New Vehicle Reviews (Page 54)

While hard working pickups like the 2015 Ram 2500 were once designed with nothing but the ability to tow and haul as much weight as possible, the upscale shift in these heavy haulers have led to trucks that can do more than pickups of the past while also packing an interior that could comfortably pose as a luxury model – creating what I like to call “the Boss’ truck.”

The 2014 Buick LaCrosse introduces a new look for the affordable luxury brands flagship, we note in this review, and while the changes made between 2013 and 2014 aren’t all that elaborate – this midcycle facelift is just enough to keep this big sedan fresh for those who want the luxury feel without the big luxury price.

The all-new 2015 Subaru WRX comes from rally roots and this performance car delivers as advertised.

The American sport compact world has been clamoring for the high performance Ford Focus RS that has dominated the European segment for years and while the RS still hasn’t arrived stateside, the Ford Focus ST is a powerful representation of how great an American sport compact can be…and in more ways that just straight line acceleration.

If you are a family man and searching for a luxury sports car you should see the fun we had with my family driving the 2014 Lexus GS F Sport across Carolinas to Georgia for Easter. Here is my review in which I talk about a weekend road trip with my family in this sedan.

The Lexus IS lineup has always been the sportiest of the Japanese luxury brand (aside from the mighty LFA) so it should come as no surprise that the new 2014 Lexus IS350 F Sport is sportier than past models in every way – while still maintaining the high level of luxury that you would expect from a modern Lexus sedan.

Our take on the 2014 Mazda3 is that it is so good its competitors are really the much more expensive German and Japanese luxury brands like Audi, BMW, and Lexus.

The Cadillac CTS is all new for 2014 and while there is no CTS-V so far, the new CTS VSport offers an incredible driving experience for those CTS buyers who demand more power than is offered with the non-VSport models – while including every bit of luxury that GM has to offer in this incredible sport sedan.

There are rumors that the Dodge Durango will soon leave the company lineup, but it only takes a short time behind the wheel to figure out why the sales of the 2014 Durango R/T are going so strong – with tons of interior space in a high tech cabin, a super aggressive exterior design and a drivetrain that makes it versatile and a total blast to drive.

The 2014 Buick Encore rockets General Motors’ midlevel luxury brand into the most popular segment in the US auto industry and after driving this spirited little crossover for a week – it is clear that GM did their homework with this vehicle before introducing it to the US market as it checks all of the important boxes and does so for right around $30,000.

When the 2015 Chrysler 200C was introduced earlier this year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, it was clear to pretty much everyone that this new midsized sedan looked the part of a major contender in the industry’s most popular segment but would the new 200 drive as great as it looks?

The Kia brand has come a very long way over the past decade and the 2014 Kia Sorento SX AWD is a shining example of the automaker’s progress – offering an impressive list of amenities inside and out in a roomy, sporty midsized SUV that packs a price under $40k.

The 2014 Lexus RX350 might not be the freshest small luxury SUV sold in America but with a plush cabin filled with modern high tech goodies and the same exterior design language that is featured across the entire brand lineup – the RX350 is still one of the best small luxury SUVs available in the American market.

Kia has introduced its first luxury sedan: the 2015 Kia K900. On the technical and aesthetic levels the car succeeds but can it excel on the most crucial level: the marketplace?

Subaru is moving up in brand recognition in the U.S. market and has received an award for the 2014 Subaru Impreza. Subaru has captured two of the top ten spots on Consumer Reports “coveted” Best Bets list and one was the all-new 2014 Impreza.

The Chevrolet Impala has gone from being one of the go-to large cars in the US to being a vehicle that is largely reserved for rental fleets and old people, but that could all change with the introduction of the redesigned 2014 Impala – a car that will make you think twice about how you look at the Chevy Impala.

The 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 was already one of the most capable true sport utility vehicles on the market but the predominantly high tech changes made to the 2014 Grand Cherokee SRT improve performance, fuel economy, workhorse capability and daily drivability to make the best actual Sport Utility Vehicle sold in America that much better.

The 2014 Subaru Outback is the ideal crossover for those with an adventurous spirit.

The 2014 Chevrolet Sonic LT fitted with a handful of optional accessories shows that you can have a sharp looking, fun to drive and high tech GM hatchback that you can look forward to driving without paying an arm and a leg – with a price just over $20,000 with all of the optional goodies.

The 2014 Subaru Forester ushers in a new generation of the long-running small crossover and while the exterior of the newest Forester doesn’t appear to be all that different from the previous models – it is the slight changes here and there which allow the 2014 models to make a solid crossover even better.

While the new 2014 Toyota Highlander is arriving in dealerships around the country, there are still plenty of 2013 Highlander models on lots throughout the US and recently I had a chance to spend time in one of these 2013 models – an experience which left me impressed by the level of luxury offered by this relatively inexpensive SUV.

There was a point early in Kia’s existence in the US market where their lineup of small cars focused on nothing but low cost and solid fuel economy but the 2014 Kia Forte EX sedan is a prime of example of how much the industry has changed – and how well Kia has changed right along with the competition.

While the Lincoln brand has been best known for its brawny land yachts, the 2013 Lincoln MKZ has everything that you want from a modern luxury car inside, outside and under the hood – making for the best midsized luxury car that Ford Motor Company has offered up in many moons.

The Scion tC has received a refresh for the 2014 model year that includes a substantial facelift on the outside, a sportier interior and a lightly reworked suspension setup that all work together to make the 2014 tC more attractive and more fun to drive than the 2013 models.

When the 2014 GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado were introduced earlier this year with a look that is fairly similar to the previous generation, a great many critics pointed out that the newest GM half ton pickups, but after spending some time driving the new Sierra I can safely say that this is not a book that should be judged by its cover as this is THE BEST half ton GM truck ever.

When the Kia brand was introduced to the US market back in 1994, it was hard to imagine that this super affordable economy brand could one day offer up a gorgeous, engaging large luxury sedan but with the 2014 Kia Cadenza – the smaller of the two Korean brands doing business in North America has stormed into the segment with a beautiful vehicle.

The 2013 Toyota Venza XLE does what very few family crossovers can do, offering an interior setting that is plush, loaded and roomy with a chassis and drivetrain that supplies far more fun than you would expect from a vehicle in this class.

When it comes to lengthy car trips my first preference is either midsize sedans (and larger) or crossover utility vehicles. That's why I was initially dismayed to find out I would be piloting a 2014 Kia Forte EX on a 700-mile round-trip drive on a recent wet, windy November weekend but this compact proved it could work well.

The 2013 Dodge Challenger R/T is the most affordable V8 powered rear wheel drive sports car sold in America today but with 375 horsepower and a standard 6-speed manual transmission – the Challenger R/T Classic offers the excitement of the American muscle car without the gigantic price of the more powerful cars on the market today.