No car is best for everyone...
In recent essays, I (Brady Holt) have shared my general thoughts on the auto market. As the car expert on Doc Eifrig's research team, I've tried to help you rethink what sort of car you should buy... and how much you should pay for it.
Today, I'm going to share my impressions of three specific new cars.
I test dozens of new cars every year, and Doc's Retirement Millionaire subscribers get to hear about one of them each month in his "Secrets of the Retirement Millionaire" feature.
He agreed to let me share three of these "car of the month" write-ups in the Health & Wealth Bulletin, which I've adapted below...
America's Cheapest Cars Could Get Expensive
One of President Donald Trump's trade policies this year was a 25% tariff on most cars imported into the United States... And unlike many of his other tariffs, these haven't gotten "paused."
As I explained earlier this year, if the tariffs remain in effect, they'll likely spread through the auto market – raising prices not only on imported new cars but also U.S.-made vehicles, used cars, and even car insurance.
Today, I'm focusing on what that means for affordable cars... such as the 2025 Chevrolet Trax crossover. Here's the one I tested...
The Trax has been a smash hit for Chevrolet. Despite a starting price of just $20,500, it has surprisingly ample interior room, and it's pretty nice to drive. Its wee turbocharged, three-cylinder engine is peppier and quieter than some competitors' four-cylinders.
But the Trax is part of the auto industry's global supply chain. The car I tested was developed by an American company... built in South Korea using an engine shipped there from Mexico... and then sent to a Chevy dealership in Maryland.
That means it faces the 25% tariff.
If you want an inexpensive car, it's a tough tax to avoid... Nine of the 10 cheapest cars sold in the U.S. are made in either South Korea or Mexico. The 10th cheapest, the Toyota Corolla sedan, has a starting price of $22,325 and lacks the Trax's big cargo hold. And its Japanese-built transmission is subject to tariffs anyway.
The Trax is not a fancy car. You'll find basic-grade interior materials, and it doesn't offer all-wheel drive like most crossovers. Also, compared with the rival Kia Soul, the Trax's lower driver's seat and smaller windows make it harder to see out of... And it's not quite as easy to park. But it's a great value – at least at today's prices.
Automakers are still deciding how to handle the tariffs... But if they stick around, it'll likely mean fewer and more expensive entry-level cars like the Trax to choose from.
Doc's Favorite New Luxury Car Isn't a BMW or a Lexus
When Doc returned from a trip to California's wine country, he tracked me down to tell me about his rental car. "It's so quiet and so well built," Doc gushed. "It's truly one of the most luxurious vehicles I've experienced."
Doc's rental was a Hyundai Santa Fe, a midsize crossover from the Korean brand better known for low cost than high-end curb appeal.
Longtime readers might recall that Doc coincidentally owned a 2004 Santa Fe for years... But the new model shares nothing but its name with that ancestor.
Here's the 2025 Santa Fe I tested...
The totally redesigned Santa Fe sports a boxy new shape with horizontal taillights that go all the way down by the bumper. This boxiness lets Hyundai squeeze in a small third-row seat and more cargo space than before... while it's less bulky, more agile, more economical, and thousands less expensive than bestselling three-row SUVs like Hyundai's larger Palisade.
Hyundai also went to town on the new Santa Fe's interior. My top-of-the-line test vehicle's leather-covered dashboard looked right off a Range Rover... But even the base model (costing $34,300 instead of around $50,000 like my test vehicle) is carefully crafted.
Based on its comfort, interior decor, and driving manners, the new Santa Fe is a better luxury SUV than a Lexus RX or Cadillac XT5... even before you consider its price tag. It doesn't pull off the brilliantly fast acceleration and racetrack-ready handling of a BMW X5. But an X5 costs $66,300 with no options – so choose your priorities carefully.
By the way... Hyundai gives you a choice between a 277-horsepower, four-cylinder gasoline engine that averages about 23 mpg – and a 231-horsepower, gas-electric hybrid that gets up to 36 mpg. The hybrid costs $1,000 more than a comparably equipped gas model, but that's an investment in a lifetime of fuel savings.
This Functional Van Can Also Brighten Your Day
Lots of people hate minivans.
These utterly functional vehicles scream "family friendly" so loudly, even many families don't want them.
The 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz is different. Take a look at this one that I tested...
Tall, upright, and available with retro two-tone paint jobs, the ID. Buzz is a modern take on the 1960s VW Microbus. It's a cheerful-looking antidote to ordinary family cars.
The ID. Buzz has been on sale since November, but it hasn't found many takers. Here are two reasons why... This van starts at $59,995, and it's sold only as an electric vehicle ("EV") with a government-estimated range of around 230 miles per charge.
Now, I got more like 270 miles per charge during my test... And the ID. Buzz comes packed with high-end features like massaging front seats, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and big 20-inch wheels. But many people will want even more range... or would happily skip a few fripperies to get the price down.
The good news is, if you can recharge at home and don't need to take many cross-country road trips, the ID. Buzz can cut your fuel costs. It gets the energy equivalent of about 80 miles per gallon.
Plus, like with other EVs, electric motors give the ID. Buzz smooth, quick, and quiet acceleration.
Here are a few more considerations... The ID. Buzz is super roomy for up to seven people, but cargo space is tighter than other vans behind the third-row seat. And while I loved the panoramic view out the front windshield, the ID. Buzz's controls are hard to use. Most rely on touchscreen menus or touch-sensitive buttons.
So the ID. Buzz isn't the perfect minivan. But it's roomy, cheerful, and economical – at least to refuel.
Now, as much as I like the Trax, Santa Fe, and ID. Buzz... none of them won one of our three Retirement Millionaire Car of the Year awards. Doc's paid subscribers can read about those winners right here...
In addition to two special reports I wrote about car buying, plus my monthly car reviews, subscribers get all of Doc's active stock recommendations – which are up more than 100% on average – with a new pick every month. Click here to learn more.
What's your favorite new car? Or do you have any questions about navigating the auto world? Let us know at feedback@healthandwealthbulletin.com. We read every letter.
What We're Reading...
- Did you miss it? What your new car really costs.
- Something different: The race to limit ingredients in food.
Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,
Brady Holt with Dr. David "Doc" Eifrig
June 12, 2025
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