Many new vehicles that are introduced are direct successors to an outgoing vehicle in the same class, but in some cases, it’s a whole new animal being introduced.

The second option is what applies to the Volkswagen Arteon, a large four-door hatchback with sedan-like styling which was introduced a few years back as VW’s stab at a near-luxury vehicle. That’s right, VW, which has never been known for its flash, is courting buyers who like their brand but want something a bit more upscale.

It’s their flagship ride, and competes with vehicles such as the Audi A5 Sportback, Genesis G80 and Acura TLX.

I recently spent some time in an Arteon, which gets a solid refresh for the 2021 model, and I’m back with a full report on how it holds up vs. this lofty competition.

For people seeking a three-row luxury vehicle, but who also want some eco-friendly options, the number of choices is limited but growing. One of the luxury brands that has been a leader in terms of green SUVs has been Volvo, whose offerings include the 2021 XC90 Recharge plug-in hybrid.

Going up against competitors from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, LIncoln and more is a tall task, but Volvo holds its own.

I recently spent some time in a 2021 XC90 Recharge, and below is a full report on my experience.

If you’ve decided to purchase a new vehicle that will focus on thrills more than practicality, the compact luxury sports sedan category is good place to start — featuring strong competition from vehicles such as the Mercedes C-Class, BMW 3-series, Audi A4, Genesis G70 and Cadillac CT4.

Another strong competitor in the segment, which I recently had the chance to explore the roads with, is the 2021 Lexus IS 300, a sharp-looking ride that returns in 2021 with some styling updates as well as improvements to the suspension.

Read on for a full assessment of how Lexus’ offering holds up and competes against a very tough bevy of competitors.

Much of the talk in the realm of light-duty pickups revolves around the BIg 3 domestic offerings, but beneath all of that there are some hidden gems to be found.

The Nissan Titan can claim this distinction, as it remains as one of the two main options for fans of non-domestic trucks, along with the Toyota Tundra.

The Titan is way lower in the annual sales rankings than the top sellers (for perspective, about 30,000 Titans are sold annually, vs. almost 800,000 Ford F-Series trucks), but not everyone is enamored by the Ford/Chevy/GMC/RAM models, and they need options too, creating the niche market that the Titan can serve. Also of note: Titan trucks are assembled in the U.S. and have North American content, so like most of today’s vehicles it’s not even fully foreign.

I recently tested the 2021 Nissan Titan PRO-4X Crew Cab, and I’m back with a full report.

There’s something about the 54 car this year in the Xfinity Series. The car has taken an amazing 11 checkered flags in the 2021 season: 5 courtesy of Cup champion Kyle Busch (who thankfully has moved on from Xfinity racing, allegedly); 1 from Truck Series regular John Hunter Nemechek, 1 from Cup racer Christopher Bell, and — most curiously — four from the young man they call Ty Gibbs (aka the team owner’s grandson). Gibbs had an amazing Saturday at Kansas, winning the Xfinity race, taking the ARCA pole, and nearly winning the ARCA race (he lost on the final restart). Oh, and he also claimed the ARCA championship.

Did I mention Ty Gibbs is only 19 years old (yes, he was born in October of 2002, in case you didn’t already feel old).

The hype around him is unlike anything we’ve seen about a young driver like this since, perhaps, Joey Logano in his “sliced bread” days. (Of note: The team Logano drove as a teen — Joe Gibbs Racing)