Car Reviews and Ratings

Take Two: 2009 Honda Accord LX Review

By Robert Farago
September 5, 2008 - 1,835 views

An accord is, by its nature, a compromise. While enthusiasts bemoan the Honda Accord’s increased size and lowered fuel efficiency, in truth, the automaker’s done the right thing. They’ve relentlessly identified and ruthlessly removed every possible reason why a cost-conscious American car buyer wouldn’t sign-up for a four-cylinder Accord. In my responsibility to my readers, I can highlight a couple of places where they’ve missed the bloat, I mean boat. But it ain’t easy…

Take Two: 2009 Honda Accord LX Review continued »

Take Two: 2009 Honda Accord LX rating summary and performance review

Posted in Car Reviews | Honda | 48 comments

2008 Acura CSX Navi Premium Review

By Samir Syed
September 3, 2008 - 4,643 views

Evaluating the Canadian-designed, built and sold Acura CSX without mentioning the Honda Civic is no easy task. (See?) Comparisons are so tempting, namely because the latter is an excellent car in its own right. The feeling’s mutual. Honda of Japan loved the Acura CSX so much that it served as a template for the JDM Civic. And why not? The CSX delivers an excellent compact luxury package without the reliability issues bedeviling certain (cough German cough) imports. Said otherwise, the CSX is the penny-pinching—I mean, thinking man’s luxury compact.

2008 Acura CSX Navi Premium Review continued »

2008 Acura CSX Navi Premium rating summary and performance review

Posted in Acura | Car Reviews | 71 comments

2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Review

By Sajeev Mehta
September 1, 2008 - 6,894 views

There was a time when a muscle car’s only traction control was in your right foot; when the human utricle and saccule were the world’s finest yaw sensors. Sadly, those days are gone forever. Yes, but… Let's get one thing straight. The original Challenger was no muscle car. And when Dodge’s pony car performance met (and lost to) emissions controls and fuel economy, the little demon turned into a compact luxury coupe of questionable Mitsubishi heritage. Fast forward to the frenzied pace of the Barrett-Jackson Pimp-O-Rama and the next logical iteration was obvious: the Challenger is now a true Muscle Car.

2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Review continued »

2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 rating summary and performance review

Posted in Car Reviews | Dodge | 64 comments

2009 Nissan Rogue S Review

By Jonny Lieberman
August 29, 2008 - 5,301 views

A little behind-curtain action for you: When I finished with the 2008 Nissan Murano, I asked Farago if he was interested in a "Take Two" review. He wasn't. As I had even less interest in writing one ("Ride is softer than butter... no! Softer than veal fat"), I didn't. Why waste time insulting a fat pig when I can be losing hundreds of dollars at online poker? As you can imagine, I wasn't exactly doing cartwheels when the Nissan Rogue showed up. For all I knew it was a half-pint version of its (uglier) big brother. And a CVT, too? I was upset. But was I right?

2009 Nissan Rogue S Review continued »

2009 Nissan Rogue S rating summary and performance review

Posted in Car Reviews | Nissan | 34 comments

2009 Hyundai Genesis 4.6 Review

By Sajeev Mehta
August 27, 2008 - 11,480 views

One of the cornerstones of TTAC's existence is reminding the auto industry that "those who don't learn from the mistakes of the past are destined to repeat them."  As a corollary we can say that learning from history's successes forms part of the recipe for a flat-out victory in today's highly segmented, price sensitive market.  We have seen almost two decades since the boring sheetmetal of the Lexus LS400 hit our shores, forever changing the way we think about luxury cars. Fast forwarding along that school of thought brings us to the new, V8-powered, Hyundai Genesis 4.6.

