Premium Crossover: Mazda’s 2021 CX-30

The 2021 CX-30 is one of four Mazda crossover models. We’re long-time admirers of Mazda, the little Japanese automaker that could. Overshadowed by Toyota, Honda, and Nissan, Mazda is much like Subaru and to a much lesser extent, Mitsubishi, in finding and exploiting a niche in the new vehicle market. … Read more

Kia Sets K5 to Replace Optima

New sedan replaces an established nameplate (Kia Optima). The Kia Optima is a midsize sedan and has earned its place in a crowded, albeit shrinking segment. Launched in 2001, the Optima was Kia’s first midsize sedan for the U.S. market. Since then, Kia has rolled out larger models, including the … Read more

Introducing the Toyota Avalon TRD

Toyota’s flagship sedan now offers a TRD option. We may be looking at crossovers more than ever before, but there are some sedans on the market worth exploring, including the 2020 Toyota Avalon. The Avalon is now in its fifth generation (second generation for the hybrid) and was overhauled in … Read more

Just for Kicks: Nissan’s Smallest Crossover

2020 Nissan Kicks

Nissan’s smallest crossover is big on value. The world of tiny crossovers continues to grow, with the Nissan Kicks one of the newest models. This subcompact utility vehicle is small on the outside, but it offers surprisingly decent space inside. Introduced in 2018, the current model benefits from driver assistance … Read more

2020 Nissan Versa Review

2020 nissan versa review

The all-new Versa offers its own take on the brand’s “V Motion” grille. With three new Nissan car models in just over a year, you might think the segment is poised to rebound. It likely isn’t, especially as sales of crossovers and trucks remain strong. Of course, we’re imagining what … Read more

Highlights of the 2020 Nissan Altima

The Nissan Altima is a strong contender in the midsize sedan segment and for good reason: it offers handsome looks, a beautiful interior, two engine choices, and value. Although the segment continues to shrink, some manufacturers including Nissan are doubling down with new models. Thus, the 2020 Altima is a … Read more

2020 Nissan Sentra Review

2020 Nissan Sentra review

The market for cars continues to shrink, but some manufacturers are doubling down even as others depart the segment. For 2020, Nissan presents an all-new Sentra, its five-passenger, front-wheel-drive compact sedan. The latest model is its most stylish one yet and borrows elements from the popular Altima sedan. 2020 Nissan … Read more

On the Road With a 2020 Mazda CX-5

If you’re looking for an affordable family car with room five, ample utility space, and available towing capacity, then the compact crossover SUV segment is a great place to start. Small and affordable, most models start in the low 20s and top out in the mid-30s when loaded to the … Read more

2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid Review (Big Fuel Savings)

2020 Toyota Camry Hybrid review

Hybrid models have evolved over the years. The first models were bulbous vehicles designed to minimize airflow and maximize fuel economy. Indeed, the Toyota Prius and first-generation Honda Insight were perhaps the best representations of what gas-electric hybridization could do. Along the way, industry leader Toyota applied its “hybrid synergy … Read more

The 2020 Lexus RX Cleans Up (Review)

2020 Lexus RX

The Lexus RX is a midsize, luxury SUV and the only model in its segment with an available full-hybrid drivetrain. For just over two decades, the RX has set the pace in the luxury sphere, delivering cutting-edge styling, efficiency, opulence, and value. For 2020, the Lexus RX 350 features a … Read more

Highlights of the 2020 Ford Edge

The Ford Edge is a midsize, two-row utility vehicle, one of the earliest models in what was once a segment dominated by three-row models. The 2020 Edge is part of the second-generation line introduced for the 2015 model year. This year, dual-zone climate control is now standard. Also, the audio … Read more

Toyota Yaris: Small Footprint; Big Value

If you take heed to various Internet reports, you may think that new car ownership is far beyond your reach. Indeed, in May 2019, Kelly Blue Book reported the average transaction price for a light vehicle (passenger vehicle) was $37,185. But the average transaction price can be certainly misleading, as … Read more

Hyundai’s 18K Venue SUV

  It’s official: Hyundai’s latest utility vehicle, the tiny Venue, starts at $18,345, which includes the destination charge. The all-new model gives Hyundai five SUVs, supplying customers with a wide choice of models to consider. We’ll see the first Venues arrive in dealer showrooms by the end of November. 2020 … Read more

Diminutive SUV: Hyundai Venue

  When you think of a small SUV, several models that come to mind. The Ford EcoSport, Honda HR-V, and Fiat 500X are fitting examples. Hyundai has a small SUV too, the Kona, which has successfully carved out a niche for itself in a fast-growing segment. Although the Kona is … Read more

