Ford F-150 among pickup trucks slammed by Consumer Reports

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Pickup trucks may be increasingly popular, but the reliability of the segment just received a jolt by Consumer Reports. The Ford F-150, the perennially top-selling vehicle in the United States, was graded as below average in the magazine’s annual reliability study. The GMC Sierra 1500, Chevrolet Silverado, Nissan Titan and Ram 1500 also scored below average. The magazine’s statisticians annually calculate reliability ratings for every major mainstream car, minivan, SUV and pickup truck using Consumer Reports’ member survey data. It factors in models that use some of the same components. Pickup Trucks Receive Surprising Grades Consumer Reports said the Ram

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Takata airbag mess means 7 million GM recalls

The Takata airbag fiasco won’t go away, and it’s not good news for General Motors, pickup truck and SUVs owners and the bankrupt Japanese company. General Motors announced it will recall about seven million pickup trucks and SUVs worldwide to replace the potentially dangerous bag inflators made by the Japanese company. About six million of the vehicles scheduled for recall are located in the United States. The recalled vehicles include: full-size pickup trucks and SUVs from the 2007 through 2014 model years, including the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 pickups. Takata Airbag Recall Cover Seven Vehicles The Silverado is

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#158, Electric car subscription: savvy one-stop shopping

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:29 — 23.3MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | More Convenience, flexibility, and value are key attractions to car subscription company services offered by T4L, Inc., and several other regional and national companies. The concept is the latest trend in the automobile industry. It caters to drivers who don’t have the time or desire for the details of buying a vehicle but need transportation. Allen Witters, the CEO of T4L, headquartered in Naples, Fla., is our guest on this episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with

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#157, 50 years of driving: Co-hosts talk good, bad, ugly

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:49 — 54.7MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | More Turning age 66 doesn’t have the same milestone traditions as ages 40, 50 and 65. But there are connections to the automotive world for me with double six on the horizon, including 50 years of driving. Driving the iconic Route 66 is a bucket list item for many travelers. I’d like to do that at age 66. And for those who acquired their first driver’s license at age 16, a half-century of driving has likely provided plenty of opportunities for reflection. During the

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Jay Leno honors Sam Walton, Walmart with new old F-150

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Sam Walton needed one vehicle; Jay Leno has hundreds. But the comedian and founder of Walmart both knew about business, marketing and a good truck when they saw one. Which is why Walmart and Leno, the renowned collector, have collaborated to reimagine the late Walton’s 1979 Ford F-150. Using a 2021 Ford F-150, the project will celebrate the debut of Leno’s line of car care and detailing products at Walmart beginning in early 2021. Jay Leno Has Honored Sam Walton Walton cherished his battered truck. Among the entrepreneur’s legacy is a tale about why Walton continued to drive the truck

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Santa Cruz set as 1st Hyundai pickup truck

Hyundai’s new pickup truck will have a unibody construction. Starting prices have not been announced but predicated at $25,000. Hyundai hopes the Santa Cruz will improve the carmaker’s lagging sales.    Following the industry trend, although several years behind, Hyundai will soon debut its first pickup truck, the 2022 Santa Cruz. First teased as a concept in 2015, the South Korean manufacturer will begin selling the Santa Cruz as a complement to its expanding non-sedan lineup in late 2021.  Hyundai recently added the Kona, Palisade and Venue crossovers to its lineup. Hyundai sold a manufacturer’s record of 768,057 vehicles in 2016.

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#156, Automobile writer Aaron Gold talks cars

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:20 — 43.0MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | More Aaron Gold is a veteran automobile writer who has contributed to many print and online publications. He’s as enthusiastic about his work as anyone in the industry, and it shows in his articles and in conversation. A staff writer for Automobile, Gold is our guest on this week’s episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss the automotive industry with the journalist, with a particular interest in several of his recent articles. Canada isn’t an automotive powerhouse, but

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#155, New book, speed record (not), electric trucks, oh my!

A new book, a speed record (not), new truck towing capacities, autonomous vehicles and the future of electric trucks. There’s always a lot happening in the automotive industry, and periodically Bruce Aldrich I just talk about a lot on The Weekly Driver Podcast. We’re are each other’s guests this week to visit the above-mentioned news items. And it’s the 155th episode of our slightly more than three-year-old, 30-minute broadcasts. First up this week is a new book by author Mike Mueller. It’s The Complete Book of Corvette, a coffee table-sized book details all generations of the “America’s Sports Car.” The

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New Corvette mid-engine beauty rocks auto world

