Michael Banovsky
Michael's Recent Reviews
2010 Volkswagen Golf TDI: First Drive
Finally, the car-buying public is giving diesels another look. With one of the most popular models the world has ever seen back on US roads, does the 2010 Golf TDI have what it takes to make consumers love diesel?
2010 Ford Fusion Sport Review
Overshadowed and out-powered by Ford’s new full-sized SHO, the mid-size Fusion Sport is more in keeping with the original SHO’s affordable sleeper sedan characteristics.
2010 Mazda Mazda3 5-Door s Grand Touring Review
The 5-door hatchback model is touted to be the sporty version of the Mazda3, but with a little more power and a lot less fuel-economy, the standard 2.5-liter motor might not be the best option.
2010 Nissan Cube First Drive
With talk about “the economy” comes talk about “downsizing.” Find out why the Nissan Cube is the best money you can spend on a small car…but only if you’re tired of driving just “a car.”
2009 Chevrolet Impala
Despite its appearances in NASCAR victory lanes, the Impala is about as average a car as money will buy. And with the new Malibu being so good, the Impala is certainly less appealing.
2009 Acura TSX
You want power, Acura gives you four cylinders. You want trim choices, Acura gives you two. You want a bargain, the dotted line says $29,160. Is there more to the TSX than price?
2009 Acura RL
If your top-of-the-line luxury sedan isn’t selling, what do you do? Despite being one of the prettiest sedans in history, Acura decided to refresh the RL with blade surfacing, or whatever they call it. Has it worked?
2010 Kia Soul Review
Would you really consider buying a Kia because of its personality? That’s what the Korean car company, long relegated to the bottom of the heap in terms of style, hopes to achieve with the Soul. Can it rival the new-for-2010 Nissan cube — let alone the Toyota Matrix or Suzuki SX4 hatchback?
2009 Honda Pilot
If you can get past the Frigidaire looks, pricey options, and massive size, the all-new Honda Pilot represents the best-ever utility vehicle for the Internet generation.
2009 Honda Fit Sport
The way to the hearts of customers on a shoestring budget isn’t an exact science, but every now and then a vehicle comes along that can be universally loved — even if it is a little cheap.
2009 Nissan Altima
Maybe it’s just us, but when’s the last time anyone bothered to shop beyond the best-selling Honda Accord and Toyota Camry models? If they did, they just may find this compelling Nissan.
2009 Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 have always been fierce competitors. But recently, Honda has stuck to only 4-cylinder CR-V models, while Toyota now offers a V6 for the RAV4. Can the Honda keep up?
Michael's Recent News Posts
Volvo Cars Crash Test Lab Celebrates 10 Years of Controlled Chaos
Where you one of those kids who would smash your toy cars together? If so, I bet your dream job lies in Sweden in Volvo’s crash test laboratory. More than 3,000 full-scale crashes have taken place, making this the most used and (still) most advanced crash research centre on the planet. “We can replicate most…
62 General Motors Plants Eliminate Waste to Landfills
Think the environment is important? Think auto manufacturers are hopelessly out to lunch? Well the photo above shows aluminum shavings that are collected at a General Motors plant and recycled to make new transmission parts. Sixty-two per cent of GM plants have achieved “zero landfill” status, according to a release. That means all normal plant…
Read Emails In-Car with BMW, BlackBerry, and Bluetooth [video]
A few years ago, I was opining that in-car technology was pitiful and useless — mostly because I had no way to connect my iPod to a car stereo — before the days of AUX-in and USB connections BMW and BlackBerry seem to have waded into the next generation of in-car apps with their latest…
From Brazil, With Love: the New Fiat Uno
We love (well, a few of us here love) superminis more than the latest and greatest supercars. Why? They’re honest, unpretentious, and the literal background of many countries across the globe. In South America, there is no typical two-car garage — everything a family does is done in a small car, like the new Fiat…
Porsche Cayman Interseries from Road Atlanta [video]
As if old racing Porsches weren’t cool enough — we proudly display a “hippy” 917 on our desk — someone had the idea to paint new Porsches in historic liveries and go racing. That series is the Cayman Interseries, established in 2009 by Napleton Porsche of Illinois. It’s sanctioned by Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) and…
Justin Timberlake and Audi A1 Team Up in ‘The Next Big Thing’
Justin Timberlake as an IT specialist: worst idea ever? Audi apparently doesn’t feel the same way we do. We feel that nothing can come close to BMW’s The Hire series of Internet films, the other German luxury car maker seems to think that putting an ex-N’Sync member behind the wheel of an A1 to “save…
All-Electric Fiat 500 EV by Atomik Cars
What’s faster, greener, has more traction, and cheaper to run than a “normal” Fiat 500 Abarth? Well, the title of this post and photo have given away the answer. What does Atomik Cars do for you that Fiat doesn’t? First, they install some lithium ion batteries into the cuter-than-Hello Kitty Fiat 500. Then they install…
Ride Remedy iPhone App Makes Carpooling a Breeze
This idea treads dangerously close to our idea of a “hipster hitchhiking” app, that would combine GPS, iPhones, and gold leggings (currently in beta testing) — but using your phone to find a ride to work is a brilliant idea. Provided there are people who are going the same way and aren’t creeps, of course….
Bavarian Police Test BMW X3 for Active Duty
No, somebody’s mother didn’t take Halloween a little too far. The Bavarian Police, presumably unaware of the correlation between shopping bags and the BMW X3, are testing a version of the soft roader for highway duty. The model in question is the X3 xDrive30d — complete with a stonking 218 horsepower six-cylinder diesel engine. Aside…
Confirmed: Gran Turismo 5 to Offer Graphics in 3D
And here we thought our Nintendo NES (yes, the gray original one) was the best gaming system since sliced bread. Actually, this author one of the few people to have completely finished Gran Turismo 4…like three years ago. Heck, the Nissan GT-R was still a concept back then! That GT5 has been such a wait…
Volkswagen Reveals Inventor of the Game Punch Buggy [Video]
Ok, so this is an ad. Obviously. If that wasn’t enough, you can follow Volkswagen’s latest character, Sluggy Patterson, on Twitter. How is this news? First, we love a good game of Punch Buggy. Second, we think it’s the first time an automotive company has made an ad featuring violence caused by the brand. Third,…
Chevrolet to Enter Korean Market in 2011
K-Pop, Kimchi, and…Camaro? From 2011, Korean customers will be able to pick up a slice of Americana like the Camaro, alongside more conventional Chevrolet offerings. The announcement was made at the Busan International Motor Show, by GM Daewoo Auto & Technology President Mike Arcamone. “According to our market research, half of all Koreans are familiar…