Remember the basics
Another important driving preparation is to know the rules of the road
Autos archive for Jan. 1, 2019
FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019
FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019
2019 Lexus LX 570: Big SUV still capable after all these years
During the darkest days of our late winter, Lexus dug deep into its press fleet to supply us with a squadron of weather-ready rigs. The latest and the largest of them is the 2019 LX 570, a full-size truck-based luxury SUV that can be had...
Many flunk driving test
Whether first tests or retests, drivers countrywide flunk them in huge numbers.
SUNDAY, MARCH 31, 2019
2019 Mazda CX-9: Three-row CUV grows smoother and quieter, still a delight to drive
If there’s one three-row crossover that’s always welcome in our driveway, it’s Mazda’s CX-9. Regular readers know we like vehicles that are responsive rewarding to drive. And here is where the CX-9 burns brightest. Its well-tuned chassis and precise and communicative steering justify Mazda’s “Driving…
FRIDAY, MARCH 29, 2019
Ever-present driving realities
Please make mobile calls when your vehicle is immobile.
SUNDAY, MARCH 24, 2019
2019 Toyota Tundra: Dated, but blessed with age-defying DNA
When it comes to light trucks, Toyota is playing the long game. That’s the view from the Peanut Gallery anyway. We’ve tested a number of Toyota trucks and SUVs lately — including representatives of its upscale Lexus brand — and each had grown long in…
FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2019
Gettting better all the time
The good news is that product improvements began for domestics in the mid-1980s.
FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019
2019 Subaru Forester: A familiar face obscures sweeping changes
It’s not obvious at first blush but the 2019 Subaru Forester emerges from the crossover shop this year a fundamentally changed vehicle. It rides on a rigid and lightweight new platform that enhances ride quality, bolsters passenger safety and cuts noise, vibration and harshness. Its…
Driving details matter
Getting better at driving’s common-sense details improves roadway harmony.
SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2019
2019 Hyundai Santa Fe: ‘Tween-sized crossover gets full makeover, name change
Hyundai has long campaigned two crossovers under a single nameplate, the compact, five-passenger Santa Fe Sport and the midsize, three-row Santa Fe. This year, Hyundai hopes to reduce confusion by renaming them. For 2019, the Santa Fe Sport is rebadged Santa Fe ($22,750), while the…
FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2019
Don't cause holdups
I know of drivers who purposely block others.
SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2019
2019 Lexus GX 460: Three-row sport-ute transcends its truck roots
In a world teeming with car-based crossovers, Lexus’s GX460 takes a stand on the side of trucks. Like the Toyota 4Runner it’s based on, the three-row GX is all truck. It rides on a rugged ladder-frame chassis and standard kit includes a full-time four-wheel-drive system…
FRIDAY, MARCH 1, 2019
Setting speed limits
Definitive answers to finding the right speed are elusive, at best.
SUNDAY, FEB. 24, 2019
2019 Toyota Highlander makes gains in refinement, tech
Toyota came out of the gate early in the great three-row crossover race. It launched its Highlander in 2001, setting off a wave of seven- and eight-passenger CUVs. In 2005, Toyota added a hybrid powerplant to the mix, making the Highlander the first electrified seven-passenger…
FRIDAY, FEB. 22, 2019
Crossing fingers for stud ban
There are many detractors when it comes to the continued use of studded tires.
SUNDAY, FEB. 17, 2019
Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid unique in compact crossover segment
The Outlander was last made-over in 2013 and though a series of updates have kept it in the hunt, it’s one of the segment’s senior members. It isn’t as refined — or as capable — as the segment leaders. Still, it offers budget-minded buyers a...
FRIDAY, FEB. 15, 2019
Driving errors can be costly
Always afford full attention to your driving effort and strive to eliminate errors.
SUNDAY, FEB. 10, 2019
2019 Honda Pilot: Mid-cycle refresh bolsters Pilot’s standing in three-row crossover hunt
Automakers angling for profits in the midsize crossover segment can’t rest on past glories. The segment changes so quickly and has so many capable players, that just keeping up is a full-time job. Take Honda’s three-row, eight-passenger Pilot. The Pilot debuted in 2003 and has...
FRIDAY, FEB. 8, 2019
Helmets required
I am not against helmet use, but mandatory use for selected activities seems discriminatory to me.
SUNDAY, FEB. 3, 2019
2019 Toyota Tacoma imposes trade-offs for its extraordinary capabilities
One needn’t spend a week behind the wheel Toyota’S Tacoma to know it’s a different kind of pickup. You even need to fire it up; the seating position alone tells the Tacoma story. One sits low to the floor in the Tacoma, legs stretched out…
FRIDAY, FEB. 1, 2019
Trailhead precautions
The all-too-common urban occurrence of car prowling is repeated regularly in the wilderness as well.
SUNDAY, JAN. 27, 2019
2019 Lexus RX 450hL: Three-row hybrid wraps Lexus virtues in bold new design
Last year, Lexus debuted a long-wheelbase, three-row version of its RX midsize crossover. These new “L” models give Lexus an efficient alternative to the company’s two truck-based, three-row SUVs, the midsize GX and full-size LX. They expand the RX’s lineup to five models: the RX350…
FRIDAY, JAN. 25, 2019
Death rumors premature
…predictions of an auto industry downfall are not only exaggerated, but they are actually just plain wrong.
SUNDAY, JAN. 20, 2019
2019 Dodge Durango breaks rules, offers buyers more choice
Out there somewhere is a power-mad soul who needs a three-row crossover that tows 8200 pounds and runs the 0-60 sprint in 4.4 seconds. Not at the same time, obviously. But still. There's only one rig that can lay claim to such feats, the 2019...
FRIDAY, JAN. 18, 2019
The road to autonomy
The road leading to self-driving vehicles is still under construction.
The latest news, reviews and commentary about cars, trucks, and more, automotive technology and car culture
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