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Jill Ciminillo

The 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid goes beyond big. It is well into gargantuan territory. Which isn’t necessarily a good thing. Especially if you live in an urban environment like I do. This tank of a vehicle was kind of like a bull in a China shop with nothing nimble about it.

Petite drivers need not apply.

While I was able to get a great driving position with excellent visibility with the 6-way power adjustable seat combined with the tilt/telescoping steering wheel and power adjustable pedals, everything else about this vehicle was cumbersome for this 5-foot-tall driver.

Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid

Entry and exit was doable with the running boards, but it wasn’t pretty. Especially in a pencil skirt and high heels. The third-row seat is an often necessary feature in growing families who carpool.

But if you need the cargo room over the passenger space, forget about it. The rear seats fold down, but they don’t fold flat. If you need the space, you have to remove these 100-pound suckers from the vehicle. Which is kind of easy as they slide down a track. But lifting them in and out, not so much. Read the rest of this entry »

Jill Ciminillo

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Looking at the all-new Lincoln MKX is like glimpsing the future.

While the MKX is completely redesigned inside and out for 2011, the bigger part of the story is the amazing amount of industry-first technology housed within the attractive egg-shaped package.

I had multiple tech demonstrations during the press preview, and my head is still spinning from the sheer coolness of what Lincoln has produced.

2011 Lincoln MKX

The vision is connectivity. From computer to cell phone to iPod to car, Lincoln is trying to make the transition a little more seamless.

For example, between MyLincoln Touch and the newest iteration of Sync, you can search for MapQuest directions on your computer prior to leaving home, send it to your phone as you head out the door and then sync your phone to the car to download immediate directions without futzing with the nav system.
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Jill Ciminillo

PALO ALTO, Calif.—After a long, hot day, I wanted nothing more than to relax. So, when the silver car sat ready for the drive back to the hotel, driver already behind the wheel, I eyed the front passenger seat and the right rear seat.

It took no more than a second of indecision before I opened the rear door and slid into the back seat. The first thing I did? Opened the center console, grabbed the remote control and set the seat to a Mode 1 massage.

2011 Hyundai Equus

With cool air pulsing from rear vents and gentle rollers sliding up and down my back, I turned on the seat heater, reclined, activated the foot rest and added a seat vibration to the active massage. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and sank into the seat, feeling the day melt away.

Then I promptly forgot my role as navigator and caused my driving partner to miss our first turn.

Back to reality in the 2011 Hyundai Equus, I picked up the route sheet and perked up to pay attention. I did not, however, turn off the massage.

Before my trip to Palo Alto, Calif., I would have sworn the scene I just described was only possible in the likes of a Mercedes-Benz or Maybach. But Hyundai once again raises the bar and presents an impossibly luxurious car at an impossibly accessible price point.
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Jill Ciminillo

WRITER’S NOTE: I would like to dedicate this column to Paul Fausett of Kokomo, Ind. That road trip to Indy included a stop in Kokomo to celebrate my brother-in-law’s birthday. Everyone got a kick out of the car, and it was the last time we were all able to be together before his father, Paul, passed away on August 4, 2010. It was a great moment, and the car played a role. This one’s for you Paul (and Peggy and Karen and Rick) …

“Whoa! Is that the Iron Man car?”

I help teach young kids how to run, and when I pulled up to practice during the test week in the 2010 Audi R8, that was the first question they asked. Even at their tender age they knew this car was something special.

And they didn’t even know anything about the 525-horsepower, V-10 engine under the hood … or in the trunk as the case may be.

I don’t even know where to begin with this review other than to echo my young friends: Whoa!
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Jill Ciminillo

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—I have to admit it. I am slightly underwhelmed by the styling on the all-new 2011 Volkswagen Jetta.

It is conservative, masculine, strong, bold and, well, a little boring. Not that it’s hideous or anything. It’s just that there’s nothing really exceptional that calls your attention to the car. In fact, during the time that I drove the Jetta around San Francisco, not a single person gawked or did a second take.

2011 VW Jetta

That never happens when a completely new car is out and about—and it’s not yet in production. When people see an all-new car, they typically ask questions. So, the only thing I can figure is that no one noticed the 2011 Jetta.

And that’s a damn shame because this new iteration of the Jetta is really nice—especially when you consider a base price of $16K.

For 2011, Volkswagen drops more than $1,000 off the price tag and lines up the Honda Civic in the crosshairs.

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Jill Ciminillo

It took me almost a full week to say this, but I don’t completely hate the 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour. I just mostly hate it.

