Archive for the ‘Driven’ Category

Mazda's CX-9 can be more than a little deceiving. Get caught up in the driving experience—as you actually can in the somewhat nimble-feeling CX-9—and you might actually think you're driving a tall but reasonably compact wagon.

That is, until you look back from the front seat at the spacious three-row interior or assess from the outside that yes, this really is a large vehicle.

For 2010, the CX-9 gets a few minor design improvements, but inside or out, you'd probably have to park the '09 and '10 side by side to notice the differences. At the front, the CX-9 gets a little more brightwork to frame its grille, lower grille and foglamps,...

For a very long time in this country, about 20% of all sales came in the form of trucks.

Not what the industry calls “trucks” (i.e., SUVs), but actual pickups. That figure always astonished me; we simply don’t have that many contractors, painters and plumbers and there are fewer actual “farmers” living here each day.

The only reason for high truck sales was image, and as if to prove this fact, a walloping recession has seen truck sales (as a percentage of all light vehicles) shrink in 2009 to what will be about 10% of the total by year’s end, replaced by the likes of more crossovers that get superior mileage such as the Toyota RAV4 and ...

Ever since we first saw Mitsubishi's Concept Sportback at the Frankfurt motor show back in 2005, we've been hoping—along with countless rally-sport enthusiasts—to see a hatchback version of the compact sport sedan come to the U.S. this time around. Well, it's finally (almost) arrived; though the top-performance Evo won't be offered as a Sportback, both the sporty Lancer GTS and affordable-performance Lancer Ralliart will.

Mitsubishi has announced that the 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback will reach dealerships beginning August 17. Prices will start at just $19,100 for the Lancer Sportback GTS, while the Lancer Sportback Ralliart will start...