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HD Road Test Review – 2016 FIAT 500X Trekking is Bei Bei-Cute but Drives Euro-Sharp

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INTRO Really wanted to incorporate Best of Awards  into the headline for this new Fiat 500X — but just ran out of space. What a stellar machine! With a drive experience recalling BMW’s and Audi’s, plus a cabin with fantastic Euro feel, the 2016 500X is an absolute gem from its $20k base price. Over a week of flogging the 500X Trekking in full sport mode glory, we fell hard for the 500X’s charms. To the point that even the design of the nose started to feel familiar and cute! As cute as Bei Bei the Panda cub at the …

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HD Road Test Review – 2015 Nissan JUKE Nismo RS Manual

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Imagine a core group of Nissan GT-R engineers, drivers and designers set loose on the Nissan Juke NISMO. Task? Take the quickest and most performance-focused crossover, and make it truly track-tight in every way. That is how the Juke Nismo RS came into this world — with astounding results. The speed, style and drive experience of the Nismo RS is absolutely incredible versus its $28k competitors — and even versus pricier cars like the AMG GLA45, WRX or Mustang EcoBoost. The Juke Nismo RS is incredibly focused from first sitting in its racing Recaro hard-back bucket seats. A pair of …

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HD Road Test Review – 2015 Lexus IS250 Nails Apex-Carver Fundamentals

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  The 2015 Lexus IS250 nails the sport-sedan fundamentals so hard, you forget all about mainstream mid-size cars after a block in the driver’s seat. That is a fact. A pure-cornering, rev-loving fact. Drive position in the Daytona GTB/4-style tan seats is instantly flawless, as are the major pedal anc control inputs. Crank up the SXM, rotate to sport mode…. and never look back. 4K Drive Video – 2015 Lexus IS250 Review INTRO The 2015 IS250 is such a fantastic sports sedan that we wanted to drive a 320i right afterward to confirm the RWD love for this Lexus was …

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2015 Dodge CHARGER RT 45

4K Road Test Review – 2015 Dodge CHARGER R/T Is Four-Door Musclecar Dream From $34k

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The 2015 Dodge Charger is a real favorite. So much so… that it might have ruined me for other cars. Since balling around Charleston this summer in the Redline Red HEMI R/T, it has been hard to get back into my normal groove of turbo stickshifts. Why? 370HP for 37k. That is a power and price combo that can’t be beat from any manufacturer, nor are others close to the excellence of the eight-speed ZF auto. Or the cabin comfort, room and tech. Or the style outside — which is eye-poppingly cool. Driving the Charger R/T redefines effortless speed, and …

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HD Road Test Review – 2016 Scion iM Is Sporty and Uber-Practical New Focus-Fighter

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The all-new 2016 Scion iM is part of a big new-product push from Scion: the iM hatchback and much smaller iA sedan replace the boxy xD and xB. Why so normal and conventional from Toyota’s youth brand this year? Following buyer trends, of course!  Extensive research on how to resonate with today’s 35-and-under car shoppers shows a big shift in preferences. Perhaps feeling the crunch of a slower global economy on their hipster jeans, first-time new car buyers want a car with more evergreen appeal than the once-trendy Scion box cars. The iM hopes to ace the 2016 buyer mood …

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HD Road Test Review – 2015 GMC Yukon Denali XL 4×4 with New 8-Speed Automatic

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Denali lovers have never had it so good: this swanky trimline now extends beyond the Yukon and into the full range from GMC. But for many shoppers, the sweet spot of the General Motors truck range is the Denali XL. Nearly all the tech and luxury of the Escalade, with a less shouty overall presence on the roads. This paradox of the Denali being more humble, yet costing similar to the Caddy is plain for all to see. The idea is that everyone knows the Denali is Caddy-plush, and costs about as much, too. For a big swath of buyers, …

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HD Road Test Review – 2015 INFINITI QX80 Limited AWD

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In the global Renault-Nissan portfolio, the QX80 Limited lives among greats like the R35 GT-R or RenaultSport Megane Trophy. Being such an event car and flagship has always been a core part of the massive truck’s appeal among owners. With all the class of a Range Rover, but all the guts of a Denali — the QX80 is famous worldwide for its bomb-proof chassis toughness married to a standard 400HP V8. The QX80 is fresh for 2015 with new nose detailing, LEDs and an extra-swanky new Limited option pack. Fabulous opulence inside this cabin rivals any superlux mark worldwide, and …

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HD Road Test Review – 2016 Jeep RENEGADE Trailhawk Is Fun, Stylish and Smart!?

