“How can this car be so loud?” I think to myself a split-second before its engine hits redline. Just then the dual-clutch automatic grabs the next ratio in its six-gear stack, dropping the decibels slightly though not enough to make things any less deafening. As velocity increases the...
If Angus MacGyver was a vehicle, he would probably be a van. Vans can do anything, it’s like they’re the ultimate problem solver. If you have kids and need to haul them along with their friends to after-school activities, you get a minivan. Do you need to get a load lumber from the Home Depot...
The year was 1995 and I was on the cusp of getting my driver’s license. I fantasized all day about driving cars like the Mazda RX-7, Chevrolet Corvette, BMW 850i and Jaguar XJS V12. But then something completely different began to garner my affection, the Volvo 850 T-5R wagon. The 850 wagon was...
The city of Kelowna is nestled in the Okanagan Valley, located in British Columbia, Canada. Covered in flat lush land, surrounded by mountains, the Okanagan valley is ideal for grape growing, wine production and winter sports. It makes sense that Subaru Canada chose this location to introduce the...
As far as crossovers go, it doesn’t get much more quintessential than the Honda CR-V. It hit the market all the way back in 1997, long before the term “crossover” was even in vogue, and has quietly dominated ever since, selling at a torrid pace only the Toyota RAV4 has been...
Mitsubishi has allowed much of its North American product portfolio to become stale. Compared to high-profile competition like the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, the Lancer stands in the shadows of giants. There have been cases in the automotive world when David toppled Goliath, but is this one...
Subaru people are among the most vocal in the world of automotive fandoms about how much they love their cars. They will challenge anyone who says their vehicles are inferior, which is very understandable because although the cars have a lot of merit, Subaru is a bit of an underdog and...
There’s a time and place for everything. Burping out loud at work, bringing Jell-O shots to a child’s first birthday party or making out during Sunday morning service are examples of inappropriate behavior. But simply change the setting to a football game, your friend’s going-away party or...
When Porsche released the Cayenne back in 2002, it did so with a purpose, hoping to boost its stock with a model for the masses. And it worked, with the brand’s first four-door propping it up in a way the 911 never could while creating a case for more non-sports cars from Stuttgart. The Macan...
The Antique Automobile Club of America’s annual fall gathering in is a must-attend event for anyone with rust pumping through their veins. Indeed, chocolate isn’t the only brown substance Hershey, Pennsylvania, is famous for; ferrous oxide has also put this Keystone-State hamlet on the...
Some people love ordering sugary frappuccinos with whip cream, chocolate chips, three pumps of French vanilla and a drizzle of caramel on top when they go to Starbucks. Others think that more isn’t always more, and order straight espresso. Their drinks come in a tiny cup with absolutely zero...
The Chevrolet Malibu is all-new for 2016, while over at Nissan, a massive mid-cycle refresh arrived for the Altima. They’re both decent family sedans, offering a comfortable, familiar ride, although one manages to inch ahead and emerge as the better pick. Let me tell you why. First,...
It’s a good time to be a gear head. From 700-horsepower Hellcats to supercars that are ready to blast into the stratosphere, there are plenty of high-performance players to choose from. But they aren’t exactly practical and don’t make the best commuter cars. Luckily, there are some...
It’s no secret that Americans love crossovers. Like a husky preteen addicted to Butterfingers, our relationship with these car-based utility vehicles is completely unhealthy. And it’s a real shame because this fixation has blinded us to the viability of other automotive options, chiefly...
It’s fall in the Mojave Desert, and morning greets us with a cool and blinding brightness at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada. Several of us mill about like the speed freaks we are, anxiously awaiting our next fix, sipping coffee, smoking cigarettes, pacing in...