PHOENIX — The small, compact luxury crossover segment is growing rapidly, with numerous manufacturers flooding the market with a vast choice of vehicles and trim levels. Audi Q3, BMW X1, Infiniti QX30 are just a few, with Jaguar’s new E Pace going on sale in 2018. We last drove the Mercedes-Benz GLA 250, the German automaker’s first compact crossover utility vehicle, shortly after it was introduced back in 2015. It’s actually more of a hatchback than an SUV and is smaller than the company’s GLC compact crossover.

VANCOUVER, B.C. — As American drivers persist in their unquenchable thirst for luxury SUVs and crossovers, the popularity of coupes, in particular, continues to decline; they make up less than 2.5 percent of all new vehicles sold. Yet, auto manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz see an opportunity in a market segment being abandoned by others.

PHOENIX — In case you haven’t been paying attention, the definition of upper social class, prestige, luxury motoring is now the SUV, having supplanted large luxury sedans from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche as the choice vehicle for the global one percent. That certainly includes the seven-passenger Mercedes-Benz AMG GLS63 tested here.

INDIANAPOLIS — Every generation of entry-level compact Mercedes endured criticisms.  My grandmother loved her 1987 190E and drove it 170,000 miles, but that car received constant carping from journalists for its cramped interior, underpowered engine, and supposedly low-rent interior materials.  Having driven many 190E miles, the first two were correct, but the last is nonsense.  I’ve heard similar carping about today’s compact Mercedes, the CLA250.

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. — If you are going to cruise Key Biscayne, Fla., you might as well do it in a 2017 Mercedes-Benz AMG SL65 Roadster, right? Right. Normally I wouldn’t evaluate a car with which I had only spent 30 minutes; but because it was and will probably be my only opportunity to pilot this $217,000-plus roadster, I’ll go with it. I am an opportunist at heart.

MOAB, Utah — It’s a military vehicle in most of the world including the U.S. Marine Corps and in the civilian market it’s hugely popular with the likes of the Russian mafia, professional superballers who can consistently hit 3-point falling away jump shots, cardiothoracic surgeons (for some odd reason) and heavily armed gun toting bad guys in action movies.

PHOENIX — For 2016, Mercedes-Benz introduces the GLC crossover utility vehicle, a completely new vehicle replacing the discontinued GLK. While the GLK nomenclature meant nothing, the GLC is akin to the C-Class sedan and coupe. In fact the vehicles share the same rear-drive foundation and are powered by the same engine.

INDIANAPOLIS — Since the mid-‘50s, Mercedes-Benz sports cars have been some of the most desirable in the world.  We’re talking about the 300SL “Gullwing,”  McLaren-developed SLR, SLS AMG “Gullwing,” and now, the AMG GT-S.  All have been sexy as sin, but from styling to technology, the latest takes the three-pointed star to different tracks.

MIAMI — Although it’s likely some people will be impressed as you pilot around a Benz SUV; in truth, you will be much more dazzled by the Mercedes-Benz M-Class from behind the wheel than those gawking at it from the curb will be. This is particularly true if it’s the highly contented ML400 like the one in which I recently cruised the streets of South Florida.