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Foreign Cars

Station Wagons Are Back, But They’re Not Called Station Wagons Anymore

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The Buick Regal TourX will be based on the Opel Insignia Sports Tourer Wagon

Once upon a time station wagons were must-have family vehicles. Cars like the Vista Cruiser and Buick Estate were parked with pride in driveways across the nation. They epitomized family road trips as much as financial success.

Owning a station wagon was a status symbol of a life well-lived, even if behind closed doors they offered private chambers for yelling at kids and fighting over who got the “way back” seats.

As Americans settled into the 1990s, they discovered that the 4-wheel-drive capability and commanding view of sport utility vehicles made station wagons obsolete. The wagon was almost instantly forgotten.

Automakers have attempted to resurrect the wagon over the last couple of decades with limited success. Today, Buick and Jaguar are hoping their latest iterations of the wagon hit the sweet spot with American car buyers. Just don’t expect to them to be called station wagons. Continue reading >>>

With Volvo’s Comeback Complete, What’s Next?

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Well, they did it.

Written off as a doomed automaker when Ford unloaded it to Geely Automotive in 2010, Volvo has defied the odds and roared back to life while keeping its Swedish charm under Chinese ownership.

That wasn’t supposed to happen.

While execs at Volvo remained confident through the transition that they’d bring the company back to life, we have to take a moment and point out that Saab’s executives once thought the same thing.

Sinking automakers rarely can find the cash—or the buyers—to become relevant again and—like Saab—tend to disappear into the night.

Ask anyone who’s driven a new XC90, though, if Volvo shows any signs of disappearing. Continue reading >>>

Here’s the Best-Selling Non-Pickup in America


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The list of best-selling vehicles in the United States is always topped with the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado. Beyond those two constants, there’s a consistent flow of Toyotas and Hondas that typically round out the top 10.

One car that hasn’t spent much time on the best-selling list is the Nissan Rogue. Its name suggests that the car is a lone ranger, a scoundrel driven away from the rest of the herd and left to operate on its own. This is a vehicle that might be more comfortable slinking around in the dark than basking in the limelight of a top-sellers list.

It’s ironic then, that the once-mediocre and formerly unpleasant Nissan Rogue has evolved into the best-selling non-pickup in America.

Continue reading >>>

NYIAS Preview: The Most Exciting Models Debuting at the New York Auto Show


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The New York International Auto Show’s press preview is less than 24 hours away, and CarGurus will once again be in attendance, delivering updates and footage of the show’s most exciting and noteworthy debuts. As we prepare for two whirlwind days of coffee (courtesy of Volvo), jokes (courtesy of Dr. Z), and discarded laundry (courtesy of every automaker pulling sheets off their cars), here are the debuting models we’re excited to see. Continue reading >>>

Concern Rises Over U.S. Auto Market While Mexico’s Thrives

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GMC Terrain: Production moving to Mexico

Mexico isn’t known for its thriving economy or world-class production facilities. A week spent there earlier this month showed me that it’s a country filled with delightful people, gorgeous beaches, and a rich and colorful culture—but is also rife with political turmoil, poverty, and violent crime.

Mexico is still classified as a developing country but has potential to overcome its problems and compete in the world economy.

The auto industry has become one of Mexico’s bright spots and continues to shine, even as the market in the United States begins to tighten up and shrink.

Continue reading >>>