to its Milford Proving Ground last week for a first drive of the Traverse, which of course we attended on your behalf. We had the chance to sample the big CUV in several different scenarios against what the marketing staff consider its main competitor, the Toyota Highlander. We ran the Chevy and Toyota back to back on the ride road, the skid pad, a lane change and slalom course and while...
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Filed under: Garage , SUVs , Crossovers/CUVs , Suzuki Suzuki's swapped the ladder frame architecture of the past to create a more civilized XL7, a welcome change from the Vitara roots of the original. The XL7's unitized Theta II platform, on loan from General Motors, also serves as the basis for the Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent. Suzuki also borrows the General's 3.6 liter V6, trying its very best in this application. The XL in the name is an apt descriptor, this is a lot of vehicle, and the price makes it a lot of value. So, what had to be sacrificed to bring such family friendly acreage in for the $22,000 of our trial unit? Gallery: In The Autoblog Garage - Suzuki XL7 Photos Copyright (C)2008 Dan Roth / Weblogs, Inc. Continue reading In The Autoblog Garage: Suzuki XL7 Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford , Driving Click on the 2009 Ford Escape for a high res gallery The 2008 redesign of the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner wasn't the clean-sheet redesign Ford would like people to believe. In fact, only the parts visible to the naked eye were "all new." Aside from the body and interior, the working bits that make the badge-engineered duo go were almost entirely carried over from the 2007 models. Fortunately for Ford, that oversight didn't seem to hurt sales, which increased by about ten-percent over their predecessors in a market that's down overall. For 2009, all the hardware under the skin has been either replaced or significantly refreshed. And that's a good thing. The old 2.3-liter four-pot has been superseded by a 2.5-liter unit, while the classic 3.0-liter Duratec V6 gets a major overhaul. Both engines receive a substantial boost in power and an all new six-speed gearbox to transmit it to the wheels...
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Filed under: Crossovers/CUVs , Honda , Driving Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Honda Pilot When the new 2009 Honda Pilot turned up as a concept at the Detroit Auto Show in January, most observers were decidedly underwhelmed. Unlike many other recent crossovers, notably the GM Lambdas, Honda chose to go with a decidedly more utilitarian look for the second-generation Pilot. As Honda officials explained when we gathered for a preview drive of the 2009 Pilot, they wanted to retain the "Utility" in CUV and a big part of that involved maximizing the useful interior volume within the Pilot's relatively modest exterior dimensions. That means a boxy shape that provides room for up to eight (at least as defined by the seat-belts) inside. While the Pilot won't be challenging the Buick Enclave or Mazda CX-9 for style points, it isn't too painful on the eyes. It's more a case of being almost invisible. The greenhouse is actually strongly reminiscent of the first...
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Filed under: Coupes , Crossovers/CUVs , BMW , Driving Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 BMW X6 I must be missing the gene that makes high-riding vehicles appealing to so many other people. As a car enthusiast and an engineer, I can certainly appreciate the performance that companies like BMW and Infiniti have managed to wrangle from vehicles like the X6 and the EX35. But there is absolutely nothing in the new 2009 BMW X6 that couldn't be done better in a vehicle with a normal car-like ride height. After all, who is going off-roading in one of these? The best explanation I could get out of BMW officials for the existence of the X6 is that many drivers like that commanding view of their surroundings that the elevated altitude provides. According to BMW, the X6 is designed to provide stylish coupe looks with the high performance people expect of a BMW and the utility of an SUV. As is so often the case, vehicles that try to fit too many categories at once end up not fitting any...
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Filed under: Garage , Crossovers/CUVs , Infiniti Click above for high-res gallery of the Infiniti EX35 Infiniti first showed the world its new EX35 as a concept at last year's New York Auto Show and then put it on sale in fall essentially unchanged. Although the Acura RDX has been described as a sports car in CUV clothes, it's based on a fundamentally front-wheel-drive architecture. If Honda had instead taken the S2000 roadster, stretched it and jacked it up a bit, they would have come up with something more akin to the EX35. In fact, that's almost exactly what Nissan did. The EX35 is based on the platform of the G35 sedan/G37 coupe and, of course, the fun loving 350Z. If you want a crossover with sports car genes, it would be hard to find something more suitable. Of course, wearing a badge from the Infiniti side of the family tree means getting a handsomely tailored suit and all the latest high-tech gizmos to go along with the go-fast hardware. It also means a few sacrifices...
