Picture Gallery: 2009 Honda Pilot Touring     | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Discuss

Day 3:

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The Honda Pilot is not a small vehicle. I drove the previous generation version and thought it was fairly sizeable, but this new 2009 model is even bigger, and it feels it. Honda seems to have gone the truck direction with the unit-body constructed Pilot — that is, even though it isn’t a body-on-frame design, they tuned the suspension and driving dynamics in that direction. More…

Picture Gallery: 2009 Kia Borrego EX V8     | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Discuss

Day 1:

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Funny (well, not funny-haha) how Kia reminds me of Hyundai. To me, Kia is the brand nobody wants to touch and the one that needs to compete on price, just like Hyundai had to do barely five years ago. Now that Hyundai is up there with the Toyotas and Hondas and GMs of the world on my list of car manufacturers to choose from, let’s see if Kia can make the list. More…

Picture Gallery: 2009 Suzuki Grand Vitara     | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Discuss

Day 1:

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Public relations people can be quite the bunch. They are typically very nice, can help get you any information you require on a product or get you in contact with someone who can — but I wasn’t expecting this. Suzuki somehow has enough pull in their PR department to ensure I am able to test the new 2009 Grand Vitara’s four wheel drive capabilities by dumping 15cm of snow on the city! More…

Picture Gallery: 2008 Nissan Rogue SL AWD     | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Discuss

Day 1:

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It is no GT-R, but more of a mainstream Nissan vehicle for me this week. Now, I am behind the wheel of the Nissan Rogue. My tester is an SL AWD model with the premium package. This cute-ute was released as a new model late 2007 as a 2008 model, replacing the X-Trail in Canada as Nissan’s smallest SUV. More…

Picture Gallery: 2009 Ford Flex Limited AWD     | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Discuss

Day 1:

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The first time I saw this week’s tester in the “flesh,” as they say, I could have sworn it was bigger than a full-sized SUV or pick-up truck, even though it is classified as a crossover. When I picked up my tester in the morning, I had the same impression — this is one large vehicle. But, when I parked the 2009 Ford Flex next to a full-sized vehicle, I realized it isn’t as large as I had first thought… on the outside at least. More…

Picture Gallery: 2009 Dodge Journey     | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Discuss

Day 1:

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When Dodge introduced the new Grand Caravan and its Chrysler sibling, the company decided to no longer offer a short wheelbase version. That little family hauler was being cleared out for peanuts at the end of its life; it was surprising that Dodge decided to no longer offer the smaller van, especially with gas prices on the rise. But now comes the Dodge Journey for 2009: an SUV with a small engine, ripe to fill that gap. More…

Picture Gallery: 2008 Suzuki Grand Vitara JLX     | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Discuss

Day 1:

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This week, a lesser-known — and seen — vehicle hits my driveway: the Suzuki Grand Vitara. This is not a vehicle you see that often (at least I don’t in my travels) but it offers exceptional value for money in the compact SUV category. More…

Picture Gallery: 2008 Saturn Vue     | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Discuss

Day 1:

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Just when gas prices seem to be at an all-time high across the country, my vehicle this week is the stylish new Saturn Vue SUV, but not just any Vue: a hybrid version and GM’s answer to Ford’s Escape Hybrid. Starting at only $30,790, the Saturn Vue Hybrid is less expensive than Ford’s Escape but only available in a front wheel drive variant. More…

Picture Gallery: 2009 Nissan Murano SL AWD     | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Discuss

Day 1:

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The Murano’s look has always been a rather bold design. When first introduced in 2003, it was fairly radical and still looks somewhat futuristic. New for 2009 is an even bolder Murano, more sculpted and more sporty-looking, with cleaned-up lines for a more cohesive and appealing design — especially at the rear of the vehicle. More…

Picture Gallery: 2008 Ford Sport Trac     | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Discuss

Day 1:

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Last week was nice having a sporty coupe with the weather turning better and all, but this week it is time to get my hands dirty. I have a few projects I wanted to get done around the house and a truck is the perfect companion to help with the materials gathering. More…