James Raia

Articles by James Raia

New, sportier 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid shines in crowded segment

Introduced in 1976 as a three-door hatchback, the 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid moves the iconic vehicle closer to its 50th birthday as among the automotive industry’s most reliable cars. It’s been the country’s top-selling signature family sedan for decades. The 2023 Honda Accord marks the debut of the car’s 11th generation. It’s also the start of the fourth generation for the Accord Hybrid, and it’s three inches longer than the previous model. The new length means more back-seat legroom and it’s part of the car’s substantial overhaul. Cargo space is also a strength for the sedan at 16.7 cubic feet. The sedan is classified as appropriate for five occupants. The Accord is no different than other vehicles in the segment.

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#268 Newport Car Museum Adds Prized Collection of Vintage Porsches

Gunther Buerman and his wife Maggie Buerman opened the Newport Car Museum in 2017 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. They’ve constantly updated the combined automobile and history museum including its latest presentation — an homage to Porsche. Gunther Buerman, whose interest in automobiles began as a young boy when practiced wax paper transfer etchings of car advertisements from National Geographic Magazine, is our guest on this week’s episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. A repeat guest who was willed a 1966 Ford Mustang nearly 40 years ago, Buerman owns dozens of vehicles, none any more important than his collection of the German sports cars of his early youth. He moved to New York as a young boy with his family where

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2023 LEXUS IS 500 F SPORT DEFINES SPORT SEDAN’S VERSATILITY

Now in its second year, the Lexus IS 500 F Sport Performance is a manufacturer outlier. The luxury brand extension of Toyota is geared toward upscale interiors and comfort on the open road. The 2023 edition of the V8 sedan is more focused on performance while maintaining the Lexus reputation. Without much change from its debut offering, the 2023 Lexus IS 500 F Sport is available in Base and Premium trims. The Launch Edition is gone. Powered by a 5.0-liter V8 with 472 horsepower engine, the small luxury sedan’s engine ia paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It has Sport S, Sport S+ and Custom drive modes for customizing the driving feel. Gas mileage averages are underwhelming, with 17 miles

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#267, The Voice: John Kraman talks Mecum Auctions, Monterey

John Kraman knows the car auction business as well as a broadcaster. He’s the senior member of the Mecum Auctions team and the only announcer who’s been on all 16 years of the country’s largest automobile auctions broadcast. He’s our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. With broadcast colleagues and varied responsibility crew, co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Kraman the auction’s participation Aug. 17-19 in Monterey Auto Week. Mecum is the only daytime auction during what is now nearly a two-week celebration on the Monterey Peninsula of all things automotive. The Monterey stop on the Mecum Auctions nearly yearlong circuit is the company’s smallest in volume. About 600 vehicles are sold in three days. But

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Readers Write: A love affair with Tony Bennett

As it turns out, Tony Bennett’s music influenced a lot of people. It’s an obvious statement, of course. But what is surprising is how many remembrances of the recently deceased entertainer are similar. Shortly after Bennett died, I wrote an essay and posted it to TheWeeklyDriver.com. The article also appeared on Aug. 7 in the print editions of the San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times, daily newspapers in the San Francisco Bay Area owned by Bay Area News Group. The article resonated with readers, many of who expressed their memories and compliments via email. To further celebrate Bennett’s life and what he meant to people in and around San Francisco, here’s a post that shares readers’ memories and a

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2023 Toyota Prius Prime: Older Hybrid Good, New Better, No Stereotype

During the past two decades, the Toyota Prius has been as polarizing as any car in the United States. Many consumers associate the vehicle with liberalism and chastise its appearance. Sometimes lost is the significance of the carmaker’s advancement in the hybrid and electric marketplace. The Prius debuted in the United States in 2020, three years after it was unveiled in Japan. It arrived a few months after the Honda Insight, which had limited availability and in only a few states. Toyota’s innovative lineup had mainstream distribution. Approaching its mid-20s, it has surpassed 15 million in global sales. Key Takeaways Fifth-generation redesign silences critics: Gone are the polarizing looks, sluggish acceleration, and blocked rear window. The 2023 Prius Prime looks

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#266, Cars.com releases 18th ANNUAL American-made index

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:20 — 60.4MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreBuying a vehicle made in the United States is essential to many consumers. According to Cars.com, about half of the car buyers in the United States say they will pay more for a vehicle that creates U.S. jobs. Additionally, 24 percent of Americans believe a manufacturer has to be headquartered in the U.S. to qualify as “substantially contributing to the U.S. economy.” Jenni Newman, the editor-in-chief of cars.com, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. We discuss consumers’ preferences for cars made in the United States. Co-host Bruce Aldrich is away this week, so I interview Newman, a repeat guest, about

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A family remembrance: driving with Tony Bennett

Our family left Ridgewood, N.J. for Walnut Creek, Ca., in 1961. The former had snow and woods to explore, the latter walnut tree orchards and dry rolling hills, a youngster’s paradise. We moved because my father accepted an opportunity to open a San Francisco office of a New York-based insurance company. Tony Bennett seemed like family we never met. My grandfather immigrated from Sicily and lived from my earliest memories with my grandmother, in Queens, N.Y, Bennett’s birthplace. They raised three children, including my father, Anthony, who was almost always called Tony but also Sonny by relatives. They’re all now deceased. My mother, Elinore, who died in January at age 93, and my father were the only family members who

