Navigating the SUV Terrain

Your guide to the ’14ers. Isaac Bouchard 1. 2014 Infiniti QX80 The upstart to the Lexus, and a masterclass in how to turn a tough, Third World-proven platform into a luxurious, beautiful driving SUV. Boasts a stunningly built and finished interior as well. Size: Large Price: $79,095 EPA: 14/20/16 Power: 400hp/413lb-ft Seats : 7 FOR … Read more

2013 Toyota RAV4

Isaac Bouchard The previous generation RAV4 was brilliant for those who lived in the Rockies: powerful thanks to a 3.5L V6 that got the same fuel economy as most competitors’ four cylinders, space efficient and robust. The new one drops the 269hp six (hardly anyone but Coloradans bought it), adds one gear to the tranny … Read more

2013 Audi A5/S5

Isaac Bouchard The elegantly refined Audi coupes, in A5 and S5 guise, have undergone their first thorough update. Is it enough to compete with the established players and BMW’s forthcoming 4-series? The evidence from the outside is clearly in Audi’s favor. Their two-door is still a beautiful machine, though in a more timeless way than … Read more

2014 Range Rover Sport HSE

Isaac Bouchard There are times if you wonder, as an automotive journalist, if it is even worth reviewing a new vehicle so successful is it in the market. This applies to the new Range Rover fullsize and Sport models, which are basically on a six-month to one-year wait list. But I will forge ahead regardless, … Read more

2014 Jeep Patriot Latitude 4×4

Isaac Bouchard The Patriot was something of an also-ran when introducted in 2006, with class-trailing dynamics, a cheap, penalty-box interior and a horrid example of the continuously-variable transmission making for excruciating forward progress. A major refresh in 2011 has turned it into an acceptable player in the compact crossover class, and it actually has some … Read more

2013 Range Rover Evoque

Isaac Bouchard The Evoque has helped transform Range Rover. It accounts for a huge increase in company sales, and most who buy it are new to the brand. It set the style for the fullsize and Sport models that debuted over the past year as well. As good as it is—and make no mistake, it … Read more

2014 Kia Forte Sedan EX

Isaac Bouchard The head of all the Volkswagen Group empire, Ferdinand Piech, is quoted as saying he regrets loosing designer Peter Schreyer to Kia. And when you look at what his leadership has done for the Korean company’s design—making it amongst the most cohesive and attractive in the world—and market growth, it is easy to … Read more

2013 Jaguar XJ AWD Car Buying Tips

Isaac Bouchard Jaguar continues to be haunted by peoples’ memories of the unreliability of their vehicles from ten or twenty years ago, which is a shame, as they score near or at the top of independent studies from outfits like JD Power, which show them to be on par—or ahead—of luxury rivals. Having exposure to … Read more

2013 Jaguar XJ L AWD

Isaac Bouchard Since its introduction four years ago, the current Jaguar XJ has played the role of iconoclast. Offering up a radical new look to its predecessors, it also drove differently. Gone was the super supple ride and handling that could best be described as “graceful.” In its place was the lightest, sportiest and most … Read more

2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible Turbo

Isaac Bouchard As a journalist, many of the stories you report are what are assigned to you—in my case, it is certain cars. But sometimes you ask for something in particular, either because it intrigues, you, or you have a sense you’ll really dig it. Such is the case with the turbocharged Beetle convertible. I … Read more