Test Drive: 2015 Infiniti QX80 AWD
This week, we're driving one of the biggest and most elegant full size SUVs on the road today, namely the 2015 Infiniti QX80 AWD.
Autos archive for Jan. 1, 2015
SUNDAY, OCT. 25, 2015
SATURDAY, OCT. 24, 2015
Collector Car Corner: Mercury for 1955 and 1956 can be solid choices for collectors
"I'm looking to purchase a 1955 or 1956 Mercury, hopefully a Montclair two-tone hardtop model. What can you can tell me about current pricing and what to look for in the Mercury models?"
V60 Cross Country: Volvo’s compact wagon learns off-road tricks
Volvo’s new V60 Cross Country is the newest competitor in the exclusive station-wagon-on-stilts segment. The new-for-’15 V60 Cross Country ($41,940, including transportation) is an elevated variant of Volvo’s compact, five-passenger V60 station wagon ($36,890). Along with its most natural competitor, Audi’s allroad quattro, it reworks...
MONDAY, OCT. 19, 2015
Ford F-150 revolutionizes truck design with new materials and powerplants
Sometimes, a crown looks a lot like a target.
More on big wheels
Reader G.K. offered some additional data about buying bigger diameter wheels by writing, “In reading your article this morning regarding tire/wheel sizes, you neglected to point out one very important consideration. For two wheel sizes with the same overall tire diameter, the larger wheel will…
MONDAY, OCT. 12, 2015
Develop a good defense
The defensive driving concept is not new, but many drivers have not adopted it. A defensive driver is adept at continually scanning for potential hazards and spotting them in time to accommodate them without incident. A good defense includes anticipation of mistakes by other drivers…
SATURDAY, OCT. 10, 2015
MX-5 Miata: Ancient military sport inspires Mazda’s fourth-generation roadster
Mazda credits an ancient military sport as inspiration for the all-new 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata. Perch atop a horse in full stride, Yabasume archers aimed pumpkin-shaped arrows at stationery targets. Their hands occupied by weapons, they used their knees to guide their mounts. The practice...
THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 2015
Collector Car Corner: Readers recall Crosley small cars
"Your column on the first small and compact American cars brings back my memories of the two-passenger Crosley, which was very small and came with a two-cylinder engine."
MONDAY, OCT. 5, 2015
Greg Zyla: Test Drive 2015 Toyota RAV4
This week, we're driving Toyota¹s 2015 RAV4 Limited AWD, one of the most popular compact SUVs in existence.
SUNDAY, OCT. 4, 2015
Dramatic and unconventional, Nissan Murano stands out in crowded segment
It’s not easy to stand out in the crowded compact crossover class, but Nissan’s third-generation Murano makes it look that way.
MONDAY, SEPT. 28, 2015
More on road rules
When I wrote of lesser-known rules of the road, reader M.S. took note. In an earlier column, I described the Washington law forbidding embrace of another while driving. It reminded M.S. of another behavior he feels should be prohibited by law. M.S. wrote, “Your column…
SUNDAY, SEPT. 27, 2015
Mustang GT: Mustang’s made-over flagship is fast, furious and surprisingly comfortable
My relationship with muscle cars is complicated.
MONDAY, SEPT. 21, 2015
Autos steadily improving
I have an opinion of today’s new automobiles: It’s hard to buy a bad one. Healthy competition, modern engineering and high manufacturing standards have influenced current car and truck offerings in a good way. Automobile manufacturers have now been working to improve their offerings for…
SUNDAY, SEPT. 20, 2015
Volkswagen Tiguan: Despite advancing age, Tiguan shines in crowded segment
“This is comfortable,” my companion said, buckling her seatbelt. “What is it?”
FRIDAY, SEPT. 18, 2015
Collector Car Corner: A short history of Bonneville Salt Flats
I’m from California and would love to know more about the Bonneville Salt Flats, one of motorsports fastest yet lesser known and covered divisions.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 17, 2015
Test Drive: 2016 Nissan Maxima SR
This week, we’re driving the all-new eighth-generation 2016 Nissan Maxima, featuring a fresh aerodynamic stance, improved interior and attractive entry price.
MONDAY, SEPT. 14, 2015
Love the one you're with
Stephen Stills’ song lyric suggests loving the one you’re with, but while driving, Washington law cautions against showing it. Amorous relationships may “make the world go ‘round,” but a Revised Code of Washington traffic law reminds us to curb the distraction of affection while in…
SATURDAY, SEPT. 12, 2015
Buick Regal: Sporty midsize sedan is value leader of near-luxury segment
Buick’s crossovers — the compact Encore and 7-passenger Enclave — have led its post-bankruptcy recovery.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 8, 2015
Car hacking: a potential threat
You likely caught a report last month about some computer whizzes hacking an automobile computer. As detailed in Wired magazine and endlessly reported elsewhere, cybersecurity researchers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek controlled a Jeep Cherokee’s onboard computer from their laptop. The skilled hackers spent years…
SATURDAY, SEPT. 5, 2015
Toyota Tacoma: 2016 Taco excels off-road, adds creature comforts
Toyota wanted to impress the media with the off-road abilities of the 2016 Tacoma pickup, so it built a mountainside test track just outside Snoqualmie. Long the best-selling mid-size pickups and a favorite of people who spend a lot of time out doors. But a...
MONDAY, AUG. 31, 2015
Why all the rage?
Road rage exists everywhere. Searching related news stories on the Internet regularly reveals the tragic outcomes of such events. Just last month, a Florida man was slain in front of his family when an outraged motorist followed him to his residence after an “aggressive interaction”…
SATURDAY, AUG. 29, 2015
BMW X6 M: High-performance, tech-rich crossover is weirdly shaped and stunningly fast
In 1999, BMW dipped its toes into crossover waters with the midsize X5. Built on the rear-drive platform of the 5 Series sedan, it inherited that car’s muscularity and superior driving dynamics.
MONDAY, AUG. 24, 2015
Solutions from readers 1
It’s open to discussion if their solutions are viable, but readers regularly send me their ideas for improving highway safety. For example, regarding phone distraction, R.B. suggested, “After reading your column today I had a thought; why can’t we get cell phone makers to make…
SATURDAY, AUG. 22, 2015
Jeep Patriot: Old-school, budget-wise crossover still selling well 4
I drove the Jeep Patriot a thousand miles before grasping its appeal.
MONDAY, AUG. 17, 2015
Horsepower making a comeback
Whether one calls it performance, muscle, throttle response, or something else, fast vehicles are making a comeback. Though it was predicted that the early 1970’s marked the beginning of the end for “muscle cars,” the specs and performance of many current production models belie that…
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