vLane Blog

Articles Matching “SUV”

• Community Review: 2001 Ford Escape

  Banovsky on November 10, 2009

  Especially with car buyers trying to save every last penny, our vehicle reviews are an invaluable resource. Every now and then, we'd like to highlight some of the great reviews our community members write at vLane. This time, it's a Ford Escape.

  Reviewer csqrd loves the driving position in her 2001 Ford Escape :

  With the Ford Escape, I can sit in the driver’s seat and my leg can touch the ground. Although it does sit lower, you still have that “off the ground” feeling while driving.

  We're happy that she uses the Escape as it was intended to be used:

  We have hauled everything from people to landscape timbers. The back seats fold down flat, so you have ample space to work with. The back seat is split so you can still have a passenger in the back with some of the seat folded down for cargo. The seats are very easy to manipulate, and it only takes seconds to fold them down.

  Even better? The Escape has been reliable:

  I have had very few problems with this car, and no major mechanical problems. I am religious about getting the oil changed and keeping up with tire maintenance, etc. At 90,000 miles I had a full tune-up done, and it required new spark plugs and a couple of new hoses. It is about time for another full-tune-up.

  Click over to read the whole review, and don't forget to submit your own!

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under SUV, Ford, vLane, community, 2001, Community review, Escape

• 2010 Nissan Rogue Krōm

  Banovsky on November 2, 2009

  OK, so the Nissan Rogue isn't an off-road vehicle. It's designed for urban dwellers who want some additional space, higher driving position, and vehicle content over a conventional sedan. Well, that's at least what the marketers tell us.

  

  You've gotta love that centre exhaust…

  But for 2010, the Rogue joins the Cube as the second Nissan vehicle to get the "Krōm" treatment. What's that, you ask? Well, according to Nissan, it's "…designed to offer a unique dimension to traditional compact sport utility vehicles with its aggressive sport styling, exclusive 17-inch wheels and a centre-exit sport-tuned exhaust."

  Price? No idea. But it is available in front of all-wheel-drive trim levels. And yeah — it has that sexy centre exhaust.

  Click through for more photos and the release.

  Read full article | Comments (1) | Filed under News, SUV, Crossover, Nissan, SUV, Rogue, Krom, special edition

• 2010 Nissan Rogue Krōm

  Banovsky on November 2, 2009

  OK, so the Nissan Rogue isn't an off-road vehicle. It's designed for urban dwellers who want some additional space, higher driving position, and vehicle content over a conventional sedan. Well, that's at least what the marketers tell us.

  

  You've gotta love that centre exhaust…

  But for 2010, the Rogue joins the Cube as the second Nissan vehicle to get the "Krōm" treatment. What's that, you ask? Well, according to Nissan, it's "…designed to offer a unique dimension to traditional compact sport utility vehicles with its aggressive sport styling, exclusive 17-inch wheels and a centre-exit sport-tuned exhaust."

  Price? No idea. But it is available in front of all-wheel-drive trim levels. And yeah — it has that sexy centre exhaust.

  Click through for more photos and the release.

  Read full article | Comments (1) | Filed under News, SUV, Crossover, Nissan, SUV, Rogue, Krom, special edition

• Feature: The Porsche Cayenne, on-track and off-road

  Banovsky on October 12, 2009

  If I had a better memory, I could have told you when I first heard Porsche was making an SUV. I do remember I wasn’t pleased. Actually, I was so upset I’d drafted a letter to the head of Porsche Cars North America. It sits, never sent, on the hard drive of a computer long deceased.

  

  The Cayenne Turbo S on-track at Mosport

  Since, I’ve driven the Cayenne on several occasions. And what I feel for Porsche’s SUV is very much parallel to my own life: that youthful rage and sense of purpose has subsided, into a more adult-like sense of responsibility.

  Not unlike Porsche itself. It’s taken them 50 years to come from giant-killing sub-2.0-litre race cars like the 550 Spyder and 904, to producing a vehicle in the relentless pursuit of profit. For years, the company was happy to earn extra cash, helping fellow automakers by providing engineering assistance; a kind of high performance know-how that resulted in 90s rockets like the Audi RS2 and Mercedes-Benz E500.

  And when faced with the realization their whole model range rested on the back of the legendary 911 sports car, a rarified market that comes and goes during each global recession, the company did the same thing I’d do if I made cola: invent a product that had less of the expensive syrup (sports car capability) and more filler (profit margin.) Let’s call it diet…

  Click through a hot lap video and more photos!

  Read full article | Comments (1) | Filed under SUV, Feature, Porsche, SUV, tracking, 2009, Original, Cayenne, race track, Mosport, David Empringham, 959, GTS, Turbo S

• Feature: The Porsche Cayenne, on-track and off-road

  Banovsky on October 12, 2009

  If I had a better memory, I could have told you when I first heard Porsche was making an SUV. I do remember I wasn’t pleased. Actually, I was so upset I’d drafted a letter to the head of Porsche Cars North America. It sits, never sent, on the hard drive of a computer long deceased.

  

  The Cayenne Turbo S on-track at Mosport

  Since, I’ve driven the Cayenne on several occasions. And what I feel for Porsche’s SUV is very much parallel to my own life: that youthful rage and sense of purpose has subsided, into a more adult-like sense of responsibility.

  Not unlike Porsche itself. It’s taken them 50 years to come from giant-killing sub-2.0-litre race cars like the 550 Spyder and 904, to producing a vehicle in the relentless pursuit of profit. For years, the company was happy to earn extra cash, helping fellow automakers by providing engineering assistance; a kind of high performance know-how that resulted in 90s rockets like the Audi RS2 and Mercedes-Benz E500.

