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?

Progress: The 2018 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD

The 2018 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum 4WD.

Refreshed significantly for 2017, Nissan isn't letting any grass grow under the feet...um, tires...of the 2018 Pathfinder. This year brings a host of new features.

Keeper: The 2018 Honda Accord 2.0T Touring

The 2018 Honda Accord 2.0T Touring.

Confession:  It's pretty cool writing about cars.  Every Wednesday, someone takes away the old and delivers the new. There's no time to get bored with any one machine.  Heck, rarely enough time for the car to get dirty enough that you might consider a run to the car wash.

And then there are the ones that you wish for more time with.  The ones that have you saying, "If the testers stopped tomorrow, I could live with this car from here on out."  They are few and far between, these cars.  But the 2018 Honda Accord 2.0T Touring is absolutely one of them.

Truckin': The 2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Offroad 4X4 Double Cab

The 2018 Toyota Tacoma TRD Offroad 4X4 Double Cab.

Gotta hand it to Toyota.  In the decade or so where the Americans got out of the midsize truck business entirely and Nissan allowed the Frontier to roll on unchanged, Toyota kept improving and refining the Tacoma.  Now, with Ford and Chevy rushing back into the segment, and Ford promising a Raptor version of the Ranger, Toyota's reminding the world that the gold standard for off-roading midsize pickups is none other than the Toyota Tacoma TRD Offroad 4X4 Double Cab.

Sonata For The Masses: The 2018 Hyundai Sonata Limited 2.0T

The 2018 Hyundai Sonata Limited 2.0T

In music, a sonata is a composition meant to be played by a soloist.  In the automotive world, the Sonata is increasingly a car for the masses.  In one of the quickest learning curves we've witnessed, Hyundai has found the formula for making cars arguably as good as the competing offerings from Toyota and Honda, at a price just slightly lower than the Japanese.

Track Star: The 2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club

The 2018 Mazda MX-5 Miata Club.

We'll start with how we ended our last review of a Miata...the 2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata Grand Touring:  There is no bad MX-5 Miata.  There are different models for different purposes...all with the 155-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 26 city/33 highway. 

The Grand Touring is for a dash of comfort with your sport.   The Club is all about winning (in the appropriate category) at track day. We've reviewed the Club before...two and a half years ago.  The biggest change is the availability this year, at no additional cost, of the dark cherry soft top, which we think looks great.