Pictures Don't Do It Justice: The 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL Premium

The 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL Premium.

We all know those people who are good-looking but can't seem to take a good picture. 

That's the story of the 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan.  In photos, it looks somewhat featureless, almost generic.  In person, though, the lines flow, the proportions are just right.  There are details, some of them downright elegant. And, the really good news is that it's just as interesting once you're at the wheel.

More Than Just One Big Boat: The 2018 Nissan Armada Platinum Reserve 4WD

The 2018 Nissan Armada Platinum Reserve 4WD.

Webster's defines "armada" as "a fleet of warships".  Nissan's largest SUV kinda comes off that way.  Describing it as a "boat" somehow feels inadequate. 

That's both bad and good.  Bad because it looks and feels like something from an earlier era of SUV, one before the double-whammy of the recession and high gas prices ten years ago prompted redesigns of full-size SUVs that emphasized (relative) lightness and efficiency.  Good, because, in this era of car-based crossovers, anyone who longs for the good old days of a truck-based full-sized rig will likely have the Armada on his or her short list.

Turns Out There Is A Substitute For Cubic Inches: The 2018 Ford Mustang Ecoboost Coupe Premium

The 2018 Ford Mustang Ecoboost Coupe Premium.

My son-in-law-to-be wanted to know about the Triple Yellow Mustang parked in the lot outside the winery where a family wedding was winding down.

"What engine does it have?"

"Two-point-three-liter Ecoboost turbo four."

He made a face.  He's 20.  He's allowed.

"A four in a Mustang?  I didn't know they did that."

"They did from 1979-82", I said, conveniently leaving out the whole sorry 1974-78 Mustang II affair.  I also left out the 1984-86 Mustang SVOs, which were also fire-breathing 2.3-liter turbocharged fours.  He's 20, they're almost 35.  It'd be too much explaining.

Instead, I just took him for a ride.

Heart Transplant: The 2018 Ford F-150 4X4 SuperCrew Power Stroke Diesel

The 2018 Ford F-150 4X4 SuperCrew Power Stroke Diesel.

It's been forty or more years since they used the slogan in their advertising, but...Ford has a better idea.  Diesels are terrific for towing, because of their serious torque, and for offsetting the often-dismal fuel economy of the truly big 3/4-ton and larger trucks they're used in.

So, why not put a smaller diesel in a half-ton pickup, put some serious towing capacity in the hands of buyers who don't really need the monster F-250 Super Duty,  and offer some significant fuel economy to buyers of the F-150?