Week-long press vehicle reviews scored on the published MoneyShift rubric: Capability, Daily Livability, Value, Character, and Feel, out of 10, with redline starting at 9. Every car is driven on real roads with real errands, and every verdict is filed permanently in The Garage.
7.8/10 The Subaru Outback Wilderness runs a 260 hp turbo boxer, 9.5 inches of ground clearance, electronically controlled dampers for the first time on an Outback, and a window sticker of $49,480 as tested in Deep Emerald Green Pearl. I came into this one loving the Subaru Outback, but unsure of this new generation’s design. I…
8.1/10 The Toyota RAV4 Woodland plug-in hybrid makes 324 hp, carries a rated 49 miles of electric range that I routinely beat, and stickers at $46,895 before options, $47,745 as tested before destination. I have been rejecting the RAV4 for a long time. Not because I doubted it was good, reliable, or the right look, but…
8.4/10 The Toyota Sienna Platinum is a 245 hp hybrid minivan with a refrigerator, a vacuum, and an EPA rating of 36 mpg, a number that I have confidently beat in the real world consistently. I am a millennial dad, a group that you can almost solely attribute to causing minivan sales to climb again, so…
7.6/10 The Ford F-150 Tremor is the point just below the Raptor: a 400 hp 3.5L EcoBoost, a factory lift on 33-inch tires, a two-speed transfer case, and, in the 402A trim I drove, a window sticker over $80,000. Ford gives you the option at this price bracket to either go luxury with the Platinum, or…
6.8/10 The Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is effectively a modern day old Rav4. It makes 196 hp, comes with standard all-wheel drive, carries an EPA rating of 42 mpg combined, and starts right around $30,500. I came in expecting an appliance and left pleasantly surprised: for a one-kid family this thing is great. The right amount…
7.2/10 The Kia K4 hatchback GT-Line Turbo is a 190 hp compact with the right suspension, a sharp interior, and is priced right at around $30,000. I wanted it to be a secret weapon, because on paper it has most of the intangibles. What it turned out to be is rarer: a genuinely solid middle option…
7.8/10 The Ford F-250 Super Duty Platinum with the High-Output Power Stroke diesel is a $103,250 heavy-duty pickup with massage seats, the best head-up display in the business, and 1,200 lb-ft of torque. My verdict after a week: this is the American Mercedes S-Class. In Germany, if you want the pinnacle of luxury and technology, you…
8.0/10 The Toyota 4Runner Trailhunter is a factory-built overlander with the i-FORCE MAX hybrid, 33-inch tires, and nearly $70,000 on the window sticker. That is a lot of money for a 4Runner. After a week of daily driving, car seat duty, and multiple cars and coffee runs, my verdict is simple: the efficiency is garbage, the…
