Automotive Reviews

2019 Cadillac XT4 Review: Shines as best new compact SUV

Cadillac has diligently worked for many years to dismantle its reputation as a brand for older drivers. It didn’t help when its massive sedans were often status symbols rewarded as a bonus for successful salespeople in the cosmetic industry. Likewise, big, expensive and luxurious were once equated with better. But it’s no longer the manufacturer’s focus and nor is it true. The 2019 Cadillac XT4 is the smallest SUV in the carmaker’s lineup. It’s another attempt to appeal to a younger audience whose only experience with Cadillac may have been their grandparents’ wheels. As a compact SUV, the XT4 joins a quickly expanding segment of entry-level luxury people movers. The industry trend continues with the refrain. It’s in with more

Read more

2019 GMC Sierra Review: Gets big, bold makeover

The GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado have been about as close in recent years as two full-size pickups can be as different brands. But for 2019, the GMC Sierra has a new identity that differentiates the near-twins while still maintaining family ties. As the start of the fourth generation for the now 21-year-old truck, the GMC Sierra 1500 is available in six trims, including the top-line Denali. Multiple beds and cab configurations and four-wheel drive are offered on all trims. The Denali moniker began 20 years for the upscale models of many of manufacturer’s vehicles. It’s derived from the native name of the tallest mountain in North America as well as the surrounding state and national parks in Alaska. Besides

Read more

2019 Infiniti QX50 Review: New generation, no more malaise

Less than 20 years ago, the term compact luxury sport utility vehicle wasn’t part of the automotive lexicon. Now, it’s the most popular top-line segment of the industry with about 600,000 new people movers selling in 2018. It’s also among the most competitive markets in the industry with the new generation Infiniti QX50 joined by Acura, Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and others for 2019. Total sales in the segment increased by about 20 percent last year from 2017. Key Takeaways Industry-first Variable Compression Turbo engine: The 2.0-liter four-cylinder VC-Turbo adjusts its compression ratio on the fly, delivering 268 horsepower with 24 city / 31 highway mpg efficiency that rivals some non-turbo fours. First full redesign in nearly a decade:

Read more

Genesis shines in 2018 Cars of the Year honors

The end of 2018 designates my 15th anniversary as an automotive journalist. It’s an ideal time to be part of an industry. Safety innovations, alternative fuels, ride-sharing platforms, autonomous driving and a rekindled appreciation for vintage vehicles all share in the whirlwind of change. Not everything is right. More manufacturers are making more alternative fuel vehicles. But the public still hasn’t embraced the idea nearly 20 years after the Toyota Prius launched the segment. Carmakers continue to make vehicles safer, but there’s so much technology, innovation arguably causes as much anxiety as peace of mind behind the wheel. Most industry publications and organizations select vehicles of the year in the preceding calendar year. At the Los Angeles Auto Show last

Read more

2019 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid Review: Worthy despite issues

Subaru, well-respected for its symmetrical all-wheel drive, sturdiness and belief in human and animal safety in its vehicles, now has additional versatility. The 2019 Subaru Crosstrek plug-in hybrid is the manufacturer’s debut in the segment. The Crosstrek Hybrid is offered in 2.0i, 2.0i Premium and 2.0i Limited trims, all powered by 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engines producing 148 horsepower and featuring all-wheel drive. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the two 2.0i and 2.0i premiums. A continuously variable transmission is offered on the Limited trim, my test vehicle. Read Now: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek The top-line Crossback Hybrid is equipped with features from the lower trims but includes upgrades. Highlights range from an advanced driver-assistance system to rear cross traffic warning and

