Since the mid-1970s, Volkswagen’s replacement for the iconic Beetle found its niche as an affordable little hatchback. Adding the Golf GTI with a stronger engine and a sporty interior for 1983 — called the Rabbit GTI in North America — began a series that existed through seven generations. The eighth iteration of the front-wheel-drive GTI,

If there’s one vehicle that’s synonymous with the Honda brand, without question it would be the Civic. It was the automaker’s breakthrough model when it first arrived here in the early 1970s. Throughout the ensuing decades, the Civic has remained a strong seller in its class despite the seismic market shift to utility vehicles and

The Tucson’s cabin is a model of clean-slate, uncluttered simplicity. The two round digital gauges are propped up behind the steering wheel and appear a bit like afterthoughts beside the large (up to 10.25 inches) and neatly integrated touch-screen. You won’t find many knobs or switches, and push-button controls that have replaced the traditional transmission

The Outlander uses a nearly identical 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine to the Rogue that makes 181 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. For the Outlander, that’s a nice little bump over the previous base four-cylinder that produced 166 horsepower and 162 pound-feet. The previously optional 3.0-litre V-6 with 224 horses and 215 pound-feet has been put

A five-foot-long bed is standard with all four-door crew cab Frontiers. A six-foot-long variant is optional, but the King Cab gets it as standard equipment. Each box gets a dampened tailgate opening and dual lights at the rear of the bed. A factory-applied spray-on bed liner and special cargo dividers are available. The Frontier’s standard

The MX-30 can’t produce rapid off-the-line bursts and the throttle response is on par with a modestly powered four-cylinder gasoline engine. The base MX-30 costs $44,000, including destination fees, and comes reasonably loaded, including navigation, heated front seats and an eight-speaker audio system. The GT trim gets a power moonroof, 12-speaker Bose audio system, faux

The Wagoneer and more luxurious Grand Wagoneer are at the top of the scale in terms of size, being significantly larger overall than both the seven-passenger Jeep Grand Cherokee L that was introduced for 2021, and the regular-length five-passenger Grand Cherokee that’s new for 2022. Combined, this utility-vehicle foursome represents unparalleled market saturation for the

If the Maverick name sounds familiar, it’s because Ford once applied it to a small car in the late-1960s. Back then, it was the most affordable Ford you could buy. Well, the same goes for the 2022 Maverick, which on price alone is bound to garner plenty of attention from both traditional and nontraditional pickup

Pricing for the Wilderness starts at $44,400, including destination fees. That’s obviously more than the base Outback ($33,600), but it’s less than the top-level Premier XT trim that lists for $46,600. Standard Wilderness equipment includes the usual convenience features as well as safety technology such as forward emergency braking and blind-spot warning with cross-traffic backup

Compared with the RAV4, the Corolla Cross is 14 centimetres shorter, 2.5 centimetres narrower and the roofline is more than 5.0 centimetres lower. The wheelbase — the distance between the front and rear wheels — is 5.0 centimetres less. The cargo area behind the split-folding rear seat is about 20 per cent less than the

The base Venza LE comes with a decent degree of content, such as a power driver’s seat, interior ambient lighting, wireless phone charging, hands-free power liftgate and a six-speaker audio system. You also get most of Toyota’s active-safety technology and driver-assist features. The XLE adds roof rails, front- and rear-parking assist, heated and ventilated power

The infotainment system is operated by way of a touchpad on the centre console, which might not be to everyone’s liking and could prove distracting. Protruding from the dashboard is an 8.0- or available 10.3-inch touch-screen that’s part of the optional navigation system. The standard eight-speaker audio system can be upgraded to a premium 14-speaker

The infotainment system is operated by way of a touchpad on the centre console, which might not be to everyone’s liking and could prove distracting. Protruding from the dashboard is an 8.0- or available 10.3-inch touch-screen that’s part of the optional navigation system. The standard eight-speaker audio system can be upgraded to a premium 14-speaker

The infotainment system is operated by way of a touchpad on the centre console, which might not be to everyone’s liking and could prove distracting. Protruding from the dashboard is an 8.0- or available 10.3-inch touch-screen that’s part of the optional navigation system. The standard eight-speaker audio system can be upgraded to a premium 14-speaker

The infotainment system is operated by way of a touchpad on the centre console, which might not be to everyone’s liking and could prove distracting. Protruding from the dashboard is an 8.0- or available 10.3-inch touch-screen that’s part of the optional navigation system. The standard eight-speaker audio system can be upgraded to a premium 14-speaker

For 2021, a limited number of Durango SRT Hellcat models are being produced as a one-year-only extravagance. Under the hood is a supercharged 6.2-litre V-8 that punches out 710 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque. It’s the one to get if you require 3,950 kilograms of towing capacity, or relish the thought of sprinting to

For 2021, the new fourth-generation Sienna receives a complete redo that encompasses every aspect of the minivan. From the front, the appearance is similar to most other Toyota models, including a wide-mouth grille protruding ahead of the hood and headlights (apparently inspired by Japan’s extra-quick Bullet Train). But a check of the remaining bodywork reveals

All-weather capability, top-level performance and exemplary fuel economy pretty much sum up of the 2021 RAV4 Prime. All three strengths confirm Toyota’s stature as the preeminent leader when it comes to hybrid powertrains.