2017

Mazda6 — A family sports sedan

By David Finkelstein

For the 2017 model year, the Mazda6 sedan is positioned as a midsize family automobile capable of going “above” and “beyond” in delivering a fun driving experience while still exhibiting practicality and overall efficiency. The car further gains customer appeal with premium refinements as well as being one of the best-handling and most-engaging vehicles in its popular segment. Competitive makes are often cross shopped such as the Kia Optima, Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord.

Lexus ES 350 — Epitome of family luxury

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The Lexus ES sedan has been the luxury go-to car for nearly three decades. It's a prime example of Lexus solitude. It exudes performance and comfort in luxury surroundings. It features an attractive modern design, a spacious cabin, a long list of standard and available equipment, and a positive history of quality.

2017 Land Rover Discovery



ST. GEORGE, Utah —  The boxy Land Rover LR4 is fresh off a complete redesign and is not only a thoroughly different looking vehicle, but also has a new name: Land Rover Discovery. This fifth-generation model sports a new look inside and out and features a slew of technological advancements. This includes the lightweight monocoque body construction, made of up to 85 percent high-strength aluminum, reducing total vehicle weight by 1,000 pounds or about 20 percent over the outgoing LR4 model.

2017 Subaru Legacy



LOS ANGELES — Subaru doesn't need any help selling cars and crossovers from the likes of automotive sites like MotorwayAmerica, the Japanese company has got the formula down to a science enjoying increasing sales month after month for years. To understand this phenomenon better, spend some time behind the wheel of the 2017 Legacy mid-sized sedan.

Hyundai Elantra Sport — Big gain in performance

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Manufacturers are starting to give small car buyers a choice of powertrains. As an example it’s something that both Nissan and Hyundai have done for the 2017 model year. The standard Nissan Sentra gets a 1.8-liter, 130 horsepower engine while the Hyundai Elantra comes with a 2.0-liter making 147 horsepower. They both display excellent mileage and are adequate for the job assigned. The uptick is better.

Volkswagen Golf Alltrack — Off-road capable

By David Finkelstein

Competing with the likes of the Subaru Outback, the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack for 2017 is a close derivative of the Golf SportWagen. Alltrack solidifies the vehicle’s overall practicality and fun-to-drive nature with the capabilities offered with their standard 4Motion all-wheel drive system.

Ford Focus RS — Red-hot hatchback

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

There are three levels of Focus vehicles starting with the standard version propelled by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder making 160 horsepower. That's a good number in the popular compact segment. But if you want more, you can go to the Focus ST with 252 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. If Ford had stopped there it would still be ahead of the game. But why stop there…

2017 Jeep Compass



SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Jeep, a brand that builds nothing but more than capable SUVs, is absolutely booming. Overall sales are up for the seventh year in a row, including three straight years of one million vehicles sold, with a record breaking 1.4 million in 2016. It doesn’t hurt that American car buyers have made a dramatic shift from traditional family sedans to utility vehicles; the hottest segments are compact and subcompact crossovers.

Mitsubishi Outlander — A quiet crossover alternative

By David Finkelstein

“Silence is golden!” I frequently heard this expression as a youngster. The meaning can be interrupted in various forms, but when it comes to the auto industry, I define it as one of the many drive characteristics we're looking to consider while test driving any new car or truck. In the simplest terms, I just find it unacceptable to drive a new automobile with a noisy interior cabin.

2017 Honda CR-V



INDIANAPOLIS — I remember seeing the Honda CR-V during its Detroit Auto Show debut nearly 20 years ago.  There, in the middle of this grand hall, was a tiny little crossover among a sea of large full-framed SUVs.  I, and many others, laughed until our stomachs cramped.  Nobody laughs now as the CR-V has become America’s best-selling SUV.  Turbo power and a fashion makeover ignite this rocket’s fire.