Good things can come in small packages, and at the small end of Mazda’s SUV lineup is a vehicle that definitely fits that bill.

The 2023 Mazda CX-30 features a sharp design, high-quality interior, and a sporty turbo engine option. Its interior is especially impressive, giving off a nearly luxury-level vibe.

The CX-30 has many opponents to battle, as there are tons of competitors in the compact SUV segment — including the Volkswagen Taos, Chevy Trailblazer, Hyundai Kona, Kia Soul, Buick Encore, Hyundai Venue, Honda HR-V, Toyota Corolla Cross, Nissan Kicks, Jeep Renegade, Nissan Rogue and Mitsubishi Outlander.

Read on to learn more about how the CX-30 compares to this bevy of mini-utes, and who will want to take one home.

The current state of the full-size sedan is a curious one.

The status symbol everyone wanted in past generations, over time it has been relegated to the backburner as SUVs became the dominant force in the auto industry.

While luxury brands still offer high-end full-size sedans at astronomical prices, non-luxury brands are slowly bowing out of the full-size sedan market. One exception, for the short term, is Volkswagen, which still has the Volkswagen Arteon available (at least until 2024, which has been announced as the final model year).

I tested the 2023 Volkswagen Arteon, specifically a SEL Premium R-Line model, and I’m back with a full report on what this unicorn of a vehicle has to offer to car buyers still in the sedan market, who are resisting the move to SUVs.

Electric vehicles are coming out of the woodwork these days, and not all of them are memorable or likely to stand the test of time.

But some of the new entries in the EV marketplace have a lot of potential, including the 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70, a compact SUV that lives up to the lofty standards Genesis has set for itself in just a few years.

In the luxury realm, the Genesis brand is among those leading the way with innovative tech in their new EVs, and the GV70 delivers among the most complete experiences I have experienced from the latest EV crop. Genesis is among the brands aiming to go completely to EVs by the end of this decade, and if they continue to deliver with this level of quality, I can see that becoming a reality.

Read on for a full breakdown on how the latest Genesis EV offering stands up against major competitors from brands including Tesla, BMW, Mercedes, Audi and others.

Every family has its fun relative who everyone is excited to see, and never disappoints with tales of their adventures.

In the Hyundai vehicle family, that relative would be the 2023 Elantra N, a sporty version of its compact sedan that delivers thrills behind the wheel like no other Hyundai on the market.

Read on to learn 5 key facts about this fun little ride.

BMW has been a longtime supporter of electric vehicles in the luxury realm, dating back to the quirky little i3 a decade ago. And they have stepped up their game with recent EV models that are much closer in design and performance to their regular lineup than ever before.

I recently tested one of those offerings, the BMW i4 — their entry in the compact EV sedan category, which is significant since so many new EVs are focused on SUV lineups. (NOTE: I tested a 2022 BMW i4 eDrive40, which transferred to 2023 with only minor changes)


LOOKS

The BMW i4 is a small EV sedan — based on the longtime favorite 3-series sedan and the 4-series Gran Coupe — with a hatchback-style trunk. It features a sleek, eye-catching exterior design that visually tops the looks of the few EV sedans available in the luxury realm, such as the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2.

BMW’s kidney-style grille will continue to polarize opinions, with some loving it while many loathe it, but I thought it fit well with the overall design. The Mineral White Metallic paint on my test vehicle was also very sharp, and the power glass moonroof lets the sun shine in.

Saturday’s race at Daytona was an exciting conclusion to a season where we’ve seen everything under the sun, as we finished our second regular season with the Next Gen car.

The three-wide racing for much of the night was downright thrilling and the best of what plate racing has to offer. On the flip side, no pun intended, Ryan Preece went on a terrifying ride when he barrel rolled at least a dozen times before finally landing right-side up. Thankfully he did not sustain any serious injuries, nor did any of the drivers involved in a “big one” at the end of the second stage.

