As of 2012, the Toyota Corolla had gone longer without an update than any other car in the compact segment. Even so, it outsold every competitor but the Honda Civic. This week in Seattle, Toyota showed West Coast journalists the 11th-generation, 2014 Corolla (from $17,610,…
I’ve often entered freeways at less-than-advisable speeds. That’s because, at those times, I’m following a vehicle whose driver is not taking advantage of the lengthy access ramps designed to allow freeway speed prior to merging. I’m not alone in this dilemma. I’ve ridden with Washington…
Since corporations are people, does it not follow that a business -- even a really big business -- can experience emotion? Joy and sorrow, hope and despair? I hope so. I’d like to think Nissan is having fun. Otherwise, how to explain the Juke? You…
There’s a new buzzword in the RV trade. Seems like half the trailers, campers and fifth-wheels one sees these days are emblazoned with a logo bearing some -- usually misspelled -- version of the word “light.” Super Lite! Ultra Lite! Ever Lite! Like every buzzword,…
An email from reader R.R. recently caught my attention. As I had just spent 100 hours in the driver’s seat on 6000-mile road trip, his note struck a familiar tone. He wrote, “One pet peeve I have is this: on a 2 lane each way…
Volkswagen summoned journalists to Napa Valley last week, purportedly to introduce its 2014 U.S. product line. The unveilings included a family of innovative and efficient new engines, a new satellite-based connectivity system called Car-Net and an expanded lineup of “performance-inspired” R-Line cars. But the event’s…
Determined to be a big-time player in the States, Kia continues to turn up the heat on its competitors. Just three years ago, Kia replaced its compact, truck-based Sorento SUV with an all-new crossover of the same name. The new Sorento quickly began to ring…
You can’t control the anger and aggression of other drivers, but you can and should regulate your own. Statistics show that aggressive driving is the root cause of over half of all motor vehicle accidents, so curbing those tendencies makes sense. The relative anonymity, comfort…
In 2004, the Chrysler 300 landed like a body slam to the midsection of the full-size sedan segment, its brooding, broad-shouldered presence a poke in the eye of convention. The 300’s dark beauty masked an array of shortcomings, though. On the verge of bankruptcy, Chrysler…
The good news is that cell phone use has brought the topic of distracted driving to the forefront. The bad news is that the handy electronic device nearly all of us are addicted to has itself become the main distraction. I’ve written of driving distractions…
If any billionaire entrepreneur besides Elon Musk said he’d like to shoot me through a tube at close to the speed of sound I probably wouldn’t consider it. But Musk has an impressive track record of bringing Jetson-esque pipe dreams to practical (and profitable) realities.…
In theory, given the proliferation of computer-controlled systems within automobiles, newer cars are subject to hacking. As with tablet, laptop, notebook and desktop computers, unscrupulous evil-doers could wreak havoc with the well-being of you and your vehicle. But they probably won’t. Andy Greenberg, of Forbes…
If rookie Ford engineer, Zach Nelson had created a novelty vibrating shift knob on the payroll Alan Mulally might have told him to vibrate his things into a box. Luckily Nelson was smart. His wiggly shifter does much more than tickle palms to prompt gear…
My commentary on pedestrian safety a couple of weeks ago stirred up additional thoughts and questions from readers. Some wondered when and where pedestrians have right of way while crossing streets, and reader G.W. wondered why those afoot often push the limits of that right…
When an unreleased car reaches a certain level of buzz-worthiness a snippet of its exhaust note can grab headlines. Such a clip emerged late last month from Acura’s top secret lair. The video barely includes five seconds of footage, but offers the Internet masses the…
Feedback from readers reveals what’s on drivers’ minds. One following note involves a previous column topic and another arises from a local publisher’s remark. B.W. reinforced my assertion that hand signals from drivers who refuse to take the right of way are unwarranted and potentially…
When a flasher wraps himself in an ill-fitting leather overcoat most people aren’t curious to know what he plans on revealing. The same can’t be said for the 2015 Ford Mustang. Spy video shot this month shows the hotly anticipated muscle car being tested on…
In late 2011, Honda debuted the all-new 2012 Civic. The next year, the updated outsold all other compacts in the U.S., and was the country’s second-best-selling car. Apparently, though, Honda has even greater things in mind for the Civic. For 2013, just one year following…
As infants begin walking, they quickly learn of things that may impede their success. Slippery floors, loose rugs, misplaced toys, dark rooms, stubbed toes and much more comprise the trials and tribulations a new walker must deal with. But even when efficient footwork becomes second-nature,…
Czech pawn shop owner Radovan Krejcir watched as twelve shotgun barrels opened fire on his Mercedes-Benz. The blasts peppered the passenger-side window of his bullet-proof car; an obvious attempt to assassinate the wanted business owner in the doldrums of his daily routine. This is car…
Outfitting a car with wheels that are more expensive than the whole vehicle is a classic ghetto-fabulous aesthetic. This month Miami-based Latitude Wheels tweaked the automotive statement to an all new level with a Ferrari 458 Italia intended to serve as their flagship show car.…
Faithful column followers know that I am not a fan of drivers’ informal signals which are intended to direct traffic according to their wishes and whims. I’m not referring to arm signals designating turns and stopping — those are definitive and legal. Nor do I…
In 2006, Lexus took direct aim at BMW’s 3 Series, with the launch of the IS compact sport sedan. The IS offered a pair of excellent engines, but its cramped interior and lackluster handling limited it to also-ran status, where it has remained. For 2014,…
I’ll always campaign for drivers to strive for precision while at the wheel, and pointing out common errors is a component of that plea process. Recognizing that we are all subject to driver error is the first requisite for improvement. And hopefully, the mistakes we…
Yesterday, members of the Northwest Automotive Press Association (NWAPA) gathered in Portland to drive and rate an assortment of “green cars.” What I learned tooling around downtown Portland: Sustainability is high on the automotive agenda. We drove 17 hybrids, plug-in hybrids, clean diesels and electric…
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