If you want to blame anyone for the rise in popularity of crossover utility vehicles in America, blame Honda. And blame its uber-popular CR-V. For 2017, Honda has delivered the fifth-generation of this mid-size family utility to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the nameplate – and it is going to be as popular as ever.
Recently I mentioned that Toyota offers the consumer a choice when shopping the midsize utility vehicle segment – Highlander and 4Runner. Now in its fifth generation, 4Runner has been a popular sport ute for more than 30 years here and our 2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road tester proves the model is still going strong.
A couple of years ago we brought you our first impressions of the all-new third-generation Hyundai Tucson crossover utility vehicle. For 2017, Hyundai has added the limited production Night model. Night adds a new blackout monotone appeal to the Tucson lineup for those seeking a bit more style with their substance.
The year is 2002, and North America is invaded by the Swedes. Volvo, to be more precise, and its all-new XC90 sport ute. That vehicle won every major automotive honor and caused many to rewrite the rulebooks – it even won Truck of Texas. We recently got to spend time with the 2017 Volvo XC90, and it’s still a winner.
Toyota rolled out the third-generation Highlander utility vehicle in gas and hybrid form a few years back and the automaker – and consumers – couldn’t be happier. It appears Toyota actually listened as they ironed out all the little kinks and quips with the previous generation model and they proved just that with our recent 2017 Highlander Hybrid tester.
Car sales are down – that fact is resonating across the automotive industry with each month’s sales figures, and luxury brands are no different. But that is not to say passenger cars are bad, in fact they are the best they have ever been, and this 2017 Lexus GS 350 F Sport is no exception.
Just three years ago we brought you word of the all-new TLX midsize sport sedan from Acura, a car that would replace two models to secure its place as the middle child in the Acura showroom. For 2018, Acura has given TLX some very nice upgrades as well as a new A-Spec sport variant.
Every time I receive a heavy-duty pickup from the press fleets, I refer to the never-ending battles waged amongst the manufacturers of said trucks and this will be no different. Ram sent us its latest, largest consumer machine and it is a beast – a very pretty beast – in the form of the 2017 Ram 3500 Limited Mega Cab.
Right off the bat, let me admit that there are occasionally review opportunities that I’m predisposed to be a fan of. As a food, drink, travel and tech writer, I often receive invitations to sample items and experiences that I know going in will probably be pretty bad-ass, or pretty bad.
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.
When we first tested the 10th generation Honda Civic last year we were left yearning for a manual gearbox. We got our wish as Honda recently brought us its all-new 2017 Civic Si, the first turbocharged Si in the model’s history.
Last year we brought you our review of the refreshed 2016 Passat from Volkswagen. For 2017, the German-American midsize sedan sees the addition of the R-Line trim level that adds some sportier touches some safety technology coming standard to this and other models.
If there is something very familiar with this 2017 Infiniti QX60 premium family utility vehicle, it could be that you remember its cousin we reviewed not too long ago in the form of the Nissan Pathfinder. And like the Pathfinder, the QX60 receives some nice upgrades for this year model as well.
I came across an anonymous quote recently that said, “Adventure may hurt you, but monotony will kill you.” After spending a few days with Mazda and their new CX-5 and Miata MX-5, I think I can safely say that driving a Mazda managed to break the monotony and bring the adventure without the hurt! Mazda is on the rise, refining and improving their vehicles to bring them to a new level of style and function. We learned a lot about Mazda, their goals, and their cars, but today I want to focus on what really struck me — their commitment…
In taking press fleet deliveries from one of the companies I deal with I am constantly reminded of a famous line from one of my favorite movies, Forrest Gump. This week was no different as the baby blue 2017 Fiat 500 Cabrio (500c) pulled into the test driveway – I never know what I am going to get.
Have you ever wondered what it was like to fly a spaceship? Or, maybe you find it distracting to look down at your car’s built-in GPS navigation. If so, then Navdy is for you. Navdy projects a see-through display right in front of the road so you can keep your eyes on the road while driving; Navdy retails for $499.
In case you did not know it, Dodge no longer makes pickup trucks. Sure, you can still by trucks at your local “Dodge” dealer but for about a decade now they have been branded Ram, although most folks seem to have missed that message.
BMW calls its 5-Series four-door the most successful premium sedan. For 2017 it arrives in its 7th generation form that is loaded with state-of-the-art technology and is every bit as dynamic to drive as the models that have come before it.
Jeep, a name synonymous with off-roading around the globe, is earning quite the urban reputation for itself, too. In recent years the iconic wonder brand of the Fiat Chrysler Automobile group has been winning over car buyers who will never take their vehicles off paved surfaces thanks, in part, to models such as the 2017 Jeep Compass.
Those of you following the heavy-duty pickup segment know that manufacturers have been locked in an all-out brawl for quite some time now. Three-quarter and one-ton trucks have not only been getting stronger but have gone upscale, and they feature many of the same creature comforts as the top-of-the-line passenger cars and SUVs from the same brands, Chevrolet included.
Pathfinder is probably Nissan’s second-best known nameplate, right after the Z. Now a few years after the introduction of its fourth-generation, the Sport Ute receives some significant upgrades in styling, safety, technology, and performance.