Driving the truck was quite enjoyable. It drives and accelerates well, and it’s very maneuverable thanks to its size. There’s not much special about the interior. I would describe it as having only what it should. There’s not any fancy, gimmicky features, but those aren’t necessary for most people looking for a vehicle that will most likely be used for work or adventure exclusively. The only complaint I have, again, goes to the back seat. It even blocked me from hanging my arm out the window, because I was too far behind the driver’s window after moving the driver’s seat to a comfortable position.

Overall, I think the Ford Maverick is a good vehicle. Small trucks are hard to come by in 2025. I recommend this truck as a work truck, or for someone who likes to go on adventures but does not need a massive rig. It will certainly get you where you need to be, and it will be much cheaper than, say, a massive Ram or other, bigger Ford options. It certainly will do what you need it to do. But it might not be the most convenient for you.

John Wilson is an unmarried 20-year-old in his second year of college. He began driving as soon as he was eligible at age 16. Already he has shared driving responsibility through several cross-country road trips. He drives his family’s cars, and hasn’t shopped for a vehicle of his own.

For a different perspective on the Ford Maverick, published simultaneously with this article, please see Ford Maverick (Another view); Hostage to high-cost manufacturing. Find it here.

Other Car Sense articles covering the Ford Maverick are:

Little Ford Maverick; Big role for a small truck. Find it here.

Ford Maverick; Can small work with pickup trucks? Find it here.

Making Ford Maverick; More on manufacturing at home. Find it here.

“There’s not much special about the interior. I would describe it as having only what it should.”

“It will be much cheaper than, say, a massive Ram or other, bigger Ford options.”

(Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Co.)

The model that I drove had a beautiful light interior that gave it a classy feel inside, though I imagine it would unavoidably get mucked up over time unless you detail or thoroughly clean it every so often. Either way, for a starting price of around $25,000, the presentation is impressive.

The Kona is a much smaller sized SUV. It almost felt more like a lifted hatchback, which I really liked. It made for a nimble and light feeling behind the wheel and still left plenty of space for many things you might desire to have on hand. Its smaller size may make it less appealing to larger families, but it can more than comfortably fit five people.

My one gripe was the responsiveness of the engine. The Kona always seemed to have a few milliseconds of delay after I pressed on the gas to accelerate. I assume that it has a smaller engine than some more expensive alternatives. Furthermore, the smaller engine also means the Kona is not a very fast car. It may feel slightly stressed if you decide you want to juice it on the highway. Nonetheless, the Kona is still more than capable of taking you where you need to go and in a comfortable manner.

The Hyundai Kona has some features I always appreciate, including a heated steering wheel and seats, and a very nice audio system. It also has cameras that show just about any angle you can imagine to assist you with parking. That tells me the car certainly caters to people living in urban environments.

Overall, I think the Kona would be amazing for commuting. With all its features and capabilities it is a great car for the price. The Hyundai Kona is certainly worth checking out for families who may just be getting started and looking for something reliable and reasonably priced.

For a different perspective on the Hyundai Kona, including discussion of the electric version, see the CarSense article Two Important SUVs; Little size, big significance. Find it here.

John Wilson is an unmarried 20-year-old in his second year of college. He began driving as soon as he was eligible at age 16. Already he has shared driving responsibility through several cross-country road trips. He drives his family’s cars, and hasn’t shopped for a vehicle of his own.

The model reviewed above is a 2025 Hyundai Kona Limited with all-wheel drive, priced at $35,475 after options. Kona is a small sport-utility vehicle/hatchback wagon. Hyundai sells the Kona in six levels that range from $26,000 to $33,550 for front-wheel drive, and $27,500 to $35,050 for all-wheel drive (2025 prices). Two engine choices are available. Hyundai also sells a battery powered, electric version of Kona, available in front-drive only, with prices ranging from $34,425 to $42,600.

(Photos courtesy of Hyundai Motor America.)

Reviewed by him below from that perspective, the 2025 Buick Enclave is a three-row, family-sized sport-utility vehicle that straddles between mainstream and luxury class. Buick brought out a new, next-generation version of the SUV in ‘25, with prices ranging from $46,395 to $59,395.

The 2025 Buick Enclave is a luxurious and oversized SUV that doesn’t really stand out much in a market littered with massive luxury SUVs.

