Everyday Driver » REVIEWS

Nissan GTR

Todd — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:19:51 +0000

Every now and then a car comes along which defies categorizing. The Nissan GTR is one of these cars. Too inexpensive and attainable to be a super-exotic, but far too high-performance to be a car for the masses. And yet, here it is.

More to the point, here we are with the keys in hand and a great road to drive. Everyday Driver vs. Godzilla, the genre killer from the orient. The technology in this car is very similar to the Mitsubishi Evo, which we love, but is the GTR worth twice as much? The guys grab this monster by the tail for a wild ride.

Many of you requested we drive this car, and we hope you have as much fun watching as we did driving. And in a few years the prices for a used GTR will drop to the levels of other sportscars. Then you’ll have a decision to make.

Go HD-full screen, and turn it up!

SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a post.

And include your thoughts about this car or anything else in our FORUMS!

Lexus IS350C

Todd — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 21:21:34 +0000

In Toyota’s quest for world-domination, the Lexus brand has become a huge badge and reputation for quiet and luxurious transportation. Yet, the IS series also strives to be a car for enthusiasts. Of course, that means competing in the crowded sports sedan segment.

But the IS didn’t offer a convertible version until recently. And it was launched with a marketing campaign suggesting a Lexus for those who love life and live dangerously. So Paul and Todd set out to see if this Lexus can actually live up to its marketing blitz.

This car was a regular viewer request. Thanks for watching, and thanks for the suggestion.

SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a post.

And include your thoughts about this car or anything else in our FORUMS!

2010 MazdaSpeed3

Todd — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:00:04 +0000

We love a good fast hatchback. These little cars set out to be all things to all people, with speed and genuine usable space. The VW GTI started the trend in the seventies, and nearly every brand has tried one since. For years Europe has loved them, and finally the U.S. market is starting to get some great options.

So, Paul and Todd gathered up three very different approaches to this all-in-one idea and went in search of a showdown. But they found out that while they may seem the same at first, these cars are very different and the guys couldn’t disagree more.

Here’s the first of the three part comparison: the MazdaSpeed 3.

SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a post.

Hatchbacks, love them or hate them? Do you own one and disagree with the guys? Share your thoughts in our FORUMS!

Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Todd — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 08:12:09 +0000

Hyundai has long been the butt of jokes in the US car market. Their cars were known to be cheap in both price and feel. But change is upon us.

Beginning with their aptly named “Genesis” platform, Hyundai has put their Japanese rivals on notice. The Sedan targets the best of Lexus, and this coupe version aims for the Infiniti G37 coupe and Nissan 370z. But Hyundai offers these cars for thousands less than the competition… just like the Toyota and Nissan did years before.

The guys get the chance for a quick review in the most unforgiving place for a sports car, the track. Can this little upstart from Hyundai really offer worthwhile performance for thousands less?

Watch this review LARGER.

SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a post.

And include your thoughts about this car or anything else in our FORUMS!

Subaru STI

Todd — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:56:06 +0000

The Subaru STI and Mitsubishi Evolution remain locked in a battle as heated as Pepsi vs. Coke. So when we had the chance to blast around the track in the STI, we went looking to see if this fire-breathing wagon can instill more love than the EVO X.

This is a quick review with less focus on the interior and more concern with taking a car to its limits. And a car like this will probably visit those limits a few times in the hands of every owner.

Watch this review LARGER.

SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a post.

And include your thoughts about this car or anything else in our FORUMS!

Taurus SHO

Todd — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:11:41 +0000

The original Taurus SHO was introduced 20 years ago. It was a well known and affordable sleeper in the mid-sized sedan market. Now it’s back, with more power and All-Wheel Drive. And it even gets decent gas-mileage.

Paul and Todd take out the SHO to see if this version can hold up the name and reputation. Ford has set out to make American four-door muscle for the whole family. That’s like raising a child to be Jekyll and Hyde.

Watch this review LARGER.

SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a post.

And include your thoughts about this car or anything else in our FORUMS!

Audi A4

Todd — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:03:34 +0000

The sports sedan segment has gotten crowded. And though BMW continues to be the poster child of the small performance four door, nearly every automaker has a competitor. Into this unfriendly arena steps the new, larger, more-powerful, and more gas-frugal Audi A4.

Paul owns the last generation A4, and Todd is a big fan of Audi. But can this new model finish in the top of it’s class? We took it through exclusive neighborhoods, cruising along the coast, and carving up canyons to assess all this A4 has to offer.

Watch this review LARGER.

SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a post.

And include your thoughts about this car or anything else in our FORUMS!

Mitsubishi Evo X

Todd — Fri, 29 May 2009 06:13:25 +0000

The Mitsubishi Evolution and Subaru STI remain locked in a Pepsi vs. Coke battle for the best Rally-Car-for-the-Street. The EVO X is Mitsubishi’s latest contender for the crown. The idea is both simple and absurd… stuff nearly 300hp into an economy car and sell it to drooling enthusiasts. But here with the tenth generation (see, that “X” means something), the crazy folks at Mitsubishi also include more computing power than NASA used to get to the moon.

So Paul and Todd went in search of a great road to see if this version is worth the hype.

You might want to bring a helmet. And watch this review LARGER.

SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a post.

And include your thoughts about this car or anything else in our FORUMS!

Dodge Challenger SRT8

Todd — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:01:18 +0000

Just when it seemed like gas prices and hybrid fever would finally kill the V8 muscle car, Dodge has decided to give the Mustang some competition. And with the Camaro on the horizon, it seems the 1970s are here again. All these new-generation muscle cars try to combine the best thirty year old designs with modern sensibility and technology. The result is often as mixed up as it sounds.

The guys climb into the big boy of the Challenger line-up, the SRT8. This angry, growling, time machine has an 6.1 liter Hemi engine under the hood. And a Mustang shaped chip on it’s shoulder. With some brief time on streets and track, they try to figure out if “the good old days” were worth bringing back.

SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a post.

And we’d love to know your opinion of the new/old Muscle Cars…
Tell us in our FORUMS!

Pontiac Solstice

Todd — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 04:04:48 +0000

The Solstice is a long overdue surprise from Pontiac. Here’s a great looking car which is also great to drive. A genuine Miata competitor.

And now, with the announcement of Pontiac’s demise, the Solstice has become an endangered species. The good news is the engine will live on in other GM products, so owning one of these cars won’t mean you can’t get parts.

Paul and Todd drove this car a while ago, and remain fans. If you’ve ever considered it, now’s the time.

SUBSCRIBE, so you don’t miss a moment.

Tell us YOUR thoughts. Visit the Forum!