With so much focus on the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas and Penske Fords so far this year, Sunday’s race at Chicagoland Speedway was refreshing for fans to see. 

New faces up front, struggles from the usual leaders, and some hope that maybe the battle for the Cup will not be a runaway for Joe Gibbs Racing and the killer duo of Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr.

Alex Bowman, it seems has different thoughts about this season. So does Hendrick Motorsports. And Chevy isn’t dead yet.

A few thoughts on the day’s action:

* A big congratulations to Alex Bowman. He has been constantly questioned by many who follow the sport since taking over the 88 car from Dale Earnhardt Jr. But he is finally living up to his potential in this 2019 season and has emerged as a team leader in terms of performance. After a long string of 2^ndplace finishes, he finally climbed up that one final spot to the summit, and it was not easy. Passing Kyle Larson back after being passed with a few laps remaining was a tough chore, but Bowman came through.
 

As an endless slew of entries continues to arrive in the subcompact crossover category, there are some mainstays that continue to stand tall, literally and figuratively.
One of those long-term entries is the Kia Soul, which gets a redesign for the 2020 model year. I recently spent some time in a 2020 Soul and I’m back with a full report on how the new version measures up in the category.

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Despite the redesign, the heart of the 2020 Kia Soul remains the same. It’s still a five-passenger, four-door hatchback. The unique boxy shape remains, as does its short snub-nose design, and tall seating.

Among the changes are a 1.2-inch increase in the wheelbase and 2.2 extra inches in length.
The rear lighting encircling the back window is a look rarely seen. and is sharply designed. The Soul also offers plenty of great color options, including the Snow White Pearl exterior with black interior on my test vehicle.

Interior space is impressive, and the Soul’s back seat is roomy for the segment. There is adequate head space for the segment, and plenty of storage space with the back seats down (62 cubic feet to be exact).

The Interior has a pretty basic setup with cloth and plastic materials, not surprising given the price range. If you opt for the X Line trim level, you get upgraded exterior body cladding, front fog lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. All user controls are well-placed for the driver to manipulate, and easy for anyone to figure out.

As trends continue toward SUVs and larger vehicles, there remains a vehicle class that is still doing its best to stick around, and it’s on the opposite end of the spectrum — the subcompact car.
While its ranks are thinning (i.e. Ford Fiesta is saying goodbye), there are still plenty of automakers dedicated to keeping the littlest vehicles in their lineups around and fighting for whatever piece of the overall market they can maintain.

One longtime competitor in this segment is the Toyota Yaris, which battles a bevy of opponents — including Chevy’s Sonic and Spark, Hyundai Accent, Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, MINI Cooper and the Kia Rio. After spending some time in a 2019 Yaris, I’m back with a full report of how this miniature ride measures up. 

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Let’s get the one glaring fact out of the way. Being a subcompact sedan, you’re not going to get much use, if any, out of the back seat in terms of passengers. It’s best to think of the back seat as a glorified storage area, and call this one a two-seater. I suppose it’s possible to sit there, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you are very tiny.

Toyota’s funky exterior designs are pretty divisive; most people will love the look of the Yaris, or think the polar opposite. I’ll leave that judgment up to the eye of the beholder.

The Yaris (or any subcompact, really) is not a vehicle I’d recommend for anyone who is overly tall.

It's hard to get excited about sedans lately. Most of them are just the type of car you buy for your child who is new to driving, so they can't do anything too crazy.

Thankfully for those people looking for a sedan aimed at drivers who love to drive and want a vehicle that provides a more fulfilling experience, there's the Mazda3. I recently spent time in the fully redesigned 2019 Mazda3 and I'm back with a full report. 

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The Mazda3 is arguably the best looking compact sedan sitting on car lots today, from its beautiful grille design up front, to curvy sides that seem to shape-shift, and a low-to-the ground design.

Mazdas tend to look best in red, in my humble opinion, and my test vehicle featured the stunning Soul Red Crystal Metallic paint scheme. It also featured 18-inch wheels and LED headlights and tail lights.

Mazda has long impressed with its interiors, and the 2019 Mazda3 is no exception. The contrasting white and black interior design instantly pleases the eye, and the seating is plush and comfortable, even on longer rides. If you opt for the Preferred or Premium trim level, you will get leather-wrapped sport seats. I would also argue that the interior is at a level seen on many luxury vehicles, which few non-luxury rides can claim.