The car itself functions perfectly fine. It drives smoothly, although it can be very slow to respond when you press the gas. That can cause some stress in situations such as pulling out onto a busy street. But it has power that catches up and does a good job of compensating for the lag, so it’s not the biggest issue.

It’s very comfortable. A few friends riding in the Enclave commented on its comfort and roominess. My dad said that it had a very nice stereo and commented specifically on the bass, saying “it booms.” From those comments I concluded that people definitely feel safe and comfortable riding in the Enclave. That’s a priceless feature in a car. But I still think that it’s a common feeling you get from a lot of SUVs of this type.

The Enclave has three rows of seats and more than enough trunk space. So it’s obviously an efficient vehicle for carrying passengers and cargo. But here lies another issue. If it’s marketed as at least somewhat of a luxury vehicle, yet also marketed towards families with lots of kids, couldn’t those somewhat contradict each other? I’m not saying all kids are messy, but let’s be honest, most are. Consequently that means your luxurious interior won’t be too luxurious for long. I have family members with little kids and I’ve ridden in their cars. I can imagine the Enclave with cheerios embedded in seats that have vomit stains all over them. That could make the fifty-thousand plus spent on the Enclave feel a bit wasted. That’s just something to keep in mind. It doesn’t apply to everyone.

The Enclave would be a good fit for older couples with grandchildren that they drive around every so often, who also might sometimes drive long distances. They would appreciate the extra space. The car is not fun to drive on tight roads due to its size, so I don’t recommend it to anyone in denser populated areas where parking space may be limited.

You can see how I feel about the car. All similar SUVs are very comfortable. If that’s what you’re looking for, don’t feel limited because almost every brand is making something like the Enclave. It really just comes down to customer loyalty. If you love Buick and are looking for something like this, and you have the money to spend, go for it. Otherwise, do your research and maybe try to find something that’s either a bit more unique, or a bit cheaper.

“The Enclave would be a good fit for older couples with grandchildren that they drive around every so often, who also might sometimes drive long distances. They would appreciate the extra space.”

“People definitely feel safe and comfortable riding in the Enclave. That’s a priceless feature in a car.”

(Photos courtesy of General Motors Corp.)

Obviously that’s a rhetorical question. There are plenty of ways that Subaru found to make driving the new Forester a mildly annoying task. The amount of sensors it has for traffic and cabin functions causes the car to constantly interrupt your flow with deafening dings and other sound effects.

As a perfect example, when driving my family on a residential road, not going more than 35 miles per hour, I was keeping about two car lengths behind the car in front of me when that car braked. No big deal. I naturally braked to slow down. But the Forester simultaneously detected the slight distance change and proceeded to blow out our eardrums with an alarm that caused much more panic than was necessary for such a routine traffic situation. The incident further weakened my mother’s already reluctant trust in me behind the wheel. That’s the most unforgivable part.

Honestly, though it can be really irritating for the car to backseat-drive itself, it’s probably not too hard to learn to tolerate it. Or if you’re an amazing driver, maybe you’ll never even trigger an alarm. But either way, it’s not the death of the car. The Forester is still quite solid and has a lot going for it. For starters, it is inexpensive. And it is big enough to let you do pretty much whatever you want with it. It has good driving capabilities for just about any situation. And as most Subarus, it is basically indestructible.

The Forester now is Subaru’s mid-size SUV. If you don’t need as much space, you can look into a Subaru Crosstrek. If you need more, the Subaru Outback might be the choice for you. Overall I love this brand and I think the Forester objectively is a great car. I wish the sirens weren’t there, but that’s more of a nitpick, and some people most certainly benefit from them. I’d recommend this car to anyone.

John Wilson is an unmarried 20-year-old in his second year of college. He began driving as soon as he was eligible at age 16. Already he has shared driving responsibility through several cross-country road trips. He drives his family’s cars, and hasn’t shopped for a vehicle of his own. Here he gives observations and impressions of today’s cars from that perspective.

For a different perspective on the Subaru Forester, see a separate Car Sense review here.

(Photos courtesy of Subaru of America)

The Kia Sorento is a large, luxurious and reasonably priced SUV that covers a lot of distance. I was pleasantly surprised by just how comfortable it was to drive. It helped that the interior of the Sorento I tested was covered with brown leather, which really added a luxurious touch. I was also surprised to learn that you can pick up a model at that trim level for less than 50 grand. That’s not bad for a big SUV as nice as the Sorento.

