Quick Spin

Somehow, the Lexus LC is in the back half of a decade in production. Debuting in 2016 at the Detroit auto show, the LC500 helped give something similar to the legendary Lexus LFA to the masses – well, the masses that could afford a spendy-but-more-affordable grand tourer. Powered by either a 5.0-liter V8 or a 3.5-liter V6-based hybrid system, the Lexus LC 500 can offer a growing exhaust note or th...

Mazda launched its fourth generation, or ND as MX-5 fans would call it, almost a decade ago. Shaving weight from its NC-generation predecessor, this MX-5 excelled at what Miatas do best: be fun. Along the way, Miata squeezed more power and moved the redline of its 2.0-liter I4. The most recent group of upgrades usher in the ND3-era, or the third update for the ND-generation, and brings along some...

Genesis rolled out its G70 sedan onto the road all the way back in 2017, for the 2018 model year. While the G90 helped kick the Genesis brand off, the G70’s launch was a big part of the brand’s expansion down market. This smaller sedan fights with the likes of luxury heavyweights like the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and more. This Genesis also shared a platform with Kia’s Stinger, which w...

The Hyundai Elantra has come a long way since its early ’90s inception. Over the last three decades, Hyundai’s Elantra has evolved and stayed with the ebbs and flows of automotive trends. This seventh-generation Elantra might have brought the Elantra N into the fold, but there’s more to this compact sedan than just its torque-steering stablemate. Elantra also offers its base non-N model with eithe...

The Volkswagen Atlas joined the VW roster for 2018 and gave the company the ever-important mid-size SUV. Expanding on the Atlas, Volkswagen added the Cross Sport variant of its MQB-based crossover, which put the company’s hat in the ring of the crossover coupe argument. After five years on the road, Volkswagen overhauled both versions of the Atlas. While these updates do come with some interesting...

The 2025 Mazda CX-70 was an unseen surprise, but it follows trends seen across automakers: take your large three-row crossover, shake up the styling, and ditch a row of seats. Effectively a two-row version of Mazda’s CX-90, the CX-70 sports the same wheelbase as its higher-seating-capacity stablemate but does shake up exterior dimensions. Of course, the biggest separating factor between the two is...

Toyota’s long-running Corolla entered its 12th generation in 2018. With its 12th iteration, Toyota also rolled out a hybrid powertrain underneath the Corolla’s skin, though that might have been overshadowed by the more raucous GR Corolla. Still, this ’24 Corolla Hybrid packs a 1.8-liter I4 that works with a hybrid system to send 138 hp to the front wheels. This less-potent hybrid also makes its wa...

The 2024 Honda Passport Trailsport adds a dash of rugged machismo to Honda’s two-row people mover. Powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that sends 280 hp through a nine-speed transmission, this all-wheel-drive Trailsport has enough oomph to handle tasks. Evolving the third-gen Passport is the Trailsport package, which adds all-terrain tires, revised suspension tuning, and Honda’s i-VVTM4 torque-vectoring all...

Mazda launched its CX-30 during a tumultuous time in the automotive industry. Mazda’s CX-30 crossover launched at the end of 2019 and helped Mazda compete with the growing demand for compact crossovers. Borrowing a powertrain and driveline from its Mazda3 means that this CX-30 packs a 2.5-liter I4 under the hood. Adding more oomph to the mix, Mazda also slapped a turbocharger on this 2.5-liter on...

Volvos XC90 might be getting long in the tooth, with its current generation debuting almost a decade ago, but its plug-in hybrid Recharge variant leans into the current electrified discussion. This potent PHEV takes the reserved styling of the family-hauling XC90 and stuffs the Volvo plug-in hybrid powertrain under the skin. This system blends a turbocharged 2.0-liter I4 with electric motors to se...

The Toyota Prius might not have been a style icon when it launched in 1997, but it did quickly become a symbol of fuel savings. The fuel-sipper entered its fifth generation with the 2023 model year and ushered in a new era for ‘Yota’s hybrid. This new Prius sports a wholly redesigned shell but sticks with traditional hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains. This Prius Prime tester features a 2.0-lit...

Toyota’s fourth-generation Highlander builds on almost two decades of momentum, and growing interest in the crossover space. This latest Highlander launched in 2019 and spun off a Grand Highlander variant that’s slightly larger to meet continued demand. Pivoting to four-cylinder power, this Highlander packs a 2.4-liter turbocharged I4 that feeds 265 hp through an eight-speed automatic. That power...

