Come Join Us at MikeHagertyCars.com!

Twelve years ago this August, I sat down at a reconditioned used laptop, stared at the blinking cursor on Blogger and wondered how in the world I was ever going to fill that page.  I managed.  In fact, I've managed to fill 1,269 of them. 

A lot has changed since 2008, and we need to keep up with the times.  So, TireKicker is moving and morphing into MikeHagertyCars.com.  You can expect more insight, better photography, more interactivity and soon---our own YouTube channel with original video reviews.

TireKicker will remain online as an archive of the cars we've reviewed since the beginning.  But, starting now, all new reviews will be on MikeHagertyCars.com.  Come take a look and let us know what you think.

Best,

Mike Hagerty
MikeHagertyCars.com

Rough Rider: The 2020 Ford Ranger Supercrew 4X4 Lariat

The 2020 Ford Ranger Supercrew 4X4 Lariat.

Ford, which has owned the full-size pickup world with its F-150 for decades,  returned to the midsize pickup segment last year with the first new Ranger truck in seven years.  And while it's already caught up to Chevy's Colorado, which had a re-boot five years ago, it's still selling roughly half as well as the leading midsize, the Toyota Tacoma, which got its last major re-do in 2016.

A Little Less For A Lot Less: The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL with 4MOTION

The 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL with 4MOTION.

If it seems like not that long ago you were reading a review of the Volkswagen Tiguan here, it wasn't.

Just six months ago, we reviewed the 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0T SEL Premium with 4MOTION. Not much has changed about the Tiguan.  2020 models now have a standard wi-fi hotspot, forward collision warning and a blind spot warning system.  There's also a shortened warranty, dropping from 6 years or 72,000 miles to 4 years or 50,000 miles---a blow VW softens by adding two years of free scheduled maintenance.

But while the Tiguan is largely the same, the world has changed unimaginably in the six months since our evaluation of the '19 Tiguan.  And this 2020 model may be better suited to the times.

That Special Feeling: The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4MATIC

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4MATIC.

Five-passenger SUVs are ubiquitous. Everywhere.  Everyone makes one, everyone sells one.  A good one, well-equipped, is going to be ten grand either side of $50,000.  So how do you choose?

Mercedes-Benz is on a roll right now---making vehicles that, as befits the marque and its heritage, look and feel special---and make the driver feel special, too.

The Answer Is Always Miata: The 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club

2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club.

"I want a convertible."
"I want a sports car."
"I want a car that gets great mileage."
"I want a car for track day."
"I want a reliable car."
"I want an affordable car."
"I want a car I'll love driving every day."

I'm by no means the first to say it, but the answer is always Miata.  For 30 years, Mazda has been making the old-fashioned sports car for the modern world.  In its fourth generation now, the Mazda MX-5 Miata is in a class by itself.

Clearing A High Bar: The 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Platinum AWD

2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Platinum AWD.

All-new cars are exciting and also fraught with peril.  If the old one was beloved, there's the risk the new one will somehow screw it up.

The stakes were especially high here at TireKicker World Headquarters for the all-new 2020 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Platinum AWD---the replacement for the exact 2019 model that Mrs. TireKicker and I took on our epic nine-day, 3,000-mile road trip last September and loved.

One In A Field Of Two: The 2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe

2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe.

Perspective varies by person and experience, but to me, BMW is a maker of performance vehicles that have their roots in well-built, exciting-to-drive four-door sport sedans.  That's a huge part of why I find the 2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe so satisfying.

There's also a pioneering aspect here.  At this writing BMW is one of two cars carving out a new niche of four-door coupes in this size class.  The Mercedes-Benz CLA250, which we reviewed in March, is its only direct competitor.

Ten Years After: The 2020 Toyota 4Runner 4X4 TRD PRO

2020 Toyota 4Runner 4X4 TRD PRO.

Ten years.  A decade.  A tenth of a century.  That's how long ago I wrote my first review of this generation of the Toyota 4Runner. We were in a recession then.  People, short on money, houses being repossessed at record rates, seemed unlikely to buy a bigger, beefier version of what started out as an SUV based on a compact pickup.

By 2014, it was clear that I had called it wrong, underestimating the American driving public's love for bigger, better and beefier.  And looking over my notes, I see that I also reviewed the 4Runner in 2015 and 2016---by which point, I was saying things like "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Niche Within A Niche: The 2020 Fiat 500X Trekking Plus AWD

2020 Fiat 500X Trekking Plus AWD.

It worked (sorta) for Mini.  So you really can't blame Fiat for trying to expand its 500 minicar into a family of vehicles. Unfortunately, Fiat hasn't had a particularly aggressive or effective marketing presence here in the USA, so a lot of people misunderstand exactly what the 500X is.