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Filed under: Spy Photos , Geneva Motor Show , Crossovers/CUVs , Infiniti Click image for photo gallery The official unveiling of the 2009 Infiniti FX in Geneva is just a few weeks away, but prototypes are out and about as we speak, and one of Brenda Priddy's minions caught a copper-colored example in Los Angeles yesterday. While the head and taillights are taped off, not much is left to the imagination. The car's basic overall shape remains the same, but a more pronounced grille opening dominates the protruding nose. It's flanked by angry-looking reshaped headlamps that stretch backward onto the fenders. It's certainly a departure from the more reserved look of the current one's schnoz. The tape running the length of the body obscures a character line that's been seen in other photos . Out back, pointier taillamps mimic the reshaped lighting up front, and the integrated spoiler on the rear hatch is now body-colored, as opposed to the blacked-out piece on the current...
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Filed under: Garage , Crossovers/CUVs , Nissan , Driving click above for more images from our first drive of the 2009 Nissan Murano Nissan's original Murano was a successful and difficult act to follow. The elder statesman of crossover utility vehicles saw its sales increase every year since it was introduced in 2003, but with the segment going from crowded to standing room only, Nissan realized changes were needed to compete. "Murano-ness" - that's what Jarrad Haslam, Nissan's product planner for crossovers, said the company insisted be preserved in the new version. Nissan invited us to Atlanta to sample this almost-totally-new Murano for 2009 . You'll recognize the distinctive rounded nose, sharply-raked windshield, the side glass kicked up over the rear fender, a smallish rear hatch window topped by a sliver of a spoiler, and a lower rear bumper accentuated by dual exhaust outlets. But put the 2007 and 2009 (the Murano sat out the 2008 model year) side by side...
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Filed under: Sports/GTs , Wagons/Estates , Crossovers/CUVs , Hatchbacks , Chevrolet , Driving The General has been on a roll as of late with new vehicles like the Saturn Aura, Cadillac CTS, Chevy Malibu and its line of redesigned trucks and SUVs that have been garnering good reviews and the attention of customers. We were invited to test drive the new Chevrolet HHR SS to see if they've knocked one out of the park, hit a foul or, ahem, missed the ball completely when transforming the little retro-mobile into a Super Sport. Our driving and vehicle impressions can be found after the jump, but for starters, remember these two key phrases: launch control and no-lift shifting. Intrigued? We were. Gallery: 2008 Chevy HHR SS: First Drive Continue reading First Drive: 2008 Chevrolet HHR SS Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Garage , SUVs , Crossovers/CUVs , Toyota click above image to view high-res gallery of the 2008 Toyota Highlander The Highlander's undergone a nearly Kafka-esque transformation from its start as essentially a Camry wagon with all-wheel-drive and extra ride height. For 2008, Toyota's middle-child 'ute has been bulked up into more of a maxi-cruiser than previously. At first glance it appears what's emerged from the chrysalis is a grotesquely overinflated Forester, but the new Highlander is more butterfly than cockroach. Gallery: 2008 Toyota Highlander Sport All photos (C)2007 Dan Roth / Weblogs, Inc. Continue reading In The Autoblog Garage: 2008 Toyota Highlander Sport Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Garage , Crossovers/CUVs , Nissan click above image to view high-res gallery of the 2008 Nissan Rogue S Crossovers. Every automaker either has one or has one in the works. Nissan has perhaps the first CUV in the Murano, and now it's joined by the Sentra-based Rogue . Let's start with that name. We're pretty sure Nissan intended to invoke thoughts of rebelliousness and individuality. But the word can also be used to indicate someone who is a cheat, a swindler, disobedient and savage. Nissan's Rogue is none of these, which is neither bad nor good. The Rogue is pretty much a tall Sentra wagon, and we think perhaps Sentra Wagon might have been a much more honest name. On the outside, there's little to get excited about. Our base model Rogue's monochrome exterior could have benefited greatly from some chrome door guards, handles or mirrors - just something shiny to break up that expanse of Venom Red. The Rogue's face gets a little shiny nose sandwiched between two egg-crate Venom...
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Filed under: Garage , SUVs , Crossovers/CUVs , Subaru click above image for high-res gallery of the 2007 Subaru Forester Sports 2.5X Subaru's Forester is well into its second generation, but the styling and driving experience isn't far removed from the unflappable friendly wagon that bowed in 1998. Why mess with a good thing? The Forester Sports 2.5X is a handsome set of duds that sets you apart from the CUV crowd, even if you don't get the turbo motor. The black mesh grille and more monochromatic color scheme dresses up even the lightly optioned Forester we recently drove for a week. Lightly optioned doesn't mean stripped, there's plenty of equipment here and you'd only want for more if you wanted higher monthly payments. Even a basic Forester is comprehensively equipped. We're happy to report that while Subaru is all grown up from the days of the GL, the spirit of those funky rattlers remains infused in the Forester. Gallery: 2007 Subaru Forester Sports All photos (C)2007 Dan Roth / Weblogs...
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