Nissan car reviews

December 24, 2010

Can Chicago warm up to the Leaf?

The attraction of a battery-powered electric car is that it doesn't consume one drop of gas, drain the planet of petroleum, or produce harmful exhaust people inhale.

December 23, 2010

Test Drive: 2011 Nissan Leaf SL

Poring over the new Leaf

Although the all-electric Nissan Leaf went on sale in December in Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona and Tennessee, the rest of the country will have to wait until late in 2011 to see how well-suited it is for colder climes.

6:28 PM EST, December 8, 2010

Nissan Leaf: A revolutionary vehicle that drives like a car

No one loves lofty rhetoric and prosaic hyperbole more than car manufacturers. With a dollar for every time a mundane car was described as "exciting," "revolutionary" or "race-inspired," you could pull an Oprah and buy everyone on your block a Lamborghini.

November 29, 2010

Test Drive: 2011 Nissan Juke review

Nissan Juke feints at SUV, delivers like sports car

Judging from its initial unfocused advertising campaign, Nissan doesn't seem to know exactly what to do with the 2011 Juke. And after a week testing it, I see the problem: It doesn't fit into conventional categories.

4:31 AM EST, December 3, 2010

FFWHEELS

2011 Nissan Juke: light trail duty, heavy road fun

Even in a cool climate for car buying, crossover utility vehicles remain a hot destination. So many buyers have migrated from traditional sport utility vehicles to these car-based alternatives that crossovers are currently the fourth largest segment in the auto industry.

7:03 PM EST, November 12, 2010

Test Drive: 2011 Nissan Rogue SUV review

Restyled Nissan Rogue a right-sized SUV

Nissan was a little late to the compact crossover SUV party -- with only its truckish Xterra to battle car-based products like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Mitsubishi Outlander and Ford Escape -- until the 2008 Nissan Rogue was introduced. The fact that the Rogue was based on the Sentra platform was not encouraging -- the Sentra was fine as an entry-level car, but how would it work as the basis for an SUV?

3:33 PM EDT, August 12, 2010

2010 Versa delivers economy, sensibility

Shortly after man began walking he probably began dreaming of going places while sitting down, and the Nissan Versa fulfills that ancient goal with minimal fanfare and expense.

July 1, 2010

Test Drive: 2010 Nissan Altima 3.5 SR Coupe review

Altima coupe is fun, but more sporty than sports car

Two-door coupe versions of popular four-door sedans have been fading in popularity since designers figured out how to make four doors look sexy. Gone is the Toyota Solara, a two-door Camry. Ford has never sold a two-door version of the Taurus or Fusion, and Chevrolet's Monte Carlo, essentially a two-door Impala, lives on only in the memories of NASCAR fans. Honda still has a two-door Accord, but sales pale compared to the sedan.

April 15, 2010

Well done Nissan Versa hatchback is no econobox

The 2010 Nissan Versa hatchback is an attractive car, with one downright gorgeous feature: The window sticker. At most any trim level, the Versa is one of the best buys in the entry-level category.

March 4, 2010

Test Drive: 2010 Nissan Altima 2.5 S sedan

Jim Mateja: Revamped 2010 Nissan Altima retains good looks, affordability

A variety of vehicles have enjoyed their day in the sun: Wagons until they gave way to minivans, which gave way to SUVs, which bowed to crossovers.

March 6, 2009

Nissan's Cube is coolness in a box

The science of aerodynamics tells us that air is a fluid with its own viscosity and inertia. When an object such as an automobile moves through it, the object is enveloped in a thin layer known as a laminar flow. Where the laminar airflow shears away from the surface it quickly degrades into a chaos of disordered air, or turbulence, which results in energy-sapping drag. The longer and smoother a surface -- the more it approximates a perfect teardrop shape -- the more aerodynamically efficient an object will be.

August 23, 2009

Test Drive: 2009 Nissan Cube S

Jim Mateja: Nissan Cube aims at young buyers from right angle

Move over, Aztek. You've lost the ugly crown to the Cube.

May 31, 2009

Test Drive: 2009 Nissan 370Z coupe

New 370Z flashes Japanese muscle

Chevy has the Camaro; Ford, the Mustang; Dodge, the Challenger.

April 16, 2008

RUMBLE SEAT

Rumble Seat: 2009 Nissan GT-R

I know what you want from me. You think I'm just your little word slut, that I'm here just to arouse you with steamy descriptions of the new and instantly legendary Nissan GT-R. You want me to parade around in frilly verbiage, like: "The acceleration of the twin-turbo, all-wheel-drive, 480-hp GT-R is much like a 50-yard field goal in the NFL, wherein your butt is the football." Sigh. I feel so used.