Scott Sturgis’ love for the automobile blossomed at an early age: His greatest joy was having his mother or father wheel his stroller to the main drag of his tiny hometown to watch the cars and trucks pass by. He began writing about cars for the (Cleveland) Plain Dealer in 2001. Later he started writing articles for the New York Times.
The goal of Driver's Seat? Real-world reviews of real-world cars. Most of us drive mainly to work, the mall, or the kid's recital, and we want vehicles that offer some comfort and a minimum of embarrassment.
We spend more time stuck in traffic than cruising winding seaside lanes. Performance usually means "Do the windows fog up excessively?" "Can I figure out the blasted stereo controls on the fly?" "Will it be worth anything when it's time to trade up?" or "Will the melted crayons come out of the seats?" (Alas, the answer to that last question is almost always: "Not entirely.")
Email Scott at ssturgis@phillynews.com
- Gallery: 2013 Nissan Altima
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Jetta diesel makes practicality easy to take
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Driver's Seat: The Jetta TDI is as fun as a gas-powered Jetta, with great mileage. And the quiet tap-tap-tapping of the diesel engine offered a more historically Volkswagen-like experience.
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Lexus LX570: Twice the price, not as nice
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Driver's Seat: Like most Christmas gifts, the anticipation of the Lexus LX570 was waaaaay better than the actual gift.
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2013 Dart is a nice step forward
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Scott Sturgis: It's come a long way since the '60s and '70s models, but it's not quite there yet.
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Acura, Infiniti AWDs square off for road test
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Scott Sturgis: Two pricey crossovers hit the road, and the emphasis is on luxury, not performance or passengers.
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Comparing Acura & Infiniti AWD crossovers
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Driver's Seat: This week, we'll get to know the Acura RDX and the Infiniti EX37 from the inside, and next week get underneath and take them out on the road.
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Sorento: Features - with a big, lumbering truck feel
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Driver's Seat: Kia was dinged by the EPA last week for fudging its fuel-economy numbers; can we ever trust them again? (Answer: Yes, I think so.)
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Elantra not living up to the 'GT' in its name
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Driver's Seat: Handling was merely adequate, and power from its 1.8-liter four-cylinder is just "OK."
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Sporty fun with dismal mileage
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Driver's Seat: The Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart is a great car for drives in the country, but shows a not-so-pleasing personality when tackling city traffic.
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C-Max Hybrid: Smooth ride, rough fuel numbers
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Driver's Seat: I found the C-Max to be a nice ride and smooth enough to match Toyota's Prius. But I'd wait.
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Spark is cute, mindfully equipped
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Driver's Seat: The tiny Chevy Spark brings some joy to the winding country roads of Chester County. It's a breeze to maneuver into parking spaces and on Philadelphia streets as well.
