Published by Jason January 21st, 2008
in 4.5 Stars and Jeep.
The 2008 Liberty is back with a whole new look, and an updated platform to make this one of the more enjoyable small-to-mid sized SUVs I’ve driven recently. I’m a big fan of the Commander, which is the big, strong, SUV in Jeep’s lineup that commands respect both on- and off-road, and the new Liberty truly feels like it belongs in the same family. With it’s increased size, and upgraded suspension, taking this vehicle into the snow was thoughtless as it handled slippery terrain with absolute confidence. It delivered reliably on the pavement as well with style points left over.
In general, I appreciate the new look a lot. I don’t mind the rounded features of past Liberties, but they always seemed sort of “cute” to me. Not so with the updated styling, looking lean and mean and strong. The new grill also looks less like the Wrangler and more like the kid brother of the Commander as well. Inside, the new platform gave a little more leg room for both the backseat and the driver, with both sets of passengers appreciating it. The interior is a slight bit on the bland side, but very clean and easy to manage. All details were logical and felt like they belonged. Another notable change was the transition from a rear door with a side-hinged door to a top-hinged lifting gate (complete with separate opening glass window). I go back and forth on which I prefer, but I do like moving the spare tire into the interior and off the rear gate, as it can interfere with bike racks and other rear mounted items (I know you can put a standard bike rack on top of the spare, I’ve done it, but I don’t believe you can use a hitch mounted bike rack, which is my preference with SUVs this tall).
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Published by admin January 20th, 2008
in 3 Stars and Kia.
by Holly Glaspey
Okay, so I didn’t take a picture of myself sprawled out over the hood and send it to all my friends when I was granted a week with the Kia Spectra5. However, we still shared some happy memories. This Kia is a really great size—plenty of room for four and the camping gear, yet I still felt like I was driving a compact car.
The interior again is nothing flashy, but all the essential features are there, and very user-friendly. I like it when I can get in a car for the first time and have virtually no “training time”. All the features I needed were right where I expected them to be, and worked exactly how I expected them to work–no brain required. There is a jack for an external audio player, which I did not use but do appreciate for longer trips. Sure, I miss the heated seats, but the car won bonus points with me for the quick acting heating vents. It warmed up before I finished my 6-minute drive to the office.
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Published by admin January 10th, 2008
in 4 Stars and Mini.
by Holly Glaspey
Parallel parking has never been this fun. In case driving around in a convertible didn’t make one feel smug enough, pulling up to spaces 95% of cars can not even consider, and swinging in one-handed on the first try is a big perk for me with this little gem. So long as the top is down, changing lanes is a lot of fun too–I confess that behind the Mini wheel, I became a bit prone to “darting.”
There doesn’t seem to be much gray area in Mini public opinion. Most people who saw me in the car were dying for a ride, but those who weren’t didn’t want to touch it with a ten-foot pole. But I’m really on the fence: if you have to describe the Mini in one word it’s easy—FUN. This car made me more excited about “the driving experience” and “the journey” than any other I have ridden in or driven. However, I am not running to the nearest dealership. I felt plenty of “go” moving from second to third or third to fourth, but from a red light or up a steep hill I was disappointed. I was also uncomfortable driving with the top up because of the horrible visibility out the back window. One more note on the convertible top: I never used the half-way open, “built-in sunroof” setting. With the heated seats and the visibility issues, it just seemed like I might as well go all the way.
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Published by admin January 3rd, 2008
in 4.5 Stars, 3.5 Stars and Subaru.
The Subaru Tribeca is one of those cars that garner three reactions. 1. Surprise; “I didn’t know Subaru made a SUV”. 2. Disdain; “Wow, that is one funny looking car”. and 3. Confusion; “Yeah, I don’t know how I feel about it. It’s kind of weird.” While, only 1/3 the responses were outright negative, it’s hard to find people who just love this vehicle.
To look at it, you’re going to either love it or hate it. It’s incredibly unique shape, curves, and features make it stand out like few other $30,000 cars do right now. However, that uniqueness is the main problem people have with this car. Personally, I’m not a big fan of the rear 1/3 of the car. The front is pretty unassuming, but from behind it always has reminded me of an alien head. I think that Subaru would have had a real winner on it’s hand if they hadn’t handicapped themselves by giving it such unusual styling which people could disagree with. However, the 2008 model addresses these issues and it looks much better. But this review is about the 2007, so let’s get back to that.
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