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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
The Crosstrek is the smallest vehicle in the Subaru line-up and gets redesigned for the 2018 model year. Many of the shortcomings in the previous model have now been fixed making the Crosstrek a versatile option for those who want a reasonably priced wagon that can go off-road. Technically the Crosstrek is a subcompact…
The Hybrid version of the popular Acura MDX is offered for the first time for the 2017 model year. Like its gas-powered sibling, the MDX hybrid is a well-equipped midsize luxury sedan that’s a good blend of performance and utility with a lower price tag than many rivals. The Acura MDX Hybrid seats six…
The Optima is Kia’s midsize sedan. It’s available with a traditional gas-powered engine and also as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid. No matter what power train you choose, the Optima gives you a big bang for the buck and should be on your list to test drive if you’re looking for a midsize sedan. The…
The Subaru Impreza gets a makeover for the 2017 model year. It’s the cheapest car available in the U.S. with standard all-wheel-drive, and also delivers a spacious interior and many features for the money. The five-passenger Impreza is available as a sedan or hatchback in 2.0i, 2.0i Premium, 2.0i Sport and 2.0i Limited trims.…
The BMW 530e is a plug-in hybrid, the first for the 5 Series, and the most fuel efficient BMW ever introduced. You can drive up to 31 miles with the electric engine; after that, the gas engine kicks in. Total range is 404 miles. The 530e is available with rear-wheel-drive or BMW’s all-wheel-drive system,…