Numbers Matching: The 2020 Hyundai Ioniq HEV Limited

2020 Hyundai Ioniq HEV Limited.

The 2020 Hyundai Ioniq HEV Limited and an abandoned gas station.  Some things just work visually.  If we were all driving Ioniqs, there'd probably be a lot more abandoned gas stations.  Because the Hyundai Ioniq HEV is EPA-estimated at 55 miles per gallon city, 54 highway.

Dressed To Impress: The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 4MATIC

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 4MATIC.

Mercedes has taken the alphabetical approach to naming its SUVs.  They all begin with GL. The smallest is GLA, next is GLB, then GLC. There is no GLD, so GLE comes next and the largest are the GLS and the G-Class.

We had 30 minutes with the GLA three years ago at Western Automotive Journalists' Media Days in Monterey, California and liked it a lot.  Still, the GLB is a major step forward from the entry-level Benz SUV.

Like An Iron Fist In A Velvet Glove: The 2020 Lexus RC-F

The 2020 Lexus RC-F.

If you haven't been paying close attention to Lexus in the past decade, it may surprise you to know that the brand has expanded from its original mission of immaculately made isolation chambers and now also offers immaculately made lust objects. 

Two of those, the Lexus LC 500h, and the identically bodied LC 500 (no "h" means it's powered by a 471-horsepower V8 instead of a hybrid), sit atop the TireKicker's Best Cars list at the top of this page.

The Lexus RC 350 is also a stunner, though milder, at 311 horsepower.  But the RC-F we're here to talk about today....that's a different kind of RC.

Suddenly It's 2021: The 2021 Kia Seltos SX Turbo AWD

The 2021 Kia Seltos.

No, no....you haven't been in isolation that long.  But while you were, and while very few people were frequenting car dealerships, Kia has brought us the 2021 Seltos.

This Is Honda: The 2020 Honda CR-V Touring

The 2020 Honda CR-V Touring.

About the headline.  Yes, Honda makes several cars.  All of them very, very good cars.  But the CR-V is Honda in the sense that it is the best-selling vehicle Honda makes and it embodies pretty much every virtue that has made Honda what it is for the past 40-plus years.

Atlas Shrunk: The 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport 2.0T SEL

The 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

Regular readers know we have a lot of respect for the Volkswagen Atlas and for its smaller sibling, the Volkswagen Tiguan.  Now there's an in-between option---the 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport.

A Car For All Seasons: The 2020 Hyundai Venue SEL

The 2020 Hyundai Venue SEL.

When the 2020 Hyundai Venue came to market, it was a can't-miss proposition.  Hyundai was putting a new vehicle, competitively priced, into the red-hot small crossover market in a roaring economy.

As I write this, California and much of the country is in the 37th day of a stay-at-home order.  Car dealers are considered essential businesses, but, as you'd imagine, not a lot of people are showing up and spending money.

The good news is that the 2020 Hyundai Venue has the potential to be a strong seller when the stay-at-home orders are lifted, even---or maybe especially---if the economy is in bad shape.

Taking In The Desert Air: The 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD PRO 4X4 Double Cab

The 2020 Toyota Tacoma TRD PRO.

Okay, let's address the elephant in the room.  Or the elephant trunk on the pickup truck in the driveway.

That is the Toyota TRD PRO Desert Air Intake.

The idea is to get cooler, cleaner air into the engine when you're off-roading.

Versa Versus Versa: The 2020 Nissan Versa SR

The 2020 Nissan Versa SR.

It is hard to think of a more maligned car (apart from the Mitsubishi Mirage) than the Nissan Versa.  Mention its name among automotive journalists and you'll get a lot of derisive laughter.  As I wrote eight years ago this very month, in my review of the 2012 Versa, they're wrong.  It's a good, if basic, car.

More Show, More Go: The 2020 Honda Civic Si

The 2020 Honda Civic Si.

Let's just state a basic fact here:  The Honda Civic is a fine compact car, and except for a lost period in the early aughts through the middle of the last decade, would usually be my choice if I were playing with my own money.

But what if you want just a little more---pizazz?  Just a bit more flash and a bit more go power?  If you buy the base LX or the one-step-up Sport, you get 158 horsepower.  EX, EXL and Touring models get you 174.