For the first four days, I felt like Goldie Locks trying to find a comfortable driving position. The driver’s seat ranged from too low to too much lumbar support. I couldn’t get the seatback positioned properly. Then I sat too close to the steering wheel. And then too far from the pedals. I couldn’t quite get the right ratio between pedals, seatback and steering wheel, so every day began with a series of adjustments. Which was rather annoying.

2010 Honda Accord Crosstour

Though, at the end at least, I kind of settled in, and my driving position didn’t completely suck. It just mostly sucked.

Lest you think it’s just me and my petite frame, I should reveal that one of my tweet buddies who sells Hondas mentioned that he had a tall customer who couldn’t quite fit either. His exact reply was: “I got a big guy who doesnt fit in one here right now! LOL WHO IS THIS CAR FOR!! all those pesky average people… geez.”

Average indeed.

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Jill Ciminillo

I love playing the role of taxi driver when I have a test car. As a single woman, I sometimes have a very singular view of the cars I drive. But you put a firefighter or a mom in the passenger seat, and you get a whole new perspective.

This week, I had a mother or two car-seat-sized children in the jump seat, and she fairly oozed all over the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox. The very first thing she pointed out was the amount of rear legroom, which is perfect for a Snap N Go car seat. Or two as the as the case may be.

2010 Chevrolet Equinox

She currently drives a Lexus GX 460, and she said that 3-row behemoth doesn’t have this kind of room.

One downside of the huge legroom, however: It’s really hard to reach the toys if they fall on the floor.

She didn’t check out the rear cargo area, but I suspect the 31.4 cubic-feet of cargo volume is more than adequate to fit a stroller. It was certainly more than enough space for my gym bag, yoga mat and running gear. And the optional cargo cover ($245) is a must if you plan to leave anything in your car and park outside (says the girl who’s had her car broken into twice when a cargo cover wasn’t available).

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Jill Ciminillo

SONOMA, Calif.—With the launch of the all-new 2011 Outlander Sport, Mitsubishi is chasing the holy grail of the auto world: a younger demographic.

And they just might have hit their mark. Especially considering the excellent fit and finish combined with a starting price around $19K.

I was able to take a brief first look at the Outlander Sport a couple weeks ago, and if first impressions mean anything, I think this new compact crossover has some serious potential.

According to Bryan Arnett, senior manager of product strategy at Mitsubishi Motors North America, the Outlander Sport is entering an emerging segment he calls the “lower crossover” segment—the compact, entry-level sort of crossover. So far you have cars like the Hyundai Tucson and the Kia Sportage playing at this level, but he expects it to grow 480 percent by 2013.

So, as far as Mitsubishi is concerned, this is the right vehicle at the right time for a right-sizing population.

I have to agree.

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Jill Ciminillo

I like to root for the underdog. And that’s what I used to think Kia was.

But I have to admit, the all-new Forte is a complete game changer for this Korean automaker. I think Kia is officially equipped to take on the likes of Honda and Toyota.

And win.

2010 Kia Forte Koup

The new Forte has everything I could want in a car from a compact, attractive package to a really decent starting price of $13,695 for the base LX sedan with a manual transmission ($14,695 if you upgrade to the base automatic). The test vehicle happened to be a very hot Forte Koup SX model with a base price of $19,390 (the base EX Koup starts at $16,595). When the test vehicle added the Leather Package ($1,000) and the power sunroof ($700), it had everything on it I could possibly want (including heated front seats), and the as-tested price was a mere $21,090.

I liked the price; I really liked the car. But the true test, according to my boyfriend, is whether or not I would buy it. The answer: Yes.

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Jill Ciminillo

SAN FRANCISCO—OK. I’m just going to put this out there up front. The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is the best Chrysler Group product that I’ve driven. Ever.

I know. Bold. But quite true.

When I saw the row of vehicles parked in front of the guest room buildings at Cavallo Point, they were shiny and pretty. So, I did a quick turn before the media presentation. With a strong, stern stance at the front and an elegant, sleek tail end reminiscent of the BMW X5, the exterior package was spot on.

But don’t let the words “BMW” and “elegant” fool you. This sucker is a Jeep with a 7-slot grill, round headlights and the trapezoidal wheel arches. Oh, and the crazy capability that Jeep delivers on pretty much every vehicle it produces. (We won’t talk about the Compass.)

The 2011 Grand Cherokee is a completely new vehicle, and everything except for two elements have been changed: the four-wheel drive system and the Hemi engine. And, oh, boy, did they do a good job.

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