Matthew Keegan 
Muscular, luxury SUV brings performance to the compact range. When was the last time you found a crossover utility vehicle exciting? Crickets. Yeah, I thought so. To be fair, there are some fun crossovers out there, but typically you’ll have to opt for the high-end performance edition and all-wheel drive … Read more
A modest price premium makes hybrid ownership a solid value proposition. The Toyota RAV4 is a popular compact SUV in its own right and one of the first models in the segment, having launched in 1996. Now in its fourth generation, the RAV4 has long lacked a hybrid variant, until … Read more
Ford’s three-row midsize crossover delivers off-road capabilities. Ford’s strength in utility vehicles is evident as nearly every model it offers is a hit. Even the quirky Ford Flex has an audience, people who prefer a more wagon-like experience and are not put off by its polarizing visage. And then there … Read more
Four utility vehicles drive the Lincoln brand, including the all-new MKX. If the standout feature for an SUV is its nifty massaging capabilities, what does that tell you about the rest of the vehicle? Maybe not as much as you think, especially if your week-long obsession was with the 22-way … Read more
Pillow-soft comfort meets hybrid efficiency. Hybrid electric vehicles are a tough sell. But especially so when gasoline prices are low. Manufacturers such as Toyota have invested billions of dollars in the technology and aren’t about to walk away. At some point fuel prices are likely to rebound, raising demand … Read more
Behind the wheel of Toyota’s largest pickup truck. How do you like your pickup truck — small, medium or large? Small pickup trucks are no longer sold in the US, having morphed into midsize trucks beginning about two decades ago. With the Ford Ranger’s retirement in 2011, consumers were left … Read more
The world’s oldest engine oil brand reaches an important milestone. One year after the final battle of the American Civil War was fought at Palmito Ranch in Texas, Dr. John Ellis completed his study of crude oil, determining it had no medicinal value. Although disappointed by the results, Dr. Ellis … Read more
Lexus doubles its “F” performance line by bringing those trappings to the GS midsize sedan. The Lexus GS is a midsize luxury sedan and prior to this year no performance variant was offered. But two things were changed for 2016: a turbocharged four-cylinder 200t model was introduced and a high-performance … Read more
Chrysler’s current midsize sedan may be short-lived as parent Fiat Chrysler looks for a partner to build two of its current models. Introduced in 2011, the Chrysler 200 is the midsize sedan for the brand, with the 300 serving as the flagship model and the Town & Country (soon to … Read more
Audi launches “e-tron,” its nascent line of hybrid electric vehicles. The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron name is a mouthful. Once you get beyond the lengthy moniker for this unusual plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), calling it “e-tron” or “A3 e-tron” seems entirely appropriate. The “e-tron” designation is an Audi registered … Read more