First Drives

BITTERWASSER, Namibia – There’s a gathering storm over the horizon on the wide expanse known as the Salt Pan in Bitterwasser, on the edge of the Kalahari Desert in Namibia. A huge dust cloud is getting bigger and bigger, and you quickly realize that this sandstorm isn’t caused by the …

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – as journalists, it’s our duty to put aside any subjective opinions we may have and remain as objective as possible. But sometimes, the subject matter is so outrageous that’s it’s difficult to keep your head cool. Take the vehicle you see here, the 2019 Ford …

After years of declining Altima sales in Canada, Nissan has finally taken the bull by the horns. 2019 sees not only the arrival of the sixth generation of this midsize sedan, but also the addition of all-wheel drive. Finally some Competition for the Subaru Legacy! In the midsize sedan segment, …

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Let’s say you’re the owner of a muffin company and you notice your raspberry and blueberry muffins aren’t selling all too well. What do you do? You make bigger muffins and sell them at a lower price? And what if that doesn’t work? You remove …

AUSTIN, Texas – I hate to break this to you, Mercedes-Benz, but your E-Class has often been dull—despite the fact that it boasts numerous great qualities recognized the world over. This critique doesn’t apply to the AMG versions, of course, nor to the discreet and nonetheless unbelievable E 63 S …

AUSTIN, Texas – About a dozen years ago, when Mercedes-Benz first introduced the CLS, a thoroughbred among sedans, it represented a radical departure from the classic sedan formula. Built on the same architecture as the E-Class, the CLS was not only beautiful, but it handled better and was more fun …

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class was exclusively offered in Europe not so long ago, but now it’s crossing the Atlantic to become the Silver Star’s new entry-level model. While it isn’t replacing the B-Class in the pecking order, it is forcing the latter’s retirement in Canada at the end of the 2019 …

ATLANTA, Georgia – while some manufacturers are just entering the luxury SUV segments, BMW is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its midsize X5. Now in its fourth generation, this utility vehicle has changed a lot over the years, yet retains a resemblance to the original model that hit the market …

Bolzano, Italy – With the second-generation Q3, Audi has created a compact SUV that is loaded with tech, and qualifies as a genuine premium vehicle with a cabin that is unmatched for refinement in this segment. More on that later, but first, here are the basics. The new Q3 is …

SANTA BARBARA, California – Lincoln isn't shy when talking about prior mistakes. I'm not talking about the amount of money thrown at Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey to be their spokesperson, which at least got some attention; more about their product line in the mid-to-late 2000 decade. “Lincoln is on …