2020

2020 Cadillac CT4



INDIANAPOLIS — I once had a rousing debate with a respected General Motors PR rep about why Cadillac could never seem to compete with the Germans.  There have been exceptions:  The original ’76 Seville, ’92 STS, and any number of V-Series among them, but as a whole, Cadillac never quite got there.  And worse, it seemed Cadillac was ashamed of its heritage as it tried to become an American BMW.  Well, there are no more excuses.  The CT4 has finally beat the Germans without selling its soul.

Ford Mustang EcoBoost High Performance — Fun, fun, fun



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Over the years the Ford Mustang "Pony Car" has been all about a beefy V-8 engine under the hood. For 2020, it's still the 5.0-liter V-8 that grabs most of the attention with 460 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. But sharing the spotlight is a modern turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that can stand on its own without apology.

BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe — Performance in a small package



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

(September 6, 2020) We delight in driving a small car relishing its city driving maneuverability. Throw in outstanding handling attributes and it's even better. Then toss in immense turbocharged performance and it's an automotive brew that we find irresistible. And as frosting on the automotive cake add standard all-wheel drive. The 2020 BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe fulfills all these attributes and then some.

Genesis G70 — Award-winning sports sedan



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman



One of the most competitive segments in the luxury ranks is the compact sports sedan. Think BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Jaguar XE, Alfa Romeo Giulia. Now add the 2020 Genesis G70 to the mix. If you have little knowledge of the Genesis luxury brand spun off from Hyundai several years ago know that it has won numerous awards in its short life and the G70 is getting rave reviews in its second year of production.

2020 Mercedes C 300 Cabriolet



PHOENIX — Research, customer feedback and more important and relative is sales that suggest convertibles have fallen out of favor with the car buying public and currently account for less than one percent of new car sales. By today’s standards of vehicle popularity, Thelma & Louise in the 1991 movie of the same name would more likely find an SUV with a massive panoramic sunroof their object of desire than the Thunderbird they famously took their fatal leap into the Grand Canyon. Likewise, for James Dean’s Porsche 550 Spyder and Steve McQueen’s Jaguar XKSS ragtops.

Buick Enclave — A fashionable 3-row crossover



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

(August 30, 2020) The biggest problem for the Buick Enclave as it reaches the third year of its second generation is an ever-growing list of high-quality three-row crossover vehicles. There are a number of desirable people haulers now on the market with the entry of the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade and an-all new Ford Explorer. And if you are enticed by the top-trim Enclave Avenir, the competition is fierce in this price space with entries from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and Volvo.

Honda CR-V — Mid-cycle updates



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

(August 16, 2020) Jump inside a Honda CR-V compact crossover and relish in the very comfortable interior, and then take it for a couple of spins around the block and you will understand why it has become the best-selling SUV in the country. The CR-V has been refreshed for 2020 making it even better. The biggest news is the addition of a hybrid model capable of 38 mpg. Honda has also dropped the base 2.4-liter 4-cylinder from the lineup making the more powerful 190-horsepower turbocharged 1.5-liter engine standard across the lineup.

2020 Ford F-350



PHOENIX — Ford was a bit late to the party following major refreshes for Ram, Chevrolet and GMC super duty pickup trucks but now for 2020 its America’s truck leader Ford’s turn with a heavily refreshed lineup of Super Duty’s of their own.
Ford Super Duty trucks include the F-250, F-350 and F-450. Six trim levels are offered for 2020 including the XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum and Limited.

Volvo XC60 T8 Polestar — Luxury and performance



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

(August 9, 2020) Volvo Cars aims to establish itself as a leader in electrification in the coming years, and by 2025 it wants half of its global sales volume to consist of fully electric cars, with the rest hybrid electrics.  While this is a lofty objective, we think based on the still small size of the all-electric segment Volvo might have difficulty meeting its goal without seriously compromising sales.

Chevrolet Bolt — Outstanding range


MotorwayAmerica.com photo

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

(August 2, 2020) If you have decided it's time to purchase an electric car and you are shopping the ever-growing array of increasingly affordable vehicles, one of the EVs that's a must for your shopping list is the 2020 Chevrolet Bolt. The small hatchback has numerous desirable attributes including a 259-mile range on a single charge and a starting price of less than $40,000.