Crosstrek merges hatchback styling, crossover utility ... Mix a love of hatchbacks with a need for AWD and you have the recipe Subaru has nearly perfected in its 2021 Crosstrek. I’ve loved hatches for years and really, if you think on it, isn’t that what all crossovers are? But crossovers aren’t very slick looking as... Continue Reading →
2021 RAM TRX Crew Cab 4×4
Devilish T-RX ready to crush Ford Raptor sales ... Tell someone you’re driving a 702-horsepower pickup and they look at you like you’ve grown horns from your noggin and said 29-cent gas is back. But it’s true, the Ram 1500 TRX Crew Cab packs a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V8, the same used in both the... Continue Reading →
2020 Subaru WRX STI
WRX STI is fast, furious and noisy as ... You know that sound of running a vacuum and it sucking up a load of dirt, gravel and maybe some road salt in winter. Now imagine that sound rattling around in each wheel well of your car. That’s the first impression of Subaru’s new WRX STI,... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: DNA’s Subaru Baja
Subie's small Baja pickup looks great in 1/18 scale ... Leading sometimes is a lonely game. Just ask Subaru. Its Baja, a 4-door compact pickup based on a car platform was one of the first of its kind and can easily be seen in today’s multitude of such pickups. But it was not a sales... Continue Reading →
2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe
Compact 228i gives BMW a true entry-level model ... Back in the day, less than 20 years ago, BMW was known for its 3 Series compact sport sedans and coupes. They were cute, taut, models that were meant to introduce enthusiast drivers to the Bavarian automaker’s wares. The 3 Series was an entry-level sportster that... Continue Reading →
2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid Touring
CR-V proves hybrid power the way to go ... A few years back I declared hybrids the way to go until all-electrics gained more range and the infrastructure to remotely recharge electrics grew substantially. Nothing has changed my mind and if anything the growth of quality hybrids makes my point all the stronger. This week’s... Continue Reading →
2020 Lexus UX 250h Luxury
Whatever it is, little Lexus hybrid is a cute mileage champ ... Determining if a vehicle is a hatchback or a crossover can sometimes cause consternation. Take the case of Lexus small hatch/crossover, the UX. That name provides no clue as to what this is, other than there’s an X in the name, so the... Continue Reading →
2020 Subaru Outback Onyx Edition XT
Outback Onyx Edition just another winning Subie wagon ... Subaru’s Outback is as close to a cult car for seniors as is it for middle-agers with a couple of teens still living at home. Its sales just continue to grow, resulting in one parked in nearly every other suburban driveway. Spoiler alert, there’s a 2017... Continue Reading →
2020 Mazda CX-30 Premium
Mazda's sporty new CX-30 crossover a top choice ... If I were to vote on my car of the year today, it would be the Mazda CX-30, a new larger subcompact crossover, up a step from Mazda’s current CX-3. This new crossover in the fastest growing part of that market is easily the most stylish,... Continue Reading →
2020 Honda CR-V Touring
New CR-V worth the wait ... Seven years had passed since my last test of Honda’s hot-selling CR-V, its small sport-ute, but the wait was worth it. I felt the 2013 model had fallen a bit behind the curve in the small ute market, but be assured Honda is back atop its game with the... Continue Reading →