Kia's Stinger GT2 a world-class sport sedan ... Like Porsche when it launched the unlikely Macan, its first sport-utility vehicle, Kia has crushed expectations by creating a premium level sports sedan with its 2018 Stinger. Some folks likely were still stuck on the notion that the South Korean car firm only churned out econoboxes and... Continue Reading →
2018 Volkswagen Atlas V6 SEL w/4Motion
VW goes big into the SUV market with Atlas ... There are no awards for being late to the party, but VW is hoping sales are its consolation prize for finally creating a large SUV, the Atlas. It won’t win any styling awards (can you say big and boxy?), but it’s certainly stout and a... Continue Reading →
2017 Dodge Durango GT Blacktop AWD
Outlier Durango delivers function and style ... Dodge’s Durango is an outlier of sorts. It features function and style while many of the better selling large SUVs maintain a staid look, favoring square exteriors and overly manly interiors with oversized gauges, knobs and air vents. Durango though likes to spiff itself up, like it’s saying... Continue Reading →
2017 Lexus IS350 F Sport
Stylish Lexus IS350 remains true to its calling ... When we are lucky, good things don’t change, much! This week’s luxurious example is the Lexus IS350 F Sport, a certified BWM 3 Series fighter, and a near identical luxury sport sedan to one I drove two years ago, right down to the Atomic silver... Continue Reading →
2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road 4×4 Double Cab, long bed
Toyota's Tacoma TRD a big mid-size pickup for off-roading ... There was a day, not all that long ago, when Toyota’s Tacoma, along with the likes of Ford’s Ranger and Chevy’s S-10, was a small, personal-sized pickup. These were young guy “first cars” because they were inexpensive wheels, macho enough to get the... Continue Reading →
2017 Lexus RX 450h
Lexus RX 450h perfect for a comfy, long haul ... Mostly my test drives are a couple hundred miles around Southeast Wisconsin over the course of a week, but this week was a rare exception when I drove the Lexus RX 450h to Omaha and back, more than 1,100 miles. As many a high-end suburban... Continue Reading →
2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
Alfa Romeo's Giulia makes us giggle it's so much fun ... Rare is the sports sedan, or any car, that makes you giggle when you tromp on its gas pedal. Rare too is a car that makes your friends envious. Corvettes have become too common, Jaguars too mainstream, BMWs too numerous. No, for something... Continue Reading →
2017 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD
New Nissan Pathfinder more civilized, comfy ... My Navy son had a Nissan Pathfinder years ago and it was a true sport-utility truck, built on a truck chassis and able to go off-roading with the other utes of the day. Pathfinder has been around now for 30 years, but those trucklike days are gone as more... Continue Reading →
2017 Infiniti Q60 Premium AWD
New Q60 emphasizes performance, but ride suffers ... Driving similar cars back to back puts both into perspective, an unfortunate turn for the sporty Infiniti Q60. I’d driven the Mercedes-Benz C300 coupe with 4Matic, its all-wheel-drive system, the week before I slipped behind the wheel of the new Q60, which replaces the fine G37 in Infiniti’s lineup.... Continue Reading →
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Ltd. 4×4
Jeep's Grand Cherokee touts power, toughness and luxury ... What could be more patriotic than a Jeep? And the brand, now part of Fiat-Chrysler, is celebrating 75 years of Jeepdom, although the test model wasn’t specially adorned. This was a dark metallic gray Grand Cherokee Limited with 4-wheel-drive, starting at a relatively sane $39,895 and... Continue Reading →