PARTNERS/RESOURCES

CONTACT US

 Subscribe to the Road & Travel Blog RSS Feed

Vehicle Buyer's Guides Feed

September 03, 2012

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Road Test Review

2012 Sexy Car Buyer's Guide - 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

by Martha Hindes

Separating a legend from its inspiration can sometimes come as a shock. Like splitting 'Tomcat” back into the two individuals who combined to make up that moniker. Take sweet, docile looking actress Katie Holmes and her shocker in seeking a divorce from her hubby, Tom Cruise, master of all cinematic venues, an original do-it-yourself guy. Holmes, who after five years of marriage, has bloomed in intrigue from her pre-Cruise days, was becoming a legend in her own right, not withstanding the casual divorce bombshell she dropped in late June. That's rather like the 2012 Chevrolet ZL1 Camaro emerging from the shadows of its iconic sibling, Corvette, which inspired some of the mutations that contribute to its current unbridled prowess on the nearest test track or velvet smooth section of sun beaten Arizona asphalt.

Take your pick. Both legends stand tall and victorious in the ranks of vehicular driving fun and games. A major difference is the ability to choose having all that throbbing, surging ability underfoot (and underbutt) for a  more modest price and intender sports car logo, despite the Camaro's rejuvenated “pony car” heritage after a few earlier years in hiatus. For full review, click here.

September 01, 2012

2012 Chevrolet Corvette Road Test

Corvette
by Martha Hindes

While the rash, raw newbies can get lots of attention, sometimes it’s the faces and bods with a little mileage on them that attract the crowd. Consider Hollywood A-lister Jennifer Aniston. Hardly anyone considers the three decades behind her and the fourth already underway a detriment. Remaining the American dream girl for many, she excites photographs just being in them, is toned, lusty and confident and can still command space in entertainment magazines portraying hotties on their pages.

That's what you might call "staying power." And we offer another example of staying power with the 2012 two-seater Chevrolet Corvette, particularly in convertible mode. It's the kind of lasting class that has continued to excite American drivers since Chevy launched its rear drive classic nearly SIX decades ago.

We're sure there is an ideal Corvette fan out there. The driver who wants it all -- track worthiness, demon speed, lunge talent, sultry good looks, and the ability to finesse an import out of the desired fast lane while traveling in a domestic sports car. We think Chevy understands that as well, as droves of Vette owners ply cruise events each summer to show off a treasured and pampered sample of the American classic. For full review, click here.

August 31, 2012

2012 Dodge Challenger Road Test

Dodge-challengerby Martha Hindes

We've seen Channing Tanum's new movie, Magic Mike. We can't imagine someone in the audience not yelling, "Take it off. Take it all off," as the Hollywood hunk struts his stuff across stage and lets us peek at his fabulous six-pack abs from behind the folds of a shirt. Same could be said for the 2012 Dodge Challenger, the newest of the pony car revivalists that is sultry, sexy and sizzling from any angle. Gorgeous. But lacking in convertible mode. A hunk in coupe with top up, we wanna see it with the "take it off" top down. Don't you think? (A little hooting would be appropriate here.)

It isn't that Challenger enthusiasts haven't been clamoring for a top down model or speculating on when it will happen. But so far a drop top is a no show in showrooms and remains a midsummer night's dream for the flush and frustrated. And think about it for a moment. A car company can juice up an engine and suspension with mostly the same exterior sheet metal as used for a less endowed power plant's version. But cutting off the top takes more than a few swipes with an oversized can opener. It takes a lot of changes to maintain the structural integrity of the coupe version without losing the ability to bully its way through the crowd on the road. For full review, click here.

August 30, 2012

2012 Ford Mustang BOSS Road Test Review

Ford-mustang-boss
by Martha Hindes

Remember an old TV sit-com called “Who's the Boss?" It sported a nubile Alyssa Milano, a still gorgeous Tony Danza, and enough quirky situations to make one realize life doesn't always function according to the norm. Neither do cars, when you think about it. Because no matter how many Ford Mustang clubs are out there, or how many V-6 versions are parked in suburban driveways as eye candy status appeal for the neighborhood, Ford did one better for the true gearhead woman or man when coming up with the rear-drive 2012 Ford Mustang muscle car. It added in some truly awesome muscle in a revival of the legendary Boss version. After all, if you're going to snarl, you want to make sure you show some teeth.

A little history could be helpful here. By 2012, not only had Milano grown from “sexy tomboy” status to womanhood long ago, with some forgettable acting credits behind her, but the Ford Mustang has grown in desirability without losing an ounce of the four-plus decades of driving notoriety that keeps it one of the true classics on the road. And Mustang Boss tops a list of teaser talents with enough gut-crunching lunge to get the attention of the staunchest Mustang purist out there. For full review, click here.

