By Bruce Caldwell The 2014 Dodge Durango Limited AWD is a great SUV that manages to be both muscular and refined. The model has been around since 1998 and gone through a couple iterations. The present version debuted in 2011 and has been … read more

This year marks the return of the classic Jeep Cherokee nameplate. Retired in 2001, the Cherokee was the dominant yuppie-soccer moms’ SUV of choice in the late 1980s and early ’90s. The all-new Cherokee is totally different. It boasts a pretty fair amount … read more

By Bruce Caldwell The Mazda CX-5 was new for the model year 2013, so the early arriving 2014 CX-5 is more of an engine and technology update than a whole new vehicle. What Mazda has done is take an already excellent crossover SUV … read more

By Bruce Caldwell Mazda has really been on a hot streak. The CX-5 crossover SUV and the Mazda6 sedan have both fared very well in magazine comparison tests. Consumers have supported those wins at the showroom. The all-new Mazda3 compact sedan is another … read more

Model Tested: 2014 Nissan Versa Note SV Engine: 1.6-liter DOHC I-4, 109-horsepower 107 lb-ft torque Transmission: CVT, front-wheel-drive EPA Ratings: 31-mpg city/ 40-mpg highway Base Price: $15,990 As Tested: $17,320 Performance: Reasonable acceleration for small displacement engine Smooth transmission Acceptable braking Compact outer … read more

By Bruce Caldwell The Jeep brand is one of the most iconic in the history of American automobiles. The parent company, Chrysler, has done everything possible to maximize the brand’s value. They have expanded beyond the marquee models Wrangler, Cherokee and Grand Cherokee … read more

Model Tested: 2014 Buick LaCrosse Premium Engine: 3.6-liter V-6, 304-horsepower 264 lb-ft torque Transmission: 6-speed automatic, front-wheel-drive EPA Ratings: 18-mpg city/ 28-mpg highway Base Price: $38,810 As Tested: $45,595 Performance: Powerful V-6 engine, good acceleration Smooth automatic transmission Very good highway fuel economy … read more

At the Northwest Automotive Press Association’s (NWAPA) Run To The Sun event last summer, the participating manufacturers pitched their vehicles to the journalists present, with a brief Q&A after each presentation. When Kia came up, I asked if, considering the success of Hyundai’s … read more

By Bruce Caldwell Seven-passenger SUVs have improved dramatically from those early truck-based, gas-guzzling monsters like big-block V-8 ’70s/’80s Suburbans and first generation V-10 Excursions. Minimal sound insulation, harsh ride dynamics, and single or low double-digit fuel economy figures are a faint memory thanks … read more