The 2018 Mini Countryman is a compact crossover that adapts the automaker’s shape into a bigger body. It’s newly available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, which is the automaker’s first. We give the Mini Countryman a 6.6 on our overall scale thanks to plentiful features and good style. The plug-in hybrid would do better thanks to its…
The 2018 Kia Optima Hybrid is a mid-size sedan with all the right moves. On top of its safe package (its crash-test scorecard is spotless) and relatively handsome looks, a fuel-efficient powertrain is subbed in for fewer trips to gas stations. For those reasons, the 2018 Optima Hybrid earns a heady 7.3 overall score on our scale, reflective of its…
If you remember the very first days of Lexus, you remember the clever ads: the champagne glasses on the hood of the car, the ball bearing rolling down its hood, the “relentless pursuit of perfection.” Forget it all. Now Lexus is chasing after world-class luxury and performance with big power, great handling, and outrageous styling. It…
The 2018 Infiniti Q50 is the automaker’s most popular vehicle and returns this year after a modest restyling and reshuffling of its trim levels. The major changes include new front and rear fascias, some light, stylish interior refinements, and a reshuffled trim lineup. These changes are enough to score a 7.0 out of 10 on our overall scale…
The 2018 Chevrolet Malibu is a solid contender in the crowded mid-size sedan class. It stands out for its attractive styling, refined demeanor, and efficient hybrid powertrain, but we wish that its high-tech safety equipment didn’t require ponying up quite so much cash for a loaded model. Overall, we’ve assigned it a 7.0 out of 10…
The 2018 Toyota Prius C remains the least expensive hybrid from the company that’s made more hybrids than any other. Now in its seventh and perhaps last year, the 2018 Prius C is a compact hatchback that’s the smallest of the four-car Prius lineup. For 2018, it gets some minor styling tweaks after a more comprehensive front and rear…