As we look back at the weekend at the Roval, first things first I want to do is congratulate A.J. Allmendinger on his well-deserved win in the Cup race.

With so many drivers acting completely devoid of emotion after wins — treating victory like a foregone conclusion and running through their sponsor list in a drone-like state — it was nice to see someone get a win and have it actually mean something to them.

At age 41, A.J. has been through a lot of ups and downs in his long career in both open-wheel racing and Cup racing. You might think he wouldn’t get caught up in moments like he did on Sunday, but the opposite is true. He knows he’s not going to be racing forever, and cherishes every moment like this — especially something as rare as a Cup victory.

Allmendinger — who I would argue is one of the more likable drivers in the Cup grid — could be seen visibly wiping tears during the cool-down lap, and was equally emotional in his post-race interview.

“It's a freaking Cup race, man. You don't know when it's ever going to happen again. Let's go! … This is the only reason you do it. You fight. All the blood, sweat, tears, everybody at Kaulig Racing has just been such – I wouldn’t say a down year, but an up-and-down year,” he said. “I love all the men and women at Kaulig Racing so much. First of all, hi to my beautiful wife and my new baby boy. I usually give these checkered flags away but I'm going to have to wrap this around Aero. My mom and dad, all my family and friends - those people see how much anguish and how much I put it on my shoulders when we're struggling. It just means the world.”

Wagons are pretty much an endangered species in this SUV-focused world, but they’re not dead yet. And Volvo is one of the main reasons for this.

With decades of wagon experience, the Swedish luxury brand continues to make options available to wagon lovers, including its V60 and V90 offerings.

Both of those vehicles also come in Cross Country options, and I recently spent some time behind the wheel of a 2023 Volvo V60 Cross Country, which lives up to the brand’s lofty wagon reputation.

The Cross Country is a version of the V60 featuring a higher ride height, improved suspension and protective body materials.

Volvo has few true competitors in the luxury wagon segment — mainly just the Audi A4 and A6 Allroad, and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon. Read on for a full breakdown of how the V60 Cross Country holds up in this limited but important segment for buyers seeking alternatives to the barrage of SUVs we see in the market today that offer similar versatility, but a better driving experience.

As Mazda continues to redefine its SUV lineup with newer vehicles like the CX-30, CX-50 and CX-90, there is one holdover from its past SUV lineups that keeps going strong.

The CX-5, a compact SUV, remains the brand’s biggest seller, and for good reasons. Between the sporty drive quality, exquisite interior, strong tech and attractive exterior design, there’s a lot to like. 

I recently spent time beyond the wheel of a 2023 CX-5 Turbo Signature model — and I’m back with a full report on how it measures up in the current SUV landscape.

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)


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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.