It is definitely marketed towards bigger families. Its larger size limits the usefulness of its smooth driving capabilities. You won’t have a great time commuting to work in the city in this behemoth, or driving on treacherous roads to reach trailheads. It excels as a soccer-mom car, but it isn’t the best choice for someone who’s a bit more adventurous – unless they just really need the space it offers. Its third row of seats can be reclined for more trunk space.

Getting into more features, the Sorento’s sound system is amazing. The center stack of controls is pretty streamlined and easy to work. The car also has a heated steering wheel, which is a recent trend that I personally love.

Overall, while the Kia Sorento is a good car, as another SUV it’s not extremely unique. But I enjoyed driving it and I’d recommend it to anyone with more than two kids. It’s not extremely expensive but it seems like a luxury SUV, which really makes it a bang for your buck.

John Wilson is an unmarried 20-year-old in his second year of college. He began driving as soon as he was eligible at age 16. Already he has shared driving responsibility through several cross-country road trips. He drives his family’s cars, and hasn’t shopped for a vehicle of his own. Here he gives observations and impressions of today’s cars from that perspective.

Officially classified as a middle-sized sport-utility, the Kia Sorento is a spacious and comfortable transporter that is well set up for family use. All levels come with sought-after automated driving/safety features, including obstacle detection and automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assistance. Its third-row seat enables it to carry seven people, though two adult riders in the third row will feel squeezed. Sorento’s standard engine is a reasonably powered four-cylinder, with a more powerful turbocharged engine available as an option. Kia also sells hybrid versions of Sorento that couple an electric motor with the gas engine to reduce gasoline use. The car’s eight-speed geared automatic transmission is a welcome bonus.

The Sorento starts at $33,365 for a front-drive version. The version evaluated above was a model-year 2024 X-Pro SX-Prestige version with a turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive. It is the most expensive trim level Kia offers on the Sorento. After the addition of an olive-brown leather upholstery option, the test model’s price was $49,285.

(Photos courtesy of Kia America.)

The most I have to say about the current Toyota Tacoma is that it leaves a lot to be desired. It’s just a super underwhelming vehicle because there’s nothing that separates it from the other trucks in today’s market. It’s big and has a lot of space and that’s really all there is to it.

Driving the Tacoma, I found that it didn’t really drive like a pickup with a sixty-thousand dollar price tag. (See Editor’s Note below for Tacoma’s price range.) It lagged whenever I tried to accelerate, and the transmission took what felt like ages to shift out of the early gears. In the interior, a lot of parts felt cheaply installed. For example, the volume dial of the audio system was loose and shaky. On a few occasions it popped off entirely. It was nothing that couldn’t be easily fixed, but for a brand-new truck with its price tag, it seemed inexcusable.

I’ve always been a fan of Tacomas, so I was bummed to see problems overshadow the good things this truck had. When you’re cruising it is very comfortable and actually feels pretty nimble to maneuver. It has a lot of space in both the bed and the back seats, so it’s a decent choice if you’re looking for a truck to store tools for work or to haul things like skis or surfboards. It has multiple driving modes to accommodate different types of driving. And at the end of the day it’s a Toyota; even if all the interior knobs and toggles fall off, the engine will probably outlast every other car on the road today.

So overall the Toyota Tacoma has quite a few ups and downs. It’s pretty expensive, but if you’re willing to spend the money I’m sure it will pay off. It has a lot of utility – but so do plenty of other trucks. So I’d also recommend checking out other brands if you’re not into the flaws I went over in this article.

John Wilson is an unmarried 20-year-old in his second year of college. He began driving as soon as he was eligible at age 16. Already he has shared driving responsibility through several cross-country road trips. He drives his family’s cars, and hasn’t shopped for a vehicle of his own. Here he gives observations and impressions of today’s cars from that perspective.

Editor’s Note: Although our 20-year-old reviewer expresses mixed feelings about the Toyota Tacoma pickup truck, many other drivers have shown approval by making Tacoma the top-selling model in the mid-size pickup class for two full decades. Toyota began selling a completely re-made Tacoma for 2024. Thoroughly re-engineered, restyled and updated with current technology, the new Tacoma comes in a variety of different versions tuned to separate uses, from basic utility, open-back hauling and around-town cruising, to rock-crawling and serious off-roading and even competitive rough-terrain racing. 2025 prices start at $33,085 for a rear-wheel derive, two-door, short-cab model that seats two people, and range as high as $65,230 for a racing-tuned version with a five-person double cab with full back seat and four-wheel drive.

