Category: My Thoughts Exactly

April 14, 2021

My Thoughts Exactly: 2021 Nissan Armada

You see them travel in packs. They’re lined up to pick up their kids from school. They’re been loaded and off-loaded with large bags of sports gear. They’re clogging up parking lots and multi-story garages for any ol’ activity you can attend safely within pandemic guidelines.

April 12, 2021

My Thoughts Exactly: 2021 Nissan Sentra

That is the beauty of a car like this. No one expected it to be good. Not when Nissan had its share of bad publicity in recent years. While we sift through the news, Nissan has been making strides on their latest offerings.

March 31, 2021

My Thoughts Exactly: 2021 Hyundai Elantra

The chance to write about four generations of Elantras – dating back to when I was renting the fourth-generation model and writing about it – is what this work is all about. To see the progress of a single model through multiple generations and watching the evolution – or, in some cases, revolution – of a vehicle.

March 24, 2021

My Thoughts Exactly: 2021 Volkswagen Arteon

Two years ago, I worked with the then-new Volkswagen Arteon. It made such an impression upon me that it landed on the My Favorites list for that year. I even said that "[w]hile a Volkswagen fan may just get a GTI, Golf R, and Jetta GLI and call it a day, I’d spend the extra money on an Arteon."

March 17, 2021

My Thoughts Exactly: 2021 Genesis GV80

However, the automotive world has evolved in the past decade. Sedans are fine, but you need an SUV to make any money. People want SUVs. That is the drumbeat of marketing teams across the industry.

March 10, 2021

My Thoughts Exactly: 2021 Toyota Venza

For example, how many of you owned a Toyota Venza? You know, the one that some of my fellow pundits once crowned it a "Camry Station Wagon" when they first came out in 2008.

March 7, 2021

My Thoughts Exactly: 2021 Acura TLX

I know, this theme is getting old. But, consider the entire story of Honda’s luxury brand. Where it started some 35 years ago with two models – the Integra and Legend. The path where it showed the Europeans and Americans that you can deliver on the promise of offering something special and backing it up with a great dealer network and dedicated staff from the Acura division.

February 24, 2021

My Thoughts Exactly: 2021 Honda Odyssey

The story of the Honda Odyssey follows the trajectory of the brand in this country. It is developed off of a platform that forms two mid-sized SUVs, a unibody pickup truck, and this minivan – all of which are North American market exclusives.

February 17, 2021

My Thoughts Exactly: 2021 Lexus NX 300h

The good news is that it is still with us. It’s debut in 2014 helped put Lexus at par with other luxury compact SUVs at the time. Although it is due for an all-new model soon, the current NX is familiar enough to warrant another look.

February 9, 2021

My Thoughts Exactly: 2021 Chrysler Pacifica

A year ago, Chrysler showed off this revised 2021 Pacifica to the world at the Chicago Auto Show. Little did I know that it was happening at all. I did not pay attention to my social media while on the plane heading to Chicago early that morning. I believe it was as I was on Chicago Transit Authority’s Orange Line “L” from Midway Airport that I discovered that this minivan took the stage first at McCormick Place.