© 1999-2008 Shopping.com, Inc. This feed is subject to our terms of use: http://www.epinions.com/help/rss_terms http://www.epinions.com/user-mkaresh Recent reviews written by member mkaresh en-us 121 37 http://www.epinions.com/ http://img.epinions.com/images/epi_images/logos/epinions_121.gif http://www.epinions.com/content_443799342724?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - The Nissan Maxima, and the 810 before it, was a fairly popular car. But it was the 1989 redesign, complete with subtle "4DSC" decals in the rear door windows (for "4-door sports car", that really launched the model and proved that Japan could create a... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~443799342724 Fri, 5 Sep 2008 18:26:33 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_443799342724?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_442913099396?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - General Motors and Ford have both put on hold, perhaps forever, plans to offer V8-powered rear-wheel-drive sedans fully competitive with the best from Germany and Japan. They're running short on resources, and with gas prices around $4 future demand... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~442913099396 Sun, 31 Aug 2008 21:49:41 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_442913099396?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_436783320708?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - I’m a big fan of compact hatchbacks. But the first-gen Toyota Matrix didn’t work for me. The driving position was odd, especially with a manual transmission, performance with the base engine was tepid, and the chassis had no strengths worth mentioning... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~436783320708 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:31:57 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_436783320708?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_435786321540?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - I first drove the Subaru Forester five years ago, and discovered a vehicle like no other. The exterior was compact, and so was the rear seat. But the seating position was moderately high, and the roof even higher, for excellent headroom and visibility... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~435786321540 Wed, 2 Jul 2008 14:16:20 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_435786321540?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_433821617796?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - Since its redesign for the 2006 model year, the Hyundai Sonata has been a thoroughly competitive midsize sedan, complete with clean styling, a strong optional V6, roomy interior, and relatively low price. What it didn't offer: much in the way of style or... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~433821617796 Sun, 15 Jun 2008 19:38:57 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_433821617796?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_432835235460?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - Five years ago, Honda filled the space vacated by the four-door Integra by rebadging the more compact, four-cylinder-only European-market Accord as an Acura. Underpowered and undersized by current American standards, the first TSX carved out a niche for... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~432835235460 Fri, 6 Jun 2008 23:18:27 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_432835235460?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_432054308484?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - With the 2003 Pilot, Honda was the first mainstream brand to offer a car-based SUV with a third row of seats. It didn't matter that even an Odyssey minivan was more fun to drive. Families wanted a third row without the stigma of a minivan or the bulk of... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~432054308484 Sat, 31 May 2008 13:30:36 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_432054308484?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_431640448644?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - Another year has passed since I first drove the Mazda CX-9, and I still haven't pulled the trigger on a more family-friendly vehicle. So my Mazda Protege5 is still being used to transport three kids on a daily basis. I can see how a larger vehicle with... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~431640448644 Tue, 27 May 2008 16:39:08 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_431640448644?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_430930824836?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - On paper, the new Pontiac G8 looks like the most sedan you can buy for $30,000. For this price, you get a 361-horsepower V8, all-independent rear-drive chassis, and roomy interior. Too good to be true? I took one for a test drive to find out... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~430930824836 Wed, 21 May 2008 18:43:59 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_430930824836?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_430656032388?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - It's been a dozen years since Honda and Toyota introduced the first car-based compact SUVs to the American market. Figuring "better late than never," Volkswagen is the last major automaker to enter this segment, with the 2009 Tiguan. Honda and Toyota are... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~430656032388 Mon, 19 May 2008 21:42:47 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_430656032388?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_429809241732?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - I've been enamored with the latest 3-Series ever since first driving the 2006 330i nearly three years ago. Adding a couple of small turbos to create the 2007 335i merely cranked things up a notch or two. And now, for 2008, we have the 414-horsepower... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~429809241732 Mon, 12 May 2008 21:28:29 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_429809241732?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_428485938820?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - Dodge has a glorious tradition of &#147quick and dirty&#148 high-performance compacts extending from the Omni GLH of the 1980s through the Neon SRT4 of this decade. The latest offering drops a 285-horsepower 2.4-liter turbo four into the engine bay of... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~428485938820 Fri, 2 May 2008 00:19:19 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_428485938820?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_427812818564?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - By a rough count, this is my 500th review. Nearly all of these reviews have been of cars. I've driven a lot of cars. Perhaps for this reason, I find it harder and harder to be impressed by a car. Maybe this is why the Jaguar XF failed to impress me... