The verdict: When you need to get away from it all, the redesigned 2021 BMW M440i convertible is comfortable for cruising, sporty in corners and classy all the while. Versus the competition: The 4 Series convertible’s switch from a retractable hardtop to a power-folding soft top aligns it with luxury competition from Audi and Mercedes-Benz, and the M440i’s focus on comfort over maximum performance is sensible for a droptop. The M440i is the mid-level performance car in the 4 Series lineup, slotting between the base 430i (powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine) and the high-performance ..read more

Like Diet Dr. Pepper versus, say, Diet Pepsi, zero-calorie sodas are judged on their similarity to their full-sugar, aspartame- or Splenda-free original versions. Similarly, hybrid variants of gas-powered vehicles are judged by their degree of non-hybrid-ness. In that regard, the all-new 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid may well be the Diet Dr. Pepper of hybrid mid-size SUVs. Related: 2021 Kia Sorento Hybrid Review: Big Vehicle With Small-Vehicle Fuel Economy In Cars.com reviewer Jennifer Geiger’s comprehensive critique of the Sorento Hybrid, she lauds the fuel-sipping SUV for not behaving like one — p ..read more

Updating an icon is a tricky job for any automaker, and it’s especially challenging when your brand has more than one icon. But Jeep’s been in that situation before, and it’s always a momentous occasion when the Grand Cherokee SUV gets an update, and that day is upon us. This is the new 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, something new from the Jeep brand — a Grand Cherokee with seating for six or seven. It’s not Jeep’s first three-row SUV (that would be the unloved, unlamented Commander from a decade ago), but it is the first three-row version of the Grand Cherokee (a two-row, five-seat model will be ..read more

The redesigned 2022 Honda Civic arrives at dealerships with its new subdued exterior, retro-inspired interior, enhanced driving dynamics and improved safety tech. The compact sedan brings more value to the table compared to the outgoing model, yet the 2022 Civic’s base price tag grows by just a few hundred dollars. Related: 2022 Honda Civic First Drive Review: Honda’s Boy Racer Grows Up 2022 Honda Civic Pricing For the 2022 Civic, Honda has condensed the number of trim levels to four (LX, Sport, EX and Touring), nixing the EX-L model. All Civic models now offer an expanded version of the Honda ..read more

Ford’s new-for-2022 Maverick breaks from pickup-truck tradition with its standard hybrid powertrain, car-based construction, untrucklike gas mileage and affordable starting price. It also breaks free of the pack on this week’s countdown of Cars.com’s most popular news articles, handily taking the first-place position. Related: 10 Biggest News Stories of the Month: Chevy Spark Cheapskates by Tesla SUVs, Kia Carnival Set to arrive in the fall, the Maverick compact pickup starts at an agreeable $21,490, including destination, in its base XL form. That fetching price fetches buyers a respectable l ..read more

Despite the popularity of new SUVs, the fact is that not everybody wants to sit up high in a quasi-off-road station wagon. And for those remaining resisters, Honda has this: the updated 2022 Honda Civic. As you can see, the new Civic has shed its old “boy racer” look and has adopted the calmer, more conservative appearance of the bigger Accord sedan. Gone are the odd bumper polygons and the low and racy roofline, and in its place we have … well, what appears to be a three-quarter-scale Accord. But how much of the rest of the old racy Civic has become the new, more conservative Accord? I recent ..read more

After Ford announced its future electrification plans in May, it’s now Lincoln’s turn. As with Ford, we can expect a future filled with more electrified vehicles from the Blue Oval’s luxury arm — including all-electric models. In the near term, however, Lincoln also announced its name for Ford’s coming BlueCruise hands-free semi-autonomous driving feature: ActiveGlide. Related: Report: Ford, Lincoln Planning Future EV Explorer, Aviator, ‘Rugged SUVs’ and More What Are ActiveGlide and BlueCruise? Using a combination of cameras and radar, the technology can keep the vehicle centered in its lane ..read more

We often hear that cars aren’t built to last like they used to be, but that’s not the case if we consider the trends around average vehicle age. The latest report from industry consultancy IHS Markit shows the average age of light vehicles in the U.S. has hit a record high, surpassing 12 years for the first time in the decades it’s been tracking the data. The average vehicle age has been climbing for decades thanks to improved reliability and technology, but the new record, 12.1 years, could have more to do with the effects of COVID-19 than vehicle quality.  Related: Your Car Is So Old ..read more

The verdict: Toyota’s large Land Cruiser SUV may be a dinosaur when it comes to refinement and fuel economy, but its backseat is still relevant in the realm of car seats. For this Car Seat Check, we tested a two-row version of the 2021 Land Cruiser (a third row is optional), and we were pleased by its easy-access Latch anchors and roomy backseat.   Does it fit three car seats? Yes Take a look at how the Latch system and each car seat scored below in our Car Seat Check of the 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser.  Related: Search Car Seat Checks A Grade Latch: The two sets of Latch anchors ..read more

Whether it’s checking online inventory or simply driving past your local dealerships and selling lots, there’s no denying that the number of new cars for sale has dropped amid an ongoing global microchip shortage and various aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic this past year. The demand for new vehicles in turn is driving prices up, which makes finding discounts on those new vehicles increasingly difficult. Related: Car Shoppers Face Shorter Supply, Rising Prices Demand is such that J.D. Power expected May’s average incentive spending per car to drop nearly $2,000 year over year, from $4,825 ..read more