The Basics: The Chevrolet Impala has been caught in a time warp. New in 2004, but even then a revamp of an existing platform, it’s been riding on fleet sales for more than a decade, while the competition–Azera, Avalon, Taurus, and 300–have been getting stronger, and growing their followings. For 2013, the Impala keeps [...]

The Basics: The 2013 Dodge Dart gets Chrysler back into the compact sedan game, and it does so with more than a little attitude and rakish design. Instantly distinctive on the road, the new Dart is one of the roomiest entries among compact four-door sedans. Dodge will offer three engines, three gearboxes, several trim levels, [...]

The Basics: With just a touch-up or two to its list of features, the Ford Edge returns for the 2013 model year as one of the more spacious five-seat crossovers on the market, with one of the more fuel-conscious powertrains offered in its class, and some of the heaviest-hitting luxury and technology features of any [...]

The Basics: The 2012 Ford Focus Electric is the company’s first modern battery-electric car, and as such, is hands down the greenest vehicle the company offers. But unlike its closest competitor, the Nissan Leaf, the electric Focus will be available only in small numbers in certain markets. The Focus Electric is an adaptation of [...]

The Basics: Mostly unchanged for the 2013 model year, the Lincoln MKX charges ahead with a solid mix of luxury fittings and performance that lift its game above the closely related five-seat Ford Edge. The major update for this model year, in fact, is in firmware–a big revision of the MyLincoln Touch system that streamlines [...]

The Basics: Almost a decade ago, the first modern Bentleys reinvigorated the marque, taking the line from the days of the dusty Arnage and Azure and catapulting it into the world of celebrity with the chic Continental GT coupe and GTC convertible, and the companion Flying Spur sedan. With awesome performance, all-wheel drive, and [...]

The Basics: The 2013 Infiniti JX marks the first time the Japanese brand has sold a seven-seat luxury crossover not based on a full-size truck. As such, the JX sits solidly in a larger market segment than the performance-oriented FX series or the large, V-8-powered QX56. The 2013 JX competes directly with the Acura MDX, [...]

The Basics: In the full-size pickup-truck market, it’s all about payload and towing and vast stretches of spread-out space. There’s not much room for a truck that tries to deliver carlike seating and a truck bed in as little overall length as possible. The road’s littered with failed examples, from the Explorer Sport Trac to [...]

The Basics: The Ford Escape has been a fixture on the American automotive landscape–in part because it’s been around for eleven years in essentially the same form, and in other part because that form looked very much like the time-honored, first-generation Ford Explorer. All that changes without much visible regret with the 2013 Escape, [...]

The Basics: After a skipped 2012 model year, the 2013 Lexus LX 570 returns with an ever more luxurious interior, some new tech gadgetry, and a front end brought into line with the rest of the latest Lexus lineup. It remains an SUV in the classic mold in that’s it’s a body-on-frame vehicle, designed first [...]