Alex Leanse

Los Angeles

Associate Online Editor at Motor Trend

Guy who likes cars.

Articles

2025 Audi A5 First Drive: A Damn Fine Daily Driver

1 week ago | motortrend.com | Alex Leanse

As sedans fight to find their place in an SUV-hungry world, the Audi A5 enters 2025 (yes, we know the year is half over) with a full redesign, attempting to entice drivers away from choosing yet another crossover. Success? We traveled to scenic Aspen, Colorado, to drive the new 2025 A5 and find out. AI Quick SummaryThe 2025 Audi A5, redesigned as a luxurious hatchback, offers practicality with ample cargo space and a refined interior.
PSA: You Probably Don’t Need to Pay for Tesla’s Brake Burnishing Service

1 week ago | motortrend.com | Alex Leanse

Regenerative braking is one of our favorite aspects of EV driving. With brake regen, you simply lift off the accelerator and the vehicle begins to slow, in some cars to a complete stop. AI Quick SummaryTesla owners experiencing squeaky brakes likely don't need to pay for a brake burnishing service. Instead, use the brakes regularly or follow Tesla's DIY burnishing procedure, which involves braking from 50-55 mph. This issue is common in EVs due to regenerative braking.
You Can't Give Teslas Away These Days, but Tesla's Actually Trying To

2 weeks ago | motortrend.com | Alex Leanse

Free car giveaways are typically associated with TV game shows, radio sweepstakes, or halftime contests, but right now there’s one being hosted directly by an automaker. By participating in Tesla’s “TeslaVision” contest, you could score a brand-new Model Y and a private tour of the Texas Gigafactory.
You Can't Give Teslas Away These Days, but Tesla's Actually Trying To

2 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Alex Leanse

A Secret Island In New York City Popular With Artists Has Boats, Beaches, And A New England Resort VibeNew York City isn't something we think of as synonymous with boat-lined harbors and seafood shacks. But just off the coast of the Bronx is a …
2025 Audi Q5 and SQ5 First Drive: With All Due Respect

2 weeks ago | motortrend.com | Alex Leanse

A compact luxury SUV has to do it all—being both easy to park yet roomy inside, luxurious but not too expensive, sporty but comfortable—and the 2025 Audi Q5 does. After a few hundred miles of driving the new Q5 and SQ5 on beautiful Colorado back roads, we’re left struggling to think of ways it comes up short, even if we’re not exactly yearning for more time behind the wheel.
2025 Audi Q5 Interior Review: Too Much Touchscreen?

2 weeks ago | motortrend.com | Alex Leanse

Like its redesigned exterior, the new 2025 Audi Q5’s interior evolves from the chiseled yet austere appearance of the outgoing model. There’s a bit more flourish inside, enlivening the space. Still, practicality and ease of use remain areas of focus—this is a luxury SUV, after all. But the most prominent change in the new Q5’s cabin is its digital displays, so let’s use them—all three—as a starting point for our 2025 Audi Q5 interior review.
2025 Audi Q5 Interior Review: Too Much Touchscreen?

2 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Alex Leanse

Teased: Audi's Next Q3 Suiting Up For Its Big DebutThe current-generation Audi Q3 has been on the market since 2019, so it's safe to say that it's in dire need of an update. Besides, it's one of …
The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Charges *Slower* Using Tesla's NACS Port?!

3 weeks ago | motortrend.com | Alex Leanse

As more EVs are built with the North American Charging System (NACS) port, the charging convenience that was once a main selling point for any Tesla is opening up to more vehicles. NACS, designed by Tesla and for years exclusive to that automaker, is innovative, user-friendly, and capable. More important, a NACS port allows non-Tesla EVs to use some 20,000 Tesla Superchargers that are part of the largest and most reliable public fast-charging network.
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 XRT First Test: Activate Real SUV Mode!

3 weeks ago | motortrend.com | Alex Leanse

Proper fun in mild dirtGreat as an everyday do-it-all crossoverBuilt-in NACS convenienceOff-road gear brings on-road compromisesUsing Tesla Superchargers not yet optimalPrice close to high-end Ioniq 5 Limited trimIs the Hyundai Ioniq 5 really an SUV? Despite winning our 2023 SUV of the Year award, the internet seemed stubbornly convinced that Hyundai’s excellent EV just wasn’t legit.
Updated SUV Hits and Misses

1 month ago | motortrend.com | Alex Leanse

Excellent perceived qualityRelaxing driving mannersBeautiful interior materialsGlitchy, frustrating techCould use a Sport modeNoisy brakesWhen MotorTrend named the Volvo XC90 the SUV of the Year back in 2016, we knew it was impressive—but this impressive? How could we have predicted it’d still feel modern a decade later? At a vintage when most vehicles have already given way to a new generation, the XC90 has received an extensive refresh.