For people seeking a three-row luxury vehicle, but who also want some eco-friendly options, the number of choices is limited but growing. One of the luxury brands that has been a leader in terms of green SUVs has been Volvo, whose offerings include the 2021 XC90 Recharge plug-in hybrid.

Going up against competitors from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, LIncoln and more is a tall task, but Volvo holds its own.

I recently spent some time in a 2021 XC90 Recharge, and below is a full report on my experience.

If you’ve decided to purchase a new vehicle that will focus on thrills more than practicality, the compact luxury sports sedan category is good place to start — featuring strong competition from vehicles such as the Mercedes C-Class, BMW 3-series, Audi A4, Genesis G70 and Cadillac CT4.

Another strong competitor in the segment, which I recently had the chance to explore the roads with, is the 2021 Lexus IS 300, a sharp-looking ride that returns in 2021 with some styling updates as well as improvements to the suspension.

Read on for a full assessment of how Lexus’ offering holds up and competes against a very tough bevy of competitors.

Much of the talk in the realm of light-duty pickups revolves around the BIg 3 domestic offerings, but beneath all of that there are some hidden gems to be found.

The Nissan Titan can claim this distinction, as it remains as one of the two main options for fans of non-domestic trucks, along with the Toyota Tundra.

The Titan is way lower in the annual sales rankings than the top sellers (for perspective, about 30,000 Titans are sold annually, vs. almost 800,000 Ford F-Series trucks), but not everyone is enamored by the Ford/Chevy/GMC/RAM models, and they need options too, creating the niche market that the Titan can serve. Also of note: Titan trucks are assembled in the U.S. and have North American content, so like most of today’s vehicles it’s not even fully foreign.

I recently tested the 2021 Nissan Titan PRO-4X Crew Cab, and I’m back with a full report.

There’s something about the 54 car this year in the Xfinity Series. The car has taken an amazing 11 checkered flags in the 2021 season: 5 courtesy of Cup champion Kyle Busch (who thankfully has moved on from Xfinity racing, allegedly); 1 from Truck Series regular John Hunter Nemechek, 1 from Cup racer Christopher Bell, and — most curiously — four from the young man they call Ty Gibbs (aka the team owner’s grandson). Gibbs had an amazing Saturday at Kansas, winning the Xfinity race, taking the ARCA pole, and nearly winning the ARCA race (he lost on the final restart). Oh, and he also claimed the ARCA championship.

Did I mention Ty Gibbs is only 19 years old (yes, he was born in October of 2002, in case you didn’t already feel old).

The hype around him is unlike anything we’ve seen about a young driver like this since, perhaps, Joey Logano in his “sliced bread” days. (Of note: The team Logano drove as a teen — Joe Gibbs Racing)

For drivers seeking a luxury vehicle with a sporty personality, things can get pretty pricey. That’s why the entry-level options — compact sedans from the world’s leading luxury automakers — are often attractive for people looking to venture into this class of vehicles. 

Mercedes-Benz first launched its A-Class model back in the 2019 model year, and it’s been regularly ranked among top luxury sedans ever since. The 2021 model adds some new features, such as standard blind spot monitoring, and continues its tradition of providing a high-end design and strong performance.

Put all that together, and it’s an excellent way for folks working to enter the luxury class without breaking the bank on the larger and more high-end models.

I recently spent some time behind the wheel of a 2021 AMG A35. What's all the hype about? Read on to find out.

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Let’s start on the interior, where the 2021 AMG A35 sedan offers a uniquely classy and aesthetically pleasing upscale design. Even the metallic air vents and steering wheel accents offer distinct Benz styling, and the AMG branding is present on the dash.

Interior highlights include ambient lighting, power front seats with lumbar support and memory, split-folding rear seats, rain-sensing windshield wipers, heated front seats, keyless start and dual zone automatic climate control.

To say the 2021 Toyota Sienna is brand new would be an understatement.

Between its bold new exterior design and its new hybrid-only power plant, Toyota is swinging for the fences with this latest version of its long-running minivan — looking to distance itself and stand out from the rest of the minivan pack.

I recently spent time in a 2021 Toyota Sienna, and I’m back with a full report on how these bold new changes worked.

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MInivans aren’t known for being lookers, but I was pleasantly surprised when the 2021 Sienna showed up in my driveway with its sharp red paint scheme.