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The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray for decades has been labeled “America’s Sports Car.” It’s served as the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 a record 16 times since 1978. And for 40 years, the Corvette has been made in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The General Motors plant is as nationalistic as any manufacturing city. It shares geographic headquarters with other iconic American companies — Holley to Russell, Camping World to Fruit of the Loom. But Chevy has expanded its motoring preferences outside of Kentucky and its seven bordering states. The debuts of the 2020 C8 Corvette and its 2021 sibling, both delayed

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Tiny cars display shows big world of small wonders

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Pickup trucks and SUVs rule the automotive landscape. Bigger is better. More horsepower and torque equate to sales. But it all means very little to tiny car enthusiasts. For mini, micro, pedal & toy cars owner great things come in small packages. The Audrain Automotive Museum, located in Newport, Rhode Island, recently announced its newest exhibit dedicated to tiny vehicles. The “Small Wonders: Mini, Micro, Pedal & Toy Cars” will open November 21 and continue through February 14, 2021. The BMW Isetta, Fiat’s quirky 500 Jolly, a Nash Metropolitan and a Peel P50 are among the more well-known micro cars

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2020 Bullitt Mustang ideal for the Steve McQueen in all of us

A 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback and a 2004 Pontiac Aztek are as far apart on the automotive spectrum as possible — with one exception. With a few dozen other vehicles — an Aston Martin DB5 to AMC Pacer and a Plymouth Fury to Pontiac Trans AM — the Mustang and Aztek are cultural icons. Younger automotive and movie enthusiasts may only know the Aztek from the “Breaking Bad” series on Netflix or a Toyota MK IV Supra from the movie “The Fast and the Furious.” But the Bullitt Mustang, released in three time frames in the past 20 years,

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2022 Hyundai Tucson

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson, the continuation of the South-Korean manufacturer’s top-selling vehicle globally, has been announced. It will feature new exterior stylings, more passenger and cargo room and upgraded features throughout the sport utility vehicle. Available in dealerships in the spring and summer of 2021 (depending upon model) the Hyundai Tucson will be offered in an array of powertrain variants, including new hybrid and plug-in hybrid. The new 2022 Hyundai Tucson internal combustion models will be produced at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) and Ulsan, Korea. Three new technology features highlight interior changes: *10.25-inch full-touch screen exempt of hard buttons:

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2021 Jeep Gladiator Willys

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator Willys, engineered to be the most off-road capable Jeep truck ever, builds on the brand’s rich combined heritage of utility functionality and versatility. Equipped with the proven 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine and a versatile cargo box, all Gladiator models are Trail Rated with a badge indicating the vehicle is designed to perform in five key consumer-oriented performance categories: traction, ground clearance, maneuverability, articulation and water fording. Jeep Gladiator Willys: Joins Jeep Lineup “Building on the widely popular Wrangler Willys, we’re thrilled to announce the Willys model is joining the Gladiator lineup as another way for Jeep

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3 BMW sedans get worst depreciation honors

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Consumers purchase BMW sedans for their well-documented performance qualities. But value is not part of the German manufacturer’s appeal. According to iSeeCars.com, the automotive research firm and data-driven car search engine, three of the German sedans are among the top-10 vehicles with the worst five-year depreciation averages. The website analyzed more than 8.2 million car sales to identify models with the lowest and highest loss in value after five years. BMW gets dubious honors The BMW 7 and 5 series hold the top two spots among the highest depreciating vehicles. The stablemate X3 has the 10th worst depreciation average after

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Jeep Wrangler gets lowest 5-year depreciation honors

The Jeep Wrangler tops the list of vehicles with the lowest depreciation, at 30.9 percent over five years. The Unlimited trim scored more than 18 percent lower than the national five-year depreciation average, according to iSeeCars.com. Trucks and truck-based SUVs hold their value the best, while luxury sedans see the most depreciation. iSeeCars.com analyzed more than 8.2 million car sales to identify models with the lowest and highest loss in value after five years. Jeep Wrangler Takes Depreciation Honors In addition to the cars with the lowest five-depreciation, the comprehensive study also includes the lowest-and highest-depreciating cars by price point

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Shelby Supercar Tuatara gets non-speed record in record time

The need for speed has resulted in the Shelby Supercar Tuatara crossing a line it hadn’t hoped to cross — in a blur of doubt. Two weeks ago, the SSC touted with documentation a record of 316.11 miles per hour by its production car. With the mph record, the Tuatara also set “Fastest Flying Mile on a Public Road” and “Fastest Flying Kilometer on a Public Road” records. As expected, the accomplishment gained plenty of attention, including millions of views on various YouTube videos. Shelby Supercar Tuatara: MPH askew But it was also YouTube viewers who pointed to discrepancies in

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