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That said, the real winner here is the consumer. Mazda gives buyers a choice—and depending on priorities, either version may be the right fit.

The NX 450+ is an underwhelming experience that frustrates and disappoints when it comes to the small details that buyers actually have to live with.

Frequently driving in 40-degree weather with the heat cranked, I averaged an astonishing 47 MPG over a week of mostly highway driving, hilly highway driving at that. That’s genuinely impressive and beats recent Priuses for mileage which benefited from more favorable conditions.

Despite the excellent fuel economy of Toyota’s compact hybrid crossover, the niche it fills (half-full) is simply too narrow to earn a mainstream recommendation.

Toyota has quietly made the strongest case yet for what a big family SUV should be. Without resorting to the bloated, luxury-leaning excess of American full-size offerings, the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max delivers about as complete a package as you’ll find for $60,000 and less.

Extremely good looks are ready for the TikTok generation 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman TikTok has a pronounced effect on contemporary consumerism. Favoring aesthetics before substance, it won’t be long before endless clips of the new Volkswagen Tiguan flood feeds, buoyed by its genuinely striking looks. And on that front, the Tiguan will win plenty of hearts. But those quick-hit videos and surface-level 'reviews' won’t sh

Yes, modern Volvos are global products, but the lack of outright cohesion here feels deeper than its complicated logistics would even suggest. The end result is a car so uncomfortable that it’s hard to believe anyone truly drove it before signing off.

Against my own expectations, I’ve grown to genuinely love my Nissan S15—converting this longtime skeptic of a drift-era icon into a true S-chassis enthusiast.

Updates have arrived for the VW EV, but it's still trailing key rivals 2025 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman I haven’t enjoyed any stint with the ID.4 since its initial launch five years ago. Four previous examples have underwhelmed, especially when stacked against sometimes superb competition. The 2026 updates have certainly improved the ID.4 in top-spec Pro S trim, but there are still fundamental shortcomings that prevent i

This electric crossover is ballistically fast and reasonably priced, but that's it 2025 Volvo EX30 review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman Well, that wasn’t on my bingo card for 2025 — but then again, neither was cervical disc replacement. For some, especially the unsuspecting, the sheer speed of the Volvo EX30 may be enough to cause potential disc issues of their own. Insurance companies likely won’t love the rapid spread of hypercar‑quick, mainstream e

The standard V6 version tested here is sadly no longer relevant. 2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman As beautiful as the Palisade is on the inside, this may be an instance of Hyundai simply going too far. The real trouble with the Palisade has always been the Kia Telluride, its better-looking twin sister. Styling changes have made the new Palisade nearly unrecognizable compared to the 2020 original, and its attempt t

2026 Volvo XC90 T8 Ultra review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman I had really high hopes for the updated and supposedly improved “2025.5” Volvo XC90, but a week with it left me disappointed—mostly by how much hasn’t changed, and the fact that the few changes made actually verge on going the wrong direction. It’s easy to blindly celebrate Volvo for merely existing as a less pretentious Swedish alternative to the typical German luxury fare, but the fundame

The all-wheel drive Ioniq 5 sees big gains in range even on the XRT example 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman After driving a mildly refreshed ID.4 Pro S and noting some improvements for the German brand, Hyundai serves a reminder of just how far behind Volkswagen remains. Past Ioniq 5s tested by The Road Beat suffered from relatively weak real-world range, but recent updates bring a greatly improved and more consistent dis

The Prius impresses with its plug-in hybrid powertrain 2026 Toyota Prius PHEV review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman I almost couldn’t believe another yellow Prius had arrived on my doorstep. A standard Prius Nightshade in this same mustard hue visited earlier this summer, and I had to make sure it wasn’t back for a repeat and duplicate stay. Relief came only after spotting the extra charging port on this plug-in hybrid example, but the same unfortunat

Dubbed the 1958, this basic SUV shares the same engine, clever 4WD system, and fundamental off-road chops as its pricier siblings, but skips the often unnecessary luxury.

This is not a truck for everyone, and to many, they won’t even consider it a truck at all.

Great gas mileage is not enough to take this hybrid over the amazing inline six version 2025 Mazda CX-90 PHEV review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman TL;DR: Don’t bother with the PHEV version of the otherwise excellent CX-90 SUV. For a deeper dive into why, check out my review of the standout CX-90 powered by its glorious inline-six engine. Otherwise, stay here for comments and criticisms explaining how the pricier plug-in hybrid ends up being the worst

The interior is gorgeous not just in how it looks but in how it feels to both driver and passengers, and that’s before even mentioning the exterior

2026 Toyota Crown review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman Looks should never singularly define a car, but when a car resembles the Toyota Crown, resisting judgment becomes difficult. Even though Toyota has had recent design successes like the Prius, the brand proves they're still not afraid to serve us something truly mortifying. The self‑pronounced aesthetician of the 20th century, Lord Henry Wotton, said, "...Real beauty ends where an intellectual expr

Now that it matches Tesla’s range, this stands as the best EV at that coveted and fiercely competitive $50,000 price point.

2026 Honda Passport Trailsport review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman I’d been eagerly awaiting a revamped Honda Passport, and when it comes to visuals, this new edition dressed in Trailsport guise nails the mission brief. Purposeful yet not outlandish, this wannabe off-roader channels a bit of Defender-lite flair and finally gives the formerly incognito Passport some well-deserved presence. Unfortunately, despite its rugged makeover, the latest Passpor

The CX-90 continues to wow with its impressive blend of luxury and driving excellence.

This aging lite pickup has its charms, but can't hide its age 2025 Honda Ridgeline Trailsport review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman Honda’s Ridgeline is not a truck that excites upon first greeting, but instead grows on you over time. I haven’t exactly given glowing reviews of Ridgelines in the past, but a reintroduction to Honda’s midsize pickup was welcome after recent drives in Toyota’s new Tacoma—a truck that has ballooned in price with its latest

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 review by The Road Beat Words and pictures: Mitchell Weitzman Hyundai’s meteoric rise in quality over the past...