The new Tacoma is longer, wider and taller than the older version it replaced. It weighs 200 pounds more. Toyota is reading people’s desire, as Americans purchase larger and larger vehicles of all types in every size category. So-called “compact” vehicles no longer seem so compact, while “mid-size” sedans seem outright large compared to earlier standards, and so on. At one time, the Tacoma was classified as a compact pickup, but today it is termed a mid-size truck, while new, smaller, foreign-made models have appeared to fill the lower priced, compact category. Today’s Tacoma seems as large as so-called full-size pickups like the Toyota Tundra, Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado were not very long ago – while those models have grown enormous.

Larger vehicles unavoidably consume more energy – no matter what type of fuel they use, gasoline or electricity. For a discussion of how our embrace of larger personal transporters shows that Americans really don’t believe that our energy habits are destroying the Earth – no matter how people respond to opinion surveys – see the Car Sense article “Subaru WRX; Good honest fun”. Find it here.

(Photos courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales USA.)

My time in the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid amounted to just a quick, 45-minute drive to the airport. I didn’t have time to test any of its features, like “sport” or “eco” mode, or even its stereo.

This was unfortunate, because I feel I would have really enjoyed the car. First, I’m a huge fan of sedans; they feel light and nimble and can slip through traffic like butter. I also find sedans the most aesthetically pleasing.

The Sonata definitely has aesthetics going for it, with a slightly futuristic and sporty style, and a luxurious interior. One of my favorite interior features was the heads-up display of the speedometer on the windshied. Not only is it convenient, the feature is also just cool.

Secondly, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid reminded me a lot of the Hyundai Ionic. Their steering wheels and “Prindle” (Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Low selector) are the same, for instance. I loved driving the Ioniq even though it is all electric.* In the Sonata Hybrid, any driving over 15 miles per hour is usually combustion powered unless you change the settings. I find that much more efficient and a more enjoyable driving experience.

Even though my time was limited in the Sonata Hybrid, I thought it could be a great choice for just about anyone. It’s not as big as an SUV, but can still seat five people and has plenty of trunk space for most of the things the average person would need on a normal day. It’s also fun to drive and won’t use as much energy as an SUV. The car is a perfect choice for anyone who doesn’t have a massive family or doesn’t need an excessive amount of space for any other reason.

For a different perspective on the Hyundai Sonata, see a separate Car Sense review here.

*Find the Car Sense 20-Year Old Driver review of the Hyundai Ioniq here.

John Wilson is an unmarried 20-year-old in his second year of college. He began driving as soon as he was eligible at age 16. Already he has shared driving responsibility through several cross-country road trips. He drives his family’s cars, and hasn’t shopped for a vehicle of his own. Here he gives observations and impressions of today’s cars from that perspective.

(Photos courtesy of Hyundai Motor America)

The Ford Mustang Mach-E breaks all of the precedents established by its prior Mustang bloodline. It’s an entirely different car. It’s not only an SUV but it’s an electric SUV. You might wonder, how can Ford possibly label this a Mustang when it completely redesigns the fundamentals that make a Mustang a Mustang. I was in that mindset when I first got into the car. But let me tell you, you have to drive it to see.

I assumed it would be pretty fast off the line because most EVs are. My assumption was more than true, and I drastically underestimated how powerful the car really is. Nothing bad happened, no laws were broken, but the Mach-E had my full attention when driving. I’ve become used to EVs usually having amazing traction and holding the road well. But this car is a lot like the crazy horses it’s named after. Give it a little too much juice when taking a turn and you might be in for some frantic counter steering and a wild adrenaline rush. The same goes for flooring it off the start: You’re bound to get those wheels spinning. After a few experiences like that, I understood why the Mach-E is included in the Mustang lineup.

I also appreciated the simplicity of the Mach-E. There’s not too much going on inside the car. There is no messy jumble of buttons that make you question how much you know about driving, just a massive screen that lets you control music, climate and other functions. That’s it.

