Buick has reincarnated the Regal for 2011 as a mid-size sedan born and built in Germany, but eventually to be built in North America. It’s based on the same platform as the Opel Insignia, which won major awards last year in Europe. Six inches shorter than the popular LaCrosse, the Regal is an all-new car for Buick. We got a first look at a GM media preview event last year in Detroit, but got an up close and personal preview on a trip from Atlanta to Gulf Shores, Alabama and back, that included 10 days of in-town resort-area driving. read more »

The new Chevrolet Cruze is the best small car GM has offered in North America in decades. It replaces the serviceable, but boring, Cobalt, and like the successful Buick LaCrosse, the Cruze was jointly engineered by GM in Asia, Europe and the U.S. It enters the most competitive segment of the passenger-car market, proudly going head-to-head read more »

Buick ditched its poor-selling SUV wannabe Rendezvous and Rainier in 2008, along with the Terraza minivan. Taking their place was the all-new crossover SUV, the Buick Enclave — a luxury crossover sport utility. It seats up to eight, features the passenger and cargo room of truck-based SUVs, utilizes car-like unibody construction for a pleasant ride read more »

There’s more than one reason the Honda Civic has a lock on its position at the top of the compact class — reliability, refinement, and a broad model line ranging from the eco-friendly Civic Hybrid to the racy Civic Si. For 2010, the Honda Civic is essentially unchanged from 2009 when styling was freshened up after the last redesign in the 2006 model year. We’ve had opportunities to drive all the sedan and coupe versions of the Civic, except the natural gas powered GX. read more »

The 2010 GMC Terrain is a new addition to the GMC lineup. It’s a crossover SUV that offers bolder, more assertive styling than its Chevrolet sibling, the 2010 Equinox. Riding on a platform shared with the Equinox, the GMC Terrain might be considered the little brother to GMC’s successful full-size Acadia crossover. It boasts a pleasing exterior package and ample room inside, with thoughtful features that maximize both cargo and passenger capacity. Front-wheel drive is standard, with four-wheel drive an option. read more »

Ten hours after a five-alarm blaze erupted at Arnold’s Home Furnishings in the 3500 block of Kitsap Way in West Bremerton, firefighters are still mopping up hot spots.

According to Fire Chief Al Duke, the fire began about 2 a.m. and was reported by a passer-by. Witnesses said the 20,000 sq. ft. building was quickly engulfed in flames, and although there’s no word as of yet on the cause, apparently no one was inside the building and no injuries have been reported. The fire marshal’s office is investigating, looking both for witnesses, and hoping to find clues in surveillance video from nearby buildings. read more »

With the Obama administration’s focus on fuel-efficient electric and hybrid vehicles, and now with veto power over General Motors’ (GM) complete product line, you have to wonder if Detroit will ever be allowed to build a car as awesome as the Cadillac CTS-V again — and even how much longer this version will be built, now that GM’s performance group has been disbanded under an Obama directive. So enjoy it while you can, because the CTS-V is high-performance Detroit Iron at its absolute and luxurious best. In short, it’s the fastest four-door sedan on the planet.

Introduced at Detroit’s North American International Auto show in January 2008, it’s based on the second-generation Cadillac read more »

When I first saw the sharp looking 2009 Toyota Venza up close and personal, my first question was, “Who exactly is this vehicle aimed at?” It’s far more utilitarian than a passenger car, spacious like a minivan, yet smaller and lower than an SUV, while boasting all the usual high-end equipment usually found on an upscale sport-ute. Meanwhile, it rides, drives, and handles like a sports sedan. read more »

You’ll never catch Tim Allen grunting appreciatively over the mid-size Honda Ridgeline, because it isn’t exactly a macho truck. But it combines Honda’s best attributes — dependability, refinement, and fit-and-finish, with some handy, innovative features.

Compared head-to-head with conventional pickups — Ford F-150, Nissan Titan et. al., the Ridgeline will rank dead last. read more »