Tag Archives: drive

By every dynamic measure, turning a car into a convertible makes it worse. Droptop versions of hardtops are heavier and less stiff, which makes them slower in a straight line and floppier through bends. There’s added complexity from the stowable roof, and the pursuit of open-air motoring often comes at …

The 2021 Toyota Venza looks like a luxury vehicle. It has sweeping lines and a dramatic profile, reminiscent of something more upscale, and an interior that’s equally chic. But peel away the sheet metal and you might be surprised to learn that the new Venza is really just a RAV4 …

Most new automobiles on the market today are at least decent. Compared to some of the truly hateful cars of yesteryear, the four-wheeled chariots of 2020 are generally comfortable enough, reliable enough, and capable enough to ferry you around safely. There are shades of gray, but generally, all new cars …

The sedan formerly known as the Kia Optima gets a new look this year, but the change hardly stops at the body. It gets a new name too.  The question we still have, after hundreds of miles spent in it—is the mid-size 2021 Kia K5 different enough to earn the …

Since its introduction for the 2006 model year, the Mini John Cooper Works GP has been the crème de la crème of the Anglo-Teutonic brand’s line. Offering the most power, the sharpest suspension, stoutest brakes, and stickiest tires in a stiffened two-seat body, the limited-edition GP is as hardcore as …

I would recommend the 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer to a friend. That’s a big deal, considering there isn’t a world where I’d suggest the Chevy Trax. If they said to me, “Hey Brandon, should I buy a Trax or try to get to work on the back of this feral donkey?” …

The 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer blazes no new trail but it reorients Chevy for the modern crossover era.  For those of a certain beautiful age (yes, you are), the Trailblazer may evoke the rough-and-tumble days of pickup truck-type SUVs such as the Ford Bronco, or in its later days, a 4Runner …

Pour one out for the Kia Optima. After 20 years on sale in the US, the company has decided to make a change – and that change comes in the form of the 2021 Kia K5. Even though the Kia mid-sizer loses the nameplate that made it somewhat of a …

Okay, here’s the situation. On a Friday evening, I schlepped the almost three hours from Munich to the Sachsenring with about 37 butterflies in my stomach. The reason? The next day I was set to drive a prototype of the upcoming BMW M4 back to back with the current M4 …