Driving Impressions

Driving the Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid in Florida!

With tickets and hotel booked to a seminar in Fort Lauderdale, I also took the opportunity to contact Porsche Centre Trinidad and Porsche Latin America to see if I could review a few of their cars while out on this trip. I drafted my itinerary for the seven-day trip and was absolutely over the moon when they said that I could have both the Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid and the Porsche Boxster GTS (feature coming soon) for a few days each to drive and evaluate!

September 17, 2018
Written by Narend Sooknarine
Category: Driving Impressions

Experiencing Jinba-ittai.. in the Mazda CX-3

As I walked up to the freshly detailed red Mazda CX-3 at the dealership, its metallic paint, which looked burgundy in the shade, shone a bright red as the mid-morning sunlight hit it. Styled in Mazda’s KODO design language, the CX-3 presents interesting lines, contours and surfaces at nearly any angle. Although it was not the top-flight trim level or the 4WD version, I adjusted the tilt/telescoping steering and settled into the driver’s seat with intense curiosity.

Many of the Mazda 3 and CX-5 owners really love their cars and this new model seeks to be a combination of the two. I also know that Mazda takes pride in infusing their cars with their Zoom-Zoom dynamic driving DNA, or as Mazda likes to call it– Jinba-ittai. This Japanese concept conveys the idea of horse and rider, or in this case, metaphorised as car and driver in perfect harmony. But could that actually happen with a crossover vehicle? Especially with its taller ride height and, presumably, more weight than a sedan?

July 7, 2017
Written by Written by Narend Sooknarine | Photos: Zorce Vader
Category: Driving Impressions

AVENTURA MEXICANA: NEW PORSCHE 911

For most Trinbagonians who are young and young at heart, the Carnival season is a must in terms of participation. As per the last decade or so, I would normally be raring to go with my fellow photographers who enjoy seeing all the masquerader bands and Kings and Queens over Carnival Monday and Tuesday. Customarily, we would be up in the wee hours of the morning making sure our equipment was in order. I prepped the same way this Carnival Tuesday, except this time I was up at 3.00 a.m. because I was on my way to Mexico for a bucket-list test drive– the new Porsche 911.

March 17, 2016
Written by Narend Sooknarine
Category: Driving Impressions

Hyundai Tucson Encounter On The Route To The Stars!

If ever you have been fascinated by the constellations, then Chile should top your must-see list. With near-perfect atmospheric conditions– cool, dry air– for optical clarity, the town of La Serena is perfectly positioned for a drive up into the foothills of the Andes, literally above the clouds. The roadways that lead to Chile’s many high-powered telescopic installations are known as La Ruta de las Estrellas (the Route to the Stars). And by no stroke of luck, this is exactly where we were headed to discover Hyundai’s new Tucson!

July 20, 2015
Written by Narend Sooknarine
Category: Driving Impressions

Ford’s Ranger Sets the New Standard

The atmosphere was bristling with anticipation as our group of invited journalists from the Caribbean and Central America was warmly received at the lavish Bristol Buenaventura Resort Hotel on Panama’s Pacific coast, some two hours from Panama City.

On our first official evening we joined Ford officials and other media representatives for cocktails and dinner. Naturally, the new Ford Ranger was the hot topic of the evening and everyone spoke glowingly of Ford’s performance in their respective markets versus the competition from Nissan and Toyota. We heard from Chris Sirju of The Gleaner about the remote, mountainous regions in Jamaica where Suzukis and Land Rover Defenders are the only means of getting around due to the crude roads and limited infrastructure. Everyone, it seemed, was well aware of who the real performers were in the current market. We did all agree on one thing though– the last few generations of the Ranger had excelled in terms of sales, reliability and on- and off-road performance, a fact that was reflected in the large numbers of happy owners. The Ford team skillfully recognised our concerns and noted our comments without giving away too much.

February 1, 2013
Written by Narend Sooknarine
Category: Driving Impressions

Meals and Wheels coming t…

Driving Impressions