2021

2021 Ford F-250 Tremor



INDIANAPOLIS — Is it a luxury car or an all-capable pickup?  Well, in the case of the 2021 Ford F-250 Platinum Tremor, the answer is “both.”  Interior accommodations rival a Lincoln Navigator while its heavy duty engineering and off-road fortifications make it the ultimate pickup too.  It can take your family to church, then out to the wilderness to pray.  Just don’t ask it to squeeze into small spaces.  That’s not one of its luxuries.

GMC Sierra 2500HD AT4 — Turbo diesel performance



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

If your goal is to make the biggest statement possible in terms of performance, off-roading, towing, payload, interior refinement and advanced technologies all in one truck look no further than your nearest GMC dealer. Check out the 2021 off-road-ready GMC Sierra 2500HD AT4 Crew Cab with the 6.6-liter Duramax turbo diesel V-8 paired to a 10-speed Allison automatic transmission.

Mazda CX-5 — A satisfying crossover experience



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

When shopping for a compact SUV crossover — and it seems about every other potential automobile buyer these days is looking for a vehicle in this segment — our strong recommendation is don't overlook the 2021 Mazda CX-5. If you've been inundated by advertising for more popular nameplates such as the Toyota RAV4 or the Honda CR-V and are leaning in that direction, you won't go wrong. Where you might go wrong is by not giving the excellent CX-5 a chance.

BMW X5 xDrive45e — An all-around SUV winner



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

(May 16, 2021) Don't let the hybrid designation on the 2021 BMW X5 xDrive 45e throw you off. This X5 is one bad dude with a 282-horsepower turbocharged 3.0-liter inline 6 engine paired with an electric motor creating a total of 389 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque running through an 8-speed automatic transmission. The combination is capable of a 0-to-60 run in under five seconds and a quarter mile time of 13.4 seconds @ 102 mph. And it can be driven for up to 31 miles without using gas.

Kia K5 GT — Satisfying performance



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

(May 9, 2021) Auto buyers who still think a mid-sized sedan is an excellent purchase and who are also fans of performance and who usually opt for a brand's higher horsepower version, might look to Kia for their next car. We think the new 2021 Kia K5 should be on everyone's sedan shopping list — especially those who value 0-to-60 time in the 5-second range. The Kia has an outstanding 290-horsepower variant labeled the GT that we found much to our liking.

Buick Encore GX — Attractive, but needs horsepower infusion



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

(May 6, 2021) We thought from the minute it hit the market in 2013 that the diminutive Buick Encore was too small to gain any kind of foothold in the entry level luxury ranks. We were wrong. It has become one of Buick's biggest success stories of the 21st Century. But we are not swayed — it's still a bit too small. What Buick should have introduced a decade ago was the Encore GX, which has effectively replaced the Encore having gained about an inch in wheelbase and three inches in length over its smaller sibling.

Buick Envision — Relaxed luxury



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Buick in an effort to cover all its SUV bases filled the gap between the diminutive and hot-selling Encore and the established mid-sized three-row Enclave with the compact Envision in 2016. The big news at the time was that the Envision was the first Chinese-built mainstream vehicle to be sold in the United States. Despite its Chinese origins the Envision enjoyed decent sales ranging from more than 40,000 in 2017 to 35,000 in the pandemic year of 2020.

Lincoln Nautilus — Comfortable, quiet, stylish



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

(May 30, 2021) Lincoln has no sedans or coupes left in its lineup. Its last three sedans — Continental, MKZ and MKZ Hybrid — were terminated following the 2020 model year. This would have been hard to believe just a few years ago, but the Lincoln Motor Company is now comprised of just four vehicles — all SUVs.

Volkswagen Arteon — A stylish hatchback



By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

(June 6, 2021) Perhaps the biggest problem Volkswagen faces with its flagship near-luxury mid-sized hatchback Arteon, which has undergone a freshening for 2021, is that few people even know what it is. Over our time behind the wheel of a top trim SEL Premium R-Line we asked a half dozen people what they thought of the Arteon, and not one was familiar with the car.

Genesis GV80 — Impressive luxury SUV


MotorwayAmerica.com photo

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

(April 11, 2021) It took longer than expected for Genesis to add a SUV to its lineup. But the wait was worth it. The 2021 GV80 is a startlingly good mid-sized luxury ride that features a stylish exterior, a handsome interior, the latest in infotainment and safety technology, strong performance from its 3.5-liter V-6, and agile handling for a high-riding sport utility vehicle. It's exactly the flagship vehicle Genesis needed to be taken seriously as a luxury brand.