DQS Solutions & Staffing is off to the races.

The Dearborn, Michigan-based company, which places employees in a variety of industries in areas like security, warehousing, healthcare, and automotive, is now in the passenger seat of a promising young Truck Series racer making his full-time debut. 

Along with strategic partner Masked Owl Technologies, DQS will support Bayley Currey’s first full-time season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, which gets underway in February. Currey drives the No. 41 truck for Niece Motorsports. The team’s primary sponsors include Precision Vehicle Logistics and AutoVentive.

“I’m excited to work with everyone at Precision Vehicle Logistics, AutoVentive, Detroit Quality Staffing and Masked Owl Technologies” Currey said. “We can’t do what we love without the support of great partners, so it means a lot that they’ve returned to Niece Motorsports with the 41 team. We’re looking forward to a strong season.”

The death of the sedan has been greatly exaggerated.

For all the talk of the SUV takeover of the automotive industry, a few brands continue to push the sedan as one of the segments where they hope to continue for a long time to come.

The sedan segment still accounts for about 20 percent of new vehicle sales in the U.S., which is a significant number of vehicles (roughly 3 million).

One of those brands still battling in the segment is Hyundai, whose sedan offerings include the midsize Sonata — which has the pleasure of competing with big-name rivals such as the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Kia K5 and Subaru Legacy.

The Sonata is the largest sedan in Hyundai’s portfolio, and features a healthy amount of room for all five passengers. (Note: I tested a 2023 Sonata; and there have been some further design updates made for the 2024 model)

With such strong competition, the Sonata aims to stand out in the category with its strong looks, excellent tech features and strong safety record.

Read on to learn more about how it holds up vs. the remaining sedan stalwarts battling for their piece of the pie.

The road to an EV-focused lineup is going more smoothly for some automakers than others, and one of those having a strong performance as of late are the Hyundai-Kia family of EVs.

Both brands are seeing strong demand for their recent EV offerings, and I recently spent some time behind the wheel of one of the most impressive options, the Kia EV6 GT. (Note: I tested a 2023 model of the EV6, but the 2024 model sees no major changes)

After the EV6’s initial debut in 2022, it was time to ramp up the power for 2023 and beyond, and that’s what the GT model does, unleashing a massive 576 horsepower to deliver massive acceleration and a driving experience you won’t be able to equal in most cars on the road — EV or otherwise.

Competing most directly in the EV space against Ford’s Mustang Mach-E and the Tesla Model Y (as well as its in-house rival, the Hyundai Ioniq 5), the EV6 GT is a force to be reckoned with. Read on to learn more about how it stands up against the EV competition.

A new powertrain has arrived for the 2025 Lexus UX 300h, and the compact crossover now boasts 196 total system horsepower. A new hybrid transaxle and lightweight lithium-ion battery contribute to the higher output with the 2025 UX 300h, providing more responsive performance. 

Infused with dynamic attitude, the Lexus UXh is engineered to deliver quick and engaging driving with a Lexus-smooth demeanor. The 2025 model year also sees updated technology and safety features, and Copper Crest has been added as an exterior color option. 

Only offered with a hybrid powertrain in the U.S., the 2025 UX 300h supports Lexus’ work towards the realization of a carbon-neutral society. Pricing for the 2025 Lexus UX 300h will be announced in the new year with the vehicle going on sale shortly after.

RESTON, Va. — As the Audi RS Q e-tron faces its third Dakar Rally, Team Audi Sport has optimized the pioneering rally car prototype that has an electric drivetrain, a high-voltage battery and an energy converter, in meticulous detail for the toughest rally of the year. The three driver crews of Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist, Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger, and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz are facing the most difficult task of the year with optimism, but also respect.

