First Drives

Austin, TX— Multiple Kia models have changed names lately. First, the Optima midsize sedan became the K5 , then the Sedona minivan became the Carnival , and now the Forte compact sedan is getting a new life as the K4 . Well, as previously reported, the K5 won’t return to …

Sitges, Spain— Fantastic all-wheel drive and sleeper looks in a small package sum up the Audi RS 3 , but the inline five-cylinder engine under the hood is what makes the car special. Behind the wheel of the RS 3, you can’t help but fall in love with this mill, …

Munich, Germany— For the 40th anniversary of the M5 , and for the first time in BMW M history, the sedan and Touring (wagon) body styles are both launching at the same time. The former enters its seventh generation, with no interruptions between them, while the latter is just beginning …

Nice, France— After somewhat taking a break last year, Audi is now busy revamping its model lineup for 2025. Headliners include electric vehicles like the all-new Q6 e-tron midsize crossover, the substantially refreshed e-tron GT sports sedan and the upcoming new A6 e-tron midsize sedan. What about conventionally powered vehicles?

With coupes, convertibles, wagons and sedans dropping like flies, today’s automotive landscape is a boring sea of trucks and SUVs. Making matters worse is the fact that about 80 percent of them are finished in white, grey or black. Where’s the fun in that? Volkswagen deserves part of the blame, …

Bromont, Quebec— Now in its sixth generation, the Ford Explorer is far removed from the truck-based original that launched in the early 1990s. While catering to North American families is still a top priority of this three-row midsize SUV, it has morphed into a much more sophisticated and sportier vehicle.

Honda is bringing back hybrid technology to its popular compact car after several years, following the lead of other automakers that are now putting more emphasis on electrification. For 2025, the Civic Sedan and Civic Hatchback feature revised styling especially up front. Setting the hybrid models apart are subtle details …

The Buick Enclave isn’t a bad SUV, but it does have its fair share of issues and shortcomings that make it not so appealing. Lackluster build quality, undesirable noises and uninspiring driving dynamics top the list, not to mention dubious paintwork (especially on white-coloured units, where the bumpers don’t match …

There aren’t too many compact sports sedans available with a manual transmission these days. The Honda Civic Si is one, along with the Volkswagen Jetta GLI and Subaru WRX . In order to keep it fresh and competitive, the Japanese automaker has made a few revisions to styling, performance and …

Out on the autobahn, more specifically a section with no speed limit, the new 2025 Audi RS e-tron GT Performance displays exceptional stability as it reaches velocities in excess of 235 km/h. The main thing to watch for is vehicles in the right lane that could suddenly move over to …