Greenville, S.C.: Fun City near the Blue Ridge Mountains

 

AAE recently visited Greenville, S.C., a city with a population of around 70,000 that has a fun vibe and offers ample natural beauty in the surrounding areas. 

Greenville is near the Blue Ridge Mountains, so if natural attractions are your thing, the city has that readily available. Greenville also boasts a lively downtown with shops, restaurants and art galleries that will satisfy your craving for nightlife, entertainment and creative appreciation. 

One of downtown's key attractions, Falls Park, gives you the best of both of the above worlds: a beautiful park featuring a rushing waterfall, in an area that is surrounded by eateries, bars and eclectic stores that offer stylish merchandise. 

2021 Toyota C-HR: Zippy Hatchback with a Touch of Style

 

After a few years of growth in the compact SUV market, momentum has now seemingly shifted to the subcompact hatchback/crossover segment. This vehicle category offers the fuel economy and convenient size of a subcompact car, but with a little bit of a styling twist and the hatchback rear that can offer better versatility. Today's test-drive vehicle, the 2021 Toyota C-HR, is a prime example. 

The C-HR offers seating for five and a maximum cargo capacity of 37 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

The C-HR has, under the hood, a standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 144 horsepower and is linked to a continuously variable automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. 

Fuel efficiency for the C-HR is rated at 27 mpg city/31 highway.

This hatchback comes in three trim levels: LE, XLE and Limited.

The C-HR offers a zippy ride that is perfect in crowded urban areas. Acceleration is adequate for merging onto a crowded highway. 

And despite this ride being a subcompact, the interior space is efficiently designed to be fairly comfortable. 

Pricing for the C-HR starts at around $22,000 and ranges to around $27,000.

If you're in the market for a stylishly designed hatchback that's good on gas, the C-HR deserves your attention. 

2021 Infiniti QX60: Smooth Ride, Pleasant Amenities

 

If you're in the market for a roomy vehicle that has great amenities, take a good look at the 2021 Infiniti QX60.

This mid-size luxury SUV has seating for up to seven passengers over three rows. It offers a maximum cargo capacity of 76.5 cubic feet with the second- and third-row seats folded down.

The QX60's power plant is a standard 3.5-liter V-6 engine that makes 295 horsepower and is linked to a continuously variable transmission. The standard drivetrain is front-wheel, with all-wheel drive being optional.

The QX60 has two trims: Pure and Luxe.

Driving qualities are as smooth as you might expect, with ample acceleration and responsive braking. 

Fuel economy is rated at 20 mpg city, 27 highway for the front-wheel drive model and 19 and 26 with awd. 

The interior is spacious and neatly designed, though the center stack console is a little on the busy side. 

Pricing for the QX60 starts at around $45,000 and goes to around $53,000.

For an attractive and smooth SUV, the QX60 is a solid choice. 

2021 Toyota Prius: Veteran of the Hybrid Game Still Top-Notch

 

With the movement to decrease dependency on fossil fuels, hybrid vehicles have gained popularity in the past decade or so. One of the pioneers, the Toyota Prius, has been around for a good while and has developed a great reputation. The 2021 edition is no exception. 

The Prius is powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor linked to an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. The standard drivetrain is front-wheel, with all-wheel drive optional. 

Fuel economy for the Prius is generally rated at an EPA-estimated 54 mpg city, 50 highway. The base trim level (L), gets 58 and 53.

Speaking of trim levels, the Prius offers five: L, LE, XLE, 20th Anniversary Edition and Limited. The 20th Anniversary Edition features 17-inch alloy wheels and sporty black accents. 

The Prius provides a maximum cargo capacity of 65.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down.

Pricing for the Prius starts at around $25,000 and ranges to around $33,000.

For a practical, fuel-efficient hybrid, it's hard to beat one of the original offerings, the Toyota Prius.