Read more

2019 Hyundai Veloster Review: Odd compact hatchback gets it right

The 2019 Hyundai Veloster marks the sports-oriented compact’s second-generation debut, and it remains a one-of-a-kind hatchback. A sharper-edged new exterior design is immediately appealing. But the symmetrical configuration is still a signature feature, with one longer driver’s side door and two shorter front and rear passenger doors. The three-door scheme is not available on any other vehicle. Key Takeaways Still the only three-door hatchback on the market: One long driver’s door, two shorter passenger doors, and a hatch remain the Veloster’s signature configuration. No other vehicle copies the asymmetric layout. 201-hp 1.6-liter turbo in the Turbo Ultimate: Paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and paddle shifters, the top trim carries Normal, Sport, and Smart drive modes with real differences in

Read more
,

2019 Genesis G70 debuts with Car of the Year honors

The 2019 Genesis G70, the entry-level compact luxury sport sedan new to the two-year manufacturer morphed from Hyundai, has been named Car of the Year by MotorTrend. Held in conjunction with the opening of the Los Angeles Auto Show, the award is presented annually by the esteemed publication. The Genesis G70 competed against more 19 vehicles in the publication’s determination of the most competent, desirable and capable vehicle to debut for the 2019 model year. MotorTrend editors examine each contending vehicle in street and track testing. Genesis to date in 2018 has won highest-ranked brand in the automotive industry awards for quality and owner satisfaction from industry experts such as J.D. Power, AutoPacific and Strategic Vision. Hyundai launched Genesis Motors two years

Read more

2019 Kia K900 Review: Underdog joins luxury sedan elites

Introduced four years ago, the Kia K900 is the South Korean manufacturer’s flagship luxury sedan. The vehicle had an unheralded debut and newly designed 2019 edition remains under-appreciated. But perhaps not for long. Hyundai owns about one-third of Kia and the two manufacturers, despite independent vehicles, share much. The new K900 is based on the Genesis G90, the luxury sedan now on its own as a brand from its original mothership, Hyundai. Key Takeaways Second-generation flagship built on Genesis G90 architecture: Kia’s top sedan shares bones with Hyundai’s luxury arm, gaining a 2.3-inch longer wheelbase and more extensive structural adhesives for a quieter, more rigid body. 365-hp twin-turbo V6 with new all-wheel drive: A 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 and 8-speed automatic

Read more

2019 Lexus ES 350 Review: Luxury sedan improves but not enough

Now beginning its seventh generation, the Lexus ES 350 is the upscale Toyota nameplate’s midsize luxury sedan. For 2019, it’s available in four trims, including the new F Sport. As its designation implies, it has a sporty look and feel. Nearly every major manufacturer has a midsize luxury sedan. Lexus received top honors in Consumer Reports’ yearly most reliable brand survey for 2018. But the previous generation of the ES 350 had its time and other manufacturers, including Hyundai, Genesis and Kia, now all offer legitimate competition. Audi and BMW have a long-standing rivalry with Lexus. The new ES 350 (ES stands for elegant sedan) has the same fuel-injected 3.5-liter V6 engine as its predecessor. But it’s now more powerful

Read more

2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback Review: Redefines nameplate

The automotive industry is ripe with contradiction. Who could imagine a four-door sports car or a sub-compact also defined in the sports realm? Porsche may have its old-guard enthusiasts who still don’t consider the four-door Panamera a sports car, but it is. The Toyota Corolla is at the opposite end of the car-buying spectrum. Once firmly positioned in the entry-level malaise of boxiness and boredom, the Corolla is now offered in a hatchback with hard-to-hide sports car tendencies. It’s available with a more expensive continuously variable transmission, but the smooth-shifting six-speed manual is the way to go. The base level Panamera begins at about $85,000, but it’s easily a six-figure vehicle perfectly capable of daily family duties. But it’s also

Read more

2018 BMW X3 Review: Newly designed, eases highway burdens

Purchasing a BMW is often considered a sign of status. It’s ownership of a sedan, sports car or sport utility vehicle possessing superior qualities on the open road. The luxury carmaker offers vehicles, including the newly designed 2018 BMW X3, that uniquely ease the burdens of highway commutes and long hauls across state borders. It’s what Bavarian Motor Works has always done well. But the once-dominant German manufacturer has increasingly been challenged by automakers wanting more of a share of the SUV sales deluge. Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Audi, Infiniti and Acura all have debuted worthy offerings in recent years. With sales down, BMW altered the X3 for 2018. Changes include a longer wheelbase and a three-bumper opening, one

