Tom Swiatek

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Tom Swiatek

Car reviews and test drives from a perspective of a guy who lived in Europe for a while.

You'll find new vehicle reviews, as well as POV test drives during the day and night on my channel.

29/05/2026

The BMW 550e is a plug-in hybrid with 483 hp.

It uses a 3.0L turbo inline-6 and an electric motor. 0-60 takes around 4 seconds.

27/05/2026

Honestly, the Buick Enclave is pretty good. If it wasn’t for the engine…

25/05/2026

The 5 Series to get?

The BMW 5 Series has always been one of my favorite all-around cars for many reasons - elegant design, great driving dynamics combined with everyday comfort. Exactly what I’m looking for in my daily.

With the debut of the current, G60 a lot has changed. Design aside (which has grown on me), the look and feel of the cabin went south. BMW not only removed a good amount of physical controls, but also put let wrong people pick interior materials.

I can’t say they’re offensive, but truth be told - they don’t feel as nice as they used to. Buttons that stayed are touch sensitive, and require you to take the eyes off the road. BMW claims you can use voice assistant, but sometimes I don’t even want to talk to people, let alone the car.

But there are some good things. BMW has had one of the best tech implementations in the industry, and the 8.5 iteration of BMW OS works great.

The 550e that I tested is a plug-in hybrid and the most powerful non-M variant of the 5er. The 3.0L turbo inline-6 was paired with an electric motor, making a total of 483 hp.

Let me tell you something - this thing is quick. The engine on its own is a torque monster. You add the responsiveness of an electric motor, and get an amazing powertrain. Smooth, powerful, and fuel efficient.

With an empty battery, you can easily average 30 MPG. Once you fill it up with juice, you’ll get at least 33 miles in EV mode - that should cover your daily commute, at least to the office.

Now, adding the electric components increased the weight to… 4,900 lbs. And you can feel it in corners. I will say though - optional adaptive dampers and rear axle steering help masking extra pounds. The car is fun to drive, while retaining the comfort that the 5 is known for.

After spending a few days with the 550e, I came to the conclusion that it is currently the best variant of BMW’s mid-size offering. It offers high levels of comfort, reasonable driving dynamics, and a glorious inline-6 combined with an electric drivetrain. I enjoyed it more than then the new M5, and that says a lot.

22/05/2026

The Lexus LC 500 isn’t a super car. It’s a GT with an amazing V8, and of the most unique cars you can buy.

20/05/2026

The 2026 Chevy Silverado EV Trail Boss has 2 electric motors, making a total of 725 hp. 0-60 takes around 4.5 seconds.

18/05/2026

Like a (Trail) Boss

Chevy keeps expending their EV portfolio, and for 2026 there is a new kid (or boss) on the block - the Silverado EV Trail Boss.

The idea is simple - a powerful, electric full-size truck which you can off-road in complete silence.
 Compared to other variants of Silverado EV, we get better approach angle, retuned suspension with a 2-inch lift, 35-inch all-terrain tires, and more aggressive 4-wheel steering. We can’t forget about some rugged styling elements, including exposed recovery hooks.

We have 2 powertrain levels to chose from - Extended with 625 hp and a range of 410 miles, or Max Range with 725 hp and 478 miles on a full charge. Both models use 2 electric motors (one on each axle) and can tow up to 12,500 lbs.

As someone who lives in a highly populated NYC metro area, I spent most of the time driving this thing around town. And it wasn’t too bad.

You do have to keep its dimensions in mind, but with rear axle steering, maneuvering this behemoth is relatively easy. Finding a parking spot, a little bit less.

The ride quality is good for the most part. While the beefy all-terrains help with comfort, there is a noticeable vibration when hitting smaller, sharp bumps. At the end of the day, the multilink suspension on both axles has to work with almost 9,000 lbs of weight.

I will say though, the ride quality is far better in any body-on-frame truck, and the cabin is well isolated. Lots of storage and space inside - you can easily fit 3 NBA players in the back seat and they won’t complain.

