New Vehicle Reviews (Page 55)

The Lexus RX lineup has long been the bestselling luxury SUV in America, but with the newest generation of the RX350 arriving for the 2016 model year, the RX is better appointed and roomier than ever – and it offers all of this for a relatively low price in the luxury world.

I recently had a chance to spend a day driving the 2017 Dodge Challenger GT – America’s first 2-door muscle car with all-wheel drive – around snowy New England to see if FCA could really build an AWD muscle car that maintains the properties which has made the brawny Mopar muscle car so popular.

I recently spent a week driving the Ram 1500 Rebel with the Mopar 16 package on the roughest roads in my area, in hard snow, and after this, I believe that the Rebel package makes this Ram 1500 the best full size pickup the Ram brand has offered in the modern era – combining a premium cabin, Hemi power and impressive off-road capabilities into one fantastic package.

I recently spent a week driving the 2016 GMC Sierra 1500 All Terrain X and in addition to having a list of functional features which make this Sierra among the most capable off-road trucks in the half ton market – the exterior features of the All-Terrain X package makes this the coolest half ton truck GM has offered in the modern era.

Having grown up in a “Volvo household" while having a passion for American muscle cars, I really wasn’t all that excited to spend a week driving the 2017 Volvo XC90 T6 Inscription, but after that week in the T6 – I have to admit that I have become smitten with the high tech Swedish SUV.

The 2017 Toyota 86 sports coupe gets a few tweaks to retain it’s status as the best sports cars for the money. What upgrades make it an even better value?

I recently spent a week driving the 2016 Toyota Corolla S Plus, which paired a premium interior spread with a manual transmissions – leading to a small sedan that is fun to drive and heavily appointed for a vehicle that costs just over $22,000.

I recently had the pleasure of spending a week driving the 2016 Dodge Challenger 392 Hemi Scat Pack Shaker, which has the longest name of any modern Mopar muscle car and the best collection of features for the price – making this the coolest late model Dodge Challenger shy of the supercharged Hellcat.

I recently spent a week driving the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Cruze Premium and while I really liked the previous generation of GM’s hot-selling compact sedan – this new Cruze is at least a little better in every way.

I drove Honda’s next best seller from Monterey, California to San Francisco, and frankly, although the 2-row crossover was branded CR-V, my brain told me that I was driving a midsize luxury SUV.

Picking up our 2017 Volvo XC90 loaner at Los Angeles International Airport was a challenge; so I thought, until I transitioned into the busiest traffic patterns in North America. 2017 Volvo XC90 T6 Inscription effectively conquered the streets of Los Angeles.

While the 2016 Lexus GX460 Luxury would classify as being “very expensive” to the average driver, anyone shopping for a large SUV that will seat six in a plush cabin chock full of premium amenities should find this big Japanese people-mover to be one of the best bargains in the segment.

I recently used a 2016 Cadillac Escalade Platinum in place of my half ton pickup to get my wife and her horses to a horse show, and after three days of being worked like a farm truck including pulling the trailer to and from the show – the Escalade proved to be every bit as capable as a pickup.

The new 2017 Subaru Outback goes upscale. It gets a new Touring trim that will impress your valet.

Undoubtedly, 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback is Honda’s greatest compact car manifested to date. It’s surprisingly refined and comfortable. I just took one out for romp and am just a bit blown away by how good this Civic truly is.

The Toyota Avalon is often overshadowed by the bestselling Camry, but for someone shopping for a full sized sedan with luxury features like a Lexus sedan combined with a price that is only slightly above the Camry, the 2016 Avalon Limited is a great option.

The changes made to the 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ seem minimal on paper, but the few changes to the exterior and the drivetrain both account for significant improvements – leading to a truck that looks a little better and performs a little better.

The 2017 Nissan Rogue gets an all-new fuel-stingy hybrid powertrain. How does it test out for families?

While driving most 7-passenger SUVs usually means that you can’t have a much fun while behind the wheel, the 2016 Dodge Durango R/T is proof that a big SUV with three rows of seating can be fun - and you can have that combination of passenger space and driving excitement for under $50k.

The 2017 Nissan Pathfinder gets more power, revised steering and suspension, and new adventure upgrades.

2017 marks the second model year for the reinvented Mazda CX-3. This is the “driver’s’” car of the still hot subcompact crossover segment, with Honda HR-V leading the pack with superior interior volume and relative quiet. Which compact crossover is best for you?

In a world of near autonomous driving features, and primary front wheel drive compact sedans, for 2017, Mitsubishi Lancer holds out for base-line comfort and superior road handling characteristics, without the added MSRP of accident avoidance features.

I recently spent a week driving the 2016 Toyota Yaris 5-door LE and during that time, I was impressed by the amount of interior space, the creature comforts and the incredible number of compliments I got on the car in that week – and it costs less than $19,000.

Hyundai has been best known in the United States for their, affordable and efficient cars, but with the 2016 Sante Fe Limited Ultimate AWD – the Korean automaker has a roomy SUV which can rival the top American counterparts.

The 2016 Lincoln Navigator L Reserve has all of the credentials to compete for the title of the best large luxury SUV in the US market, but where the competitors will run you close to six figures, the top of the line Navigator offers lots of power, lots of interior space and lots of luxury for less than the starting price of most competitors.

And there it was, an image that I didn't catch often, the kid in me, smiling back in the rear-view mirror - the joy of simply driving personified.

I recently spent a week driving the beautiful 2016 Lexus RC200T F Sport shown here and in that time I learned that if you are interested in the sporty luxury coupe for the plush interior, the aggressive exterior and the awesome handling performance – the RC200T is the package for you.

There she sat in my driveway planted firmly on 18 inch black alloy rims and performance tires. This RDX looked just a bit sinister. Would its performance live up to the look?

We spend a week on the road with 2017 Honda Ridgeline Pickup. Does it measure up to Honda’s claims of “best in class?”

Since the Fiat 500 Abarth was introduced, it has been my favorite car in the subcompact class without any real competition, but with the introduction of the automatic transmission for the Abarth, could the turbocharged 500 be as much fun? Not quite – but it is very close.