For automakers, the compact crossover class is the land of opportunity. Take Chevrolet. Its five-passenger Equinox is its second-best seller, behind only the Silverado pickup. In 2016, the Equinox was the country’s 15th best-selling vehicle. But then, for 2018, Chevy launched the third-generation Equinox. The...
When the roads get slick, a vehicle’s drive system — front, rear, all or four — affects handling. For example, an email from reader GC reminds drivers of the engine braking effect of a front-wheel drive system, warning, “I really enjoy your column but would…
Whether you call it kismet or good timing, the 2018 BMW X1 arrived just in time for a cross-border jaunt into Canada. I consider that a worthy match. Canada is the next best thing to an Old World outpost, after all, and the X1 is...
While trying to beat, deal with or avoid the “holiday rush,” we must also strive to avoid the holiday crash. I believe that most “accidents” are preventable mishaps — especially if drivers identify and avoid the common causes. The majority of crashes are a result…
Hours after taking delivery of my 2018 Subaru Outback tester, I pulled up behind — loomed over, really — a first-generation Outback. Sitting at that stoplight on North Division, I marveled at how small and boxy that first, mid-‘90s Outback had been. And at what...
After a column about studded tires, I received many email responses supporting their non-use. D.M. wished, “I would like your article to at least get more people to go from studs to quality winter tires.” J.C. reflected, “…in all the years of my driving I…
Automakers play in a complicated world. They must serve global markets with products responsive to the shifting sands of consumer demand and government regulation. Even the best can find themselves lacking a viable product in a key market. Increasingly, they are addressing their vulnerabilities by...
Drivers now notice ever-emerging stripes and symbols designating bicycle lanes adjacent to vehicular lanes. Though those markings may soon be snow-covered, readers have questions about operating automobiles amid them. Bike lane proliferation is generally a good thing, with a goal of improving safety for bicyclists…
Not long ago, the subcompact segment was the final refuge of vinyl seats, hand-cranked windows and manual door locks. Good luck to shoppers who hoped to find anything like the latest and greatest. Who craved a quiet, comfortable ride or an engaging driving experience. Who...
Winter tire choice still includes the option of studded versions. I dread debating the topic, but there are at least three inarguable facts about studded tires: They increase road wear. Any slight advantage is only on rare glare ice conditions. Their grip is inferior to…
Because catching eyes is what it does, Lexus’s LC 500 got Hutch’s attention right out of the gate. Hutch is our UPS guy so he gets an early look at our Coming Attractions. “Tell me when you write about this one,” he said: “I want...
My column about parking lot escapades struck a nerve with readers. The behavior of drivers in these automotive arenas has made lasting impressions on many participants. Reader L.M. remarked that my description of careless parking lot escapades certainly “rang true” with her. And she further…
Now and again we encounter a car that thumbs its noses at convention. A car so unique it relegates traditional virtues like comfort, utility and performance to the back seat. Usually, it’s a truck powerful enough to tow a rolling mansion. Or a muscle car...
I thought most drivers now realized that driving continuously in the left-hand lane of a multi-lane roadway without justification is illegal. Unfortunately, driver behavior observed on a recent road trip offered doubt to that supposition. I encountered drivers in many states gleefully occupying the passing…
Following last week’s wild romp in Honda’s Civic Type R, let’s dial it back a bit with a look at Toyota’s take on the modern sports car. The Toyota 86 is an affordable ($26,255) no-frills sport coupe now enjoying a second life. The 86 arrived…
Why must parking lots often become free-for-alls? We could reduce parking lot angst with more courtesy and a loose application of road rules, but that is wishful thinking. Since most lots are private property, the only citations that can purportedly be issued to scofflaws thereon…
Honda’s compact Civic is a safe, comfortable and well-behaved ride. The track-ready Civic Type R, is also safe and comfortable. However, well-behaved is in the eye of the beholder. The little hatchback might be considered the rowdy Civic, but that suggests a cuddly side. Instead,...
No driver has a crystal ball to predict traffic dangers. But fortunately, we do have the mental capacity to store driving experiences. Using this ability, we can anticipate what may happen in certain situations based on what we’ve witnessed before. One might say this helps…
Soon, we will experience additional driving challenges. With winter’s rain, fog, frost, snow and additional hours of darkness, we must prepare for safe vehicle operation. Don’t drive “over your head.” If weather and road conditions deteriorate beyond your comfort zone, don’t drive. It’s actually advisable…
Infiniti’s resigned 2017 Q60 two-door deepens the company’s portfolio of coupes that make powerful first impressions. The string began with the 2002 G35 coupe and has evolved through a succession of striking, slippery-silhouetted two-doors that culminate with the Q60. There’s a fair amount drama at…
As Acura knows, it’s not hard to lose your footing in an industry as fluid as the car game. Honda’s premium brand burst onto the scene in then late 1980s with a stable of cars that were innovative, well engineered and fun to drive. Those...
As leaf colors change, available hours of daylight diminish. This annual waning begins naturally about now and accelerates when we discard daylight savings time just after Halloween. As winter wears on, hours of darkness predominate. This yearly phenomenon is relative to driving because we encounter…
Rooting for the underdog is as American as free fireworks. We can’t get enough of the against-all-odds success story. And so it follows that every red-blooded American ought to be cheering on the latest from Hyundai’s premium brand Genesis. The 2018 Genesis G80 Sport defines…
Children today are protected by rearward-facing seats, boosters and belts when they ride in vehicles beginning with their first ride home from the hospital. Given this indoctrination to safety, kids must perceive a mixed message when they find no belts on their school bus. The…
Last week, we reviewed one of the rowdier players in the compact segment, Honda’s Civic Si. Today, let’s check in on one of the segment’s better-behaved nameplates, the 2017 Toyota Corolla ($18,500). The Corolla family hosts no corollary to the tautly suspended 162-horsepower Si. The…
The latest news, reviews and commentary about cars, trucks, and more, automotive technology and car culture
| Dec. 2017 | Nov. 2017 | Oct. 2017 | Sept. 2017 |
| Aug. 2017 | July 2017 | June 2017 | May 2017 |
| April 2017 | March 2017 | Feb. 2017 | Jan. 2017 |