While the extreme tumbling is cause for investigation by NASCAR (and they are examining the Preece car for data on why that happened), the fact that Preece could walk away shows that the Next Gen car has the goods to keep drivers safe even in extreme wreck situations like the one Preece experienced on Saturday.

The big news, of course was Bubba Wallace’s strong run that locked him into the final playoffs spot. Making the playoffs is a big burden off Bubba’s shoulders. And now he just has to perform and try to get as far along in the playoffs as possible. This will be a tough task to execute, with so many strong drivers ahead of him. But if he makes it to at least the round of 12, I would consider that a successful year and a launch pad for further playoff marches in the future.

Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman both missed the playoffs, and it’s been a rough year for Hendrick, which has only 2 cars in the playoffs. William Byron and Kyle Larson qualified and should both be contenders. But to put that in perspective, the Hendrick team only qualified as many cars as RFK Racing and 23XI racing, and one less than Joe Gibbs Racing.

It’s hard to choose a favorite moment from the two decades-plus that I’ve watched Kurt Busch compete on the racetrack in NASCAR’s top levels.

Perhaps it's the famous battle to the checkered flag at Darlington vs. Ricky Craven.
Or Kurt being given the bird by Dale Earnhardt Sr. during the 2001 Daytona 500.
Or his running the NASCAR/Indy double and finishing 6th in the Indy 500.
Or his leadership at so many teams, from Roush and Penske to Phoenix Racing to Furniture Row to Stewart-Haas to Ganassi and finally 23XI
Or his winning the 2004 Cup series title in dramatic fashion after a close call, losing a tire as he was entering pit road during the race

I could go on, but you get the drift. The man did just about everything you could in this sport since entering the NASCAR ranks as a very young man in the late 1990s.

I say all this because we heard an emotional farewell this weekend from Kurt Busch at Daytona. He said he’s officially done with Cup racing as he continues to focus on his health after a qualifying crash at Pocono in 2022.

Competing successfully in the compact SUV segment is arguably one of the most difficult things to do in today’s automotive world.

With so many vehicles that sell in large volumes every year as this category continues to grow in popularity — including Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Chevy Equinox and Hyundai Tucson — it’s tough to break through.

One model that was successful at doing so, and continues to fight for the top spots on the sales charts every single year, is the Nissan Rogue. Last redesigned in 2021, and seeing only minor changes for the 2023 model, Nissan’s entry in this category has been a pleasant surprise for the automaker — in fact, the Rogue is the brand’s best-selling vehicle in its entire lineup.

I recently spent some time behind the wheel of the 2023 Nissan Rogue, and I’m back with a full report on how the latest version of the family-friendly Rogue measures up vs. stiff competition.

Three-row crossovers are consistently a big hit with buyers, and in the luxury SUV segment there is a crowded field of contenders from all the major luxury automakers — including Lincoln, Acura, Audi, Genesis and many more.

Infiniti, the luxury brand from the Nissan camp, puts up the 2023 Infiniti QX60 in this category — in essence, offering a more upscale version of its Nissan Pathfinder model.

Fresh off a 2022 redesign, there are only minor changes for 2023, and the QX60 remains a likable luxury ride that holds its own in the segment by offering a quality design both inside and outside the vehicle, plenty of standard features, as well as strong safety systems.

In roughly six years, Hyundai has done the unimaginable with the lineup of its luxury Genesis brand.

Viewed at first as an upstart with little hope of competing with Lexus, Cadillac, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Acura, Infiniti, and other longer-standing luxury vehicle lineups, the consistently high quality of Genesis’ offerings quickly has gained devotees in a category that is difficult to crack.

Genesis' move into the SUV category began with the GV80, their flagship SUV offering which was launched a few years ago and continues to shine in 2023.

I recently tested the 2023 Genesis GV80 (specifically, an all-wheel drive version with the 3.5-liter engine and 20-inch wheels), and I’m back with a full report on this SUV that is clearly a contender and far from a pretender in the luxury SUV world.