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Articles by Alan Rider
Test Drive: Get Out of Town!
Who needs pavement when you’re driving one of these off-road-capable crossovers.
Test Drive: Thrills Per Miles
Nowadays, fun-to-drive cars come in all shapes and sizes.
Test Drive: Just the Right Size
Like Goldilocks, we’re all looking for a car that’s not too big and not too small.
Here are a couple we think fit the bill.
Test Drive: The Future of the SUV
Modern sport-utility vehicles will change the way you think about the category.
Test Drive: Crossover SUVs
If the sign of a maturing market segment is diversity, the humble crossover SUV is all grown up. Here are two distinctly different models that illustrate our point.
Test Drive: Electric Avenue
Electric cars have been around for more than a century, but they’re currently enjoying a second heyday, with dozens of new models on the way. Here are two of the best you can buy today:
Test Drive: Off-Roading in Style
There are places in this world where ‘roads’ on the map are mere suggestions. Here are two SUVs that are likely up for such a trip.
Test Drive: “Born In The USA” Pickups
Think you know an all-American pickup when you see one? These days you have choices — like this pair of distinctly different homegrown pickups:
Test Drive: The Anti-SUVs
Some of us still like to play in the dirt, which presents an automotive conundrum: How to find a vehicle fit for everyday driving that’s still up for a little weekend exploring? These two “anti-SUVs” are excellent solutions.
Test Drive: Maximum MPG
The average automobile returns about 25 miles per gallon. Here’s a pair of not-so-exotic vehicles pushing the boundaries of fuel efficiency.
Test Drive: Fab Four-Doors
Carmakers haven’t totally abandoned traditional automotive body-styles. Despite the demise of several high-profile nameplates, there are still a number of fabulous four-doors on the market.
Test Drive: Turning It up to ‘11’
In “This Is Spinal Tap,” a character brags that their amplifiers go to “11” instead of just 10. That same philosophy applies to cars when automakers take performance to the next level.
Test Drive: Old & New
One of the odd qualities of the human psyche is our attraction to both the old and familiar and the new and novel. Just like we’re equally drawn to opposite ends of the spectrum in the automotive world.
Test Drive: Small but Stylish
Say what you will about the music of Prince, there’s no denying the man – all 5 feet, 3 inches of him – had style. Apply that same logic to automobiles and you’ll find you don’t need to drive something big to turn heads.
Test Drive: Watts up, Doc?
In the future, cars with gasoline-powered engines will be replaced by those propelled by electric motors and battery packs. Here are two ways to get a feeling for that future today.
Test Drive: Surprisingly Sporty
Of the things one might expect from a sport utility vehicle, sportiness is not usually one of them. But there are models that come by the ‘S’ in SUV honestly.
Test Drive: Superb Sedans
You might think traditional automotive body styles are a thing of the past. Not so fast. Turns out there are several sedans on the market that qualify as fabulous four-doors.
Test Drive: Deluxe Trucks
Along with their inherent utility, trucks are now sporting some of the most attractive styling and feature-rich interiors. They also work harder and smarter than ever before.
Test Drive: Luxury Hybrids – Not an Oxymoron
It used to be that driving a gasoline-electric hybrid meant forgoing creature comforts the rest of the motoring public takes for granted. Not anymore.
Test Drive: Escape Artists
There are times when you just need to get away. Naturally, that task is made much easier with the right set of wheels, like these two compact crossovers.