Volkswagen has unveiled its 2019 Jetta in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show. First sold in 1979, the Jetta has sold more than 17 million models sold worldwide, 3.2 million in the United States. Updated for 2019, the new Jetta offers more space inside than the outgoing model and of course new technology. Price is an affordable $18,545, less than the outgoing base model.

“The Jetta has long been Volkswagen’s best-selling vehicle in the United States,” said Hinrich J. Woebcken, CEO of the North American Region, Volkswagen, “and we expect that this all-new car will continue to resonate with buyers in the compact sedan class. With its combination of great technology, fuel-efficient drivetrains, sporty styling, upscale interior and amenities, and fun-to-drive nature, we expect that the Jetta will make a huge splash in the compact sedan market when it goes on sale.”

Compared with the current car, the new Jetta has a longer wheelbase by about an inch, and is longer, wider and taller than the outgoing model.
Inside, the 2019 Jetta features new fabric colors and seat designs, plus available heated and ventilated front seats, power driver’s seat with memory functionality, leather seating surfaces, and dual-zone Climatronic® automatic climate control. A new center storage console is 5-liters—large enough to fit a standard iPad.

All Jetta models offer standard Driver Personalization with up to four driver settings. Customizable features include: driver seat memory, driver assistance system preferences, temperature, Volkswagen Digital Cockpit arrangement (if equipped), ambient lighting color, radio presets, navigation view, and more.
Power is from a 1.4-liter turbo engine (147 horsepower), and it comes in both manual and auto transmissions. The People First Warranty provides coverage for six-years or 72,000-miles (whichever occurs first), and the warranty can be transferred to subsequent owners throughout the remainder of its duration.

The 2019 Volkswagen Jetta should arrive to dealers in the second quarter of 2018.

Every brand has its calling card.

For some in the auto world, the focus is all about safety (i.e. Volvo); For others, it’s power (see: Dodge); For some it’s about reliability (Toyota, for one).

And then there’s Mazda, a smaller brand but one with many diehard fans -- and for a very good reason. They have perhaps the best calling card of all -- their vehicles are a blast to drive. Period.

They’re not the most powerful brand, wouldn’t win a drag race, and are far from the fanciest or most high-tech. But the overall experience of driving the Mazda lineup ranks well against any of the competition in the non-luxury segment of modern vehicles.

While their lineup comes in many sizes -- from Miata sports car up to CX-9 three-row SUV, in this review I’m going to focus on a couple vehicles on the smaller side of their lineup that I recently got to spend some time in -- the 2018 Mazda compact sedan, and the 2018 Mazda CX-3 subcompact SUV, which is essentially a raised-up version of a Mazda2 sedan.

It’s been nearly a decade, but the Chevy Traverse is at long last getting an overhaul.

Lower in annual sales that most of its three-row SUV competition, it’s made some needed changes (slimmer weight, boosted power, tech upgrades) to help catch up to the many vehicles in a class that only continues to grow (Its competitors include the new Volkswagen Atlas; Ford Explorer; Dodge Durango; GMC Acadia; Honda Pilot; Toyota Highlander and Mazda CX-9).

I recently spent some time in a 2018 Traverse and I’m back with a full report on how it holds up.

Luxury car buyers are very picky, but also very loyal. If you get them to be a fan of your brand, the key is to not mess things up so they’ll stick around and not jump ship.

In the case of the Audi A5 coupe, which I recently tested, the vehicle has been updated for 2018. This competitor in the luxury coupe segment keeps most of its heritage but also sees key improvements; Will it be enough to keep buyers loyal and not have they sway over to BMW or Mercedes or other Audi competitors?

LOOKS

With Audi generally more focused on what’s under the hood, exterior design on the A5 is attractive (including the instantly recognizable Audi grille and four-ring logo up front), but not overall showy or gaudy like some of the competition. The A5 features sharp-looking 18-inch 10-spoke wheels and all-season tires, with options to upgrade to 19-inch or 20-inch wheels.

With some auto brands, there’s often debate about how to classify them. With Buick, the debate centers on whether it’s truly a luxury brand (like fellow GM stablemate Cadillac) or something less -- perhaps more of a premium brand that’s more plush than Chevy but not quite at a Cadillac level.

Either way, it’s really all semantics. Because in the end, what matters is that a vehicle is well-built, performs well and looks great. And with the vehicles Buick has been putting out in recent years, they are certainly meeting that expectation.

I recently spent some time in Buick’s largest SUV -- the three-row Buick Enclave, which can be considered the crown jewel of the Buick lineup -- and I’m back with a full report.

There seems to be an endless stream of midsize sedans available these days, so it’s easy to lose sight of some of the better options. One such diamond in the rough is the updated 2018 Hyundai Sonata, which faces tough competition but holds its own against the Camry/Accord/Fusion/Mazda6, etc. brigade.

Here are a handful of key points you need to know about the Sonata if you’re shopping for midsize sedans.

Stellar safety ratings

Let’s talk crash test numbers. You get a 5-star government safety rating overall; and 5 star ratings for front crash (driver and passenger sides) and side crash (front and rear seats); The only non 5-star rank is the 4-star rollover rating. Not too shabby.

In addition, Blind Spot Detection with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert  is now standard equipment on the Sonata. That’s something that’s only optional on the competition, so it’s a score for the Sonata. Other safety features such as forward collision warning, lane keep assist and auto emergency braking are optional.

Long overdue for an upgrade (it hasn’t had one since being introduced in 2009), the GMC Terrain compact SUV finally gets one for the 2018 model year.

In a segment that continues to be hot and see more entries, it’s critical to stay fresh.But is it fresh enough? I recently spent some time in a 2018 Terrain and I’m back with a full report.

LOOKS
Less boxy and rigid, and more sleek and aerodynamic, than its predecessor, the 2018 GMC Terrain is seriously upgraded in exterior looks for 2018. It’s not so extreme a change that it blends in with the crowd now (the grille still screams GMC), but it’s enough of a change that you definitely won’t confuse it with the prior version. In the process of the upgrade, the Terrain lost a few inches of length and shed several hundred pounds of weight.

The interior is high-end and comfortable, especially on the Denali model, which is at near luxury level. It’s one of the most comfortable small SUVs you will find on the market.
It also feels surprisingly roomy for a small SUV, not claustrophobic like some of them can be. A power sunroof is offered too.

In the world of non-luxury hybrid vehicles, the Toyota Avalon hybrid is a unique animal. With the vast majority of hybrid sedan offerings being in the midsize or compact realms, this is the only hybrid offered to U.S. buyers among full-size sedans. And considering that full-size sedans are already a rare offering, the Avalon hybrid is sort of a rarity within a rarity.

I recently spent some time in this unicorn and I’m back with a full report on my experience.

LOOKS

The Avalon is the largest sedan offered by Toyota, and you can tell when you get inside. It’s spacious all around, and feel very comfortable for all passengers. My only complaint on size is that the trunk could have been bigger. Materials used are quite high-end, as least when compared to all other non-luxury sedans (and even some of the entry-level luxury models).