In the automotive industry it seems like there are two different core types of trim level packages. The first is purely cosmetic and the second is actually functional. A few weeks ago, we were driving the K5 GT-Line and it left us shaking our head wonder why that trim was even created. It looked great but when it came to delivering on the performance it's good looks promised, quite simply it fell short. Now that we've had a chance to play with the 2021 Kia K5 GT we are even more shocked that the GT-Line exists at all.

Generally speaking, my preference in automobiles leans strongly towards vehicles with big powerful engines (or motors), technology, and off-road chops. The Buick Encore GX offers the technology but neither of the other two... but that's ok. It is possibly one of the best balanced, perfectly designed vehicles for young professionals who live in urban areas.

This is a different sort of review about a different sort of car. One of the challenges that we face right now is brand confusion and terminology that doesn't always align as neatly as you might want. Some of this is due to terms like "GT" once meaning something but now just simply slapped on anything to make it sound sportier. Others are self inflicted by creating too many trim levels of a model and that's what I see with Kia's K5 GT-Line. It isn't that simple since the GT-Line and GT actually offer different options, making one a much better option for some buyers than the other.

Mazda has made its name in motorsports but more recently their focus on vehicles has been a more affordable luxury product that sits somewhere between mass-consumer brands like Chevy or Toyota and Cadillac or Lexus. Instead of splitting the brand they have developed a fantastic line of cars that drive well and are designed around maximizing the experience of driving.

Genesis is the new hot thing in the world of affordable luxury vehicles and so there are undoubtedly a lot of compromises when it comes to this space. It's one of those situations where you could compare it to something else out there but that inevitably means adding 10s of thousands of dollars to the sticker price. At the lowest trim levels, the Genesis G80 initially feels like a sexed up Hyundai but as you begin to drive it, you realize that this is indeed something special. As you proceed to higher trim levels though, Genesis as a brand truly takes off into a category of it's own that defies simply being considered "budget luxury". 

Sometimes there's a vehicle that should be a home-run but just leaves you wondering who it was designed for. That's the feeling I got following our week with the all-new 2021 Toyota Venza. On the surface, Venza looks chic and sporty, somewhat of a cross between an Avalon and a Rav4. It wants to have the handling of a sports sedan, with the space and comfort of an SUV. Sadly, despite looking sharp, it doesn't fulfil the sporty promise that we were hoping it would.

Repairs. Some say you are not a real car or truck owner if you don’t know how to work your way on that chassis or hood. Why? Well, you can't just go running to a mechanic every time some issue pops on your ride. That would cost you a lot financially. 

By this point in the year I normally would have racked up 10s of thousands of miles in the air and have wrapped up at least a few different road trips. This year, is different. While we've been doing a lot of auto reviews recently, the focus has been distinctly different and focused more on local driving. However, I'm glad that I got a chance to let the Hyundai Palisade stretch it's legs a bit because it was one of the best all-around SUVs that I've driven in a long time.

There are some that say you don't need a radar detector unless you plan to speed but for the rest of us the reality is that there are times when you will exceed the posted speed limit. Whether that is by traveling above the legal limit to maintain the flow of traffic or for some other reason, all it takes is a bit of bad luck to get caught. Beyond that, frankly, I enjoy the geek factor of having a radar detector in my car and having the Defender software on my phone to alert me way in advance of any upcoming speed traps. Escort, a company who's detectors I've been using for the past few years has now introduced the ESCORT MAX 3 radar detector and we had a chance to check it out.

There are many reasons why you might want to transport a car to a new location out of state. Whether it is a car you bought remotely through an auction site or perhaps you are moving. There are times when your car needs to go somewhere and it can't be driven by you. Luckily you aren't alone when it comes to transporting a car to a new location and there are lots of options to help make it as safe and easy as possible.

