#newcars

The word “Hurricane” doesn’t usually conjure up a feeling of smoothness. Hurricanes are brutal forces of nature that involve whipping winds, flying debris, and extremely choppy waters.

The Toyota Prius was once reviled by most enthusiasts and often the butt of jokes, even in pop culture. Prius drivers were stereotyped as left-lane camping, NPR-listening, Green Party-voting smug virtue-signalers.

Today I bring you a honey of a car that has very few flaws and an expensive yet reasonable price.

Let's get into the pros and cons of the 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLA35 4Matic.

Today we have another bit of basic transport from Chevy, though this one is a step up in terms of price and size from the Trax I recently reviewed.

I dug the Trax's combination of utility, sport, and affordable price. Would I feel the same about the 2024 Chevrolet Trailblazer AWD RS?

The more I review crossovers and utility vehicles, the more I evaluate them by how well they just simply work for commuting duty. With exceptions for performance and off-road versions. Those with luxury-brand badging and/or premium pricing get viewed through that prism.

This is, hopefully, a common-sense approach. Most of you readers may be enthusiasts, like I am, but these vehicles aren’t built for that. They are utilities before they are sporty. So that’s the way I look at it.

Viewed through that lens, the 2024 Volkswagen Atlas generally works well. And with some upscale feel, to boot.

It’s not uncommon for vehicles to get slapped with labels based on stereotypes. One of the more derisive ones I’ve heard over the years is a pejorative reference to mid-size luxury crossovers as “parent mobiles.” Although it’s usually more sexist than that, with moms taking more flak than dads, for reasons I don’t need to explain.

Perhaps, though, this stereotype doesn’t need to be so negative. If you need to haul children and/or pets and/or aged parents around the suburbs and you have the means to shop upmarket, you could do worse than the 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC.

Two Drive Notes for the price of one this week, due to travel last week.

Up today: The 2024 Toyota Sequoia TRD Pro.

Imagine this: You're looking for a crossover with a pinch of sportiness. None of the current crop of two-rows in the upper $30K to $50K range are doing it for you. You like the swoopy Mazda CX-90 but it's too big for your wants and needs. You hear the phrase "zoom zoom" whispered by unseen forces. You get to your Mazda dealer and see that a new contender has emerged. Enter the 2025 Mazda CX-70.

Last week's ride was the 2023 Hyundai Elantra Limited. Here are my first-take thoughts on this commuter-focused compact.

I recently reviewed the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Premium and my biggest critique, at least from a driving dynamics standpoint, was a lack of guts.

The 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Sport is meant to address that criticism. Want a Crosstrek that’s a bit more fun? This is your trim of choice.

Automakers love putting out teasers, using us media dopes to build anticipation.

Today I say goodbye to a funky EV hatchback that has charmed me in some ways and left me befuddled in others.

Reliability, when it comes to cars, has at least two meanings. One meaning involves a model’s likelihood to suffer mechanical maladies over time. The other involves how well it does its prescribed job.

Subaru has made its bones by being very good at the latter.

Building cars is hard, and it turns out that building electric cars may be even harder. According to number posted by eggheads at tony consulting firm PwC, roughly a third of new vehicles had their launches skewered in 2023 – with EVs not helping matters in the slightest.

We've slowly been saying goodbye to the Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, and Dodge Challenger -- now we can officially wave goodbye to the platform, including the Hemi.