2020 Hyundai Santa Fe offers versatility, good value

Like all of its siblings, the Hyundai Santa Fe does a lot right. Competitors have more upscale interior appearances and the sport utility vehicle isn’t geared for rugged adventures. The Santa Fe also doesn’t have the best performance in a super-competitive segment. What it does offer is versatility. It has impressive gas mileage, a healthy supply of safety features, the industry’s best warranty and attractive pricing. Which is why the 2020 edition, with a few tweaks from the 2019 offering, is a top choice in the mid-size market. Gone is the Ultimate trim, leaving the base SE, SEL and Limited.

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Covid-19 oddity: dirtier, older cars, trucks

The automotive industry has been affected as much many as other major industries by Covid-19, including an increase in the average age of vehicles in the road. If the prediction holds, the average age of cars, trucks and RVs still on road will soon surpass 12 years — the highest level among American drivers in nearly two decades — according to industry analysts. The current rate is 11.9 years, a slight increase from 2018 reports IHS Market Ltd., the England-based global data company. While vehicle longevity was increasing before the pandemic, the Covid-19 crisis has resulted in further economic decision-making.

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New mail trucks approved, on the road in 2023

It’s modern, considerably safer, cooler when needed and has a front end that resembles a duck beak. It’s all good. The ancient U.S. Postal Service mail trucks are finally on their way out and new vehicles are on their way in. After years of consideration and proposals, Oshkosh Defense has been awarded the contract to build the next USPS fleet. Under the contract’s initial $482 million investment, Oshkosh Defense will finalize the production design of the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV). It’s a purpose-built, right-hand-drive vehicle for mail and package delivery. Between 50,000 and 165,000 of the trucks will be

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LA Auto Show back after two Covid-19 delays

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The LA Auto Show has a unique position in the automotive industry. It’s the yearly first major industry show to view new cars, trucks and occasionally motorhomes. It’s always held in November, except for when it was supposed to be held this spring. LA Auto Show: Back A Year Later But the coronavirus has altered the show again. After being rescheduled from last November to May, the pending spring dates have also been scrapped for a return to November. With a two-day Auto Mobility media event as its preamble, the public show is scheduled Nov. 19-28 at the Los Angeles

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Mystery wreck of Tiger Woods? 2021 Genesis GV80

Genesis sedans have received many awards in their short tenure, including Car of the Year by well-respected automotive publications. But the luxury carmaker’s newest vehicle, the GV80 sport utility vehicle, is now in a spotlight it didn’t want. Early helicopter video of the solo-vehicle car crash involving Tigers Woods showed Genesis signage on the side door of a wrecked sport utility vehicle. The logo read: “Genesis Invitational,” but the vehicle was unknown to many observers. The wreck was a 2021 Genesis GV80. The midsize SUV debut last November as the fourth vehicle in the upscale manufacturer’s lineup. The SUV is

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Tiger Woods update: long rehab, no criminal charges

Tiger Woods may or may not play competitive golf again. But while the golfer recovers from his car accident injuries he now knows two things: He’s lucky to alive and he won’t face criminal charges. Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva announced at a news conference the occasion was “purely an accident.” Dr. Anish Mahajan, chief medical officer at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where Woods was treated after his one-car crash in described “comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones,” adding that trauma to the muscle and soft tissue of Woods’ leg

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New car-buying tips to reduce buyers’ stress

COLLABORATIVE CONTENT Purchasing a new car can be an exciting milestone in anyone’s life. Unfortunately, it can also be stressful if you don’t have the best car-buying tips for the best way to approach the purchase and financing. As a new driver, buying a new car may not be the only worry on your mind. Finding affordable insurance for your vehicle is paramount. Research the best deals using online comparison sites. It can save a lot of money. When searching for your new car, you should also ensure it’s fit for your intended purpose. Whether you’re searching for a reliable

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Tiger Woods injured in third car accident in 12 years

Tiger Woods sustained multiple leg injuries early February 23 when he was involved in a single-car accident in Los Angeles County. The accident continued the golf icon’s years of misfortune while driving. After removing Woods from his vehicle with the “jaws of life,” the golfer was taken by ambulance to Harbor UCLA Medical Center. “On February 23, 2021, at approximately 7:12 AM, LASD responded to a single-vehicle roll-over traffic collision on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes,” a police spokesperson reported. Tiger Woods traveling solo “The vehicle was traveling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, at Blackhorse Road,

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#171, Liz Carmichael: car fraud, transgender, anti-hero

