SUVs

Volkswagen's offerings in the United States have changed significantly over the past several years. While the brand was once defined by the classic VW Bug and similarly small sedans, today the company has two of the best SUVs on the market and we can hope that one day the Amarok mid-sized pickup will make it here as well. Sadly though, that's much more of a challenge due to tariffs and an increasingly competitive mid-sized truck space. In my previous experience with VW the cars were "nice" but skewed feminine and honestly something that just didn't appeal to my tastes. Then at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show I had a chance to check out the Atlas, but it took me a year to actually secure one for a road trip review.

There's absolutely no rational reason why the Durango SRT exists other than because some engineers at Dodge said they wanted to be the fastest dads (and moms!) in the PTA pickup line. With 475 hp and a 0-60 time of 4.7 seconds, this three-row SUV is the most fun I've ever had with a family car. 

Our time spent with the Nissan Armada was an interesting one. I say this not only because the brand is in the middle of a transition as it updates some of it's older products, but also in that compared to vehicles like Chevy's Tahoe it provides some nice design elements that make it more practical for a suburban family. This is immediately noticed when you first step into the driver's seat but continues throughout the ride.

Genesis is one of the newest luxury automotive brands and frankly I wasn't terribly excited about it from what I had seen at the Chicago Auto Show Last year. While the cars were pretty, elements of the car simply didn't feel "luxury" even if they looked phenominal. Despite this, I was extremely excited to have the opportunity to test out the GV80 last month and put it through it's paces for a week. After a day or two of driving, my opinion changed completely and my view now is that Genesis is one of the most exciting car brands on the market.

The BMW X7 has built a reputation of luxury, power, and quality that makes it a symbolic high-end vehicle for individuals such as diplomats, politicians, executives, and VIPs. The vehicle’s OEM specifications make this model the perfect base for armoring, turning this luxurious SUV – the symbol of status – into a symbol of safety and protection. INKAS Armored Vehicle Manufacturing is proud to release the world’s first armored BMW X7, offering exceptional protection and ultimate comfort.

Toyota has done wonders for the look and feel of it's vehicles over the past several years while refreshing almost its entire line. The brand is undeniably conservative and that's ultimately why you buy a Toyota - dependability. However, at a certain point a car needs to offer the chance to make an emotional connection with the buyer and that's never been more true for the 2021 Highlander XSE. 

Santa is in the final stages of preparing for his legendary around the trip coming up at the end of the month and the folks at Chevrolet wanted to put their latest hauler up against his beloved but aging sleigh and magical reindeer. While they've worked well for thousands of years... sometimes the allure of comfy seats, a great sound system, and plenty of space for toys during delivery times and enough seats to take the best elves on vacation merit switching things up. Plus, while Santa isn't normally concerned with gas mileage, being able to travel like normal folks and avoid frequent fill-ups is pretty cool so he's excited about the new 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel too!

While a big truck or SUV has got comfort and power going for it, not everyone lives in the suburbs or rural America. Others of us simply can't afford the price tag on those big beautiful machines. At first glance, the all-new Chevrolet Trailblazer looks like it is "just another small SUV" that is trying to fill another nice further dividing the ever more competitive SUV market. While that's true, Chevy's designers and engineers did a great job making this a vehicle that sufficiently differentiated itself from competitors and was a vehicle I truly enjoyed driving for a week.

Cadillac hit it out of the ballpark with the all-new 2021 Escalade. Truthfully, the entire new family from GM has been an absolutely exceptional experience to drive over the past few weeks. While each share a lot of similarities dimensionally, the new Escalade took that package and created a unique experience that makes me even more confident that Cadillac is back. Simply put, while other vehicles that I've driven from the brand this year have been enjoyable... the Escalade 100% represents the brand promise that I have been craving.

From Brats to Outbacks, Subaru has been in the crossover game since the 1970’s. But back then they were not called crossovers and today Subaru prefers the “SUV” designation which conjures up visions of say, a Tahoe, Explorer, or Grand Cherokee. So, regardless of the label here’s my take on the 2020 Subaru Outback Touring XT SUV..

I recently got a chance to do a quick one-day preview of the all-new 2021 GMC Yukon Denali and it is everything I loved about the all-new Tahoe, but better. That's sorta what GMC is as an extension of the Chevy brand though. It's everything you love but just taken to the next level and with an understandably higher price tag too. Simply put, the new Yukon drives great, is comfortable, looks amazing, and has more room in the places that the previous generation needed it.

When the folks at Cadillac put the three-row-SUV XT6 Premium on my agenda a few weeks ago I wasn't sure what to think except that it is probably popular with the folks that need a mini-van but don't want the stigma. Let's face it, three-row SUVs are hugely popular and practical if you have a family but I've never once experienced one that was enjoyable to drive and made you smile while approaching it in the garage. That is, until now. The moment I first tapped the accelerator when leaving my garage I realized this was not merely an upbadged Traverse.

 The Jeep Grand Wagoneer that has been rumored for months now is finally public and official. Set to launch next year this king of the Jee's will be priced at more than $100,000 and is designed to compete with other full-sized luxury SUVs on the market including Cadillac Escalade. Jeep will also be offering a less grand model named unsurprisingly simply the Jeep Wagoneer as well.  I can't wait to hear more soon.

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.

When we look at cars, many are completely unique - for instance, the Toyota Sequoia doesn't have a Lexus version and there's sadly no Toyota version of the Lexus LS. Other models though have near-identical twins and sometimes you have the same bones but completely different personalities. That's what I discovered recently while testing out the 2020 Lexus LX followed by the 2020 Toyota Land Cruiser Heritage Edition. These two vehicles are fundamentally the same but have been configured to feel completely different with each having a unique personality. 

Chevy's Tahoe SUV is historically one of the favorite full-sized SUVs. When you lump it together with stablemate GMC Yukon these brothers are absolutely my favorites. While the industry has brought a huge amount of innovation to the world of 3-row family haulers, nothing can touch the poise and presence of these two truck-based SUV giants. When Chevrolet invited me to be among the first to drive the 2021 Tahoe Z71 this month I was thrilled for the opportunity. Here are my thoughts...

Some vehicles are iconic for the sizzle and sex appeal, others are legendary for simply being dependable and the last of their breed. Sadly, the 2020 Toyota 4Runner is in that last category. I say sadly because I wish there were more "compact", reliable, refined SUVs out there with as high performance on and off-road as the 4Runner. I don't get as much time to profess my love for this vehicle as I'd like to, so when Toyota offered this to me for our road trip to Vegas for the Mint 400, I jumped at the opportunity.

Today, the Chevrolet Suburban became the first vehicle ever awarded an Award of Excellence star at Hollywood & Highland. Presented by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and unveiled at a ceremony on Hollywood Boulevard, the award recognizes Suburban for its 67-year career in Hollywood film and television.

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!

This summer I've had the fortune to borrow a Toyota Sequoia from their PR fleet twice. We did a road trip around Irving, Texas (suburban Dallas) earlier this summer and just a few weeks ago we drive around Punta Gorda, Florida. On initial glance, the SUV is old, outdated, and simple inside and out. After giving it some time though, it's become one of my favorite full-sized SUVs.