James Raia

Articles by James Raia

2018 Hyundai Ioniq: Serious challenger for Toyota Prius

Since the debut of the Toyota Prius in 2000 as the first mass-marketed hybrid in the United States, several manufacturers have tried to infiltrate the odd-looking green car leader’s dominance. All have failed. Now, there’s a legitimate contender, the Hyundai Ioniq. The unusual name is the combination of the words ion and unique, and the vehicle’s title works. The Ioniq’s specs outdo the Prius numbers in multiple categories. Key Takeaways First car offered in three electrified flavors: Ioniq Hybrid, Plug-in Hybrid, and full Electric — something not even Toyota’s Prius lineup matches in a single nameplate. 58 combined mpg tops the Prius: The Ioniq Blue is rated 57 city / 59 highway mpg, a few miles per gallon better than

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2018 Toyota Land Cruiser: luxury, power, gas sucker

The Toyota Land Cruiser has been manufactured for 67 years, and it’s geared toward a niche audience of SUV buyers seeking ruggedness and off-road durability. It’s the second-largest and oldest vehicle in the manufacturer’s lineup. For 2018, the Land Cruiser remains much the same as last year. It seeks a market share with the Land Rover Discovery, Lexus LX 570 and Lincoln Navigator in the behemoth SUV category. The auto industry’s gas guzzlers are the easiest segment to dismiss. How can anyone justify an $87,000 SUV that averages 13 and 18 miles per gallon respectively in city and highway driving? For the few thousand Toyota Land Cruiser buyers each year, the answer is simple: They know what they want and

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BMW in which Tupac Skakur shot for sale, $1.5 million

The 1996 7 Series BMW in which rap legend Tupac Shakur was a passenger when he was murdered nearly 22 years ago is for sale. The asking price is $1.5 million. The BMW is on display for the first time at the Celebrity Cars Las Vegas showroom at 7770 Dean Martin Drive in Las Vegas. Musician and producer Marion Hugh “Suge” Knight Jr. was driving the car on Sept. 7, 1996, when, at the intersection of East Flamingo Road and Koval Lane when a gunman fired four .40-caliber rounds into the passenger side of the vehicle. Shakur was hit in the arm, thigh and twice in the chest. He died four days later. When Skakur was shot in the vehicle,

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Documentary ‘I Am Paul Walker’ set for late actor

Paul Walker, the late actor, car enthusiast and humanitarian, will be honored in an upcoming documentary from Paramount Network, Network Entertainment and Derik Murray, who produced “I Am Heath Ledger.” The documentary, titled “I Am Paul Walker,” will explore the late Fast and Furious star’s acting and film career. It will also detail the actor’s passion for marine life, the ocean and his charitable efforts in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake. Many of Walker’s friends and co-stars are expected to be featured in the film. In addition to his Fast and Furious roles, Walker starred in numerous non-automotive based movies. He was killed in November 2013 when the Porsche Carrera GT in which he was a passenger, crashed into a concrete

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2018 Lexus LC 500: a beauty of a beast

A middle-aged man and his three teenage companions stopped in a coffee shop parking lot, gawked at the exterior of the 2018 Lexus LC 500 and asked if they could check out the inside. A guy in an old pick-up with a dilapidated camper shell stopped in the middle of a street near to where the Lexus was parked and started a conversation about saving his money to buy one. Some people pointed, others provided a thumb’s up or exclaimed “nice wheels, dude.” A few young drivers pulled up near me on the freeway, momentarily glared and sped off, perhaps suggesting I follow them. It was tempting, but no thanks, fellas. Key Takeaways 471-hp 5.0-liter V8 with Maserati-grade engine note:

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So long, farewell to the Volkswagen Beetle

Say goodbye to the most iconic car ever made, the Volkswagen Beetle. A representative from the German automaker told a reporter from the publication Autocar during the Geneva Motor Show that it plans to stop production of the vehicle at the end of its current generation. Frank Welsch, the carmaker’s research and development leader, said, “two or three generations is enough now.” The Volkswagen Beetle is the fourth best-selling vehicle in history, trailing the Toyota Corolla, Ford F series pickup trucks and Volkswagen Golf. But the Beetle’s sales have waned in recent years, with reports the carmaker’s engineers have lost enthusiasm for the vehicle. It was originally known as the “people car’s” when it was first commissioned in Germany by

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2018 VW Golf SportWagen: humble, proud, best in class

Throughout its long history in the United States, Volkswagen has manufactured two of the most recognizable cars in history, the VW Beetle and the VW Van. It also makes the Golf, and it’s arguably the most understated vehicle on the road. The Golf’s humble exterior and simple, efficient interior define its personality. It’s about as far-removed from its individualistic siblings as possible, and that’s its appeal. It’s no-nonsense and versatile. And it’s the best-selling VW in history and third on the all-time global sales list behind the Toyota Corolla and Ford F-150 series trucks. Key Takeaways 170-hp 1.8-liter turbo across all trims: The SportWagen carries the same engine as the rest of the Golf family, paired with either a six-speed

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2018 Infiniti QX80: ridiculously big and beautiful

With increased emphasis on green vehicles — entry-level economy boxes to electric supercars — one look at the 2018 Infiniti QX80 and a prevailing thought is that the luxury division of Nissan has missed the movement. The massive SUV is a small tank defined by opulence. It weighs more than three tons. It’s a heavy drinker, sucking down a gallon of fuel for every 13 miles it advances in city driving. It has 20-inch wheels (22-inch wheels are an option) and all-wheel drive. It often doesn’t fit in standard-sized parking spots. The QX80 has a 26-gallon gas tank that requires refilling in less than 500 miles. When fully equipped, the QX80 has four option packages and a few miscellaneous items

