road test

When a car company acquires a new parent, you expect to eventually see a blending of the two company's DNA. When Chrysler left the cold, Teutonic embrace of Mercedes Benz, and joined the fun loving Italians at Fiat, it was only a matter of time...

But the Toyota 4Runner was always one of the tough ones.

And, as the J.D. Power ratings confirm, those old Korean car stereotypes are fading and Hyundai has joined the ranks of high quality Asian imports.

The KIA Forte took the place of the late, unlamented Spectra, which had all the charm and distinctiveness of your average office stapler.

But the Sport is just the ticket for right now. Not too thirsty or too slow.

Whether you have the RT with its 5.7-liter, 360 horsepower V8 Hemi, or the 3.6-liter V6 with its 295 ponies in the luxury Citadel, the truck is a performer.

But getting all this, plus Toyota quality and resale for just under $20,000 is a feat in and of itself, and a reminder of why we all came to love them in the first place.

And though our Grand Touring model came with the all-wheel-drive that is optional on others in the line, it is really more car than truck.

And now, the 10th generation is on the road, and it’s most recent restyle has changed it from a hum drum little commuter to a dramatic little commuter styled to within an inch of its life.

This is the marvelous Mazda 3. I know, it’s not much of a name. But when a car is as sweet as this one is, you only need a number…like 3. I used to contend that Mazda had the most European lineup of the Japanese carmakers. And with the 3, they still do...