August 17, 2012

2012 Sexy Car Buyer's Guide - Top 10 Sultry Sports Cars

Road & Travel Magazine's 2012 Sexy Car Buyer's Guide - Top 10 Hottest Cars for 2012

by Martha Hindes

Smokin’ hot and haunchy, lithe, taut and delicious – all steamy words that can launch a major vehicular daydream, a memory of tamed tracks of the past, of “Gotta Have” ambitions. After all, big girls, like their big boy counterparts, thrive on the lure of the heat of a truly sexy car. Any reason not to? At ROAD & TRAVEL Magazine, we don’t think there is. In fact, we consider possessing “the sexiest driving machine” or comparably alluring set of wheels a right of sisterhood for any woman who puts such an acquisition high on her wish list for owning a car with the most sex appeal. Truly a refection of her own inner soul. Click here to see the Top 10 for 2012.

 

July 10, 2012

Why Now is the Best Time to Shop for a New Car

Why Now is the Best Time to Shop For & Buy a New Vehicle

People often ask when the best time is to buy a new car. There are many different answers. It all depends on your needs. Below are some of the factors to consider...

Winter
The colder, nastier months are typically the low point of the year for auto sales. Since business is slow, you may find some excellent deals. However, since customers are scarce, you may find some very hungry salespeople who could be a bit pushy. If you are in the market for a convertible, buy during the winter. 

Spring/Early Summer
The beginning of the season. President's day starts the real upswing in automotive sales after the winter. Dealerships try and get the season started with the holiday sale, and you will find the industry is getting busy.

Late Summer/Fall
L
ate summer and early fall is when dealers push great deals and sales the hardest because they need to make room on the lot for the upcoming new-year models. Look for plenty of television commercials starting from July through October each year offering much lower prices, higher rebates, and other great deals. 

Click here to link to full story! 

April 17, 2012

2012 Green SUV Buyer's Guide

2012 Green SUV Buyer's Guide by Martha Hindes

2012 Green SUV Buyer's Guide - Lighter Footprints

by Martha Hindes

Let's face it. Driving isn't a color blind activity any longer. Besides the reds, blues, silvers and blacks that adorn the exterior of that new set of wheels we're coveting, green is emerging as an earth-friendly hue worthy of equal consideration. “Green” cars generally spew out fewer toxic emissions. They get more miles from the power source that propels them. And their more "bang for the buck" capability often comes from a downsized footprint.

But wait. What if you have a family of six, or you regularly haul a boatload of gear, or you need to travel on roads less friendly to tiny, subcompact autos? Or maybe you simply like riding higher than the crowd for its good visibility, feeling of security and sense of freedom? The technological geniuses who bring us those super small, environmentally friendly road runners haven't been sitting on the sidelines. While it may sound like an oxymoron, there are such things as green sport utility vehicles or their crossover utility siblings already around, with more on the near horizon. (So much for the standing "gas guzzling behemoth" jokes that are a favorite of some ecologically sensitive folks.) (Discover our Top 10 Picks for Green SUVs for 2012 here)

 

January 25, 2012

2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI Wins Most Earth Friendly Car of the Year

2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI - 2012 Earth, Wind & Power Car of the Year - Most Earth Friendly

  • Volkswagen Passat TDI Road Test Review by Martha Hindes

    With hybrid and electric autos taking the share of attention in America these days, is there room for a rebel with a cause? What about a family-sized sedan that takes a different direction from the crowd and plants its reputation solidly on the least popular auto technology, but one of the most promising to come down the interstate in a long time? What if it offered more interior room for five, at less or comparable cost, with higher mileage than its competitors down the block. That might sound like the 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI turbo diesel.

    After a year on the sidelines, the front-drive Passat is making reappearance on the national scene for 2012 with a number of changes. A noticeable transition is its switch from more limited near-luxury level status to a mainstream, competitive cost, made-in-the U.S. participant. This isn't your mother's Passat of yesterday with a hint of snob appeal and exclusivity. This newest offering is meant more for the masses. And if Volkswagen got it right, not only will it put more Passats on the road but will help to bring diesel autos to the forefront.

    Diesel technology has been more rare in America than in other countries for a number of reasons. A major one is the thankfully faded memory of earlier diesel auto tailpipes that belched thick smoke while their engines grunted with the effort of climbing almost any hill. About five years ago industry regulators got serious and began phasing in mandated Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel with more stringent emissions standards that included scrubbing away those annoying bits of grit diesels used to leave behind. Companies like VW, mostly the European brands, responded by bringing in engines that run clean and lean, while generally gaining higher mileage than their gas-fueled counterparts.

