Subaru Legacy, Nissan Rogue – Affordable All-wheel Drive
All-wheel drive can come in a handy if you're looking for the most traction or flexibility in where you can take your vehicle – such as in snowy climes or to off-road locations.
Nothing is free, of course, and all-wheel drive technology also adds weight and complexity to a vehicle, and any time you add something to a basic vehicle you can assume the price is going to go up as well. Fortunately, all-wheel drive doesn't have to break the bank, as witnessed by the two vehicles under discussion in this column: the Nissan Rogue and Subaru Legacy. more...
Mitsubishi and Nissan - A Tale of Two CVT Crossovers
One has a schnoz like Darth Vader's mask, the other looks like a legless frog on a skateboard, and the makers of both vehicles think they represent compelling solutions to customers' need for a small and capable crossover/wagon.
Mitsubishi's RVR (or "Outlander Sport" in the U.S.) is the tall wagon whose proboscis causes a great disturbance in the force. It's more like a conventional wagon than the Juke – the second vehicle under dissection, er, discussion here. Between them, Mitsubishi and Nissan have a lot of bases covered for people seeking a reasonably small utilitarian vehicle. more...
Nissan Z Roadster an Open-top Blast
The new Z's front end has an aggressive beak reminiscent of the GT-R supercar. It's very cool. I'm not as in love with its butt, with its crescent-like taillights, but they're an improvement over the previous generation's.
The new Z Roadster features an aluminum hood, door panels and trunk for lower weight, and extra structural reinforcement (compared to the coupe), including in the A-pillars and side sills. This is so the car doesn't twist itself apart the first time you hit a tight corner, since hard top cars tend lose some structural integrity when the can opener's taken to the roof. more...
Nissan cube a Square Deal
It may be a little funny-looking, in a kind of cute way, but Nissan's new cube "van-like object" is a pretty nifty vehicle overall.
And while it does tend to perform somewhat like the brick on wheels that it resembles, it actually acquitted itself better than I'd expected, especially when I took it onto a handling course set up on a regional airport a few weeks ago. It was no Porsche Panamera, of course, but it was pretty good. more....
Murano 2.0 a Family Friend
If you thought Nissan Murano Version 1.0 was a pretty decent vehicle, you'll probably love what they've done to it in Version 2.0.
The 2009 Murano is distinguishable from its older self immediately, via a grille that no longer looks as if you can grate cheese on it and tail lights that are now mostly horizontal instead of mostly vertical. It's still an attractive vehicle, with a clean and modern design that features a dynamic front fascia, large integrated headlights, 18-or-20-inch wheels (my test car had 18 inchers) and LED taillights. more....
Is Sporty New Coupe the "Altima-te" Nissan?
Take a popular mid-sized sedan, weld two doors shut and what do you get?
Not the Nissan Altima coupe, apparently. Nissan says this attractive and sporty entry only shares its hood with the Altima sedan, and who am I to call them liars?
Regardless of how much DNA it shares with the four door Altima, the two door version is recognizable as an Altima, with genes spliced in from its upscale brother the Infiniti G37 coupe. And that is not a bad thing at all. more....
New Sentra – Wheels for the Mainstream
Nissan's all-new Sentra won't set the world on fire, but it's a pleasant and efficient vehicle that should serve its target audience very well.
Nissan says this new Sentra is "all about you." If you're an enthusiast you might find this a tad insulting, but if you're one of the millions who looks upon a car as simple transportation and not a means to an exciting end, it may speak volumes to you.
And so it should. The front engine/front wheel drive car is unpretentious and features a good list of standard features and that, for many, is exactly what the doctor ordered. more....
Nissan Quest – one "Haul" of
a Vehicle
In the epic quest to create the perfect minivan, Nissan's
entry offers a lot, from a great engine to plenty of room
for people and/or stuff.
And for 2007, Nissan has tweaked the Quest in numerous ways
the company thinks will make the van even more attractive
to customers.
I drove last year's Quest and found it a decent vehicle
that performed well and offered a lot of standard features.
It still drove like a minivan, but what minivan doesn't?
And what's wrong with that anyway? You want a sports car,
buy a sports car. Just don't expect to haul an armoire in
it.
more....
Nissan Maxima
Goes Shiftless
Forget Nissan’s “Shift” advertising slogan:
the 2007 Maxima is the most shiftless version of the car
ever.
That’s not to say it’s sedentary (far from it!),
but rather that the new version of Nissan’s flagship
now comes standard with a continuously variable transmission
that makes gears, and the shifting of them, a thing of the
past.
Nissan’s Xtronic CVT uses pulleys and belts instead
of gears to transfer power from the engine to the wheels
(the front wheels in this case) and the transmission is said
to balance optimal performance with gas mileage. CVT's seem
to work well and are getting increasingly popular in the
marketplace. more....
Nissan Quest - Spacious, Spacey
It may look like a shuttlecraft from the starship Enterprise,
but the Nissan Quest is an Earthbound minivan through and
through.
Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Nissan's 2006 Quest is quite pleasant to drive, and it's
certainly a decent performer. And it offers some very thoughtful
touches that, unfortunately, are at least partially offset
by some frustrating aspects. more....
Japanese Carmaker Turns Up
the Heat - Nissan Goes Straight for Drivers' Hearts
Nissan appears bent on making some big time automotive music.
The Japanese carmaker has had its share of great vehicles
over years, from the legendary Z to the old 510. Some of
its more recent efforts, however, have appeared more than
a tad bland to these opinionated eyes. And while one shouldn't
get too hung up on a vehicle's looks, it's usually a car's
styling that first grabs (or pushes away) one's attention.
The Maxima has always been a Really Nice Car, but the Altima
began as a roly poly design that evolved into a car that,
while not as ugly as the Pontiac Aztek, wouldn't garner too
many "aaahs!"
Those days appear to be over, at least as far as the completely
redesigned 2002 Altima is considered. I haven't driven it
yet, but from what I've seen the muscular new edition of
the four door sedan appears determined to push its way into
consumers' hearts. more....
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