By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Previously our only experience with the all-new Range Rover came at an arduous off-road course near Atlanta.

The Land Rover flagship was brilliant climbing over a several fallen trees, slogging through mud-filled trails, and crawling down a slippery slope into a stream. It was magnificent inching over rocks and boulders.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

We drove an oxymoron to the beach. And it turned out to be, if not a perfect fit, a very suitable vehicle for hauling five passengers to dinner, cruising along the beach roads and traveling the 90 miles to and from with Allison Moorer’s live album playing through an ear-pleasing optional 270-watt Infinity sound system.

We were outfitted for a very relaxing week with a Kia luxury vehicle.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

It was perhaps an uncanny coincidence that the all-new aluminum-bodied Jaguar XJ8 we were testing carried almost the same price as a Lexus LS430 we drove just a few weeks before.

Both sold for about $68,000.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

One of Hyundai’s top priorities over the past few years has been to improve the quality of its vehicles. It has been a big issue since the early days when the South Korean company started marketing cars in the United States.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

If Honda builds it, you can expect a quality product. The Japanese company has earned this enviable reputation over the past two decades with a string of exemplary vehicles.

So it’s no surprise that Honda’s 2004 mid-sized sport utility vehicle, the Pilot, is a solid and proven entry from head to foot.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Let’s list the things most people would desire when shopping for an affordable new car…

For most people the ultimate vehicle would be easy to drive, easy to maintain, comfortable in all driving situations, reliable, durable, safe and fuel efficient. And it would possess a good resale history.

But most people would think some compromises would have to be made. Finding the perfect car is probably like finding the perfect mate.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The idea came to mind when a diehard Chevy Silverado owner proclaimed admiration for the exterior styling of the all-new Ford F-150 truck while we were visiting a Ford dealer’s lot one Sunday afternoon.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The Dodge Durango started in 1998 as an alternative to the mid-sized sport utilities, none of which came with a third-row seat in those days. Size wise it was also a good alternative to the full-sized harder-to-manage sport utilities such as the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition.