Commanding Presence: The 2016 Lexus LX 570

2016 Lexus LX 570 front

What’s big, beautiful, and seats eight? That would be the LX 570, the largest of four SUVs sold by Lexus, Toyota’s luxury brand. Two hybrid variants are also available. This vehicle takes the bones of the highly capable Toyota Land Cruiser and adds Lexus panache to create one of the … Read more

The 2016 Honda Pilot Remains a Family Favorite

2016 Honda Pilot

The third-generation Honda Pilot takes a bow. Amongst three-row, midsize crossover utility vehicles, the Honda Pilot has made a name for itself. This seven-passenger model offers standard front-wheel drive and available all-wheel drive, is powered by a V6 engine, and is all new for 2016. As before, it offers seating … Read more

2016 Ford Explorer Platinum (Top-of-the-Line Comfort)

2016 Ford Explorer Platinum

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

The 2016 MKX Is Lincoln’s Masseuse on Wheels

2016 Lincoln MKX

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

Full-Size Fortress: The 2016 GMC Yukon

2016 GMC Yukon

Large SUVs are back or at least consumer interest in them continues to rise as fuel prices fall. The GMC brand is well positioned to respond to consumers’ changing car-buying habits. Nourished chiefly by lower fuel prices, GMC sales increased by 11.3 percent in 2015, nearly double the 5.7 percent … Read more

Diesel Power Meets British Elegance: 2016 Range Rover Sport Td6

2016 Range Rover Sport

Are diesels better than gasoline engines? A significant segment of the consumer market thinks so, especially in Europe, where such engines compose nearly half the vehicles purchased. The Allure of Diesel Engines In the US, diesels have had difficulty gaining acceptance, with heavy-duty pickup trucks and German luxury cars among … Read more

Raising the Bar: A Closer Look at the 2016 Mazda CX-5

2016 Mazda CX 5 review

Mazda has had much success with its small utility vehicles, selling the Tribute from 2001 to 2011 and the CX-7 from 2007 to 2012. Still, the automaker had lacked a strong competitor to go up against the likes of the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, and the Toyota RAV4, and a … Read more

Kia’s 2016 Sorento EX AWD (Elevated Expectations?)

2016 Kia Sorento

Kia may receive the second mention in the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group, but this once very plain Korean brand is anything but boring, especially with the products it has been serving up in recent years. Indeed, nearly every model put forth by Kia has been lauded for its outstanding style, … Read more

Italian Charm, Crossover Cool: The 2016 Fiat 500X

2016 Fiat 500x Trekking

The subcompact crossover utility vehicle or SUV segment is booming, due to a slew of new products introduced within months of each other this year. The segment is not new, but it does demonstrate that consumers have an insatiable appetite for all things SUV. As a result, manufacturers are looking … Read more