Dear Ruth, How are you? All is well here in California. We hope you, Gerry, Melissa, and Katherine are well, too! I hear through the grapevine that your Dodge Durango lease ends soon, and you are shopping for a new SUV. I just drove the new Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited and think it may be… Continue reading 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited is Mama’s Upgrade
“Got anything fun?” I ask, not expecting an affirmative. I’ve only spotted base-level sedans and SUVs in my half-dozen visits to the Mercedes dealer. “Actually, I do,” comes the reply across the loaner desk, “would you like a GLA 35?” Hell yes! I’d love to try a baby AMG! Ten years ago, a four-cylinder AWD… Continue reading Review: 2023 Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 is a Stay Puft Hot Hatch
(Update: This review covers the seven-seat 2022 Mercedes GLB 250. I've also reviewed the five-seat 2024 Mercedes GLB 250.) It's an open secret that I see my service center's courtesy vehicles as my press fleet. Each repair is a chance for me to check off a chore and have a new driving experience. That is… Continue reading Review: 2022 Mercedes GLB 250 4Matic is My Favorite Squeeze
It takes just a second in my brother’s new car to remind me that I’m a BMW guy. A myriad of clues spark the reminder, including the chunky grip of the M Sport steering wheel, the granite-solid doors, and the stepped twirl of the iDrive controller. Thanks to my six years in the BMW fold,… Continue reading Review: 2017 BMW 540i xDrive is Stealth Wealth
I am bleary-eyed and emotionally edgy after a crack-of-dawn flight to Dulles. Dragging two young kids across the country has a way of doing that to me. As I scan the long aisles of the rental lot, I pray that spot 179—my spot—is filled with something interesting. I booked a full-size sedan, so my bar… Continue reading Review: 2019 Lexus NX 300 is Solid but Sparkless
Well, this is a surprise. My family from the heart of conservative trucks-and-guns Pennsylvania just took delivery of an EV. A 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E, to be precise. Now I’m wondering, is this a harbinger of red America going green? Not that selling EVs in the heartland should be hard. EVs pair the torque of… Continue reading Review: 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E (vs. Tesla Model 3)
Kia has been on a tear recently. It’s moved well beyond its basic-economy past to producing beautiful, advanced, segment-leading vehicles like the Stinger, Telluride and EV6. My interest is piqued, and so I’m filled with anticipation when the rental counter assigns us a 2021 Kia Sportage LX. When we finally locate the Sportage in the… Continue reading Review: 2021 Kia Sportage LX isn’t Kia’s Bright Future
Parked in front of me is a 2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i. Its key is in my right hand. I look at its squinting eyes and flared nostrils and think, “what a strange bird!” The X1 looks like a safari-ready 3-series, a wagon with a lifted suspension and raised roof. I open the driver’s door, wondering… Continue reading Review: 2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i is the Safari 328i
In less than five minutes of exploring the cabin of the 2021 Tesla Model Y, I have my thesis: The SUV is a vertically-stretched Model 3, but its rear bench and trunk don’t offer enough additional space to tempt me out of my beloved Model 3 sedan. I’m pretty confident about my (premature?) verdict, but… Continue reading Review: 2021 Tesla Model Y (vs Model 3)
I haven’t been this excited to test a new car in a long time. Why? Because the new metal is a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4. When it was released, the GT4 brought lustful tears of gratitude to the eyes of journalists. Now it’s my turn to drive the legend. So please hide my checkbook and… Continue reading Comparison: 2020 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 and 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S are Complementary Sports Cars
Mike's Steering Column 