Sure, there's the fire-breathing Civic Type R with 306 horsepower, but that's crazy and $36,995.

The One To Have If You're Only Having One: The 2020 Volkswagen Golf TSI

The 2020 Volkswagen Golf TSI.

If you could only buy one new car to do everything you do in your life, what would it be?

A lot of people---Americans, especially, would default to the biggest, most capable all-weather machine they could afford and figure if it can handle that, it can handle the rest.  Something like that, in my mid-30s, possessed me to buy a Suburban with four-wheel drive.  I owned it seven years.  It never left two-wheel drive mode.  I never had eight people in it at once and never filled the cargo area.

The truth is, the one car for most Americans is a German car that has simply been evolving over 45 years.

Love Rekindled: The 2020 Ford Expedition Platinum

The 2020 Ford Expedition Platinum. 

Regular TireKicker readers may remember our 2018 roadtrip---two weeks and 3,800 miles through Nevada, Arizona, Utah and back.  Our ride was a 2018 Ford Expedition Max Limited..  The Max is the stretched version of the Expedition, with additional cargo room behind the rear seats.  Now, a year and a half later, we spend a week with the 2020 Ford Expedition Platinum.

Smooth Operator: The 2020 Lexus ES 300h

The 2020 Lexus ES 300h.

In this time of uncertainty and stress, it's nice to know there's the 2020 Lexus ES 300h.  If you comb through the back posts of TireKicker (now that we all have some extra time), you'll find frequent praise for this car over the past 12 years, and the new one is the best yet.

About COVID-19

You've probably gotten an e-mail from every company you do business with about their response to COVID-19.  Just in case you are wondering, here's how TireKicker plans to move forward:

Japanese With An Italian Accent: The 2020 Infiniti QX50 Autograph AWD

The 2020 Infiniti QX50 Autograph AWD.

The first impression the 2020 Infiniti QX50 gives is one of beauty.  The lines, the proportions---there's an emotion to the design that's almost Italian. 

A Period of Transition: The 2020 Mazda CX-30 AWD Premium

The 2020 Mazda CX-30 Premium.

What's Mazda up to?  That's not a question I usually find myself asking.  But then, Mazda has never done this before---slotted a crossover into the very thin space between the compact CX-3 and midsize CX-5.

Mythbuster: The 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 4MATIC

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 4MATIC.

There's a school of thought that says smaller Mercedes-Benz automobiles are lesser vehicles in terms of quality and luxury than their E-Class and S-Class stablemates.  The 2020 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 4MATIC is a four-wheeled rebuttal to that dubious claim.

The Swedish Solution: The 2020 Volvo XC40 T5 AWD Inscription

The 2020 Volvo XC40 T5 AWD Inscription.

With small luxury SUVs officially a hot spot in the automotive marketplace, the next question is how to get as many different types of buyers to choose you as possible.  Volvo seems to have hit on the answer with their three trim levels of the XC40---Momentum (the base model), R-Design (which Volvo describes as "sporty and stylish") and Inscription, which, according to Volvo is all about "sophisticated luxury".

Leader of the Pack: The 2020 Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack Plus

The 2020 Dodge Charger R/T Scat Pack Plus.

More than 50 years ago, Dodge made one hell of a racket in the performance car world with what it called the "Scat Pack".

For those of you who have only heard the term on nature walks, "scat" has other meanings, including a form of jazz singing, and the slang usage that applies here, to go quickly.

Arteon for Arteon's Sake: The 2019 Volkswagen Arteon 2.0T SEL Premium R-Line w/4MOTION

The 2019 Volkswagen Arteon 2.0T SEL Premium R-Line w/4MOTION.

At a time when sedans are fading from the marketplace, does the world need a new one?  That's the existential question about the Volkswagen Arteon.

At The Intersection of Mild and Wild: The 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV

The 2019 Range Rover Sport HST MHEV.

MHEV.  It stands for "Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle".  "Mild" means that it's not a full system constantly splitting propulsion duties between a gasoline engine and an electric motor (think Toyota Prius), but that a smaller electric motor provides power for some limited all-electric driving and can also be used to boost the performance of the gasoline engine.

Sweet Spot: The 2020 Toyota 86 Hakone Edition

The 2020 Toyota 86 Hakone Edition.

There is a road in Japan called the Hakone Turnpike, a marvelous winding road with magnificent 360-degree views in some places and surrounded in the greens of nature.  A road just made for a car like the 2020 Toyota 86.

Good Thing, Small Package: The 2020 BMW X1 xDrive28i

The 2020 BMW X1 xDrive28i.