The only true issue I have with the Silverado EV Trail Boss is the price - $97k as tested. As a “first generation” model, this thing is more disposable than its ICE-powered counterparts. The depreciation will hit it hard, and something with more range and faster charging will be out soon.

Not my cup of tea, but a cool vehicle to experience and to get a taste of what’s coming. For now, get a good ol’ Silverado 2500 ZR2 Bison with a diesel engine.

15/05/2026

The Wilderness trim might be the way to go if you want to get a Subaru Forester.

13/05/2026

The Lexus LC 500 has a nautarally aspirated 5.0L with 491 hp and 398 lb-ft of torque.

0-60 mph takes 4.6 seconds. But this car is all about the sound.

11/05/2026

Saying goodbye to one of the best modern cars.

The Lexus LC and I met for the first time in the summer of 2019, and we quickly became very good friends. It gave me something I was missing in many modern cars - a unique design, an incredibly sounding V8, and emotions. The feeling that I was driving something special.

And that’s the best way to describe the LC. It’s very special.

Let’s start with the interior. Both the designers and the accountants had no limits. The built quality is outstanding, and everything you touch or interact with feels expensive. Aluminum, magnesium, leather - you name it. It’s all there, and it makes you feel like you’ve made it in life.

Then, there is a convertible aspect. After dropping the top, you immediately catch people’s attention and feel like a boss. Not only around town - you can easily do 80 mph on a highway with zero wind buffeting - only a cool breeze. Really impressive how sleek and aerodynamic this thing is.

To the point where if I were to choose between the coupe and the convertible, I think I’d go with the topless variant. Yes, you do lose body rigidity and sacrifice driving dynamics, but the LC has never been about that.

The second you reach its 7,300 rpm redline with the top down, you’ll get addicted to the sound of both the engine and the exhaust. The 10-speed transmission properly puts down the power to the rear wheels only and is very snappy and responsive. You play with downshifts and upshifts like a kid, and never get tired.

Dynamically, there is noticeably more body roll and twist compared to the coupe, but I’m okay with that. The LC excels as a GT, with great compression and rebound when hitting bumps (big improvement over early models), and eating up miles is a pure pleasure.

It’s a super comfortable and easy car to drive on a daily basis, and I was looking for every reason to get behind the wheel. “Honey, do we need milk? No? I think the one we have is about to expire, so I’ll run to Target and get some.” True story.

Sadly, 2026 is the last model year for the LC. Its successor (if there’s one) will have big shoes to fill. Future collectible - mark my words.

08/05/2026

Luxurious in its own way.

Buick has been in a weird spot, filling a gap between Chevy and Cadillac. On one hand, there is a stigma associated with the brand, and younger clientele gravitates towards other GM’s offerings. On the other, Buicks are competitively priced, giving you a good bang for your back.

That’s the case with the biggest SUV in their lineup, the Enclave. It truly feels like an entry-level premium SUV - attractive design inside and out, well appointed cabin, and high levels of comfort.

It’s really hard to tell that it is heavily based on the Chevrolet Traverse and the GMC Acadia. Until you take off…

And I’m not talking about the ride quality, which is very good. The 2.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder which sits under the hood, simply doesn’t fit this car.

I can’t say it struggles with powering this huge 3-row SUV, and fact that it’s a 4-popper isn’t the problem. At the end of the day, other vehicles in the segment, like the Volvo XC90 or the Lexus TX also are powered by turbo-4s.

While it delivers respectable 328 hp, the refinement isn’t there - it sounds terrible, and the power delivery is far from perfect.

Besides the powertrain, everything else is great. Especially the interior - it has an attractive design, high built quality, and (what matters the most) plenty of space for families. Seriously, it feels like this thing is a size of previous generation Tahoe. May not be the best to drive around in the city, but eating up highway miles is a pure pleasure.

Pricing starts at around $48k, and goes up to $66k for our fully loaded tester. Not bad for all “luxury” amenities we get. If it wasn’t for a not-so-good engine, this would’ve been a very strong choice…

What do you think?

06/05/2026

The Subaru Forester Wilderness has a naturally aspirated 2.5L flat-4 with 180 hp & 178 lb-ft of torque.

The power goes down to all wheels via a CVT.

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