2021 Kia K5 Review By TestDriveNow Car Critic Steve Hammes. Not long ago, the family sedan was the standard bearer of the auto industry. It’s where we Americans turned for our next ride and the competition was fierce. But as cars continue crossing over into SUVs the significance of the midsize sedan has been greatly diminished. Yet for those of you who have kept the candle burning, the choices have may have been reduced but the vehicles themselves are better than ever. Case in point; the car formerly known as the Optima – this is the all-new Kia K5.
So the K5 comes out of the gate with a new name, spunkier attitude and more polish.  It’s said you never get a second chance to make a first impression and this one has been stellar.  And that full-fledged GT model coming in November should be a real treat. 

2020 Bentley Bentayga V8 Review By TestDriveNow Car Critic Steve Hammes. It’s hard to believe that the Bentayga’s been with us for 5 years already. And it’s certainly been a trailblazer. During that time Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini and Aston Martin have also brought ultra-luxurious SUVs to market with more on the way. Available with 6-, 8- or 12–cylinder power including a plug-in hybrid, this is the Bentley Bentayga V8.
The Bentayga is a dream ride. The kind you could drive forever with no fatigue. It’s so isolating and comfortable and truly effortless in everything it does. This is my 7th and final day with it and I’ve learned that its price can be justified in that it’s an experience even the highest end SUVs from the mainstream automakers can’t touch. 
MSRP as-tested: $228,845

2020 Lincoln Aviator Black Label Review By Car Critic Steve Hammes. Sure, Lincoln has the supersized Navigator but they’ve never had an SUV quite like this. The all-new 2020 Aviator is a premium, 3-row midsized utility with robust power and boutique styling. With the recent demise of the MKZ and Continental, Lincoln becomes the latest automaker to kick cars to the curb as they are now exclusively an SUV brand offering 4 utilities in total and this one here slots in as number 3 between the $80,000 Navigator and the $40,000 Nautilus.  
Lincoln’s designs are uniquely American; bold, beautiful and evocative of Lincolns of the past.  Their vehicles have actual names and they’re not obsessed with trying to be European.  And this Aviator Black Label in Flight Blue on these magnificent 22” wheels is indeed one sharp-looking whip. 
MSRP as-tested: $82,435

2021 Ford Bronco FIRST LOOK By Car Critic Steve Hammes | TestDriveNow. Capping off what feels like the slowest striptease in automotive history, you’re finally looking at the all-new 2021 Ford Bronco. A hundred bucks payable at Ford.com reserves yours today with deliveries scheduled to begin next spring.
Series range from a base Bronco, a no-frills SUV for those who want to customize their own, to Big Bend™, Black Diamond™ and Outer Banks™ with a variety of options and colors, topping out with Wildtrak™ and Badlands™ for more extreme off-road adventuring. A limited-production First Edition™ will be offered at launch.   
So the Bronco is back and it’s even brought with it a little brother, known as the Bronco Sport – a subcompact 4X4 for those with less adventurous intentions. 

2020 Ford Escape Hybrid Review By Car Critic Steve Hammes. The venerable Escape has long since been a small SUV favorite but as you can see Ford has taken its styling in a decidedly car-like direction repositioning it in their reborn, utility-focused lineup. 

The Escape is America’s small SUV.  Having been on the road now for 20 years, it’s where we’ve turned when the patriotic pangs pull us away from the RAV4, CR-V and Rogue.  And now that Ford is almost exclusively a truck and SUV brand they’ve seized the opportunity to morph the Escape into something a little more car-like so as not to alienate shoppers who aren’t SUV crazy.  And yes, believe it or not, those people still exist.  Lower, wider, longer and more aerodynamic, the new Escape resembles less the tough little SUV it once did and more the bastard child of a Porsche Cayenne and Tesla Model 3.  Thankfully, this is the Escape’s worst crime as the rest of it is actually very good.