2020 BMW X7 M50i

Muscular X7 M50i ups the SUV performance ante ... When the heck is a large $94,000 SUV with 456 horsepower not enough? German luxury vehicle maker BMW would answer, when it’s an X7 50i model. Thus the X7 M50i. Those in the know of BMW lingo realize adding an M to any BMW nameplate means... Continue Reading →

December 16, 2020 0

2020 Ford Expedition Max Platinum 4×4

Expedition Max redefines big luxury truck ... There’s big, and then there’s Max. In this case Max is Ford’s new Expedition Max, as if the original Expedition weren’t large enough. Apparently it was not. The Max is nearly a full foot longer than the original’s 210 inches and this special Burgundy Velvet Metallic ($395) test... Continue Reading →

October 29, 2020 0

2020 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X Crew Cab

New engine improves Nissan's compact pickup ... I’d been looking forward to testing Nissan’s 2020 Frontier compact pickup since hearing about its upgrades at the Chicago Auto Show in February, just before the Covid lockdown. A Zoom update this spring further stoked my curiosity. I much prefer compact pickups to the big boys and Frontier... Continue Reading →

September 3, 2020 0

2020 Lincoln Aviator Reserve AWD

Aviator puts Lincoln solidly back in the game ... Lincoln has been struggling for years like a one-armed barista fresh out of java. It’s no secret Lincoln has been looking for a new identity, a new look and hoping to regain its footing in the luxury car market. Finally, it seems to have arrived, but... Continue Reading →

August 21, 2020 0

2020 Toyota Highlander Platinum AWD

Highlander gets bigger and better ... I’m not a bigger is better sort of guy. My parents used to tell me the best things come in small packages. So I’m not one to automatically rave about Toyota’s new Highlander because it has grown dimensionally, about 2.5 inches of wheelbase and overall length. But if you’re... Continue Reading →

August 13, 2020 0

2020 Nissan Armada Platinum 4WD

Armada a big boat full of performance, luxury ... In some ways you’d think Nissan would own the large SUV market. Its small Rogue is extremely popular as is its mid-size SUV, the Pathfinder. Consider too that Nissan’s large SUV boasts the most power in its class and is one of the lower priced big... Continue Reading →

July 16, 2020 0

2020 Lexus GX460

Lexus GX460 a bit of a throwback, but that's OK ... A few years back we drove an old Toyota RAV4 loaner while our car was in the shop. The RAV had no power windows, just cranks, and a radio with six buttons, no screen. It felt refreshing and fun to drive. So why not... Continue Reading →

June 18, 2020 2

2020 Infiniti QX50 Essential AWD

AWD makes stylish QX50 a near perfect blend ... Technology dominates much of our lives and increasingly our automotive lives so that finding a nice blend of tech along with fun and practicality is a stretch. Well, Infiniti’s QX50 makes that stretch without even glancing over its shoulder. Two things, no, make that three, stand... Continue Reading →

April 9, 2020 0

2020 Nissan Pathfinder SV (Rock Creek Edition)

2020 Nissan Pathfinder SV 4WD Do you prefer old school or retro to an overabundance of digital doodads? Do you prefer driving your vehicle to your vehicle driving you? Nissan has an answer for you if you’re an SUV lover. Its name is Pathfinder. This is a fine SUV with room for seven passengers, but... Continue Reading →

March 12, 2020 0

2020 Dodge Durango SRT 392

Durango SRT rocks the SUV world ... Dodge’s Durango SRT is the truck version of a NASCAR stocker. SRT is all about power, muscle and grunt with an engine grumble that sounds like a stock car ready to bust out of the pits and head up the banking at Daytona. Otherwise, it’s a fine, luxurious... Continue Reading →