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    INTRO – 2016 Jeep RENEGADE Trailhawk Review HD Off-Road Drive Video 1 Nearly everyone has a great Jeep Wrangler memory from their youth. You were thin and gorgeous, laughing and loving the top-down lifestyle. Hanging a foot out the doorframe on a sunny afternoon. Tunes were playing, and exploring the world around you took on new meaning. Or you were discovering the huge straight-six torque that defined the truck for decades. Or just pining from the sidewalk at your sexy crush driving away. That collective memory is a core element of the brand’s appeal — and always has …

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4K Road Test Review – 2015 Nissan Murano SL – Ultra-Modern Crossover Is World’s Smoothest SUV?

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The all-new 2015 Nissan Murano takes the five-seat crossover market to a luxurious and stylish new peak. Among mainstream brands, the Murano’s $30k-$40k price range is typically occupied by either loaded compact crossovers like the CR-V and RAV4, or even tinier premium vehicles like the new Mercedes-Benz GLA and fresh 2016 BMW X1. Moving up a price class generally adds seven seats among mainstream brands (see Ford Explorer or Toyota Highlander.) The Pathfinder owns this family space quite nicely for Nissan, leaving the Murano with a meaty slice of buyer wants all to itself.  What about versus two-row SUVs like …

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4K HD Drive Review – 2016 Mazda6 GT is FANTASTIC! (90 Pics)

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The best-looking and best-driving midsize sedan in the world? The 2016 Mazda6! The new programming for the transmission and Sport drive modes resolves our only previous concern about the Mazda6: that it should be quicker. But now– we have no weaknesses to report. The GT trim here with its gorgeous anthracite 19-inch alloys is a masterpiece of design appeal, only reinforced by the newly-luxurious cabin materials and playful road manners. Please enjoy the below 4K drive video, plus 90 photos of this 4K HD Drive Review Video – 2016 Mazda6 Grand Touring 2016 Mazda6 Grand Touring INTERIOR 2016 Mazda6 Grand …

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2015 Hyundai Sonata ECO Review 2

HD Video Drive Review – 2015 Hyundai Sonata ECO Introduces 1.6T and 7-Sp DCT

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The 2015 Sonata ECO is the perfect blend of the base Sonata and the loaded Sonata Sport 2.oT. With styling inside and out that is darker and sexier than the base model, the Sonata ECO wears a tasty black chrome for its grille that really moves the car’s look upmarket. At least from the front. From the side and in profile, the ECO is a bit more humble. 17-inch low-rolling resistance tires look a bit silly and undersized, while a single exhaust pipe out back is down by half versus the Sonata Sport 2.0T. But where the ECO really pulls …

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4K Video Drive Review – 2015 Dodge Durango Citadel V6 AWD (77 Photos)

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   A few animated flyarounds of this sexy and low Durango to go along with the 4K drive vid.   4K Video Drive Review – 2015 Dodge Durango Citadel V6 AWD 2015 Dodge Durango Citadel V6 AWD    

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My Best Video of 2014 – 2015 Ford Mustang GT Track Drive Review

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 Track Drive Video Review Re-publishing this article from October with the new page-top gallery, and to celebrate shooting a video review that is ‘watchable.’ This 3-lap blast in a 2015 Mustang GT six-speed-manual at Autobahn Country Club is our most-watched video of all time over at http://www.youtube.com/user/thetomburkart The new Mustang GT is a real favorite watch the above to find out why! 2015 Ford Mustang GT Awww yeah! Track time with the new Mustang GT! It felt so fantastic to fire up this pony-car for the first time. Could not help but smiling even to find the new GT and …

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Best of Awards – 2015 Lexus RC-F Review in 3 Videos, 170 Photos and 467 Reasons It Beats BMW M4

