In today’s automotive world, a vehicle like the Toyota Land Cruiser truly stands out, as it’s among the last of a dying breed, and that breed is high-priced, extra large body-on-frame SUVs.

The Land Cruiser has been around for seven full decades, starting in 1951 as Toyota’s version of a Jeep-style, off-road vehicle. Over the years it has retained that off-road ability while evolving into perhaps the classiest vehicle offered by Toyota.

What’s unique about the Land Cruiser is Toyota finds itself competing against both non-luxury vehicles (Ford Expedition, Chevy Suburban and Tahoe, GMC Yukon, Nissan Armada, and Toyota’s own Sequoia), as well as luxury vehicles such as the Lincoln Navigator, Lexus LX, Infiniti QX80 and Cadillac Escalade.

After some time spent behind the wheel of a 2020 Land Cruiser (which is essentially identical to the 2021 version), I’m back with a full report.

Finding an SUV that offers a truly enjoyable driving experience is harder than you might think. Too often, in the process of improving other areas of the vehicle, the drive quality becomes a neglected area on many of the top-selling SUVs.

The good news is that some companies, such as Mazda, don’t go that route. They recognize that people want to enjoy their drive time and offer a vehicle that allows people to do so.

For 2021, the CX-5 retains this feature, which separates it from the competition in the compact SUV category, while also improving its technology offerings by adding a new standard 10.25-inch center display as part of Mazda’s infotainment system.

I recently tested a 2021 CX-5 and I’m back with a full report.

Any pre-conceived notion that Rolls-Royce’s Black Badge variants all have to be black is comprehensively laid to rest by the Neon Nights colours.

Created initially for clients in the United States, three further iterations of each colour are available for commission worldwide, making a limited run of just four of each colour. Comprised of Wraith, Dawn and Cullinan Black Badge, each in a different hue, inspiration comes from the natural world.

Wraith Black Badge is finished in Lime Rock Green, a near-luminous hue naturally bestowed on the Australian green tree frog, which Rolls-Royce Bespoke Paint Specialist Sami Coultas first encountered on a trip to Tamworth, north of Sydney. The interior is swathed in Scivaro Grey leather, with Lime Rock Green accents in the form of stitching and piping.

The armored Mercedes-Benz V-Class has been highly sought-after for VIP transportation amongst businessmen and politicians in Europe for decades, and INKAS has brought the armored Mercedes-Benz Viano to the North American market, adding it to their lineup of INKAS armored luxury passenger minivans.

Designed with high trim interior elements and premium security features, this Mercedes-Benz V-Class model provides a safe ride in style for up to eight occupants including the driver, and accommodates various seating arrangements for optimal comfort. Ideal for business leaders working on-the-go, the Mercedes-Benz Viano offers folding tables and cupholders in the second-row seats.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz Viano comes with a redesigned bumper featuring distinctive cooling air inlets, sleek new headlights, and a new structure in the radiator grille, while its superior styling and luxurious interior truly make it stand out from other passenger minivans. The interior is equipped with cutting-edge details including a seven-inch touchscreen and infotainment system, high trim elements are also used in the instrument panel as well as side paneling. Finished with the finest materials, the luxury seats even feature reclining, massage and climate control. 

2020 has been the busiest NASCAR Silly Season in years — Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer wrapping up their Cup careers; the surprise return of Matt Kenseth as a fill-in; Matt DiBenedetto holding on to the Wood Brothers ride by the skin of his teeth for one more year with Austin Cindric taking over in 2022; and much more.

Here’s my breakdown of who gets high marks on their new ride transition, and who has a rockier road ahead.

CUP SERIES:

Grade: A
Driver: Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing
The biggest announcement of 2020 was a home run move for Bubba Wallace. Bubba did what he could to improve the 43 team, and they had a great relationship with him, but in the end it’s all about getting to the next level. Teaming up with the new 23XI Racing team owned by Denny Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan is the perfect scenario for Bubba to succeed and reach new heights in his career. He’ll no doubt have a bevy of sponsors and funding to help boost the competitive nature of the 23 car, and the Toyota team will be affiliated with Joe Gibbs Racing. With everything he’s done to push forward the social justice movement within NASCAR, Bubba is arguably the sport’s most recognizable name outside the core fan base. And if he can be successful in his new ride and run up front regularly and contend for wins, it will be huge boost to the sport as a whole and draw in new fans. He’ll have a lot of people rooting for him to succeed, both inside and outside the sport. 

With the rise of SUVS, the sedan is a vehicle type that has had its obituary written by many, but that’s a bit premature. While it’s true that many sedans are ceasing production or being converted into SUVs, the ones that have remained are still very strong.

Toyota is arguably the leader for the sedan, primarily through its strong-selling Camry. But at the top of their sedan arsenal is the Avalon, a full-size sedan — that rare breed of vehicle which is truly a dying breed.

Hybrids are an even rarer vehicle type to find in the full-size sedan realm, outside of luxury models, making the 2021 Toyota Avalon hybrid an extremely unique offering. There are some vehicles — including the Honda Accord hybrid and Hyundai Sonata hybrid — that come close in size to the Avalon hybrid, but lack the sophistication and performance it offers.

I recently sent time in a 2021 Avalon hybrid, and here is a full report.

If you want to get people’s attention in the automotive world, there’s a couple routes you can take. You can aim at putting out the best product that outshines what is currently on the market. Or you can aim for a more affordable product to draw in car buyers looking to save.

Rarely are both achievable at the same time, but Lexus has come close to achieving that rare feat with its 2020 Lexus UX 250h, a hybrid SUV which delivers best-in-class fuel mileage and offers a beautifully designed vehicle inside and out.

LOOKS

Lexus’ UX, a subcompact SUV, slots in just below the Lexus NX in the automaker’s SUV lineup. It’s also one of the few vehicles in this class to offer a hybrid variant, giving it a leg up on the competition.

The exterior design features the usual sharp Lexus look, with a bold-looking grille and smooth angles and curves. Go inside the UX, and you'll find a luxurious look and feel, and some of the most comfortable seats in the business.

With a multi-year run as one of the best-selling SUVs, it would have been tempting for Toyota to not tinker with the RAV4 lineup. But with competitors always stepping up their game, so must Toyota.

One new angle they introduced for the 2020 model year is the TRD Off-Road trim level. At first it’s a shock to hear the words “TRD” and “Off-Road” associated with the traditionally more mundane SUV segment, but it’s a wise move by Toyota to grow the vehicle’s brand with a new option aimed at more adventurous types.

I recently spent some time in a 2020 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road, and I’m back with a full report.

There’s a lot to like about a good wagon. Even in an era when the majority of buyers prefer SUV and crossovers, a wagon can still offer you the level of storage space an SUV can, while offering a less bulky frame and easier entry and access to materials. 

Throw in a bit of luxury, and you have the 2021 Volvo V90, a stylish and well-designed wagon that is one of few vehicles keeping the luxury wagon segment alive. (Benz and Audi have some offerings, and Volvo also offers the smaller V60)

I can’t stress enough that these are not your 1970s or 1980s wood-paneled type of wagons either. For one, they don’t have the rear-facing “wayback” seat (though that would be a pretty cool thing for someone to bring back). But these high-end wagons are also now high-tech, beautiful machines that rival anything on the roadways.

I recently spent some time in a 2021 V90, and I’m back with a full report.