    While that might seem like a pretty strong claim, let’s compare some results. The often heavily tax incentivized hybrid cars that mate gasoline engines with battery-powered electric motors have reached the 40 mpg mark and in a few cases more, after years of costly development and continuing market hype. Electric only autos coming on scene require a place to plug in. But the TDI (for turbo diesel injected) version of Passat rips off a cool 31/43 miles to the gallon of diesel fuel with manual transmission, or a no-slouch 30/40 with automatic, all riding on a 2.0-liter, 140-horsepower inline four. The Selective Catalytic Reduction System ensures this earth friendly clean diesel vehicle meets the emissions requirements of all 50 states.

    Those are some of the reasons the Earth, Wind & Power award's jurors chose the Volkswagen Passat TDI as the 2012 Earth, Wind & Power Car of the Year for Most Earth Friendly.

    According to Courtney Caldwell, founder and director of the awards and publisher of Earth, Wind & Power Magazine, the award determined by a field of longtime, well-known auto journalists goes to the production vehicle that contributes most to eliminating pollution and protecting the environment while providing the most exciting, pleasurable and useful driving experience around.

    “The 2012 VW Passat TDI beat out its competition by a landslide,” said Caldwell. "The vehicle not only is fuel efficient and eco-friendly, but its styling, performance, power and pricing leaves one feeling like they’re driving a high performance vehicle with no tell tale signs of lag or noise that other diesel engine vehicles tend to still leave behind." [Full story]

     

January 23, 2012

2012 Hyundai Veloster Wins International Sporty Coupe of the Year - Most Personality

2012 Hyundai Veloster - 2012 International Sporty Coupe of the Year - Most Personality

2012 Hyundai Veloster Named
2012 International Sporty Coupe of the Year
- Most Personality
-

by Road & Travel Magazine

Hyundai Veloster Road Test Review by Martha Hindes

If you're an auto company with a name no one can pronounce correctly, is it any wonder you'd have a few quirks in product as well? We'll address the question directly to the Hyundai (like Sunday) Veloster, the Korean automaker's new, kinda kinky, definitely robust and offbeat little sporty coupe -- or something. The 2012 Hyundai Veloster fits those descriptives like a `T.

Range Rover Evoque Named 2012 International Truck of the Year - Road & Travel MagazineThe designation fits this newcomer so well and has so many interesting facets, that it just won, hands down, the 2012 International Sporty Coupe of the Year -- the one code named "Most Personality." According to ICOTY founder and Road & Travel Magazine publisher Courtney Caldwell, the awards measure the emotional impact a new or substantially revised vehicle has on the psyche. Does it get in your face, grab your attention, demand to be noticed, intrigue you beyond curiosity? In the case of Most Personality touch points, the Hyundai can answer "Yes" times four.

Caldwell knows how such an emotional connection can win an unmatched sense of loyalty from consumers that few products can claim. "The ICOTY Awards are not about power and performance, but rather about personality, passion and personal lifestyle," said Caldwell.

Bridgestone, longtime lead sponsor and supporter of the ICOTY Awards, recognizes the consumer-product relationship as critical to vehicle success. “Bridgestone is proud to support the ICOTY awards, and applauds the Bridgestone Tire - Proud Sponsor of the 2012 International Car of the Year Awards Presented by Road & Travel Magazineefforts of Hyundai that like our company demonstrates a strong commitment to innovative technology,” said Michael Martini, president, Consumer OE, Bridgestone Americas. “Through the combined efforts of everyone in the auto industry, and led by automakers like those being recognized in the 2012 International Car of the Year Awards, we will continue to meet and exceed the demands of the motoring public.” Full Story

January 04, 2012

2012 Green Car Buyer's Guide

Road & Travel Magazine presents its 2012 Green Car Buyer's Guide written by Martha Hindes

by Martha Hindes
Road & Travel Magazine Names Chevy Volt
Most Earth-Friendly Car of the Month

Deciding to drive green isn't an easy task. We can't simply go to a "green store" to swap out yesterday's wasteful wheels for an environmentally correct auto to replace it, since there's more than one remedy. In the past few years, hybrid vehicles that combine a small gasoline engine with a small electric motor have been gaining popularity as one earth-friendly solution. But it's not alone. How about clean diesels now just coming online that no longer belch dark clouds of sooty, smelly grit out of tail pipes? Or plug-in electrics on the horizon that never go near a gas pump and are just beginning to make a buzz.

Flexible fuel vehicles that can scarf down liquified plants or even moonshine to power them have been around for a decade or two. And research is continuing on other futuristic technologies such as fuel cells most people haven't yet heard about.

What's a buyer to do? To help answer that question, RTM has put together its 2012 Green Car Buyer's Guide with some of the various ecologically sensitive, fuel efficient vehicles you can buy today without mortgaging one's future in the process.

We choose the Chevy Volt from today's stable of contenders as our favorite for many reasons -- fuel economy, driving agility, security, interior space and style among them. And besides, it's so hot that dealers and buyers alike are falling all over themselves to get one. Full Guide - click here.