Lexus decided to bid farewell to the GS sedan this year, a move that puts added focus on the more affordable ES 350 sedan. While the ES has never generated tremendous sales, it has been a steady producer for Lexus since it was introduced in 1989 along with the flagship LS model. Together, the pair […]
Weidel on Wheels
Toyota RAV4 remains top small SUV
Introduced in Japan and Europe in 1994, and two years later an instant hit in the U.S. market, the Toyota RAV4 has been a class leader for nearly than three decades. A check of the numbers reveals that U.S. sales of the RAV4 have been 132,000 or more the past 15 years, including sales of […]
2021 Hyundai Elantra earns honors
Sales had been waning for the past five years, signaling that a change may soon be coming for the venerable Hyundai Elantra. Apparently, Hyundai had seen enough, leading to a full redesign for the Elantra. Congratulations are in order for the designers of this year’s Elantra, which in January was named the 2021 North American […]
Did Genesis SUV save Tiger Woods?
Auto Writer Jeffrey Weidel was test driving the Genesis GV80 yesterday when he learned of Tiger’s Woods near fatal crash in the same vehicle. Did the safety features of the 2021 Genesis GV80 help save the life of Tiger Woods? The legendary golfer suffered severe injuries to his lower right leg and ankle in the […]
Lexus NX 300 solid crossover SUV
A second sampling of the Lexus NX 300 was much more favorable than the first. An upscale compact sport utility vehicle, the hybrid version of the NX 300 lacks solid performance and is pokey. That was our opinion when sampling the 2020 hybrid model. We were much more pleased with the standard version of the […]
Mazda CX-5 remains reliable SUV
It may not be the best compact sport utility vehicle on the road today, but there’s no doubt the Mazda CX-5 belongs in the conversation when the talk turns to who’s No. 1. Lined up against a sizable list of small SUVs that includes the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4, the CX-5 definitely belongs […]
Toyota Tacoma truck a standout
Toyota enjoys huge sales numbers in the U.S. and one primary reason is the popularity of the Tacoma. Reportedly, half the midsize trucks sold in the U.S. are Tacoma models. It has remained the best-seller in its class for the last 14 years. For more than two decades, the Toyota Tacoma has been a very […]
Genesis G70 remains anonymous
What’s in a name? Plenty, when it comes to the automobile that many people ultimately buy. The opinion here is the Genesis G70 suffers due to its brand name. Despite how it favorably matches up against established rivals like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A-4 and the BMW 3-series, sales are meager since the entry-level luxury […]
Honda Odyssey remains top minivan
Popularity has wanned and sales have dipped for the former all-star people hauler – the minivan. The minivan was a huge hit primarily for middle-aged housewives in the mid-1990s, and that trend continued into the new millennium. Although in subsequent years auto manufacturers kept rolling out new minivans equipped with more and more innovative, family-friendly […]
Two new engines for 2021 Mazda3
From this vantage point, the Mazda3 remains a great little vehicle. Yet sales figures paint another picture. Sales of the once popular compact sedan/hatchback have plummeted the past five years in the U.S. And this year will be the all-time worst with projected sales of roughly 35,000. The perky Mazda3, which debuted in 2004, had […]