The 2017 Toyota 86 will turn more heads than ever with the new 860 Special Edition that adds stand-out styling, premium features and performance technology.

“The 86 is recognized by enthusiasts for its impressive driving performance and its value-oriented price tag,” said John Myers, Toyota national manager vehicle marketing and communications. “The 860 Special Edition will amplify these core elements with an added dose of premium styling mixed with performance technology.”

On the outside, the 860 Special Edition will command attention with its exclusive Supernova Orange paint that is contrasted by its black body stripes, rear spoiler, heated outside mirrors and 17-inch alloy wheels. Topping it off, the special edition gets LED fog lights and a unique aerodynamic underbody panel for added style and function. The special edition will also be available in Halo White, and only 860 units of each color will be made.

A vehicle’s tech features are just as important these days are its engine’s performance, design and the comfort level of the driver. Technology has taken over every aspect of our lives, including inside the car, so there’s no surprise automakers want to do it right to keep customers interested.

Today I’m going to be focusing on one particular system and let you know how it compares to the rest of the automotive world in terms of tech … specifically, I’m talking about Kia’s UVO eServices telematics system, which I recently put to the test in a 2017 Kia Sportage.

While Kia isn’t the first name you think of when it comes to in-car tech, I was pleasantly surprised with how far they’ve come over the years, and how well the system performed overall.

If you’re looking for an SUV, Hyundai has probably got you covered. There’s the three-row Santa Fe offering (which is technically a mid-size SUV); the two-row Tucson (a compact SUV), and also the two-row Santa Fe Sport, which falls in the middle of the other two in terms of size and doesn’t really have a category.

Part of the confusion comes in because the Tucson was recently given a bit of a boost in size, pushing it closer to the Santa Fe Sport -- so the question becomes; If you were to choose between the two, which one is better?

Having recently spent time in both vehicles, I’m back with all the details on how to answer that question.

LOOKS

The difference here is best told in numbers.

You’ll get more cargo room in the Santa Fe Sport than in the Tucson (35.5 cubic feet, vs. 29.5); You’ll also enjoy a bit more rear legroom in the Santa Fe Sport, which is quite roomy for the segment (overall vehicle length is 185 inches, vs. 176 on the Tucson).

In addition to the length difference, the Santa Fe Sport is an inch wider and an inch taller. Weight is about 300 pounds more (3,760 vs. 3,475).

Inside both vehicles, Hyundai did a great job with quality of the interior design, which felt and looked high-end for the price range.

Personality goes a long way in life.

It’s how salespeople get you to buy things you don’t need, it’s why comedians often date supermodels, and it’s why vehicles like the Kia Soul have a following.

As it applies to automobiles, personality -- in my view -- means you’re doing something different designwise than the rest of the competition. That’s increasingly rare in the automotive world lately -- as it’s easier to play it safe than take a risk.

But if you’ve ever seen a Kia Soul and then looked at all the other compact SUV options on the road, you know they have being different down to an art form.

The question is: Is being different equivalent to something you would want to drive, or is it just for show. I recently spent some time in a Soul and I’m back with a full report.

The number of people who can afford three-row luxury SUVs is not a large one, but it’s a market with some of the most intense competition in the industry. Battling for those big bucks is never easy, with so many strong products available, and loyalty is hard to sway.

One automaker doing its best to compete in this niche segment is Volvo, whose flagship XC90 SUV has stepped up its game this year to compete with the big boys as well as it can.

So what does Volvo bring to this battle of luxury SUVs? … Bold but not extravagant Scandinavian design, elegant look and feel, strong engine performance and handling and tons of space … though some issues with the tech system do hold it back from true greatness (more on that later).

The Cadenza seemingly came out of nowhere in 2014 -- It was Kia’s attempt to show itself as capable of producing a sedan that could compete in the entry-level luxury segment (what I like to call “luxury lite”). At the time, when I tested the original, I thought it was a bold splash, but needed some refinement and improvements to truly compete.

Here we are in 2017, and that refresh has arrived.

The Cadenza sits somewhere between a midsize sedan and a large sedan, but the new model moves it more toward the large side of that argument.