If you want to get people’s attention in the automotive world, there’s a couple routes you can take. You can aim at putting out the best product that outshines what is currently on the market. Or you can aim for a more affordable product to draw in car buyers looking to save.

Rarely are both achievable at the same time, but Lexus has come close to achieving that rare feat with its 2020 Lexus UX 250h, a hybrid SUV which delivers best-in-class fuel mileage and offers a beautifully designed vehicle inside and out.

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Lexus’ UX, a subcompact SUV, slots in just below the Lexus NX in the automaker’s SUV lineup. It’s also one of the few vehicles in this class to offer a hybrid variant, giving it a leg up on the competition.

The exterior design features the usual sharp Lexus look, with a bold-looking grille and smooth angles and curves. Go inside the UX, and you'll find a luxurious look and feel, and some of the most comfortable seats in the business.

With a multi-year run as one of the best-selling SUVs, it would have been tempting for Toyota to not tinker with the RAV4 lineup. But with competitors always stepping up their game, so must Toyota.

One new angle they introduced for the 2020 model year is the TRD Off-Road trim level. At first it’s a shock to hear the words “TRD” and “Off-Road” associated with the traditionally more mundane SUV segment, but it’s a wise move by Toyota to grow the vehicle’s brand with a new option aimed at more adventurous types.

I recently spent some time in a 2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road, and I’m back with a full report.

Too often drivers must choose between having a reliable, family-oriented vehicle, and having a car they can enjoy driving. This is especially the case with SUVs of the three-row variety.

Thankfully, the Mazda CX-9 does not fit that mold, as you can actually fulfill both desires. I recently tested the 2021 Mazda CX-9, which receives some upgrades in its design and technology setup, and I’m back with a full report.

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The exterior design of the CX-9 remains sharp on the 2021 model, with a familiar overhang in the front that distinguishes Mazda, and an overall svelte shape for a three-row SUV. 

The vehicle I tested featured a Soul Red Crystal metallic paint job, a very sharp-looking red color associated with Mazda that lets you instantly identify the vehicle.

Mazda continues to be one of the very best of the nonluxury brands in terms of overall interior quality. The look and feel of all the materials used in the CX-9 is near-luxury level. My test vehicle featured seating for six passengers, 2 in each row, but there are versions with a bench seat in the middle that will seat 7 people.

In an automotive world dominated by SUVs, there are a few models that consistently rank at or near the top of sales charts. One of those is the Honda CR-V, which has sold more than 5 million units since its introduction 25 years ago.

But not content with the status quo, Honda has introduced a hybrid option for 2020, with the goal of boosting its numbers as it competes with Toyota’s RAV4, Nissan’s Rogue and others in this competitive landscape.

I recently drove a 2020 CR-V hybrid, and I’m back with a full report.

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While Honda is generally known more for its reliability than its design acumen, I must say that the 2020 updates to the CR-V are impressive.

The 2020 CR-V lineup gets a newly designed front bumper and front grille, a sharp headlight redesign, a new center console with increased storage space, and new wheel design. A power moonroof is also featured.

For a newer vehicle to succeed, it must check multiple boxes.

For the 2020 Volvo XC40, one of those boxes is filling the demand on the smaller end of the SUV scale, a segment for which demand has grown tremendously in the past handful of years.

The other key box it checks is that, like all Volvo offerings, it offers an extremely impressive amount of safety features to luxury car buyers.
But in a crowded category with plenty of excellent offerings from multiple leading brands, is it enough to stand out? Read on for a full review.