Certain traffic quandaries are repetitive. One of those oft-perplexing situations concerns right of way at “T” intersections. It’s common for drivers travelling the top of the “T” to believe that they have right of way over those driving the “leg” of the “T.” As an…
The second-gen three-row CX-9 is roomier than before, despite having lost an inch of overall length. It’s quieter and better equipped, more dynamic and less thirsty.
It’s impossible to view any auto-related publication these days without finding a reference to self-driving vehicles. Some, like reader/driver S.H., aren’t convinced that they may soon sit in the back seat reading a book while their car drives by itself, but corporate investment in the…
Rare is the compact crossover buyer who prioritizes performance. It’s a price-sensitive segment, where comfort, safety and utility rate higher than the thrill of the drive. Nevertheless, I submit that Mazda’s CX-5 is the most fun-to-drive crossover not bearing a German nameplate. Lithe and maneuverable…
Ignore Myers-Briggs. Forget the Rorschach inkblot test. Your truest self is best revealed by the cars you buy. Say you’re shopping subcompact crossovers. Do you pick the funky Nissan Juke or the wicked-cute Fiat 500X? The fun-to-drive Mazda CX-3 or the off-road-ready Jeep Renegade? Or…
The ahead-of-its-time 2013 Washington state strategic highway safety plan, Target Zero, is getting a boost in reality. And it’s coming from the rapid advancement in self driving cars. Target Zero’s goal of reducing state highway deaths to none by 2030 has planned elements including education,…
Concerned with human and animal safety, reader J.H. wrote, “I have noticed more and more dogs in the back of trucks and SUVs lately. It’s often hard to tell if the dogs are tethered. Large untethered dogs even in the back of a SUV seems…
Winter driving conditions are history for now, and huge numbers of drivers will embark on road trips as a result. Summer offers the lure of clear roadways (except construction zones), increasing the number of motorists making “long hauls.” Add favorable fuel prices to the mix,…
The fourth-generation Sportage lands this year, with a roomier cabin, a stiffer unibody, a new suspension and a look bold enough to worry the competition.
According to recently received emails, local drivers have serious thoughts on driving safety. For example, reader C.L. expressed his concerns about pedestrian activity within the streets by writing, “I live in an area of Spokane where the streets and sidewalks are well used by bikes,…
In Lincoln’s heyday, crossovers were not yet even a glint in the industry’s eye.
Just when we are trying to reckon with the concept of driverless cars, some envision those vehicles competing on a race track. Kinetik, a London investment fund headed by Russian entrepreneur Denis Sverdlov, has released a rendering of a Formula One racecar having one glaring…
The current Dodge Dart is likely to be remembered as a near-miss.
Readers regularly send me ideas, pet peeves and questions pertaining to driving. At times, I have answers to those inquiries, but other times I simply reply, “Good question!” One of those good questions that warrants pondering came from R.H. who wrote, “I find the idea…
Usually reader/driver comments typify the thoughts of many. For example, I regularly receive reader concerns about certain traffic patterns in our region. Not surprisingly, a significant majority of those reports involve intersections, where vehicular conflict intensifies. And one of those intersections I often hear about…
The death of the family sedan has been greatly exaggerated.
Lately, I’ve reported on the automotive industry’s zeal over self-driving vehicles. Billions of investment dollars by the likes of Ford Motor Company, Tesla, Toyota, Subaru, Mercedes-Benz and just about everyone else indicate a fast track approach to autonomous driving systems. Recently, General Motors advanced the…
With seven million units sold since its 1990 debut, Ford’s Explorer is the planet’s best-selling SUV-cum-crossover.
t’s too early to call it a trend, but the 2016 Hyundai Tucson is a turning point of sorts in the global auto industry. Besides being Hyundai’s entry in the U.S. compact crossover market, the all-new Tucson ($23,595, including destination) replaces a European Hyundai known...
You’ve likely heard the recent announcement that autonomous emergency braking will become standard on most cars within six years. That will not end rear end collisions, but will begin to “put the brakes” on proliferation of such wrecks. Whether it is cell phones, vehicle devices,…
Pickups are America’s best-selling vehicles — and not just because every roofer, builder and landscaper in town has one. Trucks are not just for work any more; ask any manufacturer cashing in on the RV boom. RV builders are selling every unit they can build…
The lyrics to B.B. King’s “The Thrill is Gone,” portray the sorrow of an ended romance. While the words of the song make reference to relationships between people, the same woeful sentiments of abandonment and loneliness, to some, apply to their love affair with automobiles.…
I’ve written that no matter their degree of prowess, every driver can learn and improve. That thought rings true for reader V.D., recalling fatherly advice and noting, “When I was being taught to drive by my father (many, many years ago), he told me to…
Certain French philosophers believed that our humdrum human lives are illuminated by moments of great clarity.
Volkswagen just made it easier to own a Tiguan. Already the most affordable German-built car sold in the U.S., the base price of the compact crossover drops $1,400 this year. Its standard features list grows and its infotainment system adds functionality. Even the entry-level Tiguan…
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