By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman




Volkswagen owners, like Porsche and Buick owners who desire to become part of the sport utility family of drivers no longer have to abandon their beloved nameplate.

Earlier this year the odd-named Touareg (pronounced "tour-regg") joined the exploding ranks of luxury-level car-based SUVs. Most people by now have probably seen or at least heard about the new mid-sized VW sport utility that derives its name from a nomadic tribe in the Sahara Desert. 



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Seating for five people in a full-sized light-duty pickup truck was unheard of just a few years ago. Standard-cab pickups were the norm; the maximum load was three people squeezed into a cab.

Extended cabs, with a tight second-row seat, slowly gained popularity though the 1980s and 1990s, as trucks became more family oriented. But rear quarters were cramped, and enduring more than a half-hour drive in the second row was a chore. The second row was on balance a nice storage area from the rain.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Mid-sized coupes under 30 grand are not exactly all the rage as the 2004 model year cranks up.

There aren’t many out there, and there’s one less for the 2004 model year with the elimination of the Acura CL. But that hasn’t deterred Toyota from introducing a second-generation Camry Solara.

Its only direct competition is the Honda Accord coupe and the Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
 

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Toyota officials had a target for their all-new 2004 Toyota Sienna minivan. The bullseye was affixed squarely on the Honda Odyssey.

Since the new Odyssey arrived for the 1999 model year, it has been a sales success and it has been the darling of the automotive media. For example, Edmunds.com at the introduction of the Odyssey in 1999 glowingly stated, “This is the best-engineered, most well-planned minivan ever.”

Could there be higher praise?

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The future of the automobile industry can be found at a Toyota store near you.
 
The industry may be reluctant to admit it, but the leading Japanese automaker has a running start on the field with its new second-generation hybrid car, the Prius.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Suzuki has ripped a page from the South Korean automotive playbook.

The Japanese company, with ties to General Motors, has introduced for 2004 a feature-laden mid-sized sedan with an inline 6-cylinder engine for under $20,000.