Size Topic Hub

2019 Mercedes-AMG GLS63 – Road Test Review – By Matt Barnes

With a $125,000 base price, the Mercedes GLS 63 AMG is out of range for many people. For those who have the wherewithal and need to haul six people, it is an excellent — and perhaps only — choice. Featuring a hand assembled AMG 5.5 liter twin turbo (Mercedes calls it a biturbo) V8 with 577 horsepower and 561 torque, the GLS AMG has only one three-row performance competitor: the 475 horsepower Dodge Durango SRT 392. [Audi is not bringing the diesel SQ7 to the USA.] When it comes to luxury, the Mercedes is at the top in this class. …

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Nov 15, 2018 Read more

2018 Nissan Armada Platinum 4WD – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

Seems like every manufacturer has their “Luxury Flagship SUV” these days, and Nissan is no exception. While most of these are more luxo-barge than flagship, there are a few that remain true to the real SUV credo of ruggedness, capability and anywhere anytime composure. We’d include the Range Rover and Toyota Land Cruiser in this select group. And now we’d also add the new Nissan Armada. It’s a whole ‘nother kind of Armada. One look and you know this is different. Where the old model was an SUV version of the previous-gen Titan, Nissan does us a solid and gives …

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Feb 25, 2018 Read more

2018 Volkswagen Atlas V6 4Motion – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

If you go by sales, VW SUVs have always been the scrawny kid on the beach getting sand kicked in his face. But, as if answering one of those mail-order bodybuilding courses, a new, big, powerful and buff VW Atlas is giving those other bullies a roundhouse to the jaw, and claiming its rightful place in the sun. Behold: the VW Atlas. Or as we named out tester, Charles Atlas. If you don’t remember Charles Atlas, you can still appreciate that the U.S. is big SUV country, and up until now VW hasn’t really courted the buyer who needs three …

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Jan 25, 2018 Read more

2017 KIA Cadenza Limited – Road Test Review + 2 Videos

There is real buzz around the brand-new 2017 Kia Cadenza. Car reviewers near and far have been shocked by its lux feel and right-priced tech. Are they right? We spent a week in the loaded Cadenza Limited to find out. Hard on throttle and chucking it around corners… and honestly expecting the worst. After all, it is a hard time for near-luxury sedans. Cars like the Maxima, Avalon, Lacrosse or Chrysler 300 are suffering from low sales and a crowded marketplace. Meanwhile, the deeply unfun Lexus ES still hoovers up sales for reasons no one truly understands. How can Cadenza …

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Jun 27, 2017 Read more

1894 SILSBY Horse-Drawn Steam Fire Engine – RM Auctions Amelia Island 2016 Highlights

Motorized, steam fire engines were some of the highest-tech wagons on the roads between 1850 and the dawn of the motorcar 50 years later. The need for mechanized, high-volume water pumps to extinguish urban and industrial accidents was what drove such huge innovation at the time. These high-tech water wagons didn’t know at the time that their steam-engine solutions would spur internal combustion. For this machine, the steam boiler drove a turbine, which then drove a water pump. Hoses attached to the input would pull water through the system and out the main fire-fighting nozzles and ladders at high pressure and volume. …

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Apr 09, 2016 Read more

2017 GMC ACADIA Shows Radical Redesign: 700Lb Weight Loss, New All Terrain Spec

My my, what have we here! A very sexy makeover for the well-liked GMC Acadia? This three-row crossover has been winning friends for years with its Yukon-like cabin room, but easier parking manners and comfier ride quality. The 2017 model builds on these strengths… but does it drop some capability along the way? Surely, something MUST have fallen by the wayside for the 2017 Acadia to be a massive 700 pounds lighter than the current model. No swap to aluminum a la the Range Rover or new Q7. High-strength steel can only do so much, right? It turns out what …

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Jan 12, 2016 Read more

Road Test Review – 2015 Nissan Altima 2.5SL is a Serene, Mile-Munching Machine!

Midsize sedans might not be the sexiest or most desirable segment of the new car market, but they are the gasoline for the American automobile market’s engine. Taken together with pickup trucks, these two body styles of vehicle make up more than a third of all sales annually. The Altima is a big player in this mix: ranking number three behind the Camry and Accord for a whopping 2014 total of 335,000 sold. However you slice it, that is a huge chunk of influence, and a car that many will consider when seeking their next ride. And to wrap up …

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Aug 09, 2015 Read more

2016 Scion iM Debuts in NY With Focus Size But Fiesta Pricing

Scion just rolled out two brand-new 2016 models for the subcompact and compact segments — with this iM hatchback being the firm’s shot against the Kia Forte5, Ford Fiesta and Chevrolet Sonic. The single-trim entry price of below $20,000 is set to be fairly well-equipped and roomy versus the rivals mentioned; the iM is almost the exact same size as the Ford Focus and VW Golf. But those expecting a credible threat to those car’s performance might be underwhelmed. The chassis seems fairly promising with a double-wishbone independent rear suspension paired with sport-tuned electronic power steering. Big rubber and a standard …

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Mar 31, 2015 Read more