Automotive News, Car Reviews, and Podcast
An estimated 2,650 cars are stolen daily in the United States or about one every 33 seconds, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The country’s most stolen cars includes three Ford models, two models each of Honda and Dodge and one model each of Acura, Jeep and Toyota.
Read moreSay goodbye to the Hummer, the once proud military sport utility vehicle whose sales drastically decreased in recent years as gas prices and environmental concerns increased at a more rapid pace.
Read moreWhen Honda came out with the Pilot six years ago the Japanese automaker quickly had another hit. The Pilot became one of the forerunners in the eight-passenger midsize crossover segment. It’s a sport utility vehicle whose car-like qualities and hauling capabilities were lauded. Despite the accolades, one aspect of the Pilot got exposed – third-row seating was lacking. It wasn’t accommodating and the guess is in many Pilots the third row lay flat and it was left unused. The weakness remained, but the popularity of the Pilot grew with sales rising more to than 152,000 by 2006. But one year
Read moreSubaru, long-known for its industry standard all-wheel-drive system, has received another safety honor. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has honored Subaru as the only car maker to have top picks in all four classes in which it competes. Subaru won five top awards overall for 2010.
Read moreBest and worst cars lists are subjective, which make perfect sense since they’re compiled from a subjective industry. Who makes the best cars? Who makes the worst cars? Who knows?
Read moreBark Buckle UP is committed to informing pet owners about the dangers of unrestrained pet travel. The organization tracks in-depth statistics regarding pet safety, and works with police and fire departments as well as the general public to promote safe travel.
Read moreHagerty Insurance, the nation’s largest insurance agency for collector vehicles, has compiled a list of the most interesting cars owned in the last century notable presidents as well as candidates John McCain and Barack Obama.
Read moreAnother auto manufacturer seemingly joins the green automotive world each week. This time, it’s Chrysler and its new Envi division. Chrysler has announced it’s planning to launch all-electric vehicles within five years.
Read moreChrysler has just announced a new highspeed wireless system call Uconnect. It will allow drivers to access the internet at stoplights while other passengers simultaneously utilize other high-speed internet features. This may sound like innovation and it may catapult the car world into “hot spot” nirvana. But to me it sounds like the automotive apocalypse. Do drivers need any more distractions? A Chrysler spokesman commented “We see great potential for this.” Potential for what? More absent-minded drivers? More head-on collisions? Increased road rage? The dealer-installed system, officially called UConnect Web, will be an add-on to Chrysler’s UConnect information and entertainment
Read morePorsche continues to hold its status as the top brand for the fewest problems in the latest J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study. For the third straight year, Porsche took honors while Infiniti also fared well, improving from No. 9 to No. 2 in the annual study that calculates problems per 100 vehicles.
Read moreForbesAutos.com is among my favorite automotive sites. It reviews cars like other sites, but what I really like is the site’s lists. Among the most recent compilations is the list of the cars young drivers (under age 21) want most.
Read moreNow ending its first decade in production, the Suzuki Grand Vitara is a strong contender in the compact sport utility vehicle category. Its value pricing, strong warranty, good cabin and cargo space and satisfactory overall driving have prompted more potential buyers to give it appropriate consideration.
Read moreFor the 2007 model year, the minivan-based Buick Rendezvous, the Sport Utility Vehicle promoted by golfer Tiger Woods, was ranked as the most dangerous car to be in during a crash by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Read moreConsumer Reports recently announced the results of its annual car tests. Manufacturers relish being on the top-10 list and, of course, don’t appreciate being on the 10-worst list. Consumer Reports tests more than 50 vehicles each year in a program that includes 45 individual tests — emergency handling to acceleration, fuel economy to bumper impact.
Read moreAmerica Online, now officially called AOL, began in 1985. And it has arguably had the most tumultuous tenure of any Internet portal or search engine. The site and e-mail system still has an estimated 10 million subscribers and it likely has an equal number of detractors as it does loyal followers. For me, AOL’s auto section may be its best attribute. It’s comprehensive, offers myriad and often-updated features and the editors’ subject choices are relevant. One regular feature is the site’s top-10 most searched 208 vehicles. I’m not certain how often the list is updated, but here’s the current list,
Read moreThe auto industry had a lot changes in 2007. Many great vehicles continued to infiltrate the market. But according to a report on America Online, the total number of recalls nearly equaled the number of vehicles produced, mostly due to massive Ford and Volkswagen recalls. Last August, for example, Ford Motor Co., announced it was recalling 3.6 million vehicles, mostly trucks from the 1990s, to fix a speed control deactivation switch. And last spring, Volkswagen began recalling 1 million new Beetles from the model years 2001 to 2007 to repair a brake light problem. “Now almost any time you pick
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