After putting 130k miles on a 2014 BMW X1, my sister and brother-in-law decided it was time for a new car. For its last 20k miles, the X1 hit them with frequent maintenance and breakdowns, so they decided to reset the clock with a low-mileage second-hand SUV. Enter today's 18k-mile BMW X2, which Emily and… Continue reading Review: 2021 BMW X2 M35i is an Incognito Hot Hatch
When I reviewed the Kia Sportage LX in 2022, I called it a segment laggard and hoped that Kia would make it competitive. And Kia acted, refreshing the Sportage with a new modern, adventurous design (their adjectives, not mine). In addition to stylish new sheetmetal, the updated Sportage got an astonishingly long list of standard… Continue reading Review: 2026 Kia Sportage LX AWD is Your Ticket to the Cheap Seats
This weekend, it's over the mountain and through the woods to the grandparents’ house we go. Our “horse and sleigh” is a brand-new 2026 GLE 350 4MATIC, loaded with Christmas presents for a holiday reunion. While the mid-size Mercedes SUV is easily up to the task of carrying my loved ones and luggage to grandma… Continue reading Review: 2026 Mercedes GLE 350 4MATIC Honey, You can do Better
The two cars that we have here today have little in common. One is my 2016 Mercedes AMG GT S, and the other is my friend Sage’s 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. Both cars may be on the chopping block soon. I’ve owned the AMG GT S for about five years, and the itch for a… Continue reading Comparison: 2016 Mazda MX-5 and 2016 Mercedes AMG GT S Shake Rattle ‘N No-Roll
Let me introduce you to this striking blue 2006 BMW Z4 M Roadster. It belongs to Philip, a friendly fellow who is trying to convince me that the Z4 M Roadster is undervalued in the M-car hierarchy. I’ve got a morning with the car, so let’s see if I agree. My drive of the Z4… Continue reading Review: 2006 BMW Z4 M Roadster is the Right M on the Wrong Road
It’s 7:30 am when I hear the passing drone of a sports car outside my kitchen window. I glance at the street, excited, and see my neighbor Eddie slinking by in his midnight blue 1997 Porsche 911 (993) Turbo. Normally, spotting a car this rare would be the peak of my morning’s excitement, but not… Continue reading Test Drive: 1997 Porsche 911 Turbo is the Final Chapter
I’ve heard it whispered that the BMW X5 M is the way BMW should have built the brand new 2025 (G90) M5, and that the M5 would have been better skipping hybridization and just sticking with a twin-turbo V8. While we’ll never know how this imaginary M5 would have turned out, I do have the… Continue reading Comparison: 2025 BMW X5 M Competition and M5 are Sumo Wrestling
My friend Sage purchased a 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor, but he isn't sure he'll keep it. He's had it for six months, and while he likes aspects of the truck, it hasn't thrilled him like he'd hoped. In fact, he's so dissatisfied that he approached his dealer for a trade-in evaluation. I'm here for a… Continue reading Review: 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor and Fear-Free Canyon Carving
I’m trying hard to figure out who would buy the $51k ($64k as tested) 2025 BMW X3 xDrive30i M Sport. By its dimensions and capability, the X3 xDrive30i appears to be a practical hauler of young kids and their crud, but when fit with the M Sport options, the SUV transforms into a hard-riding performance… Continue reading Test Drive: 2025 BMW X3 xDrive30i Someone Skipped Cardio
The car standing in front of me isn’t some unknown exotic, it is the Lucid Air, Lucid’s first-ever production car. I’ve been seeing them around Berkeley for four years, but have yet to get up close and personal with the model. In Berkeley’s sea of Teslas and Subarus, the Air stands out, on account of… Continue reading Test Drive: 2025 Lucid Air Grand Touring is Smooth as Butter, Fast as Stink
Mike's Steering Column 