As most of you know, I write about cars for a living. While the money isn’t spectacular, the fringe benefits include review cars for the week. If I was a movie critic, I’d get into films free. When I tell people about this, they say, first, “How did you get that job?” Then they think a bit and say, “I could do that job.” Who knows, maybe they could, but I’m the one who gets the keys, at least right now.

Here are quick hits on some cars that have been in my garage recently, all 2024 models:

Lexus UX 250h F Sport Premium. Hybrid SUVs hit a sweet spot in the market right now, so an upscale off-roader that gets good fuel economy (42 mpg combined) will undoubtedly attract tire kickers. The small size makes it easy to park but rear-seat passengers might want something roomier. The hybrid drivetrain produces 181 horsepower, yielding a car with fairly leisurely acceleration—around eight seconds to 60. The F Sport hybrid (above) starts at $44,120.

Lexus RX 500h F Sport. This one’s interesting, a biggish crossover SUV that’s been set up as a performance car. A bit schizophrenic, that. And the styling is a bit ungainly. But the car sure moves out. With a 2.4-liter turbo four and a pair of e-motors, there’s 366 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. That’s a 91-horsepower upgrade from any other RX. The 500h can get to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds. Given the luxury appointments and size, it’s not surprising the car weighs more than 4,700 pounds. It’s pricey at a starting price of $63,800.

Adding to the bottom line are some options you might want, including the Mark Levinson infotainment system, which includes a 14-inch touchscreen and updated navigation ($2,265). Unless the kids get cold easily, skip the heated rear seats ($1,230).

Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin Ultimate and XC60 Recharge eAWD Ultimate Dark. Volvo is in a good position to support customers who want to go green, with either battery electrics or plug-in hybrids in several sizes and prices. There’s also the Polestar offerings, with related powertrains, to consider (both companies are owned by China’s Geely). The specs on the XC40 (above) are impressive—293 miles of EV range, fast-charging capability of 10-80 percent in 28 minutes, and 402 horsepower on tap. It can reach 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. The Volvo is attractively styled, inside and out, and a very comfortable cruiser. Google is built in, and there’s an onboard air purifier. It’s a quite nice approach to electrification with seating for five, but rather pricey at $53,745 (the Core model; for the Ultimate version with updated Harman Kardon sound and adaptive cruise, it’s $60,095).

The XC60 Recharge is a plug-in hybrid that wrings 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet from a two-liter four-cylinder turbo motor and a pair of electrics for AWD. The EV range is 35 miles, but the whole car will go 560 miles without needing to stop—a big advantage of PHEVs. It’s impressive that the XC60 Recharge delivers 63 MPGe but moving all that weight without electric assist yields 28 mpg. In normal operation you should save $1,500 in fuel costs over five years, compared to an average new car.  The SUV is quite luxurious inside, with features like Nappa leather and a crystal glass gear shifter. There are lots of thoughtful touches, and also Volvo’s state-of-the-art safety tech. Rear seat passengers will have plenty of legroom, and also heated seats. This is another pricey one at $67,850. The Ultimate Dark option produces a blackout treatment.

Toyota Highlander Hybrid Platinum Hybrid AWD. Toyota’s strategy of concentrating on hybrids and PHEVs is starting to look smart in the current marketplace. And the Highlander Hybrid (above) is going to win over a lot of fans. The hybrid drive (the same one that’s in the RAV4 Hybrid) yields 36 mpg combined. It can reach 60 mph in a bit over eight seconds, so no speed demon—but who buys a Highlander for performance? Frankly, if you’re buying a Highlander there’s no reason not to get the hybrid version, because there are no compromises in the passenger compartment or roadability, just a modest bump in the price. Don’t expect a roomy third row, but the Highlander is quite utilitarian otherwise. Families, unless they took Cheaper by the Dozen literally, are likely to love it. The LE starts at $40,970. The up-market Platinum (like the test car) is $51,425 before additional options.

Hyundai Kona Limited AWD. Hyundai and Kia are on a roll in 2024, producing some of the best cars in the world, beautifully styled and highly functional, at an attractive price. The Kona (above) is a good entry point, and even in its top form, the Limited, it’s still only $33,175 (the base model is $25,625). The extra money gets the upmarket 1.6-liter turbo motor that’s good for 190 horsepower. There’s an attractive cabin with a pair of 12.3-inch displays that sit together in a wide oval pod. The accent lighting is neat.

The Kona was updated for 2024 with a longer wheelbase and thinner front seats, which combine to make the back seat more comfortable. The fuel economy could be better: it’s 24 mpg city and 29 highway.