SEL Topic Hub

2020 Hyundai Palisade SEL FWD Review by Ben Lewis

We recently tested the all-new Kia Telluride, and came away mightily impressed. So, we couldn’t wait to try its sibling, the Hyundai Palisade. We were surprised in a couple ways. They’re very different, and yet both deserve your consideration. And Hyundai’s flagship SUV even has a surprising accent. (Not to be confused with the Hyundai Accent) Swedish Fish Many times we’ve pointed out that Kia design feels very European, thanks in part to putting Peter Schreyer the head of Audi design in charge. Hyundai has never felt that way, until now. Well, except for the front. Here we have a …

Dec 27, 2019 Read more

2019 VW Tiguan SEL Premium 4Motion Review by Ben Lewis

We recently tested the massive 2019 Toyota Sequoia, and we felt that it had earned the motto (ok, we read it on a popcorn box) Big is More. In its class the jumbo Toy makes the most of its size. But it’s not the only class where size matters. Take for example the 2019 VW Tiguan. The previous gen was one of our favorite small SUV’s – it felt like you were getting some GTI DNA mixed in with crossover practicality. When time came around for VW to update the Tig, it decided to aim directly for the U.S. market. …

Oct 28, 2019 Read more

2019 VW Arteon SEL 4Motion – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

We recently tested the all new Nissan Altima, and came away impressed and hopeful for the fate of the 4-door sedan. Yes, the Crossover/SUV is the new King, but there still seems to be plenty of room in the royal family for a sedan. And for a lot of manufacturers – especially luxury brands – there still needs to be a halo sedan. Enter the VW Arteon. Replacing the VW CC, which was a stylish version of the Passat Sedan, the Arteon, is bigger, more stylish and more expensive. So our question – Is VW’s new flagship a dreamboat, or …

Oct 07, 2019 Read more

2019 VW Beetle Convertible 2.0T Final Edition SEL – Review by Ben Lewis

Sometimes when cars go away, we don’t mourn their passing. Usually, those cars are nothing special, having outlived their usefulness, or are being replaced with something much better. But the VW Beetle has always been more than that. So, we’re truly sad to see this cheerful little vehicle go away. Who doesn’t need to smile today? Auf Wiedersehen, Baby… The appropriately named Final Edition is sending the Beetle off in a fine way. VW has a habit of making cool last models, and this one is no exception. We were lucky enough to score the Convertible version – it just …

May 25, 2019 Read more

2019 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross SEL 1.5T S-AWC – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

What’s in a name? Well, if you’re Mitsubishi, that’s a good question. Until recently, the company has kind of languished in the market place, with fewer dealers and a small line-up of vehicles. All of that changed recently with the purchase of Mitsu by Nissan. Deep pockets, advanced engineering, and massive resources mean good things ahead for the brand. There are a couple names that do stand out, Evo – the high-performance rally-bred four-door sedan that’s a legendary giant-killer in performance circles. No longer in production. And then there’s Eclipse, an equally legendary front wheel and all-wheel drive sport coupe …

Dec 30, 2018 Read more

2017 VW E-Golf SEL Premium – Road Test Review – By Ben Lewis

OK, we’re a little late to the EV game. We recently tested the Soul EV, and came away charmed by the unique driving experience, and the way Kia made the electric Soul feel special and unique – like driving a car of the future. Which is a great counterpoint to the VW Golf EV. While the Kia celebrates its EV-ness, the Golf plays it the other way – it completely feels like any other Golf, the only difference is that it has a different way of fueling up. For someone with EV anxiety, or who just wants to go electric …

Nov 15, 2018 Read more

2018 VW Atlas V6 SEL Premium w/ 4Motion – Road Test Review + Video

A recent comment on our amazing VW Atlas youtube drive review has really stuck in my craw. “Atlas is not a Tahoe competitor,” they say. “Atlas competes with Pilot and Highlander, dude,” is the refrain. And I used to agree with these guys. On paper, Atlas with its seating for 8 and pricing from $30k, might seem like a natural rival to car-based midsize crossovers. It even runs a standard turbo four and front-wheel drive, after all! (Same for new Q7 on the turbo four…) But Atlas is so much more than a proper three-row rival to Explorer and Durango. …

Mar 19, 2018 Read more

2017 VW Golf TSI SEL (Wolfsburg Edition) – Road Test Review w/ Video

Three tentpole themes define the VW Golf SEL for 2017: its discreetly sporty drive manners, its intense build quality, and how the SEL might be sweet spot of the Golf line. Some clarity into the SEL vs Wolfsburg trims, too. This post is centered on the very-good performance drive video below. We start outside the car and hop in to floor it down some country roads. Then a right turn into one of the twistiest roads we have here by the Atlantic Ocean here in South Carolina. Fun to Drive There we find the Golf’s mid-spec 1.8-liter turbo plays very nicely …

Feb 25, 2017 Read more

2017 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T SEL Premium – Road Test Review – By Lyndon Johnson

