Handy Auto Guide

The USA TODAY have published a review of the Chevrolet Volt electric car. 'GM won't begin making Volt bodies until late May, so it is using the body and some of the interior of the similar-size Chevy Cruze compact sedan atop the platform that GM says is close to what showroom-ready Volts will have. Two such mules were yanked from GM engineers' test fleet long enough for journalists to roll up a few miles. Once back in the big garage, the cars were abruptly snatched back to the engineering test fleet.'

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A review of the 2008 Pontiac Torrent GXP has been posted over at The Car Connection. 'What's a GXP? It's a new version of the Torrent that Pontiac is putting into the lineup for '08 to help juice up interest in its mid-size, five-door crossover. The package centers around a 3.6-liter V-6 that's massively more powerful than the 3.4-liter V-6 that's been the standard Torrent powerplant since the model's introduction back in 2006. The new engine produces 264 hp, a great leap forward of nearly 80 horsepower over the 3.4's not-so-torrential 185 hp rating.

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CNET have published a review of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class S63 AMG sedan. 'As we set out after a day in the office on our test, we were feeling a bit tired, so activated the S63 AMG's massage seat, choosing a slow and vigorous pummeling from the seat control menu. It was very invigorating, and a luxury that KITT lacked. We found that our car's entertainment system was every bit as good as KITT's, playing music or video from a six-disc changer, and letting us hook up a video game through RCA jacks in the glove box.

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Auto Express have published a "First drive" review of the Peugeot 308 RC Z compact hatchback. 'The 308 RC Z debuted as a concept at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show, and was the star attraction. But with its 1.6-litre engine and six-speed manual gearbox, it didn’t take long for Peugeot to admit the car was much more than a simple design study. Inspiration for the styling has clearly come from Audi’s latest TT, but while there are many similarities between the two cars, a number of things set them apart. The biggest difference will be the price. Peugeot promises the non-turbo 120bhp 1.6-litre VTi model will start from around £17,500, while the flagship RC Z variant is likely to cost in the region of £26,000. Its engine is still in the experimental stage, yet the turbocharged THP version of the 1.6-litre petrol motor Peugeot shares with MINI produces 215bhp and is very impressive.'

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Jalopnik have published their "First Drive" review of the 2008 Fiat 500 Cinquecento. 'Our tester was equipped with the top shelf petrol engine, a 1.4L 16-valve four pot good for a hundred horsepower and mated to a manual six speed. Even though the engine in the tester has the highest output currently available, (Abarth, you can toss us a tester any time) it's sort of a buzzy, lazy lump. Take off is peppy, but it's a flat experience after first gear. Engine braking is not a possibility as the RPMs just jump up to redline without actually providing any resistance. The car tosses into the corner happily, but the crappy tires on the test car protested loudly. We'd be interested to know how cars equipped with better shoes perform. Amusing for this segment is the "Sport" button. As far as we could tell, the purpose of the button was to light up the "Sport" indicator light, that's it.

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The Truth About Cars have published their review of the Infiniti EX35. 'When you make the market’s most un-SUV-like SUV– a large, fast, expensive, thirsty, luggage and mud-aversive vehicle– what do you do for an encore? If you’re Infiniti, you make a virtually identical smaller version that’s slightly less fuel efficient. And how do you convince consumers to buy this $40k FX35 mini-me? You cram it with enough electronics to keep an AWACS crew busy for hours. Strangely, that’s not the best reason to buy an EX35. Hell, it’s not even a good reason. But I’m getting ahead of myself here…

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A review of the 2008 Nissan Titan pickup has been posted over at SearchChicago.com. ‘The 2008 Nissan Titan lineup has expanded this year to deliver more than 25 different combinations of wheelbases (Short or Long); cabs (King, Crew); 2- and 4-wheel drive models; and four trim levels (XE, SE, LE and Pro-4X). It is just this laundry list of combos that helps make the perfect pickup so appealing to such a broad range of consumers. From the base model, look for 4-wheel drive to add about $3,000 while a long wheelbase adds about $400. If you are considering cabs, expect about $2,500-$3,000 to make the jump from King Cab to Crew Cab. My tester was a new long-wheelbase model Crew Cab with 4-wheel drive and the high-end LE trim. Looking at the exterior of the Titan, you cannot help but feel small. Its name implies size and power and it delivers in every category.’

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Inside Line have published a “First drive” review of the 2007 HSV Maloo R8 Ute. ‘Born in 1987 in the Melbourne suburb of Clayton, HSV has grown to become the premier Aussie performance brand. HSV vehicles start at the exit gate of the nearby Holden production line, where they're diverted into the modest confines of a factory consisting not of robots and mechanized assembly lines, but instead human hands and four-post hoists. HSV initially produced only six vehicles each day, but now it produces five times that figure, around 4,700 annually. Though the Clubsport R8 is the king of HSV, the Maloo — an aboriginal word for "storm" or "thunder" — is not far behind. With a 17-year history, the Maloo ute is known for delivering the Clubbie's high-performance hardware in a package that is both lighter and cheaper.’

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AutoMiddleEast.com have published a review of the Toyota Land Cruiser SUV. 'The Land Cruiser is a big car and offers great on-road presence. With a brawny front design and an intimidating rear, the Land Cruiser means business. The massive front along with that enormous bumper lends the Land Cruiser a daunting stance while the chrome grille adds a bit of class to the act. While its bulbous bits at the front (headlamps) and the rear does help the Land Cruiser depart slightly from its predecessors, its masculinity has tended to be toned down, at least in my opinion.

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Motor Trend have published their "First Drive" review of the new 2009 Toyota Corolla sedans. 'Did Toyota send Corolla designers back to the drawing board when it saw our 2006 Car of the Year, the Honda Civic? Toyota says no, the story we've reported for two years isn't true. Sources say otherwise, that designers tore up an earlier design to make the 7/8ths-scale Camry look edgier. Yes, well, six years is a long time between new Corollas. Toyota counters it's not that long, because it's selling nearly 400,000 a year even as the car ages. Whatever you believe, the 2009 Corolla is what you'd expect from Toyota: good news if you need only a highly refined economy car with unimpeachable reliability; not such good news if you were anticipating an avant-garde challenge to the Civic. And it's not sporty, even in sporting iterations. Moderate understeer comes in early and predictably. While small-car tossable, its handling doesn't prompt you to seek out twisty roads or get it loose sliding around on- and off-ramps.'

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