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2024 Mazda CX-90 flagship: new, worthy SUV

The three-row sport utility vehicle segment is refreshingly competitive. The 2024 Mazda CX-90 debuts impressively in the field of all-stars including recent additions like the Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade and Volkswagen Atlas. The long-standing Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot have maintained their top rankings for decades. Mazda hadn’t offered a new generation of its flagship CX-9 since 2016. With competitors always improving, the CX-90 is the manufacturer’s new front-and-center offering. The CX-9 is gone. The new vehicle’s wheelbase is 7.5 inches longer and the engine has also grown and is more versatile. The carmaker’s planned infiltration into the marketplace is overt. The 2024 Mazda CX-90 is available in 11 configurations, including the reviewed PHEV Premium Plus. Eight models are offered

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2023 Honda HR-V: new, not so special

The Honda HR-V debuted in the United States in 2015 as a sibling of the brisk-selling Honda CR-V. It was a good idea, a subcompact crossover for consumers seeking utility in a smaller dose. The 2023 edition, the seventh model year, is the debut of the third generation. The HR-V, which Honda says stands for “Hi-rider Revolutionary Vehicle,” remains a solid choice, as are all Honda offerings. The manufacturer builds reliable vehicles with strong resale values. But the carmaker’s smallest SUV has increasingly stiff competition. Once based on the Honda Fit, the nimble, scoot-around-town, five-door hatchback, the HR-V is now based on the Honda Civic platform since the Fit was discontinued after its 2020 model. Something is now different, although

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Genesis GV70: new EV SUV worthy of price

Seven models years into its legacy, Genesis added its Electrified Genesis GV70 for 2023. It’s the carmaker’s eighth vehicle and its first built outside of South Korea. With its origins and continuing heritage with Hyundai, the sport utility vehicle hails from Montgomery, Ala., and is available in two trims. The Advance trim is equipped as a base model but it includes more than other brands’ upgraded offerings, a healthy list of technology features. The reviewed Prestige trim adds $6,800 to the starting MSRP of $66,975 and offers, among other upgrades, a head-up display and a Lexicon premium audio system worthy of road symphonies. The top-end GV70 also includes active noise control, heated second-row seats, a heated steering wheel and Nappa

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8 ways to avoid potential road trip disasters

If you’re searching for some ideas about how to travel and where to go on your next adventure, look no further than a road trip. The beautiful thing about a road trip is that you can do it anywhere. All you need is a set of wheels and a taste for the liberation that soaring down the open road brings. If you’re tired of waiting around in airports or having your trip dictated by bus schedules, a road trip is the perfect solution. But just because you have more freedom doesn’t mean things will always go off without a hitch. As with any journey, there is the potential for disaster and disappointment, but not if you consider these eight ways

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#265, Lightship: entrepreneurs debut EV RV

Ben Parker and Toby Kraus are co-founders of Lightship. Both entrepreneurs worked for Tesla but are now immersed in a collaborative project in the recreational vehicle industry. Parker and Kraus recently introduced the prototype of the L1. It’s a pending all-electric trailer Lightship is marketing for a 2024 debut. Parker was my recent guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast. During the indoor Outdoor Sports Retail Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah, Parker and I sat in the front seat of a Ford Lightning, the new electric pickup truck. It was part of Lightship’s vendor exhibit, which attracted strong industry attention during the multiple-day show at the Salt Lake City Convention Center. Co-host Bruce Aldrich was on vacation, so I was

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#264, Chris Miller: Vehicle sculptures in stone

Chris Miller has been a friend of The Weekly Driver Podcast for three years. An artist who lives Maples Corner, a hamlet outside Calais, Vermont, Miller began made his sculpture career nearly 50 years ago. He works in granite, wood and marble, and his work is featured in private collections, public buildings and galleries. It’s all acclaimed work and he continues his various commercial contracts. But Miller’s “hobby” is his side project making stone cars, trucks and tractors. Miller is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. It’s our third interview with the 65-year-old artist. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Chris about the progression of this limited series of creations. He’s now working on his

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#263, Megabus returns to California market

Megabus, the discount city-to-city bus system, debuted in 2006. Marketed as having served more than 50 million customers in more than 500 cities, the express service features tickets between metro cities for as little as $1 each way. The travel option available throughout the United States and in Europe, has had successes and failures. But with heavy travel season approaching, Megabus recently announced its return to the California market. According to its press release, May 15 marked the return of Megabus to California with three trips daily between Anaheim, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Fresno, San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento. Colin Emerson, VP Commercial for Megabus, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. While co-host Bruce Aldrich is on

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BMW luxury sedan thrives on split personality

The 2023 BMW 760i xDrive combines the best of an executive sedan and a luxury car without visible pretentiousness. It’s comfortable and stylish, smooth and quiet. It has a sizable backseat theater screen that unfolds from the headliner with controls embedded like smartphones into the rear seat handles. From its exterior, the new BMW looks more sporty than extravagant, with its aggressive nostrils grille, 21-inch M sport package wheels, brakes and black calipers. The sportiness continues on the interior, mixed with its luxury elements. The cabin design’s upscale quality combines high-scale wood and superior-quality leather. The stainless steel door design adds to the overall classy look, with inlaid speakers and the aforementioned smartphone control panel on the inside of the

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