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2018 Ford Mustang: Less is more with EcoBoost model

Like other automotive icons, the Ford Mustang is unmistakable. Its long hood, short rear deck, pony badge, overall styling and unique debut by Henry Ford II at the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., on April 17, 1964, have all added to the sports car’s legacy. The Mustang’s current generation debuted in 2015. The showcase model for 2018 is the direct-injected, 5.0-liter V8 with 460 horsepower. It defines automotive testosterone for the masses and is the most powerful Mustang to date. But what if you don’t need all that power and the corresponding constant growl of the big beast? The alternative is the base model 2.3-liter turbocharged, four-cylinder, Ecoboost coupe with 310 horsepower and a 10-speed automatic transmission. With the

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Blinker expands into California, Florida, offers new protection

Blinker, the only peer-to-peer e-commerce platform that provides an end-to-end solution for buying, selling or financing cars, has announced two new components its business. Headquartered in Denver, Colo., Blinker is expanding its proprietary e-commerce and loan origination platform from Texas and Colorado to California and Florida. The company’s growth will allow millions of customers to buy, sell and finance vehicles easier, quicker and safer. Thirty percent of vehicle sales in the United States every year are between individuals. Leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning, Blinker allows customers get guidance and tools to complete the entire purchase process themselves. The simple process allows instant vehicle valuation to real-time auto loan approval to e-signing documents to secure funds transfer. It’s all for

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Episode 26, picky buyer looks for 6 months, buys 2018 VW Atlas

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (82.4MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreSeveral months ago, Chris Wood decided it was time for a new vehicle. He has a family, including four grandchildren, a 50-pound dog and a 5,000-pound ski boat and equipment to haul. He had $50,000 to spend, but he was faced with a lingering dilemma. Wood, 63, of Pleasanton, a retired Silicon Valley computer salesman, looked for six months but couldn’t find a new sports utility vehicle that fit his criteria and could match the quality his previous vehicle, a 1999 Ford Explorer. “I had it for 19 years; I serviced it all the time,” said Wood. “I put in transmissions and took care a lot of

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2018 Infiniti QX60: Luxury SUV with class, comfort

The sport utility vehicle segment, small crossovers to three-row, boat-sized gas guzzlers, continues to appeal to the public in record numbers. Several manufacturers’ offerings have seemingly meshed into one universal vehicle. So how does a buyer make a choice? If luxury, versatility and a quiet ride are key buying attributes, consider the 2018 Infiniti QX60. It stands out among the horde of SUVs barreling down the freeway and lined up row after row in shopping malls and grocery store parking lots. Introduced as a concept at the 2011 Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach, the QX60 debuted as a seven-passenger, mid-size luxury crossover in early 2012 as a 2013 model. It was the first three-row SUV offered by Infiniti, the upscale

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Shaun White: three gold medals, two white Lamborghinis

Shaun White, now the three the two-time snowboard half pipe gold medalist, was featured on 60 Minutes  just prior to the start of the Winter Olympics eight years ago. The segment with interviewer Bob Simon covered several areas, including the athlete’s ownership of two Lamborghinis — one crashed, one intact. The exchange between interviewer and guest is brisk and humorous. Shaun White, reacting to his final half-pipe run in 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea.During the 12-minute video of the segment, a minute or so includes Simon asking White about his penchant for the fast Italian sports car and the  accident in his first Lamborghini. Here’s the text of the Lamborghini segment, followed by the video, which includes White

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RV industry awash in chaos; readers, advocate speak up

The Weekly Driver Podcast has reached its 25th episode, and we’re cruising toward highway speed. Our current broadcast, our most popular, investigates the complex issues in the RV industry. Sales have dramatically increased as more consumers can no longer afford traditional housing or are seeking a mobile lifestyle. But campgrounds are overcrowded, and retail box store parking lots, where more RVers live, are often unkempt. Further, the RV industry has a quality control crisis. Our podcast guest, Chuck Woodbury, editor and publisher of RVTravel.com, discusses his concerns. He believes the RV industry doesn’t care about the quality of its products. Too many buyers have faced major problems and they don’t have a consumer organization from which to get help. Woodbury

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RV expert believes industry is in chaos

Chuck Woodbury, editor and publisher of RVTravel.com, the industry’s largest online publication, is a full-time RVer and a mobile lifestyle advocate. But Woodbury says the RV industry is in chaos. Buyers must beware, owners must be more considerate and manufacturers need to re-evaluate their responsibilities. According to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) in Reston, Va., wholesale shipments of RVs increased 17.2 percent in 2017 from the previous year. Motorhome shipments increased 14.4 percent last year from 2016 totals. But while the sales highlight the industry’s boom, it’s also fostered growing concerns of decreasing manufacturing quality. Additionally, with traditional homes increasing unaffordable in metropolitan areas, including the Bay Area, more city dwellers are living in RVs, sometimes in parking lots.

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Episode 25, RV expert believes industry needs major repairs

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:53 — 46.5MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreChuck Woodbury, editor and publisher of the RVTravel.com, the industry’s largest and most prestigious online publication, is a full-time RVer and an industry advocate. But Woodbury says RV buyers must beware. The RV industry, with record sales in 2017, needs to better protect the best interests of buyers. Woodbury, an author, internationally renowned RV industry expert and the host of the best-selling Better Business Bureau DVD, “Buying a Recreational Vehicle,” is the guest on episode 25 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. “There’s no international organization anymore that looks out for the interest of RVers,” says Woodury. “There’s nobody back in Washington, D.C., or in

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