December 11, 2011 by Tom Williams 2 Comments When Volkswagen redesigned the 2011 Jetta, I was actually angry at them, and glad to see the car leave. As a long-time VW fan, and two time (and current) Jetta owner, I felt the brand had abandoned me with this cheap imitation of what was once a quality, fun to drive car. When news came that VW would be offering a new GLI, I was skeptical. I am pleased to report that the new GLI makes up for a lot-but not all of what infuriates me about the current base Jetta. While the drab Jetta SEL nearly put me to sleep just by looking at it, our Tornado Red GLI is remarkably sportier looking in comparison. The changes VW made from the standard Jetta are few, but extremely effective. The GLI’s ride height has been dropped half an inch, the front grille and fascia replaced for a far more aggressive look. Our Autobahn model sported upgraded 18″ wheels and painted brake rotors. Minor changes, but collectively they all … [Read more...] about Review: 2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Autobahn
Mako 18 lts review
2019 Chevy Traverse LT Review: Spacious But Lacking Elsewhere
88GOOD2019 Chevy Traverse LTOverall Impression Stable on the open road.Transmission shifts smoothly.Fuel economy lags behind competition.ProsCargo Capacity Passenger RoomConsAll-Wheel Drive SystemLacks Important Driver-Assist Systems The 2019 Chevy Traverse is ideal for growing families who need to carry extra cargo during the day. It received a complete redesign last year and gets more legroom in the second and third rows. In this regard, it’s set up well against its three-row Japanese competitors like the Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9, and the Subaru Ascent. The Traverse is one of the roomiest three-row crossovers available. And that suited us well this week as we drove the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse AWD LT (Leather). What’s New For 2019 The Chevy Traverse carries over unchanged for the 2019 model year but gets a newly available eight-inch touchscreen. Features & Options: LT Packages Add Goodies The 2019 Chevrolet Traverse AWD LT Leather ($41,000) … [Read more...] about 2019 Chevy Traverse LT Review: Spacious But Lacking Elsewhere
Formula E 2017-18 season review: The best and worst drivers, part II
You can see part one of our countdown of the best and worst drivers here. 10. Nick Heidfeld, Mahindra Racing Championship position: 11th, forty-two points Qualifying H2H: Lost 2-10 (Rosenqvist) It looked as if it was going to be another solid year for Nick Heidfeld and Mahindra Racing after he scored a podium in the first race in Hong Kong. Things took a turn from there for the German however, and while his team-mate Felix Rosenqvist was leading the driver’s championship after scoring two wins, Heidfeld went on a run of seven races with just one top ten finish. This included three retirements in a row including one in Santiago after a clash with Daniel Abt that he accepted was his fault. The second half of his season was much better though, and as Rosenqvist seemed to struggle with the car Heidfeld finished with four solid points finishes. Heidfeld admitted that at forty-one this might have been his last season in the series – Mahindra will miss his experience if it is. 9. … [Read more...] about Formula E 2017-18 season review: The best and worst drivers, part II
Formula E 2017-18 season review: The best and worst drivers, part I
The 2017-18 season was the end of an era for Formula E. It was the last season with the first generation cars, the last time we will see mid-race car swaps and the next few years will see a host of major car manufacturers increase their participation in the sport. Despite a lot of the focus already being on next year, season four still delivered some brilliant racing. Once again there were a host of teams at the top who could challenge for wins, and twelve different drivers stood on the podium throughout the year. Despite the advancement in technology it is still undoubtedly a driver’s series, so TCF thought we would review how each of them got on in 2017-18. 20. Nico Prost, Renault e.dams Championship position: 19th, 8 points Qualifying H2H: Lost 1-11 (Buemi) When e.dams announced that Nico Prost would not be staying with the team as they switched to Nissan support for next season it came as no surprise. The Frenchman has been on a downward spiral performance wise and this year … [Read more...] about Formula E 2017-18 season review: The best and worst drivers, part I
2018 Holden Equinox range review
Holden has had to battle without a compelling mid-size SUV to rival the Mazda CX-5, Hyundai Tucson and Toyota RAV4 for far too long. But finally the brand has something to throw into the fray: the Holden Equinox, sold as a Chevy in North America but retuned by Holden’s engineers to better suit our roads. It’s also a perfect candidate for our latest range review, given we’ve done the same type of test on the rival Mazda CX-5, Ford Escape and Honda CR-V. Price and specs The Equinox LS kicks off the range at $27,990 before on-road costs ($29,990 drive-away), with an extra $2000 required to get the six-speed automatic transmission. The manual is a low-sales price leader only. You get six airbags, 17-inch alloy wheels, a reversing camera with sensors, ISOFIX and top-tether child seat anchors, automatic headlights with LED daytime runners, an Active Noise Cancellation (on LS auto only) system like your headphones, plus a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android … [Read more...] about 2018 Holden Equinox range review