One week of Ford Focus RS awesomeness! The Ford Focus RS may be the best small car in the world. Yes, I said it. But the “best” definition can be a tricky one to use as there are multiple categories to consider, i.e., quality, reliability, efficiency, and performance, among others. … Read more
Available permanent all-wheel drive gives the VW Tiguan an important edge. Taking delivery of an outgoing model year vehicle is always a bit of a challenge. On the one hand, customers are looking for information about the very latest model. On the other hand, if the differences between the two … Read more
Few models can match the Golf R’s fun factor. Hot hatchbacks remain prized commodities. And this segment has only become hotter since Volkswagen introduced the current Golf R in 2015. As one of just three small sport models with all-wheel drive — the Subaru WRX STI and the Ford Focus … Read more
A small cargo van for a niche market. Did you know Nissan has a burgeoning commercial vehicle business? This Japanese automaker with a huge manufacturing and distribution presence in the United States has pickup trucks, vans, and taxis designed with commercial customers in mind. With this particular sales division, Nissan … Read more
Honda’s compact coupe delivers style, pluck, and determination. When it comes to model names, the Civic is one of the most enduring ones of all. Introduced to North America in 1973, this one-time subcompact has morphed into a sizable compact model now bordering on the midsize range. Honda remains one … Read more
Flagship CX-9 turns heads, stirs hearts. Three-row, midsize SUVs are popular models, taking over largely where minivans left off. The Mazda CX-9 is one of several models in the segment and is now in its second generation. In many ways the CX-9 is the flagship of the Mazda fleet, offering … Read more
Toyota’s popular Prius is all-new, more efficient, and offers improved handling. Needing no introduction, the Toyota Prius is the world’s best-selling hybrid electric vehicle, with nearly 6 million units sold since it was introduced in 1997. The US market didn’t receive the first-generation Prius until late 1999, but American consumers … Read more
A pleasantly appointed family car can be had for about $25K. US car sales broke an all-time record in 2015 and will likely fall just short of that number this year. With more than 17 million new car shoppers making purchases each year, the market is ripe for the taking. … Read more
Drop the top in this handsome little British people mover. The Mini Cooper now includes a convertible, available in standard, S, and John Cooper Works editions. The standard model is powered by a 1.5-liter, turbocharged three-cylinder engine; the “S” gets BMW’s 2.0-liter, twin-scroll turbocharged four-cylinders and the top-end model garners … 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
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 with … Read more
What are the most fuel-efficient vehicles of 2016? Our list excludes electric and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles, and features 10 models each averaging a combined 40 mpg. With gas prices at or near the lowest levels we have seen this century, fuel efficiency concerns have been placed on a back … 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
Lower fuel prices are making it difficult for consumers to justify investing in a hybrid electric vehicle. The hybrid market is taking a beating as gas prices continue to fall, dropping well below $2 per gallon in most areas. Fickle consumers that we are, our eyes are now on the … Read more
Jaguar is on the prowl. This marque’s midsize XF is simply a star. More than once I’ve been asked by car fans for the precise year when Jaguar began its momentous renaissance. I immediately direct them to the midsize XF sedan, a model introduced in 2007 (2009 in North America) … Read more
The smallest Lincoln model is the most original one yet. The Ford Motor Company’s Lincoln marque has fallen far since 1998, the last year it was the top-selling luxury automotive brand in the United States. These days, the segment is dominated by BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz with Audi, Cadillac, Acura, and … Read more
An updated Audi A6 arrives on the market, but its two diesel engines are not currently available. That said, what’s left is a compelling choice in the competitive midsize luxury sedan segment. When the Volkswagen diesel scandal erupted last September, the fallout was destined to reach well beyond the eponymous … Read more
Her name is “Miata” and she isn’t just another pretty face. There are few cars that this driver eagerly awaits as he knows sooner or later he’ll get to drive each and every one sent his way. But the Mazda MX-5 Miata is something else — a long-admired, but often … Read more
Nissan chooses a major refresh for the fourth year of its current generation compact Sentra sedan. Consumers are flocking to crossover utility vehicles and leaving cars, particularly sedans, in the dust. Despite that significant shift, some manufacturers are investing more money in small and medium-sized sedans and hatchbacks in an … Read more
The Civic and Accord are among the best-known model names in the entire auto industry. The Honda Accord was introduced in 1976, three years after the Honda Civic went on sale in the United States. Initially a compact car, the Accord has grown through the years and is now categorized … Read more
Making the transition from a mainstream brand to luxury marque may mean consumers end up committing to a larger cash outlay than what they prefer. On the other hand, the Buick brand provides an intermediary step between the two choices, something few nameplates can claim. In effect, Buick makes it … Read more
Mazda does it again, serving up a new model with its fun-to-drive characteristics in place. The CX-3 is the smallest of its three SUVs, a crossover that might be mistaken for a hatchback. The Mazda CX-3 makes for yet another entry in the small crossover SUV segment. This emerging class, … Read more
Auto Trends gets a second look at the 2016 Nissan Maxima, the latest iteration of this flagship model. This time around its a sporty SR edition for the testing. From time to time, car manufacturers ask journalists to review a vehicle again for the same model year, delivering a different … Read more
Acura’s ILX offers a sleek exterior, a prosaic interior, and a price point keeping in line with this compact gateway sedan’s contribution to the premium segment. Acura is a nameplate searching for an identity. Launched three decades ago by American Honda to provide a line of upscale products for the … Read more
Infiniti’s athletic midsize sedan can be had in an extended wheelbase version. The elongated model delivers best-in-class rear seat legroom. The luxury market is an intensely competitive one with BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus seated as the top sellers. The first two marques rely on diesels to supplement their gasoline offerings; … Read more
The minivan segment may be ailing, but the Kia Sedona has breathed fresh life into it. If you’re looking for an excellent combination of people carrying capacity and utility, this model may have everything you want. The minivan segment may eventually go the way of the station wagon, but its … Read more
Hyundai rolls out the second iteration of its only hybrid model. For 2016, a plug-in variant is also offered. Unless your name is Toyota, sticking with hybrids can seem like a losing proposition. Indeed, Toyota outsells all manufacturers combined by a 2-to-1 margin and that leaves the remaining companies to … Read more
Audi has the luxury utility vehicle market sewn up. The German automaker offers three distinct model lines — Q3, Q5 and Q7 — along with the Allroad and the very wagon-like A3 Sportback e-tron, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a very sensible price. What is missing from the Audi … Read more