Category: compact cars

  • 2022 MINI Cooper S Convertible – Drive Review

    2022 MINI Cooper S Convertible – Drive Review

    MINI has freshened the Cooper for 2022 with new front and rear styling, new wheels and new colors. More tech, safety and comfort features have also been added. The powertrain choices are unchanged and price has been bumped minimally. Check out the new MINI here. @1ChicagoCarGuy

  • 2021 Mazda3 2.5 Turbo – Drive Review

    2021 Mazda3 2.5 Turbo – Drive Review

    The 2021 Mazda3 2.5 Turbo 5-passenger subcompact is available as a sedan or hatchback. The new 2.5-L turbo is rated at 250-hp and 320 lb.-ft. of torque. It’s mated to a six-speed automatic and all-wheel drive is standard. It’s quick, fun to drive, easy to maneuver and, it’s practical. Read more right here. @1ChicagoCarGuy

  • 2021 Hyundai Elantra and Elantra Hybrid – First Drive

    2021 Hyundai Elantra and Elantra Hybrid – First Drive

    The all-new seventh-generation Elantra compact sedan is based on a new vehicle platform with longer wheelbase, wider stance, and a lower roofline. The four-door coupe-like look follows what Hyundai calls “Parametric Dynamics” design theme. I drove the 2021 Elantra and Elantra Hybrid both of which provide a good bit of the fun-to-drive element. Both engines […]

  • 2020 Mini Cooper SE – drive review

    2020 Mini Cooper SE – drive review

    The 2020 MINI Cooper SE 3-door hatch is the automaker’s first all-electric model. With a price tag starting at $29,900 the SE has an EPA-rated driving range of 110 miles per charge. The MINI Cooper SE drives like an electric go kart. It’s a true performance car that retains all the fun-to-drive attributes of a […]

  • 2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI – Drive Review

    2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI – Drive Review

    Often called the GTI with a trunk, the GLI as the GTI of sport sedans came into being to provide driving excitement in a traditional sedan body style. The Golf GTI has been called “a wolf in sheep’s clothing.” That moniker could just as well be applied to the Jetta GLI. The Volkswagen Jetta GLI […]

  • 2020 Volkswagen Golf – Drive Review

    For 2020, the Golf, now in its seventh-generation, comes only one way as a 4-door Golf TSI.  A 1.4-L turbo is under the hood and you can still get a stick shift or, of course, an automatic. Get one now while you can. Mainstream Golfs will go away with the next-gen model. Get the story here. […]

  • 2020 Jaguar XE – Drive Review

    The British entry in the multinational compact luxury sedan class is the Jaguar XE. For 2020 the XE has gotten a bit of a refresh both out and in. Two different turbo 4-cylinders give you choice in the power or fuel consumption balance. And, the XE offers the best of both worlds with excellent handling […]

  • 2020 Toyota Corolla – Road Trip

    The 12th-generation Toyota Corolla made its arrival in two chapters: the all-new Corolla Hatchback arrived in 2018, while the sedan has been redesigned from the ground up for 2020, with an available hybrid for the first time in the U.S. I road tripped in a Corolla XSE with its new power plant, a169-horsepower 2.0-L 4-cylinder […]

  • 2020 Nissan Versa – Drive Review

    Versatile and with good value. The 2020 Versa is all new. It’s a bit larger and a bit roomier and has a bit more performance. Technology is a top priority in the all-new Nissan Versa, featuring available Nissan Safety Shield 360 that helps provide front, side and rear safety monitoring and intervention technologies. The value […]

  • 2019 Nissan Leaf Plus – Drive Review

    With 215 miles of driving range, and maybe even more with some additional effort, the 2019 Nissan Leaf Plus is a near perfect car for getting around any big city. There’s plenty of room and plenty of performance. With EV charging station infrastructure getting better and growing every day, soon long trips with a short […]