A Hybrid With All the Essentials
The all-new 2017 Kia Niro could be described as a hybrid utility vehicle, which Kia prefers, or it could be classified as a subcompact crossover, which is the hottest new segment, or we could just call it a Subaru look-alike with Prius economy. Now that sounds pretty cool. Seriously. The Niro is one of 11 Eco Dynamics models that Kia has planned by 2020. The 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid and Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid preceded the Niro on...
Auto Review: More Than Your Average Crossover
Back in the day, Volvo built wagons shaped like a brick but powered by turbo. It seems appropriate that the automaker fortifies its heritage with a jacked up turbo wagon that seems sculpted for the wind as much for the road. Channeling the larger XC70, the midsize V60 Cross Country wagon flaunts 19-inch alloys, plastic wheel-well extensions and aluminum trimming the ground affects and lower facias. Colors were apparently chosen from a...
A Crossover That Doesn’t Stand Out
As Mitsubishi retreats from U.S. shores, cresting at 2 percent market share in 2002 before dipping to less than one-half of 1 percent since 2009, it has cast the redesigned Outlander crossover to hook budget-minded buyers looking for good warranties and better fuel economy. But those traits don’t quite appeal to the larger appetites of the American car buyer, which is why the three-row Outlander crossover and its smaller but...
Distinctive Look in the Crossover Class
The Lexus RX did to premium midsize crossovers what the Toyota Camry did to mainstream midsize sedans. In defining the segment, the RX inevitably succumbed to the compromises of having widespread appeal. The inside was exceptionally quiet, but the handling was numb; the inside was roomy, but the body design was eggish; it was always nice but never exceptional. The polished features straddled luxury and mainstream very well until every...
A Crossover That Measures Up
The Nissan Rogue has a name that’s the antithesis of its look. There’s nothing rogue about it. And that’s a good thing. Or at least consumers think so. Since the vehicle’s launch in 2007, annual sales have climbed from 73,000 to more than 200,000. That trend has continued, according to the latest numbers, with June sales up 54.3 percent compared to June 2014. Annual sales are up 36.3 percent. So what do drivers find so fetching about...
