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.

50 years is a rare birthday for a car make to reach … Only a select few have done it; but the Toyota Corolla has now joined that group.

Toyota has sold a ton of these things over the years (technically, it’s the best-selling car of all time with over 43 million sold), and it’s gone through many changes through the years, but the nameplate persists, and strongly too.

To put the model’s popularity in perspective: Once you get past the pickup sales, the Corolla only trails Toyota’s Camry and Honda’s Civic in overall U.S. sales … that’s impressive.

I recently drove a Corolla and I’m back to let you all know whether the car measures up to all the hype it’s been creating for the past five decades.

With the intense competition in the category, luxury automakers have to focus greatly on strategy when designing their vehicles -- considering every detail from looks to performance as compared to the rivals in the segment.

I recently spent some time in a 2017 Acura MDX, the three-row SUV from Honda’s luxury arm, and I’m back with a full report on how well they did their homework as they aim to grow their share in the segment.

With enhanced performance and benchmark technologies, combined with a more dynamic design, the all-new 2018 Audi S4 offers customers versatility, with seating for up to four and the quickness and competence that is expected from Audi S models.

Performance
New for 2018, the S4 features a 3.0-liter TFSI V6 that has been reengineered to provide more horsepower and torque and a quicker buildup of peak output. With the same 2,995 cc of displacement as the previous engine, power has increased by 21 horsepower, to 354 hp, and by 44 lb-ft of torque, up to 369 lb-ft.

In addition, the broad torque curve now reaches maximum force at a low 1,370-4,500 RPM range. A single turbocharger replaces the supercharger from the previous generation and helps manage exhaust gas flow to the turbine with a twin-scroll housing design.

Making a good first impression is important. It sets the tone for everything that comes after. And unlike many crossover SUVs, which come across as just carbon copies of one another, the 2017 Nissan Murano makes a statement from the get-go.

Simply put, the Murano is one of the best-looking crossovers on the market, perhaps even the best. With its distinctive lines, its long and swooping shape, and a lower profile than most SUVs, the looks are wholly unique. That’s a big deal in a crowded SUV marketplace -- it catches your eye in a good way.

Some cars are just vessels -- to get you where you need to go. They place no emphasis on beauty.

Some are the total opposite, designed to not only get you moving, but also to stun you visually -- in a good way.

In this second category you can place the 2017 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport, a sporty coupe that even car aficionados will have to take a moment to appreciate.

After some time in the Q60 Red Sport, I’m back with a full review on how it compares both visually and performance-wise.