SUV Archives

Is the 2022 Nissan Armada a sinking ship?

AUTO REVIEW: Big and cumbersome, hard to move around, and of limited practical use

Ford Explorer Timberline as much limo as SUV

There's all kinds of elbow room in this vehicle, and it has massive proportions. If you want to pop the hood, you better be a basketball player because the Explorer stands so tall that you literally can't reach inside the engine bay.

This is a people-carrier par excellence and is amazingly quiet on the highway

Buying used: Kia Sportage revived in 2012 to mixed results

For a base price of just under $22,000 in 2012, you got a reasonably well turned out vehicle, with most of the bases covered

The Sportage sits five adults in relative comfort. If you fold down the seat, you get a reasonably flat floor

Mazda CX-30 for 2022 is familiar and functional

in terms of design, purpose and overall flavour, this subcompact SUV is very much like the Mazda CX-5. Similar wheelbase, drivetrain, driving experience and is aimed at roughly the same group of buyers

Mazda has mastered the art of building innocuous, practical family transport, and CX-30 is right on target

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz is an intriguing pickup/SUV hybrid

2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz

This new ‘sport adventure’ entry in the market will accommodate five adults and has a cute little pickup bed that’s big enough to carry bits and pieces

Tuning out the Mazda CX-5 because of a stubborn radio

Lively acceleration, silky-smooth power delivery, decent fuel economy, whisper-quiet in operation – you couldn’t ask for a better combo

Performance is excellent. Lively acceleration, smooth power delivery and whisper-quiet in operation

Buying used: six-cylinder 2011 Chevrolet Equinox a better bet

With some 1,803 litres of cargo capacity available with all the seats folded, the Equinox had less storage room than some of its competitors

Consumer Reports gave the V6 version an average used car prediction, while the four-cylinder models are worse than average

Buying used: 2011 Ford Explorer a people mover with frills

The Explorer was aimed more at soccer moms than off-road rock-hoppers, and was still the quintessential suburban grocery-getter. With seating for seven, it came with all the features you’d expect to find in a mid-size SUV

This Explorer was aimed more at soccer moms than off-road rock-hoppers, and was still the quintessential suburban grocery-getter

Land Rover Defender utilitarian, retro and capable

Available in two versions, the Defender is arguably the most utilitarian –and retro – model in the company’s lineup. It conveys a sense of ruggedness and capability that sets it apart from most other Rover products

The 2021 version conveys a sense of ruggedness and capability that sets it apart from most other Rover products

New Nissan Rogue built for hockey moms

I recently spent some time with the new Nissan Rogue and it’s anything but roguish. This is a mainstream, garden-variety compact SUV and, all things considered, that’s a good thing

The 2021 version is a mainstream, garden-variety compact SUV and, all things considered, that’s a good thing