AUSTIN, Texas — Throughout history there have been some classic skirmishes: you say tomato and I say tomahto; paper or plastic; I could have had a V8. But perhaps the most notable of all is the deadly debate of whether to buy a vehicle that specializes in off-roading or one that is a family ride. Just like Mighty Mouse, Jeep has come to save the day and after putting it through a multitude of paces there’s no doubt that with the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee you can have your cake…and eat it, too.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. —The Kia Forte this spring will join the popular compact sedan segment that includes such vaunted competitors as the Honda Civic, Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cruze and Hyundai Elantra. This newcomer, based on our afternoon of driving in the Arizona desert, will be  a player. Oh, hold on, wait a minute. You say the Forte isn't new to the segment, it came on board in 2010 as replacement for the forgettable Spectra.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Usually when an automobile manufacturer says a new model is a mid-cycle facelift that’s a fairly accurate description. Mostly there are minor changes; maybe it sports a different grille or front and rear fascias. Maybe it has a new dashboard using higher-grade materials. Or in some instances it’s simply called the “new” 20XX vehicle. For its 2014 Sorento CUV Kia has thrown conventional wisdom to the wildebeests.