smarter traveling, driving and spending
The automobile was born on August 26, 1885. That is the day Gottlieb Daimler filed a patent for his ‘riding car’, the world’s first vehicle with an internal combustion engine. The world would never be the same, and 135 years later, engineers and designers are still tinkering with the size, power and performance of the
Read more
Cars with low price tags aren’t always the best value. They can have higher ownership costs, such as repairs, and provide a less comfortable ride and fewer safety features. So which 2020 models offer the most for the money? Good question. The annual “Best Cars for the Money” report rates vehicles in eleven categories, including
Read more
Dozens of new vehicle models are in the pipeline by 2025, nearly all of them electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid, in all shapes, sizes and prices. It’s more a reaction to mandated emission cuts coming to Europe in 2021 than it is to buyer demand in Europe or in the USA. Here’s what’s in the
Read more
Every year, the Green Car Journal names the top green cars and green SUVs of the year. These are the ten finalists for the best 2020 Green Car of the Year and best 2020 Green SUV of the year, from Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Toyota and Subaru, with fuel efficiency ratings up to 52MPG. This
Read more
First Drive: An EPA rating of 53 MPG, well-designed cockpit, and fun to drive. What else do you want to know about the 2020 Toyota Corolla hybrid? Oh, yeah – starting price is under $24,000, making this one of the most affordable hybrids on the road. MSRP is around $1,000 less than the Toyota Prius,
Read more
Great looks, comfort, handling, fuel economy, luxury and high-tech features at an affordable price. There’s little more to say about the Lexus NX300 hybrid other than, “I want this SUV”. Okay, a lot more. I fell in love with the upscale hybrid on a recent test drive in the wintry Northeast that included a meterologist’s
Read more
Trump Administration tariffs and threatened tariffs on imported vehicles and vehicle parts are raising prices and slowing sales in 2018. The White House is ignoring millions of foreign cars made in America, hundreds of thousands of Americans who work those foreign car companies in the USA, and the many billions of dollars those foreign car
Read more
Seats five comfortably, head-turning good looks, and costs $37,490 fully loaded with all kinds of safety features not usually found at this price. Ditto the paddle shifters and leather-wrapped steering wheel. I was even more impressed by the fuel economy. I clocked an impressive 51.6 average MPG, nearly 10 miles more per gallon than the
Read more
Picture this: Drive whatever car you want, whenever you want it, for a monthly fee. Match a model to that day’s activities, just as you match your shoes or the playlist for your driving route, even choose a model color to match that day’s wardrobe choice. We subscribe to magazines, streaming music and video services,
Read more
It’s not often a car maker launches three eco-friendly new models at the same time. Hyundai has done just with the all-new Ioniq sedan, available as an electric, full hybrid, or plug-in hybrid. All three get the best fuel economy in their class, and all three are priced between $22,200 and $29,500, making them a
Read more