Few vehicles define a segment quite as clearly as the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. Before it came along nine years and one generation ago, there really weren't any subcompact crossovers. Today, competitors like the Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona and Jeep Renegade keep popping out. Unlike those, though, the Crosstrek continues to basically be an Impreza hatchback with a 3.6-inch suspension lift, some black body cladding and chunky roof rails. It's a recipe that also continues to work. 

Despite sharing a chassis with the definitely-not-a-crossover Impreza, the Crosstrek still manages to offer class-leading ground clearance with a correspondingly tall seating position and good visibility, multiple driving modes geared toward inclement weather and dirt roads, and a reasonably sized cargo area — you know, the kinds of things that small crossover buyers will actually use and appreciate. And like nearly all other Subarus, the Crosstrek comes standard with all-wheel drive. It now offers a choice of three powertrains (including a plug-in hybrid) and may very well be the best buy in its segment.

The redesigned 2021 Acura TLX will launch in the United States on September 28 and a handful of publications have had the opportunity to test it.

It's Child Passenger Safety Week in the United States. According to the global nonprofit Safe Kids Worldwide, vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death and injury for American children and correctly used child car seats can reduce the risk of death by 71%. However, also according to Safety Kids Worldwide, 60% of car seats are not used or installed correctly. 

In normal circumstances, you could take your car and car seat to some fire stations or other locations for a certified passenger safety technician to make sure you've install it correctly. While you may be able to find an in-person location that's open, there are a variety of online and virtual opportunities available. Of course, simply reading the instructions can go a long way. So can researching and then buying a seat that is well-engineered to be easy to install. I found Baby Gear Lab's testing and ratings to be particularly useful when shopping for my own infant car seat. I even bought their No. 1 pick, the Chicco KeyFit 30, which you can see in this test.

The 2021 Honda Odyssey has achieved the highest award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Top Safety Pick+. Although the Odyssey is not a new generation for 2021, it does benefit from several changes, including newly standard active-safety features and new LED headlamps that appear across the lineup.

Previously, the 2020 Odyssey performed well in all six crash tests, achieving the highest, Good, score in all six. It's halogen headlamps, however, were rated Marginal and Poor (depending on the version). And its collision-avoidance system had not been tested. The 2021 Odyssey has LED headlamps as standard, and they earned an Acceptable score. Additionally, the Odyssey's collision-avoidance system is now included on all trims, and it earned a Superior rating in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian tests. The Odyssey also received a Good+ score for LATCH ease of use — the best among minivans — although that is not part of the criteria for a TSP+ award.

The 2021 Toyota Venza is a new, hybrid-only crossover that doesn't share much of anything with its predecessor save for the name. It does, however, share an awful lot with the RAV4 Hybrid, including its powertrain and underlying platform. However, the Venza is distinctive enough in style, features and refinement to appeal to different audiences – and command a higher price. 

Toyota took the Venza further upmarket in a bid to appeal to those who want a more refined crossover, but still want the efficiency of a hybrid vehicle. If you go for the top trim, the Venza is encroaching on entry-level Lexus territory with its design and materials. No RAV4 can say the same. It deviates from the competitive set, too. Where other midsize crossovers aim for sportiness and style, the Venza aims for good fuel economy and style. So even though Toyota is using a more traditional body style than the original hatchback/wagon/SUV/other Venza, the new one is still sticking its neck out hoping that it can find buyers who care more about saving fuel than 0-60 mph times. When it comes to crossovers, we think that's a fair bet to make.

Buildup for the 2021 Acura TLX started more than a year ago when Acura released the stunning Type S Concept. It was long, low, wide and graced with gorgeous rear-drive proportions. Plus, it was slathered in some of the best blue paint we've ever seen. Acura could not have thought of a better way to say, "Hey, we're back!"

It's no surprise that the Type S Concept is a dead ringer for the production TLX. Acura designers told us the car was just about finished when the concept debuted. So yeah, the new TLX and TLX Type S were always going to look this good. The latter won't be arriving until next spring, but our first drive of this next-gen base TLX has us hopeful for the Type S and its 3.0-liter turbocharged V6. And maybe just a little nervous, too. 

The 2021 RDX is the latest in Acura's lineup to get the PMC Edition treatment. This limited-run, hand-built model follows the TLX and MDX PMC Editions and be finished in the same Thermal Orange Pearl that was pioneered on the NSX. 

