Posts from ‘First Spin’
2021 Mazda CX-30 2.5 Turbo
The Mazda CX-30 debuted for 2020 as a “gap-filler” crossover SUV between the subcompact CX-3 and the compact CX-5 in Mazda’s crossover SUV lineup. With more and more shoppers eschewing traditional passenger cars in favor of SUVs, there’s room for more variety in automakers’ SUV lineups, and the CX-30 promised a Goldilocks-style “just right” fit for shoppers who needed something larger than the diminutive, urban-chic CX-3 but didn’t want to step up to the pricier, bigger CX-5.
First Spin: 2021 Kia Sorento
2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid EX in Runway Red (a $445 option)
When the outstanding Kia Telluride debuted as a 2020 model, it was an instant hit. This all-new “plus-size” midsize three-row SUV garnered many industry accolades (including a Consumer Guide Best Buy award), and continues to be a top seller for the brand. The Telluride’s success made it easy to forget that Kia already had a strong-selling, albeit smaller, three-row midsize SUV in its model lineup. The Kia Sorento was introduced as a 2003 model, and for 2021 it gets a complete redesign that brings it out of the shadow of the Telluride and back into the spotlight.
First Spin: 2021 Nissan Kicks
2021 Nissan Kicks in Aspen White TriCoat/Super Black two-tone
Traditional subcompact sedans and hatchbacks are dying off in significant numbers in the U.S.—the Chevrolet Sonic, Honda Fit, and Toyota Yaris sedan and hatchback were all dropped for 2021, and the Ford Fiesta and Toyota Prius C were discontinued for 2020. Subcompact crossover SUVs, however, are proliferating—and the entry-level end of the segment is essentially taking the place of subcompact cars.
First Spin: 2021 Hyundai Elantra
2021 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited
By Don Sikora II
In the United States last year, the new-vehicle market ran about 70 percent light trucks—SUVs and pickups, essentially. With traditional car sales continuing to shrink, even high-volume classes have seen some competitors drop out. In the compact car segment, recent casualties have included the Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus. Still, compact cars are an extremely competitive category with some excellent entries, including the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.
First Spin: 2021 Lexus IS
2021 Lexus IS 300 AWD in “Grecian Water” blue
The 2021 Lexus IS is a case study in how the new-vehicle market’s shift to SUVs has affected the way automakers allocate their product-development dollars. Now that the average shopper in both the mainstream-brand and luxury-brand segments is more likely to choose a crossover SUV instead of a traditional passenger car, it’s not surprising that automakers are focusing the bulk of their resources on SUVs. Though many traditional-car offerings still sell in respectable numbers, they are no longer at the forefront of their respective product lineups.
First Spin: 2021 Toyota Sienna
2021 Toyota Sienna LE
Minivans are family haulers first and foremost, right? They’re vehicles designed to schlep around your whole brood and all their stuff—soccer cleats, baseball gear, that class-project diorama, and… JUSTIN! Wh–WHY didn’t you tell me you spilled half your milk back here?! Yes, that’s why it smells bad! It soaked in there all weekend!
First Spin: 2021 Ram 1500 TRX
2021 Ram 1500 TRX
By Don Sikora II
After packing a sizable collection of facemasks and two squeeze bottles of hand sanitizer, we set off to drive Ram’s new off-road-ready TRX pickup at a socially distanced event near Lake Tahoe. Clearly, most of us would love to forget 2020, but if you are into high-performance off-road trucks, the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX will definitely fall into the category of things you’ll be happy to remember.
First Spin: 2021 Toyota Camry
2021 Toyota Camry XLE AWD
Seemingly undaunted by conventional wisdom that says the sedan is dead, Toyota is pressing ahead with a physically freshened and technologically improved Camry for 2021.
First Spin: 2021 Nissan Rogue
2021 Nissan Rogue Platinum
It’s no secret that the Rogue compact SUV is the single most important vehicle in Nissan’s model lineup. It’s far and away the best-selling vehicle Nissan sells in the U.S.—more than 350,000 were sold during the 2019 calendar year, enough to rank as the sixth best-selling vehicle in America (the next best-selling Nissan, the Altima midsize sedan, was in eighteenth place, with around 209,000 units sold).
First Spin: 2021 GMC Yukon
2021 GMC Yukon Denali
Over the past 20 years or so, most SUVs have morphed from a body-on-frame, truck-based construction to become “crossover” SUVs that utilize car-like unibody construction. The upside of this shift in design is better on-road driving dynamics and better driver ergonomics. The downside is reduced towing capacity and diminished capabilities in serious off-roading.
