Accord vs. Optima--Insider Car Review Comparison!

photo by Todd M. Allen of TacAir Photography

Want to know what are the two best family sedans on the market today? Well, here they are and if you click here or go to Insider Car Reviews.com you will find our comparison test of the Optima and Accord. We plan on testing the Accord against the Camry, Altima, Mazda6, 2012 Passat, Nissan Altima and Subaru Legacy this year. Any other ideas?

Accord's backside gets some new trim...

2011 Mazda2 Photos Equals Love

Coming very soon to an auto review near you! But enjoy the photos. Really, you don't need more than this at $15,000 and my 60 pound dog Daisy Mae loved it.

The 2011 Honda Accord SE--An Insider Car Review Report

I just need to get my paws on the Ford Fusion and the 2012 VW Passat (which I will be driving shortly) and I will have a complete reference guide for family sedan shoppers. Here is my latest take on the 2011 VW Passat SE which stand for "Special Edition" if you rode the "Special" bus.

Considering the copious amounts of pressure being put on makers of all traditional family sedans by the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2011 Kia Optima as well as the upcoming 2012 VW Passat and soon to be revitalized Chevy Malibu, it is no wonder that Honda has added some new features and revamped the look of the 2011 Accord family sedan. Now, the Honda is an older design among most of the competition but it has stood as our favorite family sedan until even now against all of the myriad family sedans that we have tested recently. 

This 2011 Honda Accord SE model we got to drive is positioned below the EX version we tested a year ago with its slightly more powerful 190 horsepower motor (the SE nets 177 horsepower) yet the SE model made up for that by giving us some of the best in class leather seats we have experienced. Also, possibly thanks to some re-engineered transmission internals for 2011 that made the Accord more fuel efficient, this SE model felt just as fast as last year’s EX model. Below the SE lie the LX and LX-P trim levels (check out the Honda.com website for specification details on those models. The mythological Accord DX model no longer exists on Honda price sheets.)

To find out more click here to go to Insider Car Reviews so I can get paid for my work. I am paid by the page hit so that courtesy is all I ask of you for my service. 

How does the 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon Fare Against other Family Cars?

If you are the type of person who is interested in owning a station wagon then there are quite a few things about you that are pretty clear. First off, you probably enjoy driving and don’t relish the idea of getting stuck piloting an overweight, gas guzzling SUV that will make you about as happy to be alive as your average sleep deprived soccer mom driving half of their child’s Ritalin-addled soccer team to a championship game in another state. Not a pretty picture is it?

When it comes to driving many SUVs there really is no “fun factor” at all involved in the experience. They may haul lots of cargo but that utter lack of any form of driving joy, of that automotive life spark, is just a one way ticket to a prescription for Prozac. Or, you could be smart, and just buy a 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon which is far and away the most fun to drive luxury utility vehicle on the market today.

To read the rest click here or go to Examiner.com under the Honda and Acura Examiner.

 

What are the Ten Best 2011 Cars for Families by Category?

Photo by Todd Allen/Courtesy of Tacair Photography

When it comes to buying a new family car nothing but the best will do. You want to have a vehicle that is not only reliable, fuel efficient and affordable but also one that is very safe and one that your whole family will enjoy riding in. As a parent, it’s great to have great crash test safety records but if you want your kids to ride with you (especially as teenagers), you had better be sure not to buy a “dork mobile.”

This is where this list comes in to play. Having tested each and every one of these vehicles on the road personally, I can guarantee that they offer excellent quality, terrific utility, value for money  and are simply the best at what they do. And since everyone has different tastes in regards to what kind of family car they want to drive, I have divided this list into different categories so that no matter what your budget there is something here you can afford. You just have to ask yourself, does your family deserve the best? 

Click here to find out who did and who didn't make the list.

Original article on Associated Content by Yahoo!

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The first car I ever road tested was an Acura TSX V-6

As my articles on AssociatedContent.com by Yahoo race towards the 1 million reader mark I figured I should highlight some of the excellent work that I have done with that website. I specialize in mainstream auto reviews but I do love tossing out a fun top ten list or some pop culture commentary fluff piece.

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The Most embarassing car I have ever driven. Just becuase of the color.