With bold and aggressive styling and lines added throughout the exterior, from the grille to the rear and sides of the vehicle, it’s a machine that definitely grabs your eye much more than the previous iterations of the Sienna. Of all the current minivans for sale, the only one that has caught my eye more is the new Kia Carnival, but the Sienna is running a close second and outshines the remaining competitors’ designs.

With SUVs continuing to dominate sales, it’s no surprise that many automakers are looking to grow their presence and lineup in this category. One automaker that’s had a tricky history with its SUVs, but is still sticking around and attempting to grow, is Volkswagen.

A few years back, VW introduced its 3-row Atlas SUV, and now they are starting to grow the Atlas family with the smaller, two-row midsize Atlas Cross Sport SUV — which is now in its second year and goes up against a bevy of popular vehicles including the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chevy Blazer and Ford Edge, and literally dozens of other SUV options.

I recently drove a 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport — which mostly carries over from the 2020 model but adds a new infotainment system and some more safety features — and I’m back with a full report on how it fits into the SUV landscape.

Luxury automakers have embraced the plug-in hybrid at various levels, but one of the automakers going in full steam in this category is Volvo, which already offers a plethora of plug-in hybrids to the public and is eagerly moving toward an all-Electric Vehicle future.

One of the plug-in hybrids that is currently available from Volvo is the S90 Recharge, a large sedan that is pricey, yet fills the needs of any demanding luxury car customer. It embraces the future while maintaining the cushy and comfortable environment these buyers expect. I recently spent some time in an S90 Recharge, and I’m back with a full report.

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There are different ways to approach luxury design. Some automakers are more flashy, but others take a more nuanced approach.

Volvo falls in the second category. Unlike the massive, dominating grille on new Lexus models, for example, the Volvo has a classy and minimalist design on the front end of the S90. You still sense luxury, but it’s not slapping you in the face.

The 2021 Toyota Mirai has officially set the world record for the longest distance by a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle without refueling. The Mirai achieved 845 miles driven on a single, five-minute complete fill of hydrogen during a roundtrip tour of Southern California as it set the record. The Toyota Mirai’s record sets a new distance milestone for zero emission vehicles.

“In 2016, the Toyota Mirai was the first production fuel cell electric vehicle available for retail sale in North America, and now the next generation Mirai is setting distance records,” said Bob Carter, executive vice president, Toyota Motor North America. “We are proud to be leaders of this exciting technology, which is just one of a growing lineup of zero emission vehicles in our portfolio.”

The official record attempt was closely monitored by Guinness World Records, adhering to its strict rules and documentation procedures. On its efficiency-focused August 23 and 24, 2021 journey, the Mirai logged an152 MPGe with water as its only emission. Guinness World Records adjudicator, Michael Empric, validated the Mirai’s tank with a seal at both the beginning and end of the journey.

How does NASCAR follow up a historic weekend at Talladega?

With a weekend full of drama at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite tracks in all of NASCAR (The track’s been so much fun since it’s arrival, I honestly feel like sending Marcus Smith a thank-you card for coming up with the idea in the first place).

It was a very newsworthy weekend, both on the track and off. Here are my initial reactions to some of the big news that we got to take in this weekend.

Harvick vs. Elliott

Well, this rivalry certainly came to a head this weekend. After several weeks of openly holding a grudge against Elliott for the way Elliott raced him at Bristol, Harvick acted on those feelings at the Roval, punting Elliott during Sunday’s race. Unfortunately for Happy Harvick, Elliott was able to continue on (despite a flapping bumper cover that should have gotten him black-flagged), eventually securing a place in the next round of the playoffs while Harvick ultimately did not. Harvick’s day, perhaps in a bit of karma, ended when he wrecked himself while Chase was lurking in the background and no doubt ready to give payback. Before he could get there, Harvick froze up and did the job himself. 

After the race, Harvick basically confirmed he had spun Elliott on purpose, but Elliott had the ultimate last wor, saying he wished Harvick a “Merry Offseason and Happy Christmas”. My first thought after hearing the comment was the “Y’all wanna see a dead body?” meme, as Harvick’s got nothing he can say in response.

As a fan, it was great drama, and I’m pretty sure that puts an end to their on-track battles for this year. I don’t expect any more shunts between the two, but you can bet Harvick will do his best to hold up Chase and prevent him from winning the title, if they are ever near each other in the final races.

Either way, whether you like Chase or Harvick or neither one of them, the fans are the ones who are coming out on top here, as we’re seeing genuine rivalries play out in a sport where those are mostly a thing of the past.