Status, Symbolized: The 2020 Lexus LS 500

The 2020 Lexus LS 500.

There's a difference between a display of extravagance and a status symbol.  The first merely shows you have (or can borrow) money.  The second, ideally, shows both wealth and taste. 

What Price Luxury? How About Under $50K?: The 2020 Kia Telluride SX AWD

The 2020 Kia Telluride.

2020 is a big year for Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia. Both have introduced luxury and sports cars in the past couple of years and this year, both have brought very convincing luxury SUVs to market. I told you about the Hyundai Palisade earlier this month---and now, I've driven its platform cousin, the Kia Telluride.

Grin Control (You'll Need It): The 2020 Hyundai Veloster N

The 2020 Hyundai Veloster N.

Remember what Grandma told you about not judging books by their covers? That applies to cars and their styling. Case in point, the 2020 Hyundai Veloster N. The Veloster is, at first glance, an oddly-proportioned hatchback with three doors---two on the passenger side and one on the driver's side. It's been around since 2012, but was all-new, with somewhat smoother styling, for 2019.

Evocative: The 2020 Range Rover Evoque First Edition

The 2020 Range Rover Evoque First Edition.

"Evoque". It's a made-up word, like a lot of car names. But in the case of the 2020 Range Rover Evoque, it sounds like a real word---"evoke"---and it matches the meaning of the word it sounds like---evoking luxury unexpected in this size class and all the attributes of the Range Rover brand.

Time Machine: The 2020 Toyota Sienna SE Premium

The 2020 Toyota Sienna SE Premium.

Let's just get this out of the way right now---a minivan is not an aspirational object. It is a purely rational, practical purchase, arrived at usually by a process of elimination of vehicles that don't suit the family's needs.

Four-Wheeled Mission Statement: The 2019 Audi Q3 S Line quattro

The 2019 Audi Q3 S Line quattro.

The small luxury crossover SUV is a tricky proposition. If you're in the car business, you pretty much have to sell one because all your competitors do. Think BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA, Range Rover Evoque, Lexus NX, Cadillac XT4, Lincoln Corsair and Jaguar E-Pace.

So you have to show up. Trouble is, to be a success, you also have to stand out. And that's tricky because small luxury SUVs are all pretty similar---four doors, a tailgate, what would have been called a station wagon in another age, just with less room in the wayback.

The Uncommon Compact: The 2020 Mazda3 Hatchback AWD

The 2020 Mazda3 Hatchback AWD.

For as long as I've been reviewing cars professionally---and that's 22 years, now---I've been telling readers and listeners that Mazda is not just another Japanese car company, that they're not the same as Toyota, Honda or Nissan (not that those cars are all that much alike, either).

What sets Mazda apart is its fun to drive factor and the imaginative styling---both of which can be traced right back to the two-seater Mazda MX-5 Miata

Name That Car: The 2020 Subaru Legacy Limited

The 2020 Subaru Legacy Limited.

If I say "Subaru", you'll probably say "Forester" or "Outback". Fine cars, but there's another fine car that you probably didn't say the name of.

It's "Legacy". Subaru's family sedan, a direct competitor to the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord, the Nissan Altima, the Mazda 6, the Ford Fusion, the Chevy Malibu, the Hyundai Sonata, the Kia Optima, and the Volkswagen Passat. In fact, if I asked you to name family sedans, odds are very good you'd say one or more of those names before "Legacy" sprang from your lips. And that's a shame.

Why Pay More? The 2020 Hyundai Palisade Limited AWD

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade Limited AWD.

If you've been admiring big luxury SUVs like the BMW X7, but can't quite swing the six-figure purchase price, Hyundai has a new vehicle for you. It's the 2020 Hyundai Palisade. It's a familiar move from Hyundai---deliver the looks and a lot of features of established competitors---at a significantly lower price.

Evolutionary Revolution: The 2019 Kia Niro EV EX Premium

The 2019 Kia Niro EV EX Premium.

Okay, so you're ready to make the leap to an electric vehicle. An all-electric range of over 200 miles is within your comfort zone and you have choices. But the Tesla Model 3 seems a little too futuristic, you're not wild about the looks of the Nissan Leaf Plus and the Chevy Bolt seems too small.

The 2019 Kia Niro EV may be just what you're looking for. It's a conventional compact crossover, about the same size as a Toyota RAV4 or a Honda CR-V. In fact, Kia sells the Niro as a gasoline-powered model---but they also have the Niro EV, which is all-electric.

Big Green Truck: The 2020 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax

The 2020 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax.

If you're among the millions of people scratching their heads over the Tesla Cybertruck unveiled last November, here's the antidote. They don't come any more traditional or rugged than the 2020 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax.