The Fast Lane Car

2012 VW Beetle vs Nissan Altima Coupe: Valentine's Day Mashup Video Review

The 2012 VW Beetle and Nissan Altima Coupe are the ultimate Bachelor and Bachelorette cars. But which one gets the rose and which one has to leave.

In this special year's Valentine's Day Mashup review we see which car is the better his and her drive. Is the red 2012 VW Beetle the better car for him or is the 2012  Nissan Altima Coupe the better ride for her?

Check out the review below to find out.

Video: A Day in the Life of an Electic Car

In the very near future will we all be driving electric cars?

That's a question that only 10 years ago seemed like a dream, but today with all electric cars like the 2012 Nissan Leaf, it doesn't seem so far fetched.

Unlike, gasoline powered cars, electric cars can't be filled up at your local gas station in a few minutes.

Once they run our of electricity...you are well and truly stuck.

This is called range anxiety and it can be all too real.

We decide to find out just how real by spending a day in the life of the all new Nissan Leaf.

Video: 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI vs Nissan Altima 0-60 MPH Mashup Review

The 2012 Volkswagen Passat Turbo Diesel TDI is the only front wheel drive mid-sized sedan with a diesel engine and a dual clutch gearbox that you can buy in America.

In other words, it has no direct competition. The 2012 Nissan Altima has been around for a while. Nissan gave the car a 2.5 liter engine mated to a CVT transmission to help improve gas mileage.

While it also competes in the mid-sized sedan class, it due to be replaced this year. So of course the obvious TFLcar question is which one of these cars is after to 60 MPH.

Watch the mashup video review below to find out.

2012 Nissan Xterra vs Juke mashup video review: Which is the most snow-worthy?

The 2012 Nissan Juke and the 2012 Nissan Xterra both have all-wheel-drive so they are very good cars to drive when the snow starts falling in the mountains. With a small turbo-charged engine the Juke has plenty of power to go up the steepest of grades.

On the other hand, the 2012 Nissan Xterra has the ground clearance and the rugged mud and snow tires to cut through the deepest drifts.

But which one of these two cars is the best in the fluffy stuff?

There's only one way to find out....race both the Juke and the Xterra up Lick Skillet Road...the nation's steepest country road.

So which these 2012 Nissans is the most snow-worthy? Watch the video review below to find out.

Video Review: The all new 2012 Nissan Versa takes on the all new Toyota Yaris

For 2012 the Nissan Versa and Toyota Yaris are both newly redesigned.

The new 2012 Nissan Versa gets 38 MPG on the highway, while the 2012 Toyota Yaris is all new except for the engine and transmission.

Both cars now face extreme competition in the small economy car segment with cars like the  Ford Focus and the Honda Fit.

So how does the 2012 Nissan Versa compare to the 2012 Toyota Yaris. Check out this 0-60 mashup video review to find out.

Video: 2012 Nissan Quest minivan road trip review

The 2012 Nissan Quest 3.5 LE is Nissan's newly redesigned minivan, and it competes directly with the Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Town and Country to name just a few of its car rivals.

The new Nissan Quest seats seven and has plenty of room to take you and your family on a cross country trip from coast to coast.

We recently had the chance to explore the Oregon Coast in the Quest. The Quest was a reliable travel companion in the near constant rain. The minivan's 260 HP engine provided plenty of power to take on the twisty and hilly 101 Highway.

The roomy 2012 Quest also has all of the deluxe appointments that you expect from a luxury car including heated front seats, supple leather, and duel sunroofs.

Check out this road trip review as we put the 2012 Nissan Quest to the TFLcar road trip review.

2012 Nissan Altima 2.5 S video review: As popular as Vanilla ice cream

The 2012 Nissan Altima 2.5 S is like Vanilla ice cream.

It is smooth, easy to drive, and a bit boring. 

The Altima competes in a very tough crowd that includes the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry. So is being Vanilla enough to take on the competition?

We recently had a chance to test and review the basic vanilla model of the Altima and we came away with a split decision.

Solid, basic, economical and reliable transportation or a fuddy-duddy car in need of a makeover?

Check out this first drive video review below to find out.

Video: 2012 Nissan Frontier & Titan PRO-4X pick-up off-road Safari review

The 2012 Nissan Titan can certainly go anywhere that you are brave enough to drive the pick-up...especially if you get the off-road Pro-4X version with the complete rock bashing kits.

The same can be said for the Titan's baby brother...the 2012 Nissan Frontier.

Both trucks are very off-road worthy with skid plates and rugged shocks to handle everything that mother nature can throw at them.

