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

By Bruce Caldwell The Jeep image has always been one of ruggedness. The brand is so synonymous with off road performance that people unfamiliar with a particular SUV’s identity are most apt to call it “a Jeep type vehicle.” Jeep’s stellar reputation was … read more

The popular Kia Sorento, Kia’s flagship SUV, has received a major update for the 2014 model year. It could be viewed as a midcycle refresh, although Kia marketeers are careful not to use the term “all new”: The Sorento sports about 80 percent … read more