Wouldn't You Really Rather? The 2018 Buick Enclave Premium AWD

The 2018 Buick Enclave.

The headline for this review might need a bit of explanation for anyone younger than....well, me.

In the 60s, Buick had a very successful advertising campaign.  "Wouldn't you really rather have a Buick?"  That one question covered a lot of ground for Buick, which was competing with Chrysler and Mercury directly, but also was part of the General Motors family, which was built on the idea of moving up from a Chevrolet, Oldsmobile or Pontiac to a Buick (and eventually, one hoped, to a Cadillac).

Fifty years hence, Buick's competition is more along the lines of Acura, maybe Infiniti, the lower end of Lexus and...this could spark debate...perhaps Volvo.  As far as GM, the old Alfred Sloan model of moving up the ladder of General Motors products is pretty well dead and buried.  But there's still a "wouldn't you really rather" within the family, since the 2018 Buick Enclave and the 2018 GMC Acadia are essentially the same machine.

How Do You Say "Subaru" in German? The 2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack SEL

The 2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack.

Since The Great Unpleasantness, Volkswagen has been trying to identify its way forward.  Given that it's a rough road, why not a raised wagon with four-wheel drive?

Dream Machine: The 2018 Audi A5 Cabriolet 2.0T quattro S tronic

The 2018 Audi A5 Cabriolet.

I was raised to believe that flashy and quality simply did not go together.  Things must have changed, because the 2018 Audi A5 Cabriolet is flashy personified and the quality is tremendous.

What's In A Name? The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas V6 SE

The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas.

The Volkswagen model name list is filled with exotic sounds---Scirocco, Touraeg, Tiguan.  And now there's Atlas.  Sounds big and familiar, doesn't it?  That's fitting, because for the first time, VW has built a full-size SUV that requires no adjustment in thinking for buyers of American SUVs.

Big Change To A Small Package: The 2018 Subaru Crosstrek 2.0i Limited

The 2018 Subaru Crosstrek 2.0i Limited.

They tell us love is what makes a Subaru a Subaru, and who are we to argue?  But ruggedness, reliability, safety, value and an attitude that change for change's sake isn't such a good thing also are a big part of the Subaru DNA.  So when a Subaru model is all-new, that's big news.

We loved the last-gen Crosstrek, which was new for 2013.  We love the 2018 even more.

The Littlest Rogue: The 2017 Nissan Rogue Sport SV FWD

The 2017 Nissan Rogue Sport.

There was a time, not too long ago, that the Rogue was the small Nissan crossover SUV.  Mission creep set in, as it inevitably does, and the Rogue grew larger and more expensive.  As SUV-heavy as the Nissan lineup is (Juke, Rogue, Pathfinder, Murano, Armada), the gap in size between the Rogue and the next-smallest, the Juke, is more like two gaps.  And, truth be told, despite its fun-to-drive factor, the Juke's somewhat cartoonish appearance turns off some potential buyers.

Nissan's solution is another, smaller Rogue, the Rogue Sport.

Making A Difference: American Trucks' Positive Payload Program

One of our happiest and proudest associations here at TireKicker is with the fine folks at American Muscle and Extreme Terrain.  They have been loyal advertisers since 2012.  They have another division, American Trucks, that is doing something worth writing about (buying ad space at TireKicker doesn't guarantee editorial coverage). 

It's called the Positive Payload Program.  If you volunteer for or work with a charity that uses Ford F-150s, Chevy Silverados, GMC Sierras or Dodge Rams in its service to the community, you can apply for a $2,000 donation to that charity.

They'll be selecting two winners twice a year, and American Trucks says it plans to do this indefinitely.  Among the winners announced this month (January 2018) are the DelMarVa Council of the Boy Scouts of America.  Full details and a link to apply for the donation are here.

Almost Perfect: The 2018 Audi Q5 2.0T quattro S tronic

The 2018 Audi Q5 2.0T quattro S tronic.

Want to see a great example of the rapid progression in cars these days?  Check out the Phoenix Bureau's review of the 2014 Audi Q5 TDI quattro Tiptronic.  Compare the pictures in that review to the pictures in this one.  You may not think Audi's mid-size SUV has changed much in four years, but the pictures tell the story.  There's been a remarkable evolution of the design.

Now look at the technicals.  The '14 was a three-liter diesel V6 making 240 horsepower and delivering an EPA fuel economy estimate of 24 city/31 highway.  Our '18?  A two-liter turbocharged gasoline four with 252 horsepower and getting very close to what four years ago were remarkable diesel numbers for this size class...23 city/27 highway.

Looks Matter: The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox FWD Premier 2.0T

The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox Premier 2.0T.

In human beings, beauty is only skin deep.  In cars, that's true to some extent as well, but good looks can help move a lot more units off the dealer lots.  Which could mean the 2018 Chevy Equinox will be seen on a lot more streets and in a lot more driveways.

The last-gen Equinox was, to put it charitably, a bit homely.  Not only that, but a new one looked like it was ten years old in terms of the styling trends it reflected. There's a reason for that.  It was first sold in June of 2009.