Bid farewell to the Kia Optima, a successful midsize sedan that enjoyed a shelf life of 19 years. The South Korean automaker not only renamed the Optima, the 2021 Kia K5 comes with a complete redesign that has lots of upside. The Optima had a nice run for nearly two decades. After modest sales the […]
Travel/Golf/Auto reviews
Ford debuts F-150 hybrid truck
Always at or near the top in truck sales, Ford is recognized as one of the forerunners in revolutionizing the pickup. This year the renowned Michigan automaker came out with the 2021 Ford F-150 hybrid truck and arriving next spring is the highly-touted all-electric Ford F-150 Lightening. One might say the hybrid truck serves as […]
2021 Escalade luxurious SUV
Small sport utility vehicles remain the popular choice for most drivers. However, that doesn’t mean large behemoths like the Cadillac Escalade aren’t still residing in driveways throughout this country. Despite the increasing popularity of subcompact and compact SUVs, the Escalade has demonstrated fairly steady sales over the past six years, never dipping below 21,000 with […]
Ford Bronco makes comeback
Following a 24-year absence, the Ford Bronco is back. That’s right, the attractive sport utility vehicle that once famously transported OJ Simpson on his made-for-TV, low-speed police chase along a Los Angeles freeway has returned. And judging from early sales figures –23,356 sold in the first three months of 2021 – the Bronco comeback is […]
Buick Envision lacks luxury components
The Buick Envision suffers from an identity issue. The compact sport utility vehicle can more than hold its own among standard SUVs, yet it falls short when measured against luxury models in its class. Historically, Buicks have been marketed as a “premium” brand by General Motors, the parent company. GM has positioned the Envision above […]
Mercedes E450 wagon strong overall
Growing up in a family with six kids in the 1960s, we became quite acclimated to traveling in a station wagon. Although wagons are no longer mainstream vehicles, they have not totally disappeared. One of them is the 2021 Mercedes E450 wagon, a luxury vehicle that my family would have marveled at if my dad […]
Redesign for 2021 Kia Sorento
Despite its popularity over the years, rarely have the folks at Kia allowed the Sorento to rest on its laurels. The family-friendly sport utility vehicle has enjoyed steady sales since arriving in 2005. And it’s likely a solid bet the 2021 Kia Sorrento will enjoy another strong sales year, thanks to a full redesign for […]
Mercedes GLB35 affordable SUV
So, one of the lifelong goals is to own a Mercedes-Benz. But the problem is many people believe purchasing a Mercedes is out of their price range. Well, that’s certainly not the case with the 2021 Mercedes GLB35. It’s not only a high-quality sport utility vehicle, the GLB35 is an affordable one at approximately $49,000. […]
Will new Chevy Trailblazer be a hit?
Think you know the Chevy Trailblazer? Think again. There are dramatic differences between the old TrailBlazer and the latest version. One possible cause for confusion is the TrailBlazer could easily be misidentified as the larger Chevy Blazer. Both sport utility vehicles were discontinued, then resurfaced. Chevy reintroduced the Blazer last year and was rewarded with […]
Lexus LX 570 remains solid SUV
The economic hard times that hit the U.S. more than a decade ago led American car buyers toward smaller SUVs that didn’t have the bulk or the costly price tag of bigger models. Despite the trend that less was better, the Lexus LX 570 still has retained its niche. Although never a huge seller, sales […]