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:37 — 44.8MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | More“The Lady and the Dale” tells the little-known story of Liz Carmichael in the 1970s. Carmichael rose to prominence when she released a fuel-efficient, three-wheeled vehicle while being responsible for one of the biggest auto scams in history. Nick Cammilleri, the creator, writer, director and co-producer of the four-part docu-series now showing on HBO Max, is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with Cammilleri about his 10-year project making the series, his relationship

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2021 Hyundai Sonata: epic return of a sports sedan

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Pity the poor sedan. Once the go-to vehicle style for well-built, dependable and comfortable transportation, sales of the former family favorite have been decimated by sales SUVs and pickup trucks. The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line presents a strong case for reconsidering a sedan. Introduced last September as a 2021 model in the Sonata’s 35th year, the N Line brings back a sporty appearance and performance to the sedan. It’s powered by a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine producing 290 horsepower. It advances with an eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Hyundai’s sporting cousin is the 2021 Kia K5 GT 2021 Hyundai

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2021 Dodge Durango: No wonder it’s called a Hellcat

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Production has started on the beast of all sport utility vehicles, the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat. The most powerful SUV ever made, the limited edition (2,000 units) features its share of high-performance. The Hellcat delivers 710 horsepower and 645 lb.-ft. of torque from a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI Hellcat V-8 engine. It’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. With its optional Tow N Go Package, the full-size, three-row SUV has a towing capability of 8,700 pounds. The 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine has a towing capability of 6,200 pounds. Perhaps the Hellcat’s most impressive statistics, it accelerates from 0 to 60

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Truck accidents more frequent, labor stats reveal

Road travelers likely know it all too well. Truck accidents happen. The increase was small in 2019 from 2018 in some areas and it was substantially higher in another segment of the trucking industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 843 trucker deaths in 2019, the most recent statistics available, and a 1.4 percent increase. The highest yearly death tally (880) occurred in 2014. Including professional drivers of light-duty trucks, the industry suffered 1,005 fatal occupational injuries last year. It’s the highest since the agency started tracking the category in 2003. Truck accidents happen; other jobs more

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Wisconsin pickup truck driver plunges 70 feet, lives (video)

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How scary is winter driving? A melting snowbank and freezing conditions on Wisconsin on a freeway ramp could have cost a pickup truck driver his life. A camera operated by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation captured the truck’s crash film, just after the driver, Richard Lee Oliver, lost control. The dramatic footage also documented a miracle. The red pickup truck plunged 70 feet after plowing into the snowbank and tumbling over the barrier. Pickup truck driver loses control Two drivers came to the man’s aid following the wreck on west I-94 just east of Interstate 41 in the Zoo Interchange.

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Can pickup trucks possibly get any more popular?

Despite business doldrums because of the coronavirus pandemic, manufacturers of pickup trucks continue to try to outdo each other, including Nissan. For the first time since 2005, the 2022 Nissan Frontier will be a new design for the mid-size pickup truck. Offered in S, SV, Pro-4X, and Pro-X, the 2022 Frontier will come with a 310 horsepower, 3.8-liter V6. It will be propelled by a nine-speed automatic transmission in rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel drive. With the start of the truck’s third generation, the 2022 Nissan Frontier will have a new exterior and interior and new suspension. The powertrain that debuted in

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2021 Volvo top-line V90 wagon honors icons

Someday soon as an homage to the not-too-long-ago automotive history, a manufacturer will introduce a vehicle called a station wagon. A good choice would be next year’s Volvo V90 T6 AWD R-Design. The 2021 editions, like other carmakers’ choices in recent years, are called wagons. It’s as if the “station” designation is an insult. The original classification derived from families carrying their heavy trundle suitcases to train stations. The long wagons, precursors to sport utility vehicles, became station wagons. Beauties they were, with three rows of seating, lots of interior and exterior wood and comfort to spare. Road trips were

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Self-driving cars are among us but drivers beware

COLLABORATIVE CONTENT Self-Driving Cars Self-driving cars are the biggest advancing development in the auto industry. Tesla brought the technology to the mainstream market, offering cars that can drive themselves while the driver just sits behind the wheel. The ideas of a self-driving car and its the technology began with several manufacturers offering self-parking technology. Self-driving technology is exciting, but as it advances, a few misconceptions have circulated. Here are several things you absolutely can’t do behind the wheel of a self-driving car (and some permissible conditions): Sleeping Some people think self-driving cars are great as they allow people to take

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