Read more

2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt GT Coupe Review: Honors film’s 50th anniversary

Celebrating anniversaries is a thing in the automotive world. Ford and Chevrolet are particularly active in marketing the milestones of their cars and trucks, the F-150 pick-up to the Corvette. Ford has celebrated its Mustang several times, and it’s doing so again with its 2019 Mustang Bullitt GT Coupe. The accolades are based on a 10-minute movie clip in 1968 often cited as the best car chase scene in cinema history. The film stars Steve McQueen as Lt. Frank Bullitt, thus the name of the movie. He chases bad guys, including the famous sequence on the hilly streets of San Francisco when he’s driving 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT 2+2 Fastback. McQueen did most of his stunts, further building the

Read more

2018 Honda Accord Review: Shines with sporty new design

Now in its early 40s, the Honda Accord for 2018 launches the ever-popular sedan’s 10th generation. It’s redesigned inside and outside is nearly unrecognizable from most other years’ offerings. Once pedestrian in style and strictly family oriented, the Accord has morphed into a four-door sports car with sedan leanings. It has a new turbo-charged engine with 252 horsepower and a 10-speed automatic transmission. It’s the same transmission offered in the 2018 Honda Odyssey. Honda has also upgraded standard technology. The new infotainment center has Android Auto, Apple Carplay and wireless phone charging. There’s also head-up display, built-in Wifi and ventilated cooling seats. The new stealth-oriented exterior design projects a European flair. Additional standard equipment, includes: Dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth,

Read more
,

Ferrari, Duesenberg combine for $70 million auction records

Rare cars selling for high prices is nothing new at Classic Car Week on the Monterey Peninsula. But several records were set this year, including a 1962 Ferrari becoming the most expensive car ever sold at auction and a 1935 Duesenberg becoming the most expensive American car ever sold at auction. The Ferrari 250 GTO, sold at RM Sotheby’s on August 25 as part of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, fetched $48.4 million. The 1935 Duesenberg SSJ formerly owned by Gary Cooper sold for $22 million at the Gooding & Co. Pebble Beach auction. It was also the most valuable pre-war car ever sold at auction. The two records helped catapult total sales for the collectible car auctions to about $368 million, a 12 percent

Read more
,

2018 Toyota RAV4 Review: Retains tradition as top-selling SUV

Now in its 22nd year, the Toyota RAV4 was the first compact sport utility vehicle introduced in the United States. It debuted in 1996 with its acronym meaning “Recreational Activity Vehicle: 4-wheel drive.” The all-wheel-drive designation remains optional. And it’s part of the reason the RAV4 has remained so popular throughout its tenure. Its versatility, variety of trims levels and optional equipment are different than many carmakers whose trims levels are only slightly tweaked. With a few exceptions, sales of the RAV4 has increased every year, with 2017 its best-selling edition with 407,594 units sold, including more than 50,000 hybrid models. The 2018 edition is the sixth year of the current generation, so the sales increase may halt as Toyota

Read more
,

Microlino mini-car channeling BMW Isetta debuts in Europe in 2019

More than 50 years before tiny houses, Smart cars and other mini things on wheels became recent crazes, the BMW Isetta was a trendsetter. It was known as a “bubble car.” It was stylish, got great gas mileage and zipped perfectly around narrow European streets. Now, its modern-day equivalent, the electronic vehicle (EV) Microlino, has been approved as street legal by the European Union. Designed by Wim Ouboter, production of the Microlino has started and its debut is expected in early 2019. The company already has several thousand pre-orders. The Microlino is ideally named. It’s 7 feet, 10 inches long and weighs 990 pounds. Depending on what battery is installed, the Microlino has a 50 or 134-mile range. It can

Read more
Previous Next