2020 Hyundai Accent First Look By Auto Critic Steve Hammes. At $16,125 including destination the Hyundai Accent is one of the most affordable new sedans on the market and for the 2020 model year it’s also much more fuel efficient. 

When equipped with the optional continuously variable transmission, MPGs in combined driving jump from 32 to 36 over the previous car’s 6-speed automatic.  Smartstream is the name Hyundai has given to this new powertrain, which still uses a 1.6-liter 4-cylidner engine but one that curiously reverts back to port injection from direct injection to produce a little less power but also saving the typical owner $150 per year at the pump. 

Paired to Hyundai’s in-house developed CVT they call an Intelligent Variable Transmission or to the standard 6-speed manual available only on the base model, output is rated at 120 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque. 

I’ve driven other models with the company’s IVT and it’s extremely well done with more of a traditional automatic feel. 

Duking it out with the likes of the all-new 2020 Nissan Versa and the Mitsubishi Mirage G4, the Accent includes a standard Rearview camera and a 5” color touchscreen while higher trims like the Accent SEL and Limited can be optioned with goodies like heated seats, push button start, auto climate control, a bigger display audio system with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay and the segment’s first Hands-Free Smart Trunk Release. 

And on the safety front, the Limited trim, which is priced at just over $20,000, even comes with Forward Collision-avoidance Assist.

Volkswagen has a new halo model and no it’s not a W8 or a Phaeton. They’ve named it the Arteon and it picks up where the CC left off, offering VW shoppers a more stylish alternative to the Passat. MSRP of this one with no options is $42,790.  It’s a car I’d be happy to drive every day and with 4MOTION it’s a perfect year-round family car with some flair. https://testdrivenow.com/2019-volkswagen-arteon/

For the mountain biking, granola-eating, Vermont maple syrup aficionado the new Forester continues to adroitly facilitate the stereotypical Subaru lifestyle.  And for that it’s a very good choice.   Better than any other automaker, Subaru knows its customers and brilliantly markets their products based on warm and fuzzies like kids, dogs and the great outdoors. Their vehicles definitely aren’t for everyone but for those of a particular mindset the combination of legendary all-wheel drive and fuel efficient powertrains is just what they’re looking for. Like this all-new Forester.

Your memories of driving before that SUV arrived in your driveway may be getting a little fuzzy. So do yourself a favor and go test-drive a car…you know, one with 4 doors and a trunk. It’ll remind you how good it can feel to ride a little lower and all of the subtle attributes that go along with it; especially if it’s a German luxury sedan like this new A6. Stately and powerful, smooth and comforting, the new A6 is where it’s at in the techy luxury business sedan segment. The 2019 A6 starts at about $60,000 while this heavily optioned Prestige trim checks in at $77,290. And just when you thought the Germans couldn’t be any more confusing with their vehicle naming, Audi now refers to this A6 with the 3.0T as the 55 TFSI quattro S tronic…the 55 representing the vehicle’s relative power output in kilowatts to add “clarity” for customers, according to Audi. I’m not kidding.

As one of Kia’s best-selling models the Forte compact sedan and hatchback play a key role for the Korean brand. It’s situated in the highly competitive segment that includes the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, but that’s OK because this all-new 2019 model has evolved into a much more sophisticated car delivering a decidedly upscale experience.

This is one of the most impressive new cars I’ve driven in some time. It’s tastefully styled, brimming with features and a joy to drive.  Just about everything about it belies its low sticker price.  It plays with the compacts but it’s actually a midsize and its new powertrain delivers vastly improved efficiency.  Engine output is the same as before, but with an over 20% increase in mpgs and a larger gas tank, the Forte’s driving range has added over 100 miles, to 476 in total.  Rated at 30mpg city/40mpg highway, the Forte is neck-and-neck with the all-new Corolla as the segment’s mileage leader.

But this isn’t a story about a car that’s put fuel efficiency above all else. This range-topping EX trim, priced from just under $23,000, is a car you’ll be proud to own and enjoy driving.