Honda Ridgeline

#266, Cars.com releases 18th ANNUAL American-made index

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:20 — 60.4MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreBuying a vehicle made in the United States is essential to many consumers. According to Cars.com, about half of the car buyers in the United States say they will pay more for a vehicle that creates U.S. jobs. Additionally, 24 percent of Americans believe a manufacturer has to be headquartered in the U.S. to qualify as “substantially contributing to the U.S. economy.” Jenni Newman, the editor-in-chief of cars.com, is our guest this week on The Weekly Driver Podcast. We discuss consumers’ preferences for cars made in the United States. Co-host Bruce Aldrich is away this week, so I interview Newman, a repeat guest, about

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#250, The Weekly Driver’s 2022 Cars of the Year

Selecting the cars of the year helps celebrate another year reviewing new cars and trucks, visiting auto shows and talking with vintage car owners, book authors and industry experts about their cars of the year. There are always great and not-so-great moments driving vehicles. The industry is always abuzz. There are always changes, oddball statistics, recalls and new models and makes. What has Elon Musk done now? Will autonomous driving and EVs ever make a significant difference? Will low-profile tires stop blowing while negotiating small divots in the road? Will Audi ever change its front-grille design? As much as the automotive industry changes, sometimes not much happens. In 2007, the year the iPhone debuted, the starting price of the Toyota

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2022 Ford Maverick reigns in pickup gas mileage rivalry

The 2022 Ford Maverick has proven a success, although many buyers who placed orders for the new offering in the manufacturer’s extensive of lightweight trucks haven’t received their vehicle and likely won’t soon. The Maverick combines affordability and fuel efficiency, and it’s also backlogged with many other cars and trucks and many other products within the supply chain fiasco. With a starting price of $21,490 and a combined fuel economy of 37 miles per gallon, the Ford Maverick tops the list of the country’s most fuel efficient trucks. Ford Maverick: Best MPG Among Trucks Here’s a “baker’s dozen” list of the lightweight trucks in the United States with the best combined gas mileage averages. Each 2022 model truck listed with

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What car would you buy? Vintage over new always, but . . .

Not too far into the future, 300 million vehicles will be registered in the United States. More than 30 current car manufacturers have lineups currently available; plenty of other carmakers are defunct and either revered or best forgotten but with models still driven. The staggering number of vehicles on the road and hoarded in garages further dilutes an often-asked question: “If money were no object, what car would you buy?” There’s no right answer, but vintage simplicity is far more appealing than impress-the-neighbors bling. A 1954 Kaiser-Darrin, 1967 Mercedes Benz 250 SL Convertible or a 1991 Nissan Figaro? Yes. Any new Tesla, Hummer or tanked-sized family SUV? No. A $15,000 Chevy Spark and its 40 miles per gallon has plenty

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New cars are fine, but vintage wheels always better

Not too far into the future, 300 million cars will be registered in the United States. More than 30 current manufacturers have new cars currently available; plenty of other carmakers are defunct and either revered or best forgotten but with models still driven. The staggering number of vehicles on the road and hoarded in garages further dilutes an often-asked question” “If money were no object, what car would you buy?” There’s no right answer, but vintage simplicity is far more appealing than impress-the-neighbors bling. A 1954 Kaiser-Darrin, 1967 Mercedes Benz 250 SL Convertible or a 1991 Nissan Figaro? Yes. Any new Tesla, Hummer or tanked-sized family SUV? No. A $15,000 Chevy Spark and its 40 miles per gallon have plenty

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Favorite car? Old or new? It’s in the eye of the buyer

Who can pick their favorite car? Not too far into the future, 300 million cars will be registered in the United States. More than 30 current manufacturers have lineups currently available; plenty of other carmakers are defunct and either revered or best forgotten and still driven. The staggering number of vehicles on the road and hoarded in garages further dilutes an often-asked question, “If money were no object, what car would you buy?” There’s no right answer, but vintage simplicity is far more appealing than impress-the-neighbors bling. A 1954 Kaiser-Darrin, 1967 Mercedes Benz 250 SL Convertible or a 1991 Nissan Figaro? Yes. Any new Tesla, Hummer or tanked-sized family SUV? No. Favorite Car?  Old or New? A $15,000 Chevy Spark

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2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz goes big in a smaller way

Introduced as the manufacturer’s first pickup truck, the 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz addresses a niche market. It’s a pickup truck for buyers who don’t want a truck or at least as previously defined. Available last June as this year’s model, the four-door, front-engine, all-wheel drive is marketed as an Adventure Sport Vehicle. Like the Honda Ridgeline and Ford Maverick, the Santa Cruz has a unibody chassis design, not the ladder frame featured on most pickup trucks. The back seats are comfortable only for children or petite adults. The standard Hyundai Santa Cruz engine is a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder setup with 191 horsepower, 181 lb.-ft. of torque and an eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s based on its sibling, the Tucson crossover sport utility

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#212, 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost named Car of the Year

