The Basics: Small SUVs sometimes earn the nickname “cute-utes,” and it’s never been more true. Trucky imitation is so 2005; crossovers like the Kia Sportage are sleek little gym shoes, packing the same convenience in much more stylish duds. It’s grown up and out, in size and price and performance, and that means the latest Sportage is now in the… See the original post:  2012 Kia Sportage

The Basics: The Honda Pilot might at first glance look like yesterday’s news—the kind of ruggedly styled, truck-based SUV that’s gone out of favor. But in truth, it’s one of the better choices for everyday, on-the-road family use—especially if you’re the type to eschew minivans—and the overtly boxy body yields an especially roomy… More:  2012 Honda Pilot

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: CHRIS DOANE AUTOMOTIVE Additional camouflage has dropped from prototypes of Ford’s upcoming 2013 Escape, revealing more than ever just ahead of the crossover’s L.A. auto show debut next month. What has emerged, it seems, is an evolutionary design of the outgoing European Ford Kuga, which itself looks like the lovechild of the new Focus and a Toyota RAV4. We had kind of hoped that Ford’s first “world” crossover would retain more of the character of the Vertrek concept —which previewed this model—than apparently it will. An interior shot provides a glimpse of tunneled gauges and a center stack arrangement much like that of other recent new Fords. A screen appears tucked deep inside a binnacle at the top-dead center of the dash. Don’t look for the capacitive touch controls like those found on the Explorer/Edge inside this particular Escape; this prototype features buttons all the way, and lots of them. That said, we expect that a (hopefully much-improved) version of MyFord Touch will be offered. As we previously reported, Ford has confirmed that the Escape will be powered solely by four-cylinder engines and will offer no hybrid option. Given that the only Escape Americans know is a squared-off box on wheels that dates back to 2001, this new one will probably be well-received. Anyone who’s been to Europe and seen a Kuga, however, may be less surprised that Ford can pump out a cute ute that’s handsome and decent to drive. We’ll have the full details and an undisguised look at the 2013 Escape in the coming days. See original here: 2013 Ford Escape Spied With Minimal Camo Prior to L.A. Debut View original post here: 2013 Ford Escape Spied With Minimal Camo Prior to L.A. Debut

Suzuki may not be selling a whole lot of cars these days, but we think this roofless Grand Vitara Marine concept the automaker is bringing to SEMA contains some winning elements. The Marine concept began life as a 2012 Grand Vitara SUV—which has a fair bit of off-road chops—but was completely redone with a nautical theme by students at Ohio Technical College for the SEMA show. To beef up the Grand Vitara for marine duty, OTC students jacked the suspension skyward with a lift kit and fitted upsized chrome wheels wrapped in meaty off-road tires. There’s a tough-looking front Bull bar bumper and winch, tubular side steps, a hood scoop, and the door handles were shaved. The biggest modification to the Grand Vitara was the removal of its roof; it’s replaced by a speedboat-style basket handle over the rear, to which a pair of spotlights and two fishing poles were mounted. The front doors are pillarless, and the side glass was cut to resemble the tapering style of a speedboat’s wraparound windshield. Other nautical touches include a surfboard-shaped rearview mirror and wave graphics behind the front wheels. The Marine concept’s rear-mounted Suzuki outboard motor does go, ahem, overboard with the boat theme a bit. The Grand Vitara Marine concept looks a bit like a remastered Isuzu Amigo convertible, which we dig. Spare us the apparently pointless outboard motor, cheesy body-side graphics, and the fishing poles, and we’d happily hit the trails in this one. View post: Suzuki Bringing Student-Built Grand Vitara Marine Concept to SEMA Read the rest here:  Suzuki Bringing Student-Built Grand Vitara Marine Concept to SEMA

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The Basics: Compact crossovers–cute-utes, if you want–make up a crowded field, one with some strong sellers among them. The Ford Escape is 11 years old, and it’s still a huge hit. Honda’s CR-V lingers near the top ten of sales charts, too. For years, Hyundai’s entry in the class was the underwhelming Tucson, but in 2010, it was redesigned to… Here is the original: 2012 Hyundai Tucson

The Basics: The 2012 Hyundai Veracruz is conservative to a fault. It lacks the pizazz of a seven-seat Ford Flex or the hybrid aura of a Toyota Highlander. Instead, it executes the basics of family vehicles very well, with ample room and good safety scores occasionally tempered by its lower gas mileage and cargo space. Anonymous but handsome still… See original here:  2012 Hyundai Veracruz

The Basics: Nissan’s subcompact Versa has always felt a little more substantial and comfortable than most other cars in its class of small, on-a-budget choices. The same rings true for the redesigned, restyled 2012 Versa, even though Nissan has importantly managed to boost gas mileage by several miles per gallon across the lineup. Technically… Original post:  2012 Nissan Versa

The Basics: Priced and equipped with families in mind, the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe isn’t especially exciting to drive or to look at, but it’s a very well-executed crossover vehicles with excellent safety scores and some made-in-America credibility. Competing with smaller utes like the Honda CR-V and Ford Escape, and bigger seven-seaters like the… View post:  2012 Hyundai Santa Fe

Anyone sick of the photos from the Rennsport Reunion yet? Me neither. Here’s another golden photo from the peach state’s own Bill Ibsen of a flatnose 935 at Laguna. More » See the original post here: Your ridiculously cool flatnose Porsche 935 wallpaper is here [Car Porn] Here is the original:  Your ridiculously cool flatnose Porsche 935 wallpaper is here [Car Porn]

We embark on a mileage marathon of over 40 mpg to see if old tech can be massaged to hang with the car of tomorrow. Like some pro party animal tripping across the 40-year threshold into middle age, today’s car world is fraught with 40-mpg angst. Even Ferraris and F-150s are heading toward the big Four-Oh by gummint decree. The good news: We get to curb Middle Eastern oil-freighter traffic while enjoying new strides in efficiency. Major mpg has escaped the lab and infiltrated our new-car fleet, and everybody feels like a winner. Keep Reading: 2011 Chevrolet Volt vs. Chevrolet Cruze Eco – Comparison Tests Read the rest here: Chevrolet Volt and Cruze Eco Compared: Can Massaged Old Tech Hang with the Car of Tomorrow? View original here:  Chevrolet Volt and Cruze Eco Compared: Can Massaged Old Tech Hang with the Car of Tomorrow?

A minor traffic accident involving Jackass star Brandon “Bam” Margera in Pennsylvania’s scenic Chester County turned bizarre when the driver at fault reportedly became giddy who he’d hit. More » See the original post here: Jackass star walks away from car crash [Bam Magera] View original post here: Jackass star walks away from car crash [Bam Magera]

Common sense is a gift that often goes unappreciated, especially by people who don’t give a shit. Those who deliver such wisdom passionately can sometimes let a detail slide, here and there. When that happens, expect some wiseass to step in. More » Go here to read the rest: COTD: Brooks bothers edition [Commenter Of The Day] Read more here:  COTD: Brooks bothers edition [Commenter Of The Day]

It’s only race two into Formula One’s first significant post-season since 2004 and the tedium is already mounting. Even if the new track in India is pretty damn good. Warning: spoilers. More » Original post: The 2011 Indian Grand Prix in Crayola [Crayola F1] Read more here:  The 2011 Indian Grand Prix in Crayola [Crayola F1]

Brian Vickers took Nascar back to its rough-and-tumble short track days this past weekend at Martinsville, VA. It didn’t look like the other drivers were too happy about it as he crashed out five times. More » Here is the original: Watch an angry Nascar driver crash five times in one race [Video] See the original post here: Watch an angry Nascar driver crash five times in one race [Video]