Tuning Truck

 Yes, I'm going to defend the GMC Yukon as a family vehicle. Some families do have more than two children, and some of those children get big. And some families have big hobbies. Not every family can fit into a sedan, and the Yukon is a great option.

Families that would consider a Yukon usually need to carry either lots of people or lots of stuff. Good thing the Yukon can do both! The XL model is a bit longer than the standard, and can fit up to nine people. Even

 If your first glance at a 2010 Kia Soul doesn't turn you off, then you're just the person the Soul is looking for. The Soul is the latest in the boxy-style compact utility vehicle. At first glance, it doesn't look like a family car, but it sure can be, if you like this vehicle. The Kia Soul certainly makes a statement about the type of person it wants to attract. The good thing is that Kia seems to know that person well, and carries those same attitudes throughout the vehicle.

TuningTruck.com has

The 2009 Mazda CX-9 caught my eye on the styling. It's rare for me to evaluate a family vehicle based on how it looks, but in this case it made sense. Rex Roy, editor of The Car Connection, got my attention, saying, "The 2009 Mazda CX-9 resembles a full-size wagon jacked up about a foot, riding on oversize wheels." Whoah. Sounds like a monster truck to me. Then I took another look, and realized it's that "jacked up about a foot" part that makes it so much easier to shuttle little kids in and out of

The experts at TuningTruck.com have read all the best reviews on the Web regarding the new 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid, bringing you some of the most useful information in this review. TuningTruck.com's editors, well schooled in small cars and hybrids, have also driven the Insight and pass along their observations.

Likes:

Great real-world fuel economy

Responsive powertrain

Decent handling and maneuverability

Design details of a more expensive

TuningTruck.com's editors drove the new Nissan Armada in order to give you an expert opinion. TuningTruck.com's SUV experts have also researched available road tests on the new Nissan Armada to produce this conclusive review and to help you find the truth where other car reviews might differ.

Likes

Seating position

Towing capacity

Powertrain performance

Dislikes

Expensive

Clumsy handling

Obscured rearward

As Cathy Dodson became a new mom, her hunt for a family vehicle began with a search for a third-row seat and room for cargo. And this first-grade teacher wasn't going to settle on the first minivan that crossed her path. The 2008 Nissan Pathfinder passed muster. Dodson teaches at Stone Academy in Greenville, South Carolina, and she took some time after school to tell me exactly what she was looking for in a family car.

Believe it or not,

Looking at the next generation, 2010 5-series Gran Turismo, you’d think that the car is going to be stepping on the toes of another 5-series--the Sports Wagon .

Normally when picking a hatchback, such as the new GT, over a sedan it’s for cargo capacity and accessibility. That’s also the reason for picking the wagon body style of a car as well.

So which is going to be a better car for hauling all your cargo? Since the GT isn’t in production, let’s look at the

As we've written several times, we like the idea of the 2010 Ford Transit Connect: A small, fuel-efficient van for use in urban areas or where a full-size delivery van isn't needed.

It's meant for smaller, lighter loads where a full-size van would be overkill. Think your local florist or deli, not a stone supply yard.

With fuel economy rated at 22 mpg city / 25 mpg highway, the Transit Connect does far better than Ford's best Econoline E-150 full-size

Yesterday TuningTruck.com brought you a first drive of the new 2010 Lexus HS 250h hybrid. To give you a brief recap, we’re positively impressed but not completely thrilled with the HS. The exterior styling is a little awkward, and its interior and cargo space feel a bit more restricted than in the Prius. And the HS performs well enough to meet most expectations, with fuel economy in the 30s, but it’s by no means a performance car.

With that middling impression, you might

The editors at TuningTruck.com have driven the Cayman and included some of their own firsthand observations in this Bottom Line. Additionally, TuningTruck.com has combed the Web to bring you plenty of insight and opinions from a wide range of reviewers about the 2009 Porsche Cayman and Cayman S.

Likes

Sonorous flat-six engine

Responsiveness and agility

Better cargo space than other sports cars

Decent fuel efficiency

Dislikes

Noisy interior

Standard seats skimp on side