Maybe that’s Ford’s way of showing that this car is not made to suit everybody. It’s a performance SUV, made to go fast and not much more than that. Since it’s an EV, it doesn’t provide the best mileage, especially without an “Economy” mode. So it’s not the best choice for travel. It could be a decent choice for a family car because it has a lot of space. Still, even though it is very spacious and comfortable and offers a smooth ride, I think there are better options for a family car. The Mustang Mach-E is just a bit too unpredictable and powerful for safely driving your loved ones.

Overall, I can’t recommend the Mach-E above a normal Mustang model. It serves the same purpose, but it’s larger and takes much more time to charge than to fuel up a gasoline Mustang. In the end I don’t find the car that appealing because there are better performance cars and there are better SUVs than the Mach-E.

For a different perspective on the Ford Mustang Mach-E, see a separate Car Sense review here.

John Wilson is an unmarried 20-year-old in his second year of college. He began driving as soon as he was eligible at age 16. Already he has shared driving responsibility through several cross-country road trips. He drives his family’s cars, and hasn’t shopped for a vehicle of his own. Here he gives observations and impressions of today’s cars from that perspective.

“Give it a little too much juice when taking a turn and you might be in for some frantic counter steering and a wild adrenaline rush.”

(Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Co.)

The Toyota Land Cruiser is like a gentle giant of a car. Its gargantuan size allows space for anything and anyone, and its off-road design allows access to places most other cars couldn’t get to. But it also is comfortable and easy to drive on the road.

My first impression of its capabilities came when driving through a parking lot littered with speed bumps and potholes. It glided over the pits and bumps so smoothly that it was hard for me to tell they were there. Another aspect I loved was the car’s handling. The steering is light and makes the Land Cruiser feel small and nimble despite its size, and the small turning radius is impressive, making any sharp or big turns feel effortless.

The interior of the sport-utility vehicle also really pleased me. The seats were comfortable and cozy and the speakers boomed. I really appreciated the heated steering wheel because my hands are frequently cold. After my experience in the Land Cruiser, I feel that a heated steering wheel should come standard and work as well in every car.

I was disappointed by the lack of an off-road setting, because it seems like an SUV that specializes in that ability should have one.* The car did have a sports mode setting, but it seemed unnecessary since an SUV like the Land Cruiser isn’t really intended for speed. I didn’t use the sport setting much.

I think the Toyota Land Cruiser is a good choice for anyone. The only disadvantage is its size, but even that is pretty well concealed by its handling. You really could fit about anything that you need inside and go just about anywhere with semi-decent roads and many places with no roads at all. Whether for family, utility, or comfort, this car really does have a lot going for it.

*The Drive Mode Select feature in the Toyota Land Cruiser provides settings for on-pavement driving, such as the “sport” setting mentioned. Rough-terrain, off-road travel, while not a Drive Mode Select setting, is amply supported by features that include electronic center and rear locking differentials, a front stabilizer bar disconnect button that increases suspension flex for greater wheel articulation so that tires stay in contact with the ground, a Multi-Terrain Select mechanism in both four-wheel-drive high and four-wheel-drive low transmission settings that helps control wheel spin on mud, dirt and sand, Crawl Control that functions as low-speed, off-road cruise control with five selectable settings, and Downhill Assist Control that helps drivers navigate descents by limiting vehicle speed.

John Wilson is an unmarried 20-year-old in his second year of college. He began driving as soon as he was eligible at age 16. Already he has shared driving responsibility through several cross-country road trips. He drives his family’s cars, and hasn’t shopped for a vehicle of his own. Here he gives observations and impressions of today’s cars from that perspective.

“Its gargantuan size allows space for anything and anyone.”

“It glided over the pits and bumps so smoothly that it was hard for me to tell they were there.”

(Photos courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales USA)

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N not only looks like a spaceship crossed with a PC. It also feels the part.

First climbing into the car, I had no idea what I was looking at. The steering wheel was jumbled in buttons and levers that looked like something out of one of the earlier Fast and Furious movies, and I had no idea what any of them did. The dashboard showed symbols and statistics I’d never heard of or seen before. This might not be too appealing for some, but it did not discourage me. I was really excited to drive the car. I knew just from how it looked that it was going to be a thrill. The seats shining the symbol “N” from digital lights just beneath the headrests, visible from outside of the car, basically tell you everything you need to know.

