Just as it enters its fourth year, the Subaru Crosstrek drops its “XV” designation. As for the model at hand, a 2015 edition was the subject of a weekly test drive. Take a look at Subaru’s entry-level SUV line up and this niche automaker is well represented. The Subaru Forester … Read more
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 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
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
Honda has enjoyed much success with its first two utility vehicles. Notably, its compact CR-V leads in that segment, while its larger, three-row Pilot competes effectively in its own space. A third model, the subcompact HR-V, was introduced on May 15 and six months later it is tearing up an … Read more
Should Subaru still be considered a niche car manufacturer? In some ways, it still is as its product line and sales are skewed toward utility vehicles. At the same time, this manufacturer has seen its US sales triple since 2007, an amazing trajectory that no other manufacturer has matched. Indeed, … Read more
Some say I am lucky to be able to do what I do. I won’t dispute that point — how could I? After all, when you take delivery of one or two new vehicles for testing purposes each week, you have access to a strong selection of motorized conveyances ranging … Read more
Volvo China exports extended wheelbase S60 Inscription edition to the US. Brutally tough competition and a change of owners has not brought Volvo Cars to ruination. Instead, the Swedish automaker continues to exploit a safety niche, while bringing forth an assembly of new and updated products. The Volvo S60 is … Read more
Car manufacturers sometimes choose odd names for their vehicles. Most such names, including the Mazda Bongo and the Mitsubishi Pistachio, never make it to the US as marketers wisely intervene and demand changes. The Nissan Rogue has one of those names that slipped through the cracks, although it is doubtful … Read more
British SUV manufacturer Land Rover has divided itself into high-end Range Rover and more pedestrian Discovery lines, with the two aimed at different consumers. Certainly, you could pay upwards of $200,000 for one Range Rover model, but if your SUV aspirations are more down to earth, then the Land Rover … Read more