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~427812818564 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 00:43:49 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_427812818564?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_426029715076?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - The original Nissan Murano had one of those designs that I hated at first, but liked the more I saw it. A bunch of unusual design elements managed to form a coherent whole unlike any other vehicle (well, before the copies appeared). The interior and... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~426029715076 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:18:25 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_426029715076?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_423914737284?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - I count myself among those enthusiasts who would gladly trade a healthy dose of horsepower and gadgetry for a lower curb weight and sharper handling. Unfortunately, even an enthusiast-oriented maker like BMW has loaded on the inches, features, and pounds... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~423914737284 Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:06:30 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_423914737284?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_421996760708?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - Chrysler thought it had a segment-busting winner with the 2004 Pacifica. Neither car, minivan, nor SUV, the luxurious large "crossover" was to play a key role in Chrysler's planned move upscale. But car buyers didn't bite, and Chrysler was forced to... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~421996760708 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:24:44 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_421996760708?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_417978224260?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - Among imported brands, Subaru and Volvo have always done especially well with wagons. When the SUV craze hit, Subaru responded by offering an "Outback" variant of its Legacy wagon. The Outback's unexpected success must have caught Volvo's attention, for... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~417978224260 Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:10:19 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_417978224260?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_415509352068?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - Volvo hasn't had an easy time broadening the brand behind its traditional "solid and safe" image. The pricey R performance series was ultimately a bust. Maybe a relatively inexpensive hot hatch will do the trick? Easy enough to find out: take the... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~415509352068 Tue, 5 Feb 2008 01:29:13 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_415509352068?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_414227664516?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - Compact luxury sport sedans are hot. So are crossovers. So why not a compact luxury sport crossover? I'm actually not sure why not, but the few such crossovers that have been offered--the Acura RDX, BMW X3, and Land Rover LR2--have failed to sell as well... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~414227664516 Sat, 12 Jan 2008 13:38:28 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_414227664516?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_409303289476?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - A few months ago I drove content_376825220740 the new 2008 Saturn VUE XR. While I was impressed by the XR’s interior quality and general level of refinement, it was not a vehicle I’d recommend to a driving enthusiast. Then again, that’s what the Red Line... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~409303289476 Mon, 3 Dec 2007 18:52:12 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_409303289476?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_408189767300?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - A few weeks ago I reviewed the new 2008 Chevrolet Malibu LS, and found it surprisingly good for a base trim four-cylinder midsize sedan. I had wanted to drive an uplevel trim with the 252-horsepower 3.6-liter DOHC V6, but none of the dealers I called had... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~408189767300 Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:37:35 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_408189767300?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_407565995652?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - Time and again over the years, auto journalists and driving enthusiasts have pleaded with GM and Ford to offer their European products in the U.S., to "give us the good stuff." A few times, GM and Ford have granted such wishes, and we received the... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~407565995652 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 02:22:06 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_407565995652?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_407295725188?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - When Jeep replaced the classic, ultra-boxy Cherokee with the Liberty back for the 2002 model year, many Jeep loyalists took an instant dislike to the new vehicle's round nose and generally softer lines. Yes, the front end paid homage to the Wrangler, but... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~407295725188 Wed, 7 Nov 2007 23:23:21 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_407295725188?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_407128411780?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - Part of me has wanted a Chevrolet Corvette pretty much forever. But the actual experience of driving GM's high-performance sports car has often proved disappointing. Compared to other sports cars, past Corvettes have seemed too large and too crude. Even... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~407128411780 Mon, 5 Nov 2007 22:53:09 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_407128411780?linkin_id=8003929 http://www.epinions.com/content_406862270084?linkin_id=8003929 rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author mkaresh - Back in the mid-1990s, Honda and Toyota recognized the need for a vehicle that combined car-like dynamics with the utility and styling of an SUV, and created a new market segment with the CR-V and RAV4. In the years since they've totally redesigned these... http://www.epinions.com/content/submit.html/comment_~406862270084 Thu, 1 Nov 2007 22:19:06 GMT http://www.epinions.com/content_406862270084?linkin_id=8003929