The car more than delivered what I expected. It accelerates almost scarily fast, but hugs the road and always stays grounded. The “sport” mode is complemented by what Hyundai calls “N mode”, as well as a 10-second boost button for anyone who wants to really push the car to its limits. This mode engages the paddle shifters and with these you can downshift on the highway when you want to move quicker and have a more engaged and thrilling driving experience.*

But I found the artificial combustion-engine sound the car made in Sport mode a little silly. It felt like it contradicted the whole aesthetic of the electric car. Luckily the artificial sound could be turned off easily.

The car also has an “eco” mode for when you want to get a little more mileage on a charge, because charging this car can take a while if you run the battery down. “Normal” mode is like a mix of the two aforementioned settings, a bit calmer and more efficient than sport mode, and a bit more battery taxing but also more responsive than eco mode. I found myself on the Normal mode most often.

I think the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is great but might not be the best choice for someone looking for an all-around vehicle. I feel there are a lot of better, cheaper alternatives for SUVs as well as performance cars for similar prices, if not cheaper. Electric cars can also be a pain in that they don’t get the best mileage and can take ages to reach a full charge. There is no denying, however, that the Ioniq 5 N is unique. If you’re into the whole futuristic vibe it gives off and you want something fast, it’s the perfect car.

John Wilson is an unmarried 20-year-old in his second year of college. He began driving as soon as he was eligible at age 16. Already he has shared driving responsibility through several cross-country road trips. He drives his family’s cars, and hasn’t shopped for a vehicle of his own. Here he gives observations and impressions of today’s cars from that perspective.

*Battery-powered electric vehicles do not have geared transmissions, but Hyundai uses software to make the electric motors turning the front and rear wheels of the Ioniq 5 N simulate gear shifts of a six-speed transmission that a gasoline-powered version of the car might contain. It also simulates the sound of a gasoline-fueled car, as described in the review.

For a different perspective on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, see a separate Car Sense review here.

(Photos courtesy of Hyundai Motor America)

Sleek and stylish, the Volvo XC60 is a sight for sore eyes. It has found the sweet spot between SUV and station wagon and it dances on this line. Quick and nimble despite its size, it is a joy when you’re behind the wheel. I can’t think of anyone who couldn’t use this car, with its ample space for family or other function, coupled with its enjoyable performance that could have you thinking you’re driving a sports car.

One of my only complaints is the central control screen in the dash, which can be a bit confusing and uncooperative at times. I ran into an issue connecting via Bluetooth for music. The car would sometimes connect to my phone and then infinitely try to load my music. The only way I found to fix the issue was to turn off the car and try again. A bit annoying but nothing a simple software update couldn’t fix. But overall, although operating the screen can be a bit difficult due to how it’s set up and organized, I’m sure it would take only more experience to understand it better.

As a hybrid, the car switches between electric and combustion seamlessly when accelerating, without the jolt you’d experience in a lot of other hybrids unless you completely juice it off the line. Furthermore, if you prefer electric to combustion or vice versa, the car allows you to choose between one or the other.

The car has multiple driving modes to accommodate your mood, whether it be rage, relaxation, or wherewithal. I preferred the power mode and this car is no joke. Pulling out of my driveway when I was still getting used to the car, I gave what I thought was sufficient pressure on the gas pedal, and ended up screeching the tires and hurdling into the road, really waking me up and screaming at me to be careful because what I was driving was not cheap.

Price is a big factor. The Volvo XC60 is expensive. But for what you get I’d say it’s well worth its price. When I started my test drive, I was told that Volvo makes luxury cars. I didn’t know that about Volvo, but I was pleasantly surprised. A friend later commented on the luxurious interior. Overall the XC60 can do just about anything you demand of it and can get you to just about anywhere you want to go in style.

John Wilson is an unmarried 20-year-old in his second year of college. He began driving as soon as he was eligible at age 16. Already he has shared driving responsibility through several cross-country road trips. He drives his family’s cars, and hasn’t shopped for a vehicle of his own. Here he gives observations and impressions of today’s cars from that perspective.

*For an explanation of the deception embedded in the government’s sport-utility vehicle (SUV) classification, see the note at the bottom of the Car Sense article Three EVs, from Ford, Toyota and Volvo. Find it here.

(Photos courtesy of Volvo Car Corp.)

The model reviewed here is a small electric car priced at $36,095.

