Entering the large SUV market with a bang in 2020, Hyundai debuted the impressive Palisade model, which has been flying from dealer lots ever since its debut. The upscale 3-row model is the largest and one of the most expensive vehicles sold by the automaker, but sales numbers remain high as it impressed straight out of the gate in looks, performance and technology.

In its second year for the 2021 model year, most of the Palisade remains unchanged. The main difference is the addition of the more upscale Calligraphy trim level, and the options packages are slightly adjusted.

I recently tested a 2021 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy model, and I’m back with a full report.

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Most SUVs aren’t traditionally known for unique or attractive exterior designs, but the exterior of the Palisade is one that will grab your attention.

Highlights include an especially eye-catching front grille, and a sharp wheel design. My Calligraphy trim level test vehicle also featured an exclusive 20-inch wheel.

In the automotive world, trucks rule the sales charts, nailing down positions 1-2-3 on the overall list of most-purchased vehicles year after year.

And while Ford continued to hold the overall lead with its F-Series once the final numbers for 2020 were tallied, there was an interesting development in the battle for 2nd place, with the Chevy Silverado passing RAM for 2nd place, with 594,094 Silverados sold vs. 562,676 for RAM. This is quite impressive, as the Silverado made up a significant gap from the previous year, and this battle will no doubt continue to rage into 2021 and beyond.

I recently got behind the wheel of a 2021 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab Custom Trail Boss, and I’m back with a full report on how the Silverado measures up against its competition this year.

The subcompact crossover market is quite saturated these days — which competitors including Honda’s HR-V, the Kia Seltos, Hyundai Venue, Mazda CX-30 and Jeep Renegade, among many others.

But Subaru, a brand that doesn’t top sales charts but has fiercely loyal followers, has perhaps the best offering in this segment — the Subaru Crosstrek, which gets a strong design upgrade, more powerful engine option and safety/tech upgrades for 2021. I recently spent some time behind the wheel of a 2021 Crosstrek Sport, and I’m back with a full report on a vehicle that spices up its segment.

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The exterior of the redesigned 2021 Crosstrek stands out from the competition, both in terms of its sleek look and unique colors offered. Subaru has never gone the way every other automaker has with its designs, and this is no exception.

The vehicle features a redesigned front fascia that includes a new bumper cover and grille, new wheel design, and new color options such as Plasma Yellow Pearl and Horizon Blue Pearl. I had a test vehicle with the yellow pearl color and it looked very sharp and unique on the roadways.

Defender is a classic British automotive nameplate from Land Rover with as much history as nearly any vehicle in existence. Stretching back all the way to 1948, when it was first introduced as the “Series 1” as a Jeep-inspired vehicle, this tough customer has seen a seven-decade run and gone through a handful of redesigns (with the Defender name coming into play starting in 1990). More than 2 million of these vehicles have been sold worldwide between all of its renditions over those seven decades.

For the 2020 model year, after a few years dormant (and not being sold in the U.S. since the 1990s), a newly remodeled version of the Defender returned to the world automotive stage to much fanfare, and that excitement continues into 2021. I recently tested the latest incarnation of the Defender and I’m back with a full report of how this classic vehicle contends in today’s automotive landscape.

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First let me just say that for a rugged and off-road capable vehicle, the Land Rover Defender is a beautiful vehicle that will catch your eye and looks like nothing else on the road.

The exterior design is squared off and tall (with up to 11.5 inches of ground clearance). The Defender shares limited similarity to a Jeep design, with the added bonus of being much more attractive. Two-door and four-door versions of the Defender are offered.

While the bulk of Toyota’s sales come from the smaller end of the lineup (its Camry and Corolla sedans, plus the RAV4 crossover), they also have some strong offerings at the larger end of the vehicle spectrum.

The high-end and massive Toyota Land Cruiser sits atop the brand’s vehicle chain, but lurking just below it is another offering that can also handle itself well off-road and in all weather conditions, and at a more affordable price — the Toyota Sequoia.

I recently drove a Toyota Sequoia, and I’m back with a full report (Note: I drove a 2020 model year Sequoia, but there are only minimal changes for 2021)

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The best way to describe the Sequoia’s design is to say that it looks like a tank. It’s tall, bold and in your face, and even longer than the Land Cruiser at 205.1 inches (17.1 feet) long. Ground clearance is an impressive 10 inches, allowing for better off-road performance.

When you are in the Sequoia, you are sitting up high and looking down at the world around you on the roadways. Even most SUVs look small from this vantage point.