2016 Kia Optima LX Turbo

Kia Optima, a better mid-size sedan ... When I last tested a Kia Optima I thought it among the best mid-size sedans I’d driven, plus it got 39.5 miles per gallon. Wow! But that was a hybrid model. Well, the refreshed 2016 Optima is even more impressive. My one major hesitation with the previous model,... Continue Reading →

April 15, 2016 1

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 →

September 25, 2015 0

2015 BMW M235i xDrive

Ultimately, BMW's M235i a great drive BMW made its mark in the U.S. market years ago with the likes of the BMW 2002, a compact sporty handling car that could run circles, or ovals, or whatever shape you wanted, around most other cars. It was quick and lithe and fun to drive. But as all... Continue Reading →

March 28, 2015 0

2015 BMW X4 xDrive 35i

BMW X4 blends car, SUV and gets it about half right When is a car not a car, or an SUV an SUV? When it is an X4, BMW’s new blended vehicle. From the front it looks like a BMW sedan, it even has four doors, but a decidedly taller profile that unfortunately looks bloated... Continue Reading →

January 3, 2015 0

2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club

Miata still sets a high bar for sports car market When it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Mazda’s designers and brain trust have shown great wisdom to follow that axiom with the Miata sports car. For 25 years now the MX-5 Miata has made its mark by NOT changing much. There have been tiny body... Continue Reading →

August 13, 2014 0

2013 Nissan Sentra SL

Sharp new Nissan Sentra has its mojo back A few years back Nissan’s Sentra lost its way. For years it had been right up there with Toyota’s Corolla and Honda’s Civic as a premier entry level sedan, great for young families. But then it started to look like a cheap little car, inside and out. Worse... Continue Reading →