Blessedly, the "PMC in PMC Edition doesn't stand for pumpkin-anything. Rather, it's shorthand for the facility where just 360 examples of this crossover will be hand-assembled: Acura's Performance Manufacturing Center — the home of the Acura NSX — on Honda's Marysville, Ohio, campus. Each PMC Edition arrives in Marysville as a "body in white," ready to assemble and receive the paint process normally reserved for the NSX.

Nissan has officially started U.S. production of the all-new 2021 Rogue at its plant in Smyrna, Tennessee.

The reveal of the Nissan Z Proto is easily the most significant event for Nissan this year, but another of its long-running nameplates is reaching a big milestone, too. The Nissan Maxima full-size flagship sedan is turning 40 years old. To celebrate, there's a 2021 Nissan Maxima 40th Anniversary Edition, complete with all the bells and whistles and some unique trimmings.

On the outside, the special edition Maxima gets an exclusive two-tone gray and black paint job. The 19-inch wheels as well as all the trim and badges are finished in black, too. Even the exhaust tips are painted back.

The 2021 Mazda CX-30 is one of those cars that can be considered an alternative to a variety of segments. It provides a higher seating position than compact hatchbacks like the Mazda3, with which it's nearly identical under the skin. It's smaller than bigger, pricier compact SUVs like Mazda's CX-5 or the Honda CR-V, yet it's also more spacious and refined than subcompact models like the Hyundai Kona. Meanwhile, its ritzy interior, sleek styling and budget-Porsche driving dynamics mean you can legitimately cross-shop it with luxury models like the Audi Q3, BMW X2 and Mercedes GLA.

Actually, not only can you cross-shop it with those, we think it's a much smarter purchase. The CX-30 was one of the most compelling new cars introduced last year, and it gets even better for 2021 thanks to the introduction of the new 2.5 Turbo model. It's still not vice free, though: The tech interface isn't ideal for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and we aren't alone in thinking that the huge plastic wheel arches look cheap rather than evoking some sort of Subaru-like off-road cred. Yet taken as a whole, this in-betweener alternative should make sense for a lot of buyers, no matter which type of car or SUV they initially started looking for.

BERLIN, Ohio — If horsepower is good, then more horsepower must be better. And in the case of the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek, more horsepower comes courtesy of an optional 2.5-liter engine that provides potential buyers with a long-desired alternative to the meager 2.0-liter four-cylinder that remains standard equipment.

Of course, there's more to the 2021 Crosstrek story than more displacement. There's a nip here, a tuck there, and the addition of a new Sport trim level. It all adds up to what we think is the best buy in its segment. And that's saying something, considering that the number of subcompact crossover choices has grown exponentially since the Crosstrek went on sale for the 2013 model year.

Well, the rumors were true. The 2021 Mazda CX-30 subcompact crossover will be offered with a 227-horsepower turbocharged engine producing 310 pound-feet of torque. Dubbed the 2.5 Turbo, the new entry will come with standard all-wheel drive when it goes on sale later this year. 

Following in the footsteps of the lower-slung Mazda3 sedan and hatchback, the CX-30 gets the 2.5-liter turbocharged engine that was previously reserved for the company's larger offerings. Capable of producing 250 hp and 320 lb-ft with 93 octane gas, the grunty four-cylinder has revived some of the old "Zoom-Zoom" that many felt the company's lineup was lacking after the demise of Mazda's 2.3-liter turbocharged engine and Ford-sourced V6. 

Cue up Semisonic, it's closing time for the current-generation Honda Civic. It sure had a good run, though, as it managed to get back all the mojo that had been lost with its underwhelming and barely competitive predecessor. Available in sedan, hatchback and now-discontinued coupe body styles, along with the Civic Si and Civic Type R performance models, Honda's definitive compact car returned to its status as a segment leader.

That's still the case for the 2021 Honda Civic despite the fact that it's about to be replaced. It remains spacious for the segment and boasts a clever, functional interior. The driving experience is refined with nicely balanced ride and handling, while the available turbocharged engine upgrade provides class-leading acceleration and fuel economy. There's also the matter of Honda's low ownership costs and high retained value. Now, the Civic does show its age with its frustrating infotainment and safety technologies, as well as its interior's materials quality and design (especially compared to the Mazda3 and Nissan Sentra). We also never warmed to the busy, vent-riddled styling (the Honda Insight hybrid manages to be much prettier despite sharing the same bones). Though we know very little about the next-generation Civic, we do expect these issues to be addressed.

The 2021 Honda Passport is arriving at U.S. dealerships and the company has announced pricing will begin at $32,590.