In Europe, they make fun of the Volkswagen Passat Americans drive. Their suspension and materials are superior, they argue. OK, fine. Relish that superiority, Europe. That doesn’t change the fact the ‘Merican Passat remains one of the best all-around midsize family sedans in ‘Merica. Family values I spent a week with a 2017 VW Passat and pretty much fell in love with its practicality and handsome good looks — but mostly its practicality. Some people have criticized this generation of the Passat for being too understated. It takes on Volkswagen’s corporate low-and-wide styling, so the grille and headlights aren’t …

Dec 05, 2016 Read more

2016 Volkswagen PASSAT 1.8T SEL Premium – HD First Drive

Watch us put the new VW Passat through some autocross corners around Georgia’s Lake Lanier Islands Resort. Thrilled with the 1.8T engine’s thrust and the car’s handling balance — as well as the six-speed automatic, which fooled us into thinking it was a DSG! But actually just a terrific Tiptronic with Sport mode. Impressive. 2016 Volkswagen PASSAT 1.8T SEL Premium 2016 Volkswagen PASSAT 1.8T SEL Premium – Interior

Sep 02, 2016 Read more

2016 Volkswagen TIGUAN SEL 4Motion – Review By Tim Esterdahl

REVIEW: 2016 VW Tiguan AWD – Fun Drive, Boring Design In some cases cars are designed so perfectly their popularity can carry them for years and well beyond when they typically receive updates. For the 2016 VW Tiguan, this is not the case and the all-new 2018 model, set to arrive next summer, is desperately needed. The fact is there is nothing wrong with the Tiguan per se, yet there isn’t really anything that exciting either and that’s a problem. The compact crossover market these days is hot with many great models from all manufactures. Typically, these vehicles provide ample room, …

Aug 11, 2016 Read more

2016 Mitsubishi Outlander SEL S-AWC – Road Test Review – By Carl Malek

2016 has brought a stormy spring to our beloved Mitsubishi. From the firm’s recent troubles with emissions, to the ensuing merger with Nissan, the company has forged through some pretty turbulent waters. But can models like the recently updated 2016 Outlander allow Mitsubishi to tap into the recent surge in SUV/CUV sales? Or does it get lost in the shuffle? The exterior styling of my Cosmic Blue tester is certainly an improvement over past iterations of the Outlander, but it ends up being disjointed and unbalanced. On the one hand, the front fascia embodies the sporty spirit that once defined some …

Jul 06, 2016 Read more

Drive Review – 2016 Mitsubishi Lancer 2.4 SEL AWC – By Ken “Hawkeye” Glassman

The Mitsubishi Lancer is 10 years old, and unfortunately, it’s showing its age. It is by far the oldest compact sedan in its class, which includes the Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra, Honda Civic, and Chevy Cruze, among others. And except for the all-wheel drive feature, and a modest price, the other models have passed this Lancer by in terms of interior quality, refinement, gas mileage, and styling. The base engine in the front-wheel-drive ES model is a 148-horsepower 2.0 inline 4, with either a 5-speed manual or optional CVT automatic transmission. The gas mileage …

May 23, 2016 Read more

1971 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.8 AMG in 44 High-Res Photos

For a race car to become an icon, it typically needs to achieve much more on the track than this 1971 300 SEL. A single second-place trophy at Spa racing against Ford Capri’s and Chevy Camaro’s? That is the win that this first-ever AMG model has in its quiver. So disposable that the original car was even sold off – and never to be seen again? It is true. This is the sole Mercedes-Benz replica created in 2005 to celebrate AMG joining the official Daimler Benz family. So what does it represent today, beyond an amazing sample of a Merc …

Jan 01, 2015 Read more

Road Test Review – 2014 Ford C-MAX Hybrid SEL – Great Handling, Refinement, Efficiency and Cargo Space

2014 Ford C-MAX Hybrid SEL Review Looks like I shaved before taking video two (in blue shirt), which always helps to look less like a mountain man…! Second video is directly below and is a bit more interesting overall. These are from last Fall, but went unpublished due to my then-editor rejecting the story topic. This was pre-GoPro — which just proves how much easier it is to make quality content when you have a week with the car versus twenty minutes. Sadly, my long-form original review and photos of this machine were shredded via a previous Toshiba laptop. My …

Mar 29, 2014 Read more

Passat Sport New-for-2014 with Black Roof, Turbo and 19-in Luxor Wheels From $27k

The 2014 Passat Sport is news to me: where did this very affordable and chic black optics pack come from! A surprise and delight, to be sure, from Volkswagen ahead of the big show next week. The 2014 Passat Sport is a trim line between SE and SEL, with manual or automatic boxes available to suit your preference. The Sport is offered with the strong 1.8-liter Volkswagen turbo that has seen action mostly in high-powered models not imported to the States. Luckily, the new turbo will roll out across the full VW USA line-up in the coming years. Boost is …

Jan 07, 2014 Read more

Speculative Rendering – 2015 Volkswagen Passat R

Some big changes at Volkswagen of America this week, with executive leadership heads rolling to account for the current VW sales slump and steep down-trend. This is unfortunate, but just a cost of doing business. The previous acting chief doubled sales in 24 months, which is pretty astounding until you realize how low VW of America’s sales actually were. But what is the root cause? They are many and varied – but it comes down to the dated, extremely boring and overpriced US product portfolio. As many of you may know, I like to play with car configurators online. …

Dec 13, 2013 Read more