  And when faced with the realization their whole model range rested on the back of the legendary 911 sports car, a rarified market that comes and goes during each global recession, the company did the same thing I’d do if I made cola: invent a product that had less of the expensive syrup (sports car capability) and more filler (profit margin.) Let’s call it diet…

  Click through a hot lap video and more photos!

  Read full article | Comments (1) | Filed under SUV, Feature, Porsche, SUV, tracking, 2009, Original, Cayenne, race track, Mosport, David Empringham, 959, GTS, Turbo S

• What's the best V8-powered mid-sized off-road capable SUV?

  Banovsky on September 14, 2009

  What wins, on-road Japanese prowess or off-road American muscle?

  Powered by vLane.com See more | Create your own!

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under SUV, Toyota, Nissan, off-road, HUMMER, Poll

• vLane reviews: Subaru Forester, Honda CR-V, and Chevrolet Equinox

  Banovsky on September 1, 2009

  OK, so you're in the market for a compact crossover? But which to choose? We've assembled reviews of our favourites, and want you to vote on which one you'd have in your driveway.

  The cars

  

  The Forester: "The fact that the Subaru Forester is Motor Trend’s 2009 Sport Utility Vehicle of the Year is no fluke; Subaru’s back-to-basics approach on what drivers actually need in a vehicle means that you get a lot of performance and safety for your dollar."

  

  The CR-V: "Driving the CR-V is, well, largely unexciting. Its 4-cylinder engine is punchy and moves the vehicle well, and is about all you’d ever need. Around town, you can tell that Honda put a premium on ease-of-use, driver comfort, convenience, and fuel economy."

  

  The Equinox: "…it's proof that the company is committed to producing products that are relevant to the average consumer. It's not puffed up on navel gazing market research (Malibu Maxx, anyone?) but fits the needs of a large portion of the population."

  Powered by vLane.com See more | Create your own!

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under Honda, SUV, Crossover, Advice , Subaru, Chevrolet, SUV, 2010, 2009, vLane, Equinox, Forester, CR-V

• vLane reviews: Subaru Forester, Honda CR-V, and Chevrolet Equinox

  Banovsky on September 1, 2009

  OK, so you're in the market for a compact crossover? But which to choose? We've assembled reviews of our favourites, and want you to vote on which one you'd have in your driveway.

  The cars

  

  The Forester: "The fact that the Subaru Forester is Motor Trend’s 2009 Sport Utility Vehicle of the Year is no fluke; Subaru’s back-to-basics approach on what drivers actually need in a vehicle means that you get a lot of performance and safety for your dollar."

  

  The CR-V: "Driving the CR-V is, well, largely unexciting. Its 4-cylinder engine is punchy and moves the vehicle well, and is about all you’d ever need. Around town, you can tell that Honda put a premium on ease-of-use, driver comfort, convenience, and fuel economy."

  

  The Equinox: "…it's proof that the company is committed to producing products that are relevant to the average consumer. It's not puffed up on navel gazing market research (Malibu Maxx, anyone?) but fits the needs of a large portion of the population."

  Powered by vLane.com See more | Create your own!

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under Honda, SUV, Crossover, Advice , Subaru, Chevrolet, SUV, 2010, 2009, vLane, Equinox, Forester, CR-V

• Refreshed Audi Q7 on-sale this fall

  Banovsky on September 1, 2009

  We're not too crazy about the Audi Q7 as it is, but fans of the vehicle should probably hold off their purchases until this "refreshed" 2010 model is at their local dealer.

  

  The 2010 Audi Q7

  So what's different? The big news is an "energy recovery system" that sounds like regenerative braking, but aren't too sure what that entails…we'll let you know as soon as we do!

  The base model is powered by a 280 horsepower 3.6-liter V6 will start from $46,900, the 3.0-litre V6 TDI diesel with 240 hp from $50,900, and the top-level 4.2-litre V8 with 350 hp for $61,000.

  Exterior changes for 2010 include new alloy wheels, updated bumpers, revised exterior lights, reworked single frame grille in gloss black with chrome strips, and new lower body panel trim on all models.

  Inside? Optional ventilated front seats, new "decorative trim" on the passenger side dashboard, ambient lighting on all four doors, an upgraded MMI system, additional interior chrome accents, and a new instrumentation font. Hooray.

  The updated Q7 goes on sale in September.

  Read More:

  • Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid Experimental Safety Vehicle
  • 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe
  • Porsche Panamera Trailer Hitch

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under Future, News, SUV, Audi, SUV, 2010, MEH, Q7

• Refreshed Audi Q7 on-sale this fall

  Banovsky on September 1, 2009

  We're not too crazy about the Audi Q7 as it is, but fans of the vehicle should probably hold off their purchases until this "refreshed" 2010 model is at their local dealer.

  

  The 2010 Audi Q7

  So what's different? The big news is an "energy recovery system" that sounds like regenerative braking, but aren't too sure what that entails…we'll let you know as soon as we do!

  The base model is powered by a 280 horsepower 3.6-liter V6 will start from $46,900, the 3.0-litre V6 TDI diesel with 240 hp from $50,900, and the top-level 4.2-litre V8 with 350 hp for $61,000.

  Exterior changes for 2010 include new alloy wheels, updated bumpers, revised exterior lights, reworked single frame grille in gloss black with chrome strips, and new lower body panel trim on all models.

  Inside? Optional ventilated front seats, new "decorative trim" on the passenger side dashboard, ambient lighting on all four doors, an upgraded MMI system, additional interior chrome accents, and a new instrumentation font. Hooray.

  The updated Q7 goes on sale in September.

  Read More:

  • Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid Experimental Safety Vehicle
  • 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe
  • Porsche Panamera Trailer Hitch

  Read full article | Comments (0) | Filed under Future, News, SUV, Audi, SUV, 2010, MEH, Q7