2009 Hyundai Genesis 4.6 Review continued »

2009 Hyundai Genesis 4.6 rating summary and performance review

Posted in Car Reviews | Hyundai | 130 comments

2009 Subaru Forester XT Review

By Megan Benoit
August 25, 2008 - 7,221 views

The Forester XT is living, breathing proof that Subaru has lost its way.  The Toyota-fication of the brand has now reached its pinnacle in the redesigned Forester, and it stands tall (really, really tall) as the perfect example of how to alienate the hippies and hoons that bought Subaru after Subaru.  To put it succinctly, driving the new Forester XT is like answering the door expecting Ed McMahon with a check for a million dollars and finding your mother-in-law standing there instead.  At least the MIL eventually goes home.  The Forester XT just hangs around and keeps disappointing.

2009 Subaru Forester XT Review continued »

2009 Subaru Forester XT rating summary and performance review

Posted in Car Reviews | Subaru | 96 comments

2009 Aston Martin Vantage Roadster Review

By Justin Berkowitz
August 22, 2008 - 8,312 views

Sean Connery's Bond, James Bond, would punch you in the face while kissing your girlfriend. His Aston Martin DB5 was beyond cool. By the 1990s, Bond drove a range of product placement-mobiles, and Astons looked like Jaguars (and vice versa). While devastatingly quick, Astons handled like trains. And then the Vanquish, DB9 and V8 Vantage restored a sense of dignity. But-- the Vantage's 4.3-liter V8 stumped-up "only" 380 hp. When critics questioned, Aston did the English version of flipping them off: nodded their collective head and shrugged their shoulders. But now, finally, Aston unleashes the 2009 Vantage with a 4.7-liter V8. Power jumps from 380 to 420. Torque is up, and the dashboard is new. I recently exercised the convertible version, the Vantage Roadster, for a few hours on a sun-drenched day to see if Bond's whip is suitably... nasty.

2009 Aston Martin Vantage Roadster Review continued »

2009 Aston Martin Vantage Roadster rating summary and performance review

Posted in Aston Martin | Car Reviews | 44 comments

TTAC’s Ten Best for 2008

By Frank Williams
August 20, 2008 - 21,320 views

The e-voting booths are closed and the votes are in. You've selected TTAC's Ten Best Automobiles for 2008. Five of the ten are repeat winners from last year-- but only one of them stayed in the same slot. Three of our winners slipped in the ratings, and one moved up. GM, Mazda, Nissan and BMW all have two winners on the list. Honda and Audi each have one. There are sedans, sports cars and econoboxes. In fact, the only thing that seems to bind this group of cars together is the "fun to drive" factor (anyone who doesn't think that's important can click here). The rest of you can make the jump and help celebrate/kvetch about TTAC's Ten Best for 2008

TTAC’s Ten Best for 2008 continued »

Posted in Car Reviews | 141 comments

2003 Ford Thunderbird Review

By William C Montgomery
August 18, 2008 - 7,234 views

First impressions last. Wrong. Psychologists say humans develop their strongest positive feelings to someone or something if they hated it at first. For instance, I once detested Hondas. After spending some time driving various Hondas, the brand earned my no-longer-grudging respect. The converse is also true: we reserve our most negative assessments for someone or something that we loved at first. The human psyche doesn't like to be disappointed.  Sadly, the 2003 Ford Thunderbird falls into this latter category.

2003 Ford Thunderbird Review continued »

2003 Ford Thunderbird rating summary and performance review

Posted in Car Reviews | Ford | 61 comments

2009 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 TDI Review

By Justin Berkowitz
August 15, 2008 - 20,865 views

In the past five years, Volkswagen has had its pants around its ankles. Gas tripled in price, Al Gore invented the environment and the brand once known for frugality didn't have U.S. products that could compete on fuel economy. Volkswagen’s diesel-powered Jetta and Passat weren't even legal in VW-friendly California, NY and Massachusetts. After miles of regulatory legwork, VW brought one of its new generation European diesels up to fifty-state compliance. The Jetta 2.0 TDI hits dealers this fall. So is it The One?

2009 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 TDI Review continued »

2009 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 TDI rating summary and performance review

Posted in Car Reviews | Volkswagen | 136 comments