2017 Toyota Highlander SE V6 AWD

This is not one of those vehicles where you’re going to say, “Wow, it’s a Toyota Highlander!” But it is a family-friendly, seven- or eight-passenger SUV that does what it’s supposed to do which is why it’s one of the Toyota’s perennial best sellers.   The Highlander got a makeover in 2014 and gets some…

2018 Mazda Mazda 3 Grand Touring 5-door

The Mazda3 was introduced in 2004 and is the brand’s most popular vehicle around the world. It returns for 2018 with some new features and technology. The Mazda3 remains a handsome hatch or sedan that’s fun to drive with a lot of bang for the buck. It’s definitely a contender in the super-competitive compact car…

2017 Lincoln Continental AWD Reserve

The Lincoln Continental is a nice, large luxury sedan. Problem is, there are lots of excellent large luxury sedans and the Continental doesn’t really stand out. At the same time, it does offer handsome looks, a super smooth ride, lots of features and a comparably low starting price so it will appeal to some buyers.…

2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk L Plus 4X4

If you want a small SUV that’s off-road worthy, you’ve come to the right place. The Cherokee has excellent off-roading capability and the Trailhawk trim is the most trail-ready of the bunch. It also has a nicely appointed interior and a surprisingly comfortable ride.   Starting prices for the five-passenger Jeep Cherokee range from $23,695…

2018 Kia Rio EX 5DR

Subcompact cars are definitely not your grandpa’s vehicles. Take the 2018 Kia Rio. It’s not some tiny tin can without amenities. Rather it has many features and technology that you’d expect in higher-priced vehicles.   The five-passenger Rio is Kia’s best-selling vehicle around the world, but it’s not as popular in the U.S. with rivals…

2017 Lexus RC 200t Coupe

The RC is the smallest coupe in the Lexus stable, and, in fact, is one of the smallest luxury cars on the market today. It’s definitely a head turner; I got lots of thumbs up and positive comments during my week-long test drive.   The four-passenger RC comes in four trims: 200t, 300, 350 and…

2018 Toyota C-HR XLE Premium

The Toyota C-HR is a brand new model for 2018. It was originally slated to be in the Scion line-up before Toyota nixed that brand in 2016. In case you’re wondering CH-R stands for Coupe High Rider, which is a bit confusing since it’s not a coupe and it’s not that high off the ground.…

2018 BMW M550i xDrive Sedan

The M550i is new for 2018 and is the first M performance version of the popular BMW 5-Series. It’s the fastest and most powerful BMW 5 Series ever.   The five-passenger M550i starts at $72,100. Numerous packages and options are available that can send the price up to around 90-grand.   The M550i has some…

2018 Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 AWD

The Q50 is the small luxury sedan from Nissan’s upscale brand. It’s sporty but not a sports car, and comfortable but not super luxurious.   Infiniti first introduced the Q50 sedan for the 2014 model year and it’s already been updated several times. For 2018 it gets some exterior and interior styling tweaks and the…