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.

Not even Kia could have foreseen the runaway success of this little runabout when it was introduced in 2009, but shoppers quickly took to its combination of quirky styling and practicality to catapult it to one of the brand’s best-sellers. And now the next generation is here – immediately recognizable as a Soul but with numerous enhancements to keep the masses satisfied.

While its similarly boxy competitors have been relegated to the automotive graveyard, the Soul has not only endured, it has thrived. And the changes Kia has made to this all-new 2020 model are well-received.  It’s a high value proposition with captivating design and that’s a winning formula.

So to an unseasonably cold San Diego we go to get fully immersed in the Soul’s rock and roll lifestyle. Though it comes in 6 trim levels Kia has us focused on the 2 new kids on the block; the GT-Line and X-Line.  If you’re a passionate driver who is attracted to bits such as a sport-tuned suspension, chrome-tip center exhaust, larger brakes, and sporty styling then the Soul GT-Line is for you.

Or perhaps you’re more of the off-road type who’s into the rugged look with more body cladding, bigger fenders, 18” wheels, and an optional 2-tone paint job – well, if that’s you then it’s the X-Line you’ll want.

How important is the RDX to Acura? Not only is it their best-selling vehicle but this 2019 redesign is being heralded as the beginning of a new era for Honda’s luxury division. Remember the Super-Handling All Wheel Drive system that was skipped in favor of a lighter, simpler setup for the 2013 redesign? It’s back. And the original’s turbocharged engine? That’s back, too.

MSRP as-tested: $50,495

The current Shelby GT350 is the most incredible Mustang I’ve ever driven, with its 5.2-liter V8 making beautiful and rebellious sounds.
But arriving this fall is a Mustang that aims to deliver even more outrageousness. 
Meet the 2020 Shelby GT500; with more than 700 horsepower, a 0-to-60mph time in the mid 3s and a sub-11-second quarter mile.  This most powerful street-legal Ford ever packs the heat of a hand-built 5.2-liter supercharged V8 teamed to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that shifts faster than any manual gearbox. 

2019 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek Edition First Look By Auto Critic Steve Hammes
The Pathfinder has a long history of being able to go where others can’t but with this current generation model, some Pathfinder faithful feel as though Nissan has left its trail days in the past.
Well, starting this spring the 2019 Pathfinder Rock Creek Edition aims to recapture some of that muddy glory.