Audi was the first manufacturer to develop a T1U model for the Dakar Rally. The aim: for an electrically powered prototype is to prove that a low-emission vehicle can master one of the toughest motorsport events and be competitive at the same time. “The Audi RS Q e-tron rally car has already caused quite a stir in its first two Dakar appearances,” says Rolf Michl, Head of Audi Motorsport. “Audi was once again a technological pioneer in its outstanding motorsport history. We have initiated a paradigm shift. The combination of an electric drivetrain and a reFuel-powered energy converter is unique and very efficient. We know what we have already achieved. At the same time, we are looking forward to the next Dakar Rally with respect. It represents a major challenge.” As was the case the past two years, Audi is relying on the Q Motorsport team of experienced team principal Sven Quandt.

January 2, 2024 — Barely two and a half months after its world premiere, the new BMW R 1300 GS proves its outstanding off-road expertise and unique robustness in South America. From December 6-7, 2023, starting from sea level on the Nevado Ojos del Salado — at 6,893 metres the highest active volcano in the world — a fleet of fully equipped BMW R 1300 GS models managed to reach an altitude of more than 6,000 metres in less than 24 hours. The climb, which is very difficult for riders, bikes and tyres, culminates in the notorious “Rock Channel” on the northern flank of the Nevado Ojos del Salado, where the expedition climbed to 6,006 metres in just 19 hours and 22 minutes to reach a maximum altitude of 6,027 metres.

The backdrop for the expedition is the Circuito de los Seis Miles in the Atacama Desert in Chile, the highest active volcano chain in the world, to which the Nevado Ojos del Salado belongs. The four standard BMW R 1300 GS models set off on December 6 at 3 p.m. local time from Bahia Inglesa, a town near the port of Caldera on the Pacific Ocean in the Atacama region, to climb the Nevado Ojos Del Salado.

In the midsize sedan category, a couple big nameplates get most of the headlines, but there are some hidden gems in the segment of which many people may not be aware.

One of these is the Subaru Legacy, a vehicle that stands out in part by being the only midsize sedan with standard all-wheel drive.

I recently spent some time behind the wheel of a 2023 Subaru Legacy Sport, and here are 5 key facts you should know about the vehicle if you are searching for a midsize sedan and want to know how it stacks up in the segment vs. competitors such as the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Kia K5 and more.

With the respect BMW has earned over nearly a century of making automobiles, it’s no surprise that many luxury buyers want to get behind the wheel of one of their current-day offerings.

But as a luxury ride, the price often presents a major barrier to access, leading potential buyers to explore some of BMW's smaller offerings as potential entryways into the brand.

One such vehicle is the BMW X1, the brand’s smallest crossover SUV offering, which got a full redesign for 2023 that carries over into the 2024 lineup.

This little ride packs a lot of features into a small package — including strong overall design, an upscale interior, a performance boost over past models, and updates to safety and tech features.

I recently tested a 2023 BMW X1 xDrive28i model, and I’m back with a full report on how it measures up in a crowded luxury crossover segment that features strong offerings such as the Audi Q3, Mercedes-Benz GLA, Volvo XC40 and more.

Among the most interesting conversations in the automotive world right now is that EV demand appears to be down, yet buyers still seek strong fuel economy.

For those buyers, there’s no better option than a hybrid vehicle. Buying a hybrid allows them to achieve their goal of saving on fuel expenses, while also not relying on the electric grid to power their vehicle. Get a hybrid now, and you can wait until EV prices go down and become more realistic for the average buyer to afford.

And since you’ll visit the gas station much less than with a traditional ICE vehicle, hybrids are still a green offering.

Kia expanded its hybrid offerings for the 2023 model year with the introduction of the Kia Sportage hybrid in the popular compact crossover segment. The Sportage was completely redesigned for 2023, and the 2023 hybrid carries over to 2024 without any major changes.

The Sportage is now offering a diverse lineup, with everything from an ICE version, to the hybrid powertrain, to a plug-in hybrid offering.

The latest version of the Sportage has grown in size from the previous generation model, and has upgraded its technology features. In terms of Kia’s hybrid lineup, it fits in size between the Kia Niro and the Kia Sorento, and it’s a close relative of the Hyundai Tucson hybrid. 

Read on for a full breakdown of how it measures up against other leading compact crossover hybrid offerings.