It could be argued that there are already enough vehicles in the compact luxury SUV segment, which has been growing like a weed in the past few years.

Good thing Volvo didn’t listen to that school of thought, as their XC40 entry is one recent addition to the segment that delivers both on looks and performance, in addition to safety.

Read on for a full assessment of the 2019 XC40, which has the goods to disrupt this segment and achieve long-term success.

LOOKS

When I got my first look at the XC40, I immediately thought it was one of the sharpest looking rides I have seen in a long time. My test vehicle was a beautiful light blue color, with a white top and a long sunroof. The body was impressively designed with unique deep side lines. And to top it off, a nice little Swedish flag is attached to remind you of Volvo's heritage.

From a distance, it almost reminded me of the look of an classic car from the 60s, a bit of a retro throwback.

Having a strong look is important in this class, as everyone from Audi to Lexus to Infiniti comes with their A-game in terms of design.

When Lexus debuted the RX in the late 1990s, it was one of the original creators of the crossover market that has taken over auto industry in the past two decades. Today, it feels like there’s a new crossover announced every month, but it was a risk back in the day.

The move paid off, as the RX has been a top seller for Lexus for many years, leading sales charts in its class on a regular basis.

But something was holding it back from further success. Unlike some competitors, it only offered a two-row version (housing 5 passengers), and didn’t have a 3-row option for people wanting some extra room for the little ones in back. That has changed with the arrival of the RX 350L option, which boosts capacity to 7 passengers.

How does the three-row edition of the RX measure up to other luxury 7-seaters? Read on for a full report.

Mazda, strictly by the numbers, shouldn’t be leading the pack at anything. For background, in 2018, Mazda sold about 300,000 vehicles in North America. Toyota, by comparison, sold more than 2 million vehicles in North America in the same time frame.

Given those numbers, and the assumed budgets behind the scenes that one would imply from them, it’s truly an impressive feat that the Mazda brand continues to deliver quality the way it does.

While there may not be as many of them on the road as other brands, anyone who has ever driven a Mazda will usually have very kind words to say about the experience and how impressive the vehicle design and drive quality was.

Recently I was able to test a Mazda6, the midsize sedan taking on names like the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima, Chevy Malibu, Ford Fusion, VW Passat and Kia Optima. I’m back with a full report on whether the Mazda6 lives up this underdog’s past successes at it battles in this busy segment.

When I think of the best compact cars, Kia is not usually the first brand that pops into my head. But that could be about to change.  

I recently spent some time in the fully redesigned 2019 Kia Forte, and I’m back with a rundown of how it measures up in the segment — which I must say, was surprisingly well.  

LOOKS

The Deep Sea Blue-colored 2019 Kia Forte I tested was attractive enough, by the standards of non-luxury compact cars. None of them are extreme lookers, to be honest, but there were some unique things going on with the grille and the rear lights that stood out vs. the competition.

The Forte looks bigger than a typical compact car; and has a somewhat roomy back seat and very roomy trunk for the segment. Everything is also well-organized inside, and the quality of the seating and other interior materials was higher-end than I anticipated. Seating is comfortable, and all controls are well-placed for driver use.

On the lighting front, you get LED tail lights, LED Daytime Running Lights, and power heated outside mirrors with LED turn signal indicators.

You also get a compact spare tire, dual-zone automatic climate control with rear vents, a power adjustable driver’s seat, and heated and ventilated front seats. 17-inch alloy wheels were included on the 2019 Kia Forte EX that I tested, and 15-inch wheels come on the base model.

Trucks dominate the auto industry, and not everyone is looking for a basic work truck. In fact, the trend is moving in the opposite direction, with these vehicles moving farther away from being solely work-focused and instead growing more luxurious in their creature comfort offerings for the whole family, based on customer demand.

The 2019 GMC Sierra has been redesigned for 2019, and attempts to break out of the shadow of its GM cohort the Chevy Silverado. I recently tested out one of the upper trim level Sierra offerings, a 2019 Sierra Denali 1500 4WD Crew Cab, and I’m back with a full report on how this truck distinguishes itself.

Compact sedans seem to be disappearing in recent years, with most Americans wanting a bit more roominess in their ride, and numbers continue to dwindle in terms of overall market share for this size of vehicle.

But there will always be certain groups of car buyers who will say that less is more — young buyers looking for that first new new car at a lower price, or people of any age with no family to cart around who want fuel efficiency.

With the number of buyers in this class being smaller, the automakers that have stuck it out in the compact sedan segment must bring their A-game to complete effectively.
Nissan remains active in this segment with its Sentra model. I recently spent some time driving a 2019 Nissan Sentra, and I’m back with a report on how it competes.