The automotive industry is facing an exciting and optimistic future. Predicting what is to come is not an exact science, but there are plenty of signs that manufacturer offerings will continue to be technological marvels of change. Prognosticators concur that the next ten years of…
We humans seem to be wired to believe bigger is better. Boats, burgers, diamond rings … size matters in countless ways.
"In April 1964 Ford introduced the Mustang, and one of my buddies and I were on a three-day pass and drove to Los Angeles in my old 1953 VW to see the new Mustang."
This week, we¹re driving the 2016 Toyota Avalon Hybrid that delivers 40-mpg average fuel economy.
During winter, a driver is likely to encounter every possible road condition. Learning to properly assess those conditions will improve one’s ability to adapt to them for successful, efficient motor vehicle travel. The vehicle and how it’s equipped plays the biggest role in winter driving…
If I could pick a vehicle that would take me wherever I wanted to go for the rest of my life,
When we usher in a new year, we often review our behavior, identify areas of desired improvement, and resolve to make changes. Concerning driving, an annual appraisal can enhance safety for all of us. Here are some reminders for a 2016 checkup: 1. Know the…
This is a reset year for the Honda Civic. A clean-sheet tenth-generation makeover blows out the cobwebs and sets the stage for the next round of product development.
I was tempted to launch this piece with the less-is-more trope. After all, the all-new Mazda CX-3 essentially defines the term. It’s small, lightweight and fundamental in execution. It offers a single engine/transmission combination and features a refreshingly straightforward hierarchy of trim levels and options...
When I wrote of the surprise that the magnesium chloride used by the City of Spokane was found to contain PCBs, I did not want to short-sell its corrosive properties. Besides now learning that those carcinogens exist in the mix, I’ve always known how tough…
"I really liked the Corvair articles you’ve written through the years, and am wondering how you feel about the Edsel? It was a new car, but failed miserably back in 1958. What are your thoughts when compared to the Corvair?"
This week, we drive the 2016 Fiat 500X Lounge, the longer wheelbase and heavier 500 from the folks at Fiat. Built in Melfi, Italy, the 500 relies on an engine and transmission built in the United States and arrives dressed in upper class “Lounge” motif.
A recent article published by Automotive News, written by Mike Colias, reported of a General Motors program honoring America’s discharged military. The mission, named Shifting Gears, aims to train civilian soldiers in automotive repair and place them as technicians at GM service departments around the…
Everyone knows compact crossovers are the hottest segment in the auto industry. Fresh competition appears every year, whether all-new or seriously updated. It’s a class where technology advances every year and creature comforts can make the difference between winners and losers. In this category, you…
Last year, I wrote of my disdain of the caustic liquid brazenly spread on our roadways for melting snow and ice. One hundred percent of the record email respondents echoed my apprehension of its toxicity, corrosive properties, effectiveness and overuse. Now, a recent Spokesman-Review article…
Kia’s compact Forte fills several slots in the Korean maker’s lineup. The Forte is available as a sedan (from $16,815, including destination), coupe ($19,415) or four-door hatchback ($20,225). Forte is available with a choice of two four-cylinder engines — one turbocharged, one naturally aspirated. Transmission…
Discussion of making turns seems to generate more discussion of making turns. After the last column on the topic, reader S.R. wrote, “I have a question about what the law allows for the two right turns lanes coming off of I-90 to Sullivan Road. I…
Hyundai’s subcompact Veloster is crammed with clever ideas and useful tech. With its long list of standard features, available torque-vectoring front-wheel-drive and unique three-door design, the $18,000 hatchback makes a strong value case for itself. Veloster’s squat and assertive kammback profile was influenced by racing-motorcycle…
"I was just reading your response to a gentleman from New Jersey about car auctions and high performance cars. Well, you can’t find a bigger auction fan than me as my attraction to cars started back in the 1940s at a car auction."
It’s the 2016 GMC Terrain we’re driving this week, arriving with AWD underpinnings in top line Denali trim.
Two weeks ago, I wrote of drivers making left turns in heavy traffic at signal-light intersections with no left turn provision. Two factions exist: 1) drivers who pull into the intersection upon green indication to make a swift left when the oncoming traffic stops upon…
In 2012, Honda dropped a landmark edition of its Accord into a midsize segment teaming with worthy competitors.
There’s some relatively new lingo being applied to the auto industry lately. A few of those terms that are bandied about — autonomous, self-driving, driver assist, adaptive and connected — prognosticate the future of automotive features and design. Recently, Toyota has made a big bet…
When new cars offer themselves up for a test every week, they can drift from memory like the morning mist on a sunny lake.
We're driving BMW's popular MINI Cooper this week, a front or AWD four-passenger sports car available in short and long wheelbase trims.
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