John Aaron

Jan 24, 2025 | wtop.com | John Aaron

One of the best SUVs out there has ditched its third row, for those who don’t want it. The Mazda CX-70 Turbo S Premium Plus features a smooth and powerful, turbo, six-cylinder engine that moves the vehicle with ease. This one looks great in what’s officially called “Soul Red Crystal Metallic.”Inside, it has tan, leather-trimmed seats with faux suede accents all over the interior.

Jan 10, 2025 | wtop.com | John Aaron

The Acura RDX — the brand’s compact luxury crossover — turned out to be a bit of a surprise hit for me. After I was spoiled with some larger, ultra-luxury SUVs in recent weeks, I thought the baby (for now) Acura would inevitably be a letdown, by no fault of its own. Instead, I really enjoyed the size of the RDX after navigating parking lots in those other big tanks. This one was easy to maneuver, while also comfortably (and luxuriously) holding my two small kids in the back.

Dec 13, 2024 | wtop.com | John Aaron

Despite its name, the Genesis GV80 Coupe is a midsize, two-row SUV, albeit one with a sloping rear roofline. Monikers aside, Hyundai’s luxury brand thought of almost everything when it came to putting this not-really-a-coupe together, and it pretty much had to, since it’s going up against other top marques. Some of the things Hyundai thought up are especially useful. For one, the Genesis really doesn’t want you to get a traffic camera ticket. “Speed camera ahead,” it will say, unprompted.

Jul 26, 2024 | wtop.com | John Aaron

This page contains a video which is being blocked by your ad blocker. In order to view the video you must disable your ad blocker. Lexus has previously offered three-row SUVs known for their luxury and dependability. The problem is those have never been so good at getting people in and out of that last row, or stowing stuff behind it. Access and space have been problematic — until now.

Jul 12, 2024 | wtop.com | John Aaron

The new rough-and-tumble version of the Honda Passport SUV is great off-road, or on what passes for a road in the D.C. area. I didn’t go tearing through mud or driving over rocks, but I got a pretty good idea of the Passport TrailSport’s ability to soak up nasty bumps while navigating a partially-paved downtown street. It does what it does thanks to “a new off-road tuned suspension and trail-ready all-terrain tires,” according Honda.