The Lexus NX kicked off in 2014, with its current, second generation coming seven years later. This mid-size, two-row crossover might not move the volume as its larger RX stablemate, but it handles the needs of the popular two-row midsize crossover space. The NX 350h packs a 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle I4 that’s paired with an eCVT and hybrid system to send 239 hp through a four-wheel drive system be...

The latest-generation Toyota Tundra is a popular full-size pickup. While its 5.7-liter V8 didn’t carry over to the new generation, a turbocharged 3.4-liter V6, and a turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 hybrid take its spot. The top-flight hybrid powertrain shoves 479 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque through a 10-speed automatic. This truck also comes with a large touchscreen media system, comfortable seating, tec...

On this episode of Talking Cars with the Boss , Wesley Wren, and Natalie Neff talk about their experiences with a pair of dissimilar Mazdas. They compare and contrast the benefits of the MX-5 and its more utilitarian Mazda3. The pair also discuss which one they’d park in their driveway. 

Porsche took inspiration from its history of off-road racing 911s and put that into a limited-edition, road-going package dubbed Dakar. This model transforms the 911 Carrera and turns it into a high-riding machine. Equipped with no back seat, and fixed-back buckets in front, this 911 isn’t making light of its racing focus, even if none ever see a rally stage in anger. The 911 Dakar also sports bes...

The Volkswagen GTI has been a staple of the affordable but fun roster of cars since its inception almost half a century ago. This hopped-up Rabbit or Golf gave folks an affordable outlet for their gear-wringing fun. Well, halfway through the eighth generation of this legendary nameplate, Volkswagen is moving away from the manual transmission and pivoting to an automatic-only GTI in the United Stat...

Ferrari’s not-quite-a-crossover Purosangue enters a world where the crossover is king, which is pushing sports-car-focused automakers toward adding more high-riding commuters into their respective lineups. Like a spiritual successor to the GTC4Lusso, the Purosangue has as many doors as it does seats, and is pointing its nose more at the highway than the racetrack. Of course, under the hood is stil...

The Mercedes-Benz GLS Class might have started out without the S in its name, but after the company shook up its crossover and SUV portfolio, it ascended to the top of the Mercedes hierarchy. The Mercedes GLS-Class functions effectively as the S-Class of its crossover and SUV lineup, and sports the largest footprint you’ll find on a road-going ‘Benz. This three-row Family Truckster saw a styling r...

The Lamborghini Huracan is, unfortunately, seeing the end of its run. While the entry-level Lambo has spun off a handful of wild variants in its decade-long run, the team at Lamborghini is sending off the V10-powered sports car with a series of variants that include a rally-inspired, off-roader. The Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato takes the bones of the Huracan, gives it a lift, slaps on some all-ter...

Slotted below the C-Class, the Mercedes-Benz CLA expanded the Mercedes-Benz coupe and sedan lineup when it came onto the scene in 2013. Shrinking the styling of the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class, the CLA-Class is a swoopy alternative to the statelier C-Class with a lower starting price. Building on its first generation, Mercedes-Benz rolled out the second-generation CLA-Class in 2019 and carried along t...

Slicing off the back of a crossover SUV is one of the most controversial trends of the last decade, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. BMW showed off the sliced X1 when it debuted the X2 in 2017. This stylized compact crossover also ushered in its second generation last year, with the 2024 model. This second-gen X2 sticks with its formula and is essentially a more stylish BMW X1....

In truck enthusiast circles, Honda’s Ridgeline has been a great conversation starter since its inception in 2006. The unit-construction pickup took a brief sabbatical after its initial run but returned for its current, second, generation in 2017. The second-gen Ridgeline stuck to its guns with unibody construction and took advantage of its platform with some interesting packaging solutions like so...

The Lexus LS has been a staple of the brand’s lineup over the last three decades, and it doesn’t seem to be resting on its laurels. While the most recent generation kicked off for the 2018 model year, the mid-cycle refresh has helped it look modern. While there have been updates, the core of what made this Lexus interesting, like the odd drive mode selector, interesting interior details, and hugel...

The Ferrari 296 GTB and GTS have been in the company’s lineup since 2021 and hold the door open for would-be new Ferrari sports coupe owners. Following legendary machines like the Ferrari 458, 488, and F8, the 296 GTB has expectedly large shoes to fill – as would be the case with any new Ferrari. We spent time with the V6-powered 296 GTB, which featured the track-focused Assetto Fiorano package, a...