Every year, the Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA) hosts two ride-and-drive events for local media. The flagship one is held in the spring at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin’s, Road America racetrack, where this year we put three luxury off-roaders through their paces. In the fall is a smaller, lower-key program typically hosted in the Chicago suburbs. It’s an opportunity for association members to take short drives in products that may not have otherwise been available at Elkhart Lake or in the local press fleet. Despite the lesser number of vehicles, the event provided some interesting points of comparison across different market segments.
MAMA’s Favorites Fall Fest
Honda Civic Si vs. Hyundai Elantra N
In an automotive landscape dominated by trucks and SUVs, it’s refreshing to see manufacturers continuing to produce small, fun-to-drive sedans. The Civic Si has been a staple of Honda’s lineup for decades. For 2025, it gets updated styling, new infotainment tech with Google built-in services, and a revised suspension designed to improve ride quality. Unchanged is its 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that produces 200 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. Power gets to the front wheels exclusively through a 6-speed manual transmission.
Hyundai’s answer to the Civic Si is the Elantra N, which saw its own mid-lifecycle freshening for the 2024 model year. As such, the 2025 edition sees no changes to styling or content. Under its sharply designed hood is a 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder that outputs 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque. Here, buyers can choose between a 6-speed manual or 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Based on our quick drives, the Elantra’s extra power is noticeable in all situations. We also favor Hyundai by the slimmest of margins for steering and handling response. The Civic gets the nod for daily drivability, with superior ride control, transmission feel, and interior ergonomics.
Winner
You, the consumer. These are superb sporty cars, and while we think the Honda is a bit more well-rounded, we understand not everyone is willing or able to drive a stick. For those folks, you won’t go wrong choosing the Elantra N.
Acura MDX vs. Buick Enclave
This is a skirmish between two premium-class SUVs that offer three rows of seating. In one corner is Acura’s stalwart MDX, which sees styling and technology updates for model-year 2025. It remains one of the last midsize SUVs of any stripe to include a V6 engine. Most versions have a 3.5-liter unit that produces 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque. The model we drove was the flagship Type S Advance, which has a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 with 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. Both engines pair with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Its rival is the Buick Enclave, which has been fully redesigned for 2025. Longer, wider, and taller than the outgoing model, this new-generation SUV adopts the brand’s current exterior design language, which we’re seeing on all its other vehicles. The revamped interior boasts a standard 30-inch diagonal ultra-wide display for the instruments and infotainment system. Enclave is also the first Buick to be available with General Motors’ Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving tech. Its previously standard V6 engine has been replaced by a 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with 328 horsepower and 326-pound-feet of torque mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Our test vehicle was the mid-level Sport Touring grade, which is more of a trim package than one that provides any performance upgrades.
While the MDX and Enclave occupy the same general size and price class, they are surprisingly different in terms of the driving experience. The Acura wins the dynamic portion of this comparison. Think of it as a Civic Si that you can share with 6 of your friends or can carry up to 95 cubic feet of cargo. While the Buick is more powerful than its immediate predecessor, the turbo 4-cylinder feels a bit flat when you want to pick up speed in conditions such as merging onto a highway.
Where the Enclave excels is in overall refinement. It’s exceptionally quiet on the road. The huge dashboard screen is visually impressive, and the infotainment system is intuitive to manage. Availability of the amazing Super Cruise system is the proverbial cherry on top.
Winner
You, the consumer, again. As with the previous comparison, these are two excellent vehicles. This time, the options are more clear-cut depending on your personal priorities. If an engaging drive is high on your list, choose the MDX. If you favor sophistication above all else, the Enclave is for you. Again, neither will lead you astray.
Chevrolet Equinox EV vs. Honda Prologue
Our final comparison pits a pair of new fully electric SUVs head-to-head. Up first is Chevrolet’s Equinox EV, which debuted for the 2024 model year. You can see the electric model’s design influence on its gas-powered sibling, which received a clean-sheet re-do for 2025. Based on General Motors’ well-received Ultium EV technology, the Equinox EV boasts up to 319 miles of range with front-wheel drive and 285 with the optional all-wheel-drive system.
Honda’s offering is the Prologue, its first fully electric SUV. Sporting a boxier shape than the Equinox, the Japanese automaker touts room and comfort as highlights, along with maximum driving ranges of 296 miles with front-wheel drive and 281 with AWD.
This comparison isn’t entirely apples-to-apples as the Equinox EV was the mid-range 2LT model with front-wheel drive while the Prologue was the flagship Elite grade, which is AWD only. Still, we were able to learn a lot about these vehicles. The Prologue’s more squared-off stance made the interior feel larger and airier than its physical dimensions would otherwise suggest. The back seat was especially comfortable.
On the road is where the Honda fell short. While certainly quick as expected from a dual-motor EV, the Prologue’s regenerative braking felt very unrefined. No amount of adjustment could match the Equinox EV’s much more natural system. We also preferred the Equinox’s ergonomics, highlighted by its massive 17.7-inch infotainment screen.
Winner
Equinox. Chevy’s mainstream electric SUV impressed all-around with its sleek styling, good road manners, and impressive infotainment tech. Its extra range and lower pricing versus the Prologue further cemented it as the winner of this comparison.
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MAMA’s Favorites Fall Fest
