Entering the realm of the luxury automobile may seem like a tall task for car buyers, but with brands like Volvo, it’s easier than you may imagine.

Take their subcompact SUV offering, the XC40, for example. Starting around the low $40K price range, it provides a foot in the door for people looking to step up on the class scale — as long as they’re good with limited space in the rear seats and in the cargo hold.

Volvo’s larger XC60 and XC90 SUVs are more spacious, but if you’re less concerned with the amount of space but still want the Volvo quality design, drive quality and safety features, the XC40 is a strong option to consider — and it competes well against other smaller SUV options in the class — including the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLB, Acura ADX and Lincoln Corsair.

Read on for a full review on the XC40, which I recently had the opportunity to experience, to learn more about how it holds up vs. its rivals.

As they seek to court luxury buyers with eco-friendly leanings, upscale automakers are covering the gamut in terms of electric vehicle offerings.

This means offering not just pure EVs, but also plug-in hybrids for buyers not quite ready to make the leap to fully electric.

One such brand is Sweden’s Volvo, which offers a PHEV (plug-in hybrid) version of its 2026 Volvo XC60 midsize SUV, which offers a total of 35 miles in pure electric driving before the gas engine kicks in.

The luxury plug-in hybrid market is packed with competitors, including offerings from Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Audi and BMW.

I recently spent some time behind the wheel of the 2026 Volvo XC60 T8 AWD plug-in hybrid (Ultra trim level), and I’m back with a full report on how it holds up in this growing luxury sector. Read on to learn more about the XC60 PHEV and how it stacks up.

As the debate over the future of EVs continues, some companies are going big with their electric plans.

And in this case, I mean it literally, as Hyundai has debuted the 2026 Ioniq 9, a large, three-row, fully electric SUV that has few true rivals in terms of size among the electric landscape — which is dominated by smaller offerings.

This long-awaited offering’s closest competition is from Hyundai’s corporate relative Kia, which offers a similarly sized vehicle called the EV9. Outside of that, the only true competition are upscale offerings like the Rivian R1S, Volvo EX90 and Cadillac Vistiq.

Entering this level of the EV market means there is a commitment to electrification, and time will tell whether the U.S. public follows along and heads in this direction, but in the meantime Hyundai has unveiled a tremendous vehicle offering with a lot for potential buyers to love about it.

I recently spent some time with an Ioniq 9, which featured power, range and an attractive and family-friendly design. Read on for a full review of this bold new offering from Hyundai.

In the world of SUVs, the bigger alternatives that can pack in a large family get much of the headlines, but lurking in the background are some strong options for folks with a need for less space.

The subcompact SUV category is one that has a wide variety of options — from the Chevy Trax to Volkswagen Taos, Hyundai Kona, Kia Seltos and Buick Envista — but the one that stands about all others in the category is the Mazda CX-30.

I recently tested the 2026 Mazda CX-30 (a Turbo Premium Plus model), and it left a very strong impression with its powerful drive quality and upscale interior. Many people associate smaller vehicles with low power, but that’s far from the case with the CX-30.

Read on for a full review of the CX-30, which carries over mostly unchanged from the 2025 model.

In the world of sedans, you have two main categories: The ho-hum, everyday drive vehicles that offer little excitement, and the sport sedans that promise thrills.

With its Jetta sedan (a staple for four decades in the VW lineup), Volkswagen offers both of these options — a standard version for those on a smaller budget who aren’t seeing power, and the Jetta GLI offering that will spruce up your everyday drive.

I recently spent some time behind the wheel of the 2026 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, which only comes in one trim called Autobahn.

Battling against other fun vehicles like the Honda Civic Si and the Hyundai Elantra N, as well as VW’s own Golf GTI hatchback, the Jetta holds its own quite well and is one of the most affordable sporty compact sedans available.

Read on for a full review of this performance-focused VW offering.

Describing the 2026 Mazda CX-70 is surprisingly simple.

Take the three-row Mazda CX-90, remove the third row of seats, and voila, you have the CX-70.

Sounds simple, but it’s true. While it is its own model, the CX-70 (now in its second model year after a 2025 introduction), can almost be seen as a unique trim level of the CX-90 — targeting people who will never have need for the third row seats but want the same cargo space as the CX-90.

Offered in three different powertrains (two gas options and a plug-in hybrid version), the CX-70 delivers the same quality drive you should expect from Mazda, and features one of the most upscale interiors you’re going to find in this size of SUV in the nonluxury realm.

Read on for my full take on the 2026 Mazda CX-70, which I recently had the chance to experience, and how it holds up against competitors from the nonluxury realm (Honda Passport, Jeep Grand Cherokee) and luxury realm (Lexus RX, BMW X3).

In the always competitive compact SUV segment (which includes such stalwarts as the Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4 and Nissan Rogue), you can never sit still and hope to compete.

With that in mind, Volkswagen has upgraded its Tiguan SUV for the 2026 model year by offering a powerful new turbo motor that should help its stature in the segment. This comes on the heels of an overall redesign of the Tiguan in 2025.

I recently tested the 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan (an SEL R-Line Turbo model), which featured all-wheel drive, and a spacious and upscale interior for five passengers.

Battling mostly against Asian-made counterparts, this Euro-flavored offering brings a unique competitor to this segment. Read on for my full review on how the Tiguan stacks up against its rivals.

In a world where it seems a hundred new SUVs are released every year, it’s quite a feat to be named the NACTOY Utility Vehicle of the Year. But that’s exactly what the 2026 Hyundai Palisade just accomplished when the winners were announced in January — beating out a bevy of strong contenders.

So what’s so special about the 2026 Palisade to cause such a commotion?

I recently tested a 2026 Hyundai Palisade (an XRT Pro model), and I’m back with a report on this fully redesigned three-row SUV option. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the Palisade and how it compares across the segment.

One of the more unique lineups in the SUV market comes from Mazda, which offers a pair of compact SUVs — the CX-5 and CX-50. For the past 15 years, the CX-5 has been a huge seller for Mazda, and the CX-50 is a newer addition to the lineup starting in 2023.

Differences between the two vehicles include design elements, size, tech setup, engine offerings, and level of off-road capability.

I recently spent some time behind the wheel of a 2026 Mazda CX-50 (a 2.5 Turbo Meridian Edition), which mostly carries over from the 2025 model year. 

Read on to find out how it stacks up against the busy competition in the compact SUV market (Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson, Ford Escape and many more), as well as its in-house Mazda competition.

The Mazda CX-5 is a sharp-looking and fun-to-drive compact SUV. 

There’s never been a question about that, and it’s true once again for the 2025 model year offering.

The question is whether to wait for a new one, or pick up a 2025 model, as it will be completely redesigned for 2026, kicking off the next generation of the vehicle.

Read on to learn 5 things you need to know about the 2025 CX-5, and some previews of what’s to come on the new 2026 version of the CX-5, which is getting a long-awaited redesign that improves roominess and tech features.