We recently had the chance to test Nissan's two sturdy pick-ups in Texas at a ranch stocked with African animals to see just how much rugged bashing they can tolerate, and how far off the beaten path they will take you.

Check out our first drive video safari below.

Video review: We take the 2012 Nissan Xterra on an African Safari in Texas

The 2012 Nissan Xterra is the last of the breed of the old school body on frame very off-road worthy SUV's.

For 2012 it carries on almost entirely unchanged with a 4.0-liter V6 that produces 261 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 281 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. That's plenty of power to move heavy duty SUV over any hills, mountains or obstacles that you may need to cross.

We recently had the chance to take the 2012 Nissan Xterra on a photo Safari in Medina Texas. Yes, a real safari with Zebras and Wildebeest.

How did the aging Xterra do?

Check out this Fast Lane Car off-road Fast Take review.

Review: the 2011 Nissan Murano is the Cameron Diaz of new gen crossovers

The 2011 Nissan Murano hardtop crossover combines sporty looks, good handling and utility.

The 2011 second-generation Nissan Murano—one of the original “crossover” vehicles—benefits from improved styling and a solid reputation for comfort, performance and utility.

The technically advanced Murano was introduced seven years ago and was overhauled for 2009. While no beauty queen despite a sculptured exterior, the latest Murano looks better, thanks to a revised grille and front bumper and freshened taillights. There are redesigned standard 18-inch aluminum wheels and 20-inch alloy wheels for the top-line LE trim level.

Video: 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Mashup Match-up drag race Review

The 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS is one of the best and perhaps most expensive 911's ever built. It has 408 HP 3.8L horizontally opposed six cylinder engine...that become a classic of all 911's.

It also has massive steamroller 19 inch center lug wheels on the back and enough power to blast from 0 to 60 in just about 4 seconds.

How do you review a car that's the best of the breed?

Simple you mash it up against something completely different.

So is the 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS fast enough to beat Nissan's new NV Cargo Van in a drag race?

Watch the video below to find out.

Video review: 2012 Mazda 5 vs Nissan Murano Mashup Match-up

The 2012 Mazda 5 is a new age people hauler with enough room for 6 yet it maintains a car like ride and a wagon/van profile with exceptional fuel economy.

It's also reasonably priced and can be fun to drive...especially if you get the manual version. In fact the manual version of the 2012 Mazda 5 is one of the people movers with three rows of seating that can ne manually shifted and purchased in the United States.

The newish Nissan Murano is one of the new breed of very popular all-wheel-drive Crossovers. It's tall, fairly powerful and comes with a CVT transmission to help get better fuel economy.

It also represents the very popular and growing Crossover segment that many Americans have embraced as the new family hauler.

So which one of these cars fits the current American lifestyle better?

Check out this fun first drive video Mashup Match-up review to find out.

2011 Nissan Leaf versus Electric Porsche Speedster mashup review

Let's face it, electric cars are here to stay.

In fact many people believe that all electric cars are the future of transportation. In this mashup match-up we take the mundane but affordable 2011 Nissan Leaf and review and compare it to an all electric Porsche Speedster replica built by Duke's Garage just North of Denver, Colorado.

Which car best represents the future of EV cars, and perhaps more importantly can electric cars also be fun to drive?

The answer is in the video below, but here's a serious hint: electric cars can and are as fun to drive as cars with more traditional internal combustion engines...at least as long as you have a full charge in the battery.

Video review: Is the Nissan Juke the cutest or ugliest new car in America?

The 2011 Nissan Juke is perhaps the most unusually styled cars you can buy today. It is a fact, most people either love it or hate it at first sight.

But as you already know often times beauty (or ugly) is only skin deep so is the Nissan Juke more than just a very unusual new face in the small and crowded car market?

We recently had the chance to take the new 2011 Nissan Juke for a spin and test drive. We came away impressed by the car's handling, torque vectoring technology, and powerful 1.6L 188 HP engine.

Check out our first drive video below as we see if the Juke has the handling prowess to go along with the Rally car inspired looks.

Review 2012 Nissan Versa: The best and cheapest car you've never heard of

SEATTLE—The reasonably priced second-generation 2012 Nissan Versa Sedan offers good value. While lively, it’s no thrill. It just provides solid basic, comfortable transportation.

Nissan is mainly aiming the new Versa Sedan at single 25-29-year-old  college graduates with no children. However, Nissan said at a preview of the car in Seattle that the new car also should appeal to older folks on budgets who want a roomy, economical compact auto.

The front-drive Versa looks more aerodynamic than distinctive. But it has clever, more-efficient packaging.