Early in 2021, a teenage boy witnessed a colleague and me exit a 2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost at a local sandwich shop. He approached us, looked at my friend and said: “Excuse me, sir. What kind of job do I need to get to afford a car like that?” A few hours later while waiting in the Ghost at a stoplight two men in a vehicle to my right that may not have made it to its destination, caught my attention. Before the light changed, they uncorked a jubilant dance of synchronized hand signs and body gestures. I didn’t know what the display meant, but I’m certain it was a good thing. Far more expensive vehicles exist. But the Ghost, with

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#196, Bruce buys a truck, letters and buy us a cup of coffee

Driving a new car is generally enjoyable; the process of acquiring it? Not so much. Bruce Aldrich, the co-host of The Weekly Driver Podcast, hadn’t purchased a new vehicle in more than a decade. His Subaru Outback will soon approach 200,000 miles, and it’s doing fine. But Bruce and his wife, Alene, decided a new Ford F-250 pickup truck is the vehicle to get. It’ll tow an RV just fine, which is a good thing since the couple is planning to do more traveling with friends who are also RVers and who also own a pickup truck. Bruce “built” his new truck online from the Ford website, and now he’ll wait for the truck to arrive. Delivery could take months.

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2021 Honda Ridgeline updated, future seems grim

Seventeen years ago, Honda introduced the Ridgeline to challenge the mainstream pickup truck empire. The Ridgeline was something. It had the industry’s first lockable in-bed storage trunk. It had a fully independent suspension. The truck’s dual-action tailgate could be opened to the side or down. The 2006 Honda Ridgeline (made in Canada beginning in March 2005) also had an unusual exterior design, a unibody frame. It had a 3.5-liter V6 transverse-mounted engine a five-speed automatic transmission and 247 horsepower. Its towing capacity was (and remains) 5,000 pounds. Accolades arrived quickly, including the Ridgeline’s selection as Motor Trend’s 2006 Truck of the Year. It was also named Car and Driver’s top mid-size truck for 2006. The Ridgeline combined truck capabilities with

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Electric truck wars: 9 manufacturers ready to charge

Changing nearly as fast as gas prices, there’s seemingly constant news in the electric truck market. More manufacturers are debuting EV pickups while others have plans to do so in the not-too-distant future. At least nine manufacturers are in the electric truck business, led by Tesla and Rivian. Here’s a synopsis of arguably the top-two most anticipated EV trucks and a list of the manufacturers currently in the market. Telsa has plans to offer Cybertruck. Company founder and CEO Elon Musk changes his mind often. But the pending slate currently includes a tri-motor with all-wheel drive, a dual-motor AWD model and a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive. Electric trucks ready to charge Prices were announced starting at just under $40,000. The tri-motor option

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Consumer Reports: 2021 Jeep, Honda only recommended trucks

Pickup trucks continue to dominate sales in the United States. But the volume doesn’t impress Consumer Reports. Among the 17 pickup trucks tested by the leading consumer organization, only the Honda Ridgeline and the Jeep Gladiator were recommended. The Ridgeline achieved a score of 65, the highest mark among all trucks tested. Consumer Reports conducts about 50 different tests on the vehicles it evaluates. It evaluates braking to handling, comfort to safety and as fuel economy. Predicted reliability, owner satisfaction, safety technology and crash test results are also factored into overall results. Consumer Reports slams most pickup trucks The Gladiator and Ridgeline are both mid-sized trucks. No full-sized truck were recommended. The Ridgeline scored average or better in every category.

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NEW TRUCK PREVIEW: 2022 Ford Maverick or Courier?

Ford will return to the United States compact pickup truck market with the 2022 Ford Maverick. Or could it be called the 2022 Ford Courier? By any given name, the base model will use a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, according to several automotive website reports. The engine is also featured in the Transit Connect model and generates 162 hp and 144 lb-ft of torque. Slotted below the Ford Ranger, the Maverick or Courier (or another name) will have unibody construction, with a similar look to the Honda Ridgeline. It will be a four-door-only vehicle, according to several automotive sites. A 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbo engine will be optional, with 181 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque and with all-wheel optional. Some reports

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#163, The Weekly Driver Podcast’s Cars of the Year

Welcome to the 14th annual Cars of the Year list, selected by TheWeeklyDriver.com. This year, co-host Bruce Aldrich and I announce the top-10 list on this week’s episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Bruce and I individually picked 10 vehicles from the nearly 40 cars and trucks in 2020 models I reviewed and Bruce drove. Neither of us was surprised. Our choices for cars of the year were nearly identical, including our No. 1 choice, the 2020 Corvette Stingray. Unlike many publications, we wait until the end of the year to announce our selections. A year’s perspective is important. Cars of the Year Here are The Weekly Driver Podcast’s choices for 2020 (with prices), followed by cars of the year

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Ford F-150 among pickup trucks slammed by Consumer Reports

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 1500 is “plagued with electronics issues—screen replacements, headlights, body control modules, gauges, and engine computers.” The Ford Ranger, Nissan Frontier,

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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. The tally fell to 688,771 last year. Few details of the new truck have been released, but it’s expected to

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