Recent Articles
Popular Makes
Body Types
giulia
It's Valentine's Day, and love is in the air—not just love for our fellow humans, but love for our favorite cars! Here are ten vehicles that are extraordinarily easy to fall in love with. We love them all equally, so we present them in alphabetical order. Dim the lights and cue the romantic music...
Italian cars are known for their passion, and it's almost impossible to avoid falling in love with the Alfa-Romeo Giulia at first sight—especially if it's painted red. But even if you can resist that first look, a few minutes behind the wheel is bound to stir feelings of affection. The Giulia responds as if it's hard-wired to your senses - as if it will do whatever it takes to get you to fall in love with it. Our advice: Just give in.
Photo by Alfa Romeo
The Camaro is not so much a mode of transportation as it is an American icon. We love the way the latest version blends the classic lines of the original '66 Camaro with a decidedly modern vibe. Any gearhead worth his or her salt is going to fall in love with the rumble of the Camaro SS' 6.2 liter V8, but don't dismiss the V6 or even the base-model turbo four: These lighter engines take best advantage of the Camaro's agile suspension, and the way the lighter-weight Camaros attack the curves—well, that's a whole different kind of love.
There's something fundamentally American about a Chevrolet truck, and we've found it's surprisingly easy to fall in love with even the oldest and simplest of Chevy pickups. But driving around town in a big, unwieldy pickup can be stressful on a relationship, which is why we recommend Chevrolet's mid-size Colorado. Compact and easy to drive, the Colorado is easy to love on a day-to-day basis, and if you opt for the Duramax diesel engine, you'll really love the fuel economy. And yet the Colorado is strong enough to do the big jobs—in our experience, it tows and hauls better than other mid-size truck. We love it.
If you can't resist a cute face, you're bound to fall in love with the FIAT 500 at first sight. This tidy little Italian car can be had in a painter's palette of bright colors, with a bright interior done up with a body-color dash and white trim. You can even get a semi-convertible model with a giant cloth roof that lets the sunlight pour in, or a sporty version called the 500 Abarth that has a noisy exhaust and a spunky attitude. The FIAT 500 is so cute that we don't know whether to drive it or cuddle with it. We're sure you'll love it, too.
Photo by FIAT
When they first came out, all small SUVs were known as “cute-utes”, but we can't think of a modern-day SUV more deserving of that nickname than the Jeep Renegade. We love its big, round eyes—er, sorry, headlights—baby-Jeep styling cues, and an interior full of visual surprises. Don't get us wrong—the Renegade is a great little SUV, with plenty of room for four people and plenty of cargo space. It's also fun to drive and the Trailhawk version is a great off-roader. But the Renegade doesn't take itself too seriously, and that makes us love it even more.
Photo by Jeep
We've all experienced an unlikely match-up, and this is a perfect example. When we first saw Lincoln's new flagship, we thought: What could we ever have in common with this car? It's a big, strangely-styled old-school luxury yacht. And yet a few minutes behind the wheel and we were smitten. The Continental cuddles and caresses you in its big, soft leather seats, surrounds you with cutting-edge technology, and jets you around on a smooth flow of turbocharged power. Much to our surprise, we fell in love with the new Connie—and we've never looked back.
We've been in love with the Mazda MX-5 Miata since the first one made its appearance back in 1989, and our romance is going strong today. Mazda's latest MX-5 Miata is a “rebooted” version, more edgy and sporty than the previous three generations. But it has all the same attributes from which love has bloomed: It's intimately sized, the roof is easy to open (just release the catch and give it a good shove upwards), and the road manners are exquisitely good. Is there any car easier to fall in love with? We think not.
Photo by Mazda
When Mercedes introduced its compact CLA luxury car, we really liked the way they had distilled the style and panache of their large cars into a smaller and more affordable package. But when we drove the AMG version, we were in luuuuuurve. This car draws an astounding 375 horsepower from its small four-cylinder engine. It takes off like a rocket and changes directions like a pinball. It's the entire AMG experience in a small, affordable car. We're smitten.
The Range Rover is the chosen suburban cruiser of the upper crust, and it's easy to develop a dislike for both the SUV and the people who drive them—and yet we can all but guarantee such feelings will reverse themselves once you take a test drive. The Range Rover is one of those rare vehicles that is more than the sum of its parts. Yes, it's posh. Yes, it's powerful. Yes, it can cross the Rubicon trail if you so choose. But to drive this car is to feel well and truly special—as if you are loved by the car. And how can you not love it in return?
Photo by Land Rover
Subaru actually uses the word “love” in their ad campaign, and that's not just empty marketing rhetoric: Subie owners really do love their cars. The Outback is the Golden Retriever of the automotive world: Friendly, accommodating, and loyal. The Outback's big wagon body always seems to have room for one more person or a little more stuff, and the sophisticated all-wheel-drive system will almost always get you where you are going when the weather turns lousy. No wonder owners frequently keep their Subarus for 150,000 miles or more, then trade them in on another one. Drive an Outback, and you too may well fall in love.