Daily Drivers : Car News And Reviews

Despite its aging platform, Dodge continues to keep its four-door muscle car fresh. After releasing a widebody Challenger, rumors were swirling that a new Widebody Challenger might be next. Now, those rumors have come true – at least in concept form.

One of the most anticipated entries into the mid-size truck segment is the Jeep Gladiator. The Gladiator is the only convertible truck on the market, and Jeep claims it’s the off-road capable pickup too. Now, Jeep is officially in production with the Gladiator with the very first one rolling off the assembly line at their Toledo assembly plant.

In a recent interview with UK publication Auto Express, FCA CEO Mike Manley all but confirmed that a new three-row Jeep SUV is in the works. The new SUV will slot in the line between the existing Grand Cherokee and the upcoming larger Wagoneer.

If you’re like me and aren’t an SUV fan, but understand the need for space and hauling capacity, a wagon is a great option. Wagons, or shooting brakes as the Europeans call them, are pretty rare these days in the US, with cars like the VW Golf Alltrack or Subaru Outback being the most common.

While those in some parts of the globe are getting an official Ford Ranger Raptor, here in the States, Ford has yet to announce plans for one. Seizing on a clear market opportunity, Hennessey Performance wasted no time turning its hand to the 2019 Ford Ranger truck.

Recently, Volvo spun off its performance division to create the new Polestar brand. Now, the automaker has revealed its first production vehicle, the Polestar 2. Set to go into production in early 2020, the 5-door pure electric wants to give the Tesla Model 3 a run for its money, and look great doing it.

As cars fall by the wayside and people wanting SUVs and crossovers, more and more automakers are offering up performance-oriented versions of these vehicles. Ford has done it with the Edge ST and coming Explorer ST models, and now Volkswagen is getting in on the action, with the reveal of the T-Roc R.

One of the most coveted ratings for many automakers is the “recommended” rating from Consumer Reports (CR). Tesla wanted that rating badly for its “more affordable” EV, the $42,900+ Model 3. It initially missed that rating due to poor brake performance.

In the last five years, Volvos have gone from being cars that you bought because of their safety and reliability, to being true objects of desire. Starting with the redesign of the XC90 back in 2014, the Swedish automaker has dramatically upped its game in terms of design both outside and in, offering a complete new lineup of sedans, crossovers, SUVs, and wagons which all look fantastic.

I recently had the opportunity to drive the 2019 Toyota RAV4, and was extremely impressed with the improvements Toyota has made in overall ride quality, versatility, and capability for its popular daily driver. And while the RAV4 is already better than one might expect off the tarmac, Toyota wants us to know it can do even more with the announcement of a new TRD Off-Road trim for the 2020 model year.

The only two car commercials I recall from the Super Bowl over the weekend were for the Toyota Supra, a car I’m not particularly attracted to, and the Kia Telluride. It took most of the Telluride commercial to figure out it was for a Kia, but the full-size SUV looks fantastic.

For many years, a good number of Audi Sport enthusiasts have considered the Audi RS6 Avant to be the most desirable daily driver. Audi has approached the RS6 Avant as something that might only be noticed on the road by one with a keen eye for detail.

Like many things in the world, it seems that the cost of cars continues to edge ever higher. Say the name Mercedes-Benz to most folks car shopping, and the brand is passed over entirely due to price.

In the last decade or so, Hyundai has really stepped up their quality, features, and design. Now, the Korean automaker is upping their performance game too. At the 2019 NAIAS, Hyundai revealed the first of it’s US production cars from its new N Line performance series, the 2019 Elantra GT N Line.

It’s been five years since Toyota and its Calty Design studio showed off its stunning FT-1 concept, and now we finally have the production car it inspired. And while the new 2020 Supra doesn’t have the mid-engine design of the concept, it actually retained quite a bit of its styling when you compare them side by side.