Cadillac’s entry into this competitive market is a competent handler and feels luxurious enough inside, but some touches are lower-market than its price tag would suggest. We’ve given it 5.8 out of 10 points overall. After incorporating a heated steering wheel into most trim levels last year, the 2019 XT5 gets a similarly-slim slate of changes, adding three new colors for 2019: Shadow Metallic, Red Horizon Tintcoat, and Dark Mocha Metallic. Trim levels still include base, Premium, Premium … [Read more...]

By T.Q. Jones The 2017 Kia Optima offers its own take on the right recipe for a mid-size sedan with its European styling, coupe-like roofline, and wide range of engine choices. Available in LX, EX, SX, and SXL trim levels, with the 2017 Optima, Kia has created a compelling choice in this crowded segment. We’ve rated it a 7.3 out of 10 based on its strong value and styling combination. (Read more about how we rate cars.) Underneath its taut lines and coupe-esque silhouette sits a vehicle … [Read more...]

The Alfa Romeo Giulia is a compact four­-door sedan aimed at the BMW 3-Series, and the Quadrifoglio version is a BMW M3 fighter. The Quadrifoglio is the first car in an eight­-product assault scheduled for the next three years. Alfa plans to release the Quadrifoglio late in the second quarter of 2016, and the base Giulia should follow not long thereafter. Pricing for both models will be made available closer to the on-­sale date, but expect the base car to start in the mid-­to-­upper $30,000 … [Read more...]

Consider the Cadillac CT6 a down payment on the GM luxury brand’s future. The CT6 replaced the XTS as the division’s full-size flagship in the 2016 model year. Its lightweight body and downsized engines are framed by an elegant, spare design, and it’s graced with great handling. It has its challenges in its sound-alike name and styling themes, but it’s the car GM hopes will be able to finally tackle the thorny problem of S-Class, 7-Series, and A8. For 2017, the CT6 gains a plug-in hybrid … [Read more...]

The 2016 Honda CR-Z sets out to do what only a few vehicles in history have done: blend high efficiency with a high-style, hot-hatchback profile. Like the BMW i8—only not so extravagantly engineered—the CR-Z mashes up its fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain with the profile sporty two-seater. It ends up not terribly convincing in either aspect. It’s not all that entertaining to drive, and its gas mileage is handily outpaced by bigger, more accommodating hybrids. Its sporty credentials lie almost … [Read more...]

Ten years ago, the Hyundai Elantra was an also-ran in the compact-car sales sweepstakes. It wasn’t anywhere near the ranks of the best sellers or best performers—cars like the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and Ford Focus. A 2011 redesign changed all that, and today the Elantra is one of our top-rated economy sedans, in the same league as the Focus, Mazda 3, and the brilliant new Honda Civic. The 2011 Elantra scored heavily with its edgy styling, and backed up that promising shape with a spacious … [Read more...]

The 2016 Ford Explorer has received for this year a significant refresh, including smoother bodywork, an improved feature set, quieter interiors, and a stronger, more widely available 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine that joined the lineup. Over the nearly 25 years the Explorer has been sold (2016 marks that anniversary), it’s gradually moved on, up and beyond its practical roots. It once was a rather basic, family-oriented rugged wagon; in its current form, it’s exchanged its … [Read more...]

Up until last year, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe carried two quite different torches. On one side it was a lean, simple sports car—even aimed toward those who might want weekend track time—while on the other side it stood truer to its Genesis badge, acting as a lower-priced alternative to sporty luxury-brand coupes. With last year’s dropping of the turbo four and a reconfiguration of options, it’s clear that the latter approach won out. And while Hyundai might have a different sports-car model in … [Read more...]