The Fiat 500e is a dream bordering on the edge of a nightmare. It's so much fun to drive, its small size makes it easy to maneuver and zip around, and the electric motor delivers instantaneous power to its tiny wheels making it zip off the line – before you even begin to comprehend that you just wasted 10 miles of your already very limited driving range

That limited driving range is the biggest issue that I can see anyone running into with this car, making it virtually useless to anyone who has to drive far, whether for their commute or whatever else. To put it into perspective, I drove the car to work and back for about an hour of total driving time, plus about another hour of driving in between, mostly on back roads. By the time I was done, the car’s battery charge had gone from 70 percent down to 30 percent. This just seems ridiculous to me because at certain charging ports, fully charging the battery can take about eight hours. That means you might be charging the car more than you’re driving it. Faster chargers are available, but even those can still take a while to fully restore the battery.

It’s worth mentioning that when you come off the gas pedal the car slows down quickly because it uses the energy of the rolling wheels to help recharge the battery. That is actually quite efficient, but it also means that when you slightly come off the pedal, the car slows down enough to make maintaining the same speed a little difficult. But I’m sure there’s a learning curve and a driver eventually figures out how to keep a constant speed.*

The car is so small that parking is no problem, as it can squeeze into just about any space. But cargo room is definitely very limited for the same reason.

The interior of the car is actually quite spacious, at least in the front row. The back seats have about a quarter inch of leg room so I can’t imagine anyone voluntarily sitting back there. But in the front row, as I mentioned, you have plenty of space for the driver and a passenger.

The car also has a pretty good but slightly confusing entertainment system, with Apple Car-Play, which I use, as well as a good sound system. The “Prindle” (park, reverse, neutral, and drive selector) is slightly unconventional, because it’s just buttons on the dash. And the interior electric door-opening buttons seem kind of pointless when emergency door handles are placed just below them.

If you don’t have to drive a lot or drive long distances, or if you live in the city, I can see this car being amazing. I can see it appealing to single people or people without kids, or as a secondary vehicle. But that’s about it.

Overall, I feel bad ripping on it and nitpicking, because it’s really cool and really fun to drive around. There’s just a few things that make it very unappealing to me; I definitely couldn’t fit my surfboard in there and I might not make it home from the beach without a full charge.

*The Fiat 500e provides drive-mode settings that determine its deceleration rate. When driven on the “Eco” setting, as described above, the car slows rapidly because it is capturing energy to turn an on-board generator that puts a little juice back into the battery. On the “Normal” setting, the 500e coasts more freely.

For a different perspective on the Fiat 500e, see a separate Car Sense review here.

(Photos courtesy of Stellantis)

The Mazda CX90 is a luxurious and spacious car, perfect for any decently established person looking for a comfortable and sizable vehicle. The model I drove featured a beautiful suede and leather interior that makes riding in the car a joy and a statement. The roomy interior offers a third row of seats fit for a large family, or for kids who just want a break from the normality of riding in the second row. The third row of course can be lowered, greatly increasing the amount of room available, making the car a great option for long trips or for anyone who needs extra room for bags, skis, bikes, tools or any other items.

Handling wise, the car can feel heavy at slower speeds and is not very nimble, which might not make it very appealing to anyone who navigates cities or is on narrow roads often. The transmission can take a while to shift and respond to the gas pedal, especially from a start. But once you get moving it is much smoother and the car can actually get going quite fast. Driving on the highway gets no complaints from me. Couple this with the “sport mode” feature and highway driving becomes a blast for not having to worry about catching up with traffic or merging or passing.

Delving more into the features of the car, it has Apple car play and a very nice sound system. I like to blast my music when I drive, and I had to keep the volume set at only half-way for the sake of my hearing. There are plenty of places to plug in your cords if your phone needs a charge and there’s a wireless charging platform just beneath the dashboard in the center column.

I mentioned the sport mode feature but the car also features a normal mode which I found myself driving in most of the time. It also has an off-road mode for more explorative drivers. I never got the chance to try it out, but I assume it’s great considering how smoothly the car rocked over a speed bump I encountered at an angle while visiting the mall.

One of my favorite touches was the heads-up-display hologram on the windshield just in front of the driver’s seat. It gave the car a futuristic feel, and also let me check the speed limit as well as my own speed without having to glance down at the speedometer.

For more in Car Sense about the Mazda CX90 and its companion the CX70, see Mazda CX-70 and CX-90; Big has its costs, and also Expanding Appetites; New SUVs from Hyundai, Mazda and Subaru tell truths.

(Photo courtesy of Mazda North American Operations)