V&R@5: My Five Favorite Vehicles of the V&R Era

You like automobiles. So do I.

This journey of the past five years were born with a simple concept – to love cars. This journey had been mixed with cars, trucks and SUV/crossovers. These vehicles provide the backbone of the work towards conveying how one can live with them on a daily basis.

Therefore, we finally made it. These are my Five Favorite Vehicles of the V&R Era. Each of them earn this spot for many reasons. They could have been VOTY winners in the past. Or, they could have simply elevated the art of driving. Or, maybe, they were simply wonderful to work with.

These five may not have stirred everyone's soul, but they do reflect the breadth of work that has been the backbone of Victory & Reseda. Each one of them deserve their own place in this work's resume.

As the apex of this Fifth Anniversary celebration, here are my five favorite vehicles I had the privilege to work with over these past five years…

2011- BUICK REGAL: This is the first VOTY winner after the rebanding of this site. That is not the only reason why this GM Europe-developed Chinese favorite appears on this list. It is the kind of sedan that wants to play, while being serious about its business. There are a handful of cars that can do that. However, the Regal provided the best headlines in this work. It is the first car I drove on a major motorsports venue. It is part of a travel story that brought me back to my birthplace. Overall, the Regal provided some wonderful moments in this work. It continues to hold a special place in my professional life.

2015- LEXUS RC: This is what I consider the modern interpretation of the classic 2+2 coupe. After driving two versions of it, the RC offers a lot for those who grew up when coupes mattered. The RC 350 F Sport is a classic cruiser, enabling the driver to enjoy the drive without the worry of thinking it is in a race. However, the RC F provides performance without the drama. No other car in my life has ever given me the thrill of the road…and track…without the fear of a novice. Both cars are easy to drive. They are also the easiest to enjoy.

2015- VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R: This more than just the seventh-generation Golf. It pulverizes any Golf before it. It makes a GTI just a mere hatchback. It is also the one car that gave me a new level of driving confidence. Yet, it is on the street where this confidence was earned – not the track. Although, I could imagine taking it on the track and seeing how it would carve one out. Yet, it was the focus of a huge debate among the readership – a third option between the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and the Subaru WRX STI. In my humble opinion, this is the best sports compact around – period.

2013- LEXUS LS 460: A game changer twenty-six years ago is still the “big ol' softy” today. I have driven some flagship sedans, but the LS has always been a tangible one for me to sample. Some have pitted it down as not being the pinnacle of luxury, yielding to the Germans and the British for that vaunted title. Others think ity is long in the tooth for a few generations. I am not buying either one. In a Lexus LS, one can still rule the universe while lofting away on the highway – cruise control on at a relaxing speed. The smoothness alone feels just right to my taste. Nothing speaks to my kind of luxury than the big Lexus.

2012- RAM 1500: Among mere cars, comes a pickup truck. This was not the first truck I reviewed in my work, but it has become a continuous storyline through its determination to become a standalone brand for FCA's North American commercial vehicle line. We used to call them Dodges, but as a Ram – they advanced the half-ton pickup further. From employing rear independent suspension, adjustable air-assisted leveling, a diesel-fueled engine and other technological innovations, the Ram 1500 showed me how a truck could be when the lid has been removed. I like most of the pickups out in the marketplace these days, but I will always default to a Ram to show what a truck should be today.