An Italian auto manufacturer, Alfa Romeo longs for success in the U.S. Thus far, those efforts are meager. However, the luxury vehicle company is hoping its fate in the U.S. receives a suitable boost from the introduction of the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale, a plug-in hybrid crossover SUV. While the Tonale receives many plaudits from […]
Travel/Golf/Auto reviews
2024 Grand Highlander adds more space
Have you noticed something different regarding the Toyota Highlander this summer? The Japanese automaker released a version of next year’s model prematurely and it’s much larger than its predecessor. Say hello to the new 2024 Grand Highlander, which is essentially a stretched version of the popular Highlander that has enjoyed wonderful success since it was […]
Redesign improves Prius Prime
Apparently, many people pay attention to the Toyota Prius. We spent a week with the 2023 Toyota Prius Prime and lost count of how many people wanted to discuss its redesign. Toyota engineered a full redesign on the compact sedan, including the Prius Prime plug-in hybrid version sampled here. Always a bit pokey in the […]
Mazda unveils CX-90 plug-in hybrid
Mazda not only decided to part ways with the popular CX-9 SUV, it replaced it with a large crossover SUV whose offerings include a plug-in hybrid. We test drove the 2024 Mazda CX-90 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) for a week and came away impressed by its overall quality. The new SUV, which also is offered as […]
Redesign for 2024 Hyundai Kona
In the subcompact crossover SUV class, the Hyundai Kona ranks as one of the standouts. And despite its success since debuting in 2018, Hyundai is not resting on its laurels. The 2024 Hyundai Kona is already out and is distinguished by a complete redesign that corrected some of its weaker points. What can one expect […]
Does Lexus LX 600 match rivals?
Despite an upgraded, stronger engine, classy cabin, and modern technology, the 2023 Lexus LX 600 can still be matched or exceeded by many of its rivals. Lexus made all these upgrades to last year’s LX 600 and added new underpinnings (same as the Toyota Tundra full-size pickup) to make it a more capable SUV. In […]
Toyota introduces the Crown
It’s no secret that sedan sales are sliding in the wrong direction. So, why did Toyota get rid of the Avalon sedan and quickly replace it with another sedan? For the record, the Japanese automaker says the 2023 Toyota Crown is not a replacement for the Avalon, which debuted nearly 30 years ago. Discontinued after […]
Mazda CX-50 competes against CX-5
Coming off its third greatest sales year, the CX-5 now faces one more worthy rival. Oddly, it’s the 2024 Mazda CX-50. That’s right, Mazda has decided to manufacture another compact SUV that likely is competing against its older sibling. The popular Mazda CX-5 has been a staple in the company’s lineup since debuting 12 years […]
Ioniq 5 proficient all-electric SUV
What’s in a name? If it’s Ioniq, there’s lots to this moniker. Hyundai has created four different versions of the Ioniq. We test drove the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5, an attractive all-electric compact crossover SUV that the company unveiled late in 2021. It’s the first model developed on Hyundai’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). The […]
Once-popular Mazda3 has declining sales
When it comes to compact cars, the Mazda3 has historically been a good choice. So, what’s the deal with sales dramatically dropping in recent years? From 2007 to 2015, Mazda3 sales exceeded 100,000 or more eight of nine times. But sales of the popular compact sedan/hatchback sank to an all-time low of 27,767 in 2022 […]