2012 Chevrolet Sonic LT Turbo:  B-Class Player, Earns a B+   Lou Grant (Ed Asner) once quipped, “I hate spunk.”  Well, I like it, when it’s produced by a turbocharged 1.4-liter Ecotec four placed sideways under the Chevy Sonic’s hood.  Even better:  it comes with a six-s...Read more

2012 Chevrolet Volt:  Plug and Play?   Chevrolet wants you know that the Volt is now available nationwide.  It’s still trying to up dealer “take rate” as it’s lower than GM expected.  Yet, if you’re looking what we used to call a specialty car (stylish luxury fashion st...Read more

They Steal Minivans, Don’t They?   Ask Lisa Saffold, Milwaukee’s District 7 liaison officer, what’s the most stolen vehicle.  Her reply:  it’s a minivan.  That’s right.  Crooks go for Dodge Grand (theft) Caravans.  Yep, the supposedly out-of-fashion motoring m...Read more

VW Jetta Hybrid at the 2012 NAIAS:  Rainer Michel VW’s Vice President of Product Planning   A skiing incident almost sidelined VWoA’s Rainer Michel.  Nonetheless, this vigorous vehicle planner was ready to talk cars before VW’s mega press conference in Detroit.  Rainer is a grega...Read more

2011 Hyundai Elantra Limited Review:  Another New Look   After World War II, Christian Dior stunned the fashion world with the New Look.  His designer threads featured lots of fabric, plunging necklines and sculpted hourglass silhouettes.  Drab wartime austerity was blown to bits.   &nb...Read more

  The Windy City’s Lakeside Automotive Exhibition:  Wheels, Heels, and Spiels.  Nissan, Chrysler and Hyundai Make a Splash     The 2012 Chicago Auto Show’s press preview commenced on Tuesday Feb. 7th.  That night automakers sponsored clambakes.  Nissan’s welcom...Read more

      Detroit’s 2012 Auto Show Dining:  It’s Audi-licious   Audi says Goodbye to Banal Cafeteria Food and Hello to Fine Dining at the Cobo Center   Cars were the stars at Detroit’s mammoth automotive clambake.  Nonetheless, you didn’t have to breathe exhaust f...Read more

Dodge Dart Press Kit:  Valiant Detroit Showstopper, Lancer Not Included.   After the Detroit Auto Show unveiling of the new Dodge Dart compact, the fun and games began.  Journalists mobbed Chrysler’s info desk.  Meanwhile, Pentastar’s public relations staffers handed out mysterious bla...Read more

  Detroit Show Wrap:  Mopar 75th Anniversary Press Kit   Detroit’s Big Three brand their cars, parts and service.  From Mr. Goodwrench, to FoMoCo each carmaker invites drivers to buy original equipment goods.  Even foreign firms carefully present their famous logos at their worldwide ser...Read more

2012 Chevrolet Sonic:  Ultrasonic Road Test   The star of Chevrolet’s 100th anniversary party kickoff at the 2011 North American Auto Show was the 2012 Sonic.  Nearly upstaging it: youthful musicians playing instrumental iPads.  At that historic moment, the Sonic's arrival seemed odd.&n...Read more