Automotive Reviews

Mazda MX-5 Miata still reigns at age 32

There’s little room, the trunk is tiny, body and cargo space minimal. It’s difficult to enter and exit, and it’s loud. Welcome another edition of the Mazda MX-5 Miata, nearly everyone’s favorite 32-year-old lightweight roadster. For 2020, the best-selling sports car in history is a continuation of the fourth generation introduced in 2016. It’s stayed much the same, with a few refreshes along the way. The two-seater is available in Sport, Club and Grand Touring trims, all propelled by 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engines with 181 horsepower. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on all models and a six-speed automatic transmission is optional. The standard transmission option shifts smoothly and propels the sports car from 0-to-60 miles per hour in 5.7 seconds.

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2020 Lexus LS 500: luxury sedans still matter

The transportation saturation of SUVs and pickup trucks is ever-increasing. But the 2020 Lexus LS 500, the showcase vehicle in Toyota’s upscale division, is a fine reason why consumers should still consider sedans. Completely redesigned two years ago with a fifth generation, the 2020 LS 500 retains the full-size luxury sedan’s finer attributes. It combines an uber-quiet, comfortable ride, an interior designer’s finest skill and top-line technology. Key Takeaways 416-hp twin-turbo V6 pairs with a 10-speed automatic: The fifth-generation LS 500 reaches 60 mph from a standstill in 4.9 seconds while averaging 19 mpg city and 30 mpg highway on premium fuel. One trim level keeps configuration simple: Rear-wheel drive is standard, all-wheel drive is optional, and a hybrid version

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New Hummer EV cruises tough terrain in ‘Crab Mode’

Could the revitalized Hummer EV get more unique than the original? Yes. How about a feature called “Crab Mode?” The soon-to-debut, all-electric Hummer EV truck will include a feature allowing the vehicle to move terrain diagonally like a sand-dwelling crustacean. Crab Mode will be enabled by the electric pickup truck’s four-wheel steering capability. Its functionality is “tailor-made for off-roading customers,” the manufacturer said. Planned for a May debut, the anticipated return of the Hummer was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hummer EV has a military heritage The odd-looking, testosterone-loaded Hummer was first marketed when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. The brand endured different owners and hiatus production time frames. GM announced earlier this

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Ford announces next F-150 plus first EV truck

With several pickup trucks, including the much-touted all-electric options, competition is increasing. The Ford F-150 still rules, but the manufacturer isn’t resting on its success. As such, the production of the next generation of the popular F-150 pickup trucks series has started. The trucks will be made in the company’s Dearborn, Michigan, plant. They’re expected to go on sale in November. The launch of the country’s top-selling vehicle is “on time and on track,” said new company CEO Jim Farley. Ford will debut electric truck in 2022 The manufacturer also simultaneously announced it will join the highly competitive electric truck market in mid-2022. It’s when a battery-electric version is expected to debut. According to the manufacturer, the battery-electric version of

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2020 Honda Civic Si: Drive it for the fun of it

Vehicles available with manual transmissions are far removed from their dominant heydays. But consumers who still appreciate driving a stick shift shouldn’t despair. The 2020 Honda Civic Si is among 41 of 325 new models offered with a gearbox and clutch. A decade ago, 37 percent of new cars had manual transmission options. It’s now about 13 percent, including the exceedingly fun-to-drive 2020 Honda Civic Si. The 2020 Honda Civic Si is only available with a six-speed manual transmission. Images © Gretchen Gaither/2020. The Civic Si is the performance-oriented option of one of the best-selling cars in history. Available as a sedan or coupe, the Si is offered in a single, well-equipped trim. 2020 Honda Civic Si: It’s for drivers

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Most studly truck? 15-year-old Dodge Ram SRT10

One thing pickup truck owners universally like is power. The power to tow an RV, haul stuff, advance uphill and downhill, trek off-road. It’s what a 2006 Dodge Ram SRT10 does best. But what are the top choices for the most powerful trucks? The website hotcars.com has compiled a list and provides facts, figures and reasoning. The No. 1 vehicle on the list is the 2004-2006 Dodge Ram SRT10. It’s equipped with an 8.3-liter V10 with 500 horsepower. It accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds. The regular cab version of the SRT10 has a top speed on 106 mph. The SRT10 can tow 7,500 pounds. Dodge Ram SRT10 reigns Here in reverse order and in

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Deals aplenty available on new 2019 trucks

Consumers considering buying a pickup should consider new 2019 trucks nearly two nearly years old. The reason: The COVID-19 pandemic stalled production of 2020 models for manufacturers and resulted in the temporary closing of “brick-and-mortar” dealerships. Sales suffered and deals are prevalent. Within two months of the economic downturn, inventory for 2019 trucks and cars increased nearly exponentially. RELATED CONTENT Pickup trucks not perfect but 5 make safety priority Pickup trucks, SUVs rule global market New Ram 1500 pickup truck fastest ever According to iSeeCars.com, the online automotive search engine and research website based in Woburn, Mass., there’s a 10.8 percent industry average of new 2019 vehicles still in inventory. The 2019 Nissan Titan, 2019 Ford Ranger and 2019 Ram

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2020 Aston Martin Vantage: James Bond sports car cool

