Automotive News, Car Reviews, and Podcast
Forget about more horsepower, gadgetry, weird names and odd-colored paint. If one of the automobile manufacturers wants to immediately catapult its sales, hire Charlize Theron.
Read moreFor the second time in two weeks, the country’s auto industry is facing a strike. While negotiations continued, the United Auto Workers (UAW) set a Wednesday morning deadline to agree on a new contract or 49,000 hourly workers for Chrysler could strike. What the pending strike means for the auto industry at large is hard to know. But it what is known is that tactics used both the company management and the UAW is growing old. Management gives its side of the equation to the media and the workers’ representatives follow with their thoughts. Or the scenario works in reverse.
Read moreOne reason I decided to attend the Tour of Missouri bicycle race in mid-September had little to do with cycling other than it’s a form of transportation. My real reason for going was simply the continuation of my now nearly 25-year enjoyment of travel. I had never been to the state before. But I had negotiated, as the author of The Weekly Driver auto review column, to test drive a 2008 Mercury Mariner for a week.
Read moreNissan redesigned the Altima sedan last year and it received a good share of praise from buyers who liked its new sportier approach and improved comfort. With the 2008 Altima coupe, the improvements continue with more design changes.
Read moreIf you happened to be a Ford salesperson during the 1990s, chances are the Explorer was your cash cow. It didn’t take a lot of persuading to get car shoppers driving off the lot with a new one. This popular sport utility vehicle was so revered it was even outselling Honda Accords and Toyota Camrys.
Read moreI was recently driving on Interstate 5 about an hour south of Sacramento. The traffic flow was smooth and fast, and my cruise control was set slightly above 75 mph. A vehicle in the lane to my right moved ahead, the driver singled, adeptly moved into my lane and steadily advanced. My car, however, a 2007 Volvo S80, suddenly slowed.
Read moreLike other hilly Central California roads, the drive to Pacheco Pass is not drastically steep, nor is it very high at 1,300 feet of elevation. But the 14-mile stretch of state highway 152 in Santa Clara County is also challenging.
Read moreThe first luxury car I drove was a 1973 Mercedes Benz 240 diesel. My parents bought the vehicle new in Germany, drove it around Europe on vacation and had it shipped to California.
Read moreAnyone who’s driven a Subaru knows the manufacturer’s all-wheel drive system is an industry leader. In automotive parlance, it’s the only system that combines a horizontally opposed engine with a symmetrically arranged AWD system.
Read moreIntroduced in 2004, the Escape hybrid complemented Ford’s already popular compact sport utility vehicle line. The Mazda Tribute and Mercury Mariner are remarkably similar SUVs, with the Mariner also available in a hybrid model.
Read moreIntroduced in 1995, the Kia Sportage is among the growing selection of compact crossover sport utility vehicles (SUVs) that provide good quality at a fair price. The Sportage is among Kia’s most popular models and it’s largely remained unchanged since its second generation debuted in 2005.
Read moreWith popular offerings like the Dodge Dakota, Honda Ridgeline and Toyota Tacoma, the compact pickup truck market is highly competitive. Ford is in the mix, too, of course, with the Explorer Sport Trac. As such, major manufacturers in the class are constantly looking for an edge, which is all good for consumers. And which is also the reason the Explorer Sport Trac has been redesigned for 2007.
Read moreThe Sport Utility Vehicle market is seemingly reaching its saturation point. One national consumer automotive publication divides the market into compact, midsize, premium, large and premium large SUV categories. And there’s also the crossover category — SUVs with car-based platforms instead of truck-based platforms.
Read moreThe A4 is Audi’s top-selling line and it’s available in three different models and nearly 20 configurations in sedans, wagons and convertibles. Categorized as a premium compact car, it’s a fine choice for drivers seeking a sporty sedan that smoothly finds its way in any driving scenario via stellar steering and handling and a sophisticated design.
Read moreBeyond its omnipresent "Zoom-Zoom" television commercial jingle, Mazda has a new motto: "The SUV you never saw coming. It's a trademarked slogan, but it just didn't fit with my weekly driver, a 2007 Mazda CX-7.
Read moreIt’s not often a car gets renamed after only one year on the market. But that’s exactly what happened to the Lincoln Zephyr. It debuted in 2006 as a entry level luxury sedan and now it’s gone.
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