Hatchbacks

2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Ushers in New Era

Toyota did something a bit unusual to debut the 12th generation of one of its most popular models. The 2019 Toyota Corolla arrived first as a hatchback. And while this is not the first subcompact hatchback from Toyota, it is the first to carry the name Corolla Hatchback here in North America – and it’s a good one.


2018 BMW X2 Is the New Sports Activity Something

BMW and I are going to have to agree to disagree on the all-new X2. The Bavarian automaker is billing the new model as a sports activity coupe, but I fail to see much coupe-ish about it. What is offered is a great combination of a hatchback and crossover utility vehicle, just not a coupe.



2018 Chevrolet Cruze Hatch Diesel Debuts

I know it has been said before that sedan sales are on the decline, but just a little over a year ago Chevrolet quoted that hatchback sales had seen a 9 percent market growth. On the heels of that, Chevy introduced the Cruze Hatch and for 2018 they now offer it with the 1.6-liter turbodiesel power plant.



2017 Kia Niro Is a Hybrid Hit

Kia has been in the hybrid gas/electric propulsion game for about six years now and for 2017 they have released the brand’s first dedicated hybrid model dubbed Niro. The Kia Niro is described as an urban crossover hybrid vehicle that combines utility with excellent fuel economy.




2016 Volkswagen Golf GTI Is the Real Hot Hatch

Volkswagen says its GTI defined the term hot hatch – a fun-to-drive hatchback offering power, playful performance, refinement, and style. The latest iteration was North American Car of the Year for 2015 and recently we spent time behind the wheel of the 2016 Golf GTI. If ever there was truth in advertising it is the embodiment of the Golf GTI. Volkswagen got things right with this one despite its struggles with TDI models. The Golf GTI is offered (for now) in two- and four-door models with our tester arriving as the latter. At the heart of the fun is a…


2016 Scion iM Hatchback: The Swan Song of a Brand

No sooner does Scion release a couple of all new vehicles than its parent company Toyota Motor Sales announces the division will be mothballed. Fortunately it appears the Scion vehicles will be rolled back into the Toyota production lineup as they are all very worthy including the newest hatchback, the Scion iM.


2015 Kia Forte5 More Than Four, Much More

Five is more than four. Of course we all learned this early on in grade school but that point was reinforced recently as I spent a week with the 2015 Kia Forte5, the sport wagon version of the Forte sedan. The new Forte5 is certainly more than its four-door sedan counterpart and the number of doors is only the beginning.


2015 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen: the German-tuned Wagon

Just when you thought station wagons had gone the way of the Dodo bird, Volkswagen releases a new model – dubbed SportWagen – and releases it on the family of vehicle that brought home the 2015 North American Car of the Year crown, the VW Golf. The V-dub Golf S-dub arrived earlier this year and it replaces the Jetta SportWagen.


2015 Ford Focus ST Offers a Dynamic Driving Experience

While U.S. consumers eagerly await the arrival of Ford’s global rally car, the Focus RS, we enjoy zipping around town (or the track) in the sport tuned Focus ST that received some upgrades for the 2015 model year. We spent time recently checking out the updated driving dynamics (steering and suspension) along with styling changes inside and out.


2014 Lexus CT 200h Offers Luxury and Sport in a Hybrid

I hadn’t driven the Lexus CT 200h hybrid Cross Tourer since its launch four years ago, despite my efforts to the contrary. I enjoyed testing the new hybrid-only wagon-like vehicle from Toyota’s luxury division and looked forward to spending a full week behind the wheel, but it did not come to fruition until only recently. And I still liked it.


2015 Honda Fit Too Cool for School – and Maybe Me

Some vehicles go for more than a decade without changing much (Nissan Titan, I am looking at you) but others seem to get makeovers as often as the seasons change. The Honda Fit falls into this latter category as although it was introduced to the U.S. in 2006 as a 2007 model, MY2015 is the third-generation of the tiny Honda.


2015 Volvo V60 T5 Drive-E Sport Wagon

The midsize S60 sedan from Volvo has become one of my favorite new vehicles over the past few years. Bolstering this middle segment from the Swedish automaker was also sibling crossover XC60. For 2015 Volvo V60 T5 brings a new sport wagon to the center of its lineup in the form of the V60 and it is quickly gaining favor.


All-New 2014 Mazda3 Is the Next ‘Great Little Car’

The Mazda3 recently turned 10 years old, and to celebrate the automaker gave the world an all-new, third-generation model. Mazda‘s been a bridesmaid to other Japanese automakers for years, but with new releases like the CX-5, Mazda6 and this little gem, Mazda proves it deserves to be in the same conversations as the likes of Toyota and Honda.


Kia Announces an All-Electric Kia Soul

Earlier this week, we reviewed the 2014 Kia Soul; if you looked at that car and thought “it needs to be electric”, then you’re in luck! Kia has announced an all-electric Soul, with a range of 80-100 miles between charges. This is in line with other electric vehicles, but the Soul makes being an EV look good.



2014 Fiat 500L – Tell Me How You Really Feel About It

Usually when I show up in the review vehicle of the week, friends and family freely express their opinions on the new model and I find these to mostly be favorable but sometimes polarized with love it/hate it reactions. Not so with the new 500L from Fiat where nearly everyone told me it was just flat out ugly.


Honda Debuts All-New 2015 Fit at NAIAS

Honda unveiled the all-new 2015 Fit subcompact hatch at the North American International Auto Show. Arriving this spring, the new Fit is redesigned from the ground up offering more interior space in a stylish, fun to drive package with good fuel efficiency and state-of-the-art safety combined with vehicle connectivity, or, in Honda’s words, a small car with big aspirations.