The video is in black-and-white, the quality marginal, the premise pure action and preposterous fantasy. But it’s James Bond driving an Aston Martin DB5 in the movie Goldfinger, and after 56 years it’s still fun to watch. Perhaps only equaled in brand association by Volkswagen in the hippie movement, Aston Martin is secret agent 007’s getaway car. James Bond, played by Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, drove many other vehicles during the series’ 25 films. None represent the character’s automotive prowess more than his Aston Martin chase scenes throughout the years. The latest film “No Time To Die,” was delayed from a spring release to November because of the coronavirus. It will feature four Aston Martin vehicles to commemorate the

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Land Rover Defender, Ford Bronco as mini-RVs

GehoCab has taken its current expertise in off-load motorhome conversion in the Volkswagen Amarok into a far larger market for RVs. The German-based company has announced it’s reconfiguring its carbon-shelled, chassis-mount campers for installation in the Land Rover Defender, Ford Bronco and other popular off-road SUVs. The company’s goal is to create the lightest available off-road 4×4 campers. Gehocab makes carbon fiber modules for RVs Unlike typical bed-top and chassis-mount truck campers, GehoCab’s original Kora camper has a sleek, glossy carbon fiber construction. It has wide-stretched windows, flush integration with the base truck and color-matched paint. Now, GehoCab is designing two 4×4 motorhome modules, the compact Fiete and the larger Findus. The Fiete is compatible with the Land Rover and

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Solar power-generating pickup truck covers? Who knew?

Worksport, the manufacturer of Tonneau covers and accessories for trucks, has debuted TerraVis, a platform for versatile and cost-effective pickup truck solar power. The system combines the tonneau covers with a solar generation and energy storage system. Solar panels built into the cover will collect the sun’s rays and store energy in multiple battery banks. The stored energy can be used to provide power to an electric motor or removed and used remotely. “Worksport is excited to launch the website with this preliminary information, as this is a system that not only has the power to revolutionize truck use now, but also to carry over into future developments,” said WKSP CEO, Steven Rossi. New Solar Power Pickup Truck Source “Everyone

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Underdog 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia excels

Automobile manufacturers try to outmaneuver each other every year for advertising honors during the Super Bowl. Prices escalate and commercials succeed and fail with carmakers’ futures at stake in million-dollar-minute increments. Fiat Chrysler gambled a few years ago with its Alfa Romeo brand — and won. It promoted the new Giulia, showing the sports car blazing along winding country roads, past vineyards and through a tunnel with narration provided by a sultry voice. The commercial, titled “Dear Predictable,” needles Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz, the German frontrunners, while touting the Italian alternative. Alfa Romeo sales falling The second of the carmaker’s one-minute spot ends with the sports car powering toward the horizon. The moderator softly states, “You know what they

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2020 Ford Expedition: bravado and big bucks

Car manufacturers are big on adjectives and embellishment. There may be no better example than the promotion of the 2020 Ford Expedition. It’s big, no doubt, and the SUV’s facts and figures tell the story. The Expedition (Max Edition) has a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 375 horsepower and a 10-speed automatic transmission. It can weigh as much as 5,800 pounds depending upon its configuration. When equipped with its optional towing package, the Expedition can haul 9,300 pounds, an impressive capacity. The Expedition is standard with rear-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is an option. Consumers who wish to transport RVs or power down the open road in swagger mode and with as many seven occupants buy the pricy hauler. It’s nearly

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Two 1970s Chevy Silverado pickup trucks thrive as one

Eric Wright can’t drive far before people point, shout, make jokes and take pictures. Wright hasn’t done anything wrong. It’s just that most observers can’t figure out what’s going on when they view him in his truck on city streets, on the highway and in parking lots. Is Wright driving on the wrong side of the road? Is he going against traffic? Or just what exactly is he doing is in his Chevy Silverado? Specifically, what is he doing in two 1970s Chevy Silverado pickup trucks, the cabs of which are advancing in opposite directions? Wright, who was seeking a truck to promote his business couldn’t find exactly what he wanted on eBay. But what he discovered was a truck

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Tesla Cybertruck: build me big in Texas, color me rainbow

As if the pending Tesla Cybertruck hasn’t received enough attention, leave it to company owner Elon Musk to generate more attention for the futuristic-looking machine. After announcing the electric-vehicle manufacturer’s plans to build a new factory in Austin, Texas, Musk hinted at a few of his new truck‘s color choices. The possible options are as unique as the car. Musk suggested a pure white option or a treatment to offer a rainbow option. If the Cybertruck in rainbow adornment is ever offered, it will likely be an aftermarket option, not a dealership choice. And it wouldn’t the first rainbow-colored Tesla. Several models have received rainbow wraps in Tesla‘s support of various events. Tesla Cybertruck: Color me rainbow The rainbow option

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2020 Dodge Charger ultimate family muscle car

The Dodge Charger began as a concept vehicle in the 1940s, debuted in production in 1966 and gained its fame as the car driven by the bad guy in the 1968 movie Bullitt. Steve McQueen pursued the Charger and its stuntman driver Bill Hickman on the hilly streets of San Francisco in his 1968 Ford Mustang. The scenes defined muscle car bravado. Not much has changed in the past half-century. The Charger and Mustang, in their best performance trims, remain iconic. They’re modernized, more powerful and both retain a link to the past. The 2020 Dodge Charger knows its strengths. Hit the accelerator hard on a straightway, hear the growl and feel the power of 5.7-liter, 485 horsepower engine with

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