The only complaint I have about the interior of the Mazda3 is the back seat, which is close to unusable when tall people are up front. This is a problem typical of compact sedans, and not unique to Mazda, but it’s worth noting that unless your driver and passenger are very short, this is essentially a two-seater. On the plus side, trunk space is somewhat impressive for the segment.

The Hyundai Kona came seemingly out of nowhere this past January, and took home Utility Vehicle of the Year honors at the 2019 North American International Show. This continues a recent trend of successful launches for Hyundai, which has garnered significant critical acclaim and growing market share.

So what's all the hype about? I'm here to break it down for you after spending some time in the Kona, a vehicle on a mission to disrupt the ever-growing subcompact crossover market.

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The 2019 Hyundai Kona is short, as all subcompacts are, but also sharp-looking. Hyundai includes unique and stylish headlights and a chrome-framed grille. The inside is not fancy (there’s plenty of plastic to be found), but also not cheaply put together, even offering leather seating, steering wheel and shift knob.

It comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, auto on/off headlights, LED headlights and taillights, power tilt and slide sunroof, rain sensing windshield wipers, heated side mirrors with turn signal indicators, heated front seats and a center armrest in the rear.

Typical for the segment, there is limited space in the back seat unless driver and passenger up front are very short. Seating is comfortable for the front passengers on long and short trips, and the back seat folds down to increase storage space. Speaking of storage space, it’s not bad for the class, but don’t expect miracles. This isn’t a full-size, or even mid-size, SUV.

Just because you’re a perennial contender for best-selling car of the year, that doesn’t mean you should rest on your laurels.

Exhibit A: The Toyota Corolla, which gets a complete redesign for the 2020 model year as it attempts to stay current against a crop of strong compact car competitors. Read on for a full report on how it compares in the segment.

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One major area where the Corolla sees upgrades for 2020 is its bolder look, particular in the metallic front grille design. The sides and rear of the Corolla also get an improved look.

LED headlights and LED tail lights will keep things in clear focus as you drive.

Other exterior touches on the XSE model I tested were heated power outside mirrors with integrated turn signal indicators, a rear spoiler, single exhaust with dual chrome tips, and a power tilt/slide moonroof.

Inside, a major boost in materials quality can be found, including premium fabric with SofTex sport seats. You can get heated front seats, along with a leather steering wheel and shift knob.

Unfortunately, the space inside is tight, particularly a back seat that provides limited comfort for passengers in terms of leg room and head room. The trunk is also limited in space, so don’t expect to carry a lot of people or cargo in this vehicle
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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA — After a successful decade of developing and producing the Ford Mustang RTR—as well as RTR’s line of aftermarket parts that compliment Mustang owners who want to stand out from the crowd—the new Ford F-150 RTR becomes RTR’s second publicly available vehicle model outfitted with RTR’s signature modern-aggressive design and enhanced performance that is available to consumers from RTR Vehicles. The F-150 RTR package is now available at select Ford dealers in regions where the F-150 is sold. The F-150 RTR launch follows the soon to be released collaboration with Ford performance, ‘The Series 1 Ford Mustang RTR Powered by Ford Performance’.

Inspired by the incredibly popular F-150 Ultimate Fun-Haver and the award-winning F-150 RTR Muscle Truck, the F-150 RTR joins the RTR Vehicles lineup for 2019. Available for all F-150 trim levels (excluding the Ford Raptor), the F-150 RTR increases the functionality and enhances the overall design; offering capability both on and off the road; having fun or making the daily commute.

 
“Ford’s Iconic F-150 has evolved into so much more than just a pickup truck, with diverse capability on and off road, great technology integration, serious towing capability and an interior that makes any travel with friends and family very comfortable,” said RTR Vehicles’ President and RTR’s resident Professional Fun-Haver, Vaughn Gittin Jr. “RTR felt the time was right for us to bring all the things our Mustang RTR owners have grown to love into the truck market. I cannot wait for my fellow truck lovers everywhere to see just how capable and fun the F-150 RTR is whether you are road tripping with the family, carrying supplies or shopping bags, doing some towing, enjoying the trails and roads less traveled, or spraying roost during some off-road excursions. The goal was to take the already impressive capabilities of the F-150 and enhance the owner and driving experience whether on or off-road.”