I’ve always been a big fan of the Toyota Corolla for being a great compact sedan all-arounder. Corollas have always focused on good looks, packaging value, fuel economy, and safety features. Going back into the archives of Corolla history, you even had sport compact models that checked the performance box like the 80s Corolla AE86 and FX16 GT-S Hatchback. There was even the late 80s Corolla GT-S Sport Coupe that is still one of my favorite designs.

Aside from the early 2000s Corolla XRS, there’s been a long drought of enthusiast-oriented Corollas lately. This is going to change, of course, with the introduction of the Toyota GR Corolla, but the GR isn’t for everyone.

For individuals looking for something between the GR and the regular Corolla, Toyota has introduced the Corolla Apex Edition for 2022. While not an outright performance model, the Apex Edition aims to add a bit of spice to the relatively bland but safe Corolla.

I enjoy very few things more than an early Sunday morning drive with a great group of friends and a great group of cars. This month’s GOAD trip took us through some curvy roads to the northwest of Houston, through the Sam Houston National Forest. This month’s drive was a recon run with 12 cars to see if this route could manage a larger group, and it was an absolute blast.

I was driving the 2022 Lexus LC500h Bespoke Build, while everyone else brought out their Porsches. We had everything from a gorgeous Cobalt Blue 996 to a 1 of 500 991.2 911 Turbo S Exclusive Edition. The best part about our drive group is that everyone has fun regardless of what car they’ve brought out. These cars are meant to be driven and enjoyed, not just stared at in a parking lot, and once a month, we do just that.

Get Out and Drive.

Photos: Lexus
The 2022 Lexus ES300h sits as the middle child in the Lexus family of luxury sedans, between the sporty compact IS and the big body flagship LS, and is the best-selling sedan in the Lexus lineup. This seventh-generation Lexus ES debuted in the model year 2019 and has received numerous technology, safety, and packaging upgrades for the model year 2022 to help keep the ES relevant in today’s fast-changing vehicle market.

The 2022 Lexus NX450h+ PHEV (plug-in hybrid) sits at the top of the Lexus NX lineup as the best performing and most technology-packed member of the NX family. Based on the fantastic Toyota RAV4 Prime, Lexus elevates the NX450h+ in a way that leaves the competition in the dust.

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 is the new flagship off-roader in the Silverado lineup, besting the Silverado Trail Boss in off-road capability and rugged looks. The much-needed interior and exterior updates to the Silverado take one of our least favorite trucks we’ve tested and propel it to the head of the class.

New for 2023 in the Silverado ZR2 is the availability of the ZR2 Bison package, which is fitted by the renowned off-road outfitter, American Expedition Vehicles (AEV). While we didn’t have a chance to test the Bison, the 2023 Silverado ZR2 is still one of our favorite off-road trucks on the market, just like it comes from dealers.

The new 2023 Nissan Z Performance is one of those cars that made my heart flutter the minute the first Z Proto images were released in September of 2020. The automotive world could hardly believe that Nissan was bringing a new iteration of the Z to production and that the production car would closely resemble the concept Z Proto. Nissan kept their word, revealing a production Nissan Z that looks better than the concept.

Automotive enthusiasts welcomed this new Nissan Z into the world with open arms. The excitement quickly turned into speculation about how well the Z performed compared to the competition. Like in the 90s, Nissan has stiff competition from the Toyota Supra and other small compact sport coupes in 2022.

Nissan needed to come out swinging and make a car that paid homage to all the Zs of years past and also be an enthusiast car with wide appeal. Given pressures to keep costs down, could Nissan measure up with the Z?

Readers, I’m here to tell you that the 2023 Nissan Z exceeded every expectation I had for the Z and made me fall head over heels in love with it.