Review The Alfa Romeo Giulia: Is it Beautiful or Just Plain Bewildering? Ninjutzu, 15/12/202415/12/2024 Preface: An Unexpected Italian Stallion Let’s set the scene, shall we? I landed in Genoa, ready for a classic Italian adventure, and there, at the rental desk, was… this. Not the usual beige box of rental mediocrity, no. Instead, they handed me the keys to an Alfa Romeo Giulia. A…
Uncategorized The Yank Tank That Conquered Canada (and my Wallet) Ninjutzu, 07/12/202407/12/2024 Alright, you petrol-sniffing heathens, gather ’round and listen to the tale of another behemoth that lumbered its way into my life for a fortnight of trans-Canadian adventures: the 2023 Jeep Wagoneer. Now, before you start reaching for your pitchforks and torches, muttering about American excess and gas-guzzling monstrosities, hear me…
Review Conquering Chicago in a Behemoth: My Ford Expedition 2023 Adventure Ninjutzu, 03/10/202403/10/2024 Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Gas Pump Chicago. The Windy City. Home of deep-dish pizza, questionable baseball teams, and, apparently, roads wide enough to land a small plane on. It was the perfect place to test out the 2023 Ford Expedition, a vehicle so vast…
Uncategorized Confessions of a Cynical Finn and the MG HS That Wasn’t Actually Rubbish Ninjutzu, 18/07/202418/07/2024 Alright, listen up. You might know me as your resident curmudgeon, the Finn who thinks everything (except saunas and Kimi Raikkonen) is a bit overrated. So, when clueless Avis at Heathrow shoved the keys to an MG HS 1.5 T-GDI DCT my way, I about spat my tea out. MG?…
Review My Portuguese Odyssey in the Jeep Compass e-Hybrid Ninjutzu, 04/06/202403/12/2024 Chapter 1: The First Impressions – A Love at First Drive It all began with a swift love affair the moment I laid eyes on the Jeep Compass e-Hybrid, the 2023 model. The vehicle exuded a charm that promised adventure and luxury. As I settled into the driver’s seat, I…
Review Surprisingly Delightful 2020 Ford Expedition, one week in California Ninjutzu, 10/05/202410/05/2024 Let me preface this by admitting a grave sin. For the past two decades, my rental car allegiance has been pledged to the golden arches of Hertz, as my employer had it as the preferred rental shop, and I didn’t mind. New cars, they gave me always the best that…
Review Hungary, Here I Come! And So Does the Ford Kuga Ninjutzu, 26/04/202426/04/2024 So, there I was, in the heart of Hungary, Budapest, ready to embark on a grand adventure across the country. I’m handed the keys to what I initially thought was just another crossover SUV: a 2022 Ford Kuga. Now, I’m not one to be easily impressed, but let me tell…
Review My Hyundai Santa Fe Misadventure in a Dashing 2019-ish Edition! Ninjutzu, 20/04/202421/04/2024 Right, listen up! Meanwhile traveling to Dubai (I managed to get out before the biblical rain) I recently had the distinct displeasure of, ahem, getting acquainted with the 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe. Now, I’m a man of simple tastes, really. But this? This was like hopping into a time capsule…
Review Conquering Canada in a Surprisingly Leaky Jeep Wrangler Ninjutzu, 15/04/202419/04/2024 Ah, Vancouver. Land of lumbersexuals, overpriced sushi, MTB land and… mountains! Perfect for a week of pretending I’m a rugged outdoorsman by tackling some peaks in a rental car. And what better rental car for such an adventure than a Jeep Wrangler? Exactly. You couldn’t pay me to be seen…
Review Nissan Qashqai: The Beige of the Crossover World Ninjutzu, 11/04/202411/04/2024 The engine of my beloved Skoda Yeti decided to explode and crack as a consequence of a camshaft belt that got broken (dealer mistake) and that got me the privilege to drive, for more than a month, a wide range of Nissan Qashqai models that the dealer decided to borrow…