New Evoque fails $64,000 question ... Range Rover’s new Evoque stirs a $64,000 question: Do you expect your new vehicle’s climate control system and heated/cooled seats to work every time you start the vehicle? Apparently the answer is, No! Despite my “Yulong White” test vehicle’s $64 grand price tag, those systems worked about half the... Continue Reading →
2020 Lexus NX 300 AWD F Sport
Lexus NX 300 a small ute with style . . . Small SUVs and crossovers are nearly as thick these days as political pundits, so it takes some effort to separate one from the mob of little tall wagons. Lexus tries, with some success, with its NX 300, based on the previous generation Toyota RAV4... Continue Reading →
2019 Lexus RX 350L AWD Luxury
Lexus RX 350L, when you're entitled to more luxury ... There’s no doubt we’re an entitled society from top to bottom. But when one slides behind the steering wheel of a Lexus RX 350L it’s hard not to feel a strong urge of entitlement, and contentment. Granted, I’m lucky to get such a chance, but... Continue Reading →
2019 Honda Passport AWD Elite
Dandy new Passport hauls a lot of gear ... A loaded-down road trip to Minnesota was the perfect test for Honda’s latest crossover/SUV, the midsize Passport. You may recall Passport as a midsize SUV offered earlier by Honda until 2002. It was a revamped version of Isuzu’s Rodeo (Remember Isuzu?). This is a whole new... Continue Reading →
2019 Audi Q8 quattro
Audi Q8 quattro a loaded fancy-pants SUV ... Luxury and prestige have their price, and for Audi’s largest SUV, the Q8, that starts at $68,395. Luckily that includes delivery charges, and to be honest, quite a lot else. Think of this as the SUV version of Audi’s fancy pants A8 sedan, which as a top-line... Continue Reading →
2019 Nissan Pathfinder SV AWD
Pathfinder SV rocks on the simple side ... For those looking for a mid-size sport-utility truck or crossover with a third-row seat, it’s possible you’ve chosen the most competitive segment for your vehicle search. That’s where this week’s perfectly fine Nissan Pathfinder finds itself. After more than 30 years on the market Pathfinder is a... Continue Reading →
2019 Cadillac XT4 AWD Sport
Small Caddy offers sexy looks & luxury ... There was a day when a Cadillac HAD to be as big as a cruise ship and loaded down with enough chrome to make a knight on horseback feel inadequate. No more. Cadillac has decided that affordable luxury with interesting styling is the way to get post-Boomer... Continue Reading →
2019 Hyundai Santa Fe Ultimate 2.0T FWD
Hyundai's Santa Fe should be on your test drive list ... If you’re in the market for a compact crossover there’d better be a good reason you haven’t test driven a Hyundai Santa Fe yet. You’d be crazy not to. The 5-passenger Santa Fe, formerly the Santa Fe Sport, practically sets the bar for this... Continue Reading →
2019 Volvo XC90 T6 AWD Inscription
XC90 keeps boxy, safe family haulers tradition alive ... Give Volvo credit for staying true to its roots all these years. It remains the maker of boxy family hauling machines that are long on safety. Too bad for Volvo that the rest of the automotive world has caught onto the safety gig. Well, actually the... Continue Reading →
2018 Ford Expedition Limited 4×4
Expedition a BIG winner in the SUV wars … Big is big when it comes to large SUVs, but some drive better, are easier to handle and Ford has improved both in its new Expedition, a huge craft to be sure. But for 2018 the Expedition is all-new from the wheels up, and it shows.... Continue Reading →