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It has been about a year and a half since I last tested a Hyundai Ioniq hybrid, a base model stickering for just $23,210. This time around, my tester was a near top of the line limited. Essentially, they are the same vehicle except for content. But that doesn’t mean that this base unit is a stripper? It isn’t as it comes standard with power windows, mirrors, backup camera, and most everything else one could want.

After testing nearly every hybrid on the market including products from Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, and Ford. Toyota’s 2020 Avalon hybrid is the best yet (actually it is tied with the Camry Hybrid and Lexus ES300h which essentially share chassis and hybrid system). Usually, the predominant factor in buying a hybrid is fuel economy and while the Avalon is rated at 43/43/43 mpg which is not the highest rating among hybrids, it can clearly outperform those numbers while doing so many other things extremely well.

Times are good for the auto industry, everyone makes good cars and it’s been that way for about a decade. That goes for full-size trucks, too. But some cars are better than good, some are great and some super-great and Honda/Acura makes great cars and a few super great ones. This new Acura RDX is almost super-great like I would call the Acura TLX SH-AWD A-Spec.

If Acura new radio system was more user-friendly as it’s claimed to be it might make the super great rating. Sometimes it wouldn’t respond to my finger touch. The idea works, but the execution didn’t work all the time.

Mazda has an “all new” Mazda 3. It has some resemblance to the prior generation Mazda 3 but it is a new fourth generation and it had a new designer, Yasutake Tsuchida. Tsuchida continued with the “Kodo” design theme using a very similar, aggressive front end while smoothing out the body ridges and incorporating a sleeker, less complicated rear end. It uses a similar window line except for the “Hofmeister kink” now present in the termination of the rear side windows. It is a better-looking car (then its prior generation) and retains the title of the best-looking compact car.

Toyota created the Avalon about 25 years ago as a more luxurious and bigger Camry. Eventually, Toyota used the Avalon chassis for its Lexus ES350 series. Nothing wrong there. Now in its fifth generation, the all-new Avalon really is all new. While the nameplate is old, it is looking to attract younger drivers. The median age of Avalon drivers has grown from about 60 in 2005 to about 66 currently. For this new generation Avalon, perhaps the question should be asked: “Why are 66-year old’s having all the fun?”

Sure, I like most of the vehicles I test, but there are some that stand out. Then from those stand out motor vehicles, we can find the best of the best. When you factor in price or bang for the buck, that best of the best gets very small, maybe two or three vehicles. The new Genesis G70 is one of them. The other vehicle is the Kia Stinger which is a slightly larger sibling of the G70. I will discuss the differences, but for this Road Beat it is the G70 that gets this ultimate spotlight and my tester was an AWD G70 Sport 3.3T.

Going into its fourth model year of this fourth generation RX, the Lexus RX450hL enters its second year with little revision. But since this is the first time around for this new expanded RX model for the Road Beat, it needs to be discussed as an entirely new model.

2019 Volvo XC90 AWD Inscription, inscribed to be the best, but?

Volvo brought us the XC90 in model year 2003 and it won the Motor Trend SUV of the year. It was a trick vehicle and one of my favorites, especially when equipped with the spectacular 4.4L, 311 hp Yamaha V-8 engine. It was about the perfect SUV with great styling from Volvo designer, Doug Frasher, a man responsible for many great Volvo designs including the S80.

The 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid Touring, Only the performance and fuel economy lets you know it’s a hybrid.

Most of you know I haven’t been a fan of hybrids, but that’s changing and this new Honda Accord Hybrid has put me over the edge, it’s the first hybrid I have ever driven you can’t tell the transition from electric to gas or even start-up that it is a hybrid. The only clue is the phenomenal fuel economy, extreme quiet and ethereal smoothness. You simply can’t feel the integration of the gas motor coming on line. I would buy this hybrid for this and so many other reasons.