Jim Prueter

Don’t expect to find much 'sport' in the Outlander Sport

By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(November 24, 2017) Despite the name Outlander Sport, a sporting driving experience is not in the equation. The steering is vague with little feedback, body roll presents itself quickly on curves and when cornering, and acceleration from the 168 horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is disappointing. Much of the blame can be attributed to the CVT automatic transmission that really struggles to get the most from the rather anemic horsepower, creating excessive engine noise in the process.

2018 Dodge Durango SRT — The hot rod family hauler

By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(November 21, 2017) Dodge is the last automotive brand that has remained committed to building true muscle cars. Some will argue that Chevrolet has the Camaro and Corvette, and Ford the Mustang, but nobody does high-performance better or on a wider scale than Dodge. Dodge already does Challengers with up to 840-horsepower with its human-hauling rocket sled Demon, and 707-horsepower Hellcats in a choice of either a Challenger coupe or a four-door Dodge Charger, that’s popular as a cop car.

2018 Toyota 4Runner — Who said dinosaurs are extinct?

By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(November 9, 2017) In many respects, Toyota’s 4Runner is a dinosaur of a vehicle, a throwback survivor that’s been roaming the earth for 34 years, long before car-based SUVs and the term “crossover” even existed.

Is Jaguar’s radical new I-PACE benchmarking Tesla?

By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(October 28, 2017) Most auto manufacturers are quite secretive when it comes to models they may or may not be introducing in the future. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve heard an executive from an auto manufacturer tell a room full of journalists that “we don’t talk about future products,” when asked about, well, future products.

Genesis G80 Sport – Good enough to stand out from the crowd?

By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(October 23, 2017) It’s no secret that Hyundai has struggled to get its Genesis sedan the same kind of attention to a car buying public that has otherwise completely embraced the Korean auto manufacturer, whose popular models include Sonata mid-sized family sedan, Azera premium sedan, and Santa Fe and Tucson crossovers.

2018 Mercedes GLA 250 — Good things in a small package

By Jim Prueter
MotorwyAmerica.com

(October 19, 2017) The small, compact luxury crossover segment is growing rapidly, with numerous manufacturers flooding the market with a vast choice of vehicles and trim levels. Audi Q3, BMW X1, Infiniti QX30 are just a few, with Jaguar’s new E Pace going on sale in 2018.

The sporty Honda Civic Si coupe is back

By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(October 1, 2017) After a brief hiatus, Honda has brought back its sporty Si Civic for 2017. The new model is lighter, stiffer, faster and better equipped than ever before. Available in both a coupe and sedan, the Si adds distinctive and unique features to the exterior, interior and under the hood. Si is on a very short list of car
s that are both affordable and truly fun to drive.

2018 Lexus LS 500 — Flying first class with a V-6

By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(September 26, 2017) SAN FRANCISCO — Luxury carmakers always have one flagship vehicle. Most often it is their biggest sedan, the one they want as their lead vehicle, one that radiates the essence of excellence, along with all the substance and presence of a dreadnought-class luxury sedan. For Lexus, that vehicle is the LS sedan, originally launched 28 years ago to compete with cars like the Mercedes-Benz S Class, BMW 7 Series and Audi A8 sedans.

Impressive 2018 Honda Odyssey even looks better

By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(September 3, 2017) It occurred to me that the Honda Odyssey, first introduced almost 25 years ago in 1994, is the perfect stealth vehicle. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not encouraging any suspicious or illegal activity. But Odyssey’s never been a vehicle that will turn heads or be followed home to ask the owner what they are driving.

For most drivers Chevy Bolt is all the vehicle they will ever need

By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com

(August 24, 2017) When it comes to all-electric vehicles (EVs), most of the news has been about Tesla’s Model 3, which launched just a few weeks ago when production began at its Freemont, Calif., facility. But the EV that should be getting to most attention is the Chevrolet Bolt, a vehicle described as General Motor’s electric moonshot, a game changer that goes head to head with the Model 3. Bolt began a limited rollout in a few states last December and nationwide this month.