It's great to be able to feature a review by Basem Wasef, About.com's Guide to Motorcycles, on our pages again. This time, Basem took a drive in the 2013 Audi Allroad.

Based on the midsize A6, the old Audi Allroad was one of my favorite all-time vehicles, especially when equipped with a honkin' V8 engine. It was like a Swiss Army knife, a great tool for every purpose, and a lot of fun to drive.

The new Allroad is based on the A4, and the result is somewhat less spectacular. It's a little too small to qualify for Swiss Army knife status, with just 35.2 inches of legroom available in the second row.

Basem prefers the capitalized "Allroad" to Audi's mannered "allroad" in his review, and I have respected his wishes. But really, the new vehicle seems a bit lower case when compared with the old one.

Photo © Basem Wasef

It used to be easy to count on one significant change from generation to generation of SUV: They always got bigger and heavier.

Well, that trend is changing, as manufacturers respond to regulation and consumer desire for better fuel economy. SUVs are getting lighter, and though they're not exactly shrinking from generation to generation, they are getting more efficient.

The new 2014 Acura MDX that I just reviewed is 275 lbs lighter than the outgoing generation. That's a lot of weight, especially considering that the dimensions are within inches of the old vehicle, and safety standards have gotten much more stringent in the years since the 2nd generation MDX appeared in 2007.

Despite the weight loss, the new MDX still looks healthy and robust. Take a look at this 2014 Acura MDX Photo Gallery for proof.

Photo © Jason Fogelson

A few weeks ago, I drove the outgoing 2013 Acura MDX, in preparation to drive the new, third generation vehicle. Well, I just returned from Portland, Oregon, where I got behind the wheel of the 2014 Acura MDX. I drove all over Oregon's Wine Country, passing through some beautiful farmland.

Being Oregon, it rained the whole time I was there. Acura kept apologizing for the weather -- but I was thrilled. What better way to test drive an all-wheel drive SUV than with rain-slicked roads?

Photo © Jason Fogelson

You can't spot a diesel without looking closely. When you try to spot the new GLK diesel, what you'll see is an attractive luxury compact SUV.

Take a look at this 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK250 BlueTEC Photo Gallery, then read Aaron's 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK250 BlueTEC Test Drive and Review to find out more.

Photo © Mercedes-Benz