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TRACK DRIVE VIDEO     The downside of being the first guy in the seat of the amazing Lexus RC-F last month at a big track drive event in Chicago? We were part of the first laps around the track – barely scratching the surface of the RC-F’s abilities. But the upside? Driving one of the hottest and most-anticipated supercoupes in years. We absolutely love the RC-F and find it is a huge leap from the IS-F before in almost every way. Included here are: track drive video, pit lane intro video, an exhaust/startup video 30 all-new photos from Autobahn …

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Updated With 80 Gorgeous Photos! 2015 Ford Mustang GT Review

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Updated 10.20.14 We have a confession to make: while downloading and editing these 80 new photos of the Mustang media drive in LA, we took a break and sent off a few emails to Ford contacts. Why? The Mustang is so gorgeous in these photos that we are trying to charm our way into an upcoming east coast media drive event. The 30-min track lap above was not enough time. Fingers crossed we can make it work to get up close with the EcoBoost as well as the GT. Take a look at all the new photos from Ford below …

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4K Road Test Review – 2015 Ford Transit 3.5L EcoBoost LWB, Low-Roof Cargo Van

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Breaking News: NASCAR developing 2018 commercial van racing series. The NASVAN Home Depot Cup will feature the Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Chevy Express, Nissan NV and the Ram ProMaster. Each van will hit top speeds of more than 199-mph while they trade paint around circuits like the legendary Charlotte and Atlanta Motor Speedways….””” The news above is pretend. There are no current plans for a NASVAN series. But if there were, we could sign up for the new Ford Transit as our ride first time, every time. This rear-drive big van is shockingly good on the road and at the …

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Best of Awards – 2015 Nissan GT-R Premium in 4K Track Drive Reviews

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 TRACK DRIVE VIDEO – 4K Quality The Midwest Auto Media Association’s Fall Rally in 2013 was my first-ever taste of the mighty Nissan GT-R. Last year, the Nissan USA guys brought a seriously menacing Track Edition model for quick laps around the Autobahn Country Club racetrack. We arrived on the scene in a press loan Nissan JUKE Nismo so it was a love-fest overall for the Nissan performance lineup. But a late arrival meant we skipped the track in 2013 in favor of mild street drives instead. Or so we thought. In Race/Race/Race settings, the GT-R threw my iPhone camera …

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Best of Awards – 2015 Ford Transit Connect Cargo 1.6L EcoBoost – 4K Track Test Drive Video

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Proof that a turbo engine can make any car or van a hoot? The Ford Transit Connect Cargo with the optional 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine! Check out the brief autocross video to see a preview of every busy delivery driver near the end of his shift. The TCC (Transit Connect Cargo) is comfortable and sporty with a low center-of-gravity but an elevated view forward. It is a bit like a tall Focus or a slammed Escape — but hooning a cargo van makes it all the more enjoyable. With the MyFord Touch and Navigation, the TCC makes almost no sacrifices for …

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Best of Awards – Most Fun SuperCoupe Street Racer – 2015 JAGUAR F-Type R Coupe

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UPDATED 10.4.14 With Two 4K Drive Videos and 30 High-Res Photos   Our solid and bankable reco if you can afford it? The R! 2015 JAGUAR F-Type R Coupe   PREVIOUS The new F-Type Coupe is hot as the summer sun these days – but which is best? And among the standard, S and R — which fits your budget and performance criteria? Here is a quick walk through the JaguarUSA.com online configurator, where I built a $77,000 F-Type S Coupe and racked up a $92,000 total in the process. There are many tempting options, including the poshest 20-inch wheels …

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Track Test Review - 2015 Ford Mustang GT in 4K Video 2

Track Drive Video Review – 2015 Ford Mustang GT

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 Track Drive Video Review – 2015 Ford Mustang GT Awww yeah! Track time with the new Mustang GT! It felt so fantastic to fire up this pony-car for the first time. Could not help but smiling even to find the new GT and EcoBoost Mustangs in the parking lot that morning. They look outstanding in the flesh, with the GT adding some additional cooling functions via grille inserts to direct air where it is needed. Out back, the 5.0-liter V8 is announced by its large GT badge where the turbo cars have another pony logo. A 5.0 badge lives in …

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