Mazda’s Revamped 2013 CX-9

By Isaac Bouchard It is hard to believe the Mazda CX-9 has been with us for seven years now. Having just undergone its first thorough facelift, it serves as an interesting foil to Infiniti’s upmarket, seven-passenger JX35. The Mazda’s exterior update seems quite successful; its more aggressive front façade not only brings it inline with … Read more

2013 Infiniti JX35

By Isaac Bouchard Exploiting a market niche unfilled by competitors such as BMW and Lexus, Infiniti brings the JX35, a true seven-passenger crossover, to market ahead of rivals. Fluidic forms and lots of sweeping chrome hide this rig’s true size and give it the upmarket pizzazz necessary to differentiate it from its less expensive platform-mate, … Read more

2013 Mazda3

By Isaac Bouchard The Mazda 3 has been the best driving small car on sale in America almost since its introduction. Adding Skyactiv fuel-savings tech to it also made it one of the most frugal. But competition never sleeps, and the Mazda is now beginning to show its age. To address this, some recent updates … Read more

Bluetooth Audio

By Isaac Bouchard Many manufacturers have begun to offer wireless Bluetooth streaming of music from playback devices like iPods and smartphones to car audio systems. As a lifelong audiophile and early convert to the fast-growing field of home computer audio, where high-resolution music files are converted by dedicated, outboard digital-to-analog converters (DACs) and special software … Read more

2013 Ford Explorer Sport

By Isaac Bouchard Ford’s incredibly successful Explorer has just received the kind of upgrade that gets enthusiasts salivating: the addition of the awesome twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. Here it produces 365hp and 350lb-ft, enabling the Sport to hit sixty in under six seconds. Expectations for some type of Jeep SRT-baiting, racetrack ready crossover are dashed … Read more

2013 Volkswagen Eos

By Isaac Bouchard The Eos hardtop convertible has never sold in great numbers in the United States, and to understand why—and also to appreciate all its great attributes—it is helpful to examine it from the European perspective. For this is one VW that really seems designed to best serve on the Continent, not here.To start … Read more

2013 Ford Flex AWD

By Isaac Bouchard Based on the same platform that underpins the incredibly successful—but more mainstream—Explorer, the Ford Flex greets the world with audacious, Midcentury Modern lines that have been enhanced for 2013 with more interesting lighting graphics and fascias that enhance its visual daring. Other changes for the new model year include the integration of … Read more

2013 Audi A8L

By Isaac Bouchard The Audi A8L has long been a credible rival to the more established German luxury liners. With the raft of revisions for 2013, Audi’s flagship sedan may finally have their complete measure. This is especially interesting in that the test car was powered by a six-cylinder engine, not the new, more powerful … Read more

2013 Volvo XC60

By Isaac Bouchard An integral part of Volvo’s recent growth, the midsize XC60 crossover has also served as a pleasing alternative to best sellers like the Lexus RX350. Recent updates not only serve to keep it competitive but also bolster the case for shoppers to think outside the mainstream and look to Europe, not Asia. … Read more

2013 Mercedes Benz GLK350

By Isaac Bouchard Mercedes compact SUV, the GLK series, has recently undergone its first thorough refresh since being introduced Stateside in 2010. The miniature G-series looks of the earlier model have been given a makeover, with a sleeker fascia, hood and lights being the most prominent features.  The GLK’s appearance is still a bit polarizing, … Read more