By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The key number for the new 2017 Chevrolet Volt is 53. Although the number 53 is only the beginning of the story for the second-generation plug-in hybrid, it is extremely important, especially if gas prices start heading north again. Fifty-three is the remarkable number of miles the new compact Volt can be driven in all-electric mode according to EPA measurements. That's an incredible number even in this age where 20-to-30-mile electric range on plug-in hybrids is the new norm.

By David Finkelstein

With the introduction of the heavily refreshed 2017 Acura MDX three-row SUV, you'll discover a luxury vehicle that will likely meet all of your motoring and people moving needs on many fronts. With it's large window glass, dominant greenhouse and commanding view of the road from the drivers seat, it helps to give you an overwhelming field of vision of the road ahead.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Chrysler made the right decision in abandoning the minivan names that have adorned their groundbreaking vehicles for more than 30 years. It was the Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country (along with the long-departed Plymouth Voyager) that gave families a new way to travel in the mid-eighties, ushering in a segment that at its peak sold more than a million units a year.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

There's more roadster fun available at an affordable price than at any time in the last two-decades. You can still pay great gobs of cash for open-air nameplates from BMW, Mercedes and Nissan. But now, with the introduction of the Fiat 124 Spider to go head-to-head with the Mazda MX-5, those with budget limitations have another choice — a choice with pleasing Italian style — in picking an open-air thrill machine.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Kia this spring introduced an all-new 2017 Sportage, the fourth generation of the longest running compact crossover nameplate. Although the Sportage is built in Korea, it was designed in Kia's Frankfurt studio under the watchful eye of Peter Schreyer who worked for Audi several years ago. And it comes at just the right time for the surging Kia brand because the compact crossover segment is exploding in popularity, outperforming the more traditional sedans in the segment.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

It was a week of welcome solitude and pleasing noise. We were living with the second-generation Honda Ridgeline. The solitude came from the impressively quiet interior of the new mid-sized truck, and the noise — if you can describe Tom Petty belting out "Free Falling" as noise — came from the 2017 Ridgeline's unique pickup bed that can liven up any tailgate party.