PHOENIX — We first reviewed and wrote about Kia’s all- and electric only EV6 sedan with its quirky exterior design and straddling the lines of being a crossover utility vehicle, wagon or a sportback sedan that we deemed “stunning” in design language about one year ago. So impressed with the EV6 we couldn’t help but throw continuing superlatives at it like, seats that are supremely comfortable, a 310-mile driving range between charging along with quick recharging to 80% in just 18 minutes, roomy, aand fantastic driving dynamics.

HERNDON, Va. — At an earlier time — and I should admit, in the late ‘80s it was another life — I was selling Hondas in the Dallas area for both Jim McNatt and Goode-Taylor. Having started 10 years earlier on a BMW showroom, this wasn’t the career ladder I had hoped to climb. But after abbreviated periods in management the Honda showrooms were a safe place to land and Honda products a safe brand to sell, helped in no small part by my affection for what Honda built; it was, at that point, what both my wife and I drove.

MIAMI — Tesla may still be the sales leader among electric vehicles, but its dominance of the EV segment has been on a slight decline since hitting a 79.4 percent market share in 2020. Elon Musk’s company slipped to 68.2 percent in 2021 and 65.4 percent last year as more affordable EV models from Ford, Hyundai, and others began to hit showrooms, according to data tracking from Experian Automotive.

MIAMI — After a production hiatus that lasted for just over two decades, Land Rover brought back the Defender model for 2020, giving it the customary off-roading capability the company is known for while also delivering a refined performance for on-road ventures.. The 2023 Land Rover Defender is offered in a myriad of versions and trim packages with three different body styles for 2023.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —  Fifty three years ago, Rover decided that its landmark product — the Land Rover — needed a bigger brother more suited to m’lord and m’lady to patrol the castle grounds. Thus was born the boxy-yet-iconic Range Rover, loved by queens and commoners alike for its room for five with picnic hampers, plus Landie off-road ability. Leather and wood became part of the RR package years later as it aimed for the landed gentry. 

PHOENIX — With no less than 14 model variants of the Porsche Cayenne SUV there’s a new range-topping Turbo GT that’s the most ultimate Porsche Cayenne ever and is the closest to a Cayenne GT3 as Porsche has ever built. It’s the fastest, most powerful, and with a starting price of over $190,000 the most expensive sport utility vehicle ever by the German sports car maker. 

PHOENIX — The Toyota Sequoia has been around for over 20 years as an alternative to the Ford Expedition and the Chevrolet Tahoe. For 2023, the third-generation Sequoia has received a complete redo, well past its freshness date — the first time in the last 15 model years.

INDIANAPOLIS  — Unlike some of you, I love my mother-in-law, and when she came to me about her next new car, I was in for the chase.  She wanted a car of the highest quality, durability, and comfort, but it also had to be easy to drive.  Fuel economy was important as was safety.  She has two young grandchildren.  All-weather capability would also be good since she was planning long drives to see said grandchildren.  

PHOENIX — Notwithstanding the price of gasoline averaging nearly five dollars a gallon for premium and an avalanche of media hype, manufacturer TV advertisement for electric vehicles and the seemingly unquenchable thirst for SUVs from the car buying public, full-sized pickup trucks sales in the U.S. continue to reign supreme in sales numbers. 

HERNDON, Va. — In the three plus years since last driving Alfa Romeo’s Stelvio a lot has changed in the Alfa Romeo showroom; admittedly, that’s important only if you can find an Alfa Romeo showroom — don’t look for one in smaller locales with other high-end imports. Of note is a recent J.D. Power survey, signaling a significant uptake in customer satisfaction for Alfa Romeo.