A small player in a land of giants, Mazda has created a unique survival strategy. It leverages its under-the-radar stature with engaging, fun-to-drive cars with “above class” refinement and style. In their upper trims, its vehicles approach European-level elan. The 2021 Mazda3, illustrates the point.…
Maybe driving well is unachievable for some.
If cars were ice cream, the 2021 Toyota RAV4 would be the Baskin-Robbins of compact crossovers. RAV is available with three powertrain choices. Its six-trim lineup that includes two with robust off-road capabilities. It’s not the roomiest, most elegant or best-handling car in the segment.…
Drivers must know and adhere to laws, even when signs are not present.
I’ve been driving the string-straight roads of southern Wisconsin for the past month. The longer I’m here, the more I miss the rambling roads of home. It’s no surprise there are so few sporty cars here; there’s nowhere to drive them. Which threw a wet…
I believe a successful driver is only as good as their last error-free drive.
A few years back, a friend with an eye for handsome cars unloaded on Volvo. “Volvo builds ugly cars,” Bill said. He wasn’t malicious, but he was emphatic. He didn’t need to say, “And it always will”; his tone said it. For several years, flat…
It seems everything that a carmaker does is heavily scrutinized, which as always, is good for us.
A true test of the 2021 Honda Odyssey would involve a clutch of kids and a pile of gear. Load ‘em up and head out for a ski trip, a post-pandemic visit with the grands or a weekend or a weekend of camping at Priest.…
We all encounter sources of aggravation while we drive
Like every automaker, Cadillac sells boatloads of crossovers but struggles to move sedans. GM’s luxury division has complicated the task by targeting its four-doors at the luxury sport segments where German cars dominate. This year, Cadillac takes a fresh run at the entry-level subcompact gang.…
Please remember that just one finger can detonate an explosion of anger.
My wife Diane and I just wrapped a 1,7750-mile road trip from our home just outside town to Kenosha, Wisconsin. We crossed mountains, took in the vast grandeur of the northern plains and marveled at the devastation — and stench — of the oil-well states.…
Proper driving should always involve analytics.
To spend a week driving a BMW 8 Series convertible is to be reminded that people love a beautiful car. Heads turned everywhere we drove. As BMW’s new flagship, it epitomizes the company’s stated quest to build the Ultimate Driving Machine. It doesn’t fully live…
Another glance at the rules of the road might lessen the consternation.
Sometimes, revolutions begin quietly. Last year, Infiniti debuted the all-new four-cylinder VC-Turbo. Installed in the engine bay of the 2019 QX50 compact crossover, it’s the industry’s first production engine to feature variable compression ratios. Variable compression has been a holy grail for automakers for years.…
The few seconds it takes to merge with 60 mph traffic is no time to economize.
It’s not unfair to ask why a forward-thinking company like Mercedes-Benz would build a crossover that’s too powerful for American roads, gulps large quantities of high-test fuel and sports a $113,950 list price. They build them not because the world needs them but because people…
Many states have addressed the driver shortcoming through enforcement.
Last year, Ford resurrected its midsize Ranger pickup after an eight-year hiatus. Its timing was perfect. During the pandemic, Americans have been on a home-improvement spree. They’re creating stacks of dump-bound debris. A midsize truck like the Ranger answers the call of the dump and…
Understanding the definitions of automotive terminology can help you understand your vehicle better.
The Lexus RC F is one of a handful of Lexi designed to scratch Akiyo Toyoda’s performance itch. Toyoda is president of the Toyota/Lexus behemoth. He’s also a race-car driver. He took the reins in 2009 promising to energize the company with a slate of…
The number of older drivers has grown rapidly over the past twenty years.
Hyundai hit pay dirt in 2018, when it debuted the Kona subcompact crossover The Kona dared to stand out in the segment. Exterior styling was bold enough to draw attention without slipping into novelty. The cabin is less exuberant than the sheet metal, but it’s…
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