10 Things We Like About the 2020 Subaru Legacy

2020 subaru legacy

Introducing the 2020 Subaru Legacy. If you’re shopping for a new vehicle, then more than likely you’re looking at a crossover, not a sedan. If you’re a Subaru fan, that means you’re probably considering a model such as the Outback, one of four utility vehicle models offered. But if you’re … Read more

Upscale SUV: 2019 Buick Envision

Historically, Buick has served as GM’s premium brand, delivering a slew of car models of distinction. Today, Buick maintains its position between Chevrolet and Cadillac, but its model line and sales are skewed heavily toward utility vehicles. The Buick marque has successfully adapted to changing consumer tastes, delivering three SUVs … Read more

2019 Nissan Altima: Second Look

2019 Nissan Altima rear

Like other manufacturers, Nissan has a full stable of utility vehicles in its portfolio. This automaker offers five crossovers, ranging from the small Kicks to the three-row Pathfinder. Add in the bigly Armada SUV and you’ll find a half-dozen vehicles for consumer consideration. Unlike its domestic competitors, Nissan isn’t giving … Read more

The Sixth-Generation VW Jetta GLI

The Volkswagen Jetta requires little introduction, a compact model with 40 years of history on tap. This vehicle is based on the brand’s modular platform, which includes such disparate models as the subcompact Golf hatchback and the midsize Atlas crossover utility vehicle. The seventh-generation model rolled out in 2018 and … Read more

Return of the Chevrolet Blazer

Chevy adds another crossover model.   Chevy’s Blazer makes its presence known.   The Chevrolet Blazer first emerged in the late 1960s, a name affixed to a full-size sport utility vehicle. Even as the model was renamed the Tahoe in the 1990s, the Blazer appellation also found its way to … Read more

2019 Nissan Kicks SR Review

2019 Nissan Kicks

  The Nissan Kicks is an affordable utility vehicle for first-time car buyers. It does to the utility sphere what the Nissan Versa does in the car market, by providing a cost-effective model that blends style, utility, and comfort. With a starting price of under $20,000, the Kicks may convert … Read more

New and Improved: 2019 Acura RDX

Acura releases the third-generation RDX. Acura doesn’t have the model depth and breadth of Audi, BMW, Lexus or Mercedes-Benz, but Honda’s luxury line does quite well with the six models it does offer. Further, while some of its competitors are losing market share, Acura is still gaining. Some of the … Read more

Raise the Stakes: 2019 Genesis G70

With the G70, Genesis now has a trio of luxury sedans to consider. Things are getting serious at Genesis Motors. When launching the upscale brand in 2015 with two sedans, the Hyundai Motor Group promised to populate its luxury marque with six models. This year, Genesis released its third model, … Read more

The Nissan Kicks Gets a Big “V” for Value

Silly Wabbit, Kicks Is For Kids! The 2018 Nissan Kicks is an all-new subcompact crossover utility vehicle, which was designed for one of the hottest and most competitive passenger vehicle segments. Its arrival this past spring enables Nissan to double-down in a market where consumers continue to move away from … Read more

Little Car, Big Value: 2018 Hyundai Accent

Entry-level Hyundai Accent is new and impressive. If “entry level” represents the 2018 Hyundai Accent, then you find yourself in a laudable position. Hyundai’s smallest model has always had its accent on value, but its latest version is handsome, nimble and supplies a quiet cabin. The Hyundai Accent remains one … Read more

First Look: 2019 Toyota Avalon

The fifth-generation Toyota Avalon steps up its game. Flagship sedans are a thing of the past, right? After all, the segment continues to shrink as customers shift to crossovers. The Hyundai Azera is no more and there is talk that the Ford Taurus and Chevrolet Impala will soon receive the … Read more

At a Glance: 2019 Kia Forte

Kia’s Forte compact sedan is big on style. Son of a Stinger! At first glance, the 2019 Kia Forte looks a lot like the premium Kia Stinger performance sedan. Those ported design elements provide the Forte with perhaps the most handsome sheet metal amongst small cars, something certain to capture … Read more

Hybrid Finesse: 2017 Hyundai Ioniq

Hyundai’s Ioniq line of electrified vehicles is here. The Prius has long been synonymous with “hybrid” ever since Toyota launched this model two decades ago. Since then, various manufacturers have attempted to replicate Toyota’s success, but nearly every new model has failed to make a dent in Toyota’s dominance. But … Read more

2018 Volkswagen Tiguan Review

2018 Volkswagen Tiguan

Quality time with the all-new Volkswagen Tiguan. Those of us who review new cars are often flown in by the manufacturer for a media event, allowing us to preview and drive a certain model. Such opportunities make for a good chance to meet company representatives, including engineers, designers, executives, and … Read more