Buick Encore surprisingly nimble The Buick Encore and Chevy Trax are kissin’ cousins riding on the same platform with the same engine and transmission, but aimed at different markets. Not surprisingly the Chevy aims at value-minded and younger buyers, while the Buick aims more upscale, at empty-nesters who demand luxury and feel they’ve hit a stage... Continue Reading →
2016 Honda Pilot Touring AWD
Restyled Honda Pilot roomier, improved overall The Honda Pilot has been a reliable big box of a sport-utility vehicle for years, nothing fancy, but usual Honda quality and solid build. For 2016 the Pilot is restyled and rounded to give it a smoother more refined look, one that might be confused with Buick’s Enclave. In... Continue Reading →
2016 Honda HR-V 2WD EX-L w/Nav
Honda's new HR-V just another solid little ute Honda makes many fine cars that perform well, get good gas mileage and are reliable and its new small personal-sized crossover, the HR-V fits that mold. But Honda, like Toyota before it, seems to have neglected styling in pursuit of its other laudable attributes. So the HR-V, like... Continue Reading →
2016 Mazda CX-3 Touring AWD
New CX-3 a spirited, fun, small crossover Mazda isn’t the first car maker with a small personal-sized SUV, but it certainly has one of the most stylish and fun to drive with its new CX-3. The CX-3 continues the tone set by Mazda’s slightly larger CX-5 that competes with the likes of Toyota’s RAV4, Subaru’s Forester... Continue Reading →
2016 Kia Sorento SX Ltd. AWD
Kia Sorento, a crossover that will haul seven people Kia’s Sorento is a fine crossover that will haul up to seven folks and look good doing it. The 2016 model is the continuation of a revamp from a couple years ago and the tested pearl “snow white” test vehicle was the top-level SX Limited... Continue Reading →
2016 Volvo XC90 T6 AWD Inscription
Volvo XC90 not mainstream, not good with details Volvo has never been mainstream and it’s not about to start now. Its new XC90 crossover that replaces a quite dated crossover of the same name is a high-end luxury vehicle that offers typical Volvo safety and substance, but drops the ball on a variety of details. First,... Continue Reading →
2015 Nissan Rogue SV AWD
Rogue grows to happy medium in SUV/crossover market Nissan restyled its entry-level crossover, the Rogue, last year to give it a less trucky appearance and smooth its ride along with its appearance. It works and offers a little more interior room and overall length than most small SUVs, like Toyota’s RAV4 and Ford’s Escape. Rogue... Continue Reading →
2015 Nissan Juke SL AWD
Juke the latest oddball design from Nissan Nissan’s Juke is unusual looking! You’ll probably substitute your own word for “unusual”, but there will be no argument that it looks like no other car on the road, but then neither did the Nissan Cube, which has been discontinued, or the late Pontiac Aztek. For lack of a... Continue Reading →
2015 Subaru Outback 2.5i Limited
Subaru's new Outback epitomizes luxury AWD wagon Subaru could be credited for starting the crossover craze as an early adopter of AWD on all its vehicles, including its wagons. Jeep could argue, but Jeeps are unique unto themselves, at least in their original form. The Legacy wagon comes to mind from the Subaru camp and... Continue Reading →
2015 Lexus NX 300h FWD
Lexus NX 300h (hybrid) long on edgy styling, short on power Credit Lexus with designing a sporty, exciting looking hybrid SUV/crossover. With swept-back styling the NX looks fast and agile from its sporty LED headlights to its sculpted angular sides. It stands out from most of the luxury SUV crowd, and its hybrid-ness, only adds to... Continue Reading →