Just two months after reviewing the biggest BMW SUV, the X7, it's time to examine the smallest---the X1.  Right off the bat, there's a lot to recommend. 

First of all, it is one of the least-expensive ways to become a BMW owner.  The starting price for our tester, the 2020 BMW X1 xDrive28i, is $37,200---which is only $765 more than the base price of the 2020 Ford Escape Titanium AWD we reviewed earlier this month.

It's Got Smaht Pahk: The 2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited

The 2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited.

The 2020 Hyundai Sonata Limited is all new, with swoopy styling, great feature content, remarkable performance and fuel economy from a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, and an extremely competitive price.

But probably, at least for a while, all anyone is going to ask is "Does it have smaht pahk?"

Exploring The Other Use For A Hybrid: The 2020 Ford Explorer Limited Hybrid

The 2020 Ford Explorer Limited Hybrid.

I think most people, when they hear the word "hybrid", have expectations of improved fuel economy, and possibly sluggish performance.  But not all manufacturers take that tack.  Some calibrate that additional electric motor combined with the gasoline engine to boost performance rather than cut consumption.  And that's the story of the 2020 Ford Explorer Hybrid.

Signature Achievement: The 2020 Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD

The 2020 Mazda CX-9 Signature AWD.

Every time I get in a Mazda CX-9 (and fortunately for me, that has been at least once a year for several years now), I marvel at just how much of an achievement it is.  Here is a crossover SUV with gorgeous styling, a phenomenal interior, solid performance and only-in-a-Mazda handling---all at a reasonable if not downright inexpensive price for the size class and feature content.

So Much Soul (So Little Money): The 2020 Kia Soul X-Line

The 2020 Kia Soul X-Line.

Full disclosure: I luck into things.  I have found some of my favorite places while completely lost.  Most of the jobs I have enjoyed most I didn't even apply for.  And I think I just found possibly the best all-around urban commuter car by saying "I'll take whatever you've got".

Swede Emotion: The 2020 Volvo XC90 T6 R-Design

The 2020 Volvo XC90 T6 R-Design.

There are those who say that, puns based on Aerosmith song titles aside, the words "Swede" and "Emotion", at least in matters mechanical, should never be next to each other.  That the reputation for safety, precision and perfection force emotion out of the equation.

I can only assume those people have never driven a contemporary Volvo---and certainly not an R-Design Volvo.

Post-Peak: The 2020 Toyota Prius Limited

The 2020 Toyota Prius Limited.

Eight years ago, the Toyota Prius was on a roll.  Upwards of 200,000 copies sold in 2012.  Last year?  Just under 70,000.  And that figure is for the "Prius family", which includes the Prius Prime and the now-discontinued Prius C.  Oh, yeah---and that just under 70,000 figure is off 20% from 2018.

The Future of Ford: The 2020 Ford Escape Titanium AWD

The 2020 Ford Escape Titanium AWD.

It's been a while, but you may have missed the news.  Ford is getting out of the passenger car business.  The only exception is Mustang, which is on its way to becoming a sub-brand with Mustang, Mustang GT, Shelby and the all-electric Mustang Mach-E. 

Beyond that, it's the F-150 pickup and its derivatives, the big Expedition SUV, the Transit and Transit Connect vans, the upcoming Bronco and rumored Bronco Sport and a very full line of crossovers.

Leaper, Large: The 2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR

The 2019 Jaguar F-Pace SVR.

About that headline.  "Leaper" is the name of the cat featured on Jaguar's hood ornaments (when they had them).  And "large" is the best way to describe the Jaguar F-Pace.  Yes, it's shorter than the big XJ luxury sedan, but in every other dimension, the F-Pace is the biggest Jaguar, not only in the current lineup, but in the history of the marque.

Where To Now? The 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2.4 GT AWC

2020 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 2.4 GT AWC

Mitsubishi, high atop pretty much everyone's automotive death pool lists in the 2010s, has a future in the 2020s.  Nissan (which has its own troubles of late) is now running Mitsu and there's a product plan for North America for the decade ahead.

Loyalty Reward: The 2020 Subaru Outback Touring XT

The 2020 Subaru Outback Touring XT.

Love is what makes a Subaru a Subaru, it appears.  The love owners have for the pioneering crossover has earned it the IHS Markit (formerly Polk Automotive) Loyalty Award in its vehicle class  (mid-size CUV) for the fourth year in a row.   And return customers will find a vastly improved Outback for 2020.

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.