This mid-size SUV spoils the driving experience with too many convenience features that only serve to irritate – and bump up the price
The well-known phrase “leave well enough alone” is something carmakers should take to heart. We could throw in “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” while we’re at it. But either way, it seems automobile manufacturers are incorporating more and more features and designs of questionable value – or no value at all – into…
This sport cute may be a little shy on power but it’s a pleasure to drive as an urban runabout
For the first time in a long while, I went to a social event last week. Just a few people getting together to play a little music and socially un-distance for a while. It was all COVID-19-proof, of course, and a good time was had by all. But what struck me as I pulled up…
As you would expect from any Toyota, the 2020 RAV4 Hybrid is very driver-accessible and immensely driveable
Hybrid engineering, once thought to be bridge technology, is stronger than ever. Sometimes it seems every other vehicle on the road is a hybrid of some kind. And this includes SUVS – virtually all the major carmakers have something on offer. Volvo XC90, Mitsubishi Outlander, Hyundai Kona, Ford Escape, Subaru Crosstrek and others are available…
The 2020 version does exactly what it’s supposed to do. It’s comfortable, roomy, powerful, easy to drive and pleasant to look at
Sometimes, going with the flow is the best course of action. Not making waves, being consistent and taking your cues from those around you. That strategy has certainly served Hyundai well over the years. Going right back to the 1980s-era Pony, the South Korean company has kept a sharp eye on industry front-runners and built…
The 2020 version of this SUV has plenty of prestige and presence, but it's not perfect
Is bigger better? Mercedes-Benz has always thought so. If you’re talking bigger performance, bigger presence, bigger luxury and, yes, bigger price tag, Mercedes has always risen to the challenge. This applies in spades to the company’s full-size SUV line. These are big automobiles and the 2020 GLS 450 is right near the top of the…
It’s a state-of-the-art compact sport utility vehicle that stands at the head of the class in almost every department. You just need to overlook the transmission
The qualities that have made the CR-V such a winner – driver-friendliness, usability, thrift and driveability – are still very much in evidence in the newest iteration of this Honda mainstay. I spent some time with the 2020 CR-V and liked just about everything about it. Available in five trim levels, with front- or all-wheel…
Toyota has mastered the art of building appealing, mainstream automobiles and the 2019 RAV4 carries on that tradition
First, let’s talk about the paint job on my test RAV4. Toyota is calling it Blue Flame With Ice Edge. I call it taxi cab meets corporate fleet vehicle and it’s, well, distinctive. Taste is personal, of course, but of the infinite number of paint choices the company could have picked, why this particular eyesore?…
The Terrain is chock-a-block with safety and modern convenience features that push the price tag to just under 50 grand
Apparently, the first true SUV was the Jeep Wagoneer, introduced in 1963 ... but, depending who you talk to, the Sport Utility Vehicle – SUV – as we know it was actually conceived at General Motors, which introduced the pickup truck-based Chev Carryall Suburban decades earlier, in 1935. Originally intended to be a workhorse –…
Comfortable, stable, accommodating and roomy, it’s the state of the art for full-size SUVs
With the explosion in compact SUV popularity, it’s almost unusual to see an actual full-size model – the ones that got this whole ball rolling, like the Chevrolet Suburban or its direct competitor, the Ford Expedition. Introduced in 1997, the Expedition borrows heavily from the F-150 pickup truck platform, utilizing many mechanical components and similar…
The unresponsive transmission takes a great deal of the joy out of this otherwise practical, pleasurable small SUV
Although I drive 50 to 60 new cars a year, I still own a 1976 BMW 2002, a ’76 Triumph TR6 and the family schlepper: a 2002 Honda CR-V. The first two cars are my toys, pampered and driven in nice weather, and usually for short distances. The Honda is the workhorse, and is used…