Finding yourself in an emergency that requires the assistance of towing companies is never a pleasant experience. If you are like most human beings, you are bound to get consumed by thoughts of why something like that had to happen to you and why it had to happen at that very moment. Add the stress of being late for work, or an important appointment and you’ll find yourself getting really irritated, frowning and cursing the day when you bought that particular car.

Buellton, California is better known as a wine destination but the more I explore, the more I discover that (unsurprisingly) motorsports and wine go hand in hand. While there are some amazing car collections on estates up and down the California coast, Jack Mendenhall's story is a bit different. Instead of being wealthy gentry, a tech billionaire, or a movie star, he was the owner of Richfield Service Station. After selling the station in the late 70's, he began life as a traveling salesman selling signs, and later began collecting them. Now his incredible collection of signs, cars, automotive artifacts and memorabilia is open to the public to enjoy.

There's a lot of bad stuff that we as Americans are working through right now, but fast, powerful, affordable sports cars are not one of them. The Ford Mustang is truly and icon of everything that is right about America and so it was the perfect car to borrow for a celebration of the Fourth of July.

Toyota was always "my parent's car brand" it was safe, dependable, affordable, and while all of those things are positive attributes for a car brand it was also boring and conservative. While Toyota is still among the more conservative brands out there, in the past couple years they have begun to introduce more power, improved designs, and tried new ideas. When they introduced the Avalon TRD last year it was a bit confusing since the Avalon had always been a "grandpa car". Now though, it fills a unique spot in the marketplace and so I was excited to take it for a spin.

Ok guys, so there's been a lot of debate about "is this a Mustang" and so when I saw the opportunity to do a quick ride along at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show yesterday I literally jumped at the chance. I waited in line with other media who were similarly excited to take a ride in what is undoubtedly one of the most hotly anticipated new car releases. On the outside though, Mustang fans, EV enthusiasts, and even some Chevy and Dodge performance devotes have all been hotly debating the merits of an all-electric vehicle that bears such an iconic badge. Is it worthy? Is it a Mustang? Here's my thoughts.

Last night we were on hand for a special unveiling of the updated Ford GT supercar for 2020, including increased engine power to 660 horsepower and improved cooling. To say that it was beautiful would be an understatement. This is the pinnacle of supercar design and it frankly feels wonderful to have it coming from an iconic American brand like Ford. 

My dilemma was that I needed to take my daughter and all of her dorm room stuff to school after break. As the trip was a double-digit drive, in hours, I needed something compact, economical, and by all means as spacious as possible.

As Americans, we have a reputation for being loud and boisterous. We rock boats and break the law, we're rebels. Driving a car from Dodge - or in this case, Jeep reminds me of everything great about this country because it's about pushing the limits of power and design. Sure, most of the Jeeps sold today are road vehicles designed for soccer moms and that's ok. But the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is something special. While you have some fine SUVs Chinese, Indians, Germans, and Italians - no other country has the balls to take luxury SUV and drop a 707 hp motor in it and still keep the price affordable. That's what's great about this country and why I love driving the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk every chance I get!

My family and I decided to do a 1397 mile road trip to visit our extended family in Northern California over the 4^th of July weekend and had the opportunity to use the 2019 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Limited for our drive.  We, 3 adults and one cute little baby, 11 months old were ready for a typical trip with long boring roads and the typical uncomfortable vehicle issues…were we wrong!

We were in attendance a few days ago as guests of Chevrolet for the unveiling of the 2020 Corvette Stingray. To call this C8 Corvette simply an "All New Corvette" would be to under-appreciate the massive departure from the previous generations. Since it's inception, the designers and engineers have dreamed of an attainable, American, mid-engine car but haven't quite been able to make that dream become reality. Now, they have. This is a vehicle conceived of by our fathers and for some - our grandfathers but for it to continue being an American icon, it needs to be our dream car and that of our children. Hopefully, that will become a reality when the 2020 C8 Corvette Stingray debuts this fall. They've done a huge amount of investment to truly make this an amazing vehicle that is more than just faster, let's take a look!